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Chapter Text

She ran, and ran, and ran. As fast as she could. Turning corners, going down alleyways, and jumping fences, but she couldn't lose this annoying ass cop. "Come on, I thought you said you were gonna get me this time!" She taunted.

The rain poured, making it harder for both of them to see. Hair was falling in front of their faces, and they both almost slipped on multiple occasions.

"Gotta get that cardio in!" The cop taunted back, making her smile.

Kya hopped over another fence, Lin right behind her. It was like a classic game of cat and mouse with those two. Kya would get caught doing something she's not supposed to, Lin would just so happen to be the one catching her doing it.

Kya usually talked herself out of situations involving the cops, but Lin was a different story. "Gotta be hard running in a dress?" Lin yelled out. "At least I'm not running in some tacky uniform!" Kya yelled back.

Lin used her last burst of energy, reaching out for Kya's hand. Once she had a tight grip on it, she stopped dead in her tracks, sending them both tumbling to the ground. She held Kya down by her wrists, both of them breathing heavily.

Neither of them spoke, they just looked at each other.

Water ran from Lin's hair, dropping on Kya's cheek.

Neither of them spoke.

Not a word.

Chapter Text

Kya walked along the street, a lighter in one hand, and a cigarette in the other. She turned the corner to an alley and stood under the broken streetlight. She pressed the cigarette to her lips and lit it, inhaling the tobacco gently.

"This has become a bad habit for you, ya know?" She heard a voice coming down the alley. She didn't panic, however. She knew her brother came to check on her when she'd sneak out.

"And what are you doing out, Bumi?" She questioned him.

"Followed you."

"What for? I'm fine."

Bumi walked closer to her. "Tenzin's bringing his new girlfriend over tomorrow." He held his hand out. Kya hesitated for a second but handed her cigarette over to her older brother. To her surprise, he took a puff. "You think this one will be his 'one' again?" Bumi chuckled.

"Yeah. The last one was a real catch." Kya rolled her eyes. "I know he's just trying to 'figure himself out', or whatever, but he doesn't have to hop from girl to girl to do it." Bumi said, handing the cigarette back to Kya. "Yeah, like you have room to talk?" She raised an eyebrow at Bumi.

He chuckled lightly. "Do you?"

Kya was taken back by his comment but proceeded to punch him in the arm. "Oh shut up! Don't lump me in with you." She said. Bumi laughed. "Don't be out too late. I know you like going out at night, when Mom and Dad are sleeping, but I also know you've been getting caught." He said as he walked away.

Kya scoffed lightly.

"I'm not telling you how to live your life, Kya. I'm just trying to help you live it more cautiously." Bumi said before walking away.

"I'm cautious enough." Kya said before taking another hit of her cigarette.

—

"Goodmorning sweetheart." Katara said as she set the plate of food in front of Kya. "Goodmorning, Mom." Kya sat at the table.

"Tenzin is bringing his girlfriend over for breakfast. Isn't that lovely, honey?" Katara smiled.

"Yeah, Mom, it's great." Kya said in a monotone voice.

Katara raised an eyebrow before making her way into the seat next to Kya. "Are you okay, hon? You sound tired." She pressed a hand to her forehead. "I'm alright, I just didn't sleep well last night." Kya moved her mom's hand and continued to eat her breakfast. She looked up and met eyes with Bumi, who was hiding his smile behind his fork full of pancakes. She furrowed her brows at him.

"Goodmorning you three. Where's Tenzin?" Kya's father stepped into the room. "Went to go get his girlfriend to bring her over for breakfast." Katara said. "Well, isn't that lovely?" Aang smiled genuinely.

"Yeah, lovely for the fourth time this year." Bumi mumbled. "And it's only June." Kya added on. "Oh, would you two stop? Your brother says that she's really nice. I think you guys will like her." Katara sat Aang's plate in front of him as she spoke to her children.

"I'd like her better if she didn't exist." Bumi muttered. "You've never even met her, shut the hell up." Kya said. "Just cause you two are adults, doesn't mean you can talk like ones under my roof." Aang half-joked to Kya before coughing into his hand.

The front door opened and chattering started in the living room.

"We're here!" Tenzin shouted through the house.

"Oh come in here! Breakfast is done, I'm sure you two would like to eat." Katara sat two more plates down at the table, both of them on either side of Kya. Aang sat at the head of the table, Katara to his left, and Tenzin to his right. Bumi was sat next to Katara, Kya next to Tenzin, and Tenzin's girlfriend sat next to Kya. Kya and Bumi looked at each other from across the table.

"Mom, Dad, this is my girlfriend. Lin, these are my parents." Tenzin held his hand past Kya, introducing his beloved girlfriend to the family.

No way..

Kya looked to her left.

Lo and behold.. there sat the police officer she had been running from all this time..

Kya and Lin locked eyes. Their breaths hitched.

"You.." That was all Lin could manage to say.

"Do you two know each other or something?" Bumi said with a mouth full of food. "No, never seen her before in my life." Kya said nonchalantly before stabbing her fork in her pancake and tearing a piece off.

"Okay, well um, Mom, Dad. This is Lin Beifong. She works for the Republic City police department." Tenzin smiled as he spoke.

"Beifong?" Aang said in surprise. "Are you by chance related to Toph Beifong?" Katara butted in.

"Uh, yes! She's my mother." Lin said with a sheepish smile.

"Oh isn't that so cool, honey!" Katara exclaimed. "Yes, yes." Aang chuckled. "We went to school with Toph." He smiled at Lin. "You did?" Lin said in surprise. "Yes, we did. How is she? Gosh, we haven't spoken in years." Katara said.

"Still blind and mean." Lin said.

Katara and Aang chuckled at Lin's comment. "Sounds like she hasn't changed much." Aang cut into his hash brown.

"Well isn't this nice? Our parents are friends." Tenzin smiled over at Lin.

Kya kept taking glances at her.

They haven't met since that night.

That night.

That night

Lin ran through the rain, following the brown hair she could barely see through the water. "Damn, you're fast." She called out. The woman just smiled back at her.

Lin reached her hand out, grasping the woman's hand in her own. They both tumbled to the ground and all Lin could think was, finally.

They sat in silence as we caught their breaths.

"Your eyes are prettier than I thought they would be." The woman said through gasping breaths. "Oh, shut up! You made me run through the damn rain. You're going to jail." Lin was not letting her talk her way out of this. "No way in hell am I letting you drag me out of here in cuffs!" She laughed Lin's face. "What's your name, anyways? I figure we've been playing this game for so long; we should at least know each other's names." She said. "What? Trying to make it easier for me to catch you?" She was acting like this is a game to her.

"Maybe. Kya."

"Lin."

"Lin, huh? That's as pretty as your eyes." Kya smiled. "Think of a better pick-up line while I drag you to my car." Lin furrowed her brows. "Oo! Kinky!" Kya laughed again.

Lin was taken back and she lost her grip on her hands. In one swift move, as if this wasn't the first time Kya's had to do it, she threw Lin onto the ground and had her wrists pinned to the pavement.

"I already told you. I'm not going to jail. My dad would have my ass." Kya spoke softly.

"Pfft, you still live with your dad?"

"Yeah. But I'm looking for a place in the city."

"Well good for you. Would you get off of me now?" Lin said angrily. "Nope. Still not going to jail." All Kya did was smile. But she let Lin's hands go.

This really is just a game to her.

"Especially not over a bit of weed." She waved a small bag in front of Lin's face. Lin tried to grab it from her but she pulled it above her head. "Ah ah ah, hang on there, officer. I'll make you a little deal." Kya pressed Lin back down onto the pavement, "I'll give you my little bag of goodies, so you don't have to run home to your chief empty-handed. But you're letting me go."

"What makes you think I'd take you up on that offer?"

"Nothing. I just know that it's either this, or I have to outrun you in the pouring rain, and you have to go home with your head hanging low, and your tail in between your legs."

Lin thought for a second. Her mom would call her an idiot if she knew she chased this woman over a bag of weed. There's just something else about her. She didn't know what it was.

"You're fast.. and I'm tired. If this continues, I'll get ridiculed." Lin spoke up.

"So is that a yes, officer?"

Lin sighed a large sigh. "Fine. Just get off of me!" She said.

Kya threw the bag of weed on Lin's chest and got up. She ran down the alley while Lin stood up, but when she looked her way, Kya was stopped.

"Maybe we'll see each other again soon, Lin."

"Lin?"

"Lin!"

Tenzin's voice drew Lin out of her thoughts.

"What was that? Sorry.." Lin said.

"I was just wondering how long you've been working with your mother?" Aang asked her. "Oh, well, I graduated high school, and I spent a couple of years in the academy. I've been on the force since I was twenty-one. So, three years now." Lin said. "So, you're only a few years younger than Kya, huh?" Katara said. "Um yeah, I guess." Lin said with a smile.

"I'm out." Bumi said as he stood up with an empty plate in his hands. "Where you headed?" Aang asked. "To the campus. A few friends of mine need help studying for the finals." Bumi said as he grabbed his car keys. "Yeah, 'studying.'" Kya muttered to herself, knowing finals were last month. "I won't be gone long, just a few hours! Love ya!" Bumi yelled as he exited the front door.

"Kya, I need to speak with mom and dad. Do you mind showing Lin around the house?" Tenzin asked. Kya looked between Tenzin's pleading smile, and her parent's encouraging faces, trying to find someone to tell her she doesn't have to do it. With no luck, she sighed. "Yeah. Sure. Come on, Lin." She said. "Huh? Oh, okay?" Lin stood up and followed her.

"So this is the living room."

"This is our basement."

"Here's the backyard, Bumi's working on getting the pool cleaned for the summer."

"Bumi keeps his room locked or I'd show you that mess."

"This is Tenzin's room. As you can see, he loves space and he's a dopey nerd."

"And here's my room."

The two stepped into Kya's room. It was covered in plants. Shelves on the walls held books and various items that piqued Lin's curiosity. The warm sun was shining through the windows. Lin looked around, reaching for, but hesitating to touch, all of the neat things in Kya's room.

"Is my room interesting?" Kya said. "So how much of this was stolen?" Lin half-joked. "Only the small things." Kya answered seriously, taking Lin back slightly, "Talking pretty open in front of a cop." she said. "What're you gonna do? Arrest me. You should write a book, Lin. 'How to ruin my relationship in one day'." Kya said. "What's your deal?" Lin asked. "Nothing." Kya got close to Lin.

"Just don't like pigs rummaging through my house."

"Come on. I'm sure Tenzin will be wanting to get you back home soon." Kya said as she pushed past Lin, exiting her room.

Lin followed silently.

Chapter Text

Lin sat in her apartment, Tenzin next to her, and a pile of papers was in front of her.

"So, what did you think of my parents yesterday?" Tenzin sat up. "They were nice. I mentioned them to my mother. She said she used to make fun of your father a lot." Lin chuckled. "She called him Twinkle Toes." She said. Tenzin laughed a bit. "What about Bumi and Kya? Did you like them?" He asked.

Lin paused her reading and looked at Tenzin. "Yeah, I mean for the short time he was there, Bumi seemed cool." She said. She looked back at the papers and hoped he would shrug off the second part of his question. But to her disappointment, "And what about Kya?" Tenzin asked.

Does she tell him that his sister is number one on her personal most wanted list? Or what Kya said to Lin in her room?

"She was nice."

No. Right now isn't the time for that. You just met his family, don't mess it up.

"That's great." Tenzin smiled. "Hey, so when do I get to meet your mom and sister?" He wrapped his arm around Lin's waist. Lin scoffed a bit before setting her papers down. "Never." She said with a smile and her eyebrows raised. "What do you mean 'never'?" Tenzin asked.

"Tenzin, my relationships with my mother and my sister are probably two of the most chaotic aspects of my life." Lin said. "However, if you're so desperate to meet my mother, you could always commit a felony." She smiled at Tenzin. "Yeah, the first thing I'll say when she walks into interrogation is 'Hey, Chief Beifong, I'm dating your eldest daughter'." Tenzin joked. Lin laughed at him before attempting to get back to her papers again.

But of course, "Hey, so, how did your mom make it to Chief of police? I mean, it's not every day you see a blind police officer." Tenzin said.

Lin took a deep breath in, desperately wanting to get back to her paperwork. "A lot of people doubted she would even get into the academy. My grandparents were completely against it. But I don't know, there's something about my mom... it's like she can see, even though she's blind. I remember being a kid and asking why she never wore shoes around her office, and she responded, 'you can't see with a blindfold on, dumbass.' Whatever the hell that had to do with anything." She chuckled. "Anyways, she made her way through the ranks pretty quickly. Brough crime rates down a lot when she worked on foot. They've gone up though. I mean obviously, since she became chief, she's not out patrolling all the time." Lin said.

She picked up her pen and looked at her papers, swearing to whatever god out there that if Tenzin pulled her attention from her work again, she was walking away.

"Hey, for dinner tonight do you want to-"

"Tenzin! - Tenzin.. Tenzin, okay, listen." Lin held his hands. She tried her best to speak gently but was obviously frustrated. "I really enjoy spending so much time with you, but right now I just need it to be quiet, and I need to focus on this work." She said. "Okay, that's okay." Tenzin smiled at Lin. She smiled back and kissed his cheek.

Lin picked up a paper and started reading it thoroughly.

"...But our dinner plans-?"

Lin let out a large sigh and threw herself into the couch.

Kya stood at the sink, washing the family (minus Tenzin) dishes. "I know you and your brother were making jokes, but I really think Lin and Tenzin are good together. Your brother seems happy." Katara dried the dishes as Kya rinsed them. Kya silently nodded her head.

She hated her.

For no reason whatsoever, Kya hated Lin with every bone in her body.

Lin was always after Kya. Kya somewhat believed Lin purposefully went out on patrol looking for her and any reason to arrest her. She was stubborn, bitter, and annoying, and of course, she just had to be dating Kya's brother.

Okay, maybe Kya had some reasons.

"I was thinking about inviting Lin-"

"Jesus, Mom, they just started dating, give it a break." Kya said loudly.

"...Lin and her mother over next week," Katara gave her daughter a 'did you really just talk to me like that?' look, "given that Toph was good friends with your father and me." She said.

Kya swallowed hard and took a deep breath in. "Sorry..." She said quietly.

"Are you sure you're feeling well, hon?" Katara asked. "Yeah, Mom." Kya deadpanned. "Is it that time?" Katara asked. "What? Mom! N-No, I'm just- I'm tired, okay? I just want to go take a nap or something." Kya brushed her mother's worry off.

After a few more minutes of doing the dishes together in silence, Katara spoke up again. "Honey, are you jealous of Tenzin?" She asked. "What!?" Kya dropped the cup into the sink. "I mean he's had a lot of girlfriends recently, and you're not seeing anybody-"

"Oh my god, Mom."

"Maybe you just need a boyfriend to spend some time with!" Katara continued. "Mom, for the love of the spirits, please shut up." Kya pleaded. "Or a girlfriend? Your father and I don't judge, you know that-"

"Okay, finish the dishes by yourself." Kya stepped away from the sink and dried her hands on the towel. "Kya, come on." Katara laughed a little bit. Kya shook her head at her mom before exiting the kitchen.

Kya made her way upstairs and passed her father's office on her way to her room. She stopped at the door when she saw her father struggling to get something from a high shelf. "Dad? Do you need some help?" She stepped into the office.

"Oh, hello, Droplet." Aang said in a gentle voice.

Kya smiled at the nickname she's heard since she was a kid. She walked towards the shelf and stood on her tippy toes to see what her father was reaching for. "What is it you need?" She asked. "The small box there in the back." Aang pointed. Kya reached up, stretching a little, and grabbed the box. She handed it to her father and started walking out.

"Hang on a minute, Droplet. Come here." Aang called her over.

Kya turned around and saw he was starting to sit behind his desk. She walked over and sat across from him. "I have something in here." Aang sat the box on the desk and opened it up. He pulled out two necklaces and a bracelet and placed them neatly on the desk in front of him.

Kya didn't say anything. She knew her father would continue when he was ready.

"I didn't grow up with parents, Kya." He started, "But for as long as I could remember, Monk Gyatso took care of me. We were nomads... we went everywhere. Monk Gyatso was from the Air Nation," Aang picked up one of the necklaces. "We spent days in the temples meditating and playing Pai Sho. When we weren't throwing fruit pies at the other monks." He laughed.

Kya smiled. She could listen to her father's stories for hours.

Aang picked up the other necklace. "First we visited the Earth Nation. I was around nine, ten? I met a good friend there. He was my age, but still very wild and.. boy, was he a rule breaker, was too reckless for his own good." He smiled to himself. "His name was Bumi."

Kya raised her eyebrows. A wild, reckless rule breaker, huh?

"We went to the Southern Water Tribe after we left there. Stopping at places like Kyoshi Island on our way. Everyone was very welcoming, especially one family who let us stay with them for the few weeks we were there." Aang started smiling to himself.

Kya's heard this one a million and one times, but she'll never get tired of it.

"Your grandfather was very strict with your mother. But we were young and in love." Aang chuckled. "However, our teenage romance was short-lived. We tried to keep in contact while I was in the Northern water tribe but, it was hard." Aang said.

"Wait, you went from the Earth Kingdom to the Southern Water Tribe, then to the Northern Water Tribe?" Kya asked.

"Monk Gyatso wasn't very efficient." Aang smiled.

Kya chuckled.

"In the North, we stayed with a noble family. I remember their daughter allowed me into an oasis to meditate. The pond only had two koi fish, and they circled each other perfectly, never moving from that position. It was strange but, I felt it brought a sense of balance to the oasis. And the oasis brought peace to the home when Yue passed young." Aang held the bracelet in his hand. "Yue taught me to make bracelets while we stayed there. We spent a lot of time in the oasis while I tried to perfect the art. I told her about my travels with Gyatso, and about your mother. Yue encouraged me to get back into contact with her. Because of her, we met again after I left the Air Temple at eighteen." Aang said.

"Your stories are really lovely, Dad." Kya said genuinely. "Can I ask why you're telling me?" She said.

Aang stared at the bracelet he held in his hand. It was old and slightly frayed, but still a beautiful bracelet nonetheless. "This is the first one I made that didn't fall apart when I put it on." He said. "Water droplets fell from the trees when Yue tied it on." Aang tied the bracelet around Kyas's wrist. "It is a memory I hold dear to my heart." Aang held Kya's hand for a moment.

"Dad, you don't-"

"Go on, droplet, you look tired." He dismissed her before she could reject the gift.

Kya sighed lightly before getting up and heading towards the door. "Hey, Dad?" She stopped at the threshold. "Did you guys ever go to the Fire Nation?" She asked.

"Your mother and I went with your uncle Zuko, but Monk Gyatso and I never traveled there. At the time, Gyatso said it was too much of a hassle to get there. As a kid, that's what I believed. It wasn't until later when I found out that the reason we never went was because the Fire Nation had some bigoted beliefs against people of the Air Nation." Aang said.

Kya nodded her head before telling her father she loved him and going to her room. She laid in her bed and held her wrist over her face.

The bracelet truly was beautiful.

Chapter Text

Lin sat at her desk filing a report when her mother slammed a hand down on her desk. "Can I help you?" Lin looked at her.

"So, when were you going to tell me about your boyfriend?" Toph asked. "W-What?" Lin stammered. "Oh, don't play dumb. You're dating that Tenzin kid aren't ya?" Toph raised an eyebrow. "Su told you, didn't she?" Lin asked.

"No, but it's good to know you two keep secrets from me." Toph said sarcastically. "Katara called me. She told me my daughter was a delight and I asked if I had a third kid." She folded her arms.

Lin rolled her eyes and stood up. She started walking towards the filing cabinets. "So, you weren't going to tell me?" Toph followed her. "Given that, ever since I moved out, you've only talked to me when it's about work, I didn't really think you would care." Lin said

Toph chuckled, "Well, I do." She said.

"Only because you were friends with his parents. If it were any other guy, you would've walked past my desk without a word, just like every day." Lin scowled before heading back to her desk. Toph followed her and leaned against her desk. "That dime bag you brought in the other day wasn't too impressive, ya know?" She said. Lin ignored her mother and continued the paperwork.

"You've been after this guy for weeks now all over some weed. Don't you think that's a little ridiculous?" Toph said. "It's not ridiculous when she's walking down a public street with a blunt in her mouth every week." Lin said. Toph merely laughed at her daughter. "You're overreacting! Just let it go, Lin." She patted Lin on the back and then walked away.

She might just have to.

Kya was Tenzin's sister. Lin couldn't even imagine how upset Tenzin would be if she were to arrest Kya.

So, for now, Lin will just have to ignore it when she sees Kya smoking on the street.

The phone at her desk rang. She picked it up and held it to her ear. "Republic City Police Department." She said. "Lin! I'm glad I remembered your desk number." Tenzin spoke on the other end.

"Hey, Tenzin." Lin said with no tone.

"Is everything okay?" Tenzin asked. "Yeah, everything is fine. My mom is just frustrating me." Lin sighed. "Well, do you want to come over tonight and watch a movie?" Tenzin asked. "That sounds lovely, Tenzin-"

"Kya will be there, but I know she won't mind if you join us."

Lin's smile dropped.

How great.

"So, I'll see you tonight then?" Tenzin asked. "Yeah, I'll be there, Tenzin." Lin said. She hung up the phone and let out a large groan.

"Hey, loser. Ready for movie night?" Kya lightly hit the back of Tenzin's head as she came up from behind him. "Yeah, absolutely. You picked the movie last time, so this time I picked an action-packed, sci-fi-"

"Nerd shit?" Kya cut him off.

Tenzin paused for a second before nodding his head. "Yeah, nerd stuff." He chuckled.

Kya filled her cup up with water and took a drink. "Oh, I invited Lin over to watch it with us if that's okay?" Tenzin said. Kya coughed and water spewed from her mouth. "What? Why would you invite Lin?" She furrowed her brows.

Tenzin stepped back to not get hit with the water. "I just thought it would be fun. I and her talked about watching this movie together anyways. You don't care, do you?" Tenzin asked. "Uh- no, Tenzin. I don't mind." Kya said quietly. Tenzin smiled at Kya before walking away.

Movie night was Kya and Tenzin's thing. It had been since they were kids. And now it was her, Tenzin, and Lin.

"Hey, hand me those chips." Bumi entered the kitchen. Kya didn't move, she just stared blankly at the kitchen counter. "Hello? Earth to Kya?" Bumi waved his hand in front of her face.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Here." Kya handed Bumi the chips. "Are you okay?" He asked. "Yeah, it's just... Tenzin invited Lin over for movie night." Kya sighed. "But that's you and Tenzin's thing?" Bumi said.

"Yeah, I guess not anymore." Kya said as she left the kitchen.

"Kya, honey?" Katara knocked on her daughter's bedroom door. "Yeah?" Kya opened the door. "I hate to ask this of you but, your father has some medication ready to be picked up at the pharmacy-" "Yeah, yeah. I'll go get it." Kya said. "Thank you." Katara smiled.

Kya shut the door and threw on better-looking clothes. She brushed out her hair and put on her shoes.

"Where ya goin'?" Tenzin asked as Kya was walking out of the front door. "Picking up some medicine for Dad." She said. "Here," Tenzin pulled some money out of his wallet. "Can you get some popcorn for tonight. I thought we had some but someone made the last bag at two o'clock this morning." He said.

"Sorry 'bout that!" Bumi yelled from the other room.

"Yeah, I can grab some on my way back." Kya took the money and put it in her pocket.

She walked out of the Air Temple and headed for the city.

After getting the medicine for her father, she stopped at a small corner shop. As she turned the aisle, she bumped into someone, knocking a couple of items out of their hands. "Oh, jeez, I really need to pay more attention, I'm so sorry." Kya bent down to pick up the items.

"No worries, at least I wasn't carrying eggs." They chuckled.

That voice.

That annoying voice.

Kya lifted her head and saw Lin picking up the items as well, "Oh, it's you." she said with no tone in her voice. "Hey, Kya. I'm looking forward to the movie tonight-"

Kya shoved Lin's items into her hands. "Yeah. So excited." She started walking away from Lin.

"Hey, uh- could I ask for some advice?" Lin called out.

Kya turned around and raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, I was going to get Tenzin one of those tea drinks he likes but um.. I don't know which flavor he prefers?" Lin looked embarrassed to be asking such a silly question. But Kya could tell she meant well. She let out a sigh and let her face soften a bit. "Anything raspberry. I think he would eat or drink just about anything raspberry flavored." She said. "Thanks." Lin said.

Kya nodded her head and continued down the aisle. She grabbed the popcorn and swiftly made her way to the cash register, not wanting to be in Lin's general vicinity any longer.

Tenzin threw a bag of popcorn into the microwave. "Lin should be here soon. She told me you guys bumped into each other at the store." He said to Kya, who was making milkshakes for the two of them.

"Yeah, I saw her." Kya said.

"Hey, do you mind making one for Lin? She loves milkshakes." Tenzin said. Kya rolled her eyes before getting another cup down from the cabinet. "Yeah, I guess." She said. A knock came from the door and Tenzin perked up. "That's Lin." He rushed to the door.

"That's Lin." Kya quietly mocked him.

"Kya's in here making milkshakes for us. I have the popcorn in the microwave." Tenzin and Lin entered the kitchen. "Hi." Lin said to Kya.

Kya gave her a little head nod before continuing what she was doing.

The microwave beeped and Tenzin got the popcorn. He put it into a large bowl and sat it on the counter. "Lin, do you want anything else to drink besides the milkshake?" Tenzin opened the fridge. "Just a water is fine." Lin said.

"Milkshakes are ready. Let's start this movie." Kya sat Lin and Tenzin's milkshakes down in front of them then headed to the living room with her own. She took her spot on the couch and waited for Lin and Tenzin to join her.

When they sat down, Lin sat next to Kya. Kya glared over at her for a moment before Tenzin started the movie.

Halfway in and all they've done is talk.

Kya was getting more annoyed by the second. What happened to "I and her talked about watching this movie together anyways."?

Kya stood up harshly and picked up her cup. "Everything okay, Kya?" Tenzin said. "Oh, yeah, everything is great. It's so easy to hear this movie over you two love birds talking." Kya said sarcastically.

Tenzin was taken back. "Kya it's not that big of a deal. Me and you talk through movies all the time-"

"Yeah, me and you. Not me, you, and your girlfriend." Kya retorted. "I asked you if it was okay beforehand and you said it was fine." Tenzin stood up. "Because I didn't want to hurt your stupid feelings, dumbass." Kya said.

Tenzin didn't say anything, he just seemed confused.

Kya took her cup to the kitchen and then walked back into the living room. "You two enjoy the movie. I'm going to bed." Kya walked upstairs. She slammed her bedroom door behind her.

"I- I didn't mean to intrude." Lin said. "No, you're okay, Lin. She's being over dramatic. It's just a movie." Tenzin sat down.

While Tenzin was sitting comfortably next to Lin, Lin couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt as they continued the movie.

Chapter Text

Kya woke up and rolled out of bed. She flipped on the radio and music filled her room as she started getting ready for the day. She pulled her pants on and threw a shirt over her head.

Three loud bangs came from the other side of her wall, and she knew it was Tenzin complaining about her music.

Kya walked over to the radio and turned the volume to 100 before continuing her morning. She sat in front of her mirror and looked at herself. She grabbed tweezers and leaned forward to pluck a couple of eyebrow hairs out of place.

"Kya!" There was loud banging on her bedroom door.

She sighed, walked over to the radio, turned it down, then walked over to her door. She opened it and was met with Tenzin's angered face. "Would you keep that stupid music down!" He yelled. "Come on, it's just some rock!" Kya smiled in his face. "It's horrible." He folded his arms. "Get a better taste in music, airhead." Kya said. "Airhead? Who's the one who graduated with a higher GPA?" Tenzin smirked.

"Dude, do you really think high school mattered?" Bumi put in his two cents as he walked past the two with a basket of clothes.

"Stay out of this, Bumi!" Tenzin yelled down the hall.

He looked back at Kya and sighed. Before he could say anything, Kya interrupted him. "I'll keep it down, ya nerd. I was just messing with you." She said. Tenzin's face rested and he let his arms fall back down to his sides. "Thank you." He said. "Lin and her mother are coming over for dinner tonight." He said. "Fun. I probably won't be here but save me some leftovers." Kya said.

Guess I'm making plans tonight.

"You won't? I asked mom to make your favorite side." Tenzin seemed upset. "I'm sorry, an old friend of mine wanted to hang out. How could I say no?" Kya chuckled. "Well, have fun. I'll make sure Bumi doesn't eat everything." Tenzin joked.

Kya smiled as her brother walked away. She walked back inside and sat at her mirror. She let out a large sigh before letting her head fall into the table in front of her.

Kya walked down the isle of the store looking for the vegetables that her mother had put on the list. She reached for a green bell pepper and a head met hers.

"Sorry about that." The woman said.

"Izumi?" Kya said with a smile. "Kya!" Izumi smiled brightly back at her. They gave each other a quick hug. "How have you been? We haven't talked in years." Izumi said. "I've been okay. Gotten a few jobs here and there, but they haven't lasted until this one at the flower shop." Kya said. "What about you?"

"Well.. you can't tell anyone, especially not your parents because they'll tell my dad, but," Izumi paused for a second. "I'm pregnant." She said.

Kya's face turned to one of surprise. "Oh my gosh... oh, that's amazing, Izumi!" Kya pulled her in for a hug. "Thank you." Izumi smiled. "Oh!" She backed up a bit, "My husband is out of town for business. Would you like to come over tonight and catch up? We can hang out, watch a movie?" Izumi offered. "Holy shit, yes, thank you so much." Kya said.

"Desperate for plans?" Izumi chuckled. "Ugh. Tenzin has this new girlfriend, and she sucks." Kya said with a groan. "Really? That bad?" Izumi laughed lightly at her. "Yes. So, you know how I like to go out for walks sometimes and-"

"And get high?" Izumi raised her eyebrows.

Kya stared at her for a moment with that 'shut up about it' look. "Whatever. Anyways, Tenzins new girlfriend is a cop. And she's caught me a few times and I've.. ran from her a few times-"

"You ran from a cop?" Izumi said, surprised. "Oh please, it's like a weekly thing with this woman." Kya rolled her eyes.

"Kya, you can't run from the law-"

"Well then the law should stop skipping leg day." Kya retorted. "Anyways, she's coming over tonight with her mother. Apparently, her mom was friends with my parents in high school for something-"

"Oh my god, Lin is dating Tenzin." Izumi said.

Kya furrowed her eyebrows. "How do you know her?" She asked. "Lins mother was also friends with my parents. I talk to Lin frequently, actually." Izumi scratched the back of her head.

Kya felt awkward standing there after telling Izumi how much she disliked her friend.

"Hey, it's okay." Izumi chuckled. "But I promise, she really is a great person." She said. "Yeah, well, she'd be better if she wasn't trying to arrest me all the time." Kya said as she started walking away. "Well don't do things to get arrested for." Izumi smiled at she watched her walk away. "Hey, my place at 6!" She yelled out.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever!" Kya yelled back.

Katara was setting the table while Tenzin helped her cook. "Kya, honey, come here." Katara yelled out at Kya passed the kitchen doorway. "Yeah, Mom?" Kya walked in.

"Tenzin says you're not gonna be here for dinner? What do you have planned?" Katara asked. "Well, Izumi actually invited me over to her place for a movie and just to hang out." Kya said. "Oh Izumi? How's her father?" Katara asked. "I'm not sure. She didn't talk much about him when I ran into her at the store." Kya said.

Tenzins head perked up at what she said.

Kya noticed he seemed confused. "A-Anyways, she said to be there at six so, I better go get ready." Kya muttered out before rushing away. She walked up the stairs and made her way down the hall.

"Hey, Kya?" A voice called out from behind her. She turned around and saw Tenzin was walking up the steps. "I thought you had plans already made this morning... but you didn't speak to Izumi until you saw her at the store?" He asked.

Kya swallowed hard.

"What's up? Is there something wrong with Lin?" Tenzin asked. Kya let out a small sigh. "No, Tenzin... there's nothing wrong with Lin. I just- I think it should be you, your girlfriend, and your parents." Kya tried to lie her way through the conversation. "But Bumi is going to be there too. And Lins younger sister. If I didn't think you were just avoiding this-"

"Okay, okay, fine, Tenzin. I'll stay for some of dinner. But I really do have plans with Izumi." Kya said.

"Thank you, Kya." Tenzin smiled softly before going back downstairs.

Kya groaned and walked towards the house phone near the top of the stairs. She put in Izumi's number and waited for an answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Izumi. It's Kya."

"Hey, Kya." Izumi sounded delighted to hear from her. "Is it okay if I come in around 7:30?" Kya asked. "Yeah, of course. Everything okay?" Izumi asked. "Yeah, everything's fine. Just," Kya groaned a bit, "Tenzin talked me into joining them for this stupid dinner." Kya complained. Izumi giggled on the other end. "Alright, well, when your done with dinner, come on by." She said.

"Thanks, Izumi. I'll see you later." Kya said before hanging up the phone.

Kya sat at the dinner table playing with her spoon while she waiting for their company.

"Kya, honey, don't slouch. It's bad for your-"

"Bad for my posture, yeah yeah." Kya waved her mother off.

The doorbell rang and Tenzin rushed up to get it. He opened the door and Lin stood there with her mother and younger sister. "Hello, Chief Beifong. I'm Tenzin." He said politely. Toph looked in his direction and raised an eyebrow. "I bet your head is bald like your fathers, isn't it?" She said.

Tenzins face went beet red and his entire body tensed, unsure of what to respond with.

"Ugh, Mom. Stop it." Lin hit her in the arm and pushed her to walk into the house. Toph walked further in the house and was greeted by Aang and Katara, who were more than happy to see their old friend.

"You know, after our conversation last week, I wasn't expecting to be getting a call from my mother being told to pick her up for dinner at the Gyatso's." Lin said. "I'm sorry, my mother wanted to have her over for dinner." Tenzin said.

"Lin, what am I supposed to do here?" Lins younger sister said quietly beside her. "I-I don't know, Su." Lin said. "Oh, is this your younger sister?" Tenzin smiled. "Suyin." She held out her hand. "Tenzin." Tenzin smiled and shook her hand. "Are you still in school, Suyin?" Tenzin and Su talked as they walked away from Lin.

Lin scanned her eyes across the house, looking for someone to converse with since her boyfriend walked away with her sister. She spotted Kya sitting in the dining room but thought it might be better not to talk to her.

However, when she looked up and locked eyes with Lin, Kya gave a half-smile accompanied by a little wave.

Lin took a deep breath and made her way toward her. "Hi." She said softly. "Hello." Kya sounded slightly uninterested in the company.

They sat in awkward silence for a few minutes before Kya spoke up. "So, what's your family's names?" Kya asked. Lin looked over; surprised Kya was talking to her. "Oh- uh, my mother's name is Toph. And my little sister is Suyin." Lin said. "She looks young. Is she still in high school?" Kya asked. "Yeah. Senior. She's getting ready to turn eighteen." Lin said. Kya nodded her head silently. "Your shirt looks nice." Lin said.

Kya stared at her for a second. "Thanks." She deadpanned. "But don't go talking like we're friends." She said before turning her body away from Lin.

"Alright, the table is set, dinner is ready, and Bumi just got back with the drinks. Let's eat." Katara smiled at everyone. As everyone gathered around the table, Kya got up and moved seats, letting her brother have the only seat next to Lin.

Katara sat the food and side dishes on the table and sat down with everyone else.

"Well, it smells great!" Toph said. Aang and Katara smiled at their friend. "Mom, for the last time, that joke is not funny. And neither are any of your other ones." Suyin said. "Su, don't be rude. We're at someone else's house." Lin butted in.

Seeing their natural sibling banter made Kya chuckle a bit. Her and her siblings were like that.

Katara and Aang talked with Toph, Bumi and Tenzin were talking about their tv show, and Suyin was silently eating her food with a look on her face that screamed 'I want to go home.' Kya scanned her eyes across the room and caught Lin picking at the food on her plate. She didn't have a lot of food on it, and what she did have she wasn't eating. "What's up? Upset stomach?" Kya said to her. Lins head shot up and she looked at Kya. "Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm just not feeling well."

"You don't wanna be here do you?" Kya asked. "I- I do.. just not with my family." Lin rested her chin on her palm.

Kya could tell Lin didn't have a good relationship with her mother and sister.

She checked the time before standing up. "I'm headed off." She said. "What? Dinner just started?" Tenzin said. Kya looked down at her brother. "Yeah, I know, but no one to chat with, and I'm sure Izumi is impatiently waiting for my company." Kya took her plate over to the sink.

"What time will you be home?" Aang asked. Kya was silent for a moment while she thought. Aang tossed her a set of the house keys, "Just don't be too loud when you come in." He smiled at her. Kya nodded her head and said her goodbyes before leaving the Air Temple.

Chapter Text

Lin was feeling incredibly uncomfortable while sitting at the dinner table. Su was making faces at her to get her attention. "What?" Lin mouthed. "What's wrong?" Su mouthed back. Lin dismissed her with a wave of her hand and nudged Tenzin with her elbow to get his attention.

"Hm?" Tenzin looked at her. "Gonna talk to me tonight?" Lin chuckled. "Yes, of course. I was just catching Bumi up on-"

"Right, yeah, your nerd show." Lin said with a teasing smile. "It is not a nerd show." Tenzin said. "Yeah, I don't watch nerd shows." Bumi said with a mouthful of food. "Swallow your food before you talk, that's disgusting!" Tenzin said.

Bumi laughed before taking another bite.

Tenzin turned back around to Lin, rolling his eyes. "Hey, when Kya said she was going to Izumi's, who is that?" Lin asked. "Oh, that's a friend Kya and Bumi knew in high school. I was acquainted with her, but she was more friends with my siblings." Tenzin said. "Is her father Zuko?" Lin asked. Tenzin nodded his head. "Yeah. I was actually talking with my father the other day and he was showing me his old high school photos. Turns out all of our parents hung out quite a lot." He said. Lin looked down at her plate almost in disbelief.

This whole time, the 'caring, free-spirited, kindhearted' best friend from high school Izumi talked so much about was Kya?

No fucking way.

"Lin, how's work going?" Katara asked. "Ugh, she's got this perp she's been trying to catch for weeks. If she were any good like her mother, she would've caught them the first time." Toph said before Lin could answer. "Mom, stop. It's not a big deal, just someone I catch smoking every once in a while." Lin said sheepishly.

"Oh, I'm sure you're great at your job. Your mother just has a knack for perfection. Always has." Katara teased Toph.

Lin sunk in her seat as conversations continued around.

All she wanted was for this dinner to be over.

Kya waited at the door after knocking. She heard footsteps coming towards the door, then the door swung open.

"It's about time you got here." Izumi joked as she pulled Kya into a hug. "Yeah, sorry. I actually left dinner early." Kya followed Izumi into her home and shut the door behind her. "That bad?" Izumi asked. "Not bad just... painfully boring." Kya sighed. 

They sat on Izumi's couch where Izumi already had two cups of hot tea on the coffee table. "Oh, how I've missed your teas." Kya said with a smile after taking a sip. "I can give you some of this blend before you go home if you'd like?" Izumi said. "Absolutely." Kya sat her cup down. 

"How have you been, Kya? It's been so long since we've talked." Izumi smiled at her. "I've been pretty okay. Bumi and Tenzin are taking college classes, but college never sounded appealing to me." Kya said. 

"Still staying at the Air Temple?" Izumi asked. "Yeah... Actually, my father has been pretty sick for a couple of years. Honestly, the chances of me moving before he passes are very low. My mom needs a lot of help taking care of him sometimes, and Bumi and Tenzin are always too busy." Kya said. "I'm sorry to hear that, Kya." Izumi gave her a look of pity. 

"It's alright. How're you? How's Zuko?" Kya changed the topic. "Other than the morning sickness, and the constant cravings for foods I hate, I'm doing good." Izumi chuckled. "My father hit a rough patch after my mother passed, but he's doing better everyday." She said. "That's great." Kya smiled. 

They drank their tea and talked more. Izumi eventually put on a movie for the two of them to watch or talk over. 

Tenzin stood next to Lin as they watched their parents say their goodbyes, the three of them agreeing to see each other again soon. "Well, that wasn't as much of a shit show as I thought it would be." Lin mumbled. Tenzin took her hands in his. "I'm really sorry, Lin. If I would've known my mother was planning this, I would've-" 

"It's okay, Tenzin. Being around my mom and sister is just... difficult for me." Lin said. Tenzin leaned down and kissed Lin gently. "Maybe that will change?" He said. 

"Alright, get me home so you can go to work." Toph approached the couple. "Yeah, I wanna go home. I have school tomorrow." Suyin complained. "You barely even go to school, Su." Lin scowled. "Stop bickering." Toph hit the backs of both Lin and Su's heads at the same time. 

Lin rolled her eyes before looking up at Tenzin. "I'll see you later." She said. Tenzin kissed her again before saying goodbye.

Lin and Toph got in the front seats, Su in the back. "Well that was fun. Been a long time since I've been able to pick on twinkle toes. And now there's two of them! Ha!" Toph laughed.

"Yeah.. So, what did you think of Tenzin?" Lin asked hesitantly. 

"Since when do you care what I think? You've dated losers your whole life without asking for a second opinion." Toph said. 

Lin's eyebrows furrowed at her mother's comment. 

"But," Toph turned her head to Lins direction. "This Tenzin kid seems like a real switch up from the guys you usually see. He's nice." She said. Lin felt a small smile form on her lips at her mother approval. 

After a few more minutes of driving, Lin was in front of her childhood home. Toph got out of the car, said her goodbyes to Lin, and went into the house. 

When Su got out, she stood at the passenger door looking in the window to talk to Lin. "Hey, you know she means it, right?" Su said. Lin nodded her head silently. "Don't be a stranger, Lin." Su started walking away, but she stopped after a few feet. 

"Oh and, sure, Tenzin's good looking. But his sister sure is hot, don't you think?" Su said with a smirk before walking into the house. 

Lin stared at the closed front door with her eyes wide and her jaw slightly dropped. She rolled her eyes and started driving to the station.

"I'll see you later, Kya!" Izumi yelled out as Kya left her home. 

Kya walked down the road, a small convenience store catching her eye. She walked in and looked around the aisles. She grabbed a bag of chips and a bottle of water, then headed to the register. "Is this it?" The cashier asked. Kya nodded her head and got her wallet out and pulled out a five as the cashier told her the total. She exited the store with the bag in her hand and started walking home.

"Hey, Gyatso~" A familiar voice that made Kya roll her eyes came from behind her. "Thought you didn't come out this late anymore? At least not around these parts." The man walked circles around her as he talked. 

"What do you want, Kei?" She said in a low voice. "Just wondering when our little duckling will come waddling back to the pond?" He asked. 

Kya ignored the question and kept her eyes to the ground. 

"I mean, you still have a debt to pay off, don't you?" He said. "It was weed. Was it really that big of a deal?" Kya furrowed her eyebrows. "It's more than just product to the boss. You know that." He snaked his arm around Kya's waist. 

Kya immediately pushed him back. "Keep your hands off of me. Look, I'm done messing with you and your gang, okay? I paid my debt a long time ago, so leave me alone." Kya said. 

"Alright, alright, Gyatso. Hey, whenever you need that extra cash, you know where to find us."  He walked away, leaving Kya alone on the sidewalk. 

Kya's entire body was tense, and she felt herself shaking slightly. 

She'll make sure to get a ride next time... 

Chapter Text

Lin cruised through her route, making sure to keep her eye out for anyone who looked suspicious. She was about to call it a night and head back to the station when she saw a familiar figure walking down the sidewalk. "Kya?" She rolled her window down and yelled out. 

"Shit." Kya mumbled under her breath and started picking up her pace.

"Hey, slow down! I'm not gonna arrest you." Lin got out of her car and followed Kya.

"Well, there's a surprise. But don't be giving me special treatment because you're dating my brother." Kya said.

"So, you get upset when I try to do my job and hold you accountable, but you're also going to get upset if I stop pursuing you? I'm starting to think that maybe you're just looking for reasons not to like me." Lin folded her arms. 

Kya stopped walking and whipped around. That's when Lin noticed her entire body was shaking, and she looked extremely uncomfortable. "Maybe I'm just tired of you following me and my family around like a lost dog? Maybe I'm tired of not being able to walk around my own neighborhood without having to run a marathon every fucking time, Lin!? It's weed, it's not that big of a fucking deal! I am so sick and tired of seeing you everywhere I go. I-I mean, on my walks, at the store, God I couldn't even enjoy movie night with my brother without you crashing the fucking party!" Kya screamed in Lin's face. 

Lin was surprised and stunned at the outburst. She took a couple of steps back. "I-I'm sorry..." She said quietly. 

Kya was breathing heavily. She shook her head before turning back around and continuing her walk home. 

Lin stood on the sidewalk in silence. What was she even supposed to say after that? Was she still supposed to keep this behavior a secret from Tenzin? 

His sister hated her, and Lin wasn't sure she did anything to deserve it. 

Lin realized she was around Kya's family a lot since she and Tenzin started dating, but was she really that much of an inconvenience to Kya? She shuffled back to her car silently.

Kya sat in the kitchen, drinking tea and playing the sudoku on the morning paper. "Morning." She said as Tenzin walked in. 

"Hey. The end of that movie was good. You should've stuck around. Or at least made plans last week to watch a movie with me." Tenzin poured a cup of tea. "Yeah well, didn't want to end up third wheeling again." Kya said, scribbling the newspaper. "You didn't have to third wheel. You could've joined in on the conversation." Tenzin rolled his eyes.

Kya scoffed before taking a drink of tea. 

"What's your problem, anyway? Why do you hate Lin?" Tenzin snapped his head around. 

Kya stayed quiet. She couldn't tell Tenzin the real reason or he'd run off and tell Mom and Dad. "I don't." So, she lied. 

"Well, you don't seem to like her. You're either cooped up in your room or giving snarky comments and rude looks when Lin is here." Tenzin said. "Maybe I just don't like it when someone invades my space." Kya slammed her pencil down. "No one is 'invading your space', Kya. Quit being so dramatic! I'm sorry I wanted to watch a movie with my sister and my girlfriend. It's not that big-" 

"It's that big to me, Tenzin! That- That's our thing... That's always been our thing." Kya's voice cracked a bit. 

Tenzin softened his face and walked towards Kya. "Kya, I'm sorry. I didn't think it was that big of a deal... I thought movie nights were just something you came up with to pass time." Tenzin said. 

"Why do you think Bumi never joined us? We've been doing this since high school, and you didn't once think it was because I wanted to spend time with my little brother?" Kya said, absolutely baffled that Tenzin of all people could be this dense. 

"I'm sorry, Kya. I really enjoy our movie nights. I promise that next time I want to watch a movie with you and Lin, I'll do it on a different night." Tenzin said genuinely. Kya let out a small sigh, feeling somewhat guilty but unsure why. She stood up and hugged Tenzin tightly before emptying her cup and leaving the room.

Lin sat at her kitchen table, picking at her dinner while scribbling something on a notepad. "Lin, your food is getting cold." Tenzin nudged her with his elbow. Lin looked up at him, and all she could think of was what Kya said to her. 

Kya hated Lin.

"Tenzin, can I- can I talk to you about something?" Lin asked hesitantly. "Of course, Lin." Tenzin set his utensils down and turned his full attention to Lin. "Okay, um," Lin started to get nervous. "It's about Kya." She said. Tenzin's face dropped, almost like he was expecting this conversation sooner or later.

"Tenzin, I ran into her the other night, and um- she said something to me that I just... I can't get it out of my head." Lin looked down at her hands. "What was it, Lin?" Tenzin sounded concerned. 

Lin told Tenzin what Kya said. Midnight chases and everything. 

"W-What!?" Tenzin shot up from his seat. "Kya said that to you!? And she's smoking!?" Tenzin was confused by it all. "I- I need to speak with her." He started walking away. 

"Tenzin- Tenzin, wait!" Lin stood up and grabbed his arm. "Look, calm down a bit before you go talk to her. She seemed really shaken up that night and was probably just lashing out at anyone she saw." Lin wasn't sure why she was making excuses for Kya. Lin knew Kya didn't like her from the start.

"That's no excuse to say something like that to you. And- And the smoking? My mother will not be happy to hear that-" 

"Tenzin! Please, just- stop. I'm not pursuing her anymore for the weed. My mom thinks it's a waste of time and resources, and all it's going to do is make Kya hate me more." Lin said. Tenzin sighed.

"Look, this will blow over, okay-" 

"Lin, she's acting ridiculous-"

"Tenzin, we've only been dating for a few months. Sometimes it takes a while for siblings to get used to each other's partners. Trust me, I've hated every one of Su's boyfriends." Lin said. Tenzin sighed again, this time as if he'd been defeated. "Fine... but if it continues, Lin-"

"I know, Tenzin." Lin said. 

A knock came from the other side of Kya's bedroom door. "It's open." Kya said. 

Bumi walked in and shut the door behind him. "Hey, can I ask you about something?" He said. "Yeah, sure." Kya sat up.

Bumi sat down on the edge of the bed and took in a deep breath. "Kya," He sounded concerned. "Who was that guy talking to you the other night after you left Izumi's?" He asked. 

Kya's face froze. "W-What are you talking about?" Kya said. 

"Come on, Kya. We don't lie to each other." Bumi said. 

Kya let out a sigh. "A while back, I met with this guy. I thought he was just a regular guy selling some weed. I- I paid him in full at the time. But he wouldn't leave me alone. He took me to this place, and that was when I found out he was part of a gang. The Creeping Crystal Triad." Kya said. 

"Kya.." Bumi sounded worried. 

"Apparently this guy I bought off of, Kei Xin, told his boss about me. Aang Gyatso's daughter was a pothead, and they thought they could use it as leverage against me. Get me to join their stupid little group." Kya said. 

"And?" Bumi pushed her to talk more about it. 

"And it worked. It worked for a while. I didn't do much for them. Mostly ran some numbers, and divided the product. But when I wanted out... that's when things got out of hand. Big boss man said he'd tip off the police about me working for a gang." Kya furrowed her brows. 

"So? What did you do?" Bumi asked. 

Kya stayed quiet for a moment. "I took the risk. I stopped showing up to meetups, and I never left the house alone or after dark for months." Kya said. 

"Is that why you made me, or Tenzin go to the pharmacy and the stores with you?" Bumi asked. 

Kya nodded her head. "I was terrified. I was so scared that someone would see me out by myself and take matters into their own hands. Or if I were out late with someone else, they could've hurt the other person. I didn't want to put anyone else's life in danger." Kya stared down at her hands. 

"But you started going out again. Why?" Bumi asked. 

"I was only going to do it a couple of times. I was stressed. Just wanted to smoke without worrying about Mom or Dad catching me." Kya said. "So why did you start going out like three times a week?" Bumi asked. 

Kya thought for a second. "Honestly... I started getting caught. By Lin." Kya said. 

Bumi looked confused. "And that made you want to go out more?" He chuckled. 

"I figured if I had a cop following me all the time, Kei Xin and his friends would leave me alone. And it worked. Surprisingly, Lin chasing me made me feel-" Kya stopped herself. She shocked herself at what she was about to say. 

Bumi raised an eyebrow. He decided not to prod his sister. He stood up. "Hey, Kya?" He looked at his little sister. "If you're ever in any trouble... don't hesitate to ask for my help." He said. Bumi walked out of Kya's room, shutting the door behind him.

Kya laid back in her bed and stared at the ceiling. She couldn't believe herself. 

Surprisingly, Lin chasing me made me feel... safe...

Chapter Text

Just like any other morning, Kya got up, took a shower, made her tea, and sat at the table with the morning paper. But unlike any other morning, Tenzin didn't speak a word to her when he entered the kitchen.

"Hey, airhead." Kya teased. He still said nothing. "Hello? Did you go deaf overnight?" Kya smiled. "No, but I know what you said to Lin. And I know how you've been treating her when I'm not around." Tenzin spoke quietly as he faced away from Kya.

Kya gasped slightly. "Tenzin- I'm-"

"Don't. There's nothing to apologize for since Lin somehow believes you don't mean any of it. She didn't even want me saying anything to you." Tenzin was clearly upset with her.

And rightfully so, Kya thought.

But Lin.. how could Lin still not hate her after everything she's done?

"Just.. stop treating my girlfriend like crap, Kya, just because you got caught doing something illegal." Tenzin looked back at her.

Kya's eyes widened in surprise. "Tenzin, please don't say anything to Mom, I-"

"I'm not. She'd ground you for years. Whether you're an adult or not. I don't like the way you've been treating Lin. And I surely don't like the fact you've been secretly smoking under Mom and Dad's roof. But telling them would just cause more problems." Tenzin still spoke in a low voice.

That's how Kya knew he was upset with her.

"Thank you. I don't deserve you keeping this a secret for me." Kya let her head hang.

"No, you don't." Tenzin left the kitchen with his cup of tea in hand.

Kya sighed before taking her cup to the sink and dumping the almost full cup of tea down the drain. She wasn't in the mood for tea anymore. She dragged her feet behind her as she walked up the stairs.

"What's up?" Bumi nudged her shoulder as he passed her in the hallway.

"Nothing. Leave me alone." She kept walking. Bumi stopped in his tracks and followed his sister to her room. Kya went to slam the door behind her, but Bumi stopped it with his foot.

"Ow! Shit! Dammit!" Bumi held his foot as he hopped on the other.

"Yeah, dumbass. I slammed the door." Kya sat down on her bed.

"What's wrong?" Bumi sat next to her, rubbing his foot. "I fucked up, Bumi. Tenzin hates me and it's my own fault." Kya said. Bumi shook his head. "He doesn't hate you. You're his sister. He's probably just mad right now." He said. "And he should be. I've been acting like a child for the past two months." Kya placed her elbows on her knees and rested her head in her hands.

"Care to elaborate?" Bumi prodded. Kya sighed, "You know how I told you Lin has been catching me when I go out?" she said. Bumi nodded his head silently.

"Well, I- I haven't exactly been the nicest to Lin since she and Tenzin started dating." Kya sighed.

Bumi didn't say anything, hoping Kya would continue.

"I yelled at her in the street the other night after running into Xin. The first night we met her, I called her a pig who was rummaging through our house." Kya sounded disappointed in herself.

Bumi chuckled a bit at the last part, not meaning to.

"Bumi!" Kya swatted at his arm. "It's not funny!" She said. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Look," Bumi placed a reassuring hand on Kya's shoulder, "Tenzin doesn't hate you. As I said, he's just mad. He'll get over it. But maybe apologizing to Lin wouldn't hurt? And maybe start being a bit nicer to her?" Bumi suggested. Kya nodded her head. "I guess I'll have to swallow my pride for a few minutes, huh?" Kya chuckled lightly.

"Yeah, you will. But it'll be worth it in the long run." Bumi smiled at Kya.

Kya smiled back before leaning into her brother, letting him hug her. "Thanks, Bumi. You always know when I need a hug." She smiled.

Lin's head hurt.

The conversation with Tenzin last week, and the long shifts her mother has her working was making her tired. And honestly a little angry. Lin hoped Tenzin hadn't said anything to Kya about their conversation. But knowing his loudmouth-

"Lin!" Her mother's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

She looked up and saw her mom waving her into her office. Lin got up and made her way toward her mom.

"What?" She deadpanned. "Lin, have a seat." Toph shut the door. Lin sat down and waited for her mom to sit across from her, but she just stood there. "Lin, I know I don't say it too often, but I've been really impressed with your work lately." She began. Lin raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Uh, wow, thanks, Chief. I wasn't expecting to hear that." She said. "I've been working you long hours these past few weeks. I wanted to see if you could handle it." Toph said.

"If I could handle it?" Lin asked.

"Lin, you're a great detective. And you really know how to put the other detectives in their place. I'm not doing this because I'm your mother, I'm doing this because you're damn good at what you do." Toph folded her arms. "Doing what?" Lin furrowed her brows in confusion.

"Lin, you passed your Sergeants exam." Toph smirked.

Lin's face lit up. "Wait, seriously?" She shot up from her seat.

"Yes, Lin. I'm glad to have a new Sergeant in our department." Toph said. Lin wanted to hug her mother but knew it would feel too awkward. "Thanks, Chief." Lin nodded her head while trying to hold back her smile. As she was walking out of the door, her mother stopped her. "Hey, Lin," "Yeah?" Lin turned around and looked at her.

"As your chief, good luck." Toph's expression softened. "But as your mother... I'm proud of you." She said.

Lin smiled at her mom before returning to her desk. She grabbed her jacket and picked up her desk phone. Lin listened to it ring a few times before Tenzin answered.

"Hey, Lin." He said.

"Hey, you, me, Kwongs Cuisine tonight."

"You sound happy. What happened?" Tenzin said.

"I got promoted to Sergeant." Lin smiled. "Lin! That's great!" Tenzin sounded ecstatic. "Yeah, we can definitely have dinner tonight. I'll meet you there at eight." Tenzin said. Lin hung up the phone and clocked out before heading home to get ready for her date.

Chapter Text

Lin searched through her closet, looking for an outfit. She pulled out a black and gold jumpsuit and decided it was good enough. She got dressed and placed earrings in her ears.

Lin checked the time.

