The loud knock on the office door told Asami that Bolin was back with their lunch. A week after Korra left he began to eat with Asami in her office every day, and it was her favorite part of the day. The several boxes of food were dangerously balanced in his arms and the tray with their drinks was on the brink of collapse as he shuffled through the door. Asami jumped up and jogged around her desk to help him with the takeout and after setting the food onto the small table in the center of the room they both gratefully collapsed onto the couch Asami kept in her office. The aroma of the food wafted throughout the room and she couldn't help but laugh with Bo when her stomach rumbled loudly. They ate in mirth and for the first time all day Asami's thoughts drifted away from the girl who took her heart with her, the girl she missed so dearly.
"Hey, I have some news," Bolin said happily as he slurped the green noodles. Asami bit into a dumpling while waiting patiently as he tried to swallow his food. "Since Opal left for Ba Sing Se, and Mako's all busy with work, I figured I should do something too." He shuffled around his pants' pocket and pulled out a folded up sheet of paper.
Asami eyed it cautiously, unsure of how Bolin decided he would help, and took it from him gingerly. The paper crinkled as she unfolded it and suddenly her day was no longer as good as she thought it'd be. The 'enlistment' form was filled in, Bolin's blocky handwriting scribbled over the empty spaces. Asami felt her jaw clench and her heart beat speed up. Bolin was her best friend, no if's, and's, or but's, he supported her and he was the one she talked to about troubles. He was her best friend, and the only one out of their team with no way to help, she would get over herself. Her shock was quickly replaced with a sad smile and she looked up at him. He was sitting on the edge of the couch, his expression expectant, and his anticipation was palpable.
"When are you leaving?" She was grateful her voice didn't crack like it wanted to.
Bolin gave her a huge smile. "So you're okay with this?"
"If you really want this then who am I to stop you, right?"
"I really do want to do this, and you're only the second to know. Well the first since I sent Korra the letter this morning so she didn't get it yet."
Asami looked at him in surprise. "Wait, so Mako and Opal don't know yet?"
"I'm telling Mako tonight, and Opal is off grid for now so I can't really contact her," at the mention of Opal he smiled gently. "I really hope that she will be okay with this, because I know how hard it is to have the person you love be stuck in the middle of a warzone." He intently gazed at his chopsticks as he twirled them in his hands absently. "I guess you know too, though."
Asami inhaled sharply and clenched her jaw as her eyes teared up. "I do, don't I. Did…did she …write to you?"
Bolin shook his head softly.
"I only sent her four letters so far. I keep waiting for someone to call and tell me that she's back," she spoke quietly.
Bolin hugged her with one arm and stroked her back lovingly. "Hey, look on the bright side! It's been six weeks so she's bound to get back any day now right?!"
Bolin's hopeful tone did nothing to lift her hopes, but his affection made her feel better. She nodded and returned to her food, urging Bolin to do the same. Her appetite suffered from Bolin's new plans, but she finished her plate anyway.
"If this all works out I'll be shipped off by the end of the month," he said softly.
"Be careful Bo. Please."
"I know," he assured her. "Now come on, you're taking the rest of the day off cause we're going down to the mall and getting me some new stuff. I heard the upper ring got a new smoothie place too."
Asami chuckled and stood from her spot walking towards her desk. "You are a bad influence Bolin. I can't get anything done when you are around."
"That's exactly what I'm here for!"
She told her secretary that she would be out for the rest of the day, and they promptly left the building arm in arm.
000
Korra sat in her bed and played with Naga's fur as her companion rested by her side faithfully. She looked around her room, her eyes taking in all of the things she left behind so long ago. She looked at the shelf full of books, some from when she was a toddler others from later on in her life when she studied under the White Lotus, and reminisced about the days when Katara or her mom read her night time stories. Her favorites were tales of past avatars, how they defeated evil, how they fought valiantly to save the innocents. She wanted to be like those from her past, strived for it. And if anything, she really did think she had done a good job. Her biggest problem was, however, the unpopularity that her title held. She just couldn't understand how the people didn't see all the good that she's done. Her frustration built until she let out a growl and swiped the letters on her nightstand to the floor in anger. Immediately regretting her actions she ran a hand through her hair and took a calming breath. Shuffling off the bed was difficult even with Naga's help, and for a second she almost began missing the numbness that plagued her below the knees before she regained the feeling.
