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“Are you sure you don’t mind sharing your cabin? I can sleep in the guards quarters until the new airbenders arrive, even then I don’t mind sleeping in the common area,” Korra said despite already throwing her bag on the bed and taking her boots off.
“Korra the beds in the guards quarters are terrible, besides my bed is the biggest on the airship I don’t mind sharing so you can be comfortable.”
Korra nodded plopping into the bed stretching lazily and yawning despite it still being morning. “Whoa you’re right this bed is comfortable, how long till we reach the first village again?”
“You already forgot?” Asami chided, well aware that Korra was daydreaming while Tenzin and Mako were going over their itinerary.
“Between Mako and Tenzin I thought I was going to die of boredom, forgive me for not being more engrossed in their riveting conversation about wind speed,” Korra giggled taking a pillow from the bed and tossing it at Asami her blue eyes shimmering attractively. Her eyes are so beautiful. Asami thought to herself before shaking it from her mind and tossing the pillow back to Korra who didn’t bother to catch it and fell back onto the bed dramatically. Asami giggled completely enraptured by her friend’s goofy antics.
“Thankfully I listen enough for both of us, we are starting with the farthest village so it should be about 2 days before we get there.”
“Two days in this floating tin tube? Asami, you might want to reconsider being my roommate because i’ll probably go stir crazy in here,” Korra sat up looking at Asami intently the intense gaze making heat run to her cheeks. Asami turned away to look out the window hopefully hiding how flustered her friend has made her all of the sudden.
“I thought of that, there is a fully equipped gym on the top level complete with sparring equipment on the deck.”
“Why didn’t you say so,” Korra was off the bed in an instant pulling her boots back on grinning like a child. ”lets go Sato i’m going to kick your butt in a weightlifting contest.”
“Oh no miss Avatar if we are going to have a competition, it’s going to be a fare one.”
“What did you have in mind?” Korra asked obviously intrigued.
“Oh you will see.” Asami sauntered out of the cabin making sure to put a little extra sway in her walk. It may have been her imagination but she could swear she caught Korra staring at her backside a couple times as they made their way to the sparring area.
“Ok its official, you’re cheating” Korra grumbled sitting up from the mat she was so mercilessly thrown onto just seconds prior.
“No Avatar you just can’t handle my skills,” Asami smiled reaching her hand out for Korra to take who stood rubbing the back of her neck, her biceps and shoulder muscles flexing pleasingly still glistening with sweat.
“What is this style called again?” Korra asked oblivious to the way Asami’s mouth went dry at the sight. Get it together Sato stop staring at your best friend like she’s a piece of meat.
“It’s called Aikido, it’s less about physical strength and more about using the attackers momentum against them. It was the first style I was taught when I was young and I think it will always be my favorite,” Asami managed once she finally found her voice.
“Well yeah, you kicked my sorry butt across this room more times than I would like to admit. Do you think you could show me some countermoves next time we spar?”
“Of course I would love to!” Asami wasn’t too happy about how her voice squeaked as she said the words, but Korra mercifully didn’t say anything about it opting to slap her own belly with open palms causing a the sound to resonate around the room.
“Well i’m starving but i’m also really disgustingly sweaty, is it ok if I take a shower in your bathroom before I head to dinner?”
“Korra, it’s our room you don’t have to ask permission to do anything.”
“Oh yeah, you are right as usual,” Korra gave her a quick once over before turning away shyley. “but if you want to go first I can wait.”
Did she just blush?
“Um no i’m actually not that sweaty but I am pretty tired, I was just going to grab dinner and bring it back to the room. I have some paperwork to go over before we have to meet for Tenzin’s meeting tonight.”
“Oh relaxing for a bit sounds nice, would you mind bringing me something to eat too? If you don’t mind, don’t worry I can mediate or something so I won’t bother you…”
“I would love that!” Asami cringed internally at the amount of excitement in her voice, and turned to leave the area before she said anything else strange only partially aware of Korra’s perplexed gaze following her out of the room.
