“I still can’t believe we actually won!” she exclaims giddily. “Like, we actually won the whole tournament!”
Mako grins down at her, opening the door to his and Bolin’s room.
“Yep,” he smirks. “We did it.”
Korra skips into the room, still feeling like she’s walking on clouds; she can’t remember ever having felt so happy, nor ever having seen Mako this happy. They’ve been out celebrating the whole evening – it’s past midnight now, and the two of them had decided to head home, leaving Bolin with multiple girls swooning over him.
She’d given her share of the winnings to the brothers; she doesn’t need or want the money, and she knows how much the winnings had meant to Mako; she’s sure Mako and Bolin are going to invest in an apartment of their own as soon as they can.
Mako shuts the door, stepping past her and lighting a candle on the table by the window.
She dances around the room, laughing, utterly happy, aware of Mako’s penetrating gaze following her every move. She stops and looks at him.
“What is it?” she asks curiously.
He shakes his head and clears his throat awkwardly.
“Nothing,” he mutters. “Just thinking.”
She nods, unconvinced. “Uh-huh.”
Korra pads over to him and meets his heated gaze.
“What’s on your mind?” she murmurs softly, knowing something’s bothering him. She takes his hand in hers, eyes still fixed fir rmly on his handsome face.
“Korra…” he whispers, and before she knows it, his lips are pressed gently to hers, his hands cupping her face. Her eyes widen in shock and surprise before she gives in to the sensations suddenly coursing through her as his lips move against hers, eyes fluttering shut. She wraps her arms around his neck and his arms wrap around her waist, holding her tightly against him.
All too soon for her liking, he pulls away, amber eyes unreadable as he studies her face, gauging her reaction.
“I.. I don’t know what came over me,” he stutters, obviously embarrassed. “Sorry.”
She grins saucily at him. “Don’t be.”
Truth to be told, she’s wanted to know what this would be like with him for a long time now; she’s not blind, after all, and he is very handsome. Tall, lean and muscled, too – she’s seen how the girls stare at him, heard how they cheer him on in the Pro Bending Arena – and really, Korra knows she’s had a crush on him for a long time now, maybe even more than just a crush.
It’s not just his appearance, either, but she has to admit that she’s fallen for the whole mysterious, tall dark stranger thing; she remembers when she first saw him and recalls the immediate attraction she’d felt. It’s amplified by the way that he’s not like Bolin in that aspect; easy to get, easier to lose.
Of course she loves him, as a friend, but there’s been something more stirring in the pit of her stomach when their gazes meet, when she steals glances at him out of the corner of her eye. It might just be her imagination, but she swears Mako’s gaze often lingers on her, too, when he thinks she’s not looking.
And now she has a chance, a shot at something more; she tells herself that maybe, just maybe, he likes her too.
Which is why she tangles her fingers in his hair and brings his head down so that she can crush her lips to his, eliciting a surprised noise from him. A second passes – she briefly wonders if she’s miscalculated; maybe him kissing her was just a spur of the moment decision that he regrets? – but her doubts vanish when he responds.
A soft moan escapes her lips as he pulls her lower lip into his mouth, sucking gently on it. Acting on a whim, she darts her tongue out to meet his, teasing him before quickly pulling back. Mako growls – she snickers slightly – then welds his lips to hers again, gently parting them and slipping his tongue into her mouth.
She gasps at the sensations as their tongues clash, unwrapping her arms from around his neck in favor of exploring his body, running her hands down his shoulders, arms and chest, marveling at the rippling, sinewy muscle under her fingers.
Korra tugs at his jacket, wanting him to remove it – he gets the hint and pulls back to quickly discard his jacket and scarf, leaving him in his undershirt. She grins appreciatively at him, and a smirk slowly spreads its way over his face.
“Your turn,” he says, looking expectantly at her. Not to be outdone, she unties her fur-lined pelt, letting it drop to the floor, then kicks off her boots. She raises an eyebrow at him.
“You again,” she whispers, reaching forward to wrap her fingers in the hem of his shirt, then tugging it over his head.
She can’t help but stare, finally given the opportunity to take in the sight of a shirtless Mako without having to quickly avert her eyes and pretend that she hadn’t been ogling him (it’d happened quite a few times after training or a match). A jolt runs through her, fading into a slight ache between her legs.
