An old storage space under the back steps of a condemned apartment complex served as the boys' safe house for the night. The building itself was dangerously dilapidated. Holes had rotted straight through from the roof down to the basement and the city had slated it for demolition years ago, but the shed under the stairs was deceptively sturdy.

The exterior wall of the building and the concrete stairs formed the majority of the shelter with a wooden partition covering a third side. Years of neglect had destroyed the door that originally hung over the other opening, but even without it, the place wasn't bad, as far as makeshift houses went.

Protected from the elements and shielded from view, it had become a frequent refuge for Mako & Bolin. It stayed cool in the heat, dry in the rain and, when it got cold, they could even make a little fire without attracting unwanted attention.

In short, it was a perfect hideout and one that they knew well.

Slipping unseen between loose planks, the brothers ducked inside the old construction fence just as the streetlights came on.

"Ooh! And I could do a magic show!" Bolin bubbled as he scooted under the steps and took his usual spot. "People would pay to see that!"

"How are you gonna do a magic show?" Mako objected practically, setting himself up as sentry in the open doorway. "You don't even know any magic tricks."

Bolin shrugged off his skepticism without a trace of concern. "Earthbending. It's easy! I saw this guy at the station a while ago. He did this thing…"

Giving a dismissive shake of his head, Mako rolled his eyes and tuned out the rest. Bolin could say what he wanted, but it was going to take a lot more than a street performance to straighten out their financial predicament.

Life would have been a lot easier if his brother could actually help out. All their best scams were two-man jobs.

Working on his own, it didn't seem to matter whether he lied and cheated or tried to earn it honestly, Mako just couldn't get ahead. There was only so much he could do in one day, be it picking pockets or sweeping out shops. Before Bolin got sick, the two of them together had pulled in three or four times as much as he could alone. Now, even his rosiest projections put a doctor visit at least a month out of reach.

A long silence drew his gaze mechanically toward his brother. He didn't even realize Bolin had stopped talking until their eyes met.

"What?" he asked, coming out of his reverie.

Bolin hesitated, glancing away as he tried to find the right words. His uneasy eyes searched his brother, but whatever he was thinking, he kept it to himself.

"You hungry?" Mako asked, eager to break the silence. He started to dig in his pocket for the rest of the roll, but Bolin reached out to stop him.

"No. Mako, I don't want it."

The Firebender frowned doubtfully, folding his arms over his chest. His brother obviously wanted something. Shifting gears, he narrowed his eyes.

"Then what?"

"Are we... in trouble...?" Bolin ventured, his fingers tapping themselves apprehensively together.

"We're fine."

"It's just…you seem kind of stressed—"

"Everything's fine," Mako cut him off, sounding more defensive than reassuring. "I just need some extra money for something."

That piqued the younger boy's curiosity.

"Extra money?" he asked, inching closer. "For what?"

Drawing a deep breath, Mako let it hiss out before he answered.

"You need a doctor, bro," he admitted soberly, unsure how his brother would respond.

He had hoped to keep his worries to himself until he had the money to make something happen. It didn't do anyone any good to let Bolin in before then. The last thing they needed was for him to worry, too.

"A doctor?" Bolin echoed, more surprised than anything. "You think it's that bad?"

Distress built on his face the more he thought about it, as though it had never occurred to him before.

Mako was dumbfounded.

"Are you serious? You can't even eat," he asserted incredulously. "What do you think?"

"Uhhh…"

He knew he wasn't in good shape, but he never thought it was anything to be concerned about. They had both gotten sick before and they had both gotten better, without any help. Openly unnerved, Bolin looked to his big brother for guidance.

"Don't worry," the Firebender backtracked, grabbing him by the shoulder. "You'll be fine. We just need to figure out how to get the money."

Bolin brightened slightly, giving Mako a smug nudge in the ribs.

"My magic show sounds pretty good now, huh?" he needled.

Mako rolled his eyes again, but he didn't disagree. At worst, it would keep his brother entertained for a few hours. And if it brought in a few yuans, he had no reason to complain.