#tluke

"You can't be that important if you're in a low-level cell like this with me."

"Or I'm so important that they don't want me near anyone with any power," she countered with a grin. 

He didn't have anything to say to that, but looked at her with new eyes. She was young, dark-skinned, and quite small. But she had an air of confidence and a coiled energy about her that made her undeniably dangerous. 

"Who are you?" Mako asked. 

"Name's Korra."

"I've never heard of you."

"My street name is The Avatar."

Mako's heart skipped a beat. The Avatar was infamous, a deadly, reckless force in the underbelly of the city. 

She was the reason he was undercover. 

"I see that name rings a bell or two," she smirked. "Now your turn," she nodded toward his tattoos. "Agni Kai?"

"Fashion statement," he said sarcastically. "I'm Mako."

"Ah, the mole."

"What?"

"The undercover cop they sent to try to catch me." She rolled her eyes, the 'obviously' going unsaid. 

"What? How did you - I mean..." He floundered. How could she know? If she knew, that meant his cover was blown and all he'd done was for nothing. 

She just smiled. "You can't be me without knowing a thing or two."

"But -"

"You're lucky you're cute," she pursed her lips as she watched him, her amusement clear.

His face flushed. 

"You're also much too trusting. That was your downfall, you know." 

He cursed under his breath. "That idiot Lu sold me out, didn't he."

"He is an idiot, isn't he? I'm always amazed he hasn't shot himself yet."

Mako couldn't think of anything else to say. What was he supposed to do now? His mission was for nothing. He was trapped in a cell. No one was coming for him. He'd been told at the start that if he failed, he was on his own. The force couldn't risk further exposure. 

"Hey," Korra's voice cut though his brooding thoughts. "Don't beat yourself up about it. I'm The Avatar. You weren't going to catch me."

"Somebody did," he looked pointedly at the cell bars. 

She grinned, reached into her pocket, and pulled out a ring of keys. "They didn't actually." She shook the keys, and they jangled mockingly. "I was curious about you."

"Me?"

"Like I said, you're cute. And you've got guts to come after me."

He sighed. "Some good that did me."

"I'm still here. You could still put them to use."

"My guts or my looks?"

She laughed as she unlocked her cell door. 

Mako rose, then took a step back as she unlocked his.  

"Come on, Tough Guy. Show me what you've got."

He watched her nervously, not sure what she meant. 

She gestured to his muscular arms. "I'm curious to see how well you can fend for yourself. And I know you're in hot water. Beat me and I'll get you out of here."

He choked out a laugh. "If I beat you, I'd be able to get myself out. But I'd be too busy turning you in to someone who knows who you really are."

She shrugged. "If that's what you want."

He narrowed his eyes. "And what do you want?"

Her smile turned predatory. "A kiss."

"A kiss."

"A good fight gets me worked up. And I did say you were very good looking. I'm only human."

Mako didn't know what to make of her. "You're willing to risk your freedom on the chance of a kiss?"

Shrugging again, she said, "I'm The Avatar." As if that explained anything. Then she clarified with, "It's not really much of a risk."  

"Fine," he huffed. "You're on."

Korra wasted no time in waiting for him to strike first. Before he could even get his guard up, she was there, right in front of him delivering a nasty right hook to his jaw. He reeled back, stunned and rubbing his jaw as she laughed. 

"I didn't realize you wanted to kiss me, too!" Korra teased. "At least put up a little fight, Ma-ko," she sang his name and he charged forward, eyes blazing.

She easily dodged his jabs, then dropped to the floor to swipe at his knees. He danced out of range, then shot forward to grab her ankle. She tried to kick him or shake him off, but his grip was much to firm. She frowned and twisted her body, but Mako twisted right with her. 

He yanked her forward and pinned her down with his body, switching his hold to her wrists and anchoring them to the floor high above her head. 

Their fight had lasted mere seconds and the sound of their heavy breathing echoed in the still cell as they stared at each other.

Mako was just about to catch his breath and declare himself the winner when Korra reached up and seized his lips with hers.

He didn't even try to stop her.

The tension between them cracked as the kiss deepened. His hands slid down her arms to cradle her face. Her newly freed hands tangled in his unruly hair.

She tried to roll them so she was on top but Mako just rolled her again, refusing to submit. At least, until she moaned from somewhere deep in her throat and pressed herself against him just so, and then he was putty in her hands. 

And she knew it. 

Fighting for breath, she broke the kiss and looked down at him with a wicked gleam in her eyes. 

"I'd say we both won this round. How would you like to get away with me for a while?"

She kissed the already blossoming bruise on his jaw. 

Mako should have known better. He really never stood a chance. 

And he certainly rather go with her than return to the nightmare that was sure to be his life after this.