AN: tis basically a date, they cute X3
But then…. :V
Ch 9: Just You and Me
Staring out into space, Korra's mouth was agape as she was leaning backward on a swivel chair in Kuvira's dorm room. Her eyes were loosely focused on the brownish stain on her ceiling before Kuvira shouted out of nowhere.
"Ow fuck!"
Korra simply let out a low grunt before lazily shuffling her feet around to face her general direction. "Wassup?"
Kuvira had an annoyed face as she carefully touched her arm. "Having a gash on your arm is a bitch."
"No shit sherlock." She snorts before rocking herself side to side out of boredom. "You're lucky it was just a scratch. More like, be thankful you were only put on probation."
"Just probation? You're kidding me." She deadpans, "This is torture! I have never been so fucking bored in my life! Why didn't your ass get probation too!"
"Hey, I'm not the one who beat the shit out of your attacker. Now that was overkill. If you had just knocked him out, we would've been fine but noooo. If anything, you should be thanking me for spending time with your dumbass!"
Kuvira grabs the closest cushion from her couch and throws it at her with full strength before immediately muttering another quiet "Ow."
Korra doesn't even try to block it though and gets hit in the face with a muffled, "Oof."
Her friend raises an eyebrow at that before mindlessly playing with her mini basketball set using her good arm. "What's up with you?"
"What do you what's up with me?"
She rolled her eyes before tossing the ball towards the hoop, scoring the point, before grabbing another spare ball from her rack of three. "You've been acting more depressed than me. I'm the one who's stuck in one spot so why are you sulking?" She then tosses the second ball, hitting the rim this time, before trying to catch the rebound.
Korra groans tiredly before dismissively swatting her hand. "I'm fine…"
"Uh huh… sure you are." She aims again before shooting and scoring her shot.
"Yeah, I'm seriously good. It's just…"
"It just…?" Kuvira repeats, trying to get her to expand.
Korra lets out a heavy sigh. "It's about Asami…"
This time, Kuvira laughed. "Hah, I knew it. The only person that has gotten your panties in a bunch these days is her." She then grabs her last ball and shoots it in the hoop, landing the point with a close call before walking over to collect them all. "I thought you were gonna stop texting her cause she was ghosting your ass."
It took a second to process but when she realized it, she snapped her fingers. "Ahhh oh yeah, you ran into her the other night right. Did you talk to her then? Is that why you're acting like a zombie that has lost its soul."
"Zombies don't even have souls in the first place you dumbass." Korra finally sits up before giving Kuvira a stink eye. "And it's not like that."
Once Kuvira had all her mini basketballs, she went back to her spot before asking. "Not like…?" She readies her aim before tossing the ball.
Korra watches as the ball hits the basketball hoop and bounces off the rim before starting, "It's complicated."
Her friend raises a brow at that. "Complicated huh?"
"It's not my place to say… she has her reasons." Korra says before frowning, "Let's just say it's complicated corporate child problems."
Kuvira hums at that notion before tossing her last hoop. "That must be tough. I figured she had her vices and all thanks to her image. How bad is it?"
"Like worse than bad." Korra finally gets up from her seat before grabbing a glass of water. "I'm… honestly worried about her, crush or not."
"Hmm… anyway I can help? As myself or as a Beifong…?" She suggests knowing neither of them ever used their so-called authority.
Korra smiles back warmly. "As much as I appreciate the thought, I don't think that I can even help her. What she needs isn't something that I can fix. It's been her and her family."
"I see." Kuvira looks off to the side before letting out a sigh. "Just let me know if I can help then okay?"
"Thanks Kuv, that means a lot."
She simply shrugged. "Any time. You were the one who stayed by my side when shit hit the fan way back when, so I owe you one."
"Still…" letting out another sigh, Korra plops back down onto the chair before whining out, "How do I help herrrr."
Kuvira finally sits down on her bed before pulling open her computer. She clicks a few buttons before a light bulb lights up. "Why don't you take her out to the Spirit's Festival down by the Yue Bay?"
"And why would I do that! We're trying to be covert, remember? She ghosted me for a reason."
