Tenzin didn't pay anyone any heed as he walked quickly through the dorm on air temple island. He ignored the odd looks from the acolytes around him. He was still agitated after the fight with Lin. He had flown around the city on his glider hoping the flight would clear his head but it hadn't. Thoughts still flew around his head like angry bees stinging his brain at every little mistake and problem between him and Lin. He was mostly angry at himself, they had both thrown some insults at each other that they knew would land. He still didn't know what to do, what the answer was and the buzzing thoughts were going to drive him insane. He needed to try something else. He paused when he reached the door he was looking for, taking a deep breath and collected himself before knocking.
The door opened "What is it?" Leah said stand there with a concerned expression on her face.
"I need to talk to you." Tenzin said simply.
Leah sighed. "Fine," and gestured for him to lead the way. She must have known something was bothering him to agree without arguing. Tenzin led the way back through the dorm towards the main tower spire. "People will talk, you know." Leah said to him quietly as they passed other acolytes giving them strange looks.
"It doesn't matter it won't be true." Tenzin muttered back.
"Yeah but…" Leah trailed off. Tenzin knew she was right and it would be a pain in the ass later but he really didn't care about that right now and couldn't be bothered to think about the island gossip.
"Lin knows better than to believe it and my mother won't believe it either you know." Tenzin pointed out at Leah continued heistance. It wasn't late yet but it wasn't early either dinner had already passed and most people were winding down towards bed.
Leah snorted. "Yeah too bad everyone else will." She returned darkly as they climbed the stairs. Tenzin chose not to think about that as he closes the door behind them and sits down heavily on an old crate when they reach the room at the top.
"What's wrong Tenzin? You look like shit." Leah said crossing her arm at him.
Tenzin grimaced, she wasn't wrong; he had flown around the city on his glider for a while after leaving Lin's. He needed to clear his head and to think. It had been his original plan before fighting with Lin. "Lin and I fought." he admitted to her.
"Okay," Leah said slowly hoping he would continue.
"I wasn't ready to talk to her but we ended up talking and fighting anyways and now I'm stuck and I don't know what to do or say or anything." Tenzin massaged his temples.
"About what Tenzin?" Leah asked slowly.
Tenzin rubbed his hands over his face. "Life, kids, kind of."
"How can you kind of fight about kids?" Leah asked, taking a seat near him.
"I don't know." Tenzin sighed. "Well we didn't really fight about it. I didn't want to fight about kids and left before we actually said anything other than we don't agree on it."
"Well why were you talking about it in the first place?"
Tenzin looked up at the ceiling. "Because I'm an idiot and should have just left."
"So you were fighting before that?"
"No I- she asked me to stay, she wanted to talk. I didn't, I needed to clear my head, it wasn't in a good place. I knew that I needed to process a few things before talking to her. She stopped me and we went back and forth and it came up."
Leah held up her hand. "Wait back up, what happened to you?" Tenzin sighed heavily.
Teznin wasn't happy to be here. He for the life of him didn't see the point of having a cocktail hour after a memorial service. But the council had forbidden him from handling anything after he had given them his blessing on the whole remembrance day. 'To make it easier for you' was the supposed reason yet here he was at a freaking cocktail hour supposedly in his father's memory watching everyone try to get themselves ahead. He needed much more than this cocktail to get through this event.
Ping the fire nation representative on the council had come up and talked to him. He was one of the most annoying and conceited people in the city. That had what really set him spiraling even if he was only one of three different people to insinuate what he had blatantly said. "I imagine news of your engagement will be coming soon. I suppose that means we will need a new police chief." he mused to Tenzin.
"Excuse me." Tenzin said, tripping over his words in surprise.
"I understand why you waited; you had to let the proper amount of time since your father's passing to start a family, of course." Ping said. Tenzin had just stared at him like he had five heads in completely disbelief. Luckily Lin had come up and saved him not long afterwards.
