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Here Korra is, on her bed, laying flat against the mattress as she stared hard at the ceiling. Her hands were clasped over her stomach, thumbs tapping together repeatedly in order to try and release the nerves she was internally experiencing.
Her mind flips through the past week.
Sure, it’s understandable she feels all over the place given the fact she was kicked out of Republic City, told people that want to kill her are tracking her down, and currently attempting to gather as many airbenders there are after the Harmonic Convergence to invite them to a tradition lost to time.
Yes. Many factors.
But one she hasn’t mentioned is what’s bothering her the most.
After all that’s listed, how can anything else be so important?
You.
There’s no logical reason as to why, it’s just what’s occupying her, no matter how much she’s forced herself to think about the important thing. For some reason, you seem to sneak in. Like an infestation. Good or bad, she doesn’t know. She can’t comprehend the difference.
You’re her best friend, someone she relies on greatly, more so than the others in the friend group.
There’s an undeniable charm you have, the ability to ease her mind when she’s stressed. You have the best solutions—even if she thinks you don’t sometimes. You always do.
A simple smile makes her pause, eyes travel down to observe the soft curve of your lips. She visibly slumps the moment you open your arms and then melts into your embrace. Warm and caring, gentle and….
Soft.
You feel so nice against her, pressed into her more toned physique while she’s able to hold onto your softer one. There’s something uniquely comforting from that, her fingers always having the slightest pressure to ensure her grip.
And your smell, it’s so hard to keep herself from burying her face into the crook of her neck and breathe from there. It’s just so nice, so relaxing against the twinge of new airship smell from inside the blimp you all were taking to travel across the world.
The more she was around you, the more of a comfort you became. You treated her like a princess. Never would she enjoy such things, but here she is, unable to deny it any longer by your hands.
She appreciated your curiosity of her culture, how you were eager to learn how she did her hair—even do it yourself; completely unaware of how addictive it was for Korra. Your fingers were gentle, cautious, and albeit slow, but it did the job.
She had to redo it a couple of times herself to ensure the exact look. She could have said no, but your eyes. Your lips. Just the way you looked at her.
There was no fight in her when it came to you.
A heavy sigh slipped from her nose, coming out of her little memory lane in order to bring her hands up to rub her flushed face before moving her fingers up to absentmindedly play with her loose hair.
There was a small flutter within her. It was hard to describe. The thought of you makes her feel light, in more ways than anyone else has ever made her feel before.
Clearly, something's different.
But what?
You’re such... a pushover. Gullible. Airheaded. Clumsy. And…
….Pretty.
She hasn’t thought of you like this before, so what’s the change? Have you two really bonded that much to the point she can appreciate your beauty? Well, she always knew Asami to be attractive in a way, but it doesn’t compare to you.
Not to your appearance.
A light groan left her, tugging on her hair as a pout formed onto her lips. This was frustrating. Figuring out her own damn feelings like some puzzle. She could just chalk it up to something simple, but she knows better.
The thought of you, the one that should be her best friend, makes her feel... squeamish. In a good way. Sometimes.
Being shaken from out of her thoughts, a sudden knock came from her door. It made her flinch before slowly sitting up and giving a small ‘come in.’
You pushed the door open, blanket in hand, and that sweet smile on your face. Korra couldn’t help but return it, it was infectious.
“Hi,” you said giddily, closing the door behind you and making your way to Korra’s bed. The Avatar automatically scooted over, giving you enough space to join her.
“Hi.” Korra replied with a small hum, comfortably moving to lay back down.
She had a quip—she did. To poke fun at you for coming into her room lately for a sleepover and gossip. Yet, the words got stuck in her throat.
It was pathetic, really.
Her eyes naturally had drifted to watch you get comfortable. Though, maybe she observed too much… her eyes tracing your curves, following along the dip of your waist and the incline of your hip. Her eyes were on their own accord now, looking over your body as you got situated.
Of course, her eyes moved back up—no, not to your face, just below that… where she could see your collarbone and the roundness of your chest, squished against the mattress and your arm. Laying on your side pronounced it more.
Her fingers twitched with intent.
Suddenly, Korra moved. She shifted more onto her back so her eyes could stray away from you. Her forearm moved to rest against her forehead, closing her eyes to collect herself.
“You okay?” You asked in a quiet tone, lightly tapping Korra’s cheek and stopping when she hummed. Your lips pursed as that was all she did in response. “Promise?”
“Yes. I’m fine,” Korra finally stated, offering a light chuckle to ease any worry as she turned her head to look at you, forearm still keeping its place.
“Okay. Okay… just. I dunno, you just seem stressed,” you started, shrugging with an awkward quirk of your lip.
That earned a scoff from Korra and a light eye roll accompanied with a sarcastic, “do I really?”
You made a face, one of embarrassment with your hand moving to cover part of your face. “Right—that was dumb. Sorry.”
That caused Korra to soften, relaxing the tension within her. She moved her arm from her forehead, hand moving to grasp yours and pull it away from your face. Instead of letting go, she held onto it, quietly basking in the warmth of your hand in hers.
“It was dumb. But it’s sweet of you to say it anyways,” she said with a grin, which widened when she heard a soft huff of laughter leave you.
“Yeah?” You hummed, your thumb providing soft caresses to Korra’s hand in gentle circles.
“Yeah…” she replied more quietly, her expression fond and smile staying longer to the point it felt like it’d stay there for eternity.
It was quiet now. Silence taking company with the both of you.
Korra isn’t too sure why this moment of silence was so comforting. Something she occasionally looked forward to practically every night since this started.
It was when Korra experienced more frequent night terrors, and you were always willing to be her safe haven when nights got rough.
You’ve always been there when she was at her lowest.
Maybe that’s when it all started.
Korra’s eyes roamed your features, taking it in like it was some artwork to be admired. Your own eyes were closed, seemingly basking in the silence as well and still holding onto Korra’s hand accompanied with continuous caresses from your thumb.
Maybe that’s when she…
Her cheeks began to heat up with warmth.
…Started having these feelings for you.
Fuck—shit biscuits.
She wanted to pull away, but the knowledge of disturbing you and having you question her once more made her still; suffering from proximity. She felt all squeamish, stomach in knots and face feeling as though it was on fire…
When opening your eyes you were met with a… questionable sight.
“Korra—you’re smoking?!” You hollered in disbelief and confusion, sitting up and looking down at Korra.
“Huh?” Korra could only squeak out, brows furrowed and an awkward smile on her face, unsure if this was supposed to be a joke or not. Yet, out of the corner of her eye, she could see wisps of smoke emitting from presumably her cheeks.
She cursed, hands immediately smacking the sides of her face as if it’d help cool them off. Somehow, more than likely because of the distraction, the heat slowly warded off.
“What was that about?” You chuckled, relaxing a bit when the steam disappeared.
“I—uh, dunno. A..Avatar… things,” she attempted to excuse with a forced grin.
You only slowly nodded, the explanation somehow making some sense but also not in your head. “Oookay,” you chuckled, “hopefully it just doesn’t mean you’re sick.”
“No. No, uh, I don’t think so.”
“Good. Because I have a lot to say.”
Honestly, Korra doesn’t think she’ll even be able to comprehend a word from your mouth. Not with this sudden realization that decided to take priority, including over her senses.
All she can hope for is that you don’t ask her questions so she doesn’t feel too guilty about staring at your (pretty) face for the rest of the night.