Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“So whaddya say kid?”

“You haven’t told me anything yet Varrick,” Asami sighs, rubbing her forehead as she tries to deal with whatever this pitch is going to be. “You keep repeating something about the power of storytelling, and the spoken word, but I don’t know what that means.”

“Just imagine.....you know the portable radio we’ve been thinking about?” Varrick questions, hands waving absolutely everywhere . Of course Asami understands what he means, because it’s been driving her absolutely crazy trying to figure it out, and she just nods. “Scratch that! What if it’s not picking up live radio, but recorded radio! Like movers, but for listening!”

Now that is an idea Asami can get behind. 

For all his trouble, Varrick is brilliant, and it’s stuff like this that makes it worth it.

“Like radio plays, but you can take them wherever you want and listen to them whenever you want?” She questions, Varrick nodding eagerly.

“And not just that, Asami!” He exclaims as he puts his arm over her shoulders and pulls her against his side. She’s not a big fan of that, but she’s as excited as Varrick is, so she lets it slide. “Not just Nuktuk radio plays that you can store on your portable device and listen wherever you want, but interviews! People talking about nothing! People talking about everything! Picture it!”

Asami’s picturing it, and she really likes it. 

“I call them….Varrick-Casts!”

She doesn’t really like that , but the rest is great, so she’ll cross the bridge on the name when she gets to it. 

“So if I wanted to go out on the race track and work on one of my Satomobiles, I could just bring my portable radio….we need a new name now….but I could bring it, put on my Nuktuk radio play that I have stored from a week ago, and listen wherever I go, whenever I want,” she plays it out, Varrick nodding and bouncing up and down.

“This might be the best idea you’ve ever had,” she teases, and although Varrick looks hurt for a second, he nods all the same.

“We’re gonna be even more rich, Asami! We gotta get this going! Just think….the first episode of my Varrick-Cast….Varrick’s Superfriends, where he talks to all his pals about their wild adventures…...weekly pro-bending discussions or an audio mover about, Nuktuk: The Chronicles of Varrick and Zhu Li! Or…..”

As much as Asami loves the idea, she knows that Varrick’s going to keep talking, and the best way to stop that is diverting his attention.

“You know who would be a great first guest on Varrick’s Superfriends?” She comments, Varrick shaking his head as he looks at her. 

“Mako,” she points, the man in question looking as broody as always, leaning against a pole as he tosses crackers in his mouth. He’s watching Kai and Jinora as they try their hand at one of the carnival games, and he’s practically the easiest target ever.

She feels a little bad, but she thinks Mako still owes her for everything that happened between them in the past. Or at the very least, that’s a good enough excuse for throwing him under the bus.

“He must have tons of stories from when he and Bolin lived on the streets. Plus, he was a pro-bender, and he’s a cop so he could give you some details about the cases he’s worked on. Also, he’s friends with the Avatar, so you could get some scoops there. I obviously can’t talk about her, since she’s my girlfriend, but Mako’s fair game,” she reasons, Varrick’s grin widening after each qualifier she lays out. “Plus, he’s Nuktuk’s brother, so you could get Bolin stories too. Build up anticipation for the Nuktuk...Varrick-casts.”

Varrick looks absolutely delighted, which is horrifying in its own way. 

“I knew you were a genius, kid!” He grins, hands suddenly on her cheeks as he leans in and kisses her on the forehead. Asami’s not quite sure how to react to that, but Varrick’s already gone, waving back at her as he jogs to Mako. “We’ll talk! I’ll get something drafted up! You do the tech, I do the talent!”

Even though she’s still recovering from the forehead kiss, it’s more than a little funny to see Mako suddenly faced with the full weight of Varrick’s enthusiasm. He looks over at Asami with the face of absolute betrayal, and she just grins and waves before making her way to go find Korra. 

A wide grin is present on her face the entire time she tries to find her, both from Varrick’s breakthrough and just being here with Korra. This week has been even better than she’d hoped, and she’s already in the process of attempting to schedule their next vacation. 

Tonraq and Senna have been so welcoming to her and Korra both. Obviously to Korra, because she’s their daughter, but there’s never been a moment that Asami felt out of place or unwelcome. 

