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The lock was finnicky, the doorknob rattling in place for a moment before the door nearly burst open. Korra quickly grasped onto the door, sighing in relief at narrowly avoiding creating a new hole in the wall. She blatantly ignored the deep chuckle behind her, making her way inside and allowing her parents to enter, each carrying boxes in hand. Korra brought in her suitcase from the hall before closing the door, turning to peer at the room before her.
The first thing she noticed was the center wall that held a large window, granting a beautiful view of the Republic City University campus grounds. There were twin beds set up to the highest bracket in the bedframes, making room for the desks underneath them. Each set of furniture was set against opposite sides of the room, with small dressers posted just beneath the window. Just beside the dorm entrance was another door. Korra recalled each room in this dorm building having private bathrooms, one of the deciding factors in choosing to live on campus.
Though the bathroom made the room feel more cramped, Korra couldn’t help but beam in excitement.
A deep thud interrupted broke Korra from her thoughts, the sound drawing her to her father having hefted the boxes onto one of the desks. He sighed in relief, playfully wiping at his brows as he chuckled at his daughter. “Maybe wait until after telling us which side is yours before you daydream, sweetie?” He drawled, making no effort to hide his amusement.
“Tonraq!” Senna admonished playfully, smacking his arm and smirking as he pretended to be wounded. “Let her have her moment. You know how much she’s been looking forward to this.”
Tonraq chuckled. “Oh, I’m well aware. My ears are still ringing from the night she received her acceptance letter.” He smirked at Korra, eyes twinkling in mischief.
Korra gasped in offense. “I didn’t scream that loud!” She frowned, mouth trembling as she fought a smile.
Tonraq let out a booming laugh, his voice nearly echoing in the room. “Naga’s frantic barking would say otherwise.” He cackled, reaching to wipe a tear from his eye.
Korra glared at him for a moment before chuckling along with him, her mother shortly after.
Senna walked up to her, her arms open for an embrace. Korra smiled fondly before wrapping her arms around her mother, reaching out as another set of arms embraced them both.
The family stood quietly in the center of the room, treasuring the moment as they tightly embraced each other.
Korra relaxed her arms as she took a step back, looking towards the dorm room and scanning everything, her eyes lingering on the furniture of her future roommate.
Senna gently rested a hand on Korra’s shoulder, her other hand reaching to cup her daughter’s face. “Are you sure you have everything you need? Nothing else in the car?”
Korra chuckled as she gently grabbed the hand on her face. “Yes, Mom. I made sure to take all my the essentials. I’ll get more dorm stuff over the weekend once I figure out the bus schedule.”
Tonraq gently wrapped an arm around Senna. “Don’t smother the girl, Senna. She’ll be okay.” He grinned at his daughter with pride.
Senna huffed, frowning at her husband. “Don’t you dare try to act all tough, big buy. I know you’re moments away from crying.”
Tonraq paused, a pout forming when he realized he was caught.
Korra rolled her eyes affectionately at her parents, gently grasping their hands. “I’ll be okay,” she smiled, eyes saddened after a moment. “I know this is far from home, but I’ll call every week.”
Tonraq and Senna smiled tightly, both fighting off a wave a tears as they embraced Korra again, heads gently pressed against each other.
Tonraq was the first to break the embrace, eyes watering as he gently cupped Korra’s face. “Just know we are so proud of you, sweetie. If you ever need anything, we’re here for you.” His mouth trembled as he smiled, Senna nearly joining him in tears.
Korra smiled softly at her parents, afraid to speak or else she would release the water works and start a chain reaction.
As if sensing the need for a change in topic, Tonraq gestured towards the extra furniture. “Did your roommate mention which day they would be arriving?”
Korra looked towards her roommate’s section, quickly recalling their brief conversations. “I know they’re coming in today, but there was never a specific time mentioned.”
Senna hummed in response. “It’s a shame we couldn’t meet them. I was hoping we could at least say ‘Hi’ before we leave.” She frowned, a slight pout forming.
