Chapter Text
Asami kept pacing back and forth about the room, muttering to herself about engineering things. From what little coherent words she could pick up, it all sounded like the diberish of a mad scientist to Korra. As time when on, she started to be concerned about this omega’s mental state. She watched Asami stop, stare off into space for a moment then proceed to talk to herself while worrying her chin.
After another hour of this, Korra finally had enough. She can only aimlessly scroll on her phone while listening to this for so long. It was clear that Asami needed to busy herself with something. There was only one thing she could think of as an option.
“Ah,” Korra rocked on her wheels, purposely twisting them so they would creak. “Hey, do you think you can fix my wheelchair? It’s seems to be getting rusty.”
Asami whirled around with shock written on her face. Her green eyes rose up and down, fully analyzing the request. Korra saw a flash of understanding then came the the softening gaze that made her stomach jump. She stuffed the feeling down as best as she could, giving a gruff of annoyance at the omega’s silent staring.
“Well?” Korra squared her jaw, keeping her voice sharp with confidence. “Why don’t you make yourself useful, huh? We can go to the garage and do some tinkering. Or is repairing an old wheelchair too low for you, princess?”
Korra resisted the urge to look smug at the look of warning in the omega’s eyes. Asami’s abrasive expression melted as quickly as it came, replacing it with a coy smirk. She brisked out of the bedroom so quickly that Korra broke out a sweat to keep up with her. When they made it to the garage, Korra twisted out of her chair and onto the seat of a workbench so the omega could start her new task.
When she was certain that Asami was lost in her new project, Korra turned to face the unfinished crafts that her father had left scattered on the work desk. The chief often took up wood carving as a leisure activity when he couldn’t sleep. There were all sorts of materials available from strips of tanned hide, colorful feathers and stones for garnishments. After considering the possibilities, Korra cautiously looked over her shoulder.
Asami’s back was facing her, hunched over a pile of wheelchair parts and tools. The alpha returned her attention to the craft area, fingering her chin over the assorted spools of laced leather. She plucked up two different colors and began cutting lengths of cord. Clamps and beads were picked out of little bins which were stocked in a neat fashion.
Korra knew that it would be easier to just purchase a necklace for the omega, but she didn’t want the choice to be influenced by anyone else. Unalaq would persuade her to select something ornately gaudy while her father would opt for something very plain but elegant. The young alpha knew the shopping quest would turn into arguments between the two brothers. There was a time that she had witnessed the two chiefs coming close to blows over selecting a mantle piece for the family vacation lodge, yet alone politics.
Besides... Asami should be more open to wearing one if it fit with her own style. Never mind the presentation of a handmade necklace being a sign of true affection. The design needs to be fashionable and be void of any resemblance to a traditional omega collar as much as possible. Something that is elegantly thin, but also makes a statement of ownership to please her family. Korra took to braiding the thin leather cords with one twist after another, peering over her shoulder every once in a while to keep her activity secret.
Luckily, Asami was fully consumed by her work and by the looks of things, the omega was doing much more than straightening the axle. What had once been an old hospital wheelchair now was nothing more than a spread of parts, organized in piles according to size and functionality. Whatever she was doing, Korra was rewarded with a considerable amount of time to focus on her project.
A couple of hours later, the necklace was nearly finished. There was only one final piece she needed. Nothing at the table was significant enough to complete it. Korra was hopeful that she could find the time to sneak off during the festival to visit some jewelry vendors for the piece… that is if she could do it without Asami being the wiser.
“What are you doing?”
Korra would have jumped off the bench if she was able to. Instead she lurched forward, covering the mess of the desk with her arms.
“N-Nothing!” She was mortified at the squawk of her voice. “J-just playing around with my dad’s craft stuff…” Her eyes bulged out as the omega reached over her. A breath of relief came when Asami picked up a half carved falcon statue, observing it with awe. With a careful fidget, Korra slipped the necklace in one of her pockets.
“This is incredible,” Asami noted replacing the wooden falcon back to where she found it. Looking down at her with a smile, she tugged on the alpha’s sleeve to keep her attention. “I hope you didn’t mind… I reconstructed your chair to be more functional for mobility. You know… they sell models that are meant for longer use.”
She already knew this, of course. Her parents had been wanting to purchase a better model for a while. But it was too permanent. It only clarified how slow she was progressing in her rehabilitation so she refused the option with a childish fit. Looking back now, Korra was reminded of the guilt she had over the patience of her parents. They had been so supportive of her and she was ungrateful of their kindness.
