General Iroh is not a man of many words, Korra notes.

He's a gentle soul with a violent firebending talent. A man who seeks out the fight, not for the glory, but for those who cannot fight for themselves. He is honorable and easy to respect. It does not surprise Korra at all that he is the youngest General in the United Forces.

She admires him.

And, often times, he tells her the same.

"You are to be admired, Avatar Korra," he tells her once, the timbre of his voice deep and reassuring. His blind faith in her scares her at times. What if she disappoints him? Lets him down? How could she? He respects her decisions, fights with her, not for her.

So yes, she admires him.

And then there is trust.

Because Korra trusts General Iroh with her life, with her bending, with all things she cannot do on her own. He has proven himself to her, shown her he is to be trusted and relied on.

He extends her the same courtesy.

At a time most dire, when Korra fears all is to be lost and that they are to die, he takes her by the hand and whispers in her ear, "I trust you." It comes from chapped and bleeding lips but it gives her the will to go on. To fight. For him and for herself.

He told her, a long time ago, that he believes in her, what she stands for, what she is. He believes in her ability as the Avatar. Knows she will make the right decision. It is something no one else has ever given her… not even Tenzin.

It takes her an embarrassingly long time to realize that: I admire you, I trust you, I believe in you are all just double meanings.

Because, on her twenty-first birthday, General Iroh leans in close, his breath hot against her ear and he whispers gently, "I love you, Korra. More than you know."

And it just clicks.

He has been telling her all along.