It's Elemental

by Purple.Slippers.18

She was the earth and he held onto her strength. She was the fire and he played with her flames. She was the air and he follwed her course. She was the water and he drowned in her waves.

3. Air

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, or The Legend of Korra.

A/N: OMG! So long. Sooooooo lllllllooooonnnnngggggg...

I honestly didn't think I could write anything longer than the FIRE chapter, but I just had to go and prove myself wrong, didn't I? Well, here it is dear, dear, kind, patient readers, the AIR chapter. I hope that you like it. Like the past chapters, it's told mostly from Mako's point of view. And just a heads up, this chapter covers the first ten years of Korra and Mako's marriage. Yep, ten years. One decade. Three thousand six hundred and fifty-two days.

I'm exhausted.

Enjoy!

---

Air

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Republic City

"Where should we put this?"

Mako looked up from the box of dishes he was unpacking to find his wife of five days holding their new chesterfield in her arms. Despite being fully aware of her amazing strength, Mako was still surprised to see Korra cradling a sofa as if it was little more than a child.

"Just put it anywhere," he said, moving to stand near her. "Why didn't you wait for me to help you lift it?" he asked, cringing at the thought of Korra hefting the bulky piece of furniture through their townhouse on her own.

Korra gently set the plush red and gold checker-patterned couch on the floor before flashing her husband an incredulous glance. Was he really asking a question that stupid? Realizing that his query was redundant, Mako sighed and plunked down on the sofa, patting the cushion beside him in an enticing invitation. Korra immediately accepted, jumping onto the couch and snuggling up against Mako, relishing how new it felt to curl her body around his now that he was her husband rather than her boyfriend. They sat in silence for a few minutes, listening to the traffic outside of their home, the bustle of people and satomobiles a constant low rumble that passed by the window.

"This is nice," Korra sighed into his neck, the strain of moving boxes and furniture all day taking its toll. Her muscles burned.

"Having our own place, or being married?" Mako asked, moving to cup her shoulders in his palms and rub his thumbs along the knots under her skin.

"Both. Mmm...that feels good..."

"Hmm," he sighed, closing his eyes, taking in the scent of fresh paint, floor polish, sunshine and city air.

Their new home was quaint, a comfortable two floor townhouse with a small back garden a few blocks from city hall. It was fairly central and their neighborhood was clean and lively, the majority of residences in the surrounding blocks occupied by young couples like themselves. It was a new adventure, the beginning of their life as a married couple, and it left Mako and Korra feeling enthusiastic.

"Wish we could have gone on a honeymoon," Korra moaned suddenly, leaning her back into Mako's chest, forcing him to abandon her shoulders and wrap his arms snugly around her waist. The couple sighed contently, Korra shifting to kiss the pulse under his jaw.

"We will," the firebender promised, nuzzling his chin along his wife's nose. "We've just postponed it for a little while. We'll get away soon."

Korra nodded, her hair tickling Mako's face. She hoped he was right, that they could escape and just be silly, frivolous newlyweds for a few weeks. Perhaps once the protests died down and the public became used to the idea of the Allowance, maybe then she and Mako could get away together.

Thinking about the Allowance slightly soured the young woman's good mood, and she cuddled closer to her husband. He sighed happily, molding her against his chest with a content rumble. Mako was completely relaxed, the most at ease Korra had seen him in months, and because of that, she silently reminded herself that the current political hassle that she was entangled in was truly worth the trouble, if only to see her love so carefree.

When the couple had first met, two teens training at the chance of the pro-bending championship, neither of them had been, financially speaking, well off. Mako was scraping away to save every yuan he could get his hands on, and Korra was still being blissfully supported by Tenzin and the White Lotus. She hadn't realized the importance of money, of how necessary it was to survive in the world, before she'd met Mako. Over the course of their courtship, Mako had continued to work odd jobs around the city, bending lightning in the power plant, construction work, even going back to the pro-bending arena and helping Toza there. The Fire Ferrets had tried for the championship winnings twice more, but never made it into the winner's circle. Korra and Mako had never known wealth, but they had naively believed that as long as they had each other than they were rich enough. That sort of youthful idealism, however, was soon quashed when Korra fully stepped into her role as the Avatar.

Because it is an Avatar's duty, not career, to work as a public servant and oversee the balance, prosperity, and peace of the entire world, Korra was bound to a position that paid nothing and the demands placed on her kept the young woman from ever being able to hold down a 'real' job. When Mako had asked Korra to marry him, he'd been prepared for the difficult financial burdens of starting a family. In fact, he'd been anticipating them, having secured a full-time maintenance job at the pro-bending arena a few months after he'd proposed. The job wasn't glamorous, but it paid well and it was secure. Mako had been prepared to make his career at the arena. He'd never expected that, just a few weeks before his wedding, the Council of Nations would make a unanimous vote that would see to it that the Avatar and her spouse would never have to worry about money ever again.

They called it the Avatar's Allowance, a private account set up in the name of the Avatar. A percentage of each nation's treasury would be deposited into the account annually and equally, and when Korra passed on and the next Avatar was born, that money would be waiting for them to ensure that their economical needs were met. With the installation of this special trust fund, Korra, and every Avatar that came after her, would have freedom from financial burdens.

The Allowance was, of course, highly controversial, used as slander by many protesting groups as another example of how benders were treated as elite. Because these protests had been anticipated, a condition had been placed on the Allowance, a clause dictating that twenty percent of the annual deposit be donated equally amongst the Four Nations to different charities of the Avatar's choice. It was a stipulation Korra was only too happy to agree to.

She was glad that she and Mako were free from the restraints of money, but being financially secure didn't necessarily mean that they hadn't had to pay for such liberty. The Allowance was still a prime topic of debate and criticism. For Korra and Mako to leave Republic City to go on a honeymoon – a frivolous and surely expensive vacation – would be like asking for a mob to come knocking down their door. Korra was grateful for the inheritance, and if postponing her honeymoon was what she had to do to please the public and express her appreciation, then she could wait.

Besides, so long as they were together, the newlyweds didn't mind.

Korra and Mako had decided that it was better to take advantage of their newly acquired financial emancipation and simply bask in the blooming stages of their marriage. While a honeymoon would have been lovely, it was just as lovely knowing that Mako didn't have to work twelve hour shifts anymore, or that they might not make the rent the following month. There was no worry, no stress, just time to sit back and really think about what they wanted to do, like what color they should paint the bedroom.

And thinking of the bedroom, Korra smiled slyly as she pressed herself harder into Mako's chest, flexing the muscles of her lower back so that they teasingly caressed his crotch. Mako hummed, holding Korra close as she ran her hands up his thighs, curious dark fingers tickling closer to his arousal. The twenty-one year old smirked, kissing his wife's ear. He knew exactly what Korra wanted to do, and he was inclined to agree with her. Unfortunately, they didn't have the time.

"Korra, we can't," he said glumly, grasping her wrist and regrettably pulling her hand away from his body.

"Mako..." she whined, shifting in his lap so that her breasts were pressed against his chest. Her nipples were already hard and she was pouting again, the enticing plumpness of her lower lip muddling his better judgment.

"We're meeting Tenzin, Pema, the kids and Bolin at Narook's in fifteen minutes," he whispered. Even as he spoke, though, his hands found purchase on her backside, squeezing the firm flesh as he pulled his wife closer, his lips finding sanctuary against the column of her throat, tongue slipping out to curl boldly along her pulse.

"Plenty of time," Korra countered sultrily, mewling in his embrace, arching her head back so that his lips could continue their wet, wonderful assault.

"Only if you want a quickie," he snorted.

"Quickies can be nice."

Mako rolled his eyes. He didn't want to be quick. He wanted to be slow, tentative, gentle, torturous. He wanted Korra's knees turning to jelly as he caressed and kissed her. He wanted her gasping his name, begging for him as he took her in their bed, in their shower, on the kitchen counter, beside the fireplace, in every room of their new home.

Their home.

His wife.

Korra.

On second thought, quickies were nice. Very nice.

Mako flipped Korra around, pressing his wife onto the cushions of their new sofa. He kissed her mouth with wild abandon, his tongue petting her own as his hands made quick work of her top, joining in with her laughter as her own deft fingers began unbuttoning his trousers. Their chuckles soon died into moist gasps and heated cries.

When the newlyweds hurried into Narook's almost twenty minutes late – Tenzin's stern, unimpressed stare, Pema's knowing chuckle, Bolin's cheeky wink, and Jinora's bold inquiry of what had taken the couple so long welcoming them – Korra blushed and sputtered unconvincing excuses while Mako laughed heartily and joined his family for dinner.

---

Ba Sing Se

Mako growled lowly, his brow crinkling in hopeless frustration as he looked over the countless pamphlets, brochures, flyers, catalogs, and classifieds that littered the dinner table. No matter how many times he flipped through the papers, or circled numbers, or perused descriptions, the young man couldn't focus, the black and white print bleeding together and choking his brain with too much information.

'This shouldn't be this hard!' his mind screamed, ready to send a fireball at the the papers and rid himself of their insufferable, mocking existence. However, the twenty-two year old decided not to do something that could potentially cause major property damage, his imagination conjuring an image of the young Earth Queen's ancient advisers, their condescending glowers boring holes in him as he tried to explain how he'd accidentally burned down the house that they had so generously given to the Avatar and her husband.

