Hello! Thanks for taking a look at my short/one shot story. Aang had defeated the Fire lord and its now 10 years later. Aang and Zuko prepare for the start of 'Republic city', Aang takes a day off and fly's back to meet up with the old group for one night. A little romance action and a sneak-peak at the new series, 'Legend of Korra'. Hope you like!
Just one night.
Water carves its way through earth when trapped. It can extinguish fire and even grow larger with gravity. While each element is important and equally as great, Water is the only element that purifies the world of sin, destruction and sickness while being able to work with each element to create something powerful.
In the end, you always return back to water.
10 years has past since peace was brought to the four nations from the hundred-year war. With the Avatar and newly crowned Fire Lord working hand in hand to create a better world, a lot has to be done and a lot of responsibility is put on the 22 (122) year-old Avatar.
But one issue cannot be solved so easily that is often on the Young monks mind, the restoration of his own kind, Bringing life to the Air nomads.
Katara, now 24, has seen the world and its entireties at the side of her brother and friends so many times. She knows all the hides-outs, historical sites, and names of all major cities and larger towns. She knows all the locations of their families, friends and resources. Even in 10 years, Katara still chooses to be by Aang's side as much as she can.
Over the years, Aang has taken on tasks that only he can see to alone. Constantly working with Zuko to create a new city (which will be known one day as 'Republic City') that would be a hub for all nations to gather and live in peace. It would eventually be its own nation outside of the four, but that was still a dream amongst the Avatar and Fire Lord.
Even through the drama and stress, what gives Katara piece of mind is at the end of every journey Aang takes, he always gives detail to every aspect and challenge he faced, he asks for her opinion as an equal and most importantly, he always returns back to her one way or another.
In the past 10 years, the group has gone their separate ways at times but always find themselves regrouping back together one way or another. Katara and Sokka have left for their small village to be with family, Toph went off for tournaments in the Earth kingdom, and an increasingly amount of times, Sokka has even left to visit Suki and the Kioshi Warriors.
Because of Aang's frequent summons and absents from the group that lasted any where from six weeks to six months, Aangs schedule was always hit and miss that often the group would find ways to contact him in hopes to finally meet up again. This is where Aang created the idea of sending a message to his friends of his downtime. Aang's solution of sending his friends small notes was never interoperated as 'snobby' or as a mandatory meet-up, it was just a small window for everyone to see each other again if they could make the time.
Over the years something's have been made into a tradition, when Aang returns from business with Zuko or where ever in the world he was needed, the group always meet up to a small hide-away 'Home' in a quiet village within the Earth kingdom. The group would reunite once again and tell stories of their travels, or to reminisce on the good old days of four kids trying to make a difference in the world.
But it wasn't just the four of them that meet. Often at times Zuko would accompany Aang to this retreat, or other friends from different nations who were trusted enough to know the way would stumble over. One thing was a fact; someone was always at 'Home' and this always gave Aang piece of mind.
Our story begins with a small note of Aang's return sent 'home'. Since Katara was (and often) occupying it at the time, she sent out word to her brother and the small group of friends of Aangs return.
Katara stayed close to the 'home' because she knew it would always be the first place Aang would go to in any situation, good or bad. He may not seem it to others, but to Katara he was very predictable. She waited for the days when he would send word to her of his upcoming return and on occasion, when she was feeling alone, he would send her letters for only her eyes to read.
Over the years, their relationship started to grow stronger for each other but was often cut shot due to the world needing him once again. When they were kids, things seemed easier and he was always by her side everyday. But now, she hated the thought that he wouldn't let her join him on his journeys to where ever he was summoned, she hated that he was the Avatar and had a large responsibility to the world, there was so much she hated that stopped him from truly bring with her but on the days he would return, to her, it was like falling for each other all over again. Maybe one day she could be more then just his support on the days he can forget the world. But until he's ready, all she can be is someone he comes home to, and that was enough for right now.
As the friends slowly gathered, it was a sweet reunion. Sokka was the first to arrive from his visit to Kioshi while Toph, as usual, was late and still hasn't shown up to met the group. What made this gathering different wasn't just the fact that Aang left Appa behind, Aang was close to 3 weeks late.
"Ugh, I knew I should have forced him to take Appa…" Katara spoke in frustration.
