Flying to the Heavens

Part Two of Two

The panda lily, a black and white flower universally acknowledged as a symbol of love and often used to woo the heart of a significant other. However, because of the flower's specific requirements for growth—such as the precise humidity and the exact volcanic soil composition of the environment—one could not simply pick a single panda lily from a nearby open meadow. A rarity difficult to acquire, the panda lily could only be found on the rim of the volcanoes somewhere in the Earth Kingdom… meaning that one must make a journey up a volcano—perhaps an active one—and thus, making the panda lily infamously known for its hefty price tag.

Unfortunately, Mako was forced to settle for fire lilies instead, leaving the panda lily for some rich bloke to woo an unfortunate female into an ill-fated romance. As Mako left the florist, he heard Bolin's voice in his head chiding him for not saving enough money for the panda lily. In response, Mako mentally scolded the imaginary Bolin for spending their savings on 'emergency groceries'—Bolin's words, of course—consisting but not limited to three dozen eggs, two pounds of komodo chicken, a giant fruit tart, and about twenty cups of Flameo Instant Noodles.

After making his way across the bay via the ferry and to Air Temple Island, Mako was immediately bombarded by two miniature airbenders upon taking a step inside the temple building

"He's here! He's here!" Ikki exclaimed as she hopped up and down. She then eyed the flowers in Mako's hand. "You should have gotten her a panda lily," she said with a frown.

Mako inwardly pouted and considered whether he should go back to the florist or not.

"But fire lilies are pretty too," Jinora commented as she stepped forward. "Bringing flowers on your first date? Very romantic," the elder airbender child said with a sly wink.

"Oh! Oh! You're going on a date with Korra? Do you think Korra's pretty?" Ikki asked while bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Well? Do you think she's pretty?"

Mako tried to resist the urge to smile at the young airbenders, but the corners of his mouth somehow managed to slowly twitch upwards. "Well, I think she's very pretty," he awkwardly confessed.

At this, the two girls clasped their hands and beamed with subsequent squeals of joy. "Oh, Korra is going to be so happy when she sees you," Ikki gleefully cried out.

Mako smiled as he watched the two girls. He then picked two fire lilies and gave one to each sister. Jinora placed her flower in her hair and helped Ikki do the same. "Now you both look pretty," he said.

The two girls grinned before taking off to find the missing Avatar. Seconds later, the two walk out with an unusually shy and somewhat resistant Korra. Mako noticed that Korra wasn't wearing her usual Water Tribe clothes. Her hair was down, and she was wearing a navy blue dress with long sleeves and a skirt that ended mid-thigh. Underneath that, she had dark leggings and a pair of black boots. There was no doubt in Mako's mind that Asami had a hand in choosing Korra's outfit.

"Come on, Korra," Jinora quietly encouraged as she gently pushed the Avatar forward.

"Hey," Korra nervously greeted as she brushed a loose strand of hair from the side of her face. She wasn't quite used to having her hair down. "Do I look alright?" she asked in a quiet and hesitant voice.

"You look…" Mako trailed off, unsure how to continue.

Disappointment quickly appeared on Korra's face at Mako's pause and she instantly regretted her new attire.

"…nice," Mako managed to finish with a small smile.

Korra's face brightened. "Really?" she asked.

"Yeah," Mako awkwardly responded as he handed the fire lilies to Korra. "These are for you."

Korra took the flowers with a quizzical expression. "What's this?" she asked with a raised brow.

In the background, Mako could see the airbender girls placing their hands over their faces and shaking their heads as a display of embarrassment, frustration, and disappointment over Korra's naiveté.

"These are flowers," Mako slowly said, enunciating every word as if he was explaining to a child.

"I know that they are flowers," she snapped back at him, clearly peeved at his patronizing voice. Then Korra examined the bouquet in her hand with a careful eye. "So, why are you giving me this?"

Mako resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Because I'm supposed to."

"Why?"

"It's what guys are supposed to do when they take a girl out."

"Why?" she asked again.

"Because…" Mako paused and shook his head. "Forget it. Just take the damn flowers."

Korra frowned, her bottom lip sticking out slightly in an adorable pout, before she responded with a small sigh. "Thank you for the flowers," she said as she gingerly cradled the bouquet in her arms. "I don't have flowers back home."

By home, Mako assumed that she had meant the South Pole. "Yeah, because ice and snow are so great for flowers."

Korra responded to his sarcasm with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. "Give me a second to get some water for these," she said before taking off.

As Mako watched Korra's retreating back, he couldn't help but feel unnerved by the stares the grinning airbender girls were sending him. When he turned his head to look at them, they suddenly broke into giggles and started whispering to each other. Suddenly, Mako felt as if he was once again the same awkward, homeless kid on the street that the rich kids stared at.

"I'm ready now," Korra said as she suddenly appeared by his side. She quickly took his arm and led him out the door while waving a quick goodbye to her adoptive little sisters—or spiritual granddaughters. "So," she began, walking him towards the docks, "where are we going?"

"Well, you mentioned something about taking me to a bakery and…"

"Oh! I remember now!" Korra interrupted with a wide smile. "We're going to force-feed you a ton of egg custards until you're as heavy as Naga!"

"Right…" Mako slowly said. He started to wonder if he would regret this night.

"Come on, Mako. Just one more bite. Please?"

Mako stared at the tiny pastry in front of him, a delightful treat consisting of a sweet custard with a flakey, buttery crust.

"Please?" Korra repeated, looking at him with her large, pleading eyes. "It'll make me happy."

"It'll make me sick," Mako sharply retorted. "I've already eaten at least twenty of these things," he said as he pushed the pastry towards Korra's end of the table.

Korra scoffed. "I can eat thirty of these. And I'm a girl."

Mako rolled his eyes. "Yes, I think we all know that you eat as much as a flying bison."

Korra let out an exaggerated gasp and crossed her arms, shooting Mako the deadliest glare she could muster—though it looked far more adorable than frightening.

