Title: It's Still Worth It
Word Count: 5,306
Summary: [AU – Princess Korra wants nothing more than to investigate a sunken ship. Too bad a certain palace guard won't leave her alone. | Mako. Korra. Mermaid!Makorra]
be-the-peaf· Prompt 012 – Crystals in the Night
-.-
-It's Still Worth It-
-9/29/12-
-.-
The coral spreads far and wide. It embeds onto rock, onto the sea floor and entangles the seaweed, the green stalks flowing around the hardened masses. Korra swims above; gliding through the water with the slight flick of her tail. Then she quickly sweeps down into the coral bed, weaving between the rock and plant with ease.
The water flows around her as she pushes further and further and a wide grin plasters upon her face. She's never gone this far before, not in a long time. Korra grabs ahold of a passing rock to turn herself around; she gazes upon the shining city, glowing with golden light, far beneath the water's surface. Then she turns around once more and –
"Korra!" a voice shouts right in her ear and she jumps; knocking her head right into Tenzin's bearded jaw. Suddenly the coral and seaweed disappear and she sees the edge of a table and a stone tablet filled with words in front of her face.
"Ouch…" she mumbles, rubbing the top of her head. She looks up slowly to see Tenzin glaring at her, arms crossed tightly in front of him, his yellow tail swishing the water back and forth in annoyance.
"Uh…" Korra says slowly, glancing down at the lesson Tenzin was trying to teach her. "What was that last part…?"
The gills on Tenzin's neck heave and sputter out small bubbles of anger. Korra cringes, waiting for the worst but then Tenzin relaxes and loosens his grip on his arms.
"Korra, you-" he stops and brings a hand to his forehead. He rubs his temple, as if he was collecting his thoughts in the motion. "You need to pay attention. How do you expect to learn if you're constantly daydreaming?!"
"Well what else am I supposed to do?" Korra says, placing a hand on her chest. "I'm in the palace all the time! I haven't been able to go outside on my own for years!"
"It's for your own protection. The King wants to make sure you're safe." Tenzin says. "As Princess and heir to the throne, it is your duty to follow King Tonraq's wishes. Besides, this is not a matter we should discuss. If you want to go outside the palace, I'd suggest speaking with Master Lo Tū."
"That old fart won't let me do anything…" Korra says, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair.
"Then that settles it." Tenzin replies and he swims across the room to pick up a stone book from a shelf. "Let's get back to your lesson-"
"Master Tenzin!" a voice calls out and soon after one of the royal guardsmen appears in the doorway. Tenzin puts the book down and goes to him.
"What's the matter? What happened?" he asks. The guard breathes, catching his breath as he leans against the doorframe.
"There's been a crash…" the guard breathes. "A huge vessel, just past the seaweed reef. The King requests you come and investigate."
"I'll be right there." Tenzin says. The guard nods and salutes before swimming away. Tenzin turns to Korra. "Your lessons are canceled for the day. I have to go."
"Wait!" Korra says, swimming across the room. "I'll come with you."
"Absolutely not. You are to stay here in the palace."
"But-"
"Am I understood?" Tenzin asks, his gaze stern and unwavering.
"…Yes Master." Korra sighs. Tenzin goes outside the door and looks around.
"You there; watch the princess. Make sure she does go wandering off." Tenzin says to a nearby guard. The guard nods to Tenzin.
"Leave it to me, sir." He says. Tenzin swims past him and the guard enters the room, standing before the door.
Korra crosses her arms and squints, swimming up right into the guards face.
"Mako?"
-.-
He doesn't move.
Korra pouts, her lower lip sticking out in annoyance and she waves a hand in front of his face.
"Helloooo? Mako?" she says in a mocking echo. Again, he takes no notice of her and Korra scrunches her eyebrows together before whipping around to send a current of water into his face. He tightens his face as the water passes over him. When he opens his eyes next, cool amber glowing on the water's light, they are focused directly on her. And hers on his.
Stalemate.
"You really had to do that?" he says, annoyed and Korra immediately has her mouth open to reply but finds herself stopping, gazing at him, her face morphed into wonder. It's been so long since she's heard his voice; ever since he went off on his own - she's forgotten what it even sounded like. Certainly not like this. He's grown, and she finds herself irritated with that fact.
"So," she says, looking him over head to tail. "You've come back and become a guard, have you?"
