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( the city's slowed to a crawl. they're calling it the storm of the century, snow started falling and hasn't stopped. three days in, and every water bender with the city's emergency services is working around the clock to try and keep the streets clear. they just can't keep up. it's knocked out power to nearly every grid but the wealthiest, who can afford to call up the elite lightning benders to aid their plight.
winters aren't normally this bad. they've gotten by before. it's been easy enough for bolin to make them a shelter, and mako to heat it, but this? no. they need to be inside, actually inside. mako cuts a deal with one of the triad members that doesn't dislike him all that much, and they end up tucked away in a small back room of a gambling hall. it's closed down for the storm, and jang says that as long as they don't make too much sound or move around that much, they can stay until it's over. he stresses that if they're found out (and no one is here, it's just he and bolin, but you never know) that he'll say they snuck in and he had no idea, and that'll land them in even more hot water with shady shin, so. it's in their best interests to stay hidden and slink away before the place opens up again. he'll owe jang, which was. probably the whole point. but he'll worry about that later. bolin is always his first priority.
the room they're in is about ten-by-ten, hidden behind a panel you have to push to get into. he thinks it's meant to be for cheating — there are little pinprick holes in the wall that have clear sightlines to the card tables. he doesn't really care about all that, he's just glad to have somewhere to sleep that isn't on the ground. for bolin's sake more than his own. he'd be all right, it's never hard for a firebender to keep warm. but even piled with every spare shirt they've got, bolin still looks miserable. mako breathes a curl of fire into his cupped hands, and lets it burn itself out on oxygen. trying to warm the little space. no power here, either. no lights except their small oil lamp. but it's a roof. )
Hey. You hungry? We've still got some dumplings from earlier.
( while the sun was up, they'd crept around looking for odd jobs. helping an elderly widow clear the ice off their porch had netted them some dinner, but mako had hid a couple of them so they'd have some for later. )
winters aren't normally this bad. they've gotten by before. it's been easy enough for bolin to make them a shelter, and mako to heat it, but this? no. they need to be inside, actually inside. mako cuts a deal with one of the triad members that doesn't dislike him all that much, and they end up tucked away in a small back room of a gambling hall. it's closed down for the storm, and jang says that as long as they don't make too much sound or move around that much, they can stay until it's over. he stresses that if they're found out (and no one is here, it's just he and bolin, but you never know) that he'll say they snuck in and he had no idea, and that'll land them in even more hot water with shady shin, so. it's in their best interests to stay hidden and slink away before the place opens up again. he'll owe jang, which was. probably the whole point. but he'll worry about that later. bolin is always his first priority.
the room they're in is about ten-by-ten, hidden behind a panel you have to push to get into. he thinks it's meant to be for cheating — there are little pinprick holes in the wall that have clear sightlines to the card tables. he doesn't really care about all that, he's just glad to have somewhere to sleep that isn't on the ground. for bolin's sake more than his own. he'd be all right, it's never hard for a firebender to keep warm. but even piled with every spare shirt they've got, bolin still looks miserable. mako breathes a curl of fire into his cupped hands, and lets it burn itself out on oxygen. trying to warm the little space. no power here, either. no lights except their small oil lamp. but it's a roof. )
Hey. You hungry? We've still got some dumplings from earlier.
( while the sun was up, they'd crept around looking for odd jobs. helping an elderly widow clear the ice off their porch had netted them some dinner, but mako had hid a couple of them so they'd have some for later. )
[ At times, it's hard not to peek through the windows of other people's houses and wish the both of them could be inside, huddled around the fire place nursing a cup of warm tea or milk. If there could be others sharing the house that would be just grand -- perhaps a kind older woman who likes to cook, and often needs help in the kitchen. A stern middle-aged man who fashions himself as the man of the house and always tries to impart his fatherly wisdom. When he sees other people and their families he sometimes likes to think up stories about what their home lives must be like. Of course, it's all the work of an overactive imagination; Bolin knows that kind of life is currently out of their grasp. Still, it's nice to think about.
Not to say he isn't thankful for what he has. He definitely is. He knows that the fact they have food to eat and a roof over their heads for tonight at all is all Mako's doing, and that's why no matter how tough things may get, he'll never complain. Wrapped up in pretty much all the shirts they currently have (and even then, aren't a lot to boast about), Bolin still can't stop the chill from creeping in. The little flame that Mako spruces up? Really helps. He's scooting over immediately to get some of that warmth in him.
There's a loud sniff, which kills the mood a little (probably). Bolin still manages to look silly when genuinely miserable. ] Oh, thanks Mako. Y'know, I wonder why they never installed any heat in this place. Don't you think it's gonna blow their cover when they start shivering in the middle of their cheating?
[ And he only caught on to the real purpose of this makeshift bunker because Mako told him, basically. ] You kept some?
[ More like, stopped Bolin from eating them all. ]
Not to say he isn't thankful for what he has. He definitely is. He knows that the fact they have food to eat and a roof over their heads for tonight at all is all Mako's doing, and that's why no matter how tough things may get, he'll never complain. Wrapped up in pretty much all the shirts they currently have (and even then, aren't a lot to boast about), Bolin still can't stop the chill from creeping in. The little flame that Mako spruces up? Really helps. He's scooting over immediately to get some of that warmth in him.
There's a loud sniff, which kills the mood a little (probably). Bolin still manages to look silly when genuinely miserable. ] Oh, thanks Mako. Y'know, I wonder why they never installed any heat in this place. Don't you think it's gonna blow their cover when they start shivering in the middle of their cheating?
[ And he only caught on to the real purpose of this makeshift bunker because Mako told him, basically. ] You kept some?
