Korra groaned as she rolled over and tried to sit up. Her eyes opened slowly, taking their time to adjust to the light. A hand shot straight up to feel her nose. Swollen and quite possibly broken, she looked around for a mirror. As she scanned the room, she had to do a double take when she spotted an Equalist sitting in the corner. Korra jumped straight into alert and raised both of her her hands to her face only to drop them when she saw who it was. Asami was sitting mask-less as she fiddled with a lighter in her hand; an empty pack of cigarettes lay discarded next to a half-full ashtray.
"Those will kill you," Korra said as she continued to scan the room. She walked over to the small bathroom opposite the sitting girl. There really wasn't much at the vanity, hand soap and some other toiletries. There wasn't even a towel.
"A lot of things will kill you," Asami responded. She tossed the lighter onto the table and leaned against the door of the bathroom.
The tap ran loudly and provided a much needed distraction as Korra tried to mend her broken nose. It was unpleasant but after a few tries, she carefully set it back into place. The water turned red as it drained into the sink, but she got it back to what she wanted. More or less. She was just happy she could breathe easily again. Korra gracelessly wiped her face on her arm and turned to the other girl. Her hand kept fiddling at her nose.
"Are you alright?" Korra asked with a smile.
Asami rolled her eyes and kicked off the doorframe. "I should be the one asking you that." The Equalist unwrapped her scarf and tossed it to Korra, gesturing at her face to wipe it dry. With a small laugh, Korra dried her face, glad that it was red so she didn't have to worry too much about staining.
"What? No kiss to make it better?" The joke was lost on the crowd. All she got back in response was an icy glare. "So, where are we?"
"It doesn't matter," a curt reply.
"Are we going to talk about it?" she tried again. Korra was just glad everything was out in the open. Holding these secrets to herself was doing a number on her.
"Nope." That was not exactly the answer she was hoping for.
Asami ripped the scarf from Korra's hands and threw it in the corner. She then threw herself on the bed and pointed at the door.
Korra looked at the door before turning to the window. The back of Future Industries could be seen down the block. Judging by the sky, it was well past her curfew. "So, that's it then?"
"Yep."
Fingers drummed steadily on Asami's arm and she reflexively curled up tighter against slender body. Silence was their new norm now, and although Mako was glad they've been able to spend more time with each other, each moment felt like Asami was dreading it. They never talked or went out. The four of them didn't play around the manor and since the probending season was over, Mako spent most of his time at work. He wanted to savor his precious free moments.
"So, what do you want to do?" He asked, trying to at least get a conversation started.
Asami just shrugged, keeping her eyes closed as she took a moment to relax. Things were strained between them. She could never tell how much he knew about her, how much Korra had told him. He was still pleasant towards her so she had to assume he still knew next to nothing. Asami couldn't believe that Korra really wasn't going to report her. She was a fool.
"Bolin said you're pretty good at paisho, you up for a couple of rounds?" Mako said. He shifted in his seat prompting Asami to move off of him. He moved to get up. "He's not that great so I'll probably be more of a challenge," he said with a playful laugh.
"Not right now," she responded. To go back into the main manor and grab the table seemed like too much of a journey at the moment. All she wanted to do was relax a little. Maybe even take a nap. If only Mako could shut his mouth.
"How about we head to Republic City Park and see what's going on there. Sunday's are always pretty exciting." Mako grabbed his scarf before offering his hand to Asami.
The park was the absolute last place Asami wanted to be. There were too many memories haunting the place. They had already started seeping into the little bit of sleep she got. Asami took a deep breath, Mako was turning out to be not the distraction that she needed. "No, not today. I'm not in the mood."
"Well, what are you in the mood for?" he asked. He was running low on ideas and even lower on patience. His girlfriend has been in a funk for the last week, giving no indication that she was ever going to snap out of it.
"Can't we just sit here in peace for a few moments?" Asami narrowed her eyes, shifting in her seat. "I've had a long couple of days and I just wanted to relax here quietly with my boyfriend, was that too much to ask?"
