The sun shined through Kya's eyes as she blinked them open. She felt the sheet under her fingertips and the blanket still pulled up to her shoulders. She looked at the nightstand and saw the glass of water she had gotten in the middle of the night.
She rolled over to her back and turned her head to the side to look at the woman lying next to her, who her been holding her by the stomach the whole night. Even after Kya had gotten up, Lin's arm was around her the second she got back in to bed. Kya thought she looked beautiful. The way her hair fell over her face, how the sunlight hit her skin, the small snoring sounds she made every once in a while, she thought all of her was just breath taking.
Then Kya remembered how she acted the previous night. It wasn't like she could blame it on the alcohol, she only had a few sips from the glass. She acted stupid and embarrassed herself for no other reason than self-pity. Self-pity and the fact that she's wanted to kiss Lin again for so long now.
Kya slowly removed Lin's arm from her waist and sat up. She threw her legs over the side of the bed and picked her phone up. As she checked for new messages, the rhythmic sound of her ring tone started going off, surprising her.
Kya quickly answered it and looked behind her, hoping the noise didn't wake Lin any. "Hello?" She held the phone to her ear as she stood up. She checked behind her one more time as she left the room, taking a mental picture of Lin Beifong peacefully sleeping in her bed.
"Hey, are you busy today?" It was Bumi. Kya shook her head, even though she knew her brother couldn't see it, "No, I'm free. Lin offered me to put my clothes away in her room so I wouldn't have to keep digging through my suitcases, but I can always do that tomorrow." She answered.
She heard Bumi let out a little chuckle, "Movin' in, are you?" he joked.
Kya rolled her eyes as she walked into the kitchen, "Oh shut up. I'm only staying here temporarily. Mom said something about Tenzin and Pema looking for their own place, so I'll probably stay with her eventually until I decide to travel again." She said, opening the top of the coffee machine.
"You're gonna travel again?" Bumi said, slightly surprised. Kya furrowed her brows, putting in a filter and filling it with coffee grounds, "Yeah, why wouldn't I?" She asked.
"Just thought you and Lin were getting comfy together." Bumi said.
"What do you mean by that? Together? We're not together." Kya filled the coffee pot with water.
"Well, you're not not together, right?" Bumi said in a teasing voice.
Kya let out a small sigh. He had a point, but Kya wasn't going to tell him that, "It's nothing like that, Bumi," she said, not believing in her own statement.
Bumi let out a small hum, "Right... So then what're you doing right now?"
Kya stopped pouring the water into the back of the coffee machine. She looked at the coffee grounds in the filter, and bit the inside of her cheek, "Making Lin's coffee..." she said quietly. "What was that?" Kya could hear the smile on his face.
"I'm making Lin's coffee like I've done every morning since being here because she's letting me stay here for free, asshole." Kya said. "You know how to make her coffee?" Bumi kept pestering.
"Yeah, she made it one morning like forever ago and-" Kya stopped.
After a long pause, Bumi spoke up again, "You remembered how to make her coffee?"
"Is there a reason you called, or did you just want to be annoying?" Kya changed the subject. Bumi made a snorting laugh at Kya's deflection. After he stopped laughing, he stayed quiet for a moment. "Yeah, there is a reason. Mom wanted you to come to the island for breakfast." He said.
Kya turned the coffee pot on then looked at the clock on the wall, "Yeah. Give me a bit to get ready and I'll be over." She said. "Alright, I'll see you in a bit." Bumi said before hanging up.
Kya sat her phone down on the counter and leaned against it with both hands. She let out a small sigh as she watched coffee drip into the pot. She made Lin's coffee every morning, and every morning, when Lin would protest, Kya told her the same thing each time; "I enjoy making your coffee, besides, it's the least I can do."
Maybe Bumi was right. Her and Lin weren't together. But they weren't not together. At least not to Kya.
She walked back into the living room and unzipped a suitcase, digging through it to find an outfit. Kya was a lot less organized than she'd like to admit. She got clothes out and headed towards the bathroom. She took the towels that Lin had assigned to her out of the cabinet and sat them on the counter next to her clothes before starting the shower.
She took her time washing her hair and making sure all of the soap was rinsed out. After finishing her shower, she dried off and got dressed. She hoped Lin would be awake by the time she was done but was slightly disappointed when she saw the bedroom door still shut.
Maybe Lin was awake and just didn't want to see Kya yet. She couldn't help but feel anxious looking at the closed door down the hall. As she walked back into the living room, she noticed Lin's phone sitting on the coffee table.
Kya slipped her shoes on and put the spare key in her pocket, made sure the door was locked behind her, then headed to the Air Temple.
When Kya approached the front door, she put her hand on the doorknob and stopped. She wondered if Tenzin was home. If he is, Pema is probably here too. Kya swallowed the lump in her throat as she remembered how their first meeting went. She was terrified that she'd open this front door, and Tenzin and Pema would be sitting on the couch right in front of her.
