the two lovers stood

hand in hand under an old

faded umbrella


What started as a harmless drizzle soon intensified, and soon, sheets of frigid water were pounding down on the roof. It never snowed during Earth Kingdom winters; only rained, but it was so cold that the apartment's inhabitants didn't know which kind of weather to prefer.

The door of the food cabinet in the kitchen shut with a muted bang, accompanied with an exasperated sigh.

"What? No more food?" Came Sokka's loud remark from the dining table. "That's great. Leave it to Fire Lord to stick us in an apartment in Ba Sing Se without stuff to eat."

"I thought there would be enough for all of us!" The seventeen-year-old countered, an annoyed scowl set on his face. "If you hadn't eaten everything before dinner, I'm sure that there would've been something to make a meal out of!"

"Lighten up, guys. We could always eat Sokka!"

"Not funny, Toph!"

As the banter escalated into an all-out argument, the two teenagers in the empty kitchen slumped against the walls, thoroughly annoyed and, on a slightly greater degree, somewhat thankful that they didn't have to cook again.

"We can't just leave them like this," the Airbender pointed out after a moment of silence. He stood up, then, and quietly peeked around the corner, where Mai and Suki were trying to restrain livid teenage boys as they shouted at each other from across the room. "You know how grumpy they get without food."

"Yeah, but there's nothing to eat, much less make a full meal out of. I can't believe Sokka and Toph ate it all," came the reply, followed by a series of yelps and threats to "beat you over the head, warrior-style" from the dining room. Aang, following the events with an odd feeling of interest and discomfort mixed together, nodded slowly and turned back to Katara, biting his lip. He walked over to her, and she acknowledged him with a quiet sigh.

"I don't think that they'll calm down, though. But we've looked everywhere, and there's no food left."

"I guess we have no choice, then. I'll go get some from the market. Can you stay and make sure nobody gets hurt?"

"I think Iroh'll be back soon, so the whole thing will probably blow over in a couple of minutes." He studied at the Waterbender, who was trying to get a better look at the argument. "I can go with you, if you want. It's raining pretty hard outside, and you might need help with the groceries."

"Thanks, but I think I'll manage." She turned back to him with a small smile, even though Aang could see a quiet reluctance in her eyes. "You should stay inside, just in case things get out of hand. I'll be back soon."

"Alright. See you then." He returned the smile, and Katara nodded and headed out of the kitchen, walked across the hectic dining room without being noticed by anybody but Mai and Suki, and the apartment door shut with a quiet bang seconds later.

The Airbender, a pang of guilt rising in his chest for not trying to accompany her, decided to make himself useful in the dining room, where the argument had quieted considerably. Aang took hesitant steps out of the kitchen, wary of the silence in the air.

"Hi, Aang," Suki greeted him, a strange smile on her face. The Airbender's gaze darted to the faces of the two teenage boys at the table, who were sitting stiffly in place, frozen with agonized expressions. "Did Katara go out to get food? She shouldn't have."

"Yeah. I was just telling Zuko that he could make a huge fire and roast Snoozles over here. 'Course, he'd probably taste terrible anyways," Toph contributed with a smirk, flicking a hand over to the half-irritated, half-pained warrior.

"Uh... what's going on anyways, Toph? It got quiet all of a sudden."

"Oh. You can look under the table if you want," came the smug reply. The young Avatar, interested but hesitant at the same time, let his curiousity get the better of him and snuck a peek under the table. Both Zuko and Sokka had their legs locked in place with green flooring.

"You do understand that you owe my uncle, don't you?" Zuko glanced at the blind Earthbender with a slight scowl set on his face, all the while trying not to focus on the pain that coursed through his legs. "That flooring cost two week's worth of income!"

"Eh, he won't mind. All for the sake of the world and whatnot. You guys were shouting so loudly that I thought you'd start another war."

"Yeah, so much for an era of love and peace, hm?" Suki contributed. Toph nodded her direction, a broad smile set on her face.

"Nice one. Guess you have learned some sarcasm!"

Aang, not saying anything, finally tore his gaze away from the destroyed flooring and stood up, glancing at the window. The rain was coming down even harder, and his thoughts immediately drifted off to Katara. She must have been tired, walking through all that water, and miserable, and wet, unless she had taken-

"An umbrella!" He exclaimed, right in the middle of Mai's explanation of Pai Sho tactics. "Katara forgot to take an umbrella!"

"Then go give one to her," Sokka grumbled, wincing as the flooring scraped his foot. "She can't have gone too far."

"Take that one," Mai added calmly, hazel eyes darting to the battered green one propped against the corner. "Iroh has the other."

"I can't believe he knew it was going to rain," Toph mused in admiration, prompting a discussion of Iroh and weather prediction.