Walking away from the table, Mako retreated to the sun room that overlooked the vast garden. It was his favorite room in the house, the panels of long glass reminding him of the windows of the pro-bending arena attic. He sat in a wicker lounge chair, his golden eyes admiring the lush green grounds, the colorful flowers that dotted the boarder of the back yard and the large juniper tree that sheltered Naga's pen from the debilitating heat. While both Mako and Korra had been a bit concerned for how they would settle in their new home, they had been most worried about the polar bear-dog and how she would adapt to the increased temperatures of Ba Sing Se. The Earth Kingdom capital was much hotter than Republic City.

Korra and Mako had been living in Ba Sing Se for a little over six months. The couple had been loathe to move from Republic City, but Korra's duties as the Avatar couldn't be ignored. The unexpected death of Earth King had made a queen of the man's completely unprepared thirteen year old daughter, and in order to see the smooth coronation of the girl, as well as quell any potential coups, Korra had been beseeched to the Earth Kingdom. Mako, of course, went with her.

At first, the firebender had been excited. In Republic City, Mako had served as a council member, often speaking for social reformation. He had been a forefather to a few groundbreaking bills, ones that protected child laborers and saw better funding going out to group homes, shelters, and orphanages. The work Mako had been involved in was fulfilling and when he'd arrived in Ba Sing Se he'd hoped that he would be able to continue serving his cause, but the Council of Five had no interest in listening to Mako, whether he was the Avatar's husband or not. They had made it quite clear, and not politely, that Mako's presence on the advisory board was not needed or wanted.

Korra had been infuriated, but rather than see his wife earthbend the Council of Five into the Outter Ring, Mako graciously – albeit bitterly – refrained from involving himself in any of Ba Sing Se's politics. Korra still had to attend the daily council meetings, sometimes gone from dawn until dusk, leaving Mako to his own devices in their grand villa. While he did admire the house, it never felt like home, not when it was often just he and Naga occupying the large, empty rooms.

Things had started looking up when Bolin moved in.

The earthbender had begun attending classes at Ba Sing Se University at the beginning of autumn, intent on becoming a veterinarian. The couple gladly welcomed Bolin and Pabu to live with them, happy to have family so close. Inspired by his brother, Mako had flirted with the idea of going to school, but several hours of reading university catalogs and touring the campus had convinced the firebender that higher education was not for him. He liked being in the thick of things, rather than observing them from a classroom, far too much. It was then that Mako had decided what he needed to do.

He needed a job.

Because he no longer needed to be employed due to necessity – thanks to the Allowance – Mako was able to be extremely picky about the sort of job he wanted. He could take the time to find something he was passionate about, something he could pour his devotion into, something that would be wonderfully fulfilling.

He had a whole world of choices to pick from.

Gritting his teeth to contain the growl aching to spring free from his throat, Mako leaned his head back against the chair and closed his eyes, trying to fend off the headache he'd been feeling coming all afternoon. He was stumped. He had no idea what to do, and that helplessness angered the young man so much that smoke began to waft in thin gray ribbons from his clenched fists.

When he and Bolin were first orphaned, the choices were always so much simpler: do what you have to do to survive or you and your brother will die. There had never been an option for Mako. He did everything, including lie, cheat and steal, to keep he and his brother alive. With stakes like that, there really wasn't much choice in the matter. But then he'd met Korra, fell in love with her, married her, and suddenly a world of choices were offered to him. Him. For the first time in his life, Mako had to make a decision that was solely and selfishly just for himself, and he was at a complete loss.

"Here's where you're hiding."

The sweet voice that invaded his clustered thoughts was followed by an even sweeter kiss to the back of his neck. Immediately relaxing in his wife's presence, Mako sagged into his chair as Korra draped herself over his shoulders.

"You're home early," he said, hands raising to run along the warm skin of her wrists. "How was your day?"

"Same old, same old," she sighed, her breath tickling the top of his ear. "General Kwan is a backwards thinking, sexist asshole."

"He's still pushing for the Queen to marry?"

"The man is a moo-sow. He wasted the entire morning meeting talking about inviting the King of Omashu to the court for a 'friendly holiday'. The Queen is just thirteen, and King Haru is twice her age!"

"So what did you say?"

"I didn't say anything, actually. I mean, I tried, but before I could the Queen told the General that she didn't think that Lady Umi would take kindly to her fiance accepting the invitation."

Mako smiled, kissing Korra's fingers.

"The Queen sounds a lot like you," he complimented.

"Yeah, General Kwan said the same thing during recess," she told him smugly. "And I told him that if I had even the smallest influence on Her Majesty then that meant I was doing my Avatar duties right."

"That's my girl," the firebender stated proudly, shifting out of the chair and stretching his back before turning to kiss Korra fondly on the lips. She smiled into the chaste peck.

"So what were you up to today?" she inquired.

At the mention of his fruitless afternoon, Mako frowned and started back into the house, Korra on his heels. He led her to the dining room, the table still littered with the papers he'd been contemplating. He looked to his wife with resigned exhaustion.

"I can't do it," he muttered.

"Can't do what?" she asked, taking up a newspaper and scanning it.

"Make a decision. It's impossible! There's too many choices. Look." He picked up one of the brochures. "This one is for pro-bending. Seems the sport has become really popular here, too, and they're looking for referees. And this one," he pointed to one of the articles in the paper Korra was holding, "is for a sports writer. I don't have any experience writing professionally, but I know sports. Let's see, what else? There's a security job at the palace, a caretaker's job at the zoo, a soup kitchen in the Lower Ring is looking for a cook..."

Korra watched as her husband shuffled through the various papers, her heart aching at his obvious frustration. Tenderly, she placed a hand on his arm, ceasing his rambling.

"Mako, you know you don't have to get a job," she said quietly.

"I know I don't," the firebender sighed, "but I want to. Bolin has school, you have the council and advisory board, I need something, too."

The twenty-two year old huffed, disappointed in his lack of direction, the feeling of chaotic disorder overpowering him like a toxic gas. He hated not having control of things, particularly his own life. He never imagined that something as simple as a choice could be so hard.

Mako turned to Korra, amber eyes full to the brim with confusion. He stared at her forlornly, brows pulled together, crinkles in the corners of his eyes, mouth thin and frowning, jaw sagging into his chest. He looked at her with a melancholy desperation, a husband asking his wife for help.

"Korra," he mumbled, "what should I do? Tell me what to do."

Heart aching, Korra stepped into Mako's arms, embracing him as gently as if he were a newborn polar bear-dog. Mako held Korra close, allowing her scent to wash over him, enjoying the heat of her body, her hands on his back, all of it so comforting. The couple remained in their embrace for a long, timeless moment before Korra stepped away. Her smile made him smile, and he lost himself in her deep cerulean eyes as she raised one hand to adoringly stroke his cheek.

"I think you should do whatever makes you happy," she said.

A simple solution to a a not so simple problem. That was why Korra was the Avatar. That was why he loved her.

But what did make him happy?

Korra made him happy. Bolin, Pabu, and Naga, too. Having his family together, his brother going to university, his wife a prominent and successful world leader, taking Naga for long walks down undiscovered streets, the chance to experience the world with Korra at his side, those things made him happy.

Firebending made him happy, too.

The rush of liquid heat that had always flowed in his blood, the pulsing warmth of his chi keeping his body hot, the strong, sweeping motions of his arms and legs as he ran drills, the burning ache of his muscles after a long training session, the swelling triumph of learning a new move or defeating an opponent, the smell of smoke after he'd unleashed a particularly strong attack, the exhilarating and terrifying high he got whenever he generated lightning, all of it made him happy.

And as he thought about his bending, Mako began thinking of his teachers. For the most part, he'd been self taught. It was Triple Threat Triad mob boss, Lightning Bolt Zolt, who had taught him how to generate and redirect lightning, and other Triad members had taught him the fire blade and breath of fire, but it was Toza who had taught him the most. The grizzly old coach had seen Mako's potential and honed it, teaching the young man not only how to use firebending, but how to control it, sustain it, even evade it. It was Toza who had molded Mako into the firebender he was, and for that opportunity the young man was forever grateful. If not for Toza's instruction or confidence, Mako would have never played in the pro-bending circuit; he never would have realized his dream of being a professional athlete.

He never would have known how happy firebending made him feel.

A a few weeks later, Bolin came home from school and mentioned that there was a rundown dojo near the university that was for sale. The next day when Mako took Naga for her afternoon walk, he brought them to the vacant building. It was in good condition, only needing a few cosmetic repairs. He could probably do most of the work himself assuming that the wiring and plumbing weren't damaged. Mako also noted that the dojo was two stories and he wondered if the upper floor could possibly be converted into a dorm, providing a home for a kid in need. Because that's who he wanted to teach, street kids, orphans, kids who could bend but who had no direction and so they became prey to the gangs who only exploited them. Toza had saved him from that life, he wanted to live by the man's example.

Jotting down the phone number that was printed on the for sale sign, Mako quickly ambled home with Naga, eagerly waiting for Korra to return from her meetings so that he could tell her the news.

