Korra was meditating. It was funny to think about how things changed over time. Back in the day, at the start of her Avatar training, meditation was something she ran from vehemently, finding it incredibly boring, especially since such calmness didn't suit her restless and even explosive personality particularly when she thought her learning could only come from physical training and that spiritual or emotional practices added nothing. A foolish mistake. But after so much time and so many events, she managed to see her error and realize that, in truth, meditating was as necessary as weight training.
Her age had advanced over the years too, and with each new cycle, she felt more compelled to quiet down, to calm herself, and that tempestuous personality had become more gentle. Not that she had lost her essence, but she no longer had the same vigor as before, and that was fine at that point, all she wanted was to enjoy the rest of her life alongside her friends, her family, and, especially, her wife. She still attended necessary Avatar events, helped mediate problems between the worlds, continued to be the planet's spark of peace and hope, but the more demanding tasks eventually fell to the younger ones, as expected.
Teenage Korra would never have thought meditating could feel so good and help her so much in the future, but there she was, after all these years, confirming exactly that. In fact, meditation had become such an important part of her routine that a considerable portion of her day was dedicated solely to it. And it was a sacred moment she didn't like interrupted, but it seemed like that was about to happen... again.
Interruptions in that regard had become frequent over the last month, but she didn't get angry she couldn't, really. Honestly, Korra already expected to be interrupted, as it had become routine, and she smiled slightly upon hearing the quick little footsteps coming her way. Upon reaching the door, they slowed down and became more stealthy, a clear attempt to surprise her, thinking her guard was down and she was more susceptible to a scare, which was the goal.
However, when the child got close to Korra, already imagining the shout and hug she would give her, pulling her out of her meditation pose, the kid got a nice surprise when Korra intercepted her before she could do anything she had planned. More than that, the child was the one startled by the unexpected movement.
– Hey, that's not fair, Grandma! – The little boy protested while receiving kisses and hugs from the Avatar.
– Ah, Hiro, I've told you, if you want to scare me, you still need to improve a lot.
– Grandma, I am improving! Look! – He then freed himself from Korra and made a gesture that created a gust of fire toward the door.
– Look at that! My little boy is honing his firebending... Your mother is teaching you well.
– Yes! And I'm going to be so good, so good that I'll join the United Forces! Just like Dad.
– You think you can be as good as him?
– I'll be even better.
– Ah, but you have a long way to go to surpass my son, Hiro.
– You think I can't do it, Grandma?
– I think you can, just don't lose sight of the fact that being good at something is a constant process; it's no use reaching the top if you can't stay there.
– Yes, ma'am! – And he gave a salute. It seemed his father's military discipline had become a model for Hiro to follow; in contrast, his teenage sister Kira was the opposite, averse to any institutionalized authority.
More footsteps were heard approaching the door, heavier and stronger. The steps were measured in a way Korra could identify; honestly, those were the easiest footsteps in the world for her to distinguish. She smiled seeing her beloved Asami Sato appear there, a bit breathless.
– Hiro! By the spirits! How do you disappear like that? What a scare!
– Sorry, Grandma Asami. I came to see Grandma Korra.
– You should have told me! I was looking for you like crazy, afraid something might have happened to you.
– I'm fine, Grandma. And I didn't even leave here.
– This mansion is quite big for me to search, Hiro. Besides, I'm already too old to be running after children. With your father and your uncles I could still manage, but with you, your sister, and your cousins... – Asami made a face remembering the difficulty. – Have mercy on an old lady, my dear.
– Sorry, Grandma, I didn't mean to worry you. – He looked down, but Asami quickly softened the mood.
– It's okay, Hiro, don't worry. – She gently ruffled his hair, messing up the little boy's locks. – Just don't disappear again, okay? You have no idea how worried I get when someone in the family vanishes...
– Calm down, love, it's not that serious. – Korra said, standing up. – The boy just came to see me, and near me, he's safe, no need to worry like that. Children need their own adventures, otherwise they grow up stifled and with a flattened personality.
