"Mako? What are you doing there?" Korra peered out her window, surprised to see Mako sitting outside on the grass beneath the sill.

"Oh, um," he flushed and looked away. "I couldn't sleep. I couldn't get comfortable, in that tiny room with no windows." His eyes widened, "Not that I don't appreciate you letting me and Bo stay here! I mean, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

Korra laughed and swung herself through the window, landing softly next to him and plopping down beside him. "I asked, didn't I? Besides, I know what kind of rooms the air acolytes have here, and they're no treat. I don't blame you for needing to get some air, especially since your old place was so open."

"Yeah," he sighed. "That was our first place we could call our own, Bo and me. Did you know that?"

"I didn't. Where were you before?" she asked hesitantly. She was still not quite sure where the line was and how much she was allowed to ask him about his past.

"On the streets a lot," he said like it was no big deal. "There are some shelters we could hide out in when it got too cold. Sometimes the triads would house us after we did some work for them. We just kind of drifted."

"Mako," she put a hand on his arm. "You won't go back to that. I promise, I'll do whatever I can to help you guys out."

He smiled softly at her. "Somehow, I believe you."

She shivered, rubbing her arms. "It's cold, just a minute." She climbed back in her window, returning with a thick blanket, which she threw over the two of them. "That's better."

"You don't have to sit out here with me, you know," Mako said, shifting uncomfortably. "I'm sure you're exhausted."

"Nah, I'm still kind of wired from everything. Besides, I'm more relaxed out here with you than I am alone in my room," she admitted.

Mako accepted that, knowing all too well the terrors that can come from being alone at night.

They sat by each other for a long time, huddled together under the blanket, gazing out at the Republic City skyline. Korra was starting to drift off to sleep when Mako broke the easy silence again.

"You know," he began slowly, "At the risk of making things awkward, I'm really glad we can still be friends after…everything."

She looked up at him questioningly.

"My whole life, Bolin has pretty much been my only friend," he confessed. "And while I love the guy, he's still my brother, and there's something different about having a friend you're not obligated to care about."

Korra smiled. "I know what you mean. Naga's been my best friend for as long as I can remember. There've been other people I've known, but no one I've been so close to as her." She laid down her head on his shoulder. "And there's something to be said about friends who can talk back when you ask them something."

Mako chuckled.

"And continuing the risk of making things awkward," she said, her cheeks coloring, "I'm sorry I was so stupid. I never should have done anything, especially while you're still with Asami."

"Honestly, I'm kind of glad you did," he said. "It certainly broke the ice."

They both laughed.

"We're ridiculous, aren't we?" Korra asked.

"I have Bolin for a brother. I'm used to ridiculous."

Another easy silence fell between them. This time, Korra was the one to break it.

"Mako?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you for worrying about me today."

"What?"

"At the arena. When I came back from the rooftop, you said you were worried about me?"

Mako let out a deep breath. "I was."

"Why?"

"Why? Korra," he let out a sad laugh. "We just went over this. You're my friend. I was scared something awful was going to happen to you." His face turned serious. "I've lost enough people in my life, I don't want to add anyone else to that list."

She pressed her cheek against his shoulder. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything – being my friend, worrying, letting me join the Fire Ferrets… what haven't you done for me since I got here?"

"I can think of a few things," he said with a wry smile. "We didn't exactly get off to the best start, remember."

"That's ancient history," she said, waving it aside. "Seriously, though. Thanks."

"Korra, if I can promise you anything, it will be that I will always be your friend."

"Me too. And hey, having the Avatar for a buddy might come in handy someday, right?" she poked his side.

Squirming away, he said, "Please. It already got me to the Championship game, a place to crash after my place went up in flames, and helped get my kidnapped brother back. If anything, I owe the Avatar more than she'll ever owe anyone else."

She wrinkled her nose. "I would have done all that even if I wasn't the Avatar. Let's not keep score, okay? Because if we keep score, then there's a winner and a loser, and you know how I hate losing."

"It's a deal," he said as she settled on his shoulder again.

Strangely enough, there was nothing romantic about the way they sat, curled together under the thick blanket. They both just needed the warmth the other could provide, and not in the literal sense. Something about Mako calmed Korra, and the thin fabric of his old coat against her cheek centered her, slowed her racing pulse.

In return, the weight of the girl on his shoulder kept Mako tied to the present and kept him from getting lost in the memories and worries that haunted his past.

And so the two of them stayed like that until the sun turned the sky pink with the promise of a new day.

AN: I just wanted a nice fluffy fic with them being friends. So this happened. Hope you liked it :)