10 years after "The Start of Something New" and 5 years after the end of "A New Path"
Lin, Bumi, and their family reflect on how much life has changed since Korra arrived to Republic City almost 11 years ago. This leads Bumi to realize it is 10 years since he came back, when he reconnected with Lin, and they became something more. Neither of them would change how life put them on the right path, giving them both the love and family they always wanted.
**You will need to read the other two to understand this one-shot**
A/N: This was supposed to be posted on August 15th, the one year anniversary since posting the first chapter of "A New Path". Unfortunately life had other plans, my mom recently came into some medical issues, so we are dealing with that.
But I am glad to finally have this finished for you all!
"Airi, please stop moving." Lin huffed as the 6-year-old in front of her squirmed once more.
"But Mama, you aren't doing it right." She pouted, crossing her arms.
Lin lifted her brow at her daughter as she glanced at her through the mirror on her vanity. "Oh? And how should I be doing it?" She asked, continuing with the braid.
"Like how Daddy does it." Airi stated, meeting her mother's matching green gaze.
"And how does Daddy do it?"
"He doesn't pull on my hair so hard." She answered, pout growing and she sent a small glare at her mother through the mirror.
"I'm sorry, badgermole, I'm not trying to pull your hair." Lin replied.
"I know Mama, but why can't Daddy do my hair?"
"He was helping your brother get the dining room ready for dinner." The girl shifted again, causing Lin to sigh. "Airi, please, you were the one who wanted their hair braided."
The girl pouted again, slumping a little on the stool. Lin sighed in turn, but moved with her daughter's head, hoping to not pull on her hair further.
"What's with the long faces, huh? It's family night, we're supposed to be happy!" Bumi said, leaning on the open doorway of the master bedroom, arms crossed over his chest.
"Look Airi, Daddy is here to take over doing your hair." Lin said, dropping the unfinished braid.
"Yay! Daddy, can you braid my hair please? I like how you do them best!" Airi exclaimed, turning around on the stool to look at her father.
Bumi gave Lin an amused look at their daughter's candor. "Alright, pip-squeak. Let's get your hair done before your siblings and the kids get here."
Lin patted his arm as she left, hearing Airi exclaim that she was excited to play with Meilin. She was not hurt by her daughter's bluntness in preferring her father to do her hair, Lin preferred him doing her hair too, so she couldn't blame her daughter for feeling the same. She headed downstairs and found Haru placing the last of the chopsticks around the table in the formal dining room.
They had had to move their family dinners to the larger room as their kitchen table was no longer big enough to accommodate the growing family.
"Hey kid, almost done?" She asked, leaning against the doorway.
He glanced up at her with his blue eyes that matched his fathers and grinned. "Yup! Do you want any help with the food?"
Lin smiled at his eagerness to help, he seemed to have inherited her love for cooking. "Sure. Join me when you're done."
She headed into the kitchen and checked to make sure everything was still on track. She set to chopping up the ingredients for the side dishes and garnishes.
"Assistant Chef Haru reporting for duty, Chef!" Haru called out, standing at attention just inside the kitchen.
Lin smirked at him and glanced over. "At ease Little Chef. Why don't you rinse these off in the sink, and then I will have you carefully chop up the kimchi." She held out the peeled lotus roots to him.
"Yes Chef!" He accepted the bowl and hurried, carefully, to the sink. He stood on a little stool and dutifully washed the roots, making sure to clean the holes thoroughly to make sure there was no dirt tucked in them. Once clean, Lin watched him carefully as he sliced up the lotus root, ready to step in if needed. But he didn't need help at all, making a flush of pride wash through his mama.
"Well done, badgermole." Lin said, kissing his head once the knife was set on the cutting board. "Let's get these into the boiling water, and then you can start cutting the kimchi up. I imagine your older siblings should be here soon."
Sure enough, not 10 minutes later, a knock came from the door. Haru ran to let them in once Lin confirmed that it was actually family with her seismic sense. Lin finished plating the noodle dish and covered it, placing it in the warmed oven to keep the food hot. She wiped her hands on a towel, before leaving it on the counter as she went to greet the others at the door.