"Dude," she rolls her eyes before continuing, "seeing how you're still in chummy terms… I don't know what she's going through but, I do know she probably needs a friend. There is only so much you can bear on your own so be there for her."
"That's…" Korra raises a finger but then stops mid-way before shrinking slightly. "True but still…"
Kuvira clicks her tongue before concluding, "Then what are you waiting for you lover bird, hurry and go get your lesbian crush."
"Wha— we're not t-together! And hey, we're both bi thank you very much. Besides, she barely invited me over to her place to talk so who am I to suddenly show up to her place and drag her out!"
She waves her hand dismissively. "It's not like she's under house arrest." Walking over to Korra's side, Kuvira pulls her ass up before pushing her to the door. "Come on, get your ass moving."
"What?!" Korra's eyes snapped open. "No! I can't do that!"
"Yeah you can." She swings her door open before pushing Korra out the door. "She seems like she needs more company than me so don't come back here until you hang out with her."
"But—"
"Bye~" Without another warning, Kuvira slams the door shut before locking the door.
Korra was left sulking in the hallway with a pout. "Kuv… you ass…"
xXx
Walking into Asami's condo complex, Korra gulped as she readjusted her hoodie. She walks in normally, nodding to the doorman once again. He simply acknowledges her presence and nods back. As Korra continues making her way to the elevator, she twitches when she sees one of Asami's neighbors. It was a mom and her son and they were talking to each other, having a lively conversation before passing Korra's side. Korra makes eye contact with the mom and quickly gives her a slight nod.
The mom smiles back and nods as well before turning her attention back to her son.
Once in the clear, Korra makes it to the elevator. She quickly pushes the button to Asami's floor before shoving her hands into her pockets. The last time she was in this situation, her heart was pounding but not like this. She had been holding her tongue, curious of Asami's excuse and explanation. She was occupied with figuring out whether or not she should tell the woman a straight-up 'what the hell' or something crude along those lines. But… the moment Asami had opened the door and she had seen those worn-out eyes, her anger and frustration washed away. Asami didn't look like that when Korra saw her during the commotion from the fight.
In that instance, Korra wanted to give her a big and tight hug.
Then, after hearing her explanation, all her actions made sense. Korra knew that Asami had some sort of good reason for her behavior. From the short time she knew her, she knew Asami wasn't the type of person to ghost people for no apparent reason. When her suspicions had been confirmed after hearing her story, it broke Korra's heart.
There was no way she could be mad at her.
With her elevator ride finally coming to an end, Korra huffs before taking a deep breath and walking out. She began fiddling with her fingers as she took a step forward. "Maybe I should've texted her to be on the safe side…"
She was a few steps closer.
"What if she's not home or is busy?"
A door never looked this intimidating before.
"I hope she doesn't mind…"
At last, Korra was in front of her door. She stood there, repeatedly raising her hand up and down time and time again. After a moment she groans before scratching the back of her neck.
"This is ridiculous."
Take a deep breath, she sucks up as much air as possible before hitting the doorbell. She deflates shortly after before standing there in silence.
"..."
A few moments pass and her lips crack up into an awkward smile. Her eyebrows start twitching before she laughs at herself.
"See… she's not even home. Why are you trying to be like this Korra…"
Letting out a sigh of defeat, she pivoted and took a few steps before hearing some shuffling. Sure enough, Asami cracks open her door. It looked like she was fresh out of the shower and she looked confused with her hair wrapped up in a towel in a high bun. "Korra?"
Korra jerks back to look at her. She didn't miss the droplet of water dripping down her neck before she quickly stuttered. "Oh— s-sorry! You were just showering, weren't you? I'll uh… just come back later." She points her index finger to the side before trying to escape. Abort mission! Abort mission!
"Wait—" Asami took a step forward and reached out to grab her arm. "Um… it's fine. You can just uh… come in." She lets go of her arm once Korra turns back around. "Sorry… I wasn't expecting any guests today." She then raises an eyebrow. "Did I miss something?"
"No! Oh no no no, not at all! I was just in the area and remembered that there was this festival going on down at Yue's Bay so I wanted to see if you wanted to join me! Just you and me. You know, for some fresh air or something…" she tops it off with a lopsided grin.
