Infinity
The Legend of Korra
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Disclaimer: Nope still don't own them.
Chapter 2
With the warmth of the sun stroking her face, Asami's eyes fluttered open. A smile tickled the edges of her mouth as she recalled where she was. They were deep into one of the floral valleys in the Spirit World right now.
It had been an amazing week so far. Exploring as many crooks and crannies of this strange but wonderful world. They met a wide variety of different creatures as well as a few other human travelers who wanted to explore like them. Naturally, they avoided the Realm of Koh and the Fog of Lost Souls. Not that she had any desire to visit, hearing about them was enough. She turned her head to see an empty bedroll beside her, as expected. Korra was an early riser unlike herself.
Completing her morning duties, she went out in search of her companion. Weaving through the hayfield, she finally caught a glimpse of the Avatar in the thick of it. Stopping where she was, just out of sight, she simply watched.
Korra was in the middle of something that could only be described by as a dance, the way her body gracefully moved. Four elements; air, water, earth and fire, swirled in an infinity pattern from one arm to the other continuously as she swayed in coordinated movements.
Sweat gathered on the back of her neck and her muscles strained once in a while but other than that her face remained passive.
Asami never saw anyone look so powerful and peaceful at the same time. So comfortable to be in their own skin. But she supposed it was the way of the Avatar to make things look so effortless.
The dancing eventually stilled.
"Good morning," Korra greeted into the morning air.
Asami came out of hiding not even questioning how Korra knew she was there. "Good morning."
"How'd you sleep?"
"Amazingly," the CEO purred, stretching and cracking her neck from side to side.
"I'm glad." The avatar's smile softened. "Feel like sparring?"
Asami nodded. "No bending?"
"You really want to kick my butt, don't you?" Korra looked aggrieved.
Omitting her bending was like losing a sense or a limb since bending was in fact an extension of herself. Non-bender's were far better at hand to hand combat because they never had the urge to manipulate the elements to their advantage. It actually took a lot of concentration to not bend in battle situations because it was so instinctive.
"Would it make me a bad person, if I said yes?"
"Totally… Completely, terrible, horrible person," Korra answered with a twinkling smile.
"Hmmm…" Asami's smile was barely evident as she scratched chin trying to look thoughtful. "But would you still like me if I were a completely, terrible, horrible person?"
The Avatar shrugged noncommittally. "Maybe…"
The CEO adjusted her body into a fighting stance, her smirk feral. "I can live with that."
Korra grinned back, moving into a defensive standpoint. "Okay, completely, terrible, horrible person, show me what you got?" Her hands doing a come hither action.
And Asami did.
An hour later, they were both panting, lying next to each other haphazardly on the ground.
"I can't believe you sucker punched me," Korra complained, pressing the sensitive spot on her cheek with a wince. Hitting in the face wasn't allowed.
"What! I never sucker punch you. Your face hit me."
"Seriously, my face deliberately made contact with your fist?" Korra looked incredulous.
"Well, who told you to duck?" Asami rolled her eyes.
"Well, excuse me for wanting to avoid the flying kick aimed at my head!" The Avatar scowled.
The CEO hummed in amusement, turning to her friend. "Okay, sorry, lemme see?"
"Nuh-uh, you've done enough."
"C'mon, you big baby, just let me see." Asami raised herself up, trying to get a glimpse of the Avatar's injury but she ducked her face. "Stop being so stubborn."
"Nope," Korra said petulantly, trying to turn away but the CEO caught her and straddle her hips so fast she couldn't move. Her body was literally frozen as surprised blue eyes held determined green.
"Now, hold still..." Asami pushed on Korra's shoulders, keeping her in place until the avatar went pliant under her.
Asami almost forgot what she was doing as they gazed silently into each other's eyes. Breaking eye contact first, Asami almost blushed as she searched out the tenderness on her companion's face. There, just under Korra's right eye, a bruise was starting to form.
Her regret was released in a ragged breath. "Oh, shit, that looks sore." She caressed the tender area with gentle fingertips causing the Avatar to flinch. "I'm sorry." She looked deeply into ocean eyes.
Korra swallowed, her throat feeling dryer than she was used to. "Don't worry about. It doesn't really hurt."
"Liar." Asami could help but smile at the expected bravado from her friend.
Korra smiled back as the CEO called her on her bullshit. "Okay, maybe just a little… But nothing a little water healing can't fix."
The CEO nodded and got off the avatar, pulling them both to their feet. "There is a pond a little while back. You can take a bath and probably take care of that there."
"Are you politely telling me I stink?" Korra asked dryly.
