It starts with Korra's habit of bringing back little gifts from her travels for Asami. More often than not it's a special treat that's specific to each region (like that particular brand of flaming fire flakes Asami loves to snack on, or fruit tarts from the monks who have made various Air Temples their new homes - because let's face it, Tenzin might be the son of an air nomad, but he sure can't bake like one). This time, she's coming back from a recent trip to Ba Sing Se. Normally she would make a quick trip to the market to get a bag of the rock candy that Bolin is so fond of before making the journey back home. This time, however, she had a little more time to herself while perusing the various stalls. She's just about to put the trinket back in a pouch by her hip when someone calls out to her from behind.
"She'll love it," says the newcomer cheerfully.
Korra turns around and can't help but grin as Bolin saunters up and takes a spot next to her on the outer rail of the air balloon. He's grown even taller since they first met, though his build is still as stocky as ever. He's matured too, though that was unavoidable considering what they all went through during that situation with Amon almost three years ago. She gives him a playful nudge when he leans on her, to which he responds by pouting slightly and rubbing his side. Yup, same old Bolin.
She looks back down at the piece of jewelry in her hand, still wrapped carefully in a thinly knit cloth. It's nothing fancy, really, just a hairclip. At least that's what she tells herself... truth be told, the decorative piece is rather pretty. It's decidedly simple, a piece of jadeite stone smoothed into a slightly elongated triangle shape, but still thin and light enough to be worn as an accessory. The light green shade (which she would never admit reminds her of Asami's eyes) is streaked with white, fading towards the tip of the triangle until the material is nearly transparent. Still, it's probably the most extravagant thing she's ever purchased for Asami alone.
"Have you ever thought of giving her a different piece of jewelry?" Bolin cuts in, interrupting her train of thought yet again. Korra looks up, puzzled by what he could mean until the earthbender tugs one of her arm bands good-naturedly and says "Water Tribe" in a voice that makes her think of the try-hard gangs that still loiter around certain parts of Republic City. She almost laughs until the implications of his suggestion sinks in and her jaw drops.
"You mean like a betrothal necklace?" she shrieks, and can hardly be bothered to notice how many octaves her voice has risen compared to normal.
Bolin looks surprised at her outburst. His eyes narrow and he lifts an accusing finger before his own voice comically rises a few octaves as well. "Are you telling me you haven't thought of it?"
Korra clamps one hand over his mouth, and another pins down his flailing arms because together their imitation of a pair of agitated turtleducks is drawing the attention of the other passengers. She drags Bolin inside until they find a more secluded spot before continuing with the conversation. The only problem is that when she opens her mouth, she finds that she doesn't know what to say. Her and Asami, engaged? Married, even? ... Come on, Korra, is it really so hard to imagine? You practically already live that way. She thinks of when she first met the heiress all those years ago, the way she brushed off their introduction because of a sudden spurt of jealousy. She thinks of the way their slow-budding friendship blossomed into a tentative romance. Her lips quirk unconsciously in a goofy smile as she imagines that exasperated but adoring expression on Asami's face every time she does something crazy. Yeah, I could marry that girl... I will marry that girl.
Korra finally glances at Bolin, who has been surprisingly patient the entire time she's been daydreaming, and a slow smile blossoms on her face. There's a moment of curious hesitation before he tilts his head and that famously charming grin is spreading on his face all over again. He takes a dramatic breath and bows his head before raising it slowly, "So, are we... talking 'bout real love?"
Korra spends weeks panicking about making the necklace absolutely perfect. She tells her parents of course, and they're overjoyed. Tonraq in particular is all too happy to answer his daughter's onslaught of questions - Where did you learn to carve the glass? How did you decide on the design? Is the process difficult? Do you really think I can pull this off? Luckily, her father points her in the direction of a renowned mentor in the process down in the South Pole.
