Title: Like Mother, Like Son
Author:
Pairings: Linumi, slight Jinoochy
Word Count: 4,019
Chapter 3: Words of the Past
Lin didn't exactly know when she had picked up the habit. She guessed that it was when Skoochy arrived in her house, but even so, she couldn't help but snicker at her own actions. The deep green walls of the Bei Fong living room seemed to stare at her as she thought. A lot had changed in her life since she adopted Skoochy, and she wasn't entirely sure if it was because of the impish earthbender himself, or because of Lin's change in mentality. It was probably a weird combination of both that was complementary to each other, but whatever - Lin had things to do.
Lin jaunted to the kitchen to retrieve her secret stash of cactus 'juice'. Honestly, she never understood why it was called juice when it was stronger than some of the Fire Nation's best sake, but again, whatever - who was she to judge? Besides, if it meant Skoochy never touched it - because the kid had a weird abnormality against juice, something Lin was kind of worried about - then so be it. Plus, it got the job done. So juice or no juice, she still got drunk.
She grabbed two bottles and two cups, and headed back to the main room where a small table was set next to a large Pai Sho board. Lin set her alcoholic drinks, and the two cups, on the small table.
Lin did not like to wait. But, you would think that she would be used to since her playmate was known for being notoriously late. But still, Lin hated to wait. She planned everything so that it was on the dot. Exactly. She always arrived promptly on time and prepared everything to the point where she would not have to wait. Lin despised waiting. Yet, here she was. Waiting awkwardly. So when the loud knocking on her door resounded through her home, Lin was more than happy to jump up and cut off the awkward waiting.
"Bumi! Why the hell are you-" Lin started to only be interrupted by Bumi's massive polar dog hug. Lin fumbled backwards and if it weren't for her impeccable balance skills, Bumi and her would have fallen into the large Pai Sho board and the two bottles of cactus juice.
"Lin-ny! I've missed you so much!" Bumi's loud voice ran throughout the Bei Fong compound. Lin could only roll her eyes at Bumi's erratic behavior, but let Bumi continue to leech onto her.
"Umm...mom...?" The foggy, and shocked, voice of Skoochy's caused Lin to roughly push away Bumi. Wasn't he supposed to be hanging out with Jinora by now? Why was this brat still home?
An awkward silence ensued between Lin as Skoochy - who was blinking profusely - as Bumi internally laughed at them. Lin felt her cheeks between to contract heat, and no matter how hard she willed them to cool down - and she had taught herself how to restrain the heat when she was younger because she had absolutely hated the heat, she wasn't a firebender - her cheeks still exploded out in a dusty, pink blush. And she hated it.
Skoochy stared, and stared at his blushing mother. Blushing mother. Mother, who was blushing. And the words refused to click because his mom did not blush. At all. Even when she gave him "the talk" and briefly talked about her past relationships, her faced refused to change hues - but, here she was now, with pinkish cheeks, and Skoochy couldn't help but look at the mad man who had brought about his mother's odd behavior. And when Skoochy diverted his attention to Bumi, the commander of the United Forces gave him a sly wink, with an equally sly smile.
And Skoochy's mouth lifted up into an impish smirk. Bumi laughed. Lin gaped. And this is what an optimistic Jinora walked in on.
"Hello...?" Jinora's arrival brought a shock to Skoochy, as his impish smirk dissolved into a look of distress.
"Jinora!" He ran over to the young airbender at the open door and stared at her as if she were a queen - and technically, she may as well be the queen of his world - and he was a misdemeanoring peasant.
"Skoochy. Did you forget that I said that I'd be here at exactly nine in the morning?" Jinora's voice started. By Skoochy's unruly bed hair, messy clothes, and baggy eyes, the young earthbender must have just woken up. "We can't be late", Jinora added as an afterthought. They really had no time to waste.
"I'm sorry Jinora! I just woke up, but I'll go get ready right now. I promise we won't be late" Skoochy rushed. His deep voice bellowed throughout the Bei Fong compound. Jinora just gave a small nod of her head and Skoochy quickly turned around, intent on quickly getting ready.
