Deer Country IC Inbox

[pabugotmoves]

Huh? Oh-- You've reached Bolin!
Yeah, I'm a pretty busy guy but leave me a message and I'll beep you back

Comments

[arclightning]

[ Mako doesn't wince exaclty, but he pulls back a little, laughing self-consciously as realization slams into his brother. Zuko, on the other hand, lets out a startled trill, scoots backwards, and falls entirely off the counter, making Mako lunge to catch her. She squeaks in something like protest, digging claws into his arm for balance, and Mako is laughing for some reason, grinning stupidly at them both. ]

Uh-yeah. We are.

1/?

[pabugotmoves]

[eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee]

2/

[pabugotmoves]

[EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE]

3/

[pabugotmoves]

[His squeal, and it is a squeal, needs a long breath to power up before Bo just fucking explodes with a loud crow of victory.]

4/

[pabugotmoves]

MAKO!

[Pointing Disney style with both hands and all his fingers.]

YES!!

[He doesn't know what to do with his body. He wants to bowl his brother right out of his seat with an excited happiness so enormous that it could turn into destructive hooliganism at any second. The compromise is that Bolin swings himself around in a circle one way and then back before pointing again.

YES!!!

5/ ok ok I'm done. Probably.

[pabugotmoves]

MAKO!

Oh man, oh man, Oh Man!! I am so happy for you two!

[Back to his original stance, braced against the counter with both hands (one of which is in the pancakes oops) before he decides not even that is enough and he makes contact - one big arm slinging around his brother's shoulders to wrench him close.]

When did it happen, did you propose? Was it him? Was it romantic?? Tell me everything!

[arclightning]

Woah, woah—

[ Like Mako is anything less than thrilled, like he's not laughing openly with all his body at that explosion of excitement. It would be embarrassing except it's just him and Bolin and Pabu and Zuko and they're in his own house and honestly it is exciting because he never once thought they would get this far. He never thought planning a wedding was anywhere in his future and now Bolin's wrapped around him, squashing Mako against his side with the force of his excitement, because it's happening. ]

Bolin, calm—

[ He slings an arm around Bolin's back anyway, grins stupidly into the side of his head. ]

Cool it with the questions, we're not at a sleepover. Wu... kind of made a joke about it, and I told him we should look into it, and now it's happening.

[pabugotmoves]

[GOOD!!! HUG HIM!!!!]

How am I supposed to be calm, Mako, my only brother is getting married to the love of his life!? That is such a you proposal, I can't believe it.

[Not letting go!!!! In fact, he hugs tighter.]

Ugh, he and I had such a good talk about this stuff a while back. I'm so glad-- a wedding! I love weddings! I love that it's YOUR wedding!

[arclightning]

Bolin, [ Mako says again, a little more wheezily you are kind of crushing the life out of him here, bro. ] hard to marry my boyfriend if I can't breathe.

[pabugotmoves]

I love it when you say boyfriend. It's so nice.

[But okay, fine. He relents. He relents and takes a breath and lets it out. Then another.

Bolin shakes his hands out, still jittery with excitement before finally sitting back down and engaging with brunch. The congee has gone cold. He sighs and holds it out for Mako to warm with unspoken thanks in anticipation.]

[arclightning]

[ Because Mako is Mako, he doesn't hesitate in accepting the bowl, pulls it close to himself and pushes heat into it like it's second nature. It... kind of is. ]

Well, get used to... fiancé, I guess. Or... husband. Wow.

[pabugotmoves]

[Thank you, brother. Bolin watches with a smile, elbow on the table, his cheek resting in his hand. He's so proud he could burst.

Somewhere, he wonders if his talk with Wu way back when is what prompted the idea. But that's arrogant, isn't it.]

Husband. Look at you, Mako. You're all grown up. A successful business owner, getting married. Mom and dad would be so proud of you.

[arclightning]

[ Except it kind of is because of that. Because of him and Manabu and a little bit because things are finally settled. Mako ducks his head, his heart in his throat, smiling down at his bowl. ]

You, uh.

[ Spirits his voice is tight and rough. Mako clears his throat and it does nothing at all. He's so glad for the fact of Bolin, that his brother is here with him to witness this, that it isn't just him and Wu against the world. What would he do without Bolin there to make sure he remembers to enjoy his life, to drag him into the sun?

He doesn't know. ]

You think?

[pabugotmoves]

[It's a very emotional moment. Bolin is trying his best not to cry but his waterlines are sparkling a little as his smile grows and he nods. He is sure in the absolute because they are their parent's only legacy. And this is a golden moment that pushes back so many shadows of their youth.]

I know so. Because I am so proud of you.

We were never cut out to be gutter punks, Mako. This is way better.

[He sniffs and laughs, sitting up properly and wiping his eyes. Whooo boy, that sure snuck up on him.]

Whoo- man. There are so many onions in this room-

[arclightning]

[ Bolin stop you are going to make him choke up and he!! can't!

Mako has to eat a bite of congee just to keep himself from making some embarrassing noise, but he's smiling and he can't make himself stop. ]

I don't know, we were doing pretty well for ourselves. But, no. I— this is, uh. I didn't think it'd happen. It wasn't... what I expected.

[pabugotmoves]

[Stop eating Bolin's food and cry, Mako. It's good for you.]

What did you think would happen?

[arclightning]

[ If he tells you that, bro, he's gonna ruin the mood, but... well, this is Bolin. Mako shoves the bowl back his way and lets out a little sigh, pulling a pancake closer to himself with his hands instead of chopsticks. ]

I don't know, bro, marriage wasn't really... something I thought I'd end up doing, you know?

[ Because he thought he wouldn't make it there, because he thought he'd burn fast and bright, because it was hard to think about the future in such broad and optimistic terms. Take your pick. ]

[pabugotmoves]

[Wow Mako. Dark. You almost burnt right out, didn't you.

He takes his bowl back with a nod of thanks, topping it as his brother speaks.]

That makes sense, it would have been hard to follow your heart back home. I'm glad that isn't a problem anymore. You know, for all the weird scary stuff that happens here I think we really are better off.

[arclightning]

Yeah?

[ This is a return to safety a little bit. Mako can touch the bottom with his feet, anyway, feel more anchored. He chomps the lacy edge of another pancake. ]

Wu says the same thing. I mean, I get it. He'd never get to do any of this at home. Marrying the Earth King while he's still the Earth King?

[pabugotmoves]

It would be quiiiite the scandal~

But if anyone could do it, it would be you. And besides, he isn't going to be king for very long back home, either. Just until the Earth States can declare a time table for the election. So all you would have had to do was ride it out another.. I dunno. Six months?

[Is he undermining his own point? Probably. Does he realize? No.]

[arclightning]

Try a decade.

[ Mako's voice is quiet, a little more serious. He and Wu ran through it once: the number of provinces, the likely timelines for each one, the amount of trouble Gaoling had already caused, what to do with Ba Sing Se.

Wu had slowly wilted through the whole conversation. ]

[pabugotmoves]

[Wow, Bo's everything has never slammed through the floor quite so fast. It's paralyzing.]

..what??

[arclightning]

Yeah. We calculated it before we tried to go home before.

[ Mako's voice is soft and serious, his eyes fixed on his pancakes. ]

At least half a year for every province, probably more if he wanted to be really stable. Wu was going to be stuck ruling for a long time.

[pabugotmoves]

Oh.. I.. I didn't realize.

[That changes things. He plays with his porridge for a moment. No, he doesn't like that. Back to his resolute decision that being here is for the best.]

Then it double mean what I said. It's Trench City from here on out.