Sorry for lack of updates. No motivation :( Also, the last week of school, so it's extremely busy. I'll try to keep updating, but…

Chapter 24

After the night of assassins attacking the camp and the aftermath of battle, Korra had been under constant supervision. Many of the guards had been injured in the mission to take down and kill Korra and Howl was among them. His leg had been sliced into shreds and, though Korra had healed him, he still had a dull pain whenever he twisted it wrong. And on top of the time differences both of them had during the day—Howl was permanently on night duty while Korra slept and Korra trained during the day to become a better firebender—she was under messenger hawk eyes every waking moment.

He felt more separated from her now than ever, sitting on top of the sentry tower with a watchful eye. It was where they had used to meet and where he had used to read to her when she couldn't sleep. Howl felt a sudden pang of sadness in his stomach, glancing out over nothing but moon-lit snow. He was extremely tired, too. Without her by his side, the nightmares of losing her had grown worse and worse. Sitch had pointed out that he had bags under his eyes and that he'd let stubble grow out on his chin. He wondered if his friend knew why both were present.

Howl could hardly even read anymore; he wasn't allowed to anymore on duty and he never could focus on it when he had the time. His mind was always trying to keep the memory of her alive. It was like all of his dreams had been flipped upside down and shattered under a Grand Lotus' shoe. No longer did his first dream envision him and Korra with two to three children clinging to their hips. Now all he dreamt of was holding her in his arms again. Howl felt a growl forming in his throat and he crossed his arms across his chest. The summer weather in the South Pole was still freezing.

His mind flickered to the thought of Korra and the first time they'd been together. The passion, the heat, the fade of loneliness… Howl buried his face in his hands, shaking his head. This torture of being apart from her wasn't going to end. He had to be with her, had to kiss her. But he couldn't. If there was any higher chance of him getting caught and fired, it was now. While the others were still high off of adrenaline from the battle that they would do anything to protect Korra's room. Death was an option.

Before they had been separated, though, Korra had promised him that they would be able to be together soon. Her eyes had had a certain flicker in them, and he'd known her words would be true. He knew she would find a way to meet him in time, but he was just… so confused. So confused on when they would be able to at least talk again. Howl's fingers found themselves digging past his helmet and grabbing his hair, trying to get the pain of not seeing her out of his head. He didn't know what he would do if she just disappeared from him.

"Howl," He heard a deep voice and sighed, glancing up at Sitch. He should have known that the morning was coming and that the shifts were changing, but he still didn't see the rare colors of the dawn. He frowned as Sitch hobbled forward, handing him a small but noticeable piece of paper. His heart jumpstarted when he saw the familiar but hardly readable handwriting Korra had. "I'm here to relieve you." Sitch said without looking at it. Howl couldn't tear his gaze off of the small note but gave the weakest of nods to let his friend know he'd heard it. He fingered the ribbon on the note before standing.

As soon as he was away from his friend, he unraveled the paper and exhaled when he saw that it truly was Korra's. There's a tunnel under my room. I made it so that we could still meet. Go to the alley and lift the snow under the trashcan. You should find a door. I love you. Don't get caught. -Korra. He smiled at her ending. It seemed that she had rubbed off on him and he had done the same for her. He took no time to cross the still healing camp and entered the alleyway within seconds.

He didn't realize his fingers were shaking until he stuffed the note into his pocket and struggled to move the trash bin. Then Howl bent down and began wiping the snow away, his breath firmly held. He didn't want this to be a cruel joke that had gotten his hopes up. He didn't think he could handle something as bad as that. Suddenly, his hand pushed the snow away and he recognized the distant shape of a lid. Prying his hands under the metal structure, he struggled and pulled it open. He threw the lid to the side and peered down the dark hole. Though Howl wasn't afraid of the dark, he wasn't comfortable of falling into a pit. He desperately wished he'd brought some sort of light.

Still, the urge to see her was more important. He inhaled a deep breath and slid into the hole, his boots slamming against hard stone. It smelled musky and wet as he moved the lid back over the entrance of the hole, and total darkness laced around him. He instinctively placed his hands on the wall and moved along them, his feet shuffling slowly. The musky scent grew stronger and stronger the longer he was in the tunnel. Howl felt the walls begin to sink in and fear pooled in the pit of his stomach. What if this was a trap?

Then he ran into something cold and metallic. His head and stomach ached as he realized what it was; a ladder. He wrapped his hands around a rung and blinked multiple times, hoping for the slightest light. When nothing happened, he exhaled and searched through the pitch black for the next rung. His fingers banged against it and screamed in pain, but wrapped themselves around it and pulled up.

