A/N: This chapter was inspired by East of Avenue's "Paper Planes." It's a very heart-tugging song, I suggest you give it a listen whilst reading this!

Chapter 4: Paper Planes

Home wasn't a constant for the Avatar (it was hardly even a concept). One among millions, the sole being of their existence. No one nation to belongto, bender of all four elements (and perhaps, more, if one counted energy and metalbending as different bending disciplines). A life of struggle and sacrifice for the world; a destiny sealed, as old as the universe, to the universe. Finding their way to peace and balance, and even that was hard. A life of thousands more, to millions more; a connection to all on the planet, out of some imperturbable, binding cord to the world that, if cut, would shatter everything.

Hard as it was, being the Avatar was never a solo job. But it could be difficult to find where you belonged.

Korra knew how that felt.

Taken out of her home to train in the White Lotus Compound, supposed to be part of the world, but apart from it. Thrust into Republic City, the single great metropolis of big and new, and almost burned from it. Air Temple Island...was wonderful. And it was nearly home. But it wasn't hers. It belonged to her predecessor's family; and certainly, in an ethereal, spirit-y way, it felt like she belonged there.

But not quite.

For months, she had stayed in the South, hoping that a childhood comfort would lend her a healing hand.

It didn't. It only reminded her of what she'd lost.

So Korra had left, opting for the world to find a truth that had to exist, somewhere, anywhere.

Korra crested the top of the wave, splashing down in a spray of sea fume. The water tickled her skin, like pin-prickling drops of freeze, but she barely felt it. She was too focused on…

Well.

She didn't know what, exactly- she'd come here to find just what, after all.

Her eyes bore into the waves, the ever-ebbing waters of the Southern Ocean. Home, to the tug in her heart and the thrum in her bones. But cold, now.

Bone-white icebergs bore down, silent. Empty. But staring. The sky was a grey-mottled mass of clouds, and they threatened thunder if Korra continued on this path. The wind blew bitter against her skin; she had opted to go sleeveless instead of furs, and the numbness across her body was starting to hurt.

Korra's eyes grazed the ocean, searching. The water pushed, and pulled, in her mind, tugging languidly.

Korra looked deep.

But all she could see was emptiness.-

Korra panted, forcing herself to bring her right leg onto the top of the mountain. Her breath came out ragged, but pulsing with the vitality of physical exertion. She sat, and stared out at the scene before her.

She was on Roku's Island, gazing out at devastation. Devastation implied something destroyed, wrecked. It was a barren wasteland, crag-black and sharp, as if to ward off all human touch, and say: 'This was nature's realm.'. And although the remnants of Roku's home lay heavy in her heart, she couldn't help her heart surging at all the flowers beneath her. The volcanic ash made it near impossible for most floral varieties to grow here, but one particular species was miraculous of surviving.

The white lily swayed in the ashen breeze below, and to Korra's sight, there were more than a few hundred popping up from the ground. Tiny, but strong; green stems swayed in the breeze, and white petals fluttered alongside.

Ash still fell periodically on the blooms, but Korra found that inspiring. Tainted, perhaps, by an inescapable circumstance, but...

Thriving all the same.

She hugged her legs to her chest.

If only she knew what that felt.

Perhaps the Earth Kingdom was what she needed. Trace back where she last was.

Maybe pick up something she'd lost.

Korra's hands tightened on the straps of her backpack, slung lightly over her shoulder. She hadn't packed much-a few shirts, food and water, a blanket. She hadn't known where she was going to go, but at least knew it had to feel light-weight.

Her feet slipped on the sand hill, and she threw her hands out to steady herself. Sand grains ran past her fingers, and there was no grip to be found- but, with a huff, Korra straightened herself and dragged on to the top.

Miles and miles of Si Wong Desert stretched before her, rolling waves of sand. A tan land, seeming soft and supple; ancient, Korra was sure, and hiding many secrets underneath its particles. But forever was a long distance, and in all honesty, she didn't know where she was headed. The hot sun beat down on her back, shimmering like cosmic mist in the air.

At that moment, something appeared in the horizon, and Korra's grip slackened. "Raava?"

It was. The white spirit, who had been eluding her for two years, was hovering on top of that nearby sand dune.