Through clenched teeth she settled in the cold floor, holding on to Naga for much needed comfort. The animal gently licked her cheek and settled at her side, warming her. The seething in her shins dulled and her heartrate slowed. She looked at the mess she made, and her eyes searched for a pink letter. The letter that made her feel something other than anger and exhaustion and pain. She pushed away some other papers until she found the pages she was looking for, and then took them carefully so as not to mess up the little glued on pink and blue stones and the glitter that covered most of the letter. The large, blocky print was written in pencil and some words were obviously erased and rewritten several times with erase marks spread throughout. When Korra first took the letter out of its envelope, sparkles fell out of it and covered the avatar and everything around her in a layer of shimmering colors. Even now her hands and clothes still had them. For some reason she liked that the glitter stuck to her for so long, sending her a reminder of this letter every time she saw her skin glisten. Her eyes roamed the papers and she reread the letter for the hundredth time
Dear Miss Avatar Korra,
My name is Tula and I am from the North Water Tribe. I am 7 and a half, and I have two little brothers. I love them very much. My daddy and mommy moved us to your city last week, and they took us to the jungle that you made. It was so much fun! I climbed the vines the highest out of all the other kids there and my mom even bought us all kompeito candies afterwards.
They also took us to the big park and my dad told me that the lady who is fixing it named it after you. I also want to write a letter to her because she's so nice to you. My dad told me that not a lot of people are as nice to you and that's why you had to leave your city, but I just think that's plain mean. My dad told me that if people are mean to me, then I should stand up for myself and be brave like you are. You are my hero! I also really liked the new spirit portal, I could see it from my window at night and it helped me fall asleep. My mom used to leave a lantern in my room before because I don't like the dark at all, but now I don't need it anymore because I know that the spirits like to hang out in my city and they are nice and protect me and my brothers. One of them lives in my best friend's house! It lives on the roof because they have a lot of ice figures on their roof and it's so cool! Sometimes when I used to play with my best friend the spirit came too and we would play in the snow with him.
I'm a little sad that we moved away from my house, but now I live in your city and I'll get to see you for real when you come back. Maybe we could play in the jungle too. I saw a picture in a newspaper where you were in a wheel chair, so if you can't climb then maybe we could do something else. My grandma is in a wheelchair too, but I love her anyways. Sometimes she gets a little tired though after she gives me rides in her chair, so I try not to bother her too much for rides anymore because I'm getting big now, but I still tell my brothers that they should let her give them rides because she's really happy when we play with her. She used to be in bed all the time, but then mommy and dad bought her the chair and so she always sits in it now instead of just napping.
My mom is telling me to go to bed because it's already late here so I have to go but I'll write you another letter soon.
Love Tula.
In the corner of the last page there was a small doodle of three boys and an arrow pointing to them saying 'these are my brothers Lao and Tui and the big boy is my best friend Tukko they said you are their hero too.' Korra felt herself smile as she read the child's letter and laughed a little when she noticed that a new layer of glitter stained her fingers. Naga's head shot up at the sound of Korra's soft laughter and she panted happily. She spent the next few hours resorting all of the letters and put them in separate piles, returning them to her nightstand. The collection of pink papers with their blocky words and excessive glitter lay on top of the biggest pile, the pile that housed letters from people all over the world thanking her for what she's done for them.
It was getting late and her legs began to ache again, so she got Naga to help her get back onto the bed and settled comfortably in the sheets. Naga nuzzled her face and licked her cheek again, making Korra smile. She settled in for the night, pulled the blankets over her shoulders, and prayed that the nightmares stay away tonight.
000
Asami looked in her reflection and sighed in annoyance. Her skirt felt loose again, her blouse hung from her shoulders, her blazer no longer fit. Ugh! She just gotten it refitted last month! It wasn't Asami's fault that she had no appetite. Besides, she had way too much work to do in the city to take too many brakes. And she ate dinner at night anyway so it wasn't like she was starved. Yeah maybe one meal a day was not exactly a good thing, but she tried, really.
Turning away from her reflection, she wiped the water from her hands and left her bathroom. She took a second to take in her office, the cluttered desk, the pristine couches and the small table between them, the overflowing bookshelves. All of it used to bring joy to her, she honestly loved her job, but now there was only indifference. It wasn't that she didn't like work anymore, it was just that this was all she had. Bolin was away, Mako was working, Tenzin was surrounded by a frenzy of airbenders moving in and out of the island, constant skirmishes in an effort to restore the Earth Kingdom. And she was here, in an office signing off on contracts and approving projects. She was here every day seven days a week, from early mornings to late evenings. And once again, she was left behind by everyone. She was all alone.
