AN: Warning for angst in this chapter! Also, I made the decision for Asami to remain celibate and Korra to... not... as different ways of coping with their separation. This has nothing to do with their coded "gender roles" (using that term loosely) and everything to do with their characters. Also, Asami was much more sexually experienced than Korra in Omega's Gambit, with several partners under her belt, while Korra had only been with Mako and her. I thought it made sense for Korra to get some more experience during their "break-up". However, there won't be any other non-Korrasami sex scenes in this story. And this one isn't that explicit. The intention is character development rather than smut.

. . .

Chapter Two:

Don't think about her.

Korra gripped the curved hips in front of hers harder, fingers digging into supple flesh. The pace of her rut was swift, brutal, but despite the high-pitched gasps of the woman beneath her, she remained indifferent. She stayed in the same rhythm, not bothering to vary it, hardly paying attention. No matter how many betas and omegas she fucked, it never seemed to matter. Nothing in her life mattered anymore. Not since...

Don't think about her.

She made a half-hearted effort to focus on her partner, looking down to remind herself what the woman looked like. Before, she hadn't much cared. From what little she could see from behind, the girl was surprisingly beautiful, with sleek black hair, pale skin, and a thin, wiry body. Probably Fire Nation, she realized with a sickening feeling. Her heart sank, but her cock gave a heavy twitch. What was I thinking? I should know better, especially since this one's an omega...

Once again, her thoughts drifted to places that frightened her. She bit down on the inside of her cheek, using pain to distract herself. The woman's moans had become high-pitched wails, and from the way her inner walls were rippling, she wouldn't last. Korra decided not to chance it. She wanted this to be over anyway. She never truly enjoyed sex anymore, even though she had looked for a lot of it over the past year. It met a physical need, but always left her feeling empty. She put a little more force behind her thrusts, loosening her hold to grind the omega's clit beneath her fingers.

It had the desired effect. The woman squeezed tight around her, releasing in a flood. Korra rode out the pulses as best she could, only moving enough to help her through her climax. As soon as the contractions started to ease, she pulled out, folding a fist around her slick shaft. Ignoring the omega's whimper of protest, she pumped her hand from the top of her knot to the head. It wasn't quite as good, but the last thing she needed was to get a stranger pregnant. She had grown used to resisting her urge to knot. In fact, she was afraid of doing so. Not just because of the obvious consequences, but because...

She groaned in frustration when the pressure pounding along her shaft refused to ease. Her hand sped up, but it didn't do any good. Normally, she could quiet her mind long enough to find release, but the girl's unfortunate appearance had her struggling to come and too close for comfort all at once. Don't think about her, don't think about her, don't... But the ache swelling inside her was too much to ignore. She had to finish, and she had to do it quickly.

Finally, she gave in. She looked at the panting, shivering omega bent over the bed through narrowed eyes, letting the shadows and her imagination do most of the work. For a few precious seconds, she was pulled back in time. The room shifted, steam seemed to slither over her skin, and a different voice was calling her name. 'Korra, please... Fill me—'

"Asami," she mouthed against the darkness, lips wrapping silently around the name she had tried so hard to avoid. Finally, the fullness inside of her burst. She came, spilling across the upturned swell of the omega's ass, eyes closed tight as she imagined a different body beneath hers. The memories were overwhelming, and for a moment, she almost managed to fool herself. Asami was here with her, about to say her name and invite her back inside, staring up at her with loving green eyes...

"Spirits. That was... intense."

Another voice—the wrong voice—broke in on her thoughts. She jolted back to the present, and her stomach gave a queasy lurch as she opened her eyes. Without a tie to sustain it, her orgasm had ended quickly, although it hadn't brought her any relief. Mostly, she felt sick to her stomach. "Yeah," she said, trying to add some life to her flat voice. It wasn't this girl's fault that she had been a lackluster substitute. No one could compare with Asami, or even the memory of her.

Luckily, the omega didn't seem to notice. "Thanks for pulling out," she said, rolling onto her back and scooting further up on the bed. "Some alphas aren't good at controlling their ruts."

"It's not a problem," Korra said. Her mind wandered to dark places, and she suppressed a wave of self-hatred. Normally, sex gave her at least a few minutes of peace before all the pain came flooding back, but this time, she hadn't been able to steal even a few seconds of respite. I shouldn't have thought about her. Remembering her always leaves me feeling so... broken. "Look, I don't think I can stay. You seem really sweet, and it's nothing personal, but..."

