Asami liked to allow herself to sleep in on occasion. Late nights usually meant late mornings but she wasn't allowed that luxury when heavy banging on the manor's front door boomed through the halls. It was only a few seconds before she heard the house staff trying to stop heavy footsteps from storming through the house. Doors were flung open, just short of being ripped off of their hinges. Grabbing a robe, the heiress wrapped herself up before making her way to the commotion.
"What are you doing here?" a stern voice questioned. Asami instantly recognized it as the chief-of-police's.
"You can't just go wandering off on your own. Do you know how worried we were?" a man's voice took control of the interrogation. Asami was sure that the voice belonged to none other than the Air Nation's representative, Tenzin.
"You may be the Avatar but you can't just go running around the city like you own it."
"You have responsibilities."
"Do you know how much trouble you are young lady?"
"Pema was worried sick."
"Half of the city police was out looking for you."
One after another, Korra was confronted by an onslaught of harsh reprimands. Asami couldn't hear Korra's voice between the bouts, only small interjections.
"I'm sorry, this was all my fault," Asami offered as she obtruded into the conversation. Managing to find an opening, Asami positioned herself between the two officials and the troubled girl. With a perfect smile in place, she used her honed skills to appease the situation. "Avatar Korra was helping us with some security around the manor when I asked her to stay here. With all the Equalists running around, I figured she could help ease my nerves a bit."
With a slacked jaw, Korra looked at the other girl in disbelief for a few moments before finally catching on. With small nods, she played along with Asami's story.
"Look, you see? It couldn't be helped. I thought since-" Korra stumbled a bit, unaccustomed to lying. She tried to use over exaggerated hand gestures move her story along but they didn't seem to be doing any good. "I mean, I thought that maybe since the Sato Family huge in the economic world, they might be potential targets for Amon."
While Chief Beifong looked unamused, Tenzin narrowed his eyes before giving a small nod. Metal armor clinked as the chief moved to cross her arms over her chest, upset at Tenzin's leniency. Just as she opened her mouth to add her two-cents, she was cut off by the airbending master.
"As long as you weren't slacking on your duties." Tenzin slouched with a huff. The bearded man recomposed himself and continued. "And, while I'm sure Ms. Sato had no ill intentions in her proposal, the Avatar shouldn't be used as any one person's bodyguard."
"If you feel that your estate needs some heightened security, I can assign a few of our officers to keep extra eyes on the area. Unfortunately with all the protests and riots in the city, there isn't much else that can be done."
Lin's grumpy expression and crossed arms didn't radiate warmth in the slightest, but Asami knew with the situation at hand that it was a generous offer.
"Thank you, I appreciate it, but now that Mako and Bolin are staying here, I'm sure we'll be fine," Asami politely declined the offer. "Maybe I can convince my dad to move their rooms closer to the main wing-"
"No!" Korra interjected. "I mean," she cleared her throat. "I can make a few rounds around the place before I turn in and again in the early morning. It's not their jobs to keep the city safe; it's the Avatar's."
Everyone could sense the girl's strange sense of nervousness as she tried to hide her warm face behind her hand. Although Asami was starting to find that side of Korra adorable, it was getting old. The silly love triangle and the mindless competition for Mako's attention was unnecessary effort. That, on top of the chaos since Korra arrival, stirred a small yearning for just a normal life. Yearning for a life that she knew would only come after the revolution.
"Thanks, but I think we should be fine," Asami tried her best to turn down the offer with offending any of the parties.
"Yes, I agree with Ms. Sato here. Because of your little shenanigans, Lin and I have decided to put you on a strict curfew-"
"No! That's totally unfair! It's not like I was out on the streets or doing anything dangerous!"
Asami could see Korra's look of hurt as her face dropped. Even she had found it unjust that the world's savior was being punished as a child, a position that she had often found herself in the past. She internally debated about interjecting her opinion but decided it wasn't any of her business.
"You will not be permitted to leave Airbender Island after 10. The only exceptions will be for Avatar duties or the task force," Chief Beifong instructed.
"Also, your morning meditation has been moved to the evening. Don't think you'll be getting away with missing yesterdays either. It will be twice as long," Tenzin added his instructions. Korra's detention was to be effective immediately. The officials made sure that the Avatar understood all her obligations before taking their leave.
A tongue poked out between pouted lips in a small act of rebellion. Korra came to the conclusion that the two polar opposites had made an agreement to take away any distractions that were keeping her sane. The life she was living was nowhere near what she had imagined it would be like.
