Chapter 1: I Don't Think That's A Good Idea
"The problem with strong is that no one ever knows when they need help..." -Unknown
Bolin opened his eyes slowly, while looking out the tall window that was next to his bed. He sat up and shifted while he threw his arms up to stretch them. He leaned back on them and sighed deeply. He reached up to run his hand through his messy bed hair. "Ugh, today's a busy day." he told himself and looked around the room he and his brother shared.
It had been the lofty room above their normal living space and Mako had insisted the downstairs open area was meant for living. Bolin didn't care as long as he had a bed and somewhere that was only his.
Mako's bed caught his eye and he noticed that it was empty. Like usual. Mako always got up and tried his best to make some kind of breakfast. Usually some kind of slop, but Bolin loved the thought Mako put into it.
Bolin had a flashback of the times when him and Mako were parent-less and Mako would try his best to make everyday just like they used to be. He tried, but they weren't the same. They never would be. But Bolin wouldn't dwell on the things he couldn't change. That's how Bolin did things. He couldn't change things, and they made him who he is. If someone really loved him, they wouldn't care if he didn't have both parents.
He slid off of his bed and didn't care enough to make it. He quickly pulled on his earthbender styled clothes and made his way downstairs to find Mako.
Mako was sitting on one of the couches they had that he had bought with the money he made down at the power plant. Mako had his head layed back on the back of the couch and had an untouched cup of tea sitting on the small table next to him. One of his arms were slung behind his head and he had his eyes closed. Bolin noticed his furrowed brow and the way his lips collected at the corner of his mouth.
He was in deep thought. Bolin didn't want to disturb him, but he wanted to tell Mako where he was going so he wouldn't be worried. Another thing about loosing loved ones, is the double worrying curtain situations bring. "Hey Mako?" Bolin said from his place by the door.
"Yeah Bo?" Mako asked raising his head slightly to look his younger brother in the eyes, his worried expression vanished as soon as he heard Bolin's voice. "I was just wanting to let you know that I was going to go out for the day. Maybe find a ...job?" his voice trailed off as he finished his sentence.
Bolin had been worried for a while now about Mako and his ways of going about everything. They were broke. No matter how Mako tried to restate it, Bolin would always know. "tight", "economically deprived" and even "disadvantaged" were just some of the euphemisms that Mako had used to make "broke" sound better. But Bolin knew. He had grown tired of the days Mako would come home exhausted and lonely a long time ago, and now he was ready to help. Even if he just made some money for small things, he still thought anything was better then Mako hoisting everything on his own shoulders. If Bolin could share the earnings, he could share the working.
"Bo, I don't think that's a good idea." He said sitting up, almost taking a stand.
"Why not?" Bolin asked getting a little upset, but he knew that Mako was just afraid to take away Bolin's life like loosing their parents had taken away Mako's. Part of him really wondered if Mako meant that he would really be bad at it. He usually did shoot his ideas down as he proposed them. Why would this one be different.
"Because, Bolin, I- I just don't." he said placing his thumb and pointer fingers on the bridge of his nose, showing Bolin how truly annoyed he was. But Bolin didn't care.
"Every other sixteen year old has a job. Why should I be different?" he asked opening the door and storming out before Mako could answer.
"Ugh!" Mako said before slinging his head back against the couch. He wanted Bolin to go out and meet people, have a good life like they would have had with their parents. He didn't want Bolin to be missing out on the fun, trouble, and mostly, the girls.