Would you write Lin with someone you haven't shipped her with next? Surprise us!
I feel like there’s nobody left that I haven’t shipped Lin with💀 but I like the challenge. I guess I’ll surprise myself too!
I started writing this about a year ago and but something about it wasn't quite sticking- I still don't think it's perfect but oh well. I also have @wishingforatypewriter to thank- you gave me some motivation.
The metal city of Zaofu was deemed to be paradise for all metal benders. But for some reason, the place felt far from that to Lin Beifong- the very legacy of metal bending.
Obviously, it had less to do with the element and everything to do with estranged, toxic familial relations, but over the years, Lin had to learn to make her peace with it. It helped having Opal living in Republic City to bridge the gap between the two sisters/cities, but physically being in Zaofu always took Lin back to that awful acupuncture experience. Sure, she felt better after the needles, but this place brought back all the memories as to why she had to get acupuncture in the first place.
As if already being disconcerted wasn’t enough, the added social element of five children, a yapper of a sister and an awkward brother-in-law amongst all the staff didn’t help.
After a rather trying dinner, her social energy drained, Lin was happy to be in the quiet of her assigned bedroom. The food was good as always, the kids- rambunctious, Suyin chattering, but the one person who was off that evening was Bataar Senior.
As a more reticent person herself, Lin could easily pinpoint how Bataar wasn’t his usual kind of reserved. He seemed more ill at ease than normal. Lin thought about checking in on him, but decided that his wife will probably notice once she shut that trap of hers she called a mouth.
The second Lin’s head hit the pillow, she realized she was thirsty. Two helpings of a chickpea salad will do that to anyone. She debated sleeping with a parched mouth until she realized everyone was likely in their rooms and she would have to give in to quench her thirst sooner or later.
So she ventured out to the kitchen.
Everyone was indeed in their beds- the lights were out and the silence was deafening. Pure bliss.
The large kitchen doors creaked softly when she stepped inside, but the sound of someone shuffling in there was louder. She felt an erratic heartbeat- her opening the door had definitely spooked whoever was in there- but it was still too dark to identify who it was.
She brisk walked towards the heartbeat and before she knew it, a pair of hands grabbed her waist and pulled her close to their body.
“Hey there,”
It was a man’s voice.
But before she could nail down whom it belonged to, the man’s lips were on hers. It wasn’t until she realized she was kissing him back- which wasn’t too long into the kiss- did she push him away.
“Bataar?” She cried softly.
“Su..?” He said in a meek voice.
Lin scrammed to the side of the room and turned on the light. Thankfully Bataar looked just as aghast as she had hoped.
“I’m so sorry- I- I told Suyin to come to the kitchen and I assumed it was her and- Lin, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to ambush—”
“It’s fine, it’s fine!” She said, unable to look at his pitiful face. “I mean, it’s not fine but I know you didn’t mean to kiss me.”
“It’s just that- Su’s mad at me and I don’t—”
“— don’t want to know!” Lin said louder.
“Actually I could use your advice- was that a good kiss? Was it the right amount of spontaneous and romantic?”
Lin cringed, pressing the bridge of her nose. “Why are you putting me in this position?”
“We got into a whole fight over this- she thinks I’m a sack of nothing and that really hurt my feelings.”
“Well, being hurtful comes with the Beifong genes. Don’t take it so personally.”
“Sure,” he said. “But that doesn’t help my case. I get that being married can become mundane even when you’re married to someone as extraordinary as Suyin. I can see how she would want some kind of excitement so I told her I had a surprise for her in the kitchen and—”
“And she isn’t going to come in because now you’re doing it because she asked and not because you want to.”
“Oh,” Bataar realized.
“Look, you know my sister better than I do,” Lin said, finally picking up a glass to fill with water. “Just take her out to a show tomorrow. Or a dinner. Or just give her some kind of importance- that woman thrives on attention- especially if it’s coming from someone she loves.”
“That- that’s actually really good advice,” he confessed.
Lin swallowed the last of her water before refilling the glass. “Great. Good luck with that. I’m going to bring this glass to my bedroom in case I need it at night.”
“Lin,” he called, stopping her in her step. “For what it’s worth you’re a great kisser and any man would be lucky to have you.”
The metalbender grimaced.
“And you’re beautiful, strong, independent and smart. You should let more people in and allow them to get to know the wonderful person that you are.”
“That’s all right,” she mumbled. “Save some of that for Suyin.”
“If I wasn’t married, I would have fallen for you in a heartbeat.”
“That’s so good to know,” she retorted sarcastically.
“Really,” he said in earnest. “I'm certain we'd be just as compatible.”
Lin wanted to throw up in her mouth. She could not tolerate another word from him.
“Why are you still going on?”
