Suddenly Lin was awake, eyes wide, wondering if the noise she thought she heard was in her dream or not. She looked to her side where Kya soundly lay, sprawled like she'd been in a fight with the sheets, face buried somewhere beneath the hair.
She heard the noise again-someone was in her kitchen. She hurdled out of bed quietly as she could, whipped the robe off the floor and wrapped it around her. At the door she looked back to Kya who was now rousing, rubbing an eye with her palm through a gap in her mess of hair. Lin gestured to stay quiet before she turned and skulked into the hall way.
Once at the threshold of the kitchen, she peered around the corner to see her intruder.
"Morn'n, Chief.
"Mom? ..What are you doing in my kitchen?
"Where is the tea? Or you could make some for your mother you never see.
"Leftmost cupboard, top shelf. Why are you here?
"Would you like some?
Lin groaned softly, soothing her eyes with her hand, and walked to the sink.
"I'll do with water.
"And how are you doing, Kya? Would you like some tea?
Kya poked her head into the kitchen and smiled. Her hair had somehow transformed into a neat ponytail.
"I'd love some.
She sat expectantly at the tiny kitchen table while the two Bei Fong women stood standoffishly at the counter. Lin spoke demandingly.
"Mom.
"I'm here to get you and take you to ZaoFu.
Lin immediately soured. She sat down at the table beside Kya. Kya spoke up sensing Lin suddenly wasn't feeling so talkative.
"What's happening that Zaofu requires Lin more than Republic City? The place is still a mess, the president still hasn't fully re-established domain.
"Well, one of SuYin's brats has had a brat of his own.
Toph sat down and passed Kya her tea whilst looking vaguely in her direction.
"I'm a great-grandmother. You're a great-aunty, Lin. And you need to go visit.
Lin looked to Kya and was met with an encouraging smile. She felt a familiar comforting, if a little cold, hand grasp her own-she felt her nerves subside. She looked back to Toph.
"That sounds wonderful, but I am very busy right now, there's still a lot of work to do.
"Nonsense. You would say that no matter what was going on, Lin. If there wasn't work to do, you'd find some. I know what being Chief is, you don't know what not-busy is.
"Mom, I-
"Is Saikhan still there?
"… Yeah.
"Then if you insist you're too busy then I'm going to walk into the giant building named in my honour with the huge statue of me outside and telling them I need to borrow my daughter for important family business for the week. And if Saikhan tries to tell me no I'll put him over my knee again like I did when he was still a juvenile.
Kya piped up to fill the lengthening silence.
"You could do with a break, Lin.
Lin folded her arms in defeat.
"Fine then.
Toph finished her tea and turned to Kya.
"So, you kids having a sleepover then?
Lin coughed into her tea, Kya smiled with slight trepidation.
"Yeah. Well, I don't know that many other people in the city, and there's not a lot of space with all the relief here.
"Sure... It's nice to see you to close again. You were so important to each other when you were little.
Kya smiled.
"Yeah.
"I remember for a long time you were inseparable, Lin was almost your shadow.
Lin's face flushed red. She shrunk into her seat.
"Uh, I don't think I remember that far back.
Kya grinned smugly at her lover.
"Oh, I can.
"Kya, you should come along to ZaoFu as well. I know Lin would feel a lot better with you there. She probably wouldn't even start a fight.
"Mom-
"-I'd love to!