He’s muscled, but not overly so – in a subtle, sensual way which she finds even more attractive. She lightly runs her fingers over the hard planes of his chest, exploring, as he watches her every move. Tentatively, he places his hands on her waist, slipping his fingers under her shirt, giving the faintest tug upwards, eyes fixed on hers. She nods in assent and lets him pull her shirt off, leaving her in her chest wraps.
Mako’s eyes gravitate to the slight swell of her cleavage, barely visible above her wraps. Her heart beats faster. Korra leans forward to kiss him again, and his fingers ghost lightly over her chest as he kisses her back. She gasps at the feeling, arching into his touch, silently begging him for more.
She pulls back, and, almost unconsciously, her fingers move to undo his belt, but once she’s jolted into reality and notices what she’s about to do, she stops, hesitation and uncertainty replacing her desire. Korra knows she wants this, but she doesn’t want it to be a one-time thing, doesn’t want to be used and discarded by him.
Though loath to admit it, she’s also unsure of herself – she’s never done anything like this with anyone before. Sure, she’s kissed guys here and there; a few – okay, two – guys back at the Southern Water Tribe, but those were just light pecks on the lips, nothing more. Korra wants this to be real, wants Mako to want her not just for her body, but for who she is – but mainly, she doesn’t want to regret this in the morning.
A smaller part of her is also worried that what if she’s making a complete fool of herself, considering she has no idea what to do. She’s never thought Mako to be incredibly experienced in this department – has he even had a girlfriend before? – but then again, maybe he gets around just like Bolin does, except he’s just more subtle about it.
He senses her hesitation and tilts her chin up so that their eyes meet – in his eyes, she sees multiple emotions swirling around, and his gaze scorches her, ignites her, makes her want this even more. But she’s still unsure of herself.
“I.. I’ve never done anything like this before,” she confesses, her voice no more than a whisper, averting her gaze and opting to look at her feet instead. “I’ve never even gone this far with anyone.”
A few beats pass before she can bring herself to meet his gaze. What if he thinks this is going too far, what if she’s already crossed the line by insinuating that she wants something more? Or what if he thinks she’s a total loser since she doesn’t know what to do, since she’s never done this before? Normally, she’d laugh in his face if she thought he’d think this of her, but now, in this situation, his opinion actually matters.
Mako smiles crookedly at her. “Me neither. We can learn together.”
Relief courses through her; he’s just as inexperienced and probably just as lost right now as she is. Korra sighs in relief.
“Is this-” she gestures vaguely at his pants “-okay?”
His face becomes serious as he gazes at her. “Korra, just how far are we intending to take things tonight?”
She blushes at the implication of his words. “I don’t know, I mean, now might be a bad time to tell you, but I’ve kind of liked you for a while now, you know, as more than a friend.”
Mako stiffens, eyes widening. Immediately, she feels nervous. What if he thinks she’s totally pathetic or something?
Then she takes in a deep breath and stiffens her spine. Alright then, Mako’s entitled to his own stupid opinion, but she’s still going to try to salvage their friendship if he’s going to reject her now.
She opens her mouth to tell him right to his face that she doesn’t just want a one-night stand with him, that if that’s what he’s out for, then he can piss right off, but before she has a chance to say so, his lips are crushed to hers again.
He pulls back after a mere second.
“So, is now a good time to tell you that I’m in love with you then?” he whispers hoarsely. She feels him trembling slightly, and knows he’s telling the truth; he’s also about to have a nervous breakdown, it seems.
Her heart beats out a jagged, erratic rhythm, and she almost wobbles on her feet. This is more than she’s bargained for, more than she’s ever expected – she’s never expected Mako to flat out say something like this, either.
Suddenly shy, she traces patterns on his chest with a finger.
“I.. have feelings for you too,” she whispers back. “So, now what?”
“We can continue where we’ve left off, if you’d like,” he suggests, holding her tightly against him.
Korra nods.
Somehow, they end up in his bed, both of them clad only in their undergarments. As Mako reaches tentatively out to undo her chest wraps, a thought strikes her.
“Wait!” she exclaims. “What about, I mean, what if Bolin comes home?”