One good thing did come of this, the city was well on its way in its restoration. The spirit wilds would be opened to tourists within only three months and the roads and transit were all several stages ahead of the projected timelines.
Asami sat behind her desk and pulled a pile of papers closer to her. She took her favorite pen and signed the approval for outsourcing engineers from the Fire Nation. She placed the packet into the 'approved' pile, and turned to the next document. The routine became automatic for her and her thoughts began to wonder. She thought of Bolin, out in dangerous territories, fighting rebels and bandits and unruly citizens. She thought of Mako, the boy who became one of the city's greatest public heroes and achieved the position of a detective before he even reached his twenties, who was currently babysitting a spoiled prince. She made a mental note to attempt to get together for lunch with him, already knowing that she wouldn't ever get around to asking him, she was just too tired and her work was too demanding. She thought about many things. Things like her loneliness, and her inability to find happiness. Things like deciding that she would try to do even more for her city, to make sure that people are as happy as she hoped for them all to be.
The intercom beeped and her secretary's voice came through, "Miss Sato, there's an Opal Beifong here to see you. She says that she needs to talk to you."
Panic shot through her. Opal was supposed to be in Earth Kingdom, and last Asami heard she was side by side with Bolin and her adoptive sister. Worst case scenarios flashed through her mind, the most prominent being the thought Bolin bloodied and broken, dying on the battlefield.
"Send her in!" she replied frantically. Unable to sit still she stood and paced the floor impatiently. When Opal entered seconds later, Asami was on her immediately. "What's wrong? Where's Bolin? Oh, spirits is he okay?! We should have never let him join Kuvira. Fuck!"
Opal looked at her with wide eyes, taking in Asami's frantic form, the tears streaming down her face. "Asami, calm down! Everything is okay," she assured the shaking woman and grasped her shoulders, "Bolin's safe."
Asami finally really looked at Opal. The airbender stood before her, out of her flight suit and dressed in casual clothing, her bag hanging off her shoulder, nothing about her showed any signs of distress, and Asami immediately felt foolish, and pathetic for jumping to such awful conclusions.
Opal walked her over to the couch and they both sat down. Asami tried to calm her rapid breathing but the adrenaline and the pent up emotions were getting the best of her. She hugged her head between her palms and leaned her elbows on her knees. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I- I, uh, don't know what that was."
"Asami, what's going on?" Opal asked her cautiously.
"I'm just a little tired." Asami sat back up and took a deep breath. She wiped the tears that streaked her face and turned to Opal, unsure of what to do now.
Opal eyed her cautiously. "When was the last time you took a day off?"
"Opal I'm free from work every Sunday," Asami replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"And what do you do every Sunday?"
"I don't know. Tinker and stuff. I'm actually building a new car for myself right now."
"Asami, when was the last time you visited Tenzin and his family?"
Asami opened her mouth to speak, but promptly averted her eyes and looked down in her lap in shame. This, her condition, was no one's fault but hers. She became distant. It wasn't anyone's responsibility to babysit her, and that's what she was, a giant fucking child. How could she let herself be so self-destructive all the time she'll never know.
"Okay. Well I'm here because Bolin told me to check up on you when I got back. Since you're a hermit now, I'm taking you out. Come on get your stuff."
"Opal I have so much to do here today I-"
"I really doubt your company will combust if you take an afternoon off."
"I really don't want to-"
"Asami, look at yourself." Opal looked at her sadly and nodded towards Asami's coat. Resigned, Asami collected her things and followed Opal out of her office.
Opal took her out to lunch, and for the first time in months Asami felt content and sated. After eating, the girls spent the day relaxing, getting massages, manicures, Asami took Opal for a drive around her racetrack, and Asami actually genuinely smiled. Nostalgia and longing hit her like a truck and she felt foolish for wasting so much time in isolation. She decided there and then that she would change her habits and stop wrecking the few relationships she had.
000
Korra walked into the dining room cautiously, careful not to misstep. Her cane was left in the hallway just behind her, and her confidence soared as she approached her destination. She managed to walk on her own down the long hall all the way to the table where her parents and a few others sat. When Senna saw her daughter, sweaty and out of breath, shuffling towards them without any support, she nearly overturned the table as she jumped up and ran over to help her.
"Korra! Where's your cane?"
"Look mom, I walked here on my own," Korra said excitedly, "no cane or anything the whole length of the hall."
Senna took hold of Korra's arm, giving her much needed support, while her father helped her from the other side. "At this rate I'll be able to get around no problem again! And maybe I'll even get to train soon-"
"Avatar Korra, you need to be more cautious. This isn't something you can just take lightly," interrupted the captain of the white lotus unit in charge of Korra.
