Asami raised an eyebrow as she rested a hand on her flared hip, looking at the mess that was her best friend sitting in the booth below her. The table countertop was covered in a mix of noodle broth, snot, tears, and cheap sake. Resting in the liquidy mess was a couple bowls, a tall, white bottle, and a small cup. Within one of these bowls was an overstuffed fire ferret, attempting to curl itself around its fat belly to comfort itself from the massive belly ache he was experiencing.
She sighed, and patted Pabu's head, hearing it chirp and groan, unable to find pleasure in the pat due to the massive amounts of food he had consumed. Asami turned her gaze at the ferret's owner, himself wallowing in the goop on the table. His hands were wrapped around his head, his face planted firmly on the table. Every now and again she heard a sniffle.
"Hey, thanks for coming in on such short notice." The owner said from behind the bar, drying off a glass as he spoke. "We closed about 20 minutes ago, and I sure appreciate you coming and picking him up. I tried his brother, but he was working the night shift and couldn't come in."
"I understand. Thanks Narook." Asami smiled sympathetically, looking over her shoulder at the balding man as she spoke.
Narook just nodded, setting the glass down and walking into the kitchen that was in the back. Asami turned and looked again at Bolin, who was groaning. He turned his head just enough to peak one eye up, and Asami cocked her eyebrow again at him.
"So, what did you and Opal fight about this time?" Asami sighed, squating down and putting a hand on Bolin's shoulder.
Bolin threw his head back, snot hanging his nose and tears staining his cheeks. He began to mumble something unintelligible, hands waving wildly in the air. Asami dared not venture closer to his face to be able to understand his jumbled phrases for fear of the waving hands, and sighed in defeat. Squeezing his shoulder, she used it as leverage to stand again.
"Bolin, I love you like a brother, but I can't understand you when you're like this." She slipped her lithe hand under his armpit and lifted, lips curling in disgust at the wet warmth they held. "Come on Bo-let's get you home."
Bolin slumped forward, nearly falling before righting himself in the nick of time, using Asami as support. He leaned into her and rested his head on her shoulder, smiling sheepishly. "You… are ssssuch a g-g-good –HICK- friend Asami. I love you soooooooo fucking much!"
Asami giggled. "I love you too, man," She lightly punched his chest as she slipped her arm around her back to stabilize him. Her expression hardened. "But you OWE me."
Bolin smiled nervously, raising a hand with his fingers half curled into a half fist with his thumb raised in a feeble attempt at the thumbs-up sign. He used the same hand to scoop up his furry companion, and let himself be slowly dragged outside the restaurant and bar to Asami's Satomobile.
Asami opened the door to her shared home with her partner Korra and closed it, locking it behind her. She tossed her keys on the kitchen counter as she walked by, too exhausted and lazy to put them in their proper place. It was one in the morning, and she was just ready to go to bed. Putting in a long day at work as the CEO and head engineer of Future Industries was enough to wear her out normally, but coming to Bolin's rescue made her day that much more tiring. Not that she didn't want to do it; her naturally kind nature wouldn't have that, and she loved Bolin, but he could be a lot to handle sometimes.
Asami walked into her's and Korra's bedroom, and sighed at the empty bed. She hated sleeping alone, but it was something she had to do every now again, what with her business trips and the Avatar's duties pulling them away from each other at times. She turned and went to the walk-in closet, kicking off her boots as she did so. Normally a very neat person, Asami shed her clothes and let them fall in a heap on the floor, knowing she would pick them up eventually. Changing into a light purple nightgown, she pulled her hair out of its usual low ponytail and felt her hair fall onto her now uncovered shoulders.
Once done, she turned to walk into their bedroom. She was too tired to brush her teeth or remove her makeup, and was resolved to go straight to bed. That is, until she looked out on the balcony window and saw a dark-skinned beauty whose once short, brown hair had grown out into a long braid sitting on the patio's railings, her staff leaning against the rail next to her. Her tight blue tank top clung to her muscles and curves, leaving little of her back to Asami's imagination; especially since she had seen that back in its naked entirety in the past. She walked briskly to the balcony doors and opened them. "Korra!"
Korra turned to look at her lover, tears in her eyes. "Hey, love." She jumped off the rail and rushed to Asami, burying her face in the taller woman's shoulder. "I missed you."
Asami leaned her head against Korra's as she wrapped her arms tightly around her. "I missed you too sweetie." She pulled back a little, hands sliding down Korra's arms, thumbs rubbing comforting circles. "Are you okay?"
This was a question Korra heard Asami say thousands of times, but each time it surprised her that someone, especially someone as amazing, beautiful, caring, and smart as Asami, would care to ask her. "To be perfectly honest…" Korra shuddered, her knees growing weak. "I'm not okay."
Asami tugged on Korra's arm, pulling her inside their shared room. She sat on the edge of the bed, beckoning her partner to join her. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Korra nodded, looking down at her hands, opening and closing them as she spoke. "Something… bad happened on the mission today."
Asami stayed silent, waiting for Korra to finish in her own time.
"I… I-" Korra choked, hands balling into fists. She had to come to terms with it. "I killed someone tonight."
Asami gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth.
"He was going to kill me, and I just reacted. He was a lightning bender, and everything happened so fast, and if I only had done something different, he wouldn't be dead, and-"
Korra was cut off by a near bone-crushing hug from the woman before her. She dropped her head onto Asami's shoulder, leaving her hands open in defeated agony in her lap. All Korra could do was sob.
They sat this way for a while, Asami holding Korra as she cried. Asami lifted a hand the back of Korra's head, running her hand down her braided hair as she cooed in her ear. "I'm so sorry that happened Korra. It's going to be okay." Asami began to repeat this over and over until it became a mantra, hoping that Korra would hear and believe it-which she knew was unlikely.
Once Korra's sobs died down, a thought struck Asami. She continued to pet and hold Korra as she spoke aloud. "I may not understand what you are going through… I have never killed anyone myself that I know of. But… maybe you should talk to Mako. He would understand."
Korra sniffed in Asami's shoulder, smelling Asami's jasmine scene even through the tears. "Okay." She sighed shakily, that being all the strength she had in her to utter.
Asami nodded, then slid off the edge of the bed. She squatted down to remove Korra's boots. Korra let her do this, being too emotionally spent to object to the love of her life's near self-deprecating kindness. Once her boots were removed, Asami lifted the feet of the Avatar onto the bed, then pulled a blanket up on top of her, leaving the sheets below her. Walking around the edge of the bed, Asami got into bed herself, such that she was also on top of the sheets but below the main blanket, so that she could pull the Avatar close to her bosom. They lay in silence, Korra completely out of tears, until they unsteadily fell asleep.