Hello~! I meant to get this up within the past couple of days, but I had a speech to prepare for and an English project video to finish (both were at the last minute, ugghh). Actually the reason I stayed up until 3am two days in a row was because instead of working on them I was working on fanfiction… So anyways here you are, happy reading! :)
Korra watched in anticipation as the ship pulled up to shore. It hadn't even been a full day but she wanted to see Asami. She needed to make sure that the engineer was emotionally okay, and she was also itching to lend a hand with the woman's new fire bending. How nice would it be to teach the wonderful, smart woman an action-packed bending form, so that they would be spending a lot of time together training…
Besides the fact that Asami's own boyfriend was a natural fire bender himself and she would probably go to him. But the Avatar is a better learning option. Oh yeah, damn right. And of course she was glad to see Mako and Bolin. They had helped so much as well; if it wasn't for them…
The ship came to a halt and air acolytes laid down the disembarking plank. Mako, Bolin, and Asami got off the boat, the former two's attention becoming occupied by an excited Ikki and Meelo. Korra's pulse accelerated as Asami came closer to her, remembering their talk from the past night.
Chill, Korra. "Hey! Good to see you guys here," the darker woman stated.
Asami smiled warmly. "Same to you. Thanks again for having us."
A faint blush appeared on Korra's cheeks. She opened her mouth to say more but stopped to gape quizzically at the towering stack of luggage that a couple acolytes were loading out of the ship. "Um, this is what you call 'a couple of things,' Asami?"
Mako appeared by his girlfriend's side. "It's could've been worse," he chuckled.
The company headed towards the entrance to the temple. Jinora and Meelo lead Mako and Bolin to the men's dormitory; Korra offered to take Asami to her room with Ikki. During the walk, Ikki provided unceasing insight about the island, additionally asking the heiress questions about Future Industries and Republic City. Korra listened idly to the young air bender's words, instead focusing on when on earth did Asami's voice become so pleasant to listen to? When did her face become so interesting to study and admire? The scent of her hair so intoxicating to inhale…?
By now the three were treading the wooden halls, Korra still somewhat fixed in her wistful daze. Ikki actually hadn't said much since they entered the building, and Korra enjoyed walking by Asami in relative quiet.
Though it seemed Ikki liked to make silences awkward. "…Which reminds me, Asami, Korra was saying how she likes you, like a lot, and it's weird because—"
DFJKWRLQLGS IKKI! The water bender swiftly latched onto Asami's arm and dragged her forward. "H-Hey Asami! We've reached your room!" Her voice quivered, sweat forming on her brow, as she opened the door and motioned for Asami to go inside. After the smirking woman entered, Korra whipped around and slammed the door closed before Ikki could join the pair; the girl protested but eventually left, pouting.
Leaning against the door, Korra lightly cleared her throat and kept her eyes glued to the floor. "Y-Yeah…" She took a short breath and moved to stand in the center of the room, Asami stepping ahead to survey her new living space. "So here's your room! I know it's not as grandiose as you're used to…"
Asami turned her head towards Korra and smiled. "Anything away from my father is fine. I quite like it." The engineer inched closer to the other woman. "But I wanted to say something else about—"
A knock at the door interrupted Asami's words. "Ikki, you know I really don't want you to—" Korra started to say, her face dropping when the door slid open and Tenzin walked in. "Er, hi, Tenzin." The older man went to welcome Asami, who gratefully thanked him for his hospitality.
He then looked at Korra. "I wanted to inform you that Beifong's replacement, Saikhan, will be inducted as the new chief of police today. We should both be there, so make sure that you're ready in time to go."
"Of course."
There was a comfortable lull before someone spoke again. "Well. As you were, ladies," Tenzin said, walking out of the room. Korra turned back to Asami, not noticing that Tenzin lingered just outside the door. Was that a…wink that Asami saw the air bender give? She raised her eyebrow at the man, and Korra turned around in time to see the door come to a close.
"So, uhm, I guess we can go to the others now though…" Korra mumbled.
"Hey, I still wanted to talk to you, remember?" Asami set her bag down on the bedside table and sat on the bed, leaning back on her hands and crossing her legs. Korra couldn't read the expression that the woman had on her face.
"But I'm sure the others are waiting for us, so…"
"You've been talking about me a lot to everyone else? Because Ikki seems to say so."
Way to cut right to it, Asami. Korra sighed inwardly, still standing in the same spot. "I just wanted them to know a bit about you before you came here."
