Note: Ah! Sorry it's been what may seem like ages since I last updated this fic (in terms of how often I output). I have had this chapter sitting in Word for like a couple of days with like a couple of paragraphs because my time has been consumed by other things. As usual, thanks for the nice reviews, follows, etc. Also to the anon reviewer asking if my initials were B.W. or if my name was Ben, alas I am just some weirdo lady that does not have those initials and feels the need to write fan fic. Sorry to disappoint.

"You look like a goddess," Noatak said.

Korra smiled at Noatak's whispers and the gentle touches he made skimming her arm. Everything felt close and beautiful in the moonlight. He planted small kisses on her brows and lips. Noatak stopped to gaze into her eyes, bright and wonderfully reflecting the moonlight. When Korra looked into Noatak's eyes, she saw the intense stare of a man captured.

"I have a gift for you," Noatak said.

He pulled a bit away from Korra and placed his hand on his chest.

"It's a bit silly of me. So I will understand if you don't feel the same way," he said.

Noatak pulled a black box from underneath his doublet and handed it to Korra. She slowly opened the box and gasped at the sight- possibly the most gorgeous betrothal necklace she had ever seen. The light hit the necklace perfectly and reflected the shine of a hundred twinkling stars. The platinum weaved in and out in its intricate dance with diamonds and dipping to the pendant. The pendant was a gray blue stone in the shape of a teardrop, polished to perfection. On the pendant was a carving of a flame touching the earth and being swept by a gale.

"We don't have to get married right away. Or ever, if that's how you feel. I just wanted to let you know that I want to make this kind of promise with you," Noatak said.

Korra closed the box and looked down at it. Noatak already felt a little sting of rejection. It was embarrassing to be rejected as man his age. The idea of rejection never entered into his mind before when he decided to do this. He should have known well since his downfall. Before the next thought entered his mind, Korra slung her arms tightly around Noatak, pulling him close to her.

"Yes," she said.

"What?" Noatak said.

"I accept," Korra said.

"Really?"

"Of course. I'm just a little overwhelmed. The necklace is so incredibly beautiful, and I know you must have worked so hard on it."

"Well… I'm glad you love it."

"Of course I did. But I probably would have loved it even if it was the ugliest looking betrothal necklace ever."

Noatak snorted.

"I am pretty confident enough in my tastes to say that I would never pick an ugly betrothal necklace," Noatak said.

"I know," Korra said.

Korra lead Noatak back to her room and onto the pile of furs she called her bed. Noatak took off his cape and ribbon and made a loud sigh of relief. Korra sat in front of him and attempted to remove the mask from behind. Noatak laughed and brushed her hands away. He carefully started to remove the mask and unbraid the ribbons and flowers from her hair.

"That couldn't have come out any sooner," Korra said.

"I know the feeling. This costume is absolutely ridiculous Korra," Noatak said.

"What's so ridiculous? I picked it out!" Korra said.

Korra poked at Noatak's chest and pushed him down onto the furs. Her fingers played around with the buttons on the vest.

"I think you look very handsome in this. Like a bandit," Korra said.

"I don't think you've ever seen a bandit then. They look awful," Noatak said.

"Then maybe you're some wandering sea rogue," Korra said.

"Where do you even get these ideas?" Noatak said.

"The maids tell me all about the radio dramas they listen to. I think one of them has a masked bandit as the hero."

Noatak rolled his eyes. Korra laughed and fell beside Noatak like she was fainting.

"Oh please help me Mr. Bandit!" Korra said.

"Korra, you and I both know that in any situation, you do pretty well on your own," Noatak said.

"Oh that's not the kind of help I need," Korra said.

She gave that devilish smirk and pushed her dress a little past her shoulders.

"This body yearns for your touch," Korra said.

Noatak's eyebrows lifted as he reached the dress to pull it down a little further.

"Well… I certainly didn't expect this on the night that we promised to get married," Noatak said.

"Then what did you expect?" Korra asked.

Noatak reached further to kiss Korra's neck.

"First, I thought you would have wanted to talk about this whole marriage thing…" Noatak said.

He nipped at her ear before resuming his kisses on Korra's neck and shoulder blade. He sucked tenderly on the hollow of her neck.

"Then what was next?" Korra said.

"I didn't think past that because you were taking off your dress," Noatak said.

"Easily distracted?" Korra said.

"Just by you," Noatak said.

Noatak snatched the black box from Korra's side and waved the box in front of her. He made a playful grin.

"I just realized something. I still haven't seen you in this. Now… considering how you're acting tonight… well… I think I'd just like to see you only in this," Noatak said.

Korra laughed as she got up. Noatak took the necklace from its box and then brushed Korra's hair aside. He unclasped the necklace and placed it around her neck. When he secured the necklace around her neck, he leaned back to look at Korra. She smiled at Noatak and the look on his face. He looked awestruck with his mouth slightly opened and then quickly shutting it to smile back at her. He scratched his head and sighed.

"You look perfect," Noatak said.

"Although…. A bit overdressed," Korra said.

"Just a little," Noatak said.

