Getting Warmer

Chapter 2

His lips were warm, just like she suspected. Her eyes were closed as she was mentally praying she didn't just give her first kiss to someone who didn't want it. But as she felt his fingers dig into her skin through the blanket, and his head leaning into hers, she thought it might be the best decision she ever made.

He kissed her slowly, and the suspense was sending more chills down her spine. She was freezing, she didn't exactly need more shivering.

Mako pulled back slightly and Korra opened her eyes to a face full of worry and flushed cheeks. His lips were pinker than before, and she noticed his breathing was close to nothing.

"Korra...", he whispered.

"I-I-", she shivered.

He mentally cursed as he should have been focused on making sure she didn't get hypothermia from her wet clothes and almost wet blanket than cuddling and comforting her.

He picked her up, an arm under her knees and an arm behind her back. She snuggled into the crook of his neck, and Mako couldn't help but brush his lips at the top of her soaked hair before he brought her into the closest bedroom.

He laid her gently on the bed while he unwrapped the blanket and tried to pull off her wet clothes. He could see the goosebumps arise as the air made contact with her skin. He tried his best to fight the urge to again hold her to make her stop freezing from the crisp air and the cold water surrounding her. But this would help her more, and he knew.

Soon he got Korra into her underclothes. He felt as though he went as far as he could. Korra gave him no permission to-

"Are you gonna pull them off or should I do it?", she said, barely without a chatter of her teeth between her words.

"Um..", he said awkwardly. "Korra I don't think-"

She pulled him down by the scarf to her lips again. She was more confident this time. Her nimble fingers massaged the sides of his neck while he couldn't help but moan and let his tongue slip into her mouth. She broke the kiss for it seemed as quickly as it came.

"I'm gonna need you to hold me.", she told.

"Well I planned on that...sort of.", Mako explained.

"Please. Do it, I don't mind. You can touch me."

"Korra, it's not that I'm worried about."

Her eyes widened. She never thought of herself as desirable. Her kisses were out of instinct, even the slightly heated one they just had. He seemed to like it though. But she never thought he would want to do something like that with her, let alone kiss her back. But he was now saying he might have a problem seeing her naked. Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

"Then what is it?"

He gulped.

"I...If I'm gonna see you like this, I'd want it under different circumstances."

Oh.

She knew what he was saying.

"Well...can you stil-"

Now it was his turn to surprise her. He pressed a kiss to her lips before he embraced her. He wrapped the blankets around them before he pulled her into his arms and she snuggled into his chest.

"Of course I can."

She smiled against his shirt. It was also a little cold from him getting her out of the water. But his warm skin was enough for her to be falling asleep.

Once Mako thought she was in a deep slumber, he eased out of the bed to take of his wet clothes so he could keep her and himself as warm as he could. As he was taking off his shirt and pants, Korra's eyes fluttered open and she couldn't help but take a peak at the strong young man. His muscles flexed as he moved and when he turned, she got a side peak at his abs. He was desirable, that was for sure. She felt his muscles before but seeing them was a different story for her. Being embraced by him was now a dream come true to her. Now she's glad they waited to see each other all the way. She'd want to see all of him under different circumstances too.

Mako turned back around and Korra's eyes shut before he could suspect a thing. He climbed back under the blanket to see a pink hue in her cheeks. He smiled and pulled her close again as sleep took both of them.

Korra woke to the dark cloudy morning sky. The aftermath of storm clouds were making their way South outside of Mako's window. Her head was laying on his chest and she listened to his steady heart beat and breaths. Her hand went to rub on his chest, and again, it was out of instinct. She didn't know where it came from but so far all the affection she's given him hadn't done anything bad. She kissed him, twice. She stayed with him during the night...well...he stayed with her. And now she was letting him sleep in while birds outside chirped out on the beach. And she didn't notice until now that they were in Mako's own room, and she wasn't in the guest bed.

She was startled when Mako yawned and he started to open his eyes and return from his dreams. He rubbed his eyes as he squeezed her shoulder out of acknowledgement.

"Hey.", she said as she peered up at him.

"Hey.", he yawned with a grin on his lips. "You sleep ok?"

"Yeah. Thanks to you."

He smirked before he pecked her forehead.

"Look, about last night-",she started off.

"I was going to kiss you when you got here."

Whoa...huh?

"I had everything planned out. I was going to ask you to stay the whole two days with me and I was gonna make you dinner, walk on the beach...it was really cheesy honestly but at the end of everything I just wanted to kiss you. Tell you how I felt."

"Well...how do you feel?"

He turned to face her. He took her hand in his and their fingers folded together.

"I feel like I have a crush on a girl who washed up on shore, and that I would have been torn apart if I hadn't saved her last night."

She felt a spark of pain run from her chest through her right arm as he spoke. Without wasting another moment, she moved forward to his lips again. As her lips brushed against his, she wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. His hands brought her closer by the waist while the pair got lost in euphoria with each other's lips. Once Korra was breathless, she gently pulled away and he leaned his forehead on hers.

"I feel like I'll never be able to repay you for all you've done for me this past year."

He smirked before he kissed her forehead.

"Mako! Hey Mako! You here?", a voice called out from the hall.

"Shit!"

Korra turned her head to the door as she heard the voice.

"Who's that?", she asked.

"Could only be one idiot who has my key,", Mako explained. "My brother."