"I've been here for weeks," he sighs, putting his hands to his hips. His tail bends and sweeps the water below him, keeping him just a few lengths above her. "You just haven't noticed."
"Well, I-" she gaps at him and he looks down from his place above her, a light smirk across his lip.
"You really are dense, even now." He says and she fumes. The pout is back and Korra moves over the room, arms crossed, back facing him. He wonders if she'll tell him off. But then her head rises, quickly and sharp, turning toward him, eyeing him over – as if she had just hatched a plan.
He raises an eyebrow.
"What are you planning?" he asks. She doesn't say a thing; just swims over to him, her body right next to his, her face below his neck. Mako's face hardens as Korra begins to speak.
"So, Mako…" she says, "What do you say about you and I going to check out that ship?"
For the love of –
Now he gets it.
"No." he replies, trying to sound authoritative. Korra grabs on to his shoulders, shaking him.
"Oh, come on, Mako!" she begs, her hands hanging on him. "Just one trip! That's all!"
"Master Tenzin ordered me to make sure you didn't go wandering off." He says and he takes her hand, holding it above her as he speaks. "I have to follow them."
Korra reels back, breaking his grasp on her hand and folds them in front of her chest. Then she turns away from him but Mako can still see the way her brow closes together and shuts her eyes tight. He knows that she's feeling betrayed; her old friend going against her. But he can't disobey orders, not when he's finally gotten to see her again after all this time.
"You've changed…" she says, opening her eyes and shifting them to the floor. "You really have changed."
"I grew up." He says solemnly and her body twists and Mako can see rage building in her eyes. Hurt, too.
"You left me." She says, trying to sound angry (Mako thinks it's more sadness than anything else.) "You just left. No note, no letters or anything. I was worried – you disappeared."
"But then I came back." He says, slowly moving toward her, his arms open at his side. He doesn't want to see her this way, doesn't want his first memories in this time to be nothing but the hurt and lingering of old ones.
"Isn't that enough?" he asks. He's right in front of her now. She turns away.
"No," she says. "It's not."
"Korra, you've got to understand-"
"Just drop it." She says and he's reaching out to touch her shoulder but then he stops at the sound of her voice. Suddenly it sounds so tired, so weak and she looks up as he draws his hand back and says with anger: "Don't you have a door to guard?"
He can't argue with that.
"You're right." he says.
Things weren't supposed to be like this, never. But he's back now, and she's changed – even if she doesn't know it herself. But for now they're in their own roles; he goes to the doorway, facing away from her as she moves to the chair she was in before, leaning her hand against her cheek.
Neither of them says anymore on the matter. They stay there, in silence, waiting until a guard comes to relief Mako of his post. She doesn't look as he leaves, but she can feel his eyes digging into her back. It's so different from when they were kids; swimming around the palace without a care in the world.
She wishes she could go back to those days.
-.-
Night falls over the land and so too does the sea. The water grows dark, black emptiness surrounds the shining city; its glowing lights casting out into the silent waters.
Korra sits in the banquet hall with her parents, lazily twirling a fork around the food on her plate. She is about to excuse herself for the night when Tenzin and a few of the guards enter the hall.
"You're back!" Korra exclaims, her mood immediately brightened. She leans over the long table, eager for answers. "So? What was it like? Anything interesting?"
Tenzin raises a hand to her.
"Patience, Korra. I'll get to that in a second." He says. Tenzin then turns to the King, who is seated at the far end of the table. Tonraq places his chin over his hands, waiting.
"Please, Tenzin, go on." He says. "Tell us what you've found."
"Well," Tenzin clears his throat. "There wasn't much. We salvaged a few items that weren't severely damaged; we've sent them to Beifong to see what they're for. The ship itself has landed on the very edge of the chasm near the reef."
"Then we should send word to the farmers around the area not to disturb it." Tonraq says. "Or any of their kids. We wouldn't want anyone getting hurt."
"Very good, sir. I'll get on that right away." Tenzin says, bowing before he leaves.
"So can I go see the ship?" Korra asks.
"Didn't you hear what Tenzin said?" a voice calls from behind and the room turns to see Master Lo Tū entering. A short merman with a huge nose and hair sticking straight out to the side. Or at least, the hair on the side of his head did. He floats to the table beside Tonraq and stares Korra down, wagging his finger at her as he continues. "It's on the edge of a chasm that goes hundreds of feet down. It's dangerous, you could get hurt."
