a/n: I have been sitting on this fic for YEARS unfinished and I finally decided to finish it and here it is. I don't even know if anyone reads Korra fics anymore but if you do hi. Here is this cute thing.
Okay, so if this screw goes here . . . then this one goes in there. So now C will connect to B . . . Mako screwed the two pieces together. He lifted, what was suppose to be the railing to the crib, but it just looked . . . wrong. Mako let out a sharp breath and began unscrewing the pieces.
He couldn't understand how something as simple as a crib could be so difficult to put together. He was reading the instructions step by step but the damn. Piece. Wouldn't. Fit.
Thoroughly frustrated, Mako tossed the wooden monstrosity aside and ripped open the directions – again.
He roams over the tiny words, rubbing his thumb across his bottom lip. "This makes no sense." He mutters to himself, wishing he'd put this together when Asami was over because she is an engineer and all. Mako's eyes shift to the phone, debating on whether or not he should call her. His attention turned back to the paper. Asami was probably busy anyway and it was late. He made a mental note to give her a ring tomorrow if he hasn't figured it out by then.
Mako peeked up from the instructions and his gaze settling on Korra who sat at their small kitchen table. Shifting her weight, she propped her feet on a neighboring chair, reading one of the many baby books they'd come to own. Her brows pinched together in concentration, completely engrossed in the book.
Mako flicked his gaze to her swollen stomach, closely examining her. The days were drawing near to her due date, they only had a two weeks left but Kya said it could happen any day now.
And it wasn't helping that her stomach seemed to drop lower each day, almost taunting Mako's nerves. Mako remembered reading somewhere that the closer a pregnant women gets to her due date, the more her belly will drop. Something about the baby getting into position for birth. Korra hadn't seem to notice but Mako was keeping a close watch and it was . . . unnervingly low lately.
"Ew." Korra's voice snapped Mako from his thoughts.
He blinked. "What?"
Korra placed the book down on the table with a repulsed frown. "Child birth is disgusting." She sat straighter. "There is something called a . . ." She picked the book back up. "placenta and apparently it comes after the baby and – just – look at it,"
Korra turned the book towards Mako. He scooted closer to get a better look. Mako's stomach churned at the the picture of the red, fleshy, blob of who knows what. "Ew, what the - ?"
"Yeah. That comes out of me." Mako crinkled his nose before returning to the crib. Korra opened to another page, "Oh and that's not all, I could also tear."
Mako screwed a bolt into the wood. "Tear what?" He asked, glancing at Korra. She gave him a look, "Oh," He swallowed, a light bulb clicking in his head. "That."
"Yeah, that." Korra smirked. "Sometimes, I wonder how you made detective." She popped a carrot in her mouth.
"Hey," He pointed the screwdriver at her. "I'm a great detective."
Korra giggled and he turned back to his project, screwing in another piece that he wasn't completely sure went there.
Mako read over the step again, searching for the screw that wasn't there. He let out a hard breath rummaging through the mess spread across the floor.
A grunt came from behind Mako and he whipped around. Korra was leaning back on her chair reaching for the refrigerator.
Mako shot up. "Korra - !"
"Wait, Mako, I almost got it -"
Mako caught the back of the chair just as the front legs started to lift and planted it it safely on all fours. He took a breath and exhaled out his nose, keeping himself from exploding.
"Korra," He started. "What are you doing?"
Korra pointed to the fridge. "I wanted more carrots," She said simply as if what she'd just done didn't almost give Mako a heart attack.
"Korra, I was sitting five feet from you!"
"Yeah, but you were busy and I almost had it," She pouted.
Mako ran his hands down his face, feeling a headache coming on. She had been fine for the majority of the pregnancy, she let people help her and she did as she was told which was surprising considering this was Korra. But it wasn't until recently Korra decided she didn't need help and took it upon herself to do stuff like this. Mako was almost certain she was doing it to get a rise out of him.
He opened the fridge and snatched the bag of carrots, dropping them in front of Korra. "He's gonna turn into a rabbit if you keep eating those." Korra narrowed her eyes and stuffed the orange vegetable in her mouth, propping her feet back on the other chair.
That was another thing – carrots. It was the only food Korra had been craving. Carrots of all things. It was surprising the first time she had asked for them since Korra was never one for vegetables. It was always meat and anything deep fried. But Mako couldn't complain, they were healthy.
Mako stepped around Korra and lifted her legs from their spot and plopped down in the chair, settling her feet into his lap.
"How's that crib coming?" Korra asked, poking him with her toe.
"Oh, its great," He gestured to the pile of wood. "I think I almost got it – " Mako says just as the only side standing collapses.
Mako drops his head in defeat while Korra trembled across from him, desperately trying to stifle a laugh that ended up coming out a snort.
"Oh, you think that's funny?" Mako bit his bottom lip attempting to stop the smile that was forming. Korra nodded, tears springing from her eyes as she shuttered with laughter. "Do you know what I think is funny?" A mischievous grin tugged at his mouth.
