A World Of Grey (Legend of Korra)

Chapter 18

"Happy birthday."

Mako muttered the words as he popped the cap off the bottle of beer, listening to the brief metallic ringing as it fell to the ground. He glanced down at it, and his gaze lingered for a moment, but then he turned his eyes away and lifted the bottle to his mouth. He pulled long and hard, the cool liquid rushing down his throat. When he lowered the beer bottle, Mako looked to the several others waiting for him on the kitchenette counter, along with a tall, dark bottle of cheap wine. At least no one could tell him he had not celebrated.

Pushing away from the counter, Mako turned and headed slowly for his bedroom. The air in the apartment was cool upon his bared arms, Mako wearing nothing more than a faded white vest and loose sweatpants. All was silent save for the weary pull of his footsteps, and the sounds of traffic floating up from the street beyond the building. His free hand dragged along the wall as he turned into the room, afterwards dropping himself heavily onto the bed. Mako swung his legs up onto it with a grunt of effort, leaning his shoulders against the headboard and the back of his head against the wall. He took another swig of beer, staring across at the opposite wall.

After a few minutes of stillness, he turned his head to the left, eyes gracing the dimming light of the evening through the window. His gaze gradually slipped to the right, pausing at his desk. He reached forwards to the drawer closest to him, leaning across and slipping his fingers underneath the curved silver handle. Pulling it open, Mako pushed aside old cuttings of newspapers, a pair of handcuffs from his early days as a police officer, pens – eventually his fingers found the fold of paper they were looking for. He neglected to push the drawer closed again, leaning back and bringing the beer to his lips. Only dregs remained when he lowered it again, and his thumb slowly stroked over the folded surface of the letter.

Mako debated whether he should in fact open it. For the last three days, he had neglected to carry it on his person. He dropped it into the drawer and left it there, and it was odd that he somehow felt lighter without its burden. Another birthday; another year…Mako closed his eyes and breathed deep. He was already cursing himself as his fingers began to push into the folds of the paper to open it to his gaze. And then there was a knock at the front door.

Mako's mouth tightened, his breath escaping his nostrils. He remained still, both his body and his fingers, the letter pried half open. The knocking resumed again after a patient pause, but still he did not move. This continued for almost the length of a minute. Mako had a good idea who was on the other side of the door, and he was hoping that they would get the message. He wanted to be left alone, to wallow peacefully in his misery. However, his wish was not to be granted.

"Mako," a woman's muffled voice spoke, "if you don't come to the door I'll find your landlord and have them open it for you. I know very well that you're in there."

Despite himself, Mako smiled, particularly when the woman began to countdown from ten. He remained where he was until she reached five and informed him of a change of plan, that being to force the door open herself. Something in her tone told him that she would in fact do as she promised. She certainly had the influence to sweep such an incident under the rug if he allowed it to happen, Mako thought. And perhaps it would be better that he not potentially give the neighbours any more of a show to listen in on.

Asami stood in front of him with her arms folded when he pulled the door open, the hem of a shimmering black dress visible beneath her grey coat. She took one sweeping look at him, from the wrinkled state of his vest and sweatpants to the empty beer bottle clutched in his hand.

"Oh no," she said matter-of-factly, stepping into the apartment after plucking the bottle from his grip. "Go and get yourself spruced up. We're going out."