Again, this was mostly inspired by Absolute Trust by Urbanator93

GREY SKIES AND A STRANGER

Shinra officially hated canyons.

Usually he loved nature and sightseeing, but seriously, being caught between two stupid bickering tribes, going hungry and fighting off giant spider shaped creatures was enough to try the patience of a saint. And Shinra was definitely no saint, as good as he was.

Then there was the stupid fisherman who'd caused Aang to relive his past mistakes. He understood that this world was war torn but Kami, could people not be jackasses for once?

The Upside to that encounter was Aang finally opening up about what'd happened before they'd met him. He'd been scared of the responsibility of being the Avatar.. and the Air Nomads were honestly being unfair to him by basically ostracizing him and ripping away his childhood. Shinra knew he'd be upset as well if anyone tried to separate him from Kakashi Sensei.. or even Grandma Fifth.

Throughout the last few days, he'd barely talked to Katara except when he needed to. He could sense her looking at him from time to time but he tried not to react to it.

Currently they were all camped out in the ruins of some Earth Kingdom city that had gotten destroyed and abandoned long ago. They weren't moving because they had a problem; Sokka had gotten sick from being out in the storm from the previous day. He had a cough, fever and a runny nose.. also he was starting to lose it. Aang was off searching for some ginger root so they could make tea to cure Sokka's fever. Shinra tended to a fire while Katara pressed a rag dipped in cold water to Sokka's forehead. Currently he was laying in his sleeping bag, resting against Appa's leg.

"Y'know what I love about Appa?" Sokka smiled. "His sense of humor"

"That's nice, Sokka" Katara replied. "I'll tell him"

Apparently groaned a little, causing Sokka to laugh. "Classic Appa"

Just then, Aang returned, a scroll in his hand.

"How's Sokka doing?" He asked.

"Not good" Katara replied. "His fever's getting worse"

"I didn't find any ginger root for the tea but I found a map" Aang said, opening the scroll. "There's an herbalist institute on the top of the mountain"

"Aang he's in no condition to travel" Katara protested. "He just needs more rest, I'm sure he'll be better by tomorrow–"

Katara's sentence was cut short by her coughs. Shinra walked towards them.

"Not you too" Aang said with worry.

"Relax, it's just a cough–" she tried again, only to get into another fit of coughs.

"That's how Sokka started yesterday, now look at him!" Aang pointed. "He thinks he's an earthbener!"

"Take that, you rock" Sokka raised his fist.

"A few more hours and you'll be talking nonsense too" Aang said.

Katara was about to protest again before Shinra grabbed her by the hand and firmly made her lay down on her sleeping bag.

"You're getting sick" Shinra said sternly without looking at her. "Don't fight it. Just get in the sleeping bag"

"What about you?" Aang asked Shinra.

"I'm fine" Shinra shrugged. "I've never actually gotten sick before. The nine tails' chakra keeps my immune system pretty fortified"

"Well I'm getting some medicine for them" Aang opened his glider, only to pause as lightning flashed in the sky. "Maybe I should just go on foot"

"Here" Shinra summoned a clone. "He'll go with you. I'll stay and keep an eye on them"

Aang nodded before taking off.

About two hours later, Katara was already down with a fever. Shinra sighed.. he hated seeing them like this but what could he do? He wasn't a medic ninja like Shizune or Grandma. While he sat in a spot and tried to meditate, Katara's voice broke his concentration.

"Shinra.. please, water" she let out weakly.

He got off his cross legged position and picked up the pouch. "I'm going to the stream, I'll be back soon"

And with that, he left.

Shinra walked quietly through the terrain, the occasional flash of lightning being the only sound he'd hear. His hands tightened on the container he carried, trying to remember where he'd seen that stream. He'd taken his headband off and tucked it away in his pouch. He didn't want to deal with any fights in case he was somehow recognized.

He was lost in thought, memories of the earlier events swirling in his mind.

As he turned a bend in the trail, he barely noticed the figure in front of him until it was too late. With a soft bump, they collided.

"Oh, shit.. I'm sorry" Shinra quickly stepped back, his container nearly slipping from his hands.

The person stumbled slightly but caught themselves, their hood slipping back to reveal a girl with striking features. Her dark brown hair was barely past her chin at the front,but the rest of it was long enough to be in a long braid. Her bright, mischievous silver eyes sparkled even in the dim light of the clearing.

Silver eyes.. that was a new one. And Shinra had seen some unique eyes in his world.

"Are you okay?" He asked, offering a hand.

She brushed herself off with a grin. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just got a little distracted."

He looked at her more carefully. "You were headed somewhere?"

The girl shrugged. "Just taking a walk actually. You?"

Shinra glanced down at the container in his hand. "Getting water for my siblings."

Her brow raised. "Siblings?"

He nodded. "They're both sick from being out in a storm yesterday."

The girl's eyes softened. "That sounds tough. You seem pretty young, though."

Shinra paused, unsure whether to correct her assumption. "You look like we're the same age"

Before she could reply, the sky opened up again, and rain began to pour. Without thinking, the girl grabbed his arm and tugged him toward the closest shelter—a cave carved into the side of a hill.

