'Pairs' [korrasami]

26

Korra

This place doesn't care for seconds or minutes, even hours are inconsequential. The smallest measure of time here is the cycle of daylight and darkness. Perhaps that is why I love to be here- it stabilises the rapidity of my thoughts, grounds me in a place where ticking of clocks is unregarded. A place where I can let go of the demands of technology. My phone off. Just me, the tree and Asami. I only need to care about keeping her lifted on the branch. Free therapy. Reboot. Reset.

She snuggles up closer to my chest. It's an awkward position considering we're tangled together on a tree branch but for some weird reason, it's comfortable. My hand brushes against her hair, soft as always, and she snuggles in closer. The fireflies flew above us like they were carried in unfelt currents. Just to look at them gives the whole field a buzz of excitement, as if these tiny glimmers of light had electrified the sky. This is something I've always wanted, ever since Asami fished out that stupid miss-kicked football out the bushes.

The breeze plays with her hair and brushes it out of the way, exposing her calm face that's pressed against my chest. Lips curled in a small smile with her eyes closed shut, she looks happy like this. Her happiness will always come before mine and I will always try and put that smile on her face everday, even if I have to embarrass myself to do so. My mind trails back to that word Kuvira said to me. The certain 'L' word that has been playing in my head like a carousel. And Kuvira is right. I drag the back of my hand against her cheek gently.

I never thought I could be in love with someone at such a young age. I didn't seem possible to me. With everything I'm going through and what I've been through, I don't think it's even possible to be loved. But then this project came along and now I know how stupid that all sounds. I feel comfortable with Asami, it's so calming. She got me in that car today, she made that drive bearable and she drove me here. I wouldn't do that for just anyone. I stop stroking her hair.

Asami stirs herself up into a sitting position, hunched over me with concerned eyes. Maybe I'm moving too fast, maybe I'm just naive and I have my feelings in a muddle. But what else am I supposed to do when her hair is soft and her eyes are green? And my heart flips over at the sound of her name.
"Korra.. why are you crying?" Her hand finds my cheek so she could rub away a tear with her thumb.

I chuckle and hold the hand against my cheek. Of course I'm crying. I'm more of a mess than a rainy day because she has no idea that I feel this way about her.
"I adore you." Even in the dim light from the moon I can still see the pink tint to her cheeks. She smiles that perfect smile and I feel myself fall again. I like it when she smiles like that, when her eyes squint and her teeth show.

Asami leans forwards and kisses me. It's soft and slow and I savour every second of it. When she pulls away I see that she has tears of her own, traveling down her face so they could drip off her chin and onto my coat.
"I'm so proud of you." She kisses me again.
"So proud." And again.
"I would take away all the pain you've gone through If I could."

I take the glasses off her face as they begin to fog up.
"But then I wouldn't be funny."

Her eyes roll in a playful manner.
"I would still laugh at every joke anyway." She kisses me gently, almost as if she misses me whilst she blinks. Her face burries into my neck this time and I hope. No, I pray that this is what the beginning of forever looks like.

It's not cold anymore and it's like the breeze has a sudden warmth to it. With Asami by my neck and my body warming up by the second, I start to feel drowsy. My eyes feel heavy and it wasn't long until I give in to the temptation to sleep.

I don't know how long I was alseep for but the sound of buzzing woke me up. I thought it was just a bee at first but when it started to buzz in a pattern I realised that it might be Asami's phone. My left eye opens and I take a peak. It's darker than when we first arrived, no more fireflies and the moon had disappeared behind some clouds. Asami's still here though, limp in my embrace, asleep. When her phone starts to buzz again I begin to shake the girl gently.