Your footsteps seem much louder than usual down the echoing corridors, your palms suddenly clammy and your breathing a little shallow. This is ridiculous.
You look around, frowning slightly. Bolin only had a little headstart; you should be able to see him. A sudden flicker of movement comes from your right and Pabu skitters out from behind a wall, chattering happily at you. You pick him up and wonder why he's here; the bathrooms are ahead. You duck quickly around the corner and find yourself face-to-face with a beet-red Bolin, his back pressed against the wall like he's hiding from something—or someone.
You take a hasty step back until you're a comfortable distance apart and then stare suspiciously at him. He gulps and his eyes dart around and land on Pabu, who's nestled comfortably on your shoulder.
"Pabu! There you are!" he says unconvincingly, snatching up the little guy with a nervous giggle. You cross your arms, your eyebrow raised.
"Were you hiding from me?" you ask.
"No..."
His eyes slide to the side as he drags out the word.
"You're a terrible liar."
"I know," he replies instantly, his shoulders sagging.
You sigh. "All right, look. I'm out here to clear up some...uh...ideas people are getting. About...us."
His face can't get any redder so it turns an impossible shade of purple. His eyes dart everywhere like he's on cactus juice.
"Are...are you all right?" you ask, alarmed.
"Me? Yeah, a hundred per cent! I feel great, never better, why do you ask?" he says quickly.
"Again, I don't have to be Toph to know that you're lying," you say dryly. "You've been acting...really weird lately. Especially around me...after the incident."
Bolin clamps a hand over your mouth and looks out into the hallway, panicking. You roll your eyes and pull him off.
"Hey, what's the big deal? Miki and Aya already know about it."
"Yeah, but Mako and Korra don't!" he hisses.
"You see what I mean?" you say, impatiently pushing him back. "It was staged, right? So why are you acting like I'm a rabid eel-hound? You told me we were cool!"
"I'm not acting like you're a rabid eel-hound," he mutters, avoiding eye contact.
"You're not even looking at me!" You pause and take a deep breath, trying for a gentler tone. "Like today, you got all weird when I hugged Mako and the second we're alone together, you look like I'm torturing you just by talking. Not to mention that whole thing about the fireflies, and the other day when you got all concerned and touchy when you thought Miki burned me and then after both of these happened you pretended like they didn't!"
You stop, out of breath as Bolin stares at you, something burning slowly in the pits of his green eyes.
"What is it, Bo? What's wrong all of a sudden?" you ask softly, reaching out to touch his shoulder. He flinches away and you can't help but feel a quick prickle of hurt.
"I...I don't know!" he says helplessly. "You're doing something weird to me and I don't know what it is."
You just look at him, stricken.
"I've never felt like this in front of anyone! Not Korra, not Ginger, not Eska, not even Opal!I feel like...like something is pulling me to you, like a magnet, you know. But at the same time, I can't be around you because I'm scared I'll mess up!"
He looks sincerely terrified and you don't say anything because to a degree that is exactly how you feel around him.
"Bo, listen to me. I'm your friend. You've messed up so many times in front of me and you never cared before. And for the record, neither did I," you say, attempting to sound soothing. He groans.
"But I did! And that's what scares me."
"Hello? Is Bolin in there?" you ask jokingly, leaning up on your toes to rap your knuckles on his head. "I'd like to speak to him, please!"
He just gazes at you and suddenly you have the overwhelming urge to kiss him like he'd kissed you the other week. His eyes are flickering down to your lips and you realise that the same thoughts are running through his head. But then he blinks and the spell is broken. You drop back down on your feet, lowering your arm.
"Bolin, this can't keep happening. Do you like me or not?" you ask finally.
He makes a face like he's choking on a live octopus at the straightforward question. You rub your hands on your pants as you hold your breath, suddenly realising how much his answer means to you. As you stand there, awaiting the answer, you realise that you have an enormous crush on your best friend.
"Tokiko..." he says softly at last. "I don't know. I mean, with the whole Opal thing just two months ago...I can't..."
You inhale sharply, her name feeling like a dagger to the chest, and take an involuntary step back. Your face must betray the crushing disappointment that's twisting your intestines because Bolin reaches out, as if to apologise or to comfort you. But you just stand rigid, finding it suddenly hard to breathe. You had no idea that his words would impact you so hard.
"I...if that's how you feel..." your voice wobbles but you catch it and breathe deeply. "If that's how you feel about me, then I'll give you some space for as long as you need.
"No, Toki...I don't mean..."
You back out of his reach, holding up your hands with a fixed poker face. "Take all the time you want. It's...fine," you lie.
Before he can reply, you turn and run down the hallway, your eyes burning but completely dry. To an ordinary passer-by you wouldn't look like someone who'd experienced their first heartbreak. But on the inside, a large earthen hand is crushing your insides until you're numb.