Korra laughed, remarkable, relieved, and tore down the hill.

Finally! The thing that she was searching for, that had been missing all this time. She could finally get better, finally-

Korra crested the top of the dune.

But Raava was nowhere to be found.

She looked around. Surely the spirit had…

Korra fell, thudding, to her knees, tears streaming down her face.

Would she ever get better?

Korra had failed to find herself.

But that was okay.

She was looking in the wrong places anyways.

Because home, she learned painfully, for far too long, was not outside. Home was within. It was the settling of the soul, the calm beating of the heart. A second in which the world stopped spinning, and time was hers, and suddenly, Korra wasn't the Avatar.

For Korra, home was Asami. Dear, beautiful, Asami.

Home, sometimes, proved to be an unexpected place. A beautiful, precious gem in hiding, shining when you needed it most. A soft light, gently beating, with a bulb that never seemed to burn out, giving warmth without even asking.

So, nestled under bedsheets warm as her heart, in the arms of the woman she loved, head-in-her-shoulder, kiss-on-her-lips, smile-on-her-face; Korra found her home. A gentle, beautiful, wonderful home, that filled her up so much that she thought she was dreaming at times, because surely, life couldn't be this good?

But it was.

It really was.

And it was more beautiful than anything Korra could have imagined.

Cars had a destination. Always did. You never exactly got into one without having the least idea of where you were going. Shift a gear, switch a button, turn on the engine-controls, there were controls, and Asami knew where to go. Even on late night drives, where amber city-lights blurred by. Around. Out. To the park, and back. To get out of her head.

The things she built had the sole purpose of having a destination. Planes, cars, bridges, roads; all went somewhere.

Asami felt the opposite...much to her confusion. Because if she was fortunate enough to have all this success and wealth, shouldn't she be happy? Have at least a clue what she wanted?

But she didn't.

She felt lost.

Because most days, Asami worked. She poured herself into construction reports and factory orders, eyes scanning clipboards of things that were supposed to matter. She designed dozens of new buildings and outlined 80 percent of the city's current roads. She was there for every grand opening, smiling and proud of all the work she'd done, cutting ribbons for rebuilt city stations and shaking hands with pleased citizens.

But Asami wasn't there. Not without the one person who would have made it matter, who mattered the most.

It was lonely.

Asami had millions of yuans, and ran one of the most successful companies in the world.

But she didn't know what to make herself if Korra wasn't with her.

She missed the Water Tribe girl. Missed her laugh, and smile; the only two, inevitable things that could pull Asami's day back from the brink of ash. MIssed that smirk on her lips, because she was skeptical, or mischievous, or frustratingly knowing, and it was all Asami could do not to kiss them. Bright, blue eyes-full of that robustness and strength of heart that drove her every action, and Asami's heart, toward her.

But most of all, it was the presence and warmth of her that Asami missed.

In a city of thousands, where countless people flitted by her day and night, in and out of her office, on the streets, on the roads, Satomobiles buzzing like mad-Asami's mind was on one person.

And she wasn't even here.

"So, Asami."

They were at Narook's, in a corner booth that they'd requested, because being the Avatar and the CEO of Future Industries was enough of a public affair. But the Avatar and the CEO of Future Industries together was just tantalizing. For the press and for the (press-termed) 'power couple.'

"Hmm?" Asami looked up from her plate of noodles, (her favorite- miso steamed), swallowing her bite. "What's up?"

"I...have something to tell you." Korra looked down, quite uncomfortably, into the center of her three setsof plates.

Guilt. Why was there guilt? Asami frowned.

"Is everything alright?" she said, taking Korra's hand from across the table. Her frown deepened. Of course Korra wouldn't…

"You're...not breaking up with me, are-"

The Avatar's eyes widened. "What? Why would you ever think-" Korra huffed, incredulous now, instead of nervous. "Spirits, I'm not that crazy!"

"Whoo," Asami chuckled, blowing out a nervous laugh. "Just checking. You scare me sometimes, Korra."

Korra just rolled her eyes and leaned across for a kiss.

"I love you, you know that."

Asami smiled, and returned the kiss. "I love you too. But?"

Korra sighed, deeply, then met her eyes. "I have to leave for an Avatar trip."

