Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 28 (Patreon)

Though her airship wasn't scheduled to depart until noon, Ethuza left Air Temple Island early the following day. She had already said her goodbyes to Kahn, and she really didn't want to encounter Korra, so, after thanking Tenzin and his family for their hospitality, Ethuza boarded the first ferry to the mainland of Republic City.

Upon learning of Ethuza's unexpectedly early departure from Pema, Kahn wasn't sure how to feel. He had thought he would have the opportunity to see her off, so he couldn't help feeling a little annoyed. Fortunately, Pema had been there to console him, her expression softening as she surprised him with a very tender and motherly embrace. 

Pema didn't know how far the relationship between Ethuza and Kahn had developed, but she knew they were, at the very least, friends. Information and rumors had a way of traveling pretty quickly, so, even though she had never actually seen them talking, Pema knew that Kahn and Ethuza would at various times throughout the day to converse. Nobody knew what they talked about, but everyone on the island knew that Ethuza was head over heels in love with their resident wonder chef.

To thank Pema for her concern, Kahn decided to prepare her favorite cookies alongside the cake he was baking to celebrate Korra's arrival and the birthdays he missed. The latter had yet to say anything about it, but Kahn was pretty sure she had been at least a little upset by his absence every time Tenzin and his family went to visit. Thus, in preparation for her arrival, he had prepared a five-tiered cake, one layer for each birthday he had missed.

Though her diet didn't allow her to have sweets, that didn't prevent Korra from loving them. When she saw the cake Kahn had to literally wheel out of the kitchen, her expression went from shock to tremendous excitement in the span of a few seconds.

Elevating Korra's excitement even further, Kahn brought out a series of handmade gifts he had prepared for her over the years. This included a traditional Water Tribe Boomerang, a brand new harness for Naga, a pair of recently crafted pearl earrings, an ornamental hair tie, and, last but not least, an adjustable, dark-blue choker for her pendant.

Since Korra's previous choker was sized for a child, she had been forced to replace it numerous times as she grew. The replacement prepared by Kahn was sized for an adult woman, and, unlike the chokers traditionally found in the Water Tribe, it was manufactured from a recently developed polymer typically reserved for expensive lingerie.

Unsurprisingly, Korra adored Kahn's surprise birthday cake and the bevy of presents he provided. Her only concern was that she hadn't prepared any in return. The only thing she sent him during their separation was the jacket he purportedly wore every single day. Thus, when she thought no one else was looking, she whispered something rather troublesome into Kahn's ear before spending the remainder of the party exuding a cheerful yet increasingly nervous aura...

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After waiting for nearly an hour next to the Airbender Training Arena, one of the few places Korra had become familiar with, Kahn was surprised to see her arrive wearing a clumsily applied coat of makeup and each of the accessories he gifted to her.

Noticing the disbelief in Kahn's gaze, Korra disregarded the words she had carefully prepared, asking, "How do I look...?" in an audibly nervous tone.

Never one to beat around the bush, Kahn prepared to dodge as he flatly replied, "You look great, but why did you paint your face like a clown? As far as 'rewards' go, this is a little unexpected..."

Furrowing her brows, Korra attempted to punch Kahn's arm but ended up striking empty air as he casually stepped to the side. The vein in her left temple suddenly began to protrude slightly, but instead of following up with additional strikes, she pulled water from the atmosphere to clean her face before asking, "How about now?"

Though it was a little over the top, Kahn replied, "Perfect." with a hint of a smile on his face.

Returning a smile of her own, most of Korra's anger vanished into thin air as she suggestively inquired, "Know any places where we can be alone? Knowing you, I would wager you've mapped or memorized every inch of this island."

Worried that things might get out of hand if he left Korra lead, Kahn took the initiative from her, stating, "There are a few places that come to mind. However, I'm not entirely sure I'm ready or willing to receive the 'gift' you have in mind..."

With her frustration thoroughly rekindled, Korra's expression soured as she asked, "What do you mean?" in a slightly threatening tone.

Showing little concern for his well-being, Kahn explained, "I don't mind if it's just kissing, holding hands, or strolling together on the beach. I'm just a little concerned since it seemed like you were a little 'too determined' to return the favor for my gifts..."

Though she was still a little frustrated, Korra averted her eyes from Kahn and muttered, "I thought we could try making out...I saw plenty of people even younger than us doing it, so it shouldn't be a problem..."

Raising his brows, a faint smile developed across Kahn's face as he asked, "And what, exactly, does 'making out' entail...?"

Swallowing the knot in her throat, an intensifying blush spread through Korra's cheeks as she answered, "You know...like hugging...kissing...and touching..."

Exhaling a sigh through his nose, Kahn's expression slackened a bit as he said, "If it's just that, it shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure your hands don't wander somewhere they shouldn't..."

Imagining a few of the places she had a keen interest in, Korra's cheeks became a prominent shade of pinkish-red. Kahn found this surprisingly adorable, so he said, "It's astonishing how much you can blush despite having such a healthy, brown tone..."

Generating a blade-like flame from her right fist, Korra's blush deepened even further as she threatened, "You're starting to push your luck..."

