Korra isn't quite sure when she first started thinking about Asami before anyone else whenever things go wrong, but she knows, or is at least aware of it, now after the fact.
She's aware that she does it, now that they're all safe and sound. She's aware and is thinking about it now that she and Asami have decided to spend the night at the Sato residence due to the late hour and they're both beyond drained right now.
It hits her, this awareness of her fears over the engineer's life, as Asami is gracefully moving around the kitchen making them some tea.
Korra watches her reverently as her mind processes these newfound revelations about her feelings for Asami,
'Of course', she thinks, 'perhaps I worry about her first because I know the others are benders and she isn't.'
Her blue eyes glance over to the mantel piece where Asami had placed her electroshock glove the moment they walked through the doors.
The Avatar rolls her eyes at herself immediately after the thought, 'She may not be a bender, but Asami can definitely hold her own.'
Korra grins, a tiny ghost of a smile then, because this absolute goddess of a woman is so much more than just able to hold her own, and so much more than a mere non-bender.
When she sees Asami turn towards her, she feels her smile pull further until it's a full blown crooked grin.
"What're you smiling about over there Avatar?" Asami asks teasingly, eyebrow raised as she hands her a mug, taking a seat and cradling her own mug afterwards.
The brown haired brunette shrugs slightly, eyes twinkling as she says, "Nothing that you don't already know."
She pauses and she isn't surprised when Asami looks to be ready to drop it at that; She knows better than anyone that Asami always backs off when Korra asks her-she lets her open up on her own time.
Korra decides to continue, "You give benders a run for their money."
Asami, having not expected her to continue, nearly chokes on her sip of tea as she blushes and chuckles, "Do I?"
Korra nods happily, delightedly taking a hearty swig of her tea.
"I hadn't noticed...what with all the times you've had to save me from them." Asami says, her tone deceptively light, her green eyes and body language tell Korra another story.
"You've saved me so many times Asami; it's not about being able to bend. Some of these jackasses just- they're a lot to handle alone…and luckily I don't have to. Handle them alone I mean."
Asami giggles lightly as Korra drapes an arm around her shoulders as the blue eyed woman says the last line.
The svelte brunette appreciates what Korra is trying to do by saying that but-
"You don't think I'm telling you the truth, do you?" Korra asks, her eyes searching Asami's, interrupting her thoughts.
Placing her cup of tea down onto the table, Asami shakes her head as she says, "It's not that I think you're lying…I just find it hard to believe that you think I'm not a burden when it comes down to the wire against other benders in fights."
"I wouldn't be here right now, if not for you. You. Not Mako. Not Bolin. You." Korra says seriously, drawing her arm away from Asami's shoulder and places her hand in Asami's, "And I'm so thankful for that. For you. And when I lost sight of you this evening…when I couldn't find you until the end of the fight? That scared me."
Korra clamps her mouth shut, eyes widening slightly. She hadn't wanted to let that bit of information out. Not yet.
Asami looks at her curiously, a tiny confused smile on her face, "I scared you?"
Deciding it's too late to try and backtrack now, and deciding that she only ever wants to be honest with the young woman in front of her, Korra nods her head, "I was scared of what not being able to see you could mean. I was absolutely worried about you because after everything settled, I couldn't find you."
Asami can't help that her heart flutters madly in her chest; nor can she help smiling like a dork, especially after seeing a blush starting to show on Korra's skin, "Korra! That's so sweet."
The taller brunette thinks it's precious how the all powerful Avatar is reduced to a flustered, adorable mess around her.
"Did you worry about Mako, when he didn't get up off the ground immediately?"
'Deflect,' she thinks, 'Don't get ahead of yourself just because you sort of make her nervous. That doesn't mean anything. Don't project your feelings.'
Korra furrows her brow, "He didn't get up?"