It really wasn't. It's just that Mako has been trying to get Asami out and moving or at least talking to him. He hadn't the faintest idea what was going through her head, he was just trying to find a jumping point. "Can we at least try to talk about what's really bothering you? Is it about all the Equalist stuff going on now? You know it's only going to be a matter of time until Korra and Tarrlok get it under control, right?"
Asami set her jaw and got up from her spot. "You know what? I'm just going to head back to my room. I'm sure you could hang out with Bolin for a while. Head to the park, I'm sure he said that Pabu was having a show today."
"Babe," Mako called out, reaching for her hand before she slipped away. "Babe, wait. You can trust me, you know that right? I just want to help."
"Well, you're not." Asami quickened her pace as she headed out the door. She gave him a hard look before stepping out.
"What is your problem? Are you mad at me?" Mako called out. He started towards the door. "What happened?"
"Nothing! It has nothing to do with you. I just don't have time to deal with this right now," she called back from the hall. Asami rubbed her temples and took a deep breath. She slowly turned around, defeated.
"Deal with what? Deal with me? Deal with us?" Mako gripped the door frame, channeling his frustration.
"No," Asami shook her head, not knowing how to get her point across. It was frustrating. She knew she was being difficult but she couldn't help it. "Wait, I mean yes. I don't want to deal with you right now."
"So, that's it then?" The wood creaked under pressure. Smoke rose from the charring frame.
"What's it?" Asami asked, confused.
"You're done with me?"
"What? I didn't even say that!" Frustrated, Asami wanted to stomp her foot like a child.
"Yes, yes you did! You said you can't deal with me." Mako started gesturing between the two of them, not trusting himself to accidentally set the room on fire.
"I definitely can't deal with you like this." Asami clarified. "You're being too needy."
"Needy? I'm just trying to be supportive. What do you want from me?"
"Just, leave me alone."
"You can't be serious."
"I'm serious. I'm leaving. Have a nice day."
"Hey, Asa—" Bolin passed Asami in the hallway. He cocked his head in confusion as she gave him no acknowledgement.
"So, I see you two are getting along well," he joked as we dropped his duffle bag on the floor. Pabu scrambled out of it, making his way to his small jungle gym set up in the corner.
"Oh, yeah, just peachy." Mako started grabbing clothes strewn about the room, tossing them into one corner. "Don't unpack that bag just yet, Bo. We're moving."
"We're moving? Where are we moving?" Unfazed by Mako's statement, he started unloading Pabu's small circus. He dropped a few yuans into the jar in on the table.
"Asami and I just broke up, we gotta get out of here."
"Asami and I didn't just break up, I'm sure I can still stay. Right, Pabu?" Bolin joked as he plopped himself down on the couch. He glanced back at Mako, taking note of his serious expression. "No. No! We can't move out of here! I can't go back to that stinky gym! Where else am I going to have a butler towel me down after a swim, where am I going to get free five course dinners?"
"We, uh..." Mako stuttered. "Yeah, we can't exactly go back to the gym either. Toza said we can't go back until we've at least paid what we owe him."
"So, back on the streets because you pissed off your insanely rich girlfriend?" Bolin sighed in resignation. He started gathering his belongings, starting with Pabu's circus.
"I didn't do anything! I have no idea why she's so mad! She won't tell me what's wrong with her." Mako tried to defend himself.
"That's probably the reason," Bolin mumbled to Pabu. "Men, am I right?" Pabu nodded his head as if he understood and let out a squeak of agreement.
"So... Korra." Mako said as he dropped a bag on the ground. "It turns out we're out of a home right now, Bo and I were hoping that we could crash with you guys on Air Temple Island until we found our own place?"
Korra wouldn't say she was upset that the boys had interrupted her meditation segment. Tenzin had left her to her own devices, quoting 'she needed more self-discipline.' She wasn't doing anything besides looking out at the city.
"What happened to staying with Asami?" She asked as she dusted off her pants. "Is she alright?"