Although she has had to step away a couple of times - to talk with the council about the snowmobile and boat proposal, mostly - she’s been able to spend the majority of her time with Korra.

Who has been so lovely.

There’s been no Avatar business pulling her away, so they’ve been able to spend pretty much the entire five days with each other before everyone else arrived two days ago. Korra’s been so attentive, always by Asami’s side when she’s able. It’s not been out of worry or anything bad either, just that she likes spending time with her, and she wants to do so as much as they can, because they’re always both so busy in Republic City. 

Korra’s always been spontaneous, flying by the seat of her pants, but Asami can tell that she had a bit of a checklist for everything that she wanted her to see. 

They’ve been to the market, and Asami was able to haggle on some prices while Korra watched with delight at her girlfriend putting her business skills to work.

She may have also beat the best Pai Sho player in the Southern Water Tribe, and done so without breaking a sweat.

She almost felt a little bad, but she never goes easy when she’s playing Pai Sho.

Although it wasn’t quite the same as last time, they went to the Spirit World again, since Asami never got to go through the Southern Water Tribe Portal when they were fighting Unalaq. They had a wonderful chat with Iroh, who’s the best Pai Sho player that Asami’s ever played. They had to end their matches at three-to-three though, because Korra couldn’t take watching much longer. 

Korra blushes when Asami asks why the Spirit World is always so bright when it’s the two of them there, and she wonders if it has to do with Korra’s mood. She’s never been able to get an answer that isn’t Korra adorably fumbling through her words though, so she can’t say for sure.

She really has to ask Tenzin soon.

Maybe Jinora, actually, since she’d be less uncomfortable with the question.

Korra showed her all the places she went to practice her bending when she was a kid, and then all the places that she went during her recovery when she needed to get away from it all.

That Korra would share those places with her means so much to Asami.

It was cold, but they managed to watch the sunset together. Korra employed some fire bending and wrapped herself around Asami so as to ensure she didn’t actually freeze to death - Korra had teased her that she just didn’t want the death of Future Industries’ CEO on her conscience - but doing that meant Korra had to be pressed right up against her while they talked and watched the sunset, and that’s a net positive in Asami’s book. 

She’s made sure to spend time with Tonraq and Senna as well, and she thinks she’s been approved of. She’s not the best cook, but she’s capable, and she made sure to help Senna with dinner a couple times. They talked while they did it, and it’s definitely friendly, Senna having had a wide grin on her face practically the entire time.

Her time with Tonraq is more of the same, both working through the snowmobile contract and Asami helping with some mechanical issues around the Southern Water Tribe. He seems to respect her a great deal, and that means more than she can put into words.

Even now, there’s men in Republic City who assume she’s only where she is because of her father, and to have Tonraq ask her for support without a second thought, and without questioning her intellect, is something that she hasn’t been able to tell Tonraq the importance of just yet, but she wants to try.

The last two days have had a bit less one-on-one time with Korra, but it’s solely because of their friends arriving, so it isn’t the worst thing in the world. 

She’s sadly lost Korra a couple times to training with Bolin and Opal, or she’s been dragged away by Ikki to help her with her winter wingsuit, but at the end of the day, they’ve always managed to find their way back to each other, and that’s really all Asami can ask for.

Right now though, she really just wants to see Korra.

Tenzin had taken Korra away pretty much as soon as they got to the Winter Solstice Festival, having left Asami alone. Which isn’t all bad, since she got to spend some time with Opal, and that’s always welcome. 

Much like her and Korra though, Bolin and Opal can only stay separated for so long, and as soon as Bolin beat Mako at whatever game they were playing, he whisked Opal away to win her some prizes.

She intends to let Korra know about that little detail, because she can already guess that the outcome will be Bolin and Korra in a competition to see who can win their girlfriend the most stuffed polar-bear dogs. 

It’s a big event, booths upon booths set up everywhere. There’s food stalls, vendors, and then the games, and Asami can’t help but smile at being surrounded by it all. Korra’s culture, that she’s happily shared with Asami. 

