Chapter 11: First Date
Tenzin knocked on the front door of the Beifong residence, even though he knew it was redundant, as they had probably "seen" him coming from a mile away.
He was dressed in formal maroon slacks paired with a maroon button down vest, and a deep yellow undershirt. He had departed from his usual robes in an attempt to surprise and hopefully impress Lin. He straightened his collar as the door flew open in front of him.
"Hey junior." Toph smirked at his nervous look. "Lin will be right down, she has to finish getting pretty for ya."
"Mother please." Lin rolled her eyes as she descended the stone staircase.
Tenzin's eyes nearly fell out of his head as soon as he saw her. Apparently she had also decided to diverge from her usual style. She was dressed in a pure black dress dark as night. The sleeves cut off just past her elbows, and the dress itself hugged her torso and then fanned out at her hips and reached just a few inches above her knees. Her collarbone was bare except for a silver necklace with a charm of the Beifong family symbol, a flying boar, that rested against the dip between her collarbones. Her hair was tied back in a loose low bun, with a few tendrils complimenting her sharp cheekbones.
It was a good minute of Tenzin staring at her before Su broke the silence. "Wow are you just going to gawk at her all night?"
Lin gave her sister a glare and then took Tenzin's arm, ushering him quickly out the door. "Okay. And that's enough of my family." She pointedly glared at her mother and sister.
"Hey Junior!" Toph called as Lin practically dragged Tenzin away. Tenzin looked to see Toph, arms crossed and her face contorting in warning. "No funny business. Remember, I may be blind but I have eyes all over this city!"
Tenzin gulped as Lin laughed nervously. "She's kidding." Lin soothed.
Tenzin looked back to Toph, who moved her thumb across her neck in a 'I'll slit your throat' type of motion.
Tenzin didn't think she was kidding.
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"You look really nice." Lin mentioned as she and Tenzin walked away from her house. "I didn't get a chance to tell you yet because my family is the worst."
Tenzin laughed. "Thanks, and just be glad we didn't meet at my house. Between my Dad giving me weird advice and my mom pulling out baby pictures, it was a nightmare." Tenzin paused. "And you look absolutely beautiful by the way. In case you didn't know I thought so since I was incessantly staring at you earlier."
Lin smirked at him. "Thanks. I decided to try a new look."
"It suits you." Tenzin complimented her.
"Yeah well, my academy uniform is much more comfortable."
Tenzin laughed. "You would say that."
Lin rolled her eyes as she leaned into him, grasping his arm. "So, where are we going?"
"I thought we would try a new place, to commemorate our new relationship." Tenzin explained.
"Lead the way!" Lin urged.
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"DanDan's?" Lin pondered as they entered the restaurant. "I have never heard of this place."
"That's probably because it opened just over a week ago." Tenzin replied.
"Oh. So it's very new." Lin marveled at the decour around them. Since it was late the restaurant was almost entirely candle lit. Red wallpaper with black lace covered the walls and many couples were dining inside.
"Hi, I have a reservation under Tenzin for two."
The lady at the hostess stand looked up and looked at Lin and Tenzin with surprise and a bit of awe. "Oh yes! Right this way please!" She directed. She led the couple to a booth by the window, and handed them their menus, staring at Tenzin almost the whole time.
"Thank you." Tenzin bowed slightly to the lady, and she blushed and scurried off back to her stand.
"Was that weird?" Tenzin whispered to Lin, eyes motioning to the woman.
Lin smirked at his naivety. "Tez, I think you forget you're kind of a huge celebrity in this city. The world even."
Tenzin looked at her skeptically. "I am not anymore of a celebrity than you, Lin Beifong." He emphasized her last name.
Lin poked his forehead. "Yeah, but really only anyone that has met me would know what I look like, you've literally got a big arrow pointing to you 24/7."
Tenzin rubbed his forehead as if it had betrayed him. "Ah, right."
"No need to be mopey about it, Tez. It's just fact." Lin tried to comfort him.
"You ever wish your parents weren't like the most famous people in the world."
"Wow, deep conversation for a first date, don't you think?"
Tenzin laughed. "Yeah, you're right. Besides this night is about us, not them." Tenzin reached across the table to grab Lin's hands.
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"After you." Tenzin ushered Lin out the door of the restaurant and out into the cool night breeze, it wasn't too cold, yet not too hot, the temperature was perfect for a nightly stroll.
"Why, thank you." Lin teased.
She and Tenzin strode down the lamp-lit streets of Republic City, admiring the windows of various shops lining the streets.
"This doesn't quite feel like a date." Lin finally admitted, blunt as always.
"What do you mean? Did you not like the dinner?" Tenzin worried.
"No, no, it was delicious. I just feel like, we have known each other for so long, it doesn't feel any different now that we're dating." Lin explained.
Tenzin rubbed his chin in thought.
"It's not a bad thing!" Lin assured. "I mean it's actually really good. I mean I can be myself around you, and I'm comfortable with you."
Tenzin stopped walking, pulling Lin towards him. She stumbled into him, surprised, and they locked eyes. Tenzin reached up to place a stray piece of hair behind her ear, and then leaned in, pausing a second before their lips met. His kiss felt warm and sweet on her lips, and Lin closed her eyes in ecstasy.
"Does it feel different now?" Tenzin smirked, lips just centimeters apart, as her eyes slowly fluttered open again.
"I don't know." Lin breathed. "Try again." Lin smiled as she brought him down to her lips once more. She couldn't help but think that kissing him felt absolutely glorious, it felt... right.