A/N: MISS ME GUYS?! I'm woking almost daily and I feel like crap, as to that effect. But nevertheless, despite this pesky little hiccup-I wanted to get word out any way I could, and since for some strange reason the site is being buggy, I wasnt able to work on this anywhere near as much as I would've liked. Still...so many reviews!

I love you guys so much! *Cries*

Now, this chapter might be a bit confusing consider I haven't done something like this in awhile. With good reason! My job has been beating the living hell out of my as of late! This was REALLY had to write with being tired from work; exhausting, actually. But I'm proud of it, and I hope you enjoy it as I finally get some rest.

This story was birthed from the idea that I've been rewatching the Legend of Korra like crazy as of late. And this idea just sort of...happend, really. I hope ya enjoy it! I've done something that the series hasn't expanded upon to my knowledge; in this, the second chapter, we'll be seeing various scenes from Korra and Naruto's time in the South when they were little. The timeline is a wee bit wonly there, naturally. Of course, the story will be moving ever onward-but I ask you, what's the point in reading about romance if we don't know where it begins? Also, warning! There's a wee bit of violence in this chapter, but save that, there's plenty of humor and a TON of fluff...

Well...here ya go! =D Sorry if its short! But hey, at least I'm back! And now, I present to you, the next chapter of...

...Left my Heart in the Water!

"I've always been there for you, Korra. Why would that change now?"

~?

Years Gone By

Korra was four years old when she realized she was the Avatar.

Naruto was five when he realized he could mold shadows to his will. That he could become them, hiding for hours without being seen. Next year came the lightning. Raw powerful, the very heavens themselves. Then he learned to be other things. So many different things. It was the sort of bending you normally didn't see, didn't expect. As he grew older, so too did these abilities. He learned to control-alter-things at the molecular level like dust, wood and pelts of fur. Cloth. Other things, shape it to his will. It wasn't a perfect science, and it didn't always work, but when it did...

It was a new style of bending, one the world had never seen. They started calling him an Astral Bender, not only for his ability to project himself into whatever he wielded, but to become it. The primary elements, Fire, water, earth and air were still presently been barred to him, but not for lack of trying. When he tried to summon fire he only burned himself; the earth would not obey his commands, water only drenched him, and the lone time he'd tried his hand at airbending, he'd nearly suffocated himself.

Still, Naruto flourished in those other areas, and so did Korra.

By the time she was eight, she'd already mastered waterbending and finally started on her earth and firebending training. Much to Naruto's ire, she was very, very inventive with her native element...

Very inventive indeed.

"You are so dead!"

An eight-year old Korra grinned at the poisoned snark as she skipped backwards in retreat, gracefully twirling out of the way as Naruto's shadow snapped at her heels. An icey wall imploded on itself as the black whip struck it; spraying the two children with snow. Momentarily blinding them. The waterbender didn't hesitate in the slightest; in the time it took Naruto to withdraw his dark tether she turned and bolted...but not before bending the falling ice back into water and soaking her playmate for a second time. The blond's furious shout was like sweet, sweet music to her ears.

"KORRA!"

"Catch me if you can, slowpoke!" Korra laughed back, her voice echoing in little, delighted peals as she racced across the compound. Naruto's infuriated shout echoed behind her, closing in. She knew he'd catch her, eventually-he almost always did!-but that wasn't what caused her to giggle whilst she ran, hammering pell-mell around a nearby corner, shrieking as he pelted after her down the frozen halls. This! This was why she enjoyed pranking him so!

Korra loved to run, shout, fight, and jump, delighting in most things boys enjoyed, things most girls her age certainly would not do, to the amusement of her parents and the constant consternation of the White Lotus members guarding her and Naruto. She wondered about that, sometimes. Naruto wasn't the Avatar. She was. So why did they watch him so closely? Why did they refuse to let him leave the compound? Did they hate him? She'd spied on a pair of guards once, heard them call Naruto an abomination-whatever did that mean?-seen the dirty looks cast his way, but never thought to tell him.

But here and now, such thoughts were the furthest thing from her mind. She was too caught up in the blissful, single-minded joy that only a child could know. He was her only true friend outside of Naga, the only boy her age in the compound. She didn't care that he bent strange things. Like shadows, or-

"Got you!"

Lightning.

Korra squealed as Naruto flashed past her in a streak of blue, his body solidyifing from the element moments later, reclaiming physical form once more. Too close! Frantic, she tried to dig her heels into the ice and stop, but sense-and her bending-momentarily abandoned her. She'd just enough time to see those bright blue eyes bulge, the deep navy furs he wore stiffening in surprise with his body as he tried -and failed spectacularly!- to brace himself for the impact. Then she slammed headlong into him and they went down in a tangle of arms and legs, rolling in the snow.

