Lin sat on the shore, digging her feet into the sand. She didn't know what to expect when Pema had asked her to babysit, but it certainly wasn't the beach. Kya had dropped by the island to surprise her brother who was obviously out of the city. And naturally the waterbender insited on helping, and helping meant a trip to the beach. It wasn't particularly warm out either, there was an incredible amount of cloud coverage and a breeze that sent chills down Lin's spine. Lin shuddered, crossing her arms in attempt to keep warm.
"Cold chief?" Kya asked, coming up behind her.
"How are you possibly wearing that?" Lin asked in regards to Kya's swimsuit. It was small, short white swim shorts and a matching white bikini top that went really well with her hair.
"I live in the South Pole."
"Right." Lin folded her sleeves over hands and stifled a laugh as Meelo flung himself into the ocean, only to scream at the intense cold.
"You know Lin, the water is probably warmer." Kya said, laying a towel out on the sand.
"I doubt that."
"I'm serious, water holds its temperature better than the air." Lin stared at her doubtfully. Kya smiled, pursing her lips and placing her hands on her hips. "Want to bet?"
"Why would I do that?"
"Because you want to prove me wrong, and I want to show you that I'm right."
"I trust you, you're a waterbender after all."
"Fine, how about this; you come in the water, and I'll watch the kids for the rest of the day. Relieving you of your duty and granting you your freedom." Lin considered this, it would be nice to go get some of the paperwork done, if she started in the next hour or so she could be done by dinner time.
"Deal," Lin said finally.
"Great I'll see you in there." Kya winked. Something about Kya held power over Lin, she didn't know what it was but with a little effort the waterbender could get Lin to agree to more than she was willing to admit. Lin watched as she ran into the water, wasting no time launching a wave over her nieces and nephews. Lin sighed as she bended off her armor, she hadn't brought anything to swim in but she could deal with that later. She stripped down to a white tank top and sweatpants, they wouldn't dry easy but maybe one of the kids could handle that. She walked to the water line, letting the ocean tickle her toes. She released a breath at the chill it gave her and it took all she had not to rub her arms.
"Lin!" Kya called and Lin's face started up. The waterbender held her hair in her hands, wringing it out and for some reason Lin blushed. "Just 20 more steps at that rate you'll be here in a couple hours!" Lin scoffed, rolling her eyes. She took a deep breath, relaxing herself and she dove into the water, gripping onto the sandy ocean floor and propelling herself forward. She stood up, face to face with Kya, their bodies closer than she anticipated. Lin took a step back, and saved herself from what would've been an embarrassing stumble.
"Can I go home now?" Lin asked and Kya smiled down at her.
"No need to rush, you're here why don't you enjoy it for a bit. " Lin sighed in attempt to hide her grin.
"Chicken fight!!" Meelo shouted before hopping on Kya's shoulder, and shortly after Ikki was on Lin's.
"What the?" Before Lin had time to process what was happening Kya ran toward her, Meelo sticking his arms out to push his sister. Lin sidestepped and Ikki managed to push her brother with enough force to send both Kya and Meelo into the water.
"Wow that was a devastating defeat," Kya said, sitting in the water. Lin looked at the two with a grin. She offered Kya her hand and she took it.
"I think I've full-filled my end of the bargain. ," Lin said to Kya when the waterbender stood up.
"Not quite, make them an obstacle course." Lin crossed her arms and glared at Kya, who just smiled and waited. Lin grunted and bent the the ground beneath the sand, creating a course with large gaps and small platforms for Ikki and Meelo to jump across.
"Happy?" Lin asked.
"Almost."
"What more is there for me to do?" Lin asked.
"Well, Jinora should be back at the island with Rohan anytime now, and frankly she probably had Kai over so, I need you to go back and make sure things are..."
"I'm not doing that."
"Please, I mean I could send her siblings..." Lin sighed, face palming herself.
"She's old enough to take care of herself."
"Oh I totally agree but I got specific instructions from Pema, do not let Kai over."
"What do you mean you got instructions from Pema? You just showed up." Kya blushed and put her arms around her back.
"You're right, but I mean from the last time I assumed it was the same rules." Lin looked at her suspiciously, but ultimately she didn't care enough to confirm her suspicions.
"Alright, fine. I'll go check on Jinora, but then I'm going home."
"Absolutely. Thank you Lin," Kya smiled, and winked. Another wink? What's up with that? Before Lin could walk away a wave of water splashed against her back and growled. "Got ya," Kya said from behind. Lin looked over her shoulder and bended a platform that sent Kya into the air, trapping her above the ocean.
"Not fair!" The waterbender shouted.
"It's not supposed to be!"