She found Haru talking animatedly with Bolin, who had hoisted the boy into a hug.
"Gran-Gran!"
Lin quickly caught the little girl who ran towards her, and lifted her up in her arms. "How's my little badgermole today?"
"I'm good! Juicy flewed really fast!" The girl's olive green eyes, so much like her mother's, were filled with the lingering thrill of the flight over.
"Sounds like you had a great adventure today." Lin replied with an amused smile.
"Love you Gran-Gran." The four-year-old said, wrapping her arms around Lin's neck.
Lin kissed the girl's head. "I love you too, Meilin." She said to her namesake. "Now, why don't you go upstairs and tell Grandpa and Airi that you are here and they need to come downstairs now."
"Okay!" As soon as Lin set the girl down, she was off running towards the stairs.
"No running in the house Mei!" Opal called after her daughter, before turning to Lin. "Hi Aunt Lin."
Lin accepted the hug from her niece. "Hello Opal." She pulled back and then held her hands out expectantly.
Opal rolled her eyes fondly, before gently lifting the six month old baby from where he had been nestled in his sling on her chest. "Here you go San, Gran-Gran is eager to see you."
Lin accepted the infant into her arms with ease, resting him against her chest. San gummily grinned up at her as he shoved his fist in his mouth. The baby was easily the pudgiest baby she had ever seen, but that made him all the more adorable. "You are getting to be a heavy little thing aren't you?" She tickled his side, causing him to squeal in laughter.
"Don't remind me. I swear he will be an earthbender, cause he is like a rock in my arms." Opal groaned.
"He just takes after his daddy, don't ya buddy?" Bolin said as he set Haru down and approached Lin and the baby. "Hi Mom, you look good." He said, placing a kiss on her left cheek. He gently ruffled the dark fluff of hair on his son's head.
"Afternoon, Bolin. And stop with the flattery, I was already going to feed you." Lin teased him.
"That's why you are the best!" He sniffed the air. "Is that-" he began to ask.
"Yes, yes, I made your favourite." Lin said, cutting him off. "Now why don't we get the kids settled in the living room while we wait for the others." She shooed him off to the living room, exchanging an amused look with Opal who followed after him.
Just before Lin turned to follow with San resting on her hip, she could feel a pair of angry footsteps, followed by ones trying to keep up. Lin opened the door in time for Asami to storm through.
"Stop it Korra. I'm pregnant, not helpless!"
"But babe, you were working under the car. What if it fell and hurt you both?" Came Korra's reply as she followed behind her wife.
"It was suspended safely, I triple checked!" Asami retorted, green eyes flashing. "Are you saying I would purposefully put my baby at risk like that?"
"First off, they are our baby. And secondly, of course I don't think you would. I trust you, Sami. I just can't help but worry all the time." Korra replied, practically begging Asami to see it from her perspective.
Lin spoke up, worry bleeding into her own voice. "You were working on a car at 35 weeks? Asami…" A slight reprimanding tone was added when speaking the woman's name.
Asami's face dropped the scowl and took on a look of repentance. "I knew what I was doing." She tried defending her actions, but when she glanced at Lin's face, she sighed and her shoulders dropped. "Fine, no more working under cars until after the baby." She then turned and left the two women and baby at the door.
"Thanks Lin. I swear I am going to have a heart attack every time I see her doing something like that." Korra said with a grateful smile on her face.
"Welcome to motherhood, Avatar. It will be like that for the rest of your life." Lin responded with a pat on the younger woman's shoulder. The two had grown closer over the last few years with her marriage to Asami. Now they were expecting their first child.
The whole process had been a slight shock to Lin, as she hadn't expected her nephew Huan to offer to be the donor. He had decided he did not want children of his own, but he was fond of the two women, and when he had heard they were looking into starting a family, he reached out. He was content to be the uncle to their children. Su on the other hand, when she had found out, demanded that she still be referred to as grandma. Lin was sure that her sister was ecstatic about the fact that Huan will have children, even if he isn't the active parent. Asami and Korra were both completely on board with it, to Suyin's delight. They wanted their child to have as much love in their life as possible.