Korra got ahold of him by a wrist and he yelped, biting her arm. She retaliated by pulling his hair, her bare hands closing on the flaxxen locks and giving a good hard yank. It only took her a moment to realize that she was laughing and so was he, their little scuffle eliciting giggles and snickers from both blond and bender both. They wrestled a moment longer, two children playing in the winter ice, utterly ignorant of the world. Finally he cheated and bent at her; giving her the tiniest of jolts through the arm.

Now it was Korra's turn to yelp. She jerked backwards, her hair standing on end from the small surge. It didn't so much hurt as it did embarass...and boy, was Korra embarassed!

"Ha! You should see your face!" Naruto laughed merrily where she'd left him; until she bent the ice and knocked him sideways. "Ow!"

Korra huffed quietly and tried to straighten her now-frizzy locks. Victory was hers! "I win," she smirked proudly to herself, with all the confidence and menace an eight-year-old Avatar could muster. "Unless...you wanna go again? So confident was she, that she never saw Naruto's shadow-a thin tendtril of his own circling to her unprotected backside-until, it was almost too late. With a startled yelp, she found her shade yanked out from under her very feet, unseating her and planting her headfirst in the firmly compacted snow. Naruto rose with a smile of his own, dusting himself off with swift, efficient sweeps of his arms.

Still smiling, he sauntered over to her and took hold of a twitching leg. One firm tug later and Korra found herself hanging upside down, glaring at his lopsides grin. Quietly, she cursed the fact that Naruto was so tall-he had at least a full head on her-and thus able to lift her with ease. She took some solace in the fact that he was at least a little out of breath; his exhaustion stemming forward in short, misty plumes of warmth.

"I win." he corrected. "Again." He always beat her.

"One of these days I'm gonna beat you!" she swung at him pitifully from her upside down perch, struggling in vain to connect. "I swear!"

"Oh, yeah?" He gave her a shake. "How ya gonna do that?

"I don't know how...but I-

"Naruto!" Tonraq's voice called from across the compound, interrupting her. "I need you over here!"

"Coming, uncle!" he dropped her and bounded away without so much as a second glance. "See you later, Korra!"

She watched him go, and wondered at that tiny pang in her heart.

Korra, should one ever care to ask, would be absolutely charmed to tell them all about her new friend. Naruto was wonderful, and said she had very pretty eyes; Naruto was always willing to watch her bend or play on the wall; Naruto was helping with her reading. Naruto created cool firewroks with his lightning: a snarling dragon and badger-moles of sparkling light; howling platapyus bears; brightly colored wolf-bats and polar-bear dogs. She liked his bright blond hair; it reminded her of the sun. He liked to carve and tan things, too. He had a whole box of different kinds of flutes; and drums and lutes of all sorts.

Oh, and he always gave her the coolest presents! Korra had a bright blue carving hair ribbon and azure stockings she wore to her lessons, and he'd carved her this wonderful knife for their eigth birthday just last week, and she always wore it in her belt. Mamma had smiled when she'd shown her, asked if she planned to carve him anything for his birthday. Korra answered yes, of course, pausing only to ask what that meant. Mamma, sweet, indulgent Mamma, laughed and promised to tell her when she was older.

Thoughtfully, touched a hand to the tiny keepsake. That wrung a smile from her.

"I will beat you." she huffed to herself. "Definitely."

Another four years passed in the enthusiastic chaos of their childhood. Naruto mastered what he came to call Shadowbending and Korra came into her own earthbending skills. Neither were aware that they'd ever been targeted by the Red Lotus; indeed, they never even learned of it. Their lives continued in ignorant bliss, and so too did their training regiment. Naruto learned an entire new host of skills that extended beyond the realm of what was thought to be possible; such as drawing on different energies to strengthen himself. Even the very natures of energ itselfy-some said spirits-into himself, thereby strengthening his body for a limited time.

It was no Avatar State, the White Lotus scribes decried, but it was something to be noted.

Korra couldn't help but notice that his eyes always changed color when he did this. Sometimes they were yellow. Others, orange.

Once, they were even red.

Gradually, the gap between their skillsets began to shrink. When they fought their matches came closer and closer and though Naruto won without fail, it was no longer a certain thing. She wasn't certain if he was being civil with her, or if she was just getting that good.

At twelve years of age, Korra was already well into her Firebending instruction.

