The restaurant had a nice atmosphere to it and was meticulously assembled using beautiful southern water tribe furniture. There were several props placed around to set the ambiance and that included the ornate wooden chairs and table which Bolin and Iroh were seated at. Large animal skins were draped across the ceiling and covered the floor giving the customer the feeling of being in a large canopied hut. Overall, Bolin thought to himself, if he hadn't known better he would say this place was kind of... romantic.
"Wow, this place is amazing. I can't wait to try the food." Bolin said as he gazed around the restaurant. "Whoa, look at that thing, it's massive!" Bolin pointed behind Iroh at the very large Moose-Bear skull resting above a large stone fireplace.
Iroh turned around to see and then back to Bolin, "I'm glad you like this place, you look to be enjoying yourself. I bet that Moose-Bear sounded a lot like your stomach when it was alive." Iroh said with a smile, taking the opportunity to tease his friend a little.
"Oh, ha... ha... It wasn't that loud." Bolin said with a tone of self-deprecation but at the same time he enjoyed being teased. "Well if the food is as good as this place looks then I think that we can calm the beast." Bolin said half joking as his stomach rumbled again causing them both to laugh.
They took a moment to look through the menu but Bolin already knew what he wanted before he even set foot in the restaurant. A rather plump elderly woman dressed in furs approaches them.
"Have you made up your minds or do you still need some time?" She says with a smile.
"I'll take an extra large bowl of your seaweed noodles, please!" Bolin said excitedly.
Putting down his menu, Iroh nods, "That sounds pretty good to me as well, I'll take the same."
"Alright, dears. I'll get those bowls out as quickly as possible. I hope you enjoy your time here." With that said she walks over to the next table.
"So how have you been?" Iroh said with genuine interest.
"I'm doing better I guess. Opal and I broke up... on good terms, but it was still difficult on me. On both of us I think." Bolin said somberly.
"Oh... that's unfortunate. You said it was on good terms? I take that to mean it was mutual?" Iroh said in a concerned tone but noticed that it made Bolin uncomfortable.
"Hey... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have dug deeper than that and you don't have to answer if you don't want to." Iroh quickly replied.
"No, it's okay. It's been nearly two months now and, you know, it was the right thing to do. It was like we both started off as badgermoles but as time went on I became an armadillo lion and she became an elephant koi. You know what I mean?" Bolin said with a pout on his face.
"Yeah... yeah I think so." Iroh said with a kind of confused look. Bolin nodded in an oblivious kind of way.
"We just headed off into two different worlds. But now I'm free to find another armadillo lion and she can find another elephant koi." Bolin said with a sigh and a smile, as if he finally came to realize that what he said was actually how he felt.
"I'm happy for you. It sounds like you're really starting to find what you want for yourself." Iroh says as he reaches over and pats Bolin on the shoulder.
Bolin scratches the back of his neck and can't help but turn a little red, "Yeah, maybe."
"Oh the food is here." Iroh says calmly.
"Noodles!" Bolin says in a giddy voice.
Iroh begins to assess the best possible way to tackle eating the giant bowl of noodles. Meanwhile, across the table, Bolin is vacuuming up his noodles with impressive force.
A small smile forms on Iroh's mouth as he watches Bolin eat, "Enjoying that?" He says half joking as it's pretty obvious.
"Ya... yes... it's good." Bolin replies almost choking on a noodle as he can't be bothered to stop eating.
"So... what have you been... up to... Mr. important general?" Bolin starts and stops talking while he slurps down noodles.
Bolin stops eating entirely for a moment, "Well besides saving the Earth Kingdom." Bolin snorts and laughs at the same time.
Iroh's cheeks turn just slightly red, a rare sight coming from Iroh, "Well it's not just me, it takes the work and cooperation of everyone. Besides we have you and the rest of team Avatar to thank." Iroh nods sagely.
"Hmm, how is Korra doing anyways. The last I saw of her was at Varrick and Zhu Li's wedding." Iroh says before pulling some noodles up to his mouth and eating.
"She's fine, more than fine. She's dating again and she looks happier than I've seen her in a long time." Bolin says while nervously using chopsticks to push some noodles around.
"Oh? Who is the lucky guy? Did her and Mako get back together? Those two did seem really friendly at the wedding." Iroh said nodding to himself as if figured it out. Bolin on the other hand momentarily choked on a noodle at the mention of Mako's name before recovering.
"Asami." Bolin tried to say nonchalantly but failed.
Iroh raises his eyebrows and remains quiet for a moment, "Asami Sato from Future Industries?
"Yup." Bolin mumbles out as he continues to gorge on noodles. Curious as to how Iroh will react.
"I'm happy for them. They've both gone through a lot of pain, more pain than anyone should have to go through. Those two deserve all the happiness they can get." Iroh says.
"I'm glad you feel that way. I'm happy for them too." Bolin replies with a smile.
They finish their meal up and Bolin leans back a bit to give his stomach some much needed room.
"You have no idea how much I needed that. I feel great, like Nuktuk after saving Ginger great. Bolin says as he flexes.
"So I take it that Nuktuk will pay for our meal next time?" Iroh says.
"Next time? Uh yeah, of course I... he can." Bolin says while trying to pose like Nuktuk but failing miserably.
"I do like to eat and I don't think it's a secret that Nuktuk does too." Iroh says while trying to keep his composure from how corny that was.
"I did hit those noodles pretty hard, didn't I? Bolin acknowledges.
