Chapter 3
Truth
Mako felt like he was in a daze as he woke up, the events of the night before seemed muddled and unclear. Also, everything seemed to hurt, his arm hurt (nothing new), his head hurt (slightly new but not surprising), and his body hurt (new and surprising). Mako wiped the sleep out of his eyes, as he sat up and started to remember the events of the night before.
"Oh yeah, was in an avatar fight, Korra and Asami are a thing." He stretched and looked around. "And somehow I got from the fight to Iroh's." He cradled his head. "And got a hang over. Ugh… that champagne was a bad idea." He looked up. "Where's Iroh? What's that smell? Did he leave for work without waking me again?"
"No, I didn't." Iroh walked into the room holding a tray. "And I did wake you to tell you goodbye you just weren't all that awake, apparently." He set the tray down next to Mako and kissed his temple. "Good morning."
"Good morning." Mako took the glass of water and practically drained it in one gulp. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, I thought you could use some papering, especially after last night."
"Thank you." Mako nodded taking a bite of eggs. "Um last night is still fuzzy for me babe. What happened?"
Iroh sighed. "Well, actually quite a lot."
Mako sat quietly and ate as Iroh relayed the events of the night before.
"And then you passed out after eating half a muffin." Iroh concluded cringing a little.
Mako set down a half empty glass of juice. "Ah, well that's a slightly bigger mess than I expected."
Iroh shrugged. "Well it's our mess now."
"You mean it's my mess now."
"No, our mess, I'm your boyfriend and the owner of those books so we share parts of the blame, you arguably a little more but still I'm here to help you sort the whole thing out."
Mako sighed. "Wonderful, don't you have work today?"
"No, it's Saturday." Iroh moved closer to him, whispering. "So I'm all yours. Every single inch." He kissed Mako's neck. "But before any of that we need to get dressed and sort this mess out with your brother."
Mako pouted. "Tease."
Iroh chuckled. "Just prioritizing, we sort things out with your brother you don't have to be all cloak and dagger around him and then maybe we'll have a little more freedom."
Mako moved around a blueberry with his fork. "A little more freedom would be really really nice." He leaned back. "Heh, maybe with Bolin clued in we can go on a vacation together and have some real freedom."
Iroh smiled. "Yeah, I'd love to take you to the Ember Island and just show you off."
Mako raised an eyebrow. "Are we safe to do that over there? To be together?" Iroh nodded. "Oh yeah, it's no big deal over there."
"So I could openly date you and be a police officer there no problem? I wouldn't loose my job or pension?"
"Well you wouldn't have any issues with being in a same sex relationship, you might run into a few problems dating the crown prince but once they saw you were a badass who didn't need a bodyguard you'd be good."
"Can I move there? I want to immigrate."
Iroh chuckled. "Sure but I'm still based in republic city and would miss you terribly."
"Damn." Mako sat back up. "There goes paradise."
.o.
Hangovers were the worst. Mako readjusted the dark sunglasses Iroh had lent him to try to keep more of the sun out of his eyes.
"Why is the sun always brighter during a hangover?" Mako whined.
"Because the sun knows your sins and wants you to stuffer." Iroh shrugged. "Or that's at least how my grandfather explained it."
"I like that explanation." Mako looked around. "Mind telling me why we're talking the long route to my apartment?"
Iroh pointed to a small bakery. "Because we need to stop there first and get donuts."
"Why? We've already eaten." Mako felt himself go a little green. "Some of us, over eaten."
"Well good thing they're not for you. I'm buying a dozen for your brother part peace offering and part strategy to keep him quiet."
"Why would you want to keep him quiet?"
"So you can explain everything while he's eating a donut. It's hard to talk when your mouth is full of donut. You're brother is a bit of a chatter box if memory serves."
"Well yeah, he kind of is, especially when he's uncomfortable." Mako narrowed his eyes. "But how do you know that? Did you have people spy on my brother?"
"Uh, no. I was just tied to him for a while and took note of more than a few of his personality traits."
"When were you tied to my brother?"
"Uh when we were captured by the Equalists. You were with Korra at the time."
"Oh, oh yeah. Forgot about all of that." Mako sighed. "So have you ever done something like this before helped a boyfriend come out to his family?"
Iroh shook his head. "Actually no, the guys I dated in the Fire Nation where already out usually and they guys I dated here… well none of them wanted to tell their family." Iroh looked sad for a moment. "I ended up breaking off a relationship with one guy because I couldn't stand the situation anymore."
"Oh." Mako looked straight ahead. "Have you ever felt like with me?"
"I'd be lying if I didn't say I wasn't frustrated about us, especially recently, but I really love what we have." Iroh smiled warmly. "I'm not willing to throw it all away just yet."
Mako took a deep breath. "Well let's hope this goes well and you don't have to."
"I don't intent to, even if this goes horribly wrong."
.o.
Bolin sighed and looked at the stack of red books. "I cannot wait to find out the whole story of these books and why Mako was acting so weird last night."
Opal shrugged. "You know they might not be connected at all."
"That would make more sense but when it comes to my brother, weird things get connected. Like did you know while fighting the Equalists he was dating a high ranking members daughter?" Bolin waved his hands in the air. "It's weird!"
