First off, I want to apologise to all the korrasami shippers. I am sorry but I can't ship them, I don't want them to be endgame, they are pretty much my NOTP, I love them as friends and I think their dynamic is important but I just can't get behind it. Also the overly ambiguous ending really pissed me off, I mean I like that there is a level to which Makorra can also sail and that is the desperate scrap of hope I'm holding onto, which was revived a little thanks to Porcelain by makos-lightningrod on tumblr. This is set after the finale, its terrible, I know.
A fire raged through his veins that had nothing to do with his arm as he thought of her leaving again. The first time was bad enough, she had left for three years with out so much as a letter and returned with barely an apology. Of course he understood, she was in a dark place but that knowledge did little to stem the hurt he felt. And now she had returned from a spur of the moment vacation with Asami, the two had walked of joyously into the spirit portal with little care for anything they had left behind. He wanted to be there to welcome her back but he couldn't, he couldn't see her while he was this angry and hope for a good outcome, he had to be patient. Korra was the Avatar, she had a duty to everyone as well as her friends and Asami had needed her so she went for two months with out so much as a goodbye, it was Wu that told him in the end that she had left and he felt as though his heart was tearing. What he hated most was that he understood, it was all he did lately. He couldn't be angry with her because he understood her actions but he needed to be angry, he couldn't just let it all go, no matter how much he wanted to.
"For the love of the spirits Mako, talk to her." Opal's voice broke though as she and Bolin entered his apartment. He turned uneasily to see the two staring at him disapprovingly. "This tension isn't doing anyone any good. If you don't talk to her I will" She crossed her arms and Mako fought the smile that wanted to touch his lips.
"Well Bo, unfortunately it looks like the attitude is hereditary. Opal there's nothing to say." He sighed deeply and walked from the kitchen to his own room. The new apartment wasn't as nice as their old one but at least it was something that wasn't filled with vines. He flopped onto his bed and fiddled with a stuffed bison, ignoring the incoherent muffled voices as they filtered into his room.
"Bolin we have to do something. This isn't healthy." She had a gleam to her eyes that Bolin wasn't sure he liked.
"Opal it's not our place, he has to talk to her on his own." Bolin tried to reassure her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Or she could talk to him. Bolin he needs closure, he can't move on otherwise." Opal brought her golden eyes to his, pleading.
"I think he's afraid to ask. I learned young that you don't ask a question unless you can handle the answer. I don't think he's ready for her answer just yet. Opal, please just let him brood. It's the firebender in him." She shook off his hand and walked back to the door shaking her head.
"It isn't healthy." She dropped her voice and spoke quietly to herself. "If only he knew." Opal pushed her way back through the door and left for Air Temple Island, gliding her way across the bay with ease. Bolin watched her disappear into the sky, hoping she would just leave it be.
Opal landed in a rush of dust on the island and began the search for her prey. Korra had returned two weeks ago and the tense atmosphere around Mako had fast become unbearable. The brooding young man was a wreck, torn between his lingering resentment towards Korra, the hurt he felt and the simple fact he still loved her. Opal knew love when she saw it and Mako might as well wear a sign on his head. Korra wasn't much better, she was tense and on edge and more than once Opal had heard her with Asami ranting about him. She found Korra on the courtyard steps playing with Naga, as she had when they returned from Zaofu. She was venting at the Polar bear dog as she shifted the stones. Opal waited before approaching, catching the words 'Mako' and 'strangle'. She cleared her throat loudly before making herself visible.
"Is it safe to approach?" She laughed lightly and Korra tensed noticeably.
"Oh Opal, sure, how are you?" she stopped her game with Naga and looked to the young airbender.
"A lot better than you it would seem. I need to ask you a favour Korra." Opal watched her carefully.
"Sure, what can I do to help?" Korra stood and took a few light steps towards the girl.
"Go talk to Mako." She phrased each word clearly and carefully, not missing the fault in Korra's step.
"There's nothing to say." She lowered her gaze and Opal sighed with frustration.
"Don't give me that Korra, there is plenty to say! This stalemate between you needs to be broken. I get that both of you are hurting but someone needs to step up and I know he won't because he-" she cut herself short before saying something she'd regret. Mako had to tell Korra, she couldn't do it for him. Korra looked up at her curiously.
