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Makorra: Gift of a Lifetime Ch.6

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Chapter 6: The Eleventh Hour

The lightning tore through the sky, leaving roaring thunder in its wake. The dark clouds hid the ongoing fight of nature from the bright city below, but the threat of rain was still among the utopia's dwellers. An easy-going breeze was flitting through the streets and dancing with the ocean, but so far the storm it brought remained dormant, and the city still stayed alive with the droning sounds of cars and idle chatter.

However, at the island, the rustle of thousands of trees and the sound of the water slapping the shores were all that could be heard. Everyone was inside and had retired for the night, completely content with letting nature throw its tantrum.

She should have been sleeping, but instead Korra's thoughts were racing to the night of the match. Each little moment replayed over and over again in her mind, but none of those things fazed her. What did faze her was the panic she'd felt when she woke up in the clinic. The first thought which came to mind when she started coming to:

The baby! Is it alright?!

Her eyes had completely snapped open- and she was sure everyone else in the room thought she was startled and in shock from what had happened. But no, instead she was worried about the very being she was going to abort in a few days. Last time she checked, mothers who were planning on aborting their babies weren't supposed to be worried for the source of their problem.

Even now, Korra found herself thinking about the child's wellbeing in between her fretting thoughts. What if the doctor was wrong? What if the disk clipped lower than Dr. Tai thought? Maybe there's something wrong with it now because of it. Finally, she would start feeling disappointed in herself, and kicking herself for playing in that stupid match. Then, after she thought of these things, she would go back to how she shouldn't be thinking about it. She should be completely indifferent. It didn't matter if it got hurt if she was just going to get rid of it in a few days, right?

The doctor had told her to keep any eye on things just to be sure everything was fine. Korra was also told to get bed rest and drink plenty of fluids, and try to get food into her system. But Korra couldn't sleep; she wound up staying up all night, waiting for a tell-tale sign of her baby perishing. She waited to feel pain, but she didn't; she waited to find blood, but she didn't. Instead, all was quiet and normal. The only pain the waterbender felt was her aching joints, pounding head, and the spot where the disk had hit her.

Still, she kept double checking on everything. And once she was finished, her mind did a complete three-sixty and went back to her previous decision. She would abort it and they could move on with their lives. Once it was gone, all would be right with their worlds again.

But why was it that when she thought she lost it, her world nearly stopped?

Korra brought her arm up and rested it over her eyes. Now she was back to square one on what she wanted to do about this predicament. Once again she was clueless and racked with confusion. She thought about going through with her original plan, but when she did she felt a knot form in her stomach, and she could have sworn tears started prickling in her eyes.

That wasn't right. She was supposed to be placid about all of this. The smart thing to do was to get rid of the child. She had too much to handle and so did Mako and everyone else around them. No one could be bothered with a child. So if it was the smart thing to do, then why did it feel so wrong?

Korra backtracked and thought about how she had come to her first decision. She had come to it because she was desperate and confused. She didn't know what to do or how to handle it. So in her fit of confusion and fear, she threw down the problem and left it like she would have with a lot of things that frustrated her. But it made her feel guilty- she never backed down from a challenge and that's what she had done. But still, it was the smart thing to do, wasn't it? Even Tenzin agreed with her, and so did Mako- albeit he had acted oddly about it afterward.

She ran another check on her body as she went through another bout of turmoil. She still didn't feel pregnant- which didn't ease her fears in terms of the baby's condition. Hesitantly, Korra slinked her hand forward and rested in on her lower abdomen. Sure enough, there was a protruding bump there. Nothing felt wrong; although it was wrong that it was there to begin with.

She found herself regretting it less and less.

Korra released an inaudible breath and closed her eyes, running her options through her head again. She wasn't going to be able to relax until she got this settled.

Go through with the abortion: everyone can move on. Korra could continue her training and take down Amon, as well as participate in probending. Mako could keep playing and working to support him and his brother, and date every guy's ideal girl. Tenzin and his family wouldn't have another mouth to feed, and Korra could avoid the city's disappointment. It seemed like the perfect plan.

