Bathing with Noatak when there wasn't supposed to be any lewdness could be a unique experience- one moment there was sensuality, the next there was playful banter and then suddenly he turned back into serious protective mode before melting into lightheartedness again. It was with some ridiculousness that Korra was beginning to wonder which of them was really more prone to mood swings.

After their little truce they had indulged in washing each other, mostly due to Korra's insistence because she liked playing around with the different soaps and products that Asami stacked the place with and Noatak didn't seem to mind even if she made a gigantic bubbly chaos just to wash his hair. He didn't mind taking everything in stride just because he was fond of watching her childish joy as she mischievously made a mess, and it didn't hurt that by the end of her antics her hair smelled like jasmine and her skin like vanilla making him want to literally have his mouth all over her wet body.

Noatak wasn't quite sure where she got all the liveliness to play around until the entire surface of the water was topped with a thick layer of foam, the temperature of the water had been bent up several degrees and she moved around him and frolicked in the sloshing liquid until the bathroom floor was flooded but he assumed that all the pent up energy of sleeping for so long probably helped and Korra really was a naturally energetic person. By the time Korra judged that they were sufficiently 'clean', which is to say that she was growing bored of making a soapy mess all over the place, they settled back down in their original position with her back to his chest and her head tipped over his shoulder, simply enjoying the good mood and the bubbles that floated against them.

"I certainly hope our child doesn't turn out to have your mischievous hyperactivity." He commented mockingly as she bent little strings of water over the soapsuds.

"Why not?" Korra smirked defiantly. "Afraid an old man like you can't keep up?"

"Precisely. You'd both be the death of me." He joked lightly watching her move her arms slowly to bend bobbles of liquid in front of her for no reason other than boredom.

"Ah, ah! Funny." Korra stuck her tongue out at him which he caught between his lips for a kiss. When they broke away she grinned. "Ok, then what can the kid get from me?"

"Your beauty." He replied promptly. "As well as your smile, talent, kindness, compassion and extroverted nature."

"I know you're buttering me up but that's a lot to inherit just from me." Korra laughed with a little smugness. "What about you?"

"I'm afraid there aren't many good qualities of my own to pass down." Noatak thought for a moment. "Perhaps my patience and semi-eidetic memory."

"Don't be stupid, there are plenty of other things." Korra kissed his jaw impulsively, enjoying the closeness and good mood.

"Such as?" Noatak was curious as to what she had in mind, considering that the majority of what she knew about him consisted of negative character traits.

"Tarrlok said you had been a kind loving brother and I know that you always had a strong sense of justice even if it was twisted at some point." Korra didn't let her smile falter despite knowing that Tarrlok was a touchy subject between them. "I wouldn't mind if the baby inherited that loving kindness and sense of justice, rather than my selfish hard head."

"I happen to like that selfish hard head." Noatak replied, poking her forehead lightly for emphasis. "But you do realize that your words just implied that you want this child to be sibling." Noatak knew that wasn't what she meant but she made teasing far too easy to resist.

"You know that's not what I meant!" Korra protested immediately but she then flushed a little and mumbled self-consciously. "I guess maybe someday in the very distant future that might not be so bad though…"

"You never cease to surprise me, Korra." Noatak was watching her with warmth in his eyes, he had never considered that she might actually think that far ahead, after all this child was unplanned but if she willingly considered another then what exactly did that say about the extent of her feelings for him?

"Anyway…" Korra dragged the word loudly trying to shift the subject before it became even more flustering. "I have another trait I'd like our baby to get from you."

"Do tell."

"If it's a boy then it can get your looks; that would be good." Korra grinned.

"My old appearance, you mean? You only glimpsed it once, did it make that much of an impression?" Noatak was now even more curious, he had never given his appearance much thought or he wouldn't have considered hiding behind a mask for so long nor would he be able to handle his disfigurement so easily, Tarrlok had been the one to sport all the vanity of the family not him, so he wondered what exactly made Korra say this.