Korra stood up and slowly let the gauzy dress slip off her body. Noatak blinked fast at the sight of her. Even after seeing her like this many times, he felt so undeserving to be with her like this. Noatak never understood why everything happened the way they did with Korra- especially this. He only knew that she made the hole inside of him feel less like it was there than anything else did. They didn't want to take the pain away from each other. They wanted to be the people that held each other's hearts to when they couldn't do it themselves. Noatak hoped that Korra knew this and knew that this is what he thought of when he carved the pendant she was wearing. He carved the kind of pendant that wanted to say every little thing it could about what their relationship was- that complicated mess that somehow turned into something. It wasn't a betrothal necklace for the Avatar by a man who took that away from her. It was a betrothal necklace for a woman by a man who loved her.

"Say something. You've been just standing there like something is wrong with you," Korra said.

"It's nothing… I'm just thinking about us," Noatak said.

"Really? Because I was thinking about us too," Korra said.

"Is that so?" Noatak said.

"Always… anyway… someone… not naming names… well someone has too many clothes on," Korra said.

Noatak smiled as Korra unbuttoned the jerkin. When she removed that item of clothing, she straddled herself around Noatak and slowly unclasped the doublet. She saw the smooth and muscled torso of Noatak once they removed all the layers. Korra's fingers traced along the defined lines of his muscles. His body was incredibly taut, which Korra always loved. Noatak was not bulky like Bolin or lithe like Mako. No, he was just right. She loved his not too short but not too long hair because she liked to comb her fingers through the soft and dark hair. Korra stared into piercing blue eyes that always seemed to be looking for hers. Years ago, she would have been angry and frightened looking at what would seem like cold eyes, but she now could only see the eyes of sadden man weathered by the terrible events that needed someone like her to trust. Even amidst all the sadness of his eyes, there lay a bit of lust for just her. She didn't need to look into his eyes for this. Just the way he reached out gently touched her breast with fingertips that lightly circled around her was enough. Korra stilled his hand.

"Tonight is my night. You'll get to do what you want on your birthday," Korra said.

Noatak nodded as Korra pushed him down onto the furs. They kissed the kind of slow kisses that Korra knew Noatak liked- the kinds of kisses that came on hard and softly lingered when they parted. She sometimes let her tongue dance with his or let herself be crushed and lost within his harder kisses. She wandered more, kissing Noatak's neck and collarbone. Korra licked his pecs and traced a trail with her tongue down close to the trail of hair that led to his hardened member strained by the tight pants she purposefully picked. She opened each button of his pants slowly until she peeled the pants off. Noatak made a sigh of relief that quickly turned into a stifled moan when he realized that Korra had taken his length into her mouth. She sucked lightly and lightly swirled her tongue making Noatak plead for her to stop. Korra slowly got up and laid herself by Noatak, leaning on her arm.

"Can't take it?" she said.
"You should play fair," he said.

Noatak got up and took Korra's legs to place them onto his shoulders. He kissed the inside of her thighs, occasionally stopping to nip at her. His tongue licked slowly and almost too close for Korra who was already feeling enflamed. The anticipation as Noatak made for her wait for him to kiss and suckle that part of her that he knew all too well made her cry. She felt his hot breath as he laughed a bit before he took his tongue to her clit. At first, he made little flicks and slowly circled her. Then he would suck before letting his tongue trail wet folds that he would deny himself until he had Korra writhing in the furs and crying for him. Korra already was gripping the furs as hard as she could and biting her lips with her eyes closed shut. Noatak stopped and looked into Korra's eyes.

"Let go," Noatak said.

Korra looked back at Noatak as went back to his kisses and licks before she found herself shutting her eyes again. She felt the growing feeling down there in her core ready to burst. She swore that Noatak was trying his hardest to make her wait. However, as Noatak sucked on her pearl, she felt the shudder of pleasure shoot through her entire body like a current. Noatak let her legs down and tried to hold Korra, but she grinded her hips against Noatak's to egg him on. She was never patient, why start now?

Korra pulled Noatak on top of her and placed her arms around his neck. She put her legs around his waist. Noatak made a small kiss at the nape of Korra's neck before he let himself slowly enter her. For a moment there, they lay connected and staring at each other. The necklace glimmered and reflected like stars casting their light on Korra as she smiled and whispered her love. Noatak started to thrust, pausing at times to kiss Korra or to tell her that he loved her. She loved the touches he made and the fullness of him inside of her. Korra wondered if they were always meant to be like this- if he was always meant to be the person who she would abandon herself to. She thought this as she clutched his back, and he made one last thrust before she felt him empty himself in her. Noatak remained like this as Korra let herself sink into the furs, kissing Noatak more feverishly than she did before they began.

"I love you," Korra said.

"I know. I love you too," Noatak said.

"I know," Korra said.

Noatak removed himself from Korra and lie beside her, stroking her hair. Korra lie on her side and moved closer to Noatak.

"Thank you so much," Korra said.

"I would have done this even if it weren't your birthday," Noatak said.

"I know."

"Would you have said yes even if it wasn't your birthday?"

"Always."