"Only a lot." Asami fluttered her eyelashes playfully.
Korra laughed. "Well, I hate to break it to you but you don't smell so good either, princess."
Asami lifted her arm, wrinkling her nose in revulsion. "Don't I know it. But you can take it first while I keep watch and I'll go after."
The Avatar nodded knowing it was good idea since they weren't the only humans visiting the Spirit World.
... ... ... ...
Korra was seated on a rock, seemingly fresh, just out of hearing of the pond area where Asami was taking her bath. She was drawing circles in the dirt with a twig when a piercing scream shot out from her companion's direction.
"Asami!" Her heart pounded violently as she dashed through the woods, skiing to a stop in the entrance of the pond area. "Asami!"
There, Asami pulled herself out of the water rushing towards Korra who caught her in her arms. The Avatar pushed her back slightly, cupping her face between her palms and searching face in alarm. "What? What happened?"
Asami stuttered and pointed behind her at an absurdly looking lemur-type creature that was openly leering at her. Korra immediately pushed Asami behind her as she sized up the intruder.
His fur was a dirty grey and his black beady eyes looked a little too big for his head. "Hey! I was looking there!" He frowned.
In one small flick of her wrist, Korra shot an angry stream of water into his face, the pressure knocking him straight into the tree behind him.
"That wasn't very nice," the creature sputtered.
"Neither are perverts. So leave…" Korra demanded, keeping her body protectively in front of Asami's.
"You don't own this watering hole…" he grunted, then yelped as more water stung his side. "Okay, okay, I'm going, I'm going…" He floated away into the trees.
Korra closed her eyes using her sharp senses to determine when he was far enough before she turned her back, pulling Asami into a hug. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have left you alone. I just didn't know spirits could be that –"
"Invasive?"
"Well yeah…" Korra felt her heart start slow down as she held her companion. But then it picked back up and her eyes shot open when she realized something. "Asami?"
"Yeah?"
"You're kinda naked…"
Asami tore away, her face reddened. "Oh Right! I should probably put some clothes on."
Korra immediately turned her back to her friend giving her some privacy. "Only, if you really want," she mumbled under her breath too low for anyone else to hear. She, personally, would never wear clothes if she looked like that. All curves and softness, just the barest hint of muscle.
In a word, Asami Sato was gorgeous.
"Son of bitch," Asami grumbled.
Korra whirled around, in her combat stance, just as Asami zipped up her pants. "What? What? Is he back?" Her eyes darted in every direction trying to detect a threat.
"No, but I think he stole my –" Asami trailed off, her cheeks growing redder by the second.
"Stole what?" Maybe she could catch that son of bitch before he got further away.
"My um, underwear," she whispered.
"Oh…" Korra felt a blush paint her cheeks. "Err…" She was a loss for words.
The CEO sighed, feeling humiliated enough for one morning. "C'mon… let's just get back to camp. I have more there. I wouldn't want those back now, anyway." She shivered in disgust.
Korra could only nod as she followed Asami in the direction of their campsite, trying to ignore the fact that she knew her friend wasn't wearing any underwear.
It wasn't easy.
… … … … … … … … … … … … …
Later that night, Republic City…
A jolt of electricity shot through him as his motorcycle skid to stop just outside the Sato Mansion. He was getting good at that. Asami would be proud at the way he handled the machine, Mako thought with a smile. After a long, gruesome week at work he was ready to see a friendly face.
Running a hand through his hair, he jogged up the stairs, letting himself in, not bothering with doorbell. He never had to even when he wasn't staying there.
But since his apartment building got destroyed in the Kuvira battle, he accepted Asami's offer to let him stay there until it was repaired. This was the first night he made an appearance though.
"Mako?"
"Yeah, hey Bolin." Mako said recognizing his younger brother's voice before he stepped into the foyer.
"Where have you been?" the earthbender prodded, curiously.
Before Mako could answer, Varrick burst through the front door. "Ah-Hah! Bolin, there you are!"
Bolin looked completely bewildered. "Varrick, what on earth are you doing here. I thought you were on your honeymoon!"
"Well, we were eager to get settled and Asami said we could stay here while we get our city apartment renovated," Zhu Li, Varrick's newly crowned wife informed as she joined them.
"Zhu Li, why are you boring the kid with those stories? He doesn't want to hear that." Varrick draped an arm over Bolin's shoulder. "Lookie here, I have an idea for a new invention!"
"Really?" The earthbender's eyes narrowed, not sure if he should be curious or afraid.
Varrick smacked him on the back. "Picture this! It's a box! Not too big." He glanced at Bolin out of the corner of his eye. "You got that."
