Her legs were tiring.

Korra cursed her fatigue as she fought through the sea of people. Of course, the one day she needed to get to the airport, that'd be the one day that everyone decided to fly out of the city. Korra cursed again.

'This wouldn't have happened if you had just said it this morning, you stupid idiot!' she scolded herself.

Today was the day her best friend, Mako, was boarding a flight to Ba Sing Se; he wouldn't be back in the city for another three months. Korra had been so hurt by the news that she refused to talk to Mako for their remaining two weeks together. And today, he had totally surprised her and now Korra had to run to catch up to him so that they could finish their conversation from earlier that morning.

"Korra, I'm leaving now."

"Okay, fine. Go."

Having Korra studied down to a science, Mako didn't bristle at her attitude. Instead, he set down his suitcase and joined Korra on her bed. Stubbornly, she turned away from him, arms crossed tightly across her chest. Mako fought the urge to smile when he noticed her bottom lip quivering.

He knew his best friend well.

"C'mon Korra, the past two weeks hasn't been easy for either of us; I want to have a proper goodbye."

"I gave you one," Korra answered snappishly. "Bye Mako."

"Korra."

"Mako."

"Korra, please stop this. Look at me."

The 19-year-old wrapped strong warm fingers around Korra's wrists, pulling her arms away from her body. Korra hated the way her skin tingled under his scorching touch. Familiar warmth pooled into the pit of Korra's stomach, paralyzing her on the spot; her heart fluttered in her chest and she could feel herself blushing. Korra absolutely hated the control Mako had over her body without realizing it.

"Korra," he said again, his voice lower.

Hesitantly, she turned to meet his stare.

There wasn't anything in this world that Korra loved more than Mako's eyes. She loved the way they would glimmer and sparkle when the sun would hit them from the right angle. She loved the way they would burn whenever they would get into a heated argument. Most of all, Korra loved the way his eyes would soften when turned upon her.

She could feel her resolve to stay angry with him crumbling by the second.

Her breath got caught in her throat when Mako's warm fingers entwined themselves with hers. There'd only been a handful of times where she actually had the opportunity to hold his hands in hers and every time it happened, the she'd have the same reaction.

Korra smiled.

Mako beamed at Korra, holding onto her hands tightly. He lowered his forehead to lay against hers.

He didn't want to leave her in the city by herself, he really didn't, but he'd never met his dad's family before and this was really important to him. He knew Korra understood that, but he also knew how painful it was for the two of them to be separated for any period of time.

He would miss her.

He would miss her ridiculously bright, lopsided grin. He would miss those blue eyes that none of his photographs seemed to capture just right. He would miss that irritating laugh of hers that she'd make whenever Mako made a fool of himself in public. He would miss the feel of her fingertips in his.

"I'm gonna really miss you, Korra," Mako whispered, as if he were sharing a secret with her.

"Me too, Mako," Korra confessed. She released his hands to fling her arms around his shoulders, crushing his body against hers, "I'm gonna miss you so much."

Korra didn't care if she was supposed to be angry at Mako for leaving her. She knew it was important to both him and Bolin, but she selfishly wanted him to remain by her side. Unbidden tears welled in her eyes; stifling her sobs, Korra buried her face in his red scarf, inhaling his scent. Cedarwood filled Korra's senses, nostalgic and bittersweet at once. Korra hugged herself closer to his body, melting once she felt strong arms wrap around her back.

She left lips at her ear; Korra had expected Mako to say that he was going to miss her again, but what she got was something different.

"I love you, Korra."

He left her apartment after that, leaving Korra wide eyed and, for once, speechless. Another fifteen minutes passed and the girl cursed, hopped up from her bed, grabbed her keys, and ran out the door.

It was just like that stupid idiot to drop that bomb on her before he fled the country.

'When I get my hands on him…' Korra thought as she arrived at the gate Mako was assigned to. Korra was thankful that he was so tall when she spotted him not to far from where she was; he was smiling, chatting with his younger brother.

Korra took another deep breath and sprinted over to Mako.

"You!"

Mako hadn't expected Korra to run all the way to the airport, but at the same time, it wasn't very surprising either. Not after he had basically told her that he loved her and quickly ran felt Bolin inch away from him in preparation for Hurricane Korra.

She was every bit as beautiful as he had remembered that morning.

And every bit as angry.

"You little chicken shit!" Korra shouted, whacking Mako on his arm. Mako tried not to wince, but damn it, she hits hard. "How can you just drop that on me when you're getting ready to leave Mako? Why would you do that to me?"

"You needed to know," he said honestly. Korra growled and reached up to fist the fabric of his red scarf.

"But you couldn't tell me that before?! Spirits, you idiot!"

Mako didn't know when it happened or how it did, but when he was able to register what was going on, he felt warm lips against his. The smell of the sea and the fire lilies that grew on the banks of Yue Bay—Korra's scent—filled his senses and he quickly responded, craning down lower to fervently press his mouth against hers.

Inexplicable emotions burned underneath her skin and she pulled Mako closer. Distantly, she heard Bolin give off the loudest wolf whistle and bystanders in the airport crowded around her and Mako, but none of it was important.

All that existed was Mako.

When she was finally able to disengage herself from him, Korra kept their distance close, keeping her arms firmly planted on his shoulders. She was pleased to find herself still securely in the circle of his arms. When Korra stared up into those amber depths she craved, she found him silently seeking for answers.

She grinned, "Look, I really love you and I think we were meant for each other."

Mako ignored his brother's boisterous laughter and happily leaned down to press more kisses against Korra's forehead, temples, cheeks, and, finally, her lips.

"Me too, Korra. I'll see you soon. I love you."

"Good." Korra separated herself from Mako and tweaked his nose, "Now, get outta here, nerd. I'll be waiting for you when you get back, so don't go off with some chick from the lower ring, you hear me?!"

Laughing at Korra's possessiveness, Mako planted one more kiss on her forehead before grabbing his suitcase and walking towards the gate, "Wouldn't dream of it. Catch ya later, sweetie!"