Becoming Home~LoK BB+Korrasami Anniversary

“Looks like we made it back alive!” Korra exclaimed, raising her hand which was linked with Asami's. Asami smiled at the triumphant gesture as the pair passed through the white gates to the estate.

“You say that as if there was significant risk involved in our trip,” she teased. Both of them inhaled the familiar scent of the Sato estate, then sighed, content. “But, yes, we made it home safe.” Green eyes flitted towards Korra as another smile played at the corners of Asami's lips.

They had been in the Fire Nation for the past month. It had been nothing more than a political-business tour. No violence, just a lot of public appearances and meetings. There was a ton of down time, too. For the first week in particular, they spent the majority of that time planning out their wedding. When they departed for the Fire Nation, they had been engaged for nearly half a month.

They stepped through the main doors to the house, casting aside the luggage they'd carried in from the car. Korra stretched her arms and torso, embracing the freedom after the long trip back to Republic City. Asami was already halfway up the first flight of stairs, so Korra jumped two steps at a time to catch up to her. At the second floor, Asami started towards their shared room, hoping to freshen up a little before dinner. Before she got far, Korra cleared her throat to catch Asami's attention.

“Um... Asami, I've been meaning to ask you about something.” Korra leaned over the railing at the top of the staircase, eyes downcast.

“Oh, yeah? What is it?” She reached out a comforting hand on Korra's back.

Korra's fingers gripped the rail harder and she took a deep breath before she looked at Asami. “I know I just moved in, but... Do you really want to live here after we get married? Or do you want to leave the estate behind?”

The confused frown on Asami's face made Korra even more nervous. “I-I mean... Um... Uh... I was worried that maybe it wouldn't be comfortable to stay here,” she stuttered. “... 'Cause... Y'know... a lot of bad stuff has happened to you here... I thought... uh, maybe you'd associate this place with the bad things... and I just want you to be happy, and I wasn't totally sure if you could be completely happy while you lived here...” Korra wrung her hands and her eyes darted feverishly as she rambled.

Asami continued to stare blankly at Korra, her mind traveling to the past.

—

There was a time when her family knew joy: Before the death of her mother, before the corruption of her father. A simpler time, when the three of them lived together happily. When her father was available, they'd go on family picnics, looking out over the pond near Harmony Tower at the slow-moving Turtle Duck boats, listening to the bubbling sounds of people talking and laughing together. They were a part of that laughter, once. Hiroshi and Yasuko would hold Asami's hands and lift her into the air, swinging her back and forth as their eyes shined. She felt her parents' love for each other. She felt their love for her. And she loved them back just as much. For a brief moment in time, so long ago, she felt that her family was unbreakable, and that life was filled almost solely with joy. Asami was so young then.

That once happy family crashed around her feet by the time she was six years old.

—

“Mom! Can we read together now?” Asami darted to her mother the second Yasuko entered the main house. “You said we could once you got home. I've been in the library most of the day, but it's fun to read together with you.” Asami beamed up as she clutched Yasuko's dress.

Her mother reached down and stroked Asami's hair, smiling fondly. “I did promise you, didn't I?” Asami nodded. “Well, then, let's do it!” Upon seeing Asami's smile grow even brighter, Yasuko laughed and lifted her onto her shoulders. She grunted at the effort, “Goodness! You're growing up so fast! Soon, I won't be able to carry you like this anymore!”

Asami hugged her mother's head for a moment in reassurance, “That's okay. We can still play, even if we can't do this. 'Cause we're friends and family!” Yasuko's heart swelled at the simple affirmation from her daughter.

The two of them soon reached the corridor which ended in the door to the library.

Crash.

Both of them started at the unexpected sound from down the hall, and a heavy fear grabbed Yasuko's heart. Hiroshi wasn't home right now. They weren't expecting company. The servants shouldn't be in this area at this time of day. Yet Yasuko prayed with all she had that the sound was nothing more than a servant on break. She knelt down and let a nervous Asami off of her shoulders.

Yasuko's eyes bore into Asami's, conveying as best she could her authority despite her hushed tone, “Asami, I need you to go and lock yourself in somewhere safe.” Asami began to shake her head, afraid of leaving her mother's side, but Yasuko shifted her voice to full-on commanding, “I mean it, Asami. And if I don't come looking for you in a few minutes, call a servant or the police, okay?”

Crash, crash.

Lip trembling, Asami tried again to refuse, but the look in her mother's eyes overpowered her ability to speak. She lunged forward to hug her mother. Yasuko held her tightly for a moment, then shooed her away. “Be safe, Mommy... I love you...” Asami whispered as she began to shuffle away.

Yasuko gave her one last smile. It was so empty, so different from what Asami was used to seeing. The sight sent chills to her heart. “I love you, too, my sweet baby girl...” Yasuko replied under her breath. She stood and made for the door the sounds emanated from. Steeling herself for what may lay beyond the door, she turned the handle.

Asami locked herself into a room in the neighboring corridor, holding a breath as she listened for her mother. An unworldly screech pierced her heart. She couldn't help but break her promise as she shoved the door open again and rushed to her mother.

