entitled: sleepless in Republic City
summary: The whole having-the-Avatar-as-your-girlfriend thing was seriously making him restless. —MakoKorra. Canon.
rating: T
disclaimer: I do not own.
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Korra had left on Avatar-business-blah-blah-blah with Iroh.
Again.
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"Maybe you should sit this one out," Mako proposed over their dinner date at his apartment. "Like, take a break or something."
Korra pulled her concentration away from the bowl of noodles. Her brows furrowed. "Why? I'm fine Mako. I'm the Av—"
"Yes," Mako interrupted, slightly annoyed. "You're the Avatar. I think I know Korra. It seems to be your excuse for—" he stopped when her face turned sour.
"EXCUSE?" Korra looked insulted. Mako groaned, maybe he shouldn't have brought it up, he didn't mean—but Korra was already angry. "Being the Avatar isn't an 'excuse,' Mako. It's a responsibility. People need to know that I'm here. People outside Republic City. I don't know why you're being like this, all—"
"All what?"
"—trying to protect me and stuff," Korra finished indignantly. "I appreciate the thought Mako, but I can handle myself." She set her chopsticks down and rose from the table. "Let's call it a night. I need to go pack anyway."
Mako grabbed her wrist, pulling her back. "Trying to protect you? Why are you angry about that?" he demanded, rising. "You're the Avatar, but you're also my girlfriend. I—"
Korra jerked away.
"I don't want to talk about this."
"About what?" Mako was confused—and hurt. "About our relationship? About me never getting to see you? About—"
But Korra back away.
There was something strange in her eyes. Mako couldn't quite figure it out.
"I'll see you when I get back," Korra mumbled, turning to leave.
He didn't stop her.
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Stupid.
He shouldn't have fought with her.
He knew what she's like.
Her stubbornness. Her need to be useful, to live up to Avatar Aang. Korra always felt like she needed to prove herself. Mako just wished she understood that the fact that she was there—it was enough. She had helped enough.
Her little missions with Iroh always left him restless.
Accepting that he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight, Mako got out of bed.
He shuffled around in the apartment kitchen for a while and decided to make some tea. Pulling out the familiar tea set, Mako frowned.
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"I can't believe you're making me spend a whole afternoon shopping. For a tea set."
They were holding hands—the only good thing that's coming out of this trip—and browsing the market.
Korra wasn't paying any attention to Mako. Instead, she pulled him along like a rag doll and was zealously checking out the tea sets in the window.
Mako didn't understand.
"The Air Temple has like, a billion tea sets, Korra. Is this really necessary? Did you break another—"
"It's for you, Mako." Korra turned to him then, looking at him with her bright blue eyes. "For your new apartment. So whenever you have tea," she grinned, kind of looking away, "you'll think of me."
Mako sighed. How could he say, well, anything to that?
Except that he loved her.
Everything about her.
So, so, much.
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It's been three days since Korra left—the third night he hasn't been able to sleep.
Mako sighed, running his fingers through his hair, leaning back against the cabinets, staring at the tea cup in his hand.
This—
his love—
was becoming an illness.
And that's when he realized it.
When they had argued, the look in her eyes—it was fear.
His love—
It scared her.
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fin.
endnotes: I don't know. It's just, I imagine Mako loving Korra so, so much.
(Which, I love that about him.)