[ More like, stopped Bolin from eating them all. ]
( bolin scoots closer, mako makes space for him, lifting an arm to wrap around him. they're both too old now to really... find comfort in cuddling together, but when the situation warrants, well... mako doesn't mind throwing convention out on its ear. )
There's heat, Bolin, it's just electric. The storm kicked it out.
( whenever they are inside, their time is spent in older places with coal braziers. republic city is a young place in the grand scheme of things, but the industrial revolution happened fast, and whoever couldn't keep up was left behind. mako's been working on his firebending, trying for those little sparks of lightning, because if he can master that then maybe he can find a job at a power plant, and all this will be a thing of the past. it's hard to get people to bring him on because he's so young, which is why most of their jobs are odd ones. the triads were really the only ones who'd bother, and he knows full well why — the younger you indoctrinate someone into crime, the easier they are to control. it's why he's been so, so careful in how close he lets bolin get to them. running numbers isn't big time stuff. it's not a hundred percent above board — he can play innocent all he likes, he knows he's helping out with tax evasion — but it's not so deeply entrenched in their world that they'll be trapped.
he doesn't answer the latter question verbally, just pulls an envelope of dumplings out of the makeshift knapsack resting against his knee and holds it out. )
Go on.
There's heat, Bolin, it's just electric. The storm kicked it out.
( whenever they are inside, their time is spent in older places with coal braziers. republic city is a young place in the grand scheme of things, but the industrial revolution happened fast, and whoever couldn't keep up was left behind. mako's been working on his firebending, trying for those little sparks of lightning, because if he can master that then maybe he can find a job at a power plant, and all this will be a thing of the past. it's hard to get people to bring him on because he's so young, which is why most of their jobs are odd ones. the triads were really the only ones who'd bother, and he knows full well why — the younger you indoctrinate someone into crime, the easier they are to control. it's why he's been so, so careful in how close he lets bolin get to them. running numbers isn't big time stuff. it's not a hundred percent above board — he can play innocent all he likes, he knows he's helping out with tax evasion — but it's not so deeply entrenched in their world that they'll be trapped.
he doesn't answer the latter question verbally, just pulls an envelope of dumplings out of the makeshift knapsack resting against his knee and holds it out. )
Go on.
[ Only Mr. Too-Cool-For-Hugs Mako thinks that. Bolin still loves a good cuddle, even when it isn't cold. He's the sort who will take a hug from pretty much anyone, a guy who dishes out his affection freely and loves receiving it back. This is practical too, and not just him being his overly-affectionate self. Mako's like a heater that runs on disapproving looks and sarcasm alone. The moment he gets the green light, Bolin is scooting up beside Mako a little too quickly, wrapping his arms around his brother. ] So warm ...
[ Food, and free warmth? This is better than a luxury hotel.
-- Okay, it isn't, but it is making him feel very happy inside. ] I know I don't say this enough but ... you really are the best bro that a guy could have.
[ He will make an internal note to appreciate Mako more. He'll probably also forget about it by tomorrow. ] Do fire-benders ever get cold, though?
[ Food, and free warmth? This is better than a luxury hotel.
-- Okay, it isn't, but it is making him feel very happy inside. ] I know I don't say this enough but ... you really are the best bro that a guy could have.
[ He will make an internal note to appreciate Mako more. He'll probably also forget about it by tomorrow. ] Do fire-benders ever get cold, though?
( oh. welp. that's what's happening now, he guesses. the enthusiasm gets a bit of a laugh out of him, and he unspools the scarf from around his throat to drape around them both. not much, but it'll help. he ruffles at bolin's hair affectionately, because although he is definitely too cool for hugs, he's never too cool for comfort. )
Yeah, yeah, I know. Remember that next time you're talking back to me.
( his sweet baby brother has started getting the occasional attitude problem and mako has absolutely no context for how to deal with it. puberty? barely knew her! why can't he just stay eight years old forever? )
Huh? Oh — I mean, I guess. Sometimes. I don't really think about it.
( being warm is pretty low on his hierarchy of needs, all things considered. well below all of what bolin needs, to be sure.
and it's not like he really talks to other firebenders about whether or not they're freezing in this weather. mako knows he's skilled, tremendously so for his age, so maybe that's the difference. saying that outloud would be a little too much like bragging, so instead he just rubs the back of his hand under his nose. )
It... probably depends on the bender. That's like asking if earthbenders ever get dirty.
( it absolutely is not. but it's the closest frame of reference he has. )
Yeah, yeah, I know. Remember that next time you're talking back to me.
( his sweet baby brother has started getting the occasional attitude problem and mako has absolutely no context for how to deal with it. puberty? barely knew her! why can't he just stay eight years old forever? )
Huh? Oh — I mean, I guess. Sometimes. I don't really think about it.
( being warm is pretty low on his hierarchy of needs, all things considered. well below all of what bolin needs, to be sure.
and it's not like he really talks to other firebenders about whether or not they're freezing in this weather. mako knows he's skilled, tremendously so for his age, so maybe that's the difference. saying that outloud would be a little too much like bragging, so instead he just rubs the back of his hand under his nose. )
It... probably depends on the bender. That's like asking if earthbenders ever get dirty.
