As you enter the restaurant, the familiar and delicious smell of Water Tribe food surrounds you. You look around with a satisfied sigh, making a mental note to pick up those pesky groceries and not stay here for too long. There's only one other customer here, sitting at the table in the far corner of the room with his back to you. Your smile slowly disappears as you notice a dozen small, scraped-clean bowls piled up on the table and the shaking of his slumped shoulders. He's crying.
You glance over to the kitchen door, hearing frantic amounts of activity from within. It's unlikely that you'll get a waiter over anytime soon, so you stand there, unsure of what to do. Should you go over and try to help the guy out, or should you mind your own business and sit somewhere else? You hear a chittering noise from the table and your eyes widen when you see the bloated fire ferret draped lazily over the man's broad shoulder.
It's not...is it?
You take a step forward unconsciously, noticing the thick black mop of hair on the man's head and his green tunic. Your heart starts to pound.
It sure looks like him...but what are the odds?
"Um...Miss?"
You jump and whirl around almost guiltily. The receptionist is giving you a strange look and you realise just how long you've been staring at the boy at the back of the restaurant.
"I don't mean to rush you, but would you like to take a seat?"
"Oh...of course...I was just..." you fumble, unable to think of a lie, and slowly shuffle backwards until his gaze shifts back to his work. Your own eyes slide back over to the boy, whose sobs haven't ceased or slowed. You square your shoulders and decide to take your chances, walking over to the table.
"E-excuse me," you say awkwardly.
When he doesn't look up, you clear your throat.
"Um...are you all right?"
Slowly, he lifts his head and your already rapid breaths catch in your throat when you're met with his achingly familiar eyes. Even though they're bloodshot and swimming in tears, they're unmistakably green. So it is him.
But euphoria turns to confusion when no spark of recognition lights up his face in return. Instead he sniffles loudly, dragging the sleeve of his shirt under his nose before half-heartedly nodding.
"Yeah...thanks."
"You're crying," you hear yourself say stupidly. Duh, you idiot. Why don't you make him recognise you?
But you can't, not when he's like this.
"Uh...ah-choo!" he lets out a very unconvincing sneeze and rubs the tears from his eyes before attempting a smile that looks like a grimace. "You know...stupid spring allergies."
You raise an eyebrow. It's the middle of winter.
"Would you mind if I sit with you?" you blurt.
He starts to look panicked.
"Um. Okay, look, the reason I'm this much of a mess is because my girlfriend just broke up with me." His voice cracks slightly. "I don't think I can—"
"Oh! No, no...not like that. I just..." your mind is reeling. Girlfriend? Breakup? What in the world has happened in those six years you haven't seen him? Your gaze lands on the fire ferret, who cracks one eye open to observe you sleepily.
"I just think it's unnatural that a guy who owns such a cute fire ferret would look this sad."
The little creature's eyes are wide open and he stares at you in disbelief. The expression on his owner's face is almost comically similar. The only thing you want to do right now is dig the deepest hole ever known to mankind and then curl up and die. Pull yourself together.
"I mean...I just didn't want to sit at my favourite restaurant in the world eating Water Tribe noodles when someone else is sobbing at another table over a breakup. I'd feel like the biggest jerk in the world, and, well, I kind of know what a bad breakup is like."
His gaze softens a little at the sincerity in your face.
"Pabu is pretty cute," he says with a watery grin. He gestures for you to take a seat, and you do.
"I'm Bolin by the way." He extends a hand.
I know. "Kiko." You shake it. It's wet with tears and you discreetly wipe your hand on the seat afterwards. He sits back and frowns.
"Kiko...do I know you from somewhere? You just seem pretty familiar."
You don't know why, but you don't want to reveal yourself to him just yet. It doesn't feel right.
"I'm just really friendly," you reply with a smile.
"Here's the extra-large bowl of noodles you ordered, sir."
An out-of-breath waiter dashes to the table, his cheeks flushed and his hair less than impeccable, and sets a huge bowl of something steaming and fragrant down on the table. It's all you can do to keep from drooling.
"Would you like anything else, sir?" he asks with a quick bow of the head. You notice the way his eyes flash to the small pile of bowls littered over the table.
"Yes. How about something for the lady?" Bolin glances over at you and you see a shadow of his old sparkling smile flicker faintly across his face.
"Okay, but I'm paying for this one," you warn him.
"Miss Akiyama?" the man is surprised when he notices you.
