someday, together, we'll shine

“It’s—a little less smooth than I’m—used to.” Asami’s voice hitches with the movement of the polar bear-dog, hitches with her body as they lumber through alleyways and around corners with Korra deftly twitching at the reins. Korra barely feels the galloping rhythm after all this time.

“Just gotta roll with it,” Korra shrugs, not sure how to explain what she’s known how to do since she and Naga were both much smaller. “Y’know, relax, and move how Naga moves. Center your—body.” The word feels weird to say all of a sudden, which makes her feel silly so she focuses on not bowling over food carts as she feels Asami behind her trying to follow her artless instruction. She’s holding back a little, because they’re in the city and it wouldn’t do to attract Beifong’s attention again. And, she can admit, because she wants to show Asami a good time, maybe get her mind off of everything. Not freak her out.

A tiny part of her might’ve enjoyed shaking Asami up a little, before, but that feels far away now. Far away and kind of stupid.

“You’re so good at this,” Asami says, exuberant and warm as she eases into the movements, making Korra start with guilt. She says it with a familiar gracious and effortless sincerity that always makes it hard for Korra to know how to respond, makes it hard for her to dislike Asami as much as she tries to, makes her tongue trip out a reply anyway, one that will hopefully make Asami feel anywhere near as flustered with pleasure.

“Yeah, well uh,” she ducks her head and leans forward, nudging Naga faster and maybe showing off a little, “it’s not nearly as good as how you handle one of those Satomobiles.”

“It’s easier with something you can control,” Asami demurs, though Korra figures Asami knows how good she is. “With Naga it’s almost like you both have to do it together.”

Korra smiles at that and takes a moment to scruff Naga between her ears as they leave the city limits. “I guess it’s kinda like that. We’ve always had each other.”

For awhile Asami doesn’t say anything, and Korra feels like she should say something because the air around them feels heavier now. She supposes if it were her, she’d go hit stuff or try and focus on her airbending forms, but mostly hit stuff. Probably not an option right now.

“We can go faster now, if you want,” Korra offers, looking over her shoulder. Their eyes glance off each other and she thinks maybe Asami perks up a bit.

A pause. “How fast?”

Korra grins and presses her knees to Naga’s sides. “Might want to hold on,” she says offhandedly, and if her breath catches when she immediately feels Asami’s hands at her waist, she thinks nothing of it as she leans forward and grips the reins tighter.

Out in the open now, they put on a burst of speed, and Asami’s sudden laugh is like music by her ear.