Korra headed after her wife to the living room after giving Lin a faux enthusiastic smile. Lin followed, bouncing the 6-month-old on her hip.
As she neared the living room, she could feel the running of feet before she heard them and called out. "Airi and Meilin, no running inside the house, especially down the stairs!" Their footsteps slowed, and soon they were at the top of the stairs.
"Sorry Mama." Airi said with a sweet voice, trying to feign innocence.
"Sorry Gran-Gran." Meilin said, trying to copy her aunt.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll believe it when you walk next time." Lin replied in exasperation.
The girls held back snickers as they descended the stairs, and then after they passed Lin, she could hear them let out the giggles as they walked into the living room. Lin allowed a grin to split her face then glanced down at the baby in her arms, who was chewing on his fist. "Your aunt and sister are trouble aren't they?" She bounced him slightly, causing him to giggle around the hand he was slobbering on.
"There's our little guy." Bumi called out as he came down the stairs. "Is your hand tasty?" He asked as he came up behind them, wrapping his arm around Lin's waist and reaching up to ruffle the fluff of hair on San's head. This caused the baby to turn in the direction of Bumi and grin around his fingers.
"He's probably teething. And hungry." Lin answered in amusement. "Always hungry. Your poor mother, huh?"
"He's a growing boy, love."
"Hmm." Lin hummed in agreement. "Shall we join the others before Mako and Ursa arrive?" She asked, looking up at him.
"I need to do something first."
"Wha-" She was cut off by a breath stealing kiss, that had her eyes flutter shut. It only lasted a moment, but she felt a little dazed as she opened her eyes to look up at her husband. "Not that I don't mind, but what was that for?"
"Because seeing you with being the best grandmother, does things to me. I love you more every day."
"I love you too, but tone down the sappiness in front of the kid." Lin quipped, but couldn't help the warmth in her heart or the smile on her face.
"Daddy, stop kissing Mama and come sit." Airi said exasperatedly, bounding out of the living room and pulling on Bumi's hand.
Lin followed, and settled beside Bumi on the one couch. She adjusted San to sit on her lap, with her own legs tucked up under her as she leant into Bumi's side a little.
Conversation flowed easily between the family as they caught up on the past week's events. One good thing about them all living in the same City was that they saw each other outside of their scheduled family dinners. Mako and Ursa however, had moved to the Fire Nation Capital after they got married. They spent most of the year there, but would come for a week here and there to visit with family.
A year previously, it had been announced that Prince Iroh, General of the United Forces, had abdicated his place as heir apparent to Fire Lord Izumi. He was more interested in keeping his role as General and leading the United Forces peace missions than running the Fire Nation. This meant that once Izumi was ready to retire, Ursa would take over as Fire Lord, and Mako would be her Prince Consort. So far it had tickled Bolin's funny bone that it was literally a princess and the pauper fairy tale.
San had just fallen asleep on Lin when a knock sounded at the door. Bumi stood and went to retrieve the last of their missing kids.
"Hello everyone!" Mako greeted with a warm smile, a hand on the small of Ursa's back as they followed Bumi into the living room.
"Ko!" Haru exclaimed, followed by the girls. The shorter nickname had stuck for the firebender, who only allowed his younger siblings and niece to call him that - though San was sure to follow once he was old enough.
"Hey kiddos." He greeted with a smile, as he moved to accept all three in a hug.
Airi was the first to break the embrace and turn to hug Ursa. She loved that her big sister was The Fire Princess. Though as she hugged her, she noticed that she sounded funny. And as children were wont to do, she bluntly said so.
"Airi." Lin chastised, handing San to Opal who was going to place him in the play pen to continue sleeping.
"What? It's true. Her vib-vi-" The young girl frowned as she couldn't remember how to pronounce the word. "Her viber-ation sounds funny."
Lin untucked her legs and stood. As soon as she stepped off the plush carpet they had in the middle of the room and onto the stone floor, she paused. "Oh." Her eyes then widened in understanding. Her eyes sought out Mako's and then Ursa's, who both smiled at her nodding.
