Chapter Text

The stillness in the room augmented the suspense Korra felt as she waited, her elbows on her knees and hands folded over her mouth, while staring at her phone on the bed. Her nerves wrecked her body, and for several minutes she went back and forth about whether or not to just turn her phone off for an hour or two. Eventually, though, she gathered her composure to the best of her ability.

Six days passed since Christmas and her decision to leave Blackstone. During that time, she thought about the next stages of what her life would be and what would happen next, but to no avail did she reach a conclusion just yet. However, since it was New Year’s Eve, she thought it was even more important to think about where she was headed, who she was before, and who she was currently. The present and future came easier than the past, but it was a given that the latter would be harder for her. She wanted to come to terms with the things she’d been avoiding while not letting them stop her from fully moving on and recovering from it. She was a work in progress, and learning how to balance those things would take time. Asami told her just as much.

Her phone started ringing and she looked down at it. Seeing the name pop up made her take a few deep breaths in and out.

Although she really was working toward reflecting on her past more, there were still some things that were too sensitive for her right now to deal with.

“Hello?”

“Hey, sweetheart,” said a gentle, honey-like voice through the receiver.

“Hi, Mom,” Korra replied, closing her eyes.

“How are you?” Senna asked.

“Fine since the last time we spoke.”

“Good. That’s good.” The line went quiet briefly. “Sorry I didn’t call on Christmas. I went camping over in Winnipeg and there wasn’t any reception. Then things got pretty hectic at the clinic this week. Too many pets being fed Christmas dinner, I guess.”

Hearing Senna’s nervous laugh over the phone made a corner of Korra’s mouth twitch upward. She felt a small amount of sadness creep up at how normal it became for her mother to call and not even bother to make a fake attempt at covering up for her father’s obvious absence from the conversation. It was always “I” and never “we.”

“It’s no big deal,” she said.

There was another pause.

“Happy birthday.”

Korra released a breath and pushed a hand through her hair.

“Thank you,” she said.

It was the same thing every year since Korra started speaking to her again. Senna would call around the same time on her birthday, they’d talk for a few minutes, and then they’d hang up. Their conversations were forced, awkward, and layered with tension on Korra’s part, but Senna would always keep that gentle voice with her, never impatient and always kind. But hearing her soft voice only made Korra conflicted. She’d feel immense guilt for all of the things she ever said to her and having too much pride to ever bring it up again and apologize, then she’d be angry all over again about everything that happened to cause the rift in their relationship.

“Do you have any plans to celebrate?" Senna asked.

“Some friends of mine are throwing a New Year’s Eve party, so I thought I’d go to that.”

“Oh, that sounds fun. But please be safe. You know how crazy people are on this day.”

“Yeah, I know. And I will… What are you going to do?”

“Oh, probably nothing. I’m still pretty tired from this past week and I need to catch up on some sleep.”

“Sounds cozy,” Korra offered.

“Yeah. My friends have been telling me that I’ve been showing my age as of late. I’ve never been the most outgoing of my generation, and I definitely don’t fit in with this current one.”

A tiny laugh fell from Korra’s lips as she played with her comforter. “Yeah. We’re all pretty nuts.”

They both went quiet for several seconds and Korra listened to her mother’s quiet breathing.

“Okay…” Senna spoke. “I guess I’ll leave you to it, then. I don’t want to hold you up or anything.”

Korra’s bottom lip quivered and she blinked a few times.

“You weren’t,” she said. “Thanks for calling.”

“Of course. Hey, since it’s going to be a new year and all, maybe we can set something up where you come up here for a weekend and visit. I’d… really love to see you.”

Korra sighed. This was another regular thing they’d discuss right before hanging up, and Korra never failed to give her mother the same response, even though she knew it would break her heart.

“I don’t think I’m ready for that, Mom.”

“Right…” Senna said in disappointment, her voice becoming noticeably thicker.

“But,” Korra said after a while as her thoughts came together, “maybe if you have a free week in your schedule, you could come down here and visit for a day or two.”

She waited as an even longer silence stretched between them. The offer she made came as a surprise to them both.

“That… would be nice,” Senna said. “But, Korra… Just know that whenever you’re ready, you’re welcome to stay here.”

“Sure.”

“Okay. I guess I’ll let you go now,” Senna said, her voice getting higher as it wavered. “I love you, sweetheart.”

“Yeah, you too… Bye, Mom.”

Korra hung up after that and looked down at the phone.

The call lasted three minutes and forty-nine seconds, which she was pretty sure was a new record. Their conversation didn’t go as uncomfortably as she thought it would, but she still felt a bit of emptiness inside her heart.

Maybe that would be another thing she’d begin to work on, too: just talking to her mother more often and trying to forge a relationship with her again. Finding the ability to forgive but never forget was hard, but as long as she tried, she wouldn’t ever be able to say that she didn’t, and that was enough for now.

Then there were some things she absolutely couldn’t forgive but would try her best to move on from. And today, on the day she turned 25 years old, and just before the new year rang in, she wanted to put herself up to that challenge. Because what better time could it have been to start off fresh by putting some old, bitter memories to bed?

She banged loud and heavy on the door, not stopping until it was opened in a haste, with the person behind it making grumbling, irate noises.

“Who the hell,” they started, but when they saw her standing there they froze. “…Korra?”

Korra didn’t say anything at first. She only watched Unalaq’s face grow with shock by her sudden and unexpected appearance on his doorstep. He was dressed in day clothes, but he looked like he just woke up from a nap. His now greying hair was plaited back, revealing a few wrinkles under his eyes, but he still looked remarkably the same. In fact, he resembled her father so much that it almost unnerved her.

“What are you doing here?” he finally asked once the shock wore off. He searched her face and seemed to notice the healing bruise under her eye. “What happened to you—”

“Don’t,” Korra stopped him. “I don’t need you to suddenly act like you care.”

Unalaq’s mouth closed and he stared her up and down before folding his arms in an uncomfortable manner.

“I see you’ve grown outwardly,” he said. “Are you still playing dodgeball with Senna and Tonraq? The last time I spoke to them about you, they still didn’t have a clue where you were.”

“That’s none of your concern,” Korra said.

Unalaq sighed and then opened the door wider. “Do you want to come inside?”

“No. I could never step back inside that house after what you did.”

“Look—”

“No, you look,” she stopped him. “It never even crossed my mind since I moved back here to come and see you because I thought I didn't have anything to say. But I’m realizing that it was only because I had no words for it at the time. Now... I came here because I have a lot of things that I never got to let off my chest before. So what you can do for me right now is just stand there and listen. You owe me that.”

