The Code

Pain

Amon didn't return for a long time. Far longer than was necessary for a simple hunting expedition. Korra found herself pacing, antsy and ridden with conflicting emotions. The patter of the rain outside grated across her nerves. When she finally heard the footsteps at the cave entrance, she jerked her head up, relief flooding her.

"You're back!" Her voice sounded far too delighted. Amon cocked an eyebrow at her, entering the cave. Korra cleared her throat, dropping her eyes to her boots. "I mean... took you long enough. I'm starving."

"Your gratitude is humbling," he muttered, stooping to deposit his catch beside the fire. Two plump fox-rabbits and an arctic badger-hare. Korra felt her mouth water just looking at them. She moved to pick one up by a furry hind leg.

"I'll cook these," she offered, desperate for something to do. "You go dry off."

For a moment he looked like he might object, but it was clear the cold was taking its toll. His robes were soaked, and his dark hair lay plastered against his forehead. He nodded once and moved to the far wall of the cave, stripping off his upper robe to set it down to dry by the fire. Korra couldn't help but admire the firm, sleek muscles of his back and waist as he moved away from her. She jerked her eyes away. She couldn't let this go on any more than it already had. She could feel the tension between them, thick as stone. She took a deep breath and forced the unnerving feelings away. There was no time for that here. Not now, not anytime. She had a job to do.

With deft fingers, she skinned the fox-rabbit and spitted it with the blackened fire stick. She placed the little animal over the fire on the two forked sticks, turning it slowly and watching as the brown traveled over the cooking meat.

A stifled gasp behind her made her turn around. Amon had settled himself at the other side of the cave, and she could see the paleness in his face even from this distance. He gritted his teeth, holding his forearm against his ribs. Korra's stomach twisted to see the dark, barely dried blood coating the skin. Guilt took root in her stomach as she remembered she was the one who'd given it to him, with the rough edge of her boot as she'd kicked him off her in their fight.

She spoke without thinking. "I can heal that, you know."

Amon glanced up at her, his eyes narrowed. "No."

"It would be easy. I learned from Sifu Katara, the greatest Healer in the South Pole."

"I said no, Avatar. I will not have you use your bending on me."

Korra felt like she'd just been slapped. Forgetting the cooking fox-rabbit, she whirled on him, angry hands thrust to her hips. "And why not? You seem to have no qualms about using your bending to take the power away from other people."

She knew her words cut him. She saw him wince, and knew he was wishing he'd never confided in her the source of his ability to strip a person of their bending. He said nothing in retort. Instead, he turned his face away from the flames, staring out into the darkness at the back of the cave. Korra's heard ached. She shouldn't have spoken. He was in pain, and she was only making it worse. Leaving the roasting fox-rabbit at the fire, she stood and walked over to him, kneeling at his side. Without waiting for permission, she grasped his arm, turning it so that it rested against her knee.

"Trust me, tough guy," she said, softening her voice. "You'll thank me for this."

To her surprise and relief, he didn't pull away. Korra drew the water from the rain just outside the cave mouth and gathered it in a small, hovering pool just above his arm. Amon's eyes followed it, wary. The water began to glow with a soft blue light. With careful gentleness, Korra lowered the healing water to his wound. Amon gasped through his teeth, hissing in pain. Korra did not release his arm. Working with practiced movements, she let the water slide over the injury, seeping through the lesions in the skin and filling the bloodied cracks. The scabs softened, the blood thinning. The glow worked its way down the man's arm, filling the veins with warmth and healing. She heard the soft exhale of breath as the relief coursed through his system. The skin began to smooth over, the cuts and abrasions closing, knitting together. Finally, Korra removed the water, letting it fall to the ground in a puddle a few feet away. Amon's arm looked good as new, with only a faint white scar to show there'd ever been damage.