[A/N]: I'm always later than I'd like to be in getting back to people on here, but either way, here is a Bolin X Reader story for Emyson_original_Blue. It involves you (the reader), and Bolin (evidently). It takes place after the events of the final season have occurred. I wrote it in the early morning so it may have some errors present. This is the unedited version. I still wanted to go ahead and publish it since I'll be busy for like a month and don't know when I'll have time to extensively edit it. Anyway, Bolin hasn't been acting like his usual happy self, and you end up finding out why, in addition to finding a kindred spirit in him. I hope you enjoy this story.（≧∇≦)
One update: This one was written a whiiillleee ago, so it will not be as good as the others. Just wanted to give everyone a heads up. Thanks again for reading my lame stuff. ٩(◕‿◕｡)۶
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"Probending?" You raised an eyebrow as you looked at your friend, a little nervous about asking her more than what she had already explained. "I didn't know you still were into that."
"Are you kidding, [Y/N]?" She let out a laugh. "My girlfriend was the champion a few years back, remember?"
"Of course, Asami, how could I not remember? She's the Avatar." You looked around the the expansive atrium of your childhood best friend's house. It was odd not having her father there. Well, a lot had changed since you'd come back from completing your training in the Earth Kingdom. You'd always wanted to be a firebender; you wanted to be able to shoot lightning from your fingertips and feel the energy shoot through your veins. The spirits had other plans, though. You ended up an earthbender, like your gran gran. You supposed it skipped a generation. You never dared mentioned your disappointment around the Satos, though. You didn't want to seem ungrateful. A firebender had killed Asami's mother.
"So are you saying she's rejoining a team? What's the idea? Are we going to a match?" You tried to seem excited. Asami didn't buy it. She laughed a bit and rolled her eyes.
"No, no ones joining a team, especially Korra. We just thought it'd be fun to go see a match with some old friends."
"Old friends?" You smirked. "I didn't know you had any friends older than me."
She laid a hand on your shoulder and squeezed it. "You're still the oldest. We were practically newborns when we became friends."
"Yeah and your father almost had a stroke when I broke half the driveway during my birthday party."
"Well, you were a natural driver." She smiled again. "Once you let go of your fear a bit. You took half the ground with you on one turn."
"I value stability."
"Spoken like a true earthbender." You again felt a surge of upset. You wanted more than the ability to move rocks. You wanted to learn a new kind of earthbending. You never could learn to metalbend, no matter how hard you tried. You hated that. You had trained under some of the best, those who knew the Beifong family. If they couldn't wrench the ability out of you, no one could. It was starting to look like all you could do was move rocks and dirt around, nothing special, not like Asami: the heiress, or her friends, the Avatar, a firebending champion and his brother, and their new band of airbenders. It looks like Avatar Aang wasn't the last one after all.
"Thanks." You replied. "You know, I've never formally met anyone but Korra."
"Really?" Asami blinked. She looked genuinely surprised. "I could've sworn I introduced you to Mako and Bolin before."
"Bolin?" You asked with more interest than before.
"Yeah. He's Mako's younger brother."
"I remember seeing Mako around. He's a firebender, right?"
"Yeah. He is. Bolin is an earthbender. Their mother was a firebender and their father was an earthbender." She paused. "No- wait, was it the other way around?" She grinned again. "Either way, they were the Fire Ferret bending brothers, remember?"
"I wasn't here then, Asami." You looked dejectedly at your hands which were clasped in your lap. You didn't want to be rude or insensitive. Asami had lost her father due to what happened then, when you were in Omashu, Ba Sing Se, and other Earth Kingdom cities perfecting your bending. She was busy losing what was left of her family due to bending. You never wanted to hurt Asami Sato. She was so kind, and so brave.
"Don't be like that, [Y/N]. I've made my peace with everything. It's not like it's your fault what happened. You'll always be my friend." She smiled again, and ran a hand through her hair. You heard a chiming that signaled someone was at the door. "Oh! That must be them!" She excitedly got up and paced over to the door, leaving you on the sofa.
"Them? Asami!" You called. You got up and followed her, but chose not to go all the way up to the door. You stood behind a stone pillar near the reflecting pools and fountains near the entryway as you saw three people come in, one of them almost knocking Asami down as her medium dark brown hair briefly tangled into Asami's long, Raven locks.
"Ugh. Again?" A stoic, masculine voice groaned.
"Oh, lighten up, bro. At least some of us are in love."
