*slowly emerges in the manner of Obi Wan Kenobi in that one scene that is in all the gifs*
Hello there!
LONG TIME NO FREAKING SEE, PEOPLE.
I'll have you know that I stayed up until 4am to get this done for you guys, and it's a BIG ONE so please know that i love y'all very much and cherish you enough to lose sleep and confuse the hell out of my dog ("Mom why are you up this late EXCUSE YOU THIS ISN'T THE NORMAL SCHEDULE").
Anyhoo, I'm so excited to be back! My 10 month old puppy is doing well and is the light of my life (a cutie patootie named Tally, she's a standard Australian Shepard) and I started antidepressants back in February! It's been honestly life changing for me, and while i agree that they're not for everybody and that they're not a fix-all magic pill, they are so so helpful and necessary for me and have helped me out of that suicidal/super low depressive state I was in up until i started the meds. Always talk to your doctor and a psychiatrist before deciding whether or not to start these things, people, but also don't be afraid to consider them if you've tried other things to feel better and they just aren't working. No shame in the mental health treatment game! :)
Starting a second job part time teaching Spanish at a preschool until my current nanny job ends, then i'll go full time at that school in June. Did you say HEALTH INSURANCE and PAID TIME OFF and PAID SICK DAYS? Le gasp, be still my "I'm used to jobs that pay me in cash/don't offer those things" heart! I love the job so far and it really affirms for me that being a nanny just isn't emotionally sustainable for me at present. The next time I "nanny", it'll be with my own kids and I'll be the mom so it won't be "nannying" at all haha :D Hope you all are having an amazing weekend/spring time in general, and I hope you enjoy the long awaited chapter!
Chapter Title Inspiration: "Carry You" by Ruelle & Fleurie
As always, if you like the chapter and/or want to leave me some constructive feedback...
PLEASE REVIEW!
Chapter 7: You Are Not Alone
Katara watched as Dakota jumped from the deck of the gypsy ship onto the deck of their stolen one; her sandals made almost no sound against the metal. The Firebender's hair was slightly longer than she remembered but that small difference was nothing compared to the energy the girl now exuded—a challenge, now, rather than just a gentle suggestion.
Dakota's eyes found her, then. Those, at least, hadn't changed; such a dark shade of brown that the color could be mistaken for black in certain lighting. Still a bit unsettling, especially coupled with the strange, gleaming gold of her hair—less so the longer Katara stared into them because above all else, the Firebender's gaze was kind.
"It's been a while, Katara," Dakota said quietly, offering a hand.
Ignoring her father's warning look, Katara strode forward to greet her. It wasn't until their hands touched that she noticed the bandages—thick, white and covering both of the other girl's wrists.
Oh.
Sokka had waited until they were safely away from Ba Sing Se to tell Katara about what happened in the prison cells. Toph hadn't offered to contribute but it was clear from the tenseness of her shoulders that she was just as shaken. That should have warned Katara ahead of time just how horrifying the story would be—it took a lot to shake her brother but it took even more to shake Toph.
"I can't stop hearing it, Katara," Sokka murmured. Katara nearly jumped out of her skin, thinking her brother to be asleep just like the others in their camp. They'd settled in a safely secluded cove on the Earth Kingdom's western coast, a place discovered by their father and that served as home base for the Water Tribe ships.
Aang was still unconscious but his color was slightly better thanks to the herbs Katara had applied to his wound. Toph slept next to Aang, her feet propped up off the ground and fingers tangled with the Airbender's. She had put her hand in Aang's long before falling asleep, staring sightlessly at his face until exhaustion finally caught up with her.
"Can't stop hearing what?" Katara asked, wrenching her gaze away from the sleeping pair and focusing on her brother.
Sokka's brow furrowed. "Her screaming," was his whispered reply.
Katara blinked back into the present. Dakota squeezed her hand, as if somehow aware of where her mind had gone, and sent her a small, sad smile before releasing her hold and stepping back.
"Dakota!" Sokka shouted. Both girls jumped at the sound, simultaneously turning to watch him duck out of Toph's protective earthen dome and hurry towards them.
