Work Text:
Kuvira was probably the first baby, after Suyin, that Lin enjoyed being around. She was quiet, calm, and always alert. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Jr., he was just a little too neurotic for her to relate to him. He was very adamant about building things, mostly with Legos for his safety, but he was more of a one-man army than a kid that needed much attention.
Because Su and Sr. had been sailing around the world at the time of his birth, she didn’t meet her nephew until he was four. By then, her sister was just about ready to pop with her first daughter. The couple stayed closer, relocating to Republic City full time to ensure that the kids formed solid relationships with both of their families.
For Lin and Kya, witnessing someone else’s successful pregnancy and parenthood was difficult. Of course, they were happy for them, just not always to be around them as they continued to struggle with their own fertility issues. Despite her rough teenage years, Su was conscious of this and never subjected them to too much unwanted time together.
With her personal feelings regarding the hospital, the alpha steered clear of the delivery room altogether, but quickly found herself quite enamored with her niece from day one. She was just so relaxed, even as a newborn. Very much the opposite of the exhausted omega when she decided to make her first appearance, which Lin thought was rather nice.
As time went on, her opinion of the baby didn’t change much until Kuvira reached her milestones for walking and talking. She was a quick study, and the moment she found her footing, she was ready to start sprinting.
When Huan was born less than a year later, she could see the curiosity the almost nine-month-old had for him. She liked him, even though he cried…a lot. She’d share her softer toys with him and dropped whatever she was doing to pat his head, albeit a bit roughly, if he was within reach. It was as though she recognized his inherent fragility being a tad premature and all.
Her mean streak would rarely be directed towards the younger pup. Secretly, Lin enjoyed the spats and terror she would unleash on her older brother because Jr. would simply pick her up and put her in Huan’s crib that she hadn’t mastered escaping from just yet.
Predictably, she’d throw a fit but ultimately ended up knocking herself out. Curled on her stomach with her arms and knees tucked beneath her in a ball; she slept exactly like her mother had. Maybe that was another reason why, but Kuvira was undoubtedly the woman’s favorite, and it appeared as though the little girl knew it because she’d light up anytime the alpha was nearby.
When Korra was born, Lin wondered how the tike would handle it. She was still pretty gentle with Huan, but her feistiness only seemed to grow the closer she got to two. Something about that age being ‘terrible,’ and what not.
The pup was indifferent at first, which wasn’t a bad thing. There was a baby at her house already, another one wasn’t exactly interesting, but she was conscious of her as much as a kid her age could be. Thankfully, that meant that the newborn was relatively safe around the older cousin.
Kuvira took a real liking to Korra when she started walking because that meant that she had two little shadows up for whatever adventure she planned on having that day. Huan would almost always become distracted by something colorful, but the girls had a shared affinity for mischief.
A trait that Lin Beifong encouraged. Yes, encouraged, because they reminded her of the times when her little sister would stare at her with eyes full of wonder and an unfaltering love that made the younger version of herself soften.
Never mind the fact that the duo’s joy for the occasions their guardian permitted could be felt in the trembling shoulders that were wracked with giggles. Especially ignore the inalienable truth that a riotous laughter belonging to none other than the esteemed Chief of Police herself could be heard co-signing whatever it was that remained hidden just beyond the doors to Su’s beloved kitchen.
Which is why, despite the utter horror, it wasn’t entirely surprising to her and Kya that Lin stood there, in her uniform, with a…dough of some sort clinging to various surfaces, including herself, with two toddlers tucked under each arm.
Instinctively, the older omega grabbed her sister-in-law’s arm before she could storm into the gooey battlefield. A silent exchange and understanding passed between them as they agreed to watch and wait. Purely because who in their right mind would believe them if they said that the hardened alpha was so engrossed with something that had their children equally overjoyed, if their excitedly kicking, perpendicular legs were anything to go off, that not one of them noticed their arrival?
No one. Not a soul would even think to imagine the tone said woman adopted while guiding them through—decorating?
“Now that is very nice, Vira.”
“It’s mommy!”
“Oh?” Lin replied with a tilt of her head before nodding. “I see it. She’s never been a redhead, I don’t think, but it matches her personality for sure.”
Kya held the younger woman back while desperately trying to maintain her silent composure.
“And you, itty bitty? What have we got?”
“Uhh, mommy?” Came Korra’s sheepish response.
“Of course! I really like those eyebrows, very…expressive.”
A minute or three elapsed and the Chief bounced the kids a handful of times. “Done?” Receiving matching affirmations and happy nods, the trio stepped back to admire their creations. Suppressing a snort, Lin assured, “They’re gonna love them.”