Even if it’s not quite the same, Asami would love to take Korra on a trip to the Fire Nation some day. She doesn’t have any family there that she knows, but it is her heritage, and she’d love to show Korra all the spots she went to with her parents when they took their trips.

She doesn’t have many that she can recall with any sort of clarity, but she does still have some happy memories there that she wants to share with Korra. 

She’s pulled out of her thoughts as she sees a vendor selling jewellery. Specifically, Water Tribe jewellery. 

Asami’s eyes go to the betrothal necklaces, and she feels her face flush.

She’s thought about it, and she knows that that’s what she’d want to give Korra. Even if it’s mostly a Northern Water Tribe tradition, that’s where Tonraq’s from, so it’s in Korra’s blood. 

Plus, it just feels right .

Not yet though, because it’s far too soon, and she intends to get the best betrothal necklace money can buy, not one from the Winter Solstice Festival. 

It fills her head with pleasant thoughts though, and she bites her lip as she looks everything over.

Korra’s not a jewellery person - except hopefully for said betrothal necklace - but she’s shopping more for herself. She thinks it might mean something to Korra, if she’s wearing Water Tribe jewellery. 

“What are you looking at?”

Asami almost jumps at the sound of Jinora’s voice, not entirely sure how she managed to sneak up on her. She’s an air-bender though, so she guesses it comes with the territory, being light on your feet.

“Looking at betrothal necklaces?” She asks, and Asami almost feels bad about saying no at the barely-contained excitement in Jinora’s voice. If she says yes though, that’s a whole can of worms she decidedly doesn’t want to open. 

“No….not yet,” Asami sighs, although Jinora does perk up even more at that last word. “Just normal necklaces. I’m just….It’d be for me. So Korra knows that I’m….”

“That you’re hers,” Jinora finishes, and Asami can just smile and nod. “That’s so romantic! We need to find you one so that you can wear it when we save her from my dad,” she grins, and Asami can’t help but laugh lightly.

Even if she’s not as outwardly romantic as Ikki, Jinora’s definitely a day-dreamer when it comes to this stuff.

It must all come from Pema, because she can’t picture Tenzin being like this in the slightest.

“Something you could wear that she could see right now….and it has to be pretty, because you’re Asami,” Jinora notes, and it amuses Asami a great deal that her name is apparently a synonym for pretty. 

“It’s all pretty,” the lady behind the counter comments, Jinora just giving her a look before she devotes her full attention to this woman’s wares.

“How about….no, a ring seems a bit much,” Jinora notes, and Asami flushes when she can’t help but agree. 

“How about this?” She questions, eyes lighting up as she turns to Asami. It’s a necklace, but not a betrothal one thankfully, just a traditional Water Tribe piece. 

It’s beautiful.

The pendant is light blue, three waves present on it crashing against the shore. It reminds Asami of Korra, just how strong she is, and she can’t grab her wallet out of her jacket pocket fast enough. 

She doesn’t care about the price, just handing over a decent sum of Water Tribe money that the woman takes eagerly. Jinora passes her the necklace, and is almost giddy as Asami puts it on. 

“Let’s go find Korra!” She grins, and Asami looks down as the pendant hangs in her cleavage, or where her cleavage would be if she wasn’t wearing a winter coat and a warm sweater underneath, and she can’t help but smile.

It’s not hard to find Korra with Jinora by her side - she suspects Jinora might tap into Korra’s spirit energy - so it’s only a couple minutes before they’re able to find her at the edge of the festival, arm wrestling with Meelo. 

She’s obviously not trying very hard, because Asami’s pretty sure that Korra could put Meelo through the table if she tried hard enough, but it’s cute to see the adorable face Korra puts on as she pretends to look like she’s in danger of losing. 

Tenzin’s watching them a little bit worried, Pema beside him and just laughing lightly as Meelo says something, probably trash talking. Ikki’s off to the side, talking with Kai and Kya, and the whole thing is just so domestic that it fills Asami’s heart with joy.

Pema’s the first one who sees her, and she leans down to whisper in Korra’s ear. 

