"That wasn't as bad as I thought," Katara said.
That sewer was a brilliant idea for the benders in the group. Not so much for Sokka and (Y/n), where the thick, smelly water washed over them as they had climbed up the sewer past the city gates secretly.
Oh sure, Aang and Katara got away without a drop on themselves. That meant everything was fucking fine.
As they hid between the buildings in a dark alley, Katara shrieked at the sight of two lumps of green goo moving around. Aang was horrified as well at the sudden sight, but when Katara used water from the barrel to hit the lumps, it washed away the funk to reveal (Y/n) and Sokka, their faces twisted in disgust.
It was horrible, sticky water that clung to (Y/n)'s robes. Her skin felt oily no matter how much she wiped at it, and all she wanted to do was jump into a clean river and scrub herself until the first layer of her skin was shed.
"If someone doesn't get this stuff off me, I'm going to set fire to something," (Y/n) growled, eyes shining murderously, as she felt the sludge dripping down her hair like worms.
Aang swung his staff to create a gale that blew them both dry, but not without Sokka crying out at his robes flapped into his face. Even with the blow-dry, it was like she had an oily sheen to her skin.
Sokka raised his head to reveal two purple octopus-like creatures stuck on either side of his head. He wasn't aware of it until they hiccupped and squeaked.
Sokka screamed, clawing at his face until he was yanking them off, but they just stretched with the movement. "They won't let go! Help!"
Aang pounced on Sokka, pinning him to the wall as Sokka cried. Aang tried plucking it off, but it didn't work, and Sokka was left with a sour look on his face.
(Y/n) gritted her teeth. "Do I have any on me?"
"Surprisingly, no. How's that possible?" Katara mused.
"I guess they repel me, just like every other thing in my life."
The kids turned to her in concern. Sokka was the first to ask, "uh, you okay?"
(Y/n) sighed. She wanted to see her old master. "After being nearly drowned in sewer water, I've never felt so hydrated in my life. Can we go?"
"What's the rush?"
Her eyes nearly popped out of her skull with how wide they grew. "Omashu is in danger. My master is in danger! My vacation is in danger!"
"That's one too many things in danger," Sokka mumbled, cringing at the wiggling creature glued to him.
Aang turned back to Sokka. "It's just a purple pentapus." He gripped the nearest one and rubbed it softly. Its tentacles raised and with a small pop, the pentapus detached from Sokka's skin.
The relief was clear on Sokka's face as he began rubbing at the other pentapus. While Aang removed the one behind his neck, (Y/n) recalled this episode, and immediately tensed. Oh, they were about to get caught with no way to hide them—
Wait, why was she even worrying? It wasn't like the gut-tugging. So far, nothing had changed. She could take a breather and maybe kick back, drink some cactus juice, take in some well-deserved sunlight and avoid Sokka as much as possible.
Every time she looked at him, it tugged at her heartstrings. Her eyes always drifted to his lips, and every night before going to sleep, she could almost feel his arms around her, his breath on her neck, and his lips pressed to her shoulder... even though Sokka was sleeping five feet away from her and not even facing her.
(Y/n) just needed a break. Clear her head from the eruption of feelings, get used to being further apart from Sokka.
Any closeness they had before the kiss was gone now, and even Aang and Katara felt the weight of the distance.
"Hey!" Someone called, and they all flinched at the sight of Fire Nation guards approaching them.
Sokka and Katara immediately closed ranks to block the Fire Nation patrol from looking at Aang. (Y/n) was behind them, letting Aang cling to the back of her blue tunic, his face pressed to her back.
"What are you kids doing out past curfew?" One guard snapped.
Katara winced, her voice turning mellow. "Sorry. We were just on our way home."
They turned away, and (Y/n) discreetly tossed a tall, straw hat over Aang's head, Katara beside him to shield him from the guards, and Sokka pushing behind her quietly.
Oh, if he only knew how shaky her knees suddenly became.
"Wait!" A guard shouted. They all froze, turning around with terror as the guards scrutinized Sokka. "What's the matter with him?"
Katara pursed her lips. "Uh...he has pentapox, sir."
The first guard's eyes narrowed, and he approached Sokka, who was trying to back away.
As he stretched out his hand, (Y/n) blurted, "which is highly contagious!"
The guard pulled back. When (Y/n) nudged Sokka with a sneaky smile, it was like their connection was back. Nothing brought those two together like some old-fashioned mischief.
In a zombie-like fashion, Sokka raised his hands. "Uhhh," he groaned loudly, lurching forward. "It's so awful...I'm dyiiiing..."
