The Southern chill was a very different climate to what Bolin was used to; the brisk wind nipping at his cheeks as he pulled his hood tighter around his face, the blinding whiteness that froze everything it touched, was contrary to the balming, relentless heat of summer dissipating the grease off the sidewalks, and mixing into the think smog that wafted from the factories that were his home.
Granted, Republic City winters meant death for street rats, and more than once he and Mako had given each other heart attacks when one of them would get just too still, the snowflakes freezing their closed eyelashes together, lips turning blue.
But still, the Fire Nation in him resented this foreign, frozen landscape; all his nerves working over time to try to compensate the shivers that rattled his body without Mako's warm touch to try and heat him.
He really hated this place. He just wanted to go home.
And after how horrible his little 'date' had gone last night- if you could even call it that- he didn't feel very welcomed.
He was startled out of his thoughts from the sound of footsteps crunching the snow behind him.
Not Mako, he thought. He would know Mako's footsteps from a mile away. And not Korra; Korra's steps were more frequent, because she was short, and her feet hit the ground hard, with purpose, the Earthbender in her always causing the tiniest tremors that Bolin could sense.
"Bolin."
His name left the speaker's mouth without inflection, the two syllables flat against the wind.
Oh, no. So it had to be one the twins. He was too scared and humiliated to turn his head around to find out.
He didn't have to though, for the twin moved silently to come sit behind him.
No hair pieces, or eye shadow, Bolin observed. Desna.
Or, unless they were trying to trick him again...
Bolin started to sweat, cheeks flaming.
His green eyes absentmindedly trailed down to the person's chest, needing to make sure, and feeling dirty in his thoughts.
The think layers of clothes prevented him from forming a determination of gender, and-
Bolin, what the heck are you doing!? he yelled at himself, 'Gahh, what is wrong with you?! Why are you even thinking that?!
He couldn't help the little squeal that left his mouth, wishing the snow would just bury him as he lifted his gaze to find the waterbender's eyebrow raised, with whom he hoped to be able to determine as Desna.
"So. Um. Desna?"
Blue eyes flicked towered him.
Well, it was a start, right?"
"I wish to speak to you concerning the happenings of last night." The Prince stated evenly, not particularity looking at Bolin. At least Bolin had said the right name,"That is, if you are comfortable with discussing the issue."
Issue. Bolin was having a battle with himself by deciding if it really was an 'issue' or not.
Half of him told himself he was a freak, a weirdo. That there was something wrong with him and that Korra and Asami would reject him if they found out. That part tried to cover up his feelings by making the excuse that, you thought he was Eska! You thought you were out with a girl, so you still like girls! Nothing has changed, what's the big deal?
But things had changed. They had kissed, and although Bolin had been mad that he had been tricked into it...he wasn't so sure he regretted that the kiss itself was with Desna...
The confusion was overwhelming and relentless.
"Bolin."
Said Earthbender lifted his green eyes, "Oh, um, yes. I mean, yes, I'll talk about it, not 'yes' as in it makes me uncomfortable. Um..."
"Very well. Would you..." Desna's eyes shifted, voice dying off, and Bolin swore he heard regret in his voice.
"Huh?"
"Would you like me to explain my reasons, or would you like to begin?"
Bolin considered, and wanted to get the anger off his chest first, before seeing if any...feelings...were mutual.
"I go." Bolin said, voice serious, and hard eyes betraying his hurt. "Why did you trick me? Why did you pretend to be your sister? Did you just want to see me cry, huh? That is just cruel and mean. If you liked me, you could have just told me, instead of being cruel about it. You said things about me, but how do I know you really felt that way? Sure, I would have been surprised, and unsure, but not mad or grossed out. What I am mad about, is that is was my first kiss, and I got tricked into believing I was with someone else. That you two thought I was too stupid to notice, that you could just manipulate me and not care about my feelings. If you cared about me at all, you would have been truthful and just told me, because now I feel like a freak."
A few silent seconds passed, and Bolin began to grow more angry. "Well? Your turn."
A breath was taken. "I understand, and apologize greatly." Desna said, eyebrows dipped down, and Bolin didn't know the seemingly stoic, robotic Prince was capable of looking guilty, "What I did to you, was cruel and you have every reason to hate me. You can bend rocks at my head all you want, and never talk to me again, and I won't blame you in the slightest. I am a Prince, yet despite my status, I did a very dishonorable thing, and disregarded someone's feelings for my own selfish reasons. You should not blame yourself, but blame me. I am ashamed of myself."
Desna turned away, the white snow looking puffy since last nights fall.
"So, what were your reasons?" Bolin whispered after a moment.
"I..."
The mask was sliding, Bolin could tell. Bolin assumed he could always tell that both the twin's facade was to block out the rest of the world, in fear that everyone else would not accept what was underneath. Yet everyone else just took thier icy eyes, bored persona to heart. He surmised that that was a reason they interested him.
Because he could tell. Or maybe he just cared enough to try to get to know them.
Bolin knew from experience what it was like to have to hide your own feelings, and to pretend to be something you weren't. Like happy, and joking, and naive, when all he was inside was hurt and lonely, and wanted to spend more time with his brother, and wanted to know if his parents were proud of him.
He understood lots of things that people didn't give him credit for, he really did.
"I..." Desna began again, "I never intended to hurt you, believe me. Looking back, I know my motives were selfishly planned, and I only hope that you can understand that I..."
"That you what?" Bolin asked quietly.
Desna's throat constricted, and the next four words dripped the most emotion that Bolin had ever heard in the waterbender, "That I like you."
Bolin's eyes went wide, and he was stunned into a silence.
"P-please let me explain." Crack, crack, crack in the mask, the facade fulling slipping, "All those things I said that I like about you, when you thought I was my sister, are true. You are funny, amusing. You are so sure of yourself, and all I do is think of you. I wish to know more about you."a dip of his head," Yet...I am forced to adhere a status for my people...one I do not wish to surmise." he stated bitterly, "If my father knew of this, I would be banished, shaming my Tribe, and I cannot even begin to explain what that would..." Desna sighed. "I wish to be whom I want, without my mother and father's strict rules, and the Tribe's expectations. I wish to show my emotions freely, without having to uphold an obedient physique such as a 'proper Prince' is meant to." He finally turned fully to Bolin now. "I wish to decide my own destiny, and chose of whom I desire to be with, without judgement, or feeling like a 'freak' as you so put."
Desna ended his confession, and gazed at Bolin. The snow falling down was the only sound in the vast white.
"Your turn."
Bolin blinked, not knowing what to say.
Finally, Bolin gently put his soft gloved-hand on Desna's knees. Desna didn't even flinch.
Blue eyes met green.
Bolin opened his mouth:
"You're not a freak."
A booming heart.
"I like you, too."
A surprised gasp. Tanned fingers intertwined with furry-gloved ones.
Faces inches apart, breathes being shared.
Closer, closer, closer...
"Is this," Desna breathed, "what you wish? I-"
And lips crushed together then, two souls joining, the snow around them melting with their beating hearts.
-To be continued! Please let me know what you think! :)