In response, Mako merely rolled his eyes. Then he picked up the pastry and held it up to Korra's face. "Open wide," he said, waiting for her to take a bite.

A pink tint appeared on Korra's cheeks as she pouted and turned away. "I don't want it," she responded in a childish voice.

The corners of Mako's mouth lifted up slightly. "But I thought the mighty Avatar said that she could eat thirty egg custards."

"Of course I can!" Korra replied in a defensive voice. "When I feel like it…" she quietly added. She eyed the pastry disdainfully. "Just throw it away."

Mako frowned. "Throw it away?"

"Yes, throw it away," Korra repeated. "No one wants to eat it."

Mako looked at the pastry in front of him. "I hate wasting food," he quietly said.

Korra simply shrugged her shoulders. "Then you eat it," she responded in a irritated tone.

A childhood memory suddenly appeared in Mako's head. He was ten and Bolin had just turned eight. They were standing on the sidewalk and had their faces pressed up to the window of a bakery shop—one not unlike this one. He could remember hearing the loud growls of their stomachs upon seeing the small cakes being laid in front of them.

"Fine," Mako snapped before taking the egg custard and shoving it into his mouth. He chewed it for several moments while glaring at Korra's smug face before forcing it down. The queasiness in his stomach didn't settle.

"That wasn't so hard," Korra said with a satisfied smile.

Mako narrowed his eyes at her. "Whatever," he mumbled as he moved to stand. "Let's get out of here."

Korra didn't say anything as she followed him out the door. When they were near a dark alley, Mako suddenly went knee-bent, hunching forward and leaning on the brick wall for support.

"Mako!" Korra called to him as she rushed forward.

Mako then fell on all fours and began vomiting the contents in his stomach. He barely noticed Korra kneeling beside him, rubbing his back and whispering soothing phrases. When it was just about over, he looked down and saw that his beloved red scarf was stained with yellowish-white chunky pieces. "Argh…" he groaned as he leaned against Korra's body. As he let his eyes close for a moment, he heard Korra sputter her apologies in between quiet sobs… something about her promising him that she'll never force him to eat egg custards again.

Somehow, it didn't make him feel any better.

"I'm really sorry," Korra said wistfully as she sat beside a quiet Mako, who was lying on the couch. She reached forward and touched his shoulder. She had just finished washing his spoiled clothes and hung them up to dry. "Please don't hate me," she whispered.

Mako didn't say anything. Instead, he turned to look up at her. Upon seeing the genuine remorse on her face, he realized that he couldn't stay angry at her. "It's late," he said. "Shouldn't you be heading back?" he asked, referring to Air Temple Island.

"I called Tenzin and told him that I was taking care of you," Korra answered. She waited for some kind of a response, but didn't get one. Letting out a heavy sigh, Korra moved to stand. "You guys are running low on groceries again. I'm going to head to the market to see if I can get some food."

Mako reached forward to catch her hand. "I don't hate you." He needed her to know that.

Korra gave him a small smile. "I'll be back soon."

Mako didn't let go. "No, I'll take care of that tomorrow morning. It's not your job."

Korra let out a sigh and reluctantly sat back down. "Mako, I know I told you this before," she said as she moved to rest her upper body on top of Mako's, "…it's okay to accept someone's help. You don't need to act so tough all the time."

Mako didn't want to continue this conservation. Instead, he decided to change the subject. "Once you finally learn to airbend, you'll be able to fly… right?"

"Well, sort of…" Korra answered. "I might need a glider, but I'll be able to fly."

Mako adjusted his body to make room for Korra to lie beside him. "You're lucky that you can airbend. If I could airbend, the first thing I would do is fly up to the heavens."

Korra raised a brow. "Why would you want to do that?" she asked. Then she remembered what he told her about his parents and frowned. Though she may not be as spiritual as she ought to be, Korra knew that the living had no business with the dead.

"I don't know," Mako quietly answered. "It's just something I've been thinking about."

Korra pursed her lips as she wrapped her arms around Mako. "As soon as I learn to airbend, the first thing I'm going to do is challenge Ikki to an air scooter race."

"Right, because beating a five-year-old child is such a fulfilling accomplishment," Mako said with an exaggerated roll of his eyes.

"Hey," Korra protested. "Ikki isn't just a regular five-year-old airbender. She's a fast one too!"

"And I'm sure that Tenzin will be so proud of this future achievement," Mako responded in a teasing voice.

Korra pouted. "It's better than flying up to the heavens," she said. "If you want to do that, just take one of the sky bison."

"But it won't be the same," Mako argued. "It's like having someone else do the work for you. I'd rather fly up there myself."

"But you can't do that," Korra reminded him. "You're not an airbender."

Mako let out a heavy sigh, slightly frustrated with Korra's lack of understanding... or his own lack of communication. "And that's why you're so lucky, Korra. You can bend water, earth, fire, and air."

"Just three elements out of the four," she corrected. Then she turned over to look at him. "Here's an idea. As soon as I master airbending, I'll take you out for a ride on my future glider. Katara says that she and Aang used to do it all the time. It'll be fun."

"No thanks," Mako said, recalling Korra's ineptness for the bending the element of air. "I'm afraid that you'll drop me and send me falling to my death," he joked, recalling the night when Korra threw him out of the window.

"Mako!" Korra whined. "I'm serious about this!"

Mako let out a small chuckle. "I'll think about it," he said, deciding that it was a better answer than saying no.

Seeming satisfied with his response, Korra moved to rest her head beside Mako's chest. "I heard that Bolin is applying for the University. He mentioned something about you forcing him to study for the entrance exam."

"You're not going to talk me out of making him apply, are you?" Mako asked, knowing fully well that Korra often sided with Bolin during their brotherly quarrels.

"I think it's a great idea," Korra said. "Maybe he can get a scholarship. If not, I'll ask Tenzin to sponsor him."

"He'll get that scholarship," Mako firmly replied. "There's no need to bother Tenzin."

