#everything needs to pull a korrasami

[alfreyes]

Happy Korrasami 10th anniversary to the one and only @thewillowtree3 thanks so much for making this secret santa possible and I hope You like this.

Korra's Gift

Asami groaned frustrated as she threw yet another paper ball to the pile in the garbage can, she closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands.

If anyone were to walk into her office right now, they would assume the bright CEO was having trouble with her company or maybe struggling with one of her latest inventions but that wasn't the case. What had Asami so angry was none other than Christmas, more specifically, The fact that Christmas was one week away and she hadn't figured out what to get for korra.

This wasn't like the previous gifts, this was Asami and Korra's First Christmas together, The Avatar, who usually liked to spent it with her family since it was one of the few days she didn't had to be in the Air Temple or Republic City, had decided to stay and spent the holidays with her and they were even gonna be completely alone since Mako and Bolin were taking their Family to Zaofu to see If their grandma would like to live there until they could return to Ba Sing Se, even though the lady had made it crystal clear that she was very comfortable at Sato Estate.

So Asami was determined to get something really meaningful for Korra this year, something that proved how much the woman meant to her, something no one else could give her...

But what?

'This shouldn't be nearly as difficult as it's proving to be' thought annoyed the woman as she removed her hands from her face and started pacing around her office once again 'You're the owner of Future Industries, you Can literally buy anything and everything Korra wants on the spot' but of course one of the many things Asami loved about Korra was that, unlike many people before, she wasn't with her because of her money, everytime the business woman pulled over with an expensive car she designed or flexing The Future Industries airship it was never because Korra asked her to so this was a problem she couldn't buy her way out of.

Maybe she could make something for Korra? No, she had done that before and Korra rarely used her inventions.

"It's quicker to use my glider, less traffic, you know?" she had told her with a wink when Asami asked why she never used the car she got her.

So no, those weren't an option either and besides what could you invent for the woman who Can control the four freaking elements? Maybe she could just buy another park and make a statue of her? No, she had already done that.

"Alright, lets see" she told herself as she kept walking. "Korra is a more practical giri, so maybe it doesn't have to be a material gift, maybe I could take her somewhere special" she stopped and considered it for a moment with a smile "YES! That's it! and we could do something special too! Something we don't usually do like dancing or star gazing or..."

She remembered a few weeks ago during one of their dates where Korra complained that Republic City didn't have a proper place to Ice skate, something she used to do with her father and Naga during the winters.

Ice skating

'I could do that' she thought excitedly. Granted, she had never even tried it in her entire life but how hard could it be? She had flied a hummingbird mecha suit, that she invented herself, a little bit of Ice skating shouldn't be a problem, right?

But soon a little bit of doubt grew in her, what If she tripped? What If the Ice beneath her broke and she fell to a cold and horrible death? Or worse... What If she made a fool of herself infront of Korra?

She looked at the clock and at the calendar on the wall. She had exactly 6 days and about 12 hours to learn how to Ice skate gracefully enough to flabbergast her girlfriend from the southern water tribe.

Senna, Korra's mother, had once told her that If she ever needed anything all she had to do was ask her, she could ask her and Tonraq for skating lessons. But what about work she couldn't just leave everything on a whim... Again.

...Or could she?...

Maybe this was indeed a problem the CEO could buy her way out of after all.

It was Christmas Eve and Korra waited patiently, or as patient as she could at least, at the empty Sato Estate.

About a week ago Asami had hurriedly told her she had to go due to an emergency meeting with some importante clients from the fire nation and assure her that she would be back for christmas eve but ever since she had no news from her, The Avatar was getting worried when finally yesterday she received a letter from Asami telling her to be at her house in the morning. It was almost noon now and there was no sign from the raven hair girl.

Finally a few minutes later a familiar blue car pulled over and Asami came out of it.

"Hey there, sorry for the waiting, the trip Back took longer than I expected" she explained as she hugged Korra.

"Don't worry about it" said Korra nonchalant "so what's the big plan?"

Asami smiled but didn't answer instead she went for a backpack in the car and grabbed Korra's hand as she guide her to one of the many planes she had in her hangar, Korra couldn't help but smirk at her girlfriend, even though Asami had never told her, Korra knew how proud The woman was of her little collection.

During the fly everytime Korra asked where they were going Asami gave her vague answers until finally Korra recognized the surroundings

"The southern water tribe?" Korra asked not used to watching her home from up there since she usually arrived by boat.

"Yep, I figured we could come here without Avatar duties or business meetings for a change."

They landed in a spot slightly far from the town, with a huge Iced lake where they could perfectly see the start of the sunset between the mountains.

While Korra was busy admiring her landscape Asami open the bag and put on a pair of red Ice skates and handed Korra a blue pair, who took them rather surprised

"I didn't know you could skate," she said as she saw the industrialist slide around her with ease.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Korra," Asami answered in what could have been a very smooth way If it weren't for the fact that she almost immediately stumbled a bit and had to wave her arms to recover.

Korra tried to suppress a chuckle at how adorable Asami looked as she cleared her throat and gently took Korra's hand.

The two girls slid around and through the lake for hours, completely oblivious to the peaceful World around them, the only things that mattered at that moment were each other.

All things considered Asami was a pretty decent skater, Tonraq had done the best he could in the little time they had so the woman was never even close to fall as she feared so much and she was able to keep up with Korra even when they weren't holding hands, but that didn't stop the perfectionist inventor to frown and scoff every Time she falter or stumble slightly.

Korra on the other hand didn't really minded that, on the contrary, she found it cute and even looked forward to those moments because she could use them as an excuse to sweep Asami of her feet and hold her close for longer than it was truly necessary, not that any of them complaint about it really.

They kept skating a little longer, talking about everything and nothing, remembering old times and sharing stories of their previous holidays until it was too dark and they had to start a bonfire a few feet away from the lake where they sat comfortably in silence looking at the stars.

"I know it's not Christmas yet but this seems like a pretty good moment to give you this" said Korra cuddling Asami while handing her a small red velvet box, the woman took it and opened it to find a golden necklace with a green gem that matched Asami's eyes.

"I... Uh asked Pema to help me pick it up" said the Avatar nervously after a bit of silence "I know it's not much but well I saw it and it remind me of you and well I swear I spent days wondering what to get you I think I almost drove Tenzin insane with how much I bother him about it but can you really blame me? I mean What do you get for a woman who could buy anything? Anyway listen it's fine If you don't like it, I could always get you something else and..."

Asami stopped Korra's rambling with a loving kiss "I love it, Thank you" she said honestly she then smirked and playfully smacked Korra's shoulder "And you aren't exactly easy to buy gifts either, 'Avatar'. I spent and entire week in this lake trying to learn how to ice skate for you since you would have just throw any gift I make for you"

Korra gasped with fake offense. "How dare you Miss Sato, I use everything you have ever gave me"

"Mention one thing"

"Well uh... You know that um... Thing for the hair you gave me for my birthday"

"A hair dryer, and I've never seen you use it"

"... It's just easier to use Air bend, you know?" Said Korra with a shrug and putting her hand behind her neck "And hey that doesn't mean I don't cherish everything you get me. But you made your point. I guess we're both complicated when it comes to gifts" she admitted as she cuddled Asami again.

"Yes but that's one of the reasons we work so well together, we understand each other, and at the end we always figure it out" Asami said with a smile "Like this, I really loved the necklace" she said looking at it again"

"And I really loved Ice skating with you" answered Korra "I like that we match each other's craziness but sometimes it nice to do this sort of quiet stuff, without explosions and fights"

"Look at you growing up" teased Asami with a smile "Wait until I tell Tenzin you said you enjoy quiet now"

"Shut up" groans Korra while hiding her face on Asami's hair making the raven hair girl laugh..

"Come on, help me put this on," She said, handing Korra the necklace and putting her hair aside.

Korra gently put the necklace on and turned Asami around to face her, "Beautiful" she said without really looking at the gem, too lost in Asami's eyes.

The two shared another kiss as the fireworks from the water tribe illuminated the sky.

"Merry Christmas" whispered Korra with closed eyes as their forehead touched

"Merry Christmas, Korra," said Asami enjoying the peaceful moment.

"...So an entire Week learning huh. Who helped you? Kya?"

"Oh uh actually it was your Dad, but Kya did suggest this lake, apparently she used to bring her partners here but we're not allowed to tell Lin about that" whispered Asami with a giggle.

Once Korra stopped laughing she looked at Asami with a smug face "So it was Dad, he's a good teacher but surely you must have fall a few times anyway"

"Don't even" warned Asami but it was too late.

"Did you faceplant?"

"..."

"OH MY GOD!!!" The Avatar start laughing like never before as she hugged a flustered Asami

"QUIT IT, KORRA"

So much for peaceful and quiet moments.

[mischievouswork]

I respect the hell out of the person who loves 2011-2013 Loki but acknowledges that 2017 Loki is also canon; good for them. However, you do not have some kind of obligation, as a fan, to accept all MCU content as “canon”.

The MCU has been, for some time, a group of people squabbling over their toys like kids in a sandbox, with the ultimate goal being to make as much money as possible.

If you’re in the fandom but canon ended for you in Phase 1, that’s perfectly valid.

If you accept the comics but not the films as canon, that’s fine.

If all films are canon to you but none of the TV shows, that’s okay too.

And, of course, if canon, to you, is the MCU before it became so popular, back when it actually had to try to be good to appeal to audiences? That’s fine too.

As a fan, you are allowed to say, “this subset of the franchise is canon; everything else is insufficiently prominent, is problematic, or is created with contempt for the content it engages with, and is therefore dead to me.”

This doesn’t give anyone an excuse to go out of their way to harass other fans for having a different opinion about what is/isn’t canon. But it does give everyone every right to refer to fics that go off different parts of canon as ‘Non-canon compliant’ or ‘OOC’ in their own space and circles.

You don’t see Legend of Korra fans going, “Bolin/his costar actress is a valid ship that’s just as canon-compliant as Korrasami”. In fact, from what I understand, most of them ignore that entire arc. Because the creators of that show were pulled in so many directions and jerked around with little warning, and sometimes they ended up making things that weren’t great or didn’t fit well with the overall story.

Many Game of Thrones fans are united in their agreement that the eighth season did not happen and “canon compliant” fics can safely ignore it. Absolutely no one needs to accept that season as canon anyway, because it was, quite frankly, absolute garbage.

There are Captain America fans who refuse to accept Endgame as canon, because it directly contradicts the canon established for him in previous films, and because it’s just too freaking sad.

Nobody should be going out of their way to call out other fans, but also… if something is incompatible with previously established canon, it doesn’t matter if it’s part of the official media from the franchise or not. You can decide on your own cutoff for what is or isn’t canon, and ignore the rest. It’s what fans have been doing since the comic days, before superhero movies were around.

[redwiccanrobin]

I keep seeing people say the live action show is going to be bad only because Bryke is no longer involved. Now, I’m not particularly interested in the show because live action remakes just don’t do anything for me, personally. But I think y’all are giving Bryke way more credit than they deserve. Let’s discuss.

First, I think we should acknowledge the more problematic aspect of them creating the show in the first place. While I love Avatar, Bryke are two white men who took the aesthetics of many different Asian cultures to create their world. And most of the voice cast were also white. If there were Asian voice actors, they were either a background character or a villain (besides Iroh and Zuko, of course). Now, I know that some of you may have read that and thought about how the actor playing Sokka is not only white but lied about his ethnicity. Don’t worry, I’m mad at that as well and I’m beyond frustrated that Sokka has been whitewashed not once, but twice in the name of a live action interpretation.

And speaking of live action interpretations, let us not forget Bryke’s role in the 2010 movie. They announced their decision to leave this new show due to it not matching their vision. But they had no problem with the film that casted almost exclusively white actors to play characters of color. Again, if there were POC in the movie they were either background actors or villains (again, besides Iroh and Zuko). When people bring up the movie, they blame Shamalan for every aspect of it. Yes, he did not direct a good movie. But, at the end of the day, Bryke wanted this movie to happen. Everyone else, including Shamalan, wanted a season four but they were dead set on the live action movie that whitewashed most of the characters. And they were fine with that. That didn’t clash with their vision despite relying very heavily on non-white cultures to make their show.

Outside of the whitewashed movie, their creative choices are… interesting, to say the least. And we didn’t get to see those because the writers pulled their weight and tweaked the original concepts. Toph? Bryke wanted her to be a boy and be in a love triangle with Aang and Katara. It was the writers who made her a girl. Azula? Again, Bryke wanted her to be a boy and, again, the writers made her a girl. Katara fighting sexism in the Northern Water Tribe? They wanted her to be fighting for Aang, not herself. It was the writers decision to add in Katara fighting against a patriarchal system. Many of the episodes that people point to as their favorites (Zuko Alone, The Puppetmaster, The Southern Raiders) were not written by them. Yet, they get the pats on the backs from casual viewers and even some dedicated fans.

Do you know what happens when they do have creative control? At best, it’s mediocre, at worst, it’s bad. Let’s first take a look at their continuation of this universe by looking at Legend of Korra. The writers that made those iconic and beautiful episodes in ATLA? For the most part, they’re no where to be found. And it shows. LoK was a mess from the very beginning and never quite got its footing. Yes, I will acknowledge that Nickelodeon fucked them over. Yes, I do have respect for them for sticking to their guns and making Korrasami an item and giving us not one but two bisexual women of color. But besides that? It’s just a very mediocre show with mediocre writing.

But we see how truly bad things can get with the ATLA comics. Now, I do need to acknowledge that they didn’t work on that comic alone. So, like the movie, there are others to blame for the mess. But Bryke signed off on everything and wrote some of it themselves. And, boy, are they bad. A large number of the ATLA fandom do not like these comics and there’s definitely a reason why. Including out of character moments, prominent sexism with how the women are written, and just downright bizarre discussions, it’s not that much of a surprise that we don’t like to acknowledge it. In my opinion, no one got screwed over more in those comics than Katara. They make her a trophy girlfriend. A shadow to Aang rather than being her own character. That girl we watched in the show, the one who was vibrant, layered, complex, was gone. In her place, a hollow shell. And they would continue to show disrespect for their own character in LoK where she has been upgraded from trophy girlfriend to trophy wife. They didn’t even care enough about her, besides her being the wife of Aang and the mother of his children, to give her a statue! All the feminism we see in the original show? It definitely wasn’t Bryke.

I don’t know how this new live action show is going to pan out. It could be great, it could be bad. It could just be meh. But none of those outcomes have anything to do with whether or not Bryke was involved. Because they may have created ATLA, but they weren’t the ones who truly breathed life into it.

[sterlingarcher23]

It's going to happen

For the record: ElMax will happen just not the way you may like it though. It's Blue & Yellow. (Seriously, no one sees this?)

Written on the pages is the answer to a Neverending Story.

This show is not a "we are just telling some stuff and have no idea where it's heading or how long it's gonna be" for TV in which they use queerbaiting but a show for a streaming service FYI. This show has a planed plot. (And it's final season was greenlit before S4 was even released.)

It uses proxy dialog & moments to tell more than one story.

This show is not there just to ship characters, this show wants to tell it's audience something through these ships and to make an impact. Oh...and it's in the supernatural genre too. They aren't playing with you (although they are playing two ship-fans against each other.)

Btw. Lumax relationship happened within, um, a single season and back then Max was already curious about El. It just takes...about as long as it took Korrasami to happen. Although they didn't have the courage to let it happen within the show but had to confirm it afterwards... That show was for kids. Stranger Things' actual target audience is much, much older.

And it gives you everything you need. You only trust what you see...? Well, I repeat myself here:

She says it in this scene in which we see El in Max's head.

"This is Max"

But I doubt many of you'll like the explanation and what's basically going to happen. (Btw I don't think Byler is going to happen the way people want it to happen either) Which brings me back to my problem. A dilemma....I talked about it before. You will not like the answer. Or believe it. Why am I doing this?

Me:

"You will need to fly."

"To become a superhero...gone to Max's."

Lucas speaks to her loss of vision & touch. I mean this isnt done for shits and giggles. "We are gonna get you some help...." Yeah, I get it. (This should actually be in another post though)

And El is the cure. Connection causes reaction.

One of two cures. Two cures for two different things...

[eosofspades]

Question for you, on the subject of SPOP ships: would you have been okay with Glitradora (essentially the poly trio) being a thing, had Nate Stevenson decided he wanted to go that direction? I'm just curious as someone who loved how the Catradora arc was done in the show.

