Chapter 8
Of princesses and knights
The sign over the cafe said with big letters.
Is he fucking kidding me.
Korra stared at the cafe from afar. What was he thinking, meeting up in their favorite cafe?
Former favorite cafe now.
She stood there for a while considering whether to enter or just turn around and walk home. She had been thinking about this meeting all day long. Should she write Asami and ask for her advice? Asami had been bugging her with that the whole day already, asking her if it was okay for her to go alone, if she needed any support. In the end Korra had been so annoyed by Asami's overprotectiveness that she had ignored her for the rest of the day, only speaking to her after school again.
“I'll call you when we're done and tell you how it went”, she had told Asami.
Thinking about it now she kinda felt bad for ignoring her friend. She only wanted her best, Korra knew that.
Gotta apologize to her later. But for now…
Korra closed her eyes for a brief moment and exhaled loudly.
“Let's get this over with.” She mumbled under her breath, then crossed the street that was separating her from the cafe and pushed the door open.
She looked around the place in search of her ex-boyfriend and soon found his spiky head of hair in the back of the cafe. He was reading some magazines when she came to the table.
“Hey.” She greeted and took a seat across from him.
“Korra, hi! I'm so glad you came. I am kind of surprised, to be honest.” He flashed her a bright smile and put down the magazines, his focus now on the girl in front of him.
“Yeah, me too. I mean surprised. Let's just make this quick. I still have a lot to do and Asami doesn't want me here anyway.” She made a swift gesture with her hand, motioning him to start talking about what he had to say to her.
“Asami? Why does she care- Whatever.” He shook his head to focus on his main purposes of the meeting, then took a big sip out of his coffee cup.
“You want to order something?” He asked while peeking over his mug. “It's on me.”
“I'm not planning on staying here longer than needed.” She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
Mako inhaled slowly before folding his hands on the table, looking down at them intently.
“Korra, I know, you're mad. And I can totally understand why you are. I know I made a huge mistake and I'm really sorry. I truly am. I'm sorry I haven't told you about it earlier. I should've told you, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I didn't want to hurt you, I didn't want to destroy what we had, what we have been building up together. Korra, I still care. A lot. I don't want to lose you, you still mean so much to me.” He sighed and looked up at Korra. “There are no excuses for what I have done. I will accept every decision you make, whether you'll forgive me or not. I just want you to know that I didn't want any of this to happen. I'd do anything for you to forgive me or at least talk to me normally again. I miss being with you, I miss having conversations with you, I miss everything we did together. I miss you."
“Mako, I meant it as I said that we were done. It's over. I'm not getting back together with you.” Korra frowned at her ex-boyfriend.
Was he seriously trying to win me back?
“No, that's not what I want to achieve. Things would never be the same between us anymore. We should… move on. No, what I wanted to achieve is us being on good terms again. I want us to be friends or at least not be enemies, that is if you are willing to forgive me.” He looked expectantly at Korra, fidgeting with his cup of coffee in his hands.
Korra took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
What should I do? Forgive him? Storm out of this cafe?
As she opened them again, Mako's ember ones were still fixated on her, waiting for a response.
“I won't forgive you.” She said then, her voice strong.
Mako's face dropped, all his hope disappearing at once. His shoulders slumped and his head hung low and even if Korra didn't want to feel and show any sympathy towards him considering what he'd done to her she just couldn't be that heartless.
“For now. I won't forgive you that fast. What you did, Mako… It destroyed me. I loved you, Mako. And you just shamelessly lied to me right in the face and hurt me so much. I will never forget how bad it hurt as that girl told me she was pregnant. From you.”
The boy opposite of her fidgeted in his seat and began to tear a napkin into pieces, averting his gaze from Korra.
“Mako, look at me.” She demanded and he did as he was told.
“I won't forgive you.” Korra inhaled and exhaled loudly. “But we can have a fresh start. As friends.”
The boy's eyes widened in surprise. He didn't see that coming.
“You- Really? Do you mean it?” His voice was full of hope and enthusiasm, his spirit rose in an instant.
“Yeah, I mean it.” Mako's sudden change of mood and his excitement entertained her and she couldn't help but smile, causing Mako to grin even wider.
“I don't know what to say, but I'm really glad that I can at least be your friend again. Thank you, Korra. That means a lot to me.” He reached over the table and took her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze.
“Thanks for what?” Korra asked, confused about the thank-you he gave her.
The sudden contact of his hand kind of startled her, the touch was suddenly to rough and too firm unlike Asami's soft and tender hands, but she stopped herself from pulling her hand back.
“For giving me a second chance. I know I don't deserve one.” He slowly pulled his hand back and laid both of them in front of him onto the table. “I was an asshole, but you still gave me a chance.”
“Let's just hope you don't fuck it up again.” Korra smirked at him, then laughed out loud as he blushed and looked away, mumbling a quiet 'I won't' under his breath.
“Well, all right. I think, I gotta go.” She started to stand up from her chair, but Mako leaned over the table and stopped her from standing up completely.
“Wait!” He held her back by her forearm. Somewhat perplexed Korra looked at his hand, then at him again, her forehead wrinkled.
“What's wrong?” She asked him, sitting back down into her chair slowly unsure of how to read Mako's reaction just now.
“I, uh...” He stuttered, clearly having a hard time with getting the words out. “Whatever. It's ridiculous anyway.” He snorted, pulled back his hand and crossed his arms in front of his chest.
But Korra would't give up, curiosity having taken over her. “Mako, come on. No hiding anymore. Just tell me.” She leaned forward as if to understand him better.
“I, well. It really is stupid to ask, but… Um… Do you maybe, um”, he stammered, his cheeks burning.
