Work Text:
Korra was trying her best to sit still on the bench, she really was. However, she was not a patient person by nature and her hands itched to poke around the different machine parts that littered the tables around her. The only thing that held her back was the memory of Asami screaming at her and banishing her to the couch for nearly burning down her workshop. Both of them were upset then, but it made a fun memory to think about now.
Korra did not know that some chemicals must be heated up at a certain temperature at a certain pace and a little more heat would not speed up the process but would instead cause a big explosion and a bigger outburst from her girlfriend. The avatar tried to argue that she was only trying to help but her defensiveness only brought about a three-day rant about the intricacies of alchemy and engineering.
Korra tried to sit back and appreciate Asami in her natural habitat. Said genius was deep in the bowels of her research, literally halfway inside the engine of a Sato-machine, armed with nothing but a wrench and determination. Every now and then, Asami groaned in frustration. Each sound of frustration was coupled with some loud banging. Korra thought that she was supposed to be fixing things, not destroying her instruments.
Then again, what does Korra know of engines?
Regardless, the avatar held herself back, for the tenth time that hour, from dragging the genius out.
There was still half an hour left till Asami’s scheduled lab time ends. Since her company was growing exponentially, the heir was so busy with paperwork and meeting other important business people that all her personal projects was put on the backburner. Korra knew that her girlfriend cherished what little time she had to mess around with gears and wires. As a very considerate partner, she would show her support by remaining on this bench no matter how restless she was. She started to tap her foot and picked up a small gear, twirling it between her fingers. With a tongue between her teeth, she started to spin it in a mini tornado. Breaking out in a huge smile, she made a mental note to show this trick to Asami.
Thankfully, the brunette retreated from the depths of the machine a few minutes later. Happy to see her girlfriend, Korra immediately dropped the gear, which made a small ‘clink’ on the way down.
Turning around, Asami looked surprised when she saw Korra. Rubbing her eyes, she smiled, “Hey you, I thought you would have left by now.”
“No way, I loved watching you work!” Korra skipped towards her and scooped her into a hug, lifting her up slightly. “I love you.”
Asami narrowed her eyes at her, “You were getting bored weren’t you.”
Korra shrugged and tightened her hug before spinning in circles.
“Put me down!” Asami giggled, swatting her face with grease-covered hands.
Spluttering at the attack, Korra twirled her around before putting her down. She pretended to be winded and slumped onto the taller woman, who had to wrap an arm around her to support her. The avatar just grinned at her and went deadweight, dragging both of them to the ground.
“Someone is happy today.” Asami pushed the other woman off with a huff.
“That’s because you are here with me.” Korra could feel a dopey smile creep onto her face, and she made no effort to mask it.
Asami rolled her eyes and stood up, somehow still looking immaculate for someone who was covered in grease and took a tumble onto the ground. She looked down onto the avatar with an arched eyebrow.
“Are you not helping me up?” The avatar pouted in mock offence.
Asami smirked, “No.”
“Why am I with you, woman!” Korra did an unnecessarily dramatic air-flip to get back on her feet.
“For my beauty and intelligence.”
Korra conceded the point. That was not inaccurate but was also not the entire truth.
“But also, for your heart and compassion that never wavers in the face of adversity. You are so brave, and kind, and I love you so much.”
Asami’s smirk softened into a smile as she blushed. “What’s up with you today? You are being extra cheesy.”
“Nothing!”
“Cheeseball.”
“Whatever, let’s go home, I have something for you!” Korra tangled her fingers with Asami’s and reached for the glider in her belt. Asami happily followed her as they exited the compound.
With a wink and a flick of her wrist, Korra opened the glider. With a smirk, she pulled Asami into her arms and air-bent them upwards.
Asami’s shriek in surprise could be heard by all of Future Industries’ employees.
Pretty soon, they landed at the doorsteps of their apartment and Asami gave a firm whack on her girlfriend’s arm. “Warn a girl next time, Avatar.”
