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Lin sighs in relief as she’s finally freed from her uniform. Say whatever you want, but whoever decided Republic City’s police force should wear metal uniforms clearly never wore metal for at least eight hours straight. And no, despite the popular belief, it was never Lin’s decision (or idea).
She is mildly surprised to come to an empty house. Kya usually finishes at the hospital before her, especially since her leg started troubling her. But then again, it isn’t unheard of for the waterbender to get held up by something.
She’s just about to head towards the kitchen to start preparing dinner when she hears the door opening, unexpectedly accompanied by grunting and a number of voices. Kya’s can be heard loudest and clearest though.
“I’m fine, I’m fine—yes, listen… look I said I’m fine, alright? Thank you for your help but—”
“Master Kya, are you sure?”
“Spirits, I’m as sure as I can be. I’m literally in my house already. Don’t you have a shift to finish?”
“Alright… I just… I just wanted to say—that is… it was an honour to—”
“It’s okay. Let’s not make a big deal out of this. Thank you again for your ever so sweet escort. I will handle myself from here.”
Lin comes around the corner just as she hears the door closing. Kya is leaning on it with her eyes closed and a hand on her forehead.
Lin has never been great at reading people, to say the least, but she gets a feeling that something is wrong. Kya looks… exhausted, sad and is that tear tracks on her cheeks?
“Kya?” Upon hearing her, the healer opens her eyes and smiles softly. She pushes from the door and starts slowly walking up to Lin. She’s moving slower than usual, and gripping her cane stronger too.
“Hi.” She says just as she stops right in front of the earthbender, offering a soft kiss in a greeting.
“Is everything okay? Are you in pain?”
“It’s… I’m fine—” her voice wavers and she takes a deep breath to calm herself down. Yeah, things are clearly not okay. “Actually not really. Can we sit down?”
Lin, responsive as always, slowly navigates them towards their table. She doesn’t miss Kya’s winces as they’re making their way, her leg must clearly be bothering her more today.
“Who was it at the door?”
“It was Amak, they insisted on escorting me home. There was an accident at work, they wanted to make sure I’m alright I guess, which I am—”
“What? What accident?”
“I… it doesn’t matter really. I handed in my—” Lin eyes her with concern but stays quiet as the other woman clears her throat, “—I handed in my resignation today so I guess our jokes about retiring aren’t as absurd as we thought.” She tries to smile but her blue eyes shine with unshed tears. Lin takes her hand and starts rubbing her thumb across Kya’s knuckles.
“Kya, tell me what happened.”
She waits patiently as Kya steadies herself with more deep breaths. It lasts quite a while but finally the waterbender speaks up quietly and as calmly as she can manage, Lin doesn’t miss the tears that start to well up in her eyes once again.
“I can’t do my work anymore, Lin. I was… I was operating today and I fell. My leg was bothering me more, all throughout the day, but it was an emergency, I had to be there. At some point it was just… too much for me to handle and I fell. Thankfully nothing happened to the patient but it could have. This isn’t… this isn’t the first time something like this happened either. I just never mentioned it before because, well, I suppose I was ashamed. But I can’t put people at risk like that. Besides, the work has just been getting too difficult and too demanding. And my leg, spirits, it’s getting worse each day. I just… I just can’t keep doing this. It’s too much for my body. So… I handed in my resignation. I will still be available for consultations but…”
Kya won’t meet her eyes, she’s taken back her hand and wriggles with her fingers. It’s a nervous habit she’s had since they were kids. Lin lets the silence stretch for a moment as she runs her hands through her short hair, then rests her chin on them.
“I don’t think you have to completely resign from work, but… if this is your decision then I obviously will support it. Why didn’t you tell me that your leg has been getting worse?”
She doesn’t get an answer, not a verbal one anyhow. A shrug is all Kya is willing to give.
“Alright… are you sure you’re feeling okay now? Physically? Do you need me to take you to a healer?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Lin raises her brow as she searches for eye contact until finally, Kya relents and watery blue eyes meet green.
“Really, Lin. I will be okay.”
“Alright. I will make dinner now, okay? We can talk about this more later.”
“I’m not really hungry right now. I will just go lie down.”
