Friends With Benefits?

Korra pulled into a parking spot and turned her car off. Her fingers tightly clutched the steering wheel as she gathered up the courage to go inside. Taking a deep breath she looked at the bar from two nights before and her stomach churned at just the memory.

She looked into her rear view mirror determined, "just get out of the car" she told herself although her fingers remained latched to the steering wheel. This was ridiculous wasn't it? She felt like an impressionable teenager with a crush all over again.

All day Sunday and all day today she couldn't get Mako out of her head. She came in to work bright and early and spent her whole shift revisiting the same memory of probably the best sex they ever had. Then she went home, alone, which only made things worse. Now she was here again, outside the bar, daring to go inside.

She looked ahead and with a defeated huff she let go of the wheel and grabbed her keys.

Braving the judgement she will soon face she hopped out of her car and walked inside, ignoring the snickers from the club security guards who obviously recognized her. Inside she sat down in her usual seat at the bar and looked up to see an unwelcome glare from Tahno's employee Caleb.

She cringed as her face twisted in regret and embarrassment. "I'm sorry for the other night...It's been a lot lately," She looked down and fiddled with her wallet awkwardly. If he didn't want to serve her, or asked her to leave she'd understand, although she hoped it didn't have to come to that.

Caleb pondered for a moment before letting out a pity sigh. He walked over to her while cleaning out a tall glass cup, "I know, we all heard what happened."

Korra only shrugged still feeling that slight sting that always prickled under her skin whenever someone mentioned her break up with Asami. She glanced around the bar thankful it was much quieter tonight and the guests were all sipping mimosa's and cocktails waiting for open mic to start. A causal night out where she wasn't sulking or getting shit faced was just what she needed.

"What can I get for you?" Caleb asked gaining Korra's attention.

"A Ginger Ale," A voiced interrupted. Korra turned to see Tahno walking behind the bar counter, "And she's lucky to be getting that."

Korra smirked, "Nice to see you too."

Tahno told Caleb he could go on his break and switched positions as server until he returned. Tying an apron around his hips he eyed Korra skeptically. "Are you back for another night of disturbing the peace?"

"Hey! I'm not nearly as bad as other drunk assholes I've seen get kicked out of this place." Korra crossed her arms over her chest, a tad annoyed people keep bringing up her blunder.

Tahno chuckled, "I'm only giving you a hard time Korra. But I am cutting you off."

Korra raised her hands innocently, "That's fine, I'm only here to enjoy some poetry and chill vibes. No alcohol needed...So I'll have a virgin mint julep please". She extended her credit card for the tab with a wide cheesy grin on her face.

He held up his palm rejecting her money, "On the house."

Tahno turned around and began preparing her drink as Korra tilted her head questioningly. "Why the free drinks?"

He glanced over his shoulder smugly, "Because I feel sorry for you,"

"Fuck off."

He chuckled again.

Korra slid her card back into her wallet and sat patiently waiting for him to finish. She glanced around the venue looking upon unfamiliar faces, which was a good thing. The more she surrounded herself with new people the less likely her untimely past would be brought up. Plus it was nice to go out and do something casual like this. She secretly thanked Tahno for having themed nights like these where she wasn't surrounded by sweaty bodies and deafening music.

There was an underlying anxiousness Korra tried to play off as she did come here with an anterior motive. She knew Tahno would be working tonight and he was partly the reason she came.

"Here you go." Tahno voiced, placing Korra's bright green drink in front of her. It was topped with a sprig of mint leaves and a few extra cherries, just how she liked it.

"Thanks" Korra replied with a small smile. She took a quick drink and sighed gratefully as the soothing liquid glided down her throat. It was abnormally drier than usual, or was she just nervous? It was just one simple question she needed to ask him. What's the worse response she could get? Probably the only one she didn't want to hear.

Gathering her wit she looked over at Tahno as he cleaned out more cups. "Can I ask you something?" Korra whispered.

"About what?"

"Getting straight to the point here, have you ever been..." She leaned in closer to him and whispered, "Friends with benefits?"

Tahno's brows shot up in surprise as he acted dramatically shocked, "You're asking me this like our time in college meant nothing."

Korra rolled her eyes, "A '7 minutes in heaven' hand job is not the same thing."

He threw down his hand towel angrily, "To me it was!"

