After Korra joined the Fire Ferrets, Bolin insisted she come over for dinner. In the name of comradery, he told Mako.
Mako was less than enthusiastic about it, but agreed to it eventually. "I don't see why we can't go get food at a club or something."
"You'd willingly go to a jazz club?" Bolin laughed. "Besides, they're too noisy. I want the three of us to get to know each other. Bond as a team, you know?"
"Yeah, yeah I get it." Mako mentally tallied the money they had for food that week. Thanks to their latest win, they might be able to spring for a little extra to feed the Avatar.
Korra came up to the attic the next night after training, hungry and curious to see where the boys live.
Mako had tried to clean the place up a little, but there was no hiding the shabby blankets or the sparse furniture. He tried not to be embarrassed. He'd worked hard to even provide this much, and he was proud of how he'd taken care of his little brother.
"Wow, you were kidding about the views!" Korra exclaimed, immediately gravitating toward the open windows. Mako relaxed slightly. "You can see the airbenders' island from here! And all of Yue Bay"
"I told you!" Bolin bragged, "Best in the city."
She turned back to face, her face aglow. "You weren't kidding."
"Now, how about that grub, Mako?"
"Mako's cooking?" Korra asked in surprise as she watched the firebender start up a flame to roast three fish on spits, seasoning them carefully.
"You sound surprised," Mako said, not looking away from his work.
"Not surprised," Korra said, "Just…not what I was expecting."
"What were you expecting? That we ate instant noodles every night? We're pro-benders, Avatar Korra, we gotta take care of our bodies."
Korra's cheeks darkened in embarrassment, but she didn't back away. "I'm just... not used to seeing a, uh, man that can cook."
Mako raised an eyebrow at that, and Bolin laughed. "Mako's been cooking since before I can remember," he explained, "If I was charge, though, it probably would be noodles every day." He laughed and Mako softened a bit.
"I'm gonna run out and grab something to drink, I forgot to do it earlier," Bolin said suddenly."
"Oh that's okay," Korra said, "You don't need to go to any trouble."
"No trouble at all, miss." He winked at her and disappeared down the staircase.
Silence fell between the remained two benders. Then Korra spoke up, "You can just call me by name, you know. None of that Avatar Korra stuff. I'm not much for strict adherence to the rules, you know?"
" Ah. Yes I could see that when you threw a man over the side of the arena instead of the back."
"And I apologized for that, didn't I? And we won the match. If not for me, you've been a sitting turtle duck and out of the tournament."
Mako said nothing.
Korra sighed. "Look, Mr. Cool Under Fire, I know I'm new to the game and I'm still learning, but I'm a good waterbender. Just give me a chance and I'll show you how good I can be."
"I never said you weren't a good waterbender."
"I'm an excellent waterbender."
Mako cracked a smile.
"Ooh, you do have a sense of humor."
He rolled his eyes. "I have Bolin for a brother. It was kind of unavoidable."
She laughed. "You care about him a lot, don't you." It wasn't really a question.
"We're all each other's got," he shrugged. He could tell Korra was dying to ask what had happened to his parents, but was relieved when she didn't pry. She might be pushy and a bit too blunt, but at least she knew when to leave things well enough alone.
Korra drifted back over to the window that overlooked Republic City. "Have you two always lived here?"
"Here in the city, yes."
"It's so different from the South Pole," she said dreamily. "Nothing but snow and sea in every direction. No pro-bending, no warm spring days," she rubbed her arms in cool night air.
"Don't you miss it at all?" Mako found himself asking.
"I miss my family, of course. But there's so much more for me to do and see and learn here! I can't imagine ever leaving it again."
"Well, Bolin's certainly taken a shine to you, so you're stuck."
She smiled. "I think you're the one stuck with me."
The corner of his mouth turned up, and he turned away saying, "Fish is done. Is Bolin still missing in action?"
"Yeah, what was that about?"
"Honestly, he probably wanted us to be alone so we'd be forced to talk to each other civilly."
"Well, it worked. I don't think you're such a jerk anymore."
He winced. "Oh. Yeah, about that."
"Don't worry about it," she grinned. "We all have our moments." She held out her hand. "Friends now?"
"Whether I like it or not," he said, grasping it.
an: Just a fun little ficlet. Leave some love if you like it ;)