Work Text:
My anxiety was heightening as the minutes pressed on. These last few hours were dragging on for what seemed like days. Still no word from Opal if they had landed. Sure, it was only 5:00 PM and they weren’t scheduled to land for another 2 hours… But maybe, just maybe, it could’ve been early. I’m trying to think optimistic.
The run-in with Kuvira had not ruined the day. Despite other things that happened during our time at the park, I was secure in my relationship with Korra. We have been together in an official capacity for all of 3 years, and before that, we were best friends for just over 4 years. Well… During our friendship, she was gone for 3 of the years after she experienced a near death experience.
Those 3 years apart were some of the worst of my life. Mostly from being away from Korra. I understood that she went away for her health and recovery, but she left right after I fully realized my feelings for her. Prior to her accident, I had confessed that I was falling in love with her. She avoided giving me a response out of fear. Then, our lives changed when she tried to stop an armed robbery at a convenient store and was shot in the back twice. One of the bullets hit her spine and the other just barely missed her kidney. The doctors did not have much hope for her to walk again, but thankfully she proved them all wrong.
Korra was in a deep depression during those 3 years. I on the other hand, was losing my mind with worry. I sent her letter after letter just showing my support. Finally, after 2 years, I received my first letter. It didn’t have what I wanted to hear in it, but I was just happy to have gotten some form of communication from her. I made sure to keeps tabs on her with her parents and her therapist Kya. It wasn’t the same though.
The day she came back to me, I remember so clearly. I like to think of that day as the first day of our relationship, however, I know Korra chooses to call our first date the start.
***
It was an awfully long day at the office. Certain investors were trying to pull the rug out from under me and screw me over. I only had 1 meal for the day, and it consisted of an apple and a bag of mixed nuts. My day started before the sun came up and I got to my penthouse apartment long after the sun went down. I was looking forward to a long hot bubble bath with a glass- no wait, a bottle of wine.
I entered the lobby of the building after parking my car in my private garage and was on my way to my personal elevator. My mind was on nothing but that bottle of wine and drowning the day away. I hadn’t thought of Korra all day, but the sudden smell of the ocean wafted under my nose, and I was consumed with thoughts of the tanned woman I fell so deeply in love with all those years ago. The woman who also broke my heart when she left. The woman who never so much as wrote me back but just once. Shaking those thoughts out of my head, I was stopped dead in my tracks before I made it elevator door.
“Asami?”
Who could be here for me at this hour? I pressed the button and shrugged off the caller.
“Asami! Wait up!”
That voice. The familiarity of it. I turned in a haste and saw the person I had wished to see for what seemed to be an eternity. Same tan skin, muscular arms, but instead of her long hair, she wore a short chin length bob that looked wonderful on her.
“Korra?” I was excited to see her. Yet, I stopped myself from showing it. Even though I waited 3 years for this day to come, there was a part of me that was angry at her for leaving me the way she did.
“Sorry to surprise you like this, I just couldn’t wait to see you. I’ve been waiting here for you for hours.”
I could not show any emotion. I turned and faced away from her. “I’ve had an extremely long day Korra, maybe we can do this another time.”
“This can’t wait ‘Sami. I know you probably don’t want to see me right now… But I really need to talk to you.” She was making her way over.
“Korra…”
“Please?”
“Fine, come on up.”
The elevator ride was slow and quiet. We both stared aimlessly at the door on opposite sides of the metal box taking us up to the penthouse. Once the doors opened, I was first to exit. Setting my purse down and removing my heels, I went straight for the liquor cabinet. This conversation was going to need more than a bottle of wine. Whiskey would do just fine.
“Can I get you something to drink?”
Nonchalantly, Korra strode over to the counter. “I’m good thanks.”
Before she could say another word, I had already downed 2 shots and was pouring myself another.
“Listen, I know you weren’t expecting to see me tonight and I had this whole speech prepared, but now I can’t seem to remember anything.”
There goes the third shot.
“Gosh… Why is this so hard? Okay, get it together Korra.” She took a deep breath. “I know I can never express how sorry I am to you, but I am. I am so sorry Asami. I thought about you every day—”
“You thought about me every day Korra? Then why didn’t you write me? I wrote you every month you were gone. Every month! I didn’t get but just one letter back from you! I confessed my love for you! And I know, you were shot, and bed ridden for weeks. And I was there every day by your bedside, I wanted to be because I loved you! You meant everything to me… I begged you to let me come with you while you recovered, but you said you would be back in a few weeks or months, tops. You don’t realize what that did to me. I missed you so much!”
I walked away towards the bedroom. She followed despite protest.
“I told you I loved you Korra… And you said nothing.”
Asami— I- I loved you too— I still love you.” She approached me and laid a hand on my shoulder. “It’s not too late for us to be together.”
I moved out of her grasp. “It is too late Korra! I waited 3 long years for you. I moved on… I’m over you. You broke my heart…”
“I was too broken Asami. I couldn’t be who you needed me to be. I’m sorry that it took me so long… I wanted you there, but I didn’t want you seeing me that way. Unable to care for myself or care for you the way you deserve to be. You deserve everything this world has to offer, and I was no good for you.”
She started to make her way out. “If it is really over with us then I will try to move on. But I don’t think it is… I know I came back suddenly, and you probably need more time to process. But hear me when I say this Asami… I will fight for you. For the rest of my life.”
The door opened and I placed my hand on it to push it closed. Korra turned and came face-to-face with me. Tears traced my cheeks. I couldn’t help it; I leaned in and captured her lips with mine. It was deep and passionate, full of emotion and want. It ended abruptly. We spent the rest of the night discussing our years apart. Before the sun came up, we found each other asleep tangled in one another’s arms.
Our first date was that very next day.
***
My mind was brought back to reality by the smell of a Mickey pretzel wafting by my nose.
“I knew that would snap you out of your daze… What is with you today anyway? Seems like there is something on your mind.”
“It’s nothing. Just overthinking some work stuff that I shouldn’t be worrying about while we enjoy our day.”
We continued on to Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, and an encounter with Stitch. I lost complete track of time until my phone went off and I noticed it was 7:15.
Opal: We landed! Getting an Uber now. We should be at the park by 8. Just tell me where to meet you.
Asami: Your tickets are at will call! I will text you a location.
Now to figure out how to lose Korra for a few minutes. This is really going to happen!