Perhaps the most difficult part is finding ways to keep Asami unsuspecting. If anything, the travel duties of the Avatar prove to be useful for once, allowing her to slip away to the South in order to complete her new secret project. She's also never been more grateful to Katara for teaching her the healing aspects of waterbending, otherwise she would've never been able to explain to Asami why she came back from a place full of ice and snow with her arms covered in burns. Nevertheless, Korra is proud to say that the necklace came together without the aid of any bending whatsoever. Not that it wouldn't have been possible - using firebending to heat the sand, earthbending to shape and move the molten sand, waterbending precise strikes to carve details into the glass pendant... no, Korra is determined to fashion the necklace the old-fashioned way, as a gift from a Water Tribe member to the love of her life.
Choosing a design was another tricky part... trying to condense something that encompasses her entire life into a single symbol proves difficult. She thinks of Asami, and all the things that remind her of the heiress, but even that isn't enough. Korra isn't exactly known for her romantic side, but even she can't get away with putting the symbol of a racecar in an engagement necklace. Steering wheel, maybe? Oh Spirits, that's even worse than the racecar flag idea. A heart, maybe? Nah, too cheesy, and not personal at all. Our initials? Nonono, it needs to be special!
The final design Korra decides on takes her by surprise, but it's perfect. It is the result of a conversation she remembers having between her and Asami one night, just a few months after they first began dating.
Her head is resting on Asami's lap as they sink comfortably into the couch. It's a position they seem to be finding themselves in often, with the Avatar coming home from intensive bending lessons and needing a way to relax and unwind. Asami takes out Korra's hair bindings, letting the shorter girl's brown tresses fan out over her lap as she begins to comb her fingers through the strands thoughtfully. While the action itself is deceptively innocent, both girls know better. Korra is never seen without her wolf tails, and allowing Asami the simple freedom of brushing her hair is a display of utmost trust and intimacy.
"Korra..." Asami murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper.
The girl in question makes a small sound of acknowledgement. The feeling of Asami's fingers running through her hair reminds her of the way her mother used to hum songs when she couldn't sleep as a child - she can feel the tension leave her body as her eyes begin to drift shut.
"I've been wondering... what does your name mean?"
Asami's question is so unpredictable that Korra actually blinks the sleep from her eyes and turns to gaze at the adoring face above her. "My name?" she repeats, feeling moronic but needing confirmation that it is indeed what her girlfriend is asking about. The heiress simply nods.
"Well... according to my parents, it came from an old legend about a powerful young queen." Korra's cheeks flush at the way the explanation comes out like a confession. She's never told this to anyone, no one's ever bothered to ask. Then again, the girl she's halfway cuddling with on the couch isn't exactly just another person either. The fact that Asami smiles, showing genuine pleasure at the admission, makes her cheeks darken further.
"It suits you." she hums thoughtfully.
"What about you? What does your name mean?"
It's almost unnoticeable but there's a slight pause before Asami resumes combing through Korra's hair. The Water Tribe girl sits up, concern marring her features. She maneuvers her body so that she's sitting on Asami's lap with her knees straddling the other girl's thighs. The heiress ducks her face and Korra places a gentle hand on her cheek, whispering softly, "Hey, come back to me. You don't have to tell me, y'know. I'm sorry if it's too personal-"
Asami shakes her head and places a hand over Korra's, leaning into the touch. "It's not that... it's just, the story is that my mother chose my name specifically. She and my dad were having trouble deciding, when suddenly it came to her in a dream. It can mean different things according to the way it's written out, but she chose the meaning 'morning sea'."
Green eyes drift off to the side again after the revelation, but Korra lifts a second hand to her face so that her eyes are boring directly into Asami's. "I love you." she says quietly, fiercely.
Asami feels the sting of fresh tears in her eyes at the sincerity of those words. There's a certain clarity in the way Korra says them, a conviction that shakes her to the deepest part of her soul. "I love you too." she whispers, and Korra gathers the girl in her arms, placing a reverent kiss on her temple.
