I really fundamentally cannot understand how and why the avatar fandom has been sleeping on Mako. Especially with all the Zuko love. People love an angsty sad boi who just wants to do the right thing. And by god if that is not Mako I don’t know what is. Like. Mako as a character is soooo fucking angstable. So much angst potential right there. But fandom just collectively ignores him (or else hates on him for no fucking reason). Is he perfect? Of course not, but Zuko is so insanely far from perfect and all of Zuko’s wrongdoings so far surpass any of Mako’s. Yet fandom easily forgives Zuko, resident sad boi, for his actual fucking crimes (kyoshi village didn’t burn itself down, Song’s ostrich horse didn’t steal itself, Sparky Sparky Boom—I mean Combustion Man didn’t hire himself—lmao) in favor of focusing on his trauma and angst (don’t get me wrong I am an absolute slut for angst and complex nuanced discussions of trauma in fictional characters, and Zuko is such an amazing vessel for my insatiable thirst for angst. But. SO!! IS!!! MAKO!!!!!). But Mako doesn’t get that treatment. He’s vilified for his significantly less bad mistakes. And it makes no actual fucking sense. Because he is so primed for angst and he has insane amounts of trauma. And he’s so sweet. He just loves the people in his circle so fucking much, he just wants to do right by them, he just wants to protect them and keep them safe, and also fucking save the goddamn world. Jfc. He’s sooo GOOD. And the crazy thing is that he’d actually be a better fit for a lot of the specific angst and character traits people want to project onto Zuko that actually aren’t in line with Zuko’s character. Like when people write how Zuko is so humble and doesn’t think he deserves anything and is so intrinsically kind and patient and gentle. And that’s just… not canon Zuko at all. Canon Zuko is impatient and loud and shouts and so insanely fucking proud. He was raised a prince thinking he deserved everything because he was royalty. And yes yes so much abuse and lack of self worth and trauma. Yes obviously. But Zuko expects (or at least expected) people to give him things or do things for him because he was royalty. At least at one point. He doesn’t know how to cook or take care of himself or other people, because he’s always had people doing that for him, at least to a certain degree (I’m not saying the ship banishment was luxury but he still absolutely had a crew that did a lot of shit, like cooking and day to day grunt work for him). Whereas Mako IS humble and soft spoken and quiet and gentle. He never raises his voice with bolin and never lashes out in anger. Bolin and Korra say hurtful unfair and unkind shit to him, and he just fucking takes it. He doesn’t shout or throw insults back. He just accepts their anger and criticims and still fights to help and protect them. He is self reliant and raised his younger brother alone since they were both homeless orphans. He can cook. He also doesn’t think he deserves better when people treat him like shit, because he’s always been treated like shit. (Hello self worth self-loathing angst potential galore!!) Mako is everything that a lot of fandom want Zuko to be and he has endless potential for sad boi trauma angsting. But he gets hated for no fucking reason while Zuko gets idolized. And it makes no fucking sense and drives me absolutely fucking nuts
thinking about how mako, a young kid who likely didn’t know very much firebending yet, witnessed his parents being killed by a firebender
young mako fearing his own firebending because he’s terrified that if he loses control, he could hurt bolin
young mako having to use his firebending to survive on the streets, even though he fears it, cooking their food and keeping them warm and finding work from the triads
young mako learning from gang members how to bend and seeing firebending being used for crime, to scare people and hurt them...
and finally, mako seeing probending for the first time and seeing how bending can be used not to hurt or to survive or for menial tasks, but purely for entertainment and people love it, love watching him, the ex-street kid who lost his parents to the same power he now possesses and wields with precision and grace.
(this is gon be a long one sry!!) but could i get a mako (lok) x fem hybrid reader where she is a hybrid of a human and a dragon (n she’s a airbender) n her kind has brought despair to most people in the past so they treat her like she’s unwanted but lin basically takes her in as her child then she gets like hurt really badly in battle,, sry if it’s confusing or anything!! i thought of this at like 2am so sry if it’s stupid
Mako with Dragon!Hybrid Airbender Reader (Legend of Korra Headcanons)
*GIF not mine*
A/N: Honestly, this is one of the best things I’ve ever written. Thank you so much for requesting it, as it made me feel a lot more confident in my abilities. This idea was great, so don’t feel bad about it! I made it headcanons, but it turned into a scenario anyway, so I hope you enjoy! (Side note: Thanks for 1.5k followers!)
Word count: 2485
As a hybrid, you were used to the abuse. Abandoned on your streets by horrified parents, you knew how it felt to be abandoned and alone, hated for no reason. The horrible things your ancestors did somehow reflected onto you as you tried to live in the streets of Republic City.
Fighting for food or territory on the streets was always hard; people would take one look at you, see the telltale shifting eyes of a dragon hybrid, and scream at you till you ran for the hills. On your back was only your stolen airbending staff and your ability to shapeshift to keep you alive.
It was on a cold winter night that Lin found you at the age of fourteen, shivering and half-dead, with your eyes shifting rapidly with a plea to change forms to survive. You refused, and barely conscious, you had no will to fight when the Chief of Police led you back to her own home.
From then on, it was like you had a mother again. Though she was hardened to most emotions and rarely ever provided a true warmth, she loved you in her own way. There were times when she would scold you to tears, only to come home later with a small charm or treat as an apology.
She taught you how to use your abilities as best as she could, scouring up airbending scrolls and researching books in the city’s library to learn more about your kind. Lin was eager to be a mother, no matter how much she would deny it in front of others. Deep down, she wanted to make up for her own mother’s mistakes, and in doing so, she became fiercely protective over you. Boys, school, even the occasional social interaction kept Lin on the tips of her toes, wanting to keep you safe but also wanting you to become a strong young woman.
It was four years later that you met Mako, and he was almost as aloof as Lin. Every time he saw you, he would either greet you formally with a head nod or completely ignore your existence.
