Lin's father story. Based off of an episode of 'The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air'. Tenzin's POV. I own nothing.
I had never seen her so happy. The smile she had plastered on her face was so big I thought it would split her skin. She said that she had some big news to share but she didn't drop any clues as to what. Now she was just sitting there, skin glowing and eyes sparkling, and I waited for her to speak.
"My dad is coming to Republic City!" Lin practically squealed with excitement as she jumped into my lap, throwing her arms around my neck.
"Lin that's so wonderful! You're going to get to see him after so long. I'm really happy for you." I told her, arms tightening around her waist.
"This time is going to be even more special, I want you to meet him. You never have before and I think you should. You are both very special people in my life and I want you guys to know each other. So what do you say Airhead? " Lin told me, pulling her face out of it's resting place in my shoulder to look me in the eyes.
This was big. She usually just wanted her father to herself for the short time she could get him. Ever since her mother told her who he was and loosened the reigns a little on his right to see Lin, he visited about twice a year. No one had ever truly met him before, he was always just Lin's dad to the rest of us, never getting to know him or who he was. My eyes widened at the prospect of actually getting to meet him and I didn't know if I wanted to. Over the years, I had seen that he was the reason for most of Lin's resistance to let anyone in, the reason she took almost three hours to commit to my proposal to her and the reason why she seemed to always ball up when she slept, unconsciously protecting herself from the pain she once felt so deeply. I honestly didn't know if I wanted to meet the person who had caused the woman I love that much pain but looking at the hopefulness in her eyes, all I could do was nod and listen to her excited laughter. I only hoped he wouldn't disappoint her and wipe that smile off of her face.
A few days later I was being pulled by Lin to the train station where he would be coming in. I could tell Lin was excited, she was literally jumping in her place and I had to place a hand on her shoulder to keep her from moving too much.
"He should be here soon. It's almost two right? This is so exciting! You finally get to meet him!" Lin said very hurriedly and I placed my hands on her upper arms to silence her.
"Lin, calm down. You're almost squealing love." I told her with a slight laugh and I saw her compose herself. Only to loose that composure when the train pulled in.
That was when I saw him. I knew it was him because Lin pointed him out and dragged us over to him. She jumped into his arms with a tight hug before pulling away and introducing us.
"Dad, this is my fiancé Tenzin. Tenzin, this is my dad. I'm so happy you guys are finally meeting!" Lin said as we shook hands and said hello. We all started talking small talk as we walked out of the train station. He didn't seem so bad, but there was something off about the man.
He would be in Republic City for two days and Lin couldn't be happier. That first day was superficial at best. He asked the same questions and said the same things that someone would say meeting a regular colleague for the first time, not a future father in law and son in law. He asked about airbending and my father and mother before turning to Lin and asking about Toph and Sokka. No matter how simple his questions were and how many times I bet she had heard them before, Lin's smile never faded.
It was the second day of his visit and we were sitting in the living room of the Beifong mansion. Lin offered to get tea for the three of us while we sat. She hurried off to the kitchen, leaving me alone with her father. We talked for a little while about simple things, laws, people and the news. It grew silent for a little while before he got up.
"Well, it's getting pretty late, I think I'm going to get going." He said looking at his watch.
"But you're supposed to be here until tonight, Lin has been looking forward to dinner with you all day." I told him, unable to comprehend what he was doing.
"I just remembered, I have some...thing...back home. Tell Lin I said goodbye okay?" He said looking around.
"You'll have to tell her yourself." I told him coldly and pointed a finger behind him where Lin had walked in with the tea.
"Tell me what?" She asked, placing the tea on the table in front of the couch. I gave him a glare, telling him to speak.
"Listen, Lin honey, I have to get going. This has been great and everything, seeing you, but I need to get back home. I have some things to do." He told Lin and she froze.
"But we were supposed to go to dinner tonight. I've been looking forward to seeing you for months Dad." Lin said as I saw her face fall so much that you could see the pain building in her chest.
"I know, I know but I have to go. I'm sorry sweetheart. I'll see you next time, yeah?" He said weakly as he tried to give Lin a hug but she stepped away. He walked out and left me alone with her.
"You okay?" I asked her, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah, I mean if he has stuff to do, he had stuff to do. I just wish he could have stayed longer. But I got to see him right? Isn't he wonderful, always fucking bailing on me when I need him. Never seeing anything through. You know what? I've done so much without him and that's not going to change now. I learned how to metalbend without him, I fell in love without him, I learned how to defend my self without him, I got engaged without him and we are going to get married and have a family without him and I am going to be a better parent than he ever was because I would NEVER abandon my kids!" Lin ranted before her voice broke and I noticed she was crying. I turned her around to see her tears.
"Why doesn't he want me?" She cried and I hugged her tight, falling to out knees. Letting her cry it out for a little while before pulling back to look into her eyes.
"Listen to me, he is the biggest idiot I have ever seen. Anyone who doesn't want to get to know you is missing out on the most amazing person I have ever known. And if he doesn't want to see that, then screw him. You are the strongest woman I know, and you have so many people around you who love you a million times more than he ever did. Me always being at the top of that list, I promise you that." I told her, wiping the tears from her emerald eyes before she pulled me into another hug.
"I love you too. Thank you so much." She said before she started sobbing a little again.
"I'll take you out to that dinner tonight, how's that sound?" I asked her with a smile that she returned.
"Wonderful. Thank you Airhead." Lin said before we kissed and stood up.
I looked over at her, vowing to never let him hurt her again. To show her just how much she means to everyone around her, and if he couldn't see that, then good riddance.