"One can find so many pains when the rain is falling."

― John Steinbeck

Chapter 20 - Let It Rain

Grey storm clouds rolled in and overshadowed the streaks of sunlight. Droplets of cool rain struck windows and buildings, welcoming those who awoke at such an early hour. The depression weather dampened many individuals' days while others enjoyed the refreshing rain on the late summer morning.

Pot holes in Republic City began collecting the rain water, disguising how deep their crevices ran for those who dared to plow through them. Puddles began forming on Air Temple Island, much cleaner than the ones in Republic City. Surely the airbending children would partake in splashing in them, maybe even pushing one another in them. They'd airbend themselves dry, but forget to wipe their feet free from mud, leaving tracks of mud in their home and angering their mother.

Some people sleep better on a tranquil rainy day. Asami appeared to be one of those people this morning, snoozing in the protective arms of Korra much later than she usually did. She didn't have the heart to wake her from such a peaceful slumber. It was so rare that she was able to watch her sleeping, a sight so commonly available but yet so rare, sacred that only she was allowed to see.

The Water Tribe woman laid flat on her back with the raven-haired woman on her side, snuggled into her side, face tucked in her neck, inhaling the Avatar's scent and exhaling little puffs of warmth against her neck. One of Asami's hands laid on her strong stomach, igniting a burning sensation in her core. She hesitantly reached down and covered the slender hand, hoping not to disrupt her sleep. The sleeping woman hummed and smiled in her sleep, releasing a pleased exhale into her neck and lightly scratched her nails against the muscles beneath them.

Asami was confused for a millisecond when she woke up, wondering who she was curled up against then remembered, inhaling the familiar scent and feeling a hand tracing random patterns on her back and another covering her right hand. Almost like second nature, she scratched her nails against the flimsy material of the tank top, earning an appreciative moan, but resulting in a low, achy groan escaping her own lips.

She could practically hear Korra's heart skip a beat the moment it left her lips, the hand on her back freezing.

"'Sami?"

"I promise, I'm okay." She trailed kisses on the underside of her jaw, preparing her and attempting to salvage the moment. "I trapped it underneath my body and the bed the other day while I slept. I saw Kya, she said it was completely normal and part of the healing process. It cramps in the morning the worse, but lessens as the day progresses."

The hand on her back resumed tracing patterns, but the hand on top of hers intertwined their fingers. "I'm giving you a healing session." She made no move to extract herself from their position though.

"No argument from me," she murmured with a smile, snuggling impossibly closer to her and stealing every bit of warmth from her.

"Is that why you're wearing the armbands in bed?"

"That and they're extremely soft. I'm stealing this pair. And the parka. The pants are mine unless you want to be dragging the material through the dirt, shorty."

Korra laid a kiss against the crown of her head, chuckling at the nickname. "No argument from me. I'll give you all my clothes if you want."

A little while later, Korra leaned up against the headboard against Asami's protests. Once the armband was removed, Korra tenderly fingered the area where she had been cut, bringing it up to her lips and laying several kisses. She leaned over and retrieved the water skin on the nightstand, bending the water out of it and beginning to alleviate the other woman's discomfort.

"I couldn't help, but notice you seemed to acquire a new accessory. In all the years I've known you, I've never seen you have a water skin on your person," Asami mentioned, feeling the water work its magic and assuage the coiling in her hand. At first, she thought it was a one-time thing in the hospital when she woke up, but she'd seen her with one several times since then with it.

"Well, being the Avatar means I'm not dependent on water like everyone else from the Water Tribes. But, well, you know." She shrugged and glanced up briefly then back at the water. "I'm no medical professional for the worst of the worst and that's not my primary duty to the world, but if I'm on the street someday, I can at least help to the best of my abilities if someone's in an accident."

Asami leaned over and placed a kiss against the dark cheek that quickly turned pink. "That's very noble of you, Korra."

"It's getting used to the damn thing strapped to my back that's the problem!" she exclaimed, working herself up. "I don't understand how my parents or anyone else from the Water Tribes aren't bothered by having this water sloshing around on their back or side when they're outside the Tribes. With my luck, the damn strap will break and I'll keep losing the thing."

"Aw, sweetie, you won't lose it. I have faith in your abilities to keep track of your water skin."

"Have you not seen my track record of remembering where I've put things in your house? You have years of practicing to remember your fancy bags and purses, 'Sami. I bet in a week I either lose the water skin or the strap breaks. I'm lucky it was accounted for and survived at Wu's palace."

Asami leaned her forehead against Korra's shoulder, shaking with laughter. She wouldn't have it any other way.


The rain continued showering its heavy beat on the world, singing its message to all who listened. Pinging of droplets on the rooftop intermingled with the sounds of eating and conversation over breakfast.

