Hey guys! So I've been reading a few a:tla fanfics and couldn't really find any ones that I was specifically looking for, story wise, althoguh I did find some good ones. So i decided to write my own! BUT a fair warning before you (hopefully) get too attached, I am a very busy person, in my final 2 terms of school EVER, a dance exam, QCS test, uni applications, schoolies, dance concerts, the list goes on. So don't fret if i don't update in ages, i'm probably extremely busy. anyway, i really hope i update often though because i thought i would write this story to fit in with the explanation on the avatar wiki site with what happens in between the final battle and the beginning of LoK. So yeah! please tell me what you think of this, are they in character? I hope so, and i hope my writing style is okay.
p.s., in my head, i don't really think Aang and Katara exactly label themselves as girlfriend and boyfriend, i think they just kinda... be... yeah? and also, they're still not even 15, in my personal opinion they're still only friends (really really good friends but still) at the start, later on in the story they'll eventually get married and have babies and lollipops and whatnot. Basically, it's all canon (save for my creative license at points) and yeah! ENJOY.
Aang was sitting on the edge of his bed. A day had past since the coronation of Zuko and already his week was busy with meetings upon meetings for the Harmony Restoration Plan. Momo was snuggled up on the red silk pillow, snoring softly as his ear twitched in his sleep. The Phoenix King was defeated and Azula was in prison. Zuko had told Aang that when he was fighting her, she was… well, mental. Rumours from the Fire Nation prison say that she hasn't slept in days and is always muttering to herself, and names had been mentioned, mainly Zuko's and Katara's. Ozai too has seem to given up all hope. His loss of bending seemed to have created a loss of identity, the guards have reported that he simply lies there staring blankly into space.
Aang had to attend a celebration lunch today, but haven chosen to skip breakfast and sleep in, he was still only wearing his bed clothes. He was still tired after the epic battle between him and Ozai, scars and bruises decorated his body as he refused any healing from Katara. He wanted to keep them for as long as possible, to remind himself that he had indeed defeated the Phoenix King, and that no, it was not all a dream. A knock on the door brought Aang out of his day dreaming. Wincing slightly from sore muscles, he strode over to the door and opened it. There stood Zuko donned in his Fire Lord attire looking rather official. Zuko looked Aang up and down, "That's an interesting outfit for the Avatar to wear at a celebration…"
"Very funny, Zuko" yawned Aang, "I was just about to get changed"
"You have ten minutes until we need to make an entrance"
Aang nodded as he closed the door. After pulling on his orange robes he splashed some cold water on his face to wake himself up a bit. Feeling much more revitalised now, he ventured through the fire lit halls with hanging tapestries and portraits stopping before the giant, mahogany door that led into the Grand Hall where the celebration was being held.
Zuko appeared beside him and gave him a small smile. "And so once again, another celebration begins" he said as the doors opened to reveal a crowd of official looking people chatting amongst themselves seated at the long table in the hall. The room quietened to a hush as the two entered and everyone stood up and bowed. "Welcome, friends and guests, to the official celebration of the end of the Hundred Year War. Please, sit. The Avatar and I are most grateful you have accepted the invitations to join us in this celebration. We know you all must be hungry, I for one am starving, so let's save the speeches until the end and let us celebrate our newfound peace!" A polite applause and cheering was made around the hall as the food was brought out by several servants. Zuko sat in his throne next to Mai and Aang was seated on the other side of him. Katara gave Aang a happy smile as he sat beside her, to which he returned greatly.
"Hey there sleepy-head, enjoy the sleep in?" She asked with a grin.
"Ha ha, it was really great actually. I had the most wonderful dream… I was flying on Appa and there were birds and clouds and the temperature was just right and-" began Aang.
"That's all great and good buddy, would love to hear that dream anytime, but food, Aang, meat!" interjected Sokka, "You're distracting me from my meal! Ow!" Suki had hit Sokka on the head.
"Don't be rude to Aang, Sokka!" she scolded but Sokka was alreading tearing at a leg of juicy meat.
"You can tell me about that dream another time, Aang, it sounds interesting" whispered Katara. Aang smiled at her and continued to eat his vegetarian dish.
"So, Suki," said Aang, "How are the Kioshi Warriors doing? Any news from them?"
Although Suki was still the leader of the warriors, she had been spending all her time in the Fire Nation Palace with Sokka. Ty Lee had taken over as temporary leader until Suki returned. The other girls were resilient at first, but after getting to know Ty Lee they all became fast friends and even fiercer warrios. Ty Lee had showed them many new techniques, including her Chi Blocking technique.