Korra smiled softly at her mother. “If my roommate and I become friends, I’ll see about sending any photos if we take some together. If they’re okay with it.” She finished quickly, unsure how comfortable her roommate would be with sharing photos.
Tonraq chuckled deeply as he gently wrapped an arm around Senna’s shoulders. “We’ll learn more about the mystery roommate soon enough.” He turned his gaze towards his daughter. “We’ll let you get settled in. Your mother and I should start heading out to get our luggage ready for the flight back home.” His smile dropped slightly.
Korra nodded, smiling dejectedly as she shared one last embrace with her parents, each of them whispering words of love and well wishes to each other as they savored the moment together.
~~~~~~~~~~
Korra emptied the last box of her possessions, placing the stuffed polar bear dog on her desk. She folded the box and slid it behind the dresser with the rest of the boxes, saving them for any future shenanigans she was sure to experience.
She stood back and scanned her side of the dorm, beaming at the finished product.
Her bare mattress was now adorned with blue bedsheets, a pillow, and a white comforter from home, the colors reminding her of the southern water tribe. On her desk was a pencil holder and a couple of notebooks, along with her new laptop her parents had gifted her from graduation. Above the desk and taped to the wall was a poster of Republic City’s Probending Team, the Fire Ferrets. On her dresser were her dorm keys and some knick knacks she received as gifts from family friends, including a small clay sculpture of a turtle.
Korra was slightly startled by her phone vibrating. She reached into her pocket and perked at the notification from her parents. She smiled in relief when they notified they had reached the airport and were checking in for their flights.
She blinked when she took note of the time, finding it was almost two in the afternoon. Shortly after, her stomach growled, indicating it was time for a late lunch. Deciding it was now a good time to visit the university dining commons, Korra quickly grabbed her keys from her dresser and made her way to the dorm entrance. She paused as she looked back towards the room, eyeing the empty set of furniture set for her roommate.
Korra recalled the brief messages she and her roommate sent to each other through emails. While they were moving in the same day, there were no specifics in terms of what time they would be arriving at the dorm.
Korra hummed in thought over what to expect with her roommate. They seemed nice enough in the messages, though aside from sharing their first name, there was little they gave away about themselves.
I need to double-check my email, I’m pretty sure her name started with an A. Korra’s train of thought was interrupted by an even louder stomach growl, reminding her of the original plans for a meal.
With food in mind, Korra stepped out of the dorm and made her way out.
~~~~~~~~~~
Korra thoroughly enjoyed her bowl of seaweed noodles, the flavors reminiscent of the food in the Southern Water Tribe. She slurped the noodles with gusto, taking a moment to chew before glancing up and scanning the rest of the dining area.
Narook’s was almost hidden amongst the various food places in the campus food court. It was almost overshadowed by the line for Flamey-O Hot Noodles, but the photo of the seaweed noodle bowl had Korra almost run to the location. The simple but traditional décor from the Southern Tribe had Korra feel at home as she finished her lunch.
Korra waved at the staff of Narook’s in departure, the food sitting comfortably in her stomach and her hunger satisfied. She took a quick glance at the rest of the venues, making a note to try each place before classes began.
As she walked out of the dining commons building, she took note of some booths set up a short distance from the building, in front of the main quad. Upon further inspection, she realized the booths were set up for some campus clubs. She perked up at the few fully established stations, finding there were various clubs outside of what she had expected.
As she passed by the first few clubs, she came across the booth for the Mixed Martial Arts club. She stood frozen for a moment before immediately beaming, excitement flooding through her at the chance to spar against other martial artists.
After a quick exchange of emails and details of the location and meet ups, Korra set up a quick note in the calendar of her phone for the club’s Monday and Wednesday sessions. It wasn’t until she reached the end of the booths that Korra realized she had been smiling the entire way.
