A.N. This chapter is a little shorter as its purpose is to establish some of the tension between Mako and Akira. Also, thanks for the review, I appreciate the feedback!

So hope y'all like this, and let me know what y'all think!

~Artemis

Part I Revolution

Chapter Three

Akira

One Week Later...

Akira was excited to begin her new adventure in Republic city, although when Asami had given a kind (albeit strained) invitation to stay at the Sato estate, she wasn't quite sure she was excited anymore. That was until Tenzin offered her lodging in Air Temple island, and soon that happiness returned; Akira was quick to take the gracious offer and glad to have space between her and Asami. Although it wasn't a permanent living arrangement, Akira was thankful for the gesture. After all, it would be her first time on Air Temple Island and she was excited to experience it.

The Air Nomad culture had always intrigued her, she recalled reading about it as a girl and how she admired their nomadic lifestyle and pacificism. It was also beautiful to watch the reestablished culture, she participated in meditations and experienced numerous aspects of the culture guided by the Air Acolytes. Currently, she was being given a tour by Tenzin's youngest daughter Ikki. Akira found Ikki charming, although she was rather hyper and would often talk so fast that Akira would miss the entirety of her phrases, she still enjoyed the tour.

"So how long will you be staying on the island?" Ikki asked as she brought Akira back to the beginning of their tour.

"I'm not sure yet Ikki, probably until I find a vacant apartment in the city, I do need to be closer to work." Ikki nodded thoughtfully.

"Well, I'm glad we got to know each other now." Akira smiled at that and followed the girl back indoors until she heard her name being called. Akira was surprised to see no other than Detective Mako. She almost didn't recognize him out of his light blue uniform. His hair was more unruly than usual, and he was wearing rather casual clothing a dark grey shirt that was two buttons shy of being closed completely, he wore black knee-breeches and dark boots to match. She noticed the sleeves of his shirt rolled showing his forearms, it was strikingly different. And definitely not a bad one...

Akira noticed a scar on his left arm, it snaked around his forearm before disappearing into his sleeve. It made Akira more intrigued than she'd like to admit, he looked scrappy and she found she quite liked that look on him... Although, Ikki broke her out of her thoughts by squealing excitedly and airbending to Mako.

"Mako's here!" Ikki said excitedly as she made her way to him; he smiled and hugged the girl as they talked. Much of it was her scolding that he hadn't been visiting, just as Akira walked to them Pema called for her daughter to come eat dinner, she extended the invitation, but Akira politely declined along with Mako.

"What are you doing here?" Akira asked a little more forcefully than she meant to.

"Ouch," Mako said good-naturedly as the two sat on the steps of the building. "I wanted to see how you were doing, I know Air Temple island can be a little bit of a culture shock." Akira looked at him skeptically, she couldn't help but wonder why he felt the need to come all the way out here. While another part of her was flattered that he was, that he cared enough to want to know if she was okay.

"Sorry, but I'm doing good; it's definitely is different… but in a good way." Akira said trying to make up for her earlier harshness, Mako nodded a smirk on his face.

"How's the vegetarian diet?" Akira turned to him suddenly, her eyes wide.

"I hate it." The two laughed and Akira had to admit that she liked seeing him at ease, it made her relax a little bit to feel less formal for once. Mako stood up and held his hand out to her, she looked at him skeptically.

"C'mon Akira I don't bite." He teased, she smiled and took his hand. "Where are we going?" She asked as he helped her to her feet, Mako turned walking backwards towards the ferry."Trust me." He said a smile growing on his face, and Akira wasn't quite sure why she was going along with it. But his smile was infectious and she felt herself beginning to smile right along with him. The two took a ferry into the city, as the setting sun began to make its golden shadow against the water. It bathed the world in a gold and reddish hue, making everything seem warmer and lively.

As she glanced at Mako she felt that he looked that way too, warm and inviting. Mako raised an eyebrow and she turned away her face growing hot as she realized she was staring. He laughed it off and led her off the ferry as they finally got back to the mainland of Republic City. Mako brought her to his awaiting Satocycle and threw his leg over the bike putting on a helmet before handing Akira another.

"I don't know Mako." She said apprehensively.

"Live a little." He teased; his arm still outstretched. Akira looked towards the helmet, then to the ferry just to see it making its way back out into the water. Her escape now far behind her she gave a resigned sigh and took the helmet from him, securing it onto her head before climbing on to the bike. Akira looked down searching for somewhere she could hold on to. "Where do I?" Akira asked, still searching for some sort of security measure for passengers. She hadn't really used scooters or cycles she was more comfortable in trucks and cars. Without a word, Mako took her arms and wrapped them around his torso.

"Just hold on tight." He said before kicking the bike to life, and at that moment, Akira was glad that Mako couldn't see her face because she beyond flustered. She loosened her hold on his torso just slightly trying not to press her body against his, that was until he took off and she found herself holding on a light tighter than she intended. "Told you," Mako said laughing, and Akira could feel his muscles contracting from the laugh and the firmness of his body beneath her fingertips.

She had been a little cold from the breeze in the city, but it was beginning to get warmer…

Akira had to admit that by the time they arrived at their destination she was ravenous. She had been polite when the Air Acolytes had invited her to their daily meals. But she had to admit that she missed the smell of meats being roasted. The air was filled with the hot spices that accompanied Komodo chicken and roast duck."Fire Nation food?" Akira asked excitedly, Mako smiled hanging his helmet on the bike and taking Akira's from her hands.