Asami blinks feeling somewhat astonished before rubbing her cheek. "Oh… um…" She smiles sadly before answering, "As much as I'd like that, I don't think we should be together in public cause you know…"
Korra's awkward bundle of energy deflates for a second. "Right…" She looks down by mistake and notices water dripping down from Asami's slender legs. Her mouth waters at the sight and she zones out a bit before snapping out of it. "You have hoodies don't you!"
Asami takes a step back from that sudden burst of energy. "Um… yeah…?"
Grinning wildly, Korra grabs Asami's hand and pulls her inside her home. "Then what are we waiting for! Let's hoodie up!"
"Wait what? I still don't follow, what's going on Korra?" The door shuts behind them as they made their way inside her condo.
"Duhhh, you and me, chilling at the festival, obviously dummy!"
"Okay I can understand that but I still don't get why—" she yelps when Korra pushes her into her bedroom.
"Just get changed! You're gonna grow shrooms at the top of your head if you don't get sunlight from time to time!" Korra shouts back in response.
"But I—"
"Just dress like a stalker! We'll be back before you know it!"
xXx
"Hey mister! Can I get two choco bananas?"
The old man beams with a smile before responding. "Sure young missy! Coming right up!"
As the old man prepared the two fresh treats, Korra couldn't help but glance back at Asami. Just as she had requested, Asami was wearing one of her maroon hoodies which had a Fire Ferret's logo on it. To top it off, she was also wearing a dark grey baseball cap to hide her face accompanied by comfy sweatpants to complete her laid-back college look. If anyone would ask Korra, Korra would say that Asami does not look like a child from a multi-million yuan company.
"Any toppings missy?"
Korra blinks before looking at the options. "Mmh… how about one plain and one with sprinkles?"
"Sure, coming right up."
Shortly enough, he was close to finishing the two sweets. But, before he finishes, Korra couldn't help but carefully watch Asami's body language. From the looks of it, she looked somewhat troubled and uneasy even. That made Korra regret her choice in actions.
What was I thinking?! Maybe I shouldn't have dragged her out here…
She frowns as she watches Asami rubbing her elbow absentmindedly. Sure enough, she mumbles to herself.
"This was a mistake…"
"Here you go miss, that'll be two hundred yuans."
Korra turns away from Asami's pitiful profile before paying the man. With two chocolate bananas in hand, she finally returns to Asami's side. "Hey! Hope you didn't have to wait for long!"
Asami snaps out of whatever trance she was in before looking over at Korra. Her eyes softened when she saw her but Korra could sense the slight sadness in her eyes. "Hey…"
Her lips had parted and Korra wanted to say something but what would she say? Whatever damage had been done to Asami had already happened so it was only right for Korra to play it off and support her. "You alright…? It's cool if you don't want to say anything or head back home…" She then raises both the bananas up before offering. "I forgot to ask you about the toppings so I got one plain and one with sprinkles. Your choice."
With a blink, Asami smiles warmly before reaching out. "Hmm…" her hand glides back and forth between the two. "Good choice but… I'm feeling a little nostalgic so maybe this one."
Of course. Korra thought. She couldn't help her childish grin the moment Asami grabbed the one with sprinkles from her hand. She couldn't put a reason behind it but for some reason, it suited her so well. Now that they both had treats in their hands, Korra raises hers for a silly toast. "Cheers!"
Asami raises her eyebrow slightly but reciprocates her gestures. "Cheers."
Their bananas tapped against one another before they each brought it to their lips. Korra was the first to take a bite, she chewed happily before letting out a hum of bliss. "Mmh… I forgot how good these were."
Finally taking a hesitant bite, Asami chewed it quietly. Once she swallowed what she bit off, she agreed solemnly. "Yeah, they are good…"
"..."
"..."
Asami goes for another bite but then stops midway before speaking up. "I, I'm sorry. I don't mean for this to be awkward."
Busted. "Oh, no no no! Not at all, you're good! If anything it's my fault for dragging you out here. You just… seem buried in your deep thoughts these days…" she rubs her neck nervously. "A yuan for your thoughts?" Being the dork she was, Korra grins slightly before actually pulling out a relatively new yuan coin from her pocket.