The woman's eyes flicked to her bare throat, and understanding dawned on her face. "Nursing a broken heart, huh?" Korra didn't answer. She pulled up her pants, avoiding the omega's eyes. "It's okay. Whoever they are, they're an idiot."

"Actually, I'm the idiot," she sighed, managing to force a small smile. "But I needed this. So, thank you."

"No problem. You know you could stay the night if you wanted, right? My heat's not over yet, and I'm not looking for a mate. It could be just the thing to help you forget whoever-they-are."

The omega's brow was furrowed with what looked like genuine concern, but the offer only made Korra feel worse. She didn't deserve this stranger's sympathy or kindness. In fact, she didn't deserve much of anything. "I'm sorry, but I can't. I've got another fight scheduled tonight."

"Well, I'm glad to have met you, anyway," the woman said with just a hint of sadness. "The door's open if you change your mind. I'll be up for a while."

Korra nodded goodbye. She knew better than to stay any longer. Things would only get more awkward the longer she stalled. She slipped out into the night without another word, eyes stinging, but unable to cry. She walked for a long time, wandering the mostly-empty streets, unsure of her destination. She had a small room she had rented for the month, above the grungy little arena where she made a few bucks, but she didn't feel like going back there. It would only depress her more.

Instead, she continued wandering until she came to a stop at a bench beneath a streetlight. She sat down, hunching forward and resting her elbows on her knees. Fucking the strange omega had left her even emptier than usual, and she didn't have the strength to keep the thoughts of her past locked away. After a moment's hesitation, she reached into her shirt, pulling out a folded piece of paper from an inside pocket. The letter had been opened and closed many times over, handled enough to be almost soft, but most of the words were still legible around the tear-smudges. Reading the letter was the only time she allowed herself to cry.

Dear Korra,

I miss you. It's not the same in Republic City without you. Everywhere I go, everything I do, it feels like you should be there too. I know you're still recovering, but I keep thinking about the day you finally come home. Yes, I know you haven't actually said you're coming home, and you haven't actually written me back yet, but I haven't given up hope. Senna tells me you do read my letters, even though you're not up for answering them.

This part is hard for me to write, but I'm going to do my best. I've stalled for a few weeks, trying to figure out how to tell you. I'm pregnant. You're going to be a sire. I haven't told anyone else yet, but I think Mako has already guessed. He was the one who encouraged me to go after you that day on the airship.

Despite everything, I don't have any regrets. Maybe this makes me crazy, but I'm happy to have some piece of you still with me. Even though they aren't born yet, this baby is so loved, and so wanted. I hope with all my heart that you love and want us, too. When you're well enough to come back, both of us will be waiting for you with open arms.

Otherwise, things are going well here. I just got a big contract to help redesign the city's infrastructure. While you're busy recovering, I'm going to rebuild everything that was destroyed here. By the time Future Industries is finished, Republic City will be better than ever. Please, write me back when you feel strong enough to manage it.

Love,

Asami

She wasn't sure how long she sat there, staring at the letter as her eyes swam with tears. Guilt and regret clogged her throat, making it difficult to breathe. Yasuko was over two years old now. She had missed so much. Her daughter's birth, her first steps, her first words. Asami kept her updated through letters every month or so, letters she never had the courage to answer. The one time she had written back, she had tried and failed to explain why she couldn't return. Sometimes, her reasons sounded stupid even in her own head.

After several minutes, she folded the letter and placed it carefully back inside its designated pocket, near her heart. I'm so sorry, she thought, staring up at the faint outline of the moon through the nighttime clouds. So sorry to both of you. But I would only be a burden to you while I'm like this. How am I supposed to protect you and take care of you like a mate and sire should when I'm so weak?

Still, Korra couldn't entirely dismiss the words in Asami's letter. They had been written two and a half years ago, but part of her hoped they were still true. 'When you're well enough to come back, both of us will be waiting for you with open arms.'

She knew it could never be that simple. She knew she couldn't just walk back into Asami's life and pretend like she hadn't abandoned her and their daughter. But sometimes—no, every minute of every day—she desperately wanted to. With a sigh, she left the bench and headed back to the arena. One more fight, and she'd have enough money to move on to the next town, as well as a few free hours to get some fitful sleep. At least in her dreams, Asami was always waiting for her with open arms, just as she had promised.