I little Kataang fic I wrote after watching The Awakening. Hope you enjoy!
When I twisted my broken staff and stuck it into the ground, I walked away feeling numb. It was on fire when I looked back, symbolic of what my life had become. Everyone in the world thought I was dead again. They thought I had failed them, and I did. I couldn't save them: I couldn't even save myself. That lightning bolt hit me and I was gone. If it weren't for Katara, I wouldn't even be here. I would be dead.
How was I supposed to save the world now? Ba Sing Se had fallen, and the entire world was in the clutches of the fire nation. The people of the world didn't even have the hope that the Avatar would save them. Whenever they thought of the Avatar they would think of how I had abandoned them.
Now is the time that I must redeem myself and get my honor back. Man, I sound like Zuko. It's almost as if I can kind of understand how he was thinking. I wonder where he is now. At least he won't be hunting me anymore.
What really makes me angry is the fact that I can't even show my arrow anymore: I have to hide who I really am on the inside. I can't do anything! I couldn't even help when that fire nation ship was firing upon us. It's just so frustrating having to stand by and watch while my friends put their lives on the line to save me. That's why I had to leave, to protect them. They probably thought I was being selfish, but I was trying to save them. Try as I might to push them away, they just keep pushing closer. I don't know what I would do without them.
The entirety of my staff has become ashes by now. One of the last keepsakes I had of my old home and an old friend. I feel a hand on my shoulder and when I turn around I see Katara smiling at me with tears streaked down her face. I feel terribly guilty about leaving all of them behind. Somehow this stupid notion that I had to defeat the fire lord all on my own got into my head. I just didn't want to see my friends get hurt because of me. It just seems that anyone who is my friend or who helps me is constantly put in danger. But now I know that there is no way I will be able to get rid of them, and for that I am glad. Whatever comes my way, I know my friends, my family, will always be right beside me.
Katara wraps her arms around me and pulls me close. She is so warm. I bury my face into her cloak and try not to cry. If it weren't for Katara, I probably would have just given up and died. She doesn't even know how much I love and care about her. Maybe she will never know. I hope she does one day, and realizes she feels the same way. Then we can finally be together. I can kiss her lips and hold her tightly. But for now I have something I have to do. I need to save the world and all the innocent people who live in it. Like Katara.
Katara pulls away from me gently and smiles. Her arms are still around me and mine are around her. I have this terrible urge to kiss her, but I don't. You have no idea how much I want to. She looks so beautiful.
"Katara?" I said.
"Yes Aang?" she said.
"I'm sorry for leaving," I said, my head hanging low.
"I forgive you Aang," Katara said. "Just promise you will never do it again."
"I promise," I said smiling at her. She smiled back and I felt my heart flutter in my chest. No matter what happened, I knew she would always be with me. I knew she would be right beside me, fighting until the end. That made my spirit soar. I realized that this would be a difficult journey and that I would have to hide who I truly was. But all I had to do was look at Katara and I would feel at home, I would feel like I was alive. My identity, my entire life, would always be alive in her eyes.
Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave me a review!