ATLA/LOK Fem Imagines

*The World Doesn't Stop Because You Need To Find Yourself - Kya

"Why do you have to leave?" You question, turning towards your wife with a wounded expression.

Kya's decision came unexpectedly. As you two prepared for rest, she remorselessly dropped her conclusion. There was no time to prepare. There was no time to find the adequate words to keep her home with you, to persuade her to change her mind. Your body relaxed beneath the covers, nuzzled under her comforting hold when she spilled her guts guiltily.

The water bender sighs softly with a frown curling at the corners of her lips, "I need to do this. I need to find myself. Since Dad died, I've been feeling so lost."

Why didn't she tell you sooner? Why? You could've helped. You could've found her help.

Tears threaten to trickle down your face as you caress the side of her cheek. Aang was like the father you never had, but you only know a fraction of the pain Kya feels right now. She leans against your delicate touch, tears building up around her eyes as she watches you begin to cry silently.

"We can figure this out together, Kya. You need love and support now more than ever, and leaving isn't going to help," You cry out desperately.

The younger woman sighs again, crying with you, "I know. I just need to figure this out alone. I don't expect you to understand."

She's right. You don't understand. In a situation like hers, you'd expect one to seek comfort from family. Instead, she pushes herself away. Somehow, you secretly suspected this outcome. Traveling has been an interest of Kya's for years now, and she's always been a person of independence, liking to depend on herself more than others. But, you thought she would never leave you behind, that you were always involved in her plans. You were wrong.

You love her to bits and pieces. So, you will support her. If this is what she thinks she needs, you'll be there for her when she wants it. Though, it hurts like a bitch to let her go.

"Okay, then, babe. Let's get you packed," You agree without a fight. There's no winning this one.

She gazes down at you with the most appreciative expression known to man and leans up to kiss you affectionately. A week later, you're sending her off on the pier with a bear hug, passionate kisses, and the promise of keeping in touch through letters.

You thought her journey of newfound self-discovery would take a few months, but then a year passed. Then another and another and another with an occasional letter spread out between a span of months. People start to talk, speculating about a divorce or that Kya died throughout her travels. You tried not to let the rumors get under your skin, but the nasty looks and chattering you received when walking around the streets of Republic City were enough to bury you into a hole of self-pity.

You're still close with the avatar family, keeping tabs with Bumi through an abundance of letters, frequent visits to the Air Temple Island to talk with Tenzin and his wife, keeping up with Lin, and writing with Katara. They were all still your family technically. You loved each family member like they were your own and you to them. Kya's separation did nothing to shake the bonds the rest of you have to your utmost relief.

As you wait for your lover to come back, you make yourself busy by working as a private nanny and tutor for the Sato family. The job offered you a luxurious place to stay and delicious food in your belly. While you had your apartment with Kya, living without your wife has taken a tremendous toll on your mind. Walking through the halls, sprinkled with pictures of you together, surely doesn't help the grieving mind.

You adore their child, Asami. She's such a little sweetheart. Despite growing up in wealth, she's remarkably empathetic and understanding. She's not what you would expect from a child spoiled since birth. And, Mrs. Sato has made for a great friend. You two often seek comfort in one another about your marriages. She loves her husband, but he can become too carried away in his work. He's spending more and more time away from home, and Asami is starting to question things. Living with such an expecting and kind family lifted your spirits. For the first time since Kya left, you genuinely find yourself happy.