Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok.
"Good?"
The small boy nodded. He took another bite of the pastry he held in one hand while the other latched on to Lin's left. His green eyes observed the bustle of the city around them.
Lin smiled and continued to walk. Republic City's weather consisted of no clouds and nothing but sun. The chief of police was thankful for the great conditions considering the events of today were making her nervous.
Her eyes drifted back towards Hiro. The little boy only made her smile seeing that he had the rest of the doughnut stuffed into his mouth. His chubby cheeks were full and Lin just shook her head. "You know you could end up choking, right?"
Hiro looked up guilty.
"Just keep chewing, kid. You've lived with me for three weeks and I guess I haven't taught you enough." She scratched the back of her neck sheepishly. "Not used to this whole mom thing yet."
The young boy patted their hands and smiled warmly. He held a thumb up as approval.
She raised an eyebrow at him. "Thanks. Hopefully Mom and Su think I'm doing a decent job too."
On this fine day, Lin and Hiro were going to visit Toph's home on the outskirts of the city. Suyin was visiting as well from Zaofu making this a perfect opportunity for the thirty two year old chief of police to introduce their new grandson and nephew.
After the break up, Lin had decided that wallowing in sadness was not going to help her move on from Tenzin. Unfortunately, that's as far as the idea had gotten and it took months of barking at her officers and being down right unsociable until Lin stumbled upon Hiro. The boy was brought in by one of her teams who infiltrated a triad base. They had Hiro hostage for a total of two weeks for some unknown reason. Lin had dug up every file on every Hiro in the city (he had spelled out his name on a piece of paper for her) and found that the boy was born to the high class Yunsi family. The Yunsi had a hold on several bakeries in the city monopolizing on baked goods. It explained why Hiro always requested bread with every meal. Further reading concluded that Hiro's parents had been murdered before he could walk, putting him in the terrible hop around game between foster parents. Very stubborn and hard headed, it was no surprise that the chief of police was the only person he took a liking to. Lin would be lying if she didn't enjoy the clash of personalities. She was also the only one that could figure out what he wanted. In no time at all, Hiro became Lin's motive to move on and she adopted him in no time. The five year old was now happily earning a place in her heart.
"Now then, you remember what I told you about Grandma Toph, correct?"
Hiro rolled his eyes.
"Don't give me that." Lin knitted her eyebrows together. "She's worse than me."
The child brought his hands to his face in exaggerated surprise.
Lin just narrowed her eyes. "You're losing your allowance if you keep that up."
Hiro shook his head with a smirk. He put a finger up and waved it back and forth telling her no.
"I'll take away your inheritance as well." Lin froze in realization. "Oh god, I'm turning into my mother. She pulled the 'I'm taking away your part of the family fortune' card."
Rich problems. Just another thing Hiro and Lin had in common. Hiro was set to inherit his parent's earnings once he turned eighteen. Lin had been put under the same rules but shared the family fortune with Suyin. It didn't matter in the end. Lin and Suyin ended up earning their own bank accounts. Money never was a need in the Beifong household. It just so happened to be there and Toph had made sure their family status never went to her daughters' heads. Lin intended to do the same with her son.
The two were finally reaching the city limits and atop a hill, the two spotted the small estate Toph had built for herself after retiring from the force. Hiro took it upon himself to start climbing up Lin's body. She immediately grabbed him and hoisted him up to sit on her shoulders, a position he enjoyed greatly. His hands patted her black hair down to signal keep moving.
"With you up there, how is my mother supposed to know where you are?"
Hiro patted his chest where his heart was.
Lin just smirked. "Oh, so you were listening to my stories."
He nodded his head figorously. His two fingers came up while he continued to pat his chest.
"Mom will just be confused when she feels a heartbeat right on top of my head."
The boy leaned down so that his hands were in front of Lin's eyes. She watched as he made signs. She was determined to get the sign language down quickly. Many said she was a fast learner, but then again it had only been less than a month. Lin concentrated.
"Uh. Is...Grandma Toph going...to like me?" Lin rubbed the child's legs. "Of course she will, Hiro. You're practically like Suyin and I growing up. Although Su was more of a head ache than I was."
Five year old fingers moved once more.
"Is Aunt Su still bad? Nah, Mom set her straight. She built a city all by herself. She even got married and through her you have two cousins so far. Uncle and the two are back in Zaofu though." She looked to the side. "Nonetheless, Suyin is still a head ache."
Lin felt Hiro laugh silently at the thought.
"Don't tell me not to be mean. You're meaner than I am sometimes."
Hiro quickly defended himself.
"Yes, because acting like a dragon in the mornings gives me the impression that you are a nice little boy. Okay."