"I almost felt sorry for those noodles. If only they knew of the beast lying in wait for them in your stomach." Iroh replies with a grin.
"You know, if you're okay with it, we could make this a daily thing. The city has plenty of places to try out and we could alternate who pays the bill." Iroh says.
"Deal." Bolin says happily.
Iroh stands up and walks over to the counter to pay for the food. Trying with all his effort to be as inconspicuous as possible Bolin peeks at Iroh's beautiful sculpted butt. Just as quickly as Bolin starts looking, something... or someone blocks his view.
Bolin slowly looks up and makes eye contact with the plump elderly waitress who took their order earlier. She is now sporting the biggest grin on her face, "Did she... she did... she saw... Oh Spirits." Bolin thinks to himself.
"Don't worry dear my lips are sealed. Have a nice day." The elderly woman says with a wink.
"Huh, what was that about?" Iroh asks.
"I... um, no idea." Bolin spits off quickly.
Iroh shrugs and looks at his watch, "I'm going to head back, I have another meeting to attend. You're welcome to walk with me unless you wanted to look around." Iroh said.
"Oh, no, I'm pretty full and I need to finish unpacking the last of my things." Bolin replies.
Bolin and Iroh, bellies full, make the short walk back to base. The two separate at the gate and go to their respective locations.
"See you at lunch tomorrow!" Bolin yells.
Iroh stick his hand up as he walks away acknowledging that he had heard Bolin.
Bolin enters his room, shuts the door, and immediately falls backwards onto his bed.
"Was he flirting with me or am I just being hopeful?" Bolin says out loud.
Pouting while in deep thought Bolin pulls his pillow over his face, "It's obvious he doesn't even have that kind of inclination, right? Even if he did, which he doesn't, he wouldn't be interested in some street orphan like me. Spirits, Bolin, he freaking royalty. Doesn't he have to carry on the family line or something?" Bolin screams into his pillow.
"Why do I always do this to myself?" Bolin sighs.
Bolin lets thought after thought cause him to second guess himself as he slowly drifts asleep.
Knock, knock, knock.
Bolin pulls the pillow off of his face and fixes his hair quickly, "Yes, who's there?" Bolin says.
"I have a letter addressed to you sir... err I mean Bolin." The voice says through the door.
Bolin opens the door and takes the small letter, "Thank you." Bolin says as the man nods and leaves.
Bolin turns and looks at the clock, "Oh man I fell asleep for 3 hours. Traveling for a week from Republic City to here is kicking my butt." Bolin thinks.
"Anyways, I wonder what this is." Bolin says.
Bolin opens the letter and begins to read.
Little bro,
Hey, how are you doing? Adjusting alright? By the time this letter arrives it should be about a week since you left. I wonder if this will get there before you do? I'm not there to kick their faces in so take care of yourself and don't let anyone push you around!
I'm proud of you,
Mako
P.S. Pabu says hi!
Bolin laughs as he finishes the letter. "If only people knew how much of softy Mako really is. He sent a letter before I even left, what a dork." Bolin thinks to himself.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Huh, had another letter for me? I mean, I know I'm a mover star but..." Bolin says as he opens the door.
Standing in the door is Iroh, looking a little tired but content, with a smile on his face.
"Iroh?! Uh, what are doing here?" Bolin says completely taken off guard.
"Oh, I just came by to see if you still needed help unpacking. I have some time now that my last meeting is over." Iroh says.
"Yeah, there are a few things I could use your help with if you really want to. I mean you really don't have to help." Bolin says with a bit of disbelief in his tone.
"No, that's okay. I'm happy to help." Iroh says enthusiastically.
It's a small room but Bolin had a ton of Nuktuk memorabilia that he brought with him and it took awhile for the two to set it all up.
"Hey, can I ask you something? Bolin says nervously.
"Sure, what did you want to know?" Iroh replies.
"When we were talking about Korra and Asami at lunch." Bolin says.
"Yeah?" Iroh says, having a good idea of where this is going.
"Never mind, it's nothing. Hey, thanks for the help. I appreciate it." Bolin sighs.
Iroh gives Bolin a suspicious look, "Listen, Bolin. There isn't anything wrong with it. In fact the Fire Nation is very accepting of it. There is nothing more natural than love regardless of what gender others find attractive. No matter what gender you find attractive." Iroh says in a convincing tone.
"What gender I find attractive? Does he know? Am I that obvious?" Bolin quickly thinks to himself as a knot forms in his stomach.
Bolin fidgets uncomfortably, "It was just a lot different growing up on the streets of Republic City though. At least where me and Mako raised ourselves. Something like that would be a liability, something to keep quiet." Bolin says as he nervously sits at his desk.
"Bolin you're not that kid fighting to survive on the streets anymore. You're not even the same guy who defended Republic City from the Equalists. You've matured, the very fact that you are here shows that. Don't let what people might think about you control your life." Iroh says.
Bolin, visibly shaking looks down at his feet.
"Bolin." Iroh says causing him to look up.
Iroh makes steady eye contact with Bolin, "You are charming, brave, loyal and... handsome. I'm sure you know that." Iroh admits as his face becomes obviously red for the first time.
"Do you always second guess yourself?" Iroh asks.
Bolin's heart starts pounding as he makes eye contact with Iroh. "Do it, Bolin. Do it. Do it damn you!" Bolin's inner monologue screams at him.
"No, not always." Bolin says with an air of determination.
Bolin quickly covers the distance between them, lifts Iroh's face to his, and kisses him on the lips...