Now Lin had the impish smirk as she merrily watched her teenage son make a bumbling fool of himself in front of his "best friend" - though she didn't believe it because, honestly they didn't look at each other like best friends should. And Skoochy ran past her to quickly get ready for his date, though he called it "hanging out" - kids these days.
"Uncle Bumi...why are you here this early in the morning?" Jinora's voice is confused, and Lin blushes as she realizes how inappropriate this may seem to the sheltered, young airbender - and honestly, it would look bad to anyone. Everyone - the whole population of the world - knows that the commander of the United Forces is a heavy sleeper - he goes to sleep early, and wakes up inappropriately late. Plus, Lin and Bumi - and there were already hideous rumors setting wildfire in the city.
Before Lin could intercede Jinora's question Bumi wrapped a ripped arm around his niece's shoulders and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, "Well my adorable niece, all is as they seem. If you know what I mean." And with that, Bumi released Jinora - with a haughty wink for extra effect.
Lin really wanted to bury Bumi in an Earth pit and leave him there to rot - previous experiences would remind Lin that Bumi could not be caged. Or chained - Bumi just couldn't be contained. Yet, that never deterred Lin from trying, hoping that he would fall prey to chains and bond.
"Umm, okay then Uncle Bumi. I'll just assume that Chief Lin and you are just going to play a friendly-aggressive game of Pai Sho," Jinora spoke as she eyed the large Pai Sho board in the middle of the living room.
Bumi, who was completely speechless at his niece ignoring his sexual suggestion, awkwardly replied with, "Well, yes we are, but who knows what else might happen when you add some bottles of Cactus Juice?" A smirk reappeared on Bumi's chiseled face - and Lin was very curious on why Bumi wanted to make everything seem so vulgar. Jinora was way too wise to believe that anything inappropriate would happen between her hyper-active uncle and the chief police of Republic City.
"Chief, I hope you win," Jinora mentioned to Lin - who was dazed and ticked at this point - with a smile. Lin couldn't help but return the smile with a sassy smirk when she noticed Bumi's childish pout at Jinora's comment.
"Thank you Jinora." Bumi's pout increased ten fold. Jinora burst out laughing at his immature reaction and Lin just rolled her eyes. Would he ever grow up? At this rate - goodness, what was wrong with him?
Almost as if practiced, Skoochy walked in before an awkward silence could set over the occupants in the room. Jinora's laugh died out as Skoochy entered and eyed everyone suspiciously - he looked awkward and distressed.
Lin bit the inside of her mouth as she meticulously looked over son - he took only like ten minutes to get ready. Was he trying to look like Bumi while going on a date? That sure wouldn't win over Jinora's beautiful heart, or would it - it wasn't as if Bumi wasn't popular among the ladies - he always had been. An irritating twitch began under Lin's right eye.
"You alright mom," Skoochy asked as he watched his mother. He was expecting her to smirk in amusement - she always did before he went somewhere with Jinora. He even combed and brushed his unruly hair to get it to be ruly - only the best for Jinora because he had noticed the looks that his male age-mates gave Jinora and he wanted them to clearly know that they were not good enough for her; no one was.
"Skoochy, you got ready in ten minutes. Did you even brush your teeth, or hair, or take a shower? Ten minutes is not adequate time to properly get ready." However, Lin knew that it had obviously been more than ten minutes, and Skoochy looked cleaner than he did on a day-to-day basis - Jinora did wonders to her son.
"Linny," Lin threw a harsh glare at Bumi, though he completely ignored it and continued with, "Skoochy looks fine and he's already late for his date with my adorable niece. Not to mention, the longer they stay here, the longer I have to wait to have fun with you." The other three occupants' faces had collected some sort of pink or red, but a silent, unanimous agreement held over them; they knew Bumi was right.
Closing her eyes, Lin asked, "Do you have everything you need?" She felt a migraine forming - strong enough to cancel anything, and everything she had today. Drinking all her bottles of Cactus Juice and just sleeping the day away seemed like such a seductive idea.
