Disclaimer: I don't own any of Legend of Korra characters of course. I'm just a fan :P
So, basically…Asami needs more love! [Btw, happy Father's day, everyone!]
Asami sat on the roof of an old abandoned building on the outskirts of Republic City. She knew that she was to stay inside; after all, the whole point of being on the outskirts was to lay low until further notice. But Asami didn't care. She felt suffocated around the gang, and she needed some air.
The sun began to set, creating a beautiful painting of dark orange and soft maroon. It reminded her of the time when her mother used to stand with her on balcony; they would watch the sun go down as they exchanged stories about their day. Asami missed those times, when she could fall into her mother's soothing arms and didn't have to have a care in the world. Up until that firebender took her, of course.
But despite taking the person closest to her, Asami never held any bitterness towards the firebender. She hadn't been home at the time; she was all the way on the other side of town, visiting a good friend of hers. It took her a whole week to get back, and that's when Hiroshi gave her the bad news; her mother was "gone."
"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," Hiroshi looked at her with sad eyes and held her tight, breaking into sobs. Asami, young and confused, simply held on, and pretended to understand.
It wasn't until months after the funeral, as she waited for her mother to somehow come home and realized that she was never going to, that Asami finally understood what her father meant. Her mother was gone, and she was never ever going to come back. That day, Hiroshi had found his daughter crying and bundled up in a corner when he came home. He wrapped his arms around her and told it was going to be okay.
"It's going to be alright, sweetheart. We've still got each other; we'll make it through."
Asami had felt so safe and so sure that her father would always be there for her.
But as it turned out, she wasn't exactly there for her father. She had given him up so easily when she found out he was an Equalist.
"Join me, Asami! Let's destroy these benders, and make it so they will hurt us no longer!" He held the glove to her, so sure his daughter would take his side.
Not two seconds later, she'd taken the glove and used it against him, choosing the other side and running off with the Avatar. She remembered turning to Mako and seeing this look in his eye; that protective look her father had given when she lost her mother.
Asami realized then that she'd done something she hadn't intended to do; she'd put her faith in Mako, and as result had readily given up her father. She knew that what Amon and the Equalists stood for was wrong and by no means wished to join them. But the thought of giving up the only family she had left killed her. It was then that she remembered her time with Mako, and convinced herself that if she didn't have her father, she still had him. In her hearts of hearts, she knew was lying, but she just could not and would not join the Equalists! And so, Asami ignored the ache in heart that longed for her father, and chose to believe that Mako loved her and would never abandon her.
But when she saw the look of hurt and anger in his eye when Lin announced that Korra was missing, the worry in his voice as he called for her, Asami knew how Mako truly felt. She saw it in how he fervently searched for her, how he'd pushed her away as he grew more and more frustrated. The type of concern he felt towards this wasn't that of a lost friend or a missing Avatar. It was that of losing someone he loved, someone he simply couldn't lose. Through the search Asami could see Mako had feelings for Korra, and she could ignore it no longer.
For a little while, she decided to ignore it, all of it. The fact that her father was far, far away, giving into Amon's fake promises. The fact that Mako had feelings for someone and didn't even bother to tell her. The fact that as Korra got closer to Mako, she felt was losing both of them; her lover and her friend. It left her feeling more alone than anyone realized. But for a while, she was able to ignore all that. But then she saw him at Korra's bedside, saw him put his hand over hers. Asami knew there was no denying it. She couldn't ignore what she was seeing any longer, but she didn't know how to confront Mako about it. That's where Pema came in.
"Er, I'm just going to step outside, so that you two can…talk." And so, there stood Asami and Mako, alone.
"I know about the kiss, Mako!"
"What kiss?"
"You kissed Korra, Mako. Don't deny it!"
"I…Bolin told you, didn't he?" Sigh. "I can't believe he'd do this!"
"Hey, don't blame your brother for what you did! If you have feelings for Korra, why don't you just come out with it?"
"Look, we're in the middle of war, Asami. Can't our relationship problems wait until later?"
Asami had responded with the threat that there may not be a relationship to solve. But later she understood that the war was more important than a petty romance. And after, that's all it was, right? She had wanted Mako, but Mako wanted Korra. It was that simple.
And besides, if she cut ties with her father so easily, what was the big deal in a stupid breakup? Remembering her father had brought tears to her eyes, and she was finally beginning to face just how much she missed him.
As Mako had said, the war is top priority now. They were the new team Avatar, and they needed to put their personal problems aside for the greater good. So Asami had decided to stop acting bitter towards Mako, choosing to be cordial instead. She became friendly, but distant.
"Asami, is something wrong?"
"No, of course not!" But there was something terribly wrong; they barely talked and she avoided him as much as possible. She only talked to him when she needed to; and even though she was friendly and sweet, her words sounded strained, as if she talking to him were painful. They were practically strangers, and one would hardly suspect they were in a relationship (or ever were).
"Asami…" He tried to reach for her, but she swiped his hand away.
"There's a war going on, Mako. Why don't we put this 'relationship' on hold?" She said the word relationship as if it had all been a bitter joke. The two finished cleaning up the kitchen, neither saying a word.
The sun was now completely down; the purple twilight stretching itself above Asami. She stared up and thought about Hiroshi, thought about how it was Amon who'd taken him from her, Amon with lies of creating a better world. Asami knew what she had do; she knew her top priority.
"Asami! You shouldn't be up here! It's dangerous." Asami turned around, glad to Bolin instead of Mako, or even Korra.
"Don't worry Bolin, I'm coming." She realized now what her top priority was; help Korra win this war, and get her father back.