Smoke billowed from the room, signaling where to go. Asami tried to keep from coughing, knowing it would give away her presence. A man yelled at her mother, but in her fear Asami couldn't process what he said. As she tip-toed into the room, a flash of fire leapt from the man's hands. She barely had time to register the burns already on her mother's forearms.

Her mother screamed again as the flames engulfed her—this time swallowing her whole body.

The fire reflected in Asami's eyes. Her mouth agape in terror and shock, she couldn't scream.

Several servants had heard her mother's screams. The sounds of them hustling towards the room caught the attention of the killer. His harsh eyes snapped towards the doorway, landing on Asami.

In that moment, Asami was certain she was going to die.

The firebender began the movements intended to kill her, but he stopped when three servants appeared behind the girl. He cursed, dropping a case from his arms and bolting back out of the window he'd come in through.

One servant chased after him. Another rushed to contact the police. And the last bent down to Asami, trying to get her to stand. She'd fallen when the man's gaze came upon her. Despite the servant's best efforts, Asami was unable to get back on her feet for a few long minutes.

Only when the servant who had chased after the man returned—his eyes fixed on the charred remains of Yasuko Sato—was Asami able to rise. She tried to scramble to her mother's side. The servants grasped her, holding her back. She'd seen too much as it was. Seeing the body up-close wouldn't help anything. They resorted to lifting Asami and removing her from the scene. But even though they'd kept her from seeing her mother's remains, the smell of burnt flesh filled the corridor.

—

Witnessing the death of her mother lead to years of nightmares and panic attacks. Her father would repeatedly awaken her as she screamed in her sleep, her mind filled with images of fire and the cries of her mother. Of the man yelling at her. Of his eyes turning towards her, filled with a malice Asami had never seen before. Of being sure she, too, was about to be killed.

And, worse, in many of these dreams she saw her dead mother's corpse. Even though Asami hadn't seen her mother's body up-close, her mind had imagined countless, grotesque possibilities: Some nights it was bones with flesh melting off; some nights it was a charcoal figure that never stopped smoking; and some nights the corpse rose and reached out to her, its groans horrifying.

One night, as the firebender—complete with horns and much larger than in real life—turned towards her, his leg was gripped by a rotting hand. The smell of burning flesh and death flared up as a dying Yasuko tried to stop the man from killing her daughter. Asami's eyes met with Yasuko's, but the eyes were not her mother's. The man's eyes glared at her from the melting face of her mother. A wicked grin split the faces of both the man and the corpse. Asami screamed as the man—

“Asami! Sweetheart, you have to wake up. You are having a bad dream again.” Hiroshi shook his child's shoulder.

Asami jolted awake, panting and sweating. She trembled as she looked around for her father in the dark room. Once she found the silhouette of his familiar form by her bedside, she reached out for him. Hiroshi leaned towards her and hugged her close to his chest. When Hiroshi released Asami, she whimpered at him.

In her chaotic sleep, Asami had thrown all the covers off of her bed. Her father gathered the sheets up as he tried to help Asami calm down, “Don't worry, Asami. You're safe now. Papa is here.”

Hiroshi pulled the blankets back over his daughter, touching her face softly once she was covered. The darkness of the room couldn't even begin to compare to the darkness in his heart. Asami's eyes had adjusted to the dark, and she frowned when she saw his lips turn down. “Daddy?”

“Asami, I want to increase the intensity of your self-defense classes. What happened to your mother... We must ensure that the tragedy does not repeat itself. Inasmuch as we can control, at least.” It had been about two months since Yasuko was murdered, and Hiroshi had spent a lot of that time thinking of how to protect his daughter.

Eyeing her father for a few long seconds, Asami shivered. “Okay, Dad,” she croaked.

Sensing her hesitance, Hiroshi elaborated, “I also think you will feel safer if we do this. You do not feel safe anymore, and I think we should do what we can to fix that. You understand, don't you?”

“I understand. You're right, Daddy.” She grasped Hiroshi's hand. He squeezed back, trying to reassure her.

Soon, Hiroshi began to make for the door. The crinkling of blankets stopped him in his tracks. Not two seconds later, small arms wrapped around him.

“I don't want to sleep alone tonight, Daddy... Please...” She sniffled.

Her father turned around and scooped her into his arms. “All right, then. You don't have to be alone, dear.”

Once they were snuggled up in Hiroshi and Yasu—no, just Hiroshi's now—bed, Asami cried in her father's arms. He pulled her as close as he could. Before he realized it, tears streamed down his own face as well. A few minutes passed as they cried together. Hiroshi regained some measure of composure more quickly than the young Asami could. He ran his hands comfortingly over her back as her soft crying shifted to sobbing. The pained sounds shattered Hiroshi's heart. His hatred of the firebender who took his wife from him burned deeper than ever. That bender didn't just take the love of his life... He had taken the mother of his precious baby girl. He had scarred Asami for life.