"Yes mom. I've got money and my metal bands." Skoocy's voice was tentative as he could tell that his mother was a bit - a lot - peeved.
"Then you may leave," Lin curtly spoke. She felt inexplicably tired, all her energy drained, and she knew that was acting very unmotherly, but she was just too fatigued.
Skoochy looked at his pensive mother for a second, before a wave of emotion flooded over him and he pecked his mother on the cheek - a dark red covering both their cheeks. However, no one could deny how endearing the kiss was, or how Lin's expression dissolved into a content one - a small smile warming her features.
"Have a nice day mom." Skoochy, already too embarrassed, grabbed a hold of Jinora's hand - which proceeded to only cause both teenagers to become flushed - and rushed out of the door. Lin just smiled at the door as she touched her warm cheek - despite how awkward being a mother was, it had its rewarding moments. Such as now.
Lin turned around to Bumi and asked, "Why are you smiling like that?" His large grin only proceeded to inflate, before turning into a gentle, small smile. Bumi just shook his head at Lin and walked deeper into the living room and sat at the farthest end of the Pai Sho board. Lin stood dumbfounded, and a bit perplexed at Bumi's uncharacteristic behavior. She willed the dusty blush on her cheeks to go away before she went and sat down across from a calm Bumi.
However, the quiet Bumi didn't last as soon as Cactus Juice entered his system. He was howling and cursing as he moved his board tiles, trying desperately to up Linny. After a couple of cups, Lin was just as bad, if not worse than Bumi. The bridge of her nose and cheeks were flushed, and her lip red from her constant nibbling. Not to mention she was cursing up such a storm that even Bumi was blushing from her obscene words - though, in all honesty, Bumi found it extremely attractive and hilarious when Linny started cussing every other word.
"Fucking spirits! Shit Bumi, how the crap do you always beat me? Damn, this fucking pisses me off all the time. Little cunt sucking bastard," Lin yelled in spite as she lost to Bumi again. Goodness, she could not understand how he was so amazing at Pai Sho - a secret only Crown Prince Iroh II and she knew. All of their 'friendly' matches started off the same. Bumi would start off losing, always arising a bitter hope in Lin, and then by some spiritual luck, he always managed to pull one over Lin and easily win. It was pure ridiculousness.
"And the fucking worse part is that asshole looks like he's more pissed worth surprised that he fucking won again than I am. Ugh. That shit hole bastard!" Lin started grumbling to herself. It wasn't fair.
"Lin you are hilarious!" Bumi sang out as a large laugh shook his whole body. He felt honored to see the calm, composed Lin Bei Fong cuss and whine like a snot nosed teenager. No one but him got to see Lin at her weakest, vulnerable moments and it warmed his heart.
Lin jumped up, shaking her whole house, and pointed an accusing finger at Bumi as she yelled, "Shut the fuck up you little crap head!" She then proceeded to stick her tongue out at him and run down the hallway, "Try to fucking catch me if you can bastard."
"Two can play this game Linny!" Bumi responded as he staggered up and began to chase Lin down the hallway. Both were so intoxicated that their running looked as if they were drowning. Lin was pushing off the walls as she tried to get momentum. Bumi on the other hand was running in a zig zag as he had his hands out in an attempt to fly.
"I'm going to get you Lin," Bumi slurred as he came closer to Lin. His face broke out into his signature large grin. In a desperate attempt to escape Bumi, Lin ripped the hinges of Skoochy's room and bended the door back into place just as Bumi reached the doorway. Falling down in a drunken haste, Lin began laughing at the imprint that Bumi's body made on Skoochy's metal door. Her hiccupy laughter caused her to clutch her burning abdomen and colored her already pink face red.
Her laughter ceased as she heard the door being pulled off the hinges, and then Bumi was standing in the doorway shirtless with the heavy metal door in his hands.
"You're not the only one strong enough to bend metal Linny." Bumi threw the metal door to the side and began to stalk up to Lin. Lin squeaked in fear, but then she remembered who she was - a Bei Fong and Bei Fong's don't squeak. Still, she was too drunk and sore to avoid Bumi's body tackle.