Lin stays seated as she watches Kya head towards their bedroom. She doesn’t know how to react properly. She doesn’t know what to say, or do. She doesn’t know how to make this better. And it’s eating her up inside.
—————————————————
The weeks following Kya’s retirement weren’t easy. Firstly, Kya saw her life’s meaning in healing and helping others. Being suddenly devoid of that was hard on her. She spent most of the time in their bed, crying, sometimes snapping at Lin out of nowhere. More often than not though, she would be unusually quiet and barely responding, those days scared Lin the most.
On top of that, there was the pain. Kya’s leg was bothering her on most days now. The pain varied, but it was clear that the pain-free moments were fewer with each passing week. Kya couldn’t take modern medicine as she was allergic to common key ingredients used in them. She had to rely on herbs and healing sessions, but she wasn’t in a state where she would willingly get out of the house or receive home visits and Lin didn’t have a heart to push her or force it on her.
At first, the earthbender took some days off to stay with her wife. But upon reflection, perhaps it wasn’t the best decision. Frankly, Lin doubted any decision she made now. Kya was on the edge and hated feeling like she’s keeping Lin from work, but she clearly shouldn’t be left alone in those days. Eventually though, when Lin grew more confident that Kya would at least feed herself, she went back to work, but kept her hours shorter than usual.
One of these days, Lin comes back home later than she wanted to. There was an armed robbery called in and she couldn’t just let her subordinates go on their own. The whole thing ended up taking longer than she expected.
Once she is stepping inside their house, she calls out for Kya immediately but doesn’t receive an answer. She strips her coat as quickly as possible, all soaked wet because of course it’s been pouring heavily nearly all day.
“Kya?” Lin calls out again as she searches for the waterbender. She starts getting a bit worried when she doesn’t find her in the kitchen nor in the living room. Kya isn’t in their bedroom either, but she can see her wheelchair isn’t there as well, which raises even more questions. Where could she possibly go if today was difficult enough to require the wheelchair? In this weather, on top of everything.
Reluctantly, Lin heads towards their garden. It won’t hurt to check. It’s still raining heavily as she steps outside the house.
To her surprise and confusion, Kya is right there. Lying on the grass with eyes closed, the wheelchair standing next to her gathering rainwater.
Kya has always been an… eccentric person. Frankly, this isn’t even the weirdest thing she’s done. Lin chuckles quietly before calling out to her wife once again.
“Kya what in the Avatar’s name are you doing?”
Kya smiles, keeping her eyes closed, and sighs dramatically before replying.
“Connecting with the world, Lin.”
“Right.” The earthbender scoffs as she approaches the other woman, standing right next to her, she extends her arm. “Come on, get up. You’re gonna get sick.”
With a grunt of displeasure, Kya opens her eyes and reaches out to grasp tightly onto Lin’s hand. She brings herself upright, standing very closely to the earthbender and immediately kisses her sloppily.
With Kya this close, Lin’s smile disappears immediately as the familiar smell of lilyweed hits her nostrils. Despite that, she doesn’t say anything as Kya gestures flippantly that she doesn’t need the wheelchair anymore. Lin follows behind her pushing it as they enter the house.
Only once they’re protected from the downpour does Lin speak up, her tone clearly disapproving.
“Did you smoke lilyweed?”
“Noooo… I would never, chief Beifong.”
“Kya, spirits, you know this stuff is dangerous.”
The other woman loses her smirk at that, her good humour quickly replaced with anger. After all, Kya has always been an emotional person.
“And since when are you an expert?”
“Maybe since me and my officers have to continuously be rescuing people who do something stupid under the influence.”
“Ah yes, and what would you have me do instead? Cry all day and wail in pain?”
“Kya, I—”
“You know that it’s the only thing that helps me. It’s the only time I can feel a few moments free of this.” She gestures vaguely to her body, her voice rising in volume.
“This is not a solution, Kya.”
“You do not get to tell me that, Lin. You have no idea what this feels like.”
“Kya—”
“Ah, or maybe you just like me this way, don’t you? Want me to be dependant on you so that—”
“Kya.” As she interrupts her, Lin’s voice is loud yet seemingly devoid of any emotion. It’s strong, calm and stern. As if she was reprimanding a misbehaving child. It works though, violently cuts short the waterbender’s spiral of accusations.
