AN: This chapter is a little shorter than they normally are, but that's because the next chapter will be a doozy!

warnings for a lot of frank and honest talk of sex and threesomes (but in a tasteful way!)

"You sure you want to do this?"

"Yes. I was sure the previous ten times you asked, and I'm still sure." Kuvira shook out her shoulders, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I've trained. I'm ready."

"Because it's not as easy as it looks."

"I can do it."

"Did you hear that, Yunru? She said she can do it." Huan stood with his arms over his chest, squaring off with Kuvira in front of a pile of unassembled tent frames.

"I don't know, Kuvira," Yunru said, stroking his chin. "It's a tough assignment. I mean, Huan is pretty talented."

"With art, maybe," Kuvira scoffed. "This is a little more involved."

Huan rolled his eyes. "Involved? Please. All we're doing it putting a few poles together."

Kuvira linked her fingers together, pushing out to crack her knuckles. "Yes, but we're also seeing who can do it fastest."

"Just make sure you do it right," Yunru reminded them. "I don't want to have to explain to Su why her tents aren't put up perfectly."

"With all the fuss she's making, you'd think she was the one getting married," Huan complained. "Three kids have already gotten married, and she's still acting like this is the biggest thing to ever happen."

"Opal refused to let her plan," Yunru said, diplomatically. "And both Jr. and Wing's wives did their own planning. You may be her last hope until Kaori is old enough."

"She really needs to chill out, though." Huan sighed. "Kuvira, can't you, I don't know, distract her?"

"Me?"

"Yes. She fawns all over you. Just bat your eye lashes and ask her nicely to leave me alone."

Kuvira glanced at Yunru, unsure how much she should say. "Your mother tends to do what she wants."

"But if you asked, she'd at least think about it." Huan put his hands on his hips. "You've got her wrapped around your little finger, and you don't even know it."

"Huan…" She looked meaningfully at Yunru, and Huan raised a brow.

"He knows about you and Mom."

Yunru bit his lip, looking at Kuvira with concern. "Does that make you uncomfortable? I'm sorry. I don't want you to feel weird about me knowing."

Kuvira stiffened, a reflex even though she knew she had nothing to fear from Yunru. He was probably one of the kindest souls she had ever encountered, his soft demeanor hidden behind his large frame and intimidating build. "I'm so used to keeping it secret, it's a little strange to talk about it openly. And Huan pretty much said he didn't want to hear about Su and me."

"I don't," Huan affirmed. "Unless it's to my advantage. Like getting her to relax about this wedding. Makes me want to just elope."

Yunru kissed his cheek as Huan pouted. "I want this wedding, too. It's not just your mother. Who happens to be a very good mother-in-law, so I don't want to get on her bad side by asking her to back off. It's just a few more days."

Huan looked at him and smiled, his entire demeanor changing in an instant. It reminded her so acutely of Suyin. At first glance, the two did not seem to have much in common, but Kuvira knew better. They were both emotional and sensitive. Both rebellious in their own ways. They both hated to conform to expectations and social standards. And sometimes their expressions were nearly identical. He was right, too. The way he looked when Yunru touched him was so very similar to the way Suyin looked when Kuvira touched her. Wrapped around her finger. Kuvira contemplated that. She supposed it made sense. Suyin had given up a lot to be with Kuvira. Had changed a lot about herself and her relationships. She made concessions, and she put Kuvira's needs first.

"Regardless," Kuvira said. "She'll have all our hides if we don't finish this." That morning, Suyin had be agitated and stressed, snapping at any and everyone about last minute preparations for the wedding that weekend. Even Baatar and Kuvira had not been safe from her wrath.

"I think Yunru and I are safe," Huan said. "If she kills us, who will be left to get married?"

"I'm sure she'll find someone." Kuvira grinned at him and then clapped her hands together. "No more stalling. It's time for me to beat your ass."

"We'll see." Huan stretched and took his place in front of one of the unassembled tents. Kuvira stood in front of another. The third, they would do together.

"All right," Yunru said, holding a stopwatch. "Read, set, go!"