A feminine laughter echoed against the alabaster walls. "Bolin, I'm sorry about your breakup, but there's always more fish in the sea."
"What a Water Tribe thing to say." The younger man retorted before sighing exasperatedly.
"I want you all to meet someone." Asami changed the subject away from Bolin's angst.
"Oh?" Korra broke in. "Who?"
"You know her, Korra. It's [Y/N]." Asami replied with a smile. Korra blushed.
"[Y/N] is here? Where? Has she finally finished her training? I want to ask her about Omashu. I heard they built a slide like the one Aang rode-" Korra sped out of the foyer into the salon as the other three people followed in slower suit.
"That was a mail shoot, wasn't it?" Mako asked, evidently a bit more interested than he wanted to let on.
"[Y/N]! Korra yelled as she found you after running into the den and almost knocking over a statue of Fire Lady Mai, a known advocate for the rights of non-benders in the Fire Nation, where part of Asami's family came from. Korra had previously almost broken one of a Kyoshi Warrior, a woman named Suki, who had championed the same ideas in the Earth Kingdom, where your family had met hers, all those years ago. "I can't believe you're back! What a wonderful surprise!" She hugged against your will, as tight as ever, so much that you could scarcely breathe right. She put you down after a few seconds. "How have you been?"
You caught your breath and smiled. Korra was always fun. You liked having her around. "Well. Pretty well. I finished my earthbending training a little early, though."
"Really? Why?" Korra looked at you and she noticed your expression fall. She decided not to press further.
"So Korra and I thought it'd be fun to take [Y/N] to a probending match. She's never really been as into it as I have, but I thought she'd enjoy it, given the fact that she's a strong earthbender herself. It may show her what it can do in action: bending I mean." She smiled as Mako and Bolin finally stood in the same vicinity as you.
"Did you say you were an earthbender?"
"Huh?" You replied to the question that was asked to you. The boy, well, the man really, who had asked you was shorter than his brother, though not by much. You could see the relation between them, though the taller one was much more of the 'tall dark and handsome' type. You thought the shorter one seemed kinder somehow, perhaps even funny, based on initial impressions alone, but for some reason that wasn't right either. He certainly wasn't acting funny, jovial or nicer than his brother.
"Bo, what'd you ask her for? Of course she's an earthbender. Can't you tell?" Mako retorted.
"What's that supposed to mean?" You replied, stepping toward him. You didn't want to let on that you found that insulting, that it felt like he was calling you less attractive than someone hotter- someone who could bend fire. Someone like him.
"What- oh. I- I meant, well..." mako stammered, evidently taken aback by you asking anything in response to his comment. Apparently Asami and Korra just ignored some of what he said, especially if it was rude. He cared about them, even if he could be snarky. "I just meant that you look like one, with the green eyes, and the brown hair, and your-er- you look strong. I mean."
You smiled and laughed. "I didn't mean to scare you, Mako. My apologies." You held out your hand to shake his, and he sheepishly grinned and shook yours back. You then smiled at Bolin and extended your hand to his. "The names, [Y/N]. It's nice to meet you. I am an earthbender. Are you as well?"
Bolin reached his hand out, though it wasn't in a wholly polite way. "Yeah. I am. It's nice to meet you-" as you touched his hand, you looked him directly in the eyes. For a brief moment, when your eyes met, it seemed as though you felt something, maybe he felt it too, maybe you were just crazy. You were just being polite. "too." His demeanor after that was a bit more uplifted.
"Alright!" Asami broke what you thought was a long period of silence that was probably more like a few seconds. "The match starts in a few hours. Anyone hungry?"
"Yes!" You thought you heard something odd, but then you realized it was actually the sound of two people saying the same thing at once. Bolin and you had answered in the same manner, at the same time.
"Well," you tucked a piece of your brownish hair behind your ear as you smiled a half-grin at Bolin, who smiled back. Korra and Asami looked at each other and smiled, and Mako checked his watch.
"Well we should get going then." He stated matter of factly. "The lines for non-participants can get long way before the match starts. If we want to get food we better head out now."
"Fine with me. You ready, [Y/N]?"
"Uh, yeah! I'm good." You replied. "Are you driving, Asami?"
"Naturally. I don't want my driveway destroyed like last time." She laughed.
"You're going to have to explain that to me, [Y/N]." A voice noted behind you as the five of you headed toward the Sato mansion's largest hanger. You turned around halfway to see Bolin semi-smiling.