The Avatar held her girlfriend's right hand in hers, unwilling to let it go even for a moment as she shoveled fruits and other breakfast foods into her mouth. The Avatar had a healthy appetite, there was no denying that, but at the rate she was going, she'd eat out the other three adults and four children at the table.

"Korra, you must've slept…well?" Pema asked slowly.

"For what I got, yeah," she replied, eating another mouthful of fruit. She swallowed then continued, "I took a nap on the airship on the way back so it was more of a power nap. It's nice to be back here, relaxing a little bit."

"I hope this ravenousness is not because you were otherwise occupied with Asami this morning. You two were tardy to breakfast and that is peculiar for her." Tenzin sipped his tea nonchalantly, hiding the smirk behind his cup and taking in the Avatar almost choking on a piece of papaya. His wife slapped him playfully on the shoulder, and he felt the smirk on her lips. "Manners, Korra. No choking at the dining table, please."

"Don't worry, Tenzin. There will be no choking anywhere on the island," Asami replied with a wink, further embarrassing Korra. The airbending children were paying no attention to their conversation except Jinora who's mouth hung slightly agape, astonished her father had made such a comment.

"Why?" Korra whined, turning towards Asami more. "Is it a crime that I'm hungry? I felt a little sick while in Ba Sing Se so I didn't eat as much as usual. I'm making it up with Pema's delicious cooking."

Asami brought her lips close to Korra's ear, away from tiny ears. "I didn't bring it up. Take it up with Master Tenzin. Eat as much as you want. I've got you." She squeezed her hand and kissed the shell of her ear.


Droplets of water soaked their clothing the whole way to the main land, cooling them on the late summer's day. Asami was usually one for fashion, but had foregone an umbrella and her usual outfit coordination. She'd changed into her pants and shirt and about to put on her Future Industries jacket, but at the last moment decided to slip her "new" parka's hood over her body and use the hood to keep her head dry instead.

Korra forewent the hood all together. Her natural element doused her, dripping from the ends of her dark hair and sharp jawline onto her clothes. Each and every particle looked to pair up with others in search of combining their efforts to reach their destination of the lowest point on the planet faster. Rain and the foreboding implications of their "mission" dampened the otherwise appealing sight of the pearls of water amplifying her natural beauty that Asami wished she had a camera to capture.

Not a single word was spoken between them. Asami parked within feet of the edge of the spirit portal vines, but neither made a move to be welcomed with open arms by the rain again.

"I don't know what scares me more: them actually being involved with Tokuga and the Dai Li or them running away after I told them that I'd get them into a good orphanage so they wouldn't have to go back to the streets." She slouched further down into her seat and pinched the bridge of her nose, but grumbled feeling the water skin on her back.

"When Tenzin told me they'd left, I felt conflicted too," Asami added softly, reaching over and placing her right hand on her thigh. "But whether they were involved or not, I hoped they were safe."

"Me too."

Korra leaned her head against the window. Lost in thought, she watched rain drops racing each other to get to the ground first with the spirit portal in the background, brightening the otherwise somber sight. She opened the door without another word, not even waiting for Asami, and walked towards the spirit vines. She still didn't bother pulling her hood up, once again getting damp.

Asami wasn't about to wait in the car. She too jumped out of her car, pulling her hood up again, and took a place next to Korra as she leaned her hand against the vines.

The Avatar closed her eyes, connecting with the world around them, seeking two specific energies. Her eyes snapped open, locking with Asami's, widen in disbelief, but Asami couldn't read if it was good or bad astonishment. Which end of the spectrum was even good or bad in this case?

"What? Please, tell me that they're not in some underground hideout right now conspiring with criminals."

"They're a few blocks from your office."


Asami Sato was never one to haphazardly park – that was Korra's forte the few times she attempted to drive – but given the circumstances, once in her twenty-three years of life was nothing. The roads to her office were slicker than she anticipated, but no problem for her. For others, she expected Beifong to receive several bad weather crash reports as the day went on.

The two women ran to where Korra had seen Midori walking, but she was nowhere in sight. Korra took a knee, intending to try to find them without the vines, but the cries and splashes of civilians stopped her. Through the rain, a small figure swiftly maneuvered between many souls who braved walking in the rain. The rain may not have been a problem, but having their feet bounded was, resulting in their personal possessions and money scattering about.

There was no question that was her. She had done the exact same thing to Asami, the thing that led them all on this path.

"Midori!"

She didn't look back, but dashed straight for an alleyway with whatever loot she'd collected.

Korra took off after her first, and Asami followed closely behind. Their feet pounded on the roads that she built, splashing in the puddles that formed on the paths. Rain began burning in her eyes, lungs pulling in moist air.

