deerlybeloved

[arclightning]

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deerlyBeloved: firebug
Mako / 22 / male / It's always complicated

Are you looking to be somebody's It's Complicated? With this fiery hearthrob, everything's complicated! But it's worth it: underneath that gruff exterior and painful awkwardness, he's a sweet guy with some killer thighs. Give him a chance to sweep you off your feet. Every other person in his friend group has! Third time's the charm, right?

<span style="font-family:century gothic,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ScI5Hsw.png" _fcksavedurl="https://i.imgur.com/ScI5Hsw.png" style="height:20px;margin:0 5px -4px 0;"><b style="color:#05BB95;">username</b> matched with you!</span> MATCH

<lj-raw><span style="font-family:century gothic,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/P3gZl1b.png" _fcksavedurl="https://i.imgur.com/P3gZl1b.png" style="height:20px;margin:0 5px -4px 0;"> <b style="color:#05BB95;">username</b> sent you a message! <blockquote style="border-left:5px solid #ddd;padding:0 0 0 10px;"> Message_content </blockquote></span></lj-raw> MESSAGE

<span style="font-family:century gothic,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/w2B4FYG.png" _fcksavedurl="https://i.imgur.com/w2B4FYG.png" style="height:20px;margin:0 5px -4px 0;"><b style="color:#05BB95;">username</b> sent you a flirt!</span> FLIRT

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Comments

[helpdesk_hero]

[Listen, he can totally throw the guy a bone here and admit to something.]

It's not like I chose what the flirting button looks like on DB.

It's not ANYtime I touch someone here. I have to want it, have to push for it. Back home it's just always there. It's a telepathic class gift, which means my mind just inherently reaches out and touches other minds that aren't protected. Always. It's definitely hard to live with, always has been for me. Like, people don't know what sort of things their brains store in the category of knowledge and skills. But from my understanding, my brain chemistry and structure is very different from that of a normal, baseline human. So I can process large quanta of data rapidly, and synthesize solutions from blending of skills.

Helps that I was a bit of a genius even without this. But it has meant there are things in my life I had to give up, because being good at them wasn't necessarily something I could be sure of anymore. Like figure skating. Was it me that pulled off an impressive jump, or just my powers grabbing all the best skills around me and putting them together?

[arclightning]

[ Mako hates the idea of everything about this, and feels pretty bad for David. His mind constantly touching other people's minds is kind of his idea of a personal hell. Comes with the repression territory, probably. And if Mako couldn't be sure of his own abilities, of everything that he fought so hard for, he doesn't know what else he would have. ]

So your head is prepared for just constantly getting knowledge all the time. Do you even know how much you know?

Wait. In your figure skating example. Even if your powers grabbed all the best skills and put them together, isn't there a part of that relying on your body, too? Do the skills automatically translate into your muscles being able to do them? Because if you still had to work on that part, then it's still your skill, it's just made better by your circumstances, and something like... I don't know. Money, or something. Also does that. If that makes any sense.

[helpdesk_hero]

I don't even know how to quantify the idea of knowing how much I now. It's just that difficult. But hey, at least here I'm only borrowing stuff.

[Oh dear, Mako... How sweet, to think something so kind and pure and like people wouldn't care about it.]

Yep, muscle-memory comes with it. I do have to keep my body fit enough to do it, but the muscle memory is there. And my world is not exactly fond of people like me doing anything competitively. If we win, they say we cheated.

[arclightning]

Sounds like the anti-benders back home. They almost took over Republic City. They thought they were being tormented by benders, like having bending makes you better somehow.

They weren't completely wrong. But their leader was a power-hungry liar who wanted to take everybody's bending away.

Did you stop figure skating because of that? For good?

[helpdesk_hero]

I had stopped a touch before because, well, I'd had a growth spurt. And for a guy that can throw off your jumps and spins. So while I was trying to train back up I had my powers awaken, and when I realized...

Yeah, I haven't gone to do more than just casual laps since then. But I've promised to go try it this winter if there's somewhere to do it. Might even give lessons.

Don't suppose I can sign you up for some one on one instruction?

