(1)
The police station had been sweltering that day, a sign that summer was in full swing in Republic City. The station was slowing down for the night, the night shift officers trickling in while the day shift were scrambling to leave and get someplace cool. The completely metal building had new ventilation shafts installed within the recent years but even those couldn't ward off the worst of the heat, making the majority of the summer in there feel as though everything was going to melt.
Sweat ran down Mako's temple as he filed the last of his reports for the day, a small sigh escaping his lips. Even firebenders weren't immune to the heat, which came to a surprise to many of his metalbending colleagues. He was being affected by the heat just as much as they were, maybe due to his Earth Kingdom heritage, but he was nonetheless. He stood from his desk and walked the length between it and the door to Lin's office. He was just about to knock as the door opened, bringing him face to face with the woman he wanted to see. She looked up at him and he gave her a small smile.
The heat was undeniably affecting her too, if the redness in her cheeks and the sweat running down her neck were anything to go by. Maybe he could convince her to go on an ice cream date later, his treat, if her apartment was as hot as the station.
"Ready to go, hot stuff?" Mako asked with a grin.
Lin gave him an incredulous look before rolling her eyes, motioning for him to get out of the way. He moved so she could exit her office and close the door, following slightly behind her as she began to walk away. If he had called her that, especially in public, at the beginning of their relationship he surely would've gotten the snot beaten out of him but Lin was starting to relax more about their relationship, notably when it came to Mako dishing out pet names left and right. She was starting to look forward to every new one that he would come up with, not that she would ever tell him that though.
"Never, and I mean never, use that one again" Lin says with a small laugh.
(2)
Air Temple Island had never been so alive, except for maybe on Varrick and Zhu Li's wedding, as it was that weekend, at least in Mako's experience. Suyin and the entire Beifong clan were visiting from Zaofu, Korra and Asami had just returned from a visit to the Southern Water Tribe, nearly all of the airbenders were back on the island due to relative peace in the world, Bolin was there to visit Asami and Kai, and Mako and Lin had been dragged along by both Bolin and Suyin. They both basically had no choice in the matter, nearly being pulled all the way onto the island by their respective sibling until they agreed to go. Not that Mako was complaining, he liked being able to spend time with Lin and his brother for no reason other than just being able to see them.
But not everything went to plan, as usual. The only ones in attendance who knew about Mako and Lin's relationship were Korra, Asami, Bolin, and Opal and Mako was pretty sure that the last thing that Lin wanted was for her entire family to know about them being an item. Opal only knew because Bolin had let it slip one night when the two of them, Mako, Korra, and Asami had been out on the town drinking a little bit more then they should have been.
But that didn't stop Mako from slipping up at dinner with everyone there. Lin was passing something to him from the other side of the table when he let the words slip effortlessly from his mouth.
"Thanks, babe"
The entire table went silent, everyone's eyes on Lin and Mako. Bolin, Asami, Korra, and Opal all looked sympathetic for Mako while everyone else's expressions were a mix between shock and absolute confusion. No one spoke, not even Suyin who looked like she had a million questions forming as soon as Mako slipped up and called Lin babe.
"Is there something I'm missing here?" Suyin asks after a long moment of silence.
"Yeah, Lin, care to explain?" Tenzin says, his apparent confusion painted across his face.
"Lin and I are dating, have been for awhile now" Mako blurts out before Lin could explain, earning a glare from the woman in question.
The table lapsed into silence once more, Mako and Lin sharing a quick yet uneasy look. They'd have to talk alone as soon as they got the chance.
"Well, congratulations. I'm glad that you're happy, Lin" Suyin says with a smile on her face, looking between her sister and Mako.
"Thanks, Su" Lin says, her apprehension clear in her voice.
Lin, and the rest of the guests at the table, turn their attention over to Tenzin who looks as though he's about to say something. After a moment or two, the airbender sighs before looking at his ex-girlfriend.
"As am I" Tenzin says with a somewhat forced smile.
The table lapses into an uneasy silence after that, none of them knowing particularly what should or shouldn't be said. Mako looks over at Lin, who gives him a small reassuring smile. At least that gets telling the extended family about their relationship out of the way.
(3)
Arching his leg up in a spiral motion, fire extended outward of Mako's foot as he launched himself into the air. Lin easily ducked out of the way of the flame, slowly circling around him with a focused expression on her face. Mako regained his footing and gave the older woman a wide grin as he punched out multiple lines of fire. She lifted a wall of stone to block the flames, shooting the large mass at him when he was done. He pivoted out of the way at the last second, feeling the wind tousle his hair as the stone flew past him and slammed into the wall ten or so feet behind him. The debris projected outwards, whizzing past Mako and straight back to Lin's general vicinity.
"Let me know if I'm too much for you" Mako says, wiggling his eyes brows at her.
Lin rolled her eyes at him, despite having a small smile on her face, as she launched one of the pieces of debris at Mako. He laughed as he danced out of the way, shooting a wall of flames in her general direction. She lifted herself up on a small circle of earth, tall enough for the flames to hit just below her feet.