The Firebender sent Katara a rather panicked look before squaring her shoulders—bracing for impact. Frowning, Katara opened her mouth to warn her brother away, to remind him that she and the gypsies she traveled with had just saved them, but the words died in her throat when Sokka reached them.
It was one, very strange thing for her brother to greet Dakota by name. It was another, stranger thing for him to pull her into a hug.
Katara's jaw dropped. She glanced over at Toph to catch a glimpse of the younger girl's reaction because surely someone else would be as surprised as she was?
No such luck; Toph was smiling.
"Wow," Dakota squeaked out, several emotions flitting across her face—shock, discomfort, confusion—before settling on cautiously content. "This is…um…different."
Sokka let out an awkward laugh at that, extracting himself and scratching at the back of his head. "I guess I had that coming. I've been a bit..."
"Stupid?" Toph immediately offered, her blindness sparing her from Sokka's glare.
Brows so high they were on the verge of disappearing into his hairline, her father cleared his throat. As he spoke his eyes locked on something over the Dakota's shoulder:
"We owe you our thanks."
Katara followed his line of sight and gasped at the sight of a tall, beautiful girl with long, braided brown hair and dark blue eyes—and she was Waterbending. She was older than them, maybe eighteen or nineteen years old, and very clearly not from the Northern or Southern tribe (her fair skin and narrower features said as much).
The gypsy doused a small remaining fire with one hand and used the other to create floating, watery steps that allowed her to walk directly from the front of the gypsy ship's deck onto their stolen one. The effortless demonstration of skill was so impressive that all at once Katara felt very small and insignificant—she clearly had a long way to go before she could truly call herself a Waterbending master.
"Well met, Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe," the gypsy girl said as she hopped onto the deck and moved to stand next to Dakota. "We've known about you for a while now. Don't you know the saying?" she asked in response to the obvious surprise. "It goes: cheetah-birds travel fast, but gypsy whispers travel faster—and with less molting involved."
The rest of them seemed to find it hilarious, laughing loudly, but Katara was a bit too intimidated to do anything but stare. Had the gypsy learned Waterbending just from trial and error, or were there established gypsy Waterbending masters that she had learned from?
If there were such masters…would they be willing to take on a non-gypsy Waterbending student?
"Luka of the Lelino Clan, at your service," the older girl said with a grin, hands on her hips as she took in the entirety of their stolen ship. "Smart move, stealing a Fire Nation ship to travel through their waters. It won't work for much longer, considering the rising tension in the Capital, but still a good idea."
Sokka, Katara and their father all shared a look. They had discussed it just the other night; the wisdom of splitting up from Hakoda's group and then coming back together for the Day of the Black Sun. Aang was almost back to full strength and would be ready to travel soon, after all.
"On a more serious note," Luka mused, expression sobering. "In return for our help, the Lelino Chief, along with some of the other Clan Chiefs that are traveling with us, only ask that you meet with them before you depart. We've been content to let you go about your business so far, but with the Fire Nation's power growing, looking the other way is no longer an option."
Hakoda nodded, expression smooth and free from any irritation he may have felt at being summoned in such a way, before turning to Katara and the rest.
"Go get cleaned up and rest as much as you can—I'll be back soon," he assured them, placing a hand on Katara and Sokka's shoulders briefly before looking to Luka. "I agree to this meeting so long as you can assure me that my ship will remain undisturbed by your people in my absence."
Luka nodded her acceptance before gesturing towards the simple, makeshift wooden bridge some of the gypsies had arranged to link the two decks. Hakoda gave them all a bolstering smile before confidently stepping onto it, the line of his shoulders strong and proud as it always was—as he always was.
The older Waterbender winked at Katara before turning to follow him, eyes sparkling with something mischievous and knowing. Her face immediately felt much too warm and she ducked her head. A snort came from her right and without missing a beat Katara reached over to punch Sokka solidly in the arm.
"I didn't even say anything!"