Korra puts a hand on her face and rolls her eyes. "Thanks for the amazing revelation, Master."
"Now Korra, we only have your best interest at heart." Senna says from across the table. "We don't want anything to happen to you."
"Well you're doing a great job. Thanks to you, I never get to go anywhere! Nothing ever happens." She says angrily, crossing her arms and leaning back in her seat. "So good job. It's working."
"Korra-" Tonraq begins but she rises out of her seat so fast it stops him in his tracks.
"Forget it." She says, heading for the door. "I'm going to my room. Goodnight."
-.-
"Hey there."
Mako leans over his place by the palace gates to see who's coming.
"Tahno, get back to your post." He says, "Someone could get in."
Tahno scoffs and leans against the palace wall.
"Relax, I've got Hasook in my spot. No one's going to go anywhere." He says, looking out into the water. Nothing but blackness; as far as the eye could see. After giving it a few seconds he turns to Mako, raising his chin as he says: "So I heard you got to see her."
Mako swallows, his eyes fixed on the horizon - into the darkness.
"Yeah," he says. "I did."
"So?" Tahno asks, pushing off the wall to get a better view of Mako. "How'd it go?"
"She hates me. She thinks I abandoned her." Mako says, rolling his hands into tight fists. "Now she wouldn't even look at me."
"That's rough, pal." Tahno scratches his head, glances at Mako's defeated pose and he turns around to go back to his post. He gives Mako a light tap on the shoulder as he passes.
"It'll get better." He says.
"I doubt that." Mako say bitterly, not even giving Tahno his eye as he leaves. Instead he looks up; over the city, the place he's protecting.
It's still worth it, he thinks.
A slight movement in the black beyond the city catches his eye and he squints, but cannot see what it is. Taking one of the guard tridents nearby in his hand, he goes off to investigate the threat.
It's still worth it, he thinks again.
-.-
So far so good…
Korra quickly looks over her shoulder, her eyes glancing in every direction through the seaweed, looking for any sign that someone could have followed her. It's been a long time since she tried to sneak out of the palace, the last time didn't go too well, she was caught down by the gates. But lucky for her the guard on duty dozed off, giving her just the right amount of time to sneak away.
She knows the ship landed somewhere past the seaweed reef… and there was plenty of seaweed and rocks piled around here, she has to be getting close. She swims forward and she can just make out the silhouette of a giant object through the plants.
Just a little more –
"Korra!" Mako calls out, shifting the seaweed past him as he swims in front of her. "What are you doing here?"
"What am I doing here?" she repeats, glaring at him and pointing a finger sharply at his chest. "What are you doing here?"
"I saw you sneak out." He says, taking her by the arm. "Now come on, we've got to get back."
"No! I came here to see the ship." she says, trying to pull her arm out his grasp. It's no use, he's too strong. She continues to struggle, flapping her tail at him. "Let me go!"
"Stop that!" he yells, holding up the side of the trident to block her. "That ship is nothing more than a hunk of rotten wood. It's nothing."
"Then let me see it. If it's as boring as you make it out to be, we'll leave." She says. "Please."
He holds his grip on her arm tightly, looking at the pleading expression on her face. Something hits him, nothing physical, but it's a feeling. He doesn't want to fuel more hatred from her. He sighs, lowers the trident to his side and then, finally, he lets her go.
She swims a few feet away from him.
"Fine. Just for a few minutes. And then we go back to the palace." He waves the trident in her direction. "Deal?"
"Deal!" she says and she smiles eagerly, gliding off in the direction of the ship but then she turns around, swims over to him and grabs him by the shoulder. "Come on!"
Surprisingly, he thinks she's forgotten that she hated him just a few moments ago. Mako gives a small, unnoticeable smile as she drags him along.
Somehow, it almost feels like old times.
-.-
"This is amazing!" Korra says as they reach the ship. She gazes on it like it were some sort of treasure, astounded by its massive size. She swims along the outer rim until she reaches the bow of the vessel where some markings were scratched into the side.
"Bo-lin?" she says, sounding out the letters carefully. "What's that?"
"It's the name of the ship." Mako says, placing his hand on the wood. "Not that it means anything anymore; it's in the deep now."
"Bolin in the deep, huh?" Korra mummers, sliding her fingers across the words. She turns toward the deck and begins to move to the opening in the center. Mako stops her, blocking her path with his body.
"Move." Korra says, trying to look over him.