7:34PM

She slipped on her shoes and grabbed her wallet, then headed out the door.

"Bumi, let mom and dad know I'll be back!" Kya yelled down the hallway. "Where ya headed!?" Bumi yelled back. "If they ask, to the convenient store!" Kya said.

"Yeah, sure. I know what that means!" Kya could hear Bumi laughing from his room. She walked out of the house, closing the door behind her.

As Kya walked down the dark street, she placed a joint in her mouth and lit the lighter. She took a couple of hits and ashed the joint on the sidewalk.

"Smoking anything good?" A deep voice came from behind her.

Kya froze and almost dropped the joint from her hand.

"Can we join you?" Another voice said.

Kya turned around and two men she recognized were standing close behind her. "Give her some space, guys. Don't corner the girl." Now that voice she recognized. Kya turned back around. "What do you want, Kei?" She said. "Just wanted to talk." He leaned in. "Well, I don't." Kya started to walk away when a hand grabbed her wrist and jerked her back. She dropped the joint on the ground and Kei Xin stepped on it. "I don't think you get to make that choice." He grabbed Kya by the chin.

Kya pulled her hand back and slapped Kei hard in the face. "Don't touch me!" She yelled.

The other man with Kei grabbed Kya's arm." Big mistake, Kya. Big mistake." Kya's eyes widened as the two men drug her into a nearby alley.

If there was a better time for Lin to catch Kya, Kya wouldn't know it.

Lin walked down the sidewalk with a smile stained on her face. She just got the promotion of a lifetime, and she couldn't be happier. Nothing could dampen the mood she was in.

Nothing but the sound of a slap and a scream coming from a woman nearby.

Lin rushed to the sound, finding three men standing around a familiar woman. "K-Kya?" Lin said in disbelief.

Kya looked up, tired and weak. She had bruises on her face and blood dripping from her nose and lip. "Kya!-"

"And who do you think you are? Stopping us from doing our business?" Kei said.

"The sergeant of the RCPD, and you three need to leave her alone." Lin reached into her hand bag and pulled out her gun.

The three men backed away from Kya. "Hey, calm down there, Sarg. We were just chatting with an old business partner." One of the men said.

Old business partner?

Lin didn't have time to think about that. "I suggest you leave." She said.

Kei took a step back, and that's when Lin noticed the little dime bag of white powder on the ground.

"Whose is it?" She demanded.

They all looked down. "It's the lady's." One of the men said. "Yeah, she was trying to sell it to us." The other man said with a smirk. Kya looked down at the bag, then up at Lin.

Shit. This is it. Lin's been looking for a reason to bust me for months.

Kya looked down at the ground, hating herself for leaving the house in the first place.

"Like I'd buy that bullshit." Lin scowled.

The three men went on the defensive. One of them kicked dust and rocks up at Lin, making her lower the gun and cover her face. "Come on!" Kei yelled before the three men sprinted away.

"Hey, wait!" Lin went to chase after them, but the sound of Kya collapsing to the ground stopped her. "Shit," Lin rushed to her side.

She helped Kya up, throwing one of Kya's arms around her neck. "I'm fine, I can get home on my- ah!" Kya yelled in pain as she held her side.

"Come on, my apartment is only a block from here. I have some first aid stuff there." Lin said as she helped Kya walk.

Lin helped Kya sit on the couch before grabbing the first aid kit from the bathroom.

"So, Sergeant, huh?" Kya asked as Lin cleaned the blood up from her nose and mouth. "Yeah. Got the news today." Lin said quietly.

They sat in silence for a moment while Lin did her thing.

"So um, going out to celebrate?" Kya gestured to Lin's outfit. "Yeah, I was on my way to meet Tenzin for dinner when- dammit," Lin set the first aid box on the coffee table and rushed to the phone. "Everything okay?" Kya asked. "I need to tell Tenzin I won't make it to dinner." Lin said.

Kya felt a pang of guilt in her chest knowing she'd ruined her brother's date.

After a few minutes on the phone, Lin hung up and sat back down next to Kya.

"Nice place you got." Kya said softly. "Thanks." Lin said. Kya could tell Lin was nervous by the way her body tensed up and the way she kept moving around in her seat.

"Why didn't you believe them? About the bag on the ground?" Kya asked. Lin chuckled. "You smoke weed, Kya. Not whatever the hell was on the ground. We might not be friends, but there's no chance in hell I would believe Tenzin's sister is doing hard drugs." Kya was shocked. She knew she would've deserved it if Lin arrested her tonight. And she can't believe she didn't.

"Lin," Kya leaned forward. "I'm sorry." She said. Lin was surprised at the words that came out of her mouth. "What?" She asked.

"I've been treating you like shit. Being mean to you and yelling at you. And all you've done is.. your job. And you've just taken everything I've said to you." Kya looked down at her feet as she spoke.

"Hey, it's fine-" Lin said.

"Tenzin told me you didn't want him saying anything to me but, I'm glad he did. I'm genuinely sorry for the way I've been acting, Lin. I'm glad you're dating my brother." Kya looked up at her.

Lin smiled softly at Kya. "Thank you for apologizing." She said. Kya smiled back at her.

"Lin? Is everything okay- Kya?" Tenzin came through the front door. "Hey, Tenzin." Kya said awkwardly. "Is everything okay?" He asked more hesitantly. "Everything's fine, Tenzin." Lin said.

"Everything?" Tenzin raised an eyebrow.

Kya and Lin looked at each other before Kya gave a small smile back to her brother and nodded her head.

"Kya, what happened to your face?" Tenzin sat next to his sister. "I could ask the same thing." Kya retorted with a smile. Tenzin rolled his eyes as Lin snickered at Kya's remark. "Lin, do you still want to go out?" Tenzin turned his head to look at Lin. Lin looked between Tenzin and Kya. "No, actually I was wondering if you just wanted to pick something up and watch a movie." She said. "Alright, that sounds fine." Tenzin said.

"Kya, do you want to join us?" Lin asked.

Kya looked up with a surprised look. She looked at Tenzin, expecting to see a face telling her to say no, tell her that she should spend time with her boyfriend.

But instead, Tenzin was smiling at her. He gave her a look of encouragement. "I'd love to. Thank you, Lin." Kya said.

Tenzin stood up and walked towards the door. "This is great! I'll go get some food from that place you like, Kya. Lin, it's great, you'll love it. I'll even pick up milkshakes from that ice cream shop that's open late and-" "Okay, Tenzin." Lin chuckled. "We'll see you when you get back." She kissed him before he walked out of the door.

Lin sat next to Kya and turned on the television. "Anything specific you'd like to watch?" She asked.

"Anything you chose is fine. After all, it is your celebration." Kya smiled. Lin smiled back at Kya before flipping through the movies.

Chapter Text

Lin sat at home drinking her coffee. Finally, a day off. She was ready to lay back, relax and-

Ring... ring...

Of course.

Lin got up and answered the phone. "Hello?" She deadpanned. "Lin, I need a favor." Her mother answered on the other line. "Mother, it's my day off. What could possibly be so important-"

"Su isn't in school. I dropped her off there this morning, but apparently, she never went in. I need you to check my house, and if she's not there, look around town." Toph demanded.

Lin let out a heavy sigh. "Fine. But on my next day off, I'm unhooking my phone line." Lin hung up the phone.

She went back to her bedroom and put on her uniform. She put on her shoes then headed out of the door. Lin started her car and drove down the street, taking a shortcut to her mother's house.

When she pulled into the driveway and approached the door, she could hear laughter from inside. Lin opened the door and saw Suyin sitting on the top of the sofa with two boys. "Su, what're you doing at home?" She demanded.

"Wow. You almost look like a real cop!" Suyin exclaimed, causing the boys to snicker.

"You're supposed to be in school." Lin folded her arms. Su rolled her eyes. "Oh no! What? Are you going to tell Mom?" She said sarcastically. "It's not like she's going to care." "Mom's the one who sent me here on my day off." Lin looked at the boy sitting next to Su in the chair. "Where'd you get all that stuff?" He was rummaging through a backpack.

"Oh, it fell off the back of a truck." He said nonchalantly.

"What are you doing hanging out with these losers?" Lin asked. "They're my friends and you have no right to call them that!" Suyin got in Lin's face. "Come on guys, let's get out of here." Su started walking away, the two boys following her. Lin put her hand on Su's shoulder, making her stop. "Su, stop-"

"Get your hands off of me!" Su pushed her away.

"You have so much potential... You're ruining your life!" Lin yelled. "At least I have a life!" Suyin snapped back before walking out of the door with her friends, slamming it behind her.

Lin glared as she looked at the closed door.

She rolled her eyes. She took a minute, making sure Suyin had left before walking out of the door and getting back in the squad car.

Lin sat her keys down on the stand near the door and walked over to the phone, dialing her mom's desk number.

"Hello?"

"Well, Suyin was home. She was with these two boys she called her friends." Lin reported. "Ugh, what am I gonna do with her?" Toph sighed. "I don't know, maybe reprimand her for her actions?" Lin spoke with an attitude. "I don't wanna hear it from you. Unhook your phone line or whatever." Lin quickly pulled the phone away from her ear as she heard her mother slam the phone down on the other line.

Lin sighed before pulling off her work shirt, a white tank top on underneath. She looked over at the box she'd gotten in the mail and couple of weeks ago. She opened it and pulled out the cables. Her mother sent them out to every officer in the department. They had weights on each end and were meant to be used for catching suspects from a far distance.

I should've taken them that night I ran into Kya and those guys.

Lin held the cables in each hand and started practicing with them. She figured if she were Sergeant, she should learn to use these tools to the best of her abilities, and practicing every day since getting them was the best way she knew how to do it.

She tossed a cable towards the wooden beam that stood in between her living room and her kitchen, wrapping it around and then pulling it tight. Then, she did the same with the other cable.

Knocks came from her door, and Lin dropped the cables from her hands.

She opened the door and Tenzin's smiling face greeted her. "Hey, what're you doing here?" Lin said, wiping the little bit of sweat coming from her forehead.

"I knew you had a day off, so I figured we could go out to lunch?" Tenzin asked.

"Uh, sure. Let me get changed." Lin said, letting Tenzin inside and shutting the door.

Tenzin raised an eyebrow, cocked his head, and pointed towards the cables still wrapped around the wooden beam. "Oh, that's something my mother wants us to learn how to use. It's supposed to be for catching suspects from a distance or something?" Lin said. Tenzin nodded his head and took a seat on the couch.

Lin quickly changed and walked back to the living room. She stopped at a picture in the hallway.

Lin and Suyin when Lin graduated from the police academy.

She picked up the picture and sighed. "Lin, is everything okay?" Tenzin stood behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Lin sighed again. "Su didn't go to school today. My mom sent me to her house to see if she was there and she was."

"What did you do?" Tenzin asked.

"She was there with these two boys. They had a backpack full of stuff that I assume they'd stolen. I called them losers and she got in my face. And when I tried to stop her from leaving, she pushed me and told me that I had no life." Lin said.

"Lin, I'm sorry." Tenzin hugged her. "It's fine Tenzin. Come on, let's go to lunch." Lin said.

Kya knocked on Izumi's door and waited for an answer.

"Kya! It's great to see you again!" Izumi smiled at her.

"It's great to see you too." Kya hugged Izumi tight.

Izumi let Kya in, and they sat at the kitchen table. "How've you been?" Izumi asked. "A rough couple of nights here and there, but otherwise, good." Kya said.

"Things still rocky with Tenzin and Lin?" Izumi asked. "Actually, I think Lin and I are kind of friends?" Kya said hesitantly, not sure if that's what Lin would call them. "Really? That's surprising since the last time we talked; you hated her guts." Izumi said. "Yeah well, some stuff happened. Let's just say she saved my ass." Kya sighed. "How?" Izumi questioned.

"Uh.. I ran into some bad guys and-"

"Is that what happened to your face?" Izumi interrupted.

Kya nodded her head. "Yeah, Lin broke it up and they went running. She took me back to her apartment and cleaned up my face, then she, Tenzin, and I watched a movie and ate some takeout." She said.

"Sounds like everything is fine with you two. That's really good." Izumi smiled.

The kettle on the stove started whistling and Izumi got up to pour the tea.

Chapter Text

By the time Kya and Izumi finished talking and hanging out, and Kya safely made her way back to her house, she was incredibly tired. "Hey, honey. How's Izumi?" Her mother asked as soon as she walked in the door.

Kya reminded herself that Izumi didn't want her parents to know about the pregnancy. "She's great, Mom." She answered. "You've been wearing a lot more makeup lately." Katara said. Kya raised an eyebrow at her mom. "Is that a problem?" She asked.

"No, not at all." Katara flipped through the pages of her magazine. "Just wondering who the lucky fella is, is all." She smirked to herself.

Kya was taken back. The reason she was wearing makeup was so her parents didn't see the bruises on her face. Surely not for some man.

But of course, they didn't know any different...

"It's no one, Mom. A woman can wear makeup for herself, ya know?" Kya said. Katara chuckled as Kya made her way upstairs and to her room.

Kya started walking into her room when she noticed Tenzin's bedroom door was open. She approached the door and looked inside. It was empty. She walked in and looked around a bit. He always keeps things neat and put away. Very minimalistic.

The opposite of Kya.

Kya looked at the map of the nations on Tenzin's wall, just above his desk. Her eyes moved down to look at the desk and a picture of Bumi, Tenzin, and herself caught her eye. She picked it up and smiled at it. Other than pencils, notebooks, and a small globe, the picture was the only thing on Tenzin's desk.

"Kya?" A voice came from behind her.

Kya turned around and her father stood in the doorway.

"What're you doing in Tenzin's room?" He asked. "The door was open. I thought he was home." Kya said. "What do you have there?" Aang approached Kya and took the picture out of her hand. "It was on his desk. I was just looking at it." She said in a tired voice. "Everything okay, honey?" Aang sat the picture down on the desk.

"Yeah, I-" Kya paused. "It's just..." She wasn't sure what to say.

Aang took in a deep breath. He wrapped his arm around her head and pulled Kya into him, kissing her temple. "You're tired, droplet. Go get some sleep." He said in a gentle voice.

Kya made her way to her room and closed the door. She shut off the light and sat on her bed. She thought for a minute before turning on the lamp, opening the bottom drawer of her nightstand, and pulling out her rolling tray.

Kya sighed as she did what she does on most nights. When she was finished, she closed the drawer, grabbed her lighter, and opened her bedroom window. As she sat on the ledge, taking hits off of the joint every once in a while, she beat herself up on the inside. Even though things were somewhat fine, Kya still hated herself for the way she acted.

"Hey," Bumi's voice made her jump.

"Fuck, Bumi, I could've fallen off the roof!" Kya whisper yelled. Bumi laughed quietly. "Mind if I join you?" He said before climbing out of the window.

Kya handed the joint to him.

They sat with each other, handing the joint back and forth until it was too small to hold without burning their fingertips.

Lin drove down the road in her squad car. It was the middle of the day, and she had just gotten off her lunch break.

"Calling all units. Property reported stolen on the corner of 5th and Harbor. The suspect's vehicle is headed on Hallow Boulevard. Units responding, identify." Lin's radio went off.

Lin was on Hallow Boulevard. She picked up the radio. "Unit three responding."

The car drove straight passed her, so Lin quickly turned around, and turned her lights on. She sped up next to them, and attempted to get them to pull over, but instead, they rammed their car into Lins and kept driving. She followed and did the same to them, causing them to steer off the road and crash into a nearby fruit stand.

Two boys run out from the back and try to get away, but backup stopped them before they got too far. As Lin started walking toward the two boys to arrest them, a voice calling out made her stop. "Leave them alone!"

Lin turned around and her eyes widened in horror and shock.

"Su?" Suyin was getting out of the driver's seat of the wrecked car.

She looked down at the ground and then back up at her older sister with a scowl.

"So, you're robbing stores with the Terra Triad now?" Lin said angrily. "I didn't steal anything. I just drove the car. I owed my friends and favor, it's not a big deal!" Suyin threw her arms out.

"I'm not letting you get away with this." Lin gripped the cables at her hips. "Oh, what are you gonna do, Officer? Arrest me?" Suyin said sarcastically then she started to walk away.

"Don't even think about taking one more step!" Lin yelled.

Suyin stopped, but only for a second before she ignored her sister and kept walking. Lin clenched her jaw, then tossed one of the cables towards Su. It wrapped around her wrist and stopped Su dead in her tracks.

Suyin looked back as Lin pulled on the cables. She furrowed her brows in anger, before pulling out a knife with her free hand and cutting the cables without hesitation.

The force of Lin pulling on the cable caused it to snap back at her...

And Suyin was horrified at the sound of her sister's screams, and the gashes across her face.

Lin barged into the Air Temple without even knocking. "Katara!" Katara could help. Katara was a doctor. Everything would be fine. "Katara!" She yelled louder. A door opened from upstairs. "Lin? No one's here. Is everything okay?"

It was Kya.

Lin's stomach dropped when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. She rushed across the living room and went into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

Kya noticed the blood on the floor when she reached the second to last step. "Oh shit." She followed it to the closed bathroom door. "Lin, this is a lot of blood. Are you okay?" Kya sounded genuinely concerned.

Lin had water running in the bathroom and was frantically trying to stop the cuts on her face from bleeding.

The salty tears rolling down from her eyes didn't help the pain. But she wasn't crying because it hurt. She was crying because she was pissed off.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck! Why won't it stop!?" She said to herself.

"What won't stop? Lin, were you shot or something?" Kya asked.

"No! Fuck, Kya, just go the hell away! I'm fine!" Lin yelled.

"Lin, let me help, if you're bleeding this much, you're not fine." Kya said.

Lin stayed silent while she kept trying to stop the blood herself.

"Lin, let me in."

Blood was all over Lin's uniform, and she was pretty sure it was starting to get on the clothes she wore underneath as well.

"Please?"

It was all over the floor.

"Lin?"

It just wouldn't fucking stop.

"Come on, let me-"

Lin pulled the door open harshly and it slammed against the wall.

"Holy fuck, Lin!?" Kya rushed inside. "It won't stop." Lin was still crying.

"No shit, you need a hospital!" Kya said. "No, I- I can't go to the hospital." Lin stammered. Kya looked at her in disbelief. "Bull-fucking-shit, Beifong." She said.

"Look, I'm being serious right now, Kya! I'm not going to the hospital. Just- do something!" Lin said.

"Your face is literally gushing blood right now, Lin. What the fuck do you expect me to do!?" Kya held her hands up. Lin and Kya stared at each other for a second, and Lin's eyes looked toward the copious amounts of medical supplies Kya's mother kept in their bathroom. Kya turned to see what she was looking at, then looked back at Lin.

"No..." She shook her head slowly.

Lin hissed in pain as the needle went through her face one final time.

"Hey, you wanted me to do this. Hold still." Kya barked. She finished the stitches and started to gently swab away at the bits of dried blood left on Lin's face. "I can't believe I just did this." Kya said to herself. "You are so lucky my mother has been giving me medical training since I was a kid." She said to Lin.

"Thanks..." Lin said quietly.

Kya paused and pulled the cotton swab back. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about." Kya said softly.

"I'm gonna have ugly ass scars across my face for the rest of my life." Lin scoffed.

"How did this even happen, Lin?" Kya threw the cotton swab in the trash and got another one. Lin took a deep breath in, ignoring Kya's question.

"Alright, you don't have to answer. But I think it's safe for me to assume it had something to do with that car you were chasing?" Kya said. Lin jerked her head and looked at Kya.

"I can't clean the dried blood if I can't see it." Kya gently grabbed Lin's chin and made her face the other way.

After a couple of moments, Lin spoke up, "How did you know about the car chase?" She asked. "I like to listen to the scanner sometimes. Ya know, for fun." Kya said.

Lin felt tears forming in her eyes again. "Suyin did it." She said. "Su? Your sister?" Kya said in disbelief. Lin nodded her head.

"What a bitch." Kya mumbled, making Lin laugh lightly.

"You know, all she did was make you look more badass." Kya said. Lin tried to hide the small smile forming on her face.

Kya placed a patch over the wound and put medical tape over it, "There. You're all done." she stepped back and threw the used supplies into the waste bin.

They walked out of the bathroom and Lin immediately hid her face in her hands. "Holy shit. There is so much blood on the floor." She said. "It's okay, we'll get it cleaned up." Kya placed a hand on Lin's shoulder.

Lin looked up at her and gave a shy smile, and Kya returned the same look.

Chapter Text

Kya and Lin scrubbed the floors clean before Kya's parents got home.

Lin sat at the kitchen island while Kya stood at the counter, pouring a milkshake into two glasses.

Lin gently pressed her fingers against the bandage on her face. Kya saw the saddened look on her face and took in a deep breath. "You know, when Bumi and I were younger, we got into this fight. Things escalated a bit, and Bumi pushed me. Not too hard, but hard enough to make me trip over some cables." She sat the glass down in front of Lin. "I ended up falling, and I got a large gash on my side from the coffee table." Kya lifted her shirt to reveal a large horizontal scar on her left side.

Lin's breath hitched when she saw the scar. "Bumi did that to you?" She asked.

Kya nodded her head. "Not on purpose, of course." She said.

Lin looked down at her hands.

"Look, the point is... you don't have to be embarrassed about it... at least, not around me." Kya said.

Lin gave her a weak smile.

Lin was chatting with a coworking when her phone ringing interrupted her. "Hello?" Lin answered.

"Get your ass to my office. Now." Her mother demanded on the other end before slamming the phone down.

Lin jumped at the loud noise before putting her phone back in her pocket. She gave a quick goodbye to her coworker and made her way to the station.

"What were you thinking?" Toph gestured angrily toward Suyin. "And what were you thinking!?" She said to Lin.

"What?" Lin furrowed her brows.

"You two have put me in an impossible position." Toph sighed. "You're mad at me?" Lin glared at Suyin, "She's the one who's been running around with criminals!" She said with attitude. "This is all your fault!" Suyin glared back. "I was doing my job!" Lin yelled.

"All right, enough! Here's what we're going to do. Su, you need to leave the city as soon as possible." Toph said.

"What?" Suyin shot up.

"Huh?" Lin clenched her fists.

"Where am I supposed to go!?" Suyin's voice cracked. "You'll go stay with your grandparents." Lin scoffed. "Lin, give me the arrest report." Toph demanded.

Lin obeyed and handed her mother the report. To Lin's surprise, she ripped it up.

"Mom, what are you doing!? You can't cover this! There were witnesses!" Lin yelled. "I'm the Chief of Police!-"

"She scarred my fucking face!" Lin snapped back.

"I can't have a daughter in jail!" Toph yelled. "So, once again, Suyin gets to do whatever she wants and there are no consequences!?" Lin said. Toph sat down and placed her head in her hands. "This is our only option." She sighed. "You could throw her in jail-"

"She just said she can't have a daughter in jail." Suyin glared at Lin.

"Well maybe that's where you belong since you wanna act like a-"

"Lin! Out of my office." Toph slammed her hand down on the desk. "What?" Lin was shocked. "Go home. Take a few days off and let your face heal." Toph said. "Mom-"

"I said go!" Toph yelled.

Lin shot up and kicked the chair across the office. She made sure to slam the door hard on her way out.

Lin picked up the phone and dialed the number. "Please pick up." She said to herself.

"Hello?" A feminine voice answered on the other end.

"Uh- Kya... is Tenzin home?" Lin sniffled. "No, he's still out with Bumi- Is everything okay?" Kya could hear Lin crying in the other line. "Everything's fine- I just- I-" Lin broke down.

Kya's heart stung hearing the Beifong's cries over the phone. "Lin- hey, Lin-" Kya tried to get her attention, "Hey, get ready." she said loudly.

Lin became silent for a moment. "Get ready for what?" She asked after a few seconds.

"I'm gonna take you to this authentic Water Tribe restaurant. They have great noodles, and I know it always cheers me up when I'm in a bad mood." Kya smiled, hoping it would get through the phone to Lin.

A sniffle came from the other line before Lin responded, "Alright. I'll go get dressed." she said. Kya hung up the phone and went to get dressed.

"Where you headed?" Her mom asked as she walked down the stairs. "I'm taking Lin to that Water Tribe restaurant." Kya answered, grabbing her wallet.

"Well, that's nice." Katara smiled.

"Yeah, I'll be home later, Mom. Love you." Kya swiftly walked out of the door and made her way into the city.

The drive to the restaurant was painfully quiet, other than directions. But things didn't seem as awkward as Kya thought they would be.

They ordered their food and when it came to the table, Lin looked at her bowl of noodles cautiously. "Trust me, they're delicious." Kya said before taking a bite.

Lin took a deep breath and picked up her chopsticks. She picked up a couple of noodles and threw them into her mouth. And to her surprise, "Wow. This food is actually pretty good." she said.

"It's my favorite restaurant in all of Republic City." Kya said. "I can see why." Lin said, taking another bite.

"So... Can I ask why you were crying over the phone?" Kya asked hesitantly.

Lin let out a sigh and let her chopsticks rest in the bowl. She leaned back in her seat and frowned. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to dampen the mood." Kya said, reaching a hand across the table.

"No, it's okay. You didn't. My mom called me into the station earlier." Lin said. "And?" Kya prodded. "She ripped up Suyin's arrest report." Lin said after a few moments.

"What!?" Kya said loudly, gaining a few looks from neighboring tables.

Kya quickly composed herself seeing Lin become tense at all the unwanted attention. "Why would she do that?" She said a bit quieter.

"She said she can't have a daughter in jail. But apparently, one scarred is fine." Lin said sarcastically, upset by her mother's actions.

"Is that why you couldn't go to the hospital?" Kya asked.

Lin nodded her head. "Just a precaution. My mom wants to cover it up. She's making Su go to Gaoling and she told me to take a couple of days off. Let my face heal or whatever." Lin started picking at her food, "She told me we both put her in a difficult position-"

"You were just doing your job." Kya said with an attitude, which made Lin chuckle a bit. Kya raised an eyebrow at her.

"So now you're okay with me doing my job?" Lin joked.

"Oh, shut up, Beifong." Kya rolled her eyes. Lin laughed lightly before she and Kya continued with their meals.

"Bumi, have you seen Kya around?" Tenzin asked. Bumi pulled his head out of the fridge to shake it at Tenzin.

"Oh, she took Lin to that Water Tribe restaurant downtown." Katara answered from the kitchen table. Tenzin furrowed his brows in confusion. "Did she say why?" He asked.

Katara shook her head. "No, just where she was going and that she'd be home later."

Tenzin picked up the phone and tried calling Lin's number, receiving a voicemail instead. "Hey, Lin. It's Tenzin. My mom told me Kya took you to that Water Tribe restaurant. It's great to see you and my sister on good terms. Anyway, call me when you get this." Tenzin hung up the phone.

Almost like he had rung a bell, the second Tenzin sat the phone down, Kya and Lin came through the front door.

"I'm home!" Kya yelled out.

"Hey- Oh gosh, Lin!" Tenzin rushed to her after seeing the bandages on her face. He reached up to touch them, but Lin instinctively slapped his hand away, shocking Tenzin. "Sorry- It just... really hurts, is all." She said, feeling embarrassed for not wanting her face touched. "It's okay. What happened?" Tenzin took Lin's hands and guided her to sit on the couch.

Kya walked into the living room and leaned against the counter by the fridge. "Hey, hand me a water." She said to Bumi. He leaned up with a few things in his hands, one of them being Kya's water, and he shut the door with his hips dramatically.

Kya laughed at her brother before opening the bottle. "So, you and Lin are friends now?" Bumi asked.

"Well of course they are. Why wouldn't they be?" Katara asked.

Bumi and Kya exchanged a look at each other, then back at their mom. "Oh, you just know how older siblings can be." Bumi said nonchalantly. "If that isn't the truth. Your Uncle Sokka used to give your father a hard time all the time." Katara laughed at the memories. Kya and Bumi smiled at their mom before returning to their conversation, talking quietly this time. "I think we're friends? I mean, I'm not yelling at her anymore and-"

"And you took her to a restaurant and cleaned blood off of the floor with her the other day." Bumi said.

Kya's eyes widened. "How'd you know about that?" She asked.

"I came home and saw it everywhere. I was gonna yell for someone, but then I heard you and Lin talking in the bathroom. Were you really putting stitches in her face?" Bumi asked. Kya sighed heavily. "Yeah... she uh- she couldn't go to the hospital, so I helped her with what Mom keeps here." She explained. "What happened?" Bumi asked.

Kya looked past him and focused her attention on Lin in the living room. She started pointing out her features in her head.

Green eyes, pale skin... black hair...

"Kya?" Bumi snapped her out of her thoughts. "What happened?" He asked again. "Uh, it's not really my place to tell. If Lin wants to open up about it, she will." Kya said before pushing past him and rushing to her room.

She grabbed clothes and headed to the bathroom to shower.

When she finished, she went back to her room, hearing Lin say her goodbyes to Kya's family from downstairs.

"Let Kya know I said bye. And thanks for picking up the bill. I had a good time with her tonight." Kya heard Lin say before the door shut.

Kya stood at the top of the steps, looking down at them for a moment. She went to her room thinking about what Lin said.

Let Kya know I said bye ...  I had a good time with her tonight.

Kya could picture the smile on Lin's face as she said it. She lay on her bed and rolled over to her side, looking at all of the pictures on her wall, and the trinkets on her shelves.

Green eyes, pale skin... black hair...

Chapter Text

Lin groaned as she ran the toothbrush across her teeth. Her face hurt like a bitch. If she weren't a cop, she probably would've given Su a couple of scars to match.

She pulled on her pants and figured the white tank top was fine given it was still warm enough outside. After getting her shoes on, Lin got into her car and made her way to the Air Temple.

Tenzin invited her over for breakfast, hoping it would keep her mind off of her forced vacation.

"Lin, it's so good to see you." Katara hugged her as she opened the door. "Hi, Katara. Where's Tenzin?" She asked. "He's upstairs in his room." Katara said, gesturing to the stairs. Lin walked up the stairs while Katara returned to the kitchen.

She was walking to Tenzin's room when Kya's door swung open as Lin was in front of it. Kya jumped and let out a yelp, not expecting to see Lin there. "Sorry! I was heading to Tenzin's room." Lin apologized, almost forgetting Kya didn't hate her anymore. "It's okay, I was just going down for breakfast." Kya said.

Lin noticed her long brown hair was pulled up into a messy bun and her sweatpants were riding low on her hips.

"Katara's still cooking." She said. Kya looked down the hallway to see both Bumi's and Tenzin's doors still closed. "That explains why those two losers are still in bed." Kya said. "Uh- Tenzin's still sleeping?" Lin asked. "Probably. He doesn't get up on Saturdays until breakfast is done." Kya said. "You can sit in here until he wakes up if you want?" She raised an eyebrow toward Lin. "Sure." Lin nodded her head and Kya let her into her room.

As they walked in, Lin could smell the cannabis that Kya presumably smoked this morning. "Well, Su is in Gaoling." Lin said as she and Kya sat on the bed. Kya scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Why Gaoling?" she asked. "My grandparents live there." Lin said. "Huh. So, your mom is from the Earth Kingdom?" Kya asked.

"Yep. My grandparents are the great Lao and Poppy Beifong." Lin sighed.

Kya's eyes widened and her head jerked to look at Lin. "Lao and Poppy Beifong are your grandparents? They're like, one of the richest families in the Earth Kingdom." She said, shocked.

Lin silently nodded her head. "Yeah, and they're worse than my mom when it comes to babying Suyin. She's probably getting a five-course meal as we speak." Lin laid back on Kya's bed, her legs dangling off of the side.

Kya mimicked Lin and laid her head next to hers, "She'll get her karma." she said.

After a few minutes of silence, Kya spoke up. "You know what I never understood?" She asked.

Lin looked over and raised an eyebrow.

"Why are the nations called The Earth Kingdom, or The Water Tribes and stuff like that? I mean, I get it, the four elements, but for what reason?" She asked.

"Did you not pay attention in high school?" Lin joked.

"Lin, I got high in high school." Kya looked over at her.

Lin rolled her eyes and smiled before looking back up at the ceiling.

"They say our ancestors named the four nations after the elements, water, earth, fire, and air because our ancestors themselves were able to bend and control them. Airbenders lived in the four Air Temples, waterbenders lived in the northern and southern Water Tribes, earthenders came from the Earth Kingdom, and firebenders from the Fire Nation." Lin explained.

"They could bend the elements? I'll believe that when pigs fly." Kya chuckled.

"Guess I'll have to get my pilot's license." Lin said.

Kya looked over at her, almost in disbelief that she made a joke about their 'first' time meeting. Lin looked back with a small smile on her face. "What? I can be funny." She said.

Kya's bedroom door opened, and Tenzin stood on the other side, rubbing his eyes, "Hey, sorry I was still sleeping. I was up late last night." he said.

"It's okay, Tenzin." Lin got up and followed him downstairs.

Just a couple of weeks ago, Kya hated Lin. But now, Kya felt like she could lay next to her and talk for hours. Kya was never good at making new friends. The only ones she really ever had were her brothers and Izumi.

She couldn't believe she was lucky enough for Lin to be so kind.

"Mom said breakfast is done." Bumi said, snapping Kya out of her thoughts. "I'll be down, I'm just gonna get dressed." Kya said. Bumi nodded his head before he headed downstairs.

Kya shut her door, took her sweats and shirt off, then pulled on a long blue dress. She took her hair down and brushed it out. She went to pull it back when the hair tie snapped in her hands. "Damn it." Kya muttered to herself.

She walked into the hallway and went to the bathroom. "Bobby pins, razors, weird... beard comb thingy?" Kya pulled random things out of the drawers.

Not a single damn hair tie in any of these drawers.

Kya left her hair the way it was and went downstairs. "Do you have any hair ties in your bathroom?" She asked her mother.

"Yeah, you're gonna get your hair in my pancakes." Bumi jokingly held his plate above Kya's head. She rolled her eyes and hit him in the stomach lightly.

"I think your hair looks pretty when it's down," Lin said from the table, cutting into her egg.

Kya stared blankly for a moment before Lin sat her fork down. "But if you want to pull it up, you can have my hair tie." She took the black band off of her wrist and held it out to Kya.

"Thanks." Kya said, still processing the first comment.

Kya stepped away from the counters and gathered her hair into her hands. After securing the band tightly around her hair, she started making her plate.

Lin was restless. Breakfast with Tenzin and his family was nice, but it couldn't kill the boredom that came along with Lin's forced vacation.

She thought for a moment before pressing her fingers against her cheek. It's been almost two weeks since Lin's mother made her take time off work.

Sure, getting to spend more quality time with Tenzin was nice, and she's even gotten closer to his family. But not working was killing Lin on the inside. Sitting around all day feeling sorry for herself because her face was messed up was not what she wanted right now.

As she caught herself picking at the bandage, she thought about what she looked like underneath. She's taken them off for showers, and let Kya look underneath make sure the area wasn't infected, but Lin never looked at them.

Lin got up and made her way to the bathroom. She closed the door behind her and stepped in front of the mirror. She took in a deep breath before slowly peeling back the bandage.

When she saw the scars on her face, she swallowed hard.

She sat the bandage down on the counter and leaned into the mirror, trying to get a closer look. Lin couldn't believe Su of all people did this to her.

She left without even an apology.

Her mother is letting her get away with it.

She was so angry. Her mother has tried to contact her for the past few days, but Lin has ignored her calls. If Lin had to speak to her before she's ready, she might say something she'll regret.

"Lin?" Knocking on her bathroom door snapped Lin out of her thoughts. Without thinking about the bandage, Lin opened the door.

When she saw Tenzin's widened eyes staring at her scars on the other side of the door, she slammed it shut.

"Uh- hang on!" Lin muttered.

"Y-Yeah! No, take your time!" Tenzin said awkwardly through the door.

Lin quickly got out a fresh bandage and the roll of medical tape Kya gave her. She placed the bandage over her face and secured it with the tape. She took in a deep breath before opening the door again.

Tenzin wasn't standing on the other side, so Lin walked out to the living, finding him on the couch.

"Hey, sorry about that." Lin said sheepishly.

"It's okay." Tenzin said.

"What are you doing here?" She sat next to him. "Is everything okay? You just seemed kind of upset when you left this morning. I wanted to check on you-"

"Why? What, you think that just because my face is scarred, I'm in some sad mood all the time!?" Lin shot up from her seat. "No, Lin." Tenzin gently grabbed her hand. "It's nothing like that." He said.

Lin pulled her hand back and turned away from Tenzin, "I- I appreciate you being so supportive, Tenzin. Really, I do. But I think right now I want to be alone." she folded her arms. "Are you sure?" Tenzin got up. He placed his hands gently on Lin's shoulders. "I mean I could make us some dinner and we can watch that show you-"

"Tenzin, please!" Lin shook his hands off of her. "Just... let me be alone." She said in a small voice. Tenzin let out a small sigh. "I'll talk to you later, okay?" He said.

Lin only nodded her head. As she heard the door shut, she held her face in her hands. "He looked horrified." Lin cried out to no one.

She hated these fucking scars.

She hated her sister.

She hated her mom.

Lin hated the world.

Chapter Text

Kya was going through and misting the leaves on the plants. She'd been working in the shop for almost a year now. She separated leaves that were stuck together, trimmed the stems on the fire lilies, and watered the succulents. As she was picking through the flowers, making bouquets to put out for sale, she saw a familiar face leaving the cafe across the street.

Green eyes, pale skin, black hair.

"Lin!" She yelled out.

Lin lifted her head and looked in Kya's direction. After looking both ways, she crossed the street. "Hey, Kya." She said with no emotion in her voice.

"Hey. Grabbing coffee?" Kya rested her elbows on the counter. Lin just nodded her head. Kya raised an eyebrow. "Is everything okay?-"

"God I am so tired of people asking me that!" Lin cut her off.

Kya jumped up in surprise.

"I- I'm sorry." Lin leaned against the counter the same way Kya just was. "I shouldn't take my frustrations out on you." She said. "It's alright. Let's call it returning the favor." Kya winked at her.

Lin looked down at the counter.

"Hey, what's your favorite flower?" Kya asked. "I don't know. I don't think I have one." Lin said. "You don't have a favorite flower!? What's the matter with you, Beifong?" Kya teased as she walked further behind the counter.

Kya squatted down to the level of one of the bouquets and plucked a flower from it. She came back and leaned against the counter, getting to eye level with Lin. "Here. Free of charge." She held the flower up.

Lin looked up at it and then back to Kya, giving a look of hesitation. "Take it." Kya said softly. Lin took the flower out of her hand. "I have to get back to work, but I'll see you around, Lin." Kya smiled before disappearing into the array of plants.

Lin looked at the flower intensely.

I guess panda lilies are my new favorite flower.

Lin smiled to herself.

As Kya watched Lin walk away, she felt two fingers poke her sides. She jumped, let out a yelp, and heard her coworker laughing behind her. "Stop doing that!" She turned around and hit him in the chest. "Who was that your girlfriend?" He said.

"Try again. My brother's girlfriend." Kya said as she turned her attention back to the plants.

"No kidding!? Which one?" He asked. "Tenzin." Kya said. "Really? Well, there's a surprise. He got lucky." He said before walking back to his section of the shop.

Kya looked back at the spot where she and Lin were talking just a few minutes ago.

"Yeah." She said to herself. 

As Lin approached her apartment door, she saw Tenzin standing outside it. "Hey." He smiled when he saw her.

"What are you doing outside of my apartment?" She asked him. "I was just waiting for you to get home. Look, I'm sorry about the other day." Tenzin said. "It's fine, Tenzin." She said as she unlocked her door.

"Where'd the flower come from?" Tenzin asked. "Kya saw me leaving the cafe. She thought I was upset and gave it to me." She got a small vase out and filled it with water, placing the panda lily inside of it.

"Are you upset about something, Lin?" Tenzin asked. "No, Tenzin. I'm fine." She said.

Tenzin moved closer to her and gave her a gentle kiss. "If you want to talk about anything, I'm here for you." He reached up and placed his hand over Lin's bandage.

Lin slapped his wrist away and pushed him back.

"I'm sorry. Does it still hurt?" Tenzin asked. "Yeah..." Lin lied.

No, it didn't hurt physically when someone touched her cheek. But the flashbacks of the cables coming towards her face didn't make it pleasurable.

"Do you want me to go?" Tenzin asked.

Lin thought for a moment. She wanted to be alone right now. But then again, she's wanted to be alone all week. "Can we just... sit here? I- I don't want to talk about anything, but some company would be nice."

Tenzin smiled softly and then sat on the couch. When Lin sat next to him, she leaned on his shoulder. 

Kya sat in the living room, flipping through channels on the TV.

"How was work?" Bumi said as he came down the stairs.

"Boring. Also pretty annoying when I had to talk to my coworkers." Kya half-joked, knowing one of her coworkers was good friends with Bumi. "I'll be sure to tell Zhang you said that." Bumi chuckled.

"Oh, I did see Lin today." Kya perked up.

"Still not working?" Bumi asked. Kya shook her head. "I guess not. Her face hasn't had enough time to heal for footwork, but you'd think Chief Beifong would have her on desk duty at least?" She said.

Bumi shrugged his shoulders. "Tenzin said she yelled at him the other night. He told me 'she got upset just because he was making sure she was okay', but I'm assuming there's more to the story." He said. "Lin's just having a hard time right now. They'll be okay." Kya kept her eyes on the TV.

"Oh, good, you're home." Their father walked through the front door, "Go help your mother with the groceries." he said to Kya, "Bumi, son, help me up the stairs." Aang struggled to walk.

Kya walked outside, looking back to ensure Bumi was helping their father.

"Is Dad okay?" Kya asked her mother as they gathered bags out of the car. "He's alright, dear. He's just tired from walking around the grocery store is all." Katara forced a smile. "Mom..." Kya started, but before she could continue, Katara walked away with both hands full of bags.

Kya knew her mother would avoid talking about her father's illness for as long as possible. She knew her mother refused to accept that her husband was dying.

Kya and Katara got the groceries in the house, and Katara went upstairs to help Aang while Bumi and Kya put away the groceries. "Every time I even think about bringing up Dad's condition, Mom shrugs it off and walks away." Kya said as she put stuff into the cabinets.

"Can you blame her, Kya? I mean, none of us wants to accept the reality going on around us. Dad's been sick for a long time. We may have accepted it, but Mom never will." Bumi said.

Kya let out a sigh of agreement as she nodded her head.

They finished putting away their food and went to their separate rooms. Kya changed into her night clothes and took her hair out of its neat ponytail.

She sat in front of her mirror. As she was gathering her hair into her hands to put it into a messy bun for the night, like usual, she stopped. She let her hair fall over her shoulders. She stared at herself in the mirror and then gently ran her hands through her hair.

I think your hair looks pretty when it's down.

Kya felt her stomach tighten, and she thought her heart skipped a beat. She held the hair tie Lin had given her in her hands and stared at it.

Her brother's girlfriend truly was one of a kind, huh?

Chapter Text

Kya stepped into her house, the smell of food cooking hitting her in the face. "Smells good, Mom. What is it!?" She yelled through the house as she took her shoes off. "Don't ask me, I'm not the one cooking!" Her mom yelled back from the kitchen.

With a confused look, Kya walked to the kitchen.

"Are you sure I'm doing this right?"

"You're doing fine, Lin. Just trust that it'll turn out well." Katara gave words of reassurance.

Kya was surprised to see Lin standing in her kitchen, her hair pulled back, an apron tied around her waist, and Katara guiding her through the recipe. "Hey." Lin gave a quick smile.

Kya just stared at her. It seemed like she was seeing Lin more and more. At her home, at work, Izumi talks about her. But instead of being so angry about it like she used to be, Kya looked forward to it.

"Kya, help her really quick, I'm going to go check on your father." Katara said.

"Oh- yeah, okay." Kya said. She washed her hands quickly and then took the spot where her mother was standing, next to Lin. "Yeah, like that. Just dip it in the egg, then cover it with flour." Kya said.

"I uh- I yelled at Tenzin the other day." Lin spoke quietly. Kya, slightly surprised Lin was opening up to her, just nodded her head. "About what?" She asked.

Lin sighed. "He- he saw my face... under the bandage." She said.

Kya furrowed her eyebrows. What was Lin about to tell her?

"I was in the bathroom. I took the bandage off to get a good look at the scars, and Tenzin knocked on the door. I didn't know he was even coming over. Without thinking about it, I just opened the door. Like an idiot. And," Lin took in a deep breath, "And it was like he was horrified. He just... stared at them."

Kya's face saddened.

"When I opened the door again he was sitting on the couch. Everything felt awkward. I told him I wanted to be alone and he just insisted we spend time together."

"Yeah... Tenzin's made a bad habit out of doing that..." Kya said, knowing firsthand that the severity of other people's emotions tends to fly over Tenzin's bald head.

"I didn't mean to hurt his feelings, and I knew he meant well. I'm just so frustrated. Everywhere I go people are staring at my bandages, and I know once I take them off-" Lin threw her hand up and accidentally threw flour into Kya's face.

Lin gasped and backed away. "Kya! I'm so sorry!" She apologized. "I was talking and getting distracted I didn't mean-"

Kya threw a pinch of flour into Lin's face.

Lin kept her eyes shut and her brows furrowed for a second before spitting flour out of her mouth. She and Kya started laughing and Kya grabbed a cloth. She wiped the flour off of her own face and then reached for Lin's.

Not thinking about it, Lin smacked Kya's hand away.

Kya jumped back.

"I'm sorry. I thought you were reaching for..." Lin didn't have to continue.

Kya knew what she meant. "I'm gonna clean the flour off of your face, alright?" Kya told Lin what she was doing before attempting to reach for her face again, only doing so after Lin gave her a nod. As Kya wiped flour away from her unscarred cheek, she could see the embarrassment pooling in Lin's eyes. "Do you want to wipe off the other side yourself?" Kya asked.

"I- It's alright. It doesn't hurt anymore. You can do it." Lin said.

"I'll make sure to be gentle." Kya said before softly pressing the cloth under Lin's eye.

Lin couldn't shake the feeling that Tenzin would never see her the same way again. She's tried telling herself that it's all in her head. Her boyfriend is going to feel the same way he did before once she stops wearing these bandages.

But she didn't believe it.

She took the bandage off and threw it in the trashcan. She turned the water in the shower on and waited for it to warm up before stepping inside.

Lin hummed a tune from her head as she rinsed the soap in her hair. She paused momentarily, feeling the water run down her cheek. She shut her eyes.

"Oh, what are you gonna do, Officer? Arrest me?"

"Don't even think about taking one more step!"

Shing

Lin's whole body shook with a cold chill. She took a deep breath before opening her eyes again and continuing with her shower. She stepped out and dried off. She put on clothes she'd be able to relax in, then reached for the cabinet for a bandage.

"It looks like it's all healed up. Not enough for footwork, of course. But, there's no need to wear a bandage anymore." Kya said.

Lin could feel her expression sadden.

"Although... continuing to wear one wouldn't do any harm." Kya gave her a light smile.

Lin knew what she meant... if she still wasn't comfortable showing her scars, she didn't have to. But Lin figured sitting around her own house was fine. Besides, the feeling of tape stuck to her face was starting to get annoying. She pulled her hand back from the cabinet and left the bathroom without her cheek covered.

She went to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee, but when she opened the container of coffee grounds, it was empty.

Just my luck.

She's showered, has sweatpants on, and her face is uncovered. Of course, she would have to leave the house to have one good evening.

But she decided against it. She figured coffee wasn't that important and grabbed a water out of her fridge. As she walked back into the living room, the box sitting in the corner caught her eye. The cables.

Those stupid cables.

She picked the box up and carried it to the closet in the hallway. She placed the box on top of the shelf and shut the door.

"You two have put me in an impossible position."

Maybe it was Lin's fault. Maybe she should've let Suyin walk away. Pretended like nothing even happened. At least then her own boyfriend wouldn't be disgusted by her. Every day she passed by the picture of her and Suyin. And every day it made her madder and madder. Her phone rang and she went to answer it.

"How's your face?"

"Good to hear from you too, Chief." Lin deadpanned.

"I need you back on the job." Lin could feel her mother rolling her eyes through the phone. "You haven't called me since Su left. And now you only want to talk when you need something from me?" Lin retorted.

"As the Chief of Police, yes. That's exactly why I'm calling my Sergeant." Toph said. "Well, maybe you need to find a temporary replacement. I can't go back to work yet." Even though she desperately needed a distraction, Lin didn't think being back on the job was the best choice for her right now.

"Oh come on, your sister didn't cut you that deep!" Toph said.

Lin's jaw clenched in anger. She slammed the phone down and stopped for a second. She brought her fingertips up to her cheek and grazed her scars.

Lin ripped the phone line out of the wall.

She turned her head and looked at the picture of her and Suyin. As she approached it, tears filled her eyes. She picked it up and slammed it against the wall as hard as she could, the sound of glass shattering coming soon after.

Lin walked past the shattered frame and into her room. She stared down at her bed for a moment.

It's only six thirty...

She didn't care though. She climbed into bed and pulled the blanket up to her chest. She didn't want coffee, or to sit in her living room and watch television.

Lin just wanted to lay here.

Chapter Text

Every time Tenzin picked up the phone, the number he dialed sent him to a deadline.

"Still not getting through to Lin?" Bumi asked, slightly annoyed at the sound of the keys being pressed over and over again. "No. It's not even ringing. Surely, she wouldn't have changed her number without telling me?" Tenzin asked. "Who knows? Maybe she got tired of you." Bumi joked.

When Tenzin didn't laugh, he got up from the couch.

"Hey," He took the phone from Tenzin's hand and put it down. "Calling a deadline over and over again isn't going to get a message to her. Go over there or something?" Bumi said.

"Going over to Lin's house unannounced hasn't gone well for me lately." Tenzin said. "Well then, I don't know. Just leave her alone? I'm not good at advice." Bumi threw his hands up dramatically.

"What's going on?" Kya said as she came down the stairs. Tenzin sighed. "I can't get through to Lin. Every time I call her, I get a deadline." He said. Kya furrowed her eyebrows. "How long have you been trying to call her?" She asked. "A couple of days now. I have Lin's number memorized by the sound of the key clicks." Bumi said sarcastically.

"I'm really worried about her. But I don't want to go over unannounced because.. well-"

"What? She might not have her scars covered?" Kya said accusingly.

Bumi's eye's widened and he took a couple of steps back. "I'm gonna let you two talk." He said before retreating upstairs.

"What is that supposed to mean, Kya?" Tenzin asked. "Nothing." Kya turned her head away, "Look, if you don't want to go check on her, I could always call Izumi." she said.

"Why not go over there yourself?" Tenzin asked.

"I have to work soon. But I can give 'Zumi a call before I head out." Kya said. Tenzin nodded his head and started to walk upstairs, but he stopped. "That thing you said, about Lin's scars?-"

"It was nothing, Tenzin." Kya didn't let him continue. She wasn't going to tell him how mad she was that he reacted the way he did to Lin's scars. Seeing scars on your girlfriend can be hard but... Lin said he looked horrified. Kya picked up the phone and dialed Izumi's number.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hey, it's Kya."

"Hey!" Izumi's smile radiated through the phone.

"I was wondering if you could do me a favor?" Kya asked.

"What's up?"

"Tenzin has been trying to call Lin these past couple of days, but he keeps reaching a deadline. I'm really worried. I was wondering if you'd be able to go check on her? I'd go myself, but I have to work soon." Kya explained. "Of course. But, why doesn't Tenzin go over?" Izumi asked.

"It's uh- it's a long story." Kya said.

"I'll head over." Izumi said.

"Thank you, 'Zumi." Kya said. She hung up the phone and headed out of the door. She hoped Lin was okay.

Izumi approached Lin's door with two coffees in hand. She looked down and noticed a couple days' worth of morning newspapers.

Has Lin not left her house in two days?

Izumi knocked on the door. Not too hard, but loud enough for Lin to hear. After waiting a few minutes with no answer, Izumi knocked again. Once again, no answer.

Izumi twisted the doorknob. It was unlocked. "Lin?" She went to step in but noticed the pile of mail in front of her.

Has she not left her room in two days?

Izumi shut the door and walked through the house. Besides a few dishes in the sink and the overflowing trash can, Lin's house looked like it hadn't been lived in. Like the furniture was just for show. As she approached the hallway, she saw the unhooked phone line.

When she turned to go to Lin's room, she saw the broken glass on the floor. Her and Suyin's picture underneath the broken frame. Izumi knocked lightly on the bedroom door. "Lin?" She said. After waiting a few moments she gently opened it.

She saw Lin's figure lying in her bed. "Hey? Lin?" She said.

"Go away." She heard Lin mumble through the pillows.

"Hey, I brought you coffee." Izumi said.

Lin lifted her head, recognizing the voice more as she spoke. "Izumi, what are you doing here?" She asked. "Tenzin couldn't get ahold of you, so Kya called me to come to check on you." Izumi said.

Kya called her.

"She would've come here herself, but she had to work." Izumi said. Lin sat up and took the coffee out of Izumi's hand. "How'd you get in here?" She asked. "Your front door was unlocked." Izumi said. "I must've forgotten to lock it." Lin said quietly.

After a few moments of silence, Izumi looked toward Lin. "Still not working?" She asked. Lin shook her head. "My mom called me a couple of days ago and asked me to come back but, I told her my face wasn't healed enough for footwork." She said.

She put a bandage back on her face last night after she showered. She was tired of looking at it.

"So, why'd you unhook the phone line?" Izumi sat down next to Lin on the bed. Lin let out a sigh. "When I told her my face wasn't healed enough for footwork, she basically told me to get over it. That Su didn't hurt me that bad." Lin said. "Lin,"

"Which, that's bullshit, right? I shouldn't have to get over it." Lin said. Izumi placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're right, Lin. You're allowed to be upset about this-"

"I'm not just upset, 'Zumi, I'm pissed off!" Lin yelled. She looked over at Izumi with sad eyes. "She ran around with criminals. She stole other people's property and drove without a license. Fuck, she scarred my face. And my mom just sends her away to have the time of her life with our grandparents." Lin said.

Izumi took in a deep breath, "She made the wrong decision. But don't let it do.. this to you." she said.

"What?" Lin said, put off by Izumi's choice of words.

"That came out wrong," Izumi scrunched her face, "Look, what I mean is, don't shut us out, Lin. Don't shut out the people who care about you. Tenzin has been trying to call you, and Kya sounded so worried over the phone-"

"Kya was worried?" Lin's face softened.

"Yeah, really worried. But, I'll call her later and let her know you're okay." Izumi said. "Uh, don't... I can call her." Lin scratched the back of her neck.

"Come on, let go clean up your kitchen. And hooking your phone line up probably wouldn't hurt?" Izumi said, grabbing Lin's hand. "Yeah... it's kind of messy out there." Lin chuckled in embarrassment.

Izumi and Lin got up and stepped out of Lin's room. "Where's your sweeper?" Izumi asked and they stepped over the broken glass. Lin pointed towards the closet before going to hook her phone line back up. She looked toward Izumi, who was sweeping glass off of the floor.

She felt lucky to have a friend like Izumi.

Kya wasn't able to think while at work. And it was driving her crazy that Lin was the only thing on her mind. If Kya had thought about it, she would've checked on Lin sooner. She looked over to the panda lilies and smiled softly.

Her shift was a few minutes from ending so she threw her things into her bag. On her way to clock out, she grabbed a few panda lilies, and a ribbon to wrap around them. She left work and made her way home.

She opened the door to see her mother and father sitting in the living room. "How was work?" Katara asked.

"Good." She said, quickly walking into the kitchen and grabbing a vase to put the flowers in.

"What're those for?" Aang asked as she walked back into the living room. "I just thought they might look nice in my room." Kya said.

"They are beautiful flowers." Katara smiled.

"Yeah, I know." Kya gently rubbed a petal between her thumb and index finger. "I'm going to bed." She said before she took the vase of flowers up to her room. When she reached the top of the stairs, the phone on the wall rang. "Hello?" Kya picked it up.

"Oh- Kya. I was actually calling for you." Lin spoke on the other line.

"Lin? Are you okay? Tenzin couldn't get ahold of you-"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Kya. I- I'm sorry I made you worry." Lin said sheepishly. Kya let out a small sigh of relief. "It's okay, Lin. You don't have to be sorry." She said.

"So, what happened?" Kya asked.

It seemed every time they talked, they were more open with each other. Even if Kya got tired of holding the vase of flowers with one hand, she wasn't going to let herself stop her conversation with Lin.

Not even for a second.

Chapter Text

Kya opened her eyes and the first thing she looked for was the panda lilies she had sitting next to her bed. She sat up and stretched her arms out. She got up and sat in the chair in front of her vanity. She took her hair tie out and sat it in front of her, picking up her hairbrush and brushing out her brown locks.

"Hey," Tenzin's voice entered her room after a knock, "I'm going to take Lin out to breakfast. Do you know if Dad has any medications that need to be picked up?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think there's a couple. But double-check with Mom to make sure." Kya said, continuing to brush her hair. Tenzin nodded his head and started shutting the door.

"Hey, Tenzin?" She called out. She stopped brushing her hair.

"Hm?" He poked his head in.

"How's Lin doing?" She asked after a couple of seconds.