"Come on, we'll get soaked if we stand here!" she exclaimed.

With little choice, Shinra followed her inside, the cave providing shelter from the downpour. Once they were sure no one and nothing else was in there, they both stood in silence for a moment, listening to the rain hitting the ground.

Shinra took a good look at her now, and something caught him off guard. She wasn't just any traveler caught in the rain—she was striking. Her expression carried an effortless confidence, and there was a lightness to her that contrasted with the tension he usually carried. She had fair skin, a cute button nose, an almost heart shaped face with eyes that were wide in the most endearing way.

And her figure... 'Dear, Kami' was all Shinra could think. He'd seen a number of pretty girls, definitely but.. this was definitely special.

She was cute. Cuter than TenTen...

Wait, no.

'Calm down, I can feel your heart about to fly out of your chest'

'Shut up, furball!'

"Helloooo.."

Shinra blinked as she waved her hands in his face.

"You okay over there?" She tilted her head.

"Yeah..." Shinra let out before shaking his head. "I'm sorry.. you're just really beautiful"

'Real smooth'

'Shut. Up.'

"Thank you, you're pretty cute yourself" Her face went slightly red as she smiled at him "It's nice to meet you by the way"

Shinra blinked for a second.. he definitely wasn't expecting her to call him cute. He hadn't been called that by any girl actually. He quickly blinked two more times.

"Likewise.. sorry I never introduced myself," the ninja smiled back at her. "I'm Shinra,"

"Ty Lee," she offered, holding out her hand. "I'm part of a traveling circus."

Shinra shook it. "A circus, huh? Well that explains why you're so nimble."

She laughed. "Yeah, acrobatics can get you out of tight spots, like avoiding rain." She paused. "But enough about me. What about you? What are you doing out here?"

He glanced down at his container. "I was looking for the stream but honestly I have no idea where the hell I'm going"

Ty Lee's smile faded slightly. "You said your siblings are sick?"

He nodded. "It's been rough. I just needed to get them clean water."

There was a quiet moment between them, the rain still falling in steady beats outside the cave. Shinra felt an odd calm in her presence. Her energy was refreshing in contrast to the tension that had weighed him down for days.

"You seem like you take care of a lot," Ty Lee observed.

He shrugged. "I do what I can. Even though I don't want to"

She chuckled a little . "Sounds like you're lazy.. or at least you'd like to be."

"Exactly," Shinra admitted. "But it's not just about me anymore. I made a promise to look after them and I don't go back on my word.. so even though it's a drag, I still do it"

Ty Lee giggled at that. The conversation shifted as her gaze settled on him more deeply. There was something about her that made him feel seen in a way few ever did.

"Your aura's calm," she said suddenly.

Shinra blinked, confused. "My aura?"

Ty Lee nodded. "Yeah. I can see it. You've got a strong one, but I sense something else underneath it—blue, like water, but there's a tinge of... something darker."

Shinra blinked. She could see his chakra?? Wait, did the Byakugan exist here? Maybe she did have a dojutsu...

He then realized what she said and frowned. "Wait what do you mean dark?"

She smiled. "Don't worry, it's not bad. It's just... something unsettled. Like you're holding something back."

He shifted uncomfortably. "Maybe I am."

Ty Lee tilted her head. "Want to talk about it?"

Shinra paused.

"Please?" She reached for his arm. "You'll feel better talking about it"

The leaf ninja looked at the pleading look in her eyes.. he couldn't actually say no to her. plus something about her let him know she was trustworthy.

Shinra sighed.. this went against everything Kakashi taught him, but fuck it.

"I guess... you could say I'm struggling with someone close to me right now."

"Family?"

He nodded. "Sort of. I've known her for a while, but things got complicated."

She leaned in slightly. "What happened?"

He sighed, running a hand through his wet hair. "I started to see her as a sister—someone I could trust. But then, she sided with someone who hurt me. Someone I had to fight off... someone who tortured me."

Ty Lee's eyes softened. "That must have been awful."

"It was," Shinra admitted. "And it hurt more because she didn't even realize how much it affected me.. honestly I don't mind physical pain, I'm very used to that. I just thought we were on the same page, but she chose him. Even after everything we've been through together"

Ty Lee listened quietly, nodding thoughtfully. "You're angry."

He nodded again. "I am. But it's more than that. I'm hurt... and I don't know if I can let it go."

Her voice was gentle. "Sometimes, we carry that anger because we feel betrayed. But you can't keep holding onto it. It'll weigh you down."

Shinra looked at her, searching for answers in her expression. "What if I can't?"

Ty Lee gave him a small, knowing smile. "It's okay not to know. But holding onto pain won't change what happened. It's about letting go, not because they deserve it, but because you do."

A small, quiet peace settled over him at her words. There was truth in what she said, something he already knew but had a hard time accepting. Maybe it was time to release the anger.

Ty Lee tilted her head as she studied Shinra once again, her curiosity bubbling to the surface. His aura intrigued her in a way she couldn't quite explain. There was something calm and steady about it, yet layered with complexity she hadn't encountered before.

"Your aura looks a little better," she said lightly, breaking the silence.

