1.
The beginnings of the fire festival had yet to reach the Little Water Tribe neighborhood, its trajectory seeming to skirt around the boundaries of its dimly lit alleyways and decorations that were defiantly blue, clearly visible despite the blackening sky.
Dropping in from above landed Korra, the shingles of the restaurant's roof rattling beneath her solid weight. Startled by her appearance, an elephant rat swiftly bolted along the gutters, its tiny feet echoing in the metal passageway. Korra slid off the roof and landed in a small puddle in the alley. Before she even ducked beneath the door curtain, she was greeted by the warm sound of patrons, the delicious smoky flavor of noodles, their scent hanging heavy in the air, and a figure shooting out of the private lounge in the back, the Avatar's name hollered out in excitement.
"KORRA!" The young lavabender grabbed her in a bear hug before she could even think of dodging away, his bulky frame locking her in a beaming bundle of joy.
"Hey, Bolin." Korra coughed out, her feet lifting several feet off the ground, arms locked at her sides. Amusement at seeing the Avatar swung around so easily by an overgrown polar bear puppy of a man spread through the crowd.
"Oh, it's so good to see you!" He finally set her down, only to immediately swing his arm around her, landing heavily on her shoulder. "You really need to stop disappearing on me, girlfriend!"
What used to be a reserved private lounge for Tahno and his gaggle of admirers was now the go-to meeting place for Team Avatar. Plenty of his portraits and signed posters still hung on the walls, but were now accompanied by a framed picture of the Fire Ferrets and on one of the shelves above their heads sat a plush doll that greatly resembled a chubby Pabu. Its inspiration was currently in the midst of slurping up his master's briefly abandoned noodles, rearing his head up briefly to chirp a greeting at Korra before ducking his head down again.
Sliding into the booth, Korra tried to let her interaction with Asami crumble beneath the positive vibes brimming around the youngest member of the group. "I've missed you, Bolin. Tell me everything, catch me up." They actually had much more important matters to discuss, and very little time to do so before she had to return to the princess, but she didn't want to have to repeat herself all over again when Mako arrived.
Happily launching into a long winded anecdote, arms chopping at the air in overexcitement, Bolin actually managed to succeed in diverting her attention for several minutes until her noodles were served. Watching her take several eager slurps of the authentic grub, Bolin's lime green eyes gradually softened.
"So, a weird thing happened earlier today. Korra, how long have you been in the city?"
Caught in mid slurp, Korra paused for a moment, gaze snapping up to meet his. The seaweed noodles slithered into her mouth, cheeks bulging with a web of sticky food. "Ah," Korra gulped the noodles down, air flowing into her lungs once again. "I told you when I got back."
Bolin scratched the bottom of his chin, nodding slowly. "You remember Shady Shin? He seemed to think that you've been here a little longer than that. He told me you've been roughing up members of the Agni Kai Triad, and that you're looking for someone." He waited for her to interject and correct him, but when she merely lowered her chopsticks and just looked at him, he continued on. "He wanted me to tell you that he can help identify whomever it is, if you give back his bending. Korra, who are you looking for?"
She wiped her mouth on the cloth napkin, dropping it on the table. "It's… actually something I wanted to talk with you and Mako about."
"What did you want to talk to us about?" Dressed in full police uniform, Mako stepped into the private booth, the smallest suggestion of a smile on his thin lips when he made eye contact with the Avatar. "Hey, Korra."
"Hey, Mako." She pushed back her seat and rose to greet him, reaching up to wrap her arms around his shoulders, briefly settling her cheek against his chest. His chin rested atop her head, a moment of tenderness and that constant tension which shot through them both whenever they were in the same room together.
"What?" Bolin spread his arms, remaining seated at the table. "I don't get any love?"
Laughing, the two of them broke apart, Mako reaching down to ruffle his baby brother's hair before sitting down beside him. "Sorry I'm late, Princess Rina was pretty demanding."
"Yeah, she's like that." Korra smiled, shaking her head. "And you're not late, I was just about to tell - "
"Wait," Bolin interrupted. "Shouldn't we wait for Asami?"
"Yeah, where is Asami? She's never late."
"I… kind of told her we weren't meeting…" Korra blew out a loud breath, shoulders slumping under their disbelieving gaze. "Things haven't been so great between us."
The two brothers shared a slow look, lime green and amber eyes sliding over to one another.
"Nooooo…" Bolin affected an expression of surprise. "I would have never…"
"We've been wondering about that for awhile." Mako cut in, eyebrows drawn down. "You two have been off for a couple of years now."
"It's been that obvious?" Korra's shoulders slumped even further.
"No, no, no," Bolin waved his hands back and forth, then paused, an awkward smile spreading. "Well, yeah." He slapped his brother on the back. "Mako here thought you two were still hung up on him."
"No I didn't!" Mako yelped, eyes widening. "Um, but are you?"
Korra just gave him a look.
"Okay, okay, fine… but if it's not about me - "
Bolin leaned forward into the table, equally curious. "Then what happened between you two?"
2.
Air Temple Island was always noise. Always wind. The faint echo of chimes. The ocean crashing against the massive slope of rocky cliffs. The soft breaths of airbender children sweeping through the dark halls, inhaled and exhaled by the wooden walls. Always there were the sure footsteps of White Lotus guards prowling the island perimeter, a constant shift of security.
Korra laid awake, listening to it all. Making a game out of hearing and guessing what the sound belonged to. Ragged breaths and the heavy, lumbering thump of a galloping creature - must be Naga on the hunt. The low, melodic hum skirting around corners of the temple - Ikki or Meelo sneaking out of bed for a midnight snack.
The slow creak of her own wooden door sliding open, permitting a shadow to slide into her room. Korra didn't have to open her eyes to know it was Asami quietly kicking off her shoes and unbuttoning her jacket.
"Let me help," Korra watched her friend's shadow startle at the sound of her voice as she pushed herself up in bed, working to scoot her limp lower limbs a few inches up.
