Air Temple Island was still. With the airbending family busying themselves with meditations, Korra was finishing her seventh lap around the island. She ran away, quite literally, from the end of the day meditation to take a moment to get away from her thoughts. Despite what Tenzin has insisted, sitting and stewing over things really wasn't going to get her anywhere. Not that running was proving to be any better.
It's just a coincidence, she told herself. You're being an idiot.
Exhaustion was settling in and she felt her legs threaten to buckle beneath her. She only continued to push harder. The coolness of the night started to settle in and city lights took over the horizon. Korra slowed to a stop and fell straight into the ground. The warmth of the sand drained into the night air and it felt good against her clammy skin. An exhausted body slumped lower and lower until her cheek rested against the ground. Heavy eyes stared out to the horizon as she focused her attention on crashing waves. The clamor in her mind calmed as the serene ambience enveloped her completely. A soft patting could be heard as Naga made her way over.
"It wasn't her, right, girl?" she asked. She avoided looking directly at the polar bear dog.
Korra let out a groan when a strong nuzzle bumped her and rolled her over. Sand stuck to her body and coated her in a second skin. She hardly had the energy to look up but managed to give a sharp glare and spat out a mouthful of sand. Innocent eyes looked at her, expecting a reward for her actions. When she got none, Korra was presented with another nudge.
"Alright, alright!" Korra glared at her again and stood up. She could feel her knees start to give under her so she leaned against the mountain that was her best friend. "I'm telling you, it's not her though."
With a bit of encouragement from Naga's nagging, Korra decided to head to the Sato manor to clear the air. Her hands twitched at her side as she nervousness settled in. Despite double backing a couple of times, she eventually was standing at the large metal gate.
If one ever wanted to feel tiny, all they needed to do was approach the Sato estate; the property stretched for what seemed like miles in every direction, including up. There was a slim chance you could make it to the door without getting turned away, but even standing at the entrance would dwarf even a beast like Naga.
That is exactly what it did to Korra. She felt small and insignificant. This, loaded with her apprehension about seeing Asami, twisted her stomach, turning it inside out. One step at a time, Korra dragged herself to her destination. From her last visit, she should've learned that unexpected visits weren't particularly welcomed, but with a hop, a step, and a jump later, she climbed through the window of what she knew was Asami's bedroom.
It was empty. There was no sign of the girl anywhere or even a trace that she had been in it at all that night. A lazy hand skimmed the top of the large vanity as she looked around. She shook her head with an amused smile at the makeup that sat tidily in a row. It bemused her how Asami could bother with it all. All of the money and time it took to learn something so complicated could be used toward something more practical like food or a cool belt or food.
Korra continued to scan the room, ending up at the large, wooden dresser in the corner. Small knick-knacks littered the top; a flier from the finals last night along with an iron-on badge of the Future Industries logo was placed next to a small figure of what looked to be the unagi. Down the line, she examined all the trinkets until her attention was drawn to the portrait that sat in the corner.
Unlike the massive father/daughter painting that oversaw every movement in the hallway, the pocket-sized photo had seen better days. Before it had been framed, it had been folded and refolded countless times evidenced by the frayed creases and the yellowing along the boarder. Behind the glass held a memory of a distant past that had been revisited many a times, preserved so it could be visited many more.
With a single glance, any and all doubts that she had previously about Asami and her past were washed away with the sense of nostalgia. Long, wavy hair was pinned up as the elder Sato woman carried a tiny Asami in her arms. The resemblance between Yasuko and the Asami today was uncanny. Both had a smile that radiated warmth but not hot enough to burn away their soft features; it was refined but nonetheless genuine. It was something of a contrast to the unadulterated grin of the small child sitting in her lap.
Korra took one last look before placing it back in its original spot with a heavy heart. It was refreshing to see Mrs. Sato again. What she could remember of her was less of what she looked like and more of how she looked. The smile that she wore in the photo reminded brought memories rushing to the forefront of her mind. She recalled the way that she would greet the two when they would excitedly show her their latest find, her stern eyes whenever they found themselves causing trouble for the other kids, the warmth of welcoming arms after playing all day; every single memory she held proved what a loss her death was.
