Republic Academy

Synopsis: AU. Korra and Asami were childhood friends, but communication ceased when Asami left the South.

Rated: T

Southern Tribe Savage!

Korra banged her forehead on her locker. Every. Fucking. Week. Every week some jerk scrawls this shit across her locker. She knew that Republic City didn't have a large Southern population, but this was bullshit.

Korra had just transferred into Republic Academy and, needless to say, not a lot of people were happy with the fact that a member of the Southern tribe was attending such a 'prestigious' institution. The administration did what they could to help, but the parents of these students were just too wealthy. Korra sighed. Money always wins…

"They just never give you a break, do they?" Bolin asked, approaching her and smiling sympathetically.

Bolin was really her only friend. His brother Mako was polite enough, as far as she knew, but made no real attempt to show her any friendliness. He patted her shoulder.

"Yeah, every week without fail." Korra banged her forehead on her locker again. "I'm getting really sick of this."

"I think you should reveal your little secret. That would shut everyone up."

Korra waved her hands frantically. "Oh hell no! People can't know I'm The Avatar." She hissed at him. "Tenzin wants to keep it under wraps for now. They want me to finish a 'formal education' first. I just wasn't responding well to the private tutors."

"So, The Council is paying for this?" Bolin arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but not even the school administration knows." Korra cracked her neck. "They've told them I'm an exchange student since my dad is the Southern Chief. So, as far as everyone is considered I'm just a run of the mill waterbender."

Bolin nodded, "Does it make me special that I know?"

"Yes, sir."

Bolin smiled and punched her arm playfully. "I'm glad I can be a good friend to you." His smirked and motioned behind her. "Looks like your day is about to get even worse."

She turned and saw 'The Clique', as Bolin called them. It consisted of the richest, and therefore, most popular students at The Academy. Their 'leader', Asami Sato, had the locker right next to Korra's.

She groaned quietly when she saw Asami and banged her forehead on her locker yet again. Bolin put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, if you keep that up you're going to get a concussion."

"I just don't need all this today. I'm being tested on airbending today and, need I remind you, I suck at it."

He patted her back and smiled. "Come on, let's get out of here before The Clique arrives."

"I can't believe your brother is involved with those jackasses."

"He thinks Asami is hot."

Korra shook her head. "Doesn't everyone in this school."

Bolin grinned. "Don't you?"

She punched his shoulder. "I told you all that in confidence, you ass!"

Korra looked over and noticed they were quickly approaching. She opened her locker door all the way to hide the slur written.

"Sup, baby bro." Mako greeted Bolin while jutting his chin out. "Hanging out The Sav?"

"Sav?"

He motioned his head over to Korra, who was shoulder deep in her locker trying to hide. Bolin raised an eyebrow and Mako rolled his eyes.

"Short for savage." He mouthed.

Bolin's mouth fell open and his brother cackled. "Calm down, Bo. It's harmless."

"You're a dick, Mako."

A group of girls passed by giggling. "Bye Mako!" One of them called out. Mako responded with his typical flirty grin.

Bolin rolled his eyes. Sure, he loved his brother but more often than not he wanted to punch his lights out. This joke about Korra has gone far enough. He glanced at Korra and frowned. He didn't want to cause her even more trouble here.

"Hi, Bolin." Asami said with a graceful smiled as she walked up next to Mako.

"Hey, Asami." He responded flatly. "Mako, it's almost three. Don't we have bending practice?"

Mako checked his phone and swore. "We do. We better go." He turned to Asami. "Do I get a kiss for good luck? The Fire Ferrets stand a good chance of taking out Tahno's team."

"In your dreams, lover boy. She's not interested." Bolin said grabbing Mako's wrist and pulling him along. "Later Korra."

Korra slowly emerged from her locker and waved shyly.

"Hey, Korra."

Korra groaned internally. "Hi, Asami."

Asami smiled sweetly and opened her own locker. "How was your day?"

"Fine."

