Hey guys! This is my first Legend of Korra fanfic! After Book 4 I couldn't take it anymore and I just HAD to write something. I love Bumi and then I said, "He would be a good dad." And so I came up with this story. This is just the prologue to the story, I'm gonna add my OC June and make her apart of the plot for the Legend of Korra series! I drew June myself, and you can see what she looks like when you click on the image for the story. I wanted her to be happy, radiant, and clever like her father and I tried to incorporate that when drawing June. Anyway, I really hope you enjoy the story and I'll update as soon as I can. It's really hard because I have so much school work. Also, if I spelled anyone's name wrong, I'm sorry okay?
"Bumi...it's your responsibility. You can't just run from this!" Tenzin yelled.
"But- -but! I'm not ready! I'm a commander for crying out loud! Not a daddy-o!" Bumi stammered.
"...look...if mom and dad could raise us, I'm sure you can care for your daughter." Tenzin smiled weakly at Bumi.
Kya put her hand on Bumi's shoulder and grinned.
"Oh relax Bumi. On the plus side... I'm gonna be an aunt!" Kya squealed with excitement.
"Only you, Kya...only you..." Bumi sighed.
"Do you have any idea what her mother named her?" Kya then asked.
"Well they told me she's named June." Bumi answered.
Bumi slowly came to a stop and looked afraid, something he rarely expressed to his siblings.
"I feel terrible...I- -I can't do this...what if I'm a horrible dad?"
"Oh come on Bumi, I'm sure you won't be that bad." Tenzin assured his older brother.
"Bumi, you have to man up and face responsibility. This is what you get for sleeping with an exotic woman for one night." Kya rolled her eyes.
"But she was gorgeous! I couldn't resist her eyes...her eyes were like stars and- -" Bumi smiled dreamily.
"Focus, Bumi!" Tenzin snapped his fingers in front of his brother's face. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry that the mother passed away, I'm sorry you had to find out that you have a child this way, but we have to go and pick up your daughter. She needs her father or she'll go into a foster home." Tenzin grew serious.
"You only wanna see if she's an airbender." Bumi accused Tenzin.
"What?! No! That's preposterous! I do not- -" Tenzin's face grew red.
Kya gave Tenzin a knowing look. Tenzin huffed and folded his arms.
"Can we just go already?!" Tenzin grumbled.
The three then walked the rest of the way together in silence.
"June...this is your father. Would you like to say hi to him?" The child services woman asked the toddler.
The small girl peaked out from behind the woman and looked at Bumi, Tenzin, and Kya. The three young adults stared at June in complete shock. She was definitely Bumi's child that much was for certain. She had that same crazy, whacky hair, and her eyes...they were completely similar to his.
"She's definitely your kid..." Kya muttered softly.
"He my daddy?" She pointed at Tenzin.
Tenzin blushed and shook his head rapidly.
"No no! I'm...I'm your uncle!" Tenzin stuttered. "This is your father, June." Tenzin pointed at Bumi.
June looked at the tall man that stood beside Tenzin. Bumi was afraid to do anything at first, it was almost like someone cut out his tongue too, but when Kya nudged his arm with her elbow, he finally spoke.
"Um...hi there. I'm Bumi, your dad...h- -how yah doing there, kiddo?" Bumi smiled nervously.
June stared at Bumi for five long seconds, and for those five seconds Bumi was sweating profusely wondering if he said the wrong thing, or how he could have introduced himself better. June then smiled brightly and tackled Bumi into a hug. Clearly she was excited to meet Bumi. Bumi was genuinely surprised at the five year old, and it took him a few seconds to register what was happening before he found himself returning the hug. Bumi smiled warmly at the small girl and wiped a tear from his eye.
"I think we're gonna get along just fine." Bumi mumbled softly.
"Are you...crying?" Kya's raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Bumi ignored his sister and separated from June. What really had his heart nearly melting was when June was lifting her arms and giving him that sweet innocent smile, gesturing for Bumi to pick her up. After picking up little June and holding her to his chest, he realized something: he never wanted to let her go.
