Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

KORRA'S POV

Rain poured from the sky relentlessly as Korra pulled up to a familiar bar in downtown Republic City; a dimly lit sign with glowing letters that read, "Red Lotus" hung above the entrance. She parked her prized motorcycle near the employee entrance in the back where she knew it would be safe. The bar's owner, Zaheer, had a soft spot for Korra ever since she helped get him out of trouble with the law a few years back. Since then, Korra got to enjoy several perks at his establishment, like reserved parking in a well-lit area with security cameras to watch over her ride.

"Password?" The deep voice heard through the small slit in the door was more of a statement than a question, but Korra knew the proper response. It had always made her roll her eyes though.

Her voice was low and somewhat husky as she replied, "The natural order is disorder."

She felt a little uncomfortable with having to use the ridiculous password every single time she entered the place when she was positive the doorman recognized her; she really was here far too often. Loud metallic clinking was followed by a briskly opened door and a familiar man met her at the door. He wasn't particularly large or imposing, but she knew from experience that he was a force to be reckoned with. His long dark hair and trimmed mustache were well groomed, and his uniform complimented his muscular frame. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up over his arms, revealing several dark tattoos on his tan skin.

"Evenin' Avatar," he said casually as Korra walked past him. She offered him a nod of acknowledgment and a knowing smirk; he was obviously on his best behavior tonight, otherwise their exchange would have been much less formal. The use of her nickname, however, let Korra know that he was still his playful self. She had always been rather fond of Ghazan.

Korra couldn't help but sigh at the amount of people she found in the dingy club on this particular night. The more people about, the less likely she would be able to glean new information. On the other hand, her usual correspondent was normally able to obtain just enough information to make it worth her while.

She made her way to the bar, determined not to be stopped before she had a chance to talk to her correspondent. It was easy enough to maneuver around the drunken idiots, especially when she spotted her empty stool waiting for her. It had taken several nights of pointless fights to establish her dominance over the particular corner seat, but soon her efforts paid off. No one she didn't want near her dared to step in her domain.

The bartender was nice enough to have her usual waiting for her, which she thanked the woman for with a slight upraising of her lips. The action seemed to leave more of an impression of a flirtatious smirk than a grateful smile, but the alluring bartender always brought out this side of her. She had known the woman, P'Li, as long as she'd known Zaheer, and they had developed a playful relationship. P'Li obviously only had eyes for Zaheer, but she found great amusement in encouraging Korra's flirtations as much as possible. Korra fondly remembered a few of her cornier pick-up lines that had had the entire Red Lotus bar laughing uproariously. Even the stoic Zaheer had to hide a smile; Korra suspected he was secretly just as amused by Korra's antics as P'Li.

She took a small sip from the drink she was given, and a pleasant sensation coursed throughout her body almost instantly. It seemed to be just the release her body had been waiting for all day because she immediately felt her muscles relax noticeably. The pleasant warmth that settled into her stomach was comforting. A tan, over-sized envelope slid in front of her moments later.

"Anything new?" She asked the man she knew to be sitting in the seat next to her. After all, they had been through this routine often enough to have no need wasting words on small talk anymore.

It was with a heavy sigh the man responded, "Look, I understand your determination in this, but don't you-"

He was cut off by a dark glare, his companion not caring to hear anything outside of the information she wanted. So, he gave up and instead continued. "The usual: nothing particularly interesting. My sources were especially fervent in their efforts to prove themselves trustworthy after last month's incident, but nothing has come up. I'm sorry."

Korra released the air she didn't realize she had been holding. Another dead end.

"Thank you, Aiwei. Same time next Friday," The reply came out colder than she had meant it to, but she was too frustrated to contain herself. If Aiwei said there weren't any new leads, then she believed him- they didn't call the man the Human Lie Detector for no reason. She grabbed the envelope, abruptly stood to her feet and left the bar quickly before her frustration could be fueled any further.

"See you next time, Avatar," Ghazan called out as Korra hurried through the exit, her mind barely registering the words before the door was closed behind her. Outside once again, it appeared the clouds were only growing darker, and the rain had grown heavier. Korra grumbled, not thrilled at the idea of her riding leathers being soaked by the rain. It was the only drawback to owning a motorcycle over a car as far as Korra was concerned, but a car wasn't even a valid option for her. For some reason, she was terrible behind the wheel of a car, yet somehow rather skilled on the back of a bike. Go figure.

Staring into the sky with moisture hitting her face, Korra took pleasure in the way the weather could mimic her emotions so easily. Whenever her heart ached, the heavens sent a gift of recognition, allowing the world around her to participate in her foul mood. Her heart felt heavy, and she battled discouragement as she spotted a man harassing her from across the street with a vulgar gesture. She roughly pulled on her helmet after she gave the leering man one of her most vicious glares and a middle finger. She waited until the disgusting man entered the building before she unzipped her leather suit enough to sneak her newly acquired envelope between the heat of her body and the protection of the leather.

