Author's Note: I've decided to attempt a 30 day writing challenge. For the next month, I'll be writing Makorra everyday. Hopefully. Check my Tumblr (FeistyFanfics) for my list of prompts that I'll be drawing from.
Hope you enjoy!
Day One :: Everyday Magic
False dawn. That time in the far-too-early morning where the sky turned from darkness to faint grey light, the sun not yet peeking over the horizon. Korra hated morning enough before having a baby. She hated it even more now. The screams of her daughter would not be quelled while lying in bed, no matter what she tried. Mako looked over his shoulder at the two, a concerned frown on his face. "What's wrong?"
"I don't think she's hungry," Korra grumped, slipping her shirt back over her shoulder. Despite the little girl's refusal to eat, the screams became louder still. Glaring down at the child, Korra wanted badly to be angry at her, but all she could muster up was annoyance at being awake at that ungodly hour. With a heavy sigh, Korra slipped out of bed with the flailing bundle in her arms. She walked out of the room she shared with her husband to the as-of-yet unused nursery.
Changing diapers wasn't nearly as horrifying an experience as she had expected, and it wasn't even her least favorite part of parenting. No, her least favorite part was what she was going through at that moment. Being screamed at for no apparent reason at a time when she was usually dead to the world asleep, that was the part she hated. Everything else was just fine, even being screamed at for no apparent reason during the day, when she felt more human.
Freshly changed, the screams subsided, though the girl still gave her mother a sad face. "You're awake, aren't you?" No response, not that Korra had expected one. "There is absolutely no chance of me going back to sleep, is there?" The girl let out a short cry, a fierce frown making her look on the verge of wailing once more. "All right, all right," holding the baby close to her chest, Korra sighed and took out a mat with hanging toys that Pema had made for her. Sliding the child under the arches, she reached out and shook a rattling toy. The sound caught the girl's attention, and she stared at it for what seemed forever before reaching out and smacking it. Amused by what happened, she flailed clumsily and hit it again and again.
Korra watched in amazement at the first time her daughter truly interacted with the toys. Part of her wanted to go get Mako, but part of her didn't want to risk ruining the moment. Leaning forward, she smiled down at the girl and whispered her name. "Are you having fun?"
She stopped playing for a moment, and Korra thought she had ruined it. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to, please keep playing," she pleaded with the child, reaching out and touching the rattle again.
This time, the girl didn't play with it. Instead, she turned her head to follow the hand that had gone across her line of vision. Seeing her mother's face staring at her, she gave a huge smile and a squeal of happiness, her arms and legs reaching out as though to try to grab Korra. Stunned, Korra stared at the girl. Finally over the shock, she reached out and lightly tickled her, laughing happily, "That's right! I'm your mommy, and you love your mommy, don't you?" The words seemed a little strange coming out of her mouth, but she never once stopped to even think about it. Picking up the girl, she cuddled her close, kissing her cheek and laughing.
The girl seemed to favor Mako most of the time, and Korra had never thought that she'd be the one to receive the first real smile. Suddenly, getting up so early in the morning didn't matter anymore, such was the magic the infant's happiness infected her with.