Author note":Thank you TheToasterMarketingBoard for editing and anomaly checking!
Mako paced along the length of his room, anticipating Yasmine's arrival. She planned to meet Opal and himself at his room before traveling to her parents' all together.
Opal was currently rummaging around Mako's closet with the hope that the previous occupant of the room might have left something she could wear.
"Just wear your airbender outfit, it's perfectly acceptable," Mako said curtly.
"Let me keep looking, we still have time."
The pair fell silent when they heard a soft rapping.
"Time's up," Mako said, shuffling to the door. He gave his hair a few quick pats before opening it.
"Hey Mako…" Wu said hesitantly.
"Wu."
"Wu?" Opal asked, peeking her head out of the closet.
"What's going on in here?" Wu asked, pushing past Mako.
Opal rushed to greet Wu. She threw out her hand for the prince to share."Hi Wu, thank you again for all the help with, you know,"
"My pleasure... What are you doing back here in the Earth Kingdom?"
"Just some airbender rounds. I was in the area so I thought I'd come for a quick visit."
Wu turned to his bodyguard. "I guess that means that you're busy tonight then, Mako?"
"Yeah... Sorry," Mako replied, not making eye contact.
Opal looked at Wu, then Mako, then back at Wu. "We were going out to dinner actually, it's at your favorite spot, you should join."
"You guys are going to the Sighing Lotus?"
"Y-es!" Opal said, nodding her head up and down a few times.
"I am in!"
"Great, go get changed and meet us back here," Opal instructed, leading the prince towards the door. He scurried out and down the hall.
"Are you out of your mind? He's going to be so pissed when he comes back to find us gone!" Mako said, charging towards the door.
Opal smirked as she watched him, and shoved the door closed. "Change of plans, we're all going out to dinner at the Sighing Lotus, your treat."
"What? That place is super fancy. More importantly, I was invited to go to her parents' place and we already changed the plans once, by inviting you," Mako said, waving his arms.
Opal pushed off from the door and got in Mako's face. "That's why it's the perfect spot. The parents will be impressed, and willing to drop their dinner plans for some free fancy grub."
Mako furrowed his brow and put his hands on his hips as he leaned down towards Opal. "Wasn't the plan to un-impress them?"
"Ultimately, yes. This will make you first; look like you're trying too hard to impress them. Second; seem inconsiderate since you keep changing the plans, and, third; look like you don't even want to be with them tonight by inviting your friends along."
Mako's expression softened. "You're right, I'm going to seem like a real ass tonight."
"Tonight?" Opal replied, smirking.
Mako scowled at the remark and backed off of his brother's girlfriend. "Anything else you want to change or do before Yasmine gets here?"
Opal put her hand on her chin for a moment to think. She gave Mako the once over and then smiled. "Yes. You need an outfit change, let's go catch up with Wu."
"Mako, Mako, Mako, you look fantastic. You should let me dress you more often," Wu gloated as he circled the firebender.
The creases on Mako's face from frowning deepened as he looked at himself in the mirror. Wu had put him in a crushed velvet suit, the same mossy green color as his own. Gold trim ran along every possible edge of his suit jacket, and even adorned the cuff of his pants. Sewn above his heart was an elaborate crest. It was a mix of symbols in the very same green and gold.
"I look like I should be opening the doors at the restaurant, not eating at it," Mako whined
"Oh Wu," Opal covered her mouth in an attempt to hide her smirk. "You did such a good job."
"Thank you. Now, you don't plan on wearing that drab looking jumpsuit out, do you Opal?"
The airbender's smile faded. "I couldn't find anything, don't worry about it." Opal waved Wu off with her left hand for emphasis.
Wu scowled, putting his hands on his hips. "C'mon, you can't be the only one who doesn't dress up."
"Yeah Opal, let Wu take care of you too," Mako urged, grinning ear to ear.
"Uhh…" Opal stalled.
"Let's go, I know where we can find some women's clothing."
Opal started to back away from the boys. "Really, I'm fine."
