Hey you Avatards! Thanks for all the nice reviews! So, I'm planning on having this done within the month. I'll probably be publishing a chapter every two days or so. Thank Agni it's summer… otherwise I wouldn't have time for this. BTW, some formatting errors kept occurring the last couple chapters, so hopefully this one will be better.
I don't own LOK, ATLA, or any of its characters. I DO, however, own every character outside of the TV Series, so ha-ha, Bryke.
Anywho… enjoy!
Mako was on cloud nine. Soon, he would be a father. He would have a little boy or girl bouncing on his lap soon and he would be able to care for it with his whole heart. He would raise him or her to be a strong, caring person along with his beautiful wife. They would be a picturesque family.
Korra was overjoyed that Mako was so happy. The stress she had packed onto herself over that week was quickly vanishing, leaving behind only fantasies of family. Suddenly all her concerns about Mako hating her seemed silly. They were married and they obviously loved each other. What had she been so worried about? When she woke up next to Mako for the first time all week, she couldn't help but think maybe things would be easier than she thought.
She, as always, was wrong.
Tenzin had been peacefully tending to his garden when Korra and Mako stopped by to drop the bomb. He inevitably blew up.
"What do you mean, you're pregnant?! How could… How—" He turned to a surprised Mako and jabbed his finger accusingly. "You! What were you THINKING?! She's the Avatar, and a YOUNG Avatar at that! You both JUST got married; you JUST got back from you're honeymoon; for spirit's sake, you JUST procured a promotion! That doesn't happen easily! And now you're just going to throw away your career? What makes you think—?"
Korra stepped in front of Mako protectively and lightly smacked Tenzin's hand away from his face. "What makes us think it's the right time? Is THAT the question you were gonna ask? Hmm, maybe the fact that we're MARRIED hadn't come to mind, huh?! We know it's untimely and we KNOW it's going to be harder on us to juggle everything, but have you thought for a second that we're willing to FIGHT for it?!"
Tenzin's demeanor softened slightly, but his face contorted in worry. "I understand that, Korra, I do! It's just…" The Airbending master pinched the bridge of his nose. His voice lowered from anger to anxiety. His frustration melted away to reveal the face of a concerned father; it reminded Korra of her own dad. "Korra, don't you remember what I told you? Did you listen to a single word I said?"
Korra's eyes widened in surprise. He normally wasn't this mellow.
"Korra, when a female Avatar becomes pregnant, she is put at a higher risk of attack than a male Avatar EVER would be! The family instantly becomes a target. Didn't you think about the tabloids for a moment? Or the trip to Ba Sing Sei later this year? Didn't you remember any of that?" And with that, the middle-aged man plopped on the stairs.
"And didn't you think for a moment that I knew about all those things?" Korra said gently, placing a hand on Tenzin's shoulder. "What's done is done. Isn't that what you've always told me? Now it's time to get ready for the future. The baby is coming, whether we like it or not. Now we just need to prepare for it."
Mako walked up to the bewildered nomad who had been massaging the sides of his head consolingly. The Firebender knelt next to him and looked him straight in the eye.
"If it's any consolation, sir, I just found out yesterday."
Tenzin scoffed, and then sighed. He looked up at Korra with grief in his eyes. "Korra, this wasn't done gracefully." He looked suddenly exhausted. "However, you're right. What's done is done. I just… I just thought I would have a little more time to worry about this." He stood and approached the shaken Avatar. "I know you're not going to like this, but I must assign a few Lotus members to guard you during your pregnancy. It's nothing against you; I know you can take care of yourself. However, with you unable to bend, it will give me peace of mind there is someone other than Mako watching over you."
Mako gave his wife a confused look and she mentally slapped herself. Yesterday she somehow forgot to mention that she wouldn't be able to bend at all when she was in her third month. Terrific.
She opened her mouth and Tenzin braced himself for an argument, but instead he felt two arms wrap around his chest. He looked down in shock and saw the Avatar sigh in comfort and relief before saying, "I wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you, Tenzin." She looked up at him with her big baby-blue eyes and Tenzin's heart melted. He gave her a final squeeze before releasing her and turning to Mako.
"I know this is difficult for both of you, and it will certainly be a challenge for me," Tenzin ran his hand over his bald head. "However, I'm not the one you should be worried about."
"Who SHOULD we be worried about?" Korra raised an eyebrow. "You're practically my dad. I feel as though I've told my own FATHER I'm pregnant."
Tenzin smiled sadly. "As touching as that is, the fact remains that Mako will have to take time off of work. Unfortunately, that won't be easy, especially since you've just received a promotion."
Mako nodded understandingly. "I thought of that. I guess I'll have to break the news to Bei Fong now."
"Now THAT'S going to be hard," Korra snorted.
This was one of those rare times when Korra was right. Mako insisted she should stay home, much to the Avatar's chagrin. She was, however, convinced when Mako kissed her on the head and informed her that it would only make things more complicated if his wife earthbended his boss into the wall in anger. Tenzin sheepishly muttered that it would probably be best if he stayed behind, too, considering his rocky past with the chief of police.