~~~~~~~~~~
Korra fiddled with the keys of her dorm, having come to the realization she would have to maneuver the door handle into a certain position for the door to unlock. When the key finally gave, she quickly opened the door and ventured inside, closing the door behind her in relief.
Korra took one step forward before freezing in place, noticing the new additions to the dorm room.
The section designated for her roommate was no longer bare, the mattress covered by black bedsheets and a crimson comforter. On top of the desk were several thick textbooks on engineering, with a couple focused on business. Beside the textbooks were a small lamp and a laptop. Above the desk and against the wall were a couple of posters of the latest Sato-mobile and Sato-cycle.
Korra’s interests of her roommate were peaked, wondering if they had just missed them during her adventure through the club booths. She quietly walked towards the bathroom door, sending gentle yet clear knocks before waiting for an answer. She waited several moments for a response, noting there was no noise coming from within the bathroom.
Korra hummed in thought, finding herself even more curious about her elusive roommate. She debated whether to stay in the room and wait for her roommate to arrive, but reconsidered when she thought of the possibility of her roommate having a night out into Republic City.
Korra settled on visiting the university recreation center. When she researched the university, she took note of the large sports division and read about the new renovations made to the campus gymnasium. Korra quickly looked through her dresser, finding some workout clothes and hand wraps before placing them inside her backpack. As she picked up her bag, she looked towards her roommates section, pausing for a moment before exiting the dorm.
~~~~~~~~~~
The gym was larger than the photos gave it credit when Korra walked past the front lobby area. To the left of the entrance was a large room with an indoor pool about twenty-five meters wide and fifty meters in length, with an area sectioned off for high diving and nearly five meters deep. Just outside of the room was a staircase which led to the second floor Mezzanine balcony of the building, where several treadmills, ellipticals, cycling stations, and other cardio machines were located. Just below the balcony were the free weights and weight machine stations, and an area set for stretching and more body weight activities.
Along the entire right side of the building were several rooms dedicated for group classes, each room with fully-glass doors. Korra noted one of the rooms had kicking bags and target paddles hanging along the wall. Upon closer inspection, she realized the wall she was staring at was in fact covered by mirrors. As Korra walked towards the room, she noted it was empty. She quickly pulled out her phone to check the room schedule, finding it was free to use until the semester started. She grinned as she searched for the changing room, already having a workout regime in mind.
~~~~~~~~~~
Korra gulped down a good portion of her water, a pleasant burn going down her legs as she finished her warmup of three laps of lunges into kicks. She set down her water bottle before getting herself into position for a warmup of push-ups, keeping her body faced towards the mirrors.
Just as Korra started her first couple of reps, the door to the room clicked open. Still in push-up position, Korra glanced at the noise, eyes widened as she took in the person at the door.
A young woman with raven-colored hair stood at the doorway, hair tied up in a low ponytail. She carried a duffel bag and wore a black workout tank top with maroon slim fitting joggers, along with a pair of thin-fitting workout shoes.
Korra was hypnotized by her green eyes, shining almost like gemstones. The woman’s eyes were complimented by the purple eyeshadow, making the eye color seem brighter. When the woman made eye-contact with her, suddenly they widened with shock.
“Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t know this room was being used.” The woman said sheepishly, smiling somewhat timidly.
Korra’s eyes dropped down to the raven-haired woman’s mouth as she spoke, finding full lips coated in crimson lipstick. Korra wasn’t sure how long the time had passed, but she couldn’t help but drop her jaw.
This woman was easily the most beautiful person she had ever met.
As a few moments passed, Korra realized she never responded, jostling her into sitting upright on her heels and waving her hands in front of her in placation. “No no! You’re fine! I just saw this room was empty, and since there was no reservations made for it, I figured it was free to use.” Korra answered sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck out of shyness.
The woman chuckled softly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you or anything.” She adjusted her duffel bag as she continued speaking. “I walked by the room earlier and saw it was empty. Like you, I figured I could use it after a warmup run.”