Mako trapped Korra's feet and her eyes went wide. "Mako, no – !" A laugh erupted from her cutting off her sentence as Mako tickled her feet. She flailed helplessly in his grasp trying to escape but Mako's grip was strong. "Okay! Okay!" Korra shouted through her laughter, squirming in her chair. "Mako, stop – ! I'm gonna give birth to this child if you don't s-stop – !" She exclaimed.
That got him to quit in almost an instant. Korra relaxed in her chair, catching her breath. "I hate you." She said, kicking him with her foot. Mako just grinned.
It was quiet for awhile, besides Korra's munching and the bustle of the city. A warm breeze floated in from the open window and Mako inhaled deeply, he could almost smell the salty bay through the smog of the city. A siren wailed in the distance and Mako's eyes glazed over the city lights.
Korra sighed, the wood creaked beneath her as she shifted. Mako rubbed a hand over her foot, feeling swollen under his fingers. He began massaging them, "Everything okay?"
Korra rested a hand on her round stomach. She didn't answer right away and tugged her bottom lip with her teeth. "Its just weird . . ."
Mako paused. "What's weird?"
Korra's eyes roamed around their apartment as if memorizing the scene. "That's its not going to be just us anymore. Its not going to be about us anymore." She brought her attention back to Mako who was staring intently back. "He's going to be born and our whole world will be about him. Everything is going to change."
Mako licked his lips. "Is that a bad thing?"
Korra ran her hand over her stomach. "Well . . . No, I guess not." She fiddle with her betrothal necklace and sighed. "What if. . . What if we drift apart?" Her voice started to rise. "Because I've seen it happen, people get married have a kid and then bam! They split up – !"
"Korra . . ." Mako put her feet down and scooted his chair closer so he sat in front of her. He gathered her hands in his. "We're not going to split up."
"You don't know that." Korra said her blue eyes starting to mist over.
"Yes I do," Mako said softly. "You know why?" Korra sniffed in response. Mako brought her fingers to his lips. "Because I love you, Korra. I vowed to love you and be by your side forever. And having a baby won't split us up or make us forget about each other. He'll make our life . . . interesting."
Korra laughed. "Because our life hasn't been interesting enough?" Memories from their teenage years ran across his mind. From fighting equalist, to spirits, and just straight up psychopaths.
Mako squeezed her hands and laughed too. "Okay, well interesting in the non-dangerous way." He rubbed her belly. "And besides, you can't back out now. He has to be born so I can win the bet."
"He's not going to be a Firebender!" Korra exclaimed.
Mako grinned. "Yes he is, you just don't want him to be." There was a firm kick against Mako's hand as if to agree.
"I promise you he will be an Earthbender." Korra retorted.
The couple let Katara reveal the gender but they wanted to keep the element a surprise, mostly because its been an on going bet since the day Korra found out she was pregnant. And it wasn't just Mako and Korra in on it, the later she got in her pregnancy the more people started joining in.
Korra's parents, Asami and Jinora all think he will be a Waterbender. Bolin and Ikki are on board with Korra for him to be an Earthbender. Pema and Bumi are team Firebender and of course Meelo is a strong believer he will be an Airbender. Tenzin refused to 'gamble' on what element he may possess but Korra knows Tenzin is rooting for an Earthbender, even if he doesn't say it.
They haven't really figured out what the prize for winning will be but Mako thinks just the pride of predicting their child's bending element will be enough.
There were two kicks just below her belly button. "See! That was an Earthbending move," Korra punched the air as if to demonstrate.
Mako rolled his eyes and chuckled. He crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat. "Why don't you think he'll be a Waterbender? I think he has more of a chance being that than an Earthbender."
Korra placed both hands on either side of her stomach. "Because I know, Mako." She said ominously. "Mother's intuition." Korra added.
"Have you ever heard of Father's intuition?" He questioned, leaning over and grabbing a carrot.
"No," Korra swatted at his hand but Mako plopped the snack in his mouth. "Because that's not a real thing." She finished, pulling the bag of carrots closer to her. "Besides your brother is an Earthbender and so was your father so it can and will happen. Just you wait fire boy." She smirked.
Mako rose from his chair. "Whatever you say, babe." He planted a kiss on her forehead and one on her belly before returning to the crib.
He glared at the mess. He was never going to finish this stupid thing, at least not tonight. It was already past ten and he had work in the morning. As if to read his mind, Korra let out a yawn.
Mako turned. "Let's go to bed, I can't look at this crib anymore." He said stifling his own yawn.
He reached out to take Korra's hands and pulled her up from the table. Korra made a face as she straightened. "Oh boy." She said.
Mako froze. "What?"
Korra made another face and shifted. "I think my water just broke." She looked down, taking a step back. Her eyes widened at her bottoms that looked as if she sat in water.
Mako's mouth fell open meeting Korra's eyes. "Oh shit - ."
THE END.