"Korra, I'm not letting you get in that thing." He says, putting a hand on her collarbone to gently push her back. "You could get hurt."
"Oh please." Korra replies, unlatching his hand. "Stop worrying about me; I can take care of myself. Besides, Tenzin says the ship was safe."
"It's my duty to protect you, and keep you from harm." Mako says, holding his trident at his side. "I'm not taking any risks. You're not going on that ship."
"Well to bad, bub." Korra says and she dives, swimming underneath the space between him and the deck and glide swiftly into the cabin below. Mako follows her, hot on her tail.
"Korra, yo-"
He stops.
"Whoa! Look at all this stuff!" Korra exclaims, moving from one object to the next. Tables, rugs, worn-down paintings, the frames broken and scattered nearby. And even more assortments of things – fancy plush chairs, silverware – she goes to each item, running her hands over it, looking at them with wonder. Mako had seen some of this stuff during his time preparing to be a guardsman, but he'd never thought it would be like this. He follows her along, the same wonder in his eyes.
"This is incredible. I've never see anything like this." He says, looking closely at a painting leaning against one of the walls. The colours are run down in the water and it's torn in other places but he studies it, looking at the images on the canvas. Wondering how men could have made such beauty on something so simple.
Korra's smile widens and she spins around, accidentally hitting a nearby table with her tail. Something cracks open, and a small wooden square lands on the floor.
"Hm?" Korra bends under the table to pick up the piece of wood. "What's this?"
"Let me see," Mako says, holding his hand out. She gives it to him, and he moves it in his hands, examining it. There's a line going around the sides of the square, almost like it's a…
"It's a box!" Mako says, and he lifts the small lid open. A glow shines forth and Korra leans against Mako's shoulder, her face pressed close to his, looking for a better view.
In the box, cushioned with soft puffing material, lies a small stone. It's smooth and almost appears to be polished. But the most remarkable thing about this stone is the odd green glow coming off of it. Korra reaches in and take it in her hand, holding it up against the darkness.
"What do you think it is?" she asks. Mako sets the box down, watching her hand as she holds it up.
"I'm not sure," he says. "Looks like a crystal."
"Well, I don't know about you, but I've never seen a crystal glow before. Must be some human… thing."
"Guess so." Mako replies. Korra lowers her hand, holding the gem tightly in her palm. He motions toward the exit. "We should get going."
Korra nods. "Ri-"
"Oh how right you are…"
Mako and Korra turn to the exit where a merman with a blue tail is floating. He leans against the wooden frame of the ship, stroking his goatee. Mako move in front of Korra, and point his trident at the merman.
"Who are you?" he asks.
"Whoa there, take it easy." He says, raising his hands up, his wrists hanging loosely in the air. "The name's Shao."
"And what are you doing here, Shao?" Mako asks. Shao lowers his hands, touching his nose as he gives the room a long look.
"The same as you; looking for the treasure those kelp-headed palace pets missed." Shao replies and he moves forward to examine a nearby chair but Mako edges toward him, the trident aimed at his throat. Shao stares at the tip of the trident, looking unimpressed. He glances behind Mako to where Korra is, still holding the crystal, its green glow emitting from her fingers.
"Hey, looks like you found it!" he says, giving a sly smile at Korra. "That's a good girl, now give it here…"
Korra tightens her grip on the crystal but Mako looks over his shoulder, eyeing her.
"Korra, give it to him." He says through his teeth, Korra shakes her head.
"No, we don't even know what this is. It could be important."
"Korra…"
"That's not a good idea, miss." Shao says. Mako looks at the trident in his hand, still holding it up to his neck.
"I don't think you have much say in this." He says, and, still keeping the trident level, he turns to Korra.
"Get out of here." He mutters under his breath. Korra gaps at him.
"I'm not leaving you." Korra says, swimming forward but stops when Mako blocks her with his arm.
"I'll be right behind you," he says. "Now go."
She doesn't want to.
"Fine." She says. "I'll wait for you outside."
Mako glares at Shao as Korra swims through the exit. He lowers his trident slightly, moving to the hole.
"Stay here until we leave, I won't spare you if you go after us." He says, his voice cold and serious. Shao just gives a grin, his hands on his hips.
"Alright, I won't try anything."
Wait for it…
"Mako!" Korra yells and his head shoots up, his eyes frantic, searching for her.