Asami can't help the dainty snort of mirth that escapes her, "Korra-he just laid there contemplating even blinking, he was so exhausted. And he was right beside you…"
Korra blushes harder and feels guilty for not realizing he hadn't gotten right back up after a rather hefty right jab with a block of rock. She slips her hand out of Asami's as she uses both hands to gesticulate as she says, "No-I mean- I didn't…You were of my utmost concern at the time…I thought he would get right back up-and once I saw that you were okay, I mean he must've gotten up by then cuz everyone else was alright and accounted for."
Asami's heart melts and fills up to the brim. The wonderful, wonderful, being before her just-
"Korra-" she cuts her own thinking off with that utterance and reaches back out for Korra's hand before continuing, this time a blush forming on her own face, "if it makes you feel any better?...I always worry about you first, and the most, out of everyone during any uh altercations-And it has nothing to do with you being the Avatar."
Korra's heart skips a beat at Asami's admission.
'No way does she-can she feel what I'm feeling? Does she know why?'
"You do?" Korra asks finally, eyes searching hers with a look of awe and disbelieving wonder.
Asami nods her head, "All the time. It's not that I don't care for the boys…I just find myself thinking of you first, before I even realize I'm doing it."
Korra doesn't fight the smile that spreads on her face; her blue eyes darting back and forth between Asami's green eyes.
"I'm the one who's supposed to worry and think of everyone else. You're supposed to make sure that you're alright."
Gently squeezing Korra's hand, Asami very seriously says, "And who's worrying about you while you're thinking about everyone else?"
She lets the question sits for a couple of beats before softly saying, "Me. Me, that's who. I've always done it and I don't believe I'm about to stop now that we've become self-aware."
Korra uses their already clasped hands to pull Asami towards her; in for a very well earned hug.
With her unoccupied arm, Korra wraps it around her neck and shoulders; holding her as close as she can possibly be, with their joined hands in between their pressed bodies.
Though initially caught off guard, Asami is quick to reciprocate the hold, her free hand clutches at Korra's shirt at the waist, bunching it in her fist, using it to help pull Korra even closer still.
"You're an absolute blessing Asami Sato. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise. Hell, if they even try to convince you otherwise, you just point em out and I'll set em straight."
Korra says this from her place in Asami's hold, head buried between her neck and shoulder, Asami's dark ebony locks tickling at her forehead.
The heiress laughs breathlessly, fighting for some reason to keep her emotions in check, "I'm really glad I met you Korra of the Southern Water Tribe. You've quite quickly become someone I can't be without. Or rather, someone I really don't want to be without. I mean- Maybe not physically…I mean as in because I know that we can-I can-deal with missing you or not seeing you for a while, even though I would miss you…but like-you're my best friend-you're even more than that."
Asami feels the heat rising to her cheeks; she can tell she's getting flustered and she can do nothing about it.
Korra pulls away, enough to properly see Asami's face, an adoring smile on her lips as she watches the brunette before her attempt to avoid eye contact. Before Korra's mind can think about what she's doing, she's already doing.
Her lips brush against Asami's enflamed cheek causing the engineer's breath to hitch, her green eyes to widen, and her blush to darken further than Korra ever thought to be possible.
Pulling back, Korra simply waits, with a tiny smile on her face, for Asami to look at her.
It doesn't take too long for green eyes to find blue.
"I don't ever want to think of my life without you in it Asami. Because ever since meeting you, it's been quite a bit better; and you're my best friend but more than that too. It must've been something I've done right to get to have met you and consequently become an integral part of my life."
Asami smiles though she's still blushing profusely, her eyes twinkling wildly, "Well, aren't we just a couple of saps."
Korra laughs, leaning back against the couch, lifting her tea and then quickly fire bending a little to heat it back up.
"Would you-?" she asks Asami politely, pointing to her cup.
Nodding bashfully, Asami graces her with a smile, "Oh…yes please."
She watches reverently as Korra easily bends around the cup to heat the tea.
"There you go." Korra says, smile on her face and tea being offered.
"Thank you."
Korra shrugs nonchalantly, a blush dusting over the apples of her cheeks.
They're shrouded in comfortable silence as they sip at their rewarmed tea; each of them allowing their thoughts to run rampant for a while as they enjoy each other's company.
