Chapter Text
Seven Years Later: Air Temple Island
I’ve been sitting down by the ocean ever since Soma left the Island to go visit Lin. I’m fidgeting with the platinum ring I bought for her three years ago as I look out over the bay. I never meant to wait this long to ask her. Life just got in the way. It was also rather easy to forget that we aren’t legally married. The three of us acted like a family and everyone viewed us as one. Our friends in the South and around the world were always shocked when they found out we weren’t married or engaged. After being together for all of these years we fell into a comfortable routine that felt like married life. I found myself content with our situation which is why I never got around to asking Soma to be my wife. But Jen is almost grown now, he’ll be going off to Ba Sing Se University next fall, and I told myself that no matter how nervous I am, I can't put this off anymore. Soma deserves better.
I just about drop the ring into the sand when a voice comes from behind me. “She’s going to say yes, Ky. You need to stop freaking out.” I whip my head around to glare at Jen. “I’m not freaking out.” He’s chuckling as he takes a seat next to me in the sand. “Please. You know you can’t lie to me so spill it. Why are you anxious about asking So to marry you?” I look back at the ring in my hand with a sigh. “I honestly don’t know.” Unfortunately for me, that’s the Spirits honest truth. I have no idea what is causing this mental block. Logically I know that Soma is going to say yes. She made me a promise that she would wait for me to ask no matter how long it took and Soma does not break her promises. But whenever I think about actually popping the question, my heart starts to race and I feel like I can’t breathe. I’ve never been this nervous about anything in my entire life.
Jen wraps his arm around my shoulder. “Do you remember the advice Soma gave to me the first time I wanted to ask out a girl?” I can feel myself beginning to smile at the memory. “Of course I do. You were frantic that morning in the kitchen. Scared that you’d make a fool of yourself if you asked her to go with you to the Winter Solstice Festival and she said no.” The young earthbender shakes his head. “And instead of comforting me, my ever so sensitive big sister told me to grow some balls and just do it. Best advice I ever got if I’m being honest.” I see where he’s going with this. I roll my eyes. “Asking someone out to a Festival when you’re thirteen is a little different than asking for a person's hand in marriage, little wolf.” He squeezes my arm with his hands. “Not really. Nerves are nerves.” Jen leans over to press a gentle kiss against my temple. “So grow some balls and ask her, Ky.”
Before I can respond, Jen whispers in my ear. “She’s coming towards us. I’d hide that ring if I were you.” I quickly place the ring in my dress pocket. Not even a second later, Soma tackles her brother into the sand. “There’s the little prodigy! Come on! Everyone wants to hear you play!” Jen is spitting grains of sand out of his mouth as he stands. “You’re such an asshole, Soma!” The older earthbender gives him a playful shove after standing as well. “That’s not exactly a new revelation, little man.” He glares at her. “Don’t make me bend you into the ocean.” Soma puts her hands on her hips. “Ha! I’d like to see you try.” Nope. We are not doing this today. The siblings get into their bending stances but both of them relax their bodies once I step in between them. “I’m not fishing the two of you out of that freezing cold water again. So I suggest we all make our way to the music room. Right. Now.”
They both grimace at my scolding. But true to their natures, they bounce back quickly. Jen starts sprinting towards the stairs. “Twenty yuans I beat you there!” Soma gives me a chaste kiss against my lips before racing after her brother. “You are so on!” I’m shaking my head as I begin to follow behind them. Spirits above. Those two are something else.
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Jen is already sitting at the piano bench whenever I bust into the room. Everyone else is snickering, which lets me know that my brother has already told them about our bet, as he smirks at me from over his shoulder. “Twenty yuans.” I cross my arms over my chest. “No way. That wasn’t a fair race. You got a head start and you know I’ve got a bum hip.” He spins around on the bench to point a finger at me. “Bum hip my ass! You haven’t had to use your cane in two fucking years!” The room erupts in laughter at Jen’s vulgar use of language. The only person who doesn’t find it amusing is Pema, who immediately jumps Jen’s ass. “Jen! No cursing in the Temple!” My brother blushes in embarrassment. “Sorry, Pema. I’m still trying to get used to that rule.”
Lin decides to save Jen from his current situation. “Will the two of you shut it so we can hear Jen play already? Some of us aren’t getting any younger ya know.” I walk over to sit down in the chair next to Lin. “Your age didn’t seem to be an issue at the station, Chief. You wiped the floor with me in all four of our spars.” My entire body freezes at the sound of Kya’s voice. “Spars?” Shit. I grab my girlfriend's hand to pull her down into my lap. “There you are, babe! Jen’s just about to start playing his audition piece.” She narrows her eyes at me. “You aren’t off the hook, Soma. We’ll be talking about this later.” Double shit.
Jen clears his throat to get everyone’s attention back on him. “Well to keep us all from having to hear whatever horrible excuse my sister has for ignoring Kya and Katara’s medical advice, I’m just gonna get right into this. As you all know, I’ve been accepted into the music program at Ba Sing Se University. As part of the admissions process each applicant had to compose an original piece to perform for the board. My piece was inspired by a simple melody that my Mother had jotted down in one of her field journals. I’m pretty proud of it so I hope you guys like it too.”
I can’t help but smile as Jen turns back around to place his hands on the keys. I wrap my arms around Kya’s waist as he begins to play. I’m so proud of him. Mom would be too. He’s turned out to be an amazing young man.
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Soma’s giggling as I lead her down the moonlit shore. “Where exactly are we going, love?” I hold onto her hand a little tighter. “Will you stop asking that? It’s a surprise!” The earthbender rolls her eyes at me. “And this surprise couldn’t have waited until the morning? Seriously Ky, I’m exhausted.” No, it couldn’t have. I don’t want to lose my nerve. I let out a small sigh. “Oh hush. We’re almost there.”
We walk for the next couple of minutes in silence. When we arrive at the spot near the ocean, I turn to face Soma while keeping a hold of her hand. She raises an eyebrow at me. “Am I missing something? How is this a surprise, Ky?” Here goes nothing. I take a deep breath to calm myself. “I wanted to bring you here to share something with you.” The earthbender nods her head. “Okay. What’s on your mind?”
I reach into the pocket of my dress with my free hand to grab onto the ring. “I’ve never told you this before but this is the place where I first realized I was in love with you. You came out here to comfort me after we had gotten the news about Korra. What you did for me that night is something I will never forget. You showed me how much you cared about me. Which is something you’ve continued to do for all of the years we’ve been together. I think it’s about time I do the same.” Soma’s eyes widen as I bring up the small platinum object for her to see. “I love you with all that I am, Soma. You are my best friend, my other half, and the person I want to share the rest of my life with. I know this is years overdue but I hope you’ll still say yes to this. Will you…”
Soma cuts me off by crashing her lips into mine. I smile into the heated kiss. I’ll take that as a yes. When the earthbender pulls away she’s grinning like the catgator that caught the frog squirrel. “Sorry. Do you want to finish your thought?” I chuckle at her cheekiness. “You know what I was going to say.” She shrugs. “True but after waiting for seven years I’d like to be asked properly.” Knowing she has a point, I concede to her request. I let go of her hand to slide the ring onto the proper finger. “Will you marry me, Soma?” She looks down at the ring for a moment before bringing our foreheads together. “Yes, my love. A thousand times yes.”