It was the first snowfall of the year and the flakes were floating down slowly, fat and wet. They clung to Korra's eyelashes and hair, clumping on her shoulders. She'd been out for hours, watching the sun dip below the horizon as she worked on her bending. She liked to practice in cycles, water, earth, fire, then air forms. Sometimes bending, sometimes just perfecting her form. The snow was a welcome distraction, bringing back memories of home. Cold nights spent snuggling with her dad as he read her bedtime stories, or sneaking out to throw snowballs at the White Lotus Guards when they weren't looking. Even spending time with Katara, humming Leaves from the Vine, as her waterbending master lectured her about the importance of focus. Korra never really realized how much she missed the snow sometimes.
But then there were those other connotations snow brought with it. Cold, fear. Deathly quiet, confinement. Amon, Tarrlok. Life and death. Korra willed herself not to think of those, to instead enjoy the silent dusk, as shimmering stars seemed to fall all around her.
"They sure do make you guys tough in the South Pole." Korra turned to see Bolin, huddled in a plush coat that was somehow too big for him. He was rubbing his arms for warmth. "Or is it an Avatar thing?" he asked.
Korra blushed and rubbed a hand over the frozen goose flesh that was her arm. "It's a strictly Korra thing, actually," she said with a sheepish grin. "I've just been feeling a little…constricted lately. It's hard to bend feeling like that."
Bolin's eyebrows rose in concern and he tiptoed through the deep snow to her, just to give her a pat on the shoulder. Korra grinned appreciatively.
"I know that feeling," Bolin said with a sigh. "Lin's been teaching me to metalbend and she wanted to go back to the basics. Apparently my earthbending's all wrong. Something about not having a solid stance. It feels all wrong. I like being light on my feet."
Korra smirked in spite of herself and shrugged. "I'm sure you'll get the hang of it. You're a natural, Bolin."
His face lit up and he beamed at her in the receding daylight. "You think so? Well, you know you're not too shabby yourself."

A bone chilling gust of wind knocked into them, snapping Korra's hair around her face and whipped a flurry of flakes between them. Bolin flipped his hood up, his cheeks rosy to match his nose.
"Alright, I'm going inside before something freezes and falls off," Bolin said through clattering teeth. He turned to go back inside but paused when Korra wasn't right behind him. "Korra?"
"I…I think I'm going to stay out just a little longer. Work on my bending. She if I can't get something to…click." Korra shifted so he couldn't see the hopelessness in her face. Something warm engulfed her back and she straightened in surprise. Bolin wrapped his coat over her shoulders and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Just stay warm, okay?"
Korra watched him leave before slipping into the coat and enjoying the warmth that began to seep into her flesh. It tingled and prickled, much like her cheek had when she'd felt Bolin's lips. She felt a giddy smile cross her face as she began to practice once again in a cycle, this time starting with earth.

