Chapter Text
Tenzin was in his bedroom, preparing his stuff for his tour of the world, to find the new airbenders that Avatar Korra had brought back with the Harmonic Convergence. His wife was helping him silently. With four children on the Air Temple Island, they never declined some silent time in peaceful companionship. Meditation could only do so much.
It had been a long time that he didn't feel such a pure and powerful joy. He could not stop smiling against himself, with Pema the only witness.
Finally, the world was going back into balance. These new airbenders would revive their culture and history and the Air Nation was finally, truly reborn. This was the new Age that his father wanted and longed for, as the Avatar and as the last airbender. Tenzin also wanted that as his only son and as heir of the Air Nation culture.
He knew the future would have its challenges for his children, especially for Jinora, with or without the new airbenders as they would have to be the next leaders of the Air Nation. But the Harmonic Convergence was definitely a miracle for the Air Nation and the world. He would help rebuild his nation, with the support of his loving family.
After packing the few clothes he had, Tenzin went back to the kitchen, making some tea for Pema and him. This evening would be the last meal he would eat with the whole family. Jinora was coming with him, but his younger children would be better staying with his wife. It was his duty to look for the new airbenders. But it did not overshadow his duties as a father. He wanted to spend as much time with his family as possible before leaving them.
Filling both his and Pema's cup, they drank in companionable silence. Tenzin glanced at his wife who was smiling back at him knowingly, understanding him without him needing to express his joy to her. Nobody else knew him as well as her. Nobody, except… No, now was the time to concentrate on his family and the future airbenders. The past was completely over. Another chapter of his life yet began, with the Harmonic Convergence disrupting his life in a wonderful way.
Pema had also been delighted to see the new airbenders popping out of every nation. The Acolytes were helping Tenzin and his family and they would finally be able to share what they had learnt to the lucky new airbenders. She had confessed to Tenzin that she wished she could have been chosen, but she was happy being Tenzin's wife and a mother to 4 wonderful airbenders.
Pema finished her tea before him, and after giving a final peck on his cheek, she went to see the other Air Acolytes, asking them to prepare some additional provisions for Tenzin, Korra and all those who would accompany them.
While sipping the last of his own tea, Tenzin looked out of the window, and saw the sky bisons in the stables, the parents helping the babies fly. The smallest ones were barely standing and walking and they already wanted to fly. The parents were bumping them with their nose and groaning in encouragement. This simple view made him burst with happiness and hope. The temples would be filled again, the sky bisons would all have best friends again! And finally, his father would be proud of him.
Tenzin rinsed the empty tea cups then went to the stables with a basket of fruits that he had gathered in the kitchen and called Oogie. He always made a point of feeding Oogie by himself when he could. When his best friend arrived, soaring from the sky and landing in front of him, Tenzin was reminded once again of the feeling of loneliness he had years ago, after his father passed away and before his own children were born. He had been the last airbender alive and the only true companion that stayed all along was Oogie. He had pushed Lin away, but Lin had done the same. Pema came into his life, but in the end, Oogie was the constant in his life.
Tenzin caressed him fondly while feeding him. When Oogie ate his fill, his master lingered a bit more, touching their forehead together. Air Acolytes could often see him do that, as if he wanted to share his feelings with his best friend. They would think that Tenzin was telling Oogie that all his mates would also have best friends now.
But this time, he wanted Oogie to calm him and reassure him that his mixed feelings about this whole affair were normal. Tenzin sighed internally. He had always been a bad liar, even to Oogie and to himself. Indeed, his mind could not stop going back to his family, and his place in all of this, and worst of all, to Lin.
He should feel blessed. Tenzin couldn't believe it that his older brother of all people got airbending abilities. Certainly, his father would be proud of his oldest son for finally being an airbender. He did not want to go into the territory of thinking of how flawed Aang had been as a father, dismissing his elder children to concentrate on Tenzin's education. And yet, Tenzin still felt a pang of jalousy toward Bumi. In a way, Tenzin would not be special anymore among the three children of the Avatar, even if he was the true descendant of the air nation heritage. Tenzin squashed that feeling for now. He should be glad that another member of his family became an airbender.
And then, against his will, his thoughts turned to Lin. Tenzin swallowed, trying to remove a lump in his throat. Oogie bumped him in response, to remind him that he was there to support him. Of course he was glad of having Pema in his life. Without her, he would not have his lovely, amazing children.
But when he fully realized the implications of the apparition of the new airbenders, he immediately wondered what Lin would think of Bumi being able to airbend, of him being finally able to follow his destiny. Not Pema.
His main reason to break up with his first love was finally coming to fruition. She had not wanted to be his children's mother and to help him rebuild the Air Nation. He had to fulfill his responsibility toward the world. So they broke up.
The Harmonic Convergence was helping him a great deal with his lifelong duty. And yet, he still felt bitter and sorrowful, thinking of what his life could have been if he had had a choice, all those years ago.
If only he had known decades ago that new airbenders would come to the world, albeit not in the form of his descendants, as he thought it would. If only he did not have the pressure from the world, and worst of all, from his father, to carry on the airbending lineage. He would have been able to stay with Lin, even without any children, and still love her publicly. He would not have Pema, but he would have Lin. His children would not be here, but maybe, he would still have some with Lin after a few years, and it would have not mattered if they were earthbenders, the Air Nation would still revive.
But then he felt guilty, like he often did when Lin crept into his mind, even if his thoughts were not inappropriate.
Actually, since the discovery of the new airbenders, wistful thoughts of Lin were flooding him. It had not even been two days since their apparition, but it felt like a lifetime ago. A part of his heart was regretting leaving Lin and it was getting harder and harder to dismiss it. He thought that he was finally over her, but it was clearly a lie he was telling himself.
He missed her so much.
He was her airbender, and now there were so many.
He was getting closer to fulfilling his father's greatest wish (and not even being the one who revived the Air Nation - this was all thanks to Avatar Korra) and yet, he felt emptier than ever.
Pema and his dear, dear children were now his life, but a part of him had been removed when Lin and him split up.
But Lin and him was a thing of the past. Tenzin only realized that he had said that out loud when Oogie roared as if he agreed with him. Tenzin sighed, patted Oogie one last time before he flew to the airship, and straightened his back, going back to the house to meet Pema and take the supplies from her.
The Air Nation was his future, the only future he had to think of.
The only one he wanted and had always wanted, he convinced himself once more.