"Well aren't you a big girl?" Bumi grinned.
June giggled and tugged on the newly grown beard that took months for Bumi to grow out. Bumi yelped, but then smirked. She sure had a strong grip, she's gonna be a tough one for sure.
"And strong too? You really are my kid." Bumi beamed with happiness.
June took the compliment and laid her head on her father's chest. June shut her eyes and soon after two minutes, fell asleep.
"Okay, not gonna lie...but that was really adorable." Kya commented.
"I think you'll make a fine father." Tenzin smiled at Bumi. "She already loves you."
3 Months Later...
It had been tough after taking custody of June. Bumi never thought that being a parent was this hard which then reminded him, how in the hell did his parents raise him again? He knew he was a hell raiser growing up, and now he felt terrible. Poor Katarra and Aang...
"JUNE! GET DOWN FROM THERE! WE'RE GONNA BE LATE!" Bumi grew worried.
Where was Tenzin and Kya when he needed them?! Bumi then remembered about Tenzin's date with Beifong's daughter, Lin. And Kya...oh yeah, she was with his mother and father, where he and his daughter were supposed to be in an hour. June kept climbing the book shelves and finally reached the top, giggling as she did so. She sat on the top and then glanced over at something that caught her eye. Reaching over, she saw that it was a blade. A blade that Bumi practiced his combat skills with.
So that's where it went...
Bumi's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"WAIT! JUNE NO! PUT THAT DOWN!" Bumi screeched.
Bumi immediately began to climb the book shelf as fast and carefully as he could without the shelf tipping over and falling. Bumi got to the top of the book shelf and was trying to hold himself up.
"Here you go, daddy." The five year old smiled and had the knife towards his face.
"AH!" Bumi yelped and fell backwards.
After crashing to the floor, he groaned in pain. June put the knife down where she found it and hopped down, using her dad to cushion her downfall. Bumi was very lenient with his daughter considering she just lost her mother, but enough was enough. He just couldn't play these games with her anymore, it's time to be serious.
"June, if you don't get into that dress your aunt made for you, so we can leave, I'm going to be one very dead man when we arrive to your grandparents home." Bumi sighed. "Now hurry up and get changed! And that's an order!" He snapped.
June's smile faded away and she looked down at her feet.
"Sowry daddy..." June's eyes brimmed with tears.
Bumi's anger faded away after seeing his daughter cry, he had a soft spot for those crying kids he sometimes encountered.
"Look sweetie...you can't keep scaring me like that. You had me really worried when you managed to climb up there, but then to find one of my knives? What if you hurt yourself?" Bumi lowered his voice.
"It was shiny though...I only wanted to see it..." June mumbled.
"You're such a curious little creature huh?" Bumi cracked a small smile.
June blushed and averted her eyes.
"I'll tell you what...I'll show you what I know with weaponry and fighting." Bumi offered.
June perked up.
Wait! Remember what Tenzin said! There's gotta be some ground rules!
"But only when you're eight years old!" Bumi then added. "Until then, don't touch any of daddy's stuff okay? I don't want you to get hurt..." Bumi put his hand on June's shoulder. "I love you, June-bug." He smiled warmly.
June smiled back at her dad.
"Could you go put on that dress your aunt Kya got you? I'll try to fix your hair when you come back." Bumi said.
June nodded and ran to her room like a fire rocket.
She sure is fast...
"Oh look at this cute thing." Katara cooed at her granddaughter.
"So I finally get to meet my granddaughter huh?" Avatar Aang smiled and looked down at June.
June wore a little water tribe themed dress with frills and such that her aunt had made for her. Bumi tried his best and had her short hair in little pigtails. It was hard considering her hair was crazy and all over the place like his hair, but he managed to do it.
"Hellwo..." June waved her small arm at the older woman shyly.
"So you're all nice around other people, but you only cause hell for me, is that it?" Bumi smirked at his daughter.
"Bumi! Language!" Kya scolded her brother.
Bumi only laughed in response.
