Ahh, finally! It's out!

...

Asami kept her promise on checking on Korra the next day. She arrived on Air Temple Island a little early than she would've liked, but she had to work her side job in the afternoon so this was her only chance. She shut off the boat she'd borrowed (okay, so the owner wasn't aware that she took it but what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them) and steadily climbed out.

"Hope you know what you're doing, Sato..." she mumbled to herself as she headed towards the temple doors. She raised her hand and knocked twice, rocking on her heels as she waited for someone to answer.

"I got it, mom!" she heard a girl's voice.

She picked up the sound of footsteps approaching and the door opened. Jinora stood in the doorway, looking up at Asami. A small smile crossed her face. "Oh, hey Asami."

"Hi, Jinora." Asami said, returning her smile. "Korra home?"

"Yeah, but I'm not sure if she's awake." Jinora said. She took a step aside to let Asami in. "I can show you to her room if you'd like."

"Thank you." Asami said as she entered. Jinora shut the door and pointed to a door on the right.

"Follow me, she's down this way." she said.

Asami did so, following Jinora down the short corridor and out the door to an outer shed-like hallway to a house attached to it. Jinora opened that door and there were four doors along the hall, only one being closed at the end. That is the one Jinora brought Asami to.

"This is her." she said, looking at Asami. "I don't know what you'll see in there, but good luck." And, with that, she returned up the hall back to the temple.

"What, does she sleep like an animal or something?" Asami spoke her thoughts aloud again and grimaced. She really should break that habit.

She closed her hand around the handle and gently eased the door back, poking her head in. Sure enough, Korra was in there asleep. She snored softly, wearing a black tank top and camouflage boxers. Her arm was spayed across her stomach and she was facing away from Asami. Her hair was loose, framing her face almost perfectly. Asami giggled and slipped inside, gently closing the door behind her.

Korra's room wasn't necessarily messy, a few dirty clothes scattered about the wardrobe and bindings hanging down from the top. Well, she's better than Bo. Asami thought amusedly, making her way to Korra's bedside. She knelt down and smiled, poking Korra's side.

"Earth to Avatar Korra." she called softly, stifling a laugh at Korra's confused hum. "Time to wake up."

"Mmmm...f-five minutes...Mr. Lemur..." Korra mumbled, turning over toward Asami.

Asami rolled her eyes. She cleared her throat and managed the deepest voice she could muster. "Mr. Lemur says that Asami is here to check on you."

"Asami..?" Korra said, yawning. Her eyes twitched and she stirred. She blinked once, twice as her eyes adjusted to the light streaming into the room. "Asa-Asami!'

Korra, fully awake, jerked upward in surprise and Asami jumped to her feet, covering her mouth as she laughed. Korra shook her head and looked up at the firebender, eyes wide.

"Asami, what are you doing here?" she said after mumbling a curse. "Who let you in?"

"Jinora." came the answer, and Korra made a mental note to murder the ten year old at first chance. Asami placed her hands on her hips, smirking. "I came to check on you. After last night, I was a little concerned." She grinned wider as she glanced downwards. "And nice boxers, Miss Avatar."

Korra looked down, panicked, and snatched her pillow, holding it in front of her while flushing a deep red. "Shut up..."

Asami laughed again and dropped her hands. "Seriously, though, are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Not even hungover, which is fantastic." Korra said.

"You could've fooled me." Asami said. "I didn't think you were gonna wake up."

"Yeah, well," Korra said, stretching a bit. She scratched her head. "Considering that I have my first Task Force mission tonight, I probably shouldn't sleep all day." She pouted slightly and glared at the pillow she held, until an idea came to mind. She gave her attention to Asami. "Are you... doing anything today?"

"Um, besides working later today, no. Why?" Asami said.

"Did you have breakfast already?" Korra asked. When Asami shook her head, Korra's smile grew bolder. "Can I take you out? T-to breakfast, of course!" Korra added, quickly catching herself.

"And just how will you do that?" Asami said, watching as Korra placed her pillow aside and stood up, crossing to her wardrobe.

"I can ask Tenzin, I'm sure he'll give me some money." Korra said. "But, for now, could you, uh..." She looked at Asami and nodded to the door.

Asami blushed at the realization and nodded. "Oh, yeah, sure." she said, turning her back to Korra and leaving her room. She then moved aside and leaned against the wall, a hand to her chest. Raava be damned for letting her escape with her thoughts of seeing Korra in her pajamas.

