Katara
"There! All finished!" I smile reassuringly as I bind the little boys' arm, "Well, for today at least. You're going to stay here for tonight so that I can check up on you tomorrow to make sure everything went accordingly. If you need anything, your mom next door and there are palace guards stationed throughout the fortress. Just don't trip over any more rocks in the future and you'll be good as new. Good night Lang."
Beaming, he smiles sweetly, showcasing gap teeth adding to his adorable freckles and quiet, soft voice that lisped slightly, "Good night Master Katara."
Bright green eyes watch in interest as I tuck him in, pat his head, and remove the candle from the bedside table. Gently, I close the door with a muted 'click'.
I slide against the door with a chuckle. The rock hallway is empty and a few medical beds are scattered about. The medical ward of the palace is thankfully empty this late at night. I couldn't imagine how busy it would be with the nurses and doctors gushing about having a waterbender healing the patients. I was hiding out in one of the closets to avoid being interrogated about my methods until the medical ward quieted down. Right when I was emerging from my hiding place, a young pregnant mother had come bursting through the door with a little boy in tow. Seeing how most of the staff had left and I could fix him in a few minutes I had come forward willingly.
"How is he?" Immediately straightening at the approaching voice, I tuck my hair behind my ears and reach out to Lang's pregnant mother, Atsuko, to clutch her shoulder.
"He'll be just fine. Lang didn't cry out even once. You have a very strong son."
"I can't thank you enough Master Katara. If you hadn't come along…" she trails off and glances at the door where he is residing behind. She wasn't much older than I but her eyes shone with maternal wisdom. My heart pangs for my own mother but I shake it off.
"No worries. I'm just glad I was around to help. Just out of curiosity, what happened to him?"
She shakes her head with a shaky, relieved laugh, "Earthbending. He's only a learning novice but he attempted a complex move to impress his friends and tripped on a rock when he wasn't paying attention."
That sounded exactly like something Sokka would do. I hope that she had better luck with Lang than I had with my brother. Or even like Zuko in the days where he had constantly attempted to impress his father...how's he doing, now that he's the Fire Lord?- I snap out of my musings when a faint clatter comes from down the hall. One of the attendants nods at us with an apologetic wince and chases after the rolling bucket.
Focusing back onto the mother, I reassure her with a hint of fondness and exasperation at the memories, "My earthbender friend, Toph Bei Fong, has gone through much worse. Trust me when I say that he'll be just fine if she's anything to go by."
"You truly are as wonderful as the people say you are." She clutches my hand in her own weathered warm one with a grateful smile.
Bashfully, I rub the back of my neck, "I don't know about that."
"Well, I don't mean to keep-oof!" She clutches her swollen stomach and doubles over, the hand previously holding my own grasping the stone wall for support.
"Atsuko? What's wrong? Tell me what hurts."
She winces and cradles her belly, waving me away with forced strength, "Oh, it's nothing Master Katara. Just pregnancy pains. Besides, you must be exhausted."
"Nonetheless, I'm just going to take a look, okay? Now, lie down on this cot and we'll see what's going on in there." I push her down onto a random medical bed in the hallway and slide her shirt up over the area. I gather water from a potted plant and place my glowing, white-blue hands on her stomach. A steady heartbeat thrums beneath my fingertips. False alarm, thank the spirits.
Atsuko quickly grabs the nearby plant pot and throw up into it. Definitely a false alarm.
"I told you, I'm fine." She sickly pats my shoulder with her head still in the pot.
I soothingly rub between her shoulder blades, "It's better to be safe than sorry. Now, if you feel any changes I will be nearby in a guest bedroom. Okay? Yell at the guards if you feel anything and blame me later for the disturbance."
"Thank you Master Katara." I'm about to tell her to lay the 'Master Katara' thing to rest when she speaks again, "Good night."
I bow my head, "Good night. Get lots of rest, your son put you through quite a scare today."
Padding down the to my bed and slipping into my luxurious room, Aang accosts me with some food he had probably begged from the adoring kitchen staff, "Everything go alright Katara? Apparently, the young boy you rescued is family friends with the Bei Fongs. Was the he upset? I hope his mother wasn't worried…"
"Yeah." I gratefully take the full plate and tiredly sit on the luxurious couch, tuning him out slightly while I scarf down the nourishment. Aang and I had been traveling the world wherever problems rose or simply because we wanted to. I was going against my tribe's customs since I didn't exactly want to be married just yet. Aang was great, don't get me wrong but we went by Air Nomad tradition, which meant he didn't need to be engaged much less married until he was eighteen.