Asami can pinpoint the exact second that Korra must hear her name, because she instantly turns around, eyes flitting everywhere before they finally find her. 

She removes her hand, and with the weight Meelo is putting into the arm-wrestling and the sudden loss of support, he falls face first into the table. 

There’s a whole commotion, and Korra quickly makes sure that Meelo’s alright before she makes her way to Asami. She looks her up and down unabashedly - even while she’s all bundled up - but her eyes widen as she makes her way back up to Asami’s face, gaze falling on the necklace.

“Hey,” Korra gets out, voice breathy, like she can’t quite believe her eyes. 

“What’s um….what’s this?” She questions nervously, fingers coming up and lightly holding the necklace.

 In that moment, Asami knows that she and Jinora made the right decision. Her eyes flit over to where Jinora was, but she’s nowhere to be found. 

Asami doesn’t bother to look further, because she can’t stand to look away from Korra’s face longer than she already has. Not while Korra has that look of absolute awe plastered there.

“Jinora helped me pick it out,” she says softly, biting her lip as she looks at Korra, the Avatar’s eyes still on the necklace. 

“I’ve had such an amazing time here with you, and I wanted to get something to remember it by,” she explains, although she takes a second before continuing, because that’s not the whole truth. “And…...you’re from the Southern Water Tribe, so I thought that I should have something to show that I’m with you. Show everyone that I’m….” 

“That you’re mine. That we’re each other’s,” Korra finishes, and Asami just bites her lip as she nods. “‘Sami, I…..”

Korra apparently can’t finish that thought, but she manages to bring her eyes up to meet Asami’s own.

Korra’s eyes are always so blue and so beautiful, but never more than they are right now.

Korra’s jaw is working like she’s trying to say something, and she audibly swallows before shaking her head lightly. She chuckles to herself, and Asami’s brow furrows in confusion, although it’s only a second later before Korra’s hands frame her face and she pulls her in for a kiss. 

It’s the most passionate kiss that Asami thinks she’s ever received. 

And they’ve kissed a lot .

Her hands go to Korra’s hips and Asami just melts into her, the necklace pressed between them as she finds herself flush against the Avatar. She’s not even entirely sure how to react to the kiss, because it’s just so much , like Korra’s pouring everything she has into it and Asami’s not quite sure how to respond. She reciprocates, obviously, but she just takes everything that Korra’s giving her, and it’s wonderful .

Eventually, they do need air, and Korra pulls away, resting her forehead on Asami’s as she takes deep breaths. “You know I love you, right Asami? So….so much. I can’t even….I can’t even describe how much I love you.”

Korra barely gets it out, so quiet that even Asami, with as close as they are, can barely hear her.

“I….” Asami starts, having to swallow and compose herself before she continues. “I know, Korra. And I love you too. More than anything,” she states before they kiss again, and Asami moans into it this time as Korra runs her hands through her hair, knowing just how much Asami likes that. 

They don’t get that far this time, sadly.

“There are children present!”

It’s Meelo, because of course it is, and although Asami tries to pull away, she can’t help her giggles as Korra keeps her hands in her hair and follows her lips with her own, apparently not willing to give up on their kiss just yet.

“They’re in love Meelo, let them kiss!” 

It’s Ikki this time, and now Korra can’t help giggling, Asami delighting in the sound.  

“It’s beautiful. Let them be in love, Meelo.”

That’s Jinora, and Asami figures it’s best to make sure they don’t traumatize Meelo further. Although, judging by the look in Korra’s eyes, she suspects that she’s going to be put through the wringer tonight, in the best possible way. 

“We’re not sorry!” Korra calls back, and Asami laughs again, giving Korra’s forehead a little kiss. She loves this woman, so much , and any time she can show that, she’ll gladly take the opportunity. 

“Don’t ever apologize for being in love!” Ikki calls back, and Asami rolls her eyes before looking over Korra’s shoulder, since Ikki’s never been the best at being quiet and she doesn’t want to force everyone at the festival to hear this particular argument. 

“We’re not apologizing,” she reassures her, and Ikki breathes a sigh of relief.

