Title: Holiday
Summary: [written for Makorra Week, day 4 | fluff with a tiny bit of angst | Makorra]
Words: 852

She found herself beneath the mistletoe, cleverly held between a young man's forefinger and thumb, just above her head. She gazed at the plant in wonder, a faint shade of pink beginning to tint her face just beneath her eyes. She had heard of the tradition of mistletoe during her time in Republic City - wherever the plant hung, as long as two people found themselves beneath it, they were to share a kiss, and there certainly was no backing down from the task.

Bolin had put the plant to good use, sneaking underneath several when a girl who caught his fancy began to pass underneath it. He'd earned himself a few kisses, of course, but Korra often found herself laughing at the young man's expense when he earned himself a well placed slap to the face or stomp to his foot from some women. Korra, herself, steered clear of the plant to the best of her ability during the holiday season, not wanting to be trapped beneath and having to follow through with the tradition with a complete stranger - or even worse, the one young man she wanted to kiss more than anything.

Yet, here she was, beneath that damned plant she tried so hard to avoid - and to make matters worse, it was held by the exact person she wanted to avoid more than anything.

Mako.

Of course, she hadn't kissed him since their beak-up, for friends didn't go around kissing one another when and wherever they pleased. Kissing him, no matter the circumstances, would surely bring the feelings she kept under lock and key to a head, where they would burst free from their binds and invade her senses no matter how hard she tried to fight them. She couldn't just break tradition, though, especially being a resident of Republic City and wanting nothing more than to adapt to their lifestyle and fit in.

"I believe this means you owe me a kiss, Avatar Korra," he spoke softly, tone almost seductive in nature, and for a moment she lost herself in her memories. He was a sly one, she would give him that.

"I really don't think-"

"What? That it's a good idea?" he frowned slightly. "Think of it as a kiss between two good friends - nothing more. Besides, it's tradition, and we can't go breaking that, now, can we?"

Damn, he had her there.

"No," she muttered, hand moving to her hip. "I guess we can't."

"Good," he whispered, craning his neck downward in order to close the distance between the two, "I wouldn't want to, anyway."

She expected the kiss to be that of a quick peck; nothing in this world could have prepared her for just what her ex-boyfriend had in mind for a kiss under the mistletoe.

His lips were warm against hers, with just an inkling of dryness from the cold, winter air. His lips move against hers, and for a moment, she stiffens, not knowing what to do at this point. Of course, her resolve shattered at the feel of his warm breath against her lips with each time they parted. His tongue was quickly added to the mix, as well; the tip carefully brushing against the sensitive skin of her lips. That was when she began kissing back - slowly, at first, but returning his kisses with just as much love and passion that he was giving her.

The floodgates the two had built within them had quickly crumbled, allowing their feelings for each other to flow freely and flood their entire being. Months worth of pain from being apart was finally being healed with every kiss they shared beneath the mistletoe, and thoughts and memories began to form in the back of Korra's mind. She missed this - she missed being able to kiss the man she loved more than anything like this, she missed being able to tell him she loved him any time she wanted without worry, she missed being in his arms during the cold winter nights, snuggling close to him and enjoying his company.

She missed him.

And he knew it.

He pulled away much too soon for her liking, but she had to remind herself that they were still no longer together. They were just friends who happened to wind up under the mistletoe together.

But did friends really kiss with as much love and passion as they just had?

He wore a smile on his face - not his usual, cocky grin, but a somber smile. One she mirrored in her own way as they looked into each others eyes.

Just as Mako had told her before, they may not work together, but they sure as hell fall apart when they aren't together.

And to Korra, that was all that mattered. This was a step in the right direction, and neither of them could wait for the outcome they knew was sure to come.