"I only had to see it once to have it branded into my brain. I think you underestimate how hot you are." Korra chuckled.

"Was." He corrected with good humor.

"No, are. You were a knock-out before, yes, and now you are very scarred but you were handsome enough before that it's still all there if anyone just takes the time to see past the scars." Korra shrugged as if it was all quite obvious and she spoke with honest innocence. "I might be biased because I like you no matter what you look like but it doesn't hurt that you're handsome, and I really do think you are."

"You have a very unique way of seeing things, Korra." Noatak kissed her lips softly. "I thank you for that but I still think I prefer to see you in our child."

"Well, if it's a boy it can look just like you and I'll be happy for it." Korra insisted stubbornly. "In fact I have a feeling it will be a boy."

"Is that your wish or some sort of Avatar intuition?"

"…Just a feeling." Korra didn't want to consider anything regarding Avatar intuition or precognition but she certainly had the sensation that the child would be male, she just hoped it was because she kept projecting Noatak's face on it whenever she tried to imagine the baby.

"Well, it seems your impatient nature will make you suffer because there is still a long way to go until we find out." Noatak traced down her cheek quietly, noting that this was the longest and most casual conversation they had ever had about the child.

"I don't mind. I need time to get used to the idea anyway." Korra shrugged but there was something else on her mind as she leaned into his touch. "Noatak…"

"Yes?" He began instinctively kissing her neck again, savoring the vanilla scent of her skin.

"This baby will be happy right?" What Korra really wanted to ask was what would happen if the child inherited Noatak's family skill but somehow she couldn't make the words come out and she knew that neither of them would ever let the child follow in Noatak's or Tarrlok's footsteps.

"Yes, happy and proud to have the legendary Avatar has its mother." Noatak could feel the hesitant anxiety in her voice and he could guess the reason for it so he tried to reassure her and wrapped his arms more tightly around her body.

"You're buttering up my ego again." Korra pointed out turning her head to look at him. "It's working."

"Excellent." He kissed her lips softly.

Korra kissed back lovingly, allowing him to nip at her pouty lips and meld their mouths together as their tongues met for a gentle duel for dominance. She was in an excellent mood, despite the lingering hunger and slight pounding in her head, but then again why shouldn't she be? Asami was safe, Korra's friends had handled Noatak's identity better than she could ever have dreamed, the baby was fine, she was in a colossal warm cozy bath with the man she loved who happened to be in an equally good mood, and the world just seemed peachy and perfect all of the sudden. Even all the negativity, the problems of tomorrow and the suspicions of yesterday didn't seem to want to make an appearance in her mind at the moment, she just wanted to enjoy those minutes of bliss.

The kiss broke with puffs of hot air exiting their lips at each exhale. There was an exchange of heated glances between them and Noatak's hands slid up her body under the sloshing embrace of the water until her hands joined his in slow caresses.

"I thought this wasn't supposed to be sensual." Korra smiled teasingly again.

"It wasn't." Noatak placed another kiss on her lips.

"What if the others are waiting for us?" Korra didn't really care if they suspected what was happening, she was pregnant after all so it was probably obvious to everyone what they did behind closed doors. "We've already been in here a long time."

"They aren't." He replied tracing the curve of her breasts lightly in the serene water.

"You sound very sure of yourself." Korra bit her lower lip at the simple little pleasure of his actions.

"We just dropped some very heavy news on them. I am fairly certain they will need time to take it all in." His slow gentle touches nearly sent shivers up her spine.

"Good point." Korra grimaced a little at the thought of how the brothers must be handling the news but she just couldn't avoid pressing closer to Noatak.

"However, I do think we might have to cut this short for other reasons." His fingers laced with hers dropping down to her waist again.

"Like what?" She sounded a little disappointed.

"You just slept for over a day and night. I suspect you must be fairly hungry and light headed." He cocked a brow at her, daring her to disagree with him.

"Yes, I'm hungry…" Korra moved away and turned to crawl on all fours over his reclined body with warm droplets of water dripping from her hair and the swell of her breasts as she leaned closer to kiss up his throat and move a stray lock of coffee colored hair from his marked face. "But not necessarily for food."

