In all honestly she had been thinking about doing this for a while.

Korra opened the door and an electric doorbell rang through the shop. The smell of aseptic alcohol and inscense attacked her as the door closed behind her. It wasn't an altogether bad smell. Actually, as she inhaled it deeper, she recognized it. Dragon's blood. Her favorite. She smiled and walked along the jewelry cases, admiring the rods and rings. The dark red walls were covered in hundreds of designs and sayings that she could get inked into her skin and she stared at the walls, coming up to the black counter. Yes, she had certainly made up her mind. And none of these would do.

Interrupting her thoughts, a man came from behind a black curtain up to the counter.

"Can I help you?"

She bit her lip. He was incredibly handsome. Pale skin with contrasting black hair, sharp eyebrows and deep amber eyes. His earlobes were gauged, red plugs with a black stripe down the middle.

"Yeah, I'm here to get a tattoo. I made an appointment to see Mako."

He raised an eyebrow, the pierced one she noticed, and he grabbed a log book. He rolled up his sleeves and she saw the faded art on his arms. He was covered from wrist to elbow with ink and even a few fingers had some sayings. He looked to his watch.

"2:30," He said and his finger scrolled down the paper. "Ah, Korra?"

"That's me. You know, with most places you don't have to make an appointment."

He smiled and closed the logbook.

"Yeah well, most places don't have me."

"I'm assuming you are Mako then?"

"Yes I am. Come with me." He said and waved his hand for her to follow him back beyond the curtain. She did and walked passed many doors, all black down a red hallway. He opened a door on his left and she followed him in. There was a medical table on one side, a chair in the middle, and a huge tray with tools and colors.

"Pop a squat." He said and closed the door, motioning her to the chair. She sat and smiled. The room was soaked in dragon's blood inscense. It made her think of another place and another time. The sound of a wheeled chair scraping across the concrete floor opened her eyes. He sat across from her and leaned forward.

"So, Korra. What are we doing today?"

She dug in her pocket and handed him a piece of cloth. He unfolded it and saw it was an armband with a tribal print.

"Hey, is this authentic?"

"Straight from the Southern Watertribe. I want that pattern in just black on my right arm. Leave the pale blue areas blank and the navy areas I want done in black. About seven inches long, pretty ,much as big as that is."

He turned the fabric in his hands and nodded. He grabbed a small measuring tape and wrapped it around her arm at a few points. He mumbled to himself the numbers and put the tape away.

"Okay, let me draw it up."

"Sure."

He scooted over to his lightbox and grabbed the transfer papers and a special pencil, drawing out the design. Korra was patient. She had all day. He took a while to get the angle right but when he was done he set his pencil down.

"There."

He lifted up the paper and turned off the lightbox, rolling back over to her.

"Like that?" He asked and handed her the design. It was exactly what she wanted.

"Yes that's perfect!"

"Alright, let's get started." He said as wheeled over to a shelf and grabbed gauze and alcohol. he cleaned her skin, shoulder to wrist, and threw the used gauze away. Mako peeled the paper back and pressed the marked side to her skin. He warped it around her arm and the design matched end to end perfectly, no overlapping. He smirked and peeled the paper away, leaving the faint mark of the design for him to follow. He grabbed his supplied and got a mobile shelf, resting her arm on it.

Soon enough the buzz of the needle was heard and he dipped it into his little container of black ink.

"Ready?"

"Go for it, champ." She said with a glint in her eyes. He smiled and grabbed some spare gauze, pressing the needle into her arm at the top. She bit her lip and exhaled. The pain wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. But it would all be worth it in the end. They sat in silence as he worked and his smug appearance faded when his eyes were so captivated in his work. She admired him. Maybe for too long.

"You know, most people watch the needle, not the artist."

"Sorry." She said and looked down into her lamp, a blush coming across her cheeks.

"So, tell me about this tattoo. Are you actually from the south?"