"Small box, got it." Bolin nodded.
"It has a screen on the front. But instead of projecting our movers onto the screen, the box projects it from within using a broadcast system like a radio. Imagining it, live broadcast! But with pictures!" He waved his hands. "And because of its size, every household can have one! It's genius!"
"Cool…" Bolin awed.
"I call it Visiontel!" Varrick exclaimed, his arms stretched wide. "Because you know it kind resembles a small vision that can tell people something, live!"
"I wanted to name it Television," Zhu Li added quietly.
Varrick rolled his eye dramatically. "C'mon Zhu Li, how many times must I tell you that's a stupid name. What would you rather buy –a Visiontel!" he emphasized, exuberantly. "Or a measly television." He looked disgusted.
Bolin opened his mouth hesitantly, "Uhhhh…"
"Ah-Hah! You see Zhu Li. Visiontel is way better!"
Zhu Li simply sighed and rolled her eyes. "Whatever, I'm going to sleep." She hiked her luggage over her shoulder and headed towards one of Asami's guest rooms in an annoyed strut.
"But I thought you were going to do the thing." He pouted in her direction.
His wife wrinkled her nose, shaking her head in exasperation. "Not tonight," she muttered as she slammed the door behind her cause all three of them to flinch.
Mako snickered under his breath. "Looks like someone's already in the polar-bear-dog box."
"Am not." The inventor looked alarmed. "Or am I? Oh Crap." He grabbed his own bag and rushed in the direction of guest room. "Zhu Li, baby… I was just kidding." He chuckled nervously. "Television is not a stupid name. Well, not totally," he said wryly as he took his groveling behind closed doors.
Mako simply shook his head. "I can never get that guy."
"That's what makes him Varrick." Bolin just smiled. "So…"
"So?" Mako raised a brow.
"Where have you been all week, bro?"
The older brother shrugged off his jacket and tiredly dropped to one of the couches. "Work. You know how it is."
Bolin tsk'd with a shake of his head. "C'mon bro, all work and no play makes Mako a dull boy."
The doorbell rang, causing the firebender to raise a brow. "Busy night?"
The earthbender shrugged and went to open the door. But as soon as he did, he was jumped slamming into one of the walls. His lips were attacked suddenly by ones he knew so intimately. "O-Opal?"
"Ah- huh, guess who's going to make you feel good tonight." She kissed him again, struggling to take off her shirt.
"M-Mako!" he managed to mumble out through their kiss.
Opal ripped her lips away. "Mako?" Catching a figure in the corner of her eye, she jumped a full step away and yanked down her shirt. "Mako! Hi!" Opal gave an embarrassed chuckle, wishing her boyfriend would open up the earth right now so she could be swallowed whole.
"Hi Opal," he greeted, his face rivaling hers in the red department. "Nice to see you… Not that I was looking! I, um, totally wasn't looking." He rushed on, quickly sticking his head back into the magazine he was pretending to read.
"You could have told me he was here!" she hissed angrily at her boyfriend.
"I tried to…" Bolin whined.
The airbender rolled her eyes at him before turning a smile on the older sibling. "So Mako, how's it been going?" She sat on the couch opposite from him. Bolin joined her.
"Okay. Been busy."
"Guess where he was all week?" asked Bolin.
"Where?"
"Sleeping under his desk again, probably. Damn workaholic," the earthbender chastised.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah… Someone's gotta to do the job." Mako rolled his eyes. "And why are you complaining about me, anyway? At least I'm here. I don't see Asami around. She is probably burning the midnight oil in her workshop. And Korra," he added with a wave of his hand. "She is probably already off with Prince Wu helping him demolish the Earth Kingdom's monarchy system."
There was a long pause. The young lovers glanced at each other uneasily before turning back to Mako.
"Mako…" Bolin said softly.
"What?" huffed the detective.
"They're on vacation," Opal told him.
Mako straightened in his seat. "What?" he asked, confused. Not sure he heard right. "Asami's on vacation?"
Opal nodded. "And Korra."
"Together," Bolin added for good measure.
"You're kidding?" He gaped. Them on vacation seemed so farfetched considering they were just as bad as he was.
The earthbender shook his head. "Not kidding. To the spirit world. But to be honest we were hoping you might have decided to go with them since you weren't around all week."
"No," he replied quietly. He wasn't even invited, he thought with a bitter taste in his mouth."Well, good for them. If anyone needed one it was those two." Trying not to let his disappointment show, he forced a yawn, standing. "Well, I'm gonna go hit the hay. See you two tomorrow."
"Goodnight," they both called to his retreating back.