"Always so impulsive." Noatak shook his head softly but watched her every move very carefully.

"And you love it." She grinned kissing up his jaw before moving back to look into eyes a little smugly and move over to his lap with one arm draping over his shoulder as his hand reached for her waist.

"That I do." He captured her lips in a deeper and much more possessive kiss and his free hand climbed up her wet thigh to settle on her lovely hip and pull her body flush against his.

Water and bubbles sloshed out of the way for their bodies to meld together and suddenly Korra was crushed to Noatak's body, their skins slipping together in the soapy bath as the kiss became more intense and possessive on both sides, it was a gnash of lips and teeth and a battle of tongues, neither of them willing to back down from the fight for dominance.

Both of Korra's arms wrapped around his neck as she attempted to press closer to him causing her sensitive swollen breasts to crush and grind to the flat hard planes of his chest; his hand on her hip held her close in an almost punishing grip and the other hand climbed up her back with deliberately slow teasing strokes as she straddled his lap closely feeling the growing heat between their bodies stir something primal and carnal that became evident by the growing erection that rubbed against her heated sex with delicious friction in the warm liquid embrace of the water.

The kiss broke abruptly with gasps for air and Korra pressed her forehead to his, allowing her fingers to knot in his hair as she deliberately ground her hips closer to his, feeling the harsh slide of his erect flesh on her sensitive pearl over and over again until she realized there were little sounds echoing in the stony room and they all came from her parted lips that hung barely open just like her half-lidded eyes that looked down to their molded bodies rejoicing in the clash of curvy dark smooth skin with angular lighter marred skin. Noatak had his hands on her hip and now on her loose hair too and his eyes bore into her as he felt her aroused eagerness warp his senses like a sweet sort of drunkenness.

"You certainly are acting hungry for lust, Korra." Noatak whispered huskily and her name was like a purr on his lips that sent butterflies flying inside Korra's body.

"I am." Korra kissed his lips with bruising force just for a moment, holding his dark hair in a tighter grip. "I can't stop." She really couldn't, her mind was clouded with the urgent need to feel him, all of him, and the need for release was literally guiding her every move. Soft restrained moans choked out from her lips and she continued to press and grind to him in the water trying to goad him into pushing her further as she kissed him again and again. "Please, Noatak…"

"I can't deny you anything." Noatak kissed back each time and gave in, sensing the urgency of her need.

He remembered Korra acting this way before, with an irrational and uncontrollable sort of lust that seemed to flame a hunger in her that made her go at him like a wild beast. He liked it. He enjoyed the teasing playful Korra that made every intimate moment feel sweet in a world that was uncomplicated and theirs alone, he loved the submissive Korra that surrendered herself to him so beautifully and fed off his dark side begging for a sort of forceful aggressive release that no one but him was allowed to give, but he adored this Korra too- this frantic, passionate, domineering, impulsive creature of pure desire that hungered for urgent lascivious pleasure. They were all Korra, his Korra, and he took the utmost delight in satisfying each of those sides of her.

Noatak didn't know how she could shift from a playful affectionate girl to a lustful woman that rubbed against him like a sexually starved animal in heat in a matter of mere seconds but he wasn't complaining in the least. He shoved all other thoughts to the side and focused on her desires which were now his own as well.

His hands glided down to her hips again before moving in the warmth of the water and suddenly Korra was gasping in surprise as her body was lifted by the liquid itself giving him access to her naked form. His mouth found her throat, kissing and biting all the way down to her exposed chest, enjoying the exotic scent and the clean soapy taste of her skin while manipulated little torrents of water teased and swirled the most sensitive private corners of her body until she struggled against the watery grip out of sheer need to press to him again. He wanted to tease her, to push her further, so he gave just the amount of pleasure necessary to drive her crazy without being anywhere near enough.