Some time later, when Asami's tears still had not ceased, Hiroshi started to sing quietly to her. His voice was rough and untrained, but the effect it had on Asami was clear. At last, her cries calmed. Nuzzling into her father's chest, she focused on his song and fell asleep. This became routine for Hiroshi trying to soothe Asami after fitful dreams.

The following morning, Asami heard her father half-shouting at someone over the phone. Listening closer, she heard him growl, “The world would be better off without these murderous hounds! They've done irrevocable damage to my family, don't you see?”

At the time, Asami truly believed her father had just meant he wanted the scourge of the Agni Kais and Triple Threat Triads to be jailed or exiled. Now, as an adult, she understood that this should have been a big, blinking indicator of what was to come with Hiroshi's involvement with the Equalists. She thought he was seeking justice over her mother's death. Find the man—the specific man himself—and make him pay the price in prison. This incident did nothing to dissuade Asami's grand opinion of her father. If only because she never added it together with other far-spread-out instances. His hatred of all benders was kept quiet as much as possible. But now and then, a few quips got out. So few and far between were these, however, that not even Asami, despite her quick mind, pieced them together. Hindsight is 20/20, they say.

—

Since Asami didn't realize what her father was planning, Korra's accusations that Hiroshi was involved with the Equalists upset her. She couldn't fathom why Korra would say something so unfounded, so cruel. “You don't know what you're talking about!” she spat.

But the revelation that Korra had been right devastated Asami as much as it infuriated her.

Yes, she was utterly furious at her father.

Asami couldn't let her friends go find her father without her. She hesitated when Mako told her he'd find out the truth for her. Then she followed and saw the undeniable proof. Hiroshi was an Equalist. The banners on the walls and the legion of Equalists in full-costume attested the fact.

Standing before him in the secret part of the estate, she thought this must all be a nightmare. Her father had been so patient with teaching her mechanics as a child. He'd been so comforting when her mother was killed. He'd encouraged her interests and had always stood by her. Did that mean she had to return the favor by taking on the glove—and all that it stood for—which he offered?

It must have been frustrating for him to join Asami at Probending matches over the years, applauding the skills of benders. She scoffed at the thought. No wonder he seemed tense most of those evenings. Asami had always just assumed it was because of work. How had she been so foolish? How had she failed to recognize that she and her father held such different ideals?

She had thought he was an activist—that he wanted to make things fair between benders and non-benders. He had always told Asami that benders were in no way better than non-benders. Non-benders could be just as skillful, could achieve just as much. She thought he meant real equality. Not genocide.

Disappointment. That was the next emotion to join the storm raging within her heart. Hiroshi had lead Asami to believe he strove for true equality, and she had looked up to him for his ideals. Her father—her idol. Torn away from her through lies and betrayal. Her father—her teacher. Of his own volition, staining the happy memories of their time engineering together in the workshop. Her father... it hurt to call him that now.

She took the glove from him as her heart kept breaking in ways she never expected. She took the glove and shocked the man who called himself her father. She went on to use it to help destroy his and Amon's genocidal ambitions. She used her father's glove, her father's mecha tank, to fight him—and she'd won. But now she had to live remembering when Hiroshi made the move to kill her.

He had become such a terrible man. He would rot in prison, and Asami planned on never seeing his hateful face again.

Returning to the estate after he was imprisoned... the halls felt alien and alone.

—

When Korra departed to the South Pole for her recovery, Asami spent less and less time at the Sato Estate. Bolin and Mako's extended family needed a place to stay, now that their home in Ba Sing Se was gone. The brothers implored the use of the estate for temporary housing. After all, they had already been squatting at the estate when shit hit the fan. Asami was happy to oblige, and the presence of this large family of strangers in her... home (could she really call it that anymore?)... deterred her all the more from staying there for extended periods.

A few months following Korra's leave, Hiroshi's first letter made its debut—fresh from the prison cell. At first, Asami couldn't bear to even open it, tossing it aside in disgust. Her father had lost the right to speak to her when he tried to kill her. While she couldn't bring herself to open the letters, she also couldn't seem to throw them away. Over time, they simply stacked up. It seemed like every time Asami dropped by the estate and thumbed through the piles of mail, new letters from her father cropped up. His handwriting on the envelopes was as formal as ever, almost as though he were sending business letters to Asami. He couldn't be, of course. He had no part of any business anymore. Even still... Asami wasn't comfortable in crushing her father's last offerings. She was stranded in a place where she could not fathom forgiving, though she had been close to forgetting. If not for these letters, if not for the paparazzi's endless pestering, maybe she could have left all this behind.

Through the swarm of pesky letters left unopened from her father, Asami never received a letter from the one person she wanted to hear from. While she never got a reply from Korra, Asami continued to send letters often, hoping beyond hope that something she said mattered to Korra. Asami convinced herself that she didn't need a reply. She just needed to show she still supported Korra. And it was mostly true that Asami could live without a reply. But, deep down, she ached for an answer, a sign that Korra still cared. That Korra still felt attachment to her—or even to this world.

Two years passed without word from Korra. Tenzin kept everyone informed on what he was at liberty to discuss regarding Korra's progress. It wasn't enough. He tried to seem sure of himself as he reported on Korra, but Asami watched his confidence waver over time. His positive words became more and more empty to her ears.

