In Hiding

Summary: Korra tried hard not to think about Kuvira living in a jail cell waiting for her trial to start – until she finds her sitting on her bed, looking for a place to hide. Set after series finale.

Chapter 25

"Korra," Asami whispered as she and Kuvira re-entered the hotel room. Once the door closed and all of the locks where in place, she called out a bit louder. She heard a response from the bathroom, in between loud splashes. Asami and Kuvira

"Hey, how'd it go?" Korra asked. She waved her hands in the air, forming a decent sized bubble of water. She instructed Ayaka to close her eyes, before allowing the bubble to break over the child's hear, washing the soap out of her hair.

"Fairly well," Asami answered with a shrug. She was standing in the doorway with Kuvira at her side. She looked over at the metalbender and gave a quick wink, which for the slightest second Kuvira through was an eyelid twitch, before entering the bathroom and glancing at her reflection in the mirror.

"Hi," Ayaka called out happily, waving frantically at Kuvira. The corner of Kuvira's lips curled up slightly, before she gave a small wave back. Korra glanced over at Asami, taking in her Earth Nation clothing. The two locked eyes in the mirror.

"Well, that's a change," Korra commented.

A look of discomfort crossed Asami's face before a light flush raced across her cheeks. Tucking a bit of hair behind her ear, she began to open and close the drawers of the sink cabinet. "I look weird," she mumbled.

"You look fantastic," she said sincerely. "Green is a good color on you. It matches your eyes." Korra reached out and carefully wiped a few soap bubbles away from Ayaka's eyes. The little girl smiled up at her before splashing her hands into the water. "In fact, I think they make them look more intense." She shrugged. "I don't think you can ever not be pretty…it's annoying sometimes."

"Thank you," Asami said dryly, her smile going against the tone of her voice.

Korra snickered before looking over at Kuvira, who was still standing in the doorway, silently watching the people in front of her. She was stiff, her hands clasped behind her back, her face expressionless. "Are you okay?" Korra asked.

"I'm fine," Kuvira frowned. "Why?"

"I just wanted to make sure everything went okay, that's all." Korra shrugged. She held her gaze for a moment too long before turning her attention back to Ayaka and finishing up her bath. Kuvira stepped into the bathroom and crouched down by Korra so that her lips were close to her ear. She glanced over her shoulder at Asami, checking to make sure she was still busy.

"You knew the entire time," Kuvira concluded. Korra raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Asami who was washing her face at the sink, but remained quiet. "You knew it wasn't a business trip."

"Asami always has business to do, but it was the thinnest lie I've ever her head say," Korra answered with a smile. She grabbed a towel from the towel rack on the wall before wrapping Ayaka up in it and pulling her out of the bathtub. Kuvira moved her hand, bending the metal chain that held the stopper in the bathtub, pulling the plug and letting the water begin to drain. "I thought that the trip would do you both some good, to be honest." Korra looked over at Asami once more before dropping her voice even lower. "You seem like you're…"

"What?"

"I don't know…like you're friends," she said with a shrug.

"We just reached an understanding." Kuvira took over in drying off a squirming Ayaka, so that Korra would be able to bend the water out of the child's hair. "To call us friends at this point would be foolish. She made that point quite clear."

"At least she's taking the necessary steps to get to that point," Korra answered, pride laced with every word. "No matter how long it may take."

Once Ayaka was completely dried off and changed into a pair of pajamas – which were too big on her that they had to be fastened back with a pin – she instantly ran over to Kuvira and jumped into her arms. Kuvira gave her a tight hug and then sat down at the end of the bed, placing Ayaka next to her. The toddler instantly began to try and keep Kuvira's attention by showing her some a new toy that Korra had acquired while they were gone.

Asami exited the bathroom with a pair of hair scissors in her hands. She held them by her thumb and index finger, the blades separated and pointed directly at Kuvira, as she briskly crossed the room.

"Whoa there," Korra shouted, reaching out and grabbing Asami by the wrist. "If this is your idea of trusting someone, then I worry about my own safety," she joked. Asami glanced over at her, gently smiling. Kuvira turned her attention away from Ayaka, tensing when Asami held the scissors out to her. Korra loosened her grip. Asami slowly closed the scissors and moved it in her hand so that the blades her resting in her palm.

