Continuing from last chapter...


Korra drew away from the kiss quickly, as if in slight shock. She avoided Mako's confused gaze and let a single tear slide down her cheek. The firebender attempted to wipe it away with his thumb, but the Avatar retracted from his touch. Taking a few steps back, she shook her head back and forth and let out a whimper.

"I'm sorry, Mako. I'm so, so sorry, but…" Korra trailed off, staring blankly at the ground she had torn up with her newly restored bending. "That's a lie – I lied…"

Mako took a step toward her, but she only moved away. "What's a lie, Korra? Whatever it is, I don't care." His voice was strained with concern as he held his arms wide open in a harmless gesture.

"I said I love you, but–"

"It's okay if you don't love me back, Korra." Mako cut her off and took a couple slow, cautious steps toward the crying girl. "I won't force you to."

"No, that's… that isn't it…" Korra began once more. At a loss for words, she allowed the firebender to approach her and take her shaking hands into his own heated palms. His close presence instantly calmed her nerves, if only enough to look into his warm amber eyes.

"I promise you, Korra, whatever it is you need to tell me, I won't be offended." He gave a small smile of reassurance, his fingers slightly tightening around her hands as a sign of sincerity.

Korra's heart was beating viciously against her chest. Sniffling as the cold winter wind sent shivers down her spine, she could see her breaths were coming rather rapidly, reminding her to control her crying.

"Mako, I…" she began with a shudder and a crack in her voice, "Mako, when I said I love you…" Pausing to breathe, she closed her eyes to think before continuing, "I was lying, because I don't think I really know what love is." The confession took weight off her, but it also opened a whole new can of worms.

Mako's eyes never left her own. A simple smile found its way to his lips and a chuckle escaped his throat. He rubbed his thumbs soothingly over the back of the southerner's hands and tersely exhaled steam through his nostrils to warm himself.

"Korra…" He began, the smile never leaving his face. "I want to give us a shot. We'll start out slow, is that okay?" It was an offer phrased in a way that could be refused and Korra knew that.

He continued when she didn't respond. "You'll take the lead and we won't do anything without your say-so, nor do anything that'll make you feel uncomfortable." His words were soft and gave Korra a chance to decline if she liked.

Five minutes passed without a response, which made Mako begin to worry. His grip tightened just a bit more around her hands. "You don't have to and I'm not gonna make you accept, but I lo– really like you and want to be with you." He caught his mistake but didn't miss a beat in his speech. "Look, I know things are tense and everything feels like it's moving way too quickly, but I don't want that to get in the way of your happiness. I want to do whatever I can to see you happy, so please… please try to be happy even if it hurts to let other people in to help."

With a long exhale to ponder, Korra lifted her gaze to meet the firebender's. The slightest of smiles graced her lips. "Okay." She said simply, the glaze of tears in her eyes clearing up. "Let's try it. But promise me we'll always be friends, even if we don't end up working as a couple."

The way Korra stated this, Mako didn't have a choice to refuse. However, no matter what the circumstance may be he would always be by Korra's side, to be her friend and give support, and he hoped Korra would be by his side the same way. They both have come too far to part ways now. The only thing that could break them apart would be death, which was a day much too far ahead to worry about at that particular moment.

"I promise I'll always be your friend. That's one thing that will never change as long as I live." Mako said with the most genuine regard.

"Thank you, Mako." Korra said then leaned in to wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling the firebender into a tight, warm hug as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. "Thank you so much."

"No problem." Mako replied and returned the hug with an equal amount of emotion, a content smile rising to his lips as he rested his head atop Korra's.


End of chapter two...