𝑯𝑰𝑫𝑫𝑬𝑵 𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑮𝑶𝑵, 𝒂: 𝒕𝒍𝒂

➳ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦: 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳

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"your heart is the softest place on earth. take care of it."

- Nayyirah Waheed

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"CAN YOU TELL ANOTHER STORY?" Yoko asks, clasping her hands together and batting her eyes. She and Kida are laying on the ground of the forest, looking up at the sky through the trees. Yoko couldn't sleep right away, so Kida offered to tell her some of the stories she used to tell Hiro and then Aang, the ones she invented on the spot by looking at the stars. Kida was completely fine with that, except that was about three stories ago, and Kida had planned to break into a house tonight. It had been a couple nights since Kida had the chance to go out on her own, being so preoccupied with keeping Yoko safe and unaware of her vigilante exploits. Kida was itching to put her hood back on, shoot a few arrows, and steal something.

She sighs. Being around a kid again, a young one at that, was more tiring than Kida had anticipated; there were also so many questions, most of which Kida preferred not to answer. There was never a silent moment. Kida figures that's because Yoko is young and misses having company and someone to talk to, and maybe Kida is the same in that way. Still, it's exhausting. Maybe she should just drop Yoko off in some town and get on with her life. "Yoko, it's late and time for bed."

"But, I'm not tired!" Yoko argues, failing to hide a yawn. Kida looks to the girl next to her accusingly. "Fine! I'll sleep."

Yoko crawls over to the ground and lays down. Kida throws her a blanket.

"Here."

"But, won't you be cold?"

"No, I'll be okay."

Kida waits until she can hear the sound of steady breathing before disappearing into the night.

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"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR HAIR?" Yoko asks the next day after she and Kida packed up camp and resumed their journey. "How did you get that scar on your nose?"

Kida glances at Yoko briefly. The girl's hair was falling out of the two top knots she had tied up a while ago, loose strands falling onto her tan face and covering her green eyes. Although Yoko is practically bursting with positive energy, Kida still notices the soft shadows under her eyes from lack of sleep and the slight limp in her step from when she tripped and fell yesterday. It was only a little over a week ago, but Kida remembers how much younger Yoko looked when they first met.

Part of her wants nothing more than to seal Yoko is a perfect world, where she could live and be happy and not have to grow up too fast, like Kida had to. And the other part is so annoyed by all the questioning that she considers leaving Yoko in the forest to fend for herself. Neither is an option, though, so Kida accepts defeat.

"The hair happened naturally and the scar is from teaching my brother to use a sword. Big mistake, by the way," Kida replies.

Yoko tilts her head in confusion. "What happened to your brother? And the sword? You don't have either."

"Yeah, I know," Kida answers, a little annoyed. "I lost both."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I lost my sister." Yoko stops walking and Kida takes a few steps before realizing. Kida walks back and crouches in front of the girl.