Between Love And Duty
By Revelias
I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender I am only borrowing them for the duration of this story.
Chapter 1: Confusion Personified
"It is the duty of the Avatar to maintain the balance in the world. When someone or something threatens that balance it is the Avatar that must rectify the problem. Regardless of the cost to himself or others."
Aang understood what it meant to be the Avatar. He understood his duty. It had been drilled into him enough by his teachers among the air nomads. Still he wondered. If it was the duty of the Avatar to maintain the worlds balance what was his purpose when the world was in balance.
He knew through his past lives that Avatars before him had had husbands, wives and even children. Zuko was proof of that. But was that to be his destiny. Would he marry and start a family or was he meant to walk some other path? He hoped it was the former. He loved Katara and he wanted to share his life with her. However, despite how clear his feelings for the waterbender were her feelings towards him were still clouded in ambiguity.
"After we kissed during the invasion I thought that we were going to be... you know... together." He had pleaded with her. He needed to know how she felt about him, he needed a reason to keep hoping for his happy ending.
"I'm not sure Aang. I'm just confused about... well everything." Katara responded not trusting herself to look at the man before her. She knew she cared for him, that she would do anything for him. But whether or not she loved him was a mystery she refused to explore. "I just need some time to make sense of everything that has happened." She went on hoping that he would understand.
"Sure. Time. Take all the time you need Katara. I apologize if I upset you." He softly said before leaving the bender without offering another word.
Destiny is a funny thing. Everyone has one but no one can ever be sure of what that destiny is. Aunt Woo had told him that he would be involved in a great battle. The outcome of which would decide the fate of the entire world. He had known all about that aspect of his future. That wasn't destiny, that was duty. The duty of the Avatar to restore balance to the world.
In the end it was duty that would be carried out regardless of the outcome of his battle with Ozai. Should he fall another Avatar would be born to take his place and in time he or she would continue the fight. Over and over the cycle would play out until the Avatar failed to be reborn into the Air nation. But then stranger things had happened there was always the chance that he wasn't the last airbender. Slim but possible.
Yet when all was said and done his wanderings on the subject proved only to be the thoughts of an anxious mind. He had managed to defeat Fire Lord Ozai and despite everything common sense and past experience told him he had spared the man choosing rather to strip him of the gift of bending then his life. His duty as the Avatar was completed and balance could finally be restored to the world.
Across the world the news of Ozai's defeat had spread like wildfire. Aang and his friends were heralded as heroes. The long night had passed and a new day was ready to be born.
What was to come Aang did not feel was a duty for the Avatar. It would be up to the remaining nations to work together to build a better tomorrow for the world. His job was done for now and he was ready to move on.
Still Aang found it hard to simply leave the family he had forged over the past year. He had journeyed with the group to Ba Sing Se where they were to celebrate the opening of Iroh's new tea shop. His mind took in the sight of all his friends and the comradely they so easily shared. The war had changed them for the better, making them better then they had been, allowing them to grow as individuals and has a family. He knew in his heart that whatever challenges they faced from this point on whether apart or together they would endure and succeed.
Still he was troubled. If nothing else the past year had taught him one truth. "Expect the worst and hope for the best" had become words he secretly lived by. To the world he was almost carefree. He never seemed to allow troubles to weigh him down for very long. Most thought it was trait inherited from the air nomads but that was a lie. In truth it was his last defense against the all the pain, sorrow and confusion he had been forced to carry on his young shoulders. The only reason he hadn't let it consume him was the small ray of hope that he might somehow win the heart of the one he loved. The one who was confused about how she felt about him.
He smiled as he left the others to their happiness. He felt the breeze that seemed to be calling him from Iroh's garden and followed. He was standing there as though waiting for some divine revelation when she joined him causing time to slow as their eyes meet and they closed the distance between them.
Katara had looked into his eyes countless times since they meet but until today she had never really seen the hurricane of emotion that they concealed. And it was within that instant that all of her doubt seemed to be carried away and she knew that he was her destiny. The world passed in slow motion as she moved towards him. Understanding the depth of love she held for him Katara was finally ready to express what her heart was screaming.
Aang knew what was coming he had wanted it for so long. Katara was going to kiss him. Katara loved him like he loved.. like he loved...her.
"I'm sorry." He said; stepping away form the woman who had occupied his heart from almost the moment he had returned to the living world. "You were right before. Over the past year we have been forced to face so much that it is easy to become overwhelmed."
"Aang, I'm not confused anymore. I know what I want and what I want is you." Katara had spoken for the first time since joining the airbender in the garden while closing the distance he had made between them.
"But I'm not sure that I want the same thing anymore." He responded walking away from Katara and leaving her to try and understand what had just happened.
To Be Continued