How did we get here?

5 years old

"NO FAIR YOU CHEATED!" I yelled at my older sister after our game of pai sho.

"I DIDN'T CHEAT YOU JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO PLAY!"

"Girls what's going on?" Mom asked us.

"Y/n's getting mad because she lost!"

"You cheated!" She didn't exactly cheat, she just threw me off my game.

"Y/n, don't be a sore loser, your sister won fair and square."

"UGH!" I stormed off to my room and slammed the door behind me. As a child I was prone to temper tantrums, a lot.

7 years old

"MOM MOM! LOOK!" I ran up to my mom excitedly and showed off my newly discovered earthbending.

"Sweetheart thats-"

"MOMMY!" Opal ran up to Mom and shoved a drawing in her hands. It was a family drawing and I was off to the side and almost tiny.

"That's great Opal, now let me talk to your... sister." I had stormed off  into the dense trees of our garden. I kept my head down and accidentally bumped into one of the trees. I punched it in my frustration and just kept going until my knuckles bled. I folded my arms as I walked back home. I went into my bathroom and wrapped my hands in bandages. 

8 years old

I had just gotten done with an argument with Opal in which I got in trouble for. Like seriously, if you don't want to get hit with a rock don't go in between two earthbenders sparring. I sat outside with my arms folded, still pissed at Opal and Mom. 

"Is everything alright?" A young guard said sitting next to me.

"I just got into a fight with my sister."

"Oh no, why?"

"I accidently hit her with a rock when I was eartbending training."

"Well then she shouldn't have interrupted your training."

"EXACTLY! Wait, I haven't seen you around that much? What's your name?"

She giggled slightly before telling me.

"My name's Kuvira, I'm the army's new general."

"WOAH! THAT IS SO COOL!"

"What's your name?"

"I'm Y/n."

"Your Su's daughter?"

"Yeah... unfortunately. It's always Opal this, Opal that. I'm a metalbending prodigy! She never pays attention to me."

"Well, I think you're pretty cool for a kid."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

I hugged Kuvira tightly and she hugged back. She was like the sister I wish I had.

10 years old

"AND HERE THEY ARE! The wonderful Beifong family! The two daughters, Opal and Y/n looking radiant!" I was wearing that same dress I wore to the gala, of course then it was too big for me so I had to pin it up. The press conference dragged on before we finally went home. 

I walked through the halls to my bedroom and stopped at a portrait. A portrait of my famous grandmother Toph Beifong. I felt footsteps behind me and I turned around to see the old woman in the portrait.

"Looks like I can't sneak up on you anymore."

"GRANDMA!"

"I'm right here Y/n, I'm blind not deaf. I see your seismic sense has gotten better. What about your metalbending?"

"I was able to bend a knife right through a tree!"

"That's my little warrior." She said ruffling my hair. "I have to go say hi to your mother now, you know that's always a drag." She whispered the last part to me as I giggled.

12 years old

I watched as my two youngest brothers played power disc. 

"You sure you don't wanna play, Y/n?"

"I would but I'm already the family disappointment, just trying to do my part around here."

"Please... We've never played with three players before!"

"I can't get any worse."

I played with Wing and Wei for a couple of hours before dinner. We went into the dining hall and sat down.

"So Y/n, what did you get up to today?" Mom asked me.

"I tried to read a book but I couldn't focus, but then I played power disc with the twins and IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! I was really good at it and-"

"Oh? You couldn't read the book?"

"It's not like I can't read, it's that I just couldn't focus."

"Well if you were more like Opal-"

"WHY IS IT ALWAYS ABOUT OPAL!?"

"We do not shout at the dinner table Y/n!"

"WHY NOT! IF YOU LIKE COMPARING ME TO OPAL SO MUCH I'M JUST GIVING YOU SOMETHING ELSE TO COMPARE ME TO HER FOR!" I yelled standing up.

"SIT DOWN YOUNG LADY!"

"NO! I'M DONE TRYING TO LIVE UP TO YOUR STANDARDS! I'M NEVER GONNA BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU! "

"WHAT? NO!"

"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO THEN!? I'M NOT OPAL AND I NEVER WILL BE OPAL SO WHY CAN'T YOU JUST DEAL WITH THAT!?"

"STOP SHOUTING!"

"NO! IF YOU WANTED ME TO BE A BETTER DAUGHTER THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULD'VE BEEN A BETTER MOTHER!" I realised what I said and covered my mouth.

"Go to your room."

"Mom I-"

"NOW!"

