#linko

Mako/Wu: 11/10

I’m not even gonna explain myself.

Hasook/Mako: 7/10

Oh yes, let's dive into this one! It actually makes a ton of sense when you think about Mako telling Bolin it’s a bad idea to date a team member—Why does Mako know that with such certainty? Because he and Hasook were dating, their break up was ugly, and afterward they couldn’t get along and THAT’S why Hasook quit the team. 

Iroh II/Mako: 4/10

Idk I mean it’s semi-popular, and there is that fun little commentary that Mako slicked his hair back because he wanted to look like Iroh, but I’m not sure about everything else. I’ll choose to overlook the age gap because I’m overlooking it with other ships, but I’m just not feeling their vibe overall.

Opal/Mako: 5/10

Mako and Opal don’t interact really in the show, but I think they could get along. I think Opal is just enough of a sweetheart for Mako to get heart eyes for her, I think she’s just mean and feisty enough for Mako to fall in love, and even though she’s an air nomad and probably gave up all material possessions, that her Beifong connections checks the Sugar-Baby-Mako box that I always have. And Mako has a history of stealing Bolin’s crushes oooops sorry Bo.

Asami/Mako: 9/10

It’s no secret that I love Masami! I think they’re sexually compatible and they get along well. I think Asami knows Mako extremely well, and can call him out on his bullshit. I think he cares about her deeply and wants to be there for her, even when his heart is pulling him elsewhere. In another universe, Masami is endgame for me. I love them together.

Korra/Mako: 8/10

I like Makorra. I like the rockiness of their relationship. I like that Korra inspired Mako to grow as a person and become more selfless. And I like the idea that they could make it work if they decided to have another go at a relationship. I think they both would be mature enough by the end of the series to get together. If the series had ended with them together, I would have participated in the popping of bottles. I seriously think it’s a good ship. Two points deducted because I like Masami better.

Desna/Mako: 2/10

This is not the worst pairing I can think of, and I like the idea of Mako and Bolin dating twins, but personality-wise, I don’t think these two really mesh that well. This is more of a begrudging agreement to a set-up so they can both look after their siblings under the guise of a double date.

Eska/Mako: 3/10

Okay I actually think out of Mako and Bolin, Mako would make a better submissive boyfriend to Eska. And I think he’d look hotter in the goth betrothal necklace. And Mako stealing Bolin’s crush has a basis in canon. Giving it a low rating because she’d be my least favorite world leader for him to get with. If he wants to be a Consort, he has much better options.

Hisa/Mako: 4/10

I was genuinely terrified when we saw the comic preview for Mystery of Penquan Island that Hisa would be a canon love interest for Mako. And I’m still a teensy bit worried about that... I think Mako might be able to develop feelings for her because she’s got that powerful woman vibe. And I think Mako would be an awesome stepdad to a gaggle of orphaned-then-adopted kids. But I don’t think Hisa would go for him. She’s a little too ACAB-y to date a cop, I think. She and Bolin seemed to have better chemistry.

Ginger/Mako: 2/10

I think Mako’s sugar baby tendencies would mean he’s happy to entertain a relationship with a sexy movie star. I don’t know if they’d have much chemistry beyond that though. Also I kinda think Ginger might be a lesbian so maybe not.

Hong Li/Mako: 9/10

LOVE THIS SHIP. I wrote thirteen thousand words of it. There’s so many parallels between them. Their careers are similar. They were both framed by powerful people. They were both treated like criminals. And Mako is the one who cleared Hong Li’s name. I love this ship it has so much potential. I want Hong Li to show his appreciation to Mako and for Mako to date someone in his tax bracket for once. One point deducted to compensate for my bias and the fact that Hong Li doesn’t actually have a personality in canon.

Izumi's Daughter/Mako: 6/10

I mean this was an early concept the creators had when they were first trying to write season 4. Mako was supposed to be a bodyguard for and date the Fire Nation Princess. It has plenty of potential, and plenty of backing by the creators and in canon. Mako attracts the attention of important people, so of course the Fire Nation Princess would fall in love with him. I like the idea of Mako becoming a Consort, so why not to the Fire Nation? 