Mako peeked at his wristwatch while Opal tried to keep away from Wu.
"I'm gonna go back to my room to wait for Yasmine. We'll swing back here to pick you two up."
Wu stopped his assault on Opal and looked to Mako. "Yasmine? She's coming out to dinner with us?"
"Yeah... and... her parents."
"I thought it was going to just be the three of us? Why didn't you say anything earlier?"
Mako felt the blood in his face start to drain as he watched Wu pout.
"So, you going to dress me up or what?" Opal asked, placing a hand on the prince's shoulder. "C'mon, before we run out of time and I actually have to wear this."
"Okay, it's uh... Just across the hall, follow me."
"See you in a few, Mako!" Opal called out over-enthusiastically as she exited the room.
Mako mouthed 'thank you' and then breathed a sigh of relief when they were out of sight. The firebender waited a few minutes before leaving, then quietly passed through the halls, silently praying no one saw him in his ridiculous outfit. He was almost home free. He turned down the hall and saw Yasmine waiting in front of his door.
Mako stopped, dumbstruck by the beautiful woman before him. Yasmine's long slender brown legs were on full display. The skirt she was wearing just barely covered the required amount of skin. Her chocolate brown hair, that was usually tied up, pooled around her exposed shoulders.
"Mako, what are you wearing?"
Yasmine's question broke the firebender out of his haze and the reality of the situation all came crashing back down on top of him. Then Mako wondered; was he really planning on messing up his relationship with this gorgeous woman?
"Mako?" Yasmine asked, stepping closer.
"Uh… you like it?"
Yasmine pinched some of the gold trim along his collar between her fingers. "It's a little... flashy. Since when do you wear Earth Kingdom fashion?"
"I let Wu dress me, he really wanted to. He, uh-" Mako started to babble. He could smell his girlfriend's sweet perfume, and it was making him dizzy. "I did it as a favor, he's a little jealous of all the time you and I have been spending together."
"Oh, well that's sweet of you. I thought it seemed a little out of character," Yasmine said, releasing her hold on Mako's fabric. She then took a step out of his personal space.
Mako looked down at his feet, trying to gain his composure from the distractingly attractive woman in front of him. "Heh, yeah, and I uh, actually felt so bad, that I uh, I invited him to dinner with us."
"What? We're going to my parents' house and it's already a little weird that you want your sister-in-law to come." Yasmine furrowed her brow and folded her arms across her chest. "You never told me your brother was married."
"She's in town for one night, I couldn't leave her all alone." Mako slowly raised his head to meet his girlfriend's eyes. He began to sweat, fearing the look of disappointment and anger he was about to face. "Opal told me weeks ago but I forgot what with all the uh... excitement…"
Yasmine frowned and seemed to be about to say something, but Mako ploughed on.
"I know it's a burden on your parents to host this large a group now, so I got us a reservation at the Sighing Lotus, my treat!" he said, defensively holding up his hands.
"The Sighing Lotus?" Yasmine repeated, her expression softening. "That is my parents' favorite restaurant. I'm sure they won't mind a change of plans when I tell them that's where we'll be going."
Mako nodded enthusiastically as she spoke.
"You're really going to treat them to a meal at the Sighing Lotus? That place is good, but I feel it's a little over-priced."
"Why would I say that and not mean it? Heh. Well, why don't you grab your parents and meet us at the restaurant?"
"Okay, what time is the reservation?"
Mako glanced at his watched. It was quarter past the sixth hour.
"Seven?"
"Is that a question? You have a reservation, right?"
"Yes! No! No, it's not a question and yes, of course I have a reservation. See you at seven!"
Mako flung open Prince Wu's door, his heart beating so fast he thought he'd go in a panic, to find a very calm Wu and Opal sitting waiting for him.
"Where's Yasmine?"
"She's picking up her parents and meeting us there. We need to go, now!"
