Undiscovered

Chapter Two

Mako watched as Korra barely had three spoonful's of her dinner before sitting back for about five minutes, and taking one more, then sitting back again, and continuing her routine like this. Mako assumed that she wasn't used to having so much to eat, and had to let it settle. He would have offered that if she was full she didn't have to keep eating out of politeness, but then he thought better of it, she probably was hungry, very hungry, and if this was how she was to make herself less starved then Mako wasn't going to make her extremely conscious and uncomfortable about it. He should also probably stop staring, something that was noticed by Bolin as he kicked the firebender under the table, giving his brother a 'knock it off!' look.

After dinner Mako rose from his seat to take all the plates to the kitchen sink, only to be beaten to the punch by their newest roommate. She busied herself with quickly and efficiently washing the plates, doing a thorough and precise job with a grace that both brothers thought was impossible to have whilst washing dishes.

Now that they thought about it, she always moved with such exactitude, something Mako found highly odd for someone so weak and malnourished.

She moved silently towards the windowsill above the sofa, lifting her whole weight up on her arms. Cradling her knees to her chest, she watched the world outside the window, it made both brothers look worryingly towards each other as they saw every bone in her back visible and a pale blue colour.

Mako rose silently, walking over to one of the two trunks in the corner of the room, this one holding his clothes and things; the other held Bolin's. He proceeded to pull out the smallest long sleeved piece of clothing he had, then picking up a blanket off one of the ladder rungs that led to their beds Mako then walked over to the young girl. He laid the folded top by her feet, causing her to look up, Mako avoided eye contact though.

He felt very uncomfortable and stiff as he gently placed the blanket around her shoulders; petrified he would hurt her, Mako refused to let his eyes look at her.

"Thank you" Korra's voice wavered with uncertain gratitude, Mako nodded and then moved away to go have a shower.

OoO

Bolin watched his brother intently, leaning his chin on his palm at the unusual act of displayed kindness from Mako. He knew his brother found it hard to be around people, and interact with them, and despite how uncertain he had been at allowing her to stay, he seemed to want to take care of her.

Bolin himself didn't know how he felt really, upon laying eyes on her he knew she was special, but it was that ambiguous feeling where he didn't know if he just felt an instant connection to her, or was developing a crush. He knew neither was appropriate considering what she's been through, so he kept it to himself and let his brother take charge, knowing he would never develop the same issue and would easily be the responsible one.

OoO

Tenzin watched as Pema slept peacefully, tenderly holding her swollen stomach which encased their soon to be born child, he smiled and let out a contented sigh. But something felt…different.

The airbending master had never admitted quite how much it bothered him how they had never found his father's successor, and where before it felt hopeless and that there was this empty lonely feeling in his chest, there was now a spark of hope.

Though still uneasy and disheartened there was a warmth around the thought of the avatar, and Tenzin believed his father had been trying to tell him something all this time.

Though he was not the avatar and he could not connect to the level the avatar could with him, Aang was still his father, and he felt ever connected to him. And maybe this feeling he had in his chest wasn't about not having an avatar, no, maybe it was to do with the avatar that was out there. Somewhere.

Maybe this avatar, for whatever reason, had been alone, and was feeling that hopelessness, but now someone or some people were reaching out to them. Maybe there was still hope yet.

OoO

"Bolin, we need to get going!" Mako called, picking up his freshly washed Fire Ferrets uniform, courtesy of the ever helpful Korra. She felt she needed to earn her keep, and the boys constantly telling her otherwise seemed to have no effect.

"Coming Bro!" In fact, he wasn't moving at all, he was scribbling away in a ratty and worn book that held little notes he liked to make of things that made him happy, because he liked how he was the one that could always be relied upon to cheer up the mood. With a brother like Mako, so serious, it was sorta necessary in his opinion. And the young earthbender hated the idea of him ever losing his exuberant happiness, so he wrote down things to remind him of all the good things that had happened in his life. The very first line in the book read, 'having Mako as a brother' and he knew that would get him through almost anything, the sheer number memories attached to that single small sentence was almost unfathomable. Almost.

