"The Avatar?" Asami finally said, after what seemed like an age of silence. She pulled her hand from Korra's, turning to face the table straight-on. Her smile had completely faded. "The all-powerful master of the elements? Why didn't you tell me?" Korra weakly smiled.
"I dunno, I didn't want to scare you off, I guess." This proved to be a fatal error. Asami stood up and strode out of the room. Korra could see her holding back the tears. She felt so stupid. How could anyone love the Avatar? All that power, that responsibility. Why would anyone want to put up with that? Korra slammed her head into the table, shaking the plates and bowls set on it. She started to silently sob into her arms.
"I'm really sorry Korra. I didn't mean to get you in trouble." Meelo said in a timid voice. He was looking down at his shoes, trying his hardest to avoid Korra's gaze. She looked up at him.
"It's not your fault, Meelo. It's mine. I should have told her." Korra said, her weak smile returning for Meelo. He jumped up from his seat, running round the table to hug her. Korra felt better after that. Meelo did always give good hugs. Naga brushed up against her leg, then ran out of the same door Asami had. Korra rose from her seat to go and get her, but Pema moved in front of her, and placed her soft hands on Korra's shoulders.
"I think you should give her time before you go running after her. She'll need to process all this, trust me." Pema smiled at Korra, then moved over to her husband and pecked him on the cheek. "Watch the kids, I'll be back in a moment." Pema then left the room, heading out of the same door Asami and Naga had gone through. Korra looked at the floor for a few minutes. She could here Tenzin and the kids shuffling around her, whispering to one another, but she didn't care. The one thing about this whole evening, the whole city, had just run out of the door. A bowl of noodle soup suddenly appeared beneath her. She looked up to see Tenzin's smiling face.
"Here, eat. Pema's food always makes me feel better."
"I'm not hungry, Tenzin." The airbender frowned.
"I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. Eat." He placed a pair of chopsticks in front of her, taking his seat at the head of the table and making himself a bowl. Korra picked up the chopsticks and wolfed down the noodles. She was a lot hungrier than she realized. She soon finished, putting her bowl and chopsticks on the table in front of her. She looked around to see everyone was gone but her and Tenzin, who was carefully eating his on noodles.
"Where are Jinora, Ikki and Meelo?" Korra asked. Tenzin didn't look up from his noodles.
"I told them to have their dinner in their rooms tonight, gives us a minute or so to talk." Korra looked at him, puzzled. He looked up from his noodles, giving her a calm yet pensive look. "Well?" He asked.
"Well, what?" Korra answered, still confused.
"If Asami meant that much to you, why didn't you tell her you're the Avatar?" Korra was taken aback.
"You told me no-one could know! You said that we had to keep it secret from everyone, unless they're a member of the White Lotus or someone we trust." Korra stopped on that last word. Trust. I should have trusted Asami, especially seeing as she trusted me. Korra collapsed into her arms again, letting out a moan of annoyance at herself. She raised her head enough for Tenzin to hear her speak. "I should have trusted her. That's why she's angry." Tenzin finished his last noodle.
"Exactly. If you really want a relationship to work, trust is the first thing you need. You should never build a relationship, especially a romantic one, without trust." He took a moment to reach over to hold Korra's arm. She raised her head so her could she her face, complete with tears still running down it. "Why do you think Pema and I have the long and happy marriage we do? It's because we trust each other. She trusts me to come home to her and the kids every night, no matter how battered or bruised I may be. And I trust her to be there to bandage me up when I do get home. We have fights, of course, but we still never hide anything from one another. That's how we know to trust." Korra looked over to him, into his warm smile. She pushed herself off her chair and into his arms for a hug. Tenzin was taken completely by surprise, getting crushed by Korra's extremely tight hug.
"Thank you, Tenzin." She whispered, letting go just before he passed out. He collapsed back into his chair, struggling for breath. "Oops. Sorry…" Korra said, moving over to make sure he was OK. He raised his hand to signal he was fine, continuing to take deep breaths and rub his ribs. The door opened behind them, and Korra turned on the spot to see Pema walk back in. She looked over at Korra.
"I think you should go and talk to her now. She's out in the gardens, in front of the statue of Aang." Pema said, her voice warm and motherly. She moved to the table and scooped some noodles into a bowl, handing it to Korra when it was full, along with some chopsticks. "Make sure she eats, as well. She looked ravished when I was out there." Korra nodded, walking out of the dining room and into the gardens. She looked around to find the statue, and soon saw the hunched up figure of Asami, on a bench in the gazebo. Sure enough, a statue of Avatar Aang was also in there, legs crossed in a meditative position. Korra gingerly walked over to Asami, trying to catch her eye. She was sitting on the bench with her knees up high, her feet resting on the front of the bench. Her arms were crossed, rested on her knees, with her face buried into the inside of her arms. Her eyes poked out from beneath her messy hair, looking straight at the statue in front of her. Naga was at her side, nudging Asami's leg with her nose and whining at her.
