Title: Not Asking
Word Count: 432
Summary: [She just had to learn how to ride it herself. | Makorra. Fluff.]
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a really old prompt from aangisdead (on tumblr) · bicycle
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She had a wobble.
Okay, it was more than a wobble (shaking and tipping over would be better terms).
You'd think after riding a polarbear-dog of all things and training as the Avatar she would have better balance than this. And yet it had taken her twenty minutes just to figure out how to keep herself steady on the damn two-wheeled machine.
She wasn't even off the ground yet.
Mako sighs.
She was going to break it, fall off, or – something.
Needless to say, he was worried. It wasn't looking too good.
"Steady, Korra." he says, his arms stretched out in the air around her in case she fell (again). "I don't want you breaking my bike. If you do the station will have me pay for a replacement."
"Yes, I heard you the first fifty times." Korra replies harshly, blowing a stray hair from her face as she leans over the bike. "I've almost got this… just wait."
"You said that ten minutes ago," he sighs, leaning with his hand on his hip. He motions to her with the other. "Just let me help you, alright? It'll go much faster."
Korra shakes on the seat, wobbling the handle-bar as she places a foot to the side of the bike. "I almost-whoa!" she says as the bike tips with the shifting weight. Lucky for both of them, he's there in a step, holding the bike's heavy body up with minor effort. He steadies her back in place with a chuckle only to notice afterward that her arms are stiff and her fingers are white against the grip. He places a hand on her shoulder, bringing her back to reality.
"You okay?"
Korra blinks a few slow times and nods.
"Yeah… I'm fine." She says, trying to smile. Mako sighs, shaking his head as he rounds his leg across the back of the bike, pressing himself right against her. She goes stiff again as he sticks his head next to her neck.
"What are you doing?" she says, glancing back at him.
"Just relax and loosen your grip." He takes a light hold on her wrists, directing her hands and bending her elbows. "I'll hold the bike steady while you get on the footrests."
"I thought I told you I didn't want your help." She mutters, putting one foot on the bike. Mako takes hold of her waist as she finally gets on all the way. He leans into her ear and the corners of his lips are curled up.
"I'm not taking no for an answer."
This time, she smiles for real.
:Fin:
This was a really old prompt that I had actually written something for when I had gotten it but never quite liked so I stuffed it away in incomplete folders and forgot about it for months afterwards. Finally brought it out for a bit of revision. I like this version much better. :P