——————————————————————
Lin walked up the steps to the air temple begrudgingly. She prepared herself for a variety of conversations she could engage in when she went inside. Her sweats were still soaking wet, she had forgotten to ask Ikki to fix that for her, but she was sure Jinora would offer. She knocked on the door, and when there was no reply she metal bended the locks and went inside.
"Jinora? Are you here?" She asked.
"In here Lin!" Jinora's voice shout from the living room. Lin stopped behind the couch, Jinora and Kai were sitting beside each other. Kai had one arm around Jinora and Jinora was cradling her brother in her arms. A mover played on the TV, surprisingly it wasn't one of Bolin's. "We're just watching a mover," Jinora said, "Rohan just got up he slept the entire time we were at the market, do you mind passing me the bottle from the ice box?" Lin nodded and grabbed the bottle, handing it to Jinora.
"Isn't it supposed to be warm or something?" Lin asked.
"Usually yes, but Rohan likes his cold, he's a funny little guy," Jinora said, tickling her brother. Lin grunted and looked over to Kai, who was looking at her but looked away when she noticed.
"I'm supposed to ask you to leave," Lin said unenthusiastically.
"But..." Kai said hopefully.
"But you guys are old enough to take care of yourselves so I don't see the point. You'll just sneak back in once I leave anyway. So just behave and stay out of trouble."
"Thanks Lin, say, I could dry you off before you go?" Jinora offered.
"I'd appreciate that," Lin said. Jinora handed her the baby to take to the cradle so she could get up and Lin held him up, looking at him look at her. Her body wanted to grunt, but she couldn't. The kid was awfully cute, until he threw up on her. Lin sighed as the vomit dropped down her shirt, the smell causing her to gag.
"On second thought," Jinora said, "there should be some clothes upstairs, second bedroom to the left, not even I can clean puke out clothes with airbending." She took the baby from Lin and Lin went upstairs. This was not what she had agreed to. She followed Jinora's instructions, sliding open the door to a blank bedroom. There was a bag on the bed but other than that nothing was out of place. She went over to the wardrobe and gagged again when all she saw was the original neon orange monk clothing. She went to the vanity and slid open the drawers, thankful to find something a little more her speed. Dark green pants and a black tank top, she had no idea who's this would've been, likely one of the old acolytes clothes from before their monk life. The pants fit rather well, a little long, but good in the waist. The top must've been for a man because it was too short and Lin raised her lip in disgust at her bellybutton that stuck out. She could cover it with her armor when she got downstairs, but she couldn't let the kids see her like this. She sighed and went to the door, taking one last glance at herself in the mirror before sliding the doors open to a very surprised Kya.
————————————————————————
"Lin! I'm sorry I didn't know anyone was in here. What are you wearing?"
"The baby puked on me."
"Hot." Lin blushed, grateful that Kya brushed past her and didn't see it.
"What happened to the beach?" Lin asked.
"Oh you know, once you left the kids wanted to go home."
"Really?"
"Okay well I may have used a few words of wisdom, you know be responsible, be kind, let's get ice cream and such." Lin stifled a laugh, smiling when she saw the grin that spread across Kya's face. She stood in the doorway as Kya ruffled through the bag on the bed, pulling out loose ruffled bottoms that matched her eyes, and a white turtleneck top, that was a little short on her but it showcased the tan skin of her stomach beautifully. Lin found herself blushing, but unable to look away as Kya pulled her top over her head, failing to notice Lin watching. Kya put on a wrap to hold up her breasts before sliding into the top. Lin gulped as Kya went to remove her bottoms, and this time Lin mustered enough decency to turn around and close the door.
What the hell was that? She was red in the face and she a feeling in the pit of her stomach... she shook her head and kept walking. She was standing in the corner of the kitchen, watching the kids do what they do, waiting for Kya to come down. Lin couldn't stop thinking about her, how the sun, even behind the clouds, had illuminated her skin. Her shoulders that she softly rubbed pulling the bikini over head, the muscles in her arms that Lin had never noticed before.
"Lin!" Lin snapped out of her thoughts, looking to Kya who was standing in front of her.
"Hmm?"
"You haven't put your armour on yet."
"Oh- I just forgot I guess, I'll go get it." She went to go but Kya stopped her by placing a hand on Lin's shoulder.
"What's the rush?" Lin relaxed back into the corner of the counter. "Coffee?" Kya asked, holding a pot in her hand that she heated with her bending.
"Uh sure, black please." Kya smiled, pursing her lips and humming a soft tune. Lin watched the waterbender pour the coffee. Light coming in from the window outlined her eye and the right side of her nose. Her lips were recently attended to with a chapstick that Lin suddenly wanted to taste.
You're doing it again. Kya handed Lin a mug filled with coffee, smiling as always. Lin leaned back and so did Kya, they sipped it while watching Kai humour Ikki and Meelo with a game of hide and seek, Jinora watching angrily in the background.