It was also the day she finally earned her first victory against her best-friend-turned-rival...

...but, in the end, was it truly worth it?

They'd been going at it for nearly an hour now.

"Orah!"

Naruto grunted in surprise as Korra's flaming fist brushed his ribs, scoring a thin line against his leathers. His left hand rose, catching the next blow, snuffing out the flame in her hand. It was with some satisfaction that she saw him cringe, hissing softly against the burns brought on by the extinguished blast. Her knees rose to smash into his groin and so did his fist to her gut-then there was no more time for thought as they collided in a blinding blur of bending and blows.

There was no time for any notion of anything other victory; the soon-to-be teenagers fought with everything they had and held nothing back. Lightning and flame. Shadow and water, always hissing spitting, collding, so savage a storm that those watching could barely mak out either in the malestrom.

Somehow she eked out a small victory as one of her water whips struck home, raising a welt on the blond's cheek. Naruto jerked backward and they broke apart, each panting for breath. Korra permitted herself a small sneer at the facial wound, confident in her victory.

"What's wrong?" she gasped out, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. "I though you were a little faster than that!"

"Is that supposed to make me angry?" Naruto sighed.

"Fine then," she shrugged. guess I'll just have to eat that last cup of-

Her words ended abruptly as a spark sailed through the air to obliterate one of her ponytails, hair and all. The ceramic clasp that once held it together skittered across the ground, rolling to a halt beneath Naruto's foot a moment later. His boot crunched down, shattering it into a thousand pieces. Naruto chuckled. Softly at first; little more than a snicker, slowly building in intensity until his very shoulders shook. When he raised his gaze, she saw a frightful gleam in his eyes, slitted and red as the color of blood. Too late, Korra realized she might have pushed her childhood friend a little too far...

"You want fast?" he hissed. "I'll show you fast!"

Just as swiftly Naruto struck back at her for this temerity, thrusting his hand forward, fingers splayed. Korra was already in motion by the time the lightning crackled at his fingertips; rolling, twisting-dodging-moving like a leaf in the wind even as the blue line scoured jagged destruction in her wake. She hammered him as she moved, peppering the bermused blond with hot blasts of fire and chunks of frigid ice, forcing him on the defensive, to intercept these missiles rather than target her.

It was a sound strategy by any tactician; keep up the offense and prevent him from fighting back. In this case, becoming lightning and jolting her senseless. One look told her he knew what she was planning and in the same instant he ceased his attack she switched to a new one. Now it was whips of shadowy darkness-his own shadow-that rose around him, catching those sharpened shards of ice even as she created them all, flinging them back at her face with enough force to crater the ring in which they fought. Thankfully, neither of them yet knew how to bend metal, or this might get messy...

"C'mon, Korra!" he cat-called at her, sneering. "You know this isn't going to work! Maybe I should turn up the heat?"

Crap.

Before she could protest Naruto slammed his fist down into the arena, cratering it. But this brief display of physical strength wasn't what she feared. It was thetine of blue that came after, sparking and spitting, licking out in every direction. Shockwave! Korra wasn't quite quick enough; even as she moved to leap, the blast caught one her legs. Every muscle froze, clamping down. In that split second Naruto was on her, fist clenched, arm drawn back, his young face confident in its victory.

Korra barely got out of the way in time, even then the near-miss was enough to make her gasp.

She didn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her sweat. Instead, she kept moving.

Once, Korra had detested such a roundabout way of fightning. She was a brawler on principle-she wanted to attack! However, after those first few ill-fated attempts to attack him head on ended with her in a spasming heap from his lightning, or cold and shivering from the darkness he commanded, she'd learnt to adjust. To remain set in her ways was the anithesis of her tribe and to guarantee defeat. So she changed. Re-tailored all of her techniques. You couldn't attack someone like Naruto head on. She knew that now. It was suicide.

Flanking him however, was another matter.

She'd had to learn to dodge after four years of getting knocked on her ass. Some might say that adjustment took years upon years to master-but from the ashes of countless defeats Korra had discovered a new fighting style. And like a phoenix being reborn from those ashes, she was stronger than ever before. She was evolving, not just as an Avatar, but as a person as well.

Instead of simply slamming into her favorite blond with wide, area-encompassing attacks she went in hard and fast; always moving, always attacking, never giving him a moment to rest. Aggressive. Be aggressive. She knew better than to let her anger take ahold of her, lest it cost her the fight. She'd by no means mastered her temper, but she was no longer a slave to it, either. Let the White Lotus often reprimanded her for this style, for listening to her friend. She was content.