"I didn't mean to wake you," Asami shrugged off her jacket, and perched herself on the edge of the bed, the slope of her spine presented to the Avatar. "You need your rest."
"All I do is rest." The shiny metal of her friend's zipper was pinched between Korra's thumb and forefinger. She teased it down the length of Asami's back, watching as the velvet dress parted and peeled away, revealing the smooth, unblemished skin. Moonlight spilled into the private quarters, its color distorted by the blue ocean, causing the heiress' creamy flesh to emanate an ethereal hue.
Korra's fingertips couldn't avoid grazing Asami's hips, nor could her ears fail to detect her friend's soft hitch of breath. "I didn't nick you, did I?"
"No, no." Asami hurriedly replied, reaching up to pull down the top of her dress, bare breasts facing the open window, greeted by the salt soaked breeze skimming the ocean, kissing her nipples. "Thank you."
Pushing off the bed, she finished undressing in the moonlight, the dark outline of her hourglass figure dancing on the walls. Korra watched the shadows flicker like black flames licking at her vision.
"Since you're up already," Asami pulled on a simple white nightgown, crimson thread outlining the edges. "Should we do your exercises?"
"Only if you don't mind."
"Korra, of course I don't."
There were two twin beds squeezed into the room, expensive luggage overflowing with even more expensive clothing. More and more often, Asami was staying over, despite her responsibilities as CEO of Future Industries. Despite the fact she belonged with machines, with oil smudges staining her porcelain cheeks, with her hair tied back and her torso submerged beneath the grunt and groan of engines. Korra missed seeing her like that, felt guilty for tugging her away.
Untucking the blankets, Asami pulled open the covers to reveal the Avatar's bare legs. Dark like cacoa powder. In stark contrast to the white boy shorts and cropped tank top which didn't even cover Korra's midriff. For a moment, Asami could only stare. The muscles in her best friend's abdomen tensed and relaxed beneath her unflinching gaze. They were well defined ridges encircling the soft, brown cream of unblemished skin, a gentle swell dipping down into the Avatar's adorable belly button.
Asami sat on the edge of the bed again, returning her focus to the task at hand. On Korra's bedside table sat a bottle of lotion the raven haired mechanic rubbed into her legs at least twice a day, sometimes more if Katara's healing took a particularly exhaustive toll. Pumping the lotion out now, Asami lathered her hands with the cool cream, a wet smack of her palms echoing off the quiet walls.
Beginning from the bottom, Asami started massaging the soles of her friend's bare feet, biting the inside of her cheek to prevent a light giggle at the way Korra's eyes always drew towards the ceiling in embarrassment.
"Mm!" Korra jerked a little when her toes cracked beneath the pressure of her best friend's hands, the release of tension allowing room for pinpricks of pleasure. Asami was an accomplished mechanic, skilled martial arts fighter, one of the most beautiful women in the city, CEO of one of the most influential companies in the world… and here she was tending to Korra's feet like a common servant. It was… it felt wrong. It felt… it actually felt really good, especially when Asami dug her knuckles nice and… deep… into the joint atop her foot. But wrong. Very wrong.
"How does that feel?" The texture of Asami's voice had changed. There was smoke in it now, deepening the sound.
Good. Wrong. "Okay."
Korra had to bite her lip to keep from making too many sounds as Asami's smooth palms slid from her feet to the swell of her calves. Kneading the muscles into dough. She could feel her own heartbeat in her belly; blood vessels swelling and racing with burgeoning excitement. Despite her best efforts, soft puffs of breath were escaping her, lips parting as the touch hardened, dark skin melting like chocolate beneath the heat of her best friend's aggressive fingers.
The lotion seeped over her skin, moisture soothing away the ashen texture which had begun to cling to Korra. It lapped at the shore of her inner thighs, Asami shying away from the cotton edge of her boy shorts, fingertips dancing along the perimeter. "Is there, um," Asami cleared her throat, "any soreness here?"
Korra continued to stare up at the ceiling, blowing out her breath and nodding once.
The mechanic's fingertips skirted beneath the flutter of fabric, teasing the Avatar's inner thighs. "Here?"
Korra nodded again.
Ocean waves sounded louder. A crescendo of rock and water colliding in an arena made of sand and moonlight. The silken fabric of Asami's nightgown twisted around her hips as she adjusted herself on the bed, half crawling atop the Avatar, one hand gently slipping further than the other.
"Wait - " Korra startled as she felt her boy shorts slip off, Asami gently maneuvering them over the curve of her bottom.
Asami stopped immediately. "I'm sorry, I thought - "
"No, just - you can keep them on, I - " Even in the darkness, even with her dark skin, Asami could see the pronounced cheekbones blaze with heat. "I'll just keep them on."
"Oh, but, why?" Asami tried very hard not to whine out the last syllable, but it escaped her anyway.
What this was, what they did - it surged through them like the tide, receding gently by morning. They never talked about it, and even now, dressed in sleek shadows, Asami knew she was breaking an unspoken rule by probing too much, but she couldn't help it. Not once had Korra allowed the mechanic to really see her, unveil all the hidden secrets tucked away beneath folds of fiery pink and wet heat.
Instead of answering, Korra sat up a little more, the passivity melting away as she grew closer to the woman leaning over. Their lengthy hair, shades of raven black and chocolate brown, spilled over the pillows. The Avatar reached up and pulled Asami down closer to her, closing her eyes while meeting the older girl's lips with her own, kissing sweetly.
"Korramph," Asami tried to break it off, but her resolve was scraped away by the gentle scratch of the Avatar's nails over the curve of her scalp, ink black strands wound around the knuckles, tugging her back down again until their mouths collided with more force than before.
The heiress melted into her best friend's mouth, the rest of her body following suit, sinking into the unexpected warmth of the water tribe girl. Their breasts slowly rolled against one another, separated by a sheer nightgown and cotton top, Asami's thighs parted just enough for her to straddle her center against her friend's. Leaving the boy shorts on as requested, Asami let her palm linger on the gentle swell of the Avatar's tummy, stroking it and smirking just a little at the way it made Korra sigh into the heat of her mouth.