"I'm sure she's fine." He said with a shrug. It's not like he could offer her any information that she didn't know. He swore it was like talking to a brick wall sometimes. "It's just that we're not on the best of terms and I want to intrude in her space any more."
Korra raised an eyebrow. That was unexpected. She hadn't seen the Equalist since their encounter over a week ago.
"We, uhh..." Mako mumbled as he rubbed the back of his neck, "we sorta broke up?"
Korra swallowed a laugh. It wasn't funny, really, but it seemed to tickle her. It's not like Asami cared about him in the first place. She knew that all of them didn't really mean that much to her. Sure, at a stretch she could claim they mean somewhat of a friend to her, otherwise they'd be in a lot bigger trouble and she knew as much, but at least she's not leading Mako on any longer.
"I'll bring it up with Tenzin," Korra said after clearing her throat. "I'm sure it'll be fine. Is this all your guys stuff?"
Mako reddened at the comment. The brothers never had many possessions. Korra didn't mean it as a quip. Korra moved to Republic City with nothing other than her polar bear dog and a title. She grabbed all of Mako's bags and threw them over her shoulder and started towards the living area. This would be the start of a whole new adventure.
"The new chief of police works directly under Councilman Tarrlock."
"So I've heard. Is there a problem?" Asami stretched her neck as she got up from her seat. Equalist meetings tended to be a bit old fashioned. All the ranking officers gathered around a table as Amon dictated his new orders for the week. After being given their assignments, each leader would gather a small group of trusted men to carry out their orders. This most recent meeting seemed to be pointless. After the attack on the stadium, there were no major rallies or attacks being planned, yet it seemed Amon was not done with the lieutenant just yet.
"Nothing in particular. There will be a crackdown on security around the city. A non-bender curfew. How ridiculous. This is the reason we are here right now. You see it, don't you? The reason this fight is important. The inequality is only going to get worse before we can make it better."
Thinking that the conversation was over, Asami started towards the door.
"There's talk going around that you've been going soft." Amon's words stopped Asami in her tracks. "Would you care to elaborate on that?"
"We had to cut down on our productions after the Cabbage Corp scandal to allow the RCPD to think they've caught their mark." Asami explained, "You haven't assigned me a new mission lately. There is nothing that can be done in the meantime. Who is saying that?"
"No one in particular. People are just saying that you're not as committed as you used to be, not after your team escaped in the finals." A chill shot down the girl's spine. "Have you found the culprits who paid off the judges yet? I've dealt with the Wolfbats and they said the judges were already fixed by the time they got to them."
"I haven't found any leads yet, sir." Asami did her best to hide the tremble in her voice.
"When you do, send them to me. I will deal with them personally. In the mean time, as not to show favoritism, I must ask that you bring me the Avatar. I trust you're still in contact with her. This would be the highest badge of loyalty we could ask of you. You do this for us, and you will be declared a Equalist hero."
Amon made his way out the room, stopping at Asami's side. "That shouldn't be a problem, should it?"
"No, sir."
The air was still and the night, quiet. Asami scaled the back of the compound to avoid detection. She hadn't step foot on the island before, never having a reason to. She followed the blueprints to the women's dormatory and scanned the rooms looking for the Avatar. Her Equalist uniform made it easier to move around and avoid detection, but it would raise alarms if anyone spotted her.
Several rooms were lit and Asami peeked her head into each. She could hear Representative Tenzin's wife saying goodnight to her girls coming from one but the other rooms were silent. She was fortunate enough to hear Naga pacing around one at the end of the hall. Taking it as a safe bet, she slid over the window sill.
Naga's tail beat heavily against the ground and Asami was greeted by a warm, slobbery smile.
"I haven't seen you in a while," Korra said.
Korra was sitting at a table with her back turned toward the window. Stacks of papers sitting at the corner of the desk while Korra was hunched over what looked like a map of the city. Naga's change in behavior must've tipped the girl off.
