ruler of her heart, KORRA

𝟬𝟬𝟱 Witness the Revelation

── 𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕.

[ 005 ] WITNESS THE REVELATION
❝I could totally be your partner, right?❞

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 AT A TROLLEY STOP, Sanyu, Mako, and Korra sat next to one another, trying to figure out where the Equalists were planning their rally. The leaflets in their hands were more confusing than helpful──no specific location, just vague phrases and images of masked figures. They were all struggling to make sense of it.

 After a moment, Korra sighed heavily, while Sanyu tapped her fingers impatiently on her lap, her eyes flicking between the leaflets and the city streets. Mako was deep in thought, his mind clearly racing as he inspected the back of one of the leaflets. He squinted at it, and then his face lit up with realization.

 "Wait a second..." he muttered, pointing at a small symbol etched on the back. He then spread all the leaflets out together, revealing a map to the Equalists' rally. "This matches the map of the city. It's a clue."

 Sanyu raised an eyebrow, impressed despite herself. "You could make a good detective one day," she said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. But she wasn't totally kidding. Mako was quick on his feet, sharp, and resourceful. She wasn't used to seeing that in people.

 Mako's face softened, and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You really think so?" His voice held a bit of surprise, but also something else──like he was secretly flattered. "I mean, yeah. I could totally be your partner, right?"

 Sanyu's eyes widened a fraction, and she quickly held up a hand to stop him. "You know what, never mind," she deadpanned, giving him a pointed look. "You talk too much."

 Mako's face fell slightly, as though she'd just popped his bubble. He sent her a look of mock outrage, but he couldn't hide the disappointment in his eyes.

 Korra's brow furrowed. Partner? The word lingered in her mind. She glanced between Mako and Sanyu, trying to keep her expression neutral, but her stomach twisted in a way that left her uneasy.

 Why did that word bother her so much? She couldn't put her finger on it. Was it the way Mako said it, so casually, like it was the most natural thing in the world? Or was it the way he looked at Sanyu──like she was fascinating, someone worth studying, someone worth... everything?