cyclicality | 003 - January Catch-all

[Bolin has been busy. In fact, his social calendar has pretty much been jam-packed for about the last month, and it shows no signs of easing. Every once in a while he won't be present in Republic City as he's off to Zaofu with the love of his life on what he thinks ought to be a life-changing field trip, but it actually turns out to be a boring, boring thing since he barely gets to see Opal while he's there. Meanwhile, when he's back in Republic City, he's splitting his time (perhaps marginally unsuccessfully) between training at the arena, getting the Fire Ferrets on their feet for the upcoming tournament, potentially working with Varrick on a new mover idea, and... well, he's helping the poor, needy foreigners by buying food and supplies for them. With the last of these, he's practically prioritising them over himself.

And so, if you catch Bolin, he's going to be looking a little tired, thinner, and perhaps more than a little stressed and frustrated.]

A. At a café [Open]

[You might find Bolin in a small ramen shop in one of the less expensive districts in town. While Bolin's got some money stashed away, it's not like he's making a steady income quite yet with the pro-bending thing or the acting gig, so he's been a little more thrifty on himself, especially since some amount of food is going to help others.

[The meal he's eating will look a little meagre, and while he hasn't asked any of his more well-to-do friends for help (because this is something he's doing on his own for now), he will probably still be a little hungry when he finishes. After all, he's the equivalent of a pro-sports athlete in the middle of training.]

B. Air Temple Island [Open]

[In his few moments of spare time, he will try to get to Air Temple Island, but he'll remember about halfway there that Opal's not at home, and he'll look kind of dejected and sad. There's a lot on his mind, and he could totally use a friend to talk to him, though he's not exactly going to be rushing to perfect strangers to spill his guts.

[That said, he's got his fire ferret Pabu and his adopted turtle duck Kitsi with him, and he'll be feeding them in the attempt to make himself feel a bit better about life. He'll just say that he's taking them out to enjoy nature, especially since the turtle duck seems to have taken a liking to him.]

C. Pro-bending Arena [Open]

[Bolin is working out at the gym. Yang and/or the ~~NPC~~ waterbender that are officially on the Fire Ferrets might be with him as well, and he's explaining how things go. However, he doesn't seem ridiculously into it, and he's just not quite hitting the bricks like he's used to. But the last thing he wants to do is disappoint the fans ~~like last year~~, his sponsors, OR his teammates, so he's keeping at it, trying to get a rhythm going.

[But he's clearly distracted, and occasionally he'll just miss a target outright. It's not like he's doing overly badly--he still manages to do decently. But it's not his usual thing.]

D. Republic City, near a Pet Shop [Open]

Turtle ducks, turtle ducks for sale! I've got 26 of them looking for a good home!

[Yes, Bolin happens to have a large box full of turtle ducks that had been deposited in his apartment by the spirits' good(?) graces. He's adopted one, the smallest of them, and of course Pabu is on hand to "help" him sell some turtle ducks. But it seems like there's not many takers for them, seeing as how so many other places got plastered with turtle ducks for some reason. And so he's just having one of those moments.

[Help a guy out?]

E. Varrick's Studio/Yacht/Wherever [Closed to Varrick, Dove, and/or Ty Lee]

[And after enough hiatus, Varrick has finally started the plans to make a new mover, and Bolin's of course going to be attending the meetings, you know, since he's going to be one of the stars in the new film, of course. At the very least, there will be talk about what's going to be happening along with a general meet-and-greet with all of the actors. Bolin will be dressed up a little for the attendance (at Lord Varrick's insistence, of course; he doesn't want any low-class people in his presence), and otherwise Bolin will be looking around somewhat awkwardly, waiting to figure out what exactly is going to be going on.]

F. Zaofu [Closed to Opal]

[Bolin is off for his one-week pilgrimage to Zaofu with Opal, and at the very least he'll be travelling there with her. However, Bolin isn't looking forward to it as much as he was the first time last month as, despite their best efforts, Bolin didn't really get to have much Opal time given that she was busy with meetings to actually help run the city. So perhaps Bolin's not going to be quite so fond of the place now. I mean, just how many times can you go around the city appreciating the "fine" "sculptures" created my Skrillex Beifong?

So Bolin's going to be bored to tears, but he's still going to try very hard for a brief bit to see Opal when she's hopefully less busy. If there's such a time?]

