Finding Out - Legend of Korra fanfic

Finding Out

     "Toph, who is Lin's father?" Sokka asked casually, grinning at the baby girl in Toph's arms and letting the baby grip his finger. She smiled a toothless grin at him and giggled.
     Toph felt her cheeks heat up. She looked towards the ground letting her loose hair cover her face. "Well, um, he's… he doesn't know. He left before I could tell him. He had to leave," she murmured. Well, if anything, it was the truth. At least she wasn't lying to him. She sighed and lifted her face back to his.
     "Well, he's an idiot. He's missing out on so much. I'll bet she's going to be just like you, in her looks and temperament. Except for her eyes. They look very familiar," he said with a grin, smiling at the little girl. He studied the mix of gold and light green.
     "I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not," she laughed, grinning.
     Sokka felt heat crawl up his cheeks. Not for the first time since meeting Toph he was actually happy that she couldn't see. Lin saw though and giggled, patting her hand against Sokka's cheek.
     Toph laughed again. "You're lucky that she likes you so much," she said.
     "Why's that? I mean, why would it be bad if she didn't like me?" he asked, suddenly a little worried at the smirk that crossed Toph's face.
     Toph's smirk grew. She set Lin on her feet, supporting her so that she wouldn't fall over. "Go on Lin. Show Uncle Sokka what you do when you don't like someone," she told her little girl and then stepped back.
     Lin wobbled and fell back onto her butt. She looked up at Sokka, tilting her head. She grinned and struggled to her feet. With another look up at him, she took a shaky step forward and slammed her foot into the ground. Sokka went flying as the Earth shot him into the air.
     Toph let out a burst of laughter, catching Lin before she fell again. "That's my girl!" she praised her, hugging her close.
     Sokka crawled back, laughter on his lips. "Like mother, like daughter, I suppose," he said, getting to his feet.
     "Of course! Who do you think is raisin her?" Toph asked sarcastically.
…..
     "Mommy, who's my papa? Tenzin has a papa and so does everyone else," Lin who was now seven-years-old asked.
     Toph looked down at her daughter and sighed. She knew this conversation would have eventually happened, but she'd been hoping there'd be more time before it was presented.
     She sighed and crouched beside Lin. "Lin, you do have a papa," she started.
     "Really? Will I ever get to meet him?" Lin asked excitedly, clutching her stuffed bunny to her chest.
     "You've already met him before, but he doesn't know about you. I don't know if he ever will," she told her sadly, placing a gentle hand on her cheek.
     Lin dropped her eyes. She thought for a moment before asking. "What's he like?"
     "He's a very powerful bender, and very handsome. He's a great man with lots of responsibilities. He used to be Mommy's, Uncle Aang's, Uncle Sokka's, and Aunt Katara's enemy, but he's been out very good friend for a long time," she told her with a grin.
     "How long has he been your friend?" Lin asked.
     "Since I was around thirteen-years-old."
     "Wooooow. That's a long time."
     "Yes, it is."
     "Is he an Earthbender like me and you, Mommy?"
     Toph smirked and shook her head. "No, he's a firebender."
     Lin gasped. "Really? A firebender? That's so cool!"
     "Yes, he is." Toph mentally sighed, thankful that her daughter wouldn't hate her father if and when she met him again. Well, actually she loved him already. It was when her daughter found out who he was when she was going to start worrying.
     "Will I ever see him again?"
     "Someday," Toph told her, getting to her feet. She patted Lin on the head.
…..
     "Mother, do I really have to go to this?" Lin whined, staring at herself in the mirror as Toph ran a comb through her hair. She'd lost the gold tint to her eyes that she'd had as a child. "There's only going to be a bunch of stuffed shirts there. What's the point?" She was only fifteen-years-old, why did she have to go to some stupid political party?