"Oh, yeah? Well it's a funny story actually..." You began elaborating how when you discovered you were a bender you couldn't control it. You had the temper of your firebending father but didn't end up with his skill it seemed, instead you were stronger than your grandmother, a squat old woman with the strength of twelve badger-moles. She was friends with Toph before she left to join the Avatar. "In a way I've always felt connected to my legacy. It makes me think maybe Korra and I were meant to be friends, like our family before us was."
"I can understand that." Bolin smiled bigger than you'd seen him smile that afternoon. "You may be onto something there. After you." You took his hand as he helped you up into the back of Asami's car. Mako was sitting alone in the middle seat as Korra rode shotgun. You patted the seat next to you, and Bolin sat down. There was plenty of room. Asami's cars had gotten more spacious as the popular demand for Satomobiles increased. Families were using them. The police scanners were replaced with cup holders for bottles and baby food. Republic City was becoming a more peaceful place to live.
"Buckle up, everyone, we'll be at the restaurant in a little under half an hour."
You followed Asami's directions and placed the cloth strap over your midsection as did everyone else, and you sped off in the direction of the heart of the city.
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"I remember those movers, actually! That was you? You were Nuktuk! That's too funny. Oh- yeah, I'll have the soup, and some of that bread, the kind with the cheese on it. And- uh, some lemon water, oh! And and, don't laugh at me, but a jasmine dragon tea cake, and a Gin-Sing- oh- Ginseng tea please."
"Do you want the souvenir cup?"
"Do I want the souvenir cup? What's on it?"
"It can be bought for an additional three yuans and features Prince- sorry- FireLord Zuko and his uncle's tea shop."
"Is it a picture with Zuko?" Asami was giggling.
"Yes, ma'am. It's after the coronation. Some of the glasses actually still incorrectly say Prince instead of Firelord on them."
"Oh yeah I want the souvenir cup. Zuko was attractive when he was young."
"Would you like the straw that comes with the cup, ma'am?" The waiter was monotone. He seemed to not be enjoying himself.
"What am I, twelve?..." you paused. "Yes, please, I would enjoy the straw." The waiter sighed as Korra laughed with Asami.
"I can't believe you spent more time ordering your kids' meal cup than on your actual order." Asami laughed.
"I am merely entertaining my inner child." You sarcastically replied.
"Fair enough." Asami smiled.
"So, I was thinking after the probending match we could practice sparring ourselves, sort of to commemorate old times." Korra said.
"Really?" Mako actually seemed directly interested in something that night. "That sounds fun!"
"I wasn't expecting that reaction." Korra smiled. "Do you miss it?"
"Miss what? Fighting?"
"Well, I was referring to probending, but sure, why not?"
"Well, I certainly miss some parts of it." Mako placed his chin in his hand as he turned to face the window, glancing out over the wide expanse of land that led to the sea, as the low hanging clouds cast shadows over the mountains in the distance. "I don't think I'm much of a spectator when it comes to sports."
"Yeah. Me neither." Bolin broke in. "I'd love to get the chance to bend some more for fun. I liked saving the city, but I miss just having a good time." His smile fell.
"I'm actually glad to have a break, but if you all wanted to practice bending moves we could just skip the match." Korra replied.
"What?" You broke in. "Aw, Asami, didn't you want to go?" You didn't want to be rude. She had included you in something fun.
"I wouldn't mind seeing you in action, myself. It'd be good for you to practice with Bolin." Your face went red. "Oh, thank you." She thanked the waiter as he had come back with the food.
"Why don't we go to Air Temple Island? Tenzin and the other airbenders are off in the Southern Water Tribe visiting the people there. It'd be isolated, and we'd get a chance to really get into it." Korra stated.
"Mm-" Bolin replied through gulps of noodle soup. "That's sounds fun."
"I'm down." Mako smiled.
"Excellent! I can always use my tickets later." Asami grinned as she delicately sipped her tea.
"Bolin, look at this." You directly addressed him. "My cup says Prince instead of Firelord. I guess I got one of the messed up ones."
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The sun was still shining brightly as Asami's car rolled over the entrance to Air Temple Island. It was even quieter than usual. Despite Tenzin and Pema's best efforts at keeping the environment peaceful, at least two of his four children, and Avatar Korra made sure it never was completely silent there. Korra was evidently excited to be back for a while, and Mako and Bolin looked up at the statue of Avatar Aang, apparently lost in memory. Asami threw her keys effortlessly over her shoulder and they landed in the cup holder in the front seat as she clapped her hands.
