Deer Country IC Inbox

[pabugotmoves]

Huh? Oh-- You've reached Bolin!
Yeah, I'm a pretty busy guy but leave me a message and I'll beep you back

Comments

[pabugotmoves]

[Well that's what you get for being weird and judgy, Wu.

Bo looks down at his work and then holds it up with a smile. He's so proud of himself, too. Do you feel bad? You should. His whole aura right now is pure, straight cinnamon roll. Not a drop of corruption.]

Thanks! Do you really think so? I know I kinda just went off and did it without asking but I saw these in the market and I heard you saying to Mako about making sure the stage grabbed everybody's attention... and you two have been cool with me staying here and everything.. so.

[It wasn't a huge issue in Deerington because the house was enormous and the world was ending but this place is a lot smaller and he isn't dumb. You lovebirds want to nest, he knows it. And he knows three is a crowd, he just hasn't quiiiite gotten himself something else. It's a little scary, bravado or not, to carve (another) new home without being attached to the hip of his brother.]

[royalfling]

Oh, yeah! Of course. Waking up in yet another world in so many months, it's a lot.

[ He leans back against the wall, watching Bolin. He is so sweet, and Wu can feel the positivity radiating off of him. Bolin might be able to catch some of Wu's nerves too, his introspective state. ]

I think it's really beautiful. You know I like a bit of sparkle! Have you thought about what kind of act you'd want to do? Any sort of scene or something? Or, honestly, a dance would be pretty great.

[ Lowkey thinking about Bolin in his Nuktuk get up doing a dance to a Brittany song ]

[pabugotmoves]

[Please for the love of The Spirits introduce him to the concept of Boylesque.]

Hmm.. [He itches his cheek in thought.]

Not really. It's usually someone else has the concept and I just do my best to carry it. But if you have any ideas I am all ears. And eyes, and toes.

[Wiggling his fingers for effect. A beat and he drops them again. Yeah, he's clocked Wu's body language. Not just a pretty face over here.]

You seem tense. Are you worried about making up a show? People are gonna love this club, no matter what you put on stage.

[royalfling]

[ He will, as soon as he learns about it himself ]

Oh-- no! I'm not nervous about that. I actually think it's going to go really well? I bet my friend Ryan could figure out something with you! He's a musician, and right now he's a solo act, but maybe you could do something together.

[ He lets out a breath and pushes off the wall to settle down on the floor next to Bolin ]

I wanted to talk to you about something. You know, you showed up in Deerington when everything was pretty crazy, and I feel like we've never really gotten to talk when things weren't, you know. Crazy.

[pabugotmoves]

[Oh. Um. Hm. Should he be worried? There's a flash of it in his emotions.]

Yeah, no, you're right. The world was ending and there were those bugs and then the eggs.. even when we were cuddle buds.. which was great, don't get me wrong, I love a cuddle bud, but it was crazy.

Sorry, what did you want to talk about?

[royalfling]

I love a cuddle bud too.

[ Wu laughs, his hands on his knees, looking down at the curtain instead of Bolin. He can do this! It's in the past! He thinks that Bolin is on the same page as him, but it still seems important to actually have this conversation. ]

We never talked about the whole you worked for Kuvira and Mako worked for me thing. That can't have been easy, and I know that that probably kind of sort of colored how you think about me. I thought it would be good to talk about it and, um, clear the air.

1/2

[pabugotmoves]

Oh..

[Why are we talking about all that business he-]

Oh.

[pabugotmoves]

I thought we were past all that. Are we not?

[Wu wants to talk about it so clearly not. Right. Real talk time, huh. He clears his throat.]

I mean, um.. okay but I hope you never thought I was in on her evil plan. The second I found out she was nuts I was out of there.

[royalfling]

We totally can be!

[ Wu looks up at him with wide eyes ]

Totally, totally can be past it. I am! I just, didn't know that you were?

[ Seeing as he did sort of come between Mako and Bolin for a minute there ]

Maybe I'm just thinking too much. This place is really getting to my head!

[pabugotmoves]

Are you... mad at me for working for Kuvira?

[Why does it feel like they're having two different conversations]

[royalfling]

What? No. No! I was just as taken in by her as you were.

