A new home
At a split in the road sat their new home. Freshly painted the color of cream cakes. Though not as packed as before. There were still plenty of houses on the block with plenty of people. Families much livelier and younger than before. With kids that right around Yee-Li's age. Which was a blessing for them to have kids who lived close by and went to the same school as their daughter.
Though bad for Lin who probably would have to socialize with the parents. Made more awkward by the fact that they were already the odd one's out being the former chief of police and the Avatar.
Just a block ahead of them were some shops for Korra to get food for dinner. Included in them were a couple of take out joints; for those late nights that were bound to pop up. One restaurant boasted to have the best and most authentic water tribe noodles around. Korra considered it a challenge that they would no doubt fail.
And if one takes a right down the road behind them they'd come upon an empty lot. Normally used for extra parking for the workers of Asami's car manufacturing plant. It was actually how they had managed to stumble upon the home. Asami had invited Korra to come down to the factory to test out another new racer. With a new engine design she had been tinkering with. And after the long day of fun Asami had offered to give her a ride home. Luck, Lin would argue had nothing to do with it when she just happened to see the for sale sign. The women still argued about it when they found out it was still near Yee-Li's school. A further walk; not that Lin minded. It was someone else who complained about her feet.
With the weekend, if you stuck your nose out the door at just the right time, the smells of handmade foods. Accompanied by the laughter of many people could be heard drifting up the street from the bazaar. Thrown up and taken down in Asami's lot in the span of the weekend.
"This is nice." Bolin said. Eska reaching out for him. Hoping he would offer her a hand to balance on to get out of the truck. Only to find herself lifted by his meaty arms and set down. She offered him a hasty peck on the cheek as she looked away; missing his splitting grin.
Lin and Korra stood in front of the house. Having come with Asami and Mako in her car while Bolin and Eska took the truck.
"You can admire it when we are done Bo." Mako said. Opening the back of the truck. Glad to see that everything appeared to of made it through the drive. Feeling a kind of giddy joy at being able to take the celebratory first box off the truck. "Well I think It's only fair that you two should be the first over the threshold." Mako said to his friend and mentor. Giving Lin a nod
Which was returned.
Korra took a deep breath. As if this moment were the biggest thing she would ever face in her life. She'd crossed this threshold dozen's of time's when they came to look. But this was different. They weren't just nit picking at what was good about it. Or what they would need to fix. What would go where. And what kind of bed they would get for their daughters first room. They bought this house. It was theirs. It was a real home they could raise their daughter in. She took two steps ahead. Then the ground vanished beneath her feet.
"Lin, what are you doing?" She gasped feeling like her moment was being ruined for some playful thing her wife was trying to do. Till she realized how she was holding her. Cradled in the arms of her wife; like a bride. Becoming less upset. Korra nestled in and pressed comfortably into the chest of the women she loved.
The short walk from the sidewalk to the door was taken in four large steps. Before Lin stopped as the green door; light and transparent more muddled down towards brownish green; like earth of course.
"Will you open the door for me little penguin." Lin asked. Looking her in the eye's.
"Will do." Korra replied. Reaching out for the gold handle. Turning it with ease. Korra gave the door a hard shove not throwing off Lin's balance at all.
The small nook was beautifully lit by the glass window above the door. A patch of stone to smack off the dirt from one's shoes. And a cubby hole for all the families foot wear. With oddly painted creatures whose heads were to small for their bodies and had freakishly large paws. It was a family art project done on a lazy day off. Lin kicked off her shoes leaving them for whoever came through the door next to trip over: Mako; lucky for him he didn't break anything in the box he was holding. The short hallway spread out into the living room and was shared with the kitchen. With just enough space separating them so they could put the dining table. The living room was bigger than the previous one. So they bought an extra large chair for Yee-Li. Starting to hit that age where family cuddling on the couch was un-cool.
They gained a wall sized window that overlooked the back yard. Wide enough were Yee-Li wouldn't have a place to hide while the parents relaxed in the living room. Until they finished unpacking the room was empty. And Lin couldn't be bothered to picture what the space would look like. There was a small entry way in the living room opposite the window. The steps were concealed behind the wall. And the first room on the left was the one she entered.
