She stared into the glow of the fire. It's light lit up the walls next to her and tears slowly went down her cheeks.
"I hate you.", she whispered harshly to the flames. "I hate you so much. I'm trying to do what's best here, and you are making it so difficult. Why can't you just forget about me so I can forget about you."
She was sitting in the middle of the cave, with her knees pulled to her chest. Her arms were wrapped around her legs as her hands clenched tight with the fabric of the skirt.
"You...you keep pulling me back in. I want to go back in, but I can't. If I do, I put the world in jeopardy. I'll be distracted by you. I wouldn't mind it...but still."
She stared into the walls in front of her. As she looked closer, she noticed something. It wasn't normal, or natural. It looked like...a carving of some sort. What was it? She made a flame in her hand and rose from the ground and got closer. She gazed over it. It was...a hand? Yeah a hand. And it was holding...another hand. She wanted to find the rest of the pieces to the puzzle.
She backed away and her flame grew so she could see the full wall. Two statues were on-no. Earthbent into it. They were kissing statues. Then there was engraved words.
Love is brightest, in the dark.
What the hell was this? Was someone watching her? Listening to her talk to herself?
"IS THIS SOME KIND OF JOKE?!", she yelled to the walls. As she heard herself echo off the walls, she began to panic. Turning around in circles. Breathing heavily. The sounds were getting louder. The room was spinning. She was sweating like there was no tomorrow.
As she turned, her hip bumped into something hard. As she turned around, she saw two rectangular blocks of earth, and something else with engraved words. It was a story of some sort.
They met on the mountain that divided their two villages.
She read aloud.
But their villages were enemies, so they could not be together.
But their love was strong, and they found a way.
Korra thought of her and Mako in the same situation. But what could she do to make things work?
The two lovers learned from the badermoles. They became the first Earthbenders.
Oh right...her earth bending master wanted her to study the history of earth bending when she was younger. But since the books he had were overflowing with unneeded information. So far of what she read was all she learned from the towers of books.
They built a labyrinth tunnel where they could meet secretly.
Anyone who tried to follow them would be lost forever in the labyrinth.
She liked the idea of the two of them being alone in a quiet place. And how know one would find them and keep them apart made a small grin come to her face.
But one day the man didn't come.
The smile left as soon as it came.
He died in the war between their two villages.
The very idea of Mako being dead was enough to make her feel dead herself.
Devastated, the woman unleashed a terrible display of her power.
Korra knew inside that she would do the same thing if dare say the words.
She could've destroyed them all.
Korra probably would destroy everything. For she felt she had nothing to live for.
But instead, she declared the war over.
Soon the rage in Korra's mind came to a halt.
Both the villages helped her build a new city where they would live together in peace.
The woman's name was Oma, and the man's name was Shu.
They named the city Omashu as a symbol of their love.
So this...is the history of Omashu? Why would the queen want to keep people out of here? She looked closer at the two rectangular blocks, and realized why it was vacant.
It was the tomb for the two lovers.
Feeling as though she had crossed a line, Korra took a step back and gazed at the monument.
Now she knew why the queen never wanted anyone to come in here. For all the two lovers wanted was to be together in peace. And having people come in and out wasn't exactly a sign of respect to it. But still. She could have said why.
Korra sighed and shook her head at the matter. She was invading a very private place. She knew she didn't belong there. She turned as she began to walk back the way she came.
She kept walking through tunnels and tunnels for what seemed like hours, but she couldn't find her way out. Had she taken a wrong turn? She was sick of walking. She finally decided to call for help.
"Helllllooooo! Anyone?! I'm kinda lost here?! Hellllooo?!", she echoed through the caves.
Oh who was she kidding? No one had been in the cave probably ever since the queen took order. Maybe even before then.
"I thought you wanted to be alone?"
Well she was wrong there. She turned around and saw the tall fire bender, holding his own flame in the palm of his hand.
"...I do. Go away.", she spat at him.
"By the sounds of things you're lost."
"I am not. I can get myself out."
"Korra-"
"I don't want your help Mako. Go back to the city and have fun."
"Korra you can't get out of here without me and you know it."
"I can do whatever I want without you!"
"Korra stop lying."
"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE YOU WORTHLESS SON OF A FUCKING BITCH!", she yelled.
She sent flames flying toward him. He didn't repeal them. They just vanished into thin air once they got near him.
"Korra. Stop."
"Get away from me!", she said as more flames came out of her fists.
"Korra. Look at me."
He walked towards her as flames shot past his head.
"N-no! Don't you dare-"
He grabbed her wrists tightly.
"Korra. Look at me. Stop and look at me."
"Don't touch me! Get away from-"
"LOOK AT ME!", he yelled into her face.
Silence was all that remained. The only thing they heard was each other's breathing. She finally did look at him, straight in the eyes. Face to face the pair were. He look down at her with stern eyes, that soon softened.
Parts of wood on the ground were on fire from Korra's outburst.
She could see small tears falling from his eyes.
He broke the stare, and buried his face into the crook of her neck.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so so so sorry. I didn't mean to-"
"It's okay.", she said as she brushed her fingers through his black hair. "I'm the one who should be apologizing."
