A/N: I was going to post this tomorrow, but it was already done so I guess I just couldn't wait? Some big questions are answered here! Maybe grab a tissue, this is just plain sad. I say this every chapter, but you guys are really the best - thank you so much for all your support!
Flashback - Aang's POV:
My legs swing back and forth playfully as I munch on my breakfast.
"Well, someone looks like they're enjoying their cereal." A tall thin woman teases as she ruffles my newly shaved head.
"Cereal is the best Mama!" I answer joyfully with my mouth still full. The woman chuckles and shakes her head.
"Now Aang, what did I tell you about not talking when your mouth is full?" The master airbender reminds lightly. I swallow and throw her a sheepish smile.
"Sorry Mama." I apologise as my Mum reaches forward to give me a gentle hug. I nuzzle into her chest in contentment just as the oven timer pings. I watch as the woman releases me to don a pair of oven gloves, but the doorbell rings before she can open the oven door.
"Aang honey, could you get the door? I think your Dad was expecting Kuzon today." My Mum requests. My eyes widen in joy as a large smile splits my face.
"Ok!" I agree enthusiastically and run over to the door. Glancing through the peephole, I spot the familiar red clothes and hurriedly open the door. "Uncle Kuzon!" I shout in glee as I tackle the man in a hug.
"Woah there sport, it hasn't been that long since I last visited." The Fire Nation citizen jokes as he picks me up and wraps me in a huge bear hug.
"It was 6 days, 8 hours and 23 minutes ago!" I regale and watch as he bellows a laugh.
"I never get tired of hearing your little genius mind. You're one of a kind sport." Kuzon praises, but a sad glint shines in his amber irises.
"Are you Ok Uncle Kuzon?" I ask with furrowed eyebrows. The man gazes at me for a moment before smiling.
"Completely. Where's your Dad? I need to talk to him." The man queries as he gently puts me down on the ground.
"He's..." I start, but I'm cut off by the sounds of thuds on the stairs.
"Ah Kuzon, I wasn't expecting you this early." My Dad voices in surprise as he makes his way down the rest of the stairs.
"Hey Jatsu. Sorry for barging in so early, but it was urgent." Kuzon replies guiltily and a shadow of something crosses my father's face.
"I see." Dad hums back. His eyes then glance down to me. "Aang, why don't you go and help your Mum with the laundry?" The master airbender requests lightly, but I frown in disagreement.
"But I want to tell Uncle Kuzon about my score on my last test!" I argue as I tug on the firebender's sleeve. The man bites his lip before crouching down in front of me.
"Maybe another time, Ok buddy? I really need to talk to your Dad." Kuzon sways and with a pout, I make my way back to the kitchen, but not before glancing behind me once more.
"Let's talk in my office." Dad suggests and I watch as the two men enter the room next door. The door follows after them, but it doesn't quite close completely, leaving a small gap. I purse my lips, knowing that I shouldn't really listen in, but my curiosity is piqued. Quietly, I tip-toe over to the ajar door and look through the crack.
"I said no, Kuzon." My Dad utters firmly.
"But this time it's serious! If I don't deliver I'm in for it." Kuzon begs as my father massages his forehead.
"That's what you get for involving yourself with gangs! You should've backed out when I told you to." Jatsu argues angrily, prompting a glare from the firebender.
"You know I couldn't do that. I needed the money. Please Jatsu, I've already told them about Aa-" The man doesn't get the chance to finish off his sentence as my father grabs the firebender by the shoulders.
"You did WHAT?!" The master airbender bellows in rage while Kuzon flinches.
"It just slipped! He's so impressive, it's hard not to. He just told me exactly how long it was since he last saw me - to the minute! His ideas could really help the Triple..." He's cut off by a firm shake from Jatsu.
"He's an 8 old boy! I will not let you drag him down because you got yourself in trouble." The airbender states with a hard tone.
"This time it's my life Jatsu!" Kuzon pleads as he grasps Dad's arms tightly, only for the older man to slap the firebender off him.