I ran back to my room crying in frustration. I began screaming and punching my pillow not knowing what else to do. I had been considering this for a while but was ready to finally act on it. I managed to stuff that dress and some clothes into a small bag as well as some money and a few other things. It was just a regular sized leather messenger bag but it worked perfectly. I snuck my way past my older brothers before slipping into my dads office and snatching a map of the place I had dreamed of going, Republic City. I was going to live there just on my own, not as a Beifong, but just Y/n. 

I stuffed the map into my bag and ran outside and along the inactive train tracks. I metalbended past the guards and made it onto a cargo airship. The rumbling of the airship came to a halt as it docked in Republic City. The bay door creaked open, shedding light on me and the cargo inside the hold. The crew began unloading the cargo and I slipped out while they were distracted. The streets were bustling even at the late evening hour. One street was blocked off, it was lined with red pop up canopies selling street food. I began roaming around the stalls, getting a few strange stares, I mean it's not everyday you see a 12 year old roaming the city streets at night, but I didn't pay attention to them, what caught my interest was the large golden building at the end of the road. It glimmered under the city lights. I felt drawn to it, like it was something that I was meant to see my entire life. I recognised it after a few minutes of staring.

"C'MON MAKO! We don't wanna miss the match!" I turned to the voice and saw a boy with jet black hair and emerald green eyes that looked around my age, dragging an older boy, that beared some resemblance to him, by the forearm towards the building.

"Shh, keep quiet Bolin. We're on the run remember. We can't let... them... find us."

I had so many questions, for later though. I slipped into the stadium and took my seat in a "free seat". The match began and the crowd went wild at every move. I had always been a pro bending lover, ever since I first listened to a radio. My face lit up at the teams and moves and everything. One of the earthbenders knocked the other flat and I cheered alongside the boy next to me.

"KNOCK HIM DEAD!" I yelled.

"You're really into this!" The boy yelled over the cheering.

"Yeah! I love probending!" I replied just as excited.

"Me too! I would love to be in that arena! Knocking people with rocks left and right!" I tensed, realising he was an earthbender.

"You're an earthbender?"

"Yeah! You?"

"Non-bender."

"Oh... that's still cool though! You can still do so much!" He said, assuming I was upset with being a non-bender.

"Thanks!" The team we were cheering on won and cheered loudly. We headed outside the stadium ranting about the match and how cool it was.

"I know right! That earthbender girl was awesome! I'm Bolin by the way."

"I'm Y/n."

The older boy that was with Bolin looked at me with narrow eyes and then back to Bolin.

"C'mon Bolin don't talk to strangers." He said taking another glance at me.

"But Mako-"

"C'mon Bo."

Bolin began to follow his older brother while waving goodbye to me. I roamed around the street markets for a bit and stumbled across a water tribe noodle place. There was a poster on the front door detailing that they were hiring, perfect. I went in, asked about the job and they pretty much gave it to me on the spot. They led me to the back and I put on an apron and took over the cash register. The bell above the door dinged as someone walked in.

"Welcome, how can I help you-" I looked up to see the boy I met before. "Bolin!"

"Hi Y/n! I didn't expect to see you working here."

"Well I do now." We both laughed. "Now how can I help you?"

My first day in the big city had so far been great. This was my life now.

14 years old

"Y/n this isn't a good idea, we could get hurt or worse, Mako could find out!"

"Do you really want to live by Mako's rules your entire life?"

"Well no but-"

"Okay then let's go!" I grabbed Bolin by his wrist and pulled him onto the roof of a building.

"Seriously Y/n this is super dangerous!"

"Says the pro-bender!" I ran and jumped onto the next building.

"Y/N BE CAREFUL!"

"IF I CAN DO IT IT SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM FOR AN EARTHBENDER!"

He groaned and jumped over to my side.

"See not so hard."

"Ok that was actually really fun."

We continued for hours, throwing ourselves onto different buildings and feeling the adrenaline. I made a fatal mistake though, I jumped onto the headquarters of the triple threat triad.

"Y/n get back here!" Bolin yelled at me.

"Why?"

"Well well well, shouldn't a little girl like you be asleep right now?" Shady Shin said spinning a simple switchblade in his fingers.

"Little girl? Who the fuck are you calling a little girl?" I kicked his shins and he stumbled and dropped the knife.

"Imma keep you, k bye Shin!" I grabbed Bolin's wrist and we ran back to the pro bending arena. "See! It wasn't that bad of an idea!" I yelled while running.

"Yeah but don't you think Mako will get suspicious of where we were?"

"Just don't give him reason to question it!" 

We made it back and Mako waited for us at the trap door into the attic.

"Where were you two?"

"Just out for a walk." I told him.

"Bolin?"

"Yeah, just a late night walk."

"Y/n, you should head home, it's late."

"Kay, bye Bo!"