Lin yelped in pain as Bumi's heavy body made contact with her body.
"I love you Linny!" Bumi laughed out as he sat up, straddling Lin - who was not impressed by Bumi's words. She crossed her hands over her chest and rolled her eyes.
"What do you even know about love Bumi?"
"Plenty." Maybe it was what he said - admitting he knew what love was. Or maybe it was how he said it - gentle and genuine. But Lin was taken back and looked up at Bumi, who was staring up at the ceiling.
"You know that love isn't the hundred of girls you've chased since we were little?" Lin snarled out a bit sarcastically. She could name everything love wasn't - like what she had with Tenzin for years.
"I know."
Now Lin was truly curious, if not a bit flabbergasted at Bumi's serious disposition.
"Then what is it oh wise one?" She subtly noted that she was acting much more childish than Bumi.
Bumi finally looked at Lin. His blue eyes, filled with mirth, had a longing look to them - and Lin knew that look. The look he always had when they were children and all of them were bending, but him. When people told Kya and Tenzin how incredibly similar they were to their parents, but not him. When he watched Tenzin and Penma with their children, or Kya with her wife. Lin knew because she too had that longing for something that was never hers.
"Love is what I feel for you."
Words could not express how Lin felt as Bumi stated his declaration.
"I love you Lin." And this time, Lin was impressed.
As Lin stared at the man that loved her - despite everything - she relaxed. It was - she was - Bumi was amazing. The revelation, that had always been there, rang in her head like a never ending tune.
"Oh my spirits! Mom, what are you doing?" Skoochy and Jinora looked petrified as they saw the compromising position their family members were in. What had happened?
Lin shot up like an inmate and pushed Bumi to the other side of the room with the strength she had left. Weakly, she got up and looked at the two traumatized teenagers. Goodness, had the time gone by so fast without her realizing it?
"Jinora, I'll walk you home," Skoochy muttered after a few seconds of awkward silence. He turned around with Jinora in tow - and Lin just realized that that the pair had been holding hands the whole time and maybe it was the Cactus Juice still in her system, or the sheer tiredness she felt - but she smiled at their laced hands.
Skoochy glanced back at his mother, only to see a tipsy smile on her lips - and what was so funny? Could she get anymore insane? Probably, he thought, so Skoochy picked up his speed and practically dragged - not really since he wouldn't actually drag his girlfriend - Jinora out of his madhouse.
When Lin heard the slam of the front door - and if she wasn't in her current state, she would yell at Skoochy - she slowly walked over to Bumi who had not moved since the confrontation.
With a harsh kick, Lin whispered "Are you breathing Bumi?" His body laid down unmoving until several harsh kicks later.
"Unf. You can stop kicking me now," Bumi answered with a pout. He tentatively rose up and quickly popped the aches in his body. "Darn kids. Ruining a perfectly good moment," he continued under his breath.
"What are you even saying?!" Lin sputtered as she looked at Bumi through thick lashes and an increasingly flushed face. This whole situation was a mess and she was beginning to become frustrated. She couldn't tell if the beating of her heart and warmth in her cheeks were because of alcohol or the man standing up before her. She quickly exited her son's bedroom and entered the living room - the man in love with her trailed.
Bumi grunted and rubbed his behind before he caught Lin's eyes. Her energetic, bright green eyes were shaking and her body was so open - she looked so vulnerable. Bumi's breath hitched as he stepped forward to the only person he had ever loved.
"Lin Bei Fong. I love you." The room became silent as Bumi's words settled into the room. Of all the things that Lin expected today - of all that he could have said - neither expected a love confession. For Bumi, he long accepted that it was never meant to be and that Lin would never need to know that his love for was never platonic.
"You're drunk Bumi," even to Lin, her words sounded weak. She took a step back as Bumi began to draw closer to her shaking his head.
"Loved you since we were little," Bumi cocked his infamous one-sided smile as he placed his hand on her right shoulder. He stepped closer until they were chest to chest and Lin was once again made aware that Bumi - goofy old Bumi whom she's known since she was born - Bumi was a man.