He had finally made his choice.

---

Kyoshi Island

The crowd was enormous, a throng of people of every age cheering, drinking, dancing, laughing. There were colorful lanterns strung up in the trees, bonfires around every corner, long tables groaning under the strain of the piles of food overflowing their length, barrels of wine and crates of sake keeping the revelers refreshed, and a constant hypnotizing beat of drums that seemed to escalate in fervor and intensity as the celebration came closer to its climax.

Mako had managed to lose himself in the crowd, eyes narrowed, their sharp gaze uninhibited by alcohol. He refused to drink, not tonight. Not when something might go wrong and Korra would need him.

Thinking of his wife, Mako turned his gaze towards the dock, spotting her easily. She was wearing the golden headdress of Avatar Kyoshi and standing with uncharacteristic stillness as an elders painted her face in the traditional style of the late Avatar. Once Korra's face was completed she would be dressed in one of Kyoshi's robes and given her metal fans before being led from the dock towards the village square where the statue of Kyoshi stood. And then, at midnight, the precise hour of Kyoshi's birth, Korra would go into the Spirit World and make contact with her past life.

Mako's lip curled and he held back a snarl. She was being prepared like some sort of ancient sacrifice. He didn't like it.

"You're doing it again," Bolin slurred.

"Doing what?"

"Worrying too much. See, your mouth does this kinda twitchy thing when you're worried," the earthbender remarked, pointing clumsily at Mako's lips, "And your nose scrunches up, just like it is now. Better watch it, bro, or you'll get wrinkles before your time and then Korra won't want you anymore."

"I think you've had enough to drink," Mako chastised, attempting to reach for the tankard in Bolin's hand. With surprising agility, the twenty-one year old swiveled away from his brother's grasp, clicking his tongue tauntingly.

"Not this time, bro," Bolin said, taking several long gulps of ale, draining his cup within seconds before tossing it to Mako. Catching the tankard, the firebender glared disapprovingly at his little brother, taking in the young man's flushed face, glazed green eyes, and unsteady gait.

"You're gonna regret that," he warned.

"Then it's gonna be my problem, isn't it?" Bolin countered, smiling cockily. "Lighten up, Mako. It's a party!" And with those parting words of wisdom, Bolin sauntered away, his stocky frame swallowed up by the exuberant crowd.

Mako sighed, placing the empty tankard on a wine barrel. He really should be having fun. The celebration of Avatar Kyoshi's four hundred and eighty-eighth birthday was a colossal event, particularly because this year Korra's schedule had finally allowed for her to attend.

The couple had been living in Ba Sing Se for a year and had jumped at the opportunity to get away from the city for a few days. When they'd arrived at the island two days prior, Bolin in tow, they'd been treated with the utmost respect. The people of Kyoshi Island were welcoming and warm, treating the Avatar and her family as if they were one of their own. Korra, Mako, and Bolin had even been invited to spar with the legendary Kyoshi Warriors. The elite group of non-bending women warriors were as amazing as the legends claimed, and Mako had been flattered when they'd asked him to showoff a few of his pro-bending forms. Invigorated and inspired, Mako had invited the women to visit his dojo in Ba Sing Se and demonstrate for his students. Their short holiday had been going so well, and Mako had been looking forward to the birthday celebration, that is, until he'd learned of the request the village elders had made of Korra, a request that she humbly granted.

They wanted her to go into the Spirit World and contact Avatar Kyoshi.

At twenty-two, Korra was a fully realized Avatar. She had mastered all four elements, the Avatar State, and she was able to access the Spirit World at her will. Her duty as the bringer of balance and peace to the world kept her on a never-ending journey, and Mako swore he would follow her wherever she would lead him. For Korra, Mako would trek mountain ranges, sleep in gutters, live in a fortress of ice and snow, play in the mud, swim in the ocean, trail through valleys, canyons, volcanoes, and every city on earth, but there was one thing he could never do no matter how much he loved her.

He couldn't follow her to the Spirit World.

It was the single boundary between them, the only line he could never cross, the one thing he couldn't share with her. He hated it.

The drums suddenly ceased, the cheering faded, and a reverent quiet settled heavily upon the island. Mako took a deep breath to quell his fears. It was time.

He made his way to the front of the crowd as it lined the street, parting for Korra as she passed. Mako felt his heart drop into his stomach. She didn't look like Korra, not with the warpaint and the clothes or that solemn look on her face. For a moment, it felt like he'd lost her and an icy panic threaded with hopelessness settled low in his belly, making the firebender feel nauseous and dizzy. When Korra saw him in the crowd she reached a hand out to him and he took it blindly, linking their fingers, squeezing tightly as they walked towards Kyoshi's statue, keeping himself tethered to her for as long as he could. When they reached the statue, he stepped aside as one of the elders said a chant of thanks before Korra took a long, meditative breath and sunk into the unknowable depths that was the Spirit World.

A hush fell over the crowd. For long minutes there was only stillness. Even the air hung low and thick over the mob. Mako was the first to detect the shift, his senses anticipating the way the earth seemed to breathe under his feet, how the breeze started to whisper against his face. And when Korra opened her eyes, glowing and ethereal, the crowd gasped while the firebender grimaced.

With her face concealed under Kyoshi's traditional makeup, her hair covered by the massive headdress, body cloaked in an unfamiliar Earth Kingdom robe, she didn't seem like his Korra at all. She was different, amazonian-like, and when her mouth opened the voice that shattered the night wasn't Korra's earthy tone, but a booming and forceful exclamation that rushed like a storm wind. It was Kyoshi, returned to her island for a few minutes to assure her people of their prosperity and her continued blessing. Listening to the strange voice come out of his wife was unsettling, but Mako refused to look away. He didn't hear Kyoshi's words, the past Avatar's strong baritone a mere echo within his ears. The twenty-three year old stood tense as he waited. Waited for the earth to stop rumbling, waited for the wind to stop moving, waited for the glow in Korra's eyes to dim, waited for her to come back to him.

It was a stupid fear, but one that he couldn't control. The Spirit World offered Korra a freedom he could not, a higher plane of existence that his own tarnished and beaten soul could only hope to even graze. Although he knew he was being irrational, Mako worried that one day Korra wouldn't come back; that she would leave him behind forever.

He couldn't survive being left behind by someone he loved again.

Lost in his fears, it occurred to Mako that the crowd was crowing and clapping, their screams cacophonous. He watched as Korra opened her eyes, relief nearly dragging his body to its knees when he saw that they were clear and blue.

She was back. She came back.

The young woman spoke to the elders with a kind smile, returning the headdress, robe, and fans before seeking out her most favorite face among the crowd. When Korra's deep aquamarine eyes found his, Mako barked out a relieved chuckle. She may have still been camouflaged by face paint, but the colors in her eyes swirled like a storm, wild, passionate, full of life, and Mako knew that his Korra was still there, hidden under all that makeup.

She moved quickly into his arms which were open and waiting. The couple embraced as the crowd roared around them. Mako ignored everything but the feeling of his wife against him, burying his nose in her hair to drown in the sweet scent that lingered in the tresses. She had come back to him, safe and sound. As they embraced, he wished he could tether Korra to his side, keeping her near him always...but he knew he couldn't.

Even though Korra was his wife she was the Avatar first. Knowing this, however, didn't ease the firebender's discomfort. So he squeezed her a little tighter, whispered an 'I love you' in her ear, and hoped it would be enough.

---

The Southern Water Tribe

It was the first time he'd seen Korra smile in three weeks and the heavy weight that had been pressing down on his chest seemed to lift at the sight of that familiar lopsided grin. Mako had been worried that Korra would never recover from the melancholy she'd cloaked herself in for the last month, but he couldn't really blame his wife. She had been very close to Master Katara and the death of someone you loved was soul splintering. Mako knew that truth only too well.

One month ago, the couple had left Ba Sing Se and made their way to the Southern Water Tribe when they'd received Tenzin's telegram that his mother was on her deathbed. They'd been blessed enough to make it to the village before Katara had passed on, Korra able to say goodbye to the woman who had been a friend to her in more than one lifetime. Katara had died peacefully, the natural cycle of old age claiming the cheerful and wise waterbender in her sleep. Although her death was not unexpected, that did not make the hurt any less. The entire Southern and Northern Water Tribe communities mourned the loss of Master Katara, but it seemed no one, not even Katara's own children, took her death as hard as Korra.

The twenty-three year old had ensconced herself in a tight cocoon of sorrow, hardly speaking, hardly sleeping. She chose to spend the mornings by herself and the afternoons with Naga, aimlessly wandering the tundra, gone for hours before returning long after supper and curling her body against her husband's at night, sometimes sobbing, sometimes not. Mako was worried about Korra and had expressed his concerns to his in-laws. While Senna and Tonraq were also bothered by their daughter's depression, they believed that Korra simply needed time, support, and love before eventually coming back to her old, care-free self. Seeing his wife laugh with her mother as they washed the breakfast dishes, Mako was relieved that the older couple had been right.

"I can't believe Pema is expecting again," Senna sighed congenially, stacking the dry dishes in a cupboard.

"She swears it's the last one," Korra commented.