Sparring had been a near-constant for them, even before they started their relationship, and was something they tried to do at least once or twice a week if their jobs didn't get in the way. It was an easy way for them to maintain their physique and bending capabilities whilst also being able to spend time together, which was something they didn't get to do a whole lot of during the week. They used the gym at the police station, which nearly none of the other officers used, as it was easier than possibly wrecking Lin or Mako's respective apartments.
She shot a smaller piece of debris at Mako, who wasn't able to move in time, and it connected with his stomach. He flew a few feet backward and dropped onto the ground, all of the air effectively taken right out of him. He lay there for a moment, completely sprawled out on the ground willing himself to breathe again. One thing that Mako always forgot about when they sparred was that Lin didn't hold back, hell she basically refused to but that was perfectly fine with Mako because he didn't either. Or it was completely fine with Mako until he got his ass handed to him time and time again.
He heard her lower her pillar of earth back down and begin to walk over to him. He smiled at her when she came into view with a slightly worried look on her face. Despite never holding back, Lin always seemed to regret whooping Mako's ass after the fact, or that's what Mako would like to think anyway.
"You good?" She asks, holding a hand out to him.
He grabbed her hand and, with her help, pulled himself up off of the ground so he was standing just a few inches in front of her.
"Yup, ready to go again?" He asks with a grin.
"I think that's enough ass-whooping for you today, Mako" Lin says with a roll of her eyes.
"Whatever you say goes, angel" Mako says, swooping down to give her a kiss on the cheek.
Lin laughs and pushes him away, a small blush evident on her face.
"Maybe we should go again, so you'll stop calling me all those ridiculous things" Lin says, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"It's just a part of who I am, Lin, it's not gonna stop" Mako laughs.
Lin groans before spinning around and leaving Mako alone in the police stations gym.
(4)
The ocean waves crashed upon the shore as the sun beat down on them while they walked. It was just the beginning of tourist season on Ember Island, citizens from every nation were flocking to the island in droves to spend a few days, or weeks, in paradise. The entire Beifong clan, as well as Bolin, Mako, Korra, Asami, Kai, and Jinora, were all some of the tourists that had arrived on the island at the beginning of the summer. Suyin and Bataar Sr. owned a home large enough for them all to stay in on the island and everyone was staying for at least a few days.
Mako was just enjoying his time off from work and in the sun, knowing that soon enough he and Lin would have to return to Republic City for work. The two of them had found a relatively secluded spot on the private beach that was connected to the Beifong summer home and they had been camped there for at least a few hours. They were sprawled out on a blanket that they had taken from one of the linen closets in the home earlier that morning, their shoes a few feet away from them in the sand.
Mako opened his eyes and turned his head to look over at Lin, whose eyes were closed and her face was pointed upwards towards the sun. Her cheeks were starting to get pink, showcasing a light dusting of freckles around her nose that otherwise wouldn't have been noticeable. He looked at her for a long moment, deciding that she was the most beautiful person that he'd ever seen.
"I can feel you staring at me, Mako, what is it?" Lin asks without opening her eyes.
"Just enjoying the view, that's all" Mako replied softly.
Lin opened one of her eyes and looked at him with a wary expression on her face. Mako knew that she didn't believe him, she had said it herself many times that she was shocked that Mako was even attracted to her, but she was wrong.
"Mako you don't need to lie to me. Is something bothering you?" She asks, sounding interested in what Mako could possibly have going on.
"I'm not lying to you, Lin. You're beautiful" Mako says, forcing himself to not roll his eyes at the older woman.
Lin laughed at him.
"Your sense of beauty must be severely tainted then if you're being honest with me" Lin says flatly, turning her gaze away from him.
"Lin. Look at me" Mako says seriously.
She turns her head away from him even further, causing him to scowl. He sits up and positions his body so he's looking straight down at her. She looks up at his movement, a scowl etched into her facial features.
"Don't force yourself to lie to make me feel better about myself, Mako, I've long since accepted that I'm not a pleasurable sight" Lin says, willing her voice to remain relatively emotionless.
Mako groans, pulling at his hair slightly, before responding to her.
"I don't lie about anything, Lin, you should know that by now. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever met and always will be" Mako says, sounding as serious as he possibly could.
"Lin, Mako! It's time for lunch!"
The pair turn their heads to see both Bolin and Opal waving at them from the other side of the private beach, positively ending their alone time for the foreseeable future. Mako could hear Lin groan as she sat up, stretching as she did. He stood up and held her hand out to her, which she took after rolling her eyes at him. He bundles the blanket up in his arms and grabs their shoes, leaving Lin to just walk by his side empty-handed.
"I am capable of holding something, you know" She says after a moment, crossing her arms in front of her chest as they walked.
"I've got it, beautiful, don't' worry about it" Mako says, turning his head and kissing her lightly on the lips.
Lin pushed him away with a laugh, ignoring the fake gagging sounds coming from both Bolin and Opal on the other side of the beach.
