Play time at the Beifong's
Them warm hands strayed close to the waist band of her pants. Feeling up the fur lining while warm breath made its way delicately across the nape of her neck. This is not the time; Korra thought. Nor the place. But wow-did those lips which grazed against her ever warming flesh send a shiver down her back.
She let her brown fingers curl into the hard flesh of Lin's exposed shin's. Flanking her on either side. Keeping Korra trapped against the body behind her.
The windows were open. Letting in the increasing smell of wetness. There would be a storm that night. The small garden that Korra and Yee-Li had been cultivating would be in ruins. Yes, Korra's daughter would be upset for some time. Moping around the house. Till Korra convinces her to rebuild. Putting on their gardening gloves and holding the small trough Lin had made for Yee-Li; ready to get to work. The mother and daughter would find Lin with her own bare hands having dug out the remains of the ruined plants and starting the process of replacing them with new ones she'd bought.
But that's for another time.
For now Korra enjoyed the embrace of her lover. She turned her head to give her a kiss. The day had been long for at least two members of the family.
"Mmmm." Lin groaned. "Another please."
Korra was happy to fulfill the request. Brushing their lips in a show of affection.
However, their lovey-dovey show had attracted jeers from an audience they had been trying to ignore. "Are you two gonna do that all day?" Their daughter asked with the toy figurines of her parents dancing about at her command.
Lin wrapped her arms around Korra leaning the two of them forward. Both looked around the room. "Hmm...did you hear something?" Lin raised a hand to shield her eyes from an imaginary sun. Looking overtop the head of red hair.
"Momma!"
"It sounded like a buzzing sound."
"Mommy!"
The two laughed at the adorable pout on their daughter. Her eye's faking a quiver; the same as her lip. Bouncing on little legs. Yee-Li ran to the couch. Using the legs of her momma action figure to deliver a series of irritating kicks to her mommy's arm. The women swatted. Missing her target by a mile. A teasing giggle was Korra's reward for her efforts.
"You promised you two would play with me."
"Buzz Off..."
"Squirt." Lin flicked her daughters forehead.
"Ow...that hurt momma. Mommy, momma hurt me." Yee-Li pointed the arm of her mommy's figure at the women behind the life sized version of it.
"Did she now." Korra feigned as if she hadn't seen the incident with her own eye's a few moments ago.
"Nobody likes a rat, squirt."
Lin received a light open back hand to her chest. "Don't talk to our daughter like that, Badgermole. And don't you tattle on your momma Yee-Li."
The two muttered an apology to the other.
But Korra felt the arms around her waist tighten drawing her close. "I think I should be punished then huh?" Lin queried; hiding a devilish smirk in the back of Korra's head.
Korra agreed as the two shared a kiss.
Being bad has an upside; Lin thought.
Lin peeked at the sour disposition next to them. And found with prying eye's it was hard to keep going. "It's rude to stare."
"I want a kiss too." The child motioned to her cheeks with her action figures.
The two adults awkwardly leaned over the side of the couch. Planting their lips on both cheeks in a show of warm affection. Yet, what the little girl didn't feel, until it was too late, were the hands on her waist. Each of the mothers opened an eye to confirm with one another the time was right to enact their devious plan. They then gripped their daughter tight. Blowing a series of wet raspberries on her helpless cheeks.
Yee-Li managed to escape but not without coming through the battle with moist cheeks. Which she swiped at the drool eyeing the two women on the couch. Big and wide as a bed. The chaise lounge could seat the three of them comfortably for an afternoon nap.
Korra leaned over and used the hem of her shirt to remove the apparently offending show of affection from her daughters skin. But now she was left with a wet spot on her clothes. Korra sighed and leaned back into Lin. Using her weight to push the two of them back into the couch. She then reached back feeling blindly till she found her badgermole's hair. Taking it and twirling it in a finger.
A wind blew through the open window making her shiver. It was getting dark outside. The storm would start soon. She could feel it.
A purr rumbled in the chest she sat on when Korra's finger scratched Lin's scalp.
"Fine." Yee-Li huffed as she turned and walked a few feet away from the couch. Falling on her rump. "I'll play by myself. If you two are going to do boring stuff." Making her figures fight awkwardly by manipulating their limbs into painful battle poses. Her mouth making all the sound effects. Blowing wetted lips for water effects. And turbulent whistles that made Lin's ears twitch in pain as Yee-Li made her Korra figure stand on its head to airbend like her uncle Tenzin. This made the girl scream in defeat as she crashed the little Lin into the ground. Twisting the little Korra's arm violently in jab of victory as it stood over its opponent.
