A World Of Grey (Legend of Korra)

Chapter 26

Mako had once wished that she would never accustom herself to rising with the morning sun, and Korra had once sincerely declared the breaking of a new day to be evil. But, thanks to her two-yearlong occupation as a police officer, Korra had learned to rise with the sun, even if she did not want to. Her body was quick to adapt to the habit, almost as though her inner alarm clock relished the opportunity. So it was that she blinked awake early, as she had done the day before. Korra lay still in her wakefulness as the golden light spilled through the bedroom window, warmth upon its rays. She settled into the sun's embrace, for the one in which she had fallen to sleep was gone.

Mako had curved his form around hers as they got into bed, his arm moving to her waist. She felt his chest against her back, the warmth of his flesh upon her own. Korra entwined her fingers gently with his atop her stomach. He had fallen to sleep before she did. She lay awake for a short time listening to him breathing, feeling his chest rise and fall. She could feel nothing of him now.

Carefully so as not to disturb him, Korra turned and sat up in the bed. She clutched her portion of the quilt at her chest as her eyes fell upon Mako's back. He had turned away from her at some point during the night. He lay facing the opposite wall, hands tucked beside his head. Korra sighed softly. She pushed her hair out of the way behind her ear and leaned forward, lightly touching her lips to his brow. Afterwards, she quietly got out of bed, arranging the quilt comfortably around his form. The likelihood that he was already awake did not escape her, but Korra did not wish to rouse him in case he was not.

She stood in the kitchenette several minutes later, making a pot of coffee. Korra folded her arms while she waited, leaning back against the counter. Absentmindedly, she lifted a foot to tend to an itch at the back of her calf, the floor cool against her bare sole when she lowered it again. The strong, bracing aroma of the coffee beans gradually began to permeate the air around her, sweeping away the lingering cobwebs of her slumber. She poured herself a steaming cupful, turning to pull open the fridge in search of milk.

The warmth of the mug seeping through into her palms, Korra took her coffee and walked over to the couch. She quietly lowered herself down onto it, taking a sip of the beverage. Its strong flavour washed pleasantly over her tongue, providing a jolt of wakefulness on the spot. Folding her legs underneath her afterwards, Korra tilted back her head until she felt the soft rest of the couch against it. Her thoughts melted away as she let her eyelids fall, no longer dwelling in the present.

"I tried to kill him."

Mako looked at her, with eyes that were narrow and searching. Korra released a soft, weary sigh, dropping her gaze to their hands. She still had his held within hers, slowly and unconsciously stroking her thumb along his skin. He spoke into the silence of her hesitation, for the first time since she had begun speaking to tell him of what transpired when she left him behind that night.

"Tell me."

His voice was brittle, his tone caught halfway between demanding and encouraging. Korra looked up, seeing a downturned mouth with lips drawn tight and thin. His eyes were hard and unyielding upon her. Some small part of her shrank away beneath that look, shamed beyond all reasonable doubt. So too did the cold spectre of guilt awaken at the depths of her being. Her skin prickled uncomfortably; he was judging her, she thought, judging her before she even tried to explain herself. Korra riled up at the thought, her own lips tightening.

"I found him right where Zolt told me he would be. There was a private club underneath the saloon. I fought my way in. I put down whoever stood in my way as I looked for him. Zolt's men, they were bought out it seemed, but they couldn't stop me. I found him. He was in a private room, just him and a girl." Korra felt a soft ache pulse through her jaw as she gave a moment's pause. "She was Water Tribe."