"Korra, look, I'm sorry," Asami rested her hand on the shorter girl's shoulder as she apologized. "I didn't think it would be that big of a deal. I shouldn't have insisted that you stay."
"Yeah, you really shouldn't have," Korra snapped back, yanking her shoulder from the non-bender's touch.
The small knit between Asami's brows made Korra regret her harsh reaction in an instant. Slumping her shoulders, she gave a dejected sigh and started walking back to her guest room. She knew it wasn't Asami's fault but she desperately needed to blame someone and the girl who held Mako's hand just so happened to be the easiest. It wasn't fair that the prissy rich girl had everything that Korra didn't. It irked her that life was so easy for her. Anything the girl could dream of was right at her finger tips. Yet, she still stole the few friends and little free time that Korra possessed.
Quiet footfalls pitter-pattered behind her and the feeling of annoyance morphed into defeat. "It's not your fault. I should've known they wouldn't have been happy on letting me do anything I'd want to do. Now I'll be stuck going to meditation for weeks." Korra offered a smile and turned to Asami.
The heiress couldn't help but smile at the warm expression that the Avatar wore and, for a moment, it felt as if they were they finally shared a common ground. Even at their young ages, both were held to their jobs and status before they were allowed to be themselves. Both were desperate for freedom and carelessness of their peers, to have to choice to be stubborn and selfish, to just take each day as they came to them. All they really craved was a normal teenaged life.
Shaking her from of her musings, a loud growl echoed through the manor. Sharp claws clicked against tile as Korra's large companion made its way to the pair. The polar bear dog was across the hall but was charging at them full speed and, despite the distance, the pair could tell that she did not look pleased in the slightest. The yells of the house staff were drowned out as Naga gave a ferocious roar.
"Naga?" Korra asked called. As quickly as a smile crossed her face, it morphed into a confused frown. On guard, Asami took a defensive stance on instinct. All looks of casualty were dropped when they were faced with the reality of her situation.
The staff trailing behind the massive beast couldn't keep up with the speed that Naga was moving at. Asami kept her eyes on the dog, readying herself for a pummel.
"What are you doing, girl?" Korra tried calling to the animal to shake her from her rage. Nothing seemed to slow Naga as she continued to charge at them at full speed.
"Naga!" Korra yelled at her in a stern voice. Nothing. White blurred down the hallway and lunged at the non-bender. Quick on her feet, Asami avoided the pounce just barely by sliding under the massive body.
Naga made sure to give Asami a run for her money, never letting the Equalist to catch her breath. Sharp teeth grazed her shoulder and Asami let out a pained yelp. Asami couldn't keep up with the beast's speed in such a confined space and green eyes widened in panic. As she avoided swipes at her head, her foot caught on the rug and caused her to stumble backwards. She let out a pained grunt as her newly injured shoulder fell hard against the wall. With no time to move out of the way, she closed her eyes, bracing herself from the inevitable attack.
"What are you doing!?" Korra jumped between the two. Putting an arm up, Korra took the harsh swipe in place of Asami. The force of the massive paw caused her shoulder to dislocate. Naga's face warped into one of shame when saw Korra wince; it was clear that she hadn't intended on hurt her master. The polar bear dog dropped to the ground in submission with puppy dog eyes and spared no expense on whines as she begged for forgiveness.
Korra took a moment to collect herself, still reeling from the blow. She grimaced as she used her good hand to pop her shoulder back into place.
"What were you thinking?" she asked her usually faithful companion. "Why were you attacking Asami like that? It's not like you."
Finally comfortable enough to move again, Korra made her way to her animal companion. Korra buried her face in Naga's soft, thick fur to let her know that all was forgiven. A large tongue lapped at the injured arm, trying her best to make it feel better.
"You can't attack Asami like that, girl," Korra chided. "She's our friend."
Hostility drained out of Asami's body and her blood ran cold.
"She's our friend," the words resonated.
Korra thought of Asami as her friend.
Asami made her way to Korra's side with great caution. She kept an eye on the massive animal in front of her and was reluctant to reach her hand out.
"Naga, behave," Korra scolded when the bear let out a defensive growl. A strong hand took Asami's carelessly and guided it to a wet nose.