"Oh." There...could be worse things, but...still. "Where to?"

"Southern Air Temple. Tenzin wants me to check on the state of the airbenders there, make sure they're getting on okay. You know, wrangle any young ones, educate them about the importance of the work they do, and that the Air Nation isn't a bunch of old people doing yoga." She chuckled. "No danger, of course, but…"

"Hey." Asami locked eyes with Korra, gently. "Being the Avatar is your duty." She smiled wide. "I'm not gonna keep you from doing your job. Much as you distract me from mine."

The Avatar grinned. "You're a very nice person to be around."

Asami narrowed her eyes. "I wish I wasn't so attracted to you sometimes, you know that?"

"Nope." Korra leaned in for another kiss, and made it longer this time. "You love it, and so do I."

Asami stuck out her tongue and Korra resisted the urge to continue her kisses, lest the restaurant's eaters get too attentive. "Dork. So anyways, how long are you gone?"

Asami almost hesitated asking, but that was ridiculous. Korra was never gone for too long, and Asami was running a company, she had tons of stuff to do-

"Five days."

Her breath caught. It was a few moments' silence that she registered Korra's words. The younger woman could hear the whine in her throat as Asami tried, and failed, to respond.

"And, there's no radio."

Asami's eye twitched.

"When do you leave?"

"In a week."

Her breath came out ragged.

Asami was upset.

Korra had seen this coming.

"Hey." She cupped Asami's cheek. "I've been gone for longer, in far more dangerous places. You remember Fenyu and those riots?"

"Don't you try to turn this into a smaller deal," Asami sulked, but nestled, into Korra's hand.

"I'm not," Korra smiled, gently. "I'm just trying to make it better."

Asami's frown deepened, more. Her head now truly lay in the palm of Korra's hand, and she closed her eyes, focusing on the softness of Korra's fingers. "What could be good about you leaving?"

She brought Asami in for a kiss. "You could finally get some work done."

Asami whimpered.

Asami had always been lonely, hadn't she? She'd thought against it because that was absurd, but really- a lot of things were.

Like the fact that being with someone-close, there- made Asami realize just how lonely she had been.

Her mom had passed away when she was young. Herself, precocious, top of her class for her high marks and unyielding genius. Big, empty mansion, a childhood spent roaming its halls, looking for someone...then dashing back to her father's garage before tears came.

Betrayed by the very same man. Sucked of a company by a business partner. Forced to build it all back, youngest CEO in the modern world. Her father, back-then gone.

It was enough to make her want to crumble.

Asami had had friends. But they'd gone away (or…had she sent them away?) with the long hours spent at her father's company.

Korra stirred, moving underneath Asami's fingers, which were tangled in her hair.

The almighty Avatar had fallen asleep. Next to Asami. On Asami's lap.

She sighed, happily. Her head still spun, of the unbelievability of it.

Asami had, arguably, been fine in the few years before she'd met Mako and the rest of them. It had been an exciting time, with her father's company releasing a new model of Satomobiles. Future Industries was already a monolith in Republic City, and it was now rising to international standards. She'd been manager of the production lines for some time, and her father had just assigned her the lead on a new engine for the next model.

Asami hummed, twisting a strand of Korra's hair, and smiled, as the Avatar twisted along with it. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't really had time to be lonely, huh?

Then she'd met Korra, and suddenly, life was not so much about work anymore. Asami had a friend, someone she could talk to, finally. And life turned out to have so much more light and warmth than she could've ever given it credit for.

Then that warmth had been snatched away, as quickly as it had come, for three, dark years.

And it had been a long three years.

But Asami had waited, and those years were over now,

And she was not alone. Not anymore.

She never wished to be, again, she thought, as she pressed a kiss to Korra's temple and held her closer.

They were lying in Avatar Korra Park, Korra doing the lying, and Asami petting her hair. It was a nice day out and Asami had managed to snag a few minutes out of her work schedule for lunch. Korra was around, helping with the reconstruction efforts. Both busy tasks, both requiring sufficient cuddling time to recharge.

Asami's fingers threaded through Korra's hair, spilled out into the crook of Asami's lap. The strokes were gentle, soft, and Korra's smile mirrored the same sensation.

