Korrasami week 2013; Day four - Light you up
Have done a sh itload of research for this one! x.x If you're interested, check 'Samhain' (the Celtic holiday) on Wikipedia ;D The inspiration partly came from the music (and shows) of Lord of the Dance.
Please understand that if any info is incorrect, it's not meant to be disrespectful from my side! I did some research, but simply didn't have the time (nor energy due failing my theory-exam today -,-) to read everything there is on Samhain. It's also from my favorite book series 'Night World' by L.J. Smith; Samhain is mentioned and a subject in the book 'Spellbinder'.
Really hope you guys like this one, because I'm pretty happy with the result! n_n It has not been beta'd yet, but as soon that's done I'll update! Please let me know what you think by giving some feedback? Would be very appreciated!
Enjoy! c:
"Korra, I'm back!" Asami shouted and pushed the door shut behind her with her right foot, since her hands were full. "Korra?"
"Hey there, beautiful," Korra whispered into Asami's ear; startling her.
"Geez, Korra! You'll give me a heart attack one day, seriously," Asami gasped and turned around, facing the other.
"Well, I had so many already I lost count and I'm still here," Korra joked and pressed a kiss on Asami's cheek, then she looked down at the massive thing in Asami's arms. "What's that?" she asked confused, never having seen anything like it before. Asami smiled and handed Korra the vegetable.
"That, my love, is a pumpkin," she answered, this time she gave Korra a soft kiss, on the lips.
"A pump— what? Is it decoration? Food? A plant?" Asami chuckled and threw her jacket on the stool that was close to the door.
"It's decoration, food and a plant, or actually a vegetable," Asami answered and smiled widely.
"You seem… excited?" Korra noted and raised one of her eyebrows, not sure what the reason behind Asami's cheerfulness was. Asami nodded and smiled even wider than before.
"I am!"
"Care to tell me the reason of your excitement?" Korra asked, smiling at Asami. It made her warm inside to see her girlfriend to happy.
"My dearest Korra, that's because it's almost Samhain!" Asami answered and twirled around in circles towards the kitchen. Korra followed her and thought about something to say in response; she had no idea what 'Samhain' was. Asami turned around and saw the confused look on Korra's face, who now put the pumpkin on the counter. "Samhain is a holiday, translated it'd be named 'Summer's end'. My mom used to tell me about it and every year we'd get the most delicious foods and carve out a pumpkin, when it got dark we lit a candle and put it in the pumpkin. It's to keep the dark spirits out and welcome the light spirits," she explained. Korra listened carefully with interest to her girlfriend, elbows on the counter and chin resting in the palms of her hands.
"That sounds… Pretty?" Korra said, not sure if she picked out the right word. "Tell me more!" she said with a smile; loving to see Asami so enthusiastic about something that was clearly important to her.
"Okay, well... My mom told me that really long ago there were people who called themselves Celts, they celebrated Samhain on the last day of October and November's first night. It was to start the 'dark half of the year', but it was also the time of year when the portal to the 'Otherworld' opened far enough to let faeries, spirits and passed souls enter our world. To welcome the passed souls of their families, the people would collect all kinds of products to make delicious dishes and light bonfires so they, the passed souls, would be able to find their homes. The people would dance around the fires to thank the spirits, for good fortune."
"Whoa… That sounds really cool….!" Korra said in honesty. Then she saw Asami's smile drop and the look in her eyes changed, too. "What is it, 'Sami?" Korra asked, walking over to Asami and rest her hand against Asami's cheek.
"I haven't really… Celebrated Samhain, not since my mom… We always used to do that, together. She even taught me how to dance like the Celts had, we'd dance at Samhain together... After we carved out the pumpkin and…"
"I'm so sorry, 'Sami…" Korra whispered and took Asami into an embrace; kissing her neck and caressing her dark hair.
"It's okay… But I wondered if maybe… If you would want to celebrate Samhain with me this year?" Asami asked, lifting her head so she could look Korra in the eyes. Her question was answered with a beautiful bright smile.
"Of course I would, I'm really curious. But you have to tell me what to do, because I don't know anything about Samhain," Korra answered and shared a kiss with Asami. "And… I can't really dance…" she admitted.
"And I wouldn't even make you try," Asami said with a chuckle. "Nothing personally, but it's really hard. Honestly I don't even know if I still can do it."
"Well, I think you'd be amazing. I can't dance at all, so even the most basic stuff would look pretty incredible to me," Korra said with a chuckle and Asami joined in.
"I guess I could try…" Asami mumbled and saw a look in Korra's eyes that she simply couldn't resist; it was interest, love, fascination, curiosity, admiration… Asami felt how Korra told her that she loved her with just her blue eyes. "But then I'll have to change shoes… If you want you can start on the pumpkin? Just cut a circle out of the top and hollow it, it takes a while so I'll help you later, after I've found my shoes, alright?"
"Sounds perfect to me," Korra whispered against Asami's neck and pressed a kiss against the soft skin.