Larger by about half their other bedroom. The empty room had three windows side by side. So they could see the road that stretched down the street in front of the house. As they crossed the threshold Korra's grip around Lin's neck tightened.
The women gasped. A wobble in her voice. "It's beautiful."
"It's a road little penguin it's not that nice to look at." Lin retorted.
Korra wiggled out of Lin's arms. Taking her first steps onto the wooden floor boards of the room they would be spending their nights in. Not all of them asleep. Strolling to the window. Korra opened it. Letting the warm air soothe away those lingering thoughts of apprehension; for both of them when it reached Lin.
The windows framed Korra in angelic light. "It's our house. So even if I have to look at a garbage dump I'd love it." And with that sentence the light faded. But even if Lin's little penguin wasn't a poet she could still be her angel.
"Such beautiful words." Lin chuckled. Laying her arm over her wife's shoulder. Pulling her close. A peck on the cheek for effort.
"It's true though. As long as I have you two I don't care what the scenery looks like...Although, I could think of something to liven it up a bit." Raking herself up and down Lin's body.
"Feisty, huh? What happened to no funny business in the bedroom, Hmmm?"
"Well, it's alright now; right? Yee-Li won't be sleeping with us anymore. I mean-I didn't want to do those kinds of things knowing she would be sleeping in the same bed. It'd just be too weird for me. But now...she'll have her own room. So we can do 'that' in here again."
Lin leaned forward. Pressing their foreheads together. As she attempted to squish Korra's nose under the might of her own. Making her wheeze as she exhaled. "Oh so now it's anything goes?" To which the answer was a puff of breath and a nod. "Don't plan to sleep tonight." Lin warned.
Korra squeezed Lin's firm behind.
As Lin nipped at her neck. The pressure light but tingling the skin and made Korra giggle when she blew a raspberry on the same spot.
However, the women's flirting was interrupted from a shout echoing up the stairs. Lin left Korra by the window to peek out the bedroom door. Looking over the guard rail of the steps. Korra heard snippets of the conversation. Such as what do they want were. And how long are they going to take up there? More embarrassing enough was the question of whether or not they wanted their friends make themselves scarce by checking out the shops. Asami could read the mood without even being in the room. She was right. As Lin leaned over the railing Korra had her eyes glued to her rump. Watching the loose fabric cling whenever she shifted her hips back and forth. It was a butt worthy of an earthbender; all them squats had made it into a work of perfection.
The show lasted for a few seconds more till Lin turned around. Catching Korra red faced as she turned to look out the window to avoid her knowing smirk. "It's about time we go pick up Yee-Li now. Asami said she'd give us a ride."
"Oh. Ok." Korra walked past Lin.
Smack.
The sudden sound and ensuing pain elicited a startled response. Korra was quick to cover her mouth before the squeal could escape.
She was met by a thin arching brow and sultry lips that spoke in a low whisper by her ear. "Don't forget what I said about tonight, little penguin." Korra couldn't control the shiver that ran up and down her body at the vow of things to come. Her lovers tongue poked out to quickly lick her lobe before it receded along with her wife's more private facial expressions. The everyday mask Lin wore now in place. Not hard like it used to be when they had first met in the police interrogation room. Yet still unreadable after all the time they spent together. Oh well, Korra loved that mysteriousness. Not knowing what was coming. It was...pleasing to be surprised.
A quick ride later and they had picked up their daughter from school. Korra road shot gun. While Lin sat in the back gripping her daughter tightly. Unable to keep her eyes shut because she wanted to at least see her death coming head on.
The car lurched forward. Even its powerful engine strained to keep up with the demands placed on it. They took the turn at speed the momentum plastering Lin to the door. Why wouldn't you put seat belts in an experimental car?
Her daughter along with her wife both giggled and laughed respectively.
Spirits, please let us make it there in one piece, Lin asked; no full on prayed.
No stranger to this kind of speed, at least not surrounded by a framework of metal, Lin could manage swinging through the city streets. Scaling the heights of the tallest buildings in republic city with just her cables; just to see what she could do.
