A/N: Hey guys! Happy Holidays! Originally I was going to be taking a break until after the new year to post anything, but I got some inspiration for this and decided to write it & post it up for Christmas! This is a Bonus chapter, like a side event. so, its not in line with the current Chapters, in fact in back tracks a little bit, but it's still considered "Canon" to this story, if that makes sense. :) lots of relationship building going on here. ;) I hope you guys have/had an amazing Holiday despite the pandemic, I hope you and your loved ones have an amazing, safe new year ahead of you!
•Ember Nights•
Winter Solstice Bonus Chapter
Sikenna chewed her bottom lip, staring at Mako's bedroom door at the Sato Estate. To be honest, with everything that's been going on lately, she and Mako hadn't been able to sit down and talk about...well, anything, yet. Their interactions were still a bit awkward and felt a little forced, like they didn't know how to act around each other. When they were younger, Mako's friendship was the easiest for her to gain. She had struggled with all her friendships at first, even with Sumi, but everything came so easy when it came to Mako, they didn't have to put much effort into enjoying each other's company. This was Kona's idea, to ask Mako to help her with this, and Sikenna cursed him under her breath as she raised her hand to knock on his door.
Right before her knuckles hit the wood the door flew open. Sikenna's eyes widened and she took her hand back with a snap.
"Asami! Hi!" Sikenna laughed awkwardly. Asami smiled sweetly at her, completely ignoring Sikenna making this whole thing weirder.
"Hey, Kenna! What's up?"
"Oh, nothing. I uh, wanted to ask Mako's help for something. But if you guys are busy, that's perf-"
"Is this about Bolin's Solstice party?" Asami laughed and leaned against the door frame. Sikenna sighed and relaxed her shoulders.
"Yes! I suck at presents! What the spirits do I get Bolin?!" Sikenna stomped her foot once as she pouted. She had been trying to think of a gift for Bolin since the knucklehead declared the need for the party in the first place.
According to Bolin, with everything that's happened, they deserved a night with friends with no worries, to celebrate the winter solstice together. Everyone picked a name out of a hat to see who they would be buying presents for, and of course, Sikenna had gotten Bolin. In a panic to buy him a great gift, it quickly became well known within the group whose name Sikenna had pulled, as she had already asked everybody else but Mako.
Asami laughed again, this time at Sikenna pouting and pushed Mako's door open further.
"Mako!" She called over her shoulder before turning back to Sikenna.
"I think Mako was going shopping for his person, too. You guys should go together!"
"Oh- no. That's okay, I just-"
"Great idea, Babe." Mako interrupted, appearing out of thin air in the doorway, kissing the side of Asami's head. Sikenna rolled her eyes at being interrupted, yet again, by Mako. Seemed he developed a habit of doing that.
"I really just needed an idea." Sikenna offered, not really sure how it would be shopping alone with Mako. She barely felt like she knew him anymore, he was totally different. Of course he would be, and she understood why he was, but it didn't make it any less difficult to adjust to.
"And I'll give you some while we shop. Come on, I could use your help anyway." Mako replied, kissing Asami goodbye and stepping towards the stairs to leave.
"What about me needing so much help with this makes him think I would be of any use to him?" Sikenna muttered to Asami, throwing a thumb over her shoulder at a retreating Mako. Asami shrugged and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her.
"I think he's just jealous you and Bolin are so close and he's the one that had the dreams about you." Asami joked, poking Sikenna in the ribs. Sikenna scrunched her nose up her face.
"That's why this is going to be so weird." She groaned, throwing her head back as she did.
"You coming or what, Kenna?" Mako called from down stairs.
"For the record, I think you could get Bolin cold noodles and he would love it, Kenna. Go have some fun shopping." Asami assured her with a smile. Sikenna smiled back at her before turning and skipping down the stairs.
•¥•
"Why the spirits is it so cold here?!"
Sikenna burst out loudly, lighting a small flame in between her hands to keep warm. Mako laughed beside her, she couldn't help but narrow her eyes up at him.
"Yeah I guess it's probably a lot different than where you're from, huh?"
Sikenna nodded quickly, looking around for a shop, any shop, that looked even slightly interesting, where she could hide from the cold.
"Yeah you could say that. My nose hurts. Mako, the cold air is hurting my face. Why do we live in a place, where the air hurts our face?!" She didn't pout, she was actually getting frustrated by being so cold. Mako laughed at her again, clearly finding entertainment from her pain.
