Desna was not looking forward to returning to father after they had failed to retrieve cousin Korra. He'd let his sister take the lead in tracking her down, once Eska put it together that she'd been tricked by Korra's imbecile boyfriend. She was unable to catch them, and her appearance was the complete opposite of her demeanor as they went to speak to their father. But before they entered the war room of the occupied palace, they overheard a conversation he was having with one of his generals.

"Leave my brother and the rebels alone in the mountains, and increase security around the Southern portal. Keeping that safe is your number one priority."

"Yes sir."

Desna opened the door and entered with sister, who the general took extra caution in walking around as he left, but father didn't even bother greeting them.

"As for you two, I need you to go after the Avatar. She's the only one who can open the Northern spirit portal."

"But Father, didn't you tell her that-"

He didn't let him finish Desna's sentence either. "I told Korra what she needed to hear. Just get her and bring her to me."

"I'll find her. She stole my husband."

"I need her alive, Eska."

"Fine", she agreed, clearly unhappy with the added condition.

But Desna had to speak up. "Father, I believe Eska should be placed in a psychiatric facility based on her recent behavior." He didn't bother looking in her direction, but he knew she was giving him a look that would cause many to burst into flames.

"Do not concern yourself with the mental state of your sister, concern yourself with not failing me again."

"...Understood."

(-)

Varrick's yacht finally arriving at Republic City was a sweet relief for Bolin. Once they'd gotten away from Eska and any Northern ships that might have pursued them, Mako had pressed him on how he'd gotten Judge Hotah to talk, and Bolin admitted he'd threatened the man with becoming Naga food. He wasn't proud of it, but it definitely wasn't something he regretted either.

It was weird though how Mako seemed more upset with Korra than Bolin, even though she'd had nothing to do with it, but either way it changed the whole mood on the way back, leaving everyone with a tense feeling.

At least the press wasn't there to hound them with questions about what happened in the South, just some cops with...Chief Beifong. Hoo boy.

"Avatar Korra, thanks for starting a war."

"I didn't start a war. Okay, maybe I did, but it's more complicated than you're making it sound."

"Whatever. Mako, I want you back on the beat tonight. There's going to be a Southern Water Tribe peace march, and I need you there to make sure nothing gets out of hand."

"Whatever you need, Chief."

"I'll go too", Korra added. "The South needs to know the Avatar's on their side."

Lin wasn't pleased with that. "Great, that'll calm things down."

"Uh, maybe you should sit this one out."

Mako...couldn't he just shut up for five seconds?

"What do you mean?"

"I just think having you there blatantly supporting one side will only make things worse. I know it's your home and all, but you could at least try to seem neutral."

"But I'm not neutral. The North invaded without provocation and tried to put my Dad in jail with a sham trial. The only reason I'm here at all is to get troops to help the South."

"Zhu Li already got us a meeting scheduled with President Raiko tomorrow", Varrick told her. We'll get him on board."

"So you can save the political arguments for someone who cares", Lin added. "Come on, Mako, I want you to look over the security detail for tonight.

As Mako walked off, Korra announced her own plans. "I'm going to find the Southern Water Tribe embassy and see what I can find out about the peace march."

"Good luck", Bolin told her. "Hey Asami, are you able to hang out at all?"

"Sorry, I'd like to, but I really need to check in with my factories."

"Okay, sure. But what should I be doing then?" He started talking to Asami, but he'd ended up yelling his question to no one in particular.

"I don't know, Bo, figure something out."

"Well, can I at least crash with you while we're here?"

He didn't get an answer from his brother, but Bolin figured it was okay since he'd gotten a spare key back from when Mako moved into the apartment. He was glad he remembered to ask, since going back to Air Temple Island right now might be pretty awkward. He still needed to figure out some way to spend his time, but Varrick put an arm around before he could.

"Let me ask you something, kid. How much of this city have you seen?"

"Pretty much all of it. I've lived my whole life here."

"But have you seen it at night?"

"Sure."

"Have you?"

"... No?"

"That's what I thought", Varrick chuckled. And so began Bolin's night with the other titan of industry in his life. He'd expected their time together to include getting into clubs he'd have no chance of getting into on his own, gaudy displays of wealth with more money than he'd ever seen, let alone make, and plenty of gorgeous women he'd have to politely turn down because he was already with the most perfect person to ever exist.

