He never knew if he would return alive. He would leave, reminding himself that there was always a chance he could die; always a chance he would never see Katara again. Always a chance that he would leave her alone, and vulnerable.
A chance he might never get to look into her eyes again.
...
The color blue had always calmed the Avatar; made him, in a way, feel safe and secure. Even when he was a child, still unknowing of his identity, blue had always appealed to him. When the Monks asked him to choose four toys from the thousands, he had picked two solely for their color; it was just an added bonus that they were fun.
Katara also made him feel calm and safe; like nothing else could touch him. She was motherly, and comforting - she did her best to take care of him. When he cried, out of fear, anger, or if he just couldn't take it anymore, Katara would hold him in her arms and cry with him; or cry the tears he couldn't. They would lie in each others arms for hours, and just cry. They wouldn't talk, it was something more than could merely be said or expressed with words.
Katara's sweet, sensitive, and caring personality combined with the shimmering blue of her eyes made him feel ultimately at peace.
...
When Aang was feeling lonely, or just needed some reassurance, he would crawl over to Katara's sleeping bag and say "Hey."
"Hey," she rolled over on her side to look at him, and gave him a soft smile. "Bad dream?"
"No," he pulled his knees to his chest and curled into a ball beside her. "I... I just didn't want to be alone tonight."
He would take this - and any - opportunity to look into her eyes, and revel in the serenity that washed over him. He couldn't help it, she made him feel like nothing was wrong.
"Oh... Well you can come lay with me if you want," Katara offered, as she held open her sleeping bag. Aang nodded and crawled in beside her, as the two lay in silence under the stars.
He was afraid. He had never really been truly afraid, facing imminent death. He was mostly afraid of losing Katara; leaving her behind. Even if he died he would just be reborn again anyway, but he wouldn't know her.
As the Avatar lay with Katara, listening to her heartbeat and the sound of her breath, he realized that true horror was looking into her blue eyes, and not knowing if he ever would again.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he reached for her hand and twisted his fingers with hers, just treasuring the time - and the moment - while it lasted.
...
A/N: Yeaaaah I dunno. Here is another Kataang one-shot, and I'm sorry if y'all don't like it, I do. I don't really understand Zutara, so I'll just stick with Canon. Buuut I shall write a one-shot of Zutara for le fangirls. Keep in mind that this is my second Avatar fic, so I don't really know how to feel. Thank you :)