Korra let out a quiet sigh. "Stubborn idiot," she mumbled.

Mako only rolled his eyes at her response.

Later that night, after a long day studying at the library, Bolin and his trusty fire ferret arrived at the apartment to find both Korra and Mako curled up on the couch. Normally, Bolin wouldn't mind the obvious display of affection (in fact, he is quite used to it); however, he did spend many tedious hours poring over large leather-bound books, and to say that he was cranky would be a severe understatement.

"Oh, come on," Bolin loudly groaned, waking the slumbering couple. "Stop screwing around with each other on the couch! I actually sit there!"

"Bolin," a groggy Korra said as she moved to sit up, "we weren't doing anything…"

"I don't mind seeing the two of you hug and kiss and do stuff like that!" Bolin interrupted. "But if you're going to screw each other, at least have the decency to get a room!"

"We still have our clothes—"

"Don't interrupt me, Mako!" Bolin exclaimed. "The stupid exam is coming up in a few weeks and I have to ace that thing so I can get the stupid scholarship, otherwise my stupid brother will end up working himself to death to pay for the stupid tuition! I don't need this extra stress!" Sometime during Bolin's tirade, a frightened Pabu scampered off Bolin's shoulder and ran into Korra's arms.

"What extra stress?" a confused Mako asked.

Bolin let his jaw drop, as if he was genuinely surprised that Mako couldn't see the obvious answer. "I'm scared that she's going to get pregnant!" Bolin shouted, gesturing to a seated Korra.

"Me?!" a surprised Korra managed to squeak.

"Yes, you!" Bolin continued. "You're a mature female. Mako's a mature male. Together, you two can make a baby… And yes, Korra, you'll be carrying the baby."

Mako frowned as he crossed his arms. "What makes you think that Korra will get pregnant anytime soon?"

"Uh, hello?" Bolin moved over to gesture at Korra's body. "Have you not noticed? You're dating a hot babe! It's only a matter of time before you screw her!"

Korra's face suddenly reddened at Bolin's words and she abruptly stopped stroking Pabu's head. "Eh… thanks?" she said to the Bolin, unsure whether that was the correct response or not.

"Bro!" Mako hissed, clearly embarrassed. "Just because Korra is a… uh, an attractive female, it does not mean that I want to screw her."

"Lies! Lies, I say!" Bolin exclaimed. Then he turned to the young Avatar. "Korra—as much as I love having you here because you're so much more fun than my sissy brother—you can't stay here anymore! I'm not ready to be an uncle! I'm not ready to take care of a kid!"

"Calm down," Mako said as he cautiously approached his upset brother.

"Accidents happen!" Bolin shouted. Then his eyes darkened as his voice took on an ominous tone. "Mark my words. One of these days, when the two of you are feeling hot and needy, you will screw each other and, Korra, you will get pregnant."

Mako let out an exasperated sigh. "Bolin, you're exhausted and stressed out. You should go to bed," he tried to reason.

Bolin took a sudden step back as Mako approached him. "Not until you promise me that you will not engage in any unlawful sexual activities—Mako, you do know that Korra is underage, right? She's only seventeen. If you get caught, it'd be statutory rape and Chief Beifong would have to arrest you!"

Mako rolled his eyes as he raised his right hand. "I solemnly swear that I will not have sex with Korra."

Korra raised her hand too. "And I will personally make an Avatar promise that I will not engage in any sexual activities with your brother."

Bolin narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the couple. Then he spotted Pabu sitting in Korra's lap.

"Pabu!"

The fire ferret's ears perked at Bolin's voice.

"Don't you dare go messing with some lady fire ferret!" Bolin shouted, his nostrils flaring dangerously. Taking care of you and my idiot brother is hard enough already!"

Pabu let out a squeak before scurrying off, and Bolin quickly followed behind.

In the meantime, the Avatar shook her head as she watched the scene enfold in front of her. "I think studying has caused him to go a little crazy," Korra commented. "Do you still think this is a good idea?"

"If he gets into the University, enduring his mental breakdowns will be worth it," Mako said, though he wasn't completely sure of his answer.

"I was in a very dark place, Korra. I don't want to go back there again," Bolin explained as he shuddered. "All I remember is being so angry all the time. Does this make any sense to you?"

"Mmm…" Korra nodded as she eyed the boutiques they walked past. "But you should be happy. All of your hard work finally paid off," she said, recalling a happy Mako telling her the news. He was practically skipping around Air Temple Island, spreading the wondrous news to everyone within earshot. It was quite an alarming sight to see the normally stoic firebender behave like an overexcited teenage girl.

"Of course I'm happy," Bolin answered. "I'm actually excited to start my classes. I'll be learning more about the history of the Hundred Year War."

"Hey," Korra spoke up. "I was actually there. If you wanted to know about the war, then why didn't you ask me?"

"Eh… no offense," Bolin began, "but you were a skinny, bald dude back then… and I don't think you have any memories of your past life yet."

"Oh boo," Korra said, blowing a raspberry. "I'll connect with my past lives one day, you'll see." Then she stopped when something in a store's window caught her eye. "Hey Bolin, what do you think of this?"

"Hmm…?" Bolin followed Korra's gaze. "It's a pretty dress," he commented nonchalantly. "Blue really is your favorite color."

"Think I should get it?" Korra asked.

Bolin's eyes narrowed as he looked at dress and then back to Korra, trying to imagine the girl in something other than her usual baggy pants. "You should try it on first," he finally said.

"You think?"

Bolin rolled his eyes. "Well, yeah. I mean, you can't buy a dress without trying it on. What if it's too small for you?" Anticipating Korra's negative response, Bolin raised his hands defensively. "Sorry, but you can't deny it. You eat a lot for a girl."

Korra frowned, crossing her arms and pouting adorably. Though she hated to admit it, Bolin was right. "I'm not fat," she quietly mumbled.

