Espouse Femininity
Chapter 1
This is set a few months after the season finale. If you see any grammar and spelling, tell me, and I will fix it.
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Korra weaved through the winding panels once more, twisting and turning, like a leaf in the wind. Once she found resistance she changed course, spinning on her heel and used the motion of the current to guide her out of the revolving a few more rotations and swift movement, the young waterbender emerged from the whirling artifacts. Sweat rolled down her tanned skin as she heaved in and out, trying to regain her breath from the extraneous training. Tiny droplets platted onto the stones beneath her, not that she cared, and she inhaled again, closer to rhythmic ventilation.
The Avatar was about to enter again when a bubbly, questioning airbender came her way. "Korra! Korra!"
Said girl straightened from her fighter's stance and turned around to meet the little airbender. Plastering on an exhausted smile (and preparing for the rampant interrogation), Korra engaged Ikki and said, "Hey, what brings you here?"
"There's someone here for you! Whatcha guys going to talk about? Is it important? Are you in trouble?—" Korra, thanks to the time around the hyperactive kid, gratefully tuned out the youngster, and glanced behind the rabbit-footed little girl. To her surprise, it wasn't Bolin or Mako or even Chief Beifong coming to see her. It was a certain heiress.
"Asami what brings you here?" The brunette teen inquired with an arched eyebrow. The raven-haired beauty strode to the practicing bender with her usual elegance and poise, back erect and bouncing locks that complimented her features. Slung over her shoulder was a designer purse with a name Korra has never heard of that matches her maroon and black attire. Despite her enervation, the aqua-eyed teen took the time to long at the nonbender with admiration and pride. There was no longer jealousy, just esteem and wonderment.
The raven-haired girl finally reached the bender and smiled fondly, "Well, hello to you too, Korra."
"Touchy," joked the Avatar, crossing her arms. The heiress chuckled softly and rested her one of her hands on the illustrious purse.
"Well, the reason for my arrival is that I was just wondering if we could . . . you now . . . hang out," the jade-eyed girl said sheepishly, if not almost desperately and eagerly. Nevertheless, the suggestion took the shorter teen by surprise, not by the proposition, yet by who proposed it.
The young Avatar was silent, almost too silent for Asami, who shifted on the balls of her feet until affright descended in her. "Unless, you know, you don't want to. I don't want to be a both—"
"No, no, it fine!" Korra interrupted, frantically waving her hands in front of her, trying to placate the panicking girl's train of thought. The waterbender settled her hands at her sides and continued her pacification, "It's just I never thought you would suggest such a thing—"
"Why wouldn't I?" The raven-haired teen asked, cutting off the shorter teen.
The tanned girl didn't miss a beat conveying her concern, "Well, every time we try to do something someone—usually me cancels, or some disaster disrupts world peace, or even you have to go to a Future Industries function and what not. I would have thought you'd give up on the whole hanging out thing." She stopped her near ranting, and looked down at her shoes, which seemed to have some very peculiar and interesting dirt on them.
The taller girl stared for some time, taking in her friend's worry. It was true, ever since the defeat of Amon and his Equalists 'Team Avatar' was preoccupied with the aftermath of the near war. Asami was rebuilding the scorned Future Industries thanks to her father and simultaneously helps the team with splinter Equalist groups and imitators. Mako and Bolin were reconstructing the pro-bending arena and the sport itself (many pro-benders dispersed after the whole tragedy at the tournament, fearing the wrath of Amon), and occasionally helped with the withered police force. Korra, as it seems, had the worst out of all of them. Since she was Avatar of both the benders and nonbenders, she had double the responsibility and double the efforts, not to mention all the other risings across the world, whether it be related Amon or not. So many people wanted war or drama. All free time seemed to be few and squandered by the team.
After a while, the nonbender laughed, which caught the attention of the girl before her. Korra's head shot up in confusion and in surprise of the gentle sound.
"Are you occupied now?" The heiress asked, with a sly smile across her goddess-like face.
"Uh. . ."
"It's a yes or no question." Asami bit back another giggle. Giggle? That was something rare, even for a feminine figure such as herself.
The brunette waterbender hesitated, and then replied, "No . . .?"
The answer was quasi-true. Tenzin has let the airbending training slide more so than not, because of the young woman's hectic life that the moment, yet today she was uncharacteristically light handed with her duties. So the day was dedicating to the bending form and meditation.