Which at this point was safer. As they missed hitting a cart full of cabbages crossing the street. Lin could see Asami's face in the rear view mirror not even looking back as a man shook his hand with rage. Slowly becoming a fuming speck.
Rich people are eccentric, Lin thought. That was the only reason for how the women could act this way behind the wheel. Cutting in front of a large mass on wheels. Hauling tons of people crammed inside like sardines. The driver honked madly; too bad he didn't know he was gesturing crudely at the creator of the bus he was driving. Still they shouldn't of been so lucky there. They should of been eaten by the front bumper of that monster. But no they'd managed to shave by; with but the faintest sound of metal on metal falling on everyone else's deaf ears but Lin's. Luck never existed for Lin. One has to make their own; but that didn't mean the spirits weren't looking out for them.
"There it is Yee-Li." Korra turned around in her seat to give her daughter a winning smile.
Said child attempted to stand on her mother's lap to get a better look. Lin held tight. Refusing to let her move. As they sped down the street. The engine sounded like a hungry beast making enough racket to draw people from their homes.
Lin was unable to make out their faces as they flashed by. They were not making a good first impression with the new neighbors.
Ahead of them moving at a snail's pace, which was Lin's own opinion of the matter, were the two brothers. In the process of bringing the couch off the truck. They were directly in the line of sight of the car. But safe on the sidewalk. However, from the stretched looks of terror on their twin faces they obviously didn't feel that way.
A shrieking screech ripped the peace from the street. As the car skidded sideways on all four tires. Smacking into the raised edge of the sidewalk. Causing the car to rise off its driver's side. Before flopping back onto all four. The applause from Lin's lap. Along with black locks being elegantly brushed out of Asami's face signaled the ride was over.
A grown man was blubbering outside the car window. Mako was attempting to aid his brother in removing the couch from his foot; after having previously given the call for everyman for himself which Bolin did not adhere to. Because at least this one time Asami hadn't jump the curb.
The Sato-Heiress killed the engine and got out. Korra did as well. Lin took a few minutes to steady her heart. Slumping in the seat. The door popped open. And the beaming face of her wife peeked in.
"Hey." Korra said.
"Hey." Lin returned weak and wearily.
Korra allowed their daughter to jump off Lin's lap. Knocking the air from her momma's lungs as she used her stomach as a trampoline to manage the distance from the seat to the asphalt. Rounding the car carefully and jumping onto the curb. Yee-Li ran up to greet her uncle's.
Uncle Bolin was sprawled on the couch while Eska probed his injured toe for any broken bones.
Mako greeted his girlfriend with a hug and a lengthy kiss.
Which Yee-Li gagged at. Much more interested in making her uncle Bolin feel better. Kissing his injured foot; which made Bolin smile. Even if he did grimace behind the little girls back when he put weight on it. Leaning onto Eska who promptly could not support the man and had to sacrifice him in an effort to stay on two feet herself. Bolin fell to the ground. His girlfriend hovering above him chuckling into the sleeve of her shirt.
"How goes the move." Korra came up to the her friends. Her wife leaning heavily on her shoulder. Trying to stay her hand from going to her churning stomach. In an attempt to at least not look so weak in front of her superior.
Mako gave the women a sympathetic smile behind his girlfriends back. Mouthing an apology. He always disguised it as the duty of a boyfriend to escort his girlfriend around town whenever they wanted to take a car. Rather than telling the truth.
A low roar echoed above. Any stray neighbors looking at the scene unfolding on Lin and Korra's front steps ran inside. Their children were able to stick around long enough, before being yanked by the collars, to witness what should of been the impossible. A giant beast able to defy gravity. It's six limb's moved its bulky body through the air with as much ease as a boat on water.
Oogi circled round the house. Before settling behind it.
"Jinora's here!" Yee-Li shouted. Running up the walkway and leaping through the front door.
"Tenzin and Pema too. Don't ignore your aunt and uncle." Lin scolded the empty door frame.
"Do you think she brought Mai with her?" Bolin asked.