You spent your pastime at the police station, reading through cases or reorganizing files, doing whatever you could get your hands on really. In these times, that’s when Mako would watch you from the corner of his eye. Your eyes would flutter and gleam with excitement as you read through criminals’ stories, and he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t adorable.
In the pit of his chest, he felt an urge to talk to you, get to know you better. So greetings turned into personal questions. Questions turned into lunchtime conversations. Lunchtime conversations turned into dates, and dates turned into a relationship.
As the first guy you had ever really talked to, you were kind of nervous around him. Blushes and anxious glances weren’t uncommon on your end, but Mako loved to see them.
One day, he returned from a particularly dangerous mission and stomped into the station looking like a mess. His hair was ruffled, his uniform was covered in dirt and dust, and his eyes were darting around in a frantic manner. It was only when they landed on you that you figured out what he was looking for. Not saying a word, he marched towards you and cupped your face in his hands. Your mouth opened in question, but before you could speak, he pressed his lips to yours in a passionate, desperate first kiss.
Though Lin wasn’t particularly pleased about the two of you, she had grown to admire how protective Mako was of you. Him being a skilled firebender only helped her feel more reassured. You, meanwhile, had grown tired of their coddling.
Both of them treated you like a baby bird that had fallen out of the nest. Whenever someone threw you dirty glances in the street, both of them had a nasty habit of glaring and sneering. Mako is never averse to throwing a ball of fire at someone who is particularly troubling.
“I can handle myself.”
“I know, I know.”
But did they?
You wanted to prove yourself. Show that as a trained airbender who had fought for her life tooth and nail on the streets, you could handle taking care of yourself when it mattered. So one night, you joined them on a mission.
“You’re not coming.”
“The hell I’m not! I can take care of myself-- I’m not a little girl anymore!”
Mako kept silent as you argued with Lin, but his teeth gritted at the thought of you being in harm’s way. If you were coming, there was no way in hell he was going to let something happen to you.
“Fine. You can come. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Your eyes widened and you turned to your boyfriend with a victorious grin, only for it to falter at the sight of him avoiding your gaze and leaving the room.
You wanted to ask, but deep down you already knew what he would say. Yes, you loved that he cared so much for you and your safety, but you really didn’t want Debby Downer to ruin your excitement for your first mission. After Lin’s reluctant acceptance, Mako avoided you like the plague, only acknowledging your existence with an outstretched hand behind him as you and the rest of the squad of police snuck up to the criminal activity.
It was a gang, and one you had learned of quite a bit during your adolescent years in the cold city. They were benders trying to overthrow the government, starting first with robbing small homes and moving up to threatening local businesses with a “safety tax.”
“I can do this, I can do this, I can do this,” you breathed out, practically buzzing with excitement behind a frustrated Mako. In the sunlight of what was only twelve noon, you could see the tension between his shoulders so much that it urged you to lodge a stick between the blades. You didn’t, but God did you want to.
“Get down!”
Your squadron had been spotted, peering out from behind an alley wall and peeking in on what was the gang’s main leaders divvying up their most recent haul.
Fire almost singed your skin before Mako tugged you to the ground, forcing your head against the pavement while he shot back his own flames. Lin, who had been at the front of the squad, had charged into the thick of it, arms raised and ready to fight.
There were about fifteen enemies in all, and with your group of ten soldiers-- excluding you-- Mako felt like they could take them.
Without warning, he rose to his feet and dashed into the fight breaking out in the intersection between four lines of buildings. The scent of blood and smoke hit you like a wave of nausea as soon as you lifted your head and scrambled to your feet.
C’mon, YN, it’s your chance! Let’s do this!
Running into the battle was like diving into a murky pool headfirst. You should have known the water would be shallow.
The pavement beneath your feet rumbles and lifts, taking you and your yelp along with it. Just before it crashes into the nearest building, you tap your staff once and take flight, soaring through the air while searching for the nearest predator.
A man that seemed ten times larger than you blasted a line of fire right towards your form, but you blew it right back into his face with a laugh.
“Haha, how’d you like that!”
When your feet hit the ground, you jumped into action. A man-- a waterbender according to the sliver of ice that almost impaled your stomach-- came at you first. You twisted your hands and twirled your staff just enough that a gush of wind pushed him back into an alley dumpster, knocking him unconscious at the slightest contact.
“Damn, I’m good! Can anyone explain why I’m so good?” You beamed, jabbing the butt end of your wooden staff into another mobster that tried to sneak up behind you. He toppled into his friend like dominoes, and just when you pounced over to land the final blow-- oh.
Ouchie
A white, hot bubble of pain burst in your chest, forcing you to let out a bloodcurdling scream. Your eyes flickered, narrowing and widening uncontrollably. No, not here!
“Dirty hybrid piece of shit! Go back to hell where you belong!”
Evidently, this gang member had done his research. As a shifter, there was a little nick right along your spine, just below where your wings would grow, that was almost like a failsafe. This man had bullseyed it like no other.
Your nervous system tingled enough to leave you paralyzed, dropping to the floor like dead weight and twitching face-first in your own puddle of pain. The only things you could do now were blink and whimper, but you cried out brokenly when he dug the pick of ice deeper into your back.
“YNNN!”
The infuriated roar of your name almost distracted you from the liquid seeping out and painting the concrete a deep red. A wave of heat, so quick and harsh it blew the hair stuck to the back of your neck away and up into your face.
Groans and screams of pain accompanied what could only have been the sounds of people being burned alive. A mewl of fright left your mouth at the sight of a charred body collapsing right across from your turned head. From the smell of it, that man was a little past well-done.
“YN!” Hands patted your face and felt down your body before their owner grunted at the feeling of cooling blood. “YN! Can you breathe? Please, say something!”
Mako’s face appeared in your blurring vision as he pressed two fingers in your neck, feeling the panic-stricken pulse.
“LIN, GET HELP! CALL SOMEONE!”
The shout was so loud, so cracked up with fear that it was almost painful to listen to.