As Sokka continued to grumble, Dakota took a hesitant step towards the gypsy ship. She was clearly torn; the reason for it became clear when she let out a shuddering breath and spoke:
"I'm so sorry about Aang. I thought…I thought that Zu—" The word was cut off, as if the strength to say it had failed her part-way through, but then she continued, almost angrily. "—that Zuko was someone to be trusted. I was wrong, and I wish I had known…no, I should have known."
With that, Dakota turned on her heel and hurried back to the gypsy ship, hands coming up to scrub at her cheeks the moment her back was turned. Barely enough time to take a breath had passed before she was gone, disappearing below deck in a flash of gold.
Katara's chest clenched. She felt Sokka's attention on her but couldn't bring herself to look at him, equal parts ashamed and relieved because the words had been on the tip of her tongue:
Zuko had to make it seem real to convince Azula of his loyalty, to put himself in a position to send us information on how to defeat the Fire Lord. He did it to stop the Fire Nation from winning the war, sure, but mostly…mostly he did it for you.
Katara had promised Zuko not to tell Dakota about their deal, but that was before hearing her apologize for Aang's "death". It was before she saw just how much Dakota blamed herself for not seeing what Zuko was seemingly capable of.
Could she, in good conscience, allow Dakota to return to her world without knowing the truth; without knowing just how much Zuko loved her? How much he was willing to sacrifice to keep her safe?
But his sacrifice didn't keep her safe, a small voice at the back of her head whispered. For some reason he believed his crazy sister would let Dakota free, didn't make any effort to witness with his own eyes that the deal was being honored. Thanks to that, Dakota almost died in that cell; would have died if Sokka and Toph hadn't been there.
As the three turned to go below deck and update Aang as to what was going on, Katara finally stole a glance at her brother. The moment she saw the look in his eyes—eyes the exact same shade of blue as her own, the same blue their mother's had been—she felt a weight lifted off of her chest because it was clear that Sokka was thinking the exact same thing.
Dakota deserves to know.
Tali hummed under her breath as she brushed through Dakota's hair. The woman's voice was imperfect but it soothed all the same. Maya was busy demonstrating her skill with tying knots at Dakota's side, proudly explaining the uses of each one as she went.
Dakota tried to listen, she really did, but her mind was somewhere else entirely—desperately wondering if Hakoda would manage to convince the Clans to join them in utilizing the Day of Black Sun, as Luka had informed her was being discussed before hurrying back to rejoin the meeting. Tali, with her unerring ability to sense when Dakota needed company, had showed up at her room soon after, Maya at her side.
Only Maya and Dakota jumped when three sharp knocks sounded at the door.
Tali chuckled. "Enter," she called, continuing her task even though Dakota's hair was no longer tangled—hadn't been for quite a while. They all watched as the door slowly creaked open and Luka stepped into the room, her expression grave. Dakota felt her stomach drop because she didn't need to ask; she knew that the Clans had refused.
"Why?" Dakota demanded, jerking away from Tali's touch and moving to stand by the small porthole, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring out into the ocean.
Luka sighed. "The Chiefs decided that it was too dangerous a task, what with the Avatar being gone. They'll anchor their ship here with us for the night but will leave early tomorrow morning. I'm sorry, Dakota, I know that you care about them—"
Dakota scowled. "This isn't just about them—it's about this entire world. Newsflash, all of you are a part of that world and yet you're choosing to turn your back on it," she snapped. Tali made a sharp sound of disapproval at her tone but Dakota ignored it, only sparing a quick glance to watch Maya reluctantly leave the room at her mother's quiet but firm request.
"You know that isn't what we're doing," Luka snapped back, eyes flashing.
"Isn't it? The Chiefs decided not to help someone who has an actual plan to end the war. It's almost like you want the war to continue—could it be that gypsy trading is more profitable when people are desperate and scared?"
The moment she said it she knew she had gone too far; confirmed by Luka's gasp and the darkening of her expression.
"How dare you," the gypsy seethed. Small droplets of water slowly appeared in the air around the Waterbender's head, moving together to form an ever-shifting mass of water that sporadically sharpened into sharp spikes before melding back into a smooth orb. Dakota took a step back, flames crackling in both palms in response to the threat.