"There you have it. Today, we're going out and have a girl's day." The ebony-haired girl cooed.
A girl's day. Korra didn't do girl's day, even when she had the free time. It was her type of opposition she rather avoid than accept. But with the overjoyed teen before her, how could she refuse?
"Okay." The Avatar thought for a moment, then added, "Let me ask Tenzin though and we'll see what we can do."
The taller girl beamed, "I'll go with you to add more leverage." The waterbender nodded and both girls set out for the master airbender.
"So . . ." Korra mused to replete the time. "What are we going to do?"
If it was possible the heiress's smile got brighter, if not wider. "Oh, you know. Girl stuff."
"As in . . ." To Korra, elaboration was defiantly needed if this was indeed a girl's day.
Asami gave the shorter girl a mischievous side glance before rebutting, "Lunch, walking, shopping, pedicures and manicures, maybe a spa or a hot spring." The jade-eyed teen had to terminate her listing because of the adjacent girl's expression growing more and more dismal as the itemization progressed. It was cute, for a lack of a better word. And not letting up the opportunity at hand, she also contributed, "Embrace your femininity once in a while. It's actually quite healthy, if I do say so myself."
Korra groaned outwardly and inwardly berated herself for taking up such an offer. Asami, with no more reserves for self-control, burst out laughing.
. . . . .
After lunch, the girl duo seemed to go to every open boutique in Republic City. In the Avatar's opinion anyway. Asami seemed to be enjoying herself, so the waterbender withheld her comments, not to mention the look in the heiress's eyes was too . . . lovely to pass up—
Wait . . . lovely? When did the aqua-eyed girl think of that?
The raven-haired teen soon gave the younger one the job of toter ("What am I? A butler?" "No you're better: You're free"), and soon enough Korra's arms were filled with various bags of garments and knick-knacks for the heiress. The tanned girl didn't buy anything and nor did she care. All she was concerned about was the lilt girl beside her, talking up a storm. The one thing the Avatar could always count on was the easy conversation that flowed between the two. Nothing seemed to be void in their communication and everything seemed to be the limit. It was one of the many things Korra loves about being friends with such a girl.
"Oh, Korra," Asami radiated, turning to the free-of-charge bearer with a toothy smile crossing her visage. The girl in question half-turned to the paler teen, still trying to navigate through the streets with such a load in her arms.
The taller girl proceeded, "There's this hot spring place a little ways from here that I never been to and I was wondering if you would be up to it."
The topaz-colored teen thought it over. A nice relaxing pool of water will certainly uncoil her aching muscles from the training and the current weightlifting she's doing. The Avatar shrugged nonchalantly and, nonetheless, she agreed.
. . . . .
The hot springs was on the edge of the city, nearest to the mountain that loomed over the industrialized city. It was a quaint, small place with wind chimes and other loosening paraphernalia for the costumers. The operation rested on top of a natural hot spring on the mountain, so no progressive or heavy-duty equipment was needed to pull off such a function. A wall separated the male and female sections of the place, so no . . . unwanted attention and actions would be called upon.
The two girls entered the spring and were directed to the female side by the elderly woman who operated it. The two friends were hit by a thermal wall of vapor once they entered the vicinity. It was stuffy at first, but it languished away when the relaxing steam settled in. Both teens went to the changing rooms to strip from their now heavy clothing.
Asami seemed more than comfortable to shed her garments and slide into the blistering water. Korra on the other hand was a bit more shy and timid to come out. She even disrobed a near room away from her jade-eyed friend. The heiress was taken aback by her friend's uneasiness and let her worry show in her voice.
"Korra. . . are you okay?"
There was a moment's pause. "Yeah everything's fine." Another pause. Now the ebony-haired teen was truly concerned. She was about to get out and check on her when her friend said, "It's just . . . um . . . could you not look."
Asami didn't suspect that response. At first she thought the waterbender didn't want to look at her, however she soon realized it was because Korra didn't want Asami to see her. The older girl bit back a sigh of relief at her conclusion and settled back in the pool. The heiress understood the girl's modesty and diffident look on her body (though the paler teen thought she had nothing to worry about, Korra had trained all her life regardless). She was once like that too, but soon grew out of it because of the compliments and loving looks from others. Then, it occurred to her that the Avatar has been in isolation nearly all her life, so there was no peer socialization in the tanned girl's childhood. Asami instantly felt sympathy for the brunette.