But instead, when she opened the door, the living room was empty, and the smell of breakfast cooking filled the air. It deeply reminded Kya of all the family meals they used to have together. She walked towards the kitchen, stopping and starring when she saw her mother moving freely around the room, humming while she cooked.
"It smells good." Kya said, making her mother jump to turn around and hug her, "Goodmorning, sweetheart," She pulled back, keeping her hands on Kya's shoulders, "I'm so glad you could come for breakfast." She said.
"Of course, Mom." Kya put her hands on her mother's arms, "I've missed your cooking." She smiled softly at her.
Katara turned back around to attend to the eggs in the pan. Kya watched as she mixed them up, seeming to not have a care in the world. "Are you doing alright?" She asked.
Her mother shook her head, "Seems like everyone keeps asking me that," a weak smile formed on her face, "The acolytes help me too much in the garden, your brother helps too much with the cleaning, and don't get me wrong, I love the girl, but Pema is in the kitchen too much. Whether it's dinner for us and Tenzin or working in the catering for the acolytes, she's doing too much of the cooking." Katara appreciated the help, of course. She knew it would all be too much for her. But she still wished there was more to keep her mind occupied.
"Mom, they're just making sure you don't have too much on your plate-"
"Well, my plate isn't full enough, Kya!" Katara had a tone to her voice that sounded annoyed, but also remorseful. She stared at her daughter for a moment and saw the concern in her eyes. "I'm sorry-" she swallowed hard and let out a sigh before looking back down at the pan, pausing for a moment, "Breakfast is done... Will you go find your brothers and Pema and let them know?" she asked.
Kya looked down at the floor, "yeah, I'll do that." She walked away in search of Bumi and Tenzin. As Kya exited the kitchen, she pulled her phone out. She figured she should text Lin and let her know where she went.
Kya: Just wanted to let you know I'm at the Air Temple, my mother invited me for breakfast. I'll be back in a few hours.
She hit send and shoved her phone back into her pocket. She went outside and walked around the house. She smiled at passing acolytes and searched for Tenzin and Pema.
Kya knew that after the Air Temple was turned into an island, Aang had new buildings put on it to house acolytes and traveling nomads. They had talked about the new community in their letters frequently, but Kya thought it would be more hectic than it actually was. Things were kept organized, and any problems were dealt with carefully with help from Tenzin is what Bumi had said in an old letter. In fact, it was one of the only couple letters Tenzins name was ever mentioned in. She kept her brother's achievements close to her heart.
"Excuse me," Kya stopped a passing acolyte, "have you seen Tenzin and Pema anywhere?" She asked.
"Master Tenzin was last in the meditation pavilion when I saw him." The acolyte answered kindly before continuing their walk. Kya cocked a brow, "Master Tenzin?" She rolled her eyes, "That's a little much if you ask me." She joked quietly to herself before finding the meditation pavilion.
She walked up the few stairs and scanned around, making sure to stay quiet as to not disturb the miniscule amount of people currently meditating. After realizing Tenzin was no longer in there, she started to leave. Then she noticed Pema sitting on the far side of the room.
Kya quickly but quietly approached her. She tapped on her shoulder, causing the younger woman to jump a tad bit. "Sorry," Kya said quietly, "um, breakfast is finished. My mom wanted me to get everyone."
Pema took a second to register what Kya had said, but she soon stood up and started exiting the pavilion. Kya followed behind her, taking another look for Tenzin in the area.
"Do you know where Tenzin is? One of the acolytes said he was in the pavilion, but I didn't see him." Kya said once they were away from the area. "He left just a few minutes before you came in looking for him. He probably went inside, he knew Katara was almost finished with breakfast." Pema answered.
Kya silently nodded her head. She'd learned from her mistakes and knew apologizing to Pema was better done sooner rather than later. "Hey," she placed a hand on Pema's shoulder and stopped her from walking any further, "I just wanted to apologize for being so rude when we were introduced." Kya said.
Pema looked at her for a moment, "Thank you," she started walking again, Kya following, "but I promise you don't have to worry about it, I didn't take it to heart." she had a small, genuine smile on her face.
Kya let out a small sigh of relief as she followed, "That's good... I was worried I pissed you or Tenzin off." She laughed nervously. Pema simply shook her head, "I know Tenzin's last relationship was a bit rocky towards the end, and I know you're still... close with her," she had a small smirk on her face, almost like a knowing look, "I didn't think it was anything against me personally."
Now that Kya thought about it, how did Lin and Tenzin break up? If Lin thought Kya's parents still saw the worst in her all these years, it must have been bad. From what Kya knew, they stayed together for two years after she left, but she never heard anything about how it had ended until she got back.