Another tradition that Aang faithfully upheld was his abstinence no matter how many times I tried to convince him otherwise. Which meant that I took the bed while he usually slept on the floor in our room.
It was tough, I'll admit freely. His fangirls had a manic reason to chase after him. While Aang kept his sweet disposition, he lost the round, childish curves on his face. His cheekbones had grown more pronounced and only served to bring out the blended gray in his eyes. Lately, he was talking facial hair though I managed to discourage it for now, at least until he got older. His frame remained wiry as ever especially when he grew taller and willowy. What had surprised me the most about his growth was his incredibly deep voice.
Recently, the group came stumbled upon the knowledge Ty Lee was an Airbender. It was a gigantic breakthrough for Aang to know he wasn't alone. Ty Lee had realized she had bending abilities after she blew a boy off a dock to demonstrate her back-flip. All this time she had been doing moves that any other non-bender could execute until that one fateful day on the dock. To think that signs were all around us and we never even noticed. Her sweet disposition, her unusual, unique flexibility of getting high up in the sky, or her brown hair and deep grayish, brown eyes. Aang was fervent to train her. He tested her sisters yet none of them except Ty Lee were Airbenders. However, he wisely understood when she wanted to finish her first year of being a Kyoshi Warrior and time to handle the gravity of the situation. Only a select few knew about her abilities.
We were currently attending the birthday of Bosco, Earth King Kuei's bear after getting stumped multiple times of which one of Ty Lee's ancestors were Airbenders. We had been through her family ancestral logs more times than I could count on both feet and hands. I was overjoyed at the prospect of seeing Sokka, Suki, Toph, and so many of our other friends, a reunion of sorts at the celebration. I hadn't seen my own brother for a year or so. It almost felt unnatural to have gone so long without having Sokka around to constantly bug me. Though it mattered little to me if it weren't my friends and family, a gigantic number of guests and people of high social standing/stature would be here this week as well.
…All except Zuko. He wouldn't be attending. Apparently he sent a lavish gift and many apologies yet he had to run the Fire Nation at this critical time and couldn't afford to leave it as it was currently. Well, I mean, that's what I heard anyway. It's not like it's a big deal to me or anything. The only thing bothering me was that I just couldn't figure out why that upset me so much.
Ugh. I was over thinking. I was tired. Mostly, I really needed my bed.
Our room was beautiful, a view overlooking the Earth Kingdom and many expensive decorations carefully placed and the only thing I wanted to see was the darkness. I couldn't care less about the fancy bed post, a rock floor could have done at this point. That wasn't to say that I didn't revel in the silky comforter and springy mattress. I slip between my sheets feeling slightly guilty as Aang looks hopefully at me in an attempt for conversation.
Which I rapidly nip in the bud with a guilty conscience, "Good night Aang."
We both felt some kind of disconnect, that I knew. Aang seemed more of a man now, I was glad for him, except there were things that he kept from me. There were times I would catch him meditating on Appa or in the rooms. For the first time, we were suffering from a bit of a disconnect.
"…Night Katara."
I lean over and blow out the candle. Moments later, not even a blazing fire could have woken me.
…
"Attack!"
Groaning, I roll over to a loud assault. Three warm bodies land on my bed and I rub my forehead in confusion.
"Sokka?! Suki! Toph!" finally realizing they're on top of me, I tackle them joyously in a hug.
"Took you long enough to recognize us Sugar Queen." Toph had certainly grown. Even underneath all that armor I could see that her chest had gotten a lot bigger and her hips flared femininely. Compared to my sturdy, curvier frame, Toph had… I never thought that I would use 'Toph' and 'delicate beauty' in the same sentence, yet she was a delicate beauty. Not that I would ever confess that to her. But that's what she reminded me of even if I knew her personality.
"I'm so happy to see you guys!" In my excitement, I accidently knock Sokka off the bed with a loud thump, "Oh, sorry Sokka."
Sokka had grown another inch or so and was much more muscular (Suki must be delighted at the improvement in her man. All I could think of was how he would be shoving it in everyone's faces and flexing for the entire night.) As for Suki, she looked as fit as ever and her auburn hair was styled specially for Bosco's birthday.
Aang grins and helps him up with a twinkling laugh.
Sunlight shines warmly through the window. Hey… wait a second…
"What time is it?"
