author's note: takes place between episodes 4 and 5. remember to leave a request if you want to see something in particular.
disclaimer: belongs to brychael.
She asks him to help her improve her firebending shortly after she is attacked by Amon and his Equalists.
It scares her how easily they had taken her down. She had come at them with everything and it had only taken a couple of jabs to her limbs to make her fall. All she can think is Maybe if I was faster, stronger, maybe, maybe, maybe—
"I just," she says, sighing heavily, "I just want to make sure I'm the best I can be at it." She doesn't add just in case even though she wants to, but Mako can read it in her eyes and he just nods.
"I can try," he says slowly, "but I'm really busy with work at the factory and we're in training for the tournament and..."
His voice trails off at the look on her face. He sighs. "It's fine. I can make it work."
Her mouth quirks up at the side. "Really? Great! Do you, um...do you want to start now?"
His eyes widen, one eyebrow raised. "Right now?"
She gestures at the empty gym. "I mean, we're the only ones here, and I just thought, if you weren't busy, since we're already in our training clothes..." She rubs her arm and doesn't meet his eyes.
He bites his lip. "Um, actually, I was just about to leave to go meet Asami for dinner."
Her heart drops into her stomach and she resists the urge to stick her tongue out. "Oh. Asami."
"I'm sorry," he says, "maybe another time."
"Yeah," she says, feigning nonchalance, "another time, sure. Forget I said anything."
"Okay," he says cautiously, shouldering his bag. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah," Korra says, waving at him as he turns over his shoulder to smile softly at her. "See you tomorrow."