Late Night Visit

by k-e-l-l-ykud

All of the teenagers have moved to Air Temple Island. Lately, Bolin has been missing his mother and has been visiting Korra. This isn't exactly a BolinxKorra, I don't really ship them together. Told in the point of view of Korra

I hear the sliding screen click shut as Bolin steps into my room.

I stay still in my bed and listen to his heavy footsteps pad over to my cot. "Korra?" He calls out softly. "I'm awake." I reply. Turning slightly, I see that he has the same hair brush in his hand from the night before. I sit up and place my hands in my lap, waiting for him to start. He quietly crouches behind me and gingerly begins to remove my hairbands. Then he starts to brush my hair. At first it's a bit painful because of the tangles in my hair, but eventually the knots are worked out and the slow rhythm of the strokes calms me. Bolin has been coming to my room every night for the past week. The first night I wouldn't let him brush my hair, but I eventually let him because I could tell he needed to in his odd-Bolin way.

I clear my throat and ask "Why are you doing this?" He chuckles. "It's pretty weird, huh? It's just I used to-" He paused, "Well, I used to brush my mother's hair a lot. Every night. It helped me sleep. When she died, I tried to brush Mkko's, and he wouldn't let me. Then I used Pabu, but it's not the same. Now that I'm living with you on Air Temple Island, I figured it would be okay." I feel him shrug behind me. Oh. The bristles of the brush slid over my hair, massaging my scalp.

I know I shouldn't let him do this. It's a very personal thing to him, and I don't have any special feelings for him. But, I keep silent and let him continue. A few minutes later he stops brushing my hair. He moves around the bed so he is sitting directly in front of me. I avert my eyes, looking anywhere but at him. I feel him reach up and tuck stray pieces of hair behind my ear. Gently, he takes my face in his hands and moves it up near his. "Stop him." I think to myself. But I do nothing. His eyes stare deeply into mine and I shudder. I should have stopped him the first night. This has gone too far. "You look beautiful with your hair down." He whispers to me, his usual joking demeanor gone. I say nothing. He moves closer. "Stop him." I think again. His strong arms envelop me into a warm hug. Then he gets up and trudges back over to the screen. After he slides it open, he stands in the doorway for a moment. The soft lighting from the hallway illuminates his muscular figure and the hair brush in his hand. He hesitates and I think "Stop him." I wanted to call him back; I wanted him back beside me, in my bed for the rest of the night.

But then he's gone and the feelings are too.