"Deadly, too," (Y/n) whispered conspiratorially, shrieking when Sokka pranced towards her.
Aang and Katara were watching with amusement as Sokka clawed at her without hurting her. One finger was dangerously close to her eye.
"Tone it down before I kick you," she whispered.
"Sorry," he drawled back, swiping at her again.
When she was covered by his body from the view of the guards, she grinned and pushed him with a dramatic cry, half-laughing as he lurched towards the guards.
They backed away in panic as the first guard squeaked. "Wait, I think I've heard of pentapox. Didn't your cousin Chang die of it?"
Oh, Sokka knew how to sell the show. He coughed and spat near them and one of them gagged loudly.
"We'd better go wash our hands...and burn our clothes!"
They sped away like rabbits.
Sokka waited till the patrol was out of sight before he straightened up and spread his arms. "Am I the best actor or what?" He winked at (Y/n). "Couldn't do it without the damsel in distress, too."
Her cheeks turned red and she huffed a breath. "It would've been nicer if you weren't trying to claw my eyes out."
Aang, ever the peacekeeper, broke up the upcoming argument, and rubbed the head of the pentapus in his hand. "Thank you, sewer friend!"
"Right, the pentapus did all the work," Sokka complained.
They began creeping forward again through the city, approaching the large, stone-wall palace.
(Y/n) remained quiet. In her head, she wondered if it was her destiny to become the brooding female character, but she didn't want to. She wanted to be happy.
She wanted to be happy with Sokka.
After their kiss, Sokka was horrified. So why was he acting like it never happened? Like things were okay with them when they clearly weren't?
It just bugged her that he wouldn't talk about it. It bugged her even more because she was too much of a coward to say anything back.
She buried her feelings as they approached construction material. The hair on her arms stood up and she silently pointed to the large scaffolding, where the kids took cover behind.
It was instinct to follow her lead; they understood her signals and trusted it because she usually helped avoid confrontations.
A patrol of three guards passed by their hiding spot. Once they turned the corner, Katara whispered, "Let's find Bumi and get out of here."
"Where would they be keeping him?"
"Somewhere he can't earthbend." Aang looked around, eyes narrowed. "Somewhere made of metal."
(Y/n) beckoned for them to move forward. Quietly they inched around the side of the building, coming to view the famous chutes up above. (Y/n) squinted in the dim lighting, spotting figures walking at the ends of the chutes.
Her mind took some time to bring up the memory of this incident.
What was going to happen here? Something was going to...
Her gut wasn't tugging, so it meant that the show was on its proper course. She just needed to recall what happened—oh, what was Aang doing now?
(Y/n) stared up as rocks hurtled down the chute towards the figures. Right, Mai! She could see the tall, dark-haired girl properly now. That was Mai's family.
Aang had been horrified at the thought of a family being crushed under the rocks, and in his compassionate nature, he failed to notice that they were wearing Fire Nation clothes. He had barreled forward, throwing up his hands, which pulverized the rocks into a shower of pebbles that passed over his head.
As the dust cleared, the family stared at the GAang in terror. The GAng stared back, just as horrified.
Sokka's breath hitched, a beautiful sound if (Y/n) ever heard. If only it had come because of her, rather than the thought of being caught.
Oh, dirty thoughts, that's a new one.
(Y/n)'s body took off without her mind caught up on the agenda. She was already shoving Katara behind her and running to pull Aang away as the governor's wife pointed at him.
"The resistance!"
"Aang, move!" (Y/n) yelled as she yanked his sleeve and pushed him to run with the others. She could already spot the growing smile on Mai's face, and she knew Mai loved the chase.
Spreading her arms out sent a hail of small arrows towards the group, and (Y/n) managed to dodge them at the tail of the group. She spotted soldiers climbing up ladders from the plaza to pursue them.
An arrow whizzed past her ear, almost nicking it if she hadn't ducked. The arrow heads thunked against the construction material behind them sickeningly.
The thought of it being lodged in any of them scared her.
Then again, being struck with a sharp arrowhead flung by an expert, covert female assassin/knife thrower was a wonderful way to end her life.
(Y/n) felt her instincts scream at her for a split second, and it made her blood run cold. She couldn't see much in the dark, but she could tell that another volley of blades was coming their way.
Something flew by her shoulder, tearing the blue cloth of the tunic she was wearing, and (Y/n) gasped, pumping her legs faster around the corner with the others.
The soldiers above the plaza were running, their bows trained on (Y/n), but she managed to make it around the corner before an arrow hit just where she had been.
She saw Katara stopping, swiveling around to shout, "duck!"