"She's usually well behaved, I promise," Korra explained as Naga took in the new scent. She was still a bit apprehensive to let the chi blocker near her, but gave in at her master's insistence. A pink tongue licked the conjoined hands and only once Korra was certain that Naga would behave, she let the other girl's hand go.
Never having any extended periods of interaction with animals, Asami awkwardly patted the long snout. Reassuring fingers returned to wrap around her wrist when Korra started guiding her hand to under Naga's chin. "She likes it when you scratch her here."
Asami's gaze drifted from the slobbering muzzle to Korra's gentle smile, relishing at the light grip on her hand. Sweet words replayed in her head.
She's our friend.
"What's going on here?" Asami's whipped her head in the direction of Hiroshi's booming voice. The sudden jerk caused a sharp pain to rip through her back. Try as she might, she was unable to cover a loud wince.
"What happened to your back?" he demanded to know with his voice void of sympathy. Suspicious sapphires studied the elder man at his apparent outrage.
"I can take care of that," Korra offered, claiming responsibility for her best friend's actions. Korra released her grip on Asami's wrist and a subtle sense of loss burned at her skin.
"I think you've down enough here, don't you?" Hiroshi spat back.
"No, wait, I'm sorry about all this, but at least let me heal it."
Korra tried to reach out to Asami's shoulder, but her hand was swatted away. "I let you into my house, allow you to spend the night, I sponsor your rookie team in full, and this is how you repay me? Get out!"
"Daddy, it was an accident," Asami tried to step in. It was a bad move since the slight shift caused the wound to smart.
"Sir, just let me heal this and I'll be out of your house."
Korra started to panic. She was starting to get used to being chastised by authorities but still didn't know how to react to being scolded on a personal level.
"Dad, I'm fine. It's nothing, really. It would be nice if she could heal it though."
The pain of the torn flesh was settling in as her adrenaline waned. Asami knew how her father felt about waterbender healers. She was only allowed to see modern medicine healers but knew that their methods weren't close to as efficient.
Fierce red eyes narrowed at his daughter. Only when he realized he was not going to win this argument, not as long as the Avatar was present, he stormed away. "We'll talk about this later, Asami."
Helping Asami to her feet, Korra walked her to her bedroom. A sullen polar bear dog trialed behind them with a bowed head and her tail between her legs in complete shame. Once in the room, Naga situated herself in a corner as not to get in the way as Korra sat Asami on the bed.
"I'm going to go get some water. It'd be best of you remove your top," Korra instructed in a professional manner.
Asami struggled to free herself from her shirt. Each movement elicited pained hisses and when it became intolerable, she fell face down on the bed. Not bothering to move, she waited for the other girl so she could help her finish removing it.
There was a small hiccup in her step when Korra found Asami in her current position. The silken nightgown was trapped on one arm but the gash on Asami's shoulder in plain sight. Bright red flesh was exposed in the deep wound and Korra let out an empathetic hiss.
"Here," Korra placed the bowl of water on the nightstand. "Let me help."
Carefully, Korra pulled the dress over Asami's head and slid it off her arm. She discarded the bloody fabric onto the floor and moved back to the bowl.
"This might sting a bit at first," Korra forewarned. The severity of the wound was a lot worse than she had initially thought it be and she shot daggers at her friend sulking in the corner. A small whine escaped the dog before she turned her back to them in remorse. "It's been a while since I've done this so let me know if it hurts."
A thick layer of water coated her hand and started to glow. With great care, Korra lowered it to the gash. Asami hissed at the sharp sting as the tepid water touched her skin but relaxed as she got accustomed to it. Warmth flowed through her body once the initial shock subsided and her muscles eased.
She had never felt anything like it before. There was a tingling feeling that surged from the tips of her fingers to her toes and everywhere between. Rigid at first, her body fell limp and a low moan escaped her lips. The non-bender was unaware of her murmurs whereas Korra was hyperaware. A warm blush spread from her cheeks and made its way down to her neck.
"Have you ever done this before?" Korra asked, abashed.
"No," Asami mumbled through a pillow as she shifted her position. "I didn't know it would feel this good."
Korra let out a nervous laugh and a small cough. "Yeah, it's a-" she stumbled a bit on her words "strange feeling, I guess. It takes a while to get used to."
Asami turned her head to face Korra when the soothing feeling stopped and the second that she saw the Avatar's tinted cheeks she was painfully aware of the sounds she was making. Burying her face in the bed, she just wanted to die.
