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The wind was gentle that morning.
It carried the sound of laughter across Air Temple Island—light, bright, alive in a way that felt almost wrong.
“Did you see that?” Meelo burst out, running ahead of the group and spinning mid-step. “Jinora didn’t even trip once! Not even a little trip!”
“I do not trip,” Jinora said calmly, though there was a quiet pride in her voice. “Airbending masters maintain balance.”
Bolin snorted. “Yeah, yeah, that’s what they all say until—” he mimed slipping, arms flailing dramatically.
Ikki giggled. “You trip all the time, Bolin.”
“Okay, wow, betrayal.”
Mako sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Can we not turn Jinora becoming an airbending master into… whatever this is?”
“Fun?” Ikki offered.
“Chaos,” Mako corrected.
Behind them, Lin Beifong walked in silence, arms crossed, her expression unreadable. Zuko moved beside her at an even pace, eyes forward. Tenzin lingered slightly behind, speaking quietly with Tonraq and Senna.
And further back—
Asami pushed Korra’s wheelchair carefully along the stone path.
Slowly. Steadily. Like every step mattered.
Korra sat still, hands folded loosely in her lap.
Her hair had been done carefully that morning—pulled back, neat, just the way Asami had styled it. The dark blue dress rested softly against her frame, elegant and simple.
She looked beautiful.
She also looked like she might fall apart if the wind blew too hard.
Asami’s hands tightened slightly on the handles.
She hadn’t let go of Korra’s side for two weeks.
Not since—
No.
She pushed that thought away.
Ahead, Meelo’s voice carried back again. “Hey, Korra! Did you see me during the ceremony? I did three perfect spins. Perfect!”
Korra blinked, like she was pulling herself back from somewhere far away.
“…Yeah,” she said quietly. “You did good, Meelo.”
“‘Good’?” Meelo gasped. “Just good?”
“It was impressive,” Asami added gently, offering him a small smile over Korra’s shoulder.
Meelo grinned, satisfied. “Yeah, I know.”
Jinora slowed her steps, glancing back at Korra. Her expression softened. “Thank you for coming,” she said quietly.
Korra met her eyes for a second.
There was something fragile there. Something tired.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Korra said.
Jinora nodded, but she didn’t look entirely convinced.
The crowd hadn’t lasted long after the ceremony.
But long enough.
Too long.
“Avatar Korra, thank you for everything you’ve done—”
“You stopped the Red Lotus—”
“How are you recovering, Avatar—”
“The world owes you—”
Each word landed like weight.
Like pressure.
Like something pressing Korra further down into herself.
Asami felt it before she saw it.
The way Korra’s shoulders tensed.
The way her hands curled tighter in her lap.
The way her gaze dropped—sharp, immediate—every time someone said it.
Red Lotus.
Asami stepped in closer, her voice calm but firm. “She needs rest.”
Tenzin was quicker.
“That will be enough,” he said, stepping forward, his tone leaving no room for argument. “The Avatar has done more than enough already.”
Lin crossed her arms. “Back off. All of you.”
Zuko’s presence alone seemed to quiet the rest.
Tonraq moved to Korra’s side, one hand resting gently on her shoulder. Senna stood just behind him, her expression soft but protective.
“They can speak to her another time,” Tonraq said.
Korra didn’t look up.
Not once.
By the time they were heading back toward the main part of the island, the group had spread out again.
The energy had shifted.
Quieter now.
“People are… a lot,” Bolin muttered under his breath.
“No kidding,” Mako said.
Ikki walked backwards for a few steps, watching Korra. “She didn’t like that.”
“No,” Jinora said softly. “She didn’t.”
Meelo frowned. “Why? They were saying thank you.”
Jinora didn’t answer right away.
“…Sometimes,” she said slowly, “being thanked for something painful… doesn’t feel good.”
Meelo’s frown deepened, but he didn’t argue.
Behind them, Asami pushed Korra forward.
Korra’s gaze stayed fixed ahead.
Unmoving.
They reached Korra’s room not long after.
Tonraq opened the door for them, stepping aside so Asami could wheel her in.
Senna lingered near the doorway, watching her daughter carefully.
“…Thank you,” Tonraq said quietly, turning to Asami.
Asami looked up. “You don’t have to—”
“We do,” Senna said gently. “You’ve been here. Every day.”
Every moment.
Asami shook her head slightly. “I want to be.”
Tonraq studied her for a second, then nodded. “We’ll come back later.”
Korra gave a small, almost automatic nod.
The door closed softly behind them.
Silence settled in the room.
Asami moved carefully, locking the wheels into place before stepping around in front of Korra.
For a moment, she just looked at her.
Korra’s eyes were distant. Heavy. Like she hadn’t really come back yet.
“…Hey,” Asami said softly.
No response.
Not at first.
Asami reached out gently, brushing a strand of hair behind Korra’s ear. “Can I fix this a little?”
Korra nodded faintly.
That was enough.
Asami moved behind her, picking up the brush from the small table and running it carefully through Korra’s hair.
Slow. Gentle. Careful not to pull.
Outside, voices drifted faintly through the open window.
“—Meelo, don’t—!”
“I’m doing airbending training!”
“That’s not training, that’s tackling—”
A thud.
Bolin laughing. “Okay, that one was kinda impressive.”
“Meelo!” Tenzin’s voice, sharper now.
Ikki giggling. Jinora trying—and failing—not to laugh.
Mako muttering something under his breath.
Lin’s voice, flat: “If he breaks something, I’m not fixing it.”
For a moment—
just a moment—
Korra’s lips curved.
Barely.
But it was there.
Asami saw it.
Held onto it.
“…There it is,” she said quietly.
Korra didn’t respond.
The smile faded just as quickly as it came.
Asami’s hands slowed.
“…Korra,” she said gently.
Korra’s gaze dropped to her lap.
“What’s wrong?”
A pause.
A long one.
“…Nothing,” Korra said.
But her voice was empty.
Tired in a way that had nothing to do with sleep.
Asami’s chest tightened.
She set the brush down, resting her hands lightly on Korra’s shoulders.
“You don’t have to pretend with me.”
Korra didn’t look up.
“I’m fine.”
She wasn’t.
They both knew it.
Asami swallowed, then said softly, carefully—
“I want you to know that I’m here for you… if you ever want to talk. Or anything.”
The words hung in the air between them.
Korra’s fingers tightened slightly in her lap.
Then—
a small nod.
That was all.
Asami didn’t push.
Didn’t ask again.
She just picked the brush back up, her movements slow and gentle as she continued smoothing through Korra’s hair.
Outside, the laughter went on.
Inside, everything stayed quiet.
And Asami stayed right there.