If there was one thing Asami knew about giving Korra affection; was that resilience was key. The ice sculptor needed those two palms framing her face, telling her it was all true.

The pair had matching personality disorders for the most different of reasons, but required perseverance in reflecting back more or less the same sentiments; you are loved by me if no one else. It had recently come to mean something more of late.

"What did we just do?" Korra struggled for breath as her body shook, skin spasming as it brushed over various parts of the woman in front of her, only intensifying her panic. She had ridden the experience as though it were a dream, totally absorbed in the high of it, and tempering the unique benefits of actually being able to touch, taste and feel everything that was happening.

Asami was rarely one to air her frustrations, but she was so utterly irked in that moment she felt she had no choice, palms to cheeks, chest to chest, she guided her mouth over Korra's once more. Faintly aware she tasted of Korra, who fortunately didn't seem to mind as her lips pressed fervently back.

"We," when they parted she began breathlessly, fingers tangled with Korra's hair, "are two best friends who just has sex, for the first time." she decided clear and matter of fact was best for such a tentative situation.

"You went down on me." Korra's voice went up an octave as she babbled.

"I did," Asami confirmed.

"Your first time with a woman?"

"Yes, Korra!" Asami couldn't help how her smile beamed as she watched her best friend's face turn through the tides of confusion and joy and an adorable mix of the two.

"Did you MMA roll me earlier?"

"I had to get you on your back somehow."

"I was defenceless!"

"I wanted to taste you - and you'd just fucked me!"

"That's not fair." Korra pouted before reclaiming her grip over Asami's wrists, suddenly but Korra was over her, lips brushing her jaw, "I dreamed of tasting you first."

Korra could forget how she ended up here, that it wasn't exactly how she'd imagined or that Asami hadn't been launched here by the actions of an idiot ex fiancé, she could forget anything that wasn't Asami's nipple in her mouth, the slope of her abdomen beneath her tongue and the brush of her thighs opening for her, long fingers carding encouragingly through her hair.

Korra had a visceral understanding, that she wanted nothing and no-one else ever again, and that this, this was paradise. Asami let out the breath she'd been holding upon Korra's descent, tied with it a keen and Korra knew without looking she was biting her lower lip. Korra was inside her, tongue circling between expertly over her clit, and before Asami could muse on the irony of having this person in front of her all along she was squirming with delight, riding her face.

Korra felt the ridges of her G spot under her fingers and she rounded on it, Asami was shuddering, clenching, and soon enough her orgasm wracked through her body. Korra held tight and soon enough a second fell through her, unprepared she cried out, nails scratching Korra's head as she clung to her anchor. Korra didn't leave her even when her tongue did, and Korra angled her kiss over her throat and suckled, Asami hope she was leaving a mark as she clawed at her back.

Deciding their tryst was thus far unbalanced, Asami angled her hand to pleasure Korra, she felt her lips slow for but a moment as her fingers rushed past her soaked entrance. The angle wasn't as successful as Korra's however, but as she played Korra's fingers pulled out a third and fourth toe curling orgasm.

Her skin was sheathed with sweat, and her hips ached from the contorted pose she found herself in, leg hooked high over Korra's arm, the hand of which was three fingers deep with no plans to stop. Any other person she'd say she was done, she was ready to bask, but for as long as she'd known Korra she'd been holding back, and she was more than a little curious to see how far she was willing to go.

Suddenly, Korra mimicked her earlier move and rolled her, making use of those impeccable abs and core strength to have Asami pressed against her head of the bed straddling her lap, all the pressure building just as Korra held her over her fingers, teasing the valve there. Asami twitched as Korra stroked, hands pressed tight over her back as she gathered her breaths and kissed those petal lips. It was almost innocent given the setting. Korra had switched hands and held her with her right as the left slipped inside her, using what she'd learned to have those hands turn to claws on her back. Asami's neck arched back, and as she ground onto Korra's hand she realised - this was the exact position she had envisioned at Kya's house, right down to the other woman sucking her breast.

She saw white when she came that time, and left her body, swearing she could see Korra lower her onto her back and worry over her the split second before she returned.

"Asami?"