His mouth found a nipple and closed around it, sucking slowly but intensely before tugging at the tender flesh with his teeth until she writhing and biting her bottom lip in that sensual way he loved so much. Noatak's body ached with the desire to clash to her again and possess her in ways that only he could, that only he ever had, but he was all about control and he would wait until she took over.

"Sneaky little tease." Korra moaned out the complaint and moved her arms to bend the water until his arms were trapped behind her back in a liquid hold, breaking his bending and causing her to her fall smack into his body.

"You like it." Noatak chuckled lightly in that same husky voice and watched her grind to him again. "Don't you, Korra?"

"So do you." Her words were drowned out by another moan as her heated body molded to his, feeling sparks of pleasure as every sensitive part of her clashed roughly with him and one of her hands gripped his chin in a display of ownership so she could plant an intense hungry kiss on his lips practically sucking them open for her sweet assault.

By the time their lips parted, Korra released him and her free hand travelled down between their glued bodies searching for the proof of his arousal while her other hand continued to bend the liquid hold around his trapped hands. At last, she decided to freeze his wrists together in icy cuffs and the sudden temperature shock that jarred with the hot bath water sent shivers all over his body and Korra grinned at the little surge of power his reaction gave her but she was too eager to linger in the sensation too long; her fingers found his rock hard shaft and wrapped around the heated flesh gently but firmly causing Noatak's breath to hitch before she guided him to her blazing slippery entrance.

Korra suddenly slammed down and his length invaded her body so sharply and intensely that Korra arched her chest to him and threw her head back in a split second reaction, barely registering the echoing cry of pleasure that slipped from her lips as his bound hands gripped at her upper back reflexively.

Noatak was openly staring at her with amazement, he didn't particularly like being restrained and could have come loose easily if he so wished but the situation was so astonishingly erotic and intense making him completely forget that for once he wasn't in full control. Korra looked gorgeous in the dominant role, she was perfect and beautiful in the submissive side as the Avatar that bowed down to him but in this situation she managed to looked sensual in the position of power that fit her title perfectly and the way she acted, albeit instinctive and a little clumsy, was like an aphrodisiac to all of his senses.

Korra's fingers laced tightly together on the back of his neck and she moved, rolling her hips to ride his body with fluid rhythmic movements that sent waves of water and frothy foam sloshing against them and out the tub as her hardened nipples rubbed all over his skin. She was biting into her lip again trying to restrain the wild sounds that rushed from her mouth as she pressed closer to him with her wet chestnut hair spilling all over her face but the moans still echoed off the stony walls while her eyes fluttered shut with the intensity of the sensations.

Noatak's restrained hands clung to her like a drowning man to a buoy and he pressed closer to her, burying his face into the curve of her neck, kissing and sinking his teeth in the tender flesh just enough to bruise before his tongue followed the path of his bites. He allowed her to set the tempo, giving her the lead but the way she grew more and more impatient, moving faster and harder with each passing minute, made him groan against his will and the coil of pleasure tightened at furious speed as her tight, hot, greedy core sucked his sensitive, heated hard flesh into her body with unrivaled passion.

He wasn't even aware that he was murmuring her name until one of her hands came loose from his neck and gripped his jaw, forcing him to look up at her flushed dazed face that looked so beautiful before she kissed him harshly, silencing both of their passion-addled voices.

Korra's movements became even more ferocious and so intensely fast that the water around them bubbled and frothed from their movement; the spot where theirs bodies were so intimately connected in the water gave the molten sensation that they were melting and mingling together, signaling the approach of their inevitable climax. Noatak couldn't handle much more of the unpredictable and uncontrolled rhythm and the coil of desire snapped, sending explosive pleasure rocketing through his tensed body as rush after rush of seed shot right into her body and the sensation sent Korra herself over the edge as her nails suddenly dug into his shoulders scratching his skin passionately while her core rippled around him, her body seized and shook with pleasure and her echoing screams of lust were swallowed up by their kiss that was now no more than a smashing clash of lips as they slowly and shakily came down from the heights of passion together.

