[ Again, there's a lot there.

There's so much pain and hurt and fear that Wu must cover up, or else how does he feel like this all the time? Mako is afraid that if he lets himself feel that he'll never stop. Like once he uncovers it, that's it. Wu won't think that Mako is someone who can protect him anymore, Bolin will know exactly how much Mako is just making this all up—

But he doesn't look away. He watches Wu through all of this, holding his gaze, taking in every word. Mako feels like he has to, both because he asked and also because he didn't know.

And he feels like he should have. There's so much there. Maybe Wu never asked about Mako, but Mako never asked about Wu either, really. Didn't feel like he had to because Wu is so free with this things, but obviously there are things he missed. ]

For what it's worth, [ because this is all he knows to say, here, this is the only thing Mako feels he can offer ] I'm going to do everything I can to make sure nothing happens to you. Or that if it does, you'll be okay afterwards. I don't like to make promises I can't keep, but. I promise you that.