Burn and Bloom - Phan

EPILOGUE

Dan hurried down the stairs, his mind preoccupied as he did so. The railing felt worn and soft under his hand, despite it having been built fairly recently His socked feet skidded a little on the similarly worn wood floor as he hurried towards the front door.

"Where are you going?" a voice called from behind him. Dan spun around only to see Pj peering out of the kitchen curiously.

"None of your business," Dan said imperiously, before turning back around and marching towards the door. He decided that he wasn't going to bother looking for shoes, seeing as he was in a hurry anyway.

Dan's hand was on the door handle when something cold and wet smacked him in the back of the neck. He froze before turning around slowly, only to see a smirking Pj leaning against the kitchen's doorway, his hand still raised. They kept vases all around the house specifically for waterbending purposes but it was times like these that Dan wished he'd boiled them into nonexistence.

Dan glared at his friend and flung out his hand, shooting fire his way. Pj deflected easily, a shield of water appearing between himself and Dan's fire.

"Hey!" a shrill voice shouted angrily from above them. Dan tilted his head upward, seeing Louise leaning over the banister on the second level. "What did I say about bending in the house?"

"It's good practice?" Dan said with an innocent smile. Louise glared.

"Don't. Do. It!"

Dan frowned at her, neither he nor Pj letting up on their attacks. And even while Dan was distracted talking to Louise, Pj had a string of water snaking towards him on the floor, which Dan put an end to with a blast of fire. Louise groaned angrily from above them.

Dan didn't think she had any reason to be so worried. It was practically impossible for their bending to get out of hand, mostly due to their natural balance of elements along with the unwavering control they'd grasped over the last few months. By now Dan could light a candle from across the room and exhaust it in the same breath. Sure, their house was made of mostly wood, but Dan was confident in his ability to shut down a fire if one were to start. Even if he wasn't confident, Pj was just as sure he'd be able to put it out with water.

Plus, their practicing was more beneficial to the house than harmful. After all, it was thanks to them that the floors were so soft, having taken so many blasts from the both of them.

"Take it outside," Louise insisted. Dan sighed, finally letting his fire disappear. Pj followed suit.

"Nah, I'm late as it is," he said sheepishly, backing towards the door once more. He really shouldn't have taken the time to battle with Pj, but he couldn't help it. They always ended up winding each other up and fighting until they were exhausted. It was a miracle that Louise had managed to stop them so early.

"Oh, where are you going?" Louise asked.

"None of your business!" Dan insisted, before turning and sprinting towards the front door.

"At least take your shoes!" she called, but Dan ignored her and slammed the door behind him, racing through the yard and towards the pen where they kept the ostrich-horses. He greeted his own ostrich-horse with a gentle pat before hopping onto it and spurring it towards the well-worn trail through the forest. Their house was well hidden, though they didn't really have a need to hide anymore.

He shook his head as he rode, knowing that Pj and Louise would make fun of him if he told them he had another date with Phil. Plus Phil had told him it was a secret anyway.

Dan was pretty sure the only reason it even was a secret was to avoid the teasing they'd get from their friends in the first place. After all, they already lived together, already shared a room and were with each other almost all the time. Going on dates might seem silly, but it was always a fun occasion that they got to spend with just the two of them.