"Yep. I'm buying you a bowl of seaweed noodles." Korra said as she nearly skipped toward the door Asami following her at a slightly calmer pace.
"Seaweed noodles? That's a thing?"
"Yes, and they're amazing. I mean, Narook's aren't as good traditional water tribe noodles but they're the best you can get around here."
"You used to live in the South Pole, right?"
"Yep. Born and raised." Korra said with a popped 'P' as the entered the restaurant and the smell of authentic southern Water Tribe food filled her nostrils. "Come on. We can seat ourselves."
"How long have you lived in Republic City?" Asami asked as she took a seat across from Korra in the seat.
Korra scratched the side of her face as she hummed slightly, "70-80 years." Asami's eyes widened slightly for a brief moment before returning to normal. "Is something wrong?"
Asami rubbed the back of her neck, avoiding her eyes, "It's nothing. It's just that would make you older than me. Haha." Asami ran a hand through her hair, obviously embarrassed.
"Oh is that all? It shouldn't matter after all I'm-" Korra cut herself off upon realizing what she was about to say. She was glad she had caught her herself but now what did she say to fill the blank, "After all, I'm not really that old." God, lying to Asami like that hurt more then she had expected but she couldn't tell her the truth. She couldn't tell anybody the truth.
"How old are you?" Asami asked, a bit of the awkward tension having dissipated from her.
"Come on now. You can't just ask a girl that. It's not right." Korra laughed hoping what she had said would move the conversation away from the topic at hand.
Asami opened her mouth, looking like she was about to about to continue talking when they're waitress approached them, "What can I get you two?"
"Oh, um..." Asami finally looked down at the menu and found herself drawing up a blank. She didn't recognize any of the items on the menu and none of them sounded particularly appetizing.
"Do you need a few more moments to look over the menu?" The waitress asked looking between the two women.
"Oh not at all. We'll have two orders of Seaweed Noodles please." The waitress nodded and looked between them.
"And to drink?"
"Two glasses of southern fire waters if you will." The waitress nodded and turned heading back toward the kitchen.
"Fire water?"
"Its a popular drink in the South Pole. I hope its okay that I ordered for you?"
"Oh no, it's fine." Asami smiled and they lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. "So, what did you think of the movie?"
"Oh, I hated it." Korra didn't even hesitate to voice her opinion causing Asami to look down at her hands in her lap.
"Oh, I rather liked it," Asami muttered, avoiding eye contact with Korra.
"And that's fine but I absolutely despise romance movies. They're cliche, annoying, and completely flawed."
"Harsh much?"
"I don't think so."
Once again they lapsed into silence neither sure what to say, "Well, can you at least pretend to want to talk about it and tell me what you didn't like about it."
Korra let out a sigh, "Fine." She ran a hand through her hair, "It was so bad that I slept through the entire thing."
"Ha! I knew you were sleeping!" Asami yelled, slamming her hand against the table.
Korra ignored that little outburst, "All soulmate stories in movies deal in the same, cliche troupes and storylines."
"Defend your stance, why do you think that?" Asami said, leaning back in her chair crossing her arms over her chest.
Korra let out a huff, "All of them have the same plot. Guy meets girl. The girl has a shit life. They turn out to be soulmates. Girls life magically gets better and they live happily ever after." Korra's voice was filled with unhidden venom. "It's annoying how they portray soulmates as this thing that can magically fix anything. That's not how it works in the real world."
"That's the point Korra. It's wish fulfillment." Asami leaned forward, "Do you not understand that movies are a form of escapism?"
"I understand but I just really hate romance movies." Korra wasn't backing down from her stance. Just when it looked like Asami was about to continue trying to change her mind their waitress appeared at their table.
"Your drinks." She said, placing the two drinks in front of the two of them and flashing them a smile, "Your food will be out momentarily."
"Alright." Korra flashed a smile back at her watching as she disappeared back toward the kitchen once more. Korra turned her attention toward Asami as she took the glass and took a gulp only to gag.