It wasn't the way his blue eyes flashed scarlet she told herself, the strange way he made her heart pound when he looked at her. She simply loved to fight. It reminded her of the old days when they'd chase each other around the compound. But this, this, this got her blood flowing. Racing. Her tongue flitted between her lips, mocking him.

"Too slow!"

Naruto's only reply was to laugh; evidently he was enjoying himself just as much.

"You...!"

She hurled a fireball and succeeded only in grazing him as he dodged, eliciting a startled yelped as he patted down his burning hair. For a painful moment, Korra's heart lurched.

Then he grinned. "Why'd ya stop? I'm fine!"

Aaaargh!

Korra scowled and stomped, creating a boulder and kicking it at him with bonecrushing force. Naruto simply raised his forearm to block, the rock crashing harmlessly against his impromptu shield. There! Before he had a chance to recover she bounded forward. Then she had him-pouncing-driving herself down atop of him, forcing him to the floor. She felt eight years old all over again as they scuffled, grappling with one another, each seeking a proper handhold by which to best the other. This time, Korra actually got the upper hand, her head striking his with a resounding "thwack" of sound, loud and resounding.

Naruto grunted and jammed a leg into her stomach, forcing the breath from her lungs. She headbutted him again. They wrestled a moment longer, no longer children, but not quite adults, each determined to claim the win, to earn victory over one another. Finally he lost his patience and bent at her; giving her the tiniest of jolts through the arm. Korra spasmed, her muscles clamping down for a moment. That was all it took for Naruto to get his legs out from under her and push, propelling her her backwards. Lightning crackled in his palm and shadows in the next, meant to finish the match. Her.

No! she seethed. I refuse to lose! Not this time!

In the same instant that he jolted forward again, Korra opened her mouth and spat.

Fire met Lightning and both exploded in a blinding haze of white.

Both benders found themselves thrown backwards in the ensuing detonation. Rendered blind and deaf. Ears ringing. Bodies sprawled.

When Korra finally came to, the first thing she knew was the screams. Naruto's screams. Woodenly, she scrambled to her feet and nearly screamed herself, for what she saw there was like a knife to her heart. Her best friend was writhing on the ground in agony, clutching at his face. Crying. White Lotus sentries were clamoring down from the stands to tend to him, and she could see Katara amongst them, her wrinkled face tight with concern. Water was drawn from a nearby cistern, pooled across her fingers, laid on his quivering visage.

No.

"Sh," she soothed at him, "Its alright, you're going to be fine. Just fine...

No!

Korra tried to go to him, she really did, but her legs wouldn't move; it felt as if she were rooted. She saw it all from a great distance-as if she were standing outside herself. This wasn't happening. Couldn't be happening to her. Not her. Not him. Naruto was strong. Naruto didn't get hurt. She'd burned him. Tears gathered in the girl's eyes, glittering like jewerls. A small sob forcing itself from her lips. No. This wasn't happening. This was a dream. Yes. No. Yes, that was it. No. This was all a terrible dream, and she'd wake up any minute now, unless it wasn't, which meant...which meant...no!

No!

Nonononononono!

NO!

"Korra," he croaked her name, his voice weak and hoarse. "Where is she..?" Just like that her feet were free, whatever spell held her vanished. Katara tried to shoo her away, saying he was quite alright, but the young bender would have none of it; she wriggled into the space between two sentries and scrambled to his side, craning her head to get a look at him. Almost immediately, she wished she hadn't. The tears in her eyes gave a final tremor and spilled over, running down her cheeks.

Korra screamed.

Mercifully, someone struck her on the back of the head before the shock of what she'd seen could break her mind.

When she came to, the first thing she felt was Naga licking her. The first thing she saw was her mother's face. Korra groaned.

"Gah, down girl...Mamma?"

"Oh, sweetie...

The world came back to her in fits and starts after that, bleary shapes finding cohesion and clarity against the murkiness of her nightmares. But she knew it wasn't a dream. Memory ruthlessly crashed down around her, reminding her of her sin, of what she'd done. It didn't matter that she was snug and warm in her bed, her body wrapped in warm furs and blankets. Every inch of her felt cold, frozen solid by the knowledge of what she had done to her best friend. Spirits preserve her, she'd hurt him...

"Where is he?" she shot upright, despite Senna's gentle attempts to force her back down. "Is he alright?"