"Amon sent me to collect you," Asami stated.
Korra turned around and disappointment flashed in her eyes the moment she saw her attire. "Please, I don't have the energy for this right now. You can set up an appointment through Tarrlock if this is an Equalist matter. Any other appointments can be scheduled through Tenzin."
Korra shook her head in disappointment and turned back to her map. Asami took a few steps forward.
"I trusted you," Asami said with narrowed eyes.
An amused smile crossed Korra's face. "I believe that's my line."
"You left me. I waited for you, did you know that?" Asami took a step back and seated herself on the bed. She was tired, too.
Korra knew. She knew that the Asami at the park would be waiting, expectantly, hoping for her show up.
"I—" Korra knew. She knew that the young Asami at the park would be waiting, expectantly, patiently, hoping for her to show up. Korra knew only too well. She wasn't only heartbroken that she would possibly never see her friend again, she was heartbroken knowing how it would affect the young girl. "Asami, I was five. It's not like I had much say in the matter."
"Every day, I sat there for HOURS. They all teased me. You remember, right? The boys at the park. They knew it. They knew you were too good for me. But I kept telling them you'd be back. That you'd never leave me."
"Asami, I had to go home. We were only here to clear up some officdial paper work, to meet important people... I had no idea-"
"You have no idea what I went through. I was alone."
"You think you were the only one that had it hard?" Korra burst out. "Do you think I had it easy? I trained every day for years! I didn't have any friends either! If Tenzin could've trained me there, I'd still be there now!"
"You pinky promised!" Asami refused to hear her excuses.
"Asami!" Korra spoke loudly above the girl. Her voice echoed throughout the halls. She had no doubt that someone had heard her. "Not now. Can we talk about this later?"
The Equalist shook her head. No, there is no later for them.
"Amon wants to make an example out of you. He knows I rigged the match."
"You wha—"
"He said I need to bring you in, there's no escaping it. I'm sorry." Asami was closing herself off again, growing cold and impersonal in her speech.
"Stop it! We're not done talking about this."
"There's nothing left to talk about. There are more important things to worry about."
"What can be more important than this?" Korra scoffed at the idea. Suddenly everything else had seem so small and trivial.
"Your life?" She asked with a cocked brow.
"I can take care of myself."
"My life?" She asked, softly.
Korra shook her head, wondering how her work with a cult could be considered her life. Asami had so much to offer the world and yet she considered this the be what she valued herself on.
"Just meet me at the apartment behind Future Industries," Asami said with resignation. "You remember where it is, right?"
Korra rubbed the tip of her nose with the back of her hand, "how could I forget?" She replied with a laugh.
It takes a few days for Korra to find time to escape and get to the meeting place without suspicion. She had let Tarrlock give her time to scope out a lead she believe she had found. Half truths can get you very far, she had learned.
She wasn't surprised to find Asami's hideout unlocked and let herself in quietly. It didn't seem like anyone else occupied the building, yet she didn't want to risk raising alarm. It would have meant trouble for the both of them if she were spotted.
Korra found Asami curled up on the bed in the corner, discarded book in hand and she dozed off. She took the spare moment to look around. It was a complete contrast to the Sato Manor. Not a single decoration in sight; only things of practical use. A table was pressed up against the window with an Equalist glove sitting upon it. It seemed to be a makeshift workbench with a soldering iron and other small tools nearby. A police radio crackled every now and then, revealing nothing more than static. The nearby chair was used as a closet with several articles of clothing neatly piled on top, as well as her uniform hanging on the back of it. 'Cold and impersonal' are the words Korra would have choose to describe the room. Used for nothing more than resting spot, near to all major hubs of the city.
The night was calm and the air was cool. Korra took a seat on the near the bed, positioning herself so she could keep an eye on the other girl. She waited patiently, watching the Asami's chest rise and fall.
"You're late," a small grumble. Asami's eyes don't even bother opening as she stretched in place.