Asami raised an eyebrow. "You ok?"

"Fine."

"Is that the only word you know?" She chuckled.

Korra fumed. "What, did you expect a savage like me to speak with a broken accent?"

Asami eyes widened at Korra's outburst. "That's not what I was trying to say at all. I was just trying to make a joke because all you said was 'fine'."

Korra blushed slightly and tuned back to her locker. "Sorry. I'm just irritated today."

"Are people still calling you a savage?" She asked in a hushed tone.

Korra sighed. "Yeah."

Asami frowned a placed a hand on Korra's shoulder. "I'm really sorry about all that. I wish they'd lay off of it already."

"You and me, both." Korra shot her a sideways glance. "It's usually your little group that gives me the worst of it."

Asami's emerald eyes slid over to lock on Korra's blue ones. "What?"

"Yeah, and as much as Bolin tries to shelter me from it, I know they call me The Sav. Well, almost everyone does."

Korra looked over at her and noticed how tightly Asami was gripping her locker door. She raised an eyebrow.

"I keep telling them to knock that shit off. I'm really sorry, Korra."

"Asami, it's fine."

Asami slammed her hand against the locker door. "No, it's not! They're just a bunch of fucking racists." Her voiced hushed and she looked at Korra with a wistful expression. "I hope you don't think of me like that. We're friends."

"We were friends, Asami." Korra seethed. "Until I got here and you've spent the last three months ignoring me to hang out with your little gang of racists."

"What? No! That's not it at all. You've been avoiding me!"

"Sure, whatever, Asami." Korra slammed her locker door shut. Asami's eyes locked on the slur written across the front. She rested her hand on Korra's arm when she saw the hurt flash in Korra's eyes. She began to rummage in her purse.

"Here I have a handkerchief, I'll clean it up." She pulled it out and slid her purse in her locker before beginning to wipe off the insult.

Korra saw the handkerchief and put her hand over Asami's. "Stop. That was your mom's. Don't ruin it."

"I'm doing exactly what she would have wanted me to do." Asami said quietly. She turned her hand and laced her fingers with Korra's. They dropped their linked hands and Asami pulled her into a tight hug.

"Your mom was an amazing woman." Korra whispered burying her face into Asami's neck. She had missed this. She had missed Asami. Her Asami.

"And she'd be ashamed of me for letting this go on. I can't understand how you've endured this." Asami said sadly. "I'm sorry, Korra. I've been awful to you."

Korra slipped her arms around Asami's hips. She pulled her head back and looked at Asami, whose gaze dropped to her lips. Korra felt her face flush as Asami closed the gap between them.

Electricity shot through both of them when their lips met. Asami pulled Korra closer and deepened the kiss. A moment later, Korra pushed her back. Her eyes were full of anger.

"No! You don't get to do that anymore. Not since you abandoned me." Korra backed away. "Not since you left me." She spun on her heel and ran down the hallway away from her.

Asami's face fell. "That's not what happened. I didn't mean to leave you." She whispered softly.

Korra wiped tears away with the back of her hand while she walked to the ferry dock. She just wanted to get back to Air Temple Island and get Asami out of her mind for the day.

"Korra!"

She hesitated before turning. She saw Bolin running towards her in his competitive bending uniform.

"I saw you running and you looked upset." His eyes widened. "Hey, why are you crying? Come here." He pulled her into a gentle hug.

"I'm sorry, Bo."

He pulled away just enough to look at her. "Don't apologize. Come on; let's go to Narrok's. My treat, we can talk about it there."

"Wait, what?" Bolin scratched his head. "You and Asami dated?"

Korra sighed. "Not dating per say. We were just together."

"I am so confused."

"Her family spent a lot of time in the South when she was a kid. Her dad and his company have a lot of manufacturing plants down there." Korra absently picked at her noodles. "She spent the better part of five years down there. So from ages eleven to sixteen we were best friends. One night, close to when they left the South for good, we confessed we had feelings for each other. We ended up spending the night together…and almost every night after that before they left."