"It's not that bad once you're used to it. You just have thin skin. Come on, Bo loves this place." He said, walking across the street towards a dingy little shop. Sikenna dropped her jaw and jogged to catch up to him, extinguishing the tiny flames in her hands that kept her warm as she did.
"I don't have thin skin! I'm a firebender, you should be just as miserable as I am." This time, she did pout. Quickly, but it was there if you looked for it.
"Maybe that means I'm a better bender than you." She joked cockily, running up to the door of the shop. Mako raised an eyebrow at her.
"Is that a challenge? Are you challenging me?!" He joked back, pointing at himself.
"Maybe I am, punk. We spar at dawn! 4 months from now! When it's warm! Come on let's go it's cold." She chattered her teeth and tugged at him, pulling him into the shop.
"I should ask Asami if there's somewhere we could spar, though. It'd be nice to go against a firebender that isn't, you know, the Avatar." Mako said as he looked around the dimly lit shop. Sikenna scrunched up her nose in thought before she spoke. Mako noticed, and turned away from her when he felt his stomach do a weird flip.
"Yeah, how does that work? That's not exactly fair, is it?"
Mako laughed lightly and shook his head.
"Not really, but it's a good way to get better. You can learn a lot from her by losing to her a million and a half times. Speaking of Korra-"
"Oh no. No no." Sikenna interrupted him, putting her hands up in front of her and shaking them.
"I'm not getting in the middle of this whole weird ass triangle thing you have going on between Asami and Korra. No no. I have my own problems in the love department. Not dipping my toes in that pond, friend."
Mako looked at her, annoyed, putting a hand out to his side.
"There is no triangle! That's not what I was talking about!" He defended with a scoff.
"Yeah, sure you weren't." Sikenna said with a smirk.
"I wasn't! Shut up! I pulled her name from the hat." Mako blushed and brought his hand to the back of his neck, trying to shield his growing red cheeks from Sikenna.
"Well that's deliciously ironic." Sikenna mumbled out with a chuckle.
"Do you want my help or not?!" Mako said, raising both eyebrows at her. Sikenna raised one back at him.
"Don't hold your help hostage because I'm laughing at a situation you created."
Mako's eyes darted around the room quickly before taking a step forward and whispering to her.
"Alright fine. I like Korra. But I like, and am with, Asami. So I need to be careful about what I gift Korra! So please, just, help me?" He pleaded with her. Sikenna rolled her eyes, but threw her shoulders back in defeat.
"Fine. Idiot. You know, I never thought you would be the one to make such a mess like this. I always assumed it would be Kona. I mean, I was right about him, but clearly not about you."
"Are you just going to stand here and try to make me feel bad about it?"
Sikenna looked over at him from the shelf she was currently perused.
"Do you?" She asked him, genuinely curious.
"Do I what? Feel bad about it? Of course I do!" He hissed back. Sikenna rolled her eyes at him.
"Don't be stupid, it's just a question." She said back to him calmly. Mako winced slightly at the echoing in his head, bouncing between 7 year old Kenna saying that exact sentence to him at the beach, and 18 year old her saying it now. He opened his eyes he didn't know he had closed to big blue eyes filled with concern, a warm hand on his shoulder.
"Mako, are you okay?" She said, shaking his shoulder a little. Mako shook his head gently to clear any left over fog.
"Yeah I'm fine. Just one of those memory things." He tried to laugh it off and walked over to another wall of goods.
"What was that one?" Sikenna asked from behind him.
"Uh…" he began, looking over to his side as she stepped up next to him. Had she always been that much shorter than him?
"We were on a beach somewhere, looked kind of dark. You told me to not be stupid after asking me a question."
Sikenna scrunched up her nose.
"Spirits, why is it always that memory? That's the night I kissed you because you were too much of a wuss to kiss me. You really need to let that go, kiddo, it's a weird attachment."
Mako looked at her, slightly shocked at her reaction. Sikenna smirked but didn't look over at him. Her eyes stayed scanning the antiques in the shop. Who knew Bolin liked antiques?
"I can't help it! I don't get to choose them! And don't call me kiddo!" Mako hissed out at her. For a second he couldn't believe he ever had enough patience to stand to be around her so much when he was little. But then she laughed, a hearty laugh with a wide smile, her head thrown back with the momentum of it, and Mako instantly released the tension in his shoulders and relaxed.
