ATLA/LOK Fem Imagines

What Nobody Knows - Lin

Trigger Warning: Trauma and Nightmares/Hallucinations.

The Chief of Police wraps a stern arm around her spouse, drawing the woman close to her side. Her light eyes narrow towards the figure threatening to close in on them. While backing away from the person, the couple finds their chances of escape dwindling.

"You can't get away this time." A layered voice of all the criminals arrested and imprisoned under her jurisdiction rumble out of this undefinable entity.

The shadow glides across the walls and paved ground before materializing in front of the couple in pixels glitches. The shadow fits back to its original 2-dimensional shape with sadistic glee. The entity yelps out excited screams and horrifying squeals that leave both women quivering under the vibrations.

Lin growls in response, backing up against the dead-end wall behind her. She takes calculated glances around the disarrayed area. Broken windows, beaten outer walls, and moss growing from either side confirms that both buildings are abandoned. No witnesses.

Despite her refined knack for observing details, she misses a one...

A terrified scream bellows from behind her. She twists around with raised fists, bending the earth up to her knees. Her heart stammers against her chest anxiously as she finds nothing but an abyss of black and blue swirls.

The scream fades as her lover calls out for her, "Lin!"

"Honey!" She shouts back while stepping forward into the abyss.

No response.

Not even a weak yelp.

She refuses to panic, shaking her head and swinging her leg up to lift her foot off the ground. Before the foot can be brought back with a horrifying slam, strong hands press down on her shoulders. The pressure bolts her to the pavement, pressing her down until her knees buckle and she loses balance. With no other choice but to kneel, Lin allows her muscles to give out.

A masked man leans over her, pressing the thumbs of both of his hands into her forehead and chest. Her body locks in place, forced to stare up towards the mystic sky. In the process, she catches a glimpse of the masked man. Though his mask falls, revealing him to be another man with a buzz cut and harsh features. Soul-sucking zaps course through her veins, emptying her of her identity.
While Lin withers through the change in energy, the hands once supporting her head and chest withdraw, leaving her to fall forward against the rocky surface.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lin jolts from her rested position, sitting up in her bed with a loud gasp. The new space allows her spouse to sink into the dent created by her once calm body. While catching her breath, the metal bender glances down towards the figure creeping into her space.

Leaning over to get a better view of her wife's body and face, she stretches a hand out to pull back a strand of hair stuck to her lover's forehead. Her light eyes run over the younger woman's features, observing as Y/n shutters under the subtle touch.

Her shoulders rise and sink as her jaw unclenches and her breathing slows. She rests back against the plush mattress, making sure to account for the sleeping body tilting into her space. Lifting an arm to cover her eyes, Lin tries to block out the thoughts swarming her mind.

Why did the dream feel so real? Why did losing her one true feel so real? Why did losing her bending feel just as scarring as the last time?

Lin shakes her head at the thought, ridding herself of the disturbing ache bubbling within her chest. Lolling her head to the side, she watches as Y/n turns in her sleep, facing away from the troubled copper.

Does she dare to wake her wife up? Or does she simply sit with this growing tightness in her chest?

As she glances at her beautiful partner once again, she finds herself not wanting to disturb their peaceful slumber. A subtle smile works away at Lin's lips as she listens to the slow breathing filling the otherwise quiet room. Without evening knowing, her wife calms her down.

She picks her side of the blanket up and lowers it back over her body snuggly. Peeking over Y/n's shoulder, she checks the time.

3:40 Am.

In another hour or two, the alarm clock will wake The Chief up again. And, consequently, her wife. The two start their days together in the early morning. Y/n runs a bakery just a block down from their luxurious apartment on 71st street. She uses the extra hours before opening time to prepare the dough and unpackage items. They leave for work at the same time, parting ways at the door with a fleeting kiss.

Sighing to herself, she tries to get comfortable again. The Chief scooches in close to her wife's body and wraps a strong arm around their curvy waist. She pulls the shorter girl closer to her as she rests a hand under her own ear. Her body floods with warmth, evoking a wiggling of toes and the subtle stretch of her body.

Just as she settles into her soft doze, a dark voice calls out to her. It rumbles through the room, sending vibrations from the bedposts to Lin's chest.

"You'll never keep her safe. I'm always watching..." The person taunts.

The earth bender shoots back up again, cocking her head to where she heard the noise coming from. Darting her attention around the dim room, she swears dark shadow peers over her bed.

The fluorescent light from the moon shines past their curtained window, allowing the visibility of dust particles that floats above the right end of their bed. The shadow peeks into the white light, revealing the collar of a dark gray coat and the cuffs of black pants. The figure hesitates before stepping into the light and dashing towards the window. The figure fades through the glass and disappears into the night.

Unable to define her sighting, the older woman sits up in the bed. She rushes to her feet and follows after the shadow threatening the life of her beloved.

Lin stops at the window, prying the curtains open and peeking out the closed window. Her chest stutters in to expand and flattens down as she searches for anyone running away from the building complex or the gentle clanking noises that someone makes when climbing down a fire escape.

"Honey, what are you doing?" A sweet timbre calls out.

Jumping at the gentle sound, the older woman whips around to face her wife. She heaves, taking in a gasp of air.

She points to the window with her thumb, "I-there was someone in here. They said they were going to take you away, and I had this awful dream-and-and-"

Her hands raise to her face, sliding them from her cheeks to her hairline. The force pushes back her hair, revealing the fullness of her face.

Her cheeks turn red. The vibrant color spreads to her neck and chest, exposed by her undershirt.

Gracefully gliding out of bed, Y/n makes her way to the troubled woman. She takes the earth bender into her arms, slipping her elbows under Lin's armpits and drawing her close. The scarred woman buries her face into her wife's shoulder, clutching onto the back of Y/n's shirt with white-clenched fists.

"They took you, and they took my bending as Amon did." She mumbles against the baker's clothed shoulder.

"Who did?" Y/n questions.

"I don't know." The Chief weeps under the protection of her one true love.

Her walls crumble, leaving any remaining facades to spill out of her like a waterfall. Allowing her partner to rant and cry, Y/n hold hers silently.

"I'm here. Your bending is here, my love. No one can take that away. Even if they try, Korra can always give your gift right back, and I will always find my way back to you. I did it once, and I will do it again." The youngest of the two reassure.

Relaxing under the soothing voice and warm embrace, Lin finds herself snuggling deeper into their hug.

"Promise?" She sniffles, lifting her head to meet the baker's gaze.

"There's no need to promise. What I said is a fact." Y/n whispers, taking Lin by her forearms and guiding her back to the awaiting bed.