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Bloodbent, this is for you ;) Hope you enjoy and review

Bolin was always good at faking a smile. The doctors called him their most optimistic patient. But Mako knew better. He knew that right now, no matter how hopeful his little brother's face appeared, he was terrified.

"So," Bolin said, looking mostly at the floor. "Another failed treatment. That's, um… that's a bummer, huh?"

The doctor didn't know quite what to respond to that, so she just stood there with her stupid clipboard while Bolin gathered himself enough to put his plastered smile back on. "What's our next step, then?"

The doctor's gaze quickly fell to the clipboard, and she flipped through her papers. Some bedside manner. Probably the papers were all just copies of a note that read, When conversation with patient becomes awkward, feel free to stare at these. "I'm afraid there… aren't many options left," she finally said.

"Oh." Even Bolin couldn't hold a smile after that. Mako felt his heart sink into his stomach. Things like this didn't just happen. There were always more choices… more things to try. The brothers of Team Avatar didn't just lose.

"Well, hey, 'not many' still means 'at least one', right?" Bolin asked hopefully.

Mako wasn't so sure that it did, but the doctor clutched the distracting clipboard to her chest and actually made eye contact with him again. "Technically speaking, we do have another option," she said. "But it's… controversial."

"Explain it," Mako said before Bolin could answer.

The doctor took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "We have… certain liberties in the medical field," she said. "Under certain very strict circumstances, we have the government's permission to use Medical Bloodbending."

"Bloodbending?" Mako and Bolin asked, more or less at the same time.

The doctor nodded. "We can attempt-attempt, mind you-the remove the diseased blood from Bolin's body while giving him new blood through an IV. But it's extremely painful. The success rate is low. To be perfectly frank with both of you, most patients opt to simply live the rest of their lives as comfortably as possible rather than being put through it."

Mako felt sick to his stomach again, and scolded himself for even getting excited to begin with. What the doctor had just described wasn't an option; it was an invitation to torture Bolin after he'd already been through more hurt than Mako could stand watching.

"I'd… like some time to think about it," Bolin said quietly.

"Of course." The doctor gave a polite bow and exited the room. Probably all too happy to be away from the tension. The room was quiet for a long while after she'd left. Bolin kept gripping and releasing handfuls of the bleach-scented bed sheets, working his lips in silent attempts to form words.

"So," Mako prompted him gently. "What are you thinking?"

"What am I thinking?" Bolin snapped. "I'm thinking that sounds like the most terrifying thing I've ever heard. And I fought through the End of the World." He rubbed his eyes across his arms, quickly so Mako couldn't see if there were any tears. "I mean, all I can think of when I hear 'bloodbending' is Tarrlok shoving me to the ground. I could barely breathe. Or when Amon had me tied up on that stage and I thought I was going to lose my bending forever." He looked up at the white-tiled ceiling, sprinkled with dents and scratches. There was no hiding it now; his eyes were red and his voice shook as he spoke. "I'm kind of a coward, huh? I mean, you and Korra got it way worse than I did. You two had Amon shove you all around like some kind of puppets. And Korra really did lose her bending."

"You're not a coward," Mako cut in. "But this isn't like with Amon, either. They're not going to be using it to hurt you. They'll be using it to heal you."

"It's still bloodbending, Mako. Can't really get around that."

Mako gritted his teeth. Bolin had a point, but working over the alternative in his mind… Mako couldn't process that.

"They're your doctors," he said. "They know what they're doing. I'll admit, I'm really cautious about this whole idea, too. I want there to be another way. But if there isn't… if there really aren't other options…" His voice choked on his last words and he swallowed hard. Bolin was the one who was sick. Mako was supposed to be here to comfort him. He couldn't let that role get reversed. "I'll try anything," he said simply. "But it's your choice. I'll support you, no matter what."

Bolin nodded thoughtfully. "It's not even the pain itself. I keep thinking about Korra. She still has flashbacks about Amon, even now, years later." He stared over at the window. It was open a crack, and a gentle breeze blew the curtains back and forth, like they couldn't make up their minds about what they wanted to do, either.

"But then, I keep thinking some more," Bolin went on. "And I realize that right now, I don't have any years. And I want them real bad."

He turned back to his brother, and Mako saw something in Bolin's face he hadn't seen in a long time… real hope. "I've come this far already," Bolin said. "I'd like to try it."

Mako stood up. For all his talk about supporting Bolin's choices, he was insanely relieved that they agreed. "I'll call the doctor back."

#

The next morning came too soon for Bolin. His brother walked beside him as they wheeled him to the treatment room.