His face was all read and he avoided any eye contact with the person sitting in front of him, too embarrassed about the words he was about to say.
“Mako, get it over with!” Impatiently she drummed her fingers onto the table, waiting for him to finally bring out the words.
“Okay, okay.” He uncomfortably shifted around in his chair and inhaled sharply, then looked Korra straight in the eye. “Do you have a thing for Asami?” He said in the most serious tone he could manage.
It was silent. Nearly two minutes passed with Mako repeating her name and snapping his fingers in front of Korra's face, trying to get her out of her trance-like state. But Korra remained silent. Everything around her became blurry and all the sounds in the cafe were suddenly muffled and dull. The only thing she could think of right now was a person with familiar looking features, long raven hair and soft green eyes staring into her own fierce blue ones. A person she knew just too well.
But then it snapped and she was aware of what Mako had asked her just a moment ago.
Wait, what?
Her eyes widened in an instant, shock and panic taking over her.
“WHAT?” She shouted and stood up abruptly causing the chair to fall backwards.
The entire cafe went silent and Mako turned even more red than he already was.
“Korra, please, sit down! People are staring...” He hissed and looked around him. “No worries, she's just surprised!” He tried to save the embarrassing situation they've found themselves in.
Korra did as she was told and sat back down after setting the chair right again.
“Mako, what the hell? What's that supposed to mean?” She glared at him. How could he ask her something like that?
Unbelievable.
“Well, I was assuming since you two were so close... You were practically living together, I never got to see you without her by your side. Also it's obvious that you like her. And I mean not as a friend.” He said with a constant smirk on his face.
“I- What? No, that's not true. How do you know anyways?” Korra crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, trying her best to avoid the boy's skeptical stare.
“Come on, Korra. I've seen how you look at her. Like she's the center of the world, like there was just her and nobody else. I know that look.” He teased and chuckled at Korra's blushed face.
“You know that look? Wherefrom?” She mocked with a victorious tone in her voice, grinning widely at her opponent.
“You used to look at me like that.” Mako simply answered shrugging.
Korra's smile disappeared just as fast as it has spread over her face just seconds ago. Remembering old times she'd spent with Mako was still painful. She shook her head to get rid of those images.
Now's not the right time to sulk.
“Alright. You've won this one. But how do you know? I mean I've never had a thing for other women, Mako.” Korra blushed deeply. Discussing these kind of things with your ex-boyfriend is kind of weird after all, right?
He snorted in response. “Korra, Korra, Korra. Just how little do you know about yourself? Y'know, while we were dating you were checking out girls just as much as I did if not even more often.”
“No, that's not true! I was just comparing!” She complained with a pout and Mako couldn't help but laugh at her lame excuse.
“Compare what? Compare all those hot chicks and decide which one was the best looking?” He countered.
“I, ugh. No, you know what I mean!” She turned away too embarrassed to properly look at him.
Stupid Mako. Always making me question myself.
Eventually Mako stopped laughing and put a more serious face on. “Now let's be honest. Do you like her or not?”
“Of course I like her! But I don't like her like like her. I like her as a friend.” She responded, but somehow those words felt so wrong as they left their mouth.
No, I do not have a crush on my best friend.
“You sure about that?” Mako looked at her doubtfully, probably hoping that she would give in and admit her feelings for her childhood friend.
Not gonna happen, City Boy.
“Yes, yes, I am.” Another sting.
Ignore it.
“Well then, Asami won't be happy about that. But I don't want to give her high hopes… She will be disappointed though.” Mako trailed off and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
It was obvious that Mako was just trying to lure her out off her little hiding spot and Korra knew that, but somehow her body just reacted without her wanting to.
Korra, no, that's a trap, don't-
“So she likes me?” Her face was beaming, her voice higher and her smile wider than ever before.
“Hah! So you do like her, huh?” He smiled and gave her a wink, leaving Korra wide-eyed as she realized what she had just said.
“I, uh. No, I don't!” She stared at her hands on the table, not being able to bear looking at his face and his big-ass grin.
He chuckled. “Whatever, you should know your feelings best.” He reached over the table to cup her hand in his. Startled first, she backed off a little, but relaxed quickly into the touch. The warmth was soothing and comforting, she really needed that right now. Still not soft and Asami-like, but still comforting. No, Korra. What? Asami-like? Get over yourself. Her head was full of weird things and her thoughts were running fast through her mind, leaving her somewhat dizzy-headed.
“No matter who you love, I will support you, Korra. I still love you and that's why I want you to be happy. And if you don't find happiness with me, then it's fine. I'll still be by your side, you can count on me.” He gave her a light squeeze with his last words to draw Korra's attention to him.
She hesitantly looked up at Mako who was smiling warmly at her, eying her with his ember eyes. She was at a loss of words, too moved by what she had just heard, So instead she simply nodded, stood up and walked around the table, jerked him up and slung her arms around the tall boy's neck. Perplexed at first, Mako didn't quite realize what was happening and didn't react at all, but soon found himself wrapping his own strong arms around his friend.
“What's that for?” He whispered into Korra's hair, genuinely confused about the sudden hug.
“Thank you, Mako. You're a really good friend.” She answered and let go of the boy before settling back into her chair. “I'm not in love with Asami though.” She grinned.
“Oh, come on, Korra! You practically admitted it yourself!” He groaned and crossed his arms while leaning back in his own chair.
“Did not.”She stuck out her tongue at him as she saw a waitress taking orders in the corner of her eye.
Might as well treat myself well.
“You're still paying, right?” She asked with a sly grin at which Mako just rolled his eyes playfully and nodded.
“Go ahead.”