Asami smiled. "I love seeing you like this."

Korra opened an eye, to tease and to relish, equally. "What? Totally and inevitably under your control?"

Asami shushed her with a finger to the lips, and Korra found it hard not to kiss it. "Yes. And no." A strand of hair twirled, magically, around her finger. "Just being you. Korra. Not the Avatar."

She cocked an eyebrow. Was...that a problem?

Asami chuckled, thumb tracing the edge of her mouth. Ever so gently… "Relaxed. Calm. At peace. In my lap." All those things, in that order. She bent down for a kiss that Korra had to accept with a smile.

"Your doing," she whispered, vengeance all but a ruse so Asami could kiss her for the pout.

"Hmmph."

That seemed to satisfy her, so she continued petting her, smiling at Korra's smile. Spirits, she missed that.

"I'm gonna miss you…"

Asami leaned down. "What was that?"

Korra knew she had heard every word, because Asami was always listening. She narrowed her eyes. "I said I'm gonna miss you. Are you pleas-" Her breath caught very suddenly, and her words vanished as Asami stroked her cheek in a very gentle, very enchanting way. "-ed, ahhahhh…"

The engineer laughed. "Very." This had become a sort of new pasttime (if that was appropriate to call it) of hers (often, during the night, or in the morning). It was, more often than not, Korra who made her repose on Asami's lap, and Asami who had the privilege of making Korra at ease. She'd spend many a moment simply looking at her, quietly marveling, full of gentle touches that ached to do more, but for now, was enough.

Korra closed her eyes, rotating her cheek along to the touch. Asami's heart pounded at her smile, curved wide and irreparably, inexorably, always going to be there. It was just a natural phenomenon that had to occur when she was with Asami.

"I never thought I'd get the chance to say that," Korra whispered, just as Asami leaned down for another kiss. She stopped. "What?"

Korra sat up, all of a sudden. She nestled her head next to Asami's, and her hand found hers. Korra's eyes held a light. "Back in the South...I felt grateful to even be able to live another day. Every day was a battle, each harder than the last. I didn't know if I would get better, and some days, I didn't know if I could even keep…" Korra looked up, at that point, at Asami-open, earnest, and...willing (always willing)- and she couldn't bear to continue that thought. "So imagine how great it felt to come back and know I was...safe. Okay. Not broken."

"Imagine how wonderful it felt for me, too." Asami smiled, and brushed her lips to the top of Korra's head, remembering. The pure joy. The happy tears. The relief. Everything that had happened after, and why Asami's heart swelled so fucking much whenever she saw, or thought of Korra, that she swore it couldn't fit into her chest any longer. Everything that had led to them being together, here. Now, in this park.

What a trivial, insignificant thing, to simply be sitting together.

But it was everything to them.

"Yeah. But none of that compares to what I just said." Korra leaned back, enough to look Asami in the eyes. She squeezed their fingers together, and brought her lips to one. "I would never have dreamed of this. Not in my greatest, wildest dreams. Being able to be with you, like together, with you." Her voice rose at the last word, because it was breaking. Korra shook her head. "Never."

She looked deep, deep into Asami's eyes, saw herself reflected back, among brimming tears. "You, letting me back into your life is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Even having the chance to miss you means that I'm...close enough. That I matter, to you." Korra smiled, full of love as much as awe. "You're everything, you know that, Asami?"

A teardrop rolled onto their clasped hands. Warm, Korra pressed her lips to Asami's forehead. "Thank you," she breathed.

"Korra…"

"Hey." Korra's eyes sparkled. "You're the smartest person in the world. How could you not have known that?"

Asami sniffed, brought her hands up to wipe her eyes, then decided against it. She shook her head instead. "Because my mind is too busy thinking about how I survived three years without you."

"Yeah," Korra chuckled. "Neither do I." She laid back down, resuming her rightful place in Asami's lap. Not all their cuddles came with cries, but, maybe, the best ones did.

Korra smiled, heart light as snow. "You're the best, Asami. Now do that thing you were doing earlier where I was in love with you and murmuring weird things."

Asami did, with tears rolling down her cheeks, wondering how her chest could hold a heart that burst as much as hers did.

