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“So … this was the news you had for us?” Bolin said with a giggle. Of course Bolin would laugh. Mako just stared at the two of them with his mouth slightly agape.
“Yeah,” Korra said, still holding Asami. “We’re together, me and Asami.” She smiled down at Asami like she was the only person that mattered in the world. Mako felt a slight twinge in his chest.
“So … you two are dating each other now,” he managed.
They looked at him and nodded.
“Cool. That’s, uh, I mean, that’s cool.”
Bolin started talking a million miles a minute about double dates and how happy he was for them, but Mako barely heard him. His eyes rested on how Korra’s hand was still wrapped around Asami’s waist, just like Bolin’s was with Opal.
“Anyway. Bro. Bro, you good?” Mako blinked.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Let’s get back to the station.”
***
Mako closed the last manilla folder of the day and set it on his desk. Bolin had left hours ago, and Mako was the only one left in the dark police station besides the chief, who was in her office.
Mako yawned and rubbed his eyes, thinking about just staying there for the night so he didn’t have to wake up early, when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
He jumped. “Wh -”
“Hey Mako!” Wu was standing behind him, holding a smoothie in the hand that wasn’t resting on his shoulder. Mako felt pins and needles on the area where Wu’s hand was, so he turned around to break the contact.
“What are you doing here?” Mako’s brow furrowed.
Wu held the smoothie out to him. “I went by your apartment, but Bolin said you were still here. So I got you a smoothie!”
Mako took the smoothie from him, and their fingertips touched. Mako shuddered.
“Uh, thanks.” Mako took a loud sip. “It’s, uh, good.”
“Of course it is, silly!” Wu hooked his arm around Mako’s good one. “Let’s get you home now. The Nuktuk spinoffs aren’t going to watch themselves!”
***
Mako took a deep breath. This was the first time he’d seen Korra and Asami together since he saw them … together, and he was nervous in a way he couldn’t put his finger on. He definitely thought they were perfect for each other -- he’d told Korra as much, and he saw how happy it made her. He didn’t have any hard feelings, he just had … feelings.
He walked into Tenzin and Pema’s dining room, where Meelo greeted him with a combination of farting and airbending that made Mako gag.
“Hi, Meelo,” he said. “Is everyone else here already?”
“Almost! We’re getting ready. I’m gonna go get Jinora and Ikki!” Meelo sped off on an air scooter, and Mako stood in the hallway for a moment as he heard a crash, followed by Pema shouting at Meelo for getting cheese dip everywhere.
He laughed a bit and went into the dining room. He did a quick scan around the room and saw Bolin and Opal chatting with Asami in the corner while Korra was talking to Tenzin and Bumi at the table. She saw him enter and waved. Mako waved back, feeling a tiny tug of disappointment in his gut that he didn’t have a name for.
“How’s it going, kid?” He turned to see the chief standing beside him, looking slightly uncomfortable in a rather elegant suit.
“Uh, I’m good,” he said. “What are you doing here?”
Lin’s nostrils flared, and she turned a little pink.
“Um. Kya invited me.”
“Okay,” Mako said.
Lin rolled her eyes and went to help Pema and Kya in the kitchen, leaving Mako alone again.
“Make way for the birthday girl!” a high pitched voice announced, and a rush of air blew the doors open.
“IKKI! Stop airbending the doors open!”
Ikki giggled and jumped up and down as she pointed to Jinora, who walked in after her sister with her head slightly down, a little embarrassed.
“Happy Birthday to you,” Ikki started, and the rest of them joined in. Mako kept checking the door, but no one walked in after Jinora.
“Waiting for someone?” Mako jumped and saw Korra standing at his shoulder.
“Uh, I don’t think so. I mean, is anyone else coming?”
Korra grinned at him. “He’ll be here soon, I’m sure,” she said, before Opal pulled her away.
Mako’s throat felt dry. He took a seat at the table and watched as Korra and Opal danced until Asami broke in. They seemed so happy, so natural together. It was making Mako question when this had all started. They’d always been close, of course, and they, you know, touched each other, comfortingly, but Mako always assumed that was just what friends did. Because …
He walked in the door and Mako almost couldn’t breathe. His dark hair had that funky little curl that Mako always had to fight the urge to flick, and his green jacket fit snugly against his …
Mako’s heart started pounding as Wu looked around the room, saw him, smiled, and made his way straight to Mako.
“Hey Mako! Sorry I’m late, I was getting her present wrapped.” Mako held up a delicate little box. Mako couldn’t help but stare at his nimble fingers, at that hand that had touched his shoulder so many times …
“Mako? Are you okay?” Wu put his hand on Mako’s shoulder and Mako felt like he was firebending his own cheeks.
“Uh. My. Uh, bathroom,” Mako said, slipping away. He got into the hallway and took several deep breaths, putting his hands on his knees.
He heard footsteps and looked up to see Lin walking towards him.
He stiffened and offered a salute.
She smirked at him. “Relax, kid. Get back in there and enjoy the party. Trust me, you’ll get over seeing your ex with someone else.”
“Oh …” Mako swallowed. “It’s - it’s really not that weird. I haven’t dated Korra - or Asami - for a long time now.”
“Then why are you hiding out here like a scaredy butterfly-cat?”
“Uh …” Mako looked to his left, as if something in the hallway would miraculously give him the ability to voice his feelings. “Um.”
“Mako?” They both turned around to see Wu coming from the dining room. Lin’s mouth opened, and her eyes started to crinkle as she held back a smile.
“Ah. I’ll leave you to it,” she said, turning away. Mako could tell she was laughing as she returned to the dining room.
“Are you okay, Mako?” Wu asked.
“Um, Wu …” Mako took a deep breath. “I’ve been thinking.”
“Wow! You really are so smart, Mako,” Wu said.
Mako forced himself to swallow and pushed the churning turmoil in his chest down to his stomach.
“Do you … uh … want to get a smoothie with me sometime?”
Wu laughed. “You mean, besides every Saturday afternoon?”
Mako couldn’t help it anymore. He felt his cheeks fill with red, and he bit his lip. He looked at Wu.
“Look, Wu, you’re …” Mako sighed. “I’ve always been bad at this.”
Wu took a step closer. “You’re not bad at anything, Mako,” he said gently.
Mako looked down into his smiling brown eyes and felt like he couldn’t breathe.
“Um,” he said.
“Mako?” Wu said. He’d said Mako’s name so many times, but never like this. It was low and husky, and full of warmth and tenderness. It made Mako want to fall into his arms.
“Wu, I …” Mako took Wu’s hand, praying he didn’t accidentally set them both on fire. He looked down at their intertwined hands and when he looked back at Wu, their noses brushed together.
“Mako.” Wu leaned in a little closer. It was infinitesimal, maybe a sixteenth of an inch, but it felt like he had just crossed a rift.
Mako’s breath caught, and he leaned into the kiss.