A/N: *!*Content Warning*!* mourning parent death.

**Disclaimer** I do not own Avatar or anything in its universe. I only own my OC characters.

•six•
Three days ago

"Tell me everything." Mako demanded. Bolin stood up fully and took a deep breath, a hand on each hip.
"Okay. So. Pabu and I wanted some fire flakes, you know those toasty little flakes from the fire nation? So I'm buying some and Pabu-WHOOSH! TAKES OFF! So I chase after him and I lose him in the crowd, because of course I do, right? I mean he's like a foot tall. And a ferret. And really, really fast did you know how fast-"
"Bolin." Mako interrupted him, annoyed.
"Rightrightrightokay so I chase after him and I when I find him, he's with ANOTHER FIRE FERRET, MAKO. ANOTHER one! And they're dancing around and being all cute and Pabu is laying on the moves THICK-"
"BOLIN." Mako interrupted again, bringing his thumb and pointed finger to the bridge of his nose.
"Okay! Okay. So the other fire ferret's owner bent down and I was worried she would get mad at my sweet precious baby- right, sorry. So I run over and apologize and some guy goes, 'OH ITS BOLIN.' and then the girl calls me 'Bo' and I'm like, whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?! So she says SHE GAVE THE NICKNAME TO ME, MAKO. So I'm like, these guys are going to wear my skin, for sure. Talking about neighbors and some island or whatever but THEN- then! Mako, she said her name was Kenna. Didn't you say that the girls name was something like that? The one from your dream?" Bolin finally finished his story and his elaborate hand movements and expressions to look at Mako curiously. Mako dissected Bolin's mess of a story with expert ease that only a brother could do after a few seconds and nodded slowly.
"Yeah, I think so, or something close to that. I only heard it once, every other time the dream fades in and out. The name sounded longer than that, though. And I think it started with an S? Or it had an S in it?" Mako brought his hand to his chin and thought.
"It definitely had an S in it. It had to have been a crazy coincidence with a weird fan, right?" Right? It had to be. But that laugh the day he met Asami was so real, and so recognizable. But, that could just be the lack of sleep taking its toll on him and messing with his mind.
"I don't know, Mako. She said they were our neighbors on Ember Island. That sounds a lot like your dream." Bolin said to him, falling back on the couch Mako had been laying on previously.
"What did she look like?" Mako asked him, determined to find more holes.
"Like a water tribe girl, but wearing red. Kind of like Korra with fuller cheeks pretending to be a firebender. Well, just a firebender and not the whole, Avatar thing." Bolin said with a grand flourish of his hand. Mako tried to hide his slight shock from Bolin, as Korra reminded him slightly of the girl in his dreams. It was one of the reasons he didn't want to date her, though he wasn't about to tell her that. It felt like it was too close to home, even if it was one he has no memory of.
"See? The girl from my dreams is a fire bender. Couldn't be the same girl." He defended.
"Mako she was wearing a whoooooole lot of red." Bolin argued.
"It's not the same girl, Bolin." Mako sighed. At first he was excited, but the more Bolin spoke the more anxious he got at the idea she was real, and close, and what that could even mean, or what he would find out and learn about himself. The idea that he had actually forgotten what seems like an entire life, was pretty terrifying in itself. It made Mako wonder if he was going crazy. Who forgets entire years of their life? Bolin put his hands up in surrender.
"Okay, okay. Not the same girl. Just my imagination. You're right." Mako nodded, told his brother he was going to work out in the gym before bed, and headed down the staircase. Bolin laid there on the couch, quietly thinking to himself. That was too much of a coincidence and he knew it. If the girl in Mako's dreams was real, if it was the same girl, and she has some sort of link to a past he doesn't remember, and can tell him about his parents… then he had to talk to her. He had to find out. With or without Mako.

•¥•
Republic City Apartment. Night.

