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The first one was tiny, so quick that Korra sometimes wondered if it had actually happened. It was the day of Jinora’s ceremony, and while she had (mostly) held it together in front of everyone, she couldn’t keep her composure forever. That night, as Asami was helping her get ready for bed, Korra finally started to crack, the words pouring out of her while Asami brushed her hair.
"I know that this was a big day for Jinora and the other airbenders. And I’m proud of her, I really am, but… I just feel so useless."
Asami froze, the hairbrush in her hand mid-stroke. “Korra, everything that’s happened was because of what you did!” She set the brush down on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed.
Korra stared down at her hands in her lap. avoiding Asami’s look of concern. “I know that, but you heard Tenzin! They’re basically taking over for me, doing everything I should be doing as the avatar, all because I’m too pathetic to do anything.” She balled her hands into fists, but even those felt weak to her.
Asami reached out, cupping Korra’s face in her right hand and forcing the other girl to meet her eyes. “Korra, that’s nonsense! Tenzin’s doing his best to find a place in the world for the new Air Nomads, and he’s so grateful to you that he wants to do what he can to support you now. You’ve done so much to help the world since you came to Republic City, and I’m sure you’ll be up and fighting before you know it. You just need some time to recover.”
"That’s what everyone keeps saying," huffed Korra. "But I don’t want time to recover, I want to be up and moving now and I can’t do anything right now to make that happen. I’m just so… helpless.” She blinked rapidly, turning away with a look Asami knew all too well.
The nonbender stood up and grabbed the small basin and washcloth from the dresser. Neither of them acknowledged it when Korra’s breathing hitched, and she appreciated that Asami pretended not to notice the tears she dabbed away as she washed Korra’s face.
"Korra, listen to me," Asami pleaded as she turned back the bed covers. "You’ve been helping people since the day I met you. I know that it’s not what you want, that you hate feeling like this, but please, let us help you now." She leaned down, putting an arm around the other girl’s waist. Korra reached up without protest and put her arm around Asami’s shoulder.
It took a moment, but the engineer successfully transferred her from the wheelchair to the edge of bed. She busied herself with moving Korra’s limp legs onto the bed and pulling the blankets up around her. Just when the other girl seemed ready to leave, the avatar found her voice again. “Hey, Asami?”
"Yeah?"
"Thanks. And not just for tonight. Thanks for everything." She didn’t feel like her words made up for all of the things she meant - coming along to look for the airbenders, being there to help take on the Red Lotus, dedicating so much of her time to looking after Korra now, even just being there to talk to - but she didn’t even know how to say all of that.
Asami smiled, seeming to understand. “Of course,” she said, pressing her lips to the avatar’s forehead. “Goodnight, Korra.”
"Goodnight." Korra watched the other woman turn off the light and gently close the door. For the first time that evening, Korra smiled.
The second one happened three years later, the day of their reunion. Korra knew that her time away had taken a toll on her relationships with everyone in the city, including Asami, but despite their arguing, she was glad to be back. Asami had grown even more elegant and sophisticated during their time apart, and it made Korra’s chest hurt when she saw the pain in the nonbender’s eyes at the mention of her father.
They stayed with Mako and Prince Wu until they got to the police station to talk to Beifong, although the firebender seemed a little annoyed that he couldn’t leave with them. Asami accompanied Korra back to the dock at Yue Bay, and before long, the past three years seemed to melt between them. Korra eagerly listened to the tales of Future Industries’ newest plans, and she filled Asami in on her time with Toph and the airbender kids. As they walked through the streets of Republic City toward the docks, Korra couldn’t help but notice every time her arm brushed against Asami’s.
The sun had started to set, tinting the sparkling water a warm orange. It had been years since she had last swum to the island, but she felt like it was just one more way she could get back into the pattern of her old life.
"You know, it’d be no trouble to take the next ferry," Asami commented, laughing.
"Hey, I’m a Water Tribe girl. This is my native element!" Korra couldn’t help but smile when she saw Asami’s joking eyeroll.
"Alright, alright." The nonbender’s laugh trailed off, and she looked suddenly serious again. "Hey, Korra?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for coming back to us. I know today wasn’t exactly hanging out, but it’s good to have you back."
Korra pulled her in to a tight embrace. “I missed you,” she said.
"I missed you too." Before pulling away, Asami planted a quick kiss on Korra’s cheek.