Korra offered a lopsided grin before gesturing to the rest of the room. “Well, if you don’t mind me being here, I’m cool with sharing the room with you. It’d be pretty rude to kick someone out when there’s so much space available.”
The woman’s smile widened. “I’m fine with sharing.”
Korra beamed at the response, giving a small nod before settling back into her pushups.
As the woman made her way towards one of the walls to set down her bag, Korra made her way through her first set of pushups for warm up. Halfway through her set, she noticed in the mirrors the woman was stretching her legs, showing an impressive level of flexibility and range of motion. Through the various stretches, it was easy to take note of the woman’s build, lithe muscles flexing with every movement she made.
Realizing she was almost gawking, Korra snapped her eyes forward towards her own reflection, inwardly chiding herself for staring. In an effort to stay focused, she shifted her form to working on one-arm pushups, the increase in difficulty forcing her to keep track of her form in the mirror.
Unbeknownst to her, the raven-haired woman was fairing no better. When the woman stepped in, she was startled by Korra’s appearance, finding herself nearly awestruck by the blue-eyed woman’s physique. It took nearly all of her willpower not to bite her lip when Korra raised her arm to rub the back of her neck, the motion showcasing the impressive bicep.
Stretching proved to be nearly pointless in distracting the green-eyed woman, as she saw from the corner of her eye Korra watching her form through the mirrors. Before she made eye-contact, Korra had switched to one-arm pushups, her form solid as she continued. The raven-haired woman’s eyes widened at the feat, her own eyes snapping forward as she continued to stretch.
The room was quiet except for the rapid exhales from Korra as she switched to her other arm to complete her warmup.
After finishing her last rep, Korra stood up and took deep breaths, grabbing a quick sip of her water before making her way towards her backpack. She sifted through her bag before finding the hand wraps, meticulously wrapping each hand with precision as she allowed her body to cool down for a moment.
Korra made her way to the back of the room, humming as she inspected each kicking bag. She crossed her arms in contemplation, gently shoving each bag as she made note of the water weight of the bases. She settled on the bag with the heaviest weight, easily tilting the bag along the edge of the base and expertly rolling it more towards the center of her area.
“About to take the kicking bag for a spin?”
Korra nearly dropped the bag, narrowly avoiding dropping the base fully onto her foot. She snapped her gaze towards the other woman, having almost forgotten she wasn’t alone. Korra quickly set the kicking bag down, nonchalantly resting her arm against the top of the bag. “Yeah, I’m joining the MMA club. Don’t know if they’ll have sparring matches, so I’m using the bags to keep in shape.”
The raven-haired woman smiled excitedly. “You’re joining the club?” she asked eagerly.
Korra paused before beaming at the woman’s excitement. “I’m guessing you’re a member?” It was less of a question and more of a statement.
The woman chuckled while nodding, her posture more upright as she leveled a hand around her waist height. “I’ve been doing self-defense since I was kid. As soon as I heard RCU had a training room dedicated to martial arts, I looked up the club and signed up as soon as I got here today.”
Korra felt a lopsided grin overtake her face, finding herself more intrigued by the woman. “Care to share the bag? You have me curious about which martial arts form you learned.”
The green-eyed woman smirked coyly, her eyes narrowed in mischief. “Can’t give away all my secrets. Besides, I prefer a more…” she subtly eyed Korra up and down. “hands-on approach.”
Korra smirked devilishly as she stood upright, subtly flexing her arms as she crossed them. “Oh? Then what do you say to one round? Light taps and no head attacks.”
The green-eyed laughed good naturally, fully grinning at the fun challenge. “How about a name first before we start knocking each other down?”
Korra’s grin turned sheepish as she realized she never asked for a name. She offered her hand in greeting, smiling as the woman easily shook her hand. “My name is Korra.”
“Asami.”
