Chapter Text
Fanart courtesy of parcosm-e
“ Well,” Korra said, looking at the portal over the crater's edge. “There it is.”
“ There it is,” Asami agreed.
Neither moved. Korra's stomach was in knots. She hadn't slept the night before, barely ate this morning. When she'd suggested this vacation, the idea had just popped into her head, it seemed so natural! She hadn't realized until after asking Asami to spend two weeks alone with her that... Asami would be spending two weeks. Alone. With her.
What did it mean?! Did it have to mean anything? Was she going crazy?
Asami cleared her throat. “Korra...”
The Avatar blinked. “Yeah?”
Asami held her hands in front of her, looking away. “Nothing. I'm just... It's a little funny, isn't it?”
Funny? Had she noticed how tense Korra felt! Quick, she had to act smooth. “Funny? What's funny? Weird funny or ha-ha funny?” She laughed. Maybe a little too long. She tried to stop, but then she felt ridiculous and actually started laughing. Which only made her feel more ridiculous, making her laugh harder and blush and more or less want to die.
“ Are you... okay?” Asami asked.
Korra composed herself, standing rigid. “Yes! Yes, more than okay. I've been looking forward to this, Asami, really I have. We should've done it sooner.”
“ You... just made the spirit portal three weeks ago.”
“ I mean gone on a vacation together!”
“ Oh.” Asami looked away again.
Korra scratched the back of her neck, looking away herself. “Yeah...”
“ Korra, why...”
Asami stopped, and Korra turned her head back. The other woman seemed to be arguing with herself, unsure what to say. Had she screwed up that badly?
“ I've been looking forward to this too,” Asami said, finally. “I love spending all the time with you I can. Always.”
Korra's mouth opened, but she had no idea what to say to that.
So Asami kept speaking. “It's just... I've been thinking. We both need this trip. Spirits know I need to get away from things for a little while. But Mako and Bolin have had pretty rough times, too, and you didn't want to invite them. And the city is still wrecked, and my company... there's so much to do. But we're going.”
Everything inside Korra went rigid, as if she was being bloodbent. Did Asami not want to do this? Did she not want—
“ And I'm glad we're going!” Asami rushed, fingers squeezing Korra's arm. “I am! I couldn't wait, I just... you wouldn't just do this, right now. Not with... everything. This vacation, just you and I. It's... not just about getting away, is it?”
“ I-I...”
Asami turned those sparkling jade eyes toward her, with a smile that melted Korra's insides in an instant. “I'm sorry I'm so nervous. I just... you're right. We should have done this ages ago.”
Korra reverted to manic laughter. “Nervous?” She managed. “You? Nervous?”
Asami's cheeks colored. “C'mon. Let's get moving.”
To be honest, Korra wasn't sure what had just happened. What did Asami have to be nervous about? She wasn't the one who was afraid that her best friend might see the two-week sojourn into the Spirit World as a romantic gesture! Worried that would ruin their friendship! Worried that she wanted it to be romantic! So why was she analyzing everything for deeper meaning, blushing and awkward and—
And acting exactly like Korra felt.
Oh.
Oh .
They paused for just a moment as the portal loomed above them, glancing at each other. Smiling. Warmth filled her, her heart fluttering like it wished to escape.
They stepped into the light, hand-in-hand. Asami's eyes met her own, took hold of her, and pulled her through to another world. She was lost, inside those eyes.
And found. Finally found.