"Will you calm down?! You're going to die of stress at a young age if you don't watch it. You used to have a better sense of humor. Oh!" She gasped suddenly, reaching forward for something on the shelf. She turned to Mako with a wide grin, pointing to the antique in her hand. An incense burner, with a naked woman laying on her stomach as if she were posing on a beach, with a small hole on her rear indicating that's where the smoke bellowed out from.
Mako rolled his eyes, but smirked nonetheless.
"He might actually like that, but I don't think Asami would appreciate it in her house."
"Well good thing it's not for Asami…" Sikenna muttered under her breath again. Mako found himself rolling his eyes at her once more.
"Be nice." He scolded her with a shake of his head.
"I'm always nice. One could even say I'm a delight." Sikenna argued back, putting the incense burner back on the shelf.
"So, any idea on what I should get Korra?" Mako asked, trying to get back to why they were shopping in the first place. Sikenna was squatted down into a crouch now, digging through the bottom of another shelf. She shrugged, not looking up at Mako as she spoke.
"How should I know? I'm not the one who has to say something to her in capitalist form."
"You know, Bolin said you were helpful." Mako said, crossing his arms over his chest, once again raising an eyebrow at her. Sikenna smirked and looked up at him from her crouch, her arms still elbow deep in the shelf.
"What are you trying to say to her with the gift, Mako?" She asked softly, locking eyes with him as he thought of her question. What was he trying to say to her? He shrugged, honestly baffled by the question.
"I-I'm not sure." He muttered, still deep in thought.
Sikenna suddenly popped up in front of him, and Mako flinched in shock.
"Right, well, figure that out, and we'll go from there. In the meantime-" Sikenna slid past him to the wall next to them.
"I'm trying to find something for Bolin that says, 'you're my favorite bending brother.' I think." She finished casually, a smirk tugging at her full lips as she stood on her tiptoes to look at something on a shelf.
"You were my friend first!" Mako whined playfully from behind her. Sikenna looked over her shoulder as she pulled something from the shelf, scrunching up her nose and sticking her tongue out at Mako as she did.
"Okay, what about these?"
Her eyes went wide with adoration as she showed Mako her adorable find proudly. A tiny carved earth bender man, almost the same build as Bolin, but with a hearty Fu Manchu mustache. Another one, a proud fire bending girl with her hands on her hips, an overdone, almost creepy smile on her face. Next to them was another tiny sculpture of two fire ferrets cuddling in a tight circle.
"Look! It's Me, and him, and our little red weasels!" Sikenna practically squealed in delight.
Mako blinked at the tiny figurines. What were the chances? Honestly? He flicked his eyes to the shelf she found them, back to her hands a few times, then sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"He would love those, and you know he would."
"I know, right?!" Sikenna gushed.
•¥•
"Nope, don't get that." Sikenna said to Mako, grabbing his sleeve and pulling him away from the necklaces in the case.
"What? Why not?! Girls like necklaces!" Mako argued back. They had been in this shop for an hour already, and it was the third shop they had been too.
"First of all, a necklace is cheesy and definitely not a message you want to send to Korra, that's an Asami gift. Second of all," Sikenna held up two fingers and put her other hand and her hip as she popped it to the side.
"Don't get water tribe girls necklaces unless you're asking them to marry you."
Mako's eyes went round, his cheeks turning red as he realized what he almost accidentally did.
"Oh. Uh- yeah. So, no necklaces then."
Sikenna waved her hands around in the air extravagantly as she spoke, a trait she picked up from hanging out with Bolin too much, as she spoke to Mako about his almost mistake.
"I thought you were supposed to be good at this whole girl thing? Bolin always talks about you like you're some 'hotman playboy.' Meanwhile, I'm over here telling you how to juggle two women because you almost proposed to the wrong one."
"Well I've never liked two of them at the same time that were always around each other! This is uncharted territory for me, okay?!" Mako groaned and put his hand to his face. This was such a disaster.
"Look," Sikenna sighed from in front of him. Mako peaked through his fingers, his hand still on his face.
"I already told you how to do this. What are you trying to say to her in the gift?"
"I don't know!" Mako spat out at her, his hands flying to his side in defeat.
"What are yours supposed to even say?!" He challenged her, raising his eyebrows.
