Scars and Bandages
Summary: Scenes taking place in the same universe/timeline/whatever as Wounds Both Old and New.
Disclaimer: If I owned Legend of Korra, Lin would have escaped from the Equalists in the season finale and rescue Korra from being de-bending'd by tearing Amon's head off with her bare hands. Also, bender privilege and Korra being the link between the spirit and material worlds would have been addressed WAAAAAAY more. But they wouldn't show the first one on a kids' TV program and...well, they'd better address bender privilege and Korra's spiritual side in book 2...yeah, wherever I was going with this, I don't own the show.
Pairings: Lin/Korra ("Korralin")
Author's Notes: Dear Muses: FUCK. YOU.
Korralin fluffy smut turns into Lin going into Protective Mode, with an added dash of Linsami friendship. Also, authoress gets on her Fuck Discrimination Soapbox.
Dangerously Close
Korra loved kissing Lin. It wasn't that she disliked kissing Mako; physically, it was exciting, and emotionally, it was sweet. But Lin was another thing entirely. It wasn't that she was a better kisser, though that was part of it—Korra loved the sensations of Lin's teeth closing gently on her lower lip, Lin's tongue lightly grazing hers—but when she was with Lin, she felt that they were connected. Maybe it was that they had both lost their bending. Maybe it was the way they had bonded when Korra had returned Lin's bending or healed her ribs. Sometimes it felt like they had melded in spirit, and Korra lost track of the edges and curves where she ended and Lin began.
Korra's moan was muffled by Lin's mouth as the older woman's hand slid up her side. Lin toyed with Korra's breast bindings, waiting, as usual, for permission. "Please," Korra gasped. "Please, Lin."
"All right." Lin's quick hands had Korra's bindings off in a fraction of a second. Korra felt herself be pulled into Lin's lap, and then one of her lover's hands was artfully cradling the back of her neck, the other hand kneading one breast. Korra's eyes drifted shut as Lin's mouth moved down her throat, tracing the line of her pulse with kisses. Sometimes it still felt miraculous that this tough, hard woman could be so exquisitely gentle.
"I have a surprise for you," Korra whispered.
"Another one of those Water Tribe tattoos?" Lin smiled, tripping her fingers over one of the many Water Tribe symbols drawn in white ink on Korra's back. She and Korra currently had a bet going regarding how many days it would take for Lin to learn to trace all of Korra's tattoos while blindfolded. "In that case, you'll have to give me a few more days."
"It's sort of Water Tribe related, but it's not a tattoo."
"Oh?" Lin raised her eyebrows.
"Why don't you keep undressing me? You'll see what it is."
"Really?" Lin swiftly undid the drawstring on the loose trousers Korra wore to sleep and yanked them down. Korra was wearing no underwear, revealing the fact that her entire pubic area was now completely devoid of hair. Lin pulled back sharply. "Korra...what have you done?" Lin's voice rose in alarm.
"You don't like it?" Korra sat up, looking distressed.
"What did I ever say or do to make you think I wanted you to do this?" Lin lightly touched Korra's thigh. "You're seventeen. I can barely bring myself to let you into my bed because you're so young, and you go and do something that makes you look even younger?"
"I thought...maybe it would feel good..." Korra mumbled.
"I'm more concerned about how much it hurt you," said Lin softly.
"Yeah, it did hurt. It hurt a lot. I thought it would be worth it." Korra started to move away and close her legs, but Lin stopped her.
"No, let me look. You still look all...pink, and swollen. You weren't worried about being in pain tonight?"
"It doesn't hurt anymore."
Lin edged forward slightly, her hand hovering just above Korra's newly unprotected flesh. "You just look so...vulnerable. May I?"
"Mm-hmm."
Lin gently parted Korra's labia with her fingertips. The girl's body had already responded to Lin's earlier kisses and touches, and Lin carefully pushed one finger into the welcoming, soft wetness to the second knuckle. "That doesn't hurt?"
"No." Korra sighed. "Oh, I love it when you touch me there."
"It does feel nice...you not having any hair." Lin retracted her hand. "But you were perfect before. Now, how is you being Water Tribe related to the removal of all your hair?"
"You didn't have to stop," Korra whimpered.
"I want an answer," Lin insisted. "You don't have a good record with answering my questions while I'm inside you."
"If I answer, will you make love to me?"
"I will."