The ticking of the grandfather clock echoed through the hall and through her skull. Each tick made every second feel longer than the last. Korra knocked her feet back and forth in time as she sat on the wooden floor. Once the clock signaled that it was eight, she jumped up from her spot and headed out into the hall. Since the curfew forbidding any non-bender to be out was put into place, Korra figured that Asami had to be in the house.
Screw it, she thought to herself. She stepped into the hallway, wondering which way to explore.
Despite being in the manor on several occasions, Korra still didn't have a firm grasp on the layout. She knew where the bathroom, kitchen, and annex were, but everything else was lost to her. She didn't have many choices about where to search so decided to head to her favorite place: the kitchen.
Thoughts of raiding the fridge caused a smile to creep on her face as footfalls pitter-pattered. Korra knew that the fridge contained mostly unprepared food, waiting for someone to create a meal out of it, but if she were lucky she'd be able to find something with a little more substance than the leaves Pema had been feeding her. Good ol' fashion red meat, the midnight snack of champions. Just the thought of it made her stomach growl so she quickened her pace. Grinning, she dashed down the halls.
Just as Korra turned the corner, the last stretch before her destination, she heard a familiar voice. She took an embarrassingly long pause before she changed course. Food was important, but she couldn't forgo the reason she was there in the first place. The feeling in the pit of her stomach shifted from hunger to that of unease.
What if Asami really was an Equalist?
Voices became clearer and she was careful not to make her presence known.
"–and your arm, what if you had lost it?" a low voice spoken.
"But I didn't," Asami's voice answered, unperturbed. "I'm fine and our message was received. I'd say that overall that it was a success."
"Asami!" he boomed. Korra recoiled, pulling her ear from the door. "You are not to put yourself in the line of fire again." The younger Equalist would've laughed at the wordplay but knew nothing good would come of that.
"So, what? Just sit back and watch others finish what I had started?"
"I will not have you go back out there!" The booming of his voice echoed in the hallowed halls. Silence followed. "If you will not stand down, I will have Amon remove you from the cause, completely."
Korra stood in her spot, shell-shocked. It took a moment, but she eventually willed her feet to take her away before she was discovered. The continued argument became muffed as she slipped away and out the window she came from.
The week following the attack, both Asami and Hiroshi had their hands full running Future Industries. There was a sharp increase in sales with the fall of Cabbage Corp. Lau Gan-Lan was taken into police custody when speculation about manufacturing of Equalist weapons and supplies in their factories arose. After a thorough investigation, Future Industries also came under scrutiny.
The Sato family had gotten out scot-free with a well-formulated cover. It wasn't as if they hadn't had time to prepare and clean out their headquarters since it had been Asami that left the anonymous tip. It came at a cost of a few hundred electric gloves and a dozen or so bikes, but it was a small price to pay when it meant that they step out from under the spotlight.
A sense of serenity had finally returned around the Sato estate. The halls felt empty since most of its residents were too busy with their own matters. Hiroshi spent his time at the office rather than at home and Mako was making up for the loss of the championship pot by picking up more shifts at the power plant. Bolin came and went as he pleased. He often spent most of the day teaching Pabu a few tricks to pull in a little extra income, even if it were only a few yuans a day. Even Korra frequented less since Tarrlok's task force kept her busy as they tore through the city, trying to clean up any signs of the rebellion. The small sense of normality reminded Asami of a time before she was thrown into this huge mess.
Asami took the day off to lounge in the library. Towers of bookshelves rose over her as she curled up into one of the armchairs. She pulled a worn blanket from the back of the chair and draped it over her shoulders. Even though it was slightly too warm to be comfortable, reading time would not be the same without it. The beams of sunlight that filtered through the large windows provided Asami with enough light to be at ease as she brought her knees to her chest and rested her chin atop.