It bothered him not because he knew the answer to if he and Lin would get married or have kids or if she would retire to do any of that. That part didn't bother him and it never had, but there was an exception to that though for the simple fact that he was an airbender the last of his dying race and he didn't get to have a choice on how he lived his life. He had to have a family, it was what was expected of him. The world had long since speculated on when it would happen not if it would happen even people closer to his family had believed that. It was only his and Lin's immediate family and his parents' closest friends that knew that neither had ever really been too keen on starting a family. He didn't think he would mind having kids and certainly not marrying Lin but it felt more like an expectation, a requirement really, at this point than a wish.
"Tenzin, no to be a complete ass but you know that everyone thinks that even Lin knows that's the expectation." Leah said gently.
"I know. Hell I know that. I've always known that. I don't like that. I hate it, Leah. I feel like everyone has already made every choice in my life for me since I was born." Tenzin said, letting out some of his frustration.
"But I know you also know Lin probably will never agree to have kids." Leah said so gently she could have been talking to an infant.
"I know." Tenzin said rubbing his hands down his face.
Leah was quiet for a minute. "Then two question," She said slowly. "Why did you say it bothered you so much? And why did you fight about something you both already know?"
Tenzin grimaced. "Because maybe Lin's right." Leah gave him a look at that. "I don't particularly want to get married either, contrary to every gossip column in the city I've never proposed and she's never turned me down." Lin had been right when she said he had told he didn't want to get married. "You know marriage was never a thing for airbender before my father. And if it gets me out of a wedding half as bad as Izumi's that alone is worth not getting married."
Leah chuckled at that. "So why does what Ping says bother you if you know that?"
"Because I don't know that and I don't think I get a choice regardless. I don't know anymore what are actually my thoughts and wishes and dreams are for marriage, kids, life and what's just everyone's else." Tenzin sighed.
"And what?" Leah said, crossing her arms. "Tenzin it's not their life."
"And what doom airbenders to history books? End the entire culture that my father and you for that matter are trying to keep from dying." Tenzin snapped, he didn't mean to snap at her and from the look on her face she knew that.
"You know the difference between you and your sister isn't that you both don't care about the air nation and your father's legacy. It that she just said fuck it anyways." Leah told him. "Tenzin if you don't want kids don't put your kids through that. If for no other reason than that."
"I know and I don't know the answer to that. So I don't know how to talk to Lin about or what to do." Tenzin groaned.
"Okay what about the second question, why did you guys fight about it?" Leah asked.
"I- she wanted to talk. I know I was distant yesterday and before that too probably and she just pushed me to talk about something being up with me and I did. I didn't mean for it to come out, it just did. I don't know." Tenzin sighed. He had tried to not care about anything during the remembrance day event, he had thought not caring was the best way to keep those thoughts at bay but then Ping and the others at the party had sprung their expectation on him. He knew Lin didn't deserve to be the one to unpack all of that neither was Leah for that matter but he hadn't been able to do it on his own and then the fight had happened. He really hadn't known what to say to, what to say to get out of it, or to explain to her he needed to think. He had lost control of those emotions and snapped at her about 'being the last' and it had hurt her and he figured it was better to go back to pushing it down then to start actually fighting about something he didn't know about.
Leah sat back on her box. "So in summary, you're having a mid life crisis about not knowing what you're doing with your life."
Tenzin shook his head. "Something like that."
"Specifically, you don't know what you want in life and how to deal with the fact that that may or may not line up with the world's opinion and it may not be convenient." Leah summarized.
"Sounds about right." Tenzin admitted.
"Well if it makes you feel any better, I have no idea what I'm doing with my life either." Leah told him. "Tenzin, I don't know what to tell you because it sounds like another opinion will make it worse. You need to figure that out and maybe Lin might be the only one that can help you with that. She is the only one who'd understand." she told him and then as an afterthought. "or maybe your mom might know too about how your dad dealt with it."
"Yeah I know I need to talk to her. Apologize probably." Tenzin agreed.
"Get out of the city, go somewhere you wouldn't be interrupted or can make excuses." Leah suggested.
Tenzin nodded "Thanks, Leah. I owe you."
"Don't worry I'm keeping track." She laughed.
"Lin" Katara called out to her, waving her over. Lin recognized Ty from the remembrance day next to her. They seemed to say their goodbyes as she approached.