He didn't care who should be apologizing or not. All he cared about was getting her head clear.
"Korra...will you please talk to me? Please. I'm begging you.", he said as he wept into her shoulder.
"I..."
"Korra I swear I'll let you be alone all you want if you just let me talk."
She clenched her eyes shut, trying to stop her tears.
"O-okay Mako.", she said as she rubbed his neck.
He backed away from her. He rubbed his eyes from the tears.
"What do you want to tell me?", she asked.
"I..do you mind if we sit down? I've been walking for who know's how long."
She laughed lightly. "Sure."
She made her way down to the ground. He was a little confused since she was wearing an expensive dress. But then again, this was Korra. He sat on the ground in front of her.
"Ok. So...I know I've been asking you a lot lately to spend time with you. And I know I'm overstepping my boundaries. I...I just...", he sighed. "I've been so worried about you. You haven't been yourself. You're sad. You don't wanna see or talk to anyone, or go anywhere, or do anything. That's not you Korra."
"I-"
"Korra, please let me talk."
She shut her mouth and nodded.
"Korra...I've been thinking about this for a while. I've been thinking about why I love you."
Her eyes widened at the words.
"But I know why now. It's because you're the only person who knows and actually understands me. You're the only one who knows what it's like to be a fire bender, and to not have your parents around, and to have a hot temper. You're the only person who cares enough and wants to help me in anyway possible. And others too. You want to help others. You're brave, smart, funny, just...you're wonderful in every single way."
Korra was trying her hardest not to let tears come down her face again.
"I also think you're the most beautiful person on this earth. I loved waking up every morning and seeing your face next to me. And whenever you smiled, I smiled. Because who couldn't smile when they saw yours."
She giggled slightly at the compliment, and he grinned at it.
"See. As long as you're happy, I'm happy. But the thing is Korra...you're not happy."
She looked up at him.
"Korra, you were happy with me. And this whole mess between us, isn't really our fault. Your uncle made you stressed about how he was invading the south pole, and you were just really focused on that. And well...it didn't go well. You wouldn't have done any of that if it wasn't for him."
The floodgates opened. Tears streamed down her cheeks like a waterfall. He brought a hand to her face. She looked up at him.
"Korra. I'll always love you. Even after the day I die. I'll never love someone else more than I love you."
"You...you don't understand!", she said through sobs.
"What? What don't I understand?"
"Mako...I have missed you like crazy. I wasn't pushing you away the whole time you asked if we could hang out. I was...afraid. I thought I was gonna fall back in your arms again. And then there were somedays where I finally didn't give a shit. And then, the fucking council pulled me away back to my stupid avatar duties. Mako I want to be with you so bad, but I can't! If I'm with you, I'm distracted from my duties as the avatar! And I have to protect the world! And that includes you! But I still love you! And I will always love you! So don't think twice about that mister!", she cried.
He wiped the tears away from her cheeks.
"You're the Avatar, and I'm an idiot. Remember?"
She looked at him with water filling her eyes. "Yeah..I remember. I remember everything."
"Then you should remember that how when we were together, you balanced everything out perfectly. You had time for me, your job, Asami, Bolin, and even a pro bending match here and there. But when things got complicated with the spirits, things got a little crazier. The world won't stop being crazy Korra."
"But...we...just don't work Mako."
"How Korra? How? Give me one good reason why we can't work Korra."
"Our elements. They just-"
"Korra our elements are what make us work! And honestly...I think it also has nothing to do with it."
"What do you mean?"
"Korra...I'm in love you. Not your element. I'm in love with Korra. Not the Avatar. I only love Korra. The girl who absolutely drives me up a wall. I said it before, I'll say it again. I don't care if you're the Avatar or not."
She grabbed his free hand. "If you love me...why did you let me walk away?"
"Because I thought you would be happy. And now we know I was wrong."
"Mako...it's just...impossible."
"Korra...if you look at me straight in the eye, and tell me that we're impossible, I'll never bother you again. Cross my heart."
Her head stayed down. He knew it. She didn't mean it, and she couldn't bring herself to say it.
"Tell me. Tell me we're impossible Korra."
"I...I can't."
She fell into his arms bawling. He embraced her as though he hadn't in forever. He really hadn't.
"I hate this! I hate not seeing you, not laughing with you, and I hate not seeing your face in the morning either!", she cried into his chest.
"It's okay Korra.", he whispered as he cradles her head.
"What the hell have I put you through?! How did you get up every morning?"
"It wasn't easy...but I had hope, that one morning you would come in and kick me out of bed and make me go.", he joked.
"You're such a dork."
"So you've told me."
"Please...let's have...let's have what we had before. Let's be together again. Let's-"
"Korra...I'll never let you go again, so help me."
She looked up at him.
"You...you'll always love me?"
"I'll always love you Korra."
With those words, Korra pressed her lips to his. She cupped his face as he leaned his face into hers.
"And I'll always love you."
And with that, the fire burned out, and blue crystals on the ceiling began to glow. But neither seemed to notice.
Author's Note: Just to be clear, this isn't the end of the story guys!
