Chapter Text
Korra somehow heard the door to the shop close over the sizzle and hiss of her welding torch. She turned the valve to turn off the flame and removed the welding mask to see Asami walking towards her. In greeting, Asami smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes, and what’s more she had a somber lint to her walk.
“Hey,” Korra smiled. “How did it go?”
Asami answered by dropping the daily newspaper on the workbench beside her before propping herself up, leaning on a dismantled hood of a car. Korra moved, taking off her grease stained gloves to take a look, though the headline said enough.
FATHER OF THE AVATAR EQUALIST, COULD AVATAR SATO BE A SYMPATHIZER?
Korra groaned, and looked to Asami. “Don’t let it get to you. They get paid to be crazy. It sells more papers.” She said trying to comfort her, taking a lean against the hood beside her as well.
“It’s not just the paper. Have you heard the radio lately?” Asami sighed. Korra had, and they were echoing the same sentiment. Hiroshi’s involvement with the equalist’s had cast doubt on Asami’s merit, even after she’d done everything she could to ensure he’d stay in prison, and almost single handedly ended the equalist revolution. “And the reporters… god that’s all they ask about. They won’t leave me alone. It’s like they think I was brainwashed since I was a kid, and at any moment I’ll activate and wipe out the city.”
“It’ll blow over.” Korra assured. “Anyone with any sense knows that you would never do anything like that.” She wrapped her arm around Asami who rested her head against Korra’s shoulder, for comfort. The strain of the last few months had been a lot for Asami, Korra knew. Finding out her father was a terrorist, having to deal with that, and then to lose and regain her bending. It had been such a drain, and Asami’s usually bright smile always looked so sad now.
“It’s just, really hard to ignore it when they dog you about it every day.” Asami said.
“Yeah well you’re the avatar, nobody would blame you if you used some wind to blow them away or something.” Korra offered, and this got a chuckle from Asami, something Korra hadn’t seen in awhile, and it felt good to know she still could.
“I don’t think that would help my case. But it is very tempting.”
“Or you could do a little subtle firebending, melt the film in their camera. That’d throw them for a loop.” Korra grinned devilishly.
“You know sometimes I think you’re a bad influence.” Asami joked, with a frank smile.
“You’re just saying that cause you know I’m right.” She said, wrapping both arms around her in a hug. “Times are bad now, but if anyone can get through it you can. Everyone who knows you knows what you’re about. And that’s all that matters for now. Take my advice. Daughter of a tech tycoon, you think I haven’t been through the tabloid ringer?”
Asami nodded, returning the hug before raising an eyebrow. “So what did you do? With the reporters and the jerks?”
“I shocked em. One of them, that guy that always wears the blue hat have you seen him? I broke his nose.” She answered matter of factly. Asami knew who she was referring to and the thought of her girlfriend laying him on the ground with a solid punch made her incredibly happy. Which she knew was just her being vindictive but hey it wasn’t like she’d do it. Probably. Korra’s idea of melting their film was a good one and would be hard to prove. Look at that, she’d come in with a sour mood and like nothing Korra had brightened it.
“You’re a good therapist.” Asami said, releasing her and looking towards the center of the shop. “How goes the restoration?”
Korra shot her a look. “Alright. I just got the cylinders aligned again after you totaled it.”
Asami raised her hands in protest. “I said I was sorry. Like a hundred times.” They’d used the car as a missile against one of the mechs. It had worked brilliantly, but they didn’t really have time to talk it over before it had happened. Korra harbored no ill will of course, but she was intent on getting as much mileage out of her guilt as she could.
“First thing I built.” Korra shook her head. “Dad was so proud.”
“Okay shush.” Asami smiled. “You can only ride this so long and you can’t deny it was fun.”
“Oh yeah it was awesome, but if you were really sorry, you would help me rebuild it.” She suggested crossing her arms and flashing a smug smile. “You are the avatar after all. Make yourself useful.”