"Uh, 'look at these stupid little figurines of us I found, they're adorable, let's bring them everywhere.'?" Sikenna quirked an eyebrow as she answered him, looking at him as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Her gift was great, they were so corny and so cute, she was very proud of her find.
Mako sighed and threw his head back in defeat once more.
"You're right. They're perfect."
"Come on Koko work with me here, communicate with me. What are you trying to say to her?" Mako shoved her shoulder lightly as if on impulse when she said the nickname. Sikenna smirked- this was a little closer to how she had imagined their friendship to be at this age.
"I really don't know… I guess, maybe… I'm sorry? But I'm glad we're still friends?" Mako's face contorted as he said it, looking as if it were almost painful to admit out loud. Sikenna slapped his shoulder with more force than Mako knew she was capable of.
"Look at you! That's some growth! Now we're getting somewhere!"
Mako scowled as she patted his cheek lightly, but she ignored him and turned away, walking to a wall they had already looked at 3 times.
"Now that we have a direction, I can start helping you look instead of following you around bored." Sikenna said as she rummaged through the shelf. Mako ignored her, his eyes scanning the upper shelves that Sikenna couldn't see even on her tiptoes. She had been right, though. Once he actually admitted what he was 'trying to say' in his gift, it became a lot easier to look for something.
"Wait, I got it." He said quietly, not really caring if Sikenna heard him or not. She did, of course, and suddenly popped up next to him again, making him curl back in shock.
"What is it?! Oh, that's neat!" Sikenna said with a gasp as Mako pulled the item from the shelf.
"This is it. Thanks, Kenna." He muttered as he eyed the chosen gift, ignoring Sikenna's wide smile that made his stomach drop.
•¥•
With a burst of frigid air, the front door to Asami's mansion swung open dramatically. Sikenna slid inside, her teeth chattering so loud you could almost hear it echo in the entrance hall.
"You're really dramatic. Has anyone ever told you that?" Mako said with a laugh as he walked in behind her, closing the door calmly
"It's COLD, MAKO!" she shouted at him through her still chittering teeth.
"There was one breeze." He smirked at her as she narrowed her eyes at him. Sikenna was about to spit something back when another voice entered the room.
"There you two are! You've been gone for hours! I've been so bored!" Bolin pouted as he entered the room. Sikenna quickly shut her mouth and turned towards Bolin, hiding the small brown bag with his gift in it behind her back. Bolin raised an eyebrow at her, a smile sliding across his lips slowly as he pointed to her hands.
"What's that?" He asked her slyly.
"None of your business." Sikenna answered him dryly, almost a little too quick.
"Word around the palace," Bolin swirled a finger in the air, indicating he meant Asami's house.
"Is that it's exactly my business." He pointed the finger back at her and took a step forward.
"Everyone promised not to tell you though- Kona." She seethed the moment she realized who had opened their big mouth.
"KONA JAI IM GOING TO KILL YOU." Sikenna shouted out to the house, knowing he was close enough to hear her even if she couldn't see him. Sure enough, he popped his head around the corner and waved bashfully at his sister.
"Sorryyyyyyyy." He dragged out with a toothy grin. Sikenna narrowed her eyes at her brother, but had to quickly jump back as Bolin made a move to grab the presents.
"Don't!" Sikenna gasped, pointing a finger at her smiling friend.
"Come on, Kin! The party is only a few hours away anyway! Please please please please please?" He begged her. Sikenna shook her head defiantly, closing her eyes tight so she wouldn't be tricked by his big green puppy dog eyes.
"Leave her alone Bolin. Come on, let's go get ready for your party." Mako saved her, grabbing Bolin's shoulders and pulling him away.
"You too, Kona. Before she finds you alone." Mako called over his shoulders.
"Good point!" Kona sputtered out as he popped out of his hiding spot again, following the boys up the stairs.
"Come on." Came a velvety voice from her right. Sikenna screamed and jumped away, looking over at Asami shocked.
"When did you get there?!" She gasped out. Asami laughed and shook her head at Sikenna.
"Right about the time Bolin started begging. Come on, let's get ready and wrap your present. What did you end up getting him?" Asami asked curiously, walking towards the stairs.
"The most ridiculous, adorable things I've ever seen next to Lotus and Pabu!" Sikenna answered her excitedly, pulling out the tiny figurines to show Asami as she walked up the stairs next to her.
