A/N: Well, NaNoWriMo is officially over, which means it's time for this gal to finally write some LoK fanfiction.
Welcome to Alphabet Soup; an assortment Korrasami ficlets from A – Z.
(Btw, the recipe for cactus juice can be found over at The Drunken Moogle website xD)
Hope you enjoy!
Alphabet Soup
By S. Muffin
001. Alcohol
Korra rarely ever indulged in Republic City's many temptations, but after a particularly difficult training session she desperately needed an escape.
That was how she found herself in a quiet bar downtown, knocking back shots of cactus juice (what she was drinking was not nearly as potent as actual cactus juice, but the drink had earned the name for a reason). She had stumbled upon the bar by accident while ambling through the streets on her own, and after three drinks she was very glad that she had.
She sighed gratefully as the barkeep slid her a fourth glass.
"That's your last one," the man grumbled. "You might be the Avatar, but I don't need you passing out in my place of business 'cause of that stuff."
Korra waved him off, before digging into her jacket pocket and placing a wad of money on the counter. The barkeep took it wordlessly and walked over to the cash register to deposit her payment.
It would please him to know that she wasn't interested in passing out in his bar, either, but Korra remained silent. She wasn't in the mood to argue with anyone else. Still, she might not have been a regular customer, but she knew her limits when it came to alcohol. She just needed something to take the edge off, even if only a little while.
Korra stared down at the shot of cactus juice, contemplating whether or not she should even drink it. She was still relishing in the feeling of her buzz from her first three shots. The physical symptoms of her anxiety were starting to disappear, along with her anger. Instead, she now felt blissfully sleepy and warm, much to her relief.
Sadly, though, her thoughts were still mercilessly running laps around her brain.
It was hard enough to be "just friends" with the man you loved, but it was even harder to be sparring partners with such a man. Seeing Mako on such a regular basis for training was frustrating and awkward now that they were no longer a couple. Truthfully, their failed attempt at maintaining a friendship only put further strain on their already contentious relationship.
She loved him deeply, but he was just so difficult. Admittedly, she was also very difficult. Their fiery personalities caused them to clash more often than was healthy. She thought she could handle it, that the two of them could easily overcome their differences, but as time went on their disagreements kept stacking higher and higher. They were able to go a little over two years together without breaking, but over the last few months they were flickering on and off more frequently than a broken street light.
Their session today had been especially unnerving. They weren't able to go a single minute without picking at each other for every little thing. How was she supposed to be friends with a guy who could get so far under her skin so easily?
"Korra?"
Korra jumped slightly at the sound of her name, turning around in her stool.
"Oh, Asami," she said, her tone reflecting her surprise to see her friend. It had been several weeks since she had seen the Future Industries heiress; their equally busy schedules prevented them from getting together as often as they would have liked to. "Hey there."
Asami smiled as she came up beside her. "Hey yourself. I don't think I've ever seen you in this bar before."
"Erm, yeah," Korra replied with an awkward chuckle. "This is my first time here."
Asami took the seat next to her and ordered a glass of white wine, setting her purse on top of the bar counter. She took out her wallet and set a crisp new bill down for her drink.
"You aren't drunk already, are you?" Asami teased, taking notice of Korra's lethargic demeanor.
"Oh, you know... I might be a little tipsy," Korra admitted. She felt her cheeks grow warmer as she blushed. "It's been a long day."
When the barkeep finished pouring her wine, Asami reached for her glass and then held it up expectantly. Korra lifted her glass and gently clanked it against Asami's, before bringing it to her lips and downing the drink. She sighed loudly as she set the small glass down, earning a short laugh from Asami.
Korra watched from the corner of her eye as Asami delicately sipped her wine. No matter what she did, Asami simply radiated elegance and class. Even after a long day of work at Future Industries, she still managed to look effortlessly stunning, too. Her long hair was braided loosely down her back, showing off the striking features of her face. Her makeup was simple yet still pretty and fresh. She was wearing a fitted blazer, a pencil skirt, and a pair of heels Korra could never even dream of being able to walk in. She did look a little worn out, sure, but the only reason Korra even noticed was because she was sitting so close to her.
Korra briefly glanced down at her outfit, consisting of her usual Water Tribe garments. Her clothes were far simpler than Asami's work attire, one of the many differences the two of them shared, but it was nice to be around another female for a change. Between training with Tenzin and Mako, helping Bolin practice his pro-bending, and dealing with various city diplomats, Korra spent most of her time with men. Despite her tom-boy persona, she still appreciated a healthy dose of estrogen in her daily routine and Asami was her closest female friend. Maybe if cactus juice couldn't take her mind off of things, spending some time with Asami would do the trick.
"So, what's wrong? Aside from the obvious buzz, you do seem a little off tonight."
Or not.
"I'm—" Korra started to say, but faltered. She then shook her head. "It's nothing."
"It doesn't sound like nothing," Asami remarked. "You know you can tell me anything, Korra."
Korra gave her a small, grateful smile. "Thanks... I just had a rough training session today, that's all."
"With Mako?" Asami guessed.
Korra nodded reluctantly.
Asami sighed quietly, taking another sip from her wine glass.
"I know he's been kind of a sore subject for us in the past," she said, "but I really am sorry that things have been rough for the two of you."
Korra stared sadly down at her empty shot glass. "Yeah, me too. I just... I still don't understand what happened between us. I'm not sure where I went wrong."
Asami placed a comforting hand on Korra's shoulder. "You shouldn't blame yourself. These things happen sometimes when you've been with the same person for a while."
"I know. Sometimes it just feels like I messed up somewhere along the line, though, you know?" Korra shook her head again. "I hate fighting with him so much, but I still can't help getting mad at him."
"Maybe a break is exactly what you two need, then," Asami said. "Spending that much time with anyone is bound to cause friction, especially if that person already knows how to push all the wrong buttons."
Korra snorted. "You can say that again."
Asami laughed. "Well, if you ever need someone new to train with, my weekends have been pretty flexible lately. It's been a while since I've had a decent sparring partner and we haven't been able to hang out nearly as much as we used to."
"I'd like that a lot," Korra said gratefully. "Thanks, Asami."
"Of course. On that note," Asami went on, "when is Bolin's next pro-bending match? It's coming up soon, right?"
"Yeah, it's this weekend," Korra said. "I'll save you a seat?"
Asami smiled. "Definitely."
Korra smiled back at her, feeling her spirits rise for the first time that night.
The two young women settled into a comfortable conversation, using the opportunity to catch up on each other's lives. Korra told Asami all about her most recent training escapades as well as her latest Avatar duties, finally getting it all off of her chest. When Korra was finished, Asami then relayed all of the frustrating responsibilities and problems that came with running such a large company as a one-woman show. Several hours flew by without either of them realizing it until they finally ran out of topics to talk about.
"Wow, it's getting pretty late," Korra realized, glancing at the clock hanging on the wall behind them. She then stood up from her seat. "I should probably head back to the island before everyone at the temple goes to sleep."
Nodding, Asami quickly finished the remaining sip of her wine and also stood up. She grabbed her purse and pulled out a set of car keys.
"Let me take you home," she offered. "I have my car, so it would be rude if I let you walk all the way back."
"You sure you wouldn't mind?" Korra asked.
Asami shook her head. "Not at all. We wouldn't want you passing out on the way back, would we?"
Winking, Asami came up beside her and held her arm out teasingly.
Korra laughed as she took Asami's arm, though not before giving said arm a playful punch. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bite me, Sato."
"Be careful what you wish for, Korra. I just might take you up on that offer," Asami joked, and the two girls erupted into laughter as they strolled out of the bar arm-in-arm.