A/N: Hello hello! My sincerest, humblest apologies for vanishing for two weeks. Firstly, this particular chapter proved to be quite tough to write, and secondly, I'm in the middle of an EXTREMELY hectic period at work and in my personal life. I'm moving house, it's two months till my wedding, it's coming to the end of the school year, AND I have professional training ongoing...honestly, I wasn't able to spare the time to write this chapter in one week, which is why I missed updating last week. I thought about posting a notification, but I didn't want to get y'all excited about a new chapter only to see an author's note saying that there would not BE a chapter.

But never fear, I am alive, and I fully intend on seeing this story through to the end! But please bear with me for the next two months if I miss an update here and there. I will do my best to continue to produce chapters weekly, but I may not always be able to. Thank you for understanding and for being so patient and loyal.

Big thank yous to MagatsuIza, Black Dragon Master, Sharpe, Tertius711, AsahixMe, Guest, FireLordAziz, Raider, devilfiredog18, and StevenBodner for reviewing Chapter 64! FireLordAziz is also going through all earlier chapters to leave reviews on every one, and is the main reason the review count is already closer to 800 than 700 - so THANK YOU for that too! And thank you to Emma, whose latest review at the time of writing was on Chapter 9.

And now, here's the long-awaited Chapter 65!

65. Who am I to disagree?

Korra is the first one to call him out on it.

"Mako, is everything all right with you?" she asks one day as they're cuddling on his sofa. He'd worked late, as had become the norm since Minsu brought him on for Korozo's case — and completely forgotten that today was his 26th birthday until Korra popped over with takeaway from Narook's and a cake she'd baked. He'd tried to put Korozo from his mind and enjoy a quiet celebration with Korra, but clearly he hadn't entirely succeeded.

He plasters a smile on his face and prepares to fabricate an excuse, but one glance into Korra's concerned blue eyes and he knows he can't lie. Korozo's reappearance in his life might have destabilised him a little, but he's never going back to the days of not being honest with the people who matter most.

So he confesses, "I found the man who murdered my parents."

"What!?" Korra bolts upright. "How?"

"Minsu and Juno were working a drug case…I recognised the suspect they brought in."

Korra is stunned. "Holy…Mako, that's huge. Are you okay?"

"I'll be better once I actually get the bastard."

Something in his tone must have given Korra pause, because her next words are wary. "Get him? I thought Minsu and Juno already did?"

He shakes his head. "They had to let him go. Not enough evidence. I'm helping them build the case now, and we're adding murder to the charges."

Korra looks sceptical. "Did they ask you, or did you ask them?" she questions shrewdly.

He sighs. "I asked."

"Hm. I'm surprised they're letting you work the case. Aren't there rules about this sort of thing?" She's been read the riot act more than once by Lin for interfering in investigations she's interested in, instead of leaving it to the professionals.

He hums evasively. Korra's eyes narrow.

"Mako…they do know why you're interested in this guy?"

"Minsu knows."

"What about Juno?" she presses, clearly aware that Juno is far less likely than Minsu to be swayed by a personal plea from him.

He demurs for a while, but admits, "Not exactly." Before Korra can say anything else, he launches into his defence. "Look, I know I'm bending the rules here, but I'm not being totally reckless, okay? Minsu's the lead on this case, and I levelled with him. Technically speaking, no one else needs to know."

"Minsu is not exactly the most unbiased person when it comes to you," Korra points out. "You know he looks up to you."

A frisson of guilt runs through him, but he tamps it down. "I know, but Minsu makes his own decisions. He's a good cop."

"Who feels like he owes you for helping him be a good cop."

He bristles. "If you think I'm not gonna go after the scum who killed my parents —"

"Mako, I'm not saying you don't have a right to help on the case," Korra says sharply. "But if you're keeping things from your colleagues because you're worried they'll take you off it…it makes me wonder if there is a good reason why you shouldn't be involved."

"Korra, I can't just sit on the sidelines when I know Korozo is out there."

"Korozo?"

"That's his name." He flaps a hand dismissively. "Not important. What does matter is that this is the only way I'll ever get closure. I have to put Korozo away. At least I'm doing it within the law and not going vigilante. I can handle this."

"Can you?" There is no anger in Korra's voice, only quiet worry. "Because I remember how you were when you showed up at midnight to tell me about that night."

Her gentle reminder threatens to break the tight lid he's holding over the anger that cloaks his world of pain and sorrow. Korozo's been getting to him more than he realised.

"However much being on this case affects me, I'd feel worse if I weren't doing anything," he says firmly.