By the time he'd found a rhythm to his climbing, he banged his head on something hard. Spirits, he was thankful for that helmet. But now he was trapped under a slab of stone. He cursed angrily and slammed his hand against the roof. The clang of metal shuddered and screeched, and suddenly light invaded his mind. "Howl!" Korra whispered, offering a hand to him which he blindly accepted. His head was swimming with dizziness.

She pulled him up into her room and closed the hole up, before throwing her arms around him. Howl felt the pressure of her body against his and smiled, unable to help himself. He tightened his grip around her waist and pulled her against him, holding her tightly in her spot. He didn't want the moment to end; peace and happiness and joy of seeing her again. He savored the smell of her luxurious hair and cradled her to him.

Then she pulled away slightly and he saw the same exhaustion on her face that'd he'd seen in the mirror multiple times. "You're tired." He whispered, moving a strand of loose hair behind her ear. She hardly nodded, shame and anger flashing in her eyes. "It's okay, you know."

"No. It's not. This isn't fair, Howl, they can't do this." She mumbled angrily, untangling her arms from him. Howl sighed, unable to help himself. He'd wanted that moment to last forever, holding her in his grip until the White Lotus recognized their embrace. "I just want to be with you, Howl."

"You know they've got a good reason for keeping you locked away like this." He said softly, suddenly very aware of her new room. The walls were made of pure stone, with one door and no windows. It was like a prison, he realized. The fireplace had been replaced by a heater in the corner of the room. Her bed was where it used to be, but tiny compared to the nearly empty room. There were no books, no trinkets; his own bout of anger grew when he realized his carvings and dream catcher were destroyed. Korra's only happiness was outside and she couldn't even be alone then.

Korra's gaze flickered to his. "Like this? There is no reason for me to be kept like an animal, Howl! I have feelings too, you know!" A flash of hurt flickered across her face and she sunk onto the bed, burying her head into her face. "I want out. I want to leave."

"But Korra…." He whispered, sitting down beside her so that their legs were touching. Her head fell against his upper arm and he sighed. "Don't leave yet. Stay until you've mastered airbending. Then we'll leave." He promised, taking her hand in his. Korra's gaze lifted to his, her blue eyes wavering slightly, as if she were debating in her head. It was moments like this when Howl wished he could read emotions better, or could hear what was going on in her head. "They'll loosen up in time, when they realize those assassins are gone."

"You think?" She questioned, her gaze focused on their intertwined hands. Howl nodded once and thankfully heard her sigh. "I just wish that we could escape without having to worry about being followed."

Howl wondered if there was any way he could cheer her up. "As soon as we leave, we can go to Ember Island." He promised, taking her chin into his hands and tilting it upwards to look at him. So badly he wanted to kiss her, but he didn't feel like damaging the peacefulness by having a conquering battle. Instead he held her in his arms, cradling her in the scoop of his body. They had time, surely, but that didn't mean he could waste the calmness he literally never saw in her.

He felt her hands trailing down his back and the peacefulness was immediately ruined. "Let me love you, Howl." She begged, her words like ice as they reached his ears. Howl blinked uncertainly, wondering whether they had that much time. "Let me try."

"Korra—"

"Please," Her voice was a weak whisper as she buried her fingers into his tunic, moving to push her fingers against his bare skin. Howl inhaled sharply, unable to help himself as her searing touch made his heart race a thousand times too fast. "Please," She whispered, standing on her tiptoes to kiss his lips softly. Howl shuddered. There used to be nothing about Korra that was soft; now it was her touch, her lips, her grace, her begging whispers…

He had to get out of there before another guard woke her up. "I'm sorry Korra, but not right now." He dismissed her gently. "They're going to wake you soon and I really don't want to be caught here, not now." Her signature pout crawled across her face, annoyed and somewhat broken. Howl sighed. "I'll find a way to get off duty one night and then you can try."

Though her face didn't express relief, he saw it in the depth of her eyes. Hurt shadowed them, grief and anger mixed into a well built barrier. Her lips rose to his expectantly. At least, he thought, he could give her a goodbye kiss. Their mouths locked together with fervor, quiet moans escaping Korra's throat. He instantly regretted not letting her have her way; he desperately wanted it too. But the thought of getting caught was heavy in his mind, and he wouldn't let it happen.

Korra tried to deepen the kiss but he broke it off within seconds of the embrace. She would get her way one day—hopefully soon—but now wasn't the time. "I love you," He whispered softly, kissing her on the nose, before he, too, was gone.

Never before had she wanted so badly to scream, to cry, but she pushed the knot down deep into the pit of her stomach. Howl was so distant know and, even though she knew he was trying not to be, and that it was incredibly hard to be in love with the Avatar, she wondered if their relationship would ever be the same.