.: the moments in between :.
Mako hates the word fate. It's never done anything for him and Bolin. Fate killed their parents and left them out on the streets. It was cold and unforgiving. Bolin - a bit naïvely in Mako's opinion - was of a different persuasion. He thought that everything happened for a reason. But, Bolin was always optimistic. No. Mako believed in hard work and dedication. If you wanted something no one was going to hand it to you. He learned that the hard way.
Warm sources of orange light fly though the gym brighting up the stuffy space. Mako's breathing is labored and he is bent over after throwing a fierce fire kick towards the celling. His head snaps up when he hears clapping from the entrance making sweat drop to the mats below him.
"Not bad, City Boy." She stands there in a tank top and shorts that hang loosely off of her rounded hips. Her hand is placed on her waist as she shifts her weight to the side - the light from the open door illuminates the back of her head as a sort of halo. Mako thinks its ironic since she's anything but.
Korra's team has their own training facilities, but she always happens to pass by when he was practicing for a match. At first he thought it was because she was trying to spy on their techniques - but soon realized that wasn't her style. She didn't need to resort to cheating to win a match - which was probably cause many fights between her and her, not so noble, teammates.
She's the best firebender in the league. Even better than him - but he expected no less from the avatar.
"So are you going to sit here and stare at me all day or are we gonna spar?" She raises an eyebrow at him as she places her gym bag on the floor next to her. She walks over to him, pulling her shorts up a bit and tying the string tight.
Mako smirks and runs his tongue along his lower lip, wiping the sheen of sweat off of his forehead. Korra was never one for small talk or forced formalities. She liked to get straight to into whatever she set out to do. He envied that about her. She was impulsive. She always had fire and passion in her eyes. Mako wonders if she would have the same passion if he thrusts into her body, slamming it against the wall while capturing her pleasure filled screams with his mouth.
He jumped back as she sent a warm ball of fire in his direction. She was twirling her arms in a circular motion - her trademark smirk forming on her face.
"What's wrong? Can't keep up?" He answers by throwing a kick in her direction which she dodged by bending over backwards. Her laugh bounced off of the walls of the gym, reaching the high cathedral ceilings. She jumped back into a crouching position cracking her knuckles as she stands.
"Now we're getting somewhere."
Neither of them knew how long they kept up their dance for - but neither of them wanted to stop. Mako was always held down by everything. His responsibly to his brother and his need to protect him. He didn't consider it a burden - not in the slightest. But here, when he has sweat dripping down his body and fire shooting from his hands, is where he feels free. As if nothing can touch him.
Korra manages to finally land one of her wild kicks in his direction. Not prepared for the blow he falls over into the nets Bolin uses for his target practice. Before he has the chance to get up he feels a weight on top of him. She pins both of his wrists between her fists and pushes him down further - the rope complains under their weight. She was close. So close he can feel the tips of her hair on his face and smell the salty breeze of the bay that she traveled across everyday.
"It looks like I win this one." Mako felt his face heat up as she moved closer to him. It had become a part of their daily routine. She would pretend to be indifferent him whenever she was out with her teammates. Rolling her eyes as Tahno made yet another below the belt quip about the duo's parents in an attempt to rile them up. And he would pretend to forget she existed if they saw each other in public. It benefited both of them. Korra didn't want to deal with Tahno's mouth and Mako didn't need the distraction. That's what she was, a distraction. One that he'd usually been able to push back and focus on what was important.
But recently things had gotten a bit more complicated. Everyday he would train at the same time and everyday she would happen to pass by. He could have just changed the time he trained so he wouldn't run into her. But, he didn't want to. They always ended up the same way. With one of them losing - usually him - and the other claiming their prize.
He can feel her eye lashes as her nose grazes his gently. Her hands were slowly loosening their grip around his wrist - her fingers leaving fire in their wake as they trail down his arms to rest on his face. She presses her cheek to his while pushing her fingers through his hair.
"You should go before Tahno finds you again." Mako wouldn't be surprised if the team captain kept a tracking device on her. He always seemed to show up at the most inopportune moments.
"I don't care." Korra whispers against him as she bites down on her bottom lip. She's impossibly close, so close he can practically taste her and the dumplings she had probably eaten for lunch.
"Thank spirits." Mako places his palm on the back of her head and closes the gap. He realizes he was mistaken before. This is where he felt most free. When they were connected and she was trying to touch him everywhere as if she couldn't get enough. Where he pours everything into her. His frustrations, his happiness and his pain. She didn't care - in fact she welcomed it with open arms.
His lips travel down to her neck and a throaty moan escapes from her mouth. He pulls her closer to him - holding her so tight he thinks he must have bruised her. This is how she liked it. They couldn't get any closer and she is pushing a warm hand up his tank top. Her fingernails grazing him harshly on their way up his chest.
"SPIRTS!" She pushes him away before he even has time to think; pulling herself up and yanking down her top which had bunched up over her chest bandages. Without so much as an explanation or a goodbye she grabs her gym bag and rushes out - her hand over her mouth and her face as red as his uniform.
Mako sits up and blinks in confusion. What did he do to set her off? He froze when he hears someone clearing their throat behind him. He coughs into his hand and adjusts his pants as he stands up and turns to face Bolin.
His brother stares at him intensely. Mako stares back with what he hoped was a passive expression. It wasn't long before Bolin's face brakes out into a wide grin. He walks over and pats Mako hard on the back making him cough up the air Bolin just stole from him.
"I knew it! I knew it!" Mako rolls his eyes as he picks up his training bag. He can hear Bolin chanting juvenilely to Pabu while he walks to the staircase. He was never going to hear the end of this.