(And for the record, I understand your indifference towards both Korrasami and CaitVi--the latter will need some more seasons in the oven to really flourish, while the former is severely hampered by the constant executive interference Nickelodeon pulled on LOK during its original run.)

if glitradora were made canon i would have eaten my own face (/pos) my god the CONCEPT,,, the DRAMA,,, the DYNAMICS,,,,, that would have been my roman empire actually

also agree w everything you say here indifference is a great word for it. caitvi i actually see the potential in them i don't dislike the pairing it just rlly isn't compelling to me. i actually felt a little,,, weird about it? it felt like it came out of nowhere to me?? which i know isn't true but something about it just strikes me as Rushed idk (vi is still one of my favorite characters though)

as for korrasami i lowkey feel bad hating on it bc i KNOW how much the network screwed over the writers about it, but like,,, man i don't even see the potential in this one ahgakjsdas. i will admit though a big part of this is just the general writing of tlok i felt wasn't great so the character dynamics seem sorta weak to me. i AM glad for what they did for representation in kids' cartoons though and i'm glad ppl are having a good time shipping them. the fanart is gorgeous also

[sugxrslushy]

hii, could i maybe request some fluffy + humorous hcs of nami & gn!reader where they have a late night conversation together? maybe they both wake up in the middle of the night having trouble sleeping & reader teases nami about her snoring? not sure if that would be ooc for her or not, but i thought it would be super cute xD i actually got the idea from this korrasami fic i read. & maybe after they have a cuddle session together? :3

➪ a/n: oh my gosh this was the cutest idea ahhh!! been on my mind for a bit and I've been dying to write it, the idea better fit me writing it as a fic so I hope you don't mind! but ty ty for such an adorable idea, personally I wouldn't put it past Nami snoring. I just think it's cute bc she presents herself as someone who wouldn't but would you look at that she does lol

➪ includes: Nami (w/ a gn!reader)

➪ warnings: none!

You could only stare blearily at the bright red numbers spelling out 2 am on the clock, it felt too bright against your face and even when you covered it there was the awareness of the light that kept you from falling asleep. It was late and you were exhausted, but sleep was far from being found

Nami is snoring softly, no matter how much she tried to put up the front of being a perfectly pretty girl around others, you knew too much to fall from it. You knew everything about her, scars hidden under dotted freckles, dark circles disguised with makeup and her pretty red hair that took hours of brushing out in the morning to turn a birds nest to something more presentable

And the fact that she snored, it wasn’t awful compared to most other people but it definitely kept you up if you were unlucky enough not to fall asleep before her. Now you were stuck praying she’d roll over and the snoring would stop, something that could take forever because she never seemed to move much unless you wanted space.

Finally fed up, you decide to roll over and shake her awake, another hard task. As much as you would believe that she was a light sleeper, once she was asleep she was gone for good. Enough time around Luffy and friends and you understood why she needed this skill, too much noise for even you to handle yet she was out like a light in seconds.

“Namiii-” You whisper, shaking her shoulder. She snorts in her sleep and jerks away from you. Once again you try, and once again she snorts loud enough to make you laugh, trying desperately to keep your voice a whisper as you wake her up. “Nami you’re snoring, get up before I push you out of the bed.”

“Push me out of the bed and I’m charging you for that.” She answers sleepily, just merely stirring awake.

“Like you would remember.” You tease and roll onto your stomach to face the ceiling. She shuffles beside you, digging at the side of the bed before a stuffed animal is thrown into your face. “What was that for?!”

“For saying I snore.” Her voice is muffled from her face buried into her pillow, blocking out any light and sound as she tries to resume her slumber. You huff and throw the stuffed animal back at her, missing her completely. It was way too dark for you to be doing anything and could barely tell the difference between her and the mass of blankets she’d piled up on her side. “I’m also charging you for that.”

“Nami!” You whisper aggressively. The apartment is empty but you can’t dare to bother your neighbors, keeping all of you bickering at a level below a whisper. “You’re so mean to me, all I’m doing is pointing out the truth.”

Nami finally rolls onto her side to face you, the bottom half of her face covered with blankets and eyes narrowed facing you. Or at least you think, it’s too dark and even the street light is barely helping, the heavy curtains blocking out streams of light. “You’re tired and hallucinating things at this point, go to bed.”

“Maybe if you weren’t snoring I could get some rest.” You giggle and Nami groans covering her face with her hands. She then reaches out, looping her arms around your waist and pulling you in close to her. Her hair tickles your face and you can feel the softness of her own skin against yours. She finishes tucking the two of you in then relaxes, her free arm strewn over your stomach and the other cushioning her face.

“When you fall asleep I’ll go to sleep afterwards then,” She yawns quietly and nuzzles close to you, cradling you in her arms. Smiling softly, you nod and make yourself comfortable beside her. As if feeling her beside you, her arms wrapped comfortably around you and chest pressed close to your own was the cure to your sleepless night, you can feel your eyelids turn heavy and flutter closed. Nami runs her hand over your hair, a soothing motion that only makes you slip closer to falling asleep.

“Y/n?” She whispers, her lips pressing a sleepy kiss against your forehead as you stir back to being awake for a second. Eyes too tired to open, you hum quietly in response to her. “If you start snoring I’m making you sleep on the couch.”

You snort and roll your eyes, burying your face closer in the crook of her neck. Her heartbeat is a pleasant sound to listen to, the rhythmic beat coaxing you into a deep slumber. And when you awoke you were still surrounded by pillows and blankets, the sun seeping into the room through cracks in the curtains. And Nami was still snoring, albeit much quieter.

tag list: @foodismylife @portgaes

[lexa-kom-skaikru]

I need to rant about Supercorp

Plot twist of 2021: I am back to being a clown for Supercorp... yay?

I thought I was over this. I thought I knew better. I thought I had grown as a person and was superior to the tricks of queerbaiting. Yet, here I am. In the year of 2021, questioning everything and wondering if they will pull a Korrasami on us with Supercorp.

Here’s the thing, rationally I don’t believe it. They wouldn’t do it. They’re cowards. They would not make them endgame. I know this. But fuck it if I am not having doubts and feeding my hopeful optimistic side with what we’ve been getting lately and wondering if maybe, just maybe, Supercorp is endgame.

I just honestly don’t understand what’s happening. It’s like there’s been a shift in the writing but I can’t exactly pinpoint what it is? We have been getting so many Supercorp scenes in the past few episodes and it’s like the writers are no longer afraid of having them share screen time. I don’t remember ever being fed this well. Even in the prime time of Supercorp back in season 2 and 3, it’s like the entire episode could be about Supercorp and their relationship but their shared screen time had to be limited. But now it’s like they are just not afraid to have Melissa and Katie share more than 2 or 3 scenes an episode together.

Not just the quantity of scenes but the content too. They have been consistently showing us that Kara and Lena just want to spend time with each other as much as possible. There is not even an attempt at hiding it. In fact, they make sure to showcase it. They tell us that Kara and Lena were keeping in touch while Lena was away, they show us Lena and Kara working together, they show us Lena and Kara ending the day together.

Actually, if we’re being honest, it’s almost kind of like Lena has taken Alex’s role a little bit - by this I mean that Alex was usually Kara’s person, the one that would ground her and put things in perspective for her, the one she would want to be with when the end of the day comes and she just wants to relax and be Kara with. And this is supported by the final scenes of each episode. Kara and Alex couch scenes seem to have been kind of replaced by Lena and Kara scenes.

(Btw, this is not me saying that Alex’s role in Kara’s life is no longer existent, at all. It’s just me saying that the relationship has shifted, they were each others main source of comfort when they had no one else but now Alex has Kelly and Kara has Lena, so the main source of comfort has shifted which is a normal thing to happen when you start dating someone. The sibling relationship is just as strong, it just takes a different form)

This together with Kara saying she doesn’t want to be alone anymore, is leading me to clown really hard because of how the writers have been framing Supercorp’s scenes and relationship lately. It’s like they want to establish that Lena is Kara’s rock, Kara’s humanity (literally this last episode Lena was the one to remind Kara of her humanity), the one to ground her and her source of comfort at the end of the day.

Am I clowning? Yes. But doesn’t take away from the fact that what I said is all true.

Edit: Also, let’s talk about how they started to unabashedly framing Supercorp as full on love interests to each other. The writing is no longer making that subtext. They are openly portraying them as love interests and I am freaking!

[low-budget-korra]

 Just  answering some questions ive saw in avatarverse twitter (credits to  @yuekataras for making the thread)

- who’s your one absolute comfort character Korra

- what’s your comfort ship Korrasami

-what character do u see yourself into the most and why?  Korra, cuz we are two lgbt woc who grown up with tons of expectations put in our shoulders. We also grew up overprotected from the world and that led to a difficult late teenage and early adult life cuz we didn't know how to do shit and life beat us like a mf. We trusted  people who scar us. We both fought battles against mental illness and when we are in rock bottom we just isolate ourself from everyone. And we both simp for hot femme brunettes with girlboss energy

-what’s your fave season of atla? Whats your fave season of tlok? Book 3 of atla is a masterpiercer. I also like book 3 of tlok, but today i will choose book 1 because everytime i rewatch it, i left with another discover or view of what happen there and everything is just so real and i think is the actually most dark season od tlok

-who’s your favorite villain? Azula 

-most overrated avatarverse character? Kuvira. She def aint all that. All of other main villains from both shows are better written within their goals and all of them are stronger than her, cuz all of them Ozai, Azula, Amon, Unalaq and Zaheer represented a real threat to the Avatar’s life and the fight their had kept you on edge because you knew they were powerfull. With Kuvira... her first match with Korra she was actually about to lose if Korra didnt had allucinate. And teh final battle, fighting one vs one with Korra, the avatar pulled her punches too much and it feel like Korra could murder Kuvira anytime she wanted

-most underrated avatarverse character? Katara. People joke so much about her that they forget how powerfull she really is. Katara can legit beat all of the others Gaang members, excepect Aang cuz he is the Avatar.

-who’s the most tragic character in your opinion? Azula. She was just a kid when everything happened and she needed help, love and support. And the away bryke destroy her character in the comics after The Search is something that enfuriates me as a fan and a fellow writer

-what duo did you want to see more of? Azula and Katara. I know they arent a duo but they have so similar backstorys and arcs that i wish they had more scenes together. I think it would be better than Zutara scenes.

what’s your favorite headcanon? Azula is a lesbian. Lin and Kya are a couple.Azula got the help she needed and was one of Korra firebender teachers.Korra find a way to connect with the past avatars in the spirit world.

[retvenkos]

romantic at heart | m.

Legend of Korra - Mako x Reader, fluff

tw: none

word count: 4.6k

A/N: canon? who needs her? certainly not this fic. korrasami deserved to be canon earlier so i vaguely mentioned it, and mako and bolin’s apartment is the perfect setting don’t @ me.

Summary: Mako has always had bad luck when it comes to love, but with (Y/n), things feel easy. So why, then, is it so hard to admit it?

the three times he didn’t say it, and the one time he did.

one;

“I’m telling you guys, this is going to be great! Part Four is my favorite in The Adventures of Nuktuk: Hero of the South!” 

Mako shared an amused look with (Y/n) as Bolin led the way into the darkened theater, holding open the door for the group to enter. Asami and Korra passed hand in hand, and when (Y/n) walked past Bolin, they tossed a piece of popcorn at him and Bolin caught it in his mouth.

Mako brought up the rear of the group, and as they walked up to find their seats, he whispered, “How many parts are there, Bo?”

“Seven! And the Finale’s great, don’t get me wrong, but it just doesn’t have the heart that part four does.”

“That’s just because he kisses Ginger,” (Y/n) leaned in and whispered to Mako, earning an incredulous “hey!” from Bolin.

“How’d that work out, by the way?” Asami turned to the earthbender with what sounded like genuine curiosity and Bolin chuckled nervously.

“Ah, well, you know, the hearts of mover stars are fickle, so we didn’t last long… there was something about it being a publicity stunt, but that didn’t make much sense, so…”

“Well it’s her loss,” Korra elbowed Bolin in the side with a smile and he forced a chuckle.

“She doesn’t deserve you, Bo.”

“Yeah, you’re a great mover star.”

A few people in the theater shushed them, and the group settled down into their chairs, just moments before the lights dimmed further and the mover started. The disembodied voice of Varrick boomed through the speakers with a recap of the previous 3 parts of the daring adventure, and everyone fell silent, slowly getting sucked into the mover before them.

Ever since their debut, the Nuktuk movies were a success - a staple of Republic City culture - getting replayed in theatres again and again. After learning that Mako hadn’t seen Nuktuk in its entirety, Bolin called for a state of emergency and got the whole group together so they could schedule a time for a complete rewatch of the seven-part masterpiece.

Mako had been planning to make some excuse - a series of cases that Beifong put him up to, or a slew of paperwork that some higher-paid coworkers pawned off onto him. It wouldn’t be the first time he had to miss something for work, and it wouldn’t be the first attempt at lying to get out of a viewing party. Just three months ago he narrowly avoided a showing of Love amongst the Dragons by faking sickness and saying that Beifong told him to sleep all day so he could be back at work the next. Everyone but Bolin believed him, and Bolin (who didn’t want to see it either but promised Asami he would go) let it slide.

After that, Bolin was better at guessing when Mako was lying, and whenever he needed Mako’s compliance, he set (Y/n) up to the task of cajoling Mako to come along.

So far, their track record had been impeccable.

(Y/n) chuckled at something they saw on screen, and Mako turned to them. “How many cases of Vari-dye do you think Varrick sold after that product placement?” They gestured to the screen where the once blonde Ginger flagrantly mentioned her hair dye product before becoming a, well… ginger. The script was somehow able to loosely tie the product placement into the plot, but the moment earned a couple of well-earned laughs throughout the theater.

“Millions, most likely. Aren’t these movers big in Ba Sing Se?”

“As comedies,” (Y/n) muttered, leaning in, clearly trying to keep their voice down so Bolin didn’t hear. The theater around them was dark and silent, but the light reflected in (Y/n)’s eyes was full of life and mirth. Mako found himself unable to look away.

He cleared his throat, “You do have to give it to Nuktuk and his comedic timing.”

“And Juji’s heart-wrenching death and subsequent resurrection.”

Mako found himself chuckling at their lame joke, and for once, he didn’t mind. (Y/n) smiled triumphantly, as though they had accomplished something truly grand, and angled their bag of popcorn towards Mako. He took some and popped a piece in his mouth, his laughter still dying on his lips. 

“Varrick must be quite the director, to get you to laugh in a totally serious, not-a-comedy mover.”

“Varrick?” and there was just enough suggestion in Mako’s words to say all that he couldn’t, though why he couldn’t seem to get anything else out, he didn’t know.

Things were always easy with (Y/n); their smiles were soft and infectious, their tactics in getting him to open up were effortless and effective, and falling in love with them had been the most simple and uncomplicated thing in this world. It should have been with such ease that Mako told them that it was them that got him into the theater and their corny comments that made him burn inside, like a thousand dying comets that took the form of shooting stars.

But for some reason, he was stuck.

Unsurprising, really, Mako had never really had luck when it came to love and even friendship. There was always something complicating things; there were always two sides of him, fighting the other for reasons even he couldn’t fathom. Eventually, one of them would lose. Eventually, something would give. 

But until that eventuality…

“I suppose I am quite the comedian. Should I write a screenplay?” (Y/n) was speaking, but something in their demeanor was different - a little stunned - like they hadn’t considered something before and it was only now dawning on them, slowly, but comfortably. Easy. “It would have to be a sequel to Nuktuk, of course. Maybe I can introduce the grumpy, mysterious fire-bender who he’s now forced to share a quest with?”

(Y/n) nudged him in the shoulder, already rolling their eyes at their own idea. Mako looked down, suddenly interested in picking the perfect piece of popcorn. “Yeah. If you’re making it, why not?”

(Y/n) snorted and turned back to the film.

two;

Taking the steps to his apartment two at a time, Mako fished for his keys in the pocket of his pants. Walking the beat had the potential to be more trouble than it was worth, and often Mako found himself at the gym at the end of the day, taking out his frustration the way he used to - pro-bending. Well, not so much pro-bending, anymore, seeing as they disbanded the Fire Ferrets, and dissolved the team, but it was the same training, nonetheless, and Mako had been a pro-bender so long that oftentimes, nothing felt more comfortable than the gym.