– Are you really going to undermine me in front of the boy?
– No, you're right, I just ask that you not be so overprotective. Caution is necessary, but when excessive, it ends up being as harmful as the lack of it. – Korra approached her wife and gave her a hug. – So then? To what do I owe the honor of this visit? I hope Hiro's disappearance isn't the only thing that brought you here.
– What if it is?
– I'll be very offended. – She pouted. It was funny to see that Korra, despite her age, still sometimes acted like a mischievous child. It was good to see she had kept her essence intact.
– Well, it's always good to see you, Korra, so I combined business with pleasure. How was your day, my love? – She punctuated the sentence with a kiss on her beloved's cheek.
– Oh, it was great, thanks for asking. Actually, it just got better because I have my wife and grandson here with me; nothing better than being surrounded by those I love, especially my family.
– I'm happy to hear that, my dear. – She turned to her grandson. – Hiro, your parents are almost here, they called saying they've already docked and should arrive soon, that's actually why I came looking for you... Why don't you go greet them? I'm sure you're eager to see them after a month.
– Really, Grandma Asami? – His little eyes sparkled.
– Yes, your sister already knows and is heading there.
– Ah, but she won't get there before me, no way! – And just like that, the old flame of sibling rivalry was lit again.
Hiro ran off down the hallway, out of breath. His determination to meet his parents and "win" the competition he had unilaterally created with Kira was clear. The two ladies just watched the whole situation from a distance. Seeing that within the larger context was very rewarding, as it denoted that their family was growing and thriving more and more. They were very happy indeed.
– It's good to see how much energy the kids have, huh? – Korra commented. – I wish I had half that energy.
– Age arrives, Korra, and longevity takes its toll. But I don't complain, it's a pleasure to live for so long, especially by your side. – She looked happily at the brunette and smiled. The smile showed expression lines, including some wrinkles that had appeared over the years. Korra remembered the emergence of each one and, precisely because of all the history associated, found them all beautiful. Asami never became ugly, quite the contrary. Korra just felt grateful to be able to share her life with her.
– I agree, my love, but vigor is something very important for an Avatar, isn't it?
– You have enough vigor to handle the necessary matters; what's no longer within our purview, let's leave to the young ones.
– Yes, you're right. I just hope my energy is good enough. – It was a valid question, but Asami was right, it was no cause for alarm, especially in times of peace with everything under control.
– My love, in my humble opinion, you're shining in that aspect; I have no complaints about it. – She commented jokingly, attracting the other's attention, who also enjoyed the comment, despite being taken by surprise by it.
– Well, that's good, Asami. Disappointing you in that sense would be a pity.
– Don't worry, everything's fine. – She extended her hand to her. – Shall we? We need to welcome our son and daughter-in-law too.
– Yes, but before that, I'd like to make a proposal. In a few months, it will be our wedding anniversary, and I'm thinking of doing something special...
– A party?
– Not just. I was thinking of a vow renewal ceremony, what do you think? That way I'll have an opportunity to reaffirm my love for you... And after that, we'll throw a huge party...
– Another opportunity, you mean.
– Yes, yes. It's never too much, is it?
– You're absolutely right, my love.
Hours later, the two were in their bedroom, getting ready for bed. Korra listened to the radio playing softly near the head of the bed while she herself was already lying down, completely relaxed, just waiting for her wife to sleep. Asami, on the other hand, was combing her long hair, which now had a grayish tint due to time; they were still the softest, best-smelling strands the Avatar had the pleasure of knowing, to which she was still completely devoted, but it was funny to see how things had changed, how time had arrived and made everything different in terms of appearance, routine, and mindset, yet the essence remained intact.
Asami saw, in the reflection of the dressing table mirror, Korra admiring her and smiled, then turned around to start a conversation.
– What is it?
– Nothing... Just admiring the spectacle that is my wife.
