Title: A Dance and A Truth
Word Count: 2,490
Summary: [One month after Harmonic Convergence, President Raiko holds a party. Mako avoids Korra.| Mako. Korra. Makorra. Post-Book 2.]
-.-
be-the-peaf · Prompt 040 – finale
-.-
The truth:
It's over… for real this time sticks with him long after the fact and long after she's told him "And I'll always love you" and he looked at her with soft eyes and a slight raise to his lips, hand lingering on hers until she walked out of his reach and weeks later he's still clenching his fingers, trying to remember exactly how it felt to have her hand slip from his, and how much he would do to get it back.
But that's not how things work anymore. They've both agreed to that.
-.-
It takes Republic City an entire month to clean up the damages from Harmonic Convergence.
And even after all their work – after all the teams of benders and non-benders hacking and pulling away at the vines that stretched over the buildings and roadways, the damage still broke through. The streets were cracked and split apart where the roots had sprouted up and walls, sometimes even entire buildings, had been ripped to pieces in the chaos. There wasn't a set death count, even after all this time and the numbers seem to crawl in. Two dead on the Southside, crushed beneath a collapsed wall, three swept away in the currents only to be found weeks later, bloated bodies floating in the wreckage of the docks. Mako remembers the way the river rescues unit's faces were sunken in, void of all expression except despair.
"Give them some space." Chief Beifong says as she puts a firm hand on his shoulder and Mako nearly spins his head around. He'd been staring at the men absent-mindedly and hadn't even noticed her approach him. Beifong looks at him for a moment, then removes her hand.
"I'll need you on security in a week's time." she says. "President Raiko is holding a gala."
"Is this really the best time, Chief?" he asks. "We haven't even found all of the…"
His voice trails off as the river rescues unit lift their heads and he casts his eyes down, ashamed of the truth that had almost left his lips. Beifong ignores his look of pity - it was time to get to business.
"Everyone in the city has been working hard to get back on track after what happened. This will help lift morale, to show everyone that we're pulling through." She says. "I know it doesn't seem like the right time, but it's what the city needs, understand?"
"Yes, Chief."
"Good. I'll have Officer Lei give you your position in a few days." She says. "Make sure you get some sleep."
Mako nods as she walks away.
-.-
Officer Lei gives him his position two days later – Team C: right side of the room with three other officers in his company. His leader tells him to watch the edge of their section and he stands by the tall windows that lead out to the balcony, standing straight and watching where the crowds thin into small groups bunched between lengthy pillars. Even from the tall, glistening windows of the gala hall, Mako can still see the damages that are left to clean up, the ones President Raiko is trying to push past everyone's mind. But he knows that he's right to do it – it was just as Beifong's said; everyone just needs something to show them that they're still going strong.
After all, they've gone through too much already to give up now.
"Oh – it's the Avatar!"
Mako stiffens as the words reach his ears, his head jarring to the left as the crowd faces inward. He shouldn't leave his post, but his feet move on the floor automatically, he can't help it. He's tall enough to see over the guests and he arrives just as President Raiko steps through the crowd to stand before the Avatar. It's their first public appearance together in nearly a month, she'd only stayed in the city a few days after Harmonic Convergence ended, just enough time to see Jinora home safely and make a few speeches for the press. Afterwards she went back the South to teach her people about the spirits and learn to live with them in their presence. From what he had heard, there was some good progress.
The cameras go wild with pictures as she and the President shake hands. She was wearing the same dress she'd worn to Tarrlok's gala, nearly a lifetime ago. But she was still just as beautiful.
"Avatar Korra, I'm glad you could make it." Raiko says, holding onto Korra's hand in a firm grip and she smiles politely as the camera's flash, and Mako's sure that she can't see a thing with all of them going off at once. "I trust everything is going well in the South?"
"Much better than before." She says. "We're making good progress."
"As long as you don't come asking me for more battleships, that's exactly what I like to hear."
The President laughs, and so does the crowd. But Korra keeps smiling, even as Raiko lets go of her hand and the camera flashes fade, and her eyes scan the wide room. Mako ducks back to his post before she can find him. He'll let Asami or Bolin fill her in on everything, for now he'll stay put now and do his job.
