An: Water is a fitting prompt to start with, considering that the sane part of my mind is saying "SO MANY PROMPTS! WATER YOU DOING?", while the insane part, more occupied with my Linzin feels is saying "Do iiiitttt."

I have clearly listened to the insane side.

I don't know how many chapters this collection will be, but prepare for all of the Linzin feels!

All of them.

"Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things."

"Honestly, Aang, I don't understand why we need to go through this mini Avatar training deal to learn how to bend. Why would either Tenzin, or myself need to know any other bending style other than our own?"

"Lin," Aang chuckled, looking at the aging teenager sitting on the ground before him. "To be a seasoned, and well-rounded bender, you need to draw knowledge from all of the elements. Nothing is ever as cut and dry as it seems. There is always change, there is always a constant melding of bending styles to create something new. How do you think your mother has the ability to manipulate her metal cables?"

"Well, she invented metalbending because she was able to sense and bend the earth that had been refined into metal," Lin explained, raising her eyebrow questioningly.

"But I'm talking solely about her cables. When your mother had the idea of using cables to aid the police force, she had Katara teach her some of the fundamentals of waterbending so she could control them. The cables themselves will not go where you want unless you learn to channel energy through them, and help them flow. They aren't sturdy, strong rock. They are extensions of yourself that must be manipulated accordingly."

"Huh, I never knew that," she said, glancing over to Tenzin who hadn't said a thing the entire time. "I guess that explains why she wanted me to talk to you before we started my metalbending training."

"Trust me, it might feel weird delving into bending arts that aren't your own, but eventually everything will click, and you can go about refining your fighting style with the knowledge that you have," Aang said, before he motioned for the kids to stand up and looked over his shoulder to see Katara walking towards them.

"Sorry I'm late," Katara huffed, running a tan hand over her face. "Bumi and Kya were causing trouble again."

"We can deal with it later," the Avatar brushed off, deepening himself into a stance and bending water from the nearby bay around his body. "Katara, would you like to explain waterbending fighting styles more fully?"

"Sure," she said, smirking and backing away from her husband. "Waterbending is all about adaptation. Our movements are fluid, we execute control, and we use our opponent's offense against them."

Nodding, Aang steadied himself, and extended his arm to send a large bolt of water hurtling towards his wife. With ease, Katara grasped at the water, and spun before lobbing the bolt back to the Avatar. He repeated the action in kind, and the two demonstrated the overall ability to adapt to fighting conditions, and to control the battlefield. Letting the water fall at their feet, the two adults turned and looked at the teenagers who watched intently.

"Given, neither of you can waterbend," Katara said. "But simple hand to hand combat can suffice. As long as you understand the principle of flowing with your opponent, and using their moves against them. Are you guys willing to give it a try?"

"Sure," Lin shrugged, eying Tenzin and silently wondering why he was being so quiet. Standing, and stepping away from him, she lowered herself in a steady stance while extending her hands in preparation to fight. Doing the same, Tenzin looked at her with his silvery blue gaze, and smiled softly before their father called for them to begin. Immediately, Lin lashed out, and launched a strong punch in his direction, but Tenzin was always quick on his feet, and managed to slide past her, catching her ankle with his foot, and sending her falling to the ground.

Growling, the earthbender sat up and glared at Tenzin, who stood still with his hands behind his back. "What was that for?"

"That is the technique," he said simply, extending his hand to help her up. "Flow with your opponent, use their offense against them."

Huffing, she smacked away his hand and stood on her own; pushing her hair from her face before extending her hands once more. "Fine then baldy...bring it on."

Chuckling, the Avatar glanced over at his wife and noticed the slight raise of her eyebrow. Aang shrugged, and turned back to the fight, ordering the two to begin. This time, Lin didn't attack first. Instead, she waited, and circled with Tenzin until he struck at her. Closing her eyes, she felt the earth around her, and noticed that at just the right moment in his punch, Tenzin was unbalanced. Evading his first attack, she waited, and the teenagers circled around each other once more. Knowing she wouldn't strike, the airbender moved to punch her, but she leaned out of the way and slammed her palm into his chest; sending her attacker flying away from her.

With a loud thud, Tenzin slammed into the ground, and slid until he stopped at his father's feet. Groaning, he rolled onto his back and settled his hand against his chest; coughing and whimpering as the pain pulsated from his chest every time his lungs moved. Immediately, Katara crouched down by her son, and pulled away his robes to view the bruise that was threatening to molt his skin. Pulling water from the horn at her side, she settled her hand against Tenzin's chest, and attempted to heal the damage that was hidden from their sight.

