It started off with a giggle. And then it grew into full blown, tummy-holding laughter. Korra paused to look around the dinnertable. She didn't expect her joke to be that funny.
But there was something different about this laughter. It wasn't amusement and it wasn't happiness. It was the kind of laughter that comes when the world has fallen and there's nothing else left to do but laugh. These were cracks on the wall that became too large to fill up. The kind of cracks that make homeowners tear down the wall to build a new one. Except Asami wasn't a wall.
After the meal, Korra stayed behind to clean the dishes for Pema. Because of all the new people staying with them on the island, there was more than Korra had expected to wash, but a certain observation kept Korra's mind occupied. It was that almost-not-okay laughter from the heiress that worried her.
"You alright there,...Asami?"
Asami looked up from her cup of tea. The boys had long since retreated to their bedrooms and just when she thought she was alone Korra's head popped in from the hallway.
The Avatar's apprehensiveness at approaching her was obvious and this was something that she appreciated. Korra's bluntness and transparent emotions was something that Asami labeled 'confidence' even though Korra always felt like she fumbled with these things the same way one fumbles to find one's keys in the dark.
"I'm fine," Asami lies, thinking of why she is not.
"Oh," Korra looks down at her feet, "Alright. You had me worried for a second, what with you laughing hysterically earlier. But I guess I am good at telling jokes after all." She tries to laugh it off and scratches the back of her head. Asami wonders if crying is the right thing to do because everything recently was full of betrayal and yet here was this good-natured soul standing in front of her.
"Well, goodnight then," says Korra, not wanting to push the issue and run over any personal boundaries.
"Korra."
"Yes?"
Asami looks at her from across the room and even at this distance Korra can see that wonderful emerald green hue pierce through the air and landing somewhere in her chest.
"Thanks for checking in on me."
Korra blinks for a moment and then smiles wide. "Anytime, Asami," she says and makes a waving sort of gesture before exiting the room.
After their chat, Asami feels less concerned than earlier but something still nags at the edge of her consciousness.
She finishes her tea in thought and ponders at what actions she needed to take. Finally settling on an idea, she leaves the dining room and makes her way to Korra's room. Her boots clicking on the wooden floors are quiet compared to the crickets outside that could be heard through the walls. Or was it the open windows? Either way, night engulfed the place in a deafening sort of quiet only the restless could hear.
Finally she reaches her destination and softly knocks on the door.
Asami doesn't know why she's trying to be so quiet. Mako and Bolin were in a completely separate dormitory. She knocks softly again on the door but there is no response. She disappointedly gives up assuming that the Avatar had fallen asleep. Lots of heavy training during the day would make you that happen rather quickly.
Asami walks down the hallway and stops at a window. Moonlight pours through just enough to light the outlines of things. While pondering the beauty of it she notices that the satellite isn't the only thing shining light. A small building a few lengths down has the lights on and a figure moving about.
Upon closer inspection, Asami discovers that the figure moving about is the very same woman she was looking for. She leans up against the door with her arms crossed and watches the Avatar move around before speaking up.
"It's a little late to be out here isn't it? Or am I not the only one with too many thoughts on my mind?"
Korra spins around, not expecting anyone to be standing there. After recognizing the person Korra chuckles.
"Oh hey, Asami. I thought you would've been going to bed right about now."
"That's what I thought you would be doing to. But I knocked on your bedroom door and you weren't there."
"Oh, sorry about that. I'm just cleaning up the equipment we used today. Tenzin's saying that I've got to learn to be more responsible. Was there something you wanted?"
Asami thinks that anyone who willingly takes on a man like Amon for the sake of others doesn't need to learn responsibility.
"I needed to clear my head and wanted to go for a drive. If I helped you clean up would come with me?"
"Sure! I mean the island's kind of small, so I don't know how much driving will actually be accomplished, but the last time I rode with you was a blast, so I'm down." Korra flashed a big grin and Asami managed smile at that.
Together they packed up the training equipment and walked over to the garage, sharing a few words here and there, mostly giggles at clumsiness and the grazing of hands as they moved objects about. The walk to the car was silent, like the beginning to a ritual of the young. Sneaking out and feeling free.
The wind flowed through Asami's hair as she drove over hills on the island and just for these few brief moments all the mess that was real life could be forgotten in the wind and blown to some other place far away. There was dampness too and cold, but she didn't bother to put on a coat because feeling icy air on her skin was better than feeling all the other things.
"Um, Are you cold?" Asami hears the passenger ask. She is about to answer when Korra buts in, "You've got goosebumps all over you." Sometimes the body will betray the heart.
"I'm used to the cold and all y'know," continued Korra, "Take my jacket, Asami."
"Korra that's very kind of you," Asami begins, but the Avatar is already taking off the article of clothing.
"Here," Korra says, placing it over her shoulders and holding out the arms for Asami to put in one by one. She thinks about protesting and does nothing about it.
"Can you button that?" she asks but then sees where the importance of hands must be. "Aw, nevermind you have to keep your hands on the steering wheel."
Korra reaches over to the drivers seat and starts at the bottom button. The odd angle makes the process twice as long but neither of the two women are complaining because this close gentle contact brings a kind of shortness to their breath that they hope the other does not hear. After awhile Korra has finally made her way past Asami's chest and now buttons near the neck and tries to ignore the attractive way that ebony hair falls over and around slender neck and shoulders while Asami thinks of several ways that she could grab Korra's fumbling hands to kiss the inside of her palm. The jacket is warm on the inside and Asami smiles fondly at the strength a heart would have to have to keep it this warm.
She wants to say thank you but all she can manage is a glance over with a soft smile, and feels giddy inside when she sees that Korra is doing the same.
Author's Note: Does Korra's coat even have buttons? IDK
Comments and critiques are welcome! I don't ever post the stuff I write, but I want to start being better so really when I say I like critiques I do.
Edit: thanks to a very nice review by veraliana on livejournal, I've fixed a few things :)