How to say "I love you" in four different ways.
I do not own any parts of Avatar: The Last Airbender
Those rights go to Michael Dante DiMartino, and Bryan Konietzko
1. The Direct Approach.
Today was the day. Aang refused to wait any longer, he had been in love with her since they first met, okay maybe not a first glance, but he loved her now and that much was true. And today he was going to tell her. Today would be a good day. He's had this planned for along time now. Taking her out to dinner was too typical and expected. He'd have Appa fly them to the top of the Firenation palace at sunset. They could sit there and watch it together, holding hands and sipping on sparkling waters. Yeah, that would totally reel her in, he would then turn and give her a passionate glance followed by a passionate kiss and then confess his love for her, with hopes she'd confess it back.
"Katara, I love you." He practiced in the mirror, was his voice to squeaky?
"I love you. Katara." He tired again deepening his tone, no that wasn't right.
"Katara. I am. In love. With yooouuu." No.
"Hey Katara! Just thought I'd let you know, I love you!"
"Kat, I'm in love with ya, baby."
"Katara my love for you is like an endless flowing river, of love!"
"KATARA! I AM IN FUCKING LOVE WITH YOU!"
"Katara. I love you." Gotta stick to the classics.
He winked in the mirror deciding to try his line again.
"Katara, I love you." He finished just as a figured pasted by his open door.
"You do Aang!" He heard Katara halt at the edge of his doorway whirling around grasping a tug of dirty laundry.
"I.. Umm… I.." He froze grasping the back of his neck and fumbling around for an answer. This was not what he had planned.
"Yes Katara," He started, should he get down on one knee? No. That was for engagements right? "I am in love with yo-"
She cut him off with a very deep and fervent kiss.
"I love you too Aang." She said kneeling her forehead against his and staring lovingly into his eyes.
Maybe this wasn't how things were planned to go, but you can't plan life and you certainly can't plan love.
2. Saying it Without Saying it.
Maybe she was younger than him, maybe she was of a different nation, maybe she was even a little bit out of Sokka league. But boy would he give his life for her, and it was time for him to prove it.
They sat silently gobbling dinner down together side by side, the silence wasn't awkward more like comfortable and it gave Sokka a chance to think.
He had already confessed to loving her but he need to really prove it, how could he show her though, what could he say to make her truly believe him?
"You're awfully quiet tonight." She noted, sticking her chop sticks at him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her next to him eating the noodle off of her jabbing chopstick.
"As if you can't see why." He joked kissing the top of her head.
"I can't see at all Snoozles." Toph corrected him, yanking her chopstick from his mouth. He made a sound in agreement.
"Snoozles? Still? Come on Toph! Isn't that a little, immature?"
"Aren't you a little immature? It's perfect."
"Well then the almighty of maturity. Since I'm so immature I'm gonna come up with a nickname for you!"
"That's gay Sokka. Men, no boys, shouldn't have nicknames for girls."
"No it's not! I can nickname whatever I want, I came up with the name for Combustion Man, and Foo Foo Cuddly poops, which is exactly what I will call you."
"It's gay. And call me anything with poops in it and you're dead."
"What about poopy?"
"This is why you're immature."
"Okay, okay. Just thought I find a nickname for you, just because I love you so much and, I think you kinda deserve one." He mumbled rubbing the back of his neck, he saw a faint blush rise to her cheeks.
"How about we make one together." She suggested, their food long forgotten.
"What about, Snuggles?"
"No."
"Cuddles?"
"No."
"Back off Toph."
"What the hell?"
"It had a whole rhyme scheme going for it!"
"How about Beautiful Baby Boo." She suggested nestling her head into his chest.
"Beautiful Baby Boo." He repeated. Sneaking her a quick kiss.
3. Through your Actions.
So maybe her had broken up with her once but that was ancient history. He had redeemed himself and proven her his, but he never got to show her how he truly feels. He said he loved her once, but like the break up, it was ancient history. He really needed to show her, the only problem was how?
Zuko sighed dropping his head into his knees. Love was far to complex. Or was he just an idiot. Zuko was never the romantic type. Which always worked well since Mai wasn't either, but lately he had felt. Almost distant from her and it was time to rekindled the love spark.
Maybe he could just grab her and kiss her passionately on the spot. At random. Or in the dark. Or by the pond. Or in the light. Or at the top of the Palace.
No. What was he thinking the top of the palace? It be way better in the light. Wait what about the dark?
This was just way to complex.
Maybe there was a better way to Mai's heart then just kissing her. What about hugs? There were X's and O's right? How about a kiss hug?