"I'm going to need you to sit up," Korra tried her best to dissolve the awkward air that encompassed them. "You'll need to move it around to make sure the muscle healed properly."
Grasping the sheets to her chest, Asami sat up. She refused to make any eye contact and focused all her attention to not let out a peep. Korra, on the other hand, was losing a battle against a heavy blush. She bit at her lower lip as she let healing hands hover over the injured area. "Roll your shoulder back," she instructed.
With even the slightest movements, trained muscles made themselves visible. Korra's face showed no signs of losing any color as she admired the form in front of her. Fit, yet undeniably feminine, Asami's slender form possessed curves that Korra had always envied. Oblivious to her actions, the younger girl didn't catch herself has she let her fingertips graze the porcelain skin. Asami's discomfort was displayed by goose bumps and stiff posture. If that weren't enough, then Asami's strong grip on the sheets was a dead giveaway.
"How does that feel?" Korra asked as she allowed her hands to linger a bit longer before removing them. "Better?"
"Y-Yeah. Much." Asami let out a breath that had be caught in her throat. The moment that callused hands started trailing across her skin caused a physical reaction and the foreign sensation left her dumbstruck. She was so distracted by it that she hadn't even noticed lack of pain.
"There's a slight chance of scarring," Korra ran her course thumb over the small remaining mark, "but it's not likely. There is a small mark here now but once your body takes course, it should go away."
"It's not big deal," Asami shrugged off. Though the gesture was to show her indifference, it was mostly to get Korra's touch off of her. The gentleness and concern was too overwhelming.
"Come on, girl. Let's get out of here so Asami can get changed." Korra called to her buddy as she moved away from the bed.
"You know, we have our own racecar track out back," Asami turned in her spot, the only thing covering her top being the thin sheet. Blue orbs quickly diverted their attention to the picture frame in the corner of the room. She kept her attention on a small frame, desperately trying to make out the small, grinning Asami. "How about a race?"
"I don't know, I really should be going now," Korra tried to excuse herself. All she wanted was to leave the stiff roomand Asami was clearly doing everything she could to stop her. "Plus, I don't think your dad would be too happy with me overstaying my welcome."
"Leave him to me. He's just salty that I'm having fun," Asami reassured her. Hiroshi wouldn't be too pleased with the girl, but Asami had been getting accustomed to Korra's company. Plus, the more she got Korra's guard down, the better it was for all of them in the long run.
"How about we make it interesting," Asami offered. "If I win, you have to stop getting jealous whenever I'm with Mako."
Korra was briefly stunned by the bluntness but quickly recovered. She was impressed at how forward Asami could be. "Alright, and what do I win?"
Asami rolled her shoulders out, stretching a bit before moving to her dresser to pull out the day's clothes. Slipping into her racing gear, Asami had to think of something that Korra would actually want from her.
"How about," Asami started as slipped her hands in her fitted gloves. "If you win, you can date Mako," Asami offered with a nonchalant shrug.
Korra took a moment to think this over. It had to be a trick. Why was she so willing to offer her boyfriend on a mere wager that she wasn't positive that she would win? There had to be something up her sleeve.
"Deal," Korra agreed with a smug smirk. She offered her hand and Asami took in her own, sealing the deal. Both offered a strong grip, not willing to show any sign of apprehension.
Korra saddled up on Naga's back and the thumping of a heavy tail indicated the polar bear dog's eagerness. Asami selected one of Future Industries newer cars, a line that was designed for drag racing. She adorned her personal helmet and snapped the goggles to her face.
"Three laps and the first to cross the finish line is the victor," Asami clarified the rules as she jammed the key in the ignition. Revving up the car, Asami felt excitement surging through her veins it came to life. A sly grin made its way across her face.
"On my mark. Ready. Set. GO!" Asami yelled over the roaring engine and gassed it.
Taking the lead, Asami made sure to stay directly in front of the other girl. Every time the avatar would move to the right, Asami positioned herself so she wouldn't be allowed to pass. The two soared through the track, burning rubber with every turn. A steady hand gripped the gear stick, shifting with perfect precision. The car purred beneath her as she maneuvered through the course with ease.
Two laps down. With at glimpse through her rearview mirror, Asami furrowed her brows in confusion. She knew that Korra had to be hiding something behind that eerie grin. Naga was on her tail, as she was since the start, but the smug look that the avatar was giving her told her she was plotting something. Focused emeralds shifted back to the path at the final turn. It was the last stretch.
