Every time I think I've finished with this story,
you guys hit on the one possible plot thread I'd left hanging.
I'd love to know how you do that.
Not Talking
It had been a week (six days, seventeen hours and twenty-two minutes, if you wanted to be exact) since they'd last talked, and Asami was starting to get worried.
Korra had been in an usually good mood when she had walked into the office that had once belonged to Hiroshi Sato, but had long since been taken over by his daughter. Asami had put it down to the fact that her wife was now able to get around with just a single cane most of the time, only needing her wheelchair occasionally. But Korra had closed the door and explained that there was something she needed to talk to Asami about in private. The shouting had started less then sixty seconds later, and had lasted more than an hour. And it wasn't that Asami was against Korra's idea in principle, just that she wasn't sure how practical it was. It wasn't something they had ever discussed, and the truth was that Asami had subconsciously filed it away under 'not going to happen' when they had first gotten together and not thought on it since. But Korra had been thinking about it, and not only that, she'd discussed it with someone else before bring it to Asami. It didn't matter that the other person in question was Katara, who Asami trusted completely and implicitly: the fact of the matter was that Korra had talked to someone other than Asami about something so personal and life-changing first. Even after she'd gotten over the initial shock and the realisation that she wasn't the first to know just what Korra had been planning, there were still a million and one questions buzzing around her head. Unfortunately, Korra misinterpreted this as an outright rejection of her entire plan, and had immediately gone on the defensive, and probably didn't mean to use the words she did, or for Asami to uninterpreted them the way she had.
Unfortunately, Korra had said what she did and Asami did take it the way she did, and that was why they hadn't so much as said "good morning" to each other in almost a week.
The crazy part was, they were still living together, sharing the same house, the same dinner table, the same bathroom and even the same bed. The only thing they weren't sharing was a conversation. And that made it all the worst, because they'd inevitable wake up in each others arms or spooning, and for a few brief seconds all was right with the world. Then one of them would wake enough to remember what had been said and would pull away, which would jog the others memory, and hostilities would resume. The day would pass at would could only be described as just one step short of open warfare, the estate staff doing everything they could to keep out of the way less they inadvertently be seen as taking sides. Night would come, and they'd silently change and climb into bed, backs to each other, as far apart as they could manage, only to awaken to discover that they had sort each other out during the night, as they had so often during much happier times. Neither seemed willing to back down, pride having built its walls too high and too strong to allow either of them to take the first step. And Asami missed Korra in a way she never thought she'd ever miss another human being, not even her mother. She missed talking about how their days went, the music they had heard on the radio, something funny they had read in a book. She missed all the little smiles and soft touches that you didn't know were there until they weren't, the small things that let you know you had found your true soul-mate. And by the spirits, did she miss the sex!
Theirs had always been a very intimate, physical relationship, even before that first night in the Fire Nation. They never missed an opportunity to hold hands, to put their arms around each other and just feel the warmth of the others body against their own, even if it was just when out for a walk. And yes, since that first time, sex had been a very important part of their relationship, in more ways than one. Asami had found it the perfect way to relax after a hard day at the office, butting heads with the rest of the board or some government bureaucrat, and Korra had admitted that it helped sooth away the aches and pains that came with her still regular physiotherapy, not to mention trying to come to terms with what it meant to be the Avatar in an ever changing world. But it had also been a way for them to express just how much they loved and needed one another in a way that words simply failed at, and Asami felt in danger of loosing that connection, possible for good.
At her wits end, and fearing for the worst, Asami decided to take a leaf out of Korra's book, and sort guidance from someone more experienced.
"Children?" Pema had almost dropped her tea cup in surprise, "I'm sorry, but I had just assumed that..."
"Yes; so had I." Asami lent forward across the small table set up in the sheltered gazebo, tucked away in a quiet corner of the estates gardens, far from any prying eyes or inquisitive ears, "I guess I'd come to the conclusion that motherhood wasn't my destiny after we fell in love."
"But now Korra wants children?" Pema still looked more confused than anything, "I don't understand how."
"I'd... rather not go into details; this is embarrassing enough as it is. So lets just say that she can be very, inventive, when she wants to be, and leave it at that." Asami blushed as she remember the very clinical way her wife had described exactly what she had in mind, "I was shocked, to say the least, and I fear that she saw my surprise as rejection. Things got a little out of hand, we both said things we didn't really mean, and we haven't said a word to each other since."
