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After ages of trying, Korra and Asami were finally going to be mothers. Within just a few short weeks, the couple’s baby would be born… and yet, despite the natural joy and elation that would bring, Korra couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease and maybe a bit of fear whenever she looked at Asami’s baby bump.
She wasn’t sure what it was, she’d been more than okay with every step that had led her to now. Yet no matter how she tried to fight it, that uncomfortable feeling would rear its ugly head and Korra wasn’t sure how best to word it. Sure, she’d been through a lot worse in her life, so being a mother probably seemed like a cakewalk compared to that.
It had only gotten worse the closer the due date came… Korra knew she couldn’t let this keep bothering her. It wasn’t healthy to have feelings like this bottled up, especially for a woman like her. But still, it clung to her tightly, like some evil creature that wouldn’t let go no matter what she wanted.
One morning, as Korra was making herself breakfast, she watched as Asami slowly made her way downstairs. The baby had been kicking again that night, meaning Asami hadn’t gotten much sleep. But she didn’t mind it. She’d already been able to take a lot of time off work to relax and she had enjoyed it for the most part.
But then there were the days when Asami wished she could be behind her desk or in her workshop tinkering with something. But no, at this late stage of pregnancy, she needed to relax and not exert herself too much. However, as Korra knew very well, Asami was not good at relaxing.
“Morning,” Korra greeted her wife.
Asami groaned, rubbing her back. “Mmmm… morning babe.” She looked absolutely wrecked, her hair a tangled mess and deep bags under her eyes.
“You look like death,” Korra joked, trying to lighten her wife’s spirits.
“I feel like death… how does one little, probably adorable baby have so much energy.”
“They must get it from me,” Korra joked. “And probably a fair few of my past selves for good measure.”
Asami had to smile, pressing a kiss on her wife’s cheek before sitting down to eat her breakfast. “Of that, I have no doubt, my love.”
“How are your feet feeling?”
“That they could use your strong firm hands massaging them,” Asami groaned.
“Ask and you shall receive my lady,” Korra promised, to which Asami giggled, loving how her wife would take care of her.
After Asami had eaten her breakfast and gotten a wonderful foot rub from Korra, the fire nation woman then decided to lie down on the couch to rest her aching back. She was still very exhausted from the night before. Korra sat nearby, watching her… and her worries started to rise up.
As she sat down in the front room, with her eyes closed, she did her best to mediate, to bring herself to a peaceful, harmonious state. But no matter what she did, she couldn’t fight the nagging doubts inside of her. It was times like this that she missed having the wisdom of her past lives.
At that moment, Asami looked over at Korra, putting down a book she was reading. While Korra always did her best to hide it, her wife knew something was up. Of course, Asami knew Korra would probably open up on her own about it eventually, she always did… but she also knew how satisfying it would be to nip these things in the bud.
“Think I should ask your mama what’s wrong with her, little one?” Asami quietly asked the bump on her belly.
A soft movement ripped through her and Asami giggled. She loved to talk to the little one inside of her, reading to them, telling them stories. She didn’t know if the child would fully understand it but all the while, it warmed her heart to do this. She wondered if her own mother had done this when she was pregnant.
“You’re right, your mama shouldn’t be feeling so sad, not when she’s going to be the happiest woman in the world in a month or two.”
Sitting up and putting the book down on the nearby table, Asami smiled. “Hey, babe?”
“Huh?” Korra responded, brought out of her meditative state. “Yeah, what is it? Do you need something Asami?”
“No, I’m fine, but… are you okay?”
“Of course I am!” Korra said with her trademark confidence, before she then deflated. “No… No, I’m not.”
“I had a feeling you weren’t,” Asami admitted. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“It’ll probably help,” Korra said, walking over to the couch and sitting on the end as Asami pulled her feet up. As Korra said down, Asami felt the soft movement of her unborn child again, feeling them gently kick against the walls of the womb. She giggled again, gently taking Korra’s hand and placing it on the bump.
The avatar’s eyes widened as she felt the bump, feeling the movement inside of her wife. She melted at the touch, looking fondly at Asami and her bump. Despite all of her insecurities, she loved both of them deeply and would do anything for her family. And the baby… they felt so small inside of Asami.
Korra sighed softly, feeling the baby bump having helped relieve her. “Thanks… I needed that.”
“Well, I don’t think the kid would want their mama being sad either,” Asami said with a loving smile, before she kissed her wife. “So… what’s gotten you all glum lately?”
Looking down, Korra touched the baby bump again, gently caressing her wife’s soft skin with her firm hand. "It's just... you've only got like a month to go before the baby's here. I've just been wondering... if I'll be actually any good. I love them already but… I just don’t want to screw up as a mother.”
"Korra, of course, you'll be good," Asami stated. "I believe in you."
“Will I though?”
“You’ve been through worse,” Asami remarked. “You’ll be able to handle it. I know the other Avatars weren’t great parents but that doesn’t mean you will be… and I will make sure of that. Besides, parenting is a team effort after all and well, I want this kid to grow up with both parents who love and support them.”
“I… I guess you’re right,” Korra accepted with a smile, knowing her wife was right.
Reaching up, Asami caressed her wife’s cheek, her own smile radiating like the light of the sun. “I always am, my love,” she whispered, before kissing Korra hard and deep, pouring out all of her love.
The day went by as peacefully as it always did and eventually, the two lovers were in bed together as the sun went down, mentally marking off another day till their baby would be born. This time though, Korra wasn’t going to be sleeping that night with her anxieties keeping her up, taking Asami’s reassuring words to heart.
However, she still couldn't sleep for whatever reason. However, her thoughts turned to that of her child again, looking at the bump on Asami’s chest. She smiled softly and shuffled over, being gentle and quiet enough not to disturb Asami. After all, her wife needed all the sleep she could get these days.
Slowly, Korra put her head on Asami's belly, listening to the baby's heartbeat. It was very soft and it took Korra a while to be able to hear it. But once she did, she felt a sense of warmth and motherly love overwhelm her. Her child was growing inside of Asami, a beautiful child that Korra, if she were honest, was kinda hoping would get her eyes.
"Hey kiddo," she said, smiling. "This is your Mama speaking. I don't know... if you'll be able to recognise this voice but... I just want you to know that... I was worried I might not be a good mom for you. I mean... I am good with kids. Hell, Tenzin's kids practically call me a big sister.
She pressed a kiss to the baby bump, stroking it again and looking softly. She could just see the child now, one with her eyes and Asami’s hair she hoped. "But... I promise. I'll try and do my best to be the best mom you deserve. Because you're gonna be the child of the avatar... and I've got to make sure you've got one hell of a legacy to live up to.”
Laying back, Korra then closed her eyes and slowly drifted off back to sleep. After that day, Korra’s worries would largely be gone, replaced with excitement and anticipation that she and Asami were going to be mothers… and the day of the baby's birth couldn't have come sooner enough.