"Ready to go home, girl?" Korra asked Naga. Naga licked Korra's face and tried to jump on her. The Avatar fended the polar bear dog off with some difficulty. "Hey, I don't need any broken bones, OK?" She said with a laugh. "That would kind of put a kink in my plans for today." Naga whimpered apologetically and allowed Korra to climb onto the saddle without further incident.
Korra turned and waved at Tenzin and his family as she rode away from Air Temple Island. They all waved back except for Meelo who was too busy listening to his uncle's story about how he'd won the right to rule the Fire Nation in a Pai Sho game, only for it to be revoked at the last minute due to a legal technicality.
It was nearly dark by the time Korra and Naga reached the Sato Estate. Spotting a light in Asami's second floor office, Korra quietly let Naga in through the front door, extended the wings on her glider suit and flew up to the window sill. Most of the time she used the front door as well, but today she felt like showing off a bit. Asami sat at her desk, working on blueprints of some sort. Korra knocked on the glass and Asami looked up and smiled. The industrialist undid the window latch to let her girlfriend in. The two embraced and kissed.
"So, save the world today?" Asami asked. In most relationships this would have been sarcasm, but in theirs it was simple curiosity.
The Avatar grinned. "Nah, not today. Rohan finally managed to ride an Air Scooter without falling into the bay though. Now Pema and Tenzin can finally relax a bit and I won't have to waterbend my clothes dry every day. How was your day?"
"I'm still trying to figure out how to miniaturize radios enough to fit in a Satomobile without having to make the dashboard three feet long." Asami replied, indicating the papers on her desk. "It works in police vehicles since they're larger but without a major design overhaul Satomobiles just don't have that much space. I've almost got it but there are still a few bugs to work out."
For several minutes Asami rambled on about transmitters, modulation, wavelengths, and the electromagnetic spectrum before spotting the dazed look on her girlfriend's face. "Sorry." She muttered. "Sometimes I get carried away with the technical details." "That's all right." Korra assured her. "I don't always understand your technical mumbo jumbo but I like listening to you talk about it. It's cute." Asami smiled. "Thanks. It helps to have someone to bounce this stuff off of."
"Anyway, I'll figure that out later." Asami added, scooping up the blueprints and tossing them into her desk drawer. "What do you say we go out for dinner tonight? We haven't had a date all week and there's a great new place near Future Industries that serves the best stewed sea prunes I've ever had."
"Sounds good, but you drive OK?" Korra said, setting up one their oldest and favorite jokes.
Asami chuckled. "Oh, come on. You've gotten much better since your first driving lesson."
"Yeah, I'm down to about one wreck a week now." Korra replied sheepishly. "For a while there, Lin was worried she'd sprain her wrist from writing me so many tickets."
"You're lucky Mako is willing to give you some slack on the accident reports." Asami teased. "Otherwise you'd bankrupt me and Varrick in less than a month.'
They both laughed. "I'll take a polar bear dog over a car any day. At least Naga knows how to avoid streetlamps on her own."
In fact, it had been over a year since Korra's last car crash but neither of them ever got tired of laughing at the Avatar's chaotic first time behind the wheel. Her last accident-though they both agreed the situation in question was stretching the term a bit-had occurred when Korra had decided to try and impress Asami by driving in an abandoned part of town using airbending to steer. They'd ended up knocking down a building (but hey, it had been scheduled for demolition anyway) and construction crews were still looking for parts of the car. Lin had looked mad enough to bite through her armor but Asami had loved it and Korra, half proudly, half embarrassedly, said it was one of top ten craziest things she'd ever done. Well, definitely top fifteen.
They left the office and went down the hall to their bedroom. While Asami brushed her hair and applied her (in Korra's opinion, completely unnecessary) makeup, Korra flipped through the clothes in her wardrobe. Usually she wasn't picky about what she wore but today was different. She considered for a moment then grabbed her special blue dress and headed for the bathroom. Korra washed up, tossed her airbender suit in the hamper, and dressed before rejoining Asami in the bedroom.
Asami raised an eyebrow when she saw what the Avatar was wearing. Korra blushed and said quickly "Umm… I just wanted to look extra nice today. You know, on account of Rohan figuring out his Air Scooter."
The industrialist didn't look completely convinced but Korra shooed her downstairs and out the door before she had too much time to think about it. As Asami drove them to the restaurant, Korra wondered if she'd been too obvious and ruined the surprise. After all, this was the same dress she'd worn when they'd prepared for their first vacation to the Spirit World and she only brought it out on very special occasions.
The restaurant was a small, single story building made of dark stone. A life sized statue of a platypus bear stood outside next to a sign that proclaimed "The Platypus Bear Café! Grand opening! Great food from every nation!" In smaller letters were the words "Waterbenders especially welcome if they help with the dishes!" At the bottom the sign said "Just kidding about the dishes." This last bit was written in an untidy scrawl and looked like a last minute addition.
"I like this place already." Korra said appreciatively.