“I knew you just liked me for my bending.” Asami winked, not implying the elemental kind. Korra rolled her eyes, and took her hand to direct her to a laid out sheet that had hundreds of small to large parts arranged on it, most of them looking worse for wear. She directed her to the engine block and offered a sheet of metal.
“See that hole you made?” Korra asked, pointing to the large crack and blasted out hole in the thing. “I got the insides repaired, or replaced, so get this on there and it should be good to go.”
“You’re gonna have to be more specific.” Asami shrugged, not knowing anything about engines. Korra jogged over to the workbench and lifted up a blueprint schematic.
“See this shape? Bend it into that, and then do your thing and weld it on.” She said.
Asami looked it over, then looked to the sheet of metal. She held it out, and with the movements in her arms allowed it to float a yard in front of her. From there she began to peel and twist the metal, hands moving gracefully, with such elegance that it almost looked liked a dance. And after less than a minute, she’d replicated the shape in the blueprint. “I guess it’s the least I can do.” She smiled, showing the touch of pride she got whenever she was able to show off her metalbending. One of the last things she had learned, and she had been surprised at how quickly she’d picked it up. Especially given her troubles with earthbending. But the feel of the metal, the way she moved it felt so natural. Water was still her preferred element but metal was a very close second.
Over the next few hours, the two girls worked on the car, Korra giving instruction and Asami following them to the letter. With her bending, what would have taken Korra weeks still took Asami no time at all. “If I could bend, I’d have a fleet of these cars overnight.” Korra commented.
“I think you do a great job anyway.” Asami smiled, bending out the crumpled and crushed hood, forming it back into what it had been before. “The best there is.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere.” Korra said.
“Apparently. Turns out the fastest way to a girls heart is through her engine.”
“That’s what I kept telling the boys but they never seemed to get it.” Korra grinned. “And just watch, I’ll get you talking shop soon enough missy.”
And soon enough, everything was in place. Asami had lifted the engine block back where it belonged, a task that would have required a crane or a lift without her. The glass was replaced, new wheels were installed. Once everything under the hood connected, she was ready to go.
Korra whipped the sweat from her brow, leaving a streak of grease in its wake. She hopped behind the wheel and withdrew a key from the pocket of her work overalls. “C’mon now baby, purr for me.” She said, almost to herself.
She gave the key a twist, and the engine stuttered once, twice, before roaring to life sounding just like it had before. Korra whooped and clapped her hands together. “Oh it’s good to have you back.
Asami was glad to see how happy it made her. Her eyes showed how thrilled she was, ecstatic to have it back. She turned to Asami and nodded her head to the passenger seat.
“You sure?” Asami asked jokingly. “Are my riding privileges reinstated?”
“As long as you promise to let me know before we try anything like it again.”
“Deal.” Asami said before hopping into the seat beside her. Korra pressed her foot against the gas before putting it in gear, to hear the motor roar.
“You’re forgiven.” She said as the door to the garage opened. “She runs better than ever now. I added a few tweaks to the engine.”
“What kind of tw---“ but she was interrupted as the engine boomed, and the tires spun as the car raced from the garage into the open street and down the road, narrowly avoiding oncoming traffic. Asami let out a little squeak of surprise and maybe terror as she gripped a hold of the door and back of her headrest. “Just cause she’s better now doesn’t mean you get to try to kill us!” she cried.
“Oh please, I am the best driver in republic city or anywhere else. We’ll be fine.”
She said as they sped through downtown, hair whipping behind them, as Korra took every turn as sharply as possible and drove so close to other vehicles Asami could reach out her hand and touch them. “Is this you getting back at me for the whole car projectile thing?”
“No but that is an extra feature.” Korra grinned. Asami loved riding in cars, but when Korra was driving, things got a little more hectic.
Korra probably drove around half the city, simply happy to do it once more, before coming to a stop. “Oh that feels good.”
Asami shook her head, having moved very little as her body was so tense from fear. Korra noticed as Asami looked quickly into the mirror and laughed. “Oh please, nothing could mess up your hair. It’s kinda freaky. What’s worse you don’t even try.”