Keep it: she would stay pregnant, and the entire city would know and tear her down for it. She would have to stop pursing Amon to take care of a baby, which would allow the masked man time to really mess things up. Probending would have to stop- at least for a while, anyway. And she imagined her training would have to stop, as well, leaving the rest of the world without a realized Avatar. Then Tenzin would have to put up with her, or even send her back home where she would get nothing done. Mako…well, she wasn't sure what he would do. She guessed he would have to quit probending and possibly break up with Asami. The idea made her feel sick.

Adoption: well…it was an option, but not one she had really thought of much. She could go through with the pregnancy and then give the baby to a family who would give it all of the love it would need, and she could move on with life.

The idea of giving up the baby made her heart clench. She knew it was too late. She was already attached. The idea of someone else raising her child was unbearable- not when she was capable of doing it herself, even if it would be hard.

It was then that she came to the inevitable conclusion, the one she thought she would never come to: She was going to keep it.

Perhaps it was going to be the most selfish thing she would ever do. She would put a halt to everything she was already obligated to, just to bring a child into the world and raise it. Mako would have to put his life on hold, as would she. She may even have to go back to the South Pole, because Tenzin definitely shouldn't have to put up with her and a baby. The city would have to wait and pray Amon wouldn't take a step out of his lair, and the Equalists would continue holding rallies. She would have an entire world disappointed in her. But the disapproval of everyone else almost didn't matter anymore. She would be more disappointed in herself if she didn't follow her heart. The baby would have to learn how to grow up with having the Avatar as a mom, and she was well aware that her status could put this child –any of her future children- in danger. But many Avatars before her started families and were just fine. Even if she was starting earlier than most, she still had the same odds as the others- airbending or no airbending.

Decision set, Korra sighed and rolled out of bed. Gingerly picking her parka up off the floor, she said out loud, "Looks like you'll be sticking around for a while..."

She knew, the minute she addressed it, it was all over from there. "Come on." Korra slipped her parka on. "We got to go tell your dad."

Sneaking out of her room at this hour and in this kind of weather was easy. The rain always made everyone drowsy and the noise of the thunder always lulled many to sleep; she barely even had to tiptoe her way outside. She called for Naga, who had decided sleeping in the Flying Bison stables was much nicer than sleeping in her master's tight quarters. The Polar Bear Dog came to her call, giving her an odd look as she approached. The oversized hybrid was no stranger to her owner's late night masquerades, though she found it odd that she would want to venture out when she had been so depressed.

Korra offered the animal guide a smile. "Hey girl." She allowed her hands to glide along the animal's head and bring her into a hug. "I know I've been out of sorts lately, but we're gonna fix that." Her eyes brightened a little for her furry friend before she hopped onto her back. "Let's go to the arena."

Without question, Naga bounded off towards the boat docks. The water was warm, but the storm was starting to make the water tremble with rage.

It didn't even strike Korra just how dangerous her short journey could have been. If she hadn't been a waterbender, or waited any longer, then she and her polar bear dog could have been swept away at sea. She didn't realize it until the two of them surfaced on the other side of the bay, but the waves got fiercer and the sky rumbled.

She blinked slowly, and took a deep breath. She would rather deal with a storm than have to tell Mako of her decision. Granted, she knew he would stick by her- but maybe that was what was bothering her.

Selflessly giving up his life to stick by her and the decision she had come to. He wouldn't even have a say in the matter, unless he wanted to back out. But she knew he wouldn't. No- Mako was too loyal and good for that.

They reared the back of the arena, where Korra looked around with caution. Bolin had informed her of a secret entrance in the back. There were a few loose bricks underneath the dumpster next to the backdoor. It was easier to get in if you were an earthbender- which Korra was grateful she was. The Avatar told her companion to seek shelter and she would be back soon. With that, she slipped into the secret entry.

During the day, the halls and rooms would have been brightly lit, but at night the inside of the arena was only lit by the occasional stray light from a hallway. This proved to be no problem for Korra. She knew her way to the brothers' attic like she knew her way around the compound back at the South Pole. She quietly climbed a few stairs and reached the top of the attic where the door stood, firmly closed to outsiders.

She took a deep breath; her nerves were slowly coming back to her, but as she anticipated breaking the news to Mako, she could feel her insides churn. But she was certain. This was the best decision- the only decision she would feel okay with. That certainty was enough to push her fist to knock on the door

No answer.