"Hey, um, Korra?" Mako called out as he waited for his brother, awkwardly shuffling in his place, the brunette turned and stared up at Mako with wide doe like crystal blue eyes, both brothers quickly learnt this was her way of acknowledging you, and that Korra wouldn't speak unless she felt it necessary.

"Do you want to come with us, to watch? I know it probably doesn't sound very interesting and a bit loud and such but I'd rather you didn't stay here on your own" There was a pause after Mako let out his sentence like a bat out of hell, fast and awkward, like it was a confession; of what, neither of them knew.

Korra nodded and smiled one of her rare, easy smiles at the firebender and looked down as she walked over to his side.

That was another thing the two brothers had noticed, how she preferred to be at one of their sides, not out of protection, god no, but to know she wasn't left on her own. Korra, though quiet, did not need protection, hit a nerve and she throws a fit that you wouldn't even think possible given her usual quiet and withdrawn personality, let alone her small and fragile appearance (that looked a little less malnourished with Mako making sure she had food at almost all possible times of the day).

No, there was definitely a fire within that girl, and Mako knew that he had to help her let it out.

OoO

Korra's eyes darted uneasily behind her as they walked through the hallways of the golden building. The two brothers were chatting about tactics in front and Korra felt like she had to run, run away and hide. This was too risky, too unfamiliar.

She began to shake ever so slightly and decided that tightly holding her quaking arms in front of her would hold them steady some. As they walked passed an open window and into the locker room, no one noticed how the droplets of condensation in the window followed Korra as she walked past, proceeding to evaporate as her frustration grew. What if there is no way to escape? She whimpered to herself in her mind.

Korra mindlessly followed the boys into the locker room, despite the fact they did need to change. It didn't matter though because as soon as she saw there was a quiet corner she sprinted towards it. She hugged her knees and faced the wall as she slowly rocked to calm her nervous disposition.

Mako and Bolin exchanged a worried look, but both quickly changed so they could do whatever it was Korra needed. Though it was a risky decision asking her to come, Mako wanted to introduce her to new environments, she seemed so uneasy with anything unfamiliar.

The brothers exchanged a non-verbal conversation; you do the emotional stuff better than I do! Mako pushed, but she's more comfortable with you, you're older, more responsible! Bolin retorted, just go! He pushed; Mako let out a calming breath and walked ever so slowly towards Korra, making sure she knew he was there. Mako crouched down and stayed there for a few seconds before laying a hand on her shoulder.

Korra tensed, and Mako held his breath, scared of how she'd react, but she relaxed and stopped rocking. She let out a ragged breath,

"You ok?" Mako asked gentle in her ear, Korra clenched her eyes shut to hold back her tears but nodded,

"Hey, come here" Mako moved to turn her head, only to have frightened glistening blue eyes staring back at him, begging him to say or do something to make her feel ok.

But he didn't know what to say.

So he wrapped his arms around her and told her it would get better, he promised it would.

OoO

Mako had told Korra not to go far, but there was a garden within the building that she could visit if she wanted some quiet time, but to make sure she was either there or in the locker room by the time the match finished. Korra had nodded, but she didn't commit herself to agreeing.

I will do as I want thank you. She huffed to herself; I don't understand what I'm doing, or why I'm doing it sometimes, why haven't I gone back to Gommu and the familiar waterside, stupid girl.

But Korra knew pure stupidity would be going back, not only did she have a place to rest her head and decent (as well as regular) food, but she also wasn't forced into doing anything she was uncomfortable with, which was the most beneficial thing to come out of all this.

Gommu was a lonely old man, and Korra was becoming a young woman. It was only when she reached fifteen that she realised it was wrong, so dreadfully wrong.

Shuddering Korra quickened her pace towards the gardens, she remembered the directions perfectly and her insides jumped with excitement. It had been a week or so since she had been around water, and she missed it so dearly.