( it absolutely is not. but it's the closest frame of reference he has. )
[ At some point the bird needs to leave the bro-nest, ok? Thankfully it won't be for another maybe 6-8 years, when Bolin whisks himself away to join an evil Earth Nation army. For now, he stays the same gullible, guileless kid with only an occasional knack for talking back. Where's the fun in playing eternal parent to your younger sibling if there's no resistance from time to time? Bolin barely hears Mako's bit about talking back, mostly distracted by how warm his brother is compared to pretty much every other part of their shoddy little living space. ]
Sure. [ The half-hearted reply pretty much guarantees he's going to continue being himself. This comparison that Mako's making, though? Somehow, this is what gets Bolin to pay attention. Mostly because it's kind of silly, and if there's anyone who loves pondering over idiosyncratic things, it's this guy! ] Hold on, do you think Earthbenders just bend the dirt off of themselves, Mako?
Sure. [ The half-hearted reply pretty much guarantees he's going to continue being himself. This comparison that Mako's making, though? Somehow, this is what gets Bolin to pay attention. Mostly because it's kind of silly, and if there's anyone who loves pondering over idiosyncratic things, it's this guy! ] Hold on, do you think Earthbenders just bend the dirt off of themselves, Mako?
[ Whoa. Now he's really thinking about it. Would that be a fantastic way to keep clean, since they don't always have running water? ] Actually, what if ...
[ Eager to solve this mystery, the ever-curious Bolin takes off a boot, his body shivering in as the cold bites as his ankles. He tolerates that chill enough to kick out his foot and make a punching movement, trying to bend the dust off his dirty feet. ]
[ Eager to solve this mystery, the ever-curious Bolin takes off a boot, his body shivering in as the cold bites as his ankles. He tolerates that chill enough to kick out his foot and make a punching movement, trying to bend the dust off his dirty feet. ]
( this will end no way good. mako is already reaching to try and stop that errant kick, his brother's name halfly yelped on his lips when he just. does it anyway. his outstretched hand sort of crumples, and his expression is. resigned. not even annoyed at this point, just. resigned.
give him a second, because he definitely has to sneeze. the resultant ah-choo is so loud he cringes afterwards, like he expects triad members to come running in to find what all the commotion is about. it doesn't happen, thankfully, but it doesn't mean he's not paranoid. it's almost like his middle name at this point.
times like this, he wishes he were an earthbender so he could quell the commotion of swirling motes. at least the dumplings were still in their little paper bag, they manage to escape unscathed. oh, they've eaten worse than dirty food, but. you know, no one wants to eat something that's had their brother's foot-gunk all over it. )
Bro, we really have to talk about your impulse control.
( why would you take your boot off!! why. is this what it was like for their parents? somehow he doubts it.
mako sighs, cups his hands together. little livewire sparks jump between his fingers, shimmer down his palms. enough to warm his hands, with which he then reaches out to cocoon bolin's foot. he rubs it briskly, just to get the feeling back. man, he would seriously kill for a tub of water right about now, something he could heat himself and then shove bolin down into.
he. sighs. at least bolin admitted it was a bad idea, which makes mako feel a little guilty for being stern with him. )
Next time, maybe try it with a little less enthusiasm, huh?
give him a second, because he definitely has to sneeze. the resultant ah-choo is so loud he cringes afterwards, like he expects triad members to come running in to find what all the commotion is about. it doesn't happen, thankfully, but it doesn't mean he's not paranoid. it's almost like his middle name at this point.
times like this, he wishes he were an earthbender so he could quell the commotion of swirling motes. at least the dumplings were still in their little paper bag, they manage to escape unscathed. oh, they've eaten worse than dirty food, but. you know, no one wants to eat something that's had their brother's foot-gunk all over it. )
Bro, we really have to talk about your impulse control.
( why would you take your boot off!! why. is this what it was like for their parents? somehow he doubts it.
mako sighs, cups his hands together. little livewire sparks jump between his fingers, shimmer down his palms. enough to warm his hands, with which he then reaches out to cocoon bolin's foot. he rubs it briskly, just to get the feeling back. man, he would seriously kill for a tub of water right about now, something he could heat himself and then shove bolin down into.
he. sighs. at least bolin admitted it was a bad idea, which makes mako feel a little guilty for being stern with him. )
Next time, maybe try it with a little less enthusiasm, huh?
[ Why? Because. That's why. Bolin did look guilty over what he had done for a second, but he seems to get over it very quickly when Mako starts warming his feet for him. ]
I was hoping -- Oh, that's the stuff. That feels incredible.
[ He'll take a moment to melt into this awesome touch. Bolin could easily put his shoes back on at this point, but he chooses to enjoy the heated foot rub for just a little longer. It's nice to mess up and still get rewarded for it somehow. ]
Anyway, I was just hoping that could be a way for us to keep clean, since we don't ... always have running water. And the last time we bathed in the lake, I think a catfish tried to bite me.
I was hoping -- Oh, that's the stuff. That feels incredible.
[ He'll take a moment to melt into this awesome touch. Bolin could easily put his shoes back on at this point, but he chooses to enjoy the heated foot rub for just a little longer. It's nice to mess up and still get rewarded for it somehow. ]
Anyway, I was just hoping that could be a way for us to keep clean, since we don't ... always have running water. And the last time we bathed in the lake, I think a catfish tried to bite me.
( grumble, grumble. )
Don't get used to it. I'm not your butler.
( because butlers are totally the ones that give out massages, right? probably. only rich people have butlers, so he's kind of just assuming that it's a catch-all position. the word 'masseuse' is not in his vernacular. )
Well, it's not a bad idea. But I think your control needs to get a little better first.
( the last thing he wants is for bolin to punch him in the face with a dust-cloud. that seems counterproductive to the whole... cleanliness thing. he'd honestly prefer water to that. even cold water. you can't exactly heat an entire lake unless you're trying to turn it into soup.
once mako's done with bolin's feet he picks up his shoes, knocks the dirt out and hands them over. it's funny how it seems like yesterday he was still helping to put them on. honestly, bolin probably still wouldn't object to it. but mako sure does, so. dress yourself, hooligan. )
Don't get used to it. I'm not your butler.
