Meeting Mommas Sister (Pt. 3)
A disgruntled moan was muffled by a pillow that was both soft and inviting. It helped to soothe away her ire. Yee-Li touched the figurines on the end table. Dotting the nose of each and gingerly petting the otter penguin. Having not realized she had closed her eyes until they opened when she felt someone hovering over top of the bed.
Opal was trying to be kind when she offered her assitance, "do you need help getting ready for bed?" As the middle child of the family she had plenty of experience in this area.
"No." Yee-Li groaned as she pushed herself on her elbows and admired the way her cousins short black hair framed her face prettily. Yee-Li shook the thought about how she would look with that kind of hair. She didn't want it to be short anymore though and was trying to grow it out to look beautiful like her Aunt Asami. A grownups hairstyle. Mature. Her cousin looked childish despite her age especially wearing those yellow robes. Beautiful green eyes and a pleasing smile on her lips with a slathering of make-up that Yee-Li had applied. Lashes so thick with eye liner they looked capable of lifting the already light woman off the ground.
Opal turned to leave her cousin to get ready for bed. "Good night then," she said adjusting her robes and then thought to add, "I'll show you some more things after my morning meditation." Indicating with a hand to the box on the vanity. Which in any light, with its silver surface, glittered attractively. It was her brothers finest most polished work ever. Opal was jealous her cousin got to have such a thing and unfortunately because of the vow she made she would never be able to own such a thing. Free of all worldly possessions, Opal reminded herself.
The covers bunched in Yee-Lis fists as she called out to her cousin softly. To a person she had only just been introduced to. With no memory of any other contact. She had heard stories of her extended family and met most of them on her sixth birthday, but not Opal. Opal was new and fun and nice to her. Better than what her mothers had told her. Not like Ikki, Meelo, or even Rohan who was closer in age. Her airbender cousins drifted away as they had gotten older. Jinora was gone to a whole other country and Aunt Asami was busy with work or Mako; which was a bitter thought of having to share her Aunts time with someone else. It wasn't like...it wasn't like she had many people to spend time with; besides her mothers.
"c-c-could you," Yee-Li paused to rethink how she should ask, about what would be the best way to ask, "would you-like to sleep in my room tonight?" The question slid from her mouth hesitantly. Quietly. She never asked others for much. Had learned that she shouldn't. People should give not receive. From what she gathered listening to her mothers. Though her mommas stories dealt with handing out punishment which was an odd sort of give.
A answer was hesitantly resting on Opals lips. Not because she didn't want to but because her mother and her mother's sister and Korra were still awake down stairs. The airbender liked to listen to people talk even if she never approached the conversation herself. Not many of the other airbender's who'd joined cared much for lectures or discussions about monks or such. Oh, Opal could listen for hours to Tenzin droll on about this person, or that, or something else pertaining to airbender culture. Bumi and his stories from his time spent serving in the navy were fun. Always good for a laugh. The man could cheer a girl up when she was down. Whenever Opal thought of her family, which was a lot in the weeks leading up to seeing her mother again, the man found his way to her. Which shouldn't be ironic because as an airbender they were all family in a way. Family...
Opal gave a smile that transferred to her cousins face; only it was wider and split the child's lips through the middle. The woman burst at her cousins toothy mouth. "let me go get my pajama's."
Yee-Li nodded enthusiastically hopping off the bed she made it to the door in two leaps. Right beside her cousin who opened it for them. "I'll get some extra covers from my parents room." Yee-Li near shouted Opals ear off happily.
Yee-Li disappeared inside her mother's room while Opal went down the steps.
There was light whispers, simple exchanges, that stopped as soon as Opal stepped into the living room.
There things were by the steps. A trunk and three bags of considerable size of Suyins as it'd taken two days to get to republic city; including the stop for her daughter. However, Opal traveled with nothing but a green drawstring bag that she had taken with her years ago when she had left Zaofu. It was ratty and the bottom had been sewn back many times.
Opal slung the bag over her shoulder. Bowed respectful to her Aunts. Korra returned it with a tip of her head as she was presently unwilling to move her body from where it rested comfortably. While Lin raised a joking eyebrow at the child's exemplary manners. She is nothing like her mother at that age, Lin reminisced.
Opal went to her mother resting her hands on the seats arm as she leaned down to kiss the woman's cheek.