– Korra, I was a spectacle, today I'm just...
– A spectacle. – She cut her off without ceremony. – At any moment in life. Asami, you are absolutely marvelous any way.
– I'm getting old...
– Just like me. But the difference is you're still hot.
– Seriously? Love, look in the mirror, please. Spending so much time with the monks has put you in a very latent state of self-denial, you know? You can't even recognize that you're hot. Do better, Korra.
– Ah, but you're being quite cheeky... – She said in a tone of false indignation.
– Yes, I am. – She turned, in a challenging tone. – What are you going to do about it?
– I'm going to punish you, you rude thing! – She stood up. – I may be old, but I still can, after all, I'm the one who knows all your weak points.
– Ah, yes, of course, after all, decades of living together do that. Just don't forget this is a two-way street, my dear; this is a game for two. And I know how to play very well.
– I'm fully aware of that. I'm just wondering what cards up your sleeve you have to try and beat me in this game...
– The best ones, Korra, you can be sure of that. – She commented in a provocative voice that made the Avatar shiver, as always, but the brunette disguised it well and didn't let her disturbance show.
– Prove it to me.
After the clear provocation, Asami brought one hand to the tie of her silk robe and undid it, letting the garment fall at her feet and revealing the extremely provocative lingerie she was wearing, just the way Korra liked. It was a clear sign that the owner of Future Industries already had plans for that night and was ahead of her wife in that regard. Truly, Asami Sato was a natural strategist in any subject.
Korra, on the other hand, just stared dumbfounded at the situation before her. It was curious that even after decades she could still be caught by surprise in predictable traps like that one, but done in such a subtle way that she couldn't see them coming and only realized their presence when she was already completely entangled in a deliciously cunning plot. Despite falling like a duck into Asami's web too often to be proud of (though she secretly prided herself on it), Korra had already devised some contingencies for situations like this.
– Tsk tsk, Avatar. – Asami said, approaching the bed where the other woman was. – You may be strong, intelligent, beautiful, and the only person in the world to master the four elements, but none of that matters here... – She climbed onto the bed and sat on Korra's lap, facing her, putting one leg on each side of the brunette's body, while Korra just sat up and adjusted herself better to accommodate the other more comfortably for both. – I'm in charge here. – She leaned into her wife's lips and gave her a lascivious, yet short kiss, just to see Korra upset by the abrupt end of the caress, which happened, as it always did when she provoked her with that subterfuge. – What's wrong? Still not used to it, love? You should be... – She approached her ear just to whisper: – After all, it's been many years together, so this shouldn't be a surprise to you. – She punctuated the sentence with a bite on her beloved's earlobe, who gasped with pleasure.
– I'll never get used to this, Asami. Even knowing exactly what's going to happen next.
– And what happens next?
– You toss your hair to the side and tease me until you're satisfied.
– Correct. – She said, tossing her hair to the side.
It was exactly the same as all the previous times, except now the strands were silver instead of black. Korra watched the movement attentively, completely hypnotized. Asami noticed this and judged it the best time to begin her favorite provocations.
The businesswoman was already moving her hands toward the places most sensitive to her touches on Korra's body. Decades of relationship were more than enough to lay bare the most vulnerable regions and, therefore, her favorites in their little erotic games. Anyone who saw Asami working at the company, dealing with people day-to-day, or even in her interpersonal relationships of friendship and cordiality would never be able to imagine how she could be (and was) between four walls. That was a privilege only for Korra, and she felt more than happy to be the one blessed with such luck.
However, before the industrialist could reach where she wanted, Tonraq's daughter surprised her, bending a piece of metal from the dressing table ornament with the aid of her sub-bending. With a quick and precise movement, the Avatar managed to bind her wife's wrists before she could anticipate it. Now Asami's hands were completely held by improvised handcuffs.
Gently, Korra disentangled herself from her and reversed their positions, still keeping her wife handcuffed, though she didn't protest at all about this fact—on the contrary, she seemed to enjoy being surprised and placed in that position.
