I Don't Own Avatar the last Airbender

Rina's POV

I was super uncomfortable with all this and also very confused, the man was a firebender, the enemy of the entire world. And yet, as I sneaked another look over at the man, he just still had that lazy smile on his face as he looked out at the three kids playing around with each other. Buo and Bahi, I think those were the kids names, apparently they were his kids, but that just didn't seem right.

I knew they weren't related, me sticking my foot in my mouth showed that to me in vivid detail, something that I still felt way to embarrassed about. And I understood the concept of adoption, back in the village I knew some families that took in kids when their parents died, usually from the war. From the looks of things he seemed to have done the same, and yet it just didn't mesh right.

He looked so young, he couldn't be that much older than me actually, maybe four or five years, which sure sounded like a lot but it wasn't really. Even with the unkempt and slightly messy black mess of a beard on his face, it just seemed like he was to young to act like an adult, and yet. As I looked over and watched as a fond smile bloomed over his face as he watched as Bahi, I think, flailed about a bit, I couldn't help be reminded starkly of my own dad, it was a vague memory, he had died years ago now, Ran doesn't even remember him, but I still remember some things, the smiles, the head ruffles, the teasing.

But he was the enemy, right? He was a firebender, that was the definition of enemy right? So why was this so confusing. I had attacked him, sure it was lackluster, as I wasn't really that good at waterbending, but I still attacked him. And I thought he had killed me, the massive blast of flames and filled my vision and I thought, for just a moment that I had killed us, that all I was trying to do to protect my little brother, the only person I had left, and I ended up being our deaths.

But instead all that happened was he just held his hands up, like I was the threat, like he couldn't kill both of us if he had just aimed a bit more lower, or pushed the fire a bit more forwards. It had knocked me off balance, and I tried and mostly just blurted out the first thing that came to mind as we talked, and I ended up saying some of the stupidest stuff because of it, and yet he just laughed it off.

I had never seen a firebender laugh before, or even smile, it's always been hateful scowls or shouting from them, nothing like this. It uncentered me enough that when he asked if we wanted to get something to eat, and when Ran eagerly looked at me, all I could really do was basically just nod dumbly, stutter a yes, and follow him as he walked while Ran, the innocent kid he was, just started blabbering on about the most random of things. A number of which the man laughed or commented on.

After a while he had introduced himself like he had just forgotten to do it, Sho, that was his name. It wasn't very foreign, I think I've met a Sho or two before but they had been fishermen, nothing like this guy. And when we got back he introduced us to another adult, this one looking at least a bit older than Sho, her name was apparently Inaru, which was a lot more foreign and clearly a bit more Fire Nation like. I think, I don't really know many people from the Fire Nation.

Still, I kept my eye on her and after a while she seemed to notice and cam over to talk, well, it wasn't really like we talked, more like she talked and I just had to listen as I had no idea what to do, to busy freaking out about her noticing and me suddenly having to socialize, something that really wasn't my strong suit. So I just nodded along and tried to act like I was being engaging or something like that. I don't really know what goes on in back and forth conversations. It's mostly just been people talking to me.

But I listened and still tried to do my best to talk back, I don't know how well it worked but at least I learned a few things. Sho, he was Inaru's friend from back in their childhood, which told me she too was Fire Nation. It made it so much harder to concentrate on anything but that. She seemed to sweet to be apart of that nation. It, just... none of it made any sense.

A while later, after Inaru had left, while I was lost in thought, just considering why out of everyone they these seemed to not fit the mold, I noticed out of the corner of my eye as Sho, with a hint of an absent glint in his eyes reached down into the pot that I saw was currently filled with water bubbling along happily over the fire pit. I felt my back straighten as I looked over quickly and leaned forwards a bit to try and stop him, only to have my words get caught in my throat when I noticed he wasn't screaming in pain.

I just blinked as he pulled his hand out from the boiling pot before flicking the water off, which when it hit the ground, let off some steam from how hot it was. I felt my mouth open to try to say something only to shut it as he looked over towards me and gave me a smile and held his hand for me to see. It looked completely fine...Wait? Can firebender's do that? Why did he let me know he was fine? Did he not want me to worry? I...I'm so lost.