As expected, her bike was exactly the way she had left it: leaning on its kickstand with all it's dark beauty. It was a rare model, a Future Industries' Legacy Satocycle 152 first edition; only two hundred of this particular model were made and over half of them were destroyed in a tragic warehouse fire. It was gorgeous with its midnight black paint, smooth lines and sleek shape, not to mention the surprisingly quiet motor that boasted a ridiculous amount of power. It's finest feature, by far, was the beautiful blue and white painting of Raava that flowed around the body of the bike like it was gliding across water. The Spirit Goddess, Raava, had always bore special meaning to Korra's people back home in the South, but she had felt a particularly personal connection to the deity ever since a near death experience several years ago. She had gladly paid a talented artist to paint Raava on her precious bike.

Korra reached into her leather suit and pulled her cell phone out from her sports bra and quickly dialed a familiar number.

"Hey Mako," Korra greeted with little enthusiasm.

"Hey Korra. How'd it go with Aiwei?" Mako asked.

"Same thing as last time- a whole lot of nothing," Korra muttered dejectedly.

"Seems our golden goose is cooked!" Bolin's enthusiastic voice chimed in.

"Hi Bolin," Korra offered, a small smile growing on her lips at Bolin's antics.

"Oh come on you guys, that was a good one! Aiwei, our golden goose? You know? Our goose is cooked? Still nothing? Come on!"

"Good one, Bolin," Mako replied sarcastically and immediately Korra could hear shuffling on the other end as the brothers, without a doubt, had fallen into one of their typical wrestling bouts. Korra sighed, not ready to deal with their current energy.

"I'm going to drive for a while and clear my head," Korra declared. "I'll check back with you guys tomorrow. Have a good night."

"You, too!" Mako called, his voice sounding far away from the phone.

"Night, Korra! Don't stay out too late!" Bolin yelled from even further away, his tone as sincere as ever. Another smile tugged at her lips as she hung up the phone. The way the two young men had so readily accepted Korra into their inner circle when she first arrived in Republic City all those years ago meant the world to her. To the two of them, Korra was just one of the boys; they had formed a little makeshift family.

The engine of her Satocycle roared to life and the sound of her peeling out of the alleyway echoed loudly. She took her time winding down the empty, deserted roads, her thoughts distracting her from any recognizable course. It had been three years since she had first begun her work at what many consider a "shady" private investigation center: Triple Threat, Inc. Of course, the offhand tactics used to acquire the necessary information that had earned them their "shady" reputation was right up her alley. In fact, her precision with a gun had earned her enough of a reputation where she was assigned the most difficult of the tasks. Therefore, she usually received the highest income out of all the employees, much to the begrudging admiration of Mako and Bolin. They worked together on a three-man team, Team Fire Ferret, so the brothers often reaped the rewards of her high demand.

This particular mission Team Fire Ferret had been given was especially high paying, but possibly the hardest she had yet to face. A man had come into the run-down shop dressed to the nines and looking as if he owned the place, although his façade was marred by the strange mask that covered his face. His story had been an easy one to follow. He felt his company was being threatened by the mysterious contents of his recently incarcerated partner's will. Apparently, the mysterious will held instructions for the distribution of the overall business's command. Before the will could be read, however, it had been stolen the very night the business partner was taken into custody. Now, he wanted the recovery of the will before the end of the year, which happened to be a mere four months away at the time. Of course, it was obvious to Korra that this man expected something for himself out of the will, but as long as he paid as much as he had offered on the table, she didn't give a rat's ass.

What should have been an easy recovery mission had turned into a month's effort of dead ends. Another month had followed with the only new information being that the business partner had only one living relative, a mysterious family member that no one seemed to know anything about. Call it intuition, but Korra was sure the discovery of the family member's identity would give her the break she needed for this case. However, the information seemed to be either lost or well hidden, because none of her many sources were able to get any proper leads. It had all turned into a disastrous headache, one in which was increasing as her timeframe decreased. She had only three weeks left.

As quickly as the thoughts came, Korra extinguished them to focus on the new road she found herself on. It was still in the shady parts of downtown, which she felt she was very familiar with, but as she looked around just then, she came to the conclusion that this section was utterly new to her. Dark buildings loomed above her, the only light source coming from the occasional working streetlamp, all of which had acquired a flicker.

If Korra hadn't slowed down so much to observe her surroundings, she would have missed the singular figure standing unmoving in the streetlight. She spotted the figure in front of a building full of red lights, casting an eerie glow on the mysterious person. As she neared, Korra soon came to realize the figure was a shivering woman dressed in far too little clothing for this type of weather. The woman wore a red, skimpy, too-short dress that showed off long, porcelain legs. The straps of the dress were thin as string and the woman's breasts were practically pouring out the top, leaving little to the imagination.

A sudden feeling of compassion came over the usually distant biker. Coming to a stop in front of the lone woman, Korra looked around. She could see some cars parked at random further along the road, but they all seemed empty. Then she looked at the run-down building she was stopped in front of, but the only lights on were those mysterious red ones on the top level, and the building bore no signs to indicate what type of business it was.

"Are you waiting for someone?" Her question came out a little muffled due to her helmet; it was the only explanation Korra could think of for why this woman would just be standing so casually in the pouring rain without so much as a jacket to guard against the weather.

"My, my, what an unusual way to put it," The other woman replied, her face still hard to see with the way her raven hair hid her features. The musical, carefree tone of her voice took Korra aback slightly. She hadn't expected such composure from someone soaked in rainwater. She had almost been certain the other woman would be very distraught.