"I brought you some noodles." Korra said, her voice weak. "Pema's food always cheers people up." Korra set the noodles down beside Asami, who was still staring into the eyes of the statue. Korra took a seat next to her, ensuring there was some distance between them. She shuffled her feet anxiously, looking down at them for a moment or two. "Asami, I'm really sorry I didn't tell you. I know I should have trusted you like you trusted me. I was just scared of what might happen to you if you knew. I didn't want to lose you."
"I'm not angry about that, Korra." Asami said, taking Korra by surprise. Her voice was trembling. "I can handle myself, Dad made sure of that. I'm angry because I don't know how I can compete with that." Korra looked over at Asami, confusion playing across her face.
"Wait, what do you mean, compete with that?" Korra asked, turning her body to face Asami. Asami pulled her head from her arms, putting her feet on the ground and turning to face Korra. Korra's heart plummeted when she saw the mascara running down her face and the tears in her eyes.
"I'm just a regular girl, who is doing really well I school, and might get a scholarship to university when I graduate. You're the Avatar, the master of all 4 elements, and an anchor for the Spirits. Plus, you're the princess of the Southern Water Tribe! How on earth am I going to be able to keep you? You'll have all kinds of suitors lining up to meet you, as soon as you hit 18 and make yourself known to the public." Asami buried her head in her hands again, beginning to sob. Korra slid closer to her, moving the bowl of noodles out of the way.
"That's why your upset? Because you don't think your good enough for me?" Korra said, touching Asami arm as she spoke. "Asami, you are the heir to the biggest technology firm and car manufacturer in the entire world, let alone the entire Republic. You're sweet, funny, kind and unbelievably hot. I would rather live alone my entire life, than live it without you." Asami looked back up at Korra, who was smiling at her. She leaned in and passionately kissed her. After a few seconds, they broke away. Korra was beaming from ear to ear, while Asami giggled to herself.
"Do you really mean that?" Asami asked.
"Absolutely." Korra replied. She noticed Asami was shivering. Korra pulled off her hoodie and put it around Asami's shoulder. "Better?" She asked. Asami smiled at Korra.
"As long as you give me a cuddle as well." Asami answered snuggling up to Korra. Korra laughed.
"Food first, then cuddles." Korra told her. Asami giggled, taking the bowl of noodles from Korra and digging in. She moaned as she ate.
"This is amazing. You were right, these do cheer you up." Asami said, continuing to eat. Korra chuckled to herself. Naga had now moved round to take a seat in front of the two of them. She pushed her nose into Asami, who tussled the fur on Naga's head. Naga began to pant, her tongue dangling from her mouth and tail bouncing against the floor. Asami finished off her noodles, then buried herself into Korra, putting her head under Korra's chin.
"I don't want to fight like this again." Korra said quietly, planting a kiss on Asami's forehead and wrapping her arms around her. Asami rotated to a more comfortable position, looking up at Korra.
"Me neither." Asami said, just as quiet as Korra. They looked out passed the statue in front of them, into the sun as it set. They sat for ages, watching the sun go down. They didn't speak, they just enjoyed each others company.
"What happens at school tomorrow, then?" Korra asked. "I've never had a proper relationship like this." Asami pulled herself up so she was level with Korra, burying her mouth into Korra's neck for a kiss.
"Well, we hang out with each other, and probably Bolin, and if anyone asks why we're holding hands or kissing, we tell them we're dating." Asami said, making progress down Korra's neck towards her collar bone.
"Even your dad?" Korra asked, trying her very hardest not to squirm or shudder at Asami's kisses. Asami looked back up to Korra and smiled.
"I'll break it to him tonight." She said, planting a kiss on Korra's lips. Korra giggled.
"Girls! It's getting cold and dark out here, come inside!" Pema's voice rang across the gardens. They looked up from each other to see it had gotten quite dark.
"I should be getting home; Dad will kill me if I'm late." Asami said, rising from the bench with Korra in tow. She grabbed the Avatar's hand and the two walked into the house. Asami took Korra's hoodie off her shoulders and held it out to Korra, who simply shook her head.
"Keep it. You seemed to have taken a shining to it." Korra said grinning at her. Asami giggled. "I'll see you tomorrow, then?"
"Sure thing" Asami said, giving Korra one last kiss before walking out to her car. Korra watched as the car swung round and out of the gates. She continued to watch until the light from the headlamps had disappeared into the distance.
"Everything good between you two, then?" Tenzin asked, putting a hand on Korra's shoulder. She turned to face him, smiling as wide as possible.
"Everything's perfect."