"I should hope so! It's her sixth child! The woman is forty-one, and Tenzin is no spring possum-chicken either. How far along is she?"

"Five months," Korra said, her eyes going glassy as she drained the sink. "She said that if it was a girl they were going to name her..." Korra sniffled, unable to continue, leaning heavily against the counter as she fought back the tears that were threatening to spill over her cheeks. Senna reached out for her daughter, wrapping Korra in a snug hug, cooing as she petted the young woman's long brown hair.

"She would be honored," Senna said kindly.

"Yeah," Korra agreed, taking a shaky breath before pulling away from the embrace. "I think it'll be a girl."

Smiling, Senna played with Korra's bangs a moment longer before moving to sit with Mako at the table. "Well, since we're on the subject," she began, brushing a few stray hairs out of her face, the dark tresses barely concealing the few silver strands, "when are you two going to make me a gran-gran?"

Mako choked on the coffee he'd been drinking, shooting his mother-in-law a wide-eyed glance. Senna and Korra laughed heartily at the firebender's reaction, enjoying the man's discomfort. It made Mako long for Tonraq's company, although he had a sinking feeling that his father-in-law was inclined to agree with is wife on the subject of becoming grandparent. Maybe he should have agreed to go hunting with the burly waterbender in order to spare himself this mortification.

"Getting anxious, mom?" Korra asked.

"Well, you two have been married for four years now," Senna shrugged.

"It's a little more complicated than that," Korra said. "Between the meetings I have with the Council of Five and the Queen, and Mako's dojo, the two of us barely have enough time to sleep."

"Then it's a good thing that baby-making doesn't involve sleep."

"Mom!"

Senna laughed at her daughter's scandalized expression before turning her attention to Mako, politely ignoring his blush.

"And how is everything at the dojo?" she asked. "You were at the radio tower most of yesterday afternoon. Nothing serious?"

"No, no, everything's alright," Mako said, glad to divert the topic of conversation. "I was only sending instructions for my assistant trainers. Since Korra and I decided to stay here a little longer I needed to go over the teaching plans with them."

"Other than that?"

"It's great," he said, straightening his shoulders as he thought of his school. The run down dojo that Mako had refurbished and opened over a two years ago was going strong and making quite an impact in the community. Because the school focused mostly on high-risk children and adolescence, Mako's dojo was helping to clean up crime within the city by offering these misplaced youth a refuge. In fact, publicity had been so favorable that Mako was expecting to go into negotiations regarding the opening of two more schools in different sectors of the city.

"So, what do you kids have planned for today?" Senna wondered.

"We're going for a ride on Naga," Korra answered before Mako could open his mouth. "Come on, City Boy."

Mako waved to Senna and followed Korra obediently out of the hut. His wife was already fastening Naga's saddle, speaking softly to the large beast, her tone low and gentle as she patted her best friend's warm side. It amazed Mako how regal Naga looked in her native environment. As the massive animal turned to stare at him expectantly, her large black eyes seemed to glow.

"Let's go," Korra said, clamoring onto the saddle. Mako joined her and before he'd settled behind her Naga was moving, cantering out of the village, the fresh snow crunching under her beefy paws. They rode for a few hours, mostly in silence, Mako's arms holding Korra snugly, the twenty-four year old happy to see his wife smiling and content, her dark features contrasting perfectly against the white landscape of her motherland. When he saw the outline of a familiar fortress on the horizon, Mako was surprised.

"The White Lotus Compound?" he asked.

"Yes and no," she answered cryptically.

As they neared the daunting building, Mako could make out the blue clad figures of several waterbenders, most of them practicing their drills and forms. When Korra had been declared a fully realized Avatar, the compound she had grown up in was considered obsolete. It had been Katara who had suggested that the massive fortress be turned into an elite waterbending academy, one that taught both battle forms and healing techniques. In almost every letter Katara had written to Korra over the last few years she'd spoken fondly of the school and her students. The feeling was certainly mutual since the entire academy had attended her funeral.

"Is this where you've been coming every day?" Mako asked as Korra urged Naga closer to the front gates.

"Yeah. I've been doing something. I want to show you."

Mako kept quiet as they got closer to the compound. When Korra brought Naga to a stop outside of the gates, Mako's jaw dropped, his amber eyes widening as his neck strained so that he could look up at the massive statue that stood before the compound.

"I've been working on it since the day after the funeral," Korra said, dismounting her polar bear-dog and walking towards the colossus. "I thought that, since she couldn't be here in body, if I built this then maybe she could still be here in spirit."

Mako couldn't find words. Clumsily, he slipped off Naga's back, approaching the statue of Master Katara with awed reverence. Korra had captured her former sifu's likeness perfectly, choosing to depict Katara as a young woman, probably no older than the Avatar herself was now. The youthful face of the wise waterbender was serene and kind, a long braid swirling down her back, her arms spread about her body with a stream of water caught in-between her palms. The statue stood on top of a round pedestal that looked like a strange spherical glacier. The entire statue was made of ice, carved only by someone who had loved Katara with their whole heart.

"It's amazing," Mako finally said, moving to pull Korra into a warm hug. Husband and wife stayed like that for a long while, the dry wind whipping around their bodies, the shadow of Katara's statue covering them like a blanket of fresh snow. Contently, Korra snuggled against Mako and sighed.

"When we get back, we'll have to tell mom the news," she said.

"About the statue?" Mako asked.

"No. About her getting her wish to become a gran-gran."

Mako stopped breathing. His eyes widened and his body stiffened, more still and silent than any of the mountains that surrounded them. He turned to look at Korra, his wife's face serene and thoughtful, and he envied her that calm when his own thoughts were moving too fast for him to even attempt forming cohesive sentences. They'd talked about children before and had decided that they did want to start a family, but the actual timing for this new adventure had never been discussed.

"Are you...I mean, are we...Korra –"

She laughed then, long, loud, and heartily, head thrown back and mouth wide open, the deep, rich sound coming from the lowest part of her diaphragm and echoing off the snowy mountains. Mako waited for Korra to settle down, elated when she faced him, happy tears streaming down her eyes as she leaned up on her toes to kiss him.

"Yes, we are, but not in the way that you're thinking. Naga's pregnant," Korra admitted, snuggling her head under his chin.

Once again, Mako felt his body stiffen, but his tense muscles were quickly warmed with the aggravation his wife always managed to inspire.

"Really, Korra?" he deadpanned, looking down at her, not at all falling for the innocent pout and fluttering lashes she batted in his direction. He hadn't found her joke as funny as she did, if only because it enlightened the firebender to how ready he was to finally start a family of their own. The vision he'd had of a blue eyed, black haired, pouting baby girl was soon overshadowed by a hyper and affectionate, fluffy white polar bear-puppy, tongue lolling out the side of its mouth, soulful black eyes begging him to play...

Okay, so maybe a puppy wasn't so bad. If anything, it would be a stepping stone to parenthood.

"You're impossible," he groused, hugging Korra and kissing the crown of her head. He was glad that she was joking (even if he wasn't a big fan of said joke) because it meant that she was coming back to herself. He didn't begrudge her mourning, but Korra wasn't a sad woman by nature. She was sassy, and determined, and full of fun. While that wasn't to say she didn't have her moments of doubt, or fear, or grief, they were few and far between and she didn't share those other sides of herself with many. He was glad that he was one of a handful of people that Korra trusted to be her complete self around.

"You love me," she said confidently, playfully nipping his chin.

'Every day,' he thought as he let her go to approach Naga who had been sitting close by with what Mako now decided was maternal patience.

"Well congratulations, girl," he praised, scratching the animal's muzzle. Naga leaned into Mako's hand, growling lowly in appreciation. "So, when's the big day?"

"About four months," Korra answered, moving to swing herself up on her best friend's back.

"Should we be riding her if she's expecting?" Mako asked, golden eyes creasing with worry. Korra felt her heart beat a little faster, delighted that her husband cared so much for her oldest and dearest companion. Leaning down, she offered him a hand and hefted him up onto the saddle.

"Right now it's OK as long as we don't exhaust her."

"Can I still take her for walks in the afternoon?"

"Sure. Just let her rest if you notice her getting tired," Korra answered, hiding a smile. She knew Mako enjoyed his daily walks with Naga, the pair having bonded over the last few years, the three of them becoming a real family. And in four months, they'd be adding one more to their family.

'And maybe after that, one more,' Korra thought, a hand brushing over her lower abdomen, imagining it swelling with a life she and Mako created. That would be nice...someday.

Feeling Mako's arms slide around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder, Korra took Naga's reins and spared a final look at the statue.

"Goodbye," she whispered, her voice carrying on the wind like a snowflake, hoping that the spirits would lift her words to wherever Katara's soul now rested. Giving Naga a gentle squeeze with her thighs, Korra led the polar bear-dog away from the compound and into the white wilderness.

---

The Fire Nation Capital

Korra was excited. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth, twisting her fingers in the cool crimson fabric of her skirt, taking quick, fluttery breaths as she watched the ceremony before her.

"It's pretty wonderful, isn't it?" she said to the man beside her. He was dressed in light, summery clothing, long loose trousers and a simple vest making up the majority of his outfit. He looked to be a few years older than her, laugh lines cutting into his tan skin and creasing at the corners of his burnt honey colored eyes. He had a very broad forehead, a thin nose, and well kept goatee that only punctuated the dramatic point of his chin. Turning to her, he nodded politely, his grin friendly.