Book 2: Chapter 13 (17 years old)

I sat on the edge of a cliff face kicking my legs back and forth.

"Hey." Bolin said sitting next to me.

"Hey!"

"How's your leg feeling?"

"Good as new."

"Look, when I had that whole emotional outburst with Eska, I wasn't acting."

"Kinda figured that, look if you want to be with her go for it I'm not stopping you."

"NO NO NO NO! It's just that, those emotions weren't directed at Eska."

"What do you mean?"

"They were directed at you," He smiled softly as he looked at me."I love you Y/n."

My heart was fluttering and I had butterflies.

"Wow, I thought I would be the one to confess first, I love you too."

"Now that that's over, would it be too much to ask you for a kiss?"

"Not at all."

He placed his hand on top of my own and lightly pressed his lips onto mine. I eased into the kiss. In that moment, it felt like we were the only two people in the world. We pulled away and bursting out laughing. 

"That was... really scary."

"Yeah."

"When we get back I wanna take you out on a real date."

1 week later

It was awkward. It was so fucking awkward. We had hung out together alone so many times before, but now that we had to put a label on what we were, it just felt off. He walked me back to my apartment, not knowing what to say to eachother. I said thank you and opened my door.

"Look, I'm sorry tonight was so awkward but we don't have to put a label on us right away we can-" I cut him off with a peck on the lips.

"It's okay, I'd be proud to call you my boyfriend. See you later!"

18 years old

"Sit still!" I scolded my boyfriend as he kept squirming on the couch.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry!" He laughed as I moved the brush closer to his face. He jerked his head back as it touched his cheek.

"What did I just say?"

"I'm sorry, it tickles though." Bolin whined as I managed to put blush on him. I thought it would be fun to practise my makeup skills on Bolin and he seemed just as excited as I was. I switched to eyeliner and moved it closer to his eye.

"What are you doing with that? Stop STOP!"

"It's eyeliner, it's not gonna hurt you. Close your eyes so I can put it on." I got through the first eye and moved on to the second. Halfway through he twitched his eye causing me to mess up.

"Now look what you've done." I laughed.

"Is it bad?"  

"Not too bad."

I tried to stop him from rubbing his eyes but it was too late.

"I messed it up didn't I?" Bolin said with a crooked smile and his eyeliner smudged under his eyes. My face went red when I saw him with the smudged eyeliner. I turned away in embarrassment and covered my mouth.

"What's wrong? Is it that bad?"

"No it's really good." 

"Are you flustered?"

"No..."

He pushed me backwards into the couch and placed a light kiss on my neck.

"Stop that tickles." I giggled as he planted light kisses on my cheek, leaving blush pink lipstick marks.

"I'm glad I can still get you all flustered like this."

7 months later

Bolin had stayed the night and I wanted to ask him something.

"Hey Bo?"

"Yeah?"

"I wanted to ask you something but I don't know if it would be okay?"

"You can ask me anything. What is it?"

"I was thinking that..." I took a deep breath. "that maybe we should move in together?"

"I was thinking the same thing!"

"Wait really?"

"Yeah I've been wanting to move out of Mako's place for a while and I was too nervous to ask you."

"In that case, you can move in as soon as possible."

Bolin started laughing and I smiled. 

19 years old

"Hey I need to talk to you for a second." Bolin said as he sat down on the bed next to me.

"Yeah, whats up?"

"I know it's really sudden but I've decided to join Kuvira's army and help rebuild the Earth Kingdom."

I was taken aback by this but I didn't know what Kuvira was doing was wrong yet. 

"I think it's great. Kuvira is like a sister to me and I'm happy that you want to help people." I wish I never let him go.

19 years old

"Y/n I need to see you in my office."

"Yes chief?"

I sat down opposite her and she handed me a form.

"What's this?"

"Promotion papers, I want you directly under me."

"Are you serious?!"

"Am I ever joking? All you need to do is sign your name and your up."

"Thank you, Lin."

"You're welcome, Deputy Chief."

6 months later

"I believe Kuvira has been taking things way too far."  Lin stated in front of the other world leaders.

"Besides, her uniforms are ugly. The green and silver together is just ick." I commented.

"I agree, those shoulder pads aren't working either." Eska and I locked eyes and within that short moment I formed a bond with this woman over disgusting fashion choices.

20 years old (1 week ago)

"We need to talk."

"It's gonna be alright, it's your call and I'm here for you every step of the way."

"Thanks Mom."

Present day

Everything has gone to hell. Kuvira's army has infiltrated my home and taken my family and Bolin... SHIT I REGRET IT SO BADLY! But there isn't really much I can do about it now. I just want everything to go back to normal, but I guess my life has been everything from normal.