Wide green eyes stares from darkness. Tiny hands clutching the front part of a ragged shirt. Button nose peeking from the dark, sniffing the humid air filled with a hearty scent of meat-filled dumplings mixed with a rancid odor from the garbage dump. Bolin's lips puckered by the smell of trash, but also smiled longingly from the scent of dumpling.
He used to eat them everyday, vegetable and meat filled dumplings with a side of sweet and salty soy sauce. Kind smile from his mom brightens his day, a loud and booming laughter from his father lightens up the mood. Even he cannot deny that those were the good days when he and Mako still have parents.
Then comes fire, ashes, and death. Dead bodies of his parents sprawled on the floor bloodied, cinders and embers filled the house with unbearable heat. Mako holds his hands as they both ran away from the burned house, a red scarf covers his face up to his mouth, but Bolin was sure that he saw a trail of tears.
The memories of family, it were so much and so good.
Bolin walks out from the dark alley, slowly approaching the source of the dumpling scent. Nobody on the Republic City park seems to bothered by a street rat like Bolin, although an old woman with a domesticated platypus-bear sneered and scowled when he accidentally stumbles into her. Bolin paid her no attention, squeaking a small "sorry" as a mere formality, he continues to find the source of the scent. Slow growls of the platypus-bear made Bolin to quicken his pace for a while. After all, he knows better not to mess up with a platypus-bear.
The 8-year-old boy mouth waters at the sight of a dumpling vendor. For 2 years he and Mako had to scavenge the trash bin around Republic City for scraps of food. He almost forget the taste of real food itself since he ate mostly scraps...stale and sour breads, mushy and overripe ash-banana, nearly rotten piece of meat that cooked by Mako's firebending to kill the germs. On some rough nights, they went to bed with an empty stomach..
He forgets the taste of pau buns, the salty and savory taste of komodo-rhino sausage, the luxurious taste of a roast duck, even the humble taste of a plain white rice he used to eat everyday.
He almost forget the taste of living.
As his scrawny feet lead his way to the dumpling vendor, he rummage his pocket for a money. He did not find anything except a small copper yuan. Not enough to buy something as delicious as the dumplings.
Mako told him not to steal, but he pushed away the thoughts. He managed to snatch a paper bag and filled it with pieces of dumplings before running away.
The vendor shrieks, her eyes glared at the dirty street rat.
"Dirty street rat! Thief! I had enough of this!"
Bolin ran faster to the dark alley, swinging his left hand wildly to raise a few crude walls of earth, along with small but not sharp spikes of earth to slow away the pursuers. Right hand clutches the dumpling bag, the heat burns his hands, but also a silent reminder that he can eat a full and palatable meal for tonight.
A reminder that he and Mako can eat, so Mako can smile again after 2 years in the cruel street.
Panting hard, he slowed his run into a fast walk once he was sure that his pursuers were gone. The bottom part of the paper bag was damp and wet because of the steam and juice from the dumplings. Smiling, he take one sniff of it. The memories of mom flooding again...her jasmine-scented perfume, kind green eyes, and how her provide the family with filling meals every night. Bolin mouth waters at the scent, but he promises to himself to let Mako eat the dumplings first.
Bolin finally arrives at his home, a crude makeshift tent made from earth. He pats his brother shoulder once to wake him up.
Mako yawned, rubbing his eyes, he ruffles Bolin hair before getting up.
"What's up, Bo?"
Bolin grinned and showed Mako the dumpling bag. Mako eyes widen at the sight of food, taking the dumpling bag from Bolin, he puts the bag aside.
"Where did you get the dumplings?" He said in a serious tone.
Bolin smile faded a little, he can't tell his brother that he actually stole them. As silence lingers in the air, Mako ask Bolin once again in a louder and more serious tone.
"Answer me, Bolin. Where did you get the food?"
Bolin smile was gone. Why is Mako angry? Did he hate the dumplings? Did he know that it was stolen from somebody?
Bolin finally spoke. "I stole them."
Unease silence waft in the air, Bolin fidgets with his shirt nervously, avoiding his brother stare.
The 10-year-old firebender slapped Bolin in the face. Stinging pain burns Bolin cheeks, Bolin lowered his head to the ground, one hand placed on the spot where Mako slapped it.
Mako told him not to steal, and he defy his brother plead.
"Didn't I told you that we won't ever steal?"
Mako voice got louder and louder every time.
"Why did you stole them, Bolin? Did you forget what father told us? So why did you steal them?! Are we desperate enough so we can steal from somebody?! Answer me!"
A small flame erupted on Mako hands, lighting the tent with orange glow. Mako quickly quelled his anger and extinguish the flame, leaving the tent darkened again.
Bolin bit his lower lip and cried, tears dripping from his eyes to the earth below, staining it with a darker colour as the grey concrete floor absorbs the water.
And Bolin sobs and tears stung Mako heart more.
He pull his younger brother in a tight hug, his hands rubbed Bolin back to calm him. As Bolin tears dampens Mako scarf, Mako also cries.
He cries of their poverty, he cries because he broke his brother heart. He cries of the cruel life on the street.
He cries because he slapped his brother.
He let out a shaky breath before wiping his brother tears.
"We are poor, Bo, I can't even deny that...but I beg you, do not ever steal from anybody, that hurts them as well...do you understand?"
Bolin nodded. Mako hugged Bolin once again.
"Remember what mommy and daddy told us? One day our life will change, we must not steal, and we have to keep each others back. I promise, Bo, we're brothers, we'll get through this mess together"
The young earthbender wipes his tears and smiled weakly. Snot drips from his nose, he wipes it with his ragged shirt.
"You s-s-slapped me because I'm naughty, right, M-mako? I'm sorry for stealing the food...I just want you to smile"
The firebender smiled again, and kiss his brother forehead before ruffles his shaggy hair. Bolin small laughter echoes in the earthen tent. Mako reached the paper bag and opens it
"Let's eat the dumplings"
They ate the dumplings in silence, Bolin stuff the dumplings in his mouth, munching vigorously before picking another one. His hand stopped in the air as he give the last dumpling to Mako.
Mako shooks his head, letting his brother have the last piece. But Bolin knew that Mako was still hungry.
He split the dumpling in half, one small piece, and one bigger piece, he gave Mako the bigger half of it. Grinning, he shot a sincere smile to Mako. Bright green eyes met amber eyes.
"Brothers share? Right?"
Mako took the dumpling piece and tossed it into his mouth, he jokingly cleans his hands in Bolin shirt, ignoring his brother complain.
For once, they feel happy and content.
"What will we find tomorrow?"
"Anything, Bolin, I won't let us starve"
"Will we be okay?"
Mako unties his scarf and put it in Bolin neck.
"We will, Bolin, now let's get some sleep"
Bolin lays down on the thin cot that Mako and he found from the garbage site, Mako lays next to him, one arm circling his brother's sleeping body protectively. The brothers drifted back to sleep.
We are brothers, we will get through this mess together...
So that's some Bolin and Mako childhood story :D again, sorry for bad grammars. I do not own Legend of Korra
Happy reading!