“I owe you that, huh?” Unalaq said. “You’re still feeling as entitled as always.”

“That’s just one other point to add on my list of things to say: how much you never bothered to know me while I was living here. But that’s okay, because I really don’t need you to know who I am now.”   

Unalaq gave her another once over but didn’t say anything, and Korra took that as his acceptance to let her have her piece. Licking her lips, she crossed her arms and looked at him—really looked at him—for the first time in years. She didn’t want a single word she had to say to sound like it didn’t hold as much strength or confidence that she knew she exuded just then.

“You were supposed to take care of me,” she said. “You were supposed to make sure I’d be okay here, but you never did. You did the bare minimum and never ever pulled me aside to ask if I was okay with what was happening. It was always rules, rules, rules with you, and the only time you cared was if I disobeyed. I was only a kid back then, which doesn’t mean I don’t hold any responsibility over my own actions, but still. You had a responsibility as well and completely disregarded it. Both you and my dad never saw any potential in me and it made me lose a lot of faith in myself that I’m still trying to get back. I’ve seen how the real world works now like you wanted me to and it’s been awful. I’ve had to struggle, fight, and climb my way out of a bad place, and I did that without any help from you guys. So, if that’s what you wanted me to learn—that I’m capable of surviving without the help of my family—then congratulations, because I did that. But I will never say thank you, because I never should’ve had to go through any of the stuff I went through to reach this point in my life where I’m actually able to look myself in the mirror and be happy with who I am. It’s all thanks to me and the people in my life now who’ve made me see a better view of the world and myself. And you have absolutely nothing to do with that.”

She finished and gave her uncle one final look. During her speech, he looked down at the ground, unable to meet her eye level and kept a solid frown on his lips as he stood there silently. Even afterward, he still didn’t speak. Korra only scoffed before turning and walking off the porch. It didn’t even matter what he had to say.

“Korra,” Unalaq called out.

She stopped and hesitated before turning around. Unalaq’s face went back to looking as stone cold as she always remembered it being.

“We only wanted what was best for you, but I’m sorry you felt that way,” he said.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Korra’s lips. 

“And I’m sorry you fail to realize what an actual apology is.”

She walked away after that, refusing to look back, because all she could see now was the clear path ahead of her.

The crowded airport created a stressful environment as people walked in different directions, carrying luggage and talking back and forth in loud voices with their companions. It was hectic because of New Year’s Eve, with people wanting to make it to their destinations on time. A woman over the loudspeaker could be heard calling out flight delays, cancellations, and final call times.

Asami stood to the side in an ungainly manner as she watched Opal and Bolin hug Mako. They were nearby the security check in, where a long line formed, but since they arrived so early, they had plenty of time.

“Be safe, okay?” Opal said to Mako, pointing a finger at him. “I know being curious is part of your job and all, but don’t go getting yourself into a Sherlock situation.”

“I’ll try not to,” Mako said with a laugh, although it sounded forced.

Asami looked down.

If it hadn’t been for Opal and Bolin pleading with her to come and see them off, she wouldn’t have come. She knew Mako didn’t want her there, and he showed his discomfort by the lack of eye-contact and words spoken to her. Opal and Bolin tried to ask her about what happened with them when they met up with her to give her their Christmas gifts, but she kept quiet about it. And it seemed Mako had, too. Asami figured he’d at least drop subtle hints to the others about keeping their distance from her, but he didn’t, much to her surprise. However, she still respected his wishes and would continue to stay away from him for as long as he wanted after this.

Bolin came beside her and put an arm over her shoulder, pulling her away from her thoughts.

“Are you guys going to be okay?” he whispered.

She looked over at him and gave a sad smile. “I don’t know.”

Bolin nodded and tightened his hold on her shoulder. “I’m sure you guys will get through whatever rough patch this is. He loves you too much to go that long holding a grudge.”

Asami sighed. She had no reply to that because whatever she said would’ve raised alarms in Bolin’s head. It made her wonder what would happen if he knew what was really going on. Would his opinion of her change? Would he see her differently the same way Mako did now? Would he not want to be around her either?

All of those questions loomed in the back of her mind and she had no way of knowing. It gave her a stomachache just thinking about it.

Bolin kissed her on the cheek and then walked over to where Mako and Opal were standing and talking. A second later, Opal turned and looked at her. She made a sad face and her lip trembled as she walked over to her and pulled her in for a hug.

“I’m going to miss you so much,” she said. “I feel like we barely got to spend any time together.”

“I know.” Asami hugged her back and closed her eyes. “I’ll miss you, too. And I’ll try to call a lot more often.”

“You’d better! I’m gonna need to hear your voice at least once a week to keep me sane throughout this pregnancy.” Opal pulled back. “Promise you’ll come and visit once the baby’s born?”

“Promise.”

Mako and Bolin walked closer to where they stood, but Mako continued to keep a noticeable distance from Asami.

Opal looked between them both and her expression turned into one only a scolding mother would have.

“And I hope by that time you guys will be a lot less awkward and tense. No bad vibes allowed around the baby or else.”

“Oookay, honey.” Bolin collected Opal by the shoulders. “I think what she means to say is that we love you both no matter what and we’ll see you guys soon.”

“Of course. That, too,” Opal said with the roll of her eyes.

Bolin hugged Mako one last time. They embraced for a long minute, whispering a few things to each other. Mako’s eyes looked sad and Asami knew it was because he hated saying goodbye to his little brother. She would usually comfort him afterward, but she knew the last thing he wanted right now was for her to be the one to do that.

Opal tugged at her arm and then made Asami lean down so she could whisper something in her ear.

“Don’t forget: You owe me more details on the status of ‘you know what.’”

Asami chuckled. “For sure.”

They hugged again and pulled apart just as Mako and Bolin did, then they switched and Asami braced herself for one of Bolin’s tight bear hugs.

“I’ll miss you, sis,” he said, wrapping her up in his arms and spinning around.

Asami ruffled his hair and let out a small laugh. Afterward, he put her down and then went to grab his and Opal’s bags.

“See you guys,” he said, waiting for Opal to come to his side. They gave a final wave before walking off to stand in the security check in line.

Asami watched them go with sadness in her heart. She hated goodbyes no matter what, and watching two of her best friends leave made it even more difficult to bear. She wished there was a way to keep a string attached to every person she cared about in her life just to make sure they’d always be there, but since that was impossible, she’d just have to hold on to her faith that an invisible one kept them together.

She looked over at Mako, who finally met her eyes for the first time since they entered the airport. Eventually he turned and walked away.