"You're gonna do great, Bro," Mako said, giving his shoulder a little squeeze.

Bolin nodded solemnly. He wanted to believe that. Desperately. But then the doctors words crept back into his mind. This was going to hurt. A lot. It could even kill him.

I don't want to die.

Bolin felt tears welling and he tried to brush them away before Mako could see. He'd been doing that a lot lately.

The treatment room was smaller than he expected—

Enough room for the treatment table, a few staff and their equipment but not much else. In the far right wall was a large observation window in direct line of sight with the nurse's station. Bolin could see several doctors milling around. Additional staff on standby—in case something went wrong. Bolin swallowed and Mako squeezed his hand.

"I'm sorry sir." The doctor from yesterday approached and gestured to Mako. "But I'm afraid we're going to have to ask you to step outside until the procedure is over."

Mako started to protest. "Like heck I will—"

"It's okay, Bro. I got this," Bolin cut in, forcing himself to smile. If this really was going to be their last moment together, Bolin wanted Mako to remember him being brave.

Mako let out a slow breath, then finally nodded.

"Okay. But I'll be waiting right outside the whole time. I promise." Bolin saw him blink back a tear. Then he leaned down and embraced Bolin as hard as he dared, reinforcing the words; "I love you, Bolin."

"I love you, too, Mako."

A nurse showed Mako to the door; not that he was going to go very far. To emphasize this, Mako even tapped lightly on the glass.

Bolin held Mako's gaze until another nurse came over and helped him out of his wheelchair and onto the procedure table.

The metal table was covered with a fresh sheet that smelled like lemon soap. Bolin tried to focus on that as he lay down instead of the leather straps that the nurses were fitting around his wrists and ankles.

"This is just standard procedure," the nurses assured him as she placed an IV in his arm. But Bolin knew that was just the polite way of saying they needed to keep him from thrashing during the treatment.

The other doctors arrived shortly after. Funny, they didn't look scary or evil. They just looked like normal people trying to do normal doctor stuff. Only this wasn't normal. This was bloodbending.

"Just try and relax," the lady doctor said with kindness in her voice. "We're going to start by pulling the effected cells from your bloodstream."

Sounded simple enough. For as simple as this procedure was, at least.

Bolin nodded and closed his eyes. Maybe if he didn't look, it wouldn't hurt as much. Like getting a shot. Or ripping off a leech.

Surprisingly, Bolin didn't feel any pain at first-just an odd sensation. A slight pulling deep inside. Maybe because this wasn't like the battle with Tarrlock at city hall. The doctors were trying to be gentle. Trying to help. But as the feeling went on for minutes (hours?) and the doctors reached deeper, the strange pulling turned uncomfortable, like putting pressure on a bruise—except everywhere.

Surly it was going to be over soon, right? Any minute now. But it didn't stop. The doctors continued, drawing even deeper, until Bolin felt like his blood had turned to liquid fire. Bolin clenched his jaw, trying not to cry. How proud would Mako be if he could make it through this without crying?

"All right, Bolin," he vaguely heard one of the doctors say. "We're going to extract the blood now. It's going to feel a little strange, but try not to struggle."

An invisible grip unclenched his jaw, and he gasped involuntarily.

I can't breathe! Why can't I breathe?! Bolin's eyes opened wide and he looked at the doctors, desperate and afraid. But they didn't seem alarmed. They just kept moving through their stances. Was this normal?

Bolin felt a flooding of warmth in his stomach, then up through his throat. Then the lady doctor executed a new stance pulling a thick stream of dark blood from Bolin's mouth. The pressure on his jaw eased. Bolin gagged.

The doctors relaxed in their stances a bit, giving him a chance to catch his breath. One of the nurses dabbed sweat from his brow. "You're doing great so far," she praised him. "Just a few more to go—"

A few more?

Bolin bit his lip, trying to hold back a sob as the doctors resumed their stances and began again.

An hour (or was it a day?) later, the doctors drew out their tenth batch of his blood. Bolin lay still, shivering hard despite the raw fire burning on his insides. He watched with glazed eyes as the doctors flicked out sore limbs and muttered amongst themselves while nurses recorded readings from machines, checked his IV's and replaced his blood-bag with a fresh one. One of them offered him a sip of water from a straw. Bolin tried, but gagged as the water mixed with the taste of blood.

"Is it over?" he asked weakly.

The nurse looked down at him with sympathetic eyes. "Almost."

Somewhere far away he thought he heard Mako's voice, arguing. "Can't you see how much pain he's in!"