No. These idea's were all stupid. He needed to do something big that were grab her attention and screaming loving boyfriend!
Wait, whoa, hold the flame. She had been missing her parents lately, and TomTom, and Ty Lee! He could invite them all over secretly! That way she'd be all.
"Oh Zuko, you're so wonderful, and handsome, and wonderful, and loving, and caring, and wonderful."
This just keeps getting better and better.
The hawks were sent with not a minute to spare and Zuko was eagerly awaiting their replies so he could finally here about how wonderful he is.
He was sitting on the throne a week later pondering this when she came waltzing in.
"I'm going to visit my parents tomorrow. I wrote Ty Lee last week and she told me it would be good for me to get out of the palace and see everyone. Alone." She added her face delivering no emotion.
What? Alone? She can't go they're coming here? Why Alone? Where the him being wonderful? Ty Lee? Last week? Alone?
She noticed his silence and started again. "I have to talk to my mother about some, issues I've been have lately." She drawled out issues. What kind of issues was she having? "Female Issues." She said sensing his confusion.
Oh.
"Well, you can't go Mai. Not now! I mean, just wait until next week! Maybe then you can talk to your mom about you peri-"
He was cut off by a chorus of surprises that bounced through the throne room.
Mai whirled around shocked at the sight of her mother, father, brother, and best friend gathered at the door waving her and Zuko down.
She turned around to see him hop off the throne and walk towards her.
"I've noticed you been missing your family lately, so I thought that I'd bring them here, because I really care about you and I thought it would mean a lot to you." That sounded way better in his head.
"Zuko you're so wonderful." She said pecking his lips before she was crushed with hugs from Ty Lee and question from her parents.
4. With Promise.
Love was something he never thought he would have. I mean, he never got it much growing up, his parents were dead. And his friends were just that friends. But when he found her, it dulled his pain, brought him hope, gave him happiness in more places than his heart too!
When Jet found her his world was completely electrifying.
He had doubts. Her father being one of them. That douche was a firebender you did not wanna mess with. And of course he didn't have The Phoenix Kings permission to do what he was gonna do, but fuck him.
"Loosen up hardass." He heard her joke from behind him. He snapped the velvet box in his hands shut and shoved it in his pocket before she could see.
"Oh I'm not the one with the hard ass Azula." He winked her as she leaned against their bedroom door frame.
"Yeah I forgot you're ass was so soft." She smirked jumping onto their bed. "Zuzu's invited over some unwanted guest." She commented propping her elbows up on a pillow, he raised an eyebrow at her. "Unwanted by me at least." She added burying her head into the sheets.
"In-laws?"
She answered him with a groan.
"Hey it could've been worse he could've invited Sokka."
"God no! And that flying lemur thing again!"
"Momo?"
Another groan.
"How about I get you're mind off things for a while?" He winked at her, and he saw her smirk.
"Oh I wish, but wonderful little Zuzu wants me to have dinner with him and them, tonight. Of course you'll be coming with us." She said prancing into the bathroom to get ready.
"I was thinking that we could have our own dinner tonight," He said Zuko would not ruin his plans. "I could sneak you out of it."
"He saw her peer out of the door, she smirked and his, "What's the escape plan?"
"Let's just blow it off."
She laughed in response.
Was she laughing at him? That was genius shit right there. I mean it was not commanded by law that they had to be their, just suggested.
"Come on! I wanna take you somewhere tonight!"
"Fine, give me one hour?"
"Fine." He mimicked.
He waited for her to be done, practicing his line and making sure everything would be perfect. This was Azula he was talking about. Now he was getting nervous. Fuck No. Shit No. Hell No. Fuck No. What if things went bad, what if she said no? Fuck No.
Dinner consisted off an amazing meal and not so amazing small talk, the needed to be exceptional what was his fucking problem?
This was getting difficult.
The time drew nearer and nearer and he dragged her out for a walk along the piers.
Now do it now! Crap what was he gonna say, something along the lines of marriage. Fuck No. Hell No. Shit No. Get down on one knee right? Yeah that's a classic. Okay wait now he's just awkwardly kneeling in-front of her.
"Gotta tie my shoe." Quick save.
Next pier. DO IT! NOW!
Oh, flamie-No.
Just go!
"Azula," He started. Wait gotta get down on one knee. "I love you more then anything, and I want to spend eternity with you. Azula will you marry me?" He held his breath.
"Yes!" She seemed completely taken off guard which was good right? Oh shit, he messed up didn't he. She jumped into his arms before he could respond kissing him passionately. "I love you."
Fuck Yes.