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"Hey Mako," Korra wondered, as her friend took one last swig of his drink. "How's your arm doing? Is it feeling any better?"
Mako looked down at the cast his arm was currently in after he was injured during the battle with Kuvira. "Still hurts like hell, but I'm doing a bit better with the meds they've got me on. Doc says I should be fine in a couple weeks once it's fully healed."
"Till then, they've mostly gotten my brother stuck behind a desk doing paperwork," Bolin pointed out. "Guess he can't really go out hunting criminals one handed."
"Hey, I don't need two hands to use my firebending to corner a purse snatcher," Mako remarked. "But I guess Lin had a point when she said I needed to take it easy."
Korra then looked over at Asami, knowing the fourth member of their group hadn't said much the whole evening. The four of them were currently sitting in a bar on one of the few streets in Republic City that hadn't been utterly destroyed during Kuvira's invasion of the city. It had been a few days since the four of them had been able to get together, since the rebuilding of the city had kept them apart. Moments like this honestly felt they were few and far-between, but at least when the city was finally rebuilt, they'd be able to hang out more again like the old days.
Asami however, was currently staring at her drink. She'd barely touched it the whole night and if Korra was honest, maybe there was a part of her that hadn't wanted to come. Asami lost her father. Despite how she felt about him, losing him had hurt her, as it would any other child who had lost a parent. As always, Asami had thrown herself into her work since, trying to distract from the feelings she felt about losing him, knowing she had lost the last member of her family. Korra knew she wasn't going to push anything but... still, seeing her this distant wasn't helping matters.
"Hey Asami you okay?" Mako asked. "You've barely said a word."
"I'm alright, I promise," Asami quickly said. "Just... enjoying the atmosphere, I guess."
Korra pouted a little. Asami was never the best at lying. But she still wasn't going to push her about this. "Well... I'm glad the four of us could get together like this, even if it has been for just a few hours."
However, Mako then looked at his watch to check the time. "Ah man... sorry guys, I promised Lin I'd be back at the station a while ago."
"Yeah, I should probably get going before Varrick starts wondering where I am," Bolin added.
"Aw, I understand," Korra replied. Korra was a little disappointed that Mako and Bolin had to go but she understood. They'd at least see each other again at the wedding next week.
As Mako and Bolin left, Asami looked over at them. "Don't worry, guys, I'll pay the tab."
"Thanks Asami!" Bolin called back as he followed his brother out of the door.
And then, just Korra and Asami alone... and the silence couldn't have been more awkward. Korra wanted to broach the topic of Asami's behaviour at that moment, but realised it was getting late for all of them. She reached over to Asami and gently held her hand. "Hey, you want me to drive you home? You've probably been exhausted from work all day."
"No, I'll be alright driving home."
"Asami, please, I insist. I want to do this for you."
Realising Korra wasn't going to take no for an answer, Asami nodded. "Alright, I guess it couldn't hurt."
After Asami had left some money to pay the tab for their drinks and quickly finished off her own glass, Korra led her outside to where Asami's luxurious Satomobile was waiting for them. As Korra hopped in and started the engine, Asami sat down, letting Korra drive them both away. It was rather cold that night, but not too cold that Asami thought she should have probably brought her coat. Korra meanwhile, being from the south pole, obviously never minded the cold.
As they drove down the city streets, Korra looked over at Asami, grinning at her. "I hope I'm better at this than I was three years ago," she remarked, reminding Asami how she'd been the one to teach her how to drive. She hoped at least a joke or two would liven Asami's spirits. However, Asami's face didn't even move an inch, not even the slight curling of her lips into a smile.
Korra sighed. "Sorry, I just thought-"
"Don't apologise, Korra," Asami told her. "It's just... been a long day." She looked over at her and genuinely tried to smile. "Do you... have anything picked out for the wedding?"
"I do have a new robe, but... I'm not sure if I wanna go," Korra admitted.
"You should go," Asami insisted. "Think of it less about everyone else and just... a chance to unwind and celebrate. We've all been through a lot." Asami's voice trailed off at the end of that and Korra wondered if Asami was talking about her... or about herself.
Eventually, the two of them pull up at the gates to Asami's mansion, it being on the outskirts of the city meaning it was spared from the devastation of the rest of the city. Korra had almost forgotten just how huge Asami's mansion was... and how lonely she probably felt there. She had servants, sure, but still, the place was utterly massive and one could likely easily be lost in such a place.
As they pulled up to the mansion's front door, Korra gestured to Asami. "Mind if I park the car up for you in your garage?"
"No, just leave it here, it'll save me the trouble when I head to work in the morning," Asami pointed out.