Korra's fingers fell from the raven silk tresses, both hands reaching around to grab a fistful of her best friend's apple bottom, squeezing hard, causing Asami to yelp, the sound muffled against the Avatar's mouth. Almost afraid she took it too far, Korra relaxed at the surge of moisture now grinding down onto the center of her thigh. Rolling the flesh of her friend's ass beneath her palms, Korra encouraged the rocking motion, neck straining to keep up with the increasingly eager plunder of her own mouth.
Tiny sounds danced across the edges of their shared room, the Avatar's private quarters. Dots of perspiration were building on the nape of Asami's neck, heat flaring in the pit of her belly as if she were in the midst of discovering she was a firebender. Her cheeks were flushed, partially from the torturously slow crawl towards her climax, and partially from the audible squelch of her pussy riding the Avatar's thigh. Made especially smooth by the lotion, they slid together so easily.
"Hah," Korra broke the kiss with a soft gasp as Asami dipped into her pajama shorts once more, two fingers gently pressing against her entrance. The tiny forest of black curls parted beneath the questing touch, damp with anticipation.
Asami longed to slip inside, snug beneath the crush of soaked walls and trembling nerve endings. Instead, the night seeped into the same aching routine. Her fingers turned, knuckles gently rubbing against the hardened nub of the Avatar's clitoris. Together, they bucked against one another, Asami falling forward a little more to plant her crimson mouth on the creamy expanse of her best friend's neck, latching onto a sweetly pulsating vein.
"Sami," Korra groaned at the sharp prick of teeth sinking into her flesh, neck throbbing on the threshold of pain and pleasure.
Oceanic echoes in their ears drowning out their own soft cries, Asami's fingers soaked with arousal, her own thighs slick with rivulets of beauty, their mouths found one another in the darkness again. Their climaxes were small, simultaneous jolts of broken tension, fissures allowing white hot eruptions. Just enough for their minds to buzz and crackle with blinding spots of pleasure.
Too hot, too constrained in the sheer nightgown, Asami rather inelegantly collapsed atop the Avatar, panting into the hollow of the dark skinned neck. Hand trapped between the press of Korra's thighs, blanketed by the soaked cotton shorts, she caught her breath above the slightly younger teenager. Beneath her cheek, Korra's generous chest rose and fell, cradling her head, lengthy black strands slipping into the parting of the Avatar's impressive cleavage.
Equally overheated, Korra made no move to push Asami away, her eyes feeling abruptly heavy, belly warm with something other than food, other than arousal. "That was…"
Asami turned her cheek, slinking down in the bed like a lithe snake, burying her shy smile in her best friend's belly. "Yeah?" Her tongue brushed against the rim of the belly button, a phantom tease that caused Korra's lashes to flutter.
A smile tilting the corners of her own lips, Korra turned and buried her own blushing face in the pillows. Her cheeks burned even more when she felt more than heard Asami chuckle against her skin.
Mercifully choosing not to tease her, Asami only crawled back up the length of the bed and snuggled up to the Avatar, front pressing against Korra's healing spine. Hidden beneath the shirt still lingered hints of the extensive damage caused by the Zaheer and the Red Lotus. But they were fading.
Placing her hands above the arms wrapping around her tummy, Korra relaxed even further into the warm embrace. She felt Asami's breath on her ear, on her neck, painting the tiny bite mark branding her. Claiming her.
Under the cover of night, the two of them bathed in moonlight, it didn't scare her.
But, inevitably, the sun had to rise.
Asami knew something had changed when she awoke to Korra grunting in determination, lifting herself up out of bed, airbending her weak legs and the rest of her body into the wheelchair across the room.
More than just the silently agreed upon amnesia they partook during daylight, something was different. The blankets drawn up to her chest, Asami watched and waited for whatever it was the Avatar was going to say.
Korra felt her stare, and looked up, trying and failing to offer up an impassive expression. "I think that, I'm going to visit my folks. At the south pole."
"I'll go with you."
"I'd love that, but… this is something I need to do on my own." Korra wet her lips, her friend's bright green eyes longingly following the motion. "It won't be for long."
They hugged goodbye. They didn't kiss. They packed up her belongings. They didn't cry. They waved to each other, Korra's boat sailing towards the orange hued horizon, Naga's tongue wagging in the air, delighted to be going home with Korra, and Asami had never been so intensely envious of an animal before in her life.
It won't be for long, Asami told herself. It won't be for long.
3.
Korra paused in the telling, anxiety stewing the longer Mako stared at her with his bugged out eyes. She was legitimately worried they might pop out of their sockets out of sheer horror. "Mako, are you…?"
Jabbed in the gut by his little brother, Mako coughed back into consciousness, his noodles splashing against the rim of his bowl. "Yes, yes, fine! Con - continue."
"Okay, well, like I was saying, we were sort of together, but not really. I was just so messed up in the head about Zaheer, about everything before him. Losing my bending to Amon, and then losing my connection to my past lives, and it was all just hitting me over and over again. I didn't really know what I felt about Asami, I was worried that I was kind of using her to feel better, and I really didn't want to do that. So, I had to leave. Not just because of her, but it was a factor."
"So, is that what it was?" Mako asked.
Korra hesitated, shaking her head. "No, the moment I left, I knew how much I missed her. Every day I missed her. I knew it was real, what I felt. But I also knew that I was still too messed up to… to burden her with everything I was going through. I knew she'd let me, and I just didn't want to come back until I knew I could give her the best of me."
Bolin made an awww sound, and Korra blushed, rolling her eyes.
"Anyway, I came back, as you know, we beat Kuvira, and then at Varrick and Zhu Li's wedding, finally me and Asami had some alone time…"
4.
Sounds perfect.
