She was so tired.

Not just from the day she just had. Not because her week had seemed as if it would never end. She was tired to her very soul.

She hadn't always been so cold. She was always guarded, yes. She kept her walls high and strong but there was a time when she had let a small circle of people inside those walls. But then something shifted and everything changed. She threw everyone out and decided it was safer to keep them that way. Letting people in would always eventually lead to her getting hurt again.

This served her well for many years. She had relationships here and there but they never meant anything, not really. And she was content enough. Or at least that's what she told herself at night when the unwanted, traitorous thoughts plagued her.

She knew some of those people who had once been allowed past her defenses wanted to be let in again. They would try every once in a while, acting as if no time had passed from when they were younger. But even they gave up eventually. She couldn't blame them. Marriages, babies, and careers were all very important things of value.

They all moved on from her.

But then everything changed again.

In more ways than she realized, the Avatar changed Lin's life in ways she never expected. She had spent decades keeping everyone she knew at an arm's length but then Korra blazed into her city and she suddenly found herself being forced to face her own past.

She wasn't sure when it happened but she was actually friends with Tenzin again. There was still a dull ache in her heart if she thought too much about things that would never be, but they were different people than they were all those years ago. And she was loathe to admit it, but she would go the ends of the earth for his children. Even Meelo.

She was actually on speaking terms with Su. Su. She not only had her sister back but she had relationships with her niece and nephews. Things were still complicated with her mother but they had made progress and if Lin didn't screw everything up again maybe they could move on from their past.

Bumi was the only one who ever seemed to truly understand Lin. It was nice to have him as a more active part of her life again. Even if he was an insufferable idiot most of the time.

And then there was Kya.

Her Kya.

Lin wasn't sure if it was because she was older and more mature or if she just had been so fixated on Tenzin and the thought of failing Aang, that she just didn't notice how amazing Kya truly was. Kya had breezed through Republic City many times over the years, often causing some sort of scene that created more work for Lin. But Kya always checked in on Lin. No matter what.

Lin didn't even realize this until years later. Kya was the only one who actually asked how Lin was doing. No ulterior motives, not out of obligation, but because she sincerely cared about her. She was the only constant in Lin's life that wasn't tainted by the memories of her past.

It had happened rather subtly, their relationship. Well, subtly enough after Lin stammered through an exhaustion induced declaration of love for Kya at her bedside when Zaheer had nearly killed them both. Lin had thought Kya was unconscious for her little confession until the waterbender showed up in Republic City 6 months later to tell Lin she felt the same way.

It was awkward and sometimes tense at first as Lin learned to let someone get close to her again and Kya worked through her reflex of running away when things got serious. The fact that they had known each other since childhood didn't help either, because it was impossible to hide your past from someone who lived it with you.

And now she was here. Walking up the stairs of her apartment knowing there was someone waiting for her there that loved her. As Lin walked through the door to the apartment, her exhaustion and tension cloying in her gut, she decided to let her walls down completely for the woman she loved. It was time to move on from the past.

Kya was on the couch, reading a letter from her mother by the looks of the handwriting. Lin went through her usual routine, walking to the bedroom to take off her uniform and change into clean clothes.

But instead of going to the kitchen for food, she quietly walked around the couch and sat down next to Kya, pulling her legs up and resting her head against Kya's warm shoulder. She felt the shift in Kya's demeanor as she stopped reading the letter.

"Everything okay, Lin?"

Her voice had a twinge of concern in it and Lin could feel her face reddening with mild embarrassment.

"Yeah."

Kya's silence was louder than anything else she could have said. Lin let out a slight sigh, pulling Kya's arm up and draping it around her as she nestled closer.

"Just hold me, Kya."

Kya still didn't speak but she did shift her position so they were both more comfortable, her arm pulling Lin closer.

"You're making me nervous, Lin. What's wrong?"

What's wrong… it echoed through Lin as she went over everything that had ever gone wrong in her life, everything that lead to the person she was now. What a loaded question. She sighed again and pulled away enough to look Kya in the eye.

"I promise nothing's wrong. I just… I… I've decided I want to hug you more."

Her cheeks got warm again at the way the absurd sounding sentence managed to weasel its way from her mouth. She pulled away from Kya completely and buried her face in her hands. She had always been lousy at discussing her own feelings but this was just sad. Kya, to her testament, didn't burst out laughing but Lin didn't miss the slight twitch of the corners of her mouth as her face softened.

She didn't say anything which was a small blessing as Lin slowly lowered her hands. Kya lifted her arm and made a small movement with her head, beckoning Lin to come closer.

And she did.

Putting aside any sense of discomfort, Lin allowed herself to melt into Kya's side, letting out a long breath and closing her eyes.

"I thought you weren't a cuddler."

Lin smiled, flicking her wrist so a small piece of stone she had brought in on her boots hit Kya in the back of the head. She let out a small, indignant yelp, but before she could retaliate Lin wrapped her arms around her middle and squeezed her gently.

"People can change, Kya."

Kya kissed the top of Lin's head, resting her cheek against her. She started to hum softly, a gentle tune Lin recognized but couldn't quite place. She felt her body relax, the steady beating of Kya's heart syncing with her own.

People can change.

I can change.

A/N: Not sure how many people actually use FF these days but I'll probably continue to add my fics here for now. But updates come quicker on AO3 and I have more notes on my fics over there as well. I'm also somewhat active on tumblr and love interacting with anyone who reads my works =)