"He's fine, but Korra, maybe you shouldn't-

A figure departing the igloo snatched her attention away. Despite Naga's whine and her mother's cry of "Korra!" the young bender jumped up, and bolted out the door. Once more, the retreating figure, wearing Naruto's signature black and blue furs, caught her attention. Korra hesitated, rounding another bend... only to find him just out of sight. Was he trying to avoid her? That put paid to her step.

Darting around a stack of crates, she found him by the ice wall. Somehow he'd managed to find his way up there and thus he sat; his legs hanging over the edge, his back to her. After only a moments hesitation, Korra stomped right up to him, waterbent her way up the wall, and plopped down beside him. Naruto didn't say anything. Not a word. He didn't even move. Irritated, the young waterbender grabbed him by the shoulder, and forced him to look at her.

"There you are."

He turned slowly.

Korra froze.

When she saw him, her hands formed a small tent over her mouth, even then it couldn't quite contain her horror. Naruto was burned. The lower right side of his face and his neck, would forever bear a mark of her anger, of her violence. She'd lost her temper, and he'd paid the price for it. He smiled, his lips twitching slightly, stretching the scar. His practice helmet must've been burned into his skin during the blast; that was why it looked as it did. Because of her. Because of her. Her fault. All her fault...!

Naruto must've realized she was ready to bolt, because he caught her by the hand before she could jump up and flee down the wall. His grip was like iron; no matter how hard she tugged, she couldn't get away. Korra cried out:

"I don't want to see it!"

"Hey, its not so bad," he soothed, his voice cracking ever so slightly. "Katara's gonna try to get some spirit water from the North Pole; with any luck, it'll heal, and 'sides, you got me pretty good..." After a few moments of unsuccessful tugging, Korra relented and allowed herself to be tugged down beside him. Her head came to rest upon his shoulder, almost without thinking. If he was at all offended by the clost contact, he did nothing to say so. They sat there for a long moment, together, sa

"I'm not mad at you, 'ttebayo." he said at last. "You know that, right?"

She whimpered softly at the thought, her lower lip jutting out in a defiant pout. "I don't want to hurt you like that again...

He gave her an odd look. "Then don't."

"But what if I-

He reached over and poked her in the forehead. Hard. Korra jerked back.

"OW! What was that for!"

"Don't second guess yourself." Naruto replied, his blue eyes meeting hers unflinchingly. "The past is in the past." He tugged her back down, and her forehead met his. Her heart skipped a beat; in that instant, no word, no syllable, no matter how great, could possibly describe how she felt.

In the end, she simply nodded and scooted closer to him.

"Alright...

While misery may be fleeting, happiness is ever eternal. The days stretched by endlessly, grey sky pressing down on the South Pole and the two tiny benders as they slowly grew from children to adults. The White Lotus just wanted it to be over. Tonraq and Senna shook their heads and chuckled at the havoc wrought by their daughter and childhood friend. Neither knew it at the time but those simple, peaceful days wouldn't last. There was word of unrest in Republic City. Talk of a group called the Equalists.

Five years blurred by in the blink of an eye.

And then, almost without warning, the fateful day came.

The day everything changed.

"Naruto~!"

The blond groaned and tried-unsuccessfully-to bury his head into the pillow to muffle out the sound of the voice. His body nestled deep, deeper, under the furs of his bed and lay very still, as though, if he were just still enough, she'd let him sleep in. It worked for all of three seconds. Then someone ripped open the flap of his igloo. Aaaaargh! Shards of light stabbed into his bright blue eyes, blinding him. Blearily, his mind reached out and bent the shadows around him-yes, the shadows!-enclosing himself in a coccoon of darkness. Sweet, blessed darkness. Ah. Now he could rest. If she'd just leave him be-

"Aha! Found you! Now...wake up!"

Then someone jumped on him.

"Ooof!"

Being an astral bender -damnded White Lotus, dubbing him as such!- certainly had its perks, but this was not one of them. He couldn't bend the elements in a conventional sense like most-rather, he bent other things, things one might not expect. Shadows were but one of them; good for muffling nose and keeping the light out of his eyes...not so much for dealing with the impact of a seventeen year old girl jumping up and down on his chest.

With a groan and a wheeze he felt the air exploded out of his lungs. he lost control of the element and collapsed against the bed, strong arms pinning him down. Bright blue eyes stared back at him from a heartshaped face, framed by chestnut hair, her mouth set in a cocky, cheery little grin-one that reminded him of their early days in the compound. She'd grown up. So had he. He didn't want to smile he told himself, his mouth just happened to be moving in that direction when he saw her.

"Korra...get off."

"Nope." impossibly, her grin gew. "Not gonna happen."

