Flames That Burn

"C'mon," Korra's voice pouted out loudly into Mako's ear.

"It'll be fun! Just a little friendly relationship competition! We won't actually hurt each other! It's just something to pass the time of this indoor day. We are lazy, so why not wake up!"

The night before had been very tiring seeing as their love life had spiked through the roof and it made her hyper but tired him out. The getting dressed process was taking a while as the young avatar pressed him for a tiny fight. His curled finger met her chin, Her face was lifted back up to his. With a sweet, lengthy kiss, Mako began to dress himself. Although nervous about the idea, He decided to agree.

"Spar? Sure... Could be fun."

He voice was practically a squeak before dark hair bounced to wrap her chest in the white bandages. Her and Mako never truly spared off and it made her happy to see him take her on. The kiss caused her to swoon with crystal blue eyes looking into his amber stare.

"Just your pants and only use the basic elements."

Dropping his shirt, Mako cocked a brow before looking over her slowly clothed body with a want but knew he has to resist it right now.

"Basic elements?"

"Yeah. Y'know. No lighting, just fire. No ice, just water."

Realizing that he was watching, Korra intricately started to wrap her brazen chest with a smirk as to keep his attention on her body and on her figure. His back touched a wall in a leaning posture. Arms crossed, his eyes were fixated on the girl,what a hold she had on him but he still managed to speak.

"Sounds good to me,Avatar."

The harsh stare on her body was felt as she looked over form her now wrapped chest with a broad and teasing smirk.

"Enjoying your view,Mako?"

"Oh, very much so."

The amber gaze of the young man leered over her semi-exposed body with a laugh that was soon ended by her pressing him to the wall and her body to his. It was a tense moment but it was still leading him to want her. It seemed as if she was going for a kiss but stopped with a whisper on his lips.

"Fire vs. Water."

Mako couldn't help but mumble with a low and demanding chuckle.

"You little tease."

Winking and pulling away the closeness, tan skin of her hand slipped into his alabaster skin. Yin and Yang was perfection on them.

"We will fight inside the pro-bedning arena, unless you are too scared, Mako?"

Two sides of the stage. Red and blue. Two people against each other. Fire and Water.

"Ready to lose, Avatar?"

Cracking his knuckles, Mako watched her as his feet bounced his body into a ready way while Korra rolled her neck with a smirk. As ready as she was, Mako contained an unsure feeling of fighting her. What if he hurt her? What if they hurt each other? What if it made things bad between them? Though he knew her bending, he was terrified of hurting her in anyway. The anticipation of them fighting made him stop and look at her with a wink.

A swift and hard lash of a water whip hit Mako's ankles,he jumped over the whip and flicked his fist towards her, a blast of fire behind it. Korra's movements were quick enough to block with a shield of water before she watched him and returned a punch of water. Mako had to move ad dance fast. He made a sudden sidestep. With a fist by his chin and the other by his waist. The speedy flick-like fiery punches continued.

"She's pretty good..."

Tanned and toned legs kicked rapidly as she blocked each with a shield of water before returning the attacks, followed by a loud grunt for a wave of water to knock him back a space. Attempting to spin away from the wall, Mako's shoulder was hit causing him to stumble. The flicked punches now morphing into heavy punches, and his form now involving more bounce. His breath and body were hot from the movements before he looked on her creased brow of determination

Korra was quick to duck down to the ground to dodge everything. All that was needed was one good hit in order to knock him over. But it wasn't coming soon. A back flip onto her feet let her throw two water whips that attacked his hands. The sting of the water whips was shaken off. Mako still had a trick in store, something with only days of development. It repeatedly crossed his mind though the only thing he shot were the heavy blows. Keeping behind her lines, she grunted before she used water from the basin before to knock him back before she advanced with a smirk.

"Think you can still take me?"

*Attempting to spin away from the wall, Mako's shoulder was hit causing him to stumble. The flicked punches now morphing into heavy punches, and his form now involving more bounce. After being knocked back, Mako's stance lowered and his fists rose to eye-level. Quick weight shifts along with speeding figure-8 weaving of his upper body followed. Monstrous momentum building with it. Soon after, Mako began slamming in blazing punches from left to right. The weaving continuing with it. Full potential of the move being held back as he only wanted to return to his starting position.

It was new. It was inspiring, it was painful. Korra's hands weren't fast enough to block as the fire came onto her. It was burning her hands, shoulder and stomach with a screaming shriek into the empty arena before a tan body dropped to knees and laid on the ground with teary eyes, a rolling cry of pain and help from her lips. Immediately stopping in shock, Mako was locked in place. A dead feeling followed the sinking feeling of his heart. His gaped mouth quivering and eyes softening in sadness.

"KORRA!"

He ran and fell to his knees in front of her, a darkness overcame him. The pain caused to his love at his fault was ripping at his entire being.