"You know... I can stay the night if you want," Korra offered. She was still very worried about Asami.
"I'm fine," Asami insisted.
It was then that Korra had enough. As much as Korra wasn't liking how her temper could get the better of her at a time like this, she was hating the fact that Asami seemed to be blowing off her concerns like this. "No, you aren't fine," Korra butted in. "You barely talked the whole night, barely had your drink and I'm pretty sure I had to talk you into even coming out in the first place."
"Korra, I'm fine, really!" Asami argued.
"Look, if you didn't wanna open up around Mako and Bolin, fine, I get it, but me?" Korra got out of the car and walked over to Asami. "Asami, please let me help!"
Asami was just ignoring her, walking through the front doors to the massive mansion. Korra quickly followed behind Asami, the fire nation woman not even doing a thing to tell her to leave. Then again, Asami knew full well how stubborn Korra could be. Korra could have been in amazement at Asami's mansion, having not been here for years, but more pressing matters were on her mind.
"I know how rough it was for you losing your father," Korra argued, as Asami went up a flight of stairs to the floor where her bedroom was. "That pain would tear anyone apart. But I know talking about this can help."
It was then, right outside of her bedroom, with the moonlight pouring in through the window that Asami came to a halt. She let out a soft sigh, knowing Korra wasn't going to drop this... and she was only making things worse by ignoring her friend's concerns. "You're right... it did hurt. It hurt me so much, even after everything he did. But the worst part of it all is that it made me realise... I'm alone, Korra. I'm so very alone and it hurts me so much."
"What?" Korra wondered, confused.
"When my dad was thrown in jail, this house suddenly became... very cold to me," Asami explained. "And now that he's gone, it's only just made these feelings of isolation worse for me."
"But... you have lots of people to talk to," Korra reminded her. "Me, Mako, Bolin, Tenzin-"
"Freinds are one thing, Korra but..." Asami held herself. "But just being around friends isn't going to help me. I want to love someone and be loved. I already do so much for so many other people, but I don't want to be carrying all the burdens of my life on my own. Spirits... that sounds so selfish doesn't." Asami was hating herself for admitting that.
Just then, Asami felt the tight grip of muscular arms around her waist. Korra rested her head on the back of Asami's shoulder. Asami gasped and blushed softly, melting into the warm embrace of Korra's arms. She had missed her hugs so much.
"It doesn't sound selfish to me," Korra reassured Asami. "You can tell me anything, Asami. I won't judge you for it."
"I... appreciate that," Asami said softly, pulling away from the hug and walking into her room, sitting down on her large four-poster bed. "But even talking about this with you is... difficult?"
Korra followed Asami inside, quickly using her firebending to light a few candles to illuminate the darkened room. "Why? What are you talking about?"
"I... don't... I don't know how to say it," Asami whispered. "I don't know how to tell you how I truly feel, about how I..." She looked away, stopping herself. Already she'd said too much.
It was then that Korra finally put the dots together in her head. "Asami... are you in love with me?"
The cat was out of the bag. Asami bit her lip and nodded. "Yes... Yes, I'm in love with you. I only realised it after you were gone, but I had truly loved you. I wanted to tell you so, so badly in my letters but I knew you were still recovering from what Zaheer did to you. The last thing I wanted was for you to be burdened with worrying about me while you were recovering. But since you came back it's been... so hard for me."
Korra sat down beside Asami and held her hand tightly. Asami looked at Korra, her stunning emerald eyes meeting the gaze of the Avatar's blues. "Asami... I feel the same way. I love you too."
Asami's eyes widened in shock, Korra taking both of her hands. "You.... You do?"
The Water Tribe woman nodded. "Yes, I fell deeply in love with you not long before we fought the Red Lotus. I knew Mako and I hadn't worked out... but you and I got on so well and I realised that better relationships were built on genuine friendship. And you... you'd become such a dear friend to me. Helping me, spending time with me... I had never had a friend who was a girl the same age as me until I met you. To be honest... it would have been harder not to fall for you."
Asami blushed. That last part did not surprise her. Nervously, Asami then leaned in close, feeling Korra's forehead touch with her own. "Well... if that's how you really feel then you may gladly love me. I will be whatever you want, I want this. I don't know how this is all going to work but... I do want this."
Korra's arms held Asami close. "And I will never stop loving you and I will be whatever you want me to be. I am yours."
"And I am yours," Asami whispered. "Thank you."
"You know... I guess this means I have a date to the wedding now," Korra admitted.
Asami chuckled. "Oh, I would gladly love to be your date."
"So... can I stay the night?" Korra asked again.
"Yes," Asami agreed, smiling with love at Korra. "I would like that very much."