"Sedatives will only hinder the procedure," someone else, another doctor maybe, assured. "I promise, we're being as gentle as possible,"

"All right, Bolin," he vaguely heard one of the doctors say over his throbbing head. "We're going to have to levitate you now to get clear access to your spine."

Bolin felt himself sob.

"No—please…" Please don't make me do this again!

"There are still cancer cells in your bone marrow," the doctor explained. "We've need to get all of them for the procedure to be successful. If we stop now…"

She didn't need to finish. Bolin could see the words etched in her face.

If they stopped now, he was going to die.

Bolin whimpered and closed his eyes tight. He didn't know if he could take any more pain. But he did know he didn't want to die. He wanted to taste his favorite noodles. To stroke Pabu's fur. To watch the way Mako's mouth twitched whenever he made a bad joke. He wanted to live. More then anything.

He could already feel the table lifting away. Feel the restraints growing taut against his wrists and ankles.

"Are you ready?" the woman doctor asked.

He wasn't. But he gave the slightest nod.

Pain couldn't even describe what followed. This wasn't pain. This was a nightmare. He wasn't in some hospital getting medical treatment. He was getting bitten my a million viper-rats. Or drowning in a pit of lava.

Yes. This was only a dream and any moment now he was going to wake up in his own bed. Warm and safe and well…

Only he wasn't waking. Bolin tasted tears. He tried to move his arms only to find leather straps digging hard into his skin.

He screamed.

It was the only thing he could do. The only thing reminding him that this wasn't some monster nightmare and that he was still alive.

#

This was a nightmare. Mako had no other words for it. But the worst of it was that door. Those stupid nurses standing in his way, refusing to let him in.

No sedatives? How is any normal human being supposed to get through that?

"Please," he said to the nurse blocking his way. His voice was broken and pathetic, but he didn't care. "Please let me go be with him."

Her face softened, but she still didn't move. Behind her, there was a soft knock on the door. She opened it, and Mako could hear the doctors bickering about something.

"…the one who's harassing all my nurses out there? Absolutely not."

"He's fighting the procedure. He needs an anchor, something to focus on besides the pain."

An anchor? Mako straightened, trying to look as dignified as possible. "I can help," he said. "I know I can."

Doctors and nurses both exchanged unsure glances at each other, but finally the doctor who had opened the door nodded approval. "Very well, then. Come in."

Mako wanted to run and shove them all aside, but he forced himself to take slow steps. Inside the procedure room, everything smelled of disinfectant. The nurses were mopping not only Bolin's brow, but the head doctor's (the bloodbender's) as well.

"We are taking a short reprieve," the doctor who had invited Mako in said, "Bloodbending is taxing on the doctor as well as the patient. We will start again momentarily." He motioned to the table, where Bolin was strapped down like some kind of prisoner. "You should talk to him."

Mako didn't need to be told twice. He hurried up to his brother. At first, he was afraid to touch him. Bolin looked so pale; his skin shimmered with sweat. He looked like a phantom of himself. Mako knelt down, taking his brother's hand in his. Bolin didn't open his eyes, only made a sort of whimpering sound, like an injured fire kit.

"Hey," Mako said.

Bolin tensed, his whole body like a twisted rock. "M-mako?" he asked in a hoarse whisper.

"I'm here," Mako replied. "I got you, bro. It's okay."

Bolin squeezed his eyes tighter; a single tear escaped down his cheek. "It hurts," he said, voice shattered. "It hurts, Mako."

Mako felt like his insides were being ripped apart. But he couldn't let it escape into his voice. His brother needed him. "I know," he said. "But it's gonna be over soon, okay? And I'm gonna be with you the whole time."

Behind them, the doctor cleared his throat as if to correct Mako. But there was nothing to correct. Mako was not leaving his brother's side. Never again.

"I promise," he said. "I'll be here." No one dared to tell him otherwise.

#

Bolin kept his eyes closed, trying to blot out the pain throbbing through him.

"Almost done," the doctors kept saying for what seemed like forever now, "Just hang in there a little longer."

Mako never let go of his hand. Even when he screamed. Or sobbed. Or almost puked when the doctors pulled the blood out of his mouth once, twice, a dozen times.

His big brother had a strong, sturdy grip. Always had, even when they were kids. Bolin always felt safe with him. It was the same now. Even as his entire body burned in agony, somehow, with Mako there, the procedure felt easier. Like he just knew everything was going to be okay. That was all he wanted, really. For everything to go back to normal. Even if he had to endure this pain for hours or days, Bolin would suffer through if it meant getting better.

After what felt like a lifetime, the doctors slowly released their invisible grip. Bolin felt the restraints loosen from his hands and ankles. Felt himself lowered onto soft linins. A gurney.