     "Yes you do. If I have to go then so do you seeing as you're going to be the new head of the police force one day," Toph said sternly, going to set the brush down and missing the table. It crashed to the floor. She just waved her hand at it in dismissal. "Anyway, there's not only going to be stuffed shirts there. Twinkle Toes, Katara, Sokka, Suki, and Zuko are all going to be there as well. I think Katara also told me that Twinkle Toes is bringing your boyfriend as well."
     Lin felt herself blush deeply. She thanked the Earth spirits that her mother couldn't see her face. She was already enough trouble being blind. Something her mother said sank in. "He's not my boyfriend!" she cried indignantly, attempting to lie to her.
     "Uh huh. You can't lie to your own mom girl," Toph accused, slapping her daughter upside the head, "You're such a bad liar too. I guess you inherited that from your father. Come on, let's go."
     Fifteen minutes later they were milling with all the "important" people of the city. Lin stood beside her mother, surveying the crowd. Actually, she was searching for a certain airbending teen. Her eyes did another quick sweep before landing on someone other than the person she'd been looking for.
     "Uncle Zuko!" she called, running up and throwing her arms around his neck.
     "Hey Lin, it's been awhile since I've seen you," he said, hugging her back and making the mouths of the diplomats around them drop open. "You've gotten so big. Where's your mother?" His gold eyes scanned the room for the telltale sign of the small Earthbender.
     "Over there somewhere talking to Uncle Aang," she said, waving in Toph's general direction as her feet slid to the ground.
     "Ah, then we must go talk with them," he said, then turning to the men, he bowed, saying, "I'm sorry sirs, but I have pressing business to attend to and now must be off."
     "But Firelord Zuko!" one tried to call, but Zuko was already moving quickly towards the others, his eyes trained on Toph.
     "Hey Hot Head, come here. I have to talk to you about something," Toph called over the chatter of multiple parties, as demanding as ever. They walked away together and Lin went off to stand with Aang, Katara, and Tenzin.
     "Hey Lin," Tenzin said as she walked up, trying to mask the flush that ran across his cheeks, "What are those two talking about?" He jerked his chin towards the pair.
     "Don't know," Lin answered, looking over her shoulder as she reached him. She could see her mother and Zuko having a very lively discussion on the balcony. They'd already scared away five guests from the spot.
     Katara sighed. "Probably fighting, again. It's good to have the group back together. Speaking of which, where did my idiot brother run off to?" she asked suddenly, looking around the crowded room for him.
     "I think I saw him sneaking out with Aunt Suki a little bit ago," Lin lied, grinning as Katara narrowed her eyes toward the door.
     "Did they now?" she muttered under her breath, staring at the door, "I'm surprised Suki hasn't gotten pregnant yet. They jump each other's bones like bunnies."
     "Katara," Aang reprimanded, marring the effect a little by laughing.
     "Lin, come over here for a sec," Zuko called, waving her over.
     Lin hurried over to them, waving goodbye to Katara, Aang and Tenzin. The pair looked tense and out of sorts. "What is it?"
     "Toph has just brought something very important to light for me. She should have told me and even you long ago, but I understand her reasons for not telling us sooner. So when she tells you, don't be angry," Zuko told her.
     "Okay," Lin said carefully, unsure of where this conversation was headed.
     Toph sighed and shakily ran a hand through her hair. "Lin, do you remember what I told you about your father when you were younger?"
     "Yes." She didn't like the sound of this.
     "Well, Zuko is… Zuko is your father," Toph said with a small bit of regret and shame in her voice.
     Lin stared uncomprehendingly at the both of them. She began laughing nervously as she said, "You're kidding right? You two are playing a joke of me. It's… it's not funny." When the two adults didn't answer, she shook her head violently. "No! You can't be! I would have realized! I would have figured it out!"
     Zuko shook his head sadly. "No, it's the truth. I'm your father. I always have been and always will be."
     "YOU'RE LYING!!" Lin screeched, running to the railing of the balcony and jumping over it.
     "Lin!" she heard both her mother and Zuko, her father, yell after her as she hit the ground and immediately started to sprint away even though she was wearing heels and a dress.
     "Lin!" she heard another familiar voice call, but she didn't stop or look to see who it was.