Lin gulped as her heart skipped beats. She wasn't sure what was going on but she knew that Bumi's intense blue eyes were drowning her. He had gotten Katara's eyes and it felt like he was water bending every part of her body - rocking her gently against the current.
"Yen for your thoughts?" Bumi's voice wafted over her face and the distinct smell of cactus juice cleared her mind a bit.
"Skoochy will be back soon."
"Skoochy isn't here. I am." Bumi lowered his face to Lin's. He scoured her eyes - searching for an answer. He began to open his mouth again before they heard the very loud opening of the front door.
They both stepped back from each other as Skoochy entered the living room. He was ready to make a witty reply before he saw the tense shoulders of both adults in the room. His eyes widened as he paused - maybe just maybe his mom was about to find her own happiness. Skoochy looked his mom in the eyes and winked before he first bumped Bumi on the shoulder.
"I'm going to bed. See y'all tomorrow." Skoochy leisurely began to walk to his room whistling. "Wait till I tell Jinora about this? This is way better than any of her books."
Lin blinked and came to her senses as she realized that it was way past time for Bumi to leave. And as if he could read her mind, Bumi began to walk to the front door, putting his shoes on. Lin stood over him, hand on her hips as she analyzed him.
"Linny," Bumi began as he rose, "I meant what i said and I won't apologize for it. I love you Lin Bei Fong." Bumi lowered his lips to Lin and brushed it gently against her forehead. Lin's cheeks erupted in dusty pink as she took a step back causing Bumi to release a full belly laugh at her reaction. He never thought that he would be able to cause the great Lin Bei Fong to blush. Luck may really be on his side after all.
Lin squinted her eyes as Bumi laughed at her expense, but she couldn't help the small smile that fell across her lips. Bumi seeing this gave her a full smile of his own before turning around and opening the door.
"I'll see you later Linny," Bumi shouted as he began to leave. He was stopped by Lin grabbing his wrist and turning him around. She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down crashing their lips together. Bumi was in complete shock but quickly realized that Lin was kissing him, so his eyes closed and he let himself relax into her lips, but all too quickly she let go, taking a step back.
"That's how you do that Bumi," Lin smirked with her hands on her hips. She simply couldn't let herself be the only one flustered. She had to have the last word and seeing Bumi's shocked expression made her initial embarrassment worth it.
Just as she was about to laugh, Lin felt an arm wrap around her waist and before she knew it, Bumi's lips were on hers again except this time they were much more gentle - his lips were slowly coaxing her to deepen the kiss. Her body felt like it was on water again but instead of drowning she was floating and with each movement of Bumi's lips on hers, she felt the warm water lapping at her. Her eyes closed and her breathing deepened matching that of Bumi's. His thumb was drawing warm circles into her waist and Lin tentatively wrapped her arms around his neck - further bringing them closer. Closer. Closer. Closer.
Bumi pulled away first and winked at Lin's flushed face.
"I still think I do it better Linny," Bumi captured her lips again in a quick kiss before Lin could retort. Afterwards he pulled away for good knowing he had to get home before he made-out with Lin in her doorway.
"I'll see you later Lin," and Lin's face flushed again - she liked the way Bumi had said her name. Her stomach was doing flips and jumping hurdles.
"I believe Skoochy has another date with Jinora in two days," she said and then quickly shut the door. She didn't need to see Bumi's face to know he was grinning and despite the locked metal door, she could still hear his loud laughter.
She couldn't help herself but shake her head. Her and Bumi? - but she couldn't deny the chemistry that they just had - that had been slowly building for some time. Lin felt good.
Author's Note: Hi lol. It's been years since I last updated. I've actually had this chapter done for several years but forgot to post it. This story will be completed. I've already written the last chapter and plan to upload it next week after re-reading through it. My writing has changed and so it might be obvious. I know this isn't my most popular story, but I do hope someone enjoys it! If not, I enjoyed writing it. Also it's funny how Kai is so similar to Skoochy - I could replace his name and the bending and it would still work.
I hope people are safe and finding joy. Much love.