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Asami's heart started to beat rapidly as she took a look at the ocean in front of her, the bright blue waves crashing into each other and the white foam dissipating with each crash. She knew that she had agreed to go surfing with Korra, but there was a part of her head that was asking her why she was doing this. Maybe she wanted to do something new. Maybe she wanted to do something brave. Maybe she wanted to do something fun compared to just sitting down on her monogrammed towel and reading. Or maybe she was just wanting to see what the appeal of surfing was.
Surfing. A really weird sport, indeed. It was mostly just guys (and girls) riding on waves and paddling on boards while trying not to fall. She could understand why people do it, but she just didn't see the appeal. Maybe she could figure it out.
The water was chilly, yet somehow hundreds of people were swimming in it, but she knew Korra would help keep her warm if she got too cold. She also realized she was wearing a wetsuit she bought from the SRFACE website. The shiny black—pretty damn tight in an intentional way—neoprene was a far cry from her usual red one-pieces or bikinis, but she would've been practically frozen solid if she wore her regular swimsuits. Her black hair was left loose, falling past her spine, but she did have a hair tie on her wrist to pull it up if needed. She was relieved to have bought the suit beforehand, only complaining about how hard it was to change at home, feeling a little awkward walking out of her house and into public like this, and also about how much it cost—$514, with tax, nearly enough for a car!
But it was gonna be worth it, knowing that she wasn't going to be the only one struggling with this kind of thing.
"You ready?" she heard a voice infiltrate her ears.
Asami then turned around and saw her.
Korra. Her girlfriend for two months. A surfer girl from around here, and someone who was going to help the black-neoprene-clad woman conquer her first waves. Her brown hair reached her shoulders, and she took off her sunglasses to reveal her beautiful baby blue eyes. However, what Korra was wearing was absolutely not helping Asami's situation--a wetsuit like hers, but from Sisstrrevolution in pure blue with a chest zipper resting on her... well... chest, and the Sisstr logo on the left leg in small white printing. She looked absolutely divine, almost like a warrior coming down from heaven. And like a warrior, she was accompanied by her big white dog, Naga.
"Oh... my... gosh..." Asami whispered to herself, taking in her girlfriend in that blue suit.
Korra looked perfect. The wetsuit hugging her body, her mocha skin looking nice in the sunlight, and her muscles slightly visible under all that neoprene. Asami almost felt herself blushing and some drool coming from her mouth as she continued to stare until she told herself, Asami, stop staring!
"Asami?" Korra asked as she finished tying Naga down so she wouldn't wander off. "You good?"
"I-I-I, yeah!" Asami felt her voice crack as she tried to give a bashful smile.
Korra raised an eyebrow. She walked over to Asami and placed a hand on the raven-haired woman. Asami continued to blush, but she still kept her cool. She turned her head to the sea, remembering that she was gonna go in them. She also remembered that her heart was pounding, not only from Korra, but also from the fear that she was keeping inside her head. Asami exhaled, and Korra immediately figured out she was scared.
"I'm... a little worried," Asami confessed, unaware of Korra's knowledge. "What if I die?
"You're not gonna die," Korra assured her. "I'm literally right here, you know."
That made Asami feel just a bit better. But the butterflies in her stomach were still flying. Maybe if she actually got out there, the butterflies would eventually turn away. Asami took another breath, and she smiled, grabbing Korra's hand and giving it a firm squeeze.
"Okay. Let's go," she said calmly.
That gave Korra the signal that it was time to go surfing. She guided Asami to her truck and opened it to reveal the surfboards. The intricate boards looked pretty good and waxed up, hinting that Korra luckily came prepared. Korra's board was white and detailed with really cool art featuring a rock, a wave, a stream of fire, and a gust of air, representing the four elements. Asami always loved looking at the board since it kinda fit Korra as a jack of all trades. Korra took the board and held it under her right arm, smiling as she was going to another day doing what she loved with the woman she loved.