Asami let out a shriek when the large beast jumped over her, landing just inches in front of her. The car groaned as she shifted gears in a rush, adjusting her speed to insure that she didn't run over a bouncing tail. Try as she might, she couldn't reclaim first. The giant dog took up more of the track that she had realized. On top of that, a wagging tail swept from left to right, swiping every attempt she made to get around. Even if she could manage to squeeze through the small passage at the outer side, it would only be a matter of time before Korra pulled off the same move.
"Dammit," Asami swore under her breath. There were only a few yards from the finish, leaving only seconds to make a decision. Ultimately, she knew that there was no way of passing her opponent without full out ramming the polar bear dog.
Sighing in defeat and embarrassment, Asami resigned. She slowed to a sad stop and Korra jumped from Naga's saddle. With her hands on her hips, Korra raised her chin with conceit.
"Well, well. Guess who just kicked your butt at your own game," Korra teased.
Asami rolled her eyes before removing her goggles and helmet in one swipe. Long locks flowed down her back and she took a few moments to fluff her hair back into perfection. The haughty grin slowly faded as bright eyes watched in amazement. She hated to admit it, but there was no denying Asami's outstanding beauty. It was no wonder why Mako fell head-over-heels for her. The thought alone made her heart clench.
"I wouldn't say you kicked my butt. That was a close call. I mean, I did have the lead for majority of the race," Asami tried to humble the avatar as she tore herself up inside.
"Winning by a mile or an inch makes no difference. I won in the end," Korra boasted.
"I underestimated you, Avatar Korra. How about we make it best out of three."
"You can't be serious; you know you're just going to lose," Korra stated without any restraint. As long as she could get in front of the taller girl it was a guaranteed win. Asami had have noticed that.
"Yeah, maybe in this thing," Asami said as she kicked the tire. "But, I think I want to try something else."
Korra raised a brow at the girl. Not one to back away from a challenge, she agreed with a tilt of her head. "You're on."
Korra wrestled with Naga for a bit as she waited for Asami to return. It was a few minutes after disappearing with the prototype that she returned in a form-fitting riding suit, saddled on a motorbike. Curious eyes drifted along the racer. If looks could kill, the Republic City population would be non-existent.
A dark visor covered Asami's smirk as she watched the bender eye her up. Even if she was born in the less fortunate half of society, at least she had something that even the great Avatar envied.
"How about just one lap," Asami bargained as she flipped her visor up. "We'll make this quick."
Hearing the confident voice snapped Korra out of her daze and she focused her attention back to Naga. "Are you sure? You'll just lose that much sooner," she taunted as she hopped up on her companion's back.
"Don't make me make you eat your words, Avatar."
The racers lined up and Korra started them off. Asami's bike didn't have as much speed or acceleration as the racecar but what it lacked it made up for in handling. As the first corner came up, Asami was allowed to take the corner at full speed. Leaning with the bike, she made it by with her leg mere inches from the asphalt. The slightest mistake and it would cost her the race and possibly her leg.
The distance between the racers shrank as the large animal started to show signs of exhaustion. Although she wasn't accustomed to racing against large mammals, she took advantage of the situation. Positioning herself behind Naga, she hid in the pocket of the airstream. Her bike may not have been as powerful or fast, but she was an expert at taking advantage of her surroundings.
Rounding each corner, Asami inched closer and closer as she drafted behind. Korra felt uneasy as the revving engine continued to get louder. Hands paled as the Water Tribe native gripped the reins, urging for more speed. Narrowed green eyes honed in on the final turn. Asami knew that this was her only chance to get in front of the other girl. Naga took the turns wide leaving which left space on the inner track. It would be cutting it close, but it was just enough space Asami to squeeze in. Leather groaned as she clutched the throttle and she whipped the handles to the left. With the sharp turn, she leaned with the vehicle, causing it to lie almost parallel to the ground. At such high speeds, the chi blocker had nearly lost control of the vehicle, but managed keep balance as she glided under the large belly of Korra's steed.
Korra panicked and almost pulled Naga to a stop when she thought she had thought they had trampled over her new friend. It was only seconds later that she mushed Naga into sprint at the sight of Asami pulling up her visor to give her a teasing wink.
"Cocky little son-of-a-" Korra laughed out loud as she urged Naga faster.
