Author's note: This takes place after the hypothetical end of Book 3.
Four steps. A hip twinges in protest. Three more. Swollen knees are feeling thankfully numb. Just two more steps to her door—then eight and she could collapse on the couch, maybe find that small bottle tucked away in the cushions. A few hours of letting the walls close in and keep out the world—no triad, no city, no sister, no mother, no avatar.
Lin's hand is already turning the knob, pushing open the door when something's-not-right-someone's-here ripples through her senses.
A quick burn of adrenaline sets sore muscles into an attack pose. Toes dig into the floor and vibrations take form—one figure, female—in the bathroom . . . kneeling by the tub? Humming?
She exhales, almost laughs then slumps against the door.
"Aren't they going to miss you on the island?" Lin calls.
"I doubt it. The kids didn't even wake up when Oogi landed," a voice answers. "Besides, they have an army of acolytes and new air benders to help out now."
With a longing glance towards the couch, Lin makes her way into her bedroom. Her limbs feel heavy, disconnected—like lead—what a stupid expression. There's a careless pile of blue on the rug at the foot of her bed, a sweet smell and the sound of running water filling the room.
"What are you doing here, Kya?"
The water stops but the perfume grows stronger, seems to follow the smiling woman who steps towards her into the room.
"You didn't let me heal you before we left the Northern Air Temple," the older woman scolds.
Kya's all metal tonight, Lin thinks—soft metals, silver hair piled precariously on top of her head, and hard—titanium-colored silk, a robe—her robe, and Kya's hands leaving damp trails as she brushes them over the fabric, drying them.
Lin feels like lead.
She takes the smallest step back to regain her balance and clear her head but the curve of Kya's lips fall, her eyebrows knit in worry and she's caught.
Suddenly Kya's standing so close Lin can feel her breath on her face. She's obviously saying something, wants something. Her hands are alternately pulling and pushing at the metal covering her shoulders.
" . . . uniform . . . off. . ." Kya's tone and pure muscle memory puppet Lin's arms and with a tired flick of both wrists, the metal plates of her uniform slide to a neat stack on the floor.
Kya steps back. Blue eyes flick over Lin's face, her chest, her arms—every bit of skin left exposed by her undershirt. Kya bites her lower lip, tallying the damage written in burns and bruises across the earth bender's pale skin.
Lin thinks, it must look as bad as it feels.
"Oh, Lin."
Twin streams of concern and anger run through Kya's voice, bringing Lin's arms defensively across her chest. She can feel the blood and sweat that have crusted on her shirt but she doesn't need anyone's sympathy. "Always looks worse than it is," she mumbles.
She's never been a particularly good liar and Kya knows it.
She tries—and fails—not to flinch as Kya's fingers, a healer's strong, graceful fingers, carefully prod a bruise on her bicep—shivers as one of those fingers trails the edge of a burn at her collar bone—"Kya, don't"—bites back a moan when Kya's fingers flick across the long-healed scars on her cheek for the briefest moment—"Don't fuss."
"I just need to sleep." Lin absently rubs at her temples and takes a step back towards the bed. "I'll be fine in the morning."
"No." Kya circles Lin and plants herself stubbornly between Lin and her destination. "I'm not going anywhere until you let me take care of you."
Lin exhales and closes her eyes, resigned. "Fine."
"Raise your arms." Lin's eyes snap open as Kya's fingers work their way under the hem of her tank, skimming across bruised ribs.
"Damn it, Kya!" Lin pushes the water bender's hands away, her shirt down. "I'm not helpless."
"Fine." Kya shrugs and waves a hand at her, walks away, across the room. She pauses at the door: "Just get undressed and in the tub—please."
Kya had been back in the room as soon as she heard a splash and a hissed curse. The water was no more lapping against Lin's shoulders than Kya was putting a cup of warm tea to Lin's lips and saying, "Drink."
The water is painfully cold. But every cut, every ache is on fire.
Lin's fingers grip the side of the iron tub as Kya's palms touch her shoulders. She watches as the glowing water under Kya's command marches down her right arm, kneading deeply into her bicep, tracing the length of her forearm, and circling her wrist before lapping at a blistered knuckle.
She watches Kya's fingers lace with hers. She wonders briefly at how Kya is managing this when her hands are obviously on either side of her face, gently tilting her head back into the water. She opens her mouth to ask, finds water instead of her voice. Green eyes shoot open and search for blue.
She's lost hold of the metal that had been tethering her. Swallowed, she's blind and breathless.
Kya's face is above her-silver rivers are flowing down Kya's breasts-Kya's hands are guiding her face upwards—"I've got you."
She sits bolt upright in the dark, gasping and lost. Strong hands find hers clutching at the sheets.
"It's okay. It's me."
Strong hands guide her fingers over the familiar slope of a chin, the angle of a cheekbone, eyelashes giving way to tiny laugh lines. Lin's thumb brushes across a nose and she feels the quick exhale of breath, the curving of familiar lips under her palm. Lips that plant a damp kiss on her palm.
"I'm still here." Another kiss, to her wrist this time, and she's falling again.
"You drugged me."
Kya stared up at the woman standing across from her—uniform in place, fists firmly planted at her hips—and smiled. "How do you feel?"
How to answer that question? Lin thought. The best she's felt since Korra restored her bending? Like she could almost move past what happened with Su and the Red Lotus?
Kya was still waiting for her response, sitting cross-legged in a chair at the kitchen table. A cup of tea was leaving a stain on the weeks-old Republic City Gazette spread out in front of her.
Like it's almost worse to have a little bit of normal before the world goes to hell again?
"I'm almost certain you drowned me."
Ignoring the accusation, Kya extended one leg to press her toes against the chair nearest Lin, sliding it out a few inches in invitation.
She's offering me a seat at my own damn table, Lin thought. A quirk at the corner of her mouth threatened to betray the determined set of her jaw. Lin's hands dropped to the back of the chair but she didn't sit.
"Better . . . much better actually," she finally answered. "Thank you."
"Anytime." Kya held Lin's gaze until she saw the faintest hint of a blush on the Police Chief's throat. She tucked a wave of hair that had escaped her ponytail behind her ear as Lin looked down at the table. Kya grabbed the kettle that had been cooling on the table and started filling the cup she had set out earlier for Lin. "Tea?"
Lin looked skeptically at the frothy green liquid being poured into her cup, then at Kya.
"It's Matcha," Kya laughed, waving off Lin's suspicions.
Lin raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.
"And that's all." Kya raised a hand in oath. "I promise."
Lin considered the offer. Sit with Kya, have a cup of tea before work. Thousands of people—couples, families—were doing the same thing across the city right now. It was such a normal thing to do.
"No." Normal didn't last. "Thank you, for everything." Lin smoothed her hands down her uniform, straightening invisible creases. "But I have to get going."
"Lin."
The disappointment in Kya's voice wasn't enough to make her stay, but it was enough that Lin blurted out, "You let yourself in, so I assume—you can let yourself out," and headed towards the door before she could see Kya flinch at her gruff tone.
"Lin." Kya's voice was firmer this time and she was moving towards Lin.
Lin held a hand up to stop the usual admonitions. "I am not taking a day off to be coddled. Do you have any idea— "
To Lin's surprise, Kya moved past her, opening the door for her.
Two steps and Lin was standing outside her door again.
"I was just going to say, I'll be here when you get back."
One more and Lin mumbled, "Do what you want."