“Hey…” Asami gently pressed a hand on her shoulder sinking down to her level with a face full of empathy. “I want you to know that I’m here for you if you ever want to talk, or anything.”
Korra’s heart squeezed painfully at Asami’s words. If anything it made her feel even more guilty, but the omega’s kindness did not go without notice. She finally twisted back, finding the wheelchair she had hated for three long years. It was completely different. The tall back and arm rests were gone. The wheels were angled, making it easier to self-propel. Korra couldn’t find any words to articulate. The only thing she could do was stare with silent observation.
Finally, Asami rose back up, walked around the chair and gave it a nudge. The glide was flawless and smooth until Korra’s hand grabbed a wheel. She hoisted herself into the seat and took a moment to calculate how she felt in it. The back had always kept her hunched forward a bit, causing strain on her shoulders. And those arm rests made her feel confined in a box. If she could pick one world to describe this new model’s design it would be freeing.
She sat tall in it, giving her more confidence and ease to wheel around the garage. The new angle of the tires provided more agility and speed. Korra gave into the thrill to pump as fast as she could, flying across the floor like the wind. Her hand braked on the left wheel as she approached a wall. She drifted into a hard u-turn, skidding across the concrete as if it were ice.
Wow… Korra rolled to a slow glide, fascinated by the improvements. The smaller front wheels lifted up with a hard down-back push. She grinned to herself while balancing on the back wheels like a circus act. When the front wheels clashed back down, an excited but soft applause echoed about.
Asami was smiling from ear to ear, skipping up to her with a gleeful stride. “Whew! I was worried that it would fall apart,” she confessed, kneeling down to inspect how the axle was holding up. “I had to improvise a little with what I had.”
“It’s perfect…” Korra said out loud, captivated by the omega’s skill and willingness to do something like this for her. Even if she felt like she didn’t deserve it… Asami deserved her gratitude. When the omega looked up at her, she had to express it without hesitation. “Thank you.”
Korra watched her green eyes fill with surprise then melt into an expression that she couldn’t decipher. She could almost see the confusion that Asami was going through with her mixed signals. In all honesty, Korra was starting to confuse herself. She had gone from snarling at her from one moment to eventually kissing her the next. Even now as her eyes followed the bow of Asami’s mouth, she recollected the memory of the softest lips she’s ever laid her mouth on. And she wanted to do it again to her inner shame.
***
Dinner that night went smoother than the brunch from the day before. Asami was relieved that the alphas at the table barely dared to address her this time. She was able to enjoy the meal up to the point of finding out that she was eating penguin. Such a cute animal shouldn’t be consumed. And yet, she found the flavor kind of gamy but delicious with the berry sauce paired to it. She had never imagined taking part in the end of Mumble’s dance career.
“I thought penguins were an endangered species.” Asami poked at the meat, unable to stomach another bite as she now was conflicted. When the dining hall drew quiet, she looked up and found everyone’s eyes on her. “Does everyone in Harbor City eat them?”
The question gave her confused stares from all corners of the table, looking at her like she had three heads. She blinked, suddenly wondering if she offended them somehow.
Korra cleared her throat and leaned in slightly to mutter, “I was kidding… it’s venison.”
“Korra!” Asami gasped and slapped at the alpha’s arm. “Don’t set me up like that!”
Tonraq threw his head back with a laugh, following after Senna’s chuckle. The young omega blushed and shrank back in her chair, feeling squeamish underneath the slimy grin that Unalaq was sporting. Desna and Eska continued to stare at her with blank gazes.
“I didn’t think you’d take me seriously.” Korra quirked her brow while rubbing the slight sting on her arm. Asami’s eyes narrowed at the teasing smirk that Korra was trying to hold back from her. Even though she was the brunt of some kind of joke, it made her breast blossom in the realization that Korra was being playful with her. The usual stone facade was starting to crack. Perhaps Asami could one day squeeze into it and find the true Korra underneath.
That is, if she ever let’s me.
Senna placed a hand on Asami’s arm to get her attention. “Asami, we are going to the festival tomorrow morning. It’ll be a great opportunity to get familiar with our culture. Has Korra mentioned anything to you about the Bond Rite?”
“No…” Asami dragged her eyes to the alpha in question. Clearly she will need to work on getting Korra to communicate with her at a higher level.
“Korra…” Asami called out. “Care to enlighten me?”
She watched the color rise on the alpha’s cheeks before she got an answer. Korra’s eyes drew low. “It’s the betrothal ceremony of our people. A shaman will conduct a ritual asking the spirits to bless our journey to become... mates. This is when you will receive a betrothal necklace.”
