( he walks out. that's what he does with relationships anyway. not that that's what this was, but there was a little promise there, like an acorn nested away in scorched ground, of something that might come of its humble beginnings. and he just can't deal with it. he can't deal with dick.
he stops. if it's a message, mako has no idea what to make of it. he knows he must have hurt him (idiot, why did he say those things? why does he always say those things?) and he just. feels miserable. enough that bolin comments on it, and they get snappish with each other, and what started out as a brotherly spat comes dangerously close to a brotherly feud. bolin moves out — he'd been planning on it anyway, but it. accelerates his plans a little. and mako just keeps feeling horrible.
he knows everything he needs to to march right up to wayne manor, knock on the door and ask for dick, but he doesn't.
the streets get a little calmer. it doesn't feel right, or natural, and it's got him on edge. the less crime there is in the hei bai district, the more antsy he gets, until he's practically ready to firebend at every shadow.
he smells the blood before he sees it. copper, thick and choking in the air. enough that when he breaks into a sprint and rounds the corner, he expects to find a body, but it. isn't one, it's just. a scarf he recognizes, and a collapsed lump in the middle of the street.
mako had to learn control. he didn't always have it. and that control is the only reason he doesn't stay rooted where he stands in horror. it's the thing that spurs him onward, it's the reason he doesn't gag at the blood and the damage when he picks him up. dick's heavier than he looks, for an airbender.
he doesn't say a word. just. runs. mentally mapping out what he can of the city. waterbenders. he needs a waterbender. korra's the best in the city but she's at asami's place, on the other side of the spirit portal crater in the middle. what he needs is a car.
luckily, the economy is booming. there are vehicles everywhere. mako busts out a window with his shoulder, cradles dick one-handed so he can open the door and then eases him into it. he wants to call him an idiot. what he does instead is murmur. nothing much of consequence. it's okay, you're going to be fine. over and over and over again.
hotwiring a car? no biggie. he's been doing that since he was a kid. he's torn between the need to drive fast because dick is beaten to the spirit world and back, and slow because he doesn't want to jostle him. at least there's no one else on the road, and any time he does encounter another vehicle mako signs a flame signal for the PD in the air and they back off. he doesn't exactly have lights and sirens, but it's an improvisation that works.
korra and asami are asleep upstairs, though not for long. and then it's just. everything is a blur.
the largest body of water in the house is asami's pool. dick slips in and out of consciousness, mako holds him (more like, korra can't pry him away) as she heals him. once she's done all she can, she tells him that all he can do now is rest. so mako carries him upstairs to one of asami's spare rooms, strips him out of the wet (née blooded) clothes and gets him into something else. then he just. sinks into a chair at the head of the bed, hand outflung against dick's wrist so he can track the flow of chi beneath his skin.
he realizes he didn't clock out at the end of his shift about the same time he passes out. beifong's gonna have his hide stapled to a desk for this one. )
no subject
he stops. if it's a message, mako has no idea what to make of it. he knows he must have hurt him (idiot, why did he say those things? why does he always say those things?) and he just. feels miserable. enough that bolin comments on it, and they get snappish with each other, and what started out as a brotherly spat comes dangerously close to a brotherly feud. bolin moves out — he'd been planning on it anyway, but it. accelerates his plans a little. and mako just keeps feeling horrible.
he knows everything he needs to to march right up to wayne manor, knock on the door and ask for dick, but he doesn't.
the streets get a little calmer. it doesn't feel right, or natural, and it's got him on edge. the less crime there is in the hei bai district, the more antsy he gets, until he's practically ready to firebend at every shadow.
he smells the blood before he sees it. copper, thick and choking in the air. enough that when he breaks into a sprint and rounds the corner, he expects to find
a body, but it. isn't one, it's just. a scarf he recognizes, and a collapsed lump in the middle of the street.
mako had to learn control. he didn't always have it. and that control is the only reason he doesn't stay rooted where he stands in horror. it's the thing that spurs him onward, it's the reason he doesn't gag at the blood and the damage when he picks him up. dick's heavier than he looks, for an airbender.
he doesn't say a word. just. runs. mentally mapping out what he can of the city. waterbenders. he needs a waterbender. korra's the best in the city but she's at asami's place, on the other side of the spirit portal crater in the middle. what he needs is a car.
luckily, the economy is booming. there are vehicles everywhere. mako busts out a window with his shoulder, cradles dick one-handed so he can open the door and then eases him into it. he wants to call him an idiot. what he does instead is murmur. nothing much of consequence. it's okay, you're going to be fine. over and over and over again.
hotwiring a car? no biggie. he's been doing that since he was a kid. he's torn between the need to drive fast because dick is beaten to the spirit world and back, and slow because he doesn't want to jostle him. at least there's no one else on the road, and any time he does encounter another vehicle mako signs a flame signal for the PD in the air and they back off. he doesn't exactly have lights and sirens, but it's an improvisation that works.
korra and asami are asleep upstairs, though not for long. and then it's just. everything is a blur.
the largest body of water in the house is asami's pool. dick slips in and out of consciousness, mako holds him (more like, korra can't pry him away) as she heals him. once she's done all she can, she tells him that all he can do now is rest. so mako carries him upstairs to one of asami's spare rooms, strips him out of the wet (née blooded) clothes and gets him into something else. then he just. sinks into a chair at the head of the bed, hand outflung against dick's wrist so he can track the flow of chi beneath his skin.
he realizes he didn't clock out at the end of his shift about the same time he passes out. beifong's gonna have his hide stapled to a desk for this one. )