The cocoon of Korra's arms. Asami liked thinking it. It was onomatopoeiacly pleasing. Half awake, somehow enjoying it enough to resist sleep she swept her cheek against the soft of Korra's skin. Were she more aware she would be grateful the sculptor was still sound in slumber, chin still resting over the crown of Asami's head.
The heiress took stock of her own hands in that moment, one was numb, her upper arm having the circulation restricted by Korra's ribs, the other she noted was touching skin, fingertips playing on the curve of the ice sculptor's spine.
Korra stretched, lithe body arching into the heiress', making Asami's fingers drag a path up the dips and curves of Korra's muscular back.
"'Sami stop," she muttered grinning. It was important to note however that Korra was still asleep. Asami froze, heart pounding, as Korra adjusted hold, this time repaying the favour and burying her face in Asami's neck. "Five more minutes,"
Asami had a choice it seemed, wake Korra now and feel total mutual embarrassment, they'd laugh about how foolish it all was, and yet. It was only five minutes. This is crazy. She began to pull her arm, only Korra's sigh stopped her, and then she was looking down on her sleeping face. Black hair cocooning them against the morning sun. God that pout. It felt like a lifetime since she'd seen it. Before she knew it she was stroking from temple to cheek with the soft blade of her finger, and after that her thumb traced the shape of her brow. Stop. You should stop.
She couldn't explain it, but somehow she was possessed, staring at her friend, stroking her face, right until her thumb traced her lower lip. An inch too far. Korra's open eyes stopped her dead.
No longer groggy, sea blue eyes clear, entire body suddenly rigid.
"Korra, Asami- oh sorry,"a sing song voice rang out from outside. The bedroom door had begun to open and shut almost immediately when Kya spotted the two, or rather, entangled legs, "Just came up to tell you breakfast is almost ready. But I'll leave you to it."
Neither blinked as the moment stretched, Asami's heart beating so hard and fast she couldn't tell that Korra's was racing to match.
The heiress broke the connection when she turned to sit up, scooping the hair that had protected them for that moment behind her ears.
"We'll be out in a minute, Kya." she called after their host not daring to look at Korra. "Thank you for last night I um…" she trailed off clutching the edge of the mattress, "Thanks," in the next second she was behind the bathroom door.
And Korra was in bed, alone, wondering what the hell had just happened, and why it felt like paradise had been snatched away from her. When she found her legs she stood, clutching the pillow that she now realised had been Asami's. She let it go before knocking on the door.
"Are… are you ok? Asami,"
"I'm fine I'm- go get breakfast they're waiting," Korra could hear running water switch on, "I'll be out in a minute,"
Korra waited by the door for a moment, deliberating how strange it would be now if she waited for her, and if that was stranger than what had just happened.
"I'll see you down there." she decided she needed counselling. Taking a minute to change her shirt, tie her short hair in a knot and get her mind right.
She found Kana and Kya huddled conspiratorially over the kitchen island. When they saw Korra, Kya clapped her hands together over her grin,
"No- no," Korra pointed, "we are not- anything!"
Kya bit her lower lip as her eyes glittered with understanding, "But you want to be?"
"I-" no pretending, "she was crying. I couldn't leave her."
"But she was on top of you," Kana reasoned, clearly as excited as her partner who had evidently told her everything.
"I don't know what happened," Korra admitted, "Don't say anything just…let me talk to her when she's ready,"
"Her feet were rubbing yours,"
"Kana!" Kya scolded.
"Did you tell her everything!"
"I just want you crazy kids to get together,"
"I shared a moment with my best friend," she snapped, "that's all we are best friends. This is her would be honeymoon so she's a mess. She doesn't need me making it harder than it already is."
Kana sighed, and muttered "Straight people,"
"I know baby," Kya rubbed between Kana's shoulder blades and kissed her temple.
Korra looked away before sitting at the island, adorned with lovingly peeled and chopped fruits, gleaming alongside piles of pancakes, eggs, bacon and a flagon of syrup.