Mako’s thumb then rubbed your cheek in what he must’ve thought was a comforting manner. Instead, you only cringed at the feeling of his uncontrolled body temperature making your forehead break a sweat.
“You’re gonna be okay,” he cooed, but his orange eyes betrayed the words. It’s not that he thought they were wrong, it’s that he hated only getting to hope they were right.
“Mako,” you whispered, disgusted at the mindless drool that pooled out after.
“Shh, YN, you’re gonna be okay. I’m not losing you.”
“Mako,” you pressed, as loud as you could muster with your face weighed down against the scraping concrete. “I love you, okay?”
“No, YN, don’t say it like that.” You understood how he felt. With the way you said it, it sounded more like a goodbye than a confession.
“I’m sorry.”
Then the darkness consumed you.
~~~ (oops, this turned into a scenario)
Not-so-silent whispers tugged you out of your sleep like a fish on a hook. The first thing you felt was nothing.
It’s true. Your body was numb from all feeling, even as you blindly waggled your toes and fingers. Then you opened your eyes and hissed at the blinding light that always accompanied a hospital room.
Tingles, pricks like sharp nails filled your limbs as you moved them more and more, and when you turned your head to find the source of the whispers, you found another pressed against the cushion of your stiff bed.
Mako was sound asleep, the idea given away by the steady inhales and exhales that forced their ways through the tissue-like material of your mattress every few seconds. And just when your fingers prickled too, you noticed his hand was up on the bed and was grasping yours tightly.
You didn’t care enough to search through your surroundings for more; instead, you settled for smiling and reaching your other hand over to dip into his dark hair.
A sudden rip of pain spread through your back at the movement, and you couldn’t hold back the yelp that came along for the ride. Without another word, Mako was up at attention, sitting with a straight back in his chair as his other hand slammed down on the bed. Two more bodies appeared on your other side, one of which being Lin.
“YN, are you okay?!”
“You’re never doing that again!”
Mako’s concerned face and Lin’s stern but worried one both added to the growing headache that pierced right through your temples.
“Ugh, I’m fine, I’m fine. Just gimme some space, you guys.”
Neither seemed too eager to please, as they both stayed tight exactly where they were.
“YN,” a gentler, calmer tone caught your eye, and a doctor just about Lin’s age gave you a pleasant smile, “how are you feeling?”
Where Lin’s skin was smooth and unmarked, the doctor’s was creased with years of practiced smiles and reassuring looks.
“Just about as good as a sack of shit. Do I look as pretty as I feel?”
With a patient chuckle, the doctor dismissed the question and hopped right into things. Daily rewraps around the wound, combined with a bullet-biting pinch of disinfectant every twelve hours and Republic City’s newest horse pills, more bitter than the smell of dried sweat that hung in the air.
The doctor encouraged Lin to follow him for the treatments, and after a kiss to your forehead and a little head pat, she did as much. When the door clicked shut after her was when Mako pounced.
“Don’t scare me like that, YN. I thought I lost you.”
His arms were folded in an attempted scolding, but the slight tremble of his lower lip broke down the facade.
“You can’t get rid of me that easily,” you snorted, reaching for his hand and trying not to tear your stitches. He did as you wanted and let you encourage him closer with a small tug.
“Good,” he whispers, leaning down and cupping your cheek with the other hand. You lean into the hold, relishing in the comfort it provides.
“Shit, Mako, why can’t you be colder? My skin feels like it’s on fire.”
“I thought hybrids like heat?”
“Yeah, well not this hot!”
“But isn’t that what you like about me?”
You smack his arm and he lets out a chuckle, leaning closer only to brush his lips against yours.
“Cocky bastard,” you jab before pulling him into a real kiss.
(the legend of korra — romantic! mako x waterbender! reader)
after commander guan’s downfall, it seemed like the krew had to endure new challenges every time they got a moment of peace. they know that they have a lot of work to do in order to repair their relationships. and maybe with a little help, you can take the first step into forgiveness within yourself and a certain firebender waiting for you
cw / fire, lightning
a/n haha i’ve been writing fluff this whole time with tlok so i thought i’d jump back into my roots bc i feel horrible. i’m sure there’s a mention of you sleeping in the girl’s dormitories somewhere but it’s only bc jinora sleeps like a room away. and we’re bringing back waterbender reader,,, fire and water dynamics just speak to my soul okay?? also, i have never read the tlok comics so i am basing it off what i know and have seen. if i go against canon, you don’t see it. or it’s canon now cause fanfic !! this is so messy i’m sorry but i’ve wanted to write it for a while now and get it out of my system
heat. that was all you could feel around your body as he stood a few feet in front of you. you couldn’t fight back anymore, not when there was no accessible source of water. not when you could risk hurting him. he took the stance you were so familiar with, and you swore it was the end. when the sparks grew, you lifted your hands up to defend yourself anyway. lightning paved through the battleground of guan’s laboratory, and you closed your eyes awaiting the impact. the last thing you remember were dull amber eyes that showed no regret before a blur took over.
“mako, no!” you sat up in bed, breathing heavily. as the sun barely began rising, you rubbed your eyes, ridding yourself of the tears falling. adjusting to the light, you looked around frantically. you sighed in relief when you recognized your surroundings.
you’re safe. you’re in your room at air temple island. remember, suyin was able to get you out of there before he struck you.
pressing a hand to your heart, your hand bunched the front of your shirt together. this had been your nightly routine since that day. make an attempt at going to sleep, have a nightmare, wake up, stay up, think about it. repeat. you prayed no one noticed the change in you, but it was inevitable. no longer were you the calm, social waterbender that your friends knew. you’d listen instead of partaking in conversations, take more time in perfecting your skill, and worst of all — you treated your boyfriend (if you could still call him that) like a stranger. the guilt ate you up horribly, but you knew there was nothing you could do about it. except let it happen. those amber eyes used to be the death of you, making you feel like a puddle under his intense stare. now, every time you so much as locked eyes, it felt like a matter of life or death.
you had been so caught up in your thoughts, you failed to notice the shadow of a young airbender outside your door. when it slid open, you snapped your head up to see jinora. her messy hair and the blanket wrapped tightly around her body told you she had just gotten out of bed.