"You said you'd read to me an hour ago!" Asami complained. A tiny hand guided Yasuko down the hallways with urgency. It was her favorite part of the day. Well, second favorite part of the day since the park had quickly worked its way to number one.
"You know, if you had helped with the dishes, we could've started reading earlier," Yasuko upbraided. Yet, she allowed herself to be guided to the small girl's bedroom. There wasn't much besides the bed and a desk. An armchair was squeezed in in the corner and Yasuko took her seat. Asami shuffled through her small collection of books and handed her their latest adventure. As Yasuko found their page, Asami wrapped herself up in her blanket and looked up at her with anticipation.
Yasuko cleared her throat and smiled. "The princess was torn. What could she do now? There really was no other choice. Risking everything she believed in, she– "
"What'chu reading?" Bolin asked curiously. Asami was startled out of her chair. She had fallen asleep in the middle of reading one of her favorite novels. Making sure to hide the title, she shoved her worn copy of The Cave of Two Lovers beneath the blanket before making sure there was no trace of drool from her nap. She'd rather die than get caught with such a sappy romance novel.
"Just a little history about earthbending," she said with a shrug. She tucked a small tuff of hair behind her ear as she collected herself.
"Oh, oh! Let me see!" Bolin cried excitedly as he motioned toward the book. Asami snatched it away and held it behind her back with a small laugh. He cocked his brow in suspicion and reached for it again.
"You won't like it, trust me. It's all technical stuff. It's the mechanics of it all, really. It's more of a non-bender take of it all." Asami tried to bore Bolin out of the idea as she slowly tiptoed away from the boy.
"Hey, I might not be the brightest tool in the shed–" he paused. "No, that's not right. Shiniest?" Bolin rubbed his chin.
"Sharpest." Asami answered for him with a light laugh.
"Po-tay-to, po-tah-to," Bolin brushed off. "Anyway, a buffing up on my earthbending studies couldn't hurt."
Asami eyed the outstretched hand and cocked an eyebrow at him. There were dozens of books in the library that he could learn from, yet he seemed adamant on getting this one from her. She didn't budge.
At a stalemate, Bolin resorted to playing dirty. Asami's will waned at his indisputable puppy dog pout. How could she resist such a face? Droopy eyes and a pouty lip, it was almost heartbreaking. The book started slipping from her grip as her resolve faded.
"I don't know, Bolin. If–" she started only to be interrupted.
"OH! Pai sho!" Bolin exclaimed with excitement when he caught a glimpse of the board in the corner of his eye. His attention was shifted to the new distraction and all those mushy feelings quickly dissipated.
Asami blinked in confusion, broken from the trance. With a small chuckle, she dismissed it and moved her gaze to the board that had not been touched in years. She and her father used to spend most of their free time playing, until the Equalist revolution took over their lives. After shaking her head to free her from nostalgia, Asami placed the book out of view, slipping it between the pillow and armrest, and moved to the board.
There were two chairs around the table and the board still held its last match. She picked a worn tile, running her thumb over the smoothed crevices, before flipping it and snatching it out of the air. "Think you can take me?"
Not even a dozen moves into the game, Bolin started to get bored of the game. He picked at his nails while he waited for Asami to make her move. He had been pumped for a compelling game, but when he found that Asami was possibly the slowest player in pai sho history, his excitement quickly diminished. He wanted to call her out on it, but after losing three games, he felt that he had lost the right to. Now reaching their 8th game, Bolin was finding any way to distract the tactician. "You know, Mako thinks you're mad at him."
Asami let out a hum as she placed her tile down and examined the board. She kept her finger on piece until she was sure of her move. With a small nod she released and looked back up at the teen. "And why is that?"
Before she could finish her sentence, it was her turn again. Bolin was clearly a creature of habit, not changing his ways even despite his losses.
"He thinks you're avoiding him. Always complaining how he has to share the only time he gets with you with all of us. Blah, blah, blah." Asami took a few moments to ponder her next move as Bolin continued. "I mean, I get it, but I personally just think that he's overreacting." There was a small pause. "I mean– he's just overreacting, right?"