The energy of the portal swallowed them up. Asami could feel the particles of her body freezing up and then tugging away. She might have been ripped apart were it not for Korra's hands in her own. Were it not for their locked gazes, pools of blue flooding her vision.
Asami's small smile spread into a full blown beam of light when their eyes broke away to behold the splendor of the Spirit World. Hands still clasped, Asami followed after her best friend deeper into a field of flowers, their color exhibiting a brilliant, immortal hue.
Her grip on Korra's fingers tightened, the world changing color, mountains alternatingly shrinking and growing in distance whenever Asami turned to look around her as they walked through the tall blades of emerald grass and spectacularly violet flowers. Her legs were a little shaky as they walked, the ground feeling as if it were sloping downward even though the field looked flat.
"Too much for you, heiress?" Korra's voice almost sounded as if it was coming from far away, a teasing breeze skirting across the length of her arms, but the grip on her hand was still warm and firm.
Asami steadied her breathing and made herself look away from the shifting landscapes and fluttering spirits which were winking down at them from the purple hued sky. She found Korra's eyes again, her challenging smirk, the warmth of concern which hid beneath it. "Don't bet on it, Avatar."
The ground steadied. And they took off. Korra leading her into a wild adventure of shadow forests and crystal blue lagoons, straddling the backs of dragons and diving off the shoulders of giant rock monsters. The days passed differently. The sun rising and setting on its own whim.
Or, perhaps, the whim of the Avatar. Asami had begun to notice little changes in the weather and shifting landscape would sometimes respond directly to Korra's mood.
At dusk (ushered in by the Avatar's first yawn), they camped out on the grass, emerald blades flattened beneath their bodies like a quilt. They fell asleep with their fingers entwined, but their bodies a modest distance away.
Asami woke at the dawning light, a sprinkle of rain water tapping at her eyelids, catching on her ink black lashes. Rolling over onto her side, she smiled at the sight of her best friend snoring into the grass, curled up in the fetal position. "Korra," She whispered, crawling a little closer, pressing a tiny kiss on the corner of her best friend's mouth. "Wake up."
"Nnnhhh, five more mins…"
Asami used the ends of her hair to tickle the younger girl's cheek, giggling at the way the almighty Avatar whined in her sleep. "Come on, I need breakfast."
"Need to get outta my face…"
"What was that?" Asami's tongue practically dripped with honey, the sweetness like a shock to the Avatar's system, alerting her to the present danger.
"Ugh, nothing…" Korra groaned, sitting up and waking more fully. "Let's get you some food, Miss Sato."
"There's a good girl."
"Yeah, yeah." Korra groused, but inside she was glowing from the teasing praise.
The only fish available were spirits, which probably weren't any good for the digestive system. Their entire vacation was going to have to consist of a vegan diet, unless they happened to run into Iroh with his seemingly endless assortment of cakes. In the meantime, Korra led Asami towards the bank of a river which led through the mountain pass of Hai-Riyo Peak, skirting the curved edge of the Realm of Koh, all the way to the Spirit Oasis.
"Aren't we headed for the forest?" Asami paused in mid-step, watching Korra strip off her tribal were berry bushes in the forest, the flavors spurting in their mouths, and fruit hung low from the trees, fat mangos and coconuts and bright red apples with juice already leaking out.
But today, Korra had led them towards the shallow end of the river which coiled through the area. The water lapped at the dirt and rocks and Korra's bare feet, her toes clawing at the cool soil. She stood there in just her underwrap and boy shorts, the white material as bright as her smile, seeming even brighter in contrast to the rich brown hue of her skin. "Let's eat something a little different today."
Asami took her time stripping off her own clothing, turning away from Korra to undo the buttons of her jacket. The spirit world was cold this morning, and she'd thrown it over a simple black blouse. She shed that too, and her skirt, the leggings beneath it, cheeks tinging pink when she turned back to face the Avatar.
She could tell exactly what Korra was thinking, when her blue eyes crawled from the apex of her thighs, protected by bright blue panties that matched perfectly with the Avatar's hungry gaze, over the the swell of her tummy, inhaling and exhaling beneath the slow crawl, towards Asami's soft breasts that were trying not to move so obviously, enclosed in an identically shaded blue bra with water tribe designs crawling around the edges.
The days had been dizzying and wonderful so far, with a private tour of the Spirit World led by the Avatar. If that was all it was going to be, Asami would treasure it for always. Every night, when they laid down to sleep, fingers tangled in each other, she coached herself to just be content with what she had… whatever it was that they had.
But, with the way Korra was looking at her now, Asami dared to hope for more.
"What was it you wanted to eat?" Asami teased, stepping into the shallow river, cold sweeping across her ankles.
Korra blinked up at her for several seconds, dumbfounded, before reeling back with an - "Oh - uh - right."
The Avatar crouched down in the river, splaying her fingers on the shallow road of rich brown dirt, pebbles that shone like opaque jewels, and rushing water glistening in the morning light, as if stars had fallen into the shallow tide. A trail of pure, blinding energy spread from her fingertips towards the direction of the river, rounding the bend and travelling further beyond it. Asami watched patiently, hands clasped behind her back, biting down on her bottom lip when Korra's eyes opened to reveal her pupils had gone a bright white.
Fuck, that's hot. Asami's mind took a sharp, dirty turn, a vision of Korra on top of her, wind blowing through her short hair, white eyes crackling with energy boring down on her body.
She thought she heard a whisper of agreement, but when she turned around there was nobody there. And when Korra stood up again and took her hand, dragging her along, she forgot all about it.
As the river continued, the water gradually deepened, sloshing up their ankles, rising the length of their calves. The grassy bank grew higher and higher on both sides, so that only the surrounding mountains were visible from their vantage point, and the occasional spirit flying above their heads.
"Where are you taking me, exactly?" Asami's excitement was beginning to dim as they continued on. She'd grown up accustomed to breakfast being served to her in bed should she wish it, and though she wasn't against roughing it when she had to, this was supposed to be a vacation. And she was hungry.