The young firebender sat cross legged on her floor in front of her window. The breeze was soft and made the smoke from the candles that burned before her dance into her nostrils, the flames shrinking and growing with each steady breath she took. The night was calm, everyone was indoors, quiet, safe in their homes from the chaos that was Republic City swirling around them . Sikenna took a deep breath, trying to forget the look on Bolin's face before rambling an excuse to leave before taking off. It had been 3 days, but it still hurt more than Sikenna thought it would, and honestly, it was embarrassing. The only person who could ever make her feel this bad for this many days was Kona, and she really was not having a fun time. Not even the months long rising tension between her and Nero upset her as much as Bolin avoiding them did, adding to the things for her to overthink. Speak of the Spirit-
A soft knock came from behind her.
"Come in." She said gently through the dark room, not opening her eyes. She took a deep breath as the door opened, the flames of the candles in rhythm with her lungs expanding.
"Kenna?" Nero closed the door gently behind him.
"I think we should talk." Nero took a step towards her in the dark room, hoping to get some sort of reaction out of her. She had been so emotionless and cold towards him recently, he hoped she hadn't already given up hope for them.
Sikenna opened her eyes, took one last deep breath, and turned towards him.
"It is probably about time to, isn't it?" She cracked a soft smile at him, and he joined her on the floor in front of her window. They were silent for a few minutes, watching the clouds pass the crescent moon. They used to do this for hours back home after doing a roof run through the town to the docks. Back when they were okay. Nero took a deep breath and prepared to bite the bullet. He knew Sikenna enough to know she certainly wouldn't start this conversation, not if she wasn't the one that was the problem. They had been together for two years, he's known her his whole life, that's not how Kenna operated.
"I'm sorry, Kenna." He sighed out.
"For what?" She asked flatly, not taking her eyes off the moon. Nero smirked at her spirit, it was his favorite and least favorite thing about her. She took no shit, but he wasn't an exception. She wanted to know what exactly he was sorry about, so she knew he understood why she was upset in the first place, and that he wasn't apologizing just to save face.
"For being… jealous. Insecure. Acting like a dick." He laughed.
"I'm not sure why I've been acting like that. I guess I just saw all the guys at the pub back home and it woke something up in me." Sikenna gave a curt laugh next to him. He looked over at her, hopeful she would look his way, but she didn't.
"Well put it back to sleep." She spat out venomously, then looked down at her lap, feeling bad for being a bit harsh. At least he was putting in some effort, he least she could do is her him out.
"I'm trying, Kenna." He tried to assure her, not taking his eyes off her face. Honestly, Nero couldn't remember a time he didn't like looking at her. When they were younger, he just assumed it was because she was the 'ring leader' of the group, (no matter what Kona tells you,) always the one to make the final decisions. He always liked the way her cheeks gathered under her eyes when she laughed, and how fierce her wide, almond shaped blue eyes got when she got angry. Her nose was perfect for scrunching, the tiny button at the tip posing perfectly even in disgust. Sikenna had always been magnetic, her aura pulled people in like flies, whether they loved her or hated her. She was absolutely intoxicating and Nero was so scared to lose her.
"I know." She sighed after a moment.
"I know. And I've been angry at you, and it isn't helping." She continued.
"Nero I can't even talk to someone, or have someone apologize for bumping into me without you getting angry. It's scary, honestly. I can't- I'm too-" she fumbled on her words and Nero stopped her, resting a hand on her knee gently.
"I know. I know you can't live like that, and I don't want to make you…" he licked his lips, nervous with what he was implying.
"But Kenna listen... I promise, if you give me another chance, I'll be better. You haven't done anything to make me act this way, I'm really sorry." Sikenna thought for a moment. She was being a little unfair, this is the first time either of them had really even talked about the way he had been acting. At least honestly, where someone admitted they were wrong and wanted to move past it, no yelling or blaming or passive aggressive words. She sighed and finally turned to look at him.
"You don't have to protect me." She said to him. Nero smiled and laughed a little under his breath.
"Oh, don't I know it."
"Nero. I mean, you don't need to protect 'what's yours' or whatever. I'm your girlfriend, but I'm not a Satomobile, you don't own me." She explained to him further. Nero nodded, his face back to being serious.
"I know. And you're right. And I wouldn't like you if you were okay with being thought of like that, I just-" Nero sighed and pulled his hand away from her knee and found it in his hair.