Asami sighed and followed in suit, keeping the distance between them. She stared at his tense back as he walked. His tall figure made him stand out more, and from the way people were looking at him, he must’ve had an even more tense look on his face that made him intimidating to get close to.

It scared Asami that she could no longer see what the future looked like between her and Mako. She already accepted that it wouldn’t be the same after what she did, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. They’d been together for so many years and none of that could just be forgotten. He was her first real friend, her first love, her first relationship, and she’d always keep a special place in her heart for him.

They made it out of the airport where several cars were parked near the front. Asami took her own cab to get there, but she ended up following behind Mako anyway. They walked farther away from the airport where there weren’t a lot of people. Mako’s car was parked at the curb.

Asami knew he was aware of her, but she figured he’d just get in his car and leave without another word. But then he finally stopped and turned to her, not saying anything at first, but that was because he locked his jaw so hard that he probably couldn't even talk.

Asami sighed and pushed her hair out of her face.

“Look, I know you hate me right now—”

“I don’t hate you, Asami,” Mako said with the shake of his head. “Maybe I should, but I don’t. The only things I feel right now are anger, hurt, and disappointment that you got yourself into that situation to begin with. And the fact that you kept it from me for so long? It just makes me realize that you and I probably weren’t as much of best friends as I thought we were.”

Asami felt a pang in her chest at the brutal but honest words and looked down.

“You are my best friend,” she said. “I just—I couldn’t.”

“There’s a lot of things we can’t do, Asami,” Mako told her. “But we do them anyway because it spares a lot of pain than keeping it hidden would.” 

“So what can I do?” she asked.

“Nothing. That situation is being handled quietly so far and no one’s even asking about you.”

“I was talking about us,” Asami said, looking up. “I want to know what happens with us now. Can we fix it? Or is there really no chance at all that we can be friends again somewhere down the line? What do you want?”

Mako stared at her for a long time. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a key, along with the small gift she got him for Christmas that he never unwrapped.

“Here,” he said, handing them over. “I don’t think I should have these.”

“I bought that gift for you.”

“Asami, please just take it.”

Asami bit the inside of her cheek and took the gift and apartment key back.

“Mako…”

“I can’t be around you right now, Asami,” he said. “I don’t even think I know how to. With this, the promotion, and the whole Raiko investigation, I don’t think I can handle anything else.”

“You got promoted?” Asami asked.

“They thought I did amazing work with all of ‘my findings’ on Raiko. But I don’t think I’m going to take it. I don’t want to be known for cracking a case I never really discovered or solved on my own in the first place.”

Asami looked down at the key again and closed her fist around it.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I know that none of this has been easy for you.”

She watched Mako’s feet shift before looking up at him.

“I don’t know how much time I’ll need or what I even want right now, but I think that it’s best if we just go our separate ways for the time being,” Mako said.

Asami swallowed thickly and nodded. “Okay. If that’s what you think is best.”

Mako’s eyes still held so much sadness in them, but he also looked hurt as well. After a final look, he walked away and got inside his car, shutting the door loudly behind him.

Asami folded her arms and watched as he pulled away. Afterward, she walked back toward the airport where her taxi was parked and got inside. For a few seconds, she didn't speak and only stared down at the things in her hands. She didn't even acknowledge the driver when he asked for her next destination.

She knew that even though her life was changing, there were a few things she wouldn’t have control over, and this was one of them. Whatever happened with Mako in the future would be left for another time. And although it bothered her, she wouldn’t try to force something that couldn’t be. Mako needed time and she’d be respectful of that.

As the new year slowly began to ring in, she wanted to embrace the new, positive changes in her life. She wanted to move forward, being the best version of herself, and letting go of all her past mistakes and misfortunes.

“Miss?”

Asami blinked and she looked at the taxi driver, who was still waiting for her to tell him where she needed to go.

“Um. That storage place on 143rd Street,” she said.

“Gotcha,” the driver said and turned back around.

Asami leaned her shoulder against the door and looked out the window.

She couldn’t right all wrongs or fix everything in one day, but for the few small things she could do, she’d try her hardest to be successful with them.

Korra warmed her hands as she stood outside of a lavish looking apartment building. It was loud and busier than normal in the streets, but she found the noise comforting. It snowed later on that evening, which gave her second thoughts about going out, but it stopped a few hours ago. Luckily it didn’t snow enough to cause accumulation, so the night still looked lively for many people as they stepped out in their fancy clothes and New Year’s Eve gear.

After visiting Unalaq, she took a long walk for several hours, letting it sink in about all the decisions she made in not only just the past few days, but for the past few months. When she really thought about it, everything happened so fast. It threw her in for a whirl, put her back down, only to pick her up and send her spinning round and round again. But she eventually found solid ground, and when the dizziness wore off, her mind felt clearer than ever.

Now it was all about continuing to heal and become stronger mentally. She would continue to conquer her inner demons and make sure they never saw the light of day again. The only one who could put stones in her path now was her, and she’d be damned if she fell again to that kind of self-sabotage.

She looked around for a second time, frowning when she saw a bunch of strangers walk by.

She hadn’t heard from Asami the whole day, except for when she asked if they were still on for tonight. In fact, they hadn’t seen much of each other since she had to go back to work. Korra knew that the fallout with Mako was eating away at her hard, along with worrying about if the entire Raiko ordeal was really handled or not (which Korra had to tell her time and time again that it was). She had a lot to deal with and Korra wanted to be there for her, but Asami kept insisting that she had to stay late at work for reasons, although the reasons didn’t seem all that important in Korra’s eyes.

She understood that it must’ve caused her a lot of stress, which was why she couldn’t bring herself to be sad that Asami didn’t remember her birthday. Not that she wanted to celebrate it or anything. It just would’ve meant a lot to know that Asami remembered, just like how Korra still remembered hers. However, it wasn’t the end of the world, and thinking about all that Asami was going through made Korra think it was a selfish thought to have in the first place.

Besides, it wasn’t like she went out and told everyone about her birthday to begin with. Even Kuvira didn’t know when it was. She just treated it like a regular day and never needed to receive acknowledgement for it.

The only thing she wanted out of today was something new to testify the change she felt inside of her, and she received that earlier when she went to Unalaq’s place. She took back a piece of herself she lost while staying in that house, and that was the biggest difference she could’ve made for now.

The sound of shoes clacking against concrete made her glance over for a second before she did a doubletake.

