[ He reads the reasoning behind Yours, and nearly says, Guess I'm still your dirty little secret. Except that would be cruel, even confrontational. Hei knows it's rarely that one-dimensional. He may be a walking folder of some of Korra's private vices (weaknesses?) but he understands why she'd prefer to avoid the weight of her friends' scrutiny. He would too. Outside attention leads to questions and labels . Labels like involved? dating? we have an arrangement? that are tacked with premature expectations. ]
[ Better to consign this fling to comfortable ambiguity. At least until something gives. Or explodes. ]
[ (That suits you perfectly, doesn't it? Carrying on a shadow-play with a girl who knows about one-tenth of what you are? What does it say about him, that he can only unleash softeness in miserly doses, as if they're being wrung out of him? Always for self-benefit? Always in secret?) ]
[ He refuses to think about it. ]
Fine. [ If worst comes to worst, he has fire-extinguishers. ] On one of the next weekends, maybe.
Private
[ Better to consign this fling to comfortable ambiguity. At least until something gives. Or explodes. ]
[ (That suits you perfectly, doesn't it? Carrying on a shadow-play with a girl who knows about one-tenth of what you are? What does it say about him, that he can only unleash softeness in miserly doses, as if they're being wrung out of him? Always for self-benefit? Always in secret?) ]
[ He refuses to think about it. ]
Fine. [ If worst comes to worst, he has fire-extinguishers. ] On one of the next weekends, maybe.