Alright guys, just a oneshot Korrasami fic based on a drabble I wrote forever ago, set in an AU where there is no bending(and no Avatar). Otherwise it's pretty much the same world as LoK, just without all of the events of the story, obviously. Enjoy, and as always, feel free to review and/or PM.
...
She wriggled and plucked at the fabric of her dress, huffing and sighing repeatedly. The other two occupants of the satomobile pretended not to notice until she let out a loud grunt and scraped the heel of her shoe on the floor, tearing a hole in it.
"Korra honey, stop fidgeting. I know you're not really that uncomfortable. You're so dramatic sometimes, you know that sweetheart?" Her mother smiled gently at her, trying to be reassuring. Meanwhile her father just sighed and shook his head, giving her an exasperated look she'd seen a billion times.
"I just don't understand why you make me wear these stupid gowns. They're too flowy, and frilly, and drafty, and don't even get me started on these ridiculous shoes. How's anyone supposed to walk in these things?" Her father frowned at her.
"Korra, a princess doesn't wear sleeveless shirts, baggy pants, a fur skirt and boots to a ball. She wears a gown, and heels, and normally wears make-up and does something with her hair. A princess shouldn't wear any of the things you normally wear, ever. We let you slide enough as it is." Korra glared at him and crossed her arms.
"Well, I don't understand why you make me come to these stupid parties either! I don't like anyone there. All they ever do is just stand around in their fancy clothes and gossip about each other or talk about boring politics. I'd rather be training with the troops or taking Naga for a run, or really anything else!" Her mother gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Honey, you're 19 years old now. It's time you start learning how these things work. Sooner than you think, you'll have an entire tribe to lead. And it's the Midsummer's Eve Ball dear, not a party." Her father sighed and shook his head again.
"I know you don't like this kind of thing, but you have responsibilities. You have to start acting like an adult. An adult who in a few short years will be Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, one of the most powerful and influential leaders in the world. And every other powerful and influential leader of the four nations, as well as their families, and most of the powerful people of Republic City, attend events like these. This is where you make friends, create lines of communication, and broker deals that you need to properly lead and support your people. You have to learn how to do that if you're going to take my place someday." Korra continued to glare at them. What if she had no interest in taking his place someday? What if she just wanted to fight and adventure and see the world? Huffing again, she turned away from them and stared out of the window, sulking. The satomobile continued to crawl through the bustling Saturday night traffic of Republic City until it arrived at a large banquet building complete with it's own enclosed gardens. Her father stepped out first to the flash of a dozen cameras, then turned to offer a hand to her mother and then her. Korra took it begrudgingly, not entirely sure she could step down on her own in these heels. The cameras were irritating, and no doubt more than a few of them caught her glaring or grimacing before her father was escorting them up wide stone steps to the entrance. Korra took a deep breath and plastered her fake high society smile on as they crossed the threshold.
The hall was massive, easily 200 feet wide and twice as long. The painted ceiling arched three stories overhead with two dozen gigantic crystal chandeliers hanging from it. Everything was marble flooring and gold filigree and dark wood and shining crystal. Most people would say it was beautiful. In Korra's opinion, most people were morons. It was garish and obscene, and she'd give anything to be somewhere else. Waiters and waitresses in penguin suits and little black dresses were flitting about with silver trays full of everything from champagne to tiny useless sandwiches made out of cucumbers. Despite its size, the hall was nearly full, and the pressure of so many people almost knocked her breath right out of her. Within seconds of entering they were approached by several different groups of Lords in suits and their Ladies in fancy gowns. Korra already felt like she was drowning as she was forced to greet people whose names she didn't care to remember.
…...
Korra slipped through a curtained doorway and heaved a sigh of relief when she found the small balcony empty. Walking to the railing off to the side, she silently cursed whatever idiot had invented high heels. Finally fed up with them she slid her feet out and discarded them in the corner. She sighed again and flexed her bare feet, enjoying the slightly cool, smooth texture of the marble. She leaned against the railing and let her chin-length brown hair fall over her face. Smiling, she took a deep breath, and then another. Finally, she was away from those people and their annoying questions and could just breathe. Her parents would be upset when they realized she hadn't actually gone to the 'little princess's room', but it was worth it. Besides, she knew exactly what they'd say. She'd get the same lecture about being a lady from her mother and the same lecture about responsibility from her father. She'd heard them both a thousand times by now. She knew they were right of course, but they just didn't understand her. No one did. What girl didn't want to be a princess? What girl didn't feel pretty in a fancy dress? What girl would rather get in barroom brawls than have tea parties? She glared down at the gardens and huffed a strand of hair away from her lips. Suddenly the curtains behind her parted and another woman slipped onto the balcony, groaning to herself. Korra turned to look at her as the girl muttered to herself about 'annoying investors', watching as she flipped her long black hair over her shoulder. The girl suddenly noticed her there and stopped in her tracks.
"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't realize someone else was out here." Korra shrugged at her.
"I was just getting a breath of fresh air…" The other girl nodded and took a step back.