The water whip Katara summoned snapped and sent the guards above to crash down, but that hadn't hindered Mai who was hot on their heels.
So, they made a stand.
Katara shot forward first as (Y/n) breathed long and hard to recover from the running spiel, nearly collapsing to her knees. Her vision turned blurry for a second.
Mai was a work of art when she fought. With long nails painted black, silver blades tucked between each finger, her dark hair shone as she released blades, intercepted hurriedly by a wall of ice from Katara. Her face was passive, only the hint of a smirk on her lips.
She was enjoying this.
After providing defense, Katara backed away to let Aang and (Y/n) take over as Sokka scoured for a way out. (Y/n) wheezed, wondering why she was feeling so lethargic. Then, she felt it.
She reached up to pat at her stinging shoulder, and her fingers touched thick liquid, and then sharp metal.
Ah, fuck, she'd been hit with the blade and it was still buried in her shoulder. The thought of it made her queasy and she fought back the sharp pain. Her tunic was slowly becoming cold and wet against her back with the blood.
"(Y/n)," Aang shouted as he narrowly dodged a blade. "What—" he turned back for a split second, seeing the distant look in (Y/n)'s eyes before he released a burst of air that sent scaffolding crashing down between them and Mai.
"I found a way!" Sokka announced as he prised open a manhole lid. He dropped down first and Katara followed.
(Y/n) stumbled over to the lid, grappling around the metal rim, but everything was so unsteady - the ground was moving and her fingers were struggling to find purchase.
She could faintly hear someone calling her name and she rolled on her back, but then the sharp pain shot down her spine and she jolted.
She felt hands grip her, and by the spirits, she thought she heard someone scream. (Y/n) blinked a few times to see Aang above her, looking so worried.
"Stop moving!" He panicked.
"Someone..." she drawled. A large wind blew through her and cooled her wound, but then it was gone and she felt humid and sticky. "Screaming."
"That was you, (Y/n)."
Why was she screaming?
"Oh, spirits, what happened to her?" Someone barked.
"Stabbed." Aang huffed. "So heavy."
(Y/n) shifted and grunted in pain as Aang handed her to someone else, warm arms encasing her. Familiar arms that made her heart tug.
Then, her blurry vision went dark.
***
That fucking hurt. Why the fuck was her body burning and numb at the same time? Why couldn't she see?
Little by little, (Y/n) breathed. Her mind forced her to stay calm, to not panic, to not move.
Wait a second. This was exactly like how she had appeared on Zuko's ship all those months back.
Was she finally home? Could she finally see her parents and friends again? If she could open her eyes, her questions would've been answered, but moving gave her a headache and she knew she needed to wait.
She couldn't wait to be back and eat home food and see her parents again. She would hug the life out of them.
Finally, when the incessant throbbing of her head faded, (Y/n) forced her eyes open. It was dark.
Okay, so maybe she was in her room at night.
Blinking several times, (Y/n) felt for her limbs. Her toes curled at her will. Great. Good progress.
Next, she moved her foot and that worked well. Excellent.
Sucking in a deep breath, (Y/n) lifted her knees, bringing it slowly to her chest. It was a bit shaky, but it worked.
Her fingers were next. Her left hand worked, but her right hand shot streaks of pain up her shoulder and neck. (Y/n) hissed through gritted teeth, inhaling before trying again.
A sharp jerk made her cry out. Okay, right hand was out of commission.
(Y/n) forced herself to slowly sit up, groaning at her headache. Rubbing her temple, she realized she could see properly, and that she was on a makeshift bed on the dirty ground, inside a ratty, olive-green tent.
Her heart stung. She wasn't home after all. She was still in this universe, in a cursed body and in a massive amount of pain.
Her eyes welled up with tears and before she knew it, she was crying into her folded-up knees, the sobs that wracked her body making her wound throb.
Her gut suddenly tugged, and it snapped her out of it. She knew she had to get up and figure out the cause, but (Y/n) didn't fucking care.
She didn't care about this stupid universe that demanded so much from her, only to spit back in her face when she needed help and comfort.
In the end, she was alone here, with no one to understand where she came from and what she wanted. (Y/n) kept her mouth closed to cry quietly, but her throat swelled up and she curled up on her side, whimpering.
"... (Y/n)?"
(Y/n) went still. There were footsteps, and someone was sitting by her back, rubbing her arm. She hissed and pulled away. "Don't."
"Sorry," Aang said softly.
She just hummed. She was sure her voice would fail her if she tried speaking. So, she settled for crying silently as Aang pursed his lips.
She waited for him to leave. But he didn't.