Tenzin stepped back into Kya's room. "She's doing better. She um, she hasn't been wearing a bandage." He said. Kya paused and sat the brush down. "Is that a problem?" She asked. "No! No, not at all." Tenzin sat on Kya's bed, "She just... she looks different-"

"Yeah, well, she probably feels different too. So don't make her feel any worse." Kya retorted. Tenzin sighed. "I didn't mean it in a bad way... She's still beautiful, of course. The scars are just-"

"Just what, Tenzin?" Kya said harshly, folding her arms.

"Why are you getting so defensive?" Tenzin said.

"Because she's not just scarred physically, Tenzin. And thinking stuff like that while you're with her will show. She'll notice you don't look at her the same if she hasn't noticed already." Kya said.

Tenzin looked down at his feet. He nodded his head slightly and stood up. "Thanks." He mumbled before walking out.

Kya sighed, then started taking deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. She got so worked up on Lin's behalf. Tenzin shouldn't think that way of someone who's so...

Kya looked at the panda lilies.

She sighed and sat back in her chair.

Tenzin reached across the seat and opened the door, pushing it open for Lin. "Good morning." He said.

"Morning." Lin said as she got in the car.

"Ready for breakfast?" He asked.

Lin nodded her head with a weak smile. She kept her face turned towards the window. She's only been out a few times since she stopped wearing bandages. It was hard to ignore the stares, but she pretended like it didn't bother her.

Tenzin parked the car. He turned it off and they both walked into the diner.

After getting a table and ordering drinks, they sat in awkward silence. The waitress brought their drinks, and they ordered their food.

"I didn't realize you liked bacon." Tenzin said.

"Yeah, well, usually when we have breakfast together it's at your house, or you're making it. So, no bacon." Lin said.

Tenzin smirked as he picked up his tea.

Lin brought her hand up, rested her elbow on the table, and her cheek on her hand.

"I thought it still hurt?" Tenzin asked.

Lin pulled her cheek away from her hand. "Uh, not as much." She said.

Tenzin looked down at the table, unsure what to say. He took a drink of his tea, "Hey... I want to spend the night with you." he asked.

Lin looked up from her cup with her eyebrows raised. "Uh, yeah. Sure, if you want." She said quietly.

Tenzin reached a hand across the table and grabbed Lins. She looked up and saw him smiling.

The waitress brought their food out and sat their plates in front of them. Tenzin went to say something, but Lin picked up her fork. "Let's just eat." She said.

Tenzin sighed and picked his fork up too.

Lin picked up her phone and dialed the Air Temple number. The phone upstairs. She waited a few moments, listening to the ringing.

"Hello?" Bumi answered. "Hey, Bumi." Lin said shyly. "Is uh-"

"Yeah, Tenzin's here, I'll get him-"

"No, actually, Bumi, I was hoping to talk to Kya." Lin said. "Oh." Bumi sounded surprised. "Well then, I'll just go get my... sister." He said. Lin chuckled to herself at Bumi, then after a minute of silence, she heard Kya pick up the phone.

"Hey." She beamed.

"Hey, Kya." Lin leaned against the stand.

"What's up?" Kya asked.

Lin sighed, "Tenzin took me to breakfast this morning." She said.

"I heard." Kya nodded her head.

"It was really awkward. He kind of invited himself over tonight?" Lin said. "You want me to fake a coma or something to make him stay here?" Kya joked, receiving a chuckle from Lin's end. "No, it's alright. We haven't spent a lot of time together since Su fucked my face up-"

"Made you look more badass-"

"Than I already was, I know." Lin grinned. "That's right. Say it right or don't say it at all." Kya laughed. She felt like she could see Lin's smile through the phone. And that just made her smile more.

"Hey, I can't remember if I ever actually thanked you for stitching my face up that day..." Lin sounded embarrassed. "It's no problem-" "No, really, Kya. You- you didn't have to. And you could've gotten in a lot of trouble if your mom found out," Kya chuckled a bit.

"So thank you. I... I really appreciate you." Lin said.

Kya stared down at the floor. Letting the words sink in. She felt her heart rate pick up and her face get warmer. "Anyways, I should probably get off of here. Shower and stuff." Lin said. "Yeah, I'll talk to you later." Kya said. "Bye, Kya." Lin said.

They hung up the phones.

Kya walked back to her room and sat down on her bed. She reached for her drawer but stopped herself. She laid back on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

"I really appreciate you."

Kya held her hands over her face and tried convincing herself that the blush on her face wasn't real.

Lin heard a knock at her door before it opened, Tenzin letting himself in. "Hey." He smiled at her.

"Hi." Lin said, setting a cup of tea and a cup of coffee on the coffee table. Tenzin kissed her on the cheek before they sat down. "How was the rest of your day?" He asked.

"Boring. Saikhan dropped off a folder of paperwork for me to do. Something to keep me busy." Lin sipped on her coffee.

"So, you haven't been wearing a bandage?" Tenzin said. Lin looked over at him. "Uh, no. I haven't." She said. "Well- you look beautiful..." Tenzin said sheepishly.

Lin could hear the slight hesitation in his voice. "Thank you." She said, turning away from him.

Tenzin reached down and grabbed Lin's hand. He sat his cup down. "Lin," He turned toward her. Lin gripped his hand back and looked down at her cup. "Yeah, Tenzin?" She said. Tenzin placed a gentle hand on Lin's chin and lifted her head.

"I love you."

Lin's eyes widened.

What did he just say?

"I love you, Lin." It was like he just read her thoughts. He moved his hand from her chin to her cheek. When he started rubbing his thumb against her scars, Lin grabbed his wrist and jerked his hand away from her. "Stop!" She jumped up from her seat. "Stop doing that!" She yelled.

"I- I thought it didn't hurt-"

"That doesn't mean I want you to touch them, Tenzin!" Lin said.

It was quiet for a few moments before Lin picked up her mug and took it to the kitchen. She dumped the coffee down the sink. "I'm going to bed..." She said quietly before walking back to her room.

Tenzin silently nodded his head.

Lin went into her room and flipped the light switch off, the lamp on the side of the bed being the only thing illuminating the room. She got under the covers and laid back. She reached over and pulled the switch for the lamp.

After a few minutes of lying there, the door opened, and Tenzin walked in. He walked over to the other side of the bed and Lin could hear him shuffling around as he got ready for bed. She felt him lift the blanket and climb into bed next to her. He placed a hand on Lin's shoulder and kissed her unscarred cheek. "Goodnight." He said before laying down.

Lin took in a deep breath. She knew Tenzin only meant well. But she kept thinking about the look on his face that day, the hesitation in his voice. "Tenzin?" She said.

"Yeah?" He asked. He sounded half asleep. "I'm... sorry for hitting you..." She said. "It's okay, Lin." Lin felt his body shift, and his arm wrapped around her waist.

Lin stared over at the wilting panda lily on her dresser, "I love you." she said.

Tenzin righted his grip slightly. "I love you too, Lin." He mumbled. He was almost asleep.

She'll have to get more flowers.

Chapter Text

Lin sat at her desk. Back to work, finally. She wasn't speaking to her mother, other than basic reports and work talk. She scribbled her pen on her notepad, getting lost in her thoughts.

"Hey. Glad you're back. But can't say I don't miss the privileges of being Sergeant." Saikhan leaned against her desk.

"Yeah, can't say it's too good to be back." Lin glared at her mother's office door. Saikhan glanced over at the door and then looked back at Lin. "Still beefing with the Chief?" He asked. Lin sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Yeah. I don't want to talk to her right now." She folded her arms.

Saikhan thought for a second. "If you don't mind that I ask, how did it happen?" He asked. Lin looked up at him, then lightly pressed her fingers against her cheek. "Uh, you know, just a run-in with some bad guys. Those cables can really work against you if you're not careful." Lin gestured toward the cables hooked on Saikhan's hip. "Good to know. Anyway, it's great to see you back, Lin." Saikhan lightly punched her on the shoulder before going back to his desk.

Lin leaned against her desk and started scribbling on her notepad again.

Tenzin told her he loved her when he stayed. And Lin said it back. But why would she say it if she was sitting at her desk, not knowing if she really meant it.

Her mother walked past her desk and threw a small stack of papers on Lin's desk. "Fill those out." She said before retreating back to her office.

Lin sighed. Desk duty sucked, but it beat sitting at home all day.

Lin was pouring a cup of coffee. As she went to grab a lid, a hand stopped her. "You're just gonna go the rest of your career not speaking to me?" Her mother said.

"Not the rest of your career. I'll still be pissed in ten years' time." Lin reached past her and grabbed a lid, then went back to her desk. Toph scoffed. "Real funny, Lin." She said. "Thanks." Lin said sarcastically.

"Look, you don't think I feel bad about how things went down with your sister?" Toph said in a hushed voice. "No, I don't think you feel bad at all." Lin retorted. "Not every Chief of Police wants to see their kid in jail-"

"Yeah, well not every Chief of Police is okay with their Sergeant getting scarred." Lin said.

Toph didn't have anything to say back.

"And I know you might not relate," Lin stood back up, "but it hurts pretty damn bad when it's your own sister." She said before walking away. She went into the break room and sat at the small table.

A vibration came from her pocket. "Hello?" She answered it. "Hey, Lin." Tenzin said on the other side. "Hey." She sighed into the phone.

"Rough day at work?" He asked. "Mhm." Lin nodded her head even though she knew he couldn't see it, "My mom won't get her head out of her ass." she said.

"Need something to do later?" He asked. "What did you have in mind?" Lin said. "I know it's what we always do, but I was hoping you'd want to go out for dinner?" He said.

Lin looked down at her watch. "I'm off work in a couple of hours. That's not too late is it?" She asked. "No, not at all. I'll see you later then?" Tenzin said. "Yeah. See you later." She went to hang up.

"I love you." Tenzin said.

Lin paused for a second. "I love you too, Tenzin..." she said, a pant of guilt hitting her in the chest.

Even though it was the middle of the day, Kya lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering what was wrong with her. Her mind was filled with thoughts of Lin. Lin of all people. Her laugh, her eyes, her stupid tacky uniform.

Kya sat up. She got into the bag hanging on her doorknob and pulled out a little notebook. She sat on her bed and picked up the pen on her nightstand. She flipped to a blank page and started writing.

She's sweet, she's independent and responsible. Her eyes, her hair, how soft her skin was... So many nice things she could write about Lin. And the one bad thing she had to write?

Cons: Tenzin's girlfriend

Bumi and Tenzin sat in the living room watching the television, and Kya sat at the kitchen table, listening to her mom talk while cleaning up. "So, I told your father, I knew that he and your Uncle Sokka had planned it for months, but they were not- Kya, are you listening?" Katara turned her head back. "Yeah, Mom. I'm all ears." Kya said, partially lying.

"Hey, I'm missing some medical supplies from the bathroom. Do you know what happened to them?" Katara asked.

Kya froze and her breath hitched. "Uh..." She tried to think, "I just uh- took some to like, ya know, practice, and stuff." Kya knew it was a shit lie, and she barely got through it.

"Hmm. Okay. Just make sure you replace what you can." Katara turned back around to wipe off the counter.

"I will." Kya said. She leaned back in her chair. "Hey, I think I'm gonna go out tonight." She said to her mom. "Alright. To where?" Katara asked. "Just out. I might grab a drink-"

"Kya-"

"Mom, I'm an adult. I'll be careful." Kya said. Katara sighed and set the sponge in the sink. "Just... call me if you need anything. And be very careful, Kya." Katara said.

Kya nodded her head. She stood up and took her empty cup to the sink. She quickly washed it and then headed upstairs. She brushed out her hair and then pulled it into her signature ponytail.

After changing her outfit and slipping her shoes on, she told her mom she was leaving and headed toward the city. She lit the joint she rolled before leaving and took hits while she walked to the bar.

When Kya walked in, the smell of alcohol hit her in the face. She sat at the bar and ordered a drink. After a few moments of sitting there, a figure sat next to her.

"Hey," He turned to her. "Here on your own?" He asked.

Kya glanced over at him.

He doesn't look familiar. Given his body language, he's probably not with Kei Xin.

She looked back in front of her, ignoring him as she took a sip. "What? Not your type?" He chuckled. She looked back over at him. He had blonde hair, pushed back with gel. Kya could see the dark roots.

Probably dyed.

He had amber eyes.

Fire Nation, presumably.

"No, not really." Kya said. "Well then," He placed a hand on Kya's thigh, "what is your type?" He smirked. She looked down at his hand. She never thought about it before. What is Kya's type?

Green eyes, pale skin... black hair...

Kya swallowed hard. "Please remove your hand before I do it for you." She glared at him. The guy scoffed and rolled his eyes before getting up and walking away.

"Hey," Kya got the bartender's attention. She ordered a few shots and downed them one after the other.

Sweet smile, soft hands... kind eyes...

She ordered three more.

Lin kissed Tenzin's cheek before she shut his car door and watched him drive away. As she put her key into her door, she stopped for a second. She looked down the road.

The bar isn't far. A drink could be nice?

She pulled the key out of the door and walked to her car. Lin drove a couple of minutes down the road it took to get to the bar.

When she walked in, the first thing she looked for was an empty stool at the bar no one else was sitting by. That's when she noticed the familiar brown hair. "Kya?" She sat her wallet down on the bar.

Kya looked over and her face become a look of delight. "Oh my gosh! Lin!" She threw herself onto Lin's arm.

She's drunk.

"Hey, are you alright?" Lin chuckled lightly.

"Oh, I'm great! I'm just sitting here, enjoying the music~" Kya smiled. She laid her head on Lin's shoulder and wrapped her arms around Lin's arm.

"Come on, let me take you home." Lin said, starting to stand up. "Nooo! No, no, no." Kya pulled on Lin's arm. "What?" Lin asked.

"Lin," Kya said, almost in a whisper, "my mom would kill me." She started giggling.

Lin sighed. "Come on, Kya." Lin helped her stand up.

"Wait! I need to pay..." Kya started rummaging in her wallet. Lin shook her head and threw some money down on the bar. "Let's go." She said. They stepped out of the bar and Lin helped Kya into the passenger seat of her car.

"What were you doing at the bar?" Kya poked Lin in the bicep. "I was gonna grab a drink. Tenzin and I had dinner." Lin said.

"Ugh, Tenzin. Isn't he just so annoying?" Kya looked over at Lin. Lin chuckled lightly at her. "You're drunk, Kya." She said. "No! You're Lin, drunk!" Kya said accusingly.

Lin laughed at how Kya mixed up her words. "Oh, shut up, Beifong." Kya folded her arms and leaned against the window.

Lin parked the car and turned it off. "Why are we here?" Kya slurred.

"You said your mom would kill you if you went home. My couch isn't the best, but it's comfortable." Lin said.

Lin got out and walked to the other side of the car. She helped Kya out and walked her to the front door. She unlocked the door and helped Kya inside. "Sit here. I'll go get you some water." Lin said, helping Kya sit on the couch.

She walked into the kitchen and filled a cup with water. "I can make some tea if you want?" She yelled into the living room. She waited a couple of moments and got no response. "Kya? Do you want me to make some- Kya?" She wasn't in the living room.

Lin sat the cup down on the coffee table and went down the hallway. She wasn't in the bathroom. "Kya?" Lin opened her bedroom door to see Kya laying on one side of the bed.

"Lin, your bed is so soft!" Kya yelled out.

"Kya," Lin said with a small laugh. She approached her bed.

"Why didn't you tell me it's so comfy?" Kya slurred.

"Do you want some tea?" Lin sat on the edge of the bed.

Kya shook her head. "I just want to lay down~" She kept dragging out her words. Lin sighed, figuring there was no chance of getting Kya back to the living room.

At least the couch was soft.

Lin reached over and turned off the lamp, making the room dark. She went to get up when she felt Kya grab her arm. "Lin, stay and talk to me." She said.

Lin took in a deep breath before laying back in her bed. Kya let out a sigh of contentment, letting her hand rest on Lin's bicep. "Sorry for ruining your plans to drink." She mumbled to Lin. Lin turned her head toward Kya. "It's okay. I'm just glad you're alright." She said. Kya let out another sigh of contentment. She reached up and placed a hand over Lin's cheek.

Her scarred cheek.

When Lin went to pull her hand away, she paused. Seeing the small smile on Kya's face, she lowered her hand.

Kya gently traced the outline of Lin's scars. "You... are so pretty, Lin." Kya closed her eyes slowly. No hesitation in her voice... completely genuine... Lin couldn't help but feel comfort in Kya's soft hands, she's just drunk, her inhibitions are lowered.

But still... Kya thinks she's pretty.

Chapter Text

Kya opened her eyes, her vision blurry at first. She looked next to her and saw a glass of water and two pills sitting on the nightstand. She sat up on her elbows and looked around the room, unsure of where she was. She sat up straight and picked up the glass of water and two pills. Recognizing them as ibuprofen, she put the pills in her mouth and took a drink of water.

Her head was pounding. And she wasn't sure where she was. She stood up and walked out of the room. Taking a couple steps out of the hallway, she noticed a picture of Lin and Tenzin sitting on a stand. She was at Lin's apartment.

Oh dear god.

Kya made her way to the living room. Seeing it was empty, she walked into the kitchen to find Lin standing at the stove. She held a spatula in one hand, and had her hair pulled back.

Kya watched as she reached for her cup and took a sip from it. She let out a sigh, not understanding how Tenzin could be so lucky.

Lin heard Kya sigh and turned around. "Oh, Goodmorning." She smiled.

"'Morning." Kya gave a little smile back.

"I hope pancakes and eggs is fine? Oh, I also made some hash browns? I'm not entirely sure what you like for breakfast, but you seem to like this when Katara makes it." Lin sat a plate down on the kitchen table.

Kya smiled, feeling a warmth in her chest at the kind gesture. She sat down at the table and soon Lin sat across from her.

"I made you some of this tea Tenzin left here." She sat a cup down in front of Kya. "Thank you, Lin." Kya said. "Yeah, well, I know how rough a hangover can be." Lin chuckled.

Kya looked up at her and stared for a second before cutting into her pancake. "I don't even remember getting here last night." She said. "Well, I went to get a drink and you had already beat me to the finish line." Lin joked. "You said that your mom would kill you if you went home drunk, so I brought you here." She said.

"Thanks." Kya said.

They ate their breakfast, then Lin started doing their dishes. "So, do you remember anything from last night?" She asked. Kya stood up and took her cup over to the sink. "Uh, I remember turning some guy down at the bar... And your bed was really soft." She chuckled. Lin laughed too and started rinsing a dish. Kya leaned against the counter. She looked over at Lin and watched as she rinsed the mug.

She is sublime.

Lin glanced over and noticed Kya staring. She took a deep breath as she felt her heartbeat pick up. Had Tenzin ever looked at her this way? Even before the scars... She wasn't sure.

"I heard you're back to work." Kya said. "Oh, yeah. Just desk work, but still work. It's been nice to have a distraction." Lin said. "Well, when you get back to footwork, let me know. I could use a run." Kya joked, receiving a smile from Lin.

That smile.

Kya looked down at the counter. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'll have to go soon. Help my mom out before going to work." She said. "Yeah, of course. I can give you a ride home." Lin said as she dried her hands off. She turned toward Kya and looked up at her.

Kya wasn't too much taller, but tall enough for it to be noticeable.

"Is something wrong?" Kya asked after a few seconds. "Do you remember anything you said last night?" Lin looked down. Kya furrowed her eyebrows. "No... Did I say something wrong?" She asked.

"No, you didn't say anything wrong..." Lin said. "Come on, you said you needed to get home soon?" She walked into the living room to get her shoes and coat.

Kya took in a deep breath before following.

Lin walked into the Air Temple after Kya. The living room was empty but the two of them heard commotion from the kitchen. "I should head upstairs, and you know... shower or whatever." Kya chuckled nervously.

Lin nodded her head with a small smile.

"Kya, is that you?" Tenzin came in from the kitchen. "Oh, Lin? What're you doing here?" He asked. Lin looked over to Kya, who gave her a smile before going upstairs. "I ran into Kya last night at the bar." Her and Tenzin walked into the kitchen.

"Nice to know Kya had someone looking out for her last night." Katara said.

"Yeah, I had her stay with me last night. She was worried you'd kill her if she came home drunk." Lin chuckled. Katara rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Thank you for helping her, Lin." Tenzin said.

"Of course. Besides, she's funny when she's drunk." Lin said, getting a snorting laugh from Bumi. "If that ain't the truth." He said.

"Lin, do you want breakfast?" Katara asked, setting a plate down in front of Bumi who gave her a nod of thanks. "Oh, no thank you. I made breakfast for myself and Kya this morning." Lin said. Katara smiled. "How sweet." She said.

Kya listened to their conversation from halfway up the stairs.

Yeah... the sweetest.

She got her clothes and quickly got a shower.

When she left the bathroom, she lingered by the stairs, wondering if Lin was still down there. She walked down the stairs and snagged the phone off of the hook, quickly retreating back upstairs with it in her hand.

Kya needed to talk to Izumi. Immediately. She dialed the number and held the phone up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Fuck, Izumi, what's wrong with me?" Kya said into the phone, laying back on her bed.

"Good to hear from you too, Kya. My day has been great actually, thank you so much for asking." Izumi said sarcastically.

Kya didn't say anything. "Okay, I'm sorry." Izumi chuckled. "Context?" She asked.

Kya took in a deep breath. "Spirits, 'Zumi. I think I'm losing my mind." She said.

"Context?" Izumi said again.

"I..." She hadn't even said it out loud. She sighed heavily. "I have feelings for Lin."

Neither of them spoke for a couple of minutes. A couple of long, painful minutes.

"It seems like every time we talk there's a new development between you and Lin, huh?" Izumi finally said awkwardly. "Izumi I feel so horrible about this." Kya groaned. "I mean, a few months ago I didn't even want to hear her name and now..."

"And now?"

"And now... I wish it was last night. I wish I was still laying in bed, next to her, about to pass out because I had too many drinks." Kya said. "Oh, Kya..." Izumi said with pity. Kya let out another sigh.

Oh, Kya, indeed.

Chapter Text

Lin got out of bed and wrapped her robe around herself. She walked into the kitchen and turned the coffee pot on, having prepared it the night before.

With a groan and arms wrapping around her waist, Lin was signaled that Tenzin stood behind her. "G'mornin'." He said into Lin's shoulder.

"Good morning." Lin said, watching the coffee slowly drip into the pot.

"Work today?" Tenzin asked.

"Mhm." Lin said with a nod of her head.

After a few minutes, Lin straightened her back out, letting Tenzin know to let go of her. She reached up and opened the cabinet above her, getting a mug from the shelf.

"Do you want me to make breakfast?" Tenzin asked.

Lin furrowed her brows and shook her head. "No, I think I'm just gonna eat some toast. My stomach's been upsetting me." She said.

"Are you feeling alright?" Tenzin said.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Lin said. She picked up the coffee pot and started pouring coffee into her mug. "Not that I don't enjoy your company, but you've been here for a couple nights. I'm afraid your mom is gonna think I've kidnapped you." She said with a small smirk.

"Yeah, well, I've had a few days free, and I wanted to spend them with you." Tenzin smiled.

Lin could feel his gaze and purposefully didn't meet it. She knew the look on his face already. Of course, he'd look at her with admiration. She's his girlfriend, he has to... But she also knew there'd be pity on his face.

And sorrow.

And distaste.

So, she stared at her cup and stirred what little sugar she had put in it.

Tenzin opened the pantry and got the bread out, sitting it on the counter next to Lin. "What's this for?" Lin looked up at him, confused.  "You said you were gonna make toast." Tenzin raised an eyebrow. "Oh, right." Lin slowly reached for the bread. But Tenzin's hand stopped hers. "You sure you're alright? You've seemed, I don't know, spacey these past few days." Tenzin said.

"You... are so pretty, Lin."

Lin wondered if Kya would still think that when she's sober. But why does it matter to Lin what Kya thinks? She wondered if it mattered to Kya what Lin thought of her.

"If you don't want to talk about it, Lin, that's fine. Just checking to make sure you're alright." Tenzin wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in to kiss her cheek. It seems like that's all Tenzin has been asking her. Was she really acting that off? No. But she knew Tenzin's only worried about her because of the incident with Suyin.

Lin got a couple pieces of bread out of the bag and put them in the toaster. She retied the bag and sat it on the counter.

"I'm gonna head home after tonight. Just for a few nights, or longer if you want. I need to do laundry, check in on my dad. Probably help my mom with yard work. It's getting colder out so she'll need help with the garden." Tenzin said. "I should probably check in today too, actually."

"Thats okay. I have to start getting ready for work anyway." Lin said.

Tenzin put on his jacket and started out the door. "Hey, you got mail in here." Tenzin opened the little hatch by Lins door. He set the stack of envelopes and magazines down on the coffee table before giving a final goodbye.

Lin's toast popped out of the toaster. She put them on a plate and smeared some jam on top. She took a bite as she walked into the living room.

Lin sat the plate down on the coffee table and picked up her mail. Holding the toast in her mouth, she started going through the envelopes. None of the letters piqued her interest, mostly bills or junk mail, except the one that didn't have a return address, or the name of the sender. Lin sat the other envelopes on the coffee table and opened the letter. She unfolded the paper with one hand as she took the toast out of her mouth.

Dear, Lin.

It's been a few weeks since I've arrived in Gaoling with Grandma and-

Lin paused. She crumbled the letter in her hand before she let herself read more. She bit the inside of her cheek while picking up the envelope and looking at it closely. When she paid closer attention to it, the handwriting was obviously Suyin's. And the wax seal was embedded with the Beifong family crest.

Lin bit her cheek harder in frustration. She crumbled the envelope and threw it, along with the letter, in the trash. The nausea pooling in her stomach became more apparent to her now.

She threw her toast in the trash also.

Tenzin entered the house to hear chattering in the kitchen. When he walked in, he saw his mother's look of disapproval towards his father. "Everything okay? I didn't interrupt, did I?" He asked. 

Katara sighed and dropped her arms to her side. "No, you didn't interrupt. Your father is just unyielding." She said with another sigh. 

"Will you go make sure your sisters awake? She has to work soon." Tenzin's attention was pulled by his father's voice. 

"Yeah, I'll go check." He said, a suspicious look on his face. He made his way upstairs and lightly knocked on Kya's door. He gave another light knock before opening the door, "Kya? You awake?" he said into the room. 

He saw his sister peacefully sleeping on her bed, arms and legs sprawled out. He scrunched his face, "How can she sleep like that?" He said to himself. "Kya," He shook her leg. 

With a light groan and a change in position, Kya ignored him. "Come on, Kya. You got to work soon." Tenzin started pulling the blanket off of her. 

"Get your bald ass off of my blanket." Kya murmured as she pulled the blanket back up to her chin. 

Tenzin chuckled, then pulled the blanket back towards himself. "Get up then." He said. Kya lifted her head and gave him death stare.

"You have to work to support your drug habit-" Kya picked up one of her pillows and threw it as hard as she could at Bumi, who was putting his two cents in from her doorway.

Bumi laughed as he caught the pillow. "Get out of my room." She said to her brothers. 

"I'm coming back in thirty minutes if you're not moving around." Tenzin teased as he headed for the hallway. 

"Hey," He stopped, looking at the vase of wilting flowers by Kya's bed. "Lin has those flowers in her room." He pointed out. "I hate the way they smell, but she says they're her favorite." He shrugged his shoulders. Kya watched Tenzin leave her room, shutting the door behind him. She slowly looked over to the panda lilies. 

"Hey, what's your favorite flower?" "I don't know. I don't think I have one."

"She says they're her favorite."

"Oh..." She said quietly to herself.

Kya sluggishly walked through the house. She was dressed, her hair was neatly pulled back, and a light layer of mascara coated her lashes.

But the motivation for work wasn't there.

She groaned, getting a look from her father as she walked into the kitchen. "What's wrong, droplet?" He asked. "Nothing major. Just have no motivation for work." Kya leaned against the counter.

Aang chuckled lightly. 

"So dramatic over the little things." Tenzin joked. 

"You're just like your uncle Sokka." Aang said.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Kya smirked.

"What time do you get off work?" Aang asked, turning a page in the newspaper. "Seven. My hours will be getting shorter as the weather gets colder though. No outside plants to take care of, so we're not gonna be open for as long." Kya said. "So, you'll be home more? Good, I know that'll make your mother happy." He said.

Kya smiled down at her feet. She didn't work nearly as much as her parents made it out but, given she's the only one home enough to help her mother out, her absence is a much larger burden on them than she'd like to admit.

She glanced over at the clock. "I'm heading out." She brushed a piece of loose hair out of her face, making a mental note to fix it later. She gave her father a quick hug and headed out the door.

Kya enjoyed the time it took to get to work. She enjoyed the walk as the sun warmed her face. However, the subtle drop in temperature was noticeable to her. And the breeze made her nose and cheeks cold. She knew the walk back would be colder than this since it would be getting dark out so, she thanked herself for bringing her scarf along.

Since the weather was getting colder, that meant the cafe across the street from Kya's work was serving hot chocolate again. "Hey, is it cool if I clock out early?" She poked her head into the office.

Her manager looked at his watch. "Yeah, why not? Your shift ends in ten minutes anyways." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Thanks!" She smiled then went to clock out. She gathered her stuff in her tote bag and wrapped her scarf around her neck. She looked both ways and crossed the street.

As Kya opened the door to the cafe, a little bell rang above her head. She approached the counter, another customer in the queue in front of her. Besides her, the other customer, and the barista, no one else was there.

The place is about to close. I hope they don't kill me for getting something.

"Have a good night." The barista said to the customer, and he left the cafe without a word. "What can I get you?" The barista said, the bell above the door signaling another person had walked in. "Just a hot chocolate." Kya said.

"Make that two." A short figure stood by Kya's side. "On me." Lin smiled at her.

"Hey." Kya said with a grin.

Lin pulled her wallet out as the barista came up with the drinks. "Thank you." Lin nodded her head toward the barista then her and Kya walked outside and sat at one of the patio tables. "I thought you didn't get off until seven?" Lin asked.

"Usually, but I asked to get out a few minutes early 'cause this place closes at seven too." Kya said.

"You left work early for hot chocolate?" Lin asked with a half-smile.

"You bet I did." Kya said with a laugh.

Lin grinned at her before taking a sip of her hot chocolate. She sat back in her chair and let her smile fall. "I got a letter from Suyin today." She said nervously.  "Oh? What did she have to say?" Kya said, leaning into the conversation.

"I- I don't know. I barely read the first sentence before I realized it was from her. I crumbled it up and threw it away before I could read any more of it." Lin sighed. "I- I mean shouldn't I give her a chance? Shouldn't I feel bad for wanting nothing to do with her? Because I don't... and for some god-awful reason, that makes me feel shittier." She shook her head slightly.

"Lin," Kya reached her hand across the tables and grabbed Lin's, "you had no obligation to read that letter. You were hurt by her actions. Physically and emotionally."

Lin was painfully aware of how soft Kya's hand was against hers. 

"She left without an apology, she skipped out on the consequences of her actions, you don't owe her a damn thing. Especially not your time." 

Lin stared down at their hands. For a moment, she mindlessly rubbed Kya's knuckles with her thumb. "It's getting colder." Kya said.

"I know. It's nice." Lin said.

"Really? I'm more of a summer person." Kya said.

"Yeah, I've never liked the heat. Especially when I have to wear this 'tacky' uniform." Lin said with a light chuckle.

The lamppost illuminated Kya's face in a yellow glow. Lin caught herself staring and moved her eyes down to the table. She looked back up when she heard Kya sigh. Lin could see Kya's breath in the cold air. She wondered, what secrets it held? What sweet nothings it would whisper in her ear if given the chance?

She felt herself shiver lightly when Kya pulled her hand from Lin's grip. Kya groaned, "It's getting dark. I should probably get home." She said. "Uh- Alright. Yeah, I um, I probably should too. Tenzin is there waiting for me and all." Lin said.

Right, Tenzin.

They stood up and walked down the sidewalk together. "I, uh, turn here." Lin said, scratching the back of her neck. "I guess this is where we part ways then?" Kya smiled. "Yeah." Lin chuckled.

Kya looked down at the sidewalk for a moment, then back up at Lin. She reached her arms up and took her scarf off. As she gently wrapped it around Lin's neck, Lin stared at her, "Kya, this is yours-" "It's fine, Lin." Kya played with the ends of the scarf for a moment. "You seem cold..." Lin reached up to touch the scarf, her hand grazing Kya's on the way up.

"Besides, green doesn't really suit me."

After a couple seconds, Kya stepped back. "I'll see you later, Lin." She gave a small wave before walking away.

Lin turned around, her hand still on the scarf. As she walked down the sidewalk, she couldn't stop thinking about how warm she felt.

And as Kya walked down the sidewalk, she didn't mind at all that she was cold.

Chapter Text

Lin sat back in her car, parked in an alleyway, watching the traffic go by.

She rolled her eyes to no one and cursed her mother for making her sit and wait for someone to break a law. She'd rather do paperwork if she were being honest with herself. There weren't many cars passing by, but the ones that did were loud and made her clench her jaw.

The perk?

The alleyway she was stationed at was right across from Kya's work.

Call her a stalker, but she couldn't help but watch as Kya walked around the front of the shop, preparing the place for the harsher weather. She carefully followed her tan hand with her eyes, watching as they took gentle care of the leaves touching her fingertips. With a twist of her head, Kya swung her hair to the side and leaned further into the plant.

Lin felt her face get warm and decided to look away. She didn't want to be caught staring and be labeled as some creep. It's not like she purposely parked here. Her chief told her where to go.

Kya would definitely think she's some sort of creep if she saw her staring at her from across the street. She cursed her mother again for putting her in a potential embarrassing situation.

The street wasn't that busy. Everyone driving by seemed to be abiding the law, besides the small things that Lin decided would be better to ignore. No sense on wasting time on things like teens with a loud radio, businessmen talking on the phone while driving, and tired peers smoking at red lights. She looked down at her watch.

Almost time for her to switch locations.

She reached down to turn the radio on when a tapping on her window made her jump and let out a small yelp.

Lin looked over to see Kya hiding her laugh behind her hand. She looked at her, astounded, and opened her door. She shuffled out of her seat, "H-hey, Kya." She said.

"I saw your car from the shop," Kya looked back at her work, "I'm on break, so I figured I'd come say hi. I'm not keeping you from working, am I?" She asked.

Lin felt her cheeks get warm and hoped she could play it off as the wind hitting her face too much. "No, not at all. I was just sitting here, watching the cars drive by." She said.

Kya smiled before taking a stepping closer, hoping it'd be easier for Lin to hear her over the cars passing. "How's work going?" She asked. "It's alright. Tired of seeing my mother almost every day but, I guess this is what I get from making that known at the office." Lin shrugged her shoulders.

She felt proud to have received a small giggle from Kya.

"Hey, I was wondering," Kya looked at Lin and paused, "uh- would you want to come watch a movie or something with me? I mean just, like, hang out, I don't know." Her nerves were obvious.

Lin thought for a moment. She wasn't sure how she was feeling. About her family, about Tenzin, about her own emotional baggage. And now, how she felt about Kya. She looked up at Kya, first noticing the disquieted look on her face, then the piece of hair that had untucked itself from behind Kya's ear.

Lin reached up and gently brushed her fingers against the strand of hair, pushing it out of Kya's face. "Yeah," She looked Kya in the eye's and smiled, "that sounds great."

Kya could feel herself taking shallow breaths. Her hands were soft. And her eyes looked like they sparkled. And that uniform?

Spirits that uniform.

Kya knew her face had to be beat red at this point. "That- that's great." She muttered out.

It felt like everything was moving in slow motion until Lin removed her hand. "Well, I better get going to my next station." She said sheepishly.

Kya snapped back into reality and nodded her head. "Yeah," she rubbed her arm nervously, "I should head back to work too." She said.

Lin gave a small head nod and went to get back into her car. "Oh! Uh- Lin?" Kya motioned to stop her.

"Hm?" Lin looked up at her from where she sat.

"Uh, stop by any time you need some new flowers." Kya bit her lip apprehensively.

Lin looked up at her, fondness in her eyes. "Yeah, I absolutely will." She said.

Kya smiled before giving a wave and safely making her way across the street.

Lin felt like her head was messed up. She's dating Tenzin... and she's sitting in her car, a blushing mess over his sister. His sister who hated her. His sister who screamed at her. His sister who patched up her face when no one else was around... and called her pretty after feeling the rough textures across her cheek.

Lin was losing her mind.

Kya pushed through the doors of her work with her heart skipping beats. She went behind the counter and began misting the plants.

The bell above the door rang and Kya turned around to smile and greet the customer. "Hi, is there anything I can help you with-" She stopped, and her smile faded. "What the fuck are you doing here?" She narrowed her eyes toward the dark-haired man, Kei Xin, who stood at the counter with a smug look on his face.

"Calm down, not here to cause trouble." He leaned on the counter, resting his chin in his palm.

"Then leave." Kya said plainly.

Kei smirked, "Just came to let you know you're safe, for now." he said.

Kya furrowed her eyebrows. "What're you talking about?" She said.

"You're friends with that cop now, aren't you? The sarg. If anything happened to you, she might suspect us from that night." He spoke lightheartedly. Like this wasn't that serious to him. "I don't think she's that big of a threat. Not something to keep us from getting you back where you belong. But boss man doesn't want to take any risks." He said.

This had to be some sort of joke. No, a trap? She didn't know. But she was weary. He made it sound like Kya was some special piece in his game.

"But this doesn't mean you're safe forever. We'll keep watching you, Kya-"

"Then I'll just leave-"

Kei's loud laugh cut her off. "You can try!" He leaned in close. "But The Creeping Crystals are everywhere. Trust me, we'll keep watching you." He said in a low voice.

He straightened his back out and looked around at the plants a bit. "I wouldn't get too close to that cop. She's becoming a problem. It's only human nature to deal with our problems." Was all he said before he left.

Kya was stunned. She stared at the counter with a blank stare. She clenched her sweaty fists and she could feel her stomach tightening.

"He saw me with Lin. He- he threatened her..." she spoke quietly to herself.

"Hey, Kya, I need some help back in the- are you okay? You look upset." Her co-worker said from her side.

Kya jumped at the sudden break of silence; not even know they came into the room.

"Yeah... I'm okay, I just- do you mind if I go for a smoke break?" She asked.

"You just had a break, didn't you?" They said, "But, yeah, go ahead. You seem pretty shaken up."

Kya gave a small nod of thanks before grabbing her bag and walking out of the back door.

She put a cigarette in her mouth and lit it.

This is a disgusting habit, She thought to herself before taking another drag of her cigarette.

Chapter Text

The sun appeared suddenly in Lin's room and she squeezed her eyes.

"Wakey wakey, Beifong!" Izumi's voice boomed through her room.

"Izumi- why are you here?" Lin attempted to cover her eyes with a pillow.

Izumi scoffed in disbelief, "I can't believe you forgot you made plans with me today. How dare you, horrible friend behavior." she joked.

"Oh fuck, are we supposed to go for breakfast today?" Lin lifted her head up to see Izumi dramatically nodding her head.

Lin slammed her head back down into her pillow with a groan. "Let me get dressed." Her voice was muffled.

Izumi smiled at her friend and left her room, closing the door behind her.

She walked down the hall. A picture of Lin and Tenzin replaced the one of Lin and Suyin on the stand. Izumi looked at it and smiled a bit until she remembered Kya's confession. Kya could open up an entire can of worms if it became known she had feelings for Lin.

Izumi went into the living room and motioned to sit on the couch when a flash of green caught her eye.

She walked to the chair and picked it up.

"Alright, I'm ready. Just gotta grab my- oh, do you like that?" Lin saw Izumi holding the green scarf.

"Yeah... It's Kya's?" Izumi said.

"Uh- well- she gave to me the other night at the coffee shop." Lin said, reaching out for the scarf. She wrapped it around her neck and put her shoes on. "Ready to go?" She asked.

Izumi nodded her head and followed her out of the door.

"I'm gonna take you to this great little diner. It's down the road from your work, actually." Izumi scanned the road with her eyes as she drove.

"I think I know that place. My mom used to take me there with my sis- with Suyin..." Lin trailed off.

"We can go somewhere else if you'd rather not relive your childhood?" Izumi tried to lighten Lin's mood.

"No, it's okay. I could use some better memories." Lin said with a half smile.

The ride there was quiet, but not uncomfortable. That's one thing she loved about being around Izumi. They could just sit in silence and still have a pleasant time.

Although when they got to the restaurant and got their food, Izumi wasn't slow to pick up a conversation.

"How's work going?" She asked Lin.

Lin nodded her head slightly while she chewed her food. "It's going fine. I've been doing some foot work here and there, but it's still mostly desk duty." She said.

"Mostly desk duty? You'd think she'd have you working cases and being out in the field by now." Izumi took a sip of her tea.

"Yeah, well, I have a feeling I'm being punished for the incident with Suyin." Lin raised her eyebrows.

Izumi scoffed and stabbed into her pancake, "You didn't do anything wrong. Even if you did, I think you've gotten your karma." She lightly gestured to Lin's scars.

Lin shrugged her shoulders lightly. She pushed her plate away a bit and leaned forward. "You know, I'm not even mad. I mean, I'm mad, but it's just getting too damn draining at this point. Suyin is staying out of my life and that's that. And if my mother wants to be on her side, I'll cut her out off too." Lin picked up a piece of bacon.

Izumi looked at her friend, partially feeling sorry that she feels the need to shut her family out. Although, she couldn't blame her. Lin was scarred and is being punished for arresting a criminal, while Suyin was probably living the high life in Gaoling.

The table rhythmically vibrated as Lin's phone rang. "If this if my mother I swear I'm going to- oh." Lin answered the phone, "Hey, Kya." Her tone softened immediately.

Izumi watched, trying to hear what Kya was saying on the other line, but could barley make out a single word over the chattering patrons around her.

"Yeah, that sounds great." Lin smiled into the phone.

Pretty big smile, Izumi thought suspiciously.

"Okay, I'll see you then." Lin hung up the phone.

Izumi cocked her head in confusion. "Oh, Kya asked me to come over and watch a movie tonight." Lin said innocently as she cut into her egg.

"Right, and is this the second date or the third?"

Lin choked on the piece of food in her mouth. She quickly swallowed it and wiped her mouth. "What are you talking about?" She asked.

Izumi narrowed her eyes, "You're all giddy and blushing over a phone call with her. Don't forget you're dating Tenzin, not Kya." She wanted to sound more supportive and genuine than snarky, but she entirely missed the target.

It didn't make Lin upset though. Instead, she felt like it was something she needed to hear right now. She's getting in over her head trying to convince herself she's not overly fond of the blue-eyed woman.

"I know, Izumi. I'm so confused right now." Lin set her head in her hands.

Izumi let out a small sigh. She was relieved that Lin understood the severity of her situation. But she was sad for her too. She knew firsthand how confusing feelings can be and she wanted more than anything to help the younger woman in front of her.

But she simply couldn't. Not when she knew Kya was absolutely enamored by her.

They finished their meals and Izumi offered to pay, wanting to do a favor for Lin. She wanted to do more for her, she really did.

Lin had Izumi drop her off at the station. She needed to drop paperwork off and wanted to do it while her mother was out of the office. She ran a few errands around the city, making her last stop before the Air Temple the store. She wanted to get extra drinks in case they ran out. She knew they wouldn't, but she needed another reason to procrastinate going to Kya's.

It wasn't that she didn't want to go. She was nervous. Really nervous. She scanned the drinks, considering for a moment buying alcohol for her nerves. Should she break it off with Tenzin... just completely cut herself off from the entire family? No, she couldn't do that... she had to admit she'd grown fond of them.

"Lin?" She turned her head and saw Tenzin approaching her. "Hey." He smiled and kissed her cheek. "Didn't think I'd see you here. I'm just picking stuff up for my dad." He said.

"Hey. I was actually on my way to your place." She said.

Tenzin raised an eyebrow, "Did I forget a date night?" he asked.

"No, I'm going to watch a movie with Kya. I figured she'd told you." Lin said.

"Oh, well, she probably did, and I missed it. You know how I can be." He joked.

Lin walked around with Tenzin while he shopped and checked out, then walked to the Air Temple together.

Kya set the two glasses on the coffee table. She placed the bowl of popcorn perfectly in the center. Grabbing pillows and blankets from her bedroom, she took them to the basement and threw them on the couch.

Her heart felt like it was banging out of her chest. All because she's hanging out with a friend. Although, as much as Kya wanted to lie to herself, she knew she liked Lin as more than a friend.

Maybe after tonight I should stop going around her so much...

She heard knocking come from the front door and raced up the stairs, skipping some steps as she did. She felt like a teenager.

"I got it." Kya said as she made her way to the door.

"Who's here?" Her mother asked.

"Lin." Kya said quickly before opening the door.

"Hey-" She paused when she saw Tenzin next to her.

"Was going through the store when I ran into Lin. You didn't tell me you guys were watching a movie?" Tenzin had a lighthearted smile on his face as he and Lin walked in.

Kya's eyebrows raised slightly in surprise, "Oh- I... thought I did." She said, knowing she purposely kept the topic out of their conversation this morning.

"I'm gonna put my stuff away and I'll join you guys in a minute," Tenzin started walking up the stairs.

He stopped when he noticed Lin and Kya exchanging looks. "Or... I can just leave you guys to yourselves?" He walked back a couple steps.

Lin noticed Katara glance up at the two of them and her body became tense. "Uh, I mean- if you want-"

"Yeah, of course you can- no problem." Kya said meekly.

Tenzin took the hint and chuckled lightly. "I get it, girls' night. I won't intrude." He smiled.

Oh, how oblivious, Kya painfully thought to herself. 

She didn't know Lin's intentions coming here tonight to spend time with her. However, Kya knew her own intentions... Of course, she wouldn't make a move, or even think of confessing. But, if she just got to know Lin a little more, that was enough for her.

Tenzin continued his path upstairs.

Lin looked over at Kya and took in a deep breath. "So, movie?" She asked.

"Uh, yeah. Come with me." Kya smiled shyly before guiding Lin downstairs.

Lin scanned around the basement quickly. She'd only been down here a couple times before with Tenzin.

"Um, I have blankets and stuff on the couch. And snacks. There's extra drinks in the mini fridge over there." Kya gestured to the side of the room.

"Thanks." Lin smiled nervously at her.

Why was she so anxious. It was just Kya.

Just Kya. And a movie. And a dark room. And the same bowl of popcorn... sitting next to each other...Lin shook her head lightly, trying to erase the thoughts from her head like an Etch A Sketch. She was just hanging out with her friend. Nothing more. But nothing less, either.

"Anyways I think you'll like the movie I picked. And I hope the drinks I have out are okay." Kya said, walking over to the couch.

"Yeah, Kya. It's all great, thank you." Lin said as she sat down with Kya.

After a few seconds, Kya turned off the lamps and started the movie.

Both of them reached for the bowl of popcorn but stopped once they saw each other's hands. "Oh, go ahead," Kya said with a nervous smile.

"No, you can- uh, yeah-" Lin stumbled over her words, not really knowing what to say. She didn't know why she was nervous, but she had to keep wiping the sweat off of her palms. Was she this nervous on her and Tenzin's first date?

Not that she thought this was a date. Although, the tension sure made it feel like it was.

It wasn't but half an hour in when Kya felt the need to move around. She couldn't focus on the movie, she kept thinking about how close she was sitting to Lin. She reached her arm behind Lin's head to grab the blanket off of the back of the couch. Lin looked over as she did so, and they made eye contact.

"Sorry- I was just getting this blanket." They were so close...

Kya leaned back slowly with the blanket in her hand.

"Yeah, no problem." Lin said quietly.

Lin kept taking glances at Kya. Maybe she's misreading her own feelings based off a single drunken comment. Kya may think she's pretty but it's obviously in a friendly way, right? I mean, Lin's dating her brother.

Still, Lin couldn't get those words out of her head. She couldn't believe two simple words were affecting her like this. Ever since she got scarred, she's felt appalling. She's felt ugly and no matter how many times Tenzin told her she was beautiful; she just didn't believe it was genuine. No matter how many times he complimented her appearance, she just couldn't help but notice that his eyes look at her scars first before anything else.

Lin unknowingly reached over and squeezed Kya's hand, causing Kya to look at her confused.

"Kya..." Lin stared down at the floor, lost in her own thoughts.

"Do you think I'm pretty?" She said softly.

Kya's eyes widened as the words registered in her head. Why? Why does Lin care if Kya thinks she's pretty? I mean, shouldn't she only care about Tenzin's opinion? "W-what?" Kya muttered out.

Lin looked over at her, realizing what she said. "I- I mean, it's nothing. You don't have to answer. I'm just- just buried in my own insecurities and- ever since the accident these scars have just made me feel so goddamn-"

"Lin, I-" Kya squeezed her hand. "I think you're beautiful." She said.

Lin looked Kya in the eyes and could see two things; complete sincerity and...

And a look that told Lin she wasn't just being friendly.

Chapter Text

Oh fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

What was she thinking!? Kya's eyes widened and she pulled her hand away. Lin wasn't saying anything, and she didn't know if that was good or bad? But, oh how those green eyes dared to pull her in.

Lin pulled her hand back to her side and embarrassingly looked back at the television. Kya swallowed hard and did the same, but with a look of guilt.

You couldn't cut the tension before? Try doing it now.

Kya wanted to apologize but she couldn't muster up the courage to break the silence. She never wanted to smoke a joint more than she wanted to right now. Just let her mind go fuzzy and forget this whole damn night.

"I'm sorry," Lin said quietly, not taking her eyes off of the T.V. "I shouldn't have asked you something like that..." She said, almost mortified by her own actions.

"No, Lin. It's okay... I promise." Kya responded at the same level. She should keep her mouth shut... "You deserve to know you're pretty..." She mentally hit herself in the face. Why couldn't she keep her mouth shut? The rest of the movie was spent in awkward silence, besides the occasional crunching of the popcorn.

When it was over, Kya turned the T.V. off and they sat in the dark. She wanted to throw herself down the stairs and put herself into a coma. A simple 'yes' would have been enough for Lin's question, but no, Kya had to put herself out there. And she wanted to put herself even more out there. Tell Lin how she loved her hair, she loved her soft hands, how eager she was for the next time she got to be in Lins presence. Kya wanted to talk about how she wanted to hold her hand and kiss her cheek. Kya wanted to tell her she was pretty all the time.

"Thank you." Lin was looking at her.

"Huh?" Kya snapped out of her thoughts, "For what?" she asked.

Lin looked at her for a moment. "Thank you for calling me pretty..." She said. She hadn't even noticed how close they'd gotten. "It really has been hard to believe it since that day. No matter who said it." She wanted to be so open. Tell Kya all about her vulnerabilities. Be honest with her, be weak around her. She wanted it so bad she didn't realize she was leaning in. "But you make me think it's true..."

She was so close; Kya could feel her breath on her lips...

But as much as Kya wanted to fill the gap, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Tenzin is her brother...

And Lin... Lin was so close to her...

But that quickly changed with they heard the basement door open. Kya and Lin jumped and quickly backed away from each other, realizing what would've happened if they weren't interrupted.

"Hate to barge in on ladies' night," Bumi came down the stairs, "but Tenzin and I are having our own little party and need some more drinks." he said. He paused when he looked at the guilty faces on both of the women. He looked at Kya, who looked especially guilty, and saw in her eyes that she begged him to pretend not to notice. "Is the movie over already?" He obliged.

"Uh- yeah. It just ended." Kya said quickly.

"Cool. Hope you guys liked it. I thought it was pretty good when I watched it." Bumi got the drinks out of the fridge and started back up the stairs. He figured he'd play along for his sister. But this was definitely a conversation they needed to have.

Kya silently thanked Bumi when she heard the door shut.

Lin and Kya sat at opposite ends of the couch, taking quick glances at each other, both of them too nervous to say anything. They both glanced up at each other and made eye contact. Lin's breath hitched and she started fidgeting with her hands. "Uh- I- I had a good time tonight." She said softly.

She's just being nice. I made things awkward. "I did too..." Kya looked down at the ground.

After a few minutes of silence, Lin started to get up. "I should probably head home. Um, early shift tomorrow." She said.

Kya quickly stood up, "Uh, yeah. Let me walk you upstairs." She said. Lin followed her up the stairs. When they opened the door they could hear Bumi and Tenzin yelling about their movie.

"It's just not something that would really happen, that's all I'm saying! It's illogical!"

"You bald fuck, they're on Neptune with no helmets! None of this is logical!" Bumi was holding his hands out dramatically.

"We're not interrupting you nerds, are we?" Kya joked as she stood behind the couch.

"Hey!" Bumi pointed a finger at her, "I'm not a nerd." He said.

Kya rolled her eyes and slapped his finger out of her face. "Lin's leaving." She looked at Tenzin.

"Oh!" He stood up and looked at Lin, "Did you guys have a good time?" He smiled.

Kya tensed up and awaited Lin's response.

"Yeah, it was great." Lin said genuinely. Kya looked over at her, a little surprised that Lin wasn't tripping over her words from being so uncomfortable.

"That's great." Tenzin kissed her. 

Kya looked away and bit the inside of her cheek.

"Kya, why don't you walk her out to her car? Bumi and I were almost finished with our movie." Tenzin said.

Kya looked at him, then looked at Lin. They both just wanted this night to be over with. "Uh, yeah. I can do that." Kya said quietly.

Tenzin kissed Lin one more time before taking his spot back on the couch. Lin looked at Kya and they made their way out of the front door.

"Uh, so, the movie was good. I really liked the part where they-"

"Kya," Lin stopped her. Kya swallowed hard, anticipating the next words to come out of her mouth.

"I really meant it when I said I had a good time..." Lin said awkwardly.

Was she blushing?

Kya's eyes widened slightly, not expecting to hear anything along the lines of 'I had a good time tonight'. "Yeah, yeah. I did too." She said.

Lin gripped the car door handle but didn't open it.

What if...

Lin dropped her hand from the handle and turned back towards Kya, looking at the ground. "Is everything okay?" Kya asked her.

Lin took a step forward and threw her arms around the taller woman, pulling her into an embrace.

Kya was stunned, having to take a step back to rebalance herself. But she slowly wrapped her arms around Lin's waist and leaned into the hug.

Kya stood in the kitchen, pouring herself a cup of juice. She put the jug back in the fridge and shut the door. She leaned against the counter, balancing her weight on one leg and took small sips.

She smelled so nice. Her hair was soft...

Kya squeezed her eyes for a moment then opened them back up, wondering if she was dreaming.

Bumi walked in and opened a cabinet. "What're you doing?" He asked. Kya just shook her head and stared down at the liquid in her cup. "Thinking about Lin?" He asked quieter.

Kya jerked her head to look at him, "What's that supposed to mean?" She said with an attitude.

"I saw how you guys looked when I came down those basement steps." He closed the cabinet, having not gotten anything out of it. He just needed an excuse to talk to Kya. "Looked like I interrupted a moment. And your hug before she left?" He said.

Kya huffed and sat her cup down on the counter. She folded her arms and looked down at the floor. "It's all been really confusing. I don't know what exactly I feel... I just know that I don't feel it for anybody but her."

Bumi softened his body language, seeing how painful Kya looked.

"I mean, I don't want to feel like this. Tenzin is my baby brother and I-" She felt herself starting to cry, "I don't want to hurt him." she said. "But Lin gave me signs that she might feel the same way. And- I don't know what to do, Bumi." She brought her hand up to her face.

Bumi extended his arm and pulled Kya into a hug. "I don't have any good advice for you... but I can be here for comfort if you'd like?" He said.

Kya nodded her head and continued to sob into his chest.

I should really distance myself from her...

Chapter Text

Lin contemplated leaving work early. Her mind was racing so fast she couldn't concentrate on simple paperwork. 

Why did I hug her? Why did I make a fool of myself? 

Maybe she should take a sick day... She felt sick. But when she got home Tenzin would be there, so maybe it was better to stay at work... She picked up her pen and started writing again. She carefully watched as the blue ink glided across the paper. 

Blue ink... blue eyes... Kya...

Lin dropped her pen and held her face in her hands. She almost kissed her last week. She almost kissed her boyfriend's sister... 

She made the decision right then and there that she needed to talk to Tenzin. 

Lin stood up with papers in her hand and started toward the filing cabinets. "You look distraught," A teasing voice came from behind her. She turned around and her mother was standing behind her, arms folded, and a smirk on her face. "Yeah." Lin said, turning around. 

"What, no witty remark today?" Toph punched Lin's arm. Lin ignored her and continued putting papers away. Toph furrowed her eyebrows, "Come on, kid. What's up?" She asked, placing a hand on Lin's shoulder. 

Lin sighed and shrugged her mother's hand off. "It's nothing you'll care about." She said. She heard Toph sigh, "Sergent Beifong, my office." She said. Lin turned around slowly and raised an eyebrow at her. "...Please?" Toph added on quietly. 

Lin sighed and walked into her mother's office. Toph closed the door behind them, then went to sit at her desk. "Talk to me, what's up?" She said. 

"Talk? To you?" Lin scoffed, "I can't remember the last good piece of advice you've given me, let alone the last time you wanted to talk to me about my problems." she folded her arms. 

"It's about Tenzin, isn't it?" Toph asked. 