Naruto growled half-heartedly at her, a stray spark skittering between his teeth. It was well within his power to simply become the energy-the lightning-and give her a good jolt for her troubles. It wasn't lightning in the sense of Firebending; not when he could physically become the element, radiate it from his skin with a simple thought. A strong enough jolt could paralyze someone, cause muscles to clamp down, atrophy, even. But he wouldn't do that to Korra. Couldn't. After all, she was his best friend.

"Is there a reason you woke me up so early? Mornings are evil." he sighed at last, hoping the traitorous beat of his heart wouldn't betray him. A master bender she might be but Korra could be very...oblivious to certain things. Certainly not the concept that he was still in bed, however.

"My firebending test is today." she said it was though this explained everything, as though the purpose of her crimson firebending gear was patently obvious. "You promised you'd watch." her fingers absently traced the line of his scar, lost in thought. It looked better now, she thought, given all this time and the Spirit Water to mend. But, it was still there, present on the lower line of his jaw, etched into his neck. Looking at it reminded her of that unhappy day, the day she realized she needed to master her temper, lest it master her.

...I did?" his jaw opened in a bone-cracking yawn. He'd meant it in jest, but her eyes flashed. Uh-oh.

"Yes, you did!"

Then the watebender gave him a shake that sent his head spinning. Gah! So strong!

"Korra...you're making...me...dizzy!"

"Good!"

Naruto groaned, aquescing to her demands at last. "Alright, alright, let me up...you've kind got me pinned here." A pause. "Not that I mind." Shit! he mentally backhanded himself. Why did I say that?!

Korra colored and clamored off of him. "J-Just don't be late, alright?" Oh. Naruto blinked, watching her retreating form bustle out of his room in a streak of motion. Ohhhh...

Not so oblivious after all, then.

Tossing himself out of bed, he threw on a warm pair of furs, wrapped himself in a cloak, and hastened after her. Blinding light lanced into his eyes as he stepped outside, skittering off the snow and ice. Irritated, he took a bit of shadow and pulled it across his eyes, reducing the glare. Korra was already bounding ahead of him, little more than a red-and-bue point in the distance ahead of him. He loped after her quietly, taking a moment to survey the compound. As always, it amazed him how...unchanged the place was.

He'd spent the last seventeen years of his life here, yet the unyielding walls of ice still stood. His blood itched at the thought. He wanted to leave this walls behind! Go out and see the world, not spend the rest of his life as a bird trapped in a cage! Gilded or not, it didn't change the fact that there were still bars, guards, and all manner of things designed to keep him and Korra in, rather than let them out. Perhaps that would change, he mused, once Korra mastered airbending? Who knew?

As ever, some of the White Lotus gave him dirty looks. He wasn't a real bender in their eyes, just some castaway with strange skills. It was Katara's will that kept him here, they constantly reminded him, and if he tried to escape, if he stepped one foot out of line...bah! They just disliked the pranks he so delighted in playing upon them.

Naruto laughed at the thought and kept walking.

...well, people tended to be surprised when you grabbed their shadows and gave them a good hard yank. Moreso when you hid inside their own shadow and whispered in their ear! Ahh, Tenzin's face had been priceless, not something he'd soon forget!

After all, the shadow was part of a person's spirit. Pull them, and you pulled the person to whom they were attached. That was the most he was willing to risk. Molding the shadows was a tricky bit of business-especially when he reached too deep. Shadows could become anything. They weren't inherently evil, but it was a dangerously grey area-like bloodbending-that depended on the bender itself. When he latched onto a shadow, that shadow became an extension of himself. He could make it, and whomever it was bound to, do all sorts of interesting things.

Tugging, pulling, twisting, but not too much, because you could break someone that way.

There was even a theory that, given time, he could learn to bend time itself. Naruto was determined to try, if only to spite them.

They didn't understand that he did not always bend the elements; for things like dust and wood you had to reach deeper than that, pluck at the very molecules themselves. If they were resistant you'd get nowhere with it; but if they proved pliable enough you could use them, mold them, or in his case, become them...ah, but here he was.

He saw familiar faces as he climbed the stairs to the stands to the arena, lined now with age, but friends and family nonetheless. Katara graced him with a nod, smiing genially at the young man. Naruto returned with a bow of his own, and turned his eyes to the match. It must've already begun; because Korra was already moving, dancing amidst her firebending instructors with almost contemptuous ease. Three against one? That was blatantly unfair. For her. She was already picking them apart.

With a blinding WHOOSH of flame, Korra swept her leg and sent the last man sprawling.