“We’ll try to keep it age appropriate Meelo,” she says next, covering all her bases. She thinks she hears Korra mutter something along the lines of ‘speak for yourself’, but she can’t quite hear her so she can’t say for sure. 

“You will? Because Mako felt a little weird about coming over while you guys were making out.”

Apparently Bolin, Opal and Mako had made their way over at some point during that display, and true to what Bolin says, Mako looks more than a little uncomfortable.

“I wasn’t…..I wasn’t uncomfortable,” the man in question gets out, and Asami can’t help the amused look on her face as Mako looks at the ground. “I’m happy for you guys really, it’s just…”

“It’s kinda weird for you when Korra and Asami practically just had sex right in front of us?” Opal teases, and Asami flushes bright red. “Seriously, I think that was the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen.”

“It was?” Bolin pouts, earning him a sympathetic pat on the back from his girlfriend, even if Opal does give a wink to Asami and Korra at the same time.

“Maybe I’m still mad at Asami for sending Varrick after me,” Mako pouts as well, and Asami grins as she shrugs her shoulders.

“I did it in the name of love,” She states snootily, raising her chin up and getting a laugh from Korra for her efforts.

“I approve of Asami’s methods, whatever they were,” Korra grins, Mako’s pout only worsening.

“Of course you do. Now I have to be the first guest on Varrick’s ‘Varrick-Cast’. Whatever that is.”

“Oh!” Asami grins, having somehow completely forgotten about that. 

Korra’s kisses will do that to her.

“Varrick and I figured out how to pivot the portable radio product into something even better,” she grins, turning back to Korra. “Or, I guess Varrick figured it out, but I think we know what to do with it!”

She tells Korra excitedly, still standing there with everyone around them, but she doesn’t think Korra hears a thing. She’s smiling at her the whole time, so lovingly, toying with a couple loose strands of black hair as her gaze flits between Asami’s eyes, her lips, and the necklace. 

Korra’s pretty sure that this is the best day of her life.

She’s thought that every day this week, but she’s pretty sure this is it.

Because right now she’s sitting down, surrounded by her friends, waiting for her father and Varrick to set up the fireworks while Asami is resting between her legs, back against her chest, and she doesn’t know how it could possibly get better than this.

She sneaks another glance at Asami’s necklace, and it fills her with love.

She wasn’t sure what she thought at first. She had seen the necklace and freaked out because her mind immediately went to ‘betrothal necklace’. She’s pretty sure she looked calm, but internally she had been filled with dread, because…..who could have given Asami a betrothal necklace? 

Could Mako have taken one final swing, and Asami said yes?

Obviously not, because Asami had told her that it wasn’t that, that it was just a standard necklace. That it was just a Water Tribe necklace, because Korra’s from the Southern Water Tribe, and Asami wants people to know that she’s Korra’s.

And Spirits, if that isn’t the most romantic thing that Korra’s ever heard.

So she hasn’t left Asami’s side since then, and she hasn’t stopped touching her. Whether it was holding hands while they watched Bolin and Mako compete in the strong-man competition, or wrapping her arms around Asami’s waist and resting her chin on her shoulder while Opal and Kai played the shooting gallery, but with air-bending instead of throwing the balls at the bottles. 

Or now, with Asami against her as they lean back against the back-rests that her and Bolin made everyone with their earth-bending. 

Kai and Jinora are snuggled up on one side of them - Tenzin’s only complaint was a loud huff, although Pema did stop him before he could say anything more - and Kya on the other. Korra’s chin is on Asami’s shoulder, and she’s lightly playing with her hair as her girlfriend sighs softly, unwilling to remove her hand from even that one little touch.

She doesn’t think she could ever let Asami go completely.

She’s thought about it practically since they started dating, but she’s really known ever since her mom asked her earlier in the trip if Asami was ‘the one’.

Korra knows that she’s going to marry this woman.

She doesn’t know when, or how she’ll propose, or how long she’ll wait, but she knows that she’s going to make Asami Sato her wife, and no one’s going to stop her. 

Unless Asami said no, of course. She wouldn’t force her.