Instead, they ended up watching a pro bending tournament being put on for charity. Not that it was a bad experience or anything, the matches were great, the suite was nice, the food was great, and he'd even gotten the chance to catch up with Tahno. But it was just different than what he'd thought it would be. Every time he talked with Varrick, it felt like an interview for a job that didn't exist, and it was kinda weird how Zhu Li was just sitting there silently, only doing whatever "thing" her boss wanted on command, without explanation. Bolin couldn't figure out if it was something they'd rehearsed, or it was telepathic as he walked back to Mako's apartment and fell asleep on his couch.

"Wake up, Bo."

The curtains hadn't been fully closed, so sunlight was pouring in the room as his brother nudged him awake. "Urgh. W'time is it?"

"Almost noon. Come on, scoot over."

"Are you just getting home now?" It looked like Mako hadn't slept since they'd left the South.

"Yeah, didn't you hear what happened? Someone bombed the Southern cultural center during the peace march last night."

"Spirits, is everyone alright?"

"Nobody got hurt, but we had people going over the place saying the damage was pretty significant."

Bolin thought back to the time Korra had taken him there a few weeks after they'd defeated the Equalists, and all the artifacts she'd shown him and the stories she told, how proud she'd sounded. He couldn't imagine her taking this well. "Any leads on who did this?"

"Nothing solid. I saw a firebender running away from the blast, but Korra and everyone else thinks the North is behind this. The Southern Embassy is furious, so President Raiko has been riding Chief Beifong to make sure we find out."

Great, another thing for him and Korra to argue about. "Well, hopefully he might be more willing to help out the South then."

But there was a knock at the door and Korra walked in before either brother could answer. "He's nothing but a coward! He won't even lift a finger!"

Bolin stood up and walked over . "Korra, slow down. What happened?"

"Raiko's not sending troops to help the South. He talked about not wanting the city involved, and hoping for diplomacy, but that just means he's gonna twiddle his thumbs while the North wipes out my home! It's like he doesn't even care!"

"I'm sure he cares, but I don't think he can send his people to fight in the South Pole for a war that has nothing to do with them."

Korra and Bolin both turned around at Mako's completely unneeded interruption, and since he wasn't in his girlfriend's field of vision, he could mouth his thoughts to his brother without her seeing. Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?

"How can you take his side?", she demanded.

"Why do you always bring up sides?, Mako argued. "Why do you think I'm always working against you?"

"Well, you haven't exactly been helping me!"

"I just helped you get your Dad out of jail! And I've been trying to find out who bombed the Cultural Center!"

"Can we just calm down for a second, please?" Bolin might as well have been silent, because his brother and girlfriend were acting as if they'd hadn't heard him at all.

"Here's a hint, genius: The North! Stop acting like a detective when you're better off writing parking tickets!"

Now they were resorting to cheap shots. "Korra, come on..."

Again, no luck. "Well, stop acting like you're saving the world when lately all you've been doing lately is screwing it up!"

"Mako!"

That insult was apparently the breaking point for Korra too. "You know what, I can't be around you when you're being like this."

"You're the one being like this!", Mako retorted, but she was already out the door, so he flopped back onto his couch with his arms crossed and a deep scowl that was momentarily broken when he noticed that his brother was staring at him with a dumbfounded expression. "What?"

But Bolin just shook his head and left. He didn't have time to explain things to Mako right now.

(-)

Korra was already out of the apartment building and halfway down the street when she heard Bolin calling after her. "Korra! Korra, c'mon, wait up!"

She didn't stop moving, instead slowed down just enough for him to catch up, but she made things clear. "I'm not apologizing."

"I know", he said with a tiny laugh. "I wasn't expecting you to."

That got her suspicious right away. "Are you on his side?"

"No! I just...look, can we not do this? Both of you? You're the most important people in my life, and I don't want you fighting."

Korra relented a little bit, but she was definitely still annoyed. "I don't want to either, but why can't he just..."

"I know, it's just how he is." There was a little pause before Bolin spoke again. "I'm sorry about the Cultural Center."

"The embassy said they were able to recover a few things, but they're not too hopeful about finding much else."

She noticed Bolin had put arm around her, since he'd just given her shoulder a little squeeze. "Do you want to talk about it? Or do something to take your mind off it?""