Asami walked toward her with a leather coat draped over her shoulders. Underneath it she wore a silk, white top that tied around her neck paired with a black, sequined skirt, along with some pantyhose. Her curly hair tied into a loose, low bun at the back of her neck, though a few pieces remained in front. Korra almost forgot to breathe when she noticed that pearly white smile of hers light up her entire face the minute their eyes locked.

“Hey, you,” Asami said, making her way over and reaching for Korra’s hand.

Korra took it. “You know you look like you just stepped off a runway, right?”

“Do I?” Asami asked with a teasing look. “I was only thinking about you when I got dressed.”

“Were you?” Korra asked, smiling herself. “Sounds kinky.”

“Only to someone with their mind in the gutter. And you look just as good, as well.” Asami tugged at the belt loops on Korra’s blue jeans.

Korra pulled her in for a hug, sighing in content as she inhaled the sweet smell of Asami's perfume. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in days.”

“Yeah, I know. I’ve just been so busy. I’m sorry.”

“Or maybe you just wanted to torture me?”

“I would never,” Asami said, pulling away to smile at her. “But it’s always a good feeling to know that you’re missed.”

Korra grabbed the flaps of Asami’s coat and pulled them to the side to appreciate her outfit.

“You really do look amazing,” she complimented again. “And thank you for wearing flats.”

She looked up at the sound of Asami’s laughter.

“What? Are you afraid of having your tall girlfriend tower over you?”

Korra cracked a huge, lopsided grin. She thought that at any minute her heart would burst.

“Say that again,” she said.

Asami, still smiling as well, grabbed her hands.

“I’m your girlfriend.”

Exhaling deeply, Korra shook her head. “Yeah. That’s probably never going to get old for me.”

“Same,” Asami said, biting her lip.

Korra glanced down at it and had the urge to lean in for a kiss, but she restrained herself.

“Are you ready?” she asked instead.

Asami nodded. “Yup. Let’s go.”

They went into the apartment building, where the lobby was packed with groups of people ready to go out for the night. They headed over to the elevators and stood beside four other people.

As they waited there, Asami’s hand slipped into Korra’s, surprising her. Looking over, she saw a tiny smile on Asami’s lips and smiled back in return. They hadn’t really discussed the measures of their relationship—what with Asami being a public figure and all—but since Asami didn’t get much attention from the media these days unless it was business related, Korra didn’t think it was a cause of concern. And from how easily Asami took to kissing her in public and holding her hand, she didn’t seem to think it was either.

The elevator eventually came down and they walked inside, standing in the corner at the back.

Korra noticed that Asami started fidgeting and wanted to ask if she was all right, but she decided against it with all of the open ears present. The elevator continued to go up, stopping a few times to let people off and on. When they eventually got to the top floor, they got out and Korra led them to the left. 

Once they were finally alone in the hallway, she squeezed Asami’s hand.

“Everything good with you?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Asami replied. “Just a little bummed about Opal and Bolin leaving. You didn’t even get to see them, and I really wanted you to meet Opal.”

“I’m sure there will be other times,” Korra said. “What about Mako? Did he say anything to you?”

Asami’s eyes went downcast for a second, but when she looked up, she lifted a shoulder.

“It’s like you told me. He wants some space. For how long? I have no idea.”

Korra stopped them just before they reached their destination.

“We can just go back to my place if you want. I really don’t mind if you’d rather spend the night in.”

“Are you sure it’s not just because you want me all to yourself?” Asami said with a knowing smile.

“Hmm. Maybe a little. And if our clothes came off in the process and we happened to have sex afterward, I definitely wouldn’t mind.”

Asami laughed and swung their hands between them.  

“Sounds like a plan. But for later. I wanna be here with you, and I haven’t had a memorable New Year’s Eve in years.”

“Fair enough.”

“But are you sure you’re going to be okay after what we discussed?”

Korra saw the underlying look of concern in Asami’s expression and gave her hand another squeeze.

“I’ll be fine. Trust me.”

Asami smiled warmly. “I do.”

“All right then. Let’s do this.”

They walked up to the door and Korra guided them inside.

She didn’t think it was possible to fit so many people in one apartment before, but she was wrong. There were people everywhere in the huge, bright-lit space. Furniture was pushed to different corners of the room to allow people to mingle, and the floors vibrated from how loud the music played as people danced on top of the beat.

“I guess Ginger and Jargala know a lot of people,” Asami said to Korra over the music.

“I don't even know half of these people,” Korra said back. She kept her grip on Asami’s hand and led her through the living room. There were quite a few people who recognized her and gave a head nod or wave as she passed by. A few of them even gave Asami curious looks.

The crowd thinned out as they got closer to the kitchen, but there were a few people there getting themselves something to drink. Jargala sat on the counter near the sink, scrolling through her phone while sipping at the drink in her cup. She looked up when she heard them approach.

“Well, well!” she said. “Look who finally decided to show their ugly mug around here.”

“And yet I’m still ten times finer than you,” Korra retorted.  

“You wish, honey.” Jargala crossed her legs and flipped her ponytail to one side of her shoulder. When she looked over at Asami, she gave a sly smile. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here. Asami, right?”

“That’s right,” Asami said. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“Nice to see you, too. I commend you for not letting Korra run you off with that mouth of hers.”

“She’s not so bad,” Asami said, bumping Korra in the shoulder.

Korra looked around. “Aren’t you worried about someone calling the cops?”

“Nah. The walls are soundproof. Plus, a lot of the residents decided to be party crashers. It was only supposed to be us, a few members from the club, and some of Ginger’s model friends. But you know her, she has to do the absolute most when it comes to parties.”

“That explains it,” Korra said. “I knew you couldn’t have this many friends.”

Jargala gave her the middle finger.

“Speaking of Ginger, where is she?” Asami asked.

“Probably off dancing somewhere. Hopefully she won’t get drunk off her ass and make me carry her all the way to bed like the last time. She didn’t even make it to the countdown.”

“Did somebody say my name?” a sing-song voice said from behind them. They all turned in the direction of it and saw Ginger walking into the kitchen wearing a short, navy blue dress that showed off every single curve. She had her red hair pinned up like she was from the 40s era, and her dark makeup gave her an even more promiscuous look.

“Oh, Asami, you’re here!” she said, running up in her heels and pulling Asami away from Korra to embrace her with a hug and kisses on her cheeks. Korra watched with amusement as Asami seemed so taken off guard by the oncoming affection.

“I’m happy to see you, too,” Asami said.

“Ease up, Ging,” Jargala said. “Your thousand-dollar tits will kill her.”

“My thousand-dollar tits are soft and warm, and you’ve never complained about them before,” Ginger said and pulled away from Asami to glare at her girlfriend. “And ass off the counter, please. Who raised you?”