"Of course not," Bolin quickly responded, placing an arm around the insecure girl and leading her into the shop. "You're a very healthy and fit lady. Other girls are envious of your body."

The young Avatar looked away gloomily. "Why would they envy me? Have you seen my arms? I look like a boy," she said, recalling the tabloids that have accused her of having an unfeminine body.

"Nonsense," Bolin said as he grabbed Korra's shoulders and faced her. "You are a hot babe with a killer body. Don't let anyone make you think otherwise."

Korra frowned, unconvinced despite Bolin's insistence. "Right…" she said.

A thousand thoughts ran through Mako's mind as he eyed the notice in his hand. What was he going to do now? There wasn't much time left. Then the door of the apartment opened up and a cheerful Bolin appeared. "Ladies and gentlemen—oh, and Mako too…" he trailed off, eyeing his brother.

"Bolin, what are you doing?" an exasperated Mako asked.

"Please welcome…" Bolin continued, ignoring his brother, "…the amazing Avatar Korra!"

Then Korra entered the apartment, twirling around in her new dress.

"Isn't she a beauty?" Bolin asked, nudging his brother.

Mako frowned. He recalled seeing that same dress before. Then his mood quickly turned sour. "Bolin, quit wasting time shopping," Mako snapped at the younger male.

"Oh, Mako," Korra began, making her merry way towards the elder brother. "We were just having fun, and the University doesn't start until next week." Then she spotted the sheet of paper in Mako's hand. Before he had the chance to react, she snatched it from him.

"Korra," Mako protested, trying to take the paper back.

"You're being evicted?!" she exclaimed upon reading the notice. Anger quickly appeared on her face. "They can't do this to you!"

"What…?" a stunned Bolin took the notice from Korra's hand. "Bro! Why didn't you tell us that we were having money trouble? …And rent was raised again?!"

"You weren't supposed to see that," Mako growled, glowering at the younger teenagers. "Don't worry about it. I'll figure things out."

"That's what you always say," Bolin interrupted. "Why don't you ever ask me for help? I'm not a little kid anymore. You don't need to protect me from these things. Look, maybe I can take out some loans…"

"Or you can live with me on Air Temple Island," Korra quickly offered. "It is free rent."

"We can do that too," Bolin said with a smile. "Yeah, that's a much better idea," he muttered to Korra.

"No," replied Mako. "Korra, I already told you that I don't need your help. Bolin and I will be fine on our own."

"Sure…" Korra scoffed, "like you're not getting kicked out of your home."

"Shut up, Korra!" Mako suddenly snapped, surprising the other occupants in the room. "Why can't you leave us alone? This is none of your business!"

"It is my business when my boyfriend and his brother are going to be homeless!" Korra yelled. "Quit being such a stubborn idiot. Suck it up and accept my help!"

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of both my brother and myself!" Mako yelled back. "I've been doing it nearly all my life!"

"Well, you haven't been doing a very good job of it lately!" Korra paused and took a deep breath. "If you're not going to take my offer, then at least let Bolin move in with me," she said in a soft, but sharp tone. "He doesn't need to suffer because of your pigheadedness."

Mako narrowed his eyes at the defiant Avatar who returned his glare with equal intensity. "Fine then," he managed to say despite seething with anger. With that said, Mako turned around and stormed out of the apartment, ignoring a protesting Bolin. The younger male then winced noticeably upon hearing the door slam shut.

Suddenly feeling somewhat guilty for her angry outburst—though she would adamantly argue that it was mostly Mako's stubbornness at fault—a worried Korra turned towards to Bolin. "Hey?" she softly called out, almost as quiet as a whisper.

"Yes?"

"I think your brother and I just broke up."

"No, you didn't," Bolin replied, trying to assure the worried Avatar. "Mako was just being dramatic," he quietly said aloud, as if he was trying to convince himself that it was true. Then Bolin took a cautious step towards Korra. "I'll need some help packing my things."

The two then quickly proceeded to pack Bolin's belongings. As Korra grabbed some of Bolin's sweaters, she spotted Mako's wallet and picked it up. As she expected, it was empty save for a crumpled grocery list. Korra then glanced over at Bolin from the corner of her eye. When she was sure that he wasn't looking, she stuffed the little money she had inside the wallet before tossing it back onto the couch.

Suddenly, Korra jumped at the clap of thunder. She quickly looked outside and saw the rain pouring heavily on the streets below. Her first immediate thought was Mako. Then she scowled, remembering the stubborn independence displayed earlier.

"I think that I'm ready," Bolin said as he grabbed his bags. "Shouldn't we wait for Mako?" he asked, finally noticing the storm outside.

"We can wait for him on Air Temple Island," Korra answered, taking a bag from Bolin's hand as she walked towards the door. "I don't think he wants to see me for a long time," she quietly said.

Sitting alone on a bench somewhere downtown wasn't exactly what Mako anticipated on doing that night. He didn't anticipate the thunderous storm either. The fight with Korra, however, he had expected that kind of reaction as soon as she heard the news. He just didn't plan on her knowing so soon.

"Mako, is that you?"

Mako looked up to see a familiar female standing in front of him with an umbrella in her hand. He never thought that he would see this particular female for at least a very long time. "Oh, hey Asami," he greeted as casually as one would greet a former girlfriend.

"What are you doing out in the storm?" Asami asked, moving the umbrella to shelter them both from the pounding rain. "You're completely soaked. You're going to get sick."

Mako merely shrugged, not really caring the slightest bit. Instead, he slouched forward and continued to brood as he was doing before.

"You know," Asami began, moving to sit beside him despite getting her heavy skirt wet, "just because we're exes, it doesn't mean that we can't be friends. We don't have to keep avoiding each other."

"I haven't been avoiding you," Mako replied, though it wasn't the complete truth. "It's just that I've been so busy with things."

"Right…" Asami turned her green eyes to him. "Like being a stubborn idiot and working yourself to death," she said with a subtle roll of her eyes.