Instead of responding to Korra's threat with words, Kahn maintained his smile as he raised his arms in an inviting gesture. Korra was a little taken aback by this, but after realizing what he wanted, the flame in her hand disappeared as she meekly approached and nestled into his embrace...

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Since he had originally been tasked with showing Korra around, Kahn introduced her to all the facilities before taking her to explore some of the more interesting and isolated regions of the island. This included the cove he and Jinora visited a few weeks prior, a hidden cave that once served as a nest for Flying Bison, and a rather interesting location where a bonsai grew directly from a large boulder.

Having been born and raised in the arctic conditions of the South Pole, Korra had never even taken a proper bath, much less gone to the beach. Her undergarments technically served as a swimsuit, so, after exploring the other regions of the island, Korra 'convinced' Kahn to go swimming with her by shedding her outer layers and jumping right in.

Though he could see where things were heading, Kahn folded up Korra's clothes before ultimately shedding his own and jumping in alongside her. As he had expected, Korra immediately went on the attack by splashing him with water and attempting to tackle him while Kahn was shielding his face. Since he had no reason to dodge, Kahn ended up being tackled into the water, Korra's arms linking around his body as she moved forward to breathe air into his lungs via a kiss.

With Korra's arms functioning as a vice, Kahn briefly regretted not being born an Earthbender as he wrapped his arms around her incredibly toned body, reciprocating her kiss as they sank to the bottom of the surprisingly deep body of water.

Due to her training as an Earthbender, Korra's body was a lot denser than the average 165cm tall woman. Most people with her remarkably athletic build would weigh in at around 56kgs. Korra exceeded this value by nearly three times, her weight exceeding 140kgs of firm yet surprisingly soft and pliable muscle...

Fortunately, while he was nowhere near as physically dominant as Korra, Kahn was no slouch in terms of physicality. He could easily lift more than 100kgs with a single hand, and if he pushed himself, he could squat well over five times that amount. This was very near the pinnacle of what the human body was capable of, so unless he discovered a means to harness the power of other elements, Kahn had to accept that he had plateaued in terms of raw physical strength.

Thankfully, Kahn's strength was more than enough to raise him and Korra from the water. She also helped quite a bit by generating a current around their bodies, so after making out on the seafloor for several minutes, Kahn carried Korra to the surface and asked, "Are you trying to bully me?" with a playfully wry smile on his face.

Rolling her eyes, Korra held Kahn tight and brought her face a little closer to his as she said, "We spent the last four and a half hours walking around and exploring. If I didn't seize the initiative, the sun would have set by the time you were ready to make out..."

Maintaining his smile, Kahn enjoyed the texture of Korra's lower back as he asked, "Is that such a bad thing? Based on what I've read, it's pretty normal to delay intimacy until after dark..."

Interpreting Kahn's words exactly as he had intended, Korra's face began to heat up as she muttered, "But you said..."

Understanding what Korra was about to say, Kahn settled his forehead against hers as he said, "We should wait until we're married to cross that line. However, everything else is fair game. Based on your behavior thus far, I can't see you being okay with 'just' hugging and kissing. So long as we don't cross the line, I'm prepared to follow you as far as you're willing to go..."

Though Kahn's thoughts differed greatly from earlier in the day, that was because he had severely underestimated just how 'prepared' Korra was to be in a relationship. Their exploration-turned-date had given him greater insight into her emotional and mental growth, so, while he wasn't entirely sure he was ready, he could tell she was more than prepared to pursue a physical relationship. 

If Kahn were to describe Korra in a single word, 'physical' would probably be the best possible adjective to choose. It wasn't an exaggeration to say she embodied the concept of physicality, so instead of forcing her to hold back, Kahn decided to give her free rein so long as they didn't cross that final line. He believed it was the best thing for her, and while it might not necessarily be the best thing for him, Kahn was confident in his ability to adapt.

Emboldened by Kahn's words, Korra promptly seized his lips as the water around them began to swirl like a vortex. However, instead of pulling them under, it kept them afloat. The most surprising thing about this event was that Korra's eyes began to emit a vibrant, bluish-white light beneath their lids. Shortly after that, a faint, almost tribalistic tattoo began to emerge on her back as she separated from Kahn's lips, opened her eyes, and said, "I think I might love you..." in a serious yet strangely resonant tone.

Opening his mouth, Kahn was compelled to ask if Korra was intentionally utilizing her Avatar State, but she had evidently misjudged his intentions, interrupting him to say, "You don't have to say it back. I just wanted you to know. It feels like I've been bottling up my emotions for the past five years. Now that we're together again, it's like a tremendous weight has been removed from my shoulders. So, yeah, I just wanted to say it...you don't have to force yourself if you're not ready..."

Though his expression exhibited genuine exasperation, Kahn managed an equally sincere smile as he brought his face increasingly closer to Korra's and whispered, "You become more amazing with each passing moment...I would be an idiot if I didn't love such an adorable woman..."

While Kahn didn't expressly say the words she wanted to hear, Korra was more than satisfied with his cheesy and roundabout response. She closed the remaining distance between their lips of her own accord and didn't let go for the better part of half an hour...