ruler of her heart, KORRA

𝟬𝟭𝟭 Her Twisted Nightmare

── 𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕.

[ 011 ] HER TWISTED NIGHTMARE
❝We're the last airbenders, and I'll protect us!❞

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 EVER SINCE THE DAY Bolin and Sanyu found out about Mako and Korra, Sanyu hadn't had a single moment to breathe.

 Things had only gotten worse with the growing Equalist movement and the rise in crime. She couldn't even go home after her shifts anymore. The police force was stretched to its limits, officers were needed everywhere, chasing leads, calming riots, stopping attacks. Only a handful were left behind to file reports at the station, which meant more work landed on her shoulders.

 Her days blurred together in a constant cycle of work, stress, and exhaustion. Sanyu was always on the move, chasing down suspects, responding to emergency calls, trying to restore order in the chaos.

 Even when her body begged for rest, Sanyu didn't complain. She couldn't. It was her duty to serve and protect the people, even if it meant sacrificing her own well-being. So she pushed through the fatigue, driven by a deep sense of responsibility. She reminded herself that it wasn't about her. It was about the city, about doing what was right.

 But sometimes, the guilt caught up to her.

 She felt it late at night, when she thought of her siblings waiting for her at Air Temple Island. She felt it when she realized how many nights she had missed, how many promises she had broken without meaning to. On the days she forgot to visit, she'd picture them sitting outside, looking up at the stars, waiting for her to come home. But by the time she arrived, they were always asleep.

 Tenzin would gently usher them to bed, probably telling them she'd come by tomorrow. And she always meant to but tomorrow turned into the next day, and the next day into another missed visit.

 That night, like many others, Sanyu still made her way to Air Temple Island, even though the clock had long passed midnight. She was exhausted. Her legs heavy, her mind foggy. But she hoped to at least catch a glimpse of her siblings.

 "Sanyu," Tenzin greeted as she stepped off the dock. His voice was calm but filled with concern. "They're already sleeping. And you should rest too," he added as he walked toward her. Up close, he saw how pale she looked under the moonlight, the dark circles under her eyes, the redness from lack of sleep. She looked like she might collapse.