Uuuuugh, this episode! I wanted to give a little more to Korra in this one, because I felt like she just got left as being boy crazy without the previous episodes really ever giving us enough to warrant it. Also I wanted to include some Korra/Lin bonding (ish?), because I really like their grumpy friendship and liked imagining the two of them trying to talk about normal "girl" stuff. Also, another nautical themed title, this one means being faced with two difficult choices. Feed back is always loved, so please let me know what you think!
Maybe I should have taken up Bolin on his offer, Korra thought as she scowled into the airbison pen. She could have told Tenzin they were practicing late, working on some special earthbending move or something. Who knows, she may have even had some fun with the earthbender.
"More fun than I'm having now, anyway," she mumbled. She dropped the bucket in her arms with a sigh and began mucking out Oogi's stall. The bison rumbled a greeting to her, shaking his big, shaggy head. Naga, sprawled on the cool stone nearby, woofed to him.
"Glad you guys are enjoying this," Korra huffed. She wasn't usually so antsy when doing chores, used to the routine and hard work imposed during her time training in the South Pole, but as she scooped hay all she could think about were all of the other things she could have been doing instead. Mako was taking Asami to lunch, would Bolin have done the same for her?
She would have enjoyed hanging out with Bolin, she thought. Her nightmares about Amon had only increased in intensity since she confronted him on Aang's island, and although Tenzin tried his best to lend a sympathetic ear, it wasn't the same as talking about them with someone who actually understood them. She wondered what he was doing now that she'd turned down his offer. Eating alone, probably, since Mako was currently occupied.
She thought of Mako and Asami, sitting together at some fancy restaurant, and her stomach fluttered. She rubbed it, frowning as she pictured them talking and laughing. She'd felt so good at the end of their practice, circled up, heads touching as they grinned their confidence and pride in one another.
And then Asami showed up and Mako was at her side, fawning over her new uniforms.
Korra scowled, knuckles white as she gripped her pitchfork. Maybe Asami wasn't replacing her as a bender on the team like she'd once feared, but she was still providing all kinds of important contributions to the team. More than she'd been able to, Korra thought bitterly.
Hay flew through the air as Korra cleaned wildly, all her frustrations pouring into the chore. Her friends were scattered away from her, and she wanted find some way to blame Asami for the separation. She couldn't, because she knew that she was the one who'd turned down Bolin, not Asami, and that only grew her frustrations all the more.
In her unrest she tore through her chore, and in no time at all the airbison were surrounded in fluffy piles of fresh warm hay, while the rest sat out to be cleaned by the rain and sun. Korra moved to the edge of the island, arms swirling in the gentle, familiar waterbending forms as she lifted a large pocket of water from the bay and shifted it over her head. She smiled as bits of it splashed free, splattering her with frigid droplets. Despite being Water Tribe, waterbending wasn't Korra's preferred form—she gravitated more towards the wild, half-controlled firebending styles—but the gentle movements felt like home and normalcy, and she soaked in their comfort.
With a winding flourish, she poured the water into the airbison's trough. Naga drank from the cool water greedily, but it wasn't until she'd warmed it with a flare of fire that the airbison gathered around for their own fill. They rumbled contentedly as they lapped, and Korra smiled.
"You're welcome," she said. "I'm glad at least help someone today."
"Help us, help us!" an excited voice chimed a moment before Ikki barreled past. She was dragging a burlap sack almost as large as she was.
"Lunch time," Jinora said, following at a slightly more demure pace to balance the oversized basket of fruits she carried. Korra caught the edge of the basket, and together they scattered the fruit of the airbison to nibble.
"Careful, Ikki," Korra called as the young airbender sidled up to the airbisons' empty food trough. She struggled to lift her sack of grain high enough to pour it. "Here, I'll help you." Korra started towards her mentor's daughter, only to be beaten to the task as Oogi lumbered over. Tilting his head, he caught the corner of Ikki's sack on his long horn and used it to tip it up into the trough.
"Thank you Oogi!" Ikki laughed, pressing herself against the bison's broad nose. He snorted, lifting her up with a puff of warm air. Ikki floated down gently, handing the bison a bright purple fruit she'd had hidden in her robes before scurrying off.
"Korra, Korra!" she cried as she latched onto the older girl's hand, "Do you want to help us feed the lemurs? Do you?"
"Sure, I'd love to," Korra said. Jinora flashed her an exasperated-older-sister eye roll as she lead the way over to where some of the air acolytes were filling baskets with an assortment of the island's fruits. Each girl grabbed one and they headed off, Ikki skipping a head as she regaled her companions with a story about something that had happened when she was practicing the other day.