Korra slapped his arm hard enough for him to flinch. "Come on I'm being serious."

He leaned against the counter and laughed, his long bangs draping over his eye. "Why do you ask?"

Korra looked away and shrugged, "I-I just wanted to know..In case I wanted to try."

Tahno huffed at how transparent that reply was, "You're not fooling anyone Korra-wait...You're not thinking of hooking up with Mako are you?"

Korra's cheeks burned, "What?! Why would you assume it would be Mako?"

"Because my bouncers told me he took you home the other night." He leaned his elbows on the counter top with a smug look, "But Mako's not the type to take advantage of you, so if something hasn't happened between you two. You should keep it that way."

"Yeah, I know that." Korra took a long sip of her drink, avoiding Tahno's gaze.

"Oh my god. You already did didn't you!" Tahno genuinely laughed this time, shaking his head in disbelief. He pushed off the counter and crossed his arms, looking almost inspired. "Damn, I give Mako too much credit."

"No we didn't!" Korra exclaimed, her face flushed. Tahno paused giving her a "don't bullshit shit me" look.

Korra huffed, "OK! Well it wasn't the night I was drunk! It was the day after, I was sober and-" She was stammering now but couldn't stop from trying to explain herself. Tahno just watched her seemingly very amused.

"..I don't know...It just happened." Korra shrugged. She looked at her drink to see she gulped it down in three long sips and secretly wished for another one so that she could occupy her mouth with something other than blabbering.

"That's how it always starts, Korra thats not a good look." Tahno replied. This time he seemed more seriously concerned.

"People hook up with their exes all the time." Korra replied.

Tahno took her cup and refiled her Mint Julep with the left over from the first batch. "That's not what I mean."

He placed the cup in front of her and sighed, "It's not good for either of you. Friends with benefits are fine if you were just friends. Hooking up with an ex is just going to lead to emotions and drama-"

"So you are speaking from experience." Korra added.

Tahno paused as Caleb came back from his break. He nodded to Korra to go sit at a near by booth and quickly joined her.

"Yes, I am so take my word for it," he slid into the leather seat across from her. "and besides that, you're really comfortable playing Mako as a rebound?"

"No! I don't want it to seem like I'm using him! That's why I wanted your advice." Korra seemed genuinely stressed about this, which lead Tahno to think she put a lot of time into conjuring this up.

"Tell me something Korra, why do you want this?"

Korra released an infatuated sigh, "Because it felt so good being with him again I couldn't stop thinking about-"

"Okay that's too much information!" Tahno reeled back sucking a harsh breath threw his teeth. "I get it, he was a good lay!"

"No, that's not what I mean!" Korra grabbed his arm from across the table as if stopping him from completely running away. "I meant us, like being together just felt right. It was like old times but different...I know Mako thinks we could never be what we were before but, if I could replicate that feeling again,"

Korra paused and dropped her shoulders, "I'm not making any sense."

"No, you are." He breathed, remembering when he was in the exact same spot Korra is now. "And for the first time, you truly forgot about Asami..."

Korra looked up at him as if he was reading her mind, "Yes, it didn't hurt anymore..." That ache in her chest.

She rolled her eyes, groaning in defeat. "But that's terrible!"

"I see the dilemma," Tahno smirked.

"Tell me what to do"

Tahno looked at Korra's doe-eyed expression and finally caved. "Ok, assuming prissy boy goes along with this, you both have to be open and transparent, let him know he's helping you get over your break up."

"But that's just going to sound like I'm using him."

"Well, you are, but so is Mako. Trust me he's getting something out of this too. That's how it works."

"Some therapy..." Korra muttered.

"Just lay down some ground rules, boundaries are key here and don't get caught up in-" Tahno's gaze flickered to something behind Korra's head then quickly back to her. He tried to continue his sentence as if never interrupted. "In your feelings..."

Korra turned around, noticing his pause and saw Asami sliding into a booth. Accompanying her was her father Hiroshi and surprisingly the general of the United Nations, Prince Iroh of the Fire Nation. She watched as her ex took a seat beside him with a pretty smile on her face, and red dress hugging her body.

As Asami placed her hand delicately on Iroh's arm Korra quickly turned back around with her face twisted in a mix of hurt and anger.