"Nngh," She moaned, feeling limbs returning to life one by one.

"Are you okay?"

"…Fucked ..brains… out…" Korra laughed, that beautiful delicious, free laugh, Asami reached blindily for it, and felt Korra kissing her palm, "Gimme a minute."

"It's ok… I know I went a little overboard."

"You call that many a little?"

"I mean seven, maybe."

"Eight," Asami corrected her, "It's was eight times." She opened her eyes, and Korra almost looked nervous at the sight of them. Wordlessly she climbed over her, Korra took her weight gratefully, cheek to chest, arms tucked behind her back and into the bed. Asami could feel the pull of sleep taking her already, and pressed against Korra this way, safe and comforted.

"Asami?"

"Hmm?"

"What does this mean for us?"

The electricity in Asami's brain had only half been turned on by this point, in fact it was being turned off after such an extreme power surge. She might have measured the balance of her words before she answered.

"We'll always be best friends Korra," she meant it in a secure way, secure in the way Korra held her and her arms and legs encircled her in that moment, "No matter what happens,"

How could she know the way Korra's heart plummeted to earth in that moment.

Korra lay awake after that, clutching Asami close. How could she not? If she fell asleep now could she wake alone, her life up until this moment a hollow dream. She needed the beauty of it, the depths of which consumed her like water. Asami was an ocean of bliss billowing above her. Her fingers curling through dark hair, her warm breath seeping into skin she had heretofore never seen and the heiress' hand just gripping her forearm for longer than she ever had prior.

She should have doubts, the words best friends were rattling around her thoughts, still, having her against her soothed her. More than that she was so used to being agitated, her caged feelings circling in her psyche as she fell deeper in love with her best friend day by day, now stunned in the face of freedom, only to find she was in the woods. A new set of anxieties prowling in the dark edges of her vision.

She stared up at the ceiling for an unaccountable amount of time, she did note however the shadows of the sconces had shifted with the waning moon. The sweat that had peppered their skin had dried and Asami was starting to stir, feet rubbing more consciously against her own.

"You're not sleeping," Asami chided in a sing song whisper, straddling the lands of living and dead.

"How can I?" Korra's go to response was sarcasm, "There's a beautiful woman on my chest,"

Asami reached up blindly, fingers brushing over lips but seemingly finding a higher target; the bridge of Korra's nose.

"Go to sleep," she commanded, in a mumble that was accented by an involuntary adorable pout.

Her deft fingers stroked from the tip of Korra's nose to between her eye brows, up and down, and Korra marvelled at how immediately it had an effect on her. As Asami moved her fingers, she might've remembered how when she was injured her parents did this for her, silent ancient wisdom in getting baby Korra to sleep, but right then all she could feel was the bloom of affection spill over her body as she relaxed under her.

Noticing the change Asami stopped and tucked herself back into Korra's arms, and only after hearing a smeck,

"Did you just kiss my forehead?" she enquired, to which Korra couldn't bring herself to reply, "Oh yeah, you're fucked."

Korra felt a laugh fall out of her, but she was already fading in the morning light as only sleep and Asami shrouded her.

Hours later, the pair were woken rudely by the hotel telephone.

Korra could hardly fathom a lot of what was happening to her then, Asami naked against her sleeping peacefully, and suddenly at the ringing of those shrill bells she was snatched away.

The heiress picked up.

"What time do you- oh, the sunrise bruncheon right, that seemed like a good idea when I saw it… No we wont be coming." Korra lifted herself up onto her elbows, brain catching up slowly that it was Asami's perfect ass she was staring at and not a mirage she'd made up herself. "No more wake up calls ok? Can you put me down for that? Great, and on second thoughts," she braved a look back to Korra and tugged her lower lip between her teeth, "we're going to need the big bed back,"

Whatever was being said on the other line didn't deserve much of a response as their eyes locked. Asami politely hung up the phone and yanked the cable from the wall.

"There," she said simply.

Asami launched herself back into the bed as though stung by the cold. Her aim was perfect, Korra was coming to learn, kissing her hard on reentry. Korra took her in, still reeling waking to this.

"Morning breath." she complained when they parted, smiling despite it all.