The next few days, Asami came home late. Her Board and a flurry of shareholders had really been grinding her. Korra accepted that, and being her adorable self, had opted to bring Asami lunch, and make her dinner every night. Maybe because she was leaving soon, or maybe because Asami was working so hard, but Korra found herself surrounded with flowers, popping them all over the house and in Asami's office. Asami found a yellow tulip on her desk one morning, a note attached to it.

Dear Asami,

I love you. You probably get sick of hearing me say it.

But it's your fault, not mine.

I love you.

Korra

Asami smirked, and placed the note on her pencil holder.

Another time it was a rose, attached to her lunch bag that had been 'mysteriously blown into her office' through the open window. Strung around its stem was one of Asami's favorite sweets from the shop. Asami groaned, though, at the inevitable (did it really have to be there?) pun on the notecard.

I hope you find the rice manju as sweet as you are.

Korra

P.S. I love you.

Asami enjoyed the sweet, nonetheless. And the pun, too.

Or it was cute little notes, posted around their apartment. Asami was working through her pre-work makeup routine when she sighted the pink message at the corner of her bathroom mirror.

Dear Asami,

You're beautiful. With and without makeup.

Although I've never seen you in the latter.

Seriously. How do you do that?

But it's okay. I don't mind.

I love you. Hope work goes well today!

Korra

Asami didn't know what to do with herself after that, or when she came home that day, and collapsed into Korra with hugs and kisses.

It was lucky Korra was too busy being adorable to notice whatever Asami was doing. Why she was coming home late for the past few nights, or making more telephone calls than normal.

She'd find out soon, though.

Korra rang on the doorbell, shifting to balance the pile of takeout food in her arms. "Asami, I'm here!"

When no one answered, she made to press it again, but her arm bumped hard enough against the door to creak it open. She crept inside. "Asami…?" Korra clicked the door shut, depositing their dinner on the dining table. "Where are…"

"In here!"

Korra frowned, and made her way to the bedroom, then stopped. The room was a mess of Asami's belongings, mostly clothes, strewn all over the bed. Shoes sprawled on the bedside table, and more than a few files were scattered on the floor. Korra's eyes floated to the bathroom, where several pieces of Asami's makeup dotted the sink. "What...what are you doing?"

Her girlfriend finished zipping up a large pocket, the zip clicking satisfactorily. "Packing."

Korra blinked. Asami continued folding clothes. "For…"

She looked up at her. "The Southern Air Temple."

Korra blinked, again. She stared at Asami's suitcase, at her hands quickly fastening the straps. Then she sighed. Oh Asami.

Korra knelt down, gently taking her hand. She tried to catch her eye, but that was hard to do when Asami was focused (on anything, really). "Asami, why are you going to the Southern Air Temple?"

Her girlfriend grinned. "Future Industries business. I contacted Tenzin a few days earlier and asked him if we could supply the airbenders with anything. Of course," She inclined her head, picking up a pair of trousers. "He was a bit against the whole 'retrofitting an ancient temple with new stuff', but I convinced him to see the better side of a few lights and engines. Electricity, and such. Plus, radio station." Asami beamed, leaning forward to peck Korra on the nose. "Sounds great, huh?"

"So you're...coming with me?"

Asami set down the pair of pants she was folding. "Well, don't sound so disappointed," she said, more with the raised eyebrow than her lips.

Korra blew out a laugh. "I'm not! At all! Don't get me wrong, this makes me so happy, but…" She grasped Asami's hand, midway in an inner pocket.

"Don't let me get in the way of...you know." She nodded toward the files on the floor. Korra had seen Asami's workload, even before she'd announced this trip. It was remarkable that a company, let alone a single person, had that much to do. Korra felt incredibly relieved, but even so…

When Asami refused to look at her, Korra guided them, gently, out of the bedroom to the couch. She sat them down, hands clutching hers.

"Asami. Look at me."

Green eyes rose.

Korra squeezed their hands, and the pressure sent a pulse through Asami. "I've seen how late you've been coming home-evenbeforeItoldyouaboutthistrip," she added hurriedly, as Asami re-closed her lips and frowned. "You have all those meetings with your Board, and Raiko still wants to talk to you about the plans for New Downtown. Are you sure you can spare five days?"