"Going to bed so soon?" Suyin asked, as her eyes slipped shut peacefully. Committing that slick happy feeling to her memory, or to put it better, refreshing it so it would be easier to drawn upon for those nights when she couldn't sleep. Because the weight of Zaofu was a constant surrounding reminder and all Suyin wanted to do was wish herself back to the days when her children were still young. Wei and Wing never had trouble sleeping as boys were apt too. But with Opal the girl crawled into her mother's bed whenever she could. A craving for the woman's comforting arms. How much you've grown. Suyin looked at her daughters face in the faint flames. The cheek bones were tight and Suyin was worried her daughter was not getting enough to eat as she knew from experience that airbender food could be quite light.
"Goodnight Opal." Suyin startled the girl by standing abruptly and put her arms around her. Tight and unyielding they wouldn't let until they had their fill of feeling her daughter pressed to her chest. The same as Suyin had done every time the girl sneak into her bed.
Suyin pressed her lips to her daughters forehead to help keep the bad dreams at bay.
"Yee-Li knows where the spare blankets and pillows are." Korra said to Opal.
The girl nodded, "Yeah, she's getting them now."
At the top of the stairs Opal heard the chatter begin again. A tug in her chest begged to go down and sit and listen.
Everything was already laid out. A pillow hastily thrown at the top of the covers that were purposefully placed close to the bed. Already wrapped in her own blankets Yee-Li rested her back on her pillow. Face lighting up as soon as her ears heard the light footsteps. A vibrant eager smile because Yee-Li had never had anyone sleepover before.
It was hard not to giggle at the Childs innocence as Opal set her bag down and fished in it for her night gown. It was light and as airy as her robes which was problematic in this part of the world as the air temple would never dip nor rise above a certain pleasing temperature.
Opal left to change in the bathroom.
Airbender's took modesty to an extreme. The nightgown was as cushiony as it was comfortable which was great when the bed was harder than the metal Zaofu was built from. But the sleeves hung to her knees and the hemline trailed behind her and was often easy to trip over. The neckline clung tightly. Constricting and often itchy giving Opal a red ring around the back of her neck if she tugged too much at the collar.
The light pinkish walls seemed to keep the room alive even with the lights out and the blinds drawn. Opal shivered drawing the blankets over herself. Finding the carpeted floor softer than her own bed at the air temple. Snuggling into the warm blankets Opals nose wrinkled as it was tickled by the fur. She could see her cousin moving about the bed above, hear the rustle of the covers, and saw the blankets leap about like a bull frog were caught underneath. Yee-Li settled on her stomach. Opal saw the sparkle in those young eyes peeking at her from the edge of the bed.
"Opal?" Came a meek and tentative whisper. "Opal?" Yee-Li called a little louder when she did not get an answer. Able to see in the dark that her cousin was awake and looking at her.
"Yes?" Opal asked as she flipped onto her side using her hand to leverage her head so she was close enough to whisper.
"Um-it's nice to have you here," then Yee-Li hastily tacked onto the end, "and Aunt Suyin too." The blanket was twisted from within as Yee-Li became self conscious of herself, of trying to find the right words to say, "i'm-really-enjoying this."
"I was hoping I wasn't the only one."
The pair's giggles carried out the bedroom door, down the steps, and straight up the ball of a foot. It saw the vibrations of her daughter and niece bouncing around merrily in the room made Lin grin.
Suyin was wearing something similar. The tips of her toes sticking out from the bottom of her dress.
"She seems to be ignoring what you told her to do Lin? Aren't you going to go up there and tell them to quiet down?" Suyin spoke in hushed words.
Korra was confused and looked to her wife for answers which weren't forthcoming as Lin pushed her up so she could get off the couch.
"I said she had to go to bed. Didn't tell her what she had to do when she got there did I?" Lin shrugged and crossed the boundary set by the shadows without fear out of the dark living room and into the lit kitchen.
The change in her sisters demeanor since they last saw each other was dramatic. Suyin would of bet a fat stack of Yuans that her sister would of marched right up there and forced the kids eyes closed. Suyin simply rested her head on the soft couch cushion. Shivering before she slipped her naked foot back into her shoes cutting off the sight of her nieces bedroom as Lin came back into the room.
In Lins left hand was three glasses, in the right a bottle with a short neck. Inside swished a liquid the color of muddy swamp water.
