Lin and Suyin reconnect over tea.
A/N: Thundersnow - snowfall accompanied by thunder and lightning.
I thought it would be super cute if they Lin and Suyin used terms of endearment for each other. I imagine they learned the 'old language' as part of their education whenever they visited
Jiějie - (姊姊) Mandarin title for older sister
Mèimei - (妹妹) Mandarin title for younger sister
Lin startled awake at the sound of thunder rumbling. The windows shook from the force of the wind. She swallowed back her initial panic and tried to relax back onto the bed beside a still sleeping Kya.
That morning Lin had woken up feeling much better. Kya had come in to check on her before bed, planning to sleep with the little ones, but Lin shyly asked her to stay. She slept well that night, and woke up the next morning to breakfast being brought in by her babies, who had a tray decked out with cards and other drawings. Her heart instantly warmed, and she urged them to cuddle with her on the bed, sharing her breakfast. She spent the day with them, her mother, and Sokka, who both wanted to get to know the children better.
After a small discussion after dinner, Kya had offered Lin to sleep with her in her bed. Shyly, Lin had responded in agreement, knowing that she slept better beside the waterbender.
However, while she hadn't had any nightmares so far tonight, the thundersnow storm outside was enough to make her heart race. She had always hated the sound of storms.
She winced as another crack of thunder followed the flash of lightning. After a glance to make sure she hadn't woken Kya, Lin huffed as she managed to sit up. She ran a hand across her face tiredly, before sliding out of bed. She knew she wouldn't be getting any more sleep with the storm, so she may as well head downstairs. She donned her slippers and robe, and quietly treaded from the room.
The house was cast in shadows, and quiet against the raging storm outside. She pulled her robe tighter over herself as she strode into the kitchen. She lit a few candles in the room, casting a soft glow. The next thing she did was fill the kettle, and put it on the stove top - tea was always a necessity on cold nights.
Just as she was scooping tea leaves into the teapot, she heard a shuffle at the door. Lin glanced up and found her sister clutching the doorway as another rumble of thunder echoed through the house, causing Lin to shiver as her sister's face paled. "S-Su?"
Su offered Lin a weak smile. "Still don't like storms either?"
"No." Lin replied softly. She glanced down at her hands that had been measuring out the tea leaves. "Would… would you like some tea?" She asked, her voice sounding unsure.
"I would love some." The younger earthbender entered the kitchen, her short curls a wild mess on her head. She came to lean on the counter near her sister, but kept her distance a little as she didn't want to make her uncomfortable.
Lin nodded and added a little more tea, before grabbing a second cup after she put the tin away. "Still with two spoons of honey?"
Suyin grinned. "I'll have you know, that is the superior way to drink it."
"One day your teeth will rot in your mouth from all the sugar." Lin replied, having said this to her sister many times when they were younger. When their eyes met, it was like they were in the past even, as if this was their usual routine on stormy nights.
The kettle wailing pulled them back to the present, and Lin set about preparing the tea while a blush stained her cheeks.
Suyin bit her lip, she was unsure what to say now that a layer of awkwardness had landed over them. There was so much she wanted to say, but she was unsure where to start. She didn't want to offend her sister or cause her to withdraw from her. She almost sighed before realizing that there was something she could try to break the ice.
"Do you still like our special noodles?" She asked, turning to her sister. "I could make it for you this time?"
Lin glanced up at her sister, shocked that she had remembered what she used to make them on nights like these. All she could do was just nod her head.
"Great! Um, I've never gotten them exactly the same as you made them, but I think I've gotten close. You always had the recipe stored in your head and I only really watched what you were doing for like a year. There is always something missing from it, but I can never tell what it is, and-" Suyin stops her rambling after grabbing all the ingredients she can remember using. "I'm rambling aren't I? Sorry."
"It's okay." Lin replied softly as she strained the tea leaves from the pot as they were finished steeping. She set the tea service on the table before turning around. "I could… I could help?"
Lin's heart squeezed at seeing the absolute joy that lit her sister's face.
"I would love that!" She answered, smiling brilliantly, not even flinching at the rumble of thunder.
The two worked in silence as they prepared the vegetables, soft boiled eggs, and finally the noodles.
"Sesame oil!" Su smacked her forehead as she watched her sister grab that to make the sauce for the noodles. "How could I forget such a simple ingredient?"
Lin smirked at her sister. "You always got distracted by the time I was making the sauce, always so impatient to get to the eating."
Su flushed, but grinned cheekily back. "I come by it honestly at least. Just look at our parents!"
The two carried their bowls over to the table. "You know that Sokka isn't my real father right?"
"Yeah, but even before I knew he was actually mine, he was always there for us. I also know for a fact that he sees you as his first child, no matter if technically that is me." Su noticed Lin glance down to her bowl. So she slowly, giving time for her sister to pull away, reached across the table. After a moment, she gently placed her hand over the paler one in front of her. "Trust me, there was not a day that went by that we did not feel your missing presence in our home. Dad, Mom, me… I… I'm sorry, it's all my fault." Su let out a sob.
Lin looked up sharply. "What?"
"It's my fault you were taken. If… If I had only gone with you instead of going to that stupid birthday party… I'm so sorry jiějie."
Lin watched horrified for a moment as her sister broke down in front of her. After a moment, her brain connected with her body, and she got up and made it around the table quickly, pulling her Suyin into her arms.
