Title: Ice Queen

Rating: K

Word Count: ~1200

Summary: After Mako's hand is burned and damaged from his part in taking down Kuvria's colossus Korra tries to help him heal. [For Makorra Week 2014]

Author Note: This doesn't have too much to do with "ice queen" but this is the story I wanted to tell and the prompt well…prompted this.

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"Can I see it without the sling?" Korra reached out for his shoulder.

"Yeah…sure," Mako's right arm worked the bandages that wrapped his burned arm.

In the moment, so much adrenaline was surging through his body that he barely noticed the pain and the mottling and burning of the flesh on his arm. It was so secondary to what was going on around him. He had to take down the mech. At the time, he was the only one with a shot at guaranteeing that the monstrosity would fall. The fact that he might lay down life for victory and for the lives of his friends was something he was completely at peace with.

To escape with an injury mild compared to death was a blessing.

The bandages came off slowly and carefully, layer by layer to not disturb the marred skin. The healers had done their best. They healed what skin that they could, but the damage was more than just superficial. The nerves in his hand had been hurt, impairing his movement with his fingers that he once moved with so much ease he never thought of it.

Korra winced when his skin appeared beneath the soiled bandages.

"Korra…you don't have to do this," he managed a small smile. "Some of the best healers have already worked on me while you were gone."

"Show me how well you can move it," Korra practically ignored him and eyed his arm with an objective eye that screamed determination.

The "natural" position of his hand is altered. This ring and pinky fingers curl inward and take great effort to straighten. It feels like Mako is on delay with this own hand, waiting for the person on the other line of the phone to answer from far away.

"They said it was more than just damage from the lightning," he moved his fingers slowly so Korra could watch. "They think that because of the spirit vines…well there is some sort of spirit energy damage they don't know how to repair."

"Well," Korra flashed him a quick smile, "they aren't me. We're going to fix your arm."

"Korra, really," he took a deep breath. "It's been two months. I'm getting used to it. I don't regret what I did and I can live with this."

"Remember how I said that 'thank you' didn't seem enough for what you've done for me?" Her voice softened, "I really meant it."

Korra said that they needed spirit water. Ideally, she wanted to immerse his arm in a body of the water. She said that fixing his arm (or at least trying) was the least she could do.

"There's a big pool of spirit water not too far from here I think," she caught his eyes over her shoulder, short hair pushed back in the breeze.

She led him through the green glow of the Spirit Portal that he had watched her disappear through just three weeks ago. He followed her through fields of purple and mountains of blue past wonders that were outside of his wildest dreams. The Spirit World always seemed to be something that was beyond his reach. He couldn't help be in awe of this universe around him that was so different than his scope of experience.

The skin under the bandages was trying its best to heal, but itched like hell in the process. He pressed hard over the sling, hoping to relieve just a bit of the annoying sensation. He never told anyone how badly it hurt. How after the battle pain overwhelmed him and threatened to bring him to his knees. But seeing that there more important things to tend to, he gritted his teeth and accepted medical attention when it became his turn.

It was so hard to bend. His hand was so stiff; the fire that flickered from his fingers was weak and cool. He had to concentrate so hard even to get that small flame; sweat would bead on his forehead as his hand quaked with effort.

"So is this what you did with Asami?" He followed close behind her.

Korra paused mid-stride, a blush appearing on her face. "Well, I-I mean, not exactly."

"Oh, I didn't mean to imply anything I—"

"No, no. It's fine," she looked down. "Things are just kind of confusing right now and there's a lot of new stuff," she brushed her hair behind her ear. "I need to sort it all out. But for now…I think I like where things are going."

There was something different about Korra. She was…lighter. She tread through the world (both of them) with this ease that he hadn't seen in her ever before. Even when she was just a teenager unencumbered by Amon she had never been quite like this. Mako can't help but smile. Seeing Korra healthy, happy, and fully whole again is a beautiful thing.

"Here," she knelt down by a pool of water and motioned him to do the same. "Lean over and get all the burned skin in the water."

Mako unwrapped the bandages hurriedly and followed what she asked.

Korra crossed her legs and got to work. Her arms moved in smooth motions in front of her. The water swirled and glowed under her attention with a sense of great concentration.

He could feel the water swirl and pulse around his hand and arm. A gentle warmness surrounded his flesh. It felt nice and comforting. He adjusted his position so he could lay on his back with this arm submerged.

"I still have feelings for you," Korra broke the silence. "I don't think I made that clear."

Mako swallowed, the sensations in his arm were becoming more overwhelming.

"But…I'm sorry but I just don't know what exactly that means or what those feelings really are."

He makes sure to give her time to finish and hear her out.

"I don't know when I'll figure that out either," she sighed.

"Honestly…that's okay." His hand twitched under her ministrations. "I'm glad I still have you in my life."

Korra's smile was one of relief. "Flex your hand for me."

Mako looked down at his arm for the first time since lying down. The skin had a softer, pink hue to it instead of the angry mottled red it had been before. As he moved each finger one by one before closing his hand into a fist, the change was utterly noticeable. It felt like his hand again. It felt as if nothing had ever happened.

He sat up, pulling his arm from the pool of spirit water. Effortlessly, he created a large, sustaining flame in his damaged arm.

"Korra…I…" there were tears at the corners of his eyes.

"Spirit water is amazing, but it can't fix everything," Korra smiled. "I was able to repair the damage from the spirit energy, but since well…a few weeks passed I couldn't get all the scarring." She hung her head, "I'm so sorry. I should have done this for you after the wedding and I—"

Mako pulled her into a hug. "I think it's my turn to say that 'thank you' really isn't enough."

Things weren't certain. But for now, Mako was okay with walking into the future not knowing exactly what to expect.