"What exactly were you telling them about me, again?"
"Eheh, just, you know, basic stuff. Like how you're the heiress to a super big company and that you already know how to do so much engineering stuff, and uh, yeah…" A bashful look adorned the water bender's face, and she scratched the back of her head, diverting her eyes from Asami.
"Did you say anything about my…you know, newfound skill?"
"Um, I don't think I mentioned it. But you shouldn't be worried whether or not they know, I mean they won't think you're weird or anything. As I said, don't freak out about it. You're cool; we all got your back."
"Korra." Asami sat up, leaning slightly forward. "Do you like me…?"
"D-Do I l-like you?" The shorter woman's voice wavered as her face reddened from the intense blush that masked her features. "I don't know if you're, uhm, troubled by what silly little Ikki said, but…you already know that I fully support you and your bending, and helping you with the whole father situation, and that…" Korra paused, heart rate quickening even more, when she noticed the way Asami was looking at her—a somewhat frustrated glint in her eyes, paired with the subtle way she was biting her lip. Did it reveal longing? Doubt? Korra couldn't decipher the woman's countenance, but the look got her…adrenalized. As if Asami was projecting her fire to the Avatar's spirit, the heat amplifying her fervor to do something. To ponder, to embrace, to do whatever it was with these feelings. "…Asami?"
The industrialist rose from the bed. She gradually closed in on Korra, who felt her insides tremble at the woman's approach. "Can I say a few words about you, Korra? I've never 'not liked' you. Even when I started dating Mako and we first met, I felt more of a connection to you than I did with him—of course I'm fond of the guy but I've always thought you were an incredible, righteous person, especially as the Avatar." Korra wasn't conscious of the fact that Asami kept on getting closer to her until the tanned woman's back was stopped against the surface of the dresser on the other wall. She swallowed a dry lump that had flourished in her throat. Asami was silent for a second. "I guess the paths of our spirits were meant to cross so that you could share the gift of fire with me, and that I could—"
Urrh… Dammit! Korra automatically licked her lips part way. She grabbed the fabric of Asami's jacket by her waist in both hands and pulled the woman closer to her to join their lips. Shocked by the fact that such a thing was happening, and that she had initiated it no less, Korra could only hold still for a moment as Asami began moving her own mouth against the Avatar's. But Korra's mind soon broke out of its paralysis and her muscles relaxed. She nestled a hand on Asami's hip and moved her lips in rhythm with the taller woman's. Korra had never really kissed anyone like this before—the one with Mako had been simple and short-lived. Nice, yes, but brief nonetheless. Although Korra didn't even know how long her lips were locked with Asami's, she was just going, and oh, "Let me try swiping my tongue along Asami's lip, that's a thing right…?"
But then Korra couldn't feel anything on her mouth. She opened her eyes, despondent that she was no longer kissing the heiress and positively itching to just reconnect their faces. Asami stepped back and Korra let her hands drop to her sides. Was that kiss a mistake…? It sure as spirits didn't feel that way to Korra, though she knew that there was still uncertainty within her own heart.
"Korra, um…" The Avatar studied the way Asami's sheepish voice made the pink tinge on her cheeks all the more charming, and her mouth all the more inviting to touch again…
Wait… FUCKING SPIRITS. I JUST KISSED ASAMI. Did I really, actually, for real just do that?!
"S-Sorry!" Korra's body stiffened and she began to sidestep away from Asami, towards the door. "I'll just, uhm, wait for you. With everybody else. T-Take your time!" By now she had already opened the door and stood outside the room.
"Korra, wait."
The water bender halted her leave and gazed at Asami. The other woman didn't say anything, but the corner of her lips twitched upwards and her eyes glistened with tenderness. Korra offered a small grin and shut the door. She walked away steadily at first, but as she made her way back to eat with everybody, her pace grew quicker and less stable. The past couple minutes kept running through her memory, attacking her emotions.
Korra, whatever this means, you have to keep it cool. You can't let the fact that Mako's gorgeous and pretty-near-perfect-in-about-every-respect girlfriend was just kissing you instead of him affect your judgment. There are Equalists to stop. And air bending to learn. Plus other things that I'm sure have to be done. And if Mako finds out, what will he think? Will he hate both of us? I don't want to ruin the relationship I have with him, I really do treasure it… Well. Just make sure he doesn't find out.