But, at this point, even if Korra’s not the most vain person - She has her bluster, but she’s not Varrick - she’s pretty sure she knows what Asami’s answer would be.

“You in there, Korra.....Korra?”

She must have zoned out for a second, because Asami’s looking up at her like she just asked her something, and Korra hums in the affirmative.

“You didn’t hear what I said, did you?” She teases, and Korra just laughs lightly as she shakes her head.

“You’re too pretty. It’s distracting ,” she teases back, and Asami just rolls her eyes at her, even while she blushes so so prettily .

“You may be the Avatar, but a word-bender, you are not,” she grins, and Korra giggles at her before kissing the crown of her head. “I was just thinking about our next vacation.”

“Yeah?” Korra questions, already more than happy to go wherever Asami thought up in her big beautiful brain.

“Yeah. I was thinking…. the Fire Nation?” She asks, and Korra just smiles and nods, because she’ll follow Asami to the ends of the planet if she asked her to. 

“Definitely….any reason in particular?”

“I used to go there when I was a kid. With my parents,” Asami notes, and Korra smiles softly. She knows that it’s hard for Asami to think about her childhood sometimes. 

Not because there’s bad memories, but because of everything that she’s lost.

It’s partially why Korra plans to fill their future with so many good memories, because Asami deserves them all.

“I don’t have any family that I know, really, but there’s a couple places that I remember going to when I was a kid. I know it’s not the same as coming back here, but I’d love to show them to you, if you want?”

Korra snorts at that, because how could Asami doubt for a second that she would want to?

“I’d love to ‘Sami. When were you thinking of going?” She asks, toying lightly with Asami’s necklace as they sit there. She feels Asami lean back against her more as she stretches her legs out, Korra’s eyes following the movement for a second before going back to her face.

“Not anytime soon, sadly. I don’t think I’ll be able to swing two vacations that close together,” she sighs, and Korra gets it, even if it saddens her that Asami doesn’t get the time off she deserves for all the hard work she puts in. “But maybe some time next year? Future Industries always has projects in the Fire Nation, and I’m sure Tenzin wouldn’t have a problem with us going for a ‘diplomatic purpose’ or however we want to swing it.”

“You’re really smart, you know that?” Korra teases, and Asami grins as she looks up at her. 

“I’ve been told,” she smirks, gesturing for Korra to lower herself down for a kiss. It’s an awkward position, pretty much kissing straight up and down, but she’s kissing Asami, so she can’t think of anything better. It’s not as outwardly passionate as before - Korra can admit she may have gotten carried away, and Tenzin had to tell them something about ‘public decency’ - but there’s still just as much love in this one as there was in that.

At least until Korra feels someone nudging her side. 

It must be Kya, judging from the side it’s coming from, but Korra figures it’s an accident so she just ignores it. There’s a second one though, harder this time, and she has to pull away to ask what’s wrong. Kya doesn’t say anything, just nodding in front of them, and Korra looks up to see her father standing there, an amused look on his face.

“Oh….hi Dad,” Korra grins, giving Asami’s lips another quick kiss that makes Tonraq chuckle.

“Hi Korra. Do you mind if I borrow Asami for a second?” He questions, and she narrows her eyes at him as she pulls her girlfriend closer. “I need someone who speaks Varrick.”

“What about Zhu Li?” She asks, and her dad just laughs again at the way she tightens her grip on Asami, still not prepared to let her go.

“Zhu Li’s his wife. I need an unbiased translator to help with the fireworks,” her dad reasons, before looking past Kya to where Mako is talking to Bolin and Opal. “I need a firebender to light them as well. Mako?” He questions, Mako turning around and nodding before he stands.

“Are you sure you need Asami?” Korra asks, and this time it’s Asami who rolls her eyes and looks back up at her. 

“I won’t be long Korra. I’ll be back before you know it,” she reassures her, carefully removing herself from Korra’s arms. 

“Fine,” Korra pouts, and she knows it’s childish, but she doesn’t care, because Asami laughs and gives her another quick kiss. Her girlfriend stands up and joins Mako and her father a second later though, the three of them making their way to the fireworks.

“Sooooooooooooo…….you guys are like, in love in love?” 