"Hi sweetie...I'm your grandmother, Katara. But you can call me grammy if you want." Katara spoke lovingly to June.
June nodded at Katara.
"She's usually more hyper...the girl reminds me of myself." Bumi looked at June proudly.
"She is huh?" Aang chuckled.
"Maybe she's just tired from the trip over here..." Kya said.
Katara then thought of an idea, it used to work on her eldest all the time.
"Want some cookies? I just made some." She offered.
June perked up and grinned madly as she made a dash for the kitchen table.
"There it is..." Bumi grinned.
"Well how about that...she really is like you." Katara smirked.
After a while, June really warmed up to her grandparents and she loved being around Aang, he was a natural with kids. The Avatar's airbending was really fun when he used it to make Bumi 'fly' as Bumi recalled from his past. After having dinner together, they all sat in the living room and started a fire. Bumi held June as she curled up against him and fell asleep on him. Soon after five minutes he put her in his parents room to take a nap.
"Well Katara, at least we don't have to wait for grandkids anymore." Aang joked.
"I know...I was hoping for Tenzin to settle down, but I don't know...it's not that I don't love Lin, but I don't see her as being the motherly type. She's ambitious like her mother, too involved with the police academy." Katara giggled.
"He's been seeing this girl, Pema. He says they're only friends, but she's obviously got a thing for him." Kya grinned.
Bumi remained silent and his hands balled into fists. Normally he'd be laughing about stuff like this, but right now it didn't seem to matter. He didn't care about Tenzin's affairs at this very moment, all he wanted to do was cherish his moments with June. His parents noticed his odd behavior and spoke up.
"Is everything alright, Bumi?" Katara asked.
"You seem...troubled." Aang said.
Bumi was never close with his father, but it's not like they never talked. Aang was growing weaker and Bumi knew it, he wanted to be on good terms with him at least. If it meant being a little personal with him, then so be it.
"...I go back on duty in two weeks. I'm gonna have to head back to the United Forces soon..." Bumi sighed as he confessed.
"What?!" Kya gasped.
"...oh..." Katara looked down at the floor in disappointment.
"It's gonna be a long time until I can be with my June-bug again." Bumi grew serious. "...which is why I want you guys to take care of her, Tenzin included."
"Of course, son." Aang nodded at his eldest.
"So what? You're just gonna leave June with us and go?!" Kya stood up and glared at Bumi.
"Well I said I don't leave for another two weeks, smarty pants." Bumi teased his sister.
"Keep it down you two. You'll wake her up." Katara warned them.
"You're her father! You're supposed to be there for her! She needs you in her life!" Kya's voice rose.
"Kya, stop with the dramatics! It's not like I'm leaving forever! I'll be sending over some money should she ever need something, so she'll be taken care of!" Bumi grew frustrated. "I'm also gonna be visiting her every few months to check in and see how she's doing! I've already planned it out!"
"Every few months? Are you kidding?" Kya put her hands on her hips.
"It's not like I have a choice in staying! You of all people should know that!" Bumi folded his arms and stood up as well.
"She just lost her mother! She needs a father! Especially right now! She was just getting to know you! Can't you just retire?!" Kya gave him a look of disbelief.
"And what?! Stay in Republic City with no job?! I can't retire for another few years! I've already looked into it!"
"Guys calm down- -" Katara tried stepping in.
"It's like you don't even care!" Kya yelled.
"You know what?! It's not like I asked for any of this! I never asked for a kid in the first place! Do you know how hard this is on me?!" Bumi finally exploded.
Kya's glare softened and she gasped when she looked at Bumi. But then Bumi realized, she wasn't looking at him, but rather behind him. Bumi slowly turned around and saw his daughter in the doorway to his parent's room. She had tears in her eyes which suggested that she heard just about everything.
Oh shit.
"But I wuv you daddy..." June's bottom lip trembled.
