Sick Day
by Gyatso15
Summary: When Aang gets sick, Katara cares for him. It's Kataang fluff, which is weird, because normally I'm not a "fluff" person.
Aang: Do I die?
Me: NO! It's fluffy, not angsty. Well…actually it's AANG-sty…
Azula: So funny. Do the disclaimer.
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Luckily for Azula… evil grin Okay, I'm kidding. I like Azula.
"Katara, I don't feel so good," said Aang. It was morning, and the gang was camped in a forest not too far from Ba Sing Se.
Katara went over to Aang and felt his head. "You don't have a fever," she said. "It's probably just a cold, and it'll be gone tomorrow, but you'll have to take it easy today."
Toph walked into the clearing. "All right, Twinkle Toes!" she hollered. "Let's have some earthbending practice!"
"Hey, Toph, you woke me up!" complained Sokka. "I was dreaming about meat!"
Katara walked over to Toph. "Sorry, Toph, but Aang's not feeling well today. He's going to take it easy. Maybe some other time."
"Oh, okay," agreed Toph. She was stubborn, but she knew that Aang needed rest if he really was sick.
Toph walked back out of the clearing, pausing to earthbend Sokka out of bed.
"HEY! TOPH, COME BACK HERE!" yelled Sokka, struggling out of his blankets and running after the blind earthbender.
Katara smiled and turned back to Aang. "Okay, Aang, you need some sleep. Try and rest, okay?"
"Can't you heal me or something?" Aang asked. He sounded really tired.
"Sorry, Aang," said Katara sadly. "I can only do injuries. I'm not sure if I can heal a sickness. You'll be fine tomorrow, anyway. This isn't serious, it's just not pleasant."
"Fine," said the young Avatar. He crawled under the covers and closed his eyes.
Katara got a small fire going near Aang. Then she whispered, "Aang, I'm going to find some roots and things to make some tea. Just rest, okay?"
Aang nodded slightly.
As Katara was walking out into the forest, Toph ran past her, followed by Sokka. Toph paused to find Sokka with her earthbending skills, and then threw him into the air with the earth.
"YAAAAAAHHH!" yelled Sokka as he flew through the air.
"You know, Sokka," said Toph, "don't bother chasing me. Go back to bed."
"What, and have you earthbend me again? I don't think so!"
"Shh!" hissed Katara. "Aang's resting."
"Oh, sorry," said Sokka. He looked over at Aang, who was stirring.
"Oh great, Sokka. Now you woke him up!"
Toph smirked.
"Katara?" Aang said. "Do you have that tea?"
"Nope," said Katara. "Some people are making it impossible for me to leave you." She glared at Sokka and Toph.
"Sorry," said the Water Tribe boy and the earthbender.
"Yeah, guess I'd better go practice some more earthbending," said Toph, who couldn't see the glare, but could tell from Katara's tone of voice that the waterbender was slightly angry.
"Yeah, and I'd better…go fishing," said Sokka. "See you round, Katara and Aang."
Toph and Sokka left the clearing, leaving Aang and Katara alone.
"All right, Aang," said Katara. "I'll just get that tea and be right back."
"Sounds good," said Aang feebly.
So Katara went out into the forest, looking for some herbs to make tea. She gathered a few herbs that she knew would help cure a cold, and took some cold, crisp water from a creek she found in the woods and put it in a bowl. She then put the herbs in the water and started a fire, putting the bowl on the fire.
She went over to the young Avatar.
"Is the tea ready?" asked Aang.
"No, it's not. Do you feel better at all?"
"No."
"It's all right," Katara said gently. "You'll feel better tomorrow. I'll get your tea and you drink it, okay?"
"Yes."
So Katara got the tea from the fire and brought it over to Aang. "Here," she said softly.
"Thanks Katara," said Aang, barely sipping the tea.
"Aang, drink the tea," said Katara. "It'll make you feel better. Trust me." Her voice was gentle but firm.
Aang drank some more tea, but his eyelids were drooping. "I think I have to sleep," he said tiredly.
"That's fine, Aang," said Katara in a very motherly tone.
Aang handed her his bowl of tea and laid down.
Toph came into the clearing. "Hey Katara! How's Twinkle Toes doing?"
