"You tied your hair up."
Bumi turned around.
"And you shaved."
"What?" he quipped, grinning down at Lin's suspicious squint, "Am I not allowed to look nice for my own niece's Anointment Ceremony?"
Strictly speaking, the ceremony had finished a few hours ago, but Kya and Bumi, at Jinora's request, had organized to have some of Kya's friends come by the temple afterwards to 'lighten the mood' of Tenzin's otherwise extremely spartan ceremony. As much as Jinora loved her father, she had admitted he could 'be a bit boring sometimes' and that she wanted 'Aunt Kya to plan a proper party'.
Naturally, this had resulted in about twenty people turning up just moments after the ceremony finished, without prior warning, and with about five litres of suspicious beverages in oversized waterskins. Tenzin had been mortified, but he was the only one to voice any objections- even the other air benders had jumped at the chance to let go, having suffered through their training and the onslaught of the past few weeks.
Bumi had scurried off to help rearrange the temple tables and get chimes out of the way before Kya and her cohorts got hold of them. On Tenzin's orders, this had involved marching all the way across the Island and back to them in their 'sacred casing' which had to be kept in a 'specifically designed and secure location'. Personally, Bumi thought Tenzin had been messing with him because no one had informed his younger brother of the plan. Apparently he was unique in this position, and Bumi was pretty certain even Lin had been aware of it, given her uncharacteristically smooth reaction to the whole affair. She even offered to help move the chimes.
"I never said it didn't look nice," said Lin, turning to pour herself a drink from the heavily ladened table behind them. "It just looks-"
"Stylish? Dashing? Dare I say, handsome?" He quirked an eyebrow.
"Weird," Lin replied flatly.
"Oh. Yes, well that may be what you think," said Bumi, brushing the insult off as quickly as possible. "But, I'm not sure Verena would agree though."
"Who?"
He indicated to a tall woman standing next in a small group, huddled away from the dancers and musicians in the middle of the temple.
"She's been making eyes at me ever since she arrived."
"Oh, please Bumi she looks half your age."
"How dare you! I don't look a day past twenty five."
Lin rolled her eyes, but did, despite her best efforts, crack a smile.
An amiable silence settled upon the pair as they surveyed the scene around them. It was, after the events of the past month, something of a blessing. Korra was still there, which was a minor miracle itself, and Asami was sitting attentively with her. She had propped herself up on a chair behind the Avatar, and had draped her arms around Korra's neck, the small glass in her manicured hands resting against Korra's chest. Meelo was obstructing Asami from pulling her any closer though, as he sat on Korra's lap, pulling frantic expressions and wild hand movements while describing... something.
Kya was sitting with Jinora, who was excitedly pointing along her tattoos and making big expressive gestures, leaving her auntie in over-enthusiastic hysterics. Bumi felt a sudden wave of horror that Kya might've allowed her friends to bring that strange cactus stuff with them, but dispelled it quickly. Kya wouldn't let them ruin Jinora's day like that. And besides, half the city was too scared of Chief Beifong to mention her name, never mind take hallucinogenics right under her nose.
Tenzin had gone to sit outside about ten minutes ago to get some peace and quiet, and it had taken Su approximately thirty seconds to saunter along after him. Her voice was carrying all the way from entrance of the temple to the back of the hall where Bumi stood.
"Say, Lin?" he began cautiously.
"Yes?"
"You don't think Su would, you know, try anything? Do you?"
"What on earth do you mean?"
"With Tenzin."
Lin almost choked on her drink.
"No! Gods, no!" she spluttered, and then, when she'd regained control. "Besides, she's married."
"Oh, I, uh- really?"
"Yes, really." Lin squinted at him. "Why do you ask?"
Bumi shuffled uncomfortably under Lin's speculative glare.
"No, no- reason. Just curious. That's all."
"Good," she replied curtly, before taking another sip.
Bumi exhaled a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
"You're scary when you do that," he said, testing the water.
"I know," she smirked. "You don't think you get to the top of the force without learning a few tricks do you?"
"No," said Bumi thoughtfully, "I suppose you're right."
Silence fell again, as a particularly enthusiastic laugh from Su echoed throughout the hall.
"That being said," Bumi continued, "I do have a few tricks of my own."
"Yes, how did you convince Tenzin this was a good idea?"
"Oh, that was simple," said Bumi, radiating with pride, "We just didn't tell him."
Lin rolled her eyes, unimpressed.
"I see. That doesn't explain why he didn't completely explode when 'Secret Tunnel' started playing outside just five minutes after he finished his speech."
"Now that was Jinora's idea."
"Jinora was in on this?" Lin asked, eyes wide.
"Yeah, this was her idea."
"Huh, that kid's got some gumption."
"Yeah, she get's it from her Uncle."
Lin snorted again. "Well she certainly doesn't get it from her Dad."
As if on cue Tenzin flounced into the hall, huffing and puffing until he reached Lin, a rosy-cheeked Su stumbling after him, hanging onto the collar of his robes with her fist.
"Lin, this woman is insufferable!"