Korra watched as black hair whipped from out of under a helmet as Asami picked up speed in the last leg. Brown tresses flung around her as she shook her head to clear her thoughts. That damned hair. Korra hated how distracting it was.
There was a loud screeching as Asami spun her bike around, pulling to a halt after crossing the finish line. Korra slowed to a stop and with a tap of her shoulder, Naga knelt down. Korra leaned against the solid head so playful baby blues could meet bewitching kelly greens.
"Not too shabby for a daddy's girl," Korra teased. Endorphins coursed though her veins caused a semi-permanent smile to be plastered across her face.
"I'm more than meets the eye," Asami laughed and tossed her helmet at the girl.
Korra fumbled as she tried to catch it and tossed it back. Without missing a beat, Asami snatched it out of the air effortlessly. Korra arched a curious brow at the girl, curious to what else non-bender was hiding behind her prestigious appearance.
"WOO! Alright!" the pair heard from high in the stands. Bolin and Mako were cheering and applauding for their performance on the track. The two boys were stumbling over each other as they raced to the end of the bleachers towards the girls.
"I told you Asami would beat her, Bo," Mako pushed his brother out of the way and hopped over the ledge to give his girlfriend a congratulatory kiss.
"Hey!" Korra interjected, taking offense to his lack of faith.
Painted lips pecked Mako's lips before wrapping her arms around him. "Actually, she had beat me in the first round," she clarified. "We decided to make it best out of three."
Saddened eyes turned away from the couple and Korra's gut twisted. "Asami's just a sore loser. If she didn't think she was going to win, she shouldn't have wagered so much."
Asami raised a brow at the shorter girl, wondering if she was actually thinking about telling him about the winning pot. She pulled away from the firebender's warmth causing Mako gave her a perplexed look.
"Oh ho ho, now that's interesting," Bolin fell from the stands onto the tracks, joining the rest of the krew. Straightening himself up, he dusted his clothes off and gave an excited smile. "So, what did you guys bet?"
"Nothing of importance," Asami answered before Korra could say anything. Just as Korra was going to protest, a small squeeze on her bicep instructed against it.
"Oh, oh! I know! So, it's best out of three, right?" Bolin asked with zeal and a small jump. "How about Mako and I take care of the tie breaker?"
Excited green eyes darted around from person to person but was greeted by silence. "No, come on, think about it. Mako can take the bike and I'll just ride on Naga. Would that make things so much more interesting?"
"Come on, little bro, just let it go," Mako tried to convince him to drop it.
"No, that does sounds interesting." Korra looked up at the two and gave Asami a challenging look, daring her to turn it down.
"You better not lose," Asami whispered in a husky voice. Crimson lips brushed against his earlobe as she spoke and a chill ran down Mako's spine. Full of determination, he took the helmet from Asami's hands and sauntered over toward his ride. Confidence oozed from his being.
The bending brothers took their marks at the starting line. Mako was busy fumbling with his helmet when Bolin decided to get a head start. Galloping in front of Mako, Bolin let out a cheerful laugh. Sharp brows furrowed in anger at the cheat move. It took a while, but he found his balance and zoomed after his brother.
"I can't believe you wanted to let them race," Asami laughed as she settled herself beside Korra. The two took to watching the showdown from the stands where they could get a clearer view.
"What? What better way to determine whom Mako ends up with than Mako himself?" Korra leaned forward onto her elbows, watching with anticipation. Taking an opposite position, Asami leaned back against the stands and admired the view.
A small commotion could be heard from the tracks as the boys started their race and Korra's booming laugh echoed after it. Unbeknownst to Korra, a concentrated gaze was focused her toned back. Inspecting eyes scanned the sharp shoulder blades that poked out from her shirt. The flexed muscles were beckoning to be examined. Lost in a daze, Asami didn't even realize she had stretched her arm out until she made contact with the soft material of the skin-tight shirt. With a slight tilt in her head, curious eyes turned to face the Equalist.
"T-There was something on your shoulder." Pretending to pick off a piece of lint, Asami dusted off the solid muscle and gave a reassuring smile. Raising her eyebrows, Korra shrugged her shoulders, dismissing the gesture. Both of their attentions were reverted back to the track as the racers turned down the second corner.