For a few seconds nobody says anything, they’re looking each other right in the eye as the silence envelops them. Eventually, it is Kya who makes the first move that breaks the smothering stillness. As blue eyes start rapidly filling with tears, her hand comes up to her lips. Soon, a sob breaks the silence.
Lin exhales slowly and closes her eyes for a second as she brings her hand up to her forehead. Calmed down and grounded, she starts approaching the waterbender.
“Come on, let’s get you to bed now.”
“I’m sorry, spirits, I’m so sorry—”
“It’s okay. Let’s just get you changed and in bed. You’re soaking wet.” Lin’s voice remains calm and stable, as she navigates a sobbing Kya in her arms.
Neither of the women says anything else as Lin helps Kya change and tucks her in. Sleep comes for her quickly, which can’t be said for the earthbender.
.
.
.
The next day Kya wakes up to an empty bedroom. Shielding her eyes from the blinding light of a morning sun, she breaths in and out slowly as memories of last night flood her mind. All she can think about is that she needs to find Lin, and the smell of food hitting her might be just the cue she needs for her search. Her cane in tow, Kya heads towards the kitchen.
She’s met with Lin Beifong laying out breakfast for both of them on the table and pouring out tea. Kya decides to break the silence sheepishly
“Good morning.”
“Good morning.” The other woman does look at her when she responds, but her face remains expressionless and her tone doesn’t let on on her feelings either. Not certain what to do with herself, Kya remains motionless in place until Lin speaks again.
“Sit down, I made breakfast.”
They start on their meal with neither woman willing to start a conversation. Eventually, Kya relents, figuring she owes it to Lin after yesterday. Besides that, spirits, they’re both too old for this.
“Lin, I’m sorry about yesterday. I didn’t mean what I said. And I know that you’re right about… well, you know, lilyweed. I really am sorry, you know that, don’t you?”
Lin won’t meet Kya’s gaze, but she does cover the waterbender’s palm with her own.
“I… I know you didn’t mean it. But, Kya, you can’t take out your frustration on me like that. And I know… I know you are right, I don’t know what it feels like. But I do see you struggling. Spirits, I see you cry and I see you wince and I am here when you can’t leave our bed and it kills me to see you like this. But you’re right, I can’t possibly understand, not really and I… frankly, I don’t know how to help you. You know I’m not good at things like this, Kya, I wish I was but I’m just… not…”
They let the quiet envelop them once again for a while. It doesn’t feel suffocating though, it feels… strangely safe. Comforting even, to an extent. That is until it is interrupted by a knocking on the door. Before heading towards it, Lin tightens her grip on Kya’s hand and offers an explanation.
“I invited Bumi. He will… stay for a while. Is that okay?”
With Kya’s tired nod, the earthbender stands up to welcome their guest.
.
.
.
And stay he did. The following weeks of that night were to become some of the most joyful in their household ever since Kya’s retirement. Bumi’s intervention really did wonders.
If you had told Bumi that one peaceful afternoon he would pick up a call from a clearly holding back tears Lin, venting to him about his sister needing help, he wouldn’t have believed you. Lin? Crying? Lin asking for help? But it was Kya. And if there was anything in this world Bumi would always put first, no questions asked, it would always be Kya.
He was on his way immediately, informing Lin that he would be staying a while. Not asking, mind you. It wasn’t up for debate.
Lin never asked Kya nor Bumi about the topics of their hushed conversations, or what they did when she was gone. But eventually she would start coming back to a house filled with laughter, Kya preoccupied, always doing something and cracking jokes. It was more than she could’ve asked for.
—————————————————
“You know we don’t have to go if you’re not feeling up for it.” Lin reminds Kya again as they are making their way out of the house.
“I know, and I’ve told you already that I’m fine. I know you worry but you need to trust me, Lin.”
Kya had a worse day yesterday, particularly in the evening the pain flared up. She didn’t sleep the best and Lin knows she must be tired. But she also knows Kya is nothing if not stubborn, and will do anything to keep her promise. Still, it doesn’t mean she can’t worry. She’s her wife for spirits’ sake, worrying is basically her job.