"I think I understand. Tenzin can be just the same; so caught up in the idea that he fails to see that there might be other points of view, just as valid, but not necessarily the same as his own." Pema placed her tea cup down on the matching saucer, "And I don't think it's just the fact that they're benders, but more who they are as people. They're both assertive, forward and goal originated, and both very sure of their place in the world. Or at least, Korra was."
"Yes, she's been finding it difficult to come to terms with how well the Air Nomads have taken up their new role." Asami admitted, "Not that she objects to the work they've done, far from it, but I get the feeling that its eating away at her self-image as the Avatar; the one who's duty and reason for being it is to bring balance."
"The world will always need its Avatar, so long as there are benders, non-benders and spirits, but it's not the same world it was when Aang was the Avatar. It's only natural that she feels unsure of her place in the new order." Pema looked around, "Speaking of which; where is Korra?"
"She had a meeting at City Hall with President Raiko and the heads of the White Lotus to discuss the situation in the Earth Kingdom and the latest attacks attributed to the Red Lotus." Asami frowned, "Given that I doubt I'd be able to add much, and don't want to make our... situation, public, I decided not to invite myself."
"I understand fully; Tenzin is there, and I'm sure he'll keep an eye on her." Pema assured her, "But I have to ask; are you ready to have children?"
"I... don't know." Asami admitted, eyes downcast, "Were you?"
"Yes and no." It was Pema's turn to be honest, "I wasn't much older than you are now when I married Tenzin, and I fell pregnant with Jinora not that long after. And I wanted her, we both did, but thinking you're ready to have a child is not the same as actually having one. For the first few weeks after she was born... Tenzin and I had almost no idea what we were doing, despite all the books we had read, all the plans we had made. If it wasn't for the love and support of those around us we probably would have gone out of our minds. But if you do decide to go ahead, know that we'll always be there for you."
"Don't get me wrong; I'd love nothing more than to raise a family with Korra, but, well..." Asami took a deep breath, "What if I'm not ready? What if I screw up? What if I disappoint Korra?"
"That's one thing you could never do." A voice interrupted, and the two women looked around is surprise as the Avatar stepped into view from behind one of the tall, manicured bushes that shielded the gazebo, her eyes damp with tears that she was only just holding back, "Asami, my love, there is nothing you could ever do that would disappoint me."
"Korra, I..." Asami started, but Korra was already in her arms, hugging her like a drowning man clasping a life-vest.
"I'll leave you two alone." Pema stood and excused herself, "Thank you for the tea."
Time had no meaning, the entire universe around them dissolved away until there was just Korra and Asami, locked in a tight embrace. Asami took a deep breath in through her nose, savouring the unmistakable pine scent of Korra's favourite shampoo; she wanted to wrap herself in the moment and never let go.
"You should have told me you were scared." Korra sobbed, "I would have understood."
"I was too scared." Asami admitted with a nervous laugh, "You were so sure of everything, just like you were back before..." She trailed off, "I didn't want to risk lose that part of you again."
"I don't know if I'm ever going to be that person again; too much has changed." Korra opened up her soul, "I'm still the Avatar, and the world still needs me. But I need to understand who Korra is, and what I need. But if there is one thing I do know, it's that I need you by my side."
"You don't have to worry about that; I'm not going anywhere." Asami assured her, "And yes, I do want us to start a family, whatever it takes." She pulled away and fixed her wife with a faux-sturn look, "But there are going to be some ground rules."
"Anything you say, dear." Korra smiled.
"If I start craving, say, seaweed noodles and fresh Lychee juice, you have you be ready to run down to Narook's at any hour, day or night." Asami warned.
"Only the best for you, dear." Korra kissed her nose.
"When my ankles start to swell up, you'd better be there to rub them."
"Yes, dear."
"When Bolin starts making jokes about me looking like Oogi, you have to be there to punch him in the arm for me, hard."
"Without hesitation, dear."
"When I'm hunched over the toilet at 6am with morning sickness, you'd better be there to hold my heir back out of the way."
"Would be happy to, dear."
"And if we decide to have more, you'd better be ready to carry at least one."
"I'd be honoured to, dear."
"If they turn out to be benders, as they most likely will, you have to teach them not to bend in the house!"
"First thing I'll do, dear."
"You have to explain to Mako exactly what we need him to do, assuming you still think he's our best option."
"...not looking forward to it now you put it like that, but your wish is my command, dear."
"But for now... you have to send the staff home and take me up to our room so we can make up for lost time."
"Can't think of anything I'd rather do, dear."
To Be Continued?
(again, dependant on inspiration striking)