This isn’t the first time Asami found herself admiring her best friend, she was always aware that Korra was utterly gorgeous, her dark complexion light eyes a direct contrast to her own, she thought she was simply admiring her beauty as a human being unable to deny the allure Korra oozed but was seemingly unaware of. Recently though, Asami found she was stealing glances more regularly admiring the sharp curve of Korra’s jaw, her tanned arms, flexing muscles within sun kissed skin… Asami shook the thought from her mind as she filled a couple of boxes with food from the chef she hired, the man is from the southern watertribe and filled the box meant for Korra with what Asami knew to be her favorite seaweed noodle dish.
I just want to make my friend happy… is that so strange?
Asami lost herself in her work, even though she was off with the Avatar rebuilding the Air Nation didn’t mean she wasn’t still the CEO of Future Industries and that meant she still had a lot of paperwork to sign off on and blueprints to confirm. She didn’t hear the shower cut off or the bathroom door open, but she did hear the extra chair scrape across the floor and Korra unceremoniously plop herself into it next to her at the desk.
“Is it ok if I eat here, I would hate to get food on the bed,” Korra said pulling her box of food toward her and peering at the contents.
Asami nearly forgot how to breath, Korra was in nothing but a white T-shirt and tight blue shorts that left nothing to the imagination her hair was still damp from the shower hanging loosely around her broad shoulders wetting the shirt in various spots causing a transparency that made Asami’s mouth go dry. Was Korra aware of her appeal? She moved about in an almost viral way but undeniably feminine at the same time, Asami couldn’t tear her gaze away.
“Oh my spirits Sami! These noodles, they are so good did you get a chef from the south or something?”
“Uhh yeah, I thought you might like that.”
“Like it? Asami you seriously have done so much for me these past few days I don’t know how I will ever thank you. I mean look at this ship,” Korra gestured to the room leaning back in her chair still stuffing noodles into her face.”you really didn’t have to go through all this trouble, but you did anyway because you’re well, you! You are just the best friend a girl could have.”
“Well, thank you but you really don’t have to make it up to me. I’m just happy to be able to help.” Asami blushed still reeling from the compliments her friend showered her with.
Korra leaned forward then, placing her free hand on top of Asami’s on the table her pale skin contrasting with Korra’s darker complexion. “I’m so glad you are here with me Asami, I really love spending time with you and i’m not sure I could handle all of this without you. I’m excited for whatever there is to come, thank you for being here with me.”
“Korra you know there is nowhere else I would rather be.” The grin that spread across the Avatars lips was infectious and Asami found herself mirroring it and putting her other hand over Korra’s and giving it an affectionate squeeze.
A platonic friend squeeze, just friends, holding hands, nothing weird here, not at all… this is what friends do right?
The door to their cabin swung open startling them both pulling their attention away from each other and to Mako looking grumpy in the doorway.
“Korra, Asami our meeting was suppose to start 10 minutes ago!” He grumbled looking at the girls still intertwined hands and raising an eyebrow in question.
“Mako! You can’t just barge in here like that, this is our room what if one of us wasn’t dressed?” Korra snapped standing to grab her jacket and pulling it over her head.
“Nothing I haven’t seen before,” Mako mumbled almost inaudibly, rubbing the back of his head.
“What was that?” Both girls chimed in unison.
“Nothing! You have 5 minutes before I send Tenzin in!” He yelled through the door as it slammed shut.
“What’s eating him?” Korra questioned slipping her sweats over her shorts much to Asami’s dismay.
“I don’t know but we better get going, I’m not interested in a Tenzin lecture about the importance of punctuality.” Asami said opening the door and gesturing for Korra to go first, she couldn’t help but steal a glance at her friends taut rounded backside before following her down the hallway.
“I can’t believe nobody wants to join the Air Nation! Even that bratty man-child refused. You should have seen him Asami, I wanted to slap his disgusting pencil moustache right off of his face!” Korra paced angrily around the room as she spoke Asami just watched from her spot on the bed absentmindedly running her hairbrush through her dark hair.
“I know it’s frustrating but you can’t give up! We still have Ba Sing Se to visit and Mako said there were a ton of new airbenders there.” The engineer offered, trying to comfort her friend even a little bit.