Asami thought this was funny, because she’d always liked Korra’s hair. Voluminous and braided. Asami just wore hers as a jagged bob. As a girl she’d worn it long, but that led to some issues when she was firebending. Cutting it nearly broke her heart.
“So ready to go home?” Korra asked.
“Are you going to drive like a normal person?” Asami retorted back sweetly. Korra nodded. “Then sure, sounds good. I Just want to crawl into bed and sleep long enough for every reporter and news agency to get bored and find someone else to stalk.”
“As long as I can crawl in beside you.” Korra smirked.
Asami laughed, and lightly shoved Korra’s shoulder. “Can you imagine what they’d write if they knew the avatar was dating the heiress of Future industries?” she asked.
“There you go, it would give them something else to talk about.” Korra said as she shifted gears, and began to drive back the way they came, before reaching their familiar route home. After the horrible business with her father, Asami was alone. She was welcome at air temple island of course, but Korra had also offered her, her own place to stay. Asami took her up on that, and now considered it home, or the closest thing she had too it. As long as it was with Korra, who had not once doubted or suspected her. But instead supported her with open arms. It was one of the things she loved about her, her faith in people was infectious.
The two cruised down the north side of the city, the estate being just outside the city limits. Asami had rested her chin on her hand, propping her elbow against the car door, watching the scenery go past.
Because of this, something started to seem off to her. Dozens of the street lights they’d passed had been recently broken, making the area look more sinister then it had in a hundred other trips this way. What was more odd, was that earlier in the night, the streets had been teaming with cars and street busses. But thinking back, Asami didn’t think she’d seen another car for five minutes. She patted Korra’s hand to alert her. “Hmm?” she voiced.
“Something’s up.” Asami said, eyes scanning their surroundings for any threat. Was she just being paranoid? She didn’t see anything, until they passed a section of the street with alley ways on either side, and in those alleys, headlights flashed on, as they heard the screeching of rubber on asphalt, and several motorbikes and a truck roared out behind them in pursuit.
“Oh no you don’t!” Korra said. “Not after I just fixed her!” she pressed on the gas, speeding up the car, as nothing was before them but a long stretch of road. Asami turned, one foot against the car floor with the other perched on the seat, in a position which made her ready to pounce at any moment. She couldn’t see the driver of the truck, but she did see the uniforms worn by the cyclists.
“Equalists.” She announced, readying herself for the fight. “I guess these guys didn’t get the memo to give up.”
“Probably want to settle their grudge with the Avatar. How’d they know where we were?” Korra asked.
“We go the same way each night. They must have been scouting us out.”
“Well if you let them even scratch my baby now I’m going to be very upset.”
“You got it honey.” Asami smiled before standing on the back seat, arms in a ready position.
One of the cyclists threw an electrified bolas at her, which she ducked. In retaliation, she punched her fist up, raising a section of the street just as one of the cyclists passed. He hit it, lost control as the bike went crashing down, and the equalist went skidding painfully on the asphalt. In that time, another cyclists had pulled up beside the car, stood himself on his seat before jumping into the back with Asami.
He threw a punch, which she caught with her elbow as he swung with his free hand, this one gloved with the chi blocker, zipping with electrified blue. She ducked, kneeing him in the stomach as her brought an elbow down on her back at the same time.
Korra swerved to off balance his footing, causing him to stumble allowing Asami to catch him under the chin with an airbending enhanced uppercut. His feet left the seat as he was launched into the road, his buddies having to swerve to miss him. Another equalist leapt for the back seat as the passenger in the truck threw a knife at Asami. She side stepped, the blade just grazing her shoulder, slicing her jacket but not meeting the skin. Distracted, the equalist on board stretched out his fingers and drove them into the pressure point of that same arm, sending it numb and useless. Korra reached back, having put her own chi blocking glove on, and wrapped it around his ankle. His body contorted with the shock.
Asami took the opportunity, and with her good arm allowed a section of cable to zip out of her sleeve. She’d taken inspiration from the republic city police as well as the warriors from Zaofu. Korra had help her construct a light rig and harness, and she used it now to whip the cable around the equalist, lifting him out of the car and hurtling him towards the remaining motorcycles. One dodged, but the second behind him caught his buddy causing him to crash out of sight.