"Hey, Tanaka."
"It's Mister Tanaka to you," he says sternly before cracking a smile.
"All right, I'll take what he's having. You won't believe how much I've been craving noodles all day."
"You're always craving noodles," he commented before making his way back into the kitchen.
You turn back to meet Bolin's confused gaze.
"Friendly with the staff?"
"I am the staff—I'm a waitress. I work every other day, though."
"That's probably where I recognise you, right? You probably took my order last week or something."
You just smile, not telling him that it has been years since you've last seen him.
As Bolin starts on the noodles, slurping and sucking like he hasn't eaten in days, you look at Pabu who has been watching you intently the whole time. When you smile at the little guy—sweet mother of Wan, you've missed him—you're startled to hear him squeak so loudly it echoes. His little face brightens and he starts moving his paws frantically, getting his swollen body to move as fast as it can.
"Pabu? What's wrong?" asks Bolin, though with his mouth full of noodles it sounds more like, "Pabu, wuff wong?"
You can barely contain your joy. Pabu's recognised you. The fire ferret streaks up your shoulder and nuzzles into your neck like he used to do. Bolin's eyes widen at the sight of him snuggling with you like that. But for a brief moment you could swear something other than surprise flits across his face.
"Wow! Pabu doesn't normally warm up to strangers like that. Is everyone like this with you?"
"I guess it's just my natural charm." You twirl your ponytail dramatically, finally eliciting a laugh from Bolin.
"That's more like it." You lean back with a satisfied grin.
"What?"
"You laughed."
"So?"
"Well, you seem like a guy who laughs a lot, so let me tell you that your smile suits you a lot more than your frown. So keep it on for me, okay?"
Bolin blinks as if he doesn't know whether to be flattered or slightly creeped out.
"Wait, so you came over here and endured agonising small talk to make me smile?"
"When you say it out loud it sounds weird, but yeah, that's pretty much it. And the small talk wasn't that terrible."
You grin and absently reach up to stroke Pabu's soft red fur.
"Your noodles, Akiyama."
Mr Tanaka is back with a second bowl of heaven's gift.
"It's Miss Akiyama to you," you quip cheekily, breaking the chopsticks.
He rolls his eyes affectionately. "Be here bright and early tomorrow, got it?"
"I never disappoint."
"And would the gentleman like anything else...?"
"Mm...nah. That'll be all, Mr Tanaka," says Bolin, swirling his chopsticks in his bowl.
His eyebrows jump a little before he turns and heads back to the kitchen.
"Man, you really like noodles." Bolin watches in fascination as you begin shovelling the food into your mouth at warp speed.
"You're not exactly on a diet, I gather," you reply, shooting a pointed glance at the bowls.
Bolin makes a 'fair enough' face as you pause your shovelling to gently lift Pabu off you in case he's jolted by your rapidly moving shoulders.
You finish the noodles in minutes. Bolin's eyebrows are almost in line with the little curl on his forehead as he watches you push away the bowl and rub your stomach in contentment.
"I think you broke a world record or something," he exclaims. "I definitely know you broke mine."
"Your what?"
"My speed-eating record."
"Ah, look on the bright side. I'll never break your most-noodles-eaten-in-a-day record. I'm built for speed, not endurance."
Bolin laughs for the second time and the sound is like music to your ears. Mission accomplished. For a moment you just sit and bask in the familiarity of it all. Sitting around discussing nonsense and laughing while Pabu basked between you both—the nostalgia is real.
"Thank you."
You look over at him, surprised out of your thoughts.
"What for?"
"I did kind of need to pull myself together. I'm a bit of a mess now, but thanks for...you know, making me laugh and all that. I really needed it."
"Hey, it's no problem at all," you say. His eyes are nearly back to normal, bright and alert and a brilliant green but still with a hint of sadness. At least he's not covered in his own snot anymore.
You chat a little while longer until look out the window at the sun and suddenly remember that you're not here for a chat. "I have to go," you say. "You know how it is-people to see, errands to run."
"Oh...that's a shame." Bolin looks genuinely disappointed as you reluctantly get out of your seat.
"We'll be seeing each other again. I'm working tomorrow. Taking the day shift. Maybe you could come over?"
"Definitely. Pabu will be pretty happy to see you, won't you, buddy?"
The fire ferret chitters as if in reply.
"I'll be pretty happy to see him, too," you grin and slap some money down on the table.