Authors Note: Hey! So I'm extremely new. I've used this site for a long time to read about my favorite pairings, and other fun possibilities for my fandoms. However, I've never made a story of my own. I'm a huge avatar the last airbender fan, and right now, am currently obsessing over the Legend of Korra. At first I was a huge Borra fan (and still am) and didn't care for Opal much, but she's grown on me and I think Bolin and Opal are adorable! I mean Opal's cute, and sweet and an airbender! So I was a tad disappointed when I saw how little fanfiction or fan art was out there for Bopal, so I decided to make my own story. This takes place in season four and starts off pretty canon. I thought It'd be kinda cool to see Opal's perspective, and why she's been so harsh on Bolin. Also, none of these characters are mine and DO NOT belong to me whatsoever. :) Again, I'm new so sorry if it seems a little rough. Thank you so much if you take the time to read it and please feel free to let me know what you think!
Bolin was different, he had been different for a while, but it was getting to where it was effecting our relationship. I had always loved him for his easy going demeanor and handsome face. His body was just icing on the cake. He had one of those bodies that dedicated people had. He was built and hard, a nice contrast to my slim and smooth. I liked the thought that he could protect me if he had to, even though I probably didn't need protecting. He was always cute, and sweet to me. He wasn't like other guys somehow. He wasn't afraid to be nice, or show emotion, yet still knew how to woo a woman. Now since he's gone all the time, working with her, he's not here for me to reassure myself that he's still the same old Bolin. I'm afraid he'll come back one day and all I'll see is a stranger, and I won't love him anymore.
Kai and myself were surfing the sky, looking for the Earth Kingdom state Tenzin had mentioned. It looked like we had gotten there just in time to help. I felt a ping of excitement how conveniently we arrived, that we arrived in time to make a difference. We couldn't let these people down now. Kai and I took off after some bandits we saw robbing a shop, and apprehended them. The governor of the city came to greet us, but seemed disappointed that it was only us. A part of me was offended that he wasn't more appreciative of our efforts. We came all the way out to help, and we actually caught somebody within the first few minutes of arriving. However, I understood his position. His city had been starving and taken advantage of for a while, and finally help arrives and it seems like no one took his call for help seriously, only sending two teens. I was 19, and Kai was 14, however we could kick some serious butt, not to toot my own horn.
I hear a train roll to a smooth stop behind us, and then come to a final halt after making an airy gust sound, and then silence. I watched all the starving citizens as Kai watched the people clear from the train. There were many older people, single mothers and fathers with thin hungry children. I knew I came from a privileged background, and some people may think I just don't understand what it's like to be truly hungry, or desperate. So independent yet dependent at the same time. To feel helpless, and afraid. They're right, and that's the reason why I care so much. I see people who have nothing compared to what I had, and although I cannot go back to any experiences like they go through every day, just from comparison alone I can see how rough it is. How appreciative I should be and should have been. I have a terrible feeling in my gut when I look at these people, I feel guilty. I must do everything I can for them. I feel even more compelled to help these people so they can have a more fair life, a more privileged life. Why should I deserve it and not them? Kai snaps me out of thoughts.
"Hey, what's your boyfriend doing here?"
My ears perked up at the sentence, then suddenly realized if Bolin was here, that meant Kuvira was here too. May I just say, I despise that woman. I reply,
"If he's here then he must be with Kuvira and my brother. This isn't going to be good…"
Kai doesn't seem to think much of it and runs after him. I must say though, I loved how Bolin was to Kai, and in turn Kai truly saw Bolin as an older brother. It was a sweet relationship that I always praised Bolin for. Another sweet thing about him, which is why I love him. He could be sweet and manly all at once. I see Bolin giving Kai a loving bear hug and decide to get in on some action. I sneak up behind him and ruffle his new do, surprising him. He turns around and beams at me.
"Opal I can't believe you're here too! I missed you so much." He extends his arms and pulls me in. He's warm, and comforting, and I didn't want him to let go. I just wanted this moment to last and not have to worry about if he was changing, or that these people weren't okay, or the avatar, or the world. I didn't want to worry at all. However that's life, and Kuvira and my brother interrupt our embrace. We exchange a few words, I make my feelings for her known, and then everything gets 100 percent worse when I hear my brother is marrying the wretched woman. I couldn't believe Bataar chose her over us… I just hope Bolin doesn't end up choosing her over us also.
Kuvira invites the governor of the state inside the train, and Bolin and myself wait outside. I look at him and ask if he really thinks she's helping.
"You know how she helps people right? She doesn't give people a choice. She basically forces people to surrender to her, or won't help otherwise. These people don't want to give up their towns, and she knows they need help. She's taking advantage of these poor cities so she can take all the power for herself…"
"Opal… we're helping people, we're making a difference, cleaning up the Kingdom. They'll be the same, just under her name... So what? I don't want this to come between us. We're both just trying to help the best ways we know how."
Even though I didn't agree, I could appreciate he had become wiser, and more able to make decisions on his own. I grabbed his hand, which was warm, and engulfed mine. His skin was surprisingly soft for an earthbender, and for a second, I thought everything would be okay. The door slammed open and the governor marched out angrily, followed by a calm Kuvira. I could see things did not go well, and could already see in my head how it would play out. Kuvira and her crew would leave these people to starve, only because the governor wouldn't hand his state over to her.