Warm laughter filled the room when Asami saw Bolin's look of concern. She placed her tile in its spot and gave him a smile. "Yes, Bolin. He's just overreacting."
"I knew you still loved us!" Bolin laughed. Having more than enough of his fill of the game, pounced onto the girl to pull her into a tight hug. Asami came crashing out of her seat along with the board and all its soldiers. Neither of them particularly cared, both knowing who would've won anyway.
"Ahem," Korra cleared her voice as she stood in the doorway. The ends of her lips twitched as she fought against a grin. "Am I interrupting something?"
The pair froze and turned to greet the new voice. Bolin had Asami in a headlock after she had ruffled his hair and she was struggling to free herself from his tight grip. "Nope, not at all. Care to join us?" Bolin offered and extended his other arm.
"I'm good," Korra dismissed with a laugh and a wave. Worn from the week she'd been having, she lacked her normally high energy. "I was kind of hoping I could talk to Asami, though. Alone?"
Bolin and Asami looked at each other neither knowing what was going on. Bolin raised his brows in question only to get a shrug in response. Releasing Asami from his grip, Bolin pushed her in Korra's direction with a sly wink. "She's all yours."
Asami glared back at him as she stumbled forward. Once she regained her footing, she flattened any stray hair strands and made a conscious effort to grab her book before they left.
"You guys seem to be getting along well," Korra started as they walked side-by-side down the hallway.
A loud commotion came from the back door as they heard Bolin tripping his way back to the annex. "SORRY! I'm so sorry!" he called out to no one in particular. "I'll replace that!"
They paused, looked at each other, and let out a laugh. "Yeah, he's great. It's easy to relax around him.
Korra frowned, wondering if that meant that it wasn't the case for Mako and her. "You know, Mako thinks you're avoiding him."
"Ugh," she groaned and rolled her eyes. Irritation seeped through to her words. "Why does everyone keep telling me that? It's not like I don't have other things to worry about in my life. I mean, he's busy, I'm busy, why should I have to schedule my day around him?"
"Whoa, whoa. I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by that." Korra held her hands up in surrender, signaling that she hadn't meant to hit the obviously sour spot with the girl.
Asami placed her novel on a decorative table in the hall. She let out a sigh and turned her gaze away. Asami had grown up alone; even her friends were always kept at a distance. She wasn't used to having to explain her actions or having to tell people her schedule. She was fairly new to this dating thing so it the fact that Mako was her boyfriend often slipped her mind. If she could, she would've just broken up with him so Korra could date him. Korra was true to her cause and wore her heart on her sleeve. Honest to a fault, almost brutally so, she would undoubtedly make a better girlfriend that Asami was.
The stiff silence dissipated as the pair made their way out to the garden. Asami took a deep breath as she soaked up the warmth of the sun. For the briefest of moments, she relaxed. It was a nice day out. The sky was clear with a few passing clouds and, paired with the cool breeze, it couldn't have been better. The two walked beside each other, neither exactly sure of what to say. Asami took a seat under the shade of the giant gingko tree near the pond and made herself comfortable. When Korra didn't follow suit, she looked up questioningly.
"Something on your mind?" she asked. Asami was not blind to Korra's stolen and almost wary glances. It was unlike Korra to keep her distance as of late. After their little stint at the beach, an inkling of a friendship seemed to have begun budding. The uncertainty she felt pulled her back to when they had first met.
"So, you're not avoiding Mako." Korra clarified after a brief pause. She loomed over the other girl, still refusing to take a seat. "Okay, I get that, but you've been avoiding me, haven't you." Korra asked in more of a statement than a question.
"What?" Asami asked, raising a brow. "No, of course not."
The passing breeze sent a chill down her spine and she let out a shiver causing the girl to shift in her seat. It was boarding on paranoia, but the strategist's mind already started planning escape routes. Eyes darted around, searching for the quickest escape; a force of habit that had saved her skin more than once.
