'I really hate winter.'
'Oh, cheer up. Winter's great!' said Korra brightly. 'The snow is really nice, even you can't deny that.'
'Not in the city, it just goes all brown from the cars.'
Mako dryly indicated the dirty slushy snow that had been piled up against the side of the road.
'Real beautiful,' he said sardonically.
Korra stopped in her tracks and frowned slightly, crossing her arms under her breasts. Then, she raised her hands and raised the snow as well, to bend apart the pure snow from the dirt and stones. When the snow fell back, glitteringly white, onto the path she turned to grin mockingly at Mako.
'That's better!'
'Hmf.'
'Oh, why are you in such a bad mood anyway?' persisted Korra, continuing to walk alongside him.
'It's Bolin,' said Mako, suddenly exasperated. 'He hasn't been training with me all week; he's been busy meeting up with some girl he met at the Probending gym…'
'Figures.'
'I know! And we have a match in three days – I've hardly seen him since last Tuesday, let alone trained with him.'
'Y'know, you seem a little worked up,' said Korra, putting her hands on her hips and sizing him up. 'I think I have just the solution for you. Naga, come!'
Naga, who had been waiting for them by the edge of the woods, soon came bounding down the road, announced by the beat of her thudding paws. She skidded to a halt on the black ice, panting exuberantly.
'Good girl!' grinned Korra, leaping atop her back and holding her hand out for Mako.
She tried to hide the blush in her cheeks as he held her waist for support against Naga's erratic stride. They were soon out of the city borders, bounding through deepening snow into the empty forest. Once they were deep enough, Korra pulled on the reins for Naga to stop.
'This looks perfect,' said Korra with satisfaction, jumping down and surveying the surrounding area.
After the cold wind that had been whistling in their ears and the thudding of Naga's footfalls, the snow-laden trees seemed to resonate silence.
Korra spun around to grin at Mako. He raised an eyebrow at her.
'Okay, close your eyes,' she commanded.
Mako obeyed, though slightly reluctantly.
'I'm scared,' he admitted.
'Good.'
Whoosh, crash, thud, swish. Mako's frown increased as he listened to Korra's progress. After a few moments –
'There! You can open your eyes now.'
Mako's jaw dropped as he saw a luxurious hot-tub right in between the trees, made of smooth stone and filled to the brim with clear, cool water. Korra, tilting her head to one side, flicked her hand and a chip on the side was corrected at once. Then, she strode over to the side of the tub and pressed her palms to the stone; they began to glow orange and the water began to steam. She dipped her hand in, then grinned.
'Perfect!'
'You are amazing,' said Mako in disbelief. 'Amazing!'
But Korra was pulling off her coat and kicking off her boots.
'Wh-what are you doing?' Mako asked quickly, unsure whether he should look away or not.
'This is how we do it in the South Pole,' said Korra lightly, undoing the tie on her trousers. 'Are you getting in or are you chicken?'
'I'm not chicken,' Mako replied defiantly, and he unwound the scarf from his neck and shook off his coat.
He tried not to stare as Korra's fingers entwined around the hem of her shirt and she pulled it up over her head, her hips moving from side-to-side slightly as she did so. Mako's eyes drank in the rich contours of her womanly figure, the dip of her spine and the dimples just above her underwear. When she pulled these down too, for a moment he forgot how to breathe.
'You're taking your time,' she smirked over her shoulder, flashing him an alluring eye as her bare feet padded over the snow to the edge of the steaming tub.
She leapt over the brim and stood, looking like a goddess, in the middle of the pool, flexing her hands up to the sky as she stretched out her entire body. The water steamed luxuriously around her…
Focus, Mako!
Mako quickly pulled his shirt over his head and kicked off his trousers and underpants and went over to the tub. Snow melted and steamed under his heated footsteps. Korra had sunk her entire body into the water, resting her head with a satisfied sigh against the brim.
'This feels amazing, you've gotta try it!' she said, with a groan of indulgence.
Mako's expression was forcibly blank as he stepped into the hot water and sank down to his chest. Once he was submerged, he could truly appreciate the relaxing sensation and closed his eyes.
Korra smoothed her hand over the surface of the water, enticing bubbles to the top and creating a massaging repetitive surge in the water.
'Feel better?' she asked with a grin.
Mako put his hands behind his head and sighed deeply.
'Definitely,' he said, unable to prevent the smirk on his face. 'You really do have the best ideas, Korra.'