"Calm down, Katara, he knew that we would need Appa to get home the last time so don't cut down his kindness. Anyways I'm sure Appa prefers the South-pole to the Fire nation any day!" Sokka replied back while lounging on the grass.
"So you using Appa to visit Suki was just a side trip?" Katara commented back.
Sokka passed off the question with a short chuckle to himself
"How are things with you two anyways?" Katara asked.
"Their great when things are good, horrible when things are bad. It's just hard with the distance to really get anywhere. It seems like when I do get to see her again, things have changed and I have to start from level 1 all over again."
"I can relate to that…" Katara said in a sad voice.
A moment of silence past the siblings, the sun was warm and the air was fresh with the scent of late spring. A waterfall not 10 minutes away from the house was calling Katara's name. She frequently visited it and practiced her bending. Lately she has taken on mastering the skill of Water bending blind-folded.
"Where is he! It's bad enough that Toph is late but Aang is almost 3 weeks late! It's not like him at all to be like this…. Maybe I should take Appa and-"
"Katara, leave it alone. The kid is probably lost in the woods or something and if he were to send word of him being late, I'm sure he'd be here before the letter. He doesn't have a carrier Hawk like my Hawkie!" Sokka cut Katara off with a gesture to his pet.
Katara gave a small giggle at the memory of Sokkas' pet from the Fire nation.
"Well I'm going to practice. I'll be at the river if you need me." Katara waved as she got up and headed for her favourite practicing ground.
As Katara got to the river, she undressed into her usual practicing garb, white woven cotton that wrapped around her bust and legs with loose scrap-like loincloth that hung around her hips. Sure it was something she worked with when she was a kid but, with her body fully matured; it was functional and helped her feel the movements of water.
After setting up targets across the river in random locations, she let her hair hang down past her shoulders; she walked into the water up to mid calf and placed a blue sash around her eyes. Memorizing where the targets where, she bowed to an invisible enemy and focused to find her centre by concentrating on the smell and sounds around her and controlling her chi.
Without her noticing, a stranger found his way accidentally to the river. On the shore just behind Katara, he stood and watched the Water bender with a large staff in hand and a full pack on his back. The confusion of why a water bender would choose to be blind folded soon became apparent as she slowly started to control the water with the beauty and grace of a summoner. Her damp hair and sun kissed skin gave a glow in the warm sun as she slowly pulled and pushed the water around her.
Katara found her footing and took the pace up a notch by creating an octopus stance. Legs of water surrounded her and actually followed her movements as she walked down the shallow water. Using the legs like a whip, she blindly aimed for the targets. Her Skill has grown tremendously since when she was 14. Over the years she visited her master and also taught her own students. But now was all about how one she could be with the water and how precise she can force her self to be.
As the traveler looked on and watched, he set his pack down and forced his staff into the sand ever so quietly so he would not disrupt Katara. With a smile on his face he approached the water ever so quietly to get a better look. With every strike Katara made with the water, the more accurate her aim was. It became fascinating to watch this new skill develop.
As he got closer, the traveler accidentally stepped on a twig and crushed it under his foot. Katara herd the noise and directed her attacks to the noise behind her without hesitation and forced an attack with one of the whip-like legs. The traveler quickly positioned himself in a Water bending stance and used the water to ward off her attack. Coming up stale-mate with every attack Katara threw; she changed her stance and started to move with more determination then before. Even though the blind-fold was still on, she could still hear the person's movements in the sand in front of her.
Changing her whips of water to daggers of Ice, Katara started to throw her daggers at her opponent only to find that they were blocking with a sheet of ice them selves.
"Enough coward, come at me!" Katara yelled
As the traveler smiled and melted his ice wall. He took a running start with water disks at his side. Facing Katara head on he started to use a disk each time he attacked in which Katara countered with a whip to block several until she felt a natural open spot on her opponent's body.
Using a water jet, she aimed it to the opponent's side torso which became a direct hit pushing the opponent to her left side. The traveler managed to manipulate the jet at the right moment to hold on to its power as he let the power force him to move.
As Katara started a barrage of Ice spears towards her opponent with out letting up, the traveler managed to doge them as he danced around with the grace of the wind.
'They are light on their feet and quick…' Katara thought to her self as she changed her offence to defence as the opponent strike back with a water jet.