“jinora? hey, the sun’s just rising. what are you doing?” you asked, making room for her on your bed. she closed the door behind her. walking quickly, she had taken a spot to your left. wrapping an arm around her, you adjusted her blanket to keep her warm as she suppressed a yawn.
“i heard you yell, thought you’d want some company.” she buried herself into your side, and you sigh. looking over at her, you do your best to neaten her hair.
“i’m sorry you had to hear that. are you going to sleep here until breakfast?”
“s’okay. i was wondering if we could talk, actually.” her voice now seemed more energetic, and your heart started beating erratically. you knew what jinora was going to bring up. as much as you loved the girl, you were sure you never wanted to open yourself up to that part of your mind ever again. but, you also knew she wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“are you sure you don’t you want to go to sleep? you could use the energy.” you deflected, and she shook her head.
“i’m a teenager, i’ll find the energy later.” she insisted, and you sighed. there was no walking out of this one. as you nodded, jinora hoisted herself up. she fiddled with her fingers before taking a look at you.
“i know you try to make it seem like you’re okay, but i know you’re struggling. it’s starting to worry me.” she frowned, which caused you to mirror her expression.
“well, i appreciate the concern. but i’ll be fine, i just need some time to think things over. plus, you’re young. you shouldn’t be worrying about me, because i’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be the other way around.” you shrugged, and her eyes became glossy. she bunched up her blanket before huffing.
“y/n, i’m being serious! it’s clear that you have unresolved feelings about what happened to you, anyone can see that. you haven’t made an effort to get through to mako in six months! he’s hurting, and so are you. i just want you to give me a chance to help you.” she explained, grabbing your hand. as she pleaded with you, the guilt pooled into your stomach. you squeezed her hand.
“ugh, i don’t approve of what you’re doing, but if it makes you feel better...what do you want me to do?” you asked, and she widened her eyes. shaking your hand, she let her blanket fall off her shoulders to give you a hug. you visibly stiffened, and she quickly removed herself from you.
“sorry, i just didn’t expect you to say yes so quickly.” she giggled, causing you to roll your eyes.
“please, you know i can’t say no to you.” jinora only smiled.
“well, to answer your question. i was thinking we could have a chat in the meditation pavilion after breakfast, and later tonight i can use some of my spiritual energy to try and rid you of a few nightmares.” she explained, and the eloquence in her tone would have been normal to outsiders. but the crinkle in her nose and her interlaced fingers gave her away.
“how many times did it take you to perfect that explanation?” jinora’s cheeks reddened.
“about sixteen times. i was uh, determined to help.” she spoke sheepishly, and you smiled.
“well, thank you.” she was about to respond when a knock made you jump. you were now on high alert, ready to bend if need be. jinora stood and kept a hold on one of your arms. she knew that this was your way of coping with the accident and she didn’t want to stop that. besides, if they were in serious danger, at least the girl had a good chance of protecting you both. and with jinora by your side, it was also much easier to avoid a casualty.
“uh, y/n? tenzin sent me over to tell you guys that breakfast is ready.” he said, as you spotted his shadow. he was hesitant to open the door, and you sighed in relief when he decided not to. you grabbed your flask of water, fastening it around your waist before lightly pushing jinora in front of you. when she opened the door, you immediately did your best to avoid his gaze. it didn’t stop you from feeling the melancholy aura around him as you walked to the dining area. looking to your left, you smiled at the sights of air temple island. you felt jinora take your hand; something you were grateful for. as you distracted yourself, the young girl looked to mako. nudging him, she offered him a smile and her other hand. he gave a weak one back, taking her hand. they were silent the whole walk through, but it didn’t matter; jinora was confident that today, the real progress into healing would begin.
breakfast was rather uneventful, so you and jinora both excused yourselves early to get a head start on your journey. when you got there, you felt as though someone had been watching. when confiding this to the girl, she had reassured it was only the two of you. but she made an effort anyway in sweeping the area in order to calm your nerves. she had you prepare and focus on your breathing while doing so, so you hadn’t noticed her glaring at the top of a tree, where a brooding firebender sat.
“you shouldn’t be here!”
“i just wanna know where i went wrong, jinora!”
“you’ll find out mako, when the time’s right. now stop being nosy, your cop instincts are taking over.” she shook her head, walking away.
“you find anything?” you opened your eyes, losing your position as jinora sat across from you.
“other than a lemur, i think we’ll be okay.” she giggled. she quickly had you position yourself again. business had begun.
“this was a method i picked up from toph while korra was poisoned. with a few adjustments, i am confident it’ll rid you of the weight and the what if’s. now, i know it’s going to seem impossible to go through again, but in order for it to work, you can’t freak out. you just have to remember that i am right in front of you. nothing will go wrong so long as you listen to my voice.” she spoke softly. you nodded in understanding.
“close your eyes, clear your mind, and focus. take yourself back to guan’s laboratory.” she instructed, and you obliged. your breathing was labored, but you did your best.
suyin had tasked herself in taking down a brainwashed bolin, and korra had already started sparring with commander guan. which left you with mako. without hesitation red flames were sent your way. ducking, you bended icicles, tossing them towards the firebender. he turned them to steam, giving you enough time to run towards him. there was a hint of hesitation as you were about to make the punch. your hesitation had been a mere moment of weakness in his eyes as he grabbed onto your lifted arm, twisting it behind you. you yelped, elbowing his stomach.
“you’re okay. you fought well. that fight is over.” jinora reassured. you tried your best to calm your breathing.
the remaining water around you had been used to make a rope. you knew it was a bad idea, but at this point you knew it was too personal. you couldn’t hurt him. bending the water around his wrists, your plan was to knock him unconscious by slamming him into a wall. but he moved quickly. yanking your makeshift rope, he pulled you forward. the heat creeped up on you. it consumed you.
your eyes split open and you let out a sob. you jumped, running over to the balcony of the pavilion, letting out the contents of your stomach. wiping your mouth, you then buried your face in your hands. jinora’s eyes widened, and she moved over next to you.