'You're beautiful,' Korra said to herself. Sure, her hair was a bit greasy and not as full as it usually is, her makeup seems to have wiped off on the pillow and the loose t-shirt and small boxer shorts weren't as flattering as her usual attire, but she was beautiful in a different way. She was comfortable, she looked domestic.
"How long have you been here?" Korra asked.
Asami knew the wear and tear was showing. She probably looked like crap and she felt like crap. She hadn't returned home since she left Air Temple Island, not willing to face her father and not wanting to have to show up empty handed to Amon.
"Since I left your place." She sat up and stretched her neck one last time. "I thought we were meeting here two days ago."
Korra scratched the back of her neck and played innocent. "Yeah, sorry about that, I couldn't get out here any earlier."
A lazy hand reached up to Korra and she flinched. She felt gentle fingers push back her bangs and she relished in the light touch against her brow. It'd been so long even she had nearly forgotten it existed.
"I can't believe it's actually you," Asami whispered. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again."
"It's me," she echoed, opening her eyes. "I'm sorry."
Korra recalled the carefree days of building sandcastles and piggyback rides. She reminisced about splashing in the pond and chasing turtle ducks. Oh, and the food. When they'd bother Mrs. Sato to buy them a cotton candy or a can of soda they'd share as they walked hand in hand. She remembered Asami's shy smile and her goodbye kisses.
Things were different. They're older and they're colder now.
"When did you realize?" Asami pulled away, leaning against the wall staring opposite of her.
"A while ago, I guess. That song that your mom used to sing to us. You hum it a lot." Korra replied. She sat next to the girl at a safe distance. "The picture on your nightstand as well. You look so much like her, you know?"
Asami did know. It was one of the few things she enjoyed about growing up. People saying that she reminded her of her mother, that they were so similar. She had always thought her mother to be beautiful and it was the one of the greatest compliments she could receive.
"Some genius I am." Asami laughed at herself.
"You couldn't have known. I didn't get to tell you who I was back then. About the whole, you know, Avatar thing." Korra cast her head down. "I was going to, you know. That last day when you had to leave." The last time she thought she'd ever see her again. "Things just didn't work out the way I had hoped, I guess."
"Why didn't you tell me when you realized who I was?"
"I didn't think it would've mattered to you." Korra said with a shrug. "It was a long time ago. I wasn't even sure you'd remembered who I was anyway."
"Of course I would have!" Asami turned, moving into Korra's space. "You were my only friend! I needed you." In those days, Asami felt safe and cared for. Korra made her feel loved and important. She made her feel like the sky was the limit.
"Asami, it's time to go." Yasuko called. As the sun set, the crowd thinned out. Asami hasn't moved from her spot near the pagoda. "Sweetie, it's time to head home."
"Korra isn't here yet five more minutes," Asami pleaded. Even she knew the five minutes wouldn't change anything. She didn't show up late yesterday or the day before either. She knew that Korra wasn't coming, but she just wanted to make sure she didn't miss her.
"Sweetie, we can try again tomorrow, okay? We gotta get home and make dinner. We're having your favorite, spicy dumplings! You're going to have to help me roll them." Yasuko said as she bent down to pick the small girl up. "Daddy said he'd be home early so we're going to make extra tonight! He says he as good news for us!"
Asami didn't want to come again tomorrow. She spent the whole day sitting alone, only to have the other kids snicker at her as they walked by. Korra wasn't coming back and she knew it. She didn't want face the other kids alone anymore. Enough was enough. She wasn't even sure she wanted to see Korra anymore. She was so upset. They had pinky promised. Korra broke the highest form of trust.
"Is it okay if I stay home tomorrow?" Asami mumbled into her mom's shoulder. "I think I want to start reading my new book."
Yasuko pulled back to get a look at the girl's face. She brushed her hair away to see watery eyes. "Of course you can. I just thought you liked coming to the park."
"I don't like it anymore." Asami whined. She buried her face back into her mom's shirt and held on tight.
