"Korra! Hey, Korra!" Bolin yelled out, waving at the Avatar from under the statue of said woman.
Korra made a face at the statue but she walked over to meet her friend. She smiled cheerfully and let herself be pulled into a massive bearhug. She returned it with her own strength. "Hi, Bolin." Korra looked at the empty space next to her friend. "Where's Mako?"
The Avatar was supposed to meet the brothers on their break at her park. The morning after 'The Incident' as Korra began to call it, she washed her sheets and everything. She felt shameful of how easily she gave into her body and vowed not to do it again. But it did happen the next night and the night after that. But Korra was able to restrain herself last night and not give into her body's urges. Barely. Still, the Avatar was quite proud of herself and wanted to spend the day away from her bed lest she be tempted. So she invited Bolin to spend his hour break with her at Avatar Korra Park. She assumed he would bring along Mako as well.
"Mako's on a mission," Bolin whispered, glancing around the two to see if anyone was listening in. "It's secret." He shrugged, "Even I don't know about it."
So Lin had already dispatched the teams to investigate the locations of the research facilities Kuvira gave them. She sure didn't waste any time but Korra was glad to hear it. The sooner they round up all the spirit vines and properly disposed of them, the better.
"That's too bad," Korra said, pretending that she didn't know what Mako was doing on his 'secret mission.' "I guess it's just us then."
"Asami's not coming?"
Korra shrugged. "No, I didn't invite her."
"Seriously?" Bolin tried to hide his shock but even though he mastered lavabending, hiding his emotions would never be his strong suit. He pushed his pointer fingers together and Korra knew he was debating whether to say something or not. His green eyes went up to meet Korra's and then they went back to his fingers. "Are you two okay?"
Korra narrowed her eyes in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Boin squirmed and his fingers were pushing at each other more. "It's just that, well you two are always together and um," he began to blush, "you two are always together," he repeated.
Korra understood what Bolin was saying in his Bolin-y way and it warmed her heart but it caused it give a pang as well. "We're okay and no, we're not together." Now Bolin looked confused and Korra was reminded of a child who didn't understand something. "We're just friends."
"But the way you two looked at each other after the race."
Her eyes widened. So it wasn't just them. Bolin and probably Mako saw it too. "That wasn't," Korra began, "we weren't-" She sighed in defeat, her shoulders slumping. "It's really complicated right now, okay?"
Bolin balled his hands up and pouted. Now he really looked like a child. It made Korra smile. "No, it's not. You like Asami, right?"
"More than you know," Korra whispered. It felt good to admit her feelings for the mechanic to someone. The only being that she could talk to was Naga but the polerbeardog couldn't give her advice. She knew she was desperate to turn to Bolin for some solace but Mako was gone and she couldn't go to Asami for obvious reasons.
"Okay, and Asami likes you."
"How do you know?" Korra asked, cautious of the hope rising in her chest.
Bolin took his time to think out an answer. He would open his mouth like he had thought of one but closed it again. "The way she looks at you," he finally said. Bolin gave Korra a small smile. "It's how I look at Opal." He gestured to a elderly couple walking together a few yards away from the two. "See how they keep glancing at each other? That's what Asami does to you." Bolin looked back at Korra and there was something much more mature in his eyes. "Love is different to each person. Opal makes me happy. She sees my faults like my clinginess and poor impulse control but she loves me anyway."
"Do you love her faults too?" Korra asked.
"Of course not!" Bolin exclaimed, sounding a little offended at the question. "Opal doesn't have any faults. She's perfect in every way." Bolin began to drone on about how amazing Opal was and Korra tuned him out.
How did she feel about Asami and Lin? Korra tackled the more confusing woman first. She's always been attracted to Lin, especially those scars, but like liking her was a whole other level. Lin could be stubborn and overbearing. She definitely could hold a grudge that would make her mother proud, as long as it wasn't against her. But Korra couldn't deny that she was there for Korra and was dedicated to her work to the point of self-sacrificing to make Republic City as safe as it could be. Korra had no doubt that if Lin wasn't running the show, gangs like the Triple Triad would have overrun the city decades ago. Lin was a true ally to Korra and wasn't afraid to call her out when she was about to do something reckless, even if Korra didn't listen to the older woman in the end. There's definitely physical attraction to the older woman and maybe some emotional as well. Korra moved on to Asami. She was a stable in Korra's life and she couldn't imagine her life without the beautiful mechanic. Asami was always there for Korra, even during the mess with Mako. She never took her anger out on Korra and was willing to put everything on hold to join Team Avatar and make sure Korra was safe, much like Lin. The mechanic was the only one Korra wrote back to during her three year absence and when they finally met, they just hit it off again like it was the most natural thing in the world, after their initial spat. Korra's hand reached up to pull at the ends of her hair lightly. She accepted Korra no matter what and always had her back. She was able to make Korra smile and laugh without trying and she held so much of her heart already.