The ache in her chest felt like it had been stabbed. She'd been crying non-stop these past weeks while Asami was traipsing around with her dad? Dressing up cute for some prince..

"Korra I know that face." Tahno said.

"I'm gonna go.." She spoke softly.

She silently pulled out money for her drink, even though Tahno already said she didn't have to pay. Her brows were flat in a hard line and jaw clenched tight as she slapped the dollar bills on the table.

"I know what that looks like but think about it..."

"I...I can't afford to think, but I should go incase he sees me."

Tahno reached for her hand, "Like hell you will. I'd have Hiroshi kicked out before he ever got the chance to cause a scene.."

Korra bit her lip, "Just let me go Tahno..please.."

She was so full of anger she couldn't reason with him anymore. Her ears were ringing and her skin felt blazing hot now. Her eyes shook as she held back tears. "Thanks for the advice..."

"Don't try something hasty!" He called as she stormed away.

The next morning Korra had the day off from work and spent most of her time doing chores and other mundane tasks in her office. She deliberately kept herself busy in an attempt to avoid what she saw last night. It most likely wasn't a date considering Asami's father was there with them.

She couldn't really bring herself to care even if it was. The wound was too fresh, she just tried to forget she ever saw her.

Korra focused on what Tahno said and even though she could be impulsive at times, she had a plan. She needed to be strategic when it came to Mako. He wasn't just going to blindly agree to fuck on occasion. She had to present this proposition to him as if it was greatly beneficial to them both. Just business.

Korra opened her washer and picked up a handful of wet clothes to toss into the dryer. As she dropped in a few pieces she noticed something small and plastic in the dryer barrel. Pulling it out she found that it was Mako's I.D card that must have fallen out of his pocket pant when he washed his clothes.

"Perfect." She smiled.

"Hey! ah. .whenever you get the chance call me back. I uh-I know this might sound like a weird call but, it's important." Mako hung up the phone and set the thin device down on his desk. He didn't know whether or not this was the smartest decision but, he called Asami. Thankfully she didn't answer and he left a message because honestly he didn't know how to go about the conversation.

"Hey, I ran into our Ex a few nights ago and she was drunk off her ass and we had amazing sex the next morning. Nice chatting though." He rubbed his neck uneasily at the thought. An awkward conversation it'd definitely be.

He truthfully had no one else to talk to and Korra was plaguing his every thought. It was Friday now, a full week had passed since he found her at the bar, drunk and heart broken. He wanted to check up on her, but didn't believe that was really his place. They weren't close anymore, it would be awkward. It would seem like a pitiful excuse to reconnect to her. She was too vulnerable. Yes it was consensual but, in other circumstances would they have ended up in the same bed, in the same way? Probably not.

Mako traced the photo on his desk absentmindedly. It was of him, Bolin, and Korra during their championship win back in college. His eyes lingered on Korra's image specifically. Damn, she felt so right...

He blinked remembering that he was at work and those thoughts were definitely not work appropriate. Korra's touch lingered for days and even woke him up hard and wanting. He admittedly rubbed one out a few times with the memory of probably the best sex they ever had playing behind his eyes.

It wasn't just their physical union though that got him thinking about her again and that's what scared him.

He picked up the stacks of reports Bei Fong wanted him to analyze and stuck them neatly inside a manilla folder. It took so much effort to drag his focus back to his 9-5 job.

He didn't know why he was getting involved, Asami and Korra's business was none of his own. He thought maybe talking to Asami would calm his nerves, clear his thoughts, and she might even explain their break up. He was curious nonetheless.

Mako knocked on Bei Fong's door before walking inside her office, "I got those reports for you." She only nodded as he placed them on her desk.

"Go home kid, I'm not paying you for over time." She ordered as he walked out her front door.

Mako strolled back into his office and paused when he saw Korra standing in front of his desk. Like a vision he manifested, there she was in the flesh.

He gulped.

She turned around looking a little timid, "Hey," She voiced.

Mako hesitated to answer, leaving an awkward gap of silence. He wasn't expecting to see her so soon...or at all for that matter. They haven't texted, called, or anything sense Saturday afternoon when he left her bed.

Korra looked down at the card fidgeting in her hands and remembered her excuse for dropping by.

"You left this at my house. I just wanted to return it." She held up her hand showing him his I.D card.

