The Longing ⇝ BOOK 1 > LOK [Avatar: TLAB-LoK Watty Awards 2018]

45

Lyra (1)

"It is a glorious day my Equalist brothers and sisters! Amon has torn down the tyrannical bending government! He has declared bending illegal! And he has the Avatar on the run! Our great leader has a vision for the future! One day soon, bending will no longer exist and we will live in a world where everyone is finally equal! The United Forces are on their way right now to try and stop that dream, but we will prevail!" The crowd cheers once Hiroshi finishes his big speech.

We walk away from the scene then make our way behind the cluster of bushes. Korra earth bends the large rock to the side and we jump into the hole. She puts the rock back over the hole then we take off our Equalist masks.

I groan as we begin our way back to the hideout. "How long do we have to keep doing this? I hate watching them from the side lines."

"Can you believe Hiroshi? 'The Avatar's on the run.' I'm not running from anyone." Korra says, clearly bothered. She stops in her tracks, "Let's go back up there and knock some heads. They'll never know what hit 'em."

When she turns around and takes a few steps, I grab her arm while rolling my eyes, "Korra."

"Relax. General Iroh's coming with an entire fleet of battleships. Then Amon will be the one who's running." Mako tells her.

Korra slumps her shoulders, "I hate this being patient stuff." We continue our way to the hideout.

After about ten minutes of walking, we finally reach it. Waiting for us were Bolin and Asami. We met halfway.

Asami crossed her arms, her brow raised. "You were gone awhile." She mostly eyed Mako and I.

"We were doing reconnaissance." Mako 'defended.'

Asami looks away from us, "Whatever."

Gommu, a kind, goofy hobo who let us in here, grins at us. "Welcome back! Hope you worked up an appetite 'cause dinner is served."

We sit around a large cut tree trunk while Gommu passes out bowls of food.

"Thanks so much for letting us hide out with you these past few days." Korra says.

"Honored to oblige! My associates and I hardly oppose Amon's so-called 'Equalist policies.' We've got benders and nonbenders living together down here. But do you see us fighting?  No sirree. We figured out how to harmoniously coexist." He finishes by hugging himself.

"You are a wise and noble hobo." Bolin compliments before he stuffs his mouth with a spoonful of food from his bowl. He hums, "This is the best tasting street food I've ever had. Seriously."

"I culled it from the finest dumpsters the City has to offer."

I slowly place my food down then kick it behind me. I watch Mako eat it without a face. I guess it is edible. But I don't really have an appetite, honestly.

He glances at me and I send him a small smile. Mako returns the favor before continuing to eat.

>>>

Later that night, I stayed awake. I can't help but wonder where my parents are. How my siblings are doing. How Rohan is handling his first couple of days into this world. It saddened me that he was born into a literal war.

"I couldn't sleep either."

I watch as Mako scoots closer to me from his sleeping bag.

"How's your ankle?" He asked me. I moved it around in my sleeping bag. I was able to take the brace off last night. I felt like my foot could finally breath.

I shrugged, "Fine. Feels like it never happened."

"Good, good." Mako said as he nodded slowly, looking down. I could tell something was on his mind. So I asked him about it. He faced me again, his eyes going back and forth with mine.

"The day we left, you wanted to ask me something. It seemed important?"

"Oh..." I laid back down, my head resting on my arm. "Yeah, I guess it was."

"Well?"

I turn my head to face him. His head rested on his hand, a brow raised.

"Do you have feelings for Korra?" I bluntly ask, finally. He was taken aback, like I was the first person to ask him this.

"You did say I had to be honest, right?"

"Right."

He sighs, before nodding. "I did. But those feelings are very much gone."

I furrow my brows, "What changed?"

"Some old feelings rekindled."

The way his eyes glistened at me, the way his smile softened yet it was barely noticeable... he hasn't looked at me like that in so long. 

I cleared my throat, trying to not seem so flustered. "Does Asami know about these rekindled feelings?"

"It's the reason why we've barely spoken."

Knowing that I may be the reason for Asami and Mako not being on good terms at the moment stung.

I heaved a sigh, "Good night, Mako." I turned around in my sleeping bag, my back facing him. I closed my eyes and after about a minute or two of silence, I hear,

"It's always been you."