Kaiqok woke before sunrise.
His body still ached from the previous battle, muscles sore and bandages tight around his ribs. But it wasn't the pain that kept him from sleep—it was her.
Korra.
He could still feel her lips on his, the warmth of her presence beside him on the rooftop. For all his reincarnated wisdom, all his borrowed powers and godlike abilities, that kiss had undone him in ways a thousand enemies never could.
And yet… he still hadn't told her everything.
Out in the courtyard, the first light of dawn painted the snow with shades of amber and rose. The training circle was quiet, the world suspended in a moment of calm before the storm.
He stood there, barefoot in the frost, the golden chakra cloak faintly flickering across his skin, not as armor but as warmth—like an extension of his thoughts, his emotions. It responded now, even to his heart.
Footsteps crunched behind him.
"You're up early," Korra called.
Kaiqok turned, smiling. "Could say the same for you."
She wore a thick parka over her usual gear, hair loosely tied back, eyes a little tired but still bright. She walked up to him, stopping just inside the circle.
"I couldn't sleep," she admitted. "Too many thoughts. Too many… feelings."
He tilted his head. "Good ones?"
Korra stepped forward, close enough that their breaths mingled in the cold air. "Maybe. Depends."
"On what?"
She looked at him directly. "On whether you meant what you said last night. Or if it was just adrenaline talking."
Kaiqok didn't flinch. "I meant every word."
Silence stretched between them again. Not awkward this time—just heavy with unspoken things.
Korra took his hand, tugged it toward her chest. "Then prove it."
His eyes widened slightly. "How?"
She smiled faintly. "Spar with me."
That wasn't the answer he expected.
"I thought you meant something more… romantic."
Korra smirked. "This is romantic. Trust me."
Kaiqok laughed, the tension breaking slightly. He stepped back and shed the cloak, letting the chakra fade into his skin. "Alright, Avatar. You want proof?"
She entered a stance. "Give me fire."
He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Want to test your element control?"
She grinned. "No. I want you to let go."
He frowned. "I don't understand."
"You always hold back when we train," she said, circling him. "You're faster, stronger, smarter—but you hold back. I want to see your real fire."
Kaiqok hesitated.
Then nodded.
The air shifted.
Golden energy flared to life again—not as a full cloak this time, but as a coiling ring around his fists and eyes. He summoned a wave of fire into his palm, and Korra answered with a stomp that sent an ice spike shooting from the ground.
The dance began.
He moved like flame—flickering, unpredictable, deadly. She countered with water's grace, dodging and redirecting. Each strike came closer. Each block more desperate.
Then he surprised her.
With a roar, he switched his chakra cloak into a wolf form, bounding forward in a blur of fire and light. Korra dropped low, bending water in an arc, but he leapt over it, twisted in midair—and landed behind her.
She spun to attack—
—but he was already there, catching her wrist gently and whispering, "Got you."
Korra stared into his glowing eyes, breathless.
"You cheated," she said softly.
"Maybe," he murmured, leaning closer. "Or maybe I just stopped holding back."
And then he kissed her.
Not rushed. Not stolen.
This time, it was deep—fierce—like two flames colliding in a storm.
Korra melted into him, fingers curling into the edge of his shirt. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close, lifting her slightly off the snowy ground.
The fire around them flared—rising in spirals of gold and orange, warm and wild and alive.
When they finally broke apart, Korra was smiling.
"So that's what firebending really feels like," she teased.
Kaiqok grinned. "That was barely a flicker."
"Then show me the rest."
---
Later that day, in the temple's meditation chamber…
Tenzin cleared his throat. "You're glowing."
Kaiqok blinked. "Am I?"
"Literally. Your chakra is leaving golden footprints."
Korra snorted from across the room.
Kaiqok sheepishly dimmed the cloak. "Right. Sorry."
Tenzin sighed but smiled slightly. "Just… try not to burn the rugs."
Korra leaned in and whispered, "Too late."
---
Elsewhere, in the dark caverns of the Northern Mountains…
The masked assassin stood before a mirror of obsidian glass, watching the golden-haired warrior kiss the Avatar.
"So… that's his weakness," he said.
Behind him, a woman with pale blue eyes and shadowy tattoos stepped from the darkness. "Should we strike now?"
"No. Let them believe they're safe," he said coldly. "When they burn… they'll burn together."