Korra sat on the edge of the bed and watched Asami take a couple of strokes with her hairbrush curiously. “Yeah, you’re right we will get some eventually I was just kind of hoping people would be more excited about this,” Asami nodded in agreement and Korra continued. “Do you always brush your hair for this long?” Korra asked reaching out and taking some of Asami’s hair between her fingers.
Asami felt her heart skip for a moment before she found words, “Uh yeah, otherwise it’s a disgusting tangly mess.”
“I doubt that.” Korra was still running Asami’s hair between her fingers.
“Would you like for me to brush yours?” Asami questioned emboldened by how easily her friend played with her own hair.
“Yeah! I always loved it when my mom or Katara would play with my hair, it always feels so good. I’ll warn you though, it nowhere near as nice as yours.” Korra said, situating herself between Asami’s parted knees wiggling a little to get comfortable.
Asami went to work running her fingers through chestnut locks surprised at how soft it was, it wasn’t like her hair which was like a soft satin or silk but also heavy and thick, but it was smooth and light it almost reminded Asami of running her fingers through water. Of course the water tribe girls hair would feel like water. Asami ran her brush through the Avatars hair for a little while before separating the pieces necessary to begin a small braid down the center leaving the bottom layer down around Korra’s shoulders.
“Korra your hairs really soft! Why don’t you wear it down more often?”
“Hah well.... It seems kind of stupid when I think about it.” Korra chuckled.
“You can tell me.”
“Well I like my wolf tails because they make me feel strong, I used to watch the wolfs hunt from the top of the wall of the compound sometimes and they were so fierce and loyal, brave and strong creatures. I wanted to be just like that when I grew up, so I started wearing my hair that way and it just kind of stuck. Besides,” Korra smirked turning her head gently and catching Asami’s eye before bringing her arms out and flexing them and her back muscles too. “It shows off how ripped I am.”
Asami rolled her eyes dropping her hands and admiring her handiwork. She took the small hand mirror from her bedside table and lifted it so Korra could see. “Well maybe sometimes you should show off how pretty you are.”
“You think i’m pretty?” Korra met her gaze in the mirror.
“Of course Korra, you’re gorgeous.” Asami felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest.
“You’re gorgeous too, more so than me” Korra grinned, “You probably weren't ever a chubby little child either! Haha.”
Asami grinned at that punching Korra in the shoulder lightly when the younger girl flung herself to her side of the bed all four limbs spread out. “Yeah your mom showed me the picture, you had the cutest little pudgy belly.”
Korra pouted at that, an adorable sight in the CEO’s opinion before lifting her shirt up to reveal the hard rippled lines of her stomach muscles. “Thankfully I grew out of that.”
Asami barely heard her say the words, she knew Korra was ripped but her stomach must have been chiseled by the Gods themselves. When had she ever seen anyone with muscles so define? Never, not even the men she had entertained had bodies so utterly glorious. She wanted to touch, but she settled for pointing at the pattern that ran across Korra’s skin. It looked almost like a scar the skin was lighter there but it’s subtle lines and curves undeniably familiar she just couldn't place where she had seen it before. “Is that a tattoo?” She asked before she registered she was even speaking.
“Um no, not really, it’s the pattern Raava left on me when we directly fused during harmonic convergence. You see whenever a spirit fuses with a human for any amount of time, it leave marks on the humans body. This is the mark Raava left on me.” Korra hummed in a matter of fact tone.
“Its beautiful,” Asami whispered unable to stop her finger from tracing one of the lines, before she ripped her hand away realizing she was touching Korra without permission. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that…” Korra grabbed her hand and guided it back down allowing Asami to trace the pattern with a feather light touch.
“It’s ok. When I first noticed it I spent hours tracing it I couldn’t keep my hands off myself.” Asami burst out laughing, and Korra’s eyes went wide and her face turned more red than she had ever seen it then she turned on her stomach burying her face in the pillow. “Oh my god! Not like that!” She mumbled into the pillow.
“I know what you meant but that was still hilarious.” Asami gasped before being overtaken by another fit of giggles. Korra was laughing too now a hearty belly laugh, and Asami thought it was the most beautiful sound in the world.
