The Code

Code

"What are you both doing up so early?"

"She makes noise when she gets up," Tonraq said, leaping up to land with an irritating bounce on the bed. Korra sat up and patted the mattress beside her for her son to join them.

"That's enough of those stories around your sister," she said sternly.

"But Mom..."

"I mean it." Korra reached out to grasp his chin, frowning down into his eyes—golden, just like his father's. "No more. Got it?"

Tonraq sighed, trying to pull away from his mother's strong grip. "Fine. Okay! I got it."

"Good." Korra released him, settling herself back against the pillows. Noatak leaned back and slid an arm around her, the other around his daughter, pulling them both close. Korra laid her head on her shoulder, while Kaya snuggled herself against his chest. Tonraq wasn't one for cuddling, but Korra reached out an arm and snagged him by the waist, yanking them against her side.

"Mom," he complained, squirming. "I'm ten. I don't like snuggling anymore."

"Don't care," she giggled, squeezing her son around the waist. "You're my kiddo, and you gotta deal with it."

Noatak chuckled. Kaya reached out and brushed her knuckles against Korra's bicep.

"Hey, Mama."

"Yes, sweetie?"

"How did you meet Daddy?"

Noatak choked, a mix between a laugh and a strangle sputtering in his chest. Kaya giggled, and Korra had to fight to contain her smile.

"Um, well. That's quite a story, hon."

Kaya snuggled back against her father, cuddling her teddy bear tight against her chest. "I got time."

Noatak groaned. "Boy, does she take after you."

Korra laughed. "All right, then. Well..." she glanced at Noatak, a sparkle in her blue eyes. "You could say your father and I had heard a lot about each other before we met."

He snorted. "I'll say."

"Was Daddy famous?"

Korra grinned. "You could say so."

"Mama was more famous," Noatak countered, tugging Korra closer against him. "I'm pretty sure I heard about her first."

"Maybe you did. But I met you first."

"That doesn't make any sense," Tonraq said. "When you meet somebody you both meet at the same time."

"Not when one of those persons is standing on a giant stage."

"So Daddy must've been really famous," Kaya twittered.

"Still not as famous as your mother."

"Well, that doesn't count. She's the Avatar."

"So what happened next?" Kaya pressed. "When did Daddy get to meet you back?"

Korra chuckled. "Well... I believe we had our first meeting on Avatar Aang Memorial Island."

Kaya wrinkled her nose. "That's not very romantic."

"Not really," Noatak agreed with a low chuckle.

"So... what next? Did you guys get married?"

Korra shot her husband a mischievous grin. "Well... not exactly. The next time I saw Dad was a few weeks later... when he rescued me from someone who didn't exactly have my best interests at heart."