Chapter 28
Can you help me?
"What happened to the wall?"
The Water Tribe girl retreated with a sheepish blush. She held her gnarled hand up and looked away.
"You did that?" Asami examined the depth of the hole before taking Korra's palm in hers.
The younger woman nodded in shame. "I was upset."
She scolded the Southerner. "No more punching things."
"Yeah, I know. Trust me."
"We need to get you to a hospital," she spoke as she surveyed the rest of the injured woman's body. The bruises were darker than when she last saw them. Her knuckles and ankle had to be broken. A large, dried mass of blood was stuck to Korra's scalp from an injury unrelated to the ones she witnessed a few nights ago. Other scrapes and cuts that neither of them remembered were scattered about the rest of her.
Asami rose and looked out the window. The clouds were shadowy again and the wind whipped the branches of the nearby trees back and forth. There was no way anyone would be able to travel through the aftermath of the previous storm and the onset of this one.
"We're going to have to wait until this next storm blows over." The engineer sighed as she crouched next to the aching Bender. She ran her fingers around Korra's wounds and clothes. The skin surrounding some of the deeper cuts was swelling and reddening.
"How long do you –" A nasty bit of coughing interrupted Korra's sentence. She shook and curled into the wall for support.
"You got sick from the cold, didn't you?" Asami rubbed her back until the hacking ceased.
She nodded in response, too afraid to induce another respiratory convulsion.
"Come on. We need to warm you up and get those cuts cleaned before the infection gets worse." The engineer helped the Southerner to her feet and acted as a crutch for Korra's right ankle.
She hobbled into the bathroom and lowered herself onto the side of the tub as instructed.
Asami cranked the knob. Hot water and steam rushed from the tap. Good, the pipes aren't frozen. She rummaged through the cabinet under the sink and found the first aid kit within. She popped the latches open. It was much smaller than the one at her apartment and lacked most of the basic items she needed. There was a half-full bottle of saline disinfectant and a few gauze wraps for her to use. That's it? Where's the rest of it? She dug through the cabinet once more in search of a backup that didn't exist.
"We used it… before the first attack…" Korra spoke up, hacking in between her words.
The engineer turned her head. The Water Tribe girl had been so quiet that Asami forgot she was there. She was leaning against the wall of the shower place, her arms loose around her abdomen.
"Do you have any rags, Korra?" She had to improvise. The bottle of soap in the corner of the bath caught her eye.
The injured woman pointed to the smaller cupboard where some of their cosmetic linens were. Asami took several white cotton cloths and shut the doors with a snap.
"You should use that body wash and these to clean your wounds." She handed Korra the rags and crouched in front of her until their faces were level. "Will you be okay by yourself?"
She paused but nodded afterwards, a faint grip on the cloth in her fingers.
"I'm going to go make arrangements to get you to the hospital. There should be a phoning device nearby."
"What do you mean? The campus hospital isn't that far away." The steam was improving the continuity of her sentences, but her sickness still forced a cough at the end.
"I'm not taking you to that place."
"Why," Korra asked when she recovered.
"Because they treated you horribly. Never again." Asami rose to her feet and looked down at the Southerner. "I'm taking you to a hospital in Republic City."
"How?"
"I'll have my dad drive us."
Her throat constricted and she convulsed as she tried to retort. The sound of the storm starting echoed in her ears. She put her hand on Asami's arm when she started to leave.
"Please don't go into the storm."
"I'll be alright, Korra."
"No. Please..."
"We need to get you to the hospital. And you also need food if you're going to survive. You're sick. You need some nutrition." The engineer bent down and ran her fingers into Korra's hair. "I'll be fine. I'm just going around the block. It's not far at all."
"Let me come with you."
"Korra, you can barely even walk inside. You'd get blown away by the wind if you left. Besides, you're too important to lose to a storm."
She froze. A faint ringing crept into her ears upon hearing those words in a different voice.
Asami stood before the brunette could question the response. "I'll be back soon." With that, she left the room.
The injured woman stared at the rags in her hand. She put them aside and listened to the hot water falling behind her. A painful stretch of her arm granted her just enough reach to touch the liquid with her fingertips. The warmth was inviting. The steam surrounded her. She tried to pull her shirt off, but her wrist ached too much to contort it and her bruised hand couldn't grip the fabric.
Maybe I can just get my pants off.
Korra stared at the base of her belt. She tugged at the latch and it came apart without much of a fight. She slid her pelt and front cover off and tossed it beside her. The next step was the boots. The Southerner pushed her left heel against the ground and kicked the animal hide away. She attempted the same for the opposite foot and squealed to the fire that shot up her leg from the movement.