"Um, alright. I'll go now," Aang mumbled, but his words were lost in the laughter that followed from one of Zuko's comments. He edged away from the table as discreetly as possible, not wanting to disturb his friends, and picked the old umbrella up. It was worn and the emerald color had faded, but it was well-built and had probably weathered many bad storms. It was the least he could do, but it would provide at least some protection. He felt a faint pang in his heart when he remembered that Katara was probably out in the storm, wet and cold, and swiftly, he walked briskly away from the dining room and out the door, the umbrella trailing the floor.

As the door closed for the second time that evening, Sokka interrupted the conversation with a comment: "Hey, Katara's a Waterbender. Why does she need an umbrella?"

"Hey, let the lovebirds have their fun," Toph replied, rolling her eyes. "At least we'll get food at the end of it."

--

Aang ran out the apartment building as quickly as possible, his feet sloshing in the muddy water and sending ice-cold water splashing onto his robes. It didn't matter; the rain was making everything wet, and the umbrella he was holding didn't help in the slightest. It was old and holes were scattered across the faded silk, sending sheets of frigid rain down on the Airbender. He didn't care.

The largest marketplace was situated in the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se, and it was the only one that would stay open in all sorts of weather. The shopkeepers did all they could to get income. The wind rushed by, bitingly cold, and the downpour soaked Aang to the bone. The umbrella fluttered in the winter wind, threatening to fly away any minute. It was all the thirteen-year-old could do to keep from turning back, but one thought of Katara, in a similar, if not worse predicament, was enough to keep his feet moving.

The puddles drenched his feet and numbed them. His toes stung in the bitter cold, and if he had been thinking clearly, he would've stopped and tended to them. Ugh, he was so stupid! How could he had left her out like that? Why couldn't he have reminded her to take an umbrella? Why-

He stopped, then, breathing hard, and leaned against a building. It was no use, in the end. The umbrella drooped pitifully, and the rain poured down relentlessly. If Katara had gotten to the Lower Ring by now, there was no way that he'd be able to catch up to her. The marketplace was huge; he wouldn't even be able to find her. It was hopeless, and so stupid of him even to try. If she got sick, it was all his fault.

Toph was right. They should've eaten Sokka.

His grey eyes scanned the distance for a person, anybody that looked like a Waterbender, with piercing blue eyes and beautiful smiles and a voice that could break a heart (or set it aflame). It was near useless, he knew, but thinking of Katara gave him some comfort as he leaned against the building, gazing to the distance and the rain bathing him with frigid water.

memories of a long ago time, years ago, a long long time ago. umbrellas and rain and love.

she clutched the handle with slender fingers and he smiled as her hand brushed his, ever-so-lightly, and the early spring rain fell like powder snow and the ground turned wet and soggy under their feet and they walked together, under the cover of a scarlet umbrella, two naive children.

they hadn't known that they loved each other yet, loved each other so much, but they walked and they felt like they were at least closer to each other than they had ever been, under the cover of the Fortuneteller's umbrella stained with the color of lovelorn hearts.

and seconds later, the sun came out and they smiled at each other, innocent smiles.

And he hadn't realized how long he had been standing there, hadn't been aware of his dripping robes or the water that cloaked his skin or the limp umbrella that drooped like a mop to his side. He hadn't realized until footsteps, footsteps in the water, drove him to look up in a last attempt and he looked and he saw the silhouette of Katara trudging through the muddy water, groceries bundled in her arms, walking-

He laughed, half in relief, half in disbelief that he saw her at that moment.

His feet sloshed through the water, the umbrella flying with him. He outran the rain and the wind, rushing towards the girl across the street, and she turned and his Twinkletoes feet slipped and sloshed through the icy water and knocked the groceries out of her hands, knocked the umbrella out of his, knocked the two teenagers off their feet.

The Waterbender sat there, once-dry clothing starting to get drenched by the winter rain, startled. The Airbender had thrown himself onto her when he tripped, and was now lying across her lap, a soggy pile of robes, a look of relief and embarassment on his face at the same time.

"How could... why... you weren't wet?"

"Well, I wasn't until you knocked me into the water. What happened? Is everything alright?" The look of fear on Katara's face made the Airbender blush despite the frigid water pouring down and drenching both of them, and he stammered out, with a quiet embarrassment in his voice-

"You forgot the umbrella."

The Waterbender glanced once at the Airbender sprawled across her lap, glanced once at the battered green umbrella lying to the right of the two, glanced once at the spilled groceries getting soaked by the rainwater, and to the thirteen year old's surprise, Katara laughed.

It was like music in the pattering of the rain, with the pounding on the roofs and the pitter-patter of the raindrops striking the wet ground. The Waterbender laughed, and despite himself, Aang allowed himself a faint little smile, even though he wasn't sure if Katara was laughing at his absurdity or his foolishness. She could even be laughing at both. She shut her eyes for a moment, grinning, before turning to the Airbender and stating:

"Aang, Waterbenders don't need umbrellas. Much less Master Waterbenders, you know."

"Oh. Oh, yeah. I can't believe I was that stupid." He gave an exasperated sigh and hit his forehead. "I'm sorry. You were all dry and everything... I was just so relieved to see you." He briskly picked himself up then, glancing at the scattered groceries. "And you've gone all this way to get groceries. I can't believe it."