“We are doing this tomorrow?” Asami was getting a bit nervous. She wasn’t expecting to be receiving a necklace so soon. A collar , she corrected herself. There was no sugar coating it. She’s going to be wearing a collar for Korra as a display of ownership. A harsh shiver raced up her spine, at the thought. And to her surprise, a rush of heat blossomed between her legs. Dammit. Now she was projecting and the stares of the alpha’s started to return with a darkened haze.
Maybe wearing a collar would keep them away , she reasoned, trying to keep her pheromones in tact but she could only control it so much. Or maybe it would make things much worse. Right now, she wasn’t doing a stellar job staying neutral. Korra had acted like nothing was out of the ordinary, save for a compressed rumble in her throat which she was quick to retract to a small cough.
“It is suggested that Bond Rites should be conducted during important spiritual events. Tomorrow would be the best time according to the gods,” Korra gestured into the air. “Think of it like a ceremony before the ceremony. It’s usually a private and quiet ritual with only family present.”
Asami had a million other questions, but the nervous leap of her stomach kept her silence. Instead she decided to conduct some research online about the subject in the quiet of Korra’s room later that night. Frustrating enough, she couldn’t find much more information from what Korra had already relayed to her. It seemed like a standard ceremony, but she wasn’t emotionally prepared for it to happen so soon.
This may be harder than I thought… Asami worried her lip. She needed to prepare for the worst scenario. If that were to happen at a public outing, Asami didn’t know what she would do. She’s only spent one night in Korra’s room and was constantly surrounded by her natural aroma. Even her clothes were perfumed by the delicious smell. While her inner omega was purring over it, she had to constantly fight against the seductive call of a dominant alpha. The two of them were projecting simultaneously to each other in a pregnant silence.
With an inhale of courage, Asami rose from the chair in the corner of the room. Squaring her shoulders, she focused on displaying a facade of professionalism and seriousness. She had a job to do, and right now it was to help this alpha walk again. With whatever stakes that it took to do it.
“Before we begin experimenting with this new regime,” Asami’s eyes clouded over trying to remain indifferent. “I want you to understand that there will be a possibility that I may be triggered if you can’t control yourself.” She rose up a commanding hand when she knew Korra was about to growl out an objection. “I know this is a bit unorthodox… but I’m going to use my persuasion to motivate you. We both know that your inner alpha desires me, even if you wish that it wouldn’t.”
Korra’s jaw clenched. Asami saw her swallow visibly with nervousness but the alpha didn’t deny it, nor was it confirmed. The omega slowly unzipped her jacket, shrugging it off and tossing it on the desk. Okay, you can do this… just don’t get too carried away. Easing her eyes closed, Asami grasped the hem of her shirt and quickly pulled it off.
“What are you doing?!” The sound of Korra’s sucking gasp warmed Asami’s ears, keeping her eyes closed to try to not let the alpha’s stare get to her.
Asami didn’t answer her. Instead her scent thickened in the room with sweet pheromones as she let her inner omega take over with a sense of caution. Her chi reached out gently, brushing ever so softly over her prospective mate. Korra’s energy felt like a angry ocean, clashing against hers with a squalling storm of confusion. After a moment, she felt the alpha’s chi wrap around her in acceptance with a sigh of relief.
“Alpha…” Asami began to tremble in the hold. “Do you wish to be serviced?” She let the alpha’s dominance answer with a snarling squeeze for only a second before it released with a whipping snap. Asami’s opened her eyes, finding the alpha quivering in her place with a fierce look of warning.
“Asami…” Korra’s voice was lined with a growl, building up her stink of aggression. “What are you getting at?”
Stealing her gaze, Asami pressed into the alpha’s energy with her persuasion and equal aggression. “The sooner you walk, the sooner I can go home and find an alpha who wants to mate me. That is what you want isn’t it?” While saying this, her hands reached behind her, unclipping the straps of her red brassiere. Korra’s eyes widened at her boldness with a growing blush.
“W-why don’t you just tell your f-f-father that you don’t want to be with me?” The alpha shrunk back as Asami approached holding her bra up to her chest. The panic in Korra’s voice didn’t shake her.
“I can’t take it back. It wouldn’t be acceptable. The Satos keep their word.” Asami’s voice slipped into a softer tone with her features. “Besides, it would just be another lie.” She ignored the alpha’s scowling frown and pressed her aura more firmly against the storm of dominant fury. “He gave me many options to choose from… it was my decision to come here.” With a second of hesitation, Asami let her bra fall off her shoulders and onto the floor, revealing herself to Korra’s gaping stare.
