It was during her waterbending training, Howl remembers as he puts on his White Lotus helmet.
Korra hadn’t been a master then, like now, was fumbling a bit even with her natural talent and he was sitting on the sidelines watching, just a friend who was too shy to admit he wanted more.
He knew Korra could handle herself, he kept mentally reminding. She was the avatar and he knew this all too well. She was strong… and determined… courageous… a-and silly… beautiful… enamoring… where had he been going with that train of thought again?
And then it happened.
Korra should have dodged. That’s what anyone else would have done but she was too headstrong for that, even back in those days, and had tried to take Katara head on instead of looking for the opening that she should’ve.
It was crazy how quickly he’d made it to her side, eyes wide and fearful, wanting to scold her for how stubborn she could be but knowing that he honestly wouldn’t have her any other way, he just reached out.
He had been afraid to actually touch her though, they hadn’t really touched for the first time yet, but feeling the urge to comfort her and in turn be comforted too strongly not to begin the motion, his palm hovered just above her skin.
Looking on as sparring practice quickly turned into healing practice, Howl came to a conclusion that would shape the rest of his life.
Sure Korra could heal herself, sure she was the avatar and he was most likely just a boy with a crush on a girl too far out of his league, but he didn’t think he’d be able to survive seeing her hurt again.
