Chapter Text
The lights from the fireworks still lit up the sky as the guests loudly expressed their delight. While this wedding had not been the most anticipated and had even been totally unexpected, it was the perfect opportunity for everyone to breathe and clear their heads. The city had come close to destruction after all.
Lin Beifong calmly gazed out at the crowd, happy to be able to leave her role as chief of police behind, at least for one evening. It had been a long time since serenity and joy had been so pervasive.
“She looks good” commented a voice beside her
Lin merely nodded at first, a slight smile on her face. Korra was a few feet away from them and looked radiant, much more so than lately anyway.
“She deserves it” she said
“Oh, I think we all deserve it! You especially, Chief Beifong!”
The earthbender finally turned to her interlocutor, convinced that she would find Kya's characteristic smile, benevolent and sarcastic at the same time. And she had not been mistaken. She looked at the grey-haired woman for a few seconds and then rolled her eyes in exasperation.
Kya, as usual, paid little attention, but the sarcasm in her eyes still vanished.
“So, how's your evening going?” she asked as she sipped at her drink.
“Fine. How’s yours?”
“Great! I was starting to miss the parties! And look at you, all beautiful out of that uniform!” she punctuated her sentence with a light punch to the brunette's shoulder.
“Please, Kya. I'm not one of your brothers.” she said, rubbing her shoulder.
“ ”Oh thank you, you too!" “ said the waterbender with amusement. “Anyway, it's been a while, uh?”
Lin's eyes softened. It's true that they hadn't had a chance to really talk for a few years now. Since the team's short stay in the Southern Water Tribe. Not her best memory, though. Of course, there had been Jinora's anointing, but there again the atmosphere had been tinged with a special aura. This time, at least nobody had lost the use of their legs.
Without really knowing why, Beifong found herself turning her attention to her friend's outfit. She was wearing a long, deep blue dress, with a belt at her waist, intertwined with arabesques and accompanied by a light, almost transparent, veil. Her shoulders were bare and her necklace added to her elegance. Yes, she was beautiful, but she was careful not to let her thoughts escape.
“A while yes. Maybe for the best. No crutches this time.” she replied, a smile on her face
“Aha, I see that Linny has turned to humour!”
“Given the menagerie that surrounds me... Anyway... How long do you plan to stay here?” she asked, regaining her stoic face.
“Wow! Message received five by five, chief!”
“No... I mean, how long in Republic City? I hardly believe that you would make the trip just to see Varrick get married” she corrected herself immediately, then her gaze quickly fled to the sky “I'm glad you're here” she finally mumbled.
Much to her surprise, the woman did not seize the opportunity to mock her as she so often did. Not that she was disappointed, no, but surprised, nonetheless. The corners of her lips had turned down, giving her a much more serious look, despite the sparkle that still glittered in her blue eyes.
“Tenzin told me about the damage the city has suffered, and from the few I've seen when I got here...” she sighed “so if there's anything I can do to help these people. I know one more healer won't be too much.”
“Hmm” Lin nodded “they'll need all the hands they can get. And yours are pretty good.”
“Women often tell me that” she whispered with a wink, to which Lin only responded with a long sigh, she had thrown her a lifeline.
The conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Bumi and Tenzin. The four friends chatted quietly for a while. A familiar feeling came over the chief of police. It was as if she had suddenly stepped into a distant and yet so close past. She hadn't noticed how much she had missed those moments. For a second she hoped she could hear Aang's voice calling them to dinner or Katara's rising as they bickered. No matter how much she'd been through, some people were always there, by her side, unconditionally. And despite the cool wind blowing across the island, the thought warmed her heart. And the idea that dictators could, for the sole purpose of satisfying an inordinate desire, make that happiness disappears with a snap of their fingers sent a shiver down her spine. The others did not seem to notice her silence, as they were used to it, and she thanked them for it.
After a few minutes, the airbender excused himself and left them, followed shortly after by Bumi who headed for the dance floor.
“I guess you'll pass?”
“Very good deduction”
She stared at her for a few moments, almost resigned, but she insisted, much to the annoyance of the earthbender.
“Lin! It's Party Time! Enjoy!”
“I am enjoying, inwardly and silently, two notions you’re not familiar with” she gave her a false smile
“I'm sure you're dying to let your little bit of silliness out” she replied with a nudge of her shoulder
“Oh, yes, I'm dying to, look at me, I can't wait” she looked as neutral as possible, but a slight crinkle in her eyes betrayed her amusement
Kya made a tiny pout in an attempt to convince her, her words seemingly useless and ineffective, ricocheting ridiculously off the other woman's iron coat. Her intuition was right as the latter, with a sigh, waved her to open the passage and walked after her.
“One” she warns her.
“Yes, right, Ms Grumpy”
She took her hand and guided her among the other dancers, spinning her around happily. It had been a long time since "one" dance when the brunette realised that she had trapped herself. But she didn't have the strength to be a killjoy when Kya innocently laid her head on her shoulder, lulling herself into her arms as slow music played behind them.
She could feel the beating of her heart against her own body. Earlier it had been rythmed by the excitement of the dance and alcohol, but now it was calm and regular. She could almost detect a kind of serenity in it. At least that's what she felt on her side, transported by this gentle metronome. Instinctively, she tightened her embrace, silently thanking the two husbands for offering them this evening, thanking each person there for doing what they were doing at this moment, crossing her world without ever entering it. Each one spontaneously respecting a place that seemed to have been assigned to them, some kind of natural choreography. She would have wanted to drown at this very moment, never to wake up again, to stretch out every second to make this peace eternal. A sensation of heaviness brought her back to earth.
"Kya, you're sleeping." She laughed in a whisper.
"Just a little." She finally raises her head slowly. "It's the liquor running through my head."
"You should go to bed."
"Probably. I have to get up early tomorrow," she added, trying to convince herself that she needed some sleep, but she rested her head on her shoulder once again. "This is too comfortable. Sleep with me."
"Oh, sure. Do you want me to carry you to your room too?"
"Hmm, and if you could also help me get into my pyjamas, brush my teeth, put me to bed and read me a story, that would be awfully lovely." She said, nodding with a wry smile
"Come on." She opened her arms to let her go.
"Fine... Have a good night, Lin. And thanks for the dance." She waved at her before leaving.
"With pleasure. Good night."
And she really meant it.