"Avatar Korra, with all due respect, we cannot allow you to blackmail the United Republic Council", it was the first sentence of President Raiko, but also the one ringing in Korras head for the longest time. "What do you mean", she questioned and looked over at Tenzin for help. Her master had a look she knew well - exactly like her father when he learned that he could not protect his "little girl" from Zaheer.
"Don't take us for fools", it was Zu Li, the Fire Nation representative, "we know what you've been doing, making your request and moving into your girlfriend's home a day after."
The Avatar was in shock: "Asami's not my girlfriend!" She thought on what she told the other woman while she was learning how to drive and corrected: "Well she is my girlfriend but in the sense of..."
"Enough", it was the Earth Kingdom Representative, "your dirty love life is none of our business." - "So what are you saying? You're denying my request because I'm living with Miss Sato", Korra questioned, this time remembering her manners. She had observed Tenzi facepalming after her last statement, but she was pretty sure it was not because she had referred to her friend by her first name.
"Yes, we wanted to do exactly that. But we decided against it, so the people wouldn't suffer because of your mistakes again", it was President Raiko, not even trying to pretend he did not hate Korra.
"So you're allowing it", Korra beamed with happiness. "Just listen", it was Zu Li, "we will remove all paragraphs against any kind of love between two consenting adults."
"That's great", Korra said (maybe even interrupted), quite happy with the outcome. Zu Li continued: "This does not mean you will be able to get married though. First of we want the Southern Water Tribes to have registered marriages as the other nations." Nukka explained what was going to happen to their tribe: "In practice our town elders will maintain lists over all couples for now."
The Avatar still remained positive: "So? Sounds like a marriage to me." - "Listen up", how many times had she been told this in the ongoing meeting? This time it was President Raiko: "So now there are three groups who can bless a marriage: clerics, marriage registrars, and town elders. We cannot force any of them to bless each and every marriage."
Korra furrowed her brows. She did not like the sound of that. "No, Korra, that's a good thing", it was the first time Tenzin had spoken up, "you know how we Air Nomads cultivate the purity of a marriage. I wouldn't want to have to bless somebody who does not follow Air Nomad tradition." He took a deep breath, checking that Korra was still listening and understanding. "It's the same for all of the other nations."
The young Avatar stared at the Council for a moment, unsure of what to think. They were right. Freedom meant to respect each other's believe, too. So maybe it was all for the best. But she could not help but feel that this legal decision left a bitter aftertaste. After some moments collecting herself, she smiled honestly at the men and woman before her: "I think that's great. Thank you so much!"
It was Tenzin's relieved sigh that could be heard after that. "So, Avatar Korra", President Raiko spoke up, evidently quite pleased that the Avatar was for once not causing trouble, "can we help you with anything else?"
Korra was about to shake her head, when something came to mind: "So what about the Pai Sho rules, shouldn't these be the same for everyone, too?" The Council members frowned as one man.
Asami also had a rough day. She had to make various telephone calls, and just when she thought she could finally eat lunch she found a big error in her plans and had to redraw everything.
She heard the Avatar come home in the early evening, but she figured it must have gone well, else the other woman would have stormed into her office and would have required to be hugged until she felt better. Not that Asami minded, of course.
A toilet break made Asami realize that Korra had been able to squeeze swimming into her tight schedule; the floor was covered with water making a trail from the pool room to where the Avatar was probably now lying and sleeping.
It was well after dinner when Asami finally had the time to end her work for the day and go talk to her friend. She had to search a bit, since Korra was in her room, the last place where Asami looked for her. In her defence, she could not remember ever finding her friend in her guest room, because it was "just too darn boring in there".
What she was doing now was just weird. The Avatar was packing her things.
"What… what are you doing", Asami questioned, seeing clothes flying from a wardrobe to a suitcase. She catched the following three pieces of clothing and put them back where they belonged.
"What do you mean", Korra asked, a bit taken aback, "my request was approved. The press has been giving you a hard enough time, I should really leave now." A hurt look was all Asami could muster as she placed herself next to the airbending woman on the bed.
"So you want to leave", she repeated, not sure if it would appropriate for a CEO to beg for her friend to stay. Korra sighed, which made all the clothing in the air drop to the ground: "No, I think living with you has really helped me get better." She looked down at her legs, then back up at Asami, grinning.
With a flick of her hand she made a big splash of water fly out of the glas on her nightstand and hover over her hand. A rather harsh movement of her other hand and the water froze, forming a flower. "A rose", Korra told her with her toothy grin that made her look like a beardog puppy. She let the flower gently down into the glass.
"It's beautiful", Asami said amazed, even though she knew it was a gillyflower, again, "so why are you going? You could stay here, the house is big enough."
Korra thought about it. The days with Asami had been really great. It was nice having the freedom to do whatever she liked while still knowing a very loving person was just around the corner, working in her office. And her friend's spirit's had been lifted, too. While she was devastated when the press had released the first rumors, now she was joking about it. She really, really seemed to like having the Avatar around.
There were a million voices in Korras head, screaming and whispering and talking, one was even humming the Nuktuk theme music. With a simple headshake Korra made all these voices stop and just kissed Asami on an impuls. The other woman reacted, albeit in a very unsatisfying way - she slapped the Avatar in the face and scooted away with a shocked expression.
"Korra, really", she gasped, "what's wrong with you? You kissing people on a whim is getting out of hand." Korra sighed and looked at her lap, "I...I'm sorry, I just thought…" Asami rubbed the bridge of her nose. "You know how I feel about this", the CEO said slowly, which made Korra shrug, "I just wanted you to live here…"
Asami stood up, trying to find her calm again: "And why would you use lighting against me anyways?" Korra laughed bitterly, and as she looked up, tears were visible in the corner of her eyes. "I've never been able to bend lighting", she answered truthfully, her head sinking again, "and even if I was, I can barely light a candle, how would I do something so complicated, against you of all people."
There was a long, horrible silence, where neither of them looked at one another. Suddenly, Korras head sprung up. "Wait, you felt the spark, too", she questioned with a twinkling in her eye that was not because of her earlier tears.
Asami crossed her arms before her chest and looked at her friend as if she had just gone crazy. "Can't you remember", Korra asked eerily cheery, "you must have had the same spark with Mako when you first kissed." - "What are you saying", was the cold question from the other party, "Mako would have never used lighting against me!"
"No, no, no", Korra said laughing, "it's the other spark. THE spark. It means you really like me!" Her smile covered her entire face, from one ear to the other. "Just kiss me again, you'll see."
A big gasp was Asami's response. As she looked over the Avatar validating her statement, her face started to get red; in the end she screamed: "I can't believe you tried this plump approach! I'm out of here!" And with that she was gone.
Korra was left dumbfounded and sad, looking at the door. Next to her, the stem of her iceflower had melted enough for the blossom to break of. It shattered into thousand pieces, just as Korra's heart had moments prior.