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[sommer]

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[sediments]

Why? [ ??? ] Is it different from the carnivals you're used to?

[sommer]

... I've never actually been to any. But I'm pretty sure they're not meant to have man-eating spiders, even if they are trying to be polite!

Also we didn't get to explore the tunnel of love....

[ By far the biggest disappointment. ]

[sediments]

[ ohoho? ]

You wanted to explore the tunnel of love? Because I can tell you that it wasn't that romantic.

[sommer]

[ Clearly Bolin doesn't know anything about romance. ]

Wha-- hello? It's called the tunnel of love. It doesn't get any more romantic than that!

[ But neither does Anna. ]

[sediments]

There's nothing romantic about being attacked by carnival props while on a boat with two other guys?!

[ Anna???

But. ]

Do you want a date that badly?

[sommer]

What? Bolin?! That's not what I said at all!! How desperate do you think I am?!

[ That moment when you pretend you never got engaged on the same day you met someone. ]

[sediments]

Why else would you want to explore the tunnel of love? Look if you need a date, I can recommend places better than a creepy carnival.

[ Real talk tho, Anna. ]

[sommer]

Oho! Really! Am I supposed to take dating advice from someone who went through the tunnel of love with two other guys?

And didn't find it romantic?

[ ??? ]

[sediments]

Wh- [ what exactly is she getting at?? ] Why would I find it romantic?!

[sommer]

It's the tunnel of love!! It's in the name! Not one of you talked about your crush? Your dream wedding? How's that even possible?

[ Gosh, even trolls and snowmen know about love!! ]

[sediments]

OH.

[ And this is something he should filter out before it reaches his mouth but ]

I thought you were saying that I should think it's romantic to be with two guys, even though that would be a really weird threesome.

[sommer]

Oh, w-wow, I did not need to know that.

[ BUT NOW THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IT... ]

Do you... know a lot about these... "threesomes", Bolin? It doesn't seem very practical.

[ How would they dance together? Seriously, that's her first thought here. Literal ballroom dancing. ]

[sediments]

[ Why is she acting like he said something TMI? He didn't? ]

I uh. [ stares into the middle distance ] I've never been in one but... I don't think it's about practicality?

[ Unlike Anna, Bolin's just thinking about sex. Do people have threesomes outside of sex?? He's not really exposed to polyamory. ]

[sommer]

[ What happens in the tunnel of love, stays in the tunnel of love, Bolin....... ]

Well, it sounds made up to me! It's twosome or nosome, that's what they always say! [ nobody says that. ] So, Bolin. Is there anyone special in your life?

[sediments]

[ help

And Bolin's never heard that before, but he's old-fashioned enough to believe it. ]

Me? Well... I used to. I mean. Sort of? I had a girlfriend back home, but I've been in Enprise a long time so...

[ He's sort of moving on?? ]

[sommer]

[ Wait. He's got a loved one back home? This is familiar territory for Anna, and something she's been reluctant to address up until now. ]

You're not worried?

[ She forces a smile, but not so much for Bolin since this is only audio. ]

[sediments]

[ He is. ]

I am.

[ The awkward uncertainty is gone from his voice then, though suddenly the tone is more subdued. ]

Things are uncertain back home, so I'm worried about her. And my brother... and my friends.

[sommer]

[ Siblings and friends, even. Anna thought she would feel better if she could relate to someone with her own worries, but knowing that others feel the same way she does isn't exactly something worth being happy about. ]

Bolin... I'm sorry I teased you before. Anyone who has those kinda people in their life already knows a lot about love. And... I'm sure they're fine waiting for you! So... we shouldn't focus on what we can't control here.

[sediments]

I'm not mad? [ He's kind of surprised that she would even apologize, though her words bring a happy glow to his cheeks.

Anna might be something of a human disaster, but she's an incredible person. ]

It's okay! They're all incredibly smart and capable, and they have a lot of allies back home so I know everything will be all right.

[ But if Anna doesn't want to focus on it: ] Anyway, what were you hoping to get out of a ride in the tunnel of love?

[sommer]

[ Again back to the tunnel! Anna remains coy regarding her motive, and turns it around on Bolin. ]

Mm! Shouldn't I be the one asking you?

[sediments]

Should you?

[ Bolin's not good enough at word games to pick up on Anna's avoidance, instead he sounds genuinely incredulous. ]

You haven't heard enough about how much of a mess it was?

[sommer]

Oh, I'm sure it was fine! Besides, I know what happened, but you didn't tell me what you were hoping would, seeing as you were the one who actually went.

[sediments]

[ Is she hoping for romantic gossip? Bolin would normally happily provide, but right now he's just confused. ]

Well... I guess I was hoping that it wouldn't be a death trap, but it was?

[ ??? ]

[sommer]

[ In other words, Anna totally dodged a bullet with the whole tunnel of love thing. ]

Mm. Well, as I said... "carnival", with air quotes. I'm starting to see why this world needs people like us.

[ They wouldn't be heroes if they couldn't survive death traps, for starters. ]

[sediments]

[ Played him like a fiddle, she did. He's completely absorbed in the new topic of conversation. ]

Well, there are normal carnivals here. I've been to one! The tunnel of love there is much better. [ Not as much of a death trap. ] But yeah, to be honest I don't really understand how the people of this country even survived before we got here.