"Lunchtime. And I'm hungry. For meat. Lots and lots of meat… Since Bosco is a bear, there will be a lot of meat tonight, right? Someone please tell me that..." Sokka pats his stomach and it's clear that even if his body went through a change, his brain is still the same.
"What? Lunchtime! Aang, why didn't you wake me earlier?!" I leap out of bed and put my official water tribe robes on though it was a bit helter-skeltter.
"Katara, you were really tired when you came back last night and I thought it would be better for you to get some more rest today."
I sigh. In his misguided attempt, Aang was only trying to help. I couldn't exactly be mad at him for that. And now was not the time nor place to have a discussion about it.
He mumbles sheepishly as he scratches the back of his neck, "Also, I couldn't wake you…"
"I've got to go. Everyone go down to the dining hall and I'll be there in an hour. See you guys later!" I kiss Aang's cheek and pat my brother's back as I pass by. I hip check the door and grab my water-skin on the way out.
After jogging for a few minutes, I finally reach Lang's room. Bursting through the door while uncapping the water, I apologize without looking up, "Lang, I'm so sorry I'm late. I slept in by mistake and…"
Three pairs of eyes belonging to two little boys and a male close to my age watch my every move I make in stunned silence when I freeze. I'm suddenly struck by the fact that I'm wearing the same clothes that I had thrown on the ground last night and that I hadn't even bothered to wash my hair or style it in any way appropriate for social interaction. And the older boy was cute too! Not as cute as Aang definitely but I didn't want to look like a slob. Or for word to get out that I was some uncultured waterbender!
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you had company. I'll come back later?" I grip the doorframe questioningly.
All four of them blink back at me. Lang sat up in bed while his friends stood around him.
Uncomfortable silence fills the room until the older guy of Earth Kingdom nationality who I assumed to be Lang's brother, clears his throat and clutches the shoulders of the younger kids, "It's fine. I was just escorting these two out anyway. Please, go about your normal business."
He closes the door after the two star-struck little guys who I assumed were the ones who Lang tried to impress at his accident.
"Um, okay. Thanks. I'm Katara." I set my things down and go about filling a bucket of water.
"I know."
I glance over at him in confusion and he stutters out with a full blush, "I mean, everyone knows you. The whole kingdom was talking about the Avatar and his friends. I'm Lang's cousin. He took a pretty bad fall yesterday and I came to check on him."
Amused, I cock an eyebrow, "Does his cousin have a name?"
"Of course! I'm Hui."
I perch on Lang's bed corner and unwrap the bandages on his arm. Once more, I waterbend over his healed injuries as a failsafe and to check on any additional damage overnight.
"Fascinating." A moist breath floats onto my bare neck.
"What?" I squeak in surprise at his close proximity over my shoulder next to my head and lose my concentration, resulting in water soaking into the blankets much to Lang's protest.
"Sorry!" Hui jerks back and I release the breath I was holding in relief.
I bend the liquid off the sheets, "It's fine. You just… surprised me." In control again, I ignore him standing behind me. Either he was oblivious or stupid at being so close to a master waterbender, that I let it go.
"I could say the same for you." He hesitantly reaches out and crooks a finger in my arm.
Immediately, I stiffen without turning around and hiss, "You do know who I am right?"
I would give him a few minutes to correct this problem and if not… I would waterbend him out the room.
Confused, he replies, "Yes?"
"I'm Katara, Master Waterbender."
"And the Avatar's girlfriend. I just heard that…"
A slight twinge of fury erupts when he implies that he thinks nothing of me other than being the girlfriend of Aang but I push that aside and question him face to face with my arms crossed, "What? Heard what?"
My expression must have been angrily icy because when he answers me, I barely mange to catch his words, "That your relationship was on the rocks."
"What?- Well- I- Well, no. That's not. It's not. True, it's not true. We're perfectly happy."
"I'm incredibly sorry at having misread the situation. Please forgive my advances. Don't mention this to Atsuko, please?"
"Fine."
"Sorry to bother you. See you tomorrow cousin. Master Katara."
Lang waves, "Bye Hui."
I rest my head in my hands and grimace, "Sorry Lang. I-"
"It's fine. My cousin isn't very good with girls," He says while patting my wrist.
I snort, "Anyway, you're good to go. If you want to catch up to your friends be my guest."
"Thank you Master Katara." He stretches up and shyly pecks my cheek, skittering away before I can even stand up.