Izumi/Mako: 4/10

I was gonna rate this lower but I like the idea of mommy-issues Mako getting with a MILF, and I think it could be funny if Izumi saw him at the meeting where Wu was being a doofus and Mako looking miserable in the corner and catching her eye, and deciding maybe he’d like to spend time with a competent world leader instead.

Lin/Mako: 7/10

We aren’t discussing problematic age gaps in this post, so let's put that aside. And I routinely ship Mako in power-imbalanced relationships so lets ignore that too. I actually like Lin and Mako together because she is just Mako’s type. He likes a woman who can kick his ass. He likes a woman who tells it like it is. She’s tough as nails, hot, and I think she’d like an eager-to-please younger boyfriend. Also it would be funny for her to out-do Tenzin when it comes to getting a younger partner.

Kuvira/Mako: 5/10

I think Mako likes powerful women. Kuvira is a powerful woman. That’s really all there is to this. Also there’s some meta out there about Mako being Kuvira’s narrative foil moreso than Korra is and I think that’s really interesting stuff. 

Radio Operator/Mako: 6/10

This is mostly just funny to me. In the commentary, the creators thought this would make a good ship because Mako was literally causing a city-wide panic and his autistic ass was like “I WAS GIVING EVERYONE VERY CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS” and she was thinking ‘oh, that's kinda cute’ and the creators even concocted this whole back story where they’d see each other all the time in the halls because she’s like an emergency dispatcher and he’d make up reasons to be patched through to talk to her. So it’s cute and funny.

Huan/Mako: 4/10

I don’t hate this! I think Huan’s artsy-ness might be a little much for Mako at first, but I think he’d get a taste for abstract art once he spends a little more time with Huan. I like the idea of Mako dabbling in art as well, and I think they might make something interesting together. But idk if it really speaks to me beyond that.

Suyin/Mako: 1/10

I don’t like this at all. I know I said I wasn't gonna factor in age gaps, and I’d be happy for Mako to get with an older woman, but Suyin is too much Mom to be fucking around with guys the same age as her own kids. I want Suyin to mother Mako and Bolin in an actual mom way, not a MILF way. No thank you.

Mako/Wing: 4/10

I included this because I am warm to the idea of Weilin, and so if Mako dated Wing we’d have a set-of-siblings-dating-another-set-of-siblings scenario that I like a lot better than Eska and Desna.

Zhu Li/Mako: 5/10

I don’t know how much chemistry they’d have, but I think Zhu Li can do way better than Varrick. She can divorce Varrick and Mako could be the First Gentleman. Maybe I just think Mako should be on the arm of a world leader.

Pema/Mako: 2/10

I’m putting this on the list because Pema is my favorite MILF. I also think it could be funny for Tenzin to leave Lin for Pema—a younger woman—and then Pema leaves Tenzin for Mako—a younger man. Points deducted because I don’t think Pema actually likes younger men. But Mako’s old enough that I think it’s less weird for her to get together with someone Mako's age than it would be for Suyin, so it gets one more point than Su.

Mako/Tahno: 10/10

Ohhhhh yesssss yessss. God I love the sexual tension between two probenders on opposite teams. It’s a water/fire ship. Mako’s so fucking flirty with him with that little wink when they face off. The animosity between them practically screeeeaams that they have definitely hate-fucked in the locker rooms at some point. God it’s so delicious I want more of it. This is not endgame for me in any universe I just really want them to have a competitive tension fueled explosion of feelings.

Varrick/Mako: 0/10

Funny how her attitude had changed since Mako had left the force. The occasional lunches to stay in touch turned into frequent, then routine dinners. First at standard restaurants, then at places he could pay for, then at places she paid for.

And sometime along in there, she had started walking him home. Then driving because the weather was bad. Then picking him up because it was on her way.

And then she learned he could cook.

She no longer remembered exactly when she had given him a key to her place.

