( he doesn't do excited. at least not on his own behalf. mako rolls his eyes a little. see, his opinion on showing off has shifted over the years. with the fire ferrets, it used to be... you know, part of the show. he had a public persona to maintain, and people liked the illusion of attention. mako was never really comfortable in front of a crowd, but he knew how to work them. that was all street-kid, you learn how to manipulate people to get what you want out of them. looking sad and miserable was a better way to get a couple yuan out of someone than if you seemed tough and competent.
but ever since he hung up his pro-bending gear, he's been. a lot more reserved in his personal life. a lot less willing to show off, even if there's a shy part of him that still likes the praise. more-so from korra, who he knows isn't saying it with any sort of ulterior motive.
he'd never admit that it sort of. bolsters up that inner kid who never really had the validation, who grew up pretending he wasn't interested or didn't need it. but everybody likes to hear they're good at something once in a while.
so although he's not going to cut loose enough to get excited, he does sigh in an exaggeratedly put-upon way and takes himself through a half-dozen earthbending forms. the earth obeys unquestioning. it's not quite as natural to him as firebending, but it's a warm stranger in its place, he can feel the solidity of the earth, striations and structure, the way it anchors him. he misses the lick of flames, conjured into being by instinct and breath, but. he meant it when he said he'd get used to it. mako, as a person, rebels against the idea of helplessness or ineffectiveness on an intrinsic level. there is no possible way he could gain another element and leave it unmastered. rocks lift and scatter, form and precision marrying into a decent show of competence. he's no avatar, but he's still someone who has paid more attention than most to the bending arts. )
no subject
but ever since he hung up his pro-bending gear, he's been. a lot more reserved in his personal life. a lot less willing to show off, even if there's a shy part of him that still likes the praise. more-so from korra, who he knows isn't saying it with any sort of ulterior motive.
he'd never admit that it sort of. bolsters up that inner kid who never really had the validation, who grew up pretending he wasn't interested or didn't need it. but everybody likes to hear they're good at something once in a while.
so although he's not going to cut loose enough to get excited, he does sigh in an exaggeratedly put-upon way and takes himself through a half-dozen earthbending forms. the earth obeys unquestioning. it's not quite as natural to him as firebending, but it's a warm stranger in its place, he can feel the solidity of the earth, striations and structure, the way it anchors him. he misses the lick of flames, conjured into being by instinct and breath, but. he meant it when he said he'd get used to it. mako, as a person, rebels against the idea of helplessness or ineffectiveness on an intrinsic level. there is no possible way he could gain another element and leave it unmastered. rocks lift and scatter, form and precision marrying into a decent show of competence. he's no avatar, but he's still someone who has paid more attention than most to the bending arts. )
There. Happy?