Bolin's eyes widened at Korra's admission. "So, you and Asami…Asami and you…"

"Yeah." Korra nodded meekly. "When she left, I never heard from her again. Not until I came up here. I was mad, but still so excited to see her. The first time I saw her she was with her little friends. I waved like an idiot and she just smiled politely. She broke my heart a second time that day."

"That's why you don't like taking to her."

"Yes, and she had the nerve to kiss me today. Well, I think I may have kissed her. Oh hell, we kissed."

"Wow, I'm sorry Korra." Bolin frowned. "Maybe Asami just doesn't think you're into her or something anymore?"

"What?" Korra shook her head. "I'll always want her. She was everything to me, Bo. I loved her. I still do."

Korra wiped a stray tear off of her face and Bolin rested his hand on hers.

'I need to fix this.'

"Miss Sato, you have a visitor."

Asami nodded and followed the butler downstairs. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Bolin?" A serious expression was locked on his face. "Mako's not here, Bo." She said crossing the room to him.

"This isn't about Mako." Bolin frowned. "This is about Korra."

Asami sighed and her face fell. "She told you?"

"Yeah, she's told me everything. I know she's The Avatar and I know about you two." Bolin crossed his arms. "Why the hell would you do that to her and then kiss her?"

"I didn't do anything to her!" Asami snapped. "I wrote letters. I sent gifts. It was the White Lotus! They sent all of them back and kept everything from Korra."

"What about when she got here? She waved and you ignored her."

"I didn't see her, I swear! I must have been smiling at Opal." Asami's voice broke with tears. "I love her, Bolin. I came rushing up to her when I saw her after school and she snapped at me. Said I ignored her. Said that I left her. I tried to explain, but she wouldn't listen! She still won't!"

Bolin was quiet. The heartbreak on Asami's face convinced him that she was telling the truth.

"You don't understand. The past two years were painful for me. I didn't get to see or hear from her because her goddamn handlers thought I would just be a distraction!" Asami's voice broke as tears slipped down her face. "Then when I finally get to see her she avoids me all because of a fucking misunderstanding! I love her. I gave myself to her."

Asami covered her mouth as she broke. Bolin stepped forward and caught the older girl before she sank to the ground. Asami wrapped her arms around Bolin and sobbed. 'Damn it, Korra, you're so stubborn.' Bolin thought as he stroked Asami's hair.

Korra groaned in frustration and bent a large boulder, breaking it in half. She couldn't get Asami out of her mind. She hadn't kissed Asami in nearly two years. She wanted to be angry and hate her, but in that second all the love she felt came rushing back to her.

She just wanted to hold her and kiss her like she had. She wanted Asami to help her meditate. She wanted Asami to kiss her forehead when she was tired or frustrated. She wanted Asami to take her to bed and make love like they had. She just wanted Asami to love her again.

"Yo! Korra!" A voice called out.

Korra turned and saw Bolin walking towards her with a still tearful Asami behind him. Any anger Korra had dissipated when she saw Asami wipe tears from her face. Her heart lurched and found herself running straight to Asami.

"'Sami! Are you alright?"

Asami's breath caught when Korra used the familiar nickname. She reached out and took Korra in her arms. "I love you." She whispered.

Korra grit her teeth and shoved Asami away. "No! You don't get to say that to me!"

"Korra, please." Asami said reaching for her.

The Avatar stepped back.

"Korra! Just listen!" Bolin said holding his hand up. "Asami didn't leave you. It was the White Lotus."

"What?"

"They withheld her letters and packages. They thought it would distract you." Bolin handed Korra a slip of paper.

Korra snatched the paper and read it. Her eyes widened.

'We must inform you that your letters and packages will be withheld from The Avatar until her training is complete. She has trouble focusing on her training already; we feel your absence is only going to exasperate the issue. It has been deemed best that communication be cut; constant reminder of your absence will only make the situation worse. We are sure you will understand. – Order of the White Lotus.'

