Darkness Calls

When we reach the next town, we find it completely empty. Devoid of life of any kind. Uneasiness flows through me as we walk further into the town. Even the skies were heavy with clouds! Bolin keeps in step with me as he says, "There's nothing to fear. We're the only ones in this town."

I come to a stop, ignoring the black pulsing roots that were currently covering everything in the town, and say, "I would rather deal with a bunch of those undead things than this. If they aren't here, it means they're out there attacking innocent people."

Bolin comes to a stop as well, turning back to face me. His dark eyes watch me for a while before he says, "That really bothers you, doesn't it?" I frown at him, slightly tilting my head in confusion. I scoff as I ask him, "It doesn't bother you? Even in the slightest?"

He silently watches me before saying, "I could lie to you and say that yes, it bothers me but I'm not that kind of person. We both know this. So no, it doesn't bother me in the slightest bit but, it bothers me that you're bothered."

He sighs and says, "So now we've made a full circle and at the end of it, I am bothered." My mouth slightly falls open in sheer confusion and disbelief. I blink several times and lift my hand to my head as I look away while saying, "I genuinely do not understand you."

I start walking again, passing him but he doesn't move. After a few steps, I come to a stop once more. Maybe that was my fault. I assumed this guy was nice because he was always helping me and being kind to me but... What if he was a horrible person?

I slowly turn back to him to find him still standing with his back to me. I watch him closely as I ask, "Why do you not care about this world? Your world?" His chuckle is so low, I almost miss it. He looks up at the sky and says, "Why should I?"

When he turns around, I see an immense about of anger, pain, and rage burning deep in his dark black eyes. Seeing it surprises me. He mockingly laughs as he walks over to me. He comes to a stop less than a foot from me, looking down at me with eyes that held ridicule.

He lifts his hand, lightly brushing it against my cheek as he leans in and says, "You speak about things you know nothing about." His touch is feather-light, but it feels as if it scorches my skin. I feel the questions bubbling up within me, but I choke on them.

Who am I to ask him these things? I'm leaving as soon as I'm done with my mission here. Whatever happens to this man and this world after I'm gone is none of my concern. I look up at him, my eyes shifting back and forth to his as a wave of unsettling emotions washes over me.

If that were true..., why was I hesitating now? Why did I have this uncomfortable feeling inside me? As I look at this man before me drowning in darkness, I'm suddenly aware of something. I blink in realization as I stare up at him in silence.

He's in pain.

He gives me a scornful smirk as he leans in even closer and whispers, "It can all burn to the ground but if you wish to save it, I will help you do just that." My mind races a million miles a minute as I begin to build a vague picture.

Something horrible happened to him and he hates everyone and everything here but yet he's willing to push all that to the side and do the total opposite of what he wants just to make me happy? He's always been so flirtatious and loose with me... I never thought he was being sincere with anything he was saying or doing but looking at him right now, I realized that I had made a mistake.

He was serious... One hundred percent serious!

And the looks I caught from him before... That I kept brushing off because I... because I was eager to run back to my world. This man really likes me...

The thought has my heart threatening to beat straight out of my chest. How did I feel about him? Everything feels as if it was now playing out in slow motion. A light rain begins to fall as his fingers trail from my jaw all the way to my chin.

He lightly holds my chin, slowly lowering his head but stops right before our lips touch. I feel the rain slowly dripping down my face as he whispers, "Do you really not know how I feel, or are you just playing dumb?"

My long dark eyelashes tremble in the rain and from my current emotions as I stare into his dark profound eyes. Was I playing dumb? Was I being a coward?

Yes, I was.

As soon as I felt his true feelings and my own, I tried to brush them off and ignore them and now I'm trying to run away. I blink, causing the rain to fall down my cheeks as I slowly reach up. As if feeling the change, Bolin remains still. Waiting.

I lift my left hand, grab his hand holding my chin, and pull it away. He allows it and backs away with disappointment burning deep within his eyes but when he tries to pull his hand back, I refuse to let go.

He freezes, his dark eyes looking at my hand tightly holding his before shifting them back to me in question. Fear, anticipation, and wariness swirl around in his eyes as I say, "I don't know you; I know nothing about you, and yet..."

The rain falls harder, soaking us both as my face shows my internal battle. My eyebrows crunch together so tightly, they nearly become one. While holding his hand with my left hand, I reach out with my right.

I grip his clothes as I glare at him and say, "If you make me regret this, I will make you regret the day you first laid eyes on me." His face completely blanks, confused by my words and sudden fierceness.

The fierceness fades away as I pull him to me and stand on my tiptoes. I close my eyes as our lips touch, and I know I'm screwed. I don't know this man, I don't even think he's a good person, and yet, I've fallen for him.

What does that say about me? What would my grandfather say? Hell, what would my parents say!?

He only remains frozen for a moment before his strong arm snakes around my waist, pulling me against him. His other hand slips back behind my head, pulling me in closer as he deepens the kiss. Lightning lights up the sky above us as everything else fades away.

Who cares what they would think... they aren't here anymore. I have no idea what will become of this, but I know one thing for sure, this felt right in a sea of wrongs.

The rain around us slows before hovering in the air, suspended in time as I let myself go in the moment. To feel what I was truly feeling. I just didn't have a name for it yet...