Chapter Text
For as long as Kiran could remember, it had just been them and their brothers on the streets. For them, the world revolved around their brothers. Bolin might’ve complained about not being able to remember their parents properly but for them? Bolin and Mako were all they knew. Whatever affected them invariably affected Kiran too - be it running scams, joining the triads, doing pro-bending or running around with the Avatar.
They'd never felt the void of their parents, ever, if they were completely honest. Sometimes their brothers will try to remember and tell them stories about their parents but nothing clicked to them, they couldn't remember them. They had been just four after all. Often this made them feel guilty because they don't remember them and all they had of them was not memories like people will assume. They just had a name that didn't fit them and a pendant as a reminder of them.
Mako and Bolin put up with everything they did. They knew they weren't an easy child, always running around the place and getting easily distracted by everything. Well… Bolin had been no better, but he was the calmer one of the two, thus the one Mako could trust to listen if he had to say anything. The silent menace, they had called them, never able to sit still and constantly moving around. “A firebender with an airbender’s attitude” Mako had joked and they wore it with pride.
They were always their brother’s first priority in every single thing. Be it eating or comfort or anything. At times they felt bad because they used to give them the mere scrappings they could manage to find and go to sleep hungry. But they felt better when they used to stay up at night, watching over their brothers because sleep usually failed to evade them at most nights, and even if it did, it will only hit them very late into the night.
This habit had obviously worried Mako and Bolin to no end once they got to know it happened. Sleep was something that was important after all. There were consequences when people didn't get proper sleep. Mako used to get irritated, moodier and would easily snap at people. Bolin would get clingy and whiny.
But for them… sleep wouldn't just come for some reason, even if they did want to sleep. Thoughts raced without any intention to stop and forcing themself to sleep never worked anyways because their sleep would be broken. They’d rather go without sleep for days and crash than have a night of broken sleep and wake without feeling rested.
But their brothers discovering this problem meant that they would dive into it and find a solution for it. And they were actually able to find something that did help. It wasn’t guaranteed to work all the time, of course. Sometimes the two of them fell asleep in the process of making them fall asleep. But they appreciated their effort, especially when their combined efforts actually made them fall asleep.
It was usually one of them singing to them, or telling them a story, making them concentrate on the words, which made them think relatively less, thus helping them fall asleep. It wasn't required as they grew older but their brothers still made a habit to do it when they had a bad day. It was comforting.
The other thing they tried to do was to wear them out. While there weren't any places that taught poor and homeless kids like them, it couldn't stop them from sneaking into classes and learn stuff, which they would then perform or recite for their brothers in their temporary safe place.
This also made them discover the fact that they had a knack for dancing. And that, combined with their interest in hand to hand combat often proved to be a deadly combination, be it their own brothers, or the people who were stupid enough to think that they were defenceless and attack them. Or people who called them a girl for that matter.
The day the Avatar entered their lives… they knew that things were going to go completely 180 from then on and they were honestly dreading to open up their social circle. They were very much content with a book and dancing alone, thank you very much!
They had been true, partly. Korra did uproot their lives completely but it was the good kind of uprooting in a sense. There was a thrill of adrenaline that they’d come to appreciate at some point. They got the chance to meet Jinora and find their personal heaven - the Air Temple Island Library.
Maybe their brothers won’t agree with their opinion but… being on the run, back on the streets with Korra and Asami was fun. They definitely enjoyed the reactions the two other girls gave to what was their day to day life before pro-bending. Maybe it wasn't the best thought but… Kiran was used to this life, it was something they knew, something they could easily adjust to unlike staying low in someplace where you can be trapped easily.
General Iroh… was certainly an interesting person to be around. They certainly did have fun pulling his leg just to make him blush. And it was certainly a relief that they had another socially awkward person to spend their time with. Mako was awkward but not the type of awkward Iroh was. Iroh could actually understand their problem to an extent. Maybe that’s why they clicked.
Thank the spirits Iroh asked them to be on his team though. They very narrowly escaped the invisible electric fences, all thanks to them and their ability to sense said energy. It was certainly fun to take down those Equalists… at least for them. Not so much for Asami, who had to fight her dad.
Life had relatively smoothed out for them after that, at least until the aftermath of the harmonic convergence decided to rear its head. Airbenders began popping out from everywhere, meaning they had to accompany their brothers and the airbenders to help and get them together. It didn't go well.
Approaching the Earth Queen was… certainly something. They didn't like her one bit. There was something off with her and it definitely didn't sit well with them, especially since the queen was dead set on calling them a girl.
Though one upside of all this was the fact that they could finally reconnect with their family in Ba Sing Se, who welcomed them with open arms. They even accepted them for who they were after they corrected them, which was certainly a plus because they had been afraid that their family wouldn't accept them if they ever got to know of this. It was a nice feeling.
If they had felt pampered by Tenzin’s family when they had resided in the island, the way their relatives treated them was ten times more. They were all coddled and the centre of attention for the whole time to the extent it nearly overwhelmed them and Mako. Stories were exchanged and in all honesty, this was the closest the three of them had ever felt to dad. They might not remember him as much as their brothers but… Grandma Yin definitely could bring stories to life. Too bad they had to leave though. They had airbenders to rescue.
Then everything went to hell with the entry of the Red Lotus and for the first time… the three of them had to split up in the aftermath of the fiasco. It wasn't easy for any of them. Mako was sent to guard the prince of the Earth Kingdom. Bolin had volunteered to join Kuvira. And they themselves were stretched thin between the Air Temple and their family. A small part of them was definitely glad that they weren't an adult yet because they didn't think they will be able to manage anything.