She talked herself to calmness, making sure that once she reached the others she wouldn't seem out of sorts. But of course when Asami showed up her resolve faltered. She did her best not to send the woman awkward glances or let her fingers twitch whenever Mako got particularly close to Asami. Who, Korra was surprised to notice, didn't show any obvious signs of discomfort being around the Avatar. That was probably just how Asami was—she had a strong will and hey, maybe she was being considerate to not make Korra feel any more tense than she already was. But still, those lips…
Korra, Mako, Bolin, and Asami soon put Team Avatar into action, putting a stop to ransacking Equalists and bandits in Republic City. Though there was never a "back to normal" moment for Asami and Korra—they didn't address what had happened between them in the room so they let the uneasiness stew in the air around them. Maybe Asami was waiting for Korra, who was too shy to address the topic, to say something first. Or maybe Korra thought that Asami would be the one to bring it up. After all, she started the whole thing by captivating Korra like that, right? Either way, Asami set on being with Mako the same as usual, giving Korra an even greater sense of confusion and tension. Was she trying to shut Korra out by putting her relationship with Mako first and forthright?
Although it would be harder to find out when Asami and the brothers got arrested. The team had arrived at a scene one night to stop Tarrlok and his forces from creating even more disorder amongst the non-benders. Fed up with the Avatar's antics, the councilman looked for a way to gain leverage against her; his eyes landed on Asami. Smirking, he latched onto her with a tendril of water.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Mako shouted. Two men bounded Asami's hands behind her.
"She's under arrest. For one, she's a non-bender out past curfew. And I can't overlook the fact that her father is a known conspirator with the Equalists."
Mako flitted his eyes between Asami and Korra. Of course Tarrlok didn't know about Asami's fire bending. The engineer tensed, ready to fight back against her captors, but Korra hardened a gaze at her—Don't do it. Even with the element of surprise it wouldn't be wise to try and take them all down.
Tarrlok's men wrapped wires around the two brothers when Mako protested against Asami's apprehension. Korra grit her teeth, irked that she couldn't do anything right then to prevent her friends from being sent to confinement. The smug grin on the man's face as he took everyone away… Damn him.
Korra was irritated further when she and Tenzin couldn't get the three released. Damn Chief Saikhan, too! The water bender's mind was laced with worry and frustration the whole night—she later jerked up from a restless sleep, and made the decision to confront Tarrlok herself.
She burst into his office. "Tarrlok, don't you see that you're epitomizing the tyranny that Amon charges to benders? You're doing things all wrong!"
"If you came here expecting me to have some epiphany about your wisdom and release your friends, then you're the one that's wrong. But," the councilman clasped his hands together in front of his face, "If you cooperate with my task force, then maybe I'll let them go."
"I will NOT work together with you. Your whole charade needs to be stopped. You know, you're just as bad as Amon!"
Tarrlok's blood boiled, face hardening and fists clenching. His voice was harsh. "It seems you are impossible to work with… You will regret your words." He hurled a cascade of water at Korra and the two engaged in a bending battle. The Avatar launched sections of the ground and streams of fire at him, but Tarrlok fought back with a shower of ice shards. Korra dodged them for a time, but she knew she couldn't let him keep going at it; she bent the wall behind Tarrlok out from the waterfall, slamming it into him and causing the older water bender to break through the far wall of the room and crash onto the floor of the council assembly chamber. Korra followed and jumped down from the railing. She enjoyed the alarmed expression on Tarrlok's face as she cornered him, raising flames in her hands.
"Still think I'm a shoddy Avatar now, Tarrlok? How does it feel when you're the one with nowhere to go?" She rushed forward, preparing to subdue him with her fire. But Tarrlok stood up unexpectedly and Korra's flames disappeared. The woman could only stare helplessly as Tarrlok maneuvered his arms and pain flared throughout her body. She crumpled to the floor, limbs twisting, aghast at the situation she was now in. "You're…a blood bender…"
"That's right, Avatar. And you need to be gone," Tarrlok hissed.
He jarringly flung Korra into a stone pillar. The Avatar's conscious began to slip, and strange memories flashed before her eyes. She was too disoriented to attack as Tarrlok bound her in rope and loaded her into a truck, and her last outburst of fire did nothing as the councilman slammed the door on her. She pleaded with the spirits that Asami and the others were alright.
There it is! I tried to make this part a bit longer than the others because one, the way I ended it originally was too short, and two, just to give y'all some extra stuff for being so awesome, haha. Sorry the ending scenes were a bit stale in regards to my creativity '^_^. Well, hope you enjoyed! More to come!