Morning sea. To this day, Korra is unable to utter those words without making them sound like a prayer. It's so oddly fitting that the name of the girl she wants to spend her life with is so directly connected to something she's loved for as long as she can remember. As a child, Korra would wake early on the days that she knew her father would be coming back from a fishing trip. She loved the way the horizon would shift from the dark line of the sea to a brilliant orange as the sun began to rise. She loved seeing that tiny speck in the distance grow larger and larger until not only the boat was recognizable, but so was the shape of her father's face, always standing at the bow of the ship, scanning the coast for the familiar sight of his wife and daughter.
The most traditional portion of the betrothal necklace is the shape - a perfect circle. From right to left, there are three raised ridges that form a slight wave before ending in spiraling curls towards the top of the circle. From there, what would normally be a depiction of the waterbending symbol is further enhanced with a semi-circle rising from the eastern portion of the necklace. And while the majority of the pendant is Korra's favorite shade of azure, the semi-circle (and immediate surrounding area) is accented with yellow, fading into a rich orange, and ending with just a hint of red. The ideal sunrise at sea.
She's gathered their closest friends on Air Temple Island under the notion of a much overdue family feast of sorts. Korra has to fight to keep the glare out of her expression when Bolin throws her a goofy smile and a thumbs up that easily draws Asami's attention. Mako on the other hand is far better at subtlety. He gives Korra an extra squeeze on the shoulder in greeting before warmly turning to greet Asami and complimenting her on the hairclip she's decided on for the evening (funny, it's the one Korra picked up for her weeks ago when she returned from Ba Sing Se). Asami smiles and explains it as such before turning back to Meelo and listening politely as he recounts his latest adventure with Oogi. Her father is off to the side conversing with Korra's parents as well as Tenzin, though the latter is clearly sneaking glances at Ikki and the way she's been bending a leaf in the air to keep the (now) youngest airbender in the family distracted in a nearby playing area. Jinora is indoors with her mother preparing the dining area for the guests.
After dinner, Korra takes Asami on a leisurely stroll around the island. She claims she wants to revisit some of the spots they frequented during the time the "new Team Avatar" briefly lived here together years ago, but it's really just an excuse to walk off her nerves. They wind up in the clearing where the spinning gates are located, and the two share a knowing smile. Oddly enough, this is where they shared their first kiss, however accidental. At that time, Korra was finally capable of producing fairly powerful gusts of air, and was therefore able to demonstrate the way the gates functioned in the training exercise. Asami asked to try her hand at the activity, and Korra reluctantly gave in. However, the Avatar had been so concerned for the girl's safety that she pointedly waited on the other side of the gates, though perhaps a bit too closely. Asami, dizzy from the various twists and turns performed while dodging the gates, managed to get through to the other side but barreled directly into Korra as a result. During the process of untangling their limbs, their lips had brushed.
Korra is shaken from her recollection when Asami tugs on her hand playfully. "Was it on purpose?" she teases, "I know you wanted to show off your airbending, but I didn't realize that the seduction process would involve me literally falling for you. Or on you."
The Avatar rolls her eyes and instead tugs the other girl closer. Feeling that warm body against hers is steadying and she takes a deep breath before pulling away to look into those familiar green eyes seriously. She can feel the box she's been carrying the necklace in against her hip, and is thankful that her usual outfit is able to keep it out of sight without attracting suspicion. Asami picks up on the emotional change and opens her mouth to ask what's wrong when they both hear a voice off to the side. Multiple voices, actually, coming from the thick bamboo hedges that surround the clearing. The dramatic shhh clearly belongs to none other than Bolin, but Korra swears she can hear Ikki and Meelo whispering loudly about their confusion as to why they were spying on the girls. She takes Asami's hands in hers and gives a quick squeeze to regain the other girl's attention, before more voices become apparent. Her jaw almost drops when she recognizes her father's parka poking out from the bamboo stems, and her mother's voice enthusiastically whispering to a brunette that she deduces to be Pema. Korra clears her throat and tries again, "Asami... I-"
"Are you sure we should be watching this?"
"Why are we hiding anyway?"
"Oh, this is so exciting, isn't it, dear?"
"Bolin, I think your foot's poking out from the hedge."