"Aww, baby girl, we don't have to come back." Yasuko cooed, shifting the girl into a tighter grip. "We can do whatever you want."
Asami would have liked to be as delighted as her parents about moving. A new, bigger house where she had enough room to play around inside. She would have enough space to have her own bookshelf and maybe even an actual table. The kitchen would be big enough for Asami to help cook their dinners and maybe her mom would even let Asami bake cookies with her.
Things were finally starting to look up for the Sato family. The first Satomobile prototype had been successful and already had four investors lined up. Hiroshi had promised them that nothing would never be the same. They were throwing that old life away.
No one could've predicted how this new fame and fortune affected Asami. Although she was no longer teased for being the poor lonely girl, she was distanced from her new peers for being the 'spoiled rich kid.' She started retreating more into herself and was no longer found solace within her mom. Asami would go straight home from school where she'd lock herself up, reading anything she could get her hands on.
By the time Asami is 10, she lived alone behind a locked door. "Are you sure you don't want dinner?" Yasuko asked through the solid wood between them. When she got no answer, she stood with a broken heart. "I love you, sweetheart."
The words could no longer flow as easily out of her mouth as they used to. Asami stared at the door, trying and failing to say it back. If she had known that it would be the last time she'd hear it, she would've forced herself to say it. No matter how strained it would've sounded, it would have been better than to not having said it at all.
Korra reached out to Asami, gently motioning for her to come closer. "Don't! Don't even come NEAR ME!"
Asami pushed hard against the solid body but Korra didn't budge an inch. "Don't be like that." Korra tried to pull her closer into a hug but Asami didn't stop fidgeting.
"I'm warning you," Asami threatened and yanked herself away. She managed to free herself but it didn't last long. Korra pulled her tight against her, letting Asami push and shove. They both knew Asami could easily get out if she wanted. The tussle quickly stopped and Korra stroked her hair.
"I'm here now," Korra whispered against her ear. "I'm here now. I'll protect you. I promise."
"Stop that! Stop making such empty promises!"
Korra's heart sank as Asami pulled herself away completely. They stared at each other, both afraid to break this delicate relationship.
"How can I make it better?" Korra asked. There is unsettled history between them and they can't move forward until it's taken care of. "How can I prove it to you?"
"Turn yourself in," a cold voice answered.
Korra took a moment to think about it before agreeing. "Okay."
"Okay?" Asami asked. "That's it? You're just going to give yourself up, just like that?"
"Just like that."
"You're giving your life, your duty to protect the people as the Avatar, just to prove to me that you're my *friend*?"
"Hey, if I die, I'll just be reincarnated and crap all over Amon. Mark my words."
It wasn't funny. Asami wasn't laughing. Korra wasn't really laughing either, but honestly it had crossed her mind before. Airbending wasn't coming to her and that was just the tip of the spiritual iceberg. It wasn't the first time that she thought that she was just holding the Avatar cycle back. Maybe the world needed the next Avatar to clear things up.
Asami rolled her eyes at Korra's easy dismissal. "Alright, meet us at Republic City Park. Midnight, tomorrow. Don't be late."
Asami headed for the door only to be stopped by name. She reluctantly turned to face the Avatar. Korra opened her mouth the say something but no words came out.
"Tomorrow. Amon is not a patient person, so don't make it like how it was today."
Korra was the last of the party to show. She debated about bringing backup but exposing Asami to Mako and Bolin felt wrong. She had thought about at least giving Tenzin a heads up but she knew that he would be against it. She should be against it too. It was stupid and she knew it. Nothing is worth trading in the Avatar. So there she was alone, not even Naga by her side.
It wasn't hard to spot the Equalists. Asami stood maskless next to Amon not far from the main gates. She held her weapon in one hand, and a glove on another. It was surreal to see Asami like that. Knowing and seeing are two very different things.
No expressions on either of their faces, Korra stepped up. "Asami—"
"Yes, Ms. Sato. She truly is something, isn't she? To think she actually pulled this off." Amon cut the girl off. Korra hadn't seen him up close before and the mask was more unsettling that she had remembered. She saw Asami close her eyes and take a deep breath, her hand gripping her staff.
