The Avatar's Master

15. Morning (and Afternoon) Delight

Asami watched Korra sleep. It was sometime in the late morning or early afternoon and she didn't want to wake her. Korra was snoring and drooling a bit on her pillow with her chestnut hair draped delicately across her face, and Asami thought she looked brown and beautiful.

She thought of the nights she would console Korra who sometimes shook violently awake from lingering nightmares of being poisoned, of going through all she did in a short span of years and somehow managing to come out stronger and wiser for it. The CEO admired her girlfriend almost as much as she loved her. She couldn't believe Korra was with her, and part of her wondered whether she was good enough for the Avatar.

It was hard at first to get Korra's attention. When they met and Asami was dating Mako, she would go out of her way to try to impress Korra, showing off her racing skills or offering herself up wherever she could on Team Avatar missions.

Later on, when they were both over Mako, they became fast friends and Asami realized her attraction to Korra was more than just a deep admiration. She caught herself ogling Korra while training with her and holding up pads for her to punch. The Avatar's muscular physique and especially her arms made Asami scream inside to be touched, and Korra's crooked smile made her heart pound out of her chest.

But still, she didn't know whether Korra felt the same; heck, she wasn't sure if Korra liked women that way. Asami was always attracted to women and realized it early, but she never fully came out to her conservative father though she never hid it; he just chose not to see.

As such, she had affairs with classmates at her all girls boarding school and even brought one home once; her father never thought twice about how close they were and how they held hands and giggled incessantly at inside jokes. He figured girls will be girls.

Still, eligible bachelors lined up to date Asami, and as she was also attracted to men, she found herself dating them because, frankly, it was easier.

But Korra made Asami realize what real love is. It's hard work and patience and understanding. It can heal and it can hurt. But it also fills the heart and soul and bones and flesh with an immeasurable weight and incredible lightness. Love is a paradox, Asami decided. The weight on her heart, the lightness of her head – a fine line between sickness and health. This feeling, she knew it well – the feeling of uncertain and unreciprocated love, first in the agonizing three years apart from Korra and recently during their month of being broken up.

Korra was still fast asleep, and Asami scooted closer and draped her arm around her. They were both naked under the soft sheets and Asami felt cocooned and safe with her love there.

Korra's eyes fluttered open and her big blues rested on Asami's met gaze; she yawned and moaned and leaned into Asami's grasp and tilted her forehead against the other woman, and with morning breath, uttered "Good morning."

"Hiiii," Asami purred.

Korra scooted even closer, and Asami wrapped her naked leg around her.

The room was shadowy; the drapes were closed though the vaulted ceilings with their high windows allowed some light to slink through.

"Mmm, what time is it?" Korra said, eyes still half closed, hand massaging Asami's back gently.

"I have no idea."

"Good. Keep it that way."

That's when Korra leaned in for a morning (or was it afternoon?) kiss before nestling her head into Asami's nape and breathing into it; she kissed it delicately, sending shivers through Asami's spine and chest and head and loins. Asami loved being kissed there. It was one of her sweet spots, and Korra knew it.