Broh Week, Day Four - Rumours

'Step right up, step right up, and marvel as Master Pabu attempts – the Crossing of Death!' Bolin shouted. In these latter days performing in the streets for money wasn't really necessary, but it was a wise sage who said that old habits die hard.

'Wow, that's so amazing!'

Bolin blinked in surprise as a teenage girl actually detached herself from the crowd and came over to look more closely. Pabu was amazing, of course, but that didn't stop most people from just strolling on by.

'Why, thank you, miss!' he squeaked, holding Pabu up to his mouth and waving one of his paws. Pabu wriggled out of his hands immediately and jumped onto his head. The girl giggled. She was pretty, in a soft, brown-eyes-and-curls kind of way, and she was watching him and Pabu with wide-eyed hopefulness.

'You trained him to do all that yourself?' she asked.

'Well, you could say that,' Bolin said. 'Most of it's natural talent, though.'

'I see. And…' The girl's voice dropped to a half-whisper. 'That's not all he can do, is it?'

'Why, no! Master Pabu is a fire ferret of many talents!'

'You see…' The girl sat down cross-legged opposite him, and began to twist a lock of hair around her finger, blushing prettily. 'I know it sounds silly, but I heard a rumour that he's also…' She leaned forward and breathed, 'a love-ferret.'

'Uhm, well…' Bolin frowned and scratched his head, somewhat taken aback. 'That's not something I have personally witnessed, but it could well be, could well be. Pabu?' He put his chin on the pavement so that he and the ferret were nose to nose. 'Are you a love ferret? Do you have secret skills?'

'It was just something my friends were saying,' the girl hastened to explain, 'because your brother Mako seemed to get so lucky with the girls, first Asami Sato and now Avatar Korra, which I guess means she's been lucky in love too, and now you've found someone as well…so people are saying that the reason all you Fire Ferrets have fallen in love is because Pabu is a love ferret.'

'It's the only logical explanation,' Bolin agreed, cupping his chin and frowning seriously at Pabu.

'So yeah, thing is, I have this crush and I was wondering, if you'd maybe let me hold Pabu, it might make me get lucky too?' the girl said, opening her dark eyes very wide.

'Ah, I see! Certainly, young lady; Master Pabu will be happy to assist you.'

He draped Pabu like a furry stole around the girl's shoulders.

'He's so sweet,' she said, stroking his russet head. 'Oooh, I feel more romantic already! Thank you so much!'

'Any time, any time!' Bolin beamed. 'Thank you kindly,' he added, as she dropped a coin into his tin mug. 'Goodbye, and good luck winning that crush! Be brave! Be yourself! May Pabu the Love-Ferret's blessing go with you!'

He kept waving and smiling until she had gone round the corner, then stuffed Pabu into one breast of his jacket and his collecting mug into the other, leapt to his feet and sprinted into the eatery behind him, where Team Avatar were enjoying a well-earned noodle break.

He dragged Iroh out of his seat by the jacket lapels and exclaimed to him,

'Oh my spirits, people know!'

'Know what?' Iroh asked, sucking a stray noodle into his mouth and looking perplexed.

'About Us!' Bolin shouted, waving his arms about.

'What? How, did you tell?'

'No, did you?'

'No!' Iroh said. Both men's heads turned simultaneously to their friends at the table.

'Don't look at me, I said nothing,' Korra said.

'Why would we want to talk about it?' Mako asked.

'I don't know,' Iroh said. He gently removed Bolin's hands from his lapels. 'I…didn't realise that people finding out would be such a disaster for you.'

'Oh, I don't mind personally,' Bolin said. 'But you haven't told, I haven't told…don't you think that it's a bit…' He stuck his face up close to Iroh's and opened his eyes wide. 'Spooky?'

One corner of Iroh's mouth quirked up in a wry grin. 'Apparently rumour travels fast in Republic City.'