Forbidden Flame

Chapter 5

"Well," Asami said thoughtfully, staring after where Iroh had left. "For most of the night, he seemed to treat you like just a friend…no more romantic potential than what you get between me and Korra. But that very last thing he said…" The girl trailed off into silence, not quite sure how to put her feelings into words.

"It felt like there was something more, right?" Bolin commented hopefully, looking back to where the general had disappeared. "It seemed like he meant something more than he'll see me tomorrow. I mean, he's said that a lot cuz of the training, but never quite like that. I mean, it wasn't just my imagination or wishful thinking, right?"

"No, Bolin," Asami replied with a warm, indulgent smile. "It was most definitely not your imagination." She paused for a bit; the hesitancy that showed in her expression was an indicator that she was trying to think of how to phrase her next thoughts without hurting the earthbender's feelings. "But I don't know…I'm not sure what the extra meaning…whatever it was, is indicative of whether you have a chance of romance. However, I am one hundred percent certain that he would never reject your friendship just because of your feelings for him. It's obvious that he cares about you too much for that, and he's never struck me as a douchebag."

"I think he has a chance," Korra said decidedly, with an assured confidence that shocked her two friends. Well, it's no big surprise, since her tone was so certain that even the most stubborn of naysayers would have been unable to find even a smidgen of room for doubt in it. "You guys know how I dragged Iroh off for a few minutes earlier. Well, during our conversation, he said something that makes me think Bolin's got a chance. Wasn't anything big or specific, mind you. But the general seems to be the type that prefers to get with someone he already knows well and gets along with."

"Well, yes," Asami agreed, smile warm and indulgent once more. "That does greatly increase Bolin's chances. Iroh would never date a soldier under his command, and we are among the very few close friends he has that are close to his own age. So, in that sense, there's not really any quote-em-quote competition here in Republic City, but we don't really know too much about his life in the Fire Nation. And unfortunately, I have been unable to subtly inquire about his feelings on same sex relationships…a task we all agreed was best left to me as you two are about as subtle as a tsunami."

"Yeah," Bolin huffed out. "I haven't even thought about trying to bring that shit up."

"And if I brought it up," Korra declared with a nervous chuckle. "There's no way I would be able to avoid mentioning Bolin's feelings. With my lack of filter, it'd be bound to slip out its own."

"Yes, Korra," Asami commented with a chuckle of her own. "We've seen that aspect of your social prowess several times."

"Yeah," Bolin chimed in. "Seen it in all its jaw-dropping glory. Anyway, it's getting late, and I've got an appointment to keep. See you guys later."

"Bye Bolin!" Asami waved.

"Bye!" Korra smirked as she punched Bolin in the arm. "And don't tell your idiot of a brother what we've got planned for him."

"I never do," the earthbender replied with a smile. "I will never understand how he always gets himself in hot water with you two so often."

"It's a different way every time," Korra said.

"He's just creative that way, I guess," Asami joked, and the three parted ways with the laughter echoing around them.

When Bolin arrived home that night, he could tell something was different…off somehow, but he couldn't figure it out right away, because all was quiet. The lights were out, nothing had been disturbed. Hell, even the dishes he'd left in the skink after lunch hadn't been touched, and Mako had a thing about dirty dishes. It wasn't until he reached his room that he understood, because there sat Mako on his bed – the only light illuminating the room was a small ball of fire in his hand.

"Mako," Bolin said hesitantly, slowly as he reached for the nearby lamp and turned it on. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing much," Mako replied with a shrug. "Just haven't seen you a whole lot lately. Not sure where you've been. Dunno whether or not you know I've quit the power plant and joined the police…just wondering why you see my girlfriend more than I do."

"Ugh, seriously?" Bolin groaned, rolling his eyes and plopping down next to his brother on the bed. "We've both been busy with new jobs, and yes I am aware of your change in occupation. And our schedules don't mesh well. It's no surprise we keep missing each other. And I thought we settled the Korra issue when you were still dating Asami. You know, when we promised to never let a girl come between us again. Besides, I'm in love with someone else. You literally have less than nothing to worry about with me and Korra."

"Seriously, bro?" That's awesome!" Mako said smiling, mood turning around instantly. "Who's the girl? Why the hell haven't you said anything before now? I could have helped you 'woo your lady'. (Yes, that was complete with sarcastic finger quotes.) We both know that I'm better at chicks than you."

"No offense, bro," Bolin drawled out. "But with how often you dive head first into boiling hot water with Korra, I think I'll take my chances. Korra and Asami give pretty good advice."

"You doubt my skills?!' Mako demanded, honestly sounding shocked.

"To some extent, yes," Bolin remarked, which prompted Mako to leap at him and led to an impromptu wrestling match. For several minutes, the two brothers tusseled back and forth, each periodically gaining the upper hand, until the younger happened to glance at the clock and slumped down instantaneously in defeat.

"Haha! I won!" Mako exclaimed in triumphant glee. "Now you have to tell me about the girl you like!"

"That was never a part of the rules," Bolin argued. He may have conceded defeat in the wrestling match so he could get up on time the following morning, but he still wasn't ready to divulge the "big gay love for Iroh" information to Mako yet. The earthbender wasn't sure why he wasn't read; he just knew he wasn't.

"Of course it was part of the rules," Mako asserted. "It was implied because that's why we were wrestling. Now, it's time to 'fess up."

"I thought we were wrestling because you suck at anything to do with girls," Bolin grumbled as he looked away and sighed. Because no matter what his brother thought, it really wasn't time to "fess up". Not when he really, truly was not ready. Bolin wondered if his brother would be so insistent if he knew how uncomfortable this topic was making Bolin…probably not. After all, Mako might be a little bit of an asshole, but he wasn't deliberately cruel. And Bolin, in an effort to keep his own overwhelming internal struggle under control, had been acting pretty casual about the whole thing.

