𝑯𝑰𝑫𝑫𝑬𝑵 𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑮𝑶𝑵, 𝒂: 𝒕𝒍𝒂

➳𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯: 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'YOU'RE LEAVING'?" Kida demands. She leans against the doorframe as Sokka rapidly packs up his belongings.

"Just that," Sokka replies, attaching a sleeping mat to his pack. He gets up and walks towards the entrance of the abbey, where Katara and Bato are waiting. Kida ignores the pain in her side as she tries to keep up with him.

"Come with us," Sokka offers.

"No," Kida replies instantly. Her eyes flick to the bracelets on her wrist. "I can't leave Aang. You still haven't told me why you're leaving. "

Sokka's jaw clenches. "It's my dad," he states. "We're going to find him. That's where I need to be."

"Is it, though? You made a promise to Aang."

"And he lied to us," Sokka counters, raising his voice slightly.

"He's a kid," Kida defends, although she really has no idea what went down between them.

"He's also the Avatar and he lied, so we can't trust him. Why even bother."

"Because you're his family now! We're his family now," Kida argues. "You can't just leave, right when he needs all of us."

Sokka ignores her. He stops walking when he reaches Katara and Bato. Out of the corner of her eye, Kida notices Aang sitting on Appa with his knees tucked under his chin.

"Katara?" Kida turns to the girl, hoping that she'd find reason and decide to stay, but Katara snaps her head away.

"I'm sorry, Kida, but Sokka's right," she replies, sadly. Without another word, she, Sokka, and Bato leave.

So this is what would happen if they found out I lied, Kida realizes. Good to know.

"Thanks for staying," Aang says to Kida once the trio is gone.

"You don't have to thank me," Kida replies. "We all mess up sometimes, kid, but it's important we stick together, right?"

Aang offers a small smile. "Right."

»»---------------------►

THE BREAKUP DIDN'T LAST LONG. After Zuko used Katara to get to Aang, capturing her and Sokka in the process, the team naturally came back together.

Kida had heard all about the banished Fire Nation prince who is obsessed with tracking down the Avatar. The last time the team saw Zuko was when he was working with the pirates and tried to trade a scroll for Aang. Kida was hoping he had given up on his search, but after he stole Katara's necklace to track them down, she realizes that he'd go to any lengths to accomplish his goal.

"Don't you want to see your father?" Aang asks Sokka and Katara. He peaks up from his spot on Appa's head, turning around to face his friends who are sitting in the saddle. The group made a quick getaway after making sure everything was okay at the abbey.

"Of course we do, Aang," Sokka admits. "But, you're our family, too. And right now, you need us more." When he says this, Sokka nudges his foot against Kida's, who is sitting across from him.

"And we need you," Katara adds.

"I wish I could give you a little piece of home, Katara," Aang muses. "Something to remind you —"

"I'll be okay."

"Still, just a little trinket," Aang continues. "Maybe something like...this?" He pulls out her mother's necklace, a smile spreading across his face.

"Aang! How'd you get that?" Katara asks as she excitedly grabs the necklace and puts it on.

"Zuko asked me to be sure I got it to you," Aang replies cheekily.

"Oh, that's so sweet of Zuko. Would you give him a kiss for me when you see him?"

"Sure!" Aang says, just as Katara plants a kiss on his cheek. While the boy blushes, Sokka shifts over to sit next to Kida.

"Ten copper pieces says that he admits his love for her by the end of summer," he whispers.

"There's no bet there!" Kida protests, although she keeps her voice low. "It's inevitable. They're gonna get married and have, like, three kids."

"And live in the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se," Sokka adds. "With all the Avatar money."

"I don't think you make money from being the Avatar," Kida points out. "But, maybe that jewelry business Aang was talking about is a huge success. And Katara is a world-renowned waterbending master, so that has its perks."

"Oh, so they get a vacation home near Kyoshi Island, where they can take the kids to ride the elephant koi."

"Sounds like a nice family," Kida muses.

"Not as nice as ours," Sokka counters. When Kida tilts her head and smirks, he adds: "I mean this family." Sokka makes a gesture grouping everyone together. "The team, like you mentioned earlier. Not like me and you." He points from Kida to himself, his cheeks flushed. "Because, you know —"

"What are you two whispering about?" Katara asks, turning back from her conversation with Aang.

"About our family," Kida jokes. She nudges Sokka's side and he blushes even more.

Katara looks at Kida quizzically, then goes back to talking to Aang. Sokka arguing with Momo over something; only he could start an argument with a flying lemur. Kida leans back and closes her eyes, feeling the wind in her hair.

This, she thinks, is what I'm fighting for.

»»---------------------►

author's note: 

this chapter was really short oops but thank you for reading!!