Once she sees what it was, Asami laughs at it before narrowing her eyes. "I…" she watches as some kids run around in front of them. It was a group of two, a brother and his sister and they were laughing happily as they ran around through this crowded block. After a second of collecting her thoughts, she started talking. "You were right. The colorful banners, decorations, and even the bright lanterns and lights, they're just beautiful as I remember them."
Korra softly edges her on with a soft hum before mindlessly eating her banana.
It took a moment but Asami eventually continued. "I used to come here with my family…with my mom."
Her hand twitches and Korra stops eating to watch Asami carefully. She could see her eyes getting teary as she took a small bite of her dessert. Once she swallowed her bite, Korra parts her lips before asking, "What was she like?"
"She…" with her voice veering off, Asami takes a breath before facing Korra with a wholesome smile. "She used to scold me for eating too much jelly donuts."
Not expecting that comment, Korra busted out laughing. "Yeah?"
Asami laughed with her before continuing. "Yeah. I would always throw a tantrum when she took them away." She then leans into Korra's space before whispering into her ear as if she was hiding something scandalous. "Just between you and me though, my brothers would give me theirs to stop me from crying."
Korra grins stupidly before commenting. "Guess they really dote on you huh?"
She had a warm smile. "The perks of being the little sister of three brothers. They baby me all the time, I guess it's because they felt like they had to protect and raise me you know?"
"Heh, I can kind of relate. I don't know if I ever told you but I actually have a little brother too. I love teasing him and all but, at the end of the day, I totally dote on him. Only the spirits will know how many times I've saved his butt when he accidentally broke something he shouldn't have touched in the first place."
Asami giggles before winking at her. "Siblings huh?"
"Yup."
The two of them finished their treats before walking around the festival, taking in the bright scenery and energetic atmosphere. Sure enough, Korra glances over at Asami before inquiring:
"Tell me more."
"Hmm…" Asami looks off to the side before raising an eyebrow. "Well…" she stops and smiles before pointing at a yakisoba vendor. "My mom would love getting the yakisoba here with extra, extra mayo on top. The vendor guy would always look so shocked or even disgusted when he saw the finished product. We even emptied out his squeeze bottle this one time and my dad tipped him under the table because of it."
"Yeah?"
Korra couldn't put away her bright grin even if she wanted to. She was just so absorbed in Asami's eyes. They just looked so vibrant and full of life despite her wearing a baseball cap. She was truly shining and if you asked her, she was far brighter than the multitude of those light lanterns in this festival.
"Yeah, she loved eating mayo so much. I wouldn't have been surprised if she emptied out a whole bowl on a bowl of rice in all honesty. Oh, and then there was this time my eldest brother accidentally dropped my ice cream cone. I cried like a baby of course but do you know what my mom told me to make me feel better?"
"What'd she say?"
Spirits did Korra love Asami's voice. She loved how excited Asami got when she started talking about her family. Her laugh and smile had to be brighter than all the children combined.
"She said that I was such a brave girl for sharing my ice cream with the stray cats. Funny enough, I hadn't even noticed that they were even there so when she said that, I immediately stopped crying and pointed at the kittens. My other two brothers ran back from the convenience store with a replacement shortly after but I didn't even want it anymore because I was so happy the cats were enjoying it. They just looked so cute and fluffy you know?"
Korra hummed mindlessly in acknowledgment. She was too focused on her lips and eyes to think much of anything else. She just looked so… beautiful.
"Oh! And then there was this time she practically screamed at and fought this random guy from taking a picture of me. Boy oh boy no that was a fiasco. The guy said he was just taking a picture of the tree behind me but obviously my mom didn't believe him. She demanded his phone and even bought up lawyers! His face was priceless, the moment he knew who we were affiliated with, he practically got onto his knees begging."
Laughing once again, Korra couldn't help herself. "Keep talking."
"Hmm… oh, and then there was this time…"
Walking through the bustling festival, Korra couldn't take her eyes off her. She truly was captivating and she loved every single second of Asami's energetic face. This was a sight she could get used to. However… somewhere deep inside of her gut, she knew it wasn't something she could dare to have.
Their lives were just so different and Asami still didn't know her story.
