Verse. ⑊ Finally Safe For Me To Fall (book Four). - Blog Posts
she felt a faint tingle creep down the back of her neck, the familiar sensation of someone staring her way & she found herself double glancing at korra to confirm it had really happened— had korra just been... ? oh. right. " — sorry — i know i'm a bit of a mess right now. i just really want to get as many of these suits up & running as I can & there are still a lot of kinks that need ironing. " she felt the blood sap from her unexpectedly as the vessel sailed above her, bright green eyes lifting high to the taut muscles responsible, watching them curve under korra's smooth skin. it had been a long time & somehow that still got her. it only lasted a moment thankfully as her inner dialogue shamed her to a halt, to pull it together, you had literally asked for this. she shifted that rapt attention to the new viewpoint offered, the sound of a tickle in her throat being cleared as she took a look. nevermind the warmth she felt in her cheeks from seeing that spark she associated so much with her, make an appearance again. she wore a victorious smile on her lips for what she saw before her — the ease with which she could finish the job now. as much as she liked working with just her hands & the bare necessities, a little assembly line equipment would've really come in handy these last few days. but the avatar would more than suffice, of course. besides... she had been hoping she'd get to spend more time with her. she felt like she'd only just gotten her back & yet her chest felt sore empty again the moment she watched korra turn her back to her & glide out of her sight the other day — maybe that was why she'd been digging around for excuses to be on Air Temple Island recently.
she lifted the goggles back over her eyes, tipping forward off her toes & onto her knees, " ... you really are a lifesaver, you know that. this is perfect, I'll be just a few. " the valves were turned back on as she crawled under the body, bracing herself on her left hand & knees as she torched the metal. she tried to focus, but then how could she when she finally had korra to herself ? it was hardly an opportunity that fell into her lap often. she felt cracks starting to dance, one into another across the shell holding in everything she wanted to say to her. so many questions ran through her mind... but the one weighing heaviest was just— was she okay ? when she emerged, she handled the sight she was greeted with better this time around despite the way minutes of wear had made those muscles leap further from beneath her skin, " all done. you know if you're too good at the job i might just have to request you as my personal assistant more often. "
By some miracle, Asami's words don't actually make her want to combust on the spot. Instead, she's coaxed along by the good naturedness, into something more resembling optimism. It's nice to be needed.
She picks her gaze up off the floor.
And -
- loses any momentum she might've just gained.
It's escaped her imagination until now how Asami could ever present as anything except perfectly polished; but now she thinks she'll be haunted to the end of the Avatar cycle itself how she can make oil stains and flyaways look this incredible.
A revelation like this would surely have infuriated to no end her before. Now, Korra can't even find it in her to begrudge her this. Not when she knows that Asami's probably been here days without rest; not when she thinks of three years of kindness, or the personal cost involvement has asked of her. Now she can only stand in awe and gratitude and wonder if she's ever been deserving of her friend.
— Probably looking stupid and pulled apart in contrast.
The directive is a lifeline. Anything to take her mind ( eyes ) off -
well, everything.
Some of the Avatar's assuredness resurfaces. ❝Can I?❞
Oh she can. One-handed.
she watched as korra navigated herself around an old model, looking more off-balance than she'd ever seen her before. she'd... heard about what had happened in Zaofu, had noticed that the wounds she'd carried around with her before she left for the southern water tribe still lingered in the hesitancy of her blue eyes. it quietly broke her heart to see, made her fingers itch & soothing words start to crawl their way up her throat as she thought of the honest words on paper she'd chosen to share with her. but all she could do was be here for her when she needed a friend — ... & try to contain the heat that rushed to the surface at korra's insistent belief in her plan.
the nervousness she could sense was also NEW. she raised an eyebrow, eyes conveying laughter she felt bubbling up, " so you're all mine for the day then. i guess varrick finally came through for once, " up until she'd heard korra's voice she'd figured this was just another one of his empty promises. as much as she hated to admit it, she might owe him big time for this. " having extra hands right now would be a huge help. progress has been... a lot slower than I'd like, " but she wouldn't be letting her home, or korra down, " why don't you come over here ? " & she turned her back to her as she approached the hull of the mech she'd been working on for the past... ... — how many days had it been ? it dawned on her that it'd been a while since she'd even looked at herself in a mirror... not that it mattered all that much in the middle of a world crisis. she cleared her throat then, crouching low to the ground and hugging her knees as she inspected her latest work... " ... you think you could lift this thing for me ? "
❝The Avatar's got a role to play in preparing to face Kuvira too.❞ Stripped of selfhood this thoroughly, her words might even have the capacity to sound upbeat. ❝Your mechs are our best chance against that spirit weapon. That makes this the place I need to be.❞
Two flatteries, only one sincere. But she skirts the context with the skill of a master airbender.
—And lands right into another budding truth. She is glad to be here. Without so much as meaning to, Korra's revisited the conversation they had on Air Temple Island in the handful of days since. Like, a lot. Asami's rebuffs to each of her bleak recollections comes back in echoes at all the proofs that would support her. Misplaced or not, hers feels like the last wisp of faith Korra can claim hold to.
She doesn't have the words to tell Asami. It feels... important to.
Too important to mess up. Korra instead feigns curiosity at the object beside her. If it happens to be tall enough to slip behind until she can tuck away the train of thought, well, that's just coincidence.
It also hides the uninvited blush and unceremonious mental picture. That's not what she meant.
❝I'm- all yours.❞ No-- why. She hasn't felt this foolish with her words in a while, and that’s saying something. ❝...Just show me what you need me to do.❞
her spine straightened at the sound of her voice, a disbelieving smile curving at cherry-red lips as she raised the goggles from her face. she definitely hadn't been expecting to see korra here today... or anytime soon if she was honest. THIS was where she was most useful after all, working away under harsh lighting while her city was at the brink of war, knee-deep into steel & embers — unfortunately, that meant their paths didn't cross all that much ( not as much as she'd like them to ) but she could always count on meeting her at the end of the road. she reached over before turning around, twisting the valves beside her so she could gently set the torch down, “ i have to admit, i was expecting varrick to send... well, anyone else when he said he'd get me an assistant for the day — ” she turned, taking in how... endearingly small out-of-place korra looked standing next to the large prototypes she'd been working on. she felt herself warm pleasantly at the thought of getting to spend some time with her, alone; it had been a while to say the least. there had been so much unspoken history since they last stood together just them... & she tried to block out memories of empty tumblers, sleepless nights, & crumped papers piling on her desk that were too much, never right. it was moments like this that she almost wished she'd been brave enough to sign her name to one of them. “ — not the avatar herself, ” she quirked an eyebrow, pulling a hefty glove from her hand so she could brush a lock of hair from her slightly damp face, “ you sure you wanna get your hands dirty with me ? ”
She checks a chestful of thoughts at the door to @satogem's workshop. It doesn't exactly make her feel any lighter, but by the time she steps inside, the thick heat and smell of singed metal almost tastes refreshing.
— Until she finds her tucked into the side of a mechasuit and chokes on the smoke. It's a spectacle she's not thought to appreciate before today, but seeing Asami's welding sparks practically halo her dark foregrounded hair makes it very hard not to stare. Korra can only be thankful that she's remembered to smooth her windswept hair and straighten her clothes before entering—- only so she doesn't fall too short of the unrealistic expectation of looking as good as Asami at work, of course.
Her hands come to rest at hip level, surveying this unfamiliar setting. It sets off a flutter of nervousness as Korra's reminded of how she doesn't know the first thing about... any of this.
But it's better than not being of any use.
❝I heard you were looking for an extra pair of hands.❞