Internet Connection

The sun was streaming through the curtains when Asami woke, still curled into Korra’s side. Korra grumbled in her sleep as Asami rolled over, the movement dragging the duvet off of Korra’s chest. Asami reached out to pull it back up again, but she couldn’t help taking a moment to appreciate the sight.
“perv,” Korra smiled, eyes still closed. Asami rolled her eyes, not that Korra could see, and leaned up to kiss her. “morning breath...” Korra protested half-heartedly as she leaned into it. When Asami pulled away she found two sleepy blue eyes looking up at her. “You know, I could get used to this sort of alarm clock.”
Asami pushed herself up on one elbow.
“Me too.”

Neither of them heard the first knock at the door because Korra was teasing Asami about her frankly fantastic sex hair, not that Korra’s was any better. When the second came it too was ignored as the pair were rather more interested in picking up where they’d left off the night before. The first they knew about it was when Tonraq’s voice boomed through the suddenly open connection door,
“Good morning sleepy-OH RAVAA!”
There was a thud as Tonraq tried to turn away and collided with the doorframe. There was a shriek from Asami who tried to dive for the bed to cover herself only to effectively body-slam Korra into the mattress and wind her. Naga, alerted by the wheeze of pain from her mistress, nearly knocked Tonraq over in her haste to get to Korra’s side. Senna stepped round Tonraq and surveyed the scene. There was an awkward, two person-sized gibbering, raspy lump under the duvet on Korra’s bed, which Naga was anxiously clambering on top of, whining and nosing at the bedding. Tonraq was covering his face, either to block out further images or because he’d smacked his nose against the doorframe and it had started to bleed. Senna sighed.
“I need coffee.”

Korra stuck her head out from under the duvet after Tonraq had staggered back into his room.
“Seriously?!” She demanded, ignoring Naga’s attempts to lick her face. “Three goddamn years I’ve had to wait for this, and you have to come barging in in the middle of it?!”
“We knocked.”
“Well knock louder! Try ringing next time, there’s a phone...” Korra indicated the phone in question, realising too late that the receiver had been knocked from its cradle by a carelessly flung bra the previous evening. Both women stared in silence at it for a moment. Korra sighed. Beneath the duvet Asami had curled into the foetal position, cheeks burning with mortification. “Mum, can you at least give us five minutes to try and scrape together a little fucking dignity, or are you going to stand there while we get dressed?”

Ten minutes later Asami was feeling no less embarrassed but at least rather less exposed in some of Korra’s clothes, Naga had relaxed, Tonraq had an icepack held to his nose, and everyone had coffee and was avoiding eye contact.
“I don’t see why you’re so embarrassed,” Senna said matter-of-factly. “It’s not like I wasn’t having to help you dress and wash only a little while ago, it’s not like there’s anything left to be shy about.”
“Context, mum,” Korra shot back. “Besides, me is one thing, but I doubt you’ve ever had to wash Asami...” Korra stopped. That was a whole mental minefield she didn’t want to imagine. “Just-damn it-No seeing my girlfriends naked!”
“Girlfriends?” Asami asked, mock offended. “Got more than one?”
Korra slumped. “This has gone from the best morning ever to the worst in record time.”
Tonraq had to agree.

“So, now we’re past the abject humiliation portion, why exactly did you need to wake us up?”
Tonraq lowered the icepack from his nose.
“The hospital called.”
Korra went tense but Tonraq held up his free hand. “It’s ok. You know how the surgeon wanted to have a chat with you? They just need to bring it forward.” He reached across, putting a hand on her shoulder. “It’s nothing to worry about. It’s just that she’s quite busy and was hoping you’d be able to come in today instead of tomorrow.”
Korra let out a slow breath.
“I keep waiting for them to turn around and say ‘no, it’s not happening’,” she admitted, scratching Naga behind the ears absentmindedly. “And this meeting...”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Senna reassured her. Korra didn’t look convinced.

Korra had been very apologetic about calling of the day’s plans but Asami could hardly blame her. Korra’s trip to the city had always been with her health in mind and Asami wasn’t childish to try and insist Korra reshuffle her priorities. That didn’t mean she wasn’t a little disappointed to have to slink out early, still wearing Korra’s clothes, carrying her dress and shoes in a bag. She really hoped nobody recognised her; the press would have a field day with this. Korra had many qualities but for some inexplicable reason she hadn’t thought to pack Asami a set of sneaking out clothes in her usual style. It was really very thoughtless, and it had left her with a pair of slightly too big trainers, a pair of tracksuit bottoms that were entirely too short, and a big old worn hoody that Korra was quite honestly never going to get back, because it was comfort in dark blue cotton, and it smelled of her. It was an odd thing to have grown so attached to; she’d been with Korra in the flesh for barely twenty four hours, but she’d spent long enough waiting for it, imaging it. The world owed her a goddamn comfy hoody.

Asami tugged the hood of the goddamn comfy hoody down a little further over her face, wondering why the hell she’d turned down the receptionist’s offer to call a taxi. Maybe it had been that knowing grin. Still, it was only about half an hour to the office. The walk would do her good.

