Emerald and Sapphire

Chapter 1: One Little Lie

One Little Lie

Ikki, that little traitor.

"Asami, did you know that Korra likes Mako?

"Oh," Asami replies to Ikki, eyes full of uncertainty, "uh no, I wasn't completely aware of that."

As much as Korra would love to strangle Tenzin's youngest daughter, she knows it's probably a terrible idea to kill her prior incarnation's grandchild. Plus there's the fact that Ikki is one of only four remaining airbenders in existence. She doesn't particularly feel like adding partial air nation genocide to her growing list of half-baked Avatar failures.

Instead, she maturely (for Korra, at least) settles for kicking the young airbender out of the room and slamming the shoji doors in the shrimpy blabbermouth's face.

"Run along, Ikki!"

She sucks in a breath. She can't believe the little twirp! Of all the times for Ikki to blurt that out.

Korra can't afford to lose Asami's trust. Not now, not after Korra's actions have taken away almost everything Asami's ever known.

The Avatar knows it's not her fault that Hiroshi Sato is an Equalist. Yet she can't quite believe that Asami actually made the tough choice of choosing her friends over her own father. Korra's ashamed to admit that she feels relieved that the older girl's strength took that particular burden off her inexperienced shoulders.

But for this, Korra knows she's at fault. She kissed someone else's boyfriend. Tried to steal Mako from right under Asami's nose. And the older girl had absolutely no clue. Until now.

Well played, Korra.

Korra releases the breath she's been holding with a sigh.

She doesn't know when she started caring about what Mako's girlfriend thought of her.

But sometime between Tarrlok's ball and Asami's rescue of Korra's little crew, she grew to respect the raven-haired beauty.

Korra turns away from the doors and back towards the displaced heiress, who silently stares out the window. Asami's gaze is somewhere far away, caught in another time, another place. For the first time since they arrived on Air Temple Island, Korra thinks that Asami looks like she did on the airship on that fateful night. Lost.

Before the guilt overwhelms her, Korra walks towards Asami and pipes up.

"So . . . here's your room! I know this is a little rustic compared to what you're used to."

As Asami turns her head, Korra notices a slightly crumpled expression on her face. Before Korra can blink it's gone, replaced by the heiress's flawlessly graceful smile.

"I think it's really charming . . ."

Asami's facade begins to crack again as a pained look threatens to creep up her normally composed features. She swiftly turns her head away, walks towards the window, and continues talking.

". . . and the best part about it is that nothing here reminds me of my father."

Korra hears the older girl's voice waver slightly at the mention of Hiroshi. She's about to say something when Asami turns to look at her again.

"Thank you for your hospitality."

Despite Asami's attempt at a smile, Korra sees sadness in the emerald pools staring back at her. But there's also a deep, genuine gratitude in her voice.

Korra thinks it's no wonder that Mako chose Asami. How can she possibly compare to someone so beautiful, so graceful, so refined. In comparison, Korra thinks she's the proverbial komodo-rhino in a tea shop.

"Hey, no problem. It's the least I can do after . . . everything."

The word hangs in the air for a moment before Asami responds with a renewed resolve in her voice.

"It's not your fault. My father made his choice and I made mine."

She makes it sound so simple, but Korra knows it's anything but. It makes her realize exactly what it is she admires about Asami. She's strong. And not just as a fighter. She's strong in a way that Korra never understood until now.

"I know, Asami. But the truth is, none of us would be here if it weren't for you. What you did couldn't have been easy. Heck, I don't know if I could have done it."

A disbelieving grin flits across Asami's mouth before she responds.

"Come on, that's ridiculous. You and the guys would have done the same if things were reversed."

Korra doesn't feel like she deserves the unconditional trust Asami heaps on her. She can't even bring herself to tell the young heiress what she's done with Mako behind her back. Korra doesn't want to take away the one thing Asami has left to lean on for support. All she can do is reaffirm her gratitude for the older girl's decision to stand by them.

"All I'm saying is that I wouldn't have blamed you if you hadn't decided to save us. But you did," Korra smiles, "so thanks."

Asami smiles back.

"It was the right thing to do."

They stand there, emerald looking on sapphire. A kind of understanding forges between them. Like it or not, they're in this together.

After a beat, Asami breaks the silence.

"Can you tell me one thing?"

"What is it?"

"You never denied what Ikki said."

And there it is again. Korra's dirty little secret. The one thing she's done that could completely undermine Asami's trust in her. Her gaze shifts to the floor because she can't quite look Asami in the eye while she answers in half-truths.

"Look, it's nothing to worry about."

Asami steps closer.

"What do you mean?"

Korra glances back up and meets Asami's eyes. She looks almost as if she's searching for something in Korra's cerulean gaze, bracing for a painful impact. It makes Korra feel a little better about omitting the fact that she planted one on her boyfriend.

"A while ago, I told Mako that I had feelings for him. But he turned me down. He chose you."

A look of surprise washes over Asami's face. A breathless "oh" is all she can manage in response.

Korra takes advantage of Asami's momentary state of shock to drive the point home. She locks gazes with the other girl and speaks the next words as if she believes them with all her heart.

"Like I said, nothing to worry about. I've gotten over it, and Mako and I are still friends. He really does care for you, you know."

The tension slowly eases out of Asami's stance and a weak smile begins to turn up on the corners of her mouth. Korra returns it.

One little lie to preserve whatever this is that's growing between them. She's not sure if she likes the way it sits in her stomach.

"Korra, thanks for being honest with me."

If only.

Mercifully, the sound of someone knocking on the door keeps her from piling one lie on top of another.