A/N: More of a drabble than a oneshot. I saw the commercial for Ember Island Players and had to do this! It's a little Aangsty and probably the shortest oneshot I've ever written, but oh well. xD

R&R!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters within it.

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A Huge Mistake

Those words replayed in her head over and over. They were horrible and amazing. Terrific, yet unacceptable at the same time. She knew he thought them. She knew he lived by them and she wished he could without this silver lining of heartbreak. The horrible wound that'd be left behind.

It was a huge mistake.

A huge mistake.

She couldn't even look him in the eyes. His smile had vanished and his whole being sunk into realization. She knew this would happen. She tried so hard to keep those words away. To keep them locked up long enough...

Now they were out and there was no turning back. It was unacceptable.

A huge mistake.

"I'm sorry," she said, her shoulders slouched forward as she twiddled with her fingers nervously.

He just stared at her for a minute and she let him. She let him because she didn't have the courage to do anything about it. She didn't have the right.

"I thought we were going to be together," he said, peeling his eyes away from her and staring out at the water beyond the beach.

"Now isn't the right time."

She could see the sparkle amidst the downcast in his eyes, but she wanted to leave it at that. If she became any less vague about it, it'd have to swing one way or the other.

If she told him she loved him, he'd be too preoccupied about it and there was a possibility of him losing focus during the battle. He could try to protect her and get hurt lethally, causing the Fire Lord to take charge. If she told him she didn't love him, he'd get moody, and again, be preoccupied about it. He wouldn't be strong enough. Not even for her sake.

"I hope you understand, Aang."

He blinked at her, obviously deep in his own thoughts as well.

"I don't, but I suppose I'll have to. If you're going to keep things from me, especially something like this, I understand that much. I guess that's all... think about it, okay?"

She nodded once at him, watching him walk away.

She knew her feelings for the airbender, but keeping them to herself would win this war.

It was selfish.

It was all so unacceptable and heartless.

A huge mistake.