"We should celebrate don't you think Su?" Both women accepted the glasses offered to them. A hiss as if Lin had pulled the lid off an ancient tomb came when the bottle was uncorked. It was a bottle of spirits, so maybe it could be cursed.
Suyin held her glass and Lin poured her a quarter. The woman shot her sister a nasty look and Lin sighed and poured till the glass was half full. Then Suyin settled back into the chair. Swirling her glass.
"What are we celebrating exactly? I would hardly consider this a special occasion. Unless you two have something that you are not telling me. Planning on adopting another kid?"
Korras glass wobbled as Lin poured her wife what could hardly be called a drink more of a drop in the bucket.
"Spirits, why would we go and do something like that? We're not like you. One is enough." Lin poured some for herself and sat down. The glass in one hand bottle in the other; the last of which had gone to Lin. Whiskey and fire mixed in the glass in a reddish green sparkle. Lin twisted the bottle around on her knee. Thinking about how exactly old the whiskey was they were about to consume.
Korra interrupted Lin as she tried to calculate the proof, "I don't know Lin maybe we should consider what your sister is saying. Wouldn't you like waking up to the sounds of a crying baby, or changing diapers again." Korra smirked around the lip of her glass. Tilting it back she pinched her nose against the powerful smell of the alcohol. The taste was firm with a big punch to her tongue. It was austere, which of course when considering it had belonged to Lins mother was simple to understand why Toph preferred such a straightforward taste. Nothing to hide. It was simple and after a couple of sips Korra got used to it, but by then her glass was empty and she wasn't about to ask for some of Lins. So Korra set it at her feet.
Lin grumbled as she drank. Knowing her wife's statement for the obvious jest that it was, yet still allowed the comment to fowl her mood. "Don't bring those ideas into our house. I'll throw you out on your butt Su." Lin extended a finger with the hand that held her glass and pointed it at her sister. The woman able to hold her liquor both ways without spilling a drop on the floor.
"Oh, would you stop it. Take a joke Lin." Suyin pawed the air to dispel the bad air, "besides I think if Korra wanted another kid you would of had one by now."
"What's that suppose to mean?" Lin spat into her glass.
"Please don't be coy Lin. We both know you aren't good at it. I'm just saying that if Korra wanted another kid you two would of gotten one by now. I mean really it wouldn't be so bad. I liked hearing all those feet running around." Suyin grew somber and stared into her glass. Sitting in the glow of the embers of a dying flame.
"Well it's not for me-um-us. Right Korra?" Lin asked her wife.
The woman nodded.
"Oh well," Suyin said in between a sip, "I would of loved to of had more nieces or nephews to spoil." She set her drink on her lap and tucked her hand under her chin as she stared at the two woman. A forlorn feeling in her stomach that had nothing to do with the whiskey.
"You'll miss it, trust me. This is the first time I've seen Opal in over a year. She's off doing her own thing. Saving people. She's so modest about it in her letters," Suyin couldn't see Lin rolling her eyes in the dark room, "the twins started up their own stadium. Power disc seems to be catching on in the Zaofu. People are staring their own leagues-oh, it's so wonderful. The last couple of matches have been sold out. They think they may be able to rival pro-bending." Suyin spoke proudly of her youngest sons.
Lin felt a sharp pinch in her arm. Fingers did their best to twist the skin and stop the retort Lin had on her tongue that it would be impossible for a sport with such a particular niche to get as much traction as pro-bending. The bottle was placed at Lins feet so she could lay an arm around Korra and pull her wife close. Playing with the braid. She gave a playful tug in retaliation and was satisfied when Korra took in a sharp inhalation of breath.
"...received several commissions from wealthy clients outside the city. You wouldn't believe the list Lin. I mean," Suyin touched a hand to her forehead in disbelief, "really even the fire lord has ask him to make her something."
Korra was too distracted by Lins fingers weaving in her hair. Scratching at her scalp. It sent chills threw her body.
So even when Lin snorted, loud enough to startle a sleeping fish in water, Korra was too far gone in pure bliss to do anything. "She is family Su. Don't let the kid get to big a head"
Rather than talk about the comment her sister made about her son Suyin was more curious of the other choice of words instead, "I've never heard you talk about Izumi like that. You seem to inherit a lot from mother including her quarrel with Zuko."
"Why was Toph angry at Zuko?" Korra asked Suyin.