Fuck! Spirits, that fucking hurts. Okay, maybe I can just pull these down and –
She tried to prop her elbows onto the side of the tub for leverage and push her waistband. All of her limbs malfunctioned at once. Her right ankle throbbed. Her left knee twisted. Her right hand stung and her left wrist tightened. She crashed to the floor with a thud and a yelp.
"Korra?! Are you alright?" Asami rushed in, her winter gear on.
She must have just been ready to leave… The younger woman thought as she clutched her ribs.
The engineer helped her sit up. Her palms rubbed her injured back. The feeling was pleasant enough to melt some of the pain away.
"I'm o – " Korra coughed mid-sentence and huffed in frustration. She didn't like feeling this helpless. Her airway cleared and she felt at ease when Asami pushed her torso upwards from her hunched position. Her pale fingers slid over her cheek and stroked her brown hair.
The storm wailed outside, though its calls were muffled by the shower behind them. As stubborn as she was, the Water Tribe girl knew she needed help. She caved.
"Asami?" She muttered and looked into her eyes. The peridots sparkled back at her, a mixture of passion and compassion. Korra's face shot red, though it was hard to tell. She dropped her sight and twirled her thumbs, hoping to the Spirits that the steam and her bruises hid her blush. "Can… can you help me?"
Asami smiled. "Of course I can. What do you need help with?"
Her face darkened more. The thought of those delicate hands unbuttoning her shirt…
Stop, Korra, stop. It's not like that. You're just friends. There's nothing wrong with asking her. Get yourself together. You're injured for Spirit's sake!
She looked away out of embarrassment.
"Do you need help getting undressed?"
She knew, she knew. Dammit, Asami, why are you always so observant?
Her cheeks deepened. She nodded, still hiding her gaze.
Why am I even blushing? What is the big deal about this? She's just helping me take my clothes off…
"Would you feel better if I closed my eyes or turned the light down?"
This got Korra's attention. She snuck a peek at the engineer kneeling in front of her. There was a hint of pink on her face as well, though she couldn't place the reason, due to the warmth of the bathroom and her heavy layer of winter clothing.
She's probably just warm. This is ridiculous. I'm overreacting… somehow… how do I get it to stop?
"Here." Asami placed her wrists into the younger woman's palms, pulling Korra from her thoughts. She shut her lids. "Just move my hands to where they need to go, and I'll take the clothes off as gentle as I can without looking at you."
She stared at the hands in hers, dumbfounded.
This is stupid. What am I thinking? We are friends. Why is this a big deal to me? It's not like no one has ever seen without my clothes on before. Well, I guess my parents when I was growing up don't count. But this shouldn't be an issue. Why is this an issue?
Relax. Relax. Just breathe, Korra. You're thinking too much. Close your eyes and just feel.
It was advice she had heard before, time and time again. She shut her lids and inhaled.
Just… feel…
Instead of guiding Asami's palms, she enclosed the slender fingers with her own. She pushed against the swelling around her sockets and observed the woman across from her, waiting for a response. When the Southerner remained still, the engineer popped her peridots open.
"Korra?"
Blues connected with greens. She traced a pattern with her thumb across the smooth, pale skin it held. A soft smile pursed her tan lips.
"Will you sit with me, Asami? Just for a minute?"
She mirrored the Bender's expression. "Of course."
The older woman crawled to her side and leaned against the shower place. Their hands never broke apart. Korra closed her eyes and inhaled the steam. A calming peace filled her with each breath.
This is nice.
"Yes, it is." Asami responded, her voice sounding just as relaxed.
She sat up, a flit of panic spiraling through her. "Did… Did I say that out loud?"
The engineer chuckled. "Yes, yes you did." She turned to face the Water Tribe girl. Her fingers slid up her damaged arms and rested on the clasp of her blue shirt. Her pupils followed and stared at the little tie.
Korra watched with intent. Her breath caught in her throat. She felt Asami's hesitation and placed her palms on the back of her hands. "Start here," she whispered, oblivious to the sultry tone radiating from her; she was only looking to calm both her throat and the woman in front of her. "My wrist and knuckles hurt too much to get it open."
Her cheeks were on fire as she unsnapped the collar. She closed her eyes the moment an inch of skin was revealed.
"It's okay, Asami." She tightened her grip and flinched from the pain in her arms.
Too much pressure, Korra. If you're not careful, you're going to make your injuries worse. Now, focus. Focus on Asami. Wait, no, don't focus. You're thinking too much again. Just… I don't know, do something.
The Southerner slid her hands along the older woman's sleeves, across her shoulders, and up to her face to cradle her jawline. Her skin was soft to the touch and more pleasant than she had ever remembered.
But why?