"No, I gotta go and talk to Varrick. We need to come up with something to get help for the South."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"Yeah, that's actually why I came over. I wanted to ask if you would come along."

"Luckily for you I can", he told her with a reassuring grin.

When they got back to Varrick's yacht, Asami was already waiting there, with her own reasons for speaking with him. As soon as they entered, both girls got right to the point.

"We're running out of time. If we wait for Raiko to act, there won't be a South left to send help."

"And Sato Industries is about to go under if we don't make any sales", Asami added.

"Then you've come to the right place, cause you're about to get a front row seat to the Imagivation that's made Varrick Industries the global titan it is today!"

'Imagivation?'

"Watch the trademark, buddy", he warned Bolin. "And yes, the combination of imagination and innovation given by my world famous idea storms!"

"Is that why you're hanging upside down?"

"Yep! Zhu Li, do the thing."

Varrick's "idea storms" apparently include eating spicy peppers, since he started spouting off ideas right after Zhu Li put one in his mouth.

"Okay, here come the ideas. Fast and furious. Pink mint lemon tea. Radio for pets. Uh, hand shoes. Hold on a tic. We don't need the President to go to the South. We just need the troops! Let's go straight to them! If there's one thing I know about troops, it's that they love fighting."

That reminded Korra of a past connection. "I'm on pretty good terms with General Iroh, so he might be able to help us."

"Great!" Then Varrick spoke to Asami. "And you need to sell some mecha tanks. I know some people in the South they'd be perfect for.

"That's perfect!", Korra realized. "You'll be making money for your company and you'll be helping to defeat Unalaq."

"It's true. If you can't make money during a war, you just flat-out cannot make money."

"It's dangerous on the seas right now", Asami fretted. "But I'm willing to try it if you are."

"It'll be crazy risky, but I love crazy risky! End storm!" With that, Varrick spun himself upright and instructed Zhu Li again. "Get those ideas over to research and development, I want prototypes by next week."

"We still need more people supporting us", Korra reminded him. "I don't get why that's such a problem for Republic City."

"Don't worry, I'm already working on that. As soon as people see this, they'll be lining up to fight Unalaq. Zhu Li, do the, uh- the thing."

His assistant brought out some equipment that Korra didn't recognize, but Varrick quickly explained. "It's all a part of my new business venture: Moving pictures. Mostly garbage, but I've had an idea cooking since I had a film crew documenting the whole Northern invasion."

"Gah!" Bolin didn't realize that what was on the screen wasn't actually in front of them, because he immediately panicked when he saw Eska. "Sorry, keep doing that." He was trying to hide it, but Korra could tell he was still fearful of her cousin after the run-in he'd had, and Korra wished for an opportunity to see her again.

"Anyway", Varrick continued. "We're gonna cut that footage together to make 'The Adventures of Nuktuk: The Hero of the South! Nobody's gonna be cheering for the North when they see our superstar Bolin here fighting Unalaq!"

"Me?"

"Him?"

Varrick was confused by the surprised reaction he'd got. "Well, why not?"

"I'm not an actor", Bolin explained. "The closest thing I ever did was pretend to fight off a mugger to get some old lady to give me some groceries."

"Oh, please, acting's the easiest thing in the world. You act all the time and don't even realize it. For example, I'm 'acting' like I actually care about this conversation we're having right now!"

"Ok, but how am I supposed to be this action hero from the South when I'm from Republic City? I can't even waterbend."

"Oh, for the love of- it's all pretend! We'll have state of the art effects working on this, nobody's gonna be able to tell. And don't worry about where you're from, that's not a big deal. Geez, your Southern water tribe princess girlfriend for this is actually from the North!"

"I'm sorry, 'Southern water tribe princess girlfriend'?"

"Again, it's all pretend", Varrick reminded Korra.

"I just think that people are gonna get mad if they find out the Water tribe hero is actually...well, me," Bolin worried.

"Ughhhhh. If it's that important to you, fine. We'll have the makeup department take care of it so no one's gonna be able to tell."

Everyone else cringed at the suggestion, even Zhu Li. "That...would make things so much worse."

"Well, I don't know what you want me to do here! It's hard enough coming up with ideas without dealing with your negative...negativity! So unless you have a better idea, this is how it's going to be!"

