love builds prisons

[anatural]

WHO: Hei & Korra
WHAT: After losing the baby, Korra sneaks out of the metal clan city to find Zaheer.

[Korra walks quickly and quietly down the corridors, using every technique she'd learned during the civil war to remain unnoticed by the guards. Snow and metal were two entirely different elements, but when you looked beyond the surface differences, the techniques for one can guide techniques for the other. She's heading for one of the isolated service doors that open up to the world outside the metal clan's city. Naga's already outside — earlier that day Korra had gone for a ride with her, and returned on foot after the guards had changed shifts. Her escape has been carefully, meticulously planned. The only person who could stop her is Hei, and he's not going to notice. He's been off in his own little dark world since she lost the baby. He doesn't see her at all.

Nobody does. Tenzin, Bolin, Mako, even Asami... They're so caught up in their pain for her that they can't see they're drowning her. Every time they say Korra, I’m so sorry, all she can think is Why? She's never wanted to be a mother. The Red Lotus is gunning for her and every other world leader. It's honestly for the best that the baby is gone. She knows there's a part of her that's grieving, but she can't feel it. That numbness and detachment frighten her, but there's no one she can talk to about it because all she'd get is more sympathy and orders to rest. Take it easy. Stay inside. Love will once again build her a prison — but she doesn't plan on giving it the chance. More than anything else, she's the Avatar, and she's not going to just hide inside a metal fortress while the world burns because she's "recovering." Even if she has to do it alone, she's going to find Zaheer and stop him.

She reaches the service door and lets out a relieved breath. Almost there.]

Comments

[mortemscintilla]

[ It's clear she doesn't trust him. But who can blame her? He's not going out of his way to project his usual persona. To disguise his true agenda behind Li's nervous stutters and civilian ineptitude. Those qualities that hold him in fine stead until he peels the layers back to unleash the Reaper, with his bloodlust and quick fists and cruel ways; only then does it drive home the point that Li is no better than frippery. ]

[ It doesn't matter. Now isn't the time to play games. ]

[ He keeps one hand circled around Korra. The other, after a moment's hesitation, comes to rest on Asami's wrist -- slow and measured and easy to see coming. (Except no contact Hei makes is ever that innocuous.) Her wary look gets an unblinking one in reply. ]

Bad idea. If the Red Lotus beat off the guards, they'd trap us in an enclosed space. The safer option is to keep moving. [ A beat, then: ] We need all the fighters we can get. Knocking me out with your glove won't help anyone.

[anatural]

[Asami doesn't acknowledge his overt reference to her suspicions. Knocking him out wasn't her first plan — just a convenient backup.]

If we need as many fighters as we can get, then I need my glove. I'm not a bender, but I can fight just as well as any of you can.

[Korra stirs with a little moan, and her eyes flutter open. Her expression remains dazed — until an explosion from the fight jolts her to full consciousness.]

What's going on? What did you do to me?

[Those words are all Asami needs to hear. If there's an innocent explanation, he can give it later; she yanks her fist away and grabs Korra.]

Run!

[mortemscintilla]

[ Despite the blazing violence of the battle beyond, Korra's soft vocalization sinks into Hei's brain like a tiny shock. He glances down at her, and, as the explosion judders through the air, tightens his arm reflexively around her. He doesn't get a chance to speak, though. Asami, taking her slurred question as proof of his untrustworthiness, grabs her and tries to wrench her to her feet. ]

[ Irritated, Hei restrains Korra with one arm. Grabs Asami by the back of the neck with the other -- a matter-of-fact application of brute force. Another explosion reverberates, this one close enough that he can feel the outrushing heat. Scowling, he hunkers low, dragging the two girls with him. All his senses feel dialed up. Over-dialed -- the needle creeping into the red. ]

[ When he speaks to Korra, it's taut and steady as a highwire-act balanced on a tightrope. ]

The Red Lotus laid an ambush. That's all that matters right now. [ Then, to Asami: ] I can cover you until you get Korra indoors. Grab your glove -- then head for the cellar. There's a passage there that leads out of the city.

[ Better for Korra to be nowhere near the vicinity, if the Red Lotus break free. ]

[anatural]

[Like Asami is going to take orders from some jerk who manhandles her like that! She glances at Korra, ready to follow her lead (or take it if she has to).

Korra nods in acknowledgement — half-reluctant to leave the fight, half-reluctant to give him any kind of satisfaction, but she knows she can count on him in a fight.]

Fine. [She gets to her feet a little unsteadily, and lets Asami help her.] Let's go, Asami.

[Asami shoots Hei one last suspicious look before the two girls take off.]

[mortemscintilla]

[ He's grateful when she doesn't argue. Even so, watching her hurry off with Asami is difficult. He wants to stay close, in case anything goes wrong. It's his only anchor. But necessity trumps any and all protective sentiment. There was no reason to linger here and every reason not to. ]

[ He only hopes -- watching her and Asami safely clear the melee, two dark heads swishing past the entrance -- that she understands he is there for her and her alone, fighting only so she can fight, existing here only so she can exist. ]

[ Then he is running the other direction, blades and wires ready, plunging into the heart of the battle, the roar deafening him even as the hot surf of adrenaline provides the Reaper a clear path to the surface. ]