"Er, look, do you want a ride or not?" Korra asked in a huff, always the type to get straight to the point. She hadn't meant for the question to sound so, well: gruff. She just hoped the woman wouldn't make her wait much longer before her sudden streak of compassion wore off. Already, she was starting to wonder if this had been a mistake.

Although Korra couldn't see it, she could almost feel the upraised eyebrow as the woman asked, "You're new to this, aren't you?"

There was a pause, as if she expected a reply of some sort. 'Huh? New to what? Trying to help a complete stranger get out of the rain?' Korra wondered to herself in confusion, but kept her mouth shut.

 When no reply came from Korra, the stranger continued. "Where do you propose to take me?"

Once again, Korra was surprised by this woman's response. 'What's up with this woman?' she thought to herself before saying out loud, "Home, of course."

It seemed the most obvious answer, unless the woman was hoping to be dropped off somewhere else, she supposed…

"Oh my, you are very straight forward, aren't you?" The woman said, an unmistakable tease in her voice. She paused, as if contemplating, then said, "Ok, whisk me away."

Finally, a reply that didn't send Korra into a fit of confusion. From a compartment in the back of her bike, she pulled out another helmet she carried around in case of an emergency. She handed the black, simple helmet to the woman, stiffening when she felt gentle hands slide ever so slowly down her sides to be clasped in front of her stomach. They stayed in that position for some time, Korra waiting for the other woman to supply some much-needed information. When nothing came, she decided to take the initiative.

"So, ah, where do you live?" Korra inquired. Musical laughter floated above the rain to caress Korra's ears pleasantly.

"Why, here, of course," the woman's reply came from behind, causing Korra to frown. 'What the hell was that supposed to mean?' She wondered to herself until realization dawned. 'Spirits, she's probably homeless... That's why she doesn't seem to care that she's getting soaked in the rain! And why her dress is too small and doesn't fit right. It even explains the ridiculous responses she's been giving me…'

A fierce swelling of pity rose in her heart, nearly making her choke. It was right then and there that she decided she was going to help this woman, even if it was only to provide shelter for just this one night. Yes, it's true she was usually prone to rash decisions and tried to reel herself in, but something was different this time. She was different this time.

As Korra took off from the side of the street, she yelled over the roar of the engine and the screaming of the winds, "Hey, what's your name?"

A small pause before a soft answer was returned just behind her covered ear, "Asami."

'Asami...' Korra repeated the name in her head, making sure to place it to memory. With a nod to let Asami know that she had heard and understood, Korra sped away in the direction of her small apartment.

Chapter Text

ASAMI'S POV

Asami sighed as she reclined on the window's seat cushion, watching the large storm growing outside. Her thoughts were as dark as the sky outside, her mind recalling the events of the past several months with bitterness. She tried to suppress the upsetting memories as quickly as they came; this was no time for reflection.

Young women of roughly her same age lounged about the room around her, some finding entertainment in magazines, cards, gossip- whatever it was they could find for entertainment. They were all dressed in revealing clothing and wore heavy makeup that stood out in the dim lighting. Only a couple more minutes and they would be opened for business.

A beautiful, elegant woman in her midyears came gliding into the room. Her ridiculously bright blue and white dress clung to her upper body like a second skin before it fell away in a loose, skirt-like gathering of cloth trailing slightly along the floor behind her. Her long hair was done up in a complex pattern, some of the grey hair falling to frame her face in a flattering way. She was well endowed, and she prominently displayed her assets in an unnecessarily low-cut dress. As the woman stepped through the entrance, she clapped her hands enthusiastically to gain her audience's attention. Her cleavage bounced with every move that she made.

"Now, now, girls, look alive! You've had plenty of time to get ready!" Kya called out, storming into the room like a general addressing her troops. The women she addressed slowly got to their feet, putting away their personal items in various places. Asami, on the other hand, remained in place, her eyes caught up in the gloomy world outside her little window. These days, it was far too easy to fall into melancholy, and the weather seemed to sync so well with her mood. Of course, someone took notice of Asami's inattentiveness.

"Oh Yuko, darling, won't you come here?" Their commanding leader called, her cheerful voice drifting across the room. It took several long moments for Asami to realize that the comment was directed toward her. The name she had given these women a mere few months ago was still foreign to her subconscious mind, even though it was inspired by her mother's name: Yasuko. By the time it did register, many of the other girls had paused to gaze at her curiously. Calmly, Asami stood and walked to the older woman.

"Yes, Kya?" she answered politely. Although her current situation wasn't ideal, she made an effort to treat Kya with utmost respect. Kya had been kind enough to take her in when she found herself suddenly on the run with nowhere else to go, no one else to turn to. Unfortunately, the connection the woman had with her father made her cringe every time she thought about it. 'Just one more thing about himself that he hid so well from me,' Asami thought to herself bitterly, hiding her emotions behind a vapid smile.

"Ah, yes, much better to have a conversation with your lovely eyes on me," Kya said with a smile and turned from Asami to speak to the entire room of women. "Now, remind me who has the outside shift tonight?"

Most of the girls were quick to inform her that it wasn't their turn, that's all they knew; it became obnoxiously noisy as the denials compiled. Nobody wanted the outside shift on a good day, even though they all would eventually be stuck with it when their turn came around, but on a stormy night like this one though? It would be crazy to actually want to do so.