"You're… Kenna, you're awesome. You're powerful, and strong, funny and smart, the most fun person I've ever met. You're gorgeous, incredibly sexy and intimidating, and the older we get the more I realize what a catch you are, and I'm just so scared to lose you."
Sikenna smiled and tilted her head at him.
"You think I'm intimidating?" Her cheeks blushed slightly as she said it. Nero couldn't help but laugh, of course she would take that as a compliment.
"And incredibly sexy." He winked at her and she scoffed, but smiled, shoving his shoulder lightly.
"Shut up." She laughed at him, shaking her head.
A comfortable silence fell between them, the heavy air that had hung around the two lately lighter than it had been since before coming to the city.
"Why are you so jealous of me wanting to find Mako and Bolin?" Sikenna asked him suddenly, her voice soft. Nero looked over at her, examining her face as he thought. Spirits, she was pretty.
"I guess…" Nero took a deep breath, and dug deep.
"It sounds stupid, I know… I guess, just because you were so one track mind about it? You couldn't wait to leave everything behind to find him, the faster you could do it the better. And I know you were his first kiss, but you were mine. And, I don't know, I guess I got it in my head that that played a part in why I was so attached to you, that you would have the same attachment to Mako. It's ridiculous, I know." He said as she laughed gently at him.
"It is ridiculous, Nero. But it's still a reason. Thank you for answering me. And," she moved closer over to Nero. Nero's leg felt like it caught on fire when her leg met his.
"I'm with you, you turtleduck. I was 7 when I kissed Mako, and I don't make attachments to things like that. I don't owe Mako my heart because I kissed him before I hit puberty. Besides, you got something better, emotional attachment or not. I'm with you. Mako was my best friend. I lost him the same year I lost my mother, i need to...i need to know what happened. It's like, for the longest time, i lost so much that one year. And then suddenly half of that hole was filled up, and i half of it back. And i just want to heal, Nero. I know they won't heal me, but maybe it's a start, you know?" She finished softly, the wound of that years loss never fully healing. Nero looked into her topaz eyes and nodded slowly.
"I know. I know that." He replied. She nodded at him, and looked back towards the window.
"I miss him, too. It was stupid of me to think like that. I promise, I'll be better." He pleaded. Sikenna turned to him and smiled.
"I know you will be."
Nero let the smile creep up his face, realizing she wasn't going to leave him for acting like an idiot.
Always one to want to change the mood of the room as soon as a conflict was resolved, Sikenna laughed and put her hand in front of her.
"At least if found out I could bend electricity that summer." She announced proudly, emitting small blue sparks from her fingertips. The light of the sparks lit up her eyes perfectly, matching the intensity of her inner fire that Nero adored so much. She turned to look at him, the electricity causing both of their hair to stand on end, and Nero crashed his lips into hers, bringing one of his hands to the back of her head to pull her in closer. The sparks from Sikenna's fingers flickered out as she began kissing him back fervently, missing the affection after so many weeks. They kissed for a few moments longer before, in one swift movement, Sikenna flung her leg over Nero's lap and slid on top of him, relishing in feeling wanted so badly.

•¥•
The next day; Agni Kai Triad territory.

"So, remind me again how this is side work for Varrick?" Kona asked Sikenna the next day while doing rounds. He weaved past a person on the crowded street to stay next to Sikenna as he asked her, keeping his eyes on her face. Sikenna shrugged and looked around the busy street.
"I didn't ask, so I'm not the one to be asking. All I know, is we get paid, pay rent to Varrick, and get money off rent by doing the work we do."
"Okay, and that doesn't sound shady at all to you?" Sikenna rolled her eyes at her brother.
"Will you stop letting Raiko get you so worried!? I mean, I know it's not totally honest work, but what are a few secrets as long as we aren't hurting anybody? It's not like we don't have secrets of our own. The less we know, the better."
"I'm not worried, Kenna, I'm suspicious. He said work for him, not Sazu." Kona rolled his eyes at his sister as he opened the door to the shop they had to collect money at. Raiko had always had his suspicions of Varrick, and was never quiet about them, but Kona was the only one that could get Sikenna to see their point of view more often than not. Raiko didn't exactly have a plan for what would happen if they were able to convince Sikenna to be suspicious of Varrick, he just knew in his gut not to trust that guy. Sikenna, however, was convinced it was because Varrick called Raiko the groups 'plus one' or 'extra.'