"I'm fine," Tenzin muttered, pushing his mother's hand away. "Just...got the wind knocked out of me is all."

Pouting slightly, Lin crossed her arms over his chest, and cringed slightly when everyone's eyes turned to her. "Well, I think that's enough waterbending training for you two today," Aang said, helping his son up and brushing the dirt off his back. "Wonderful job, both of you."

"Yeah," Lin muttered, before a loud crash rang from one of the temple buildings behind them. The voice of an angry acolyte disturbed the air of peace around the temple, and Kya and Bumi came sprinting from the room in question. Laughing, the two young adults slid to a halt when they almost ran into their mother, and were graced with an expression Katara always used when they were in trouble.

"This time it wasn't our fault, I swear," Kya began to say, but before she could offer more Katara pointed behind them and ordered them to go. Grumbling, the two siblings turned and walked away with their mother, and her fearsome attitude, in tow. Looking over her shoulder, Katara urged Aang to follow, and the Avatar rested his hand on Tenzin's shoulder before he walked away. Looking up, Tenzin noticed Lin's eyes glued to the ground, her shoulders tense, and her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her bare feet drew symbols into the loose earth around them, and after awhile, she looked up to see him staring at her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, lowering her gaze once again. "I didn't mean to hit you that hard."

Smiling, the airbender rubbed at his chest before he approached her and slipped his arm around her waist. Glancing around one last time, he made sure they were alone before he ducked his head and claimed her lips in a soft kiss. A tender smile pulled at the corners of her mouth as they kissed, and her arms wrapped securely around his back; her fingers sliding along the path of blue ink tattooed down his spine.

With a sigh the two parted, and Lin settled her cheek against Tenzin's shoulder. Hugging him tightly, her eyes closed, and his fingers instantly wove into the soft tendrils of her hair while his lips pressed against the top of her head. "It's fine," he finally muttered, holding her tight against his muscled chest. "If you went easy on me, my parents might have suspected something."

"Tenzin, they've suspected something between us since we were born...they're going to figure it out sooner or later."

"Yes and when they do, you can assure that any and all privacy between us will be gone," he grimaced, rolling his eyes at the thought. "So, let's just hope that they find out later rather than sooner."

"Well, I think your brother and sister escaped," Lin said, feeling footsteps approaching them. "I can feel them running towards us."

"Then you might wanna get out of here...this is never pretty," Tenzin said, letting go of Lin, but grabbing her hand when she started to leave. Quickly, he leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss against her lips; pulling away just before Kya and Bumi came running around the corner. Katara's angry shout shook the entire island, and Lin laughed before she started walking back towards the docks.

"Good luck," she smiled, waving over her shoulder and descending down the path that led to the ferry awaiting to sail to Republic City's port. Walking up the ramp and onto the ship's deck, she moved to the side while the acolytes pulled up the board and made the necessary preparations to push away from the island. Before they left, Tenzin ran to the docks, and caught Lin's attention.

"Meet me in the park tonight, around 9," he said. "We'll get dinner. My treat."

"I'll think about it," she teased, waving to him one last time before the boat lurched underneath her, and turned towards the city skyline.

"What are you doing home so early?" Toph asked when Lin entered the dining room of their sizable mansion. "I thought you were supposed to be training with Twinkle Toes all morning."

"Yeah, well...that didn't really happen," Lin said, grabbing at the tea pot and pouring herself a cup. "I hit Tenzin pretty hard, and he couldn't do much else after that."

Chuckling, the elder Beifong shook her head, and leaned forward on her elbows. "I know I'm probably not one to give relationship advice, but Feather Feet is never going to ask you out if you keep hurting him. He a sensitive guy."

"Mom..."

"Don't sit here and try to convince me you don't want it to happen, Lin."

"I'm going to my room," the teenager sighed, standing from the table and taking the cup of tea with her. "If you need me I'll be upstairs."

Laughing, Toph bent the earth behind her and leaned against the slab of rock she had just erected. Crossing one foot over her knee, she kept the other firmly planted, and let her hands settle behind her head as she felt Lin begin to move towards the foyer. "It's not good to hide from your feelings, Lin!"

"I don't have any feelings!"

"I know you're lying!"