Kuvira had spent the previous day carefully studying the instructions and layout of the tent, so she was familiar with the parts and how they should fit together. The plans were clear in her mind, and she swiftly began bending the poles in place. Dimly, she was aware of Yunru calling out encouragement to Huan, but she shut that out of her mind. She felt focused and centered. Like this was finally a task she could excel at. A small victory that really did not mean much in the grand scheme of things, but for Kuvira…this confidence she felt in her abilities was a huge turning point.

Methodically, the placed each pole, connecting them at their joints, securing them with nuts and bolts. She did not check on Huan's progress. She knew that if she just kept going at this pace, she would finish before him. She felt it in her gut, like some sort of divine assurance.

She set her final piece, and stepped back, hands up. "Time!" she called, and looked over to see that Huan was only three fourths of the way through. She could not help the pleased grin that spread across her face, the giddy pride that bubbled inside her.

"Four minutes and seventeen seconds," Yunru said. "Impressive." Huan scowled at him.

"Do you need help finishing?" Kuvira asked innocently, and Huan gave her a rude hand gesture.

"I was taking my time," he said. "Making sure it was done right."

"You can check mine out," Kuvira replied, looking down to inspect her nails. "It's solid. Perfectly put together."

Yunru walked over to inspect the frame. He ran his hands over several joints, pushing on the poles. "Looks good to me."

"Traitor," Huan said. He turned back to his own tent and finished putting it together while Kuvira moved on to the third tent. Huan joined her a minute later, and they quickly finished the last tent. After Yunru has inspected them, they returned inside for lunch. The fabric would be stretched over the frames later.

Baatar and Kaori were already eating, and Kuvira made sure to site as far away from Baatar as she could. It had been a week since he got back from his trip, since Kuvira had slept with his wife, and she could barely look at him without blushing, without thinking about Suyin's fantasy of the three of them together. Mercifully, he had only vaguely asked her if she'd had a good weekend, then let the subject drop. She was sure that Suyin had already given him any details.

His reaction had been most preferable to Kya's incessant questions about how it had been and how Kuvira was feeling, if she was sore, did she need anything at all. It had been mortifying, but she had survived.

After lunch, she was supposed to find Suyin and help her go over the final seating arrangements for the reception, but Baatar caught her outside the dining room.

"Kuvira, can I speak with you?"

"Oh, um…of course." Nervously, she followed him to his office, where he shut the door behind him to give them privacy.

He turned to look at her with concern. "Is everything all right? Between us, I mean."

Kuvira's brows furrowed in confusion. "Yes, of course. Why?"

"You've been…distant since I got back." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Su told me everything went well, and you said the same. But now you won't even look at me. I just…have I done anything to upset you?"

"Oh, Baatar, no." She wrapped an arm around herself, uncomfortable with where this was going. "I uh…Didn't Su say anything to you?"

He shook his head. "About what?"

Kuvira stifled a groan, turning away from him and running her hand through the short hair on the side of her head. She wanted it to grow out faster, but it was taking its time. She knew for the wedding she's have to pin it down to keep it from looking awkward.

"Kuvira, what is it?"

"This is really hard for me, okay?"

"I…I don't…What?"

"When Su and I were….together…" Her face flushed and she could not bring herself to look at him. "She mentioned that she…Spirits, Baatar, she said she thought about the two of us. Like that."

"Ah."

She chanced a glance at him to see that he was looking at the wall, his cheeks darkened.

"And now…I just can't…look at you."

"Yes. I understand." He swallowed. "I can see how that would be…distressing."

"I thought she would have told you."

"She failed to mention that detail."

"I told her I couldn't do it."

"Spirits," Baatar muttered. "No, Kuvira, of course. That's only something we do if the third person initiates it."

"Does she…" Kuvira hesitated, unsure if she should ask this, if she even wanted to know the answer. "Does she talk about me? I mean, in that way? To you?"

"Kuvira…"

"I told her I didn't want to hear about you and her, but I never told her whether or not I wanted her to keep what happened between us away from you."

"Does it bother you?"

Kuvira shrugged her shoulders helplessly. "I don't know. It's just…strange for me."