The woman responded by taking another sip of her glass and exhaled noisily through the nose. Tapping her fingers against the side of her head to quiet the phantom headache over drawing up the reasons her mother had gone over on many a rant. "Mother was mad at him for reasons." Her eyes blinked slowly as they rolled in their sockets. "Really such a petty thing."
Lin was taking her time with her drink. It had been a little while since she had pulled out the bottle hidden in the highest cabinet out of Yee-Li's reach. Waiting for the right moment to finish it.
"We all want that life changing moment. You know mother, she wanted things on her own terms."
"Well she got it. So she should of just made up with him." In the dark Lin saw the glint of the glass gesturing between the two of them.
"They probably already have." Korra said somberly, taking Lin by the hand and bringing the woman's glass to her lips she took a large gulp that burned her throat and watered her eyes.
Lin dashed the tears thinking they were from the memory Korra had drudged up. Thinking about how on that day even nature cried when the last of team avatar had passed away.
The room grew quiet. The fire nothing more than a few glowing embers.
"Well," Suyin tried to clear the sadness in the air with some good news, "Huan is off traveling the major cities in the kingdoms for an art show. I've had some news papers sent to me from every town he's been in. The news is positive. He'll be famous one day."
A larger sip was taken to help loosen Lins jaw for the next part of the talk. Lin could see that Suyin was avoiding it but she had to ask, "What about Baatar Jr.? Has he tried to contact you at all?" The dialogue was crisp cutting to the point.
For that she received a stinging smack to her arm. Korra hissed into her ear about why she would ask such an inconsiderate thing. Lin only shrugged; she had wanted to know.
"No." The o sunk low in Suyins throat morphing into a whimper as she covered her moistening eyes with the back of her hand, the one holding the drink. It spilled on her robe.
Arms wrapped around Suyins shoulders tight to try to squeeze the pain away. A hand, not the one holding the drink grabbed hold of a smooth forearm as Suyin gasped for air. She promised not to do this to herself anymore after the first two years since her sons disappearance with that traitor. Harlot! How could Baatar Jr. love someone like that, Suyin thought and squeezed tighter. Digging her nails into the bare arm.
The person hissed which caused Suyin to let go so Korra could pull away and look at her but kept a hand on her bicep. Rubbing the spot comfortingly.
"Ha-the kids an idiot Su. Next time you see him you should knock a whole lot of sense into the boy. Leaving his mother like that." Lin took an undignified slurp. The whiskey brought her down by filling her head with static to push away the ire.
Suyin looked around Korra watching her sister slumped on the couch with her head to the fireplace. Seeing the last embers flicker and die.
"I'll do that." She couldn't help but laugh when Lin turned and her face was red. Maybe it was the drink, but Suyin would like to think it was embarrassment over showing such concern for family.
"I'll help." Lin added as the last drop of whiskey went down.
The woman stared at her empty glass then picked up the bottle again and balanced it on her knee. Staring at the bubbled imperfections in the glass. Lin ran a calloused finger over them. An odd thought that her mother could never of seen them in the bottles she had chosen. The woman knew what flavor she wanted. That was all Toph had cared about. Not the packaging but the contents. That was her mother's most defining characteristic.
"Still thirsty?" Suyins gaze was drawn to the bottle as well. The tears had been dried and the past put behind for now.
Korra sat back down and wrapped herself with her wife's arm.
"Can't" Lin raised her gaze which if the room wasn't so dark she could of seen the thin eyebrow that had risen on her sisters face.
"Can't?" Suyin queried.
"Yup," Lin sighed as she spun the bottle on her knee, "this is the last of it. Everything else has either been given away as a gift, or I've had at it." The moment grew somber as Korra stared at the bottle with the sisters.
"I helped too." Korra was being the good girl and taking some of the blame. She knew how much Toph's things meant to Lin.
The woman snorted. A few bits of spit smattering that brown face carrying with it the hard smell of the whiskey that Korra didn't like at all.
Korra wiped herself on her sleeve.
"Little penguin you are a light weight. Please don't try to give yourself to much of the credit. I did most of the drinking for the two of us." Lin said a bit bitterly, as she gave the bottle another twirl. The light bounced around inside as it caught what came in from the kitchen. Lin felt a pressure in her stomach and released it as a unflattering belch.