(5)
The singing of a tea kettle is what woke Mako up that morning. His eyes slowly fluttered open as he took in his surroundings; he was, surprisingly, in his own apartment for once and sunlight was starting to stream in from the opening in the curtains in the lone window in the room. The spot beside him in the bed was still warm, leading him to believe that Lin was still there and that she was making tea. Normally, when they stayed at Mako's apartment especially, Lin was the first one to wake up and leave for work but sometimes, when Mako was lucky, they would eat breakfast together and show up a little late for work. It's not as if the other officers didn't have any suspicions about their relationship so it wasn't much of a surprise when they walked in together a few minutes after their shifts were supposed to have started.
Mako extended his arms and legs and stretched, a low moan escaping from his lips. He slowly climbed out of bed and staggered into the other room, sleep still partly clouding his vision and movement. Lin didn't look up from the cup that she was pouring as Mako entered the room, not needing too due to her earthbending seismic sense. Mako smiled when he saw that she was wearing one of his casual shirts, which looked like a small dress on her, as shuffled over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on the top of her head. Lin tensed at first but swiftly relaxed in his grasp, leaning against him as she did.
"Good morning" Mako grumbled, his voice still groggy from sleep.
"Morning" Lin replied, setting the tea kettle down on the counter.
She spins around in his arms, looking up at him with bright green eyes. Her hands land on his biceps, making small circles on them that give Mako the goosebumps. He gives her a soft smile before ducking to give her a kiss on the lips. She smiles into the kiss before pulling away, much to Mako's disappointment.
"We're going to be late if we do any more of that" Lin says matter of factly.
"Who cares? We've been late before" Mako says, dipping his head to try and kiss her again.
She puts her palm flat against his lips, wordlessly telling Mako to stop. He reluctantly pulls away, looking down at her with a slight frown on her face.
"I have a meeting with Varrick and Zhu Li today, one that I can't miss" Lin explains with a sigh, her lack of excitement for the meeting evident in her voice.
Mako nods, understanding that her having a good relationship with the president was crucial for them to operate the city efficiently. His disappointment is clear on his face however, as after a few moments Lin sighs.
"How about we grab drinks after work? My treat" Lin says, trying to get Mako in a better mood.
Mako eagerly nodded after a moment, knowing that Lin knew the absolute best places in town to grab a drink.
"It can be my treat, love, I don't take you out as much as I should" Mako says, smiling down at her.
"Whatever, Mako, whatever makes you happy" Lin says with a sigh.
He looks at her with slight shock in his eyes but decides against saying anything. Is she seriously not going to berate him for using a pet name? Maybe she was indeed going soft in her 'old age'.
(+1)
Lin sighs, dropping the file down on her desk. All of the Triads seemed pretty damn adamant on making this one of the worst weeks in Lin's career; they were all engaging in a massive turf war, several officers and civilians were either injured or dead, and worst of all the president was pushing for Lin to begin making arrests left and right. Zhu Li is a much more fit president then Raiko ever was but still put the same amount of pressure onto Lin and her officers as he did, which is to be understood as the city is asking her for answers that she simply didn't have. She hadn't slept in days nor had she seen Mako aside from a few passing glances. He was on the front lines, making sure that no more civilians got hurt because of the Triads and he was also trying to bring some of them to justice.
She was flipping through the file on the Agni Kai Triad when she felt someone approach the door to her office. Lin moved her hand and one of the wires flew out of her armor and pulled the door open before the person got the chance to knock. The wire whizzed back into her armor as she looked up to see who had decided it was a good idea to bother her. The bags under his eyes made him look years older but there was no mistaking that it was Mako, the one person she actually wanted to see right now. He silently pushed the office door closed with his foot as both his hands were filled with two brown paper bags.
"What've you got there, Mako?" Lin asks with a small smile playing with her lips.
"Special delivery for the Chief, of course" Mako says with a grin.
He sets down the bags on the nearest table to him and began to pull things out of the bags. Lin rolled her eyes at the sheer amount of fire flakes he had brought with him but her expression lightened when she saw him pull out a few egg custard tarts, one of her absolute favorite. He pulled out a few other things that she didn't recognize and a drink for each of them. He pulled a plate out of the bag and began to make one for Lin first.
"Mako, you didn't have too" Lin says after a moment of speechlessness.
"I know that but I know that you've been working nonstop lately so you deserve it" Mako says with a smile.
He places Lin's plate in front of her and sets her drink down next to it, which is some type of soda that she's seen him drink before. He sits down in the chair across from her desk, pulling his plate into his lap and unceremoniously starts eating. She looked at him with a fondness that she hadn't felt in years tugging at her chest.
"Thank you, darling" Lin says without thinking as she tucks into her own meal.
Only when she hears Mako nearly choke on his own food does she realize what she said. She looks up at him with partially wide eyes and a blush creeping onto her face.
"Who knew that all I had to do was bring you food for you to give me a pet name" Mako says with a laugh.
"Don't get used to it" Lin grumbles, a smile unavoidably taking hold of her lips.
Maybe she was getting soft in her old age or maybe it was having Mako in her life that made her want the more romantic and/or intimate parts of a relationship.