"Looking for Tenzin?" Katara asked.
"Yes I'm supposed to meet him tonight." Lin told her.
"Tenzin has been high strung lately. Did he talk to you?" Katara asked her as they rode the ferry across to the island.
Lin winced. "Sort of."
"You know in another life I think I could have liked Ty, even loved him. He's a kind man who believes in humility, hard work and living within your means and helping others in any way you can. Sounds like a good man to marry." Lin didn't respond knowing where Katara was going with this. How she figured it out was probably Tenzin he couldn't lie to save his life and there was only one glaring thing the two of them ever shied away from. "What did Tenzin say?"
"I don't know, nothing good." Lin muttered. "I think he wanted me to say yes or to tell him he was doing the right thing or something. I don't know." She said it wasn't the only thing he had said but it was something that she didn't mind telling Katara at least as much as the rest of it.
"And what did you say?"
"I couldn't."
"And you sound like a good woman to marry." Katara chuckled. "I wish this burden never fell on you, either of you." She said seriously. "When he first air bent I was relieved because air benders would live on beyond Aang and that Tenzin as a man would have it easier. Or so I thought fate is rarely that kind."
"Do you regret it?" Lin asked, picking at her fingernails.
"I married the man I loved and I love my children more than anything."
"That's not a no."
"I can't tell you that anymore than you could tell him what to do, Lin." Katara told her honestly. "Have I thought about it, yes of course, but this is not a world where I went home to teach waterbending or ruled my tribe after the war. I know it's not helpful but I've never lost much sleep over decisions I've made in my life. Live your life the same, Lin that's the best I can tell you."
Lin bite her lip. "What if it's too late for that?"
"Then you love him, does he love you enough to do the same."
Tenzin's heart rate skyrocketed when he saw Lin walking towards the house with his mother. He knew he needed to talk to her but he was so freaking nervous. It had taken him two days to come up with a plan and run it by Leah. He pulled her aside as soon as they came in. It was better to just ripe the band aid off. "I think we should get out of the city." Tenzin said when they were alone. "Where neither of us can run or hide."
"Tenzin…" Lin sighed.
"Just hear me out. Gaoling is three hours on Oogi we can leave tonight, right now if you want. You aren't working this weekend anyways. We'll be back well before Monday if anyone asks you have estate business."
Lin stared at him and he shifts his weight from foot to foot nervously. "Come on, Lin. Clearly we need to do something."
"Fine." she gave in.
The ride to Goaling was painfully quiet. Lin swore even Oogi was bothered by the silence. They had left as soon as she had agreed she figured that they minus well get this over with and the sooner they did it would give her more time to deal with the fallout before work on Monday morning. After all the world would still go on it had never given her any favors before and this time would be no different. The Goaling estate was huge and currently unlived in but Toph and Su came here at least once a year. There were local grounds people that did the up keep and her and Tenzin were low maintenance anyways. The massive house had sat barley used since her grandparents had died several years ago now. Su had stayed here off and on since then but Lin wondered why Toph still kept the place other than it was work to get rid of it. Oogi was more than happy with the large barn and pile of hay for him on the property. Tenzin had thrown over a dark cloak with a hood to hide his identity so they could go grab some food for themselves, not that she might not be recognized no matter how little she came to visit her ancestral home. They opted to take their food back to the estate to eat but it also meant that now they could begin the talk that Lin had no doubt they were both dreading.
Lin is thankful for most of dinner that Tenzin's an airbender and hates these big confrontational conversations more than she did, but eventually he does speak. "I don't know how to start this," he said quietly, staring down at his rice. "Maybe I'm sorry for snapping at you the other day and then running away."
"Yeah well I didn't say the nice things to you either." Lin said half into her food and half to him.
"I know I was distant but I didn't know how to deal with freaking everything." Tenzin told her.
"You know I'm usually pretty unfazed but a little warning on that would have been nice." Lin told him.
"Yeah I know I just I was trying to keep everything at bay leading up to the memorial and then it made it worse and you were hurting too and I didn't want to add to that and it just became too much when you pushed." Tenzin rubbing a hand over his arrow.