The architect shrugged awkwardly. He knew he should have stopped talking about eight sentences ago- this was why he preferred staying silent altogether.
“I'm not sure. I should probably go back to bed.”
“Yes!” Finally, Lin thought.
“Sleep well,” Bataar said, moving towards the door.
That night, with her thirst finally quenched, Lin slept surprisingly well. It probably had more to do with the excitement of returning to Republic City the next morning, but even in the deepest crevices of her mind she wouldn't admit that it felt nice to be held and kissed- and if it felt as good coming from someone like Bataar, how much better would it be coming from someone she actually cared for and was attracted to? Maybe there was some potential waiting for her back at Republic City. And maybe that was in part why she was excited to go home.
But it wasn't going to be an easy journey back. Not when Lin woke up to her sister standing over her bed, heaving.
“YOU AND BATAAR!?”
Lin was never making it back to Republic City at this rate. Not if her sister was going to throw her in the dungeons of Zaofu.
“It was an accident—”
“He told me everything!”
Lin gaped at her sister. Clearly, if he told her everything, she wouldn't have smoke piping out her ears.
“But he also told me how you rejected him. Why don't you think my Bataar is hot, Lin? Or do you just like them bald and boring?”
The Chief huffed. She was going to need another visit from the acupuncturist to erase this memory entirely.
@atlararepairmonth Week 3: Good Cop, Bad Cop & Unwanted Travel Companions
Also inspired by @chiefbeifongcanrailme, who challenged me to try writing Lin/Baatar Sr. (I'm running with the idea that he falls head over heels for whichever Bae-fong sister he sees first)
To say that Baatar Guo had anticipated some unpleasantness while assisting his father and brother on an out-of-town job was at minimum an understatement. A few late nights revising blueprints by lamplight while Altan explored the city's nightlife or a handful of apologies and bonus wages to the building crews kept late until his father was satisfied with the day's work were well within his wheelhouse. But being grilled for facts by a muse in metal armor whose jadite stare alone was enough petrify him like a clay pot in a kiln was far beyond what he had bargained for.
"What was stolen?" Detective Beifong repeated, sounding far more impatient this time than the last. "Quickly."
"M-my father's designs and blueprints were all missing when we got back from dinner."
The detective exhaled a puff of air through her nostrils, as though trying to collect herself. "That's it?" she asked. "Blueprints? No contraband or bejeweled dragon eggs?"
"Just blueprints," Baatar replied, scratching the back of his head.
"Unbelievable." Lin sighed again. "To think the chief would pull me off a serial murder case over some drawings? What were these blueprints even for?"
"The new bridge downtown. My father was thinking of naming it after Avatar Yangchen. You know, to match the Kyoshi Bridge in Harmony Point?" Baatar chuckled weakly under the weight of her steely scowl. "Although Councilman Sokka put a clause in the contract that says he gets final say over the name."
At this, Lin cracked a whisper of a smile despite herself. "He would say that, wouldn't he?" she replied, then glanced up, seeming to resign herself to the matter. "I assume you're Altan Guo the younger, then. You should have led with that. Where's your father? He might have some clues about potential suspects."
Baatar adjusted his glasses. "He's at Republic General, actually. The shock of everything made his blood pressure spike and he just...collapsed.""
To Baatar's extreme surprise, Detective Beifong rested a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "Know that he's receiving the best care our city has to offer. You should be with him. Our department will get to the bottom of this."
Baatar shook his head. "No, he would throw his shoe at me if I just sat by his bedside while someone makes off with his greatest work. Besides, my brother's with him. Or supposed to be, anyway. He might have gone back to that Oasis club after all."
"Doesn't sound like the easiest family," she said in a subdued tone.
Baatar shrugged. "It's the one I have."
"I know the type." Detective Beifong smiled ruefully and then removed her hand from his shoulder. "Take a seat, Altan," she said, gesturing to the couch before them. "I want you to walk me through everything that happened from the moment you set foot in Republic City."
"Yes, of course. Whatever you need," Baatar said as he sat beside her in the hotel lobby. "But I should tell you first--"
She tilted her head to the side, her features just as stunning in profile. Baatar's fingers twitched with the desire to sketch her. "Yes?"
"M-my name is actually Baatar. Altan and Altan are my father and older brother."
At this, Detective Beifong chuckled. "It took you entirely too long to say so."
"People usually don't ask."
"Well, I'm Lin by the way. Detective Lin Beifong, RCPD. And I am going to find your father's blueprints and catch my serial killer."
Baatar didn't doubt it. Even a nonbender like him could tell she was a force of nature. And man had always been weak to the elements.
I've always tried to imagine Lin's uniform or formal gala attire; in my imagination, I believe it's something like this. I imagine she has many more decorations, but perhaps it would be too much to put so many medals on the uniform.
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