Suyin stood and stretched her arms high over her head. The harsh sounds her body made as bones cracked and other things settled due to the years of abuse she had put it through. "With that," as Suyin pressed her hands into her lower back and arched forward there came a very loud pop as if a branch had snapped in two. The robes swayed to the movement, "I think it is about time we retire if we want to start the day off with breakfast and not lunch."
"Don't worry Su, Lin will have us all up before the suns even up. Her clock doesn't have a snooze button." Korra rose as well; helping Lin to her feet.
Lin gave a slight sway in place. "Well, if I didn't sleep with her than my alarm might be a little angry." There was a hint of childishness in Lins tone that Suyin remembered from their past. Before the obsession. Before Lin put on the badge. Before...they grew into lives of their own and walked different paths. That was what mother said she missed most, Suyin reflected.
Lin tugged on Korras arm with the intent to lead her wife; her heart felt light. She found that not a thought would hold itself in her head and she only wanted to get her wife to bed. To watch Korras eyes flutter behind closed lids before falling asleep herself to those loud snores. Which for some reason now Lin found it hard to sleep without.
Suyin had set herself on the couch. Hands feeling the fabric. It was soft, comfortable with a gracious amount of give as her rear sunk in. The chair was comfy too but this was like sleeping on a cloud. All the pricey pieces of furniture she owned in Zaofu were hard. Meant to keep ones back stiff and noble and in the process leave great big sores on her bottom. Unable to resist Suyin laid herself out. Head finding the pillow. The familiar feeling of her sisters heat and odor.
"No Lin." Korra bellowed which made Suyin open her eyes and watch as the water tribe woman tugged free of her sisters hold and walk over to the couch. Where she pulled Suyin up and urged her towards Lin.
"I'm sorry your sister is being so rude Su. You can have our bed tonight." Korra all but threw Suyin at her sister.
"I don't mind the couch Korra," which Lin punctuated with an agreement of: yeah she doesn't, "I don't want to impose," while Lin also added that her wife should listen to their guest, "please it is your bed. I don't feel right taking it from you."
"Don't forget the extra blankets while your settling Su in-upstairs." Korra growled and made a shooing motion with her hand as she laid out on the couch and pulled the pillow close. The whiskey was already making her tired.
. . .
There was something unnerving about the sound of running water. Perhaps because it was the enemy of earth. It could wedge into it, break it down, and wash it away. Given time water would erode a mountain to nothing. So why would a rock fall in love with water?
Suyin felt freshened as she dried her face in front of the sink. The shiny silk green nightgown was too thin for this part of the world. Her toes curl into the small patch of carpet to keep warm. The necklace she wore had been placed in her bag. Its face glinted up at her as it rested atop her robes from the day. Suyin hung up the towel on the small rack with others to dry. There was one for all the members of the house. Blue, green, and red; she had borrowed the green one.
Suyin placed her hand on her chest and felt the muscle within clench painfully. Thinking of her own home were there were only two towels now, hanging on the back of the door in her bathroom. Head bowing as she held the sink to keep upright. She took in a few breaths, trying to keep them even but failed the first few times until she could succeeded in getting herself under control. In part thanks to what she heard through the wall. Muffled voices. They were failing to keep low.
The control over her emotions was back so she gathered herself and exited the bathroom. Keeping to the balls of her feet Suyin creep to the closed door. Ear at the edge of the doorframe. Suyin leaned close near pressing herself to the wood as a thrill went up her body as she heard the laughter again. Half pressed, Suyin wanted to join them. As she had done when Opal was young. There sleepovers in the living room. Baatar Sr. helped Suyin move the furniture to give them enough space to lay out there futons. None of the boys wanted to join in, as they thought such a thing was girly, and Suyin was in a way grateful that she had gotten to spend the time alone with her only daughter.
Fingers softly touched the door. Suyin found her chest was aching again. She held her hand to it and felt the odd thump-thump thump of her heart. It was as if a wrench had been jammed in the cogs of a clock and now it was bursting apart inside. A final ring before it stopped.
Suyin found that she had to walk away or else she may actually crumple.
There was a fuss going on inside the open door. A light was on as things were pulled out and moved around to an unsatisfactory end. Suyin could see movement behind the door. Lin was struggling to pull spare sheets from the closet. Only succeeding in pulling them on top of herself.