"Alright, alright," Opal grumbled, getting up from her seat. When she stepped away from the armchair Mako was able to fully take in her outfit. It was a suit, almost identical to his own, but fitted for a woman's curves, and on her lapel was a pink corsage.
Opal smiled as Mako gawked.
"We're twins."
"You couldn't find a dress for her?" Mako asked, looking at Wu.
The prince got up and joined the group. "C'mon Mako, this is more daring. It's a new age, time for some drastic changes to fashion!"
"Yeah Mako," Opal added.
"Why am I even saying anything?" Mako asked himself as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "It doesn't matter, let's go."
Korra made Asami wait outside the forest surrounding the southern spirit portal until her parents were mere specks on the snowy horizon before they re-entered the Spirit World.
"So do you think we should wander around a bit or go straight back to Republic City?" Korra asked, glancing around the area between the two portals.
"Let's get to the city first, just to check in, then we can launch a formal investigation," Asami replied.
Korra nodded and began to bow her head.
"Wait, where's Varrick and Zhu Li?" Asami asked, looking over her shoulder.
"Damnit Varrick," the Avatar cursed as she walked towards the Tree of Time. "Maybe they went to go get more firewood…"
As the couple walked around the tree they heard a noise and then a "Ssshh!" They both turned to each other with wide eyes.
"Varrick?" Korra asked taking a step closer.
"Uh," Varrick started. "D- don't come over here! We're not decent!"
Korra's face flushed from a combination of rage and embarrassment. She stormed closer to the opening of the tree and cupped her hands to shout down to the pair. "You are not doing what I think you're doing inside the Tree of Time?"
"We were waiting for you to leave," Varrick timidly replied.
"We mean no disrespect to the tree Avatar Korra, but there isn't a lot of cover near the portal," Zhu Li called out. "It is our honeymoon!"
"I don't care if it's your fiftieth anniversary, you are not defiling this sacred tree! Get your clothes on and leave the Spirit World, now!"
"Alright, alright! We're going!" Varrick barked back.
"And as Avatar I am banning you from the Spirit World for a year!"
"Korra," Asami warned.
The Avatar leaned into her girlfriend and kept her voice low. "Something weird is going on in here, and we don't need these two knuckleheads causing any more damage."
"I guess it's for the best that we get all humans out of here while we investigate," Asami sighed.
Varrick and Zhu Li crept out from under the tree. Varrick held his hands in the air as he walked.
"Varrick, put your arms down," Korra groaned.
He quickly obeyed. "Force of habit over the years."
"Listen guys, we're concerned about the weird time discrepancies, it's safer if you got out of here anyways. Varrick, I look forward to our meeting when you get back," Asami called out, with a friendly wave.
"Yeah, well I might need to re-think that," the entrepreneur muttered as he hoisted his large pack over his shoulder. "C'mon honey."
Zhu Li mirrored his actions and they marched towards the portal. Korra and Asami silently watched the couple disappear. Once they were truly gone Asami broke the silence.
"I hope you're happy, 'oh mighty Avatar,' you potentially cost me a big business opportunity with magnets."
There was a brief pause before both girls cracked a smile.
"Gee Asami, I'm really sorry. I hope dating me doesn't affect business too much," Korra teased.
"We'll see, won't we?"
"Seriously, do you have any concerns about that?"
"Naw," Asami said, with a flip of her hair. "And if it does, I can always appoint a figurehead to be the new face of my company while I call the shots in the shadows."
"That's good, I guess…"
The Avatar started to bow her head. "I still can't believe those two…" she muttered under her breath.
"Focus," Asami urged.
Korra closed her eyes and the rocky terrain around them began to shift and skew. In a few moments the pair were in the fluorescent field of flowers that first greeted them on their original vacation.
"Can you really go anywhere in the Spirit World with that little trick?"
"As long as I can envision it, yeah."
Asami smiled and turned her attention towards the portal.
"Hey, uh, babe?" Korra asked, her voice cracking a bit.
Asami sharply turned around, her eyes wide and cheeks a little pink.