Lin scoffed again. She took a seat and leaned forward, supporting herself with her elbows on her knees, "So that's it? You're only worried because it involves Tenzin. Aang's and Katara's son." she said. 

"So, you two are having relationship problems?" Toph threw one leg over the other. 

"What- no! We- we're not having problems." Lin sighed into her hand. 

"So, you're having problems-"

"Look, I'm not gonna ask for advice from someone who had two chances at a relationship and couldn't keep either of them-" Lin stopped herself, "I-I'm sorry... That came out wrong..." She buried her face in her hands, preparing for the lecture of a lifetime. 

"No, you're right. I had two kids with two different men, and I blew my chances with both of them. But that's why I'm asking about your relationship, Lin. I know the pattern, and I don't want you to follow it."

Lin was taken back. She knew she only cared so much because it was Tenzin. Or maybe she felt the need to actually parent Lin now that Suyin was gone. But still, she was shocked that her mother was trying for once. 

"What's wrong?" Toph asked, once again surprising Lin with her genuine tone. 

Lin let out a sigh of defeat, "I just don't know how I feel." she said. 

Toph leaned back in her chair, "What do you mean?"

"I think Tenzin is great. He's sweet and caring, he's always complimenting me, he's basically the perfect boyfriend... But-"

"But he's not perfect for you?"

"...Yeah. He's looked at me differently ever since the incident with Suyin. And I know it's probably just hard to get used to the scars but... If he hasn't by now, will he ever?" Lin said. 

"And that's why you don't know how you feel?" Toph asked. 

Lin thought to herself for a moment. She thought about brown hair, and tan skin. She thought about blue eyes, and a smile that could kill from a mile away. 

"I think I like someone else." She said quietly. 

Toph's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Someone else?" She knew the feeling all too well. "And who would that be?" She asked. 

"I- I can't say..." Lin said shyly. 

"Well why do you think you like them?"

Lin tensed up a bit. "Uh- I... I've never had to put it into words." She said. 

"Well then, try." Toph said. 

Lin looked down at the desk. "She's sweet-"

"Tenzin's sweet-"

"No, you don't get it. Tenzin is nice and kind. But she's so honest and genuine. She looks at me like the scars don't even exist." Lin said, she started getting lost in her own words, "It's so easy to laugh with her, to talk with her. I could look at her smile for hours and not get tired of it. She knows all of the right things to say and when to say them. And when she tells me I'm pretty, I believe it, Mom." Lin said. 

"You say you think you like them. But you sound pretty damn sure of yourself there, kid. And it sounds like you should really talk to Tenzin before things go too far." Toph said. 

If they haven't already, Lin thought to herself. She sighed. She didn't want to admit it, but her mother was right. She already decided that she was going to talk to him. But now she's decided that there's no backing out. 

"I guess I should say thank you... I don't know how, but you managed some good advice, Chief." Lin said sheepishly.

"Let's just say I've been there." Toph said. Lin raised an eyebrow, prodding her mother for details. "Katara's brother. Let's just leave it at that." Toph dropped the pencil she was fiddling with.  

Lin was left in her mother's office with her jaw dropped as Toph left the room, hearing the sound of her name being called from one of the officers. 

Lin plopped down on the couch with her cup and brought her legs up, leaning into Tenzin as she did so. "What're we watching?" She asked as she took a drink. 

"It's some documentary. I wasn't really paying attention to it." Tenzin wrapped his arm around her. 

"You sure about that? You seemed pretty into it." Lin chuckled as she sat her cup on the coffee table. 

"I was just zoned out, thinking." He said.

Lin snaked her arms around him and laid her head on his chest, "About what?" She asked, looking up at him.

Tenzin gave her a small smile before tilting his head back and looking at the ceiling, "Just about our future." He said.

Lin almost stopped breathing for a second. 

"Just thinking about stuff like- I don't know... Us living at the Air Temple after my parents move, coming home to you every night,"

Lin looked towards the T.V. Just a pipe dream... I work too much...

"Maybe eventually I'll get to come home to you... a pet... a couple of kids..." He said the last part quietly but,

She heard it... Kids...

Her heart was beating out of her chest, and not in the way that she'd like... Here he is, telling Lin all about the things he wants with her, and Lin couldn't even remember the last time she dreamed about him... Oh god, what was she supposed to do? She wanted to cry. She wanted to curl up in a ball and let her feelings eat away at her. "Tenzin, we need to talk-"

Lin looked up and he was sleeping.

Of course, he was sleeping. 

Chapter Text

Her shift ended, and Kya wanted to get a hot chocolate from the cafe. She walked in and stood in the line, listening to all the different orders as the barista was receiving them.

"Hey. Fancy seeing you here again," she heard a soft voice from behind her. She turned around and saw Lin nervously looking up at her.

"Oh, h-hey." She said awkwardly.

"Stopping for hot chocolate?" Lin asked.

"Uh, yeah," she looked at her watch, "but I actually don't think I have time for it. I have to go." She said. She stepped out of the line and walked out of the door. She shook her head at herself and cursed the spirits. She wanted to avoid Lin as much as possible right now.

"Kya!" She heard that same voice from behind her again. "Hey, is everything alright?" Lin said.

Kya stopped and turned around. "Everything's fine," she lied, "I'm just not feeling that well. Gonna head home and lay down or something." She mumbled.

Lin narrowed her eyes, "Are you sure? I can walk you home if you'd-"

"Just, leave me alone, Lin..." It came out harsher than Kya wanted it to, "please... I just want to be left alone." She softened her tone.

"Yeah... that- that's okay. I get it... I'll message you, if that's alright?" Lin said, kicking herself for being so persistent.

Kya silently nodded her head and continued her walk home.

She walked through the front door and took her coat off, hanging it on the rack by the door. She started up the stairs, but she heard her name being called from the kitchen.

She walked in, her mother cooking dinner, Bumi sitting at the table. "How was work?" Her mother asked.

"Uh, it was fine." She said. "Just want to go to bed."

"Well, eat dinner first. I worked hard tonight." Katara said lightheartedly.

"I'll get a plate." Kya said. Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and looked at it.

Lin: I'm sorry for prodding you earlier when you wanted to be left alone. Message me if you need anything, okay?

Kya sighed. When she got the new phone, Lin's was one of the first numbers she put into it. She shoved it back into her pocket.

"Who was that?" Katara asked, being the nosey Mom, she's always been.

"Uh, just... someone I've been trying to ignore." Kya said shyly.

Bumi knew two things; Kya only had her family's and Lin's number. And Kya didn't ignore her family.

"I'm gonna head upstairs. Uh, let me know when dinner's ready." She said.

"I'm coming with you," Bumi got up.

"What, hanging out with your mom isn't cool enough for you?" Katara joked.

"Not when you make jokes like that," Bumi said with a laugh, "it's sibling stuff, butt out." He said, half-joking.

Katara laughed, remembering how she used to tell Aang and Zuko the same thing.

Bumi followed Kya up to her room and he shut the door behind them. He sat down in the chair she had for her vanity and leaned back. "Go on, roll one up." He said.

Kya rolled her eyes at him. "Twenty-nine, living with your parents, and still can't roll your own joints." She joked as she opened her drawer.

"Twenty-seven, living with your parents, and still can't talk to women." Bumi teased back. Kya took her pillow and threw it at him.

Bumi caught it and chuckled.

"I can talk to women perfectly fine. Our brother's girlfriend it just a different story. I can't talk to her. That'd be stupid." Kya said.

Kya's phone buzzed again,

Lin: Just saw a lady who had her dog wearing a headband with antlers on it. I thought it was funny.

She sighed and sat her phone next to her. She wasn't annoyed by Lin's messages. In fact, she told Lin to message her whenever she wants. Even if it's her silliest thoughts. Kya just wanted to know about them.

"Gonna message her back?" Bumi asked.

"No," Kya chuckled defeatedly and she licked the rolling paper, "Just gonna distance myself from her until this passes by..." she said.

"Will it?"

Kya paused for a moment. Lin could potentially be with Tenzin until the day Kya dies. Would her feelings be able to just go away if she were around Lin all the time? It's not like she could distance herself from her for forever.

"It'll have to." She said quietly.

Lin stared at her phone. She stood at the stove, making dinner for herself and Tenzin.

Lin: They had a new hazelnut coffee at that cafe you go to. I tried it today. I think you'd like it.

She stirred the food in the pan. She's tried making plans with Kya, tried speaking to her at family dinners at Tenzin's, she's been messaging her almost every day. But it feels just like when they first met.

Kya was cold, Kya avoided her, Kya ignored her. Lin knew she went too far during their movie night, but she thought everything would be okay. Kya said she had a good time, but Lin realized she was just saying that to spare her feelings.

"That smells good," Lin jumped, not hearing Tenzin walk into the kitchen, "is it almost done?" he asked.

Lin shoved her phone in her pocket, "Yeah, I was getting ready to get plates and utensils out." She said.

They filled their plates and sat down at the table. "Hey, I uh, I didn't scare you the other night when I said all that stuff about our future, did I?" Tenzin asked.

This was her chance. If she didn't take it now, she never would. "Uh, actually, Tenzin..." Lin sat her fork down on her plate. She didn't look up at him, because she knew she wouldn't be able to continue if she did. "I've been feeling kind of off... Um things, us, just feels different than it used to..." Why couldn't she just come out and say it? 'I'm losing feelings for you' How fucking hard was it?

"It's normal, for couples to hit rough patches, Lin. I'm sure we'll get through it." Tenzin held her hand, trying to reassure her that they were fine.

But Lin knew they weren't. "Tenzin, my feelings for you are different..." she said quietly.

Tenzin gently squeezed her hand. "It's okay, Lin. Like I said, couples go through rough times, but it's nothing we can't get through." He said.

Why wasn't he listening to her? She felt stuck. She's admitted her feelings to herself. She's telling Tenzin to his face that she doesn't feel the same way. What steps did she miss? What more was there to do? What could she do without making him and his entire family hate her?

Lin pulled her phone out.

Lin: Hope your night's going good. Miss talking to you.

Kya stared at her screen. She didn't know whether or not to respond. She's been ignoring Lin's messages since their movie night. Lin came into Kya's work for flowers once and Kya hid in the office until she left. She felt bad. Just pretending like Lin didn't exist anymore was killing her. But it was necessary.

Kya sat in the living room, Tenzin in the chair, Bumi next to her.

"Hey, I saw this new movie on the T.V. Thought we could watch it together this weekend." Bumi said to his younger siblings.

"Yeah, I work this weekend, but I should be home early on Saturday if that works for you?" Kya said.

Bumi gave a thumbs up and looked to Tenzin, "You?" He asked.

"Yeah, why not. I could spend a night with you losers. Do you care if I invite Lin?" Tenzin said.

Kya's eyebrows furrowed, like hearing her name was painful enough.

"I don't care," Kya's head snapped to look at Bumi after the words came out of his mouth.

"Great, I'll let her know." Tenzin stood up and picked up the house phone, carrying it to the kitchen as he looked for a snack.

"What the fuck are you thinking?" Kya silently yelled at Bumi.

"I couldn't tell him no; he'd start asking why and get annoying about it. You know how he gets!" Bumi defended himself.

"You're not bailing halfway through like you always do when it's just us three. You're sitting through this entire movie because I refuse to sit alone with Lin and Tenzin." Kya said.

"Okay, that's fine! I just don't want my ass chewed by the big bald baby in our kitchen." Bumi said.

"Lin said she's free Saturday night." Tenzin came back in.

"Great, bro." Bumi leaned back in his seat like everything was normal.

Absolutely great, Kya thought.

Chapter Text

Lin sat in her living room, drinking coffee, and reading an old newspaper she had.

She was going to Tenzin's tonight for a movie. And even though the last one made her want to sink her teeth into a cyanide apple, this time it won't just be her and Kya. Bumi would at least be there to lighten the mood.

But she was still dreading it. Kya's been ignoring her all week. Lin stopped trying to message her. She stopped getting her flowers from Kya's shop, although she still got the same Panda Lilies over and over. She still stopped at the Cafe every so often around the time Kya gets off work, hoping that they'd run into each other. But they never did.

Maybe she should let the whole thing go. She thought Kya was interested, but now Lin can see that she isn't, and never was.

She'll truly love Tenzin someday. She knew that... But waiting was getting on her nerves...

Lin's phone started ringing and she held it to her ear, "Hello?" She said.

"Hey," a shy, familiar voice came from the other end.

"Kya! Hey! It's so good to hear from you..." Lin knew she got too excited, but she couldn't help herself.

"Yeah... uh, Tenzin wanted me to make sure you were still able to make it tonight?" Kya spoke quickly.

"Yeah. Definitely," Lin smiled into the phone.

"Okay... cool... I'll uh, see you tonight then, I guess." Kya didn't sound nearly as excited as Lin hoped she would.

"Yeah." Lin said.

"Bye,"

"Kya, wait-" Lin didn't know what she wanted to talk about, but she knew she didn't want to hang up.

"Yeah?"

"Uh... How's your morning going?" She asked after a couple of seconds.

Kya was silent, Lin thought maybe she was annoyed. "It's been fine. Drank some tea. Made fun of Bumi. The usual." Kya said.

Lin smiled, glad to hear more than one choppy sentence.

"How was yours?"

Now that was unexpected. But as Lin was getting ready answer, Kya stopped her, "Hey, actually, I got to go. I have to work." she said.

Lin's smile dropped and her shoulders slouched. "Alright, I'll talk to you-" Before she couldn't finish her sentence, the line ended.

Lin sucked on her bottom lip and stared at the words 'Call Ended' on her phone.

She'll love Tenzin someday...

Kya stood in front of the microwave, waiting for the popcorn to finish. "Don't forget to make a bowl without butter. Lin can't stand it." Tenzin said as he walked in.

"She can't?" Kya whipped around. Tenzin shook his head. "She says she hates the way it feels on her mouth. And don't get her started on the taste. She says it's disgusting." Tenzin chuckled.

She ate it without a complaint during her and Kya's movie. She could've asked for a separate bag; Kya wouldn't have minded. But she found it bittersweet that Lin put up with 'disgusting' popcorn throughout the whole movie. Kya shook her head slightly, getting rid of her thoughts. The microwave beeped. She pulled the bag out and threw another, butter free bag in, then shut the door.

She pressed the '+30sec' button until it reached two and a half minutes.

A knock came from the door, "Answering it!" Bumi yelled from the living room.

After a couple seconds, Kya could hear Bumi and Lin talking at the front door. "Hey." Lins voice was now in the kitchen. Kya turned around and she was being hugged by Tenzin.

"Oh- hey, Kya..." Lin waved awkwardly.

Kya gave a silent upturn of her head before turning her attention back to the microwave. She wanted to kill Bumi for this. But it wasn't like she was gonna be able to avoid Lin for the rest of her life. She just has to get through the night, and everything will be fine.

She just has to get through the night.

Everyone else went downstairs and waited for Kya to bring down the popcorn. The microwave beeped and she pulled the bag out. She got another bowl and emptied the bag. "Oh, unbuttered? That's perfect." Lin said to her, trying to make conversation.

Apparently, she stayed behind.

"Yeah. Could've told me it's what you preferred last time." Kya shoved the bowl into Lin's hands, not meaning to sound as snarky as she did.

Lin raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Are you mad at me over... unbuttered popcorn?" She asked.

Kya swallowed hard and blinked at Lin. "No... I'm not mad at you." She looked away.

"If you ever want to talk about what's going on, just shoot me a message, okay?" Lin walked past Kya and went downstairs.

Kya sighed. She sat the bowl of popcorn on the counter and pulled the little notebook out of her pocket.

Incredibly understanding...

She shoved it back into her cardigan pocket and made her way downstairs with the bowl in her hand.

"There you are, 'bout time. I wanna watch this." Bumi teased her. Kya picked a piece of popcorn out of the bowl and threw it at him. "Pipe it." She said as she sat next to him.

"Here, Lin. I got your drink." Tenzin sat next to Kya, and Lin sat next to him.

When the movie started, Kya saw Tenzin grab Lin's hand out of the corner of her eye. He leaned into her, then wrapped his arm around her. Kya glared over at Bumi, who acted like he was mockingly sorry for telling Tenzin to invite Lin.

"Where's Mom and Dad?" Tenzin looked at Bumi and Kya.

Bumi shrugged his shoulders, "Weren't home when I got here." He said quietly, for once not wanting to be louder than the T.V.

"Dad had an appointment, then they went out to eat." Kya said.

After a few minutes Bumi let out a large sigh. He leaned up and grabbed the remote. He paused it, then stood up. "Where are you going?" Kya asked immediately.

"I have to use the bathroom. Was man not born to piss?" Bumi held his arms out defensively before striding up the steps.

Tenzin turned his head toward Lin, who was snickering at Bumi's comments. "What so funny?" He asked lightheartedly.

"He's an idiot." Lin chuckled.

"Yeah, a big one." Kya mumbled to herself, obviously not being heard over Lin and Tenzin's conversation.

"—yeah, but I can't say anything to them yet, I want it to be a surprise," Kya caught the end of Tenzin's sentence. Lin put a finger to her lips, tell Tenzin to talk quieter.

Kya looked down at the floor. It felt like Bumi was taking hours.

He better not have ditched me and used the bathroom as an excuse. I'll cut his beard in his sleep.

Kya glanced over at Lin and Tenzin, making eye contact with Lin. Even though it was only for a second, it felt like minutes. No, longer. Kya wished she would've kissed Lin that night. And so many other times before that.

She wished she met Lin first, and in a proper way.

Maybe she would've met her in a bar. Bought her a drink and used the cheesiest pick-up lines on her. Went home with her and woke up early in her bed the next morning. Try to get her clothes on without waking her up but leaving her number on the dresser in case she wanted to meet again.

Or maybe they would've met at a coffee shop. Lin would reach for the cinnamon at the exact same time as her, and they'd lock eyes for a moment before frantically apologizing to each other. They'd sit down and have coffee with each other and make plans for a first date.

Or what if it was just by chance on the street? They'd run into each other, and Kya would drop her things. Lin would help her pick everything up and their hands would rub against each other as they met each other's gaze.

So many different ways Kya could've had a proper meeting with her. But instead, it was in an alleyway, in the rain. And then it was at the breakfast table, being introduced as Tenzin's girlfriend. It was during her and Tenzin's movie night. It was in the middle of the street; it was under false accusations. Then they met under stitches and bathroom lights, and at restaurant tables. They met over hair ties and panda lilies. They met through cocoa beans, and green knitted scarfs.

Kya sighed to herself. She knew she couldn't have Lin the way she wanted. And she was starting to accept it.

"Alright, let's continue this shitty thing. Mom and Dad are home by the way." Bumi said as he came down the stairs.

"You're the one who wanted to watch it." Tenzin chuckled as he picked up the remote.

They watched the movie, Kya, Bumi, and Tenzin passing around their bowl of popcorn.

The bowl got back to Tenzin, but when he reached to get some popcorn, all that was left were some crumbs and kernels. "Hey, Kya, do you mind making some more popcorn?" He asked.

"Yeah." Kya grabbed the bowl and stood up. Her little pocket notebook falling out of her cardigan.

"Oooo, what's this?" Bumi picked it up.

"It's nothing, give it back." Kya reached for it, but Bumi pulled it away.

"Well now we've got to look inside." Tenzin rushed to his side.

"Wait-" Kya went to get the book.

Bumi handed the book off to Tenzin and stopped Kya dead in her tracks. He held her from behind. "Bumi, stop! Let me go!" Kya tried to break away, but Bumi had her arms held tight.

"Oh, what's this? Something about a crush?" Tenzin teased.

"Tenzin, please, don't read that." Kya begged.

"Come on, Tenzin, don't be a child." Lin said.

"I'm not being a child; I'm being a younger brother." Tenzin smiled. "Now let's see here, 'Her Pro's' Awe." he read.

Kya squirmed and wiggled, but Bumi's grip wasn't loosening. "Bumi, you don't understand! Let me go!" She yelled.

"Sweet, responsible, independent," Tenzin read in a mocking voice.

Kya had a painful look on her face, and Lin couldn't believe how red it was.

"Wait, Tenzin-" Bumi loosened his grip on Kya.

"Incredibly understanding. Green eyes, short.. black hair..." Tenzin read on.

Kya stopped fighting Bumi's grip and kept her eyes on the floor.

"S-Soft milky skin... badass face scars?" Tenzin was coming to the realization.

"Please, stop." Kya said in a broken voice.

"Her con's... Tenzin's girlfriend..."

The room went silent as Tenzin read the words.

"Am- am I reading this right- cons: Tenzin's girlfriend!?" Tenzin yelled.

Bumi's arms dropped, and he let go of his sister. Kya fell to the ground and sat on her knees. "I'm sorry, Tenzin." Her body language screamed defeat, and she was preparing for everything to come crashing down.

"You have feelings for my fucking girlfriend!?" Tenzin yelled at Kya.

"Oh, shit." Bumi said, regretting pointing out the book in the first place.

"I'm sorry, Tenzin." Kya couldn't say anything else. "The girlfriend you said you couldn't stand?" Tenzin took a couple steps closer to Kya. 

"I'm sorry," She had tears running down her face.

"Who you treated like shit for months!?" Tenzin kept walking towards her. He threw the notebook across the room and the loud thud of it hitting the wall made Kya jump. She sat silently with her head hanging low. She couldn't even bring herself to argue with Tenzin because he was right. She hated Lin for so long... she was so mean to her. And now, somehow, this.

"Tenzin, calm down. Stop yelling." Lin said.

Kya slowly looked over at Lin, surprised that she wasn't as fuming as Tenzin right now. Lin looked at her, only for a second, before looking at the floor.

"Calm down? Really? She spends years making fun of me for not being able to keep a girlfriend. How all of my ex's were shit people. I finally get into a stable relationship with a girl who is good for me, and she wants to sweep you right off your feet! Calm down? Are you stupid, Lin!?" Tenzin yelled.

Lin was taken back.

Footsteps came tumbling down the stairs, and the worried looks of their parents entered the room.

"What is going on down here?" Katara asked.

"Why are you all yelling at each other?" Aang said.

Completely disregarding his parents, Lin got into Tenzin's face. "If you ever speak to me like that again this relationship is over. And I will take the shit you have at my apartment, I will throw it in a garbage can, and I will light it on fire in your front yard." She pushed past him and walked upstairs. She kept her head down as she passed Aang and Katara.

"What is happening?" Aang said in a loud voice.

"Tell them, Kya." Tenzin demanded.

Kya didn't say anything, and she didn't look up. She just sat on the floor with tears rolling down her cheeks. "Kya, honey, what's wrong?" Katara rushed to her side.

"Tell them!" Tenzin yelled.

"Tenzin, calm down." Bumi said.

Aang walked closer to the group and placed a hand on Tenzin's shoulder. "Your brother is right, Tenzin. You're very upset right now and-"

"Damn right I'm upset! Kya's fucking in love with Lin!" Tenzin yelled. The room was silent, and Katara backed up slightly. "Kya? Is that true?" She asked.

"I'm not in love with her." Was all Kya could say.

"Oh, well, haha, good news I guess." Tenzin said sarcastically. "Dude, come on." Bumi grabbed his arm and started dragging him up the stairs. "Yeah, you know, I need to cool down. Try to think of ways to keep my sister off of my girlfriend!" He yelled down before Bumi slammed the bedroom door shut.

The room fell quiet, and Kya sat on the floor in disbelief at what just happened.

"Kya, honey?" Katara spoke in a gentle voice.

Kya looked up at her. She had tear stains on her cheeks and her eyes were red, puffy from crying. But her mom still looked at her as if she were a gift from the spirits themselves. "I'm sorry, Mom. Dad, I never meant to-"

"We know, Kya." Aang said.

"I wasn't going to tell her. I wasn't going to tell anyone. I talked only to Izumi about it." Kya spoke quietly.

Aang and Katara looked at her, then to each other, then back at her.

I just had to get through the night...

Chapter Text

Kya's head hurt. It's been hurting for days. She had barely left her room, she stopped going down for dinner. Her mother has tried coaxing her out with her favorite dishes, but Kya just doesn't have the appetite.

She laid down on her back, staring at the ceiling.

Bumi's come in a few times, but Kya didn't pay attention to a word he said.

How stupid is this? Pitying herself for something that was entirely her fault? It's idiotic in Kya's opinion. Tenzin has every right to hate her and so does Lin.

Spirits, she hasn't even spoken to Lin. She wouldn't dare shoot her a message after last week's shit show. And she expected Lin had the same idea.

She felt like she was going to be sick. No matter how heavy her eyes were, she couldn't fall asleep. And the weight on her chest just kept getting heavier and heavier.

A subtle knock drew her from her spiraling thoughts, "Hey, Sis." Bumi opened the door. "Hey, I got us something." He shut the door and walked closer to the bed. He looked at his sister curled up in her blankets. "Alright, let's see here," Bumi crouched down at Kya's nightstand and opened the drawer. He lightly patted Kya's legs, signaling her to move them so he could sit down.

"Hey... I wanted to apologize to you, Kya. If I wasn't so busy trying to tease my sister, I would've realized what was happening, and I'm sorry." He said, a familiar smell filling the room.

"Bumi, Dad's home." Kya mumbled through her blankets.

Bumi's snorting laugh cause her to pull the blanket down and look at him. "You think Dad doesn't know?" He asked.

Kya let out a small sigh. "Great, so not only do they know I'm gay, now they know I do drugs too."

"Eh, only Dad knows you do drugs." Bumi said, trying to lighten the mood.

Kya side eyed him.

"Come on, sit up and light this." He held the freshly rolled joint out to Kya.

Kya let out another sigh before slowly taking the blanket off of her torso. She grabbed her lighter and took the joint from his hand, putting it in her mouth, and lighting it.

After a couple hits she handed it to Bumi, who was standing up to open the window.

"I really fucked things up, huh?" She asked. Bumi thought for a second. "No, I don't think you did anything wrong. Tenzin's the one throwing a bitch fit 'cause his girlfriend is gay for his sister." Smoke came out of his mouth as he talked.

Kya scoffed defeatedly, "Lin isn't gay for me... She loves Tenzin." She said, taking the joint from Bumi's reached out hand. Bumi raised his eyebrows, unconvinced of that statement.

"Besides, Tenzin has every right to be upset. I never should've said anything about how I feel."

"Yeah, but you didn't say how you felt," Bumi flicked the ashes, "Tenzin went through your personal notebook. Invasion of privacy isn't your fault. I mean, not like you acted on your feelings or anything?" He shrugged.

Kya stared down at her hands.

"Wait, Kya, you didn't make a move in Lin, right? -"

"No, no! Of course not!" Kya thought for a second, "At least I don't think so... not directly-"

"Kya-"

"Look, Bumi, I don't know! Everything feels so jumbled up in my head, I don't remember if I crossed a line!" Kya held her head in her hands. "If I did... Lin didn't say anything..." She said.

Bumi paused for a moment. "I'm sorry. I came here to cheer you up and now it seems I'm putting you in more turmoil than before." He said.

"No, Bumi. It's okay. I know you're just trying to help in your own way." Kya pushed her hair out of her face.

A few moments of silence went by. And after Kya thought about it, she looked at Bumi, "Hey... What do you think of Ba Sing Se?"

"What do you mean?" He asked. "Well, you've been there. Is it nice?" Kya asked. Bumi furrowed his eyebrows, thinking. "The lower ring has its good parts, but it's not a place I would go for vacation. Middle ring is pretty fine, good food, decent shops, jobs there are shit though. Upper ring is where it's at, obviously. The biggest shopping mall in the Earth Kingdom, I've heard the food there is-"

"Okay. So then... what would it be like to live up there?"

Kya took a deep breath before knocking on the bedroom door.

"Come in."

"Hey, can we talk?" She said in a hesitant voice as she opened up Tenzin's door.

Tenzin sat still at his desk, "I have nothing to say to you." he said.

"Well then, can I talk?" Kya asked instead.

If she comes to you, Tenzin, just hear her out. She's trying to be the bigger person. His father's words replayed in his head. Pfft, bigger person. He turned around in his chair. He didn't meet Kya's eyes, but he figured he'd listen to what she had to say.

"Tenzin, I'm sorry," Kya's voice cracked, "the things I feel for Lin were never supposed to come out-"

"So that's what it is, huh? You're not sorry about how you feel, you're just sorry that I found out." Tenzin folded his arms.

"I am sorry for how I feel, but- it's not like I wanted to-"

"I thought you came here to apologize, not make excuses for yourself." He cut her off again.

Kya could feel herself crying, "No- that's not what I'm trying to do, I- I'm just trying to explain-"

"If you were just going to come in here and play victim, then you should've just left me alone."

"I'm- Tenzin, I'm trying to make things-"

"What, make things right? If you want to make things right, then why don't you just leave! -"

"Can I get one fucking sentence out! You said you had nothing to say, so just shut up!" Kya yelled; tears were falling off of her chin.

It was dreadfully silent for a minute.

"You can't even be the bigger person without making a scene out of yourself." Tenzin turned back around at his desk, "Get out." he said.

"Wait- Tenzin, I- I didn't mean for it to come out like that. It was an accident, I'm sorry." Kya said.

Tenzin exhaled sharply, "Is that it? Is that your one sentence that you wanted to get out so badly? I said leave me alone!" He whipped his head around at her. His booming voice made her jump... almost like when their dad would catch her on top of the counters as a kid.

Kya's eyes flooded again. Breathing started getting harder. Her chest felt like it was squeezing around her heart. And if she'd eaten a meal, she was sure she'd throw it up right now. "A-alright then. I'll get you for dinner-"

"Just go, Kya. I have stuff to do today." He sounded annoyed.

Kya went to her room and shut the door. She slid down the wooden door until she was sitting on the rough floor. He sounded so annoyed.

You wanna make things right, then just leave!

She just might.

Lin sat at her kitchen table with a cup of tea and a newspaper in front of her. But she wasn't reading the newspaper. And she wasn't drinking her tea.

She was thinking about how Tenzin hasn't contacted her since that night. How she made a fool of herself in front of his parents. But if she were to be honest, she would admit that Kya is the only thing she's actually worried about. She hasn't been at work. Lin should know, she's stopped in there almost every day and gets told the same thing each time, 

"Kya called off sick today, maybe try again tomorrow?"

Fuck.

 It wasn't like she could just show up to the Air Temple and check up on her. Tenzin's parents probably think the worst of her now. Tenzin probably thinks the worst of her now.

She stood up and put the cup in the sink. She wasn't sure if she'd get Tenzin to talk to her, but she knew she had to apologize to his parents.

She threw her clothes on and her coat, then headed out the door.

Lin gripped the steering wheel until her hands were paper white the entire drive there. She was nervous.

But when she pulled into the driveway, a sense of relief washed over her as she saw Tenzin wasn't home. She let out a sigh and got out of the car. Her stomach tightened as she heard footsteps approaching the front door.

Fuck what if Kya answers it?

Katara opened the door with a smile that soon faded after seeing Lin. "Uh- Hi... Can I come in?" Lin asked nervously.

Katara stepped to the side and let Lin enter. Aang was sitting on the couch, and he offered Lin a kind smile. She sheepishly returned it with a small wave. "I just wanted to um- to apologize for the way I spoke to Tenzin in front of you guys. I was out of line, and it was very rude of me to-"

"Lin," Katara put her hand on Lin's shoulders. "Do you think we honestly expect anything less from a Beifong?" She said it lightheartedly, but Lin could tell she was being genuine.

"Your mother always had a mouth on her. But never without reason. I could tell Tenzin was acting out of control that night. And no man should talk to a woman like that." Aang spoke up from his tea.

Lin felt like she could cry. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate this-"

"Lin... Listen..." Katara looked in her eyes, "Kya- Kya isn't doing well..." Worry pooled in them.

"What do you mean?" Lin furrowed her brows.

She turned her attention to Aang when she heard him sigh. "She isn't coming down for dinner, she barely gets out of bed, Bumi said he got her up the other day and convinced her to shower,"

"But apparently there was an argument with Tenzin the next day and she's just..." Katara was crying now. "He was out of line with her." Aang said. "We don't know how to help her, Lin..." She said.

Lins stomach sank. She should've come sooner. She knew she should've come sooner. "Do you think it'd be okay if I- if I went up and talked to her?" She asked hesitantly.

Aang and Katara looked at each other, then Katara looked to Lin. "That's actually why I'm relieved you showed up. I was going to call you... Lin we don't know what to do and we've tried everything." Katara cried.

Lin looked to the stairs then back to Katara. She nodded her head, then moved the hands off of her shoulders. She started slowly up the stairs.

Kya sat in her room, going through a box. A subtle knock came from the other side of her door, but Kya didn't bother to move. "I already told you, Mom. I don't want dinner, I'm not hungry." Kya said.

The door opened with a small creek. "According to Katara, you haven't been hungry all week." Lin walked in.

Kya's head jerked up and her eyes met with Lin's. "W- What are you doing here?" She stammered out.

Lin chuckled lightly before stepping inside and shutting the bedroom door behind her. "I thought I'd offer to take you to dinner." Lin sat on the bed. "Katara said you haven't been eating." She started, "I remember, after the accident, I got a call from my mom. She told me to get over it and come back to work. So, I ripped out my phone line and locked myself in my bedroom for two days." she looked down at her hands as she fidgeted with them. "And for even longer, I didn't want to eat, I couldn't sleep. Hell, I barely had the energy to shower. But you were worried about me, weren't you? So, why aren't you worried about yourself?"

Kya didn't know what to say to her. She didn't understand why Lin was being so nice.

It was painfully silent for a moment

"If you won't worry about yourself, someone else will." Lin said. "Also, I- I know you might think I feel awkward, or uncomfortable, but I don't." She added on. Kya let Lin's words register in her head. "How'd you get back in my parents' good graces after talking to their baby boy like that?" She asked.

"Actually, when I apologized for my actions, they said 'we expect no less from a Beifong'." Lin chuckled. Kya forcefully laughed along. She straightened her posture a bit. "Lin," She looked up. Lin was taken back by the look of sorrow and regret on her face. "I'm so sorry..." Kya said quietly before hanging her head down.

Lin looked at her for a second, unsure of what Kya was apologizing for. It's not like she chose her feelings. "If I knew I was so appealing to women, I probably never would have got with Tenzin." She joked.

Kya just looked up at her with the same look as before. "Hey, I'm sorry... I just wanted to lighten the mood." Lin placed a hand on Kyas back.

"Lin, you don't have to pretend like everything is normal. You can feel uncomfortable... you have every right." Kya said.

"To be honest, I kind of had my suspicions. But I never felt uncomfortable around you. I still don't feel uncomfortable around you. At all. You're my friend, Kya. That doesn't have to change." Lin said.

Friend, they both thought.

"Yeah." Kya said quietly.

"Come on, let's go to that Water Tribe restaurant you love so much." Lin grabbed her hand gently. Kya looked down at the floor, "Okay." she said.

The ride to the restaurant wasn't as uncomfortable as Kya thought it would be, thanks to Lin turning on the radio. When they got there and ordered their food, Kya felt too awkward to say anything. Lin sipped on her water and watched as Kya picked at her food.

She didn't want Kya to feel like she did anything wrong. Maybe if Lin only saw her as a friend, she might think she did. But she couldn't help but admire Kya's blue eyes... No matter how sad they looked right now. She'd give almost anything to make Kya feel better right now.

...Even Tenzin if it were easy enough.

Lin furrowed her brows at her own thoughts. She didn't want to think things like that about Tenzin. No matter how fast she was losing feelings for him, she didn't want to hurt him. She was at odds with herself. She relaxed her brows as she realized something,

"Kya?" She sat her utensils down. "Is... is this the reason you shut yourself off from me...?"

Kya stopped picking at her food and let out a small huff of defeat. "Uh, yeah. After our movie night I- I was worried that if we spent any more time alone... I'd do something regretful." She said sheepishly.

Lin was almost stunned. She didn't know exactly how deep Kya's feelings went, but she knew it was deep. They sat together eating. Kya wanted to get up and walk away, she felt so awkward. And Lin wanted everything to be the way it used to be. Talking without effort, stupid jokes, and the occasional comfortable silence. But this silence wasn't comfortable at all. "I really appreciate you doing this for me, but I'm just not hungry right now, Lin." Kya pushed her plate away from her.

"That's okay. Just, take it home with you, okay?" Lin wiped her mouth with a napkin. She asked the waiter for to-go boxes and the two of them packed up their food.

Kya stared out of the window as they drove down the road. Lin turned on the wind shield wipers as rain started sprinkling down. Kya felt like she could cry. She knew what she had to do, and she didn't want to do it. It was what she dreamed of for years, sure, but she didn't want it like this.

Kya didn't even notice they were at her house until Lin said her name. "Kya? You sort of zoned out there." She said. "Yeah, sorry." Kya felt her stomach tighten.

Lin could see how upset she was. She turned her car off and got out, marching over to Kya's side and opening the door. She held her hand out. "Come on," she said. Kya looked up at her, confused. "we're gonna dance in the rain." Lin said.

Kya's jaw dropped slightly, and without thinking about it she was taking Lin's hand.

Lin guided her onto the grass, and they moved gently around each other. "I can't believe you're doing this. You hate the rain." Kya said, chuckling lightly.

Lin smiled seeing the slight elevation in her mood. "Yeah, but you don't." She took her hand and slowly spun Kya around. The rain drops in her hair looked beautiful. And the way the water ran past her blue eyes made Lin want to stay outside forever.

She used to think the rain was harsh. That it was mean, brought ruin upon her existence. She used to dread it, she used to avoid it. But now, Lin loved the rain.

However, their soft and tender moment came to a sudden halt when Lin's name was yelled from the driveway.

"Lin!?" Her and Kya looked over.

Tenzin was standing under an umbrella, his eyebrows furrowed in anger and confusion, "What are you two doing?"

Kya backed away from Lin and they looked at each other. Nothing but the sound of raindrops filled the atmosphere.

"Hello!?" Tenzin impatiently waited for an answer.

Lin looked at the ground, then back at Kya. She looked at Tenzin and started walking towards him.

Kya took that as her moment to retreat into the house.

After a few moments in silence, Tenzin huffed. "I'll get you a towel. Follow me." He had an attitude, but Lin followed him inside anyway.

"Wanna tell me what you guys were doing?" Tenzin almost shoved the towel into Lin's hands.

She slowly started drying off her arms. "I just took her out to eat. We got out and it was raining..." She brought the towel to her hair.

"What are you doing taking Kya out to eat? First, you're telling me you feel differently about me, then I find out Kya's practically in love with you, and now I catch you two prancing around in the rain-"

"Catch us? You make it sound so accusatory. I took her out to eat because I wanted to be nice. Don't go making it sound like something it's not." Lin said loudly. "Besides, it's not like you've been speaking to me recently."

"There was no reason for you to take her to eat. Kya's a big girl, she's perfectly capable of doing that on her own." Tenzin yelled back.

"Are you fucking blind, Tenzin? She's barely taken care of herself all week because she's beating herself up over and over again over all of this! Your mom had to ask me to help because she couldn't think of any other way to get Kya out of her bedroom! She feels horrible right now, so the least I could do is make sure she's okay!" Lin said.

"The least you could do? Lin, you don't owe her anything! There is no 'least you can do' for her! You're not her girlfriend. And if she feels so horrible then maybe she shouldn't wish you were!"

"None of this would've fucking happened if you just stayed out of her privacy! She begged you not to read that notebook, Tenzin. And like the selfish asshole you are, you did it anyway. And when she was on her knees crying, you just screamed in her face. 'The least I could do' is be understanding, since her own fucking brother won't."

Lin pushed past him harshly and walked out of the front door, making sure to slam it behind her. She'll message Kya later.

Chapter Text

The sun was starting to set. The wind blew cold temperatures in different directions. So, Lin kept her face in the green scarf she wore around her neck. She felt tired. Tenzin was finally speaking to her again, even if it did take yelling at him. He's short with her, but she thinks it's better than nothing. She's been taking on extra hours at the station. No better way to keep your mind off things than to work it out. Literally.

She stopped at the cafe then went home. After parking her car, she sat there for a moment. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. When she opened them and went to get out, she saw a familiar vehicle sitting in the parking lot. "Oh, come the fuck on, Tenzin." She groaned.

She approached her door and stuck the key in it to unlock it, finding it already unlocked. She opened it and rushed inside, "I don't care that you're in my apartment while I'm at work!" she yelled out, "Just lock the door behind you! Don't need the place robbed..." She mumbled the last part to herself.

She took a couple steps into the kitchen to see Tenzin leaning against the island. "Did you hear me?" She asked.

"Yeah, Lin. I heard you. Sorry." He said. Lin furrowed her brows and walked closer to him, "What's wrong?" She asked. Tenzin sighed and gave her a look, "Do you really have to ask that?" he said.

Lin looked down at the countertop.

"Lin what- what's going on with us?" Tenzin asked. "I mean, don't you remember our conversation before that movie? -"

"Yes, I remember, Tenzin." Her voice cracked. She was so tired of all of this. She wished they had that conversation after she found out how Kya felt. In fact, the conversation only went the way it did because Kya was avoiding Lin.

Tenzin stood up straight, "Well?" He asked. "What?" Lin asked. He took a couple steps toward Lin and held her hands, "I love you, Lin. So, despite all of this shit going on around us, is your answer still, yes?" he asked.

Lin knew she could say no. Say no, then officially end this relationship. But then what? It wasn't like she could just run into the arms of his sister. And if she lost Tenzin, she'd lose the last sense of stability in her life. Her sister is gone, her mother will forever be emotionally distant. Tenzin is the one thing left of who she used to be, and fuck, she didn't want to let that go.

It would be selfish to keep going along with this... Would it? Yes. Yes, it would be.

"Yes."

Kya sat at the kitchen table, tea in one hand, and a pen in the other. She repeatedly wrote and scribbled out ways to tell her parents. "Goodmorning, Droplet." Aang entered the kitchen. "Good morning. Tea is on the stove." Kya said.

Aang poured his tea and then sat at the table. "What're you writing?" He asked. "It's nothing. Just some ideas." Kya ripped the paper out of her notebook, crumbled it up, and sat the pen down. She looked up at her father to see him smiling, "What?" she asked. "Nothing. It's just nice to see you out of your room is all." He said in a soft voice.

"Yeah, well, the self pity party I was throwing for myself was started to feel disgusting, so," Kya chuckled.

"You've been leaving the house a bit more too," Katara entered the kitchen, "not that I was listening in on your guys' conversation or anything." She joked. Katara poured her own cup on tea, then got the stuff out to prepare breakfast.

"Yeah, I had some stuff to get done in town."

"It's too early in the morning for all this talking." Bumi groaned as he slouched at the table. "Jeez, what is this a family meeting? Everyone just coming in at once." Kya joked.

Bumi looked at Katara. Katara towards Aang, and Aang towards Bumi. "What?" Kya asked, wondering if she missed something. Nobody said anything, they just kept exchanging looks. "Is someone going to say something?" She said.

"Uh," Bumi finally spoke up, "Tenzin said he had some pretty big news he wanted to tell all of us, I thought that's why everyone was down here?" he said. Aang nodded his head. "He told me the same thing. Said it was exciting." Katara said.

Kya looked at her family in disbelief, "So, he's not even calling me to these stupid 'family meetings' anymore, huh?" she said.

"Kya-"

"No, it's fine." She held her hand up to stop her mom from speaking, "Hated being a part of them anyways." she shoved her notebook in her arms and dumped her tea out, "I'm just gonna- go upstairs." She said.

"Would hate to be down here when he shows up!-" As Kya walked into the living room, the front door opened and Tenzin was walking in, Lin behind him. She stared at him for a second before running upstairs. She hoped Lin didn't see her.

Tenzin avoided his sisters look and swiftly made his way into the kitchen, Lins hand in his.

"Hey, guys." He said as he entered the room. His parents smiled at him, Katara extending her arms out to hug Lin. "Hi, Katara." Lin said softly. "Sit down, you two. I'm making breakfast." She said.

They both sat down. Bumi offered a smile to Lin, but when he locked eyes with Tenzin, his smiled dropped and he shook his head lightly. Tenzin rolled his eyes.

"Big news, huh?" Aang asked. Tenzin looked around at his family and wondered if now was the right time to tell them. "Uh, yeah." He looked over at Lin. He thought she was still unsure about it, but she reassured him.

Kya didn't care. She didn't care what Tenzin had to say or what his big life update was. She couldn't give two shits. So why is she sitting on the stairs, anxiously waiting for him to tell their parents what's going on? Maybe she should go to her room? If Tenzin wanted her to know, he would've messaged her like the rest of the family.

She listened, waiting to catch Tenzin saying something along the lines of what he came here for. Spirits, her hands were sweaty. Lin was down there. Did his news have to do with them? Are they breaking up?

No.

Kya wasn't that lucky.

And even if she were what was she supposed to do? "Hey, you just broke up with my brother, wanna go out?" That'd be charming, wouldn't it?

She rolled her eyes to herself. She has her own life plans to follow through with, why is she so caught up in Tenzin's.

Because his involve Lin.

Kya let out a quiet groan.

"So, about what I wanted to tell you guys,"

Fucking finally.

Tenzin cut into his omelet, not exactly hungry, but would never turn down a meal from his mother. "Uh, so, I know with everything going on, things have been a little chaotic." He said. He could feel Bumi's burning stare. "But um, Lin and I have decided to do something pretty big," he smiled brightly.

Bumi looked towards his mom, who looked just as confused.

"Lin and I are moving in together."

Kya's breath hitched. "You've got to be fucking kidding me..." She placed her head in her hands.

"R-Really?" Katara looked at Lin. She really looked at Lin. "Yeah..." Lin gave her a forced smile.

The congratulatory, but hesitant, sounds from her parents were drowned out by her own thoughts. 

"If it's alright with you guys, I was hoping Lin could stay here tonight? Help me pack some of my stuff and help me a bit tomorrow." Tenzin asked.

Kya closed her eyes and silently hoped her mother would tell him no. But of course, "No, we won't mind at all." Aang said. "What the fuck?" Kya gripped her hair in her hands.

The sound of a chair slamming and stomping footsteps made Kya jump. Her worries simmered when she saw Bumi starting up the stairs. He stopped when he saw her. And before Kya did, he realized the tears streaming down her face. "Come on," He gripped her shoulder for a second before walking past her.

Kya stood up and followed him into his room.

Bumi got in the pocket of his jack and pulled out his pack of cigarettes. He tossed one to Kya, then put one in his own mouth and shut the door.

"Well, now I know why he didn't ask me to meet everyone in the kitchen." Kya sniffled.

Half of the day had passed, and Kya locked herself in her room for the entirety. But now she was ready.

She had to talk to her parents.

Kya knocked on her parents' bedroom door. "Come in." Her mothers voice came from the other side. She opened the door to see her father sitting on the end of his side, and her mother already laid out on her side. "Can I talk to you guys?" She asked hesitantly.

"Of course. What is it?" Katara sat up.

Kya made her way over to their bed and sat next to her father. "I- I wanna leave Republic City..." She said. Aang's eyebrows rose in curiosity. Kya felt her mother's hand on her shoulder. "Kya, dear? Is this because of Tenzin and-"

"No, Mom!" Kya shot up from her seat, annoyed. "This isn't because of Lin! I-" She paused for a second to recompose herself. "This is something I've wanted. I've been trying to think of ways to tell you for a while. I'm tired of being in the city... I want to travel." Kya pulled out the crinkled piece of paper she was writing on when her father spoke to her earlier.

Aang recognized it after a moment.

Kya sat back down on the bed, "I have a train ticket for tomorrow, to Ba Sing Se." she said.

"Tomorrow?" Katara was surprised. "Kya, that's so soon." She sat up further.

"I'm sorry for not telling you sooner." Kya felt herself starting to cry. "But I knew that I wouldn't go if you told me not to-" Her voice hitched when she looked up to see her father smiling at her.

He reached his hand out and brushed a piece of hair out of Kya's face. "Oh, droplet. I'd never stop you from traveling. Your mother and I put you here so that you could grow into your own person and achieve your own dreams." He said.

"I'm so sorry," Kya cried, the potential consequences of her actions setting in. "Dad, you're getting worse. Bumi and Tenzin aren't home nearly enough to help Mom. I'm just leaving you guys behind and I'm so sorry."

Her mother's arms wrapped around her, and she felt her chin on her shoulder. "There is nothing to be sorry for. You've spent your entire life here, helping us. You've done so much more than we ever would have asked of you. It's okay for you to want to live your own life and help yourself instead." Katara said, tears pooling in her eyes with empathy for her daughter.

"If anything, dear, we should be apologizing to you." Aang reached his arms out to hug Kya as well.

Kya sat in her room staring at the suitcase across the room. Tomorrow was the day.

A knock on her door made her jump lightly. "Come in?" She said. Who is knocking on her door this late?

Lin poked her head in with a small smile. "Hey." She stepped inside and shut the door.

"Hey, Lin." Kya forced herself to return the smile. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be spending the night with Tenzin?" She asked.

"Yeah, well, it's hard to sleep when he snores louder than a bison." Lin said. She sat down on Kya's bed next to her.

"Yeah, he's annoying." Kya chuckled.

"What's the suitcase for?" Lin looked over.

Kya looked over at Lin and stared for a second before looking down at her hands, "It's uh... Lin- I'm leaving Republic City." she said.

Lin's eyebrows furrowed and she looked at Kya, confused, "What?" she said. "I'm gonna travel." Kya sighed. "It's something I've wanted to do for a while. And what better time than now?" Kya chuckled defeatedly.

What did she mean by that? "What better time than now?" Because Tenzin and I  are moving in together ?

Lin took a deep breath in. "Well... As long as you're happy." She smiled at Kya. Even though she wanted to scream at Kya to stay, she smiled. They sat in silence for a few minutes. Lin noticed Kya's joint in the ashtray next to her. Lin held it in front of her face and then looked over at Kya. "What? Gonna arrest me on my last night here?" Kya joked.

"Where's the lighter?"

"W-What?" Kya was taken back. "Well, I figured since it's your last night here." Lin shrugged her shoulders. "Have you ever smoked before?" Kya asked. Lin took in a deep breath before shaking her head no. Kya smiled before getting the lighter off of the shelf above her. She lit the joint, took a hit, then handed it off to Lin.

They laid on Kya's bed, staring up at the ceiling. Lin was focused on the glow in the dark stars Kya had above them. "You have constellations on your ceiling." She mumbled. "Yeah. I almost fell off of my bed three times putting those up." 

"Are they made up?" Lin asked. "No, I based them off of real constellations. Well, to the best of my ability." Kya said. "What's that one?" Lin pointed up at the ceiling.

Kya thought for a moment, "Dorado."

"What 'bout that one?"

"Lyra."

"Hm... What about the triangle shaped one?" Lin turned her head to look at Kya. "You'll never guess." Kya looked over at Lin. "What?" Lin furrowed her brows in curiosity.

"Triangulum." Kya half whispered.

Lin had a blank stare for a second, "Bahahaha!" She started laughing.

Kya smiled at her as she watched her put her hands over her face. When Lin moved her hands and turned back to Kya, her red eyes were apparent. They stared at each other in silence, both of their happy moods dissipating as they remembered it was Kya's last night in the United Republic.

Lin felt the sadness forming in her eyes. "Kya," She said quietly. Her hand moved around until it found Kya's. "I'm going to miss you." She said. Kya felt Lin's grip tighten around her hand. She took a deep breath in, turned on her side and gripped Lin's hand back.

Lin hated herself for feeling like this. "It's really your last night in the city?" She asked.

Kya pressed her lips together for a moment, "Yeah." she shuddered out, trying to keep herself from crying even more than she already had today. Lin turned on her side as well, facing Kya. "Are you gonna come back to visit?" She asked, already knowing the answer. Kya shook her head lightly, "I'm not coming back until..." She didn't have to finish her sentence. Lin knew she would only be back for her father's funeral, then would probably be on her travels.

Lin swallowed hard, then brought her hand up to Kya's cheek. She lightly brushed her thumb over Kya's lips and leaned in.

If this was what it felt like to be in a state of euphoria, Kya hadn't known it until now.

She firmly placed her hand over Lin's scars and deepened the kiss, her tears running down her cheeks. She didn't want to pull away from this, but when her fingertips started to wet with Lin's tears, she knew she had to.

Lin was breathing heavily, and she held onto Kya with a desperate grip.

"Tell me to stay..." Kya said quietly.

Lin looked up at her, "What?" she asked.

"Tell me to stay, Lin, and I will." More tears filled her eyes. "I'll put myself through the jealousy and the yearning. I'll sit through it all," She shut her eyes tightly, "Your housewarming, your future engagement. I'll listen to your vows and dance at your reception, just please, Lin, please tell me to stay." her voice cracked.

Lin's eyes scattered around her face, searching for any sign that Kya truly didn't want to put herself through that situation. But when Kya opened her eyes back up to look at her, Lin could only see a look that screamed "I'll go through my own personal hell just to keep you in my life."

"I... I can't do that, Kya." Lin sniffled. "I can't make you stay here and hurt."

Kya's eyes dropped to look at Lin's lips, the feeling of rejection setting in. She knew Lin wouldn't tell her to stay, but she was foolish enough to hope. They laid together in silence, the tension in the atmosphere noticeable by both of them.

Kya felt her eyes getting heavier, but she didn't want to sleep. She didn't want this moment with Lin to end. "Lin,"

"Yeah?"

"Will you stay here with me until the morning..."

The sadness in Kya's voice caused a pang in Lin's chest. There's no doubt Tenzin would be upset if he found her in Kya's room the next morning. But there's also no doubt Lin would regret it if she didn't take this opportunity.

It's Kya's last night in the city. Her last night at home. Her last night with Lin... her feelings for Tenzin weren't what she made them out to be.

She didn't feel that way towards him. She didn't feel any way toward him...

"Of course, Kya..."

Chapter Text

Lin was warm. So warm. She didn't want to move.

What time is it?

It was still dark out. 

She went to scratch her face, but a weight was on top of her arm, and sprawled across her chest. Right... Kya. She turned her head to the clock.

3:42AM

Lin looked back up to the ceiling and pushed air through her lips with a sigh. She hoped Tenzin hadn't woken up throughout the night. Or God forbid, one of Kya's parents came in to check on her. How would she explain something like this to her parents? They definitely expect more from a Beifong than this...

This...

Lin could lay like this forever. But she didn't have forever. She only had a few more hours. No, probably minutes. She needed to get out of Kya's room.

She brought her hand up to the back of Kya's head and played with her hair for a moment. She wondered what time Kya's train was leaving. She wondered if Kya had all of her stuff packed or if she was going to take more. She wondered if Tenzin even knew his sister was leaving. If he did, he didn't seem to care.

Lin let out another sigh before trying to move out from under Kya. She grimaced as she did so, desperately not wanting to leave Kya's arms, and trying her hardest not to wake her up. 

She was successful, although part of her wished Kya did wake up. Wished Kya would tell her to stay for a little longer. She would. Lin brushed hair out of Kya's face, then kissed her cheek gently. Before she left, she caught a glimpse of Kya's notebook. She looked back at Kya to make sure she was still sleeping, then she sat down at the vanity in front of the notebook.

She took in a deep breath before opening it. She didn't care about the journal entries. She wasn't going to invade Kya's privacy like that. What she cared about...

...There.

At the top of the page: Lin's pro's and con's

Lin smiled to herself, so cliche. She started to read the page... Kya had to have one bad thing listed about her...

Pros

• Sweet

• Non-judgmental

• Responsible

• Badass

• Independent

• Incredibly understanding

• Green eyes

• Soft milky skin

• Badass face scars

Lin couldn't help but smile at the page. Who knew Kya was so cheesy, she giggled to herself. She looked to the next page and her heart sank.

Cons

• Tenzin's girlfriend

It was the only thing on the list. Kya truly did see only the best in her... Fuck. She needed to leave soon, or she never would. She looked around Kya's room for a moment before finding what she was looking for. A pen. She flipped through Kya's notebook until she reached a blank page, making sure not to stay on one page of Kya's privacy for more than a second.

Lin turned around in the chair with the notebook in her hand. She looked at Kya and started writing.

Lin slipped out of the door and quietly shut it behind her. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard it latch.

"So, what're you sneaking out of Kya's room for?" The deep voice made Lin jump.

Bumi was standing across from Kya's door.

"You scared the shit out of me." Lin whispered, holding a hand up to her mouth in surprise. Bumi raised an eyebrow. "How'd you know I was in there?" Lin asked meekly. Bumi shrugged his shoulders and looked down the hall toward his bedroom, "I've been up all night. Heard you sneak out of Tenzin's room, peeked my head out, saw you going into Kya's room." He said nonchalantly.

"And you just waited until I left?" Lin scrunched her face.

Bumi looked down at his feet and cleared his throat, "What did you tell her in there?" he asked. Lin was slightly taken back by Bumi's sudden seriousness. "I- I told I wanted her to be happy..." Lin said.

Bumi looked at her for a moment, "What else?" He asked. "Uh," Lin chuckled lightly, "don't tell Tenzin, but I got high for the first time." She said, almost in disbelief of herself.

Bumi looked Lin up and down. He wasn't checking her out, she knew that. He was seeing if she had anything to hide. "We talked about constellations. And we talked about..." Lin trailed off as she remembered how they kissed. Her face was heating up.