•¥•
Asami had gone all out, just like Sikenna knew she would. At first she was sure it was just to make Bolin happy, as this whole party thing was his idea and he had been talking about it non-stop since, but now she wasn't so sure. Asami was absolutely giddy at her friend's reactions to the winter solstice decorations she had her servants put up. There was an ice sculpture of a water bender in the corner (that looked suspiciously like Korra, Sikenna quietly noted,) with silver moons and stars that twinkled from the ceiling. Lights that looked like icicles and silver tinsel were hung all over the room. The fire was crackling, the table between the couches held foods from all nations, including an enormous bowl of fire flakes, which Sikenna promptly called dibs on.
"Do you like it?!" Asami squealed beside Sikenna.
"Asami, it's beautiful. Bolin is going to flip-"
"KENNADIDYOUSEETHEICESCULPTURE?!"
Sikenna winced at Bolin's shriek of excitement. Somehow, she had completely missed the fact that he was admiring it when she had walked in the room.
"Yes, Bo, I saw it. Hey- look alive!" She called to him, tossing her carefully wrapped gift to him without warning. He caught it, of course, but pouted when he did.
"No, do it right! You hold it until we all do gifts!" He said, tossing it back to her.
"So sorry, your highness. I wasn't made aware of the rules." She said as she caught the gift, bowing low to him. Bolin jutted his chin out, his nose in the air as he stood up straight.
"You're forgiven, Mi 'Lady. MAKO! KORRA!" Bolin dashed off to greet Mako and Korra at the door of the living room, pushing right between Sikenna and Asami.
Sikenna huffed and blew a piece of hair that fell into her face, Asami just laughed at him.
"Why is he like this?" Sikenna finally cracked a smirk at her friend.
"Comic relief. Every group needs one, right? I think we'd all be a lot sadder if we didn't have Bolin around. Lets go, I made sure I got some fresh mangoes for you on the table, too." Asami winked and started walking towards the rest of the group. Sikenna pouted and stomped her foot.
"Why does Mako get to date you?!"
•¥•
"Okay okay okay!" Kona stood from his seat on the couch as he slapped his hands together, rubbing them after they met.
"Presents." He finished, eyes wide with hope. Kona had asked at least 8 times since the party started. They had just devoured most of the food Asami had laid out for them, taking up the better part of two hours.
"Yes! I agree this time. Presents!" Bolin nodded excitedly, pointing to Kona. Kona returned the gesture and matched Bolin's almost frantic nods.
Korra laughed at them and stood.
"Fine, fine." She said, flapping her hands at Bolin and Kona's so they would stop pointing at each other.
"Here, Kona. You go first." Korra said, handing Kona a rather big parcel. Kona gasped dramatically and grabbed it, but stumbled under the weight of it.
"Oh, wow, you made that look easy. Spirits, Korra, what are you lifting these days?" Kona grunted out as he sat back on the couch, putting the large lump of a gift on his lap. Korra shrugged as she sat back down in her seat.
"Mostly chi-blockers." She answered nonchalantly.
By the time Sikenna looked back at Kona, chuckling lightly at Korra as she shoved more fire flakes in her mouth, the present was already unwrapped. Sikenna almost choked in surprise- she hadn't even heard him unwrap it.
Kona held one very large book in his hands, turning it over tentatively, as if he was scared to break it.
"... Is this?" He whispered, then looked up at Korra with wide eyes.
Korra nodded excitedly.
"Yeah! "History and Customs of the Air Nomads". It's used, though. It's Jinora's old copy of it, she knows it front to back already." Korra laughed nervously. Sikenna raised an eyebrow carefully. How did Korra know Kona was a history nut?
"Korra, this is amazing." Kona breathed out. He carefully lifted the cover and felt the pages like it was fragile. Sikenna rolled her eyes, but smirked none-the-less, shoving more fire flakes into her mouth like a goblin.
"Yeah, way to show us all up, Korra." Mako said playfully from the big comfy chair he was sharing with Asami. Kona still sat silent, gingerly flipping through the pages of the book for a few more seconds before looking up at Korra.
"This is probably one of my favorite gifts I've ever gotten. Thank you, seriously."