“Hey Asami come here!” Korra pulled her aside they were all preparing for the street performance as their last stitch effort to recruit new airbenders before heading to Ba Sing Se. She followed the avatar to a secluded part of the airship before she began speaking. “So you know how Mako has been a huge grump this whole time?”
“Ugh yeah, even Bolin can seem to get him to crack a smile. Has he always taken himself so seriously? It’s getting annoying.” Asami whispered looking around to make sure nobody was listening.
“Well I’m gonna prank him a bit during the performance! It’s going to be great,” Korra was so excited she was bouncing up and down Asami couldn’t help but to start feeling excited as well. “Instead of doing the show like we rehearsed i’m going to-”
“Korra! Asami! We are ready, where are you guys?!” Mako’s voice echoed through the airship and both women rolled their eyes.
“Ok you will just have to wait and see.” Korra took off towards where they were set up Asami followed suit.
Asami didn’t know what Korra had planned but she knew it would be hysterical.
“Wow! Asami that was so incredible,” Korra grinned as she effortlessly lifted the last of the Earth Queens tax shipment into the airship. “The way you kicked that guy right off of his motorcycle, and then you did that awesome flip thing and shocked that guy with the spear man he didn’t even see it coming!”
She had to admit fighting alongside Korra was intoxicating, exhilarating. They were so insync these past few months everything they did seemed to compliment the other, and it all seemed to cumulate into this amazing moment where they were fighting the marauders. Asami’s whole body was tingling, adrenaline still coursing through her veins the feeling incredible, when was the last time she felt this good? Not even sex could compare to this, the trust and mutual understand her and Korra shared while moving fluidly as one with nothing but simple body language and quick glances at each other for reassurance. Damn if this isn't the best feeling in the world. Asami thought before stealing a glance at Korra who had the same excited glimmer in her eye.
“You’ve been practicing Miss CEO. Haven’t you?” Korra grinned gently tapping Asami’s hip with her own. The simple touch causing Asami’s already hypersensitive skin to prickle and burn.
“I have to keep up with the Avatar of course I’ve been training my butt off.”
“Well, it shows.” Korra shot Asami a lopsided grin and she nearly forgot how to pilot the airship. “Come on I wanna milk this high for as long as we can let’s get this shipment back to the Earth Queen then you are going to show me some of those countermoves you promised.”
“It would be my pleasure.” Asami cooed. It’s getting harder for her to deny now, everytime her and Korra spend time together she feels the coil in her chest wind tighter, burn hotter. Her friend’s touch, her smell, her eyes… she couldn’t stop the thought from piercing her mind beginning to take over her soul.
I’m falling for the Avatar…
I can’t believe i’m letting this bother me so much… Asami thought as she watched Korra train with one of the Beifong twins, Wei? Wing? She wasn’t sure which one it was, what she was sure of was that he was blatantly flirting with Korra, something he had every right to do. He is good looking a powerful bender, strong and kind as far as Asami could tell. He would probably be a good match for Korra, and it had been a while since she was with anyone her friend deserved to be happy. However when Asami watched them grapple each other to the ground a tangle of metal wire and limbs, she felt anger rising in her chest and bile stirring in her stomach.
I’m not even the jealous type! Besides she isn’t mine to begin with, I just have a weird friendship crush on her because she is the Avatar that’s it.
Korra won the wrestling match easily pinning the boy to the ground with her hips straddling him triumphantly and grinning from ear to ear, before hopping off flexing her arms and back muscles in a little show before calling to Asami. “What do you think Asami? Metal bending champion?”
“As always!” She called back hopefully hiding the tinge of anger in her voice when she noticed how the boy raked his eyes down Korra’s body. She made her way to where they were and was about to suggest lunch, knowing full well that Korra was probably starving after the long workout when she was cut off by the twins voice.
“Hey so Korra I was wondering if you wanted to get lunch together today, I know this place that makes great water tribe grub.”
Korra raised her eyebrows glancing at Asami before answering him, “Um well actually Asami and I had plans for lunch today, but I appreciate the offer.”
What? We didn’t have plans...Oh. The pleading glance Korra gave her went unnoticed by the metalbender, but her heart skipped a beat knowing Korra was standing this guy up to spend the day with her.