Tali's voice cracked through the air like a whip:
"Enough!"
Undeterred, Luka and Dakota continued to glare at each other; it took Tali forcing her way between them and shoving hard on both of their shoulders for them to back down. The orb of water silently dispersed into the air and the flames extinguished with a soft hiss.
Dakota felt sick to her stomach at the hurt in Luka's eyes but was too furious to speak, angry at the world but mostly angry with herself and her lack of ability to do anything right.
Tali waited until both of them were seated—Luka on the floor with her back against the wall farthest away from the window, Dakota on the corner of the bed—before speaking again.
"Shame on you both for raising elements against each other, like enemies on a battlefield rather than the clan sisters you are," she said softly, and that made it even worse because she didn't sound angry; just disappointed.
Dakota swallowed hard. "I shouldn't have said that about the Clans—it was mean and untrue and I'm really sorry for saying it," she said quietly.
Across the room came the sound of Luka's heavy sigh; Dakota's heart ached at the sound of a faint sniffle.
"Why do you care so much about what these people do?" the gypsy asked raggedly after a short silence, lifting her head to glare accusingly. "I thought…I thought we were enough. I thought we had proven that we care and that we're fighting to keep our people safe. Why are you so angry that we're not fighting this fight?"
Maybe what happened next was due to Dakota being so upset that she could barely think. Maybe it was because she felt guilty about lashing out at Luka…or maybe it was the exact moment that the weight of her secrets became too much and just exploded out of her.
Whatever the reason was, it was too late to go back because her mouth opened and the truth rushed out with the force of a river breaking through a dam:
"Because I changed things!" she cried. "I touched a stupid river and got dragged into this stupid world and became friends with Zuko and it changed everything! This time around, Zuko killed the Avatar—something that didn't happen in the original story. In the original, the Avatar survives and defeats the Fire Lord—who's going to do it now that he's gone? How can I not care…when I'm the reason he's dead?"
Dakota slapped her hands over her mouth, horrified, but the damage was done. Tali stared at her with wide eyes, mouth slightly open in an expression of pure confusion. Luka was frowning; she stared at Dakota like she'd never truly seen her before.
"You touched a river and it pulled you into this world," Luka said slowly. The skepticism was clear; Dakota saw the mask of distrust falling over the older girl's expression.
"I wish I hadn't touched it," Dakota choked out. "It would have made things easier. I would be with my family…I wouldn't have to wonder if I'll ever see them again. I wouldn't have to know where this story ends but not know the how or when."
Tali remained very still and very quiet. Dakota waited for the anger, for the inevitable demand to leave and take her crazy delusions with her. Instead of any of that, the older woman reached out to take Dakota's hands in hers.
Shocked and more than a little nervous, Dakota lifted her head. Tali wasn't smiling but she wasn't pushing Dakota away or immediately saying that she was crazy, either. The Earthbender simply looked at her; looked at her in a way that made her feel more exposed than if she were fully naked.
Tali purses her lips. "Part of me wants to think that this is all in your head, that you suffered some event in your life to make you believe you're not of this world, but…but another part remembers the scared child I pulled from the ocean that day. I felt something the moment you looked at me with those dark eyes of yours. I wasn't able to put my finger on what I felt for so long, but hearing you say those things just now…I think that I knew it from the start."
"Knew what?" Luka asked harshly from her corner.
Tali smiled sadly. "That she shouldn't be swimming in this ocean, shouldn't be breathing this world's air and feeling its earth under her feet…but that for some strange reason, she is. She felt…unreal, like something that would disappear if I looked away from her for too long. I thought it was just the unusual hair and eyes that made me think that way, but I realize now that it was something deeper than that."
Dakota swallowed hard. "You believe me?"
"I do. I'd also like to hear the full story, if that's alright with you."
Dakota glanced over at Luka, her courage faltering at the impassive expression on the gypsy's face, but gentle pressure from Tali's hands brought her back to herself and urged her to speak.
