A/N: I am SO SORRY about how long all y'all have had to wait for this. I have finished one of the fics, and put a ton of others on hiatus until further notice to help get the ones I really am enjoying worked on more. This one has a bit of platonic fluff between Lin and Korra as a sort of apology. I know, I KNOW it's short! But please, this chapter was difficult to write since I was trying to draw it out more and it just wasn't happening. Things are going to speed up starting next chapter, and rapid fire action will be coming to slap you in the face with fights, and awesome. And feels. MWAHAHAHAHA. There will be feels. Your salty tears of anguish are my Gatorade.
Warning: Contains... fluff? Oh! And admission of lesbian pairing between Lin and someone else. Maybe language. Angst? Hell if I know.
With love,
Korrupted.
Shout outs-
Kigo Stories: *does a full-on baseball pitch of the new chapter into your face* Read my pretty~! Read, READ! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAA!
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN LoK OR AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER. You honestly better be so glad for that, too.
Lin had no idea what in the hell Korra was doing, but the overall guess was that she was trying to be nice. Her head was throbbing pain from using the seismic sense so much in only a few short hours and her stomach was rolling horribly with nausea. The waterbender had been dropping what Lin could only assume was anything and everything in the kitchen as she tried to make them both something to eat that wouldn't cause Lin's highly agitated stomach to rebel. So far, the blind woman had only acquired a mounting headache from the Avatar's clumsy attempt at providing food for them, and she hoped it wasn't as horrible as when they had previously been roommates. The woman was holding the cane, running her hand along it in thought as she tried to tune out the minor mayhem Korra was producing. Twice, she flicked it, using the vibrations to map out both the external and internal workings of the device. She had the gnawing suspicion that she was holding a very big lead in this whole Equalist SNAFU, but so far, she couldn't figure it out for the life of her.
With a heavy sigh, the metalbender stood, using the item cautiously to navigate the room and halls, her grey-green eyes moving out of habit as her skull pounded harder. By the time Lin reached the kitchen, she could smell something that was rather appealing, but her main hope was that whatever it happened to be was still edible. "Oh, Lin!" Korra's tone was surprised yet happy; obviously the meal was still able to be consumed. "I made some beef hash and noodles."
The bubbling sounds told her that the sauce sounded to be the right consistency, the scent confirming that the vegetables were properly seasoned. "You've improved your cooking." Lin stated with surprise in her voice, leaning against the wall.
Korra was stirring something by the sound of a spoon against a pot. "Mmmn." She hummed in agreement. "I asked the acolytes to teach me while you were," There was a pause. "Unconscious. I had to do something to keep from worrying about you."
The former police chief arched her greying eyebrow, suddenly interested further. "Well, it was nothing to be worried about. I'm fine, see?"
"No, no it really isn't!" The waterbender shot back. "If I had been smarter, more aware instead of freaking out, you would still have your sight, and you would have gotten Amon!" A heavy sigh escaped her. "I really am a terrible Avatar."
"No, you're not."
The words startled Korra, the young woman staring at the scarred woman. She had expected Lin to heartily agree with her, to point out her flaws and failures sternly. Instead, unseeing eyes were upon her mocha skinned face, the words firm, but honest. "Korra, you may be the Avatar, but you aren't perfect. You're all of seventeen, still trying to airbend, and learning just how crazy this world really is. You are human, you'll make mistakes. I chose to go after you because you are the hope of the world. And, as obnoxious and childish as you can be, you are loyal, kind, caring, and you do have a very large heart."
The young Avatar faced the stove again, blushing heavily as she returned to minding the food. She had never received that kind of praise from Lin before, and it was doubly impactful as the metalbender hated doling out unwarranted compliments. It was both satisfying and nerve-wracking to hear it. How could Lin place so much faith in her, be so willing to back her up when her own failures were the cause of the woman's suffering?
She felt a hand grip her shoulder and spin her around, forcing her to once more face her current mentor. It took hold of her collar, keeping her in place as the other placed the cane against the wall before reaching out for her face. Blue eyes closed, expecting a firm slap to her head, but once again feeling Lin gently touch her features. The contact of those calloused fingertips caused the young bender to relax, the hand trailing over her face delicately to once again map out her expression. The earthbender trailed her palm along Korra's cheeks, her thumb almost tenderly moving along slightly parted lips as her pupil remained still. To the young Avatar in training, it was still the most intimate non-romantic thing she had ever experienced, her heart hammering in her chest as a new revelation hit; Lin was trusting her deeply to allow her to see how uncertain and gentle she could be.
The metalbender continued her gentle tracing of Korra's features, finally lowering her hand. "Asami still troubling you?" Was the calm question, followed by, "The food is done, so we might as well eat while we talk."
The young Water Tribe woman turned again to quickly turn off the stove, checking the meal before dishing it out into bowls. Her strong mentor was already sitting at the table casually, and Korra placed the dish on the table before taking her own seat, inspecting her cutlery for several tense moments. "I think..." She began nervously. "I think I was a bit hasty with Asami. I mean, I really, honestly do miss her company. She's just so kind, and sweet, and she always treated me well."
Lin tapped the table surface in spite of the slight headache it caused her, locating her spoon and the bowl before taking a tentative bite after blowing on a spoonful. "Hmmm. It turned out very nicely, Korra." Her eyebrows furrowed in thought. "So, what's your plan?"
The blue eyed bender sighed loudly, idly stirring her noodles and hash together. She was partially glad that she had cooked instead of the acolytes today; otherwise, Lin wouldn't have tried her improved skill set. "I guess I could talk to her. I mean, I want a relationship and not just a thing." Her expression soured. "But she won't do that. I want her, I miss her. But I don't want to be just a fling to her. I want it to mean something, you know?"