As Katara made a water shield, she evaded the attack with another water whip to her opponent's legs. Just as she thought she managed to trip the opponent up, she could sense that the opponent wasn't in front of her anymore. Lowering her water wall and keeping on the defence, Katara waited for something to give her opponent away.
Suddenly the smell of Panda Lilly's filled the air as a set of arms grabbed her from behind and wrapped around her waist with a slight squeeze.
"Sorry I'm late…" a voice rang in her ear.
Katara froze at the sound of the voice. A moment passed and a smile spread across her face.
"What's this, a wondering traveler crossing my path?" Katara teased with her blind fold still on.
"A traveler I may be, but no longer a wondering one. The paths in which were crossed are of good faith and words need be expressed to those who would heed my wisdom…" the traveler whispered into her ear.
Tucking a strand of hair behind Katara's ear, he gently pointed out, "Your arms are too wide, you need to bring them closer to protect your-"
With a wide smile Katara twirled around, wrapped her around around the travelers neck. He was quite a bit taller then she was. As she pulled him towards her, she pressed her lips against his passionately. Katara let go of the kiss but remained close to him and smiled.
"You are my centre…" Katara whispered.
As Katara pulled her blind fold down, she found a set of gentle eyes with the only shade of grey she ever wanted to see, staring at her. "I've missed you, Aang."
Aang rolled a finger down her check and smiled. "I see your becoming more like a monk then the Avatar, your guru's would be both impressed and disappointed. Oh, wise one..." Katara stated playfully as Aang rolled his eyes.
Katara pulled away slightly to get a good look at Aang. 8 months was a long time and a lot has changed about him. Still in his traditional Monk robes of Yellow, Orange and Redish Brown, Aang was now adorned in round wooden beads around his neck and wrists that have the Air nomad's symbol carved into each and every one of them with a large pendent similar to his dear Monk Gyatso that rested in the centre of his chest . With a large amount of stubble on his head and face wasn't the only thing that was a noticeable change. Aang was now taller then Katara by noticeable amount and his body had matured leaving the muscles large and toned. He wasn't as big as Earth kingdom soldiers, but he still had definition like them. Over the years, Aang lost a lot of his child like charm to the duties of being a leader to the world but occasionally the true Aang, as Katara likes to call it, would appear.
Aang smiled at Katara and held up 18 Panda Lillie's with his childish grey eyes that haven't changed since she met him on the iceberg. "One for everyday I was late coming home…"
Katara smiled at the gesture, and took them from his large hands. Looking the flowers over quickly, she quickly placed a small kiss on his lips that left him wanting more. But before he could get a grip on her, Katara was already walking back towards the shore.
"So why are you so late? Surely Zuko isn't resulting into his old tricks in keeping you around again." Katara asked as she took hold of Aangs staff with the Air nomad symbol on top of it.
"Things in the Fire nation aren't running as smoothly as we thought it would. Since the war is over, he is been kind enough to give back all the land that rightfully belongs to other nations…. But it's been complicated..."Aang explained.
"That's what happens when you lie, cheat and steal I guess…." Katara replied while looking at the staff head.
Glancing over at Aang from the corner of her eye, Katara asked innocently "Hey, aren't Monks supposed to shave their head daily?" gesturing to Aang's new hair growth.
"You could say that? What's with the sudden interest?" Aang asked as he took his staff from Katara's small hands.
"…Interest in what?"
"In everything, just a lot of questions…" Aang replied back playfully.
"So I'm not allowed to know what's been happening to you lately." Katara argued back.
"I want you to know everything about me, but you already know it all." Aang said dropping his head down to Katara's level holding a finger under her chin while expecting a kiss.
Katara playfully looked away while saying "Not everything, I'm not with you on these journeys anymore… you've grown up. Well for the most part."
Getting impatient, Aang scooped Katara into his arms so she was straddling his waist. With one hand juggling his staff and holding onto her lower thigh while the other forcing her chin into his so he could get a kiss was a bit more challenging when she kept pulling away with a laugh.
Laughing along, Aang finally managed to let out "Katara, I've been home for 5 minutes, and you're the first person I went looking for…. All I've been doing is nothing but tell you how I'm sorry and how much I missed you while all you can do is ask questions about my hair, pick on my pre-chosen life style and not even give me a kiss when I want one… Oh! And you started a fight with me while you were blind folded, which is an amazing idea." Aang explained with his childish smile.