"I know it bothers you." she told him picking up her last piece of chicken. "It just you usually don't snap like that."
"No Leah said I'm having a mid life crisis." Tenzin told her and Lin laughed.
"Really? I see it." Tenzin smiled back at her but it didn't reach his eyes. "I don't know Ten. I really don't, I can't" she waved her hand in the air hoping it would make the perfect words appear in her head. "Figure out where your head's at recently and I don't know what you think or what you want anymore."
Tenzin nodded looking down again. "I know, that's probably right because I don't know what I want or what I'm thinking most of the time."
"What do you want?" Lin asked, putting down her plate and looking at him directly now.
"I really don't know, Lin. I can't figure it out. I try to think about it and I tie myself more in knots and I get more confused about it." Tenzin told her, playing with his chopstick.
"Do you want to be the last?" She asked him, that was the million yuan question after all.
"No but I don't know what to do about it?" Tenzin told her looking up at her.
Lin's first instinct was to point out that there was only one way to fix that but the look on his face told her he was staying something different than talking about the present. "You can't change the fact that you're an airbender or that there aren't anymore." She almost whispered.
Tenzin made a face. "I don't have to like it."
"No but you do have to live with it." Lin told him. Tenzin looked away again. "What do you want to do about it?" she asked after a minute of silence.
"I don't know." Tenzin said again, shaking his head and dropping it to his hands. "I don't know. I wish I did."
"What do you know?" Lin asked him.
"I miss you." Tenzin told her, looking up. "It's been two days and I miss you." he said, reaching out to caress her face with one hand. Lin froze unsure what to do. "I love you and that makes it harder because I love you and I want to be with you and agree with you even I think." Lin reached up and slowly took his hand off her cheek and she saw his face fall but he also understood. "I don't want to hurt you." He murmurs to her.
Lin didn't drop his hand, instead held it in her own trying to figure out what to say. "I love you too, you know." she said finally. "But you know what I want."
"I know." Tenzin said, squeezing her hand. "I never asked you because I knew."
"Leah's right you are having a midlife crisis." Lin smirked at him. "You really are stuck on square one."
He let out a choked laugh. "I know, please help."
Lin bit her lip. "I don't know if I can Tenz, I don't want what I want to influence you."
"There's barely a way you don't already influence me." Tenzin argued and he wasn't wrong and she could say the same about him.
Lin shook her head. "I know but still you got to know for you and only you, Ten."
"I want your opinion and your help. I trust you over everyone else." Tenzin told her.
Lin stared at him for a long moment weighing her options. She really didn't want to talk him into something he'd regret or they'd both end up miserable."If I said yes or no to everything," she waved her hand. "right now would that help what would you do?"
"Don't ask me that." Tenzin said meekly.
"Hypothetically, if I said yes to kids what would you do? Would you know what you want?" She asked him, pushing it.
"I don't know…" he hesitated yet again.
"Why not?" Lin asked and there was no judgement in her voice.
"Because I don't know where the world's expectations start and my desires end." Tenzin sighed honestly.
"What scares you more being unhappy or disliked?"
"Unhappy"
"Then stop caring about what people say. If you can figure out what you want we'll talk again okay?" She said standing and picking up her plate.
"Yeah thank you Lin."
Lin pressed a kiss to the top of his head as she moved past him to the kitchen. She knew what she wanted had known for a long time but Tenzin had never had the direction she had had especially when it came to family. As teenagers both had gone through a rebellious stage of wanting nothing to do with their parents and their legacies. But Lin had grown out of that or at least been successfully pushed towards the police academy. Tenzin, she knew, still had major reservations about a lot of things when it came to his father's legacy with the air nation. Much of that stemmed from his own family and experience with his father, not unlike her and her own mother.
Tenzin woke up after Lin the next morning he had also stayed up later than she had. Too much was running through his mind still. Talking with Lin had calmed him down more than anything else had so far. They had slipped back into their habit of ignoring the elephant in the room after talking last night.
"Everytime we came to Gaoling, my mother would take me and Su up to the hills to play with the badger moles. Of course my grandparents frowned on it but we loved it; playing with the cubs for hours just practicing earth bending." Lin told him that afternoon as they ate a small lunch on the steps to the back garden.