The night goes on.
-.-
He spends most of the time at his post, hidden away by the windows and the shadows where the lights fade at his feet. Korra hasn't seen him yet, but he's seen her many times over the shoulders and heads of the party-goers. Bolin and Asami had been with her most of the night, finding her soon after her brief visit with Raiko. Mako watches how her eyes light up on seeing them, how her mouth turns up and the edges of her eyes crinkle as Bolin goes about telling her how he's been helping the city by making new Nuktuk movers with Asami's company – showing "Nuktuk" and the CEO of "Millennium Tech Company" using the defeated Unalaq's automatons to clear away the vines out of the city.
Korra laughs as he finishes his tale and lifts her head in Mako's direction. He turns away, his breath held in his chest as the seconds pass. One… two… three and after six he turns back to find her gone. Music has started and Bolin's back is lost across the room as the people fill onto the floor. Mako watches as she and his brother dance and suddenly there's a taste in his mouth, bitter and sharp and he almost takes a step from his post to move to the floor when Asami suddenly appears in front of him, looking at him with concern and worry.
"Hey, you doing okay?" she asks. "We haven't seen you all night."
Mako sighs, and crosses his arms, shifting back into his post. "I told you before, I'm working tonight."
"It looked to me like you're hiding." She says, putting her hand on his arm. "Wanna dance? I'm sure Beifong won't mind."
His eyes flicker to the dance floor just as Bolin twirls Korra under his arm.
"Maybe some other time." He says, pulling her hand away. "I'm busy; I have a job to do."
Asami puts her hand on her hip. "Are you sure you're not just avoiding Korra?"
He freezes for a moment and looks to the ceiling.
"Well, I- uh…" he sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. Asami knows when she's right on the money, and she cocks her head to the side, pressing him for more.
"Have you even talked to Korra since she left a month ago?"
"That's not important right now." He says, wanting to get off the subject as soon as possible. "I'll talk to her later."
Asami shakes and her heels click on the floor as she walks to the crowd. Before she reaches the dance floor, she turns back to him, and her expression is one he's seen before – it's the same one she always wore when she'd get bad news, like when her father had been sent to jail. It's hurt and sadness rolled into one but he can tell she's trying to hide it away, so he doesn't change his face as she speaks back to him.
"Well, you'd better do it soon." She says. "She's been asking for you all night."
She turns away before he can open his mouth and then she's gone – lost in the dancing crowd. Mako closes his eyes and stretches the fingers of his hand, clenching and unclenching and they feel wet, and the air beneath his collar is hot. All the movement in the room, the chatter and mingling – it's gotten him sweating. He needs to cool down.
He goes to the window.
-.-
The night air is a relief as soon as he steps through the glass door. His post is just a few feet on the other side of the glass and he keeps the door open so he can hear if there's any disturbance. Leaning on the metal railing, the chunk of the city that stands in front of him gleams and shimmers with light. There are still a few buildings with tarps and sheets over them, but for the most part everything looks fine. They've done a good job cleaning up this part of the city; it won't be long before the rest of it looks the same.
He hears the sound of shoes on stone and the noise behind him muffles as the door closes shut. Mako turns but instead of Asami or Bolin or even Beifong, it's Korra standing at the glass with her hands behind her back, looking at him with her own kind of surprise, but it has a more cautious look to it, and he suspects Asami told her where he was.
His hand slackens on the rail.
"Hey." He says, breaking the air between them. "What are you doing out here?"
"Just getting some air." She walks up and presses her arms to the thin metal. "Asami told me you were around here, why aren't you inside? I haven't seen you all night."
"Same as you, for starters." He says. "And Beifong assigned me to security work, so I've been watching to make sure nothing happens tonight."
"Work at a party?" she questions. "That doesn't seem fair."
"It's fine." He sighs, and looks out to the city. "It's not like I had anyone to go with."
Out of the corner of his eye, he sees her sag.
"Sorry." He faces her. "I thought this would be easier on both of us if I had just stayed-"
She lifts her head. "Do you want to dance?"
Mako blinks, staring at her.
"What?"