Yet, she continued to pen letters whenever she could.

Maybe this time, she'd hear from her. Maybe Korra would come back one day. Asami wasn't sure anymore if she still believed that was true.

But what could she do other than hold on to the off-chance that Korra would return to her?

A few weeks had passed since Asami last bothered to drop by the estate. Her reintegration projects were coming along well, but she'd needed to spend many late nights at work to perfect the remaining plans. When she wasn't working, she stayed on Air Temple Island. It was comforting to be with friends—to be where Korra had lived long ago. Silly though it was, being there sometimes helped Asami feel closer to Korra.

She grimaced at the mammoth pile of mail that awaited her at the estate. She didn't want to deal with any of it right away. Instead, she curled up on her bed and stared at her desk. No notable dust had built up—a testament to the hard work of her staff. Just in case their master decided to come by, they continued to keep her room pristine. She decided to pay them extra for this dedicated service.

One of Bolin and Mako's family members stomped down the hall, jolting Asami back up. He blabbered to someone in a nearby room. Now that she was up again, Asami shrugged, resigning herself to her fate. She dragged herself to the desk, lifted the letter stack and took a seat to leaf through them.

So few related to business—so many from her father... It seemed his attempts at contact were growing more frequent, to her disdain. Asami moved to throw the whole pile on the ground with a huff and excuse herself to take a (hopefully) calming round on the racetrack.

But then she saw it.

Her eyes scanned the envelope numerous times in shock. She knew that handwriting. And it was not her father's.

It was... It was from Korra.

Two years without a single word, and it was Korra.

All the other letters fell from her hands as Asami grasped at this one. She couldn't fully believe this was in her hands after all these years. All these years, and yet seeing that handwriting made her feel as though no time had passed. The feeling lasted only a moment, but in that moment, Asami was 19 again, fighting alongside her best friend. Korra's laughter filled her head, and it was like they were doing Korra's driving lessons again, joking about their pasts with Mako. Memories flurried through her mind faster than she could even place them. Korra's voice was strong and clear, despite her long absence. I'm glad it hasn't come between us—We made it out of the desert, thanks to Asami—Help me save the Airbenders, then you can worry about saving me—I gotta admit, I had you pegged wrong! I thought you were kind of prissy—Let's do it!—I've never had a girlfriend before—That was amazing!— Thanks, Asami—

Tears flowed freely down Asami's cheeks. She hadn't even opened the envelope yet, but already she was overwhelmed. Korra. Her beloved Korra. Korra, Korra, Korra. Korra had finally written to her. She clutched the letter close to her heart, careful to avoid damaging it.

The exhilaration from Korra's letter helped Asami feel more inclined to look at the pile of letters from her father.

She wasn't sure if she wanted to read these in any particular order, or if she would even read more than one or two in all. Perhaps she'd read the first sentence of one and stop. Perhaps she'd be so disgusted that she'd throw away the letters at last.

Picking a letter at random seemed the easiest way to get herself to just do it. Over-thinking where to start would be a wasted effort. If I put too much time and thought into this, only to be disappointed—which I expect—I'll regret it.

Asami lifted the tower of crinkling envelopes and carried them to the middle of the floor, where she unceremoniously dropped them, allowing them to scatter. Let's get this over with... Let's get this chapter behind me...

Plunging her hand amid the collapsed mass of letters, Asami snatched at an old, ragged envelope. The date on the front placed the letter at a year and a half ago, about 3 months after Hiroshi had begun his letter campaign in earnest. Asami knelt down, frowning at the paper in her hand.

She had decided she was ready to give one of these letters a shot. But now that a letter was in hand, her uncertainty reared up again. She hated this man. He'd hurt and betrayed her in ways she had never deemed possible until the moment he tried to take her life. Her own father. Trying to kill her.

She shuddered at the memory—the look on Hiroshi's face as he charged at her with his mecha tank. His eyes betraying what felt to her like a lust for murder. His voice, steeped in a hatred she'd never heard before. The large metal weapons racing towards her.

And yet this very man seemed intent on creating contact with her again. What could he possibly have to say for himself that could ever begin to excuse the things he'd done? The family he'd destroyed the last vestiges of?

At the end of the day, it felt like he couldn't. His penance was meaningless, and surely he understood that. He'd done something irreversible through his hatred—he'd broken a trust once made of diamond.

With a heavy sigh, Asami considered it may be best to gather the letters back up and burn them.

She was about to toss the letters into the fireplace when she was overcome with senseless guilt. She couldn't do it. So the letters were cast aside in her quarters once again, unread, but undamaged.

—

Yes, there had certainly been bad times at the estate... yet Asami still couldn't just ignore all of the good. She couldn't pretend the estate had no positive meaning for her, or that she hated it. She simply didn't feel that way. Especially not now, when Korra had brought the sun back to it.