Bumi suddenly wished he were dead, he felt absolutely terrible, it just slipped out. He could never hate June, but discovering that he was a parent not even a year ago was hard to wrap his mind around. He was still trying to get used to parenting a five year old. If he could go back in time and take it all back, he most certainly would. He knew what it was like being mostly neglected by his own father, it wasn't all that great being the Avatar's son. If Aang favored anyone, it was certainly his youngest brother, Tenzin. because he too was an airbender. Bumi certainly never wanted to do any of that to June, neglect her at least.
"June-bug...I- -"
Tears streamed down June's face and Bumi's heart broke at the sight.
"Sweetie, I didn't mean anything by that, it was just the heat of the moment- -"
June finally burst and began to wail and sob. Katara ran over and picked up baby June. June fought against Katara's hold, but eventually gave in and buried her face in the crook of her shoulder and kept crying. Katara and Aang took June back into their bedroom and shut the door. If Kya hadn't gotten him so worked up, maybe he wouldn't have said any of that.
"God damn it, Kya!" Bumi practically growled.
Kya stood there in shock as Bumi stormed out of his parent's house.
Bumi rarely smoked, but when he did, it either meant he was really pissed or very stressed, and right now, it was a combination of both. Bumi leaned against the wall of his parent's home and went through his last cigarette in the pack. He heard the front door open and knew those gentle and quiet footsteps anywhere. Bumi ignored his sister as she stood over by him, he was pissed enough, he certainly didn't desire another argument right now.
"I'm sorry..." Kya mumbled softly.
Bumi's eyes widened with surprise, but he kept quiet.
"I know these past few months haven't been easy for you...but when you said you were leaving back to the United Forces again...I got upset. I just don't want you to...to be like dad. Dad always spent more time with Tenzin than any of us. She needs a father, Bumi, now more than ever." Kya said.
"Obviously I already suck at being a father. She probably hates me after what I said..." Bumi inhaled more smoke.
"She's just hurt and confused...she doesn't hate you." Kya assured him.
"Why wouldn't she hate me? I basically said I didn't want her." Bumi grumbled.
"But you didn't really mean it. You love that girl with every fiber of your being and don't bother trying to deny it. It was like you said, you were in the heat of the moment and so was I. The best thing we can do right now is move on from this and just start with an apology. I'm apologizing to you, and now you have to go apologize to June." Kya said.
"...alright..." Bumi sighed and put out the last cigarette.
"You shouldn't smoke by the way, it damages your lungs." Kya smiled sadly.
"I only do it when I'm stressed or angry...which is rarely ever." Bumi returned the smile. "I'm also sorry by the way..."
"I wish you didn't have to go back to the United Forces, but I understand. Just...don't forget to visit okay? She needs you." Kya said.
"I'd never be able to forget about her, she's my baby girl. Of course I'll be back." Bumi grinned.
With that being said, he finally went inside.
June pretended to be asleep in her grandparents bed after hearing the door open. She was still upset, and didn't want to confront anyone.
"June-bug?" Bumi looked over to the small form on the bed.
June didn't open her eyes, didn't dare move from her spot as she laid under the covers. She felt the bed move a little bit and realized that her father sat on the bed and right beside her.
"Hmm...I wonder where June could be...I can't seem to find that bugger anywhere..."
June smirked to herself and kept silent.
"She's gotta be here somewhere...but maybe...oh gosh! Is that a monster?!" He exclaimed.
Bumi began tickling June from above the covers. June could no longer remain silent and burst out into laughter as her father tickled her. Bumi pulled down the covers to find his daughter with tears in her eyes, but this time it was from laughing so hard. Bumi smiled at June before pulling her into his lap.
"Nope, it's just my June-bug..." Bumi kissed her forehead.
June was afraid to do anything, in fear that Bumi was going to be angry at any moment like he was earlier.
"Sweetie, you don't have to be afraid okay?" Bumi practically read her mind.
June immediately relaxed.
"Listen...I'm really sorry about what I said...I didn't mean a word of it..." Bumi spoke seriously. "Your aunt Kya got me really worked up, and sometimes when people get angry, they say things that they don't mean...do you understand what I'm saying?"
June took a few seconds to process what Bumi had said and then nodded her head.