She cracked one pair of lids open. When the raven met the swollen but delicate eyes gazing back at her, the other pair followed. She moved her pale fingers down Korra's shirt and played with the hem at its base. With soft motions, she pulled the fabric up, careful not to hurt the wounded girl in the process. Asami lifted the top over the two still-intact wolf tails around her face and off of the woman's arms.
Korra grit her teeth and held in her wince to the injuries brushed in the process. She knew that no matter how gentle the engineer was, these spots would still sting. She exhaled once it was over and braced herself against the shower place. Her palms felt cold and alone while in contact with the tile of the bathroom floor.
Asami stared at the fabric in her hands, which was tattered and bloody in some areas. She felt much too warm in her winter coat, with the steam swirling around them and – She shook her head and tossed the shirt aside, keeping her eyes away from the girl in front of her.
"Hey," a blue-banded forearm rested on the engineer's shoulder while worn fingers brushed a loose strand of raven hair from her face, "it's alright. Thank-you." Korra pulled away, fighting off a blush. She struggled with her waistband once more, but lost the battle.
The older woman noticed the skirmish and examined the situation against her better judgment. The Water Tribe girl's brow was furrowed in concentration, jaw tight to resist the pain in her hardworking hands. There were several dark bruises along her abdomen, and one just above her white chest bindings, by her collarbone.
"Could you give me a hand?" Korra asked without looking away from her pants, too focused to notice the tension in the air.
"Sure." Asami hesitated. She considered grabbing the seam of the waist, but thought better of it. Instead, she tugged at the loose fabric by her knees.
A flash of darkness crossed Korra's eyes, sending her back several days to the first attack when Kuru... She flinched to the memory and pushed against the raven with her legs to get away. Her back hit the side of the shower as she panted.
"Korra? Are you alright?" She crawled up to the injured woman and caressed her cheek as soft as she could.
She placed her palm on the back of the heiress' hand and took a breath. "I'm – I'm fine. It just hurt, that's all." She lied. There were no ifs, ands, or buts about it. And she hoped to the Spirits that, for once, she was a convincing fabricator; she wasn't ready to tell Asami about what happened. She didn't even want to think about it, let alone have to talk about the matter. Guilt rose within her, but she pushed it down.
Not now. Just… not now. Later…
Asami frowned. She knew when she was being deceived when it came to Korra; the woman was a terrible liar.
But what is she holding back? Did something happen?
She paused for just a split second in thought, contemplating on whether to question the validity of her statement.
Just leave her be, Asami. She's been through enough. If it's something that's important to her, she'll tell you in time. Right now, let's focus on helping her get healthy enough so she can live another day and then you can worry about it.
She chewed her cheek and inhaled, knowing her head was right. Her expression softened to keep the Water Tribe girl unaware of her discovery. "I'm sorry, Korra." Asami slipped her fingers into the woman's brown hair. "I'll try to be a bit gentler, okay?"
Korra nodded and let out an internal sigh of relief. "Thank-you," she muttered and cast her eyes to her legs, thankful to avoid the topic for now.
The engineer departed and returned to the brunette's pants. "I'm going to move nice and slow, alright?"
"Okay."
She pulled at the fabric closer to Korra's waist, hiding her peridots for the entirety of the motion. She could feel the oceans watching her and the muscles in the injured woman's body tighten.
I'm sorry.
The Southerner eyed her process and realized the cloth wouldn't budge. She took a deep breath and propped herself on her elbows. She lifted her hips the best she could and the pants slid off with ease.
Asami's fingers travelled to the boot around Korra's injured ankle. This was going to be rough. If this wasn't the younger woman's only pair of footwear, she would have just cut it off. She pulled in a gentle motion. A groan filled her ears, but she kept going. Deciding it was better to get this over with than drag out the pain, she removed the shoe in one swift movement. A sharp shriek bounced off of the walls, followed by rough panting. A tear rolled across the engineer's cheek from the Southerner's agonizing sounds. She maneuvered the pants around each of her feet with precision to minimize the pain. She peeled the socks off the best she could without aggravating her wounds.
You could have just bought her new boots, you know.
Where am I going to find animal hide boots from the Southern Water Tribe in Republic City?
Asami, you're smart and wealthy. You could probably have a pair here in two days.
A wave of guilt washed over her at the realization.
How could I be so foolish –
"Thank-you, Asami." The words of gratitude interrupted her. They spilled out between two separate, horrifying coughing spells.
The Non-Bender rushed to her without thought and placed her palms on Korra's bare shoulders. She pushed her up so that her torso was straight. The sick girl calmed down in almost an instant, now that her airway was clear. Their eyes met, bodies close and faces mere inches from each other.
The storm outside was far away from them. Even the pounding of the shower was a distant white noise. They explored the blue and green irises before them in a silent trance.