Authors Note: I think this came out as being more KatAang than MaKorra, actually. This takes place later in the series; Mako and Korra's team lost the Pro-bending tournament, and the winning as well, so Mako's feeling a bit depressed. I came up with this idea after reading one of Light-Eco-Sages Legend of Korra fics. I'm not the best writer in the world, but I had to get this idea out of my head. I'll let you decide if it's worth anything.
Critique is welcome. Flamers will not be tolerated.
Mako had never been to Avatar Aang's shrine before. Situated beneath the enormous statue overlooking the bay of Republic City, the shrine was dedicated to a man that many considered to be the greatest Avatar of all time; Mako, of course, had heard all the same stories and legends of his life, his mastering the four elements at the age of thirteen, defeating Fire Lord Ozai, and founding the Republic. Set in a number of display cases along the walls were relics dating back to the final days of the war, such the glider staff he'd used throughout his life, crafted for him by refugees at the Northern Air Temple, his Airbender robes, and even the old whistle he'd once used to summon his sky bison. There were portraits lining the walls of the most significant moments of his life; being awoken from the iceberg after a hundred years slumber, his legendary battle with the self-proclaimed "Pheonix King" Ozai, a depiction of Aang saving a village from a volcanic eruption, among other things.
The painting Mako observed currently was what appeared to be Aang's wedding day; the young Avatar, who appeared to be no older than sixteen, embracing a pretty water tribe woman that could only be Master Katara, the two of them locked in a passionate kiss. He'd been staring at this particular portrait for at least a half-hour, lost in thought. Thinking about his own future.
Or rather the future he could have, one that involved a certain waterbender that had come into his life just a few months ago...
No, he reminded himself. She can do better than me.
It had been eating away at him for weeks. He'd been stupid enough to think it could possibly work; fantasizing about his secret love, daydreaming about a future with her, marriage, and even the possibility of children. But it seemed he wouldn't be as lucky as Avatar Aang had been. There would be no happy ending, not for him at least. But what did he expect? She was the Avatar herself, literally a goddess in human form, and what was he? Just some punk street kid who was stupid enough to think he could make it big by winning a Probending tournament, or have a relationship with the Avatar, of all people. The more he thought about it, the more delusional he realized he'd been.
Mako hung his head, averting his eyes from the painting; perhaps it was better that he forget about Korra and focused on trying to make a life for himself and his brother. Maybe he could actually try and get a job rather than pursuing some pipe-dream of being rich and famous. It occured to him that he had never really tried that before; he and Bolin were hustlers, having been forced to rely on lying and stealing just to get by, ever since their parents had died. That's how they survived their entire lives, living in an abandoned apartment in the lower-class area of the city.
Korra had been generous enough to offer him and his brother a home on Air Temple Island, but he'd refused; it seemed lower than any scam he'd pulled in his life, taking advantage of the Avatar, taking advantage of Korra like that. No. He would do his best, try to make a new life for himself and his brother. He was done scamming, done with "get rich quick" schemes, done with trying to find an easy way out.
Besides, he thought, that guy Tenzin will probably just throw us off the island as soon as Korra's finished her training. Sometimes, it was hard to believe Tenzin was the son of Avatar Aang and Master Katara; Mako had only met him briefly, but he came across as an arrogant snob, the high-and-mighty Lord of Air Temple Island, having called Mako a "hoodlum" the first time they'd met. Nothing at all like Aang and Katara, known for their compassion and generosity as much as for their part in ending a hundred-years war.
Speaking of which...
"Wondering when your big day will come?"
Mako turned, and saw none other than Master Katara herself approaching him, old and wizened, a knowing smile on her face. He had seen her before, on Air Temple Island, but had not actually spoken to her.
"Master Katara, I..." He paused, unsure how to respond. She didn't acknowledge that he'd said anything. Instead she simply stood beside him, staring up a the depiction of her wedding day, with a hint of sorrow, no doubt remembering her late husband.
"Why are you here?" He asked.
"I might ask you the same thing."