Her eyes refocused on the couple walking. She pictured Asami on her arm like that and it made her want to grin. The image blurred and then it was Korra with her arm thread through Lin's and that made her want to chuckle. Her vision blurred once again and the three women were strolling the park together and she could have sworn her heart skipped a beat.
"Are you sad? You look sad."
Korra jumped at the question and quickly smiled reassuringly at her friend. Bolin looked relieved but there was some concern in his eyes still. "I'm fine," Korra said. "You helped me a lot." Korra pulled Bolin into a hug that was returned at once. "Opal is lucky to have you."
Bolin gave the Avatar a cocky grin but there was some insecurity hidden behind the expression. "Yeah, she is." He looked at his watch and frowned. "I should head back to work. My break is almost up."
The two started for the Police Department. They spent the time talking about their adventures during the three years they didn't see each other. Korra focused on the times that she traveled the world in search of herself, however she omitted her visions of her Avatar state stalking her. She wasn't sure if even being the Avatar would allow her to see such vivid hallucinations without being labeled as insane. Bolin talked about his time working for Kuvira and many times he would trail off and look down at his feet. Korra knew that he did mean well when he worked for the woman and that everything she did was over Bolin's head but he still carried around the guilt like he was the one who made the townspeople they 'saved' into slave workers.
It was a relief to both of them when they stopped in front of the old building. They said their goodbyes quickly and Korra watched Bolin run up the steps, eager to get back to work. Korra turned to head back to the Air Temple Island but something caught her eye.
Lin Beifong was sitting at one the benches situated in front of the Police Department building, a cigar held protectively in her fingers. She took a long drag from the cigar and held it in her mouth for a few moments before letting the smoke curl out of her mouth. She blew the rest out and repeated the process a few times as Korra debated whether to go to the older woman or not. Seeing the older woman like this made Korra want to ask what was wrong and bring whatever comfort she could to Lin but she was so confused about what she felt for her.
Taking a deep breath and gathering her courage, Korra walked over to Lin and sat down next to her without any invitation. Lin glared at Korra for a second before even that was too much work. She stared out in front of her and Korra noticed the haggard expression on her face. The Avatar never assigned the term old to Lin but looking at her now, Korra could only think of Lin as tired.
Korra opened her mouth to ask what was up but Lin beat her to the punch. "If you're going to lecture me on how terrible smoking is for me, save it," Lin growled, taking another drag from her cigar. "I already got an earfull from Tenzin when we were dating and even after."
"Oh, no it's not that," Korra said with a friendly smile. "It's your body, you do you." Lin had something almost like gratitude on her face but it was snuffed out before Korra could be sure she saw it. "What's wrong?" she asked.
Lin sighed and tapped off the bit of ash at the end of her cigar. "Kuvira's intell was sound," she said, her eyes void of emotion.
"But isn't that a good thing?"
A sarcastic bark of laughter erupted from Lin and the Chief stifled it with a drag. She let the smoke curl out of her mouth a bit before blowing the rest out. Lin watched the cloud rise and be carried off by the wind. "The team I sent found the researchers right when they were screwing around with the spirit vine. Rather than be arrested, the basterds intentionally set off an explosion. They're all dead, along with twelve civilians," Lin sighed again and took a long drag. "I just got the call and I needed the fresh air." She glanced down at Korra. "Mako wasn't one of them."
Korra hated how the words relieved her. So many people were just killed needlessly but Mako was okay. She was quiet for a minute as she tried to come up with something inspiring to say. She was the Avatar afterall, it was her job to help people. But her mind only came up blank as she watched Lin smoke her cigar. "Do you want to talk about it?" she offered.
"What's there to talk about?" Lin bit back. "I get intell from Kuvira, I send a team of two of my officers to check it out, it turns out to be true, and they get blown up." Lin leaned into the bench and looked at the remainder of the cigar. There was only a fourth of the cigar left. "Maybe I'm getting too old for this shit," she mused, more to herself than to anyone.
"What!?" Korra exclaimed, unable to believe that what she just heard came out of Lin. She could never imagine Republic City without its grouchy but hardworking Chief of Police. "You're the best chief that ever existed. You can't leave the force!"