"My answer is still no. If you weren't my best friend, I would've kicked you out by now. But if you bring this up one more time then I have no choice but to ban you from here." The airbender voices strongly and crosses his arms.
"This is the only way to keep everyone safe! They'll come after you and everyone now that they know. They won't leave you alone. They'll..." The younger man however isn't given the opportunity the finish.
"And who's fault is that?!" My father shouts, louder than I've ever heard him be. I flinch and lean back fearfully just as Kuzon drops his head. The airbender sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Go home Kuzon, I'm done for the day." Jatsu whispers.
"But..." The firebender starts before being silenced with a glare.
"Leave. I need some time to think." My father utters stonily. The man parts his lips before nodding his head and makes his way to the door. I widen my eyes and quickly rush to hide behind the banister.
"I'm sorry Jatsu. I know I've always got us in trouble. I just...I'm sorry." The quiet mumble echoes out from the room before the door is jerked open. My Dad sees Uncle Kuzon out of the house and when he shuts the front door, Dad's shoulders sags as he runs a hand over his bald scalp. Swallowing, I leave my hiding spot and go over to the man.
"Papa..." I start, ready to ask him what's going on, but I catch myself at the last minute, not wanting him to think that I was spying, so I change tactics. "...are you Ok?" I whisper anxiously. The arrow headed man glances down at me before taking hold of my hand.
"Yeah buddy. Come on, let's see if your Mum needs any help with lunch, huh?" My Dad suggests with a light smile, reassuring me. 'Maybe I misunderstood?' I think to myself as my father swings our interlocked hands back and forth.
5 Hours later:
"Your turn buddy." Dad reminds as he sits back smugly. I furrow my eyebrows and scrutinise the Pai Sho set carefully, thinking of potential moves, until my eyes sparkle in delight. I stretch out my hand and skip across the game mat until I reach his side, signifying my victory. The master airbender stares at the board before shaking his head.
"Well, well, well, my son is not only an airbending prodigy, but he's also a Pai Sho master!" Dad expresses proudly with a wink. I grin.
"And I'm a little genius too!" I say cheekily, but a troubled expression crosses his face as he nods his head slowly.
"Yes and my little genius. Maybe...maybe you're a bit advanced for school. I could always teach you myself if you'd like?" The man suggests and I frown at the idea.
"But what about my friends?" I ask anxiously as the master airbender purses his lips.
"You're right, friends are important. I just, want to keep you safe Aang." Dad murmurs, his tone despondent. I chew my lip before deciding to round the table and give the man a hug.
"You always have Papa." I whisper, eliciting a soft smile from the airbender as he embraces me tightly.
"How did I get so lucky to have you?" I hear the man voice affectionately. A wide smile graces my features as I look up.
"Does that mean I can have airbending tattoos?" I ask excitedly, prompting a chuckle from the airbender.
"Well, I've already booked it to be done at the local Air Nomad orphanage, but they say you have to be a little older. So just be patient." Dad explains with a knowing smile. I open my mouth, ready to spew out an excited 'really?!' when a loud bang sounds in the other room. Dad is immediately on his feet and rushes into the dining room. I follow after him and widen my eyes at the sight of huge red flames spreading across the table and onto the chairs.
"We need to get out of here!" Dad urges as he snatches my arm and frantically unlocks the door and removes the door chain just as another explosion rockets behind us. The man pulls me out onto the front porch, but when we look behind, flames are already licking the house from outside.
"But Mama!" I protest in panic as we cross the road to the other side. I eye the way my Dad crouches in front of me with both hands on my shoulders.
"I'm going back inside to get her. You stay right here Ok?" The man orders, but my eyes widen.
"But you'll get hurt!" I shout as waves of anxiety wash over me.
"I need to save your Mum. I'll be in and out, I promise. Remember, I love you very much." The airbender urges. With wobbly lips I nod my head and watch as my father runs back into the burning building. Moments later, the roof caves in and a loud scream echoes across the neighbourhood.
