The window to her bedroom was still glowing with amber light the fifth time he walked past it. He allowed himself to glance quickly, for less than a second, into the room.
That boy was still in there with her. Still watching.
He had heard Korra talk about him before - passing comments and snippets of conversation, but she usually changed the subject abruptly whenever he came up. Mako, captain of the Fire Ferrets, but now seemingly just a source of frustration for her.
By the time Howl made his sixth pass past her window, it was shining inky black, reflecting his face back at him like black ice that slicked down the pavement in the city.
It was his job to protect her, he thought as he stepped into the house. At any cost. He had signed on for the job without knowing what he was getting himself into, but he was now there for more than a paycheck to send back home.
He slid open the door to her bedroom and took the seat the boy from before had previously occupied. Korra wouldn't usually wear her hair down for any reason, but he had seen it a few times before. He liked it. One stray lock curved down the soft edge of her jaw, and to keep himself from reaching out to trace it or brush it away, he pulled off his helmet and set it on the edge of the bed.
Her hand was at the edge of the mattress, exposed and limp against the soft sheets. There were scars on her knuckles carved into the dry skin there.
He placed his hand over hers and gently squeezed.
"Mako?"
He tensed for a moment, waiting to see if she would wake up. When she simply shifted, settled her head deeper into the pillow with a light smile, he allowed himself a resigned sigh.
He pulled his hand away and put his helmet back on, then stood quietly to leave.