As he walked down the hall to his door - second on the right, Bolin had insisted - Mako could hear the sounds of laughter and the beeping of the oven. Despite himself, he smiled, breathing in deeply as he fiddled with the lock and opened the door.

Inside the tiny apartment, (Y/n) and Bolin were working side by side, leaning over the oven as they looked at the baked goods that lay within. The counters were a mess of cluttered ingredients and mismatched bake wear, Pabu had tracked flour across the carpet, and by every measure it was chaotic, but Mako simply leaned against the doorframe, speaking just loud enough to be heard. “Stress baking, again? Y’know, I’m really starting to regret giving you a key.”

"This was all Bolin, actually.” (Y/n) pulled the baking sheet out of the oven and set it down before turning to Mako with their usual countenance. “He told me to come over - he bought a set of mixing bowls and everything.”

“He didn’t buy more counter space?”

“Hey!” Bolin called incredulously through a mouth full of baked goods. Pabu scuttled beneath him, eating the crumbs that fell to the floor. “Counters wouldn’t fit.”

“It’s alright Bo,” (Y/n) nudged his arm with their shoulder, turning back to the task at hand. They used an old spatula to take their masterpiece off of the pan, and Bolin took two from them. 

“You have to try this batch, Mako, (Y/n)’s gotten really good at their green tea cookies.”

“Oh?”

Mako shut the door behind him and walked over to the couch. (Y/n) met him halfway with their signature, light green cookie, Mako took it with an appreciative smile. “The secret is in the matcha. I wasn’t putting in enough before, so they didn’t taste right.”

Mako broke off a bit of the cookie, making sure to get a bit that had a white chocolate chip in it, and savored the taste. (Y/n) was watching him with one of their expectant smiles, and he nodded his head, the bittersweet flavor still lingering in his mouth. “These are your best yet.”

“High praise, coming from you.” And there was an edge of sarcasm to their voice, but their eyes were bright. Mako just looked at them for a moment, really looked at them in all of their casual beauty. (Y/n) had moved into his life so early on and so slowly that Mako didn’t know what life would be like without their casual teasing and easy grins.

And, of course, their random (but not unwelcome) bouts of stress baking.

Mako must have been staring a bit too long, because (Y/n) raised a playful eyebrow, and not too long after, Bolin broke the silence. “Uh, Pabu and I have to go, and uh... y’know, do adult stuff, with uh....”

“With Korra?” (Y/n) supplied amusedly, turning to Bolin, who was stuffing a napkin with cookies hurriedly. 

“Yeah! Y’know, Avatar stuff...” Bolin shrugged, slipping out the door, only to open it up again and grab his shoes before shoving off again.

(Y/n) scoffed and Mako sighed, calling after him. “Real smooth, Bo!” 

A muffled response called out to them, and (Y/n) laughed, walking back over to the kitchen area, where they started to put together another batch of cookies, measuring the sugar with their hands and putting it into a bowl with butter. “I’m surprised you haven’t been kicked out from noise complaints.”

Yeah, well Bolin charmed our neighbors into liking us too much to see us go.”

“His charm does go far, doesn’t it?” Mako watched and (Y/n) moved through his apartment with ease, pulling spoons out of the drawers and cleaning the dishes as they went. Their practiced movements had the surety and preciseness of someone who lived there, and the thought was enough to make Mako’s throat dry.

“So,” Mako cleared his throat and walked over to (Y/n) passing them the egg they were reaching for. “you measure everything with your hands, and yet you’re constantly insisting that baking is a science. How does that work?”

“It’s all in the weight and look of it - a full cup is a far cry from a fourth.” (Y/n) mixed the ingredients together, their brow set in concentration, “Or, at least, that’s what my mom used to say. What I will tell you—” they looked up at Mako rather suddenly, that intensity still alight within them “—is that it’s in how it feels.”

“So the weight of it.”

“Yes... but it’s more than that.” (Y/n) looked at him with their sharp eyes, as though trying to judge something. “Go wash your hands,” and they jerked their head to the side, “I’ll show you.”

Mako didn’t even hesitate to do as they said, and even though Bolin had left, he could hear his voice - a surprised “what...?” - nagging the back of his mind. It was easy to shrug off. It was (Y/n). Everything was easy when it came to them.

“Alright,” (Y/n) said, with a hint of childish excitement, as Mako slung the towel he had used to dry his hands over his shoulder. “Give me your hands.”

Their touch tickled and their fingers - dry and powdery from the flour - grazed over his, opening his palms with a gentle sort of care.

“Here is one cup or so.” (Y/n) grabbed a handful of flour, transferred it to their other hand, and skimmed some off the top before placing it in his. “Yeah, you can feel the weight, and you can see how much there is, but you have to kind of trust that what you're feeling is right, because it’s not always going to feel the same, right? When you’re tired or you’ve been baking all day, things feel different, even though they’re the same.”

“All this for flour?”

“For each cup of flour. We need two and a half.”

“I can see why Bolin asks you to do the baking.” (Y/n) chuckled and guided his hands to the mixing bowl, where Mako let the flour slip out of his fingertips like really fine sand. “But I can tell that you feel it...” the last bit of flour fell out of his hands, but Mako let his hands hover near (Y/n)’s for just a moment longer, “and that’s good enough.”

They smiled, and it has all the serenity and beauty of dawn. “I’ll make a baker of you, yet.” They added more flour to the bowl and started mixing, their gaze flicking up to Mako. “One of these days you’re going to understand the feeling of it.”

“I...” and part of Mako wanted to say that he already did, that his feelings were about the only thing he understood when it came to moments like these, but the words got caught in his throat, and he found himself unable to get them out. “I think we’ll have to do a lot more baking, then.”

three;

Mako ran, the ground beneath his feet steady and his breathing exact. The beauty of Republic City Park surrounded him and in the early morning, when the air was just nippy enough to need a jacket, there were few people to be found. The usual groups of people practicing tai chi or playing Pai Sho weren’t out yet, and the sun was just peaking over the horizon. 

Morning runs often gave Mako a sense of clarity - there was very little he could focus on when in fast, forward motion, and everything complicated fell away. It was just him, the ground, and the fire in his veins. 

Mako slowed to a jog, and when he found an empty park bench, he sat down, wiping the sweat off of his brow. The shadows were just starting to creep away, losing to the brilliance of the sun and hiding in each recess and tiny alcove. The duck pond in front of him was warming to a crystal-like blue. Mako breathed out and tipped his head back, letting the stillness wash over him, his thoughts slowly catching up with him.

“Mako?”

And at first, he thought it was just his feelings for (Y/n) meeting up with him once more, but then he heard the steady pounding of the pavement and there they were jogging toward him, ushering in the morning with a comfortable pace.

“Heading into work later than usual?” They stopped by the bench and Mako slid over so they’d have room to sit.

“No, Beifong told me to take a day off. I usually do paperwork today, but she handed it off to someone else.”

(Y/n) hummed in acknowledgement. “So you’re joining Asami and me for our run, then?”

"Huh?”

“Asami and I usually go on a run, at this time. We meet here.”

“Asami told me that I should take a run since I wasn’t going into work today.”

Both of them scoffed, relaxing deeper into the metal bench. For a moment they just sat there, taking in the moment, and letting the world dawn on them, a beautiful mixture of colors - a painting slowly completing itself. Eventually, (Y/n) turned to Mako, an eyebrow raised in jest. “Do you reckon they think they’re being slick?”

“Probably - and it’ll only get worse once they get Korra on board.”

“Who’s to say they haven’t already?” The two chuckled, shaking their heads at the efforts of their friends, and (Y/n) knocked their knees together, leaning in a little closer. “It’s alright, I like spending time with you.”

“You’re gonna hate me once we finish this run, though.”

“Then I guess you’ll have to buy me some tea, afterwards.” (Y/n) stood up, stretching their arms and letting out a yawn. “To make it up to me, of course.”

Mako stifled a smile and stood, making a show of his weary sigh. “Alright” —(Y/n) rolled their eyes at him— “You drive a hard bargain.”

They started off at a slow jog, and every minute or so Mako upped the intensity until they were sprinting across Republic City Park, occasionally dodging the wayward soul taking a morning stroll. The world blurred around them, the lush foliage turning into swaths of green with the occasional pinprick of color - purple or yellow, green or blue. As they slowed down, the world became more defined, and when they came to a walk, (Y/n) pulled ahead and turned around so they could walk backwards, facing Mako with a breathless grin.

“You owe me at least a muffin to go along with that tea, after what you just pulled. I almost ran into a woman walking her toddler! Could you imagine what would have happened, had I hit her?”

Mako laughed, still coming down from his high, and (Y/n) grinned at the sound - dazzling and so bright, it put the sun to shame. “Let’s get you out of the park, then, before you start running down Pai Sho players.” 

The two fell into step beside each other, taking the path out of the park and into the busy streets. Already, Republic City was booming with life, and the two were rather quick to slip into the quiet tea shop that was just around the corner. Inside, the cafe was fairly empty, with slow music playing from the speakers. (Y/n) closed their eyes and breathed in the smell of freshly-baked muffins, and Mako was quick to look away when they caught him staring.

(Y/n) walked towards the case that held all of the baked goods, trying to read the different types they had displayed. “This is way better than trying to throw something together at my apartment.”

Mako pulled his attention away from the menu board, where he had been searching for the right type of tea. “Your apartment? You mean you actually have a place to go, other than mine?” 

“You gave me the key.”

“For emergencies.”

(Y/n) scoffed. “Well, ‘emergencies’ is in clear need of a mutual definition.”

The two ordered, and Mako paid, despite (Y/n) saying they had the money, and when their order was ready, they took a seat in the corner, next to a window that overlooked a busy intersection. (Y/n) insisted they split the muffin and gave half to Mako, and after settling into their more calm atmosphere, (Y/n) turned to Mako.

“So, what are you going to do for the rest of your day off?” (Y/n) took a sip of their tea and fixed Mako with one of those stares - the kind that saw through everything else, and somehow got down to his core. “I can’t imagine this is what you had planned.”

“Uh… I don’t know. I figured I’d go home and work on finding a lead to a case or something.”

“Even though Beifong told you to take the day off?”

“Well, I’m not at the station…” Mako trailed off, suddenly finding great interest in the rim of his cup.

“And you’re not going to work from home, either.” (Y/n) scoffed exaggeratedly, and though Mako was the most incorrigible person they’d ever met. Although, in their defense, he probably was. “Not on my watch.”

“So what, you’re going to find something for me to do all day?”

“If that’s what it takes.”

Mako watched as (Y/n) sat back in the booth, a triumphant yet challenging smile on their face, and he felt the disbelief in his chest melt into something softer. It was there, again, that urge to say something both incredibly brave and terribly stupid; that desire to put all of his feelings into words and express them more truly than anything else.

“Alright,” Mako swallowed and allowed himself a small smile. “If that’s what it takes.

✧ *:･ﾟ

one;

Just when Mako had admitted to (Y/n) that he was an avid reader, he couldn’t remember, but at some point, they had found out, and ever since, the two spent their lazy weekends sprawled out on his sky blue sofa, books in hand. This time, (Y/n) had come earlier than usual, and by midday, they had already finished their novel - a fast-paced murder mystery with just a bit of a redemption arc for one of the main leads. They had talked about (Y/n)’s book while walking down to the market to get the necessary fixings for dinner, and when they came back to Mako’s tiny apartment, he passed them one of his favorites to read - a historical fiction that combined elements of notable legends and recorded history to make an interesting thriller with plenty of easy-to-digest drama. 

When (Y/n) took it from him, they took one look at the summary and raised an eyebrow.  “This is one of your favorites?” Mako had tried to push down his embarrassment, stuttering out some kind of response, but had just smiled. “It’s not a bad thing, just surprising. I’m sure I’ll love it.”

And they did. For the next hour and a half, the two sat in Mako’s apartment in relative silence, reading separate novels and making the occasional exclamation of shock, betrayal, joy, and surprise. Mako had looked over at (Y/n) occasionally, trying to judge where they were in the book, and whether they were enjoying it just as much as he had, the first time.

At some point in the day, the sun filtering through the window matured into a deeper, golden shade, turning the afternoon into early evening. Mako, who had been thoroughly engrossed in his novel for the better part of the day, stood up from his couch and stretched when he noticed the change in light. Letting out a sigh, he made his way over to the kitchen area. As he started to make dinner for the both of them, Mako missed the way that (Y/n) turned to look at him from their place on the couch, a lopsided grin on their face. They still lay on the turquoise material, sitting upside down with their feet in the air, book in hand and the red couch cushion resting on their stomach, watching as Mako turned on the stove with a click of propane and a bit of fire bending. 

It wasn't long before the apartment was full of the comforting smell of Mako's cooking, and soon (Y/n) found it impossible to focus on the page before them. They opted to right themself instead and watch Mako as he finished up, adding the finishing touches to the meal before splitting what lay in the pan into two different bowls. 

He handed a bowl to (Y/n) as he settled onto the couch, both of them moving to sit cross-legged, their knees touching. (Y/n) savored the flavor of Mako's signature dish, and he gestured to the book beside them. 

"How're you liking it so far?"

"The book? It's great. Perfectly paced, in my opinion, although I wouldn't mind for a little bit more world-building. The time period is so interesting and they could lean into it a little more."

Mako nodded, satisfied with the smile on their face and the eagerness in their tone. "I figured you'd like it. There's a lot happening, but the characters are good enough to carry the story."

"That's a raving review, coming from you." (Y/n) laughed, the sound falling from their lips effortlessly. "And I can see why it's your favorite. You like a good redemption arc, don't you?"

"It's an interesting enough idea."

"A rather sweet one, too. Are you sure you're not a romantic at heart?"

Mako scoffed in response, but even so, he could feel his cheeks burning up, the nagging voice in his head (the one that told him to just confess already, or do something equally as rash) getting louder from conviction. "I think that's you."

"Oh definitely, but there's always room for one more," (Y/n) mumbled through a mouth full of noodles. "And judging by your taste in books, I'd say you already are."

"There's not even a romantic subplot!"

"The main character literally took lightning to the face for his best friend, and then proceeded to say that he’d do it all again, if it meant they could stay together. Are you telling me there isn't something there?"

“You said yourself that they’re friends!”

“C’mon, Mako,” (Y/n) deadpanned, setting aside their dinner so that they could use their hands to punctuate their speech. There was a fire in their eyes, and something restless in the way they moved - like there was something important they were trying to say. “Friendship is clearly just an excuse for them.”

“An excuse?” Mako felt his throat dry. Suddenly, he was acutely aware of their proximity, and the little space that still existed between them - like they were almost touching, and yet oceans apart. 

(Y/n)’s hands fidgeted in their lap. “Yeah, like… An easy out when you’re too afraid to go for it...or when you think you’re not enough.” Part of Mako wanted to look away, but (Y/n)’s eyes had caught his gaze too fully and the other part of him battled to stay. For the longest moment, he couldn’t move. “But they love each other - you can see it.”

There was a battle waging war inside Mako; each side fighting the other for dominance, and only one coming out on top. When he spoke, his voice was low, almost like a deep sigh. “Yeah, they love each other.”

(Y/n) smiled, their mouth moving with just the slightest tremble, and part of Mako wondered what had disrupted the ease with which they did everything, but another part of him already knew. Mako reached out and cupped their cheek, the feeling of their skin against his flooding him with courage he didn’t know he had.

“And I love you, (Y/n).” 

“About time you confessed to me.” (Y/n)’s eyes sparkled in jest before they surged forward, kissing Mako and igniting the fire in his chest. All he could think about was them and the way they blissfully invaded all of his senses, how soft their lips were, and how strong their hands were, as they wrapped around him, pulling him nearer. When they broke apart, (Y/n) rested their forehead on his. 

Then they said it, their voice a whisper that sent him tumbling over the edge, their breath fanning against his cheek.

“I love you, too.”

Mako kissed them again, craving the feeling of their lips against his, chasing after the way they made him feel - like every moment had led to this, like every battle had been worth the struggle. Time seemed to stop, and for a moment, it was as though there was no gravity, and the only thing anchoring Mako to this world was (Y/n), and their touch.