Korra quirked her head as they shook hands, the name somehow familiar. She never recalled hearing the name before, yet she was sure she came across it somewhere…
Her train of thought was brought to a halt when Asami released her hand, the raven-haired woman stepping back and turning to her duffel bag. After a moment, Asami returned with her phone in hand, tapping away at the screen before showcasing the timer app. “Why don’t we make it two rounds, a minute and a half each, with take downs permitted? Gives each of us a chance to learn each other’s fighting styles and adjust.”
Korra smirked roguishly. “Sounds perfect.” She said, already returning the kicking bag to the wall.
~~~~~~~~~~
Korra was panting on the floor, flat on her back as she stared wide-eyed at the green eyes boring down on her. She was still for a moment before abruptly thrusting Asami off of her, breaking the hold as Asami was flipped over.
Before Korra could pin her down, Asami quickly readjusted herself and stood up and stepped back, quickly fixing herself back into a fighting stance. Just as Korra began running towards her, the timer went off, the beeping noise almost making the brunette trip before Asami caught her.
Both women stood in place, both of them panting and sweating. The adrenaline had blood pumping through Korra’s veins, her senses heightened from the match. Her arms tingled from where Asami gently gripped them, the woman’s surprisingly callused hands leaving a comforting warmth.
Korra was slightly disappointed when Asami released her, but her smile remained as they regarded each other.
The air was charged with tension, though not in an uncomfortable way. Quite the opposite. It was clear there was attraction, what with the lingering gazes during moments where they were inches from each other. The feats of strength, agility, and speed had both women regarding each other with respect and excitement, an unspoken pull having them drawn to each other.
Korra was the first to break, laughing in joy as she playfully punched Asami’s arm. Asami joined in the laughter, playfully swiping at Korra, giving chase when the brunette jumped away.
The chase ended with Korra spinning to face Asami, capturing her in a surprise embrace before stumbling to keep them both upright. Both women laughed unabashedly, leaning against each other in support as their giggles left them weak-kneed.
Both women remained in the embrace, reluctant to break the side hug until they were forced to separate, each of them walking towards to their respective bags.
Korra adjusted her backpack on her shoulders, turning to find Asami also grabbing her bag. Not wanting to leave just yet, Korra spoke. “So, I guess we’ll see each other at the club meeting on Monday?” she asked, trying to hide the hope in her tone.
Asami fiddled with the shoulder strap of her duffle bag, contemplating her next words. “There’s Monday… Or, we could maybe meet up tomorrow?” She asked, hope seeping through her words.
Korra blinked before beaming, faintly aware of a blush rising in her face. “Uh, sure! I-I’d be down for tomorrow!” She stammered briefly, trying yet failing to search her backpack for her phone nonchalantly.
Her ears burned when she heard Asami giggle, but she ignored the heat in favor of pulling out her phone and opening up her contact list, timidly handing it to Asami.
Asami smiled shyly as she took the phone, quickly typing in her number before returning it to Korra.
Korra’s cheeks were hurting from how hard she was smiling, quickly sending a quick message to Asami.
Asami chuckled as her phone pinged, easily pulling it out from her duffle bag and smiling at the new message.
Unknown Number: Hey, it’s Korra!
Unknown Number: Fair warning, I will occasionally send the most random memes at the drop of a hat :3
Asami snickered at the message, quickly typing and sending a short text.
Korra chuckled as her phone pinged, beaming when she read the new message.
Asami: Hey Korra! Fair warning, I will occasionally send the most random facts for every random meme you send :P
Both women chuckled at the exchange, thriving off of the playful energy.
Korra hesitated before sighing subtly. “I have to go. I need to meet up with my roommate so we can figure out what we’ll need for the dorm.” Her smile dipped slightly
Asami smiled in understanding, slightly disheartened at their time together ending. “I’m heading out too. I need to head to the store and buy some supplies for my classes.”
Wordlessly, the two nodded towards each other before both made their way out of the room and headed towards the changing room. Both women took care to avoid staring at each other as clothes were removed and skin was revealed. They quickly changed into their casual clothing before slowly making their way to the recreation center’s main entrance, delaying their departure as much as they could.