"Yeah, it's really nice. It's not as fancy as Kwong's Cuisine or anything but it's more laid back and fun." Asami answered.
Korra held the door open for Asami and bowed playfully. "Enter, my lady." Asami stifled a giggle. "Why thank you, Madam Avatar." She said regally.
A large bearded man around fifty greeted them. "Welcome to the Platypus Bear Café! Best food in the building! I'm the owner, Jian." He showed them to a table and handed them menus. They both ordered large bowls of sea prunes, fish and salad for Korra, while Asami asked for rice and lychee nuts.
"So, why is it called the Platypus Bear Café?" Korra asked Jian after he had given their orders to the cook.
"Oh, that." Jian laughed. "Well, that's because it's thanks to a platypus bear that I'm a cook in the first place. See, when I was a kid, this great big platypus bear tried to eat me and my pa when we were out camping. I was only ten or so but I wasn't one to take that sort of thing lying down. I punched that bear's beak so hard it dropped an egg and ran off like its tail was on fire." Korra raised her eyebrows at Asami, who simply smiled and shrugged. Apparently the industrialist was familiar with Jian's stories.
Jian didn't seem to notice his audience's skepticism. "The only problem was the bear nicked our all food before I walloped it so the only thing we had left to eat was the egg. Now my pa couldn't cook to save his life so I took a crack at frying that egg up and it turned out to be the best meal either of us had ever eaten. I've been cooking ever since and I've named every restaurant I've owned after that bear in gratitude."
A woman's voice came from direction of the kitchen. "Are you still throwing around that phony story about punching a platypus bear?"
A short, plump woman with graying hair came from the rear of the restaurant, carrying a tray with their food.
"Don't believe a word he says, ladies." She said, grinning widely at Asami and Korra and setting the dishes on the table. "It's called the Platypus Bear because my idiot husband here lost a bet with a friend shortly before we bought this place. See, Jian figured he could catch a Kyoshi Island Elephant Koi with just a mirror and a bottle of cucumbers which, as anyone with half a brain would expect, didn't work out very well." Jian looked like he was about to interrupt but an elbow in the ribs from his wife changed his mind. Asami and Korra were both covering their mouths with napkins in an attempt to stifle their laughter.
"So for losing the bet Jian had to change the name of his next restaurant to whatever his friend wanted for a whole year and he chose the Platypus Bear. An earthbender mate of ours made the statue out front. I figured if we were stuck with the name for a while we might as well go all the way with it."
"Oh be quiet, you old ostrich horse! Why don't you go frighten some spirits with that face of yours?" Jian bellowed in mock outrage. Blushing slightly, he turned back to his customers and said "This is my wife, Liqin.Wonderful woman but a terrible fibber. You should hear her story about the time she says she made a hang glider out of palm trees and flew it across the Si Wong Desert. Ha! And she calls me a liar." Jian glared at his wife, his attempt to look angry marred by a loving smile.
"Anyway, just let us know if there's anything else you need." He added.Jian and Liqin went back to the kitchen, bickering happily the whole way.
After they were gone, Korra and Asami burst out laughing. "Are they always like that?" Korra asked, once they had recovered. Asami shrugged, still smiling. "I've only been here once before but this is actually pretty tame compared to last time." Korra sniggered. "I'd love to see Jian, Liqin, and Bumi get together some time and try to top each other stories."
Korra didn't say much after that, though she hoped that Asami believed this was due to the sea prunes, which were as delicious as her girlfriend had promised. Several times, Korra reached into her pocket and touched something she'd taken from their bedside cabinet just before leaving the house. She almost took it out and showed it to Asami but decided against it at the last second.
It's not that I'm afraid she'll say no. The Avatar insisted to herself. It's just that it's more romantic to ask her at home. Besides, she probably couldn't half hear me over those two arguing with each other.
"…How could you punch a platypus bear hard enough to make it blink, let alone lay an egg? You couldn't fight your way out of a bowl of soup. Remember that boxing match you had with the mail carrier?"
"Hogwash! I'd have beaten her easily she hadn't dropped one of her scrolls right where I'd slip on it. I swear she did that on purpose. Now how on earth could you fly a palm tree across the desert? You can't stand heights and the last time you tried woodcarving you nearly killed us both. And you were just trying make a rolling pin!"
After dinner Asami and Korra thanked Jian and Liqin,promised to return soon, and left for home.Korra drove them back to the estate without breaking so much as a headlight and parked the car in the garage.
"I had a great time, Korra." Asami said, leaning over to steal a kiss. "Thanks for going with me."
Korra smiled, though her throat felt constricted at the thought of what she was about to do.
"No problem." She said, her voice cracking slightly.
They went upstairs, tiptoeing to avoid waking Naga, and dropped off their things in the bedroom. Humming to herself, Asami grabbed a red nightgown from the wardrobe and headed for the bathroom. Korra went out onto the balcony, glad for a few more minutes to wrestle with her nerves. She stared out at the glowing Spirit Portal at the edge of the city, thinking of the first time she and Asami had gone to Spirit World together three years earlier. Though both of them known it long before then, that had been the moment the two of them had openly acknowledged their love for each other. Several months after they had returned to the physical world, Asami had invited her girlfriend to move in with her and Korra had happily accepted.
