Teasing

It was a quiet evening. The sun was setting in Republic City, and the summer warmth was seeping into the recently refurnished buildings as streetlights flickered on.

Asami reclined against the couch in her modest apartment, pretending to read a magazine. Every few moments after idly scanning a page, her eyes would flicker up to the form of her girlfriend.

Korra stood facing Asami, arms crossed as she tried and failed and tried to speak. Every time she opened her mouth, Korra would freeze, close her mouth, then scowl slightly. Each time, the scowl deepened into an almost-pout. Asami raised her magazine to hide her own widening smile. She knew what was coming and didn't want to miss a moment of the inevitable.

"Agh!" Korra ground out in frustration, swiftly moving to the couch and plopping down firmly enough to jostle Asami from her seat a few inches.

"I give up! You win! I won't eat your stash of green tea ice cream again, I promise!"

Asami blinked, looking up from the magazine in surprise. To Korra's astonishment, the elegant woman began laughing.

"Korra, what made you think that this was about that?" A sculpted eyebrow rose in sudden suspicion. "And did you actually-?"

Two hands came up defensively, blue eyes wide in realization. "That was, ah… only one time, and I really had a craving that week! I replaced the carton I ate, honest!" Korra's eyebrows narrowed as she considered what Asami had said. "So when you were making those remarks about 'knowing what I did' in the store-"

"Korra, I was only teasing," Asami said patiently, flipping a page of the magazine.

"You were… teasing?" Korra blinked, tilting her head. "I really thought you were mad about… about something!"

Asami put the magazine down, smiling gently into wide blue eyes. "You know when I'm mad I would rather tell you about it than keep it held in… but I was just teasing." She reached out, taking a strong hand within hers. "Like how you say you've never been jealous of a garage until you started dating me."

A light flush of pink appeared on tan cheeks, as Korra gave a slightly crooked grin. "You said the same thing when I went to the gym… but you always like it when I come back-"

"Only if you don't smell like sweat socks," Asami smirked. Korra gaped, but recovered, her voice taking on a deceptively coy note.

"Oh? This coming from Miss-covered-in-oil-and-grease-in-my-coveralls?"

"You don't complain when I hug you!"

"That's because we both end up in the shower together!"

They had moved closer on the couch, but at Korra's last protest, they both laughed. As their mirth subsided into chuckling, Asami smirked.

"Or how I tease you that you're still shorter than me."

Korra stiffened, quickly inhaling a breath. Asami waited, knowing she should apologize for that remark. Suddenly, Korra turned with a mischievous gleam in her eyes, that familiar crooked smile present.

Asami found herself pushed back gently against the couch cushions as Korra's lips pressed against hers, strong arms wrapping around her as she moved her hands to muscled hips, gripping gently. The upwelling of sudden desire and growing pleasure was intoxicatingly wonderful, only broken when Korra pulled away, forcing Asami to open her eyes. She hadn't realised they closed in their abrupt embrace.

A hand came between them, tapping Asami on the nose, Korra laughing as the green eyes crossed briefly. "Height doesn't matter when we're laying in bed, Sparks," the Avatar smirked triumphantly.

The smirk faded when Asami leaned her head up, finding that tender spot on Korra's neck, licking at the salty skin before kissing softly, causing a shudderng breath to be released. Green eyes smiled into blue ones, lips meeting again in a brief kiss before Asami stood up from the couch, walking with a unconcerned sashay towards the bedroom. She stopped before reaching the door and turned back, winked coquettishly at still dazed Korra, the next words leaving her mouth in what was no doubt a teasing inflection.

"Are you coming?"

Korra's eyebrows narrowed and her grin returned as she sprang up from the couch, running to capture Asami up in her arms as the engineer laughed, carrying her into the darkened bedroom.

Some time later, they laughed softly while looking at the stars through the window. Teasing did have some benefits, they mutually decided, as long as they were together. A few murmured words of love between them, and soon the two women were wrapped in an embrace as sleep claimed them for the night.