The filled their lemur feeders to the rhythm of Ikki's chatter. Korra let the girls lead the conversation, happy for the distraction from her thoughts. Ikki's conversation drifted to an acolyte boy she thought was cute ("Don't tell my dad!") while Jinora huffed and refused to say anything about the son of one of Lin's officers, no matter how much Ikki badgered her.
Lost in thoughts of boys and metalbenders and a million other things, it was a moment before Korra realized the conversation had shifted to her.
"So, how's it going with the tall, dreamy firebender boy?" Jinora asked, expression sly. "You've been spending a lot of time together lately."
Something unexpected fluttered in Korra's stomach as Ikki ooh'd in excitement.
"Yeah, tell us all about the magical romance!"
"What?" Korra laughed. "Listen to you two! I'm not into Mako, or any romantic stuff." Her stomach continued to flutter. She wasn't! …Right? "Besides, he's all into that prissy, beautiful, elegant rich girl." That I'm nothing like, she added mentally. She hesitated briefly—really, she wasn't interested—
"But let's just pretend for a second I am interested in him," she added quickly, "What would I do?"
She really shouldn't have been surprised by her companions' responses. Unfortunately burning down Republic City before leaping onto a volcano and searching for love potions and moonlight punch would not be solutions she could take any time soon. When Pema arrived embarrassment flooded her, and as she listened to the woman's story she felt uncertainty spark within her.
Was Mako risking spending his life with the wrong woman, just like Tenzin almost had? She wasn't sure what it felt like for someone to be your soulmate—other than her fleeting attraction to one of the lotus guards a few years ago, she was only faintly familiar with the feeling of a crush—but the crushing worry that ever minute Mako spent with Asami was another step further away from her must have been something close.
She thanked Pema for the advice and decided that she too would just have to be direct. She wouldn't sit back and wait until she was in the same position Pema had been in, silently watching as someone she loved made such a painful mistake.
That night she fell asleep thinking about what she would say. Her dreams she was visited by a confusion of gold and green that vanished long before the masked nightmares could come to take them away.
"You're jealous. You do have feelings for me!"
"When you're with her, you're thinking about me."
"I'm just being honest!"
"You're a liar!"
Korra shouted, fist flying into the side of her locker. The dent she left was impressive and made her feel no less better about herself. She'd done exactly what Pema had said, she'd been open with Mako, told him how she really felt. They were soulmates, right? Meant to be together? Isn't that Pema said this feeling was?
Or did she?
With a frustrated growl Korra let her forehead drop against her locker. Why wasn't this working the way it was supposed to?
"Hey Korra…! Uh, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Bolin," Korra huffed. She could feel the earthbender hovering uncertainly behind her.
"You, uh, don't look fine," he said. When she turned, she found his gaze on the dent she'd made. "Did something happen?"
"No, nothing," she mumbled. "Just working out some excess anxiety before the match."
"Oh, okay." Bolin hesitated, fiddling with the helmet in his hands. Tentatively, he said, "I had a really fun time with you last night." The fluttering that had filled Korra's stomach since her run-in with Mako stilled some, a fuzzy warmth taking its place.
"Thanks, Bolin. I had fun too."
"We should do it again some time," Bolin said, a smile splitting his face. Korra thought of their laughter ringing the air together, of the comfortable conversation they'd shared. She nodded.
"I would like that," she said.
"Would like what?"
Bolin smiled welcomingly as Mako entered the locker room. The warmth in Korra's stomach dissipated as the firebender frowned at her.
"Nothing," she said, turning away from him. From the corner of her eye she saw him turn a questioning look on Bolin. The earthbender just shrugged, saying nothing of their plans, for which Korra was grateful. She didn't feel like being accused of taking advantage of Bolin again. Because that wasn't what she was doing, she told herself firmly as she rummaged out her uniform. She would never intentionally try and hurt him.
The tension was a palatable thing in the air. Korra and Mako spoke only the briefest of words to each other, even when Bolin tired discussing last minute strategies with them. It only grew as they rode out towards the platform, Korra making a pointed effort to keep Bolin between herself and his scowling brother. She just wanted the match to start, thinking that, once they were focused on working as a team, the tension would just go away on its own.