"Raiko's not even here right now, can we not? He's been so frustrating lately, he should just go home to Sumi if all he's going to do is pout." Kona scoffed as Sikenna walked away to collect the money from the shop keep. Raiko and Sikenna had little arguments all the time, Raiko always wanting to think things through where Sikenna was all gas, no breaks. But living together had really intensified the frequency of the disagreements.
"Still haven't talked to her?" Kona asked his sister as she walked back. Her face fell into a frown.
"No. She always makes excuses to go whenever I can get the radio from Raiko…" she trailed off.
"Have you? Do you know why she's avoiding me?" Kona shook his head.
"Sorry, Kin. Whenever I talk to her she avoids talking about it. I've tried." Sikenna sighed as she walked backwards out of the shop, pushing the door open with her back.
"I haven't done anything wrong. She has no reason to be mad at me." Sikenna defended herself defiantly. Kona laughed and shook his head, following her out onto the busy, people filled street.
"You left home without her. Besides, when has Sumi fury ever actually made sense?" They both giggled at the nickname they had given their friends random, sporadic outbursts of anger at the twins. Generally it would always wind down after a couple of days, but this had been going on for weeks, and Sikenna was starting to move past hurt and more towards returning the anger. Sikenna's plan had always been to go to the mainland, Sumi knew that. Sikenna didn't have to never leave home because Sumi was too scared to.
"You're right, Kona. Okay, you're up." Sikenna said as she stopped in front of the next shop.
"Guy gives me the fuckin creeps. You're on your own here." Kona pouted and threw his head back, walking into the creepy old man's shop. Sikenna laughed as she watched him go inside.
"Hey! Kenna, right?" She heard from behind her. Sikenna raised an eyebrow and turned on her heel to face the voice.
"Wow. Bolin, right?" She asked back, matching his questioning tone in a mocking manner. Bolin smiled nervously and brought his hand to the back of his neck.
"Ha, yeah. Sorry about that. The whole, running away thing, I just uh, I got caught up. On time. And where I needed to be, at that… time." He spat out awkwardly.
Sikenna crossed her arms in front of her chest and watched him fumble on his words. He had the same nose he had as a toddler. It was one of the defining features that made him look like his father. That, and his big, expressive eyebrows. He was adorable, though a little awkward, and Sikenna couldn't help but feel her heart melt at the sight of seeing him so grown up.
"Anyway…" Bolin said, clearing his throat before he continued.
"That was really rude of me, I just wanted to say sorry." Sikenna felt a fire ferret weave between her legs and she looked down, smiling at the orange creature sniffing at her legs.
"Awe. Do you smell Lotus? She's at home today, buddy. Being a lazy firedaisy girl." She cooed at the little animal.
"That's Pabu! Yeaaah, that's my little buddy. I rescued him from being snake food." Bolin added, hopeful to make a less awkward conversation.
"Really?! I rescued mine!" Sikenna looked up at Bolin with a smile.
"Really?! From being snake food?!" Bolin asked her cheerfully.
"No." Sikenna shook her head with a laugh as she picked up Pabu, cradling him in her arms like a baby.
"From an earth bending merchant back home that over bred them. We took all of them and found them homes and I kept Lotus. I actually went to jail for that." She said, scratching Pabu's chest as he fell asleep. Bolin took a step closer to her, more comfortable with approaching her now that Pabu seemed to trust her.
"For liberating baby fire ferrets?!" He asked, appalled.
"No for setting the cart on fire after." Sikenna laughed and looked up at Bolin, her hand trapped by Pabu's paws wrapped around her wrist as she scratched him.
"Oh, wow. Why'd you do that?" Bolin asked her. She reminded him of Korra, Bolin noticed. Her cheeks were fuller than Korra's, but they had the same upturned nose tip, big, almond shaped eyes, and matching skin tone. She let her long hair flow around her instead of a typical water tribe or fire nation girl, the ends of her tresses almost tickling her hips.
Sikenna shrugged and looked down at Pabu, tapping his nose gently with the pointer finger of the hand trapped in his paws.