Suyin stifled her laughter and hid behind the frame of the doorway. As she watched her sister rip a sheet off her face and struggle for breath then stumbled to her feet after it was caught. Legs looking more flexible than a purple pentapus.
Lin berated the linens as she tried to stack them back inside the closet. Neatly as not to have to hear about the mess later. She dragged the sheets that she had kept out behind to the futon. Pulled off her own before throwing the fresh ones unceremoniously down. Bending at the waist Lin picked up one of the pillows. Which as Suyin watched assumed was her own until she watched her sister press it to her nose and heard large groaning huffs.
It was better to break up the moment before she was caught red handed because an embarrassed Lin was not fun in the morning. Suyin retraced her steps to the bathroom door. Making the return to the bedroom as noticeable as possible and relieved to find Lin uncompromised, although irritated with lips drawn in a frown with the pillow tucked under her chin her arms keeping it tight against her chest.
"This is mine Su." Not caring if her sister had her pillow but she wasn't about to let anyone use her wife's. Lins cheeks were a dusty rose color highlighted in the fluorescent lights. She found it too much of a struggle to breathe through her nose so her mouth hung open and her eyes even though they were on her sister still seemed unfocused. A glaze gingerly applied to them.
Suyin pointed to the blankets her sister had so thoughtfully laid out in a sloppy pile, "are those going to be enough. It's been a while since I've been in republic city during winter but I do remember them being quite brutal. Remember when Mom and us would sleep in front of that heater. The one we thought looked like a fire spirit?" The red glow from its grill cast evil and menacing shadows on the wall. Scaring the young girls who would snuggle close to their mother who even in her sleep knew to hold them close to keep them safe.
The memory was one they both must of held in fondness as Lin grinned. She brushed her bob cut. "Yeah." She said goofily as her eyes glanced away and she rocked on her toes. Still clutching the pillow.
Yet only in her fuzzy state of mind could she find the courage to ask an important question. "Su?"
"Yeah Lin?"
"How do you do it?" Was the only words her sister said.
"Do what?" Suyin asked trying to coax her sister to elaborate which seemed to be a struggle for the woman at the moment for whatever she were about to say; even being looser than she normally was.
"How do you do it," Lin repeated, "managing that entire city. Keeping up with your family. And still have time to keep up with practicing metalbending. How. I-don't even run the police force anymore and I'm still-Still! Struggling with it all." The pillow fell to her side. A corner of it in her left hand.
It reminded Suyin of herself as a little girl. Except it was an old raggedy stuffed badgermole with a missing eye and its one hind leg was sewn messily back on. And she were standing by her sisters bed begging to be let in because she had a nightmare.
"I can't do all of it." A frustratingly personal admission that Lin would never want to admit to in front of Korra.
With a heavy sigh Suyin breached the doorway. She took her sisters unoccupied hand. Rubbing it. An noting the age time had put on them. A few arteries were prominent in the back of Lins hand. Suyin traced them with her fingers delicately.
Toph was never big on public displays of affection but inside were no one could see them she couldn't keep her hands off her daughters. Always had to touch or hold them. She only had two types of ways showing affection. None at all, or bruising hugs. The second one wasn't so bad once they'd toughened up a bit.
"Lin." Suyin sandwiched her sisters hand between her own. Hoping to transfer a bit of warmth between the two of them. "I'm not all that prefect..." she held for the snort that of course came, "laugh it up sis. I can't do it all either though. We both know that. You're the only one with enough sense out of the two of us to know what needed to be done."
"When I stepped down from the chair?"
Suyin nodded.
"Why don't you just quit too? There's always someone else who's willing to step up and take over." An Lin couldn't help but think of how her replacement had done the job better than she. It really was a new era. So maybe Su could...
"What would I do," Suyin seemed to shrug, "there's nothing else for me. Zaofu is all I have left. My kids don't want anything to do with me anymore now that they've grown and left home. You know? I built it so my family could have a place to live. A better place than what the Earth Queen had to offer." Suyin said with venom. Still able to hold things against someone who was long gone. Just like their mother; and Suyin would never want this to be pointed out about herself.
Letting Lins hand drop Suyin walked to the windows. Rubbed off some of the sweat that had built up. The night had settled a thin icy layer upon the grass in the front yard. The sky, cloudless, but also starless. With a hazy light blanketing its edge of the horizon.