"Sorry," Asami blushed averting her gaze, following instead the finger that traced Korra's arm watching the down stand up there, "You're just exciting."

"Wait," Korra adjusted them, Asami's hair billowing on the pillow beneath her as she pressed a kiss to the heiress' throat, "I have a work around," she explained.

Her cognisant brain caught up to her mid kiss, tasting the collar bone jutting just there. Reality was a potent mix of salt from perspiration and a sweet unexplainable flavour that came from Asami herself. She felt Asami's long fingers curl back into her hair at the base of her head, gentle and timid as she absorbed every inch of her friend against her.

"What are we doing today?" Korra asked between kisses, pressing a hard one between her breasts while her fingers tugged the duvet an inch or so lower so they could play over her abdomen.

"Uh," Asami opened her eyes only to close them again, fighting her own internal battle to recognise dreams and reality, "We had a brunch but I cancelled it,"

"Good," Korra approved, "What else?" Asami's legs were opening beneath her, the heiress not completely aware of the change herself as her grip on Korra's hair and the bed beneath her tightened.

"There was…a play, Ember Island Players play."

"Mmhmm," Korra was nibbling over her ribs and didn't lift her head to reply.

"I can cancel it,"

Korra didn't respond, she was at her mark, and Asami was experiencing deja vu of hours before, only this time with warm daylight pouring over them. All her brain managed to conclude was that Korra was a fast learner, because she certainly knew how to get her toes curling, and to have her back arching.

She made a noise behind pursed lips as though trying to keep her orgasm a secret, but Korra knew from her clenching fingers and body juddering against her mouth.

Asami pulled her up before she could put her through another without thanking her. Korra kissed her hard before Asami attempted to roll her again, but Korra remained firm above. When she pulled back, looking into those puzzled green eyes she asked again the question that had doused her like icy water when she was finally capable of thinking.

"What does this mean for us?"

Asami cupped her neck and traced the tense muscles at the base of it.

"You keep asking that question right after I've come, and I'm telling you I can't think right now."

"I'll give you some space then." Korra tugged away but Asami tugged her back.

"No, just wait." Asami closed her eyes and made a show, mostly for herself, of imagining switches and flicking them on, cognitive thinking - check, emotional maturity - check, libido off … licking her lips she tasted herself and could feel her pupils dilating at the thought. Not check.

"I think it's clear there's some feelings," she surmised, bringing her feet up on the mattress by bending her knees, firmly fitting Korra's hips between them, "Wet being one of them," she sighed biting her lip at the sensation.

"Asami-,"

"It's a process!" she defended, "we're sexually compatible, is all I'm saying. It's good, it's a good thing!" mindlessly her hands had been tracing the curve of Korra's back, settling on the dimples at the base of her spine and finding circular motions most satisfying.

Korra smiled despite herself.

"I'm good at sex and obsessed with you so-"

"It's charming that you're trying to out-logic me on something like this," Asami's nails scraped her hips and shivers coursed up her spine, just like she knew it would, "I see you, Korra," she reminded. Asami tried something bold, something she had yet to attempt, she lifted her lips and held them a breath away from Korra's, she watched the deep changes flutter to the surface and distill into her gaze. There was love there, Asami knew it, but Korra was resisting kissing her.

Korra pressed her forehead into the pillow beside her head.

"I need you to be honest with me." she told her, "I can't have you sparing my feelings if you think this is a friends with benefits thing-"

"I don't!" Asami turned gently, laying parallel with her, coaxing her to look her way.

"You know when people have affairs and say it just happened, like this could be an accident as simple as spilt milk or a car hitting you, is this one of those times?"

"You think eleven orgasms just happen?" Asami laughed.

"I mean it doesn't make sense but people have affairs for years,"

"This is not an affair." Asami knotted their fingers between them and clung to them.

"I have to admit, I always thought if there was a chance of this happening it would be us having an affair," Korra mused, face stoic in that way that Asami found impossible to read.

"Extra marital or, did you hope you'd pluck up the courage to tell me before I made that mistake?"

For a second Asami thought she looked stung, but it passed quickly, Korra cupped her neck and kissed her lips in response, to her, it, she didn't know.