Mako pulled out his wallet to see it was indeed missing, he hadn't even noticed, "I must of stuck it in my pocket at the bar..thanks"

He walked into the room and took the card from her, the tips of their fingers barely touching as if he was afraid to get too close.

"No problem," Korra replied.

There was another long, awkward pause as Mako rounded his desk and sat down. Korra remained standing mostly because Mako didn't offer for her to sit as well. Which made her feel even more like he didn't want her there. He was closing up for the night, logging off his computer and gathering his things.

"I thought I'd wait a few days before airing things out..." Korra began. She couldn't fight this feeling of her chest twisting up, to be honest it was really unsettling. Mako didn't seem phased at all, but then again, he was always that type.

"Maybe that wasn't enough time..." Mako replied, his jew clenched tightly.

"You don't think we should talk?"

"What is there to talk about exactly..."

Korra blinked, slightly caught off guard, "We..I mean..."

"We had sex," He shrugged, "It happens."

Korra swallowed the brunt reply she wanted to say and tried another approach, "Given our current situation, and past relationship I just wanted to know where we stood now."

"To be completely honest I don't know, but that wasn't me agreeing to be in a relationship with you."

"I know," She quickly replied, looking away. "Emotions were high, it was a..weird 24 hours..."

Korra suddenly felt like this was a bad idea, or maybe just the wrong place and time. The more she spoke, the deeper the hole she was digging herself into. Mako would never agree to be friends with benefits, that was a hopped up hormonal fantasy on her part.

"So then, what do you want Korra?"

She clutched her hands into fists by her side, "I just want to know what you want, because I don't believe that you want me to go away. Relationship or not, we didn't have to do what we did."

"I'm just sorting things out first. I know how I felt before, during, and after. And as of right now I don't know which is right."

"Why does one have to be right? Why can't we just take things one step at a time?"

"Because that sounds a lot like something people do when they want a relationship." Mako replied, looking up at her knowing very well he had already expressed he wasn't going down that road again.

"Then lets not make it a relationship" Korra replied. She sat down and crossed her arms confidently.

Mako tilted his head, not entirely following what she was proposing. "What?"

Shit. This was it, She thought, no turning back now. "L-lets not make it a relationship..." She repeated. "Lets just...have sex, like you said..it happens. We could...let it happen."

Korra looked up at him swallowing her slight embarrassment, the worse was over now she supposed. Mako remained silent looking slightly dumbfounded. "What?" He repeated this type fully understanding what she meant.

He started to get up from his desk shaking his head irritably, "Korra..."

"Just consider it." She said. She didn't want to stand up just yet even though he was about to usher her out.

"Consider what? Fucking around like-like a bunch of horny teenagers?" Mako walked past her to his door and opened it. Something about that felt wrong to him. Maybe it was his pride, or maybe it was that he had too much respect for Korra to belittle her that way. To belittle what they use to have.

Korra stood and reluctantly began walking toward the door, "Well when you say it like that it sounds bad. We can make it whatever we want it to be,"

"Korra I would like to finish up and go home, thank you for returning my I.D. now good night." He jutted his heard toward the hallway.

"Mako, it's not like that if it's consensual, if there are ground rules...If it's something we both want." He looked at her with a raised brow, was she really trying to pitch this to him right now?

"I just," Korra swallowed again, her throat running dry. "Nevermind, I clearly shouldn't have come here. What ever happened between us obviously wasn't reciprocated the same way so-."

"It was,"

He grabbed her arm, stopping her from leaving. Korra looked up at his face and saw some vulnerability in his eyes.

It meant more than she realized, more than he was ever willing to reveal. He felt those buried feelings rising too and if they continued he'd have to find a way to separate his feelings from the act. Up until now they went hand in hand, sex just for sex wasn't something he was used to doing. Especially if it was with someone he deeply cared for. He didn't know if it was something he had the capability of doing.

"Which is why this is tough to swallow. Four years of no contact to something like this-"

"I know it's a weird thing to ask, but I'd rather have something with you than nothing. I can't go back to trying to ignore you anymore."

Mako couldn't remember the last time Korra was this transparent with him, the least he could do was hear her out.

"Let me think about it." He replied.

Korra sighed shaking her head a bit relieved, that was a compromise she could live with.

"Talk to you later then," She said.

He let her go and she continued out of his office leaving him to ponder her proposal for the rest of the night.