Bolin almost laughed out loud with thoughts of Mako's expression when he found out he had moved out of the apartment they shared.
Yesterday.
He still hung around the area near the police station in the afternoons as he would after Pro-Bending practice, shoot the breeze with Mako, if he had the chance during the lunch break, and then head on his merry way. He just finished grabbing a cup of coffee with his brother to chat over pointless drivel Bolin could care less about, including Mako's work, relationship with Korra, and possible promotions in the future.
At the end of the lunch break, Mako headed back, saying he'd catch Bolin back home.
Bolin kept a straight face until Mako was back inside the police station, then he nearly upset his coffee cup laughing so hard. He drained the cup and headed back home to his new apartment on the upper-east side of Republic City, where Tahno used to live.
Unlike his and Mako's shared apartment that had one bedroom, a washroom, and a kitchenette for them to share, Bolin's new apartment had two bedrooms, a large washroom, a living room, and a decently-sized kitchen. Not that he NEEDED that much space per se, he just finally appreciated the fact that he now had his own breathing space to streatch his legs.
Just to add a bit of enjoyable humor to the situation, he let Pabu have the spare bedroom for his own, filling it with shelves for Pabu to clamber over, and little toys to play with.
The rest of the house was furnished with as much earthware and metal furniture he could get away with. He briefly debated putting down stone flooring through the entire apartment instead of wood, but decided against it, opting to put it down only in his own bedroom.
After he finished furnishing it, he took a moment to look around. It was his. ALL his. He could eat, drink, wear, talk, and act as he wanted. The liberation...it was almost overwhelming.
But the personal space was utilized and the mask was off. He was independant and on his own, answering to nobody but himself. Time to enjoy it.
Mako was beside himself with panic.
At first he thought it was just conflicting schedules that he hadnt seen his brother outside of coffee breaks at work, but it was his day off. Bolin wasnt there when he woke up, during the day, and didnt come home after dark. He even stayed up all night.
Still no Bolin.
He called Tenzin to see if he was on the island. No.
Tenzin asked Korra if she had seen or been with Bolin. No.
Mako called Asami to see if she knew where he was. No.
He went to Lin with his panic, and she said she would keep an eye out for him, but there wasnt else much she COULD do.
Two days later and still no sign of Bolin, Tenzin, Korra, Lin, and Mako were at the police station trying to set up an official search when Bolin walked in, barely repressing a smirk as he watched their blind panic.
"Hey, guys. What's up?" More repression as all of them whipped around to stare at him like had risen from the dead. He was sure his new clothes and unslicked hair might have had something to do with the staring some. He was wearing a half-buttoned dark green shirt over dark brown trousers, the sleeves half-rolled and his hands in his pockets. He let his naturally shaggy hair stay waved around his face rather than slicking it back as he normally did.
He kept his smile on his face as they continued to stare. "...What?"
Mako ran over to him and shook his shoulders. "You moron, we've been worried sick!" he chastised, his amber eyes flashing. "Where the hell have you been!?"
Bolin brushed Mako's hands off of his shoulders. "I moved out," he replied. "I could've SWORN I gave you a memo..." He shrugged like it was nothing. Mako looked about ready to slap his head right from his shoulders.
"There WAS no memo, Bolin!" he shouted. "We've been going crazy trying to find you for the past three days! Why didnt you TELL us anything!"
"Last time I checked, Mako, I'm seventeen," Bolin said, letting hardness slip into his voice. "I dont have to tell you about every little thing I do. I'm a big boy who can take care of himself now. I dont need you breathing down my neck or taking care of me anymore."
Mako opened his mouth to contradict, but Tenzin stopped him with a firm hand on his shoulder. "Mako, Bolin is right," he said. "However impersonal his methods were in moving out, he IS legally inclined to do as he wishes." He turned to look at Bolin, his grey eyes hardening slightly at the carelessness they saw in Bolin's own eyes. "But Bolin, to save us all the time and worry, you really should have at least mentioned it."
"Sorry," Bolin said, not sounding sorry at all. "But now you know. I have my own place now, and I'm taking care of myself. No need to fly into a panic every time I go out and have a life." He rolled his shoulders, tossing his hair out of his eyes. "So I take it going out for coffee is a bust?"
Mako just glared, his cheeks flushed with slight embarrassment from having made such a big deal out of it and anger at Bolin for acting like it WAS no big deal.
"...So that's a no. Oh well." He shrugged. "Maybe next time. See ya." He turned and walked out without another word, leaving the rest of the group stunned.
Korra was first to recover. "What was THAT?" she demanded to no one in particular. Lin scoffed.
"Typical teenage rebellion," she griped. "Causing all sorts of pointless nonsense..." She crumpled up the paperwork she began, stalking off, muttering about how children should be put on a leash until they're adults.
Korra touched Mako's arm. "Maybe that is all there is, Mako," she said helpfully. "Maybe Bolin's just rebelling a little...let's give him his space, I'm sure he'll wear it out sooner or later."
Mako nodded, but looked doubtful. Three days didnt just change a person like that.
'Bolin...what's happened to you?'