"You'll see." Korra shot her a grin over the shoulder.
Finally, after what felt like an hour's trek through the river, the rushing water sloshing against their thighs and causing them to routinely bump against one another (neither of them complaining) Korra finally stopped. "Wait here."
"What? Where are you - ?"
A gigantic splash interrupted her query, Korra diving headfirst into the river. Asami flinched when she felt something crawling around her feet, but it was just Korra's fingertips dancing through the dirt. One hand settled on her cocked hip, Asami watched the Avatar's shadow swim around her ankles, her arms moving wildly to combat the current trying to sweep her away.
A few minutes later, Korra surfaced with a loud gasp, sopping wet and laughing as the current caught her around the middle and tried to pull her along. Asami's arms shot forward and grabbed her, waiting for the younger woman's legs to steady. "What was that all about?"
"Breakfast." Korra beamed, shoving two clumps of seaweed in Asami's face, the limp plants yanked from their underwater roots.
Asami's nose wrinkled up. "How… appetizing."
It actually - surprisingly - was appetizing. Korra directed them both out of the river and onto the grassy bank. Sitting cross legged across from one another, the Avatar arranged a series of pebbles and stones while Asami made a rack out of sticks bound by knots of grass. Settling the clumps of seaweed on the rack, Korra lit her fingers and started cooking the plants.
"Oh my god," Asami moaned around the crunchy treat settled on her tongue, its flavor smoky like some sort of meat.
"I know, right!" Korra looked beside herself with happiness that Asami was pleased with their breakfast. "Better than any water tribe grub even."
6.
"Seriously?" Bolin broke in, pouting around his noodles, a sliver hanging out the corner of his mouth. "You didn't happen to bring any back did you?"
"Don't think that's the point of the story, Bo." Mako rolled his eyes. "Go on, Korra."
7.
Their bellies full, mouth sparkling with flavor, Korra and Asami sat on the edge of the river bank, their feet flirting in the water. Every so often, Asami would call out a shape, and Korra would do her best to draw it with water, a chorus of butterfly flowers chirping out their scores.
"Oh come on," Korra groaned above her friend's giggles. "That was worth an eight at least!"
"I thought it was perfect," Asami scooted over a little closer, and pressed her lips against the bump of her best friend's nose, delighted to see rich brown skin combust into a rainbow made of pink and red hues.
"Asami, I…"
"Tsk. Shameful."
The two of them startled, breaking apart to glance up at a cloud of floating spirits observing them.
"Didn't we just see the Avatar snuggling up to that metal bending conqueror?" Some type of primate spirit asked, long blue tail curled disapprovingly.
A green dragonfly bunny sniffed in agreement. "She sure moves on fast."
"I was not snuggling with Kuvira!" Korra snapped up at them. "She tried to kill me!"
"You two were pretty cozy."
"We were not!" Korra shot a blast of wind at them, forcing them to scatter. Her gaze dropped to see Asami's raised brow.
"What was that about?"
"Just stupid spirits being stupid."
"Right." It wasn't as if Asami really thought anything had happened between her father's killer and Korra. But it was a weird comment for the spirits to make, and very much the mood killer.
Korra seemed to sense that, as the awkward silence continued to build between them. "Up for one more surprise?" She finally asked, rising to her feet. "There's a place really special to me. I'd love to show you."
8.
"One souvenir," Bolin whined. "That's all I'm saying."
"Bo…"
"I mean, I get you're googly eyed for Asami and all, but me and Mako dated you too! Could've brought something to show you cared."
"Alright, already, next time I go, I'll get you something." Korra huffed. "As I was saying, things were going great before the stupid spirits decided to bother us for no reason, talking absolute nonsense."
Bolin and Mako shared another look, silently communicating in that way only brothers could.
"What?" Korra snapped at them.
"Well, you and Kuvira did kind of - "
"There was nothing happening between us!"
"Okay, okay!" Both brothers put their hands up, smiling nervously at her.
"As you were saying…?" Mako prompted her.
Casting a suspicious eye at them both, Korra continued. "I just wanted the day to go back to what it was. I took her to this lagoon Jinora once told me about. Roughly between the realm of Koh and the Spirit Oasis. It's this beautiful place, the water looks like turquoise, the jungle surrounds it so the area feels private, and there's a waterfall pouring in. We swam around for awhile, and when she'd cheered up again, I took her on this path that leads from the lagoon, through the jungle, towards the…"
9.
Occasionally glancing over her shoulder to make sure Asami was keeping up, Korra continued shuffling her feet up the narrow path leading into the cave behind the waterfall's roaring curtain. The wind knocked them both back a bit, the Avatar's abdominal muscles tensing up as she fought to keep her balance, the cliff edges jabbing into her shoulder blades.
"Take my hand," Korra shouted above the white foam roar, catching the older girl's soft palm in her own and whipping her around the narrow bend, behind the rushing blue curtain, onto the granite landing.
Stumbling forward, Asami's pale green eyes widened just before the impact of their scantily clad bodies, breath catching in her throat as their breasts pressed against one another. Her hair hung longer than usual, drenched black curls teasing the curve of her hips. Korra steadied her, grinning with her chin tilted up.
"You good?"
Asami nodded wordlessly, burning beneath the bright stare. Despite the wet clothes hanging off her body, it felt like the cavern floor was made of hot coals, the flames licking her toes and the soles of her feet. Her eyes dropped to the Avatar's full lips, the dark curve of her mouth.
"Asami?" The engineer flushed at the way syllables were formed by Korra brushing her tongue against the roof of her own mouth. "Miss Sato?" Korra seemed to be laughing at her, squeezing the hand still locked in the shorter girl's possession. "You okay?"
Her only answer was stepping forward, and given there was no space between them, Korra was forced to awkwardly step back or risk falling on her ass.