( because butlers are totally the ones that give out massages, right? probably. only rich people have butlers, so he's kind of just assuming that it's a catch-all position. the word 'masseuse' is not in his vernacular. )
Well, it's not a bad idea. But I think your control needs to get a little better first.
( the last thing he wants is for bolin to punch him in the face with a dust-cloud. that seems counterproductive to the whole... cleanliness thing. he'd honestly prefer water to that. even cold water. you can't exactly heat an entire lake unless you're trying to turn it into soup.
once mako's done with bolin's feet he picks up his shoes, knocks the dirt out and hands them over. it's funny how it seems like yesterday he was still helping to put them on. honestly, bolin probably still wouldn't object to it. but mako sure does, so. dress yourself, hooligan. )
Huh ...? Oh. [ Right. Put the boot back on. Happy foot-rub time is over. Bolin's so used to being spoiled by Mako he just kind of expects it at this point. He picks up that boot and wears it, taking a moment to mourn how awesome that warm footrub had felt. Mako may not be a butler (Do butlers actually do that? Well, they've never had one, he really has no idea.), but he should really consider getting into massage work if they're ever desperate enough. ]
Believe me, I'm trying. We can't exactly afford to take classes for this. The learning curve's pretty steep.
[ They've pretty much always been learning most of the works on their own - either from trial-and-error, or watching the other triad members. Sometimes, the gangsters are nice enough to teach them, but they don't always have a lot of patience. ]
Believe me, I'm trying. We can't exactly afford to take classes for this. The learning curve's pretty steep.
[ They've pretty much always been learning most of the works on their own - either from trial-and-error, or watching the other triad members. Sometimes, the gangsters are nice enough to teach them, but they don't always have a lot of patience. ]
I know.
( he bites that out. it's sharper than he means it to be. he's frustrated too. trying to learn lightning is worse than playing with (metaphorical) fire, because he knows zolt's taken an interest in him because of how easily he gets it. he's not perfect. but he's good enough that he knows he's being groomed for a bright future in crime, and he also knows that he and bolin are going to have to cut and run before that happens. it doesn't matter how many times he says he's not interested in the seedier goings-ons of the triple threats, one day they'll stop taking no as an answer. whenever they feel like they're owed more than what he can pay up with the way he casually skirts around their establishments and business, running the books and doing the occasional courier job.
softer, )
I know, I know. We'll find you a teacher. Maybe we should try the library, see if there are any earthbending scrolls under public domain. I can learn the moves with you.
( he knows there can be some crossover between elements. redirecting lightning is a waterbending move. and he's seen firebenders who move like earthbenders. it's less that the style is tied explicitly to an element and more that that's just... how it was taught, and how it's been taught for thousands upon thousands of years. tradition.
but the world is changing. republic city is really the first place in history where you can't throw a rock without hitting one of the three disciplines. there aren't enough airbenders to really count, but the only ones in the world are here, too. even he and bolin are evidence of the times — earth nation father, fire nation mother. something that would have been a rarity a hundred years ago is now... actually pretty common. where there's less isolation, there's bound to be more amalgamation.
and if it would help bolin, he'd be all for it. )
( he bites that out. it's sharper than he means it to be. he's frustrated too. trying to learn lightning is worse than playing with (metaphorical) fire, because he knows zolt's taken an interest in him because of how easily he gets it. he's not perfect. but he's good enough that he knows he's being groomed for a bright future in crime, and he also knows that he and bolin are going to have to cut and run before that happens. it doesn't matter how many times he says he's not interested in the seedier goings-ons of the triple threats, one day they'll stop taking no as an answer. whenever they feel like they're owed more than what he can pay up with the way he casually skirts around their establishments and business, running the books and doing the occasional courier job.
softer, )
I know, I know. We'll find you a teacher. Maybe we should try the library, see if there are any earthbending scrolls under public domain. I can learn the moves with you.
( he knows there can be some crossover between elements. redirecting lightning is a waterbending move. and he's seen firebenders who move like earthbenders. it's less that the style is tied explicitly to an element and more that that's just... how it was taught, and how it's been taught for thousands upon thousands of years. tradition.
but the world is changing. republic city is really the first place in history where you can't throw a rock without hitting one of the three disciplines. there aren't enough airbenders to really count, but the only ones in the world are here, too. even he and bolin are evidence of the times — earth nation father, fire nation mother. something that would have been a rarity a hundred years ago is now... actually pretty common. where there's less isolation, there's bound to be more amalgamation.
and if it would help bolin, he'd be all for it. )
( republic city. not the nicest place on the planet, but man. some of the views.
if bruce knew he were here, he'd get the berating of a lifetime. it's not like he's held prisoner on their small mountain side recluse, hidden away from people, steadily training, but. bruce is, by all accounts, technically his father, or at least a father like figure. he's supposed to listen when he says stay put. not only that, as the oldest he's supposed to ... set an example, for tim and jay. be responsible. follow orders. stay still and out of sight.
once bruce is out of sight, jay hits him with the, i'm not the one with a nearly extinct method of bending. i shouldn't have to hide. and you know what? touché.
dick couldn't care less what the other two do, as long as they're safe. jason gambles, pickpockets for amusement, generally reeks a healthy dosage of discourse on the citizens of the republic. tim does more secretive stuff. talks with people in hushed tones, sneaks his way in to watch opera shows, goes out of view and out of reach of dick's gaze, which worries him a bit, but they're all capable of taking care of themselves. bruce has seen to it, made sure they're stronger without their bending than benders with it. it feels good to be strong after what all three of them have been through, but it does feel like a waste, in certain aspects. all this power and nowhere to use it. they just sit in the mountain and get stronger, training for a war bruce has been preparing since he was a boy. they don't use the tools at their disposal to help anyone.