[ Wu holds out his hands, and he knows he's messing this up. Why is talking to people about things that matter so hard? ]

Are you mad at me? I know she... well. You wasn't really my biggest fan.

[pabugotmoves]

Ohhhhh, no, no I think we're confused.

[Or he still feels stupid and guilty for believing in Kuvira at the beginning and getting himself into a situation that was.. well. It was hard to find out he'd spent three years on something that was ultimately awful. That meant he was the bad guy. And then everything with Opal and her family and then yeah Mako and Wu and for a second or two it felt like his entire life was unraveling at breakneck speed and there was nothing he could do to make it better or fix it and it all seemed so out of his grasp- breathe, Bolin. Whooooooooooosah.

Sorry paleblood buddy. You sure got a face full of all that. Maybe um. Maybe Bolin doesn't always let things roll off his back as quickly as he says it does. It's more of a cry alone late at night sort of process, though.]

I mean... at first? Yeah. I feel like I can be honest with you, in the beginning I didn't really like you.

[Said hesitantly, with the purposeful tone of This Is No Longer My Opinion.]

I thought you were just some snooty, self absorbed baby prince who didn't care about anything but your crown and bossing my brother around when he really wanted to be back in the police. I wasn't around so all I really knew about it was what he told me and those first impressions when we all met up around your coronation.

[Bolin knows it can be hard to be told bad things about yourself, so he doesn't go on, even though he could.]

But- but but- when everything went really bad you were there with us trying your best to help. You could have run away and evacuated but you didn't. And then.. I mean we were kidnapped together and brainwashed together and then we were in Deerington together.. I can really see how different you are now from that guy whining in a hotel room. I think I'm different now too.. hopefully for the better. I dunno.

[royalfling]

[ The wave of feeling crashes through him and Wu shudders, swallowing hard. He can deal with this. This is the point. Clear the air. Bolin's feelings are important, and they're wrapped up in everything with Kuvira and how awful it was for both of them. He takes a deep breath, letting the feelings wash out of him, which he has to do. He can't internalize them, it hurts too much to do that.

It's rough to hear what Bolin thought about him, but... well. He's not wrong. He's not wrong at all. ]

At the beginning, I didn't like you either. But it wasn't about you, not ever.

[ He laughs a little, shaking his head. ]

That was me at my worst. I, I wasn't in a great place. It's not an excuse! But...

[ It's an understatement, but the idea of taking the throne, of having his simple life of hanging out with Mako in Republic City interrupted by having to take the throne... it was a lot.

He reaches out to grip Bolin's wrist with a little smile ]

I think we both are. Kuvira did a number on us. And I was never cut out to be a king! I much prefer this.

[ He waves a hand at the Raccoon Room at large ]

Good. Good! I'm glad. I was just thinking that we never really, never put that to bed. And then you showed up in Deerington and I had just died and was dating your brother. I just, yeah. Want to make sure we're good?

[pabugotmoves]

[Oh good, that's a huge relief. Bolin takes a breath and lets it all out, finally returning Wu's grasp, visibly lighter.]

Aww, c'mon. We can do better than good, c'mere, buddy.

[It's huggin time, c'mere. He's gonna tug Wu right in for a big one. Which is maybe a little awkward given how they're both cross legged on the floor but who cares, not Bolin. Is he awkwardly tugging Wu onto his lap? Kinda. Spill the beads he made all over? Yep. Does it look worse than it is? Absolutely. But no one is around to get the wrong idea and if they were they would know it isn't anything more, anyway.]

You're a good friend, Wu. And you make my brother happy. As far as I'm concerned that means we're family and that's the most important thing in the whole world.

[royalfling]

[ Oh, good. Hugs. Wu loves hugs, and now, in Trench, his hugs have a bit of magic in them, so as soon as he wraps his arms around Bolin, calm washes down over him, a peaceful calm that settles in your gut.

He's glad. Really glad! Things weren't as bad as he was making them in his head. It's just always a worry for him, that maybe Bolin won't accept him, that he's still upset or angry that Wu. But no, they did get past this before, it's just time and this place messing with his head that brought it up again. He sinks into the awkward hug with a sigh ]

Yeah. Yeah! We are family. We are. Boy, sorry to spring that on you! I was just thinking about it and, well. I spiral. Sometimes. I know I do! Thank you, for talking to me.