"I'll be back in a few minutes," Asami replied and kissed Korra passionately, then left to get upstairs for her shoes. She hadn't worn them in a while, so they were somewhere in the back of her closet. While Asami searched for her shoes and dress, which would be a surprise for the other woman, Korra started on the pumpkin carefully.
.
"How do I look…?" Asami asked carefully as she reached the bottom of the stairs. Korra looked up from the pumpkin that was hollowed out halfway now, when her gaze reached Asami's body, the knife dropped onto the counter. Korra's jaw dropped and her eyes widened, it was as if her brain froze for a few seconds and needed a while to restart again. "Korra? Will you please be careful with that knife?" Asami said as she saw the knife drop down, luckily it didn't hurt Korra.
"I— Yeah, I mean— Wow…" Korra stuttered and stumbled, looking at her girlfriend in amazement; she looked absolutely breathtaking beautiful. Asami was dressed in a velvet dress; long sleeves with points that reached the knuckles of her middle fingers and a square neckline that revealed Asami's collarbones. The bottom of the dress reached onto Asami's upper legs, flowing beautifully while the rest of the dress hugged her body; emphasizing her curves.
"Is that good…?"
"Good? Good? Spirits, Asami, you look beautiful!" Korra said in honesty, enjoying her view.
"Thank you, love. I'm glad you like it, I just hope I won't screw this up too much…" Asami said with a sigh and Korra wiped her hands clean and dry on a towel and sat down on one of the wooden kitchen stools.
"Whenever you're ready, gorgeous," Korra said and Asami nodded, now standing not too far from Korra. She breathed in and out a few times in order to calm herself down and prepare for her feet to be basically killed, they would hurt so bad in the evening…
.
Asami played the song in her head that her mother would play on the violin when she practiced dancing with her mom; it fit perfectly and gave Asami the push she needed. She closed her eyes and raised her arms up slowly, until her fingers were pointing upwards. Then Asami lifted her entire body up until she was leaning her entire weight on the noses of her shoes, it was a bit difficult to keep her balance; but she did. When she was completely stretched out, Asami let herself fall onto the soles of her feet again; causing the shoes to make a clacking sound onto the floor.
She was dancing, but it felt more as if she was flying. Asami was no longer in the present, she was in her own world that was filled with the beautiful violin music her mom played when Asami was young. She twirled and swayed her arms around her, finally letting her hands rest onto her hips and keeping them there; preparing herself for the upcoming part which was harder. Her feet moved fast and the clacking sound of her shoes' soles created a rhythm that sounded pleasantly familiar. It surprised Asami that she still knew the steps so well, the last time she danced was at least three years ago; which was ten years after her mother passed away.
Her legs and feet moved willingly and Asami felt amazing, she felt gracious; a feeling she'd missed in the past few years. Right now she was moving her legs and feet at top speed; the fastest she could ever move them. Asami remembered how proud her mother had been and once even got tears in her eyes when Asami had shown her how she'd improved and could do the fast moves now as well. Then her feet stopped and Asami stood still, panting.
"Wow, Asami… That was… I'd almost say magical!" Korra complimented and took Asami into her arms, pressing her lips onto Asami's for a deep kiss. Asami blushed and smiled while answering Korra's kiss.
"You liked it?"
"I loved it! You looked really gracious and kind of… well…" Korra gulped and felt her cheeks color crimson, so she buried her face into Asami's thick black hair. "It kinda… turned me on…" Korra whispered shyly. Asami smiled, but soon her smile turned into a smirk.
"Good to know," Asami replied and snickered.
.
They finished their dinner and Asami had kicked off her dance shoes a long time ago, now wearing comfortable house-slippers. Korra looked at her with a blissful look in her eyes, Asami answered with a smile of happiness. Their pumpkin turned out pretty nicely and was now casting shadows on the ground around it, by the lit candle inside it. There were lit candles everywhere, creating enough light to see the garden they were in, but little enough to keep the stars visible.
"Is that something that happens on every Samhain?" Korra asked and Asami looked at her girlfriend, confused.
"What is?"
"That," Korra pointed out, her finger pointing up to the sky. A light blue-green light was dancing in the sky, with the width of the horizon. Asami stared at it in fascination, then shook her head.
"This never happened before…" she mumbled, completely amazed by the beautiful view. "It's… dancing?" Asami whispered, cocking her head a bit sideward.
"Maybe it's a sign?" Korra wondered out loud and Asami locked her gaze with Korra's again.
"Maybe it is…" Asami replied and leaned in, her lips only inches removed from Korra's. "Maybe it's because you are with me," she said in a whisper and they both smiled.
"Merry Samhain…?" Korra said, not sure if she said it correctly.
"Merry Samhain, Korra," Asami answered, "I love you," she continued and closed the distance between them, pressing her lips on her girlfriend's.
"I love you too," Korra breathed against Asami's lips, kissing her deeply. Causing them to fall backwards into the grass, surrounded by the light from the candles and the dancing light in the night sky that grew bigger as the girls' kiss deepened.