This is a crosspost from Ao3. The next chapter is up over there but I'll upload it here soon. Should be weekly updates after that. This is a collection of short one-shots, varying in tone and style but centred around Bolin. I hope you enjoy!
Bolin watched as his brother created a small fire in the palms of his hand. He giggled. Bolin loved the way the flames danced in his brother's hands.
This was just something Bolin could do- he was talented in that way, but his father said that he was moving rocks sometimes so that he could do the same but with the earth. But earth was boring- and couldn't be used indoors. And Mako was older-at seven- and could do more than Bolin could. "Makoooo, make it bigger."
Mako shook his head. "I'm not meant to be making flames inside the house," Mako hissed, but he continued with his small fire. It was late- they were meant to be in bed- but Bolin couldn't sleep so he woke his brother and begged him to entertain him.
"But you are! Bigger!" Bolin cried, and Mako shushed him, but grew the flames anyway, and grinned at Bolin's beaming smile. Bolin loved the way they look, warm and dancing and flickering. It was certainly fascinating- and he loved that his brother could create such a thing.
"You two boys!" broke the awe that Bolin had been enveloped in as he jumped back from his mother's voice, as she stood there looking into their shared room, and she flicked the lights on. "Mako, I expected better of you! You need to be more responsible with your younger brother!"
"Yes Mom," Mako mumbled, having stood up to face the fury looking at the floor, shuffling awkwardly and Bolin hated that he'd got his brother into trouble. He wasn't going to take any blame, as he buried himself into the covers to hide away.
"Bolin," his mother said, and she pulled him gently up from the covers, and she only sighed at his pouting face, "if you want to see Mako firebend, then you can do it outside or when one of us are around. Don't pester Mako at night."
Their father passed through to lean on the side of their doorway. "Ah, just let the children sleep. We'll talk about it tomorrow." He said, and Naoki nodded before kissing them gently on the head. San walked into their room and ruffled both of their hair, before also gently laying a kiss on both of their heads. Naoki sighed as the two sheepishly crawled back into their beds, but San merely smiled. "Okay boys, goodnight," he said, and they nodded and turned off their room. They shut the door and turned off the lights, and Bolin shifted underneath his covers.
"Sorry Mako," he mumbled, looking over in the dark to where his brother's bed is situated.
"Doesn't matter," Mako replied, before Bolin saw his brother light up by an orange glow- he had started a tiny fire in the palm of his hand, and grinned slightly towards his brother before he snuffed it out and rolled over to sleep.
Bolin smiled and went to bed feeling full of warmth and pleasant dreams.
I hope you like and I would love feedback and the like.