"That's Alcohol." She gagged setting the cup down, wiping her mouth. She shook her head, squeezing her eyes closed, "Shit, that's strong."
"I thought it was obvious. And it has to be strong to keep you warm in the south." Korra took a small sip from the glass.
"Korra?" Bolin's voice echoed from across the restaurant and she turned to see him walking over toward the two of them. "What are you doing here?"
"Eating dinner?" Korra quirked an eyebrow at him as his eyes darted between the two women.
"So," Bolin clasped his hands behind his back, "Are you two on a date?"
"No."
"Yes"
"Ohhh." Asami glanced at Korra who avoided eye contact, "I'm just gonna go..." Bolin pointed his thumbs over his shoulder as he slowly walked away.
"This isn't a date, is it?" Asami asked looking down at the bowl of noodles.
"Um, no. It's not." Korra let out an uneasy laugh as she rubbed the back of her neck nervously, "I'm sorry if I said or did something to make you think that."
"No, it's fine. I probably shouldn't have jumped to conclusions."
They fell into a very uncomfortable silence neither willing to speak up and break it. They sat in silence until the waitress arrived setting the two bowls in front of them and asked, "Can I get anything else for you two?"
"Can I get a water?" Asami asked and the waitress smiled and nodded.
"Of course." The waitress disappeared and Korra picked up the chopsticks pulling them apart and began shoving the noodles in her mouth. They ate in silence the only break in it is when the waitress brought out Asami's water. Korra glanced up at Asami as she took tentative bites of her food and couldn't help but wonder why she had assumed this was a date. She chanced a glance around noticing that there were a couple tables of couples sharing meals on what Korra had to assume were dates. She could see why Bolin had assumed they were on a date but why Asami had thought they were on a date?
Asami hesitantly picked at the noodles in her bowl felling incredibly embarrassed about how wrong she was. She put a chopstick full in her mouth and was shocked at the burst of flavor that spread across her taste buds. She chewed letting out a low moan of pleasure.
"You like it?" Korra asked shyly and Asami quickly swallowed what she had in her mouth giving Korra a nod.
"Yeah, it's good." She smiled at Korra, "Better then I thought it would be."
Just then the waitress appeared placing a glass in front of Asami with a smile, "Can I get y'all anything else?"
"Nah, we're good," Korra said and Asami picked it up and took a sip from her glass before returning to her meal. They ate in silence the only sounds those of their chewing and the chatter of the other patrons. As they finished their food the waitress appeared at their one final time placing it between them. "Thanks."
Korra reached for the check only for Asami to snatch it away, "I've got this."
"You already paid for the movies. I can get this."
"No. I'll get it."
"Asami, I can afford to eat here. I'm not that poor."
Asami reached into her pocket pulling out her wallet, "Korra, please, let me have this." Korra let out a huff as she pushed the chair back standing up. Asami watched as Korra grabbed her drink downing it. She couldn't help but wince as she did. How she could chug a drink that strong was beyond her.
"Fine." Asami watched a little uncertainly, cocking her head to the side. "We pay at the register."
"Oh." Asami stood up, her face flushing as she did so. They paid at the register before heading back out into the darkening streets. They walked in silence for a while before Asami decided to break it, "So do you want to head back to my place?"
"Actually I think I'd rather head back to the Island tonight."
"Do you want a ride to the docks?"
"Sure. That'd be nice." Korra walked around the side of the car and Asami unlocked it climbing inside. She started the engine, glancing over at Korra as she buckled her seat belt. She took a deep breath as she pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward the street.
"Hey, Asami?" Korra asked as they pulled out onto the road, "Can I ask why you thought we were on a date?"
Asami looked over at Korra who was slumped in her seat staring out the window. She quickly returned her attention to the road, tightening her grip on the steering wheel. "Sure. Can I ask you what you have against the concept of soulmates?"
"Sure." Korra was silent for a while before asking, "Why did you think we were on a date?"