"I'm sorry about this morning, what I said came out all wrong. I'm okay with you calling me babe, if maybe I can call you that too?"
Asami grinned.
Korra continued. "Cos I mean, I'm not the only babe in this relationship, so it's only fair."
"So this is about fairness now, is it?" Asami asked, stepping closer. "I suppose I can make an allowance. So, are you going to kiss me before we step through this thing or what, babe?"
Korra obliged, and when the pair separated they passed through the portal from the Spirit World into Republic City.
It didn't take long for the Mako, Opal and Wu to walk from the palace to outside the small, gaudy-looking restaurant. On either side of the entrance was a small fountain. Lit from behind, the water sparkled like glitter as the lights' reflections danced over the face of the building. It was clear those parts of the inner ring that had escaped the fires after the Earth Queen was assassinated had seen little to no changes in their lifestyle during the past three years. The high-end shops and restaurants continued with business as usual.
The three stepped up to the door and before Mako could grasp the handle, a woman opened it for him from the inside.
"Welcome to the Sighing Lotus," she said with a bow.
Mako nervously shuffled passed her. Wu straightened his back and lifted his chin as he entered. Opal rolled her eyes and pulled up the rear.
To the left of the entrance was the host's podium.
"Good evening," the host greeted in a buttery voice. "Do you have a reservation?"
Mako pulled at his collar and stepped up. "No, uh, but I'm going to need a table for six."
The host covered his mouth with his hand, suppressing a laugh. "Sir, I apologize, but did you honestly believe you could get a table for such a large party during the dinner hour the night before the weekend?"
"So that's a no?" Mako asked, before being shoved aside by Wu.
"Hi, uh," Wu started, leaning over the podium to get a look at the host's name tag. "Phong. Do you know who I am?"
"No."
Wu placed his hand on his chest and puffed it out as he spoke. "I am Prince Wu, that's prince of the Earth Kingdom. Don't you think your humble restaurant should be able to make accommodations for the heir to the throne?"
"Mako! Everything alright?" Yasmine asked stepping up to the group, her parents flanking behind her.
Mako darted over to Yasmine, putting his arm around her shoulder, ushering his girlfriend as far away from the podium as she would move. "Yeah, just a little oversight on the restaurant's part. So these are your parents?"
The elderly couple stepped forward.
"My mother Zhǎng lì Rice, and my father Zōngsè Rice," Yasmine said, pointing to each parent as she spoke.
"So your name is Yasmine-" before Mako could finish his thought, Yasmine's father extended his hand to Mako.
"Nice to meet you Mako, we were starting to think you were giving us the slip."
Mako fumbled to get his arm back from behind Yasmine, accidentally clocking her in the back of the head in the process.
"Hey, watch it!" Yasmine cursed, pulling away from him.
Mako flinched back from his girlfriend and looked between her and Zōngsè. He threw his hand out to grasp the still extended hand of Yasmine's father.
"Nice to meet you sir, sorry, I'm little nervous," Mako said, giving Zōngsè's hand a few shakes. He then craned his head back to check on Wu's progress. The prince and Opal were still standing at the podium, but the host was nowhere in sight.
"So this is my sister-in-law," Mako called out over his shoulder, catching Opal's attention. She scooted over the the group standing next to Mako and gave them a big fake smile.
"Hi! I'm Opal, Mako's sister-in-law," the airbender said, thrusting her hand at Yasmine's parents. She shook Zōngsè's hand and then Zhǎng lì's. "It's sooo nice to meet you. Mako's brother, my husband, and I thought he'd neeever get a girlfriend. We had just about given up on him."
Mako's face burned as Opal spoke.
"Oh…" Zhǎng lì uttered as she pulled her hand away from the airbender
"We never formally met, did we?" Opal muttered. She then gestured towards Yasmine. "You are way more beautiful than Mako's description. He made you sound like the stuffy bureaucratic type, but clearly that is not the case. Are you on the menu tonight, because-"
Before Opal could finish Mako pulled her arm towards Wu and the podium. "Enough, Opal," Mako growled in her ear.