"Right, I'm sorry. I'll just...leave you be." Korra saw a look of resignation cross the other girl's face and gestured weakly.
"You don't...you don't have to. I don't mind." The girl smiled at her, probably the first genuine smile Korra had seen that night, and walked slowly over to her. She was wearing a similar dress, red to Korra's blue. She leaned against the railing next to Korra, still smiling at her.
"Thanks. I don't think I could handle going back in there." Light green eyes examined her curiously, and Korra couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed at the scrutiny.
"You're Korra, right? The princess from the Southern Water Tribe?" She nodded silently, and the other girl offered a gloved hand which Korra took tentatively.
"I'm Asami. Asami Sato, of Republic City." Korra's blue eyes widened as she looked the girl over again. This was the owner of Future Industries? She couldn't be more than a year older than Korra.
"You own Future Industries?" Asami laughed and shook her head, still slightly shaking Korra's hand.
"No, that's my father, Hiroshi. Though I guess I'll have to get used to saying yes sometime soon." She said it with downcast eyes, letting Korra's hand go and gripping the railing. Korra watched her curiously as she continued to look down. Then Asami's head perked up and she looked back at her curiously.
"Uh Korra, you know you're not wearing shoes, right?" Korra blushed and reflexively tried to hide her bare feet behind the hem of her dress.
"Oh, yeah...I took them off. I uh...I don't like heels. They hurt my feet." Asami looked at her incredulously for a moment before letting out a loud, tinkling laugh.
"They do, don't they?" Looking around as if to check if anyone else was there, Asami kicked her own heels off and smiled at her. Korra smiled back. She was surprised at how cool this girl was, being an heiress and all. They grinned at each other in silence for a few more moments before Asami brushed her hair back again and sighed, looking out over the gardens.
"So I'm guessing if you're out here and you don't like heels that you're not a big fan of these things either?" Korra laughed gruffly, then embarrassed, coughed and shook her head.
"My parents always make me come. They say as a princess I have to learn about politics and make connections with the rich and powerful of the world. To be honest, I hate them. I don't care about politics, and you're pretty much the first person I've ever met at one of these that wasn't irritating." Asami laughed that tinkling laugh again and bumped her shoulder softly.
"Thanks, I think. Yeah, my dad makes me come too. 'Asami, you're the future of Future Industries. You must mingle with the elite. They're all our major investors.' Nevermind that they're all arrogant and annoying." Korra couldn't help but grin at what she assumed was a pretty good impression of Hiroshi Sato. The sound of the band starting to play slipped past the curtains and Asami turned her head towards it.
"Although, that is one good thing about these dumb balls. I don't really get to dance anywhere else." Korra shrugged and frowned.
"I don't really dance." Asami jerked her head back around to look at her in surprise.
"Really? Like, never? I would think a princess would have all kinds of people asking her to dance. In fact, I bet if we went in there right now, there'd be a line of cute rich boys waiting to dance with you." Korra blushed and turned away.
"Ah well, I don't...you know...I don't really like...uh...boys." Her voice got fainter and fainter as she stuttered on, barely a whisper by the time she finished.
"Sorry, I didn't catch that." Korra frowned and turned back towards her, only to find Asami leaning in. Her face was extremely close, green eyes looking at her with an innocent curiosity. Korra could feel her heartbeat in her cheeks by now, she was blushing so hard.
"I...don't like boys." It took Asami a moment to process her meaning, and then she leaned back with a little 'oh'. Korra turned again before she could see that look she had seen so many times, the look she hated, in this girl's eyes too. She gripped the railing tightly, frustration welling up inside her. Suddenly she was ranting, her voice scathingly bitter.
"Big shocker, right? The weird-looking, muscular princess with the short hair who likes fighting and hiking and hates dresses is a lesbian. Of course she doesn't like boys. Well, there's nothing wrong with me, ok? There's nothing wrong with me not wanting to be Chief! There's nothing wrong with me not wanting to just do whatever I'm told, whatever people expect of me! There's nothing wrong with me liking fighting, or boots, or steak, or girls!" She fumed silently, glaring at the railing.
"I know." Korra turned incredulously, a multitude of cruel insults on the tip of her tongue, but they never came out. Asami was leaning against the railing, holding her own arm, eyes downcast again. Korra just stared at her in shock, and after a moment those green eyes looked up at her.
"I know there's nothing wrong with you. Just like there's nothing wrong with me." Korra's face softened, and she straightened a little.
"What do you mean?" Asami shifted to face her, tucking her hair back again.
"I mean there's nothing wrong with me not wanting to take over my dad's business just because it's expected. Or not wanting to be the prim and proper 'daddy's little girl' because my dad's important. Or not wanting to come to these stupid parties. Or, you know, not liking boys." That last one caught Korra by surprise.
"R...really?" Asami smiled softly at her and nodded.
