Disclaimer: Legend of Korra is not owned by me :(
Breathe
Mako reminds Korra of her breath of Fire
Everyday was a little bit of the same, the four of them would traverse the city trying to find out all they could about the Equalists, as well as fighting some along the way. And everyday when they returned home Korra's muscles would ache and she would spend hours healing, which caused her to be even wearier the next morning. She wasn't breathing, she didn't give herself the chance to, rushing into every confrontation like she was already starting to drown. Mako noticed it first but didn't say anything. Naga noticed it second, and tried her best to comfort her stressed out master but to no avail.
A sore, and sleep deprived Korra made for less than pleasant company after all, and when Bolin finally caught on, he was at his wits end, pleading her to take rest, but always ending up neck deep in his own element.
It was too much, for Korra, and for them.
The next day was a little bit different, Korra had come back from training with Tenzin, but the results were the same, she was sore, tired, and extremely irritable. And still she refused to stop.
Naga whined, Bolin moped, and Mako sighed, he wondered if Pabbo would miss sleeping in his scarf after he was incinerated, but he got up from his chair and stood before the angsty avatar anyway.
"You're working too hard." It was meant to be a gentle confrontation but Korra quickly turned it into a hostile one.
"I'm sorry Mako, would you like to be Avatar for the day? Would you like to fight the Equalists alone? Would you like to master Airbending, and save the world too?"
Naga covered her face with her paws. Bolin seemed to shrink back into himself, they both hated when they fought.
Mako remembered his breath of fire, and inhaled deeply. The lone candle in the room rose, it stood inconspicuous beside the electric lights of their home. He exhaled, and it fell by the smallest iota. And of course Korra didn't notice it, she was far too tense, too angry.
Fine then, he would teach her.
"Fight me." he wasn't leaving room for argument.
Korra's eyes lit up, it was all the consent she needed.
"Guys really, this has gone too far!" Bolin cried, pushing himself between them, he was trying to stop the inevitable.
But Mako brushed past him and Korra, and went into their backyard. It was small, surrounded by skyscrapers and tile but it would do.
She had followed him of course, her footsteps heavy and full of anger, he turned to her.
"So you think your good enough to beat the Avatar too, huh?" She got into her fighting stance, she was going to use fire, she always used fire when she was angry.
Bolin hovered by the doorway, ready to intervene if things got too far out of hand. Mako wouldn't need the help, they wouldn't be going that far, not today anyway.
He settled into his stance cool and collected, and motioned for her to come.
She rushed him like a Komodo Rhino, he inhaled, she aimed a well placed fist of fire right at his face.
He exhaled, and caught both her flame and fist, and snuffed them out. She tired again, with her other hand, too blinded by anger to see reason, he took a breath, and caught the other hand as well.
"Let go of me you son of a-"
"You're not alone." He cut her off, cupping both of their hands together, and took another breath, the small flame, the small heartbeat, echoed between their hands. Their eyes met. Hazel and sapphire, ice and fire.
"You don't have to face everything alone, and even if this is corny, and Bolin goes on and on about it all the time, he's right, we're a team."
Her shoulders slumped, and for the first time in days, she relaxed.
"Just breathe once in awhile." he walked back inside, away from her, and Bolin.
The next few days were different, they were doing the same things, but it was different. Korra no longer came home sore, and on the rare occasion that she did they all shared the pain.
While sitting around the house aching from a long day Mako wondered if he had made a mistake with his little intervention. Korra seemed better than ever, but now they were all suffering for it...
He groaned, and slumped against his chair. A hand clapped him on the shoulder, he looked up into laughing blue eyes.
"Breathe remember?"
Bolin laughed in a nearby chair, falling off and onto a sleeping Naga. Korra soon joined him in his laughter, Mako slumped deeper into his chair, but he was smiling.
Everything was well.
Review please! I'm obsessed with the Legend of Korra, and have watched the trailer countless times . I really like the new team dynamic, and wanted to take a shot at it myself, Bolin the peaceful fun guy, Korra the hot headed trouble maker, and Mako the cool relief(which is ironic since he's fire) I hope this wasn't all too bad, just a little bit of fun, hope you liked it :)