A/N: For be the peaf week 54 paparazzi. It was kind of fun to write. And if you must ask: yes, I've seen the leak. Yes, I know the things. No, this does not spoil anything.
Disclaimer: I don't own.
Mako never trusted anything he read in the trashy magazines Bolin swore he never actually bought, just happened upon in the trash. When said magazines started printing made up stories about him and his brother, Mako just brushed them off. He was a little offended when said magazines caught on to the fact that the boys were orphans but then chose to ignore it when the next week it claimed he was dating the daughter of the Fire Nation delegate to the Council (he'd never met the girl).
Bolin loved all the stories about him and Mako knew his brother kept them in a box under his bed. That box was now overflowing with clippings and stories about Bolin's dating adventures with Ginger and Eska (and a few other women that Mako was sure his brother had never actually met). Mako thought it was all a little silly (never mind that he had a similar box filled with clippings about himself and Korra). Bolin loved the flashing lights of a camera following him around.
Mako hated it. He hated that constant fear of a picture being taken, of not knowing what would end up in the paper tomorrow. He'd been teased during his first few months as a police officer because of all the pictures of him and Korra getting caught kissing around town. He'd had a talk with her about it and they agreed to tone things down in public. After their break up he didn't have to worry about people taking pictures of him, people were too preoccupied with the spirits running around to notice Mako and Korra were no longer dating.
That was three years ago now and he was dating Korra, again. It started slowly, just spending time alone with her and talking about their lives. They were much more open with each other now. When one discussion ended with a kiss (neither really knew who leaned in first) they finally admitted (at the same time no less) that they wanted to try this relationship again.
"But I don't want all the attention like last time," Korra admitted.
"It made things a little weird," Mako confirmed.
"So secret relationship till we figure out how to not get that much attention?" Korra suggested.
"No, but maybe we just keep things low key? I'm going to tell Bolin."
"Ok, low key it is!" And she kissed him again reminding Mako that this part of their relationship had worked very well last time.
It took them three days to get caught. They should have known better, Mako hadn't needed to kiss the smudge of ice cream off Korra's mouth but it felt natural. A week later that picture was on the cover of every trashy magazine Bolin could find.
"'Are Avatar Korra and Detective Mako an item again?'" Korra read out loud as she paced up and down Mako's apartment. "'Sources close to the two detail how they've been spending time together. Is love's flame going to burn as bright the second time around?' Who writes this stuff?"
"I'm not sure but Beifong already told me I can't arrest them," Mako said.
"That's stupid."
The stories got worse.
"Mako seen entering a jewelry store, is the Avatar in for an important question?"
"Is that a bump? Avatar Korra's possibly pregnancy, seen leaving doctor's office."
"On the rocks already? Korra and Bolin spotted at Narook's. Mako ready to 'incinerate' his brother."
"Pregnant and alone: Mako seen with another woman!"
Korra watched the paper burn in her hand. "I'm not pregnant!" She screamed.
"I know that," Mako said from where he was sprawled on his couch. He picked up another magazine to burn. This was becoming a new game for them: see who could burn the most magazines in one hour. "And why do they think the new girl at the station is my girlfriend? I had to patrol with her once and she spoke maybe five words to me the whole time!"
"I can't hang out with Bo without someone thinking we're dating! Ugh this has to stop!"
"Well not doing anything in public didn't help."
"Maybe we just need to be ridiculous," Korra suggested.
"Huh?"
She smiled. "Yeah, like what if we just kept getting caught kissing everywhere? Or we went to one of the magazines and sold an incredibly untrue story to them?"
"Won't work. Plus its not going to get them to stop."
"It's not like asking would help," Korra muttered.
Mako stared at her, wheels turning in his head. "It might," he began.
"Really? I don't think-"
"What if we ask them to stop trying to get a story about us by telling them our story?"
"So we are going to lie to them?"