He felt her slid into the bed next to him, her hands tickling his back. Her fingers wormed their way under his shirt and he shivered.
"You're freezing," Bolin murmured, keeping his eyes shut. Korra kissed his jawline and then scooted her feet up between his legs, trying to thaw them. He tried to shuffle away, but she cuddled closer, wrapping her frigid hands around his middle.
"Ugh, you're so warm. How are you always so warm?" Her knees dug into his back painfully as she tried to syphon more heat from him. She nuzzled her nose into his hair and inhaled deeply. "And you smell like flowers. It's magical."
"Are you drunk?" Bolin shifted himself until he was facing her, just able to make out the shadows of her face in the darkness.
"Of course not," she said, taken aback by the inquiry. He could make out her perfected scowl expertly, she used it enough. "I was just excited to see fresh snow. It makes the world so quiet. I missed that."
He pulled his hand free from the tangle of blankets, the cold air tingling his flesh. Gently he pushed the hair out of her face, catching a sparkle of light reflected in her eyes. A smile crept across his face.
"You wanting quiet? What? Yesterday you were begging me to take you dancing because you were bored and it was, oh what was it? Oh right, too quiet." He chuckled lightly as Korra frowned and nearly shoved him out of the bed.
"Excuse me for having inconsistent characteristics. I'm only human." Her hands were warmer now, tugging at ties of his pants playfully. She bit her lip and rubbed her feet up and down his calves.
"You know that's not what I meant," he said, running a hand through her hair. It was still wet and partially frozen at the tips. He shook his fingers free and traced the profile of her face. "I like your inconsistencies, it's only part of what makes you so amazing."
"You're not too shabby yourself," she muttered, distracted by the knot keeping his pants up. She plucked at it with her fingernails, trying to shimmy it open without drawing too much attention.
"Is that so?" He caught her hands and pulled them away, holding them against his chest, an eyebrow cocked. "Nice try."
"Oh, c'mon." Korra pouted and tugged her hands away. "I'm trying to warm up here. You're making it very difficult."
"Yeah?" He leaned in and kissed the nape of her neck, an effective distraction as his hand slipped down into her pants.
"Yeah," she said with a tiny gasp, her eyelids fluttering. He tickled the inside of her crotch before sliding his fingers inside her. She thrust against his hand eagerly and he smirked.
"Take it easy," Bolin said, but fingered her clit in hope of exciting her more. He was rewarded with a breathless moan and he felt himself harden. "If you warm up too quickly you might get burned."
He pulled out and massaged her folds, sending a shiver up her spine. Korra moaned contentedly and he thought he heard her say his name. Her hands weaved under Bolin's shirt and smoothed up and down his stomach and chest. Trembling, she leaned into him, searching for his lips with hers.
She kissed him deeply, sneaking her tongue into his mouth and running it over his slowly. Chewing his lip playfully, Korra grabbed the back of his head and pulled herself in closer. She could hear his heart thumping loudly.
His fingers slipped back inside of her and she shuddered, pulling her face away to catch her breath. Bolin's breath was ragged to match hers, their chests heaving in synch. She clenched her teeth, squeezing her thighs tight around his arm to keep him in place and drove herself forward on him, her hands desperately pulling at his pants. She wouldn't let him win. She still needed to warm her hands up.
Korra smiled at his surprised jerk as her hand slipped past his defenses and grabbed his cock. She flicked the tip with her thumb before slowly creeping her hand down the shaft.
"I'm really glad you warmed your hands up first," he admitted with a pleasured sigh as she rubbed him. Bolin removed his hand from her faster than she liked. She was about to snap at him, but then he tugged his pants down and the edge of Korra's mouth quirked in amusement. He rolled onto his back and placed his hands on her hips, helping her climb sveltely onto him.
All the air seemed to leave her lungs as he entered her. Korra felt a surge of energy and she began rocking herself, thrusting her hips as fast as possible. Everything was so quiet that every sigh and guttural groan that escaped her seemed earth shattering. Bolin grasped desperately at her firm midriff trying to slow her down. She was having none of it. She was tingling with warmth, her wet hair sticking to the back of her neck.
Korra grinned, arching her back and shivering as she came.

The next morning, her eyes opened slowly and not without exerted effort. Her arm rose and fell with Bolin's chest. Korra lifted her head. Their bodies were tangled together so perfectly, caught up in a mess of blankets and discarded clothing. Slowly, Korra pulled her leg off him, then her arm, doing her best not to wake him up. Bolin was a heavy sleeper, but it never hurt to be too careful.
When she'd untangled herself she looked down at him affectionately. Drool was dribbling down his chin, his hair a floppy mess covering his eyes. Korra ruffled the fluffy mop and kissed him on the cheek.
"Hmm? Wha?" Bolin shot up, nearly smashing into Korra as he blinked wildly, looking around. He brushed his hair back out of his face and smiled at her in a daze. "Oh, hey. Good morning."
"Yeah. Sleep well?" Korra asked, stretching her arms above her head.
"For the most part. You'd think I'd be more used to sleeping without blankets or a spot on the bed by now, but…" Bolin laughed as she rolled her eyes and jabbed him in the ribs. "Kidding. I'm kidding. I love that you hog all the room. It's nice to know you're there."
Heat rose in Korra's cheeks and she clambered over Bolin out of the bed. His eyes flitted wantonly across her naked body, her breast, her lean legs, the neat triangle of dark hair between her thighs. He swallowed and blinked as she tore a blanket off the bed and wrapped it around herself.
"So," Bolin cleared his throat, "dancing tonight?"
"Mmm, my favourite kind of bending," Korra mused, moving to the window and throwing it open to admire the fresh blanket of snow coating the world. Bolin leaned on his elbow and brushed his hair back out of his eyes.
"Bolin?" Korra said quietly, turning back to him with an affectionate smile dancing across her lips.
"Yeah?" He sat up in the bed.
"Thanks for keeping me warm."