– I love the predictability of our little games, Asami, but that doesn't mean I won't surprise you when I feel like it. You know that well.
– Of course I know. In fact, I was counting on it. – She adjusted herself better under Korra. – Go on, show me what you've got.
– A reasoning that accounts for its own failure... You're undeniably a genius, Mrs. Sato.
– And your arsenal in bed is vast and very precise too, Mrs. Sato.
– A perfect combination, isn't it?
– Against facts, there are no arguments, my dear. – And she smiled genuinely, mixing happiness and lust in her expression in a symmetrically proportional way.
– And you still had the nerve to tell me moments ago that you're not hot. Either you lie unconsciously or you have no sense of reality. – She closed the distance between them with a long kiss.
– I don't know what I would do with my life without you. – That was Asami's first reaction after the kiss ended. – Seriously, Korra, my existence would be a sadness without yours.
– I feel the same, my love. But the good thing is you don't need to think about how it would be if I didn't exist or hadn't yielded to your charms, because that's not even remotely a possibility. And don't think you'll escape me so easily, because I'm not content with just this life by your side; I'll look for you tirelessly in the next ones too.
– And I'll be eagerly waiting for that.
– We had already talked about this, but I'm as happy as if it were the first time when I hear it again. But enough cute and romantic talk. – She looked at her again with the mischievous eyes of yesteryear.
– What's wrong? Don't you like romance?
– I do, actually, but now I'm in a different mood, focused on other intentions, if you know what I mean.
– Ah, you have other intentions. – She said in a provocative tone. – Sounds promising...
– Of course it is... I'll show you how much... – She ran one hand along the inside of Asami's thigh, slowly moving up Sato's leg and drawing gasping moans from her in the process. – Seems the tables have turned.
– I'm not complaining... On the contrary... – She said with ragged breath. – You can keep your advantageous position... I'm having a lot of fun this way...
– You know, this is a game for two, as you already said, but the good thing is that everyone wins in the end. – She leaned over Asami and began distributing kisses over her wife's face and neck, making her shiver.
– A game where nobody loses... – She sighed at the received caresses. – I tend to be a bit competitive about these things, but I confess this time I can't find a disadvantage in a tie...
– That's the spirit, love.
That was the beginning of a very busy night for the couple. Another one of those nights that had a certain recurrence over the years and their lives. Many people might complain about marriage, that it becomes boring, monotonous, and repetitive over time, but Korra and Asami had no complaints in that regard, quite the opposite. For them, matrimony aged like a bottle of the most important and sublime wine in the world it only got better as the years passed, even though it seemed impossible to improve because it was already absurdly good.
After all the madness from Amon to Kuvira, passing through Unalaq and Zaheer, their lives had been relatively calmer, they were, in fact. It was a well-deserved rest after so much chaos. Although sometimes things got tight like before, it was temporary, and precisely because they had so much experience dealing with complicated issues, their repertoire and that of their friends directly involved in these matters was more than enough to handle any problem, usually with more speed than in previous times.
And when the family grew, things became more complicated in terms of time and ensuring safety for everyone, especially the children. However, they managed to handle this problem well and raise their children splendidly. Now it was the grandchildren's turn. Though it was easier with them than it was with their parents. The truth is they had a good life, with no reason to complain, especially being with each other, happy, despite everything. Everything was perfect, and the only thing they could express about the life they had led at that point was gratitude.
And that's what they expressed.
– Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of your life and be happy by your side, my love. I love you. – A genuinely cute declaration amid that profusion of lust. It was strange, but still, very good; it was a feeling of welcome, understanding, and belonging... it always was, but they never got used to it, which was good, because they were always filled with the same sublime feeling every time.
– I'm the one who thanks you for everything. If I have made you happy a fraction of how much you have made me, I consider myself satisfied, because that would already be a lot, and you would have been the happiest woman in the world, after me. I love you.
Gratitude was really the right word.