"You've been talking to Korra lately, haven't you?" Mako asked despite already knowing the answer.

"Of course," Asami answered with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "She is my best female friend despite the fact that she stole my old boyfriend," she said in a joking voice without any hint of bitterness. "Okay, maybe stole is a harsh word…." Asami looked at Mako for a response and frowned upon not receiving one. "By the way, how was your date with Korra? I helped her choose her outfit."

"Great," Mako mumbled sarcastically. "I ended up puking on the street."

Asami raised a curious brow. "Oh?" she quietly urged him to continue.

"I rather not talk about Korra," Mako nearly snapped, anger apparent on his features.

"Are you and Korra having… problems?" Asami hesitantly asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

Mako didn't answer, ignoring the girl and continuing to glare at a nearby streetlight. He then heard a weary sigh and felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Mako, you need to communicate with her," Asami firmly said, offering the most important advice she knew from her short-lived romance. "If we talked to each other more, then maybe things wouldn't have gotten so messed up between us," she added in a quiet voice, recalling their breakup.

Again, Mako didn't respond.

Asami fought the urge to roll her eyes—perhaps some of the Avatar's mannerisms were rubbing off on her. She took a small breath and straightened her posture, poised like the elegant woman she is. "Sitting outside in the rain with my ex isn't how I expected that I'd spend my night," Asami casually said. "How about I take you out to a late dinner or something?"

"You're not obligated to do that," Mako answered. "We're not dating anymore."

"True, but that doesn't mean that I can't hang out with a good friend," she responded with a small smile.

Somewhere on Air Temple Island, an anxious Avatar waited for a certain firebender to arrive. "I'm getting worried," Korra said while staring outside the window and across the bay. "I called the apartment and no one answered."

"Of course no one answered," Bolin said. "He's probably crashing at his new apartment."

Korra then recalled Mako's empty wallet. Surely the few bills she added weren't enough for a new apartment in such short notice. "I don't know."

"I'm sure he's fine," Bolin replied while attempting to teach Pabu a new trick—which may or may not involve fire and a rubber spatula. "He can take care of himself. He did manage to survive on the streets as a little kid and raise me at the same time."

"Right," Korra quietly mumbled, unconvinced by Bolin's words.

"Do you have a place to stay?" Asami asked as she pushed her half-eaten meal towards Mako.

"Don't worry about it," Mako answered.

Asami narrowed her eyes, her lips turning into a displeased frown. "You said that Bolin is staying with Korra. Why don't you stay with them?"

Mako responded by giving Asami an exasperated sigh for the umpteenth time that night.

"Because of your stupid pride?" she offered for him.

"Because I don't need Korra's help," Mako corrected. Having already finished his meal, he reached into his pocket, searching for his wallet. "Crap," he muttered upon realization that he had forgotten it.

"I got it," Asami said, pulling out an ornate, violet wallet adorned with small crystal beading. She waved down the waiter for the check and, gesturing to her unfinished meal, asked him to box her dinner,. The waiter took her plate and quickly returned with a small carton and paper bag. "Here," Asami said, handing Mako the bag. "This is your breakfast for tomorrow."

Mako looked at the packaged food and then back at Asami's face. Her eyes were firm and unwavering. "Thanks," he said. "I'll pay you back as soon as I can."

Asami didn't say anything in return. Instead, she sadly turned away and muttered something barely audible to Mako's ears.

"You're going to end up killing yourself one day."

Two weeks have passed since that fateful argument with Korra and his dinner date with Asami. Since then, Mako had been hard at work at the power plant and running errands for local businesses. And somehow, he managed to save enough money for a place he could proudly call his home—which so happened to be a dingy room in an equally dingy, rundown building with no other living occupants. Well, human occupants to be specific. Mako did happen to find a large family of rats sharing the floorboards with him.

So maybe Mako didn't exactly save the money to live there—since there wasn't a money-hungry landlord to demand ridiculous rent fees—but he was saving up for a nicer apartment across town, one without any unwanted guests. Maybe in six months, he can finally get a place with decent plumbing.

Aside from the rodents, the place wasn't at all that bad. The room he was occupying was quite spacious with a cot in the corner and a small table in the center. Plus, Mako didn't have to share the room with any roommates, nor was he forced to deal with any obnoxious neighbors. And outside the window was a spectacular view of Air Temple Island, though it was much to Mako's dismay as it brought back unpleasant memories of his last meeting with a certain hotheaded Avatar.

Then taking into account of the advantages of living in the rundown building—especially the financial advantages—Mako thought it was quite curious that he was the only human occupying the establishment. Surely some homeless person would have stumbled upon this place long before Mako moved in. He then wondered if someone had died somewhere in the building—maybe in the very room he was sleeping in. Then of course, there were a lot of news articles about unsolved murders that occur in the abandoned buildings in the rundown parts of Republic City.

So the chances of someone being murdered in this building were… quite likely.

Then from the corner of his eye, Mako spotted something in the air outside his window. It was one of the airbending children, one of the female ones—either Ikki or Jinora, if Mako recalled their names correctly—and she flew in circles above the bay with her air glider. And then she got higher and higher, nearly disappearing into the clouds before swooping down and flying back towards the island.

He wondered how soon the day would come when he would see Korra soaring above the bay with her own air glider, flying higher and higher to the heavens. A frown appeared on his face when he realized that he missed his girlfriend.

Actually, he missed her a lot.

And he missed his brother a lot too. After all, he couldn't recall the last time he was alone for such a long period.

Then Mako looked outside the window, imagining four airbenders—Korra plus the airbender children—with their gliders flying around Republic City, though he wasn't sure if Chief Beifong would appreciate a crazy Avatar flying haphazardly on her streets.

But then, wouldn't it be nice to jump into the air and go wherever you want?

Of course, such idealistic dreams were impossible for Mako.

"Get out of the way!"