Jargala made a face at her but slid off the counter anyway.

“Now I definitely know who really wears the pants in your guys' relationship,” Korra said with a smirk.

“Shut your face.” Jargala playfully shoved her.

“Oh, Korra,” Ginger said, walking away from Asami to give her a crushing hug as well. “We heard all about what happened with Zelina. I’m sorry we couldn’t be there to support you.”

“That’s quite all right.” Korra gave her an awkward but gentle pat on the back.

“But is it really true that you’re quitting?” Ginger asked, pulling back. “I don’t want you to quit.”

“After what Varrick made her do, I don’t blame her,” Jargala chimed in.

Korra looked between the both of them in puzzlement. “How did you guys find out?”

“From Kuvira. She told all of us when we met up for Boxing Day—which you totally should've come to. We were all prepared to jump down Varrick’s throat.”

“She wasn’t supposed to tell anyone about that,” Korra said in slight annoyance.

“We all would have connected the dots anyway,” Ginger said. “None of us would believe for a second that you’d go all Ronda Rousey on us and quit after a loss. Plus, you went up against a Triple Threat, which everyone in every club around here knows means that there’s a fifty-fifty chance the fight might have been rigged."

Korra looked over at Asami and saw her making an impressed face. When she looked over at Korra, she gave a simple shrug.

“Besides,” Jargala said. “You’re a part of the Blackstone family and we look out for our own, even if we hate each other sometimes.”

“Here, here!” Ginger picked up the cup that Jargala drank from and downed the rest of it.

Korra sighed but couldn’t help the tiny smile that crept up the corner of her mouth.

She never appreciated the support and acknowledgment from everyone in the fight club until now. After trying her hardest not to build too many relationships because all she wanted was to be the best, somewhere down the line she ended up liking being in the environment and with like-minded people. They really were, in all sense and purposes, her family for the past two and a half years. And just knowing that she got to belong to something like that made her grateful she stumbled across it the way she did in the first place.

“So then,” Ginger said as she went back over to Asami and bumped her hip against hers. “I guess since Korra decided to bring you around our crazy asses for a second time—which she never does with anyone, mind you—it’s safe to say that you’ll be hanging around a lot more?”

Asami’s eyes met Korra’s and they shared a look.

“Yeah… For as long as she’ll have me,” she said.

“Wonderful! How exciting!” Ginger clapped and looked over at Korra. “It’s good that you’re expanding that small bubble of yours. Especially to someone so attractive. I mean, look at her!” She made Asami spin around to show off her outfit. “She’s quite the catch.”

Korra smiled again when she heard Asami's laughter. Just the sound of it made her heart do a thousand somersaults.

“You’re right. She is.”

Asami looked at her again, and Korra noticed a blush tinging on her cheeks.

“Wait,” Ginger said, looking between them. “Does this mean you two are, like, dating? As in together-together?”

“That’s exactly what it means,” Korra told her. She watched Asami bite her lip again.

Ginger’s jaw dropped, but her excitement showed when she looked over at Jargala with a wide grin on her face.

“See, Jar! I fucking told you so! You owe me 200 dollars.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jargala rolled her eyes, but under her breath she whispered “dammit.”

“Wait, you guys were placing bets on us?” Asami asked, finally looking away from Korra.

“Of course! It’s in our nature,” Ginger exclaimed. “The minute we walked away from you guys after the club, I said that you guys would hook up by the end of the year, while Jar said it would take longer than that.”

“Yeah, because some straight women are hard to crack!” Jargala said. “But I should’ve known when it came to Korra, being the womanizer she is.”

When Korra looked over at Asami, she saw her give a fake look of disapproval and shake of her head.

“Maybe so…” Ginger said, walking over to Jargala and placing a kiss on her lips. “But it still doesn’t change the fact that you owe me money.”

“Technically neither of us were right. We didn't predict them becoming a legit couple.”

Ginger folded her arms with a frown. “I suppose you're right. But I still want the money anyway.”

“Sure thing, babe." Jargala walked over to Korra and put an arm around her shoulder. “But it’s kind of funny when you think about it. We’re both off the market now after years of playing the field. And who would’ve thought that we’d find people to actually put up with us? But hey, maybe there really is someone out there for everyone. However, I will admit that I’m going to miss watching you hoe it up all over New York.”

“You just had to ruin it with that last sentence, didn’t you?” Korra said, shrugging out of her hold and then walking over to Asami. “I’m sorry they’re so outrageous.”

“That’s all right.” Asami smiled at her. “I already told you before that I like them.”

“Aw, really?” Ginger asked, placing a hand over her heart. “We like you, too! Tell Korra to hang out with us more now that she won’t be a part of the club anymore. You’re welcome any time! You and I would have so much fun together! We’d be the two hardcore femmes of the group.”

“Right…” Asami nodded, still smiling, though she looked over at Korra with confusion in her eyes.

“I’ll explain it to you later,” Korra whispered.

“Come on, Asami.” Ginger grabbed her by the hand. “Let me introduce you to some friends of mine. You’ll love them. Then we can hit the dance floor.”

Asami didn’t have time to react before being pulled out of the kitchen by Ginger. She looked back at Korra with a nervous expression before following after the overexcited redhead.

“I’m sorry to say that your girlfriend has officially been kidnapped by mine,” Jargala said. She reached for her phone and scrolled though it again before tapping something. Suddenly the music changed to a techno sounding beat.

“She’s relegated you to DJ for the night?” Korra asked.

“Story of my life.”

Korra nodded but turned her attention to where Ginger and Asami were. They now stood with a group of women who Korra wasn’t familiar with. Asami shook all of their hands and smiled politely as they all introduced themselves. She looked so poised and confident, as opposed to the look of apprehension she had on her face mere seconds ago. But Korra didn’t expect anything less from her. She was so used to parties and meeting different people, so even if she wasn’t super comfortable just yet, she wouldn’t show it.

Asami just had that glowing aura around her where everyone was pleased to be in her company. From her beautiful smile, to her intelligent mind, she carried herself with strength, courage, and everything else that came between. It made Korra’s chest fill with something so overwhelming that she had to take a second to remember how to breathe.

Realizing she’d been staring, she looked away, only to find Kuvira walking up to her.

“It’s about time you showed up.”

“I said the same thing,” Jargala said, putting her phone to the side. “What happened to that cute blonde you were playing tonsil hockey with?”

“She needed to use the bathroom.”

“Ah. That reminds me that I really need to go. Be right back. And if a shitty song starts playing, just skip it for me.”