"Yes," he agreed, eyes returning to the activity on the stage.

"Which one's yours?" Korra asked, inclining her head to the group of half a dozen men and women standing in a straight line on the platform several feet away from them.

"The first one on the right," he answered, face softening as he spoke. Korra followed the man's gaze to the shortest woman in the group, her wide shoulders and solid stance giving her an air of ruthless determination. She was a plain looking girl, barely out of her teens, but her perfect posture, immaculate dark topknot, firm, muscular body, and no-nonsense penetrating stare had Korra suspecting that the youth could give Lin Bei Fong a run for her money in the harsh attitude category.

"Your girlfriend?" Korra wondered.

"My baby sister," the man corrected.

"Ah. You must be so proud."

"I am. We all are. Mother couldn't come today because our grandfather is unwell, but my father's up front taking pictures like a crazed moose-lion." The man pointed towards the front of the stage, a resigned sigh escaping his lips as Korra spotted the balding head of an overexciting skinny gentleman holding a heavy camera above the crowd, his flash blub blinking like a star as he snapped one picture after the other.

"He looks like he's enjoying himself," Korra noted. "Although I'm not so sure about your sister." The young woman in question seemed to be chewing on the inside of her cheek to keep from barking at her father as he called at her to smile.

"Sora has always been like that, Little Miss Serious."

"Must be a Fire Nation thing," Korra snorted before realizing she might have insulted the nice stranger. "I'm sorry," she said quickly, blushing. "I have a tendency to not think things through before I speak. I didn't mean it that way."

"I know you didn't," the man said. "So, which one is yours?"

"See the fifth one from the right? The very tall one with distinct eyebrows."

The man spotted Mako in the line, taking note of the twenty-six year old's harsh expression and even harsher stance.

"No wonder you think the Fire Nation is so serious," he joked. "Your boyfriend?"

"My husband," Korra said, one hand raising to stroke the pendant of her betrothal necklace. She smiled gently, returning her attention to Mako as he was greeted by one of the masters and instructed to bow so that his apprenticeship tag could be placed around his neck. When Mako raised his head his eyes found Korra in the crowd and he smiled, the quirk of his lips promising their own private celebration later that evening.

She was so proud of him. Being invited to train with the Dragon Sages, the Fire Nation's most elite firebenders, was a once-in-a-lifetime honor. The group was known to be highly selective, only offering two dozen invitations to potential apprentices every year. After one month of tests, those two dozen were whittled away to a mere six, the special chosen ones who would take on the intense three year training program before being granted inclusion into the Dragon Sages' ranks.

When Korra had learned that Mako had been requested to try out for the apprenticeship she had been ecstatic. The couple had been living in Ba Sing Se for the last four years, Korra remaining with the Earth Queen until the young woman came of age. After the queen's seventeenth birthday the couple had been ready to move on, Korra's duties concluded, Mako's dojos able to sustain themselves as they continued to help troubled bending and non-bending youth, and Bolin having graduated from university and moved back to Republic City to begin his two year veterinary internship. With Naga and her two pups, females the couple had named Atka and Miki, Korra and Mako were ready to leave Ba Sing Se behind. The Dragon Sages' invitation to Mako had arrived at the perfect time.

At first, Mako had been reluctant to even accept the invitation, worried that his training would clash with Korra's Avatar duties. However, the twenty-five year old knew that her husband was being offered a rare opportunity and refused to let him pass it up. Korra assured Mako that they would make the situation work. Besides, he had sacrificed a lot for the sake of her Avatar responsibilities. She wanted to grant him the same humbling courtesy. And so they had moved to the Fire Nation, were invited to live in a wing of the Fire Lord's palace, and Mako had begun his grueling month long trial with the Dragon Sages. Seeing him standing on the stage before a cheerful crowd, looking tall, and handsome, and proud, Korra knew that she would do whatever she could to make this work. For once it wasn't about her, and Korra relished it.

Even the ceremony she was currently attending had nothing to do with her. The crowd that had gathered were there to toss their attention like flowers on the six new apprentices, not on Korra. They didn't even know that the Avatar was in their midst, and the anonymity was invigorating. For the first time in a long while, Korra felt blissfully free of every burden her title demanded. In this moment, she was simply Mako's wife.

And speaking of her husband, Korra decided that she wanted to get a closer look.

"Well," she started, turning to the stranger, "it's been a pleasure. I'm going to go up and congratulate my husband."

The man nodded in understanding. "It was nice meeting you, Miss..."

"Korra."

"Nice to have met you, Miss Korra," he said, watching as she rather roughly pushed her way through the crowd.

"Likewise!" she cried out to him, one hand raised up in a casual wave before she disappeared, another body lost amongst the mob. The man watched her go, a thoughtful expression crossing his features for a moment.

'Korra,' he thought, 'isn't that the name of the Avatar?'

He shrugged, leaving his curiosity to evaporate like water in the hot dry air, his attention already being reclaimed by his sister as she was presented with her apprentice tags.

Surely, it was just a funny coincidence.

---

The Eastern Air Temple

It was the middle of the night when Mako woke up. He had rolled over in bed, one arm reaching out blindly, seeking the secure warmth of another body that had been cuddled next to his for the last seven years. When he felt nothing but smooth, cool sheets, the firebender was startled awake, groggy golden eyes squinting at the empty space beside him with dumb perplexity.

And then it all came back to him with the rush of a whirlwind and Mako felt his stomach cramp with guilt and dread. The screaming, the bitterness, the horrible, horrible words he'd thrown at her like blasts of fire. After a fight like that it was no wonder Korra had decided to sleep somewhere else, leaving him alone in their cavernous, spartan room. Fully awake, the twenty-eight year old flopped onto his back, amber eyes staring sightlessly into the darkness. He didn't like the air temple. It was too large and empty despite the acolyte community that had recently taken up residence within the ancient walls.

When Tenzin had asked Korra to help with the reestablishment of the four air temples, the Avatar had gladly agreed. When she'd told Mako of her plans, the firebender hadn't been able to share his wife's enthusiasm.

'You're going away again? Korra, you only just got back from Omashu!'

Mako cringed, remembering how much he'd yelled that day, upset and hurt that his wife was going to leave him behind in the Fire Nation again while she traipsed around the world like the hero that she was. The first time she'd left had been two months into his Dragon Sage apprenticeship. The Council of Nations had called for the Avatar to oversee the election Republic City's first Prime Minister. She had been gone for five months.

Each and every one of those one hundred and fifteen days had felt like one hundred years to the firebender. While he had his training to distract him during the day, and Atka and Miki to keep him company at home, it was at night when the loneliness would creep over him like a spider-fly's web, sticky and cloistering. He'd missed the feel of Korra sleeping beside him, just like he was missing her now, but this time there was nothing to blame but himself.

'This is a marriage, Korra, it's supposed to be about two people!'

'I can't just forget about my responsibilities to the world because you're feeling insecure!'

'I didn't marry the world!'

'No, you just married the Avatar.'

When he'd asked his masters for the six week leave of absence to join his wife at the Eastern Air Temple, Mako had been surprised that the traditionalist sages granted him the pass. Leniency was not a regular comfort for the apprentices, but then, Mako suspected that being the Avatar's spouse had probably had something to with his special treatment. That knowledge had only served to enrage the firebender, leaving him disgusted with just about everything, especially himself.

'I hate the pandering, the false respect, the fake smiles.'

'Where is this coming from? How long have you felt like this?'

'I've always felt like this! I just kept my mouth shut for you.'

He couldn't even really remember how the fight had started. He supposed that his rage had begun bubbling at dinner when it was announced that the reestablishment of the air acolytes to the air temples would be extended from a six week venture to a more exhaustive project that would take at least three months to complete. He had expected Korra to decline the extension, choking on his tea when his wife spoke of the protraction like she was very familiar with its conception. He'd let his bitterness stew, simmer, encouraged it with a combination of wine and repressed feelings that had been festering for too long. When they'd retired for the evening, Mako hadn't been able to stop himself. Everything spilled out of him like dark blood from a jagged wound.

'Did you know about this? When were you going to tell me that you were going to be gone for another three months?'

'I was waiting for the right time to tell you. I knew you'd react this way.'

'And what way is that? Happy? Thrilled that my wife is going to be gone again for months on end? Korra, I can't stay with you for that long. I can't ask the masters for an extended sabbatical, they'll revoke my apprenticeship.'

'I know that. Look, in six weeks you have to go back to the Fire Nation, and I have to go with Tenzin and the air acolytes.'

'I don't want to go back without you.'

'Well you have to, so deal with it!'

He hated himself for what he'd said, for letting the ugly thoughts that had been polluting his mind spew from this mouth and infect Korra with their blistering degregation.

'You care more about being the Avatar than you do about being my wife!'

Mako touched his cheek, feeling the swollen skin under the prickle of dark stubble, perversely relishing the pain. She'd slapped him for that comment, hard, tears filling her eyes to the brim before falling down her face in a messy deluge. He'd made the woman he loved cry, and for that he deserved any punishment she saw fit. In fact, Mako was surprised she hadn't bent their entire chamber down on his stupid, thick skull.