The words did seem to lighten Lin's spirits because she chuckled, even if it was a bit weak. "The only other chiefs that you can compare me to are my mother and that jelly-spined Saikhan. My mother allowed my sister to escape when she was caught up with the Triple Triads and gave me this." Lin pointed to the scars on her face and had to bite back another bark of sarcastic laughter at the shock on Korra's face. "What? Su never told you? Well, I suppose that makes five people in the world that know the truth now."
"Five?" Korra repeated. Counting herself, Lin, Su, and Toph, four people knew where the scars came from. But who could be-
"Asami," Lin said before Korra could ask. "I got drunk and began to wallow in my past regrets. I don't know why I told her, it doesn't make these scars less hideous."
"They're not hideous," Korra immediately protested. "They're you."
Lin shrugged away the compliment and took another drag from her cigar but found that as they were talking, the cigar had gone out. "I don't know why I'm telling you either," she said. She patted down her side and took out a box of matches. Lin opened it but found it empty. "Perfect," she growled.
Korra held up her hand. "Here, let me." She snapped her fingers and a small flame came out. She could have fire bend without the theatrics but where was the fun in that?
"Thanks," Lin grunted and grabbed Korra's wrist. She didn't exactly trust the Avatar to light her cigar for her without getting burnt. Lin brought the hand closer to the cigar and relit it with a few puffs. Once she let go, the flame Korra was creating sputtered out.
"You shouldn't resign over this. Those two officers knew and understood the risks," Korra said gently. Lin didn't say anything, she only took another drag. Korra took that as a good sign to continue. "They were trying to protect the people they love and stranger alike when they went to investigate the research facility. We should honor them for that."
Lin glanced at Korra and looked back at the world playing out in front of her. People were walking about, blissfully unaware of the tragedy that occurred less than an hour ago. They don't even know their way of life was being threatened at that very moment by people who still held Kuvira on a pedestal. They believed they were safe and protected and because of that belief, they were able to lead happy lives. It was her job to keep that belief intact. "Fine, I won't give up my badge just yet. But once this mess with the spirit vines is cleaned up, I'm retiring." Lin gave a thoughtful sigh. "Maybe I'll join my mother at the swamp or find my own little secluded piece of paradise."
"Asami won't like that," Korra joked. Lin said nothing and took another drag, the cigar almost at the end of its life. "Can I ask you something?"
"You just did."
Korra rolled her eyes but knew they were on thin ice in the middle of a blizzard. "Is it different?" Lin turned her head to look at Korra so the younger woman tried again. "Is you being with Asami different than when you were with Tenzin?"
Lin's eyes were guarded like she thought Korra was trying to trick her but she answered nonetheless. "It's as different as a lion turtle is to a koala sheep." Lin took the last drag from her cigar and dropped it to the ground. She smooshed the remains of her cigar with the bottom of her metal shoe and bent down to grab the ruined remains. "Thinking about it, I only really dated Tenzin because I thought it was expected of me. I mean, Aang and my mother were best friends so they just assumed we would end up together." Lin's face twisted with repulsion. "It was like I was following my duty instead of my heart. With Asami though," a small smile crept on her face like Lin wasn't aware of it herself. Korra was glad Lin's feet were covered because she would probably feel her heart pound through the earth. "It's so easy and fulfilling. She's full of passion and life. Asami dedicates herself to the thing she loves most and she chose her path, unlike Tenzin who was just doing what his father expected him to do."
"Yeah," Korra agreed, "but he ended up loving his job. Kind of like you." She bumped her shoulders with Lin and was somewhat surprised the older woman responded with a roll of her eyes instead of a threat. "Better?"
The Chief of Police nodded with a grunt. "I should check on the buffoons before one of them breaks something," she said as she got up. "About a couple days ago, when I left with Asami." Her cheeks were slightly flushed with embarrassment. "I shouldn't have done that in front of you."
Korra couldn't help it. She laughed so hard she snorted. "No way! Asami" she had to take a moment to catch her breath as her sides began to hurt, "Asami put you in the polarbeardog house!" She wiped away the tears of mirth from her eyes as she grinned cockily at Lin. "Did she make you write an apology note to me?" Korra knew she had absolutely no room to talk. She spent that night masturbating to the two women but Lin didn't know that.
Anything resembling companionability was wiped from Lin's face as she gave Korra a forceful, "Have a good day, Avatar." The Chief marched back to the building, chucking the dead cigar into the trash. She slammed the door shut when she entered the building which caused a poor recruit to cry out in alarm and drop his stack of paperwork.
Korra chuckled to herself but the laughter was quickly dying out. She looked at the door that Lin had marched through and sighed. "Good luck," she said to the closed door. Korra got up from the bench and made her way to Air Temple Island, wondering if Lin really was better after their impromptu talk. It certainly did wonders to her confusion about what she felt towards Lin.