"Oh Spirits, what is that smell? Meelo!"
"ENOUGH!"
The area is suddenly deathly quiet after Korra's outburst. She's glaring at a spot in the bamboo thicket that's been cleared as a result of a hasty airswipe from an angry Avatar. Sure enough, all her guests are huddled together with matching expressions of shock and guilt. Asami reaches for Korra's shoulder in an attempt to calm her but she's shrugged off as the Avatar continues her tirade, "Can't you see I'm trying to propose here?"
Korra realizes her mistake a second after she hears the heiress gasp. Her eyes widen and she desperately tries to think of a way to take back those words but it's no use. Damn it, Korra, you had to mess up your one chance to do this. Disheartened, she meets Asami's startled gaze and gives a woeful sigh before reaching into the pouch by her hip. She places the box in their joined hands and watches trembling fingers undo the ties. A sudden wave of nausea comes over her as she takes in Asami's reaction to the necklace for the first time. She launches into an explanation in a poor attempt to distract herself from her anxiety.
On the other end of the exchange, Asami remains speechless. The silk cloth falls away once the box is opened, and she lays eyes on the necklace for the first time. Her breath catches in her throat as her gaze drifts over the elegant swirls of orange and blue adorning the pendant. Korra's voice is hardly recognizable over the roar of blood rushing in her ears. She knows the girl is attempting to explain the significance of the markings, but she doesn't have to. Asami's mind thinks back to that same conversation Korra thought of while carving the design. She whispers the words "morning sea" and effectively halts the Avatar mid-speech. Their eyes meet and Asami can hardly think of anything to say before Korra finally croaks, "Well...? Is that a yes?"
Asami's heart bursts at the same moment that tears finally spring from her eyes and she throws her arms around the other girl. "Of course it's a yes! Yes, yes, yes!"
There's an eruption of cheers as everyone in the area is finally allowed to celebrate. Tears are running down Asami's face now, even as Korra gathers her into her arms for a hug and spins her for good measure. They're separated slightly when Korra sets her down, and she's just trying to wipe her cheeks dry when she finds herself swept up in another crushing hug, this time from Bolin.
"You don't know how hard it was for me to keep quiet about this!" he shouts, and Asami can't help but giggle. Yes, she can imagine the difficulty, although now that thumbs up she saw him give Korra earlier that evening makes so much more sense. Mako's there now too, giving her an affectionate squeeze of his own, while Meelo jumps excitedly at her feet, and it's all a dizzying blur of shapes and colors. She can't remember the last time she felt so faint, and she squeezes the pendant tightly between her fingers, eyes scanning the small crowd until they meet that familiar blue gaze. Korra's surrounded by the other half of their odd little family, but she manages to tear her attention away from her parents long enough to flash her fiancée a smile that threatens to split her face into a grin.
Korra stops everything and pointedly walks over, sweeping Asami's hair to the side lovingly. They switch hands then, Asami taking over holding her hair while Korra takes the opportunity to loop the silk band around her neck. They share a laugh because Korra's hands are shaking so badly that it takes her a couple tries, but then she finally, finally fastens the clasp. As the weight of the pendant settles on her chest, Asami feels those familiar arms wrap around her waist from behind. Korra is just the perfect height to rest her chin on Asami's shoulder, and she cradles the other girl, almost swaying to some unknown melody. Asami feels a brief kiss being planted on the side of her neck before Korra says the words that make her entire body hum with delight.
"We're getting married."
A/N: This is essentially the extended version of chapter two from Chemistry. A review from BladeMaster357 planted the seed of inspiration, and it grew into this fic! In regards to the name meanings, I pulled those from the Avatar wiki - Asami's name can either mean "morning sea" or "morning beauty" (or "beautiful linen", what the heck?), whereas Korra's can be taken as a variation of "Kore", another term for the Greek goddess Persephone (described by Homer as a "formidable and powerful young queen"). As always, I'd love to hear your feedback about this piece, however short. Thanks for the continued support everyone, it really means a lot :D