Our quest
It was a hot summer day. The temperature was amplified by the fires that were still roaming through the village that had been attacked. Wan and Raava had arrived there a day ago to stop the hostilities. The attackers were a small bunch, and yet it had taken all of Wan and Raava's combined strength to quell their anger. Their fusion hadn't lasted long, as it drained Wan's psychical strength considerably every time they bonded together. Now they were separate once more. Wan was using his waterbending skills to put out the remaining fires. For her part, Raava was floating around, searching for wounded villagers. For the most part, the villagers seemed to be in good health. They had arrived in time. This made Raava glad. As she was done with her round, she was floating back to Wan when she heard some villagers talk. She remained hidden behind the corner of a house, where she could listen to the conversation.
A large man was talking to a crowd of villagers. "How can we thank them?" One of the women replied jokingly: "Maybe one of us should marry him." Another woman shook her head and said: "I hear he and the spirit he travels with are an item." This caused a small uproar in the crowd, as many emitted gasps and other sounds of disbelief.
The crowd continued their chat, but Raava had heard enough. She slipped away and headed towards the place where she had left Wan. To imply such a thing...Although now that she thought of it, Wan seemed old enough on human standards to already have a family. And yet, he was with Raava. He had chosen their quest instead of family life. Was he content? She needed him. Their quest was the most important thing in the World. There was no doubt about it. But would he rather abandon it and choose a mate for himself, produce a number of young ones and live an ordinary life?
As Wan saw her, his face lit up. "We did it, Raava", he said as his arm stretched out to caress her spirit body. "Yes", she replied. There was little else to say.
Whatever the villagers had decided on, the only thanks Wan accepted was their gratitude. They didn't stay for another night, as they needed to hurry to another place. Another village, another city. They all needed their help.
They, or rather, Wan set up a camp for the night near a lake. He gathered some wood, and lit them using his firebending even though they were damp. They hadn't shared a single word since leaving the village. They had known each other for so long that they were used to long silent moments between them, but Wan sensed that this time was different from the other times. Raava's energy seemed different. Wan could always tell when there was something on her mind. But, as usual, Wan didn't make the first move. He knew she was thinking about something, and he also knew that she would tell him when she was ready.
Like now. "Wan." As she spoke, a block of wood cracked in the fire. She would have winced if she had a face. "Do you feel that...travelling with me...you have missed out on...human experiences?" She tried to be as delicate as possible about approaching the matter. She didn't know what to do. Their quest was important. More than important, essential. There was no way around it. But Wan, and his happiness, were important too. Could she tell him to give up his human life? Could she tell him not to?
Wan chuckled. "What human experiences?"
So much for delicate, then.
"I know little about humans and their biology, but I believe you have grown since we two met."
"Yes, I was little more than a kid when I first saw you."
"Are you now...an adult?" Why was this so hard? Usually Wan was so pleasant to talk to.
"Yes. What about it?" Wan seemed a bit more tense than usual. He wasn't angry, but for some reason he seemed apprehensive about their topic of conversation.
"Should you have a family by now?" Raava finally asked.
At first, Wan seemed to wonder whether he had heard correctly. Then he gave out a short laugh. "Oh, Raava. This is your best one yet."
"Wan," Raava spoke. Wan grew serious. "I want you to stay by my side. I want to fight for good in this world, and I believe the best way I can do that is with you. You have proven yourself to be a most courageous and noble man. But if you would rather find some human to settle down with, I will try to understand."
"Raava", Wan uttered. He seemed shaken by her words.
"You have wonderful qualities, both as a bender and as a human, and I'm sure many would gladly have you."
Raava noticed Wan's eyes seemed moist. In humans, Raava remembered, it indicated sadness. "So it is true then? You want to find a human?"
"No." Wan stretched out his arms, and Raava floated in his arms. She used the extremities of her spirit body to wipe away his tears. He drew her into an awkward embrace. He then withdrew from her. "I will never find a human I will hold as dear...as I hold you."
"Wan...!"
"We are of different species, and we cannot physically bond. I know that. And yet...you are my companion. My mate. You inspire me to do good, to dream of a better world. You lecture me when I'm wrong. When you enter my body and we fight as one, I feel complete. Like I was meant to find you." Wan smiled at her and Raava felt soothed by his love and warmth. This was enough. For both of them.