Showing no remorse, Korra landed a wet kiss on her cheek in response. Asami rolled her eyes, but the small smile belied her annoyance.
Korra ran up the stairs to avoid any further retaliation. Pausing on the second floor, she tilted her head and sniffed at the air. “Something smells off.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh criminy.”
Leaping towards the door of their apartment, she made short work of opening in. The door bounced off the wall with a worrying bang but Korra could not care for any damage she may have caused.
All she could think about as she ran into the kitchen was…
“My cake!” Korra’s jaw dropped in aghast. She felt a motion behind her as Asami crashed into her back.
“Korra!” Asami screamed at the fire spreading from the oven.
Jolting into action, Korra opened the faucet in the nearby sink and directed the stream onto the oven.
Asami screamed, “Korra, no!”
The warning came too late as the fire grew bigger, threatening to engulf the entire wall. Korra cringed as she watched Asami spring into action, hefting a huge red device and spraying a foam-like material at the oven.
The fire eventually died, and the brunette sighed in relief before spinning around to glare at Korra. Sheepishly, the avatar rubbed the back of her neck and cowered from her look.
“I thought the oven had the feature where it stops heating up,” Korra whispered, feeling immensely bad. She nearly burnt down their apartment.
“You didn’t put it on!” Asami gestured at the half-melted piece of metal.
Korra wilted even further.
Softening at the obvious guilt on her face, Asami put down the extinguisher and walked to Korra. She reached for Korra’s fumbling hands and her tone softened. “I’m not mad, Kor. I’m just glad we caught it before it spread further.”
Korra pouted as Asami gave her a tight and reassuring hug. Revelling in the warmth, Korra felt a tad better. “Hey, why don’t you go shower first? I’ll clean up my mess first.”
“You’re my mess.”
“That isn’t as sweet as you think it is, ‘Sami.”
“Fine, I’m going to get rid of the grease on my body while you get rid of this grease,” Asami chuckled.
Korra sighed happily. She loves that woman.
Towelling her hair dry, Asami walked into the kitchen, psyching herself to an evening of scrubbing the counters from burn marks.
Her plan for the night was abolished by the fact that her kitchen no longer had counters, or walls.
“Korra? Where is my kitchen?”
Korra stumbled into view, somehow looking grimier than before.
“Happy Birthday ‘Sami,” Korra smiled timidly as she hid her face behind an oddly-shaped object on a plate. Belatedly, Asami realised that it was Korra’s failed attempt at a birthday cake.
With the hand that was not holding up the cake, Korra rubbed the back of her neck. She looked so beautiful, cheeks flushed and grin crooked.
Asami peered at the cake, which would have earned its name if it had a defined shape and was not a crumbling mess of burnt dough. A candle topped the surface of the cake, precarious in its position among the steadily drooping cream.
“I’m sorry, ‘Sami. Just wanted to make you something special.”
With a flick of a finger, Korra lit up the candle. With another click of her fingers, Naga, out of nowhere, bounced into what was once their kitchen, and dropped a small square box into her hand. Korra frowned as she tried to open the box with one hand.
Asami’s heart stopped for a beat, and then soared in anticipation.
“Shoot, wait give me a second.”
Asami chuckled wetly as she grabbed the box out of Korra’s hand. Opening it, she took a second to marvel at the bright-blue-gold diamond inlaid between an infinity band. Smiling so broadly her cheeks ache, she gingerly took the ring out and knelt down.
Staring into teary blue orbs, Asami breathed out. “Korra, will you marry me?”
“Will I – Yes! Of course, yes, Asami!”
Standing up again, Asami drew the avatar closer with the front of her shirt and pulled her into a deep kiss. Of all the hare-brained plans that her girlfriend, no fiancée, pulled, this was her favourite by far.
Her fiancée.
Asami smiled into the kiss that tasted slightly salty and slightly charred.
Korra Sato. That sounded perfect.
"Wait no, I was the one that was supposed to do the proposing!" Korra broke the kiss to whine.
"Are you complaining?"
"Nope!"