"Sokka was worried about you and Katara didn't want to heal your arm with waterbending until we got fresher water, because you should've seen what the Resistance was drinking. It was disgusting."
Aang watched over her, gauging her reaction, but all she did was stay quiet. "Is it okay if I keep talking? I promise I won't ask about your feelings if you don't want me to."
(Y/n) paused. She couldn't believe Aang was so understanding, and with her mind still feeling like it was wading through a fog, she nodded.
While he explained their situation - that Bumi had surrendered, and that the Resistance was trying to fight back, (Y/n) had gradually shifted so she faced Aang, the lighting from outside casting him dull and downcast.
"I just don't know why Bumi would give up so easily."
(Y/n) frowned, trying to recollect the events of that episode.
Live to fight another day.
"Has Bumi ever been...unreasonable?"
"What do you mean?" Aang asked, confused.
"King Bumi has lasted this long against the Fire Nation for one reason, Aang. He's clever. He's bound to have a back-up plan. Plus he's one of the greatest earth-benders there is." She sat up and gently clapped him on the back. "Nonetheless, we're going to search for him, okay? You can ask him then."
Aang nestled his head on her shoulder. "Thanks, (Y/n). You always know the right thing to say."
"Yeah, I'm awesome that way - now please get off my fucking shoulder. It hurts."
He hurriedly apologized and got off before he tilted his head at her. "Fuc-king? What's that?"
Holy fuck, if she kept cursing like that, she'd been the reason the entire ATLA universe knew the word 'fuck.'
Her cheeks turned red at his innocence. "Uh...it means..." shit, shit, SHIT! "Extremely."
Oh, way to go, you stupid, stupid, idiot.
Thankfully, Aang shrugged it off. "I'm trying to convince the Resistance to fight another day, but the bigger issue is how to sneak thousands of people out of the gates."
(Y/n) sighed. That was the gut tugging, wasn't it? Sokka didn't come up with the idea. She opened her mouth.
From outside came Sokka calling, "Aang! Hey, Aang! I figured out our problem!" He barged into the tent, saw them, and paused. "Oh. Was I interrupting?"
"No," Aang replied cheerily. "We're okay now, right?"
(Y/n) could've sworn her eyes were blood-red and her cheeks were blotchy, but she smiled back nonetheless. "Yeah. We're okay."
Katara barged in just as loudly as her brother had, a bucket in hand that clanged against her belt. A look of relief spread over her as she saw (Y/n) sitting, but then her eyes darted to Sokka, who had fixed a scrutinizing gaze on her that made (Y/n) feel naked.
His fingers were twitching. Brows furrowed and lip caught between his teeth, before he released it with a pop. His gaze didn't waver from her. "What's the rush, Katara?"
An uneasy look spread over her face as she looked between the elder teens before gesturing to the bucket. "Got clean water."
(Y/n) sucked in a breath. "Oh, thank the spirits. I can't lose an arm, too."
"Scared I'll come up with better jokes?"
"I'm guessing you already have one."
Sokka's lips twitched up for a second and (Y/n) waited eagerly for him to dissipate the tension, but he just snorted. "I'll save it for when you do lose an arm."
"When?" (Y/n) scowled back, but it was playful.
But Sokka didn't reply yet again. He was purposely not taking the bait.
Katara ushered Aang and Sokka out. "I need to remove her bandage."
"Brief me on the plan later?" (Y/n) asked.
She was reaching out, hoping Sokka would meet her halfway.
And for a moment, Sokka's eyes softened. But then he blinked, and that intense look was washed away, leaving (Y/n) with a pit of desperation in her gut. Sokka offered a wry smile.
Forced, she realized.
"Katara knows it. She'll tell ya," Sokka replied, thumb pointing behind him. "Gotta get the troops ready."
He didn't even say goodbye.
Aang looked balefully after him, eyes narrowing. He bid a 'see you later' before stomping after Sokka.
(Y/n) didn't realize she was holding her breath until she slumped over her knees, her heart clenching.
Maybe she was just being dramatic - it was probably just her shoulder making her feel horrible. But when Katara slowly removed the bandage and put the healing water over her bloody back, the cooling effect did nothing to quench the way her gut roiled, or the sudden clump in her throat.
Katara inhaled softly, and (Y/n) tensed. She knew what was coming. Katara would call him a jerk and murmur about how he was back to his old ways.
"Aang had to air-bend Sokka away from the tent so that I could bandage you properly."
(Y/n) blinked at her. "What?"
Katara used one hand to heal her slowly, the wound already less painful than it had been a couple minutes back. Her head had stopped aching. "When Aang brought you down the sewer and Sokka saw you almost unconscious... let's just say I never saw him like that in my life."