Korra stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him. Her smile disappeared and the excitement from her accomplishment was forgotten. "You think I'm taking this lightly?" she growled.
"How dare you!?" reprimanded Senna.
"Get out," Tonraq threatened.
The captain looked at them all, sheepishly apologized and after a bow took a hasty retreat, every pair of eyes except korra's on him as he briskly left through the door. The Avatar broke loose from her parents' grip and walked slowly to her seat at the table. The silence in the room was deafening and the tension closed in around everyone there. Korra shuffled her chair in closer to the table and began putting food on her plate. No one moved. She grinded her teeth and gripped her chopsticks tightly. She waited until someone spoke up, clutching at the sticks, her hand hovering over her plate. She felt everyone waiting, for what she didn't know, and she doubted they knew either, and her annoyance ate at her.
"Korra, honey-"
"What!" She regretted lashing out at her mom immediately, but didn't show it.
Her father took the chance to speak, "you really do have to be cautious Korra. What he said was insensitive and rude, but he was right. You can't just forgo Katara's instructions and not use the cane."
Korra slammed her fist on the table, the tableware jumping and rattling as the table shook. She drew a shuddering breath and shut her eyes. She distinctly heard someone walk in, but she was too tired and upset to care who it was until they spoke.
"Hello everyone. What's happened here?" Katara asked everyone, her tone surprised.
Korra heard her father reply, "Korra walked here on her own. Without her cane."
"Oh, I told you you could do it, Korra. Didn't I? How was it?" She walked over to the girl, who was still refusing to look up. Katara eyed her and furrowed her brows in concern. "You seem distraught; maybe it was too early to have you exercise walking without it." Katara smoothed over her hair and Korra finally looked up.
"I'm not hungry, can someone get me my chair?" Korra quietly demanded. A guard nodded at her and left the room quickly.
"Katara, you told her it was okay to do this?" Tonraq asked her.
"Yes I wanted for her to walk ten to fifteen meters a day without aid. It should help improve her recovery drastically. But if it wore you out so much, then maybe we should put it off for one more week?"
"No, it didn't wear me out. I made it here without a hitch."
The guard that just left walked back in with Korra's wheelchair and she scooted out from the table and moved to the chair. Her hands moved with developed habit and she rolled out of the dining room, grabbed her cane as she passed by and began making her way towards her room.
She was just settling into her bed, hugging Naga's massive muzzle, when there was a knock on her door.
"Go away," she said hoarsely. She didn't want to cry, but she couldn't stop the tears that leaked down her cheeks.
"Please Korra, I need to talk to you," her mom said gently. When Korra didn't reply, Senna creaked open the door and walked in. She sat next to Korra and petted Naga as she started talking.
"I'm sorry Korra. We all shouldn't have jumped to conclusions, we should have trusted you to make smart decisions."
"Damn right you should have," her voice rose in volume as she let her frustration out, "I am the freaking Avatar! I saved republic city twice, and fought Vaatu without Raava's help. I stopped a revolution, helped give a voice to non-benders in Republic City, opened the spirit portals which haven't been open in ten thousand years, assisted finding the new airbenders, and defeated the fucking Red Lotus. I defeated Amon, and I got my bending back. I spent a whole month restoring people's chi-paths nonstop. I did that all in less than two years. I am a good avatar, but everyone seems to doubt the fact that they need me until it's too late!"
Her breathing was heavy as she continued, but her voice was nearly a whisper, "and now I'm learning how to walk again. Mom, I couldn't walk. A man took me and hurt me, and I couldn't walk and now I can again. How can anyone think that I'm not being careful? I'm more cautious than any of you. I'm the one that's not working like I should, so why is everyone treating me like I'm gonna go penguin sledding and ice dodging if you all look away from me for a second? It's not like I can 'run' away!"
"I'm sorry. I know honey. It's just we're so worried about you."
"I know, but I can make my own decisions mom," Korra pleaded.
"I know. I'll talk to your dad and the sentries. We'll get through this."
"Okay. I'm tired. I'm going to go to sleep." Korra gave Naga one more squeeze and turned away towards the wall. Senna sighed, kissed Korra's cheek, and patted Korra's back affectionately before leaving the room.
"Goodnight Korra."