"Take me to see them." Tenzin said on a whim.
"You want to meet them?" Lin asked dubiously.
"Yeah you've met air bison. It's my turn to meet badger moles." Tenzin shrugged at the time he said so nonchalantly as if it would be no problem. He however forgot the very important fact that badger moles lived deep inside of mountains. He hadn't been nervous until now but now staring at the mouth of the cave Lin had just opened up he was starting to get nervous.
"You ready?" Lin asked looking back at him.
"Yeah, um shouldn't we bring a torch or something?" Tenzin asked.
Lin smirked. "No, they don't like fire." She said with far too much amusement in her voice for Tenzin's liking.
"You don't have to enjoy my discomfort so much." Tenzin grumbled as they walked into the cave. Lin bent the opening close behind them leaving them in complete darkness. Tenzin couldn't see anything passed two inches in front of him. He knew Lin had been to his left and reached out for her but couldn't find her. "LIN!" he shrieked as she grabbed his other hand from behind him. He was met only with her laughter. "That's not funny." he scowled.
"Okay okay. I won't do it again." She laughed. "Come on." she tugged him further into the cave. He was completely at her mercy here, he could only rely on his hand firmly in hers to know where to go. Lin with her bare feet could easily sense everything around them though. He suddenly had a lot more respect for her willingness to fly with him on his glider where she was completely cut off from her element and would be doomed to certain death without him. Now the tables had turned and he'd be doomed without her here. They walked deeper into the mountain. Until Lin stopped and Tenzin almost slammed into her. He had stayed as close as possible not wanting to chance get separated, not that she wouldn't find him but he'd still freak out.
"We're here." Lin said quietly. Tenzin shuffled closer to her not knowing what to expect. Then rocks broke open somewhere in front of them. Tenzin jerked backwards pulling Lin with him.
"Relax" she chuckled, stumbling back against his chest. Tenzin rolled his eyes, easy for her to say she could see. He could hear the creature breathing, sniffing about and coming closer once it honed in on them. Tenzin tightened his grip on Lin's waist ready to propel them backwards if need be. Lin just raised her hand towards the creature. Tenzin could now feel its breath and just see a darker shape just in front of them. The creature sniffed Lin's hand and then nozzled it like Oogi did when meeting someone he loved again. "Relax, Ten." Lin breathed to him as she took his hand and lifted it up the badger mole. The badger mole took a few deep sniff of his hand. Tenzin knew both of them could sense his racing heart beat. "Relax Ten." Lin said again to him and moved her hand off his own to scratch the creature. "It's okay he's with me." she murmured to the badger mole.
The creature pulled back. "Where is he going?" Tenzin asked.
"She and she's not leaving." Lin said she craned her head to look up at him. "Congratulations you passed, you can now meet the cubs."
Tenzin turned his head at two more rocks being bent out of the way and this time he heard creatures moving around them more quickly and two of them. Lin had been fishing in the pocket of her tunic and pulled out a few glowing rocks. The smirk was undeniable on her face in the rocks glow.
"You really held out light on me." Tenzin asked her incerdious.
"Yes but the badgermoles feel more comfortable meeting us on their terms and that means no light." Lin explained. "But now that they know you aren't a threat, here you go." He could still only see a few feet in front of him but it was an improvement. It did mean that Lin stepped out from his arms and walked towards the cubs which barreled towards her. He watched as they took turns sniffing her before they started to play, bending and pushing earth balls around.
"Every time I came down here I always wished I never had to leave. I could just live with the badger moles." Lin told him as they walked out of the cave. He was still holding her hand even though they had the glowing rocks.
"I'd do it you know, in heart beat if there was anyone else, live down here with you." Tenzin told her honestly. He had enjoyed playing with the cubs although they played rough for a non earthbender.