The host had returned and was bowing deeply. "Please follow me."
The group was led to a separate area, away from the main dining room. The space was dimly lit, by only a few candles. Three chairs were on either side of the rectangular bamboo table. Between each place setting was a small menu.
Once they were all inside the host closed the sheer lotus pattern curtains over the doorway.
"Prince Wu and party, please do not hesitate if you need anything. Your server will be with you momentarily," Phong said to the group, bowing once more before leaving.
"Prince Wu?" Zhǎng lì asked, glancing in Wu's direction as she took her seat across from her husband.
Wu, who was sitting at the far and opposite side of Zhǎng lì, smiled and waved. "I'm a very good friend, and now stylist, of Mako's."
Mako, who was seated between Wu and Zōngsè, felt his face turn bright red. He cleared his throat and quickly grabbed his water glass in front of him. He raised it slightly and looked at the three women across the table.
"I uh, just wanted to thank all of you for coming out with me tonight."
"You can't make a toast with water," Zōngsè grumbled, pushing his water glass farther away from himself.
"Yeah Mako," Wu said nudging the firebender in the ribs. "Where is that waiter?"
Wu was about to get up when the curtains parted and a small old man passed through.
"Yan Yan?" the prince asked, rising from the table again.
Yan Yan opened his crinkled eyes a little wider at the sound of his name. "Master Wu?"
"What are you doing working here?"
"This is my side job, just something to get me out of the hangar once in a while. I was a professional server before I got my licence, you know."
Wu clasped his hands together. "Oh, for a second I was worried you weren't getting paid enough."
"Well, one can always make more…" Yan Yan said with a smile.
"Could you please bring us a bottle of the house's best wine."
Mako's heart started to race at the sound of 'best wine' and he nudged Wu's legs under the table. The prince flinched and turned to Mako.
"Think we should get two?"
Mako's eyes widened as he tried to convey with his face 'no' in every possible way he could think of without shaking his head. Wu furrowed his eyebrows as he tried to understand.
Opal noticed Mako's panic and leaned towards Yan Yan. "Let's start with one bottle for now."
Yan Yan bowed. "Very good."
Mako released a long sigh and slumped a bit in his seat. He dared a glance over a Yasmine. Her expression was hard to read. His stomach started to feel like he had swallowed a pro bending earth disc, and its weight was pulling his stomach lower and lower into his body.
Before he had a chance to think of something to say to her, Yan Yan returned with the bottle of wine. The small man swiftly poured each member of the table a half glass of dark red liquid.
"Are we ready to order?" Yan Yan asked.
Everyone looked down at their menu. There were only five options and no prices. Mako cringed, knowing what that meant.
'I'm going to have to borrow some money from Wu at this rate…' he thought to himself as he looked over the strange-sounding options.
Once the group finished ordering, Yan Yan slipped through the curtain, leaving them alone in silence.
Zōngsè lifted his glass and gestured at Mako with it. "So, you were saying?"
Mako shot up in his chair and fumbled at his wine glass. He held it up, trying desperately to not let his quivering nerves show. "Yes, uh, thank you all for being here… tonight."
The group waited with their glasses raised, expecting Mako to continue his speech. Instead he held his glass a little higher and then stretched it out to click with Yasmine's. Everyone followed his cue and tapped glasses. Mako then flung his head backwards and downed the contents of his glass. The rest of the party took a more conservative sip from their glasses.
"So Mako, our daughter tells us you met on that terrifying trip to bring Kuvira to the Earth Kingdom?" Zhǎng lì asked.
Mako looked to Yasmine, whose unreadable expression had not changed. He could feel Wu and Opal's eyes, but chose to not to meet them. Mako looked back towards his girlfriend's parents.
"Yes, I admired how she handled the whole situation, even before the accident. I feel she is a true asset to the Earth Kingdom."
"Yes, she is. We were expecting a little more recognition from the powers that be…" Zōngsè said, looking in Wu's direction.