"You did it, bro," said Mako proudly. "It's over." Mako dabbed sweat from his brow with a damp cloth. "The nurses are going to take you upstairs now, okay?"

He felt raw all over. Every little movement hurt. But Bolin forced open bloodshot eyes to look into his brother's face. His lips trembled as he tried to form words. Tried to ask, to beg, Mako not to go. In the end "sta-" was all he managed to get out. But Mako understood. He squeezed Bolin's hand.

"I'll be right behind you."

Bolin's eyes drooped, rolled back in his head as he passed out. The way he sounded just then, for a moment Mako looked eight years old again. "Don't worry. I'll take care of you, little bro. I promise."

#

True to his word, Mako didn't leave Bolin's side. He did, however, ask for a talk with the doctor the moment Bolin fell asleep. It took a few minutes, but then the bloodbender knocked lightly on the door of Bolin's recovery room.

"You wanted to speak with me?" she said, stepping inside. Her hair still clung together with sweat, and she looked as if she'd been awake for days, even though she'd seemed so alert before the procedure started. Mako felt bad for bothering her, but that didn't stop him from asking his question.

"Tell me the truth. All that pain… all he went through… was it worth it?"

The doctor removed her glasses and polished them on her coat. "You seem like you and your brother have been through a lot together," she said as she slipped them back onto her face.

"Yeah, obviously," Mako snapped. Then he remembered he was speaking to the woman who might have just saved Bolin's life and lowered his head in apology. "Sorry. Yes, we have."

"Well, then, now you've made it through this, too," she said. Mako thought that sounded really stupid until she continued, "Our relationships don't grow stronger through the easy times. They grow through the pain, the tears, the heartbreak. Whatever happens to Bolin after this, whether he lives or dies, you know you've been there for him in a way that no one else has. And I think you're both stronger for it."

Mako nodded. It wasn't what he wanted to hear. He wanted a promise, a guarantee that tomorrow Bolin would wake up and be healthy and laughing again. That his Leukemia would be gone for good. But, he decided, for now his brother was still alive next to him. And for that much, he was grateful.

# # #

Bolin kept sleeping all the next morning. The nurses assured Mako that this was normal, that he might sleep for up to a week, and that they would tend to all his needs during that time. It didn't make a difference. Korra, Asami, Opal and others all came and went, coming and going again and again. Korra threatened to send Mako to the middle of the dessert if he didn't sleep at least eight hours and get something to eat. But all their fussing didn't work. Mako stayed by his brother's side for two solid days, determined not to miss the moment when Bolin awoke.

It happened on the morning of the third day. Mako had actually nodded off himself with a police novel in his hands when Bolin started to stir. As deep as Mako's exhaustion was, however, his body seemed to be on high alert for any movement from his brother. He bolted upright in his chair.

"Bro? You're awake!" he exclaimed.

"Mmm-hmm," Bolin murmured back. He looked awful. Pale, bruised all over, the IV sticking out his arm like some kind of skinny red parasite. But he was talking.

"How are you feeling?" Mako pressed.

"Mmm."

"Do you feel like you're getting your strength back? Do you want anything?"

"Mmm."

"Oh, how about food? Are you hungry? Can I get you any food?"

Bolin closed his eyes and sighed. "Water…" he said hoarsely. "Water would be good."

"Water, right. Do you want to eat, though?"

A grunt. "Crackers, maybe."

"Right. Crackers. I'll find you crackers, bro. No worries. You just relax." For a brief moment, Bolin opened his eyes and smiled. And it meant the world.

Mako pretty much jogged out of the room as crackers became the most important thing in his mind. Where did he get food around here? Was the café downstairs open yet? What did they sell? Was he even allowed to bring Bolin food or was that something he had to clear with the doctor first? He looked around the mostly-vacant hospital hallway until he spotted a familiar face among the random nurses - the bloodbending doctor, now looking fresh and alert. She would know where to get a box of crackers around here. As Mako waved to get her attention, her eyes locked on him, and she hurried over.

"I've been looking for you," she said. "We've got the test results in from the procedure." She wasn't smiling. Mako really hated how familiar he was becoming with the sensation of stomach-turning dread. He wanted to go back to a world where a glass of water and a box of crackers would make all Bolin's problems go away.

"Okay," he said. "And what? You want me to sit down for this?"

"It may be advisable," she answered. Mako grunted, but didn't sit. At least this time, though, the doctor had the decency to look him in the eyes as she spoke. "As you know, your brother's disease is very aggressive. I'm sorry. We've still detected traces in his blood."

