The Unexpected Case of Bumi, Son of Avatar

Chapter 2

Bumi woke up. He didn't even remember going to sleep. Judging by everything that happened it shouldn't have been possible. Yet he opened his eyes and saw light coming through the cracks between the floorboards. Right... He was hidden.

"Hello?" he tried quietly and listened for a response. Yet all he could hear was faint grunting. Lin's voice, he could bet.

"Should I come out or are you guys a little busy?" he said louder. "Did you forget I was down there? Should I wait until everyone's decent?"

"Don't be disgusting, Bumi..." Lin said between heavy breaths.

Bumi carefully moved one floorboard, then another and soon he could climb out of the hole. He'd slept in worse places. He must have, but none came to mind.

He took a few steps forward to where Lin was doing push-ups on the floor. He wanted to make another joke, but took one look at her very red, very serious face and thought it better to be quiet.

As Lin's body moved up and down so did the metal weights behind her. It was a way of practicing both her bending and her muscles, so Bumi dared not interfere. He could hear the metal clanking even as he walked into the living room where Tenzin was meditating in his little corner. He knew better than to interrupt that.

It was real, he hadn't dreamt it. He really was wanted for murder.

All he wanted to do was talk about how they were going to fix this, but he thought someone else should bring it up. That's why he sat on the couch and just watched as Lin and Tenzin went through their morning routine.

Bumi couldn't help but feel bad, imposing in their home like this. They haven't done a thing wrong and now they were all in this together, all three of them. But everything be damned, he didn't do anything to deserve this either.

Lin started making breakfast after she finished her exercise and showered. Tenzin still sat motionless in his corner. It sort of reminded Bumi of Mom and Dad in a weird way. Spirits, they must hate him now...

"I would've never guessed Tenzin was the one who wears the pants in this relationship..." Bumi joked as he watched Lin set the table for everyone. She didn't find his comment amusing in the slightest.

"I'll have you know," Tenzin spoke, still not moving, "We divide everything equally. Lin makes breakfast, I make dinner. She washes the clothes, I wash the dishes."

"I thought you just moved in yesterday?"

"He was sleeping here most nights anyway. We just made it official." Lin said gesturing Tenzin to the table with a slight nod.

"Aren't you gonna eat, Bumi?" Tenzin asked, sitting down at the table.

Bumi slowly walked closer after hearing that. He sat down and grabbed one of the pastries carefully. They ate in silence, everyone looking down at their own plate, except Lin who glanced the clock here and there.

"I'm sorry," Bumi blurted out unprompted.

"I'll ask around at work today," Lin said. "I have boring desk duty, anyway. I'll find out who's investigating the case, but it's probably Earth Kingdom."

"And I'll go talk to Mom and Dad, see what they know." Tenzin added.

"Yeah, you have nothing to worry about. We'll fix it."

"We planned while you were asleep."

It usually ticked Bumi off when couples would use too many we statements in a row, but now that it was saving his ass he didn't mind at all. He was just about to thank them again, when they hear a voice from the radio. Not one he recognized.