Meeting Mommas Sister (Pt. 1)
This was madness. An utter complete takeover by a tyrant. Forcing her into slavery.
Lin held a wet rag and ran it over the book shelf. Peeling off a layer of dust which had settled. Her feet balanced on the stool. A deep grumble in her throat. The fire warmed her right leg as she worked.
The rag was pulled towards her and specks of dust squeezed out and flew into her nose. Lin sneezed and stumbled off the stool.
"Be careful badgermole." Said a voice across the room over the sound of running water. Korra was taking care of the dirty dishes in the sink that had piled up over the last two days.
"I am." Lin sniffled as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand. Took another look at the shelf and shrugged. Good enough. Not like anyone is going to see it. Putting the stool back behind the chair Lin walked into the kitchen. There was a pile of already used rags on the counter which she set hers down with.
"All done?" Korra questioned while scrubbing a pot. A particular stain had been created from several meals that had leaked into the pot over the time it spent 'soaking.' Korra had rolled the tight sleeves of her shirt past her elbows. Water had left a horizontal trail across her torso. The wet fabric clung and Lin could see a hint of skin. Or maybe she wanted to imagine it.
Letting her hands stray across the damp fabric from behind Korras back Lin massaged her wife's stomach. Which quivered as the woman laughed at the attention.
"Stop it. I have to finish before your sister gets here."
"Or what?" The woman challenged as short nails tried to pinched flesh that had no give whatsoever.
"I don't want her to think that we live in a bison barn. Come on, get back to work. I want this place to sparkle so your sister thinks she's back in Zaofu."
"Technically she is your sister-in-law." Lin touched the necklace that lay exposed upon her wife's shirt. Her sense touched the rock it were made of and Lin felt so much more connected to her wife through it. A piece of earth that she could use to reach out far enough to feel her wife's heart beat.
"I know." Korra stopped her cleaning and nudged her face into Lins. Nuzzling the skin affectionately. Her eyes shut instinctually.
Lin moved herself enough so they could share a kiss. As she pulled away Korras lips had become a deep smirk. Daring and mischievous. Two emotions that stirred Lins insides. As she felt a hand reach over Korras shoulder to touch her cheek; the side with the scar on it and ran the back of her hand along the blemish it left a slimy trail of soap.
"If we're going with that then my parents are your in-laws too. I'd like to see how my dad might react to you calling him papa or something. Mom would be thrilled I'm sure. I think she wanted another kid." The hand that was idly touching her cheek went to sticking itself back in the dirty water.
Lin rubbed her wet cheek on Korras shoulder. The hold she had on her waist slackened as she rested her forehead against Korras neck. Letting a breath out over the back of the woman's shoulder blade. The muscle contracted towards her in response. A want for more attention.
Lin never had someone to call a dad before. It felt strange to think about it after all these years. Since she let such a thought of having another parent, a father, had been set aside. She had her mother. Who was enough like a dad anyway. Always the fun one. Which is what she heard fathers were supposed to be anyway. But her mother could be stern as well; like a mother was supposed to be.
"I guess she could of been both of them." Lin muttered.
The back she rested upon moved slightly to the side as Korra tried to look at her wife but only saw the gray hair on her head, "what was that?" She asked.
Lin pulled her mouth away so she could talk. "Nothing." Before she leaned in and planted her lips on her wife's back. Leaving wet marks in the fabric as she created a ladder passed the safety net of clothing. The skin prickled as it was pecked by heated lips.
Korra squirmed. Trying to push Lin away. Softly. "Lin." She gasped as her wife worked her way below the others ear. Pressing close Lin hugged Korra harder. Squeezing, but not meant to hurt, her wife into a heated cocoon. Their clothes ruffled as Lin bared down on the fur that hung around her wife's hips. It sunk lower as Lin used her pelvis to nudge it. Exposing skin on the small of her back. Lin saw the brown flesh and one of the dimples of her pelvis. There came an urge to see more. Especially that nice rear.
Suddenly Korra pushed her back against Lins front obstructing the others view; to which Lin gave an unhappy whimper. Squashing them together in a slow grind. If Lin was going to play then she would too. A smirk hidden behind her turned face. As she rested her hands on the counter. Tilting her head back letting her hair fall over Lins shoulder. The single braid on the right tickled Lins nose as she nudged in next to her wife's ear. With a ragged breath sucked in Lin forced herself off of her wife. Korra felt hands tugging her clothes back up.