Hmm. I sit for a moment, mulling over the scene. Oh! I had to go check on Atsuko. Calmly, I gather my things and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Wavy, chocolate brown hair that turned curly when humidity hit, fell down to my mid-back with tendrils framing my face. My blue wave-designed robe that I tied together messily was resting precariously over one shoulder leaving it bare to offer white bindings peaking through below. Parted lips and pink cheeks highlighted the round face that I grew into with time. Taming my hair into something reasonable for the public, I venture out again, wishing for better luck.
I'm poised to knock when I hear hushed, serious female voices inside of Atsuko's room. Not wanting to interrupt like last time, I lean closer to the slightly ajar door.
"…you're too young, you've never even been with anyone else Ai. Have you ever kissed another boy?"
"-"
"Answer truthfully."
"I never had the need to." I couldn't blame the answering voice to Atsuko for being sheepish. Come to think of it, had I ever kissed another boy besides Aang? Jet may have come close, nothing ever resulted …
I turn to respectfully wait a short distance away yet her words caught me.
"Ai, you went out with him because he begged for nine months. He's a respected member of the community that everyone was rooting for. You might have felt that you didn't have a choice. You have a choice now. That is why now is called the present because it is a gift. I'm not saying you have to marry someone else or go out and freely give yourself to men.
"All I'm asking is that you go out and see the world. It doesn't matter what the elders think a proper marrying age is for girls. If he truly loves you, he will wait for you to be ready. I love my husband and our children and I wouldn't trade them for the world. However, if I were you, if I had another chance, I would be out there right now doing whatever I felt like. When my husband and I got married, I felt like I shattered the ideal that he had of me when I went through a hard time in our marriage. I regret not waiting. Don't make the same mistakes Ai."
"Thank you for the advice Atsuko. It was much appreciated."
I stumble backwards behind a wall just in time when Ai strides out; mentally debating something deeply that she doesn't notice me when I peer out. She was tiny, cute, and sweet looking even when she frowned. I slump against the flat surface waiting for Atsuko's words to sink in little more. She struck a deep chord within me that I can't quite seem to shake for some reason.
Minutes pass and I collect myself with a shaky breath. Mustering the courage, I enter the older woman's room and smile normally.
"Master-"
"Just Katara is fine."
"Katara," she says as if testing it out. Finding it satisfactory, she pats my hand with a smile, "How are you?"
'Confused! I heard something that is making me reassess what I'm doing!' Was what I was mentally screaming to her inquiry. Instead, I answer her with a measured smile, "Fine. And you? Any more problems so far?"
"Good. And no more problems." Clinically lifting her shirt over, I check her baby.
"From what I can tell, your child should be born in a matter of weeks. Everything looks like smooth sailing from here on out."
"Wonderful."
"You and you're son are free to go at any time."
"Thank you Katara. It was an honor meeting you." I restrain myself from smirking when she says 'honor' and somber up. I didn't want her to mistake my humor for disrespect.
"I hope that you and your son make a speedy recovery. Best wishes. It was lovely meeting you here." I hug her warmly and she wraps her arms around me after a second of shocked silence.
"Best wishes to you as well. Your husband is a lucky man."
We part ways and I head back to my room in contemplative unease to get ready for tonight.
...
"Everyone out except for Toph and Suki. I'm getting dressed."
Sokka groans dramatically with a hand propped over his eyes in agony, "We'll be here all night without getting to the party."
"I think you look great just the way you are Katara." Pecking Aang's cheek, I'm reminded of my miniature admirer earlier.
"Thanks Aang. These are my working clothes though. Tonight's occasion is formal."
"Of course. Sokka and I will go get ready ourselves. Katara, after it's over, tonight's going to be a night you never forget. I have news."
They exit and I collapse on the couch in a major freak-out. Suki and Toph didn't seem to hear what Aang said by the way they were acting. I stare at them in bewilderment. They didn't think he was being weird? Was it me? Was I being paranoid? It sounded like Aang was going to propose! I was nineteen, Aang would be turning eighteen soon. Which meant he could get married. I always anticipated that this day would come; this wasn't exactly how I imagined it happening.
"I thought we were getting ready Sugar Queen? Not that I'm complaining." Toph jumps on the seat beside me.
"We will. I'm just taking a minute."
"Okay. How about I do your hair while you relax? Toph will get our dresses." Suki adjusts me in a sitting position to reach my locks.
Some caretaker part of Suki takes over. For once, it was nice being taken care of rather than vice versa.
"Me? Katara gets hair care and I get manual labor? What am I, your slave?"