"Alright! We need a refere. Evidently, since I have no bending abilities, I will play the role of scorekeeper. Korra, you'll be playing fire with Mako and Bolin, you and [Y/N] will be playing earth. Regrettably we have no waterbenders at the moment, though, as we're playing in the center of the island we don't really need them."
"Uh- Asami-" you broke in. "Wouldn't it make more sense for Korra to bend fire with me? Or mako? So that there'd be a firebender and earthbender on each team?"
"I thought it'd be fun to try it this way. You can't be scared to mix it up a little sometimes." She winked at you. You caught onto what was happening. She wanted Bolin to be on your team, and this was really the only way that could happen. She was a genius.
"Fine with me!" Korra exclaimed. "Fire versus earth. Elemental showdown! Let's do it!"
Your stomach did this odd flip that it hadn't done in a long while. You rarely got nervous, but you were about to face the Avatar and a former probending champion who both possessed the power you so desperately wanted to be able to use, as you defended the one you were saddled with. However, you did like the earthbender you were next to.
"Standard rules apply, with minor differences made for the setting. No territory rules, it's just a matter of staying up. First team to knock both players down wins. Losing team moves back five feet for winning team's next offense. Fire starts first. Any questions?" Asami called as you got into the standard probending sparring positions.
"Why fire?" You looked over your shoulder at Asami as if to call out for help.
"Trust me!" She replied. "It's for a reason."
"Alright! Ready?"
"Ready, City Boy?" Korra smirked at Mako.
"As I'll ever be, Avatar." He smiled back.
"You ready, [Y/N]?"
"Huh?" You turned to look at Bolin who was leaning forward, but still looking at you. His eyes were greener somehow. He looked like he wanted to make sure you were okay. You were. You were okay. "Yeah. I'm good."
"Ready, Asami!" Korra called. Asami had perched herself in a high seat that Tenzin had installed in a last ditch attempt to repair an ancient Airball court. He decided to not take the risk until Korra was out of the house.
"Fire!"
Before you knew it flames of both blue and orange shot past your head, missing you as you instinctually dodged the hit. Bolin had counter attacked by throwing earthen disks back at Mako, which he evaded by rocketing himself into the air. You watched in awe at that type of skill. You stepped forward as you readied yourself to attack on the offensive, but a hand grabbed your shoulder and pulled you back. "What? What are you?" It was Bolin.
"I got it."
"Excuse me? There's two of us you know."
"Yeah, but" he dodged another shot from Mako. "We're a little outmatched don't you think?" He heaved a rock at Korra, who dodged it with expert ease.
"Maybe you are! I want to actually try!" You hotly retorted as you evaded a strike from Korra, who seemed to flip through the air.
"You'll get the chance to, believe me! It's just- watch out!" Another attack from Mako knocked you down as you were pushed back. Bolin was knocked back easily after that, losing you both the first round.
"That's one for fire!" Asami yelled with a catch in her voice.
"You okay?" Mako called. You grunted and rose back to your feet.
"I'm great. Let's keep playing!" You yelled. Korra smiled.
"Alright, since [Y/N] took the hit, fire starts again, and earth, move back."
"Aw man!" Bolin whined as he got back into position.
"Don't pout. We'll win this one." You smiled. He smiled back, though you thought he was holding in annoyance.
As quickly as you got to your feet you were almost knocked down again, but as Korra shot another offensive blow, you actually were able to bend a slab of earth up to protect yourself. Out of the corner of your eye you saw Bolin open his mouth in astonishment, and Asami leaned forward in her seat. Korra and mako stood looking on as the massive portion of solid rock was being lifted up by someone three times smaller. You heaved it toward the opposing pair, but were unable to hit either team. "Dang it!" You threw your arms in the air.
"That's another knockout for fire!" Asami called.
"What?" You veered around to see Bolin crumpled up on the ground, evidently taken out by Korra once you were otherwise entertained. They must've moved fast. You attempted to make an offensive move, but were again taken out by a quick move from Mako.
You ran up to Bolin, who took a few minutes to stand up. He dusted himself off and scowled at you. This wasn't going as you would have liked it to. He was supposed to like you, not be mad at you. "Are you-"
"I'm fine. Let's just finish this." He put up his arms, as the two of you moved back again.