“i can’t do this!” you repeated, burying your head into your hands. you groaned in frustration. she hesitated as she rubbed your back. you didn’t push her away, and she sighed.
“it’s only your first day trying, of course it’s going to take some time to get over something like this. but i understand if you want to stop for today, maybe dad can find an alternative for you.” she offered, and you lifted your head, shaking it.
“didn’t you say you could use your spirit energy to help me get rid of the nightmares? how does that work?” you sniffled, and jinora nodded.
“when appa had been taken, guru pathik crossed paths with him. he was so traumatized after what he had been through, that guru pathik focused on appa’s energy to rid him of the nightmares. i think it would have been easier to try that first before having you relive it. unless you’d like to try the method again, i’d say that was stupid on my part. i’m sorry.” she frowned.
“don’t apologize. you’re already doing so much by attempting to help me. i owe you for that. so, how about i make it up to you? let’s head to republic city and get smoothies. my treat.” you asked, and she crossed her arms.
“if this is your attempt at pushing your trauma back into your mind where you’d like it to be forgotten, no thank you.” jinora raised her eyebrows, and you groaned.
“i hate your intellect. but fine, let’s do this.” you already took a deep breath, settling into your position. she smiled.
“there’s the y/n i know. you’re working towards the real you already.”
hours were spent in the meditation pavilion that day, and you made some real progress. during lunch, you even pushed yourself to try and talk to mako. unfortunately, the push was a bit too much when no words came out and you evaded his eyes again. you saw a flicker of hope and it utterly destroyed you. it made you sweat. ultimately evading his gaze, you had gone to jinora to rant about your feelings. you were relieved to hear how nice her advice sounded. shaking off those thoughts, as the sky faded into black, you laid on your bed, staring at the ceiling. jinora had sat in a chair beside your bed. silence consumed the room when you tilted your head towards her.
“you know, it takes a while for me to fall asleep. you’re only going to have a small window of time before i wake up crying again.” you worried, and jinora waved you off.
“i can handle it. just trust me, i’ll be here when you wake up."
jinora was right, she was there when you woke up. you smiled to yourself, realizing her attempt was successful. you hadn't woken up with heavy breaths and tear stained cheeks. though, you frowned as she curled up in your chair. you didn't want to wake her, she needed the rest. so instead, you grabbed your blanket, tucking it around her and adjusting her pillow. stretching, you left a note explaining your early leave at your bedside as to not scare her. walking to the meditation pavilion, a sense of serenity and power flowed through you as the moon shined above you. you don't know how long you stood there, but the sun had just creeped slightly. unbeknownst to you, mako had been behind you.
"what are you doing up?" the familiar voice rang in your ears, and you tensed. you bended the water out of your flask, ready to strike. the firebender stopped his flame, keeping his hands up in defense. your mind went rapid, you wanted to get out of there. there was no way you could be with mako alone. not now.
never letting your guard down, he had walked towards you. you tried your best to leave without having to do anything rash. but your eyes blurred as tears threatened to escape. you crumbled. as the water fell to your feet, you cried, sliding down to the floor. mako softened, kneeling before you. reaching for your shoulder, you jerked his hand away. hurt flashed his features, but instead took a seat next to you.
"what- what are you still doing here?" you choked out, and he raised an eyebrow.
"i'm trying to make sure you're okay?"
"you should go. please." the absolute heartbreak in your tone hit his heart. he made no effort to move. shaking his head, you looked to his hands.
“no, i'm not leaving here until i know you're okay." he insisted and you exhaled in frustration.
"i'm fine mako, now leave." he crossed his arms.
"if you look me in the eyes and tell me you're okay, then i'll leave." he huffed, and your eyes widened. you stood, finally mustering up the strength to walk away. but mako was stubborn, and caught up to you. gently catching your wrist, you stiffened. you could feel the ghostly throbbing in your shoulder, fragments of that memory flashing through your eyes. you made no effort to turn around as he let go of you.
"i can't look you in the eyes." you admitted.
"why not?"
"because…”
“that’s not a valid reason, y/n.”
“you really wanna know?! every time i stare at them, i feel like i'm going to die. don't you remember what you did to me?" you asked, your back facing his. a soft "no." rippled through the air, and more tears trickled.
"think back. you must have remembered what happened when guan brainwashed you."
“i don't remember anything actually. all i know is one minute i'm attacking guan, the next i'm waking up to wu hugging me. korra had to explain we were brainwashed, and that you didn't come with her to see it happen because you were scared. so what did i do? what happened to us, y/n?" he choked out the last part, wiping his tears.
"you were like this empty shell of yourself when we went to stop guan. it scared me, but i knew i was going to have to fight you if we were going to save you. i was fine at first, all you did was twist my arm, bruise me up. but then, guan..." you explained, your walls breaking.
“what did he do?" he asked, eyes darkening. you knew he was afraid of the answer. you slowly turned around with your eyes closed. hesitantly opening them, the light of yue's spirit gave you a view of his amber eyes. amber eyes that weren't dull or empty. but ones filled with life, ones filled with hurt and worry now. you gulped when his eyes widened.