Asami's mouth yearned to say yes!, but her eyes betrayed the truth.

Korra sighed, and stroked her thumb along the back of Asami's hand.

"I could've gotten my assistant to do it for me. Or one of the trade porters," Asami said, looking down; not entirely guilty, but not entirely guilt-free.

Korra tilted her head, smiling softly. "You know you don't have to drop everything for me."

But you are everything. Asami half-smiled, half-frowned. "I'm really not, though." (Though whenever Korra was in mind, nothing ever seemed too much.) "This is still business. Not everything is about you, you know," she smirked, her heart rapidly pumping a refusal to such a lie.

Korra raised an eyebrow. "I feel like the task of setting up a few engines and lights doesn't need a CEO to manage. Especially if it's such a routine thing to do." She laughed, and kissed Asami where she frowned. "Seriously. It's your company."

Asami actually recoiled. What was Korra actually suggesting? That she wasn't the most important thing in Asami's world? That if she so much as looked at her, Asami wouldn't drop everything she had and come running? She had been prepared to do that for the last three years. And that was desperate.

Did she really not...

Korra shifted, uncomfortable as best she could be when next to Asami (which, really, was nothing). "I'm just...me. You're running a company and-"

Asami grabbed her wrists, all of a sudden. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Talk about like you're nothing. Like you don't matter."

"I'm not-"

She stopped talking, because Asami had squeezed her hands tight. "Do you know what you are, to me?"

Korra bit her lip, looking down. Maybe afraid to hear the truth, maybe not honestly knowing, which Asami found completely absurd.

Asami found her gaze again (like always). "You are the reason this city is as good as it is. The reason why I work so hard. Those three years you were in the South, yes, I spent them working. I built roads. I designed buildings. I worked with the spirit vines. I did nothing else. All because of you. I rebuilt this city so you could have a home when you came back." Korra's eyes were blurring, but Asami wasn't done.

"I needed to build a city you could be proud of." Asami wrapped her arms tight around Korra, and felt her head bury into her shoulder. "I needed you to come back to me."

Asami felt tears seep into her shirt, felt Korra's eyes pressed tight against.

"I may have the hands and brain for this city, but you're the fuel that keeps me going."

She felt her chest recoil, as Korra sniffed, loudly. It was a long moment before Asami pulled away, gently, hands still on Korra's shoulders. Her eyes locked onto hers. "So don't ever, ever try to put yourself below anything else. Because you are the most important thing in my life, and you are worth every little effort I give, and damn it if I can't have five days to-"

She stopped, because Korra was kissing her.

"You are the most...perfect…" Korra sobbed against her forehead, hands clutching her hair.

Asami smiled."And I'm in love with you. So, deal with it."

Korra did.

With many kisses.

Korra was going to love this. Sure, it was something Asami hadn't thought directly about, but, as it happened, it was in the background of what she'd dreamed of for years, and now seemed like the perfect time. She felt for her keyring, dangling in the ignition, and turned a right.

"Whoa!" Korra slumped back to the left, after gravity had settled. "Why so fast?"

Asami smiled, and as Korra looked at her, she felt both thrilled and intrigued. "I have something to show you."

Korra narrowed her eyes, but...she trusted Asami. If she wanted to be mysterious, then who was Korra to stop her? "So," as she was saying, before the turn cut her off, "this little kid totally had a crush on me! He was the cutest thing ever, don't get me wrong, but every time we'd train together, he'd go tomato-red, and his feet would cross over, and he'd look at me with the cutest brown eyes."

Asami snorted. "Do I have competition?"

Korra went rigid. "What? Spirits, no." She slapped Asami lightly on the elbow, and Asami bit back what would have been a disarmingly loud chuckle. "The first time I met him, he tried to run away."

Asami giggled, and had to slam on the brakes because of it. "The Avatar, terrorizer of children."

"No." Korra pouted. "More like, Defender of Babies."

Asami burst out laughing, and, after a second, Korra did as well. A car horn beeped, because the light was green, and they weren't moving, and if this behavior kept up whenever the two women were in a car together, they'd be seeing Lin a lot more.

Fortunately, Asami's destination seemed to be nearby, and as they pulled into the parking lot, Korra frowned.