Oh, come on. It's not like I was staring at the way her biceps flexed instinctively when I scared her, or the way her tank top seemed to perfectly outline her abs, or how you so badly wanted to run your fingers through those dark locks...

'You totally were.'

Shut up. Mako has muscles, too. They're just as impressive.

'Yeah, how long you gonna keep falling for that lie?'

Asami rolled her eyes. She was right about Mako, his muscles were just as big and tantalizing as Korra's. Maybe not as defined... No, they were. One hundred percent, no doubt about it. Mako...

Asami allowed herself to get lost in thinking of him, her expression confusing Korra as she finally emerged from her room in her signature blue top, dark blue sweats and brown animal wrap tied at her waist. Her hair was styled back into her three wolf tails. Korra looked Asami up and down before waving her hand in front of her face.

"Uh, Asami?" she said, and snapped her fingers.

"Huh?" Asami said and came to her senses.

Korra chuckled as she walked by. "And I'm supposed to be the one hungover."

"Whatever." Asami laughed as she followed Korra outside and to the courtyard. Korra led her to a small gazebo, where Tenzin sat meditating. He heard them approaching, but didn't turn.

"Good to see you're finally awake, Korra." he said and smiled a bit. "I hope it's because you're ready for our session this morning."

"Yeah, about that..." Korra said with a nervous laugh. "I was wondering if I could have a few yuans to take Asami to breakfast."

Tenzin opened his eyes and stood up, turning around to face them. He looked at her disapprovingly. "Korra, I've told you-"

"I know, I know, but please?" Korra said. "We won't be long, I promise."

"If you have to do your session, then you should focus on that." Asami said with a hand on her shoulder. "There will be other opportunities."

Not as long as Mr. Sharkbrows beats me to them all. Korra thought bitterly. But she didn't say that aloud. "Tenzin?" she said, and put on her best puppy eyes.

Tenzin sighed heavily. "Pema will give you some money. So long as you're back by noon, the latest-"

"Great, thanks Tenzin!" Korra said happily, taking Asami's hands and heading to the temple. She hurried through to the kitchen, where Pema was bustling around. "Pema, I need a few yuans." she said.

"May I ask what for?" Pema said, turning around to face Korra and Asami.

"Breakfast." Korra said. "I'm, uh, taking Asami to get some."

"Well, she's welcome to join us for breakfast here," She paused when Korra gave her an exaggerated pleading expression. Asami suppressed a smile when Pema gave in. "Alright, alright. Give me one minute." With that, she headed toward the back.

"Mighty fine begging there." Asami said, smirking.

"What, that?" Korra said with a wave of her hand. "You should've seen me last week when Tenzin told me how long we'd be meditating for." She smiled. "He made me get up a seven in the morning!"

"Oh, yes, how cruel of him." Asami said. "Absolutely terrible."

They laughed together and Pema returned. She handed Korra the money and gave her a knowing smile. "Make sure you're back when Tenzin told you to be."

"I will be. Thanks, Pema!" Korra said.

She and Asami left the temple and went around the side to where Naga was sleeping. Korra walked up to her pet and scratched her head, easing her awake. "Come on, girl.. Wake up."

The polar bear dog whined softly, stretching out and lapping her tongue over her nose. After a few more seconds of coaxing, Naga got to her feet and shook out her pelt. Korra smiled as she retrieved the saddle.

"She's about as bad as you in the morning." Asami said as she reached up to pet Naga. Naga leaned into her hand eagerly.

"She learned from the best." Korra said.

With a soft grunt of effort, she lifted the saddle onto Naga's back and adjusted and tightened the straps. She gave Naga a pat on her side before climbing up on her back. She looked down at Asami curiously when she didn't follow.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I kind of... borrowed someone's boat to get here." Asami admitted with a smile. "I think it'd be nice if I returned it."

"Are you admitting to acts of thievery, Asami?" Korra whispered with a teasing grin, which Asami retuned with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Me? No. I'm admitting to acts of borrowing." she replied. She turned around and headed to the docks, calling back, "I'll meet you on the other side!"

Korra chuckled and urged Naga forward to the edge of the island. She created an ice raft and Naga stepped on. Korra looked to the side soon enough to see Asami start up the boat she "borrowed" and pull away from the dock. She moved her arms in a slow propelling motions which moved the makeshift raft forward.