Lin watched her sisters shoulders sink. "I-it's all there is in my life now. Baatar, Zaofu, and me." Suyin looked to her sisters reflection as it had stepped up beside her. The pair focused on the quiet scene outside
"You still have me, and Korra, and Yee-Li," Lin said as she crossed her arms. Letting the bile leak out at her sisters ignorant mind, "and your sons and daughter. Stop with the self pity already. Your acting like they've thrown you to the armadillo lions-they'll always need you in their life Su." A child will always need their parents. There was so much truth to that statement
A warm spot was blooming on Suyins shoulder that was firm and reassuring yet hard pressed to make her understand. Suyin set her hand atop Lins affectionately. Gave it a squeeze. As the small window Suyin had created began to cloud over again she saw her reflected smile.
"I wish I could be as confident as you are Lin."
"You're a Beifong Su. Mom always said that..."
"...a Beifong should always be confident. We attack what we want without restraint and wrestle it into submission." Suyin finished the adage and pulled her sister into a hug.
Lin let her sister do as she pleased but did not reciprocate. The fingers of the hand that held the pillow fiddled with the cloth. Rubbed it while she waited.
As Suyin pulled back, keeping her hands on Lins shoulders, she said, "Mom would of been proud of you."
"For what?" Lin pulled the pillow against her stomach to put space between them.
"For giving up that chair." Suyin laughed at her sisters thick head.
"I didn't do it because she would of wanted me too. I did it for Korra. So we could spend more time together and-and-for my daughter. So I could be around more-like she wasn't." As the words left her mouth Lin wanted to take them back. As if she felt that her mother, long since gone to the spirit world, might of popped in at that opportune time and overheard her daughter.
A hand reached out to touch Lins shoulder. "That's the reason why she would of been proud of you."
They shared a brief sisterly smile. So sparsely done when they were kids because they were always locked in competition.
Lin walked to the door, turned, and twisted the pillow in her hold. "Goodnight, Su."
"Goodnight, Lin."
. . .
This room was not hers nor was the bed. However it felt warm and comfortable to Suyin because it was familiar in a way. When the nights hid dark spirits for a young Su who often begged Lin to allow her to sleep in her bed in the room they shared. Lin would agree only when pestered enough. Although not before making it perfectly clear that Suyin had to stay on her side and if she crossed the invisible line then Lin would get her back the next time they spared. Suyin liked to think that Lin would wait till she fall asleep before she did the thing to help keep the bad spirits away from her dreams. Because Suyin would every time without fail wake in Lins arms.
Resting on her back with the blankets up past her chin. Suyin looked to the window. Early morning in republic city was as beautiful as she remembered. The skyline was uninhibited by any metal domes. So the sun could enter freely and wake its citizens kindly. Not like in Zaofu where her people were rudely awoken by the screeching sound of the dome.
Suyin allowed her eyes to close again feeling the ease of mind to fall back to sleep. It was alluring. But not what was truly desired. For Suyin threw off the covers and padded to the door. Opened it and listened. Not a sound.
So she went to her nieces door which was still closed and flexed the cold out of her toes so she could take a peek inside. There heartbeats were even. Opals was slow and meditative while Yee-Lis was punctuated by hiccups in the throat.
As she ascended the stairs, dress billowing about, Suyin kept her feet planted firm with each step. Sending out little shock waves. Enabling her to take in the entire downstairs. In the frame of the door Suyin braced her arms on either side. A smile on her face.
Lin would kill me if she knew I saw her like this, Suyin thought as she passed by the couch with a long and lingering glance as she made way to the kitchen. The urge to snicker was covered poorly by a hand. The blankets shifted at the noise but stilled thereafter.
The kettle was always on the stove and was always full. Tea, which was a main staple in any Beifongs life, was always left on the counter. Suyin picked up one of the tins. Pulled off the lid and placed in under her nose. Allowing the odor to find its way to her. Ah of course you would have Jasmine Oolong, mostly bland except for a hint of sweet jasmine. The tea fit her sister perfectly.
So Suyin put it back and picked up the other tin. This one more fruity and flavorful and suited Korra's personality. Suyin spooned some of it into an infuser, a metal ball attached to a chain, though the chain was missing a couple of links and the clasp was loose. Of course this would be the most worn thing she owns.
Along with the kettle. Which was heavy caste and resonated well to the touch of her sense as it always did when they were kids. There wasn't much in their old house that couldn't be used to teach them about bending. The kettle was great for learning to feel the vibrations of the metal. To feel the earth that was blended into it.
