Secret
They kept it all a secret.
On the outside, they were the Avatar and a Councilman.
When the lights went out, that was when they could hold each other safely.
Her former feelings for Mako were a perfect cover up to avoid any speculation of her having feelings for anyone else. Pretending to say those harsh, terrible things to her when they were in the company of someone else jarred him, but once they were behind closed doors, he'd kiss her and would tell her he didn't mean those terrible things.
If they were found out, it would be a scandal among scandals.
He was twenty years older than her, and she was still just a kid figuring herself out. But at the end of the day… all she saw was him. He saw her when she was lonely, and she saw that he was alone as well.
Without him… there'd be nothing but darkness.
"I can't do this…"
"Do what?" Tarrlok asked.
"Hiding. Hiding us. I hate lying to everyone. You know, an Equalist almost assassinated you, and I had to pretend like everything was okay, cus, you know. Why would the Avatar get so worked up about Councilman Tarrlok just about getting killed?"
There was a long silence.
"If we can't be honest with everyone around us, how can we be honest with each other?"
They were soon in an embrace.
"You know I love you…" she began, looking up at him. "Right?"
"I know."
He'd face heaven and hell for her, and if that meant facing scrutiny once they came out as a couple, so be it.
He'd be holding her hand, stepping beside her, every step of the way.