What Goes Around, Comes Around

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"WAHHHOO!"

"A bit of a wildman is an understatement."

Korra mentally agreed with Bolin. Her eyes shifted to the side and she watched as Tenzin's shoulders slumped and the curl of his beard deflated. From beside her, Bolin snickered; She looked further down and saw Mako had a similar posture. Confused, she looked back at Bolin—he winked.

"Big Brother problems," he whispered.

"Great. Now I have to entertain my brother." He sighed and wandered slowly to the edge of the pier, his normally tall and intimidating stature reduced to a speck as the long United Forces ship slowly drifted up to the temple.

Commander Bumi clapped his hands together again, that huge smile taking up his entire face. Tenzin tilt his head up, straining for eye contact and shouted, "I'm guessing you'll get down on your own?"

He cackled again and simply jumped off the boat. Korra's mouth went a bit slack as he flipped several times in the air before landing perfectly on his feet, the wood of the boardwalk creaking beneath his force and weight. He stood tall, chest out and hands fisted on his hips. Korra took notice of his frizzy hair, dark complexion and, standing next to Tenzin, she noticed he was even taller.

Ikki was the first of the children to get to him. "Uncle Bumi!" She squealed. She ran up and jumped into his arms; he caught her with ease, twirling her around and throwing her up and down in the air.

"Man, you pipsqueak airbenders are lighter than a feather!" He cried. Ikki continued to laugh as he set her on the ground. His hands went to scratch the top of his head before he put on a mock face of confusion. "Now hold up-did you get shorter while I was gone, Motor Mouth?"

Ikki pouted, crossing her arms across her chest. Her brother and sister came waddling up behind her. "No way! I've gotten loads taller!"

Jinora came up and clung to his side. She looked up with him, a gentle, playful smile on her lips. "Maybe your sight is going, Uncle. After all, you're getting pretty old."

His face fell as he looked to Tenzin. Tenzin shrugged, a surprising smirk on his face. Bumi finally rolled his eyes good naturedly and patted Jinora's head. "You're probably right, squirt. But hey, at least I'm not bald like your old man!"

Tenzin sputtered. "Hey! I'm not bald, I just—"

Bumi laughed. "Aw, just messin' with ya! Now come and give your big brother a hug!"

Tenzin didn't move.

Bumi pouted. "Don't be like that, now come on."

Nothing.

Bumi gave an exaggerated sigh. "Alright, fine. You've left me with no choice." He pushed past the airbender children, a wild grin on his face and his arms flailing. Korra and her friends looked on with fright, while Lin shifted her weight, a bored expression on her face—she knew Bumi all too well.

Tenzin took a step back, away from his wife and brother. "No, no, no!"

Bumi pounced and tackled Tanzin, sending them sprawling and throwing them both of the pier and into Yue Bay.

Tenzin was the first to surface, sputtering for air. He rolled his eyes when he noticed Bumi's arms wrapped tight around him, his head tucked into Tenzin's neck. Bumi sighed dreamily. "Isn't this nice?" He teased. Tenzin groaned and pushed his brother off, swimming to shore. Bumi laughed, splashing in the water a bit before following. When he stood on shore, his uniform dripping wet, Korra was surprised to see his hair was still stuck out and wild.

He shook the water from his coat, much like Naga would. He flashed a smile and scanned the group, his smile widening at the sight of Lin. "Lin!" he cried. He ran over and Korra watched as her reaction was similar to Tenzin's.

"Don't you even!" She hissed, but was cut off when Bumi grabbed her, his hands cupping her face, and proceeded to give her several quick and loud kisses to each of her cheeks. She wiggled away from his touch, wiping the remnants of his kisses from her cheeks.

"Yes, yes, it's been awhile Bumi," she mumbled. She looked up and saw his smile and softened a bit.

"You look good, Lin." He said quietly. Lin quirked an eyebrow before she coughed into her hand awkwardly.

"Ah, yes, thank you." Bumi took a step forward, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

He eyed her up and down. "I mean, you look really good."

Lin scoffed before bringing her fist down forcefully on his head. He gave a cry in protest as she grumbled, "Idiot," underneath her breath.

He recovered quickly, laughing at his own antics. He nodded his head, approving of the rag time team before him, His eyes scanned his brother's family, a fond smile growing on his face at the sight of the newest addition. Bumi looked past the teenagers: the tall one, the buff one, the one with hair almost as good as his, before his eyes landed on the shortest one, blue eyes downcast.

"DAD!"

Korra jolted up and looked around franticly. "Wha—"

Bumi crashed into her, pushing her head down and wrapping one arm around her neck. "Man, Dad, I haven't seen you in awhile." He gave her a noogie, his eyes crinkled with childlike delight.

Tenzin took a step toward them. "Bumi!" he hissed loudly. "Cut that out!"

Bumi ignored his brother and ruffled Korra's hair until it had fallen out of its hair ties. Ignoring her sputters and protests, Bumi said, "You know, I may be old but I know for sure you've gotten shorter."