"I'm really glad you decided to stay with me. I didn't know how much I needed this to unwind tonight." Asami states quietly, green eyes finding Korra's.
"I'm glad I stayed too. We should totally do this more often than we do now. Never a dull moment when spending time with you 'Sami."
The taller brunette grins happily, "You know you're always more than welcome to come around. All you have to do is drop by- it's not like I could ever turn you away."
Korra bites her lip as she tilts her head, "I don't want to overstep any boundaries. I don't want to take advantage of your hospitality either."
Shaking her head, Asami states, "You wouldn't be taking advantage of me or my hospitality."
"Yeah…but you said…you wouldn't turn me away. But like…what if you're busy or you've got stuff to do-more important things to do and I'm just in the way? I don't want you to just let me rush around like a bull in a china shop."
Asami laughs lightly, not at Korra's real fears, but at the image of such an uncoordinated Korra, "Firstly, you're much more graceful than you give yourself credit for. Secondly, nothing would ever be so important that I wouldn't want you around. Thirdly, you'd never be in the way."
"What if you've got a date?"
That makes both of them pause. Korra can't believe she asked that; and Asami is so thrown she's just sitting there looking at the Avatar unblinkingly.
"A date?"
Korra nods, "Yeah…you're on a date and I just drop by and-"
Asami shrugs and very honestly says, "Then that person would just have to excuse me as I go ahead and turn my attention to you. You're more important Korra. You should know this."
Korra blanches at that answer; not at all expecting Asami to put her first-before her hypothetical dates even- and it sends her heart racing, "Seriously? You'd-yeah?"
Asami nods, hooded green eyes locking onto Korra's wide blue ones, "Definitely."
"You have no idea what you do to me- like my heart starts going like a gazillion times faster than normal…and-I feel so-"
Smiling, Asami tilts her head, "So?" she asks softly, gently prodding her to continue.
Korra breathes out, "Normal." Her eyes flicker away before looking back to Asami and continuing, "Like I'm just me. Just Korra. And it's such a juxtaposition…the times when I feel normal, the times when I feel completely at peace and one with who I am, is when my heart is doing back flips and missing beats…"
The taller brunette knows how scary this is for Korra; knows that this must be difficult on some level for her because she's not one to open up so easily. She isn't one who is comfortable with being this vulnerable, and yet here she is, being very vulnerable and open and Asami is honored.
She waits for Korra to finish up and she contemplates saying what she's going to say for a few seconds before deciding that Korra would appreciate it, and understand it, "You make me feel like I'm a bender."
Korra's breath hitches, and Asami slowly nods and continues, "I feel like I can move elements; I can sore and move fire- I feel as if I'm more than just any other person; more than just a regular non-bender. I feel like I can fly."
"You are more than a non-bender." Korra whispers seriously, her blue eyes clear and honest, looking at Asami beseechingly.
Placing a hand onto Korra's cheek, Asami gives her a small smile, "You make me believe that. I do believe you. Before you, I would dream of being a bender, and I'd always go to bed and wonder why I couldn't have been born with those powers…After you? Now? I feel like I'm-I wouldn't want to be anyone else Korra…because you like me this way. You love me being me and that makes me feel like I can bend the elements."
Korra slips her hand over Asami's on her cheek and she squeezes gently, "You're the world 'Sami. You're the world, sun and stars; and I'm so so thankful that you're part of my life."
Conversation for them flows after that. Asami feels as if this weight she didn't even know she was carrying lifted off of her chest; and Korra feels alive, and giddy.
They're both aware that the other cares very much for their wellbeing. They're both aware that there's something more there. But that conversation is for another day…another time.
Asami and Korra both make their way towards the bedrooms and the blue eyed brunette watches the heiress makes her way down the hall to her bedroom, and Korra then finds herself sprinting forward towards Asami, throwing her arms around her neck, "Good night 'Sami."
Ghosting her lips against Korra's cheek, Asami responds, "Good night Korra."