Korra releases a strangled why?
"We don't want to be caught do we?" Was the answer.
Korra blinked. Once. Twice. Clearing the fog of lust just as Yee-Li reached the bottom of the steps and quickly stuck her hands back into the water to scrub the first thing she could find which happened to be her own finger mistaken for a chopstick. Blushing, she blindly feels around in the foaming sink till she pulls out a bowl with some broccoli stuck to it. Which must of meant it was last night's dinner of veggies and rice. Bland but a quick meal. Since she was to wrapped up in thinking about what they needed to do in order to prepare for Suyins arrival.
"Your sister isn't very good at giving us fair warning." Korra set the bowl on a cloth to dry with the rest of the dishes. It clanks and the woman on her back cringes at the noise. Keeping a chaste buffer between them with Lins hands loosely around Korras stomach.
Korra finished another dish, a plate that now sparkled enough to reflect her own peachy smile, as Yee-Li trudges to the counter to lay a dirty rag with the others. The girl brushes a loose strand of hair out of her face. Still trying to keep herself pretty for her Aunts arrival.
"Finished with your room?" Korra asked. Lin stayed silent and rested cheek on the back of Korras smooth neck and watched her daughter turn and go to the table.
"Yes." Yee-Li responded dully, as she eased herself onto the cushion that was her own. They each had their own seat; Korras was blue, Lins green, and Yee-Lis red. Brown eyes alight with the sight of the flowers in front of her. Yee-Li reached out a hand to pet one of the asters. Shades of purple and pink, with two green ones snuck into the arrangement. They flanked a large single red flower that took most of the attention. As Yee-Li had done in their lives.
"She likes my sisters gift." Lin whispered to Korra as she watched Yee-Li lean close to the vase made of a shimmering metal. The elegance of a platypus bear with enough holes that it was a wonder that it could water to keep the flowers nourished. Compliments of Suyins son: Huan. I will never get artist, Lin thought as she looked at the vase. Composed of several thin pieces folded atop one another.
"Is it supposed to be a flower?" Curious as to the reasoning behind the sharper angles of the piece.
Korra snorted and splashed herself when a plate dropped. "Badgermole, don't try to think about it. You have about as much sense about art as Bolin." She could feel her wife grimace into her back and a warning tweak from the hand at her waist. If she couldn't stand some criticism at the moment she wasn't going to like what was coming next. "Can you go dust our room now. Fold the sheets and get rid of any dirty clothes that might be out."
Lin groaned letting her legs slacken. Slipping down her wife's body till her nose poked her in the spine. "Little Penguin please, no more. We don't need to clean our room, it's not like she is going to see it."
"Hey if you don't have to clean your room then why did I have to clean mine? No one's going in there either." Yee-Li said as she propped her chin on the table.
"You know what. The both of you can clean it. Huh?" Korra tried to calm her nerves by closing her eyes. Not surprised by the twos response.
"Korra!"
"Mommy!"
"Nope not listening. Unless it's to the sounds of you two scrubbing. Now quickly, your sister will be here in a couple more hours."
"We've been cleaning all morning." Lin said as she let go of her wife and moved to hold onto the counter as she gave her a sober look.
"I'm hungry." Yee-Li said behind them.
"You'll eat when your Aunt gets here. Or did you not notice me cooking while you two cleaned?" Korra questioned her wife. "You know making a delicious meal for our family who we haven't seen in how long Lin?"
"Four years. Yee-Lis sixth birthday." Lin noted, turning away from her wife's pointed look. Brushing a hand up her own arm nervously. It had been that long hadn't it. And she had made a promise to keep in touch. Which would of all but fallen apart without Korra sending her sister updates on them every month or so. Otherwise they would of become estranged all over again.
"Lin," to stop her wife's nervous rubbing Korra laid a hand upon the others and gave it a squeeze, "I just want everything to look nice." She tilted her head to the side and gave a smile.
Lin sighed. Defeated? Outwitted? No, just not as brash as she used to be. Better than she was. Hiking a thumb in the direction of the stairs Lin commanded, "Let's go squirt."
Yee-Li grumbled but got up anyway knowing it was futile to argue unless she wanted to be dragged up the steps.
Pleased, Korra went back to scrubbing the dishes.
. . .