or didn't. dick didn't use the tools at his disposal to help anyone. now he does.
honestly he didn't mean to, the first time. there's always something happening in republic city, and he just happened to witness a crime he couldn't ignore. he pulled a water tribe scarf over his face, dropped a thief at the police station's doorstep, and that was the end of that. at this point, he's gained a little bit of a reputation for himself. helping the helpless, fighting the people who think they're noteworthy. defying authority. dick beats them all without breaking a sweat, and the police - well. they hate him. he doesn't fight arrest when they come for him, but he does always manage to sneak out of handcuffs and confines, whatever they wrestle up to contain him. it's not their fault. they've never had to deal with a lawbreaking airbender before, and dick is just sneaky enough to avoid detection.
it's also, pretty much, always the same police man arresting him. the pretty one, with the face. officer mako.
far as nights go, this one's been pretty quiet. dick takes a perch on a rooftop, mindlessly munching on flavored shaved ice. cities like this never really go to sleep, and dick adores that about it - there's always something going on, someone to see. speaking of. he catches sight of the notorious cop he's been paining in the ass since he started this vigilante business, breaking off from a patrol of cops and going his own way. once he's alone, dick swoops down, landing on a nearby lamp post, blue scarf wrapped around his mouth.
he wears northern water tribe clothes. bruce's hand-me-downs. he raises a hand in greeting at mako. )
Hello, Officer! ( bright and cheerful. overly pleasant. ) It's a lovely night, isn't it? You look radiant. Can I take you on a date? Or maybe ... a game of tag? ( wink wink.) You're it? C'mon, I'll go easy on you.
if bruce knew he were here, he'd get the berating of a lifetime. it's not like he's held prisoner on their small mountain side recluse, hidden away from people, steadily training, but. bruce is, by all accounts, technically his father, or at least a father like figure. he's supposed to listen when he says stay put. not only that, as the oldest he's supposed to ... set an example, for tim and jay. be responsible. follow orders. stay still and out of sight.
once bruce is out of sight, jay hits him with the, i'm not the one with a nearly extinct method of bending. i shouldn't have to hide. and you know what? touché.
dick couldn't care less what the other two do, as long as they're safe. jason gambles, pickpockets for amusement, generally reeks a healthy dosage of discourse on the citizens of the republic. tim does more secretive stuff. talks with people in hushed tones, sneaks his way in to watch opera shows, goes out of view and out of reach of dick's gaze, which worries him a bit, but they're all capable of taking care of themselves. bruce has seen to it, made sure they're stronger without their bending than benders with it. it feels good to be strong after what all three of them have been through, but it does feel like a waste, in certain aspects. all this power and nowhere to use it. they just sit in the mountain and get stronger, training for a war bruce has been preparing since he was a boy. they don't use the tools at their disposal to help anyone.
or didn't. dick didn't use the tools at his disposal to help anyone. now he does.
honestly he didn't mean to, the first time. there's always something happening in republic city, and he just happened to witness a crime he couldn't ignore. he pulled a water tribe scarf over his face, dropped a thief at the police station's doorstep, and that was the end of that. at this point, he's gained a little bit of a reputation for himself. helping the helpless, fighting the people who think they're noteworthy. defying authority. dick beats them all without breaking a sweat, and the police - well. they hate him. he doesn't fight arrest when they come for him, but he does always manage to sneak out of handcuffs and confines, whatever they wrestle up to contain him. it's not their fault. they've never had to deal with a lawbreaking airbender before, and dick is just sneaky enough to avoid detection.
it's also, pretty much, always the same police man arresting him. the pretty one, with the face. officer mako.
far as nights go, this one's been pretty quiet. dick takes a perch on a rooftop, mindlessly munching on flavored shaved ice. cities like this never really go to sleep, and dick adores that about it - there's always something going on, someone to see. speaking of. he catches sight of the notorious cop he's been paining in the ass since he started this vigilante business, breaking off from a patrol of cops and going his own way. once he's alone, dick swoops down, landing on a nearby lamp post, blue scarf wrapped around his mouth.
he wears northern water tribe clothes. bruce's hand-me-downs. he raises a hand in greeting at mako. )
Hello, Officer! ( bright and cheerful. overly pleasant. ) It's a lovely night, isn't it? You look radiant. Can I take you on a date? Or maybe ... a game of tag? ( wink wink.) You're it? C'mon, I'll go easy on you.
( mako likes to think he has a high tolerance for being annoyed. after all, he grew up with bolin. he dated korra. he spent a year as a beat-cop during some of the most tumultuous times of the city. he's a detective now, and he still has to deal with every grandmother who can't get her cat out of a tree in addition to all the actual crime. if he didn't love the job so much, he'd hate it.
the blue spirit, as he's thusly been dubbed by people with less (more?) imagination than mako himself, makes him love/hate it that much more. it's like his entire goal in life is to humiliate mako, but not just him, every single generation of his family, on both sides, for the last thousand years.
it doesn't matter how many chains they sling at him. it doesn't matter how tiny the cell they lock him in. it doesn't matter if it's underground or enshrouded in ice or. anything. mako starts seriously wondering if there's some sort of... teleportation trick out there in the bending disciplines, just waiting to be unlocked. he's been meaning to ask tenzin if he's heard of anything like it across any of the elements, but then. there's no evidence the guy can even bend at all. maybe he's using the spirit world, and has figured out how to transport his physical body. maybe, maybe, maybe.