"Fire!" Asami called again. You thought you heard water rushing in your ears. Then, you moved your hands and shot disks into your opponents' section. "It's a hit! Earth still has both players. Mako took the hit! I guess it's you two versus the Avatar. This should be fun!"
"Let me attack. You work on keeping safe." Bolin stood in front of you.
"If you're the better player," you emphasized better in a biting manner. "Wouldn't it make sense," you dodged another attack from Korra that was way too high in the air for most people to kick. "For ME to get taken out first?"
"It's a hit!" Asami called as you looked around. Bolin was knocked down. You felt bad, but now- it was you versus Korra. You felt bad for yourself. "Earth, it's you versus fire. [Y/N] versus Korra! Let's go!" You noticed Bolin wasn't talking to Mako or Asami. He was sitting like a kid who had just gotten in trouble. He looked funny. No, he looked miserable. What was bugging him so much? You turned around just as Korra had jumped towards you, as you lifted part of the ground again. She dodged your attack but you ended up on your feet. After that you successfully launched a large disk at her, and she dodged that. Mako and Asami were looking on in interest as you sparred with the Avatar, and actually appeared to be holding your own.
"And it's a hit! I can't believe it! [Y/N]! Earth wins this round! Though, fire still wins best two out of three. Mako and Korra are the winners. Good game everyone." Asami smiled.
Korra got up and walked over to you and slapped you on the back. You lurched forward. "Great job! You did learn a lot in the Earth Kingdom."
"Thanks." You laughed lightly as Mako ran up, too. You kept an eye on Bolin, who remained where he was.
"That was crazy!" Mako smiled. "That was insane! I've never seen anything like it. That was just regular old earthbending, too. Not metal or magma. It just goes to show how the elements on their own are powerful enough. I can't- that was so incredible!" You'd never seen Mako so excited about anything. You smiled at him. "You can hang with us any time, [Y/N]. Well, I mean it's not like you needed my approval anyway. That was fun!"
"Yeah." You lightly smiled. "I'll be right back." You tapped Mako's shoulder. "Thanks, man." He watched you with Korra as Asami came running up to comment on your bending. Asami kept Mako and Korra talking as you snuck away to go find Bolin. How could she have seen this coming?
"Bolin?" You called lightly. "Bolin?" You poked your head through green bushes and red flowers, looking for the earthbender boy with the green eyes that you had come to like but had evidently misunderstood. "Hey, Boliiiiiiiiiiiin?"
"I'm over here, JEEZ." You heard his voice come from the other side of the large, century-old gates that airbenders learned to move through their stances, which spun lightly in the afternoon wind. He was sitting with his head resting on his crossed arms, and it looked a bit like he'd been crying. You came up and stood behind him. He didn't turn around, but he made a half grunting noise that made it evident he recognized your presence.
"What's wrong? So we lost. It's just a game." You didn't quite agree with your words of comfort. You knew bending and probending and the spirit of competition meant more than that to you, so why wouldn't it to someone like him?
It took him a minute before he replied. "It's not that." He sighed, as you say next to him. "It's just been-" he paused, and took a deep breath, "different, since everything happened."
"Everything?" You put a hand around Bolin's shoulder and looked at him, as to comfort him. "You're gonna have to be a little more specific." You smiled. He weakly smiled back.
"It's just that we used to be a team. Team Avatar! We fought Amon, Unalaaq, The Red Lotus, even Kuvira. We were heroes. Now we're just kids again. I don't even have a girlfriend anymore. Mako doesn't either but he's always gotten girls to like him and he doesn't even try! Like Korra. If it wasn't for Korra, I would have never been as good of a bender that I am. You're lucky, training with the Beifong Academy. I bet you're a real good metalbender, huh? I can't do that. Any of it. I can do other stuff though."
You didn't really want to tell Bolin of all people, much less Asami, but you knew it'd come out eventually. "I actually can't metalbend. I'm not that good of an earthbender." You saw Bolin's eyes widen a bit, but they narrowed again.
"You were good enough for Mako. Good enough to knockout the Avatar using regular bending. I could never do that. You don't need metalbending."
"That's not fair to me, Bolin! I want to feel strong just like you. I have people that I care about that can firebend, too. They seem so capable. It's not like you're alone in that." He looked up at you, and you smiled. "What other stuff can you do?"
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"So you've never heard of lavabending?" Bolin asked as you stood over a stretch of green grass, with Mako, Korra and Asami standing behind you as you listened to Bolin explain how to properly bend the earth using some type of thermal control that allowed for the molten use of rock and ash. He seemed to be speaking some foreign language. You stood with a shocked expression on your face.
