Chapter Text
(Y/N) stepped out of the Great Pyramid. Their mind was their own. Their choices were their own. Their purpose was their own.
The warmth of the rising sun greeted them as they stepped out, and (Y/N) took a deep breath. Fresh, free air greeted their lungs. For a moment, they just stood there, existing. That’s all they wanted to do, forever.
“Hey. You alright, (Y/N)?”
(Y/N) opened their eyes and looked at Layla. They grinned. “I’m great.”
“You’re not an Avatar anymore, are you?” said Marc.
(Y/N) shook their head. “No. Ma’at gave me a gift in thanks, and then she let me go.”
“Nicer than Khonshu,” muttered Marc.
Steven switched in. “What are you going to do now?”
(Y/N) shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“You’re not going to just…wander off alone, are you?” asked Steven worriedly.
“…I don’t know what else to do,” said (Y/N).
Layla scoffed. “No way are we letting you go off alone. You’re what, seventeen? No.”
“What else do I do?” asked (Y/N).
“Come back to London with me! And Marc!” said Steven instantly.
(Y/N) blinked, and their heart warmed. “What?”
“Layla is…going to be off doing Layla things, but we’re…we’re going to try to figure things out, Marc and I, between us. So we’re going back to London, to my flat,” said Steven, smiling.
“I—You want me to?” whispered (Y/N) as if the spell of being wanted, belonging, would break if they spoke too loudly, no matter how honest Steven’s words were.
Layla rolled her eyes. (Y/N) was apparently oblivious to how much Steven and Marc had become attached to them. “Of course they do.”
“Come home with us,” said Steven.
“Really?” They knew it was the truth, but it felt too impossible to accept. (Y/N) felt tears collect in their eyes, and their heart swelled with so much warmth it felt like they would burst.
“We’re not leaving you alone, kid,” said Marc, switching to front. He pulled (Y/N) in and hugged them.
(Y/N) let out a happy sob and grinned. They hugged back.
l
A few months later…
(Y/N)’s eyes opened as sunlight warmed their skin. Rolling over, they looked out the window at the bustle of London below. They smiled.
“Heya, are you awake, (Y/N)?”
(Y/N) sat up as Steven poked his head into the room. “I’m up.”
“Oh, good, I’m making pancakes. Want some?” said Steven.
(Y/N) smiled. “Sure.”
Steven grinned and nodded, leaving the room.
(Y/N) got out of bed and changed into their day clothes. Pulling on a t-shirt and jeans, they looked in the mirror. They didn’t need to be prepared for thievery or fighting. They could just…be.
Walking out of their room, (Y/N) walked to the kitchen portion of the flat.
“Hey, Guses,” said (Y/N), picking up fish food and sprinkling it into the tank where two fish swam together.
“Oh, yeah, we forgot to feed him this morning,” said Steven. “Thanks!”
“No, I told you too, and you forgot,” said Marc from the mirror.
“He’s cooking, so it’s alright,” said (Y/N), taking a plate from Steven.
“He should make an omelet. You don’t get enough protein with him,” said Marc.
“I make sure they do!” defended Steven, but there was nothing adversarial.
“Marc, I cook for myself,” said (Y/N) matter-of-factly. “You don’t have to worry.”
“But I do,” said Marc, switching in and pulling out eggs to start cooking.
(Y/N) laughed and smiled.
“What are you doing today?” asked Marc, glancing at (Y/N).
They paused and considered. “I don’t know.” And that was the honest truth. They grinned. “I’m going to walk around and see what interests me.”
Marc’s gaze softened, and he smiled. “Alright. Just be careful.” He scooped eggs onto their plate. “And don’t forget, you and I are training later.”
“Right,” said (Y/N), eating their pancakes and eggs. “I’ll be back at 4.”
“Do you need pocket money?” said Steven from the reflection in the aquarium.
(Y/N) shook their head. “I managed to save some money when I worked with Ma’at. I’m fine.”
“Alright, but if you need anything, anything at all, you’ll tell us, right?” said Steven, fretting as usual.
(Y/N) smiled. “I will. Thank you.” They stood, passed their plate to Marc, and picked up their messenger back—the first item they’d bought in London. It reminded them of what their parents brought with them. “Bye. I’ll see you later.”
“Bye, kid,” said Marc, watching them go.
The door slammed closed behind them, and Marc smiled.
“We’re doing good, aren’t we?” said Steven, looking at Marc.
“I hope so. They’re a good kid,” said Marc.
“Yeah. I really like them. It’s kind of like…we’re a family, you know?” said Steven.
“I know,” said Marc, his gaze softening. “I know.”
l
(Y/N) hummed as they sat down at the café of a bookstore they’d happened upon. Opening their phone, they scrolled through the news. As usual, the first things that popped up were the latest moves of some of the newer superheroes on the scene, like the new, female Hulk or a girl fighting with crystal-like abilities in Jersey City.
Leaving the news behind, (Y/N) clicked on their music and pressed play.
“El Melouk” began to play through their earbuds, and they smiled, taking a sip of their coffee.
“Look, look, look where we have been/and where we are now.”
(Y/N) smiled.
They had lost everything, but now, they were living. They had people they cared about. They had a home. (Y/N) even dared say they had a family.
And (Y/N) had a chance to figure out who they were.