It was pretty empty in the park except for a few people milling about and the protestor for Amon.
Nyla was in the water searching for some fish to eat. Fishing was illegal but technically animals can't fish so it wasn't illegal per say.
She sighed and wrapped her arms around her legs as she placed her chin on her knees.
Around this time, Bolin should be finishing up his training with his brother and Korra. She sighed heavily. How weird was it that she knew his schedule but she didn't see him for two weeks which felt like months?
Why did it hurt? She was doing the right thing by removing herself from Bolin's life so he wouldn't be hurt when she lost control.
And she would. Each night as the moon came closer to the full moon she felt her resistance slowly crack like eggs and it was exhausting and painful.
It hurt so much that she wanted to just give in and forget about the pain but she knew that the moment she gave in, she would no longer be herself.
It was easier to hurt herself than anyone else.
But it wasn't helping. She was going to lose control. It was no longer a matter of if, it was when and that was terrifying.
Knowing what was going to happen wasn't the terrifying part, oh no it was the when.
The when was the terrifying enemy. It snuck up slowly on you like a komodo-dragon and when you least expected it, it struck and you were powerless to stop it.
That was the terrifying part. That was why she had no friends, no company except Nyla and lived by herself far from society.
Yes, she felt alone. Yes, she wanted friends, company and perhaps even love but no it wasn't for her.
It was for normal people. Not people like her.
Not people who could bloodbend without a full moon and was possessed by the moon and tried everything in her power to resist, losing every day, knowing you were so close to giving in and so close to hurting the people you cared about.
No, this was the life for her. The solitary kind.
So, maybe she should have kept her guard up to listen for any familiar footsteps and leave on Nyla before they had a chance to see her.
But she didn't. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't see him until it was too late.
"Aylin? Hey!" He said as he ran towards her, smiling so innocently at her, it made her heart twist uncomfortably.
She could still get up and get on Nyla and run, pretend not to have ever seen him. It would be rude but necessary.
Just as she was about to get up, Bolin plunked down on her side, his excitement evident.
"Hey, so how you been? Haven't seen you around for awhile. Korra's been asking for you."
She flinched inwardly. Oh, how she missed him. Missed his earthly smell, missed his enthusiastic child like humor.
Spirits, how she missed him and yet she couldn't have him. She just nodded, trying so hard to ignore his warmth and not lean in closer.
This hurt more than the time she accidently burned herself when she was cooking.
It throbbed and burned and ached and stayed like that for days. And now the same feeling was back. But on the inside.
In her heart.
"So, are you okay? You're not sick or anything?" He asked as Pabu began playing with Nyla.
A small almost shy smile came to her lips. "No, I'm not."
"Oh, good! That's great!" Bolin exclaimed, completely at ease having no idea she was avoiding him.
Oh Spirits, what was she going to do?
She wanted to spend time with him. She liked him. A lot. Was it selfish and wrong of her to want to spend time with him? To forget, even for a moment, about the moon and the death of her parents?
She loved waterbending. It was a part of her. It was her identity. Waterbending helped her remember her parents. She felt like they were right by her side, encouraging her and smiling at her. If she focused hard enough, she could almost feel them right next to her and hear their voices.
The one thing she didn't like was the moon's power and influence over her.
"Yeah." She mumbled.
"I missed you." He said earnestly, smiling at her softly that made her knees tremble.
She tightened her arms around her legs, practically squashing them to her breasts.
"Are... you... okay?" He asked haltingly, probably picking up on her sad, almost depressed state.
She sighed.
"No," She finally said. At least she could he true about her feelings.
His smile saddened then brightened up again.
"You know what you need?" He said happily, jumping up suddenly and scaring her. "You need to go out. I'll take you out."
"What?"
"I was thinking…you and me we could get some dinner together. Sort of a date situation."
She sighed and turned her head to the other side, avoiding his hopeful gaze.
"That's really sweet but I don't think so." She said sadly.
"Oh, come on. It'll be fun!"
"I don't feel very date worthy right now."
"Are you kidding me? You're the smartest, sweetest, funniest, talentedest, prettiest, incrediblest girl in the world."
Her heart sputtered and she felt her face flush. He really thought that about her?
It was the sweetest, most romantic thing she had ever heard. She smiled even when she tried not to.
"You really feel that way about me?" She murmured shyly.
He smiled. "I felt that way since the moment I saw you."
She blushed yet again as her body warmed at his confession. She could still push him away but how could she after he confessed his feelings towards her.
She felt the same way about him. She did and she just couldn't resist him.
They just couldn't ignore each other. They always found each other no matter how hard she fought against this attraction she felt towards him.
She couldn't fight it. She was selfish. Besides what could it hurt to spend some time with him?
"Well, okay then. I guess we could go out."
"Yes! Who's the luckiest guy in the world? Right here, Bolin." He said as he stood up and grabbed her hand to help her stand up as she giggled. "Trust me. I know we're going to have so much fun together."
She smiled as they started to leave hoping she wasn't going to regret this.
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