'I can't look at you right now. I'm leaving.'

The firebender trailed his hand down from his face to his throat, fingers finding his chain and tags. He was just half a year away from graduating; only six months, and he would be considered a Dragon Sage Master, the most esteemed title any firebender could hold. At the graduation ceremony he would be given his second pair of tags, ones that he will have forged from his own fire. It was a goal he'd been working towards for three years. It was important to him...

'Right, just walk away from me! It's all you ever do.'

...but not as important as Korra.

Mako stepped out of his bed swiftly, the damp stone floor biting his feet with a sharp numbness. He let the cold of the room wrap around him, his torso exposed to the chill, skin prickling in protest. Feeling he deserved this small discomfort for the avalanche of pain he knew he'd caused his wife, Mako walked out of the room and began traipsing down the long hallway, feet slapping dully on the stone, the echo of his breath a lonely ghost haunting his every step. He thought Korra had gone to the sky bison caves, no doubt seeking the understanding companionship of Naga and the pups, but when the firebender caught the nearly inaudible but distinct trickle of flowing water, he knew where Korra had sought refuge.

The door immediately to his left was unlocked.

Creeping in, Mako noticed that the room was much smaller than the one he and Korra had been given. He also noticed that the sound of moving water was perfectly clear, the soothing noise rising up through the open window from a stream on the grounds with several flowing pools. Korra was laying in the single bed, back facing him, unconsciously huddling closer to the sound of the water. Whenever she was upset, Korra always sought the comfort of her native element. Mako knew this because he knew her; if he followed the water he would find his wife.

He stood close to the bed, hesitating for long, guilt-wracked minutes before cautiously lowering himself down on the mattress. She tensed, her shoulders stiffening as the bed dipped under his weight, but otherwise, she didn't move. Knowing Korra was awake put Mako into a bit of a panic so he stayed still and silent, a few inches of blanket separating them.

After an hour passed and she hadn't blasted him away from her, the young man took a chance, curving his body towards his wife, spooning against her, both tentative and desperate to feel her skin on his. His arms wrapped around her waist, his nose found the fragrant curve of her neck, his knees bumped her own, one long lean leg wedging itself between her thighs. Another hour later, Korra's hands found his, her dark fingers entwining with his own, squeezing. There was comfort and pain in that gesture, and the twenty-eight year old bit his tongue, humbled that his wife still wanted him even after he'd said such hateful things.

The couple stayed that way throughout the night, awake but not, bodies entwined intimately even when a gaping emotional chasm kept them apart. When the first ray of pink dawn cascaded through the window, Korra turned to face Mako, eyes still sparkling with tears. Mako didn't shy away from her heartbreaking gaze, letting her dig as deeply as she wanted into his own golden orbs, seeking every feeling and secret he had, laying more bare and vulnerable before her than ever before. She raised her hand and he wouldn't have blamed her if she slapped him again, but instead she gently traced her fingers over his swollen cheek, an apology for the strike she'd inflicted in the heat of the moment. He kissed the inside of her wrist, his own apology for being a brutal jerk.

"Do you really feel that way?" she asked, voice gravely and coarse.

"I don't know why I said those things," he confessed, pulling her closer.

"Yes you do," she whispered. "I'm the Avatar, Mako. I can't change that. I'm not two separate people, I'm both, Avatar Korra."

"I know. I'm sorry," he said urgently, afraid that she might leave, afraid that she would walk away and not come back.

Afraid that this time, he wouldn't be able to find her.

"I know you're sorry, and I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry that my duties take me away from you, that we can't be with each other all the time. I'm sorry that I can't change that, that this is how things are and how they're going to be. I'm sorry that you're so angry about it."

"I'm not –"

"You must be or you wouldn't have said what you did."

Caught in the net of his wife's wisdom, Mako embraced Korra, burying his face in her hair.

"I hate myself for feeling this way," he confessed raggedly, the words pulled from the depths of his soul like splinters. "I don't regret anything, Korra. I don't regret marrying you, and loving you, and following you wherever you have to go...but sometimes...sometimes..." He rested his brow against hers, finding solace in her heat, her scent, her eyes. "I love you. I love you so much. Everything that I have is yours. Everything. And I guess...I know that I can't have all of you. You're the Avatar, you belong to the world, not one man."

"Mako –"

"I'm being selfish, wanting you all to myself. You're right, it's my problem, I've got to deal with it, and I will," he promised, kissing her temple, "because I love you. Because I'll take whatever you can give me, even if it's only part of you." He hadn't realized he'd been crying until Korra's fingers were brushing his tears away.

"Mako," she said again, "as the Avatar, my body, my mind, my responsibility, even spirit belong to the world."

He nodded his understanding, more tears falling from the corners of his eyes and trailing over his nose. He smiled wetly when his wife offered a sympathetic grin.

"But this," she started, taking one of his hands in hers and leading it to her chest, resting it just over the swell of her breast, "no one else can have this except you." Like a tribal drum, the beat of Korra's heart against his palm was hypnotic, rhythmic, and so, so comforting. "It's always been yours," she said, arms hooking around his neck, mouth inching closer and closer, "don't forget that."

Her kiss was her forgiveness, her lips wet and salty as they caught the tears still falling from his closed eyes.

They made love slowly that morning. Mako made certain to treat Korra with the utmost care, hands caressing every sweet spot on her body, words of love and adoration brushing against her skin as he moved inside of her, his thrusts slow and powerful. They had come so close to severing their connection, flirting with anger, and bitterness, and lies, that it amazed Mako and Korra that their bond was now tighter and stronger than it had ever been before. They wanted to hold onto the moment, ingrain it into their memories, tattoo it onto their souls. When they came, Korra gasped his name into the air. He collapsed onto her soft, shivering body, lips kissing the umber skin over her heart, the sound of the trickling stream outside lulling him into a blissful sleep.

When Mako had to return to the Fire Nation, he and Korra didn't say goodbye. They kissed and held each other close, smiling despite the distance that was soon to separate them. Because when he left, Mako abandoned all of himself with Korra, and in return, she gave him her heart.

It was a fair trade.

---

The Northern Water Tribe

"I hate everything," Korra declared, her negative assessment of the world losing some of its bravado as it was smothered by the congestion in her sinuses and the gravely tenor to her voice. Placatingly, Mako nodded his head in silent agreement of her new worldview, tucking the thick furs around her thighs. "Stop that!" she exclaimed moodily. "Stop treating me like a baby."

"I'm not," Mako insisted patiently, ignoring her outburst before reaching for the cup of tea he'd left on the nightstand. "Now drink this. The healers say it'll help with the infection in your chest." Blowing over the tea, Mako smiled softly as he handed his wife the cup.

Korra stared at her husband as if he were as dumb as a brick.

"You blew on my tea," she deadpanned.

"Yeah," he answered, not understanding her complaint. "It's hot."

"For spirits' sake, I can blow on my own tea, Mako!" the twenty-eight year old snapped, snatching the cup violently and chugging the pungent liquid, dribbles seeping out of the corners of her mouth and down her chin. When Mako reached to swipe at the wayward drops, Korra pinned him with a savage glower before crudely wiping her face with the back of her hand. To complete the barbaric outburst, she burped in Mako's face.

"You know, there's a reason I treat you like a baby," the firebender informed curtly, unscathed by Korra's disgusting manners. "You act like one every time you get sick."

"Oh! That's a l-l-li-li-laaacHOOO!"

The sneeze was gargantuan, made even worse by her airbending, which she couldn't quite control when she was ill. She managed to blow the pictures off the wall. Rolling his eyes, Mako handed his wife a tissue.

"You were saying?" he teased, ignoring Korra when she made a rude hand gesture in his direction. "So you're going to be OK today?"

"Are you going to be OK?" she parroted, tossing the used tissue into the waste bin beside her bed.

"I've got all your notes right here," he assured, waving the stack of papers in his hands.

"The report on the fishing trade?"

"Memorized it last night."

"You did not."

"Well, maybe not memorized, but I did read it. How do I look?"

Korra appraised her husband slowly, taking the time to admire how the navy blues of the Northern Water Tribe made his skin glow and his golden eyes seem darker. He was dressed in one of the less cumbersome council robes, trousers billowing loosely down his long legs and shirt fitting him snugly so that it accentuated the muscled lines of his shoulders and chest. His Dragon Sage tags hung proudly around his neck – Mako had graduated with the highest accolades the previous summer – the metal pieces winking when they caught the glare of the sun. His ever present scarf was being utilized as a sash, tied with a traditional Water Tribe knot at his waist.

"You look great," she conceded through a sniffle. "You know, I could go –"

"No."

"But if I just sit in the gallery –"

"No."

"But if you need me to explain somethin—"

"Korra, no."

"This isn't fair!" the young woman hollered, steam escaping in lazy waves from her ears and nostrils. "I've spent months working on this new trade agreement. That's the whole reason we moved up here in the first place! It's my blood, sweat and tears in that report, I should be the one to deliver it to the Chief and his council."

