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Like Mother, Like Daughter[]

It had to be done.

Instead of the relief, the calm that she had expected—needed—Lin felt nothing but searing loneliness and a bleak future.

It had to be done.

When she first voiced the little words, the phrase that essentially defined her future, she hadn't expected to feel such regret. She hadn't expected to feel such solitude. And she hadn't expected him to agree.

It had to be done.

No matter how many times she repeated the mantra, the five words that swiftly became her life-line, Lin never believed them. She gave far more eloquent versions to her friends: "It wasn't working out," and "We wanted different things," but even though they couldn't see through the calm façade, Lin could still feel the mask slowly cracking, breaking, chipping away to reveal the hollow shell that she was underneath.

"It had to be done."

The words in their most simple, most innocent and dreadful form were uttered aloud once. The tears didn't come this time; there were none left. Lin merely stood there, a confidence in her voice, in her expression that she didn't feel. She couldn't remember how it should.

"It didn't."

The two words, uttered from mother to daughter destroyed the feeble walls holding her together. Lin broke. And Toph held her up. She clasped her daughter in an iron grip and refused to let her go, even as Lin struggled against the hold. The mantra changed.

I'm broken.

This time far more destructive, Lin gave no effort to herself or others. She knew since she was fourteen that she wasn't whole. She wasn't complete. She had never given it any thought, until she found herself wanting a life with a man who needed a family.

I'm broken.

Lin had never had the typical childhood. She felt she didn't need a family as an adult—she didn't as a child. She was wrong.

I'm broken.

It was Katara who offered a solution. She might be able to help, to heal. Lin jumped on the chance, distraught that she hadn't thought of it sooner. Nine months had passed. She was thirty-six, and suddenly found herself with possibilities. With infinite futures to chose from.

Except one.

She was alone.

Like mother, like daughter.


Notes: I like the idea of Lin not being able to have children, as opposed to choosing not to.

One-shots
Angst
Broken

Compilations, vol. 1
Comfort
Crassius quam aqua
Femme mystérieuse
Land of the Bloody Unknown
Like Mother, Like Daughter
Living
Loops
Meaningfulß
Nobility
Seasonsß
Survive
Toy Soldiers

Friendship
Colours

Different Stages
Interruptionsß
Non-Expectationsß
Special Hellß
Systems
Unaccompanied Banditsß

Romance
Birthday Wishesß

Blinding
Erosion
Friday, I'm in Love
Having Fun?ß
Like an Earthbender
My Meathead
Omit
Trick'ry
What A Tart!

Unknown
Strange Worlds

Compilations, vol. 2

~Reviews~

Key:
ß = beta-read ≠ Toph
Azula, Beifong, Katara, Kyoshi, OC, Aang, Sokka, Undefined
all shots have Toph as a main character unless otherwise stated


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For the collective works of the author, go here.

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