A/N: This one didn't take very long to do. I wonder if I can crank out another two like it and catch up. :P
Rated: K
Day 12 - Summer
It is summer back in Republic City. But here in the South Pole it is an endless winter.
The cold always did have a way of making Bolin feel ill at ease. The cold never failed to remind him of torturous winter nights spent hungering for scraps to eat. Wishing for a roof to keep the pesky snow from creeping into his collar as he slept. Longing for just a couple layers of clothing so that Mako wouldn't have to exhaust himself by firebending all night long to keep them warm.
It's impossible to fall asleep, even though he's wrapped up warmly in a bed Korra's parents made up for him. He longs for his hot Republic City summer and the reassurances that he'll be safe from icy winter nights and painful memories of a shattered childhood lived on the streets.
It's almost a relief when he hears Korra's voice, soft as a whisper. "Bo? You awake?"
"Yeah," he whispers back.
Korra's soft footsteps pad across the room until she's beside him. "You okay?"
He told her once of those winter nights, and now she always worries whenever she brings him home. Are you too cold? You want another blanket? It's freezing outside, you should sleep by the fire. It's bad enough that he has to remember, but when Korra worries it just makes him feel guilty.
"I don't know why it's such a big deal for us to sleep together. It's not like we haven't before," she says, and even though it's dark, he can practically make out the pout on her face.
"I'll be alright," he says. "Why don't you go back to bed?"
Korra nods, but instead of moving towards her own bedroom, she tells him to scoot over and climbs under the covers with him. When she snuggles up next to him she lets out a muffled shriek of surprise. "Your feet are freezing!" She wraps her arms around his middle and drapes her feet over his to warm them, grimacing at the iciness of his toes until they're finally the same temperature.
Bolin wordlessly thanks her by finding her lips with his own, and realizes she's fallen asleep when she doesn't kiss back. But he thinks one day he can maybe get used to these chilly nights.
Because it's always summer when Korra's snuggled up beside him.