Asami reached the city first, returning the boat to where she found it and tying it back up to the pole. Korra got there about a minute later and Naga climbed onto the boardwalk, shaking her paws.

"Isn't there someone who can bring you both over?" Asami asked after Korra dissolved the raft.

"I'm more of a self service kind of person." Korra answered. "Anyway, where to for breakfast?"

"I think the Jade Dragon Diner will do." Asami said as she got up on Naga's back. "Not too expensive and the food is decent."

"Jade Dragon it is, then." Korra took Naga's reins. "Just tell me where to go."

...

"Asami!" a man exclaimed, approaching the girls as they entered the Diner. "No Bolin today?"

Asami smiled at the man. "Morning, Shiro. Nope, Bolin decided to stay back and practice some more. So I'm here with-"

"Avatar Korra, of course." Shiro said, and gave Korra a respectful bow. "'Tis an honor."

Korra and Asami giggled, and Korra straightened up when he stood. She nodded at him. "Thank you."

"Would you like your usual spot, Asami?" Shiro asked. He gestured to an empty booth on the far right.

"That would be fine. Thanks, Shiro." Asami said.

"Not a problem. I'll be over in a few minutes to take your order." Shiro said.

"Okay." Asami saiid.

She and Korra made their way to the booth and sat down. Korra gave a side grin and looked at where Shiro had disappeared to. "Interesting guy." she commented, and looked for Asami's reaction.

Asami picked up the menus and handed one to Korra, shrugging slightly. "I've known him a while, you get used to a guy like him."

"Mhmm." Korra hummed.

"Y'know," Asami said as she skimmed through the menu. "now that I think about it, I don't think I know much about you."

"What do you mean?" Korra said.

"I mean, you know of my criminal associated past. I know you're the Avatar. Not very fair, is it?" Asami said. "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't know anything about you?"

"Fair point." Korra said and smiled. "What do you want to know?"

"Just the simple things." Asami said. "Your childhood, when you first found out you were the Avatar, stuff like that."

"Aha, well," Korra cleared her throat. "The Avatar story goes back twelve years."

"Twelve? So you found out when you were four?" Asami said and giggled.

"Yeah, I know. Any other time or person and I would've found out at sixteen like all the others." Korra said. She thought for a minute. "Excluding Aang." She waved her hand dismissively. "But the story is much more interesting."

"Tell it, then." Asami said. She rested her arms on the table and watched Korra intently.

Korra smiled. "It was a Saturday, I remember that much. Dad just knew that I was going to be a waterbender like him. He wanted to start my training at a young age so that, when I got older and I could bend, it would come easier. He would tell my mom," -she cleared her throat and did her best impression of her father- "'Senna, she's gonna be just like her old man.'"

Asami laughed at her impression. "And were you?"

"I'm getting there." Korra said. "So, this one specific afternoon, there was a really bad snowstorm. Dad saw that as a perfect time to show me how to move actual snow instead of doing forms. We went around back and he took a ready stance, brought his arms back, and shot them forward. This huge pile of snow went flying.

"It was my turn next. He set me up in front of another pile and told me to do exactly as he did. And I did. Except, instead of moving the snow, I melted it." Korra smirked a bit, watching Asami's confused expression.

"Melted?" Asami said, and laughed as she got it. "So your first element was fire!"

"You should've seen the look on my father's face. He grabbed me and ran inside, yelling for my mom to call for the White Lotus." Korra said. "They were investigating another case at the time, so it took a while for them to get to us. In that short time, I discovered water and earth."

"That's amazing." Asami said.

Korra shrugged modestly. "I was just a hotheaded four year old. Not very impressive."

"What are you talking about?!" Asami exclaimed in a whisper, as to not disturb the other customers. "That's incredible! To discover you're the Avatar at such a young age had to be exciting!"

"It was for a while." Korra said. "Until I found out that I was too reckless and impulsive to learn airbending on my own." She frowned and looked at the table. "'She lacks restraint, we can't have her out in the world without knowing patience. What will Tenzin do when he finally gets her?'" She sighed. "That's only half of what I heard the White Lotus say, except Katara. She actually believed in me and knew I could do it. If only she knew her hope in me was being wasted."

Asami took Korra's hand, making the young Avatar look up at her and meet her gaze. She smiled encouragingly. "I don't think it's going to waste."