Disheartened to see his wife so upset, Mako moved back towards their bed and sat beside her. She ignored him at first, rolling onto her side so that she was facing the wall, but as soon as Mako's fingers began stroking through her loose hair she found herself melting under his touch. She loved when he played with her hair. It reminded her of when her mother used to do it when she was a little girl. Being so sick, Korra missed her mom terribly.

"This isn't the first time I've spoken before a council," Mako reminded gently.

"I know, but it's the first time you've spoken before a council on my behalf," she muttered pathetically, eyes starting to close.

"I promise to make you proud," he declared, leaning over to kiss her sweaty brow. "Drink more of the tea and try to sleep. Do you want me to leave the radio on?"

"Yes please," she said quietly, sounding very much like a little girl.

"Alright. I'll be back in a few hours. I'll bring some noddles and broth. Naga, girls, keep an eye on her."

The three polar bear-dogs lazily raised their heads from the nest of pillows and blankets that made up their makeshift den in the corner of Mako and Korra's bedroom. Their black eyes seemed to say that they understood the firebender's words, Atka yawning as Mako walked to the dresser where the radio sat, tuning it to a channel that played mostly soothing music and afternoon soap operas. With that, he waved a final farewell and left for the council meeting.

When she could no longer hear his footsteps moving about their house, Korra rolled onto her back, begrudgingly pouring herself another cup of the awful tea that was meant to help her illness. Sipping the bitter liquid, the Avatar took one moment out of her miserable day to send thanks to the spirits for giving her such a caring and patient husband. Mako put up with her wicked temper with surprising grace, completely accepting her at her best, but especially at her worst.

And a week later when she was back on her feet and it was Mako who was sick in bed, his sneezes setting the sheets on fire, Korra rubbed salve on his chest with motherly tenderness, humming Water Tribe lullabies to him while he moaned and groaned. He really was a terrible patient, but then again, she wasn't any better.

It was almost like they were meant for each other.

---

Ember Island

"Oh, Mako...right there! Yes! I love you! I love you!"

"Korra!"

Mako could feel their end coming, their joined climax so close it was torture. Korra tightened her legs around his waist, digging her knees against his sides, her toes running along the taut, clenched muscles of his rear end. His hands were buried in the sand on either side of her head, his grip so hard and hot that he wouldn't have been surprised to find glass had formed in his palms. Their foreheads were pressed together, eyes opened and locked with one another's, blue and gold, the sky and the sun, coming together in a hard and colorful explosion.

Korra came first, the slick, heated sensation of her soft muscles clenching around his length in a greedy grip pushing the firebender over his own precipice, his vision going white. For a second, a day, a year, a century, Mako's spirit left his body. It drifted to a place that was beyond mortal thought, and for a moment he swore he felt his soul touch Korra's. The caress was pure, devastating, more powerful than anything he had ever experienced, and it made Mako love his wife even more than he thought possible. He had thought that, after loving her, and wanting her, and cherishing her, and protecting her for over ten years that there was nothing left that could make him feel closer to Korra.

But he was wrong. So, so wrong.

This was what it meant to be one half of a whole, to make love, to have a soul mate. It was all power, and passion, and vulnerability, and raw emotion. It was like being stripped apart of everything you thought you knew you were and being rebuilt into a new person.

As he came down from his orgasm, as his spirit returned to his body, as the sensations of the physical world ignited his senses – the smell of sweat and saltwater, the sound of Korra's sigh in his ear, the feel of the coarse sand between his fingernails and the lush, hot curves of his wife's body beneath his – Mako wondered if this was how it felt to enter the Avatar State, if this heady awareness of everything was how Korra felt whenever she returned from a journey into the Spirit World.

As body, mind, and soul fused together, Mako licked his lips, remembering he had a tongue, that he could speak, that he had something he wanted to tell Korra. Cupping her face, running his thumbs along her cheekbones, gently rubbing the tip of his nose to hers, Mako kissed the woman under him chastely.

"I love you," he whispered, kissing her again. "I love you so much."

Korra almost never cried, but the few stray drops of tears that leaked from the corners of her eyes were all that Mako needed to see to know that she had felt that blissful, wonderful, terrifying, beautiful connection made in the fire of their passion. Mako kissed her tears away, languidly lavishing her warm flesh with gentles pecks before moving to lay on his back in the sand, pulling her on to his chest. Korra trembled in Mako's embrace, her body shatteringly sensitive after their coupling.

They cuddled together in comfortable silence, letting the sun warm their naked bodies, the ocean biting teasingly at their toes as it lapped along the shore. Smiling to herself, Korra couldn't help thinking that, even though their honeymoon was ten years overdue, it had been worth the wait.

The getaway was originally conceived as a birthday gift for Korra from Mako, the firebender wanting to celebrate his wife's thirtieth year with something truly special. They were touring with the United Forces at the time, and Mako had been bouncing ideas off of General Iroh, confessing to the Fire Nation prince that he and Korra had never had an actual honeymoon due to political reasons at first, and then the natural cycle of being the Avatar keeping them from ever finding the time to indulge in one another. He had been more than surprised when, seemingly out of the blue, the Fire Lord offered her private cottage on Ember Island to the couple coincidentally at the same time as Korra's birthday. She claimed it was a belated 'thank you' for all the work they'd done in the Fire Nation during their three year stay in the country, but Mako knew better. He intended to write the prince and his mother an eager appreciation letter, that is, if he ever found the time to get around to it, what with constantly making love to his wife on any surface that would hold them.

Since arriving on the island three days ago, Mako and Korra had barely spent any longterm amount of time wearing clothes. It was like they were teenagers again, the freedom of being alone and in love whisking them away on a whirlwind of passion. Mako was in a constant state of readiness while Korra seemed to be in a persistent state of want, surprising him with kisses before breakfast and teasing caresses until the darkest hours of night. It was wonderful to be so unencumbered and just be two fools in love.

Mako hadn't realized he'd fallen asleep until the crash of cool, salty ocean water struck his entire body, jarring his muscles into tense retaliation. He saw Korra waist deep in the ocean and laughing at him. Her skin was like melted caramel in the glow of the setting sun, water kissing her trim stomach and teasing her pert nipples. With an uncharacteristic wolf whistle, Mako rushed into the water, managing to tackle Korra because she let him, the pair falling under the waves, mouths fusing together like heated steel.

Neither noticed nor cared about the need for air. Who needed to do something as mundane as breathe when they had the love of their life wrapped up in their arms? They did surface eventually, barely pulling apart. Korra and Mako basked in the blissful private paradise they had created for themselves, nothing but the sand between their toes, the water around their bodies, the fire in their blood and the air caressing their skin to witness the Avatar and her one true love. They both barked out an ironic chuckle when they noticed that Mako's Dragon Sage tags and Korra's betrothal necklace had become entangled, keeping them a nose-breath apart, entwining them like destined lovers.

"Happy birthday, Mrs. Hat Trick," Mako whispered, lips ghosting across her own. She smiled.

"Best birthday ever, Mr. Avatar."

---

Air Temple Island

"Good practice, Ferrets!"

"Night, Coach!"

Mako smiled brightly as the three teens departed, no doubt to paint the town red in celebration of the pro-bending season starting up in a week. Although it had been strange at first to pass on the Fire Ferrets' name to a new team, Mako was proud of Ying, Sheng-Li, and Kong, and couldn't wait for the boys' first match. Making his way towards the docks, Mako wasn't surprised to find a panting polar bear-dog waiting for him near the ferry gate.

"Swimming again, Atka?" he asked congenially, laughing as the animal shook her damp body. Out of the two cubs, Atka had always been fond of Mako the most, not caring to be out of his company. Often, she would swim to the pro-bending arena and wait for him to get off work with unfailing patience and loyalty. "Come on, girl," the firebender urged gently, leading the polar bear-dog onto the ferry, "let's go home."

"Hey, Mako!" one of the deckhands greeted. "Getting excited?"

"You know it, Feng," he returned, scratching Atka behind the ears as he waited for the hum of the motor to make the planking under his feet vibrate as the ferry readied for departure.

"Got me a couple of yuans on your Ferrets, but ol' Pu says that your boys are too wet behind the ears to even make it outta the first round." Feng laughed heartily at his quip, taking a moment to light a cigarette. Mako smirked at the burly, bearded man.

"Well you tell ol' Pu that the Fire Ferrets are going to take more than their first round. They're going to take the tournament, the championship, the whole damn season!"

"Ha! Will do, coach. Tell your missus I say 'hello'."

"Likewise," Mako nodded as Feng disappeared below deck. His smile never faltered, amber eyes turning with soft eagerness towards the island in Yue Bay, watching as it slowly got closer and closer.

It was wonderful to be back in Republic City.

Having been gone for nine years, Mako hadn't realized how much he'd missed his first home until he and Korra had returned three months ago.

The smell of salt water, sunshine, and maple leaves tickled Mako's nose as the ferry docked on the island. He and Atka ambled down the gangplank, greeting the young air acolytes who were waiting to unload supplies from the boat. Walking with light, easy steps, Mako made his way up the pah that led to the temple dormitories before heading towards the back gardens, Atka on his heels. He stopped to pick a few wildflowers, acting like a silly schoolboy in love as he followed a dirt path that curved towards the north-east side of the island. A breath of relief passed his lips as he approached a modest little house with a blue tile roof and red wood porch. Motioning for Atka to go and play with her sister who was snoozing under a sakura tree, Mako entered the house expecting to find Korra in the kitchen. Instead, his wife was laying on the sofa in the sitting room, a rag over her eyes as she used her bending to infuse the water in the rag with healing power.

