Korra restlessly thumps her fingers against the brown rim of Pepper's saddle. Jinora is up front, her hands gripping the reins as she smiles and feels the whipping of free wind whisk through her hair, Ikki sits next to Korra, her eyes staring curiously at her as she lets her hand rest on Korra's knee, and Meelo sits opposite the two of them, shoving an impossible amount of food into his mouth.
The scene is silent; only the whispers of the wind can be heard, and it's this noise that makes Korra feel more nervous. It reminds her that with every passing moment, she is heading closer and closer to home – closer to the people she abandoned, and closer to her.
"Don't be nervous, Korra." Ikki says with a smile on her face as she turns her body to fully face her.
Surprised, Korra lets her body tense but her eyes still face out to the world, sweeping the vast ocean in front of her; the glimmering of the morning sun against the blue sets her on edge – she knows that they are far too close to home.
"Nervous?" Korra mumbles, her gaze falters down to her impatiently tapping hand, and she sighs. "I'm not nervous."
Ikki shrugs. "Yeah, you are!" she says and she pulls her hand from Korra's leg, weaving her fingers in with Korra's. "I'd be scared if I were you. I mean, I'd be happy to be going home, but arriving? I'd be sooo terrified – and I know you are too!"
Land begins to seep into Korra's view and her heart stops. She can taste the salty air of the ocean as Jinora lowers her bison, the cool laps of wind brushes against her face and sweeps her short hair from her eyes. She can feel the pulse of her heart and the pounding of her head and a weight in her chest that feels as if she holds the sky up on her shoulders. Her vision is somewhat spotty and the sun only hinders her further. The nerves in her only seem to build as the paradise of Republic city comes into view.
"Well, Ikki," Korra says, embarrassed that her twitching hand is sweaty and red against Ikki's. "I guess you know me better than I know myself."
"Nah," Ikki says. "Dad just says that you can be all rash and silly sometimes – I guess it's true."
Korra lets out a nervous laugh and the intensity of her heart rate increases. Every thump feels like a wallop to the chest, her heart pumping so furiously she feels as if it's on the outside of her chest – like someone could rip it from her clutches and throw it into the dark of nothingness.
"I guess so." She says, and she feels helpless.
They are close now; she can see Air Temple Island and she knows that everybody is waiting: Mako, Bolin, Tenzin, Pema, Rohan –maybe even Kai and Opal – but worst of all, worst of all, she knows that Asami will be there, and she is terrified to see her.
But she cannot wait to see those deep emerald eyes again.
Soon enough the bison slows and dips, and Pepper's feet land to the ground with a slight waver. Korra's breathing is heavy, and she watches as the rest of the kids clamber off and run into their parents arms before she climbs off herself.
Mako isn't here, but Bolin and Tenzin, Pema, Kai and Opal are, and in the midst of them all – all their smiling, friendly faces – is Asami, and she only stares at Korra.
Bolin speaks first. "Korra!" He exclaims; he and Opal are a distance apart. "It's great to see you!"
But Korra doesn't even hear him.
She runs straight for Asami, wrapping her in a tight hug with her head pressing against her neck, swimming in the gorgeous smell of her. Asami's silky black hair cascades around her as Korra entangles her fingers in it and pulls the girl closer, and Asami stays limp in shock. But then Asami gives a heartfelt laugh and squeezes her arms around the Avatar, resting her chin against Korra's head and crying ever so slightly.
"I missed you so much." Korra says against Asami's chest. Asami's head falls further against Korra, her own knees weak and shaking as she laughs again. Her arms rest on Korra's shoulders and wrap around her, Asami letting her face reach down, her lips brushing against Korra's ears as she jolts out the breath of air that had been clogged in her throat.
She lets out a breathy: "I've missed you too." and wipes her eyes. Asami feels pathetic for crying, but when they pull apart and she finds that Korra's face is wet with tears too – Asami wipes them gently with her thumb and smiles – she doesn't feel so silly.
After all, they have unfinished business. Each girl knows that. They left with no proper ending, and each could feel the heat and tension of the air around them.
Baby blue stares into emerald green, but soon enough they are ripped apart by the oncomings of worried friends and family – Korra is being bombarded with more questions than she can handle, and opts to go inside with a warm cup of tea to talk.
Kai and Jinora walk with linked hands next to Opal and the three dart into the building first. Asami and Korra walk stride for stride next to each other, Pema and Tenzin walk next to them. Pema arms wraps around Korra in a motherly way, almost like she's afraid Korra will suddenly vanish, and Bolin drags behind.
He gives a heavy sigh, his hand reaching up and scratching his shaggy hair. "It's like I'm not even here." He says, and then he treks into the building behind them.
It was a long day. Never did Korra have a moment to herself and after six whole months of solace it was a change she found hard to handle.