     She ran and ran until her legs and lungs threatened to give out, and even then she ran. She didn't stop until she was at the bay and collapsed onto the sand. Her legs trembled, unable to move, and her lungs refused to take in air.
     Despite that, she found enough air to let out an angry scream. She tore off her heels, getting clumsily to her shaky legs, and chucked them into the ocean. She just needed to throw something. She slammed her foot into the sand, shooting it into the bay. "Why?" she yelled, "Why didn't she tell me?!" She collapsed back onto the sand, burying her face in her knees.
     With her eyes closed, she was given a whole new type of sight. She could feel every little thing around her, even if the shifting of the sand made everything a little fuzzy. That's how she knew someone was approaching her even before she heard them.
     "Lin!" she heard him call seconds later.
     "What?!" she snapped, glaring up at the teen before her.
     Tenzin shuffled his feet nervously as he looked down at her. "I-I was just wondering if you were alright?"
     "I'm fine," she growled, narrowing her eyes at him. "I know you say that, but… I needed to make sure," he said, sitting down softly beside her. He placed his glider in front of him, staring down at his feet.
     Lin stared down at her own feet, feeling kind of bad for snapping at him. "Look Tenzin, I'm just a bit overwhelmed by all of this," she began to say, turning her head to look at him, but Tenzin silenced her with a kiss.
     She melted into it, allowing herself to kiss him back. When they pulled apart, both of them were blushing like naughty children. "Th-that's a new distraction technique," Lin said, grinning as she leaned back.
     "Do you like it? I just thought of it minutes before," Tenzin said, stroking his nonexistent beard.
     They both laughed. Lin leaned back in saying, "I love it. You should use it more often." She pressed her lips back to his, and let herself forget about all of her problems.
…..
     Lin stood against a far wall, surveying the crowd. Sweat beaded down her back. Heat crawled up her neck and fought to breathe. "How did Mother stand wearing all of this crap?" she griped to no one, pulling on the metal front of her new uniform.
     Across the room, her eye caught the flash of red and gold robes. Instantly, she knew who it was wearing those robes. She was excited and terrified at the same time. She hadn't seen the man since that night and was hesitant. What would he say? Would he be proud? Would he hate her? She whispered a silent prayer that he wouldn't.
     She waited against the wall, wishing for him to notice her and head over. She wasn't paying attention when he came to talk to her. She was speaking with another member of the police force when he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
     "Lin, you look just like you're mother," she heard him say.
     Lin turned away from the male members of her force, seeing her father glaring flaming daggers at them. She swallowed a smile and said, "Thanks."
     "You're welcome. Care to take a walk with me?" Zuko held out his robed arm for her to take, an encouraging smile on his face.
     Lin hesitated before threading her arm through his. "It's been a long time," she murmured as they left the building and started down the street.
     "Yes. Too long for my taste," he said, staring ahead of them.
     They fell silent. "Do you hate me?" Lin asked suddenly, unable to hold the question back.
     "No," he said simply.
     "Do you wish I wasn't your daughter?"
     "No. I am proud and honored to have such a strong, beautiful, and successful daughter. I've never regretted anything concerning you or your mother. Well, except for that time I accidentally burned her feet." He murmured the last bit under his breath, stroking his breath. It was more like he was talking to himself.
     "What?" Lin asked, surprised.
     Zuko shook his head. "Nothing. That story is best left to be told over a cup of tea," he said, thinking of how much like his uncle he sounded. He turned to Lin and turned her face towards him. "Just know that I'm proud of you. I know I've never been around to tell you that, but I wanted you to know." He wrapped his arms around her before walking back to the party. Lin stared after him feeling a little bemused by the whole thing. She was snapped back to reality by a hand landing on her shoulder. She spun around to see Tenzin.
     "Are you alright?" he asked, worry lighting his eyes.
     Lin looked back at the back of her father then back at Tenzin. "Yeah, I think so," she said with one of her rare smiles, pulling his into a deep kiss.