And so she did. She spoke without filter or censor for the first time since….no, this was the first time. Even with Iroh and Zuko she had withheld things, had carefully left out her knowledge of the "original" show, and so to be able to speak without having to think about how much to reveal was so freeing that she could have laughed from the sheer pleasure of it.
Tali and Luka didn't interrupt, not even once, and their silence only made her talk more, reveal more and more until her voice was hoarse and the sun had begun to sink beneath the brilliant orange-pink horizon.
Once she finished, the room seemed much too large without the sound of her voice filling it as it had done for however many hours. Tali and Luka stared at her, still silent, and Dakota was about to ask them to say something when Luka rose to her feet and walked over to where Dakota sat, sitting on her other side. Without a word, Luka wrapped an arm around her shoulders and leaned into her.
That was what did it—Dakota began to cry, loudly and messily, and the Waterbender didn't react beyond wrapping the other arm around her. Tali kept holding her hands, calloused thumbs gently rubbing against the backs of them.
She cried for all of it: her parents, Henry, her friends, the world she missed…but she also cried for the world she was currently in, for losing Zuko to something she hadn't seen until it was too late, for Iroh who was stuck in a Fire Nation prison cell, for Aang who had died so young—
The minutes ticked by and finally, finally, the tears stopped and her breathing slowly returned to normal. It was as if the anger had exited her body along with the tears, at least enough for her to have coherent thought again, because very suddenly the next step became clear.
"I have to go with them," she croaked, rubbing at her face. Luka nodded her head against her. Despite that, the girl's arms continued to hold her tightly, as if her mind and body were on very different pages about her being allowed to leave.
Tali smiled, though her eyes were shinier than usual. "I wish you didn't; at least on this boat we can keep an eye on you."
Luka abruptly stood, extracted herself from the embrace and marched out of the room. Her long braid swung hazardously with the force of her exit. Tali and Dakota both looked at each other, perplexed, but within a minute the Waterbender had returned, a thick piece of folded parchment in her hands. She sat down on the bed next to Dakota and flattened the map out on the blanket in front of them.
It was an enormous, incredibly intricate map of the Fire Nation, detailed enough to even have roads and street names labelled, along with notes on the various ports as well as marked places to find specific herbs and other useful items. Dakota ran a finger over one of the symbols, a silvery clam shell, and Luka reached over to tap it almost impatiently.
"These symbols mark the locations of Clan contacts—trusted individuals that keep us informed as well as they can without raising suspicion. This map was updated a few months ago, so it's possible that not all of these are still current, but it's a start. They'll help you, send messages back to us if needed—which you'll need to do so that we know when to come."
Dakota frowns. "When to…what are you talking about?"
Luka shrugs. "The Clans might not agree to help during the Black Sun, but Tali and I have already proven ourselves quite capable of sneaking off without much notice. No reason we can't do it again."
Dakota's lips trembled at the implication, at the declaration, and she tried find the words but instead just blubbered like an idiot. Tali laughed, leaning forward to gently chuck her under the chin, urging her to look up.
Luka sat straight and proud, every bit the future Chieftess of the Lelino. The dying sunlight glowed on one side of her face while the other half was bathed in a murky gray shadow.
"You were right," she said with a wry smile.
"About what?" Dakota asked.
"The war is a fight that every single person in this world has a stake in. The Avatar may be gone, and things might be different from how they were in your world's story, but…" She trailed off, breathing in deep before continuing, "But we're still here. You being in this world isn't a curse because even with all that's happened, people are still fighting. And if people are still fighting, this world—this story—can still be saved."
Dakota stared at her, and looked down at the map, at the shimmering shells and the sharp lines and graceful curves of the roads and island boundary lines. Just outside, in the stolen Fire Nation ship, Katara and Sokka and Toph were alive and still trying to finish the journey they started with Aang. The events of the final season, the consequences of Sozin's Comet and all the horror that followed it (or what had sounded like horror, if Henry's horrified gasps had been anything to go by), hadn't happened yet. Might never happen.