It didn't. The first round was the definition of a calamity as Korra tumbled into Mako, and both of them struggled to keep their footing as they were knocked back into the platform's second zone. She knew she was supposed to be covering the brothers, but her frustration was boiling within in her and at every opening she launched an attack at the other team, trying to release it. She and Mako fought from opposite sides of the mat, attacks flying wildly across the platform. They skidded together into zone three, elemental shrapnel skittering off around them as the first bell rang.
"You were supposed to defend while I attacked!" Mako snapped as they returned to the first zone.
"I had an opening, so I took it!" Korra shouted back.
"What is up with you two?" Bolin demanded from behind them. "Alright, whatever," his hand appeared on her shoulder and she looked away as he continued, "Just pull it together guys."
I wish I could, she thought as she took her place, dropping into a bending stance. The bell rang and she shouted, swinging a water laden fist at the other team's firebender—
Only to have a blast of fire send her tumbling back into the second zone. Bolin's disk sent the firebender tumbling back as the other team's waterbender took charge. His attacks swirled past the Avatar as she spun, narrowly avoiding them. Water gathered around her as she moved and she turned back towards the waterbender, attack at the ready—
And then Mako was in her way, letting his own attack fly. He missed, and then Korra was dodging as a splash of water sent Mako to join her in the second zone.
"What was that?" she shouted as Mako stumbled to his feet.
"I didn't see you doing much out there!" Mako snapped back. Korra's retort was half out her mouth when a stone disk flew between them and they both spun back around, remembering that they had another teammate to look out for.
As it turned out, he didn't really need their help. Bolin was holding his own with surprising ease, dodging attacks with small, precise movements even as he bent multiple stones at a time towards the other team. He already have their water and earthbenders pushed back to the second zone. If he could just get their firebender back, they would take the round.
He stomped, threw a punch, and a disk went sailing towards the firebender. He grunted as he was thrown head over heels, tumbling past the second zone and into the third just as the bell rang.
"Yes!" Mako cried, high fiving his brother as he returned to the first zone. Korra shook her head, frustration mounting. She was letting her fight with Mako interrupt her focus, and it was infuriating.
The bell rang for the third round and Korra scrambled to regain lost ground. It was obvious that she and her team were the more powerful benders as their first flurry of attacks sent the Rabbaroos stumbling back, their firebender already back in zone two. But what the Fire Ferrets gained in power they lost again in lack of teamwork as the opposing waterbender blocked her attack so that the earthbender could send her tumbling back into zone two with a disk to the chest. Mako soon joined her again, and then is was just Bolin and the waterbender left in the first zones.
They pushed one another over the zone barriers simultaneously as the final bell rang.
"Round three is a tie!" the announcer wailed as the teams, shrugging sore shoulders and scowling their frustrations, regrouped at the center of the platform. "We go to a tie breaker to decide the match!"
Korra planted her hands on her hips, mimicking Bolin as the referee flipped the coin. Let me do this, she thought angrily, let me show them how useful to this team I really am.
The coin landed, Fire Ferret's choice, but before Korra could volunteer Mako spoke up, and before she could counter him, Bolin was there.
"I know you usually handle these, but frankly your head's not in the game. I'm going to take this one."
As she moved away from the center ring, disappointment churned in Korra's stomach. Her head wasn't in the game, either, and now it was up to Bolin to save their team because of it. She glanced over to Mako, to see if he seemed to be thinking the same things, but he was turned away from her. The platform began to rise up and she moved back so that she could keep her view of Bolin.
"Good luck," she whispered.
He didn't need it.
"The Future Industry Fire Ferrets win their quarter final match!" the announcer bellowed. At top the platform Bolin cheered, riling up the crowd as they screamed their support. Happiness swelled in Korra and she sighed, proud of her friend's victory.
Another sigh echoed hers, and she glanced up to see Mako at her side. Her expression soured as the firebender scowled, and she turned away from him quickly.
And then Bolin was there in front of them, oblivious to the tension as he pulled them both into a tight hug.
"You were amazing out there," Korra said, laughing as Bolin lifted her off the ground.
"Good job, little bro," Mako agreed. The two were careful not the touch as Bolin crushed them close.
"Thanks guys," he said, grin passing between them. They remained on the platform for another minute as the crowd continued to scream itself wild before returning to their locker room. As soon as the team was alone an awkwardness settled over them. Korra had hoped that Bolin's exciting success might have overshadowed her and Mako's discomfort, but it seemed to do the opposite. Bolin wasn't blind after all; the tension between the fire and water benders had been blatantly obvious.
