Bab 302: Gate

Korra was silent for a time, her lips pursed as she slowly digested my words. Giving her hand a final squeeze, I stood and reached for the cotton dress sitting beside us, extending it toward her.

"Yours?" I asked.

She looked up and smiled, scratching her cheek bashfully. "Yeah, sorry about that. You were covered in blood and grime after the fight, but I couldn't access your ring without your consent. I know it might've aggravated your Sunpurge, but with the villagers being around and all, you had to wear something."

Her agitation made me smile faintly, and an unfamiliar pressure built in my chest. A second later, it bubbled up and broke through my lips in the form of a soft giggle. The sound was as foreign and unfamiliar as a smile, but it brought a strange sense of lightness to my heart. Korra's brows knit together, blinking quickly in confusion, before she too began to smile.