Reborn In Water || ATLA

Snuff

The Waterbending Master Cont.

"I couldn't face a life without your lights, but all of that was ripped apart when you refused to fight." - Slipknot

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"So are we gonna talk about what just happened?" Sokka asked once the two were in the safety of their quarters. "Who was that?" Aelita sighed softly. She didn't want to talk about it but she knew Sokka wouldn't let it go if she didn't give him something.

"Hahn." She explained as she looked at her disheveled appearance in the mirror on the wall. She used a damp cloth from a close-by water basin and wiped away the blood that dribbled down her chin. "He's the warrior that's been assigned to follow me while we're here."

"He looked like he would've done a whole lot more than just follow you if I hadn't shown up."

"I was handling it just fine."

"Bullshit! Look at yourself right now!"

"Gee thanks Sokka, just tell me I look like hell next time." Aelita huffed and spun on her heel. She walked past her sleeping friends and out into the cool Northern air of the balcony attached to their suite. What she wouldn't give for just a minute of quiet and a cup of jasmine tea. Of course, she wouldn't get it, because Sokka followed.

"Well forgive me for noticing the busted lip and the fingerprints on your neck." He pointed out as soon as he joined her. "He would've done worse if it weren't for me and you were just standing there taking it!"

"Because he wanted me to fight back! If I would've touched a single hair on his head he would've turned and painted me as the bad guy." Aelita could feel the annoyance seeping through her voice but at this point, she didn't care. "I know it's a wild concept to you but it's called picking your battles."

"I do pick my battles, I just happen to pick all of them." Sokka defended. "But this isn't about me, this is about you. First, you threw yourself to the mercy of the council without a real defense or plan, and now you just stand there while some hero wannabe slaps you around. Are you trying to turn yourself into some sort of martyr here?"

"Of course not. Dammit, can't you see I'm just trying to get by here?" Tears brimmed the young girl's eyes and she hated herself for it. "No one wants me here, no one trusts me. I'm supposed to help Aang save a world that the vast majority of would rather see me locked up or dead. Even you used to hate me!"

"That was then, this is now," Sokka said and reached for the girl who was now flinching from his touch.

"Yeah well now is complicated," Aelita said as a tear rolled down her pale skin. "I'm doing what I have to."

Sokka felt his blood pressure spike. She really didn't get it, she was turning herself into a martyr. "I swear if you feed me that shit line about duty I'll scream."

"It's not shit." Aelita barked. "It's what my Dad taught me."

"Yeah, and you see where that got him." The second the words spilled out of his mouth, Sokka regretted them. The already fragile and beautiful girl before him looked as if he had slapped her across the face.

"Get away from me." She said so quietly he almost didn't hear her.

"Aelita wait..." He pleaded and reached for her hand. Aelita jerked it away, small bouts of fire-spitting from her palm, nearly grazing the tips of his fingers.

"I said get away Sokka!" She choked as her voice began to break. "This is done! We are done. I told you I wasn't ready, I told you that I would hurt you. Now, look at us! I guess we're even. Just do us both a favor and move on and leave me alone."