A/N: I had this idea ever since it was suggested that the new Avatar is born immediately after the current Avatar's death... as in on the exact same day. This piece plays on that theory and how Korra's upbringing was affected by it. She's been surrounded by Aang's family all her life... so having to deal with the fact that the people you're closest to mourn losing a loved one on your birthday, ESPECIALLY when the person they're mourning is someone you're directly connected to, can't be easy. Has a little bit of Makorra because I absolutely ADORE them. One of the best written fictional couples by far, in my opinion. So here's to them! Also, shout out to the AMAZING PurpleSlippers18 whose piece in the Makorra Month Collection STEAM convinced me that Korra feasts on Strawberry Shortcakes. I do not own ATLA or LoK... I just love the characters to bits. Enjoy!
Korra never minded winters... She was naturally a Waterbender, so Winter was her season... the season where here element was most prevalent and powerful. But whenever her birthday loomed close, she'd suddenly feel an unnatural chill as if the Waterbender inside her refused to let her adjust herself to the climate around her.
Ever since she could remember, she'd been surrounded by her predecessor's family. Katara had been her oldest friend and mentor. But it was too painful for the kind, old woman to celebrate her star pupil's birthday. She never really knew it was her birthday until her parents came to visit her with the gift of love and her favorite strawberry shortcake. Her guardians, the Order of the White Lotus, had always kept her meetings with her parents short. And with Katara gone on that day, there was no one to even intervene or help the situation. The seventeen year old remembered with startling clarity the day she discovered why Master Katara didn't celebrate her birthday with her.
The little girl ran down the stairs towards the training grounds to meet her Sifu for Waterbending practice. She was excited because she'd just talked to her parents about inviting a very special guest to her birthday party.
"Sifu Katara!" she called out. "I need to ask you something!"
"What is it, little one?" Katara asked as she looked into the girl's cerulean eyes.
"Will you come to my birthday party next week?" Korra asked eagerly.
Katara didn't say anything at first, but her sad smile gave her away.
"I'm sorry, Korra... but I can't," Katara lamented.
"But... why? I'll make sure you'll have lots of fun!" Korra promised.
"I'm sure you will, little one," Korra sighed as she knelt down so her eyes were level with Korra's. "But I'm afraid I have somewhere else to be that day."
"Oh... okay," Korra sighed.
"Let's just exchange Water Tribe stories today," Katara offered in an attempt to cheer her up. "Come on. Let's go to my hut."
She took Korra's hand and they walked to the old master's modest dwelling.
"Sokka!" Korra yelled as she saw her other favorite person as they entered the igloo.
"Hey, there, squirt!" Sokka greeted as he caught her mid jump and hugged her. "How's my favorite warrior today?"
"Katara said she wouldn't be able to come to my birthday party," Korra pouted petulantly. "Will you come?"
Sokka sighed and sat the little girl down on his lap. "I'm sorry, squirt, but... I have somewhere to be. Katara and I aren't going to be here that day."
"Why?" Korra demanded.
"Just... things we have to do. Grown up stuff," Sokka said, not wanting to burden the child with the real reason at such a tender age.
"Fine," Korra huffed as they waited for Katara to come back with some hot tea and Water Tribe snacks.
She'd let it go that time, but when the same thing happened the next year and the year after that, she was frustrated beyond belief. So when her parents came to take her home for the usual family celebration, she refused to leave.
"I wanna know why Master Katara won't celebrate with us!" she insisted.
"Korra..." Tonraq tried to pacify her, but to no avail.
"I wanna know! I always wondered why you always told me not to ask her to come. You know, don't you?" she asked.
Senna's sigh gave them away.
"Tell me why!" Korra demanded.
"It's... difficult to explain, Korra... It's not really your fault! Nor is it theirs," Senna sighed.
"Tell me what's going on," Korra insisted.
"It's because... well, you were born the day Avatar Aang died," Senna admitted reluctantly.