Shinra looked at her. "Really?"

She nodded, smiling. "Yeah. It's steadier now"

He raised a brow, his expression unreadable. "Is that a good thing?"

Ty Lee chuckled. "Definitely"

He smiled but didn't respond right away, instead glancing outside as the rain continued to fall. She watched him for a moment longer, her curiosity growing. There was something beneath the surface, Something just barely out of reach.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she focused, trying to see deeper. And then she saw it.

Beneath that calm, steady blue was a flicker of red. It wasn't large or overpowering, but it was there, swirling like a hidden ember waiting to ignite. Her chest tightened as she studied it closer, realizing this wasn't just an ordinary emotion like anger or frustration. This was something darker—something primal. The energy radiated raw, untamed power.

She gasped softly but quickly masked it with a cough, forcing herself to act natural. Ty Lee turned her gaze away, pretending to watch the rain, though her heart was pounding in her chest.

'What was that?' she wondered. She'd seen a lot of different auras before, from calm blues to fiery reds and even deep greens, but this... this was different. That red wasn't just part of his natural energy. It was something else entirely, something that didn't belong. And yet, it was buried so deep, as though it had been forced into hiding.

She stole another glance at Shinra, who seemed oblivious to her internal turmoil. He was staring at the rain, lost in thought.

'Does he even know it's there?'

"Something wrong?" Shinra's voice broke her train of thought.

"No, not at all!" Ty Lee said quickly, plastering on a bright smile. "I just got distracted for a second"

As they waited for the rain to let up, Ty Lee couldn't stop herself from sneaking glances at him. That red aura... what was it? Why was it there? She'd seen anger before, but this wasn't that. It was something far more intense, almost alive.

'I hope I'm wrong,' she thought, her smile faltering for just a moment.

The rain outside began to lighten. Ty Lee stood up and stretched, her playful energy returning.

"Well," she said with a grin, "looks like the rain's letting up. How about we get you that water?"

Shinra gave her a small smile, feeling a little lighter. "Yeah, let's do it."

As they made their way to the stream, they talked more casually. Ty Lee shared stories about the circus, and Shinra found himself smiling more than he had in days. Her presence was calming, and for the first time in a while, he felt normal.

The rain finally cleared completely by the time they reached a quiet stream. Shinra knelt down by the water, filling his containers. Ty Lee stood nearby, watching him.

"You're good with this," she said, observing how effortlessly he worked.

"I've done it before," Shinra replied. "Caring for others... I guess you kinda have to with how the world is."

She smiled. "That's noble."

They filled the containers in silence before standing again. Ty Lee looked at him thoughtfully.

"You know, it was nice meeting you, Shinra. You've got a calm presence, even if you don't see it."

He smiled. "Thanks, Ty Lee. It was nice talking to you."

She extended her hand again. "Stay safe, okay?"

He shook it, his fingers lingering for a moment longer than necessary. "You too."

As they parted ways, Shinra couldn't help but feel a sense of peace. Ty Lee had shown him a different way to look at things—an outlook where forgiveness didn't feel so impossible.

When Shinra returned to the camp, Sokka was still in his sleeping bag, and Katara was sitting up, a pale color returning to her cheeks. She was weak but conscious.

He set the water pouch down and stepped closer.

"Hey, Shinra!" Sokka slurred. "Did you make any new friends?"

Shinra smiled a little and scratched his neck. "I think I did"

Katara noticed him immediately, her eyes searching his face. There was a vulnerability there that made her seem younger than usual.

"Shinra," she whispered. "I—"

Before she could say more, he interrupted, his voice calm.

"It's okay, Katara. I saw someone today who helped me see things differently."

Her brows furrowed. "Who?"

Shinra smiled faintly. "A girl I met while gathering water. She helped me put things in perspective. Told me I need to let go of the anger, not for anyone else, but for myself."

Katara's eyes filled with tears, the sincerity in his voice breaking down the walls she'd built up.

"I'm so sorry, Shinra," she said, her voice trembling. "I didn't realize how much I hurt you. I never wanted to."

He knelt down in front of her, taking her hands in his. "I know, Katara. I felt hurt, yes, but I don't want to hold onto that anymore. I care about you, and it hurts to see you like this. I forgive you."

Tears spilled down her cheeks, and she pulled him into a tight embrace. "Thank you, Shinra."

Aang landing caught their attention.nbsp; He looked tired and sad.

Shinra pulled back, a small smile forming as Aang held up the frozen frogs. He then realized what Aang was holding. "What the- "

"They need to suck on them to get better" Aang explained.

"You good?" Shinra asked. Aang responded only with a nod.

"It's good to see you too, Aang," Katara said, her voice steady now as Aang put the frogs in their mouths. Within a few seconds, they started to thaw out and the wriggled in the siblings' mouths.

"Gross!"Shinra recoiled at the sight as Katara and Sokka spat the frogs out.

While Aang went to bed, Shinra didn't question it. The boy looked really tired.

Shinra felt a quiet contentment settle over him as he rested against Appa's leg and slowly closed his eyes. Maybe this was a fresh start for all of them.

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