(This is a fourth work set in the universe in which Bolin has Leukemia. Bolin relives his final conversation with Mako before he left for the North Pole.)
The crinkled paper fell to the floor of the darkened room with a soft swishing sound. Bolin leaned his head back into his nest of soft pillows and sighed. He had read Mako's latest letter a hundred times, and was still no closer to replying than he had been a week ago.
The sickly earthbender leaned over the edge of his mattress and bent down, fumbling along the hut's rough floorboards until his fingers brushed against the piece of paper. He gingerly picked it up by one of its rumpled corners before smoothing it out onto his lap.
He had the characters memorized but he read through them once more anyway:
Bo—
It's been almost a month since you left and I still don't understand why you're gone. I often wonder how you are, what you're doing. Are you making friends? Has Katara helped you? Are you eating like the doctors told you to? Have you managed to stay warm in all that snow?
Without you Republic City is terribly dull. I spend most of my time chasing criminals, but lately this has seemed rather pointless. You put away one and three more spring up in his place; it's never-ending, and lately it all just feels exhausting.
I often think about what I said to you before you left. Bo, I am so sorry for how I acted. I had no right to try to control you or to force you to stay. It's hard for me to remember sometimes that you're grown up and that you're perfectly capable of making your own decisions. I'm not trying to excuse the things I said—I was in the wrong. But I want you to understand how much I miss you, how much I care for you.
Bolin, I want to be there for you at the end. Please come back to Republic City; or, if you prefer, send me word that it's okay for me to travel to the South Pole.
Please, Bo. I know that I'm being horrible and selfish but I just don't think that I can get through this without seeing you again.
I love you.
—Mako
A droplet of water fell onto the paper and blurred the ink of the character representing "love." Bolin lifted his left hand and wiped under his eyes, preventing any additional tears from smearing the page.
The earthbender leaned back once more, lost in thought. Memories of the last conversation he had with his brother swirled to the forefront of his mind, causing a dull ache to spread throughout his upper chest:
"Just leave me alone, Mako. This is something that I have to do, by myself. I don't want you or anyone else to come with me." Bolin spoke sharply, his voice raised louder than usual.
"Don't be ridiculous! You seriously expect me to let you run off to the South Pole and live with strangers?" Mako exclaimed. "You think that's the best plan right now? The best way to…to spend the time that we have left?"
Bolin scowled and shuffled his feet. "Katara's not a stranger," he muttered.
"That's really not the point, Bo," Mako began.
Bolin's scowl deepened and he spoke with more force. "It doesn't matter what the point is! We aren't talking about the time that WE have left—it's the time that I have left! I'm the one dying here, Mako, not you." A pained look crossed over Mako's features and Bolin felt a brief surge of guilt.
"Bolin…that's…that's not what I meant…" Mako backpedaled. "There are people here who care about you—who love you. We want to be there for you, to make sure you're getting the care that you need."
"Stop trying to protect me from this! I'm not six years old anymore, and you can't just wrap Dad's scarf around me to make me forget and go back to sleep! I don't want to see you, or Katara, or Asami, or anyone else! I just want to be by myself and to go to the South Pole."
Mako's hands were starting to smoke and Bolin suspected that he was on the verge of accidentally bending. "Bolin, that is the most selfish and ridiculous thing I have ever heard you say! You belong here, with us! I can't believe you would even consider abandoning your family at a time like this."
"Mako, for the last time—THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU!" Bolin shouted, and the clay walls surrounding the brothers shook. "You don't get to tell me how to react to this. I am my own person and I will decide what I need to do!" Bolin spun around and picked up a small suitcase, walking towards their apartment's front door.
"Bo…wait, please! Don't go. Please don't go like this." Mako pleaded, his voice cracking on the last word.
Bolin didn't look back. He turned the door handle and walked out.