When Asami came down she greeted her hosts quietly and sat beside Korra, close enough so she wouldn't have to look at her, far enough away so the riot in her mind would quiet down.
Korra still noticed the way she tucked her hair behind both ears, god she's adorable.
"Korra?" she was drawn out of her haze when Asami said her name, her green eyes flicked to the jug in her hands, "You might want to slow down on the syrup."
She'd been caught, and her brain had short circuited the minute Asami's hand had brushed her leg by accident five seconds ago. When she yanked her own hand upright she saw the gooey golden mess she'd made.
"What? I like sugar," she recovered, poorly, glad her dark skin hid blushes as she pulled it close and started to eat.
Kya popped a grape in her mouth to keep from making a snarky revealing comment.
"What's that on your arm Korra?" Kana asked.
"Nothing," Korra inspected at her left when Kana grabbed and showed her the right. "Oh,"
The pen was smudged but still legible.
"Whose number is that?" Kana asked.
"Kuvira's," Asami and Korra spoke at the same time. Kya's mouth dropped open as her partner congratulated her.
"Go Korra! Deets, I need deets - did you french her?"
"What? No! You guys were with me all night! Nothing happened,"
"But she likes you," Kya added, leaning on the island, eyes flicking between the two girls at her table "that's impressive."
"Are you gonna call her?" Kana pressed.
"I-that's neither here - I don't- there's a lot to- I'm here for Asami - to support Asami," Korra floundered.
"You should ask her out." Asami's voice broke her fractured stream of consciousness speaking,
Korra froze and felt the wave of her heart breaking flood in every part of her at those words and all those that followed.
"You don't have to spend this whole vacation with me. I can handle a night by myself. Korra, you should enjoy yourself."
The ice sculptor was at a loss for words as Asami smiled at her, squeezed her hand and added.
"Now eat your sugar."
"Thanks," Korra found her perfect practiced fake smile, mouth wide, teeth showing, heart crumbling. She thought about kissing her that morning the second she woke up. Coward.
Little did she know, Asami was thinking the same. She had to stop herself from looking, from becoming once again mesmerised in the mouth of her best friend. This is just loneliness. She berated herself, Korra doesn't deserve this.
Her loss was acute, and these feelings were irrational, she was reaching out for a body, someone to touch her again, and Korra was already there. That's it. That's all it was. That's all it could be.
The print on her thumb from Korra's lips still burned in her senses. She couldn't shake the fantasy of her body entangled with hers flashing behind closed eyes.
She was so frazzled she blew on the watermelon on her fork before taking a bite of it.
Kya watched the two hopeless young women at her table, smirking into her coffee, she shared a look with Kana and winked at her.
"So what are the activities you've got planned back at the hotel? Korra mentioned something about a lot of non-refundable deposits?"
Asami teeth snapped together and eyebrows raised, grinning uncomfortably and basking in the awkward glow.
"Yeah, uh diving, massages, whole nine yards. There's a dinner, dinner theatre, a guided hike up Mt Makapu, capped off with sailing on a private boat as a finale,"
"Couples right? Korra's filling in for uh," Kana pressed,
"The deadbeat?" Asami responded quickly "Yeah, she's being an excellent best friend." She reached blindly for her and ended up grabbing her hand gratefully, "She's really rescuing me."
"Anything for you," Korra told her, squeezing her fingers before letting go "and a free vacay," she shrugged, wincing, "and I've had this crick in my neck for months,"
Asami pushed her, finally finding her laugh.
"I'm not sure diving instructors see much wildlife on that side of the island anymore," Kana mused, "too many tourists scaring them away,"
"Oh Sorry," Asami balked.
"Oh they're not gone, people are just looking in the wrong place." Kya affirmed, "We've found some pockets here and there, I could draw you guys a map."
"That would be nice," Asami smiled at her warmly, ears heating up for a different reason. She'd been a person on this planet for twenty five years, why could simple acts of kindness like this throw her through such bizarre emotional loops.