Mako fell as a burly, masked figure rammed into his back, knocking the bag groceries out of his arms. When Mako looked up, he saw three metalbender officers chasing the man—who Mako assumed to be a thief because of the suspicious brown sac he was carrying. Then the thief shot out a large blast of flames, knocking the metalbenders back. Upon seeing the fallen officers and no one else in sight able to go after the masked man, Mako decided to take action; he sped after the criminal, dodging fiery blasts sent his way—it was almost as if he was in a pro-bending match, except that he didn't have the safety of his protective suit or his two teammates to cover him.

The thief led Mako into a dark alley before turning around and taking a swing at Mako, who instinctively ducked underneath the outstretched arm. Then Mako, while avoiding punches and kicks, somehow managed to move his arms in a familiar curricular motion and shot out lightning. Mako, unlike most firebenders, had very precise control over his lightning and merely stunned the thief instead of killing him.

Not soon after, a swarm of metalbeder cops appeared and quickly apprehended the thief without a single word of thanks to Mako. As they led the cursing thief away, Mako saw Chief Beifong slowly approaching him.

"Oh, it's you," Beifong said with a hint of distaste on her tongue before quietly observing the scene.

Mako grimaced, recalling his last confrontation with the fearsome woman. "Uh, hi," he awkwardly greeted, hoping that she wouldn't come up with an excuse to arrest him.

Beifong narrowed her eyes at Mako, taking notice of his alarmingly skinny frame compared to the last time she saw him a few weeks ago. She then recalled Tenzin casually telling her that one of the Avatar's friends was having financial troubles and that he was 'being a stupid butthead by working himself to death' at the power plant—though Beifong had a sinking suspicion that those last couple of words came directly from the Avatar's mouth. "Well… eh, is…" she began, unsure how to continue. "…Is everything alright?"

Mako raised a brow at her question. "Sure, everything's been just peachy," he lied.

From the looks of it, you haven't had a decent meal in weeks, Beifong voiced in her head. "I didn't know that the new definition of 'peachy' meant looking worse for wear." Upon seeing the displeased look on Mako's face, Beifong decided that it wasn't best to continue the topic. "I saw you take down that thief with lightning," she said. "For a moment there, I was worried that I would have to arrest you on the charge of murder."

"Uh, thanks," Mako said, unsure whether she was complimenting him or not.

Beifong paused for a moment. Out of all the Avatar's friends, she was fond of this one the least—aside from the Avatar herself, of course. However, that didn't mean that she wouldn't be inclined to help him out. "I could use more men like you on the force."

A confused Mako blinked. "Are you saying that I should join the police force?" He shook his head. "I don't have an education or any decent credentials."

"An education means diddly-squat in determining a worthy officer of the law. And being friends with the Avatar—no matter how reckless and abrasive she is—says a lot about one's character." Beifong took a hand and placed it on Mako's shoulder as a subtle attempt to assure him of his worth. "I always trust the Avatar's instinct regardless whether the Avatar is Aang or Korra."

Mako didn't say anything.

"Of course, you'll have to enroll in the Police Academy," Beifong said. "You'll get your education there."

Mako frowned. "But I'm not an earthbender."

"I don't need more earthbenders."

Mako didn't know what to say. To be able to work for the police force would mean having a stable income and a better lifestyle; but he also had to consider the dangers that came with chasing dangerous criminals.

"I'll think about it."

Later that same week, Mako arrived at the power plant for his night shift only to find a polar bear dog sitting on the corner of the street. As he got closer, he saw a familiar girl dozing on top of the giant animal.

"Korra?" Mako called out, effectively waking the sleeping Avatar.

A groggy Korra slowly rose with a tired yawn and her eyes settled on the young male in front of her. "Mako!" she cried out in recognition.

"Eh… hi," Mako awkwardly greeted, somewhat quite pleased to see her after so long.

Korra didn't give Mako a chance to react; she leaped off her polar bear dog and literally pounced on him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips as she kissed him feverishly, nearly bruising their lips in the process. Mako returned her affections with equal intensity, though not quite as aggressively.

"I missed you so much!" Korra exclaimed as she kissed his lips once more. "I missed you! I missed you! I missed you!"

Mako resisted a smile as he set the girl down, quickly forgetting his spat with her weeks ago. Then without a word, he wrapped his arms around her and a pulled her in a gentle hug, which Korra responded to by squeezing his ribs as hard as she could.

"Hey, Korra…" Mako began, wincing as she pressed herself onto him. "Please… uh, please be gentle with me. I'm a lot more delicate than Bolin."

Korra's grip slackened as she pulled away and looked up at Mako with a beaming smile. "I finally found you," she said.

Actually, it was Mako who found her sleeping on the street, but he decided to let her have this small victory. "Yes, you did. Now if you don't mind, I need to get to work."

Korra frowned at his words. "But I haven't seen you in so long," she whined.

Mako looked down at her adorable face, feeling his hard exterior instantly melting away at her endearing eyes. It was obvious that she no longer held any anger towards him.

Funny… Mako never imagined that his next meeting with Korra would be… so affectionate. He had expected awkward silences, darting eyes, and the occasional fidgeting on Korra's part. It was as if she had completely forgotten about the fight at the apartment… maybe it was for the best.

"How about this…" Mako began, "after my shift, we'll hang out somewhere."

Korra frowned as she crossed her arms. "Where will we hang out? Not many places are open after midnight."

"We can take a nice stroll in the park," Mako offered.

"How thrilling," Korra deadpanned with sarcasm.

Mako let out a heavy sigh. "I really have to get to work now. Just meet me here in three hours. We'll figure something out."

"Alright," Korra reluctantly agreed. "I'll be right here."

A few hours later, Mako found Korra waiting for him in the same spot with her polar bear dog.

"You didn't have to wait here the whole time," Mako said as he approached the two.

"Of course I didn't wait the whole time," Korra responded. "I had to take Naga for a potty break twice."

Mako rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to respond with a snappy comeback. Instead, he climbed on the gigantic animal and awkwardly gripped the edge of the saddle behind him.

