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sorry I got mad about the way a fictional tv character was treated. it’ll happen again

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reasons Mako is really really great and should be appreciated so much for how he raised Bolin coming from just watching Republic City Hustle:

He made robbing people fun. It was a necessity, and clearly a dangerous way to live but their only choice, so he not only clearly picks a target that isn’t a threat but turns it into a game where Bolin can play the Good Guy and fool around, be a hero, and have fun.

In that same vein, with almost every chance he gets he compliments Bolin (“nice grab little brother” etc. a trait he continues until adulthood with people he cares about, it’s stilted and awkward later but clearly Mako’s trying) this is probably why Bolin’s confidence is basically through the roof.

Bolin recognized Toza and calls him his “hero” indicating he has been to pro-bending matches before, later we see them both working at the match while Mako has to remind Bolin he is working too. Mako also doesnt recognize Toza on sight. I think it’s safe to imply Bolin working with Mako is new (some evidence for that later as well) and Mako would normally work while letting Bolin have a fun night watching the matches.

Bolin is sad to see his hero lose, Mako tries to reiterate a lesson that basically boils down to “they wouldnt help us, why should we care?” It’s a lesson that rings true for Mako, the caretaker, but doesn’t for Bolin because Bolin always had Mako and knows what it’s like to be cared for.

When Shady Shin threatens to send them back to the streets Mako’s first instinct is to give Bolin a reassuring pat on the back and tell him not to worry.

While Bolin is doing his antics we always see Mako just behind him, watching and keeping an eye out. The only time he isn’t is when it is implied Mako was doing some work on his own (after Bolin got mad) and Bolin snuck away, after which Mako immediately finds Bolin the moment he’s in danger to save him.

Bolin wants an adorable pet, Mako immediately tells him “No. The last thing we need is one more mouth to feed.” Again, Mako as the parent having to juggle being the good guy and the bad guy, taking all the responsibility of caring for them on his own shoulders. And he has a point. Mako is clearly struggling just to keep Bolin and himself fed (“We didn’t eat anything yesterday.”) and the last thing they need is a pet.

Bolin begs Mako (typical kid stuff wanting a pet “aw he’s so cute!” “Ple-ease??”) and is suprised it doesn’t work and sad when Mako tells him to toughen up. Bolin begging is interesting because it tells us it often probably works, Mako giving Bolin what he asks for; and in this instance Bolin is very much acting like any normal child while once again Mako is the (reasonable) parent.

From what I inferred earlier where Bolin helping with the work being new, Mako has just started to get Bolin into this criminal world with the Triple Threats and is clearly worried Bolin is too soft for it, while at the same time interestingly never brings up how Bolin is five years older than Mako was when Mako started taking care of them. I think one of the arcs of this series was Mako realizing Bolin, because of who he was and how sheltered he’d been, couldn’t survive in the same environment Mako was. Mako has earned the respect of Shady Shin, meanwhile Bolin can’t even handle this one job. (Mako, a pragmatist, realizes by the end that if Bolin stayed in this work he’d have to become more like Mako, and so Mako takes the out Toza offers.)

Bolin. Is. An. Optimist. Bolin grew up living on the streets, hungry and poor, and he’s an optimist. Why? Just jump back to the scene with Shady Shin where the moment things seems scary Mako immediately reassures Bolin. Mako is hypersensitive to Bolin’s emotions, even when chastizing him he falls back to a kind voice and explains why, so it’s no small leap to say Bolin always thinks things are going to turn out okay because that’s what Mako has told him his whole life.

“Maybe I’m not as mean as you! Maybe I just can’t turn my back on people when they’re down!” Bolin calls Mako mean and uncaring, and Mako.... sighs. He doesn’t respond, just takes it in, lets Bolin have his emotions and even say cruel things to him and just internalizes it and leaves it alone.

Mako weirdly knows exactly how to handle a dangerous snake. I don’t know what this means. Either he has experience or it’s pure Mom Instinct where he sees Bolin in trouble and just wrangles a dangerous snake and flings it back into its cage in seconds.

Mako relents on the Pabu business right after Bolin puts himself in danger to save the animal and Bolin gives him puppy dog eyes (also after Bolin called him mean). Maybe he thinks having a pet can teach Bolin responsibility, or maybe he doesn’t want Bolin to think he’s mean, either way, Mako knows it’s not a great idea to have a pet but still gives up, apparently not able to say no to Bolin twice.

Bolin never apologizes or is asked to apologize for calling Mako mean and uncaring. In fact, considering the sequence of events, Mako is the one who apologizes by letting Bolin keep Pabu even though by all accounts Mako was right not to want a pet. When Mako does admonish Bolin it’s only in ways Bolin needs to act in order to survive, otherwise Mako seems unwilling to defend himself or make Bolin change in any way. (Mako models this type of forgiveness despite being the wronged party which interestingly, Bolin shows later throughout LoK and it is something people love about him, but the origins are here, coming from Mako.)