A room becomes its owner, or is adapted to them is a better way to put it. Shaped by their personality. Both the women's clean clothes go in the dresser. Dirty ones in a pile by the door to be cleaned on the weekend. Something Lin learned she wasn't good at when colors leeched into others and she had a set of blue tank tops. She still wore them it wasn't like Lin to throw perfectly good clothes away. It did have the added effect on Korra. As the woman grew exceedingly more touchy when Lin wore the water tribe colors.
Lin grimaced when she could not find a place to put their unwashed clothes. So she opened the door to the dresser that held her armor and stuffed them in the back. Lin took a moment to touch an arm guard and feel the metal vibrate. Tempted to take it for a spin again.
A grumbling child behind her. Yee-Li sprayed them windows harshly as if she were disciplining a bad puppy with the bottle of cleaner. The bubbly mixture dripped onto the windowsill.
A shadow behind her made the girl hunch over to cover the mess as she tried to get the sticky stuff off the windowsill.
Lin said nothing of what she saw. Taking a rag of her own she snatched the bottle from her daughters hand without the girl realizing it. The quiet hush of the spray made the child turn her head and look to her hand then back to her mother. Who was taking care of the higher parts of the window. Efficient they sparkled and reflected Lins demure expression.
"Are you glad your Aunt is coming?" Lin asked when her daughter tried to sneakily take bottle back. It was moved away effortlessly, but was handed over soon after.
With a shrug Yee-Li sprayed her window then gave the bottle back so Lin could do the same. They polished quietly for a while with nothing but the squeaks of their rags rubbing the glass. Lins was even. Yee-Lis chaotic and inefficient. Streaks left in wide arcs that obscured parts of the neighborhood.
"I don't know. I really don't remember Aunt Su." Yee-Li shrugged. Finishing the last window she set the rag down and did an about face to look the room over. The futon was a mess. Blankets not having been folded since the first time they were slept in when they had moved in. Yee-Li decided to make them presentable. Fluffing the pillows. Smoothing the creases. Taking care that the furs were on top to lock in the heat for the cold nights.
Lin went about fixing her daughters windows behind the girls back.
"She made the city of Zaofu? We learned about it in class." The girl's mother nodded.
"Yes, she did." Lin set the bottle and rag on the windowsill. Mulling her thoughts as a Sato-mobile went up the stretch of road in front of the house. A brother and sister that the family never bothered to get close to were outside playing.
"You know your Aunt is my sister?" Back against the glass now Lin leaned on the window ledge. She crossed her arms and gave her daughter a small grin.
Yee-Li joined her mother. Looking outside at the sky. Picturing the time she had been up there. Fingers drummed on the wood and a question on the tongue. A request actually. Something that came as she looked at the clouds. Wishing she could reach out and touch them like she could of before. That thought went away as she told her momma something else.
"They asked me about her when we talked about Zaofu. I..." she looked to Lin with a bit of dread stretching her face, "I didn't have anything to say."
The back of Lins head met the glass leaving a small smudge where she had just cleaned. She put a hand on her daughters head and said, "You can ask her anything you want, you know, when she gets here. About Zaofu. Her...us."
Yee-Lis fingers stilled there rhythm. "Really?"
"Sure. I know my sister would be happy to do anything for her niece." Lin forwent her usual mussing of her daughters hair when the girl turned to look at her. Calm blue against harsh red. Korra kept the single braid on the right side of her face. While the other was mirrored on Yee-Li. She caught the braid and gave it a tug.
"Ow, momma!" The girl tried to pull her hair out of her mother's hand.
Lin let go as she chuckled playfully then hissed as she was splashed with something cold.
Yee-Li held the bottle and brandished it menacingly. Finger tensed on the trigger. She gave her mother a daring brow that curved in an elegant arc over her eye.
"Don't you dare." Lin said in a mixture of a warning and a good-humored chuckle.
"Pay back." Was the only forewarning her daughter gave before she pulled the trigger.
. . .
Once the house had been cleaned, and Lin changed her sticky clothes, the family was made to wait in the nook by the front door. Sitting shoulder to shoulder. Lin was not allowed to stand as she wanted too.
Korra was wrapped around the woman's arm. The excitement at seeing her wife's family was enough to petrify her mouth into a smile as she leaned her head on Lins shoulder and stared at the back of the door. The same light green that Korra thought matched her wife's eyes.
