Night Peril

In Love with Being Noticed, but Afraid of Being Seen

Lin sat at her desk.

Back to work, finally.

She wasn't speaking to her mother, other than basic reports and work talk.

She scribbled her pen on her notepad, getting lost in her thoughts.

"Hey. Glad you're back. But can't say I don't miss the privileges of being Sergeant." Saikhan leaned against her desk.

"Yeah, can't say it's too good to be back." Lin glared at her mother's office door.

Saikhan glanced over at the door and then looked back at Lin. "Still beefing with the Chief?" He asked.

Lin sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Yeah. I don't want to talk to her right now." She folded her arms.

Saikhan thought for a second. "If you don't mind that I ask, how did it happen?" He asked.

Lin looked up at him, then lightly pressed her fingers against her cheek.

"Uh, you know, just a run-in with some bad guys. Those cables can really work against you if you're not careful." Lin gestured toward the cables hooked on Saikhans hip.

"Good to know. Anyway, it's great to see you back, Lin." Saikhan lightly punched her on the shoulder before going back to his desk.

Lin leaned against her desk and started scribbling on her notepad again.

Tenzin told her he loved her when he stayed.

And Lin said it back.

But why would she say it if she was sitting at her desk, not knowing if she really meant it.

Her mother walked past her desk and threw a small stack of papers on Lin's desk. "Fill those out." She said before retreating back to her office.

Lin sighed. Desk duty sucked, but it beat sitting at home all day.

Lin was pouring a cup of coffee. As she went to grab a lid, a hand stopped her.

"You're just gonna go the rest of your career not speaking to me?" Her mother said.

"Not the rest of it. You'll retire in ten years time." Lin reached past her and grabbed a lid, then went back to her desk.

Toph scoffed. "Real funny, Lin." She said.

"Thanks." Lin said sarcastically.

"Look, you don't think I feel bad about how things went down with your sister?" Toph said in a hushed voice.

"No, I don't think you feel bad at all." Lin retorted.

"Not every Chief of Police wants to see their kid in jail-"

"Yeah, well not every Chief of Police is okay with their Sergeant getting scarred." Lin said.

Toph didn't have anything to say back.

"And I know you might not relate," Lin stood back up, "but it hurts pretty damn bad when it's your own sister." She said before walking away.

She went into the break room and sat at the small table.

A vibration came from her pocket. "Hello?" She answered it.

"Hey, Lin." Tenzin said on the other side.

"Hey." She sighed into the phone.

"Rough day at work?" He asked.

"Mhm." Lin nodded her head even though she knew he couldn't see it.

"My mom won't get her head out of her ass." She said.

"Need something to do later?" He asked.

"What did you have in mind?" Lin said.