"Kor-oof!" Mako grunts as Shao slams into Mako's body, sending him into the wall. Shao grins and looks up the hatch. Two figures appear right above it, each of them hanging onto the end of a net – with Korra struggling inside.
"That's good work, you two!" he shouts. "Now get out of here, I'll take care of this guy."
"Got it, boss."
-.-
"Let me go!" Korra shouts, struggling against the net. It's too tight, too small for her to break through – Korra looks up at the men dragging her, eyes pleading. "Let me go."
"No can do." One of them replies, looking at her through the netting. He smiles at her through the netting, a snaggle-tooth jutting out from his lips. Korra grimaces and pushes against the net, throwing her body every which way, trying to get out. She takes the crystal, putting it between the squares…
"Hey, quite struggling!"
… she thrusts down and the net snaps. Pulling it apart, Korra swims out and the men shout, dropping the net and going after her. She swims fast toward the ship; she can feel their hands reaching for her, just far enough away for their grasp. She dives into the seaweed below her and the men scramble, unable to catch where she's gone.
Korra hides among the seaweed as the men search for her, and looks toward the ship.
"You'd better be alright," she mutters under her breath.
The men search, their shadows looming over her.
They pass. Korra crouches down between the green wiggling plants, and waits.
-.-
"Come on, tough guy." Shao chimes, waving the trident back and forth in his hand. "I thought you'd be better than this."
Mako lies on the floor, his hand holding onto the table for support while the other rests against his side. It's sore and Mako thinks there are already bruises forming. Whatever it is, it's not good. Lifting his head up, he glares at Shao, who leans in close to Mako's face seething with anger.
He lifts the trident. The sharp prongs aimed directly at Mako.
"I think it's time we wrapped this up-"
"Boss!"
Shao sighs. "What is it, Ping?"
"The girl escaped!" Ping says, "We can't find her."
"Well why aren't you-" Shao stops midsentence and slowly, pondering something, strokes his chin. He looks at Mako. He smiles.
"I've got an idea." Shaos says and he turns to Ping. "You and Lee get him to the deck."
-.-
"Come on, Mako… where are you?" Korra mutters, looking through the seaweed to the ship. The two men that had tied her up had gone back to the ship; she can only hope that Mako got out.
Her entire body grows cold when she sees the first man, Shao, comes up from below deck. The others go down below and Korra cranes her head as they drag Mako out and place him on the deck.
He doesn't move.
"Come on out, girl." Shao shouts over the ship. He points the trident at Mako and Korra's heart stiffens in fear. Her hand tightens around the crystal as Shao continues to speak. "You wouldn't want anything to happen to your friend, would you?"
"All we want is the crystal, it's as simple as that." He says and he motions the other men forward. "Just give it to us and we'll leave you in peace."
Oh, I seriously doubt that. She thinks, watching as the men patrol along the bottom of the vessel. Suddenly, she thinks of something – something that would help them. Korra pushes through the seaweed, toward the ship.
-.-
The first man is small and short, poking through the plant with slick eyes. Korra watches as he shifts around a few feet away. Backing up in the brush, she waits for him to go back to the ship, her eyes following him as he does.
Closer… Closer…
He's at the ship.
Now.
She pushes herself fast and strong at him. Just as she reaches him, she twirls around, smacking him hard with her tail. Right into the ship. The man yells and soon the other is coming at her. Korra makes a quick flip, twisting her body as she does and knocks him into the ship.
But they're not done, not yet and they slowly get up, edging toward Korra. Korra raises her hand to defend herself but then the ship begins to shift and the ground beneath them shakes and soon Shao is shouting, swimming away from it.
"It's going down!" he shouts as he passes the group. Ping and Lee scramble, completely ignoring Korra as they get away. The ship slides away from her, heading in the direction of the chasm.
"Mako." She hears herself breath out, or maybe she was thinking it, she isn't sure. All she knows now it that she's racing after the ship, swimming toward it as it gets closer and close to the edge.
She can see Mako's body just as it drops below deck.
Then the ship falls beneath the rock.
Down, down, down it goes…
-.-
She can't see the ship, not in this darkness but with the crystal glowing, green and bright in front of her; she thinks she might be able to. With her luck, she finds it not a hundred feet down but only around fifty. It's wedged between the two faces of the rock, stuck but not completely. It could still fall further, and if that happens, who knows where it'll end up. Korra swims down and, finding the hatch on the deck, goes inside.