mako feels like he's losing his spirit-damned mind.
that feeling intensifies when the guy drops to a lamp post above him, utterly soundless. mako startles, stepping back automatically into stance, one hand already curled around a condensed, molten-hot blade of fire, but. oh, for crying out loud, he knows the guy won't actually attack him. he actually seems harmless in that way — not to the criminals he drops off in front of the station, but he's never hurt a cop. the blade dissipates in a shower of sparks he hopes demonstrate his intense unhappiness. )
No, thanks, no, no, no and no. I don't need you going easy on me. Are you here for your weekly arrest report or can I get on with my patrol?
the blue spirit, as he's thusly been dubbed by people with less (more?) imagination than mako himself, makes him love/hate it that much more. it's like his entire goal in life is to humiliate mako, but not just him, every single generation of his family, on both sides, for the last thousand years.
it doesn't matter how many chains they sling at him. it doesn't matter how tiny the cell they lock him in. it doesn't matter if it's underground or enshrouded in ice or. anything. mako starts seriously wondering if there's some sort of... teleportation trick out there in the bending disciplines, just waiting to be unlocked. he's been meaning to ask tenzin if he's heard of anything like it across any of the elements, but then. there's no evidence the guy can even bend at all. maybe he's using the spirit world, and has figured out how to transport his physical body. maybe, maybe, maybe.
mako feels like he's losing his spirit-damned mind.
that feeling intensifies when the guy drops to a lamp post above him, utterly soundless. mako startles, stepping back automatically into stance, one hand already curled around a condensed, molten-hot blade of fire, but. oh, for crying out loud, he knows the guy won't actually attack him. he actually seems harmless in that way — not to the criminals he drops off in front of the station, but he's never hurt a cop. the blade dissipates in a shower of sparks he hopes demonstrate his intense unhappiness. )
No, thanks, no, no, no and no. I don't need you going easy on me. Are you here for your weekly arrest report or can I get on with my patrol?
( hopeless, he's endeared immediately. if he wasn't so attuned to jason's firebending when bruce has his back turned, he might see the sparks of fire as more of a threat than he already does, given that his own ... talents, just give fire life. air's a natural source of sustenance for the flame. jason's helped him learn how to use it to his benefit, not on purpose because he's never been interested in helping, but as a resistance to pain. you beat a dog enough and it either dies or bites back. that's their relationship.
yes, he's micro thinking even that much, even for as short of a moment it is when he's got his fire going on. that's how to beat out a bender at their own game - think, where they act.
he's happy when it goes away, though. his poise is catlike, or like a gargoyle framing the crests of a building - crouched in a predatory stance, ready to leap. he doesn't, though. he settles, one leg dropping below the electrical bar, the other staying propped up so dick can rest his cheek on his knee. he's hoping the translation here is, altogether, nonthreatening. )
Something, something, it's important not to skip foreplay, something. ( he waves his hand. ) Why don't you let me join you on your patrol? Keeping in mind that if you say no, I'll probably still tail you.
( his smile catches in the light, playful. )
I can't let anything happen to my favorite cop. This is a dangerous city!
yes, he's micro thinking even that much, even for as short of a moment it is when he's got his fire going on. that's how to beat out a bender at their own game - think, where they act.
he's happy when it goes away, though. his poise is catlike, or like a gargoyle framing the crests of a building - crouched in a predatory stance, ready to leap. he doesn't, though. he settles, one leg dropping below the electrical bar, the other staying propped up so dick can rest his cheek on his knee. he's hoping the translation here is, altogether, nonthreatening. )
Something, something, it's important not to skip foreplay, something. ( he waves his hand. ) Why don't you let me join you on your patrol? Keeping in mind that if you say no, I'll probably still tail you.
( his smile catches in the light, playful. )
I can't let anything happen to my favorite cop. This is a dangerous city!
( 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. )
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. )
( his mood is a little dampened. it's not that he isn't aware that he's been a thorn in the police force's side since he started this whole shindig, but he - doesn't want to make mako's job more difficult. he's one of the good ones, and all that. he actually helps, instead of sitting idly by, or getting paid off by thugs wreaking their havoc on the city folk. it's not fair that dick is making him look like a joke to that mean old lady.
an unfortunate reality, he guesses. he actively chose to keep pursuing vigilantism, and all the unfavorable things that come along with that. for as thoughtful as dick is, he's also a little ... naive. it's been good fun, for him. for mako, it's his job. )
Can't do that. I'm terrible at following orders.
( clearly. that he's here at all is evidence enough of that.
with an overly dramatic flip, he levels the playing field between them, landing on the ground with hardly a pitter patter between his two feet. he shrugs, loosely. )
What if I help in your investigation into me? ( the portion of his brain that's supposed to form a conscience, although it generally just sounds like bruce's reproach, firmly says hey, maybe don't do that. the devil on dick's shoulder quietly tells it to fuck off. ) If you let me hang out with you, I'll give you a name. Fair?
an unfortunate reality, he guesses. he actively chose to keep pursuing vigilantism, and all the unfavorable things that come along with that. for as thoughtful as dick is, he's also a little ... naive. it's been good fun, for him. for mako, it's his job. )
Can't do that. I'm terrible at following orders.
( clearly. that he's here at all is evidence enough of that.
with an overly dramatic flip, he levels the playing field between them, landing on the ground with hardly a pitter patter between his two feet. he shrugs, loosely. )
What if I help in your investigation into me? ( the portion of his brain that's supposed to form a conscience, although it generally just sounds like bruce's reproach, firmly says hey, maybe don't do that. the devil on dick's shoulder quietly tells it to fuck off. ) If you let me hang out with you, I'll give you a name. Fair?