"It's better if you hold onto me instead," Korra said as she looked over her shoulder. "Don't be shy. We used to cuddle all the time."

Mako shifted his tired body forward and wrapped his arms around her slender waist. He didn't expect his night shift to be so exhausting. Then Mako hesitantly pressed his cheek against the fur lining of her parka and closed his eyes. All he wanted to do was take a long nap.

"Hey Mako," Korra spoke up. "You're… eh, you're not homeless, are you?"

"No," Mako mumbled into her shoulder. "Can you give me a ride back to my place? I promise that we'll hang out tomorrow."

"Of course."

"So this is your new home? To be honest, I like the apartment in the pro-bending arena better."

Mako ignored her comment as he made his way across the room and collapsed on the mattress. "How's Bolin?" he asked as Korra moved to sit beside him.

"Bolin is really busy with his schoolwork now," Korra sadly said, missing the times she spent goofing off with the earthbender, "…but he's doing well."

"That's good."

Korra turned to look at the sleeply male. "He really misses you." Though Mako didn't say anything, but Korra knew he felt the same way towards his brother.

"Mind if I stay here for the night?" Korra asked. "It's late and Naga… well, I can already hear her snoring downstairs."

Mako lifted his heavy eyelids and nodded before closing them again. Then he felt the mattress dip and a warm body snuggling against his. When he opened his eyes, he was welcomed by a mess of brown hair under his chin.

"Are you cold?" Mako asked as he moved the blanket to cover her shoulders. Then he noticed that she was wearing a different shirt. "You stole my shirt again, didn't you?"

"Yup," Korra happily chirped. Then she looked up at Mako with her big blue eyes. "I'm going to set this building on fire one day."

Mako froze. "Why?" he cautiously inquired.

"Well, it's either that or demolishing it with earthbending, but setting things on fire is a lot more fun."

"And why does my home need to be destroyed?" Mako asked again, choosing his words more specifically this time.

"Because this hideous building is an eyesore to the Republic City skyline," Korra answered as a matter of fact.

Mako almost wanted to roll his eyes. "And because of your twisted logic, you're going to burn down this building simply because of aesthetic reasoning?"

"No," Korra responded. "Well... if I burn it down, then you won't have a home. If you don't have a home, then you'll have to stay with me."

Mako frowned. He didn't like where the conversation was going.

"The offer to live on Air Temple Island is still up for grabs," Korra quietly said. "It would be nice to have you around and… well, it'd be nice for us…"

"I'll be out of this dump soon," Mako cut in, remembering about Chief Beifong's offer—however, he hadn't decided whether to accept it or not. "I'm going to have a nice apartment one day," he said, imagining the distant future, "one with good plumbing and a furnished kitchen."

"And a fireplace too," Korra added. "I like fireplaces and—oh!" She immediately clamped her hands over her mouth upon realization that she just implied that she would be moving in with Mako sometime in the nearby future. Embarrassed, a blushing Korra slowly looked up to see Mako staring down at her with the most curious expression. Then she made a nervous squeal, pulled the blanket over her head, and buried her face into his chest, effectively hiding her face from his view.

Mako didn't say anything at first. Instead, he was thinking about how adorable the mighty Avatar was acting, especially hiding under the covers from him. Then he thought about how his future would be with Korra and the possibility of having a family with her—though neither of them had ever talked about the likelihood of having children together, but Mako had always wanted to be a father one day. But then, what would people say if the great and powerful Avatar married a lowly street rat? If someone was going to marry the Avatar, then that someone better be a great guy worthy of the Avatar's affections... and now, Mako knew his current financial troubles would prevent him from giving Korra the best she deserved.

"Chief Beifong asked me to join the police force," he suddenly said.

Korra poked her head from under the covers, and a happy smile slowly appeared on her features. "Mako, that's great."

"Well, I haven't told her that I would do it." He looked over to Korra. "Do you think I should do it?"

"Of course!" she answered cheerfully. Then she frowned as she thought it over. "But it's a dangerous job."

"Beats working at that damn power plant every day," Mako muttered as he moved to lie beside her.

"I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm not that delicate."

Korra pouted as she frowned. "Is this something you want to do?" she asked.

Mako didn't answer at first. "I don't know, but I'd be making a lot more money… and I can get that nice apartment with a fireplace sooner."

"Beifong is going to work you to death," Korra warned. "You're going to die."

Mako hoped that Korra didn't mean that literally; though if Chief Beifong did end up killing him, then the chief would be forced to arrest herself—an amusing idea but Mako wasn't too keen on being killed.

"But then," Korra continued, "if you become a police officer, then we can go and fight crime together. The Avatar and her trusty sidekick—the Dynamic Duo! And I won't let anyone hurt you."

Mako let a tiny smile slip onto his face. "I doubt Chief Beifong would want you to join," He said teasingly. "You've given her enough grief already."

"Who said anything about me joining the police?" Korra asked. "I'm the Avatar. I can fight crime whenever I want."

"Hey Bolin, we have some good news for you."

Bolin looked over to the side and saw a grinning Korra standing by an equally happy Mako. Suspicious, Bolin raised a brow. "Yes?"

"We're pregnant!" Korra exclaimed with a wide smile.

Mako frowned at his girlfriend's words. "Actually, you're the one who's pregnant," he corrected.

"Wait… w-what?" a dumbfounded Bolin managed to say.

Beside him, Asami let out a small cough, as if she hadn't discreetly choked on the tea she was sipping. "Eh… congrats," a surprised Asami said, but then she noticed Korra's sly wink and decided to play along. "Oh... oh yeah, Bolin," Asami began, quickly adopting a cool and composed expression. "I'm not surprised. They have been doing it all day and night while you were attending classes and pulling all-nighters at the library… especially now that Korra spends more time at Mako's new apartment than she does on Air Temple Island. I'm surprised that she didn't get knocked up earlier."

