silver soul | avatar, the last air bender

chapter twenty three

Hiding on a Fire Nation ship for the past few weeks wasn't Naia's ideal way of helping to save the world. Naia tried to remain hopeful, telling herself that this was just a bump in the road and it will all work out. She thought back to what Koa said about shaping her own destiny. But right now, her destiny seemed bleak.

Despite Katara and Naia healing Aang for hours on end each day, he still didn't wake up. Naia knew he needed to rest from his extensive injuries, but she wondered when Aang would finally wake up. It's been a few weeks.

During this odd period of time on the boat, Naia thought of Yue more. She often found herself looking out towards her ocean and seeing the moon's reflection dance on top of the waves. She looked up towards the moon and began to play around with her necklace again. In her solitude, she would talk to Yue, explaining her feelings of hopelessness. Naia knew it was foolish and that there was no way Yue could hear her, but it was healthier than keeping her feelings bottled up. She missed Yue so much. Naia would do anything to bring her back and see her beautiful smile or hear her laugh again. If she were here, she would know exactly what to say.

"Aren't you cold?" Naia heard Sokka's voice say.

Naia turned around and saw him approaching her with a red Fire Nation cloak. Naia shivered and crossed her arms. She smiled gratefully as Sokka wrapped her shoulders with it. "A little now that I think about it."

"What else were you thinking of?" He asked, standing by her.

"Yue," Naia answered honestly. "I know it's silly, but sometimes I just sit out here and talk to the moon."

"It's not silly," Sokka reassured her. "You haven't talked about her as much to me."

Naia sighed. Sokka was right. It's been a while since she's cried in front of another person. Since the group has been so busy with new adventures, she didn't want to burden them with her emotions. Naia was one of the oldest in the group, so took it upon herself to always act strong. She wanted to set a good example, even if beneath the surface was her own emotional turmoil. "I just miss her so much," Naia said. "I do a lot of my suffering in private."

"I know," Sokka said soothingly. "Remember what I told you, back at the North Pole? That I'll always listen to you?"

Naia nodded, nervously toying with her hands. Of course she remembered the talk they had. It was one of the reasons she began to fall for Sokka, despite her desperate attempts not to. "Yeah, I do."

Since Naia and Sokka confessed their feelings for one another, Naia felt a weight lifted off her chest. Being with Sokka was peaceful to Naia, like watching the waves gently crash against the shore on a sunny day. With other boys, Naia constantly doubted herself. Her mind was constantly racing, thinking of every possible outcome of every situation. But with Sokka, her mind was quiet, almost serene. They haven't told the group yet, however, since Aang was still in a coma. It just seemed like the wrong time. Although it hurt Naia to not share the news with the rest of them, Naia was simply happy to finally have Sokka to herself.

Naia inhaled sharply and wiped away a stray tear that rolled down her cheek. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was a lot like her father. He tried to stifle his emotions, seeing them as a weakness. Naia grew up thinking the same. But after a while, Naia realized that she can't let new people into her life if she constantly pushes everyone away. "It must be nice having your Dad and a few familiar faces traveling with us."

"Yeah, it has been," Sokka said pensively. "I missed my Dad a lot. It was really hard seeing him leave right after Mom passed away, but he needed to help with the war."

Naia met Hakoda when they first boarded the ship. Sokka couldn't introduce Naia as his girlfriend yet, so for the time being she was just a friend. Hakoda was polite, and treated her with respect since Sokka told him she was princess of the Northern Water Tribe. Though Sokka's mother was most likely attractive, Naia saw where Sokka got his looks from when she met Hakoda.