“I do trust you.”
Kya turns around as Lin locks the door and watches her with a teasing smirk on her face.
“Or… Lin Beifong, are you perhaps nervous? Scared?”
Lin scoffs at the question and Kya laughs, looping their arms together. “Scared? Of an old lady? Hardly.”
Kya’s laughter can still be heard as they pull out of the driveway.
.
.
.
“I’m sorry I missed a few sessions, aunt Azula.” says Kya as she enters the bright room where the infamous sister of late Firelord Zuko sits in front of an easel holding up an unfinished painting of a landscape.
“You should be. I had to suffer through your insufferable mother’s visits. And she came every week! She wouldn’t tell me why you couldn’t make it though.”
Kya smiles at the firebender, she may act tough but they all know Azula has come to appreciate and, dare she say, like Katara much more than she lets on. After all, she hasn’t even attempted to set her on fire for years now.
“I had some health issues and couldn’t make the trip. But I’m here now.”
At this point both women turn their heads towards the door where they can hear Lin approaching. She usually doesn’t accompany Kya on those biweekly visits, but didn’t want her to come alone. Not because Azula is any threat, but because it’s the first healing session Kya will be administering since the accident at the hospital.
“Spirits, don’t tell me your mother has come with you. She felt you needed backup?” The older woman chuckles at her own comment and earns another smile from the waterbender.
“No, it’s just Lin. She came with me today.” Kya responds as she moves to prepare the healing water and the bath for their session. Azula has been needing regular sessions for her joints, the healers stationed at the facility provide smaller ones more often but it’s Kya that visits her for biweekly full-body ones. They sort of serve as an excuse for Kya to keep coming. Ever since Katara has stopped visiting as often due to age, health and the many responsibilities that keep piling up as their family grows endlessly (Tenzin’s fault), Kya has taken it upon herself to visit the woman regularly.
“Morning ma’am.” Lin says bashfully coming into the room. She’s never figured out how to act around Azula, unlike Kya. Not that that’s surprising, Kya is excellent with people and Lin is… well… Lin is Lin.
The older woman scoffs at her and gestures with her hand for the earthbender to come closer.
“Lin Beifong, what a surprise. Come closer, come closer, I don’t bite.”
Once they’re standing right next to each other, Azula addresses Lin quietly enough so that Kya can’t make out the words from where she’s finishing her preparations.
“Now, chief Beifong, are you treating Kya well?”
“I like to think so ma’am.”
“You better, she’s the only one I like from that wretched family. Now, what is that I hear about her having health issues?”
“Respectfully, ma’am, I think that’s something for Kya to talk with you about, if she wishes to.”
The older woman eyes her carefully and grumbles in agreement, she’s not known for patience or taking no for an answer easily but... it’s hard to disagree with the earthbender.
“Alright!” Kya exclaims with a clap of her hands as she approaches the other women. “Everything is ready so we can start the session, Lin—”
“I will be, uh, around. You can find me afterwards.”
Kya nods as she laughs at her softly, then turns towards Azula as Lin makes her quiet exit.
—————————————————
An uncontrollable laughter can be heard at the entrance of the house, as Lin is fumbling with her keys whilst trying to balance a drunk Kya hanging from her arm.
They stumble inside and now Lin has to fight to keep her balance. For all her reminders for Kya to slow down, maybe she’s had too much to drink as well… just maybe. In their defense though, it’s Bumi’s fault, per usual.
Kya turns around to face the other woman and takes her face gently in her hands.
“Enjoying the view?”
“Always.” The waterbender whispers as she closes the distance between them in a soft kiss. She remains close to the other woman though, her fingers traveling to the nape of Lin’s neck, lightly playing with her short hair. Her mouth is incredibly close to her ear as she whispers sleepily. “Dance with me.”
Lin murmurs quietly as her arms softly wrap around Kya’s waist. “I don’t dance.”
“You do with me.”
“I suppose I do.”
She relents quickly. As they start swaying in a rhythm dictated by Kya, with a few slow spins here and there, Lin can’t help but think just how lucky she is to be in this moment. Call her cheesy, but not everybody gets to spend their life with the love of their life and she will be damned if she doesn’t appreciate every second of it.