Korra stared down at the note, her own tears forming. "What about when you ignored me that day."

"She didn't see you. She was smiling at Opal." Bolin said quietly. "That's why she flew right up to you after school."

Korra lifted her gaze to Asami, who locked eyes with her. "'Sami, I'm so sorry." She whispered. "I'm so sorry. I'm such an idiot. I'm so fucking stupid."

Asami stepped forward and took Korra in her arms. "No! Not in the slightest." Asami whispered into Korra's hair. "It was just a tension build up. I should have tried to tell you more, I was just convinced that you didn't want me anymore."

"I've always wanted you." Korra murmured, nuzzling into Asami. "I've missed you so much."

The heiress pulled back and crashed her lips to Korra's. The Avatar gripped Asami's hips and pulled her closer. Bolin cleared his throat and the women broke apart.

"Not that I'm not happy for you two, but I'm heading out before you guys get hot and heavy." Bolin said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Korra stepped forward and hugged Bolin. "Thank you so much, Bo. You helped me dig my head out of my ass."

"It's what I'm good for." Bolin said with a charming smile.

Asami stepped forward and pecked him on the cheek. "Thank you, Bolin."

Bolin grinned and pulled both girls in for a hug.

"I know for a fact that Opal is really into you." Asami whispered to him.

The dark haired boy pulled back with a brilliant grin. "Seriously?"

"Seriously."

He released the girls and ran to the dock. "I demand a double date!" He called over his shoulder.

Korra took Asami in her arms and kissed her fiercely. "I've missed you so much. I'm so sorry. I love you."

"I love you, too." Asami murmured against Korra's lips. "You know I've never been able to stay mad at you."

"I need to have a chat with the White Lotus." Korra muttered in frustration. "I will break some faces if I have to."

Asami chuckled and kissed Korra's forehead.

"Break one for me, would you?"

"So you and Opal, huh?" Korra asked as she opened her locker.

Bolin grinned. "Yes ma'am. I ran all the way to her house and asked her out. I even picked a flower for her on my way there."

"Romantic."

"Hey! I've crushed on her for ages. I didn't want to wait a moment longer." Bolin said leaning against a locker. "Tell me about you and Asami."

Korra smiled widely. "It was just like old times. We talked and laughed. She held me and we kissed. We even went back to my room and well, um, reacquainted ourselves."

"A little too much information."

"Sorry."

They turned when they heard laughter coming from down the hall. They turned and saw 'The Clique.' Minus a certain member, that is.

"Wow, Korra, who knew you had such prowess of our language?" A girl snarled at her. The group behind her laughed.

Korra grit her teeth and Bolin frowned.

"Hey everyone." Asami said, pushing her way to her locker. She handed Korra a bouquet of firelillies and kissed her tenderly. "Hey, love. These are for you."

Korra smiled and brushed Asami's hair from her face. "Thank you."

"Um, Asami?" One of the group asked shakily. "What the hell?"

Asami looked at them and shook her head. "Can't a girl do something nice for her girlfriend?"

Bolin chuckled as Asami smirked and flipped her hair over her shoulder. She wrapped an arm around Korra's shoulders and looked over at Bolin.

"Come on, Bo. Opal is waiting for us at the fountain."

Korra closed her locker and slipped an arm around Asami's waist.

"Suck it, bitches." Korra said as the three turned and walked away.

Opal pushed herself off the wall and ran into Bolin's arms, giving him a tender kiss.

"Hi, sweetie." She said.

"Hey." Bolin said with a goofy smile.

Korra and Asami chuckled. Opal blushed and buried her face in Bolin's shoulder.

"Come on, everyone." Asami said, pecking Korra on her temple. "Ice cream is on me."

Korra smiled up at her lover.

She had Asami back, and for the first time in a while, things were finally looking up.

Weak ending is weak. Sorry, everyone.