Officer Mako x Reader

Chapter 9: In The Dark

[Mako's apartment] - midnight

You didn't need to move to feel how tight Mako was holding you in his sleep. Even if you attempted to change positions in the slightest, you knew he would only pull you closer. The fact that he had managed to put you to bed for the second time today, already had you at a loss for words. He was an arrogant blockhead for sure, but he challenged your brashness constantly, only to make you beg for his forgiveness with your face buried deep in his pillows. Needless to say, you couldn't determine what you truly felt for him. Nor did you want to. He was a cop. A natural enemy in your world for as long as you could remember. So, just because Mako forced you to say it, didn't mean you trusted him fully,

"Hmph. You stopped," Mako yawned as he wiped the sleep from his eyes,
"Huh? Stopped what?"
"For like an hour you just kept tossing and turning. I tried waking you up, but you kept smacking
my hand away. The only thing that seemed to work was holding you still," Mako breathed, "That's when you actually fell asleep," he sighed while he fixed your hair,
"Maybe it's because you keep stressing me out," you scoffed after you peeled yourself from his arms and got out of bed,
"C'mon, you're still mad about this?" Mako chuckled while he followed you to the bathroom just for you to slam the door in his face, "Okay, you're still mad," he sighed with a grin while he waited patiently for you to finish,
"What gave it away?" you hissed before you marched into the kitchen,
"What's it going to take to convince you that I'm actually a good detective? T-That I can actually keep you safe ?"

You sat with his question for a few moments while you scarfed down a slice of cold pizza. At this point, you couldn't care how good of a detective Mako was. Viper was lawless when he sensed a threat,

"I want to know everything," you ordered, "That includes how you know him,"
"No. Absolutely not," Mako protested with his arms crossed,
"Hmph. Then I'll ask Viper myself," you threatened as you stomped to the front door,
"I know you're mad and all, but don't be fucking crazy," Mako hissed after he slammed the door shut and locked it, "I'm not exactly keeping you here for my own amusement,"
"If you aren't then you better tell me something, b-because I-I'm not going into this blind Shah I won't–
"Fine, you wanna know?!" Mako seethed before he went silent, the frustration in his voice left ringing in the air, "Do you...k-know what happens when two eight-year-old boys are forced to fend for themselves in this city? On the streets? Alone?" he asked painfully until you shook your head no, "You meet a man like Viper,"

[The Docks]

"You're late," Viper hissed at Shin in between puffs of his cigar,
"Don't you wanna know why?" Shin asked cautiously,
"I better. Otherwise, you'll be explaining it to me while being dangled over the bay," Viper threatened unenthusiastically,
"I got a call from Mudo,"
"That's a name I haven't heard in a while," Viper smirked while he watched the boats pass by, "What did that backwater grifter want now?"
"A lawyer. A good one...f-for an appeal," Shin replied flatly,
"Mmph. That costs quite a pretty penny," Viper sneered as he rose to his feet, walked up to Shin, and stood eye to eye, "Tell me, what does some moron convict have to trade to have the gall to demand something like that from me!?" Viper hissed, snatching Shin's shirt collar into his grip,
"He said," Shin gulped beneath his rage, "He thought, y-you might need some help...t-tracking down Shah,"
"Tracking? You're telling me that little shithead is missing!?" Viper roared before he shoved Shin to the ground,
"Escaped. Actually," Shin gasped as he brought himself to his feet, "An APB was sent out two hours ago,"
"Hmph. Friend of a friend huh?" Viper smirked after lighting another cigar, "Tell Mudo he's got his lawyer,"
"Copy that,"
"But he better bring Shah to me or I'll make sure to double the years on his sentence,"

[Republic City Prison]

"Well isn't this a family reunion!" Varrick beamed when the warden escorted a handcuffed Kuvira into his office,
"Him!?"
"The Great Uniter, Kuvira! As a matter of fact, can I call you Vira?" Varrick rambled as he sprang from his chair, "Y'know, I was wondering what had happened to you. What with, destroying the city and all, but would you look at that, it's like fate brought us back together," he grinned proudly,
"I-Is this some kind of joke?" Kuvira hissed in disbelief,
"Oh, they didn't tell you?" Varrick smirked while he twirled in a circle, "I'm the new warden,"
"Not exactly sir," Zhu Li corrected him flatly,
"I'm not? Then what am I?"
"You own the prison," Warden Feng  interrupted,
"That! I do that," Varrick nodded when he plopped back down in the warden's chair and set his feet up on the desk, "It should go without saying that I also...own everyone in it,"
"What does have to do with me getting out of this hellhole!?" Kuvira snapped,
"Straight to business as always. Classic Vira," Varrick teased, "It appears, in the midst of changing ownership we've seemed to have...misplaced a prisoner," he explained slowly,
"Hmph. Sounds like a you problem," Kuvira smirked slyly,
"Which he is now making it your problem," Warden Feng informed her as he sighed,
"Exactly!" Varrick smiled, "Course, I know the risks of letting another prisoner walk free,"
"So you will be tracked," Warden Feng threatened her softly, "If you actually manage to bring him back, your sentence will be reduced and you'll return to gen pop. As will your bending privileges," he added,
"And if I refuse?" Kuvira hissed beneath her breath, her gaze glued to the palm of her hands with regret,
"Then I send you back to the dark hole I just dragged you out of," Warden Feng said sternly, "Tell me. When's the last time you've seen the sun, Kuvira?" he taunted, hoping to get some sort of reaction out of her, while she sat with her jaw clenched tight,  "So choose wisely. I can guarantee an opportunity like this will never cross your path again. So which will it be?" he questioned, impatiently awaiting her answer,
"Hmph. Let's start with the bending,"

