七

[anatural]

[action]

[After a week gone, Korra finally has her head screwed on straight -- sort of. She still doesn't feel ready to face her friends, their worries and their questions, but she knows she can't put it off any more.

She sneaks into the apartment, hoping that nobody's there.]

[voice]
H-hey Chekov. Sorry I've missed our sessions. Can we meet up later this afternoon?

[Korra tries to turn off the device, but accidentally flicks the video on. For a few seconds you can see her -- her eyes are dark and sunken, and there's a gray cast to her skin, a subtle loss of color that anyone who's known the City dead would recognize.

She quickly closes the device.]

Comments

[action]

[anatural]

[This is exactly the kind of thing Korra's been dreading. She's never wanted to see that expression on her friend's face. She's never wanted to be the cause of it.]

Asami! Chill out! It's okay!

[action]

[riches]

Korra?

[ Wide-eyed, she hesitantly moves forward to run her hands up her friend's arms, wincing at the chill over them. Their grey pallor doesn't do her friend any favours either, unhealthy against the offset of an ordinarily warm skin-tone. ]

Spirits. [ It's mere moments before Asami wraps her up in a tight hug. ] You're frozen to the bone! Is it really you?

[ The strain in her voice is evident, as are the hitched breaths that verge on tears. ]

It is, right? Oh, Korra.

[action]

[anatural]

[Asami is almost painfully warm; it's like holding a sun in her arms. Korra tightens her grip.]

It's me.

[And then, because she has to.]

I'm sorry.

[action]

[riches]

Oh.

[ It comes out as a sigh, buffeted free when Korra hugs back. Nuzzling cool hair, she smooths up and down a back. ]

We thought we'd lost you. [ Shaking her head, the squeeze she gives is worrisome. ] You look ill, what's wrong with your skin? And you're so cold ...

[action]

[anatural]

[Spirits, she doesn't know. Why does Korra always have to explain these things? The young woman tightens her grip, using the hug as an excuse not to look at her friend.]

It's...kinda hard to explain.

[I'm dead. There's really no way to say that and have it make sense.]