It was obvious that the poor polar bear dog was exhausted. Her strides were getting sloppy and she was losing speed, fast. Her early burst of energy turned into a quick jog and Mako used the opportunity to gas it. Cranking the throttle to the max, Mako lowered his body to the vehicle in attempts to close the gap between him and his opponent. Although Mako was somewhat familiar with bikes, he was no Asami. Overestimating his abilities, he realized only a little too late that he had misjudged and fell when the bike collapsed beneath him.
Two pairs of worried eyes widened in shock as girls bolted from their seats, rushing to the edge of the stands. There was a rough scratching noise when the bike was tossed off of the rider and Mako emerged from beneath it seemingly unscathed. Asami was surprised that he could still stand after taking that corner with so much speed; she was almost convinced that he was immune to bike injuries. With a sigh of relief, Asami fell back into a seat and relaxed her eyes. "Well, I guess we know who won then."
"Umm..." Korra paused for a moment as she saw her animal companion come charging at her. "I wouldn't be too sure about that."
At the sight of her best friend, Naga sprinted towards the stands. Bolin was desperately trying to hold on to the saddle as he flailed about but was bucked off as she jumped up to tackle her master.
"Whoa, down girl," Korra tried to get the dog off of her. She was assaulted by licks and tried to catch her breath. "Stop it, let me up."
Laughter echoed through the empty stands and Asami couldn't help but chuckle at Korra's expense.
"Oh, so you think this is funny, do you?" Korra managed to get out between nuzzles. Grabbing the large muzzle between her hands, Korra turned the bear's face toward the other girl. "I think Asami needs some kisses, too, don't you?"
Naga was hesitant at first but when Korra looked at her so expectantly, she caved and switched targets. Wide eyes and a furrowed brow displayed Asami's disgust as she scrambled to get away from the creature.
"This is so not fair," Asami deadpanned after her face and hair were covered in slobber. The thick substance acted as a gel as it slicked her bangs back over her head.
Naga looked between the two and plopped her head down on Asami's chest. The weight of Naga's head knocked the wind out of Asami but she timidly lifted her hand to stroke the fur between her eyes. Korra wore a blinding smile when she saw the ends of Asami's red lips curl into a small grin.
"I guess it's a tie then," Korra spoke as she turned her attention back to the aftermath.
Mako had moved from the crash site to help Bolin up and once the boys were assured the other was okay, they started a footrace to the finish line. The waterbender couldn't help but laugh as she watched her teammates knock each other over as they scrambled to be first.
"It was stupid, anyway," Asami agreed.
Asami tried to move from her spot to see what was going on but Naga made it impossible. The chi blocker wondered how this gentle giant was the same animal that had attacked her just a few hours ago. It was apparent that Naga held the Avatar's trust in high regard, at least high enough to override her natural instincts. With a whistle, Naga moved from her spot and freed her new friend. She positioned herself between the two girls and a powerful tail thumped against the seats. Finally freed, Asami sat up and attempted to calm her unruly hair.
"It really was," Korra spoke, turning to the other girl with a small smile. "I can't believe we even agreed to it in the first place, now that I think about it."
Asami let out a sigh of relief and stood from her spot. Bolin was making the once pristine track into a small mountain range and she needed to stop them before it became a warzone. She had to make sure that they cleaned it up or she'd have to face the wrath of her father.
"Well," she dusted off her suit and wrestled a bit more with her hair. "I should go make sure they don't kill each other."
The remaining audience watched as the team sponsor made her way down to the arena. Despite Korra's day starting off on the wrong foot, it was one that she would not soon forget. "Looks like we misjudged her, doesn't it, girl?" Korra whispered to her best friend, giving her a big hug.
With that, the first drop of guilt started trickling through the Equalist's veins. What Asami didn't know was that it was only a matter of time before she'd find herself drowning in it with no one to save her.
A/N: I'm SO sorry for the long wait. I forgot to tell you I was going on vacation and I had no time to get any writing done. I really wanted to get this out to you sooner. Also, I want to say thanks to all of you who follow me on tumblr and this chapter is to commemorate 500 followers! WOO! (I have no idea how that happened...)
I was planning on running this story parallel to the show (as I usually like to do) but felt that I should be more "creative" and deviate a little bit; it is an AU after all. Hopefully it'll be a little more exciting. If you don't like the change, let me know and I'll switch back. Either/or works for me.
On another note, though, I really would appreciate feedback to this story. What do you guys think of the characters and the pace? Is it too fast? Too slow? What do you want to see more of? Anything would help, really. I hope this chapter is up to your standards! Thanks for reading! You guys are the best.