The next morning came all too soon. Kuvira didn't sleep well at all due to a change in surroundings and her very upset stomach. She ended up throwing up everything she ate and sleep was not happening afterwards.
A soft knock on the door in the living room drew her out of bed around 8 am. Slowly she shuffled to the door and opened it slowly.
"Good morning. I hope you were able to sleep last night, Kuvira," Suyin said in a rather chipper tone. Kuvira knew she looked terrible from her lack of sleep, it was obvious Suyin was attempting to just be nice.
"I slept fine. Would you like to come in?" She replied. Suyin responded by stepping through the door and closing it gently behind her.
"I have some things I need to discuss with you, as I'm sure you read in my note I left with you. Come, sit on the couch with me." She extended her arm towards the couch. Instead of sitting down next to her, Kuvira decided to keep her space. She sat across from Suyin and her body language made it obvious she was closing herself off. Her arms were folded and she held her legs close to her body, which was very unlike the woman she used to be. Suyin could not have been more open. Her arms and legs were both spread as she resumed a position most comfortable for her. The two were opposites now and this fact alone hurt Suyin deeply.
She looked at Kuvira for a moment as if to gather any information on the person she had become. This was her first time really looking at the younger woman since her arrival. She opted to keep her now graying hair in a uniform ponytail. She was dressed in a very loose fitting tank top and baggy black pants as if she was trying to disappear altogether. Her once confident and wild eyes seemed almost lifeless and she had dark circles underneath them. Suyin had to look away for fear the sight of Kuvira would bring tears to her eyes. She had long forgiven her for everything she had done but she couldn't seem to find the right place or time to tell her.
"Is this enough space for you Kuvira? I know it's not much, but I figured we could expand on it once you've been here for about a week. Maybe open it up a bit more and add in a place for you to train?" Suyin said as more of a suggestion than a question. This drew a frown out of Kuvira.
"I have nothing to train for. I don't need any extra space. I'm fine right here. And as for your note, I've already decided what I'm going to take up." Her words came out fast and were very point blank. She felt she had nothing more to say than what she meant.
"Alright," Suyin began. "What hobby would you like to pursue?" She was actually quite interested to know what Kuvira had picked. Pre-dictatorship Suyin was sure she would've picked dancing or something with construction or maybe even teaching self defense. But this person sitting in front of her was not the woman she once knew. This was a new and very different kuvira. Would her choices be the same?
"Assuming that Huan still lives here, and he doesn't absolutely despise me, I think I'd like to take up painting." Suyin's eyes widened in surprise as the younger woman's response. Kuvira had never been really the creative type before. Sure, she danced, but she only followed the written choreography. She built things, but only using blueprints. She never tweaked anything and made it her own. Suyin wasn't sure if that was something she picked up in prison, or perhaps a trait she learned from Bataar junior.
"Right now it's just me, Bataar, and Huan. Are you sure you wouldn't like something else more?" she asked in a gentle tone, attempting to not discourage her. Kuvira pursed her lips for a moment before speaking.
"A lot of the other activities to do around here involve metal or earthbending. I refuse to do either. So painting it is." She had planned to never go back to earthbending at all? The greatest earthbender of her time had finally stepped down, but to Suyin it seemed to be the cause of her downfall as a normal person.
"You're giving up then? You never want to earthbend again?" she asked quietly.
"The goal was to be rehabilitated and to integrate back into society. Not be reintroduced to earthbending. I have no need for it anymore. It serves me no purpose and only reminds me of things I wish to forget." Suyin hated how frank Kuvira was being with her. She had absolutely no emotion in her voice. She just didn't care. It felt like all she wanted to do was blend in and never go back to that vibrant woman she had been in the past.
"If that's what you want, I won't get in your way. I'll give you whatever time you need to adjust to this. In the mean time, you'll be spending time outside of the compound." As per the agreement for Kuvira's custody, it was mandatory to attend therapy sessions.
"Time outside of the compound? What for?" She was confused. Nobody told her she would be allowed to leave.
"I see Lin has forgotten to inform you. I've been told that the two of you formed quite the relationship during your time away," she said with the hint of a smile. The look on her face made Kuvira blush and break eye contact.
"Nothing like that..." the younger woman responded shyly. Her reaction drew a small laugh out of her guardian.
"I understand Kuvira, I was only joking. On a more serious note, what Lin forgot to mention was that you are required to attend therapy sessions hosted by Kya. I know that you didn't trust most people and you still don't, so Korra believed it might help to talk to someone you do trust. Lin isn't such a people person and frankly is not the best person to communicate feelings with, while Kya is the complete opposite. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Kuvira was silent for a moment as she pursed her lips and rested her cheek on her knee that was tucked tightly to her chest.
"Therapy? With Kya? This is the first I'm hearing of this. Why is it mandatory?" She asked with a confused expression. A soft smile spread across her old mentors face.
"Mostly to mark any and all progress you have while in my custody. And just so you have someone to talk to if you would ever need that." Suyin reached toward Kuvira in an attempt to comfort her. Her eyes met the younger woman's as her arm stretched across the table, hesitating slightly as if asking permission. As much as Kuvira wanted it, she shook her head no and Suyin slowly moved her arm away. With a sigh, Suyin continued, "the people entrusted with your care during your time in prison messed up somewhere and wronged you in one way or another. We just thought that maybe if you ever chose to open up, you'd like it to be with someone like Kya."
Her words all made sense but it still felt like a huge weight had been placed on the younger woman's chest.