"This is new for us, Kuvira," Baatar said. "Trying to figure this out with a partner who isn't also polyamorous. I don't think Su's even thought about how it may be best for her not to discuss your…intimacies with me."

"I feel very out of my element," Kuvira admitted. As awkward as all of this way, Baatar was still someone she felt she could talk to. Perhaps she saw them as being in similar positions. "Doesn't it bother you? To hear about what we did?" Because she could accept that he was all right with his wife having other partners, but she found it hard to believe he wanted to hear about the sexual escapades Suyin got up to without him.

"Honestly? No." Baatar sighed. "I've been hearing about what Su does with other people for years. It is different with you, I suppose."

"Because you have feelings for me."

He looked away, clearly frustrated. "Partially, but more, I think…it's you, Kuvira. She doesn't know what do to with you. You're so different from anyone she's ever been with. Except maybe me."

"You?" Kuvira balked.

"You don't have to sound offended," Baatar complained.

"We're nothing alike. That's not meant to be an insult," she covered quickly. "It's just fact."

"I know it doesn't seem like it at first glance," Baatar said. "But think about it. We both like our own company. We can get caught up in our own projects. Neither of us are very fond of having our sex lives talked about. We prefer to observe than speak. And we're both more likely to admit our mistakes than Su is. I see it more now than I did when you were younger. You've changed a lot, and I think that's why her feelings for you changed."

"You think that I'm like you and that's why she's with me?"

"No. I think you've become more like me as you get older, and you're more like me than anyone else she's been with. And I think that there are certain aspects of our personalities that we share that Su likes." His brows furrowed. "I know how isolating it can feel when you're sharing your partner. You and I are the only two who can relate to each other because we're the only two who are with Su, watching her love someone else. I know it can be hard. And I'm in a new position. I've never had feelings for any of Su's partners before, and I don't know what to do with it, and Su doesn't know what to do with it. And I just know that it's put pressure on you, which is never what I wanted. I feel so…horrible about causing you anxiety."

Kuvira shut her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. "It's probably only fair," she said. "I'm sure I've caused you enough anxiety over the years. Especially when I put you and your family in a wooden cage suspended over a bottomless pit."

"I'm sure the pit wasn't actually bottomless," Baatar said. "That would be physically impossible."

Kuvira rolled her eyes at him. "I'm being serious."

"And I've told you, Kuvira, it's all in the past."

Kuvira looked at him with speculation. "I don't understand how you can…forgive those things, but all right."

Baatar gave a small laugh. "You really don't see it."

"What?"

"Why did you forgive Su for everything that was between you two?"

"Because I love her," Kuvira said softly.

"Then there's your answer." He cupped her face gently, and Kuvira looked up into his eyes. "You know Su wasn't the only one who was at fault. I had plenty of opportunities to change things, and I didn't. I pulled away from you long ago, when you needed someone. We've all had our fair share of bad decisions"

"Yes, well, some of our decisions were worse than others."

"Can I speak frankly, Kuvira?" He looked at her with such somber compassion, that Kuvira found herself nodding. "I think that the reason you have so much trouble believing we've forgiven you is because you haven't forgiven yourself."

Closing her eyes and turning her face away, Kuvira swallowed. Baatar wasn't wrong. Over the last decade, Kuvira had worked on moving past what she had done, had worked on forgiving Suyin and Baatar, had worked on making amends and reparations. She had even worked on forgiving herself. But that had never fully happened. Deep inside her, she had never been able to assuage her guilt. After all this time, she wondered if she ever would.

"This isn't what we were talking about," she said, voice raspy with sudden emotion.

"No, we were talking about threesomes. I can't really decide which of those would be more uncomfortable for you." He brushed a thumb over her cheek, and she leaned into the touch. "You're carrying around so much pain. I just want to take some of it for you."

"I brought it on myself. It's mine to bear," Kuvira said. No sooner had the words left her mouth than she was engulfed by Baatar's arms, her face pressed into his chest.