"It's either the dresses or a bath." I can almost feel the pointed look that Suki gives Toph. It came to her so naturally; I doubt she remembers Toph being blind. I suppose the way Toph was, it was easy to forget until she made jokes.
"Ugh." She stomps up and gathers our clothes, tossing them in a heap at our feet.
"Toph." Again, the pointed look from Suki.
"Fine, fine." She displays them across the table, "Will this do?"
So Toph could feel the sternness of that gaze. Here I thought she would be immune. Maybe she could sense Suki's annoyance through her feet.
Suki nods approvingly, "Perfect." In a quieter mumbled voice, she adds, "also, don't get mad but I may or may not have specially requested that a private spa be delivered to us."
'What! I haven't taken a bath in a year and I'm not breaking that record!"
I wince and close my eyes, "It doesn't matter to me. Have you really avoided bathing for a year?"
"Not yet." She grumbles.
Someone knocks on the door and Suki leaps up to answer it. Royal masseuses roll in bathtubs on wheels with a cart loaded with beauty supplies.
Once we're all set in our respective baths after a colossal battle with Toph, the ladies left to take a break while we properly soak.
I casually say, "What do you guys think of Aang?"
"Aang is a great guy. As well as the avatar." Suki munches on the snacks provided.
"Yeah, just, what do you guys think of him? Of us? Together?"
"Aang is the avatar. But he's human. It's not like he's perfect." Toph snatches some cookies from Suki's grip.
"Yeah…"
Toph mumbles suspiciously between bites, "Why? Something wrong?"
"Of course not." I sit back in the water, poking bubbles, "If it was, like, what would you say? If I said yes? Hypothetically of course."
"That you should do what you think is right. Follow your gut." Resting her head against the tub rim, Suki relaxes.
"I don't know about you two, my gut is telling me 'I'm hungry'." Toph stumbles out of the water and throws on a robe.
Suki and I sit, then agree, "Yeah."
…
After Bosco's party, I'm worn out and my feet hurt from those shoes I wore. Most of all, I was dreading talking to Aang about not getting married.
"Katara! You're home! I thought you got lost for a while." Aang smiles and dread pits in my stomach. I didn't dare say that I was praying he fall asleep on the couch and forget ever thinking about asking me.
"Yep. I'm back. Whoopee!" I shake my hands in pretended excitement.
"I think it's time we talk Katara."
I shrug out of my heavy top layer of the dress, "I think it's time too. This has gone on long enough."
We both pause, "Katara, I found -" "Aang, we need to take a break-"
"Sorry, you go first." I sit and prepare myself.
"Go ahead Katara. It almost sounded like you said you want to take a break." He chuckles and shakes his head. Oh spirits, if I really was going to do this it was now or never.
I stare at him until his chuckles fade into nervous titters.
"Katara- you can't- you can't be serious."
Oh, his face. I was a monster to him. Why was I doing this! "Look, Aang, I heard something today that made me reevaluate us."
"You… you want to break up with me?" I wish I could take away that hurt expression with all my heart.
"Aang, it's not forever. Just a short time to clear my head and straighten out my priorities. I love you but I'm confused. You're going to be eighteen soon enough, I'm nineteen. Marriage is something that I'm not ready for yet."
"Marriage? I never even said anything about-"
"That's just it! You implied! That tonight would be a night I would never forget! That you had 'news'!"
"Katara, all I was going to say is that I'm going to look for other Airbenders."
"What? I thought that-"
"I found proof that they might be out there hiding for all these years. Ty Lee is evidence that descendants exist."
"Proof? What kind of proof? Aang, this is huge!"
"I need to go." He runs his hands over his bald head and I'm suddenly struck by how large his fingers look. When did he grow up?
"What? You're running away? Aang, you can't keep -"
"You told me that we're breaking up and you think that I would be happy? I need to clear my head and a good way for me to do that is get away from you for a while. I'll be focused on one target and I won't get distracted by you. Right now, that's the best thing for me."
"I never said that we were permanently breaking up. What about the avatar state? If you lose control?"
"I'll be fine. You don't need to mother me Katara. You can't mother me forever."
"Can we at least talk about this?!" I knew I was verging onto shrill territory in my voice.
"We talked. I'm sorry Katara. I have to go." He lifts his staff from off the wall and flies out the window before I can say 'hold your sky bison'.
A/N: I've been working on this story in my head and today it was determined to get out! (It was also determined to keep me up until four in the morning finishing.) Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed even without Zuko for this chapter! Until next time!