"Mako…" Korra hesitates. "Hunting down Korozo and bringing him to justice might help you gain closure, but the only way you'll really be at peace is if you let go."

"Easy for you to say," he retorts.

"Maybe. But am I wrong?" She lets the question hang ominously in the air.

He ignores the abyss, ignores the swell of hurt and anger that he's been trying to keep under control since encountering Korozo again. "Trust me, Korra." His gaze hardens. "I can handle this."

...

At work, he is extremely careful, especially around Juno, not to let slip that he has any sort of personal vendetta against Korozo. As far as anybody but Minsu is aware, he simply finds it galling that a lowlife Agni Kai is getting away with selling drugs to unsuspecting kids on the street (and yes, obviously he does, but that's not the point, is it) — and that's the reason he's working so hard on the case.

If Juno finds his fervour disconcerting, he passes it off as the case hitting too close to home. After all, once upon a time, Bolin could have been one of those unsuspecting kids.

...

Asami is next.

"This is the third week in a row you've cancelled Friday lunch," she reprimands. "What's going on, Mako?"

"Just…a difficult case," he hedges.

"Aren't Juno and Minsu working the same case?"

He suddenly remembers that Juno is Asami's girlfriend and that he has to tread very, very carefully here.

"They are," he says cautiously.

"It doesn't seem to be taking up as much of Juno's time," Asami comments casually. She'd finally told the rest of Team Avatar whom she was dating a couple of weeks ago.

"That's because I'm pulling all the overtime."

"That doesn't seem like a very fair work allocation."

"It's voluntary," he clarifies. "I…really want to get this guy. Something about this case is getting to me."

Asami softens. "Juno told me he's selling drugs to street kids?"

He nods curtly, not trusting his voice. He does find that disturbing, even if it's a far second to his real motive, and it's only solidified his intense desire to apprehend Korozo.

"That's horrible." Asami shudders. She observes him shrewdly. "But I know you, Mako. You don't get this worked up over a case unless there's something personal about it."

He decides on a half-truth. "It is personal. Fifteen years ago Bolin and I would have been two of those street kids this asshole's targeting."

Asami shakes her head. "No, there's more to it than that. The last time you were this driven was after Minsu got injured on your watch."

This is dangerous territory. "That's all I can tell you, Asami. It's an ongoing investigation, I'm not supposed to discuss too many details with civilians."

"Since when am I a mere civilian?" Asami demands with an arched eyebrow. "What are you not telling me, Mako?"

He groans in frustration. "Look, Asami, if I tell you, can you guarantee it stays between us?"

"I'm not a tattletale," Asami snaps.

"Even to Juno?" he questions archly.

Asami's eyes narrow dangerously. "Don't you dare put me in that position, Mako."

"Believe me, I don't want to. Which is why I'm not telling you everything."

She glares at him for several moments before she hisses discontentedly, "Fine. But for the record, I don't need to tell Juno what's going on. She's smart enough to figure it out herself."

...

It's been almost a full month since Minsu and Juno first brought in Korozo and they have a solid case built by now, but they're still missing that final bit of evidence that would link the triad to the crimes they're accusing him of. Korozo is infuriatingly clever; he never deals directly with the people he sells drugs to, and they haven't been able to get a tail on him because they still haven't figured out where he hides out.

Minsu finds him taking out his frustration against the fire targets in the combat training room, and cautiously dares to suggest, "Mako, maybe it's time to tell Juno the truth."

He swivels around, eyes blazing. "No. We're close; just a little more."

"Yeah, but look at what it's doing to you." Minsu looks troubled. "You're tense, edgy, and you're here 18 hours a day. And if you're not here then you're out patrolling the streets for any sign of Korozo."

"I'm doing whatever it takes to bring him in," he declares. "That won't change even if Juno kicks me off the case," he adds pointedly.

Minsu's eyes widen as he grasps his meaning. "Mako, you can't go rogue! Lin would have your badge!"

"Then don't make me." He pivots on his heel and stalks away.

...

When Bolin gets back from his latest business trip, he doesn't take no for an answer. His brother shows up at his apartment at ten in the evening, looking unusually solemn.

"Asami told me you're being weird about a case and Korra said I should come talk to you about it because I also deserve to know what's going on."

He hesitates, and then sighs and steps aside to let Bolin enter. Korra's right; if there's anyone else who deserves the full truth, it's the other person Korozo orphaned.

He waits until Bolin is standing in the hallway before he tells him, "Bo, the case…it's for Mom and Dad's murderer."

Bolin's wide-eyed expression of pure shock takes him right back to that night.

...