"Do you want to dance. With me." She repeats slowly, leaning in to meet his eyes. Mako avoids her gaze, looking back to the city.
"I don't think that's a good idea." He says. "Besides, Beifong asked me to stay at my post."
"You're not there now, are you?" she notes. "I'm sure a few minutes more won't hurt."
"Korra, we agreed to this. We'll just-"
"-be friends?" she finishes. "I know. And I already danced with Bolin. Now I want to dance with you, my friend."
She holds out her hand and it takes him a moment, but he puts his into it.
"Fine." He says. "One dance."
-.-
It's fine. It's fine it's fine it's fine – They're just two people a few weeks into a breakup, trying to be friends. That's what he tells himself as Korra leads him to the floor, but as they weave through the crowd hand-in-hand the eyes start shifting, the stares start latching onto his back and he just knows his face is going to be bright red as they reach the floor. Korra turns around to face him, putting her hand on his shoulder and he finds her waist after a few tries. He swallows and raises her hand to the side, trying to keep his attention on her and the music. Not the eyes that are currently digging into them.
He steps to the right, and they're off.
"Everyone's staring…" he says under his breath as he leads her through the dance and she, still a head shorter than him, even with elevated shoes, has to lift her head for her voice to reach his ears.
"Don't worry about them." She says. "This is just something we'll have to get used to."
Easier said than done, he thinks.
"Besides," Korra looks across the room to where another crowd is gathering. "It looks like the President and his wife are going to dance, that'll take their attention off of us."
He lifts her on cue of the music with ease and the President tries the same with his wife, but cannot raise her from the ground. The whole crowd seems to smile at his attempt, and Mako is grateful that their attention has gone somewhere else. Korra was right.
Now he just has to get used to this.
They weave back and forth on the floor, stepping in near synchronicity. There are a few times she almost steps on his toes, the edge of her shoe scrapping against his, and she offers a meek smile, apologizing under her breath after it happens for a third time.
"Sorry." She says. "Guess I'm not used to dancing."
"We could stop, if you want." He offers.
"No… I think I'm starting to get it."
Her hand squeezes his and he finds his hand against the small of her back and her face nearer to his chest than it was before. She's looking up, right into his chin and soon she's rising, standing up on her toes and her eyes shut as her arm snakes around his neck, drawing him close. Mako's head dips and turns, his eyes closing and he tries to find enough air in the room to breathe but instead he pulls in her warm breath on his lips, and his mind is going nuts.
Just friends, just friends, just friends –
And his eyes snap open and he pushes her back, the last remnants of the song fading into another, and he stares at the ground for a moment, coming to realize what exactly almost happened. His hand goes to his temple and his eyes shut for a moment, and when he opens them again her hand is still in his, hanging loose between them. She never let it go, even when he pushed her away, and he lifts his head at her face, so worn and full of tiredness.
Then he looks away.
"I don't think this is a good idea, Korra." He says softly, staring down at her hand. "Maybe one dance is one too many."
Her hand loosens in his.
"Maybe you're right."
The truth:
It's over… for real this time sticks with him. It sticks with him long after his lips leave hers and long after she's told him "And I'll always love you" and he looks at her with soft eyes and his mouth is straight in a thin line as his hand lingers on hers on the dance floor. After a moment, a pause and a beat, she lifts her head. Korra's always had a strong heart, but there are times where she wears it on her sleeve and her expression after that moment is one of doubt and uncertainty. She knows he's right, but her hand stays in his as she walks away, out of his reach and his skin tingles as hers brushes against his in one finale goodbye. Hours later he's back at his post by the window, still clenching his fingers, but this time he remembers exactly how it felt to have her hand slip from his, and there's a deep aching in his chest that he fights down – just how much he would do to get it back.
But that's not how things work anymore. They've both agreed to that.
And that's the truth.
:Fin:
This one was originally going to be a Book 1.5 fic where Mako got jealous of someone hitting on Korra at a party, but then that idea went out the window after the break-up, so I switched it over to a "moving-on" kind of fic. Didn't really edit this one much, but I think it's fine the way it is. :/
Leave a comment / review and let me know what you thought of this! :)