"See! Mama, you feel it too!" Airi exclaimed, a little annoyed that she had been told off when her mother could hear it too.
Lin suddenly lurched forward and pulled both of the firebenders into a tight hug. "I'm so happy for you both."
"Wait, are you pregnant?" Asami asked, being the first one to piece together the interactions.
Lin pulled back to let them respond. Ursa nodded with tears in her eyes and a wide smile on her face. "I am about 10 weeks along now."
Mako pulled Ursa further into his side. "We wanted to let you know before the public finds out in a few weeks." He himself was matching Ursa's expression.
Bolin let out a loud sob and immediately hugged them both. Mako just awkwardly, but with fondness, patted his back before trying to rescue Ursa from his brother's tight grip. In doing so, Bolin released Ursa and just hugged Mako even tighter. The older brother just sighed and embraced his brother back.
Everyone else hugged Ursa in congratulations and eventually Mako too when Opal rescued him, by pulling her husband off. Afterwards Lin ushered them all to the table to eat, which helped distract Bolin as well.
"Dinner was delicious, Aunt Lin!" Opal said as they all settled back into the living room. The others were quick to agree.
"You'll have to thank my sous chef too." Lin said coming into the room with a tea service on a tray. She nodded her head towards Haru who then blushed under the praise he received from his older siblings and their spouses.
The adults settled in with tea, while the three kids went upstairs to play. Only San was left downstairs as he was too young to play. Mako was currently holding his nephew on his lap after Opal handed him the baby after he woke up.
"I can't believe it's been about 11 years since I came to Republic City." Korra remarked, with Asami leaning into her side.
"You mean since you tore your way into my City and destroyed a whole City block within the first few hours?" Lin asked, eyebrow quirked as she took a sip of her tea.
Korra stuck her tongue out at the older woman. "You know you love me."
"I can very much assure you that you would have been arrested if it hadn't been for Tenzin saving your scrawny Avatar butt."
Korra smirked at her. "But you came around to love me and my scrawny butt."
"Korra's butt isn't scrawny." Asami pipes in. "It's nice and-"
"I think that is enough about Korra's behind for one evening." Opal cut in, causing everyone to laugh.
Lin glanced beside her when Bumi's hand rested on her thigh. She caught the twinkle that appeared in his eyes and narrowed her eyes at him. That look always led to trouble. "What?"
A slow, devilish smirk curled on his lips. "Our 10 year anniversary is coming up, you know."
"Oh how sweet." Opal responded.
But Asami frowned. "I thought it was in the spring."
"That's when we started dating." Bumi nodded, but didn't move his eyes from Lin's. The twinkle was still apparent in his eyes.
Lin's eyes widened and she smacked his arm. "Bumi!"
"Wait, 10 years ago is when we beat Amon and were preparing to leave for the Southern Water Tribe." Korra said with a confused frown. "Bumi wasn't here yet-"
Bolin cut in. "Yes he was! He came the day before we left. I remember him being at the front of the ship and screaming 'Waaa-hooo.'" He was standing and reenacted Bumi's entrance back to Republic City from the front of his ship.
Opal rolled her eyes and pulled her husband down into his seat; it had been a while since she got embarrassed with his overdramatics. Especially when everyone at the table was used to him and Bumi playing off each other too.
Lin noticed that everyone else turned to look between her and Bumi for confirmation. She averted her eyes, face flushing. While she had become more comfortable with kissing Bumi and being affectionate in public - well in front of friends and family that is - but it was another thing for others to know about their sex life. Not that she was ashamed of it - she knows they are more active than others their age, thank spirits, but it doesn't mean she wants to discuss it with their adopted children and their spouse. Especially when the spouses were made up of her biological niece, her honorary niece, and the Avatar.
"Wait, ew." Bolin said, scrunching up his face at the realization of what was just implied.
Bumi just winked, his signature smirk on his face. His hand was still on Lin's thigh, having never removed it. Instead his thumb was drawing circles over her cloth covered thighs. Lin felt a warm flush in her belly, but tried to ignore it as they were still in the room with their adult kids. Her flush did deepen a little.