Bolin suddenly leaned over the table and grabbed Asami's shoulders, his nostrils flaring dangerously. "You knew that they've been having sex all this time, and you didn't try to stop them?!"

"Alright, that's enough," Mako said as he pulled Bolin away from a snickering Asami. "Bolin, are you hyperventilating?"

"I'm not ready to be an uncle," Bolin mumbled to himself while taking quick, shallow breaths, "…at least not for another seven years."

"Deep breaths," Mako coached. "Slow, deep breaths."

"BUT I'M NOT READY TO BE AN UNCLE! AND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IS VERY MUCH ILLEGAL! I'M GOING TO CALL CHIEF BEIFONG AND TELL HER ABOUT THIS!" Bolin shouted into Mako's face. Behind them, the girls were having trouble containing their laughter and smiling faces.

Mako let out a heavy sigh and rolled his eyes. "Bolin, we were just kidding. Korra's isn't pregnant."

"She isn't?" Bolin breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, eh… good. You two should continue to have sex responsibly."

"We're not having sex," Korra interjected, though Bolin didn't seem to care. "But," she continued, stepping forward to wrap her arms around Mako. "We do have some very good news."

Bolin blinked. "Oh my spirits… Mako finally got off his sissy ass and proposed to you."

Asami's eyes widened, somehow believing Bolin's words. "I call dibs on being the wedding planner," she said aloud, winking in response to the glare Bolin was sending her.

"But I wanted to plan their wedding," Bolin protested.

"N-No… t-that wasn't what Korra meant," a blushing Mako stammered while an equally blushing Korra buried her face into Mako's back. "I'm graduating from the Police Academy, and I want you all to be at the ceremony."

Bolin frowned, taking in Mako's words. "You know, Mako…" he began, "…while graduating from the Police Academy is undoubtedly a grand achievement—considering that you somehow survived Chief's Beifong's wrath despite being little sissy—it drastically pales in comparison to the marriage announcement. I am so disappointed right now."

Asami nodded her head in agreement, sadness appearing on her delicate features. She really wanted to plan their wedding.

"Bolin," Mako hissed. "You're the one who disappointed yourself by making the marriage announcement."

"Oh boo! Now hurry up and get married so I won't be disappointed anymore." Then Bolin quickly turned to Asami. "I call dibs on planning their real wedding."

Asami scowled, crossing her arms and slouching in her seat. "Damn…"

"Today's the big day, isn't it?" Mako asked as he admired the reflection of his new police uniform on him. Despite the bags underneath his eyes, he looked just dandy—handsome, in Korra's opinion. Then a pair of arms appeared from the side and wrapped around his waist.

"I'm so proud of you," Korra said as she stood on her toes and planted a soft kiss on his lips. For Mako's graduation, she raided Asami's closet and found a casual dark dress to go with her leggings and boots. And to Mako's delight, she wore her hair down for him. "Congratulations Mako. You are now a respected officer of the state… or in better words, another one of Chief Beifong's lackeys."

Mako smiled at her choice of words and thought about how much his life had changed. Things had finally been turning up for him: after getting accepted to the Police Academy and getting a temporary job as Beifong's secretary—though Korra thought slave would had been a more appropriate term—he moved out of the ratty building and got a new apartment in the nicer part of Republic City; and much to Korra's delight, the apartment had a fireplace for her to enjoy.

"You do realize that I am now obligated to arrest you for any illegal shenanigans you decide to pull?" Mako asked.

Korra let out a giggle. "So you can have your way with me?" Korra said suggestively. "Handcuffs are kinky."

"Bolin would never approve."

Korra looked up at him in surprise. "You're more worried about Bolin's approval than Beifong finding out about you molesting a cell inmate?"

Mako looked down at Korra, narrowing his amber eyes. "Too young," he said.

"Too young?!" Korra nearly shouted. "I'm only one year younger than you!"

Mako slowly pulled the upset Avatar off his body. "Under Republic City law, you're technically a minor," he recited. "Therefore, it would be illegal for an adult—like myself—to engage in sexual intercourse with you."

Korra crossed her arms and let out a huff, her bottom lip sticking out slightly. "Whatever. You're missing out."

Mako let out a laugh. He somehow felt different, almost as if he was no longer the polar bear dog trapped on an island in a sea of lava. "I don't know why, but I think I'm finally reaching the heavens," he said.

Korra raised a curious brow, confusion evident on her face. However, she brushed it off as one of Mako's incoherent ramblings probably due to sleep deprivation or overexposure to Republic City's tyrant—at least in Korra's opinion—Chief Beifong. "That's nice, sweetie," she said.

"What are you three doing?" Mako asked as the airbender children pulled at his arms.

"We're going to take you flying with us!" Meelo said.

Ikki giggled as she hopped on Mako's shoulders. "Korra said that you wanted to fly up to the heavens!"

Mako looked at Korra for an explanation. In response, Korra grinned. "Remember when you told me that you thought you were reaching the heavens? Well, the airbender kids want to show you what the heavens really look like."

Before Mako had the chance to object, a gust of wind suddenly appeared and lifted him up in the air. "Korra, I can have you arrested under the charge of premeditated murder!"

"You're not dead yet, Mako!" Korra shouted from the ground, smiling as the children carried Mako higher and higher up to the heavens.

A/N: Not sure if everyone got this, but flying to the heavens is supposed to symbolize freedom for Mako. In Part 1, Mako feels that he's trapped by the poor status—that's why he is so adamant to get Bolin into the University, because he knew that an education would provide the tools Bolin needs to have a stable life, so he wouldn't have to struggle like Mako. In a way, letting go of his stubbornness by accepting Beifong's job offer was a way for Mako to be free and have the financial stability to live his life. Of course, we'll have to wait until Book 2 to see how Mako handles being a cop.

Now, if you still don't understand the freedom and flying up to the heavens themes, then I must have done a crap job writing this story.

Per usual, reviews are appreciated.