"Calm down," Asami said quietly. She placed the scissors into Kuvira's hand, before reaching up and tugging on her ponytail, tightening the hair tie. "You were right, before, about me blending in."

"I was?" Korra asked slowly. Asami nodded. Kuvira quickly handed the scissors over to Korra. She glanced down at the cutting instrument before her girlfriend plucked them out of her hands. Asami took a deep breath before crouching down to the floor, pressing her back against the foot of the bed, placing herself in between Kuvira's legs. "What'd I say?"

"This is the last step I need to take." Asami titled her head back, glancing up at Kuvira who frowned in confusion. "Cut my hair," she ordered.

"What?!" Korra and Kuvira shouted. Ayaka reached out and ran her small fingers through Asami's dark locks.

"Pretty," she cooed.

"Thank you, but it has to go." Korra looked in between the two of them as they stared at each other. Kuvira slowly scanned Asami's face, the tension still carrying throughout her body, as if suspecting something to happen. Ayaka watched the two of them carefully before letting out a quiet sigh. She then grabbed a hold of Kuvira's hand, lifting her arm, so that she could snuggle into her side. Kuvira blinked, looking down at the child, before slowly reaching her left hand out. Asami broke their intense stare, glancing down at the scissors in her hands.

"Are you sure?" Kuvira asked, putting heavy emphasis on her words. "Why not let Korra-" she quickly trailed off, glancing down at Ayaka. The child looked back up at her, unblinking. "…Why not let Rora do it?"

"Because it'd be easier if she did." Kuvira wracked her brain for a response but couldn't think of one. She looked over at Korra, raising a shoulder as if silently apologizing for the situation she was being put in to. The Avatar shrugged in response, before holding up her hands. Kuvira nodded in understanding, quickly figuring Korra was silently telling her that Asami had a mind of her own, which Kuvira had found to be very apparent in the time they spent together in the last few days.

"Copycat," Korra muttered crouching down beside Asami, a soft smile playing on her lips. It was clear she was just trying to lighten the mood, although the situation wasn't funny. Asami knew, very well, the reasoning behind Korra's short haircut and her instance on keeping the style as of late. Korra reached up and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Very funny." Asami gave Korra's hand a light squeeze. Korra half-smiled in response. Kuvira cleared her throat before shifting her gaze down to Ayaka whose eyelids were beginning to droop. Kuvira gently scooped up the child and moved her towards the head of the bed, slipping her underneath the covers. Placing a light kiss to her forehead, she motioned to the other two to keep their voices down, by pressing a finger to her lips.

"Go ahead, Kuvira," Asami whispered when Kuvira crawled back toward the foot of the bed. She grabbed the earthbender by her wrist before slapping the scissors into her open palm.

"Why me?" Kuvira asked, glancing down at the metal in her hands. She kept her palm flat, bending the cutting instrument so that it floated above her hand. She forced the blades to open and close, checking it's sharpness.

"It's because I trust you."

"No, I'm not great at cutting hair," Kuvira muttered, a brief look of embarrassment flashed across her face. It was quickly chased away by a stony expression. "Why do you think my braid was so long?"

Asami and Korra shared a smile. Asami rounded her shoulders, before pulling her knees to her chest. She reached up and felt her long, dark hair one more time before wrapping her arms around her legs. "It's okay," she said, taking in a deep breath. "Go ahead."

Korra was instantly at her side, holding Asami's hand in a tight grip. Kuvira gathered up Asami's hair and metalbent the scissors so that they hovered at the edge of the hair tie, holding the ponytail. Kuvira looked closely, lining up the blades to where she felt was enough length. Taking a deep breath, she squinted and tensed her muscles. The scissors clamped down on Asami's hair, instantly cutting the strands. After inspecting her line, Kuvira placed the scissors onto the bed before leaning over and handing Asami her ponytail.

