Everyone was writing their own version of EIP, so I will too, since I am VERY unhappy with the way it turned out. Plus, I'm really bored.
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar, but I can pretend I do.
XxX
"Katara, did you really mean what you said in there?" Aang asked her, visibly troubled.
"In where? What are you talking about?" Katara asked him, looking at him.
"On stage." He said, frustrated. "When you said I was just like a brother to you and you didn't have feelings for me."
"I didn't say that. An actor said that." Katara denied.
"But it's true, isn't it?" Aang said despondently. It wasn't a question; more like a atatement. "We kissed at the invasion and I thought we were going to be together, but we're not."
"Aang, I don't know." Katara said, unsure, as she turned her head to face the ocean.
"Why don't you know?"
"Because we're in the middle of a war and we have other things to worry about." Katara said. "This isn't the right time."
"Well, when is the right time?" Aang asked impatiently.
"Aang, I'm sorry but right now, I'm just a little confused." Katara admitted, as she closed her eyes.
He felt so...rejected. As he turned his head, he thought of an idea. He leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips. Katara pulled away, obviously shocked and angry.
"I just said that I was confused!" She exclaimed in anger. "I'm going inside." She ran into the theatre.
"Argh! I'm such an idiot!" He banged his head on the wooden rail.
XxX
He walked down the hallway of their temporary hideout in Ember Island, the Fire Lord's house. As he walked down, he thought to himself, "Why didn't I wait? Why did I have to kiss her when she said she was confused?!"
He sighed, as he continued his midnight stroll, trying to make himself feel better. "I should've waited till she thinks it is the right time." He berated himself.
Suddenly, he heard something come from Zuko's room. It happened again. His heartbeat quickened, as he recognized Katara's voice, and he silently approached the room, his heart filled with dread. Why would Katara be in Zuko's room?
As he quietly crept to the doorway, he peered in to see Katara and Zuko on the bed making out. He couldn't hold back a gasp. As they herad the sound, Katara and Zuko broke apart, with Zuko having a look of shock, while Katara just looked down shamefacedly.
"Wha– What's this?" He managed to get out, his voice hoarse. Katara had just dealt him one blow that evening, now this. But this was worse. Katara got up.
"Let's talk outside." She pulled him out of the room, Aang too shocked to refuse. Once they were out of Zuko's hearing range, Aang began, in a heartbroken voice.
"What's going on, Katara?" His voice was small, weak. Filled with hurt. Katara looked down.
"Aang, I told you, I'm confused about us." Katara started.
"Us." Aang repeated numbly.
"I'm confused," Katara repeated. "Because I...love Zuko."
Aang looked at her incredulously, while she evaded his gaze.
"I kinda...fell for him when we were in the crystal catacombs in Ba Sing Se together." Katara confessed. Aang just looked at her sadly.
"Then why were you so against him joining us when he came to the Western Air Temple?" Aang questioned. He wanted to know everything. How could this have happened?
"Because...I felt betrayed at Ba Sing Se, when he joined Azula. I felt like he didn't feel the same way, and I was angry that he betrayed my trust." Katara said. "But he did tell me that he felt the same way after we came back from the play."
"Tha actress was right Aang." Katara pushed on bluntly. "We can be best friends. But I'll always love you like a brother."
Aang felt the same way now. Hurt. Betrayed. Heartbroken. He struggled with his next sentence.
"Then..." Aang couldn't look at her. "Best of luck to you both."
He turned and ran, before Katara could say anything else. He ran and ran, not caring where he was. Once he collapsed, he looked up to find himself at the beach, alone. He just sobbed, cried. It felt like his whole world had shattered, and he had fallen into the dark abyss of depression and heartbreak. He screamed, but no one could hear him.
XxX
Aang woke with a start, in cold sweat. As he sat up in his bed, he slowly looked around, before heaving a sigh of relief, knowing that it was a dream. Ever since Katara had ran away from him at that stupid play, he was constantly having nightmares about it.
These dreams freaked him out each time. Not because of the hurt he felt each time, but because they could be reality. And what he couldn't stand was having his heart broken both in dreams and real life. That was living hell. As he recalled the pain he felt, he winced.
He remembered the village with Aunt Wu. "Katara was supposed to marry a powerful bender. Isn't that me?" He thought to himself. "You aren't the only powerful bender around." He corrected himself.
"What about in the cave of two lovers? Katara was the one who suggested that we kiss, and we did. Doesn't that count?" Aang argued with himself. "She could just be desperate to get out of there. She also seemed pissed about your response to her idea."
He listened closely to outside, and he heard the crickets chirping, the sound of the waves crashing on the beach, and the soft rustle of the palm trees, as the wind blew a gentle breeze. It was calm and peaceful, unlike how he felt in his heart and mind. He was conflicted about his feelings for Katara, and he got up.
He walked to the beach, quietly, trying to avoid waking anyone up. And he did his best to avoid Zuko's room, hoping his dream was just that; a dream. He listened to the relaxing sounds of nature, and he sighed. Normally he would enjoy it, and feel himself unconsciously relax. Today, nothing felt relaxing.
As he saw the waves gently breaking on the beach, and the backwash drawing it back, he sat down, trying to meditate. It was difficult; the waves in him were harsh and merciless, and didn't calm down. He quietly muttered to himself, while letting his tears flow freely.
"I'll always love her, no matter who she's with, or what happens. I'll always love Katara." He grabbed a stick and doodled in the sand, trying to free himself from his inner turmoil. He got up and left, leaving behind a drawing on the sand.
Loving Katara, forever.
XxX
Unknown to Aang, a certain waterbender had followed him from his room when he had left, and had hid in the bushes, watching him cry and heard him confess to himself. When he left, she came out, slowly walking to the shoreline.
She read the inscription in the sand, eyes brimming with tears. As the waves slowly eroded Aang's drawing, she knelt down and cried, while confessing softly.
"I'll always love you too, Aang," Katara cried. "I'm sorry."
As the waves washed it away, she got up, and returned to the house with a heavy heart. While the original inscription was gone, a new one had taken its place.
I'm sorry.
Owwww. It was really killing me to write the FAKE zutara part. Its . I ship Kataang forever. I got the idea from one of my camps, when we climbed to the highest point of some hill. Since I was really too free, I sorta inscribed something similar into the sand there. Oh, and I collected a rock too. Lol.