She figured as much. It was in the middle of the night and both brothers were notorious for being heavy sleepers. If she wanted them up she would have to cause all kinds of racket.

Taking a deep breath, Korra started assaulting the door with her fists. She kept beating the door until she heard footsteps on the other side and a frustrated groggy voice coming closer, "Alright, already!"

Korra bit back a smile; she couldn't decide if she wanted to laugh at Mako's misfortune or be scared about how he would act with her ramming his door at two in the morning. The news she had to deliver wasn't exactly…happy? Whatever the feeling should be, it would still leave the both of them with a lot to think about. It would have been better to tell him in the morning. But her appointment was early and she couldn't wait any longer to tell him.

The door opened to reveal a sluggish Mako. His tattered tank top was riding up on his side and his hair was a mess. His body language was lax and lazy, which complimented his tired amber eyes. Korra couldn't help but smile- even when most people looked ungraceful after sleep, he still looked handsome.

Mako's eyes widened and his eyebrows knitted together. "…Korra." His mind was trying to get out of bed, but it was tangled in the sheets. "What are you doing here?" It didn't take an alert mind to know she was here on important matters. It only took a few more seconds to realize it was matters involving the baby.

"Oh, you know…" Korra's smile was nervous. She wanted to be serious, but the lighthearted part of her didn't want to put too much weight on the situation. "I was just taking Naga out for a walk and thought that maybe I should talk to you about…you know…"

How was she to phrase it?

"Recent…events."

"You were outside in this kind of weather?" Mako's eyebrows rose and the grogginess fled from his voice. Korra knew a scolding was called for, but she wasn't sure she really had the patience for it tonight. She wanted to get straight down to business.

"Yes, I know it was totally stupid. But right now, I'm here, you're in the doorway, and I just really need to talk to you."

"It couldn't have waited until morning?" Mako allowed his stern attitude from before to leak out and be refilled with concern. Korra didn't just show up at their doorstep at two in the morning unless something serious was going on. And 'recent events' basically included everything and anything having to do with the baby.

"Well, tomorrow -err- today is the appointment…" She grabbed her arm, suddenly feeling insecure. "And I felt like I needed to talk to you about some stuff before then."

As surprised as he was, Mako was also pleased. At least now she was willing to talk to him- maybe he could even tell her what he had been feeling about her decision. This would be his last chance to speak up. Yet, he also couldn't help but wonder just what it was she wanted to talk to him about. She had already been so set on that appointment that he didn't think there was anything else to talk about- at least from her side.

"Who is it?" Both Mako and Korra looked around and saw Bolin peering out from his bedroom door. His hair was equally as messy as his brother's- maybe even more, and his eyes were heavy with the sandman's plague.

"It's Korra," Mako answered before turning back to face said guest.

"Oh, hey Korra," Bolin chimed, but still lingered in his doorway. He was always happy to see his water tribe friend, but Spirits how he needed his beauty sleep.

Mako released an inaudible sigh. Whatever Korra had to say, he knew he wouldn't be sleeping well for the rest of the night. "Come on in."

Korra squeezed past Mako and the doorway and proceeded into the living room. The room was sparse as usual, the only thing out of place were a pair of shoes, which she assumed were Bolin's, since Mako was a stickler for keeping the place clean. It was dark, save for the light that was on over the stove; its lights reached to cover most of the living room, except for the dark corners.

The Avatar looked about for a few more seconds before stopping and looking between Mako and then Bolin. She smiled apologetically. "I need to talk to Mako." She paused, allowing another fleeting glance at Mako before turning her attention back to the earthbender. "Alone."

Normally Bolin would have protested, but seeing as his eyes were screaming for sleep, he didn't object. He smiled lazily and saluted to her as he disappeared back into his room. "Got it." He was sure he'd find out what they talked about later anyway.

Korra turned around to face the wall where the stove rested. She looked down and wrung her hands, letting her eyes scan the floor boards as she tried to think of the best way to tell Mako.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Mako asked carefully. He leaned over to the side to try and get a glimpse of her face over her shoulder.

Korra swallowed and turned around to face him. She summoned all of her courage and conviction in one quiet breath. She locked eyes with him, determined to make her statement known and engrave it in stone. Whatever he thought, or whatever he planned on doing afterward didn't matter. He would just have to deal with it. Although it hurt her to think of him throwing away everything for her and this child, she wouldn't let it detour what she had decided.