But now she's alone, and she realises she doesn't want to be. She doesn't want to be questioned more, of course, but she does want to see Asami. She wants to take Asami in her arms, to feel her smooth skin beneath her own rough fingers and just simply talk to her.
She could do no more than that. Kissing Asami was something Korra had dreamed and dreamed about, but Asami was straight, and even the small signals she felt from the girl Korra pinned down to wishful thinking. And, now, lying in bed, Korra could only think of her beautiful friend, and how she really, really wants to see her.
So, slowly, she gets up, her feet smacking against the wooden floor as she stands. She walks over to open her door and just as she hand clutches the handle and begins to nervously turn the knob, the door opens on her and slams against her foot.
Korra's face goes red with pain, and she looks up at who's intruded. It was Asami. She seems to have beaten Korra to the punchline, and the throbbing pain in her foot seems insignificant as she stares at the cute blushing girl in front of her, a hand covering her luscious lips.
"I'm so sorry Korra!" she frantically whispers. "I just wanted to talk – oh, gosh, I'm so sorry. Is your foot okay?"
But Korra gives an easy laugh and sits back down on her bed. "Yeah," she says back to Asami, who teeters into the room and closes the door. "I'm fine, don't worry about me. I've spent my time being beat up by an aggressive old lady – I'm sure a little door to the foot won't kill me."
Asami relaxes then and gives a smile. "Good."
And then a silence settles between them. Each girl shuffles nervously, their palms growing sweaty and their eyes scattering around the room, to anywhere but each other.
Korra opens her mouth to speak. "Asami I-"
"Korra –"
And then they laugh together, and Korra waves her hand in apology. "You go." She says, and then Asami takes a seat next to Korra, a distance between them and an uneven thumping of Asami's heart as she takes the floor.
"I've just missed you." Asami says, and she lets the words settle upon Korra's ears. "After your letter, you really had me worried. I knew you weren't very well and I don't blame you. You were probably as okay as you could be, and the whole time we were apart I could only think about how much I wanted us to be together and I –"
And then Asami exhales deeply and looks to Korra. "Look, I need to confess something."
Korra cocks an eyebrow and shuffles towards her crush, the thumping of her heart synchronising with Asami's. Their naked thighs are touching – each girl is wearing shorts – and Korra swears that the pounding in her head swirls with far too much blood from her constant blushing. Asami's touch feels electric. "Korra I –" Asami looks her dead in the eyes, the beautiful green of them swirling into Korra's caribbean blue. "Ah, screw it."
And then she leans forward and lets their lips join. Her lips press against Korra's in a way that has her heart aching with the loss, the need, the want, and Korra is absolutely startled for a second. She simply lets herself feel the soft lips of Asami against her own, but when she establishes that it is real and that it is happening – that this isn't some dream – she lets herself melt into her. Korra's fiery reaction ignites within Asami's chest, and she pulls Korra onto her lap, Korra's legs slipping into place on either side of Asami. Her arms wrap around Asami and pull herself closer to the black hair beauty. The slow and sensual breaths of her as they kiss slip her into a glaze of desire; every bit of her feels completely numb and ethereal and Korra pushes herself against Asami and slips her tongue into Asami's mouth, emitting a moan from the taller girl as she lets her hands stroke Korra's soft skin under her top. Their bodies press together so tightly it leaves little to imagination, driving Korra crazy, and she playfully nips at Asami's lower lip. "You're beautiful." Asami murmurs into the kiss, her fingers pressing against Korra's toned back.
Korra feels warm and cosy, but alive and fiery, and although she feels herself blush she ignores it and continues to kiss Asami. "Coming from you." She breathes, and then they part for air and Korra rests her forehead against the other girls, their eyes staring affectionately into each other's. The girls are practically gasping for air and their chests heave, but Asami can't help but laugh a breathless laugh, and Korra smiles down at her.
"I missed you so much, Asami." Korra gently says. Asami simply stares up at Korra in reply, and her look is deep and thoughtful. She gives Korra a small sensual kiss before drawing one of her hands up to Korra's face and tucking the short brown hair of her crush behind her ear, Asami's knuckles brushing the smooth coloured skin of her.
"I missed you, too." She says, and she truly means it. "With every inch of my being, I missed you. And I didn't get to say it earlier because, well, because I was so caught up in you –" Asami blushes now, and Korra finds it utterly adorable. "but your hair is beautiful. It really suits you, Korra. You're gorgeous."
"Thanks." Korra whispers, and her eyes fall down to Asami's soft, raw lips again and she feels a tingle erupt in her body.
And then she joins their lips again, and that's how they spend most of their night. When they curl up in the bed together, they talk for hours more. But eventually sleep wins their constant battle, and they succumb to it, wrapped up in each other's arms.
Both girls sleep better than they had in three whole years.