1/??

[pabugotmoves]

[Nnnnngh man that is a nice hug. He simmers in it for a long moment before reluctantly letting Wu go. Such nice hugs!! Actually, he's never had such a nice hug from someone. Not even a lady friend. Makes a guy wonder.]

No, no no I.. whooboy, I am glad you said something. I wouldn't want this to fester.

[pabugotmoves]

Um..

[pabugotmoves]

[pabugotmoves]

Actually, there was something that I've been wondering about.

ok

[pabugotmoves]

I mean I thought we were getting close in Deerington but do you show all your friends the sex movers or was that just you being nervous and trying to win me over or..

WAIT SORRY ONE MORE

[pabugotmoves]

Not- not that I. I um. I'm not judging what you and Mako do during bedroom time or- or anything I just uhhh

[royalfling]

[ Wu just sort of... freezes. His arms go stiff and he grimaces. Ah. So he does remember that. ​]

It wasn't a sex mover! And that's not, that's not--

[ Oh boy, he's blushing bright red now. He doesn't want Bolin to be thinking about his and Mako's sex life at all. Nope. No. o thanks. He pulls back, grabbing his Omni from his pocket. Big band music be damned, it's Lil Nas X time. ]

It's a music video! I swear to you, it's not, not pornography!

[ Wow he can barely even say the word, but he can pull up all of Lil Nas X's music on his phone. Just. Not the videos. Well, maybe one video. He pulls up Old Town Road. It's safe. It's a banger. Bolin will like it, and there are no boys making out or giving the devil a lap dance or dancing naked in the showers. Nope. Just Lil Nas X in a cool outfit on a horse, and some guy named Billy. ]

It's a music video, Bolin! It's, it's a thing that artists do in the future, on Earth. They make movers to go with their music, and that was for Lil Nas X's song Call Me By Your Name. I just really connect with his music, and maybe it's a little raunchy, but it's because he's pushing back on the social stigma of Earth about being a guy who likes guys! That, that video I showed you was literally him reclaiming the idea that gay people are going to hell, which is the place where some people believe that bad people go when they die. So he was using his sexuality to reclaim that narrative.

[ He takes a deep breath and shoves the Omni into Bolin's hands. ]

Here! Watch this one. No sex in it at all. But this is the kind of stuff he does and I really, really like him. It was a lot like that in the Earth Kingdom too! Without the hell stuff, but you know what I mean.

[ Does he? Maybe? Well, now Old Town Road is playing, so they can pay attention to that instead. ]

[pabugotmoves]

[Watching Wu's mental gymnastics sure is a show and a half, but Bolin's attention is drawn into the video and he listens, both to the music and to what Wu is saying because he would way, way rather that be the explanation and not a sex thing. Which is like.. if it was a sex thing that would have been fine he guessess?? But it would be a different conversation. He's done plenty of weird stuff trying to befriend someone when he was nervous, so it would make sense.

But this is better and he relaxes even more.]

Ooooooooohhh, I see.

Yep, yep, no that makes sense. I thought you were just showing me.. I mean, I guess that's why I've been a little weird with you, I wasn't sure what you were doing involving me and you and Mako.

[He laughs. No wonder he's been a little awkward, huh?]

I understand now, no wonder you like him so much. Hey, this is the same outfit you were wearing.

[royalfling]

You were-- you thought--

[ Oh Spirits, he's burying his face in his hands now, completely mortified. Yes, maybe he and Mako have a good sex life but that doesn't mean he wants Bolin to know that, and he particularly doesn't want Bolin to be a part of that! That's too far, much, much, much too far for him, even just being with Mako is a lot, adding another person in, particularly his brother.

He groans and shakes his head. ]

No, no, no definitely not! Not even a little bit! I just. Really like his music.

[pabugotmoves]

Ahhhh right.

..

Well that makes a whole lot more sense!

[He laughs. He has to. It's way too awkward otherwise. And now the truth is out and he understands it's pretty funny in hindsight. For him, at least. Bolin (gently) slaps Wu's back and laughs harder, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye.]

Oh man, that is grade A. You couldn't make this stuff up.