“ I chose you ,” she pressed with a needy whine, shaking with vulnerable exposure and fighting the urge to cover herself. Every ounce of humiliation was worth it in the way Korra was looking at her. As if she wanted her. “We don’t need to make any commitments, but you should at least take advantage of my offer to heal you. Even if you don’t end up walking on your own…” Her hands grasped onto the alphas wrists, making Korra touch the swooping curves of her hips. “I’m here for your service, Alpha. I want to ease your pain in any way that I can. It is my desire as an omega.”
Korra had tried to yank her hands away, but Asami kept them firmly in place. She could tell the alpha was fighting her instincts to give in. And it only brought on bitter tears on the corners of Korra’s eyes, filling with pain and utter confusion. Korra sunk forward, pressing her face into Asami’s sternum with a hiccup of emotion.
“I’m… I’m not worthy to be your mate, Asami…” Those words pierced through her heart. Asami hadn’t known that Korra had felt this way. She swallowed and stayed still as the alpha continued to spill out her feelings. “I can barely take care of myself. I’m angry and bitter all the time. I’m not the alpha you deserve. I may act tough but inside, I’m weak… broken. You should just go home and stop wasting your breath on me.”
A silence filled the moment. Then Asami forced Korra to look up at her with a tug on her hair. It was a bit harsh, but at least she had her full attention. “I know how hard it is to be defined by your body. But you can’t let it control your life. One step at a time, it will get easier. And I will be here every step of the way.”
“But…” Korra’s attention suddenly left her face, and back down to the breasts hanging just above her. “... fuck .” A small shiver raced up the omega’s spine with the return of the alpha’s grabbing chi. Finally, she’s making headway. Asami nursed her bottom lip, and took a step back just out of Korra’s reach. When the alpha started to growl at her for moving away, she answered with a teasing sway of her shoulders.
“Do you want to touch me?” She asked with a glint in her eye. “I might let you...if you can stand up on your own.”
***
A spark of understanding flashed in Korra’s darkening eyes, finally catching onto the heiress’s intention. She wasn’t trying to tease her on purpose. The goal was to repeat the circumstances that had procured the first time she walked. There were more than a few reasons why they shouldn’t do this, but Korra couldn’t find the will to say no.
Perhaps, the omega was indeed a witch. She had been pulled into some strange game of cat and mouse. The maddening thing was that Korra had no idea if she was the prey or the predator. But at the end of the day, she was the alpha in Asami’s eyes. That was the only thing that mattered to her.
Korra hunched forward, taking her feet out of the holdings before gripping the wheels. She opened the door inside her inner cage open just a little, testing to see if she could do more than just walking.
Her mind drew into a blank, simply drinking up the beautiful sight before her. It has been a long time since she’s appreciated an awe inspiring view. Asami’s breasts were perfect, just like everything else about her. Perfectly sized to fill her hands with bright strawberry buds for nipples. Maybe if she could get close enough, she could discover what they tasted like.
She didn't know how it happened, but Asami was pressed back against the edge of her bed, trembling and smelling more and more delicious by the second. A long, beautiful mewl broke out of the omega's throat, answering her groan when their hips slotted into place.
"Th-that's enough." Asami clawed her nails into the sharp edges of Korra's shoulders, pushing insistently. But Korra didn’t want to stop. She made it clear with another shakey push of her hips, growling with warning to the omega to keep still. The throbbing between her legs burned hotter than the strain to keep her upright. Her body wanted to shift, she wanted to shift. She should have done so already, and it only made her angry and frustrated. Asami was the most desirable omega in the world, and she couldn’t fucking extend.
“K-Korra,” Asami stuttered, tensing in her arms. “Please, st-stop.” With a shake of her head, Korra snarled with the flashing red flooding her vision. This is why she couldn’t be Asami’s mate. This is why she had to push her away. She would never be able to have sex with her, and she should never try to again.
This is way too dangerous , Korra rang in her foggy head. I can’t do this… Asami’s flush of calming pheromones filled her nose. She collapsed into a tangled heap at the omega’s feet. Every shred of composure she had left was gone from her. She crumbled further into the floor, utterly in ruin.
“Korra?” Asami stooped over her, unsure whether or not to touch her. “Are you okay?” The palm on her back drew out a hiss out of her lungs. Korra no longer retained any hope left. She mustn’t let Asami do anything like this again. She has to tell her. She has to let her know the consequences of them being mated. They must never be mated. Korra would never forgive herself if they tried. Asami would be the one getting hurt, or worse.