It was later in the day and I was becoming a bit anxious to be honest. I didn't really know why I was still here, well no I did, because Ran was still here but we really needed to get going at some point. We couldn't stay here, we just couldn't, it was getting really late at the moment. Just because they haven't said anything yet doesn't mean they aren't going to and I'd rather just leave right now then have a conversation about it.

And yet I still stood here, just looking around as everyone interacted with each other, it seemed like everyone slipped into roles like all the talks were planned with how easy the words seemed to come out, while Ran just sat there smiling as he listened to the talks going on between the ones talking like it was all so fascinating. I couldn't help but agree a small bit. I just couldn't understand how the three could do it, just talk for so long without any real words being spoken, and yet looking so comfortable all the same.

"Hey, mind if I sit down" I barely with held the urge to jump as I turned to look at the warm toned voice behind me. Looking up at the warmly lit face of Sho, from the freshly made campfire nearby. He some how managed to get behind me without making a sound, when? I felt the urge to ask before quashing it and instead looked away before giving a kind of hasty yet hesitant nod, if that was even possible. He didn't even seem to notice as he dropped down next to me as he looked up at the cloudy sky for a long moment before saying.

"It's going to start raining soon" He said it like it wasn't a question, more fact, and I was inclined to believe him as I looked up at the sky, noting for the first time just how dark the clouds looked, even against the bright red and orange skyline. I couldn't help but feel a since of dread. I liked the rain, always have, the sounds it make, the way it feels, the comforting thought of it all. And yet, I didn't like the idea of having to be in the pouring rain all night, especially with Ran. The chances of him getting sick, I don't even want to think about it, what am I going to do?

"So I figured I'd ask if you wanted to say with us for the night. Buo and Bahi have gotten pretty good at making little earth tents for us to sleep in during the rain, and it's better than getting drenched. What do you say?" I...What? He wanted us to stay, why? He said it wasn't to get drenched but can that be trusted? I mean...

"I'd prefer if you stayed but if it's problem then I can understand that... I know most don't think I'm the most trustworthy person around, but I really don't want you kids to get sick out there because you were scared of me" Scared? I wasn't scared, worried? Sure, for my little brother but I wasn't scared. I wanted to refute it but I couldn't find the words to do so in time before he continued on.

"Either way, it's up to you, you're the older of the two and I'm not going to force you to do anything. It would be hypocritical of me to think that kids can't make their own decisions. And judging by you two's states, I'm assuming you've made a lot of decisions recently" I couldn't help but wince as his words cut deeper than I'm sure he knew, he wouldn't understand. And yet as I looked up into his burningly sympathetic eyes, I had to look away, he didn't get it. He couldn't have... but.

"F-fine. We'll stay the night" He gave me a bright smile that I only saw from the corner of my eye as I continued to look in some random direction. I could feel some weird warmth in my chest but I ignored it.

Sho

It's times like these that you have to remember that manipulation just isn't needed, sometimes you just have to trust in others to know what's best and more times than you'd think, they'll surprise you. So I continued to give Rina a smile while she tried to pretend I didn't exist, happy that she would be staying a while longer. But also because I could see the faint smiles that had appeared on her face throughout the day, when she watched the kids, or briefly when she had talked to Inaru.

Last night the smile i had seen on her almost seemed fake, the fond way she looked at Ran was real but it looked as if the emotions just couldn't find a way to fully express themselves, but as I watched as her eyes turned back over to the other three. I noted her smile seemed just a tad bit more real, more comfortable. I don't know how long they'll be staying but I don't think anyone would mind if it was a bit longer than just one night.

First time on this profile that I've posted a chapter that has the POV of someone that isn't the main character but I figured why not do this so I did it. I've had some experience in this with another story that I have saved somewhere where there were two main characters but that's something for later. I can't really think of anything to add here though so I'm just going to end it here. See ya.