Besides, if she could run a company as CEO, she could definitely handle a few waves.
Asami took the other board, white as well, but detailed with pink stripes. It was basic, but Asami felt like going simple for her first time like this.
The two waded into the water, eventually mounting on their boards. Asami still felt shy about doing this, especially with a couple of kids noticing her, but she still stuck to her gut and paddled with Korra. The water rushed onto her feet, making Asami get a chill up her spine for a second. The two eventually stopped paddling, and Asami felt her arms get a little sore, but she knew that she had to suck it up and save her strength for the waves.
"Alright, keep your back straight and keep paddling until you find a good time to stand up," Korra advised gently, seeing a wave coming up.
Asami nodded. She took a look at the waves coming up and concentrated. Korra took a hand to the back of Asami's board and got ready to give her a little push. The wave rolled, and Korra gave Asami the push. Asami's board floated for a second but she picked up the pace and started paddling like her life depended on her. She paddled and paddled and paddled. She eventually felt herself getting lifted, and Korra's screaming muffled in her ears. She couldn't hear much, but she heard Korra's voice, and it sounded something like, "Paddle, paddle, paddle! Stand!"
Interpreting what her girlfriend said as Stand!, she squeezed her eyes shut and pushed herself up. She stood on the surfboard, praying that she wasn't gonna slip and fall... or maybe get eaten by a shark or something.
"ASAMI, YOU'RE DOING IT!!" she heard Korra yell.
She eventually opened her eyes and realized it! She was doing it! She was surfing! She was riding a wave! Her hair blew in the wind, and she felt the adrenaline kicking in. She let out a triumphant cackle as she continued to surf and eventually set her knees down on the board.
Korra followed after her, pecking Asami's cheek. "You did it, babe!"
"I did it!" Asami whooped. "I just surfed!"
As she and Korra had been doing that for a few hours now. Asami got better and better, albeit with a wipeout once. Korra even rode through the waves and weaved through them like a tapestry. Asami's smile never left her face, and she felt the butterflies that were eating away at her stomach finally flying away. She just needed to actually surf in order to get the fear in check.
Later, the two paddled to shore and got out of the water, walking to the beach as the sunset colored the sky and the beach in purples and yellows. Asami's hair was soaked (Something that she wasn't exactly a big fan of on certain days). And she felt her cheeks reddening from the semi-cold water, but she was happy, and that grin didn't leave her face.
The two took a little break at the beach, the sand feeling a little nice right now. Naga let out a bark, and Asami immediately started petting the dog, the white fur feeling like a fluffy pillow. Korra took a beer bottle and a Sprite from the cooler on the truck after putting the boards back. The two sat down, and Korra handed Asami the Sprite since Asami wasn't exactly a fan of beer, preferring wine or champagne when it came to alcohol.
Asami sipped, getting the sweet lime taste of the Sprite into her throat. She felt refreshed and at peace, knowing that she had a fun time with her girlfriend and tried something new. As she continued to drink with Korra, she started to understand the appeal of surfing. It was just... a really fun time to do something brave, something that gets the adrenaline pumping, and the stress and fear just washing away as soon as it feels like you're flying.
Asami eventually set her Sprite aside and snuggled up on Korra's lap, not caring that both of them were soaked, wetsuits and all. Korra smiled and brushed her hand through Asami's hair, taking in the soaked black strands. The two watched the sunset, peaceful and happy.
"I had a fun time," Asami said softly. "I really want to start surfing more often."
"I really was waiting for you to say that," Korra smirked. "You're pretty much a natural."
"And..." Asami immediately got the urge to flirt with her. "... I do like seeing you in a wetsuit~."
"Oh?" Korra raised an eyebrow. "Just wait until winter comes around. You're gonna see me in a hooded suit... and maybe the other way around~."
"Nooo!" Asami playfully whined, giving Korra's shoulder a little smack. "It's gonna get my hair messy!"
Yep, today was a perfect day.