He loosened his grip and Korra jumped away, panting. She looked to Commander Bumi, eyes wide and bewildered, her lips in a tight line. Bumi's larger than life grin slowly deflated, his lips finally settling into a small frown, his eyes losing their spark. "Aw, what's wrong darling?"

Korra felt Tenzin come up behind her and lay a hand on her shoulder. She gave a shaky sigh. "I just—" She bit her lip, refusing to let her voice waver. She leaned back into Tenzin's touch, her head bumping against his chest.

Bumi titled his head in confusion. He looked to Tenzin. "What is it?"

Tenzin squeezed Korra's shoulder. "Republic City is safe," he began. "But I'm afraid it came with a bit of a sacrifice…" he whispered.

Korra stared Bumi in the eye, a fierce fire behind their ocean blue color. "I've lost my bending. I'm not the Avatar anymore."

Bumi's eyes went wide. He grimaced, looking left and right. Her family and friends all looked to the fallen Avatar with worry, and he saw a desperation he hadn't seen in a long time.

He stepped back toward Tenzin and pulled Korra away from his touch. A scowl bloomed on her face but was soon replaced with confusion as Bumi slapped a hand to the top of her head.

"Brother," Tenzin warned.

He brought a silent finger to his lips. He tilted her head up so she looked him in the eye. His eyes squinted, his gaze running over her entire face before he nodded with approval. "Yep. I knew it."

Korra and Tenzin looked at each other. "What?" Korra finally said.

Bumi huffed, slinging an arm around her shoulder. He poked her cheek. "I don't see much of a problem. I just checked—" His finger ran crazily along her face, pretending he was about to stuff his finger up her nose. "I saw the same sparkle in your eyes—that one that Dad always had. He never gave up—and neither will you."

Korra swatted his hand away. "I don't think it works that way." she said quietly, looking at the waters in the bay.

"Of course it does. Spirit magic is crazy like that. Here, let me give you some Avatar advice Dad gave me a long time ago." He put his hands behind his back, reached underneath the back of his shirt, and retrieved a small boomerang. The light bounced off the shiny finish and flashed like a beacon.

"Life is a lot like a boomerang! Sometimes we lose ourselves; we get down and troubled and the important stuff seemingly gets lost." He chucks the boomerang, and Korra watched as it spun and twirled, curving around and almost hitting Beifong in the head. Lin hissed and barked and Bumi put on a small smile as he lifted his arm and it flew into his hand without him looking.

"But you know what? What you need always comes back—always." He put a hand on her shoulder, his mouth in a lopsided grin. "You've thrown your boomerang, kid, and it's gone far. But, as I'm sure this guy has taught you," he gestured to Tenzin with his thumb. "You just got to be patient. But you'll figure something out, and it'll all come back."

Korra sighed softly, adverting her eyes. "I don't know," she whispered.

Bumi slapped a friendly hand to her back. "Well that's okay, because I've got enough faith for the both of us!" He twisted her around, having her face Aang's statue. "Just look at him! You've got him to help you, plus all your other past lives! I wish I had that kind of library stored in my head, let me tell you."

Korra looked at the statue, tall and looming and frowned. All her fears came rushing back, her failures fresh in her mind. She tried so desperately to live up to Aang, and it didn't work. She felt tears prickle in her eyes but she went to wipe them away, she felt another hand brush them from her cheek.

"Hey, come on. None of that—it didn't suit my father, and it doesn't suit you."

Korra bore her teeth in a snarl. "Well, sorry if I'm a little upset! What am I supposed to do?"

A michevious grin engulfed Bumi's face as he leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Go penguin sledding."

She couldn't help it. Her tears overflowed and she broke out into hysterics, a mixture of laughter and tears. Bumi turned to his brother and gave a shrug. "Well that settles that. Penguin sledding it is!"

Tenzin groaned. "Bumi. We're going to see Mother."

Bumi slung his arm around Korra and headed to his boat. He tossed his free hand behind him and waved it limply. "Yeah, yeah, we'll do that too. But first I got to see if Dad 2.0 is any better at penguin sledding in his next life."

Korra slugged him in the shoulder. "Hey! I'll have you know, no one beats me at penguin sledding."

"Awww. He used to say that too. How cute. Some things never change."

"Hey!"

Bumi turned to the group of utterly confused family and friends. "What are you guys waiting for? There's more than two penguins in the south pole! Let's get going!"

Tenzin sighed, rubbing his temples as Pema came up beside him, her baby cradled closely to her chest. They watched as the kids filed on the boat. "What's wrong?" Pema asked.

He listened as his brother's laugh mingled with Korra's. It was loud and obnoxious and completely annoying. "Nothing, it's just…"

It echoed off the bay and rung in his ears and in the end he had to smile because it sounded so familiar.

"…now I have to find a way to beat both their butts."

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AN: Once again, he was on the screen for 3 seconds but I managed to write a fic about it. What a surprise.

I should be writing Crooked. WELP.

I got this idea from a post I saw on tumblr. they mentioned the noogie and the "DAD I HAVEN'T SEEN IN IN A WHILE" and I just had to fic it.

Bumi is my new favorite. Sorry Iroh. But he is. (besides Lin, of course.)