Chapter Text
When it rains, the entire world tries to turn grey. The clouds form a solid blanket overhead. The rain itself permeates everything. The sewers overflow, gardens uproot, people become soggy misshapen versions of themselves. However, color persists, existing everywhere. Splashes of color reflected in puddles. Colors refracting off raindrops. Colors popping into existence as a straggler in the rain pops open her black and red polka dot umbrella. But most of all, color persists within our hearts. The color blue, as a lonely woman absentmindedly window shops, missing her faraway husband. Red, as an angry man argues with his business partner, who accidently sold their entire stock to a rival company. Green, as a friend listens to a story of success on a park bench. Grey, as a waitress lazily cleans a counter, bored out of her mind.
This particular waitress had decided that making coffee and cleaning counters was not what she would like to be doing right now. She would rather be lying in bed, listening to the rain. The inactivity was the complete opposite of her usual hobbies, which consisted of working out, studying, and goofing around with her friends. Oh, and did she mention working out? Frankly, she didn’t know much about making coffee or cooking at all. She had moved into the city recently, to take classes in politics. Not knowing much about the city, she realized that she would need a job to be able to pay for the large amounts of food she ate every day.
Currently the diner she worked in was without a doubt, no questions asked, emptier than Fire Lord Ozai’s heart. Not a single customer had their soaking butts on Korra’s seats, and she was contemplating taking a nap in one of the booths. Just as she was scoping out which seat was the least likely to give her a MRSA infection, the door swung open, causing rain to rush in, wind to blow Korra’s hair all over the place, and a young woman to sweep in. The woman slammed the door shut, and stood in the doorway, looking slightly windswept.
The woman was wearing black boots, maroon leggings, and a long black overcoat. She wore a beany over her long, shiny, curly, omigodisitreal raven hair. Her clothes looked designer. The woman stepped forward, and plopped herself onto one of the stools in front of the counter, hair bouncing. She immediately dug her smartphone out of her bag. Korra stood and stared as the woman began scrolling on her phone.
“Uhm, can I help yo-“
“Hang on,” She said, holding one finger up, still not looking up. Korra waited, slightly dumbfounded as the woman finished whatever it was that she was doing. “Okay,” she began. “I hear you have the best cherry pie in the city. So I’ll have some of that. And…maybe some hot chocolate? Please?” she finished, finally glancing up. Korra’s stomach flipped as her eyes met with the very green pair of the woman’s. She had never seen green eyes like that, was all. Nothing weird here people!
“Uh, sure,” Korra said, still not moving. The two girls held eyes for a moment, the strange woman’s eyebrow slowly lifting as Korra did nothing. “Right, pie, chocolate, coming right up.” Korra swung around, quickly grabbing pie, a mug, and ingredients for hot chocolate. Her back prickled as she thought of the woman behind her. She didn’t normally react like this. There was something about the woman that struck Korra as different. Special. Perhaps it was the way she moved, or talked. Or breathed. Or existed. Something like that.
After a moment, Korra swung back around, placing a slice of pie and a steaming mug of hot chocolate in front of the stranger. “Whipped cream?” Korra asked.
“Please, on both.” The woman glanced up from her phone, and smiled. Korra silently scooped whipped cream. Tasks finished, Korra wandered further down the counter, pretending to clean a spot on the counter that she had scrubbed about 15 minutes previously. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched the woman. She took small sips from her hot chocolate and nibbled on her pie. Her face looked…sad. Tired. Korra wondered what was wrong. She didn’t look as if she were having money problems. A girl like that certainly wouldn’t be having boy troubles…would she? Korra waited what she felt was an appropriate amount of time, and wandered back over to the woman.
“How’s the food? Taste okay?” she asked.
The woman looked up, and set her phone on the table. “It’s great thank you.”
“If you don’t mind me saying, you look kinda sad. Is it the weather?” Korra asked, propping her elbows on the counter. She felt like one of those bartenders in the movies, listening to her patron’s worries, helping them forget their problems in the drink. Or pie. Asami blinked, unsure what to say to this complete stranger who was asking personal questions.
“The weather? Not really. It’s just…family stuff I guess. My dad has a lot of expectations for me, and it’s hard, is all.”
“I hear ya. My dad is a politician, and wants me to follow in his footsteps. I totally want to, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that his people love him and it’ll be hard to fill his shoes. Is you dad like that too?”
“Kind of, except my dad is in jail and everyone hates him.”
“Oh.” Well that was incredibly awkward and Korra wished there was a hole, anywhere, seriously, that she could crawl into.
The woman smiled sheepishly at Korra’s expression. “Sorry, I’m an asshole don’t take me seriously. Though my dad did mess up and it’s kind of on me to save my company. I didn’t mean to take it out on you though. Sorry.” Korra scratched the back of her neck, and threw a crooked smile at the woman.
“No worries, sorry for being nosy though, that never helps.” Korra started to turn away, when a thought struck her. “Listen, this may not mean much from a stranger, but you seem to have a good head on your shoulders. Listen to it, and your heart, and you can never be disappointed with the choices you make. Because they are yours after all, when nothing else seems that way.” Pleased with her words of wisdom, Korra did turn away this time, walking into the back to check on her ovens. Thinking retrospectively, she wasn’t sure if what she had said to the woman made any sense. But hey, what could it hurt? Those words had stayed with Korra for a long time, and helped her through many a tough time, especially when people had disagreed with her values and the way she dealt with situations.
Returning to the front, she found the woman still in her seat, staring at Korra. She was startled to see tears running down her cheeks. Her green eyes shone even brighter.
“H-hey I didn’t mean to make you cry, I mean, that was s-supposed to be inspirational! I’m so sorry, I-“
The woman laughed, cutting Korra’s words off.
“Don’t apologize. It’s just that you’re the first person in a long time to give me advice like that, to listen to myself. Thank you…Korra.” She smiled, reading off Korra’s nametag. “Listen, thanks again. I think I’d better get back to that meeting I ran out of, huh?” The woman stood, taking a last bite of her pie. She slipped some cash out of her wallet, and placed it in front of Korra. “Keep the change.” With that she tossed her hair and left the building, leaving Korra feeling shocked, awed, and slightly confused. Looking down at the cash, she saw that the woman had left a 50 yuon bill, and a business card. The card was simple, with only the woman’s name printed in glossy black ink.
Asami Sato, it read. Korra stared at the card. Asami. What a strong, beautiful name. It suited her.