“Oh, ok I guess i’ll see you at dinner then.”
Korra didn’t seem to hear the poor boy because she was dragging Asami by the hand toward the commuter train. “Thanks for getting me out of that, he’s cute and all but I don’t want to go out with him.”
“No problem, uh where are we going though?” Asami huffed trying to keep up with the rapid pace Korra was setting.
“We are going to the biggest park in the city, Opal told me there is a food stand there that sells Sizzle-crisps by the bucket! They are your favorite right?” Korra asked throwing a lopsided grin her way.
“You remember that?”
“Of course I do Asami, I love learning new things about you.” Asami was sure the smile on her face was permanent because it didn’t seem to go away the whole time her and Korra were in the park. Not when they were both stuffing their faces with her favorite fire nation snack, or when they were lounging lazily on the grass watching the turtle ducks play in the pond. Asami was sure she looked like a goofball grinning widely all day long, but she didn’t care one bit.
Korra hasn’t woken up yet, and Asami’s anxiety continues to build. The earth kingdom was taking no chances with their powerful prisoner, strapping her friend into a strange contraption immobilizing all of her limbs and covering her mouth. Asami wasn’t in the most comfortable position either, chained with her hands above her head, her shoulder had begun to ache and her neck twinged with pain whenever she would struggle against her restraints. That doesn’t matter right now though, Korra is vulnerable because she is in a meditative state and Asami must find a way to protect her. She looks around the room, there isn’t much she can do now, but they will have to move them soon maybe then she could find a way to get Korra out of here.
She hears the Avatar struggle against her restraints yelling into the empty room before turning to Asami and asking if she is ok and where they are. She doesn’t have the answers Korra needs right now, but she finds a small wave of relief pass over her knowing that her friend is a little less vulnerable now that she is awake.
“Asami i’m so sorry I dragged you into this. Are you sure you’re ok, they didn’t hurt you did they? When I get out of here i’m going to kick everyone's butts into next week! How dare they tie you up like that.” Korra growled struggling harder against her restraints, Asami could see the straps biting into her exposed arms leaving red marks in their wake.
“Korra, it’s ok. I’m fine. Stop struggling please, you are going to hurt yourself.” Asami pleaded, willing herself to follow her own advice.
“Ugh! Everytime I do something I think is right, I seem to screw it up. Worst, I put the people I love in danger, honestly Asami I don’t know why you are even my friend.” If Korra’s tone was upset rightfully so, but Asami couldn’t stand to see her friend so down on herself so she spoke softly trying to sooth her.
“Korra, there is nowhere I would rather be than helping you. I don’t care if I’m put in danger, because I trust you, you are the strongest person I know and I’m confident you would never let anything bad happen to me. I know whatever the Earth Queen or the Red Lotus throws at you, you can get through it...we can get through it, together.”
“Thank you Asami. I don’t know what I did to deserve a friend like you. Now… since you are so calm, I assume you have some sort of plan for getting us out of here?” Korra said, a little of the playfulness returning to her tone.
“I always have a plan,” Asami chuckled making sure to throw her signature hair flip and flirty grin into the words. “But you will just have to wait and see Avatar.” Though she didn’t exactly have a plan at the moment, she knew she could figure something out.
“Can I talk to you?” Korra whispered, stepping into the impossibly small cabin Asami was given. They were all instructed to get some rest, tomorrow was going to be difficult. Korra decided to turn herself over to the Red Lotus in order to save the Air Nation, they all needed to be rested, on the top of their game, ready for anything. The small porthole gave way to a small slit of moonlight, though it was dark Asami could make out the subtle lines of Korra’s beautiful face. She wore an expression Asami had never seen from her before, but she recognized it immediately. Fear, unbridled, undeniable painfully etched across her friends features. Asami felt a pain stab in her chest at the sight her stomach churned uncomfortably at the implications.
“Korra, are you ok?” The engineer inquired, standing from the bed stepping closer to her distraught friend.