"…I can't get rid of it."

The sureness of her words made her feel strong, but the minute they were out, she had nothing to do but wait for the firebender's response. She had no strong words to keep the courage rolling; only silence and his gaze. His steady gaze had more power than her bravery- at least in this case. Normally she could beat him at a staring contest and win nearly any argument. But no one was arguing. There was no prize to be won or dignity to protect. It was a life changing decision that neither of them were prepared for; but she was at least willing to give it a go.

"Are…" Mako started, "…are you sure?" His voice was void of disappointment or annoyance. Rather, it was full of concern and caution. This wasn't exactly what he expected to hear at two o'clock in the morning. He hadn't expected to hear it at any time of the day, actually. Korra didn't budge easily on any decisions she made. He supposed she was a person of commitment; rather she was just plain stubborn. He figured she had come to reassert her choice and remind him that the baby would no longer be a problem by the time he woke up in the morning.

But he sure wasn't complaining.

She shyly looked up at him, but quickly looked back down. His eyes had been a little bit more alert at the sound of her statement and his eyes were rapidly flitting around her, as if to try and understand what she had said.

"I thought I could get rid of it. Because it would be the easiest thing to do and the smartest thing, but…after the close call the other day…" She shook her head. "After almost losing it…I just can't do it."

The firebender was quiet. He scanned her entire being to make sure she was sure. Her arms were crossed over her stomach and her head was tilted downward, icy eyes downcast and a frown on her face. She almost looked hurt; like telling him felt like whips against her back. She looked far from comfortable and far from feeling safe and confident- nothing like the Korra he knew. And he wondered if she was happy with this new choice she had presented to him.

No one was happy about the situation they had landed themselves in. Any decision wasn't satisfactory to what they wished they had. She might not be happy with any choice she made, but he at least wanted her to make a choice that could make her happy in the long run. And judging by the cloudy look in her eyes she was firm on her decision.

"I figured I'd tell you first. I just wanted to give you a heads up, since it's your kid." She thought about when she said that to him a few weeks ago and how quickly things had changed since then. She could only imagine how things would change from here on out.

"Right, no- I'm glad you told me." He tried to shake his head out of his reverie and speak back to her. He hadn't done enough talking since all of this began, and it was about time he started running his lips. "And I'm glad you changed your mind."

Oh, how he wanted to gab about this change in events. But where was he supposed to start? He ran his hand through his hair, hoping to weed out the onset of shock from his brain.

Korra's eyes snapped wide and she gave him a puzzled look. "Wait…you're…glad?" She furrowed her brow. "Why are you-"

"Because the first decision was bad!" He reeled himself back. He didn't mean to cut her off, but gosh darn it, he had held his tongue out of cowardice for too long and it was about time to let it all out. He ran a hand through his tousled hair again and sighed. "Look- when you made the decision to get rid of it, it sounded like you were just trying to make everyone else happy." He gaged her reaction before continuing, "And it was like you were lying to yourself to make yourself think it was the choice that would make you happy too.

"But you weren't thinking about yourself and what you wanted-" Well, Mako supposed what Korra had wanted was to make others happy, but none of this had ultimately been in her best interest. "-what you really wanted." He looked down, feeling the heat of the attic sticking to his skin. "And I don't know, maybe I'm wrong. But I didn't say anything because I just thought you wouldn't listen…"

Hearing himself say it aloud made him feel childish. He was a team captain and wasn't afraid to confront his team on their faults. But he knew that deep down, he was also afraid to talk to her about it. Afraid that talking about it would put them in that much deeper.

He still wasn't ready for any of this.

"You're right on both counts," Korra admitted weakly. "I wouldn't have listened…" Guilt and disappointment rested on her stomach like a rock. "And I didn't realize it at the time, but I wasn't thinking about myself."

Growing up, she had been told she would be the protector of the world. They made it sound like she couldn't afford to think about herself- the whole world counted on her too much. Her title carried so much baggage and the weight of the words she had grown up hearing were lodged in her ears. Granted, she thought about herself at times –she pouted when Tenzin wouldn't let her off the island, or when things didn't go her way- but this was different. This could affect other people, and not just her. But thinking about the world only made things harder. Getting rid of it only would have hindered her ability to protect the world, and keeping it may make is just as hard. But if she had to take one of the roads, then she figured she would rather take a road she was more comfortable with.