(Y/n) remained silent. That didn't explain his sudden distance. Sure, after the cave incident, he might've been less playful and more awkward, but this had escalated.
"It was worse than when Aang had accidentally burned you. Sokka pretty much grabbed you from Aang and ran all the way here. And when I had to bandage you, I needed to send him out because he wouldn't let go of you. Sokka cried."
Sokka cried? Over a stab wound?
"Well, yeah. He'd call them manly tears, but there... there was blood everywhere. It didn't help that when I removed the blade, more blood came out. I felt like crying, too."
Oh, she had said that out loud.
Katara sighed. "I'm surprised you didn't wake up when he threw a tantrum."
"Sokka always throws a tantrum." (Y/n) joked.
She was met with a dead-serious expression from Katara. "All his other tantrums didn't compare to this. Aang had to drag him out and air-bend to keep him away. Sokka finally calmed down and went off somewhere. He came back like half an hour ago. Never seen his eyes that red."
(Y/n) felt a twinge of guilt. "I didn't know. Then why is he acting so..."
"Harsh? Distant?" Katara sighed, facing her back again. (Y/n) could feel her arm again. "He thought you had died - so dramatic. Maybe he's acting that way because he doesn't know how to handle it?"
Huh. That was a sort of acceptable reason. She supposed she also wouldn't know how to act if he looked like he was dying. (Y/n) did know that she would've hugged the life out of him.
His body would be warm and firm, pressed fully to his as his wiry arms curled around her waist, a soft laugh leaving him. Then (Y/n) would pull back and stare at his eyes like it was the oceans itself, and then press her lips to his gentle mouth—
Spirits, that cave incident really did a number on her.
"You like him?"
"It's obvious, Katara."
"Then just wait for him," she replied. "I know it's unfair on you, but honestly, Sokka needs time. He'll come around; he always does. If you're willing, just wait."
(Y/n) pressed her hands to her eyes. She needed to stop talking before she sobbed again. "What was his plan?"
"Oh, he figured out how to get everyone out of the city."
If that wasn't the reason for her previous gut-tugging, then... (Y/n) groaned internally. Would she have no peace of mind?
"Something to do with faking a pentapox epidemic."
Just wonderful.
***
Sokka was surrounded by all the members of the underground rebellion, listening to him like he was their leader.
(Y/n) wished he looked at her, even just for a simple confirmation of something small or insignificant.
Was she being too sensitive?
She took a few calming breaths to clear her mind and rested on Katara's shoulder, the younger girl propping her with an arm slung around her waist, sometimes prodding when she realized (Y/n) was drifting in her thoughts.
Katara was the best friend. Perfect height, too, to lean on.
"The marks make ya look sick, but you gotta act sick, too. Ya gotta sell it!" Sokka announced.
An old man walked between Sokka and the crowd, groaning pathetically and holding a hand to his aching back. Before he could walk past, Sokka threw an arm around his shoulder like he knew him for years.
"Now that's what I'm talkin' about."
The old man tapped his cane on the ground and grinned crookedly. "Years of practice."
Sometimes, (Y/n) loved this universe.
Sokka led the ground in a procession, the people groaning like zombies, some dramatically falling to the stone ground only to crawl back up in their act.
Katara and (Y/n) were at the back. (Y/n) noticed Aang slinking away in the darkness. "Hey, Aang!"
"Aang, what are you doing?" Katara asked. "Aren't you coming with us?"
Aang turned on his heel, his baby face serious. "No. I'm not leaving until I find Bumi." Momo leaped into his shoulder, but Aang put him doing with an apology. Immediately, the flying lemur scrambled up (Y/n)'s shoulder, ignoring the way she hissed at her tender shoulder.
And then Aang left, too. Katara softly sighed before they walked back with the group.
"He'll be okay," (Y/n) mumbled. She'd know first-hand.
Katara's brows furrowed, her sharp blue eyes shining orange in the fire lamps along the street. "I can never understand how you say things with such conviction."
(Y/n) chuckled. "It's like my Master always says—" she stopped walking, eyes wide in horror. "Master! Oh, my spirits, I forgot to find my Master!" She was about to pull away when Katara grabbed her.
"Wait! Just, wait, (Y/n)!" Katara said. "He wasn't part of the rebellion, was he?"
(Y/n) would've spotted him if he was. No, she was certain her a Master would have another fate. She needed to find him immediately.
But Katara wasn't having any of it; she managed to talk her out of it only because (Y/n) herself was unsure what to do by herself. Plus, she was still sore and exhausted. Her Master would be able to take care of himself. He was a learned and experienced man. He would be fine, right?