“Like I said,” (Y/n) was smiling when he pulled away, and their gaze made it easy to come back down to earth. “You’re a romantic at heart.”

Mako chuckled and (Y/n) laughed with him, the sound filling the tiny apartment with something undefined but utterly perfect. 

“Alright, so maybe I am.” Mako relented, tipping his head back. “But an epic romance doesn’t happen within that book, if that’s what you're after.”

“Well, maybe we’ll have to write a sequel of our own."

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[fangirlauthor]

Ah Im not sure if you request in ask, so sorry if no- but it would be awesome if you could do a korrasami one shot or really anything about korra getting injured, brushing it off as small (it isnt) and asami fretting over it

hi!! thanks for the request, i hope i did it justice :)))

Title: Only Slightly Stabbed

Wordcount: 1433

Tw: blood, fighting, stabbing, pain (dizziness, nausea)

There was a solid stone wall behind her. A shadow in front. She scrambled to find something - anything - to fight back with. Her hand closed over the hilt of a small dagger, and she forced herself to focus through the pain as she pulled it free and threw it.

Gasping, she slid down the wall until she was sitting down, her knees pulled close to her chest as she tried to keep her breathing even. She looked down at herself and gritted her teeth through a wave of nausea and dizziness. Soaking through her clothes, coating her skin, and puddling on the street, was blood. Distantly she recognized it as hers, recognized that there was far, far too much of it, but she couldn’t move without her vision turning white, so she didn’t.

Between her own shallow breaths, she heard a voice calling her name. She knew that voice. She was positive she knew that voice, but who… the world faded to black before she could find out.

She awoke hours - or was it days? She couldn’t tell - later, lying flat on her back on something soft and fluffy. Her head was propped up on something, and she would have thought it was pillows if not for the slow, steady movement of whatever it was. She twisted to see what it was but stopped as fire shot through her veins. She hissed and let herself return to the position she had been laying in before. She closed her eyes, breathing and trying to ignore the pain.

“You idiot. You’re not supposed to move.” Korra’s eyes flew open and she smirked. She couldn’t believe she had ever forgotten Asami’s voice.

“Yeah, well. I had to figure out what I’m laying on.”

Asami shook her head, black hair swaying gently. “Naga didn’t want to leave you alone. She’s been by you this whole time.”

Korra grinned. “Of course. And which of my other favorite beings have been to see me?”

A smirk. “Just me. Too much excitement and you would have woken up before you were ready.”

“Aw. You’re being all protective.”

“As soon as you can walk again I’m going to stop being protective and start asking you what head trauma you experienced that erased all your brain cells.” Asami smiled, but Korra’s eyes had gone distant, and her voice was sharp when she spoke next.

“What do you mean, ‘as soon as you can walk again’?”

Asami blinked slowly, registering the panic in Korra’s eyes. “Your legs are fine, Korra. Your only injury is the stab wound. You’re alright. You’re going to be alright.”

Asami stepped across the room and sat next to Korra, gently stroking her hair from her face until the panic faded. For a few minutes, silence. Then, “You should have left the knife in. It would have staunched the bleeding.”

Korra’s relaxed countenance shifted. In an instant she was on guard, her scowl rivaling the anger and fear of a cornered animal. “If I had left the knife in, the attacker - whoever they were - would have killed me. I would be dead.”

For the second time in five minutes, Asami was looking at Korra like she was trying not to cry. “You could have used your bending. You weren’t powerless.”

Korra stared at Asami. “My… right. Yes, you’re right. I should have done that.” A pause. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what? Almost dying? I’m the one who’s sorry you almost died. I don’t know what I would do without you. I just… why didn’t you bend?”

Korra looked away, unable to meet Asami’s intense stare. “I forgot I could. I forgot I’d gotten better, I forgot I had healed. I thought that if I had no weapons in my hand I was going to die because I couldn’t bend and had no other options.” She wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry. I thought I was better.”

Asami reached over and wiped the tears from Korra’s face. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for. Healing doesn’t happen in a straight line. Don’t expect it to.”

“Okay.” She sniffed. “Okay. I’m okay.”

“You don’t have to be.” Asami grinned. “Besides, you’ll be sitting in here until you’ve got clearance to leave the house. Clearance from me, of course. Until then, you’re staying right here.”

“But-”

“Nope. I’m getting you some tea. Naga, make sure she doesn’t try to get up.”

“Hey! I can manage perfectly fine on my own. It’s not even that big of a deal. I was only lightly stabbed.”

“Too bad. You’ve got bed rest for at least three days. More if you complain.”

“Mother hen.”

“Is that complaining I hear? Think carefully before you speak.”

Korra scoffed. “Fine. I’ll be good.”

Asami smiled. “Wonderful.”

The last thing Korra remembered before falling asleep was Asami quietly reading and handing her the mug of tea whenever she requested. The two of them had managed to work out a system that hurt Korra the least while still making sure she didn’t choke. Basically, she was drinking hot tea out of a straw. When she awoke, the sun was filtering in through the thin curtains, casting stark shadows behind the sofa and table.

“Are you okay? You were out for a long time, but I didn’t want to wake you.” Asami’s forehead was creased with worry, and she was carrying a few rolls of paper and had a pencil tucked behind her ear.

“I’m alright. How long did I sleep for?”

“Over fourteen hours.”

Korra blinked. That was… longer than she had been expecting. If she kept this up, she’d have even less ground to stand on to maintain her “it’s only a minor wound” attitude. “Did you get some work done while I was out, at least?”

Asami shook her head. “I tried, though. I even sat in the office for a full ten minutes before I came to check on you. After that, I sat at the coffee table. You have got to stop scaring me like this.”

“It’s part of the job description. I can’t change that. ”

Asami huffed a laugh. “Sure, but I think you could put more of an effort toward not dying.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“At your job, or at trying not to die?”

Korra paused. “Both, I suppose.”

When Asami’s back was turned, she gritted her teeth and pushed herself onto her elbows. Even her determination to be quiet couldn’t silence the hiss of pain that escaped her, and Asami immediately turned back around. “What exactly are you doing?”

Korra froze. “Nothing.”

“Sure looks like nothing. Lay back down. You’re not supposed to move, you could reopen the wound.”

Korra grumbled but did as she was told. “How long do I have to stay here, again? I’m only slightly injured”

“Longer every time you ask. And stop brushing it off - you can barely move. Here, eat this.”

Korra took the plate, trying to angle her neck to see what was on it. “Could I at least sit up? I can’t lay like this for days.”

Asami considered it, then sighed. “Fine. But go slow, and wait for me to set this down so I can help you.” Asami took the plate from Korra and walked through the door to the kitchen. Korra made sure she was occupied, then took a deep breath and forced herself into a sitting position, scooting back enough to brace herself against the wall.

After another few seconds, Asami walked back in. “Okay, I’m ready to…“ A sigh. “I should have expected that, honestly.”

Korra grinned. “You should have. I told you it wasn’t that bad.”

“Korra... I need you to be more careful, okay? You can’t keep getting hurt like this. One day someone won’t be there to catch you, or staunch the bleeding, or get you to a hospital or clinic. One of these days you will end up dead if you aren’t careful. And if you die, everything that is good in this world dies with you. Please, Korra, be safe.”

Korra looked away for a moment, then turned back and faced Asami. “From now on, I’ll be more careful.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Asami smirked. “Great. That means you sit here until you’re fully recovered.”

Korra groaned. “No, please, let me out. You can’t trap me here,” she said, but she was smiling. Asami’s smirk grew into a grin, and she sat next to Korra, the cushions making a dull whoosh as they adjusted to the added weight. Korra grabbed Asami’s hand, and they sat there, sun streaming through the windows, smiling softly into the sun.

[astraphel]

Legend of Korra | Korrasami Trope: Established Relationship 300 Words | SFW

Flash Fiction ✰ Master List ✰ Main ✰ Daily GIFs

“What about the new place on 4th? I hear they make decent Tentacle Soup and Puffin Seal Sausage.” Asami suggested. 

“Puffin Seal? There’s no way it could taste good by the time it got here. You can only catch those close to the poles. The Northern Fire Nation colonies are about as far as I’d go for good Puffin Seal.” 

“Okay, well...why don’t you choose a place then? I don’t know enough about Water Tribe cuisine, you’ve turned down the last three places.” 

Korra paused, self-awareness hitting her in the cheek. 

“I’m sorry,” she said, “I know you’re just trying to cheer me up. Everything’s happening so fast, I-” 

“You need your comfort food,” Asami wrapped an arm around Korra, “Good Southern food is hard to find here.” 

“Why don’t we just order from that noodle place?” Korra sighed, “I don’t want to over think trying to have comfort food. Let’s just watch a mover or something. I’m too tired to think.”

Asami hugged Korra from behind. Word of Katara’s passing came earlier that day. There was already a mural of her being painted on the new Southern Water Tribe embassy, and a growing candlelight vigil was planned that evening in the plaza. 

Korra curled up on the couch, tears burning down her cheeks. 

“I know she was getting up there, but I guess a part of me believed she’d always be around. With Zuko gone too, it doesn’t just feel like losing a friend. It feels like losing another connection to Aang. Harmonic convergence all over again.” 

Asami pulled Korra into a firm hug, “I’m sorry, Korra.” It was all she could say. It felt like too much, and not enough. Korra shook and sobbed. 

“I just thought I’d get to taste her Sea Prunes one more time.”

[guileheroine]

a sky full of song, chapter one

Korra, princess of the Water Kingdoms, receives a gift from her blacksmith friend on the auspicious winter festival / Korrasami royalty AU / ao3 / My piece for the @korrasami-valentine-exchange (assignment: Date A) (reposting with cover!)

“The wedding of the Earth Prince, yes, on the solstice. But it’s an opportune moment for a longer tour, we don’t want to waste the journey. I’m afraid your father can’t afford it, and before you ask, I’ve been conferring with your mother’s office. And frankly, I’m loath to request it of her after…

Councillor Panak trailed off as Korra hurried him along with a gesture of the hand. He pushed his eyeglass up his nose and took her eye seriously. “To the point, then—what do you say?”

Korra was tapping her foot under the meeting table. Prince Wu, if she recalled, was equally as intolerable as old Hou-Ting, the spirits bless his poor betrothed. But the prospect of a fortnight around the Earth Kingdom, with its delicious fare and diverse landscapes… that made her much more amenable to the whole idea.

“Around the solstice, huh? Alright. Why not.” It was a way off. She had time to arrange her retinue and her schedule as efficiently as possible for maximum enjoyment.

“…That means a tour to the Earth Empire in the spring—or summer, if Her Royal Highness prefers it?”

“Oh, spring,” Korra said in a rush. “Spring. I’m not sure I can do Earthen summers.”

Panak smiled quite kindly at that, and nodded at his scribe to jot it down. Korra returned his smile. They really were getting along better. It was nice. This meeting was also stretching much farther into the evening than she had understood it would.

The Lotus Guard at the doorway didn’t so much as blink as she pushed the heavy door open and went out. He was one of the older men, having been here long before the war, and quite accustomed to her ways.

Once Korra was out in the foyer, she raced. Her quarters, and her next appointment, were in the other wing of the palace, but she had promised to go see her mother first for a few minutes before the Queen went to bed. The winter sun was long gone; all the windows she skipped past were dark, torchlight gleaming on the icy sills. In the halls, on the other hand, the air was bright as frost, festive. She wove around decorators from all over Agna Qel’a hanging new crystalwork along the old bead tapestries and tying berry wreaths around the tall pillars. Down the stairs, in the main hall, the humongous fires that burnt uninterrupted over the winter lit the place generously. As she sped through, headed for the opposite staircase, Korra caught the eye of one of the housekeepers.

“Mina! Mina, are you busy?” She took the girl’s arm, whose eyes goggled, alarmed only at the princess’s sudden appearance but unperturbed by her familiar ways. “Could you go to the kitchen and send for some tea to my apartment? Milk and honey for me—and some of whatever black blend is left, what my blacksmith friend likes. They’ll know. Thank you!”

When she turned to continue, she was immediately waylaid by one of the ice sculptors.

“Your Highness! A moment.”

Just a moment to breathe was exactly what it took for Korra to finally notice the centerpiece of the hall: an elaborate sculpture-fountain of Yue. The moon and ocean spirits hovered above each of her hands, water pouring in gentle arcs out of their gaping mouths.

Korra’s father was pulling out all the stops for Yue’s Day. She knew, for her part, that it was a private gesture for the Queen, newly returned from a long diplomatic engagement with the northern Air court. Korra stood at attention for the sculptor, whose fingerless gloves allowed him to bend with especial precision.

“Should her hair run—” he said, bending Yue’s locks of ice into free-flowing rivulets, “or stand arrested?” Another curl of his palm froze them again.

“Freeze them. More volume!” Korra said, thinking of her mother, who always grumbled about her limp hair. Then she was on her way to the Queen’s chambers, and then her own.

“I got your tea. Hi, princess.”

Korra’s blacksmith friend took a pointed sip when she finally entered her drawing room. Asami’s smirk was hidden behind the glassy cup, and her hair was wet. One of Korra’s towels was slung over the back of her seat—one of the nice ones with the finely embroidered monogram.

“Asami. Sorry I’m late!” Korra slumped onto her divan, sending one of the cushions flying onto the carpet. “It’s good to see you.” She took a moment to catch her breath before picking the cushion up, sitting comfortably and grasping for the tray on the table.

“Don’t worry about it,” Asami said, moving the cup from her mouth, the smirk finally melting off. She pushed the tray into Korra’s reach. “I’m done for the day. A couple of the apprentices are closing up shop for the very first time.” Her brows waggled.

“Impressive! But still, thanks for coming. I know you’re working hard.”

“We had an appointment, right? And—” Asami grinned and stretched, pulling her warm wools tighter around her “nothing like the thought of a royal shower at the end of the day to get you through it, you know?”

Korra rolled her eyes. The staff knew to let Asami into Korra’s apartments, and even if she could tell they were a little reticent about her using the princess’s bath and vanity, they of course said nothing. The dogs more or less dragged Asami in through the gates every time she came by the palace, and by order of the princess, they were the ones that decided things in her absence.

Asami scrutinised the tray from the kitchen carefully before picking out a little moon pastry. “How was your meeting?” She took a bite, attentive both to the pastry and Korra.

“Looks like I’m going on tour to the Earth Kingdom in the spring,” Korra told her. She wasn’t surprised to see Asami’s brow spring up, and her taste-testing pause.

“What, all over?”

It was a town in the Earth Kingdom that Asami originally hailed from, before she travelled to the Fire Empire with her father, an innovator in the art of war. After the war’s end and the subsequent reunification of the Water Kingdoms, the newly humbled Sun Emperor had gifted King Tonraq an ancient forge for the royal armoury as a token of good faith and cultural exchange. Korra remembered how it had taken several pulleys, and days, for it to be transported into place in one of the main avenues in the city. They had set up a house around it for a new smith to eventually train locals in the foreign art. Asami—skilled as a metalworker, but bereft of a livelihood and a family after her father’s foundries were shut down—had decided to venture north to start afresh. She vied for the position and won it handily.

Korra glanced at her long. “You could come with me, you know. Take a vacation, if you manage to get this new shop set up in time. I’m sure you’ve trained all your underlings well.”

“We’re getting there,” Asami said vaguely. “But I’ll keep it in mind.”

Korra was musing, recumbent with her feet up now. “I must warn you, t’s for the wedding of the Queen’s nephew. They’re a lot stuffier in the Earth kingdom. All the pomp and pageantry,” she clarified. “I’m not looking forward to that part.”

“I’ll bet.” Asami gave her a sympathetic smile.

Sitting pretty in formal assemblies, she did not enjoy. Peace was harder than war, in a lot of ways. At least it was for Korra, who had been right at home as a strategist commanding the bending battalions in the few Fire Empire skirmishes that had reached the north. Or as a captain fending off the marauding warlords and shaman-kings in the southern fiefs who took advantage of the chaos to arouse the spirits and stage deadly rebellions. Her leadership, covert though it was, had played no small part in subduing the northern theater and paving the way for all the ancient Water tribes to be reunified under Agna Qel’a and her father’s leadership. The lasting peace of the years since had proven they were stronger together. Just as it had proven that the Princess’s patience for peacetime bureaucracy needed a good deal of practice.

“You should come. We’ll do you up as my retainer so you get a salary. I might need you to keep me straight.”

