My Duty [korrasami]

Chapter XXI

Functioning on no rest was just something Korra had gotten used to over the years. She had not slept for a number of days and she wanted nothing more than to melt into a soft mattress and drift into the world of dreams. Yet, her brain wouldn't allow her to rest. Every night is a futile tussle of conflicting thoughts and worries. She doesn't want to sleep, not yet. Her blue eyes travelled along to where Asami lay, sound asleep in her bed. Korra had climbed into her room again after visiting Yasuko, she wanted to make sure she was alright; like always.

Sleep comes like the falling of an axe. She knows it must fall at some point but she fights it with everything that she has. Those defenceless hours, oblivious to her surroundings are enough to light up her whole body with fiery sparks. She is utterly wired until sleep begins to start winning. That's what was happening right now. Her eyes were becoming heavy and her muscles became relaxed; sinking into the wooden chair.

Korra shook her head and sat up straight; shaking the sleep away. The more she moved , the more awake she felt. She couldn't possibly sleep now. The small woman sighed and took off her coat, she would stay here for a little while longer just in case.

Stars light the sky like snowflakes in the night, yet they appear still, like an old photograph. Korra smiles, feeling the wind gently brush through the open window and onto her skin, sweeping her short hair into a tousled mane. She felt the rising tiredness again and she decided to give in; maybe she could sleep for a little bit.
"You again?"

The soft voice had startled her . Korra turns to the woman who had just woken up.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" She asked, her voice was croaky and cracked from the lack of sleep.

"No. I haven't been sleeping well lately." Asami admitted, sitting up against the headboard of her bed.
"Why are you here again?"

"To check if you were safe. And also.." Korra twisted her torso so she could reach into the pocket of her coat, which hung at the back of the wooden chair. She pulled out a roll of bandages and showed them to the Sato.
"I was wondering if you could help me with this."

Asami nodded and pulled her bed quilt off of her. She slid off her bed and took the bandages in her hand, gesturing for Korra to stand up. The smaller woman did as she was ordered and lifted up her shirt so her wound was exposed. Asami got to work, crouching down to a level where she could easily see the wound. She placed the end of the roll of bandages and started to wrap it around. As she moved towards Korra's back, she instantly stopped. Her eyes trailing over the scarred skin, and without thinking she glided her hand across it. It was rough, wrinkly; not pleasant to feel at all. Though , she could see the pattern that was permanently burnt into her flesh . The Red Lotus crest . Did they really go to the extreme with their members ?

"Don't take notice of that."Korra said, already picturing Asami's disgusted expression.
"It's awful to look at."

Asami retracted her hand and continued to wrap the bandage around Korra's stomach.
"Do all of the Red Lotus members have that marking?"

"No . It's a punishment."
Korra sighed, she had a feeling Asami would ask about her scars .
"Before I left the Red Lotus, I had refused an order from Zaheer." She explained.
"I was branded as a result ."

Shock crossed her face, her mouth dropping open slightly.
"Wait, you left ?"

Korra nodded.
"All my life Zaheer had been guiding me down the wrong path. I thought I was doing good to the people of this town." She said, wincing a little as Asami pulled the bandages tighter.
"But I was wrong . Your diary page showed me the truth. People look at me like I'm a heartless killer. I'm not like that." Korra paused for a moment. It was true. Every time she showed her face people looked at her with fear, like she was some sort of monster; then it wouldn't be long until the guards were there to chase the villain out of town.
Asami could see it now, through the illusion in her blue eyes. There was an inkiness to Korra's mind, like an extinguished fire. In the ashes there was nothing left in her to reignite her spark. No hope. The person who stood in front of her wasn't a killer. She was just a woman, a woman who had been misguided; misunderstood. Broken.
"So I left." Korra finished, snapping Miss Sato back to reality.

Asami then realised that she had finished wrapping the bandage around Korra's waist. However, there was a problem. She needed something to cut off the excess line of bandage that was not needed. Korra noticed her pause and examined the problem. She then slipped her hand down to her sheath and pulled out her dagger. It was something Asami had never seen before, a blade so beautifully made. Korra gently sliced off the excess bandage and placed her dagger back into her sheath.
"Thank you. You've helped me more than I can count." Korra said, letting her shirt fall back over her stomach.

As Asami stood up straight, she realised how close to this woman she really was. So close, that she could actually smell the floral scent that radiated off of her. Her green eyes soon matched with blue ones; she could see that Korra had acknowledged their closeness yet she didn't seem phased.

But Korra was. Being this close felt somewhat right. The feeling was addicting. Her heart was beating fast, she could feel every pound in her chest. She wasn't in control at this moment, her limbs moved like they had a mind of their own as they wrapped around the taller girls waist; pulling her into an embrace.

Asami's whole body hitched as she felt Korra's strong arms wrap around her in a gentle hug. Her head lay softly against her shoulder as her whole body relaxed. The dark haired woman slowly returned the gesture, hugging her back. Asami had been hugged before, but never like this. There was something so warm, something that felt right, smelt right. In her embrace it was like the world stopped still on its axis. There was no time, no wind, no rain. She felt her body press in, soft and warm; the hug was now just a bit tighter.

"Yasuko is alright." Korra mumbled into Asami's shoulder, not breaking the embrace. She didn't want it to end. She needed this.
"I have given her something that will help with the healing."

"You didn't have to do that." Asami said, inhaling her intoxicating scent even more. As much as she loved the closeness they were sharing, Korra pulled away from the hug so she could face Asami properly.

"It was my fault she got shot." She said, however the taller woman knew that wasn't correct.
"I wasn't watching over her and she got shot."

"You can't blame yourself for something like that." Asami replied. She tried to dismiss the odd feeling of missing the embrace that had just shared, but it still lingered in her mind and it wasn't going away.
"But, I'm grateful for what you are doing ."

Korra let out a tired smile at these words. She wanted to redeem herself. The Red Lotus was not a part of her anymore and she wanted Asami to see that.
"After all the harm I've caused to you and your family. I hope that protecting you will earn your forgiveness and your trust."

Asami looked at the gentle smile that she recieved from the assassin. Her words full of truth.
"I trust you." She said and inhaled a shakey breath. Korra wasn't apart of the Red Lotus. She kept telling herself that , over and over again . But she couldn't forgive. It was too early.
"But I can't forgive you, not just yet."

"Understood." Korra replied. She knew she would get an answer like that, she wasn't mad. Afterall, she did try and kill her father. Who would forgive someone like that in a matter of days? Suddenly, her throat had become brittle and her muscles were weakening by the second. The tiredness had finally returned to cease control of her body again.
"Do you have any water?" Korra asked, hoping that a glass of a cold liquid would help her stay awake.

Asami nodded and removed herself from the room, taking a glass from her bathroom to fill it up in the sink. However in the other room, Korra had abruptly sat down in the wooden chair and her head was rested against a writing desk. Her fight was over and she had lost; falling into a void of sleep.

Miss Sato soon came back into the dimly lit bedroom, a glass of cold water in her hand. Her green eyes scanning over Korra who had suddenly fallen asleep at her writing desk. A smile tugged at her lips as she placed the glass down onto her window sill. She sauntered over to a drawer of hers and pulled out a thick cotton blanket; she swung it around her sleeping guest and let it rest around Korra's shoulders.

Pulling the covers open slightly, Asami slided back into bed. She snuggled up close to her pillow and glanced at the sleeping assassin at her writing desk. Her face so calm, so at peace. She let out another smile before closing her eyes and drifting off into a deep slumber of her own.