"Mako?" she calls, searching around the room, the gem held in front of her, casting green light into the blackness.
"Mako?" she calls again.
A groan.
She turns at the sound to find Mako wedged against a table and the wall.
"Are you alright?" she asks, helping him move the furniture. Once they get it out of the way, Mako quickly falls back to the wall. Breathing hard and his face twisted in pain, he holds onto his side and looks up at her.
"I've been better." He says, motioning down to his tail. Korra brings the light down, gasping as she lays her eyes on ripped scales and torn flesh.
"What happened?" she asks.
"Shao managed to stab me with the trident – right before you sent the ship down." He says, cringing as she takes a red cloth from a drawer and begins to wrap it around the wound. "Nice trick, by the way."
"You can thank me later." She says, tightening the wrap. "Right now we've got to get you back."
"Yeah, let's go… before the- whoa!" he shouts. The ships rocks and lunges forward. Mako grabs onto Korra, holding her under his body as the room shakes, objects flying through the room as the ship drops a few feet before stopping again.
"…before the ship goes down." He finishes. Korra coughs in the dust that was knocked up in the move and stares up at him.
"Why did you do that?" she asks.
"What?"
"You keep putting yourself in danger for me. Idiot." She says, "I practically hated you before, but somehow you're still the same goofy kid protecting me."
"It's my job." He says softly, gazing down at her. The crystal lights his face up in smooth green light. "I left to be able to protect you. And that's why I came back."
"Wow, that's so cheesy." Korra laughs, much to Mako's despair. "But it's just like you."
"Yeah, I guess it is." He shrugs and helps her up. "Let's go."
"Yeah… come on. You won't be able to swim all that way with your tail like that." She says, putting his arm over her shoulders.
They rise up. Up and up and up, guided by the green glow.
-.-
Everyone is waiting for them when they arrive. Mako is quickly swept away to the infirmary while Korra deals with letting everyone know that they're alright, she's alright and there's nothing to worry about. She doesn't tell them about the crystal, not yet and she excuses herself after settling everything, blaming it on tiredness.
What they don't see is her making the wrong turn out of the hall, heading right to the infirmary. Sneaking along the wall, she waits for the nurse to leave. Then, she goes inside.
Mako is surprised to see her.
"Korra? What are you doing here?" he asks, blinking a couple times as if he's not sure if she's really there.
"Just checking on you." She laughs, approaching his bed. "Don't worry I'm not gonna run off again."
"Well that's good, I'm not sure I'd be able to come after you…" he groans, shifting in the bed. He points to his tail, now properly wrapped in healing plants. "At least not for a few weeks."
She holds her hand to him.
"Here." She says, dropping the crystal into his palm. He holds it up, looking it over before shooting her a confused look.
"Why are you giving me this?"
"For luck." She smiles.
"It nearly got us killed." He complains, shoving his hand to give it back. "I don't want it."
"But we made it out." She says, taking his hand in hers, wrapping his fingers slowly around the gem. "So it has to be lucky."
"Yeah, yeah." He takes his hand back, tossing it up once. "I'll keep it. But only for a while. Then I'll give it to Beifong, she'll know what to do with it."
"Ok. Goodnight." She says and she turns to the door.
"Oh, and by the way…" she says over her shoulder. "You'd better be able to keep up with me."
Mako furrows his eyebrows.
"What do you mean?" he asks.
"My parents decided it would be alright with them if I went outside; if I was accompanied by someone who would keep an eye on me. Make sure I didn't go crashing ships into bottomless pits again."
"So I'm taking it I'm this guy?"
"Correct."
"Well, looks like I have my work cut out for me." He laughs, wincing at the pain it sends to his side. "So, I'll see you tomorrow? No running off without your new bodyguard."
"Yeah, see you tomorrow." She says.
Mako watches as she leaves. Holding the crystal up one last time, the bright glow against the darkness of the sea and night. He smiles.
As long as he can protect her, it's still worth it.
:Fin:
I need to stop getting long AU ideas five days before posting – not really sure about this one, the characters took over in a couple of parts and the rest is kind of… meh. But it's done. If there are any major edits that need to be made, I'll make them. But I'll leave this alone for now.
And before any of you ask / beg me to continue this – I might write something of a beginning, just to give you a better picture of Korra and Mako's relationship when they were kids, etc. But as for going off of this ending… it's a maybe. But it probably won't happen for a while, I want to get started on other things now.