After All These Years
After the Jenora's ceremony, Dawn and Mako went off towards Republic City's downtown, walking around as they were embarrassed to start the conversation. Dawn looked up at a statue in the middle of the walk away, frowning at her grandmother's younger form. "Why is it so awkward between us?" Mako asked, Dawn chuckled at the statement and turned to face him.
"Maybe because it's weird how all the sudden we are 'destined' to be." She told him, using her fingers as air quotes.
It was weird. The both of them hadn't truly went into depth about their soulmate bond, one never having one and the other's who passed away before he could ever find her. "Do you not think we were?" Mako asked, the statement she made hurt him.
"Honestly?" She asked, waiting for him to give her a response, and took his silence as it. "I don't know. I've just come to terms with myself never having one." She muttered, biting her lip and looking him in the eye.
Mako rubbed his face, catching on to what she was saying. "You still don't have feelings for me, do you?" He asked and Dawn's eyes widened.
"Mako, that's not what I'm saying- -"
"No, it's not what you exactly said, but it was implied. Dawn..." he paused while laughing slightly. "I have liked you since the moment I looked at you. I might have been an ass, but my god, trying to get to you was harder. You were so focused on Korra and you have so much love to care for her over yourself." He stated, and Dawn blinked.
"Maybe that's because it's been my purpose since I was born!" Dawn yelled angrily, shaking her head. "You weren't pushed into this world were your number one job in life was to watch the Avatar, because of anything happened to her, I was going to be punished." She said, Mako sighing and grabbing her hand.
"Korra is fine now, she's safe with her parents and Katara and you're meant to help the world now while she heals. You were born for this, not just for Korra." He told her, Dawn letting tears fall as Mako wiped them away. "That's why you have me to lean on when you feel like you have no one. I'm here to protect you when you need it, you're not alone anymore, Dawn." He promised her, wrapping his arms around her and Dawn melted into his hold.
She held tightly onto his jacket as she felt the warmth of his body spread to her. The hole in her heart finally felt full, no more feeling like the black sheep of the family, and when she pulled away her eyes looked up to Mako.
He pushed her hair out of her face, smiling softly at her and Dawn could see the light golden color in Mako's eyes. She smirked and grabbed his hand while she pulled him along. "Where are we going?" He asked, the teen just rolling her eyes.
"Going to get some lunch and you're paying this time after all the times I brought you food to your desk." She stated, Mako chuckled as he pulled her close.
<><><>
After their first date, three years of Dawn and Mako dating, and the news of the couple were spreading like wild fire on a dry plain of grass. Dawn was questioned every moment she stepped outside, whether it was for questions about Korra or the juicy details on her new found soulmate.
The girl was tired of it, her job being to protect the Earth Kingdom that was now covered with bandits and the loss of a ruler and that left the girl to be alone with Mako or Korra.
She didn't want to think about it as she was alone in the world for the first time in a long time. As she heard the squeaking of the brakes from her train, the Protector got up from her seat and started walking down the platform to be greeted by police in their uniforms.
"Protector Dawn." One greeted and she raised an eyebrow.
"Um, hello." She muttered and looked past him and saw four more behind him. "I was supposed to be meeting Mako here, not you guys." She said to them as he nods his head.
"Mako sends his apologies miss, but he had other duties to take care of." He told her, making the girl sigh and hand him her bag.
"Of course." She breathed out, following them to the small apartment and the group of officers nod their heads.
"Anything else we can do for you, Protector?" He asked and the girl rolled her eyes.
"You could tell me where Mako is located." She said, digging through her bag and pulling out a small present.
"He should be with Prince Wu at the new train station that Miss Asami Sato built." He said and the girl nods her head.
"Perfect, you can go back to the station now." She told them, hearing their footsteps walk away and the door shut behind them.
Dawn sighed, looking up at a mirror and seeing pictures of the two around the boarder of the reflective glass. She placed the gift down and walked out, heading towards the new station as she waited behind a large group of people.
"Prince Wu, President Reiko has some really important King stuff to talk to you about." Mako's voice rang out as Dawn smiled, watching the small interaction and the scrawny boy in an expensive green and yellow suit sigh.
"Now? Fine. Think over the offer, I'll be back." Prince Wu said to Asami as he kissed his hand and blew it to her and walked off.