"Why would you make your mother's fight each other." Korra said heartbroken. Clutching her chest.
"Mommy and Momma aren't fighting their psarring." She mispronounced. "Uncle Tenzin says it's ok to fight of you psar."
"It's spar, squirt."
"That's what I said momma." Yee-Li defended.
"But your momma wouldn't lose. She'd beat me." Korra corrected.
The child scoffed; as did Lin. "But mommy you're the avatar. You have four elements and momma only has one. Four is more than one. So you win." As if that was the most wide known fact in the world.
"She does know how to count, Korra." This comment was not received well.
"Yeah, and you have the glowy magic thing." Yee-Li added.
"But your momma's a far better bender than me. She's a master. I'm still in training." A shrug. And a turn of the head to avoid her daughters stunned gaze.
"Please, Little penguin. Don't insult yourself. Your more than a master by now. I've seen you practice. I know your there." Lin scoffed at the idea that her lover would have the humility to insult her own talents.
"Yeah mommy. Your really good. I want to be just as good as you when I learn to bend."
And that was the question that derailed the conversation entirely. As the two older women grew silent.
Yee-Li was what five-almost six now. Usually most children who can bend have already shown it by then. Usually because of their mood swings as Lin called them. They would unintentionally bend something; and it's not like Yee-Li hadn't a few of those.
"Honey..." Korra paused. Then she felt the gentle pressure of Lin's hand. It was clammy and shaky. Of course no one would be more upset. Lin had really wanted Yee-Li to be a bender like them. "You-you might not be able to bend."
"But you and momma can bend. Why shouldn't I be able to?" The girl asked.
A hot breath blew on Korra's back. Lin leaned them up. "Yee-Li-you do remember the story...about how we found you?"
The child gave an eager nod. "Yes I do. You and mommy were walking in the forest when you found me in a meadow. But what does that have to do with it?"
We'll tell her the truth when she's older. Was the mantra for both parents when their daughter had began to wonder about her origin's.
"Come her honey." Korra stretched out her arms to except her daughter. Bringing the little girl into her lap. She turned to face Lin squishing their daughter her between their laps. Yee-Li's momma laid a hand on her head, unlike other times when she would tussle her hair roughly, merely combing her fingers through it. Soothingly; as she had done for Korra when the women was upset.
"Yee-Li...hon...I, well..." Korra was cracking under the pressure. And it was starting to make Yee-Li nervous too. The little child shifting her eye's nervously between her two mothers.
Lin sighed. And reached over and pulled the little girl into her lap. Holding her close. Possessively wrapping her arms around her. "What your mother is trying to say Yee-Li."
Her real name was only ever used when she was in big trouble. But the child was confused; she hadn't done anything wrong. Had she?
"...Is that we don't think...don't think that you're a bender."
The child was struck dumb. "But-but-but you and mommy can bend why can't I. Why can't I bend?"
"We don't know honey." Korra squished the child against Lin's chest.
Yee-Li's voice wavered. "Can't you give me bending. Momma said you gave her back her bending."
"It-it doesn't work that way, Yee-Li. I'm sorry." Lin tried to pull her daughter tighter to her. To squeeze away her pain. "I'm sorry." She whispered.
"But it's not fair. You two can bend. Why can't I. I want to bend. I want to bend like mommy and momma." Heaving great sobs into Lin's chest Lin cradled her daughters head. While Korra rubbed the weeping Childs back.
The parents locked eye's over their shuddering child.
"I wish you could Yee-Li. Spirits know; I wish you could too."
"It's not fair!" The child screeched into the older women's clothes; soaking them with tears.
Korra could see the mistiness in her wife's eye's. She was as upset by this as Yee-Li was. Because, as they had discussed before. About four years ago; A few days after that night. That Yee-Li would be their only child. And if she couldn't bend; then what? If she wasn't a bender. An earthbender. How was Lin going to pass down the Beifong art of bending to a family member; as her mother had taught her. More than that, being taught bending by her mother was a way for them to bond. If Lin couldn't do that with Yee-Li-then what? What else could they bond over?
"I know." Lin said with a wavering tongue. Then she made Yee-Li look her in the face. Her own wet cheeks mirroring those of her child. "But you got to be tough. Don't let this get you down." She gave a smile. "Do you remember what I told you. About what it means to be a Beifong...Huh?"
"Be-bei-Beifong's don't get scared. We laugh in its face."