"I think we should all strive to have that physical of a relationship when we get older." Asami said, linking her fingers with Korra's and giving her wife a loving look.
Korra in return blushed, but leant forward to place a kiss on her raven-haired wife's head.
Lin and Bumi watched as Opal ran her hands through Bolin's hair, and Mako shared a loving glance with Ursa. They then turned to each other and despite the lingering awkwardness of the kids realizing that the beginning of their relationship was purely physical, Lin couldn't help but be drawn to Bumi. He also leaned forward and cupped her face with his free hand, bringing her closer to place a tender kiss to her lips. They pulled apart before it became more heated. But both of their eyes held promises of what would come later.
The family enjoyed their evening, putting the kids to bed upstairs. Lin and Bumi insisted that Meilin stay the night, and said a warm farewell late into the night.
Lin checked on the kids as Bumi locked up the house. They met back up in their room, Lin making sure to lock the door behind her before she shed her shirt as Bumi turned around. Instantly his eyes flared with heat and in just a few long strides was right in front of her, pulling her into his arms.
His mouth quickly devoured hers and they both fell onto their bed. With both of them having been holding their arousal back, leaving it simmering for hours, they didn't last long, despite their best efforts.
After catching their breaths, they adjoined to their bathroom. They lovingly washed each other, sharing tender kisses in between, but they didn't progress further. Once out, Bumi held out a fluffy towel for Lin, wrapping it around her once she stepped close, before grabbing his own. After drying they got into their pajamas and settled once more into their bed, this time between the sheets.
Before falling asleep, Lin flicked her wrist at the door, unlocking it in case they were needed by one of the three children.
"I love you, Linny."
"I love you too." Lin said, head resting on his chest above his heart. It was now her turn to feel a little sappy. "Thank you, by the way."
"For what?"
"If you never came to join me on that bench 10 years ago, we wouldn't have all of this." She gestured her hand around, despite the darkness. "This life with you has been the best years of my life. I can't even begin to imagine how my life would be right now without Haru and Airi, our older kids, our grandkids…"
Bumi pulled Lin up so that he could give her a tender kiss. "I should be thanking you, my love." He tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't even have Haru or Airi. The others, I'm sure it could have happened, but maybe we would be as close. So thank you for bearing our children, and being the best wife a man could want."
Lin kissed him once more before letting out a small snicker. "You realize you just thanked me for still being fertile in my 50's, right?"
Bumi let out a quiet bellow of laughter. "I will forever be grateful to you and your amazing body."
"Alright, you big sap, you already got some tonight. We've got an early morning ahead of us with two energetic girls. We need all the sleep we can get."
"Yes, dear."
She poked him in the side for the term of endearment that she disliked, though at this point it was a little game between them. Lin then kissed him once more, before scooting back down to rest her head on his chest once more.
They both fell into a deep, content sleep.
The next afternoon, after Bolin had picked up Meilin, the family of four arrived on Air Temple Island. Bum Ju flitted up as soon as they landed, rubbing into Lin's shoulder, then nuzzling into Bumi and the kids in turn. The two children giggled at the dragonfly spirit bunny's nuzzling as it tickled.
When they disembarked Mochi, Haru offered Airi to get on his back. Bumi draped his arm over Lin's shoulders, as she wrapped her arm around his waist and grasped his left hand that dangled over her shoulder with her own left hand. Their wedding bands glinted in the warm autumn sun.
They watched Airi earthbend herself up onto Haru's back, and then the 9 year old took off.
"Be careful running with your sister!" Lin called out, but the two were already dashing off. "And they're gone." She said dryly, but an amused look twinkled in her eyes
Bumi smirked, then watched with fondness in his eyes as his children ran off with smiles on their faces.
The couple followed more sedately behind their kids as they headed to the family house.
A cry of "Gran-Gran!" was heard from the two children, and Bumi and Lin found them hugging Katara who was seated on a bench with Tenzin out front of the house.