Asami took a few hours to sort the paperwork, and authorised herself another couple of days off just in case, before her rumbling stomach reminded her that all she’d had that day was a cup of coffee. The employee canteen was certainly a possibility, if she didn’t mind answering questions about why she was here on her holiday dressed as she was. No, going out was the only option. She considered snagging a set of overalls, but that was probably even more conspicuous than the mismatched clothing she was currently wearing. Asami checked her phone. Korra still hadn’t replied and Asami would have been lying if she said she wasn’t starting to get nervous. Surely a talk shouldn’t have taken this long? Asami forced herself to put the phone in her pocket. She’d think more clearly after some food.

She was halfway down the street when the phone began to ring. She fished it out, and tried to hide her disappointment.
“Hey, Opal, what’s up?”
“I am having the weirdest day.” Opal said, and Asami could almost hear the grin on her face. They couldn’t have got photos up that fast, could they?
“There I was, stopping off for a coffee, and what did I see across the street? Someone who looks an awful lot like you. Specifically, someone who looks just like you doing a stride of pride.”
Asami swallowed. She turned to look across the street to the cafe. Opal was waving from the window. Asami didn’t bother to wait for the invite. She hung up the phone and trudged over.

“Well.” Opal looked her up and down once they’d taken a seat towards the back of the cafe. “You look...fashionable.”
Asami scowled.
“Are you going to explain why you’re doing the worst dressed walk of shame I’ve had the pleasure to see since that time in uni you came back in, oh, what was it...oh yes, a pair of board shorts and a pink dressing gown?”
Asami glared.
“You promised to forget that.”
“I promise to forget a lot of things that get seared in my brain.” Opal shrugged. “like, say, ill thought out valentines plans involving shoddy handcuffs. Do you know how hard it is to find a boltcutter at that time of night, I mean, seriously?”
Asami tried to glare harder. The attempt was ruined when her phone buzzed. Korra. Finally. On chat, not text. She must have been expecting a conversation. Asami waved the phone apologetically. “I’ve to deal with this a sec,”
Opal sighed dramatically. “Fine, I’ll get the food, you sext your lover.”
Asami flipped Opal off as she headed for the counter.

Korra: I hate you.
Asami: ?!
Asami: Did something happen at the hospital? What?
Korra: No, everything went well.
Korra: Or it would have.
Korra: If the surgeon hadn’t wanted to do some initial examinations of her own.
Korra: Get the lay of the land, as it were. Lay of the spine. Or whatever.
Asami: And?
Asami: Wait.
Asami: Oh.
Asami: I worked it out.
Korra: Did you, now?
Asami: ...Oops.
Korra: ‘Oops’? Is that all?!
Asami: Sorry?
Korra: I HAVE NAIL MARKS DOWN MY BACK, ASAMI!
Korra: I HAVE LOVEBITES ON...PLACES! BITE MARKS!
Asami: You certainly weren’t complaining at the time.
Asami: ;P
Korra:...
Korra: Admittedly not.
Asami: So what’s the problem? Your surgeon got a problem with the lady-lovin’?
Korra: ...no
Asami: Ewww, don’t tell me they were one of those “Hurr, can I join in” types?
Korra: No.
Korra: Surgeon’s a she, remember? With some...common interests, shall we say?
Asami: Well that’s a relief.
Asami: Although...
Asami: I might get jealous.
Asami: Seeing as you’re going to have this woman inside you.
Korra: ...
Korra: SHE MADE THE SAME FUCKING JOKE!
Asami: Are we using fucking as a verb or as an adjective here?
Korra: BOTH! EITHER!
Korra: adesjofsoupadskmpfgwjobeht34n’a#ipdsjogpiearjwp34hu0a
Asami: is that you being overwhelmed or did you sit on your phone?
Korra: ...

Asami chuckled.
Asami: So what’s the issue with your dirty-minded surgeon, exactly? Aside from a little embarrassment?
Korra: SHE ASKED ME A WHOLE LOAD OF QUESTIONS, ASAMI!
Korra: ABOUT WHAT I CAN...Y’KNOW.
Korra: Feel. In places.
Asami: ...
Asami: How is it you’ve got the sex drive of a frat boy on spring break but will go any lengths to avoid saying the names of things you’d cheerfully put your tongue in?
Korra: it’s part of my charm
Korra: So you can see why I might be uncomfortable
Korra: Having to go through into excruciating detail just what ‘sensation’ I have in my crotch
Korra: WITH A COMPLETE FUCKING STRANGER
Korra: WHO IS TAKING DETAILED NOTES.
Korra: AND KEEPS ASKING VERY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
Asami: You know they’re just trying to get an accurate measure of the amount of feeling you have at present.
Asami: They probably don’t want to ask as much as you don’t want to answer.
Asami: And we can always avoid this
Asami: I don’t have to do that to your, what was it, ‘places’?
Korra:...
Korra: Ok, let’s not go saying anything rash now.

Asami laughed again.

Asami: If you’re feeling up to it I’ve met up with a friend. Think you can brave one (probably two) more people who will almost certainly ask inappropriate questions?
Korra: Fuckin’ bring it. Send me the address?

When Asami looked back from writing her reply she found Opal shaking her head at her.
“Disgusting. I know that look, Asami Sato. You are smitten. C’mon, spill. I want all the juicy details.”
“You’ll get them in oh,” Asami checked the phone again. “Twenty minutes. But don’t go being a dick,” she added warningly. “She’s a private person, Opal, and she really means a lot to me so I’d appreciate you not freaking her out too much.”
Opal mimed crossing her heart. Asami didn’t believe it for a second.