After some time, they had pretty much walked through the entire bustling festival and ended up far away from its center. They were far away from the center of the fun and were off in a more secluded area closer to the bay. Taking some elongated steps, Korra felt lighthearted as she glanced off to the side. She checks up on Asami's profile before tilting her head.
"Another yuan for your thoughts?"
Asami glances over back at her before pulling out the yuan Korra had given her from her pocket and flipping it in her hand. It flies upward with a soft ping, twirling in the sky before landing back into her palm. She then holds it between her thumb and index finger, showing it off to her friend. "At this rate, you'll end up paying for my college debt."
Laughing at her joke, Korra smiles. "If it means knowing what you're thinking, it's a small price to pay."
Her lips curled slightly before Asami slips the coin back into her pocket. "Well… if I'm being honest."
Korra watches as Asami walks on ahead of her. The sound of the crashing ocean hits the side of the dock, filling the night sky with nature's noises. The moonlight reflecting off the water was beautiful and it enhanced all of Asami's charms. Even the light sea salt scent coming from the bay was relaxing. The somewhat chilly yet cool weather was enough to keep the both of them at a perfect temperature from all the walking they had done. They weren't hot but they weren't cold either. Just perfect.
"I owe you my thanks Korra."
Korra couldn't help scrunch her face at that. "For?"
"For not giving up on me." Asami answers in a soft voice before expanding, "I don't deserve a friend like you."
"Nonsense!" Korra quickly jogs up in front of her before stopping and looking into her eyes. "Any fellow Kim Possible fan is a friend of mine. I have to say, I'm quite loyal to the Kim and Ron ship so I don't know about your KiGo… but… then again, luckily for you, I am a multi-shipper so it's okay. We can work things out." She teases with a wink and crooked grin.
Asami couldn't suppress her giggle. "Hey, what can I say? I have a thing for hot and dangerous women." She then walks past Korra and continues her strides before Korra catches up again.
"True, I do have to say. Shego is just…" she lets out a kissing noise. "Chef's kiss."
Asami smiles back softly before they continue their walk in comfortable silence.
Falling into the ambiance of the night sky and bay, Korra took in a deep breath, enjoying this serenity. She couldn't quite put her finger on it but it was definitely a different experience from hanging out with Kuvira or Kai. She didn't have to entertain them or take care of them. Of course, she's been careful and attentive with Asami's mood and behavior but nonetheless, she didn't force herself in any way. Not to mention Korra couldn't help but think back to the spark she felt when she was half drunk and spent the night with Asami. She still remembers her touch and the connection she felt despite being intoxicated.
What was it?
Korra looks back at Asami again before they both come to a complete stop when fireworks start shooting up in the night sky. Asami turns to look at the flashing bursts and her eyes light up with every spark of color. Her lips part slightly and Korra found herself speechless. At that instance, she felt a throb in her chest and she knew the reason as to why and that was what scared her the most. With her lips quivering, Korra's eyes shimmered as she narrowed in on Asami's light green eyes. She swallowed heavily as she found herself gravitating towards Asami's face. By reflex, she reaches forward and carefully grabs her hand, making the other woman turn around.
Asami's lip part once she made eye contact with her and it was as if they were thinking the same thing. Korra's eyes trail down to Asami's lips and Asami mirrored her action. With the night sky repeatedly bursting in vibrant colors, they slowly leaned in closer to one another. Once they were about a foot away, Korra turned her head slightly to avoid Asami's baseball cap until she could feel her breath against her skin. The moment they were just a few inches apart, out of nowhere, a child's loud screech made them twitch backward.
They both immediately ricochet apart and Korra released her hand in a blink of an eye. She quickly takes a few steps back before turning around in embarrassment and rubbing the back of her neck. How could she fall for this stereotypical trap? Not believing her own actions, her self-loathing began all over again inside her head. Korra you idiot! What were you thinking! We can't be together you dumbass! As she began scolding herself, listing a billion reasons as to why she couldn't be with Asami, what she missed was Asami's bright blush.