Mako laughs quietly. “Trust me, Korra. He won’t be back anytime soon, if those girls swarming over him earlier were any indication of that. I promise.”
Relieved, she arches her back off the bed to let him remove her chest wraps, sucking in a breath as she’s fully exposed from the waist up, the cool air in the room coming into contact with her skin. She feels Mako’s gaze burning her, sees him stare at her breasts. She’s never given much thought to her, well, assets, but personally, she’s always thought she’s had a nice pair; well-sized, too.
Except she has no idea what’s going on in his mind. Suddenly feeling very self-conscious, she moves to cross her arms over her chest.
“Don’t,” he says, stopping her. “You’re beautiful, Korra.”
Almost hesitantly, his hand reaches up to cup her breast, his questioning gaze meeting hers.
“Is this okay?” he asks, and she understands that he’s worried she’ll shy away, worried he’s being too assertive. Except he’s not being assertive at all.
“Mako,” she snaps, “If you don’t touch me right now, you’re never going to get any.”
His eyes widen slightly in surprise at her blunt statement, then he smirks devilishly, and before she can react, the weight of his body is off hers, and he’s gotten out of the bed. Korra opens her mouth to protest, but he’s back in a flash, having gathered something off the floor.
Confused, she suddenly realizes with a jolt what he’s going to do, only a second before he puts his plan into action.
Taking his scarf, he wraps it around her wrists, then ties it around the bedpost, effectively subduing her. He smirks down at her.
“Happy now?” he rumbles. His fingers trace paths around her breasts, teasing her mercilessly, never touching her nipples. Korra cries out in frustration, feeling herself soaking through her underwear.
“Dammit, Mako, stop teasing me!” she exclaims, panting heavily.
He continues to circle his fingers around her nipples, never touching them, just teasing her.
“Say please,” he commands her, grinning wickedly. Her eyes widen slightly, surprised that he’s the dominant one here.
“No way,” she grits out between clenched teeth.
Still grinning, Mako bends his head over her chest, leaning down and beginning to slowly lick circles around her left nipple. Korra can’t help herself; she cries out with desire.
“Say it,” he tells her again. “Tell me what you want me to do to you.”
She glares defiantly at him, but inside, her resolve is weakening, and she’s sure he knows it. He leans forward, and suddenly she can feel him, feel the bulge in his underwear pressing against her thighs. He rocks his hips forward, the friction making her moan, though it does nothing to alleviate the throbbing ache between her legs.
“Please,” she whimpers, looking him in the eyes. “Touch me, Mako.”
He smirks smugly – she wants to wipe that smirk off his face.
“Where, Korra? Tell me,” he rumbles.
She struggles against her bonds, trying to free her hands, but to no avail. Slumping back in defeat, she sighs.
“Everywhere,” she says. “Just do it. Please.”
His smirk grows, and then he’s palming her breasts, pinching her nipples and suckling on them. She cries out, loudly, and jerks her hips up, trying to rub against him to seek relief for the oh so prominent ache between her legs.
One hand still kneading and palming her breast, Mako reaches his other hand further down, tracing a path down her stomach to between her legs, to touch the soaked cloth that covers her from his hungry eyes.
“Did I make you this way, Korra?” he whispers into her ear. “Are you wet for me?”
She nods, unable to form coherent words, as he finger traces up and down her soaked underwear, still teasing her.
“Untie me, Mako,” she whispers. “I want to touch you.”
To her surprise, he does as she asked, letting his scarf fall to the floor. This time, she’s the one to smirk as she reaches down and slips her hand into his boxers, firmly gripping him. He emits a strangled groan, the look on his face priceless.
She removes her hand, tugging at the waistband of his boxers.
“Take them off,” she says, and he does, simultaneously as she lifts her hips, allowing him to slip her soaked underwear off. The garments are tossed unceremoniously onto the floor, and suddenly Korra’s fully aware of the fact that she’s naked, completely naked, in front of a guy, who’s also naked.
She’s never felt this vulnerable before, not even when confronting Amon and his Equalists. Again, Mako sense her insecurity and kisses her gently.
“It’s alright,” he whispers. “We can stop if you want. I won’t hurt you, or do anything you’re not comfortable with.”
Gratefully, she returns the kiss.