"I don't know. I guess the way you phrased it. 'Dinner and a movie is how people usually do these things?' It made me think you were asking me out on a date. I was stupid to jump to conclusions." Asami shook her head glad she had the road to focus on. Glad she could put all her energy into focusing on getting them to point b and not crying.
"You're not stupid Asami. I can see how you came to that to a conclusion. I guess I just failed to see the other implications." Korra mumbled as she looked out the window at the city as it passed by, "Though I have to wonder why you so quickly assumed this was a date?"
Asami's whole body stiffened at the question. She didn't know how to respond. Did she say the truth? That she had wanted this to be a date so badly that she hadn't even thought about the other implications. The more obvious implication. She glanced at Korra as the car came to a stop at a red light, opening her mouth to say something only for Korra to cut her off.
"It doesn't matter why. What happened, happened." Asami swallowed as she returned her attention to the road as the light turned green.
"So," She licked her lips finding herself unsure how to proceed. This night hadn't gone at all how she had imagined it in her head. "Why don't you like soulmates?"
"It's not that I don't like them. I think the idea of soulmates is good as a concept but the execution is a little lacking." Asami pulled to a stop upon the arrival at the docks and put the car into idle.
"Then what's your problem with it?" Asami asked unbuckling her seat belt and turning her body toward Korra.
"I told you my problem isn't with the concept. It's with the execution."
Asami shook her head, "I don't...understand."
Korra let out a sigh, running a hand over her face, "I like the concept of soulmates as an idea but I think society royally screwed up the execution of it." Korra muttered a hit of agitation leaking into her tone.
"You keep repeating the same thing over and over in different ways and I'm still not getting it."
Korra let out a frustrated groan, pulling at her face, "Why do you want to meet your soulmate Asami?"
"Because I want to start aging again." Wasn't that why everyone wanted to meet their soulmates? That and so they could meet the person who would be their forever.
"Is that the only reason?"
"I don't know what you mean. Don't you want to meet your soulmate and start aging again?"
"Answer the question Asami."
Asami shifted uncomfortably in her seat unsure how to respond. What did Korra want to hear? It was obvious that she wanted a specific answer but what that was Asami didn't know. She decided to be honest. "I want to meet my forever and finally be happy."
Suddenly Korra shot up, slamming her hand against the middle compartment, "See! This is exactly what I'm talking about!" Her fist clenched into a fist as she gritted her teeth together. "People think that meeting their soulmate will magically solve all their problems and they'll 'finally be happy' just because they meet their 'Forever'." Korra fell back against her seat letting out an agitated sigh, "Life's not that simple and rarely that easy."
"Do you not want to be happy?"
"Of course I want to be happy Asami. I just don't think meeting my soulmate will magically cure my depression and get rid of my suicidal ideation." Asami's breath caught in her throat at the comment. "Life doesn't work that way. No matter how much we want it too." Korra let out a heavy sigh as she pushed the door open and moved to step out only for a peal of thunder to sound overhead.
Asami climbed out as well as the first few drops fell from the sky, "Maybe you shouldn't." She crossed her arms over her chest, "It looks like a storm is brewing."
"I'll be fine. I'm a water bender, remember?" Korra muttered and Asami didn't want to push Korra but she also really didn't like the look of those clouds.
"Yeah, I know but I don't like the look of those clouds. I have a spear bedroom. Please, Korra."
"I'll be fine." Korra shrugged her off with a half-hearted wave, "It's not that far." Asami reached across the roof of the car but didn't say anything else simply watched as Korra disappeared around the corner. Asami put her head in her hands, running her fingers through her hair letting out a sigh. She climbing back into her car, closing the door just as it began to pour down rain.
"Korra, please be safe."
A/N: Hey, I know I said every two weeks but the just flew out the window(I'm juggling updating like five different fics so please forgive me if I don't update regularly) also I've started updating to my a week in advance to updating her so that also adds to the wait time but please enjoy anyway :')