G. Create Your Own?

[OOC: Want to plot? Have I not given you enough options?? Ping me on Plurk. Or send the journal a PM if you like, either or.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You have done a lot though. Knowing you're there for me means a lot.

[That's when the thought strikes her though.]

... I haven't really been there for you in return though, have I.

[It seems so simplistic, particularly after he's said as much now. Between being tired, being stressed and reactive to his words, she had managed to miss the brunt of his message in there.]

[And almost in a weird reversal of roles, Bolin becomes shy on the matter. He doesn't want to be the burden on the relationship; he doesn't want to be the bother. And he wants things to just be happy-go-lucky.]

Well, I mean, I understand what you've been going through. And there's been a lot of time dedicated to your Zaofu things, and your airbending things, and... well... I've...

[Okay, words failing here.]

Yeah, kinda. I honestly feel kind of lost whenever I'm in Zaofu. There's just... I haven't found a place there yet.

[In a way this was the part she had been afraid of when he offered to come with her. Zaofu was where she had grown up and it would always be home to her but Republic City was that to Bolin, right? He had had things going on here, from probending to other work and had left it behind to go with her.

On the other hand she also hadn't forced him to come. It had been his choice and obviously he hadn't thought it through as much as she had hoped he would. Not that she was the paragon of thinking things through but...

After a moment Opal can only sigh out.]

Why don't you stay behind in Republic City this time then if you're not comfortable in Zaofu.

[She doesn't mean to make it sound like a rejection of any sort, honest.]

[The offer isn't one Bolin takes as rejection, but it still feels like the wrong choice. His acceptance of going to Zaofu with her had cheered her up so very much when she'd heard it, and it just feels... wrong to abandon her to all of that by herself when she's there.]

No... no, I can do this. I want to be there with you. I want to help support you if I can.

[Clearly, he's trying to psych himself up for it. Because he does have such a strong devotion to Opal; he doesn't want to disappoint her.]

Unless, you'd rather me not come with you?

[There's a long moment of silence after his question. Her hands fold together in her lap. She knows the answer she has to give here. And trying to turn away from it won't ever sit well with her.]

[There's Zaofu to think of. There's her training to think of. There's so many things she needs to accomplish, so many people she wants to accomplish them for and so much she had to hold herself accountable for as well.

A part of her doesn't want to look him in the face as she says it but that would be unfair to avoid whatever reaction he gives her. Her tone is steady, stern and brooks no argument.]

I'd rather if you didn't.

[Bolin just kind of stares dumbfoundedly at Opal in the wake of those words. In fact, there's an odd disconnect there, and he's not entirely certain the extent of them. Just exactly what does that mean? What exactly does that mean... for them?

[But he knows she won't hear any arguments, and so Bolin has no choice but to meekly kowtow to Opal's desires. He cares too much to just not do that.]

If... that's what you want...

[He pauses before speaking again, and he sighs sadly, feeling as if somehow he's let the person he cares about most down in some way he can't understand.]

I'll just stay in Republic City next time.

[He sounds defeated, and silently he starts to leave the room, though he won't make it out of the room before stops to look over his shoulder at her; he looks practically lost.]

[She knew he'd give that kind of look in the end. Or feared it perhaps. She can't be weak about her resolve though, not now. What part of her that wants to apologize is gently pushed down.

This isn't about her wants or desires or even Bolin's. Her duty is to Zaofu as well as the other airbenders and she can't give up either now. She has a feeling explaining that would just lead to more of an argument though and at the moment she's not sure if she could word it in a proper way to make him understand.

It's not a breakup after all. They'll just be more long distance, more separated and with less time for one another. Sooner or later though she'll be able to give him back that time so... this isn't the end. Not in her thoughts at least.]

[For Bolin, that hope that it's not a breakup will come with time. Right now he's just kind of devastated. It may as well be over right this second since she didn't want him to come with her and share her life. Wasn't that what it was all about, after all? But that's not going to be processed yet.

[Give it a few days (or maybe even hours), and he'll come out and try to psych himself up by telling himself—over and over if he has to—that Opal never said that they were through. And so he'll try to stay positive.

But he's just going to head back and, for the most part, cry it out.]

003 - January Catch-all

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