Bumi raised his eyebrows and nodded his head, "There it is." he said. He started walking back to his room, "You know, Kya would stay if you told her to."

Tell me something I don't know.

Kya's eyes fluttered open, the sun just starting to rise. She squeezed her arm around whatever she was holding, disappointed to find out it was just one of her pillows. She wasn't surprised though. She knew Lin would be gone when she woke up.

Part of her was thankful. She would rather wake up disappointed than wake up to a screaming match involving her brother. She looked over at the time, 

6:13AM

She looked over at her suitcases, then at the outfit she had laid out on top of them. She figured might want to get dressed before it's too late. She had everything ready. She had her tickets. She spoke with her boss about her job at the shop. Hell, she even got a passport in case she wanted to leave the Earth Kingdom. She leaves in less than two hours. 

She took her time getting ready, wanting to spend as much time as possible in her childhood bedroom. She chuckled to herself as she opened her nightstand drawer. Either got to give it to Bumi or throw it out. She moved everything from the drawer into a little lockbox. She opened her bedroom door and took a right down the hall. 

Kya lightly knocked on Bumi's door. She was surprised when he answered. "What're you doing up?" She chuckled.

Bumi leaned against his door frame, "I haven't been to sleep." he said. 

"What?" Kya pushed past him and sat the box down on his bed, "Why haven't you slept?" she asked. Bumi looked at the floor, "I knew that I'd miss your train if I went to sleep." he said in a low voice. Kya's worried expression softened, and she felt like she could cry. She pulled him into a hug then lightly hit him in the back of the head, "Never fuck up your sleep schedule for something as stupid as this again, got that?" 

Bumi chuckled, "Yeah, whatever. What's in the box?" he looked towards his bed. Kya pulled back, "Oh, yeah. Uh, this is all of my illegal shit I don't want Mom finding after I leave." she said lightheartedly. "Awe, my own goodie box. Such a nice gift, Kya." Bumi joked.

Kya rolled her eyes before holding the key out to him. "Let's see, there's papers, wraps, my grinder, my rolling tray, I bought a bag a couple weeks ago, so there's some in there too-" 

"Kya," Bumi took the key from her and sat it on top of the box, "I'll miss you. Fucking loser." he pulled her into another hug. "Oh, come on, I'll write letters and send gifts, you know that- Bumi- are you crying?"

"Oh, shut up." Bumi pulled his arms back and wiped his eyes with his hand. 

Kya couldn't help but stare at her brother in awe. "I'll miss you too, you fucking loser." Kya punched him in the arm with a smile. As she started walking out of his door, she stopped, "And go to bed. You don't have to watch me get on some train." she chuckled. Bumi nodded his head and gave her a small wave. 

Kya shut Bumi's door behind her. 

She went back to her room and opened up her suitcases, double checking that she had everything she'd need. She grabbed her large tote bag and started filling it with things she would need on the train. Crochet hooks and yarn, a new hobby she'd picked up. Chapstick, a small bottle of lotion. A change of clothes in case she needed quick access to them. Blanket, sweatshirt, she had everything. 

She knew she had to head downstairs soon. Her mom wanted to make her breakfast before she went to the train station. She threw the strap of her bag over her head and let it hang on her shoulder. She opened her door to take the suitcases downstair but was stopped. 

Tenzin looked down at the suitcases in her hands. He looked back at Kya and paused for a moment, "Are you really leaving the city soon?" he asked. Kya silently nodded her head. Tenzin bit his lip and lightly shook his head. Kya was waiting for the lecture.

"Do you need any help with your bags?"

Kya looked up. He wasn't snarky, he wasn't rude... he seemed upset. "Yeah... If you don't mind." Kya said, handing a suitcase to her baby brother. 

They walked down the stairs, Kya following behind Tenzin. When they got to the bottom, Tenzin sat the suitcase by the front door, "Uh, there you go." he turned to Kya. Without saying anything else, he hugged her, then swiftly made his way back upstairs. 

Kya walked into the kitchen where her parents sat, plates of breakfast already on the table. "Oh, you're up!" Katara noticed after Aang gave her a small gesture towards the doorway. "I hope this is good for breakfast, oh, and I made your favorite tea too." Katara smiled brightly as she walked around the kitchen, getting a mug and pouring from the teapot. 

Kya could tell how sad she was though. "It's perfect, Mom. Thank you." She said as Katara sat the cup down in front of her. They ate their breakfast, trying to make conversation about anything other than the elephant in the room.

"Are you sure you don't need a ride, Droplet?" Aang asked gently. Kya shook her head, "No, Izumi said she was okay with taking me." she saw the worried look on her mother's face, "really, it's okay." she smiled. 

Kya knew they wanted to ask, "I talked to Tenzin this morning before coming down." she said. 

Katara and Aang looked at each other with joyous surprise, "Really? Well, what did you two talk about?" Katara asked. 

"It was short. He just asked if I needed help bringing my suitcases down. We hugged. I guess that was our goodbye." Kya tried to sound cheerful, but her parents could tell she was upset.

"Do you want more eggs?" Katara asked. Kya looked toward the clock, "No thanks, Mom. By the time I'm done with this Izumi will be here." she took another bite. "Well, does Izumi want breakfast?" Aang suggested. Kya shook her head, "No, Izumi's still struggling with morning sickness-" she stopped herself. She covered her mouth, "shit, I wasn't supposed to say that- shit! I didn't mean to cuss- fuck I did it again- wait-" Kya covered her face with her hands and groaned.

Aang and Katara were too surprised to react to Kya's foul language. "Did you say Izumi's struggling with morning sickness?" Katara laid her hands flat on the table. 

"Izumi's pregnant!?" Aang exclaimed.

"Wait, still struggling, she's been pregnant, and you didn't tell us!?-" 

"She didn't want you guys knowing!" Kya shut them up. They stared at her confused, "Why not?" Katara folded her arms. "Maybe because Dad already has his phone out, trying to call Zuko," she yanked the phone out of her father's hands, "she doesn't want him to know yet, and you two tell everyone about everything." she chuckled. 

"Tell her we're happy for her." Aang smiled before taking a bite of his food. 

Even though her plate was empty, Kya didn't want to get up. Izumi messaged her five minutes ago saying she was outside, but Kya was procrastinating. She took a deep breath in, then stood up. "Uh- well, Izumi's here." She said. 

Katara and Aang looked at each other, then at Kya. After a couple moments of silence, Aang stood up, "Do you have everything you need?" he gave her a weak smile.

Kya ran through her list again in her head, Crochet hooks and yarn, ChapStick, a small bottle of lotion, change of clothes, blanket, sweatshirt- "Oh!" Kya started swiftly walking towards the stairs. "What did you forget?" Katara yelled after her. 

"My notebook!"

Kya couldn't forget her notebook. 

Tenzin stood at his bedroom window. Izumi had been sitting out there for a long time. Or maybe it was just a few minutes? "Hey, carry this box to my car?" Lin tried getting his attention. She nudged him, making him flinch. "Sorry, what?" He asked.

"Take this to my car?" Lin asked again, holding the box up. 

Tenzin looked at the box then looked back out the window, "Yeah, in a minute. I just- I want to wait until after Kya leaves." He said softly. Lin at the box down on Tenzin's bed, "Did you say even bye to her?" It sounded more insulting than she meant for it to. 

"Why? Did you?" Tenzin looked at her. Lin didn't say anything. "When?" Tenzin furrowed his eyebrows. 

Lin let out a sigh, partially annoyed, partially defeated, "I told her last night... All I said was I wanted her to be happy." she said. 

Tenzin swallowed hard, "Anything else?" he asked. Lin felt like it was her conversation with Bumi all over again, but worse. "No... Tenzin." She said in a hushed voice. Tenzin rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger, "I'm sorry." He said. 

Lin felt incredibly guilty. 

Tenzin took another glance out of the window. Izumi's car was gone. He looked down at the floor then turned around and picked the box up off of his bed. "I'll start taking stuff out there." He said. Lin watched him walk away before picking up a box herself.

As Lin walked down the hallway, she stopped at Kya's open bedroom door. She stepped inside and looked up at the ceiling, Dorado... Lyra... Triangulum... Lin snickered to herself. She released a drawn-out sigh before turning around and leaving the room. 

After more trips up and down the stairs, and many glances into Kya's bedroom, her and Tenzin got as much in their cars as they could. "Alright, I'll see you at the apartment." Tenzin kissed Lin's cheek as she opened her car door. Lin nodded her head. She picked her scarf up off of her seat and wrapped it around her neck. "Wait, why are you wearing that scarf?" Tenzin stopped her from getting in the car. 

Lin frowned, "Because it's a nice scarf?" She said. 

Tenzin kept the scowl on his face, "Is it because it's a nice scarf, or is it because it was Kya's?" he said defensively. 

Lin was stunned for a moment. "What's your problem, Tenzin?" She retorted. 

"Nothing," He stepped away from her car, "I'll see you at home." he started walking to his car. 

Lin thought for a second, "Hey, Tenzin?" He looked back at her. "If we're gonna be living together, don't start petty shit like this." Lin got in her car and shut the door. She started the car and left. As she drove down the road, she reached up and gripped the scarf with her hand. 

Lin wished she had told Kya to stay. 

Kya stood in the line, waiting to board the train. Her heart was racing, and she had butterflies in her stomach. But she was excited, nonetheless. She was ready to leave, to go out and see the world. Her baggage was already on there, all she had to do was get on with it and leave. 

Her ticket was punched, and she took the few steps up to get on the train. 

Kya looked around and quickly sat down. She took in a deep breath. Only a few more moments and she would be on her way to the biggest city in the Earth Kingdom. Her excitement almost felt overwhelming. So, she pulled out her notebook. 

And when she flipped to what she thought was the next blank page, her heart sank. 

Chapter Text

Dear Kya,

      I hope you have fun on your travels. I hope you get to see the world. The Misty Palms Oasis is pretty nice. And Omashu is great this time of year. I've heard Kyoshi Island is an astonishing historical location. I know you like history and stuff. If you leave the Earth Kingdom, Izumi used to tell me about the festivals in the Fire Nation. You seem like the type of woman to enjoy a good festival. If you ever think about sending a post card, that'd be okay. I don't know why I'm writing this, but it's 3:57AM, I'm sitting in your chair, looking at you, and I just can't bring myself to wake you up and tell you I'm leaving.

      Don't worry, I didn't read anything you've written in here. Besides the list about me. I will admit, my curiosity got the better of me about that. You had only good things to say about me in that list. Personally, I thought you could use more cons. So, here's some I had in mind... I'm rude, I don't know how to apologize, I hold grudges, and I will forever be angry at my family. I'm pessimistic, I've punched mirrors, and yeah, I did used to go out on my patrols hoping to catch you. You really pissed me off when we first met. I'm bad at feelings, but great at miscommunication. I'm a coward, I'm bitter, and I feel guilty. But worst of all, I am selfish. I am selfish for barely speaking to my mother. I am selfish for locking all of my sister's letters in a desk, just so I can never read them. I am selfish for staying with Tenzin. I am selfish for having feelings for you. I am selfish for kissing you the night before you left, and I am selfish for leaving your bed without so much as a goodbye. I am selfish, and I am sorry.

I just wanted you to know,

Kya's pros and cons

Pro's

• Funny

• Genuine

• She uses my last name as a nickname, which I usually hate

• Beautiful blue eyes

• Warm

• Caring

• Free spirited

• Kindhearted

• Long brown hair

• Such soft lips...

Con's

• I didn't meet her first

Sincerely, Lin.

Chapter Text

Nine Years Later



She opened the curtains, the sun shining bright on her face. She opened her dresser and pulled out her clothes. She laid out a couple of towels on the bathroom counter and started the shower. 

She poured the dark liquid into her mug and sat down at the table. She flipped through work papers, trying to eat breakfast at the same time. She sat the papers down and looked around the kitchen. It was quiet. Really really quiet.

Just like it had been for the past seven years Lin has been on her own. 

Lin rinsed her plate and mug and sat them in the sink, then she quickly brushed her teeth. She had nothing that important planned for the day, just simple errands and a trip to the station. 

She looked in the mirror for a second. Grey strands of hair were starting to show through the black. She thought about dying it at one point but decided against it. It was barely noticeable anyways. 

She looked down at the bathroom counter. She couldn't help but constantly take note of the single toothbrush in the holder and the lack of extra towels. She thought about the empty parts in her closet she could never seem to fill. And even though she's better off without it, she missed the warmth in her bed lying next to her. 

She walked into the living room and looked at the clock before putting her shoes on. She made a mental note to sweep and mop the floor later. It had gotten pretty dusty from her work boots. Lin had been working a lot more over the years. Housework was hard to keep up with sometimes and, on most nights, she would microwave a frozen meal for dinner. 

As she walked out to get the mail, her eye got caught on the green scarf hanging by the door. She stopped. She swallowed hard before rubbing it between her fingers, then proceeding to pull the mail out of the small box. 

She flipped through the mail, the same envelopes as usual. Including another envelope sealed with the Beifong family crest. Lin let out a sharp exhale, finding it partially amusing that Suyin was still trying to talk to her. She's even tried calling Lin a few times. 

She put the letter with the rest of them. She looked back to the accent table that was in her hallway. The spot where kept a picture of her and Suyin, then of her and Tenzin, was now empty.

She shook her head, not wanting to think about that for too long. She grabbed her keys and headed out the door. 

Lin walked around the store, occasionally double checking her list to make sure she isn't missing anything. She held the basket in one hand while reading the label of a can. She looked back to the wall, searching for a different one. 

"Need help finding something?" A voice said behind her. Lin turned around and saw Izumi smiling at her, a child trying to hide behind her legs. "Izumi? When did you get back in the city?" Lin said, a smile tugging at her lips.

Izumi wrapped an arm around the kid, "Well, my husband had to come back for business. So, we just got back a couple days ago. I was going to come surprise you with a visit, but I wasn't sure if you still lived in the same place." She said. Lin smiled at the kind thought, "Yeah, still in my apartment." she said. 

She tilted her head a bit, "How are you, Iroh?" she asked the child. He shuffled further behind his mother's legs, his face becoming red. "I'm okay." He said shyly. Izumi chuckled lightly at the boy, "You've met Lin before." She said. 

"I know. I've just heard stories." Iroh said. Lin smirked to herself, "Really, like what?" she asked. Iroh looked up at his mother, who gave him a small nod, then he looked back to Lin, his eyes lighting up, "Is it true that you took down six gang members all by yourself when you were sergeant!?" He asked excitedly, his fists balled up in anticipation for an answer.

Lin brought a hand up to her chin and looked up as if she were in deep thought, "I thought it was seven, but I could be remembering wrong," she said.

Iroh's jaw dropped and he looked up to his mother in amazement. "You are so cool!" He looked to Lin.

Lin just smiled and turned her attention back to Izumi. "How've you been, Lin?" Izumi asked. Lin paused before answering. She could hear it in Izumi's voice. The concern, the worry, the pity. Izumi meant well, she always does. But Lin didn't want to reinforce the ideas in Izumi's head. 

So, she wouldn't tell her friend how alone she's felt all these years. She wouldn't tell her about all the meals she eats by herself, or how it took her weeks to stop yelling "I'm home" when she walked in from work. She would keep it to herself how on some nights, she would stay in her office until she was asleep on her desk, because she couldn't bear to sleep in an empty bed. And she certainly wouldn't tell her worried friend how many times she's willingly put her life on the line. 

"I've been great."

Lin carried the bags into her house and started unloading the groceries. She placed things in their designated spots and shut the refrigerator doors before moving to the cabinets. She put the fruit in the bowl on the island, then put the reusable bags in a drawer. She picked up her keys and headed out the front door again to go to the station.

But she stopped. And for the first time in years, she held the green scarf in her hands. 

She walked over to the couch and sat down. She didn't seem to realize how tight her grip was on the material. It seemed like the scarf mocked her. Laughing in her face, saying "This is what you could have had. Don't you miss it?" 

Lin sat the green scarf next to her before getting up and leaving the house. 

She headed to the station, and when she walked in, she could feel the eyes on her. She ignored them, the rookies are always a little flabbergasted to see her in person for the first time. The officers she had worked with for the majority of her career simply gave her a nod as she walked past them. 

"Goodmorning, Chief Beifong." She turned to give Saikhan a snarky look. "How many times do I have to tell you, Saikhan," She opened the door to her office, "you can call me Lin." She said. "Besides, it sounds weird when you say it like that." She sat behind the desk. 

"Well, Lin, don't get too comfortable in that chair. We got a situation in town. Some kids were caught stealing from a vendor." Saikhan said. Lin let out a small sigh. She only came here to get a couple things. Guess now it's foot work, "You're driving." she got up and walked past Saikhan and out of her office.

When Lin and Saikhan pulled up, Lin saw the owner of the stand yelling at the two young boys in front of him, and one of the rookies trying their best to calm him down. "Great." Lin unbuckled her seatbelt and got out. 

"Hey, what's going on?" She approached them. The rookie panicked seeing Lin on the scene and stumbled over their words trying to explain what happened. Luckily, the owner stepped in, "These boys were stealing from my stand. I would understand if it were a couple apples, maybe a sandwich, but this is ridiculous!" He pointed to the bag that the taller boy held, "That's almost three days' worth of food and surely more than two young boys would need!"

"Head back to the station, we can handle this." Saikhan said to the rookie. 

Lin took a good look at the boys. They couldn't have been much older than six. And the shorter one seemed younger. Their clothes looked dirty and torn, and the older boy had an old red scarf wrapped around his neck. He pulled it up to his face, trying to hide his sunken cheeks. But Lin saw anyways.  And she saw how the green-eyed boy next to him kept his pants held up with his hand, because they were too big on him.

"How much for the food they stole?" Lin asked, reaching into her pocket. 

Saikhan looked over at her, confused. "What?" The vendor said, just as confused as he was. 

Lin looked over at the boys again. The older one had his ankle was wrapped in a torn cloth, and he wasn't putting weight on it. She couldn't tell if the younger boy's hair was curly, or just matted. It could have been both. "How much for the food they need?" She rephrased. Saikhan watched in wonder as Lin pulled money from her wallet and handed it to the vendor. She pulled the boys to the side and crouched to their level. She spoke to them as she stuck the receipt in their bag along with what looked like some money.

As soon as Lin started walking away, the boys took off, the smaller one helping the other limp down the road. "Why'd you do that?" Saikhan asked. "If kids are going to steal anything in large quantities just for 'fun', it wouldn't be old food from a sketchy vendor." Lin said before getting in the car.

Lin sat back in the driver's seat of her car. It was starting to get dark out. She didn't mean to spend her day in her office, but it's become a habit that's unbreakable. She let out a sigh and tried to think of which delectable frozen meal she would feast on tonight. 

On her drive back home, she glanced at the cafe. She looked down at the time, then put her blinker on. As she went to open the cafe's door, she stopped. She turned around and looked across the street at the flower shop. She could see a bouquet of panda lilies through the large glass window.

Lin walked in and stood in the queue of two. She got to the front and ordered a decaf coffee. She threw some money on the counter and headed out with her coffee in hand. 

When she stepped outside, the streetlights flickered on. Lin's head looked to the side at one of the lights. Then her eyes looked down at the table below it. She sat down in the familiar seat and leaned back. She picked at the small piece of wood coming off of the table. And when she looked at the seat across from her, she missed the person who used to sit there with her. 

But at least she still had her green scarf. 

Chapter Text

It was quiet, the soft sounds of crickets and other insects chirping were the only things Lin heard. The water in the pond looked warm. And the bench she was sitting on was oddly comfortable. Why was she here again? She looked up at the trees above her. Where even was 'here'?  

She heard rustling behind her, then footsteps. She looked behind her. "There you are, Lin. I was looking for you."

Her eyes widened for a moment, "Kya." She stood up. Lin approached the taller woman, the look of surprise visible on her face. "Kya," "Why do you look so shocked?" Kya chuckled. Lin furrowed her eyebrows, then her face softened. She didn't know. Why was it such a surprise to see Kya? Why is there this feeling, like there's a pit in her stomach? 

"Are you just gonna stand there?" Kya smiled. She reached out and grabbed Lin's hand, rubbing her thumb against her knuckles. Lin's face started to heat up, "Uh- what else- what am I supposed to?" she asked nervously.

Kya's smile grew bigger as she pulled Lin closer. "Kiss me, you awkward, adorable dork." She said in a soft voice.

"This is your dream after all." 

Lin's eyes shot open, and with a sharp inhale she sat up, pulling the blankets off of her. She could feel the sweat on her neck, but she was freezing. She brought a shaky hand up to her forehead and felt the sweat. 

She looked around the surface of her bed for a moment, almost positive that it was a pond just a few minutes ago. She gripped the sheets under her, half expecting to feel the rough wooden texture of the bench. And she looked up, hoping to still see the blue eyes that were so vivid in her memories. 

She took a minute to catch her breath. You'd think after all the dreams she's had about Kya; she'd be able to recognize that it's not real. She stood up, her legs shaking slightly. However, she ignored it. She ignored the shaky legs, and the beads of sweat, and she ignored the tears that formed in the corners of her eyes. 

She needed to get to work. 

Lin opened the front door with a yawn. She kicked off her boots and went to the bedroom. She got into her closet and got a tank top and sweatpants. She went to the bathroom and turned on the water before getting a couple towels out of the cabinet. 

She pulled off her uniform and tossed it into the hamper. She looked in the mirror for a moment, looking at the new scars she'd gotten over the years from work. She let out a small sigh before getting in the shower. 

She got dressed and headed to the kitchen. She pulled a meal out of the freezer and put it into the microwave. When it beeped, she pulled it out, mixed it up, checked the temperature, and put it back in the microwave. 

Lin stood against the island, watching the numbers count down on the microwave. It beeped, but as she reached for the handle, a fist pounded on her front door.

Sounds like a cop... s ounds like my mother.

She let the microwave be and made her way to the front door. She opened it and her suspicions were confirmed. There stood her mother. Her perfect posture slightly hunched with age and her hands neatly laced behind her back.

"Oh, what a delight." Lin said sarcastically, hoping to get a chuckle out of her mom. Instead, her mom stepped to the side to reveal Suyin standing behind her. Lin's eyes widened and her breath hitched. 

Suyin. At her door. 

As the events of that day came flooding into her mind, she went to slam it shut.

"Close this door on me and you'll regret it." Toph stopped it with her foot. Lin's grip tightened around the doorknob before she hesitantly let go of it. Her mother pushed the door open and she and Suyin stepped into Lin's living room. The last thing Lin wanted was Suyin in her house. The last thing she needed were some sorry excuses and pleas of forgiveness. 

"Your sister is visiting the city-" "Obviously!" Lin snapped. "What do you want?" She asked her mother, not understanding how she could be so nonchalant about the situation.

"I don't want anything. Your sister wanted to talk to you." Toph said. Lin scoffed, "Sister. Sure." 

A few tense seconds of silence passed.

"Lin, I didn't want to just barge in here like this but, you know Mom," Suyin chuckled lightly, "I've wanted to talk for a while. But you don't answer my calls- and you haven't responded to any of my letters-"

"Oh please, Suyin. Stop making yourself sound like the victim." Lin furrowed her brows. Toph held her hand out, "Lin, there's no need to get snappy-"

"No, she wanted me to talk to her so bad, so, I'm talking to her." Lin took a step closer, "What would we have talked about on the phone? How great your new life has been since you skipped out on jail time?" Suyin didn't say anything. "About your stupid husband? Tell me all about your kids?" Lin's voice got louder.

"No, Lin, I just wanted you to know I'm doing better. I struggled when we were growing up, and I never should have acted out the way I did. And I struggled so much more when I moved to Gaoling. Trust me, Lin I've changed-"

"Oh," Lin laughed mockingly, "no, you haven't. It's still all about you, isn't it?" she said, "It's still about what Suyin went through. Poor Suyin got a full ride to the lifestyle of a princess but wants to act like it ruined her fucking life!"

"I wrote to you, Lin. I told you about my life in Gaoling, about the life I've started building in Zaofu. It didn't ruin my life, Lin, it helped me-" "Well good for you Suyin. Cause I didn't read any of your damn letters. It didn't mean anything to me that you wrote to me." 

"How could you say it meant nothing to you?" Suyin started to get defensive. The idea of hours being spent trying to figure out what to put in those letters, and longer spent writing them, just for them to never be looked at again, invaded every corner of her mind. 

Lin wanted to laugh. She wanted to laugh in Suyin's face for not understanding the damage she caused. She wanted to laugh at her mother for thinking this was a good idea. "Because, Suyin, out of all of the letters you wrote, out of all of the ink you used and the papers you wasted, not once did you say, 'I'm sorry'." 

Suyin's heart sank. She felt like she was punched in the stomach, or like there was a weight sitting on her chest. She felt defeated. "For... what?" She regretfully muttered. 

Lin's eyes widened with amusement, a smile of frustration and anger curling on her lips, "Are the scars on my face from the gashes you gave me fucking invisible to you or something!?" She pointed to her face. Her heart raced, "Has that whole day been erased from your memory!? Or were you too busy thinking of excuses that you just fucking forgot!-"

"Lin," Toph wanted to calm her down before things got out of hand, but the glare she received from Lin told her to stay out of it. 

Suyin couldn't argue. She knew what she put into those letters, and she knew it wasn't the phrase "I'm sorry". The words never even crossed her mind and now she's wondering why? Why didn't she tell her sister she was sorry? Maybe she just didn't want to admit that she was the bad guy. 

No. Suyin knew why she didn't say sorry in her letters. It was because she is just like her mother, and accountability was never something they were good at.

Lin walked to the small desk in the living room and opened the top drawer. She pulled out the stack of envelopes she's received over the years. She shoved them into Suyin's hands, each one of them still wax sealed with the Beifong family crest. "I didn't even open your letters," Lin scowled, "wasn't worth my time."

Suyin stared at the letters in her hands, tears flooding her eyes.

Lin swallowed hard before turning to her mother, "Please, get out of my apartment." she said before she turned around and walking back into the kitchen. She wrapped her hand around the handle of the microwave but didn't open it. She listened and waited for her mother and Suyin to leave.

When the front door shut and Lin didn't feel their presence anymore, she let her hand slowly fall on the counter. Tears formed in her eyes as she thought about everything that just happened. 

Lin didn't drink a lot, but she kept a bottle in the back of her cabinet for situations just like this. Situations she doesn't want to feel, ones she doesn't want to remember for the rest of the night.

The microwave beeped again as she poured a glass. She brought it up to her lips and took a sip, the dark liquid burning slightly as it touched the back of her throat. She grabbed the bottle and the glass, and she sat in front of the counter. 

The microwave beeped again.

Lin never thought she'd be here, sitting alone in the dark, on the cold kitchen floor. Here, longing for a woman from years ago. Here, drowning her sorrows in expensive liquor. 

The microwave beeped again.

Here... tears rolling down her face. Because for spirit's sake... she wanted nothing more than to hug her little sister. 

The microwave beeped again.

Chapter Text

Three Years Earlier

The sky was a radiant blue. The clouds looked like cotton candy. And the ocean... Oh how the ocean smelled magnificent. Kya could never get tired of this. She leaned against the railing of the boat and took in a deep breath. She could see her next destination in the distance. 

The Southern Water Tribe.

After all the stories she'd heard from her mother, she couldn't wait to visit the place. The boat stopped at the dock and Kya gathered her things. As she stepped of the boat, she could see two people approaching her. 

She glanced behind her to see if maybe there was someone standing there. Maybe they were approaching them instead? But no one was there, and soon the two were standing in front of Kya. "You're Kya, right?" The woman said. Kya hesitantly nodded her head. "I'm so sorry, we should introduce ourselves," The man said. 

"My mother was good friends with yours back when she lived in the Water Tribe. She sent word that you would be coming here. My name is Senna, this is my husband." She placed a hand on the man's shoulder. 

"Tonroq." He held out his hand.

Kya's tense demeanor contracted as she remembered the stories she heard of Senna's mother. She shook Tonroq's hand, "It's nice to meet you." She smiled. "Let me help you with your bags. If it's alright with you, we've set up a guest room for you in our home." Tonroq took Kya's suitcase from her hand. 

"But of course, don't feel obligated to stay with us just because we offered." Senna said, "The Southern Water Tribe has grown quite a lot over the years. If there's somewhere else you'd rather stay, or if you have a friend here-" 

"Staying with you would be perfect. I'm only going to be here for a couple of weeks." Kya said, thanking the spirits they offered her a guest room, because of course, where she was going to stay had slipped her mind. She wasn't sure how she'd survived this long on her own with how forgetful she is. 

Senna and Tonroq guided Kya to their home, only a short walk from the boats. Which Kya was grateful for since she hadn't realized how cold it really was in the Water Tribe. Although the mountains of ice should've been a sign. 

When they walked in, Kya took a moment to look around the place. It was a small, but cozy home. 

"Thank you so much for watching her." Tonroq said to the older woman standing in their living room. "Well, of course. Korra's always been a little angel for me." She snickered before exiting the home. 

"Kya, this is our daughter Korra." Senna held the child in her arms, "She just turned a year old." Tonroq took Korra from Senna's arms and held her above his head, making Korra laugh.

Kya looked on with a smile. She wondered how her dad was doing. Is he worse? Is he getting better? She knew the latter wasn't true, but she still kept her slim ray of hope. She's been too scared to ask her mother for an update, but the fact that she's stopped receiving letters from him should be a sign of how his health has declined. How was her mother? In her letters she says she's doing well, but Kya doesn't fully believe that.

"Let me show you the room so you can start unpacking." Senna said, walking Kya down a hallway, "I hope this is alright." she said as she opened the door.

"It perfect, Senna. I appreciate you guys letting me stay here." Kya said with a smile of gratitude. "Of course. I'll leave you to unpack." Senna left the room.

Kya put one of her bags on the bed and opened it up. She started going through it, figuring out what clothes she would need for the time she spends here. 

No t-shirts, no shorts, no skirts, she might just have to get a new wardrobe. "I guess this is what I get for staying in warmer climates." Kya said to herself, her hands on her hips. Her eye caught a blue fabric at the bottom of the suitcase. She started pulling it out as she realized it was one of her mother's old Water Tribe dresses. "Okay, yeah, this will work-" She heard a thud as she pulled the dress out. 

Kya looked down to see her old notebook lying on the floor. She bent down and picked it up. I haven't opened this in forever, she undid the elastic around it. She opened it, seeing all of the journal entries from years ago. 

Bumi won't stop asking me to roll joints for him. It's starting to get annoying that he won't learn how to do it himself. Kya giggled, realizing how much she actually missed her brother pestering her. 

Mom and Dad keep yelling over boardgame rules. It wouldn't be this difficult if Uncle Sokka were still around haha...  I miss him.

Tenzin and I started a new movie franchise last night. He said it was boring, but I'm not the one who already rented the sequel for next weekend. 

I kind of miss going on late night walks. I'm scared to run into Kei, but I think one night wouldn't hurt? 

Kya skimmed through the paragraphs she'd written, flipping through page after page. But her heart sank when she got to the last page with writing on it. She's almost forgotten that it was there. She wasn't sure how when this is the reason that she got a new notebook.

Dear Kya, 

Incoherent babbling came from the door, pulling Kya away from the notebook. Korra steadily walked into the guest room, looking up at her and tugging at her pants. Kya giggled at her and put the notebook on the bed.

She picked Korra up and carried her to the living room where Senna and Tonroq were. "Oh, did she bother you? I'm sorry, Kya." Senna said. 

"No, it's okay. I didn't have much to unpack. A lot of my clothes are for the warmer weather." Kya put Korra down on the floor. "Well, if you're finished unpacking, how about we show you around the town?" Tonroq asked. 

"Sure." Kya nodded her head before going to change into the thick blue dress she found in her suitcase. There was no way she was going back out in that cold in what she was wearing now. 

Tonroq and Senna gave Kya a tour of the small town they lived in. All of the shops and street vendors, the ice sculptors on the sidewalks, and the happy crowds around the street performers. "This place is so lively." Kya said with a smile, looking around. 

"Everyone is preparing for the Glacier Spirits Festival, so it's a little more active around this time than it usually is." Tonroq said.

"My mother used to tell me all about the festivals here. She said they were beautiful. I can't wait to finally experience one in person." Kya smiled, looking out at all the lights they were starting to put up.

"No, Korra, that's not free!" Senna quickly paced to pull Korra away from a vendor's stand, Tonroq following her. 

Kya looked at a few things on a stand, then at some of the water tribe clothes they had for sale. A dark blue coat with white fur around the collar attracted her attention. 

It had a lighter blue design on the front, and the sleeves and bottom of it were trimmed with the same fur on the collar. She quickly made the purchase knowing that the dress she wore now wouldn't be enough for the weather here. 

"Thats a beautiful coat." Senna said, "It'll be perfect for your time spent here." she smiled. Kya turned to her to say something when the words got caught in her throat. She stared past Senna, "... Are- those... panda lilies?" 

Senna turned around to look at the woman holding a small bouquet of panda lilies in her hand, "Yes, they are." she smiled at Kya. "I thought panda lilies only grew in the Earth Kingdom. I mean, these certainly aren't the right weather conditions for them."

"Well of course they don't grow naturally. We may be a small town, but we have greenhouses." Senna said with a teasing smile. "Right." Kya chuckled. 

Senna and Tonroq walked off with Korra, leaving Kya standing there. She couldn't take her eyes off of the panda lilies. And then flashes of Lin invaded her mind. Kya closed her eyes and shook her head lightly before walking in the same direction of Senna and Tonroq. 

They got back to Senna and Tonroq's home. Dinner was made and after eating, Senna gave Kya a couple towels for a shower and showed her the bathroom. 

Kya quickly dressed herself and brushed her teeth. Her mind felt foggy, and she felt exhausted. She trudged back to the living room, being greeted by Korra's yelling. 

"You have to help me clean up your toys and get ready for bed, Korra. It's getting late." Tonroq sat on the floor putting toys back in a box as Korra kept taking them out. Kya snickered at the girl's antics and took a seat on the sofa. 

"So, what are your plans for your next trip?" Senna asked with an eager smile. "Well, I thought about visiting the other Air Temples. My father grew up in the Southern Air Temple and when I visited there, I had a great time. That's actually where I was before coming here." Kya chuckled. 

"I've seen pictures of the Southern Air Temple," Tonroq said, finally getting the last of Korra's toys in the box, "not a lot of people are allowed to visit the Air Temples due to how sacred they're considered to be. Monk nomads and acolytes tend to be the only people visiting and living in those places. You're very lucky you've gotten to experience the place."

Kya could feel the tiredness setting in.

"So, what places have you visited already?" Senna inquired. Kya thought for a moment. She's been all over the place, but only some gave her worthy stories to tell. "I went to Ba Sing Se when I first left Republic City. The night life in the upper ring was really exciting and fun to observe." Kya said. 

"Then, I visited Kyoshi Island. My Aunt Suki is from a small village there. Seeing how they still practiced the fighting styles of the Kyoshi Warriors was so interesting. And the statue of Kyoshi is just absolutely magnificent." 

"All of your travels sound so exciting. Where else have you gone?" Senna asked.  

"Well, I spent some time in the Fire Nation with my Uncle Zuko-" "I heard the festivals in the Fire Nation are like no other." Tonroq said with a smile. "Yeah, the festivals were..." Kya trailed off as she remembered the events of one of her first festivals.

"You seem tired, Kya. Don't force yourself to sit out here and talk if you're not feeling up to it." Tonroq said, pulling her out of her idling state. 

"Thank you," Kya stood up, "I'm sure I'll feel more energetic in the morning, the boat ride was just very long and-" "There's no need for explanation." Senna just smiled. 

Kya nodded her head and gave a small wave to Tonroq before going back to the guest room. When she walked in, she let out a long sigh, having forgotten about the clothes on the bed. She threw them into her suitcase and sat the suitcase on the floor. 

She looked back at the bed and saw her notebook. 

She picked it up and sat down on the bed. She opened it and gently pulled her fingertips down the page she was on earlier that day. She let out a deep sight, "Lin... Why can't I stop thinking about you?" Kya skimmed the page. Omashu. Misty Palms Oasis. I know you like history and stuff... 3:57 AM.

 I don't know how to apologize. I'm pessimistic. You really pissed me off when we first met. Miscommunication. I'm bitter, and I feel guilty. Kya could still see the tear stains on the page. 

I am selfish for kissing you the night before you left. I am selfish and I am sorry. 

Kya swallowed the lump in her throat before continuing to the next page. Kya's Pros and Cons. She hadn't even realized she was crying. She's enjoyed her years spent traveling. She's had great times and made memories she wouldn't trade the world for. She's made friends and experienced things others would consider lucky. 

But when she thought of the things she missed most, Lin was near the top of the list. 

Funny, beautiful blue eyes, warm, kind-hearted, such soft lips, Kya leaned against the wall behind her and pulled her knees up. 

I didn't meet her first. 

Kya read the line over and over again. She's spent years away from Republic City, away from Lin. And yet here she is, falling for her all over again, over a piece of paper and some ink. Kya wondered what it may have been like if she stayed. Would she have gotten over her feelings then? Seeing Lin and Tenzin together every day? Surely, she would have moved on. 

Kya stood up and put the notebook on top of her suitcase. She walked over to the window and sat on the ledge, looking up at the sky and making note of the stars. 

"I didn't meet her first..." She repeated to herself. 

Chapter Text

Lin woke up to the sound of her alarm going off. She reached over and turned it off before lying on her back and shutting her eyes for a second. She got up and went about her daily routine of showering, eating breakfast, and brushing her teeth before getting ready for work.

As she slipped her shoes on and started out the door, a sinking feeling hit the bottom of her stomach, and she abruptly felt nauseous. She didn't feel like she was going to throw up, it was almost like a sense of anxiety that had snuck up on her.

She continued out the door, ignoring the feeling, and made her way to work.

She held her hand over her eyes to shield them from the sun as she looked up at the sky. Walking to work probably wasn't a good idea in the morning heat, but it had been a while since she did so.

When she walked past the cafe, she looked over at the flower shop. The front looked... neater? Like someone had finally organized the flowers and trimmed the dead leaves off of the plants. She stopped walking for a moment when she noticed the freshly planted panda lilies in one of the shop's windowsills.

The rhythmic vibration coming from Lin's pocket pulled her attention. "Hey, Saikhan... Yeah, I'm on my way." She answered, looking back at the panda lilies for a moment before continuing her walk to work.

When she walked into the station, Saikhan greeted her with a cup of coffee and a stack of papers, "Happy Monday." he said sarcastically. "What the fuck is all of this?" Lin said quietly, not wanting the other officers to hear her talk like that. She took the papers from Saikhan and started looking through them.

Saikhan chuckled as he followed Lin back to her office with her coffee still in his hand.

She took a seat behind her desk, Saikhan taking the spot across it. He sat Lin's coffee on the desk, and she gave him a side eye. "Don't worry, there's no creamer in it." He laughed.

"Good," She picked up the coffee and took a sip, "that was a shit prank you pulled." She said. "Yeah, I really need to up my game." Saikhan leaned back in his chair. "Maybe one day I'll replace the coffee brand with that cheap stuff from the corner store-" "I will fire you." Lin shot daggers with her eyes, causing Saikhan to laugh again.

Almost every workday started like this. Saikhan brings Lin a coffee, then he sits down and pesters her for an hour, sometimes longer on his good days. And every time, Lin sits in her chair, rolling her eyes and letting out drawn out sighs.

But what she'll never tell Saikhan is how much she's appreciated his companionship over the years. When she needed someone to talk to, without having to hear their concern or pity, he was always there. She caught on a while ago that his 'accidental' takeout orders for two was really his way of making sure she ate on her late nights in the office. And when Lin would wake up in her office chair, hunched over her desk, she knew Saikhan was the one who neatly organized her papers and put a blanket over her shoulders.

He's a good friend.

"Did you see me out there moving desks around the other day? Yeah, my wife says I've got better muscles than any other man she knows." Saikhan said lightheartedly as he flexed his arm.

I'll never tell him that though. It'd go straight to his ego, Lin simply scoffed at him, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Oh, uh, by the way, a council member dropped off a few files for you," Saikhan pointed to the yellow folders that were almost invisible compared to everything else on Lin's desk.

"He didn't step foot in here...did he?" Lin raised her eyebrows. "Not since you turned the Air Temple into an island." Saikhan chuckled. "I didn't turn the Air Temple into anything," Lin opened up one of the folders, "I just gave the okay." she said with a small smirk.

Saikhan let out a snicker as he stood up from his chair, "Yeah, well, I'm sure Councilman Tenzin has a different story." He joked before exiting Lin's office.

Yeah. Probably.

Lin stared at the papers in front of her. She'd been looking at them for so long her eyes were starting to get fuzzy. She kept reading the same sentence over and over again, but it still wasn't making sense.

She slammed the folder shut and put her head in her hands. She gently rubbed her eyes with her palms. She couldn't get over the feeling of anxiety that kept churning in her stomach.

Things were feeling off today, the weird feeling in her stomach, the ringing in her ears that wouldn't go away, the flower shop-

Ring... ring...

And now her mother...calling her?

"Hello?" Lin answered. "You're still in the office, good. You don't answer my calls when you're at home." Toph complained. "That's because I try to stay stress-free at home, Mother." Even though home tends to stress her out more than other places. The lack of company and the silence, that somehow feels so loud, made her feel more tense than work ever did.

"I'm calling to let you know I'll be in the city this week." Toph said, "I was wondering if you wanted to go out for lunch or whatever mothers and daughters do to catch up."

"I think you were caught up on my life when you brought Suyin over for a surprise visit. I'm angry, I'm bitter, and I'm alone. What's more to it?" Lin answered, unruffled.

"Well then I'll catch you up on my life, how about that?" Toph suggested.

Lin paused for a second, she looked down at the papers and folders in front of her, "Are you bringing Suyin?" she asked.

"My business in Republic City doesn't involve her this time."

Lin took in a deep breath, "Fine. I'm available," she looked at the calendar quickly. The dates on her calendar for the next week all had times written down for when she worked. Lin grabbed a pen and crossed one of the days out, "I'm available Wednesday." She said.

"I'll see you then." Toph said. "Hey, Lin," she got Lin's attention before she could hang up. "Hm?" She put the phone back up to her ear.

"I love you, kiddo."

Lin stopped. She looked down at the phone to make sure it was still her mother on the line before putting the phone back up to her ear, "I uh- I love you too, Mom?" It came out more awkward than Lin had intended.

The other end of the phone was silent, and the 'call ended' screen showed on her phone.

Lin let out a small sigh as she leaned back in her chair. She looked down at her watch, if I want to stop at the cafe, I should probably leave soon.

As she gathered her things, Saikhan entered her office, "Hey. are there- oh, leaving early for once?" He joked. "Yeah, my stomach wasn't feeling well this morning. It's probably best that I don't stay here all night." Lin said.

"Eat a bad breakfast?" Saikhan asked. Lin thought for a moment, "No, not like a sick feeling. More like..." she trailed off. She knew the feeling of anxiety all too well.

"I get it." Saikhan said in an understanding tone. "Just go home and get some rest, alright?" He said before patting Lin on the shoulder, then exiting her office.

Lin let a soft smile rest on her face as she looked in his direction. He's a good friend. She shoved her house keys into her pocket and left the station.

Her walk back home felt longer than the walk to work. Her stomach kept turning, and she felt tense. I need some tea; she quickened her pace.

The streetlights flickered on as she approached the cafe. Lin was overwhelmed and she wasn't sure why. Maybe it was the call from her mother? Or the mentions of Tenzin? Or the amounts of paperwork piled on her this morning? She reached for the door handle, hearing the bell ring above her head as she pulled it open.

Everything felt too loud. The latching of the door as she shut it, her boots across the wooden floors, the sound of the espresso machine, the flickering lights on the ceiling, the sound of the bell again. She approached the counter and started getting into her wallet, "Ginger tea." she said, searching for some money.

"Make that two."

And suddenly everything was quiet.

Lin froze... That sweet voice echoing through her head, the tan colored hand placing money on the counter... The blue eyes meeting hers.

"On me."

Kya...

Chapter Text

"On me."

Kya... All of these years. All of this time waiting. And now Kya was right in front of her. Lin had to remind herself to breath for a second.

"Hey." Kya said with a soft smile.

Lin swallowed the lump in her throat, "Uh... Hey." A few moments of silence passed as they looked at each other.

"Here are your drinks." The barista sat two cups on the counter. "Thank you." Kya picked one up. She looked back at Lin, placing a hand on her shoulder, "I'll be outside, whenever you stop buffering." she said lightheartedly before walking outside.

Lin kept her feet planted where they stood. She was worried that if she tried to walk now, she might collapse. Was this real? Was this a dream too? Lin brought a hand up and pinched her neck.

This is real.

She looked back to the door that Kya had just walked out of, then she grabbed her drink and followed.

Lin looked around for a second before her eyes fell on the table under the streetlight. She approached it and took a seat in the empty chair. And this time, when she looked up, the woman she missed more than anybody else finally sat in the seat across from her.

Neither of them said anything. The shock of Kya being back was still setting in for Lin. And even though she was playing it cool, Kya's heart was pounding in her chest. "So, I'm gone for a few years, and you become Chief? Are you trying to get yourself killed, Beifong?" She eventually said.

Beifong... It'd been so long since she had heard her last name used like that. She wondered if it was as hard for Kya to say as it was for Lin to hear.

"A few years? Try nine." Lin said calmly. Kya silently nodded her head, "You were counting?" She teased, as if she also didn't count the years she'd been gone. Lin's face became red. "So, new job, does that mean you're living in a new place?" Kya asked. "No, I'm still living in the same apartment but um-" Lin nervously picked at the cardboard holder around her cup, "I'm uh- on my own now...Tenzin and I- we sort of- um-"

"I know, Lin..." Kya said. Lin looked down at the table, embarrassed. She didn't know what Kya was told about the breakup and she didn't want Kya to have the wrong impression of her.

"He can be such a dick." Kya said, taking a sip of her tea.

Lin looked up, surprised. "Yeah." she said after a moment. She couldn't help but just stare at Kya. Her once solid brown hair now filled with streaks of grey. Small wrinkles were on the outer corners of her eyes. Without thinking, Lin reached across the table and grabbed Kya's hand.

It was still as soft as the day she tackled Kya to the ground in the rain. 

She stared down at their hands while she mindlessly rubbed her thumb over Kya's knuckles. Then, realization hit her like a train. "Wait, if you're back, then," Lin trailed off for a moment, "your dad..."

Kya took in a deep breath before leaning back in the chair, her hand sliding out of Lin's grasp. The look on her face told Lin everything she needed to know, "I'm so sorry." she said. Kya took a sip of her tea, "It's alright... It uh, it doesn't hurt so much when you know it's coming." She said.

"If you don't mind me asking, when did it happen?" Lin asked. "Last week. But he was cremated, so his funeral isn't until this weekend." Kya said.  Lin nodded her head as she listened. Kya took another deep breath, "Lin, will you come to his funeral?" she asked.

Lin's breath hitched, then she slowly exhaled, "I- I don't know if that's a good idea-" "My mother wants you to come." Lin's eyebrows weaved together. She didn't understand why Katara would want her of all people at her husband's funeral. "Lin, I-" She heard Kya's voice crack and looked up, "I need you there..." she had tears in her eyes. 

Lin quickly grasped her hand again, "Of course... Anything you need, just tell me, Kya." She said. 

Kya stared down at the table for a moment. Hearing Lin say her name again felt surreal. Lin's hands had slightly calloused over her years of working, but Kya enjoyed the way it felt in her own hand. "Well, actually," She lightly scratched the back of her head, "I could use a place to stay if you wouldn't mind?" she said awkwardly. 

Lin furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"Tenzin and I... We sort of got into an argument after I uh- met his girlfriend. I was staying at the Air Temple, but I thought it might be better for my mom that Tenzin and I aren't around each other right now. I spent the whole day across the street, just so I could stay away from him." Kya said, looking over at the flower shop. 

Lin wanted to make a comment about Tenzin's girlfriend, or about how he's always so dramatic. But after hearing what Kya said, she just felt sad for them. She knew that Kya and Tenzin had never fully patched things up. And in one of their family's hardest times, that was making it worse. "You can stay with me as long as you need, Kya." Lin said, rubbing her thumb against Kya's hand. 

Kya looked up and gave her a half smile. It was embarrassing, she knew it, having to ask Lin of all people for a place to sleep. Just because her and Tenzin couldn't keep their composure for no longer than ten minutes where they were around each other, because she had no other friends in the city... and because she desperately missed the green eyes, pale skin, and black hair that sat in front of her now. How embarrassing.

"Do you wanna head there now?" Lin asked.

Kya's eyebrows jumped as she was pulled out of her thoughts, "Uh, yeah, that'd be fine but um," she trailed off as she remembered her clothes were still packed in her bags at the Air Temple.

"If you need something to sleep in, don't worry about it. I can take you to get your clothes tomorrow if you'd like?" Lin said, the anxieties of returning to Air Temple Island, and Kya sitting in front of her, being overridden by wanting to help her feel just a little bit better.

Lin stood up and pushed her chair in. She picked her tea up and Kya watched her the whole time. She almost had to convince herself this was real, and she was the one gone for nine years. She stood up and walked beside Lin.

"It's been a while since we've made this walk." Kya looked down the sidewalk.

Lin looked ahead of them and softly smiled, "I've missed it." She said quietly. 

"How were your travels?" Lin asked. "Good. Omashu was fun. And you were right, the Misty Palms Oasis was nice." Kya smile. Lin's face flushed; it slipped her mind that she'd left Kya a letter. She could barely even remember what she had written, "Right. Well, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." she said.

"Yeah, but if I'm being honest, I missed the city. The flower shop, the way the air smells, watching the snow fall over the bridge, the cafe." Kya looked over at Lin, "I missed everything." She said.

After a bit of walking, they finally arrived at Lin's apartment. Lin unlocked the door, and they stepped in, "I'll go get you a change of clothes." Lin said as she took her shoes off. She sat her keys down and went back to the bedroom.

Kya looked around Lin's apartment. Nothing had changed. The same decorations were on the wall, the same lamps, hell, Lin hadn't even rearranged her furniture. Kya sat her tote bag down and sat down. It was just as comfy as the first time she sat on it. 

She ran her hand across the couch cushion as she looked around the living room. Her hand bumped into something sitting next to her that felt oddly familiar. When she picked it up, she realized why. It was her old green scarf. 

She kept it this whole time... 

"I hope sweatpants and a sweatshirt is fine, I also brought out a blanket and a couple-" Lin stopped when she saw Kya holding the scarf. Kya looked at her, "You still have this?" she asked, a sheepish smile on her face. 

Lin at the scarf then back to Kya, "O-Of course." Lin replied awkwardly. 

They stared at each other; both of their faces red with bashfulness. 

"Uh- so, the clothes-"

"Right- right, here." Lin sat the blanket and pillows down then handed Kya the clothes off the top of it. "Uh, the bathroom is...Well, you know where the bathroom is." She said. "Yeah," Kya lightly chuckled. "I'm gonna head to bed if that's okay? I uh- I have to work tomorrow." Lin said. She contemplated calling off but knew she couldn't if she was taking Wednesday off to have lunch with her mother. 

"Yeah, Lin, of course that's okay." Kya said. 

Lin wanted to stay up all night and talk to her. But when Kya went to the bathroom to change, she took that as her chance to retreat to her bedroom. 

She slowly shut the door behind her. She looked at her bed. She didn't want to get in it she didn't want to fall asleep because was worried that if she did, Kya wouldn't be here when she woke up. She got into her dresser and found clothes to sleep in. After changing, she climbed in bed, hearing the bathroom door open back up as she did. She laid on her back, staring up at the ceiling. This wasn't a dream.

Kya's back.

Lins eyes fluttered open, expecting to see some hint of sunlight in her room. Instead, it was pitch black. She looked over at the clock on her nightstand. It wasn't even 4AM yet.

She rolled out of bed and stepped out of her bedroom. On her way to the bathroom she stopped, noticing her front door wide open and a figure standing against the frame, smoking a cigarette.

Lin stared for a moment. Her hair that was pulled up earlier, now fell down to Kya's hips, and Lin couldn't help but think that her hoodie fit Kya pretty nice. She slowly approached, placing a hand on Kya's shoulder, "Hey." Kya jumped lightly as she turned her head. 

"You didn't have to open the door for that." Lin said, nodding her head towards the cigarette.

Kya looked at the cigarette in her hand, "I just didn't want to bother you with the smoke," she took a puff, "It can damage your health." She half joked.

Lin let her hand rest at her side, "Yeah, well, I think the pack in my nightstand is already doing that for me." She folded her arms and leaned on the other side of the frame. Kya let out a sharp exhale, a smile forming on the corners of her lips. 

Lin watched as she took another drag of her cigarette, then held it out, offering it to her. She took it and brought it up to her mouth, stopping and staring at the filter Kya's lips were just on before taking a puff. "It's pretty hot out for the sun being down." She commented, handing the cigarette back to Kya. 

Kya looked up at the sky, taking a deep breath and inhaling the humid air. She looked down at her wrist. The blue, frayed bracelet was still tied around it, 

"Yeah... I hate the summer..." she said. 

Lin's body froze momentarily. She glanced over and couldn't help but notice... Kya had the saddest look in her eyes, and she hated that. She wanted to help her. She wanted to comfort her. Lin wanted to hug her.

So, she did.

Kya took a step back to rebalance herself, having almost stumbled to the ground with the force of Lin wrapping her arms around her neck. She took a moment to process and, when the cigarette slipped out of her hand, she put her arms around Lin.

Kya felt her body start to tremble and tears flood in her eyes... How long had it been since she was hugged like this?

Chapter Text

Kya had tossed and turned all night. Sleeping on Lin's couch was fine, but sleeping only a room away from her had her mind racing. She rolled over onto her back with a huff, staring up at the ceiling.

Lin's arms had gotten bigger, she must've been working out more. Kya thought it felt so nice to have them wrapped around her again. She pulled the collar of the hoodie she was wearing up to her nose and slowly inhaled. It smells like her.

She'd gotten a few hours of sleep, but when she woke up earlier, she wasn't able to go back to bed. She heard Lin's bedroom door open, then the bathroom door shut. She sat up and looked out the window. She didn't even notice the sun was coming up.

Kya stood up and folded her blanket. She sat it in the corner of the couch and stacked the two pillows on top on it. She gathered her hair into her hands and wrapped a hair tie around it, letting it fall into a messy bun, then went into the kitchen to look for some tea.

Lin walked out of the bathroom and headed for the living room. She looked to the couch and saw the blanket and pillows she'd given Kya the night before neatly folded up on the couch and smiled. She couldn't believe she almost forgot Kya was here. She heard a clatter from the next room.

When she turned the corner into the kitchen, she saw Kya standing in front of an open cabinet, her arm stretched up, looking for something. Lin couldn't help but stare at her, noticing how the sweatshirt lifted as she stretched, and how the sweatpants were low on Kya's hips, because Lin's clothes were just a tad bit too short for the taller woman.

Lin cleared her throat, making Kya jump and lightly hit her head against the cabinet door, "Ow, shit," she rubbed her head gently.

Lin snickered behind her hand before walking forward, leaning against the kitchen counter, and turning the coffee pot on, "Need help looking for something?" she said.

Kya's face flushed and she slowly shut the cabinet door, "I was just- seeing if you had any tea," she trailed off... Lin's wet hair that left a couple drops on her shoulders, the way her uniform pants fit her, the white tank top- oh, she is definitely working out more.

"Sorry, I don't. I don't usually drink tea, and when I do it's from the cafe." Lin said. She got the toaster out, "We can get some at the store after getting your stuff from the Air Temple," she grabbed the loaf of bread and popped a couple of pieces in, "my kitchen isn't really stocked for guests, so I need to stop there anyways." The kitchen was barely stocked for herself, but she wasn't going to tell Kya that.

Kya nodded her head. She watched Lin get a mug out of the cabinet above her and took a step forward, reaching for a mug of her own. But she paused when Lin turned around and faced her.

"Oh- uh-" Lin stammered, "...hi." She said meekly, her face heating up.

Kya looked down at Lin, her hand resting on the cabinet door, "Hi..." She responded in the same manner. She could feel herself taking shallow breaths, and she and Lin were looking at each other's lips.

The coffee pot spewing made them both flinch, and Kya took a step back, "Sorry- I just needed a mug. I hope it's alright that I have a cup?" She said, glancing toward the coffee pot. Lin nodded her head, "Of course- help yourself," she handed Kya the mug in her hand. When Kya turned around to pour a cup, Lin let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

Lin sat down in her chair and pulled a pen from the holder on her desk. Her office door opened and shut, and Saikhan took his seat across from her, "Coffee," he said simply as he sat the cup down. Lin picked it up and took a drink as she scribbled words onto her papers.

"Still coming out for drinks this weekend?" Saikhan asked.

Lin shook her head, "No, sorry, I won't be able to make it," she furrowed her eyebrows at the paper she was looking at, "I have a funeral to attend this weekend." "Oh- I'm sorry for your-"

"I'm going for a friend... For Kya, actually." Lin mumbled.

Saikhan's eyebrows jumped, "Former Council member Aang passed?" he said in surprise. Lin silently nodded her head. "Oh, wow- sorry for the reaction, I just- I didn't hear anything about it is all." he composed himself.

