His eyes were so dead to her.
Aang, at age 17, was often depressed. And it showed. His laugh was strained. His smiles were fake. Katara was the only one who noticed.
One night, in Fire Lord Zuko's palace, Katara knocked on Aang's bedroom door. He quickly swung it open.
"Oh, hi Katara. Come on in." He greeted her.
His room was a mess. Papers and clothes were strewn over the floor.
"What do you want?" Aang said, not unkindly.
She took a seat on his unmade bed. "Aang…you know you can tell me anything, right." She said, looking down.
"Sure, why." He stared down at her, his arms crossed.
"Aang…don't look at me like that." Katara said, even though she still stared at the floor.
Silence followed.
"Katara, I'm busy. If you're done, I would appreciate if you'd leave."
"Aang…you've changed."
"No I haven't."
"Yes you have!" Katara yelled, looking up at him.
He saw her tears, and he softened.
He sat beside her. At first he didn't say anything. Then, "I…I don't like being like this."
Katara locked eyes with him. "Then why are you?" She asked in a whisper.
"I've changed."
They both looked at the floor for what seemed like hours, then Katara whispered,
"Why?"
The Avatar saw her tears hit the ground. He was at a loss for words.
"I…I honestly don't know. It's just…I'm not as care free as I used to be."
"Why?" Katara asked again.
"I just don't know, okay?!" Aang shouted, standing up suddenly. "I don't know! Maybe I'm just not a kid anymore? Things are different now! I'm not a twelve year old idiot anymore, alright!"
Katara winced at his words but didn't say anything.
"You can leave now." Aang said coldly.
Katara stood slowly and headed for the door.
As she stood in the doorway, head bent, back turned, she whispered something that only she and Aang heard.
"I love you."
Then she was gone.
Aang stood, transfixed. He sighed and crashed down on his bed.
He held his head in his hands and cried. He cried for Katara.
Aang had never wanted to be the Avatar. He had grown up as Aang. When he found out over a century and a decade ago, he had cried. His life was perfect up until that moment. So Aang had run away, tried to escape.
Then he met Katara. That made him feel like maybe it was worth it. Maybe running away had been a good thing after all.
Then he saw what remained of his home. And he cried.
He had always cried for himself. He had cried when Iroh died, but he had wept because he had lost a friend. He had never cried for anyone but himself.
Until now. This time, he cried for Katara. He had distanced himself from her, thinking that she didn't return his feelings. But now…
He wiped away his tears.
Now things could never be fixed.
He laid down and drifted off to sleep.