A/N: Well, after all the shenanigans going on in Book 2 I honestly don't even know where to begin, but last night's episode got the creative juices flowing again so here.

21. sunset

This, he knows: Korra is leaving, and she is not taking him with her.

He should have seen it coming. When she'd slid off her sky bison onto the pier after a month of being away, he'd sensed something different in the set of her shoulders. Her name had burst from his lips before he'd had time to think, to remember Asami at his side and his and Korra's messy end. He'd recovered while Bolin raced ahead of them, crushing Korra in a bear hug, exclaiming, "We missed you!"

Mako and Asami had followed, hesitant. Asami voiced his thoughts for him: "Where were you, Korra? What have you been doing?"

"A lot has happened," answered Korra, "And there are things I need to do here before I have to leave again, but why don't we go somewhere where I can fill you guys in and vice versa?"

"It's gonna be a long dinner," declared Bolin.

"I know just the place," announced Asami, placing her hand on Mako's arm as they turned to go, leading the way.

Mako's eyes met Korra's. He could see the gears in her head whirling and braced himself for the storm coming, but it never broke through. A glimmer appeared in Korra's eyes before flickering out. She walked behind them without saying a word.

The Korra that Mako knew would have narrowed her eyes. She would have said something—not out loud, but silently, communicating only to him—and he'd have understood the message regardless of what it was; angry, upset, accusing, happy, sad, frustrated.

But this Korra had shrugged it off like she had bigger battles to fight. Like she was somewhere else. And Mako walked on, acutely aware of her silent presence behind him. Something about it made everything feel worse.

o.O.o

So when, days later, after everyone had exchanged stories and Korra had bid farewell again, he'd stopped her.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"For what?" she'd brushed him off hurriedly, anxious to get some rest before she set off again the next day.

"For ending things the way we did," he tried, because in his mind everything was tangled and knotted and he didn't know which string to pull on to remedy the mess. So he picked the simplest one.

Korra stilled for a fraction of a second before bringing her eyes to meet his. "It's okay. I was at fault too. I understand now." She looked around the room. "I understand a lot of things now that I didn't before."

He thought of her in the Spirit World. He thought of everything leading up to that, her near death at the hands of her cousins. Involuntarily, his fists clenched. Before he could measure his actions, roll them over in his head, he'd blurted, "Tomorrow. Let me come with you."

Korra arched an eyebrow. "Look, I appreciate the gesture, but you've got a job here. An important one."

"I got arrested, Korra," he reminded. "Me—a cop, 'Officer Mako,'" he threw in bitterly, "arrested. Yeah, Beifong took me back once it'd been proved I was innocent, but that incident hardly did any wonders for my credibility or reputation. I'm still just a rookie. I don't get to head any investigations or do anything useful. If I came with you, I could help—"

"You'd be more useful here, keeping an eye on the city, keeping the tensions in check, watching Bolin and Asami," Korra cut him off.

"They don't need my protection," Mako said, frustrated. "I've done a terrible job of it anyways. Bolin moved out and Asami's warehouse got robbed while I roped her into my failure of a sting operation and there was the whole thing with Varrick—" His arguments started running into each other, tying themselves in knots. He needed a break from Republic City, he needed clear skies and a clear conscience, he needed a do-over, he needed Korra to let him come, he needed to try at least, to make up for something—he didn't know what—but it nagged at him.

"Everybody makes mistakes, Mako," said Korra, sounding more patient than he'd ever heard her before. "You were right before, you know. I made a mess of things, and it's my duty to fix them. This is something I have to do on my own."

"Korra," he winced, remembering his angry words: You wouldn't have to keep saving the world if you didn't keep messing it up!

She smiled at him, strained and a little sad, but firm. "Good night, Mako."

As she walked away, Mako felt as if she were pulling a little of him with her—just a tiny string, unraveling him bit by bit.

o.O.o

And now he sits staring out his apartment window at the docks. He doesn't know why. She's not even leaving by boat—she could depart from anywhere in the city with that giant sky bison of hers, but still he stares fixedly at the bay.

Bolin pays him a rare visit, joining him by the window. "It feels wrong, doesn't it?" he asks Mako. "Letting her go while we just stay behind."

Mako grunts noncommittally.

Beside him, Bolin sighs. "If you still care about her, why did you get back together with Asami?"

He wants to deny it, but he doesn't even know what "it" is. Not for the first time, he looks towards the sky and begs for a sign. He begs for someone—anyone—to give him a hint, to tell him what it is he's doing wrong and what he can do to make it right. "Things were complicated," he tries, but Bolin isn't having any of it this time.

"Then make them uncomplicated."

"I don't know, okay?" All the stress, confusion, and hurt explodes out of his chest, pressurized and smoking. He is terrified that when he opens his eyes he will find his room charred and cracked because that is how his insides feel. But when he unclenches his fists and opens his eyes, he sees only Bolin's green ones staring back. His apartment remains intact, as if nothing has happened, as if he has not just revealed all of his shortcomings in a sentence.

"It's okay to not have all the answers, Mako," Bolin says after a while. "Just as long as you can admit it."

In a flash, Mako is up and barreling down the stairs, pounding along with a single-minded purpose.

He catches her at the dock. It's almost like she was expecting him, because she doesn't turn around as she finishes tossing her bag onto her bison's back. "If everything goes well, I should be back in no time," she says by way of greeting.

"Korra," he starts breathlessly, "I know that I haven't been the greatest friend in terms of recent events." He has to put his hand up to shield his eyes as he speaks to her, because the sun is setting behind her, the light bouncing off the waters of the bay. She turns to face him. "But we're still—we're still a team. And I want you to know that…that I'm still here. You can count on me."

Korra moves as if to touch his arm, but then thinks better of it. Instead, she extends a hand. "I am," she replies.

He reaches out and grips her hand tightly, lets this gesture speak for him when his words cannot.

This, he knows: Korra is leaving, and he cannot go with her.

Korra mounts her sky bison, giving him one last long look before she takes off into the sky. Watching her go is like watching the sun slip below the horizon, knowing the day has slid away and he is powerless to stop it. He doesn't know if he has done another thing wrong by coming out here and seeing her off like this.

But if he can't protect her, he can at least wish her well. She doesn't need or want his protection, he realizes, and the thought makes him feel detached. Floating. Lonely. He misses having a solid purpose, knowing his place and role in the grand scheme of things.

He walks back to his apartment, hands shoved in his pockets, the spark of clarity having fled him after Korra's departure. When he opens the door, he finds Asami has joined Bolin, a steaming takeout box in hand.

He accepts it gratefully, smiling at her and nodding at Bolin, a silent thank you. Those were words I needed to hear. He opens the the food container slowly, letting the smell envelop him and dull his senses.

No one asks him any questions.

It's okay, because he doesn't have any answers.