“Are we now?” Su inquired, startling them.
Impressively, the alpha executed a near-flawless about face revealing the full extent of the mess she’d help create. Batter, sprinkles, flour, candy, and milk and egg cartons littered the counter they’d been facing and clung to all three of them like badges of honor. At least she had the wherewithal to appear mildly remorseful.
“H-hey! You’re back! Early…” She finished lamely as she schooled her expression and carefully righted Korra and Kuvira who both understood that the displeased looks on their mother’s faces meant that the alpha was still their best bet at avoiding a dreaded bath which would likely be followed by a nap or another mundane activity that neither girl was keen on participating in.
Raising an unimpressed eyebrow, both omegas shared another look before trudging their way over. Backed against the cabinet, the trio were forced to face the music and step aside. Lin gratefully accepted a Milk Dud from her niece who defiantly stared at the other two women while they appraised their work.
“Well,” Kya began, “you’re right. I do love it. Thank you, sweetheart!” She cooed as she plucked a piece of broken licorice that previously served as an eyebrow from the lopsided pastry. Swallowing a grimace at the peanut butter stuck to one side of it, she nibbled while smiling prettily for a delighted Korra. All traces of annoyance gone despite the irrefutable fact that her daughter and her wife needed a serious scrubbing. Herself too given her little gem’s insistence of a transfer to previously clean arms.
Meanwhile, they waited on Su’s response with bated breath. Well, not really. The two pups elected to feed the women holding them bits and bobs they’d unstuck from themselves and the counter within their reach.
Anticipating the youngest woman’s reaction was a burden for the adult’s shoulders. Lin watched her sister ruminate over Kuvira’s cake decorating skills with barely concealed excitement. The shorter omega had always been one for expression but getting physically dirty, like her kitchen and child were, definitely wasn’t a preference.
Luckily, the older pup took no offense. Instead, she babbled contentedly with her cousin and aunts. Oblivious to the internal squabble her dear mother was enduring. Eventually, Su turned and waltzed over with that palpable air of superiority she’d always carried.
Everyone paused, blue and green eyes darted amongst each other frantically as mother and daughter engaged in an impressive stare down. A chubby face warmed under the weight of a delicately raised brow; contorting in a great effort not to dissolve into laughter at the wiggling affect that Su employed to break the tot’s resolve.
Korra, unfortunately, could not endure. A full, belly laugh erupted from her little frame, effectively ending the standoff. Su plucked Kuvira from her sister’s arms, letting Lin finally stretch both evenly, as the five of them enjoyed samplings of the cakes—if they could be so called—that were decorated in two of the mothers’ perceived likenesses.
They were, without a doubt, awful. Yet, they were made with so much love that Kya suffered through far too many offerings from both toddlers while Lin managed to win the affections of her daughter in the form of shared, half-eaten bits of candy instead. Drool aside, she greatly preferred her punishment based on the carefully disguised grimaces the other women sported every second they were confronted with the gross amalgamations.
Worst of all, poor, overly dramatic and dignified Su was accosted by both toddlers with demands that she judged the best one under their unyielding attention. Color the sole alpha surprised when the youngest woman didn’t toss her lunch considering her pregnant state.
Distractedly scraping dried caramel from the grooves in her badge, Lin perked up when Korra reached for her once more. Sticky baby secured, she accepted a very slobbery kiss to the cheek and appreciated the next moment when Kya leaned into her side still chewing on the last bite Kuvira had demanded she take.
“So” Su clapped, redirecting everyone’s attention to her. “Who’s going to clean my kitchen, hmm?”
The married couple shared a quick glance and knew that running away would be useless, however, there was a chance. Slim, but a chance, nonetheless that they could avoid the chore.
“Nose goes!” The bronze omega exclaimed and tapped a finger to hers and her daughter’s, while Korra slapped a sickly-sweet palm to Lin’s effectively leaving the other Beifongs the two odd ducks out.
Indignantly, the younger sister scowled before turning to her slightly confused pup, “What do you say we leave this mess for daddy, and we go play in the sprinklers instead?”
Lin knew better than to look a gift horse in the mouth. With a hip bump to her mate, she straightened herself out, tucked Korra into her elbow like a precious football, and bolted. Their laughter and her thunderous footfalls were followed quickly by those of the two other women.
She made for the water hose and crouched with her daughter to aim it at their unsuspecting victims. The two agreed that whatever repercussion arose from that was well worth it.