He covered her eyes with his hands.
Lin laughed slightly. "Is that supposed to stop me?"
Hiro nodded.
The chief of police picked up into a run. "Just because I can see, doesn't mean Mom put aside seismic sense during training. You still got a lot to learn, kid."
The two raced up to the estate and when they finally arrived at the doors, Lin allowed Hiro to knock. The little boy excitedly pounded on the door from atop Lin's shoulders. Meanwhile, the chief of police tried to steady her heartbeat.
The one who came at the door smiled widely at the sight of Lin and Hiro. "You guys are finally here! Mom has been complaining."
"What else is new?" Lin said slightly annoyed. She noticed Hiro scrunch down so that he can somewhat hide behind her head. However, the dirty blonde hair was easy to spot due its contrast to Lin's jet black locks. The boys green eyes were locked on the woman before her. Lin shook his leg. "What's gotten into you, buddy? I know you're Aunt Su is pretty ugly, but you get used to it."
Suyin slapped her sister's arm. "Shut up, Lin. Is he shy?"
"Are you kidding? The moment I met him in my office, he wouldn't stop touching things and bouncing around."
Hiro pinched her ear.
"Ouch." Lin rubbed her assaulted cartilage.
Suyin laughed at the teo. "Oh gosh, he is going to fit in quite nicely."
The chief of police chuckled. "Trust me, he's still nervous."
Suyin stepped out of the way to allow Lin to enter the house. The three walked and talked.
"You know how nervous works with Mom."
"He'll figure it out eventually."
The Zaofu matriarch continued to admire the little boy. Hiro didn't move his eyes away. "You don't see blonde hair all too often. But he is gorgous along with those green eyes. How old is he?"
Lin tried to look up but Hiro had a tight hold on her head. She rolled her eyes instead. "Five."
"Oh, that means you'll be going to school soon." Suyin inferred.
The older of the sisters lifted Hiro off her shoulders and tried to let him walk on his own. But the child refused to touch the floor. "Hiro get down. You can walk by yourself."
He continued to keep his feet up. Lin was easily frustrated.
"Hiro, I swear."
His hands clawed at her, wanting to stay with her.
"You are not a baby. Stop acting like one."
Their eyes met and she fell for the pleading in his expression. Lin wasn't stupid. Hiro had done this several times already when he didn't get what he wanted. For the most part, Lin had been been very persistant in resisting the urge to wrap her arms around the little boy. But she could tell he was anxious for some reason, a feeling he didn't usually show very often. Lin sighed and put him on her hip. Hiro wrapped his arms around her neck and eyed Suyin from the back
"You know, Lin, I didn't think I'd see the day that you would fall for puppy dog eyes."
"Shut up." She didn't want to give her sister the satisfaction. "When he does it, it works. When you did it, it was just irritating."
Suyin narrowed her eyes. "I'm rethinking this visit just because of you."
"I was already coming here for Mom. You just so happened to be here."
Her little sister just smirked. "You're just nervous of what Mom is going to say."
"No I'm not."
"You know, you and Hiro are much more alike than you think."
"I'm not nervous, Su."
"Then look me in the eye and say so."
Lin looked over at her and stared for several seconds. Suyin's grin widened the longer Lin didn't speak. In the end, she just growled and continued walking out to the backyard. Su laughed all the way outside.
When they arrived into the large area in the backyard, they found no one destroying the place like usual. Instead, Toph had her legs crossed in a chair on the patio while sipping a cup of tea. Even Suyin was surprised to find her so peaceful.
The youngest Beifong sister approached her delicately. "Uh, you alright there, Mom?"
"Whatever do you mean, Suyin?"
"Why are you so...calm?"
Toph sighed. "We have guests coming. We have to be on our best behavior."
Lin scoffed very loudly. "Since when did you have any kind of behavior."
"Hello, Lin. Nice of you to visit." Toph turned her head towards her eldest daughter. "Am I finally going to meet little Hiro?"
"Well, you were, but I'd like him to meet his real grandmother. So if you could stop doing whatever you're doing that would be great."
Toph scowled, breaking her facade for a second. "I'd rather not scare him off just yet."
"Stop being nice, it's scaring me." Lin commented. Suyin couldn't help but nod as well.
"Will you just introduce us already."
Lin rolled her eyes and approached her mother. Hiro seemed to tighten his hold on her and Lin wasn't looking forward to prying him off. She stopped three feet away from Toph and carefully set Hiro down. Toph's expression changed when she finally felt the boy's form. Lin gave her son an irritated look when he decided to hide behind her legs. Nonetheless, she continued introductions.
"Mom, this is Hiro."