"Mm. I am. And I miss home. This is my family's mark. My father passed it down to me. He's the Chief."

He paused his work and looked up into her eyes.

"Wait, you're Chief Tonraq's daughter? You're that Korra?"

"Well, yeah. How many Korras do you know?"

He blushed and returned to his work.

"Look, just don't name me when your dad asks why the Avatar has a tattoo, okay?"

"I'm not going home anytime soon. I've got business here." She said and touched her face, a nervous habit.

"Like family business, avatar business?" He trailed off.

"Wow. You are really nosy." She laughed and he smiled.

"It's not every day you get to ink the Avatar." He flashed a grin that made her heart flutter and she bit her lip again. There was silence between them and his question hung in the air. She decided to humor him and picked the conversation back up.

"I am here on personal business. I'm training my Airbending skills."

"Sounds boring."

"Incredibly." They both shared a laugh and he tried to make her arm the center of his attention again. Something about her laugh was just so… light and uplifting.

"Do you have any other tattoos? Or is this a one-time thing?"

"I have been changing a lot of things about myself lately. I cut my hair, I learned a new element, this is just one more thing on the list."

"So it's like a 21 year mid-life crisis?"

She laughed and yelled.

"Can I get a different artist please? This man in harassing me!"

"I am not!" He yelled back and laughed, wiping away the blood and extra ink on her arm. "I'm sorry, I'm just so curious."

"Well what about you?" She asked.

"What about me?"

"Tell me about yourself Mako."

"Ah, no. I don't do backstory."

"Aw, not even for the Avatar?" She asked and flashed him the sexiest pout he had ever seen. He rolled his eyes in tune with his butterfly stomach and turned her arm, getting the back of her arm.

"There really not much to tell. I live with my brother. We were orphaned at a young age and I've had to take care of him ever since. Now he works part time and I do this and another job and we get by. We make ends meet. It's nothing extravagant, but it's a good life."

"Mmm. Sounds like you need him." She said softly.

"How do you figure?"

"You sound… alone."

He didn't respond and wiped her arm again, inking in a huge triangle. They were quiet for another twenty minutes before he shut off the machine. He took his tray of tools and rolled it over to the bed.

"Okay, I need you up on here and your arm above your head. I need to get your underside."

She complied and lay down on the bed, raising her arm and laying it flat against the cold metal surface.

"This is going to hurt much more, so be prepared."

"Your bedside manner is impeccable I must say." She said and she smiled to herself, closing her eyes. He had a stupid smile to match hers. She was snarky and bold and opinionated and for some reason he was coming to terms with the fact that this was his type.

His needle entered her skin again and she could feel the difference in her own body's tolerance. Sweat started to bead on her brow and she bit the inside of her cheek. It wasn't easy to keep up a conversation with him at this point. Yet he was kind to her and let her suffer in silence for the reward at the end. He used a fresh peace of gauze to wipe her forehead once. It took her by surprise but she was thankful. When by the time she was done, her neck was wet and she was taking short breaths.

"Okay. All done. See if you like it." He said and offered his hand to her. She stood and he did too, walking behind her to the mirror. She looked at her arms and it was a perfect replica of her band. The black triangles actually faded into the point at the bottom and it was a nice touch to her otherwise line art tattoo.

"Mako, I love it! She smiled and turned to him, giving him a one armed hug. he smiled and hugged her back, maybe a little too longer than he should have. She noticed. He let go and took some petroleum jelly out of a basket and covered her arm with it, wrapping it tight to protect it. He gave her care instructions and walked her out to the register to cash her out.

She handed him the money and she smiled.

"Mako, can I see your phone?"

"Hmm? Oh sure." He handed her his phone and she smiled. She fiddled with it for a few minutes and gave it back to him.

"I added myself into your phone. Give me a call sometime okay? Oh, and thanks for the tattoo." She said and leaned over the counter to give him a kiss on the cheek. She bounced away and waved goodbye, leaving the parlor and Mako, a smile on his face.