( favorite cop. mako just glowers at him, as if the heat of his gaze could convey the surge of annoyance he feels at that. glowing proclamation. that's not even touching on all the other things he says. foreplay? never knew her. )

Look, I appreciate what you're trying to do. But all you're doing is making me look bad. My boss is breathing down my neck every time you skip out on us. You want to make a difference? Why don't you just come be a cop? Obviously you've got the skills for it. And if you're worried about being a non-bender, we've got plenty of those on the force.

( he doesn't want to be tailed, he doesn't want to be protected. he's one of the most dangerous firebenders in the world, tempered by time and his proximity to korra and all the dangerous goings-ons that surround her like a cloying smoke. mako is nothing if not secure in his skills, but this? this is a whole other... thing.

lin actually offered to assign this case to someone else. but the idea of anyone other than himself cuffing this guy... he doesn't even want to think about it. a lot of the other cops are rougher than he is. mako doesn't want to hurt him, he just wants him to play by the damn rules, same as everyone else. )