Asami was good at that, blowing off steam after long, boring days. The mellowness of the warmth, nothing like that of her forge, evened Korra’s mood like little else.

“Oh, so you want me to drop everything and trail you around as a handmaiden?”

Korra scoffed, embarrassed. “Well, don’t put it like that.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Asami sat up. “An Earth royal wedding, huh? Think they’ll let me in?” She picked at the cushion in her lap.

“They will if I have anything to say about it.” Korra yawned. “It’ll be my turn soon enough.”

“How’s your mother?” Asami said, following her train of thought seamlessly—it was always the queen that pestered Korra about finding a match, good-natured but more earnest than she ever realised she was appearing.

“Sleeping. She had a long journey back from the Northern Air Temple. Dad’s happy, though. Just casually planning her a ball this weekend for Yue’s Day.”

“Hey, is that what that business down in the hall is?” Some forgotten curiosity clearly jolted Asami. “There were all these new kayaks moored around the drawbridges when I came through, too.”

Korra nodded, while tentative recognition continued to filter into Asami’s expression. It was easy to forget Asami had been here nary a year. But she had, and it had been a busy year too, with little time for exploration, per her own frequent complaints. “You know about it, right?” When Asami shrugged evasively, Korra explained, “It falls on the day of the first full moon after the winter solstice. Yue was a princess of legend—our ancestor, apparently—who became the moon spirit.”

Asami sat forward. She loved tales like this, and listened to them like she was being entrusted a secret.

“We’ve celebrated it as long as anyone remembers, but the festival is supposed to usher good fortune and fertility. I think that’s why it became a couples thing.” Korra didn’t think much of that. “But, well, the idea is to spend the evening under the full moon, which is why all the kayaks are out. Really, everyone just needs an excuse to liven up the winter!”

“That I understand,” Asami said wryly, ill accustomed to the polar night. “Yeah, I went to the market in town to pick up some new gloves and they had stalls and stalls of new fare. Jewelry, wind chimes, furs.”

Korra sat up, conspiratorial. “I bet at least one of your new proteges will sneak you a little gift. I get messages every year. Mostly upstarts, but some cute ones, too.”

When Asami had first been appointed as the blacksmith, Korra was uncertain what a girl her age was doing heading up an official royal undertaking like that, with all its bells and whistles. When she arrived at a welcome dinner with her family, Korra found her altogether too precious, and definitely not deserving of the private summons and the White Lotus escort. Especially not when the whole rigmarole was keeping Korra from her planned retreat to the kennels for the evening, where, in the end, the strapping night guards were giggling and blushing about the new blacksmith.

At her father’s behest, Korra had put on her most functional anorak and taken Asami some cakes, conserves and newly dried jerky from the palace a couple weeks after their meeting. He insisted it was a part of the Princess’s duty to look after someone in their employ so new to the land—a girl her own age no less. Down in the city, the townsfolk were pleased to see Korra as she made her way to the workshop, but no one made a fuss (unless they were young and excitable already), unlike what she had heard of the other Kingdoms, larger and loftier as they were. She wondered if Asami the Blacksmith liked that about here, or found it lacked decorum, as Korra knew some folk abroad definitely did.

Asami had a study above the forge, from which she dealt with its administration, and living quarters on the next storey. These were yet lonely and sparse, but not completely devoid of homely touches, as though she would have spruced them up if she only had the opportunity. Korra noticed well-kept shrubs and a vivid landscape on the wall; then Asami came and curtseyed deep and pulled off her apron.

She was willowy and beautiful under the gear and the soot (over it, too, to be honest), which endeared and repelled Korra in fairly equal measure, ultimately leaving her as indifferent as ever.

“My parents and Lord Arnook want to know how you’re getting on.” Lord Arnook was the esteemed keeper of the royal armoury, and he liked Asami just as much as everyone else did.

A flicker of sadness—shame?—crossed her face, then she put her hand on the table. “Won’t you sit? Your Highness. Let me bring you something hot first.”

Asami lit the fire in the blink of an eye and stoked it without watching, like it was the back of her hand. She had some bread in the pantry, over which she spread the aqpik jam Korra had delivered her. Korra watched her as she boiled the water. Her skirt was heavy, probably to insulate from the heat and cold alike, but it fell flatteringly from her height; and her long hair, which had flown in waves in a foreign style at dinner, was pinned into a practical bun. She made a sharp, fragrant tea she had brought from the continent. Her eyes lit up unexpectedly when Korra bent her own cup to cool it.

“Ah, I love seeing that,” she cooed. “I suppose I’m still not used to it. The other elements don’t bend like that. And I hear you have great skill.”

Korra’s own smile came too quick for her to suppress. “Who told you that, the King?” Then she regarded her keenly. So, how are you… Do you need anything? Do the men from the quarry treat you okay?”

“Oh, everyone here is… They’re very warm. Makes up for the chill,” Asami laughed.

It was a line so hackneyed that gritting through it was itself a country-wide inside joke. But this calm and rosy girl injected fresh, charmless charm into it. Maybe everything was charming if someone this winsome did it. After that, Korra softened considerably.

“They are,” she replied, with no small amount of pride. A sudden shame crept up her chest, that she probably couldn’t count herself among those nice people that had made Asami feel welcome.

Then Asami swallowed and the colour of her voice changed. “I miss my home, though. I know this job is more kindness than I deserve, after what we did but… It is a little lonely here.” She confirmed what Korra had already deduced, mostly because she knew the feeling all too well. “I guess I just don’t have a lot of time to go and make friends after work.”

Korra didn’t doubt that; it was hard, physical work. The one or two times she’d witnessed it, the clang rang in her ears for hours afterwards. She wouldn’t have pegged a girl like this for it. Asami reminded her more of some of the young ladies she knew from her old classes, when all the children around the court would be dumped into the royal healing hut together for some hands-on learning.

“Have you been beyond the city yet? The land out there… that’s our land. This is just a fortress.”

“Oh, I’ve been wanting to,” Asami said, wistful. “Pretty sure I can’t go on foot though.”

“Well, if… if you don’t know anyone else, I could take you. I have the best dogs in the Four Kingdoms.”

Before the month was up, Korra had sent a commission to the Queen’s personal seamstress for some sealskin gloves and winter-grade furs. She gifted them to Asami on her birthday. “You need these anyway, I think, but you’ll definitely need them where we’re going.” And that night, Korra took her to see the aurora.

There was a hamlet a few miles north of Agna Qel’a where Korra knew the elderly chief and had asked her for passage to an outcrop in their territory, after divining the well kept secret that it was one of the prime spots for watching the sky dance. Asami, enchanted, never took her eyes off it—so unflinching that Korra almost began to feel envious of the lights.

It became a routine. Korra knew every inch of her realm. If a diplomatic mission sent her to one tribe or settlement, she would be sure to take a day or two exploring the local country before she returned to the capitol. It had been a great boon when the southern tribes first came under their stewardship. The Princess spent time in every village, took interest in their land and in their lore; met challenges of the wilds and the weather with hunger, and any unknowns thereof with abiding curiosity. She knew what to wear, which sled or boat to take. When to find the rarest whale pods before they went south; where the starriest cliffs were, and the sunniest lakes.

All of which impressed Asami a great deal, and that made Korra happier than most things. And no worse were the days they spent in her apartments going over the sordid palace gossip, or in her apartments tracing old scars by lamplight, healing them word by gentle word.

On Yue’s Day, Korra stopped by to see various palace aides located around the city with customary gifts. In a castle town, there were plenty with such connections, and she relished the ruddy smiles, quick drinks, and flustered curtsies she received in turn. She saved Asami for last, because Asami had asked for some time together. Korra entered the smithy by the front, her senses clogging with immediate heat. Two of the apprentices were there: one of them gaped while the other barely blinked.

“Asami? I come bearing punch… and those moon pastries you like!”

She commenced the usual ritual of announcing her presence over the steam and noise while peeling off all but a couple of her layers, when Asami emerged out of the back. She was squeezing her hands together in excitement.

“No, no, no, don’t,” she urged, a gleam in her eyes like the blades that hung behind her, “we’re going somewhere.”

A few minutes later, they were walking along the main canal under the sparkling lights, milling through the townspeople. A fresh drift crunched beneath their boots. In a few more, they were alighting one of the kayaks in the dock.

Asami faced her and paddled like a natural; and naturally, Korra gaped.

“Do not tell me you haven’t done this before!”

Asami’s tongue stuck out in concentration as she suppressed a giggle, but her limbs moved with finesse. “Just the once. So far. Don’t be distracting me.”

“I won’t let us capsize,” Korra assured her.

Eventually, Asami settled into her rhythm, and the canal carried them out of the city, past all the lights. The banks of glass-cut brick gave way to a more jagged channel littered with pack ice at its mouth, floating blue and still. Korra gripped the edge of the kayak, not for any physical comfort. A crackling anticipation, and an unnameable fondness both, were welling and welling in her with every mundane word they shared.

When they disembarked on the lake’s other edge, the ice was landfast: a ghostly field glowing under the full moon.

Korra knew this place, but she had scarcely been here in the middle of winter, when the ice field extended endlessly, as vast as the sky. As they tramped across the snow, she began to wonder what Asami’s surprise was. There wasn’t much for a mile in any direction.

“We should sit for this,” Asami said, pointedly ignoring Korra’s prying questions.

The wind had kicked the snow up into berms along the field. Korra froze one so it was sturdy enough to perch on. Then Asami took her pack, and pulled out some plain tubes of parchment; nothing Korra would have looked at twice, although she didn’t know what they were.

“What’s in there?” She said.

“Some of my metals, some of my salts,” Asami replied enigmatically, almost sing-song. “Wait here.”

She heaved herself off the berm, ran several yards towards the horizon and stooped. She planted the tubes, and did something else Korra couldn’t see, though she thought she recognised the bright filigree on the cover of the pocket matchbook Asami carried everywhere.

When Asami had trundled back and sat again, Korra crossed her arms and laughed, bemused, her humour ebbing. “Are you going to tell me what’s going—”

BOOM!

Korra gasped, startled out of her words. She would have fallen from the perch if Asami didn’t catch her around the waist, giggling blithely all the while—

A wheel of light bloomed in the sky like a flower, dazzling and surreal. All the colours of the aurora—except they were peals of crystal fire, pouring out like diamonds before disappearing into the smoky air. Another wheeled up after it with a strange whirr, before it exploded into a glittering shower, and more in succession.

They reminded Korra of the spirit hales in the heart of the wilds, and even deeper in a buried memory, of the Fire explosives some of the raiders had once set off on the Southern Sea. Except these were brighter—and safer, because Asami had made them.

Korra looked to her when they had died, beaming under the mitten that covered her mouth in shock. “Are there more?”

To her eternal delight, there were more. New flowers sprouting on the celestial vault, they would be burned in her memory forever.

“They’re no aurora,” Asami said, while Korra scoffed and slung her arms around her, huddling for the cold and the buzz. Under her embrace, and half her weight, Asami looked chuffed. “But I thought they might liven up your night.”

Korra cupped her earmuff, then her cheek. “Thank you. This is the best day I’ve had all winter.”

Asami’s pyrotechnical skills didn’t even surprise her, but that could hardly diminish the sheer majesty, and novelty, of the display. Even minutes later, Korra could hardly believe what she had seen.

“Well, I couldn’t let you be the only show-off around here.” Asami smiled. Then the smile dropped from her eyes and she hesitated, like she couldn’t let that sit for an explanation. “Korra. I wanted to do something special. You’ve made me feel at home here in a way I never imagined. And I’m just a smith, from the Fire Empire!”

Korra felt her eyes water and blinked the tears back quickly, because they would ice and sting in the bitter air. She bit the smile off her lips. “You’re not just anything. You’re a terrific handmaiden.”

She snorted as Asami shoved her off and reached for her pack again.

“One more thing. I thought it might be too smokey for this after all those incendiaries, but it’s worth a shot anyway.”

This time Korra recognised the device she emerged with. It was made of two cylinders, and the mechanism that held them together spun smoothly like the spokes of a wheel. She handed it to Korra, who held the spyglass up.

A field of stars materialised. Korra held her breath.

The stars were luminous at the poles, but she had never seen them like this, and for the first time they felt close enough to touch, invoking a bracing, irrepressible wonder. In silence, she gazed.

“The moon spirit leads all the stars out tonight, right?”

Asami had done her research. Korra turned back to her. “So they say.” She hooked her arm through Asami’s, and held her hand. With the spyglass still to her eye, she let her head fall against Asami’s bundled shoulder.

“Tired, princess?”

Korra rustled her breath, long-suffering. “Why do you call me that!”

The way Asami said it—like it was something of her own decree, and not that of ten thousand years of tradition and some profoundly sacred doctrines. There was a sweet and strange tug in Korra’s belly whenever it happened, and this time, tonight, it lingered longer than ever.

“‘Cause you’re a piece of work,” Asami said, trying to interlace their thick, mittened fingers, which required some effort.

Tentatively, Korra turned the spyglass to the moon herself. She winced— it glared straight back, too bright. Maybe another night, when it wasn’t Yue’s Day.

Yue’s Day. She now held the thought delicately in her chest, as if she wanted to guard it from the wind and chill. If Asami loved her—were to love her—there were several reasons not to say it. They both knew them, whether they had turned them over consciously or not.

But the risk of showing was low. And the reward, as her own euphoric mood tonight proved, was magnificent.

[shortkingvi]

Korrasami + on a trip (optional) + reliance (on one another)

It’s my first time sending prompts I hope this is okay ♥️

bdsvdgsvhdfdsg the way i love you for this

for reference, i told her i wanted to write abt korrasami and she sent me this because best friends move in tandem <3

In which Asami and Korra are going on a trip and Asami reaches her limit in the middle of packing. Sometimes childhood trauma takes a while to work through.

Asami wasn’t used to letting other people do things for her. Growing up with a father who was at work more often than he was home and a mother who passed away long ago, Asami got really good at fending for herself when she didn’t want to bother the house staff.

As she got older and eventually took charge of Future Industries, this self-sufficiency extended to her trip taking abilities. She went on a lot of business trips as a CEO and learned quickly what worked best for her when packing, prepping, and heading out of town. Which was why it was a lot harder for her to prepare for her first trip with a significant other.

Where Asami was organized, Korra was messy. Where Asami was scheduled, Korra was willing to go with the flow. Most times, Asami loved Korra’s laid-back attitude; she had watched her suffer for so long after Zaheer had destroyed the girl she once was, so watching her have fun became one of Asami’s favourite things.

Not right now though.

Asami had been trying to pack their bags for the last hour. They were planning a trip to a remote Air Nomad temple, one that was largely defunct and would give them the perfect chance to have some quality alone time together. Problem was, the trip was in two days and Korra hadn’t even begun to pack. To say that Asami, who was usually packed and ready to go days in advance, was freaking out would be an understatement.

“Korra!” She shouted in the direction of her girlfriend, who had decided that now would be an excellent time to see if she could airbend her way onto the second story of the Sato manor without touching the stairs. “Korra, can you please get back in here and help me finish packing?”

“I thought you finished two days ago?” Korra’s voice drifted in from outside the bedroom.

“I have, you haven’t. I don’t want us staying up late the night before because you forgot to pack.” Asami huffed, turning back to the pile of clothes in varying shades of blue that sat before her.

At Asami’s sharp tone, Korra poked her head in the room. “Babe, are you… are you mad at me?” She cocked her head at Asami, tucking a stray lock of short brown hair behind her ear.

“No. No I’m not mad, I just… I’m not used to having someone else to worry about when I’m doing shit like this.” Asami felt tears well up in her eyes; mounting frustration from weeks of prepping the company to run while she was away combined with anxiousness over their first trip as a couple seemed to have finally caught up with her.

Korra’s voice rang out, much closer this time. “‘Sami, look at me.” Asami opened her eyes and looked at Korra, watery green meeting concerned blue. “I know you’re frustrated. You’ve been working so hard the past little while and I’m sorry if I haven’t been as helpful as I could have been. But you need to understand that you don’t have to do everything yourself anymore. I’ll take care of it, I promise, but I need you to trust me. I need you to know that you can rely on me. Because you can. Because I love you.”

Asami let out a sob and fell into Korra’s arms, who grabbed her and pulled Asami onto her lap on the floor.

