Greetings, one and all! This time around, I bring you a little oneshot featuring everyone's favorite Earthbender (besides Lin, of course), Bolin! Actually, I based this oneshot off of a fanart I saw on tumblr just the other day. Short as this piece is, I feel it really gets its emotional message across. Anyways, enough of my rambling, on with the story! Enjoy and review! ^_^
DISCLAIMER: I do not own "Avatar: The Last Airbender". The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it. I also do not own "The Legend of Korra" or any of the characters associated with it. I am merely a fanboy with a passionate love for this series.
Alone
"Tee-hee! Stop it!" giggled Korra from down below, causing Bolin to wake up and blink his eyes groggily.
"Why should I?" teased Mako, his voice playful as Korra giggled again. Bolin turned his head over towards the side, his eyes gazing off towards the edge of the landing where his bunk was at. The three of them had returned to Republic City a few days ago, and the Arena had been repaired enough for the brothers to live back up in the attic. Korra had decided to move in with the brothers for the time being, at least until things in Republic City returned to normal.
"Because, City Boy," chuckled Korra, sounding like she was trying to wriggle out of his grasp, "your fingers are tickling me. Do you have any idea of how warm your fingers are right now?"
"Well," said Mako slyly, his voice so slick that Bolin could practically hear him grin, "I guess I found your new weakness, then."
"Don't you even dare-" Korra began to say firmly before she burst into a fit of bubbly giggles, her voice resonating throughout the attic and into Bolin's ears. "Mako!" she snickered breathlessly, practically hyperventilating underneath Mako's teasing assault. "If you don't stop that right now, I'll-"
She was suddenly cut off, and Bolin glanced down sadly at his pillow, figuring that Mako had silenced her with a kiss to her lips. After a few seconds, he heard Mako speak up again: "You'll do what, Korra?"
"This," he heard Korra say, visualizing her smile as she leaned in and pressed her lips to Mako's.
Bolin sighed heavily and buried his face into his pillows, trying his best to drown out Mako and Korra's sweet talk as they pulled out of their second kiss. Night after night, it was the same thing: the two of them staying up late and doing all the cute, sweet things couples did with each other, while he just sulked off to bed and let Pabu lay on top of him as he tried – vainly – to get some sleep.
He lifted up his head from his pillows, leaving his mouth covered and letting his eyes stare down at the pillow. "I just don't get it, Pabu," he mumbled into his pillow as he heard Korra giggle from down below again. "How is it that a nice guy like me, despite being nothing but charming and pleasant, ends up alone while she ends up with my brother?" He buried his face deeper into his pillow, trying to shut out his sadness. "It hurts, Pabu...it hurts a lot."
Pabu purred forlornly as he jumped down off of his back, nestling next to his master's face and nuzzling into his cheek. The Earthbender looked up at his pet, smiling as he said quietly, "Thanks for trying to cheer me up, buddy." Pabu tilted his head curiously as he leaned back, his ears twitching slightly. Bolin glanced down at his pillows, sighing again as he asked, "How did you do it, Avatar Aang? How did you end up with the girl of your dreams while the girl of my dreams is in love with my brother?"
He buried his face in the soft pillows again, mumbling, "I just wish it didn't hurt so much. I mean, I'm happy for them and all, but…it still hurts a lot knowing I can't love Korra the same way Mako does. I'm not the one who gets to snuggle with her all night. I'm not the one she kisses and says 'I love you' to. I'm not the one who gets to hold her in my arms as she smiles. I'm just…alone. Just Bolin, the guy who's always second to his brother."
He hugged the pillows tighter to his face, trying his hardest not to cry despite the burning pain in his heart. "I'm sorry I couldn't be like my brother, Korra…maybe then you would have fallen in love with me..."