"Come on!" Korra urged him. "There must have been a little girl you had a crush on when you were younger." Mako's cheeks flooded red with pure embarrassment. The two were strolling around Air Temple Island, enjoying the sun and the cool breeze coming off Yue Bay.
"Korra!" he cried. She tried to look at him as innocently as possible with laughing. "There was nobody! Okay!" he blushed even harder as something from long ago tried to resurface.
"There was so." Korra giggled," your blush is giving you away!" Mako buried his hands in his face. Korra suppressed another giggle and walked in front of him. "You know," she whispered, "if you don't watch where you're going, you could run into something." She gently peeled his fingers away from his face.
"I don't care," he muttered dejectedly. Korra smiled and held his hand.
"You're actually extremely cute when you blush," she chuckled and kissed his cheek, making him turn darker shade of red. "Now come on. Who was she?" Mako turned to her, mouth agape. "And don't tell me there wasn't anybody," she smirked knowingly at him. He hung his head in defeat and mumbled inaudibly. "What was that?
"I was five." Mako muttered a little louder. "I don't remember her name, but I met her when my mom and dad took me to the park." Korra giggled childishly. "What?!" Mako looked at her.
"Oh nothing," she smiled widely. "Continue, please." Mako rolled his eyes.
"Bolin was still a baby, so thankfully he doesn't remember." Mako smiled." We didn't do much, just played on the swings and in the sandboxes mostly. Before she left, I uh…" he trailed off, rubbing the back of his head nervously. Korra looked at him, trying her hardest not to laugh.
"Yes?" she pressed. He blushed and tried to answer.
"I just…it was nothin', really…just a um… I gave her a er… a quick kiss on the cheek," he stammered quickly.
"Awww!" a trio of voices gushed. Korra of course, she was right next to him, but the other two? He looked around and saw two heads whip behind a rock.
"Ikki! Jinora!" Mako barked. The girls chuckled and poked their heads out from behind the rock.
"Yes?" they chanted together. Korra giggled and squatted down, holding her arms out.
"Come here you two!" she called to them. When she first moved to the island, she thought of the children as a nuisance, almost. They made it hard for her concentrate, she never had any privacy, but then she realized they were still kids. She appreciated them a lot more now, she played with them, and they helped her out with her training when Tenzin was busy. Even Meelo was starting to grow on her.
They ran over and leaped in Korra's outstretched arms. They giggled as they crashed into her and tackled the girl to the ground.
"And the mighty avatar is defeated!" Ikki yelled. Jinora giggled and fist pumped the air.
"Oh yea!" she laughed as she formed an air ball and sat atop Korra's knees.
"That's what you two think!" Mako said suddenly. He reached down and grabbed Jinora and threw her over his shoulder. He snatched Ikki before she could run and held her upside by her feet.
"Ahh! Mako!" the girl screamed in unison. They squirmed and wriggled as they tried to get free.
"Korra! Help!" Jinora yelled as she pounded on Mako back, not effecting him in the least. Korra dusted herself off as she stood.
"And why in the world," Korra said as she grabbed Ikki's ankle, "should I do that?" She began tickling the young airbender. "Tickle monster!" Korra yelled. "Come on Mako!" The firebender laughed, flipped Jinora around off his shoulder and tickled her sides.
"No!" Jinora squealed, "Please no!" Korra laughed as she lifted Ikki's shirt and blew on her stomach.
"Korra! Please Korra," Ikki screeched as she laughed. "It tickles! Please!" Just as the two teenagers were going to grab the kid's feet, someone yelled from the house.
"Kids! Korra!" They all looked up. "Supper's ready!" Pema called. The girls took this moment of pause to escape their captors.
"Ha!" Jinora called as she and her sister sped away on their air balls. " You can't catch us!"
"You wanna bet?" Korra yelled and raised her foot, pretending she was going to earthbend. The girls jumped off the air and ran into the house. Pema quickly moved out of the way and smirked at the two teenagers. The benders took off towards the Pema, racing each other.
"What were you two doing to my poor children?" she scowled them playfully. Korra feigned being hurt and appealed to the pregnant woman.
"Hey! They deserved it! They tackled me!" She clutched the fake wound in her side. Pema covered her mouth and tried not to laugh.
"What? My children would never!" she defended, and finally burst out laughing. "I don't think you delinquents deserve supper, but I might as well." She smiled. "Come on, before Tenzin get to antsy." She told them. Korra rolled her eye.
"Tenzin's always antsy." She muttered. Pema giggled and nodded her head.
"That is very much true," she agreed. She grinned and turned to Mako. "I do hope you'll stay for supper. They children love when you visit, and I know Korra will enjoy it as well." She looked at the firebender expectantly. He looked over at the avatar, who had a pink blush sneaking its way up her neck and cheeks.