Lin looked down when she felt the squeeze on her arm. Nothing amiss. Nor anything hinted at more. Korra pecked Lin on the side of the mouth and went back to resting her head. Lin turned back to staring at the door. The feel of a tingle on her lips. Yet no fire in the belly. Contented bliss. Lin used her other hand to rub her wife's fingers. Which tangled with hers soon after; tight and lovingly. The warmth was pleasant and always appreciated.
Someone huffed at the women's affection. Yee-Li sat away from her mother's with as much space as she can manage; which isn't much more than a tiny hands length away. Her fingers walk along the grain of the cubby hole. Tracing the monstrous furry paws of Shu the badgermole; then dotting the nose with a tap of her finger. She was glad that they were happy again. Except...she glanced their way. Both her mothers had a faraway look as they were coupled together and the thought that bad Yee-Li had was cast aside. Yeah, she was just glad they were happy as she goes back to tracing the badgermole.
It was a perfect and simple moment Lin reflected upon as the three of them waited in that nook. The perfect moment to capture.
Lin gets up.
"Where are you going? Your sister could be here any minute!" Korra shouts as Lin leaves her sight.
"I'll be right back." Lins voice booms through the house from the top of the stairs.
Not a peep is heard as the woman slinks into her bedroom and takes something off the top of the dresser. Nor does she say a thing as she comes back into the tiny nook and crouches down in front of the door.
A metal tripod snaps into place as Lin sets a large gold lined metal box on the head of it and gives it a twirl till it locks with a tiny snap. Lin pulls off a round disc and exposes a lens that reflects the pair. Korra leans close to look at herself. While Yee-Li begins to straighten her hair and clothes.
A brown finger stretches towards the camera. Intent to touch her shiny and distorted self. But finds itself swatted away. Korra sucks on her digit and glares at Lin. "What was that for?" She says moodily.
"You'll scratch the lens." Lin said as she peeked through the view finder and shifted the tripod a little to the right. Hoping to frame the hallway evenly. A hand delicately twists the lens bringing everything into focus. An Lin held a breath. The light spilling in behind her back illuminated the scene perfectly. Too bad it was going to be in black and white. The colored shapes turned her wife and child and the whole scenery itself into what she imagined the spirit world looked like.
"Ready?" Lin asked as Yee-Li struck a confident pose. Hands in her lap. Back straight. And perfectly brushed eyebrows shining with the spit she used to lay them down.
Hesitant hands brush a loose lock behind an ear. While the neat braid was left to hang; mirrored by her daughter. Korra pants fit better than her other ones; the pair seemed to actual not look like it might fall off. Face scrubbed and nails picked clean. Korra even had Yee-Li brush her hair out because Lin in her immaculate ways never owned a brush nor needed one in her whole life her simply fell that perfect way with only a light shake of the head needed to take care of any curls that popped up from sleep.
Korra unknowingly pleaded with her eyes as she looked at the lens of the camera, "do I look alright?" Hunched with hands in her lap. She worried her bottom lip.
Lin rolled her eyes. Careful to step around the legs of the tripod she sat down next to her wife. Set a hand on her back and pushed till it straightened out. She grabbed Korra by the chin and centered her head perfectly in line with the camera.
"I love you." Simple words followed by a innocent kiss that brought out the kind of smile Lin wanted to see every time she looked back at this moment.
Lin got up and went to the camera. Fiddled with it some more before the turn of a knob started a loud irritating ticking noise. Quickly Lin sat back down and laid her arm around her wife's shoulder. Her fingers curled tight over the thick joint where arm met shoulder.
With a flash the moment was captured for posterity. As the other two blinked the stars from their eyes Lin went to the camera and turned the knob again.
Korra was rubbing the spots still when Lin sat back down. "Another?" She asked, when Lin reached over her and grabbed her daughter by the arm. The little girl squealed agitatedly as she were forced into Korras lap. Who held her still in her arms. Laying her arm over Korras shoulder again Lin pulled her closer. Mashing their cheeks together as she snaked a hand innocently into her daughters side to tickle Yee-Li and break her of that stuck up facade she was putting on. The ticking quickened. Lin stopped her attack and simple wrapped her hand around her daughters waist awkwardly.
The light flashed and although the photo would be heavy to the one side leaving all that empty space. Something Lin had been told was a faux pas in photography. This picture would be put into a nice golden frame and sit upon the fireplace mantel as if it were a masterpiece. So when winter really started in the coming months, the worse snow storm republic city will have seen in years, enough to sequester people in their homes and Yee-Li would experience her first snow day. With nothing but a fire to light the living room. Lin would look up and see this moment preserved and feel her eyes well up.