“I’m sorry,” Asami sniffled once she had collected herself. “I’ve just been doing everything on my own for so many years and I guess, deep down, a part of me wants to make sure I don’t lose that ability. Just in case y- in case I lose you again.”

“Oh ‘Sami, I’m not going anywhere. Not anymore. Not without you. I made the mistake of leaving you once and as long as you’ll have me, I wanna make sure I don’t make that mistake again. So please, let yourself lean on me once in a while.”

“You’re right. Thank you, I love you.” Asami turned her head, dropping a soft kiss on Korra’s lips.

“Love you too. Now what do you say I start with socks and you start with pants and we get this packing shit over with?”

“Sounds perfect.”

[tht-lesbian-fangirl]

Do you ever 100% have those days when you believe supercorp is in fact canon in all the ways compared to the het tropes? But there’s the thorn on your side that’s “waiting” on everybody behind the show to “confirm” what we’ve been saying and preaching for years now? And if it highkey comes down to the show pulling a catradora on us with supercorp I’ll be totally fine with it because I’ll just take that as a big fat “I told you so” to the haters. Analysis GO OFF 😚

Dude, you have no idea how many little break downs I have every once in a while because I just feel so confident that Supercorp will happen! Everything in the Supercorp-specific writing, music, cinematic tropes, actress choices, etc. has shown that Kara and Lena will and should be canon. Look, I’m in graduate school for psychology and I haven’t taken a film class in my life. I’ve never even been a big “shipping” person. But I watched Supergirl live all throughout undergrad, often with my straight friends (who were less into the show) and even they noticed all the things that we "delusional" fans discuss.

Iconic Superhero/Love interest tropes

The Hero having to choose between saving their LI or kids/city/world, but miraculously save both. May I present Exhibit A:

The LI standing between the Hero and their one weakness: literally every time Lena has built anti-kryptonite suits, protected Kara before she knew her identity, and specifically Exhibit B:

Dramatic saves of the LI: I present the longing looks mid-rescue for Exhibit C:

The Hero running flying toward certain death to save their LI: Kara disregards a kryptonite bomb in Exhibit D:

The LI being the last to know the hero's identity, but Hero will still risk their identity to save the LI: Everyone say hello to Exhibit E:

The Hero finding strength from their LI: the CW sure loves using El Mayarah in Supercorp posts! And social media aside, we've seen how confident and strong Lena makes Kara, both in dialogue and visually. (And it's a bonus that Kara makes Lena stronger too!)

Everything with food

Kara literally referred to food as a love language when talking to Nia. Only an episode or so away from bringing Lena food from 3 different countries. And let’s remember how Kara offered to fly to Italy for her first date with James...

Kara also always brought Lena food, even before season 5. That was their Thing.

We also have to talk about the absences of food: Kara dropping potstickers at Pulitzer ceremony when she sees Lena and not accepting Dansen’s invitation to get food after her falling out with Lena.

It was established all the way back in Season 1 (very much so in the fun Flash crossover) that Kara thinks food is more important than everything and will often use it as a coping mechanism when she’s sad (like in Season 2/3 about Mon). Yet, she’s so devastated over Lena that she can’t even eat her favorite foods? Interesting.

Color schemes and certain shots

The red/blue color scheme consistently used with Supercorp, with exception to the purple tones used in Season 5 to represent their conflict.

No other love interest for Kara has consistently used that iconic Super/LL color palet. Not James, Mon, William, or the two episodes with Adam.

I'd like to specifically remind everyone how Kara chose to wear purple with William, against Alex's explicit advice.

There are always lighting choices made with Supercorp shots. No other duo (besides dramatic Danvers sisters shots) seem to have such artistic care.

Do I even need to mention the balcony scenes? Both at the Pulitzer Ceremony and in scenes from multiple seasons where Kara has hovered over Lena's balcony-- most notably in 5x03.

Like seriously, do I need to mention the scene from 5x08 where Kara and Lena are looking longingly at the same picture of the two of them?

Music

If I know anything as a musician, I know scores. And Blake Neely has created certain melodies just for Supercorp saves. There’s the typical “Supergirl hero” melody, but it’s rarely used for scenes with Lena (besides the one instance in 5x07 cliff scene, when Neely combines the Leviathan theme with the Supergirl theme).

If you want to listen to examples: the brief save in 2x15 and the plane save in 3x05. Both melodies are unique, unreleased scores that (to my musical knowledge) have not been repeated with other Kara rescues. 

Also, can we talk about how Supercorp has their own heroic theme, composed specifically for the 100th episode? Played by a live orchestra? For the one AU where Kara and Lena were partners from the start?

Decisions made by Melissa and Katie

We know they've known about Supercorp since at least the end of Season 2. Melissa showed Katie and they've been aware for years.

Yet, they play into the Supercorp dynamic. Longing stares, giggly dialogue, tear filled eyes, etc.

Regarding Melissa specifically: for her directorial debut she made two significant decisions. 1. She chose to have a camera pan over the room during Lex's speech, showing only Lena noticing Kara leaving and upset. 2. She dressed Lena in two comics Lois Lane outfits, one of which in red to parallel Kara's blue.

Melissa also has played Kara's interractions with Lena very similarly to how she played the Kara/James dynamic in Season 1. Something she chose not to do with Mon or William. But let's get into my next point...

Direct parallels with heterosexual superhero couples most on the CW

This includes Westallen, multiple iterations of Clois, Olicity, WonderTrev, Karolsen, PeterMJ, Deckerstar, Brainia, SpiderGwen, Lanolsen...need I go on??

On my blog, I have them tagged as: supercorp and hetero hero parallels

Individual ships are tagged as: [couple]/supercorp (ex. clois/supercorp)

Apologies for just giving links, but damn if I wrote all of the parallels out then it would probably take days and this post would be absurdly long.

And let’s not forget all the parallels Supercorp has with canon w/w

This includes Korrasami, Catradora, Clexa, Dansen, Avalance, Harlivy, Sanvers, etc.

I have these examples tagged similarly to the het examples: supercorp and canon sapphic parallels (same with individual ones)

You’ll notice there are actually more posts and parallels between Supercorp and het couples (the couples that most non-LGBT fans think of as more valid lmao), so take that as you will🙃

Despite the mistreatment of Supercorp fans, and LGBT fans in general, by some actors and crew, and despite the tone deaf plot lines and usage of characters, Supercorp has consistently held up with all of my points stated above. That's why I still have days where I can just feel it in my bones that Supergirl is playing the slow burn game with Supercorp. It clearly won't be as well-done as Catradora, because of how much sh*t they've pulled over the seasons. But just like you, I have days where I get strong feelings that maybe it’s all part of their poorly thought out plan and we’ll get that validation and happiness.

[watsons-falling-snow]

Soulmates? A Korrasami Secret Santa Gift

@gaymergal I hope you enjoy this. It’s the first bit that I’ve written of the two of them but I really tried for you!

Soulmates were a tricky thing. Honestly. Not everyone had one, they were a rare spiritual blessing, and Asami Sato didn’t believe in them. If soulmates really existed then everyone should have one and relationships shouldn’t be such hell. If soulmates were real, she would have found her own after all the hell she had gone through in her life. From the loss of her mother, to the betrayal of her father, then to the loss of him. 

All the while, she was trying to navigate her own relationships and feelings. In her teens things had been all the more complicated, with dating Mako, then breaking up with Mako only for him to date their friend Korra, only for Korra and he to break up. Then she tried dating Mako again, only for it all to end up in disaster. If soulmates were real, why did things like that happen?

Luckily now, at twenty-seven, it mattered little. She was running her family business, being the youngest CEO and world renowned inventor in Republic City. Not to mention she, Mako, Korra and Bolin had all stayed friends despite the terrible things that had happened to them. That was the real magic in all of this, not some mythical idea of a soulmate. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ms. Sato, please look straight ahead and not at your phone.” The doctor asked with a sigh, his pen light catching the shine of her green eyes as she jerked back to him. 

“Sorry Doctor Trejo, I just… My friends are supposed to be meeting right now and they’re wondering where I am.” Asami frowned, following his finger as he finished his exam. 

“Well, I am going to be honest with you Ms. Sato, I recommend a quiet night in. You’ve had another dizzy spell and fainted. You refuse to have another CAT scan done, but this is happening more frequently. And you’ve said this is partnered with visions, now?” Doctor Trejo asked, shaking his bald head. “You need rest.” 

“Alright doctor, thank you for your honesty.” Rising up she placed a hand against his back to guide him out of her office. Shaking his hand on the way out she thanked him with a smile, before immediately turning to grab her phone. 

If she were being honest, she should stay home, she should probably tell her friends what was going on as well. But she didn’t know exactly what was going on. When she was younger she had always felt phantom pains, her mother always playfully accusing some unknown “soulmate”. Yet now as she was older, dizzy spells and visions seemed to accompany this phantom pain. How did you explain that to your friends when it was suspected you had a tumor that couldn’t be found? She’d tried doctors, healers and mystics. 

Doctors of modern medicine had told her it was likely a tumor they couldn’t find. Healers had accused a soulmate bond, which was a crock, and mystics were just… not helpful. 

‘Sorry guys, I can’t go out today - AS’ She sent to their group message, a smile on her features when messages started rolling in from her friends. Though the one that made her smile the most was from Korra. 

‘Don’t worry, we’ll come to you. K’ 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Settled at home the last thing Asami expected was only Korra to show up. She had said they would be coming, but perhaps the boys had been busy? 

“Korra, do you need any help?” She found herself asking as she tucked her hair behind her ear, her green gaze trailing after Korra as the woman carried bag after bag into her home. 

“Nope!” Came the cheery pop from the other woman as she finally closed the door. “You said you didn’t feel good. So I decided to make a traditional Southern Water Tribe soup for you.” Korra grinned, turning to give her friend a tight hug. 

“I’m not sure soup is going to fix what is going on Korra.” Came the bland response, though Asami was smiling. 

“Have you ever had water tribe soup before?” Korra asked with a know-it-all tone. 

“Well no but -” 

“Then you don’t know if it’s going to help or not.” The short haired woman snorted, tapping Asami on the nose with a playfully smile before she made her way towards the kitchen. 

Watching her go Asami shook her head, her hands going to her hips as she closed the front door. Honestly, she wasn’t sure why it was just Korra here, but she was thankful for it. It was sure to be a quiet and - 

“Uh… Asami? Do you have -” 

Letting out a laugh Asami took off towards the kitchen so she could help Korra before a fire broke out. The last thing she needed was for the fire department to be called out. Together the two women worked, Asami chopping anything and everything that was needed while Korra worked on actually making the soup. 

At the end of it, it was delicious. And Asami could admit her head felt much better. At least, until she felt Korra’s pressing stare. “You know - I was feeling much better until I felt your cool blue eyes boring holes into my head.” Putting her spoon down she linked her fingers under her chin, making a bit of a face at the other. 

“Well I’m worried about you!” Korra finally exploded, setting her own spoon down and throwing her arms up. “You never bail on us. And you never not tell me about what’s going on.” 

“Double negatives are not your strong suit.” Asami mocked, hoping to distract her friend. How was she meant to explain that she had visions that shook her to the core? How was she supposed to tell her that doctors believed she had a tumor of all things? 

“Asami, I am being serious here. You know I’m your emergency contact right? Like, you made that decision yourself. And here we are. With questions between the both of us.” Korra motioned between them, making a bit of a face. “If I wanted to be in your business, I could be, but I would rather you be honest with me.” 

Heaving a sigh Asami tucked her hair behind her ear, poking at her soup sadly, as she eyed her friend curiously. Did she tell her the truth? Why wouldn’t she? She had a lot to explain. “Korra… You know that I keep things to myself. And I made you my medical power of attorney because I trust you, not because I thought you were a snoop.” 

When Korra sent her a sheepish expression, her hand automatically lifting to rub the back of her neck in her age-old nervous habit. “Well I didn’t mean to snoop. I got a call to remind you about an appointment you had that you missed. Rather than leaving me here guessing the worst, you could just tell me the truth and we could work through it together.” She offered with a soft smile, her hand reaching for Asami’s. 

“You make it so hard to be mad at you.” Awkward as it was, Asami knew her friend deserved the truth. So she sighed, giving her hand a squeeze before rising up. Holding up a finger for silence when Korra went to question them she went to the bar in the corner of the dining room, grabbing two glasses and a bottle before going back to the table. 

Sitting down again she poured them each two fingers, despite knowing Korra didn’t usually drink anything other than a beer every now and then, and set the glass bottle aside. “Alright, you want to know what’s going on, I will tell you. But if the boys find out about this, I will strangle you. I mean it.” 

“You don’t mean it, but okay.” The Avatar cut in, her head shaking slightly as she grabbed the drink. If Asami prepared it, it meant she’d likely need it. 

“Truth is… I’ve been seeing healers, and mystics and doctors, all trying to figure out what is wrong with me.” Asami began, her long fingers twirling around the lip of the glass that was in front of her. “And none of them can really tell me what was wrong with me. - “ 

“Well mystics never give a straight answer ‘Sami. I can take you to Katara!” 

“I need you would offer, and no thank you. I’ve seen healers here in Republic City. I have also seen the best doctors money can pay for. And well… the thing that makes the most sense is a tumor.” She finally admitted, tossing back her drink before setting it down with a little too much force. 

“I’m sorry…. Did you say a tumor?” Korra demanded before holding up a finger much in the same way Asami had. Tossing the far too expensive liquor down her throat she winced, setting the glass down gently before turning to take her friend’s, her love’s, hands. “Why the hell wouldn’t you tell us Asami? Why wouldn’t you tell me? Katara is the best healer in the world. I’m the Avatar for Raava’s sake! Surely something can be done to help you.” 

“Oh Korra, don’t cry for me.” Reaching out Asami wiped a tear she was sure the bender didn’t know she had shed, a soft smile on her lips. “I don’t need healers. They say there is nothing there. But I have these… painful headaches. They rock me to my core. And now they are affecting my vision.” As she explained Korra reached for her, gripping the sides of her face ever so gently. “Korra?” 

“Asami, this is serious. If you’re this affected by something you’re supposed to tell your friends so we can support you.” Calloused fingers a tad rough against her smooth skin Asami yelped when she was suddenly pulled into a hug. “I’m so worried about you.” 

It didn’t even occur to Korra that she had obscure visions of what her soulmate was doing and she hadn’t told her friends before. She knew Asami didn’t believe in soulmates and talking to Mako about this sort of thing was just awkward after the breakup. Bolin would likely understand, but the two of them got side tracked so easily when they were together that it was almost pointless to try and talk to him.

“Oh Korra, don’t worry about me. You know how determined I am. I’m not going to let something like this stop me.” The genius promised, her arms wrapping around her friend to soothe her. Korra simply burrowed close, hiding her face in Asami’s neck. 

“I’m always going to worry about you Asami. Always.” She promised, hugging onto her tightly. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night had ended with coffee and a vastly unfair snowball fight in the front yard. As Asami had to remind her friend numerous times, using your bending in a friendly snowball fight was cheating. Especially when she had no jacket and no cover to hide behind. But overall, it had ended in good fun. The play had been enough to convince Korra that it was alright to leave Asami alone, that she wasn’t going to keel over at any moment. 

Which was what brought her to the situation at hand. She had lied to Korra, and said she would stop working out but… working out helped her think. It really did! And it was just a basic run on the treadmill while she went through the tedious November report. Only to be interrupted by a sudden flash of pain that dropped her to her knees. Which of course resulted in her being thrown off the treadmill with a nasty scrape to her knee and a bump to her forehead. Laying in a heap on the ground her treadmill was still going as she was plagued by the painful visions. Running, why were they running? Away from or - After someone! “NO!” Asami called out, though her vision was blurry as she pushed herself up. Stumbling to her front door she paid no mind to the priceless vase she knocked over, or the blood she smeared on her wall. She had to help, had to do something!

“Korra!” Bursting out her front door she didn’t even make it to the stairs before she collapsed onto her snow covered porch. Her head was throbbing from the smack on the stupid machine, leaving her aching and wobbly. A fireball was thrown followed by an air blast, sirens could be heard in the distance. Asami was panicking. This was the first time her visions had given her anything useful. But she just knew those bending styles. She knew her best friend’s fighting style. Just as she knew she was working with the police to track down the members of the Triad once again. 