"You may have suddenly and rather unexpectedly come into my life, but I wouldn't change it for anything. June, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I love you so much." Bumi smiled warmly at his daughter.
June burst into tears of joy and tackled her father in a hug. Bumi gladly returned the hug with everything he had.
'Man do I love this girl...', Bumi thought to himself.
Over the span of the next several years, a lot of things happened. Avatar Aang had finally passed away. It was a shock to everyone of course, especially to everyone around the world, but it seemed that Bumi's mother was taking it the worst. He couldn't blame her at all considering she loved him so much.
They went through a lot together and had a lot of history, they knew each other since they were kids. Katara had only recently lost her brother Sokka and now her husband had died. It's incredibly hard to recover from something like that. The one thing that kept Katara going was raising June, she loved her granddaughter infinitely.
About two years after Avatar Aang passed away, that girl Pema that Kya had mentioned, had finally told Tenzin of her feelings towards him. Tenzin was completely moved by her confession of love for him and in the end, had broken his intimate relationship with Lin Beifong, in other words, he dumped her. Everyone was floored with surprise when the news of this was revealed, and the breakup hadn't gone so well either as it turned out. Lin took it really hard, and even threw Pema in jail because she was beyond pissed at Tenzin.
It was hard to mend and salvage their friendship, but after awhile, the two childhood friends managed to work things out. Eventually after all that passed over, Pema and Tenzin got married. Bumi was of course there for the wedding, and because he wanted to spend more time with his little girl. June was practically a spitting image of Bumi and he was proud to call her his daughter.
He kept his promise and after she turned eight and whenever he could visit, he would teach her everything there was to know about weapons, and after she mastered weaponry, he finally (and reluctantly) began to teach her how to fight as well. Tenzin was completely against the idea of course, but when wasn't he going to be against something he didn't like? After a few more years, Bumi, Tenzin, and Kya noticed that Katara wasn't really all that fit to take care of June anymore. They couldn't deny the fact that their mother wasn't as young as she used to be.
It was after Tenzin inherited Air Temple Island that Tenzin decided that June could live with him and Pema, which during that time he also found out that Pema was pregnant. A lot of things had happened while Bumi was away, he hated being away, especially away from June. Currently at the moment, little 12 year old June, had finished training with her dad for the day on Air Temple Island. The two sat together taking a break and keeping themselves hydrated.
"Daddy...is grandpa alive again?" June asked.
Bumi nearly spit out his water and put the bottle down.
"W- -what would make you ask something like that?!" Bumi stammered.
"Well...Uncle Tenzin was talking about the Avatar's training to some councilman." June blushed.
And of course after Aang had died, along came a new Avatar, she was discovered recently, about a year or two ago. Young Korra lived in the water tribe with Bumi's mother. As exciting as the news was to Bumi, had no one explained the concept of the Avatar to his daughter? Bumi figured Tenzin or even Katara would have mentioned it to her...
"Oh no, honey. Your grandfather isn't alive...you see whenever an Avatar dies, a new one is born. Didn't your uncle ever explain it to you? This is usually his area of expertise, he's better at explaining that spiritual stuff." Bumi chuckled.
"Yeah, I mean I guess he might have mentioned a new Avatar being born when I was younger, but I didn't really get it...I just never asked him." June giggled.
Bumi was reminded of June's mother instantly, he really did like her a lot, she was such a nice girl. It was a shame he never kept in contact with her when she was alive.
"You've got your mother's smile." Bumi sighed happily.
"Dad! You're embarrassing me!" June pouted.
"But you've got such a beautiful smile! It's not my fault it's true!" Bumi teased.
"You're so weird!" June laughed wholeheartedly.
"TICKLE TORTURE!" Bumi shouted.
"AAH!"
June squealed and attempted to run, but her father had quick reflexes and caught her before she had the chance to bolt. June went into fits of laughter as her father tickled her until she cried. This was the part of being a parent that Bumi loved.
I really hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I had so much fun writing this! Again, I'm sorry if I spelled anyone's name wrong. I don't think I did...oh well! Let me know what you thought of the chapter!