She knew she was lying to herself. (Y/n) didn't move, and she also realized that she didn't feel strongly for her teacher. Because he wasn't exactly her teacher. He was Kim's.
And she was still a traitor.
(Y/n) felt a sudden lightness of her shoulder, and when she wracked her brain for the reason, she realized that Momo was gone.
Drat that creature! She should've stopped him from flying away. Now they were going to have a baby crisis on their hands.
You know what? Let Sokka deal with that shit. He's going to hate every second of it.
The Omashu citizens were allowed out of the city by panicked Fire Nation soldiers. Aang had returned as well, with Bumi's weird hybrid rabbit-bear-animal thing called Flopsie.
(Y/n) wasn't too keen on going near the drooling, sniffing creature at the moment. Instead, she was looked for a place to rest for the night in the makeshift camp, with her eyes slowly closing every time she stood still.
She was sitting between Sokka and Katara around the fire, her limbs getting heavy. She didn't realize she leaned on Sokka as she drifted off to sleep.
*
Sokka was frozen stiff at the girl on his lap, his hands hovering over her head. When he looked to Katara, she was pointedly glaring at him. "What?"
"You're being horrible to her," Katara hissed. "The last thing she needed after getting stabbed was for you to be a jerk."
Slowly, he carded his fingers through (Y/n)'s hair, his heart racing when she hummed softy. Spirits, she looked super cute. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.
"Just stop being so distant," Aang piped in, leaning over to tickle a leaf against (Y/n)'s ear. Sokka swatted him away. "She kinda looks up to you for support."
Sokka didn't completely agree with that. On her own, (Y/n) was a formidable force. He needed her help most of the time. But when they had kissed in the cave, Sokka had felt like he couldn't breathe, like sucking in one single breath could snap whatever dream he was in.
Because she was kissing him and tugging him closer to her like he was her lifeline. He knew she cared. He just didn't think she needed him just as much as he needed her.
Aang's eyes grew wide. "You guys kissed?!"
Sokka's head snapped up, mouth agape. He had said that aloud?!
Katara was equally shocked, rubbing her face as if she wanted to scrub her eyes out. "Wait, wait— just wait... hold on one second..."
Oh, no, Katara was doing the eyebrow thing. Where they scrunched up and her eyes would be squinty as her thoughts tried to form an upcoming scolding. It was her Mom-Mode.
"You're telling me you kissed (Y/n)—"
"Technically, she kissed me first—"
"—and when she got stabbed, you decided to leave her alone?!"
Sokka was trying to keep their voices down, even as his hands were shaking along (Y/n)'s hair. "Aang air-bended me away!" He knew it was as pathetic of an excuse as they came.
"That's fucking bad of you," Aang hissed. His friends shot him strange looks, and he muttered, "means 'extremely'. (Y/n) taught me."
Sokka huffed softly. The only thing that ket him from running from the conversation was (Y/n)'s head on his lap, and he felt like he could brush her hair forever.
It was clumped and he was pretty sure dried blood was caked in the strands, but she looked peaceful, and he wished that it had been him who gave her that soft, serene expression.
Instead, all he had was the way she was staring at him hopefully, extending her olive branch when their relationship got rocky... and then the way her eyes became dark and sorrowful when Sokka ignored it.
Yeah, that's gonna haunt him.
The Resistance Leader stumbled up to them, a troubled expression on his face. "We've got a problem. We just did a head count."
"Oh no. Did someone get left behind?"
"No," he pointed to the right grimly. "We have an extra."
A loud screech startled them, so pricking that (Y/n) stumbled up to a crouching position, hands out to strike even as her eyes were closed. There was the headache back and the gut tug, but that was nothing compared to the way she felt when she blinked her eyes open to see an amused Sokka.
He...he was smiling?
(Y/n) opened her mouth to speak before the screech sounded again. She found the source relatively easy, considering Momo was crawling towards them, a happy baby attached to his neck. Her shoulders dropped. "Oh, no."
The baby didn't get the memo that he was Fire Nation, because he didn't care as people eyed him uneasily. Instead, he just tottered over and picked up Sokka's abandoned club, teething on it.
Sokka grabbed it away, scowling. "No! Bad Fire Nation baby!"
The baby stared at him for a second before tears welled up and he started wailing. Katara smacked her brother's head, glaring.
"Oh...alright." He gave the club back and the baby happily quietened with his new toy.
Katara immediately cooed at the baby, hugging him.
The resistance leader across them looked disgruntled. "Sure, he's cute now, but when he's older, he'll join the Fire Nation army. You won't think he's so cute then. He'll be a killer."