“Korra…” Asami’s voice was soft, weak, as the blood from her forehead dripped into the snow. The last thought she had before passing out was that Korra wouldn’t be such a bad soulmate to have. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beep… Beep… Beep.... It was that steady beep that finally woke her up, her lashes fluttering open as she fought to remember what had happened. Squinting against the bright light Asami weakly lifted her hand, which was what alerted the other’s to her waking up. 

“Asami! Oh Asami we were so worried!” Bolin was the first to appear in her vision as he leaned over her. “Try not to move too much. You’re all bandaged up.” He doted, patting her shoulder gently. 

“Bolin, don’t crowd her face.” Mako’s voice was gruff as he pulled his brother back, giving him a firm look to stay back. “Glad you’re awake though, ‘Sami.” 

“Asami…” Korra’s voice was ever so soft, and that was what drew the woman’s attention to her right. “What the hell were you doing? I’ve been trying to figure it out since finding you and this is just.. I can only come up with Bolin level stupidity for answers.” 

Now that, that set her teeth on edge. “Oh… So you’re assuming I was doing something stupid?” The genius asked, her cheeks flushing ever so slightly as her anger rose. “You know that’s really rude.” 

“Well it’s rude to leave your bloody and bruised body to be found in the snow by your friends. You made Bolin cry. We thought someone had robbed you! Did… Were you robbed?” Voice having risen to show her anger Korra did her best to tone it down as she asked if the other was attacked in some way. 

“No, just… no. I fell off my treadmill and hit my head pretty hard.” At least, that was the last thing she really remembered. “I�� I… mistepped, and went flying.” 

“Your knee, elbow and head were all banged up. You hit your head pretty hard because you fell face first. You’re pretty scratched up Asami.” Korra explained as gently as she could, her hand reaching out for Asami’s. As their fingers linked a soft smile touched each of their features, and Asami’s heart monitor, embarrassingly enough, spiked just a bit. 

“Well, you know me guys. If I am going to do something I have to go all in.” Asami snorted, making her friends laugh which did wonders to relieve the tension in the room. “I’m guessing I have a concussion?” 

“Actually Ms. Sato, you do not.” Her doctor chose that moment to talk in, his head shaking slightly as he sent her a frown. 

“Dr. Trejo, good to see you,” The injured CEO gave a slight smile from her place in bed, desperately trying to ignore the hand that pushed her back down when she tried to sit up. 

“I wish I could say it was better circumstances. Would you care to discuss this in private?” The doctor asked, holding open the door when she nodded. 

“Sorry guys - “ 

“Asami no -” 

“What’s going on?”

“Bolin, let’s go. Korra?” Mako stood at Asami’s silent plea, ready to wrangle his brother and best friend out of the room if need be. 

“Asami, I want to stay.” Korra insisted, taking her hand in silent plea. And unfortunately, or fortunately, it worked. 

“Korra… You could stay. But someone has to take care of the boys.” Asami whispered, sounding far too tired to be okay. “I’ll tell you all about it. I promise. I just need to talk to my doctor.” 

“Come on Korra, give her some privacy.” Mako beckoned, having already pushed Bolin out the door. 

“Fine, but you better tell me everything.” Rising up Korra kissed her friend’s forehead before following after Bolin and Mako, letting the door close behind them. The moment they were alone Doctor Trejo gave Asami a dull look, tucking his clipboard under his arm as he moved to stand at her bedside. “Ms. Sato, we need to discuss this seriously. Honestly, I am concerned about you. Before, you hadn’t injured himself, so it wasn’t an issue. But you’ve injured yourself. I think we need to perform more tests, and you need to take this more seriously.” 

“I… believe you are right.” Asami murmured, a soft sigh leaving her. “What are you thinking?” 

“Since we could find nothing on your original CAT scans, or your MRIs, we may want to consider exploratory surgery.” The doctor stated gravely, only to nearly jump out of his damn skin when the door burst open. 

“Did you say exploratory surgery?!” Korra demanded, uselessly held back by Bolin and Mako. Hands going to her hips she shoved the boys off of her, moving to Asami’s side. “That is crazy. I may not know a lot about practical medicine but I know a lot about healing. And that is ridiculous.” 

“Korra! You can’t just barge in here.” Asami frowned, looking over at the other as she came close. “We were having a serious discussion.” 

“Exactly, and I am coming in here to be serious. Let me take you to Katara, please. Asami, please?” Kneeling beside the other she reached out a hand to grasp Asami’s, giving it a tight squeeze. “Sometimes, you need a true healer. Not a doctor.” 

“No offense.” Bolin added quickly, though the doctor cut him a dull look. 

Looking between the lot of them Asami sighed, her head falling back to rest against her pillow. “Fine Korra. We can go see Katara. But then you will butt out.” 

“Oh, I’ll never butt out. But I’ll try to calm down.” Pressing a sweet kiss to the back of her hand Korra shook her head, clinging desperately to her. She had been listening at the door, obviously, and panicked at the thought of surgery. Especially an unnecessary one. At least unnecessary in her opinion. 

“Korra, you exhaust me. Doctor Trejo, I am so sorry. But, I’ll be in touch.” Asami promised, smiling slightly when she felt the kisses that trailed up her arm. Almost as if Korra just needed the reassurance that she was okay. 

When the doctor took his leave she smiled slightly, her free hand lifting to pet Korra’s hair back gently. “Korra, I will be alright.” 

“You will be, as soon as I get you to Katara.” Korra murmured against her shoulder, her voice soft as she rested against her. 

“Anyone care to catch the rest of us up?” Mako found himself asking as he closed the door after the doctor. “I mean, we just watched Korra nearly break down a door to get to you.” 

“Well…” Asami frowned slightly, her hand still stroking Korra’s hair. “There is a chance that I have a tumor. At least according to doctors. But healers that I have been too… They say that nothing is wrong with me.” She was fudging, just a little. After all, why mention something she didn’t believe in. “Obviously, something is going on.” Though… her thoughts drifted to the punch she had seen thrown in her vision. To the bending styles, the different elements… And thought of the woman beside her. There was only one person she knew who could do this, and that was the Avatar. 

“A chance you… have a tumor?” Bolin asked, a frown on his features as he moved to sit on the very edge of her bed. “Asami, that is something so serious.” 

“Don’t worry, we will get this taken care of.” Korra hummed, finally rising up from the other’s side. After all, it was embarrassing to still be kneeling beside Asami. They were friends, just friends, no matter her want to be more. Just friends was enough. It had to be. “We’ll get you to Katara and see exactly what is going on.” 

“Looks like you and I are taking a trip to the South Pole, are we taking Naga?” Asami asked with a smile. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

“That was such a long trip.” Asami murmured softly, offering a warm smile when Korra lifted her off of Naga’s back. “Thank you though.” Kissing her cheek gently before she pulled away. “So here to see Katara?” 

“And my parents.” Korra smiled, wrapping arm around her friend. She hadn’t left Asami’s side since her getting out of the hospital. That had been a week ago, and she was worried as hell. Asami had been acting strange, from the odd glances to the constant chewing on her nails. Asami never chewed on her nails unless she was nervous. What did she have to be nervous about?

“Oh, that sounds exciting.” Her thumb lifted to her mouth nervously as she chewed on her nail, which earned her a lick from Naga. Nearly jumping out of her skin Asami’s gaze jumped over to the polardog as she wiped the slobber off of her face. “Well, thank you for the concern Naga. I’m fine. I promise.” 

“You aren’t fine, which is why we are here.” Korra gave Asami a squeeze, her gaze moving over her from the corner of her eye. Something more was going on here, she just had to figure out what. 

“Korra, you’ve returned home.” Katara’s voice was soft as she stepped out of her home. “Welcome, both of you. Please, come in. Naga, I am afraid after the last incident you will need to stay out here.” Giving the polardog a firm look the elder spread arms to welcome them before turning to lead them into her home. 

Once they were all settled with tea the water bending master spoke to the two young women. “So I understand that something is wrong, but I do not understand what exactly. Korra told me something about visions?” She prompted gently. 

“Well… I do not know if they are visions. My doctor says they are hallucinations. A healer I saw said they were well… that they were... “ Asami tried to admit it, but her cheeks flushed and she stared down into her tea. 

“They were soulmate visions.” Katara supplied, making Asami look up quickly. “Yes I’m aware that you do not believe in soulmates. Korra has told me as much. But Ms. Sato, I must tell you, sometimes the most obvious answer is the truth.” 

“But! That doesn’t make any sense. The person I’m seeing in the visions… I know them. And have for a while. Why would this just start so suddenly?” Asami attempted to deny, even while discussing such a nonsense matter. 

“You see someone in your visions? You never told me that before.” Korra frowned as she spoke to the other. 

“Well I mean… I haven’t always. It’s normally just what they are doing that I see. At first I thought it was myself doing things. But that didn’t make sense. Just like this doesn’t. I am a woman of science. Soulmates are nonsense.” Stating it firmly, as if trying to reassure herself more than anything, Asami shifted forward to set her tea down on the coffee table between them. 

“Soulmates are very real young lady. I know because Aang and I were soulmates. Just as you and Korra are.” Katara spoke calmly, never missing a beat as she sipped her tea. 

“What?” Asami gasped, her face flushing. 

“Katara!” Korra yelped the woman’s name, the tips of her ears going red in the same way that Aang’s used to. 

“What? It does not take much to see the way you care about one another. The love between you is clear. I think the people missing it were the two of you.” The master huffed, setting her tea down to speak to them properly. “I am far too old to play games with the likes of you. And I will not lie for your comfort. The truth is, soulmates are as real as you and I. As real as the two of you. What I believe you are experiencing is called Soulmate visions. It is rare that it happens in today's world. But, it can happen. Just as it has with the two of you. Korra, you have been seeing things yourself, have you not?” 

“I mean, yes I have. But I don’t know of who. I just sort of… see things? Often paperwork and well manicured hands.” Korra grumbled, feeling embarrassed that her mentor would even suggest such a thing. They were best friends! Not soulmates. Asami had never even indicated liking… Did she like…? 

“This… This is ridiculous. I came here for help, not to be made a mockery of.” Rising up Asami didn’t even so much as say goodbye as she took her leave, ready to get herself back to Republic City if need be. 

“Asami, Asami wait!” Sending the elder woman a look, who simply shrugged as she picked up her tea again, Korra rose up and took off after the other. “‘Sami, seriously, just wait!” When her friend didn’t stop she used her bending, creating a wall of ice to stop her. 

“That is cheating Korra, we’ve discussed this!” Asami snapped, rounding to face her with a finger pointed against her chest. “And I am not sticking around here just to have some crazy old lady tell me that soulmates exist when they don’t.” 

“How do you know they don’t? And Katara isn’t crazy!” Korra defended, ignoring the finger poking into her chest. “She’s elderly, and knows what she is talking about.” 

“Just because she’s old doesn’t mean she knows anything. I am a literal genius. If soulmates were provable, I would have proven them!” Throwing her arms up Asami glared at her friend, her heart pounding. This couldn’t be real. Because if it was real then it was Korra, and that would ruin everything. Statistically, they didn’t stand a chance. She’d run the numbers once. 

“Soulmates aren’t something that can be proved or disproved! They just are. Sure, the cases of them are sporadic, but they happen! Like Aang and Katara, or Kyoshi and Rangi!” 

“So you’re saying the Avatar statically always has a soulmate?” Asami challenged, causing Korra to flush. 

“What I am trying to say is, not everything is statistics!” Korra shot back, uncaring of the fact that they were arguing in the middle of their village. Her hot temper was something well known. “Sometimes it’s about feelings. Soulmates are about feelings!” 

“Feelings aren’t logical! Feelings get you hurt and why would anyone want that?” 

“Why wouldn’t you want that? Sure… You can get hurt. But it’s better than feeling nothing. Asami… Don’t you feel anything?” The avatar found herself asking, her shoulders slumping slightly. 

“Of course I feel things. I feel a lot of things. But that doesn’t mean I want to. It doesn’t mean I haven’t felt pain.” Shaking her head Asami ran her hands through her hair, trying to calm herself before she let out a sigh. “I don’t think we are getting anywhere with this argument.” 

“Well I’m not about to stop talking about it now. Katara said we are soulmates. Do you believe that? Have your visions been about me?” Korra asked, trying to keep her voice gentle in the face of Asami’s dismissal. She didn’t want to stop this conversation. She wanted to get to the bottom of it all. 

“I mean, not everyone can bend more than one element. And that was my last vision. But that doesn’t mean we are soulmates.” 

“How does it not? There are studies about this Asami. Do you… Do you not want us to be soulmates?” Korra found herself asking, having already accepted the idea the moment Katara said it. If Asami was her soulmate she would sing across her lifetimes and rejoice. It would be a proud moment. Not something to be afraid of. Yet Asami seemed afraid. And she wanted to fix it. 

“No! No, it isn’t that. It’s just… Korra you don’t really believe in this do you? What if… What if it ruins everything? You’re my best friend. I can’t risk losing that.” Shaking her head Asami reached out and took Korra by the hand, holding it between them. “You’re… everything Korra. Losing you would be like losing a part of myself.” 

“I hate to be the one to tell you Asami, but that’s love.” Without further thought the brash avatar leaned close, their foreheads bumping gently together. “This… this is love.” With that she did it, she moved in and kissed her best friend. 

