Officer Mako x Reader

Chapter 25: Deadlier Than Confidence

(Okay, only 4 more days until I'm off of work for 3 weeks for winter recess. I swear on my soullllll I will write like my life depends on it. So sorry if this chapter feels short. Oh, updates on my hot coworker–He picked me up on Saturday for our other coworker's ugly Christmas sweater party. And tell me whyyy, he got me gifts y'all! 😭🖤 He knows my humor so well. The party was fun, he drove me home, we had another sexy shirtless massage session, and cuddled till like 3 in the morning. His body is so gorg, I could not stop kissing it and he did not stop me once. Uggghhhh. The slowburn is killing me, but hey, made it this far lmmmaooo. Until next time xoxo)

-A

[Ba Sing Se] - The Middle Ring

Mako was right. You did need him. Needed him to be more worried than he was. Needed him to rethink that bringing you here, and leaving you with Kuvira was a good idea. At least, rethink it long enough to come up with a Plan B. You couldn't knock Mako's confidence, but your brother fueled himself on an impulsive rage encased in arrogance. It was deadlier than confidence, and that alone outweighed Mako's years on the force tenfold. You knew, that Shah didn't care about getting caught. You were certain that seeing his face plastered all over the news was just the show he was looking for, but then again, he never planned on Mako getting in his way, or–having you by Mako's side. You didn't expect that either. Even the thought of letting Mako's hand go made your heart drop into your stomach. So, for now, all you could do was cherish the comfort you felt, walking a mere footstep behind him, holding his bicep as close to you as possible. It was sunnier in the Earth Kingdom. A lot warmer too. The complete opposite of Republic City. It was vastly chillier there, and that coldness was painted in everybody's mood. Everyone here walked with their heads high, with smiles or food on their faces. Although, you could attribute half of that observation to the festival that was bustling around you. The city didn't have many festivals or gatherings as large as this one. Had the trip here been for any other reason than outsmarting your brother, you'd like to think that maybe one day, you and Mako could actually enjoy an event like this. With smiles and good food of your own,

"Of all the Rings," Kuvira scoffed as Mako led the way to the tall apartment building at the end of the block, "You had to pick the most crowded one," she huffed, pushing past people who got in her path,
"Well, it's far safer than the Lower one," Mako chuckled while he squeezed your hand and escorted you through the tight swarm of families, "Plus, you needed somewhere to blend in," he reminded her, "Lucky for the both of you, my cousins are out of town. So their apartment is empty at the moment,"
"Ugh. I don't blame them. All these people on one block?" Kuvira groaned, "Disgusting,"
"Hey, I got an idea. Why don't we try to enjoy being out of prison?" Mako teased before grabbing the key beneath the welcome mat and unlocking the door, "Who knows, if everything goes according to plan, you might have some time to enjoy the festivities before we're out of here,"
"Ugh. I hope not," Kuvira huffed, throwing her bag onto the couch in frustration, "Now, where's the bathroom? I'm in need of a hot shower after shoving through those...savages,"
"Hmph. Up the stairs to the left," Mako pointed without meeting her annoyed gaze, smirking to himself when Kuvira stomped away and slammed the bathroom door shut, "You've been quiet," he said softly, tucking your face gently in his grip, "And you look sad,"
"I'm...worried," you huffed, snatching your chin from his fingers,
"About what?"
"I don't know. Being here. About you. A-About my dad–
"Everything is going to be fine–
"You don't know that Mako! Shah is–
"Determined. I know," he chuckled lightly,
"No, he's relentless," you corrected him,
"And I'm not?" Mako teased before stealing more than a few kisses from your lips, "Remind me, how many times did you reject me when we met?"
"Like a billion," you sulked, more than annoyed with the fact that he somehow managed to weasel his way onto your good side,
"Hmph. Yet, I'm still here,"

