This story is originally written for another fanfiction I am writing, but it is a scene for the far future. Being a fan of TLoK, I figured that the scene could also suit well for Korra (after a few tweeks and a sex-change for one of the characters it happened to), and it would be nice to see what other people think of it, and if anyone has any remarks on how to improve it. Since I do not like Makorra -frankly, Mako is an idiot- nor am I a fan of Borra, and Tahnorra is completely out of the question, only leaves Asami was left to be paired up with Korra for this little two-shot.
Setting: Amon is still armed and dangerous ("Turning The Tides" has not happened yet -not that he is any less dangerous after that), Korra is still unable to airbend, but Mako and Asami broke it off after Mako noticed how worried Asami was when Korra disappeared and how she cared for the wounded Avatar once she was found. So basically, Mako and Asami's actions have been reversed, and Korra and Asami were the ones who kissed each other outside the Pro-Bending Arena.
Part 1
Frustrated over her inability to produce a single puff of air, Korra sagged down on the pile of cushions next to Mako, who was watching Asami beat Bolin in a game of Pai Sho.
"What's wrong?" Asami instantly picked up on Korra's dark and somber mood.
"It's just so frustrating! The closest I have come to airbending so far is breathing!" She sighed and buried her head against her pulled-up knees. "I just can't do it. Tenzin taught me all the stances of airbending, I have memorized them all, but. . . Nothing."
Asami and Bolin's comforting words were strangely overpowered by Mako's silence. Korra raised her head and glanced at her friend who had not looked up from the Pai Sho board. "You seem awfully quiet."
Without looking up, Mako shrugged. "You do not want to hear what I think anyway."
"I do." She placed a hand on the firebender's shoulder and forced him to meet her gaze. "What is it?"
"Fine. You truly want to know why you can't airbend properly? You are afraid, and you are running. You are running away from everything," Mako briefly glanced at Asami, "and everyone."
Korra instantly loosened her grip on Mako's shoulder and stood up. "I am not afraid of anyone! And I am not running!"
"Oh no?" Mako erected himself to his full length, and towered over the Avatar. "Then prove it. Proof that you are not afraid to follow your heart. Prove that you can stop running away from your own feelings. Kiss Asami, and I dare you to tell us that it does not mean anything to you."
Korra stared at Mako in shock, who returned her gaze with a daring determination. Briefly squinting her eyes at the firebender, she turned to Asami without saying another word and kissed her full on the mouth.
A strange feeling overcame her, and while her mind was racing a mile an hour, her heart just seemed to have skipped so many beats that it could no longer be considered to be still beating. Korra suddenly felt so tired. She had been running. She had been running from this for so long, but she had been running for a reason. She felt Asami stir, and her lips pressed back against hers, gentle at first, but passion soon increased the feeling.
A reason, there was a reason.
She felt the tip of her tongue brush against her lips ever so softly, and without thinking about it, she opened up to her. Korra's hands instinctively found their way up Asami's back and to her slim neck, her fingers intertwined with her long dark locks. Asami's warm hand trailing down the small of her back and her gentle, but firm grip on her hip felt so natural, like they were finally where they were supposed to be. The Avatar felt Asami pull her closer, and she wanted to follow with every fiber in her being.
There was a reason.
Not knowing how, Korra pulled away, her eyes gleaming wet. She turned to Mako and spoke with a calm voice she did not recognize as her own. "Happy now?" Surprised that she still had that power, she ran out of the room and into the cold, moonlit night.
Asami stared at Mako with a mixture of gratitude and disgust. "Why did you do that?"
"We cannot afford to lose her. She is my friend, you three are all I got. We are at war, and we need her. Her powers are tied to her emotions, and her emotions are obviously tied to you, so until she gives in to what she truly feels for you, she will not be able to airbend and we are wasting our time. I think it is pretty clear how she feels about you, so why are you still standing here? Go after her."
A small part of Asami wanted to protest the bold move Mako had made, but it was only a very small part, as she felt with her entire being that he was right, and the tingle of her lips, a reminiscent and a promise at the same time, urged her long, elegant legs to move. She found her sitting on the edge of a cliff, hidden well behind the protecting cover of some bushed, overlooking the vast ocean of never ending waves that stretched out as far as the horizon. The moon shone bright as a pearl, but its beauty was nothing for Asami compared to the lovely image Korra formed. She felt like an intruder, staring at her in one of her most vulnerable moments, knowing fully well how much the Avatar hated that, but she could not turn away. Korra bowed her head and a single droplet of crystal fell on her lap. Her brown hair waived softly on the gentle breeze; she shivered.
Her presence startled Korra, though she did not know why. Had she not been expecting her? Has she not been wanting her to find her? To comfort her? To hold her close and never let go?
There was a reason.
She wiped her cheeks with the palm of her hand and desperately wished that she could do the same for her heart. Her shoulder, clad in that fancy leather jacket, brushed against hers as he sat down, and the accidental contact stirred her more than she could have even imagined. Then why did she feel this way? She was fighting, but for what and with whom? She felt so much, and at the same time, she was completely void, drained from every emotion. Was she even still here? A familiar hand, soft as the highest quality of silk money could buy, enclosed hers. The single touch sent a jolt of energy through Korra's body, and her heart screamed out with every beat that she was definitely still there.
