All I could do was stare off into space as my mind kept replaying the events of the last couple hours. Apparently after I fainted Kya had panicked and called Katara and my mother while Su no doubt laughed her ass off. I regained consciousness shortly after they arrived and right as Kya was telling them the news. Toph had been overjoyed and proudly hit my arm while Katara looked... uneasy. I could tell that on the outside she was happy but there was something forced about her expression. After she'd given me the all clear she'd taken Kya to Air Temple Island for a full exam. I couldn't get Kya's nervous expression as she left out of my head.
"Well aren't you going to go after her?" Su said a smile on her face leaning against the doorway.
"I'm not sure. I know I should but I'm a bit worried and confused about this."
"Aww come on what's to be nervous about. Well besides the fact you knocked up the daughter of the Avatar without properly marking her as your mate." Her tone told me she was enjoying this far more then she should. But despite her teasing what she said was right. I wasn't worried what Aang would think, seeing as airbenders where pretty open and accepting of most things. It was Katara I was really worried about, she was practically my second mother and the thought of displeasing her scared the hell out of me.
"Not to mention Tenzin. Don't we have a not date with him tonight"
Crap, I forgot about him. When he finds out about this his tattoos will turn red with rage.
"Anything else you need to mention?"
"Nope so go get her." Pushing past her and making my way downstairs where mother was waiting with a smile on her face.
"So my little girl goes on vacation and knocks up her best friend. Oh how I wish I could see the look on her face when Katara found out. I always knew the two of you would wind up screwing, Sokka owes me fifty yuans."
"You and him bet on if we'd get together?" I wasn't really surprised that she did it honestly.
"Not if you two got together but when. I had before you two were thirty, he bet after. And I know what you're thinking but trust me Katara isn't upset. She's not like that. Now about my grandkids name..." I didn't need or want to hear anymore and left the house in a hurry. I headed for the docks where a ferry was just about to leave.
As it traveled across the bay I realized that I had no idea what I was going to say to either of them.
What can I say, I mean I fainted after she told me which probably confused the hell out of her. Alright who do I talk to first? Katara or Kya? Kya needs to know how I feel... but then again the longer I put off facing Katara the worse off I'll be.
As the temple came into view I decided that I'd face whoever I saw first but inwardly I hoped to find Kya first. As my feet touched the ground I sent out a seismic wave searching for the nearest person. But unlike my mother I could only locate people and so I decided to go for the first one and walked across the training grounds and into the main house, opening the door to find Katara sipping some tea. As soon as she saw me her face lit up and she poured a cup for me.
"Hello Katara... is Kya doing fine?" she seemed like her usual motherly self but I could tell it wouldn't last long.
"She's fine, but soon the effects of pregnancy will set in so you'll have to watch out."
Okay she doesn't seem angry now just to find Kya and...
"I'm afraid Kya is sleeping Lin. I gave her some medicine so she won't be up for a few hours. Which will give us plenty of time to talk." it was clear from her tone that I didn't have a choice in the matter. Especially considering she was one of the strongest waterbenders on the planet and we were on a small island surrounded by half a mile of water on all sides.
As I took the seat across from her I mentally ran through every option I had and decided that honestly would be best.
"Katara I just want to say that I truly love Kya and plan to be there for her every step off the way." I would have gone on but she raised her hand which told me to stop.
"I know you'll be there for her Lin, and I know you love her. I suspected that for years."
"You did?"
Did everybody think we'd wind up together?
"Of course. I saw the way she looked at you whenever she got the chance and I know the two of you will be very happy together."
The conversation was going better than I thought but the cop in me had to know everything so I asked the one stupid question I knew wouldn't end well.
"But there's something more isn't there?"
Sighing she set down the tea and gestured outside where to my horror Tenzin was landing his bison, a far too happy smile plastered on his face.
"He told me today that he had a date with you tonight and ever since he's been flying around the city getting things ready. When he finds out about this it will break his heart." At one time I'd told Katara about my crush on Tenzin and I think secretly she hoped we'd still work out.
"It's not a date. I told him that earlier, It's just him me and Su hanging out nothing more" but as I said this I saw him pulling out numerous things from Ogi's saddle including a bottle of fire nation wine I'd tried once and fallen for and a bouquet of ice lilies, the only flower in the world I actually liked. But that was only because Kya had spent two hours searching the frozen wastes of the south to find me one when we were kids. How Tenzin could find them were beyond me but it was clear he still thought he could be my mate.
"He's just like his father some days, the first time Aang saw me he was convinced that I was his forever girl and went out of his way to make sure I knew how he felt."
I was unsure on what I was feeling right now. Joy at the fact Katara was happy for me and Kya, but also anger that captain airhead couldn't take the hint we'd never be anything but friends and slight guilt that this would crush his heart.
Despite my anger toward him he was still one of my oldest friends and I did care for him like a brother but that didn't mean I'd pity date him to spare his feelings.
"Lin I know you have to come clean with him and it won't be pretty but right now I want you to focus on the conversation you and Kya need to have. We'll worry about Tenzin when the time comes. As for Kya I'm just glad that her future mate is someone I helped raise and not some random fling she picked up on her travels"
"And it doesn't bother you that I'm not from one of the tribes?"
"Of course not. I mean sure I would have liked some young man or woman to come from the south and present her with a hand made betrothal necklace but knowing that it's you is even better. I've known you since you were born and your mother since she was a kid. I know that you'll be a good mate and make a honest woman out of her." Her words filled me with joy and relief. I thought she'd be angry with me but if anything she seemed overjoyed. And at the mention of betrothal necklaces an idea formed but I'd wait for the right moment further down the line to put it into action.
As I got up to go to Kya's room Katara said one last thing.
"Oh and Lin I know the two of you care for each other deeply, but if you ever hurt her in any way I'll freeze every drop of blood in your body and leave your defenseless body for a polar bear dog to feed on." what made her threat worse is that she said it with a smile in her usual motherly tone.
"Right" that was all I could manage to say as I stumbled my way to Kya's room. As I entered I was taken back by the realization that I hadn't been in here in years. To my surprise everything was the same as it always was, blue covered in whatever odd things caught her attention and reeking of tea and jasmine. In the middle of the room, amidst a massive pile of furs, was Kya sleeping with a slight smile on her face. As I made my way to her I noticed something, at her desk in the only area clear of random objects was a small black metal dagger.
I was taken back because I'd made this for her on her tenth birthday after I'd gotten the basics of metalbending. It took me countless hours to make with the help of Sokka. I'd made similar gifts for Bumi and Tenzin for their birthdays but Bumi broke his and Tenzin had lost this when it fell out of his robe while gliding. As my hands brushed over the edges a sense of pride and joy came over me.
I remember how happy she was when I gave her this.
Setting it back down I made my way over to Kya and sat down on the edge, pushing a stray hair out of place. She'd wake up soon and when she did we'd talk about everything but for right now I was intent on just sitting here and watching her sleep.