That first day at the racetrack, the sun beating down on the asphalt. The sudden shift in Korra's behavior towards Asami when Asami was able to prove she wasn't whatever stereotype Korra had pigeon-holed her into. It had felt so much more important to Asami to prove herself to Korra than to appeal to Mako, or even Bolin. The wind blowing her hair back as a smirk grew on her face. Korra's enthusiastic approval of the adventure they shared. That moment, which started everything for the two of them.

Many milestones for their relationship unfolded on the estate. Moments neither of them would ever forget.

—

The morning after Kuvira's defeat, Asami was confused to feel muscular arms holding her close as she began to awaken. Drifting on the edge of consciousness, she couldn't immediately remember everything that had happened the day before. In fact, her instinct was to believe she had been captured and was being transported somewhere by the enemy. She must have been knocked out during the fight. She grunted in her half-sleep, her body tossing to the side to try and get out of her captor's grip. Of course, the offending arms merely held her tighter in response. A panic started to set in. She needed to rouse herself. Fast. If she really had passed out, she couldn't afford to waste any more time in getting back to her comrades.

A memory of her making up with Hiroshi flitted across her mind. Right, he had helped them with the hummingbird suits. It felt so wonderful to work alongside her father again, after all those years of estrangement. Was it during the execution of their attack on Kuvira's giant mecha suit that Asami had been taken prisoner?

Suddenly, her heart fell to her feet and the blood drained from her face as images returned to her of her father ejecting her from the suit. Of him being mercilessly smashed by the colossal mechanical hand. Asami had been orphaned, officially. Sure, she was an adult now, but still... Her shoulders began to tremble and a low sob broke from her chest. The arms around her pulled her closer, but she couldn't focus on that right away.

Most of her memories of the previous day began to pour back into her mind, but the sobs racking her chest didn't cease. They calmed somewhat when she remembered finding Korra, but the shock of the loss of her family was giving way to pain, which for now took precedence over her relief at Korra's survival.

At least Asami hadn't been captured, though. She hadn't let Korra and the others down. She took a slow breath to try and relax more, but the image of her father being killed just came back to replay in her head over and over again. Soon, these images were paired with the last image Asami had of her mother, flames engulfing her body as she shrieked in agony. Like Mako, Asami had now seen both of her parents murdered right in front of her. A sickening connection to have, but perhaps Mako would be able to give her empathetic support. Asami's sobs dwindled down as she processed her emotions and what she could do to cope.

She finally broke the barrier between states of consciousness, though she kept her eyes closed while she tried to ground herself. But wait, who was holding her right now? She hadn't been captured, but there were still strong arms wound around her. Asami tried to focus on her most recent memories, and she blushed as the events following the battle's end returned to her:

“Korra, are you going to stay on Air Temple Island tonight?” Jinora asked, eyeing the contact between Korra and Asami as the group got out of the ditch of Spirit Vines.

The Avatar looked at Jinora with confusion, “Why wouldn't I? I do live there...” At the indication that Korra would be returning to the island, Asami clutched harder at Korra's shirt. Asami knew she could stay there, too, if she wanted, but the beds in the guest room and Korra's room weren't very big, and Asami didn't want to sleep alone right now. She didn't even consider anyone else to keep her company but Korra.

Feeling the tug at her shirt, Korra's eyes came back to Asami. She lifted her head from where it rested on top of Asami's, pulling slightly away to examine Asami's face. When she saw the fear in Asami's eyes, she understood why Jinora had asked the question. Asami had lost a lot that day, and she didn't seem like she would be letting go of Korra anytime soon. So wherever Asami was going, Korra was going, too.

A soft smile on her lips, Korra glanced over at Jinora. “Actually, I don't know. For now, I'm gonna go with Asami where she needs to go. If I don't come back tonight, though, I'll be back in the morning for sure.” Jinora smiled and nodded, allowing the pair to go off on their own.

As the group dispersed for the night, Asami continued to keep a white-knuckled grip on Korra. The two of them made their way towards the Sato estate without a word, dodging the wreckage of the cityscape. Once there, Asami opened the gates and they went straight to Asami's room. Asami hadn't slept here since Korra had returned to Republic City. Even before then, Asami spent many nights on Air Temple Island just to feel closer to Korra. But now, Korra was at the estate with her.

In the bedroom, Korra opened her mouth as if she were going to speak, but no words came out. She pulled away from Asami, but sensing the panic rising in Asami at the lack of contact, Korra placed her hands on Asami's shoulders. This calmed her, at least a little. Asami could smell Korra everywhere, and she found the scent somehow both relaxing and exciting.

The two of them stared at each other for a while. Korra's fierce blue eyes searched for something in Asami's face. There was so much to see in that beautiful face. Pain and shock over her loss; fear over her future; exhaustion; and a nervous kind of hope as she tried to figure out Korra's intentions. Asami bit her lip and lowered her eyes, about to move away.

Korra hesitated, drawing herself up, eyes narrowing in determination. Then, she moved forward, joining her lips to Asami's. Asami gasped into the kiss—she hadn't expected it to actually happen, despite the looks Korra had been giving her ever since the fight had ended. In spite of her tiredness, Asami felt herself come alive for the second time that night, and it was wonderful. She kissed Korra back, wrapping her arms around her and bringing her closer.