Korra made a noise of frustration. "Asami and I went to a salon today. When I walked in, the woman at the front desk noticed that I was Water Tribe, and she said...she said that Water Tribe girls have a lot of hair. And that...that nobody likes that."
Lin was still for a moment. When she had first found out that Amon had taken Korra's bending, she had experienced a flash of blind rage in which she felt like she could rip out the throat of the person who had harmed Korra. What she currently was feeling was not as strong as her anger at Amon, but she still was overcome with the impulse to give a good slap, or maybe a punch straight to the nose, to whatever person had said made such a disgusting remark.
"Lin?"
"She specifically mentioned that there was something unattractive about Water Tribe women's body hair?"
"Yeah."
Lin took a deep breath. "That's...horrid. I never thought there was anything even...remotely...the ugly stereotype that people from the Water Tribe have excessive hair has mostly fallen out of use. Things like that are mostly used unscrupulously to guilt people into wanting to change their appearance. I might add that if use of such stereotypes is in any way institutionalized, then that is illegal. Had Asami ever patronized this place before?"
"No, it was just close to Air Temple Island." Korra sighed. "Come on, Lin, I want you."
Korra's eyes were closed. She looked like she might cry. "Korra?" Lin probed.
"I just wanted to look nice for you. I'm sorry, I didn't know...I just...I never cared about being pretty, and I didn't know if maybe you thought I had too much hair..."
Lin shook her head. "I always thought you were beautiful. I happen to have liked your hair the way it was."
"I didn't know, Lin..."
"You are still lovely, Korra, but you were lovely the way you were. And rest assured, I will have words with the employees of that salon."
Korra looked up at Lin, eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you."
"If you wanted this for yourself, Korra, I would have had no problem with it." Lin sank two fingers into Korra's quivering sheath. "But if you want to make some change to yourself to make you feel better...like your pretty tattoos...it should be because you want it, not because of some damn fool salon employee."
"Lin?" Korra moaned softly. "Can you please be on top of me?"
"Of course." Lin situated herself between Korra's parted legs, feeling Korra's hips rise to meet her. Lin held back a little sigh as she felt Korra's core press tightly to hers. "Are you sure that doesn't hurt?"
Korra squirmed. "Not at all. Please, Lin. You can be a little rough tonight."
Lin bent slightly to cover her lover's mouth with kisses as she did what Korra asked, rocking against her, slowly at first and quickening until the thrusts of her hips were short and quick and strong. Korra clung to her, pleading softly for more, to be held tightly. She moaned heavily, the sound seeming to come from a place deeper than mere physical pleasure. When at last they were both sated and exhausted, Lin gathered Korra into her arms. "You are lovely." Lin stroked a particularly ornate symbol just to the left of Korra's spine.
"I was stupid," Korra whispered. "A stupid moment of weakness. I just...I really didn't expect it, so it got to me. Did it...did it at least feel good? For you?"
"You always feel good, honey." Lin lightly scratched Korra's sweaty scalp.
"May I stay the night?"
Lin sighed. "One of these days Tenzin will have someone check your bed in the small hours of the morning and we'll be woken up by my own officers pounding on the door. I can't get my job back if I've been convicted of custodial interference. Also, I can't think of a worse way for the public to find out about us."
Korra made a small noise of protest. "Okay, I'll go. But can I stay and cuddle a little while longer?"
"Fine. A little while."
Korra kissed Lin's cheek. "Thank you."
"Why don't you ever bother your Fire Ferret boy to cuddle with you? Tenzin would be over the moon to find you missing from your bed only to discover you with him." That gave Lin another thought. "What does Mako think of your new hairlessness?"
"Um. He doesn't know yet. I'm pretty sure he'll like it, though. He might actually try using his mouth on me now. Which would be nice, since he has no idea what to do with his hands, and of course we can't actually do the full-blown bed business thing because I seriously need to not get pregnant."
Lin pretended that didn't make her feel sick. In some of her previous relationships, if any of the pathetic flings she'd had since Tenzin left her counted as relationships, she had been able to keep a lover at her side despite being her abrasive, workaholic self by being skilled at giving her partners what they wanted in bed. If Mako learned how to please Korra, what would there be left tethering Korra to her? What would keep Korra's love for her from withering and dying like a sunspot lily without water?
"Is something wrong, Lin? I'm sorry, do you not like me talking about Mako?"