For now they were dry as a bone. The camera was put back and the family went back to waiting until the bell chimed just once before Korra was up. Pulling Lin to her feet too. Yee-Li didn't have to be told and was already up and making sure her dress was wrinkle free. Their daughter expectant; looked at the door as Korra stepped close. Hand gripping the knob, round, golden, and new, it clicked with a gentle twist.
In four years the green robes Suyin wore had not changed their style. Nor the flashy necklace around her neck. Thick rectangular pieces of metal that could be turned into a weapon if she should choose. Her hair was whiter than Lins, even though she was the younger, and the eyes although cheery had thicker wrinkles. Her lips framed by thick creases although still carried the same happy smile they always did when she got to see her extended family.
The first to accept a hug was Korra. Swept up in Suyins robes the woman held her tight. Receiving a peck on the cheek from the water tribe woman. They parted. Suyin glanced down to the small child behind her mother.
Arms behind her back. Yee-Li was staring wide eyed at the powerful woman who ruled an entire city. The robes made the woman look impending.
The lines on Suyins mouth softened. It was easy for her to charm the nervous child she did have five of them. The metal jingled as the little girl slipped into her arms. As if they had not seen each other for four years but merely four days. Yee-Li hugged tight.
"Hello Aunt Su." Yee-Li said vocally; the anxiety gone.
Suyin gave a hearty grunt as she hugged her niece. "It's so good to see you too honey," She pushed the girl to arms length as she took her in, "wow-you've grown so much." Remembering when she could of still held the child in her arms. Now she came past her waist. In a few years more maybe she'd even be as tall as her.
Suyin let go of her niece and her eyes quickly settled on Lin. Her mouth split at the sight of her sister. Still with that air of aloofness about her yet softer if only just. It showed more when she were around Korra and her daughter.
Suyin stepped close and initiated the hug patting her sister on the back. "It's so good to see you Lin. How have you been? How's the job? Korra doesn't always talk about that stuff. But I do hear a lot about your family life." The woman's grin sizzled.
"Mommy who's that?" Lin heard the question whispered behind her back.
Lin noticed the other woman standing in the doorway. Hair still kept an inch shorter than her chin. The eyes were unmistakably earth kingdom green but the puffy mustard colored tunic suggested she weren't an earthbender; a long reddish-orange cloak hung on her shoulders. The woman's face was impassive till she was spotted. Then her cheeks bloomed and her eyebrows furrowed nervously as she shifted on her toes.
"Sorry sis, I hope you don't mind the extra company-Yee-Li, honey," Suyin spoke as she tugged her niece close and faced her to the woman, "you haven't met each other because when I came for your birthday she was away at the northern air temple, I'm sure you heard all about that place from your Uncle Tenzin, but this is my daughter, Opal. She's your cousin and sister to my sons Wei, Wing, and Huan. You remember them though, right?" The woman asked and the child nodded if not voicing that it was only a vague recollection she had of her cousins from her birthday.
She remembers the twins always rough housing and squabbling. But the one boy with the half shaved head and the heavy eye liner and painful looking piercings in his ear stuck out the most. As he had settled into a corner during the party. Not talking to anyone else and said only a brief hello to the birthday girl. The boy mumbled to himself as he played with a small rock that constantly changed shape to his artistic whims. Yee-Li had wanted to get a closer look but was to frightened by his pensive stare over the rock he were sculpting.
This woman seemed friendlier in her cheerful colored robes. Which of course reminded Yee-Li of her Uncle Tenzin. He always had a warm smile to give, as did this woman.
Thin, tall, and light on her toes. Opal hovered the short distance on a breath of air and held out a shy hand. "Hello, Yee-Li. I'm Opal."
Although timid; Yee-Li shook her cousins hand.
Suyin watched the mothers share a look while feeling a swell inside her own chest at the proud nod Lin gave to Korra.
Feeling someone watching her Lin turned into her sisters stare. Meeting it and raising a brow in return. Suyins smile widened. Lins eyes glanced away for a moment, then returned, and finally looked away to her wife. Who Suyin saw was holding her hand.
Tight and reassuring. Korra used her thumb to rub the skin on the back of Lins hand in tender strokes. Leaning into her ear Korra whispered something. It must of been pleasant as Lin kissed Korra on the side of the mouth.
