This Is My Uniform

Black Cane

Mako snorted, "You flirt all the time." And there it was, that odd flare of heat that roared it's head up when they had visited Narook's what felt like lifetimes ago. What the hell?

"Not-" Wu frowned across the distance at Mako. "Not like that."

"Wha-?" But before Mako could ask there was a knock on the door.

"Prince Wu?"

The room went silent. Mako held a hand up to Wu, eyes locking.

Stay.

Wu nodded, unfolding, clutching the book tighter to his chest as Mako moved quietly to the door, peering out the peephole.

"Who's asking?"

No response, but the knocking came again. Mako couldn't help the chills that ran over him as adrenaline rock through his body. Fist tightening on the door knob.

"Who is there?" Mako demanded, voice firmer, shoulders squared, body crackling with electricity.

No answer.

Eyes shifted over his shoulder to Wu. The prince nodded, ducking into Mako's room and closing the door all but shut. Mako took a deep breath and threw open the hotel room door to...

"Nothing?" Eyes narrowed as he inhaled deep, body alive and sparking with unspent energy.

He strode out further into the hallway, afraid to leave the door frame, afraid to let whomever it was go.

Afraid, afraid, afraid. He cursed under his breath, turning on a heel, slamming the door closed. "Come out, Wu." He strode back to the couch he'd previously been sitting at, watching as Wu, paler than before, made his way across from him.

"Who was it?" Cautious words.

"No one." Mako answered honestly, shrugging.

Questions unspoken hovering around the prince tangibly.

"No one was there." Mako explained shortly, elaborating.

Wu frowned, "Well, maybe they just had the wrong room."

Smile back in place. Fuck Mako hated that smile. Hated that Wu was comforting him in this situation. In all these situations. It chaffed. Mako wasn't the one who needed comforting. Mako wasn't the one who- He tsked, realizing he was staring again; staring at thin fingers, at feline eyes, at brown hair once again coiffed, at barely visible freckles underneath dark skin. Diverting his gaze to the book Wu was fiddling with. Not really reading.

The atmosphere was oppressive with worry. So heavy that neither man was breathing right.

"Why don't we go see the badgermoles?" Mako grimaced as he suggested it, but the way Wu lit up.

The way the tension dissolved.

The way lips unfolded, green eyes wrinkled, and cheeks dimpled.

Maybe Mako didn't regret the suggestion half as much as he initially did when Wu beamed up at him that way.

~+~+~+~+~+~

"Wu." Mako's voice was short, but Wu didn't pay any heed.

He wouldn't admit out loud he enjoyed the attention from the fire bender. He liked that Mako had suggested the zoo. He liked that Mako had been thinking of him. He couldn't be blamed for not wanting to leave just yet. He wanted to revel in this just a little longer. Just a little-

"Mako." Wu draped an arm over Mako's shoulders,, gesturing with his smoothie out to the small crowd of admirers. "My adoring fans wouldn't appreciate it if I left yet."