Wu pursed his lips for a moment before he spoke. "I'm sure it's just been a bit of an oversight. We are still quite swamped, hashing out the new government. The 'powers that be' will remember those who stuck it out during this time of uncertainty."
"Hmph. This whole situation has been a mess. Kuvira was a monster, but we were finally starting to get some order around here since the queen's assasination. I feel like even in just the past few weeks we've lost some of that hard-earned progress."
"At least it feels safe to go out at night again," Zhǎng lì said, wrapping her arms around herself for a moment. "Life has not been easy in the upper ring."
Mako felt his eyes unconsciously roll back in his head at Zhǎng lì's words.
"It's been a change," Wu admitted. "But I see a better future with independent states with elected leaders, like the United Republic."
"Speaking of the United Republic," Zōngsè started, looking around the table. "When does the Avatar plan to grace us Earth Kingdom citizens with her presence and help clean up some of the mess she helped start?"
Wu blinked a few times and gestured towards Mako. "He's our Avatar expert."
Mako hunched his shoulders and desperately wanted to slide back down into his chair. "I'm sure she'll be around..."
"She's on vacation," Opal added, leaning in over the table. As soon as the words were out she immediately regretted the information she just gave away. She shot back down in her chair, and felt butterflies start to plague her stomach.
Zōngsè jerked back into his seat with surprise. "A vacation? Does she know the kind of message she is sending to the people? It's a message that says 'I don't care.' She'll never be an Avatar like Aang was."
Mako shot Opal a look, and saw the regret all over her face. Sensing her distress Mako put on a big smile and looked to Yasmine's parents. "She's kidding. My sister-in-law has an exaggerated sense of humor. Korra's just recuperating from the fight against Kuvira, and opening a new spirit portal. I'm sure she'll be back in action really soon."
Zōngsè snorted and then reached for his wine glass.
"My Mako, you seem to know your fair share of famous people," Zhǎng lì commented. "How did you become friends with the Avatar?"
"We were on the same pro-bending team. We became very close, and I learned how wonderful a person she is. I used to join her on her adventures." As Mako spoke he started to look away. "It wasn't until we stopped Kuvira from taking over Republic City that things between us felt like they used to, three years ago."
Zhǎng lì's eyes crinkled as she gave Mako a polite smile. "I see."
There were a few awkward moments of silence before Yan Yan entered the room, following by two other servers. They carried a single plate on each hand, and laid them before the corresponding diner.
The silence resumed once the servers were gone. Everyone looked down at their food, and picked up their chopsticks. Chopsticks clanking on the porcelain occasionally broke the total silence.
"I gotta say, it kinda sounded like you dated the Avatar. Did you, Mako?" Zōngsè asked.
Yasmine dropped her chopsticks and whined, "Dad!"
"Uh…" Mako uttered, looking to Opal for guidance. She nodded.
"Briefly..."
"You're not still in love with her, are you?"
"Dad, what are you doing?"
"Yasmine, you heard they way he talked about Avatar Korra, right front of you no less."
"Are you still in love with Korra?" Wu asked softly.
Mako stared past the women in front of him. In that moment he wished he could look through the wall, or even pass through it. At Varrick and Zhu Li's wedding he realized yes, he was still in love with Korra. A few weeks after that he learned Korra and Asami had started dating, he still loved her then. In the desert he told Korra he still loved her and now…
'I still love you Korra, but…' Make though, daring a peek at his current girlfriend. 'Yasmine, she's not a bad catch. She's smart, driven, and beautiful. Am I running because I'm afraid to let myself love someone else? Is that what my panic as been all about?'
Mako stopped staring off, and looked around the table. "No, I don't. Korra is a good friend, and I greatly admire her, but that is all." As he spoke, he dared a glance at Opal. Her eyes were wide, and she was making the same desperate expression he was earlier to stop Wu. Mako continued anyway. "I've met a wonderful woman, why would I want to compromise that?"
Opal, not caring who saw slapped her hand to her face.
To be continued...