“Asami!” Korra gasped, a single tear rolling down her cheek leaving a glistening trail in its wake. Asami wrapped her arms around her then and pulled their bodies together, Korra was sobbing into her shoulder now, shuddering with every breath soaking Asami’s shoulder in tears. They stayed like that for what felt like hours, eventually collapsing onto the bed still wrapped in eachothers arms. When Korra’s shuddering breaths finally began to even out she pulled away stormy blue eyes glistening. “I’m sorry, I-I just. I-i’m so scared Asami, I don’t want anyone to see me like this. I’m the Avatar i’m suppose to be fearless and strong i’m suppose to be able to save the Air Nation save myself… Save the whole world! But i’m not sure it’s going to work out that way, something feels… off something is going to happen something bad. I can feel it.”
Asami shuttered pushing the morbid thoughts from her mind, she has to stay positive now, she has to help her friend...the person she loves more than anyone else in the world needs her. She lifts Korra’s chin peering into her eyes deeply choosing her words carefully. “Korra, I know i’ve said this before but i’m going to say it again. You are the most incredible person I have ever known, you’re strong, brave, selfless, loving, kind, and you care so much about people it’s truly incredible. I am so honored to have had the chance to get to know you, to be your friend. I know whatever happens you can get through it, and I will do everything in my power to help you, nothing could stop me from being here with you and helping you in any way I can.”
Korra simply nodded and buried her face back into Asami’s neck inhaling deeply, seeming to finally calm down. Its painful for Asami, the feelings welling in her heart coiling through her veins a firey feeling in her gut threatening to spill out. She wants to tell Korra her feelings, she wants to tell her how she has fallen for her, how she needs her in her life she needs to be near her to feel whole. Now is not the time though, Korra has a lot to deal with and throwing her feelings onto her would be just another complicated matter thrust onto her already burdened shoulders. So Asami bit her tongue, holding the woman she loved in her arms till her breathing evened out finally at peace, if only for a moment.
Asami knelt next to Korra’s wheelchair, it had been a tough few months. Though Korra was happy for Jinora the coronation was hard on her, she told Asami this herself and though she was stronger everyday, Korra was still in pain, vulnerable, lost. The poison took a great toll, damaging her body from the inside out, her friend tried to hide it but Asami knew she was struggling and she felt helpless. However she did what she could, gently rubbing a pain ointment on Korra’s forearms where they poison had entered her body, it burned her skin badly and would definitely scar. She pulled Korra’s wrist wraps over the burns, before looking up to Korra who met her eyes for a moment before looking away.
“I have to tell you something.” Korra rasped, her voice still raw from the poison.
“What is it?” Asami asked placing her hand over Korra’s and giving it a gentle squeeze.
“My parents are leaving to go back to the south tomorrow, and I’m going with them. Katara may be able to help me there, I feel like I’m not going to get any better without more help.”
“Ok, I will have to run the estate and grab some things, my CFO can handle things at the company while i’m away…”
“No,” Korra said punctuating the word with a small squeeze of her hand on Asami’s,”I will only be gone a few weeks, tops. You should stay here, the city needs you more than ever right now.”
Something in her eyes made Asami hesitate, she wanted to tell Korra the city can screw itself that she wanted to be with her to help friend as much as possible. She bit her tongue though, as she had been for a long time now, this is what Korra wanted and her expression showed she would not waver in her opinion.
“Ok,” Asami whispered. “but if you change your mind let me know, ok?”
“Ok.” Korra whispered looking down at her wrists frowning as if the wraps covering the burns weren't even there.
The ship was ready to go, Korra said goodbye to everyone at the docks and Asami tried one more time to allow her to come with her. The Avatar wouldn’t budge, and a tinge in the back of Asami’s mind told her to go anyway. This was Korra’s decision though, and Asami refused to push herself on her, trusting her friend to do what is best for herself.
Asami felt the need again, the fire growing through her soul, and agony spreading through her chest, the need to tell Korra just how she felt, how she would be by her side she wanted to love her with every fiber of her being. She bit her tongue once more, waving at Korra as the ship took her away fighting back tears and keeping a smile plastered on her face as best she could. Asami isn’t sure when she will ever get to tell Korra exactly how much she loves her, but no matter how long it takes Asami knows that Korra will be worth it.