"Yeah, I mean you obviously hate that people think 'of course' when you say you like girls. But I hate that people don't even bother to consider that I might just because I'm girly and have long hair and like make-up and dancing. Boys always think I'm just lying when I tell them I won't go out with them." Korra didn't know what to say. They just stood there, looking at each other, until finally she found some words.
"I'm uh, I'm sorry I yelled at you. I just assumed you were, you know, like them." She jerked her head back towards the doorway. Asami smiled and bumped her shoulder gently again.
"Nope. You know it's funny. If earlier someone had told me I was gonna meet the Southern Water Tribe princess tonight, I would have pictured a dainty little dark-skinned snob with a dress made out of solid gold or something. Imagine my surprise." Korra laughed, bumping her back.
"Is it a good surprise?" Asami smiled brightly, leaning into her a little.
"The best I've ever gotten. And by the way, Korra, you're not weird-looking. Yeah, you're pretty buff, but I still think you're beautiful." Korra blushed, but for once in her life didn't feel like she had to look away or punch someone. They leaned against each other, smiling, until the band began a new song. Asami's eyes lit up as the slow tune began to echo out onto the balcony. Grinning mischievously, she grabbed Korra's hand.
"Oh, I love this song. Let's go dance, you and me." Korra stopped her from pulling her away from the railing, but didn't let go of Asami's hand.
"I uh, no I don't think I can. Not in front of all of them."
"Who cares about them, Korra? There's nothing wrong with you, and there's nothing wrong with me. We're just two girls who want to dance together, and if they don't like it, well too bad." Korra blushed furiously at the implications of that, but still shook her head and held firm.
"It's not that, it's...well, I can't. I mean, I don't know how. I've never danced before. My parents tried to have someone teach me, but I always refused or ran away so they gave up." Asami gave her a surprised look, then laughed softly and stopped pulling.
"Ok, fine. Then not in front of all of them. What about right here? No one's around, and we can still hear the music. I'll teach you how." Korra was still unsure, but Asami pulled her hand gently. Giving in, Korra let her pull her in.
"This is a slow song, so it's really easy to dance to. You just put this hand here, on my shoulder. And I put my hand here, on your hip. And we hold our other hands together here. And then you just rock back and forth to the music, taking little steps." Korra swallowed nervously as they began to sway. Asami was very, very close to her, their chests brushing together more often than not. She gradually grew more comfortable though, and soon she relaxed enough to really enjoy the dance as they softly swayed together. Then, as the sweet crooning of the female singer began to grow in strength, Asami smiled at her a little differently than she had been.
"And sometimes, we can let go with these hands, and I put mine on your other hip. And then you wrap your arms around my shoulders." She said it in a soft whisper as they adjusted. Suddenly they were pressed together, faces just an inch apart. Korra's whole world seemed to shrink down to the feeling of those arms wrapped around her and the green eyes looking sweetly back at her. She'd never done it before, and she almost didn't do it now. But the fighter in her told her to stop being such a wuss. So she leaned in, closing that little gap, and kissed Asami on her beautiful red lips. Korra had never even imagined it to be so good. They slowly pulled apart just enough to separate their lips, and Asami smiled at her. Korra's heart jumped, and with a reckless grin she triumphantly kissed her again.
…...
Korra set her cup down on the sill as she stared out the window. It was good to see the south pole hadn't changed much. Everything was still covered in snow, which at the moment was shining dimly in the light of dawn. She caught her own reflection in the mirror and shook her head slightly, smiling as the beaded braids at her temples swung back and forth. They bounced lightly off her jaw, glimmering in the light. Asami had done them and the dozen or so others mixed into the hair spilling down her back months ago. She'd picked the beads up at the market on Kyoshi island. They had been basking in the sun on the beach when she'd pulled them out of her bag. She said if Korra refused to cut or style her hair herself, she'd just have to do it for her. Her new hairstyle hadn't been the only thing that had changed in the 2 and a half years they'd been traveling the world together. Korra raised her hand to her neck and slid a finger over the necklace resting against her collarbone. Her parents had been shocked the day before when the two of them had stepped off the ship wearing matching Water Tribe betrothal necklaces. Her mother had, of course, burst into tears and swept them both into the tightest hug they'd ever gotten. Her father had spent a moment pretending he'd gotten snow in both of his eyes before joining in. She smiled and turned away from the window, her gaze falling on the woman fast asleep in her bed. Korra had to laugh a little. For all her girly qualities, Asami was a messy sleeper. Her hair was wild, arms and legs splayed out, and the sheets were a tangled ball. Quietly she slipped under them, softly moving over until she was tangled up with her. Asami blinked owlishly and smiled at her, giving her a soft kiss.
"Is it time to get up?" Korra smiled back and kissed her, shaking her head. The third anniversary of the day they met, the date they'd chosen for the wedding, was only weeks away. They had a betrothal feast to prepare and the wedding to plan before then. There was also the planning for Korra's coronation as Chief soon to follow, and all of the preparations to set up a new headquarters for Future Industries here. But all of that could wait. There was nothing more important in the world to her than moments like these with the woman she loved.