('tall belongs to Bryke.)
some Mama Mako for you because Mama Mako is flawless.
can i just take a second to say that i was BLOWN AWAY by all the reviews i got between the last chapter and this one? and hell, for that matter, all of them. you guys are just, you're - DAMN YOU GUYS ARE COOL CATS OKAY and here have a cookie.
also because it's more implied than made clear this takes place at sunset so there you go.
day twenty-oneish: sunset.
Everything was fuzzy when she woke, almost sapped of color. She rolled over to shield her eyes from the sunbeam that was streaming straight into her face and quickly discovered that her head was pounding, and she couldn't hold back a groan.
Footsteps – spirits, even that was too loud – and then a soft voice said, "Korra? You awake?"
As an answer she groaned again. "Be quiet," she said, drawing the blankets tighter around her and wincing at her own volume.
A weight dipped the bed; even the tiny motion made her stomach writhe. "Sorry," the voice whispered, and it took her a few foggy seconds for her to realize it was Mako. "You've been sleeping all day," he informed her. "I was getting kind of worried."
Oh, all day. That was nice. She must've gotten plenty of – wait a second.
Without thinking she shot up.
"All day?" It came out in a sort of weak screech, but the room started spinning and she put a hand to her head. Mako gently took her by the shoulders and guided her back to the bed.
"Yeah. I didn't wanna wake you. You looked like you really needed it." He caressed her cheek with his fingers, and she lifted her shoulders, burrowed deeper into the sheets because even though she loved him (really, she did), him being so close was still making her sick.
"Gee, thanks," she muttered. Mako seemed to get the message, because she didn't have to shrug him off or bat him away.
"Do you need me to get you anything?" he asked.
Now that she thought about it, her mouth was really dry. "A glass of water."
"Okay."
He got up. Before he could leave the room again she called – or tried to, anyway – "And close the curtains!"
There was the sound of the curtain rings sliding along the metal rod, more footsteps, the cupboard door closing, running water, and all of it combined was at the same time amplified and dulled – louder but blurrier, harder to make out for what it was. But thinking about it too much made her head hurt even more, so she stopped.
After just a few moments Mako was back. "Here," he said. "Do you need me to –?"
She wasn't a cripple or a hospital patient or dying (well, it may have felt like it a little, but), so "No."
Even so she struggled to sit up on her own. Her arms shook slightly and so did her hand as she took the glass from him and drank most of the water in one swallow.
"That's so much better," she said, taking a deep breath and flopping back down.
Mako set the glass on the bedside table. "Anything else?"
Korra sighed, considered shaking her head and decided that probably wasn't wise. "Just lay with me."
Without breathing another word he moved to the other side of the bed and slipped beneath the covers, scooting up behind her and somewhat hesitantly slinging his arm over her waist. The solid presence of his warm chest was the last thing that registered in her head before she fell back into sleep.