Fire Ferrets [3] Bolin

Chapter 30

Bolin's P.O.V.

I sit on the sofa of the small living space hugging Pabu tightly into my chest whilst Asami and Korra sit on the floor playing a game of Pai Sho. Mako sits next to me, looking at me from time to time as I cry silently against Pabu's fur, but he doesn't say anything. Just like how I don't say anything when Pabu licks my tears off my cheek. The mood in the room is sombre and I know my friends are trying to lighten the mood through conversation and small jokes, but I can't seem to focus on them. I want to know where Ulazu is and I want to know whether she's cooled down enough for me to try and talk with her again. I need for her to understand that I never wanted to hurt her, I would never intentionally hurt her, she's my love.

A faint knock sounds against the door and we all turn to see it open slowly. My eyes widen and I feel my heart stop as I watch Ulazu walk through hesitantly. I shoot out of my seat letting Pabu climb onto my shoulder as I keep my eyes locked onto my fiancee. The only way I know that she's been crying is her swollen eyes and it makes my heart clench painfully. I wipe my face to clear off the tears on my cheeks and I take a step towards her. She takes a couple more steps into the room holding onto a pipa in one hand and a envelope in the other. My eyebrows lift slightly in confusion, mainly because I have never heard Ulazu do anything musical before, I haven't even heard her sing however, I decide to push the confusion aside.

"Ulazu, I-" I begin to grovel, but she she starts to talk to stop me.

"No, Bolin, I, umm," she pauses and I can tell by her fidgeting that she's nervous. But what has she got to be nervous about? Her eyes flicker over my face before moving to our friends ever so quickly. I watch her closely as she moves towards the small armchair and she takes a seat in a way that makes me grow more and more confused by the second. I've never seen her so awkward before. She is reminding me of how she was like when I first met her; she was so socially awkward although she was never this bad.

She sits down and puts the pipa on her knee before looking up at us again. Her lips part as if she were about to speak, but she soon closes her mouth again. I'm about to call her name again, but the thought of talking soon slips my mind as she begins to play. My eyes widen as the gentle sound of chords string together in such a delicate way. Ulazu looks down as she plays and I can tell by the way her eyes cling onto the strings that she's concentrating on what she's doing. The music she plays is beautiful, and if I'm honest, I'm completely caught off guard by how angelic it sounds. I wouldn't have for a million of years pegged her to be a talented musician.

She continues to play and with each note that passes I seem to forget everything that's going on. I forget the pain I caused her and I forget my worry and anxiety over everything. Instead I find that my love for her grows in such a way that it makes everything else going on around us seem completely meaningless. Each chord she strums warms me and I feel the pieces of my once shattered heart stick together as I allow myself to become consumed by the music.

After another moment Ulazu looks up from the pipa and she stops playing suddenly as she takes in our expressions. I blink a couple of times, completely baffled by what's happening, but I try to push all thoughts aside, favouring the warm feeling her music brought me. Ulazu clears her throat, her brief calm persona instantly replaced by nervousness again now that she's not playing any music.

"I-my grandfather used to say music spoke the words you weren't sure how to phrase." Ula stammers, her voice trembling ever so slightly due to nervous jitters.

Ulazu, it was beautiful." I say. She looks at me straight in the eyes and I give her my most sincere gaze I can possibly muster up. I want to show her how much her action means to me. Her eyes flicker over my face again for a moment before she rests the pipa against the armchair, standing up as she continues to lock eyes with me.