"Mama! Papa!" I scream and I'm just about to dash across the road when a fire-engine pulls up.
"Everyone get the big hose out! Be on your guard and get ready to look for survivors." A big burly man orders as he jumps out of the vehicle. I run up to him and tug on his trousers.
"My parents are inside!" I wail, causing the firefighter to widen his eyes in shock.
"Alright kid, we'll find them." He reassures as he crouches in front of me briefly.
"We have two people inside. Hose the entrance down and let's try to get inside!" The man shouts to his colleagues. I watch fearfully as water starts spraying the burning building. The flames continue to consume the house and it's not long before it starts collapsing in front of me.
"NO!" I shout and I'm just about to run over when two arms reach forward and hold me back. "Get off me! I need to save them! I have to save them!" I cry out as I thrash against the man, but his grip remains firm.
"I'm sorry kid, but it's too dangerous." The firefighter argues as I keep fighting against him while keeping my eyes on the devastation before me. Black, grey smoke rises sky high as the blazing fire spreads to the front lawn.
"No, no, no!" I repeat in a panic.
"Stop it from spreading!" The man yells over me, all without losing his fierce grip on me.
It takes a full hour before the flames die down and a further hour before anyone is able to go inside. Another firefighter comes over to whisper something to the man that's still holding me.
"I understand." He mutters back before turning to look at me. A heavy sigh escapes his lips as he goes down on one knee. "What's your name kid?" He asks gently.
"A-Aang. Have you found my Mama and Papa?" I ask, my tone quivering in anticipation.
"I'm so sorry Aang. They...they didn't make it." The firefighter discloses, his face sombre. And it's like the glass around me shatters into a million billion pieces.
"No." I whisper before shaking his hands off me. "No! You're lying!" I holler and sprint across the road before he can catch me.
As I reach what used to be our front porch, I spot a person in a large coat and hat fleeing. He turns his head back for the briefest of moments. But that's all I need to recognise who it is.
"Kuzon?" I whisper in numbing shock. He's out of my sight seconds later and when I turn my head I spot the charcoaled remains of my parents being dragged out of the crumbling house. My knees quiver underneath me as I collapse to the ground in disbelief.
"M-Mama...P-Papa..." I express, my voice cracking as tears run down my small chubby cheeks. Pain like no other hits me with a vengeance as I cover my eyes with my hands while harsh sobs rip out from my throat. "N-No, please come back. Please come back!" I wail and slam the ground with my tiny fists, not noticing the way that the earth shudders slightly underneath my hands.
"Hey, Aang it will be alright." The same firefighter murmurs as he bends beside me and pulls me into his side for a hug.
"No it won't! My Mama and Papa is gone! My house is gone! Everything is gone." I sob.
"We'll find you a new home, I promise." Hearing those same words that were uttered by my father just mere hours ago makes me shriek.
"No! Promises don't mean anything anymore!" I yell and push myself away from the man who raises his hands up in a placating manner.
"Alright, what about this; your name is an Air Nomad name, right? I can take you to that Air Nomad orphanage near here." He suggests, but my lips just quiver once more.
"Dad was going to take me there to get my tattoos." I choke out as tears blind me once more.
Present Day:
"Aang?" I blink at the sound of my name, pulling me out of one of my worst memories, to glance up at Katara sitting across me. Reminding me, that we're currently sitting in a café after deciding we needed a place to...'unload.'
"Huh?" I echo back hollowly. The dug up memory now raw in my heart.
"Are you alright?" The waterbender murmurs as her hand leaves her mug of hot chocolate to rest on top of mine that's resting on the table. My lips twitch into a half smile.
"Yeah, just memories." I reassure, dropping my other hand on top of hers to squeeze it briefly before withdrawing, but the girl catches it with her other hand and continues to hold my appendages gently.
"What...what happened?" She whispers and I don't need be a genius to figure out what she's referring to.
"A house fire." I say vaguely, withholding the specifics of how or why it started in the first place. I eye the way the girl's face crumples and her grip on my fingers tighten.
