Getting Warmer

Chapter 8

Mako held Korra's hand as they walked onto the boat, Bolin went off to steer them towards the water tribe, and Asami went off to keep a lookout for any fire nation troops.

Korra and Mako sat in the same little room they had before. Mako put their things down, and Korra just stood awkwardly away from him staring out the small window. He wasn't sure what was bothering her so much.

"Hey...", he said as he came over to her. "What's wrong?"

"Can you explain to me your joke now?", she asked as she turned to him.

The expression on her face told him she was pissed. He didn't try to hug or kiss her, he just sat down on the small bed. She grabbed a small stool that was in the room and sat in front of him, awaiting an explanation.

"What I meant by that joke...it's...because Asami has seen me like that before."

Korra's eyes narrowed.

"We never had sex or anything like that.", Mako assured her.

"Then why did she see that much of you before?", she asked.

"Well it happened after I got hurt really bad. Bo and I used to work at the power plant here, and it used my lightning bending to do my job. One day I turn my head for a second and I light the wrong thing and a generator explodes right in front of me. It wasn't a giant mess or anything like that luckily, it was a really tiny one. But my shoulder got all screwed up when I feel back onto the concrete."

Korra just stood there imagining everything out in her head. She recalled Mako having a small pink scar on his left shoulder.

"The company had someone who was medically trained come in and who was under their insurance and that person was Asami. She popped my shoulder back into place and bandaged me up. I almost hated her because every part of my body hurt like a bitch, but she was really nice and understanding."

Korra didn't speak or look at Mako for a few moments. She just stared at the floor.

"So...that's all you two did?", she asked.

Mako bit his lip and looked away. Korra knew the answer.

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me?!", she exclaimed.

"Korra, I didn't think it was important since I've moved on from her completely.", Mako told her.

"Moved on? There was something to move on from?!"

"Korra-"

She got up and reached for the door. Mako grabbed her wrist and she actions seized. They stood there in silence, and Korra tried to calm herself down to the point so she didn't breath fire straight at him.

"How long?", she asked.

"How long what?", he asked.

"How long were you two together?"

He gulped, and he stared up at her. He could tell she was holding back tears.

"Korra please.", he asked.

"How long?", she asked again.

"Does it really matter?"

"Yes! Stop avoiding the fucking question and answer me!"

He knew this was going to make her upset either way.

"Six months.", he said lowly.

He thought she would storm out of the room, or yell her lungs out at him. But she didn't. She let him continue to grip onto her wrist gently, but she didn't look at him. He glanced up at her as he felt her wrist start to shake.

"Korra..."

She stared straight into the door. Then he heard her sniffle. And that's what made him rise from his seat and try to pull her close to him. But she gently pushed him away.

"What did you two do?", she asked again.

Mako knew avoiding the details wouldn't do any good.

"We held hands, we kissed, but the farthest we went was just taking off our clothes. That was it."

She gulped, and she refused to still look at him. Droplets began to roll down her cheeks.

"Did...did you love her?", she asked.

His heart sank. He didn't understand what compelled her to ask all these questions. He sighed and then he answered, looking straight at her.

"No. No I didn't."

She finally looked up, and the look in his eyes let her know that his words were true. But she still wanted to know more.

"Why did you break up?", Korra asked, sniffling from tears through her words.

"Asami was...nice and sweet and...she just wasn't right for me. She's a wonderful person, but she's not my person. I didn't have that special of a connection with her and she knew it too. So we ended things mutually and we agreed to be friends."

Korra crossed her arms and let everything sink in.

"About four months later I invited Bo to come hang out with us and then they hit it off and started dating. And a year later...I met you."

Korra stopped breathing for a moment and looked right through his soul. The way he stood there looking at her, the way he always took care of her, the way he made sure she had everything she wanted or needed. It suddenly clicked in her head, and then she asked,

"So...am I your person?"

His lips curled up into a grin and he chuckled lightly.

"Of course you are."

She finally let the floodgates open in her eyes and she leapt forward into the firebender's arms. He held her tightly, and let her sob against the fabric of his shirt.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you.", he whispered to her.

"No, it's fine. I overreacted.", she sniffled.

"No, I should have told you before we got involved with each other."

"It's ok Mako, I understand."

The two just stood there embracing each other as the waves carried them across to the border between the Fire Nation and the Southern Water Tribe. Mako rubbed her back she snuggled into the crook of his neck. He thought everything would turn out ok. But Korra and Mako were about to hit more rough waters.