Looking up into Asami’s worried face stole away every ounce of strength left. Finally, she sobbed to the ground unable to shake off how this all was her own idea. She thought she could protect her from other alphas but she didn’t think about the one that was the most dangerous. Her. All because she desperately wanted the omega for herself. She had been so blindsighted with Asami’s influence that she had let herself make the worst decision possible. And now she needed to end it.
But she didn’t have the heart to do it. Korra couldn’t do anything. When Asami realized that she was inconsolable, she moved away for a moment and returned wearing a black baggy tee. “Come on,” she said with a firm but soothing voice, wrapping her arms around her. Korra didn’t have the emotional capacity to make decisions. So she allowed the omega to scoop her off the floor and onto the bed. The alpha sighed with exhaustion against the softness of the mattress, suddenly realizing how tired she was.
Asami didn’t leave her alone. She crawled up on the bed and laid next to her on her side, facing her with quiet observation. Korra rolled away from her with a silent gesture of dismissal but in truth she just couldn’t look at her. She couldn’t look in those soft green eyes anymore. They kept making her stir with a painful longing.
This is all my fault , Korra told herself while pawing her hand over the pocket holding the betrothal necklace. I need to tell her… She’ll get the wrong idea if I don’t tell her. If she presented her handmade trinket, it would just make Asami think that she’s going to go through with the marriage. She’d be leading her on. Korra feared that Asami would hate her even more when she broke things off. Especially now that the omega had expressed some sort of attachment to her. She didn’t know if Asami was telling the truth in saying that she chose her.
“When my mother died, I couldn’t get out of bed for weeks,” Asami said shifting closer and shocking her out of meloncany. “I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t study, I couldn’t do anything.” Korra swallowed on the aching lump in her throat, squeezing her eyes shut hard.
“One day, my father tore me out of bed and took me to the garage,” she continued. “There was always this hunk of junk covered by a tarp in the corner, collecting dust for years. It had always been there since I could remember. He handed me a tool box and told me that I wasn’t to leave until whatever it is underneath there was functional again.
“It was a rusty shell of a car that he owned, his first car. A piece of shit. Even back when he first bought it for five hundred yuans and had stopped running after two months. It kind of reminded me of how I felt, broken and no longer in commission. Garbage...
“I was just a child. I didn’t know anything about auto mechanics. All I wanted to do was sleep, and so I did. I slept on the floor next to it for almost two weeks in hopes that my dad would just let me go back to bed. But he didn’t. So one day, I grew bored and dismantled the entire thing.”
“I never did fix the car. I couldn’t understand how wiring and combustion worked, but I did know how to make a soapbox car, I made one earlier that year for a race. And so, with all the parts I could use, I made something entirely new and functional out of a broken beamer.”
“What is the point of this stupid story?” Korra mumbled, trying to scoot as close to the edge as possible, trying to keep as far away from her as possible. “The car was never fixed.”
“True,” Asami said, grabbing onto Korra’s waist and dragged her back in, holding her close in the cradle of her arms. “I couldn’t fix the car. I couldn’t bring my mother back. But I learned a very important lesson.”
Asami waited for Korra to ask what is was. But the question only hung in the air in silence for a moment. Eventually the omega sighed with a smile, pressing her forehead on Korra’s back. “With a lot of determination and a little bit of love, even broken things can be given a second chance at having a purpose again.”
***
Korra eventually fell asleep wrapped up in Asami’s arms. While she had curled up with Korra before, it was even sweeter that the alpha accepted her before she drifted off. This day couldn’t have gone better. Korra was softening up to her. It was pretty obvious now, and the omega was glowing with warmth because of it. Korra was sweet, thoughtful and protective. Such traits were rare for high born alphas like her. Asami doubted that she would find a better choice.
She tried not to let hope carry her away too soon, however. They were still very much on a rocky foundation, but the omega was wishing. Wishing so hard that Korra would fall in love with her and truly accept her hand in marriage. Not just because it was her duty, but because she actually wanted it. Korra was her perfect match despite all reason against such thoughts. She could feel it. She couldn’t form it into words or any practical equation, but a strange ache in her bones was present. That was all she needed to keep going.
She could only pray that the next session wouldn’t trigger her.
While Asami was happy for Korra for standing on her own again, it had been a really close call. One more thrust of Korra’s hips would have undone her. But with all the risks against her, Asami wanted Korra to be strong again from the inside out. Because she was worthy of her. Korra just needed time to learn that she was.
“Korra…” Asa muttered against the sleeping alpha’s back. “I’ll give you all I can to help you,” she whispered with a nuzzle. “Even if it takes me a lifetime to do so.”