Thankfully, other than shooting them both curious looks, Bolin didn't bring it up. He chatted enthusiastically about their next round, wondering who would make it on to challenge them in the semi-final. Korra offered half-hearted replies when she could. Mako remained silent.
Bolin finished changing first and disappeared, a faint, 'see you guys soon!' trailing him down the hall. Korra, not wanting to be alone with her confusing crush, hurriedly finished changing and followed suit. Unlike Bolin, she had nowhere she needed to be, and eventually her wandering steps took her outside, to one of the small pavilions ringing the arena.
"What am I doing wrong?" she whispered into the damp night air. It smelled like the briny fishing piers and smog from satomobiles. It wasn't the clean, salty, icy smell of home, but it was becoming comfortingly familiar.
She thought of her room on Air Temple Island, of the family that had taken her in. She thought of Pema, kind a gentle and heavy with her next child. Korra had done exactly what the woman had told her—she'd been open with Mako, told him exactly what he need to know. It hadn't worked.
But Pema had been in the same situation, she thought. Tenzin had loved someone else, but Pema had told him her feelings anyway, and Tenzin realized he actually did love Pema back, and then they were together. And she thought that, once she'd confessed, she and Mako would be together.
…But they weren't.
Her stomach felt like it was in knots.
She thought about Pema and Tenzin, about how perfect and happy they were together, and she sighed. Of course they'd worked out. If the spirits had ever intended two people to be perfect for one another, it was those two. They didn't just seem happy together, they practically radiated. Sometimes they bickered, and occasionally Pema would huff exasperation with her husband, or Tenzin would throw his hands over his head at his wife's retreating back. But they always came together again, in that uniquely comfortable way of theirs.
She tried to imagine life with Mako in the same way, tried to imagine standing shoulder to shoulder with him while they cleaned the dinner dishes and chatted about their day. Tried to imagine sitting quietly with him on a calm afternoon, basking in the sun somewhere secluded and quiet, talking about everything and nothing. She tried to imagine him lying beside her, comforting words on his lips as she gasped awake from another nightmare.
She sighed and shook her head.
It didn't matter what she imagined they could do. Maybe she liked him, and maybe that should have meant he liked her back. But he didn't. He'd made that clear when he looked away from her in the locker room, mumbling about Asami. He'd made it clear when she'd confronted him before the match—he loved Asami, thought all the time about Asami. Not her.
She'd misread him, or assumed things without taking his feelings into consideration at all. He'd never acted like he liked her before anyway. The first time he met her he'd practically ignored her, didn't even want her to hang around until he knew who she was.
She crossed her arms tightly over her chest.
She wished she had someone to talk to about this. She thought about Pema and shook her head. Tenzin would just frown uncomfortably and mumble until she stopped trying to talk about boys with him. Jinora and Ikki were an absolute no-go; moonlight punch was still not an option, and although it sounded appealing, there weren't any volcanoes close enough to dive into. Her only friends were either part of the problem, or the problem's brother.
Memories of sitting on the air temple steps, whispered stories of nightmares and lovely cupcake, drifted to her. Maybe Bolin wouldn't mind talking about it. If nothing else, he at least deserved an explanation for her terrible performance. He'd practically carried the match tonight, he deserved to know why.
She settled against one of the pavilion's pillars, nodding to herself. She'd wait here until Bolin got back—certain he hadn't gone far at this time of night—and she'd ask him what he thought of…whatever it was she'd gotten herself into. She closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of brine and oil as the knots in her stomach slowly loosened.
"We need to talk."
She jumped, the knots retying. Perfect, she thought bitterly.
"Sometimes you can be so infuriating, but I—"
"Save your breath," Korra cut him off. She'd finally puzzled through everything, the last thing she need now was another reminder of how wrong she'd been. "You've already made it clear how you feel about me."
"No," Mako said quickly, "I haven't. What I'm trying to say is, as much as you drive me crazy…I also think you're pretty amazing." She spun around, heart pounding.
"So, you do like me?"
"Yes." He continued talking, but whatever he said next was lost to the blood rushing in her ears, her heart trying to beat out of her chest.
He did like her. Just like he was supposed to.
She moved on instinct, launching forward into her first kiss, cutting off whatever it was the firebender was saying.
He mumbled into her lips and then, slowly, leaned into the kiss. It was kind of awkward, her lips meeting his mid-word, but it was warm and tingled, and it was the most amazing feeling in the world.
They pulled back, her lips buzzing, and all she could think was it's happening, it's happening, it's happening.
And then she saw Bolin, watching them through wide eyes, and she realized she'd really, really messed up.
