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[sommer]

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[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.

[sommer]

Perhaps things weren't always this bad. [ One thing she has learned from home is that ignorance and misconceptions can lead people to bad choices. ] Do you know the best place where I can learn the history of this country, Bolin?

[sediments]

[ Maybe. Though he knows that Blanc had fought to separate from Noir in the first place, and he can't imagine that it had been an easy task.

But maybe back then they'd been more willing to abuse magic for their own goals too. ]

Uh. Probably the library. There's a huge one right in the city. We can go together if you want, I... [ Oops. ] I should probably give back the books I borrowed.

[ HE FORGOT... ]

[sommer]

YES--

[ After a life of closed doors, Anna is about to jump around in excitement at the prospect of doing things. WITH PEOPLE.

The second part of what Bolin said leaves her a little horrified though. ]

...Wait, how long are they overdue?

[sediments]

[ Anna can't see him, but his gaze goes bleak and far away. ]

Who knows.

[sommer]

[ YOU SHOULD KNOW?? ]

Well! Don't you worry about that. Just bring the books and leave the talking to me, I'll sort it all out.

[ Anna starts humming and dancing on the other line, and soon follows it up with a theme song for their adventure. ]

♪ When your borrowed books are overdue ♪
♪ and you don't know just how long they've been, ♪
♪ you ask yourself just what you're gonna do ♪
♪ and maybe your pal Anna can intervene! ♪

[ ....... ]

1/2

[sediments]

[ ... ]

[sediments]

[ And then - ]

done!

[sediments]

[ He bursts out laughing. ]

[sommer]

[ Well, that was an embarrassingly long, awkward pause. ]

Yeah, I'm gonna cease transmission now. See ya at the library!

...Whew.