It was raining.

Dark clouds had threatened Mako the entire ferry ride to Air Temple Island. Dark, pelting rain obscured the sky as soon as his boots hit the dock. The kind of rain that Republic City gets only a few times a year.

As he trudged up the path, he couldn't help thinking that this was exactly the kind of day you'd expect when your girlfriend was about to break up with you for the third time.

He paused at the Air Temple Gate, eyes travelling over the way the glow of the Spirit Portal reflected off of all those little drops of rain. They glimmered golden as they fell in front of him. He didn't want to go any further. He should. The rain had soaked through his clothes and he was shivering.

They hadn't even made it a few weeks this time.

And just like last time, it would be a because of a fight. The worst fight they'd ever had, even if Korra hadn't flipped any furniture.

Six weeks. Six weeks without any contact. Three days since she'd gotten back from the new Earth Nation and she hadn't come to talk about it. Mako tried to stay away, tried to give her space, but he needed to know: Was this it this time? Or did she still think it was worth working through the hard parts?

The lack of contact made him think this was it. Today he was losing her again.

It was his fault.

Maybe if he hadn't embarrassed her in front of the entire council, she wouldn't still be angry with him. Or maybe if he'd been less of an idiot. Because he had been such an idiot.

His words echoed in his head, just like they'd echoed in the council chamber that day. "I'm not letting you go without me."

Korra had turned to him with eyes like ice. "Letting me?" she'd repeated, her voice dead quiet. "Letting me?" she'd said again, her voice rising harshly. "I am the Avatar. You do not let me do anything! You are not going and that is final."

She'd been right. Even with all the progress he'd made, he still wasn't up to fighting form six weeks ago. He could barely summon a decent flame with his left hand. Leaving him behind was the right decision. She, at least, had been thinking clearly. He was the one who argued the point. He was the one who let his ego get in the way.

Korra could handle dangerous situations. She didn't need him. She wanted him.

Except, she'd left without even a good-bye. So that last bit was up for consideration.

He felt her presence before he heard her soft, "Hey," from behind him.

He turned, his eyes taking in every inch of her, making sure she was alright. Bolin had told him as much (though not much more). His brother and Asami had been included in the group Korra took to the Earth Nation this time, but if either of them had any insight on Korra's mindset, they weren't talking.

"Hey," he said, finally meeting her eyes.

They looked sad and scared and that was when he knew. He was losing her today.

Korra shook her head. "You insane man," she said. "Why are you standing out here shaking?" She walked past him, taking his arm as she did so and leading him towards the women's dormitory. They walked in silence. They didn't speak as they crossed the threshold and she paused to bend the water out of his clothes.

They didn't speak as they stood looking at each other.

"Mako…"

"Korra, I—" He stopped, waiting for her to say more, but she only looked away. He sighed. "You were right. And I'm sorry."

"What?" She turned back to him, her eyes wide, blue, and brimming with tears.

"Um, I was wrong and I'm sorry? I shouldn't have yelled like that and I won't do it again."

Korra sighed and stepped towards Mako, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Good."

"Wait," Mako said. "You're not still mad?"

"Are you?"

Mako shook his head, but he was wrong. He was the one at fault in this whole thing. He had no right to still be angry.

Her hands traveled from his waist to his chest to the back of his neck before she pulled him down for a kiss.

"I am sorry," he said, his forehead pressed to hers.

"Shh," she said. "I know, but I need us to be a team Mako. I need to know you have my back."

"Always."

The corner of her mouth quirked up at that. "I mean, even when you disagree with me, I don't want people to question that we're a team."

Mako sighed. "I'll do better next time. I knew you were right, I just…"

"You didn't like feeling useless," Korra finished for him. She reached for his hand, cradling it in both of hers fingers tracing over the puckered skin. "Is it any better?"

"Much," Mako said, flexing the fingers for her before calling up a healthy flame. "I haven't been able to bend lightning yet, but I could hold my own in a pro-bending game."

Korra's eyebrows scrunched together as she examined his hand. "Maybe…I'm sure we could find a pool of spirit water inside the Spirit Portal. It's so green, there has to be one nearby. That might help." Her hand slid over his, extinguishing the flame and then tracing up his arm, her fingers brushing gently over the burn scar. It had faded considerable in the last six weeks. The arm was nearly back to its normal color, thanks to the efforts of Korra and various healers. The most severely burnt areas were going to scar permanently, but the rest would fade completely with time they told him.

"I can still keep up with you, whether I can bend lightning or not."

Korra smirked. "You can try."

"Korra, why did you wait three days?"

She shifted from foot to foot. "I was afraid you might still be mad."

Mako raised an eyebrow. That hadn't stopped her before. He waited for her laugh and say it was silly and kiss him again.

Softly, she said, "The last time we fought this bad, we broke up."

"Oh." Mako ducked his head, breaking eye contact. He didn't like to think about that day. It was possible that that day was going to down as the day he made the stupidest decision of his life. All because he was angry. One snap decision. "Okay. New rule," he said looking back at her. "From here on out, breaking up isn't an option while we're arguing. That way, neither of us has to worry about repeating old mistakes."

A wide grin broke out over Korra's face. "I like that rule." She stood of tiptoe, brushing her lips against his teasingly before pulling back with twinkling eyes. "So does that mean we're officially together again?"

Swallowing, Mako nodded. Just a few months ago, this had seemed impossible.

Just a few hours ago, he'd thought he was losing her.

And now…now they'd just taken another step forward.

"Yeah, I guess it does."