"Lin."
She almost turns to look over her shoulder, her voice pitched high. "Yes, sir?"
"It's been thirty minutes," Mako tells her.
It seems so much longer.
"How does it feel to stand there, knowing I'm concerned about everything else but you?"
Lin sniffs, breathing from her mouth. "Ignored, sir."
"And how does it feel to be ignored?"
She closes her eyes, licking dried salt from her lips. "It hurts…"
"What?"
"It hurts, sir."
"Why does it hurt, Lin? I'm not hitting you."
"It feels...it feels like I'm not important to you, sir."
She hears his footsteps approach her. Her shoulders ache, fingers interlaced behind her head, and Lin breathes shallow – but Mako walks past her into the kitchenette.
Tears well in the corner of her eyes as he opens the tap and runs something under the water. She hears him move from the sink to the chair over which her coat and shirt are draped. Mako takes a seat and silence falls.
Lin dares not breathe too loud. She feels his eyes on her back, inspecting every naked inch. Then, he speaks.
"Turn around."
Mako is dressed entirely in black, a turtleneck sweater covering every bit of skin besides his hands. Lin bites her lip as she faces him. She bought that sweater.
"Come here," he says quietly.
Lin shuffles forward, trousers and panties pooled around her ankles. She keeps her hands behind her head; he hasn't instructed her otherwise.
Mako holds a washcloth in one hand. The other moves to stroke Lin's bare thighs when she comes to stand between his knees. She trembles at his touch, fresh tears curving down her cheeks.
"What do you say?" he asks.
"Thank you, sir," Lin whispers.
Mako nods. "Good girl. Down."
She obeys him, lowering herself to her knees. His eyes lock hers in place, until Mako glances at her bra.
"Take it off."
Lin undoes the clasp at her back, then slips her arms out of the garment. Folding it, she offers it to Mako. He puts it on the table behind him.
"Hands in your lap," he tells her. "Sit up straight."
Lin feels the stretch in her thighs and tamps down on the urge to grimace. Mako reaches forward and runs his fingers through her short hair, his hand then caressing Lin's cheek before cupping her chin. He takes the washcloth and carefully wipes around her eyes. Her face feels fresh as dried tear trails are cleaned away.
"That's better, isn't it?"
Lin smiles. "Yes, sir."
SMACK!
She gasps, hair falling into her eyes. Her right cheek stings hotly.
"What do you say?"
"Thank you, sir!"
SMACK!
Lin squeezes her eyes shut as pain blooms across her face. "Thank you, sir!"
"Look at me," Mako says calmly.
She peeks out from behind her hair, shoulders raised to her ears. Lin flinches when Mako brings a hand to her cheek. He strokes it, gently.
"Relax," he tells her.
He waits until her shoulders fall, until she takes a deep breath from her stomach and her breasts rise.
SMACK!
"Thank you, sir!"
SMACK!
"Th-Thank you, sir!"
"Good girl," he says with a low tone. "Eyes on me, Lin."
She shakes hair out of them. Mako's hands curls slowly around her throat, and he begins to squeeze.
Lin splutters as her ears start to ring, and her hands shoot up from her lap to scrabble at Mako's wrists. He pulls them away, winding his fingers into Lin's hair and dragging her head back. He lifts his right hand -
SMACK!
Lin gasps, slapped to the floor. The left side of her face stings with heat and she blinks new tears out of her eyes.
Mako's hands are a vice around her neck in the next moment. He drags her back up to face him. His mouth is pressed thin, turned down at the corners. His glare is fierce. Lin keeps her hands in her lap. They curl into fists as her eyes begin to bulge and she chokes.
Mako releases her. Lin gulps down air, feeling light in the head. He watches her, waiting.
"Thank you, sir!"
Mako smirks. He cups her chin once more, pushing his thumb between Lin's lips. He lets her suckle on it for a quiet minute or two.
"Come on," he says afterwards, tracing the slick pad of his digit over her mouth. "Time to go."
He helps Lin to her feet. "Put your coat on."
She reaches for her shirt first. Mako stops her.
"Just your coat."
He walks her down to his Satomobile. Lin furtively tugs her overcoat around herself as they step into the night. It is very late now. As a smoking pedestrian glances their way, Lin is glad Mako let her button the coat up. Her nipples are tight underneath it, grazing against the material.
Mako opens the car door for her, setting his small holdall at her feet once she gets in. Lin doesn't need to be told where to sit this time. Adjusting his rear-view mirror as he gets behind the wheel, Mako takes a long look at her.
"Let me see your breasts."
Lin takes a deep breath and unbuttons her coat. She slowly moves its lapels out of the way, exposing herself to Mako's unblinking gaze.
"Are you proud of them?"
She glances down. They certainly aren't as prominent as the Avatar's, plastered across the front page of tabloid newspapers every time she addresses the media. Nevertheless, Mako can't keep his hands off them.
Lin smiles.
"I am, sir."
He turns the key in its ignition. "Then act like it."
The Satomobile's engine rumbles to life. Lin pulls her shoulders back and rests her elbows on top of the back-seat. She watches Mako's eyes in the rear-view mirror as she pushes her chest out. Fortunately, the road is quiet, for they linger.
Each time they do, Lin sits up a little straighter.
"Pinch your nipples," he tells her.
Lin traps each one between thumb and forefinger, pulling on them. Her eyes close and she bites her lip.
"Let me hear you."
She gasps a little louder, moaning softly at the sensation of pinch and twist.
"Play with them," Mako says, "like I would."
Lin covers each breast with her whole hand, squeezing and caressing herself. If only she could reach them with her mouth. Her nipples gripped delicately between teeth makes her hiss.
"Are you wet?"
Knees spread a little more, a hand pushing under Lin's panties. Her fingers move through thick hair and glide over her lips.
"Yes, sir," she breathes.
Mako captures her eyes in the rear-view mirror. "Wet enough to fuck?"
Lin swallows and shakes her head. "Not yet."
"We're almost home," he says, focusing on the road again.
Lin's knuckles form a tent under her trousers, moving quickly.
She understands.