Dawn grimaced and slowly snuck up behind Mako. "He's a real charmer, huh?" Mako asked Asami as the woman watched Wu leave with disgust.
"He's... something. How can you stand being his bodyguard?" Asami asked him.
"Well, I just remind myself that once he's on the throne, I go back to being a detective and seeing Dawn when my cases go towards the Earth Kingdom." He said as Asami smiled and crossed her arms, seeing the girl behind him.
"And that works?" She asked.
"I also go home and smash my head into the wall for an hour. You know, just to get the stress out." Mako said while Asami laughed.
"It's good to see you, Mako. It's been too long. You hear from Bolin lately?" Asami asked and Dawn got ready.
"I haven't talked to him for a while, but he's coming in a few days for the coronation. And Bei Fong told me that Korra is getting in tonight." Mako said and Asami raised an eyebrow.
"And Dawn?" She asked while Mako sighed.
"She hasn't said anything. Her last letter said she had something important to do with a small town just outside the walls of Be Sing Se, so it's probably going to be a while." He said and the girl wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.
"More like it was an easy fix so I got to be in Republic City to see you." She said and Mako gasped while twirling around and grabbing her waist.
"Dawn!" He said happily, the girl laughing as he brought her down and she leaned up to kiss his lips, the small spark between them making it hurt slightly.
She pulled away and held his face. "Hi." She whispered and held onto him tightly.
<><><>
As Mako and Dawn were together for the moment, Prince Wu came into view and Dawn sighed. "I should probably go, you have important stuff to do." She breathed out and Mako held her hand.
"Wait." He said, looking to Prince Wu and sighed.
"Well, who do we have- -" he paused when he saw her right eye and gasped loudly and hugged her.
"Protector Dawn! It's so good to finally meet you. Mako just won't shut up about you, but then again, you are his soulmate." He teased and the girl was frozen from his attack of love.
"Yeah... um, you can let go of me now." She told him, and he did as he was told and the girl chuckled. "It's also good to meet the soon to be Earth King. I've been trying to keep the bandit at bay for you and so far it's working. Kuvira and I are working really hard." She stated.
Mako caught on and raised an eyebrow. "You're working with Kuvira?" He asked and Dawn shrugged her shoulders.
"More like Bolin, but yeah. I've been taking the bandits that Kuvira finds." She told him.
"Oh, nice." He muttered and she held his hand.
"Is something wrong?" She asked and he shakes his head. "I'll see you at dinner then, okay." She told him, kissing him quickly on the lips and he sighed, watching her open her glider and flying off to Air Temple Island.
"You know, I don't see how she likes you. I feel like she's more of an Earth Kingdom kind of girl." Wu said and Mako glared at the Prince.
"She's my soulmate." He told him and Wu scoffs.
"I know, I know..." he breathed out and Mako sighed as he pulled him along.
<><><>
As Dawn was in the house, she was greeted by everyone as they all welcomed her with open arms. "When Korra gets here, I bet she's not even gonna know who I am." Meelo said.
"Why is that?" Ikki asked her brother.
"Because Meelo the boy has turned into Meelo the man." Meelo said while trying to make muscles out of his noddle arms and puff out his face.
"Right, you're completely unrecognizable." Ikki told him as Dawn laughed.
"You're right kiddo, I didn't even know it was you." She teased and Tenzin chuckled with her.
As the ship was being pulled up, Dawn got up excitedly, only to stop when she didn't feel the connection she had with Korra.
She frowned and felt a hand on her shoulder and rub down to her back. "You okay?" Mako asked, Dawn shaking her head.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She lied through her teeth.
They went down to the docks and when Naga ran out, she tackled Dawn first who laughed as she licked her face. "Naga!" She yelled, rubbing her stomach as the dog panted happily.
Tonraq was the first to step out and Dawn went over to him. "Tonraq, it's good to have you back in the city, and everyone is excited to see the Avatar again." Tenzin said.
"What do you mean? Isn't Korra already here?" Tonraq asked and Dawn felt her heart drop.
"No, we thought she was coming with you." She told him, Tonraq frowning.
"Korra left the South Pole six months ago. She's written me letters. She said she was here in Republic City." Tonraq said and Dawn shakes her head.
"Tonraq, Korra isn't here. I would have known if she was." She told him and he sighed.
"Then where is she?" He asked and Dawn sighed.
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