"I love you, Kuvira," he said fiercely. "No matter what you ever decide about our relationship, I love you. And I want to do whatever I can to help you forgive yourself. I know it won't happen overnight, that it's going to be a long road, but you've paid your dues. You're allowed to move on and be happy."

"I am happy," she protested. "I mean…as happy as I've been in ten years."

He released her from his embrace so that he could take her hand in one of his own, the other reaching up to touch the short hair on the side of her head. "Su is so disappointed that you're letting this grow in."

"Really?"

"Yes. She couldn't stop talking about how good you looked."

Kuvira blushed, and Baatar smiled softly.

"Of course, Su would think you looked beautiful with your head completely shaved. She'd think you were beautiful no matter what."

"And you?"

Baatar's eyes widened in surprise. "Do you really want to know that? I thought you didn't want to hear about that."

"I um…yes, I want to know."

"Then, Su and I are in agreement. You're beautiful, no matter what your hair looks like." His hand slid down to her cheek. "But, I do like the undercut."

"It's so awkward to deal with. It takes more work than just a braid."

"I like the braid, too."

"Baatar, is Su always going to be disappointed that I'm not adventurous?"

Baatar shook his head. "She's never going to be disappointed with you. Not with that." He cleared his throat. "But if you ever want tips on…well, on Su, then you can always ask."

Kuvira coughed and stepped away. "I'm not sure if that's…if I'm ready for that."

"Oh, I'm sorry." He ran a hand through his hair. "Too much."

"Maybe…maybe in a while, when I'm more…when this isn't so new." Because the more time she spent in this strange arrangement, the less averse she felt to considering Baatar. He was very much a part of Suyin. They had been married nearly as long as Kuvira had been alive, and they were intertwined. If she wanted Suyin, if she wanted to have a good and lasting and healthy relationship with Suyin, she knew Baatar had to be included in that. In at least some way. And through everything, she realized he could help her. With all the strange quirks Suyin had. After so many years of marriage, he more than likely knew exactly how to please Suyin.

He nodded. "I'll let you come to me."

Kuvira sat down in one of the chairs in front of his desk. "Baatar…what's it like?"

He tilted his head, frowning. "You mean…a threesome?"

Unable to answer, Kuvira nodded.

"Well…You definitely can't be jealous, or it ruins the mood." He sighed and sat across from her. "Do you really want to hear this?"

"Since Su mentioned it, it's all I've been able to think about," Kuvira said.

"Su would like that," Baatar joked.

"I'm not thinking about it in the way she does," Kuvira mumbled. "But I…I want to hear it from you. What it's like. If I asked her, it would be from a different perspective. I want to know what it's like for her partner, not for her."

"The first time we did it, it was with the dancer I told you about," Baatar said slowly. "I mostly just let them do what they wanted, and I stayed out of it. The whole thing was…strange. Not bad, but I didn't enjoy it the same way Su did. I didn't care about this women the way Su did. I had no desire to be intimate with her. But I wanted so badly to please Su, and I thought that was a way to show it. The next time was better. I knew the dancer better, we had become friends, even. I had fun that time. It took me a little while, though, to realize that I wasn't obligated to fulfill that particular fantasy for Su. I wanted to, but I didn't have to."

"I know I don't have to," Kuvira said softly.

"I think, Kuvira, that it would be different with you." He placed a hand on her knee. "Su cares so much about your comfort, and she would never press you for this. And if you did ever decide you wanted to try this, we would make sure you were safe. It wouldn't be like it was with the others. You would call the shots."

"I haven't decided anything yet."

"I know."

"You want it, though, don't you?" She looked at him seriously. "If you didn't have to worry about my reaction. You can tell me the truth. I promise I'll be all right. I won't…freak out."

"I do." Baatar bit his lip. "I hope that's all right."

Kuvira found herself nodding, surprised at how all right she really was with it. When Suyin had first mentioned it, Kuvira had balked out of shock, had been so surprised and so blindsided. In the week since, though, she had begun to wonder if it would really be that bad. She didn't necessarily think it would be something she wanted outside of doing something for Suyin, but perhaps it would be all right. Something to try.