"Ah, Lin, Bumi, we weren't expecting you today. Everything okay?" Tenzin said, standing from where he had been seated.
Bumi waved him off. "Everything's fine. Just dropping the kids off."
Tenzin frowned at his older brother. "Dropping them off? I don't recall that we were to watch Haru and Airi today."
"That's cause you weren't, but you owe us from last time, so we are caching in today. Got an anniversary to celebrate."
Lin rolled her eyes at the two and stepped around them to bend down to greet Katara, who had claimed Airi to her lap.
"You look well, Mother." Lin said, kissing her cheek.
"Kya keeps me on top of my sessions. These old bones aren't what they used to be." Katara seemed to sense that Lin was about to suggest that Airi get off her lap, but she shook her head. "Airi is fine, sweetie. We are enjoying our little cuddle, aren't we?"
"Yes! Gran-Gran gives the best hugs!" Airi responded, snuggling into her grandmother's arms.
Lin smiled at the sweet scene. "Well you be good for Gran-Gran okay badgermole? Listen to her if she asks you to get down."
"Yes Mama." Airi said, giving her a toothy smile, showing off her missing front teeth.
Bumi greeted his elderly mother with a hug and kiss. When he stood, he pulled Lin into his arms; her back to his front. He rested his chin on her shoulder. "Don't worry Airi, love, you get to have Gran-Gran snuggles until bedtime and in the morning, as long as Gran-Gran feels up to it."
Airi grinned up at her daddy just as brightly as her mama.
"Shall we, love, before Tenny realizes he doesn't actually owe us a night of babysitting?" He whispered into her ear.
Lin smirked and nodded. She broke away from his arms to bid Airi and Katara a goodbye.
On their way back to Mochi, Haru and Rohan flew at them on air scooters to say goodbye. Lin hugged them both close and told them to have a good time, but to behave.
"We're always good, Auntie." Rohan replied with a sweet smile.
"Of course. You two are not the reason I had to replace a whole dish set." She quipped, bringing up a moment from the early summer when the two had decided to race on air scooters through her kitchen and knocked into a cabinet, which then caused the shelf inside to collapse and the dishes to burst out of the door of the cabinet onto the floor. Thankfully neither had been hurt, except their ears after Lin scolded them for using air scooters in the house.
The boys blushed and gave her sheepish grins. She just rolled her eyes at them and sent them on their way after they said bye to Bumi.
"What do you say, Narooks?" Bumi said, offering his hand to her.
"You know the way to my heart." Lin replied with a teasing smile as she accepted his hand. He pulled her into his arms and airbent them up onto Mochi's saddle. "And if you play your cards right, you'll get into my pants too."
Bumi smirked at her, amused that he had rubbed some of his cheesiness onto her; then gave her a searing kiss. "I think I know just the thing to do." He went to give her one final one for the road when a shout was heard.
"BUMI!" Tenzin roared.
"Look at that, we gotta go. Mochi, yip-yip!" The air bison lifted into the air. When they were about 20 feet up, they finally saw Tenzin cresting the hill.
"Bumi! We did not owe you!" Tenzin shouted.
"Thanks Tenny! We'll be by sometime tomorrow!"
"His head is going as red as we thought." Lin snickered as Mochi was guided to start flying towards the City.
"Fine! You owe us two nights!" Tenzin called back, still annoyed.
"Worth it." They both quipped, before giving each other grins.
Ages for the Whole Extended Family (even if they aren't in this story)
Lin - 60
Bumi - 67
Haru - 9
Airi - 6
Mako - 28
Ursa - 31 (2 months pregnant)
Asami - 28 (7 months pregnant)
Korra - 27
Bolin - 26
Opal - 26
Meilin - 4
San - 6 months
Suyin - 54
Baatar Sr - 56
Baatar Jr - 30
Huan - 28
Wei - 24
Wing - 24
Tenzin - 61
Pema - 45
Jinora - 20
Ikki - 17
Meelo - 15
Rohan - 10
Katara - 95
Kya - 63
Nira - 48
Toph - 93
Zuko - 97
Izumi - 71
Iroh - 47