Summery: Mako's old triad comes back to haunt not only his new life with Korra, but for his daughter as well, and Mako will not falter even in the face of the stories he has stained. Based on havesomakorra's collection of Papa Mako fanart on tumblr. Language, violence and mature themes that tend to tag along. Parents!Makorra Mako POV ONESHOT

It was another humid night in Republic City as Mako drifted in and out of consciousness, not fully able to reach the blissful state of sleep he so craved lately. Kaida hadn't given neither Korra nor himself more than a few hours to sleep a night the past few weeks. Pema called it colicky and that it would pass, but Mako called it willful. His daughter was determined to reduce him to the sprawled mess he had inevitably become.

The she's-crying-again-nudge was expected, even while unwelcome, as was the the no-it's-your-turn mumbled response, but something was different this time.

Tham-thump

Mako's eyes flew open. He froze, ears alert for the sound that should have gone unnoticed for anyone who wasn't used to sleeping with fists clenched. "I guess some old habits never die." he had thought to himself, slowly untensing and sinking back into the mattress.

Thump-thamp

Another noise had sounded as Mako found himself upright and sliding out of the sheets, slowly and silently lowering himself to the floor. He turned to find Korra awake in a similar state with a finger pressed to her lips, while he gestured towards the door wordlessly.

A slight sensation spread through his fingertips and palms as he held a steady flame in his hand at the ready. Korra padded behind him as they peered into the joint living room and kitchen of their small flat to find naught but shadows. Korra gripped Mako's hand tightly, daring to reassure him while the only remaining option left the sweat in his palms and chest a cold sheen.

A wail broke out in the silence. The two froze in their places as Kaida broke into her nightly orchestration of gasp-shriek-gasp they had come to know only too well.

The nursery.

Mako's heartbeat echoed that of the noises they had heard earlier, only fifty times louder, a thundering pulse in his ears that he was certain could reveal their position.

He and Korra pressed themselves against the wall, and with a shaky exhale he peered through the small gap between the door and the threshold. He could only make out the silhouette of something- no, someone- by the nightstand, their back to the crib where Kaida lay gasping a new wave of cries.

Korra put her hand on his shoulder, while her brows were knitted in fierce determination, her eyes betrayed the worry she wished to mask.

She mouthed a "How many?", to which he held up his forefinger. She nodded her tension leaking into the grip on him before finally letting go.

Mako inhaled deeply before bursting through the door in a flurry of fire. Korra ducked under his arm and kicked a flower vase to the floor, attracting the attention of the black-clad intruder. In that lost fraction of a second, she bent the water to her will, freezing into needles that had quickly pinned him to the wall, ripping fabric and skin alike.

"Korra, take Kaida!"

Korra rushed to crib and slipped her arm around her, cradling her head as she would ever, so gently even with the chaos ensuing around them. The distressed infant was encased in her arms, breathing in the scent that only a babe could know as nothing but safe.

Mako had turned back to the intruder, now bleeding heavily from his left arm, which was bloodied as well as burnt.

"Fuck, he's a firebender" he had realized just as a fire dagger was slashed at him, a wild swing that only managed to take part of his tank.

"It's a real shame, Mako. She looks nothing like you"

His eyes widened at the mention of his name and lost his flame last second, though still managing to hit him squarely in the abdomen. He fell to the ground, broken glass from a photo frame crunched under him. Mako grabbed him by his front and slammed him against the wall.

"How do you know my name? What do you want with my family? Talk!" he spat, enunciating each question by pushing him harder against the light blue wallpaper that had originally made Korra deem this room the nursery.

"Now, now Mako-ah-you remember, gotta ask –agh- nicely" the man taunted, the rest of his mask slipping to reveal a smirk of the same nature.

Mako froze as he remembered stealing stale bread while the other distracted, running for the triad as "errand boys" alongside or as "accessories" when they were finally caught. Mako thought he had left that life more than 10 years ago, but here it was, gloating at him even while pinned under his fist.

"Hachi?"

It wasn't a question, but rather as a voiced confirmation as Mako's fist connected with his jaw, stopping any answers even if he were to ask.

Hachi fell to the floor, but he hadn't even noticed.

"Who sent you?" he had asked again, holding a flame close enough to singe fly-away hairs.

He spat a globule of blood and spit, perhaps even a tooth.

"It was the revivalists! They said to just ransom, no harming-I swear!"

"You never come near my family!"

Another blow connected, this time to leave a mark branded into him as flames licked around his fist.

"Mako! Stop!"

He hardly heard her.

"Mako, please just listen."

It was turning rhythmic, as another blow was met and another, followed by yet another. He hadn't even bothered to firebend properly, he wouldn't give him that satisfaction of passing out.

"You're going to kill him!"

One more blow.

This time she grabbed a wrist, though only with enough force to stop the half-hearted blow, he looked up to meet her gaze and suddenly felt the sudden rush drain from him as he struggled to stand up, struggled to hold her close him.

There were metal benders in their home, placing one of the triads that Korra was able to trap between against a slate of earth next to his hardly conscious accomplice. Kaida was sleeping more soundly than she had most nights, nuzzled into the crook between Korra's shoulder and neck as she rubbed her palm against her back in small circles. Mako went from behind her and wrapped them in his arms, just as she was doing to their child. He held his head close to hers, inhaling the smell of her hair as the morning started to creep over them.

"I… Korra, I'm sorry you had to see that" he choked. He had held that one phrase for so long.

"I know you are" she murmured.

"I couldn't bear the th-" he felt as though he was being hit by the fire daggers again, "They were going— trying to take her from us."

"I know"

"How do you stay so calm?"

"I know you will be there to protect us, to protect her. Always." She peered at him with soft eyes, tearing eyes, before pressing herself against his chest.

"Always," he had come to agree.

They stood there intertwined in each other as he kissed her lightly with Kaida in between them.

Always.

A/n: Hope you enjoyed the oneshot! For those confused with the revivalist's, I had this headcanon that somehow Lieutenant didn't die and tried to revive the equalists as it was supposed to be, holding true to no benders by using benders themselves like triads.

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