Asami and Korra walked out to the car together, Asami a few steps ahead of the avatar "Hey Korra?"
"Yeah?" The avatar widened her eyes as she caught the keys thrown at her face by Asami "Seriously?? This again?!" Korra frowned as Asami chuckled and got into the passenger seat "You're not gonna try and teach me before putting me out on the road again??" She continued.
Asami looked up at the avatar "Zhu-Li and Varrick's place isn't too far from here. We'll be taking the back roads so you don't have to worry about other traffic. Besides, it's better to learn by diving in head first, you of all people should know that." Asami said as she looked forwards "Now get your ass in the car and drive."
"Define 'too far'." The avatar mumbled to herself as she climbed into the drivers seat. Both girls had buckled up as Korra started the car.
"Now you've done this before. The gas is on the right and the break is on the left." Asami looked at Korra "Just ease into it... and don't beat yourself up if you make a mistake." Asami said calmly "But if you scratch my car, I'll make you lick it clean." She said, not so calmly.
"Right.." Korra mumbled as she placed her hands on the steering wheel. The avatar looked down at her lap nervously as she stayed stiff, too scared to start the car. Asami chuckled as she caught the avatar in such a tense position.
"Out of all things you've had to learn, why does driving seem to bother you the most?"
Korra frowned as she looked up at Asami "What I learned was meant to be apart of me! I'm supposed to learn and master all 4 elements! Which I already did, but driving isn't apart of that! It's not even an element! How am I supposed to control something that's not even apart of what I'm supposed to be?!"
"Korra calm down!" Asami said as she placed a hand on the avatar's thigh, making her go quiet "It's just driving...! It's not that big a deal! You'd be the first avatar to know how to drive. Doesn't that mean something to you?"
"I guess.." Korra mumbled as she looked away from Asami. She liked being the best.
"Exactly. Now, be easy on the gas..." Asami sat back "You're very heavy handed. And heavy footed. A little goes a long way..."
Korra chuckled as she stepped on the clutch, changing the car into first gear "Says the girl who owns over 100 dresses."
"Hey. Don't you bring my wardrobe into this. Besides, I don't see the problem when you like how I look in every single one of them." Asami said making the avatar chuckle as she cautiously started driving. Korra drove extremely slow as she headed down the road of the estate, taking her sweet, sweet time.
"Korra, you do know you can go a little faster.. it took 15 minutes just to get off the damn property. At this rate, we won't make it to Zhu-Li's until tomorrow morning." Asami teased, looking at the avatar.
"Sorry.." Korra sighed a bit "I just... rather be on the safe side.. especially with you in the car.." She said as she stepped on the gas more, finally going the proper speed.
"Don't worry about me Korra.. I'll be fine. Just focus on the car... you're the one in control it. Not the other way around." Asami said as she watched the road "Make a right here."
Korra nodded as she took a deep breath and let it out, calming herself. As the avatar began to make the turn (a wide one) Asami quickly reached over, placing her hands on Korra's, helping her turn the steering wheel more, then letting go as they began heading straight again "Sorry!" Korra yelled nervously.
Asami chuckled "Korra stop being sorry and fix it for next time! When you make a wide turn like that, you risk the chance of hitting another car, if one was there." Asami said as she leaned back in the passenger.
Korra nodded and laughed a bit as she glanced over at Asami, then bringing her eyes back to the street "How are you so calm?"
"I have to. Me panicking or yelling at you isn't going to help the situation. It would only make you more nervous.."
"Yeah but.. I'm talking about with everything else. You're always are so calm.. and you always know what to do, and what to say. It's like you're never shaken up by anything."
"Oh trust me, there are a lot of things that shake me." Asami chuckled as she shrugged "It's just... the way I am I guess. It's how my parents raised me.. to always think things through before just randomly responding.."
Korra laughed as she shook her head "Well that's one huge difference between us." She said, making Asami laugh. Aa their laughs died down, Korra bit her lip before speaking again "Hey Asami.. can I ask you... a personal question? You don't have to answer it if you don't want to..." The avatar trailed off.
"Turn left, and watch the curve over here. Their place should be a straight shot from here, a few miles out." Asami said, looking at the avatar "Yeah... go ahead.."
"Um... what.. what happened to your mom.. exactly.." Korra asked, feeling guilty that her interest was taking over her mind "I know your dad said she was.. killed by benders but.. do you know who or wh-?"
"Who they were or what kind of benders they were?" Asami interrupted as she crossed her arms "Yeah. I do."
The look on Asami's face, her entire demeanor, changed within an instance. Good job Korra. The avatar looked ahead as continued to bite her lip, too nervous to ask Asami anything else and make her even more upset.
"They were fire-benders from the Agni Kai Triad." Asami continued "Those selfish- good for noting- little bastard thieving excuses for human beings broke into the estate when I was 6 years old. They liked to hit all the big houses around the town because of more profit i guess. They never tried our house because my father was always home, and he was crazy protective over me and my mother. One night my dad was working late at the warehouse and.. that's the night they decided to break in." Asami looked down "They stole so much. But it wasn't enough for them... they tried.." Asami closed her eyes "They tried taking me with them. But my mom stopped them. She fought... so hard to keep me safe.. but she couldn't keep up with them.." Asami gripped her jacket as the night replayed in her mind "There were so many fire-benders... attacking an innocent woman at once. All I remember after that was.. this horrifying look on my mother's face when they took her life..."
"You were there when it happened..?" Korra looked at Asami with wide eyes, feeling horrible for even bringing up the question.
