The Two Of Us - An ALTA X Reader Fanfiction

Chapter Two ~ Informational

(Y/N'S POV)

I felt strange when I awoke, almost warm. Sitting up and rubbing my eyes, I found myself in a decent sized enclosure, with my tiny fire pit at the entrance, glowing brightly. A stack of cooked fish lay next to it, and I scooted over, hesitating before taking one and taking a bite. It was good, and I closed my eyes, moaning into the fish as I scarfed it down. Nausea rose as my body protested the first food in days and I fought to keep it down.

I had finished three when someone stumbled into the room. I jumped, brandishing the half-eaten fish I held at the intruder wobbling slightly. After a moment I realized it was that guy from yesterday, and I hesitated before lowering my arm and moving forward to help him come in and sit. He looked worse than yesterday.

"Who are you?" I asked, picking up a different fish and offering it to him. He shook his head and I shrugged, taking a bite.

He was pretty well built, if a bit wiry. He looked to be about my age, and was covered with blue arrows, tattooed on his arms and legs and across the back of his head, coming to a point on his forehead. His eyes, soft and sympathetic, appeared welcoming, and my hesitation vanished, replaced by an all encompassing feeling of being soothed.

"My name is Aang." he replied, and his voice sounded rough, like he had been screaming. I felt pity for him, and nodded.

"Y/N." I offered, and looked over, smiling at me.

We sat in silence, him watching the fire and me as I ate. After a while he began to talk, and I let him, feeling like this was something he needed to get off his chest.

By the end of my long meal, I had learned that he came from Ba-Sing-Se, and he had been heartbroken, which is why he landed the way he did, from exhaustion. I learned that he was an Air Nomad, which led to me excitedly press him for details about the long dead civilization. It was fascinating, and he seemed more than happy to talk about them.

I told him about my old tribe, how I had run away a year ago after years of not being able to bend. He seemed surprised at that, and I lowered my head.

"Nearly everyone in our village could bend. I just couldn't do it, and I kept being picked on by the other kids. They called me worthless, and I just...I just couldn't. Even my own mother was disappointed in me." I spoke, my eyes trained on the floor. I wasn't sure why it was so easy to open up to this guy, but I felt as if I had known him for years, and he listened intently, soaking up my every word.

"Well," he spoke, setting down his food. "One of my best friends; well, more like my brother, Sokka? He can't bend at all either." he offered, a smile on his face. "Just because someone can't bend doesn't mean they are bad or don't have worth. I mean, he tells the best jokes! And he's a master swordsman!"

I couldn't bring myself to look at him, but I jumped a bit at feeling him take my hands in his. I looked up, blushing deeply at how close this stranger was, Aang. A sense of comfort surrounded me and I couldn't help but believe every word he said.

"I'm sure you're an amazing person, Y/N." he grinned, and it was infectious. I smiled back at him, and he let go of my hands, opening his arms in an offer for a hug. Ignoring my apprehension telling me no, I put my head on his surprisingly solid chest, wrapping my arms around him. He pulled me against him, resting his chin on my shoulder.

(AANG'S POV)

It surprised me, and I mulled it over as I hugged Y/N. She didn't know? How could you not know you can bend? My hands fidgeted as I thought, running absentmindedly up and down along her spine.

She seemed extremely relaxed, and I tried to move, only to find her sound asleep, her arms wrapped weakly around me. Her face looked quite a bit more at peace than last night, and I stood, wavering for a second as I blocked out the pain as much as I could. I held her against me, an arm under her knees and another behind her shoulders. Her head rested on my collar, her soft breaths tickling my skin and sending strange shivers through me. I still had no idea how old she was, but from her build and voice, she seemed to be perhaps a bit younger than me. Her dark hair was almost black, and it was obviously uncared for.

I needed to get this girl back to Ba-Sing-Se, as quickly as possible. Without my glider, it would take longer, but hopefully we weren't too far away from a town. I wouldn't have that hard of a time getting a ride home. Never did.

Picking the direction I hoped I had come from, I began walking, thinking of what would happen once I returned home. Toph apparently had known about Katara...god, I didn't want to think about her.

Y/N shifted herself slightly in my arms, and I let my gaze flick to her, smiling. This girl was definitely something. I mean, she claimed she couldn't bend, but she had absolutely been in the Avatar State last night. I thought about it a bit more and realized she was probably close to passing, which is what kicked it into overdrive, what made her catch the fish and start a fire. She was going to die, and the Avatar State saved her, much like it has saved me time and time again.

As I walked, I projected my mind into the spirit world, letting my feet move me. Roku walked beside me patiently, awaiting me.

"Who is she?" I asked, getting right to the point.

Roku smiled at me. "She is the Avatar."

I frowned, adjusting my grip on her. "But I'm the Avatar, and I'm not dead yet."

Roku rose, coming to walk beside me. "104 years ago, moments before you encased yourself in ice, your heart stopped, Aang. For a few minutes before the Avatar state restarted it, froze you and preserved you. You were dead for moments, enough for a piece of your soul to split off and disappear into the spirit world, where it remained lost for some time. About 16 years ago, she was born into a water tribe exclusively for benders." he explained. "When she was born, her tie to the spirit world was strong, so strong in fact it pulled the part of your soul from within the spirit world and intertwined it with her own, binding you into one being."

My eyes widened and I looked back to Y/N. She sighed in her sleep, burying her face into my chest.

"She's...I'm...we're BOTH the Avatar?" I asked, incredulously.

Roku nodded. "The Avatar spirit was not supposed to be bound to her, and it removed the knowledge of waterbending, her original element. Because of this, she has no knowledge of her role as your co-Avatar, and no knowledge of how to bend anything. She can enter the Avatar State when her life is threatened, but beyond that, she is truly powerless."

I nodded, trying to understand who this girl was. Co-Avatar? I had a literal other half?

I nodded to Roku, stopping my walk to bow to him before returning to the real world, finding myself on another beach, facing the earth kingdom across a massive body of water.