Chapter 2
Asami knows Sage all too well. At first, she thought it was nice to see that her high school ex-girlfriend who straight up outed her had brought home a woman who was clearly her girlfriend. Asami could tell the second she saw Korra behind Sage, right up through the blatant lie of being the orphan roommate, friend/acquaintance, and a pang of guilt and hurt hit her heart when she realizes that Sage, in fact, had not changed. She felt bad for Korra.
She knows she started feeling a weird pull towards her when she saw Korra staring at her from the upstairs balcony the next night, so she lifts her glass and offers a friendly face. Her suspicion about Sage is confirmed even more so when she accidentally hears a phone conversation Korra was having when Asami slipped away from the party because everyone there wanted her to diagnose some dumb thing they thought they had.
It’s not Alzheimer’s, Carol, you’re just forgetful and everyone misplaces their keys from time to time.
Whatever was pulling her to Korra does so again, when she emerged from behind the corner and told her that she could relate.
Fate had caused their paths to cross the next night, and Asami could tell Korra was upset. Probably about the whole shoplifting thing which Asami had heard around the small town. She figures Sage most likely didn’t stick up for her, and that’s why Korra was walking down the street crying when Asami exited the shop, white elephant present in hand.
They talked about the white elephant party the next day, and then she swears that Korra feels the pull too, because she made a medical joke before asking Asami if she knew anywhere that she could get a drink.
She takes them to a gay bar because she clearly knows that Korra is gay. The girl was a bad liar. What more can she say?
Korra brought up her comment from the night before, and Asami mentioned it was a comment based on an assumption she had about Korra and Sage. The quiet brunette confirmed that it was an accurate one and said that Asami didn’t have to talk about it. But her curiosity peaked and Asami asked what Korra knew about her. Sage didn’t tell her the whole story because of course, she didn’t.
After telling her bitter story, Asami thinks of Korra as a friend, someone she could really relate to. She’s been where Korra was before and it was the worst. She becomes the shoulder Korra can cry on, and they exchanged numbers.
She tried not to get her hopes up about it, about Korra. For one, she wasn’t a homewrecker, and two, she could tell that Korra really loved Sage. It’s obvious when Korra calls her the next morning after she and Sage get into an argument and asks Asami to pick her up.
She didn’t mean to see the text from Sage apologizing and asking to talk, but she does.
The white elephant party was... interesting. Sage was off with her friends, and Asami found Korra in the kitchen watching them, drinking some disgusting spiced alcohol while Clarke’s twins sang that stupid Christmas song. They sat and talked, and Asami felt horrible for having any sort of feelings for Korra when she admits that she was originally going to propose to Sage on Christmas, but she wasn’t so sure anymore.
Asami went to get her more alcohol, real alcohol. She came back to some big, burly gay man talking to Mrs. Howell with Korra by his side. She never caught his name until later, but she watched as he flirted with Hunter, trying his hardest to act straight while Korra and Sage disappeared.
The next thing Asami knew, Sage and Clarke were fighting, literally fighting. They threw things at each other and Sage eventually ended up smashing Laura’s painting over Clarke’s head (which was beautiful, by the way, and screw you Sage for ruining such a masterpiece). Clarke outed Sage and everyone looked between her and Korra, faces unreadable.
Then Sage really fucked up. She did to Korra what she had done to Asami, she lied and told everyone at the party that she wasn't gay and that Clarke was the one with a secret. And Asami watched as Korra’s face, filled with torture and hurt walked out the front door with her friend.
With a disapproving shake of the head directed towards Sage, Asami followed suit. She didn’t know what she was doing at the time, but now she does. She followed Korra and Bolin outside, and as Bolin went inside to grab Korra’s things, Asami comforted her friend.
They left with the promise that Korra would text Asami later. Korra did as she promised, Asami never replied.
It took her four whole months to reply, in fact. But she was trying her hardest not to think of what had transpired at Christmas, of how she guiltily felt towards Korra and how much she wanted to do things she knew she morally couldn’t given the circumstances.
Korra and Sage had broken up, that reality was confirmed when Korra texted her a couple weeks later saying she moved out and thanked Asami for being there for her. But Asami bit her tongue and stayed silent.
It’s not that she wanted to, but she figured if she gave herself space and time, the feelings she had for Korra would be a fleeting memory. They never went away.
Korra (20:02): I know you haven’t replied in months, but is it weird to say that I oddly miss talking you?
Asami (21:34): no it’s not
Asami (21:34): Also I’m sorry to hear you broke up
Korra (21:40): Hey stranger, a few months too late but I appreciate it
Asami (21:42): Sorry. I’ve just been...
Asami (21:42): racking my brain over the aforementioned text.
Korra (21:46): Care to elaborate?
Asami (21:47): I think you already know what I mean
And she was sure Korra did. The whole reason why Asami never replied was obvious, at least to her it was. It had to have been to Korra, right? The whole not jumping on the bandwagon and immediately going after your ex-girlfriend’s newly single ex? That was a recipe for disaster.