The aged earthbender didn't say anything at first. Lin and Suyin knew that she was getting a feel for the young boy. Hiro continued to stay hidden the best he could.
After a minute of silence, Toph spoke. "How old is he?"
"Five."
"He's pretty tiny." The former chief laughed.
Hiro scowled.
Toph set her cup of tea down ad placed both her feet firmly on the ground. "He's an earthbender?"
Lin was caught by the question. "Uh. I actually don't know yet."
"He is. Trust me. Hopefully he can keep up with Beifong training." Toph laughed slightly.
The small boy wasn't liking the comments and had came to stand next to Lin, an annoyed look on his face. Suyin looked at him amused.
"Come here, boy. I gotta get a feel for ya. No need to be shy." Toph waved for him to come over.
Lin and Suyin cringed at Hiro's choice of action.
He blew his tongue at his grandmother.
The current chief of police was actually a little relieved that Hiro was acting fairly shy around his new relatives. It meant that he wouldn't try anything just yet. But Lin definitely thought wrong.
The Beifong sisters looked from Hiro to their mother. That vein in her head, the one they had learned to expect when they broke something or did something that upset their mother, was beginning to pop out.
"Did he just blow his tongue at me?"
Lin pursed her lips together after talking. "Maybe a little bit."
"Come here, boy."
Hiro didn't budge.
"Boy."
He continued to frown.
What happened next was something that got Lin's heart to practically beat out of her chest. One second, Hiro was standing right next to her, the following second, he was gone into the open air. She watched the panic cross over his face.
"Mom, what the hell?!" Lin had her eyes locked on Hiro's form as it continued to ascend.
Suyin ran over and observed the sky as well. "Are you crazy?!"
But Toph wasn't there either. Lin and Suyin looked from the chair and back into the air to find the aged earthbender catching Hiro. Suddenly, earth rose from the ground and the two sisters felt a sense of nostalgia wash over them watching Toph slide down while holding onto Hiro. The grandmother and grandson touched the earth again and Lin was about ready to rip her mother's head off.
Hiro sniffled and watched his grandmother's face. Toph smiled gently and rocked him slightly.
Lin and Suyin were at their mother at once.
The current chief of police grabbed at her son at once. "Are you alright, Hiro?"
Toph slapped at her grabby hands. "Back off. I finally get to touch my grandson and I can't even hold him for one minute?"
"You damn well should get a restraining order from him, Mom. Give him to me."
The two fought over the little boy and Suyin took it upon herself to give a loud whistle. The other three covered their ears. "Will you two shut up? You're scaring him."
Lin looked towards Hiro and found him crying silently. But he wasn't trying to get to her for some odd reason. Instead, he was holding tightly onto Toph's clothing.
Toph cleared her throat. "Everything is fine. Hiro and I got everything figured out. Isn't that right, boy?"
Hiro nodded.
"I told the boy that he was going to fit right into our family and he didn't have to worry because we all have each other's backs. No matter if we hate each other at the moment, we will always be there. He didn't have to worry about falling because I was going to be there. I always will be. Right, Hiro?"
He just sniffled and nodded again.
"I like you, boy. You got spunk. It's all we got in this family."
He tugged on his grandmother's clothes and pointed towards Lin.
"What's he doing?"
Lin interpreted the gesture for her mother. "He is pointing at me."
Toph nodded. "Alright, go back to Mom."
Hiro practically jumped into his mother's arms. Lin hugged him fiercely. Toph put an arm around Suyin and smiled. "Who knew cranky pants could be a mom?"
"So you're telling me that you put your own grandson in danger to welcome him into the family?" Su asked her mother. When Toph nodded, she sighed. "I think I'm going to have to put you in a nursing home soon."
"You could try. By the way, Lin, how come he doesn't talk?"
"Is he that shy?" Suyin added.
Lin just shook her head and placed Hiro back on her shoulders. The boy found comfort at wrapping his arms around his mother's head. "He's mute."
A duet of "oooooooh" filled the conversation.
"So you two need to get used to sign language." Lin pointed at her sister and mother.
Toph scoffed. "I already know sign language. Blind remember. You just have to do it into my hand."
"That's perfect. Because Hiro has something to ask you."
Toph offered up her hand to the boy and Hiro carefully placed his hand in hers. He made each sign slowly and delicately. He didn't want any misunderstandings and the smile that appeared on his grandmother's face reassured him. Toph spoke to her grandson with pride.
"Do you mean Beifong Yunsi?"
Hiro corrected her.
"Welcome to the family, Hiro Yunsi Beifong."
I've had Hiro as Lin's son in my head for awhile now. I finally got the idea down on paper. Hope you enjoyed the read! Review or favorite!