Asami nodded as she opened her eyes "My dad came home before they had the chance to run off with me... but he was too late to save my mom. She... she wasn't even recognizable." Asami looked down as a tear rolled down her cheek "And to even think about what they would've done with me if my dad wasn't there... makes me sick. I don't know who they were personally" She paused "But if I did and if I ever had the chance to, I would kill them." Asami was now grinding her teeth together as she dug her nails into her sleeves. Korra glanced at Asami nervously. She's never seen Asami like this. So... full of hatred, like her father once was. Asami sighed softly moments after, realizing how bad her temper had just gotten "I know I sound crazy but-"
"No I get it." Korra said as she looked at the road "I've never lost someone that close to me the way you did... if someone ever killed my mom or my dad.. I don't know what I would do.." She glanced down before looking up again "You know.. it's okay to have hate for those guys.. Katara hunted down the man down that killed her mother when she was younger.."
Asami looked up at Korra quickly out of shock "She did? I .. didn't know.."
Korra nodded "During the Hundred Year War, the Fire-Nation raided the South, and with no back up from the North, it was pretty easy for them to do so. No more than 40 people lives in the South at the time and the Fire-Nation had either killed or taken away all the water-benders in the Southern Water-Tribe. Katara somehow.. was the only was left.. and the Fire-Nation returned to get her. She was 8 years old when they came after her, but.. her mother told them that she was the water-bender and Katara had nothing to do with it." Korra paused for a moment "Katara wasn't there when it happened but.. when she ran to help her mom, their house was full of burn marks and flames, so she knew it only meant that her mother was gone. She's blamed herself for so long for her mother's death... until Lord Zuko helped bring her peace."
"That's... horrible." Asami said looking down "I don't know how she couldn't kill that man.. I would do it in an instant.."
"It wasn't the fact that she couldn't kill him... she wouldn't." Korra looked at Asami then the road again "Katara's a blood bender, obviously she doesn't use that kind of power, but she could've easily wiped him out. She was tired of letting hatred fill her heart. She just.. wanted to let go." Asami looked away, feeling guilty that she was still filled with hatred "Its okay to still hate them Asami... just don't let that anger consume you like-"
"Like my father did?" Asami asked as she looked at the avatar.
Korra widened her eyes a bit as she stared at the street, avoiding Asami's eyes "I ... I wasn't going to say that but that's... that's a good example." She paused for a moment "Kya didn't want Katara to be angry for the rest of her life... I'm sure your mother wouldn't want you to either. You'll find your peace eventually 'Sami.."
"Katara named Kya after her mother..?" She asked looking up at the avatar, who was nodding yes "Hm.."
The two girls sat in silence for a bit before Asami sighed, rubbing her head and looking back down "I'm sorry... I didn't mean for this to turn into one big sob story.."
Korra chuckled "It's fine 'Sami... it's better for you to talk about these things instead of keeping them in."
Asami nodded slightly in agreement "What about you? Does the avatar have any childhood trauma?" She teased, making Korra laugh.
"No.. all mine started after I left the Southern Water-Tribe." Korra teased back.
"Oh really? Nothing from your past that'll pluck a little string in that big, tough heart of yours?" Asami said as she crossed her arms.
"Nope."
"I find that hard to believe." Asami said, chuckling as Korra pulled in front of the giant house that belonged to Zhu-Li and Varrick. Korra put the car in park carefully before letting out a deep breath
"Not too bad avatar.. you did a lot better this time .." Asami said teasingly before looking away.
"A student is only as good as her master." Korra teased back, bowing playfully to Asami. The avatar looked up at Asami who had seemed to be still reliving one of the worst days of her life "Hey.. if you need a minute before we-" Korra stopped as Asami nodded silently and looked away as tears suddenly filled her eyes. Korra quickly unbuckled her seatbelt as she rushed over and hugged Asami tightly. "I -I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to make you cry.."
Asami wrapped her arms around the avatar tightly as she began to sob "I miss her so much Korra!!" Asami buried her face in Korra's neck as Korra placed a hand gently on the back of her head, caressing her.
"I know 'Sami... I know.." Korra whispered as she let her girlfriend cry out her pain.
Korra ran her other hand along Asami's back, comforting her until her cries became soft. After what felt like hours of Asami crying, she had turned her head to the side, now placing it on the avatar's chest "I.." Asami took a deep breath, bringing herself together "I feel so safe with you.."
"Good.." Korra said as she kissed asami's head lightly
The fair skinned girl wipes her eyes gently before looking down at Korra's shoulder "I got some make up on you.." Asami whispered as she wiped the avatar's shirt carefully.
Korra chuckled as she rolled her eyes a bit "It's okay.. it'll come out." Korra sat up carefully "Come on.. we should head inside.."
Asami nodded as she sat up as well "Okay.. give me a second.." Asami reached down into the glove compartment, taking out a bunch of junk to fix her make up. She turned the rear view mirror to face her as she cleaned up her face a bit, making the avatar laugh slightly.
"Really?"
"What?? I looked like I just balled my eyes out."
"You did." Korra teased.
"Yeah yeah." Asami mumbled and rolled her eyes as she finished cleaning herself up "Alright.. let's go." She said as she put everything away and got out of the car with the avatar.
The two girls held each other's hand as they walked up to the giant door, knocking and waiting for an answer to start their plan with the newly weds.
~
Did you know that Asami's mother was actually killed by the Fire-Benders by the Agni Kai Triad?? Through a break-and-entry robbery! I just put my own twist on it. Hope you like!