"Very nice work, Ms. Sato. Now," Amon spoke before taking a step back. "Finish her."
"What?" Asami's voice was meek.
"The Avatar has came to us willingly, there is no sense in letting her go now. She has really seemed to take a liking to you. I doubt she'll put up much of a fight."
The naginata crashed on to the floor, breaking the otherwise eerie silence. "You just said to bring her here. You didn't-" There was a low laugh.
"What did you think would happen? You're smarter than that."
"You could just take away her bending, doesn't that prove-"
"Oh, Asami, you have earned this. I could not take that honor away from you. All of your hard work has come to fruition."
Amon grabbed her hand, the vice like grip caused her to wince. He double checked the setting before turning it on. "Very nice. Now, let's get this over with." His voice carried a condescending tone.
Korra looks at Asami with suspicion, wondering to herself how far she's willing to trust her. When Asami turned with determination in her eyes, she knew that she would not be escaping without a fight.
"Asami, don't," Korra called as she stepped back. She bent a a wall between the two but wasn't surprised when she saw the Equalist hop over it. She continued to run backward, trying to reach the small pond around the corner. Once she was nearly there, she pulled a tendril out, only to be forced to drop it once she felt a sharp shock at her back. She fell to her feet, only to be trapped under the other girl.
"Please," Korra begged. "You don't have to do this."
"Korra, I'm sorry." Asami plunged the glove straight into her chest, holding it steady. There was unbearable pain coursing through her as she felt her body convulse. Screams echoed through the empty park for what felt like minutes before it finally stopped.
Amon laughed at how easy everything ended. His hands were clean and the job was done. He took a moment to sense that her heart no longer beat in her chest. "Dispose of the body, we don't need the people to make her a martyr."
Asami looked at Korra's stilled body, wide eyed. She took a moment. And another. Finally, she flung the glove onto the floor, her hands shakily grasping at to find Korra's wrists. She searched desperately for a pulse and failing. She reached around to her neck, searching there as well. Tears cascaded down her face.
"That shouldn't have killed you..." she mumbled to a lifeless body.
It was bright. Too bright. Korra looked around at the empty space, white mist clouded her vision.
"Avatar Aang," Korra recognized his face among the hundreds, if not thousands. "It's so nice to finally meet you."
She closes her eyes as she lets Aang pull her into a warm hug. Finally, her first spiritual experience. This was not how she had imagined it would happen, nor how she wanted it to happen, but seeing faces she quickly recognized as her own, she felt at at home.
"It's nice to see you too, Avatar Korra. I'm sorry but I'm going to have to cut the introductions short. You need to leave now."
"Leave?" Korra asked as she gets pulled away. The faces were disappearing just as quickly as they appeared.
"It's not your time to join us just yet." He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a warm, familiar smile, the smile that Tenzin had inherited. "Come back to us under better circumstances."
She faintly felt soft lips on her mouth, and suddenly air gets forced down her lungs. There's pressure on her chest, up and down, up and down. She felt the lips again when her eyes shot open, coughing as she struggled to sit up. She moved to rest on all fours, gasping to get air into her lungs. She turned her head to the left to see Asami sitting there. She was a mess. Makeup ran down her face and she was also struggling to catch her breath.
"I can't believe you killed me," Korra laughs through labored breaths. She was tackled to the ground, held tight against the other girl's body. Hands were frantically grasping and holding on to anything they could reach. Korra tried to let her hold her but she's was still struggling for oxygen. She pushed Asami off her harshly.
"You're not dead," Asami cried, tears started to fall down her face again as she tried to reach for Korra again. She was able to restrain herself and settled for studying her face instead.
"Well, not anymore," Korra croaked. Korra didn't have time to collect herself before she's yanked up by her arm.
"We need to get out of here." Asami commanded, dragging through the empty park.