Eventually, though. When and if she was ever ready.

"It's all right." She leaned forward, hesitated, then continued. She pressed her lips to his cheek. His skin wasn't as soft as Suyin's, and she could feel the stubble from his beard. As she pulled back, he looked at her, with a bit of wonderment on his face. The same way Suyin sometimes looked at her. Like she was incredible. And like with Suyin, a warmth blossomed in her chest. Not as strong, not as intense as it was with Suyin, but there all the same.

"Are we good now?" Baatar asked. "It's not going to be awkward again?"

Kuvira gave a small laugh. "I can't promise I'll never act awkward again, but we're good."

"At risk of ruining this wonderful mood, has Huan talked to you about….the wedding? And Jr. being there?"

Kuvira's ease evaporated quickly, and her face fell. "He has. I don't want to cause any problems. I offered to skip it, but Huan insisted I be there. Apparently he considers me a friend. Even with me dating his mother." Kuvira raised her shoulders helplessly. "I'm going to stick with Korra for the evening. We think that Jr. will avoid making a scene if Korra's with me. We're sitting at the back, and I'm going to duck out of the reception early."

"I'm so sorry that he's making things so difficult." Baatar reached out to touch her face again. "I love him. But I love you, too, and of the two of you, he's not the one who has been killing himself trying to make up for everything. He prefers to blame others for his problems, while you take responsibility. You don't deserve him making your life harder. And he seems to be the one who doesn't have a problem possibly ruining Huan's wedding."

"I still feel responsible."

"It's going to be all right, Kuvira. The wedding is in a few days, and Jr. will just be here for the weekend. Minimal contact." His fingers ran down the rim of her ear, and she leaned into the caress. "Su is going to be…occupied, but I promise you that I will make sure Jr. doesn't corner you. Even if you don't live here anymore, this is a safe place for you. It's your home."

She tilted her head down, covering Baatar's hand with hers. "I do love you, Baatar. Maybe not like I love Su, I don't know. But you're probably the kindest man I know. Though it could be a tossup between you and Huan." She gave him a small smile. "I know what Su sees in you. Why this relationship has outlasted all her others."

"Kuvira, if you two can get through the next few months, your relationship will last, too." His eyes were soft and kind, and Kuvira knew that they would be okay.

The door burst open, and Suyin whirled in, barely even taking in their close proximity. "Oh, good Kuvira. I've been looking for you. We need to finish the seating arrangements and the tent frames are five feet too far to the left. They need to be moved and I don't trust anyone else to help me with it. Baatar, you don't mind if I steal her from you, do you?"

"Not at all." He squeezed Kuvira's hand and gave her a small wink. They'd both been running themselves ragged trying to keep Suyin happy in the days leading up to the wedding. Until that point, she had been happy to let the wedding planners be in charge, but now…well, now she had decided that no one could do it better than her. And she was giving everyone else hell. "I'll see you both at dinner."

Suyin barely managed to remember giving him a kiss on the cheek before dragging Kuvira behind her. As they walked, Kuvira watched the way Suyin's body moved with deliberateness. The way she channeled power and grace through her movements and muscles. She looked incredible, and Kuvira found herself wondering when they would be able be intimate again. The first time, they really had stayed in bed all day. And then all day the next day. But now Baatar was back, and Kuvira couldn't have any more sleepovers. Especially not until the wedding was over and things settled down. Until then, all Kuvira could do was look and pine. Her only consolation was that she was pretty sure Baatar wasn't getting any either. She had it on good authority that Suyin had been spending the nights working and then falling asleep at her desk.

She and Baatar would have to make her sleep once the wedding was over.

Suyin took her out to the yard where the tent frames were set up. "Now, I know I'm being nitpicky," she said. "But, it really isn't centered. Do you see it?"

Kuvira didn't. "Of course. We can fix that right away." She held up her hands and waited for Suyin to do the same. Together, they carefully shifted the frames until they sat where Suyin wanted, even if Kuvira could not tell the difference in positions. She knew better than to say anything, though.