"He grabbed my friends ankle, so I bent his business to the ground. Don't touch my friends. Or hurt wittle aminals wike Pabu and Wotus, huh Pabu?" She finished the sentence picking Pabu up under his front legs and giving him eskimo kisses. Pabu squirmed out of her grasp and ran up her arm to her shoulder, sniffing her hair.
"I was about your age when I did it." She said, making eye contact with Bolin. Bolin smiled at her.
"Well I'm sure you have plenty of stories of getting in trouble. Hey, listen. So, I wanted to apologize, again, for the other day. And-and make it up to you. Can we meet for dinner sometime? You know, on me. As a sorry. And, you know.. maybe talk about some things you said the other day?" Sikenna raised an eyebrow at him.
"Are you asking me out?" She joked, having a feeling it would make him flustered. His eyes widened.
"No! No! Not like that. Not that, not that you're not pretty or anything, I mean- I mean if you want, I wouldn't-" Sikenna laughed and cut him off.
"I'm kidding, Bolin, relax." She pulled Pabu off her head and handed him back to Bolin.
"Are you sure? It didn't really seem like you knew what I was talking about." She asked him, genuinely confused.
"Well, I don't." Bolin answered her. Sikenna frowned as he continued.
"That's why I want to hear more. You know?" Sikenna tilted her head at him and contemplated it for a few seconds.
"Okay. I'll have to sneak out, though. We all have a pretty strict 'no going out alone' rule, with everything going on." Bolin nodded.
"Yeah, sure, I get it. Uh, can you tonight? Narooks seaweed noodlery, little water tribe? Do you know it?" Sikenna scrunched her nose up at him.
"Yeah I know it. Really? Water tribe food?" Sikenna asked him, confused. Bolin was picture perfect Earth bender, she wasn't expecting him to pick a water tribe food joint.
"Yeah, it's my favorite! What can I say? I like what the water tribe has to offer." He winked at her, and Sikenna found her nose up her face again.
"Did you just hit on me again?" She asked with a mock seriousness.
"Spirits, I hope not. Gross." Came a voice from behind her. Sikenna rolled her eyes with a smile as Bolin's eyes went behind her shoulder to the guy walking up to them.
"Oh, hey Bolin." Kona said, tossing some fire flakes into his mouth.
"Bolin, my brother Kona, Kona, remeet Bolin. Give me the flakes." She reached for the basket of fire flakes as quick as she could, but Kona was faster. He shoved his hand with the basket of fire flakes up above his head.
"Nnno! Get your own!" He shouted at his sister, fending her off.
"So you're Kona! Okay, I couldn't tell the other night." Kona pulled a face at Bolin in mock shock.
"What?! I'm the one that looks just like Kenna! I am deeply offended, sir. Truly. Kenna! Stop- eat shit!" He said, shoving his sister off of him and his fire flakes, again, annoyed by her persistence. Sikenna looked at him angrily and shot a small ball of fire at his feet, making Kona jump out of the way quickly. The basket flew from his hand and Sikenna shot forward to grab it. She laughed triumphantly as Kona scolded her. Sikenna shoved some fire flakes in her mouth cheerfully as a response.
Bolin laughed at them, watching the exchange. They were rougher with each other than he and Mako were, but you could tell is was all done in jest, even if it appeared to be an argument. The arguments they did have must be brutal.
"You're adopted. I'm hanging out with Bolin for the rest of the day." Kona joked with Sikenna, who repeated what he said in a mocking tone.
Kona turned to walk the way Bolin was facing, and Sikenna jumped on his back, wrapping the arm with the basket of fire flakes to the front so Kona could have some as he carried her.
"So, who's older? How old are you guys?" Bolin asked as they walked.
"Me!" Kona shouted happily before his sister could speak. Sikenna shoved some flakes in her twin's mouth and looked over at Bolin.
"By like, 7 minutes." She corrected her brother with a roll of her eyes.
"Wow, twins?! That's so cool!" Bolin laughed.
"I'm pretty awesome, can't say much for Kona." Sikenna said with a laugh, messing up Kona's hair. He grunted in response and pretended to drop her.
