Dancing Lessons
AN: Pre-Relationship Korrasami fluff. Varrick's wedding is tomorrow and Korra doesn't know how to dance. I don't own Korra.
Korra's parents had already arrived as had many others for what Varrick kept referring to as "The Wedding of the Century". It had been just a week since his proposal. Everyone told him it would take at least one month to plan a wedding but he had insisted he could do it in one week. Somehow thanks to Varrick's dreams and Zhu Li's skill and practicality the wedding was ready. Many people were in town for the event and quite a few of them were staying on Air Temple Island. In addition to the guests there was all the set up for the wedding and the island was beginning to feel a bit crowded. Korra had gone onto the mainland and was wandering through the streets. It had only been seven days since the final battle with Kuvira and Korra was still unsure of how to feel. So much had happened in the last few years but she was beginning to see that for once in a long time she might have some peace. As this thought came to her she saw that she had arrived at her destination, the Sato mansion. Sometime during her three year absence Asami had moved back into her old house to be closer to her factories. Tenzin said that a few months after Korra left Asami had moved back into the city and buried herself in work and after that he had seen less and less of her. Korra knocked on the door. A short, dark-haired woman answered the door. "Ah, Avatar Korra, Ms. Sato is in her study."
"Uh, thank you." The woman didn't look at all surprised to see her and Korra nodded awkwardly as she passed her. Korra walked down the hall and stopped in the doorway of Asami's study. As she watched the woman work she was filled with the same emotion she always had when she thought of Asami. It was a feeling that both excited and terrified her and one she hadn't been able to name until she had seen Asami after returning from the Spirit World with Kuvira. She remembered feeling like this about Mako but even then it hadn't been quite this-
"Korra!" Asami had finally looked up and she seemed pleased to see Korra. "What brings you here? I thought everyone would be too busy preparing for 'The Wedding of the Century'."
"Yeah it's been a little hectic. Today Varrick told Tenzin he wanted to have sky bison doing formation gliding with fire benders on their backs. I left while Zhu Li was talking him down."
"No one can tell her married life will be boring. But I suppose after all these years she knows what she's getting into." Both women laughed. There was a pause then Asami asked, "Korra is there something you need?"
"Umm." Korra fidgeted with her hair. It shouldn't have been this embarrassing to say this to her best friend. She had accepted how she felt about Asami but she wasn't sure how Asami felt about her. Either way she needed the woman's help. "I need your help. The truth is I don't really know how to dance and with the wedding and everything I thought I should be ready."
"That's all? You looked so serious. Of course I can help."
"You're not too busy with work?"
"No it's not a problem." Korra thought she might have been reading into it a little too much but Asami sounded almost eager and excited. Asami stood up and crossed to a cabinet and began rifling through it. "How has the master of all four elements not mastered dance?" Asami teased lightly.
"My parents tried to teach me what they knew but compared to firebending dancing seemed a little pointless. And I'm not sure how much good old-fashioned, watertribe dances will do here."
"Don't worry dancing is just like bending. I'm sure you can get it. Ah, here we go." Asami pulled a record from a cabinet drawer and put it on the phonograph. A jazzy bouncy song began to play. "I'm going to teach you how to swing." Asami held another hand and Korra took it uncertainly. "Watch my feet just do this. Rock-step-triple step-rock-step. When you dance just follow your lead and listen to the count and you'll be fine."
"Okay." Korra mimicked Asami as they repeated together, "Rock-step-triple step-rock-step."
"There you go. Now try it with me." Asami grasped Korra's hands and positioned them. She smiled and patiently explained everything. "Now put your elbow like this. No don't do that I'm leading. Okay now again rock-step-triple step-rock-step. Stay on the count, Korra."
"I'm sorry." Korra felt a flush creeping up her neck.
"It's alright. Let me try to spin you. Rock-step spin out. Oops no the other way Korra and back in. There you go." They danced for several songs before Korra seemed to get the basics. The phonograph went silent as the record finished. Korra frowned as Asami's hands left her and the other woman crossed to the cabinet again. She found what she was looking for much more quickly and she placed a new record on the phonograph. This music was still jazz but much slower and this time there was singing to accompany the music. Korra didn't listen to a lot of music but this had been a popular tune on The Music Hour when she practiced probending with Mako and Bolin.
"Sorry you probably won't be waltzing to jazz but a lot of the family's old records got put away when I moved out. I just can't find anything better. Anyway, you can learn the basic steps." She put a hand on Korra's back, placed Korra's hand on her shoulder and grasped Korra's other hand with her own. "Alright now just mirror me right foot back-left foot side..." Korra could hardly pay attention to what her teacher was saying. Her mind seemed to have gone fuzzy the minute Asami started holding her so close. Korra didn't even notice that Asami had fallen silent and her head was leaning into Asami's shoulder. Asami was leaning against her as they swayed slowly.
When Asami spoke it was barely above a whisper. "Korra, I-"
"Ms. Sato, oh, I'm sorry." The same servant who had let Korra in stood in the doorway and she had Jinora by her side. Korra and Asami broke apart. Asami was blushing slightly but it was nothing compared to Korra whose face now bore a striking resemblance to an apple.
Jinora broke the silence, "Sorry. My Dad just sent me to bring you home."
"Oh no it's fine, Jinora. I should be going anyway. Thank you, Asami. I will see you tomorrow." Korra spoke too quickly and looked far too flustered to appear at all normal. She made a grand gesture of formally bowing goodbye to Asami. Then she turned around and walked quickly out of the mansion, Jinora following behind.
Jinora mercifully waited until they had left the building and were up in the air on Pepper before she asked, "Korra, what were you two doing?"
"Nothing happened, Jinora. She was just teaching me how to dance." Korra replied a little flatly.
A moment passed before Jinora spoke again. "So do you like her dancing?"
Korra was almost too quiet to be heard above the wind when she responded. "I think I love her dancing." Jinora smiled and embraced Korra. Korra was slightly taken aback but she returned the hug.
"I think she likes you too, Korra."
"Really! Do you- I mean do you really think so?"
"Just ask her tomorrow. They always say 'A wedding is the luckiest time to find love'."
"Thanks Jinora."
Korra sighed. Jinora was right it seemed like things were finally looking up.