"After the bloodbending?" Mako asked. He knew it was a stupid question, but if he didn't cling to something right now, he thought his heart might explode.

"Yes," the doctor said sadly. "After the bloodbending."

Mako did sit after hearing her words. Not intentionally per se, but his legs suddenly lost their will to hold him upright. He stumbled backwards onto a bench, leaning his head back against the cold window behind it.

"I'm so sorry," the doctor might have been saying. The whole space around him seemed like some weird trip into the spirit world - haunting, unreal. Even so, there was a question Mako had to ask. The question he'd always refuse to let himself ask before this point.

"How long?"

The doctor didn't need him to elaborate. "Three months. Possibly four."

Four months. The length of a pro-bending season. How could something that short be used to measure the rest of Bolin's life? "So what?" Mako snapped. "That whole procedure was a waste, then? My brother went through all that pain and it did nothing?"

"No attempt to save a life is a waste," the doctor said.

Mako didn't yell anything back at her, as much as he wanted to. He tried to fall back on her from a few days ago: Whatever happens to Bolin after this, weather he lives or dies, you know you've been there for him in a way that no one else has. And I think you're both stronger for it.

Mako felt his whole body shaking. He didn't want to be a stronger person. He didn't want to be anything. He wanted Bolin's life back.

"I need to deliver the news to your brother," she said. "Do you want to be in the room with him, or do you need some time to yourself?"

"I'll be with him," Mako said without a moment's hesitation. "I'll always be right with him."

#

Bolin picked up that the news wasn't good way faster than Mako had. He seemed agitated that the doctor had entered the room at all. When she started to explain how they had failed, how the disease still flowed through his body, when she gave the time frame of four months… that was all Bolin could take.

"I need to be alone with my brother now," he said. It was low, barely audible. And Mako was pretty sure the doctor hadn't heard it. He'd only heard it himself because he was sitting right on Bolin's bed, next to him, and pretty much holding his breath the whole time.

"…these are precious times," the doctor went on.

Bolin gritted his teeth. Mako couldn't say he'd ever seen his brother truly rage before. But that's what happened.

"Get out!" Bolin shouted. The doctor straightened with surprise, blinking like she'd been caught in a spotlight. She recovered, though, bowed quickly, and hurried out of the room. When the door closed behind her, Bolin lowered his head, his shoulders shaking. Mako thought at first that he must be crying. What else would he do? But then Bolin looked up, his expression twisted into a bizarre smile.

"I was right… I was right from the beginning, bro," he said.

"Um, about…?" Mako asked cautiously. This was starting to scare him. He'd never seen Bolin act like this. He had no idea how to deal with it.

"About bloodbenders," Bolin went on with a crazed laugh. "They're all evil! That doctor didn't want to help - she just wants to torture me! So that's why she lied about the test results."

"Bolin," Mako said firmly. "She's not lying."

"Of course she is!" Bolin started to stand up. His feet were unsteady, and he tried to grasp the IV pole for support. But this failed as well, and he started to fall forward. Mako lept up and caught his brother in his arms, Bolin struggling to walk forward the whole way. "They're all liars," he was saying, pushing his elbows into Mako's chest as he squirmed. "We'll talk to someone else. We'll-"

"Bolin!" Mako shouted, holding his brother back. He felt Bolin struggle against him, but the strength just wasn't there. After a couple attempts to pry Mako's arms off him, Bolin gave up and slumped back onto the bed. His skin was red and sweaty, his breathing heavy. Weak as his efforts had been, they were all he had to give.

"I… I want her to be lying," he said through gasps. Then the tears came. Not quiet, subtle tears. Tears that poured out as his whole body was seized with sorrow and fear. He leaned forward, sobbing, and Mako pulled Bolin's head to rest on his shoulder. Bolin clung to him like a scared child. The same way he used to cling to their mom back when they were kids. A scrape, too loud a sound, and little Bolin came running and pressed his face into his soft dresses, like if he just squeezed his eyes shut hard enough, she could work some magic and make whatever had scared him go away.

Mako closed his eyes and tried to remember what it was she always said to him. How she got him to sit up again and face whatever had frightened him. How she taught him to be strong.

"I know you're scared," Mako said, and he could hear her voice echoing in his own. "But it's going to be all right. Whatever happens, we're together."

It didn't work right away. But slowly, after a while, Bolin's sobs became fewer, his breathing settled. Fewer of his tears soaked into Mako's sleeve. "It's going to be all right," Mako said again, finally allowing himself to cry too. "Whatever happens, we're together."

# # #

Hey, guys! Hope you liked it! This is like a sneak peek of what is to come from my fic. To those who having read my fic, please do!