"We'll be 19 this summer." Kona answered the rest of Bolin's question. The three chit chatted a bit more as they walked to the next shop on the twins round. Kona dashed inside to collect the money and Sikenna turned to Bolin.
"So what time do you want to meet tonight?" She asked once she was sure Kona couldn't hear.
"Whenever you can get out, really. I don't have practice, not that it matters, Korra hasn't been showing up…"
"Oh yeah. Isn't she running around with that Tarrlok guy and his bandit of benders?" Bolin sighed and nodded.
"Yeah, she hasn't been to any practices.." Bolin trailed off sadly. Sikenna smiled warmly at him and took a step towards him.
"If I was a waterbender I would offer my services, but you have your fire element pretty covered already. She's the Avatar, Bo. What she's doing right now is her practice." She let out a small laugh, hopeful it came out as light hearted and supporting as she meant it.
"The guys pass out early at night, maybe around 8. I'll meet you in little water tribe at 8:30? Order me a tea. You pick what kind, surprise me." She said with a smile. Bolin returned her smile and nodded, starting to walk backwards away from her.
"Sure thing. I'll see you later. See you, Kona!" Bolin waved over Sikenna's shoulder as Kona walked up to them, then turned around to walk back to the bending arena.

•¥•
Little water tribe, Republic City, that night.

Sikenna looked over her shoulder as she walked into the entrance of Little Water tribe, pulling her hood down. There hadn't been any kidnappings of benders for a couple weeks, and she didn't think she was followed, but she would rather be safe than sorry. Lotus popped up from the zipper of Sikenna's sweatshirt with an excited squeak.
The vibe was different in Little Water tribe. There were more people out here than there was even down the block, now that the sun was down. The hustle didn't seem to settle down with everything else going on, and Sikenna could understand why Bolin chose this place to meet. It was a nice distraction from the rest of the city.
Sikenna shoved Lotus's head back down into the sweatshirt as she ran up the stairs to Nanook's noodlery, her stomach in knots for some reason. Talking to Bolin earlier today had come so easy, so she didn't know why she felt that way.
"Kenna! Hey!" Bolin waved her over to his table from across the restaurant. Sikenna smiled and headed over to him, letting Lotus hop out of her sweater to sit on the windowsill next to the table with Pabu. The two ferrets squeaked and danced around each other, happily hopping along the open window.
"Awe, aren't they cute?!" She squealed over their fire ferrets greeting each other happily as she sat down across from Bolin.
"She's been so lonely without animal friends since we left the Island, she's so happy." Bolin reached up to scratch Lotus' head before he turned to Sikenna, watching her settle into her seat.
"I ordered you a spiced tea. Because, you know, fire nation and all." Sikenna looked around the shop jokingly surprised.
"Spiced tea?! In a water tribe spot?! Oh, Republic City, you are full of surprises." She said sarcastically, taking a sip of the tea.
"Like you not remembering any of us." She said into her cup. The tea was good, if she was being honest. Nothing like it was at home, but still warm and comforting.
Bolin hissed through his teeth.
"Yeah, about that…" he muttered awkwardly, but Sikenna interrupted him before he could continue.
"I mean, I know you were only 5 the last time we saw you, but it was old enough to have some memory, right? I mean, I have memories from that age. And! Its not like we were a small part of your life. At least i thought so..." Sikenna added as she put down her tea cup.
"Oh." Bolin blinked at her. She raised an eyebrow at him expectantly.
"Oh? That's it?" She laughed out at him.
"I mean, I guess it just kind of makes sense." Both of Sikenna's eyebrows raised in surprise as she looked at him. She waited until he ordered a bowl of noodles for the both of them before speaking again.
"How?"
"How what?" Bolin asked her, a blank look on his face.
"Oh! OOOH how does it make sense. Right. Well, I don't remember much of anything before like… 6. At least not anymore." Bolin leaned back in his chair and shrugged, looking as if that answered all her questions.
"What? Why? Did you injure your head? Your parents never told you about us? Not even Mako?!" She spat out Mako's name with the most annoyance. Maybe he really did only think of them as summer friends. Temporary people, not important until it's summer.