"Be that as it may, I still should have said something," the firebender reassured. "I completely get that it's your body and it's your final say, but Pema said that it still would have helped in some way if I would have at least thrown in my two cents."

Now he had said just about everything, but at the same time it felt as if he hadn't said enough. But he was at a loss for words at this point.

"…I don't know." He scratched his head and looked away from his friend.

Korra had a feeling there was going to be a lot of "Pema said…" in the next few months.

"But I'm really sorry I didn't say anything." Mako's eyes held heavy guilt; the heaviest sandbags in the gym couldn't compare to the melancholy in his amber eyes. It made Korra's heart drop. This wasn't his entire fault. He made his mistakes and she made her own, but at the end of the day, they were still in this together.

"You still had our best interests at heart." Korra shrugged and smiled; it felt strange referring to the being inside of her as if it were already among them. Yet, she couldn't help but feel a nearly invisibly tug at her lips at the thought. "You told me to sit out of the match, and I didn't because I was stupid. But you didn't want either of us hurt, so maybe I should have just listened more." She didn't really know how to apologize for being completely challenged in accepting opinions of her character. She was the Avatar, and was used to thinking about the entire world before herself. "And I guess sometimes I forget that in order to take care of the world, I need to take care of myself," she said. It sounded like something Tenzin had said once, and she was pleased to know that some of his words of wisdom had stuck in her mind.

She watched as Mako looked away in a sort of bashful way before she sought the finality of her speech. "You want to just agree that we're both pretty hopeless and just move on?" She placed one of her hands on her hip while keeping the other one across her torso.

"Deal," Mako's eyes brightened and a soft smile adorned his tired face. Korra returned his smile with a bigger one, while brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

When she did this small action, Mako's eyes were drawn to her complexion. She seemed flushed and a thin layer of sweat was forming on her brow. He was sure it was the heat of the attic. Air conditioning wasn't a luxury they had, and it was warm outside. It was bad enough she hadn't been eating well or sleeping well- the last thing he needed was for her to collapse from heat exhaustion. "You look like you don't feel very well…" it was stuffy in the attic and she was prancing around in a parka in the middle of summer.

"I'm fine, just a little warm," she answered back quietly. She was actually sweltering, but she didn't want to remove her only protection. If she took it off, then she would be vulnerable and he would be able to see it. It was small, but the baby bump was there. Even if it wasn't –perhaps she was just self-conscious- the knowledge that a baby was present inside of her would draw his eyes to where it resided.

"You're gonna make yourself sick," Mako stated and drew his brows together. She didn't have him fooled. He was only in his tank top and pants and he was close to breaking out into a sweat. He noticed Korra didn't do too well in hot temperatures, probably because she was so acclimated to the harsh conditions of the South Pole. Either way, he wasn't going to watch her sweat herself to death. "Come on, take it off." His tone was an easy one, but there was a sound of gentle commandment behind it.

The Spirits knew how much she didn't want to do it. She'd rather bake in her parka than feel his eyes on her- or rather, where the baby was developing. Most people wouldn't notice the bump- and maybe she only noticed it because she knew, but she knew Mako would be able to see it. Not only was he directly involved, but he was also very observant. Taking off her only protection would remind him of just how real things were; it would remind her, too. But even she had to go to bed every night without the parka and seeing what was to come.

The doctor had badgered her, saying that she was hardly showing at all.

Sighing, Korra wrapped her fingers underneath the hem of her parka. The motion of taking it off was quick, but it felt so much longer and more dragged out to her. She was aware of every movement her clothing made against her skin and how her muscles stretched as she squirmed to get her arms and head out of the parka. She could feel her sides stretch, but she couldn't feel her belly stretch as much; she assumed this was just one of the many physical changes she was going to endure within the next few months.

Maybe she was being paranoid, but she was sure Mako was taking a moment to look her over while her parka was over her eyes. She wanted to say she could feel him staring, but tried to brush it off as being edgy about her appearance. Once she got the dark blue material off, she noticed how Mako's eyes were locked on her face. They were intense, as if he never looked away from her, but she knew his eyes had drifted just a little further south of her neck. And she couldn't blame him.