Thus, Mako found himself walking up the stone steps to the police station, alone and nervous. Tenzin had handled the news rather gracefully (considering what they thought his reaction would be), but Lin Bei Fong was not so easily swayed by emotion and sentiment. The Firebender had rarely seen his boss smile or, even rarer, laugh. Something told him that asking to take time off to be with his wife so soon after receiving an advancement would not sit well with the Earthbender.
Mako opened the door to the familiar sounds of the office—the click-it-tit-tat-ding of the type writers, the frequent ringing of phones, quiet chatter. The sounds of productivity usually soothed him, but that day they were unnerving and even a little annoying. They reminded him of a clock that was constantly reminding him of the few days, weeks, and months that he had left until he would be responsible for another human being on top of the Avatar and the rest of the citizens in Republic City. The new captain received some glances from around the room and he felt the pressure of his newfound responsibilities weigh on him. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to do this today.
As Mako turned to leave, an excited cry came from the other side of the room. The Firebender turned to see his then-colleague, now-employee Yhao Ling exit Bei Fong's office.
"Hey, Mako! Where've ya been?!" Yhao exclaimed thunderously. He received a few irritated glares from his co-workers, but he paid no attention as he strode towards the tense Firebender. "Didn't see ya come in yesterday. Thought ya wasn't coming in at all!"
Being a control freak, Mako flinched at his worker's grammatical error, but shook it off with a shaky sigh. "Things have been picking up at home since the promotion, so I got the day off yesterday."
"Pickin' up, huh?" Yhao's obnoxious voice traveled throughout the comparatively quiet office. "Ya mean yous two been sleeping it up, huh? Been gettin' a little cozy with ya new wife, eh?"
Yhao slapped his embarrassed new boss on the shoulder—HARD—and laughed boomingly. If he had been looking at a mirror, Mako was sure he would have been able to see veins popping out of his own forehead in humiliation.
"Lighten up, Mako. Come on inside the break room and have some coffee. That'll loosen ya up." And with that the Firebender was dragged through the door of the break room to the annoyed stares of everyone in the office.
Mako was pushed into a chair and a coffee mug was forced into his hand before he had a chance to protest. The eccentric officer winked at his new boss as he slipped a bottle of brandy out of his uniform sleeve and poured a bit of it into Mako's mug. Mako made a mental note to himself to not put Yhao in charge of any upcoming missions.
"Yhao, this is really nice of you, but I have to talk to Bei Fong."
"Bei Fong, eh?" Yhao didn't look up as he poured some liquor into his own mug. "I guess ya're gonna hafta get in line. I heard the president is coming by later on fer some legalized business crap. I bet you could leave right now and she wouldn't notice."
"That was sort of the plan, you blabbermouth," Mako thought furiously.
"Looks like I'm gonna have ta start getting' used to calling ya 'Captain Mako', eh? Korra must be pretty excited about that." The drunkard chuckled as he sipped the liquid in his cup.
Mako swished the liquid around. He detested liquor and what it did to people. He also never really favored the taste. He figured if he did he would probably be as drunk as Yhao right now. Mako sighed. Maybe just a sip to take the edge off.
"Yeah, she's ecstatic. We're both really happy." Mako avoided eye contact as he let the cold drink burn the back of his throat. He scowled into his cup. Yup. THAT'S why he didn't drink.
Yhao put his mug down and rubbed the wet drops of liquor off his bushy mustache. "Cap'n, I may not be Toph Bei Fong, but I know when somebody ain't telling me e'erythin'."
Mako stared into his cup some more. What even WAS this stuff he was drinking? It didn't taste like any beer or wine he had ever sampled. As he drank it, it felt like there was a frog slipping down to his stomach: slimy, wet, and oily.
"C'mon, spill it, Cap'n."
"Korra's pregnant."
Mako didn't really know where it came from. Maybe it was the alcohol already kicking in, or maybe it was just a rare moment of carelessness. Either way, the secret was out, and Yhao's wide eyes grew even wider.
"YOU GOT THE AVATAR PREGNANT ALREADY?!" He bellowed so loud that the birds outside were distressed and they flew away in all directions.
Mako slapped his hand over his drunken employee's mouth. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" He scolded harshly.
"You sure move fast, boy!" Yhao drunkenly pushed Mako's hand aside and gulped the rest of his drink down happily. Mako watched, disgusted, as the drunkard laughed himself to sleep on the table. He peered into his own still half-full glass of liquor. This stuff sure was strong.
Mako began to quietly speed-walk towards the door. Maybe nobody heard Yhao's blunder. Maybe it was only that loud in his head. Maybe, if he was REALLY lucky, he could sneak past everyone, right out the door onto the streets; then he would go home, pack Korra up, move them to Ba Sing Sei and live happily ever after. Maybe—
The Firebender felt a sharp tug on the back of his collar. He turned his head to behold the Earthbending Chief herself, her eyebrows hunched low over her eyes and her lips contorted in a disapproving scowl. Mako gulped as her eyes traveled from his face to his mug, to Yhao (who was presently snoring), to the bottle of brandy, and back to Mako.
"Yhao been drinking again?" She mused crossly.