When they pulled back, they stared at each other a while longer. Asami looked at the bruises and scratches that covered Korra.

“You should probably go take care of yourself,” Asami suggested, her brow creasing with concern.

In response, Korra walked to Asami's bathroom, looking into the mirror. Surveying the damage, Korra muttered, “No wonder Asami was upset,” as she pulled water through the faucet and her hands glowed. When she returned, she showed her mended wounds to ease Asami's concern. Asami's eyes lit in satisfaction.

Once cleaned up and dressed for bed, Asami curled up on one half of her bed, leaving the blanket off as a silent invitation. With a soft smile, Korra climbed onto the open side of the bed and took Asami into her arms from behind. Asami sighed at the touch, snuggling into her friend's embrace and drifting to sleep.

And that was exactly how things were when she woke. She could relax more now, relishing in the strength of Korra's arms around her. Once they both were awake, they didn't talk about the previous night. It was as if the kiss had never happened, and for a moment Asami wondered if she had just dreamt it. But, no, her lips still seemed to vibrate at the thought of the kiss, remembering the feeling and longing for more. But for now, the planning for reconstruction had to take center stage in their lives.

The next few days were a blur as everyone worked to stabilize the city. The evacuees needed housing and food, the roads needed detour signs until they could be properly rebuilt, and plans for rebuilding the city needed to be made.

Asami still wasn't sure if that kiss meant to Korra what it meant to her. It scared her to think about it. Just in case she had read something wrong. However, all of her fears melted away the night of Varrick and Zhu Li's wedding. After Korra and Asami danced together that night—after they talked—after they decided to run off together—it was clear what the nature of their relationship had become. Korra saw Asami home after the festivities ended, giving her a chaste kiss on her cheek before going back to Air Temple Island. They would leave for the Spirit World within a week.

Asami went inside the estate that night and was so happy she didn't even know what to do with her feelings. So she tried her hand at poetry—it was a failed effort, but she enjoyed it nonetheless. The hour was late, but she didn't mind: in fact, she bounced onto her bed. She was already planning what she would need for the Spirit World, things to take, things to research before going... what she and Korra could do there... The thought was not entirely unexpected, and was mild compared to things she'd thought about before, but Asami still blushed at the idea.

An easy smile splayed on her lips as she followed her excitement into her dreams that night.

—

Korra was bored. Nothing had really required her Avatar services recently, and doing nothing but laze around Air Temple Island and the Sato estate left her antsy. A few weeks had passed since the new lovers had returned from the Spirit World, and the repairs and politics were at a point where they soon would need Korra, but she had a solid week off-duty. Until two days ago, she'd been so busy. No time for anything. A break should have been welcome, but she was honestly nervous because having free time again meant more Asami time. Asami time was a good thing, but the new changes to their relationship still gave her a smidge of trepidation. They had only managed to fit in a few dates since their return, though they worked together often. But then, when Korra's time off came up, Asami still had remaining obligations. This was the first day they both had off.

Asami was anxious about this development, too. It felt like they were at a turning point, yet she couldn't say what it was. They hadn't been together all that long, really, and they had already kissed, confessed, and even made love in the Spirit World. Why should there be a moment of particular significance now?

While she was mulling over these thoughts, Korra walked into the foyer. The nervous energy increased, and they smiled with awkward affection at each other. “Hey! Uh, Anri let me in. H-how are you, Asami?”

The anxiety made Korra sweat lightly, and Asami's eyes fixated on the tiny droplets adorning Korra's gorgeous biceps. She bit her lip for a moment before realizing Korra was talking to her. “O-oh! Hey, Korra! I'm, uh, good! No work for the day. That's a nice change for once.” She tried hard to look away from Korra's arms, blushing.

“Right! Me, too! Not working today, I mean.”

Uncomfortable silence dragged out over the next few seconds.

Then, Korra continued, “So, you wanna do something today?” Encouraged by Asami nodding and looking calmer, Korra suggested, “We could swim in your pool!” At this idea, Asami's eyes shone as images of a thoroughly drenched Korra flitted into her mind.

She realized why it felt like today could be a significant-moment kind of day. If it were just the two of them, it could end up being their second go at sleeping together. Yes, they had slept together in the Spirit World, but the location had not lent itself to the activity, with spirits interrupting and the landscape changing now and then. And it had been their first time together, which naturally meant it had been filled with awkwardness and much embarrassment, even without the spirits.

But Asami wasn't sure if Korra was thinking the same thing. She could easily be wanting nothing more than a simple swim, right? In fact, knowing Korra's aptitude for water, that seemed more likely than anything else. So Asami decided she should play both ways. Make an implicature, but make it as casual as possible—she'd even throw in an alternative that would minimize the risk.

“It's my day off. So, yes, we can totally go for a swim if that's what you want to do,” Asami winked. Korra flushed at the mild suggestive tone. Until Asami spoke again, “Should we call everyone over and make a party of it?” The pout on Korra's face made Asami falter. “Umm... Did I say something wrong, babe?”