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just... I've... never been here before," he replied weakly. Katara smiled at him as though she knew exactly what he was thinking about, or rather who he was thinking about.
"I come here whenever I'm in the city, to visit him," she said, turning and walking over to Aang's tomb, placing a hand on the edge of the sarcophagus. Mako moved to stand beside her. For a moment, neither of them said anything; Katara simply stared at the tomb sadly, a lone tear escaping from her eye.
"You must miss him." She nodded.
"There isn't a day that goes by..." she averted her gaze to look up at the statue of Aang overlooking the tomb.
"I remember very little of my life before Aang. I hadn't begun to truely live until he showed me how." She reminisced.
"Really?" Despite his earlier thoughts, Mako was curious to hear what it was like to be the Avatar's spouse. Katara and Aang's love had always sounded like something out of a fairy tale to him. Maybe he thought hearing her first-hand account of that story would make him think himself a little less delusional.
"When I was a young girl, my mother had been murdered by the Fire Nation. A few years later, my father left to fight in the war. I was left to look after of our tribe, along with my brother. In those days, our only concern were survival. Until I found him."
"You mean... when you freed Avatar Aang from the iceberg?" He inquired, still listening intently.
"Yes. I knew there was something special about him from the moment we met. But I didn't quite realize what it was until much later," Katara answered.
"What do you mean?"
Katara turned to look at him. "To me, he was more than just the Avatar. He was Aang; spirited, loving, and kind... He showed me how to live again, how to have fun. He took me all around the world; were it not for him, I would never have learned to waterbend, never been able to make a difference in the world. He gave me hope when all seemed hopeless." She paused. "It took me a while to realize just what he meant to me."
"You loved him," he stated.
"I loved him more than anything in the world. I couldn't picture myself with anyone else. Before, I couldn't picture my life without him. But he asked me to help guide the new Avatar. He knew Korra would need my support just as much as he did... But she does not need me for much longer. It won't be long before I join him."
Mako's eyes widened. "What?"
"My time in this world is at an end, young man. I belong with Aang. I've waited 17 years to see him again," she replied solemnly.
Mako stared at her for a moment. "Master Katara... you can't die. Your not that old-"
"-neither was Aang, when he passed," she responded. "I have lived a full life. I will have no regrets."
An awkward silence followed. For several moments, neither said anything.
"Perhaps one day, you will join Korra in eternity as well." Mako blushed in response as Katara gave him yet another knowing smile.
"I don't-"
"Young man, you're no more subtle than Aang was when it comes to showing your feelings."
"I..." He stopped, knowing that it was pointless to deny it. Katara had 70 years experience on him; more than enough to know what she was talking about. But she didn't quite understand his relationship with Korra, if you could call it that.
"It doesn't matter. It wouldn't work anyway." He hung his head, his depression returning, but Katara was still smiling.
"Oh? And what makes you so sure?"
"Because she's the Avatar; and what am I?"
"Her friend," Katara replied wisely.
"I'm a street hustler. A nobody. She deserves someone better. And I can't just live off the Avatar for the rest of my life. I need to make a life for myself, and she needs to find someone better."
"Do you love her?" Katara asked. At first he did not answer, unsure as to just what the answer was.
After about a minute, he broke the silence.
"Maybe... I don't know. I've... never felt like this before." Mako replied at last.
"If you love her, then that's all that matters." Mako shook his head, uncertain.
"Being with the Avatar means more than having a job, a house, or cooking and cleaning. As the Avatar, such things are provided for you. What she really needs, is someone to care for her. Someone who loves her, who sees her as more than just the Avatar. Something to truly live for." Mako didn't answer her. Instead, he sank to the floor, leaning against the nearby wall, staring at his feet, contemplating.
"I was little more than a peasant girl living in a small village at the bottom of the world when I met Aang. And yet, we spent out entire lives together."
"Yeah, but you made something of yourself. You taught him waterbending. You helped him end the war."
"And haven't you helped Korra as well? She can't fight Amon alone, you know." Once again, he did not answer.