A small, mousy girl piped up from the back, a little hesitant in her reply, "Um, Kya, it's Yuko's turn."

Everyone else nodded fervently in agreement; they didn't care who it was as long as it wasn't them. It also didn't help that Asami was the newest addition to the group and even worse, she received special privilege's that the other women weren't supposed to mention. The women weren't stupid though; they all knew that Yuko had never actually been seen with a client over the several months since Kya had brought her in. It had gained Asami quite a bit of resentment amongst her peers. 

"Thank you, my dear," Kya cooed, turning to face Asami once more. "Well, sorry Yuko, but you know the rules: everyone has to take a turn out there."

Asami kept her pleasant smile on, nodding her head in acknowledgment before she exited the room quietly. Inside, she was furious that she was being forced to do the unwanted job on this stormy night when she was almost positive it wasn't her turn, but she wasn't about to let such an emotion slip past her well-polished mask. She would survive the night to live another day. 'Only to repeat this again tomorrow,' she thought to herself, a sudden wave of depression sweeping over her. It caused her to pause in her trek through the stuffy building. She swept that emotion away as quickly as possible, biting back the ever-present sting of tears.

The moment she opened the door, a gust of icy wind ruffled the fabric of the dress she had been told to wear. Kya supplied her ladies with the highest quality clothing she could obtain, which in Asami's case consisted of a silky red cocktail dress that was far too tight on her body, and tall stiletto heels that matched in color. Asami wrapped her arms around her shivering body the second she stepped outside; the wind was relentless in finding any means to touch her delicate, exposed skin.

The street was dark and eerily quiet; had it been this silent when she first arrived here all those weeks ago? Yes, of course it had; it'd been inside the building where things had actually gotten quite loud. The sounds had been so shocking at the time that she could almost hear them even now; the rhythmic beating against the walls from the upstairs, women's voices moaning, laughing and uttering all sorts of foreign obscenities in fluctuating volumes….. She could feel her face heating up as the memory took her back to her less jaded self.

It'd been several months since the day she first arrived at Kya's, but it felt like it had been years. 'God, why have I put up with this for so long? Ah, that's right, it was all my selfish father's fault,' She thought bitterly. Her father had left her all alone to pick up pieces that simply weren't there. No family, no friends, not a home or even a single dime to her name…. Doing her part to keep Kya's business afloat was the only option she currently had to survive; her father's mistakes had left her with no other choice. The amount of bitterness and anger boiling within her was overwhelming at times.

It wasn't until the humming of a motor drew close that Asami noticed the sound and snapped out of her dark inner reverie. She watched in keen interest as the person came to a steady stop directly in front of her. The motorcyclist's identity was obscured by a black helmet, but Asami's attention was more focused on the beautiful piece of machinery the stranger confidently straddled. She recognized this model: Future Industries' Legacy Satocycle 152 first edition. Her fingers itched to touch the bike and refamiliarize herself with the design her father had been so reluctant to release to the general masses, a design straight from her very own imagination. It had been a hard battle won against her father to get the Legacy Satocycles into production. 'That was a long time ago, in a different life,' she reminded herself, clenching her hands into fists.

"Are you waiting for someone?" The motorcyclist asked unexpectedly, the words dampened by the helmet. With a surge of surprise, Asami identified the voice as female. Low and husky, but definitely female. It wasn't until then that she noticed the way the biker's leather suit fitted the woman's shapely body so, so well. Very noticeable full breasts and round, curvy hips were a dead giveaway. How had Asami missed that?

'A woman, huh? Very interesting,' Asami speculated in her head. She felt an intrigued smirk grow on her lips at the realization. So rarely was a woman found around these parts if she wasn't a working woman herself. Only once or twice had there been a woman looking for services at Kya's establishment. With what she could see of this woman's attractive figure, Asami couldn't help but wonder why she would even be out here and not picking up a woman from a bar somewhere. 'I have a feeling that this is about to get very interesting indeed,' Asami thought with her smirk growing.

"My, my, what an unusual way to put it," Asami couldn't help but tease, which surprised her immensely. She hadn't felt the urge to tease since, well- before her father's illegal activities had been discovered. Once upon a time, she'd had a bit of a reputation for her flirtatious, teasing tendencies. She thought this part of herself was dead, yet this chance encounter was proving that she may have been wrong. There was a sudden warm flicker in her heart that felt dangerously like hope; that maybe, just maybe, she hadn't completely lost herself to life's recent tragedies.

"Er, look, do you want a ride or not?" The reply came from the mysterious stranger and once again, Asami found herself surprised. Did this woman not know that services were to be performed inside the building only? Kya had made it the number one rule; before the rule, too many people had run off with her girls or returned them damaged, broken beyond repair in the most heartbreaking ways. Kya couldn't allow such things to happen in her business, not to her girls. Kya was fiercely protective, and even more vengeful. 

In that moment, it became apparent to Asami that this must be the poor woman's first time looking for company of this sorts. The stranger obviously didn't know any of the proper lingo, let alone Kya's number one rule…

"You're new to this, aren't you?" She thought it was a simple question and asked gently, but when no response was offered, Asami asked instead. "Where do you propose to take me?"