Katara held up the chubby baby. "Does that look like the face of a killer to you?"
(Y/n) flopped back down, thankful for the lack of pain in her shoulder. Katara really did wonders. When she looked up, Aang was stared at her cheekily, grinning like he knew something she didn't.
When she quirked a brow, Aang just clicked his tongue and his eyes darted to Sokka, who was slowly playing with the baby's fingers.
(Y/n) frowned. Sokka? What's he got to do with anything?
He did look cute with the baby, though.
Before she could continue her silent conversation with Aang, a hawk swooped in a screeched. They retrieved a scroll from the foot of the hawk and unraveled it to reveal a message from the Governor, demanding his son back.
In exchange for King Bumi.
***
"You realize we're probably walking right into a trap?"
"Yep," (Y/n) replied, fully stretched and warmed up. They were in the assigned meeting spot, waiting for Fire Nation to show up with the King. She knew it wouldn't happen.
Aang wasn't on board. "I don't think so. I'm sure the Governor wants his son back as much as we want Bumi. It's a new day. I have a good feeling about this."
(Y/n) sighed. "Gotta give you some advice, Aang. When things go smoothly, it means it was just a distraction for something worse."
Katara gave her strange look. "I'm not sure I like this pessimistic, broody (Y/n)."
"You and me both."
Sokka, who was cradling the baby, shot (Y/n) a worried look.
And then Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai showed up on the platform, a crane from above creaking to lower a coffin suspended by a metal chain.
Inside, King Bumi was laughing and cackling, only his head visible. "Hi, everybody!"
"You brought my brother?" Mai asked.
"He's here. We're ready to trade."
And then Azula grinned that dark, twisted smiler that would haunt (Y/n) for days. "I'm sorry, but a thought just occurred to me. Do you mind?"
"Not really," (Y/n) mumbled to herself. The fight would go on anyway.
Instead, her gut tugged. Interesting, so what was the issue? What did she have to make right?
Mai turned to Azula, her stare as blank as always. "Of course not, Princess Azula."
Azula smirked, stepping up. "We're trading a two-year-old for a king. A powerful, earthbending king." King Bumi just hummed in agreement. "It just doesn't seem like a fair trade, does it?"
Mai's gaze flickered to the baby in Sokka's arms, and then she sidled by Azula. "You're right. The deal's off." She raised her hand and Bumi was lifted back up.
The king whooped and bid them goodbye cheerily.
Aang hesitated, caught between Azula and Bumi.
(Y/n) stepped forward, brandishing a metal chain, swinging it in her hands. "Go after Bumi, now!" She narrowed her eyes at Mai. If she got stabbed one more time, (Y/n) would officially lose her shit. "I've got Mai."
Aang rushed towards the trio. Azula zapped a stream of white-hot fire at Aang, who leaped high in the air to avoid it. He used his glider to fly in the air, but in the process, his straw hat had flown off, revealing his tattoos. It seemed Azula recognized him as the Avatar and was quick to chase him.
Mai and Ty Lee charged at the others. Sokka was shoved behind with the baby, his boomerang out. He quickly blew on the bison whistle as the girls clashed.
Several blades extended from Mai's right hand, and (Y/n) sprung into action, using the metal chain to whip away the blades before it hit them, and then began snapping it at Mai's feet viciously.
Katara used her water-bending to smash against a distracted Mai to knock her down. "We've got to get the baby out of here!"
Sokka grinned. "Way ahead of ya!" The baby grabbed the whistle.
(Y/n) began running ahead, purposely kicking a downed Mai. Call her petty, (Y/n) didn't like being stabbed. "Come on, Pacifier, get a move on!"
The siblings followed her down the platform. (Y/n) eyed the end of it, but then there was a cracking sound underneath her and something hit her foot. She went sprawling down with a squeak, instincts kicking in as she barrel-rolled, but landing on her feet was an issue as she couldn't feel her right foot anymore.
Looking back, she saw Ty Lee vault out from underneath the platform, lips curled into a pretty smile. She stood between (Y/n) and the Water Tribe siblings.
(Y/n) steadied herself on one foot, growling. "Bitch, what the f—" she bit back the string of curses, trying her hardest to clear her mind and get the feeling to her feet back. She had trained for this shit.
Oh, well, now she knew what it felt like to be chi-blocked, and under the fucking foot no less.
And you know what? She fucking hated it. This just wasn't her day, was it? Stabbed, shunned, now chi-blocked.
She charged at Ty Lee, who, with one swipe of her leg, sent (Y/n) falling on her back with a groan.