This… This was just the beginning for the two of them. The avatar and her genius. Korra and Asami. The best friends, finally becoming more. 

~~~~~~~~~End?~~~~~~~~~

[shellyseashell]

LOOKS LIKE WE’RE SOULMATES

@korrasami-valentine-exchange this is my fic for the exchange! I’m Soulmates A. I hope I’m posting it correctly.

Summary: With Valentine’s Day drawing near, Korra and Asami just want to find their soulmate.

Read on ao3

KORRA SLUMPED BACK on her pillow, growling at her computer. She absolutely hated essays. Give her a model to make or a poster to design and she’d have it done in minutes, but essays took her centuries. At this point she would drop out if it meant she’d never have to write another essay.

“Essays again?” Opal, her roommate asked from her bunk below.

“What, like I’d be complaining about anything else right now?” Korra retorted, leaning over to glare at her friend.

“You’re either complaining about essays or not finding your soulmate yet.”

Korra rubbed her wrist, where her soul mark was. It was a dark crescent moon that would change color after she met her soulmate. It was as dark as ever. “I’m totally walking into this, but it’s just unfair! You found Bolin years ago, and Mako found Wu soon after! I’m the only one in our friend group who hasn’t found them.”

Opal sighed and set down her book. They had this conversation practically three times a day, and each time Opal suggested something new that Korra would refuse. Today was no different. Glaring at Korra, her friend stood from her bunk. “Maybe if you didn’t cover your wrists all the time, you’d find them.”

Korra shrank back. She always covered her wrists when she left her dorm, either with bracelets or long sleeves. Most people her age were blissfully happy with their soulmate by now, and she didn’t need the embarrassment of being alone. “What if they don’t even live nearby? What if I go my whole life without finding them? What if — what if they’re dead?” Korra choked out the last question. She didn’t want to think about her soulmate being gone. She didn’t even know them, and yet the idea of never meeting them — of never being able to meet them — was unthinkable.

Opal sighed. “You’re overthinking this. You’ll meet them eventually. It could take a long time, but you won’t live your whole life without them. It’s practically impossible.”

“I hope you’re right.”

-

ASAMI CURSED AS she dropped her wrench. Twisting around to grab it without getting out from under the car, she half-expected someone to offer her help or ask if she was okay — like her father normally would.

No one came.

Which was expected, since she was the only one currently working, but it still got lonely. Ever since her father had died a year ago, she had been forced to run the mechanics shop with few employees and questionable schedules.

And with no friends, it got incredibly lonely all the time. Before, at least she had had her father and the few other employees. But after he had died, they had all gone to different companies. Companies that could pay better. And so now, she was alone.

Often, she wondered what it would be like to have found her soulmate. To have someone who loved her no matter what. Someone who was destined to be with her, to love her. To have someone always there for her, who wouldn’t ever leave her. It was starting to be a foreign feeling.

Her gaze landed on her gloved wrist that held her soul mark — a dark crescent moon. She checked it daily after work on the off chance that one of her customers was them, and was always looking for someone with the same mark. So far, she’d had no such luck.

Asami went back to her job, thoughts of finding her soulmate in increasingly unrealistic ways filling her mind. When she finished, she pushed herself out from under the car and started putting her tools away, freezing when she caught sight of someone standing in the doorway.

That someone was a very pretty girl. Her dark hair was cut short around her shoulders, framing her face and making her friendly smile and blue eyes look even prettier. Her skin was a warm brown, and she wore sweatpants and a blue Republic City University hoodie. She looked mildly familiar, but she couldn’t place why, and it didn’t explain why her heart started beating faster or why she felt the urge to make sure she had no grease stains on her face.

“I was starting to think no one was here,” said the girl, looking around. “It’s really empty.”

“I’m the only one working today,” Asami responded. “You can always knock, and if no one repsonds just give us a call and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.”

The girl smiled as Asami approached her. She played with her gloves, nearly taking them off before realizing her soul mark would show, and she didn’t want this girl to see it — didn’t want the pity. So she settled for resting them by her sides.

“What can I do for you?” Asami asked.

The girl jerked her head in the direction of the parking lot. “My car has been making weird noises for the last few days.”

Asami nodded. “Which one is yours?”

The girl led her to her car, an old blue thing. “This is it.”

Asami walked around it, looking at it from different angles. “I’ll probably have to keep it overnight and look at it tomorrow. It’s almost closing time.” Asami looked up and met the girl’s eyes, and quickly looked away, hoping her blush wasn’t noticeable. “How should I contact you?”

“You can call me or send me a text,” the girl said. “I’m Korra, by the way.”

Of course she was Korra, Asami thought as she handed her her phone. Korra was the star player on the soccer team, and incredibly popular. They had a few classes together, but had never really spoken.

“I’m Asami,” she said, taking her phone back from Korra.

“I know,” said Korra, then quickly added, “I mean — it was on the information site. That you owned this place.”

Asami smiled. “I do.”

The silence dragged on, neither making a move to end it.

Korra cleared her throat. “So, you’ll call me when you’re done?”

“Yep.”

“Great, I can’t wait!”

-

KORRA RAN FORWARD and kicked the ball. And completely missed the goal.

She growled. She didn’t know what was going on, but she’d been off balance ever since she had taken her car to Future Industries Mechanics. She couldn’t shake Asami out of her mind. Her green eyes, the way her hair shone in the light and looked really fluffy. They say she kept playing with her gloves, the grease stain across her cheek. She wanted to know Asami Sato, and she wasn’t sure why.

“That’s the third time you’ve missed the goal today,” her coach, Kuvira, said. “What’s going on?”

Korra sighed and rubbed her forehead. “I don’t know. I’ll do better tomorrow, I promise.”

“You better. We have a game next week, and we need you in top shape,” Kuvira said with crossed arms. Then she lowered her voice and asked, “Did you find your soulmate?”

If it was anyone else, she probably would have punched them, but Kuvira was almost a friend to her — a friend who happened to be her soccer coach, but still. “No. At least, I don’t think so. I haven’t checked.”

“Ah, so you met someone who you hope is your soulmate, but you’re too scared to check in case you’re let down.”

“Yeah . . .”

Kuvira smirked. “Well, then I guess it’s a good thing practice is over.” She jerked her head toward the locker rooms. “Go figure it out. I’m sure it’ll all work out.”

“I’m sure it’ll all work out.” That was the phrase that Korra had been hearing more and more the older she got, the longer she went without a soulmate. Right, because it was easy to think things would work out when you had been happy with your soulmate for years. But to Korra, it was hard to think she’d ever find them. Everyone around her had found theirs, so why couldn’t she? Sure, there were people who found them when they were in their thirties or even older, so she hadn’t lost all hope, but it was still her soulmate. Of course she wanted to find them as soon as she could.

She sighed, and entered one of the shower stalls. She pulled up her sleeve, not expecting anything different, but froze when she saw that her soul mark was not the same as it had been before. Instead of the same pitch black it usually was, it was a mess of different colors. There were pinks and blues and reds and greens and oranges and yellows and colors she couldn’t even name.

A wide grin grew on her face as she realized what this meant. She had found them! She had found her soulmate, after all the years. And she knew just who it was.

Deciding to shower later, she stuffed her belongings back in her bag and ran. She passed by Kuvira in the hall, who simply smiled knowingly.

Korra headed to the parking lot before remembering her car was still with Asami — funny that her car was where she wanted to be, but not her. She hesitated for a second, trying to decide if she wanted to run there or wait for a bus.

“Fuck public transportation,” Korra said, sprinting down the street. She’d get there faster on her own anyway.

Everything blurred around her as she ran, only her destination in her mind. She was dimly aware of traffic and horns honking and annoyed glares around her. Not that she cared. She was going to get to Asami if she had to trample everyone in her path.

By the time she entered the mechanics shop, her bag was hanging off her elbow, and she was sweatier than before, causing her hair and clothes to stick to her. Still, that didn't stop her excitement from creeping into her voice as she yelled, “Asami!” in time with her bag sliding off her arm and hitting the floor.

There was a muffled crash and a curse, and then Asami appeared from behind a car, rubbing her head. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, a few strands falling into her face. She wore the same mechanics uniform from before, riddled with grease stains.

Asami furrowed her brows. “Korra? Your car isn’t ready yet. I said I’d call you when it was.”

Korra crossed the room, practically flying with excitement. “No, I know. It’s just, well, this.”

She held her wrist up in Asami’s face. Asami looked confused at first, unsure why she was showing her her soul mark, before her eyes widened in realization. Asami scrambled to pull off her work gloves. “Spirits,” she breathed, staring down at her identical wrist. She looked up and met Korra’s eye. “I don’t — how?”

“How are we soulmates?” Korra said. “Easy. We just are.”

Asami shook her head, though she was smiling. “No, I mean, how have we not figured it out sooner? We have classes together.”

Korra grinned and leaned her elbow on the car in front of her, staring Asami right in the eye. “But have we ever talked before?”

Asami shook her head.

“Exactly.”

Asami studied her arm for a few seconds before looking up at Korra. “So, if we’re soulmates . . .”

“We should probably talk about it,” Korra finished. “Tomorrow night. Valentine’s Day. We go on a date. We talk about the whole soulmate thing. We live happily for the rest of our days.”

Asami snorted. “Sounds perfect.”

“Good, because I wasn’t going to take no for an answer.”

-

“YOU WON’T BELIEVE what happened!” Korra yelled, slamming the door to her dorm behind her.

Bolin, who was holding a bowl of popcorn, jumped and dropped the bowl. “Would it hurt to give a little warning next time?” he grumbled and he knelt to clean up the mess.

Mako snorted from the couch. “Maybe you should know she’ll do that stuff by now.”

“Oh, shut up.”

“Guys please,” Korra said. “What happened today.”

Wu snapped his fingers and pointed at her. “You learned that we’re all living in a simulation and nothing is real.”

“. . . no?”

“You learned that fairies are real and we’re all giants,” Bolin offered, earning a glare from Opal, who was in her bunk.

“Let her speak,” she said.

Korra rocked back on her heels, before blurting out, “I found my soulmate!”

Wu gasped. “That was going to be my next guess!”

Mako snorted, tightening his arm around his shoulders. “Sure it was.”

“That’s great, Korra,” Opal said. “Who is it?”

“Asami Sato.”

Bolin sat down next to Opal, having given up on popcorn. “Isn’t she in some of your classes?”

Korra nodded slowly. “A few, I think. But I’ve never actually talked to her until now.”

“How’d you meet her?” Mako asked.

“Car problems. Obviously.”

“Right. Obviously.”

“You know,” Opal said. “Her dorm is in the same building. She lives on her own, I think.”

Korra grinned, and her eyes seemed to brighten. Her soulmate living in the same building as her? It was the next best thing compared to actually living with her. Still, it would make seeing her easier. She wouldn’t have to worry about her car breaking down — though that would give her an excuse to see Asami whenever she wanted. “Does she?” Honestly, it was surprising that she hadn’t figured it out sooner. There had been so many opportunities for them to talk, but they only did when Korra’s old car broke down?

“Yeah. You should go talk to her.”

Korra shook her head. “I just got back from talking to her. We’re going out tomorrow.”

“Valentine’s Day?”

Korra grinned. “What better day to get to know your soulmate than the day of love?”

-

ASAMI PACED AROUND her small shop. She was supposed to be closing up, but all she could think about was what had happened earlier.

She had found her soulmate.

More specifically, she had found out Korra, the star of the soccer team, one of the most well-known girls, daughter of the mayor, quite possibly the most beautiful girl she’d ever met, was her soulmate.

Of all things, she was surprised they’d never met before, but with how different their lives were, she honestly wasn’t surprised.

Asami locked the door behind her as she left, and headed to her car. She paused when she passed Korra’s car.

Trailing a hand over the hood, she was overcome with fantasies of the future. Of dates with Korra in the front seat. Of snuggling up on cold days. Of laughing and joking as they rode to classes. Of seeing Korra when her car was finished.

This car, Korra’s car, was a mark of the future, and it was one she would forever be grateful for.

-

VALENTINE’S DAY CAME, and Korra was freaking out.

“Korra, you look fine,” Opal said for the fifth time.

Korra tugged at her collar again. She had decided to wear a blue suit, with a black shirt underneath. She had left her jacket unbuttoned, open to hang at her sides, but now she was questioning if it was the right choice. “But what if I picked the wrong color suit and our outfits clash?”

Opal rolled her eyes. “Since when have you cared about your appearance that much?”

“But she’s my soulmate!” Korra protested. “I want everything to be perfect.”

Opal stood from her bed and crossed the room. Placing her hands on Korra’s shoulders, she stared into her very soul. “Korra. You are taking her out for dinner and then stargazing. Your date plan is fine. She is your soulmate. She’ll like it regardless. Look, I know your first date with your soulmate is nerve wracking. I’ve been through it. But you’re going to be fine. You’ll be laughing halfway through and wonder why you were ever so nervous. You’ll be fine.”

Korra took a deep breath and shook her nerves away. “You’re right. We’re going to dinner. We’re going to get to know each other and talk about this whole soulmate thing. It’s going to be fine.”

Opal grinned. “Good. Now get going. Bolin is going to be here any minute and I don’t want you here.”

Korra laughed and crossed to the door, winking at Opal — who rolled her eyes — before leaving.

There were plenty of couples in the hall, all heading out to do their couple-y thing. It was weird to think that after years of moping at home and wishing to all the stars she could remember the names of, that she would be joining them soon.

Weird, but absolutely exhilarating.

Korra stopped in front of Asami’s door. Taking a deep breath, she steeled her nerves and knocked.

The door opened immediately, like Asami had been waiting for her. Korra’s greeting stuck in her throat. Asami looked absolutely beautiful. Her red dress hugged her waist and danced around her like feathers in the wind. The sleeves flowed around her arms and cinched around her wrists. Her hair tumbled around her shoulders, her lips painted the same shade as her dress, her eyes lined with black. She was even more beautiful than Korra thought.

Korra was shaken out of her thoughts by Asami laughing. “You’re staring,” she said, causing Korra to blush. “But you look very pretty yourself.”

Korra grinned. “Really? I was worried the blue was overdoing it.”

Asami laughed again. “It goes well with red.”

“Does it? I had no idea.”

“It does. Are you going to tell me what you have planned for tonight, or is that a surprise?”

Korra bit her lip. “I can tell you we’re going out to dinner, but after that is a surprise.”

“Dinner sounds nice.”

Grinning, Korra looped her arm with Asami’s and led her down the hall. “You’re going to love it.”

-

ASAMI DID LOVE it. Korra had taken her to a diner with mostly outdoor seating. The seating area was filled with plants of all sorts, with flowers of all different colors. It almost looked like the garden was one huge soul mark. Lanterns lined the walkways, making her feel like their path was glowing.

Korra led her down one of the many pathways, grinning widely. That grin was one Asami could get used to seeing — she was quickly falling in love with it.

“Wow Korra, this is amazing,” she said, stumbling slightly as Korra jerked her around a corner.

“Sorry!” her soulmate-maybe-girlfriend squeaked. “Our table is up here.”

Asami looked around, noticing they hadn’t passed any more tables in a while. “Why are the tables so spaced out anyway?”

“This restaurant is for soulmates who have just met to get to know each other. The tables are so far apart for privacy. Each table is supposed to have a bowl of conversation starters with weird questions. Get to know the small stuff before what they do for a living, I guess.”

Asami laughed. “This is amazing,” she repeated.

Korra raised an eyebrow. “Really? It’s not that creative.”

“To be fair, we only met yesterday.”

Korra stopped. “This is us.”

The table was in a small alcove surrounded by flower pots. It was a typical outdoor seating table — metal, with chairs that would probably be uncomfortable after a while. The center of the table had a small bowl with different slips of paper sitting in it. Conversation starters.

Asami unlooped her arm from Korra’s and sat. Her soulmate did the same.

They spent a few seconds staring at each other and grinning. Spirits, Korra was pretty, with her short hair and minimal makeup that looked like it had been put on last minute, and the blue suit that matched her eyes.

She could have spent hours staring into those eyes that seemed to hold the depths of the world within them. They were the ocean and the sky and warm rain.

Asami looked away and cleared her throat. “So, should we use these conversations starters, or should we go through the basic ‘get to know me’ questions?”

Grinning, Korra placed her chin on her hand. “Tell me about Future Industries.”

Asami grinned. She could’ve talked about anything just to talk to Korra, but talking about one of the things she loved most was even better. “It was supposed to expand from one small mechanics shop to a whole company, but my father died before he could finish all the business stuff, and I’m not in the place to do it on my own. A lot of the employees quit after he died, looking for better work, so I don’t have enough money — or time, with school. I want to expand in the future though.”

Korra nodded. “Seems important.”

“It is,” Asami agreed. “Forgetting about the fact that I love the work, my father started the company and I feel like I’d be forgetting him if I didn’t make it worth it.”

Korra smiled softly. “You wouldn’t be forgetting him.”

Asami shrugged. “What about you? What do you want to do with your life?”

“Okay, so I know I should know by now, but I’m not completely sure. I mean, I focus a lot on soccer and martial arts and could easily do something with that. But I could also help my dad in politics, which would be fine.”

“As long as you’re doing what you want,” Asami said. “And something you went to school for.”

Korra laughed. “Anything other than Future Industries I should know about you?”

“What, like a secret identity I hide behind to fight crime?” Asami said with a laugh. “Nothing that huge. Basic stuff you’ll probably know with those conversation starters. I don’t really have any friends. I major in mechanics. I run Future Industries. I want to expand. That’s it really.”

Korra nodded. “Well, you should know my roommate and friends can be annoying. I was the last to find my soulmate, and they teased me for it a lot. And they’re just annoying in general.”

“I think I can deal with annoying roommates.”

“Good, because you’ll be dealing with them a lot,” Korra said, playing with the slips of paper. “So, those conversation starters.”

-

KORRA TOOK ASAMI to the roof of their dorm building. Korra wasn’t sure Asami would like it, but by the way Asami gasped and turned in a slow circle to look at the view, she was pretty sure she did.

“I know I said dinner was amazing,” Asami started, “but this is amazing.”

“Never came up to the roof before?” Korra asked, setting a blanket that she’d snagged from her dorm down on the ground. She sat and patted the ground next to her.

“You’re allowed to come up here?” Asami asked as she sat down and leaned her head on Korra’s shoulder.

“Er — no, not usually,” Korra said, rubbing her next. “But a family friend runs this place, so I get special permission. Figured I might as well use it.”

Grinning, Asami leaned back on her elbows and looked at the sky. “I wish I could see the stars.”

Korra leaned back too. “You can see them better in the country, at my family’s farm.”

“Your family has a farm?”

“My grandparents. We visit every summer.”

Asami hummed. “Do you know a lot about the stars?”

Grinning, Korra reached a hand up to the sky like she could pick a star out of the sky. “I sure do.”

Asami sighed. “Tell me everything you can.”

“Everything?”

“Everything.”

And so the two laid there, Asami’s head on Korra’s chest and Korra’s hand tangled in Asami’s hair as Korra told everything she knew of the stars. Asami listened, and though she didn’t understand much of what she was listening to, all she cared about was that it was Korra, her soulmate, talking, and that was all that mattered.

At long last, both girls had found their soulmate.

Dunno if I should put a taglist here but here we go: @salt-warrior @andrewminyard-apologist @cinderswrench @shadymcsilverbangs @cindersassasin let me know if you want to be added or removed!