[Taku] - an abandoned city

"Was the gun really necessary?" Shin asked after hanging up the phone,
"It was more believable if I threatened you," Shah nodded calmly without taking his eyes from the horizon, his shirshu sprinting faster by the minute across the grassy plain, "Plus, I know he used your gun to shoot me. So, I knew you were unarmed,"
"You really thought of everything huh?" Shin chuckled, "Where'd you even get that gun?"
"Stole it off a guard when I escaped,"
"The old snatch and grab, huh?" Shin smiled proudly, "Bet you he didn't even see it coming,"
"Hmph. Would you?" Shah teased,
"C'mon, give me some credit Shah. I've been doing this longer than you've been alive, and flying may be your new thing but don't forget, I can still teach you a thing or two,"
"Yeah? Like what?"
"Always carry two guns," Shin smirked as he pulled up his pantleg, revealing the shiny revolver strapped around his ankle,
"What do you know? An old dog still has some new tricks!" Shah cackled as his shirshu picked up its pace and raced ahead, "I'll be using that one!"

[Chin Village] - 15 miles from Ba Sing Se

"I still don't get how we got stuck with having to track down her dad," Jay sighed in defeat as he and Tenzin trudged along the rocky trail, the large village in the distance only filling him with existential dread, "A-And how are you okay with leaving Kuvira out of your sight?"
"Hmph. I saw that coming from a mile away," Tenzin smiled lightly, "Those two cling together like magnets. Mako wasn't leaving her side just yet. And first and foremost, Kuvira has a job to do. She knows what will happen if she steps out of line," he nodded,
"You threatened her,"
"I did. And I meant it," Tenzin confessed flatly,
"I thought airbenders were all about peace and harmony,"
"Keeping the peace and being a pushover are two different things," Tenzin corrected him, "Kuvira caused nothing but death and destruction. I still have yet to believe that prison changed all that,"

Middle Ring - apartment 107

"You're pacing again," Mako pointed out after peeking up from his files, "And you shouldn't chew your nails like that,"
"It's the only way I know how to think," you snapped back at him, "And stop doing that,"
"What? Reading?" Mako chuckled from the kitchen table,
"No, reminding me of every little nervous habit I have. Just because you're a detective doesn't mean you're not also annoying!" you scoffed, plopping angrily on the couch. You knew it was coming. The little arrogant snickers Mako tried not hard enough to hide anytime you yelled at him. He found it amusing. The only thing that ate at you was the fact that you didn't know why, "What is so damn funny!?" you shouted after marching up to him,
"Nothing," Mako fibbed before he stood and rummaged through the fridge, eventually pulling out some fresh bread and veggies and placing them on the counter, "It's just...I just figured out why you're always two seconds from biting my head off," he smirked while he diced quickly and then set a pot on the stove for water to boil,
"Yeah? And why's that?" you huffed back at him, half distracted by trying to figure out what the hell he was cooking,
"It's because I don't feed you enough," Mako grinned, completely unfazed by your attitude, "And since you only nibbled at your omelet this morning, I'm guessing you must be starving by now. So sit," he ordered, pulling out a chair at the table,
"I don't want to sit,"
"Okay, standing is also an option, but if you're going to do that, I at least need you to watch the water for me while I finish chopping these,"
"Ugh. Fine,"

Watching water boil calmed your nerves more than you had expected. However, when that got too boring, you watched Mako instead. He was quiet when he cooked and often shirtless. Yet, he was never too distracted by anything else he put his focus on, not even by all the different spices he pulled from the cabinet. No matter what, he kept half, if not most of his attention on you,

"I can feel you staring at me," he smirked after tossing all of his diced veggies into the large pot,
"I was just trying to figure out what the hell you're making," you scoffed as you rolled your eyes, "And why you're making so much of it,"
"This is a little family recipe," Mako grinned before lifting you onto the counter next to the stove and giving you a small spoonful to taste, "I call it Rainy Day Soup. I used to make it for my brother Bolin when–
"It rained?" you chuckled,
"Exactly. Or when he was sick, or when he had a bad day–which was often,"
"So you make this a lot,"
"Apparently, not enough since you've been miserable since the day we met," Mako teased as he set out two bowls and filled them carefully,
"Hey, I have my reasons for being miserable," you snapped at him while you ate, "I didn't exactly ask for any of this to happen,"
"I know," Mako admitted softly, "But in some weird way, I'm glad it did,"