A/N:This is part 3 of the No Way Out arc, which is linked to Fools Rush In!verse.


Caution

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All is serene at the temple, relaxing and peaceful. A warm breeze from an open window tinkles the glass pendants of the little pagoda on the table and Korra stirs. Long eyelashes flutter and her eyes open into slits. Hesitantly, she widens them, adjusting her vision to the bright light. The sun has blanketed the room in a golden white glow. She's aware that she's lying on a mat but she's not sure how she got there.

Blinking the sleep out of her eyes, Korra positions her elbows on either side and tries to sit up, and fails. There's a sudden rush to her head. Vertigo takes hold and she brings a hand to her temple. Beneath her fingertips beats a throbbing pulse, a tattoo of pain, and she winces. Withdrawing her hand with a sickening grimace, she glances down to see the tips of her fingers stained with blood. Her mind tries to puzzle the pieces together—the whats and the hows—but everything is fuzzy.

"You okay?"

Korra turns her head in the direction of the voice, and the wave of nausea that hits her is so powerful that she almost vomits on the spot. Shutting her eyes tightly against the pain, she takes in a deep breath and exhales slowly, trying to suss out the identity of the voice.

"Bolin?" Korra chances to look up and sees the concerned face of her friend. "Yeah, I'm fine," she assures him, "just a little sick." She shows him her bloody fingers. "Why am I bleeding?"

The young earthbender frowns and reaches forward, tentatively touching the cut on her temple. "You don't remember what happened?"

His fingers trail up into her hairline and she winces. Only then does she smell the burnt hair and feel the sharp edge of scorched flesh.

"That's why I'm asking you," she says gruffly, swatting away his hand. "I remember training with Tenzin and, uh, after that he sent me to spar with you and Mako."

She looks up at Bolin for confirmation but he only shakes his head.

"Not quite. After your lessons with Master Tenzin, you went looking for Mako. You said something about 'shirts versus skins' and a rematch." He shrugs uncomfortably. "You wanted to spar him."

"Oh, right." Korra nods absently. "My training didn't go well with Tenzin and I wanted to let off a little steam." She offers Bolin a sheepish grin. "Lemme guess—" she points to her temple "—I got this from Mako."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Figures I can't remember," she mumbles, rolling her eyes. "So where is he now?"

"Mako?"

"No, Koh," Korra drawls. "I want to punch him in his many faces."

Bolin lets a brief smile flit across his face. It's not quite the reaction Korra's expecting.

"He left."

"Left where?"

Bolin shrugs. "Back to the city."

"What?" Korra's brow knits in confusion. "Why?"

Bolin shifts uncomfortably on his feet, avoiding the Avatar's penetrating gaze. "He hurt you, Korra. He feels responsible."

"That's ridiculous," she says with a forced laugh. "He's a probender. He hurts people all the time."

"Actually, he doesn't." Bolin inhales deeply, folding his arms across his broad chest. "Mako's pretty good at disarming his opponent without having to hurt him."

"Fine, whatever." Korra dismisses him with a wave of her hand. "I don't see why he's running away."

Bolin shrugs and Korra worries her bottom lip with her teeth, thinking. Nodding her head resolutely, she folds back the covers and swivels out of bed.

"How much of a head-start does he have?" she asks, uneasily rising to her feet. "Maybe I can catch up with him."

"Korra—"

"Bolin, you're not going to stop me. I'm bringing Mako back."

"And I encourage you." Bolin raises his hands in the air. "Rawr! Go get him, tiger! Who cares about your possible concussion, I say!"

Korra gives him a look—the kind that could kill—and Bolin steps back and out of her way, lowering his head.

"He's got a twenty minute head-start."

"Thank you."

As she goes to leave, Bolin reaches out and grabs her wrist.

"Wait!"

She looks down at his hand and he releases her arm as though he's been burned. His green eyes are round and pleading, focussed solely on her.

"Look, Korra, there's something you need to know before you confront him." He licks his lips nervously and begins to fidget. "Mako's always been a cautious bender, but you don't know the reason why."

Korra pauses, her entire attention focussed on Bolin. This is what she's been trying to figure out since she met the brothers, and now Bolin's going to tell her everything she's wanted to know.

"Mako was really excited when he found out he was a firebender. He wanted to learn everything, every technique, and he wanted to learn them all right then and there." Bolin laughs softly, looking past Korra as he recalls the past. "We'd always been taught to never bend against another person, to always be mindful of our powers.

"One day, Mako and I got into a fight. I ended up throwing this big tantrum because Mako could bend and I couldn't. To be honest, I don't remember much—I was only three at time—but what I do recall was my big brother trying his best to get me to cheer me up. He made this little ball of fire in his hand but the flame began to grow out control and he couldn't stop it.

"The fire leapt out of his palm and hit me here—" he places his hand over his heart "—and all I remember is being in a lot of pain. Woke up in the hospital a few hours later."

"And Mako—" Korra takes in a shuddering breath and looks away "—what happened to him? What did he do?"

"He never forgave himself."

Korra frowned. So this is why he became the cautious bender she knows today.

"He's not a coward, Korra. It's just how he deals. He hurt you and he thinks he has to atone for it by staying away."

"I know—"

"Please, Korra." Bolin interlocks his fingers and brings them to his mouth. "You need to tell him that the only way he can make a difference is by staying with you—by helping you."

Korra nods slowly and puts a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I will, Bolin," she says softly, before stalking past him. "I will."