A/N: The Mechanist toils late in the night. The Mechanist/Teo father-son fic. Teo is probably five or six here. Uses crutches in the night because it's easier.
Disclaimer: I do not own AtLA.
It was late in the night as he poured over the blueprints and schematics, his skin bathed in a sickly orange glow from the lone candle on the table. A nearby window was open, letting the cool night air kiss his uncomfortably warm skin.
Pop! One in the morning.
He groaned, putting his head in his hands. How was he supposed to get all these plans drawn up before the General showed up in the morning? But he had to do it. If he didn't he would be endangering everyone on the compound, his inventions and designs would go up in flames, and his son...
"Dad," a tiny voice called from the the door.
He looked up to see his son, dressed in his tiny night shirt, and rubbing sleep out of his eyes. The little boy gave his father a sleepy smile as he hobbled over to him on his crutches.
He leaned over his chair and put the little boy on his lap when he was close enough. With a soft kiss on his forehead, he asked, "What are you doing up? I put you to bed hours ago."
"I couldn't sleep," the little boy said, looking down at his dangling feet. Then he turned to the table, his eyes running over the drawings and numbers he couldn't yet read well. "What are these?" he asked curiously.
He chuckled and said shortly, "New inventions." He couldn't tell his son the truth, that these inventions were meant to kill and destroy families and towns. He was too young, he wouldn't understand. He would think him a monster.
The little boy's eyes lit up, "Can I help?" he asked.
His father shook his head and said, "No, but I think you should be getting back to bed." He rose from the chair with the little boy in his arms and grabbed the crutches to tuck the boy back into bed.
When he returned, he looked back at the drawings with a weary eye. He wished he could just go into his own bed and get some sleep, but he couldn't. He had to keep working though, he had to finish these designs, to keep his little boy safe.