[Mako's apartment]

"You worked for him," you blurted softly when Mako had gone quiet again,
"I did," he admitted reluctantly as he stood with his fist still clenched tight,
"For how long?"
"N-Nine years," Mako sighed,
"How...H-How did you get out?"
"How do you think? I got a real job," he smiled lightly, "Course, I was a pro-bender for a little while and I made some quick cash at the power plant across town when I needed it,"
"But I don't get it. W-Why would you stay in the city? T-There's no way h-he just let you g–
"He wasn't going to scare me out of my home," Mako hissed as he cut you off, "And you're right. He didn't just let me go. Everybody has to pay a price," he breathed before he returned to his room,"
"T-That scar on your back–
"You called me Shah," Mako pointed out when you followed him, hoping to distract you from pestering him with questions about his past,
"Huh?"
"Earlier," he replied flatly while he picked your pillows off the floor, "You said, I'm not going into this blind, Shah. Does he do that to you a lot? Leave you in the dark?"
"He wouldn't exactly be in prison if he told me everything that went on in that dumb head of his," you scoffed,
"Is that why Viper came to find you?" he questioned as he pulled you by the wrist and then held your chin gently,
"It's definitely one of the reasons...Viper has a habit of making them up," you admitted while you tried to avoid his gaze, but Mako held your eye,
"You let me worry about him," he reassured you before he stole a quick kiss,
"I...I-I...I can't! Okay?"
"You still don't trust me," Mako sighed with a smile,
"No, I don't! I-I just met you," you reminded him after you slipped from his hands and paced around the room, "S-So excuse me if I'm having a hard time believing that you're not trying to fuck my life up even more,"
"Would it make you feel better if I took you with me tomorrow?" Mako asked, "I was going to run surveillance anyway,"
"Yes!" you said exasperated,
"Well, too bad," Mako yawned before he crawled into bed, "It's too dangerous,"
"Ugh. Then why would you even offer!?"
"Because I wanted you to hear how ridiculous you sound for suggesting I put your life at risk,"
"I-I can take care of my—
"Look! After tonight, this may be way bigger than you realize. So just–drop it for now," Mako snapped,
"What's that supposed to mean?" you hissed,
"It means. I'm going to sleep. I don't know if you're aware, but it's 1:30 in the morning," he huffed in annoyance, "So, do me a favor and save the attitude until after my second cup of coffee,"
"Excuse me!?" you scoffed before marching over to Mako's drawer and pulling out his handcuffs,
"You heard me," Mako sighed, unamused with your temper until you cuffed his wrist to the headboard,
"Hey! W-What are you—
"I'm getting sick and tired of you deciding what's best for me!" you snapped, "You're taking me on that surveillance run tomorrow,"
"Absolutely not–Woah! Hey! What are you doing!?" Mako panicked when you held up the gun he had taped beneath his nightstand,
"You have your ways of negotiating and now I have mine," you smirked innocently before you pointed the barrel at him,
"Fine. Fine! I'll take you! Now, c-can you put the gun down please?" he begged,
"Hmph. I thought you'd see it my way," you replied sweetly, doing just as he asked only for Mako to break free from his cuffs and pin your wrist behind your arm,
"What!? H-How did you–
"Pointing my own gun at me, are you nuts?" Mako hissed into your neck after emptying the bullets onto the floor, your wrist still caught in his tight grip,
"I-It's not like I pulled the trigger," you snapped back at him,
"Hmph. Maybe not," Mako smirked slyly to himself before he cuffed you instead, "But you did just make me mad,"

[Republic Beach]

Shah hadn't realized just how fast he had been falling out of the sky  until he hit the sharp water, sinking deep into the ocean until he managed to come to his senses and swim his way to the surface, "F-Fuck!" he gasped in desperation, the pain in his lungs stinging as if they had been smashed to pieces, "No, I-I'm not done yet," he heaved once he crawled to shore, the steady voice in his head repeating over and over, eventually forcing the words from his lips, "L-Let go your earthly tether," Shah seethed in sheer pain, "E-Enter the void. Empty, and b-become wind,"