The tree beneath him rustled gently, swayed as the winds came. As it rushed off his cheeks, his clothes, his hair, he closed his eyes, feeling nothing but the branch under the thin soles of his shoes, and the air that called to him.

He wasn't looking, but he knew he was easily a hundred feet from the ground. He was more than used to it, actually. He liked heights. He liked the feel of being in what would normally be a death-inducing situation, and making it your comfort zone.

It came with the territory when you were a bender.

You have to let go of fear, he'd told her. If he didn't live by it, well – he'd have been bogged down by everything that had been thrown his way since he realized he was the Avatar. Worse – he'd probably have gone insane.

Slowly, he straightened from his crouched position. Spread his arms slightly, clutching the glider in one hand. Sucked the leafy green smell of the forest into his lungs. Smiled.

Then, exhaling, he fell.

He felt the branches whip past him, an irregular sound. He heard the whispers and cries of the creatures surrounding, the mounting pressure on his face as he descended - but he didn't open his eyes. He waited. It would come. It always did.

A piercing silence. Then..

There.

It spread like a tidal wave through his arms, his legs, his torso, and he could hear his heart rate accelerate in his ears. The something within him soared, a burst of glow and energy and happiness that took him completely, from the inside out. It was amazing, indescribable, yet it was his normalcy. And it was the one of the two things in the whole world that made him feel truly alive.

His eyes shot open and –

- he flew.

a/n:

So I was re-watching a few Book 2: Earth episodes. Been wanting to write something for Avatar a lot lately, cause I heard it didn't have many good ones (not that I'd contribute much -_-) and the series is so brill I thought it deserved a little more love.

Imagine my surprise when I did log on and find so many good stories I almost fainted with the awesomeness of it all!

I was even more inspired. And so I wrote this today. It's my first Avatar ficcie and just a little drabble-type thing, but I hope you guys like. Tell me, if you can, what you think and if I should expand it more, how? (: I'd be s'grateful.

He has hair in this one because I want him to. So this takes place around Book 3. When he has hair.

Oh and the other 'one of the two things' at the end? Katara. In case it wasn't clear enough (: I love those two so much it scares me.

x