"(Y/n)!" Sokka shouted.
The girl felt another growl rumble from the back of her throat. She whipped herself up and fumbled on one leg, eyes narrowed at Ty Lee.
Ty Lee suddenly dropped her arms, thin brows knitting. "Kim? Is that you?"
Bewilderment hit her like a freight train. Who was Ki—oh, wait, she was Kim. (Y/n) heard the siblings whisper in confusion and felt suddenly dizzy.
Flashes of red uniforms, learning how to chi-block, laughing with Ty Lee as they sat together near a fountain. When she looked around, she realized she was in the Fire Nation, in the palace of the Fire Lord Ozai.
Peeking from behind blood red curtains into a room lined with fire, Fire Lord Ozai sat at the throne, speaking to two subjects whose backs were turned to (Y/n).
"Yes, Fire Lord," the male said. His dark hair was pinned up in the warrior's bun. "She's the best shot at taking Omashu down. It will take time, but we believe she can do it."
The Fire Lord's voice tumbled along the walls of the room, sending a shiver down her spine. "And you're willing to give up your daughter for this? What if she gets caught?"
The woman—her mother—said, "she's a warrior first. She will do what needs to be done, and if she dies, her sacrifice is for the glory of the Fire Nation."
(Y/n), or Kim as she was called, felt trepidation. She remembered curling up in her bed the whole night, eyes wide open as if her parents would drag her out and send her away.
But they need not have to, because dawn arrived with her compliance.
She dressed up and followed a soldier out—her parents didn't even say goodbye after last night. And then she was sent to the Earth Kingdom. At nine years old.
Her parents didn't love her. They had sent her on a suicide mission.
(Y/n) rocketed back to her mind just as Ty Lee struck her in the arm, sending a numbness up her shoulder. She hissed and leaped away, and then she felt rage clawing up her like a monster, tearing at her seams.
With a roar and a slash of her arm, Ty Lee was thrown back against a stone block, her back thudding, echoing in their makeshift battleground.
(Y/n) sucked in a breath and stared at her friends, who looked at her with pinched brows and terrified eyes. "We have to go, now!"
A blade zipped by her skull and oh, (Y/n) almost lost her teeth with the force she gnashed it. Katara sent out a whip in an unsteady move that had Mai dodging.
(Y/n) bolted forward, letting Sokka run clear. She dodged the next three blades, one that had grazed her leg, but she paid no heed to the stinging.
She launched herself at Mai. Lunged would be a better word, because there was no tactic to her movements, and instead both girls were sent into a tangle of flurried actions with blades and fingers.
A loud yelp distracted (Y/n), and then she was thrown off Mai. She pushed her weary body up, forcing herself to concentrate until she could properly feel her arm again, the blood flowing through better.
Ty Lee had struck Katara in their fight, and Mai stared at Katara, a tiny smirk on her thin lips. "How are you gonna fight without your bending?"
She pulled out another blade, and just when she was letting it loose, Sokka's boomerang smacked her over the head and sent her down.
The boomerang returned to Sokka, who caught it, baby and all. "I seem to manage!" He cheered.
Appa swooped in, ever the savior of the day, and the kids quickly clambered on, leaving behind Mai and Ty Lee. Appa's thick tail smashed the platform, creating a huge hole that had them drop.
(Y/n) staggered to a corner of the saddle, the corner she had dubbed, "brooding corner," and slumped down, sucking in harsh breaths and trying so hard to keep her usual composure.
This entire day had taken her on a ride much more strenuous than the Omashu mail delivery system Aang had found great joy in.
Speak of the little devil. "There's Aang!" Katara shouted.
Aang quickly took the baby and returned him to his parents, and swiftly came back to the saddle just as they exited Omashu.
(Y/n) felt herself watching everything as if she was far away - like her body wasn't her own. Sokka himself looked worried from where he was steering Appa.
Aang and Katara tried to approach her, but (Y/n) had backed away from them, whispering, "come back later. Not now. Just not now, please."
Her voice was shaky and raw, and it felt like she was breaking on the inside.
Katara and Aang became more worried, and glanced at Sokka for help.
Sokka got up quietly, handing the reins to Aang. He sat beside (Y/n), as close as possible without her moving away, and kept her company. He kept quiet and ran his fingers running along his boomerang as he waited for her.
(Y/n) didn't want him to wait. She didn't know what she wanted. She had been hit too many times in the past day. She didn't want it again.
She wasn't crying, but she wished she was, because maybe then she would want to receive comfort. But she didn't.
Unwanted. A warrior for the Fire Nation.
A sacrifice.