"This isn't your place," she said, as she wriggled out of the car.

"No, it isn't," Asami said, rather stoically. She took Korra's hand, before the Avatar could say anything, and led her to the building. Before they entered, Asami turned around, eyes on Korra. "You have to promise you'll keep your eyes shut."

Korra's eyebrow lifted, asking an unspoken question.

"Trust me."

Korra smirked, but obliged, and with the press of Asami's hand, was led into the building.

Okay, she definitely hadn't been here before, she guessed, as the fresh, but unfamiliar, scent of clean air hit her. Her steps echoed for several seconds as they walked, and the feeling in her chest only intensified.

"Asami, where are we," she whined, as the elevator dinged open and Asami tugged her inside. The doors closed, and a soft rumbling sounded.

Warmth spread through Korra, and she blushed; Asami had just kissed her. "You'll see," she whispered, softly. Mischief, and excitement, Korra noticed, in her voice. The engineering sneak-when did she not have something up her sleeve?

But that was the price Korra paid for dating a genius, and she'd pay it ten-thousand times over if it meant having Asami around.

The doors opened, and with another peck on the cheek, Asami led them both down what definitely felt like a corridor. Carpet, quite a big hallway. Now she stopped, and Korra stopped as well, and Asami fumbled for something in her pocket.

"I'm not sure why you need to make such a fuss for showing me your new office building," Korra said, but her heart was racing. The lock opened with a pleasant click! and Korra was swept inside. Asami flicked something on, twice, and white flashed before the Avatar's eyes. "Okay, open your eyes now."

Korra did, and looking around, she frowned. She was in a very white, very empty space, with the rear wall an entire window to a view of the city and portal. This didn't seem very big for an office. "It's, umm, very white," she stated, obviously.

Asami nodded from her side, and out of the corner of her eye, Korra glimpsed a small smile. "I think white's a very nice color to live in."

Live… "Asami, what?"

Asami's grin came out full-face, and she slid into the middle of the room. "Surprise!" She swept her hand around the walls theatrically, but ( spirits) adorably full of glee, and Korra started to wonder how long Asami had anticipated this moment for. "This is our new home."

Korra stood there, staring, as her head turned to catch all the walls, the corners, and the doorways of this new place. Her face was unreadable. It was long enough that Asami faltered. "I-" she let her hand down, and something of concern flashed across her face. "I've been staying late in the office, to do this. The Air Nation business was a scrunch, it only took a day to get organized. Sorry I lied," she said, in a tint of guilt, but still Korra continued to stare.

"Well," Asami motioned behind her, to the window. "I got this high up of a floor for us to see the Portal. It's hard to see it sometimes when you're in the city, especially at my Estate, and I know how much you like it. And this," she gestured to the left wall, through a doorway. "Kitchen. I know we don't cook a lot, but I'd like to try. And this here is our living room. Nice, cozy, little space for us." Asami hesitated, but spun around. "Bathroom, bedroom, my office," she counted off, as each finger moved between a different room. "I'm planning on having the furniture from my Estate moved in, and this place is even closer to the Tower than the mansion ever was. So, commuting's a click."

She turned around, and still Korra was staring. Her silence made the ground suddenly seem like a better place to look.

"Look, I'm...sorry if this wasn't your ideal place to live in. Maybe you prefer Air Temple Island, but I just thought-"

Asami's thought disappeared in a kiss. A long one, long enough for her insides to melt and her head to spin, and just as she returned it, Korra drew away.

"Now, why would I prefer anywhere that doesn't have you in it?"

Asami laughed, all the nervousness dissipating. "Well, you were being really silent."

Korra chuckled, and the warmth in her gaze sent flames up Asami. "I was just trying to comprehend the idea of how I could ever be living romantically with Asami Sato."

She smirked. "Can I take that as a yes?"

Korra snorted. "You'd be dumb not to." She smiled, and pulled Asami into her arms. "You're the best, 'Sami." Her eyes crinkled into her shoulder. "Just, the best." She sighed. "I don't know how I got so lucky."

Asami smiled, nestled into Korra's shoulder. "Well, I plan on having you stay."

Her murmur came, in pure content.

Korra and Asami and decided to stay there, nestled into each other, relishing this first moment in their new home.