It’s Jinora, her and Kai looking over at Korra with excited grins on their faces. Kya’s looking at her too, with a more contained but equally happy grin, and Korra just shrugs.

“I mean…..yeah. Have you met Asami? Kind of hard not to be,” she reasons, Jinora giggling happily. “I actually didn’t thank you yet. For helping Asami with the necklace.”

“It’s nothing,” Jinora waves it off, although she’s still grinning so widely that there must be something more. “She was actually looking at a different type of necklace when I found her.”

It takes Korra a second to process that, to realize what necklace Jinora could be alluding to.

Oh. 

That type of necklace.

“ Really ?” Korra asks a second later, a bit too excited, and Jinora and Kai giggle together at just how eager she sounds. She can see Kya in her periphery, playing idly with her necklace, the one that Korra has never had the courage to ask about. 

“Like, was she seriously looking at them, or just kind of…..not seriously?”

She’s trying to sound calm, but all that’s going through her mind is Asami and marriage and it’s all she wants, really.

“Pretty seriously,” Jinora shrugs, and Korra’s eyes widen as a happy sound that she can’t contain any longer escapes her. “Are you guys gonna….you know?”

“I….” Korra stops herself, trying to think it over. Jinora’s good at secrets, but this is a big thing, and she needs to mean what she says. “In the future, yes. Definitely, one hundred percent, yes,” she reasons, Jinora letting out a squeal that she’d attribute more to Ikki than her older sister. “But not yet. We’d be skipping a lot of steps, and we don’t even live together yet, but…”

“When you know, you know,” Kya says, and Korra looks over her shoulder at her with an understanding smile.

“Yeah. And I know. Asami’s it. She’s it for me.”

“Well, when you do propose, you have two pairs of helping hands right here,” Kai says, and Jinora just smiles along with him and nods. 

“Should probably put a pin in that conversation,” Kya comments, nodding to Asami and Mako as they make their way back over. Asami’s saying something, and Mako actually laughs, Korra grinning widely as the love of her life turns to look at her.

“All ready?” Korra asks, and Asami hums, finding her spot between Korra’s legs again, resting back against her chest.

“All ready,” Asami affirms, looking over her shoulder and up at Korra. Her hair is falling lightly over her face and Korra brushes it away, hand lingering a little bit on Asami’s cheek as she tucks it behind her ear. “There’s a lot of fireworks, and it’s a really long cord to set them off, so I’m kind of scared. Varrick seemed sure of himself, and Zhu Li didn’t say anything, so I assume they’re fine but….it’s Varrick, so who knows.”

Korra doesn’t say anything, just hums in agreement as she pulls Asami back a little bit closer, leaning down and giving her cheek a kiss. 

“Love you,” she says softly, Asami flushing again as she looks back up at her.

“Love you too, Avatar Korra,” she teases - because she only calls Korra that when she’s teasing - and Korra happily giggles, just in time for the fireworks to start.

She can’t bring herself to look away from Asami, at least not immediately, but eventually she turns to the fireworks. 

They’re big, and grandiose, which is pretty much the standard for Varrick, so it’s not a huge surprise. It’s hard to compete with the sight of the woman in her lap, but they are beautiful.

Varrick’s really outdone himself this time, but it’s the last firework that takes Korra’s breath away.

Because right after the second to last one, it’s silent for a moment, and Korra thinks that they’re over. Asami must too, because her brow furrows, likely having thought there’d be more based on the sheer amount of machinery and pyrotechnics that Varrick had set up.

There is one more though, and with a loud explosion, it flashes across the sky.

Korra’s not sure how to react. 

Because the last firework is her and Asami. 

Kissing. 

It’s from earlier, when she had first seen Asami with the necklace. She can tell because she can see the outline of it, and she just stares up at it, taking in the sight of them.

“Did….did you do that?” She asks, feeling her throat closing up and tears welling in her eyes. She’s never actually seen the two of them kissing before from an outside perspective, even if it is just a firework.

It’s so beautiful, and it fills her with so much joy, and if Asami did this, it’s the greatest gift she could ever have given her.