"Hey, why all the gloom and doom, people!" She called, tugging off her helmet, grinning. "We should be celebrating! Three elements down, one to go!" Her blue eyes danced over to Naruto and her smile brightened like the sun itself. Unbidden, he felt a hot flush creep up the back of his neck.

"You're getting ahead of yourself as usual, Korra." one of the White Lotus sighed, "We haven't even decided if you'd passed your firebending test yet."

Naruto resolutely tuned out the ensuing arguement between her and the White Lotus. It wasn't until Katara vouched for her that he finally paid attention once more, and why was Korra coming up here and oh, he didn't like that look in her eye, it was far too familiar...

"C'mon!"

Whatever thoughts he might've entertained vanished as Korra took hold of his hand and shot forward, dragging him down off the stands in her wake. Soon enough she was running, forcing him into a hearty sprint just to keep up. It came as no surprise when she led him down to Naga's kennel, and, after an enthusiastic greeting by said polar bear dog, she threw a saddle on her back. It was only when she strapped it down and tried to pull him up after her that Naruto found the strength to protest. Reluctantly-very much so!-he tugged his hand from hers.

"Korra...what're you doing?"

"What?" she blinked. "I'm taking Naga out. You're coming, right?"

"You never let me ride Naga." he pointed out. And it was true. Korra was very possessive of her, refusing to let anyone ride her favorite mount. That she was trying to get him to ride behind her was...odd, to say the least of her.

The faintest pink flush dusted her cheeks as his words hit home. "Yeah, well...today's an exception."

"Shouldn't you change out of that?"

"Out of what?"

Naruto gestured lamely to her firebending outfit, all but forgotten in her haste. "I doubt that'll keep you very warm, firebending or not."

"Right, right," in a blur she dismounted, much to Naga's displeased whine. Her blue eyes sought out a small bag tossed haphazardly in the corner, just outside the door. "I'm pretty sure I left a change of clothes around here somewhere. Ah! Here they are." And then, to his disbelief, she started to undress. At first, he thought his eyes were playing some sort of devious tricks on him; Korra was just unbuckling the guards, peeling off the light, fire-retardent red suit, then the armor beneath it, leaving her clad in her usual leathers once more. Naruto could feel the blood rushing to his face. She cut a fierce figure, all curves and smooth lines, with just a hit of visible muscle,

"Gah, I stink." she muttered, sniffing. "Better change these, too-

He wanted to kick himself for it, but he couldn't just stand there, even when she started to pull up her shirt. For a moment, just one sweet, glorious moment, he had a view of that dark, ebon skin, the slender curve of her waist the smooth line of her back-

"KORRA!"

The poor girl started as if she'd been struck by lightning, but to his dismay, she didn't pull her shirt back down. Instead it hung there, offering a tantalizing glimpse of her stoned stomach. "What? You've seen me naked before."

"When we were kids!" Dear sweet kami, his nose was bleeding! "And that was in the bath!"

He saw the wires cross in her head, the realization. The slow flushing of her face was possible the most adorable thing he'd ever seen.

"Then close your eyes, idiot!"

Reluctantly he did.

He didn't peek either...

...alright, maybe a little.

"Just taking Naga out for a stroll!"

"Don't worry, we won't go far." Naruto seconded.

The guard reluctantly turned to open the gates. No sooner had he done so than Korra ushered Naga into a run. She wasn't expecting Naruto to suddenly release her waist and swing forward. Before she could stop him, he hit the ground running, his strong stride easily matching the loping bound of her steed. Teeth flashed a shining white in the light of the setting sun, a cheerful grin that just oozed challenge. Korra laughed and gave Naga full reign in response and she lurched forward with a happy yelp, delighted by the prospect of the race.

"Naga, go!" she cried. "Thatta girl! Go, go, go!"

Naga was all too happy to comply.

Naruto was Korra's mate after all, even if her mistress didn't yet know it. Tongue lolling in the wind, she easily overtook the swift human-that is, until Naruto shot forward with an unexpected burst of speed, his stride eating up the distance between them. Above, Naga heard Korra laugh, and she howled in response, a great baying cry that echoed across the drifts.

Naruto was laughing too, delighted by the prospect of running full tilt with his otherwordly strength and speed. No walls to slow him down! Nothing to cage him in!

It was...

...nice.

But it didn't last. It never did.

Korra was determined to go Republic City. Tenzin's visit-which Naruto had found wonderfully amusing-had stoked a fire in her. His refusal to teach her, to train her, until the situation there was stabilized did not sit well with her, nor did it him. Having known her for so long, it was easy to guess what she'd do next. Korra, above all, hated being told what to do. She'd been looking forward to her airbending training for months now, and, to have that snatched away from her...it made perfect sense that she'd disobey the White Lotus.