"He's your boyfriend. You can talk about him to your heart's content. But why don't you just tell him what pleases you if he's so clueless?"
"I've tried, or at least I've tried asking. He still doesn't seem to get it. He's not nearly as good as you." Korra kissed Lin's neck a few times. "I don't know what it is, Lin. But I never feel as close to him as I feel to you. Even when we're just kissing or hugging. Tenzin says I'm making progress...maybe it's a spiritual thing."
"So it isn't just the sex that brings you to me every other night?" Lin tried to sound like she was joking, which was difficult, since it was a serious question.
"Oh, no, Lin. Come on." Korra gave Lin a tight squeeze that was almost painful; Lin was about to remind Korra to be careful with her immense avatar strength, except Korra kept talking. "I might not have listened to that stupid girl at the salon today if I didn't...well...I'm improving, but slowly. I'm not going to pester you about metalbending because I know I'm not ready. Ever since Amon escaped, I just...I still feel kind of...like..." Korra groaned. "Sometimes I hate words."
"Keep going," Lin urged gently.
"I still feel kind of like I'm not...I'm just not as good as I thought I was. And you're so awesome, and so talented, and now I know how kind you can be...I was just trying to...to make myself better for you."
Lin maneuvered so she was at Korra's eye level and kissed her softly. "Everyone in this world is always working to make themselves better. And you should be doing that for your sake, not mine, not Mako's, not anyone's. Yes, being the avatar comes with a lot of pressure. But no avatar was born perfect."
Korra stroked Lin's scarred cheek. "I always feel so safe and comfortable with you. And...I don't know, recently, I guess...when I leave your place, I still feel safe and comfortable. Because of you."
Lin gripped Korra's chin and kissed her again. She rolled Korra onto her back, sliding a hand up the back of one of the girl's thighs.
"Mmm, Lin...I thought we were done for the night." Korra gasped lightly as Lin nipped at her collarbone.
"Well, if you weren't so adorable, I wouldn't have to keep you here." Lin let go of Korra's chin, her hand gliding down Korra's neck and chest to gently cradle one breast.
"Fine with me," Korra murmured, wrapping her legs around Lin's waist. "You can keep me with you as long as you want."
Lin wasn't wearing her uniform when she approached the Shear Pleasure Hair Salon and Spa. Either she could take them by surprise or they would recognize her. She was still in the process of being reinstated as police chief, but there was still citizen's arrest if necessary...and at the moment, she was mostly going for fear.
"Earth Kingdom, am I right? Or do you have some Water Tribe in you?" queried the young woman at the front desk when Lin walked in.
"All Earth Kingdom, thank you," said Lin frostily.
"I bet you're here to get your hair spruced up! Going back to black?" The girl tapped the tip of a pen against her perfectly glossed lips. She looked as if her makeup had been applied with exquisite care, and onto a pale, high-cheekboned, classically comely Fire Nation face. She was so beautiful it made one want to punch her in the nose...or at least that was Lin's reaction.
"My hair has looked exactly like this for over a decade. I plan on keeping it that way. Have you seen two teenage women come through here yesterday? One Fire Nation, one Southern Water Tribe?"
"Hmm." The girl reclined in her chair. "Yeah...the Fire Nation girl was really pretty. Really well-made-up, well-coiffured." She pronounced it "koy-fured". "The Water Tribe chicklet...she needed work. Really rough around the edges, and kind of too buff. Weirdly buff; not exactly attractive, you know?"
Lin clenched her teeth. "Chicklet?"
The girl snorted. "Yeah."
"That...chicklet..." Lin took a step forward. "...happens to be the Avatar. The woman who drove Amon out of the city. The link between the spirit world and this one, master of all four elements." Lin took advantage of the girl's gobsmacked reaction to add a little stinger. "And the word is pronounced 'kwaf-fured'."
"Oh. Oh, damn." The girl scooted back in her chair. "You're...you're Chief Bei Fong!"
"The Avatar informed me that she received specific comments regarding the nature of Water Tribe beauty...or lack thereof...that were meant to pressure her into receiving certain services from this salon. Comments that came from you. Is that true?"
"I...I..." The girl suddenly looked petrified.
"Perhaps you'd be more comfortable answering that question at the precinct. I may have not be reinstated...yet...could still call one of my officers in here quite easily. And there's always citizen's arrest, and considering how loyal the force still is to me..."