"No." He was excited now. "We pick one of the magazines and offer them an exclusive interview about our relationship."
"That's just crazy enough to work!"
They decided to go with Hotmen Magazine. It was the least offensive and actually the most truthful of all the magazines (except that they were the ones who thought Korra was pregnant first). Korra liked the article so much she sent copies to her parents and Master Katara.
The Avatar and the Detective
by Hui Mei
Growing up I always thought the statue of Avatar Aang in Yue Bay was imposing. It made me assume that the next Avatar would be aloof and too busy traveling the world to even bother with relationships. Having met the current Avatar and her boyfriend I'm pleasantly surprised to know that my assumptions were entirely incorrect (not that her initial press conferences indicated she would even act like that). Avatar Korra and Detective Mako are, in my humble opinion, two of the nicest people I've met (Korra jokes that Mako wasn't that nice to her when they met).
"In fact," she said during the interview, "he was kind of a jerk when we first met. Then again I did sneak into the pro bending arena."
"I was just annoyed that Bolin found another girl to watch us," Mako admitted. "I did apologize when she said she was the Avatar."
"You said you were an idiot," Korra quipped causing this reporter to laugh.
Through out the entire interview both were honest and open about their relationship ups and downs.
"We just want people to know the truth," Mako said as we began. "We're sick of the rumors."
Hui Mei: I would be sick of them as well. What's the worst one so far.
Korra: It's a toss up between me being pregnant and me cheating on Mako with Bolin.
Mako: Personally I hate the rumor about Bolin more. When we were all on the Fire Ferrets together Bolin had a major crush on Korra. It ended up getting between us until we talked it out. When Korra and I started dating the first time Bo and I talked about it. Same thing the second time, I don't want a girl to come between us.
K: And Bolin is one of my best friends. I hate that I can't hang out with him without someone writing something.
H M: Does Mako ever see Asami?
M: Of course, we're all friends. Korra and I talked about my relationship with Asami. We've been through this before; things happened and we're done with it.
K: Asami is my friend as well and we've both been hurt by things in the past. But we're still good friends and I still love Mako and they're friends. I can't get mad at him for seeing Asami and then ask him not to get mad at me for seeing Bolin.
H M: So, to the important question: are you two getting married?
K *blushing*: Uh, well, we haven't…
M: We're enjoying dating again. We're serious about each other but I think its still too early to think about getting married.
H M: And you're not pregnant?
K *laughs*: Oh no, not at all! Though my dad did see that and called Mako up and yelled at him for like an hour. He stopped only after I wrestled the phone away from Mako and told him there was definitely no way I was pregnant.
H M: Mako, what's it like dating the Avatar who also happens to be the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe?
M: About the same as when I dated her before Tonraq was elected Chief. Only now I'm slightly more scared of him.
K: He's actually a little more worried about Tenzin. I'm pretty sure all the rules I have are just practice for when Jinora and Ikki are older.
H M: Is there anything you want the public to know?
M: We're just a normal couple who want to see if their relationship works out. We're aware that people are curious about Korra and I know she's important to the world. But she's also important to me and I want to make this work. It's just hard sometimes when I have to worry if my picture is going to be on the cover of some magazine.
K: I don't mind the press. When I first came to Republic City I was a little overwhelmed by them but now I'm fine with them. I just don't like them speculating about my relationship. It's hard enough for both of us to make time to see each other, we don't want to keep trying to avoid people. For once I want to be able to go have lunch with Mako and not worry that we'll get caught kissing outside the police station.
M: Beifong yelled at me for that.
K *takes M's hand*: We understand people are curious, we just want to let people know about our relationship on our terms. So yes, we're dating. No, we're not getting married and no I'm not pregnant. Mako has no desire to be Chief of the Southern Water Tribe nor is he secretly seeing Asami. I'm not seeing Bolin and I'm not forcing him to quit his job so he can join me if or when I travel around the world.
M: We're in love, and that's all that matters.