She left the two of them alone in the kitchen.

“Since when do you have a thing for blondes?” Korra asked when Kuvira came over and leaned against the counter.

“I figured I’d give it a whirl with the new year approaching. But I can’t say it’s turning out so bad,” she said with a smirk.

“And yet I’m accused of being the womanizer.”

Kuvira laughed. She looked over at where Korra had just been staring. “I see you brought Asami along.”

“Yeah.”

Kuvira smiled. “Congratulations. I’m happy for you.”

Korra rubbed the back of her neck and looked down. “Thank you.”

“But please, for the love of god, don't start with the annoying pet names. I already hear enough of that with Ginger and Jargala." 

Korra made a face. "Definitely not. I can’t see us being one of those couples." 

“Stick around those two long enough and you will be. Ginger’s gonna insist on doing double dates every other weekend.”

“Oh no. I’d have to kill her.”

Laughing again, Kuvira looked at her. “It won’t be so bad. Plus, you’re going to have a lot of time on your hands now.”

“Yeah, thanks for telling everyone,” Korra said in a sarcastic tone.

“They would’ve been bothering me about it for weeks once you stopped showing up. And did you really not think people wouldn’t notice you were gone?”

“I thought I’d just happily fade into obscurity.”

“Oh, please. People won’t stop talking about you for at least another year. You’re going to be known as a legend.”

“Hmm. I like the sound of that.”

She looked over at Asami again and saw that her and Ginger were now dancing amongst the crowd of people.

“It’s a shame, though,” Kuvira said, making Korra turn to her again. “You and I won’t ever get that fight of ours.”

“That is a shame. I was looking forward to mopping the floor with you.”

“Ha! You can only dream, rookie.”

“You know you’re going to have to retire that nickname officially for me, right?”

“Meh. I think it still suits you just fine.”

“You’re impossible," Korra said, laughing. When Kuvira didn't respond, she looked over and saw her friend staring at her. “What?” 

Kuvira shrugged. “You just seem different now. Happier; calmer. Even back when I saw the two of you guys in your apartment that day I thought the same thing. She’s gone and turned you into a softie.”

 “I’ll show you who a softie is the next time we spar.”

“Oh, so you still want to train then?”

“Yeah. I mean, why not? Just because I’m not kicking ass anymore, it doesn’t mean I have to give up boxing all together. I just need to find a better, healthier outlet to express myself and not use fighting as a crutch.”

“Do you know what that new outlet will be?”

“Not yet. But I figured I’d take it one day at a time. Kind of like how you taught me in those first months we trained together. Everything’s not going to change with me overnight, but it all starts with putting in the effort.”

“Atta girl,” Kuvira said. “That sounds like a good goal to have.”

Korra turned to her.

“That change includes you too, you know?” she said.

Kuvira lifted a brow. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah… I was thinking that maybe sometime next week we could go out and grab some coffee?”

“You’re sounding oddly ominous right now.”

“It’s nothing bad. It’s just that… If you’re still interested, I’d like for you to know a little bit more about me and share some things with you.”

Kuvira’s eyes softened and she smiled before reaching up and flicking Korra in the forehead.

“There’s nothing I would love more,” she said.

Korra smiled back.

A few minutes later, Asami and Ginger came back over, with Ginger holding Asami’s hand in a tight grip.

“These shoes have got to go,” she said, kicking the black heels off.

Asami walked over to Korra, a little red from all of the dancing and mingling she just did, but she looked happy.

“Hey again,” she said, coming closer.

“Hi,” Korra replied, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Having fun?”

“Tons.” Asami put her arm around Korra’s shoulders. “I’d be having more fun if you were out there with me.”

“What makes you think I’m the dancing type these days?”

“Even if you weren’t, you’d still do it for me, wouldn’t you?” Asami asked, batting her long lashes.

“Hmm. Debatable.”

“Ugh, you guys are so adorable!” Ginger squealed. “Do you have any plans next weekend? If not, we should totally have a double date.”

Korra's eyes met Kuvira's at the same time and they both started laughing.

“What?” Ginger asked. “What's so funny?” 

Kuvira reached over and pinched her in the cheek. “You.”

“Well, duh. But anyway. We should have a toast! Where’d Jar go?”

“Right here,” Jargala said, walking into the kitchen.

“What do you guys want to drink?” Ginger asked Korra and Asami, holding up two cups for their consideration.

“Just some soda will do,” Korra said.

“Really? That’s it?”

“Yeah… I’ve decided to cut back.”

“Wow. That’s… different,” Jargala said.

“Extremely different,” Kuvira added. “But totally acceptable.”

“Asami, how about you?” Ginger asked.

“The same.”

Korra turned to Asami finally and saw a proud smile on her face.

A few nights ago, she made the decision to give up her glutenous alcohol consumption. She wanted to leave behind that old version of herself completely, and that required letting go of something that only brought out the worst in her. When she told this to Asami, she was right on board with it, even going as far as to throwing out any leftover alcohol she might’ve had stored away in her pantry with the explanation being that she didn’t drink much of it in the first place. It was that kind of support that made Korra sure that she was doing the right thing for a greater cause.

After Ginger filled all the cups and passed them out, they all raised them for a toast.

“To new friends, relationships, and the eternal love that binds us,” Ginger said.

“You’re so goddamn cheesy,” Kuvira said as they all clinked their cups together and drank.

“Oh! Which reminds me. I have a song that I’d like to dedicate to our new, happy couple. It’s an oldie, but a goodie.” Ginger walked over to the counter and picked up Jargala’s phone. A few seconds passed and eventually the current song stopped. Rihanna’s We Found Love started playing from the speakers.

“Seriously?” Korra scrunched her nose.

“What? I think it’s super cute.”

“I like it,” Asami said suddenly.

Korra looked over at her with a raised brow. “Really?”

Asami shrugged and dropped her arm from Korra’s shoulders. “It is cute.”

“Finally. Someone to appreciate my inner romantic,” Ginger said. “I love her already.”

Asami smiled at her and then looked over at Korra again before taking both of their drinks and setting them down on the counter. She held out her hand afterward.

“Dance with me?” she asked.

“You’re only encouraging Ginger to do more things like this,” Korra said, smiling all the while. Taking Asami’s hand, she allowed herself to be pulled out of the kitchen and into the front room with the crowd of people jumping around, as if they were part of a mosh pit.

