Title: Before the Seasons Changed
Summary: Mako tries out for the football team and doesn't make the cut. The new girl wins his place instead.
Genre: Gen
Rating: G
Word Count: 500

Notes: I wrote this ages ago on Tumblr, almost lost it through my forgetfulness, and realized I never put it up anywhere. Jokingly prompted (and titled) by Asa because she is who she is, and I actually wrote it because I am who I am.


Before the Seasons Changed

As far as Mako was concerned, after spectacularly failing at impressing the coach at tryouts, what little consolation he received (a missed bus, ripped bag walking home, and brother's announcement that he'd eaten the rest of the dumplings in the fridge upon his walking through the front door) was not enough to appease his mood, and certainly, he felt, served as a perfectly reasonable excuse to not talk to any living soul for the next seven hours.

"Sorry about tryouts," Bolin said as he brought out dinner. Mako collapsed on the sofa, muscles aching, and broke his pact of silence to grunt in thanks as he accepted the bowl of stew.

Bolin watched him as he sopped up a bit of bread, spreading it around the rim of the bowl. "I heard the results from Toza just before I left today. You're not gonna use this as an excuse to mope around for the weekend, are you?"

Mako shrugged, then, catching the look on his brother's face, gave up on his fast from human conversation and elaborated, "As long as they didn't let Tahno in, I don't really care."

"Nah, that new girl got the spot."

"The new — who?"

"The new girl," Bolin said. "She was in geography class today? She sat next to Sato, they were talking the whole class. She answered that question on coal exports that nobody else knew about. Said she'd come from down south somewhere."

"And she got my spot," Mako confirmed.

"It's hardly your spot anymore, bro." His brother grinned apologetically. "You know how it goes."

"What's her name?"

"Karra, or something. Um. And apparently she broke Ming's jaw when he laughed at her for being the only girl on the team, so if you're thinking of going and picking a fight — "

"What? No. No." Mako swallowed and put the bowl down, and then, to do something with his hands, started ripping the bread apart into smaller, more edible pieces. "She actually broke Ming's jaw?"

"Well, probably just bruised it. Toza turned a blind eye." Bolin stole part of his bread crust. "I think he really just needs someone with her strength to make up for the seniors we lost last year. I think you just tried out at a bad time."

"Right." Mako swirled another piece around in the broth, raised it to his lips, but then paused. "Down south, you said?"

"Yeah, can't remember where."

"First day at Republic and she's already friends with Asami Sato, breaking jaws, and winning herself spaces on the sports teams?"

"I know." Bolin got up to wash his own dishes. "Sounds like she'll be a handful."

"Mm." Mako stuffed the bread into his mouth and chewed, somehow feeling much less irritated than he had been only five minutes ago, and corrected: "Sounds like she'll be something new."