Opal rolled her eyes and petted Pabu. "I think you're drawing connections that aren't there. Mako probably just needed a night to sort out how he feels, I mean he probably hoped he could get back with Korra, and as for the books well he and Iroh are probably good from him being Wu's body guard and being around important people like the General."
"Bet you five yuans that they're connected." Bolin smirked.
Opal gave him a smug look. "You're on."
.o.
Mako stopped in the middle of the staircase. "I can't do it. What if Bolin hates me after this?"
"He's not going to hate you." Iroh soothed. "You already know he's accepting. You're just psyching yourself out."
"Well I'm doing a damn good job of it." Mako grabbed on to the railing, his arms shaking. "Because I am scared shitless right now."
Iroh sighed and leaned against the railing in front of him. "Look, coming out is just like getting a tattoo you really want. You wait months, maybe years, deciding if that's really what you want and yet on the day you walk into that parlor you're scared out of your mind. But you take a deep breath and you walk through that door and you get that tattoo. While it's happening it feels like time isn't moving and the pain is more than you ever expected but after it's all said and done and you've healed, you have what you've always wanted. That piece of you that was missing is now there, a part of you."
Mako took a deep breath remembering the red dragon tattoo Iroh had that started on his hip and wrapped around his left thigh. Mako really liked Iroh's tattoo and now that he knew it was there couldn't imagine Iroh without it. He also liked the fact that he was one of the few people who had seen it. Mako relaxed a little.
"So coming out to your family was painful too?" He asked softly.
Iroh nodded. "Oh hell yeah, my twin sister and I did it together and as we told our parents, and grandparents, it felt like the worst moment of my life."
"And after you told them?"
Iroh did a cringe smile. "Well, they actually thought Lafey and I were going to tell them we were dating each other so they were super happy and relieved but while it was happening it was hell."
"They thought you and your sister? Ew!"
Iroh nodded. "Yeah, apparently that's a common fear when you have twins that they'll like each other too much."
Mako snorted. "Well, I guess the good news is my brother won't think I'm having an incestuous relationship with my twin."
Iroh chuckled. "See? You're already in better shape than I was." He held out his hand which Mako took gently tugged him towards the top of the stairs. "Now let's go."
"Ok." Mako took a huge breath and started to move. "I am such a weak baby."
"You are not anywhere close to weak Baby. You're doing something so hard right now that some of the bravest men I know couldn't do."
Mako gave a weak chuckled. "Can we talk about something else until we get to the door, anything else?"
"Of course, pick a topic."
"Have you ever thought about getting other tattoos?" Mako asked picking the first topic that sprung up.
"Yeah, just never settled on an idea I really liked. Also placement is kind of hard when you're technically not supposed to have any while in the UF."
Mako paused. "You know the more I learn about you the more of a rule breaker you become. I used to think you were such a straight shooter."
Iroh shrugged. "I follow most of the rules so I can break the ones I need to." He smirked. "Keep your nose mostly clean and no one starts looking for dirt."
"I guess that's one way to break the rules." Mako pulled out his key and opened the door to his apartment and froze at the sight of Bolin and Opal looking at them. "Uh hi!"
"I brought donuts!" Iroh yelled from behind him.
Bolin held up one of the red books. "I'll trade yah!"
Iroh laughed and slid passed Mako to hand Bolin the box. "Deal."
Bolin handed Iroh a pile of books. "Not sure why Mako had all these but Opal and I tried to find all of them, so here you go and I'll see you later."
Iroh paused. "Uh what?"
"Well, Mako and I need to talk and now that you have your books back so you're really not needed right here right now."
Mako shook his head thawing out a little. "Hey wait! He stays."
Bolin stopped. "Why?"
"Because." Mako crossed his arms. "He knows why I was acting weird last night and I want him here." Mako closed the door and leaned against it. "So have a donut and let me speak."
"Ok, ok, no need to get so aggressive." Bolin sat back down and opened the box. "Ooo! Sprinkles." He took a bit of donut. "You might have weird taste in literature General, but great taste in pastry."
"Uh thanks, I think." Iroh leaned against the counter.
Mako took a deep breath. "Ok, so first off, the reason I acted so strange last night wasn't because of what Korra and Asami told us, it was how you reacted."
Bolin tilted his head. "How I reacted?"
Mako bit his lip. "Yeah, you acted like it wasn't a big deal."
"Well it's not. I'm glad Korra and Asami are happy together. Why should I act any differently?"
Mako shook his head. "You shouldn't, it just with us growing up on the streets and all that rot, I just assume you would have acted differently that's all. Three years ago I would have had a really ugly reaction to them." Mako shook his head. "I'm getting sidetracked. Look, Iroh and I are dating and I've been wanting to tell you for…for a long time but I was too afraid of your reaction."
Bolin looked shocked then took a huge gulp. "Well you should be! Why are you dating a guy twice your age!?"
Mako blinked. "Uh what?"
Bolin pointed to Iroh. "He's like 50! Couldn't you find someone a little younger?"
"I'm only 28!" Iroh looked at himself in the mirror. "Do I really look that old?"
"Wait you're only 28?!"
"Yeah! What did you think my mother had me at 14?"
Mako covered his face started laughing hysterically and then rushed from the room to throw up.
