Disclaimer- Don't own Naruto, don't own A:TLA. Do own my soul though...right?

What was love?

Naruto had oft thought of the topic that he felt was so completely out of reach, yet so obstinately close that he could brush his fingertips against it. For as long as he could remember, the question would appear to him, day or night, sleeping or awake, winter or summer, three years old or eight. All he ever knew about it was that the thought constantly plagued him.

It was the reason why he would always look at the families with eyes of envy and sadness when he knew no one was looking. Not that many would spare the local demon a glance anyway but...just in case, ya know. It was also the reason why, at age nine, when the Sandaime stopped by at Naruto's place for tea and his usual 'check up' on Naruto that he popped the question.

Looking up at the shriveled old Sandaime while boiling water for their tea, he squinted the Hokage in thought and bellowed, "Oi, Oyajii!"

Sarutobi looked down at the little boy with a crinkled smile and said, "Yes Naruto?"

Naruto grumbled a little as the Sandaime ruffled his head and asked in an innocently deceptive tone, "What's love, Oyaji?"

Sandaime's eyes widened and his mouthed opened in slight awe of the simple, yet volatile question that Naruto had just laid before him. Wondering how to respond to the question, Sandaime opened and closed him mouth a few times before finally deciding on the right course of action...or at least something that wouldn't come back to bite him in the ass. Surely he could escape this with both of them coming out unscathed right?

"Well Naruto, love is like...um...well, what do you feel for village?"

Naruto grumbled and felt a feeling not unlike getting punched in the nose and and almost breaking it. Sure it felt weird and kinda good, but then it always hurt later on.

Sarutobi knew that he used the wrong example for Naruto when he saw his face squish into a sort of sick grimace.

Quickly searching for another example, Sarutobi snapped his mental fingers as his face set into a smile as he said well Naruto, how about Sakura-chan?"

Naruto quickly blushed and waved his arms around in a frantic manner, screaming in his high pitched young voice, "W-What you mean by that Oyaji-teme! I don't l-love Sakura-chan! Ha, Ha ha ha, heh..."

After the initial shock of the outburst and cleaning of his ears, Sarutobi looked to the young boy and heaving a mental sigh, said, "Well, what do you feel for me Naruto?"

Naruto's face finally relaxed and fell into a thoughtful look as he unsurely said, "For...for you Oyaji?"

Sarutobi nodded at Naruto and giving him a nod said, "For me, Naruto-kun."

Naruto smiled slightly as he looked at the old man and said, "Well, Oyajii, I get this funny feeling in my gut that says you're a nice person who won't hurt me...is this love Oyaji?"

Sarutobi smiled sadly as he looked at the young boy and whispered to him, "Something like it Naruto, something like it..."

-0-0-

What was love?

Aang had oft thought of the topic that he felt was so completely out of reach, yet so obstinately close that he could brush his fingertips against it. For as long as he could remember, the question would appear to him, day or night, sleeping or awake, winter or summer, three years old or eight. All he ever knew about it was that the thought constantly plagued him.

It was the reason why he would always look at the visiting monks families with envy and sadness when he knew no one was looking. He always had to be careful though, because the monks would always keep a close eye on him, no matter what he was doing. Even when he was alone and definitely knew so, he would check. Ya know...just to be safe.

And so one day, when he knew he was going to be training with Gyatso, his favorite teacher and most trusted one, a nine year old Aang decided to pop the question.

"Monk Gyatso?"

Monk Gyatso looked away from the oven in which he was cooking his nefarious 'air bomb' cakes to give Aang all of his undivided attention.

"Yes Aang?", the old monk asked kindly.

Aang sighed, and, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, asked, "Monk Gyatso...what's...love?"

The old monk's eyes widened slightly before they fell back to their usual folds and he smiled slightly, giving way to a chuckle that came up at the question.

Aang scowled at the old monk, thinking he was laughing at him, and huffed, turning away from the old monk and saying, "I don't see what's so funny, Gyatso!"

The old monk slowly ended his chuckle and, putting a wizened old hand on Aang's shoulder said, "No Aang, it's not that it's funny, it's just unexpected, that's all."

Aang slowly turned around, and, putting a pout on his face replied with, "It still wasn't very nice."

The old monk squeezed the Avatar's shoulder and said, "I know Aang, I'm sorry...am I forgiven for an old man folly?"

Aang sighed and, smiling said, "Of course, Gyatso!"

Gyatso let go of Aang shoulders and, taking a breath, said, "So, Aang...You wish to know what love is?"

Aang nodded his head unsurely, with a look of slight hesitance on his face showing his true understanding of the topic; nothing.

Gyatso patted the ledge behind him for Aang to sit and become comfortable, giving the hint that the talk might take a while.

Gyatso started the complicated talk with one, simple question.

"What do you feel whenever you airbend Aang?"

Aang, took a moment to think about it before he responded, making sure that he could adequately describe it to the old monk.

"Well", started Aang, "Whenever I bend air, I always get this funny feeling in my gut, like there are butterfly's in it or something. And every time I fly, I feel like nothing else in the world matters; just me and the air in front of me, waiting to be flown!"

Gyatso smiled warmly at the child and asked one more simple question.

"And what do you feel for me Aang?"

Aang was quiet for a minute and, coming upon a startling realization, said, "For you, Gyatso?"

The old monk nodded encouragingly and said, "For me Aang."
Aang stumbled over the words in his head until, finally, he looked to the old air bender and said, "I think I feel...the same for you. Is that what love means Gyatso?"

The old monk felt a warm feeling spread through his being as heard those words and, smiling, said, "Yes Aang, love is something like that."

Neither boy knew it, but hearing these answers from the two ill fated children, fate had decided to intervene. Intertwine their lives in their greatest adventure soon to come, both boys would truly find the meaning of love. Whether it be in others, or themselves.

TBC...

A/N: Just a quick thing before I continue. Ahem... this story is NOT YOAI! There...I said it. Enjoy the show!