There were some days when Mako could wake up and a rainbow could form over himself. Today was most certainly not one of those days.
Because Korra woke up, with no arms wrapped around her like usual, and her boyfriend's head was in the toilet. And the sounds coming from it weren't coming off as pleasant.
"Um…sweetie? You ok in there?", she asked his distant self. Then after thinking it over for a moment she realized it was a stupid question. Of course he's not ok Korra. Who's ok when their head's over a toilet bowl and they feel like their stomach is erupting?
"Y-yeah I'm ok! Just a little dizzy!", he shouted back to her from their bathroom. His voice on the other hand, didn't give off that impression. "I'm just g-getting ready for work!"
"By throwing up? Are you sure Beifong wants you around the station when you're like this?", she asked him as she walked over to the bathroom door, which was shut.
"It's f-fine! I'll just take some aspirin and…oh sh-"
The sounds he made after that made her know aspirin wouldn't be enough. And she knew that if she didn't call him in sick, Beifong would send him home. Better to save them all the trouble.
"Mako, I'm calling you in. There's no way-"
"K-korra please! I gotta get this promotion!"
She shook her head as she strolled back to their phone and dialed Beifong's desk number. As Beifong answered, she could hear Mako trying to converse and throwing up in the background.
"Avatar, you better have a good reason for calling me at this hour.", the chief said through the line.
"I think if it'll save you a mess and an officer position, I think it's good enough.", Korra explained.
"Care to tell me why?", Lin asked.
"Mako's sick. And so is the sight of it.", Korra said.
"Korra, I've been doing this job for a very long time. I'm sure you'll understand that I'm gonna need some pretty decent proof.", Lin told.
Korra glanced back over to the bathroom door to find it now gaping open.
"Allow me then. You can say good morning to it."
She brought the base and receiver over by the wire, only to make it little ways through the bathroom. Then she placed the receiver right next to Mako's head which was getting very acquainted with the smell of puke in his toilet bowl. It wasn't long before she could hear Beifong's comments coming back through the phone.
"Well…I could see…I mean hear why that would make a mess.", Lin said.
"I think he need's a day's rest.", Korra suggested.
"I think he need's a day's worth of medicine as well. Sweet Raava that sounded repulsive.", Lin exclaimed.
"Just be glad you're not getting the rest of what comes with it.", Korra said.
"Korra what are you doing?", Mako asked peeking up at her.
"Lin, if I were you, I would also go the whole nine yards on disinfecting today.", Korra suggested.
"I couldn't agree with you more. Take care Avatar. And take care of him."
And then the line went dead. Korra brought the receiver and base back to it's home on the table in their room while Mako continued to spill his guts out, literally.
When she came back, he had just finished. She started to rub the back of his scalp as she spoke.
"I got you the day off. You can stay home.", she told him.
"Why? You know I can't miss work!", he complained.
"She's giving you paid time off. Nothing to worry about.", she assured him.
"But my promotion!", he whined.
"I think you'll have a better chance of getting the promotion by staying here and not dying over there.", she said.
"I'm just a little dehydrated. It's nothing. Come on Korr.", he said turning to her.
"I'll tell Tenzin how you're feeling, and I'll stay with you today.", she told him.
"Korra no! Please! You don't have to-", he began.
"I'll go call him. You keep your head over the toilet.", she told him as she got back on her feet.
But just as she was about to walk away, Mako grabbed her closest leg, wrapped himself around it, and started peppering kisses on her calf.
"Mako what the hell are you doing?", Korra asked in a more annoyed tone.
"Korra-please!", he said between kisses. "Don't make-me stay-home."
"Mako I really don't want to have to kick you in the face.", she said.
"I love-you so-so-much", he continued through kisses.
"If you do then you'll let go of me so I can get you some medicine.", she said as she began to drag her leg.
"I'm-fine-really.", he said. Then his lips left her leg when he realized he was gonna puke again.
"Uh huh. Really convincing."
He spent the day on the couch, with his head in her lap. The only things on the TV were marathons of movies and crappy soap operas. She would get up occasionally to get him more medicine or to empty the bowl he needed every now then. And then she would return and he would find his place back on her knee, and her hand would return to rubbing either his head or neck.
The day past on and soon clouds came in, and so did night. Both were starving by then.
"Food. Sounds amazing right now.", he said into her thigh.
"Do you think you can keep it down?", she asked.
"Yeah. I think this shit is all out of my system.", he said before he kissed her skin.
"Alright officer sicky. What do you want?", she asked sweetly.
"Narook's sounds good.", he said.
"We had that last night.", she retorted.
Then the jazz they were listening to was interrupted by a newscaster.
"Breaking News, hundreds of locals feeling under the weather from a recent spoiled supply of fish delivered to the hit eatery down south of the city. Narook's Noodles' order of fresh bay fish was switched out by a gang going by The Triple Threats, and replaced with a spoiled supply of similar looks. Narook's Noodles is still going under investigation, but in the mean time, is staying closed to the public til further notice."
The pair just looked at the radio and then at each other.
"How the fuck did I almost die and you didn't?", Mako asked her.
"I grew up in the South Pole. Spoiled fish was the least of my stomach's worries.", she said.
He dropped his face back onto her lap as he groaned.
"It's ok. We can order something else.", she assured him.
"No. It's not that. Everyone at the station order's Narook's for lunch."
Well shit.