"You kissed me back!"
Mako's angry glare flashed across her eyes, Bolin's devastated tears. Korra sucked her lips between her teeth, eyes screwed shut. How had it all gone so wrong?
"…What are you doing up here, Avatar?"
Oh great, she thought at the familiar, snappish tone of Republic City's chief of police.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize sitting on rooftops was illegal in this city too," Korra huffed, scowling where she lay sprawled on her back atop one of the tallest roofs she'd been able to find. Her plan had been to go look at the stars—tracing the familiar constellations had always helped calm her down—but only the brightest stars could get their light through the ever present fog of the city.
"It's not," Lin said. Metal scraped metal, and Korra pictured the woman crossing her arms.
"Then why don't you leave me alone?"
"If you wanted to be left alone, you should have chosen a different roof."
"Oh what, you own this one?" Korra snapped. She knew she was being rude, but so was Lin and she wasn't in the mood for the woman's unwarranted dislike right now.
"No, I don't," Lin said, "But it is my concern when someone decides to camp out on the roof of my police station."
"On the…" Korra sat up, noticing for the first time the flood of light emanating from the building below her, and the familiar buildings around her. "Oh."
She hadn't intended to come to the police station. She hadn't intended to go anywhere after Mako left her standing alone outside the arena, embarrassed and angry and feeling like the worst person ever. She'd run to find Naga, sprawled out in a quiet corner down the street from the arena, and the polarbear dog must have sensed her turmoil because she'd scooped up Korra without thought and had took off down the street.
Korra had let her lead them, running aimlessly through crowded streets, where people shouted congratulations to her for her team's impressive victory. She buried her face in Naga's fur, trying to ignore their voices. Eventually they'd come to a quiet alleyway, where Naga had nudged at her until she'd noticed the fire escape they'd stopped beside. She hadn't even thought to stop and figure out what building she was climbing.
"So, what are doing on my station?" Lin asked. "Seems an odd place for a celebration."
Celebration…? Oh, Korra thought. The match.
"I don't feel much like celebrating," Korra mumbled. And then, "How did you know we won, anyway? I didn't think you followed the pro-bending matches."
"I don't," Lin huffed. Korra rolled her head to see the metalbender. She was looking away almost petulantly. A smile tugged at the waterbender's lips.
"You listened to our game, didn't you?"
"What?" Lin snapped, "Of course not."
"Yes you did! Chief Bei Fong, I didn't know you cared."
"Some of my officers were listening," Lin said. Korra grinned at her and Lin snorted. "Anyway, that doesn't explain why you wouldn't be celebrating with your team."
"I don't think they really want to celebrate with me," Korra said. She pulled her knees to her chest, tucking them close. "Actually, I'm not completely sure they like me anymore." When Lin didn't say anything Korra glanced her way. The chief was frowning, fingers tapping her forearm. She looked like she was weighing the downsides of just walking away from a potentially emotional conversation with the Avatar.
"I'm sorry," Korra said, struggling to smother a laugh. "I'm sure talking about boy problems isn't your thing."
"I wouldn't have thought the Avatar would bother herself with boy problems," Lin replied. Korra felt something uncomfortable settle in her chest. No, the Avatar really shouldn't be concerned with things so trivial, she thought, but then Lin continued, "You never struck me as someone who would care what boys thought, anyway."
"I don't," Korra said quickly.
"Of course you do," Lin said, eyes rolling. "The only way to have problems with boys is to care what they think of you."
"I don't care," Korra said firmly. "I'm just…confused about them."
"You're curious about whether someone likes you or not," Lin said. Korra looked away, her expression darkening.
"Is it that obvious?" she muttered. Lin sighed at her.
"It's the only reason girls are ever confused about boys. Please don't tell me this is about your teammates," she added quickly. "It's obvious he likes you. This shouldn't be confusing."
"He does?" Korra asked, spinning to look fully at Lin. "But he told me he didn't! Well, he said it was confusing. I mean, I told him how I felt about him, but then he told me he didn't like me, and now he says he does like me. Maybe. And then we kissed, and then Bolin saw, and I think it hurt his feelings—"
"Hold on, hold on," Lin said, holding her hands up. "Bolin? He's…the earthbender, right?" Korra nodded. "And you kissed…the firebender?" Korra nodded again. Lin frowned.
"You think I did the wrong thing," Korra said.
"I didn't think you liked the firebender," Lin replied. "He doesn't seem your type." Korra flashed Lin a look, surprised at her girlish appraisal, and Lin shrugged. "Well, he doesn't!"