000
The laughter of children woke Asami up from her slumber. Her eyes slipped open and the plain furnishings of her room greeted her. The ray of light that shone through her window told her that today would be another warm day, much to her liking. The post-waking bliss of lying in the warm bed felt less foreign to her now, but it was still a luxury she was more than happy to abuse. A month of staying on Air Temple Island was the best thing that happened to her since… well since just before the last stand with Zaheer. No, Asami decided, she would not spoil this day by focusing on the negatives and she would try to make this day count. She wasn't alone anymore. She had welcoming friends on the island, and even got along better with the kids. Another bout of laughter drifted in through her window and the negative thoughts were forgotten.
A smile spread across her face and she sleepily got out of bed and made her way to the showers. Mornings on the island were always grand affairs. Acolytes buzzed around the island, some going to and from meditation sessions, others enjoying the beauty of their residence. A few Air benders were feeding and playing with the bison. Through one of the windows on the way to the baths she spotted Bumi chasing Kai, who once again took his wallet, and saw Meelo training some lemurs. She chuckled quietly and walked into the washroom.
After a refreshing shower, and a wardrobe change, Asami went outside to greet the boys playing outside. Kai was nowhere to be found while Meelo was in a tree's shade concentrating over a notebook when Asami got to him.
"Morning," she greeted the boy with a smile.
"Why hello there, princess," flirted Meelo.
Asami raised her brows at him but he already turned his attention back to his booklet. She took a seat next to him and leaned back against the tree.
"Whatcha doing Meelo?" Asami asked curiously.
"Planning out strategies," he replied carefully without looking up.
"For what?"
"Well I already taught all the lemurs defensive maneuvers, so now I'm trying to think on how I can get the flying-monkeys in on the action."
"That sounds like fun, need any help?"
Meelo made and indignant noise, "fun?! This isn't supposed to be fun, it's supposed to be orderly and thorough!"
A breeze went by in that moment, and some of the loose papers sticking out of the book flew out towards Asami. A look of sheer terror passed Meelo's face as Asami caught the sheets before they escaped. On the sheets there wasn't any strategy outlines, or maps, or lists, there were sketches. Sketches of the bison, of the people, of nature. They all looked polished and accurate and they all looked extremely good. Like really, extremely good.
"Meelo, these are…amazing!" Asami exclaimed.
"Give them back!"
The boy's temper surprised her. He was usually rowdy and loud, but he was never angry at her, ever.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"
"Yes you did, if you didn't then you wouldn't have looked!"
"Meelo, why are you hiding these?"
He glared at her and ripped the papers out of her hands. He stuffed them back into the pages of his book and stood up to leave.
Asami looked on as he gathered his things and began to walk away. "Meelo?" she shouted after him, the boy stopped and turned to her, his face contorted in anger and hurt. "You know it's okay to like to draw and be a soldier, right?"
His face changed to that of surprise for a split second, and he turned again, walking fast into the dining hall.
Later that night, after Asami came back to the island from work, she caught Meelo trying to sneak into her room. The boy looked at her sheepishly, hiding something behind her back.
"Hey, Meelo," she said while trying not to laugh.
"Oh, hey there gorgeous." He leaned on the frame of the door, trying hard to look nonchalant and innocent.
"What are you doing here this fine evening?" The need to laugh was overpowering but Asami stifled it.
"Oh, just hanging out."
"Really? What's behind your back?"
Meelo turned a shade of red and contemplated his next move. His shoulders drooped and he pouted before showing her the sheet of paper that was in his hands. Asami gently took it from him, smiling, and unfolded it. Her heart seized when piercing eyes looked back at her. The drawing was very lifelike, its realism making it appear as if it was a photo. Korra looked exactly how she did all those years ago at the gala Tarrlok threw for her. Her hair was loose and Asami could spot a touch of make up on her delicate features. Meelo drew Korra for her, and all the laughter that was threatening to escape moments ago dissipated, while fresh tears made her vision swim.
"Thank you Meelo," she whispered.
"Yeah, just don't go around telling people that I'm nice or anything."
A wet chuckle escaped her lips and she pulled the boy into a tight hug.
"Huh, so you do love her," he said offhandedly as she released him, effectively making her freeze.
"What?" she choked out.
"Kai told me that Jinora said that you love Korra, and she was right." His matter-of-fact tone surprised her almost as much as his very accurate, meaning entirely correct, accusation.
"Uh-um…"
"It's okay, Korra is my Commanding Officer so you're in good hands," he told her with a smile. "But if she's being un-lady like then you come to me, and I'll sort it out one-on-one." He puffed out his chest, saluted her and glided away on an airscooter.
Asami held the picture up again examining it as she walked into her room for the night.