"you were going to strike me with lightning, mako! and i was going to let you do it because i could never think about hurting you! if su hadn't gotten me out, who knows where i'd be." you started. "but i let that happen, at what cost? i'm not who i used to be. i'd rather let you break my heart into a thousand pieces if it meant not feeling so scared and stupid all the time. if it meant us going back to the way things were. but that's never going to happen." you cried out, and he stayed silent. he wanted to hold you in his arms, to tell you he was sorry, and to reassure you that it was over.
what he wanted to offer you, wasn't enough to make you feel better. and that hurt more than anything in the world.
instead, he closed his hand, leaving his pinky out for you. looking at him, he just wiggled his finger. skeptically, you did the same, reaching out for his hand. interlocking your pinkies together, you smiled to yourself when you didn't flinch at the warmth. the two of you faced the ocean, and no words were spoken as you did your best to go through this process.
breathing in, jinora's words echoed through your head. it's easy to do nothing, but it's hard to forgive. now remember, forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing.
you knew this would take time, but at least you finally knew the answer to your six months of questioning and regret. it was forgiveness, and it was right in front of you this whole time. maybe with a little more time, you and mako would be ready to taking these challenges together. but for now, you'd relish in your first night of peace.
soft/angsty blurb of mako/kyoshi warrior tending to the other's wounds after a serious fight if that sounds doable to you 🥺
consequences - blurb
wait shush this is an adorable idea i- they're so cute 🥺
"you're stupid, you know." the words left your mouth were soft. any louder and you felt like you would break. you'd still been sitting in your uniform, too distracted to think about how banged up you were. as you wrapped up mako's arm, you shook your head as you stared at the irritated scar. with mako's free hand, he dipped a clean cloth in water, bringing it to your face. the gentle touch sent shivers through your body, but all you could do was glare.
"what are you doing? sit still or we'll never get this done." you spoke, removing the cloth from his grip. throwing it back onto the bed, he fastened a strand of hair.
"well we've already been at this for an hour, might as well clean you up too." he countered, and you sighed.
“yeah, well i'm not the one that's injured. i'm fine." you retorted, finishing up. his gaze lingered, and you snapped your head up raising an eyebrow.
"no, you're not."
"yes, i am. i didn't fight, and all i did was evacuate people when i should have done more." there was a hint of venom in your voice, and mako clenched his jaw. he brought a hand to his face and you avoided his gaze. he noticed you staring at his arm.
“you can't possibly blame yourself for this, you know that. right?" he asked, and you snapped your head up. your glossy eyes blurred your vision.
“you could have died! spirits all that lightning, it could have just shot through you." you whispered, bringing a hand to your heart. the other hand covered your eyes. he pried your hand away, tilting your chin up to lock eyes.
"hey come on, look at me. it was my decision. i decided to take that risk, like you do every time you go on a mission. you don't think i know what you feel like right now? and i know that the guilt is never going to go away, but the most you can do is be here." he explained, caressing your cheek. you leant into his embrace. your tears spilled over, and you brought a hand to your mouth to muffle your cries.
"i'm sorry." you sobbed, and mako's heart clenched. vulnerable moments like this had been rare for you, and mako hated this feeling of helplessness. he may have been the one injured, but seeing you hurt; the consequences of his actions made his whole body sting. he wiped your tears, doing his best to place you onto his lap with minimal strength. as he rested his casted arm onto your lap, you played with his fingers, resting your head in the crook of his neck. he ran his fingers through your hair, soft whispers of reassurance rang through your ears. it'd take a while for the both of you to recover through this experience, but at least you wouldn't be alone through it.
(the legend of korra — romantic! mako x waterbender! reader)
after months of constant forgiveness for other people and yourself, it's time to consider the next step: forgiving and overcoming your fears
cw / fire
a/n — haha didn’t think i’d grow to like this one but i did ! part two is kinda meh but i missed them <3 enjoy ! btw on a side note i miss mako and kyoshi warrior reader,,, i should get on them again-
eight months. eight months of slow, lingering touches, jinora's never ending wisdom, and much meditating later, the nightmares slowly ceased and you began to open yourself up again. eight months after your outburst in the pavilion with mako, you knew you were ready to take the next step in your healing.
though you never admitted it out loud to anyone, they knew. they thought about it every time pema made a hot cup of tea, when lightning storms rained through republic city, and when mako simply held a scarce flame in his palms.
but you were confident, and held your head up high. taking a deep breath, you made your way to jinora and mako. they seemed to be in a heated argument, the stern glares towards each other giving it away. and their loud discourse of course.
“mako, i respect your opinion, but how can you hate noren when he had a solid redemption arc?!" she asked.
“are we reading the same book? he fell in love and that was a horrible take at redemption! they could have at least backed up his arc with actions to prove he was a better person!" he exclaimed, pointing to a page in the book. the girl placed her hands on her hips, tilting her head up towards the firebender in intimidation. he wasn't fazed. you halted in your tracks, bursting out into laughter at the sight. their attention diverted towards you, clutching your hand towards your stomach. you tried ceasing your laughter, but it only made it worse as tears sprung out of your eyes and you wheezed endlessly. jinora now crossed her arms amused, and mako looked to you with an raised eyebrow. you let out a delighted sigh, walking over to your two favorite people.
"you wanna tell us what's so funny y/n?" mako asked, instantly wrapping his pinky with yours. you smiled, giggling.
“i don't have to, but if i must. you were really about to fight a sixteen year old, huh? i mean okay i get wanting to throw kai off air temple island sometimes, but jinora? how could you hurt this face?" you pouted, pulling the girl in front of you. she smiled widely, and he rolled his eyes.
“i could have gotten away with it if you didn't meddle." he joked, and you all laughed. jinora turned around to face you, curiosity filling her eyes.
"wait, you said you were going to hang out with kai while mako and i finished up our discussion. where is he?" she asked. your eyes widened, and you rubbed the back of your neck.
“well, i kind of told him ikki needed a sparring partner and now they're gossiping in the meditation pavilion."
"y/n!"
"i know! not my best idea jinora, but i really needed to talk to you. of course, i didn't think i would walk into an almost warzone, but this is actually important." you let go of mako, sitting down. they followed suit, mako sitting next to you and jinora across from you. a pit in their stomach formed. their looks of concern made you want to back out right now.
"y/n? are you okay? is there anything wrong?" jinora laid a hand on yours. you felt the warmth creeping up on you. lightly wincing, you exhaled.
