This is my first LOK fanfic-I've written many, many others but am just getting onto : I don't own any of the characters in this show-copyright exemptions ect. ect. Please post reviews, they're greatly appreciated ^_^ Hope you guys enjoy!

Propositions

"The girl isn't ready," Lin stated flatly. Tenzin frowned. Lin stated everything flatly, but he suspected it wasn't out of a serene, inner calm. Her words came across hostile, dismissive: he didn't care for it. He had watched her change from a jovial and fierce young woman to an older woman of just the latter, with a dash of bitterness which he felt responsible for. Every time he talked to her the air was strained, and he felt guilt and anger and despair swell violently within him every time he saw her. Pema had won his heart-but she had left scars in her wake.

"Why do you say that, Lin? If I didn't know you better I'd swear it was out of a personal dislike," he huffed. Her eyes, sea-green in the coming dark, flashed at that, and her slender fingers sliced through the air to emphasize her annoyance.
"The girl is pretentious, arrogant, and demands accolades unbefitting of her actions. She is impulsive to the point of stupidity! What do I want with a brat like her?" the chief of police demanded. Tenzin felt the need to defend Korra from Lin's unnecessary brutal (though accurate) observations, but reminded himself he was here to get Lin on his side. He tried a change of tactic.

"Why do you think I want her to train with you, Lin?" he asked quietly. Her next angry remark, primed and ready, died in her throat at the softness of his tone. He hated that every conversation that they had was a debate, every word measured and placed for a specific purpose. He knew that his sentence would sway her, but he wished he could express to her that he really meant it, that he wasn't just playing politics on behalf of his pupil. He saw a hint of uncertainty cross those strong features.

-a picnic by the riverside. deep cool waters. the first time he saw her unclothed. the first time she said, "I love you"-

Tenzin bit his cheek at the memory and pressed his advantage.
"Lin, you have years of experience and training that would be invaluable to Korra. That would help her think, and not get into the situations that she does," he said, real frustration and concern bleeding into his voice.
This earned him a reluctant grin. "She does have a knack for it, doesn't she?" Lin replied. Tenzin stroked his goatee with a thoughtful look, but couldn't hide the smile forming behind his hand. On an impulse she didn't realize she had, Lin reached up and touched his cheek. He froze, the slightest blush creeping into his cheeks. She used to love the way he blushed, so sudden and disarming.

"Lin, what-?"
"Relax, councilman, you're wearing a bit of your breakfast," she quipped nonchalantly, scraping the nonexistent sauce off of Tenzin's face with perhaps a bit more vigor than she had planned. He took it without question, but a red patch where her finger had been remained on his skin. Lin was embarrassed at her pettiness, and even more embarrassed at the notion that Tenzin would see through her charade. But she couldn't help the rush of vindictive pride that captured her when she saw the mark she had left on the man she had once loved's skin.

-she bit him hard below his ear, and felt him shudder beneath her as her tongue reached out to sample his sweat--

Lin dug her nails into the palm of her hand at the memory. What was with her today?
Tenzin stared at her intently, waiting for an answer, but half immersed in the play of sunlight on her hair.

The chief of police straightened and brushed an imaginary spec of dust from her immaculate uniform.
"Tenzin, you have some of the best judgment I've ever come across in a person, as much as I don't like to admit it sometimes." Her gaze settled on the departing sun, but when she turned to face him she wore her characteristic determination like clothing. She hadn't seen the genuine surprise and abashment on Tenzin's face at her admission.
"I'll help you, councilman, and I'll help the girl. But I can't do anything for her if she doesn't want me to," said Lin.

Tenzin released a breath he wasn't aware he'd been holding.
"Lin, I can't thank you enough. Truly," he said. "I know Korra can learn so much about discipline...honor...bravery-"
Lin cut him off with a wave of her hand and a wry smile that was all her. "Oh, get out of here, Tenzin. You got what you wanted."
He stepped closer to her desk. "Lin, I mean it. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."

She looked at him and for a moment she was lost in those blue-grey eyes, so full of sincerity and warmth—for a moment her defenses were down. Then she said, "Shouldn't you be getting back home, councilman?" in a voice that was not friendly. He stepped back, and she could tell from his hooded look that she had hurt him.

"Yes. Yes, you're right, I should," he said. He bowed formally to her. "Good evening, Madame Chief Beifong." He left in a whirl of orange and tan, strong graceful movements carrying him out of her office and into the coming night. She watched him go from her window, guilt creeping into her conscience. He was a good man. He hadn't deserved that.

But as she pulled the yellowing picture of them together from a compartment below her desk, another flash of anger captured her. Today would have been their anniversary. Had he even remembered? She wanted to tear the picture to shreds, but something always stopped her from doing so. Lin couldn't remember the number of times she had tried to destroy it, but found she hadn't the heart. She held back a tear and the ensuing sensations in her throat, and thought that after what Tenzin had done, he could stand to be a little more hurt.

"You said she was acting strange?" Pema asked, pulling Tenzin out of his reverie.
"No, ah, not strange per se, Pema but...I don't know. I can't quite put my finger on it," he said.
"It's not your job to figure out what's wrong with her, Tenzin," Pema said, a hint of acid mixing in with her normally sweet voice.
Tenzin was a little annoyed. "I care about her well being, Pema, she's an old friend and-"
She stopped him with a kiss. He was silenced by the comfortable feel of her lips, and his conviction wavered ever so slightly. When they parted she looked up at him with knowing brown eyes.
"I know you care, my love. You should care. But I'm not sure it's anything out of the ordinary, so much as it is her residual feelings about the past."
His wife resumed her dish washing, but looked back at him and said sympathetically: "She's never gotten over you, you know."

He looked away, uncomfortable. He suddenly remembered, voiced aloud: "Today would have been our anniversary-" He looked at Pema, sudden understanding flooding his features.
"Oh."
Tenzin considered this new perspective over the last of his rice. He got up from the table and kissed Pema distractedly on the forehead.
"I love you," he said.
She held his hand. "I love you too."

He walked out into the rain, seeking the solace of the meditation pavilion.
I didn't make the wrong choice, he thought to himself. He bended himself skyward and released his glider, navigating the stormy clouds with an experienced precision.

So why did he feel so awful?