“You really have a habit of getting in stupid situations” Mako tells Bolin, indicating this type of behavior, Bolin getting in trouble and Mako coming to save him, happens a lot. (Even in the end, Mako finds out Bolin bet all their money on a fixed match, like c’mon Bolin.) Bolin just says “I know” and Mako leaves the conversation at that without rubbing it in. A surprising amount of maturity for a fifteen year old.

Bolin can’t keep his mouth shut and gets them in trouble, shouting and excited during the match; as Mako looks embarrassed and worried, another indication that this, Bolin being present with the Triads, is a recent development and a clear indicator Mako was right telling Bolin to toughen up or he wouldn’t survive, as they instantly find themselves running and fighting for their lives.

“Can we, Mako? Mako, can we? Mako, please!” Mako is so explicitly the parent to Bolin it’s sad. He is fifteen, he’s been on his own with Bolin since he was eight and literally witnessed his parents die, and throughout the series we see him comforting Bolin, suppressing his own emotions, and being a parent over and over again. Meanwhile Bolin acts like a child, who had a normalish childhood, who plays games and laughs and is optimistic and confident and wants a pet, so despite everything they went through, and how hard it was, Mako was clearly a very good parent to Bolin.

Shady Shin miscalculates in the end by telling Mako “don’t go soft on me”, the same thing Mako was telling Bolin; which goes all the way back to my earlier point that Mako knows Bolin won’t last as a Triad and needs something else. “I do have to take care of my brother, and I think this is what’s best for him.” There, explicitly, the only reason they become pro-benders is because Mako thinks it’s right for Bolin, ‘what is right for Bolin’ is the basis of all his choices, what is right for Mako isn’t considered because what Mako wants is for Bolin to be happy.

In conclusion, if you hate Mako and love Bolin, I think you need to take a step back and remember who raised Bolin.

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(✿ 🔥 ‿ 🔥 )

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that scene in a single man when colin firth's character was reading metamorphosis and his boyfriend said something like 'ugh not that depressing crap again' then he asked 'well what highbrow work of fiction might you be reading?' then his boyfriend showed the cover of breakfast at tiffany's while smiling bashfully??? anyway all i’m saying is that shit's tender as fuck and i want that for makroh >:(

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Someone new must take the throne. An idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honour. It has to be you, Prince Zuko. Unquestionable honour? But I’ve made so many mistakes. Yes, you have. You struggled, you suffered but you have always followed your own path, you restored your own honour. And only you can restore the honour of the Fire Nation.

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occasionally i draw stuff other than doodles 🤷🏻‍♀️ school is rough so ofc i had to draw my favourite boi vigilante-ing it up (pls excuse the wonky lighting and hand )

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Oh my god why do you hate wu so much?

mako’s entire friend group consists of people more sheltered, wealthy, and entitled than he is.

korra grew up in an environment with her loving family, mentor who adores her, and her every financial, educational, and health-related need being addressed and specifically catered to, all while being told how special she is, even for an avatar, because she’s a damn prodigy. asami grew up in a HUGE fucking mansion, again with her every financial need catered to, but admittedly her family situation was more difficult than korra’s. I don’t want to call either of them entitled per se, because they’re both extremely helpful, selfless, kind, compassionate people from the very first episodes in which they’re introduced, but they both kinda take their wealth as a given. and even bolin, who grew up in the exact same environment mako did, didn’t actually grow up in the exact same environment mako did, because mako was looking out for bolin specifically, and not the other way around. it’s not a case of “katara and sokka raising each other,” but actually just mako raising bolin, period. here’s a really good post on this.

now, mako takes all of this in stride, because he adores his brother and korra and asami, and knows that their sheltered upbringings don’t make them less empathetic people, and he doesn’t resent them for it. and it actually takes a lot of maturity to recognize that and not be extremely bitter, and I say this from experience. mako is only 18 at the beginning of the show, and people fault him for....being awkward?? for having the attention of two girls at once and being conflicted because they’re both amazing??? mako is constantly surrounded by people who have more than he does, and yet he never asks them for anything. asami gives him things (probending sponsorship, a place to live, etc) but that’s out of her own generosity. he never actually asks her for anything. and he still cares about her even when she loses everything. no he isn’t honest to her in her relationship, and she rightfully breaks up with him for it, but he’s not being actively malicious. so I guess my point is mako has every right to be resentful, but he isn’t.

then he meets wu.

the guy he is assigned to babysit 24/7. his entitlement, desire for fame and luxury, and absolute incompetence eclipses all of bolin, korra, and asami’s worst impulses combined. don’t get it twisted: mako does not like wu. he might grow to like wu more, but that’s only because wu is acting like slightly less of a baby than he was previously. mako lost his childhood to make sure that bolin didn’t. he grew up in abject poverty, and the whole time all he cared about was making sure that he & his brother were safe. and now, after finally feeling fulfilled in his career (oink oink, but I’m not gonna get into that now...) he is forced to tend to the every need of the most entitled stupid boy in the world.

and yeah, it’s safe to say that mako is resentful. wu is everything mako is not in every possible way. not only is he disgustingly wealthy, he’s loud and showy and arrogant. see the way in which he hits on korra and asami. mako, despite having dated both of them, would never do that. wu is annoying on his own, and if he only existed in small doses to prove why monarchies are a terrible idea, then I’d understand the purpose of his character. fine. but to saddle mako with this guy??? mako doesn’t deserve this!!!! mako deserves to spend his time doing the job he actually likes, and being with his friends without having to worry about wu’s helpless ass every single second of book 4. wu took up way too much screentime, and mako deserved better.