"It's not your fault." She stated firmly, as she held her sister tightly. "They… They had been watching us, waiting for you to not be with me. So it would have happened eventually."
"Why couldn't they have taken me instead? I wish-"
Lin pulled back abruptly and cupped Suyin's face in her hands. Su was startled to see such a fierce expression on her sister's face. "Don't you ever say that! You have no idea what they have done or would have done to you. I will never regret them taking me over you. Never!"
Su buried herself into her sister's arms again, sobbing as she finally let go of the guilt she had felt all of these years. She melted as she felt Lin's hands in her hair like she used to do when she was a little girl. She could remember going two weeks without touching her hair, because Lin had been the last one to touch it when she had gotten ready for the party. But eventually her Auntie Katara had talked her into having a proper bath. She had cried for hours when hair wasn't done the way Lin would do it; Auntie cried with her, arms around her tight.
"You and later my children were the only things keeping me going. I wanted to ensure they never went after you. You are my mèimei, it's my job to protect you." Lin whispered into her sister's wild curls. She sniffed and pulled back, finger combing said curls away from her sister's face. "Tarlo's hair has always reminded me of yours, he has the same thick curls." She tugged on one gently. Su scrunched her nose up at the tug on her hair, which caused Lin to chuckle a bit. She booped her sister's nose. "Tayen has your nose too."
Suyin's heart warmed at hearing her sister laugh, even if just something small. "Will you tell me more about them?"
So they both ate their long cold noodles, and drank their tea, while Lin shared stories of her children. The storm seemed to be forgotten as they both got absorbed into the conversation. As time went on, Lin got less hesitant with her words as she relaxed into the once familiar feeling of time with her sister. It obviously was different, her sister was an adult now and she a mother, but it still filled her with warm nostalgia.
"Tayen sounds like she is a mix between Mom and Auntie Katara." Su grinned as she held her cup between both hands. "You'll have your hands full when she is a teenager. Even better, whoever manages to win her heart will be kept on their toes."
Lin wore a small smile, before sighing. "I'm sure. But I think I will just focus on the present for now, she won't be six for another few weeks yet." Lin took a sip of her tea. "Speaking of someone managing to win a heart… Baatar seems nice, he's a hit with the kids already." She was both amused and slightly jealous of the pleased, flushed look that took hold of her sister's face. She forced the jealousy back, not wanting to spoil the ease of their current conversation.
"I met him when Grandmother and I were helping the counsel in Gaoling to make some renovations to restore some of the historic buildings in the City." She tucked hair behind her ear, as a grin lit her face. "It took months for me to see him for who he really was. I at first just saw him as this super smart, geeky boy. But he's very passionate about his work, and is very kind and thoughtful. I eventually was the one who asked him out and the rest is history."
Lin reached over and clasped her sister's hand. "I'm so happy for you mèimei."
Su could tell her sister's smile was sincere, despite the hint of sadness behind her jade eyes. She squeezed her hand back. "I love you, I'm so happy you are home."
Lin's eyes gained a sheen to them, as she could feel tears gathering. "I love you too, and I am so glad that you have grown into a wonderful woman. I am so happy my children will get to grow up with you in their lives."
This time it was Suyin's turn to round the table and pull her sister into her arms. They shared a few more tears, and whispered words of love.
After a bit, they noticed that the storm had settled, and it was going on three in the morning. Su shooed Lin off to bed after she yawned a few times, and said she would tidy up the kitchen. Lin didn't argue, just placed a kiss on her sister's cheek before tiredly making her way up the stairs.
She stopped for a moment to peek into the first room that housed her children. Instead of the girls, she found all four of them cuddled up together on the bed. A smile graced her face, before she quietly slid the door closed.
As she settled down into bed beside Kya, she heard the waterbender shift.
"Everything okay?" Kya asked, voice groggy.
Lin took a moment to awkwardly roll over so that she could face the older woman. "Yeah. There was a storm, so I just went to make tea. Su joined me."
"Oh?" Kya tucked a loose strand of hair behind Lin's ear. "Were you able to speak with her? I know you both wanted and needed to have a moment together."
Lin smiled and nodded, "it was nice." She yawned.
"I'm so glad, sweetie." Kya took Lin's hand to squeeze lightly. "Spirits, Lin, your hand is frozen. Come here." Kya pulled her into her arms and tucked the blankets up tighter around them.
Now that Lin could feel the warmth from Kya, she realized how cold she actually was. She buried herself into the heat of the embrace and couldn't hold in another yawn. As soon as she felt Kya's hand running soothingly over her back, she felt herself drift off.
Kya held Lin close, and once she realised that the earthbender was asleep, she leant forward and placed a kiss on her forehead. She couldn't help but notice how perfectly the raven haired beauty fit into her arms. She swallowed, trying to stop herself from going down that path. 'Don't even put the idea in your head Kya. Lin is not even in the right headspace to know about your previous and apparently still present crush on her, let alone be anywhere near ready to be in a relationship. She will need me as a friend, and that is what I will be."
Kya mentally shook her head, dispelling the thoughts from her head. They had many plans that day to prepare for the Lunar New Year celebrations. She drifted off, but despite her best wishes, she dreamed of ebony hair and striking green eyes.
A/N: I wish you all Happy Holiday's, whatever you celebrate, and if you don't, then I hope you still have a good next couple weeks.