The blind woman dutifully took another bite to mull over her thoughts. "Well," A drink of water to put her words into order. "you could always start off as whatever you were before, and slowly try to build it into something permanent. Republic City wasn't built in a day. Though..." A bit of a sad chuckle escaped her. "If you had asked Mother, she would tell you that she had built it all herself in less than two hours and half asleep."
The teen laughed, the sound both genuine and a bit hesitant somehow. The poor idiot did care very much about Ms. Sato, and it was clear that she missed the non-bender's company. It reminded her of her own intimacy with Kya when they were both younger. The waterbender had even helped her destroy Air Temple Island under the banner of 'Beifong Revenge Squad' after Tenzin had broken up with her for Pema. She had gone back to the middle child of the Avatar for a while -unofficially- and for several years had remained that way. Kya never had been the kind to settle down, and while it was clear that she still deeply cared for the metalbender, they had broken off their unorthodox relationship in Lin's mid-thirties mutually; the healer wanted her young lover to find someone who was willing to love her properly. To find someone who she could publicly show off and have a real future with, and the wandering woman was not the kind to remain rooted like that.
"I... I think I like that idea. Thanks, Lin."
The former police chief shrugged absently, returning to her meal. She really did find the Avatar to be pleasant now that she wasn't destroying her city every inopportune moment she got. As they chatted freely, Lin began to notice that she was chuckling at the many adventures the girl had gotten into as a child, including being chased by winter wombats after stealing a shell from their den. When had they grown close? When had she stopped resenting the girl and found her as good company? "Korra?" She murmured softly, setting the glass of water aside.
"Hmm? What is it?"
Long had they finished eating, both women sitting at the table with water. The greying bender blinked slowly. "I need you to help me with an experiment. I need you to go in to my room and set a vase somewhere in plain view. Don't tell me where, just place it and come get me."
"Sure!"
She heard the long haired bender stood swiftly. "Oh, and make sure it's one we won't mind seeing destroyed."
She could hear a vase being lifted from a surface. "This one look okay?"
Lin blinked a few times, her expression of annoyed boredom. "You have got to be kidding me right now..."
"Right! Sorry! I kinda... Forgot?"
The older woman rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but smirk at the girl, waving her hand dismissively to send her charge to her task. Her mother had been blind, and apparently the others had all constantly forgotten that fact due to her unique ability to use her seismic sense in place of sight. She could still recall her Uncle Sokka showing her his horrible rendition of baby Opal, and Toph saying that it looked just like her. Hopefully, it wouldn't happen again and this would be the end of it.
"Lin? I set it up. Do you need help getting to your room?"
If it had been anyone else, Lin would have fumed about how she was simply without sight and not an invalid, growling at the furiously and possibly bending something into their face. But it wasn't anybody else; it was Korra, who worried about if she wasn't strong enough for everyone's sake. Korra, who feared what could be if she failed her mentor once again. "No, I have my stick. But thank you for your offer." She stated in a level tone, standing.
She knew that as she walked, her charge remained only a few yards behind her, ready to help in any way at all if asked. It was touching, and the former chief found herself idly recalling how things had slowly but surely changed between them after all these weeks. Had it already been three months? Time certainly flew, and it was so strange to know that they were friendly to each other instead of spiteful. The stoic woman didn't understand why, but it did her heart good to know that. Maybe it was because now they weren't at each other's throats at all times.
The greying officer found herself standing in the doorway to her room at long last, her bare feet firmly planted on the floor. With a firm stomp, Lin sent out a shock wave, spotting the tiny urn that was one of Tenzin's favorite antiques that apparently both she and the Avatar found particularly hideous placed on top of her bedpost. With a firm strike, the metalbender shot a pellet of lead at the ceramic item, the satisfying sound of it breaking making her smirk. She had been wanting to do that for years.
"That was awesome, Lin!" Even Korra's voice was beaming. "How's your head? Is it hurting?"
A dull throb was there, but she shook her head. No need to worry the child. "No. At least my seismic sense is improving."
However, the scarred bender turned to face her possibly still grinning charge, raising one hand to rest on her cheek. Her palm traced along the mocha skin, her fingertips mapping out the young waterbender's eyebrows, closed eyelids, nose, and finally lips. There it was, the lop-sided smile that she had been hoping for. Lin gently trailed her thumb along Korra's lips, a kind smile gracing her own features as sightless grey-green eyes blankly gazed into ice blue. "It's good to see you smiling again, kid." The former officer tenderly admitted, her hand remaining on her pupil's face.
Korra could feel every part of her relaxing at the kind affection the stern woman was showing her, leaning into the touch a bit. "Don't be going all mushy on me now, Chief." She teased, earning herself a gentle cuff on the side of her head. "Ow!"
"Way to ruin the moment, idiot-bender." Was the half-hearted scold, the waterbender chuckling softly.
Waving at Lin dismissively, the long haired teen started walking away before she heard the metalbender call her back, the metal cane in hand. "What is it?"
The greying Beifong was frowning, holding the item before pressing the switch to cause it to spark up before killing the power once more. "I think I have an idea of who is supplying the Equalists." She stated slowly, her brow furrowed.
"Really?! Who is it? We'll take 'em out, Avatar style!"
That sound had been too distinctive, the same one from the arena. There couldn't be any mistaking it for anything else. "You're not going to like it."
"Why is that...?" There was apprehension in Korra's voice. She probably had a suspicion where it was going.
"Future Industries. I suspect that Mr. Sato is helping them as a sympathizer."
"...Asami's father?"