Knives and bolas were continually thrown at them, one knife lodging through the glass of Korra’s windshield. Enraged, she slammed on the brakes, causing the last motorcyclist to swerve to the side of them
As he did, Asami caught him with a firebending jab, knocking him off the machine, and in the same fluid motion, she used her metalbending to lift the motorcycle, and used the momentum it already had to raise it into the air, arch it around, and sent it flying right for the truck. It smashed against the engine, flipping up to shatter the windshield, bringing the truck to a stop.
Korra stopped the car as she ripped the knife from her windshield and leapt over her door, brandishing it to the equalist jumping out from the back of the truck, shaken but still ready for a fight. “Which one of you idiots threw this? Whoever it was I’m gonna return it where it’ll do the most good!”
The equalists charged as Asami leapt from the car and used side swiping kicks to send torrents of air at the men. Two of them in knocked off their feet as the rest closed the distance to engage. When she’d first encountered them, they’d gotten the upper hand. But Asami was used to the equalist’s now, how they fought and moved. And these were clearly not the crème of the crop.
Their movement were sloppy, leaving openings for Asami to send blasts of fire into two of them men’s chest, knocking them back and out. Korra dodged a swipe from one as she reached out a hand to shock him. He went down, but another took his place, slamming a fist into her cheek. Enraged, Asami drew back her arms, rising them again causing the bricks of the street to raise, and entrap his legs, allowing Korra to knock him out with an elbow to the temple.
While this happened, another man came from behind Asami, and went to chi block the other arm, but he missed, as she turned blasting him with a stream of air sending him straight up, then back to the earth again with a crash, and he was out.
A knife came out of nowhere, this time connecting with Asami’s cheek as she barely turned in time. “Asami”! Korra cried before having to deal with another thug, making her unable to watch. When Asami rounded back, she saw the man getting out of the truck, in one of the uniforms the lieutenants wore.
“Traitor!” He shouted, clearly mad about the whole Hiroshi’s daughter thing, lunging for her, with electrified batons.
She took a fire jab at him, but he avoided it easily, planting one of the batons in her side, sending a jolt through her body. With his other hand he sent a cataclysmic punch into her head, but seeing it coming, she allowed it to connect, whipping herself around with the force and raising a leg to drive a boot into his neck. And with a firebending boost, the force of it sent him spinning completely around twice, before he collapsed, in a daze.
Asami was in a daze herself, reeling from the punch. So she was caught off guard as one last thug lunged for her with a knife. But before he could make contact, his body went rigid with a jolt of blue, and Korra grabbed him by the arm, whipped him around, knocking him off his feet and slamming him to the ground. And that was the last of them.
“Nice move.” Asami offered. “Think these guys are it?” she sincerely hoped so. The idea of fighting the remnants of the revolution did not appeal to her.
Korra looked worried, removing her glove and taking Asami’s face in her hand. “I thought that knife got you. Are you hurt?” It was nearly the most worried she’d ever heard Korra be.
And so she smiled and shook her head. “Just scratched me.” Sirens began to echo in the distance as the two moved to sit on the trunk of the car. Content to stay until police dragged away what she hoped would be the last of the equalists. “Sorry about your car.”
Korra shook her head. “Screw the car, I was more worried about you.” Asami placed a hand over her heart playfully.
“Coming from you, I think that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.” She laughed.
Now it was Korra’s turn to shove her. But as she did, she hit the arm that had been numb, and was now tingling with pain causing her to wince. Immediately Korra looked at her regretfully. “Oh my gosh I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”
“It’s okay.” Asami laughed, rubbing it. “I’ve taken worse hits.”
“Come here you.” Korra ordered, wrapping Asami in a tight hug, lips planted a quick kiss on Asami’s cheek, right where she’d been decked, causing her to wince again. Korra noticed and shrugged. “I’m not even sorry.”