"He's a good person," Korra huffed. "He's hard working, and handsome, and he cares about people, like his brother."
"Which is the earthbender?" Lin asked.
"Bolin," Korra agreed.
"And what do you think of him?"
Korra stared at the police chief, who, when she noticed Korra's gaze, shrugged her hands up and snapped,
"I'm just getting all the facts." Korra narrowed her eyes. Lin crossed her arms again.
"Bolin's…probably the best friend I've ever had," Korra finally said. "We really get along well, and we have a lot in common. I feel like I can talk to him about anything, even the stuff I'm afraid of, and it's always nice to hang out with him. I always feel…good, when I'm with him." A small laugh escaped her, and she added, "And he thinks I'm tough, and buff, and incredible, and some other nice things."
"And what does the firebender think of you?" Lin asked.
"He said I was pretty amazing."
"Right." Lin seemed unconvinced about something. "And between the two of them, you like the firebender?"
"Well, he's, you know, dreamy and stuff," Korra trailed off with a shrug. "And what if we're meant to be?" she added quickly, "I mean, I know he's dating Asami, but Pema said that you shouldn't let your soul mate spend their life loving someone else, and that I needed to tell Mako how I felt!"
"Did she now?" Something Korra couldn't place seemed to settle over the metalbender. "Korra, what makes you think Mako is your 'soul mate'?"
"Well, he…" Korra hesitated, glancing uncertainly at Lin, "I mean, I like him. And Pema thought I should be honest with him. There must be something they can see, right? They can tell we're meant to be together."
"No one can tell something like that except you," Lin said firmly. "And when two people are in a relationship, the polite thing to do would be to allow them to figure out for themselves if they're meant to be. If they want to be together, they'll work it out. If not, they'll move on. But you should never take away two people's ability to decide that for themselves. What if you'd admitted how you felt to Mako, and he'd decided to be with you, where would that leave the girl he's dating now?"
"I…hadn't really thought about that," Korra admitted. She ducked her head, her embarrassment returning. Not only had she ignored Bolin's feelings, she'd ignored Asami completely.
"Besides," Lin said, "from what you've told me, that firebender may not actually be the one that you deserve."
"But everyone else—"
"Everyone else just wants to have opinions," Lin cut her off. "At the end of the day, it's just you and the person you choose to be with. Don't let someone else make that choice for you."
Korra hmm'd, lowering one of her legs to allow the night breeze to curl around her. She could feel it sweeping away some of her tension.
"Maybe you're right," she said. Her head fell back, and she tried to pick out the brighter constellations in the sky. She could just make out the three stars that marked the back of the lionturtle. Off to the left, hovering over the pro-bending arena, was the faded outline of one of the goofier constellations, the dancing badgermole.
"I know I'm right," Lin huffed. "And Avatar?"
"Hmm?"
"Get off my roof."
Korra sighed, relief and comfort mingling as she settled my firmly into the couch cushions. Bolin's foot had found its way into her lap and she poked it. He didn't notice. She looked along the couch at the earthbender, sprawled on his back, mouth open as he slept. A thick bandage looped around his shoulder.
Another kind of sigh escaped her. They'd only barely scraped through their match tonight, their friendship teetering all the way through, and even though they'd made up back in the locker rooms, there had still been an air of tension between them all as they'd retreated to the boys' attic apartment. Korra had noticed the way Bolin and Mako kept flashing one another looks, filled with uncertainty and apology, and it made her stomach twist to think she'd caused some kind of rift between them.
They'd talked a little bit that night. Korra admitted, mumbling and blushing, that with everything happening in her life lately she might have jumped the emotional gun in admitting such strong feelings for Mako. Mako, glancing everywhere but Korra, agreed that he does think Korra is pretty cool, but that for know he's dating Asami and he'd like to see where that could lead. And Bolin, offering Korra a warm, one-armed hug, tells he that what he'd said before still stands, but that he'll always be there when she needs a friend.
It was awkward and fumbling, but comfortable in that way that Korra only ever experienced with the two brothers. Her gaze wandered from Bolin, sprawled and softly snoring, to Mako. He was sitting at the table before a Pai Sho board. His head was drooping, exhaustion pulling at him. Pabu, perched on the board and scattering tiles, sniffed curiously at the firebender's nose, and Korra laughed.
Sure, sometimes things got confusion, and maybe right now they were a little uncertain and awkward. But it never failed that, when Korra was with these two, she felt comfortable. Safe.
She felt like she was home.