Mako waited by her side while she regained her strength after being kidnapped by Tarrlok.
He nursed her back to health when she insisted in staying out in the rain until midnight simply to watch a meteor shower.
He'd laid next to her in bed countless times, soaking in her warmth as she tossed and turned with haunting dreams. She was a restless sleeper, often kicking or mumbling, but he didn't mind.
All these times and more Mako waited patiently. He held her and reassured her, knowing the worst would pass.
But then she started traveling to the Spirit World.
And he hated it.
More and more often lately, she'd slip into her trance without notice, simply lowering herself to the ground, taking up her pose, and disappeared.
He guarded her anxiously, glaring at anyone who came near. Usually she'd return within a few hours, blinking and stretching, asking for something to eat as she returned his welcome hug.
This time was different.
It had been six hours.
They'd been visiting Korra's parents when a Spirit attacked the village in the middle of the night. Mako and Korra fought viciously, driving it to the wild tundra before it vanished and Korra recklessly followed after it without a word.
The sun was crawling over the horizon, the sky a pale pink.
Korra still hadn't moved.
And as the light touched her, Mako noticed cuts that hadn't been there before.
A cut on her cheek bled sluggishly, too fresh to be from their fight. His heart raced and his throat tightened.
She was hurt and he couldn't protect her.
He used some fresh snow to clean the blood away, and she still didn't move.
The wind picked up, whipping her hair around her still frame and sending a chill through Mako's tense body.
He could do nothing but wait. There was no kicking, no mumbling about penguins to make him smile, no reaching for his hand in the dark, nothing to reassure him that his Korra was coming back to him.
It was torture.
He wrapped his scarf around her neck and chafed his hands against her arms in an attempt to keep her warm. The dawning morning brought a little more warmth, but not much, and his stomach gnawed at him with hunger. The lack of sleep started to bite at him as well, but to sleep now would be impossible.
Then, finally, she opened her eyes.
They glowed faintly, then faded to her usual clear blue as Mako exhaled.
He threw his arms around her, squeezing her so tight she could barely breath and buried his face in her neck, simply needing to hold her.
"Hey," her voice was weak as she molded against him.
"Don't do that to me again," he scolded her.
He could feel her chuckle. "I can't help it. You know that."
"At least give me some warning. You scared me."
Korra's arms grabbed onto his jacket, holding to his lifeline. "I'm sorry. But I came back. I'll always come back to you."
"I'm holding you to that. Now come on, let's get you someplace warm."