"Oh, what do you mean Ten-ten? I was only playing~"
The policewoman gave an exaggerated sigh.
"Su what have you done?"
"Nothing!" retorted Su, voice high at the hurt of her sister's accusation.
"She tried to polish my head with her sleeve," said Tenzin angrily.
Bumi burst out laughing, and Lin bit her lip, struggling to contain her obvious amusement.
"It's not funny Bumi!" snapped Tenzin, causing his brother to double over further, "and you can stop smirking too Lin."
"Hey!" said Su, relinquishing her grip and sizing up to Tenzin. "Leave my big sister alone! Only I can say mean things to her, because I wuv her!" She wrapped her around Lin's shoulders and planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek, much to the latter's chagrin.
"Keep her off of me," Tenzin ordered before storming off, leaving Su leaning heavily on Lin's shoulder and Bumi near on the floor in hysterics.
Lin glared at him and put on her drill sergeant voice.
"Bumi, help me with this."
He snapped to mock attention.
"Yes ma'am."
The air bender took hold of Su's free arm, carefully avoiding the arm that was still bandaged in a sling against his chest, until the younger Beifong's weight was balanced equally between him and Lin. Unfortunately, this also left Su at a considerable angle, with the foot nearest Bumi almost off the floor and her head falling into Lin's shoulder.
"This isn't working." said Lin into her sister's hair.
"Don't worry," said Bumi, shifting under Su's weight. "I got this. Kya! Hey, Kya! Over here!"
Kya glanced up to see her brother and Lin staggering Su to the nearest seat, and promptly got up, Jinora falling off her lap as she did so.
"Is something wrong with Su, Auntie Kya?" whispered Jinora, peering from behind her Auntie's skirt.
Kya patted her head reassuringly.
"She'll be fine. She just, needs a little extra help right now."
"Oh."
"Why don't you go talk to Kai? I'm sure I saw him outside with some of the others."
Bumi winced as Su began to fall against his broken arm when they tried to lower her on the seat, until Lin grabbed hold of her sister and shifted the weight.
He grinned up at her. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it."
They both looked up when Kya hobbled over to survey the damage.
"I'm so sorry," Lin said at Kya, "I had no idea she'd get like this."
Kya waved her hand dismissively, "Don't worry about it."
She sat next to metal bender, who promptly rolled her head onto Kya's shoulder, garbling something incomprehensible.
"Now, now," said Kya sympathetically, patting the side of Su's cheek as if addressing a child. "Kya's here. You just let me know when you're feeling sick, okay?"
Su nodded into Kya's shoulder.
Lin pulled a face, unsure of the arrangement. "Kya, are you sure this is okay?"
"Oh yes, don't worry about it. I've had plenty of experience dealing with the over intoxicated; I'll make sure she's right as rain in the morning. Won't I Su?"
"Mhm."
Lin's expression contorted as she sifted through 'plenty of experience with the over intoxicated' with distaste, and 'right as a rain' with relief. Eventually she settled on gratitude.
"Thank you."
Kya nodded appreciatively.
The policewoman wandered back to Bumi, who had moved over to the table once more, and was now pouring himself a drink for the first time that evening.
"Don't looked now," said Lin, voice dripping with sarcasm, "But I think your girl may have slipped the net."
"What?" Bumi turned in the direction Lin was gesturing, to see Verena dancing closely with another man about half her height. His jaw dropped.
"How could she do this to me? Didn't she see the signals I was giving off!?"
"Don't worry," said Lin, chuckling as his dismay, "I'm sure there are plenty of other fish in the sea."
Bumi positively glowed at that comment, and turned to give Lin a mischievous smile.
"Why Chief, was that a proposition?"
It was Lin's turn to look horrified.
"What? No! No, that is not what I meant and you know it!"
"Oh, come on," pouted Bumi, sailing perilously close to the storm of Lin's fury. "Just one little dance?"
"No, absolutely not! I don't dance."
"Well then, at long as I know it's not me that's putting you off."
Lin glared at him, shoulders hunched. Bumi beamed back at her.
"Stop talking," she hissed.
"Oh go on Lin, what have you got to lose?"
"My dignity for one thing."
"Look around, do you think anyone's honestly paying attention to your dignity?"
Lin sighed. It was true that everyone had more or less drifted into their own little worlds. Korra and Asami were somehow still here, and Korra had fallen asleep into Asami's arm, Meelo now absent from her lap. Asami was obviously still awake, and probably getting a dead arm at this very moment, but she didn't seem to mind. Kya was nursing Su in the corner, Tenzin was nowhere to be found, and everyone else was either embarrassing themselves dancing in the centre of the room or had migrated outside to play with the younger members of the air nation.
"Regardless," said Lin, grudgingly admitting Bumi had a point, "I don't dance."
Bumi sighed, extended his good arm to her, and pouted as best he could.
"Please? With this arm," he nodded to the sling, "I'll even let you lead."
Lin scowled. He did look ridiculous, all dressed-up in his army gear and still pouting like a child.
She snatched his hand angrily.
"Fine. But I get to lead."