Dakota looked up at Tali, then at Luka, feeling a spark of something hopeful and fierce in her chest as she returned her gaze to the map and let her fingers graze over the drawing of the Fire Lord's Palace; deep in the Capital and impressive to behold even on a map.
The story wasn't over yet.
Zuko let out a hissing breath of frustration as he reluctantly followed the stable boy down the well-kept stone path that led to the komodo-rhino stables. The boy had been insufferable, passionately declaring that the stable master would get angry with him if he didn't get the Royal Prince's approval of the newly finished saddle they had started crafting upon his return to the Capital.
He should have waved it off and simply walked away—it was what he would have done before his banishment, anyway—but the panic and desperation in the boy's eyes had worn him down just enough to say yes. Because he was weak, apparently.
"Thank you so much, your Highness! It'll only take a second, I promise, and the master will be grateful to know your thoughts on his work."
Zuko didn't respond, already fighting a headache and not in the mood to pander to over-enthusiastic servants. If the boy took offense at his rudeness, he was skilled at hiding it because the smile didn't waver in the slightest as they reached their destination.
For all of his complaining, even Zuko couldn't deny that the stables were peaceful—open and airy, smelling of grass and grain and very faintly of komodo-rhino dung (he'd never admit it aloud, but the smell wasn't entirely awful). Brightly polished wooden pillars and beams supported the domed roof far above them. The sun was at just the right position to send little flecks of green light across the stalls, reflected from the jade covered roof of the grain shed just off to the side of the main building.
"Just over here, your Highness," the boy urged. Zuko glared at him—the kid couldn't have known that he was enjoying the quiet view of the stables, true, but he had a princely, standoffish image to maintain.
The stable boy led him into a smaller, more crowded room that held various leatherworking tools and strips of unused leather neatly laid out on racks. In the center of the room, on an ornate presentation block, was the saddle in question.
Zuko gave it a brief look-over. It was well made, the leather freshly conditioned and soft to the touch with two very generous saddle bags attached to each side of the saddle's rear end. The pommel was built a bit different from his last saddle; larger and more curved, presumably to provide more to brace against in the case of sudden stops (something the previous model of saddle had been very lacking in). Overall, a good saddle but definitely not something he needed to be dragged out to see in person.
"It's fine," Zuko said curtly before turning on his heel to leave.
"One more thing!" the boy cried, jumping out to block his exit. His light brown hair, tan skin and muted amber eyes marked him as coming from one of the poorer coastal towns to the south of the Capital. Quite unexpectedly, Zuko found himself concerned with the fact that he was in the Capital of all places, so far from home.
To travel so far from home meant that conditions were either so poor that the entire family leaving to find better fortune was the only option, or that his parents had been paid for him to be apprenticed in the Capital—not a common occurrence, but an opportunity that any poverty-stricken family would jump at, even at the cost of their child.
"What's your name?" Zuko demanded, interrupting what was sure to be another of the boy's rambling requests.
"Teren, your Highness."
"Well, Teren, I suggest you move out of my way before I—"
"The left saddlebag!" Teren interrupted, his amber eyes flashing slightly, almost in warning. Zuko was so taken aback by the boy's sharp tone that it took a moment for him to recover.
"What about it?"
"It would be helpful, your Highness, if after any morning rides, you could place any undesirable items in this saddlebag—it's marked with a symbol, see," Teren explained, pointing to the left saddlebag that had the outline of a teacup embossed into the very top of the bag.
"Undesirable items," Zuko repeated blandly.
Teren shrugged. "I wouldn't presume to know what a Prince considers undesirable, your Highness, but I am sure that you will know it when you see it."
Just then, the deep bellow of the stable master sounded—impressively clear considering that the sound was coming from inside the thick-walled grain shed:
"Teren! The dung from the grazing pasture isn't going to shovel itself—get out here or I'll be throwing you in the wheelbarrow along with the dung!"
Expression shifting into something almost frantic, the boy leaned forward and grabbed Zuko's hand, pressing something small and solid into it before moving past him and running out of the stables.