"There, that is much better." Suyin put her hands on her hips, surveying their work. She turned and gave Kuvira a peck on the cheek. "Thank you. Now, the seating arrangements. I understand from Huan that you aren't planning on going to the reception?" Her eyes were remarkably clear, like she was finally focusing on Kuvira instead of the wedding plans. "Is that true?"

"Um…yes."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to worry about it. You've been so busy with the wedding, and it's really not a big deal. I don't like parties very much, anyway." She tried to sound convincing. "The ceremony is enough for me. I don't want to make things more complicated. I didn't really think it would be a big deal. You probably wouldn't even notice I wasn't there."

Suyin looked pained. "Of course I would notice. My son is getting married. I want to share it with the people I love. And that includes you. And Huan wants you there. He told me that, but he thought you were too concerned with Jr. to listen to him."

"Please, Su, I've caused enough drama in your family."

"Our family, Kuvira." Suyin cupped her cheeks between her hands. "You know of all the trouble I caused when I was younger. This family is full of drama. In fact, it wouldn't be a Beifong gathering without some drama. I don't want you to feel like you have to sit it out."

"I just think it's the best option." She leaned forward to kiss Suyin quickly. "I love you. And I want this to be the best day it can be for Huan. And if that means that I slip out early, then that's what I'll do. I don't mind making that sacrifice for him."

Suyin kissed her this time, bumping their noses together before she pulled back. "I love you so much. You're so wonderful." Though it was pushing the boundaries of what they could get away with in public, Suyin brushed their lips together again. "You and Baatar seemed to be bonding."

"Yes. Maybe after the wedding, I'll tell you what we talked about. But not until you're relaxed. Which will not happen until Huan is married off and on his honeymoon."

Suyin sighed. "My baby is leaving me."

"He's moving across town," Kuvira said, rolling her eyes. "You'll still get to see him all the time."

"At least for one weekend, I'll have my whole family with me." Suyin smiled, and Kuvira could see how incredibly happy this made her. "Even Lin."

"She hates weddings," Kuvira said. "She's been complaining about this for weeks. I don't think she even wanted to go to her own wedding, but Kya would have murdered her if she missed it."

"I would have murdered her!" Suyin laughed, tossing her head back. "Do you know how hard it was to find the perfect outfit for her? No dresses, no white, no lace, no colors. It was impossible."

"What was your wedding like?"

"Mine? It was…small."

Kuvira raised her brows. "Small? Your wedding was small?"

"I know, hard to believe." Suyin shook her head. "But Baatar didn't like all that attention, and I loved him so much." She scrunched up her face. "I guess I've been compensating for that with all my children's' weddings."

"Well, you know you and Baatar could renew your vows." The way Suyin froze made Kuvira think she had said the wrong thing. "I…um…it was just…I'm sorry if I said something wrong."

Suyin opened her mouth then closed it again, breathing out through her nose. "We've talked about it, but…Now that you're here, and we thought…it would be in bad taste to renew our vows when you're already having trouble with the whole polyamorous thing."

"Maybe a month or so ago that would have been true," Kuvira said. "But now…I love you, and I do love Baatar. If you two wanted to do that, I would absolutely support you. I would want that for you."

"It wouldn't hurt you?"

"No." She kissed Suyin's cheek. "Not anymore. I'm not sure how or when it happened, probably when you got kidnapped, but I don't feel…jealous anymore. He's so wonderful, Su, and I care about his happiness as much as I care about yours. Anyway, I think that if you wanted to renew your vows so that you could have a huge ceremony like you've always wanted, then you should do that. And I know Baatar would want to give that to you, too."

"That means so much to me, Kuvira." Suyin took her hand. "But first, we have to get through this wedding. And the seating chart it a mess still." She groaned and led Kuvira inside to her office where, together, they made sure that no one was seated next to someone they hated, and that everything was perfectly prepared.

Kuvira felt lighter than she had all week, buoyed with the prospect of really moving forward in her relationship with Suyin. And possibly Baatar. Even knowing that she could not avoid seeing Jr. that weekend could not dampen her mood, and she spent the next three days enjoying the quiet before the storm she knew would come with his arrival.