Korra blushed and shrugged, waving him off like it was no big deal. Bolin interrupted to save Korra, who had given Asami a framed picture of himself, Pabu and Mako, and another of himself, Asami, Mako and Korra. He had been really nervous about it, over explaining himself. He went on a very nervous 30 second rant where he managed to mention that he didn't know what to get a girl who has everything already, how Mako was no help, and that he was sorry if she expected more. Asami smiled brightly at the pictures and hugged them tightly to her chest, and told Bolin that she loved them and would be putting them on her night stand next to her bed. Asami gave Mako a very nice, very expensive looking black jacket that complimented him perfectly, of course.
"Okay me next!" Kona jumped up excitedly, the shock from getting an airbending history book finally worn off. He handed Sikenna a flat, squishy package that was wrapped haphazardly. She took it, raising an eyebrow at Mako, knowing he was the one who helped him wrap it. Mako put his hands up in defense.
"Hey, I tried. He wouldn't listen!"
"Oh just open it!"
Sikenna grinned and unwrapped the present. She gasped when she felt the soft material.
"Kona!" She said in shock, unfolding her mom's blue silk robe. The black tassels tickled her arms as she held it up to examine it.
"Yeah! I had Gran look for it again. You know, now that we're out of the house and stuff, things are easier to find. So, I had her send it when she found it!" Kona's smile reached his ears. Sikenna had lost the robe the week they left, and had looked everywhere, but couldn't find it. She had been devastated at the time. She could feel tears pricking at the corner of her eyes but she blinked them away quickly.
"You would make me hug you in front of people." She joked, standing up and lunging at her brother, wrapping her arms around his neck in a big hug.
"Thanks, you big lug." She mumbled into the hug. Kona chuckled and tapped her shoulder in understanding.
"Well, mine isn't anything special like you guys have done, but here, Korra." Mako chuckled, handing Korra her gift.
It wasn't anything extravagant, like he said, but it said enough if you looked at it the right way. It was an old fashioned water container that waterbenders used to wear, back when Avatar Aang ran around saving the world. A charm hung off the cap of the water container with a Ajisai flower on it, with the words 'stay safe' inscribed on the back. He explained quickly that he just wanted her to always be prepared, and to have water on her whenever she needed it, just in case. Korra smiled sweetly as she fiddled with the charm, making sure she told him she loved it, that it reminded her of home.
"MY TURN!" Sikenna yelled happily, putting the fire flakes on the table and wiping the crumbs off her hands. She cleared her throat and shook her long hair back over her shoulders, proudly presenting Bolin with her perfectly wrapped gift.
"Brace yourself. This may be the best thing you've ever seen." She told Bolin as he took it. He shook his head at her and smiled, starting to unwrap the gift.
"Oh. Oh spirits." Bolin said quietly, looking in the box Sikenna had put the figurines in. Sikenna bit her bottom lip a little nervously.
"I- I can't believe it." He looked up at Sikenna, his face blank and unreadable.
"Mako," he turned to his brother.
"Did you see…" he said, reaching into the box.
"HOW GOOD I LOOK WITH A FU MANCHU?!" Bolin cried out happily with a laugh, shoving the little figurine that represented him in Mako's face. Asami laughed loudly as Mako jerked his head back to avoid getting his eye poked by the tiny Bolin's hand.
"And! And and!" Bolin pulled out the other two figurines and presented them happily to the group.
"There's a wittle Kenna! She even looks scary and intimidating! AND LOOK ITS PABU AND LOTUS, OH!" Bolin's eyes went wide as he put his face close to the little figurines.
"I'm going to take them everywhere with me." He announced definitively. Sikenna clapped her hands together, then pointed at him.
"That's what I said!"
"It's a pocket us!" Bolin said happily.
"POCKET USES!" Sikenna squealed happily, delight filling her as she looked at the tiny figurines again.
"Why did I know that was going to be his reaction?" Mako laughed from the big chair, resting his hand over Asami's knee as her legs draped over his.
The six of them sat there for a while, just enjoying each other's company. They laughed, and joked, and Kona ended up on Bolin's lap at one point, causing Sikenna to almost choke on a piece of mango from laughing so hard. For those couple of hours, they were just six teenagers hanging out together on winter solstice. There was no Amon, there were no chi-blockers or anti-bending movements. There were no broken hearts, no tears to be shed unless they were from laughter. There was no Avatar with the weight of the world on her shoulders, no frustrating airbending training hanging over anyone's shoulders. They were just six kids being goofballs, eating snacks, and being friends. It was simple, easy, and carefree, which is exactly what Bolin intended it to be.