Zuko blinked, rooted to the spot and so utterly confused by the entire interaction that he very nearly laughed. He composed himself at the last second, however, and looked down at his hand to examine what the boy had been so desperate to give. All at once, the confusion dissipates and Teren's strange words suddenly become very, very clear.
The face of a white lotus Pai Sho tile stares back at him.
Aang sat cross-legged on the floor beside his cot, trying his best to meditate in hopes of softening his anger at being forced to hide below deck whenever there was a chance of being spotted. He knew that Hakoda and Katara and the rest meant well, that they were trying to protect him, but all the good intentions in the world didn't make it any easier to be tucked away like a fragile ornament while his friends risked their lives above deck.
It was the very early hours of the morning, he knew that much, and the ship had just raised anchor and was headed away from the gypsy ships. Not being able to thank the gypsies in person ate at Aang more than he cared to admit, but considering that they had said no to lending aid on the Day of Black Sun, well…even he could see the wisdom in keeping his survival a secret from them.
Gypsies were many things—being terrible gossips was one of them.
That brought a smile to his face; a success considering his overall dismal mood. It was always gratifying when he came across something in this new world (one hundred years older than the world he left behind) that had remained the same even after so many years.
Katara, Toph and Sokka had gone up with the others to get the ship ready for departure, saying that Aang could come up and join them once the ship had been going for a little bit. It had only been about five or ten minutes but surely they were far enough away by now?
With that half-hearted excuse solidified in his mind, Aang opened his eyes and used a burst of Airbending to bounce up into a standing position. It had been a difficult day and a half cooped up below deck, unable to smell the salt air and feel the sun on his face, and so he practically ran to the narrow stairwell leading up to the main deck. Even with his excitement, he still managed to remember to be cautious, listening at the top of the stairs for any unfamiliar voices.
When he heard none, he very slowly opened the door (slowly enough to give anyone time to slam it shut if there were other ships around). When no one moved to stop the motion, he brightened and stepped out onto the deck, playfully using his staff to close the door behind him with a very delightful thud sound.
"Good moooooorning everyb—" he crowed as he turned to face the crew, only to freeze and have the last word stick in his throat, because there was one more person on deck than there had been when he last was up there.
Not just any person, but a certain Firebending person with long, golden hair and dark, dark eyes—the same eyes that, when they first met on Kyoshi Island, had sparked something in him that felt important somehow; a feeling both familiar and unfamiliar, and the deeper meaning of which remained frustratingly out of reach no matter how hard he tried to grasp it.
Dakota turned away from Sokka at the sound of Aang's voice. The Airbender felt a pang when, at the sight of him, her entire face went pale and her eyes widened impossibly wide. It was clear that they hadn't told her about him yet; had likely been in the process of telling her when he arrived.
Sure, her hair was longer than the last time they saw each other and her skin tanner but what immediately caught Aang's attention were the thick white bandages around her wrists. A lump appeared in his throat because he knew what lay beneath them, that he could only imagine how much pain she had been in while they healed…how much pain (and not just physical) was still there.
Aang could relate.
Dakota took a hesitant step towards him. Then, with an almost hysterical burst of laughter, she started to run. She was crying by the time she reached him but it didn't stop Aang from stepping forward to meet her.
They crashed into each other but somehow managed to stay upright. Dakota hugged him tight enough to hurt but Aang didn't say a word against it, letting her tears soak the shoulder of his tunic and hugging her tightly in return.
It should have been odd, hugging like this with someone who was essentially a stranger, but it wasn't. It felt…nice. He imagined that this was probably what it felt like to be hugged by an older sister, though perhaps one that he didn't bicker with quite as often as Sokka and Katara did with each other.
"You're alive," Dakota whispered, pulling back but staying close enough to keep her hands on his shoulders. She was only a tiny bit taller than Katara even though she was at least two or three years older, so he didn't have to crane his head backwards like he did with Hakoda and the other Southern Tribe men on the ship.
"You're alive, too," Aang said, lifting his hands to gesture towards the bandages. Dakota's eyes clouded over with what Aang could only assume were painful memories, but after a moment the clouds lifted and she smiled brightly at him.
"I am."