Korra gave an effort to smile back at her just as Shiro came to their table to take their order.

~a while later...~

"Okay, your turn." Korra said, pointing towards Asami with a french fry. "If you could travel to any place in the world, where would it be?"

Asami took a bite of her side salad, thinking over her answer. "I think I'd go to the Fire Nation, specifically Hokage."

"Why there?" Korra asked.

"It's where my father grew up." Asami said. "And where he met my mother. She was studying abroad at the time. Studying to be a lawyer."

Korra nodded, understanding. "Sounds nice."

"Yeah." Asami said and paused. "Didn't Tenzin say to be back by noon?"

"Yeah, why?" Korra said, not giving a second thought.

"Because it will be in twenty minutes." Asami said.

"What?!" Korra cried. She looked over her shoulder at the clock above the kitchen window and her eyes went wide. "Dang it! I'm so dead!"

She hopped from the booth and practically slammed the money onto the table. She grabbed Asami by the wrist and they ran from the restaurant to the corner where Naga was waiting. They hurried onto her back and Korra urged her forward. Naga took off, zipping through traffic and running past pedestrians which earned them quite a few unkind reactions.

"C'mon, girl!" Korra said.

Naga barked and picked up the pace a bit more. At that speed, they made it to the docks in ten minutes. Asami got down and smiled up at Korra. "Thanks for breakfast." she said. "I had fun."

"Anytime." Korra said with a breathless smile.

Asami nodded towards the island. "Go ahead and get to your training. I'll see you later."

"You know it." Korra said.

~That night...~

A large car with a water tank and filled with task force members in a kneeling position drove up to a bookstore and stopped beside it. The task force members opened the doors jumped out with Korra amongst them, hurrying to stand up against the wall. Korra lowered herself down to peet through an opening at the bottom of the wall and saw several men and woman training and learning chi blocking techniques, a large poster with a portrait of Amon staring over the room opposite of her. Korra sets her jaw, tensing at the recall of her nightmare the night before.

What she wouldn't give to be back with Asami in the diner.

She put a resolved look on her face and stood up, looking at Tarrlok for the signal. Tarrlok nodded silently and raised his hand to show his fingers outstretched. He closed them into a fist, showed his outstretched palm again, closed his hand into a fist again, and flashed two fingers last. A task force member unwound the top of the water tank and bent the water out. Another member bent the water toward him and to another task force member and another until all the waterbenders had water at their disposal. Two members of the force readied themselves at the fron, waiting for the signal to attack.

Korra breathed in and out, focusing her mind solely on the mission before her just as Tarrlok gave the signal. The waterbender task force members forced the water into the windows, flooding the room before freezing it, with the people inside yelping in surprise. The task force earthbenders broke through the wall, causing several chi blockers and trainees to leap back. Three task force earthbenders attacked the people by throwing bricks. One earthbender pushed up a block of earth and slammed it into a person, throwing them into a wall.

Tarrlok and Korra entered the room last, and Tarrlok threw someone against the wall using watebending and froze their head to the wall. A chi blocker aimed and threw two grenades that have green gas filtering out of them, while another opened the door and escaped. Korra ran ahead and froze the two grenades in ice and the leaking smoke cleared up.

"I'm going after those two." she said before kicking the doors they disappeared through open and running down the corridor.

Her body is tense and her teeth are bared in frustration. Stupid, stupid, stupid! You just had to let him trick you! If you'd just kept your cool, you wouldn't be here! She hated herself for not being more aware of what was going on and regretted more than anything that she gave in so easily.

Her thoughts halted at the feeling of her foot catching and she crashed to the ground. The wind was knocked out of her and she rolled over in time to see a chi blocker coming down on her from a space in the ceiling. She forced herself to her feet and kicked up a wall of rock beneath him, striking him in the chest. Korra stumbled back from the force of her momentum as the second chi blocker comes from behind wielding a bola.

Tarrlok came down the corridor and bent a stream of water at him, freezing him the wall. Korra caught her footing and looked at the two trainees before turning to Tarrlok.

"Nice timing." she said once she caught her breath. "Thanks, Tarrlok."

"We make a good team, Avatar." Tarrlok said with a smile.

"Yeah," Korra said, giving him a demeaning look and crossing her arms. "we do."

...

FINALLY! Raava, it took forever to finish this! But it's out now and I'm so happy! Can't wait to continue :)

Thanks for reading!