Hi everyone!

Here's the next chapter. This one was tough for me to write, but I hope it turned out alright! I really wanted to take it slow with these two - I want the Makorra relationship to be natural. Hopefully it seems that way!

Reviews and favorites are much appreciated! And thank you to those who have given feedback so far - you guys are awesome!

~Mako~

Mako walked slowly, enjoying and taking in the festival-like atmosphere that the neighborhood exhibited. This part of Republic City was much different than that considered to be in Triad territory. Witnessing people all around – smiling and having a good time – was a change in pace for him.

So, of course, the universe was obviously against him when he rounded a street corner and collided headfirst into a Water Tribe girl. His hand shot out to her shoulder to keep her from falling.

"I'm so sorry," Mako apologized frantically.

"No, it's fine. I wasn't watching where I was…"

Cerulean eyes locked with amber.

"… going…"

The girl gasped and Mako groaned.

"You!" They both shouted at each other, fingers pointed in accusation.

Mako's little escape from reality was supposed to be peaceful. So, the last thing he'd wanted was to bump straight in the Avatar.

Literally.

"You're that thug," Korra snarled, slapping Mako's hand away from her shoulder and raising her arms up into a fighting position.

"And you're the Avatar," Mako deadpanned.

"Great observation, what tipped you off? How I saved that man's life and beat you and your friends up at the same time?"

"You didn't beat me up!"

"That bruise on your cheek proves otherwise," Korra smirked. Mako's hand went to his cheek defensively.

"Why don't we finish what we started?" Korra stated, her palm lighting up with a flame. "I can give you a bruise on the other cheek to match."

Some people were stopping to stare at the two teenagers. Mummers drifted to Mako's ears.

"Is that Water Tribe chick firebending?"

"Doesn't she kind of look like…"

"The Avatar?"

Mako took a step toward Korra. "You're making a scene, put the fire away," he hissed. "Look, I have a feeling that it'd be bad if you were to draw attention to yourself tonight, am I right?"

Korra faltered, but nodded as she extinguished the fire.

"Come with me," Mako whispered, gesturing for her to follow.

"What?" I am not going anywhere with you."

Mako groaned and grabbed the Avatar's wrist to yank her forward. She stiffened and looked like she was going to roundhouse kick him in the head. Eventually, however, her posture relaxed and she followed willingly although unhappily.

They weaved through the crowd and tried to appear as normal as possible. Citizens passing by probably thought they were two teenagers on a date – not a Triad and the Avatar who were at each others' throats.

"Where are we going?" Korra asked impatiently, but Mako shushed her as they turned another street corner.

He looked both ways before ducking into a small, dimly lit building with the Avatar in tow. Once they were inside Korra quickly snatched her wrist away and frowned.

"Where are we?"

"Narook's," Mako explained. "It's a noodle shop – not much business at this hour. We can talk here without being overheard."

It looked as if Korra had barely registered a word he'd said. "…Noodles?"

"Yeah…"

Korra dug into her pockets and came up empty-handed. Sighing, she looked up at Mako expectedly.

Mako groaned. "No… No way am I –"

"Either you buy something or you get out of my shop," Narook, the elderly Water Tribe owner, called from the counter. Korra grinned and Mako groaned once again, picking a few yuans out of his pockets. They were quickly snatched up and hurried over to the counter.

A few minutes later, Mako and Korra were seated in the back corner of the room at a small wooden table for two. Korra devoured her noodles as Mako watched, half disgusted and half amused.

"I can't believe I bought the Avatar noodles," he mused to himself.

"I can't believe I let a dirty gangster buy me noodles," she said in between slurps. Mako's eyebrow twitched with annoyance.

"You don't even know me."

Korra, pushing her empty bowl aside, looked up at him angrily. "I saw what you did to that poor old man. I know you well enough."

"Look – there was a lot to that situation that you don't understand," he hissed, trying not to raise his voice.

"I saw gangsters attacking the elderly, I stopped them, and then I got thrown in jail because of it," Korra said bitterly. "What else is there to get?"