"i don't exactly know how to say this…ugh i didn't think this was going to be so hard, it's literally just you two!" you facepalmed, and mako laid a hand on your back.
“hey, remember what we talked about? you can be open with your feelings! no one here will judge you." jinora assured, taking a quick glare to the firebender before gesturing to the air. you buried your face in your hands. mumbles came out, and they moved their heads closer to you.
“hey, we can't help you if we can't hear you." he spoke up softly, running his fingers through your hair.
"i want to get over my fear of fire. i think i'm finally ready." you sighed defeatedly. mako's eyes widened and jinora smiled. she was about to respond when the boy stood.
“oh i uh just forgot, jinora we have to go help your parents with lunch! come on, we don't want a yelling tenzin in the kitchen. yeah, sorry y/n! we'll talk later, yeah?" he rushed out, kissing your forehead lightly before taking jinora's hand. you waved bye, shaking your head.
"i knew this was a bad idea." you muttered, taking jinora's book before heading over to join ikki and kai at the pavilion.
"wait, mako. my book!" she was going to run back when he gripped her shoulder. he shook his head.
"y/n grabbed it, kai can give it back later." he huffed, pulling her back and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. she crossed her arms, looking up to the boy.
"okay, what's wrong now?" she asked.
"nothing's wrong!" mako flustered.
“you're a horrible liar. i know that my dad doesn't even walk into the kitchen. and mako, i think you're great. really, i do! but you blew y/n off after they told us some amazing news! aren't you happy for them?" she elbowed his rib, and he winced.
"of course i'm happy for y/n!" uncertainty filled her features.
"i don't believe you, so you should tell me before i take my book back on team avatar..
"okay okay! jeez, when did you get so bossy?"
"always have been, just never to you. now, tell me." he facepalmed.
“it's just, don't you think it's too soon? i mean, it took y/n six months just to look me in the eye. but fire? it's a completely different story; there are so many possibilities. some days they're fine with the warmth, other days they can't even bring themselves to wear a jacket when it's cold because of what i did. they could get hurt again if we start the wrong way. then we're back at square one" mako frowned, and jinora elbowed him again.
“progress has never been linear, mako. look at korra! it took her three years to overcome her trauma. she thought she was ready and wasn't, so she took more time get better. it's an amazing feat it only took y/n six months to be able to talk to you. and we shouldn't make an effort to compare their traumas because they're so different, but valid nonetheless" she explained with a sly smile.
"okay, but who's going to teach y/n if we plan on doing this?" he asked aloud, and the girl looked up to him defeatedly.
“sometimes i wonder how you can be so intelligent and dense at the same time." she deadpanned. he gave her a pointed look.
"jinora...whatever you're thinking. i don't support it. i was joking" she wrapped her arms around his middle, giving him a shake.
"come on, you're the only firebender we know!" she exclaimed.
"that's a lie and you know it." her nose crinkled at his response.
“fine, you're the only firebender on air temple island we know!" jinora compromised, and he smirked.
"that doesn't make it any better for the both of us."
“you're so- you’re so difficult!" she stammered out, glaring at him again.
"as i've been told," he shrugged. she groaned, sending a light wave of air to his face.
"mako, just please think about it. we've supported y/n for this long now, we should let them try at the very least. if it makes you feel better, i can talk to opal and see if we can find any alternatives to this. though, you know better than anyone that you can't read your way out of overcoming a fear; you actually have to experience it." she huffed, waving to kai and ikki.
“now, you're lucky i'm not busting you just to spend time with kai and ikki. let's sit out in the kitchen and continue our discussion on noren. i am determined to prove you wrong!" she removed herself from him, taking his forearm and speed walking. he chuckled weakly, letting her words ring through his mind.
after mako's horrible attempt at lying and waiting out in the kitchens, he managed to excuse himself from everyone for the rest of the day. sitting in his room, he fiddled with a trinket ikki had given him. it had been hours since jinora called him out on his fear, something he was actually grateful for. looking outside his window, he cracked a smile at the swirling colors of the sky, and a few airbender kids gliding through it. as they waved to him, he saluted them back, a knock interrupting them. he pointed to the door and they nodded in understanding before playing again. he slid his door open, only to come face to face with you. oh, he was in for it now.
“can we talk? and this time i'm not letting you push me away." you tilted your head, and walked in at the slghtest nod. sitting on his bed, you smiled at the trinket.
"cute." you avoided his gaze, but started talking when you felt him sit beside you.
"you know i would have understood if you didn't think it was a good idea for me to overcome my fear of fire yet. i know i've had my off days about it too. but we're in this together, mako. you shouldn't be able to hide things from me, or walk out on me, especially now." you explained, moving closer to him. you placed a hand on his thigh.
"if i've learned anything from jinora through this whole thing, it's that we should at least try. and i'm sorry, i shouldn't have acted the way i did. truthfully, i was...scared." he admitted hesitantly. he let out a breath, crossing his arms. you looked to him.
"why would you be scared? i mean, of course it's valid of you, but why?"
“because…” he groaned.
"that's not a reason, fire boy." you mocked, deja vu washing over you two.
"it'd mean i'd have to help you overcome your fear. and i don't want you to think of me as the same brainwashed mako from back then. i don't want to push you too hard." your arms were now touching by how close you two were. you grimaced, taking his hand in yours.
"these last few months, you've done everything you could to prove that what happened back then would never happen again. i think i'm the most qualified person here to say i'm not scared of you anymore!" you exclaimed. he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"i'm not going to lie to you, this won't be easy. but if i told you i would have helped you from the beginning despite my feelings, would that have made you feel better?" he asked, and you appeared puzzled.
"wait, what are you saying?"
"i'm saying i'm with you. i'm gonna help you."
help, he did. after your initial shock upon his agreement ("why couldn't you have started with that?! jeez it would have saved us a whole conversation. at least our feelings are in the open."), it took you and mako at least another week to mentally prepare yourselves. and another three months to get you used to the heat. but it had been smooth sailing from there and you couldn't have been more grateful.