"8 months and 18 days is too long, Aang." Katara said with a slight serious look on her face. "And you didn't even take Appa! How did you get back here anyways?"
Aang just gave out a sign and smiled. Collecting Katara into one arm so he could force his staff back into the sand, Katara winced.
"Ooo… Isn't that an Antique?" Katara said with a smile and a laugh.
Aang shook his head with humour and lowered him self onto the beach so his back was against the staff and Katara still straddling his lap. As he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a hug, he nestled his head just under her chin and rested for a moment with his eyes closed and while taking in her essence.
Katara cradled Aang's neck and head while she started to played with the stubble that accumulated on his head and arrow tattoo. The sounds of waves coming in and the slight breeze reminded Katara of the two of them. With out the wind, the water wouldn't have any courage to grow bigger or crawl farther. But with out water, the Air would be lonely and with out cause.
"Aang?" Katara let out softly.
"It's too late for Penguin sledding" Aang commented quickly.
"What? No… How did you come up with that?" Katara smiled at the memory of his request when they were kids.
On the days that Aang came back, it always seemed like the past is what gave him most comfort and relaxed him. She was told that when you see the Avatar today, he always has such a serious face and didn't smile much. She could respect why he needed to be so serious at times and still have the desires of a child.
"Seriously, Aang..."
"…Mhmm…"
"Don't leave me for another 8 months…."
Letting out a deep breath, Aang started to let his hands get tangled in her long brown hair that he loved so much. He opened his grey eyes to look at her and say "I didn't expect this to go for so long…. I don't like leaving you behind alone but, could you handle it? Following me where ever I go I mean. Seeing what I have to do to keep the peace as the Avatar, or the meditation that I have to complete as a Monk. Or-"
"…Living like a normal person with things to do." Katara cut him off.
"You think I'm normal?" Aang asked with innocence about him that reminded her of when he was 12.
"I've been through much worse with you when you were trying to talk to the spirit world while sitting in your horse stance. You're more normal now then you were 12." Katara laughed.
Aang laughed back and ran his fingers through her hair gently cupping her chin for a moment. He loved how she kept him grounded. With the title of Avatar, it could easily go to his head but Katara always made sure he stayed humble.
Katara just smiled as she leaned in for a kiss. As he pulled her into him she held onto his strong jaw-line tiring to stay even with him. Noticing her struggle, Aang carefully lifted her up off his lap and lowered her on to her back against the sand. Aang gently pulled her hands off of his neck and held them in place with one hand above her head. Keeping her legs around his hips, Aang slid one of his hands under her lower back to encourage her stomach to rest against his. The feeling of her against him was something he yearned after for months.
Freeing her wrists from his hand, Katara instantly reached for the belt keeping his robe together. As they parted from kissing, Aang watched as Katara tried to navigate her way through the confusion which is undressing a monk. Katara started with untying the orange sash and pulling small yellow ties apart from each other, getting frustrated with the amount of layers and ties he had, Aang gave a small chuckle and guided her hands to all the ties she needed to undo. She finally managed to slide the one armed rob off his body to place his arrow tattoos on full display for her, Along with all the scars on his body that were a reminder to all of their memories. Pulling off his beaded necklace, she let one hand drag across his torso up to his face.
Pulling him in for another kiss, she could feel his hands finding her hips then slowly feeling their way up on her ribs, making their way to the start of the cotton strips which is her top. When she realized that he was unravelling her, Katara started to take deeper breaths and blush. Pulling away from the kiss, she looked up at him with uncertainty and placed her hands on his shoulder blades as if she needed him to hold her down. As he pulled in for another kiss an unexpected voice rang through their ears.
"Well, well. If it isn't the Sugar queen and twinkle toes…. I'm sure glad I'm blind because I'm sure I wouldn't like to ACTUALY see what you two are doing…" Toph announced abruptly
Aang gave out a laugh. "Hey Toph, long time-"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah… just get your selves cleaned up and we'll chat at home." Toph said passively as she continued to walk up the path.
"Toph! Your 3 weeks late! What if Aang wasn't here when you decided to show up!" Katara shouted back.
"Then guess I would have missed him, plain and simple." Toph answered back.
Aang laugh at the two of them. "It's good to be home…"