The waterfall was the second brightest point of the cave, next to the Avatar's eyes. It roared in her ears, like the pulse of a crowd. Energy injected into her veins like helium, her chest hammering with a heart that felt like it was floating. Their hands still clasped together, Asami only stopped walking when Korra stopped moving, pinned between herself and the slope of the cavern wall.
"Asami," Korra said, soft and smiling, somehow completely audible.
Outlined by the bright blue shimmering behind her, Asami stood before the Avatar with bare feet and drenched curls, her creamy white skin painted in the spray, matching pair of bra and panties the same shade as the crystal lagoon they'd swum through, the same shade as her best friend's bright eyes. Her chest had started to rise and fall so quickly, so deeply, that her boobs were threatening to tumble out of the cups, clearly straining towards freedom. She looked like she was readying for something. She looked as if she were preparing to dive off a cliff.
Korra continued to smile up at the taller girl, and brought one hand up to her cheek, trapping Asami's fingers against the side of her face. "Tell me what you're thinking."
"I'm thinking…" Asami finally spoke, her voice low, and scratchy, as if she'd been crying for years, the tears dried up in her throat, only now about to break through the cracks. "How much I missed you."
"I missed you too." Korra offered a soft laugh.
"I - " Asami turned her trapped hand around so that she was properly cupping the Avatar's cheek, fingers sliding back so that they swept around the curve of Korra's ear, rose colored nails gently scratching the cedar skin. "I'm thinking… how beautiful you are, how happy I am to be here with you…"
"Is that all?" Korra teased, one hand trailing down the length of her best friend's arm, the other slowly settling on the small of Asami's back, pulling her in closer, until the older girl was fully leaning over her, a curtain of dark curls spilling onto the Avatar's broad shoulders.
"No," Asami breathed, forced to straddle the Avatar's thigh, her modesty protected only by a strip of damp cloth. "That's not all." The admission made them both flush; from pleasure, from embarrassment, from the anticipation buzzing in their bellies.
They leaned towards each other, lashes fluttering, eyes slowly closing as their heads began to tilt… the same exact way.
"Ooomph!" Korra reared back as their noses accidentally smushed together, only to accidentally bump the back of her head against the rock hard wall. "Ow!"
Asami snapped her eyes open, and promptly burst into giggles at the sight of her best friend furiously rubbing at her head.
"It's not funny!" Korra scowled up at her, looking too adorable with a furrowed brow and cheeks rubbed raw with a crimson rash of heat.
"No, no, of course not." Asami tried and failed to sober up, giggles bubbling out of her like involuntary hiccups. "You poor baby, come here. Oh, stop sulking, come here."
It was her turn to lead, tugging the pouty Avatar deeper into the cave, to where the stalagmites and flowstones created a kind of lopsided throne big enough for them to situate themselves upon. Asami spread her legs and made Korra sit between them on the lower level of stone, gently running her fingers through the short, wet hair, on a quest for the tiny bump.
"No need to fuss over me," Korra sighed, submitting to the gentle inspection, slinging her arms over her friend's smooth legs.
"I like fussing over you."
"Yeah, well, if you were less than perfect maybe I'd like fussing over you too."
Asami smiled. "You think I'm perfect?" Her inspection slowly morphed into a gentle scalp massage, tremors of pleasure visibly rippling through the Avatar.
Practically melting between the engineer's legs, Korra made a sound of assent, beginning to feel too lazy to bother with words. Asami peeked down at the view newly afforded her, her eyeline plunging into a deep dive of her best friend's bountiful cleavage.
"I think you're amazing, Korra." The younger woman's scalp was putty in her hands, tiny mewls of contentment stirring in the base of her friend's throat. "You're so kind, so brave… so strong," Her eyes drifted towards the incredibly defined biceps; frequent focal points in her mouth watering fantasies. "You're the most incredible woman I've ever known."
Korra's hands were growing less passive the longer she sprinkled compliments, cupping Asami's calves and gently digging all ten fingers into the flesh, the two of them unable to keep their hands to themselves, but under the guise of a friendly massage. Slowly, the Avatar began to turn from where she remained seated, the fingers in her hair slipping away, bright gaze drifting up and snapping into place, locked in the gentle emerald shimmer of her best friend's eyes.
"Asami," The name was like a purr, rolling out the throat of a predator, preceding a submissive press of the Avatar's lips on the center of Asami's kneecap. It burned her skin. It made her gasp aloud, their locked gaze unbroken. Korra smirked at the reaction, her submissive position as sincere as it was playful.
Slowly, the Avatar began to rise, smirk spreading at the widening of her best friend's eyes, at the way Asami's body seemed to simultaneously lean backwards to accommodate her ascent and strain towards her with clear longing. This time, when their noses came into contact, it was purposeful. Korra gently nuzzled them together, grinning at the way Asami let out a soft whimper, desperate for more.
"Korra," She full on whined, when the Avatar kissed her on the nose, and then the corner of her mouth. Her eyes closed when Korra continued to tease her, pulse point throbbing almost painfully beneath the press of her best friend's lips, the Avatar playfully mapping out the terrain of her exposed neck.
Kneeling on the cavern floor, Korra tugged the slim waist closer to the edge of the lopsided throne, grinning at the tiny yelp of surprise Asami let slip out as she slipped over the edge, plump ass landing neatly on the Avatar's lap. "Yes, Asami?" She kissed the base of her best friend's throat, tasted the salt of her skin, felt the way Asami swallowed in longing.
"Kor-rah…" The syllables dragged out, inch by inch. "Please…" She wrapped her arms around the Avatar's shoulders, and gently rolled her hips forward, biting her bottom lip at the way Korra gave a low groan in response. "Please, Korra…" They had yet to do anything, and she was already sweating, her skin glowing blue in the waterfall's shadow, beads of perspiration dotting the valley between her breasts.