"Spirits Aang, that sounds terrible. I'm so sorry and sad to hear that." Katara voices thickly as moisture collects in her eyes.
"Hey it's in the past." I wave off, but the crack in my voice isn't fooling anyone.
"That doesn't mean it hurts any less. Was...was it their memorial? Is that why you're out here?" The waterbender questions quietly. I jerk my head in a stiff nod.
"What about you? I thought you have lectures every day." I ask, trying to spin the conversation away from me. An expression of discomfort crosses her eyes as she withdraws her hands, leaving mine feeling strangely cold and empty.
"I..." The girl trails off and turns her head to stare outside. "I couldn't stop thinking about her. I just...had to come." The girl pauses before turning her head back to face me. "The last thing I expected was to see you. I didn't even realise we're from the same city." Katara states with a nod to me. I rub the back of my neck.
"Yeah neither did I. Guess we have more in common than we thought." I joke lightly, but my mind is already running wild with paranoid theories. 'That can't be a coincidence. What on earth are they planning?' I wonder anxiously, only to break out of my thoughts when I hear a sweet laugh.
"I suppose we do." Katara voices lightly, making me smile and relieved to see that the mask of melancholy has been washed off her face. 'Is that what I looked like when it first happened? Spirits, how did Gyatso put up with me?' I realise in sudden guilt.
"Can...can I ask one more question? You definitely don't have to answer." The waterbender expresses in hesitation and I already know that it's something related to my past. I purse my lips and shrug.
"I guess it depends what it is." I settle on saying and watch as the girl leans forward.
"How long ago did this happen?" She questions quietly. I rest one forearm on the wooden surface of the table while pulling the edge of my beanie down slightly.
"8 years ago today." I whisper, prompting a sharp intake of breath from the girl opposite me.
"But Aang, that would mean..." I cut her off before she can continue.
"It means I became an orphan at 8." I finish for her. What once was self-pity, is now just replaced with a big pile of empty nothingness. That and a large helping of guilt with an unhealthy side of self-loathing.
The sudden scratch of wood against wood has me looking up, only to find my vision blurred with blue and white fur. I blink and a second later realise that I'm in another one of the girl's hugs. And it's strange. Having gone from no hugs in years to suddenly several in the space of a week. But the waterbender has such a calming effect about her, as if things could be ok even when you know they're not.
It's a few minutes later until I realise that I should probably move my dumb arms and reciprocate the action, and I do.
"Thanks Katara." I express quietly when she finally lets go and moves to take a seat once more.
"I wish I could do more." She utters regretfully, but I just shake my head.
"You've done plenty. Now, what do you say we head back to uni?" I suggest and with a faint smile the girl nods.
"I think that's a good idea." She agrees and chugs back the last of her hot chocolate.
"Oh and Katara?" I say just as the girl is ready to push her chair back to stand.
"Yeah Aang?" She echoes back.
"Just don't hold it in. It hurts more that way, trust me." I advise softly and hop to my feet. I sense a pair of oceanic orbs on me, but I simply go over to the cashier and pay for the bill.
A/N: I know, I know – that was heavy. Take a deep breath everyone! There's still more to come XD
So I wanted to explain a bit more of the story's lore I guess. In this story there are still airbenders around, but they're very free-spirited people, so they never stay in one place for too long, always moving around (jobs, schools, you name it). They have temples, sort of like monasteries in very secluded, out of touch areas of the world which some airbenders choose to live in. However, because of their seclusion, they decided to set up orphanages in various cities where they look after kids whose parents were too free-spirited to look after them. There they also train kids airbending and essentially act as an Air Nomad community for any traveling airbenders. Aang's family is one of the very few that decided to actually settle down in one place. I hope that clarified some stuff – more to come I guess. Also, Jatsu was a mix of Gyatso & Jinju if anyone was wondering how I came up with that made up airbender name XD
I think this is where I drop off the face of the earth for a couple of months, so see you in July hopefully. Until then keep well everyone :)
16/5/21