Surprisingly, her voice sounded amused even to her own ears, which was something she hadn't felt in so long. What was it about this new woman that brought out Asami's playful side?

"Home, of course," The woman said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. 'Perhaps she isn't new to this after all,' Asami inwardly speculated with amusement. 'Maybe she comes from a place where taking a working woman back to her own bedroom is normal. Or maybe that's the normal and Kya just does things differently… Most likely, though, I'd bet the girl is just inexperienced and probably too nervous to muster up any technique. Is it wrong to find that completely adorable?'

"Oh my, you are very straight forward, aren't you?" This time, the teasing lilt to her voice was so plainly obvious, anyone would have been able to pick up on it. She was honestly shocked to find that she was actually enjoying herself for the first time in months. Perhaps it was the innocence she detected from the biker that had her feeling comfortable enough to tease.

It was then that she realized what she wanted to do most right now, more than anything else: she wanted to accompany this woman to anywhere she wanted to take her, so long as it was far from here. Asami wasn't normally the type to succumb to sudden urges or spur of the moment decision-making, but this time was different. She didn't want this spark of playful intrigue to go away and if that meant taking the risk of going home with a complete stranger, she would take it. Anything was better than her current situation. Besides, she weirdly somehow just knew that this woman wouldn't let harm come to her. And it definitely didn't hurt that she came riding in on that Satocycle- it almost felt like destiny.

"Ok, whisk me away," Asami declared, nerves and excitement barely held back from the slight whisper. She was handed a polished, black helmet, which she gladly put on with experienced fingers. She watched the woman make room for her on the back of her bike before she gracefully sat down. With an unexpected urge she couldn't resist, Asami allowed her fingers to gently glide along the woman's sides and stomach before clasping her hands just below her belly button. She had to suppress her giggles when she felt the cool biker stiffen at the touch. 'Damn, her stomach is hard- I wonder if she has a six pack? I suppose I'll be finding that out soon… if I'm really going to have to start doing this for a living, at least my first time with a client will be enjoyable- I've always had a thing for fit women,' Asami thought with butterflies in her stomach.

"So, ah, where do you live?" The question came unexpected to a distracted, nearly gleeful Asami. Was the woman really trying to make small talk? The thought made Asami laugh aloud. How adorable!

"Why, here, of course," Asami answered honestly, although it tasted bitter in her mouth. Her mind briefly conjured memories of her life in her childhood home where she had lived for her entire life until recently. She was grateful for Kya's generosity, but it would never feel like home, not like the Sato estate once had. 'I don't have any choice,' the thought crossed Asami's mind again for the millionth time.

It seemed the woman was processing this in her mind because she made no immediate reply to Asami's answer. Moments later, she suddenly pushed off from the curb and they began the trip down the street in a relatively quick pace. The increase in winds caused Asami to press her body closer to the woman's firm back, hoping to gain any amount of warmth she could from the contact. Absently, she found herself truly enjoying this position of hugging the stranger's firm body from behind. She enjoyed it even more when she felt the warm body in front of her ever so slightly melt into the embrace.

"Hey, what's your name?" The woman in front of her yelled back, her voice unconcerned yet interested at the same time. Asami found it almost childlike, as if she was trying to appear cool by pretending to be a lot less interested then she really was. Again, Asami found herself thinking that this woman was rather adorable.

"Asami," She offered, uncharacteristically timid. Perhaps it was that strange childlike innocence Asami sensed from the mysterious woman that allowed her to share her real name. Perhaps it was the sense of freedom she felt as they drifted away from Kya's place that made the utterance of her name so simple. Whatever the reason, she felt a small flicker of hope for the first time since her whole world had been turned upside down. She squeezed her arms around the woman tighter and let herself enjoy the warmth growing within her heart from that little flicker of hope.

Chapter Text

KORRA'S POV

"That's quite the ride you have there," Asami mused as Korra killed the engine. They had just pulled into a small personal garage that came with Korra's apartment rental- it had been one of the reasons she had chosen to live at this apartment complex in the first place. Knowing that her Satocycle was locked up safely out of sight and out of mind was worth every extra penny.

"Thanks- it's a rare find," Korra replied casually as she held her hand out to help Asami climb off the back of the bike. Korra turned around to face Asami, mouth open and ready to rave about her favorite possession, but the words caught in her throat when she spotted the woman remove the helmet and whip her long, dark hair out of her face. Korra froze in place and simply stared in awe.

Asami was beyond beautiful, Korra realized. In the light of the garage, out of the pouring rain and with Asami's long hair swept back, her beauty was simply undeniable. The woman had a sharp jawline and high cheekbones tinged with a healthy pink glow. Long, lush eyelashes complimented the most striking green eyes Korra had ever seen in her life, eyes that seemed to practically glow hypnotically in the warm light. A pair of full lips painted in a deep red were pulled into a smirk and one of those perfectly shaped eyebrows lifted in a playful way. Korra was instantly and overwhelmingly struck dumb by the attractive woman.

"I'd say," Asami responded with that alluring, knowing smirk directed at the speechless Korra. "I didn't know there were any 152's left in Republic City, let alone a first edition."

The comment immediately snapped Korra out of her shock when the words registered. She quickly ripped off her own helmet and grinned excitedly.