Mako chuckled nervously before being dragged, for the second time that day, through an office full of quiet, angry-looking workers and a door leading to his inevitable demise.
Visions of him rotting in prison flashed in front of his eyes as Mako was plopped into a wooden chair opposite of the scarred chief. Sitting in this chair was unpredictable. Some men had been given raises in this spot while some had been sentenced twenty to life. The same chair Mako was sitting in today was both blessed and cursed. He just prayed to the Spirits it was blessed today.
"I didn't take you for a drinker," Bei Fong dumped the contents of the liquor bottle into the trash can underneath her desk.
"I'm not, ma'am," Mako cleared his throat and added "ma'am" for good measure. "It was Yhao's."
"I can believe that," the chief tossed the bottle into the can before turning around and planting her palms on the desk. "However, I find it VERY hard to believe that you and the Avatar are already expecting."
Mako avoided eye contact with the chief. "It wasn't intentional, ma'am, I assure you—"
"Whether it was intentional or not, Mako," she used his name like it was a knife and it jabbed him in his gut. "Is not the issue. The Avatar is with child, isn't she?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"And you impregnated her, correct?"
She made it sound so harsh that Mako hesitated before answering. "Yes, ma'am, I did."
"And you are fully aware of the dangers of pregnancy, especially for an Avatar?"
"Of course, ma'am."
Lin paused before raising an eyebrow. "You are expecting me to yell at you, aren't you?" Her frankness startled the Firebender. She smiled smugly at his reaction. "I imagine Tenzin already took care of that, though I have to say I'm a little disappointed."
The words shocked the young captain. "Disappointed, ma'am?"
"Cut it out with the ma'am junk." Lin glared at him, making him tense up. She turned around and held her hand behind her back. "I am disappointed, Mako, because I thought higher of you than this. You are normally very discerning and cautious. You usually inspect a situation from all sides before proceeding with force. That's why I named you a captain."
She turned to see a surprised look and Mako's face. She smirked. "You don't think I would hand that job out to just ANYONE, do you? Imagine Yhao taking over a mission."
The thought made Mako chuckle, but the humor of the situation drained away when he saw regret pinch Lin's mouth like she had just bitten into a particularly sour lemon.
"A pregnant Avatar is no laughing matter. It means she needs to be protected twenty-four seven, especially since she can't bend when in her third month. She needs to be watched every minute of every day to keep both her and the baby safe."
"I understand, ma'am—I mean, chief. Tenzin has already begun to assign White Lotus guards to take shifts with her when I am not around. The advancement in my job would have posed a problem if it weren't for him."
"There is, unfortunately, still a problem. I'm going to have to ask you to step down from the position of captain and maintain desk work from now on until a little after the child arrives. I know you just received the promotion, but I quite frankly think that you would be too distracted to take on the responsibility at the moment. The opportunity will still be available to you after the baby comes, but until then, you are off duty."
Mako nodded. It was certainly a very gracious offer. As much as he hated the idea of desk work, he knew he would not be able to work at full potential if he began to lead squads during Korra's pregnancy.
"Thank you, chief, for your understanding. Korra and I greatly appreciate it. We are indebted to you." He bowed slightly in gratitude.
"I'll hold you to that. Now get out of my office."
The Firebender charged out of the small room, nearly overturning the chair he was sitting in. Lin's lips twitched slightly when she heard a few of her clerks yell at Mako to watch where he was going and him apologize before slamming the door shut on his way out. She sighed exhaustedly and plopped into her big arm chair. It felt good to do the right thing, but it sure as hell wasn't nearly as fun as torturing that bender boy.
"Who does she think she is, taking away your promotion?!" Korra stormed out of the kitchen into the living with a slightly amused Mako trailing behind her.
"She actually GAVE me the promotion, you know. And she isn't taking it away; it's just on hold for a while until you've given birth."
Korra huffed. "I know, but it's still not fair! The raise would help fund a new addition to the apartment for the baby and I don't want you to suffer at work for eight more months until this thing pops out! You're going to be miserable; I know how much you hate desk work."
"How can I be miserable when I know I have the most beautiful woman in the world waiting for me at home?" He kissed her forehead gently. "Besides, Bei Fong didn't lower my wages. She's giving me the same amount I would be if I was leading a team. She was actually pretty gracious."
"But what if something happens in the middle of the day and I need you? What if the Lotus guards can't protect me?" She snuggled into her husband's shoulder worriedly.
"I'm sure they can handle their job well. And if you really need me on certain days, I can use some of my vacation days to stay with you. How about that?"
"You always know what to say to make me feel better." Korra cracked a smile, then exhaled. "You think we'll be okay?"
"It's hard to tell since Yhao spilled the beans today, but I think we're going to be just fine."
With that, the couple fell asleep.
Yay! Chapter three is done! The next chapter is gonna be more centered on the press finding out and Asami and Korra planning a baby shower, so that's going to be fun! Sorry I made Lin a bit of an aggressive A-hole at the beginning, but I don't want her to be so similar to Tenzin (or not in the story at all) like most pregnant Makorra fics do.
Please Review! I want to know how I'm doing so far!
Until the next post, Keep Calm, Leaf On