"Because he what, Opal?" Opal shifted nervously.
"I, well he… Look Korra just talk to him, this rift doesn't just affect the two of you." Opal turned quickly and left before Korra could pull her back. She left the Avatar puzzled and confused but hoped it was enough that she would at least try and talk to him.
Korra stayed where she was until the sun began to dip in the horizon. She knew she had to talk to Mako but couldn't bear what he would say. She had hurt him far too much for anything more than their friendship to survive this war. Opal was right, someone had to break this stalemate and it would have to be her after all he was owed a thousand apologies, not her. Eventually she pulled herself together enough to face him. She grabbed her glider and walked slowly to the edge of the island to take off before something in the water caught her eye. Her staff fell to the ground and she rushed out on an ice board only to see Mako flailing awkwardly in the waves, she enlarged her board before pulling him onto it.
"What are you doing? It's easily three miles from the city to the island. Please don't tell me you were trying to swim it, especially with your arm." Panic coated her voice as she cleared the water from his lungs.
"Well I missed the last ferry so swimming had to do." He coughed uneasily before Korra slapped him lightly.
"What were you thinking Mako?" her voice dropped to a light whisper.
"I needed to apologise to you and I've already left it too long." Korra was taken a back and looked at him curiously.
"What on earth for? I am the one who should apologise." He looked to her for a slight moment before pulling himself into a sitting position.
"I came to apologise for the way I've been acting, for not coming to see you, for being a jerk." Korra shook her head and laughed uneasily.
"That's exactly what I was coming to apologise for." She stood easily and bent up a handle for him. "Hold on."
The edges of Air Temple Island came into view and Mako felt a weight removed from his chest. She didn't hate him, there might be hope for them yet. Korra pulled them ashore before lifting the sleeve on his bad arm.
"I'm fine Korra, really." He tried to tug the arm away but her grip was iron.
"No you aren't, this should be in a sling still. Lightning injuries shouldn't be taken lightly." She pulled some water from the bay and began to work on the arm, soothing the nerves and relaxing the muscles.
"Oh wow, a little higher please." His breath came out jagged but relief coated his features. Korra pinched him lightly before moving her hands higher.
"This isn't a massage Mako." She laughed lightly before finishing and returning the water to the bay, as well as the water in his clothes and hair. He took her in slowly, the dying rays of sun coating her in a golden light, her eyes were alight and her skin glowed, giving her an ethereal aura.
"Korra, look I didn't just come to apologise. There is something I have to get off my chest because it has been eating me alive." Uncertainty blazed in her eyes but she nodded for him to continue. Mako took a deep breath before he released his burden, he had tried to be patient and to give her space but Opal was right, the tension had to go. "The three years you were gone killed me, I hated not knowing how you were and if you were doing okay. I hated being so far from you and the wall that seemed to go up between us." Korra straitened sharply.
"I thought we were passed that Mako." Her voice was meek and feeble.
"I'm not finished Korra. And then you came back and that was great, I had missed you so much it was a relief to finally see you but to find out you wrote to Asami but not to me or Bolin, that really hurt Korra. I know you apologised and everything but that didn't lessen the fact, but I ignored it because it was great to finally spend time with you again. Then the explosion hit us and I wasn't sure who was going to make it out alive because I didn't want to lose you again. I know in the end it turned out okay and the only one we lost was Hiroshi but then you left again with out saying anything. It wasn't until Opal came and yelled at me that I realised why I was so angry, I get why you left and I get why you didn't write but…" His voice wavered but Korra dared not interrupt him. The two had barely had a chance to talk and he needed this, heck they both needed to get rid of the rift that had been growing. "But that didn't change how much it hurt because I love you Korra. I meant it when I said always." His released a strangled breath before he looked her in the eyes. Korra didn't think about her next move, she just reacted. Her arms lifted around his neck and her lips met his in a passion she had thought was gone forever. He responded to her instantly, his arms cradled her against him and held her tightly. This kiss was for the all the ones they had missed, in the three years she had been gone, in the tension when she returned, in their arguments and in the two weeks they had been so foolish. This kiss was for victory, this kiss was for the balance they had finally managed to find.