Fathers of the Forgotten
When Haru first saw Hakoda, he was instantly reminded of his own father. They were both proud warriors who had been imprisoned for fighting against evil and persecution.
Hakoda and Tyro probably would have gotten along pretty well. They had a lot in common. They were both good men and even better fathers.
But Haru knew that despite their similarities, they had still had one major difference between them: their sons.
Hakoda's son risked everything to free his father.
Tyro's son ran as fast as he could and hid in a temple like a child.
Hakoda's son was able to laugh with his father.
Tyro's son couldn't stop thinking about the prison he was probably sitting in.
Hakoda's son never stopped hoping.
Tyro's son never looked back.
They had a lot in common, but the one difference between them was why Hakoda was there to pat his son on the back while Tyro sat in a Fire Nation prison. So when he heard Hakoda say "I'm proud of you son," Haru felt his heart break.
Teo wore a smiling mask while Jealousy drove a sharp stake through his chest. The sight of a proud father embracing his son nearly drove him mad.
He was envious that Sokka had a father who fought the enemy without giving up his morals.
Why was Sokka allowed to walk to his hero father?
Why did he have to sit and wonder if his own father was still alive?
He was just as smart and brave as Sokka. So why didn't the Spirits bless him with the same gifts that others took for granted.
Like the ability to stand and be proud of a strong father? Hasn't he sacrificed just as much as Sokka and Katara? If anything, he deserves to be happy more than the Water Tribe siblings. Because while they knew who their father was and what kind of man he was, Teo's father had been lying to him for years.
What had he done to justify such unhappiness?
Later that night, Shame arrived and Teo shed tears.
The boy had to lift his too-big helmet to see the dark skinned man embrace his son and daughter in a hug.
He should've felt happy for them. He wanted to. Really, he did. But he could only feel bitter jealousy and shame as he looked at the reunited family.
I wonder what it's like to have a daddy...
He used to fantasize what his father would look like. He would imagine an unbeatable giant able to defeat a hundred Fire Nation soldiers at once, unarmed, in the dark! His "father" would take his son on trips and teach him how to hunt and fish and fight. His father would always be there to check for the monster that was under the bed. His father would be do anything for his son.
But every time he thought about his father, a stray thought would creep into his mind, whispering a statement that hurt the child to his very core and left him feeling scared and ashamed: his father left him behind when the soldiers came.
A little darker than some of the other chapters, but this was the only way to make the plot bunnies let me sleep at night.
I sincerely apologize for the lack of updates. The last couple of weeks have been the most stressful of my life. My sister just told me she's pregant, my uncle got arrested for a misdemeanor, and I had to help prepare for a huge party with at least 100 people. Needless to say, I haven't had much time for updates. I hope you can forgive me.
Besides the plot bunnies, I decided to write this when I realized I had written a chapter where almost every other character except these three had at least appeared in the other chapters.
Review and tell me what you think.