When they walked through the door, Pema went straight to the kitchen while Kya went upstairs to find her brothers. As Kya walked down the hall, she looked at her old bedroom door. She placed a hand on the doorknob and let it rest there for a second, remembering the feeling of the metal.
She knew it hadn't changed since she left. Her mother told her in letters when she'd clean up Kya's room for her, and how every few months she'd wash the clothes Kya left, "so they don't collect dust just sitting in your closet," was how Katara put it.
But when Kya first came back, she couldn't sleep in there. She couldn't bring herself to lay on the same bed her heart had been broken on nine years ago.
She let her hand drop and figured she'd look for Bumi. She walked to the end of the hall where Bumi's open bedroom door was. When she peeked in, she saw him lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling. She cocked an eyebrow, "Existential crisis?" She joked.
Bumi looked over at her then sat up, "Not even close." He said with a half-smile.
"Breakfast is done, Mom wanted me to come find you and Tenzin." Kya stepped further into the room. Bumi hummed in confirmation. He turned his head to look at Kya, "Hey, remember how we used to sit on the roof and smoke?" He asked. Kya nodded her head.
Bumi stood up and started walking towards the door. He stopped a couple feet away from Kya, "Let's do it again before I have to go back to the forces." He grinned at her before walking past and going downstairs. Kya chuckled, and when she started walking back down the hall, her phone buzzed in her pocket.
Lin: Saikhan called me into the station so I might not be there when you get back. Have a good time with your family.
Kya looked down at her phone and smiled at the message, but her smile faded away as she started typing again,
Kya: By the way I'm sorry for how I acted last night. I was sad and embarrassing, and I probably made you uncomfortable. I'm sorry for asking to sleep in your bed. I'm just sorry for the whole thing.
She hit send then continued down the hall, stopping to look in Tenzin's room.
It's changed. Of course, it's changed, it's been years. The desk he used to have, was no longer there. But his globe sat on one of the nightstands, and next to it was the picture of herself, Tenzin, and Bumi.
Kya picked the picture up, grinning. On the other stand was a picture of Tenzin and Pema. She wondered how long they'd been engaged and when they were getting married. But she also wondered if Tenzin had planned on inviting her. A selfish thought, she knew that.
Kya flinched when she heard a thud come from another room. She sat the picture down and left Tenzin's room, looking down the hall at the closed door of her father's study. She approached the door and knocked lightly before turning the knob and opening it.
As she looked in, she saw Tenzin sitting something back up on the shelf. He turned around as he let his hand drop to his side, "Hi," he said. Kya walked in and pushed the door partially shut, "Mom finished making breakfast."
Tenzin nodded his head and looked back at the shelf. When Kya started walking back towards the door, he spoke again, "Do you remember that one trip to Kyoshi Island, I think I was like ten? Eleven?" Kya paused and turned back around, "...yeah."
She walked over and stood next to Tenzin, staring at their father's collection of stuff, "Yeah, you and Dad spent the whole day working on that huge sandcastle," a smile pulled at her lips.
"We stood back to admire the big, crappy thing when you came over with a bucket of water," Tenzin was smiling too, "then Bumi ran into it trying to get away from a couple of crabs." He chuckled. Kya couldn't help but do the same as she remembered the look on her brother's faces, "You were so mad."
Tenzin nodded his head. After a moment, he looked down at the floor, his smile dropping, "I um- I'm sorry for not speaking to you much last night." He said.
Kya's jaw clenched, "...And what about the last nine years?" She asked.
Tenzin took in a deep breath, "It's just been hard..."
To that, Kya scoffed, "You broke up with her a while ago." Tenzin turned to face her, "Yeah. I did. So, what, Kya?" he said. Kya's eyebrow was raised, and her arms were folded. She seemed to have an annoyed expression on her face.
"What is your problem?" Tenzin asked, "You leave because of me and Lin, you come back and go off about Pema, then you don't come around for almost a week. Why are you so pissed off at me?" He weaved his eyebrows.
Kya looked at him in disbelief, "Because, Tenzin," she turned towards him, letting her arms fall to her sides, "you screamed in my face, you gave me the silent treatment, and you couldn't even give me a proper goodbye." She said in a harsh tone. "I didn't leave because of you and Lin, I left for you and Lin," she pressed a finger into Tenzin's chest, "I left so I would stop causing all these problems for you two. I stayed away so I wouldn't cause any more! Because I wanted you two to be happy, and two years later, you fucking dumped her!"
Tenzin stepped pack and lightly pushed Kya's hand away, "Just because you left the city didn't mean I was obligated to stay in a relationship I was unhappy in. And the fact that you're throwing all of this on me is ridiculous; Lin wasn't the perfect girlfriend! So why am I the only one you're screaming at!?-"
"Because I'm not mad that you broke up with Lin, I'm mad that you didn't fucking tell me!" Kya yelled, throwing her hands up. "Why!? So- so you could come back and sweep her off of her feet-" "So I could come back and see Dad!"