Sure enough, he found her later that night, saddling up Naga. Having hidden in the shadows for the last hour, Naruto wasn't surprised in the least. When he emerged, however, that was when he was truly surprised.

"So, you're going to the city."

She jerked around, trying to hide the saddle behind her back. To her credit, she didn't try to lie.

"Please don't tell anyone."

"Don't worry, I won't. Might I ask why, though?"

She turned away. "Look, I...I need to find my own way. I can't just stay here," her hand gestured angrily, "Cooped up for the rest of my life! Its driving me crazy!"

"That bad, huh?"

"YES!"

A moment of consternation, and then Uzumaki Naruto burst out laughing: rich, musical laughter. He flung his head back, unable to stop. Korra had clapped her hand over her mouth, and then she too began laughing helplessly. It was awful; it was embarrassing; it was likely to cause all sorts of messy complications in the future. Naruto didn't care.

"Well, be sure to send me a postcard.

"Please come with me!" She blurted out, grabbing his hands in a strong grip before he could turn away. "I don't want to go without you." Urk. Pluck at my heartstrings why dont'cha?!

"Korra, I...

Her expression turned piteous.

"Oh please, oh please, oh please...?" Then, when he waffled, she pushed harder. "You might be able to find out if there are others like you in the city! I mean, its worth a look, right? Tenzin said they have a huge library there, and...everything...

His expression stalled her out.

...you...you're not coming, are you?"

Naruto hesitated, considering. He did want out of the compound...but looking at her now, he realized that he wanted out with Korra at his side. It just...wouldn't be the same without her.

Of course, it hadn't taken Naruto long to discover the ways in which Korra was beautiful. That devilish, knowing smirk, the way her eyes twinkled when she was planning mischief. The infectious laugh, the one that lit up her whole face and shook her body with mirth. The sheer physicality of her, her complete and total comfort with her own body and her willingness to use it during combat; her assurance in her own strength, despite the countless times she'd been chastised for it, something that only made her stronger.

That voice, of course, smoke roiling through grass, that swore such dreadful, toe-curling things whenever she was absolutely livid, or when he tried to work or think or teach or do anything, really, that did not involve Korra and some sort of chaos, preferably her own. Those hands, slightly smaller than his own, with their smooth knuckles and nails, fingers strong, and calloused but as capable of being gentle as they were of leaving bruises.

And she had absolutely no idea what she did to him.

"So are you coming or not?" she

"I'm your man, Korra." he sighed at last. "Wherever you go, I'll go."

There was a silence.

Then delighted squeak forced itself between her lips; and he found himself trapped in a bonecrushing hug.

"YES!"

"Korra! Can't breathe!"

"Oh, right! Sorry!" then she realized their close proximity and colored all over again. "We should ah...get going, right?"

Naruto sputtered. "Yeah."

"Sure."

"Great."

"Lets do that."

They turned away to make their preparations, trying to hide their faces for what they thought were entirely different reasons. Remarkably, they shared one thought:

'Well, that wasn't awkward at all...

A/N: And so there you have it! NarutoxKorra, growing up together in the Avatar-verse! Initially, I had thought to go with the whole NARUKO idea, but hey, I already have a fem!Naruto and Avatar story in the works. Avatar: A Legacy Untold! After all, I've tried so many different offshoots off the Avatar genre as a whole that I finallythought to myself, you know what? I should get back to basics. And so here we are, at the start of it alll...and hilarity shall ensue! Naruto will have his chakra still, but as to being a bender...well, his situation will be...unique. Wonder what I mean? Well, you'll just have to stay tuned to find out!

So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review, Would You Kindly? And of course, enjoy the preview! It'll make you smile!

(Preview!)

Naruto cocked his head aside, baffled by the metalbender's proclamation. A hand rose lazily, scratching at the bac of his head. When he finally spoke, the blond sounded just as stupefied as she felt. A finger pointed at the indignant officer standing before them, hands planted firmly on his hips. He sounded quite befuddled, Naruto did:

"Is he arresting us?"

Korra nodded her assent. "Yeah, I think he's arresting us."

"He can't arrest us."

"Right."

"We're not the bad guys."

"Right."

"Well then," he folded his arms, looking quite serious about the whole affair. "There's only one thing to do."

She nodded her assent, they exchanged a shared glance, a thought, and grinned.

"RUN!"

Then they bolted.

R&R! =D