"That's right. And we also don't cry over stupid things like whether we can bend or not. A Beifong can overcome anything. And we love you no matter what Yee-Li." Lin rubbed a stray tear away. First from her face. Then that of her daughters. "We always will. Besides your crazy Uncle Bumi can't bend."
"Don't call him crazy Lin." Korra interjected.
"That man was a general. Now he tends a garden. Besides that-You know what a great person your uncle is right."
The child nodded. Sniffles and a few hiccups released.
"Oh...and don't forget grandma Katara's brother Sokka. He couldn't bend and he helped end the hundred years war."
Yee-Li didn't know what her mommy was talking about.
"You'll learn about it in school later squirt. But your mommy's right."
"Bu-bu-bu." The tears threatened to spill anew.
"Yeah-sigh-I know squirt. I know. What your feeling will only be temporary. Trust me." And Lin made her daughter look her square in the eye. Giving the most polished trust me face she could.
But even though Yee-Li knew how wise and honest her momma was; she still couldn't help herself. So she buried her face into her momma's chest and cried anew.
. . .
Though the storm was already well into it's assault outside. The bed was extra warm and loving that night. As the family of three huddled together. Lin and Korra nose to nose with Yee-Li squashed between them. The little girls energy had run out and all she could do was fall right to sleep. Her red hair matted in all sorts of a tangled mess from the fond rubbing it had received. However, she was the only one able to get any rest. And would be that night.
Korra cracked an eye. Having feigned sleep for the last half hour.
Lin was looking right at her. Wide awake. "I knew you were awake." Was all she said.
The hand that Korra had entangled in her daughter slid up to brush over one of Lin's pale forearms. "You ok." She asked.
"Fine." Was Lin's first response; an easy go to answer. "...No." She corrected.
"I know how much this meant to you."
"It was one of the strongest bonds I had with my mother. Learning bending from her. Wha-what do I do now?"
"Oh Lin-Badgermole. There is so much more you two can bond over than just bending."
Korra felt their child tugged closer to the her wife. Lin shook. "but what." Was her meek response.
Korra shrugged. "We can figure that out. Together. Remember your not the only one who had those kinds of dreams with her. And if I can be honest I'm pretty sure she would of been a fire bender anyway."
"No way; she'd a been an earthbender."
"Delusional aren't we?"
Lin huffed. "Can't I be? I can be selfish ever now and again."
"Oh your selfish with me in public all the time. The way you hold onto me possessively."
"I'm not possessive."
"Sure ya aren't, Lin."
Rain pelted the outside of the house. By now the garden had been thoroughly trashed.
And soon the haphazardly put together conversation the two were trying to keep going for the sake of filling in the dead air stopped for a bit. The two mother's listened to the even breathing coming from beneath the covers. They each stroked a part of their daughter. Lin took her head. Korra her back.
"Hey Lin. I was thinking."
The women did not speak but the non verbal communiqué was a signal for the other to voice her thoughts.
"Why don't we go to the park tomorrow. After your done work. We can eat dinner there. You know at that stand you and her like so much."
"I thought you liked it too."
"It's alright."
"That's not what you've been telling me all this time. I only keep taking you because you said you liked their noodles."
"I do. I do. It's just that what they say is water tribe food really isn't that authentic. The noodles aren't like what my mom makes. It's spicy. They try to mix stuff from the fire nation into it." Korra confessed.
"Why didn't you tell me this. I would of gone somewhere else. There are half a dozen other food carts just a few feet away from that one. I would of tried anyone of them if you wanted to. I'm not a picky eater."
"I know-neither of you are. But you guys like it; so I'm willing to put up with a few spicy noodles."
"Fine-fine. But...well-I was thinking of taking off tomorrow anyway. Yee-Li doesn't have school so I figured we could spend the day...I don't know; going to the shops or something. Maybe-hit the toy store. We'll still do your thing too."
Korra leaned over and gave Lin a chaste, lip only, kiss. "You had that already planned out didn't you? Were you going to surprise us both in the morning over breakfast?"
Lin blushed. Wiggling under the others truth. "Yeah-I was."
Leaving her daughter in Lin's capable and loving embrace Korra moved her arms. One hand strayed low to rub the women's hip. Leaving burning patterns in their wake. The other strayed to Lin's face. Korra leaned in. Careful not to squish her sleeping child. Bringing their foreheads close. The pressure on the area where thoughts tended to dwell. Good. Bad. Whatever was in both their heads was scorched away by the contact. Only the love they had for each other, and their daughter, remained.