But so was the reason.
Korra retracted her hand. "I am sorry." The words felt strange. Was she sorry? Did she regret anything? Her lips tingled in answer.
"I am not." Asami's friendly soothed her. She knew she could listen to that forever, but at the same time she was berating herself for that thought. She could not. Never forget the reason. "You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that; how long I have wanted you to do that. I do not regret anything."
Korra knew Asami was sincere and her words came straight from her heart, as her own sang every word with her. Then why did she feel this way? Why was she hurt? Conflicted? Confused? At war with herself.
The reason.
Could she not just be selfish and give in? Her heart pounded in her head. Yes, you can. Can I? Yes. I can? Yes! I can. Yes!
"I... can't." Korra did not know when she had started talking. It was not until the sound of her own voice reached her ears and her mind processed the words she had formed that she realized that she had.
"I am not going anywhere, Korra."
That heartbreaking reason.
"That's not true." She knew the look Asami was giving her even though Korra kept staring blankly in front of her. She felt those beautiful emerald eyes trail the side of her face, carrying the question that her mouth did not uttered. "Amon is hurting so many people because of me. I am the Avatar and I failed the world. That's why the spirits decided to grant him to power to do these horrid things... Or at least, that's what he claims. Doesn't matter though, it does not change his actions. I just... I cannot bear the thought of losing you. I just can't."
"I am not going anywhere. I could never leave you. I love you. Always have, from the minute I laid eyes on you, and I always will. I am not going anywhere."
Her heart screamed to believe Asami, but her head knew it could not. "Love. . . just feels like an invitation to more pain, and I do not think I can handle more pain right now."
She felt Asami move next to her and the comforting hand of the non-bender cupping her cheek was the best feeling in the world. Involuntarily, she leaned into it, and led herself be guided toward her. Her long fingers carefully tucked away a loose strand of Korra's hair behind her ear, and softly touched her face on their way down. Korra felt Asami's body so close to hers; she felt her warm breath on her skin; she felt her heart pounding in sync with hers.
She closed her eyes to give into the sensation. Sounds of battle drummed her ears. Flashes of electricity originating from the gloves of the Equalists blinded her eyes. An knife crossed the sky and pierced Asami's heart; Korra's heart. She fell; they both fell. She was to blame; Asami would die because of her. She could never let this happen.
The reason.
Tasting her own salt tears, she pulled away and stood up. "I can't, I am sorry." Korra was afraid, and she ran. As she reach the first tree and was about to turn around it to leave, she felt a firm but gentle hand grab hold of her wrist, halting her escape. "Asami, let go, please. I cannot do –"
Korra would never find out what she could not do as she lost herself in the warm embrace of her lips. She fell. She fell deeper and faster than she had ever done before. Colors started to blur, sounds started to merge, and she fell. People appeared as she sank lower and lower. She knew them somehow. A waterbender; an earthbender; a firebender; an airbender, all aligned in a pattern. Avatars of times long gone. They all murmured something.
"It is okay."
How could it be okay? It was all her fault. Hers. No one else's, but hers.
"Let it go, and give in to it."
She could not do it. And even if she could, she did not know how.
"Let yourself be free."
She felt Asami's embrace. She felt her lips; her hands; her heart. Even now when she was falling, she was there. She was flying, and she flew with her; Asami caught her. She was her freedom. She felt Asami's embrace lessen as she was pulling back. No, please don't! Her hands left her body and her lips were slowly removing themselves from hers. Please stay. I-I need you. . . I love you. A vortex of wind swirled around her, forcing Asami to come closer again, to not leave her. She felt Asami smile within their kiss before she broke away, and Korra slowly opened her eyes. The past Avatars were gone, but the wind remained, happily playing with their hair. Realizing what it meant, Korra smiled adoringly at Asami. "Thank you, for not giving up on me." Korra's words swirled around them on the current, spiraling high into the night.
Asami slowly moved closer to her Avatar, gently placing her arms around Korra's waist and locking on to those bright blue eyes. "I could never." Before she could fully lean in to find her mouth again, Korra had wrapped her hands around the taller girl's head and pulled her in, closing the distance between them.
Stumbling backwards in their passion, Korra found herself pinned between the cold bast of the tree and Asami's warm body. She had been running for so long, but her feelings had finally caught up with her, and for the first time since her encounter with Amon, she felt at peace again. Asami's hand trailed up her side, leaving tingles of pleasure everywhere she came. Following the outline of Korra's bare arm, she grabbed hold of her hand, intertwining the Avatar's dark fingers with hers. Korra welcomed the cold embrace of the tree as Asami pressed her arm against it. Breaking for air, she looked at their entangled fingers, light and dark, but found her attention soon diverted as Asami placed a line of kisses down her neck. Reaching her collarbone, she softly bit into it, before soothing the mark with her painted lips. Reveling in the sensation, Korra closed her eyes and finally understood why air was the element of freedom; as she surrendered to Asami's passionate affection, her heart soared high on the winds that were now hers to command.