They all sat in silence, until Bolin's face lit up. "I got it!" He whispered his idea to Varrick, who broke out with a devious smile.

"Oh ho ho, that's brilliant! Zhu Li, do the thing."

She ran off, and everyone waited patiently for her return, as she brought back...him? That couldn't be right.

But Bolin gave no indication that Zhu Li had made a mistake, and Varrick repeated the pitch he'd given only a few minutes earlier.

Tahno took a moment to consider what he'd just heard. "This will be paid, right?"

"Of course. Can't have the scandal of the heroic Nuktuk fighting for the South without proper compensation."

"Then alright, I guess."

It was celebratory news for Varrick, and a relief for everyone else to hear. They finally had their plan in place. Almost.

"However! It's very important that this remains hushy hush-hush, so nobody say nothing to anybody, got it?"

"Sure."

"Of course."

"Whatever."

They were all on the same page. Almost. "Bolin?"

"I mean...we can't tell anybody?"

Varrick looked ready to explode, but Korra motioned her boyfriend away to talk privately before he got throttled.

He started speaking nervously, his voice not much louder than a whisper. "I know you and Mako aren't getting along, but we can still trust him with this."

"It's not that simple, Bo. He's a cop now too, and I just don't think we can risk it."

"I don't like hiding things from him though."

"I know, but this is so important. Do it for me, please?"

"All right", he relented. "I promise."

"Thank you."

(-)

Bolin wasn't really eager to clear things up with his brother, but with Korra and Asami going back to their busy schedules, he figured it was best to get it over with sooner rather than later as he trudged back into Mako's apartment.

"Hey."

He didn't even look up from all the papers he had, but he still responded. "I'm not apologizing."

Bolin had to laugh at how ridiculous this was getting, and that got Mako's attention. "Something funny?"

"Yeah. That's exactly what she said about you."

"Hmph." Bolin wasn't expecting Mako to agree, but for some reason that reaction got him to voice his exasperation.

"I just don't get it. I mean, I love you both, but why are you fighting all the time? Aren't you two supposed to be friends?"

"Sure, but it's like I don't even know how to talk to her sometimes without her getting upset."

"Well, maybe that's part of the problem. Try not talking and see how that goes."

"So you're on her side, then?"

"I thought there weren't any sides", Bolin reminded him. "But seriously, did it seem like she was looking for a debate?"

"Guess I got thrown off when she barged in here yelling."

"Yeah, that makes sense. I mean, it's not she needed to vent about a really stressful situation or anything like that."

"Then maybe she should find a better way to handle it."

"Take your own advice, man. You're not exactly fun to be around yourself when you're in a bad mood. Remember all the times I stayed on the opposite side of the apartment?"

Mako didn't really have a good defense for himself, but he still tried anyway. "That's different."

"You're right. Not really fair to compare an overtime shift or a bad practice with being the Avatar."

"So is that why you're threatening judges for her?"

"What happened with that was my idea, not hers. Korra had nothing to do with it. And I don't know why you're so worked up about someone that threw Korra's dad in jail and was gonna help her crazy cousin with some sort of half marriage half enslavement thing for me."

"Don't act like you knew about that stuff beforehand."

"So what if I didn't? Even if he was totally clean, I still would've done it. Whether it was to help you, Korra, or Asami. Just like you would do for us. So why are you trying to act like you're morally superior to me now all of a sudden, especially after all the stuff we had to do growing up?"

"I'm not trying to act morally superior, Bo. I just want...we?"

Whoops. "I meant 'we' as in us being a team? It was always us against the world, you know?"

Mako didn't buy it for a second. "You took jobs with the Triads as a kid too, didn't you?"

Bolin didn't give a response, and his brother took that as confirmation. "I told you that you didn't need to do that!"

"Yeah, and you told me we were fine with money." Bolin didn't feel particularly apologetic about the whole thing.

"I never did anything they didn't have you doing, Mako", he continued. "So why is it okay for you and not for me?"

"Because I didn't need you to. I had it under control."

"We were homeless, and you're gonna act like we didn't need extra money?"

"Well, what did you even spend it on anyway?"

"Extra food, usually. Sometimes I helped out other kids. And those winter coats a few years ago."

Mako was trying to hide it, but Bolin could tell he was finally connecting the dots. "Should've known that they weren't from a charity drive. Why didn't you get a real job to get that stuff?"