When she pulled back she whispered.

"I'm here now."

Asami responded in kind, hooking her hand behind her head and kissing her back firmly.

"I know."

"So what now?" Korra pressed.

"You keep asking me, but I'm taking my cues from you." Asami told the twirling strands of hair framing her temple around her finger, "maybe you keep asking because… you're not sure."

Korra felt cold in her stomach.

"I can't lose you," she reiterated.

"Good, that's something we have in common." Asami smiled at her and an inch of the warmth returned. Korra didn't know her eyes started leaking until the heiress stemmed the tears. "Hey," her voice was so soft and gentle Korra felt them flow harder, "We'll always be best friends. This is just a new phase of that."

Korra studied her, blue eyes shifting categorically over every inch of her face.

"Do you remember what I told you when we fought each other at the state champion ship final?"

Korra didn't have to think for the answer.

"Best friends comes first," Korra recited, she thought for a moment, and as she did she ran her thumb over Asami's cheek and traced her lips."I feel like if we end up just fucking this is all this will be,"

"But I love you already," Asami blurted this time, and the pair of them felt their hearts stop.

"Are you in love with me?"

Asami didn't know how to respond to that, of course she loved Korra, but had only seen her as a romantic partner for a hot minute, how could she say was the difference was?

"I think-"

"You need time," Korra finished her sentence, it gave the heiress chills that she was often able to do it, "to understand everything that's happening."

"Are we breaking up?"

"How was it you put it last night? Going steady?"

"Did you miss the part where I was inside you?"

"How hard is it to get a real date out of you Sato?" Korra jibed.

"I took you on vacation."

"Hmm sloppy seconds. Ow." Asami pinched her.

"That's what I'm going to do every time you refer to my ex, K, got it?"

Korra knew it was serious when Asami omitted letters from her name.

"Best friends come first," she parroted the earlier oath.

"What do you propose we do? I owe you a debt of about a billion orgasms."

"Let's just keep it a secret for now, at least from people we know, and forgo sex for… tradition dictates three dates?"

"After the way you just fucked me, you're saying you want no part in it until I wine and dine you?"

"I am a patient person Asami. I've waited for you once I can do it again."

Asami almost asked her to prove it but she knew it would mean the last time they shared a bed until three dates had passed, she wasn't ready to give it all up just yet.

"Can I kiss you at least?" Asami asked, already looking longingly at those lips.

"I think…" Korra began grinning tongue tempting her, teasing her top lip as she watched, "That would be agreeable yes."

"And as we've fucked today can I take the morning to please work off some of my debt?"

Korra only smiled and kissed her, but Asami took no prisoners when she went in for the kill.

Korra, like always, was powerless to resist.

Opal was doing just fine. Just fine.

Holy damn how does Asami deal with all this?

She'd taken helm for the first few days and all was well, but since the marriage fell through it had had a knock on effect in the press, and suddenly Future Industries stock was falling. She had taken the throne in Asami's work office, fine leather chair, mahogany desk and a claustrophobic amount of panic.

She'd been avoiding calls all day, but it just so happened the one she did take wasn't a business call at all.

"Opal?"

Her blood boiled at the voice, she took a moment to begin a fiery tirade of that would scorch the earth, but was interrupted.

"I know I'm the last person you want to hear from right now but hear me out."

"Go to hell Iroh!" he threw me off!

"I was an A-class Asshole, Opal I know. I feel awful, but I've been in therapy."

"Oh therapy? Oh good for you except your feelings don't matter, not when you're the one doing the dumping!"

"I deserved that. She deserved better. Can you put her on the line please?"

"She's not here!"

"When will she be back?"

"In three weeks, so you can shove it till then, why am I talking to you? Gubye!"

"Three weeks? Did she- did she take our honeymoon?"

"Not that it concerns you any more. She's healing, she needs to get over the mess you've made!"

"Oh man - I gotta go to the island - I'm gotta to win her back."

"Yeah there's like a zero percent chance of that ever happening, so,"

Opal hung up. Blood pumping, mind racing. She had to warn her friend, she had to warn her other friend who was in love with the first friend.

She did the only thing she could think to do in that moment, and called Bolin.