Korra winced as she understood the situation. Avatar Aang had been Katara's husband and Sokka's best friend... How could they possibly celebrate her birth when it was so closely associated with his death?
"Then... I don't want to celebrate my birthday, either," Korra declared.
"Korra, you don't have to..."
"Katara and Sokka are my friends. If they can't share this day with me, then I can't be happy, either," she asserted.
"Have some of your favorite cake, at least... for our sake," Senna implored, knowing Korra wouldn't budge.
So every year, for her parents' sake, she accepted their love and the delicious strawberry shortcake her mother always managed to make for her. She'd learned to accept that the entire world mourned Aang's death on the same day her parents celebrated her birth. They'd always maintained that she'd always be a blessing to them, but she couldn't shake the feeling that her very existence was painful to someone she loved so dearly.
So even this year, as her birthday inched closer, Korra couldn't help but feel a sense of pain and guilt. She'd snuck Mako away from their quarters at the White Lotus compound for some quiet time. Her boyfriend was only too happy to oblige.
"Your mom's been pretty busy lately," Mako commented after Korra mentioned something about having everyone she cared about under one roof. "We're too many people, aren't we?"
"Oh, don't worry... She's probably just whipping some batter for my birthday cake," Korra said, immediately regretting her admission.
"Your birthday? When is it, exactly?" he asked, arching his eyebrows.
"Tomorrow," she winced.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked in a tone that clearly indicated he was offended.
"I've never really celebrated it," she shrugged.
"But why?" he asked incredulously. Even when he and Bolin were living on the streets, Bolin had managed to do something special for him on his birthday and vice versa.
"Why? Because my birthday marks the anniversary of Avatar Aang's death!" she retorted, looking at him as if he'd sprouted two heads.
"So?"
"So... have you seen who I grew up around? Katara, Sokka, Tenzin and his family?" she snorted. "I can't ask them to put on a happy face for my sake."
"But still... It's your birthday! You should celebrate it!" he insisted.
"When you find one person around me who isn't hurt by it... other than my parents," she added quickly when he started to argue, "I promise you I will."
Korra woke up the next morning to a special note from her boyfriend.
"Meet me at our spot at sunset. Love you! Mako."
She simply smiled as she cleaned up and got dressed. Her parents had complied with her wishes by quietly wishing her and feeding her a slice of the delicious cake she loved so much. She thanked them and was silently grateful for the fact that they kept it quiet especially with everyone else present. Mako was nowhere to be found or was deftly avoiding her that morning, so she spent it with the Airbender kids once they returned from their yearly visit to the Avatar shrine.
The day couldn't have been longer, in Korra's opinion.
She raced to the spot where she and Mako had confessed their love to one another only a few days ago when it was time. She screeched to a halt when she found him waiting there with a small strawberry shortcake in his hand, topped with a candle waiting to be blown out by her. Behind him, she spotted a warm fire over which he'd deftly skewered a few of her favorite fish.
"What's all this?" she asked him as she approached warily.
"Happy Birthday, Korra!" he said softly, his genuine smile melting her heart.
"Mako, I told you... I don't like celebrating my birthday!" she whined.
"You said you would if I found one person around you who wasn't hurt by it. And I did," he countered smugly.
"And who might that be?" she asked.
He simply kissed her in reply.
"I love you, Korra... And if you weren't in my life, I don't know where I'd be right now. I'm grateful for you and your presence in my life. So I want to celebrate you... and the day you were born," he declared as he held up the shortcake so she could blow the candle.
She simply didn't know what to say. So she blew the candle and let him feed her a piece of cake. And as they sat together enjoying the sunset, she felt the unnatural chill that usually racked her during this time dissipate.
"I'm sure Bolin and Asami would like to celebrate your birthday, too, whenever you feel up to it," Mako offered gently.
"Someday, perhaps... But for now, I'm glad it's just us," she smirked as she kissed him again.