"Same reason you didn't", Bolin answered with a smirk. "The Triads paid more. And they treated me better than any place that would hire a kid."

"That doesn't mean they're good people."

"I wasn't expecting them to be the kind of guys that help little old ladies cross the street."

"I mean they're bad guys, Bo. Really, really bad guys."

"Why are you telling me this as if I'm not already aware of it?"

"Because it doesn't seem like you do. I mean, first those guys, and now Varrick..."

"How are you gonna compare Varrick to a bunch of gang leaders?"

"Besides that they'd all probably sell their mothers for five yuans? You shouldn't trust them, Bolin."

Bolin couldn't really argue the truth of that, but still. "I never said I trusted him, but we don't have a lot of options. The South needs help fast."

"And what kind of plan has he come up with that makes you think he's worth hanging out with?"

"Don't worry about it", Bolin dismissed.

Unfortunately, Mako didn't take his advice. "Yeah, I'm not gonna do that. What are you up to?"

"I'm not supposed to say anything."

"Not even to me?"

"Especially not to you."

"Did Korra tell you that?"

"No!", Bolin lied.

"Then just tell me!"

"Alright! But you have to promise not to tell anyone."

Mako tried to reassure him, saying "Bo, come on, it's me." But that wouldn't be good enough.

"I'm waiting."

"Fine, I promise."

"Good. Now do you have any paper and something to write with?"

"Why do you need-"

"I promised I wouldn't say anything, so..."

Bolin made a few gestures to illustrate what he meant, and Mako obliged when he understood, not without rolling his eyes, though. But at least he didn't peer over Bolin's shoulder while he wrote, and let him finish writing to see Varrick's plan.

Korra's gonna talk to General Iroh to get the United Forces help without the President. Asami's got a deal to supply them with mecha tanks and Tahno's starring in some movers to get Republic city on our side.

"Seriously?", Mako asked when he finished reading. "That's a terrible idea."

"I don't know, I think Tahno would be a decent actor."

"You know what I'm talking about. Bo, I don't want you involved with this."

"I'm sorry, I think I missed the part where I need your permission to do anything."

"I know you don't like it, but it's still my job to look out for you."

"Are you really still trying to do this?"

"It's just-"

"It's nothing!", Bolin snapped. I don't know what else to say to get through to you, but you're. Not. Dad!"

He'd held back on that for so long, but it had finally come out, almost involuntarily. He was so sick of being coddled and protected when he didn't need to be, and it felt past time that they had a relationship on equal footing. He'd never brought up their parents like this before, because he knew how much it would hurt, and his brother's face showed why his worry had been justified.

"Mako, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Forget about it, it's fine."

His refusal to talk about anything related to their parents wasn't a surprise either. He understood why, but it still stung. They both loved them and they both missed them, but they couldn't have a conversation about them. There wasn't anything Bolin could really do about it though, just try and move on from the awkward silence.

"What...what are you working on?", he asked, finally noticing all the paper Mako had strewn all over the table in between them.

"I'm still trying to figure out the Cultural Center bombing", he explained while picking up a book that looked like it was full of mugshots. "It just doesn't make sense that the North is behind it when...that's it."

"What's it?")

"I've got it!"

"Got what?"

But Mako didn't answer, he just ran off somewhere, leaving Bolin by himself. "Uh, glad I could help?" He pondered what to do next, and settled on going to the studio where Varrick was making his Nuktuk movers with Tahno. If nothing else, there had to be something entertaining going on there.

Notes: Hi! Still alive, and still working on this! Sorry for the delay, but getting a job and a PS5 (finally) took up a lot of my free time. But I promise to continue as long as it's something I enjoy.

So anyway, kept the theme of Korra and Mako bickering with each other in this chapter like they did in the show, with now Bolin in the unfortunate position of trying to keep the peace (hehe), while being totally fed up with Mako's mother-henning instincts, which to be fair, would probably be hard for him to change right away. Anyway having Tahno be Nuktuk instead of Bolin felt better for me since he was an interesting enough character to bring back, and this way we don't have to deal with the Bolin/Ginger storyline which was...yeah. By the way if you see grammatical errors in this story, please let me know so I can change them, I promise you won't hurt my feelings. Hope you enjoy it, and thanks for the support!