"You're fine, Saikhan. Kya said that Katara didn't want anything in the press until after his funeral." Lin said. "So, you and Kya are hanging out?" He asked. "Actually, she's uh," Lin hesitated for a moment, "she's staying with me for the time being." She scratched her neck.

Saikhan leaned back in his chair slightly. He looked at the ground like he was thinking of a way to respond. "You can say it-"

"Why is she staying with you when she's Tenzin's sister?" Lin's head shot up, almost getting angry at the question. Until she realized that Saikhan was asking genuinely. He didn't have a snarky look on his face, or a mocking tone to his voice.

Lin sat her pen down on the desk, "Uh, apparently she and Tenzin are having a hard time being civil with each other. Kya thinks it's better for her mom that she doesn't go around him, but honestly, I think it's making things worse. Especially when I know how much Katara relies on Kya for support. I don't mind giving her a place to sleep," she picked a paper up and started to scan it with her eyes, "but I don't want her to go without speaking to Tenzin for the rest of her life, he's her brother."

Saikhan's face scrunched up for a moment as he thought, "How is that any different from what you're doing with Suyin?" he asked.

Lin froze and she became suddenly irritated. She couldn't be mad at Saikhan for asking, he didn't know what happened between her and Suyin. But she was mad that he was partially right. How was it different? Lin blames Suyin for her scars, but deep down, she knows they weren't intentional. Yet, she still refuses to speak to her sister.

"Quit trying to play therapist and get out of my office. I'm trying to work." She deadpanned.

Saikhan became slightly embarrassed for asking the intrusive question. "Right. Apologies, Lin." He nodded his head before exiting the office.

How is it any different?

Kya sat on the sofa, staring at an open magazine, but not reading it. Lin was supposed to be back by this point. She wasn't sure if she got caught up with work, or if she was trying to avoid taking Kya to the Air Temple because... well... it was the Air Temple. Or maybe Lin was feeling embarrassed about this morning and didn't want to see Kya right now.

So many thoughts ran through Kya's head, but she zoned back in when she heard knocking at the front door. She stood up and made her way over to the door, her face twisting from confusion to surprise when she saw Izumi on the other side.

"Kya?" Izumi said, a confused smile forming on her own face, "I knew you'd be back in town," she wrapped Kya in a hug, "but I wasn't sure when."

"Yeah, I came back last week." Kya hugged her back.

Izumi pulled back, "Why are you at Lin's apartment?" she asked.

Kya stepped to the side, letting Izumi in. "Well, I was at the Air Temple my first few nights," She and Izumi sat down, "But Tenzin and I started arguing, and I know that kind of stress and tension is not what my mom needs right now." she said.

Izumi looked at Kya, confused, "What could you and Tenzin have possibly been fighting about?" She said. Kya looked down at her lap. She was embarrassed to say, "It was uh- it was about his girlfriend..."

"Kya-"

"I know, it's fucking stupid. I mean, Dad just-" Kya's words got caught in her throat, "You know... and me and Tenzin are still bickering over something that happened almost a decade ago. But when he came in with his girlfriend, and it wasn't Lin, I- I couldn't help but feel angry."

Izumi nodded her head in understanding. It was quiet for a moment before Kya spoke up again, "If I'm being honest, I was surprised Lin even let me stay here in the first place." She said. Izumi looked over at her, confused. "Why?" She asked.

Kya let out a small sigh, "I don't know, I thought- there was a chance she was mad at me for leaving in the first place." Izumi snickered, "What?" she asked.

Kya shook her head slightly, "It's irrational, I know-"

"I understand why you might have thought that but," Izumi placed a hand on Kya's shoulder, "Lin wasn't mad at you. She may have been upset, sure, but never with you, Kya."

Kya stared down at her hands. Why?

"So, where's Lin now? Her car is out there." Izumi said, trying to get the conversation back to a less upsetting topic. Kya sighed as she leaned back into the couch cushion, "Work. She must've walked but, she should've been back by now. She was supposed to take me to the Air Temple to get my stuff, but... I can see why she'd be avoiding that." She said.

Izumi laughed lightly, "I can see why too. But I don't think that's what's happening." She leaned against the arm of the couch, "Lin's sort of made a habit of working past her shift. She probably just got so wrapped up in her job that she forgot." Izumi stared off, "She does that pretty often..." she sounded concerned.

It made Kya wonder how much Lin actually worked herself.

"If you want, I can take you to get your stuff?" Izumi started standing up. "Yeah, that'd be great, 'Zumi." Kya stood up as well, "Just let me go change into my outfit from yesterday and we can go." Kya picked up her clothes that were folded by the side of the couch and started towards the bathroom.

"Yeah, that probably wouldn't be an appropriate outfit to show up in, as good as Lin's clothes fit you." Izumi said with a smug look, gesturing to Kya's current apparel.

Kya's cheeks became pink before she held up a middle finger in Izumi's direction, then continued her path to the bathroom.

Lin approached her apartment door, pulling her key's out of her pants. She already had her work shirt off and over her shoulder, and as soon as she opened the door, she kicked her shoes off. She let out a soft sigh as she sat her keys down.

"Welcome back-"

"Ah, fuck!" Lin jumped and held her arms up as she whipped around to see Kya standing in front of her, holding a cup of tea. She held a hand up to her chest as she caught her breath.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Kya sat her cup on the coffee table as she sat down.

"No, you're fine. It's my fault for forgetting you were here." Lin pulled the shirt off of her shoulder and sat down next to Kya. "How was work?" Kya asked.

Lin paused for a moment. It's been years since she was asked that question after coming home. "It was fine. I got distracted with a case and ended up staying late- wait-" She glanced over at Kya, "I was supposed to take you to get your stuff." Her face tightened and she rested her hands over her eyes, "I'm so sorry, Kya. I didn't mean to forget, I'm just-"

"It's alright, Lin. Izumi took me to get it, I mean, different outfit and all," Kya motioned towards her own clothes. Lin didn't even notice that she was wearing a tank top and shorts. "And I got some tea from my mom so," Kya took a sip from her mug.

"Izumi was here?" Lin asked.

"Yeah, she uh- she was coming to visit you because she saw your car out there. She offered to take me to the Air Temple after we... talked." Kya said.

She seemed distracted, Lin thought. She watched as Kya stared down into her mug, slowly moving the contents in it from side to side. "Are you feeling alright?" She asked. Kya stopped moving her mug and briefly looked at her before sitting up.

It was stupid. It was just a stupid, unreasonable, mind plaguing question. But Kya wanted an answer so badly, she almost felt desperate.

"Lin, why aren't you mad at me for leaving?"

The question took Lin back, then she thought for a moment. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and rubbing one thumb over the other. "I was at first," she said quietly, "But I think I was just mad at myself. Not at you."

Kya's eyebrows furrowed and she looked over at Lin. "Why?" She asked, partially baffled.

Lin took in a deep breath, and she contemplated if she should answer truthfully. It almost felt selfish to tell Kya now, but "Because I knew I had no right to be mad at you. Because I-" she looked over at her, knowing honesty was what Kya deserved, "I didn't stop you. Kya, I'm... so happy that you're back," Lin looked back down at her hands, "because I really regret letting you go in the first place." She said softly.

The answer Kya craved was being read aloud like an open book, and all she felt was sorrow. She wasn't sure what to say, or how to react, but she knew her heart was pounding in Lin's ear as she pulled her into her chest.

Kya gently rested her cheek against Lin's head as her arms engulfed her.

Lin pressed her hand into the cushion to steady herself, her body tensing up. She brought her other hand up and rested it on Kya's bicep. She counted Kya's heartbeats until she finally relaxed in her arms. Lin hadn't been held like this in years and something about it made her body want to collapse under the feeling. She placed the hand she was using to balance herself on Kya's back, and the other on her side.

Kya gently leaned back against the arm of the sofa, letting Lin's head rest on her chest. When she started running her fingers through her hair, she felt Lin's body freeze up again momentarily, but that soon melted away.

They felt so comfortable in each other's arms.

"Kya," Lin mumbled, her lips grazing against Kya's chest.

"Hm?"

"If I lay like this any longer, I gonna fall asleep." Lin could already feel her eyes getting heavy.

Kya simply adjusted her position and continued to play with her hair, "That'd be okay, Lin."

Chapter Text

Lin moved her arms under her head as she started to wake. She felt a sharp pain when she took in a deep breath, like when she'd wake up on her desk in the morning. She opened her eyes and lifted her head, remembering why she was hurting; she slept on the couch.

With Kya...

She shot up, the blanket falling off of her shoulders as she did so. She wondered where Kya was, then she heard the shower running. She leaned into the cushion. Her ribs ached, her belt dug into her hips the whole night, her neck hurt, and the thought of laying down and sleeping in her work pants gave her chills down her spine.

But all Lin remembered feeling last night was completely relaxed laying on Kya.

She stood up and folded the blanket. She went to the kitchen and started getting the coffee grounds and filters when she realized coffee was already made. Lin felt her face heat up at the kind gesture as she got a mug. She poured the coffee then added a small amount of sugar.

As Lin turned around Kya came around the corner, "Morning." She smiled at Lin. Lin's hair was slightly messy from just waking up, and her tank top was only half tucked into her pants. She looked good in the mornings, Kya thought.

Lin stirred her coffee with a spoon, "Good morning." She said.

Kya got a mug and her tea and started making a cup, "No work today?" She asked.

Lin shook her head, "No, I'm supposed to have lunch with my mom today." She couldn't help but still feel self-conscious for falling asleep on top of Kya.

"That should be interesting." Kya said lightly.

"Yeah," Lin let out a small chuckle and sat her mug down in front of her. "I figured I'd leave some cash and let you go to the store. To be honest, I usually eat frozen meals after coming home from work, that's if I have the time and energy to eat at all. So, grocery shopping has never really been my forte." She said nervously.

Kya almost scolded Lin for not taking better care of herself. "Hey, uh," Lin faced her, but when Kya made eye contact, her eyes darted to the floor.

"I want to apologize for last night," Lin could feel her face heating up. As nice as it felt, she knew she should've gone to her bedroom when she felt herself getting tired. "I had a long day at work, and I was super tired. I didn't mean to fall asleep like that."

Kya stared at her in astonishment. She didn't mind at all that Lin had fallen asleep on top of her. In fact, she found it comforting. Lin's weight on top of her body, how soft her hair was in between her fingers, feeling Lin's breath against her skin, Kya enjoyed it far more than she'd admit.

"It's just- it's been a while since someone's..." Lin trailed off but Kya knew what she meant, "Lin," she put a hand on her shoulder, "It's okay. I would've told you if it had bothered me." She said.

Lin seemed to be embarrassed enough, so Kya wasn't going to tell her how she touched Kya's bare sides when she moved around. She wouldn't tease Lin about how she nuzzled her face into Kya's neck. She wouldn't admit that she almost couldn't get off of the couch this morning, because Lin's arms were so tightly wrapped around her waist. And Kya definitely wasn't going to tell that she thought she felt Lin give her a small kiss on her collar bone as she dozed off.

"It's alright, I promise." Kya absent mindedly rubbed her hand down Lin's arm. When she realized she was gently squeezing Lin's bicep, her face flushed and she turned away, "Uh, I'll see if Izumi wants to make an errand run with me." She said as she continued to make her tea.

"Right, yeah. Izumi loves running errands." Lin said sheepishly. Last night was the best sleep she had gotten in a long time. Even if her body ached now, and she knew she shouldn't have, Lin would do it again if she were given the chance.

"So, anything specific you want me to get at the store?" Kya said, turning around and sipping her tea.

Lin looked at her then thought for a moment, "Just coffee grounds, I think." She said.

Kya raised an eyebrow before setting her cup down. She walked over to the fridge, opened it, and inspected its contents. Lin furrowed her brows as she watched Kya look in the fridge, then check the cabinets.

"Lin Beifong," The stern tone in Kya's voice made her tense up, "There is not a single thing in your kitchen I could use to make a proper meal," she slowly stepped closer to Lin until she was towering over the shorter woman, "what the hell do you eat? Are you taking care of yourself?"

The sudden third-degree left Lin speechless. She tried taking a step back, but ran into the kitchen island, "I- uh- well usually I just eat-"

"What? Those frozen meals in your freezer? Oh," Kya let out a chuckle of disapproval while putting a hand on her hip, and the other on the counter behind Lin, "don't sell me that bullshit. We both know damn well that's not healthy." Kya looked Lin up and down. She clicked her tongue a few times and shook her head, "Tell me what you'd like to eat, and I'll make a list." She said before turning back around, "Where's a pen and paper?"

Lin's face was beat red. She could feel her heart pounding through her chest. And her hands were sweating from how suddenly flustered she became. She blinked rapidly, trying to find her words, but instead nonsense just came out, "It- I uh- there's some um- yeah." she stuttered as she pointed at a drawer.

Holy shit.

Lin faced away from Kya. She held her hand up to her face, holy shit.

Lin sat at the table outside, checking her watch every few minutes. Of course, her mother would be late after she was the one who wanted to do this. Lin sighed and rested her elbows on the table. She figured her mother would put a little more effort into getting here on time, but at the same time, she half-expected her to not show at all.

Yeah, she was in the city, but that didn't mean she was gonna stick to the plans she made before coming.

After what felt like a lifetime, Toph finally arrived, taking a seat across from Lin. "It's about time you got here." Lin said.

"Oh, give me a break. The drivers in this city are dumber than the rocks you kicked around as a kid." Toph said.

"Hi, how are you two today, I'm going to give you a couple of menus and-"

"Do I look like I could use a menu?" Lin reached across the table and lightly hit her mother's shoulder for the comment, "Don't be so damn rude," she turned towards the waitress, "I'm sorry for my mother, I'll take a menu."

They got drinks and ordered their food, "So," Lin looked up at her mother as she handed her menu back, "Were you going to tell me you're in town for the former councilman's funeral?" She asked.

Toph let out a huff, "I didn't realize you cared. It's your ex's family after all." She said.

"Just because he's my ex's father doesn't mean I don't care. He was a councilman." Lin stirred the ice around in her drink with her straw, "Besides, would've given me some time to prepare for Kya coming back." She said under her breath.

"Kya... Kya... Why do I recognize that name?" Toph furrowed her brows.

Lin looked at her mom, a confused and bewildered expression on her face, "Kya... Katara's daughter?"

"Oh! Kya, yes, I remember Kya." Toph snickered, "Why do you care that she's coming back?" She sipped her drink. Lin became silent and shrunk back in her seat, "It's a... long story." She said.

Toph slammed her hand down on the table with a smile, "Great! Now you have something to catch me up on! Go on, tell me all about it." She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. Lin let out a sigh and rested her hand on her forehead, "It's not that big of a deal." She said.

"Nonsense. What's going on between you and Kya?"

Lin's eye's tightened, "Nothing is going on- don't put it like that." She pointed her hand towards her mother. She wanted nothing more than the change the topic of conversation, but she had no idea what else to talk about.

Toph sat in her seat, staring in Lin's direction. "What?" Lin asked. Toph shook her head, "Nothin'," she raised her eyebrows. She folded one leg over the other and tilted her head slightly, still looking at Lin. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Lin asked. Toph smirked and chuckled, "I don't know what you're talking about. I can't see a thing."

Lin rolled her eyes. She knew what her mother was doing. The staring, the arms crossed, one leg over the other, with an impatient look on her face that matched the energy of her bouncing her foot. It was the same look she used to give Suyin when she'd ask about her failing grades. It was the same look she used on her rookies when they'd come in late to the station. She was waiting for an answer.

Lin let out a large sigh of defeat, "Fine!" She leaned into the back of her chair, "I'll tell you about it just- stop making that damn face." She said. She let out another sigh, and after a couple second of silence, Lin finally spoke again, "Do you remember that one time when I spent weeks trying to catch a woman for smoking in public-"

"And you brought that unimpressive dime-bag in? Yes, I remember quite well. I remember thinking, man, my daughter sure is a buzz kill." Toph joked.

"Haha. How funny." Lin said sarcastically, "What I was getting at," she continued, "is that- well- the woman I was trying to catch-" "Was Kya? -" "Can I tell my own damn story?" Lin narrowed her eyes and Toph to snickered.

"Anyways... Uh, a few days after that, I met Tenzin. And you know how the story goes with him. But I didn't know Kya was his sister. And she definitely didn't know I was Tenzin's girlfriend because when we formally met, she uh- she hated me." Lin scratched her neck, "So, things were really weird for a while. I didn't want to tell Tenzin how rude Kya was to me all the time because I didn't want to fuck anything up," she almost laughed at the irony, "but eventually, I did tell him. And uh, one night I saw Kya getting roughed up and I stopped it. I took her back to my apartment and gave her some first aid, and then she apologized for the way she'd been acting." Lin said.

"So that's what happened with you and Kya? Why is that a problem now?"

"I wasn't finished." Lin looked down at her cup, it was almost gone from how much she'd been nervously taking drinks from it. "After that, we started becoming friends. Hanging out, having actual conversations, I mean- she was the one who stitched up my face when all that shit happened with Suyin." She said.

Toph furrowed her eyebrows, "You didn't go to a hospital?" she asked.

Lin's eyebrows raised as her eyes jumped to look at her mother, "Uh- well... I had a feeling that Suyin was going to get away with it. You know how hospitals ask questions." she said sheepishly.

Toph's eye's widened slightly, "No wonder it left scars..." she said gently.

Not having heard her mother, Lin continued, "So, things with Kya were fine. And Tenzin and I were... okay," she rested her cheek on her hand, "Then, I don't even know how it happened, but I started feeling things for Kya. And Kya felt the same way. Neither of us did anything about it for Tenzin's sake, but the night before Kya left the city, I kissed her." She sounded disappointed in herself.

"So that's what's going on between you and Kya." Toph came to the realization.

"What? No! It's not like I cheated on Tenzin with Kya while she was away! I-" Lin trailed off, "I didn't even talk to her until a couple nights ago."

Toph raised an eyebrow, "She's back in the city already? How'd that go?" she sipped her drink. Lin clamped up and her face started to heat up, "Uh- Well-" She wasn't sure how to explain to her mother that Kya had been staying with her, "You see- well- you don't see- but-"

"Spit it out kid, you know how to use your words." Toph teased.

Lin let out a sigh before sinking slightly further into her seat, "Kya and Tenzin aren't getting along right now, so... Kya is staying with me for a bit." she admitted. She expected a sharp laugh, or a judgmental comment, but instead, Lin received a small hum and a nod of her mother's head.

Lin took in a deep breath and straightened out her posture a bit. She was relieved to have not gotten negative feedback. "How's that going?" Toph asked. "What do you mean?" Lin arched her brow. "Kya staying with you. How has that been?" Toph said.

Lin rested her hands on the table in front of her. She stared down at them as she fidgeted with her fingers.

It'd only been two days, barely. But Lin had to be honest with herself... It made her feel less lonely. The extra dishes she washed almost brought a smile to her face. Remembering how someone was there last night to greet her after she came home from work made her feel warm. Kya being there...

Lin and Toph's plates of food were sat in front of them.

"It's been nice..." Lin said.

Lin and Toph sat at the table after finishing their meals. Toph wiped her mouth with a napkin then threw it on her plate. She took the last sip of her drink then sat the empty cup on the plate as well, "Well, that was nice. We haven't done anything together besides work for over a decade." She said.

"Yeah, not since we went out for dinner after I graduated." Lin finished her drink. "I don't remember going for dinner after you finished the academy?" Toph cocked her head.

Lin looked at her for a moment and bit the inside of her cheek, "I was talking about high school." She sat her cup down. Thinking about it made Lin wonder, "Why did you ask me to lunch anyways?" She put her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her palm, "You haven't really made much of an effort with me since you retired. Figured you still blamed me for the whole situation." She looked off to the side.

Toph took in a deep breath. As she exhaled, she rested her arms in front of her. "Lin,"

Lin was surprised at the sorrowful tone in her voice.

"I'm back in town for Aang's funeral." She paused for a moment, like it was the first time she'd said it out loud. "Aang and I are the same age ya know," she let out a small chuckle, "But he was always good at keeping up with his kids. Made sure to spend time with them, be there for them. I used to make fun of him for taking days off of the council for family vacations." Toph had a defeated expression on her face.

"I'm realizing now I should've been doing the same." She said.

Lin sat in stunned silence.  

"I love you kids. So don't forget that, okay?" Toph said. 

Lin stared down at her hands. She searched her brain for something to say but was left speechless. For a moment she felt tears welt in her eyes. She swallowed hard and blinked them away. "Mom," she said. Toph raised her eyebrows signaling Lin had her attention. Lin cleared her throat,

"...How's Su?"

It was dreadfully quiet.

Toph said nothing for a moment. She thought, then leaned back in her chair, "She's good, Lin." she said. 

Lin nodded her head. She mindlessly bit a flake of skin from her lip. "So, uh, that city she's building... Her and her husband," She nervously scratched the side of her finger, "she called it Zaofu?"

Toph gave a hum of confirmation. After a couple of seconds, "His name is Bataar." She said. Lin nodded her head again. She appreciated her mother for not answering her questions passive aggressively. But part of her wished she were asking Suyin about these things instead. She wished she could see past her own blind rage and just speak to her sister. But she couldn't.

"They have a couple kids." Toph said, "Would you like to know their names?" She asked. Lin thought for a moment, "Yeah," she said. Toph put one leg over the other, "Their oldest son is Bataar Jr. And their youngest is Huan." Lin wondered what they looked like, I bet they have Su's eyes...

"Here's the check." The waitress sat the check in the middle of the table. Lin reached for it, but Toph stopped her, "I got it." Lin gave her a small smile and nodded her head. She gave her goodbyes to her mother and started her drive home. 

She put her elbow in the windowsill and rested her hand on her head with a sigh as she drove. It was unexpectedly pleasant having lunch with her mother. She refrained from bringing up Suyin until Lin did, whereas that had been a problem Lin would face every time she spoke to her mother. She didn't make Lin feel guilty for bringing it up, either. 

But Lin still was hesitant to jump back into a relationship with her mother. She knew this caring side of her was only temporary, and she didn't to keep any specks of false hope in her heart that it wasn't. 

Lin reached to turn the radio on. She didn't want to sit alone with her thoughts anymore. She wondered if Kya was back at her apartment yet, and she decided to take a detour on her way home. 

Lin put the key into the doorknob and unlocked it. She sat the keys down and paused. She thought for a couple of seconds before taking in a small breath, "I'm back!" She yelled out. And she felt a warmth in her chest when, after seven years of silence, a voice from the kitchen yelled back. 

"In here!" Kya said.

Lin let a smile rest on to her face as she made her way into the kitchen. There were a few empty bags on the counters, and Kya held a bag in her hand as she moved the items in it to the refrigerator, "Hey." She turned around and flashed a smile at Lin before turning her attention back to the groceries.

"Hey." Lin said as she watched. 

"I got the stuff we talked about this morning. And your coffee grounds, of course." Kya shook the can before sitting it on the counter, "But I also got stuff so you can make actual food." She shut the fridge door and turned around, "You're going to start eating real meals, Beifong." She said with a raised eyebrow.

Lin just let out a small chuckle. 

"You seem happy," Kya leaned her elbows on the kitchen island, "I take it lunch went well?" she asked. "Yeah. It was good." Lin nodded her head. Kya looked down at Lin's hand and nodded her head towards the item she held,

"Panda Lilies?" She asked.

Lin looked down at the small bundle of flowers she held, "Oh- uh- yeah... They're my favorite." She said shyly. Kya smiled in remembrance of when she first gave Lin the flower. 

"Well then," Kya walked over to her, "you better get them into some water." She lightly cupped Lin's chin. She stared down at her lips for a moment. She lightly brushed her thumb over the bottom one before looking her in the eyes. She let out a light huff as a look of awe washed over her face. 

Then, without another word, Kya left the kitchen.

Chapter Text

Five Years Earlier

Kya sat her bag down on the floor and took a seat on the bed. The small village she was staying at in the Earth Kingdom was just north of a village her mother and father mad been to when they were younger, Heibai's Village. They called it Heibai's village because of an old legend about an evil spirit who had attacked the village after a nearby forest had been destroyed by an on-going war. 

In the town she visited before, she received letters from her parents' friend, Haru. She took the group of letters out of her tote bag and crossed her legs, resting her elbows on her knees. 

She slowly untied the twine that held them in the stack. She cycled through the three envelopes and saw who they were from. She sat the other two next to her and opened the one from her mother. 

Dear Kya, 

      It's been so nice receiving your letters. Hearing about your travels and all the different people you're meeting has been lovely. I adore all the pictures you send with them; it all looks so beautiful. Recently, I've been trying new recipes in the kitchen. Without you and your brother here, I don't have to worry about such picky eaters. Your father seems to like the recipes, but I'm starting to get the hint that he misses my old cooking more ha-ha. I don't hear much from your brother anymore since he's out of the house, but we try to talk as much as we can. He always asks me about you, you know? I know you two write but I think he thinks you're more open with me about how you're feeling, and he's hoping I'll give him a little insight. I think it's sweet that he still worries about his little sister so much. I'm glad you two are doing so well outside of the city. 

      I'm hoping you'll come visit, but I understand how you feel about that, so don't feel pressured to come in anytime soon. The flower shop has gone a bit downhill since you've been gone though, so you'll have to 'spruce' the place up whenever you do decide to return. The hot chocolate at that cafe just keeps getting better and better, it reminds me of when I'd take you and your brothers there as kids. I don't know where you're headed after Haru's town, but if you pass by Republic City, make sure to give a little wave for me and your father. We love you very much and we're so happy that you're getting to live your dreams. Send another letter when you get the chance.

-Love, Mom

A small heart was drawn next to the signature that made Kya smile. She was glad that her mother enjoyed the pictures, she was worried it was going to start getting annoying after four years of sending them. She made a mental note to ask her mother for some of the recipes she had been trying, and another note not to mention how picky of an eater her father really was. 

Kya missed the hot chocolate from the cafe, and sometimes she missed her job at the flower shop more. She furrowed her brows at the thought of the place being disorganized with dead leaves all over the floor. She reread the second sentence of the second paragraph and snickered at her mom's stupid pun. 

She looked down at the other two letters. She reread the part of her mother's letter about Bumi, and decided she'd read his letter next. She opened it up, already telling it was short and sweet, just like his letters usually were. 

Hey, loser. Dumbass. Fuckhead. I don't know there's probably better insults you'll come up with in your next letter. You should really find a phone you can call me with, writing all of these letters is starting to get tiring, and it really hurts my wrist. I'm just kidding, I hope that was obvious. How've you been? It's been a few months since I've wrote you, so you probably have some crazy stories you can tell me about. Sorry about that by the way. My time in the United Forces has been great, no doubt about that, but it's been kind of hectic and time consuming.

Ya know, speaking of crazy stories, I've racked up a few of my own over the years. I'll have to tell you about them when we see each other again because they are stories that you just have to hear in person. Hopefully one of these days we'll end up in the same town and we can meet up. It feels weird not seeing you and Tenzin every day. I know it's been years since we've all parted ways, but I miss you two.

Anyways, I hope you write me again soon. I like hearing about how you're doing. Love ya, Kya.

Kya smiled. Of course, she has better insults to put in her greeting, she's been thinking about them since her last letter. She was proud of her brother for his work in the United Forces and it didn't bother her that he didn't write her a lot. She knew he thought of her, and that he never had much time for himself, let alone time to write her. 

Then, Kya thought about Tenzin. And she thought about how she hadn't received a letter from him the whole time she's been gone. She wasn't mad about it though. She understood why her brother wouldn't want to speak with her. She hoped he was doing well, but nobody ever mentioned him in their letters. Probably at his request, Kya figured. She wondered if they ever got married. Got a house. Had kids. She wished they would talk so Kya could tell him how happy she was for him.

But she was too much of a coward to even send a letter addressed to him.

Kya held the last envelope in her hand. She tore it open and slowly unfolded it. She felt her eyes gloss over as she saw how shaky her father's handwriting was. Some of the sentences she could barely make out. She pressed her tongue against the corner of her mouth as she read the letter, trying her best to hold back tears.

Hello, Droplet!

     I'm sorry for taking so long to write you another letter, but your mother has been filling me in on all of your adventures! And she's showing me your pictures. All the places you've been look just as nice as when I was a teenager. Zuko told me all about the fun you had in the Fire Nation. You spent quite some time there, huh? Two whole years. I never saw that place until after your mother and I married, but it's still beautiful. Your mother loves those fire lilies. When do you plan to visit the Air Temples? I grew up in the southern one, but you know that already. You'll have to send pictures when you go. I hope the acolytes have kept the place looking well. Don't forget to visit the Southern Water Tribe too! Your mother would love to have some pictures of the place.

He put a smiley face at the end of his sentence.

Your mother has been trying these new recipes for lunch and dinner. Some of them aren't as good as the others, but we'll keep that a secret between us. I'm just glad to see her enjoying herself in the kitchen. I do miss our old dinners sometimes, but I don't mind. Whatever makes her happy will make me happy. Thank you for all the souvenirs you send, your mother and I have a little display shelf going on in the living room. It's eccentric, but of course, so are you, Droplet.

I am so proud of you, Kya.

Your mother and I both. We miss you every day, but we could not be happier for you. I love you, Droplet. I hope to see you again soon. 

Love, Dad

Tears poured down Kya's cheeks as she looked at the shakily drawn heart. She felt a pang of remorse in her chest. She folded the letter back up and sat it on the nightstand with the other two, then she moved her position on the bed and stretched her legs out, leaning back on the wall. 

Why would she come here? This small village with a miniscule population wasn't going to give her any worthwhile stories to tell. There was no one here she knew, and it wasn't like it was known for its beauty or anything.

Kya looked out of her window. 

That was why. The sound of the cars. The lights of the buildings glistening off of the ocean. The sound of the bell tower striking every hour. She could see Republic City in the distance. Kya let out a small sigh. This was the closest she had been to the city since her departure. She missed the place dearly.

Kya lifted her hand and gave a small wave towards the city, "Hi..."

Chapter Text

Lin slowly tucked her shirt into her pants. She focused on making sure the belt went through every loop. She brought her hands up to the collar of her shirt and made sure it laid flat. She took in a deep breath, and she exited her bedroom, Kya coming out of the bathroom at the same time.

Kya let the corner of her lips upturn slightly. She approached Lin and brought her hands up, "You don't have to button it up all the way," she undid the first two buttons and readjusted the collar of Lin's shirt.

"I just wanted to make sure I looked nice." Lin said nervously.

Kya rubbed the shirt fabric between her fingers for a second, "You do. But just because this is a funeral doesn't mean you have to dress uncomfortably." She said.

"Kya," Lin looked at her, "...Does- does Tenzin know I'm going to be there?" she asked adamantly. Kya looked her in the eyes for a moment, then back down at her hands. She gave a small nod of her head, "Yes, Lin. My mother made sure to tell him. He's okay with it." She answered. 

Lin nodded her head.

Kya let out a small huff of satisfaction, "You do clean up nice, Beifong." She said.

Lin gave her a small smile before bringing a hand up to one of Kya's and softly rubbing it, "Are you ready to go?" she asked gently. 

Kya looked down at the floor. She bit the inside corner of her lip before looking back up at Lin, "I think I've procrastinated enough today. If we don't leave now, we'll be late." She said. She gave a sad smile before walking away to get her shoes on.

Lin wanted to be able to help Kya more, but she knew what Kya needed right now was time. She hoped Kya knew she was there for her.  Lin picked up her keys and her and Kya walked out to her car. 

"I'm glad my mom wanted the funeral at a later time. I think I would have melted in the two PM heat." Kya said, causing a smile to pull at Lin's lips, "Yeah." She agreed, turning on the radio, then turning it down some. 

Kya rested her elbow on the center console. She looked out of the windshield and followed the lines on the road with her eyes as they drove over them. "I can't wait to see Bumi." She said with a small smile. 

"You haven't seen him yet?" Lin asked. 

"No. He just got back yesterday. I knew he'd want to be at the Air Temple with our mom, so I didn't want to bother him." Kya said. She wished she could be at the Air Temple with their mother too. It killed her not being there for her. But it would just make things worse if she were around Tenzin. She wanted to sit in her father's study... feel the leather on his desk chair, take in a deep breath and be reminded of what it smelled like to hug him. 

But she was fine. Besides, it doesn't hurt as much when you know it's coming.

"Well, I'm sure he's gonna be happy to see you. I know how much he loves you. Didn't shut up about you for months after you left." Lin said with a light chuckled.

Kya snapped out of her thoughts and smiled, "Yeah, he had a lot to say in his letters when I first left. He was pretty pissed at Tenzin." She said. 

Lin smiled and nodded her head, "Yeah," she bit the inside of her cheek for a second, "I think we all were for a while." She said softly. Kya looked over at her and simply watched as Lin drove. She didn't know how to express how grateful she was for this woman sitting next to her. But she thought a small kiss on the cheek would suffice, "Thank you, Lin." she said. 

Lin felt her cheeks heat up and her grip on the steering wheel tightened. She glanced over to ask what for, then she noticed how Kya looked like she had been sleeping better since the first night they saw each other again. And she remembered how Kya once brought up her lack of appetite coming back. She thought about how Kya had been slightly more talkative over the past couple of days.

Lin looked back to the road, and she let herself settle into the comfortable silence between them. 

And soon enough, the moment Kya had been anticipating the most had arrived. Lin put the car in park and started unbuckling her seatbelt. Kya unbuckled herself and reached for the door handle, "Hey," Lin put a gentle hand on her shoulder, "If at any point, you feel like you need to leave, just let me know, okay?" she said.

Kya took in a deep breath then nodded her head before getting out of the car.

Lin nervously shoved her hands in her pockets as they walked into the funeral home. She looked around at the different faces. She looked over to Kya, who was looking around the room for her mother. 

"I think Mom's in the other room on the phone arranging things after the funeral." The voice behind Kya made her jump. She turned around and a smile grew on her face at the sight of Bumi.

Bumi let out a small grunt as his sister threw her arms around him, "Hey," he chuckled lightly, "I've missed you." he said. Kya pulled away slightly, smiled at her brother again, then pulled him back into the hug. 

Lin stood off to the side with a small smile on her face, happy to see Kya and Bumi's reunion.

After Kya finally released Bumi from her arms, he turned towards Lin, "Chief Beifong." He said with a teasing smirk and a little salute. Lin rolled her eyes but couldn't keep herself from smiling, "How are you, Bumi?" she asked. 

"Good. And it's good to see you here." He offered a reassuring smile. 

"Why is Mom the one taking care of arrangements? I thought Tenzin was helping her with that?" Kya asked. Bumi shrugged his shoulders, "Trust me, he tries. But Mom hasn't been the easiest to work with. I know she's having a hard time, and so does Tenzin, and he's being patient with her. He's been trying to get as much done as she'll let him, but she won't let him do much." he said. 

Kya let out a small sigh. She was glad that Tenzin was trying his best, but she wished their mother would let him do more for her. Another part of her wished she were the one helping her mother with the funeral arrangements. Kya's needed at distraction. 

"Kya, honey, there you are." Katara approached the three of them, pulling Kya into a hug.

"Hi, Mom." Kya hugged her back. "Hey," she pulled back a bit, "why don't you let Tenzin help you a bit more? You shouldn't be stressing today." She said. 

Katara rolled her eyes and looked at Bumi with a smile, "I told you that's the first thing she'd say." She said lightly before pulling Kya back into her, "I'm so happy to see you." 

Katara's eyes glanced over to Lin, who was awkwardly standing off to the side. She released her hold on Kya and approached Lin. 

"Oh- uh- ...Hi, Katara." Lin gave her a sheepish smile. 

Katara pulled Lin into her with a smile on her face, "Thank you for coming, Lin." She rubbed her hand across Lin's upper back, "Aang wanted you here." She said quietly in her ear.

Lin's eyebrows jumped up and the sudden feeling of sadness came over her. She hugged Katara back for a moment before Katara let go, "The service is about to start, so go sit down." she said to the three of them before walking away.

Kya put a hand on Lin's shoulder, "You okay?" She asked. Lin looked over at her and nodded, "Yeah, I just... I didn't realize your father actually liked me. Especially after the way mine and Tenzin's relationship ended." She said quietly. 

Bumi came up behind Lin and tossed an arm around her shoulders, "Of course, he liked you," he let out a small snorting laugh, "he didn't shut up about you. He thought it was funny that talking about you still pissed Tenzin off." He said before going to sit. 

Lin stared down at the floor in amazement. Kya squeezed her shoulder lightly, "Come on, let's go sit." She started guiding Lin to the chairs. 

As Lin walked, she looked over to Kya to say something when her shoulder bumped into someone she was passing, "Oh, sorry about-" she stopped and stared at the shorter woman in front of her for a moment. 

The woman brought her hand up to the man next to her and tapped his arm, "...Tenzin," she said, getting his attention. 

When Tenzin turned around, he simply stared at Lin for a moment. He looked at Lin's forearm, which had Kya's wrist wrapped around it, then he looked at Kya. 

"Hi, Tenzin." Kya said meekly.

He nodded his head slightly, "Kya." He didn't say it in any negative tone, more like an awkward greeting. After a couple more seconds of everyone staring at each other, Kya started pulling Lin away, "We're gonna go sit." She said.

As she was dragged away, Lin released a breath she didn't know she was holding. 

As the service came to an end, Tenzin excused himself to the bathroom. He shut the door behind him, then gripped the marble of the counter as he leaned against it. 

The door opened and Tenzin saw Bumi enter in the mirror. "You alright?" He placed a hand on Tenzin's back. 

Tenzin nodded his head. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I just need a minute." He said. Bumi put his hands in his pockets and leaned against the counter, facing away from the mirror. Tenzin ripped a paper towel from the dispenser and wiped his eyes, "Zuko's speech was really admirable." He said.

Bumi nodded his head, "Yeah. I know Dad would have loved it. I'm sure he would've laughed when Zuko talked about how much they hated each other when they first met." he said. 

"Yeah," Tenzin chuckled, "He was some weird monk kid who wouldn't leave me alone. He really did annoy his is way into being my friend but changed my life for the better." He recited words from Zuko's speech with a smile. 

Bumi smiled down at the ground.

"Where's Mom?" Tenzin sniffled as he turned to face Bumi. 

"I passed by her on my way in here. She was talking to Lin, her mother, and Kya." Bumi said. Tenzin nodded his head. After a few moments he spoke again, "Kya and Lin showed up together?" He asked. 

Bumi glanced at him, then bit his bottom lip for a second before answering, "Yeah, they did. Uh, Kya said she's been staying at Lin's for a few nights. She told me you guys kept getting into arguments and she didn't want to stress Mom out with it." He said. 

Tenzin stared at the floor for a second. He pressed his tongue against his teeth as he thought. 

"I don't think it's like that, Tenzin-"

"I don't give a damn if it is, Bumi. I don't care about that, it's just-" Tenzin trailed off for a moment, "It's just hard to be around her still... And I hate it. I know that's not what's important and not what I should be thinking about today. We should be there for each other. I mean, for spirit's sake, I'm engaged! I shouldn't be so worked up about my sister staying with my ex when I'm the reason she went there in the first place." He sighed, aggravated with himself. 

He looked in the mirror one more time, making sure he looked composed, "I'm gonna go outside for some fresh air." He said. Bumi pulled Tenzin into a quick hug before letting him exit the bathroom.

Tenzin walked down the hallway, back into the room full of people. He scanned the crowd with his eyes. His mother was talking to Toph and Zuko, Kya stood with a group of people, mingling, and the person Tenzin was looking for had crept up behind him, putting a hand on his arm. 

He jumped slightly as he turned around, "Oh- Pema, there you are." He said. 

"Hey." She smiled up at him, "I was looking for you too." She said. Tenzin let a soft smile rest on his face, "I was talking to Bumi in the restroom. I'm gonna head outside real quick and get some air." He pointed towards the door with his thumb.

Pema nodded, then pulled him down gently to kiss his cheek, "Just let me know if you need anything." She said with a sweet smile. 

Tenzin nodded his head then headed towards the door.

He stepped outside. He looked up at the sky and made note of how beautiful the sunset was. When he walked around the corner, he stopped in his tracks. Lin was leaning over the railing of the ledge with a cigarette in her hand. She took a puff and inhaled, putting it out once she noticed Tenzin standing there. "Sorry... Didn't see you there." She said.

"It's alright." Tenzin scratched the back of his head. He slowly approached and stood next to her, "So uh... When did you pick that habit up?" he asked. Lin appreciated the lack of judgement in his voice, "Just started getting stressed after becoming Chief. Among other things. I don't smoke them often." She said.

Tenzin silently nodded his head. He looked out at the parking lot, "So Kya's been staying with you?" He asked.

Lin felt the lump in her throat as she answered, "Yeah. She uh- she caught me at the cafe a few nights ago. It surprised me to see her back in town." She nodded her head. 

Tenzin took in a small breath as he pressed his lips together. It was silent for a moment. 

"Uh- it uh- it's nothing like that- I think..." Lin said.

"Right... It uh- it wouldn't really be any of my business if it were anyways." Tenzin said quietly, "I mean, it's what you've wanted, right?" He asked. 

Lin furrowed her brows and looked over at him, "What do you mean by that?" She asked.

Tenzin glanced over at Lin, letting out a small huff of amusement, "We're grown adults now, Lin. You don't have to lie about it anymore," he wasn't speaking angrily, "You stayed with me because Kya left... You didn't really have anybody else to lean on, so you kept the one person you knew you could. You kept me around for company." He wasn't being accusatory, or critical. There was no hint of mockery in his voice. In fact, there was even a hint of a smile on his face, almost like he found it endearing. This was how Tenzin really felt. 

Lin's eyes were left slightly widened as Tenzin finished what he was saying. She looked out at the parking lot, then down at her hands, "Tenzin, I-" she trailed off. What was she supposed to say? "I kept you around because I really did love you... But I- I didn't love you the same way you loved me, and I didn't know how to say that." She looked over at him. "I'm sorry, Tenzin."

Lin didn't know how to feel in this situation. It was awkward. Obviously, it was awkward. They hadn't spoken in seven years, and the last time it didn't end very well. But at the same time, it felt nostalgic. There was comfort in the lack of resentment they had between each other. Because if Lin had to be honest, she never resented Tenzin for the way things ended. She knew she wasn't the perfect girlfriend, far from it. And the fact that Tenzin had put up with it for two years after their relationship had run its course, made it hard for Lin to hold anything against him.

"Lin," She looked over, "thank you for coming to my father's funeral," tears were in Tenzin's eyes.

His father's funeral. His father who he looked up to. His father who he held more love and adoration for than almost anybody else in this world. His father who he respected. His father, who he desperately missed. Tears flowed down his face, and he tried, but failed, to stop them. Then, all of a sudden, Tenzin was sobbing into his ex-girlfriend's shoulder.

Because Lin really felt like he needed a hug. 

By the time Lin and Kya started their drive back to Lin's, the sun had set, and rain drops sprinkled down onto the windshield.

Lin sunk into her seat as she drove, feeling mentally wore out from the day. She glanced over as Kya put her arm up on the windowsill and rested her head in her hand. Lin knew she wasn't nearly as tired as Kya must have been. 

"Got any wine at your place?" Kya turned her head to look at Lin. 

Lin glanced over again, then looked back at the road, "Uh," she paused, "no. But I do have liquor." She said.

Kya nodded her head then looked back out the window, "That'll do."

They sat in silence, the sound of the windshield wipers and raindrops filling the atmosphere. Lin could hear the small sniffles coming from Kya's seat, so she reached over and lightly grasped Kya's hand as a way to let her know she was here for her. 

When they got back to Lin's apartment, the first thing Kya did was change her outfit.

Lin went to the kitchen and grabbed the bottle from the back of the cabinet and two glasses. She carried them out to the living room, sitting them on the coffee table. She sat down and opened the bottle, then poured the dark liquid into each glass. She sat the bottle on the coffee table and picked up her glass, taking a sip.

Kya came out of the bathroom dressed in tank top and sweatpants. She took a seat next to Lin and picked up the other glass. She brought it up to her lips and took a couple big drinks. "This is much needed..." She said softly.

Lin silently agreed before she took another drink. She sat the glass down then pulled at the bottom of her shirt, untucking it from her pants. 

Kya watched her as she did. She didn't feel like she deserved for someone to be so nice to her. She never thought her safe place would be with the woman she used to hate. She stared down at her glass. She brought it up to her lips and took another drink, a warm sting hitting the back of her throat. 

And maybe it was the alcohol Kya had barely drunk, or the overwhelming feeling in her chest that told her she needed to keep her mind off of everything, but something made Kya sit up and pull Lin into a kiss.

With no time to think, Lin melted into the kiss, bringing a hand up to caress the nape of Kya's neck. But when she felt Kya's tongue graze against her lips, she stopped her. "Kya... W-What are you doing?" Lin asked, furrowing her brows, a look of concern washing over her face.

"Lin, I need this, I-" her voice cracked as she tried to hold back tears, "I need a distraction." She looked Lin in the eyes before kissing her again. "Kya-" "Lin, please... Please just distract me from all of this shit. Give me a distraction." She desperately begged.

Lin looked between Kya's eyes and her lips. This wasn't a good idea, and she knew that. But Lin has wanted nothing more than to be able to be there for Kya and she's had no idea how. So, if Kya was giving her the answer, Lin didn't know to do anything but oblige. 

She pushed Kya back gently while connecting their lips again. She slowly got on top of Kya, and this time, when she felt Kya's tongue against her lip, she granted her entrance. Kya brought her hands up to the back of Lin's head and tangled them in her hair, then she placed one over Lin's cheek.

Lin started kissing down Kya's neck, and when she lifted her top and cupped one of Kya's breasts, Kya instinctively gasped.

But it wasn't working. The events of not only today, but the past week replayed in her mind. And feeling Lin's lips on her body was only making her feel guilty. "Lin," Kya said to get her attention, but Lin didn't hear it that way.

She sucked on Kya's neck, "Lin..."

Lin dragged her other hand down Kya's stomach. And when she started sliding her fingers into the hem of Kya's pants, Kya roughly pushed her hand away, "Lin, stop it..." She pushed her shoulder harshly. 

When Lin's eyes refocused, she could see the tears pooling in Kya's. She frantically pulled Kya's top back down, "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry," she said. 

Kya brought her hands up to cover her face, "Lin, you didn't do anything wrong." She said. All of a sudden, Kya lost the ability to hold it back and began sobbing. "Kya, I'm sorry." Lin said again, tears of guilt starting to form. 

"No, Lin, I promise you," Kya reassured, "Fuck... I'm sorry for leading you on like that." She cried.

Lin's eyebrows weaved together, "Kya," she adjusted her position, "Kya, listen to me," she gently pulled Kya's hands away from her face, "you have absolutely nothing to apologize for." She said softly. 

Kya continued to cry. Lin brought her hands up and held Kya's face gently, leaning in and pressing her forehead against hers, "You have nothing to be sorry for, absolutely nothing." She whispered words of reassurance to Kya over and over again. 

After a few minutes of sitting together, their foreheads pressed together, and Lin whispering sweet nothings in Kya's ear, Kya had calmed down. "Lin," she said in a hoarse voice.

"Hm?" Lin responded. 

"Would it be okay if I slept with you tonight?" Kya asked. She seemed embarrassed to be asking. Lin lifted her head up and nodded, "Of course you can. Do you want to go to bed now?"

Kya let out a soft hum of confirmation as she nodded her head. Lin removed herself from Kya's lap, then helped Kya stand up as well. 

Lin carried the glasses and the bottle to the kitchen, then she and Kya walked back to her bedroom. "I'm gonna change into something to sleep in. Lay on whichever side you want." She said. She grabbed clothes and headed to the bathroom. 

Kya sat on the bed and scooted back. She looked down at the blanket as she ran her hand across the surface. She felt like an idiot. She felt like she made a complete fool out of herself for what happened. But mostly, she felt pitiful. 

After a few moments, Lin entered the room again. "Can I turn off the lights?" She asked with her hand on the switch. Kya gave a nod, and suddenly the room was dark, 

Lin and Kya laid in the bed facing each other. Kya thought for a minute before she decided to move closer and wrap her arms around Lin's neck. And without a second thought, Lin put her arms around Kya's waist. 

Kya let out a small giggle, "Feels a little déjà vu." She joked. Lin chuckled, then slowly closed her eyes. 

Kya stared at her for a moment. She took in every new facial feature Lin had gained over the years. Then, she leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Lin's lips. Lin brought a hand up to Kya's shoulder and pushed her away gently, "Kya..." she said. Kya started shaking her head, "No, Lin, not- not like earlier," She looked down at Lin's lips, then back into her eyes.

"Like nine years ago..."

Lin's tense expression relaxed. She rested her hand on Kya's hip and pulled her closer, then she leaned it. And neither of them could deny it. It was exactly like nine years ago.

Chapter Text

She rolled over to her back and turned her head to the side to look at the woman lying next to her, who her been holding her by the stomach the whole night. Even after Kya had gotten up, Lin's arm was around her the second she got back in to bed. Kya thought she looked beautiful. The way her hair fell over her face, how the sunlight hit her skin, the small snoring sounds she made every once in a while, she thought all of her was just breath taking.

Then Kya remembered how she acted the previous night. It wasn't like she could blame it on the alcohol, she only had a few sips from the glass. She acted stupid and embarrassed herself for no other reason than self-pity. Self-pity and the fact that she's wanted to kiss Lin again for so long now.

Kya slowly removed Lin's arm from her waist and sat up. She threw her legs over the side of the bed and picked her phone up. As she checked for new messages, the rhythmic sound of her ring tone started going off, surprising her. 

Kya quickly answered it and looked behind her, hoping the noise didn't wake Lin any. "Hello?" She held the phone to her ear as she stood up. She checked behind her one more time as she left the room, taking a mental picture of Lin Beifong peacefully sleeping in her bed.

"Hey, are you busy today?" It was Bumi. Kya shook her head, even though she knew her brother couldn't see it, "No, I'm free. Lin offered me to put my clothes away in her room so I wouldn't have to keep digging through my suitcases, but I can always do that tomorrow." She answered.

She heard Bumi let out a little chuckle, "Movin' in, are you?" he joked.

Kya rolled her eyes as she walked into the kitchen, "Oh shut up. I'm only staying here temporarily. Mom said something about Tenzin and Pema looking for their own place, so I'll probably stay with her eventually until I decide to travel again." She said, opening the top of the coffee machine.

"You're gonna travel again?" Bumi said, slightly surprised. Kya furrowed her brows, putting in a filter and filling it with coffee grounds, "Yeah, why wouldn't I?" She asked.

"Just thought you and Lin were getting comfy together." Bumi said.

"What do you mean by that? Together? We're not together." Kya filled the coffee pot with water. 

"Well, you're not not together, right?" Bumi said in a teasing voice.

Kya let out a small sigh. He had a point, but Kya wasn't going to tell him that, "It's nothing like that, Bumi," she said, not believing in her own statement.

Bumi let out a small hum, "Right... So then what're you doing right now?"

Kya stopped pouring the water into the back of the coffee machine. She looked at the coffee grounds in the filter, and bit the inside of her cheek, "Making Lin's coffee..." she said quietly. "What was that?" Kya could hear the smile on his face.

"I'm making Lin's coffee like I've done every morning since being here because she's letting me stay here for free, asshole." Kya said. "You know how to make her coffee?" Bumi kept pestering.

"Yeah, she made it one morning like forever ago and-" Kya stopped.

After a long pause, Bumi spoke up again, "You remembered how to make her coffee?"

"Is there a reason you called, or did you just want to be annoying?" Kya changed the subject. Bumi made a snorting laugh at Kya's deflection. After he stopped laughing, he stayed quiet for a moment. "Yeah, there is a reason. Mom wanted you to come to the island for breakfast." He said.

Kya turned the coffee pot on then looked at the clock on the wall, "Yeah. Give me a bit to get ready and I'll be over." She said. "Alright, I'll see you in a bit." Bumi said before hanging up.

Kya sat her phone down on the counter and leaned against it with both hands. She let out a small sigh as she watched coffee drip into the pot. She made Lin's coffee every morning, and every morning, when Lin would protest, Kya told her the same thing each time; "I enjoy making your coffee, besides, it's the least I can do."

Maybe Bumi was right. Her and Lin weren't together. But they weren't not together. At least not to Kya.

She walked back into the living room and unzipped a suitcase, digging through it to find an outfit. Kya was a lot less organized than she'd like to admit. She got clothes out and headed towards the bathroom. She took the towels that Lin had assigned to her out of the cabinet and sat them on the counter next to her clothes before starting the shower.

She took her time washing her hair and making sure all of the soap was rinsed out. After finishing her shower, she dried off and got dressed. She hoped Lin would be awake by the time she was done but was slightly disappointed when she saw the bedroom door still shut.

Maybe Lin was awake and just didn't want to see Kya yet. She couldn't help but feel anxious looking at the closed door down the hall. As she walked back into the living room, she noticed Lin's phone sitting on the coffee table.

Kya slipped her shoes on and put the spare key in her pocket, made sure the door was locked behind her, then headed to the Air Temple.

When Kya approached the front door, she put her hand on the doorknob and stopped. She wondered if Tenzin was home. If he is, Pema is probably here too. Kya swallowed the lump in her throat as she remembered how their first meeting went. She was terrified that she'd open this front door, and Tenzin and Pema would be sitting on the couch right in front of her.

But instead, when she opened the door, the living room was empty, and the smell of breakfast cooking filled the air. It deeply reminded Kya of all the family meals they used to have together. She walked towards the kitchen, stopping and starring when she saw her mother moving freely around the room, humming while she cooked.

"It smells good." Kya said, making her mother jump to turn around and hug her, "Goodmorning, sweetheart," She pulled back, keeping her hands on Kya's shoulders, "I'm so glad you could come for breakfast." She said.

"Of course, Mom." Kya put her hands on her mother's arms, "I've missed your cooking." She smiled softly at her.

Katara turned back around to attend to the eggs in the pan. Kya watched as she mixed them up, seeming to not have a care in the world. "Are you doing alright?" She asked.

Her mother shook her head, "Seems like everyone keeps asking me that," a weak smile formed on her face, "The acolytes help me too much in the garden, your brother helps too much with the cleaning, and don't get me wrong, I love the girl, but Pema is in the kitchen too much. Whether it's dinner for us and Tenzin or working in the catering for the acolytes, she's doing too much of the cooking." Katara appreciated the help, of course. She knew it would all be too much for her. But she still wished there was more to keep her mind occupied.

"Mom, they're just making sure you don't have too much on your plate-"

"Well, my plate isn't full enough, Kya!" Katara had a tone to her voice that sounded annoyed, but also remorseful. She stared at her daughter for a moment and saw the concern in her eyes. "I'm sorry-" she swallowed hard and let out a sigh before looking back down at the pan, pausing for a moment, "Breakfast is done... Will you go find your brothers and Pema and let them know?" she asked.

Kya looked down at the floor, "yeah, I'll do that." She walked away in search of Bumi and Tenzin. As Kya exited the kitchen, she pulled her phone out. She figured she should text Lin and let her know where she went.

Kya: Just wanted to let you know I'm at the Air Temple, my mother invited me for breakfast. I'll be back in a few hours.

She hit send and shoved her phone back into her pocket. She went outside and walked around the house. She smiled at passing acolytes and searched for Tenzin and Pema.

Kya knew that after the Air Temple was turned into an island, Aang had new buildings put on it to house acolytes and traveling nomads. They had talked about the new community in their letters frequently, but Kya thought it would be more hectic than it actually was. Things were kept organized, and any problems were dealt with carefully with help from Tenzin is what Bumi had said in an old letter. In fact, it was one of the only couple letters Tenzins name was ever mentioned in. She kept her brother's achievements close to her heart.

"Excuse me," Kya stopped a passing acolyte, "have you seen Tenzin and Pema anywhere?" She asked.

"Master Tenzin was last in the meditation pavilion when I saw him." The acolyte answered kindly before continuing their walk. Kya cocked a brow, "Master Tenzin?" She rolled her eyes, "That's a little much if you ask me." She joked quietly to herself before finding the meditation pavilion.

She walked up the few stairs and scanned around, making sure to stay quiet as to not disturb the miniscule amount of people currently meditating. After realizing Tenzin was no longer in there, she started to leave. Then she noticed Pema sitting on the far side of the room.

Kya quickly but quietly approached her. She tapped on her shoulder, causing the younger woman to jump a tad bit. "Sorry," Kya said quietly, "um, breakfast is finished. My mom wanted me to get everyone."

Pema took a second to register what Kya had said, but she soon stood up and started exiting the pavilion. Kya followed behind her, taking another look for Tenzin in the area.

"Do you know where Tenzin is? One of the acolytes said he was in the pavilion, but I didn't see him." Kya said once they were away from the area. "He left just a few minutes before you came in looking for him. He probably went inside, he knew Katara was almost finished with breakfast." Pema answered.

Kya silently nodded her head. She'd learned from her mistakes and knew apologizing to Pema was better done sooner rather than later. "Hey," she placed a hand on Pema's shoulder and stopped her from walking any further, "I just wanted to apologize for being so rude when we were introduced." Kya said.

Pema looked at her for a moment, "Thank you," she started walking again, Kya following, "but I promise you don't have to worry about it, I didn't take it to heart." she had a small, genuine smile on her face.

