He didn't even hesitate or bother to ask if he could leave the station as he ran out the doors, right to his sat mobile. A very whiney Prince Wu followed up quickly behind him, and hopped in with him. Mako didn't even notice for a bit that he was there, but he couldn't care either way. His mind was being flooded with images of scenarios of how he and the Avatar would reunite.

Maybe she would be one step ahead of him, and greet him first when he got to the island. Maybe she'd jump onto him, and wrap her legs around his waist. Maybe he'd actually greet her in her favorite way. Spinning her around while wrapped up in his arms. But his mental mages were interrupted by him arriving at the pier.

He jumped out of the car quickly and scurried to the nearest boat, and paid the sailor to take him across the bay. Prince Wu caught up with him in just the knick of time. He began to overwhelm Mako with questions.

"Where on earth do you think we're going?! I have a tailoring session scheduled in fifteen minutes! My suit needs to fit me perfectly at the meeting with President Raiko! You just can't run off somewhere without me!", Wu scolded him.

"I almost did, until you decided to come along.", Mako said, almost sternly.

"Well then! You, sailor! Turn this boat around! We have to-"

"No. Proceed to Air Temple Island.", Mako commanded.

"Mako don't even-", Wu began to warn.

But Mako had turned quickly, and scowled at the prince.

"You wanna go to your tailoring session so bad? Hop off the boat and go. I'm going to go see Avatar Korra whether you like it or not!", he exclaimed at the prince.

"Why are we going to go see the avatar? She's done nothing for us these past few years! She's worthless!"

The very word made Mako want to throw him off himself. And he most certainly didn't conceal his annoyance and fury in his face.

"Don't you dare talk about her like that!", Mako almost screamed. "She's the most wonderful, caring, and selfless human being on this planet! Far more than you are! And I had to go three years without seeing her, and frankly I'd like at least five minutes with her, if you can even manage that!"

Silence filled the gap between them. Wu just stood blankly, and little bit frightened at Mako. But then he sighed.

"I…you know, you've done a lot of things these past few months to make me happy. I think this is the least I can do to repay you. I know I'd sure like to see the woman I loved after being three years apart.", he said with a grin.

A blush quickly rose to Mako's cheeks.

"I didn't say-"

"Yeah you did.", Wu corrected. "I found some letters you wrote to her."

Oh. The ones he wanted to rip and just say face to face with her.

His face dropped. And he turned away.

"What's her favorite color?", Wu asked.

"Huh?"

"I'm gonna see how much you actually love this girl. What's her favorite color?", he asked again.

Mako shook his head, and answered his question.

"Blue. Only because it's the color of rain. She loves rain."

Wu nodded as he continued his questions.

"Favorite food?"

"Narooks Noodles, with fresh sea salt and soy on the side."

"Which side of the bed does she sleep on?"

"Left, it's closer to the bathroom and right under the air vent."

Wu's questions slowly had a smile forming on Mako's lips as the wonderful memories of her with him rekindled in his mind. But they vanished with Wu's last question.

"Why did you let her go?"

His eyes widened and his mouth went dry. He was in the Southern Water Tribe all over again, letting her sob quietly in front of him while he watched in agony of wanting to wipe them away and shout at the top of his lungs that they were meant for each other, and that she gave him purpose, hope, dreams, and undeniable devotion. Then she slipped out of his hand, and walked away. He just watched. Just like that day at the pier, the day she left. He just stood there, and watched.

"Why did you let her go?", the question repeated.

And he felt the boat bump into the wood of the pier. He tried to bring himself back together before he could even try to-wait. That laugh. He knew that laugh. He hadn't heard it in forever. It was practically music to him. A grin could not be held back as Mako leapt off of the boat, following to where that laughter lead to. He ignored whatever Wu was babbling on behind him. The only things he heard was the laughter, and the question once again.

"Why did you let her go?"

The laughter brought him to the Air Temple spinning gates. Where Korra, with her short hair and new water tribe clothes gave her away instantly. She was bending a soft breeze into the gates, that left her nappy hair fly around her forehead. She might have been revisiting old times. But he paid no attention to that. Because she turned his way, and they made eye contact. He felt so relieved and guilty all at once.

He might have sprinted the short way to her, maybe even leapt a bit. But he did quickly get to her, and grasped onto her for dear life. She peaked over his shoulder as he buried his face into her neck. She gasped out his name as his arms circled tightly around her waist, pulling her close to him. He most certainly was not going to let her go.

Her arms wrapped around his neck as he stroked her back with his thumb.

"I was so worried about you.", he rasped out. "I thought something bad had happened."

"Why did you let her go?"

He squeezed her tighter, and she did the same. She could hear his racing heartbeat behind his ear.

"Where were you Korra? Where did you go?", he sobbed into her skin.

He felt her thumb starting to brush through the back of his gelled hair. He lost track of how many times he repeated the question. She shushed him and whispered cooing words in his ears before she finally answered him.

"I went to figure things out myself. I went to this giant swamp, and I met a friend. She's really nice, you'd like her.", she whispered. "But I'm ok. I'm not-"

He had to greet her in her favorite way. Unsure of what to do with his relief and joy, Mako began to spin, and her legs flew behind her in the circle. Her laughter returned. When he stopped he still held her close.

"Um…Mako? You can let go now…", she giggled.

He shook his head and only hugged her tighter.

"Uh-Mako. It's hard to breathe.", she said.

"Oh! Sorry, sorry sorry! I didn't mean-", he apologized.

"Relax City Boy, now tell me why your hair looks weird."