This Is My Uniform

Red Wool Boxers

"-And here," Wu smiled as he passed the flier out to the woman at the door, "are your directions to the evacuation route. If you-"

"And this... is completely voluntary?" Her eyes narrowed as she examined the flier.

"W-Well..." Wu exchanged a glance with Mako, who just shrugged. "I mean technically, it is. However Kuvira's troops are on their way and-"

"And what?" She demanded, hands moving to fold over her chest, children in the background huddled around the radio. "This is our home. We came here with nothing. I built this life from nothing. I can't... I can't just leave it because we might be in danger."

"No wait!" Wu tried, but the door slammed in his face anyway. "It's-" He groaned in frustration, hands tangling in his hair as he slouched against the door frame.

"Tough luck, buddy." Mako turned to move to the next complex.

"You haven't been much help." Wu hissed.

Mako paused, turning back to glare at Wu, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Wu snapped back. "Mr. Cool and Aloof." He waved a hand around, papers jostling. "I'm so-so tired of you acting so high and mighty." Wu stomped a foot, glaring up at Mako who was biting back a smile now. "No." A finger threatened. "Don't. Don't smile at me." His voice turned from angry to whiney and he hated it. "You-"

"I know." Mako sighed, his whole body drooping with the action.

Wu blinked, anger cooling quickly.

"I know, okay?" He trudged forward, eyes on the ground as Wu, still angry, walked alongside him. "It's just... my whole life that was the ideal, right?" He peeked a glance at Wu's blank expression and elaborated. "I was the big brother, I- We were... homeless. I had to be tough and a provider and-" Mouth screwed up and shoulders bunched near his ears. "I was the man. And men... Men don't like other men. Men like women. Men like women who are pretty and need rescued and need-need you." Mako looked away sharply. "Needed me. I needed that validation. I needed to be needed." He bit his lip, fists tightening around the fliers. "All the gangs and jobs and- They all..." He shrugged, looking away. "And then-" his voice wobbled. "And then you." Mako cleared his throat. "But I guess first Asami, and Korra. I never... they never felt right. It never- And with you it's so... magnetic."

"Oh." Wu's head tilted. "Wait..." Brows knit, "Does this mean-?"

"I don't know, Wu." Mako's voice sounded desperate for answers. "I don't know what it means. It means I don't hate that you... But it's terrifying." He shrugged. "You need me and I like that. Even more, you want me." His voice kicked up a notch. "You wait for me to work through my shit. God you kind of even lead me to go through it. And I-I like that." He inhaled sharp, looking away, "But does that mean I like you?" He sighed. "Do I like you like that? I thought that's all you needed with... but I was wrong before and I really fucked over people I cared for." Mako paused outside the door of the next house. "I don't want to make that same mistake again. Not with-" He flushed, clearing his throat. Not with you.

The words remained unspoken, hovering between them. Wu stepped forward, fist raised, then stepped back.

Mako bristled. "Are you gunna-?"

"Mako." Wu frowned slightly before craning his head back to look at his bodyguard. "Thanks for telling me all that." He inhaled, facing the door again. "That couldn't have been easy."

Mako frowned, reaching out to Wu when the door opened.

"Prince Wu?" A man's voice questioned from just beyond their line of sight.