Woah, so this ones a long one. Didnt quite plan it like this, but i think its come out quite well in the end. Hold on, and reach the Kataangyness at the end :). Read, review, and let me know if you like it!
Disclaimer - I own neither Avatar, or Sail Away. They belong to Nickelodeon and David Gray.
It was the middle of summer, hot and humid. Bright yellow sun glaring down from an endless expanse of blue sky, not a cloud in sight. The crushing heat pressing down on all those who were milling around the Fire Nation Capitol, tiredly going about their daily lives while they desperately tried to stop the sweat from drenching the light, red clothing that kept them cool but covered.
The Avatar walked among them as one of them, the long robes hiding his arrows and his customary disguise hat pulled down low over his forehead and over the already burnt back of his neck. A slight gust of wind followed him wherever he went, from crafts shops to custard tart stalls; although he was undercover the use of Airbending to keep himself cool was definitely still on the cards right?
He whistled lightly to himself as he wandered back to the palace, his stay with Fire Lord Zuko looked to be pretty much permanent as the Fire Nation began the long process of apologising to the world it had oppressed for a hundred years. Endless revolts and rebellions sprung up, each of which had to be put down and stopped with the personal attention of the Fire Lord and the Avatar. But the old generals seemed insistent that the Fire Nation not pay too much in reparations, but Zuko and Aang especially felt that it was the Fire Nation's duty to pay whatever it took to restore the much needed balance of the world.
And Aang was growing tired of it. He had been cooped up in the Fire Nation palace for the last year almost, and he hadn't seen Sokka, Toph or Katara in the entire time he had been sorting out the Fire Nation. He had figured once he had defeated Ozai, there might be a few more things that required his attention, and then he could set about being the Avatar in peace, without the pressure of battling one of the greatest Firebenders in the world. But it had turned out that being the Avatar meant sacrificing his friendships, his happiness, just to stay in the Fire Nation and battle a few idiots who thought they knew better than their Fire Lord.
He grimaced slightly as he thought of his friends, and the hurt he had seen in their eyes as he had had to turn away from them and walk back to the palace with Zuko. Appa had dropped them all off at their respective homes, and when he had returned to the palace, to Aang, his saddle had been empty. Aang kicked a loose stone as he walked back through the gate of the palace, a slight show of his tattooed hand to the guard enough to admit him entry. He had taken to these long walks as a chance to clear his mind, to focus his thoughts. A chance to think about what he wanted.
He and Zuko were sparring in the garden, a near perfect picture of Roku and Sozin 170 years ago. Zuko thrust his fists towards Aang, sending a golden orange fireball ripping through the air. Aang placed his palms together and jabbed his fingers into the fireball, diverting the flame around him and bringing round a kick that sent an arc of fire towards Zuko's head. Slowly, but surely, Aang began to pin Zuko down in a corner, until Zuko could feel the heat from Aang's palms. He grinned, and set into motion his emergency plan.
"So, Aang, did the message get through to you?"
Aang barely even broke stride, kicking fire forwards once again as he asked in a bored tone, " No. What was it?"
Zuko's grin got bigger, Aang was clearly expecting another message about a rebellion.
"We're having some unexpected visitors..."
Aang's bored expression didn't change at all.
"Oh, yippee."
Zuko continued, "From Gaoling and the South Pole!"
Aang's mouth hung open and his fists dropped slightly, allowing Zuko to take advantage, land a kick square to Aang's chest and knock him backwards into the pond. Zuko held up his hands and loudly proclaimed his victory, but his celebration was cut short when Aang froze his hands to a tree, Waterbending the pond water out of his mouth and onto Zuko's hands.
"Zuko, really? That wasn't just a trick so I wouldn't beat you? Again?"
Zuko laughed, still a strange sound to Aang's ears even after all this time.
"No trick. They really are coming. Two days from now."
Two days would never pass quick enough for Aang.
He had been pacing his room now for a good half hour, waiting endlessly for the news that Appa had been sighted flying into the Capitol. The great bison had left the day Aang had got the news from Zuko, and he should have been back about an hour ago! Aang had been practicing what he was going to say for the last day, only grabbing a quick couple of hours rest before waking up from a nightmare that everything he was planning would go horribly, horribly wrong.
Finally, the shadow cast over the palace signalled the arrival of his closest friends. He ran out into the courtyard where Appa had landed. Sokka had already jumped out of the saddle, running over to Aang and grabbing him in a headlock.
"Wooo, brother! Long time no see!"
"Hey Sokka, how've you been? You and Suki still seeing each other?"
"You know, I'm not sure. I mean, we've, ahem, 'done it' a couple times now but she's been kind of weird with me for the last few months or so..."
"Hey, Snoozles. Twinkle Toes does not want the first thing he hears after a year to be your love stories. He's gonna want to hear all about me!"
A loud thud on the ground sounded around the courtyard as Toph leapt out of the saddle.
"How's it going Twinkles?"
And, naturally, it was accompanied by a solid jab to his right arm.
"You know, that arm was finally beginning to heal..."
"Oh, get over it Twinkle Toes!"
He turned, expecting to see Katara perched on Appa's head, and was ready with a compliment, but she wasn't there. He swivelled at the sound of her voice from behind him, and saw her in a long hug with Zuko. He glared daggers at the Fire Lord, turned to Sokka and Toph and plastered a huge fake smile on his face.