When the Avatar made an amused sound, Asami ducked her head and crushed their mouths together, capturing that elusive, proper kiss. It took a moment, but then Korra melted beneath the pressure, playfulness seeping beneath a tender tide, the softness of her best friend's lips beckoning her forward. The kiss tasted of the sweet, smoky flavor of their breakfast, and the berries they'd snacked on during their trek to the lagoon. Korra gasped and moaned at the texture of her best friend's tongue wrapped around her own, sucking on the juice strains, coaxing the Avatar to explore her own mouth.
"Mmmph!" Asami bounced in the air, legs automatically wrapping around Korra's waist when the shorter girl picked her up, standing in the middle of the cave. "What are you doing?" She breathed, heart hammering as the girl carried her around so easily. "Korra, where are you taking me?"
Korra was grinning up at her, bright and toothy, her hands starting to roll the flesh of her ass around and around beneath greedy palms. Squeezing and clutching, pulling the cheeks this way and that; a bruising rhythm of affection. Asami gasped and squirmed in a torturous circle of agony and delight, feeling a small patch of her panties begin to soak from more than just water. She knew from experience Korra could make her cum just from this alone, one thigh grinding into her center. But now she desired so much more.
They sank back to the ground, the cavern floor smoothing over and softening into dirt just in time for Korra to lay her best friend down, raven tresses spilling like water across the surprisingly comfortable surface, bended into something almost resembling a cot. Ridiculously giddy from the show of strength, Asami licked her lips as she was laid down, light green eyes shining with mirth. "Show off."
"You love it."
They kissed again, this time with Korra fumbling with the back clasp of her best friend's blue bra. When she accidentally snapped it against Asami's skin, she reared back, apologetic.
"It's okay," Asami laughed, reaching behind to undo it herself, their cheeks flushed pink, their skin emitting that faint blue glow in the shadow of the roaring waterfall. Fully aware of the rapt attention she was receiving, Asami slowed down just slightly as she tugged off her bra. The cups slid over the tips of her pink nipples, then fully revealed the rosy flush of her breasts.
Korra's jaw dropped and the heiress preened beneath the attention. "Wow," Korra crawled forward, tugging the bra out of Asami's hands and tossing it off to the side. Their mouths collided in another eager kiss, Asami reaching up to wrap her arms around Korra's neck and pull her down.
Whining in the pit of her throat when the Avatar broke the kiss, all was forgiven when Korra's naturally talented tongue gently encircled one of Asami's nipples right before grazing the tiny perimeter with the sharp edges of her teeth. Asami hissed and arched her spine, an invitation for Korra to envelop the slowly rising bud into the heat of her mouth, sucking gently on the pink peak. Her gentleness soon turned eager as Asami moaned beneath her ministrations and cupped the back of Korra's head with her hand, bunching the short wet strands in a fist.
"Mmm - Korra - mmm!" Asami didn't want to rush anything, but her body was already overly sensitive and primed for more than just this, as torturously delightful as it was. She didn't need any foreplay, she'd had three years of wonton yearning for the woman's burning touch.
Korra, meanwhile, seemed to be of a mind of luxuriating in every inch of Asami Sato's creamy white flesh, feasting on her flushed tits and sucking on patches of soft skin that created the narrow valley between the squeeze of the older girl's squishy breasts. One hand reaching up to fondle the more neglected breast, Korra's mouth left a trail of purple hickeys down the center of her best friend's body, finally coming to linger around the area of Asami's tummy.
The older girl gasped at the feel of Korra's tongue dipping into her belly button, mimicking the act of penetration. Her thighs rubbed together, slick with arousal dripping out of her panties. Korra moaned around the salt gathered on the tip of her tongue, swirling it around the inside of her best friend's belly button a few more times before pulling out, a thin trail of saliva connecting them.
Lifting her gaze, a ravenous expression darkening her face, Korra smirked at Asami's flushed mouth. "Can I…?" She fingered the hem of the older girl's blue panties.
Asami nodded furiously, lifting her bottom off the smoothly bended cavern floor, helping the Avatar remove them more easily. She could not believe how much more there was to blush, to feel aroused. But the surge of admiration and primal lust rolling off the Avatar in waves had her cheeks inflamed, and her pussy soaking, especially when in a shy attempt to close her legs, Korra caught them by the knees, forcing them to lay open, her enraptured stare latched onto the apex of Asami's thighs.
It was the first time Korra was seeing the soaked entrance in light; a perfect oval swell, a fiery pink shade beckoning her touch, her tongue, every inch available to worship.
"Korra…" Asami whined, when all the girl did was hold the stare for several seconds.
"I don't…" Korra wet her lips. "I don't know what to do."
"Anything." Asami immediately answered. "Whatever you want to do. What do you want?"
"You'll… you'll think it strange."
"No, I won't." Pure desperation crawled across Asami's features. "Korra, anything is fine, anything."
Korra laughed at that. "Okay…" She stretched above her best friend's body until their hips aligned, and slowly rolled her center against Asami's, her breath hot against the older girl's neck.
"Korra," Asami couldn't stop groaning the Avatar's name, past echoes from minutes ago still rebounding off the cavern walls. The rub of friction felt wonderful, the collision of their centers meshing together, grinding her bottom deeper into the ground, but - "Take off your shorts, please, it'll feel so much better."
Just like all those nights together on Air Temple Island, Korra hesitated at the request. "I don't… look the way you look."
Asami's head fell back, light green eyes soaked in lust, with genuine affection lapping around the edges of her irises. "I don't want someone who looks the way I look, I want you, Korra." Her hand reached up to gently stroke the Avatar's cheek before roughly grasping her chin and dragging her down for another greedy kiss. "You're beautiful, every inch of you."
A goofy smile breaking through the heady scent of lust, Korra obeyed Asami's next whispered command to peel her boyshorts off, and then found herself being rolled over on their cot of smoothed over granite, a surprised laugh exiting her throat as Asami straddled on top.
"What're you doing?"
"I'm hungry," Asami lowered her mouth to just above the Avatar's entrance, a small nest of black curls guarding the sweetly scented musk, using her thumbs to spread open the lower lips, nuzzling her nose into her best friend's center. "I want to feast."