"I'd love to stay Pema, thank you." Mako replied. The woman beamed brightly and turned back to the door.
"Well come on then, before it get cold." She called as she walked in.
"You don't mind me sating, right?" the firebender grinned as he asked her and took her arm and led the way into the house. Korra looked up at him and smiled sweetly.
"I bet Bolin would love to hear about your childhood crush." She whispered innocently. Mako's face flushed again. "Thought so," she giggled, kissed his cheek and led him into the kitchen.
"So," Tenzin asked as he lowered his bowl, "do you still work at the power plant?" Mako looked up and swallowed.
"Yes sir, I do," he answered. "It's good work and it pays well." Tenzin nodded and brought his noodles back up to his mouth.
"How long do you work? How much do you get paid? What do you actually do at the power plant?" Ikki's barrage of questions had started. Jinora gently nudged her sister in the side.
"Ikki! Don't as so many questions." She chided her younger sister. The girl blushed and ducked her head ashamedly.
"It's alright," Mako reassured. "I usually work from ten or eleven in the morning to four thirty or five in the afternoon. And I'm usually generating electricity to make energy." He told the curious child. He left out the pay intentionally, and Tenzin caught it. The firebender was sure that for these kids it wouldn't be very much at all, considering the place they lived. The young airbender looked at him and almost squealed in excitement.
"Do you think you could show us sometime?" she asked, her wide in wonder, imagining what the lighting might look like.
"Maybe some other time, if it's okay with your parents." Mako's eyes darted to Tenzin and back quickly. The three children began begging there father.
"Please daddy!" they all asked together, "Please," they all pleaded." Tenzin pinched the bridge of his nose and Pema finally cleared her throat.
"How about while your father and discuss it, you go put Oogi and the other bison up?" she told them. He children all groaned, but got up and put their dishes away. "Mako sure you take a sentry with you!" Their father called after them. Pema rested a gentle hand on his arm.
"They'll be fine dear," she assured him. Tenzin nodded and continued eating.
"Sorry about that," Mako said apologetically. Tenzin shook his head.
"It's nothing." He told him. "They're usually a lot worse than that when they're begging for something." Mako grinned childishly and scooted away from the table.
"It was nice staying for supper," he said as stood up," but I'd best be getting home, Bolin'll be getting worried." He reached over and shook hands with Tenzin.
"I was glad to have you. Thank you for entertaining the children." He told him. Mako smiled.
"It was no problem. They're sweet kids," he replied. "Thank you, Pema." He bent down and hugged her.
"You are very welcome dear!" she said cheerfully. "You come back anytime, you hear?" Mako laughed.
"Yes ma'am," he said. Korra stood up and wrap and arm through his.
"Well, let me walk our guest down to the ferry and I will be right back," she told the adults. They walked through the house and out the doors in to the cool evening air. The sun had just finished setting and the reddish orange tint was dissipating. "Thank you for coming over and stayin' for supper." Korra smiled as she wrapped her around Mako. "I had fun." He chuckled and kissed the top of her head.
"I did too." He whispered.
They finally made it to the docks and Korra wrapped an arm around Mako's neck and kissed him softly. She slipped a piece of paper in his hand a pulled back.
"Read it before you leave," she whispered. She kissed his nose and ran back toward the temple. "Good night! See ya tomorrow!" she yelled and waved at him. He waved back.
"Night!" he called. He was about to read the paper when he heard a rustling behind him. He turned on his heel, immediately going into his bending position.
"Don't shoot." Tenzin said casually, walking out from the bushes. "I just want to talk." Mako relaxed, lowering his arms.
"Sorry Tenzin," he said somewhat embarrassed, "I didn't know it was you." The airbender waved it off.
"It's perfectly alright. Come, take a walk with me." Tenzin motioned with his hand. Mako walked forward and they took off around the island.
"Do you understand?" Tenzin asked, stroking his beard. Mako nodded, smiling gratefully.
"Yes sir, and I really, really appreciate it." He stopped walking and looked at the older man fully. The airbending master stuck his hand out and Mako shook it.
"I mean it. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask. You and Bolin are practically part of the family now." Tenzin stated.
"I won't, sir. Thank you so much," the firebender bowed and Tenzin nodded.
"You're welcome." He smiled. "I best be getting back inside. Pema will be waiting. Thank you again for helping with the children." Mako waved a hand dismissively.
"It was no problem." He stated. Tenzin smiled and turned back to his house.
"Good night," he told the boy.
"Good night, sir," the firebender called. He made sure he as completely inside the house before pulling out the slip off paper Korra had given him,
Come to my room. You know the way, and make sure the sentries don't see you! Hurry!
Love, Korra
He rolled his eyes. "Better go see what she wants this time." He grinned and took off towards the tower where he knew the avatar was waiting.