The room was horribly silent.
Tenzin stared at his sister for a moment, "What do you mean?" he asked quietly.
"Didn't you hear me? I stayed away from Republic City because I was so damn scared of messing things up for you, Tenzin. I thought one day I'd get a letter from you telling me about how happy you were... Or- fuck- even just a mention of how you were doing from someone!" Kya was crying at this point, "But nobody said anything. I thought you guys had moved on with your lives and were happy together until it was too late." Kya had a pitiful look on her face, "So, yeah, I was pissed off when I came back and found out you were engaged to Pema and I'm sorry for acting the way I did, but-" she sharply inhaled, "but I didn't know a thing about what was going on with you, Tenzin." Her hands were shaking. Her entire body was shaking.
She knew it wasn't right, blaming Tenzin and her family because she didn't come see her father. It was her decision. Every time she'd get a train ticket, she wouldn't even look at the destination of Republic City. When she'd get on a boat, the only thing on her mind was the open water and what adventure she'd be on next. She could've gone back at any time, but instead she chose the cowards way out, and she believed the guilt she felt now was the price she had to pay for it.
Kya could feel her legs getting weaker. She needed to sit down, so she threw herself down into one of the chairs in front of the desk. "I wasted years not coming to see Dad." She looked up at the big leather chair across from her, then looked at the frayed bracelet on her wrist. She let out a shaky breath, then put her head in her hands, elbows resting on the wood in front of her, tears hitting the lacquer as they dripped off her chin, "It's my own damn fault... I'm sorry, Tenzin. I shouldn't blame you."
Tenzin looked at the floor in consideration before moving to sit in the chair next to Kya. He leaned back and let his hands rest on his legs. He couldn't help but feel the same, "I'm sorry too." He said.
Kya looked over at him, her head still resting in one hand. "I'm sorry for not writing you. And I'm sorry for nine years ago." Tenzin said.
Kya sniffled and looked back down, "It's fine... I understand why you wouldn't want to speak to me." She said. She leaned up and wiped the bottom of her eyes with the back of her thumbs.
Tenzin and Kya sat in silence, both of them staring at their father's chair. Remembering all the talks they used to have with him in this room, sitting across from each other. About school, about jobs, about their aunt and uncle who they spent years mourning. They talked about these things with their mother, but their father's study was always a safe space for them as well.
They remembered how, on their birthdays, "Don't tell your mother, she'd kill me if she knew you had ice cream before bed, even if it is your special day." He'd always say it with a laugh. But their mom always knew, of course. Bumi would make a mess on his night shirt, and Tenzin was always caught cleaning his bowl and spoon right after. One time Kya got it all over the rug in their father's study. There was no getting out of that one. The stain was still there.
"I remember being mad a few years after you had left," Tenzin started, "I was mad that you hadn't come back yet. Of course, I knew it was partially my fault, and Dad always put me in my place when I'd start to get upset about it." He looked over, "Dad was happy you were traveling, Kya. So, don't feel guilty for not coming home."
Kya took in a deep breath. Her phone buzzed, but she ignored it. She didn't want to see Lin's response to her last message. She was terrified of what it might read. Her phone buzzed again.
"I think you have a text." Tenzin said.
Kya nodded her head, "Yeah, it's probably Lin..." she said.
Tenzin looked around the room for a second before dropping his eyes to the floor, "So, are you two..." he trailed of, but Kya knew what he meant. She glanced over at him for a second, "I don't know," she said, "But I don't think I ever got over her."
Tenzin looked over at her, "Never?" He asked genuinely.
Kya weaved her eyebrows together in thought, "...I mean, there were a few women... Nothing lasted longer than some weeks. But," she looked at the desk in front of her and lightly shook her head, "that wasn't until after being away from the city for a couple years." She said.
Tenzin nodded his head.
"However," Tenzin raised his eyebrows when Kya started speaking again, "I think when I realized I'd never really gotten over her, was the moment I walked into that cafe and... there she was." She said. Kya remembered her heart racing as she approached Lin, how nervous she was when she placed the money on the counter, and how warm Lin felt when she hugged her that first night. She thought about the couple times they've slept next to each other, the kisses that were exchanged the night before, "Well," Tenzin pulled her out of her thoughts,
"If it means anything," he paused as he stood up, "I don't think Lin ever got over you either."
Kya stared up at him, "Come on, breakfast is probably getting cold." He motioned for her to stand up. When she did, he pulled her into a hug, "Just do what makes you happy, Kya. I'll be supportive from here on out. I don't want to be bitter anymore." He said.
Kya let out a large sigh of relief as she hugged him back. She missed everyone. But Tenzin? She couldn't put it into words how much she missed her baby brother.