14. First- LOK

14. First

Tenzin remembered the first time he'd seen fireworks. He was six years old and his father taken he and his family to Republic City for the anniversary of its creation. This was also the first time he'd seen Republic City. They were in the town park along with the Fire Lord, Chief Bei Fong, and his uncle Sokka, with their families.

He and the other kids ran around sparklers in hand, he remembers Bumi setting his pants on fire by accident and running around like a maniac. Kya had drenched him in water, while Tenzin, Lin, and the other children laughed full force. Soon after the firework show began, lighting up the sky with magnificent colors and loud explosions. It had been the most magical thing he'd ever scene.

They'd gone back every year, but nothing as magical as that had stuck out to him until he'd turned 16. They sat in their traditional spot for the fireworks, under the tree next to the river. Though, now all the children were grown and no one wanted to use the sparklers, well except for Bumi who amused everyone with a ballet like routine with them.

They all laughed as Bumi jumped back and forth flinging the sparklers around. Tenzin noticed that Lin was sitting furthest away from everyone, not acknowledging the sparkler show.  She sat knees curled up to her chest and a sullen expression on her face. It made Tenzin's heart ache, he didn't know of anything that could cause distress at this time. So he'd decided to investigating, he got up and walked over to where she was. As he sat down next to her she looked up at him, slightly startled.

"What's up, Tattoos," Lin asked using her nickname for him, since he'd gotten his tattoos just a few months ago. He smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, since he received no reaction to this he stayed this way.

"Well your sitting here all by yourself, so I thought I'd keep you company," he told her. She gave a small 'humph' in response. So, they just there quiet; happy with the presence of each other.

"I know a better place to watch the fireworks," Lin offered looking up at him.

"Sure where at," Tenzin smiled. For the first time since they'd arrived, Lin gave a genuine smile and dragged Tenzin along with her. They dashed through the so far thin crowd and went to the more wooded area of the park. Lin paused under a canopy of trees and closed her eyes.

"How are we supposed to see the fireworks through all these trees," Tenzin asked confused. Lin earthbent a hole in the ground which answered his question. She jumped inside, calling for him to follow. Hesitantly, Tenzin jumped down using his Airbending to break his fall. Lin then closed the hole above their heads, leaving them in the complete darkness.

He felt Lin grab his hand once more, and she began to walk down the tunnel. Tenzin felt completely lost and held on to his friend's hand as if it was his lifeline. After a long while, the earth moved letting light into the tunnel; Lin catapulted herself upward, while Tenzin used his Airbending once again.

The Airbender stood in shock as he looked around. They were now miles away from the park, looking over the brightly lit city as it prepare for another celebration. "Wh-What is this place," Tenzin turned to his earthbending friend.

"It's the mountain side of Republic City, my mom showed it to me a few years ago, I come here a lot when I'm in the city," Lin explained looking out into the distance. Tenzin watched her as a relaxed look overtook the sad one on Lin's face. Just then, the fireworks began to fill the sky, their colors as amazing as always.

"See perfect," Lin gestured to the sky, though Tenzin did not look to the fireworks.

"Yes it's perfect," Tenzin complimented. Lin was confused at first, but then she noticed the Airbender was looking at her, not the sky. She turned away a blush on her cheeks. Tenzin placed a hand on her chin, turning her back to him. With no objection so far, he leaned in a placed a chaste kiss on her lips. As he pulled away, the Airbender began to fear that he'd pushed the limit, but suddenly Lin gripped the collar of his shirt and pulled him in for a much deeper kiss. The fireworks exploded overhead and his arms were wrapped around Lin, the moment couldn't have gotten more magical.

That had been his first kiss, and he would always be glad that it was with Lin. And every year after that they went to the same place to watch the fireworks. Each year getting a little more…personal than the last. Though, one year when he was 26 they stopped going. At first, it was little depressing that had something they'd been doing since he was a child had been cancelled, but something even better took its place. His brother, Bumi, was getting married to the Fire Lord's Daughter.

Tenzin was the best man, and Kya was the maid of honor. This was the first wedding he'd ever been to and it was a lot of fun, and where he'd met his future. That night at the reception Bumi's new wife introduced him to one of her younger friends who was interested in becoming an air acolyte. Her name was Pema, and she was 15 years old. At first, he tried to tell them that his father was the one they should be talking to about this. But she'd insisted that Pema needed to talk to him.

Soon he agreed and the two of them sat at the back table discussing about her becoming an air acolyte. But they didn't stay on topic very long; they talked about themselves, the wedding, their lives, and anything else. The reception began to come to a close and they hadn't gotten out of their seats since their conversation began. "Well, it was very nice to meet you, Pema. I'll talk to my dad and see what I can do," Tenzin explained.

"Nice to meet you too, Tenzin," Pema smiled and shook his hand in a business-like manner. He watched a dazed look in his eyes as the young girl walked out of the ball room.

"Who's your friend, Tattoos," a familiar voice barked. Tenzin jumped and turned to see Lin. He immediately felt ashamed, he'd spent the whole reception talking to Pema he'd completely forgot about Lin.

"She just wanted to know about becoming an air acolyte," Tenzin explained bashfully. Lin was unfazed by his excuse, and was still glaring daggers at him.

"Whatever, let's go, they're about to set off the fireworks," Lin ordered, voice still steel cold. Tenzin awkwardly followed her outside the building they were in. Bumi and his wife were already in their carriage getting ready to take off. He stood next to Lin watching as the fireworks lit up the sky. It still made him happy to see them, but he was still bugged as he saw Pema watching him out of the corner of his eyes. From this moment on things were about to get much more confusing.

It was about a month after Pema became an acolyte that Lin broke up with him. They were on Air Temple Island it was storming and the rain came down in gallons. Somehow, their argument had been taken outside as the storm started. Lin's tears mixed with the rain as she screamed. "How could you! She's just a child, we've been friend since we were children," Lin shouted voice breaking.

"You know why Lin, you refused to have children, and I have to continue my line," Tenzin hollered back. The wrong thing was that Lin had broken up with him, and yet she was the one crying. Tenzin couldn't feel bad enough to cry, he knew what he had to do and that required being with Pema, not matter how much he cared for Lin.

"This is ridiculous, I hope you enjoy your child," Lin screamed. She stormed off towards the dock, boarding the ferry for its final trip back to the city. He stood soaked in the rain, as Lin left on the ferry. That was the last time he'd see her in a very long time.

Four years late he married Pema, she was 20 and he was 31. Lin did not attend the ceremony or reception.  Though, as he and Pema sat curled up in their new satomobile ready to take off into their new lives, the fireworks began. Once again, their colors were just another magical thing to the moment, but it was became awkward when he saw Lin in the crowd dressed in her metal cop uniform. She'd came, the idea made him breathless. He didn't dwell on it to long as the car started and began to head down the road, into his new life.

Now, he sat under the same tree he did as a child, with Pema next to him, Rohan in his arms, and his other three children running around with sparklers in their hands. It was nice, they had stopped the war, and now his family could continue on normally, safe.

Tenzin had had a lot of firsts under the protection of fireworks: first visit, first kiss, and first wedding. But as he watched Lin chat with Bumi near the pond, and the fireworks announced the celebration of victory, he felt as if this was the first time he'd watched the magnificent beauty of the firework without a certain childhood friend by his side.