Kyalin Oneshots

Selfish

Lin Beifong was a selfish woman. At Least that's what she was told or made to believe by her mother, her ex-boyfriend, her sister, and countless others. She was selfish in her actions and the way she felt her feelings. Lin had always felt things very deeply and her actions often exhibited this.

They never said these things outright. Nobody ever would, her intimidating demeanor made sure of that. Yet some things never needed to be said outright.

The first time it happened was the night of one of the pro-bending tournaments. As chief she took the responsibility of guarding the arena from possible Equalist attacks. Tenzin being the man he was, decided he was going to help much to Lin's dismay. She fought him about it relentlessly. Tenzin only acted as if she was being crazy and irrational.

Could anyone really blame her? The Airbending master cheated on her, wasted years of their relationship and her life on a woman half their age. He never apologized not then and not in any of the many years beforehand.

It was obvious Tenzin had put it behind him, so even though she was still hurt. She let it go. What point was there in arguments about things that happened decades ago. It wasn't like she still cared about him, at least not in that way.

After a while it became easier to tell herself nothing happened. That how everything went down didn't bother her. She wasn't angry anymore and she didn't need to be.

Then, only a few years later she found herself in Zaofu helping Avatar Korra round up one of many new Airbenders. Her sister was there waiting for her, she tried to lay low, get out of the city as fast as possible but it was too late. She was there again.

There with her little sister, the one who scarred her face and then ran away. Su destroyed their mom's career, left a mark on her face and left home. After decades there was no letters, no apologies, nothing.

Toph had reached out only once years later to get the two together to talk. Lin wanted to but part of her couldn't. How could she face two of the people who hurt her most in this world? So she didn't.

Suyin took her anger personally as she should have. But she never really understood Lin, not in the way the eldest Earthbender wanted her siblings to. Lin wanted Su to understand how badly she hurt her, hurt their family. It became obvious to her that she either didn't know or didn't care.

Any anger or hatred she showed as a result was labeled as unnecessary. Eventually she forgave Suyin, not because she was ready, but because she couldn't handle losing anyone again. As much as hated the situation she liked having Suyin back in her life.

But then there was her mother. Toph Beifong, who never gave her the attention she longed for while growing up in Republic City. Her mother allowed Su to become as rebellious and out of control as she got. The woman who left her right after her sister and the person she thought was the love of her life left.

She spent decades alone. Birthdays, holidays, and all other special occasions in her small apartment. After a while she managed to convince herself things were better this way. No one could hurt her if she didn't let them. Part of her longed for attention, for care from someone, anyone but she shoved it down deep where she thought no one could reach it.

No matter how much this hurt, she knew losing another person would hurt more.

For a long time it worked. She kept everyone at bay, at a distance. Even with people who she considered her friends like Korra or Tenzin she managed to stay cold and detached because what was the alternative?

•••••••

After the turf wars of Republic City died down and the Terra Triad and all the other gangs were settled Lin found herself with a lot of free time.