“you've been learning well. i'm proud of you." he would say after a respectful bow at the end of the lesson.
"thanks." you would respond, along with a soft hug or squeeze of the hand. but tonight would be different.
you stood on opposite sides of the airbending arena, taking protective stances.
“you sure you're ready for this? after i throw a punch, there's not much turning back." you rolled your eyes.
"mako, you're forgetting we used to be probenders! you said it yourself, i've progressed well. now hit me!"
“sprits i'm going to regret this." he muttered, before throwing a flame off course. turns out mako didn't have anything to regret. you moved away from it quickly with no expression of fear. the heat made you sweat, but it didn't bother you anymore. this had gone on for several hours. his flames only got brighter as yue's spirit shined over you both. serenity and power washed over you again, and he smiled.
“think that's enough for the night?" a flame flickered, the light kissing your faces. you shook your head.
“there's one more thing i wanted to try today actually." you leaned in, and he pulled away clearing his throat.
"and what is it...that you want to try?" he began to wince at your smirk.
“i want you to throw fire at me. straight at me." you stated, and he shook his head.
"what? why would i do that?!" he exclaimed. you placed a hand on his shoulder, the other bending your water above you.
“i know this isn't ideal for the both of us, but you said it yourself. we should always at least try!" you pouted, and he furrowed his eyebrows.
“okay but that doesn't mean i should throw fire at you right away. we've only been throwing fire around for a few days at most!"
"mako, trust me. the hardest part through all of this was trying to open up to you again. i can do this." you reassured, and he sighed. kissing your forehead, he lightly pushed you back. your eyes lit up and you took another step back. water at the ready, he took a deep breath before nodding. when the red flames were aimed towards you, you stumbled back. mako's eyes widened at your wince. he was ready to disperse the flames, but you stood your ground. stretching your arms out, the water acted as your shield. you closed your eyes as if that would shield you any better. awaiting the impact, it never came as mako halted his tracks when a loud sizzle filled the air and steam covered up the arena.
you opened your eyes to a shocked mako and a whole lot of steam. you inhaled much of it due to excitement and started coughing. the firebender made his way over to you. gripping a hand to your shoulder, he gave you a once over. patting your back, your coughs ceased and you looked up to him, his amber eyes standing out against all the smoke you caused. you pulled him into a hug.
"i did it!"
“yeah, you did."
his eyes flinched at the sudden contact, and he patted you on the back awkwardly. you pulled away before smiling. in a spur of the moment you grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling his lips to yours. mako's eyes widened. it had been a little under two years since you had initiated any heavy physical contact. if anything, he had been more than content with the light forehead kisses and interlocking pinkies. mako had just wanted to respect your boundaries. but this, he didn't realize he had craved this moment more than anything.
kissing back, one hand caressed your waist as the other held the back of your head. he wondered if this was truly real, pulling you as close as he possibly could. when you pulled away, you wrapped your arms around his neck, pressing your foreheads together.
"wait okay, what was that?" he asked.
“um, a kiss?" you raised an eyebrow, and he facepalmed.
“well yeah i know, but why?"
"oh uh, spur of the moment thing i guess. but, it was nice. i've missed this." you smiled, and so did he.
"think you can do it again?" he asked sheepishly, a tint of red coating his cheeks. you laughed, pinching his cheeks.
"aw, is mako touch starved?" you joked, resting your hand on his chest. he rolled his eyes. he pulled himself away from you, taking a step back. "wait, no i'm sorry! i was kidding! i just...didn't think you were ready to head back into that again. we've been taking it slow for so long i guess i felt like you weren't ready to try to get back to the old us again." you pulled him back with a defeated look, maintaining a grip on his arm. he softened, and shook his head.
“y/n, we've been in this together for who knows how long now. i didn't want to push you back then, and i didn't want to push you now. but you have to remember i'd wait for you and i've got your back. i'm ready when you are." he smiled, trailing his fingers down your face. you flustered at his touch. leaning in again, your lips barely brushed when you pulled away with a smirk.
“you're gonna have to work for it. race you to the dining area for dinner!" you exclaimed, before making a dash towards your designated location. he froze, but shook his head at your antics. following suit, he thought about what this meant for you both. two years of challenges and hardships could now be put past you, and it was time to embrace what you had in front of you. he knew that though this challenge was coming to a close, new ones were bound to pop up when you were a part of team avatar. but as long as you trusted each other, you could get through just about anything.
Its when Ryuko pushed Mako away that Mako lets her mask slip.
Her Ryuko had never pushed her away before, not even when she was going berserker. But the girl in Junketsu said she wasn’t her Ryuko anymore. How could Ryuko not be Ryuko?
Ryuko had saved Mako from the despairing slums of Honnou Town, from the seemingly endless poverty and starvation, from the pressure of Honnouji Academy. As the eldest, Mako was responsible for her family’s social standing and living situation. She tried in classes, but she wasn’t smart enough to become a Two-Star through her grades alone. She had tried out for the Tennis Club and had miraculously gotten on. She had endured the punishment that came from not being good enough because if she didn’t, she’d be kicked off the team and dad’s back alley clinic couldn’t support the lawsuits that came along with it.
She had put on a chipper attitude to hide how much the worry ate at her. She worried about Mataro out on the streets everyday. She worried about Mom and Dad. She even worried about Guts! But if she disguised it all under bright smiles and cheering, no one would ever ask her what was wrong. And if no one ever asked her what was wrong, she wouldn’t have to answer.
When Ryuko crashed into her life, she showed Mako how to be strong. She supported Mako as much as Mako had supported everyone around her. She made a special place in her heart for Mako and guarded it against Lady Satsuki, the Elite Four, and even herself when Senketsu lost control.
But it seems that Junketsu finally broke through the barriers Ryuko had built in her heart and had erased Mako’s special place. Mako couldn’t reach her. Mako wasn’t strong enough. She couldn’t help Ryuko, couldn’t pay her back for all the times she had helped Mako.