One thing led to another and the next thing they knew, they were standing beside their brothers, most likely making their final stand. The vines in front of them were buzzing, filled with so much energy. This was their only chance to take this whole thing down. This was their chance to save the world from Kuvira.
They glanced at Bolin, who was currently hugging Mako tightly before they were pulled into the hug by the two of them.
“I still don't approve this plan of yours. If anything happens to either of you…”
“I can’t make promises Bo but we will try our best to make it out alive, just like Mako said,” they said, giving a small smile as they felt the chapped lips pressing a kiss to their forehead.
“Shri is right Bo. We will try our best to get out as soon as we can. You just concentrate on taking the engineers out” Mako said, an unknown look on his face that made Bolin nervous for some reason. They’d always kind of hated these silent conversations their elder brothers seem to have, leaving them out of the loop.
“I need both my siblings back. Alright? Both of you should return to me” he demanded with a grave look on his face before going to pick up the engineers while they prepared to shoot the lightning alongside Mako.
“Kiran… take care,” Bolin said as he neared the hatch and they gave him a small smile.
“Don't worry, I will.”
Lightning crackled in the air as the two lightning benders generate what was probably the most lightning they would've generated in years. In sync, they got into the final stance and directed the energy towards the vines using their non-dominant hand and struggled to hold it up as the static started to increase. The whole room was lit up in a hue of blue and purple and on any other day, the dance between the energies would have fascinated them, but not today.
They could feel the energy pushing them back along with their lightning and judging from the grunts coming from their brother, he was feeling it too. A burning sensation started on the fingertips and was slowly starting to spread down their hand from all the energy that was being forced.
They were blasted back into the wall and they fought against the energy to keep the lightning steady, a similar thud suggesting that their brother was facing a similar issue. The vines were definitely overloading right now but it wasn’t enough. It needed more energy to be destroyed and they had to keep going until that happened.
The burning had spread from their hand and was approaching the elbow, the pain becoming unbearable as it raced closer through the elbow, numbing various areas of their hand along the way. The vines were starting to shoot the energy all over the place and they knew they had to get out at some point if they had to make it out alive.
But both of them couldn't let it go, they realised. They could practically hear the humming and the hunger of the vines. If both of them let go right now… the power would completely shut out and the vines will lash out hard and neither would come out alive. One of them had to do the sacrificial play. One of them had to stay behind and feed the vines until they exploded. And they would have to be the one to do this…
They glanced over at Mako and noticed that he’d been trying to call out to them. “Shriya,” they growled as they heard the dead name, the anger only fuelling the lightning. Mako knew not to call them that! “I loved you. Shri, I love you. And Kiran, I will always love you. Now please get out of here! I’ll be right behind you!” he gritted out and they honestly rolled their eyes. Blatant lie.
“You get out now. Bolin needs you. You know I can handle this” they shot back, slowly moving towards their brother, even though it was starting to be a chore to move with the energy pushing back fiercely.
“Shriya, we don't have time for this! Please go now!” he pleaded and they wanted to retaliate because this was the second time he had used their dead name, even though he knew they hated it and had sent a cold glare towards Mako.
The energy was starting to lash out and they knew this wasn't the time so they ran and to push Mako away, nearly cutting off his own current directed at the vines.
“We will talk about it later. I- WATCH OUT!” They pushed Mako out of the way as they eyed the stray energy headed towards… them. Out of the corner of the eye, they could see Mako’s eyes widen in panic as he landed hard on the ground, right as the bolt struck them in their chest.
The pain was intense and they could feel their connection with the lightning cut off. But they didn't feel any impact to the floor… rather it was almost as if they were floating. They felt light, like the time Mako or Bolin used to carry them around or throw them in the air to entertain them. They had their shortcomings, of course, but those two were the best brothers they could ever have.
Mako… they struggled to open their eyes, get one last look of their brother because they knew this was the end. A loud static and buzzing was all they could hear but the look on his face, the pain and anguish conveyed whatever he was trying to say and they desperately wanted to move, reach out and comfort him because while they were mad at him… they couldn't stand watching that look on his face. An explosion rang through and the last thing they saw was Mako falling into the hatch before the world ceased to exist.
Bolin opened his eyes with a groan. He could feel the pain coursing through his body and he knew it was bad news. He was going to be on bed rest for a very long time with his… his siblings. He’d come back for his siblings. He was about to climb the ladder and pull them both out by force if necessary because he knew the two of them would no doubt do the sacrificial play without question and he wasn't ready to let either of them go. Especially not Kiran. Not without making up with them.
He’d caught Mako falling from the hatch, that he remembered. His hand had been burned badly and he was already knocked out. He’d set Mako down and had started to climb back up for… No. They should’ve escaped. They weren't caught in the explosion. They would’ve escaped somehow. The energy was Kiran’s friend. It always has been. They would be alright. They would be completely fine. Maybe knocked out but fine. They should be.
He finally looked around and yeah, Mako was next to him, still knocked out and tense. He needed immediate medical attention. Bolin slowly climbed the ladder and opened the hatch, only to be greeted by the open ground and… was that another spirit portal? People were moving around but none of them was Kiran. So they should be somewhere else. Probably.
He looked back down at Mako. He couldn't carry him down without aggravating his injuries. He’ll need help. Which meant he had to go outside and ask and leave Mako, and probably Kiran all alone. But it was for their own good.
He climbed back up and approached the group, right in time when they had arrested Kuvira (Thank Goodness!) and were questioning their whereabouts. He explained the situation as much as he could and everyone set to work, helping Mako out and searching for Kiran. He slumped onto the ground and held his head in his hands.
“Kiran… where are you?”