It wasn't unusual for Mako to treat Korra to a nice dinner and relaxing evening when she had to leave on Avatar duties. Knowing they wouldn't see each other for days, weeks, or even months made them want to keep their last moments together calm before she took off, so that way they would have no bad memories to worsen the distance. That night, however, Mako had been acting strange the whole time, and it was beginning to worry Korra.

He was preoccupied, distant, and it was making the night a strain on her instead of the good time it was supposed to be. At the last minute, Mako had changed their plans, and instead of taking her out to eat, he brought her home after a walk in the park and cooked her dinner. Not that she was complaining about that, his cooking was delicious. His behavior during it all was strange, though. Mako was a creature of habit, and over time, she had come to rely on that about him, especially once she started to travel so much. Knowing what to expect when she returned home was always a comfort.

Now, however, she was beginning to have misgivings about leaving.

Annoyed with the awkward silence, every attempt at conversation being met with non-committal answers, Korra sighed and grabbed her empty plate. Mako reached out and grabbed her hand, stopping her from leaving. Half-risen from her chair, she paused and frowned over at him. The serious look in his eyes kept her from making a comment, and instead she slowly sank back into her chair. "Mako? What is it? You've been acting strange all night."

"Sorry. Sorry, it's just, I don't really know how to do this."

He looked away, a frown on his face as he sank back into thought. Tensing, Korra tried not to shake as she felt she knew what he was going to say. She pulled her hand away and he looked up sharply, confusion clouding his expression. "You're breaking up with me, aren't you?" she refused to meet his gaze, staring down at the floor instead.

"What, no, I-," he watched in bewilderment as she stood up to leave.

She stormed towards the door, but arms enveloping her from behind kept her from retreating. "Mako, let me go, I'm-."

"I want you to marry me."

The fumbling words made her freeze. She barely noticed how awkward his proposal was, just what it was. Mouth agape, her body went just about limp in his arms. He loosened his hold, turning her around so that he could look at her face. His cheeks were tinged pink with a faint blush, and he glanced away once more as he tried to find the right words. "I didn't mean to make you think that, breaking up with you is the last thing I want to do. I love you, Korra. And I promise you, I'll always be here when you come back. Please, marry me?"

Swallowing thickly against the lump that had formed in her throat, Korra stared up at him with wide, searching eyes. As they stared at one another, Mako suddenly glanced down at his chest, releasing her and patting down his coat. Confused, she watched him curiously, and he pulled out a small box and popped it open. "I, uh, I know you're not much for jewelry, but, well, there's been this trend picking up in the city, to give your girlfriend a ring when you ask her to marry you, and, well, I, uh, here."

The ring was simple enough, a silver-colored metal band that she couldn't say if it was in fact just silver or something else, and two inlaid gemstones set side-by-side, one red, one blue. He was right, she wasn't one for jewelry, and she couldn't even identify the stones, let alone the metal, but what she did know was that it was more than she had ever expected, and that she would wear it proudly. "Mako, I, I don't know what to say."

"'Yes' would be nice," he replied with a nervous laugh.

Smiling, she looked up at him and nodded, "Yes." Letting out a loud laugh as the shock began to melt away and happiness settled in, she grinned and nodded again, "Of course!" She settled a hand on the back of his head and pulled him down for a kiss. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close, and he shut the box in his hand so that the ring wouldn't fall out. He could put it on her finger later. For now, he was intent on just enjoying the fact that she had accepted, and her growing enthusiasm as she pressed impossibly tighter against him.