Asami rushed them through the streets and behind the buildings. She couldn't even be bothered to wait for the elevator. They ran up three flights of stairs and slammed the door shut behind them. The loud click of the lock was the only thing that gave Asami any peace of mind. She kept her back rested up against the door, staring at Korra.
Korra fell on her knees, finally finally catching a break. She looked up at Asami and gave her a crooked grin.
"She's alive," Asami mumbled to herself. Her eyes never left the baby blue ones. Korra didn't know how else to respond so she just nodded.
"You're alive," Asami fell to the ground, gripping Korra's arms and kissed her cheek. "You're alive."
Kisses travelled across her face. They moved from her cheek to her forehead. They touched at her eyebrow and back down to her nose, her manta continued between the kisses. Kiss by kiss, Asami grew more and more frantic. She had only pulled back for a second before she moved to kiss her on her lips.
Korra felt herself be pulled up and motioned to the bed. She stumbled around as she was pushed backward until her knees hit the edge. Korra sat for a moment, taking in the beauty in front of her. She was a mess, sure, but she was no less beautiful as she was last week, or the even the moment she had met her. She pulls Asami down to her, kissing her just as hard as before.
Hands pull the red scarf off and over Asami's head before she fumbled at the buttons on her coat. Korra felt Asami roaming her stomach for a moment. There was a slight hesitation before she felt her shirt being pushed up and pulled over her head.
Asami basked in the feeling the solid muscle under touch. Her fingers itched to wander more. Once her top was opened, she felt Korra's hands do the same. Coarse hands moved from grabbing at her sides to fiddling with the clasp of her bra. She leaned back down for another kiss and before she even touched down, it's undone.
Asami sighed as nails gently raked across her back. She borrowed some of Korra's courage for moment and let her hands wander up to feel the bound chest. The small arc of her back gave her all she needed to continue. She blindly tried to find where the wrap started so she could pull it off. She refused to pull away for anything but air so she yanked the bindings down instead.
Straddled around Korra's waist, Asami sat back and looked at the girl under her. She couldn't help the small laugh that came out. She didn't believe the sight. Korra's chest rose and fell with her heavy pants, her muscles strained from being so wound up. She leans back down, hands exploring the skin available to her.
"You're gorgeous," Asami mumbled into her ear. Her hands finally dared to grasp the exposed chest. She was greeted by hardened nipples and she rolled them between her fingers.
"You're looking pretty snazzy yourself," Korra replied. All movement stopped. They both burst out into laughter and she got a playful bite to the shoulder. "Oww..."
"What a way to ruin the moment," Asami said as she smoothed her hand out. It rested firmly over Korra's heart, the beat strong and steady.
Korra wasn't deterred. She pushed the coat, encouraging Asami to pull her arms out so she could drop her bra. Once that was taken care of, Asami leaned back in, to rest her head on her chest.
"I killed you," she mumbled. The soothing strokes through her hair ground her and keep her from becoming frantic again.
"You did," Korra said into the top of Asami's head.
"I'm serious," Asami said as she pulled away.
"Asami," Korra tried to coax her back down to her. Her hands did their best to comb through the tussled locks. "I'm here now. I'm fine. Your hands are clean."
The statement was meant to reassure the Equalist, but judging by Asami's silence, it wasn't so. Korra's life wasn't on her hands, but who else's were?
"It's okay. We'll get through this. We'll get through this, together." Korra mumbled against Asami's hair as she shed silent tears.
A/N: Kinda short, kinda messy. Sorry that this took so long. I honestly didn't think I'd ever update it again but getting random emails from reviews told me that people were still reading/finding this fic. I lost all my old notes on this fic so I had to start everything anew. I'm not even sure where I wanted this to go anymore but since ALTA/LOK are on Netflix now and I just finished the Kyoshi novels, I thought I'd jump back in. (Read the books, istg it's worth it.) Also, I may have only wanted to continue this because I need Korra to meet Kyoshi and since it's not ever going to happen in canon, it's gonna happen here, some day.