A Little Thing called Happiness
Korra's head laid across his thigh as his fingers combed mindlessly through her hair. Mako stared ahead, past Bolin and Tenzin, playing pai sho and arguing about the rules; past Asami and General Iroh, speaking softly to one another over cups of tea; past Chief Beifong and Commander Bumi, laughing loudly with large mugs of alcohol; past Korra's waterbending master, Katara, who seemed to watch him with an amused but knowing gaze; past the little airbenders and their mother and the other people of the Southern Water Tribe, mingling throughout this strange building made of ice and snow instead of the bricks he was used to in Republic City. The air outside must have been cold, especially during the storm, but inside it was cozy and warm, almost suffocating. This is where Korra grew up, Mako realized, and blinked in awe.
Korra shifted and turned over onto her back, eyes fluttering open lazily. Mako looked down at her as she sleepily studied his face, and he smiled down at her, which Korra smirked at. She rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out, but she reached for his hand and folded their fingers together. She closed her eyes again, a silly smile that couldn't be contained on her lips.
He liked how she looked at him, Mako realized, still gazing at the young Avatar. It was how Asami used to look at me, he thought, and immediately felt almost guilty, wondering what had ever made him think that. Mako glanced across the room, searching for her familiar head of black hair, just a few shades lighter than the dark night sky of the South Pole.
Asami and the United Forces general were sitting closer than he remembered, their shoulders brushing. There was a smile on her face, absolutely genuine, and a spark that brightened her eyes in a way that he hadn't seen in what felt like a lifetime. He couldn't remember the last time she had looked this happy; a real happiness, one that wasn't put on for show. Asami seemed to burn as brightly as the sun, her happiness shining and seeming to touch every single person in the room. And he felt happy, too - for her. She caught his gaze as if she felt him looking at her. Something passed between them, an understanding only the two of them could share. Subtly, Asami nodded, a smaller smile on her face, but just as real. Mako mirrored her, trying to pour everything he couldn't say aloud into his eyes for her and only her to read, and then Asami returned her attention to General Iroh.
"What is it?"
Mako looked down again and remembered that Korra was still lying in his lap. Realizing that Korra had been watching him, he grinned sheepishly, his thumb tracing circles on her cheek. "Everyone's happy," Mako said, his voice was so full of joy that it surprised him. Korra smiled and wrapped her hand around Mako's neck, pulling him down to her. She kissed his lips lightly before releasing him, but he stayed there to kiss her back, softly, then passionately, a hunger to have Korra closer nearly blinding him.
She laughed beneath him and playfully pushed against Mako's shoulders. She sat up and laid her head on his shoulder. "We have time for that later," she whispered into his ear. He turned quickly, a look of surprise and excitement clearly displayed in the way his eyes widened. Korra winked at him, pecked him on the lips once more, then stood and joined Bolin and Tenzin.
Mako followed after her, laughing to himself. Yeah, he thought, everyone's happy. Just like they ought to be.