As the two exited the building, they faced each other, each a little nervous over what to say.
Korra cleared her throat as she rubbed the back of her neck, shyly meeting Asami’s eyes. “So, what time works for you tomorrow? Maybe we can do lunch together?” she asked.
Asami smiled timidly, dipping her head down slightly. “Lunch sounds good. How do you feel about dumplings?”
Korra grinned lopsidedly. “Dumplings sound amazing. It’s a date!” She blanched as she processed her final words, her face flushing red. “Er- wait, uh- I mean-”
Asami covered her mouth as she giggled, her face blushing from Korra’s stammering. “It’s a date.” Asami confirmed, her blush slightly grew as she smiled widely.
Korra felt her face burn yet made no effort to hide it as she grinned unabashedly. “One o’clock work for you?” Korra asked breathlessly.
Asami nodded eagerly. “Sounds perfect.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Korra stared up at the ceiling in her dorm, laying in her bed with her hands behind her head as she processed the last couple of hours.
Her thoughts were flooded by Asami, almost overwhelmed by how well the two had connected. Very few words were exchanged between them, yet it was almost astonishing how comfortable she felt spending time with the green-eyed woman, even if it was a few short minutes.
It was obvious the feeling was mutual. Korra wasn’t oblivious to how Asami’s eyes wandered during their brief sparring session. It was the fact they matched each others energies that had Korra feel enthralled with knowing more about her. And based off how enthusiastic Asami was to agree to a lunch date, Asami seemed just as interested in knowing more about her.
Korra released a happy sigh, already wondering what kind of outfit to wear for the outing. Before she could move to her dresser, she was startled by the sound of the dorm room being unlocked. As she moved to sit up, she was startled by the familiar voice she heard only not so long ago.
“Hey! Sorry for not sending an email about when I was moving, I had to figure things out with my dad and-” Asami froze in place when a familiar head peaked from her roommate’s top bunk, bright blue-eyes widened in surprise.
“Asami?” Korra blurted, mouth agape at her new roommate.
“Korra?” Asami gasped, stunned by the familiar face.
Both were frozen in place, the reality of their living situation slowly sinking in.
Korra was the first to move, shyly raising a hand to wave in greeting. “Hey,” she said timidly, her heart beginning to race as she took in the woman before her.
Asami blushed, moving to tuck her hair behind her ears in a flustered state. “Hey,” she answered, her words just as soft and shy as she returned Korra’s smile.
Korra moved to sit along the edge of her bunk, her feet swaying back and forth. “So,” she said, watching as Asami made her way towards her side of the room, noticing the motorcycle helmet in her arms as the raven-haired woman set it on her desk. “Seems like we’re roommates.”
Asami hummed in agreement, leaning against her hands as she leaned against her desk. “So it seems,” Asami answered playfully, eyes full of mirth.
Korra chuckled, inwardly panicking from the implications of the helmet. “So, was the plan for tomorrow to sweep me off my feet by picking me up with your bike?” She asked, nodding towards the helmet.
Asami paused for a moment, her smile turning sheepish at being figured out so quickly. “Maybe?” her voice trailed into a slightly higher pitch, cheeks pink. “Unless motor bikes aren’t your thing-”
“Oh they are,” Korra interrupted, slightly coughing to hide her eagerness. “I mean, yeah, I think bikes are cool.” Her face flushed.
Asami chuckled at her response, finding the reaction cute. “Well, you did say you wanted to figure out supplies for the dorm with your roommate.” She stood up, turned her dresser, and opened the drawer to pull out a spare helmet. “Want me to take you for a spin? Grab some stuff along the way?” Asami asked, handing the helmet to Korra with a smile.
Korra’s heart nearly skipped a beat, a lopsided grin growing as she took the spare helmet. She beamed at the woman in front of her, excitement flowing through her, eager to see what the rest of the day would bring.
She looked forward to finding out with Asami.
“Let’s do it!”