Asami turned to her, and when they found a decent spot to move around, she put her arms around Korra’s shoulders and started to move against her. Korra placed her hands on Asami's hips and moved as well, keeping their bodies close as the song began to pick up. She heard the sounds of people’s feet stomping but tuned them out, much like she did with large crowds that would always surround her inside of a ring. Her eyes never left Asami’s and she smiled when she saw her mouthing the words.

“It’s the way I’m feeling I just can’t deny,” she sang. “But I’ve got to let it gooo.”

The beat dropped before picking up again, rising and rising until the energy burst inside the room. Everyone started hopping up and down, feeling the rhythm as they shouted the words to the song.

Asami brought her hands to Korra’s shoulders as they joined in on the dancing and jumping. Her rambunctious laugh as they moved against each other filled Korra’s ears and she held her closer. Eventually Asami turned in her arms and started moving her hips against Korra’s.

Korra pulled Asami's hair and jacket to the side and kissed her neck, all while Asami’s hands grabbed hers and raised them up in the air as if she wanted them to touch the music. A second later, she spun around again and gave Korra a cheeky smile before dancing around her, still holding on to one of her hands.

“Yellow diamonds in the light, and we’re standing side by side,” she continued to sing. “As your shadow crosses mine…”

The hook repeated, and Korra brought Asami close to her again and hugged her as they danced between all of the people jumping around. Asami repeated the words of the song in her ear.

“We found love in a hopeless place. We found love in a hoooopeless place.”

Korra leaned her head against Asami’s shoulder and closed her eyes. Everything faded into the background and quieted. The only thing loud was her feelings: the feelings she thought faded the more years went by, only to find that they never actually left. The same feelings she tried to keep buried inside her heart and never revealed because she’d been too scared to admit them out loud; kind of like how she still felt. They were the same feelings she thought couldn’t grow any bigger yet continued to manifest inside her heart. She never wanted that to stop. And if she had even greater courage, she would say the word she’d been wanting to tell Asami since they were sixteen years old; the exact same word Asami belted so easily out loud as she sang.

But it might’ve been too soon for that.

The song eventually ended, but they continued to hold each other, dancing to two more songs after that.

Just then, Asami got close to her ear, brushing Korra’s hair behind it as she did.

“Can we go somewhere for a little while?”

Korra practically shivered at the feeling of lips brushing against her.

“Where?” she asked.

“Doesn't matter. Just somewhere that’s quiet.”

Korra pulled away and looked at Asami. Green eyes stared back with hopefulness, but also… something else. Korra wasn’t quite sure what it was. But instead of questioning it, she just nodded and grabbed Asami’s hand before leading them out of the living room.

They walked through the apartment and headed down the hall where a few people were waiting for the bathroom. Jargala and Ginger’s bedroom was at the end of it.

Korra turned the knob and groaned.

“It’s locked.”

“Is someone in there?”

“Jargala and Ginger would have a field day if there was. They probably just locked it so no one would go in.”

“Ah. Well, if that’s the case, move aside.”

Asami stepped toward the door and reached up to pull a bobby pin out of her hair.

“I never took you for a lock picker,” Korra said.

“One of my many hidden talents.” Asami looked at her with a smile before turning her attention back to the door. More seconds passed by and then Korra heard the sound of a click. Asami turned the knob and opened the door.

“Looks like you were right,” she said. “No one’s in here.”

“Wow. Be sure to tell me more about those other hidden talents of yours.”

They walked into the dark room and Korra closed the door, locking it again before turning on the lights. It was messy inside, but Korra didn’t bring them to the room for that. She walked over to the double doors leading out to the patio and opened one of them.

“This kind of reminds me of my place,” Asami commented as she walked outside, shivering from the cold as she did, but it wasn’t freezing to the point of being unbearable. Korra watched her walk over to the balcony and look over it. The music from inside could still be heard, along with the neighbors below them having their own New Year’s Eve gathering.

“Is this quiet enough?” she asked.

Asami turned around, her hair blowing out of her face due to the wind.

“It’s perfect,” she said with a smile and reached for Korra’s hand again. Korra took it and walked forward, right into Asami’s arms and they hugged for a while, keeping each other warm.

This was exactly what Korra needed. Not some loud party with a bunch of people she barely knew. Just peace and quiet while holding Asami in her arms.

“Why did we decide to come here again?” she asked out loud.

Asami laughed quietly. “Because it sounded fun, which it is, but…”

“But?”

Asami pulled away finally, but she used her finger to play with a piece of Korra’s hair.

“I think just being here with you, alone like this, is enough for me.”

“You’d crush poor Ginger’s heart if she heard you say that.”

Asami laughed again. “I don’t mean it like that. I like all of your friends, and it makes me happy that they’re so accepting of you and me together like this.”

“It’s not like I’d give them any choice on whether to like it or not,” Korra said and put her hands on Asami’s hips, then she gave her a curious look.

“What?” Asami asked.

“Did you really mean what you said back there?”

“About what?”

“That you’ll stay for as long as I’ll have you?”

Asami rubbed her hands over Korra’s shoulders.

“Of course I did,” she said.

“And what if I wanted you around for, say, a really long time?” Korra questioned.

Asami looked up, pretending like she was thinking about it. She met Korra’s gaze with bright eyes.

“Then I’d say good. Because I never planned on leaving anytime soon in the first place.”

Korra pulled her closer and tilted her head up, with Asami meeting her halfway. When their lips met, Korra felt her entire being light up. Her eyes fluttered shut and she let herself be consumed by Asami while giving back twice as much. She felt Asami shiver after she accidentally brushed her hand under Asami’s shirt, lifting it and exposing her flesh to the cold. Instead of pulling back, Asami ran her fingers through the back of Korra’s hair and pressed their mouths firmer together. She grew more confident with every kiss, just as much as Korra became more comfortable with giving herself over to someone completely; trusting them completely.

They broke apart for air finally but kept their foreheads pressed together. Korra could feel her heart pounding extra hard and she took a couple of deep breaths to get herself under control. On the tip of her tongue, those words threatened to leave her mouth again, but she swallowed them down. To her surprise, though, Asami uttered three different words to her.

“Happy birthday, Korra.”

All of her thoughts ceased to matter in that moment and she opened her eyes to look at Asami in surprise.

“You remembered?” she asked.

Asami gave her an endearing look and tenderly brushed her hand against Korra’s cheek.

“I remember everything about you,” she whispered.

Korra inhaled deeply, the air leaving her lungs all at once.

She didn’t expect for those words to hold so much power. They made her finally see that all those years ago the feelings she just knew that only she possessed really were reciprocated. They made her realize that she’d been so wrong to think that her and Asami were meant to go down two different roads, destined to never meet again. She went into a tunnel of darkness and loneliness for a while, never thinking she’d come out of it, yet somehow she managed to find the light. And as the brightness dimmed and her eyes came into focus, she saw Asami standing there at the end, simply waiting for her to catch up.