"He is not going to take it very well," Opal muttered when they were finally alone.
"What?"
"Korra and Asami."
"That they are on vacation?" Bolin puckered a brow, bemused. "I don't know… I think he took it pretty well."
"No dummy." She blew out breath. "The other thing about them that we've secretly talked about."
"Oh! Oh! You mean the possibility of Korrasami." He whispered, wriggling his brows impishly.
"Stop calling them that." She smacked him.
"Ow." He winced, rubbing his arm with a scowl. "What's wrong with Korrasami? It's just a name to emphasize couple pairings. Like when people call us Bopal."
"No one calls us that!" Opal huffed.
"Not yet," he conceded, thoughtfully. "But I swear to you, some day–maybe in the far future –it will catch on. Couple name mashups are the future!" he declared with a puff of his chest.
His girlfriend stared at him blankly. "You're insane. Just simply, absolutely insane…"
"But you love me anyway?" he asked, with a wide hopeful smile.
Opal laughed, shoving him gently. "Yeah… yeah I do, you big goofball."
He grinned, pulling her onto his lap and proceeded to kiss the living daylights out of her. She pushed back after a while, drawing in a deep breath. "We were talking about Mako."
"Right, right…" He gulped in a breath himself. "I don't know how he's going to take it," Bolin admitted, brushing back a strand of Opal's hair. "But I doubt it will be good, at least initially. He still has feelings for both of them, I think. He was always confused about that."
"I gathered. Plus it also won't be good on his ego that both his ex-girlfriends are now into women."
"Oh, he is going to hate that!" Bolin laughed.
"Be nice." Opal wacked him on the arm, trying to stifle her own chuckle as best she could.
"I am nice. And I think if he really sees the way they look at each other, he will get over it. They're his friends."
"Well hopefully." Opal nodded, resting her forehead on Bolin's. "Plus, I think Mako will be the least of Korra and Asami's problems, anyway."
... … … … … … … … … … … … …
Spirit World…
Korra's sigh was breathless into the night. She shifted onto her back, arm tucked behind her head as her eyes took in the wide expense of the warm, twinkling black sky. It was late. Her companion had submitted to the land of slumber a long time ago in the bedroll not too far from hers. Asami was always dog-tired from their daily exploring that the minute she put her head down, it was lights out. She on the other hand always had trouble sleeping.
The Avatar turned her head to study her friend's face. Asami's breathing was nice and even, her ruby lips parted slightly. A lock of raven hair draped over one cheek. Korra had to squash back the overwhelming urge to brush it back off her peaceful face. Adjusting her gaze back to the night, she released a heavy breath.
What was wrong with her?
Even as she asked herself that question, she knew the answer was staring her right in the face. How one person could get under her skin so much, she had no clue. And what was more worrying was that she had no idea what to do about it. Taking a phrase out of Bolin's playbook; she had no game!
Just as she was about to chuckle at her own stupidity, the whimpering started.
Like it did every night so far.
"D-D-Daddy," moaned Asami as her face contorted in agony, tears squeezing through sealed eyes. "Daddy…"
Korra's heart broke with guilt, every time. If she just defeated Kuvira that first time… But she couldn't afford to think about the past like that. So she did the only thing she thought could help.
Sliding out of her own bedroll, she slipped into Asami's. Curling her arms around the frightened and fragile body, bringing it closer to her own warmth. "Shush," she cooed, caressing the trembling cheek with the back of her hand.
"K-K-Korra," Asami cried, still in her sleep. The first night she heard Asami whimper her name, she was startled. But then she remembered that the CEO had fears of losing her as she did her father. Whatever dreams her companion had, probably blurred the death of her father and the avatar herself. Grief could do that to you.
"Shush, I'm here, I'm alive… I'm here," Korra assured, squeezing her tighter and gently stroking her arm. "I'm here."
Asami never woke. She never did even as her body eventually started to calm to the presence of the avatar. Once she felt Asami's deep breathing smoothen out against the crook of her neck, her own chest untightened. Her grip never wavered as she ducked her head, searching her friend's serene face. "I will always be here…" she vowed softly, not sure if it was a promise she could keep. But she would try.
Closing her eyes, Korra thought about getting back to her own bedroll.
But she never did until day break, an hour before the CEO woke.
Like always…
… … … … … … … … … … … … …
Downtown, Republic City…
Chief Beifong paid the taxi driver before setting her sights on the rundown building behind her. It wasn't much but it was home. It also wasn't damaged in the battle being on the outer skirts of the city. Getting to her ratty apartment, she unlocked it and let herself in.