"Okay. Okay." The girl held up her hands. "It wasn't my idea. It was what my boss told me to do."
"You'd do well to learn that following orders is not an excuse. It's too bad all that fancy makeup is wasted on the face of a coward, and cowardice is always hideous. What exactly did your boss tell you to do?"
"There's a list. A list of stuff we should say. Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, male, female...I'll take it down now." The girl reached toward a place on her side of the desk where there appeared to be a piece of paper leaning against the wood.
"No, you won't," said Lin coldly. "Don't touch it. What's your name?" (The name on the girl's name tag was "Sunset"; an obvious lie.)
"Sachi. Sachi Uzaka. Please don't arrest me!"
"Bring me your manager."
Lin had never seen anyone run so fast, and she'd seen many fleeing criminals. The girl, her face showing a sickly green under the white powder, returned shortly with a tall, primly dressed woman who appeared immediately to Lin to be waging a fierce and losing battle with the aging process. "Is there some sort of problem, officer?"
"That will be Chief when I'm reinstated. At this moment, I am a very concerned citizen." Lin walked behind the desk, completely ignoring the manager's indignant "You can't go back there". Sure enough, leaning against the desk and only visible to a person sitting in the chair. It was a list detailing common stereotypes regarding the appearances of men and women of the water, earth, and fire races, along with the specific services the salon offered to rectify those problems. "Hmm. Would you look at this?" Lin picked up the piece of paper between two fingers. "Spoken words alone...that can be hard to prove, even with a credible witness. But this..." Lin waved the paper lightly. "Solid evidence that this establishment coerces its patrons to choose services based on making them feel insecure about their race. Now...that's dangerously close to violating the anti-discrimination law my mother had passed, isn't it?"
The manager looked completely shocked; Sachi looked to be a hair's breadth away from quitting on the spot, being physically sick, or both. "I...I assure you I had...no knowledge..."
"Shut up." Lin crumpled the paper inside her fist. "Consider this a warning. Rest assured this establishment will be under close scrutiny from now on. If you are found in violation of the anti-discrimination law again, you'll lose your business license or worse." Lin turned on her heel and left, leaving the manager babbling. As she walked out, she couldn't help but allow herself a tiny smile.
Lin was whipping up a small batch of rice soup for herself (and Korra, should she choose to visit that night) when she heard a knock at her door. It was not the way Korra knocked. Lin walked to the door and opened it, revealing a slightly distressed-looking Asami Sato.
"Asami. I haven't seen you in a while. Won't you come in?"
Asami walked inside. "I'm sorry," was the first thing out of her mouth. "I hadn't been to Shear Pleasure before. I didn't know they'd say those kind of things to Korra..."
"Calm down, Asami." Lin laid a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I don't blame you."
Asami sighed. "I was already picking my nail polish color when the counter girl started...bullying Korra. I didn't know. She didn't tell me til afterward. And then this morning she told me that you had said the counter girl's remarks about Korra being Water Tribe could technically be in violation of the anti-discrimination law."
"I went to Shear Pleasure today. After I saw that management had provided written instructions for the counter employees to make use of negative stereotypes about appearances based on ethnicity, I...well, I let them off with a warning, but I put the fear of the dark spirits in them."
Asami smiled. "I wish I could have been a cricket-fly on the wall for that."
"They won't be getting patrons to agree to expensive treatments through discriminatory bluster anymore," Lin assured her. "It was the establishment's fault, not yours. I don't blame you for what Korra went through, and she seems to be handling it just fine."
Asami nodded. "She seemed a little happier after talking to you. Actually, she always seems happy after she's been with you."
"Oh, that reminds me..." Lin quickly moved to one of the cabinets in her kitchen and withdrew an unopened bag of loose tea. "I picked this up yesterday on something of a whim. I was going to have Korra bring it to you last night, but it slipped my mind. I know you like unusual flavors of tea, and this is fire lord's puerh. It doesn't taste like lapsang, but then almost nothing else has that smoky flavor. Puerh is more mellow and earthy." Lin held out the packet of tea.
Asami carefully took the packet from Lin, opened it, and inhaled deeply. "Ooh, I like this."
"I hope it tastes as good as it smells."
"Thanks, Lin." Asami placed the tea in her purse. "Lin?"
"Yes?"
Asami stepped forward with her arms out; Lin wrapped Asami in a warm, friendly hug. "I've missed your hugs," she whispered.