"Okay . . . I'm not looking." To emphasized she closed her eyes and turned her head to the side. After few moments, she heard the pitter-patter of bear feet to stone and soon she felt the water level rise marginally. Asami opened her eyes and whirled her head to her dear friend, who sat across from her. The shorter girl tried to preoccupy her view with the steam around them.
Due to the dense water vapor and distance, the older girl couldn't see the other teen's body. Which somehow Asami seemed to yearn for slightly, but from the enshrouding air the longing was stopped short. To her surprise this disappointed her. The jade-eyed shook the thwarted feeling and engaged the young Avatar into conservation.
This soon loosened the younger girl up and somehow they stumbled on to the discourse of relationships.
"Speaking of which how are you and Mako doing?" The heiress inquired, with a pang of sorrow hitting her. No, it wasn't because her past relation with the firebender or the whirlwind of emotions that came with him (she long since accepted it; it wasn't like she was in love with him). It was just the gloomy filling she had when she thinks of the couple, almost like she longed for a relationship something like theirs—to have what they have (or was it to have a particular someone?). However, when a somber-filled expression flashed across the Avatar's features, the raven-haired girl begrudged what she asked.
"There is no me and Mako," the tanned girl riposted, almost indifferently. That was certainly not what Asami surmised.
The older teen studied the other, "What do you mean?"
Korra took the time to examine something behind the paler girl's back. "We . . . um . . . we're kind of . . . well, broken up . . . from each other."
The other girl didn't want to think of such a thing, but the news elated her mood passably. Disregarding the weird feeling of happiness, the ebony-haired teen comforted, "Are . . . you okay? Do you need to talk about it?"
The waterbender forced a harsh laugh, which in itself produced a feeling of melancholy in the taller girl. "No, I'm actually quite relieved about it."
The other friend arched a black brow, "Oh?"
"Do you want me to elaborate?"
The heiress smiled, "If you want."
The Avatar perked up slightly; obviously she wanted to get it off her chest. And the friend before her was more than happy to be confided in. "Well, we have been busy from the whole Equalist fiasco and the aftermath, so I wanted to get my priorities straight—peace first, boyfriend second." The aqua-eyed girl placed a hand behind her neck, revealing more of her cleavage. Asami tried to keep her eyes on the younger girl's face, as she desperately wanted to peak down.
The teen continued, "He actually didn't really take it well." Another abrasive laugh, "Mako thought that he was above the world and wanted himself to come first. We got in a fight about it. And we mutually ended it."
Asami gawked at the other girl for a moment before choosing her words diligently, "That sounds vaguely familiar . . ."
"Don't get me wrong, we had a good time together . . . but . . ." the bender trailed off, leaving the nonbender at the edge of the metaphorical and literal seat.
"But what? Korra . . ." The heiress resisted the urge to reach out and comfort her friend, but refrained, fearing a contempt reaction from the intimate contact. So far, she can only watch.
The topaz-colored girl continued, somewhat monotonously, "Somehow something was lost in the three months that we were together. Like the spark wasn't there anymore. I think I was the only one to notice though."
The paler teen listened intently to every word, hoping she can somehow help the young Avatar inadvertently through her silence. She desperately wanted to comfort her friend physically but the repercussions may outweigh the action. The heiress didn't know how the teen would react especially with their current lack of clothing. So instead, she just nodded along.
"I mean I could have hurt him worse if I prolonged it, you know," the shifty eyes of Korra caused Asami's heart to clench. Once again she stopped herself from doing something drastic like take her friend's hand or go up to her and embrace the poor girl. "I think he truly fell for me . . . but, I guess I fell out instead."
"Korra . . ." the jade-eyed teen started, scooting closer, though the steam made it hard to determine such a thing. "Stuff happens like that, people grow and people fade. And unfortunately that also goes for love too. Love grows and love fades. Sometimes for a short period, while others . . . permanently. There's nothing to be ashamed of."
The waterbender, hearing those sweet and reassuring words, looked up to meet the vivid jade of the nonbender. Blue turquoise colliding with green viridity. Through the steam the intense gaze of the two girls was indisputable, virtually palpable. Korra gave a weary smile and Asami gave one right back.