Noatak wasn't sure when but the icy binds on his wrists seemed to have melted in the heated water and yet he didn't let go of his grip on her and Korra obviously didn't plan on letting go any time soon either. Her forehead fell to his shoulder as her now rubbery arms wrapped loosely around his neck whilst her body melted to his lazily, unwilling to break the connection between them. For his part, Noatak clung to her possessively, holding her to his body and burying his face in her damp fragrant hair unable to let go even if he wanted to while they both panted shakily.

"And so I discover yet another side to you." Her murmured throatily in her ear and felt her chuckle in reply.

"I don't know what came over me but…that was good." She stretched the word drowsily but happily. "It's always so good…" She seemed to be spacing out a little. "…isn't it?"

"Yes, it is." «Because it's with you.» He added in his dazed mind.

"I love you, Noatak." She nuzzled into his neck seeming to have recovered her breath but still acting dreamy. "No matter what happens." The words held a heavy shadowed promise.

"I love you too, Korra." He replied automatically before his brain could consider the words but that was acceptable because it was the truth and sometimes, even if they both knew it, the words needed to be said out loud.

They remained in the close intimate position, simply basking in each other's presence with Korra bending little swirls in the water with her lazy hands, until the bath grew tepid and almost cold and her stomach began growling loudly in hungry protest.

"I believe that is our cue to go." Noatak tipped Korra's chin so she looked up to his face. "You need to eat and your friends have had enough time to themselves."

"Sounds good." Korra grinned lazily and kissed his cheek. "Let's go before they send a search party."

Noatak ended up having to fix Korra's mess by bending all the water that flooded the floor back onto the tub, allowing it to drain while the Avatar dried herself off a little sluggishly and got dressed in the fresh clothes Asami had provided. Noatak had had clothes provided too but he had no idea how Miss Sato had managed to find garments in his size on such short notice, still, the high-neck dark grey and maroon overcoat with a yellow undershirt and the black slacks fit perfectly, just like the simple red side-buttoned long sleeve shirt with the Future Industries gear logo on the shoulders and dark burgundy pants that Korra wore. Luckily, their own boots were still wearable and had been cleaned. The only thing that left Noatak a little uncomfortable was the lack of the usual cowl to conceal his masked face.

Korra insisted in combing his hair even if there really wasn't that much to comb in the first place since he still kept it as short as the day they had met, she seemed to enjoy that silly little pleasure. He ended up doing the same for her, noting how her hair seemed even longer than he remembered back in the cave before he began tying it up in her usual messy hairstyle.

"You haven't cut it since you came back?" He enquired curiously, looking at Korra on the large wall mirror in front of which she sat.

"I trimmed it but I guess I shouldn't have, huh?" Korra shrugged grimacing a little when Asami's ivory comb snagged a tangle.

"If you're referring to the Water Tribe tradition of not cutting a pregnant woman's hair, I think the superstition only really applies from the moment you actually know that you're expecting." He smirked slightly and finished tying up her main ponytail.

"We seem to be coming back to this topic a lot today." Korra returned his smirk and got up to watch him buckle his mask into place. "Though if it's more than superstition I really would prefer not to risk cutting this pregnancy short over hair." Korra chortled at the silliness of the old wives tale.

"You're right. Enough talk." He made sure the high collar of her borrowed shirt concealed the love marks he had left and then he waved at the door. "Shall we?"

"Yeah, let's go." Korra grinned and lead the way out. His last little action had reminded her of the angry scratches she had left on his shoulders, she had offered to heal them but he declined and stated he liked them but the memories they invoked were giving her inappropriate ideas again so she decided she might as well focus on the second thing she wanted the most at the moment- food.

~~~~~~.:oOo:.~~~~~~

(Author's Note: The tradition of not cutting a pregnant woman's hair actually exists in several cultures but more predominantly in Japanese Shinto followers.

Oh, and yeah, this was another smexy fluffy chapter and the next couple of chappys might be too because I'm trying to make up for all the violence, drama and angst up ahead.)