"But I don't want you sharing it with any of those yuppies up the hill," Kya pointed, "The lord of Water commanded me to keep it secret."
Asami and Korra crossed their hearts, before catching each other and sharing the thrill and glee of such an odd moment.
"There's also a lot of free time for whatever we want," Asami added, "I watched Korra pack at least 10 pairs of board shorts, I can't wait if she's actually as good as she thinks she is."
"I'm offended Asami, maybe I wont be so helpful when you're begging me to teach you to stand up,"
"I'm just saying, seeing is believing," Asami jibed.
"Korra didn't mention the medals she left here?" Kya chimed in, "or the photos?" Taking a seashell frame from the windowsill. "Presenting under 12's Ember Island champion,"
"Oh my god," Asami took the frame and marvelled in its nostalgic glory, Korra was soaked, bony shoulders loosely covered by a white surf rash shirt. She had big buck adult milk teeth in her goofy smile, holding for the camera the gold medallion tied to the ribbon on her neck. Tiny surfer embossed on the metal. "Korra you never talk about this!"
"Little did I know I was four years from losing the ability to walk or surf or run-"
"Which you got back in record time." Kya reminded.
"You're a serious bad ass Korra," Asami breathed, "I just thought you were a hobbyist."
"I just need to get my groove back." Korra admitted, "I was hoping to see if I could swim between the islands, maybe do the whole archipelago."
"Pretty ballsy for someone who used to be a-scared of the volcano," Kya teased.
"I'm sorry Volcano?" Asami asked.
"Mt Makapu," Kya explained, "She's been dormant now for 100 years, but Korra used to have nightmares of a fiery death!" Kya splayed her fingers like an evil creature and Korra swatted at her defensively.
"Not funny Kya, I'm still not over that time you put a smoke machine in my bedroom."
"Aw, I'll keep you safe," Asami without thinking started rubbing between her shoulder blades comfortingly only Korra tensed, "I'll get you a… gas mask?"
"A helicopter would work better," Korra muttered.
"I'll see what I can do." Asami winked at her, allowing herself one last rub of that incredible back of hers. Before returning to her breakfast she caught in Korra's gaze once more, this time unreadable, stoic, studying every inch of her own face.
When Korra gave up on her sugar pile she made a decision staring at her reflection of the maple.
"Kya can I borrow your phone?"
The older woman studied her shrewdly for a second, trying her best to give nothing away when she glanced at the heiress beside the ice sculptor.
"Sure through there."
Korra excused herself.
Asami wanted her to go, Asami who had touched her back lingeringly minutes ago, and caressed her face this morning. The intensity of that moment still churned in her chest, winding her internal organs impossibly tighter than they had ever been before. Perhaps that was why, Korra mused, she'd gotten too close, now Asami was shoving her elsewhere.
Kuvira seemed fun, she thought picking up the receiver, in the way sky diving without a parachute seemed fun.
She thought back to last night, the flirting, the remarkable way Korra actually held her cool, and the lustful way Kuvira looked at her. At least she wanted her, and Korra knew at some point she'd need a break from this head fuck.
"You're though to Kuvira," the voice on the other line was somehow intimidating.
"Hi i-its Korra."
"Hey it's H20, so I guess this means you've thought about my offer…or forgotten who's number this was…"
"No I knew, I just wanted to see if you'd squirm."
"Minx."
"Next you'll be telling me I've got moxy."
"Shut up, so you wanna go out or what?"
"Tonight." Korra confirmed.
"Your jailer let you out this early huh?"
"Sh-e said, she said she'd be fine."
"Huh, I guess thats a date then, meet me at the bar at nine."
"Really? Just like that."
"Just like that, but only because you stammered cutie."
The line went dead, and Korra held the phone and wondered if she'd made a mistake. All she felt in her heart was conflict, more specifically that one part was tied to a woman in the next room. But then again, she was only here for a short while and Kuvira knew that, there was no other pressure than to live in the moment and have fun, and not spend her time agonising about love lorn improbable futures. She was on vacation after all.