"It's that 'if' we keep getting stuck on" she muttered and Tenzin grimaced, yeah it was. He had never resented anyone and certainly not his parents until now. Now more than ever in his life he wished he wasn't the only airbender a wish he had had before but never with resentment and anger. He more sensed her open her mouth than saw her. "What Lin? Tell me"
"No, I won't tell you what to do." Lin told him, shaking her head and Tenzin wished she would. He wished she was selfish enough to ask him to stay, to demand he stay because he couldn't deny her if she did. He respected her for that because she was right; he did need to figure out what he wanted on his own. He stopped walking and dropped his head.
Lin turned around confused. "Tenzin?" Tenzin closed his eyes and he knew his heart rate had skyrocketed and so did Lin. "Tenzin, what's wrong?" She asked as he silently said a prayer to whatever spirits would listen before looking up at her.
"I..." Tenzin paused. "I don't know what I want. Not when it comes to kids or marriage or everything else. But I know I want you and I need you with me and that hasn't changed in the last decade and half and it won't change in another decade or two and that's what I want whatever comes from it." Tenzin told her. "Lin I have no idea if kids will make me happy, I can't imagine marrying you will make us any more happy or make me love you anymore but being with you makes me happy."
"Whatever comes of it?" Lin questioned stepping closer to him. "And if nothing comes of it?"
Tenzin grinned at her. "Here's to nothing then."
Lin leaned up to kiss him. "Here's to nothing." she said right before their lips met.
Katara watched the sky bison land and the passengers walk up to her. Tenzin greeted her with a hug and Lin came forward and hugged her after. Katara didn't voice the questions she held in her eyes but Lin pointedly stepped back to her son who wrapped his arms around her waist. Lin inclined her head ever so slightly in conformation. Tenzin eyes on the other hand flicked between the two women. He still looked at Lin like he had since he was a baby with a look of pure amazement.
"Come on, you two can help me with the vegetables." Katara told as she turned to walk inside as she hid the smile spreading over her face.
EPILOGUE
"What? Bolin that's crazy?" Mako said, rolling his eyes at his brother.
"Yeah yeah I know, but hypothetically…" Bolin protested completely serious.
"Uh hypothetically, I think it's impossible." Asami cut him off as Korra nearly turned red from trying to hold back laughter at whatever Bolin had proposed. Lin shook her head at the teenagers, she was however glad she caught them. She needed to speak to Korra alone.
"Hi Chief." Mako said clear glad to be able to change the subject.
"Kids," Lin said as they all boarded the ferry to Air Temple Island. The kids went back to talking amongst themselves for the short trip and Lin was lost in her own thoughts. She was preoccupied thinking about the conversation she was about to have with the island's leader.
"Korra, hang back for a minute." Lin said coolly but there was a firm undertone to her voice that said this was not a request and the other should go ahead.
Korra waited until the others were 50 yards up the hill before asking her. "What's up Chief?"
"The southern portal," Lin began carefully. "I need to know is there any effect harmonic convergence or leaving the portal open could have had other than the spirits living among us."
Korra seemed surprised that she asked that. "Other than the vines you mean? No I don't think so, But Tenzin's probably a way better person to ask you know." she shrugged.
"I know." Lin grumbled. "Anything at all Korra?"
"Ah not that I can think of or remember but spiritual energy is now higher, so many." She said.
"And higher spiritual energy, what could that cause?" Lin pressed.
"Ah I don't know, maybe more people in touch with spirits." She said, clearing reaching for an answer. Lin's face must have told Korra that as well because she apologized. "You should ask Tenzin I'm still not up on all of the spiritual mumbo jumbo."
"Believe me, neither am I." Lin grumbled as she headed to the house. They arrived and could already hear some sort of argument going on in the dining room.
"Come on Bolin do it!" Bumi cried. "I can take it."
"Are you sure?" Bolin asked him unsure himself.
"No this is crazy, Bumi!" Tenzin spit at his older brother.
"Let him maybe it'll knock some sense into him." Kya said dryly to Tenizn. Meanwhile Bumi and Bolin were still going back and forth about doing something.
"Okay! Fine!" Lin and Korra were standing in the doorway to the dining room when Bolin threw a plate at Bumi and amazingly Bumi stopped it with airbending. Everyone stared at Bumi stunned.