Deciding to change the subject, therefore change the heaviness in the room from the exotic girl's aqua eyes, the heiress inquired, "You know . . . I have never seen you with your hair down."
Clearly taking the hint in distraction, Korra replies with crossed arms, "You can't necessarily take down bad guys with you hair in your face. Now can you? And don't get me started on firebending."
Directing her gaze upwards more, the ebony-haired girl laughs, "I do it all the time."
"Well, you're different. Your hair is always perf—out of your face." The Avatar stopped herself before saying something calamitous. Like saying the heiress was perfect or something along those lines.
The taller girl caught the other girl's sputter, despite her response, "Have you even tried it?"
The instant silence answered for her. Asami grinned naughtily, "Come on take it down!"
The brunette grumbled a rebuttal but it fell short. After a few minutes of light-hearted bickering (Asami being victorious of course), the topaz-colored girl yielded and began taking the hair accessories out. The paler girl watched keenly, as the long tresses fell over the waterbender's shoulders. The teen hitched a gasp in her throat, as the girl before shook her head letting the dark chestnut locks flow down her shoulders. The tanned deity in front of her blushed, visible in spite of the thick steam. She looked . . .
"Korra you look—"
"Please don't start. . ." the aqua-eyed girl looked the side, clearly uncomfortable in her situation. "Don't finish that sentence. I'm not that nice looking or pretty."
The older girl was in silence and, in no doubt, astonishment. Wide eyed and speechless, she only stared at the unbelievable sight before her. Did she really think that of herself? Just look at her . . . she was gorgeous. Then the raven-haired teen remembered her earlier dissection of the Avatar's life. How she was ostracized and had no peers around her. She probably never had anyone of her age comment on her until recently when the tanned teen came to Republic City.
There was an obvious awkward silence between the two teens, until Asami's confidence grew tenfold.
"You're right . . . you're not pretty." Korra gave her a satisfied smile until the jade-eyed girl swam over to her and stopped a few feet away. The air seemed to get even more humid than before by the close proximity of each other. Yet what enraptured Korra the most was the confusing tempest of emotions in Asami's beautiful eyes, it was cross between desperation, admiration, yearning, and something that resembled philia and affection. It scared the young Avatar.
And then the ebony-haired heiress came closer, cupping the topaz-skinned teen's face, sending chills down Korra's spine as well as the girl before her. The way the heiress held and touched her, gentle and thrilling, was the most perplexing caressing the younger girl has ever experienced. Absent-mindedly, she told herself that she never wanted the contact to break. The waterbender's breath became nonexistent as piercing jade eyes came closer and closer. . .
Then a voice came in, entering the clouded atmosphere of the younger girl's mind. And, boy, was it the most seraphic and bewildering sound ever. "You're beautiful."
The words seem to hang in the air as the Avatar gazed into the vivid eyes of her friend which held so much conviction to the words spoken. Such notion held in those eyes . . .
Their faces inched together, breathing in each other's essence as their skin grazed against one another underneath the water. Electricity shot through their nerves as their bodies came closer, as their beings intertwined. Their legs would subconsciously graze, sending new feelings through the girls. The duo wanted more with every gentle tangency, with ever angelic abrasion to each other. Asami brought her face closer to the aqua-eyed teen's, and the said teen seemed to turned her head as their faces drew nearer and nearer. . .
Ding!
A bell rang, indicating the end of their spa session. Both heads shot back by the disturbance, and the fractured moment shriveled away like the heiress's hands from the bender's cheeks. Each girl was disappointed with the lack of sensational contact as Asami scooted back, face burning and body shaking from the physical and mental stimulus that was taking place.
Both girls stuttered out an apology, while the nonbender ran to the changing room and the waterbender looking elsewhere but her friend. Once the friends were dressed and not blushing profusely, they left the hot springs. The two friends finished the day with a stop to Kuang's Cuisine (courtesy of Asami with the reservations) and the pair headed back to Air Temple Island. Neither of them said a word about what took place in the springs, even though the incident was running rampant through their minds the entire time.
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Well, how was it? Good, bad, astounding? With any reaction, please review!
Next Chapter: The pair can't sleep because of the weird turn of events from the day. One of them figures it out sooner, while the other is still skeptical. Oh, and Korra gets help from an unsuspecting source.