Bolin yelps when he bursts into the kitchen. "What —"

"We have to go, Bolin — we have to go now!" He shoves an empty gunny sack at his brother and commands, "Grab as much food as you can, quick!"

Bolin blinks uncomprehendingly. "But —"

"Do it, Bolin!"

He dashes to their bedroom without bothering to make sure Bolin follows through. He upturns his school backpack and hurriedly stuffs clothes in before racing back to the kitchen to find that Bolin has dutifully filled the gunny sack with whatever it will carry.

"Mako, what's going on? Where's Mom and Dad?" The five-year-old sniffs as he looks up at him, green eyes full of fear.

He takes a deep breath and places his hands on his little brother's shoulders. "Bo, do you trust me?"

Bolin blinks, but nods without hesitation.

"Then follow me, all right? I'll explain everything later, I promise."

He hikes up his backpack on his shoulders, grabs the sack of food in one hand, and Bolin's hand in the other, and darts out of their house minutes before Korozo arrives.

...

After the initial bombshell, Bolin listens silently to his explanation until he concludes with, "So we've been after Korozo for the last month. I'm just waiting for him to slip up and then I'll be on him before he can blink."

Bolin inhales, looking concerned. "Not gonna lie, Mako, it sounds like you want revenge."

"Of course I want revenge!" he exclaims. How is Bolin taking this so calmly? "Korozo killed our parents."

"I know he did, and I don't like that any more than you do," Bolin asserts, "but from everything Korra and Asami have told me, it sounds like this case is taking over your life."

"Not you, too," he grits out. "Bo, I thought you of all people would get how important this is."

"No, of course I get that it's important," Bolin replies. "And I'll be happy when he's behind bars too. But is hunting Korozo more important than everything else in your life?"

"Right now, yes," he states firmly.

Bolin looks at him with sad eyes. "You don't mean that."

"I do mean it."

"Mako, what Korozo did — it's in the past," Bolin emphasises. "It's over. Catching him now isn't going to change that."

"I know that!"

"Do you? Because the way you're going about this feels like you have something to prove."

After four weeks of tightly-wound emotions, hearing his brother — the one person he thought would understand — question his actions is the last straw. He snaps, his simmering emotions finally erupting through his control.

"You weren't there, Bolin!" he yells. "You didn't have to see what happened! I did!"

Bolin takes a step back, taken aback by the force of his fury.

"Korozo is the reason we grew up on the streets! He's the reason we had to suffer and struggle to survive for so many years! He took our life from us, Bolin!"

Quietly, Bolin mutters, "He's probably also the reason we met Korra."

He stops short, his anger abating into startled surprise. "What?"

"Mako, think about it. If we didn't grow up on the streets — if we didn't get involved with the Triple Threats — we wouldn't have met Toza or gotten into pro-bending. And if we didn't get into pro-bending, I can't see how we would've met Korra. Can you?"

"It would've happened some other way," he says, trying to infuse conviction he suddenly doesn't feel.

"Yeah, maybe," Bolin says dubiously. He sighs. "All I'm saying, Mako, is that our life is great now. Korozo screwed us over, no doubt about it — but we're in a good place now. I just don't want you getting so caught up in the past that you ruin your present — or your future."

With that, Bolin exits the apartment, leaving him alone to ponder his words.

A/N: This chapter was incredibly hard to write because I had to accurately snapshot the progressive angst levels with different characters, while still keeping in mind everyone's development and personalities and likely responses to Mako's increasing obsession with Korozo. Mako himself was difficult to pin down this chapter, because on the one hand he has had boatloads of development and mental/emotional growth and I don't want to disregard that, but on the other hand this is his core trauma and of course it's going to take him right back to square one until he successfully resolves it.

Finding a suitable song was another challenge. I initially wanted 'Obsessed' as the chapter title, but most songs about 'obsession' seem to be about obsessive love, which so, so does not fit here (said songs also tend to be rather sentimental in nature, which does not suit this chapter either). I finally decided on 'Sweet Dreams' by Eurythmics because the synth vibe feels appropriate for Mako's gung-ho attitude, and because the song is about someone searching for fulfillment. The repetitive nature of the lyrics (the verse and chorus keep looping) also parallel how Mako is stuck in his mindset of 'apprehend Korozo and I will have settled things'.

Fair warning - I most likely will not be updating next week (I'll try! But no guarantees), but I will definitely be back the week after. This does NOT mean we're switching to biweekly updates, but I need to get past this current couple weeks of insane busy-ness before I can guarantee consistent weekly updates again. I don't want to put out subpar chapters because I'm rushing for time. Hope y'all can understand.