A child's hands loosen on her shoulders and he can feel his expression shift, pure rage to apology, shame.
Sorrow.
He swallows hard and hides his own sniffles behind the sound of her sobs, reaching up to touch her. He takes care not to use his palms, the dirty linen not good enough. But his fingertips start petting her hair as he slowly wriggles out of his sleeping bag to sit beside her.
"Mom isn't coming back," he whispers, feeling his eyes burn with held-back tears, "but... but I'm here, Katara. I won't go away." It's an offer and a plead - he made her cry this time, not the Firebenders. He's her big brother - he should be there for her.
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Sorrow.
He swallows hard and hides his own sniffles behind the sound of her sobs, reaching up to touch her. He takes care not to use his palms, the dirty linen not good enough. But his fingertips start petting her hair as he slowly wriggles out of his sleeping bag to sit beside her.
"Mom isn't coming back," he whispers, feeling his eyes burn with held-back tears, "but... but I'm here, Katara. I won't go away." It's an offer and a plead - he made her cry this time, not the Firebenders. He's her big brother - he should be there for her.