As she rounded the corner Korra let out an inaudible gasp, it was beautiful…

Wild flowers of every colour danced around the borders of well-maintained cobble paths that lead around a small pond with blooming water lilies, small koi fish swam happily around in circles all of their own, tails gracefully moving this way, and then that. The grass was a vibrant green and the whole area smelt of Jasmin, calming.

Korra took a deep breath in and began to walk round the garden, tugging up the side of the borrowed top which kept slipping off her shoulder.

Soon it overcame her, that rattling feeling she'd had all day, the one that screamed at her to move. But it wasn't to run away like she had thought. No, it was to float to flow to be free. And so she did.

Slowing her breaths for a few minutes Korra flowed.

Hyper aware of her surroundings Korra kept on focusing outwards, farther and farther out until all she focused on was the gentle lapping of the waves against Yue bay.

Inhale, Exhale…

…Inhale…Exhale..

Korra gently hums to herself as she moves, completely in her own world, her own little meditation.

OoO

"I can't believe we won! They haven't lost this season!" Mako rolled his eyes,

"That would explain why they're here Bo" Bolin's cheeks reddened and he bashfully opened his locker, he was always a painfully slow changer.

"I'm going to go get Korra" Bolin stopped,

"I can come with you..." Upon not getting a reply the earthbender added,

"-and you know, it's not like you have to treat her like a child"

"She is a child" Mako stated back, acting slightly confused as to why his brother suggested otherwise,

"She isn't and you know it" Mako did know, but in his head he saw her as a child because that was the best way for him to make sure the only emotional attachments he formed towards Korra were appropriate ones.

He didn't reply to his brother once again, he just gathered his stuff and to go and get Korra.

"You better be where I told you to be Korra, I swear to god if you're kidnapped of hurt…" Mako muttered to himself, now riled up due to Bolin awakening his inner emotional monster. You see, if you shove down those feelings for too long, they combine and develop a personality all to themselves. Once awaked, it rears its ugly head to plague you and everyone within a 5 miles radius with its wrath.

As he walked his way down the familiar hallways he slowed as he neared the garden, he didn't want to startle whoever was in there. But what he saw made his jaw drop and his breath leave him slowly in awe. Korra was facing him, her eyes shut as she moved effortlessly and seemingly in a trance like state. But this wouldn't have surprised the young firebender had it not been for the tall tower of rotating water the Korra practically danced upon.

The gardens went up three levels without a ceiling, and Korra was definitely making use of the space. Tendrils of water formed delicate and intricate weaves around the entire area (that was about the size, if not bigger than the pro-bending platform) creating these unfathomable elevated patterns that replicated her movements.

Mako had avoided focusing on those movements because he knew what would happen, he would become transfixed, but he had to see them. His breath caught in his throat as Korra's feeble arms twisted and turned with ease and in sync with the deep and rooted stances she effortlessly floated into.

Her motions began to slow, and the magnificent tower of water on which she stood began to lower, and by the time her movements came to a steady stop, the mast of water was no longer a mast at all. Gently the water delivered Korra onto the water bank and she slumped down, her eyes never opening. She was asleep.

OoO

Bolin was curling some weights when his brother trudged in, holding a sleeping Korra in his arms, the bottoms of her trousers slightly damp. His eyebrows furrowed together in confusion,

"What hap-"

"Not now Bo" Mako's voice was sharp and commanding, Bolin held his arms up in defence, his facial expression sucked in forming a sarcastically (albeit amusing) hesitant expression.

Mako rested the girl on the sofa, brought a blanket up to her chin and placed a pillow under her head. His hand lingered by her cheek, longing to stroke it to see if it felt as soft as it looked, he all but yelped when Korra took it a snuggled it under the side of her face, Mako couldn't help but smile, slightly amused and endeared by the action.

Bolin nearly broke in the corner from where he stood, a little part in him felt betrayed, when logically, he knew he held no claim over the girl, even if they were together, he had no reason to be upset…logically. But feelings we're logical, were they?

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