Korra continued yelling out for Midori, saying it was Avatar Korra, that she wanted to help, but she ignored everything coming out of her mouth. She didn't want to resort to bending at her, scaring her, or asserting any sort of dominance over her.

The distance between them dwindled. They'd all taken this route before under much different circumstances last time.

With less than six feet between them, it happened.

They'd all been running through puddles, but one in particular was her downfall, their opening. The young girl stumbled through a deep, sunken puddle, losing her footing. She tumbled and rolled several feet away, the money she'd had long forgotten and scattered around them in the alleyway.

"Midori! Midori, stop!" Korra took a knee and grasped her sides, intending to help her sit up.

"Get off of me!" She chucked a piece of ground at Korra's abdomen blindly. Korra didn't expect it, releasing her hold on her and grabbing her stomach and catching her breath. Midori twisted onto her rear, one leg bent, one straightened out awkwardly, and leaned back on her hands and slid back a few feet, taking in the Avatar hunched over and Asami standing with the hood over her head. "Haven't you caused enough trouble in our lives?"

The rain fell on them, letting the question linger on all of their minds.

"What are you talking about?" Korra asked genuinely confused. "I'm trying to help you, but you two ran away!"

"I had everything under control until you had to be different, Avatar! You chased me that day! You didn't even care about the money or things I stole!"

"You didn't steal from us!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in frustration. "I just wanted retribution for my girlfriend being tripped!" Korra took a deep breath, trying to get back on topic. "I told you two that'd I'd get you guys into a nice orphanage once I got back."

"You think the orphanage is any better than the streets?" she shouted. "We chose the streets!"

Chose. Such a simple word, but the implications of it hung heavily in the air around them.

Korra looked back at Asami, muddled by the revelation. The engineer peered back down at the little girl, sprawled out on the ground, slowly inching herself away from them on the wet, dirty ground and reaching for yuans within her reach. The dirt didn't seem to bother her one bit, but the whimpers over the falling rain filled the quiet space.

Korra heard it too, cautiously bending to sit on her haunches without frightening the little girl.

"Midori, you're hurt. I can heal you." Korra reached back and bent the water out of her water skin, surrounding her hand with it, but making no move to touch the leg just out of her reach. She continued to ignore the Avatar. Dark brown hair falling out of her braid stuck to her cheeks, rain dripped off her jawline and onto the coins she was counting. "Please, Midori, me and Asami want to help you and Hisakata."

The tiny fist closed tightly around the money. She looked at the other end of the alleyway before throwing the money against the wall angrily and choking down a sob. Turning back to look at the couple, hot tears mixed with the cool rain. The Avatar had shown her nothing but sincere kindness, but while her words had meant to be comforting, they were anything but.

Time seemed to be at a standstill between the three of them. Asami had yet to say anything, standing as a background player with the hood over her head, shielding herself from the rain. When the little girl looked at her, she unconsciously reached up and pushed the hood back, revealing her face better, but more importantly – her eyes. The older woman's eyes were clearly lighter and brighter whereas the child's eyes were a few shades darker, but from a distance, nearly identical.

So similar yet so different.

"Midori, please."

The young girl surrendered to the emotions building up in her. She fell down and curled into a ball, tears mixing in with rain. It was a safe space.

"Just leave us like everyone else always does," she cried, shaking.

Korra slinked over, positioning herself by her leg. Gently, she touched her leg with her bare hand, silently asking if she could heal her again. She didn't resist this time, offering only a restrained approval.

While the waterbender healed her injury, the raven-haired woman kneeled by the girl's head, easily identifying which trails were rain and which trails were salty tears. Without thinking, she wiped the wetness from her cheeks and pushed back the strands of dark brown hair, offering a little smile.

Their eyes locked, two sets of green eyes staring at one another. Experienced met youth, but both filled with personal burdens, heartache.

"I'm sorry I left that day. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she wept, digging her cheek into the ground further, haunted by the memories.

"Hey, it's okay," she whispered, cupping her cheek. "We've got you now. Where's Hisakata?"

She sniffled, clawing at the ground. "A few alleyways away from here I think if he stayed put. He's sick and hurt."
Korra's head snapped up. "How so?"

Midori twisted so she was on her back now, cheek caked in dirt. She eyed the nearby money. "We ran out of good food a while ago. I don't think he adjusted well and he may have eaten something bad too. One eye is nearly swollen shut. I needed the money for a healer and medicine and good food."

Asami looked to the skies, accepting the full-force of the water beating against her face, letting it cleanse her. Through the rain, rays of sun were still persistent to fight their way through to brighten up the day.

"Let's go get Hisakata and go to my office. This is no place for a healing session or talking."


Posted: April 29, 2021

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