Getting Warmer

Chapter 6

Mako's eyes fluttered open once he heard a quiet knock at his door. Waves brushed against each other in the current outside the steel walls. He looked down to see Korra snuggled into his chest again, one arm resting over his toned stomach, the other just above his still damp hair. He knew it wouldn't take long to get back to the dock but-

"Mako? Mako, are you awake?", a voice asked behind the door.

He knew it was Asami, coming to check up on the both of them. Before he could respond, the ivory skinned girl had gently opened the door to see the pair wrapped up in each other.

"Ma-oh I'm sorry.", Asami whispered.

"It's fine. What's up?", Mako whispered back.

"Bo's making sure everything's tied up. Do you and her want to spend the night?", she asked.

Mako's thumb brushed along Korra's back, covered in her still damp bindings. He glanced back down at her, remembering how she wanted to travel back to the South Pole to check in on her family. Maybe they could all plan it out together at a decent hour.

"That would be great, thank you.", he answered.

Asami nodded and patted his bare shoulder. She quietly left the room, leaving Mako in his thoughts on how to politely wake her up. He continued to gently rub her smooth back and watch her sleep against his skin. He didn't want to disturb her after the scare they just had out in the water. But he knew she needed an actual bed, and a warm meal.

He sighed before he pressed his lips to the top of her head. Then he gently shook her awake. She groaned and leaned more into him.

"What?", she muffled.

"We're at Bo's house. You want some dinner?", he asked.

She nodded against him and he smiled. Then keeping her leaning against him, he sat up with her in his lap. His arm behind her back, and then the other to wrap under her knees. He rose with her and walked out of the room and up to the deck of the boat.

The cool air of the night met Korra's mocha skin. There was no blankets or shirts to warm her now. Only the tall fire bender carrying her. She shivered against him and tried to fight the chattering of her teeth. Mako felt her shake and he tried bend some warmth through his hands. She crept back into his neck while he walked down the dock, into his brother's...well...Asami's mansion.

The place was a maze to the unknown eye, but Mako knew the place like the back of his hand. He made his way up the stars and down the hall on the left and found the guest room that was always reserved for him. The bed was big enough for four people, he was sure. The bathroom might as well have been a spa. But the warm, silky soft sheets were what Mako cared about at the moment, for Korra's sake.

The room was decorated in the red attire that no one could escape if living in the fire nation. He gently laid her on the bed, where she was sitting up and facing him. Her eyes were puffy and her cheeks were flushed from the cold. He brushed his thumb over her cheekbone, and she leaned into his warm touch.

"Do you want some other clothes?", he asked.

She was barely wearing any at the moment. She was left in her bindings and the shorts he had lent her back at the beach house. He was in the same situation. She glanced down to see his toned chest and stomach. Then she quickly admired the strong arms that had been carrying her for-she had lost track how many times he picked her up. She never saw his legs. She wanted to.

"Korra?", he asked again.

She returned to his face. That perfect face that she would never get tired of seeing, even in this state of mind. She grabbed the hand that was caressing her face and brought it to her lips. She kissed his palm gently, then folded her fingers into his.