"I told you! I told you I can airbend!" he shouted before he lost his concentration and the plate fell breaking on the table. The nerves that had been churning in Lin's stomach decreased for a minute before her eye fell on Tenzin and they increased again at the thought of what this would mean for him.
"That's- that's impossible…" Tenzin stuttered out.
"I can't wait to tell mom." Bumi said excitedly.
"But- but- how?" Kya asked, astonished.
"Bumi, how did you do that?" Korra cried moving into the room. Lin was still stuck there in the doorway through her mind already thinking about what comes next and the implications because this would change everything. Bumi had launched into some crazy story about how he found out.
"But how? Why?" Tenzin asked for at least the third time.
Lin sighed. "I don't know, but there are others." She said speaking up for the first time. Everyone's eyes immediately went to her. She continued knowing they would want an explanation. "We got a few reports of people airbending but no actual conformations. I even went on the last call we got. The man couldn't do it again but both him and his sister swore that he airbent." Lin explained.
"That's why you were asking me about harmonic convergence and the spirit portal." Korra exclaimed, connecting the dots. Lin just nodded her eyes scanned the faces in front of her but kept going back to Tenzin who stared at her dazed. The teens and Bumi were already getting up something about trying to get him to airbend again.
"Can you make sure no one get hurt?" Lin asked Kya. Kya nodded, sparing a glance at her little brother and leaving Lin and Tenzin alone. Lin didn't move for a minute, she wasn't sure what to say to him. Tenzin slowly dropped his head into his hands and rubbed his face and shaking his head slowly still in disbelief. Lin walked over to him sitting down next to him.
"Talk to me, Ten." Lin said quietly.
"I don't know what to say." Tenzin half laughed.
Lin let out a little laugh too. "Neither do I."
"Is it true, Lin? Am I really not the last anymore?" Tenzin asked, looking at her.
"It's true Ten you aren't the last." Lin said softly, gripping his knee.
Tenzin looked up at the ceiling. "I can't believe after 20 years…" he trailed off. Lin nodded silently along with him. She couldn't either for so long it had just been him and it had haunted him before that too when his dad was still alive the knowledge that one day it would be just him. Tenzin had thought of himself as an oddity to most people, the last of a dead species that would have a special zoo exhibit to itself. Lin thought he was an idiot for thinking that but she also understood. Tenzin with his tattoos could never just go out without someone coming up and saying something. It was never just his opinion or just his ability it was always tied to his bending and his father. It was a shadow he had never been able to out run and one that he had eventually learned to live in. But Lin of all people knew that living in hadn't come easy to him. Now that was all going to change forever. Bumi could airbend which might be even more sickly ironic than Tenzin's whole situation and Lin knew that there were at least a handful of others that were also airbend and in no way related to Aang.
Tenzin started to crack up next to her. Lin looked over at him confused and a little concerned. He learned over so his forehead rested on her shoulder as he laughed. "Bumi can airbend." he laughed. "Bumi is an airbender." Lin felt a smile tug up on her face. Then Tenzin was pulling her up with him and his arms went around her waist. She gasps as he spins her around. "Bumi's an airbender" he laughs and again this time she joins him. She's just happy he's happy and okay about the news so far. She was so apprehensive on how to tell him because it seemed impossible for it to be true and she knew the kind of pain it would bring back to the surface but Bumi had proved the reports were correct right in front of them. Tenzin finally put her down. "I can't believe it." He said for the umteenth time.
Lin laughed at his disbelief. "Well believe it airhead, you think teaching Korra was hard now you got to teach your big brother and a few more."
Tenzin froze looking down at her and she bite her lip to keep from laughing at him because this was the first time he was thinking this far ahead. "I know, how am I supposed to do that?" he muttered to himself.
"You'll be fine, the others will definitely be easier than Korra and Bumi." she quipped to him. She reaches up to cup his cheek. "Your father would be so proud of you." she says as she runs her thumb over his cheekbone.
"I love you so much." Tenzin murmured to her.
"Love you too." Lin smiles at him.
"Oh I can't believe it!" he exclaims again, spinning her around once again as she laughs. They would always be fine and they'd figure this out like they had everything else.