Short drabble about the boat scene in Endgame. The motif of time came out of nowhere but it begged to be written this way.
Their lives were defined by the moments between them. Moments together and moments apart. Some were long, others brief. On the brink, about to return. Never too far from each other even when the physical world itself separated them.
When they were lost—when Noatak left, when Tarrlok went to Republic City.
When they were found—when their father-only-in-name told them their true heritage, their true power, that night when he defied the bloodbending.
Then, true brothers. Now, brothers-only-in-name.
Amon—Noatak—did say that he was close with the spirits. That must have been why he knew they would meet again. After all, history has a way of repeating itself.
So in that moment, when Noatak offered him the chance to be brothers again, to go away together to some quiet place where they could just be, Tarrlok doubted him. Doubted his brother, the one who had spared him. Left him. Sacrificed him.
When he saw the gear on the boat, he knew what would happen. That Noatak—Amon—would try to come back. Staring at the heavy gloves, he knew that there were two ways this could end.
His brother was already lost, no longer himself; instead, this...persona created out of some unknown hatred.
In that moment, brief though it was, he saw his brother as himself. As Noatak. As the merciful boy who would play with him instead of the ruthless man he later became.
"Let's put an end to this sad story." Even as he said this, he remained focus on the waters ahead, not sparing a glance for his brother behind him.
Tarrlok chose the less painful option.
"It will be just like the good old days."
There you go. Nothing much more than that. Please review and tell me what you think!