Toss. Groan. Turn. Repeat.
That seemed to be the usual routine for the airbender, Katara painfully noticed as she watched her lover fight the sheets off in his sleep. With the constant disturbance the waterbender had taken to sitting in a small armchair in the corner of the room, as she had every night since his night terrors began. She sighed as she watched Aang's expression contort into a look of fear and pain. She hated it; she hated that she could not even help her own husband in his time of need. She had no idea what horrors his dreams brought upon him, for she hadn't had the misfortune of experiencing them. Countless nights she'd stay awake, watching painfully as his dreams terrorized him, unsure of what to do and when she did do something it would hardly help. It was sad really, that she was supposed to know him so well but she couldn't even ease him of his nightmares. With a frown tugging at her lips, she walked back to her bed and sat down beside the sleeping form of her husband. She leaned over, her hair falling over her shoulders as she did so, and laid a hand on his cheek softly.
"I'm sorry..." Aang whispered suddenly, making Katara pull her hand back in surprise.
"Aang?" She asked, thinking he was awake but when she leaned over she saw that his eyes were shut firmly, teeth clenched.
"So... sorry, Gyatso." He made a pained noise and shifted so that he faced his wife. Gyatso? His mentor? Katara closed her eyes, willing the tears to stay back as she recalled the story of the man and Aang's strong friendship with him. Although she understood the course of action Aang took she could not fully believe that she could ever do the same. But losing a friend, a surrogate parent, and mentor, was punishment enough she thought; a punishment he did not deserve. Even with that very mistake made in the beginning, in some sadistic way Katara believed that it was better that it happened the way it did. If not for Aang showing up one hundred years after the war began, they would not have the reform they were currently working through; without the broken world left after the war ended, people would not have realized that there was such evil in the world and there may not have been any reason to control it, making it much more likely to happen. So much evil... so much burden on the avatar's shoulders.
"Katara, what are you doing awake?" Katara saw Aang's lips move, but the movement did not match the words spoken in her distracted mind. Gray eyes stared up into her blue ones, waiting.
"Oh, I just..." she began, sitting back when she realized her face was inches from her husbands. "Your dreams." she ended lamely, not knowing how else to phrase it. He sighed, rubbing his eyes and sitting up on the bed. He turned his gaze to her, giving an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, sweetheart." He smiled sheepishly, leaning forward to press his forehead against hers. She welcomed the gesture and leaned against him, slender fingers reaching forward to lace through his. He gave them a gentle squeeze and leaned in closer to wrap his other arm around her back. She was so kind, Katara. Such a beautiful soul, so full of good and happiness. He hated that she had to deal with his night terrors; although she didn't know, Aang always knew why she was so tired despite having a full night to sleep. It pained him to know that he was the reason she had so many sleepless nights.
But that's what he loved about her the most; that she never complained, no matter how tough or terrifying things got, she was always there, right by his side. Even in the beginning, when she hardly knew who he was, she seemed to trust him with everything she had. It was hard to believe there was even a time that he didn't know her, it was as if his life started the moment he looked up into those beautiful blue eyes of hers.
Yes, that was the moment his life began, that it really began. Everything up until that moment was only a prelude of the life he would be handed. He was secretly thankful that he had ran away, if not only for the fact that he met so many wonderful people and his wonderful wife.
"Aang, what are your dreams about?" Said woman asked, breaking the silence that had fallen between the two. Aang took a moment before he responded, taking time to lift his hand up to her cheek, caressing it gently in a gesture of affection.
"Monk Gyatso, Zuko, Ozai, everyone... you mostly." He whispered, the arm on her back tightening at the thought of his nightmares.
"... what about me?" Katara asked, scooting even closer to him, leaning into the hand on her cheek.
"I dream about the times where I betrayed your trust... about when I thought I didn't deserve you... about losing you." His eyes shut tight at his last words, remembering very vividly every dream he had where Katara would disappear or leave him, realizing that he didn't deserve her. Katara pulled away, staring at her husband with a stern look in her eyes. Bringing her hands up to rest on either side of his head, she brought his face closer to hers so that they were mere inches apart.
"Avatar Aang, you will never lose me. No matter how tough or hopeless things get I will always be by your side." She smiled that beautiful smile of hers and stroked his cheeks with her fingers, making a wide grin appear on the airbenders lips. "Not even 'til death do us part'. You won't be getting rid of me that easily." Her smile widened when he chuckled at her statement.
"Is that a threat or a promise?" He teased, a hand coming up to rest over one of hers. She furrowed her eyebrows, considering him for a moment before saying,
"A promise to you, but a threat to anyone who dares get in the way of our relationship." The two laughed quietly, leaning away from each other for a moment before Aang pulled her back suddenly and pressed his lips firmly against hers. The kiss lasted no longer than a second but the feeling of her soft lips lingered on his own, leaving him slightly dazed.
She was the only person that could do that to him; whether it be through her touch or through her words, she never failed to leave him tongue tied and like the lovesick teenage that he once was. Even after twelve years of marriage his love for her never faded, never extinguished, it only grew with each passing second, minute, hour or day. She was the only reason his nightmares never broke him, no matter how terrifying they were.
Because in sleep he might not always be able to escape the harsh realities of life, she is the reason that being awake is so much more sweeter.