Kya let out a small sigh of relief as she followed, "That's good... I was worried I pissed you or Tenzin off." She laughed nervously. Pema simply shook her head, "I know Tenzin's last relationship was a bit rocky towards the end, and I know you're still... close with her," she had a small smirk on her face, almost like a knowing look, "I didn't think it was anything against me personally."

Now that Kya thought about it, how did Lin and Tenzin break up? If Lin thought Kya's parents still saw the worst in her all these years, it must have been bad. From what Kya knew, they stayed together for two years after she left, but she never heard anything about how it had ended until she got back.

When they walked through the door, Pema went straight to the kitchen while Kya went upstairs to find her brothers. As Kya walked down the hall, she looked at her old bedroom door. She placed a hand on the doorknob and let it rest there for a second, remembering the feeling of the metal.

She knew it hadn't changed since she left. Her mother told her in letters when she'd clean up Kya's room for her, and how every few months she'd wash the clothes Kya left, "so they don't collect dust just sitting in your closet," was how Katara put it.

But when Kya first came back, she couldn't sleep in there. She couldn't bring herself to lay on the same bed her heart had been broken on nine years ago.

She let her hand drop and figured she'd look for Bumi. She walked to the end of the hall where Bumi's open bedroom door was. When she peeked in, she saw him lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling. She cocked an eyebrow, "Existential crisis?" She joked.

Bumi looked over at her then sat up, "Not even close." He said with a half-smile.

"Breakfast is done, Mom wanted me to come find you and Tenzin." Kya stepped further into the room. Bumi hummed in confirmation. He turned his head to look at Kya, "Hey, remember how we used to sit on the roof and smoke?" He asked. Kya nodded her head.

Bumi stood up and started walking towards the door. He stopped a couple feet away from Kya, "Let's do it again before I have to go back to the forces." He grinned at her before walking past and going downstairs. Kya chuckled, and when she started walking back down the hall, her phone buzzed in her pocket.

Lin: Saikhan called me into the station so I might not be there when you get back. Have a good time with your family.

Kya looked down at her phone and smiled at the message, but her smile faded away as she started typing again,

Kya: By the way I'm sorry for how I acted last night. I was sad and embarrassing, and I probably made you uncomfortable. I'm sorry for asking to sleep in your bed. I'm just sorry for the whole thing.

She hit send then continued down the hall, stopping to look in Tenzin's room.

It's changed. Of course, it's changed, it's been years. The desk he used to have, was no longer there. But his globe sat on one of the nightstands, and next to it was the picture of herself, Tenzin, and Bumi.

Kya picked the picture up, grinning. On the other stand was a picture of Tenzin and Pema. She wondered how long they'd been engaged and when they were getting married. But she also wondered if Tenzin had planned on inviting her. A selfish thought, she knew that.

Kya flinched when she heard a thud come from another room. She sat the picture down and left Tenzin's room, looking down the hall at the closed door of her father's study. She approached the door and knocked lightly before turning the knob and opening it.

As she looked in, she saw Tenzin sitting something back up on the shelf. He turned around as he let his hand drop to his side, "Hi," he said. Kya walked in and pushed the door partially shut, "Mom finished making breakfast."

Tenzin nodded his head and looked back at the shelf. When Kya started walking back towards the door, he spoke again, "Do you remember that one trip to Kyoshi Island, I think I was like ten? Eleven?" Kya paused and turned back around, "...yeah."

She walked over and stood next to Tenzin, staring at their father's collection of stuff, "Yeah, you and Dad spent the whole day working on that huge sandcastle," a smile pulled at her lips.

"We stood back to admire the big, crappy thing when you came over with a bucket of water," Tenzin was smiling too, "then Bumi ran into it trying to get away from a couple of crabs." He chuckled. Kya couldn't help but do the same as she remembered the look on her brother's faces, "You were so mad."

Tenzin nodded his head. After a moment, he looked down at the floor, his smile dropping, "I um- I'm sorry for not speaking to you much last night." He said.

Kya's jaw clenched, "...And what about the last nine years?" She asked.

Tenzin took in a deep breath, "It's just been hard..."

To that, Kya scoffed, "You broke up with her a while ago." Tenzin turned to face her, "Yeah. I did. So, what, Kya?" he said. Kya's eyebrow was raised, and her arms were folded. She seemed to have an annoyed expression on her face.

"What is your problem?" Tenzin asked, "You leave because of me and Lin, you come back and go off about Pema, then you don't come around for almost a week. Why are you so pissed off at me?" He weaved his eyebrows.

Kya looked at him in disbelief, "Because, Tenzin," she turned towards him, letting her arms fall to her sides, "you screamed in my face, you gave me the silent treatment, and you couldn't even give me a proper goodbye." She said in a harsh tone. "I didn't leave because of you and Lin, I left for you and Lin," she pressed a finger into Tenzin's chest, "I left so I would stop causing all these problems for you two. I stayed away so I wouldn't cause any more! Because I wanted you two to be happy, and two years later, you fucking dumped her!"

Tenzin stepped pack and lightly pushed Kya's hand away, "Just because you left the city didn't mean I was obligated to stay in a relationship I was unhappy in. And the fact that you're throwing all of this on me is ridiculous; Lin wasn't the perfect girlfriend! So why am I the only one you're screaming at!?-"

"Because I'm not mad that you broke up with Lin, I'm mad that you didn't fucking tell me!" Kya yelled, throwing her hands up. "Why!? So- so you could come back and sweep her off of her feet-" "So I could come back and see Dad!"

The room was horribly silent.

Tenzin stared at his sister for a moment, "What do you mean?" he asked quietly.

"Didn't you hear me? I stayed away from Republic City because I was so damn scared of messing things up for you, Tenzin. I thought one day I'd get a letter from you telling me about how happy you were... Or- fuck- even just a mention of how you were doing from someone!" Kya was crying at this point, "But nobody said anything. I thought you guys had moved on with your lives and were happy together until it was too late." Kya had a pitiful look on her face, "So, yeah, I was pissed off when I came back and found out you were engaged to Pema and I'm sorry for acting the way I did, but-" she sharply inhaled, "but I didn't know a thing about what was going on with you, Tenzin." Her hands were shaking. Her entire body was shaking.

She knew it wasn't right, blaming Tenzin and her family because she didn't come see her father. It was her decision. Every time she'd get a train ticket, she wouldn't even look at the destination of Republic City. When she'd get on a boat, the only thing on her mind was the open water and what adventure she'd be on next. She could've gone back at any time, but instead she chose the cowards way out, and she believed the guilt she felt now was the price she had to pay for it.

Kya could feel her legs getting weaker. She needed to sit down, so she threw herself down into one of the chairs in front of the desk. "I wasted years not coming to see Dad." She looked up at the big leather chair across from her, then looked at the frayed bracelet on her wrist. She let out a shaky breath, then put her head in her hands, elbows resting on the wood in front of her, tears hitting the lacquer as they dripped off her chin, "It's my own damn fault... I'm sorry, Tenzin. I shouldn't blame you."

Tenzin looked at the floor in consideration before moving to sit in the chair next to Kya. He leaned back and let his hands rest on his legs. He couldn't help but feel the same, "I'm sorry too." He said.

Kya looked over at him, her head still resting in one hand. "I'm sorry for not writing you. And I'm sorry for nine years ago." Tenzin said.

Kya sniffled and looked back down, "It's fine... I understand why you wouldn't want to speak to me." She said. She leaned up and wiped the bottom of her eyes with the back of her thumbs.

Tenzin and Kya sat in silence, both of them staring at their father's chair. Remembering all the talks they used to have with him in this room, sitting across from each other. About school, about jobs, about their aunt and uncle who they spent years mourning. They talked about these things with their mother, but their father's study was always a safe space for them as well.

They remembered how, on their birthdays, "Don't tell your mother, she'd kill me if she knew you had ice cream before bed, even if it is your special day." He'd always say it with a laugh. But their mom always knew, of course. Bumi would make a mess on his night shirt, and Tenzin was always caught cleaning his bowl and spoon right after. One time Kya got it all over the rug in their father's study. There was no getting out of that one. The stain was still there.

"I remember being mad a few years after you had left," Tenzin started, "I was mad that you hadn't come back yet. Of course, I knew it was partially my fault, and Dad always put me in my place when I'd start to get upset about it." He looked over, "Dad was happy you were traveling, Kya. So, don't feel guilty for not coming home."

Kya took in a deep breath. Her phone buzzed, but she ignored it. She didn't want to see Lin's response to her last message. She was terrified of what it might read. Her phone buzzed again.

"I think you have a text." Tenzin said.

Kya nodded her head, "Yeah, it's probably Lin..." she said.

Tenzin looked around the room for a second before dropping his eyes to the floor, "So, are you two..." he trailed of, but Kya knew what he meant. She glanced over at him for a second, "I don't know," she said, "But I don't think I ever got over her."

Tenzin looked over at her, "Never?" He asked genuinely.

Kya weaved her eyebrows together in thought, "...I mean, there were a few women... Nothing lasted longer than some weeks. But," she looked at the desk in front of her and lightly shook her head, "that wasn't until after being away from the city for a couple years." She said.

Tenzin nodded his head.

"However," Tenzin raised his eyebrows when Kya started speaking again, "I think when I realized I'd never really gotten over her, was the moment I walked into that cafe and... there she was." She said. Kya remembered her heart racing as she approached Lin, how nervous she was when she placed the money on the counter, and how warm Lin felt when she hugged her that first night. She thought about the couple times they've slept next to each other, the kisses that were exchanged the night before, "Well," Tenzin pulled her out of her thoughts, 

"If it means anything," he paused as he stood up, "I don't think Lin ever got over you either."

Kya stared up at him, "Come on, breakfast is probably getting cold." He motioned for her to stand up. When she did, he pulled her into a hug, "Just do what makes you happy, Kya. I'll be supportive from here on out. I don't want to be bitter anymore." He said.

Kya let out a large sigh of relief as she hugged him back. She missed everyone. But Tenzin? She couldn't put it into words how much she missed her baby brother.

Chapter Text

Tenzin and Kya walked down the stairs and turned to go into the kitchen. When they walked in, Kya ran into her brother, who made a dead stop in front of her. She looked past him to see that no one was eating, the table wasn't even set.

Instead, Pema, Bumi, and their mother were standing around the kitchen island, staring at them. "You two done fighting yet?" Bumi asked. Pema raised an eyebrow towards Tenzin in wait of explanation for his yelling.

Kya and Tenzin both looked to their mother, coming to the realization that that she heard their argument. "I'm sorry you had to hear that, Mom." Kya was the first to apologize, glancing to the side with an ashamed look on her face. She knew her mother was struggling enough as it was, she didn't need to hear them fighting the way they were.

"Yeah, I'm sorry." Tenzin said, he looked to Pema, "I'm sorry." He looked down.

Katara let out a huff, "Well," she walked over to the cabinets, putting a smile on her face, "I'm just glad you two finally sorted yourselves out." She started getting cups down, "Now help me set the table." She said.

Kya, Tenzin, Bumi, and Pema exchanged looks, knowing Katara wasn't in as happy of a mood as she wanted everyone to believe she was in. "Don't just stand there," She chuckled lightly.

Bumi tapped his hands on the counter a few times before turning around to get plates from the other cabinet, giving his mom a small smile as she glanced at him. Pema moved to get the silverware and napkins while Tenzin and Kya started to move food to the table. Katara got the last of the mugs down and started pouring tea in them.

As Kya approached the stove, her heart dropped as she watched her mother pour tea, "Mom," she gently put her hand on Katara's shoulder. "Hm?" Katara's eyebrows raised, signaling Kya had her attention. Kya placed her other hand on her mother's, stopping her from pouring tea, "...You grabbed Dad's cup too," she said delicately.

The room fell silent and Katara sat the tea pot down, "Oh," she said quietly. She blinked a few times and Kya could see the tears forming in her eyes, "Silly me, I do this all the time, I'll just- I'll rinse it out and put it back," she weakly smiled, and she walked to the sink, dumping the tea from the mug.

"Are you alright-" "Of course I am, what kind of question is that?" Katara forced a laugh as she rinsed the mug out over and over again. She shut the water off a grabbed a rag, drying it off, "Go on, eat. I spent all morning on breakfast." She waved her hand as she walked back to the cabinet.

Kya looked back at her brothers with concern. They knew how sad their mother really was. Kya took a deep breath, then turned back around to finish pouring the tea into the other mugs.

But just as soon as she started pouring, she stopped. Hearing the loud crash next to her, she looked over. Katara stood there, frozen, staring between the counter and the floor where shattered pieces of Aang's mug laid.

"...Mom?" Bumi asked softly.

Worry washed over Kya's face as she realized her mother was tightly grasping on to a broken piece of the cup. "Mom... Let go of that," she rushed towards her and lightly grabbed her hand, pulling her fingers back to reveal a large cut on her palm.

"I broke his cup..." Katara mumbled.

Kya sat the piece of ceramic on the counter, "No- No, Mom, it was an accident." She grabbed a clean washcloth and pressed it to the palm of her mother's hand. When she looked up, she saw her eye's welling up with tears, "I didn't mean to- it just- it just slipped-" She hiccupped.

"Tenzin, get the first aid kit." Kya said, tears flooding in her own eyes. She guided her mother to the sink and rinsed the blood off of her hand. "I'm so sorry." She said. "Please don't apologize, Mom." Tenzin sat the first aid kit on the table.

Everything was quiet. Nobody made a sound, they just watched Kya as she gave her mother first aid. Katara was trying to hold back from crying. After a few minutes, Kya closed the first aid box, "Are you alright?" She asked.

Katara took in a deep breath, closing her eyes and nodding her head, "I just need to go lie down for a bit." She started standing up from the chair, "I'm sorry." She said again.

"It okay, lay down for as long as you need." Bumi said.

Katara looked at everyone again before sighing. She nodded her head and started leaving the kitchen. Kya stood up and followed behind her. When Katara entered her bedroom, she just stood there.

She stared at the bed and after a few seconds, she couldn't keep herself from sobbing. Kya rested a hand on her shoulder, letting her mother know she was there, "Do you wanna lay somewhere else?" She asked.

Katara immediately shook her head no, "Thank you, sweetheart. Go have breakfast with your brothers." She walked towards the bed and after a moment she sat on Aang's side, "I'll be fine, you can go." She forced a smile for her daughter.

Kya looked down, then smiled back before hesitantly leaving the room, shutting the door behind her.

Once Kya was out of the room, Katara let the smile fall. And when she heard her daughter walk away, she couldn't help but cry. She reached behind her, gripping Aang's pillow and wrapping her arms around it. She buried her face in it and inhaled, the memories she shared with her husband flooding into her mind.

Katara couldn't help but just lay there and sob, each tear holding a piece of who she once had.

Kya walked down the hallway, wiping the bottom of her palms over her eyes. She turned into the kitchen seeing Bumi grabbing the broom. "Hang on," Kya politely stopped him, "mop it first... There's some blood on the tile." She said.

Bumi nodded his head then got the mop. Kya looked over and saw Tenzin sitting at the table with his head in his hands; Pema was next to him, lightly rubbing his back. After a few tense minutes of nothing but the sound of ceramic being swept from the floor, Kya sat down at the table with a small sigh.

"Mom's been pushing everything to the back of her mind... I tried to get her to talk to me, but she just kept insisting she was fine." Tenzin trailed off.

Bumi sat the dustpan on the island and leaned over it, "She didn't want to accept it when he was sick, how did we think she was gonna handle this?" He asked rhetorically as he picked big enough pieces of the mug from the tray below him.

Tenzin sighed in agreement, "I know... This is just the first time I've seen her let it out." he said.

Kya hunched forward, "Denial is the first stage of grief. But we started our process a while ago. We accepted losing Dad before we lost him, but I think reality is just now hitting for Mom."

Tenzin nodded his head, understanding what his sister was saying. He remembered when their father's health first started declining, and he remembered how often their mother deflected the topic when it was brought up. He checked down at his watch then looked up at the table, "I have about half an hour before I have to return to my duties around the island." He said.

Kya picked up her fork and stabbed it into the pancake, throwing it on Tenzin's plate, "Well, Mom didn't work hard on breakfast for nothing. So, eat first." She said.

Bumi dumped whatever was left in the dustpan into the trash, washed his hands, then started getting food of his own.

Kya stood up, picking up what was supposed to be their mother's plate, and putting food on it, "I'll ask Mom if she's hungry in a bit." She sat the plate in the microwave then returned to her spot at the table.

After eating, Tenzin and Pema cleaned their plates. "I wish we could sit and talk longer, but we have to get back to-" "Your duties?" Bumi said with a snicker.

Tenzin rolled his eyes, "You're a child." He said. Pema gave Bumi and Kya a small wave goodbye before exiting the kitchen. "Hey, Kya," Tenzin stopped at the threshold, "before you go, come find me. I wanna talk to you again before you leave." He gave her a small smile before leaving the kitchen.

"What, don't wanna talk to me later?" Bumi called after him, tipping his chair back.

"You're not leaving, Bumi!" Tenzin yelled back, then Bumi and Kya heard the door shut.

Kya smiled at her brothers before lightly tapping Bumi on the back of his head, "You're gonna fall, sit right." She said, taking the last bite off her plate and setting the fork down. Bumi sat the chair back down on all fours, "You guys make up?" He asked.

Kya thought for a moment, "Yeah. Yeah, I think so." She nodded her head.

"You think Mom will be alright?" He leaned his forearms on the table. Kya nodded again, "Yeah, she just needs some time. Let her process things at her own pace." She said. "I messaged you earlier to hurry up for breakfast." Bumi stood up and took his plate to the sink, rinsing it off.

Kya's eyebrows jumped as she remembered she thought there was also a message from Lin. She reached for her phone but stopped herself... Did she really want to see what Lin had to say? What if it wasn't good? Spirits, what if she made things weird for them? "What wrong?" Bumi pulled her out of her thoughts.

Kya looked at him for a second before looking away. Bumi let out a small hum and started to leave the kitchen, but he stopped, then motioned for Kya to follow him. Kya cocked an eyebrow then decided to follow him after he continued walking.

She followed him up the stairs and they stopped in front of her bedroom door, "Wait here." Bumi said. He continued down the hall and entered his room, and after a few minutes, he came out holding a familiar box.

He held it up and shook it lightly as he walked back to Kya.

Kya gave him a knowing grin and opened her bedroom door. She went to walk in, but she stopped as soon as her eyes saw the nostalgia within her bedroom. Bumi gave her a light nudge, "Gonna walk in?" He asked.

Kya took a few steps further so that Bumi could walk past her, "It really hasn't changed." She looked around. Her plants were all in good health, even some new ones were added. The vines that used to only go over her shelves were all throughout her room now, climbing the walls and creeping across the ceiling. Her books and collection of random items remained dust free, and her bedding had been washed then neatly placed back on the mattress. She sat on the bed and took a deep breath in, remembering how it felt to sit there her whole life.

Bumi opened the window and threw a leg out, "That's not where we're sitting." He said. Kya rolled her eyes, "Bumi, if we sit out there, the acolytes will see us. And probably Tenzin too." She said. "Besides, I don't know if I should go back to Lin's smelling like-" "Come on, they can't see us up here, and your 'roommate' isn't gonna care, trust me." Bumi interrupted with a teasing smile.

Kya sighed and tilted her head back with a small groan before inevitably following her brother out of the window.

They sat down, both leaning back against the wooden window frame. Bumi opened the box and pulled out the already rolled joint. "Awe, you had it ready for me." Kya joked. She reached into the box and grabbed the lighter, then took the joint from Bumi and lit it. She deeply inhaled, then released her breath with a few small coughs, "You know how long it's been since I've done this?" She said with a small smile.

Bumi raised an eyebrow and brought a hand up to his chin, "Let's see, how long have you been staying with Chief Lin Beifong?" he said, receiving a chuckle from Kya. He reached over and took the joint from her, "I don't know, but I know it definitely hasn't been as long for you as it has been for me." He took a hit.

"How's that going, by the way? The whole United Forces thing?" Kya asked.

Bumi thought for a moment, "Keeps me busy. And it's giving me plenty of stories to tell our future nieces and nephews." A smile pulled at his lips. Kya looked over as he handed the joint back to her, "Really? Like what?" She asked.

Bumi's smile grew, "Well," he straightened his posture a bit, "like this one time during training, we were made to go on a long treacherous hike through the swamp of the Earth Kingdom," "Treacherous?" A smile started growing on her own face. "Yes, treacherous. We climbed up hill for twelve hours, only stopping to get a drink of water or listen ahead of us, there was danger all around," Bumi started dramatically moving his hands as he spoke, "But on one of these stops, we heard one of our troops screaming like a little girl and when we turned around, he had three huge snakes wrapped around his legs and torso! Myself and the other men had to wrestle with the snakes until they-"

Kya started bursting out laughing, genuinely amused by her brother's story, "You are too over exaggerative," she said through a smile.

"Yeah, well, just preparing for when I tell it to the little ones. Although I may have exaggerated a snake or two." He took the joint Kya was handing back to him.

She shook her head with a smile, "Should you be doing this with you being in the United Forces?" She asked, gesturing to the smoke coming from his mouth. Bumi looked down at the joint in his hand for a second or two, "It'll be fine. It'll be out of my system by the time I leave Republic City." He held it out to Kya who was nodding her head in understanding. "Speaking of," he turned to look at her, "when are you leaving the city?"

Kya bit the inside of her cheek at the question. She didn't know. She hadn't been back for that long, but she also never stayed in one place for too long. At least not in recent years. She wanted to go back to Kyoshi Island, visit the Southern Air Temple again, maybe spend some time on Whaletail Island. But she also wanted to stay. She wanted to be a part of her mom and brother's daily lives again. She wanted to go to the coffee shop every winter just for the hot chocolate. She wanted to go back to the floral shop and keep the place looking nice like she used to. But most of all, Kya wanted to keep making coffee every morning along with her favorite cup of tea.

"I think I might stay..." Kya said.

Bumi's eyebrows jumped at the response, "Stay? Your whole life you've been about travelling the world and exploring the nations, what caused the change of heart?" He asked.

When Kya didn't respond, and instead took another hit of the joint they shared, Bumi realized, "Ah, I see. Not a what, a who." A smirk danced across his lips. He took the final hit, then put it out, setting the lighter and ash tray back in the box.

He sat it down to stand up, stretched his back before picking it back up, "Coming inside?" He asked.

Kya shook her head, "Not yet. I'm gonna sit here for a second." She said. Bumi nodded his head and started climbing back through the window. "Oh, hey, Bumi?" She stopped him for a second, "Ask Mom if she's hungry, I'll be down to check on her in a bit." She asked. Bumi nodded his head before leaving Kya to herself.

When Kya heard her bedroom door shut from inside, she stood up and climbed back through the window. She looked around her room again. She took a few steps forward and pulled the chair out from in front of her vanity. She sat down and turned towards the mirror, remembering how she looked when she last saw this reflection. She ran her hands across the wooden surface and firmly planted her feet on the ground. It had been so long since she sat here.

She scanned the room, this time her eyes falling on her bed. And of course, bringing back those memories of Lin. She stood up and walked over to it, sitting down, then laying back. When she looked to the ceiling, her eyes widened with surprise, "they're still up there..." she said to herself. She stared at the glow in the dark stars that were stuck above her bed. She knew they probably didn't glow anymore, so why would her mother keep them up for this long? Maybe it was because they were too high for her to reach? Or they had just been up there for so long that they wouldn't unstick? Or maybe she kept them up there because she knew Kya loved the stars. Because Kya was always fascinated with the night sky on their camping trips, and she'd always follow the moon when they were in the car. Or it was because the first time she had stars on her ceiling, her dad was the one who put them up for her, and he replaced them until she was tall enough to do it herself.

For whatever reason, Kya appreciated it no matter what. Because the stars reminded her of the stories she heard under them. And the glow they used to have reminded her of the moonlight shining through the window. And the constellations she'd worked so hard to get accurate... reminded her of Lin Beifong.

For the next few hours, Kya laid in her old room, reminiscing about the memories she had gained throughout her years sleeping there, and letting herself doze off every now and then. She looked at the clock in her room, half surprised it was still working. But even though she wasn't told about it, she knew her mother kept replacing the batteries. She made sure it never rusted, and it always stayed in good condition.

She looked up at the ceiling again, silently counting the stars in her head, about to close her eyes for another time. But instead, her body jolted awake as a knock came from the door. It slowly opened, and she heard her mother's voice, "Can I come in?" She asked. "Yeah, of course, Mom." Kya said immediately. She sat up and rolled her shoulders a few times.

Katara walked in and started looking around the room. After a moment she looked at Kya, "I tried to keep it as put together as I could." She said.

"It looks great, Mom. Thank you for taking care of my stuff while I was gone." Kya said while standing up. She reached her arms out and pulled her mother into a hug. She instinctively squeezed Kya back, taking in a deep breath to keep herself calmed down.

"Okay, you have to let go or I'm going to cry again." Katara said with a sniffle and a small laugh.

Kya backed away seeing tears starting to form in her mother's eyes.

Katara let out a sharp exhale of recomposition, "I need to go lay down for a bit longer, but I wanted to find you before you left." She said. Kya furrowed her brows, "I would've come and said bye before I went back to Lin's." She said.

A smile rested on Katara's face, "I know, but I didn't want you having to run all over the island saying bye to me and your brothers. You'll have to have Tenzin give you a little tour around here soon. I know he'd enjoy that." She felt a small piece of her daughter's hair that rested on her shoulder, admiring the slight change in color, and taking note of all the ways she really was like her father.

Kya looked back at the clock again, "I should probably leave soon," she trailed off, wanting to spend more time on the island, but also wanting to get back to Lin's apartment, to get back to Lin.

"That's alright, dear. I know you'll come visit again soon." Katara said, motioning for Kya to start walking out of the room and downstairs. Kya shut her bedroom door behind, first taking a glimpse of everything she left, then looking up and again remembering the nights she spent under her own personal starlight.

Kya followed her mom down the stairs, giving her one more goodbye, "I'll see you soon. And if you need anything from me, Mom, don't hesitate to call... please." Kya held her mother tight again as she spoke. "I promise I will, but don't you worry. I'll be okay. I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too, Mom." Kya made sure to say it clearly. And she'll make a point to tell her family those words more often.

She thought after years of traveling from place to place and having to deal with unpredictable weather time and time again, a little bit of rain wouldn't bother Kya so much on her walk back to Lin's. Except it wasn't just a little bit of rain. And usually when she was out in a storm it was voluntary and prepared for. But right now, she was in the middle of a downpour with nothing but a light jacket hoodie to cover her head.

But since Kya obviously had better luck than most, she was only a few minutes from her destination when the rain really started to come down. She let out a sigh as she watched the water drip from the tips of her hair. Her jacket was soaked, and the rest of her clothes drenched.

She walked onto the parking lot of Lin's apartment complex, just glad to almost be out of the rain. She looked up towards Lin's door when she caught a glimpse of her car. She stopped. Kya was hoping Lin's car being there meant she walked, and not that she was back home already. Kya's stomach turned as she thought about the message still sitting unread in her phone.

The sound of a car door shutting pulled Kya from her thoughts. When her eyes refocused, she saw Lin walking towards her, umbrella in hand. Suddenly there was a sinking feeling of anxiety in Kya's chest; and it only grew as Lin got closer.

Lin stood only a foot away from her, holding the umbrella over both of them, "How was the rain?" She asked, a corner of her mouth upturning. Kya let out the breath she was holding, "It was great, always love a walk in the rain." She said sarcastically.

Lin looked at her for a moment, noticing the frustration and sadness on her face, "Everything okay?" She asked.

Kya stared at the ground, contemplating what to say. "Today has just kind of been a mess," she started, "Tenzin and I got into an argument, but I think it made things better? Something happened at breakfast with my mom... She's not doing very good right now," Lin nodded her head in understanding. "I'm worried about her." Kya added on. She took a deep breath, "but I did get to talk with Bumi more. He's in the process of making up these fantastical stories about what he's doing in the United Forces." She exhaled with a small laugh, remembering the details of the tale he told her earlier. "We sat on the roof like we used to and-" Kya trailed off, catching herself before she told Lin, "and uh- yeah,"

"Yeah. Nice perfume by the way." Lin joked.

Kya's face went blank as Lin chuckled at her own joke, "It's fine, Kya." She grinned.

"Hey," Lin's nervously rubbed the metal of the umbrella with her thumb, "Why didn't you just call and ask me to pick you up?" She asked.

Kya looked down at the pavement feeling embarrassed. She folded her arms and looked off to the side, "I uh... Well, if you want honesty," she paused for a moment, unable to meet Lin's eyes, "I was kind of trying to avoid looking at your message..." She said in a hushed voice.

Kya heard every raindrop hitting the ground as she waited for Lin to say something. But she wasn't saying anything, and now that sinking feeling of anxiety was back in her chest. She felt self-conscious, wondering if it was too late to just walk inside and act like nothing happened, "Lin, I am so sorry about last night, I acted-" Kya's voice trailed off when she felt a hand gently pressed to her cheek. She looked and saw Lin softly smiling at her. And she had that look in her eyes, spirits those eyes.

Lin stood there for a minute, enamored by every feature, by every touch, by how beautiful Kya looked standing in the rain right now, "You haven't changed a bit," she leaned in a bit, "I mean that in a good way... Kya, it's okay. You're okay." She paused, "You're lovely. You're warm. You're comfortable." She gently rubbed her thumb against Kya's cheek.

Kya took a small step forward. As she did, Lin let the umbrella drop and moved her hand from Kya's cheek to hold her hand. Kya looked at her, confused, until Lin lightly squeezed, "Dance with me in the rain?"

"In the parking lot?"

"Where else?"

Kya remembered nine years ago when they did this. How bittersweet the moment was back then, but now... Now it just felt right. No remorse, no guilt, just Kya taking Lin's hand, and letting her take the lead. Letting Lin hold her as close as she wanted, leaning into the small kisses pressed to her cheek, running her hands through the short dark hair, and letting the rain drip off of her nose. This is what she craved for nine years and now she has it. Kya has Lin's arms around her, and she has her smile to look at again. She leaned in and tenderly pressed her lips to Lin's. And when it was reciprocated, every muscle in Kya's body relaxed. This felt so right.

Lin wondered what it meant. The soft touches and sweet gestures, the kind words, the delicate kisses, and every single glance they take at each other. She wanted more of those moments; she wanted them often. She wanted more with Kya. But Lin knew it wasn't the time to ask, so instead, she looked at Kya's softened expression and followed as Kya moved to the sound of raindrops hitting the pavement, and she decided to relish in the solace of this moment.

"Your uniform is soaked." Kya said with a low giggle.

"Like you've got room to talk." Lin pulled at the bottom of Kya's jacket, making her smile. "We should go inside though. We're gonna end up sick." Lin said.

"Yeah, probably." Kya said, pulling her arms off of Lin's shoulders. Lin picked the umbrella up then reached out and intertwined her fingers with Kya's, holding her hand as they walked to Lin's front door.

Once they got inside and changed clothes, Lin made Kya a cup of tea and brought it to the couch where she sat next to Kya. "Thank you." Kya's face flushed as she took the cup.

"You make my coffee every morning, I don't mind making your tea." Lin said.

Kya took a sip, then sat the cup on the table. Lightening came through the window, followed by a crack of thunder. Lin leaned her back against the arm of the couch and propped her legs up on the cushion, watching out of the window across the room, "Storms can be nice. They're worth sitting through to see how beautiful the outcome is." She said. Kya looked towards the window at the rain.

"Lay with me for a bit?" Kya looked back to her when she felt Lin's thumb rub against her hand, she sounded tired. When Kya nodded her head, Lin pulled her into her.

Kya laid in between her legs, her head resting on her shoulder, and arms tightly around the younger woman's torso. Lin gently rubbed her hand across Kya's back a few times before playing with pieces of her hair, she knew she was on the verge of falling asleep. She hated sleeping on the couch, but when laying with Kya, almost anywhere seemed comfortable. It was only the middle of the day, and Lin wondered, when was the last time she took a nap? When was the last time she just wanted to relax and be home? But by the time irrational thoughts could start invading Lin's mind, she was falling asleep.

Kya noticed and carefully kissed her cheek. She felt the fabric of Lin's shirt as she glided her hand across her stomach. Kya reached for her phone from her pocket, gradually feeling a warmth in her heart when she opened her messages.

Lin: I wouldn't mind if you slept in my bed more often

Chapter Text

Lin woke up, looking over at her nightstand to see the time was almost 6AM. She reached over and turned the alarm off since she was already awake. That, and she didn't want to risk waking Kya, who laid right next to her in bed.

Lin slowly rolled over to face her, Kya's hand instinctively reaching out to rest on her side. Lin gently brushed a piece of hair behind her ear and let her hand lightly fall on Kya's face. The headlights shining through the window gave Lin a brief glimpse of the beauty in front of her.

That's really what she was... beautiful. The way her hair laid over her shoulders and how soft her face looked while she slept, the wrinkles forming on the corners of her eyes because spirits know how she loves to smile. She brushed her thumb back and forth on Kya's cheek. She leaned in and pressed her lips to her neck, letting them rest there. She took in a deep breath. Kya smelled like the way it feels after snowfall. When you take in a deep breath and feel the air enter your lungs. Or like a warm cup of tea, and Lin's favorite scarf.

This is nice, she thought. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this comfortable with another person and she was enjoying it. Lin may be bitter, angry, and burnt out, but all of that seemed to wash away when she was with Kya.

But she was also terrified to her core.

Because Lin knew that, just as soon as Kya came back, she could leave again. Kya could pack her bags and walk out of the front door tomorrow if she so pleased.  She took another deep breath and held Kya a little tighter. She didn't want her to leave. She was starting to get used to another person in the house again. "I want to lay with you forever." She didn't mean to, but she mumbled it.

And when she did, Kya's arms tightened around her, "I could do that." She said.

Lin's face flushed and her stomach sank, "I didn't mean to say that out loud..." She said.

Kya pushed Lin back gently with a hand on her shoulder so she could look at her, "Good morning."

Lin anxiously put her hand on her own side, waiting for her to say something else. But Kya just kept looking at her. She looked in Lin's eyes, then to her lips. For a second her gaze landed on Lin's scars, but she still kept the same enamored expression, "...I could stay here with you." She whispered.

"...You're already staying with me-" Kya's giggling cut Lin's awkward sentence short, "That's not what I mean," she gently held Lin's face in her hands, "I mean here... In the city." She said.

Lin breathed shakily and her hands were as equally unsteady; she didn't think her heart rate could get so high, "I- I mean if that's what you wanna do... doesn't matter to me..." she tried to be nonchalant.

"Whatever, Beifong." Kya said with a smirk.

Lin released a breath and chuckled at the use of her last name, "Do you remember when you first started calling me by my last name?" she spoke quietly. Kya furrowed her brows, "I don't remember when I didn't," she giggled.

Lin took Kya's hand and placed it over her scars, "it was the day you stitched up my face. I always hated the sound of my last name. Hell, I still hate it unless..." Lin rubbed her thumb over Kya's lips.

Kya placed her hand over Lin's, "You're getting sappy on me." She joked. Lin just smiled at her, "I could get sappier if you want."

"Lin Beifong being all mushy and expressing her feelings? I'd love to see it." Kya teased.

Lin positioned herself on top of Kya, keeping a tender hold on Kya's face, "I never had a favorite flower until you handed me a Panda Lily," she whispered, "I never had a favorite color until you gave me your scarf," she pressed her forehead against Kya's, "I never had a favorite sound until I heard you laugh," she leaned in and kissed her, "I never-" she was stopped before she could get another word out. Lin sighed into another kiss, bringing Kya's face closer.

"I never thought I was pretty until you told me so..." Lin said as their lips parted. Kya couldn't help but break out into a smile, "You can stop, you've already won me over." She said.

"I have?" Lin raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Yeah, nine years ago." She began running her fingers through Lin's hair as her face softened. Lin let out a hum of contentment, dropping her head down to kiss Kya's shoulder.

After a few minutes, Lin groaned. Kya dragged her hand down Lin's back, "Hm?" she said. "I have to get up and get ready." Lin complained, she lifted her head. Seeing the sleepy look on Kya's face, she pressed a finger to her nose, making it scrunch up as she smiled.

"Go get ready." Kya playfully pushed Lin out of the bed. She got up with a small laugh and began pulling her uniform out of the closet. She turned back to look at Kya who was now sitting up and stretching. She smiled to herself then took her clothes in her arms and walked out of the bedroom, leaving the door open because she knew Kya would be out to make their morning beverages.

Kya heard the bathroom door shut and threw the blankets off of her legs. As she sat on the edge of the bed, she couldn't help but feel a grin pull at her lips. She stood up and swiftly fixed the bed, flattening out the blanket. She placed her hands on one hip and twisted her back until she heard a crack, then moved her hands to the other hip to do it again.

She made her way to the kitchen with a yawn, rolling her shoulders again. She prepared the coffee machine then turned it on, listening to the liquid drip into the pot as she made her cup of tea. Kya was almost in disbelief at how domestic her time staying with Lin had become. She didn't think coming back to Republic City would be so euphoric. But of course, there was a reason for that.

Kya looked over to the pot of coffee, almost full now. Lin had to have been the kindest person in the world to be treating her this way, at least that's what she thought.

"You're gonna let it steep for too long. Then you won't drink it." A teasing voice made Kya jump. She turned her head to see Lin standing next to her with a small grin, "Hand me my cup?" She asked. Kya jokingly rolled her eyes, then grabbed the mug from the cabinet.

Lin went to take it from Kya's hand, but Kya stopped her. She poured coffee into the mug first, then handed it to Lin, face turning to a slight shade of pink at the gesture. "So," Lin took a small sip from the cup, "you never told me much about your travels." She said.

"You never asked," Kya joked, pouring her tea into a cup. "Well, I'm asking now." Lin replied smugly.

Kya let her smile show, "It was fun. I saw a bunch of different places, tried a bunch of different food, " she chuckled, "I really did enjoy it." A genuine look rested on her face as she remembered her adventures.

Lin felt a sense of relief fall on her. All these years that's what she'd hoped for, that Kya was enjoying herself, that she wasn't held back by guilt or regret, that she was happy. She wanted Kya to be happy. "Where did you stay the longest?" She asked.

Without hesitation, Kya answered, "Oh, the Fire Nation definitely, I was there for two years. Izumi and Fire Lord Zuko let me stay at the Royal Palace, so being around someone I was familiar with felt nice. Izumi really made me feel welcome, and she didn't wait to show me all the attractions and street shops." Kya chuckled.

"I'm surprised you didn't find a fun Fire Nation woman to move on with, I mean, those Fire Festivals are a rage, aren't they?" Lin joked with a small laugh.

Kya froze, her eyes locked onto the counter. Lin's smile faded as she looked at her, "Hey, I was joking. A bad joke, I'm sorry." She said in a soft tone.

Kya snapped from her stare and looked at Lin. She blinked a few times, "It's okay, I know," she turned back to her tea, "Earth Kingdom is more my type anyways." She brought the mug up to her lips and took a sip, eyeing Lin up and down in the process.

Lin's face heated and she clamped up, "Uh- yeah, right-" Kya started giggling at her. Lin pressed her lips together to try and keep from smiling, then she hit Kya lightly in the arm, "Oh shut up, quit making fun of me." She said.

Kya sat her cup down and brought her hand to her mouth to hide her laughter. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." Lin broke out into a smile.

Kya's laughter slowly died down as she rested her arms around Lin's shoulders, "You can act like you hate it when I tease, but you know you love me..." she trailed off. As she realized the words she was speaking, she slowly started pulling her arms way, "I mean- uh... I didn't mean it like that..." anxiety pooled in her stomach, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that-"

Lin brought her hand up to Kya's chin and gently pulled her into a kiss. After a few seconds, she pulled away and pressed her head against hers. "Kya, ever since you came back, it's felt like one big dream... I don't want to wake up from it. Coming home to you, falling asleep next to you, waking up- just existing around you... It's all been so lovely." She said quietly.

She dropped her head down to rest on Kya's shoulder, "You... are so lovely."

Kya couldn't feel anything besides the pounding in her own chest. She couldn't smell anything besides the soft, earthy scent. She couldn't see anything besides the tears in the corners of her eyes. And she couldn't hear anything besides the voice in her head telling her she's not travelling anymore... She's gonna stay right here.

Chapter Text

Seven Years Earlier

Kya stood at the end of her bed; two outfits laid out in front of her. She reached down, feeling the texture of the dress before picking it up. She opened the door and carried it out of her room, walking down the halls, making a few turns, then stopping in front of another door. She knocked lightly, and after a few minutes it was opened, "Good evening-"

"Does this dress look okay for the festival tonight?" Kya threw the question at Izumi before she could finish her greeting. 

"We go through this every time, your outfits always look fine." Izumi rolled her eyes and turned back around to continue folding her laundry.

Kya stepped further into the room and looked around, "Where's Iroh?" she asked. Izumi glanced up, "He's at the pond with my father." She said, "He sure loves watching the ducks swim around. Dad got a bunch of new treats for him to feed them." She smiled.

Kya smiled at the thought of the small child giving the ducks treats and running around the pond. She sat down on the end of Izumi's bed just as she finished placing the last shirt on the pile. "I can't wait for tonight; it's going to be so amazing." Kya held the dress up in front of her.

"It's not gonna be that special. You've been to festivals in the Fire Nation before." Izumi chuckled at her friend's excitement. Kya whipped her head around, "Yeah, but this is a festival in the capital, 'Zumi, The Festival of Szeto. It'll the biggest festival I'll have ever been to." She said.

Izumi walked to her closet and started putting clothes away while also looking for an outfit for the day, "Well, I hope you have a good time. My father is taking Iroh, but I'll be there later in the night. I," She smiled back at Kya, "am going to dinner with my lovely husband."

Kya rolled her eyes with a smile, "Don't go having too much fun," she stood up and started towards the door, "we don't need another little one running around the palace." She joked. Izumi rolled her eyes, "Trust me, not happening any time soon." She grinned, "I think there are letters for you with my father, he should still be by the pond." Izumi continued looking through clothes.

"I'll get them later, thanks for telling me, 'Zumi." Kya have a small nod before turning on her heal and walking out the door, shutting it behind her.

She walked down the hall, making the same trip she just took, but in reverse. She stepped into the room she was staying in, threw her dress onto the bed, then closed her door. She turned around and looked at the dress again.

It was short, would probably only go down to her mid-thigh in the front, but it was a few inches longer in the back. It was a lowcut V-neck, and the sleeves started flaring out near the elbows. Kya still didn't know how to feel about the baggy-ness of the sleeves, but that didn't matter. Because the dress had a beautiful mandala pattern made up of shades of orange and brown, with hints of pink thrown in. And she couldn't wait to show it off. It was one of her favorite dresses.

She pulled off the t-shirt and sweats and quickly pulled the dress over her head. She sat on the bed and reached for the pocket mirror sitting on her nightstand, along with the mascara next to it, then quickly applied a coat to her lashes. She kicked off her slippers and pushed them under the bed, then reached for the dark brown, leather sandals that also sat under the bed.

After tightening the straps, Kya stood up. She remembered Izumi mentioning Zuko having letters for her. Part of her always dreaded receiving letters from her family. What if the next letter was the letter, and she was on her way back home within the next week. 

She walked out of her room, the heavy feeling of dread falling on her shoulders as she made her way to the pond like Izumi told her to. She heard her sandals clicking on the ground as she stepped on to the concrete, then she heard the sound of laughing.

As Kya turned around the tree, she saw Zuko sitting on the ground with Iroh in his lap, feeding the ducks in the pond together. She stared for a moment as Iroh took small steps to the edge of the pond, threw some treats in, then ran back to fall into his grandfather's lap. Her lips upturned into a small smile.

Before she could announce her presence, Iroh did it for her, stumbling out of Zuko's lap and running up to her. Zuko's head turned and when he noticed Kya, he carefully stood up from the ground. A grin rested upon his face, "Come sit on the bench with me, I'm starting to get too old for the ground." He joked. 

Kya approached the bench and sat down, "Izumi said you had letters for me?" She asked. Zuko reached into his robe and pulled out two envelopes. No letter from Bumi this time, she thought. But it was okay, Kya knew how busy he was, she'll get another letter from him soon. She reached out and took the envelopes from Zuko, seeing who they were from and confirming that she did in fact not receive a letter from Bumi. "Thank you," she said. 

Kya stared out to the pond, rubbing her thumb against the texture of the paper. She read her father's name written neat and let out a deep exhale. "Uncle Zuko," she bit the inside of her cheek, "how do you deal with losing a parent?" 

Zuko looked at Kya for a moment then to the pond. He took in a deep breath and slowly released it, "The same way we handled losing an uncle." He said. "Having someone you know you can rely on is tremendously helpful. And just, be there for each other. I know that's what Izumi needed when Mai passed on." Zuko finished. 

Kya slowly nodded her head in understanding, "Thank you, Uncle Zuko." They stayed quiet for a moment. 

Zuko cleared his throat before speaking, "Have you been enjoying your stay at the Fire Nation?" He asked. Kya turned to him, "Absolutely. Thank you for letting me stay at the palace, it's all been phenomenal." She said. Zuko let out a hum and smiled, "Of course, I'd do anything for Aang and Katara's children." He spoke softly. "Speaking of," he continued, "how are your brothers?" He asked. 

Kya looked back at the pond. Bumi was doing good, she knew that for certain. He's practically flying up the ranks in the United Forces. But Tenzin... She wouldn't even know if he was going through some mid-life crisis. She hoped he was happy, but she'd never know. Should she really dump all of that on the middle-aged man next to her? But she remembered how her father told her how Zuko often listened to him when he needed it. And how he knew Zuko would do the same for his kids if they ever needed it. 

Kya took in a deep breath, "Tenzin and I haven't spoke since I left Republic City. Bumi and I have, he's doing great in the United Forces." She said. 

"Why haven't you spoke to Tenzin?" Zuko asked, but when he saw the look on Kya's face, he rephrased his question, "Why hasn't Tenzin spoken to you?" 

Kya slouched back in her seat, throwing one leg over the other and folding her arms, "It's long and complicated and... messy. We had an argument over something really serious and he just... he doesn't want to talk to me. And that's fine, I mean, really, it's fine. I messed up and he's allowed to be mad." She looked down, focusing on the pattern in her dress, "Still, I wish he'd write to me at least once." She said. 

"I understand why that is frustrating, I'm sure he'll come around." Zuko placed a hand on Kya's shoulder. 

Kya stared at the letters in her hand and sighed. She pressed her lips together; she thought by now she'd get letter from more than just her family. "Well, I hope you will enjoy the festival tonight." Zuko said as he stood up, "I better take Iroh into Izumi for a nap, I don't want him cranky at the fireworks later." He laughed. 

Kya gave her Uncle Zuko a half smile and told Iroh goodbye. Then, she was left alone on the bench. She was enjoying her time in the Fire Nation, that was no lie. Being around Izumi almost 24/7 made her feel less lonely too. But she missed the homecooked meals and yelling with her brothers. She missed going into her father's office late hours into the night for his council. Now all she had was two, sometimes three letters each month. 

She opened the letters from her parents and carefully read them. She missed home. 

Lanterns hung from ropes tied from one vendor pole to another. The smell of Fire Nation street food roamed throughout the air. Entertainers were around every corner, and even though the sun was down, the ground and sky were lit up from the lights surrounding the capitol. This was a Fire Festival. Kya took it all in with a deep breath. 

The first thing she got was the same as always, a bag of fire flakes for the night. She remembered the first time her Uncle Sokka let her try them and smiled to herself, although it would've been nice if he told her they were hot beforehand. She put a handful in her mouth and savored the taste as she put the pouch in the messenger bag hanging off of her shoulder. 

Kya moved through the crowd, her eyes catching on everything she found interesting. One of the vendors had tables full of trinkets and ornaments. She started picking up items and looking at them, she was looking for a gift to send to her parents. And when a small ceramic fire fox revealed itself, she decided it was perfect. 

She quickly made the purchase, and as she slipped the small item into her bag, a group of yelling made her ears twitch. She looked and saw that off in the distance, there was a crowd forming in front of a stage. And that it wasn't yelling, it was cheering. 

The closer she moved in the clearer the sight was, entertainers were on stage performing with fire. Sticks covered in flames were being spun and tossed to make patterns in the air, the way they danced drew Kya in closer to the stage. She thought the way they moved with the fire was astounding, she was entranced by how fluidly they performed with something so dangerous. 

"Enjoying the show?" A voice said next to her. 

Kya looked over and saw a woman, slightly shorter than her, standing by her side. "Yeah, they're really talented." She said as she looked back to the stage. One of the performers held a flame to his mouth and blew out, making it seem like he was breathing fire. 

"Yeah, you only really see performances like this at festivals in the capitol." The woman next to her said, staring at the act on stage. She looked over to Kya and held her hand out, "I'm Iza." She introduced herself.

Kya reached her hand out, "Kya," she noticed Iza's features. Long black hair and fair skin. And even though her eyes were amber, she looked painfully familiar. Kya looked back to the stage, but her attention was soon pulled back to Iza, "Do you live here in the Fire Nation?" she asked Kya.

"Uh- No, I'm from the United Republic," Kya gave her a half smile, "I've been travelling for a couple of years." She said. "Where have you travelled to?" She was asked. Kya glanced over at Iza for a moment. It's been two years since she left... She shouldn't feel so guilty for talking to this woman. Kya swallowed the lump in her throat, "When I first left, I moved around Ba Sing Se, then from there I went to Kyoshi Island, I made a few stops on the way but-" "Where at?" 

Kya was surprised at how genuinely interested Iza seemed to be by her travels. She shuffled her feet, becoming slightly nervous, "I stayed in Omashu for a bit. The architecture there is baffling." She chuckled.  "Any other places before Kyoshi Island?" Iza asked her. Kya looked up to the stage for a second. 

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad...

She looked back at Iza, "I visited Full Moon Bay in between Omashu and Kyoshi Island." She said. The look Iza gave her told her to go on, so she did, "The view there was beautiful. You could see every star so clearly." 

"It sounds amazing." Iza smiled up at her. Kya smiled back. But Kya's attention was soon pulled at the sound of her name being yelled. She looked and saw Izumi walking towards her carrying Iroh, and Zuko following behind them. 

When Kya turned back around, Iza was walking away giving her a grin and a wave. Part of her hoped they'd run into each other again later. 

"Hey, having fun?" Izumi said. Kya took Iroh, who was reaching out to her the moment he noticed her, "Yeah, it's a lot more than other festivals I've been to, that's for sure." She chuckled. 

Izumi reached out and pulled at Kya's sleeve, "see, I told you your outfits always look great," She teased. Kya rolled her eyes, "Whatever, I remember no such thing." She joked.

Iroh started pulling on one of Kya's earrings, laughing as he did so, "Ow, son of a-" she paused and looked at Izumi. "You better choose your next words carefully." Izumi had a smile pulling at her lips. Kya let the immaturity win, "bitch," she mouthed silently but started laughing when Izumi hit her arm. 

"I'm gonna take this one off of your hands," Zuko said as he made funny faces at Iroh to make him laugh, "I want to take him a little closer to the stage." 

Izumi gave her father a look, "Not too close." She said. Zuko shook his head with a laugh, "I know, I know. They're working with fire after all." He said as Kya passed Iroh to him. Izumi smiled at them as they moved closer to the stage. 

Once Zuko was out of earshot, Izumi turned back to Kya, "So, who was that woman you were talking with?" She asked with a smirk. 

Kya clamped up and her face became flushed, "Oh- uh- her name was Iza." She said. Izumi rubbed her shoulder against Kya's, "Ooo, Iza?" She said. Kya shoved her with her shoulder, "Shut up." She started walking through the crowd to a food vendor. 

Izumi followed, she stood behind Kya, "So~ ...Do you think she's pretty?" She said in a sing-songy voice. Kya scoffed with a laugh and brushed her off as she got her drink, "I wonder how long it took them to put all these lights up." She started walking off. 

Izumi quickened her pace to catch up with Kya, "No no no, you're not changing the topic." She said to her.  Kya rolled her eyes, "I'm not changing anything. She's nice, and part of me kinda maybe hopes I'll run into her later." She was trying to keep herself from grinning. Izumi grabbed her wrist a twisted her around, "That sounds like a little crush." She said with a smirk. Kya let out a small sigh of defeat and faced Izumi fully, "I don't know," she folded her arms, "I mean, a little fling might be fun but..." she trailed off.

Why? Why is she thinking of her... It's been two years. 

"Kya..." Izumi tilted her head slightly, "Don't tell me you're hesitating because of Li-" 

"Maybe I am," Kya brought a hand up to her forehead, "Is that really so unreasonable?" She huffed. Izumi looked down and thought for a moment before sighing, "Kya, I think it might be good to move on." She said hesitantly. 

Kya inhaled sharply. She went to speak but stopped. Izumi was right, but Kya just wasn't ready for someone to say it out loud. She blinked a few times before looking off to the side, "Maybe I should stop feeling so guilty." She finally admitted. 

Izumi smiled at her friend and put a hand on her shoulder, "It'll be good for you." She said reassuringly. Kya nodded her head. Izumi looked past her for a moment then pulled her arm back, "I'm gonna go make sure Iroh isn't getting fussy. You," she pointed a finger into Kya's chest, "should go find your little festival crush." She said teasingly then walked past Kya and into the crowd.

Kya took a deep breath and looked around the sea of people around her. She looked in the direction Iza went and started walking, she couldn't have gone far, she thought. She continued to push through the crowd, her nerves building up as she kept moving forward. When she finally got through the people hoarded near the stage, she noticed her. 

Iza sat at a table near a food vendor, a plate with a small dessert sitting in front of her. Kya noticed she was carrying a conversation with someone sitting next to her. She hesitated for a moment, not wanting to interrupt, but ultimately decided that if she didn't approach her now, she never would.

Kya walked up to the table, almost immediately being seen out of Iza's peripherals. "Kya, hey." She grinned as she turned towards her. 

"Hi." Kya didn't know what else to say, she felt shy. "Sorry if I interrupted." This kind of thing felt strange now. " Not at all," Iza moved over a bit and tapped her hand on the bench next to her, "I barely even knew that guy, sit down." She offered with a smile. Kya sat next to her, adjusting her dress as she did. 

"How many festivals have you been to since being in the Fire Nation?" Iza wasn't slow to start conversation. Kya cleared her throat out of nervousness before speaking, "Not too many, but enough to know how they work." She said. Iza nodded her head as she took a bite of her dessert. After a moment, she wiped her mouth with a napkin then stood up. She took her plate and threw it into the trashcan behind them, then reached her hand out to Kya, "Come on, the fireworks are starting soon, and I don't want to miss it." She said. 

Something about how straightforward Iza was made Kya take her hand without second thought. She pulled Kya down the festival streets and conducted her through every turn. As they passed the covered vendors, Kya noticed a man in front of a stand handing out sparklers. She tightened her grip on Iza's hand to get her attention, then they both grabbed one each and continued their path to the firework show. 

When they reached the area, Kya noticed how different the atmosphere was, the lights were completely out. It felt like walking over to the dark side of the moon, behind them were lights shining so bright it was like the sun never set, but in front of them was almost pitch black. Only the stars lit up the area around them. 

Iza guided Kya deeper into the crowd, and soon, the fireworks began. "Here," Iza took the sparkler out of Kya's hand then pulled a lighter from her pocket. She lit both of the sparklers and handed Kya hers, and Kya couldn't help but grin. 

They looked up and watched as the fireworks boomed one after another. Every color imaginable painted the sky with each bright and resonant sound. And something in her made her turn to face Iza, who was already looking up at Kya with beaming and enamored eyes. Kya could hear her ears ringing as she noticed Iza was leaning in. But still, she moved in as well, and when they kissed, the sound of the fireworks became more prominent. And Kya let herself lean more into it. 

But then Kya remembered how the last time she was kissed; it wasn't nearly this magical or pleasant. It hurt. It hurt so bad she cried for days afterwards. It hurt so bad she packed away her favorite notebook forever. It hurt so bad she could feel it in the woman she was kissing now. All of the guilt resurfaced. As she pulled away, the sparks she was holding slowly started to die out. 

Iza looked at Kya confused. "I- I'm sorry..." Kya stepped back slightly. 

Iza's face rested into a look of understanding, "No, I get it. Still getting over an ex back home?" She asked kindly. Kya slowly nodded her head, "Yeah... Something like that." She answered painfully.

"Well," Iza gently rubbed her hand down Kya's arm, "If you change your mind any time soon, or happen to get over that 'something', I'll be around." She pressed a soft kiss to Kya's cheek and gave her a small smile, but Kya could see the hint of disappointment in her eyes. Then, Iza walked away without another word.

Kya looked down and felt the tears begin to form in her eyes. She pushed through the crowd, dropping her burnt out sparkler in a trashcan she passed by. She thought by now she'd be able to get over it. But spirits, she could barely even hear her name. And that woman... she looked so much like her. Kya brought her hand up to shield her eyes as she walked, she didn't want everyone around her to see her crying.