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Korra never had a job or needed to pay for anything besides when she was on the run, Asami is a former rich kid and CEO, Bolin was cared for by Mako and tried to earn 30,000 yuan by making Pabu do tricks, Mako however knows what it is like to have an actual job

all this to say Mako is the only one who knows how to calculate a tip

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If my sibling didn’t believe that I had been framed for a crime I didn’t commit and left me in jail to go to the movies with the man who framed me I would make them actually do something to earn my forgiveness. Sorry Mako but I’m different

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i commissioned this piece from the ever talented spesdelune a while ago and i just think they're the cutest??? i mean, LOOK at them. iroh certainly can be quite clingy when they haven't seen each other for a long time;;

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Last one of the set! Based on the scene in the novels where Kyoshi paints her eye makeup with her own blood because she is a certified badass.

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Princess Azula in A:TLA - The Southern Raiders

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Happy Birthday, @willthewhompingwillow

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I have stolen this odd little domestic series that sprung up from my prompt fills back (with permission) for a turn as this idea got stuck in my head.

@flamebirds-nest Sorry if this throws a wrench in anything you have planned. By all means ignore I wrote it if it does.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

—

Mako laid on top of Iroh as the two rested, little Mako tucked between them.

They had finally gotten all of their stuff put together, though it had been a real struggle to do so, and were now laid out on their old couch.

Iroh ran his hand softly through Mako’s hair. “When do you want to move your stuff in?” Iroh asked.

“Never, too much work,” Mako muttered into Iroh’s neck.

“Just going to stay here with only half your stuff then?” Iroh joked.

“My lease needs to end first,” Mako answered.

“We can just buy it out,” Iroh said, hesitantly, knowing money was a touch subject at times.

“It’s up in like two months, Iroh,” Mako said. “There’s no need for it. I can continue staying here and stopping by there when I need too. It’s not a big deal. That gives us two months to slowly move everything over.”

“If we don’t procrastinate,” Iroh joked.

“That gives up two months to procrastinate moving everything over,” Mako corrected with a laugh.

“Alright, so long as you spend your nights here,” Iroh said.

“I wouldn’t want to spend them anywhere else,” Mako replied.

Iroh kissed him slightly before the two went back to cuddling in silence.

Mako looked around the room, something about it was bothering him. Something about Iroh’s house had always bothered him but he never really felt comfortable enough to say something. If this was going to be his house now too, whatever it was would need to be fixed.

The longer Mako stared across at the blank wall next to him the more it bothered him. It finally clicked when his eyes drifted town to the empty shelves on the bookshelf in the corner.

“This house came pre-furnished, didn’t it?” Mako asked, already knowing the answer.

“Yeah,” Iroh said, “but we fixed that.”

“It didn’t come pre-decorated, did it?” Mako asked, also already knowing this answer too.

“No,” Iroh said, dragging out the word.

“I’ve never been anywhere long enough to decorate it,” Mako admitted, “but that never stopped Bolin. I’m not used to so many blank spaces.”

“So,” Iroh said slowly, “do you want to decorate it?”

“Kind of?” Mako said.

“Okay,” Iroh said. “Ah, how?”

“Thrift stores is where Bo and I used to get our stuff from,” Mako said. “We can go tomorrow, I think you’d like it.”

“Alright,” Iroh said, hesitantly.

Despite Iroh’s hesitancy, they did end up thrift shopping. They found a tapestry for the blank wall that drove Mako nuts and a few figurines for various shelves that currently had nothing on them. After that Mako wanted to call it a day, but he quickly realized he had created a monster.

After seven thrift stores and way more knickknacks than they needed, Mako was about ready to forcibly carry Iroh home if he had to.

“Iroh put that monkey back we don’t need it,” Mako said.

“But it looks just like the one my family has!” Iroh said.

“It looks ugly,” Mako said, staring at the ruby-eyed monstrosity.

Iroh pouted slightly before his attention was caught on something else.

“Look a Tsungi horn,” Iroh said, running further into the store.

“Can you even play the Tsungi horn?” Mako asked, following after his boyfriend. A group of women were giggling at their antics a few feet away. Mako felt his face flush as he caught up to Iroh.

“No but Granddad does, maybe I could learn,” Iroh said, picking up the instrument. Mako pushed it back down before Iroh could lift it to his mouth.

“There’s a café down the road,” Mako said, hoping to distract his boyfriend.

Iroh perked up slightly and it was suddenly a lot easier to drag him from the thrift store, leaving the giggling women behind. 

Now all Mako had to do was keep him from finding another one before they got home.

—

Yeah, Iroh II takes after his great-granduncle in this department. Mako you poor fool.