Howl's POV
I was surprised, to say the least. Korra, the stubborn, insufferable, pain in the ass Avatar, had just defended me. Against her parents no less. I had no illusions that she'd actually done that for my benefit, however. Still, it was...odd.
I helped the girl to her room and sat her down on the bed. I kneeled down and looked her over. Her mother had done a good job but some of her cuts still needed to be cleaned. I started on the task. She didn't fight me about it, surprisingly. We were silent for a moment.
"It's none of my business," I started, careful how I went about this. "But, maybe you could've went about that a little differently." She didn't even look at me. I sighed. "I said some things to my dad that I wish I could take back. He went missing a while back, I don't know what happened to him."
I don't know what possessed me to tell her something so personal. Maybe I was hoping she would reconsider what she told her parents. It was obvious my employers loved their daughter. I hoped she knew that, though I knew she did. I could see it.
There was a pause. She looked like she was in deep thought and for a moment, I thought she might actually be taking my words to heart. I shouldve known better, because then she said, "You're right. It is none of your business."
"I'm just trying to help," I snapped. "You're not being fair to your parents. It's not their fault-"
"May I remind you, Howl, that you're job is not to be my shrink. Your only job is to protect me. Consider it done for the day," she replied. I clenched my jaw and got up, ready to leave. "Oh and one more thing, Howl." I stopped at the door. "I apologize if I ever lead you to think otherwise, but we're not friends. Not even close. So keep your personal wisdom to yourself."
I had to bit my tongue to keep from saying something I'd regret. My hands turned into fists and my teeth clenched. "My mistake, Avatar Korra," I said, though I'd already known that fact. "But if you treat your friends anything like you do your parents then please, give my condolences to Miss Sato."
Korra's POV
I lay down on my bed when Howl left. He didn't understand. None of them understood what it was like to be the person I was now. No one. I knew it wasn't my parent's fault I had been that monster, but I did blame them for never putting their foot down. I thought that maybe if they had, I wouldn't have been so reckless, so shallow, and that maybe…maybe Bolin would still be alive.
"Korra?" an elderly voice called.
I turned away from the door. "Go away, Katara," I replied. "I don't want to talk to anyone."
The bed squeaked as she sat next to me. She placed a hand on my shoulder and I shrugged it off. What was it with people not giving me any personal space? I heard her sigh as she pulled her hand back.
"I talked to your mother and father," my former master began.
"What did they say? Wait, dont tell me. They said that their daughter isn't considerate of their feelings?" I snapped sitting up. "Or that I'm still an embarrassment to them?"
Katara didn't say a word as she let me vent. When she didn't answer I looked away. Gently she placed a hand on my cheek and made me look at her. I could see the concern in her eyes and I felt the guilt crawling back inside of me.
"No," the Waterbender replied. "They said you were right."
We sat in a moment of silence as I took in her words. They had said that I was right? I had to admit it had never crossed my mind that my parents would think I was right about something like their parenting skills.
"What?" I asked.
"They said you were right," she repeated. "They blame themselves for…the way you acted. For those five years they thought about what they could have done to fix your…habits."
"So it took that to make them reconsider?" My voice was cold and chipped.
"Korra, you need to be a little more careful about what you tell your parents," Katara began carefully. "When you were younger and they let you do as you wished, they were doing it because they thought you needed more freedom. It hurts them to-"
"I'm hurt too, Katara," I snapped again. "Does that even cross any of you people's minds? I'm hurt and it kills me a little more everyday to know what I did and the person I am now. Why don't any of you people get it?" I hollered, getting up and going out the window.
"Korra!" I heard her call after me. I didn't listen, I took off at full speed to the stables were my only loyal friend was. She raised her head as she saw me come in and I ran to her, kneeling down and hugging her tightly around her neck. I could feel the tears stinging my eyes but I refused to let them fall. I wasn't going to cry, as much as it killed me inside, I wasn't going to cry.