Drabble: Playtime at Air Temple Island

[wolfs_lament]

Written for avatar_500.  Prompt 65: Air

Summary: For Tenzin, airbending is more than just something he has to master.

Comments

[wolfs_lament]

Well, Tenzin just sits and reads anyway, so Bumi and Kya think it's totally acceptable. Plus, they want the cool parts and someone has to be the damsel in distress. They've also discovered that Lin is more likely to play with them if she has to save Tenzin at least once.

I imagine he and Zuko both panic about their parenting, though for slightly different reasons. Then their wives and friends have to reassure them/slap them for being idiots.

[wolfs_lament]

I imagine they would, hopefully. I guess that's what the rest of the Gaang are there for, though.

Since Tenzin's character was announced, it's been my headcannon that he talks more with Zuko about his problems than he does with Aang. This isn't to say that he doesn't get along with his father, it's just there are some things Tenzin thinks might get blown out of proportion if Aang heard. I also imagine Tenzin being close to Katara during his young adult years.

[ljlee]

Awww little Tenzin and gang! Adorably serious Tenzin is adorable. The writing is a bit abstract at times (i wanted to know what the "minor tips" looked like, for instance), maybe because of the length constraints. I like how you make it clear that duty can also be a joy, it avoids a common convention of the poor pressured ingenue and feels more balanced.

[wolfs_lament]

Yeah, I wanted to go into details about the 'minor tips,' as well as a bunch of other things such as Lin and Tenzin's relationship, but then it got way too long. The wording is a bit clunky in some places though. It's something I need to work on improving as a writer.

It annoys me when people write duty as if it can only be a bad thing, that someone's happiness has to be sacrificed for something the person is expected to do. Tenzin has had a lot of expectations placed upon him, but he's also made the most of them. He's married a wife he loves very much and he doesn't think of his kids as a burden (most of the time).

[c3childs]

That's sweet. Tenzin was probably born as a 40yr old man.

I can't help drawing parallels between Aang and Tenzin's perfectionism & Ozai and Azula's perfectionism.

[wolfs_lament]

Yes, yes he was.

While I guess there are parallels, I think of Tenzin's perfectionism as self-imposed due to his love for a father that would love him even if he was a terrible airbender. Aang wants Tenzin to be great so that Tenzin feels confident in himself. I imagine arguments between them are more likely to end with both feeling guilty: Aang for putting so much unintentional pressure on Tenzin, and Tenzin for making his father feel guilty about it.

Ozai, on the other hand, used Zuko and Azula against each other purposefully. Despite Azula becoming the perfect daughter in almost every way for Ozai, the moment she failed even a little, he pushed her aside. To me, Ozai wanted Azula to be the best so she could further his goals. Aang, having had that kind of pressure put on him when he was a kid, would never want his own children to feel that.

Sorry, that turned into quite the essay.

[c3childs]

Tenzin and Aang's is definitely more healthy, and I feel that Tenzin actually takes genuine pleasure in pursuing his heritage, and at that age, likely doesn't feel the full pressure of expectations; Aang likely wouldn't let him.

And exactly. I can see Aang trying to get him to goof off from training and Tenzin giving in and feeling guilty having fun:)

[somariel]

This is sweet. I can totally see this happening.

[wolfs_lament]

I have to admit, I've developed a soft spot for younger Tenzin, especially considering how different he seems to have been compared to his siblings.

[grandiose666]

LIN!!!
I loved how you showed so much of her personality and relationships in that one glimpse. Her tender feelings towards Tenzin, not just love/affection but also understanding, and her implied relationship with Toph when she jumps in to play 'chief'...
I also like how Tenzin is a serious kid and that's just the way he is, and I can see his parents remembering their own burdens and pushing him to be more playful and lighthearted.

[wolfs_lament]

I'm glad you liked the bit with Lin. I was going to make more of it, but the word count prevented me. Now I'm happy that it did, since I think I've been able to say more with those few lines than I could've with a whole scene. Sometimes a limit on character length really is a good thing, especially for someone who has a tendency to over-write.

I imagine Katara deals with Tenzin's seriousness a bit better than Aang, who worries he's putting too much pressure on his only airbending son.