This Is My Uniform

Green Silk Top Hat

"Wu-" Mako mumbled into the mirror, paused, blushed, frowned. "No." He sighed setting the hair gel down, glaring again at his reflection.

"P-prince Wu." A frustrated growl, using the left over gel on his fingers to tame the ridiculous long hairs on his eyebrows to their trademark point.

Mako took a moment to observe himself as he pulled his coat on. Intimidating?

A deep breath as he washed the residue off his hands. "Wu." He tried again. "I-I know..." Another frustrated sigh, wet fingers knotting in the towel.

He glanced back at himself.

"Stupid."

A groan echoed against the tiled walls. Why was he so anxious? What was he rehearsing for? They'd lived together for over two years. It was the same Wu. He threw his same coat on over his same undershirt. In the same hotel room. Hand fisted over his door knob. Playing the same stupid games-

But somehow he knew, Mako just knew. Something between them had changed and he- He hated it. He... looked forward to it? Somehow it was a kind of enjoyable torture. Wu hanging off him, differently than before. His hands wandered more than they had in the past. Mako carrying him like it was normal, like it was a habit. Even the meals they occasionally ate together. It was something they enjoyed.

He inhaled, bracing himself. The crease just above the bridge of his nose deepening as he entered the common room.

The vision of the Prince standing swathed in his usual robe, stupid, ridiculous top hat doffed to the side as he stood before the window. He was entirely focused on the view, muttering heatedly. The image sucker punched the bodyguard, rocking him from head to toe. And the knowledge of what it was that coursed hot through Mako's veins made the firebender feel sick.

"Wu." Too harsh, too angry.

Retaliation was the only thing he knew to do, the only way he knew how to ward off these frightening feelings he didn't want to let consume him because if they did-

If they did-

The poor man jumped out of his skin, hat falling to the floor, hand pressing to his chest as eyes opened wide, robe falling off one shoulder.

Mako narrowed his eyes before turning his gaze out the window. Still seeing the reflection of Wu, but the detail gone. His thundering heart calmed. It was easier to look away, to appear as though he was observing whatever Wu had been glaring at so intently. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I-I w-was-" Quickly the prince recovered, watery smile, a thin chuckle though Mako could see the quickened pulse leaping at his throat and temple, pupils blown wide in panic, nostrils flared, cheeks flushed.

It didn't help matters that he was just damn beautiful. Lips parted in a deep breath as Wu straightened, hat donned expertly.

"Just practicing my speech." And the public figure was back in place.

It struck Mako like a slap to the face, cold and painful, how they both had facades they wore around one another. Ironic. Lonely. So desperate for connection, so terrified to let their guard down.

He strode closer, eyes narrowed, head tilted. It dawned on him that he could reach out. He could offer the olive branch. He could just as easily explore the heat that wound up in his core.

Staring down at Wu as he prattled on, dusting off his hands before grinning up at his bodyguard it dawned in Mako like a slow sunrise.

He wanted to know what Wu's thick lips tasted like.