( it's the detective in him. a name. not his name. for all mako knows, he'll cheerfully chirrup fire lord zuko before he disappears again, quiet as a shadow and twice as hard to pin down.
that flip is a marvel of physiological engineering. he's never seen anyone move like that. not even tenzin, who by all rights is the most graceful person he's ever met, or asami, who's a close second. mako wants to. pin him down, and take him apart, and figure him out in all the most infuriating ways.
he's never gotten a read of malice off the guy. nothing mean, nothing sadistic. even the criminals he drops off are just... banged up. but it's never in places that intersect with massive pain-points. the broken bones are never compound. never any significant damage to the trunk, the sort that leads to internal damage that leads to death. mako knows he's decent, which is one of the reasons why he's so damn up the wall about it. because if this guy would just. take five minutes and work with him, he thinks they could accomplish a lot together. )
Look, I practically invented this hustle. 'A name' means you aren't going to give me anything even close to yours. And I already know, your version of 'helping' would just be to throw me off the scent.
( it's foolish. but mako is so tired of this. he just pinches the bridge of his nose. )
I know you're connected. I know you either come from wealth or have a wealthy benefactor. I know you must've had some experience in your past that makes you want to clean up the city. I know you hate violence. You know the city, so you're either from here or you have the resources to learn it, and I do mean all of it, so... full access to city planning somehow. And I don't think you're a firebender.
( he didn't have the right. reaction. to the flames. he's not sure how to really articulate it. it wasn't like his body language changed massively, or that he said anything about it, but there was just... something. mako's instincts are sharp, and he's been relying on his ability to read people since he was a child. he knows when to listen to his gut. )
that flip is a marvel of physiological engineering. he's never seen anyone move like that. not even tenzin, who by all rights is the most graceful person he's ever met, or asami, who's a close second. mako wants to. pin him down, and take him apart, and figure him out in all the most infuriating ways.
he's never gotten a read of malice off the guy. nothing mean, nothing sadistic. even the criminals he drops off are just... banged up. but it's never in places that intersect with massive pain-points. the broken bones are never compound. never any significant damage to the trunk, the sort that leads to internal damage that leads to death. mako knows he's decent, which is one of the reasons why he's so damn up the wall about it. because if this guy would just. take five minutes and work with him, he thinks they could accomplish a lot together. )
Look, I practically invented this hustle. 'A name' means you aren't going to give me anything even close to yours. And I already know, your version of 'helping' would just be to throw me off the scent.
( it's foolish. but mako is so tired of this. he just pinches the bridge of his nose. )
I know you're connected. I know you either come from wealth or have a wealthy benefactor. I know you must've had some experience in your past that makes you want to clean up the city. I know you hate violence. You know the city, so you're either from here or you have the resources to learn it, and I do mean all of it, so... full access to city planning somehow. And I don't think you're a firebender.
( he didn't have the right. reaction. to the flames. he's not sure how to really articulate it. it wasn't like his body language changed massively, or that he said anything about it, but there was just... something. mako's instincts are sharp, and he's been relying on his ability to read people since he was a child. he knows when to listen to his gut. )
( he cracks a sheepish smile, utterly caught. but he's learned something about mako now, too - he wasn't always a cop, or even always on the morally white side of things like he is now. a street rat, in all likelihood. the term hustle has some connotations to it, and honestly, that's probably why dick has taken such a shine to him. he's not like the rest of them. he's lived in the dirt and still knows how to shine.
he leans from foot to foot like he doesn't know how to stay still for too long, weighing out his options. angel and devil at his shoulders again, hissing don't do it or do it respectively. dick pretty much always goes with the devil, it's a wonder why the other one keeps trying.
so, he tugs the scarf down. yanks it off his neck, tucks the middle of it into his back pocket so it drapes down his leg. ta-dah. he gestures. )
Can't hustle my way out of that, right?
( face is a face. anyway, it's not one mako will have recognized, unless he happened to see a travelling circus in the earth kingdom about ten years ago, but. even then, dick was prepubescent, and looked a lot different. he's grown into himself at this point, matured. )
Anyway, between us, my birth name's been out of the public eye for years, so it probably wouldn't turn up anything if I gave it to you.
( but. it'd turn up enough. the flying graysons, a mother and a father, murdered by earth kingdom mafia on a trick stunt. his parents, caught between saving their son or unveiling their airbending secret to the world. without question, they died, so dick could live. by the time anyone discovered the arrow tattoo his father kept concealed with a bandanna, dick was well on his way into bruce wayne's care, stolen without a word. )
Maybe you can ask me some yes or no questions? And then we can be buddies, right?
he leans from foot to foot like he doesn't know how to stay still for too long, weighing out his options. angel and devil at his shoulders again, hissing don't do it or do it respectively. dick pretty much always goes with the devil, it's a wonder why the other one keeps trying.
so, he tugs the scarf down. yanks it off his neck, tucks the middle of it into his back pocket so it drapes down his leg. ta-dah. he gestures. )
Can't hustle my way out of that, right?
( face is a face. anyway, it's not one mako will have recognized, unless he happened to see a travelling circus in the earth kingdom about ten years ago, but. even then, dick was prepubescent, and looked a lot different. he's grown into himself at this point, matured. )
Anyway, between us, my birth name's been out of the public eye for years, so it probably wouldn't turn up anything if I gave it to you.