"Asami, I know that–"
"Korra, look, I should go. I really need–" she rose from her spot and dusted off her pants with nonchalance and a light smile.
"We know that Cabbage Corp. was a scapegoat. Someone planted evidence on them." Out of the corner of her eye, Korra saw the hiccup in Asami's step. She knew she had hit the nail on the head. "Tarrlok has interrogated majority of the workers and no one seemed to have any idea. The materials don't match up with the stock in the factories. There isn't enough power to generate such mass manufacture–"
"Korra, what are you getting at?
Ignoring the question, she kept going. Her voice continued to gain confidence and certainty. "The thing that has everyone stumped is how the Equalists could have gotten the equipment through the stadium security. There was no suspicious activity or persons to be found."
"Korra–"
"That was up until I made a sweep after everyone cleared out," she continued without a hitch. "I ran into a single Equalist that came for cleanup duty. I have to admit, she was quite impressive. I was worried for a moment. I was almost beat, but I remembered I had a trick up my sleeve." Solemn eyes focused on Asami's near expressionless face. "Naga always has my back."
Her body tensed when she realized that Korra had figured it out. The gears in her head set in motion and Asami took a step back. She circled around the girl until she was aligned with the nearest exit.
"Well, that's what I thought, at least," she added. "For the first time since I rescued her she didn't step up to the job. You see, for some odd reason, she didn't want to hurt the Equalist. In fact, she had only shown such strange behavior once before. But, the funny thing is, that it was the exact opposite reaction. Remember the first time I had spent the night here?"
Asami's back smarted at the memory and she scanned the grounds for any sign of the beast. Sweaty palms were tempted to ball into a fist, yet she fought against it. She held onto the small thread of hope that she could find some way to talk her way out.
"She's not here," Korra reassured her with exasperated sigh. Still, the Equalist could not relax. Sharp eyes bore into Korra's, never once leaving her face.
"I'm sure there has to be an explanation–"
"The evidence is damning!" Korra yelled. The spray from her mouth only reaffirmed her aggravation. She shifted her stiff jaw and took a breath; tears pooled in her eyes. Quick as a hawk, her hand darted out and gripped Asami's wrist. She spared no time in yanking her sleeve up. A scorch mark tattooed itself on Asami's forearm up to her elbow. The exact spot she had expected it to be. She had excepted yet hoped against.
Twisting her arm out of Korra's grip, Asami maneuvered away and took a stance, waiting for her attack. Seconds passed yet none came. Asami had to take initiative. Knowing well that if Korra relayed any of the information back to the RCPD their whole operation would be blown. Not only that, but bringing her down would also raise suspicion with her father as well. They were too close to lose it all because of a stupid dog.
It was time for a change of plans. With a deep breath, Asami cleared her mind and charged forward. The Avatar stepped away and dodged her attacks. Each swing grew sloppier and continued to miss its mark. It took all of her concentration to keep her anxiety from throwing off her game. Thought of Korra blowing her cover and ruining everything overwhelmed her thoughts until finally a solid punch landed on the side of Korra's jaw. The solid body stumbled back.
"I know you have more fight in you than that," Asami taunted. "Hit me!"
Sorrowful eyes tore at Asami but still, no assault came. Asami let out a grown of frustration and threw another punch Korra's way. A well timed sidestep saved the bender from another blow but she gave no other reaction.
"You still upset about the stadium thing? Because here's your chance to get a little payback." Her voice was wavered as she continued to goad her. She needed her to attack. She wouldn't be able to take her down if she didn't.
"I'm not going to hit you. I came to warn you."
"Warn me?" She asked with sad laugh. "Have you forgotten that I tried to kill you?"
The equalist wasn't going to drop her guard, no matter what Korra had to offer. She didn't understand the game that Korra was playing at. Korra held vital information to take down the revolution, but she still came to her first. There was enough evidence to warrant a search of the manor that would lead to the immediate shut down of Future Industries yet she didn't take it to the authorities. Her voice dropped but never her arms. Green eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why are you telling me this all of this?"
