Something had changed. As Tahno stared at the ceiling, he found himself, for once in his life, vulnerable. Shaking. He turned onto his side, shielding his eyes from the morning sun. The second he resumed control of his limbs he sat up, planted his feet on the floor and walked unsteadily to the bathroom.
Bolin had left a while ago. In those minutes the tables had turned. Tahno had been the master of this relationship- Bolin came to him and needed him and Tahno had always been ready, arms spread across the headboard. Always waiting for the prey to come to him. Last night should have never happened. Prey didn't take control; prey could never - Bolin could never - have had the power, the dominance, the undeniable ability to make Tahno - Tahno! - lie shaking beneath him like some virginal girl.
He stepped out of the shower and flipped his arms out weakly. The water shot off his skin and evaporated. Immediately he fell back onto the bed. He couldn't think straight anymore- but whereas usually it would have frustrated him, now he just grew lethargic.
He crawled beneath the covers again, and rolled onto his back. He crossed his arms over his face, blocking the morning, the present; stifling his thoughts for a moment of maddening silence. Then suddenly, he noticed it. The bedding, the room, his hair: all of it held Bolin's scent. Raw and warm, like the Bay in summer. How long had it smelt like this? He was almost ashamed to draw the sheets to his face.
Enveloped in the heat of the perfume, Bolin's absence suddenly hit him like a rock disc in the stomach. He gasped for air, but the blow had winded him; he had never seen it coming.
Tahno had never stopped to appreciate Bolin outside of this apartment. The pro-bending arena was a whole different part of his life. The power he held in the matches was a separate kind of dominance. Who was Bolin then? Just another fan who couldn't keep his eyes to himself. Who was Bolin now? That was different. Things had changed.
Tahno tried to gather his thoughts. It was more frustrating than he would have liked. Leaning out of the bed, he stared absently at the wall opposite. The curtain shifted in the breeze and when the sun caught his eyes he thought of Bolin's shy smile. He caught himself wondering, did he smile like that with other people? He quickly snapped himself out of his thoughts and made a forced attempt at returning to life as usual.
The rest of the day didn't change.
As he went to make the bed he paused, still holding the new sheets, and thought how Bolin would slide into his arms timidly, as though he had done something wrong. How every morning after the sun would shine from behind him, outlining his taut skin. No, outside of this room Bolin was Bolin, earthbender of the Fire Ferrets. Beneath the covers, beneath Tahno's hands, he was Bolin, fast and innocent. Dedicated. His.
His confidence shattered and his resolve in pieces, he moved back to bedroom like a man who'd walked a hundred miles. Sat on the matress, he watched the wall again. Back where he'd started. Why did everything always begin in this bed?
And he could still smell it.
With a sigh that blew his hair from his face, he fell back into the thick blankets, shut his eyes, and surrendered to his memories of last evening.
Bolin had left a while ago. In those minutes the tables had turned. Tahno had been the master of this relationship- Bolin came to him and needed him and Tahno had always been ready, arms spread across the headboard. Always waiting for the prey to come to him. Last night should have never happened. Prey didn't take control; prey could never - Bolin could never - have had the power, the dominance, the undeniable ability to make Tahno - Tahno! - lie shaking beneath him like some virginal girl.
He stepped out of the shower and flipped his arms out weakly. The water shot off his skin and evaporated. Immediately he fell back onto the bed. He couldn't think straight anymore- but whereas usually it would have frustrated him, now he just grew lethargic.
He crawled beneath the covers again, and rolled onto his back. He crossed his arms over his face, blocking the morning, the present; stifling his thoughts for a moment of maddening silence. Then suddenly, he noticed it. The bedding, the room, his hair: all of it held Bolin's scent. Raw and warm, like the Bay in summer. How long had it smelt like this? He was almost ashamed to draw the sheets to his face.
Enveloped in the heat of the perfume, Bolin's absence suddenly hit him like a rock disc in the stomach. He gasped for air, but the blow had winded him; he had never seen it coming.
Tahno had never stopped to appreciate Bolin outside of this apartment. The pro-bending arena was a whole different part of his life. The power he held in the matches was a separate kind of dominance. Who was Bolin then? Just another fan who couldn't keep his eyes to himself. Who was Bolin now? That was different. Things had changed.
Tahno tried to gather his thoughts. It was more frustrating than he would have liked. Leaning out of the bed, he stared absently at the wall opposite. The curtain shifted in the breeze and when the sun caught his eyes he thought of Bolin's shy smile. He caught himself wondering, did he smile like that with other people? He quickly snapped himself out of his thoughts and made a forced attempt at returning to life as usual.
The rest of the day didn't change.
As he went to make the bed he paused, still holding the new sheets, and thought how Bolin would slide into his arms timidly, as though he had done something wrong. How every morning after the sun would shine from behind him, outlining his taut skin. No, outside of this room Bolin was Bolin, earthbender of the Fire Ferrets. Beneath the covers, beneath Tahno's hands, he was Bolin, fast and innocent. Dedicated. His.
His confidence shattered and his resolve in pieces, he moved back to bedroom like a man who'd walked a hundred miles. Sat on the matress, he watched the wall again. Back where he'd started. Why did everything always begin in this bed?
And he could still smell it.
With a sigh that blew his hair from his face, he fell back into the thick blankets, shut his eyes, and surrendered to his memories of last evening.