THREE YEARS TOO LATE.
A/N: Continuation of "Separation makes the heart grow fonder". Can be read on its own though.
Disclaimer: Characters not mine, obviously.
CHAPTER ONE: PROLOGUE
For the past three years after the war ended, Aang was busy traveling around the world, trying to rebuild it to its former state before the Hundred Year War: peaceful, glorious…and harmonious, where all the four nations could live in peace with one another. Katara was by his side all this time, never complaining. She stuck by him through thick and thin, through the bad times and the good times; she was always steadfast and she kept him sane through all the demanding things his job and duty required. She was his anchor and he loves her for that.
It wasn't long however before Katara felt homesick, and the need to stay in the South Pole, even if it were just awhile. She assured him that she was only going to stay for about a half year and that nothing would happen. He was willing to let her go, though he had nagging fears that he would lose her. However, Katara assured him wholeheartedly that if both of them stayed strong and loyal, their love will certainly prevail. And, she said, what would their love be if it were without challenges and trials?
It had been utterly romantic at first; sending long letters to each other, saying how much he missed her and the little things that are happening around him; spending long nights thinking about her underneath the starlit skies and developing his poetic skills in order to equip himself properly to remind her how much she means to him. Every once in a while, he would drop by and visit her. Now, those occasional visits were heaven to both of them. She would cook his favourite food, being aware that stewed sea prunes weren't exactly his thing. She would then proceed to straighten out the house. Then, she, Sokka and Suki would wait in front of the building where all the tribal meetings were carried out. He remembered the expectant look in her eyes when Appa is circling above them, looking for a good spot to land. Katara looked like an innocent child; genuinely excited with the pink tinge on her cheeks that was caused by the cold, biting wind.
During those visits, they would grab whatever chance they could to be together. Katara's family, understanding the need for them to be together, left them alone; though Sokka needed two tight slaps from Gran Gran to keep him from spying on them. They would walk down the streets, him admiring the now magnificent buildings and she admiring him. Sometimes, they would have a snowball fight and would start flirting with each other, then they would end up kissing each other. But sometimes, they would just on the snow, holding hands and talking. Whatever it was they were doing, they both loved being around each other.
Then, as the rebellions worsen and extremists were scattered almost everywhere, Aang's schedule became a bit tight. The number of visits considerably dwindled, and the letters from him were more rushed than before. Katara understood that he didn't do it on purpose, but it still hurt.
After the six months was up, he had come to the South Pole, wanting to pick Katara up when Katara rushed over to him as soon as he landed and hugged him tightly, nearly knocking him over. Sokka rolled his eyes at the display whilst Suki giggled. Katara was more jumpy and excited than she was before, so a very bewildered Aang asked what was going on.
"Guess what? Master Pakku…oh, um, I mean, Gran Pakku," she added when Sokka was about to open his mouth, "just offered me a job to teach the little ones here waterbending! Can you believe that?" Aang's immediate reaction was "that's great, Katara!" and he hugged her again, sharing in her joy, because he knew that she really enjoyed teaching. That was until he realized…
"Wait a sec, I thought you'd be coming with me now?" Aang said, the hurt and sadness in his voice clearly evident. Katara's smile dropped and her face adopted a serious expression. "Aang," she said, putting a hand over his cheek. By now, she had to look up to him; he was already a few inches taller than her and was showing no signs of stopping at there. However, Aang directed his gaze at a spot between his shoes.
"Aang," she repeated a bit more earnestly, pulling his face gently so that his gray eyes met with her penetrating, intense stare. The fire burning in her eyes made him shiver slightly. "You've got to believe me. It's only for a few months, and then I would be with you. I would hate myself if I ever lost you."
Aang could hear another "aw" from Suki and an "ew" from Sokka. But he didn't care, because right at that moment, Katara pulled him into deep, passionate kiss, and that was what reassured him.
The next few weeks had been tough, and the two of them had been acting like lovesick teenagers, which they were. Toph couldn't be in the same room with Aang whenever he was writing a letter to Katara and Sokka would laugh in mockery at the things that Katara wrote in her letters to Aang.
However, soon enough, Aang didn't receive much letters as before. She apologized in her letter, saying that she was quite busy teaching the students new tricks and techniques now that they were in an advanced class. He didn't complain, understanding her love for teaching and little children, but he'd be lying if he said that it didn't smart a little. Now he comprehend the pain that Katara bore whenever he was busy. In the meantime, Katara began asking for more and more time, determined to see her students till the end of their graduation. And he allowed it.
Things just got busier and busier. Aang was out there saving the world and restoring peace while Katara was in the South Pole, teaching the younger generation the art of waterbending. Both of them were noble jobs, but involving very different people and different places. The letters lessened and soon they just don't know what to say anymore.
Aang and Katara didn't exactly know when, but it became all too painfully apparent that their relationship was never going to work out.