Damn it, Korra
Asami turned around in her chair to look at the clock for the untempt time in the past twenty minutes. It had been more than an hour since Korra had gone out with Akemi, and she couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. Maybe she was overreacting.
She tried focusing on her work. Asami read the report from the first ever medical trial held with her machine over and over again. It said something about using it as treatment for patients with PTSD and ailments regarding memory loss, but the medical jargon escaped her, and she was too scattered to try to understand it anyways. She held eye contact with the lemur plush.
The door opened loudly behind her and Korra came into the house in a whirlwind.
"Korra?" Asami shot up from her chair, but Korra didn't seem to noticed, she instead went straight upstairs with Akemi asleep in her arms.
Asami followed them into their bedroom, the relief eclipsed by how weird Korra was acting. The Avatar only realized Asami's presence once she finished tucking Akemi in their bed and turned around.
"Spirits, Sami, you scared me" she said, startled, bracing her chest.
"Isn't she sleeping in her bed?" Asami inquired, nodding towards Akemi, the weird feeling in her gut returning.
"I'd rather she be close to us tonight" Korra responded, evasive.
"What happened?" Asami held her hand and led Korra out of the room. She didn't even get to fully close the door behind her when Korra draped her arms around her in what felt like a desperate embrace. "What happened?" She repeated, softly this time, into the crook or Korra's neck.
"I… I" Korra stammered, and Asami noticed she was shaking.
"It's okay, I got you" she steadied herself around Korra's arms and tightened the embrace, letting Korra's weight fell onto her. Korra sighed, and Asami could feel the tight muscles in her back begin to relax beneath her fingers "Take your time"
"I put her in danger. And I didn't even know it" Korra begun after a while "I couldn't stop it" she tensed up again, closing her fists against Asami's back "If something happens to her, it'll be on me. And I don't know if I could live with that" words hitched in Asami's throat, threatening to escape her lips, but she bit her tongue, letting Korra vent "I think I am way over my head with this whole parenting thing, Asami" The engineer broke apart, her hands gripping Korra's forearms firmly.
"I think it's too late to be having that thought, champ, we are all in already" she smiled trying to lighten the mood, seeking Korra's eyes, but these eluded her, stuck to the ground. Asami's weak smile fell from her face, replaced by a pained look. She squeezed Korra's arms gently "Tell me what happened"
"A follower of Nilak came to warn me" Asami tried hiding her surprise to the best of her abilities "He wants her. Nilak. She is part of some kind of sick experiment. Kids apparently cope better with spiritual energy than adults do. Akemi was the first, and he doesn't plant to stop with her" her words were left hanging in the air, until Asami broke the silence.
"We can deal with Nilak" she said with a slight nod of her head. "We can keep Akemi safe"
"I don't think you understand what we are up against" Korra said, defeated.
"I do, listen to me, if he really wants her, what better parents to make sure that doesn't happen than us?" Asami looked at Korra with both reassurance and fierce conviction written in her eyes "You are the Avatar. I am trained and have a whole company at my disposal. The airbenders are like family. Your actual family runs the poles. And I'm sure Su would welcome us in Zaofu if things get too dangerous out here. We even have Mako in the United Forces" she placed a cold hand against Korra's cheek while the edge of a smile formed in the corner of the Avatar's mouth. "We got this"
"I doubt we'll need to involve Mako in this whole ordeal" Korra looked up and laughed lightly.
"You know what I mean" Asami smiled "We are not alone" Korra sighed and nodded in agreement.
"It really takes a village, doesn't it?"
"Bolin was right after all" Asami said with a chuckle "Can we sleep now? I was just getting used to having you all to myself, but I guess with the winter coming up it's not half bad having her sleep with us" Asami said teasingly, nodding towards the sleeping girl behind the closed door.
"She gets really warm, doesn't she?" Korra whispered, quietly getting into the room.
"Is that a firebender thing? Should we be worried?" Asami winced when the bed shrieked as they got under the sheets. They fell silent as they watched Akemi toss and turn in her sleep.
"Beats me" Korra said once the girl settled between them "You dated Mako the longest, you should know"
"Don't remind me" she scoffed.
Korra sank into the mattress and even though the proximity to Asami and Akemi was somewhat comforting, she couldn't help to think about the night's events as the exhaustion lulled her to sleep.
Until she remembered something, her eyes shooting wide open.
"Asami?" She muttered in the dark.
"Mmh? this one barely answered.
"You awake?"
"Was getting there" she said groggily, with her eyes still shut.
"You know who'" Korra placed a gentle hand over Akemi's ear "He… he might be holding more kids' hostage"
"We'll figure it out, I'm sure the police force can deal with that"
"That's not the point" Asami frowned, eyes closed.
"Help me along here, honey" she groaned.
"What if Hakue didn't die in the desert? What if he is among those children?"
Now Asami was also wide awake.
A/N: Does this chapter advance the plot? No
Is it way too short? Yes
But am I already burried in uni work? Also yes, very much so, please send help. And red bull.
That said, after this chapter everything will start to unravel pretty quickly. So, I mayy have to take a week off to pull every plot string together before posting. Sorry about that, but I want to make sure this part is the best it can be.
Hope you liked this chapter and that you'll be patient with me!