“I don’t want to stop,” she confesses, blushing. Mako grins, kissing his way down her neck, leaving a small love bite on her collarbone. In retaliation, she grips him once again, eliciting a hiss from him, then strokes up and down a few times, marveling at the feel of him in her hand.
Korra’s never even seen a guy fully naked – except on the diagrams they’d used to explain these kinds of things to her back at the South Pole. Fascinated, she watches his face to see how he reacts as she strokes him, marveling at how hard and hot he is.
She grins at him.
Suddenly, that smirk is back on his face, and then he slides one of his fingers into her. This time, it’s her turn to emit some kind of unintelligible noise of pleasure at the feel of him inside her. Slowly, he withdraws his finger, adding another, pumping in and out.
She whimpers helplessly at how good it feels.
“Faster,” she tells him, clutching his shoulders as he grants her request. His thumb reaches out to rub her clit, and she practically wails with pleasure, sure she’s about to come completely undone at any minute.
“I.. I need you inside of me,” she manages to pant. “All of you, Mako.”
He stills above her, heated gaze locking onto hers. “You’re sure about this, Korra? You won’t regret it in the morning?”
“I’m sure,” she whispers. He nods, adjusting himself above her, and then she feels him at her entrance.
“Last chance,” he says, studying her expression. She tilts her hips upwards and wraps her legs around him, smiling at him.
With one sharp, fluid thrust, he’s fully inside of her – Korra can’t help but cry out slightly from the jolt of pain that accompanies his entrance, but the look of ecstasy on his face makes it worth it. The feeling of being filled, stretched, is unknown to her, but not entirely unpleasant.
Mako trembles slightly above her, eyes closed, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Slowly, he opens his eyes, worry etched in his features.
“Did I hurt you?” he asks, caressing her face. She leans into his touch.
“It’ll pass,” she says. And it does – a few seconds later and everything feels decidedly less unpleasant to her. She’s no expert at these kind of things, but she’s sure the effort Mako’s making to hold still has to be immense.
“You can move now,” she says, and he does, slowly at first, pace quickening as he thrusts in and out of her. She whimpers, clutching onto his shoulders, the sensations coursing through her body, setting her on fire. It doesn’t hurt anymore; the pleasure is overriding the pain.
“I’m.. almost there,” Mako grinds out, pace growing frantic.
She jerks her hips up to meet his every thrust, and suddenly she’s crying out as lights explode behind her eyes and she’s thrown over the edge into bliss. Vaguely, she notes Mako’s gasping and trembling against her, then he collapses onto her, burying his face into the crook between her neck and shoulder.
He rolls them over onto their sides, wrapping an arm around her, stroking her hair with his other hand and pulling the covers over them. Korra can’t help but think that she’s probably a mess right now, all sweaty and sticky and disgusting – but content, nevertheless.
“You alright?” Mako murmurs, and she kisses him softly in response, then tucking her head under his chin.
“Yeah,” she answers. “Just a bit sore.”
He chuckles quietly. They’re both silent for a few moments, and Korra wonders how much things have changed between them; if they’re.. together now. Mako clears his throat and she looks up at him.
“Was it.. I mean.. did you.. like it?” he asks, obviously uncomfortable. Realizing what he means, she can’t help but laugh – he’s actually insecure, about his prowess of all things. Mako, insecure. Her laughing probably isn’t helping things; he’s blushing now – she can tell, even in the dimly lit room.
“You were great,” she smirks. “Besides, I think we’ll get better given practice, don’t you?”
He’s silent, gaze unreadable.
“What is it?” she asks, suddenly worried.
“Look, Korra,” he says, sounding determined. “If I’m yours, then it goes both ways. You’re mine, too, and I don’t want anyone else in the picture. At all.”
She raises an eyebrow at him.
“Of course not, idiot,” she says, playfully nudging him. “So does that mean we’re a couple now?”
He in turn raises an eyebrow at her. “I don’t know, does it?”
Korra rolls her eyes. “Yes, Mako, it does.”
“Sounds good to me,” he says, pressing a light kiss to her forehead. “We should get some sleep.”
With a huge yawn, she nods, eyes closing immediately.
She’s not entirely sure he says it, nor entirely sure she’s still awake, but she swears she hears him whisper it nonetheless; “I love you”.