NINETEEN
Knock, knock. Asvir looked up from the mini bomb he was working on. He looked down at the bomb then back at the door. He scoffed and quickly got up to answer the door. He opened the door and spun around on the spot, not looking at or talking to his guest.
"Hi Asvir." said the girl. Asvir didn't respond- he was already dissolved back into his bomb work.
Asvir was a non bender. He wanted to be an Earthbender since birth. Eventually, he was told by the Earth King that there was no chance that he was an Earthbender. He locked himself in his house for a whole year. Then, he figured out a way to fake Earthbending. He used explosives on deserted hills and mountains to make rock slides.
"What's that?" asked the girl.
"Hillside miniature explosive." He responded without looking up or breaking stride in his work.
"And what are you doing to it?"
"Just playing with the timer." He made it sound casual.
"Will it blow?" Asvir finally looked up at the girl.
"No, Anny. Now I don't want to talk." he said.
This didn't hurt Anny as she'd been told the same thing every day since she was seven. She was twenty-one.
The timer started and stopped and Asvir screwed and unscrewed some bolts. Anny flinched every time the timer went under five seconds, but Asvir always stopped it in time.
Six, five, four, three, two…beep. Asvir stopped it. Anny had tensed. Asvir was getting annoyed with her flinching.
"Anny! Could you stop? I told you it won't explode. I de-nuked it okay?"
"Sorry, sorry."
"And if you're so horribly frightened of explosives then why the heck are you here? You know all I live for are these things."
Anny blinked. That's the most Asvir's said to her in years.
The real reason Anny was there with the single most Earthbending obsessed person on Earth was because she really liked him. He had always been too busy with his bombs to ask why she came every day, or anything, really.
He was totally dissolved in his bomb again, and was mumbling something about 'Earthbending' a hill with it soon, so she was pretty sure she was safe not to answer.
The minutes passed in silence. Asvir worked on his bomb while Anny watched T.V. Soon, it was getting late. Anny nudged the man beside her.
"Want some dinner, Asvir?" she offered.
"Sure, Mommy." He replied sarcastically.
"Want me to make it?" She ignored his sarcasm.
"If you like." he replied. Anny knew that if she didn't make dinner, he wouldn't eat.
About the only time Anny could talk with Asvir was when he was eating.
"This is good. Thanks, Anny." He said. Anny shrugged. "So, why do you come over here every day?"
Oh Gods, he's remembered. Both excitement and fear shot through Anny's stomach. Excitement for the fact that he was talking to her. This must be a good day. Fear because now she would have to tell him how she felt, and be thoughtlessly rejected.
"I like you and I enjoy being with you." She paused. "I love you."
"Hm." was his only response. No rejection, no overreaction. Things began to look up.
"You look hopeful." he added after a minute. "You know I don't feel the same about you. I'm not even sure how I remember your name, honestly." Things began to look down. He'd just crushed her heart.
"I should go." Anny said, standing up.
"Anny, don't be like that." Asvir stood too. He went around the table and held her waist and arm. "Anny…"
"I'm sorry, Asvir." Anny was trying to leave so she could either cry or break something, whichever came first. Asvir wouldn't let her leave. He pulled her up against him so he could get a firmer grip.
"Sorry if I broke your heart but it's the truth. I don't feel for you, we're just friends. This is no way to act…"
"Actually, you did break my heart. Holding me like this isn't helping either." Anny struggled to free herself but Asvir held her fast.
"I'm sorry, I am. Why don't you spend the night?"
"And what? Both sleep on your bed? You really don't know how to help a girl, do you?"
"Anny, we're not children anymore. We're twenty-one. I think we can share a bed without getting out of hand, especially when one of the two has absolutely no interest in the other." Anny glared at him for the last comment. "Please?" he added.
"Alright." She gave in.
Asvir released her and went back to work on his bomb.
"Dinner was wonderful, thank you." He mumbled before dissolving back into the world of explosives. His fake bending.
"You're welcome." She whispered inaudibly.
Night fell. Anny had to nearly drag Asvir away from his bomb. They went into his bedroom.
"What am I supposed to wear to bed?" Anny asked. "I didn't bring anything."
"I could lend you a T-shirt and sweats of mine for tonight." They would smell like him. It was too risky, she had to decline.
"How bout I just go back to my place and grab mine?" she offered.
"No can do. I just got done talking you into staying with me and I don't plan on letting you leave. You can either sleep in the clothes you're wearing now, my clothes, or naked. I think we both know which one it will not be." Hm. He was quite talkative tonight. Anny sighed.
"I'll just take yours, then" she decided. Asvir smiled and threw her some clothes. Anny smiled too. "Be right back." she said.
"Oh!" Anny exclaimed, walking back into the room. Asvir was wearing black sweats and no shirt.
"Shocking?" he asked. Anny had to remind herself that he had absolutely zero interest in her to restrain herself.
"No, sorry." She yawned. "I'm tired."
"Me too. Time for bed." Anny nodded and they both climbed into bed. Some time passed and Anny was almost asleep when Asvir whispered something to her.
"I really am sorry Anny. It's just impossible for me to like anything other than my Earthbending."
"That's really dumb." There was another pause. "Love me." She whined. Asvir cupped her cheek.
"Wish I could." he said. Anny stopped restraining herself. She took Asvir's face in her hands and pulled their lips together.
Asvir neither pulled away or kissed back, showing he meant his last comment. Anny broke her long kiss and followed with one after another short one. Asvir let her barrage of kisses go on for a while before taking her in his hands and gently easing her back away from him.
"Friendly kisses, Anny. Friendly kisses." Anny's breathing was choppy as she responded.
"Can't believe you allowed that." She breathed.
"I'm your friend. I can allow friendly kisses." he said simply.
"No kiss on the lips you're going to get from me will be friendly."
"Should I then ban kisses on the lips?" he asked thoughtfully.
"No." she replied a little too quickly. He smiled the tiniest bit and he nodded and released her face, giving her the A-ok to kiss him again. She did.
Knock, knock. Asvir didn't think twice about leaving his brand new government standard, TNT filled missile to answer the door.
"Anny!" He greeted her happily.
"Asvir." she responded just as cheerfully. She stood on her tip-toes to kiss him. He didn't kiss back, but he smiled.
"Come in." Asvir made a large gesticulation in the door as Anny walked inside and sat on the couch. Asvir joined her in his usual spot and began fiddling with his new missile again.
"Oh. Looks new." She said. Asvir smiled.
"It is. It arrived just before you did. I got hired to 'Earthbend' a mountain."
"Cool." They became locked on each other's eyes. A long moment passed as they stared at each other.
They slowly began moving toward each other. Asvir put the missile behind him and quickly closed the rest of the space between them.
They kissed each other fervently, heatedly. Anny pushed him back and he fell onto his missile. BIP! Asvir pressed a button 480 S 1st West Apt. 205. Rexburg ID 83440 but neither for them heard it.
Anny was finally kissing the man she'd waited nineteen years for.
BOOM!