"I'm so sorry! I..."

The slim and slender body of the avatar shook before eyes that were crystal seemed to be broken. Her body shook in fear before she turned and looked at him. Her hands were burnt. Her shoulder stung and her stomach wretched in major pain before she tried to speak and then froze up with a gentle cry.

"H...help me.."

Mako scooped her into his arms and dashed out onto the streets. The sinking feeling only worsening with each of her cries. He didn't have the heart to look her in the eyes. His own pain, killing. Doors to a nearby hospital nearly torn out by his barging entrance. Panicked chats with nurses following. Not long after, He watched her be taken out of his arms, and be rolled away. His own suffering remaining in the quiet waiting rooms. The young avatar was practically limp on the gurney with her eyes closed from the pain. Each tiny movement caused her pain and stress on her wounds. The nurses tried to comply and asked what had happened but her pain was too much to answer. It was ordered for her to be sent to a healing basin and submerged under to keep her healing properly. In her mind, Korra wanted Mako to hold her hand, no matter how much it hurt.

Sitting in the waiting room, Mako's face stayed shielded by his hands. He couldn't bare to look at the burns he caused. His stomach felt as if it was being continuously flipped. Even if she forgave him, he refused to forgive himself. He wanted to be at her side but couldn't bring himself to it. The brightness of her smile in his mind shadowed by the pained face seen before.

By the dark of nightfall, Korra was laid to sleep in a full basin of healers on staff to ease her wounds. Her body was weak from the lack of consciousness. Her mind kept replaying in the moment of when the fire hit her. And his scream. Her pain. It was all too real for her to forget. Even in dreams. More time passed before a nurse was sent to fetch him and allow him into her healing room.

Mako followed the nurse to her room. Eyes peering around the room to divert his attention from her. He sat next to her bedding. No eye contact was made. His eyes now locked onto his hands and a hurting frown on his face. From her head up was visible in sleeping form. It had all tired her out and left her still. A tan sleeping beauty that wasn't going to be awoke by a kiss but by healing. He face did however seem painful and breakable as her body floated.

Mako would sit next to her until she awoke, no matter how long it took. He would apologize to his heart's extent. The reaping feeling wouldn't leave him. The fierce blows that would harm the girl seemed to have scarred his mind. Time gone and hours passed, she still didn't wake as the wounds has slowly began to heal. A nurse came in with questions to him, wondering if he knew what had happened to her. Who would burn the avatar and think it was okay? The other nurses kept on their focused healing on the girl with tan skin, tsk-ing and chattering at her poor state.

He ignored the nurses. Mind deep in thought of how their perfect relationship was ruined. All happiness felt during his time with her seemed to be forgotten. The horrible images of her suffering were unshakeable. The cries unforgettable all of it flooding his mind at once. Her joyful expression just before the incident, erased from his mind. He didn't want to bend anymore, at least near her. The burning left an unforgettable scar, both emotionally and physically. As the nurses dripped war water over her now let down hair, crystal eyes opened and looked around. At first, she tried to move but gave up with an airless gasp of pain from her stomach. Delicate hands were unable to move as she looked around and saw the face of Mako before she decided to speak.

"Mako…"

"I'm sorry, Korra. I'm sorry I hurt you. Now you have to suffer and I have to sit and watch. I can't even look at you without my heart dropping. You have to... Go through all this... Because of me. Because I couldn't go easier. Because did that stupid move that I knew could've hurt you... But I had faith. I thought you would've overcame it and beat me.. I'm sorry... "

A single tear dropped onto his fist. The rest being wiped away. He was clearly broken. Though it caused her great pain, it was more painful to see him broken. Her wounded hand took his fist and a thumb stroked his knuckles. The pain and his sadness made her cry as well with her voice breaking.

"Mako, we didn't know. I'm not mad at you. I'm not even scared. I'm glad to be alive. I should have known to take on a pro-bender who is my boyfriend."

Crystal eyes that showed love looked up to him before she squeezed his has as weakly as she could.

"Don't be sorry. I love you."

Mako still felt terrible, her words lifted his spirit. His hand guiding her weak hand back to its rest. He sniffled and looked back at her.

"I love you too... And I 'am going to be right here by your side until you're better."

"You don't have to but I'm glad you are."

Her head rested back against the bath pillow with purse lips for a kiss. Not just any kiss but a kiss of forgiveness on both halves. She wasn't upset. She wasn't scared of him and she loved him even more or being by her side as always. After leaning over, Mako's lips met hers in a longing lip lock. The images that had hurt him so much were gone. After pulling away, Mako's now calm face hovered over hers, a hand brushing the hair from her face.

A wide smile played on her face before looking into his eyes and breaking into a weak laughter.

"Now, tell me. What was that move you used and how the hell did you ever come up with such a thing?"