"Is everything alright?" he worried, sitting on the couch by Korra's feet and placing the flowers he'd picked on the side table.

"I'm fine. Just a headache," Korra said, taking the damp cloth off her eyes before piercing her husband with a challenging cerulean glare. "Your child has been playing air-ball with my bladder all day. Not to mention my ankles are swollen to the size of a dragon-moose, and my breasts are so sore that if you even think of trying to make love to me tonight this baby is going to grow up without a father."

"So, you had a good day?" Mako joked, not bothering to dodge when Korra threw the rag in his face. Brushing her attitude off, the firebender gently laid a large hand over Korra's swollen belly, fingers warm and curious against the taunt skin under the satin dress. She was just beginning her third trimester, a mere eleven weeks away from giving birth to their child.

Sometimes, it still felt so unreal.

The couple had been living in Omashu when Korra discovered the happy, if unexpected, surprise. The timing of her pregnancy suggested that they'd conceived on their honeymoon at Ember Island, which didn't surprise Mako at all since he and Korra had been all over each other like a pair of horny rabbiroos. They were both happy with the news. Terrified, but so, so happy.

They had kept the news to themselves at first, confiding only in King Haru and Queen Umi. Overjoyed for the couple, the royal family saw to it that the Avatar business for which they'd requested Korra in the first place (a new railroad proposal that would connect Omashu with Ba Sing Se but that might devastate the nearby mountains) was handled quickly and without incident. A new route was eventually agreed upon that would divert the railroad away from the mountains, thus preserving the home of the badger-moles and the Cave of the Two Lovers, and Korra and Mako were free to leave the provincial capital.

At first they went to the South Pole, regaling Senna and Tonraq with the delightful news that they were going to be grandparents. The two waterbenders had been even more overjoyed than the soon-to-be parents. Then it was time to tell Bolin – 'about time you made me an uncle!' – and Asami – 'when they're old enough, you have to let me teach your kid how to drive – and after that, Tenzin. The airbending master had actually hooted when given the news, congratulating the pair over and over again, telling them that the adventure they were about to experience would be unlike anything they had ever encountered before.

And that was when he'd offered them the house on Air Temple Island.

At first, Korra and Mako had been taken aback, not having had thought about where they would live, where they would call home, once the baby arrived. As the Avatar, Korra's life was meant to be constantly moving forward. It was why the couple had spent the last decade moving from place to place, heeding the call of the people. Now, with a baby soon to come and a new chapter in their marriage beginning, Korra and Mako realized that, for the first time, they needed something static, something stable, something that would always be there.

'Republic City is your city, Korra' Tenzin had claimed, voice crackling with static over the telephone line, 'and you've been gone for so long. Isn't it time you finally came home?'

And so, they did.

They moved back to Republic City and built a house on Air Temple Island, deciding to make their one true, always and forever home in the place where they had started their marriage ten years ago. In fact, their house was shaded under the two sakura trees where Korra and Mako had taken their vows, the love they had for one another seemingly embedded in the very earth that served as the foundation for their home. It was wonderful having a permanent place to call their own, the stability of home and hearth everything the couple and their child would need.

Grinning like a goofball, Mako leaned forward to rest his cheek against his wife's stomach.

"Stop making your mother cranky," he whispered with patient sternness before kissing her belly.

"You're crazy," Korra deadpanned, earning her own kiss from the firebender. "I made dinner, or well, I started to until this headache began. Miso soup, steamed rice with egg, and grilled fish wrapped in seaweed. I only got the soup and the rice cooked before I had to lie down."

"That's fine," Mako assured, getting up from the couch and heading for the kitchen. He bustled about for less than half an hour, completing the meal Korra had started before returning to the sitting room with dinner for two. They sat on the couch and listened to the news while they ate, resting comfortably.

"Remind me to ask Pema if she'll press my good jacket. I'll need it for the council meeting the day after tomorrow," Mako said as he finished his soup.

"Already done," Korra said. "And I even convinced Rohan to polish your boots. It only cost twelve yuans."

"Korra, you can't take advantage of Tenzin's kids like that," the firebender scolded.

"Me take advantage? Didn't you hear? Rohan charged me twelve yuans to polish your stupid boots. If anything, that kid is guilty of extortion." Mako rolled his eyes with good humor at his wife's over-exaggeration. "Besides, I still say you're an idiot for agreeing to represent the Fire Nation on the council. Did you forget you have a pro-bending team to coach?"

"I can do both," Mako insisted. "And I'm only serving on the council until Fa-Lan has her baby and recovers some after the birth. What can I say? My heart bleeds for pregnant women."

Korra kicked him playfully for that comment before asking him to help her out of the couch so she could take their dirty dishes to the sink. Mako insisted on washing their plates, not wanting to see Korra strain herself unnecessarily, much to his wife's chagrin. Instead, Korra put the flowers he'd picked for her in a vase, setting them in the little nursery they had nearly completed for their son or daughter.

"I'm going to take Naga and the girls for a walk," Korra said when she reentered the kitchen. "Join me?"

Mako obliged, following Korra out of their house and rounding up the polar bear-dogs for their evening stroll. They wandered down to the beach where Atka and Miki played in the bay, Korra bending balls of water for the animals to chase. Eventually, the family made their way back up to their house, stopping near the cliff's edge to stare at Avatar Aang Memorial Island.

"I'm going to be a good mom, right?" Korra asked, voice small and fragile like a leaf in the wind.

"I don't have any doubt," Mako replied, taking his red scarf and wrapping it loosely around Korra's shoulders, kissing her temple, lips lingering a moment on flushed umber skin.

"You'll be a great dad," she said, fingers tugging on the scarf, her blunt nails catching in the frayed scarlet threads.

"You think?" Mako asked, teasing and playful, but at the back of his mind the young man did worry that he might not be up to the task.

"Oh yeah," Korra answered, nodding confidently. "Avatar's intuition. It's never wrong."

"Oh really?" Mako drawled.

"Hey, it's what got me to agree to go out on that first date with you."

"You didn't even know it was a date."

"Details," she scoffed, looping her arms around one of his. Sighing contently, she rested her head against his shoulder, admiring the vibrant pinks and purples painted across the sky. "I can't wait to meet our baby."

Korra and Mako watched the sunset, breaths catching when the receding flaming orange rays spilled over the distant mountains making the skyscrapers twinkle like stars and the water shimmer like silk. A warmth settled over the pair, a contentedness that couldn't truly be put into words. For ten years they had lived all over the world, taking up residence in hotels, villas, condominiums, townhouses, lofts, even palaces. For one decade they had been free to wander, to explore, to grow, to love, only ever needing each other to feel at home. But now, with Naga and the girls, with a house, with Bolin, Asami, Tenzin, Pema and the kids, even Chief Bei Fong, and a baby on the way, suddenly home was so much more.

It was the smell of salt that wafted up from Yue Bay. It was the tangy, watery flavor of Narook's famous Water Tribe noodles. It was Tahno's condescending editorials in the sports section of the City Gazette. It was the clamor of protestors outside of city hall, the gossip of the old ladies in the outdoor market, the pungent fumes from the satomobiles, the polished brass fixtures on the doors of the pro-bending arena, the metalbenders' dirigibles, and Avatar Aang's statue.

Home was where Korra and Mako had lost their hearts thirteen years ago, a city boy and a village girl, the Avatar and an idiot, destiny drawing them together, Republic City the place where they met and fell in love.

Home was back at the beginning, and it was good to be back.

0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0

Air is the element of freedom – Iroh

---

I just realized how marshmellowy fluffy this ending was.

Anyway, as the closing quote suggests, this chapter was all about freedom. Now, this was actually a rather difficult theme for me to explore because I had no idea what to write! At first, I was simply going to write small drabbles about Korra and Mako and all of the different cities they live in over the course of the first ten years of their marriage, thereby showcasing the couple's freedom of movement. But then I realized that perhaps having to constantly move around the world to full-fill Avatar duties was just as much a form of entrapment as it was freedom. When I began looking at it that way, I realized that being the Avatar is a MAJOR balancing act; you belong to the world, but yet you have to understand detachment to the physical realm. Even the Avatar is a beautiful being of contradictions, the spirit of the world in a physical body, free to live as a human yet constrained by the limitations of the human condition (love, anger, happiness, hate, selfishness, selflessness).

Once I began thinking in these terms, I decided that it wasn't just enough to show Korra and Mako living all over the Avatar-verse. I had to look at the many different types of freedom that they find within their changing situations and each other.

Also, because this chapter chronicles ten years in a marriage, I wanted to explore how people continue to grow and change, how love grows and changes, in the best and worst of situations. I actually did have fun writing this chapter, although some sections were challenging and went through many drafts (Republic City/Kyoshi Island/The Northern Water Tribe).

Please, let me know your thoughts, and as always, keep calm and Korra on!