"I just got a letter a few days ago, they've been out on missions to spread the news of the end of the war. Some people are apparently not too pleased about the results, and Ty Lee said that one leader of fire nation soldiers out in the Earth Kingdom even tried to attack them. Let's just say it didn't end to well for him," grinned Suki.
"Yeah! Go Earth Kingdom, woo!" yelled Toph from her seat across from Suki.
Aang chuckled, "Toph, you're way too biased"
"Pff, Twinkle-toes you and I both know that the Earth Kingdom is the greatest. I mean, come on! I can bend metal!"
"Yes, yes we've all heard that a million times. But please, tell us again how you destroyed the fleet of navy ships?" Aang rolled his eyes.
"Oo! This story again!" chimed in Sokka, "Can I tell it? Pleaseeee!"
"No!" said Katara, "Not again! It's half way through the day and I've already heard it four times! Enough!"
"Humph." Pouted Sokka, "You're missing out on a great story little sis"
"Oh what a shame, oh mighty Boomerang Guy"
"Hey! Don't diss the boomerang!"
The whole gang laughed at Sokka's face until Zuko stood up and called for attention.
"Once again I'd like to thank you all for attending the celebration…"
Aang was standing out on the balcony outside the shared room for all the guests in the palace. The sun had just set and the beetles were buzzing around the garden. Little bugs swarmed over the pond and the ducklings were settling in for the night next to their mother. He was enjoying the peace and quiet of the garden, thinking back to the lunch he had just shared with numerous people he did not really know. After the speeches had finished, and of course he had to give one to the crowd, he spent the next hour wandering around the hall exchanging pleasantries with many Lords and Ladies of the Fire Nation. After a while though it got tiring saying the say thing over and over again and all he wanted to do was go back to his room and meditate. However he still had to attend a meeting in the afternoon, and so, after excusing himself from a conversation with a large man with a black, curly moustache and his extremely skinny wife, he walked to the conference room where Zuko was already in progression of the meeting. The others were there as well, including some royal advisers and army generals. Aang took a seat next to Katara, who was listening intently to what Zuko was saying. He was so tired though that Aang barely took in a word of it, something about the fire nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom. It seemed like ages but the meeting eventually finished. His friends decided they'd take time to relax in the shared room before dinner began. At first, Aang had sat on the red embroidered lounge chatting with Toph and Suki, but eventually he decided to head out to the balcony for some fresh air and peace.
Lost in thought, he barely noticed another figure exit to the balcony and join his side.
"Warm night, isn't it?" said Katara leaning on the bannister.
"Well, for the South Pole it would be I guess" joked Aang. She gave a small, but friendly, laugh and turned to look at him. Her blue eyes bore into his and he noticed she looked worried, or in the least confused. "What's up?"
She sighed and lowered her face, her shoulders tense and her hands fidgeted on the bannister.
"Hey," said Aang placing his hand on hers, "you know you can tell me anything, right?"
She seemed to relax a little from the contact of his hands, and she lifted her face and turned towards the garden.
"It's just… we've been working so hard and long at defeating Ozai. It was all we ever really thought about for a more than a year, ending the battle that split the world. And I thought we'd finally get to relax and just be kids again, but we can't… we still have to work and keep the peace. There are still people who want to tear the world apart, and there are a lot of people injured and…" she took a deep breath, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be giving you more things to worry about."
"Katara it's okay, I understand. Sometimes, even leading up to defeating Ozai, I wished that I could just be a kid again, I wanted to make pies with Gyatso and play Air Ball with my friends, even just to relax with you and Sokka on some island where no one could contact us for a while. Even though I'm still only thirteen, I'm expected to maintain my position as the Avatar" Aang sighed heavily, "how about a promise Katara, to take a much needed and deserved break for a few days, anywhere you choose, anyone you choose. I think after defeating Ozai and Azula we deserve a vacation, even if it's just for a few days."
Katara smiled at Aang, which made his stomach flutter excitedly, "Aang that sounds wonderful. I'm going to hold you to that promise."
"You have my word" he bowed, and suddenly he felt her warm arms around him, and he hugged her back.
soooo? good? i hope so, i wrote this in an hour or so... kinda short i realise. PLEASE leave a review, as to what you liked, didn't like, if the characters are true to themselves, ect. Also note, this will all be canon to the events i read in the avatar wiki and whatever else i find online, so yeah, suck it.
CHEERS.