Visibly sighing once more, Bolin considered his options, and Mako, sensing a sort of resignation on his brother's part, got off Bolin and settled into a casual slouch against the nearest wall. Sitting up, the earthbender took a hard look at his own feelings and decided that even if he definitely wasn't going to tell Mako everything, there was at least one thing he was ready to reveal. And really, it was better to get it out the way sooner rather than later. He trusted Mako, but then, this was the kind of thing where you never knew how someone would react until they did.

At least, unlike a lot of people, he knew there was a safe place to go if Mako rejected him. He had no doubt that Asami and Korra would fall over themselves to offer him a new home if Mako decided he couldn't live with Bolin anymore. He was also mostly sure they would, for lack of a better phrase, "take his side" if Mako rejected him over this. They would consider it the height of betrayal to disown a brother simply because he fell in love. Again, he really didn't think it was something he really needed to be worried about, but he was nervous. He'd been nervous when he told the two girls, nervous when Pema found out, and just the thought of Iroh ever figuring it out caused pants-shitting terror (not literally, thank the spirits).

"Hey Mako," Bolin said, sitting up as he pulled himself out of his own musings. "I'm okay with telling you the why but not the who."

"That's weird," Mako commented slowly, finally starting to understand that this topic might actually be way more serious than he originally thought.

"It'll make sense when I actually tell you," Bolin replied with a shrug.

"Okay then," Mako said in a playful tone, obviously trying to bring back their former mood…perhaps in an attempt to make Bolin less tense and more comfortable. "Out with it little bro."

"The person I'm in love with…" Bolin paused. He should be okay with this by now, he chided himself impatiently as he rubbed his hands over his face. He should be used to this by now. So many people knew: Asami, Korra, Pema…okay, maybe not that many. It was just thanks to Ikki that everyone in the air temple knew it definitely wasn't Korra he loved, which was kind of a weird feeling. It felt so safe and welcoming at the air temple thanks to the three aforementioned women that he almost forgot only three people knew his secret. Still…spirits be damned, this was nerve-wracking. "It's…he's…guy…"

Oh great! Now, he was a stuttering mess. Taking a deep breath, Bolin calmed himself down as much as he could and managed a clear declaration of, "I'm in love with a man."

Mako sat there dumbfounded, no trace of humor left in his expression. His eyes wide and mouth agape for so long that Bolin was starting to get sorely tempted to shut I for him. Silence reigned for several minutes before Mako finally said, "God, Bolin, you always gotta pick the hard route when it comes to love, don't you? First an avatar who was in love with me and then someone who's probably perfectly nice but might want to shoot you just for falling in love."

Bolin just shrugged helplessly. Although, he was completely sure Iroh wouldn't want to kill him just for that. Unlike Asami, he wasn't sure whether the general would be okay with a continuing friendship, but Bolin feared only emotional harm if…(more likely when)…Iroh found out about his feelings.

"Well, I get why Korra and Asami would be more helpful," the firebender mused. "How do you even woo another dude?"

"It's a work in progress," Bolin admitted. "One in which we have no idea if I have had any success. I'm hoping it's more successful than you almost getting hit by a car and making another girl jealous unintentionally. Speaking of jealousy…is that why Korra's mad at you?"

"Yeah, Mako sighed. "I dunno. Things haven't been great since I started working with the police. And she's been having fun with others so much lately. I just kinda blew up at her."

"Talk to her dude," Bolin told him with an encouraging pat on the back. And hey, he could actually give some advice here. It was nice to actually feel a little useful…even if it was because he'd gotten the same advice in trying to pursue his own love. "Try to schedule a regular meeting time you can get together with her. No reason to be jealous if you get to spend time with her too."

"Yeah, that's true. That's a good idea. Thanks Bolin," Mako replied, finally smiling.

"No problem bro," Bolin commented. "Anyway, I gotta get to bed. Night Mako."

"Wait!" Mako called. "I get why you don't want my help trying to get together with this dude. I dunno whether I'd do more harm than good, but why don't you want me to know who it is? Do you think I'd go give him the shovel talk or something? I wouldn't out you like that."

"I know that, Mako," Bolin said. "I do trust you. You're my brother. But I'm just not ready to let it out. I don't really know why. I just know that I don't feel ready. Sorry."

"Well, it's cool I guess," Mako said with a shrug. "I think I kind of get it. It had to be pretty hard just to tell me that you love another dude."

"Yeah, it was," Bolin admitted. "But we're cool, right?"

"Yeah, totally cool," Mako assured him.

"Okay, cool," Bolin said. "So…night Mako."

"Night Bolin."

Bolin went to sleep that night with a smile on his face and calming peace in his heart.

A/N: Hello and welcome to the end of Forbidden Flame chapter 5! I'm really, really sorry for the extremely long wait for a kind of short chapter, but I have a feeling my fans are probably used to that by now. Because I am probably like the world's worst updater. Uh…anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please feel free to leave any questions you have in a review, and like always…

I would really love for someone to seriously critique my work. It doesn't have to stop at constructive criticism. I'd love for someone to really pick apart my work and tell me every little thing they hated, what needs to be improved, and what parts of my writing they liked best. Believe me when I say I love all reviews, and it's really nice to know people appreciate my work. However, I'm a far cry from being perfect, and there's always room to improve. Also, if I can get better, I can give better fan fiction to my readers. Anyway, thanks again for reading this fan fiction and hopefully you seriously considered my request.