He extended a hand out to Katara, who took it with with a smile and stood up. "Aang, it's not your fault, really. And just the fact that you've waited so long for me shows that you really care. I'm flattered." She followed his gaze to the spilled groceries that lay, drenched, in the rain. "I guess I'll have to go back and get some more, then. You should go on back to the apartment. I'll be fine. And take the umbrella with you."

"No, I'm going to the market." He turned to face her, resolve in his firm grey gaze. "I've already done all this to you. You need to go back home and get dry. If you get sick, I'll never forgive myself."

"Aang..." She sighed, then gently took his hand. "If you're going, then no rule says that I can't come with you."

"You don't need to, Katara. I've already caused you all of these problems, and I don't want to make you go all that way again."

"Aang, I'm sure that it'll be fine. You've got the umbrella, and I've got-"

"Your Waterbending, sure, but we're already too soaked to get any wetter. You should go home, and Sokka won't have to worry-"

"Sokka, worrying? Aang, I'm worried about you! You've been wet all this time. The least I can do is help!"

"And what if you get sick? What if-"

No words cut him off. Just silence. Silence and rain and heartbeats and warm lips against his that made his chest flutter and his eyes shut in bliss.

An unexpected, public-but-perfectly-polite kiss in the middle of the street, and the rain drenched the two.

It was short. She pulled away from him, a tinge of red on her cheeks.

"What was that for?"

"To get you to listen to me." Although there was a bit of impatience in her voice, amusement shone in Katara's eyes. "And if I get sick, that's fine. But as punishment for getting me wet, I'm dragging you along with me so we can get sick together. Understand?"

"When you put it that way, I guess I do need to learn a lesson," the Airbender mumbled, his heart still racing from the aftershock of the kiss. "I'm coming along, then."

The sky was darkening, and Aang picked the soggy umbrella up. The green had all but faded, but despite it all, it was still in one piece. He opened it, and held it high above the two, even though it didn't help matters at all.

"Aang, what are you doing? Like you said, we're too wet to get any wetter."

"I know. I just... you know. For old times sake."

He gripped the umbrella firmly, and smiled when Katara's fingers intertwined with his and held the handle tight.

"So, won't all of them back at Zuko's place get mad at us for taking so long? I mean, it's not your fault, but-"

"It's alright, Katara. They can wait."

They walked, then, as the world turned wet around them, and despite everything they felt warmer than they had in all the time they had been in Ba Sing Se.

--

"What took you so long? Sokka and Zuko were just about to attack each other again," Toph asked as the door swung open unceremoniously. All heads at the table glanced up as two very wet teenagers trampled in, groceries in their hands, and a broken, wet umbrella under the Airbender's arm.

"You could've at least dried off before you came in! Now all of you owe my Uncle!" Came Zuko's remark. He was soon quieted by Mai, who placed a hand on his shoulder and murmured that "at least the groceries were here".

"Look, we appreciate your help, but the food already came. See?" Sokka pointed to the center of the table, where a roast duck had magically manifested itself over the hour Aang and Katara had been gone.

"How did you-" Aang began, while Katara nearly dropped the groceries in surprise. Toph grinned broadly and pointed to the elderly man the two hadn't noticed yet, sitting at the table with a smile on his face.

"Iroh came and brought dinner with him a few minutes ago. We were just waiting for you guys to come back. We had to restrain Sokka at least ten times so he wouldn't eat all of it," the blind Earthbender explained. "But now you're here, so let's eat. You might wanna change first, though."

"Good idea," Katara murmured, still in shock. Aang nodded in muted agreement and set both of their baskets onto the floor before walking out of the dining room with the Waterbender, leaving a slippery, watery trail behind.

"Both of them got wet," Suki noted, chopsticks reaching for a slice of roast duck. "I thought you said Waterbenders didn't need umbrellas."

"Then again, knowing how long Aang and Katara were out together in the rain, I doubt that their main focus was on weather protection," Toph stated. All heads at the table swiveled towards her, and she shrugged. "What? I'm just saying, lovey-dovey couples like them aren't that into umbrellas. It's more romantic to make out in the rain, right?"

"You..." Sokka began, before shaking his head and deciding instead to dig into his portion of dinner. Zuko just lowered his gaze to his now-freed feet, and both Mai and Suki remained silent.

"What?" Toph asked into the silence. "I know things. You guys aren't exactly innocent of doing that, huh?"

"You don't know anything." Sokka mumbled with a mouthful of roast duck, and the rest of the table didn't answer, knowing full well that she did.

It was just that the thought of Aang and Katara out alone in the rain for an hour didn't seem like a riveting dinner topic.


Author's Note: It's Kataang week! And since I've been writing so much tragedy and angst lately, I'm going to try my hand at lighthearted stories. After all, Kataang is so much more fun that way, and this way, I can feel like I'm doing the couple justice.

Next one up tomorrow.