Korra sighed, “No, no. I just thought it could be a private swim—just us—but...” She trailed off.

Asami's eyes lit up, “We could do that, instead, if you want!”

“Ha! You took that suggestion a little too eagerly!”

Their eyes met, and they both understood where the swim would be leading them. The thought set them both ablaze with excitement, lust, and love.

That turned out to be a damned good day.

—

“Asami!”

Asami heard the front door slam against the wall as it was thrown open. That was strong enough that Korra may have broken the lock. Footsteps thundered up the stairs, disrupting her train of thought as similar treatment was paid to her bedroom door, nearly ripped off its hinges by her panting, frazzled lover charging into the room. Korra's eyes were wide, brow creased with concern as she knelt at the side of the bed.

Tissues scattered through the room took her attention for but a moment before Korra looked at the state Asami was in. Green eyes could hardly even open, the thick bags beneath them a testament to her lack of sleep. Korra grasped one of Asami's clammy hands, cooing to her, “Hey, Asami. I got here as soon as I could get away from Raiko. Sorry I wasn't here sooner... I wanted to come the second I heard you were sick, but it just wasn't possible. Someone should have told me when it started—I could have come back from Ba Sing Se to take care of you.” Her thumb massaged Asami's palm.

It took some effort for Asami to speak, stuffy nose and drowsiness masking her voice, “No, no. It's okay, Korra. I'll be over it soon. It's just a bad cold. Don't even worry about it.” The weak smile Asami offered had the effect opposite what she desired on Korra, who upon seeing it felt all the more concern for her girlfriend.

And then the fit of coughs that followed the smile made it even worse. Korra stood up, releasing Asami's hand and scanning the room. Spotting a few small medicine vials on the dresser, she retrieved them in hopes of aiding Asami through the remainder of her sickness. However, the vials were empty when she lifted them up. She frowned. “Why haven't you had someone get you more cold stuff? How long have you been out of your meds? A day or two?”

Asami flinched as much as was possible given her state of no energy. “I... I did try to ask Anri for more supplies, but she couldn't hear me...”

“You only asked once?”

Asami shrunk with guilt, “I didn't want to burden her or the other servants more than I already had with my sickness.”

“Won't they have more to do if you end up being sick longer?”

“... I didn't think that far ahead, I admit.” Her scratchy voice grated.

Korra sighed, “Well, either way, I need to get you some more medicine. I'll be back soon.” She gave Asami a soft smile and walked over to stroke her mottled hair briefly before departing.

It couldn't have been more than 15 minutes before Korra returned. She pressed medicines to Asami's lips, careful not to let anything spill from the spoon. Once she finished distributing the oral medicines, she produced a vapor lotion to help with congestion. After turning Asami over a bit, she gently reached into the top of her sleepwear to rub the jelly on her neck and chest. The smell was strong, but its positive effects were clear almost immediately, and Asami took the first deep breath she'd been capable of in days, though it was still a laborious one. Again, Korra stroked through the knots in Asami's hair, undoing them without pulling too hard. Asami soon needed more tissues as she fell into another coughing fit.

At some point, Korra left the room as Asami drifted to sleep.

When she awoke perhaps a half an hour later, she could faintly smell something good beyond her clogged sinuses. She tried to sit herself up, but Korra abandoned the tray she carried in favor of assisting her into a comfortable sitting position. “I hope I didn't wake you... But, well, now that you're awake, I just brought in some noodles with a really good broth to help you get better. Oh, and I say 'good', I really mean it could be worse. It'll help you, though, promise.”

Korra brought the tray and set it beside Asami, then insisted she spoon-feed her fully-grown girlfriend. Asami made a face and stuck out her tongue after the first spoon was given to her. It really didn't taste very good. Still, she allowed Korra to care for her, even if it meant eating gross soup. The noodles were well-cooked, at least. And after a few more bites, Asami recognized faint jasmine in the broth. She was sure that wasn't one of the ingredients needed for the soup—that was just Korra trying to make it taste better for her. The slight flavor of jasmine did do wonders for the soup, even if it still tasted pretty nasty overall. Well, Korra was right, it definitely could've been worse.

As the remainder of her cold played out, Asami was warmed by Korra's constant presence. She wasn't sure if she deserved such devoted care. But, really, a hidden part of her missed the feeling of having someone else care for her through illness. It had been a long time since anyone who loved her had been there for her like this at the estate.

Sickness wasn't as bad when someone was there to help the way Korra did. Someone to fill those unending halls right alongside Asami's heart.

—

Korra frowned as she looked out onto the grounds of the estate. Asami was crouched on the grass with her hands reaching towards... nothing? Her eyes occasionally darted about. Each time her eyes moved, she appeared to become even more tense. After observing the situation for a minute or two, Korra called from the outdoor hallway, “Asami? What are you doing?”

As soon as Korra spoke, Asami yelped and fell forward before trying to scramble back to a semblance of her previous position. Between gritted teeth, she responded, “Korra. I. Think. There's. A. Jackalope. Out. Here.” Her eyes frantically met with Korra's across the yard, pleading for help.