"You have put yourself in a risky position, Asami. You're going to be in a lot of danger. I just don't want to anything bad to happen to you."
"You can't actually believe that we're friends." Asami's voiced cracked but she continued anyway. "I knew who you were when this all started. Can't you see? I've been using you. I've been using you and Mako and Bolin."
Korra had wished against wishes that it was all a joke, but she had figured so much. Looking at the desperation in her eyes, she searched for a clue, for anything to tell her it wasn't so. She was afraid to hear how unstable her voice had become but spoke up. "I don't believe you."
"Don't be daft. Why else would I even bother with the lot of you?" Asami spat. Eyes narrowed as they started to water. "What else could you offer me?"
Each word stung worse than a buzzard wasp. She would have rather have gotten stunned by an Equalist glove a hundred times over than have that been the case. But, there was a slight tremble in Asami's voice. It betrayed her words and Korra was not convinced. A small glint of hope nestled in her chest. She held on tightly.
"Why are you lying?!" Korra challenged.
Asami continued to circle her, slowly pushing her back. The punches had stopped when she realized that it wasn't going anywhere. She came at her with a new angle. Arms gestured to the space around her. "What could two vagabond teens and a half-baked Avatar have to offer that I could possibly want?"
Words hit harder than any of her training had prepared her for. She finally decided to punch back. "Stop hiding behind your wealth and status, Asami. Let's see what you really have." She took a step forward, Asami took one back in unison. "A father that works all day, a house too big for comfort, a staff you pay to be around you. You're too prideful to admit it. You're lonely."
To Korra's surprise, the woman took a step forward instead of back. Instead of a punch, a slap burned across her cheek. Asami grabbed the collar of her shirt, nearly choking her as she was pulled closer.
"Don't speak to me as if you know me."
"What's wrong?" Korra shifted her jaw, soothing the sting. "I know you better than you thought?"
There was no response. Narrowed eyes stared down at her and the grip on her shirt tightened. Asami's shallow breath slowed as she regained her composure.
"Asami–"
"Enough." Asami pushed Korra back up against the tree behind her and took a step back. "Here's your chance. I have no more tricks up my sleeve."
"Asami, I'm not going to fight–"
Korra's sentence was cut short with a fist straight to her already stinging cheek. Anger started building within the Equalist again. She hated how benders always felt they were above them. She threw another punch, just grazing her shoulder as Korra moved away.
"Fight back."
Korra made no attempts to even move as she took the hit aimed at her collarbone. An array of emotions flitted across Asami's face and she knew that determination, and determination alone, was what was driving Asami forward at that point. Another punch came her way but held significantly less force, as did the next. She could feel the trail of blood trickling down from the corner of her split lip. Still, she did nothing to counter.
"I promised," Korra kept Asami's gaze and wore a solemn smile. She lifted her hands and Asami didn't bother to take a step back.
Relieved that Korra was going to put up a fight, Asami welcomed the first punch. Only, it never came. Calloused hands reached to cup her cheeks and awkward thumbs attempted to wipe away fallen tears. Asami's trembling hands moved to remove them from her face and wrapped loosely around Korra's wrists. Thumbs rubbed desperately against her pulse point. Asami needed her anchor.
"I promised I would protect you." The strong heartbeat pounded steadily.
"What?" Asami asked and her face warped confusion. "What are you even–"
"And besides, how could anyone hit someone as snazzy as you?"
Asami froze in disbelief. She dropped the other girl's hands as years of pent up emotions boiled to the surface. Her fist shook as she tried to control it but it ended up controlling her. Breaking point.
"It was you," Asami spat with disdain through gritted teeth. That was the last thing Korra could recall before Asami nailed her right in the nose.
A/N: Sorry for the delay. A huge thank you to all of you that continue to read this and those that are just finding this story now. Here's a short chapter that I hope you enjoy. Let me know what you guys think. :]
Shout out to tumblr user baron-von-fancy for looking this over, also to all those that messaged me about being a beta. You guys seriously rock.