Korra (21:57): Okay, yeah a bit.
Asami (21:57): See?
Korra (21:59): But it doesn’t mean anything anymore, I feel like. You’re my friend and honestly the only good thing to come out of the wreckage that was Christmas.
Korra (22:01): The more and more I think about it, the more it becomes obvious to me…
Asami (22:05): what becomes obvious?
Korra (22:06): That you felt it, too
Asami bites her lower lip as she reads the text. She did feel it, too, honestly probably before Korra ever did and that made Asami feel slightly guilty. She knows the exact moment an attraction to Korra had surfaced for her, when she found Korra outside after accidentally hearing her phone call. It was only more apparent to Asami the more time she spent with Korra over those few days before Christmas.
When she followed Korra out of the house to comfort her after Sage’s blow up while Bolin grabbed her things, she could tell that Korra wanted to try and salvage the relationship with the woman she loved, so Asami took a step back and put her feelings to the side. She knew if there was anything left to salvage, she couldn’t stand in the way.
Then Korra had told her that they’d broken up, officially, two weeks later. And while Asami wanted to reply, she also didn’t want to let her own personal feelings get in the way of Korra’s grief and fresh wounds. She knew she’d tell her one day, but with her long day of residency draining on her, today wasn’t that day.
Asami (22:36): can we talk about this another night?
Korra (22:41): hopefully not in another six months?
Asami (22:43): it won’t be. I promise
The next morning felt better, even if she couldn’t sleep well. Asami had time to search through her thoughts and feelings of the Christmas debacle, which she originally had tried hiding away. She liked Korra. The grad student was funny, smart, absolutely stunning, but more than anything, she was real and true to herself. And Asami watched as this magnificent human being got shit all over during a holiday season she already disliked by their shared ex-girlfriend who was still too afraid to come out. It was the nail in the coffin for Asami, and it’s obvious it was for Korra, too.
Which brings her thoughts back to Korra. In the few days Asami had known her, it was clear that Korra was the type of girl to go all in, give her everything for something she believed in. Six months ago, that was Sage. And now? Asami wonders if it’s her.
Korra (07:31): I’m sorry if I crossed some line last night with what I said
Korra (07:34): it’s just, you were the person I felt closest too during that entire incident and that’s saying something when I started that trip out with big plans
Asami (07:43): you didn’t cross a line. I feel the same way
Korra (07:50): so when did you know?
Asami (08:01): I thought it was obvious? High school, duh
Korra (08:12): not what I was talking about, dork :P
Asami (08:12): maybe be more specific next time then, loser
Korra (08:13): I knew the night at the Oxwood. When I realized Sage had lied to me about a lot more than I thought. About what happened with you, about being out. And I know I left with the intention of maybe fixing things with her, but when I got ‘home’ which was really just her apartment that I lived in, I realized I deserve much more than that. I mean, she told me I was suffocating her when I asked about that night she was out with Hunter until 2am.
Korra (08:16): She came back two weeks later and said she told everyone the truth, but Laura told Bolin (they’re close now I guess) that she didn’t actually tell anyone, and it all went out the window. We fought, things got nasty, and I moved out.
Asami (08:25): yikes. I’m sorry. That must have been hard. It’s glad that you could identify that you deserve better though. What does that look like to you?
Korra (08:27): Just someone who can be honest with me, respect me. You know, take my feelings into consideration. Really just the bare minimum
Asami (08:30): you do deserve that
Korra (08:32): okay I’m gonna be blunt but i feel weird because I miss you? And I don’t even know you that well, and we’re now both exes of a shared person.
Korra (08:34): I guess it just goes back to show that you were the closest person i could relate to
Asami (08:37): then maybe we should
Asami (08:37): get to know each other, I mean.
Korra (08:42): Yeah? It’s not like... weird? That I like miss you?
Asami (08:44): people can miss each other and it doesn’t have to be weird, Korra.
Korra (08:46): Well that’s a relief. Uhm can I ask something real quick?
Asami (08:50): yeah go ahead
Korra (08:53): Why didn’t you reply until now?
Asami (09:05): Because I felt guilty for crushing on you while you were going through probably one of the most painful things in someone’s life. And I honestly kind of just tried to detach myself from it, but obviously I couldn’t. But you needed space and time to heal, and I wasn’t going to take advantage of it. I already felt bad enough for liking you when you clearly just needed a friend who would listen.
Asami (09:07): I figured if I just didn’t reply that I would move past it
Korra (09:11): no I totally get it. I obviously felt guilty too when I really sat down and realized it. You know, that I wanted to be around you more than the girl I was going to propose to? It’s not like I meant for it to happen, but I guess being treated like a stranger by the one you thought you loved can do that to you... I feel bad too
Asami (09:14): yeah...
Asami (09:14): Not ideal
Korra (09:17): No, not at all
Korra (09:17): so what now?