If spirits could blush, they would have. The cave echoed with a crescendo of ecstasy disguised as a three syllable name. Most of the day had passed when Asami finally collapsed above her lover's body, the two of them sweaty and slightly malnourished, breathing heavily. Asami had just enough strength to wipe her fingers on the dark skin, watching Korra's arousal glisten on her own chest, in between her heaving breasts.
It took several minutes more, but Korra was finally able to scoot them both up, and bended some of the waterfall into showering them off, and give them something to drink, soothe their parched throats. They shared some more kisses, Korra tasting herself in Asami's mouth. It was… weirdly pleasant.
"Where you going?" Korra's tongue felt heavy in her mouth, her grip loose around Asami's wrist.
"To get our clothing."
"Why?"
"I thought we were done." Asami laughed as Korra pulled her back.
"We're not close to being done."
The raven haired girl crawled into the Avatar's lap, the roar of the waterfall fading into background noise, Korra only aware of the older girl's giggles dribbling like pearls into her ear. "I love you," She blurted out, puppy like devotion causing her entire face to break out into fanatical energy. She could feel her cheeks vibrating with heat. Like a match had been struck against her chin, the flames licking her jawline.
Dipping down, Asami caught her lips with a sweet kiss, peppering affection on her face, gently brushing her eyelids. "I don't think I should hold you to that," She teased. "That was your first realclimax after all."
Korra's lips instantly dipped into a pout. "I do love you." She said, her tone stubborn.
Around the Avatar's broad shoulders, Asami wrapped her bare arms, hugging Korra's neck, pressing their foreheads together. "Tell me again," Her nails played with the nape of her lover's neck, tracing invisible patterns on the dark skin. "When you're not coming down from a high."
Korra grasped the older girl's hips, squeezing firmly, rubbing the flesh in slowly increasing agitation. "You don't believe me… or feel the same way?"
"I believe you believe it," Asami couldn't help rolling her hips against the warm palms, her center coming into contact with the firm abdominal muscles. "But I - I couldn't bear it if you took it back."
"I won't take it back."
Asami smiled, kissing her again. "You're so certain, are you?" She nipped the younger girl's bottom lip, rolling her nails up the curve of her lover's scalp. "You might just like me, and love the way I make you feel."
"I do love the way you make me feel, and I do like you, and I love you." Korra wrapped her arms fully around Asami's waist, hugging her to her body as close as possible. She pressed her mouth against the base of her lover's throat, sucking on the skin there. "I love you, Asami Sato."
She pressed the vow against her porcelain skin, the suction of her tongue unrelenting. Asami wrapped her arms tighter around the Avatar's neck, burying her face in chocolate tresses. The silence between them remained unbroken for several moments, and Korra realized she wasn't going to hear anything in response to that.
"Can I do to you, um, what you did to me?" She finally asked, tentatively reaching down between them to cup her lover's pussy, smiling at the way massaging it made Asami gasp and squirm into her hand even more.
"You better," Asami muttered, and shrieked with laughter when Korra rolled her over, the two of them playfully fighting for dominance again, before Korra succeeded in pinning her wrists above her head, a body full of hickeys melting beneath the pressure. No more thinking. Asami closed her eyes and submitted, a smile playing on her lips, only gentle sighs and moans slipping out as Korra methodically applied each and every lesson she'd just learned, until Asami was bucking on her fingers and cumming with the Avatar's name digging into the walls, carved there for all eternity.
Korra passed out in between the lulling roar of the waterfall and Asami's languid panting. She fell asleep spooning the older girl, face buried in the salty texture of her neck and jasmine scented tresses.
At some point during the night, she almost felt like Asami had pulled away and left her side, but when she cracked open her eyes hours later, there Asami was, wrapped up in her arms. "Hey," She murmured, offering a sleepy half smile.
Asami wasn't smiling back. Instead, she leaned forward and kissed Korra square on the mouth, something almost angry in her kiss.
"Woah," Korra laughed when they broke apart, reaching up to rub the sleep out of her eyes. "That woke me up."
"Korra." Asami's voice grabbed her attention even more than the kiss did. The engineer was sitting up, and had gotten dressed (or, as much as she could) sometime during the night, bra and panties drying on her skin. "I love you."
The Avatar smiled bright, mouth parting to say the same, but was caught off by a finger settling firmly on her lips.
"I love you, but as a friend." Asami said, her voice tight, like the hollow of her throat had constricted, making it hard for the words to push out. "I think we made a mistake. I just want to remain friends. Tell me that's okay, please. I don't want to lose you."
10.
"...so, yeah. That's what happened." Korra stared down at her noodles, her glum reflection staring back at her. "I tried asking her what I did, but she just kept saying the same thing. That it was a mistake and she loved me, but not like that. I told her it was alright, of course we'd be friends, and we cut our vacation early."
"Aw, Korra. You just came on a little too strong." Bolin said after a pause. "We've all been there. She probably just needed time to process."
"I dunno, Bo." Mako mused aloud. "Asami's never been one to shy away from feelings."
"Oh, yeah. Well, if it makes you feel better, Korra, Asami hasn't been with anyone since you two got back from the portal. Like, even a casual date. Believe me, Varrick and I have tried to set her up loads of times."
"Whatever," Korra frowned, shaking her head. "None of this was even what I called you two here for."
"Actually, I was the one who - " Bolin cut himself off. "Not important."
"Shady Shin was right, Bolin. I'm here to find someone. And I have good reason he's going to show at the Fire Festival tonight."
"Who is he?"
"A former member of the Agni Kai Triad. His name is Hotaru. And… I think he's the firebender responsible for the murder of Yasuko Sato."
Mako's dark brows shot up all the way towards his hairline, while Bolin just looked confused. "Who's that?"
"Who do you think?" Mako whacked him on the back of the head. "Asami's mother."
Next: The Fire Festival!