"What happened?" Bolin asked her curiously.
"It's time to go, we're not wanted here. It appears we can't make a deal right now."
Kai asks if they'll stick around to help, but she just gives him a document for the governor, reiterating that the only way they'll help is if the governor hands the state over to her. Bolin says what I hoped he wouldn't. I'd hoped he would be the Bolin I knew and loved and stay to help, stand up to Kuvira, and know what was right.
"Well… I guess this means I gotta go…" No, he can't.
"Don't! Please! You can't turn your back on these people…" I quickly said to him hoping to talk some sense into him in a last effort before he left. I hoped that maybe he'd see my face and just do it for me, even if he didn't agree, to see how important helping these people was. Anything, but all he could say was,
"I'm not… I want to help but if the governor wants us gone then there's nothing I can do."
It didn't feel like he wanted to help, if he wanted to help then he'd just stay.
"I'm sorry-" he tried to hug me but I pushed him away. I didn't want him to think he could just hug his problems away. I won't just hug and forget about it, and act like what they're doing isn't wrong. If I have to give him the cold shoulder to get him to understand then fine. This is not the Bolin I knew. I didn't like him when he was this way. He seemed like some machine when he was working, like he could only do what he was programed to do or something. It's ridiculous.
"Opal please…" I knew that tone, he was being genuine, and I knew I had hurt him. I wouldn't budge, in a last effort to give him a choice to stay, I angrily yelled
"Leave! If that's what you're going to do." I turned my back to him and crossed my arms, so he wouldn't try to hug me again. It only made it harder when he did that. I hoped he'd see how angry I was, and possibly change his mind. That he'd put his hand on my shoulder and say, "I'll stay," or "you're right." But all I got in reply was silence, and the sound of feet boarding the train, metal shoes clacking against metal steps, and a metal door slide shut. I closed my eyes and tried not to cry.
The next evening I was back at the village as I watched Kuvira take over the state. Kai had suggested to just sign the document, as he didn't see any other way to help. Kai didn't see it…But I did. Kuvira was slowly gaining control over all the cities and states in the Earth Kingdom. She would hold power equal to if not more than the queen. I was afraid of what she'd do with it. She seemed selfish, only helping these people if it benefited her. She could easily turn her back on them, and didn't actually care about them. She would be a terrible dictator, just as bad as the queen. What's worse is that Bolin is helping her do it. How can he not see? I was afraid in my thoughts, and I watched her flag roll down from two pillars, signifying her ownership. I turned my gaze away and looked up to see Bolin far to my left. I thought about acting like I didn't see him but it was too late, he already saw me. And gave me that cute smile he would give whenever he saw me, but I couldn't look at him. I averted my gaze to the ground and decided it was time for me to go home.
Kai and I had been taking up in motels central to the areas we were visiting in the Earth Kingdom. We had enough money for our own rooms, being they weren't the expensive ones anyways. I pulled out my keys and walked in. I slid out of my airbender daywear and into a camisole and some roomy loose shorts. I snuggled up in bed and left my side lamp on, so Kai could see I was inside. I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep.
I was somewhere in the middle of nowhere in an open plane in the Earth Kingdom. The ground was solid and dry, and maybe one tree with no leaves on it, and not a city for miles when I saw Bolin standing far from me. He looked as happy to see me as ever in his uniform and his new combed-back hair. I had to admit his new look did make him look handsome… I was tired of this inner angst with Bolin I had within myself. I just wanted to hold him, and touch him, and bury my nose in his neck again. Just this once I would try to not care and let myself be happy. I deserved it, before things might turn ugly. I ran to him and he held out his arms and I ran into them. I looked up at his face and he gave me this look of disgust, like I wasn't who he thought I was. He gripped my shoulders and pushed me roughly making me fall to the ground, and for some reason I couldn't find the strength in me to be angry or push him back, my eyes started to tear up. I couldn't understand how he could ever do this to me, what had gotten into him? I looked up at him from where I laid, and he started earthbending a wall on each side of me and finally on top until I was boxed in. I tried to airbend out but there wasn't enough room to get the force I needed. I started panicking at the thought of what would happen next. Would he leave me here? Maybe so I couldn't get in the way of his and Kuvira's plan? What if I ran out of oxygen? I started screaming out to him in desperation.
"Bolin! Let me out! Bolin please I love you! What's wrong? Please!"
Then the worst thing happened. The ground beneath my feet began turning to lava, I used my airbending to hover on an airball above, but the air was too quickly running out. I fell to the lava below and it was so hot. It was terrible, and cut to the bone and I thought I might die of pain. I wished I would just die in pain before it got to the rest of me, and then it was dark.
My eyes slowly fluttered open to be greeted by darkness, and relief swept over me. I still felt hot, and confined, like I was enveloped in something, and why was my side lamp off? I had left it on on purpose. Maybe the bulb went out? I decided to get out of bed to wash my face with some cool water, but when I went to make a move I couldn't budge. There was something wrapped tightly around my waist. Most likely the blanket twisted around me somehow, I went to undo the blanket but I felt skin… I panicked and started squirming to no avail, until I remembered I could airbend, and shot a gust of wind the opposite direction, launching myself away from the bed and onto the floor. The side lamp flickered on and I looked up, afraid of what I might see. However when I saw the messy dark thick hair, pale skin, and button nose, I relaxed. This definitely was not a dream.