It was becoming second nature to hide it; she didn't even have to think about how awkward she felt before she draped her parka over her arms and held it close to her stomach. She looked away, ill-ease burning her neck and face.

He could tell she was self-conscious, but decided against saying anything about it. "Feel better?"

"I guess."

There was no 'I guess' about it. The minute she felt the attic's air hit her skin, she felt a ton better- at least temperature wise. Even if the attic was warm, it felt like paradise compared to the suffocating warmth of her parka.

Mako knew she was still uncomfortable- and he hated making her feel worse- but there was some information he wanted to know. "So," he started, "how far along did the doctor say you were?"

Korra looked down at her parka and then back at Mako. "About three months." The fact that he had asked meant he had definitely taken a moment to look, and it made her wonder just how much she was showing already. Surely she was just thinking too much. "The doctor had said two, but I did the math and I was a little further along than that."

"So you haven't told Pema or Tenzin that you're keeping it?"

"No," she answered. "I figured I'd tell you first."

"Then I guess we'll be going to talk to them once the sun comes up." He smiled at her and Korra could feel her heart nearly breaking.

She was so glad he was willing, yet she didn't want him to do more than she thought was necessary. He didn't have to be there every time she made a big revelation or any time she hit a mile stone.

"I can tell him by myself." Korra shrugged. "It's no big deal." She had a feeling Tenzin wouldn't be angry. The way he had been acting since she had made her decision told her so. While she hadn't been observant about herself, she had been paying attention to everyone else around her. She still wasn't sure if he would want to keep her in Republic city, but she knew that he would respect her decision.

"Still, I don't want you to have to go through this alone," Mako said easily. He started for the closet in the hallway and stood on his tip toes. "We both got into this together," he said as he hefted a blanket out of one of the shelves.

Truthfully, she was relieved that he was going to talk to Tenzin with her; it made her feel less alone. Korra just prayed that she wouldn't be sent back to the South Pole; not only would Mako not be there, but it would feel almost like a death sentence. It would be like she failed and would be sent back to where she came from and never be allowed to practice her duties again. Maybe she was over-dramatizing it, but to her it was the ultimate punishment for failure.

Her attention was drawn when she saw Mako toss the blanket onto the sofa and then go back to his room. He came back out with a pillow and sat down on the aging furniture. "What are you doing?" She cocked a brow.

"Going to sleep on the sofa," he stated simply. "You're going to take my room."

"No way," she answered a little too quickly. "I'm not kicking you out of your bed."

"You're not kicking me out of my bed," Mako reasoned. "I'm giving you my bed for the night."

"Whatever, I'm not sleeping in there." She folded her arms over her chest. The main reason was because she didn't want to take his bed from him. The other reason being that his room was where it all started. The last thing she felt like doing was lying down in his bed, being engulfed by his scent, and remembering the steamy night that got them into this mess. She was supposed to forget, not go relive it.

Mako pinched the bridge of his nose. This girl always made things more difficult than necessary. "Korra-"

"Are you doing this just because I'm pregnant?" There was no way she was going to let him get a word in edgewise. But if he was doing this just because of her 'condition', then she was going to have a field day with him. It was bad enough she got special treatment as the Avatar –something she didn't always mind- but she didn't need to be treated different just because she was with child too.

"No."

…Yes.

"It's a guest thing Korra- the host tries to make the guest comfortable."

"Well then maybe you should ask the guest what would make her most comfortable?" She gave him that snide, half-lidded, stare with a cocky grin. He thought it was adorable when it was aimed at someone else; meaning someone other than himself.

Mako let out a frustrated sigh and ran his hand over his face. "Fine." He could feel himself being backed into a corner. "What would make youmost comfortable?" He knew he wasn't going to like the answer.

"Sleeping on the sofa," she answered.

No, of course he wasn't going to like the answer.

Before the firebender could object, the Avatar plopped down a few feet away from his side and twisted herself around to where she was laying on her back, staring at him upside down. A victorious grin was plastered on her face as she folded her hands over her stomach and crossed her legs.