( but. it'd turn up enough. the flying graysons, a mother and a father, murdered by earth kingdom mafia on a trick stunt. his parents, caught between saving their son or unveiling their airbending secret to the world. without question, they died, so dick could live. by the time anyone discovered the arrow tattoo his father kept concealed with a bandanna, dick was well on his way into bruce wayne's care, stolen without a word. )
Maybe you can ask me some yes or no questions? And then we can be buddies, right?
( mako is ready to argue his face off when dick... does. all of that. the scarf flutters when he peels it away, revealing the man underneath, and he. stares.
he doesn't know what he was expecting. his only prior experience with people concealing their face was amon. but dick is nothing like that. he's beautiful. sharp-featured, incredibly comely, you could cut glass with the line of his jaw and mako. swallows hard. every protest he might have had just dies on his tongue and his hand, which he'd raised, drops back down.
korra, a while back, had offered to set him up with wei beifong, and he'd turned her down. he didn't really look at men that way. he hardly looked at anyone that way, but dick makes him realize maybe he should. rethink that stance. he snaps his attention elsewhere when he realizes he's staring, trying to unstick his tongue from the roof of his mouth. )
I don't want to be your buddy. I want to do my job.
he doesn't know what he was expecting. his only prior experience with people concealing their face was amon. but dick is nothing like that. he's beautiful. sharp-featured, incredibly comely, you could cut glass with the line of his jaw and mako. swallows hard. every protest he might have had just dies on his tongue and his hand, which he'd raised, drops back down.
korra, a while back, had offered to set him up with wei beifong, and he'd turned her down. he didn't really look at men that way. he hardly looked at anyone that way, but dick makes him realize maybe he should. rethink that stance. he snaps his attention elsewhere when he realizes he's staring, trying to unstick his tongue from the roof of his mouth. )
I don't want to be your buddy. I want to do my job.
( dick notices, of course. he's a fairly observant person, because that's how bruce trained him to be. but. his birth parents raised him to have manners and be polite, so he doesn't call mako out on it. just smiles, warm and friendly as ever, although it feels a little more honest with the mask out of the way. it was a barrier between him and the rest of the world, a wall of confidence keeping him safe. now he's. just himself. a little more sheepish, but a little more kind, too. )
Well, here's the thing.
( there is no thing. mako, just hang out with him.
it's also blindingly obvious that he isn't water tribe, now. dick has tan, sunkissed skin, but it's nowhere near the caramel of water born children. )
I'm kinda just a citizen now, if you squint a little. Isn't part of your job ... I don't know, to help the people? Help me, I need help.
Well, here's the thing.
( there is no thing. mako, just hang out with him.
it's also blindingly obvious that he isn't water tribe, now. dick has tan, sunkissed skin, but it's nowhere near the caramel of water born children. )
I'm kinda just a citizen now, if you squint a little. Isn't part of your job ... I don't know, to help the people? Help me, I need help.
( mako spools himself up into a little knot of tension. which isn't hard, it's like his version of the avatar state. except he's in it. all the time. the thing is, dick's giving him a loophole. only mako doesn't do loopholes. once upon a time he would have looked for them, exploited them, come out on top of whatever bargain was being struck, but he is very meticulously by the books, now.
not water-tribe, no. he could be a child of two nations, like mako himself is. he may look obviously fire nation, and bolin obviously earth, but cultures have been intermingling now for over a hundred years. but it's one more detail mako files away in the open logbook he's got running in the back of his mind. categorizing every detail. bruce really missed the boat on collecting this orphan prodigy. )
Why are you doing this?
( it's all he can think to ask. he isn't going to play along. he'll be nice, to certain values of the word, but. he's aware it could well be a trap. something designed to distract him or throw him off his guard. )
not water-tribe, no. he could be a child of two nations, like mako himself is. he may look obviously fire nation, and bolin obviously earth, but cultures have been intermingling now for over a hundred years. but it's one more detail mako files away in the open logbook he's got running in the back of his mind. categorizing every detail. bruce really missed the boat on collecting this orphan prodigy. )
Why are you doing this?
( it's all he can think to ask. he isn't going to play along. he'll be nice, to certain values of the word, but. he's aware it could well be a trap. something designed to distract him or throw him off his guard. )
( there's a fluster of a laugh, dick nervously bringing his hand up to rub the back of his neck. )
C'mon. Don't ask me that.
( he likes you, mako. and he's never had a friend before, unless you count jason or tim, though - dick doesn't. they're more like siblings, probably. and mako should really be considered closer to his enemy, but dick doesn't really work in lines like that. he wants to see the good in people, and mako wears good like cologne on his neck. dick could smell it a mile away.
he teeters, vaguely. )
I feel bad you're getting in trouble because of me. Really, I mean it. ( he'll have to ... cut back, or something. or stop altogether, but then. people would suffer and dick - wouldn't get to see mako anymore. ) Don't you want the chance to pick at my brain? Do your whole detective thing, you know, uncover my tragic past and secret life.
You'll probably learn a lot. I'm a really bad liar, promise. ( this is a lie!! )
C'mon. Don't ask me that.
( he likes you, mako. and he's never had a friend before, unless you count jason or tim, though - dick doesn't. they're more like siblings, probably. and mako should really be considered closer to his enemy, but dick doesn't really work in lines like that. he wants to see the good in people, and mako wears good like cologne on his neck. dick could smell it a mile away.
he teeters, vaguely. )
I feel bad you're getting in trouble because of me. Really, I mean it. ( he'll have to ... cut back, or something. or stop altogether, but then. people would suffer and dick - wouldn't get to see mako anymore. ) Don't you want the chance to pick at my brain? Do your whole detective thing, you know, uncover my tragic past and secret life.
You'll probably learn a lot. I'm a really bad liar, promise. ( this is a lie!! )
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