“Wait, before we get into the likelihood of that—is that even a problem? Or are you trying to keep from moving so you don't scare it away, or...?”

Asami finally broke, turning towards Korra with a frustrated sigh, “I don't even know, to be honest. I just kind of froze up when I saw it. I guess it doesn't matter, though. And, you're right, it doesn't seem likely that I actually saw one. It must've been something else, right? Jackalopes don't live in Republic City. I think.”

“Could've been brought in on a ship, though! Maybe it was a stow-away!” Korra's sudden shift to excitement caught Asami off-guard. “Why don't we try to find it? It could be fun!”

Before Asami could protest, Korra hopped over the rail and pulled her to her feet. “Where did you see it?”

Asami pointed towards the small pond on the edge of the grounds, and the two of them were off. The shadows of the tall fence covered half of the pond, but the water and tufts of grass on the other half glistened in the mid-afternoon sunlight. The pond itself seemed undisturbed, and not a single ripple moved across it.

With a hand to her chin and too-squinted eyes, Korra made a crude impersonation of Mako doing detective work, “It appears that the fugitive was careful to avoid leaving a trail—yet he left one piece of evidence that clinches his presence at the crime scene!” Korra dramatically held up one finger and closed her eyes for a long moment. She made a grand gesture towards the sunlit edge of the pond, where part of a long animal footprint could be seen pressing into a muddy spot, “We'll get 'im if he's this careless! Not to worry!”

By now, Asami had joined in Korra's game. She closely examined the partial print, measuring the dimensions of it in her head. “Detective, I dare say I think you are correct. The trail should be distinct enough. The perpetrator has unique tracks. If we can find any little bit of his trail, we should have him in no time. He couldn't have gotten far, after all. Still, if we don't make haste, he could escape, so let's make quick work of this thing!” Korra gave Asami a smirk. If she was this into the game already, there would be no stopping her—even if they failed to find any other traces of a jackalope that day, she knew her girlfriend would continue to seek it out during breaks until she found it. They didn't need to catch it, just to find it.
The two of them observed the surrounding earth with the utmost attentiveness. Within a minute or two, Korra found a break in the nearby grass with an indent similar to the one at the pond. Alerting her girlfriend to her findings, Asami leapt in excitement and rushed to see the new print. “Looks pretty fresh to me. We should head in this direction and see what else we can find. Gonna pin this sucker down and celebrate a job well done, right, babe?” Asami nodded at Korra's words, beaming at her like a child at play.

They walked in the direction indicated by the print for a while. Asami stopped them frequently in order to investigate every spot of pressed grass. Eventually, the pair reached near to the other end of the estate grounds. It took them most of the afternoon to get there as they played at detective work. The sun was half-set, and Korra was about to suggest they stop for the day and get some food. A flash of movement caught both of their attention before Korra had the chance to speak.

There it was, just feet away. And it really was a jackalope. Antlers adorning its otherwise rabbit-y body. A stare-down ensued, neither party making any sudden movements.

Soon enough, Asami could no longer contain her enthusiasm at the rare find. With a broad smile, she began to creep towards the jackalope. As soon as she got within a meter of it, the creature leapt into a nearby bush with its powerful hindquarters. Its antlers could still be seen above the top of the bushes, and Asami and Korra chased it until it became too dark for them to see anything.

Both of them laughed as they returned to the house, holding hands and joking about their favorite parts of the day's events. From that day on, the jackalope would appear from time to time, often taking joy in bothering Naga and initiating further chase scenes. It seemed to live somewhere on the estate grounds, but Korra and Asami could never figure out where.

And so a new family member joined the ranks on the Sato estate. Sort of.

—

“Yes, I certainly can relate a lot of terrible things to this place.”

Korra frowned in confusion at the nostalgic smile on her fiancée's face. The expression really didn't match the words. She opened her mouth to ask about the disconnect, but Asami continued to speak, “But there are so many more wonderful things that happened here. It's not like everything in my childhood was tainted for eternity by what happened with my father, you know?” Korra nodded slowly. “And that's not all, either.” Asami made eye contact with Korra, “So much has happened here with you, Korra... Little things, big things—I mean, Bolin sometimes jokes that the first day at the racetrack was our first date,” they both chuckled.

“Now, when I think of home, I think of you first. No matter where we live, that's going to be true. But I'd be lying if I said I hadn't already imagined our future taking place here. It doesn't have to, but... we started here. And despite everything else that's happened, you came and changed my entire world—including the estate. I love you and I love what you and I have made together, here. I love the way you've changed this place and made it a home to me again. But I think... if it's us, we can make it anywhere. We can talk about other places we could go, if you want to, but if you're afraid that I'll be unhappy here, know that isn't the case, okay?”

Throughout Asami's words, Korra had tried to resist the urge to cry. Needless to say, she failed. By the end, Korra was openly sobbing as she wrapped her arms around Asami.

“So... I guess we're staying here, then!” Korra laughed through her tears.

“As long as you're okay with that, then, yes!” Asami caressed Korra's cheek tenderly.

A kiss came as her response.