Drabble: Playtime at Air Temple Island
Written for avatar_500. Prompt 65: Air
Summary: For Tenzin, airbending is more than just something he has to master.
Playtime at Air Temple Island
A shadow falls across the airbending scroll and Tenzin sighs. Kya looks down at him, both annoyed and concerned. “You’ve been studying all morning. Why don’t you take a break and play with us?”
Bumi comes bounding up behind their sister. “We’re playing pirates. You can be our captive,” he adds, brandishing a wooden sword in front of Tenzin’s face.
Tenzin almost says that he’s too old to be playing kid games, but it’s probably not the right thing for the youngest child to say. He prepares himself for another argument, when earth suddenly leaps from the ground and sends Kya and Bumi to the ground. Tenzin looks up to see Lin standing with her back to him, arms crossed over her chest in a threatening pose.
“I, Chief Bei Fong, will stop you, pirates!”
The two siblings jump up and run away as fast as they can. After a moment, Lin moves to follow, but not before glancing at Tenzin with a soft smile on her face. Tenzin smiles back, hoping that his gratitude shows before she is gone. With a quick check to make sure he’s safe, Tenzin once again studies the moves until he can see the pictures moving in his mind’s eye.
The sun is lower in the sky when Tenzin finally stands up. Before he puts it in its rightful place, he glances once more at the contents. The wind is moving from the north today, so he moves to an appropriate part of the island, keeping far away from the crashing sounds of the others playing.
Tenzin closes his eyes, imagining he is the person in the scroll going through the motions. Taking a deep breath, Tenzin leaps into the advanced airbending form. He overbalances a couple of times, and he has to restart once due to his arms moving the wrong way, but it is a decent first attempt. When he finishes, Tenzin hears clapping behind him.
Dad stands there with a smile on his face. Tenzin cannot help the pride he feels when his father walks over and gives him a few minor tips. This time, Tenzin dances through the moves much easier than before.
“Keep that up, and you’ll be an airbending master by winter,” Dad says with a laugh. “How about you take a break and play with the others?”
Tenzin turns away with a shrug he hopes seems casual. “In a minute. I want to practice some more.”
Dad sighs and Tenzin knows he’s upset. “Will that make you happy?”
Tenzin turns around and nods eagerly. Aang returns it with a smile that does not quite reach his eyes and leaves Tenzin alone.
Tenzin loves his family. He loves that their parents always take the time to play with them, though he sometimes finds the house too loud when he’s trying to study. He plays with his siblings a lot, but they don’t understand that mastering airbending may be his duty, but it’s not a chore.
Summary: For Tenzin, airbending is more than just something he has to master.
Playtime at Air Temple Island
A shadow falls across the airbending scroll and Tenzin sighs. Kya looks down at him, both annoyed and concerned. “You’ve been studying all morning. Why don’t you take a break and play with us?”
Bumi comes bounding up behind their sister. “We’re playing pirates. You can be our captive,” he adds, brandishing a wooden sword in front of Tenzin’s face.
Tenzin almost says that he’s too old to be playing kid games, but it’s probably not the right thing for the youngest child to say. He prepares himself for another argument, when earth suddenly leaps from the ground and sends Kya and Bumi to the ground. Tenzin looks up to see Lin standing with her back to him, arms crossed over her chest in a threatening pose.
“I, Chief Bei Fong, will stop you, pirates!”
The two siblings jump up and run away as fast as they can. After a moment, Lin moves to follow, but not before glancing at Tenzin with a soft smile on her face. Tenzin smiles back, hoping that his gratitude shows before she is gone. With a quick check to make sure he’s safe, Tenzin once again studies the moves until he can see the pictures moving in his mind’s eye.
The sun is lower in the sky when Tenzin finally stands up. Before he puts it in its rightful place, he glances once more at the contents. The wind is moving from the north today, so he moves to an appropriate part of the island, keeping far away from the crashing sounds of the others playing.
Tenzin closes his eyes, imagining he is the person in the scroll going through the motions. Taking a deep breath, Tenzin leaps into the advanced airbending form. He overbalances a couple of times, and he has to restart once due to his arms moving the wrong way, but it is a decent first attempt. When he finishes, Tenzin hears clapping behind him.
Dad stands there with a smile on his face. Tenzin cannot help the pride he feels when his father walks over and gives him a few minor tips. This time, Tenzin dances through the moves much easier than before.
“Keep that up, and you’ll be an airbending master by winter,” Dad says with a laugh. “How about you take a break and play with the others?”
Tenzin turns away with a shrug he hopes seems casual. “In a minute. I want to practice some more.”
Dad sighs and Tenzin knows he’s upset. “Will that make you happy?”
Tenzin turns around and nods eagerly. Aang returns it with a smile that does not quite reach his eyes and leaves Tenzin alone.
Tenzin loves his family. He loves that their parents always take the time to play with them, though he sometimes finds the house too loud when he’s trying to study. He plays with his siblings a lot, but they don’t understand that mastering airbending may be his duty, but it’s not a chore.