It was past midnight by the time everyone was ready for bed. Asami had insisted Sikenna and Kona stayed the night, right before she fell asleep on Mako's shoulder. Korra had left an hour ago, shortly after Bolin had fallen asleep on his stomach across one of the couches. Kona fell asleep on the floor in front of Bolin's couch. Honestly, Mako and Sikenna debated dragging them to their beds, but decided that they were too tired to do that- plus, they just didn't want to.
"Come on," Mako said, carefully sliding out from under Asami on the chair.
"I'll show you to your room before I get her to her room."
"You guys don't, like, sleep together?" Sikenna whispered, careful not to wake her. Mako looked around the room, making sure there were no servants around.
"No, of course not. That would be inappropriate." He said, but nodded his head slowly, making eye contact with Sikenna. Sikenna laughed under her breath and shook her head.
"You're an idiot. Anyone ever tell you that?" She poked at him, mocking his statement from earlier. Mako smiled and shoved her shoulder, walking past her.
"Shut up, let's go." He laughed at her, and she followed. The two sleepily walked up the stairs to a hallway with many doors. They walked to the end of it before they came to a stop.
"We're right down the hall, bathroom is the door with the light outside of it." He said to her with a yawn, pointing down the hall. Sikenna yawned with him and nodded.
"Room with the toilet, got it." Sikenna said, bumping the door open with her butt as she turned the door knob.
"Hey, so…" Mako stopped her. Sikenna rested the side of her head against the door but looked at him, not bothered by him stopping her from going inside the room.
"I know I said it earlier, but I just want to thank you for helping me. Not with just the gift, I guess I just, took away a lot from hanging out with you. I can see why Bolin got attached so quickly." He smiled and brought his hand to the back of his neck awkwardly. Sikenna could have sworn she saw him blush, but the hallway was dark, and she was too tired to really think too much into it.
"Ah yes, 'how to not accidentally propose to waterbenders 101'.' Just call me Professor." She winked and pointed finger guns at him.
"Not just that, but sure. Here." He tossed a little wrapped box at her without any warning. Sikenna fumbled slightly with it, almost dropping it as Mako laughed at her.
"Just don't open it in front of me, I hate that." He chuckled nervously, then cleared his throat.
"It's just a thank you gift. No big deal." He shrugged, trying to erase any tension he felt.
"You didn't need to." Sikenna smiled at him, tilting her head to the side. Mako gulped as he made eye contact with her.
"I-I know." He stuttered.
"But I did, so. Just take it."
"Oh, I'm going to." She assured him sarcastically. Sikenna yawned again, covering her open mouth with her hand.
"I should get Asami to bed, I'll see you in the morning, Kenna." Mako smiled genuinely at her as he took a few steps backwards away from her. Sikenna fought against her stomach jumping into her throat at the sight of it- damn pretty boys- and smiled back at him, her head resting against the door frame now.
"Goodnight, Koko." She grinned at him, waving once with the hand holding the gift she had been given.
The sleepover was clearly planned ahead of time, Sikenna realized, noticing the pair of silk pajamas waiting for her on the dresser. She changed into the silky tank top and shorts quickly, wrapping her mother's old robe around her as she walked over to the bed. The worn, familiar feeling of it on her skin made Sikenna relax with a deep sigh. She plopped on the bed on her butt, getting excited about how good she was going to sleep in one of Asami's fluffy, bouncy, rich people beds. Her eyes landed on the gift she placed on the nightstand next to the bed. When did he even have the time to get her anything? With a soft chuckle Sikenna reached for the gift and opened it, popping the lid to the box open with her thumb.
"Spirits, Mako." She giggled out, pulling out a woven bracelet, a fire stone secured at the center of it. She held it up at eye level and examined it, a smirk never leaving her lips. The red and orange swirls that weaved through the yellow stone looked just like flames dancing around, behaving like the wild element it was.
"He is so cheesy." She shook her head and laughed, securing the bracelet around her wrist and admiring it. The same hand reached forward and turned off the light next to the bed, and she snuggled into the puffy comfortable blankets that felt like they costed a small fortune. Sikenna found herself fiddling with the firestone bracelet in the dark, her smile shamelessly growing bigger the longer she did.
A/N: I hope you liked it! I really love writing interactions with Kenna and her friends without an already set plot point I have to meet. haha! If you enjoyed this & think you might enjoy other "Canon to Ember Nights" side stories like this, let me know! Happy Holidays!