"Done," Kuvira said quietly. Asami received the clump of hair, holding it up by the hair tie, studying how long her dark locks used to be. Kuvira watched in silence as Asami ran had pale hand through her new short ends. The metalbender gently took her hand in hers, and moved it along the edges, showing how even of a line she had made. Finally, Asami climbed to her feet, leaving her ponytail on the floor by the foot of the bed. She fluffed up her hair a few times before finally turning to look at Korra and Kuvira face on.

"How do I look?" Asami asked quietly. She clasped her hands together, wringing them nervously. She swayed back and forth a bit, clearly uncomfortable underneath their gaze and silence.

"Beautiful," Korra declared.

Asami blushed lightly, glancing at the ground. She reached up and tucked the long strands of her bangs behind her ear. "You always say that," she said with a smile. While Korra did often comment on her beauty, she felt those words sink into very being. The Avatar was used to seeing her with long hair and makeup. Now that she had an almost-nude face and her signature hair was gone, she truly accepted the compliment.

Clearing her throat, Asami moved her gaze over to Kuvira. "Well?" she prodded.

Kuvira leaned back on the bed, resting on her forearms. Tilting her head to the side, she peered closely. "It may take some getting used to-"

"Tell me about it," Asami commented, once again reaching up and feeling the new, short ends of her hair.

"But, I think you look great," Kuvira finished.

"Thanks." Asami finally walked over to a mirror that was sitting on the wall. Korra and Kuvira watched her in silence as she began to fuss with her hair, moving her part from one side of her head to the other. Finally, she parted her hair back to where it originally was, letting her bangs fall across her right eye, tucking the long ends back behind her ear. "There, that's better."

"We should probably trim your bangs a bit, but now you look like an earth nation citizen," Kuvira said. She checked on Ayaka, who was in a very deep sleep, before turning her attention over to Korra. "So, what's the plan?"

Korra half-smiled. "Tomorrow, we go and talk to King Wu." Asami glanced at Korra's reflection in the mirror as Kuvira's jaw dropped.

"You found him?" Kuvira muttered.

"It's more like…he found me," Korra answered. She moved to sit in one of the chairs of the room. She crossed her arms over her chest, and one leg over the other. Asami and Kuvira shared a glance before walking over. Asami perched herself on the armrest of Korra's chair, as Kuvira stood in front of her, glaring down her nose at the Avatar.

"Details," she demanded.

A smirk played on her lips. "You tell me about your trip first," she answered. Asami inhaled slowly as Kuvira growled underneath her breath. "Fair's fair." Kuvira rolled her eyes as her frown deepened. Asami looked in between the two of them, before looking over at Kuvira, raising one shoulder. A light flush blossomed on Kuvira's cheeks as she began to shift uncomfortably.

"…It's kind of personal…for the both of us," Kuvira said through gritted teeth, looking intently over at Asam, who remained quiet and clasped her hands together before resting them against her knee.

"The Avatar demands that you tell the truth," Korra insisted.

Kuvira looked as if she really wanted to say something but was caught so off guard that her she repeatedly opened and closed her jaw. Asami clasped a hand over her mouth, struggling not to laugh. "What the hell, Korra?" Kuvira finally said, blinking rapidly as Asami let out a giggle.

"Hey, I'm not the one who insisted on thinly veiled attempts to try and convince me that it was a business trip." The Avatar poked Asami in the knee, making a silent point that she wasn't going to let her girlfriend off of the hook either. "I'm not that stupid."

"Depends on who you're asking."

"Shut up, Kuvira," Korra responded with a laugh.

Asami placed a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder, catching her attention. "Korra, I was looking for information on my parents." She nodded over in Kuvira's direction. "We were looking for information on our parents. I had asked her to go with me because he knows a lot of things about the Earth Nation. She did live here for three years. Plus, she'd understand," she explained gently. Korra nodded slowly. "We also kind of ran into trouble. We need to tell you something…"

AN: Yes, there's a bit of a time jump. This chapter was getting really long and the final part of the 'Kuvirasami Adventure' isn't coming out the way I want it to, so that will be the next chapter. Plus, i was really excited to get to thi part because of the growth of the growing Kuvirasami friendship.