When she no longer saw other people's feet surrounding her, she looked up and saw she was right outside of the gates of the festival. In front of her was the street where everyone was lined up and walking into the festival, and off to the left was a small Fire Lily field with a small railing protecting from the sudden drop in terrain. She approached the railing and stood in front of it. 

"This is so stupid. This is so so stupid." She kept repeating to herself, "Just get over her already," tears wouldn't stop running down her cheeks, "Just get over it and- stop fucking crying!" She harshly wiped her eyes. 

But eventually, Kya gave up on trying to stop it. She leaned against the railing and sobbed into her hands, and listened to the fireworks continue to boom in the distance.

Chapter Text

The alarm blared through the room at a volume that caused Lin to immediately start hitting her nightstand until she finally silenced it. She laid there with her eyes closed for a moment and reached over, feeling Kya's hair on the pillow next to her. She brushed her hand through it, feeling the tangles it gained overnight. She let a smile rest on her face... She's getting used to this. 

She sat up and leaned over to kiss Kya's cheek before getting out of bed. She walked across the room and pulled the curtains open; she knows how Kya likes to see the sun when she wakes up. In fact, she was starting to enjoy it too. 

She stared out the window, seeing how the sun just barely shown over the city. It'd been years since Lin opened the curtains. Just last week was the first time her pillow had seen the daylight since she bought it. She always preferred to wake up in the dark, it made it harder to see how empty the room became when she was alone. 

But Lin wasn't alone anymore. With her hand still on the curtain, she looked back at Kya, who was now sprawled out across the bed with the extra space given to her. Lin pressed her lips together, trying to stop from smiling. She looked down to the floor. 

Spirits, she was happy. 

She dropped her hand from the curtain and gathered clothes for a shower before work.

Kya's eyes fluttered open, the blurriness of sleep slowly leaving her eyes as they rested on the window. The sun was just starting to rise, but it was mostly dark still. She noticed Lin wasn't in bed, but figured she was just getting a shower before work given that the clock on the nightstand read a quarter past six. 

She pushed the blankets off of her and sat up. She ran her hands through her hair to get some of the tangles out as she walked over to the dresser. She opened the drawer designated for her miniscule amount of clothes and started searching through it. 

She felt the air hit her bare chest as she pulled her shirt over her head and sat it on the bed. She continued looking through her clothes and found a shirt she deemed good enough. Or was it... the texture is off, maybe I shouldn't wear this color today, the sleeves might be tight-

"Oh- OH!" A yelp came from the bedroom door.

Kya turned to see Lin standing at the door, a look of shock on her face as her eyes glanced up from Kya's chest to her face.

Lin quickly whipped around, she's topless, she went to walk out of the room as fast as possible, she's braless! Instead, she managed to shut the door on herself and run face first into the wood, "Ow, fuck!" She yelled in embarrassment.

Kya quickly reached for the next shirt she saw in the drawer, "Are you okay?" She said, trying to get the fabric untangled from itself. 

"Why- why don't you have a bra on!?" The rattled tone in Lin's voice was clear and her face was beet red. She kept one hand over her face, shielding her eyes, even though she was facing the door. 

"I don't wear one to bed!" Kya frantically pulled the shirt over her head. 

"You don't-!?" Lin almost whipped around but stopped herself.

"I never have!" Kya said, muffled through the cloth, "I don't understand how you can," she pulled the shirt down her torso, "you can turn around now." She let out a nervous breath, her face just as red as Lin's now. 

Lin turned around, "Sports bras aren't that uncomfortable." She scratched the back of her head shyly, not knowing what else to do. 

Her and Kya stared at each other for a moment, neither of them knowing what to say. On one hand, Lin felt awkward and mortified that she walked in on Kya like that. But on the other hand... she walked in on Kya like that... her heart was racing. 

Kya couldn't keep eye contact with Lin, she kept glancing to the floor, to the walls, the blankets, anything she could look at to keep her eyes off of the flushed mess in front of her. She let out a small breath, "Uh... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left the door unlocked-" 

"No! Uh- no, I should be apologizing, I should've knocked or something-" 

"What, no? It's your room," Kya stopped her, then silence fell over the room again. 

Kya and Lin kept glancing from each other to different parts of the room before Kya finally let out a huff of amusement with a small grin, "Just finish getting ready," she pressed a kiss to Lin's cheek before opening the door and stepping past her, "not that I don't enjoy seeing you in that tank top." She said quietly as she left the room. 

"I'll have your coffee ready!" Lin heard being yelled out. She stood by the door for a second, her face just now starting to cool off.  She ran her hands down her face, "She sleeps without one?" She whispered to herself. 

She couldn't help the smile that pulled at her lips, partially out of embarrassment for herself. But she pulled herself together and got her uniform out of the wardrobe. 

She made her way into the kitchen where Kya brought her a cup of coffee, "Just the way you like it," she said with a smile, "I over-steeped my tea so I'm making a new cup." She went back to the stove. 

Lin took a sip from her mug, just the way I like it, she pulled a stool out from under the island and sat down, "Any plans for today?" She asked. 

Kya shook her head as she poured tea into her cup, "Not really, just thought I'd hang out around the apartment, I'm visiting my mom tomorrow," she looked off to the side and thought for a moment, "actually, I think I'll be productive today." She said with a grin. 

A grin that Lin thought was awfully suspicious, "And what's that supposed to mean?" She asked curiously. 

"Oh, nothing⁓" Kya said in a sing-songy voice as she made her way around the island, "I just had an idea," she wrapped an arm around Lin's shoulders and brought her in to kiss her cheek, "that's all." She said. 

"That doesn't sound terrifying at all." Lin said sarcastically, looking at Kya, "What is it?" 

Kya furrowed her brows, "What? Why would I tell you?" Kya threw her hand out as she talked, her tea almost spilling over, "it would ruin the element of surprise." She brought the mug to her lips and took a sip. 

"Exactly," Lin chuckled, "I hate surprises." She took a drink from her own cup.

"Well, you'll love this one." Kya sat her mug down and walked over to the fridge, "Trust me." She said.

Lin raised an eyebrow, "Mhm, sure." She took a drink of coffee. Her eye caught the clock on the microwave, and she got up to take her cup to the sink, "I have to get going or I'm gonna be late. I'll pick up paper towels on the way back," she said as she ripped the last one from the roll.

"Don't worry about it," Kya took the mug from Lin's hands and dumped the rest of the coffee, "I'm going to the store later, so I'll get some while I'm out." She rinsed the mug then sat it in the sink, making a mental note to wash it later. Lin smiled as she watched her, which Kya noticed, "What're you smiling about?" She said with a grin. Lin just shook her head. 

Kya dried her hands with a towel then wrapped it around the back of Lin's neck and pulled her in. Lin rested her hand on Kya's hips as if it were natural. "Still thinking about earlier?" Kya teased.

Lin clamped up and her cheeks became flushed. But before she could say anything, Kya leaned in and kissed her, "Have a good day at work." She said as they parted, their lips still just centimeters away from each other. She gave Lin another quick peck before letting the towel drop to her side.

Lin took a deep breath and recomposed herself when Kya turned around. "I should be back around the same time as usual." She said as she made her way through the kitchen, "I'll see you when I get back?" She turned back to look at Kya. 

"I'll be here." Kya grinned.

Lin walked through the station swinging her keys on her fingers, she nodded to a couple officers as she headed back to her office but left her door open as she sat down. She knew Saikhan would be in at any moment- 

"Gooood morning, Chief Beifong!" 

There he was. 

Saikhan waltzed through the door with a coffee in each hand and papers stuffed under his arms. He sat down in the chair across from Lin and put her coffee on the desk, "Extra sugar, just how you like it." He joked. "I'm just kidding, I know you drink it black." He laughed at himself. 

Lin simply rolled her eyes and sipped from the cup. She'll never tell him she's actually liked it with a bit of sugar since she started drinking it that way. Kya makes it right every morning. "Thank you, Saikhan." She nodded her head to him, "what do you have there?" 

Saikhan held the papers in his hands, "Nothing important, just a few things councilman Tenzin wanted to run by you." He sat them on the desk facing Lin so she could read them, "You guys back on speaking terms or something? He didn't seem so hot headed talking about you this time." He said.

"Yeah, something like that. Him and Kya made up." She spoke shorty as she read through the papers.

"Ah yes, Kya, your new girlfriend." Saikhan teased with a smirk. 

Lin scoffed, "Oh, shut up." She continued reading as she shook her head. 

"What, she's not your girlfriend?" Saikhan asked. 

Lin paused and bit her lip for a moment. "It's not something we've talked about." She said plainly. She saw Saikhan raise an eyebrow, but before she could say something, a rhythmic knocking came from her office door. 

But on the last knock, the door flung open.

"Man, this place hasn't changed." 

Lin had to blink a few times, but she was sure it was her mother standing there on the threshold. 

Saikhan instinctively fixed his posture, going from slouching in the chair to an upright position. And Lin was letting out a sigh and setting the papers down, knowing she wouldn't be able to focus on them now, "What are you doing here?" She asked. 

Toph chuckled and look in Lin's direction, "I thought you'd be happier to see your dear old mother." She said. 

"Goodmorning, Chief Beifong." Saikhan stood up and saluted to Toph.

"Ah, Saikhan? I didn't realize you were still on the force." Toph brushed him off.

Lin stood from her chair, "Goodmorning, Mother." She said. She looked to Saikhan and cocked her head towards the door, signaling for him to leave. 

"Good to see you again, Chief Beifong." Saikhan shot his hand to his forehead, saluting again before exiting the room, shutting the door behind him. 

Toph turned to Lin with a suspicious look on her face, "You seem happy." She walked past Lin and took a seat in the big chair behind the desk.

Lin raised an eyebrow at her mother taking a seat in what was now her chair, "What do you think you're doing?" She asked.

"Making myself comfortable. I've missed this chair." Toph laced her hands behind her head and leaned back. She let out a sigh, "Oh yeah, feels good to sit here again."

Lin exhaled sharply with a chuckle as she walked behind her mother, "This isn't your old chair," She pushed on the back of it causing Toph to be shot into an upright position, "I got rid of that thing years ago. Now get up." She pushed again. 

Toph stood up with a cackle, "Guess it's fair that the new chief gets the big chair." She said.

Lin let a small smile pull at her lips, "Eight years isn't exactly new." She said as she sat in her chair.

Toph laughed, "Compared to me it is." She winked. She walked around the desk and sat down in one of the other chairs, "So, how are things with that Kya girl?" She asked. 

Lin was slightly taken back, not expecting to hear a question like that from her mother. "Good. They're really good." She smiled before she could stop herself.

Toph smirked, "Well you sure were quick to answer." She said.

Lin tapped her fingers on her desk. Her mother was right, she didn't even hesitate, "...Yeah. I feel happy." She almost wanted to laugh at herself, "I feel really happy." She said in disbelief. Kya has shown her something like she's never had before. She noticed how her mother smiled at her. It looked... sad? "What is it?" Lin asked. 

Toph shook her head, "It's nothing," she quickly got up from her chair and turned away from Lin, "I think I better get out of here. I'm starting to remember why I left the place." She let out a small snorting laugh. It sounded forced. 

Lin stood up, "Here, I'll walk you out-"

"No, no, I know my way out. I may be blind, but I have excellent senses," Toph opened the door, "I'll see ya later, kiddo."

"See ya." Lin gave her a small wave as she left. 

The door shut and Lin slowly sat back down in her seat. She tried to ignore the eerie feeling her mother left behind. She spread her fingers out on the desk... did she really just tell her mother that she was happy? What was worse was that she meant it. Or maybe it was better. For the first time in years, she could confidently say she was happy. And yeah, that was better. 

Kya made it better. 

Lin picked up the stack of papers she was reading before the interruption. She held them close, the letters only becoming harder to see. She let out a sigh laced with frustration and finally came to terms with the thing she'd been denying for years. This woman needs glasses.

"Yeah... yeah Thursday works," Lin held the phone to her ear as she opened the door to her apartment, "yes... Okay... Okay, thank you." She hung up as the door shut. She went to set her keys down but stopped. Her head turned towards the kitchen... Something smelled good. Really good. She tossed the keys and made her way into the kitchen. 

When she walked in, the smell was more prominent, and Kya stood at the stove, cooking utensil in hand, and hair tied back. She didn't even realize Lin had walked in. 

So, Lin took the opportunity and simply watched. She stared carefully as Kya attended to the food on the burner. Her head slightly tilted, and she smiled when Kya shook the seasonings over the pan. Lin was in awe of the woman in front of her. 

Kya's hand slipped and her finger grazed against the metal of the pan, "Ow, fuck." She rubbed her thumb against it and looked at it closely. 

"Are you okay?" Lin finally made her presence known. 

Kya jumped slightly and whipped around, "Oh! You're home!" She smiled brightly, "I'm alright, just a little scare." She turned back to the stove. 

Lin's smile only grew, "What's all this?" She approached the stove and stood next to Kya. 

Kya quickly gave Lin a peck on the lips once she was next to her, "Well, you're home early, but your surprise is almost ready." 

Lin's brows furrowed, "Uh- the surprise is dinner?" The corner of her mouth upturned slightly. She found it endearing that Kya would go out of her way to do this for her. 

Kya let a small smile rest on her face, "Yeah. I noticed that you never get to come home and just sit down and have an actual meal. So, I thought I'd cook for you tonight." She said.

Lin felt a chill down her spine... She was at a loss for words. Lin herself barely even realized that she never has real meals. "Kya, you didn't have to-" 

"Ah ah ah," Kya held her finger to Lin's lips, shutting her up, "I want to do this for you," she slowly caressed Lin's cheek, "you deserve this, and so much more, after everything you've done for me." Kya leaned in and kissed her. 

Lin didn't know what to say. And she didn't know why tears welted up in her eyes. "Lin, are you okay?-" 

Lin pulled her into a hug, wrapping her arms around Kya's waist and holding tight. She knew one thing. And she was sure of it. 

She loves Kya.

Chapter Text

Kya woke up feeling the sun on her back but the space beside her empty. She pushed herself up and looked around Lin's side of the room. Her uniform was gone and the door to the bedroom was shut. Kya turned herself around and sat up.

She grabbed her phone off of the nightstand and began looking for, and finding, a message from Lin, Saikhan called me into work early today, I'll be home around the same time as usual. 

Kya nodded her head to herself then stood up to get ready for the day.

She couldn't keep the smile off of her face, she was starting to feel like she actually had a life with Lin of all people. She pulled her clothes out of the drawer, every day felt like she was waking up inside a dream, she threw her shirt over her head and put her pants on. 

Kya made her way to the bathroom and felt flutters in her chest, just like every time she saw the separate sides of the sink her and Lin managed to create subconsciously. She quickly brushed her teeth and combed through her hair. She applied a quick coat of mascara, trying to rush. She really didn't want to be late for breakfast.

As she slipped on her shoes, she looked at the clock, ten minutes late without even trying. She rolled her eyes at herself and opened the door, a gust of cold air hitting her in the face. The temperature was starting to drop, and it was more noticeable today than the others.

She shut the door and went back to grab a jacket. When she went to leave again, she realized the green scarf wasn't up by the door, meaning Lin must've taken it with her this morning, and to that, Kya grinned to herself. 

She walked out, shut the door, and locked it behind her. 

When Kya approached the air temple, she saw all of the acolytes getting ready for the colder weather. They ripped weeds and dead plants from the garden and prepared the housing for the inevitable snow that would hit the city in the mid-winter. She gave smiles to the working acolytes as she walked past them. 

"No, not there, I told you to take them to the other side of the island!" She heard a frustrated tone around the corner, quickly recognizing it as Tenzin's. 

"Hey," She came up behind him, making him let out a small yelp. 

"Oh, Kya. It's you." He cleared his throat, "I was wondering if you were ever going to show up." He joked, checking the watch on his wrist. 

Kya rolled her eyes, "I slept in later than usual." She admitted. 

Tenzin chuckled at her, "Don't worry too much, so did Mother. She just started cooking half an hour ago." He looked back down at the clipboard in his hands. 

Kya peeked over the top of it, "You're really keeping it together here, huh?" She said, meaning it as a compliment. 

Tenzin sighed, "Thanks..." He trailed off. 

Kya could tell something was off, "What is it?" She asked. 

Tenzin shook his head, "It all feels pointless... I could never accomplish what Dad sought this place to be. Every year it seems like more acolytes go back to the main temples, and less come from them. This year we've been working harder than ever, but with how little there are of us, the work can't be divided evenly." He let his frustrations out. 

Kya looked to her little brother with a look of condolence. 

"Anyways," He quickly changed the topic, not wanting to place his burdens on his sister's shoulders, "I should take a break. Let's go see if breakfast is done." He dropped the clipboard and tucked his arms into his robes. 

"I can't believe you're not in there helping her." Kya teased as they walked through the front door. 

Tenzin raised his eyebrows, a look of amusement growing on his face as they entered the kitchen, "I didn't get the chance to offer," he gestured into the doorway with his hand, "our dear eldest brother jumped in before I could ask." He said. 

Kya looked to the stove to see Bumi with an apron wrapped around him, his hair pulled back into a high ponytail, and a teal blue spatula in his hand flipping a pancake. But when he went to flip it, it went halfway off the pan. 

"Okay," Bumi tossed the spatula onto the countertop, "I'm done making pancakes, that's the third time." He said to his mother, who stood next to him in an apron of her own, "Well, if you'd listen to the way I'm telling you to do it," Katara shrugged her shoulders.

"I am listening, pancakes are just stupid." He pouted. 

Katara moved him over and took his spot, "Yeah, yeah, they're stupid. But you'll still eat them." She said. "Scramble the eggs and quit complaining." She said, grinning at Bumi. 

Bumi huffed out a chuckled and started mixing the eggs up in the pan. 

"It's about time you do something around here." Kya finally spoke up from the doorway, making Tenzin smirk with her comment. 

"Oh well look who showed up, it's the peanut gallery, everyone!" Bumi said sarcastically. 

Kya chuckled then made her way to the stove to give her mom a hug, "Here, Bumi, let me help." He took the cooking utensil from his hand. 

"Thank the spirits," He leaned into Kya, "I was worried I was gonna fuck those up too." He said quietly. 

"I heard that." Katara side-eyed them and a smile pulled at her lips. 

Kya smiled as she shoved Bumi. He moved away from the stove, "I'm going to change." He said to the room as he walked up the steps. 

"Yeah, your bunny pants aren't doing you any justice." Tenzin called up the stairs, and when Bumi stopped at the top and kicked his leg back, striking a pose, he laughed, wondering how his brother still kept his childlike humor at this age. He turned back towards the kitchen, fully stepping over the threshold and taking a seat at the table.

Kya glanced over at her mother, "How are you feeling?" She asked. 

Katara let out a small sigh, then gave her daughter a soft smile, "I'm doing better." She said. 

Kya nodded her head, deciding to take her mother's word for it. And she really believed her. Every time she's visited the island since that day, she's seemed better and better. Kya knew grief still weighed heavy on her mother's chest, just like it did her own, but she also could see progress. It's slow, but it's there, for both of them. 

She turned the heat down on the burner, "These are done." She said, watching her mother pour the last bit of pancake mix into the pan.

"Just keep it on low, everything else is finished." Katara said. 

"I'll go tell Bumi to hurry up." Kya said as she exited the kitchen. 

Tenzin watched as Kya walked up the stairs. He tapped his fingers on the table a few times in thought. After a moment he looked towards his mother, "Have you told her yet?" he asked in a hushed voice. 

Katara paused momentarily, almost missing the pan when she flipped the pancake. A silence fell over the room. She took a deep breath in, "No, not yet." She said. 

"I don't want to put pressure on you, Mother, but... She needs to know." He spoke in defense of his sister. 

Katara let out a sigh, "I know, Tenzin." Her eyebrows furrowed, what she was even going to say? Would there be any understanding? She wanted to avoid it. But she knew. Katara knew she had to tell Kya... because how else would she explain what she's about to ask of her daughter?

Kya tapped her fingers on Bumi's door. After a few moments of nothing, she tapped again. This time jumping when the taps came back from the other side. Kya rolled her eyes, "Open the door." She said. 

The handle turned, and Bumi greeted Kya with what could only be described as a 'shit eating grin'. Kya couldn't help but find humor in her brother's antics, no matter how small or stupid they may be. 

Kya stepped past him and looked around, "You need to clean up, you have clothes everywhere. What are you, 20 again?" She said. 

"Don't say it like that, you sound like Mom." He joked. 

"Probably because Mom is usually right." Kya prodded back. 

Bumi broke the stern look and smiled at his sister. 

"Breakfast is done." Kya said, going to leave the room. 

"Hey- uh, wait." He said, stopping her. Kya looked back and raised an eyebrow at him. 

Bumi hesitated, "So... You're not travelling anymore?" He asked. 

The topic of conversation pulled Kya back into the room, "I uh- I didn't really plan on it." Bumi shuffled his feet, "Why not? It was like... your whole thing, ya know?" He said, trying to play off the obvious nervousness. "I mean, it sounds corny, but... Lin has made life here worth staying." Kya said. And Bumi could tell that she was genuine, his face dropped. 

Kya furrowed her brows, "Why?" 

Bumi shook his head, "No- I was just... curious is all." His voice was low. But before Kya could question him any further, he walked past her and down the hallway. 

Kya looked to the ground. Sure, travelling more would be nice. She only covered a third of the Earth Kingdom. She never counted the places she passed through as scores on her travel list. If she didn't get the chance to actually explore a location, did she really travel there? Going back and spending her life seeing the places she never really got to see sounded enticing. 

But building a life here in the city? She never thought she'd say it, but that's what she really wanted now.  

Kya smiled to herself before turned around and going back down to eat breakfast with her family. 

After breakfast, Bumi went into the city, and Tenzin and Pema went back to helping the acolytes. Kya rinsed each cup and stacked them to the side with the other dishes from breakfast before filling the sink and put them in, washing the plates first. 

"Thank you for helping me clean up." Katara said, handing her the cups to wash next. 

Kya shook her head, "What kind of daughter would I be if I just ate and ran?" She said with laugh.

Katara shook her head with a smile. She watched as Kya scrubbed each dish thoroughly. Her smile started to drop when she remembered the conversation they were about to have. With the roles now reversed, Katara knew clearly how her daughter felt nine years ago. It was heartbreaking. She understood that now. 

But she knew it would work. It would help. She could start forgetting instead of sitting in her own anguish. It would fix her. It had to. "Kya, honey," she said in a small voice, "Put the cup down for a second, I need to talk to you." She made her way to the kitchen table and sat down. 

Kya furrowed her eyebrows, partially in concern, as she placed the cup in the other side of the sink, letting the soap run down the sides instead of rinsing it off. "Is everything okay?" She dried her hands on the towel then walked over to the table. 

Her mother looked up at her with sorrow in her eyes, and Kya could tell things were in fact not okay, "Mom? What is it?" She pulled the chair out and took a seat next to her mother. 

Katara looked down at her hands. She knew the best way to tell was to just lay it all out. But the lump in her throat kept her from doing so. So. instead, she procrastinated with what she thought to be the worst question that could come to mind, "... How are things with Lin?" She asked. 

Kya's face scrunched up with a muddled expression, she knew this isn't what her mother really wanted to talk about. But she played along, knowing the point would arise soon, "They've been good. I made dinner for us last night," she started to grin, "and every time she comes back from work, she yells 'I'm home' and..." Kya stared down at her hand fidgeting with the bracelet around her wrist, "I'm really enjoying the time I'm spending with her." She said.  

Katara weakly smiled before the tears started pouring from her eyes. 

Kya snapped out of her daydream, jumping to place a hand on her mother's back. She furrowed her brows concerningly, "Mom, what's wrong?"

But Katara couldn't bring herself to answer just yet. She wiped the back of her hands on her cheeks, but it didn't make any difference. "Kya-" She choked on her own words, "I just-" her throat caught again, the words themselves making it swell up. 

Kya waited patiently, continuously rubbing circles on her mother's back, "Just take your time." She said. Even though she wanted to know more than ever what had her mother worked up like this, she wouldn't push her to say it.

Katara let out one sob after another before she eventually calmed down a bit. She took a deep breath, tears threatening to fall again when she looked her daughter in the eyes. She let out a sharp exhale, "Kya... I need to leave the island." She finally breathed out.

Kya let the puzzled feeling show on her face, "O...kay?" She didn't entirely understand what her mother meant. If all she needed was a day off of the island, Kya would've taken her out for a day on the town in a heartbeat. Or even a night, she didn't think Lin would mind, not if it's what Katara really needed. 

Katara took another deep breath, "... I need to leave the city, Kya." She clarified more.

Kya sat back in her chair, the wood hitting her back and releasing a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Oh..." She didn't mean to, but she spoke out loud. Her hand slowly pulled from her mother's back feeling the words settle into her ears. 

Kya would be the last person to discourage her mother from leaving, surely, she should know that.

"Kya,"

She turned towards her mother, surely, she should know that.

"I want you to go with me."

Then Kya's world came to a screeching halt.

Chapter Text

"I want y ou to go with me."

"I want you to go with me."

"I want you to go with me."

The words kept replaying in Kya's head as she stepped out of the front door. Tears poured down her cheeks, causing her to gain looks from the acolytes walking by. She tried to wipe them away, but it didn't make a difference.

It was too good. Everything was too good, and she knew it. How could she ever think things would be effortless. She felt so stupid, she wanted to scream at herself. What was she supposed to tell Lin?

She wanted to get off this island. At the same time, she couldn't bring herself back to Lin's. So, she couldn't tell if the voice calling out to her was a blessing or a curse.

"Kya!" She heard her brother's voice, "Leaving already?" Bumi yelled again.

Kya stopped but hesitated to turn around, "Yeah." She said plainly.

"Before you go, do you wanna go to the roof?" Bumi asked.

Kya sighed, as much as she needs it right now, "You're smoking by yourself today. Sorry, Bumi," she didn't want to be on the island. But before she could keep walking, Bumi spoked again, "Yeah well... I was kind of hoping you had some."

Kya rubbed the bridge of her nose, "Get into your secret stash, Bumi." She still didn't turn around.

"Mom found it."

Kya furrowed her eyebrows, "You're how old? And you're still letting Mom have control over what you do?" Maybe she was projecting a little. "If Mom took it then go to your secret secret stash." Her tone was becoming harsher.

"Ran out-"

"Then your secret secret secret stash, Bumi! I don't care, just leave me alone!" She whipped around to look at him. She hoped the look she was giving him was enough of a hint, but instead he just looked at her with pity.

"...Mom asked you, didn't she?"

Kya felt all of the air leave her body as she put together pieces, "You knew. You knew Mom was gonna ask me to leave with her, that's why you asked if I wasn't travelling anymore." She stated.

Bumi took in a deep breath. He looked disappointed in himself, "I should've said something-"

"Yeah, you should have. But you didn't. You didn't say anything when I told you I didn't plan on it, and you didn't say anything when I told you Lin was the reason why!" She yelled at her brother, "I told you how happy she makes me! I told you how when I wake up and see her face in the morning it almost makes me cry, because I will never understand how someone like her could choose someone like me!"

But Bumi didn't yell back. He stood there and let his sister yell because he knew he should've said something. So, when his sister stopped yelling, and instead tears ran down her face, he slowly approached her and pulled her into a hug, "It'll be okay." He tried to give reassurance.

"No it won't." Kya sobbed into his shoulder, "You don't get it, Bumi. You don't understand how I feel about her. She opens the curtains every morning before work because she knows I love the sunrise. She knows how I like my tea and she gets it perfect every time," she gripped Bumi's shirt, "she looks at me with the sweetest eyes, and every night she plays with my hair until I fall asleep."

At this point, Bumi started to tear up.

"She kept a scarf I gave her nine years ago just so she could have a reminder of me. And there's a new bouquet of panda lilies every time they start to wilt." Kya cried.

"I'm sure Mom will understand, Kya-"

"But she won't," Kya shamed herself, "I already told her I'll go."

Bumi's eyebrows jumped in surprise, "What? Why would you do that?" He asked.

Kya sniffled then stepped back, "She- she needs someone there with her." She said, "I don't want her to be alone down there..."

"Come on, Kya, you know your just telling yourself that. You know she has people in the south." Bumi

"Yeah but..." Kya sighed, being defeated by the battle in her mind, "I spent nine years away just to waste time I could've spent with Dad." She paused for a moment trying to keep more tears from spilling over, "It would be selfish to stay here and lose the time I have with Mom." She finally picked up her feet and started to leave the island.

"Don't tell Mom anything I said," she stopped for a moment, "I don't need her to feel guilty about this." She said sternly, then continued to leave.

Kya made her way down the sidewalk, having gone to every place she could think of, she came to a slow stop in front of the coffee shop. She looked up at the sign and let out a deep breath. She took herself to one of the tables outside.

She rested her head in her hands. Her mind felt like it was overflowing. The conversation just kept replaying in her head, and each time she listened to herself tell her mother yes, the ringing in her ears got louder.

"I know what I'm asking you is a lot-"

"Yeah," Kya exhaled, "you think?" She didn't mean to come off as harsh as she did.

"I'm sorry, Kya." Katara said softly, her voice cracking.

Even though the room was silent, Kya could barely hear her thoughts.

"I talked with Toph... She thinks it would be good for me. For you too."

The ringing kept getting louder, her hands were shaking. She was rapidly bouncing her leg up and down, but it started slowing down as she came to a realization; If Toph knew, what were the chances of Lin knowing too? What if she already knew Kya was leaving again.

She could prominently feel her heart beating, it was racing. She found it harder to breath each time she inhaled; her chest was tightening up. The anxiety was swelling up inside her like a balloon ready to pop. And her next deep breath was the breaking point.

She let out sobs, her hands slipping against her face as she tried to wipe her eyes. "What the fuck am I gonna do?" Kya cried quietly to no one.

She sat there watching spots on the table grow a shade darker as the tears dropped on it. She ran her fingers through the sides of her hair and let the weight of her head rest between her hands.

Her chest deflated as she let out one final deep breath, finally coming down. She blinked a few times to get the last bit of tears out of her eyes, "pull yourself together," she said to herself, "it'll be okay-"

But she thought about the look on Lin's face from nine years ago. It was a look of defeat and regret; her eyes were full of tears. Kya knew this time would be worse. She thought about just leaving without a word, but no, that would be a shameful act of selfishness. She knew Lin deserved to be told, and she knew it wouldn't be okay.

Lin shut her car off and leaned against the seat, letting a sigh out as her back hit the fabric. She reached for her glove box, her saving grace just fingertips away.

She pulled a cigarette out of the pack then tossed it back into the glove box. She held the cigarette in her mouth as she searched for her lighter. But instead of finding her own lighter in the cup holder, she found Kya's.

She picked it up and looked at it for a second. A blue watercolor design was printed around it. How fitting, Lin thought. She rubbed her thumb over the lighter before holding it up to her mouth. But before she lit it, she glanced up to her apartment.

The light was on in the living room, and for a split second she saw a figure walk past it.

Kya's home.

A smile pulled at her lips, and she put both the unlit cigarette and Kya's lighter in the cupholder. She gathered her stuff then got out of the car, walking a little faster to her apartment than usual. She opened the door and stepped inside, quickly removing her shoes and setting her things down.

She started towards the kitchen but stopped herself. Her hair was a mess from having her head in her hands looking at paperwork all day, so she quickly combed her fingers through her hair. She used the reflection of her phone to make sure there were no stray hairs out of place. After deeming herself presentable, she finally stepped into the kitchen.

Kya stood at the counter, her back facing Lin, pouring tea into a cup.

"I'm home." Lin announced herself.

After a couple seconds, Kya responded, "want some tea?" She said quietly.

Lin approached her and wrapped her arms around Kya's waist, resting her cheek on her shoulder, "Sure." But as she leaned against her, Kya's whole body tensed, and Lin noticed. She turned her head slightly to look at her. Kya's face was red, she looked like she was trying to hold back from crying.

"What's up?" Lin gave her a light squeeze.

"Noth-" Kya's throat caught for a moment, "Nothing."

But Lin saw how her hands shook as she poured another cup of tea. She nuzzled her face into Kya's neck and squeezed her again, a little tighter this time. It's just one of those days, Lin thought.

...That's okay.

"If you wanna talk about it, I'm here to listen. Or we can just stay like this-"

"Don't-" Lin heard a sniffle. "Don't hold me like this," Kya said quietly, setting the mug and teapot down on the counter.

"...I don't deserve it."

Lin lifted her head slightly as it registered what Kya said. She felt her heart sink a little. Lin traced her fingers down the radius of her arm, rubbing Kya's thumb before taking her hand off of the tea pot and holding it, "Don't say that..." She placed a kiss on her shoulder, "You deserve everything I have to offer-"

"Stop," Kya leaned her head back, resting it on Lin's shoulder, "please just stop." Her voice cracked and Lin could feel the tears soaking through her t-shirt.

Kya pulled her hand up to her face, dragging Lin's along with it. She wasn't going to let go of it any time soon. "Shh," Lin hushed her softly.

"I can't breathe-" Kya choked out, "it's hard to breath-" "Shh," Lin said again as she guided her down to the floor gently. She sat against the island, letting Kya lean back into her chest, "It's okay. You just gotta let it out." Lin comforted her.

A loud sob escaped Kya's mouth as she let the full amount of her body weight rest against Lin, "I'm so sorry." She cried.

Lin brought her hand up to Kya's head and brushed the hair out of her face, letting her hand rest on her forehead, "You have nothing to be sorry for." But for some reason, that only made Kya cry harder. Whatever it was, Lin could tell she needed this, "we'll stay here as long as you please." She pressed a kiss to the side of Kya's head.

Chapter Text

The alarm blared through the room, waking Lin in an instant. She rolled over, feeling the other side of the bed was empty. She realized Kya was already awake and out of bed. Lin got up and quickly made the bed then she gathered her clothes to shower and headed to the bathroom.

After her shower, the smell of coffee was strong when she walked into the kitchen, Kya standing there pouring her a fresh cup. "Good morning." Lin hugged her from behind.

"Good morning." Kya softly smiled and quickly kissed her, "Your coffee is ready." She held the cup up.

Lin let go of her and took the cup from her hands. She looked closely at Kya. She acted like she was feeling better. But she still refused to make eye contact, and her eyes looked tired and defeated. "Are you feeling okay?" She decided to ask.

"Yeah." Kya gave a short answer. She turned her body away from Lin, putting the coffee pot in the sink.

Lin stared down at her mug, she didn't expect Kya to be honest. It had been a few days since they were sitting on Lin's kitchen floor, Kya sobbing in her lap, and Kya still wasn't acting the same. 

"I was really tired the other night."

Lin sat her cup on the counter and gently grabbed Kya's hands from the sink, making her turn to face her, "Listen," she moved in closely, "I'm here for you, Kya. Whenever you need it, whatever it is." She said.

Kya felt her chest sink with an anchor-like weight. What if she just told her now? Blurt it out and got it over with. She saw how Lin's eyes softened the more she looked at her. And her hands were always so gentle. Telling her like this? That would be too cruel. There's a better time and it's not right now.

"You should get to work. I don't want you to be late." Kya moved her hands away from Lin's face, pulling them up to her face and pressing a small kiss to her nose. She moved away from Lin, picked up her cup of tea, and started towards the living room.

Lin furrowed her eyebrows. She hadn't even started drinking her coffee and Kya was already trying to send her out the door. "Hey, Kya?" Lin called out.

She heard footsteps, and then saw Kya walking backwards through the walkway, "Yeah?"

Lin looked at her for a moment. She looked down at the mug she had picked back up, "Are we okay?" She picked at the chip on the rim of the cup, "Is everything alright with us?"

Kya's mouth went dry. She didn't know what to tell her. She knew that when she would leave, things with Lin would end. Whatever this was, it would end. But how was she supposed to look Lin in the eyes and tell her that? She just couldn't. Not yet.

"Yeah, Lin... Everything is okay."

She still had a few more days.

Lin's face scrunched with disgust. The smell of alcohol coming off of this man was so strong it made her stomach churn. Lin tightened her grip on him as he kept trying to jerk away from her.

"This is been- I'm innocent, mister cop, misses cop- I- I didn't even mean to-" he hiccupped, ultimately failing to get his excuse out to Saikhan who was walking ahead of him.

"We had numerous calls about you." Saikhan simply said.

"Gave the rookies such a hard time, you got the Chief herself to come out and arrest you." He said as if it were a game prize.

"Yeah, well," Lin, keeping one hand on the perp's cuffs, reached out to grabbed Saikhan's wrist, firmly replacing her other hand with his, "Officer Saikhan will be handling the rest of this. The Chief has better things to do." She raised an eyebrow at Saikhan, who obliged with a sigh.

Lin chuckled to herself as she walked into the restroom to wash her hands, then headed to her office. After she sat down, there was a knock on the door, and Saikhan stepped in. "Oh, man, that guy is a handful." He chuckled.

"I'm just glad we were able to get him in with minimal damage." Lin said.

"Yeah, I'm sure the kid who got a solid right hook wouldn't call it minimal damage." Saikhan laughed.

Lin just huffed in amusement as she cleaned papers off of her desk.

"Feeling alright, Chief?" Saikhan asked.

Lin looked up at him. She nodded her head, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a rough few nights and an off morning. Nothing I need to talk about, everything will be okay." She tapped papers on her desk to even them out before sticking them in a folder. "I guess I'm just over thinking things." She headed out of her office and to a filing cabinet, Saikhan behind her.

"Well, if you need to talk, just let me know." He said, "I'm always here to listen."

The corner of Lin's mouth upturned into a smile, "Thanks, Saikhan." She said.

"You should be here to work."

The voice behind them made Lin jump, but what scared her more was turning around to see her mother, "Great, here to ruin the day?" Lin half-joked.

Toph clicked her tongue a few times "No no, I'm over those days. Just stopped by for a visit." She said.

Saikhan tried to slip past her, moving slowly and without a sound, however, "Do you do your job as slow as you're moving right now?" Toph remarked. Saikhan let his tensed shoulder drop in defeat, "Uh, no, ma'am."

Lin smirked and waved him off, giving him an escape. "Come on." She moved past her mother and went back into her office, Toph entering soon after. Lin shut the door then sat behind her desk, "Sit down." She said.

"No, I'm not staying long. I just thought I'd stop by since I'm in the neighborhood." Toph said.

"What're you in the city for this time?" Lin asked.

"Figured I'd stop by the station, make sure you have things running smoothly," Toph joked. Lin rolled her eyes, "Trust me, things are perfectly fine here." She said. "Then I thought I'd grab lunch with Katara, might even go over to the island for a bit." Toph said.

"Go to the island?" Lin's eyebrows jumped, "What's the special occasion?" She chuckled.

"Well, I'm sure as hell not going to the south to see her. It's too cold and my bones are getting old." Toph laughed.

Lin furrowed her brows, "To the south? Why would you have to go there?" She asked.

Toph looked at her, confused, "Cause Katara's packing up and headed that way to stay. Why else?" She stated.

"Katara's leaving the city?" Lin asked in surprise.

Toph unfolded her arms and let them rest at her sides, "Yeah, in the next couple days. She said she's having a hard time being on that island, and I can't blame her." She let out a small sigh and looked towards the ground, "She and Aang made a lot of memories in that house... I wouldn't want to stay there either."

Lin nodded her head in agreement, "No kidding... It must be really painful for her to be there..." Suddenly it clicked, and the realization showed on Lin's face. "What?" Toph asked. Lin shook her head a bit, "Nothing, it's just, Kya was really weird when she came home the other night. She's just been upset and acting different these past few days, I guess now I know why." She said. She began spinning herself back and forth in her chair, "She cried all night that night but wouldn't talk to me about what was going on. Which really isn't like her... I've just been really worried."

Toph raised an eyebrow at her daughter, her words not making sense, "I don't know why she'd be so upset about Katara leaving." She said confidently.

Lin looked at her in disbelief, "She just lost her dad. Now her mom is moving hundreds of miles away. Why wouldn't she be upset?" She was taken aback by her mother's ignorance.

The room went quiet. Toph stared off in Lin's direction for a moment, almost unsure of what to say. She took a minute to gather her words, trying to figure out the easiest way to put it, before sheepishly clearing her throat, "Lin," she said quietly. "Kya is going with her."

Lin froze, the swaying of her chair stopping. "What?" she chuckled, thinking her mom had finally lost it.

"Kya is moving to the south, Katara told me."

The smile quickly faded. Lin's body went both ice cold and burning hot at the same time as realization really hit her. It hit her like a bus. Why Kya was so upset, why she was absolutely inconsolable. All of it finally made sense. And all of it made Lin angry. She's leaving so soon, and she still hadn't told her?

"Katara called me up one day, talking about how she needed to leave the city and go back home. She said she wanted to ask Kya to go too, I didn't think it was a bad idea." Toph said.

"What?" Lin became more infuriated. Rage filled every pore in her body hearing that her own mother of all people would encourage something like this.

"I know Katara can't stay in that temple, but I also know she shouldn't be alone down there, no matter how many friends she claims to have in that frozen over hell hole-" Pencils and ink pens flew out of its holder as it flew past Toph's head, hitting the wall behind her.

"Did you just throw something at me!?" Toph said angrily.

"Get out." Lin said through gritted teeth and blurred eyes.

Toph scoffed, "You can't kick me out of an office I helped build." She said with a chuckle.

But then Lin picked up the stapler. It unfolded as it slammed against the wall next. Staples flew out of it, a few hitting against Toph's cheek. Toph jumped in surprise and went to say something, but Lin repeated herself, "Get out!" She yelled.

"I see you need some time to deal with this-"

"I don't need time to deal with shit! You have no clue what you're talking about. Kya isn't leaving!" Lin yelled out the words that repeated in her head.

Kya's not leaving.

She wouldn't.

Kya wouldn't leave me again.

..Right?

Lin could feel the beads of sweat start to build up on her forehead. But Toph simply looked at her with pity. Her daughter stood in front of her sweating, shaking, and anger built up to her core. And Toph had no clue what to say to her. She knew if she tried, it would just make things worse. So instead, she turned on her heel and placed a hand on the doorknob.

"I'm sorry you found out this way, kid... I'll talk to you later."

Then the door latched shut.

"Sorry my ass!" Lin yelled, hoping it would be heard through the door, "You never did any good for me my whole life, why would you start now!?" She let herself collapse into her desk chair. She sat for a moment, then harshly turned her chair and punched the wall behind her. She clenched her jaw as the pain shot through her knuckles, "Fuck!" She yelled out as she hit the wall again. And again. And again. But the stinging in her now bloody knuckles was incomparable to the pain in her chest.

The anger and hurt leaked out through her forehead, Lin couldn't stop the sweat dripping down her face.

As much as she wanted to doubt it, she knew the words her mother said were true the second they came out of her mouth. Kya was acting different; she had been for a couple days. Lin knew there was a reason.

But she didn't think it'd be this. This.

This was Lin's worst fear.

Kya sat on the couch, head in her hands. All she's done today was think of just how she was going to tell Lin.

It was late. A little too late for Lin not to be home yet, and Kya was starting to get worried. But part of her was a little relieved too. If she wasn't around Lin, she didn't have to think about telling her.

But this was selfish. Putting it off and acting like everything was going to be fine? It was shameful and it was selfish. She had to tell her.

A car door slamming from outside made her jump, but after a few minutes she realized it was just one of the neighbors. She took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. Maybe tea would help? Or a bath? Kya laid back on the couch. She looked for patterns in the ceiling, counted the ticks from the clock. Anything to try and calm the nerves in her stomach.

A boot. One.

Oak tree. Two.

Hat. Three.

She closed her eyes.

Four.

Five.

Six.

She took in another deep breath, continuing to count the ticks of the clock.

Seven.

Eight.

Nine-

The sound of the door made Kya's eyes open. And the sound of it slamming shut made her jump up. She looked to the door, "Welcome home-" but Lin walked right past her without a word.

Kya's eyebrows threaded together. Even on her worst days, Lin at least gave her something. She stood up, fixing her shirt as she walked back towards the bedroom. The door was shut when she approached it, so she knocked, "Hey, everything okay?" she asked.

No response.

Kya put her hand on the doorknob, but as she was twisting it, it flung open.

Lin's eyes were red, like she'd been crying. Kya noticed she had a pillow and blanket in her hand. A hand that was bruised. The skin was broken on every knuckle and starting to scab over. Her eyes stayed on the floor, "You can have the bed tonight," was all she said before walking past Kya.

Kya's stomach twisted in knots. She turned around to follow Lin, "what do you mean?" She asked.

"Take the bed," Lin put the pillow down on the couch, "I'm sleeping here." She sat down and unfolded the blanket.

Kya swallowed the lump in her throat, "Lin," she carefully stepped closer to the couch, "if you want to talk about anything, I'm here." She said.

Lin sat still for a moment. Her hands gripped the blanket, and she clenched her jaw. Kya heard her mumble, but she couldn't make it out. "What did you say?" She asked. She waited for a moment, the aura in the room becoming deeply unnerving. The clock kept ticking, each one louder and louder

"I said that's pretty fucking rich coming from you." Lin's voice cracked.

Kya's heart sank.

Oh god.

"Kya..." Lin looked at her with tears in her eyes.

"I talked with Toph... She thinks it would be good for me. For you too."

"Were you even going to tell me, or were you just going to leave?"

She knows.

Kya looked at her knuckles again, this time her vision becoming blurry. She couldn't say anything. She spent all day coming up with how to tell Lin and now... "Lin, I-" She couldn't think of anything to say.

"You're leaving in two days, and you didn't think it'd be a good idea to tell me?" Lin stood up and faced Kya. Tears were streaming down her face, but she was angrier than ever.

"Lin- I was going to tell you, I promise I was-"

"When, Kya!?" Lin said in disbelief, "Because this morning you told me everything was fine. You made me think there was nothing to worry about. Well, this is something to worry about, everything is not fine!" Lin's voice grew as she started to yell. "You're leaving. Again, you're leaving!" 

She sat back down with her head in her hands, "And this time you weren't even able to tell me yourself. I had to hear it from my damned mother of all people. And the first thing I said to her?" 

Lin looked up, "I told her she was wrong. I told her you weren't leaving. How fucking stupid am I?"

The look Kya saw in Lin's eyes was both empty and full of despair. And she still couldn't muster up a single thing to say to her, even looking at her like this. She could feel her heart shattering, the pieces falling to form the pit in her stomach.

"So yeah... You can have the bed tonight. I'll sleep here." Lin said quietly, her head still in her hands. And even though Kya couldn't see her face, she could see the tears drop onto the carpet.

"...I don't want your bed if you're not in it with me-"

"Then go home, Kya. You're leaving anyways. Getting out of my house a couple days sooner shouldn't be too hard." Lin's words were harsh, but her voice still cracked. She didn't want Kya to go home... But she just couldn't be around her. It hurt.

Kya started shaking her head, "No," she approached the couch, "no, I'm not leaving tonight." She sat down and placed one hand on Lin's shoulder, the other on her leg, "Lin, just talk with me," The tears rolled down her neck, being soaked up by the collar of the t-shirt she wore, "Just let me explain-"

Lin shoved Kya's hands off of her and shot up, "I don't want to talk, Kya! You had the chance to talk to me and you didn't!" She said loudly. She looked at Kya, shaking, "I don't want you to talk to me, I don't want you to touch me, or kiss me," she brought her hand up over her eyes to try and hide her face, "Fuck... I don't even want you to look at me right now..." Her own insecurities swelled up inside of her.

Everything she feared was coming true. She was embarrassed for letting herself fall into the illusion of comfortability. All she could think about was what if... What if she was the one who fucked this up? She let Kya into her home and invited her to a front row seat of Lin's daily life. All of her imperfections and undesirable traits. And what if that was too much?

Of course, she knew Kya was leaving for her mom, but the underlying fear that she was leaving because of Lin weighed heavy in Lin's chest.

Kya hiccupped, trying to keep her cries quiet, "Then what do you want me to do, Lin?" She begged for an answer.

Lin ran her hands through her hair, her chest heaving as she sobbed. She turned around, facing away from Kya, "I already told you... Go to bed or go home." She could barely speak out as she choked on her own words.

Kya didn't know what to say. She knew there was nothing else to say. She stared at Lin's back through blurred eyes and ultimately decided she needed to go pack her things, staying here would just hurt them both more than they already are. "I'll go pack my stuff..." Kya said quietly.

As she walked away to the bedroom, she hoped Lin would come back and stop her, but she knew she wouldn't. Kya pulled her clothes out of the drawers with tears running down her face. As she stuffed the last item into the bag, she looked to the RCPD sweatshirt laying on her pillow. She bit the inside of her cheek, her throat stinging. She let out a sharp exhale then shoved the sweatshirt deep into her bag. She needed a reminder of Lin, no matter how selfish it was to take one.

Lin sat on the couch and listened at the dresser drawers opened and shut. She was shaking and she couldn't stop her leg from bouncing. Without a moment to think, she shot up and started walking towards the bedroom. But just as she was about to turn around the corner, she stopped herself. Telling Kya to stay wouldn't work... Not this time around. And besides, if Lin was so angry at her why would she want her to stay?

Lin gripped the frame; the internal conflict made her hesitate. She doesn't want Kya to leave... But what's the point of her staying when she is going to leave eventually. All it would do is make it harder on both of them. Lin sighed... and turned around.

She picked something up from the chair, then laid on the couch and covered up, pulling the covers over her more when she heard Kya leaving the bedroom. She heard soft footsteps making their way towards the couch.

Then, Lin felt the softest kiss being pressed against the top of her head.

It wasn't until she heard the door latch, when she knew Kya was gone, that she finally broke. Her body instinctively curled into itself as she sobbed. The tears poured from her eyes as she buried her face into Kya's green scarf.

Chapter Text

As Bumi taped the last box shut, he leaned up with a huff, "That's the last of it." He looked around the almost bare living room then to his mother, "You sure you don't wanna take this?" He held up a family picture of the five of them.

Katara smiled softly and shook her head, "No, I'll leave it for Tenzin. I have plenty more." She said. She looked around the room as well. 

The shelves only had a couple items left on each one. The majority of the picture frames on the wall were gone. Boxes were stacked near the door, ready for tomorrow to be stored on the boat. Katara swallowed the lump in her throat. It hadn't been this empty since they'd first moved in.

It didn't even look like the same house to her anymore. It didn't feel like the same house. Memories of family game nights were darkened by the thought that they'll never be able to do it again. Not fully. Family dinners would be rare and never the same. Movie nights had ended years ago. Katara was ready to leave this place.

"I'll go help Kya bring down her stuff." Bumi started going up the stairs. "Hang on," Katara stopped him. He looked back at her, waiting for her to say something else.

But she didn't. Instead, Katara sat down on the couch. The plain, bare couch. In her plain, bare living room. She sighed with her head in her hands. Bumi sat next to her, "Do you want to go talk to her?" He asked, but Katara immediately shook her head, "No... No, I'm scared I'll make things worse. She wouldn't even look at me last night."

Bumi looked at his mother with a worried expression. He was there; he knows how tense things were...

Bumi and Katara were taking pictures off the wall, neatly putting them in boxes with bubble wrap in between them to make sure they don't get damaged in the travel. "Do you want this one too?" Bumi asked, showing her an old family picture.

"Yeah, let me-" She abruptly stopped when the front door slammed open. She turned her head to see Kya walking in with bags in her hands. "Oh! Hi, honey." She exclaimed in surprise. Kya said nothing as she shut the door. "I didn't think you were coming back tonight-"

"I wasn't." Kya said bluntly as she kicked off her shoes and put them with the others.

Katara furrowed her eyebrows, "Then why are you here? What happened?" She asked worriedly.

Kya ignored her and started going upstairs.

"Hey," Katara sat the picture she was holding on top of the box and rushed over to her. She took a couple steps up then grabbed Kya's hand, stopping her on the stairs. "What's going on?" She asked.

"Please, Mom. I just want to go to bed." Kya said quietly.

Katara didn't say anything. She gently squeezed Kya's hand, hoping she'd talk to her.

"Mom, please."

"Just talk to me, honey."

It was silent for a few moments. Then, Katara heard sniffling coming from her daughter.

"Lin found out before I could tell her. She told me to go home so here I am. There. You happy?" Kya said bluntly.

Katara was shocked, "What? No, I'm not happy. Kya, I'm so sorry." She said.

Kya let out a small huff, trying to go up the stairs again. But again, Katara stopped her, "Just sit and talk to me-"  Kya ripped her hand from her  mother's . She went to speak but stopped herself. "What is it, dear?" Katara asked.

Kya furrowed her eyebrows as she stared at the step below her, "...This is your fault. If you hadn't asked me to leave, this wouldn't be happening. You knew I couldn't say no."

The words stunned Katara. She stood there stunned as Kya stomped up the stairs.

"Oh..." Katara said. She slowly backed down the couple steps then went up and picked the picture back up. She put it in the box and taped it up silently.

Kya stared at her ceiling. Her alarm went off again, and again she shut it off and set another one. She'll get out of bed eventually. 2pm isn't too late to still be in bed, right? She shut her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath in, opening them as she exhaled. 

She's leaving tomorrow. Again, she's leaving. Last night she felt upset. She hurt Lin. She walked home by herself. And she had to come back to a house she no longer wanted to be in. Then she felt mad. She was mad at the sound of the boxing tape. She was mad that the walls were empty. She was mad at the emptiness of the house itself. She was mad that she didn't tell her mother no. She was mad at her mother.

But right now, while she's lying in bed, thinking about how she spent all night crying into her pillow, thinking about how she only got a couple hours of sleep because she just couldn't calm down, she doesn't feel anything. She just feels numb. 

Her phone made a noise, and she reached for it. Hoping it was, but knowing it wasn't a text from Lin. Instead, she saw a text from Bumi. 

Bumi: You need any help bringing boxes down?

Kya sighed and looked around her room. All of her things were still on the shelves. Her decorations were still up. She looked at the pile of empty boxes on her floor. 

Kya: I haven't even started packing

She sat up in bed. She didn't even know how to start packing her room. She could put all the shelf items in one box, but some items are more breakable than others. There may be extra newspaper downstairs but maybe it'd be easier to pack them in the clothes? Her phone went off again.

Bumi: Want help?

Kya thought for a moment before texting back.

Kya: Maybe in a bit. Do you still have that box in your room?

She waited a moment, then a text soon came back.

Bumi: I'm picking up what you're putting down, I'll be up in a few.

Kya sat her phone down next to her. She finally got out of bed, deciding she could at least brush her hair. She pulled it up, then she heard a knock at her door. "Come in." She said. 

"Your big brother has come to the rescue." Bumi walked in with Kya's little wooden lockbox in hand, shutting the door behind him. 

"My biggest headache is more like it." Kya joked with a half-smile. 

Bumi huffed dramatically, "and to think, I already had it rolled for you." He held his hand out. Kya turned to look and saw the perfectly rolled joint in between Bumi's fingers. She let out a chuckle, "Just let me get a hoodie." She said. 

"Alright." Bumi opened up Kya's bedroom window and climbed out of it. 

Kya grabbed her sweatshirt off the doorknob and threw it on. "I guess I should get used to the colder weather." She said as she climbed out and sat next to her brother. The wind blew her little stray hairs as a cold chill went through her body.

"Yeah, the south will get pretty chilly." Bumi said, pulling his lighter out. "And snowy." 

Kya looked over the edge at the island. She stared out and looked towards the city. She wondered what Lin was doing. Did she go to work today? Did she get any sleep last night? Did she get her morning cup of coffee? 

Is she still mad at me? 

Bumi handed the joint to Kya. She took a hit, then another, then another. "Slow down there." Bumi said with a small laugh. 

"Sorry." Kya shook her head at herself, exhaling slowly as she handed the joint back to Bumi.

Bumi looked at her for a moment. He thought to himself and took a hit, "You know you don't have to go, right?" He said bluntly. 

Kya continued to stare at the city, a painful look growing on her face, "Yeah I do, Bumi. I already said I'd go." Her voice shook.

"Yeah, but you don't want to. So why go?" Bumi asked. 

Kya took in a deep breath, "I just... I can't leave her alone." She said quietly. "And- and I know that she has her friends, and I am a grown adult, but I just-" She choked on her words for a moment, "Dad is already gone... and I'm so confused."

Bumi nodded his head as he listened.

"I want to be here... I want to be with Lin. But the thought of something happening to Mom and I'm not there with her, it just- it terrifies me, Bumi." Kya took the joint from Bumi's fingertips, "I guess I'm screwed either way." She said half-heartedly. 

Bumi had no advice to offer, but he sat and listened anyways. He knew she didn't need him to say anything, just to be there. After a few moments, Kya leaned over and rested her head on Bumi's shoulder.

"Are you still mad at mom?" Bumi asked after a second. 

Kya thought for a moment and let out a small sigh, "No... I don't think I am. I don't think I even was in the first place. I think I'm just mad at myself and taking it out on her. It's not her fault for asking me, it's my fault for telling her yes." She brought the joint up to her lips, "I owe her an apology for last night." She took a hit, then handed it back to Bumi. 

Bumi shook his head slightly, "She knows you didn't mean it." 

Kya looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. 

"Okay she doesn't know that, but like, it's Mom." Bumi said. 

Kya let out a small chuckle, "Shut up. Give me that." She took the joint back from him, pressing it against her lips again. "Thanks, Bumi." She said after a moment. 

Bumi nodded his head, "Anytime."