"Holy shit, you know about Satocycles?!" Korra gushed enthusiastically. Asami gasped and stepped back as if she had been struck, which caused Korra to pause. She knew her energy could be overwhelming when she got excited, and it had been such a long time since she'd gotten to geek out about her prized bike. She was probably coming across too strong and tried to dial it back, reeling in her intensity.

"Sorry, I just don't have a lot of people actually recognize my baby," Korra explained bashfully, her hand coming up to rub the back of her neck as it always did when she felt embarrassed. Asami was still staring at her with wide eyes and Korra felt her embarrassment grow. She awkwardly put her helmet away, grabbed a nearby rag and dutifully set about drying her motorcycle. Asami seemed to recover from her shock and leaned against the wall with her arms crossed in front of her chest, watching Korra closely.

"Your baby, huh?" Asami asked, a tease easily detected in her tone. "And what'd you name her?"

"Raava," Korra replied with a chuckle, ducking her head to hide her growing blush. "Named her after the spirit of light; that's actually Raava painted on the body right here. How'd you know I named her?"

"Anyone that calls a piece of machinery their baby has definitely named it," Asami answered with a certain air of knowingness. "And truth be told… I've named a few of own, too."

Korra laughed in delight, tossing her drying towel to the side and stepping up next to Asami.

"So now that I know your bike's name, can I maybe get your name?" Asami asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Korra," She replied simply, then closed the garage door behind them and gestured for Asami to follow her up a nearby flight of stairs. She led them up to the fourth floor and down the hallway to the last door on the left. 'She must have one hell of a story- I doubt many homeless people have owned and named multiple Satocycles,' Korra thought absently as she pulled out her keys to her apartment.

"To be fair, my real baby is behind this door," Korra said, a slow grin forming on her face as she watched Asami's confusion grow. "Brace yourself: you're about to meet Naga."

ASAMI'S POV

"Naga…?" Asami muttered under her breath as Korra unlocked the apartment door and swung it wide. Without warning, an enormous body of white, fluffy fur was barreling toward her. She was almost knocked off of her feet with how hard the huge dog leaned against her, the friendly creature sniffing every inch of Asami it could reach. The dog, who on all fours stood as tall as Asami's chest, circled the newcomer eagerly with its tail wagging excitedly.

"Ugh! Naga! You know you're not allowed out here! Get back inside!" Korra scolded, pointing her finger at her dog and then back toward the apartment. The dog remained frozen in place for a long second, then looked up at Asami with her big, chocolate brown eyes. She didn't have a lot of experience with animals, but it seemed as if the dog was waiting on her for something… hesitantly, she took a small step toward the door. Immediately, Naga huffed in excitement and happily pranced back inside. Asami was flustered after the exchange, yet she was surprised to find that a small smile tugged at her lips. The smile grew when Korra shot her an apologetic look.

"Sorry about her," Korra muttered, gesturing for Asami to follow the dog inside. "I swear she'll mellow out. I just, uh, don’t have a lot of visitors, I guess."

Asami sighed as she stepped into the apartment, grateful for the warm temperature that instantly soothed her wet, cold skin. The apartment she entered was small, but not uncomfortably so. To the left was a small living room with a pair of matching couches and a large television. The living room opened up into the kitchen from there and to the back was a hallway that presumably led to the bedroom(s). The walls were uniquely furnished in tribal designs of various shades of blues and right away Asami thought, 'So she's a Southern native, that explains that gorgeous dark skin of hers.'

Asami felt like she was practically drooling in all honesty, still lost in the reveal of this woman's shockingly beautiful face. The moment she had removed her helmet and looked up at Asami with her excited, azure eyes, Asami had literally gasped at the sight of this woman's natural beauty. She had never, in her whole life, seen eyes as bright or as crystal blue as this stranger's eyes were. Smooth, caramel skin completely free of makeup and blemishes looked so soft to the touch. Her facial features were the perfect combination of sharp lines and soft edges, and her mega-watt smile lit the dark garage in a way that made Asami's heart leap like it never had before.

It was more than just this stranger's physical appearance that was so mind-numbingly attractive; it was the pure, intense utter passion that radiated from her in waves. The depth of that passion was almost tangible to Asami, like the charge of static electricity. It drew Asami in with an irresistible force and had briefly paralyzed her tongue in the moment.

"Let's get you out of those clothes," Korra stated far too casually as she walked down the hallway, not waiting for Asami's reply. 'Maybe she's not as new to this as I thought,' Asami speculated to herself as she battled her shock. She felt guilty for the flash of desire that pierced through her at the confident command from the attractive woman. This wasn't real, purely a business transaction- she shouldn't be this excited… Then again, it really had been a long while since her last sexual experience with someone, and Korra just might be the most attractive human being she had ever seen. What the hell was she doing paying for sex when she looked like that?

Slowly, Asami slipped out of her heels and set them by the front door. Her toes curled into the soft carpet as she walked across the living room and made sure the curtains were completely closed. 'I'd like to think I still have some decency left,' Asami thought with a slight blush. If she was going to strip out of her clothes, Korra's neighbors weren't getting a free show.