Mako, realizing that he was getting dangerously close to a topic he didn't want to discuss with a virtual stranger, smirked instead. "Did they take your mug shot?"

Korra's cheeks burned. "Yes. And it's not funny – it was your entire fault to begin with!" She beat her fist down on the table and the empty bowl clattered loudly. "I can't believe I let some stupid firebending Triad get me arrested on my first day in town!"

"I have a name…"

"Yeah, it's Mako," Korra said harshly. "I heard one of your pals say it the other day."

Mako blinked, surprised that she had picked up on that. "You're pretty observant," he noted.

"First you call me ignorant, and now observant? Make up your mind," Korra spat. Her eyes flashed dangerously, and Mako's mind clicked with realization.

"That's it," he laughed, snapping his fingers. "That's why you're so mad. It's not about Mr. Chung – it's the fact that I called you ignorant."

Korra growled and looked like she wanted to start wailing on him.

"If it got you that upset, then I'm sorry, really," Mako said, trying to make amends before she turned violent in the middle of a noodle shop.

Korra's tight posture relaxed, and she slowly slumped her shoulders. "It's true though…" She muttered quietly.

"What?"

"What you said is true," Korra growled. "I was locked up in a compound for more than a decade. I'm the Avatar, but the only thing I've done my whole life is practice my bending. I didn't travel, I didn't learn about different cultures… The only thing my masters said I had time for was the elements, and even then I can only bend three of them!" She rested her face in her hands and looked up at him expectedly, as if she wanted him to continue the conversation. Cheer her up somehow. Give her some advice between friends.

Does she think we're friends? Mako wondered to himself. Just a moment ago she was calling him a dirty thug, but now she was acting like nothing was wrong.

She must have not had much experience with… people in general. Now that Mako thought about it… how many people Korra's age actually lived at the compound in the South Pole? Probably none. There was a reason her best friend was a giant polar bear dog.

Korra frowned a bit when he hesitated to answer. This seemed to snap her out of whatever she'd been thinking about the firebender. "Why am I even telling you this? You don't care."

"I hate being in the Triads," Mako blurted out before he could stop himself. Korra looked up, her eyes widening – urging him to continue. "I have a little brother who I haven't seen in years, so it really makes the job feel like hell."

"What's his name?"

"Bolin."

"Why don't you see him anymore?"

Mako faltered. "It's… complicated."

Korra hummed. "Did you guys have a fight?" She asked.

"… Yeah, you could say that."

"That's tough," Korra said, real concern flashing in her eyes. Her hand hovered in the air – Korra hesitated before reaching across the table and placing it on his shoulder.

She was trying to comfort him, Mako realized.

"Why don't you just quit being a Triad if you hate it so much?" Korra questioned him.

"It's more complicated than that," Mako shrugged. "That'd be like me asking you to quit your Avatar duties."

"I would upset too many people if I did that," Korra mused. "Tenzin especially…"

"Did you… sneak off that island?" Mako asked at the mention of Tenzin, and Korra quickly redrew her hand and placed it back in her lap. "I won't tell anyone that I saw you tonight, if that's what you're worried about."

"Yeah… I did," Korra gulped, her head hung in guilt. "I couldn't take it there anymore – I needed a night out."

Mako nodded. "Same with me."

The two teenagers sat in silence, pondering what the other had said.

"We're… kind of similar," Korra piped up, her voice laced with disbelief.

Mako sat looking at the Avatar. She was smiling up at him and she looked totally at ease, as opposed to only a few minutes ago.

It was unnerving for Mako. He still didn't trust this girl. Befriending people outside of the gang – especially the Avatar – was a bad idea.

But the way she kept looking at him… No one had looked this happy to be around him in a long time. Mako was so used to people running the other way. He was so used to closing himself off to everyone around him. Why should Korra be any different?

Mako grinned back at her, but mentally promised himself that he wouldn't let Korra get too close.

Her bright cerulean eyes were brimming with the new hope of friendship, but Mako's were guarded…

Something that she was probably too ignorant to realize.