"Boy is he going to hear it after this," Kya commented. Lin nodded, a small breath of a laugh escaping.
"Yeah, but he's a good kid. Tenzin really shouldn't be so hard on him." This time Kya laughed, putting her mug down and crossing her arms.
"Tenzin shouldn't be so hard on anybody. He's always got a lemur shoved up his-"
"Maybe don't finish that with so many airbending ears around." Lin said, a grin on her face. Lin put her cup down and moved her hands to lean on the counter for support, accidentally covering Kya's. She pulled away immediately, and Kya just stared at her, her expression... sad? "Sorry," Lin stammered. Kya looked at her, her eyes warm and a soft smile on her face. Kya ran her tongue over lips briefly before biting the top one in a moment of panic.
"It's okay," Kya gulped, and she took her hand and held onto Lin's. Lin stared at her, her breath heavy and her eyes wide. She didn't understand what this was, this feeling, it had been a long time since she felt anything relatively similar. She pulled her hand away from Kya and turned away, she walked as fast as she could out of the temple, bending her armour on the way out.
———————————————————————
Kya blinked away the tears forming at the edges of her eyes. That gesture, that moment of bravery could have just cost her everything, her friend and her hope for more.
"Aunt Kya what's wrong?" Jinora asked, coming up to Kya amidst the chaos.
"It's nothing I..."
"Hey," Jinora said, taking her aunty's arm, "you can tell me." Kya smiled at the girl. Jinora has always been so mature, even when she was a child.
"You ever been so in love with someone who won't even look at you like your a possibility?"
"Not really, but go on."
"Well it's happened to me, a few times but never like this. I think I messed up," Kya explained, her voice cracking.
"I think you should just go talk to her," Jinora said, rubbing Kya's back and forearm.
"How do I know she'll listen?"
"She hasn't left the island yet, that's got to mean something." Jinora offered. Kya smiled; she didn't have to say who it was, in fact she was very vague and tried to protect Lin's identity, but her niece saw through it.
"Thank you," Kya said, letting tears fall. She hugged Jinora and told her and Kai to watch the others for a bit. After her niece reassured her they could handle it Kya left the temple and looked for Lin.
Lin stood in the gazebo, arms on the railings and over looking the sea as it crashed against the rocky edges of the island. She bit her tongue in frustration with her feelings. She had always had a natural connection to Kya, but she thought it was because they were so close growing up and the waterbender has been the sole one in the avatar's family to comfort Lin over Tenzin during the break up. But she was starting to think that maybe it was more than that, maybe she liked Kya more than she initially thought. Images of them when they were younger filled her head, every time the waterbender made Lin blush, the winks, and of course every time Lin had found herself subconsciously staring. She sighed, putting her hands on the railing and standing up straight. She could see the ferry nearing the island and that was he way out of here. She had stayed later than she intended, courtesy of Kya's trickery, that the sun was now beginning it's descent.
"I'm sorry," the words came from behind her. Lin turned to see Kya, the look of hurt still evident in her face.
"For what?" Lin asked, knowing where this was going.
"You know the... earlier. I made you uncomfortable, I shouldn't have done that." Kya explained, getting closer to Lin but still keeping her distance.Lin didn't know what to say, or rather she didn't know how to say it.
"No I'm sorry I shouldn't have left like that I'm just..."
"Confused?" Kya asked.
"Yeah that." Kya stopped closer, she was face to face with Lin, her head tilted slightly down to look at the metalbender. Her expression was soft and Lin stared at her lips, ignoring the sensation of tears behind her eyes.
"I felt you watching earlier," Kya said softly. Lin instantly blushed and if her legs weren't glued to the ground with fear she would've ran or buried herself in a hole right now.
"I'm sorry that was wrong of me."
"It's okay, it's fine to look, I don't mind." If it was possible Lin's blush became even redder and she tried to pull her gaze away from the water bender. "Your trying to figure things out Lin, and when you do, I'll be here." Before Kya could turn away Lin grabbed her arm and pulled her into a kiss. Kya returned the gesture, placing her hand on Lin's waist and the other over Lin's scars. Lin kept kissing her, tilting her head and Kya kept it going, never wanting it to end. Lin moved her hand to Kya's shoulder and the other to her hip, pulling closer to seal the gap between them. The kiss lasted a while, a minute or two at least but when Lin pulled away it still felt too short.
"Wait for me?" Lin asked.
"Of course." Kya grinned. Lin smiled and for a moment Kya thought she would kiss her again, but the metalbender turned and ran, launching herself with a rock and reaching the docks where she boarded the ferry, not without one last backward glance at Kya, though.