AN: Hey there! So, this is a special week to us Boleskians because we'll have 7 days of Boleska love. What else could we ask for? *cough*becoming canon again comes to mind, actually*cough* Anyways, here's my humble contribution to our ship week. I hope you guys like my work. Thanks for reading.

The Day And The Night

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DAY 01: Contrast

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The first time Bolin visited the Northern Water Tribe it was because Avatar Korra's search for new Airbenders led her there after hearing that three of the tribesmen started bending air and, since he had been traveling with Korra ever since the beginning, he saw no reason not to go and since he and the current Chief (who ruled with her brother) broke up in an amicable way, he was comfortable enough to visit and, just as predicted, Bolin and Eska were very polite with one another and the stay at the Northern Tribe hadn't been unpleasant at all.

To tell the truth, Bolin missed Eska and not knowing what to expect from the princess, but, unlike their meeting at the Southern Water Tribe, she wasn't (too) forceful with him, she was just herself and he appreciated that she would take the time to personally show the Tribe around, saying that a stroll around the town was the most exciting thing she had done it in a while, after all, ruling was boring; she liked to fight (Bolin internally agreed with her, after all, it had been his way of life for a long while by then).

Surprisingly enough, Eska's mother was the sweetest woman Bolin ever met. She looked like an older version of Eska down to the beads on her hair, hers were short, though. At the moment she met Bolin, the woman – Luna, she was called – smiled brightly just like when she met the other visitors (she even hugged Korra, to the Avatar's surprise, and told her that she didn't blame Unalaq's death on her at all – Bolin saw his friend get teary, he was sure).

"Ah, so you are the famous Bolin." She said innocently when the rest of the Avatar's entourage followed Desna and the only ones in the room were Bolin, Eska and Luna herself.

"Yes, ma'am." The earthbender nodded proudly. "You must've seen the movers."

"Oh, no." Luna chuckled. "I mean, I have seen those, but what I meant is that I heard from you from my daughter." Bolin was surprised but nodded in understanding as Eska snapped at her mother.

"Mother!" The princess hissed.

"What?" The older woman asked with fake innocence. "Desna told me that he was your boyfriend, wasn't it?"

"Boyfriend, slave, fiancée, ex, make-out guy and ex again, actually." Bolin informed Luna and saw, amused, as Eska narrowed her eyes towards him. His first instinct was to flee, but he knew she wouldn't hurt him.

"Oh my." Luna put a hand over her mouth. "Is that so?"

"Yes, ma'am." Bolin nodded. "Let me start from the beginning…" He, unceremoniously, put an arm around Luna's shoulder and started walking around with her – but before, he looked over his shoulder and winked at Eska, who stared daggers at him – and told the older northern woman about his relationship with her daughter.

Once the story was over – Bolin stopped a few times to act some scenes of their relationship, to Luna's entertainment and Eska's annoyance –, Luna nodded in understanding. "Yes, Eska can be quite forceful."

"Mother!" Eska protested and Bolin laughed with his ex' reaction.

Luna chuckled and pretended to whisper to Bolin: "She was never too good with waiting or being patient ever since she was a child, that's why she has very poor skills as a healer and why my husband chose to go against our old costumes and taught her how to fight instead."

"Yeah, I can totally see that happening." Bolin nodded. "She does like a fight, doesn't she?"

"She does, yes." Luna laughed and Eska rolled her eyes.

"She is right here." The waterbender said. "Mother, go welcome cousin Korra better while I show Bolin the Tribe." She took a few steps towards the door, but stopped to talk to a guard who was standing there.

"Yes, yes, dear." The older woman smiled and turned to Bolin. "It was very nice to meet you, Bolin. You are such a bright boy."

"Uh… thanks. I guess." He frowned.

"You see…" Luna said casually. "We are people that relate more to the Moon, as you know." Bolin nodded, confused of why she was telling him that. "But the Moon doesn't shine without the Sun and you, my boy… you are like the Sun to my Eska."

Bolin started to feel uncomfortable. "Ma'am, we are not…"

"Look at her." Luna turned to look at her daughter, who was standing by the door, and Bolin did the same. "She didn't come back the same after she went to the Southern Water Tribe. Can you see it?"

Bolin truly looked at Eska for the first time and he could see what the older woman was talking about; that was not the Eska he met down South, she had lost some of the tightness on her shoulders, seemed much less tense and under the right light, she seemed almost… at peace – dared he say – as she talked to the guard and even if she was still a force to be reckon, she didn't scare him anymore. He always thought Eska was beautiful, but right then, she was even more.

"I see it." Bolin said softly and then turned to Luna. "But we have no intentions of being back together. I…" She interrupted him.

"That's the fun thing about life, dear boy: we never know what might happen in the future." The woman told him. "Plus, you two are just like the sun and the moon; the nice thing about this contrast is that sometimes they are great together." Luna winked. "And one day you might make my daughter shine even more. I heard she called you her Turtle Duck, the old Eska would never do that." Bolin actually blushed with that comment.

"Mother, leave Bolin alone." Eska's voice caught their attention. "Bolin, come. I want to show you those koalaotters you always wanted to see. You told me that you would like to know how Pabu would deal with them."

"Coming!" The earthbender smiled once more to Luna and then walked towards the princess. "Your mother is nice." He said as soon as he was standing next to her.

"Too nice sometimes." Eska shrugged and once more Bolin could see how different she was from when they first met. "Now come, I'll show you some koalaotters."

"I am seeing one right now." He winked and Eska tried to fight off a smile, but couldn't and just that tiny curl of her lips made him feel all fuzzy inside (he was pretty sure it wasn't Pabu moving inside his coat) and he grinned. "Lead the way, Princess of the Koalaotters."

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AN: Tiny little thing, right? Well, in a couple of hours I'll update a chapter with 5k for day 2 to compensate!

08/18/2014 ~ BonneyQ