A vacation…just the two of us
Three days into their little mini-vacation into the Spirit World, Avatar Korra found herself absolutely wrought with doubt over a particular issue that crossed her mind when the idea to take a vacation with Asami first popped into her head.
This issue was the "issue" of her possibly, maybe – just maybe, that it was entirely conceivable that she …perchance…might like Asami as more than just a friend. Maybe.
She's been trying not to think about it.
But prior to the last battle with Kuvira, in a moment of conviction, Asami did say she loved her. And Korra did say she loved Asami. But was that just as friends? A phileo? A bond of sisterhood sort of thing?
Korra had no idea at this point because even after treading into the Spirit World, hand-in-hand, Korra now wondered if that "love" was romantically intended. And whether she wanted their relationship to be romantic.
But she would rather not think about that.
It's distracting her from the time she is actually spending with Asami. So she tries to quell the thoughts but that process has been difficult – especially considering how the more time they spend together, the more comfortable Korra has been with the idea of holding hands, snuggling, petting and even kissing Asami. Maybe.
Is that …bad?
"So now we know that the obsession with tea is hereditary for Fire Nation Royalty," Asami laughs as they make camp underneath the canopy of a willow tree after a lovely tea party with Iroh the Elder.
"Ugh," Korra groans, "I swear both General Irohs could go on for millennia about tea. The next Harmonic Convergence could come and they could still just be talking about the subtle luminescence of Rose Tea." She throws her pack down by the trunk and huffs down besides it to lean against the bark.
Asami chuckles, settling down beside her. Then suddenly turns to Korra.
"Um…ok, I've been wondering something."
Korra jumps slightly, "Y-Yeah?" She can feel her heartbeat quicken despite herself.
Asami looks askance then back at Korra, a little coquettishly. The Avatar feels her face warm with a chilling fever.
"Is it ok if we have a fire going?"
Korra blinks.
Hard.
Her friend continues, somewhat defensively, "I underestimated how cold it would be here and I didn't really pack anything warmer…I just- you know, don't want to touch – or worse, burn anything if we're not allowed to."
The Avatar hates that disappointment fills her. "Sure," she manages to say.
Jumping to her feet, Korra rushes about gathering materials the Spirits wouldn't mind to keep them warm. She makes a quip about how she keeps forgetting that other people aren't used to the Water Tribe Cold or can't regulate their body heat through trained breathing.
Since they walked through the new portal, Korra employs a little firebending so that a proper fire crackles before them. Every once in a while, Korra would then airbend the smoke to re-direct under and out of their arboreal tent of vines, making sure that the ashy vapor never reaches Asami.
They prattle about nonessentials until the fire sinks into a pile of embers in the dirt. Asami yawns and suddenly lays her head on Korra's shoulder.
She's done that before but this time, Korra can detect the intoxicating scent of rose-apples from her hair and a short wave of rapture crashes over her, gifting her with the boldness to finally ask.
"Asami?"
"Yeah?"
"Are we…dating?"
Asami hurls herself off then trips and tumbles into the ground. Her hair flops over her face as she tries to stand, sit, get off the ground – any combination.
"I-Well…ummm…" she sputters, fixing her hair, covering her reddening face with her hands and avoiding all eye contact with a enthralled Korra. Then she collects herself, reticently asking, "Do you want to?"
Korra – who was previously fascinated at how the typically composed Asami became incredibly high-strung – now buries her face into her hands.
"I don't know! I mean – I – girls don't really date, do they?" Korra questions, ending the comment with hopefulness that she was wrong.
"I've dated plenty of girls," the young inventor rejoins matter-of-factly.
Korra still looks into her hands but acknowledges her own surprise and lack of surprise at the fact Asami has dated women.
Asami smiles to herself as she realizes that despite Korra being …Korra, the Avatar still grew up fairly sheltered in more than one sense. "But, you know, all in secret. It's kind of a taboo in more traditional places. My dad would've freaked if he knew. Still, that shouldn't stop whatever…" she gestures to the space between them, " this is."
Asami surprises herself at the assertiveness she's been able to demonstrate with her words – but honestly, she knows she is just as afraid as Korra at the prospect of what this could be.
Korra looks pained. "What is this?" she finally asks. "To you, at least?"
It's like Asami's whole body sighs. She understands now that Korra needs affirmation but that means she needs tell the truth about her own thoughts and feelings.
She returns to her spot by Korra's side and gazes tenderly at her.
"I think we both know we like each other – maybe even love each other. And," she inhales sharply; "I think we both might consider each other in a way that might be a little more than just being friends. I meant what everything that I've said to you, even though it might not have been in the most explicit terms but I really do love you, Korra – but I think the both of us are trying to figure out what that means."
"Well, at least we're on the same page for that," Korra relinquishes her lopsided grin, "I love you too."
Asami glides a reassuring hand over Korra's and smiles back. Then, slowly, her head descends again onto Korra's shoulder.
They stay like this for a moment until Korra veers her eyes to beset hers and she suddenly tenses.
Asami notices and she looks up to see a blush on Korra's cheeks and insistency in her gaze.
"What's up?"
Korra suddenly grabs Asami's shoulders and hurriedly half-shouts, "Can I kiss you?"
Asami blinks
Hard.
"You're adorable."
"Shut up,"
"Sure,"
"What?"
"You can kiss me."
"…Really?"
"Korra," Asami sighs humoredly, then teases with a smirk, "If you don't hurry, I might just kiss you."
Korra balks. Then looks down at the ground in contemplation, "Maybe you should – I'm honestly unsure. Like, is it the same way you kiss a guy? Or?"
"Ok, now you're just being silly," Asami huffs, "Come here." She cups Korra's face and leans in.
"Wait," Korra interrupts her with an assertive hand then purses her lips, "I want to do it."
Asami just chuckles, "Alright. I'm ready when you are."
Korra places her hands on Asami's shoulder pads, feeling the leather ridges of her coat. She leans in and gently touches her lips onto hers.
It's been a nice vacation – with just the two of them.