The fact he had fished one for his place out of his pocket, stammering about being beaten to the punch, though, still made her feel a warmth she barely remembered from her younger years.

At Saikhan’s door, she snapped herself out of her wandering thoughts. She rotated the knob loudly and entered without knocking.

“Tell Xiaonan she did a good job. This was clean and efficient.”

Her deputy nodded, but instead of reaching out for the file, opened a drawer in his desk.

“Mail room said they checked these two envelopes and didn’t find anything alarming.”

Alarming?

She raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to get to the point.

“One is addressed to you, one to Mako. They resealed both then told me I should give them to you personally. Someone didn’t get the memo he wasn’t here anymore. You can get it to him?”

He extended them to her, and she managed to take them without snatching them. Barely.

With a glance, she identified hers, extended a knife from her vambrace, and sliced it open. She pulled the single leaf of paper out, allowed herself an eyeful, then shoved it back down.

“I’ll take care of this.”

“What was it?”

“Not police business.”

She spun on her heel, all but ran to her office, locking up and leaving without letting Saikhan catch her eye.

Exiting the elevator outside her apartment, she took in a deep breath. He was grilling fish again. She had not eaten as much fish in her entire life as in the past few months. Fresh out of the force, she knew he had worked at a couple of restaurants near the docks, places known for their no-nonsense, quick-cooking food.

It was entirely possible he hadn’t even started cooking until he saw her car down on the street.

Not wanting to waste his efforts, she removed her uniform and hung it on its stand. When she went to lock up her briefcase, she was reminded of the two envelopes.

Given what she had seen, she had to struggle with herself about whether to peek at Mako’s envelope.

Screwing her eyes closed and gritting her teeth, she acknowledged that if she were to maintain his trust, she’d have to give it to him with the same explanation she’d received.

But maybe she didn’t have to admit to her own…

Taking a deep breath, she carried the envelope into the kitchen just as Mako was turning around with bowls full of steaming soup.

She couldn’t keep herself from bending forward to take a whiff.

Standing up, she caught his eye. “If I hadn’t already been hungry, this would be enough to do it.” Her heart thumped when she saw the proud blush on his cheeks.

“I watched for you, and had just enough time to get it ready for you. I like the challenge.” He smiled at her and waited for her to sit before he folded himself down across the table from her.

When she set the envelope down to pour the tea, he asked why his name was on it. She just nodded to it. He drug a finger down a seam to open it. He tented it open, then flipped it over.

His eyes bulged, he caught her eye, blushed furiously, and slammed the envelope down hard enough to jostle the dishes.

Caught with the teapot still in the air, Lin just raised an eyebrow at him, but he kept his face to the table. He mumbled something, and she knew it was probably related to what she had seen in Saikhan’s office.

An entirely unfamiliar urge swept over her, and before her judgement could catch up, she said, “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”

Mako half gasped, half choked in consternation, grabbing at the edge of the table.

Leaving him to gasp like the fish must have done hours earlier, Lin retrieved her envelope and held it out to him. He drank some water and looked up, but rather than catch his eye, she permitted herself one more - though hopefully not last - look at the contents.

Mako, in striped trousers and an open jacket, all in black, fingered one of several chains across his otherwise naked chest. Two dragons danced face to face on either side of his sternum. But it was his face, his expression that had caught - and held - her eye.

The sound of paper on wood attracted her attention, and with a careful breath, she extended her envelope back to him as she took his in her other hand.

This time, it was her own face staring back at her. The expression felt so familiar, yet distant. Disdainful, yet incisively attentive. The studs and rings and buckles and tattoos on her shoulders, just like Mako’s, were all in black. Just like in the portrait of Mako, her eyes stood out.

When he stood beside her, she got caught in his arrestingly beautiful, amber eyes.

***

The city page scurried into his office, looking flustered. He bowed, wringing his hands. “Sir, please forgive me. When you told me to take your mail to the post, I believe I took the wrong stack. I have taken several messages from your honorable friends asking you to return their calls about some portraits?”

