The Lunar Warrior [ATLA FF]

Book 1: Water | 45 | Familiar, Yet Foreign

Art Drawn By Me! And I may be able to do something similar for you! Commissions are open on Kofi! Just check my profile and the end of this chapter for the website link! Also, this cutie is free to download along with an Aang Chibi in my little shop over there. I hope to have more options as time passes. On with the story!

.

•───────•⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☾☼☽∘∙⊱⋅•⋅•───────•

.

Ayaan quietly sat by the river, alone and contemplative as he stared at the full moon. If it was early or late he couldn't tell, as his dreams had kept him from any decent amount of sleep. Though, frankly speaking, that was nothing new.

Many things plagued his mind on a daily basis. Rarely were those things his accomplishments. Every demon in his mind whispered taunts and lullabies whenever he was alone. Whenever something happened they'd rear their ugly heads and yell how right they were about him.

He'd never be enough.

He'd never be able to protect.

He'd already failed before, what would stop him from failing again?

So many close calls, so many times things have been out of his control. Fire nation invading their home and thus, starting this dangerous journey. That stupid king arresting them for a damn reunion. His siblings' own stupidity taking a joy ride on a mail cart in the first place... Who even does that when they are trying to be stealthy?

Apparently, his family. He needed to have words with them about this. He couldn't deal with another problem like the ones before.

He understood that they were children. They didn't know the true horrors of the world aside from outside glimpses. Yes, Aang lost his people. Yes, Katara and Sokka both lost their mother as well.

But he was the one that was there. He saw it, felt it, and lived through that very moment. Her last breath, her last words, her last scream, he was there for all of it. It haunts his every dream, overshadowing every happy memory he wished was stronger than his pain. He was the only one to experience such a thing firsthand, and the result of it will forever mark his skin.

A permanent stigma reflects back at him as he continues to look into the flowing water.

He says nothing to Katara when she constantly brings it up on their travels. He doesn't say how much it hurts to be reminded again and again that their mother is gone, and that he's a scarred reminder. He says nothing of how much it... irritated him whenever she would touch that necklace only to speak of her loss.

He never let his pain show.

He never let his anger show.

He lets her do whatever she thinks will help her cope with the fact their mother is gone. It is a sore subject, not something they speak of often. They each coped with it in their own way, and never shared their individual experience of that day with each other.

In Ayaan's case, he hopes to never have to share it with anyone other than his Grandmother. He'd never even spoken of it to his father. It was... too hard for him to do that. Gran-Gran was a pillar for him, someone he knew could handle everything he told her and give him comfort for it.

She was his reason he didn't completely disappear.

Ayaan continued to stare into the ripples of the river. In them, he could almost see himself, the 'him' before it all went wrong. He can almost see the ghost of his wide smile when he too didn't know of cruelty. He can almost hear his laughter when his mother would tell them silly stories about their father.