Heart racing, Asami turned around to watch for Korra's return. She steeled herself, then slipped the thin straps of her skimpy dress off of her shoulders, unzipped the zipper at the side and let the rain-soaked fabric fall to the floor. She shivered when her damp skin was exposed to the air of Korra's apartment. She looked down at herself, taking in the matching pair of bra and panties; they were black, silky, trimmed with red lace and just so happened to be her favorite set. It gave her some level of satisfaction knowing that this set was hers from before her life had crumbled to pieces. It made her feel almost as if this were a casual hook up like the ones she had in the past and not the cold reality of her selling her body. Tonight, she was going to pretend that it was the former. And just for tonight, she'd let herself enjoy the encounter. She had just reached around her back to unhook her bra when she heard Korra's voice coming down the hall.

"Ok, so I wasn't sure what you would prefer so I kinda just threw a bunch of options… in … here…"

KORRA'S POV

Korra's voice trailed off the moment she re-entered the living room and her eyes landed on the half-naked goddess of a woman in her living room. The basket of clean clothes and fresh towels fell from her hands and thudded to the floor as she gaped in shock. She felt her heart clench as she took in every inch of exposed, creamy, mouthwatering skin. Asami's body was beyond sexy, and the lingerie she wore accentuated her shapely figure ridiculously well. Korra's eyes trailed up Asami's long, toned legs, past round hips and a flat, slightly muscled stomach. Her eyes paused on the voluptuous cleavage practically spilling out of the sexy bra that bound them and a spike of arousal had Korra biting her bottom lip to hold in a lustful groan. Somehow, her eyes moved away from Asami's bust to take in her long, slender neck and the beautiful locks of wavy, raven hair pulled over her shoulder to one side.

Korra's breath had become shallow as her eyes finally reached Asami's face and all of a sudden, she forgot how to breath entirely. She could've sworn Asami was looking at her with an expression so steamy, so hungry, that Korra felt she might implode. If she wasn't mistaken, those striking green eyes appeared hooded in lust. The faint tinge of pink to her cheeks only added to the effect, and ruby red lips were pursed in such a kissable way. Korra's brain short circuited at the same time as she felt an intense throb of want sear a blazing trail down her spine and to her now aching core.

'Holy. Fucking. Shit. Is this really happening? Did I fall asleep and start dreaming? What the fuck is going on?' Korra formed the thoughts slowly, like trying to pull them out of a pool of Jello. Had she missed something? She knew she was dense and often missed signals, but this felt like it was coming completely out of left field. If only she could get her brain to function and her mouth to form words!

"…I…uhhhhhh…fuck…" Korra stuttered, still staring with wide eyes, rosy cheeks and mouth gaping open and shut like a fish. She needed to pull herself together. Desperately, she ripped her eyes away from the glorious sight in front of her and stared daggers into carpet. That seemed to help. 'Korra, stop it- you've been through this before. She's not coming onto you, she's just another one of those straight girls overly comfortable with getting naked in front of other girls… right? I mean if she's been living on the streets, she's probably used to not having much modesty…' Korra thought as she struggled to collect herself.

"Shit! S-s-sorry! I, um, probably should've shown you the bathroom so you didn't feel like you had to, uh, get undressed out here," Korra mumbled apologetically. She finally remembered the basket at her feet and bent down to retrieve it. A thick, fluffy towel was folded on top, and Korra reached over to present it to Asami who was now looking at Korra with such utter confusion that it brought out Korra's tendency to babble nervously.

"Here's this so you can dry off- that rain was really coming down out there, huh? It wasn't even supposed to rain today, but that's Republic City for ya, am I right?" Korra spouted nervously, then inwardly stamped down on her nerves to stop the embarrassing rant about the god damn weather. "Er, anyway, the bathroom is down the hall and to your right. There's a bunch of fresh clothes in there for you to riffle through- hopefully you'll find something that fits since you're kinda taller than me. Um, feel free to shower and get, uh, warmed up or whatever… if you need anything, just holler- I'll be in my room down the hall!"

With that said, Korra scrambled out of there and ran to her bedroom without waiting for Asami's response. She couldn't stand another second of seeing that ridiculously gorgeous body just a few feet away and somehow hold herself back from touching. But she could never forgive herself if she took advantage of someone like that; she brought the poor girl here to get off the streets and have decent shelter for the night, not to get her into bed- no matter how stupidly tempting that was…

ASAMI'S POV

For long moments, Asami stood motionless and blinked long, slow blinks as she tried to understand what just happened. 'What the hell? She tells me to strip and then comes back with some of her clothes to put on...? Is this some kind of kink or something? And what's with the weird shy act? Is that just a part of the weird kink? Oh Spirits, is that why she's paying for sex?? Because she's into some super weird stuff?? She's hot, I'll give her that, but if she tries anything too weird, I'm out of here- all those years of self-defense dad forced me to take might finally pay off.'

Asami frowned as her thoughts turned darker and darker as they always did when her mind recalled her father. She awkwardly wrapped the towel around herself and retrieved her damp dress from the floor. With no sign of Korra, Asami felt at war within her head. On one hand, this was all starting to feel too real, a little less like the fantasy she had built up in her mind and more like just another life lesson on never trusting anyone. Yet on the other hand, Korra had been nothing but nice the entire time, and the act of getting her a towel to dry off and some clean clothes to wear could actually just be a sweet gesture... 'And spirits, a hot shower sounds fucking amazing,' she thought, a low groan escaping her throat.

