Title: Mother's Day
Summary: The day before a big match, Tahno visits his mother.
I wanted to do something for Mother's Day, though I don't seem to use the term anywhere but in my title. Since LOK has been on my mind, and Tahno being my favorite, I decided to write a little something using him. Since we don't really know much about his parentage, I'm using my theory: Water Tribe mother, Fire Nation father.
I also am reminded of a few of my own male friends, who act big and bad in front of their little cliques but when it comes to mama, they're big softies. Therefore, that is how Tahno will be in this fic, which probably means OOC but I'm trying to keep some of his ego in there as well. Lastly, this is before his bending is removed, of course. I wrote this out before then, and this is before a match, so some foreshadowing perhaps. Enjoy, and Happy Mother's Day to all the mommies out there!
Training was over for the day, and Tahno, leader of the White Falls Wolfbats, found himself with nothing to do. The other two members of his team both had other arrangements, and his usual group of followers was nowhere to be found. That was how he found himself wandering around Republic City, going nowhere in particular.
Or perhaps not. His feet, taking charge, led him down the well traveled path to the apartment he grew up in, the one his parents still lived in. A small smile lit his face momentarily, a smile that hardly anyone else had seen from him. It had been quite some time since he had seen his parents.
He made his way up the metal staircase, then along a row of doors until he reached the apartment on the end. After knocking, Tahno crossed his arms over his chest and waited. After nearly a minute, he stepped forward to knock again but was rewarded by the sounds of his mother calling through the door, "I'm coming, just a moment!"
When she did make it to the door, a smile lit up her face when she realized who her visitor was. Tahno smiled back and opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by his mother's hug. Taken by surprise for only a moment, Tahno hugged her back before he was led into the small apartment.
"Go on, sit down," were the first words his mother said to him in a long time. "Let me get us something to drink."
Tahno waved away his mother's offer and said, "I'm fine." She would hear none of it as she hurried out of the room. Tahno sank down on the low couch in the living room and kicked his feet up on the small table before him. His eyes flickered around the living room, taking in the familiar surroundings.
Growing up, Tahno had been raised in a mixed family. His mother, smaller than himself and his father by half a foot, was darker than her son, blue-eyed, and taught him everything she had learned from her mother, who grew up in the Northern Water Tribe. She had learned healing from her mother, then, after moving to Republic City as a newlywed, had begun to learn waterbending herself, mostly for fun. The touches of blues and purples, not to mention items found only in the Water Tribes, around the house were her contributions to the décor.
His father was a tall, pale firebender from one of the Fire Nation colonies. He, too, had taught his son about his own heritage, but in the ways of bending, there was not much he could teach Tahno. Instead, when he was not working, he would observe his young son and wife practicing their bending. He also joked about being overpowered by two waterbenders when Tahno was growing up. Thinking about that brought a smile to Tahno's face.
"What are you thinking about?"
With a chuckle, Tahno said, "Just thinking about how Father used to say we overpowered him, whenever he tried to get his way."
His mother smiled as well as she sat a tray of tea down on the table. Noticing his feet next to her tea cups, she frowned and swatted at his boots with the newspaper she had also brought into the room. "Feet off my table!" she demanded.
Thano's feet hit the floor with a thud as his mother continued on as though she had not even noticed his feet on the table. "Your father has had to work just about every day this week. I'm sure he's sorry he had to miss this visit."
Tahno took his tea and sipped it thoughtfully. "Yes, I'm sure he would," he said. "Though it's my fault for not stopping by as often as I should. I – "
His mother shook her head slowly. "We both know how important pro-bending is to you. We understand you need to train, especially with the championship coming up." She crinkled the newspaper still in her hand absently, then glanced down at it and sighed.
Tahno watched her for a moment before saying, "Do you want to come to the match tomorrow? I can get you and Father both great seats."
That made his mother smile, but she shook her head. "No, we're both happy to listen to the match on the radio." She glanced down at the paper in her hand and let out a weary sigh. Tahno glanced at it, then gently removed the newspaper from her fingers.
"Stop worrying about Amon," he told her gently, but firmly. "He'll be stopped."
"But when? And how? The Avatar – "
"Is a scared little girl when it comes to Amon," Tahno said with a scoff.
"Hmm..." his mother began thoughtfully. "Don't tell me you're feeling threatened by this girl, Tahno."
"Me?" Tahno said with another scoff. "Threatened? Absolutely not."
His mother's expression clearly showed that she was sure he was lying, but she did not push the issue. Instead, she said, "I have heard rumors about Amon having some sort of plans for the pro-bending finale. You will be careful, won't you?"
Tahno took his mother's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Of course." He then changed the subject, wanting to enjoy an afternoon with his mother without thinking of Amon. They talked for quite some time, always skirting around the subject, but never touching on it again.
As the sun began to set, Tahno reluctantly rose to his feet. "I'm sorry, Mother," he said, "I'd stay longer but I really need to go. The rest of the team and I agreed to meet up for dinner at Narook's Seaweed Noodlery. I should really take you and Father there one day."
"After you win," his mother said with a smile as she stood as well. She inclined her head, smiling to herself as her son bent and kissed her offered cheek. She followed him to the door and called out again as he left, "Be careful tomorrow!"
"Always," Tahno said with a wink.