The avatar turned to hide her grin, lost her footing, and dove clumsily into the water.
The third time, Korra wasn’t thinking about her own feelings, or whether Asami might get the wrong idea (well, it was the right idea, but Korra wasn’t ready to admit that just yet), or even on her own actions. All she really understood was that she wanted to do whatever she could to make Asami feel better.
After she emerged from the portal and handed Kuvira over to Lin, Korra felt the last of her adrenaline leave her as her body became overrun with exhaustion. When she reached Air Temple Island, she planned on walking straight past the dining room (currently a makeshift infirmary), collapsing face-down on her bed, and checking in with everyone in the morning. She knew her friends were safe, she knew that the collossus had been stopped, and for now, that was enough.
Or rather, it was until she came across a slender figure hunched over the table in the smaller room where Tenzin and his family ate together.
"Asami? Are you okay?" The nonbender shook her head. Korra heard the kettle whistling as the tea on the stove came to a boal, but Asami made no attempt to get up, so she poured out a cup for her.
"Thanks," she croaked.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Asami shook her head. Korra sat next to her, leaning her head on the taller girl’s shoulder. They stayed like that for a while, not saying anything, Asami occasionally sipping her tea.
Eventually - Korra wasn’t sure if it was minutes or hours later - the nonbender spoke again. “We should get some rest,” she said. Korra stood, offering a hand to help her up. Asami watched as Korra walked down the hall, took something out of a cuboard, and entered one of the empty rooms. She busied herself with washing the cup and putting away the kettle.
"I found some clothes you can change into," Korra said, appearing the doorway. "I know they’re nothing snazzy like you’re used to, they’re just plain Acolyte stuff, but I tried to find something close to your size and…" she trailed off, suddenly aware of the silence she had broken.
"Korra, that sounds perfect. Thank you." Asami smiled weakly, walking with the other woman to the vacant room. She sunk onto the edge of the twin bed, her left hand reaching for the folded garments next to her. "You should get some rest, too. You didn’t have to stay up with me."
"It was nothing. Honestly, after everything you’ve done for me over the years, it was the least I could do." Korra hesitated, not entirely ready to leave. Asami stood, pulling her into a hug that lasted just a bit longer than it needed to.
"You know where my room is. Go ahead and wake me if you need anything," Korra told her, pulling back just enough to look at her. Before pulling away, she leaned forward on her toes and kissed Asami on the forehead. She didn’t even think about it until afterwards. It just seemed like the right way to let Asami know she cared, even if she saved the details about just how much for later. Asami had so much on her plate, Korra just didn’t feel right saying anything that might add to her burden.
The fourth one, their first real one, happened just after they stepped into the spirit portal. They had had a few weeks to heal, to rebuild, to move forward, and plenty of that time had been spent together. Korra stayed close to Asami’s side for the memorial service, for the announcement that Raiko wanted her help redesigning the city, and for the wedding, determined to support her in any way she could. The avatar herself had plenty of meetings to discuss the fate of the Earth Kingdom, but knowing she had dinner plans with her favorite engineer afterwards always made them go by more quickly.
Korra avoided saying it out loud, afraid of shattering what they had together, but she was fairly certain that their relationship had evolved into something more than friendship. Their conversation at Varrick and Zhu Li’s wedding only strengthened how she felt, and the look they shared before entering the Spirit World together made her feel more sure of herself than she had in a long time. She felt… whole.
Asami dropped one of her hands as they arrived, slowly turning around to marvel at the spirits around her. “Korra, it’s beautiful!” she exclaimed, and though she faced the other way, her voice gave away the look of wonder on her face. She turned slowly, taking it all in, seeing the butterflies, the gnarled trees and icy mountains in the distance, the purple wildflowers, the tiny spirits all around them… and the woman smiling and watching her reaction. She stepped forward, resting her forehead against Korra’s. “Korra, I- Thank you.”
She slowly raised her hand to cup Korra’s face, leaning in, their lips meeting for just a fraction of a second before she pulled away, worried that the other woman might react badly.
Their fifth kiss happened immediately afterwards. Korra’s face broke into a broad smile and she threw herself into Asami’s arms with such vigor that they stumbled and fell into the field of flowers. The two laughed and sat together in the meadow, and both of them found the courage to say the things they had been afraid to say to each other before.