"No, I haven't. I thought only the Avatar could do that. Isn't it firebending?" You looked back at Mako and Korra.
"Nope. It's actually an earth thing." Bolin looked over his shoulder and smiled at you as he raised his hands; the earth trembled and you stood in place out of habit. You were good at balance; grounding, being stable, steady, reliant. Maybe earthbending wasn't so monotonous after all.
Before you could fully understand what was happening, the green grass specked with frost turned a deep, hot, red, then split as Bolin moved it upwards, tossing molten rock and liquid stone into the air. He lowered his hands and the earth fell back into place, black obsidian in place of the green grass.
"It'll grow back." He smiled as eyes, green the grass he burned, sparkled. "Don't worry." You had backed up so that you were almost on top of Mako, who liked the attention, and wasn't saying anything. "Wanna try it?"
"Uhhhhhh" you smiled. "I'm not sure if-"
"Come on, where's your sense of adventure?" He grabbed your hand and pulled you along until he stood behind you and helped you move your arms correctly. You blushed as you felt him so close to you.
It had been a month or so, and you had been hanging out with Asami, the Avatar and the bending brothers. You were surprised that Mako was around so much, given Korra and Asami's relationship. He was busy with work for a great deal of the time, so you could understand why he didn't have a wider circle of friends. You refused to believe it might be because he liked you at all. Not after his last two girlfriends. Compared to them, you thought you probably looked like a potato-turnip. "Okay, so I loosened up this part. You can try here. Just make sure your stance is solid, then raise your arms, and try to imagine the ground being hot."
"H-hot?" You replied. The ground was semi frozen. "O-okay." You stepped out of Bolin's arms and planted your feet on the ground. "Hot. I can do hot." You thought of all the times you wished you were a firebender and used all of your mental and physical strength to project the heat and the passion you felt into the earth. You closed your eyes and willed the earth not to move, but to melt. To become liquid fire. In its core, the earth is fire, isn't it? It's water on fire. It's fire. Hot. Hot. Hot.
"HOT!" You heard cheering coming from four different people. As you opened your eyes you saw the earth that was previously blackened for all of five minutes erupt into a small river of brimstone, as you actually could do what Bolin showed you. You couldn't metalbend, but this was way cooler. Or- hotter. This was power. You weren't a firebender, but you did have control over this kind of fire, and this kind of fire was substantial.
"You did it! I can't believe you got it that fast!" Bolin had lost his former self-involved outlook on your bending. Over the past month the two of you talked frequently, about all the things you loved and hated, the things that scared you, made your life worth living. You became really great friends. Now it seemed you may become more than that. "You're a natural!" Your feet left the ground as Bolin hoisted you effortlessly into the air in celebration. As you hung there you looked down at him: the morning sun shining against his black hair, his eyes the color of everoak trees, his smile larger than any one you'd seen, and before you could stop yourself, you had bent a rock slab under your feet to steady yourself as you quickly kissed him. As you pulled away, you noticed him blink for a few seconds, as his face grew red. Then, as the rock you had liquified cooled off, you took his hand and walked towards the rest of your friends, who were all a bit surprised. Mako's face looked as red as Bolin's.
You, Asami, Korra, Mako and Bolin all started back to where Asami had parked her car, as you all had individual business in the city that day. The five of you had gone out at dawn to spar again, after the last event made it evident that Team Avatar needed to get together more following Kuvira's defeat. After the Great Uniter lost her gambit, Team Avatar needed to be reunited. After all the years spent apart, you came into the picture, and it did wonders for everyone. You were fun, smart, brave, but most importantly, you were kind. Despite what you said, you listened to people, and you tried to help them. That's what you did with Bolin that day after Asami and Korra and Mako finally found the both of you, and that's what you were doing now, as you rode into the rising sun with your childhood best friend, and her closest new friends, as you finally saw prospect in the idea you might have a boyfriend soon. After Asami dropped Mako off at the police station and he waved goodbye in a tired, yet happy manner, she said goodbye to Korra as she headed off to correspond with the United Forced as Tenzin was planning a visit to the Fire Nation capital.
"I have a meeting with Varrick and Zhu Li to work on some new blueprints for Future Industries. [Y/N], Bolin do you have any work to do today?"
"Actually, no." You replied.