"What's important is that you care for her, and that you're there for her when she needs you. Friendship, caring, and trust are the basis of love. So long as you can give her that, I can't think of anyone better for her." She amended.
Mako sighed. Her words were somewhat reassuring, though he wasn't entirely sure if he believed her just yet. His heart was still weighed down with uncertainty, but maybe...
"I guess I could try." There was no response, and when he looked up, he realized that Katara had left. Seeing no reason to stay anymore, he stood up, giving one last look at Katara's wedding portrait, before departing. Maybe... just maybe, he didn't himself enough credit.
A year later found Katara in the Spirit World, in her husbands domain, reclining by the side of a small lagoon, staring into the dark waters. She had been returned to her eighteen-year old form; the age she had been when she had married Aang, more than 70 years ago. Aang himself was sitting atop a shrine overlooking the lagoon (his form that of his sixteen-year old self, his legs and torso bare) beneath the dusty yellow skys of the Spirit World, meditating peacefully. She smiled up at him; since she had passed away a month ago, the two of them had wasted no time in making the most of their new home; making love on the shore of the lagoon, swimming, or getting into mock-waterbending fights as they had when they were kids, or simply laying in each others arms. They had yet to venture beyond Aang's domain; for the time being, Aang had to remain here, as to be able to communicate with Korra, to provide guidance and wisdom to her when she needed it.
When Korra was at last a fully-realized Avatar, they could explore; the Spirit World was and infinite and wonderous place, and Katara had come to yearn for the adventure she had experienced as a teenager, traveling the world with Aang. But for now, she was simply happy to be here, with her husband, having been apart for over 17 years.
Katara turned her attention back to the lagoon, gazing into the waters, beneath which she could see Air Temple Island in the mortal world. The young man she had met months ago, Mako, was there, as was Korra, both clad in formal attire and locked in an embrace, kissing passionately; Tenzin was there, smiling at his own wife Pema, who was cradling her newborn son in her arms, with Katara's other three grandchildren, Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo clustered around them. Also present were Lin and Toph, thus far the only member of their old gang who had yet to join them in eternity, and Naga, Korra's polar-bear dog and animal guide, and her parents, Senna and Tonraq.
Just as with her own wedding, those present only consisted of Korra's closest friends and family; Katara recalled the fiasco leading up to her and Aang's wedding day; the Earth King had oversealously insisted on an extravagant ceremony in Ba Sing Se, inviting all of the most powerful and influential nobles and leaders throughout the four nations to attend, despite Aang's protests. In the end, Zuko and Iroh had helped them to descreetly arrange a more private ceremony at the Southern Air Temple on the very same day. Sokka, who's painting had significantly improved over the past years, had created the very same portrait found at Aang's shrine.
Katara smiled as she observed Korra and Mako's wedding from above, so lost her memories that she didn't notice Aang sneaking up behind her, until he wrapped his arms around her waist. She turned her head up and kissed him on the lips, enjoying their closeness after being apart for so long.
"That was easily the greatest day of my life," he said, knowing that she was remembering their own wedding day. "Speaking of which, I think you should give them some privacy." Katara raised an eyebrow, turning back to the pool, and noticed that the ceremony was over; the sun was setting over Republic City, and Korra and Mako had slipped away, and it was clear that they were eager to experience their first night together as husband and wife. Katara blushed as she realized this, bending the water in the pool so that the view of the mortal world faded, the waters returning to their murky, dark navy-blue.
"Do you remember our wedding night, Aang?" She smiled up at him suggestively, and Aang blushed.
"My memories are a little fuzzy. That was a long time ago..." he replied, kissing her once more, stroking her side.
"Well, then... maybe I could refresh your memory?"
"Please".
A/N: Yeah, I imagined Katara and Aang having more adventures in the Spirit World after they died, among other things :) I'm hoping those two will be reunited at some point in new series. Anyway, I hope I didn't screw up too bad with this one. I at least gave it a once-over to insure there weren't as many spelling mistakes as with "Among The Uncharted" (which is still on hiatus; sorry).