"Well, that's the thing. My parents happened, and it's like I woke up one day and it was just me and Mako, and it always had been." Bolin answered her as if it was obvious what happened.
"Your...parents, happened?" She asked, confused.
"Well, yeah. They were killed."
Sikenna felt her heart drop into her stomach, and she felt the blood drain from her face.
"What?" She choked out. Bolin looked at her, worried.
"Hey, are you okay?" He asked her softly, placing a hand on her wrist. Sikenna sat there in shock. Sikenna and Kona spent a lot of time with Bolin and Mako's parents. They had dinner there lots of times, had sleepovers, their families sat outside around a fire talking late into the night. She had been excited to see them again, too. To have people who knew, and remembered her mother to talk to besides Kona. Her grandmother didn't like to talk about her, she said it hurt too much, and their father- well he didn't talk about anything anymore besides what Sikenna was doing wrong in her life. Sikenna felt a tear form in the corner of her eye, and she pulled her hand away from Bolin to wipe it away quickly before answering. Suddenly she regretted Kona not being here, he loved them just as much as she did.
"I didn't know. I'm sorry." She managed to pull together enough to say to Bolin. He gave her a sympathetic smile.
"You knew them?" He asked. Sikenna nodded solemnly, nodding her head.
"Yeah, I don't remember too much about them these days." Bolin said softly, looking over to the fire ferrets now cuddling on the windowsill.
"Why not?" Sikenna furrowed her brows, genuinely confused about how he couldn't remember anything from before his parents died, including his parents themselves, almost.
Bolin sighed with his lips partially closed, letting out a low raspberry noise with his lips before leaning on the table to explain it to her.
"Well, I was going to the library for a while, you know, to get me a lady with brains. And I was reading some books about some healers, who talked about people forgetting things, or long periods of time, after they've gone through something traumatic. Mako doesn't remember anything either, except for our parents themselves, and I think that's why. I mean we lived on the streets for a while, and did a lot of things to stay alive. We had been through a lot, I think our minds just kind of… blocked off those memories so we could store all the information on how to survive as street orphans, you know?" Sikenna nodded slowly as she listened to him speak. It did make sense, but it hurt to know that Mako didn't remember them, either. Bolin she could forgive, but Mako was a heartbreak she wasn't prepared for.
"So, your brother doesn't remember us either?" Bolin shook his head at her as their noodles arrived.
"No. Well, he's been having these weird flashbacks but he thinks it's lack of sleep, and not memories resurfacing." Bolin shrugged as he took a big slurp of noodles. Sikenna took a couple modest bites as Bolin told her about their life on the street, absorbing all the information. How and where they lived on the streets, how Mako got them food and money. He told her about the night he saved Pabu, and the night he convinced the Pro bender not to throw a match, and how he gave them an apartment at the bending arena. He told her all about meeting Korra and how she fit in so well with the team. Sikenna smiled as she watched him gush about the Avatar. He had a crush on her, it was obvious, and so endearing hearing the way he talked about her. It reminded her a lot of his parents. San adored Naoki, always complimenting her and doting on her. Even the way he looked at her emitted nothing but love. Sikenna always thought the Ember Island Players should write a play about them, as they were her favorite fairy tale.
"You sound like your dad." Sikenna laughed out quietly as she pushed away her bowl of noodles. Bolin perked up, obviously pleased with the compliment.
"Do I?" He asked, both proud and curious. Sikenna nodded as she finished off her tea.
"You look like him, too, and are just as goofy." Sikenna watched his smile grow in his face. She realized he probably had never been compared to his dad since her passed, and she took the opportunity to make sure she did it right.
"He used to talk about your mom like that- the way you were just talking about Korra. You would think the whole world revolved around Naoki the way San talked about her. And with good reason, too. Spirits, she was gorgeous." Sikenna remembered fondly. Bolin rested an elbow on the table, putting his chin in his hand with interest.
"What was she like?" He asked her quietly.
"Amazing." Sikenna gushed with a soft laugh.
"She was beautiful, and caring, and very kind. She was my mom's best friend, they spent the whole summer together." Sikenna stopped and looked at Bolin, who hadn't moved. she could tell by looking at him that he needed to hear this, that he craved more. Biting her lip, Sikenna shifted in her seat and leaned towards him.