They might have had to travel individually for a while, but they were supposed to end up right back here, synced up on the same road headed to who knew where; together.

Asami reached up to wipe away the tears in Korra’s eyes.

“Why are you crying?” she asked in a comforting voice.

Korra sniffed and looked down with the shake of her head.

“Because I…” she started. “You make me feel so many different things all at once that it gets overwhelming sometimes.”

Asami lifted Korra’s chin and smiled. “I know the feeling. I could say the same about you, too.”

Korra watched her reach inside her jacket and pull out a white envelope. Then she handed it over.

“What’s this?” Korra asked, taking it.

“Open it and you’ll see.”

She did as Asami suggested and carefully ripped open the envelope. There were two slips of paper inside and she took them out. Looking down at them, she tried to make out what they said in the low lighting outside. When she realized what they were, her eyes widened.

“Florence?” she said.

“Yeah. Have you ever been?”

“No.” Korra shook her head.

“I figured you’d want to go visit in the spring, maybe? The art and architecture are amazing there, and I’m sure you’d love it.”

“There’s another ticket in here,” Korra said, a little dumbfounded, and looked up.

Asami brushed her blowing hair out of her face. “Yeah… I thought I’d join you, if that’s okay?”

Inhaling deeply, Korra rubbed her lips together and nodded.

“Of course it’s okay. But what about Future Industries? These tickets are for three whole weeks.”

“I’ve… decided that I want to take a leave of absence in a few months to figure some stuff out about what I want to do.”

“You’re not giving the company up, are you?” Korra asked, completely stunned.

“Definitely not. I’m not ready for that. I still have a lot of things that I’m eager to do, but I realized that I should start doing some things for myself, too. I’m only 25 years old and I kind of want to start living the life I’ve been deprived of for several years now. I wanna travel and not be in stressful situations every single day, but I also wanna spend time with you; away from this place and somewhere a lot more peaceful…”

Korra looked down at the two tickets again.

“Thank you,” she said. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. I’m just happy you like it.”

Korra put the tickets back in the envelope and then reached for Asami, pulling her in for another hug.

“Like it?” she whispered. “I love it.”

“I love you.”

This time, Korra really did feel the air leave her lungs and her heart stop. She was unsure if she misheard those words or if they were a figment of her imagination. Slowly, she pulled herself out of Asami’s hold to stare at her.

“What?” she asked, sounding out of breath.

Asami’s eyes were wide with shock.

“Oh, my god. I-I’m sorry,” she apologized. “That just—It slipped out of my mouth and I wasn’t supposed to say it out loud…”

“Uh… that’s okay,” Korra said, and it surprised her that she could even speak right now. “You can take it back if you want.”

Asami continued to stare at her, but her expression turned far less horrified and more nervous.

“No, that's not what I want,” she said. “In fact, now that I said it… I kind of wanna say it again.”

Korra knew she looked like a gaping fish when Asami cupped her cheeks and looked her deeply in the eyes.

“I love you, Korra,” she said.

Korra watched her lips the entire time and heard the words come out of her mouth, yet it still gave her this unreal, out of body experience. But when Asami leaned down and kissed her again—her soft, wonderful lips moving against Korra’s—she allowed herself to really feel it and realize that nothing about this could be imaginary.

A small whimper left her mouth as Asami kissed her with so much passion and heat. It was like she was pouring her heart out through that one kiss alone, and it shook everything inside Korra’s body, including her soul. Her pulse sped up, her knees weakened, and her heart filled with so much happiness that she started crying again.

When they parted and she looked at Asami, she saw that there were a few tears in her eyes, as well. After a moment, Asami reached back into her coat pocket.

“There’s something else I have,” she said, wiping her eyes.

“I think you’ve won the award for best birthday gift ever already,” Korra said.

“Don’t worry. It’s something for the both of us.”

She pulled whatever was inside her pocket out and opened her hand.

Again, Korra’s eyes widened.

“You… kept it?” she asked.

Asami nodded. “I stupidly put it into storage with my other belongings when I got rid of the house. It took me forever to find.”

“So… When you said you were busy this week and ‘staying late for work…’ It was really because you were looking for this?”

“Yeah. Sorry. I didn’t mean to shrug you off like that. I just really wanted to find it, and luckily, I did. Just in the nick of time, too.”

Korra finally took the bracelet out of Asami’s hands. It still had that smooth, marble feel to it, and the chain looked like it’d been freshly shined. She went through every single stone, looking at the symbols and remembering their significance.

“All of it still applies,” she said.

“Can you put it on for me?” Asami asked.

Korra nodded and waited for Asami to raise one of her arms and pull her sleeve back. When her wrist was exposed, Korra wasted no time securing the bracelet around it. The charms dangled off her wrist like they always belonged there.

When she looked up, she saw Asami’s eyes shining under the balcony light, reminding her of all those long years ago when she first put the bracelet on. It gave her so much hope for them to move forward, and made it a lot less hard to hold back the words she probably should have said a long time ago.

“I love you, too.”

This time, she watched Asami take in a deep breath and her bottom lip quiver. She grabbed Korra’s hand and threaded their fingers together.

“I almost thought you wouldn’t say it back,” she spoke softly.

“I have a tendency to take a little too long with admitting my feelings.”

“That's okay. I would’ve waited... I’ll always wait for you.”

Korra smiled and brushed a tendril of hair away from Asami’s face. “Always?”

Asami nodded. “Just try not to keep me waiting for another seven or eight years.”

Korra laughed. “Deal.”

They shared a long kiss and even longer hug before heading back inside to the party and enjoying the rest of the night. The entire time, Asami stayed right by Korra’s side, and it gave Korra so much security. This woman, her best friend, the first person to ever make her believe in herself, gave her so much more than just feeling grounded. She provided all of those things Korra never thought she could give or receive in return: support, guidance, trust, and unconditional love. It might have taken her awhile to realize she could have them, but now that she did, she wouldn’t take them for granted ever again.

As the final countdown began and the new year rang in, with more hugs and kisses shared, Korra felt the telling of a new beginning; a new start. And while none of it would be easy and she'd have to work hard at it every single day, she couldn't have been more prepared for it.

She went so long believing that her life ended before she even had the chance to live it, but she couldn’t have been more wrong.

This was living. And if she was only now realizing that, then maybe her real life was just getting started.

Roll With the Punches [END]