"It's been a while since I've seen you. How have you been?"
"It's hard," Asami whispered. "It's hard seeing Mako with...with Korra. I mean...the airbending family and air acolytes have been really kind to me, and Bolin and Korra and I are still good friends. And Pema's been helpful with me feeling like the...the out-of-place non-bender...but...I gave a lot to...well, to join the new Team Avatar, and you seem to be the only one who cares about that. And I have no other place to go, really."
"What is happening to the Sato Manor?"
"I don't know if I'd be able to stay there anymore. It would feel too empty, and...knowing my father had an Equalist base under our house..."
"You should make certain everything is lined up legally for you to inherit Sato Manor. Your father was given a life sentence, so with some legal wangling, some of his belongings should pass on to you now. I have a few lawyer friends for whom I've testified who could help you."
"Thank you." Asami gave Lin a fond little squeeze and let go.
"I know it must be hard to see Mako with Korra," said Lin gently. "I can't imagine having to not only know you've lost someone you love, but to also live with both members of the couple."
Asami nodded, tears seeping out from behind her closed eyes. "Bolin told me he...he asked Korra out, and then just after that he was bringing Korra flowers and saw her kissing Mako. While Mako and I were still dating." Asami wiped her eyes on the back of her sleeve. "After that, Korra sort of...backed off...but what I hated most was that I could tell Mako had feelings for Korra, and he kept trying to pretend everything was fine, even though it was so obvious he was interested in her. I wish he'd just been honest with me." Asami exhaled sharply.
"Korra kissed Mako when he was still with you?" said Lin softly.
Asami nodded. "It was before Tarrlok kidnapped her, so...so before she said she'd be with you. I think. And I know you love her, but..."
"Korra is naturally...honest and open, to a fault. I can see why, if...if she had feelings for Mako, she couldn't help but tell Mako that. But kissing him when he was still with you was wrong of her. The fact that Korra and I are together doesn't change that."
"I think I might need another hug."
Lin nodded, gathering Asami into her arms again. Asami squeezed her friend tightly, no longer trying to hold back her tears. "How did you stand it?" Asami whispered. "How do you deal with seeing someone you lost but still love with somebody else?"
Lin thought for a moment. "There is no easy way. I know I didn't handle it well. Try to surround yourself with other people you care about, try not to dwell on it...and most of all, try to deal with the pain one day at a time."
Asami hunched her upper spine so she could rest her head on Lin's shoulder; Lin stroked her hair, hoping it would help soothe her. "What I miss the most is...is having somebody to kiss and hold and...I miss it. Just casually being close to somebody and knowing it means they love me."
Lin kept sliding her hand through Asami's hair. "That sounds familiar."
"At least you give good hugs."
"Asami, I can honestly say that is the strangest compliment anyone has ever paid me, and Korra has come up with some interesting ones."
Asami retreated from Lin's embrace, looking embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I came here to apologize, not...not cry at you."
Lin shrugged lightly. "This is what friends are for." She used the pad of one thumb to brush a stray tear from Asami's cheekbone.
"Korra's right that you're secretly very kind." Asami clutched her purse to her chest. "I should get back to Air Temple Island and make myself a pot of this...what's it called?"
"Fire lord's puerh."
"Thank you."
Lin politely walked Asami to the door. "You should come by more often, particularly if you feel the need to get out of the Air Temple."
"I will." Asami paused. "Korra is lucky to have you."
"I'm here for you too, if in a different context." Lin patted Asami's cheek. "I'll see you soon."
"Good-bye, Lin..." Asami turned to leave, but stopped herself. "...and one more thing."
"Yes?"
"For what it's worth, I think you and Korra make a really nice couple."
That startled Lin, but after the only feedback she'd heard regarding hers and Korra's relationship was Tenzin's gross overreaction, Asami's comment was a pleasant surprise. "Thank you, Asami. That...that means a lot."
A/N: I completely support Asami and Lin as cuddle buddies. Also, I'm one of those people who has no problem with people altering their appearances to feel better about themselves...as long as it's what they want. (I have two tattoos, a pierced eyebrow, and a pierced tragus; and after my hair goes gray, it is going to be purple.) And I can totally picture Korra with a bunch of gorgeous white ink Water Tribe tattoos on her back. Can you imagine how easy and safe body mods would be if there were really healing powers?
Also, both lapsang and puerh are delicious. Go try them. /tea enthusiast