"I thought you might be a little homesick." The two walked into the store, it was cramped like most of the renovated establishments, but the heat of the room felt more like home than anything had before. And although Akira loved traveling and loved performing, she had to admit that she missed home. The two were seated at a rather cramped booth and served quickly. Akira practically moaned at the taste of meat, her taste buds tingling from the spices of the Komodo chicken. Just as a server passed the warm and inviting smell of her childhood flooded her senses. "They have fire flakes?" Akira asked excitedly.

Mako laughed an ordered it without another word after the excitement of cuisine died down the two finally got to talking. It was easy for Akira to speak to Mako, more so than she thought it would be. There was something undeniably comfortable about him, she couldn't quite place what it was. Whether it was their shared culture or something else entirely, but she felt a connection of sorts. She didn't feel the need to have her reservations around him, and that isn't something she felt often.

And it frightened her.

"So, what was it like growing up in the Fire Nation?" Mako asked curiously, Akira shrugged nonchalantly. "It was the Fire Nation." Mako nodded understanding her coldness far better than most people did.

"I get it, we don't have to talk about it." And maybe it was because Akira wasn't expecting that, but she found herself wanting to tell him more.

"I'm sorry that was rude of me. I wasn't kidding about those family issues." She said with a short laugh. "I grew up really comfortable, I'm really fortunate that I had what I did. And I am so thankful that I had my grandparents but… I really needed my mom you know? I felt like she didn't want me, so my whole life I feel like…I feel like I've been lost I guess..." Akira looked up into Mako's eyes and he smiled, and it wasn't the usual sympathetic one that she was used to getting.

For the first time in a while, she found someone who understood, and from the looks of it far better than anyone else would. It was his turn now, and at first, he too had reservations but after a while, he couldn't stop the words from flowing; and Akira let him talk.

He went into painful detail about how he had given anything for his brother, how they had worked odd jobs, and gotten involved in gangs just for the prospect of having their bellies filled with food. He talked about his probending days and how much he loved it but how the world called a little louder. He talked about how he finally felt like he found his calling. But then he trailed off, and Akira understood that silence better than most.

"But it's not enough," Akira said softly, by now they had been walking the streets of the city for a while. The last rays of sun had long since disappeared from the horizon, and the streetlights (that still worked) began to cast a different hue on the world around them. There was a slight glow from the spirits that occasionally flitted past, even the vines that trailed through certain areas seemed to breathe a new life that Akira hadn't felt before.

There was a lot that she hadn't felt before...or rather in a while and it was beginning to frighten her. Mako stopped walking, effectively bringing her out of her own thoughts. But this time when he looked at her, he looked just as confused and hurt as she felt. He turned away from her and looked up at the sky. "Yeah, I mean I always thought that my little brother was the lost one. I mean he was the one that went from calling to calling. But he has been more content than I have ever been." Mako looked towards Akira his eyes never meeting hers, he instead scowled at the ground and continued.

"I have a purpose there isn't a doubt about that but I just…I feel so alone sometimes that I'm afraid I'll suffocate." And against her own better judgment Akira reached for Mako's hand gently directing his glance to hers.

"I know how it feels Mako, it feels like you'll never resurface from the water…I really get that, drowning is scary." Akira wasn't sure where to go from there she hadn't meant to say that, but it rang true for them both. Mako pressed closer, his body turning into hers and Akira was very conscious of the heat radiating off of him. He stepped closer to her, his hand leaving hers and slowly cupping her face.

When Akira looked into his eyes then, she felt like they mirrored her own. She saw someone who was lost, someone just as afraid of the water as she was. But she didn't want to drown into their depths. She didn't want to be someone's life raft; Akira turned her face away from his and he dropped his hand between them.

"I'm so sorry that was…" Mako trailed off his cheeks reddening, and part of Akira wanted him to not be sorry; a huge part of her wanted to let him kiss her because as much as she wanted to fight it he got under her skin. Mako reignited a fire in her that she had thought she abandoned, but it was one that she couldn't allow to grow. She had to snuff it out before it raged into something dangerous.

"I can't Mako." She said softly and for the first time Mako saw a vulnerability in her, he truly saw the sadness that radiated beneath that exterior. She showed the world a confident, sarcastic, and strong woman but she was hurting too. She was just as angry and confused by the world as Mako, and maybe that was why he wanted her. He wanted to feel something, he wanted the passion that she blatantly showed; he wanted to feel warmth. But she had been burned out and abandoned just as he had, and he didn't have the heart to be persistent.

"Hey; how about we pretend that didn't happen. Besides, I think we may help one another better as friends." Akira brightened at that and nodded.

"I'd really like that Mako." He held out his arm to her and she took it heading back to his Satocycle, and sure her heart raced when she held onto him. And she was very aware that his heart picked up when she touched him, but it was a little easier now to ignore the subtle awareness they had for each other because the understanding was so clear. They both weren't ready to fall into the depths; it was better to stay in the shallow.

Mako

As Mako rode home that night, he felt a significant change. He wasn't quite sure if there was a change within himself or within the world around him, but he felt like something had been lifted within him. And he was certain that it had something to do with Akira, in such a short time she had become a beckon of light lifting him out of this feeling. He had been searching for that warmth, and he thought he'd find it through other women. And for a period, he did, but that fight had left him recently. He realized that he couldn't steal the light from within someone, he had to create it himself.

And as they spent more time together, and one week turned to two Mako slowly felt himself break through to the surface. That heaviness was slowly leaving him, and it left room for something else, something new. And every time his eyes met those beautiful brown eyes, or he heard that distinct laugh that was just uniquely Akira's he wanted to fall

Or perhaps he already was…