Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: TLA
A/N: Aang 16, Katara 17, Zuko, 19, Sokka 19, Toph, 16. Blah blah blah.
"How you feeling Aang? I thought you'd be happy for me.." The waterbender asked with concern plastered over her face.
"I am happy for you but considering the girl I love is marrying another guy. I don't feel as special as I think, you think I should be.." Aang replied, gazing towards the floor.
"Aang we've been through this.. Our life together was great, you were great. It was a lot of fun. But that's all it ever was, passion and fun. Nothing more.. I want to settle down, I'm not prepared to live the rest of my life playing games all the time." There was a pause.
"And Mr Perfect can give you that? He will settle down with you?" Aang said in a mocking tone.
"Zuko is perfect. And yes he wants to settle down as well!" Katara once again replied sternly.
"I.. Just can't keep playing these games with you Aang. How do I know you will not just fly off in the middle of the night. It's your nature, your nature as an airbender to be unconnected to earthly attachments." She added quietly.
"Well if you think of me like that, then I probably should be happy for you and Zuko. Forget what we had shall I?" Aang turned to walk away.
"Come here!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him into a nearby alley.
"Aang, its just-," she was interrupted by a pair of lips meeting hers. Though engaged, she felt a urge to pursue the kiss into a higher level of passion. Requesting entrance to the Avatar's mouth by running her tongue along his lower lip. Slowly his mouth opened, she could feel her tongue get tackled by his, searching around each other. Aang could feel Katara longing for more, but he withdrew leaving her close eyes to drift open with a sad expression on her face.
"Tell me. That didn't mean a thing. You didn't feel anything. And I will leave, I will pretend nothing ever happened, I will carry on our lives as if we were student and teacher." Aang sternly said.
"Aang you know I can't say that. Of course I felt something." Katara replied.
Aang grasped her hands and cupped them in his.
"Then stay with me! We can settle down. We can have a family!"
"Aang we both know you're not ready for that"
"What if I said come live with me. Up in the southern air temple. We'd be away from the world. Just you and me.."
"Aang.. I'd say I'm getting married in 2 weeks" Katara turned and walked back into the party room, leaving Aang heartbroken and distraught.
Aang quickly gathered himself and blew on his bison whistle. He had a plan. A plan to win her heart. Aunt Wu had once told him to follow his heart, his heart longed for Katara. He quickly opened his staff and launched from the ground to be quickly caught by Appa.
Katara felt the wind rustle around her. She turned expecting Aang to be bending but found Aang had disappeared.
"Aang what-" Katara furiously asked.
Katara was interrupted by a hand appearing around her waist lifting her into the air, and then while falling back towards the ground, the same set of hands gripped her into an embrace. She tightly closed her eyes to protect them from the rushing winds and fiercely gripped the person on the other side of the embrace. She could feel lips meet her ear as a soft and gentle tone came out of them.
"This isn't a game. I gave you my heart, do with it what you want"
"Aang.." It was all she was able to say.
"I made a promise to never let you get hurt. I made a promise that I'd always love you. I accept the fact I hurt you but I never stopped loving you." He repeated into her ear in the same soft tone.
He turned her around so she was facing away from him, but his hold around her waist remained, her hands manages to slip over his where they were tightly entwined. One of his hands suddenly left her grasp and ran through her hair until it reached the tie which was perfectly done. He slowly and carefully tugged at it letting her hair flow in the wind.
"Aang, that took me ages," she giggled as she brought her hands up to met his behind her head.
Aang's hand remained running through her silky hair. He leant into her, she followed suit and did the same, memorized by the airbender, but he didn't kiss her, he narrowly missed her cheek and whispered words into her ear.
"There was a tree. A beautiful oak tree that rivalled your beauty, by a long rock wall. I will be there. Waiting for you. Until the day you realize." Aang gently whispered tickling her ear.
"What? Realize what?" She replied in confusion. Rivalled your beauty, she repeated in her mind, why did it sound so familiar.
Like it was a dream, Aang had gone in a flash and she remained outside the doors of the huge building where her future husband was waiting. She walked in to be greeted by a loving embrace from one Lord Zuko.
"Honey, why did you let your hair down?" He questioned.
She looked up with a startled expression on her face, her eyes wide.
"Oh it was a bit gusty outside, I'm guessing it just came loose"
Katara started to fidget with strands of her hair, twirling them in-between her fingers looking for comfort and answers. It didn't seem to be helping.
Zuko leaned in to give her a kiss on the forehead and she finally realized what Aang meant.
"I need to go- somewhere.. I'm really sorry" She blurted out before she could think.
"Honey, this is our engagement night.." He whimpered
"I'm really sorry Zuko, I need to find something out"
"Its Aang isn't it?" He said with a straight face. "You saw him outside," he continued.
Katara nodded, gave Zuko a comforting hug and left the party.
So. What am I doing. This life, I have been gifted with. Should I waste it on a wimp, an urge for adventure? Is that all it is, a waste? An urge? Ah I'm so confused. She kept walking, and walking and walking. Never stopping, deep in thought.
---
Days past no word from either Aang or Katara. They had been lost to the world. Zuko never really feared, he had know one day the Katara would realize, he did love her but had always played a part in Aang's plan for them to fall for each other. Maybe subconsciously but he knew, and in a way it made him happy.
---
There he was, sitting there, calm, still, tranquil. He looked exhausted probably more exhausted than me. Hours feel like days, days feel like weeks. I have no track of time now, but seeing Aang felt like a new day, a new life time even. I touched the stonewall, the top came up to about my waist, its rough texture beneath my fingers, a texture I had gotten so used to from constantly walking. There he was again, sitting at the end of this stone wall, sheltered by the beautiful oak. Slowly I walked towards him, my goal clear as day, plastered every inch of my mind. Oh, Aang. I've done all this for you, don't break my heart again.
I finally reached him and my legs shaking from anticipation, I reached out and touched his shoulder, he let out a soft sigh, I couldn't tell if it was relief or sadness. No words passed between us. So many things I wanted to say to him yet none of them seemed worthy enough. I leant into him, my lip brushing his ear.
"Aang.." I managed to whisper.
A cold chill ran down my spine as he replied. "Katara.. You came"
His soft voice was so overwhelming, I felt my legs give way as I collapsed onto his back, but it seemed he was prepared, he had turned and caught me in his arms.
"You look.." He said, I quickly finished his sentence in a small mumble. "Exhausted?"
"No beautiful.." he continued.
His storm grey eyes burning away at my soul, it was like he was marking me. It felt good, a relief.
"This was the place we first." He started "we shared our first kiss" I finished.
"Yeah. It was. Magical" he carried on.
"Aang I'm sorry." I whispered into his ear. "For what?" he replied.
"For never trusting you.." I looked up into his magnification eyes.
He lowered his head, clearly requesting to taste the moisture on my lips. I couldn't stop him, stop myself, this is what I have wanted for the past few weeks. Past few months, all my life!
Our lips met, at first it was light, slowly the passion was rising. He set me down gently in his arms, it was so right, just being there with him. He leant against me as he lay down next to me, I wrapped my arm over his chest and my leg over his. His smooth hand brushed through my hair as he lulled me to sleep. I let out a soft sigh and smiled up at him.
"I like you Aang.. More than a friend.." I said with a giggled. He simply smiled at me and chuckled.
And there we lay for maybe for most of the day. Watching the beautiful tree above us swaying in the wind, its blend of yellows and green dimming and then brightening again. Watching as the day would into another perfect day. And I still believe it, when he tells me it's going to be another perfect day..
Fin.