Prompt: Kya comforts Lin post "Operation: Beifong"
"I'm fine."
It felt like the hundredth time Lin had said that tonight since settling—most—of her family into the hotel that had become their defacto headquarters in Republic City.
At least 97 of those times had to be in response to Kya's concerns. Every time someone mentioned some new detail about their mission to Zaofu—how Lin had pushed Su out of the line of fire again, how they had been surrounded on all sides by Kuvira's forces, how Toph had casually named Lin's father—Kya had given her that look and asked how she was.
"It's almost morning," Lin reasoned. "The council will be convening in a few hours anyways."
She wondered if she could get away with cracking her aching back without Kya noticing; she settled further into the slump against her knees instead.
"But you should go home and get some sleep while you can. I have a feeling Kuvira's army's going to keep the healers busy despite whatever plan we come up with." She looked back over her shoulder at the woman leaned on the arm of her chair. There were dark circles under her eyes too. She looked about as tired as Lin felt. "Really, Kya. I'm okay."
Tired or not, Kya was on her feet and in front of her so quickly she didn't have time to do more than blink up at her in surprise.
"You're not okay. You're not fine." Kya's fingers cupped her chin and held her gaze. "And we will talk about that—tomorrow or next week or next month or whenever the hell all this is over with."
Lin could only nod and swallow back the knot that had formed in her chest.
Nothing about what had happened in the last 24 hours was okay.
"But right now, you smell like an air bison," Kya added. "And I have never wanted you more. So you have two choices—either I start stripping your clothes off right here to see how badly you're not hurt or you come home with me to our bed."
A tired laugh pulled Lin's attention to the other side of the room before she could respond.
"Go home, Lin," Su teased. "Baatar's been traumatized enough for one day."
"You know I don't like heights, dear."
