Aunt Lin

Summary: With things settling down after Kuvira's arrest, Chief Lin Beifong must now get used to her new role as an aunt since Opal would like to spend more time with her. Oneshot collection.

Kissing

Chief Lin Beifong walked the streets of Republic City, checking to make sure everything was in order.

"Aunt Lin," Opal called out. Lin looked up into the sky and took note of the sky bison flying low in her general direction. She took a quick step back as the bison landed softly on the ground. "I've looking all over for you."

Lin groaned in disgust as Juicy licked her on the cheek. She quickly wiped it off. "I didn't like it when Naga did it and I don't like it now," she muttered.

"I'm so glad I caught you." Opal slid down Juicy's back and landed on her feet. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a few treats before tossing them over towards him. Juicy blew a snot bubble in excitement before catching the treats in his mouth.

"What's up, kid?" Lin asked. Opal rushed over and gave her a hug. In response, Lin wrapped one arm around her shoulders before pulling away after a few seconds had passed. "How was your trip Zaoufu?"

"Good! Mom and Dad are doing well," she explained quickly. "Mom says hi and she'll be radioing you soon. Anyway, I need to ask you a question," Opal said. "I've been thinking about this for a long time."

Lin motioned for Opal to follow her to a small café on the main road of Republic City. She took a seat and Opal grabbed the one opposite of her. "Are you thinking about joining the police force? I have to say, I never thought you'd take that route."

"No," Opal muttered. She quickly looked over her shoulder. Lin noticed her cheeks turning a soft pink. "I have a question about…kissing," she said in a whisper.

Lin looked at her in surprise. She rubbed the back of her neck and shifted in her seat. She began to feel perspire underneath her metal armor and wasn't too sure if it came from being underneath the harsh sun or being bothered by the topic. "And you think I'm the best person to talk to about this?" she asked.

"I can't talk to my mom about it," Opal admitted.

"Why not?" Lin pushed. "Aren't you allowed to do whatever you want? Can't you talk about whatever you want?"

"No, this is too embarrassing," she insisted. "My mom is so old, she won't understand everything."

"I'm eight years older than your mother. What does that make me?" Lin demanded. Opal muttered a small apology. Lin looked down at the radio on her hip and willed it to crackle alive with an alert, but like most of the city, it was quiet. "Okay, what's your question?" she asked reluctantly.

"Well, how….how do you kiss?" Opal asked.

Lin looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "…You put your lips together. That's it," she deadpanned.

"But there are so many different types-"

"You only need to worry about the basic one," she barked before quickly getting to her feet. "Okay, are we done?"

Opal grabbed her aunt by the arm as she turned to leave. "No, Aunt Lin, please help me."

Lin gave a loud exasperated sigh as she re-took her seat. She crossed her arms over her chest. "I've only had one relationship. How can I help?" she asked.

"Well, how did you kiss Tenzin?" Opal wondered. "Did you just do it simply or was it more advanced? Where were you? What were you doing? Was the timing right? How did you know the time was right?"

Lin was shocked at all of the questions flying at her. After a few more seconds she metal bent Opal's chair back a few inches, to shock and startle her into not talking. "How did you know it was him?" Lin finally asked.

"Who doesn't know?" Opal responded while scooting her chair forward.

Lin bit the inside of her cheek and rolled her eyes. "Korra said something didn't she? She's always been amused by that story. I'm not too sure why. Wait until I talk to her-"

"Aunt Lin," Opal interrupted. "What was it like? Your first kiss?"

Eight-year-old Lin muttered to herself as she walked up the steps to the Air Temple. Her head hung low, she took slow steps. Once reaching the top she found a ten-year-old Tenzin sitting in the middle of the landing, meditating. She quieted her breathing and took light steps around him to head into the temple.

"Are you okay, Lin?" he called out to her.

"I'm fine," she instantly answered.

"No, you're not." Tenzin opened his eyes and turned to look at her. He motioned for her to sit next to him. "I could hear your heated breathing from the bottom of the stairs," he added.

Lin plopped down next to him. She sat down so hard that she caused a small crater from the force. With a simple hit of her heel to the ground, she bent the ground back up."My mom's pregnant. It's a girl," she explained.

"I know, my parents told me," Tenzin said quietly. "I'd say congratulations but you don't look too happy."

"I'm not." She shook her head. "It's too big of an age gap."

"So?"

"So?" she repeated harshly. "You and your siblings are closer in age. You have fun with each other." Lin crossed her arms over her chest and couldn't help but pout. "What if this kid doesn't like me since I'm so old?" she asked quietly.

"You're eight," he reminded her.

"But when she's eight, I'll be…old. You know, like our parents," Lin explained. "What if she thinks I'm too bossy? Or what if I don't look out for her?" She suddenly gasped and turned to look at him. Tenzin noticed the look of worry in her eyes. "What if she gets hurt?"

"Then she gets hurt," Tenzin said calmly. "That's how younger children learn. When Kya, Bumi, and I were younger they would play air ball with me."

"See! What would we play?"

"No, they would play with me…as the ball," he clarified. "Mom wasn't too happy about it. Dad thought it was funny. I enjoyed myself because they wanted to be around me," Tenzin said with a smile. "It's kind of like you, me, Kya, Bumi, and Izumi. We're all of varying ages but we're friends and we're close, aren't we?"

"I think our moms and dads had something to do with that," Lin said quietly.

"Still, if we can get along then why can't you and your sister?" Tenzin smiled softly and brushed a stray strand out of her face that the wind blew. "Your sister will think you are the most amazing thing in the world. Like me."

"Thanks, Tenzin," Lin said softly. Tenzin hummed a reply before giving her a side hug. Lin snuggled her head underneath his chin. She breathed in deeply and faintly smelled his usual scent of air bison and orange-fig leaves.

Tenzin let his hand slide off of her shoulder. Lin moved to lean back up and accidentally brushed her nose against his. She flushed a deep red as she quickly scooted away.

"Oh, they're kissing!" a voice called out. Tenzin groaned and rolled his eyes.

"No, we're not!" Lin shouted.

"Go away, Kya," he demaned while turning around. His older sister had a look of pure glee on her face. She had an arm wrapped around Bumi's shoulders and pointed at him.

"Bumi look; their noses touched," she continued.

"They need to get married now," he added, howling with laughter.

"Go away. Can't you leave us alone? We're just friends." Tenzin angrily stood up and glided over to his older brother and sister. Bumi and Kya continued to taunt and tease Tenzin as he turned red with anger and denied everything. Lin touched the tip of her nose and smiled.

Lin blinked as she felt Opal shaking her arm. She cleared her throat. "Don't go rushing things with Bolin," she instructed.

"We've only ever held hands and kiss on the cheek," Opal explained. "If we were going any slow we would both be snail-ants." She sighed deeply and slumped a bit in her seat.

"Sometimes that's enough." Lin shrugged.

"You're supposed to be the cool aunt and tell me to do all this crazy stuff."

"I'm not a normal aunt."

Opal raised an eyebrow. "You never answered my question."

"Which one?"

"What was your kiss with Tenzin like?" she said with a huff.

Lin paused. She tapped her chin as she tried to come up with the right way to describe it. "It was nice." She smiled.