City Lights Love (Bolin x Reader)

No Way Out

***Potential Trigger Warning***

The boys head upstairs and turn in. I try to fall asleep but I can't. I keep thinking about the shower. That voice. What it says is unsettling. I got to get my mind off of it. I grab the book from my bag and thumb through it, but it doesn't help for obvious reasons. So I lay in the dark on the couch, with a blanket to keep me covered and the light of the city gently illuminating the room. The city that's always moving. A city created by the avatar. A city that prides itself on "equality". What a joke. Nowadays, it's just a melting pot of scummy people from all corners of the world. Doesn't even matter if you're a bender or not. This place has truly failed the vision that Avatar Aang had envisioned this place to be. No one is equal here. That's been clearly pointed out by the Equalists. Now the city is in chaos.

Non-benders fight and chant for equality, but the Equalists want more. They want benders to feel the pain that they have been given over many, many years. They want revenge, not equality. I do see their point though. But, is it the right way to fight for what they want? Hurt only breeds more hurt. I mean, look at Amon. Fire benders killed his family, scared his face and he got no justice. Now, he has the power to cause harm to benders in a way he feels is equal to what happened to him. Is it the best way to go about changing the world so what happened to him doesn't happen again?

Then again, who am I to say? I'm a bender that is part of a bending triad that profits off of hurting others, not just non-benders. They extort non-benders more though to get what they want. But I personally never hurt a non-bender. From a non-bending perspective, I should be punished because I never took a step to tell my "family" to stop? Perhaps I should also be punished simply because I'm a bender too? Should I feel ashamed of who I am? I wish, as a whole, we can move past what has happened and treat everyone equally, regardless of where you come from and if you are a bender or not. Would that be unfair to those who were hurt? Is it simply impossible for everyone to not have prejudice against another group of people, even though it's not right? Is it simply human nature? It's just such a... larger than life issue. It's frustrating and mind boggling.

I think about the problem till I fall asleep. The next day, I think about it again. I ask Bolin what he thinks. He says he thinks everyone should be treated equally. Considering what we just went through, I'm surprised he can still one hundred percent state how he feels without any fear to cloud his judgement. It kinda gives me hope. When I asked Mako, his answer destroyed the optimism his brother created. He thinks everyone should be equal but doesn't believe it will ever come to pass. Someone will always want to feel more important or will take too much pride in one aspect about themselves and lord it over someone who doesn't have the same trait. It's a pessimistic answer but it might be true. Are equality and peace forever meant to be temporary and short lived? I don't know.

The next day, I decide to go outside to escape my mind thats going round and round about the Equalists. Mako also has errands to run in the city so we leave together. Bolins stays at the arena to work out in the gym. Mako and I walk down the pier and he worries about me walking around by myself while he runs his errand. I tell him I'm going to the hideout just to make sure everything is ok.

"Is that a good idea? With what just happened and all?" Mako asks while stopping our walk.

"Ya, it should be fine. The Equalists would be stupid to attack the same triad twice." I tell him. "Besides, the triad could be in disarray right now and I just want to check in."

"Are you sure about going back? You could leave and finally get out!" Mako says with mild desperation.

I think for a moment and shake my head. "I don't know, Mako."

"Come on, please? No one would blame you for wanting to leave. You were kidnapped. Plus, me and Bo wouldn't be worried about you if you got out."

Worried, huh? "Well, if that's the case, I'll go and tell them I'm leaving instead of hanging them out to dry."