Well, she had him beat. Mako wasn't going to try and argue with her. At least she was in a good mood from this small triumph. He could have easily picked her up and dumped her on his bed and left her there, but he didn't want to rile her up. Moreover, he was tired and didn't feel like dealing with her stubborn attitude anymore. He didn't even bother getting up from the sofa. Instead, Mako scooted farther away from Korra and then mimicked her position, his head resting against hers once he settled into the worn sofa cushions. The probending captain was grateful that Korra didn't ask any questions about his submission or his settlement on the couch.

The two benders were both quiet for a while; both knowing that the other wasn't going to find sleep anytime soon. They both settled on staring at the high ceiling of the attic and listening to the noises of the city below. It was only when Korra felt Mako shift and run his hand through his hair that she decided words may be vital. Mako rested his hand next to his head, the palm facing the ceiling. Gently, Korra reached back and cautiously grabbed a few of his fingers with her hand. "Hey," she called out softly. She felt his head shift ever so slightly and that gave her permission to continue. "…Thanks…for you know, being here."

He thought about saying something smart, like "Well technically you're in my apartment." But he felt that the moment didn't call for it. Instead he would resign to swallowing the small lump in his throat, listening to how loud it sounded in the silence of the room, and moving his hand so that he could envelope hers in his grasp. He didn't know exactly what to say. He didn't want to say "You're welcome." Because really, he was part of the reason they were in this predicament. Saying she was welcome sounded so snarky and selfish- or at least to him it did. And he didn't want to say "It's not a problem" or "It's no trouble." Because really, it was. But he was part of the trouble and so was she. It wasn't just a sense of obligation to fix this problem that drove him to stay by her side. More than anything, he would say it was because he wanted to be there for her. Korra was his friend, his teammate, his Avatar, his crush, his Korra; a big part of his life that he didn't want to see in pain. She already had to bear the weight of the world; there was no way he was going to let her take on a baby by herself.

As he was trying to figure out what he was going to say in response, Korra kept talking. "I know that this isn't going to be easy," she voiced, "and I just want you to know that you really don't have to do any of this…" She felt him flinch, so she kept talking to explain herself. "I mean, I'm really glad that you're sticking with me on this, but…" Her eyes were downcast; suddenly the darkness of the attic was more intimidating than taming a wild polar bear dog. "I just don't want you to have to put anything in your life on hold." Asami, probending, and a slew of other things; these were the fragile things she didn't want to touch in Mako's world.

"You have to put everything on hold," he said into the darkness. He squeezed her hand. She would probably have to put her training on hold. Amon wouldn't be addressed- at least by the Avatar. She would have to quit probending and she would have to deal with the world's judgment. It just didn't seem fair that she would have to give up everything while he went on about his life, gallivanting as if nothing had changed. "If you have to put everything on hold, then so will I."

"It's not like I don't want you by my side," Korra reassured. "I just don't want you to have to break up with Asami, or quit probending or anything; you know, things you're entitled to, I guess."

"I'm not entitled to anything," he answered dryly. He hadn't ever been entitled to anything- at least not that he could recall. He wasn't entitled to kindness when he was on the streets, and he hadn't been entitled to a roof over his head or food. "But this kid should be entitled to a father." He would make sure of it. No child should have to grow up without one of their parents; forbid they grow up without both.

His life had never been about what anyone deserved or what they had their right to. It was about hard work and responsibilities. The way he saw it, this was no different. "I'll do whatever I can to take care of it."

The question for Korra though, was if Mako actually wanted to do any of this. Sure, he wanted to do what was right; she admired him for this. But it would be painful to watch someone act on priorities that they truly despised with all their being. She didn't want to strain their friendship any more than it had been already. She didn't want Mako to get frustrated or leave bitter. She would be lying if she said she didn't want his support and for him to be there for the child as it grew up, but she was afraid of Mako over exerting himself and then burning out halfway through.

She figured most of the stress would come from finances- assuming Asami wouldn't break up with Mako once she found out, or that he wouldn't have to quit probending, that is. Korra found it rather foolish. Mako would break his back trying to provide for a child who would already have all of the physical comforts in the world upon its arrival. Korra had always been taken care of her entire life, and she assumed that any direct family –such as a baby- would be supported as well.