"Me neither." Bolin said.
"You're welcome to come visit Varrick with me, both of you. He wouldn't forget you, Bolin. [Y/N], he'd like you. I have no doubt about that."
"I'm actually kinda hungry, Asami." You began.
"Yeah, me too." Bolin replied. "Where was that restaurant we ate at the first time [Y/N] came with us?"
"It's about a mile from here. I think they open for lunch soon. I could drop you off. [Y/N], there will be plenty of occasions for you to meet Varrick. I can't believe you haven't already met him."
"Well, you were busy. I moved around. Wasn't he like, in jail for a while or something?"
"Briefly." Bolin laughed. "A lot has changed after all these years."
"It sure has." Asami smiled and you could see the reflection in the rear view mirror. "I'll drop you both off."
"Thanks." You reached your hand over as sneakily as you could to clasp Bolin's. He looked down and smiled. Asami pushed her foot down so the car sped up around a curve, and you were thrust into Bolin's side, and he laughed a bit as you steadied yourself.
"Here we are." Asami smiled.
"That was quick." You pulled your collar back into its proper position.
"Have fun on your date!" She chirped as Bolin helped you back onto the street.
"Date?" You looked at Bolin, who smiled as he extended his arm.
"It is if you want it to be." He said.
"I- I do." You replied in a shy manner.
"Excellent." As you stood beside him he kissed you on the cheek. You blushed this time. You turned around to wave goodbye at Asami, who dove away as elegantly as she came.
"So, it's a date?" You asked.
"It's a date." He smiled as he wrapped an arm around you. There were very few people around, as the restaurant was just about to open for lunch. It was still relatively early. As the two of you were as alone as you'd been up until that point, he leaned in to kiss you. This time it wasn't quick, it lasted a while. You interwove your fingers in his hair as he kissed you, and your body pressed up against his. When you broke the kiss you leaned your head against his. "Bolin."
"Yeah?" He laughed.
"If it's a date, do you have to pay?"
"I will if you want me to."
"Good." You grabbed his hand and walked toward the entrance to the restaurant as the lights indicating it was open for business flickered on.
"Why?" He laughed lightly as he followed you.
"Because I want another three yuan souvenir cup. And I want this one to say FIRELORD Zuko."
He laughed as he caught up with you. "Sounds good to me, [Y/N]. Though, as I said before, it suits him either way. Who cares whether or not his title is right? He's the same guy either way, isn't he?"
"Yeah. I guess you're right. I guess he is."
As you both sat down at the same table as the night you first met, you thought back over the month that you spent truly having fun, learning to accept who you were, who you are, and learning to love someone who built you up. He was like the earth, steady, solid, yet compassionate, deep, with a fire inside him that you had so desperately sought. You had found it in an unlikely place, and you had almost overlooked it because of what you had labeled him as. Now, as he looked at you in a way you'd never been looked at before, you truly felt at peace, yet excited and prepared for whatever the future had in store. As the afternoon sun became brighter and hotter even in the midwinter sky, it sparkled and shined on the tinted walls of the restaurant. As you ordered the same meal you got last time, and the two of you spent the afternoon talking, Bolin invited you to spend the rest of the evening with him as well. Before you got up to go with him from the restaurant, you started to laugh.
"What is it?" Bolin asked, trying not to laugh himself.
"I just noticed something." You grinned. "The waiter was wrong. The Zuko cups don't have misprints on them. Look." You held out the cup to Bolin, and he looked at it.
"What? It just says-" He laughed as he took the cup from you, and twisted it, revealing a double sided design that when looked at from the correct angle iridescently transformed the words "Prince Zuko" into "Fire Lord Zuko." "See?" He handed it back to you. "He was the same guy, either way, right?" As you reached for the cup back, he held it away from you. "Nah. This is mine. Yours was never messed up in the first place."
"Fair enough." You grinned as you followed him out of the restaurant and into the heart of republic city, the sun shining down amidst the gently falling midwinter snow.
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[A/N: I hope you enjoyed this story! It was a little bit shorter and less complicated than the other ones. I noticed that was an issue with some of my oneshots. Be sure to check back in for new developments and updates. Also, if you enjoyed these, check out my Attack on Titan and Black Butler oneshot series as well. Requests for those are open, too, and I'd love some more interest in those. I love ATLA/LOK, but I want to write requests for some other anime/manga/books/films as well. I feel like I only ever write about three or four fandoms. Haha. V(^_^)V]