The group gave him a single 'what do you think' look. To which his response had been his trademark sheepish shrug of the shoulders. Other actor's had a catch phrase or gorgeous looks. Bolin had that goofy shoulder shrug. Employing it after he'd done something silly in a scene.
The women took over moving the couch. Korra took the back while Lin lead the charge through the door. Navigating through it with ease. Out lifting and outdoing the boys was easy for the two women. As the brothers managed to chip a bit of the edge off the frame while trying to maneuver a single seat through the same doorway. The ladies set the couch down. While the boys let their chair smack the floor.
The two boy's were wiping their dripping foreheads on their shirt sleeves. While Lin and Korra snickered to the fronts of their faces; as not a hair had been put out of place from the mild activity for them.
Letting the boys fight over who would get the first drink from the kitchen sink, pushing each other's faces out of the way to get at the gushing faucet, the rest of them decided to join the crowd around the flying bison in the back yard. Korra and Asami made a b-line for the group. Yee-Li was sandwiched between her aunt and uncle. As Tenzin and Pema showered the little girl with affection.
Lin held back to slip off her moccasins and left them inside by the door. Pressing her feet into the cold ground. Ignoring the tickle of the grass. Instead she let her senses extend outward. Only far enough to see the fence around the backyard. More than high enough for privacy and to keep out any unwanted and possible nosey neighbors. Not that Lin would expect them to want to chance a peek out of respect-or fear. Lin could see a stretch of earth below that went on forever. More purer earth than what the neighbors had. Their little plots consisting of dirt shoveled atop some sort of grown up cement sandbox.
Lin jerked when she shuffled her feet; the grass delicately rubbed across a particular part of her foot. Making the women grimace. This is going to have to go. Lin's reason behind this was that if she wanted to be able to practice in the yard then there couldn't well be any green showing. Otherwise the yard would look a mess after even one training session anyway. Besides it was also very annoying anyway. As the blades of grass sent her other foot into a spasm.
"Hello Lin." Came a monotone voice that had somehow managed to sneak up to Lin while she had her extra sense employed.
Damn airbender's, Lin grimaced. "Hello Jinora." Lin gave a slighted nod. "Hello Mai." Addressing women who was shorter by two head lengths of the teen and hiding behind the towering girl.
Jinora's companions face was trained on the ground not out of shyness. Fiddling with Jinora's yellow robes to keep herself occupied. "I'm bored." The girl voiced. Picking at the fabric vigorously. "You said this would be fun. I've been here two minutes and...of course, it's not. Why didn't we just stay home." Mai whined the last part. Not even trying to mask the need in it. While she pinched the fabric but not the skin on Jinora's rear.
"I promised my parents we'd help." Jinora tried to reason. Pulling the girl's body out from behind her so Lin could see her better. "But maybe Lin could help us out with that." Her passive eyebrows began to do the worm. "Let us borrow your room for a bit?"
Mai crossed her arms. "Her parents make us sleep in separate rooms. It's not like they have to worry about any 'accidents.'" Mai huffed. "And this one's such a daddies' girl she actually listens."
"My parents word is law. We should respect that." Jinora said sagely. But had her saint hood revoked with the next part. "Besides it's not like we haven't gotten away with 'that' in other places."
"Well, I would like to be able to spend the night with you afterwards."
Jinora placed a kiss on Mai's head. "Someday Mai. But in the meantime Lin..."
"No." Ruthless and without mercy. Lin shot Jinora down without an inch of hesitation. Nor left the conversation open for debate.
Jinora gave a bow. Leaning on Mai to force the other to mimic her too. "Of course. My apologies. The room should be 'broken in' by the happy couple." She said before swooping Mai through the back door.
Lin muttered under her breath; Pervert.
"So...we gonna get the rest of this move underway or what." Smiled Bolin while rubbing his hands together. "You promised dinner afterwards right, Lin." The man looked to her expectantly.
Eska groaned as she gave the neglected sky bison some attention. Trying to hide her embarrassment in Oogi's fur.