But Korra knew Mako. She knew he was a driven person who put others before himself; an admirable trait which could easily become a nightmare for the holder. She didn't even need to ask what his plans were- she knew he would insist of doing everything he could in terms of finances. The waterbender didn't understand why, but she figured she could at least offer him an out in this particular compartment.

"I know, and I really appreciate it." Korra smiled, but it quickly faded. "I just don't want things to get any more stressful than they already are."

"I doubt me not taking care of our kid is going to make things less stressful." He had to let a small grin cross his face.

"You know what I mean," Korra grumbled.

"I think I do- but feel free to explain."

The question was, where was she to start?

"You already work too much as it is." Maybe that was the best place to start. And if it wasn't, it was too late to turn back now. "I just don't want you to work yourself into the ground and have to throw away anything that's important to you just because we screwed up." Korra sighed and closed her eyes. She was sure she already knew what he was going to say.

"I'm not gonna work myself into the ground." Bingo. "And I don't know what all I'm going to have to do." Korra knew that was a lie. The truth was Mako already had everything planned out without even talking to her first. But for the sake of arguing and making her angry, he would play ignorant. "But I'll work hard and make sure everything's taken care of."

Korra bit back a sigh. She was too tired to call him out of his bluff; he would work too hard and he already had plans set in stone. She supposed she would just have to earthbend his plans into oblivion and reconstruct it with him later.

"We'll talk to Tenzin in the morning and figure out what to do then," Mako said.

"Okay, but…" She felt like she needed to put in one final bit of reassurance into her side of the argument. "You really don't have to pay for the baby," Korra reminded. "I'll always be taken care of- you know, being the Avatar and all. That means the baby will be too."

It was a little bit of a sudden reminder. But Mako knew that Korra knew enough about him- money was always close to the forefront of his mind. He wasn't a greedy soul; no, he honestly could have cared less about the value of money in some regards. But he cared enough about it for survival purposes.

"I know, it's just…" His breath hitched in his throat and he swallowed. He knew all too well that everything would be taken care of financially. But he felt like he should be the one taking care of his baby- expenses and all. It was his, unexpected or not. It wasn't just obligation- it was also a mixture of pride and of care. Pride, because what kind of man –or person, really- couldn't provide for his own family? He had taken care of his brother for so long and he'd be damned if he couldn't take care of another one of his flesh and blood. Care, because he wanted to make sure that the baby would have everything it needed; medicine, clothes, food, what have you. He couldn't bare the idea of not providing for something so small and innocent –something that was his- because it deserved to be taken care of- not just by White Lotus sentries or babysitters, but by its father.

Spirits, he was going to be a father.

"I just want to, okay?" he said.

Korra wanted to keep assuring him that it wasn't mandatory, but she could hear the pleading in his voice. While she felt guilty that he was going to have to work that much harder, she figured she might as well let him be at peace with his decision…especially if he was willing to let her be at peace with hers and still be by her side.

"Okay," she answered gently.

Mako listened to the sounds of the attic. The small creeks from the floorboards and the moans from the machines were sounds which he usually fell to sleep to. He was glad to know that these same sounds were able to lull Korra to sleep. He listened to her soft snores and slowly closed his eyes to take everything in.

He still wasn't ready for any of this.

But by golly he was sure going to try.

Chapter 5 pt.2 >> fav.me/d5aj9cf
fav.me/d5rqm5j << Chapter 7

I'm so sorry for the atrociously long wait! Not only did I have a hard time writing this chapter –getting stuck on so many parts. But school started and I got busy!

Most women aren't really showing around three months. You can only tell if they don't have their shirt on –maybe. But Korra wears such a tight shirt, and every pregnancy is different, so maybe she's got a smidgen more pudge…or she could just be self-conscious.

Also guys, feel free to check out my wattpad account! Miss-riah is my username. I'll be posting this Fanfiction, as well as my own works on there.

Thanks again to :iconday-dreamer-101: for being my beta and a big thanks to :iconkonekonekonaito: for the listening ear and advice! I still worship you in my closet, don`t ever forget that!
© 2012 - 2024 Miss-Riah
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theBedgyArtist's avatar
I really love this story, this is so brilliantly written! i can not wait for the rest :iconiloveitplz: