Korvira Week

Summary: Korvira Week 2015 by Angel. A collection of the seven topics/prompts for Korvira Week 2015.

Day 6 + Day 7: Family/Visit/Letters/AU – Footprints in the Sand

Kuvira wiggled her toes in the sand, a chill rushing over her body as the waves came up and crashed onto the shore, sweeping over her bare feet. She closed her eyes, welcoming the sinking feeling as the sand rolled and moved with the water. Inhaling deeply, she slowly held her arms out to her sides, and tilted her head back, the ocean spray lightly pelting her face.

Reaching up, she tugged on her braid, her long and slim fingers twisting around her dark hair, loosening the knots until it flowed freely in the wind. The sun shined down, instantly drying her misted face, counteracting against the cold that wanted to consume her body.

"Enjoying yourself?" Korra asked quietly. Kuvira hummed a response, before slowly opening her eyes. Her eyebrows furrowed when she heard the Avatar chuckle. "You kind of threw me for a loop when you wanted your first day of freedom to be at the beach," she commented with a half-smile.

"How so?"

Korra shed her shoes, tucking them underneath her left arm, sticking her right hand into her back pocket as she moved to stand next to Kuvira, her short bob blowing in the wind. "I just expected you to go to a dance studio or flop down in mud," she snickered, "or pelt pieces of metal at my head."

Kuvira fought back a smile, allowing herself to smirk instead, an action she found all too familiar. "You're ruining tomorrow's surprise," she teased.

"Ha, ha."

Slowly dropping her arms, Kuvira lowered herself to the ground, leaning back and letting out a soft sight as the cool send formed around her body like memory foam. "I just…wanted to relax," she muttered. "…before they showed up."

Korra dropped her shoes to the ground, landing with a muffled thud. She plopped onto the sand next to the metalbender, sending some into her dark hair and on her clothes. Kuvira glared before waving a hand, sending it away. "I know you must hate me for insisting they come…"

"No, I don't hate you." Kuvira shook her head. "Annoyed, frustrated maybe, but not hate." She fanned her right hand out on the sand, letting the pieces of sedimentary rock slip through her fingers. "Never, hate," she added quietly.

"Thanks." Korra clasped her hands behind her neck, quickly apologizing when she accidentally hit Kuvira in the side of the head with her elbow. "I just think this will bring some much needed closure."

Kuvira muttered a response which was drowned by the roaring waves. Korra slightly turned her head, frowning, and waiting for her to continue. Kuvira licked her cracked lips, wncing at the stinging pain. "What if they don't want closure?"

"To put a positive spin on that, then they'll want to bring you back into their family," she answered with a smile.

Korra's eyebrows raised in shock when Kuvira let out a bark of laughter. It was very rare to see Kuvira laugh, or genuinely smile for that matter. Korra was only given the privilege of seeing the metalbender's true emotions in a few instances. "Back?" Kuvira repeated, her laughter fading. A frown overtook her smile. "I was never a part of their family."

"Yes, you were," Korra insisted. She sat up, pressing her hands onto the sand to balance herself. Kuvira watched her from her position. "Su brought you in when you were a child."

Kuvira slowly sat up, brushing the sand from her hair. Korra winced, turning away and spitting out the pits that had flown into her mouth. Kuvira smirked once more before resting her forearms along her knees. "A family, to me, doesn't make someone feel like an outsider no matter how much they insist they are one of their own children," she answered bitterly. "I had too many rules, and restrictions. Like the world of dance, it was in my personal life as well."

"Isn't that necessary for the captain of the guard?" Korra asked, tilting her head to the side. "Y'know, to lead by example?"

"But all the time?" Kuvira wondered. "And what family would go so far as to attempt a murder?"

"War…does crazy things to people."

Kuvira smiled bitterly. "I'm the shining example of that." Korra bit her bottom lip, not sure knowing how to respond. The two sat silently on the beach, gazing out at the setting sun over the water, casting orange and gold rays along the surface of the water, mixing with the pink in the sky. "I wrote them a letter, did I ever tell you that?"

Korra quickly shook her head. "No, you never did."

"I never sent it. I spent hours…days…crafting the right words to let them know everything…and I never sent it." Kuvira raised a shoulder. She leaned over to one side and reached into her back pocket, pulling out a tattered and ripped envelope. "I would always open it and re-read it every time I got the urge to send it…" she explained. "And yet, I hate my words. They never sounded genuine enough."

"It's because you're too analytical and critical," Korra answered. Kuvira regarded her with a raised eyebrow.

"You haven't complained about that yet," she said, a teasing tone warping into her voice. She chuckled when she spotted the light flush across Korra's cheekbones. She moved to place the letter back into her pocket when Korra grabbed a hold of her wrist, as her phone vibrated. Korra quickly scanned the screen before looking over at Kuvira.

"…Maybe it's time you delivered your message," she said quietly, glancing over Kuvira's shoulder. Kuvira closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, instantly tensing when she heard the sound of rustling sand getting closer and closer. "I'll stay, if you want me to." Korra forced her hand into Kuvira's palm, pushing the letter out and letting it fall into the sand.

Kuvira glanced down at their entwined fingers, before curling hers around Korra's, locking the palms together. She nodded once before retrieving the letter from the sand, carefully shaking the rock from the crevices of the envelope. Korra gently pulled Kuvira to her feet and gave the Beifong family a smile as they approached.

Suyin smiled back in response, walking up and giving Korra a hug. The Avatar returned the gesture with one arm, refusing to break her hold of Kuvira's hand. When the two pulled away, Suyin's gaze shifted over to Kuvira, her features instantly changing. She didn't look angry or hard, just tired and worried. The last time the two had regarded each other was years ago upon Kuvira's arrest. Crow's feet and the beginning of a few wrinkles lined around the matriarch's eyes and near her T-zone.

"This…this is for you," Kuvira said. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a letter, holding it out to Su. Korra gave her right hand an encouraging squeeze. Su glanced down at the letter before reaching out and receiving it. For the briefest of moments, she and Kuvira's fingers touched. To the matriarch, it could have been a simple touch, but to Kuvira, the reformed Great Uniter, the ex-Captain of the Guard, the newly freed convict felt the warmth as a true sign of renewal.

The waves washed up along the shore, slowly wiping away Kuvira's footprints, her first official steps of freedom, her new beginning.

And, that's the last of Korvira week! I made these stories have Korvira be both in a romantic relationship and just a friendship because I can see the two of them working well both ways. These two characters just flowed so easily, especially with their banter. I always wanted a somewhat balance of friendship stories and romantic ones because I feel that once two people get together it's all about the romance, but what really needs to be touched upon is friendship as well. With that being said, I'm sad that this week is over. However, I am happy to announce a "full" Korvira story is in the works. More Kuvira centered works (and maybe more Korvira) will be coming from me soon, so i hope you'll all stick around for it. I hope you enjoyed each one-shot as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Thanks for reading!