Korra took over as Lin disappeared inside the house. "Bolin do you think with anything but your stomach?" Shaking her head in disapproval.
"Hey, food keeps me going. I can't make movies without it."
"Your eating habits are deplorable, Turtle duck. Anytime he's on a shoot they have a separate table only for him. It is the only behavior I have failed to rid him of, cousin." Eska said. After getting her fill of the bison. Only because Oogi's wet tongue was trying to return the favor. Eska was now finding the next thing to entertain her; Yee-Li and Rohan. Following behind the two children as they explored the back yard. From one edge of the fence to the other. Eska Just walked behind them quietly; not interacting. Just studying, or scrutinizing, their ever action. Finding it to be a displeasure when the airbender in training kept showing off by levitating himself and her cousin's daughter away. Making Eska have to run and catch them to resume her diligent observations.
"Trust me Eska." Lin had returned with an overly large blanket, after ruining many boxes in the truck to get to it, and laid it out in the back yard. "There are some habits you can never break people of."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Korra objected at the look of defeat her wife gave her.
"You snore." She confessed.
"I do not." Korra countered.
"Momma's a loud sleeper." Yee-Li had come up to the blanket to sit.
Korra gasped. Using Lin to steady herself as she shielded her face with her arm. "Betrayal from my own daughter."
Rohan, still a ball of energy. Was sending gusts of air skyward. All with improper form that Tenzin struggled to try and not correct. Being held back by Pema's hand on his forearm. Which by applying a little pressure she managed to get him to simply relax on the blanket with their niece.
"Hey aren't you two going to help." Bolin objected. His foot thumping the ground.
Tenzin stroked his beard while leaning back on one of his arms. His wife mimicking the relaxing part not the beard stroking one. The two staring at their son bouncing around.
Yee-Li was sitting on the edge of the blanket picking grass.
"Ah, but we are. We'll keep an eye on the kids while you work." The man smiled. A mischievous twinkle in his eye.
"That's not fair. You got the easy job." Bolin grumbled.
"Ha-ha-ha-Easy, you think so?" Tenzin asked his wife.
Pema responded with a hearty laugh of her own.
"Come on Bo. We'll be done in no time." Mako threw an around his brother and one around Asami's waist as they headed inside.
Lin felt a squeeze on her shoulder. "I better go make sure that they put everything were it should go." Korra said before making her exit as well.
Lin looked around the back yard for any holes or loose boards in the fence. Then went to her daughter. Who was messing around with something in her hands that Lin couldn't see. "Your Mommy and Me will be inside squirt. Be good ok."
Yee-Li replied exasperated by her momma crowding her. "I will momma."
"Do you guys need anything?" Lin asked Tenzin and Pema.
"Oh no, Lin. We're fine." Pema said for the both of them. Waving her away to go and take care of what needed to be done.
As Lin was about to go in the back door she turned around. "Thanks again for looking after Yee-Li so we can move in."
"That's our job isn't it?" Tenzin asked. Yee-Li moved over to the man with something between her hands. Blowing the strands of hair that got in her face as she walked.
The child stood in front of her uncle. Opening her hands to show him the blades of grass she had worked into a small ring. Falling apart already. The bracelet was delicately taken by Pema. Who went about fixing it so she could give it as a proper gift to her uncle.
"And it's your job to take care of our 'daughter' my dear sister-in-law." Pema had finished with the grass bracelet and gave it back to Yee-Li who slipped it onto Tenzin's wrist.
The man admired it and gave praise to his niece. "That's right Lin. We didn't just let you marry her because of your status. What kind of Parents would that make us? Hmm?"
Lin stared at the man who she had once thought would be the only person she would ever or could ever love in this world. Watching him interact happily with Korra and hers daughter. Showing off the bracelet to his wife. As Yee-Li settled down to pick fresh grass to start one for Pema.
Two more bracelets waited for Korra and Lin when they were finished unpacking. Made special for her mother's because attached to each of them, like a diamond, were the only two flowers that had grown in the backyard. Small and sort of wilting already. The dandelions would touch as the women held hands underneath the table when the whole family sat down to dinner.