"She was patient... so patient. And trust me, you had to be to love Kona and I the way she did, we used to get Mako into so much trouble." She laughed, thinking back.
"And funny, too. But I suppose she had to be to keep up with San... And she was the best storyteller in the world. She used to give every character in books a different voice, and tried to make the story as exciting as possible, jump scaring us and grabbing our feet or tickling us..." She stopped and looked Bolin in the eye.
"And she loved you, Mako, and your dad. She was a good person, and amazing mom. Your dad thought the world of her, thought the world turned by her will." Bolin's eyes watered and his bottom lip quivered. Sikenna handed him a napkin just as he burst into tears.

Bolin and Sikenna walked towards the entrance of Little Water tribe after paying their bill, laughing at the fire ferrets playing along as they walked. Sikenna told him stories of his parents, how Sikenna had always been big on nicknames and made Mako help her think of the perfect one for him, they both laughed when she told him Kona's vote was "Linny Lin." She told him stories of shenanigans she would get into on the island growing up, how she never gave up hope when it came to finding them. He told her the somber parts, too. They bonded over her mother's death the same year his parents did, and how happy they were that they at least had their best friend in the afterlife. She explained why their father left them with their grandmother, and how distant and cold he had become since he lost his wife. She even told him about how she and Kona waited for them at the docks all day for them to never come, how heartbroken she felt, but how that day helped shape her as a bender of the electric generation. Bolin told her about him and his life, too. He told her about Mako, and how serious he was now because of how quick he had to grow up. Bolin was funny, and made her laugh with his goofball antics. He listened intently to everything she said, comforted her when she needed it, and seemed genuinely interested in getting to know her. It helped her anxiety about the "bending brothers" wanting nothing to do with any of them, at least where Bolin was concerned. For some reason, something in the back of her mind told her now wasn't the right time to meet Mako, for him to know any of this yet. Then again, it could have been her unexplained nerves convincing her it isn't time yet.
"So, Kenna and Kona, huh? For twins?" Bolin joked with her, and Sikenna bumped his shoulder with hers.
"No, they didn't do it on purpose. Kenna is a nickname, I made people call me that." Bolin's eyebrows shot up.
"A nickname? What's your full name?"
"Sikenna. It's very water tribe, which is what my mom was. Since I'm a firebender, I didn't feel like it fit, so I started telling everyone to call me Kenna as soon as i got my bending." Bolin was quiet after that. The crickets sang a soft melody to them as they walked through the streets of Republic City back towards Sikenna's apartment.
"Are you sure you'll be fine walking back alone? You were already kidnapped once, LinnyLin."
"Gross, stop." Sikenna laughed at his answer to Kona's terrible nickname.
"Yeah I'll be fine. Streets are dead, I'll get home I'm no time." He smiled at her concern, admiring the way the moon reflected in her eyes.
"Okay. Get home safe, I'll see you soon. And, Bolin?"
Sikenna chewed her lip for a moment before finishing her thought.
"Can you… not tell Mako, yet? I just… if he's already starting to remember I don't want to overwhelm him." A lie. She was terrified. Bolin nodded his head to her regardless, brows furrowed in confusion.
"Sure, yeah. Uh, he's going out on a date with Asami tomorrow, do you wanna swing by and hang out? You know, For Lotus. All lonely and stuff."
"Yeah, okay. Kona is going to want to come though, he's been just as anxious as I am to see you again." Bolin nodded excitedly at this.
"Yeah! That'll be fun. I'll show you guys around the arena and we can get fried food on a stick."
"Yesssssss, fried food on a stick!" Sikenna threw her head back and groaned, already craving the greasy food.
"Okay, Kona and I will head over after we're done with work." She took a few steps backwards towards her apartment and waved, turning around to head back as Lotus followed her.
"Sikenna!" Bolin shouted. Sikenna turned around with a scowl.
"Bolin, it's just KennAH-" Bolin picked her up in a bear hug, squeezing her tightly.
"Thanks. For the stories tonight, and for never giving up on us." He mumbled into her hair. Sikenna stood there mildly in shock as he put her down, said goodnight and walked away.