When the water was boiled and the tea had been steeped. Suyin took her cup into the living room. Taking a sip with each step along the way.
Oh yes, Suyin would suspect that Lin would be very angry if she were to see her as she was now. Lin and the word cute did not coexist peacefully. Then again Lin and the avatar were certainly an odd couple were they not?
Asleep on the couch with a blanket wrapped around the two of them. Their foreheads pressed together intimately. Noses brushing and morning breath certainly mingling. Korras snores were just as Lin had described them. It was a wonder anyone could sleep in this house. So why did her sister have such a contented look.
Suyin took another sip. Purposefully loud. She was not disappointed by the reaction.
Slow to stir. Eyelids slid open a hairs width. They took in the pale features of the woman pressed to them. Korra wet her lips then nuzzled her head against Lins with affection and love.
It made Suyin all but gush as she took another drink.
The sound attracted the other. Korra stared at Suyin who towered over the couch. "H-hey Su. Up already?" She inquired pulling the blankets over their shoulders.
"I'm an early riser. Always have been. Lin was the one who had trouble getting out of bed when we were kids."
At the mention Lin stirred. The blanket fell as the woman sat up and rubbed the crust out of her eye. Lin released a long, loud, and sleepy yawn. A spasm of the mouth made drool drip onto her white tank top. Lin turned and took in the sight next to her before she addressed her sister at all. Korra received the most loving stare while Suyin got a gruff hello. Suyin suspected her sister was mad that she had interrupted their sleep. Still the pair rose and joined Suyin in the kitchen. Where Lin brewed her own cup as well as her wife's.
Neither parents saw their daughters till lunch. When Opal and Yee-Li came down they were freshly dressed unlike their mothers. Though this didn't mesh with the teachings the airbender monks were trying to instill in their students. There was some light make-up applied by a fumbling hand. While Yee-Lis looked very pretty and was skillfully done. Her time at the temple hadn't diminished what Suyin had taught her daughter. For that she was grateful the monks hadn't been able to take that away.
Unfortunately, a city beckoned its leader back so Suyin and Opal had to take their leave before dinner. Suyin had phoned her people, who were staying nearby, so that they could pick her up. She was homesick. Not stupid. A leader should never travel alone. So when a horn honked like a goosed chicken outside it was time for the mother and daughter to take their leave.
Suyin was sad to have to leave her first home again. And maybe Lin was right though, she should retire. Except all the fun would be gone from Suyins life as well. It'd be a boring. Normal. Existence. Beifongs don't like normal.
Though sad to leave her cousin behind Opal was feeling gleeful to return home to Zaofu. To see her father. Brothers. The garden she used to read in; it would make a great place to mediate. She already felt guilty even though it wasn't like the monks were going to find out that she had skipped her meditation for the day to play with her cousin.
Also Opals stomach growled at the prospect at getting to eat Ghazans cooking once again. Korra had made them a quick meal for the road out of the left over's from the previous nights dinner, but Opal was reluctant to eat it even if it would take them more than a day to return to Zaofu. She wanted to be famished enough to eat anything Ghazan would make her and had already started making her order in her head.
As Suyins guards took her things out to the waiting Sato-mobile they all stood in the door. Opal was the first to start the goodbyes as everyone else seemed content to stare at one another otherwise. She hugged her little cousin first. Putting her all into the tight embrace. Yee-Li hugged her back just the same while asking if she could come back sometime. Opal didn't know when, but couldn't tell her, so she just said yes. Korra was next. Always good for a sore back. Then it was Lins turn. The woman allowed it and even put her arms around her niece. It was brief.
After Opal it was Suyins turn. Of course Korra and Yee-Li were glad to do it. Lin, she had other things in mind as she held out an old empty bottle. The cork had been put back into place and was all original except the contents was missing. Worked out of their systems well before this goodbye.
Her eyes were glassy as Suyin gently held the bottle with both hands as she brought it to her chest.
"I can't take this Lin. This is yours."
"You don't really have anything of moms. So-you should have it." Lin finished with a shrug while she leaned out and hugged her sister.
"Goodbye Lin."
"See you hog monkey." Lin smirked.
"Try not to take your time asking me to come visit again."
In a hushed and placid tone Lin made a promise not to.