"Come on guys, let me show you where you're sleeping!"
The catch up continued all through the afternoon and into dinner, where the five of them sat at a private table in one of the palace's many function rooms. Idle chat and banter flowed around the table, apart from one sticky point. Still Katara refused to acknowledge Aang's existence. The meal ended, Katara excused herself for some fresh air, and Aang seized his chance.
Stepping out onto the balcony with her, reminiscent of a time long ago on the balcony outside Iroh's Ba Sing Se tea shop, the sun setting almost exactly the same as it had that wonderful evening.
"Katara, how have you been?"
"Fine Aang. I've been fine."
"How's your Waterbending? Still practicing?" He laughed, attempting to ease back into casual conversation.
"It's fine." She turned away from him, moving to return inside. Aang sensed he was losing his chance, and quickly grabbed her arm.
"Katara, I've really missed you y'know. It's been almost a year, and I've thought about you every day since you left. It hasn't felt quite right without you..."
He trailed off, hoping, desperately praying for a favourable response. But when it came, it was soft, and sad.
"But not enough to write me a letter and send me a hawk?"
"No! I mean, yes! I mean..."
"Mean what Aang? I understand, this Avatar stuff is all you need. I get it."
This was exactly like his nightmare. His worst nightmare. She began to walk back inside.
"Wait, Katara! I love you!"
"Clearly not enough Aang. Not more than being the Avatar."
The curtain swished, and she went back inside.
Aang thumped his head against the railing.
"What is wrong with me?"
He went to talk to Sokka the moment after the meal had finished and they had all returned to their rooms.
"Hey, Sokka. Can I talk to you about Katara?"
"Oh, man. You completely struck out on the balcony didn't you?"
"Yeah, I-huh? You expected this?"
"Aang, when you didn't write a single letter to her in a year, she was pretty cut up. For the first three months, she'd check the sky every day, waiting for a hawk to come. But one never did. From you that is."
"Huh?"
"Zuko has sent her a letter every week, letting her know what's happening. You, the one she loved, never said a word."
"But..."
"Aang, once I saw that, it made me think about our travels. I was pretty blind not to see it between you two, and I admit that when I saw what effect you not writing had on Katara, I did wonder if my boomerang would reach you from the South Pole. But I'll be honest, I'd much rather see you with her than Zuko. That guy still creeps me out when he's around girls..."
"Sokka, when did you get so wise?"
"Eh, it's always been there my friend. Just a matter of how much genius you reveal at any one time!"
"So what do I do?"
"Do something that'll touch her heart. Remind her of why she loves you. And how you love her more than your damn Avatar duties!"
"I'll think about it tonight."
"You do that in your room. I'm going to sleep."
Aang tiptoed back to his own room, his mind already racing with plans and ideas. He was awake for most of the night, before an idea struck him. A glorious, wonderful idea, borne from one of the street performers he had seen in the Capitol the other day on one of his mind soothing walks.
The next day, he awoke with the sun, his breathing feverish with excitement, his brain barely able to contain the flood of adrenaline this day brought. He dressed, and went out into the courtyard to practice Waterbending, its soothing, calming influence slowing his heart, his thoughts, his breath. He channelled the water back into the pond with an extravagant flourish, relishing the feel of the water as it flowed between his hands. The clouds above him began to darken, the first thunderstorm of the summer was soon to crash down on the Fire Nation Capitol.
It was time to put his plan into motion.
She had agreed with Sokka that morning to meet in the lunch room at noon that day, although he was now a good few minutes late. Typical of her idiot brother to forget about one of his own ideas, she fumed.
A soft strumming noise reached her ears, and she recognised it as the pipa, the lyre like instrument the wandering nomads had played a few songs on before they had entered the Cave of Two Lovers. Blushing slightly as she remembered that particular scene, she looked around to discover the source of the beautiful music. A low, soulful, moving voice rolled through the door, singing a song of love and regret.
Crazy skies are wild above me now
Rain is howling at my face
And everything I held so dear
Disappeared without a trace
Through all the times I tasted love
Never knew quite what I had
Little darling if you hear me now
Never needed you so bad
Spinning round inside my head...
Aang walked through the open kitchen door, eyes closed and swaying slightly to the music. His fingers lightly plucked the strings, eliciting a harmonic, peaceful rhythm she couldn't help herself swaying too. Tears dropped unchecked down her cheeks, his sorrowful face downturned with the look of a man who has deeply hurt his beloved. His lyrics so fitting, his voice so remorseful.
But then he looked up, opened his eyes, grey as the storm clouds that lashed the palace walls, and stared straight into hers, cobalt blue and bright against the tan of her skin. And he sang the last lines with feeling, with intent.
Sail away with me honey
I put my heart in your hands
Sail away with me honey now, now, now
Sail away with me
What will be will be
I wanna hold you now, now, now.
The music stopped, his pipa discarded on the floor. But his voice carried on, somehow strong despite the nerves that threatened to be torn to shreds with worry. Worry that he had not done enough. That no song in the world could possibly convene the depths, the lengths, to which he would go for her.
She took a step closer to him.
"Sail away with you Aang?"
With a courage that could only have been taken from the thousand Avatars before him, he took a step forward.
"Yes Katara. Sail away with me."
She took one more step forward, and gave her answer.
"I thought you'd never ask..."