Just as she was about to lock it again, the cuffs on her wrist were manipulated into razor sharp daggers, darting towards the intruder lurking in the dark. But in the split second they were going strike, a familiar floral scent tickled her nose causing her to divert them into the wall. "I almost killed you, you know."
"You could have tried," her unwanted visitor teased with a cocky grin.
Lin wasn't impressed, drawing the metal cuffs back to her, one nicking the light switch on the way back. "What the hell are you doing here, Kya?"
The waterbender was reclined on her worn out couch. "I've come to talk to you at the request of the Master Airbender."
"Something Tenzin couldn't tell me himself."
"Let's just say, Korra and Asami have got him worried," Kya informed her, swinging her legs casually over the edge.
Lin sighed, unzipping and depositing her leather armor onto one of the chairs. They worried her too, to an extent. There was no doubt in her mind about those two. Which wouldn't have been so bad if Korra wasn't the Avatar.
Even though Republic city was pretty forward thinking, the rest of the world was not as evolved. Right and wrong was still black and white for them. Getting over the bender / non-bender prejudices was hard enough. A battle would be in the midst again.
Public figures could not be perceived as anything but 'normal'. You wouldn't be able to get anywhere as a gay man or woman in this society. Lin would know, keeping hidden all her life in order to do what she loved doing. Becoming chief like her mother. A feat she wouldn't have been able to accomplish if the world knew. She chose to be a public figure.
But Korra was born a public figure by no choice of her own and the world could not live in harmony without her.
However, that harmony would be broken the minute someone caught wind of it, Lin had no delusions about that.
"And what exactly does he want me to do about it?"
"Well, he thought maybe you would be helpful since Pema gave him a clue as to what you permit into your bedroom." The waterbender winked. "Smart woman that. But he didn't know how to approach you, being a man you once dated and he didn't think you would be responsive to his wife."
"What and he thought it would be better coming from you?" Lin almost sounded amused.
"It's Tenzin. He is generally clueless." Kya shrugged as if it was obvious.
The earthbender grunted in agreement. She opened her fridge scanning the bare contents. "Fine, if that's all, get out." There was nothing in there that resembled food that she could actually stomach, so she just pulled out a beer.
The waterbender's smirk was thin. "Hospitable as always."
Lin popped the lid off her beer and took a sip. "No one pays me to be hospitable."
"But they pay you to be an A class bitch?"
"See… I knew you were the smart one of the three." She guzzled the rest of the bottle and then set it on the table. "I'm going to bed. You can show yourself out.''
"Lin, we have to talk about this."
"No, we don't."
Before Kya could put a hand on Lin's shoulder to stop her, the earthbender whirled around catching her wrist. Her green eyes flashed with heat. "Don't touch me."
"Why?" Blue eyes held firm, heat of a different kind swirling through them. "You used to love it when I touched you."
The earthbender forced herself to roll her eyes. "You kid yourself." They both knew that was a lie as soon as she said it.
But Kya lips twitched. Taking that as a dare, she moved closer until their whole bodies were touching and Lin was pressed up against the wall.
Lin was practically frozen by the gall the waterbender had. It always surprised and excited her even if it shouldn't by now. The earthbender couldn't prevent the unsteady breath that spilled through her mouth when she felt a soft kiss at the base of her neck. Followed by another one and another one. Those lips suddenly curled into a smirk.
"You can fool the whole world, Lin, but you could never fool me." Her hot, wet mouth trailed along Lin's jaw up to her sensitive ear. "Especially, when I had you naked, screaming my name… I bet you're still a screamer…" she challenged, with a nip.
Lin moaned feeling betrayed by her own body. Her throat felt dry, her form yielding fast, losing itself to Kya's familiar ministrations almost completely.
Almost.
But there, in the background, was the hurt fighting against the pleasure she was feeling. Pushing back. It was always there, taunting her. Remembering, she went supple in Kya's arms, almost lifeless.
"You lost the right to find out the day you left," she murmured quietly.
Kya felt the unwanted softening of Lin's posture, forcing herself to stop, to step back. Regret tainted her when she saw what was in front of her. Angry Lin, she could handle. What she couldn't face was wounded and terrified Lin. The air in the apartment had cooled tremendously and she knew she had to leave quickly. They both weren't in a space to open that can of worms yet and she doubted if they ever would be.
"You're right," Kya agreed with a shaky nod. Lin was still glued to the wall as she watched the waterbender gather her coat to leave. Kya hesitated at the door. She didn't turn back when she whispered, "But ask yourself why I left."
She was gone.
For now…
Well that's all for this chapter.
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