[arclightning]

Yeah, I put on those rolling skate things to try and keep Korra from dying and I turned into some kind of pale, pointy-toothed monster. I'm good. I will watch you ice skate, though.

It'd actually be you, if your powers are different.

[helpdesk_hero]

Pale, pointy-toothed? Vampire. That might suit you, but that’s a personal opinion. And I’ll be happy for an audience.

I’m not sure I’m quite certain what you mean?

[arclightning]

If you get good at it again, then it'll be under your own skill, here.

Vampire. That was the word. I don't want to turn into a vampire again.

[ Here's the thing: Korra will 100% bully him into actually going skating with David. Trust. This will be a thing whether Mako wants it to be or not. ]

[helpdesk_hero]

It will be, which I don’t mind at all. In the mean time, well, I suppose I just have to get through.

Wait, can you be near ice that long as a fire bender?

[He’s long since lost his knowledge of it.]

[arclightning]

[ David can't hear it but Mako actually laughs aloud, grinning down at his Fluid. ]

I can be near ice. If I'm too cold for too long my bending gets weaker, but I don't run hot enough to melt the rink out from under you or anything. Don't worry.

[helpdesk_hero]

[This is where someone could make a comment about Mako being MORE than hot enough to melt ice. But... Well, that’s definitely too forward.]

Well then, winter wont’ suck for you.

[arclightning]

[ Mako doesn't even know what he could have been dealing with and is still grateful for it. That would send him into a bit of a spiral trying to figure things out. ]

No, it won't. I learned a long time ago how to keep warm through the winter. It was my brother I had to worry about. It gets cold in Republic City.

[ And they were on the streets, and they could barely afford food, much less warm winter clothing. There was one winter Mako had to stuff newspaper into both of their boots to keep their toes from freezing off. He'd spent terrible sleepless nights curled up together with Bolin, pushing heat over and over again into his shivering limbs. He has nightmares sometimes that he didn't succeed, that he fell asleep and only he woke up.

Winter will never be Mako's favorite season. ]

Maybe the pond will freeze over and you can skate on that.

[helpdesk_hero]

I imagine fire bending is good for keeping warm.

[arclightning]

If you get too cold on the pond I can just heat up the air around you. Firebending's dangerous but it's also pretty useful.

[ Mako guesses this is... going to be a thing, at some point. He almost says something stupid like it's a date but that—feels like too much. It's not a date, it's just going to the pond, maybe, to watch David ice skate. Maybe. ]

[helpdesk_hero]

If you’re really offering to keep me warm, I’m not going to say no.

Guess I need to survive through October and November in hopes we get the chance.

[arclightning]

I am. If you need anything, by the way, let me know. Korra and I have a lot stocked up—water, food, and that incense stuff.

[helpdesk_hero]

I’ve got all of that too, so I’m fine. But thank you for the concern.

[arclightning]

If I wasn't concerned this month something would be wrong with me. Stay safe.

[helpdesk_hero]

Oh, I never do. But thanks for caring.

And Mako? If I ever make you feel uncomfortable, you can tell me to back off.

[arclightning]

[ That's his secret, David: Mako's always uncomfortable! Well, not always. Talking to David is a lot better than the several months after he and Asami and Korra were all just friends again. ]

...noted? Thanks. I'll let you know.

[helpdesk_hero]

Of course if you don’t say stop I’m going to take that as, you know, permission to maybe nice things about your eyes.

[arclightning]

You have permission but they're just eyes.

[helpdesk_hero]

They have the same color as the warm light of embers in a camp fire, which makes me think of the warmth of summer.

[arclightning]

What. Come on. That's not a way anyone has ever described eyes. Except in those terrible novels.

[ W H A T this does not happen to him, obviously vague humor is the only way to deal with the fact that someone actually just compared his eyes, of all things, to a fire. And summer. Mako isn't great at compliments, especially teasing ones. ]

[helpdesk_hero]

It’s a way I’m describing yours. Because it’s the way they look. Poetic.

[It’s happening to you, Mako. Right now, it’s happening.]