The bathroom door opened and Korra heard Asami returning to their bedroom. It's time. Please don't mess this up. Heart beating so loudly she was sure Asami would hear it, Korra went back inside and stopped in front of her girlfriend.
"What is it?" Asami asked, sensing the Avatar's uneasiness.
Korra hesitated. She had practiced what she wanted to say dozens of times, but suddenly all her speeches seemed inadequate to express just how much this woman meant to her. Monkey feathers. I'll just have to wing it.
"I know we didn't have a great start together. We argued a lot about dating Mako"-Why did I remind her about that now?!-"but over time you became my best friend. You've been there for me through everything. After Zaheer poisoned me, I was lost but you inspired me more than anyone else to keep fighting, to not give up. You still inspire me and you always will."
Korra took a deep breath and reached into the pocket of her dress. She pulled out a small box made of crystal and opened it to reveal a betrothal necklace in the shape of an intricate butterfly made of silvery metal. On of each of the butterfly's wings were the symbols adorning the Avatar Spirit Raava. The center of each symbol held a flawless ruby. Kneeling before the other woman, Korra said "Asami Sato, will you marry me?"
Asami stared at the necklace for a moment, then turned away.
Korra felt as if her world had collapsed.
She doesn't want me.
"Asami, I…"
Asami opened a drawer beside their bed, and retrieved a box similar to the one Korra had just offered. Kneeling beside Korra, Asami opened the box. A necklace shaped like a Future Industries gear lay inside. On it was inscribed the symbols of each of the Four Nations. A small piece of bright blue coral from the Southern Water Tribe Sea was embedded in the center of the insignia. With Tonraq's help, Asami had spent hours diving in the sea looking a piece of coral that exactly matched Korra's eyes.
"I've been trying get up the nerve to ask you for weeks." Asami said, her voice husky. "Looks like you beat me to it."
Asami gently placed her hand under Korra's chin, lifting her face until their eyes met.
"When I lost my father you helped me hope again. You've shown me how much love can heal. You're the strongest person I've ever met and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
Korra was smiling now, her face lighting up with happiness. Asami smiled back, eyes shining with tears.
"Avatar Korra, will you marry me?"
Korra laughed, pulled Asami close, and kissed her. Asami wrapped her arms around Korra's shoulders, deepening the kiss. They broke apart after a long moment and Korra smoothed Asami's long hair out of the way. Slowly she wrapped the butterfly necklace's silk cord around her girlfriend's-No. She corrected herself silently. My future wife's-neck. Asami placed the gear insignia over the Avatar's heart and hooked the clasp around Korra. They hugged, holding each other as if they would never let go.
"I love you, Korra."
"I love you, Asami."
Notes:
I guess I'm kind of late to all the Asami and Korra celebrations since I decided to wait until Balance was out on DVD before watching it. Between schoolwork, housework, and maintaining some degree of a social life I just finished season 4 last week. Waiting an extra four months nearly drove me bonkers but I managed to avoid all spoilers beforehand and I'm over the moon that Korra and Asami are a couple so all's well that ends in a well right? :P
Also, I've never written a fanfic before so I'm open to suggestions, criticisms, and whatnot. There are still a few parts of the story I want to polish but I decided to see what you all think of it before I do any rewrites.
I thought about having Korra give Asami a necklace and Asami give Korra a wedding ring since betrothal necklaces are mostly a Water Tribe custom but decided to have each of them give the other a necklace since the shapes and designs of the necklaces allows for more personality and meaning than a ring.
The necklace Asami made for Korra is in the shape of a Future Industries gear logo because the company is the only thing she has left from her parents and she and Korra are now family as well. The necklace also has the Four Nations symbol because, as the Avatar, it is Korra's duty to protect and maintain balance between all four nations. The Nations insignia shows that Asami understands that Korra will sometimes be too busy traveling the world helping people for them to spend time together and that Asami accepts this fact of their relationship.
The necklace Korra gives to Asami is shaped like a butterfly to represent how Korra and Asami's relationship changed over time. At first they argued a lot and fought over dating Mako and Korra's suspicions about Asami's father (caterpillar), gradually warmed up to each other and became friends (cocoon), and eventually fell in love and decided to marry (butterfly). Also, it's part of my headcannon that Asami saw some of the spirit flower butterflies (season 2 episode 10) shortly after visiting the Spirit World with Korra and loved them so much that it helped Korra decide what shape to make the necklace in. The wings of the butterfly are inscribed with Raava's symbols because of how important she is to Korra's identity as the Avatar. The rubies are there because I think red is Asami's favorite color.
Jian and Liqin are Chinese names meaning "Strong/indefatigable" and "beautiful harp, lute or zither" respectively. I didn't pay much attention to the meanings though, I just picked the two names I liked the most.