A Hand Cupped The Back Of Her Girlfriend's Neck, The Other Sliding Along Her Waist To Hold Her Now That

she tried to contain the electricity she felt crackling beneath her skin after the night she'd had, endeavoring to make a trade for calming warmth, shining earnest eyes at her girlfriend.

her hand sailed forward to close the distance between them & help soothe the sting, " i'm so sorry I'm late, sweetie. the match went into overtime and there's really no leaving when there's a tiebreaker like that. it was an incredible finish. "

❝Did you really stand me up because of a pro-bending match?❞

If her tone's agnostic, it's because Korra hasn't quite decided what feeling it's meant to embody just yet. Incredulity, maybe, while @satogem remains unreadable.

Andrea Gibson, "DEPRESSION [VERB]", Lord of the Butterflies

interruption at the workshop :)

Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Gentle Spirit

the tension that her touch seemed to trigger had her gaze captured, although ONCE AGAIN she couldn't exactly be sure if the daunting task of keeping three highly active air-bender children busy for a few hours had also yanked the rug out from under her or... the perpetual elephant koi wedged between them. she just WISHED that korra would talk to her about it already, but then she doubted rushing the avatar into a conversation like that would lead anywhere good ( the urge to let everything spill from her mouth kept her lips flattened into a line & her teeth catching her tongue. ) ... maybe she wasn't completely over the whole thing but she'd ALSO never let something so petty come between them. she liked korra, she liked her a lot.

“ i'm just glad i get to see it with you around. ” a warm smile thrown in her direction as her hand eased away, relief & calm rushing through her with korra around despite everything. “ ... — thanks... again, for offering to help earlier. i'm sure on top of all the other duties you've had since getting your bending back & figuring out air bending a night off would've been nice. but i really appreciate it. plus, it's nice to finally catch up with you again. ”

❝Wouldn't dream of it.❞

The Avatar's conviction spills over, full-hearted. ( If only the bravado went any deeper than skin. )

But the smile in her eyes is genuine— she can definitely relate to the children's excitement of being given free rein at long last. And, in the same vein, commiserate with the deputised at this time. Which is why she's here. With Asami. --It's not like she doesn't also live on this island, or spend most of her time here gladly orbited by the children; she's here to help a friend.

Because they are. Friends. The uneasy place in her stomach keeps score ( she's not sure ). She keeps her stance easy, unonfrontational, watching the dwindling distance with only a side glance. Close enough to attempt a grapple now, —not that she thinks Asami would want to, but if she did, she wouldn't exactly be unjustified, not after—-

Coiled muscles suppress a twitch upon contact, and she woefully considers bending a cold sea spray for the heat on her cheeks.

❝Not that I've not seen you handle yourself in tougher situations, but Meelo's just invented a new airbending move that's... -you have to see it for yourself.❞

ENDLESS LIST OF FAVORITE CHARACTERS: Asami Sato

korrasami won my first patreon poll !

it hurt her physically to see korra in so much turmoil, watching all that spirited energy of hers fizzle without an outlet. korra only wanted to help... & maybe her pride was a little stung too. she knew it was more than that, that this whole situation had slipped into sore crevices, insecurities asami hadn't helped smooth down in some time.

this time she couldn't help but breech the space between, her hands reaching out like that could help make this okay, " korra... the rest of the world knows that you're a good person, and a great avatar. you've proven that enough. do you really need this one town's approval ? "

concerned eyes lowered as she ducked her head, wanting to encompass all of korra's attention & pull her from any thoughts keeping her. one corner of her mouth embraced a smile, eager to liven her spirits, " ... and i'd sneak you in, but first i'd have to teach you how to drive it. " so that'd be a unanimous no, she gussed.

The sting is almost completely as expected, in the place already made tender by rejection. For a moment, all Korra can stand to picture is blowing into the village and showing everyone exactly how misguided saying no to the Avatar is. Mechs can't move flood waters.

She stops just short of voicing so. Because that's all her anger will be. Destructive. And to who?

❝According to the villagers, it is. And I can't even remember what I did!❞

Not that being able to connect to her past lives is likely to change any of this, but Korra needs somewhere to redirect it all.

She deflates when it passes.

❝You sure I can't go apologise on Yangchen's behalf? Maybe I can sneak in in one of your mechs.❞

Sitting on the outskirts is so antithetical she can hardly imagine it with Asami's company. With her leading the efforts where Korra can't go... the thought turns her tense.