On the other hand, by default, Asami turns in the opposite direction and looks off towards the ocean. She quickly pulls at the neck of her hoodie and starts fanning herself as she takes some deep breaths. Shortly enough, she stops before looking down at the floor and holding her chest. Her heart was pounding and she couldn't believe what she was about to do. Then, after a tense moment, she laughs awkwardly before facing Korra again. She clears her throat before speaking up:
"Umm… why don't we uh, start heading back? It's getting late and I shouldn't be out for too long."
Korra practically jumped at her voice before facing her as well. "Oh— y-yeah! Sorry, I should've paid more attention to the time." She scrambles to look at the time, "I-I'll walk you back?" To her disappointment, Asami raises her hand up to place a wall in between them.
"Oh! No, don't worry about it. It's okay. Besides, you already left my condo together with me so it's a pretty bad idea to have you walk me back…"
Her bubbly excitement quickly deflated.
"O-Of course! Y-Yeah, you're right. Sorry for wasting your time. I um… I'll see you around then?"
Asami was quick to turn. "Yeah. I'll see you around Korra." She waves before hastily walking away.
Korra waves back as well, not like she saw, with a lopsided grin and once she was out of earshot, she dropped her hand. "Korra, you dumbass. Why'd you do that…" she sighs heavily before turning around to look at the moon and the sad leftover small burst of fireworks. "Why'd you just ruin the moment by trying to kiss her?" With a heavy sigh, she starts dragging her feet back home.
For whatever it was worth, Asami had clearly rejected her.
xXx
After her decently long walk, she was somewhat calmed down. The entire time she walked through the city, she fought back extremely hard not to think about that. About what happened to her a few years back. Back when she was young and stupid. Much to her discomfort, when she makes it through the door of her apartment, the first thing she sees is Kai stuffing a drum stick in his mouth. He blinks a few times before waving.
"Werlfcome horrme." He pulls off a big bite before chewing happily.
Korra couldn't help but sigh deeply again as she took her shoes off. "I'm back…" she sounded more dejected than she should've been.
At that, Kai raises an eyebrow. "What's up with you?"
Kicking off her left sneaker, she tugs off the right. "Nothing. Just wallowing in self-loathe and pining." She summarizes her sad excuse of a love life or friendship or whatever one would call it.
"Okay…?" After a second of processing, he snaps his fingers. "Ah! I got it. You flirted with Asami again even though you said you were gonna drop it didn't you?"
Without responding, Korra drops down onto the couch with a single huff.
Kai finishes his chicken leg before taking a sip of water and turning to face his sister. "You know, you're always Asami this and Asami that you know? Stop pining over her you dofus, weren't you the one who said you didn't want to date someone seriously?"
She groans again before whining. "But Asami's just so… so perfect and wonderful and gorgeous! I can't help but be attracted to her Kai. It's just… complicated."
Her brother snorts. "And you're only gonna hurt yourself that way you know that."
Whining yet again, she rapidly flails about her legs before giving up. "It's too late for that. We had this moment and it was like perfect for kissing and like, I almost kissed her like an idiot!" She gushes before abruptly jerking upright to look him in the eyes. "I just— she's just—" she groans again in frustration.
Kai gives her a look before walking over to the sink to do the dishes. "You know…" he smiles somewhat sadly. "I guess I'm really happy that you actually found someone you like but you know… are you… um… ready? After what happened with Naeun I thought you were still…"
Korra immediately frowns at that. "Don't mention that name." What she had been pushing away, ignoring for so long trying to focus solely on her feelings for Asami all came rushing back. She stands up before rubbing her neck annoyingly. "Hah… What a killjoy man, I'm gonna go shower."
His eyes widened. "Wait, Korra I didn't mean to—"
"Night, I'll catch you later."
"I'm sor-" the door slams shut, "-ry…" he sighs before rinsing the dish with cold water. "Kai you idiot…"
After aggressively pulling out a change of clothes from her drawers, Korra quickly sheds her clothes before popping into the shower. She turns the faucet on hot before drowning out her worries. As the water rained down on her face and cascaded down her body, she left her thoughts empty. Her heart, however, told another story. She grabs her chest before resting her head against the shower room titles.
"Dammit… just when I was forgetting about her to… don't think about her. Don't say it. Don't think. Just forget."
