Hey there folks! I swear this one will not be a cry-fest or have character death. It might even be nice. And it has a happy ending to boot! Enjoy!

Also, not beta'd. So if you see an error, pleas let me know!

Rating: T

Word count: 1601

Pairing(s): Makorra

Summary: For the Avatar, the duties that come with the control of four elements must always come before everything else; that includes family, friends, and lovers. When Korra needs to make tough choices, how will her relationships fair when they're on the line?

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Korra never thought she'd see a time in Republic City where tensions had eased to the point of blinding optimism for the future of co-existence and true equality between benders and non-benders alike. While she knew that the high expectations by all was non sustainable in the slightest, she couldn't help but smile in the wake of her own success and enjoy the time while it lasted.

Amon was no longer a threat. Hiroshi Sato had been arrested and charged for his manufacturing support. Chi-blockers were detained. Tarrlok found and prosecuted. Captured benders (or non-benders now) were rescued and taken home. And all of this with minimal animosity garnered from the citizens of Republic City.

The cleanup was done, but the city still had an aftermath to deal with.

The fact was she was the escalating factor in the war. Although her actions had saved the city and countless of lives, her actions had also killed. She couldn't drag her eyes away from the destruction her uncontrolled foray into the Avatar State had caused; collapsed buildings and destroyed infrastructure.

The Avatar was dangerous, and everyone that she had close to her would be in the line of fire. Always.

The Avatar had to make tough decisions. This would be the toughest one of her life.

She steeled herself against what was to come. Swallowing her passion, she succumbed to what needed to be done. Fire wasn't what she needed now; she needed earthen stability and the strength to go through the action she had to perform. Mentally, she raised earthen walls around her in defense and summoned he calming ebb and flow of water.

"Korra?

It was time.

The Avatar stood from her rocky perch above Yue Bay, and dropped gracefully down. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and finally lifted her head to look into his golden eyes. Eyes that could capture her in their intense gaze and lock her into a state of timelessness. But she couldn't think about that right now. She couldn't think about how she wished nothing more to stay with him.

"They said you wanted to talk to me?"

He looked exactly as he usually did; hands casually in pockets and standing tall. Why did he have to look so perfect to her?

"Yeah, yeah I do." She motioned to a nearby rock. "Why don't we sit down?"

He gave her an odd sideways glance and did as she asked, brushing off the small layer of dirt that had gathered there. The wind off of the water kicked up, and she watched as he wrapped his characteristic red scarf once more around his neck. She couldn't help examining him, noticing all the little reoccurring gestures and such that so…endured him to her. She smiled at this thought, looking down to the dirt.

Korra looked up and saw him smiling back. Damn him, he was making this harder and harder.

"What is this about?" Mako leaned in. "You call me over to a remote corner of the island, which by the way, I had no idea existed, and say that 'we need to talk' or something?"

"I found this place when I first got here and I missed home…I could look out over the water and think about everything going on." It was her secret place on the island; he was the first person to be here with her. And…once again she hadn't thought things through: by doing this here, she'd forever taint this place with the scars it would leave. But then again, how long would she stay here anyway?

"Is that what to talk about?"

"No. No it's not."

"Then what?"

Korra swallowed all hesitation. "First off, I'd like to thank you for being such a good friend to me since I got here-"

"Korra we both know that's not true," he crossed his arms. "I acted like a jerk to you when we met, wasn't the greatest about the relationship I had with Asami, I threatened to cut off our friendship-"

"That's enough."

"What? It's true," he stood up and walked over, sitting down next to her. He reached to place his arm around his shoulder, but she shrugged it off and tried to avoid the hurt look on his face. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No you didn't," she put a bit of space between them. "As I was saying, you've been great to me, especially lately, and I can't tell you how much it's meant to me."

She really couldn't verbalize how much Mako meant to her. She had feelings for him, and strong ones at that. But the fact was, Korra cared enough for him, that she didn't want him hurt. She wanted him to be happy and safe; he wouldn't be the latter with her, and the first was uncertain as everything else in her life.

He smiled. He shouldn't be smiling. "It's meant a lot to me too."

"Stop talking."

"What?"

"Look, I called you here so I could talk," it was her turn to cross her arms. "So just shut up and let me talk."

"What has gotten into you?"

"Look things just got to dangerous and I don't think is going to work out," Korra slammed her hand over her mouth. Why was it she always just blurted things out around him?

He stared. He said nothing.

"Well, aren't you going to say something?"

"You've got to be kidding."

"No," anger started to creep into her voice, "I'm not at all. Can't you just see that?"

"What happened to 'I think we're meant for each other?' Or was that just nonsense," his anger matched hers.

"Well it doesn't matter if we're meant for each other!" she shouted.

"Why the hell wouldn't it matter? Agni, that's what's supposed to matter isn't it?" he yelled back. "And why the hell are you angry?"

"Well why are you angry?"

"Well you just broke up with me! Of course I'm angry and hurt!"

"Well you can't accept the fact that I'm doing this because I care about you!" Korra stood up.

"How would that work?" he stood up, toe to toe with her.

"Can't you just see that it doesn't matter if we're meant for each other or together if you end up dead because of me!"

Silence.

"Is this what this is really about?" he looked her in the eye.

She couldn't stand being so close to him like this. "Yes, and that's all there is to say."

She turned around and began to walk away. It was over, and boy did it hurt. But the pain would fade in time. Her duties as Avatar would consume her, and Mako would hopefully fade one day to a trivial teenage distraction.

A firm hand on her arm stopped her. Korra whipped her head around, meeting with his fiery eyes.

"Mako, let go."

"No, I'm not letting go of you."

"Let go."

"No!" he attempted to pull her closer. "We have something great, and you're just willing to give all of that up?"

"Last chance Mako," the Avatar gritted her teeth, fire escaping from her fisted free hand. "Let go or else-"

"Or else what? You hit me? Will that make you feel better about how you're taking the easy way out?"

Catching him off guard, she pulled him towards her, fisting a hand in his shirt. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. He was supposed to accept it, and walk off broodingly. He was supposed to forget about her. By no means would it be easy, but it was meant to be easier than this.

He shook his head. "You just don't get it do you?"

"Get what?" she narrowed her eyes.

"I'm never letting you go. I-I…I love you. And that isn't going to change no matter how much 'danger' there is. Get that through that thick skull of yours."

"Y-You love me," she relaxed her grip on his shirt.

"Of course I do. You're amazing, you really are."

Korra couldn't meet his eyes.

"And I know you love me too."

He just had to ruin everything didn't he? Mako just had to go and be his strong-wiled self. Maybe this could work. Just maybe, she could be the one to keep him safe. She could perform her duties to the people while keeping herself happy. Maybe it would work; it wasn't certain. But what was anyway? This would be taking a chance and leaping headfirst into something. Well, there was nothing she was better at than that. She retightened her grip on his shirt and took a deep breath.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing?"

She pulled him down by the shirt until her lips met his and felt warm arms wrap around her and hold her closer. They collided. She reached her now freed hand above her shoulder and snaked it into his short hair, enjoying the feel of him beneath her fingers. Even now they battled for control as lips slipped between lips and the want for something more rose up within her.

It was Mako who pulled back, brushing a stray strand of hair back from her face. "Korra, whatever happens, we'll face it."

"Together?"

"Together."

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See? Told you I could write something happy! Please leave a review, I love the feedback and it's great encouragement to keep writing.

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