Besides her hand in marriage, obviously.

“I…..I didn’t,” Asami gets out, and Korra can hear the same emotion in Asami’s voice, both of them staring up at the portrait of them in the sky.

Korra can hear Jinora, and even Kai sniffling beside them. She can hear Bolin absolutely bawling, talking about ‘how beautiful their love is’ while Opal tries to comfort him. She’s pretty sure she even hears Mako trying to keep it together.

Eventually it has to disappear though, and Korra audibly swallows, pulling Asami even closer as their eyes meet. “I don’t…...that was…..”

“It was a lot. I’ve never seen us like that before,” she says, and Korra nods, smiling softly as Asami reaches up to wipe her tears away.

She’s not sure how it happened, but the answer is likely right in front of them when Varrick and Zhu Li come over. Varrick actually looks a bit nervous, but Zhu Li looks delighted, and Korra nudges Asami until she turns to see them.

“Did….did you guys do that?” She asks, and it actually takes Varrick a second before he reverts back to the Varrick that Korra knows and begrudgingly likes.

“Zhu Li did!” Varrick grins, and the woman in question just smiles softly at him. “We were shooting some B-Roll for the Nuktuk documentary we’re filming. It’s a secret so don’t go gabbing to Bolin,” he explains, and Asami lets out a snort of laughter. 

Korra questions how there could be a documentary about Nuktuk given that he’s, you know, not a real person, but she lets it slide for now since Varrick’s still talking. 

“And we saw you two and thought, hey! Asami and Korra would probably be really good footage. So we were filming when you two started kissing and Zhu Li thought, hey! What if we made that into a firework, and it was the grand finale!”

“I….how did you do that?” Asami asks, because of course she’s going to be a nerd about it.

Korra loves her so much. 

“Don’t worry about it kid!” Varrick waves it off, and Asami actually accepts that for now as she smiles up at him. “Love is love, and I thought that my good business pal Asami could use a healthy dollop of seeing her love up there! In the sky!”

“We filmed the fireworks display. We can get you the footage, if you want,” Zhu Li notes, and Korra grins widely up at them.

“We’d love that. So much,” she says, Asami nodding along with her. “I don’t know how we could ever….this is the most….I don’t know how we could ever repay you.”

“Don’t worry about it, you two crazy lovebirds!” Varrick grins, and Zhu Li just smiles at them. “Just take it into consideration during our next negotiation session, Asami!”

Asami laughs and nods, wiping some tears from her eyes. “I will Varrick, I promise,” she smiles, clearing her throat before she keeps going. “That was so incredible. Thank you, so much. Both of you.”

Varrick actually blushes , rubbing the back of his neck. “Don’t get emotional on me now, kid. I need that killer instinct for when we take the world by storm with our Varrick-Casts! Now c’mon Zhu Li! Lets go get some extra footage of Bolin crying, for the big emotional payoff!”

Varrick storms off, but Zhu Li stays behind, giving them a wide smile. “He won’t say it, but it means a lot to him that you liked it. He really cares about you two.”

Then she’s off too, and Asami and Korra are left to take a breath.

“That….I didn’t expect that from Varrick,” Asami gets out, and Korra laughs as she agrees. “It was incredible though…..it feels like it should be the perfect cap to this week, but we still have even more time together.”

Asami doesn’t sound sad about that in the slightest. 

Korra’s inclined to agree.

“Turn around,” Korra says softly, and Asami’s quick to comply so that she’s straddling Korra’s lap, facing her. She can tell that there’s a lot of people who want to talk to them right now, everyone circling but not really taking the plunge because her and Asami are so wrapped up in each other.

“I love you ‘Sami,” she gets out, and Asami’s grin gets so wide that it’s threatening to take over her entire face. 

“I love you too, Korra,” Asami reciprocates before she leans down, arms wrapped around Korra’s shoulders. Korra surges up and meets her half way, letting out a breathy little sigh into the kiss.

It’s so perfect. 

Korra’s going to marry this girl. 

She’s not sure when, but she doesn’t know how much longer she’ll be able to wait.

Because Asami Sato is her everything , and she wants forever with her.