"When does this start?" She asked hesitantly.
"In about a week. We all thought it would be best if we got you acclimated to bring back in this compound before we moved forward." Again, Kuvira was confused.
"Wait. Doesn't Kya and the Chief live in Republic city? That's hours away from here. How am I-" Kuvira was interrupted abruptly by the phone next to Suyin ringing. Su answered promptly.
"Su speaking. Ah, Lin! It's nice to hear from you so soon. I haven't told her yet. I think it would be best coming from you." She handed the phone to Kuvira who hesitantly took it.
"Hello?" She spoke quietly into the phone.
"Kuvira, it's Lin. I assumed Su would've already told you what was happening but I hear that's not the case. Kya and I are moving to Zaofu. I'm retiring as the police chief. I've hit my limit kid, and now I'm moving closer to Su. Call it making up for lost time or whatever. We're actually almost moved in. We're just down the road if you need us, kid." Despite slight annoyance in her voice clearly directed at Suyin, this news made Kuvira perk up ever so slightly.
"Yeah, okay. I got it. Thank you," she mumbled sheepishly.
"No need to thank me, Kuvira. Kya is excited to see you again. I've gotta go now. Just keep it up okay?" And the line when dead. Kuvira handed the phone back to Su with a small smile creeping onto her face.
"Now that you seem to be fairly up to date on things, we need to discuss something else." Kuvira shook her head in response.
"Meal arrangements?" She asked lazily. Her nonchalant attitude slightly irked Suyin, but she nodded back anyways.
"Yes. As I've said, you are to be at every dinner. For the first 2 weeks, it's going to just be you, Huan, and I. After that we'll all be together." Her words seemed innocent enough, but to Kuvira it felt like she was hiding something. She, however, decided to not further the matter.
"Just dinner? Why not all meals?" Kuvira had never really been the curious type. It seemed that for now, she was content with pushing Suyin's buttons. It was like Su just couldn't get a reading on this woman. One minute she was squeezing herself so tight it seemed like she might disappear, the next she seemed open and cocky. She could tell that at least one of the personalities was for sure a facade, but which one?
"Ah well. I wouldn't want to interrupt you for lunch if you were in the middle of a captivating painting," she replied with the world's fakest smile plastered onto her face. The drew a smirk out of kuvira.
"It seems to me that this plan was put in to place had I were to choose training over painting. Am I correct?" Silence. She scoffed and folded her arms gingerly across her chest. "You really thought that little of me? I guess it goes to show that not everyone is capable of change." Kuvira's words hit harder than any punch she could've every thrown towards her old mentor.
"I see. If that's how you feel, so be it Kuvira. I'll be on my way now. But you should expect Huan to drop by fairly soon. Dinner is shortly after your session, and he'll guide you there. I'm sure I'll see you later, my dear." Kuvira's heart fell into her stomach. She instantly felt very visibly sick. During the time of their affair, Suyin would always affectionately refer to the younger woman as "my dear". It was something Kuvira hadn't thought about in years and just hearing it with such sadness hit her in her most vulnerable part. Her heart.
Tears began streaming down her cheeks as she clenched her teeth with what little strength she had left. "Please don't go yet-" she muttered through heavily clenched teeth. Suyin had almost fully been out of the door, but she managed to be stopped dead in her tracks just by hearing the sound of Kuvira crying. The younger woman knew she had struck a cord with her words and Suyin knew that she had done the same in defense.
"Ah. So it's the cocky side that's a facade. Figures. She's gone back to the little girl she used to be. Now is my time to truly help," Suyin thought to herself. She closed the door once more, and without so much as a few words, she wrapped her arms around Kuvira just hoping that she wouldn't fight back too much.
Kuvira quickly grew stiff in her arms but refused to fight against her. The two of them sat like that for nothing more than a few minutes, until Kuvira pulled away.
"I don't know what's going on, and I don't want to talk about it," Kuvira said flatly. Suyin nodded as she folded her arms.
"You may just be having mood swings as a result of being in this environment again. And I'm sure my tone towards you wasn't helping. This is a new thing for all of us, we haven't had you home in years. And while we did miss you, this is still a very new adjustment for us. Just understand that okay?" Now it was Kuvira's turn to nod.
"I understand. And I'm sorry." This was all the younger earth bender could think to say. There was so much going through her mind and heart, and both sides were conflicted.
With another nod, Suyin quietly took her leave. The heavy metal doors closed with a thud, but not before Huan stepped into the room.
"I've come to get you for your lesson. Are you ready Kuvira?" With a sigh and a nod, the older of the two shook her head and together they walked back to Huan's studio. Two sets of heavy metal doors later, and they had arrived. Together they set up their individual painting stations as well as something to paint, and it began.
"So...you always get into fights with my mother like that?" He laughed a bit as he began painting the already bleak canvas in front of him. A frown found itself settled onto Kuvira's face.
"Not usually, no. That's the first time we've fought since before I was in prison," she replied in a monotone voice.
"The first time in ten years? How hard is it affecting you right now? I only ask because I am supposed to be the person spending the most time with you, so if I can help I might as well try to. But please, by no means does this mean you have to unload anything onto me."
Another frown settled on her face. Was opening up really such a good idea? Especially since she wasn't sure how much she could really control what actually came out of her mouth.
"Ask me again in a week?" She suggested in an unsure tone. Another laugh rang through her ears.
"Alright then, Kuvira. Now, allow us to get back to our paintings." And with that the two resumed their activity, sitting in deafening silence.