Kyalin Oneshots

purpose is only visible to the open heart (and mind)

The nights alone were the worst. Guilt crawled under her skin, attaching itself to every viable organ. Waiting for a moment when she let her guard down. She was out and proud, free to the world and with a wonderful wife to show for her troubles. Her parents were proud they told her that daily and still, Kya couldn't shake the feeling she let her mom down. Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, the last Southern Waterbender of her time— with a daughter like her— it was almost laughable.

Kya rolled her shoulders, her bare back brushed against the smooth porcelain of the tub. Her body attempted to conserve its heat, but the water had long since gone cold. Reducing her to shivers, a tear streamed down her face, pooling at her chin and dissolving once it hit the water.

Truly, she had no idea why her mind wandered to such horrible places. Then again, she knew it was inevitable. When her mom informed her through a letter she would be coming to Republic City, and staying at Air Temple Island she was over the moon. Even going as far as to help Pema clean up the house and certain aspects of the island. By the time the week had passed and she finally got to see her mom in person, everything was perfect.

Was.

Kya knew her mom didn't mean to do it. In fact, Katara probably didn't realize she was doing anything wrong. Kya couldn't even write it off as something her mother was doing wrong. Was it wrong for a mother, a teacher, to long for the new generation of her legacy?

The long dinners were manageable at first. Squished in between Bumi and Tenzin with little to no room for anything else. Kids rampaging underneath tables and in the next rooms over as they spoke.

"So, Tenzin, how are all the Airbenders? I hear you're still finding new nomads even after all these years." Katara asked.

Tenzin took a swift sip of his drink, some kind of lychee juice Pema had prepared before he spoke. "Yes, there are so many nomads still discovering their bending. Even some of the nomads from our initial hunts are deciding to bear children."

"That's wonderful." Katara responded. The warmth of her smile brought one to Kya's face. "I remember when you two were younger, when everyone lived so close together and there were always kids running by. It'll be so nice for you to experience that as well."

"Yes. I think we got lucky. The only overly rambunctious child we've had so far is Meelo, and even he seemed to simmer out quite nicely."

"So far?" Kya inquired.

Katara peeked up from her soup, dropping her fork on the table with eyes as wide as the expanse of the ocean. "Calm down, mom." Tenzin mused. "It's nothing official. But there has been talks, me and Pema have toyed with the idea of having another kid."

"I don't know if Pema can handle another kid after Meelo the man." Bumi snorted, eliciting a burst of laughter from the people around the table.

"Hey! Give me a little more credit than that!" Pema yelled, appearing from the kitchen with a basket of clothes on her hip and Rohan following close behind. She gave Bumi a playful whack on the head as she passed.

"Whatever the plan is, we're happy for you." Kya finally added. "And I'm always right here in the city if you two ever need a break from all the craziness. Spirit knows how much I love these children."

Now Katara opted not to speak. Sitting idly and picking at her food as she exchanged words with her brother. The idea of kids, ones of her own, had come up multiple times. For Kya, and Lin, it simply wasn't in the cards. Having kids as a lesbian couple in the epicenter of Republic City was difficult as it was. Adoption was new— and costly— making it out of the question for them. Not to mention that their lifestyle wasn't exactly kid friendly. Lin liked her late nights at the station, and Kya liked her tipsy wine saturdays. Sleeping in at noon and going out whenever they wanted.