Bolin scanned his desk and wondered just how long Mako would let him live.

One part FFF, one part inspiration from the amazing goth-inspired art of Caro Oliveira:

Mako and Lin

Mako was already late. Running there wasn’t going to help him- Professor Beifong didn’t care if he was one minute or thirty minutes late- he’d be in just as much trouble either way. But somehow the idea of running to Lin felt exhilarating.

At least that’s how it always started. Exhilaration. Excitement. A little tickle in his belly.

For the first time, her office wasn’t bolted shut- the door was left slightly ajar. He could see the dust rise over the carpeted floor, dancing in the sunbeams that entered through the open window. When he tried peaking further, he noticed the chair empty.

This was his chance. He hopped inside stealthily and looked over her desk. The assignments were all stacked there under an emerald colored paper weight. Knowing Lin, they were likely arranged by when they were submitted- the topmost assignment belonging to the last student. And if they were already under the paperweight, Lin already knew who the last student was and seeing Mako’s assignment over it would only yield in a late remark, meaning his assignment would be tossed out the window.

Oh but he was only eight minutes late.

In a moment of panic, Mako lifted half the assignments and sandwiched his own in the middle.

With that, he made a quick exit. But just as he snuck past the open door, he noticed Professor Beifong making her way back. Mako was quick on his feet- he turned on his heels, avoiding her eyes and pretended like he was about to knock at her door.

“Mako,” she called from behind him. “Can I help you?”

“Oh, I—”

“Are you just coming by to submit the assignment?” She glanced over at her wrist watch and then glared at him. “You’re nine minutes late. I will not be grading you—”

“No, no- I, umm, I- already submitted. I was just coming by to ask if you’d already graded mine since I submitted it right before Jun- which was three days ago if I remember correctly. I know I haven’t been performing well in your classes lately, but I worked very hard on this paper.”

Lin gave him a satisfied look. The corners of her mouth would actually smile if she let them.

“Come on in then. I’ll grade your work right away.”

Professor Beifong was particularly thorough. She took her sweet time going through his six page, single spaced, small fonted assignment.

It had been minutes since Mako had been twiddling his thumbs. The anxiety was rising, his stomach was in knots and Lin’s face was inscrutable. Beautifully symmetrical and extremely kissable, but inscrutable.

A few more minutes of silence later, Lin finally slammed his assignment on the desk. She peaked over her glasses and huffed. “I cannot grade this.”

Mako’s heart dropped. “What? Why? It can’t be that bad. I did all the research- I worked on every case study—”

Lin’s smirk halted him. “It’s perfect. My grading it would be insulting to the hard work you’ve done.”

“Oh.”

Lin stood up and echoed his “oh” as she walked around to lean against her desk in front of Mako.

“You’ve done a very good job, Mako.”

“Tha- thank you, Professor,” he stuttered.

“It was really an honor reading that- rewarding even but speaking of, maybe you deserve one of your own?”

“My own?” He gulped.

“A reward, that is. On a job well done.”

Mako’s mouth was parched. Nothing she was saying nor her tone made sense. But he did work hard.

And speaking of hard.

As if she could see the sudden tightness of his pants, she got down on her knees and rested her palms on his. Her fingers slowly massaged the top of his thighs until the reached his belt.

“What do you think?” She asked seductively.

“I’m not entirely capable of thoughts right now—” he stammered through.

“Do you want this?”

“Yes, yes. A thousand times yes!”

Lin gracefully pulled his pants and boxers down to free him. With a delicious smile on her face, she licked her lips and leaned into his—

SMACK

"Earth to Mako! Is this class so boring that the tree outside looks more interesting to you?" The professor had slammed his hand on the wooden desk to make a sound loud enough to zone him back in.

Mako shook his head to make a quick recovery, "I'm so sorry Professor Bumi- I-I- I've just been a little distracted-"

"By a tree?" Bumi gave him a disgruntled look, "I mean, I'd understand if it were a beautiful woman-"