Hot showers were a rare commodity at Kya's due to the poor plumbing and abundance of women living there, and with Asami already disliked by the other jealous women, she was often the very last to have a turn. The water was always ice cold by the time Asami got in. Long ago, in that other life of hers, she had had an enormous waterfall shower that stayed hot for hours. The temptation of her first hot shower in months was too great; she grabbed the basket of clothes by her feet and made for the bathroom.

When she opened the door and turned on the lights, Asami could see that it was a somewhat small, simple and blessedly clean bathroom. A genuine smile reached her lips when she saw the polar bear themed shower curtain that was reminiscent of the giant, friendly dog she'd just met. She finished undressing and got the water going, which was almost uncomfortably hot. Her smile grew into a grin.

Asami couldn't be sure how much time passed as she simply stood beneath the cascading water and basked in the comforting heat. It was soothing and calming, and she felt herself at peace for the first time in as long as she could remember. It filled her heart with gratitude for the strange, yet attractive woman who had given her this opportunity.

'Maybe she's just being so awkward because she's nervous… but the way she said she wanted me out of my clothes sounded so sure, so confident. Why can't I figure her out? What am I missing?' Allowing her thoughts to wander around her mysterious host, she aimlessly set about washing her hair and body with the pleasant-smelling products Korra kept in her shower. She hummed in delight, the fresh, citrus scent mingling with the steam and filling the entire bathroom with the delightful aroma.

Reluctantly, Asami turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. She took her time drying off before riffling through the clean clothing Korra had provided. Happily, she threw on a pair of black sweatpants and a baggy white t-shirt with a red ferret logo on its front. It felt amazing to be out of that tight, skimpy dress.

When she opened the bathroom door, the cloud of steam that billowed out hinted at just how long she had been in the shower. Still, Korra had not come to interrupt even once, and Asami was grateful. She peeked into the living room and kitchen, finding Korra standing in front of the stove with a pot of something cooking in front of her. Soft music came from a small speaker on the counter and Korra swayed slightly to the rhythm.

Casually, Asami plopped herself down onto one of the kitchen stools, studying Korra closely. She had changed out of her sexy leather bike suit and was now dressed in comfy pajama pants and a tight, thin tank top. Muscular, strong arms were on full display and Asami couldn't rip her eyes away as she watched them flex with the motions of her stirring the cooking food.

"What are you making?" Asami asked, finally finding her voice, although it was a little huskier than she expected. Startled, Korra spun around with a spoon held in her hand as if she were ready to use it as a weapon. Asami bit her tongue to hold back her laughter at Korra's comical reaction.

"Shit!" Korra exclaimed, then glared accusingly at Asami before returning her spoon to the pot on the stove. "I'm reheating some sea prune stew, miss ninja. Want some?"

Secretly, Asami had never been very fond of the dish the few times she had tried it, but the temptation of a real, home cooked meal was far too irresistible. Also, she'd be lying if she said it didn't smell delicious.

"I'd love some," Asami replied warmly, surprising herself with the honest sincerity of her words. A hot shower, clean, comfortable clothing and a warm meal- what was all this? What type of person was Korra to offer so much? Was this all born of honest kindness, or did it stem from some kind of manipulative trap? She had to force the storm of uncertainty away when Korra dished up their food and placed a bowl of steaming stew in front of her. Briefly, Asami was embarrassed to find herself actually drooling at the uniquely spicy scent.

Quietly and eagerly, Asami took a spoonful of the stew into her mouth. Immediately, she moaned low in her throat and felt her eyes roll into the back of her head. Flavor exploded on her taste buds; this was what sea prune stew was supposed to taste like? She felt suddenly lost in the experience, only faintly aware of Korra sitting on the stool next to her with a bowl of her own.

"So, um, I guess I wanted to apologize for earlier," Korra eventually broke their silence, refusing eye contact as she stared into her bowl with a blush growing on her cheeks. "I've never actually brought anyone back here before, and I don't really know how it's supposed to go, but I want you to feel comfortable. Just, um, make yourself at home and let me know if you need anything, ok?"

Asami choked on the spoonful of stew she was swallowing, startled. With wide eyes, she stared at Korra, who continued to focus intently on the bowl in front of her. 'So that's why all the awkwardness? It's her first time bringing someone home? What exactly does she mean by that anyway? Is she a virgin, or did she just mean that it's her first time paying for sex? Why is she so damn cryptic? And so damn sweet? She tells me to make myself at home like this is the successful end to a date, which would be adorable if this really was a date or one of those cheesy meet-… cutes...'

Suddenly, realization dawned on Asami, and it was so incredibly implausible, she actually gasped out loud.

"Korra," Asami began carefully, watching the other woman intently as she asked her next question. "Why did you pick me up tonight?"

The question seemed to startle the dark-skinned woman, who looked back at Asami with perplexed confusion.

"You looked like you could use a place to stay," Korra responded innocently, completely unaware of the major shift in the dynamics between the two of them with her words. "Look, I don't know what you've been through, and you don't have to tell me anything, but no one should be out on the streets, especially not on a night like this."

Asami had to bite back a sudden swell of emotion at Korra's sincere generosity and tried to guard herself against the reaction she was about to receive. 

"Korra, there's something I think you should know…"