Katara glanced at the sleeping Aang. "About the same as earlier."
"Yeah…How was he earlier?"
Katara realized that Toph hadn't known what Aang had been like earlier. "Well, he's really tired. It's a good thing that he hasn't sneezed."
"Why?" asked Toph.
"Because he's an airbender," explained Katara. "When he sneezes, it makes a kind of big gust of air, and he flies up about ten feet. That's not a good thing when you're supposed to be resting."
"Yeah. Well, tell Twinkle Toes that he'd better get well soon," said Toph. "I'm going to find Snoozles."
That night, Aang's cold wasn't much better. He slept a lot, sometimes mumbling in his sleep. While Sokka, Katara, and Toph ate, Aang stayed right where he had been the whole day.
"So, how's Twinkle Toes?" asked Toph. "Any better? Is he ready for some more earthbending?"
"I don't think so," said Katara, slightly worried that Aang wasn't better. Maybe it wasn't a cold after all.
Katara crawled into bed. She didn't know how long she had been asleep when a yell broke the silence of the night.
"Aaaaah!" yelled Aang.
Katara woke up in an instant and hurried over to Aang. "What is it?" she asked.
"A nightmare," mumbled Aang. "Appa was missing again."
"It's all right," soothed Katara. "Appa's right here." Appa growled to confirm his presence.
"Thanks Katara," said Aang. "Would you mind sleeping next to me?"
"Okay, Aang," agreed Katara. She pulled her bed over to him and they fell asleep.
Katara was awoken by Aang's sneeze. The young airbender flew ten feet into the air and came down with a thwump! landing at Katara's feet and rubbing his nose.
"Good morning, Katara," said Aang before sneezing again.
The tea didn't help, did it? thought Katara. Aang's worse.
"Morning, Aang," she said. "Take it easy again, okay?"
"I know," said Aang before sneezing yet again. "Katara, my head hurts."
"Hmm," said Katara, placing a hand on Aang's forehead. "Aang, you're burning up!" she exclaimed, finding that the airbender's forehead was incredibly hot.
"I know," whimpered Aang.
"Aang, lie down right now," said Katara. "I'll get you something cold."
Toph came into the clearing. "How's Twinkle Toes? Is he up for some earthbending?"
"Actually, Toph, Aang's worse," said Katara. "I'm sorry."
"Hrmph," grumbled Toph. "Well, I hope he's better soon. It's no fun yelling at only Snoozles all the time."
"Hey!" cried Sokka.
"Katara!" called Aang.
"Yes?" asked Katara, hurrying to his side. "What's wrong?"
"It's hot," said Aang. Katara felt his head again, and, sure enough, his fever had increased.
"All right, Aang, I'm going to try and bring your fever down," said Katara softly. "Sokka, could you get some water from the creek please?"
"Can do, Sugar Queen," said Sokka.
"Hey! That's my nickname for her!" protested Toph.
But unlike the morning before, Toph was not chased by Sokka, and Sokka was not chased by Toph. Sokka got up to get the water and Toph kept busy by earthbending.
While she was waiting for Sokka, Katara soothed Aang and used her waterbending water on his forehead and tried to keep the fever down a little.
"Sokka! Where's that water?"
"Right here! Geez, Katara, I'm coming!"
"Good," said the waterbending master.
Sokka handed the water to Katara. "Here, Sis."
"Thanks, Sokka," said Katara. She put the water on a cloth and put the cloth on Aang's forehead to try and bring his fever down.
Katara got almost no sleep that night. She had finally succeeded in bringing Aang's fever down a little bit. She knew that Aang's cold had turned into the flu, so he would have to take it easy for a little longer. Toph wouldn't be happy, but Katara knew it was for her student's own good.
When the moon had fully risen above the trees of the forest, Toph woke up. "Hey, Katara, is Aang any better?" It was the first time Katara had heard Toph call Aang "Aang" instead of her usual "Twinkle Toes."
"His fever's down a little," said Katara, glancing at Aang. "He'll be better in a few days."
"I see," said Toph. "Well, I guess I can wait a little longer before teaching him the Trembler."
"I suppose," said Katara, looking fondly at Aang. "He'll like that."
Aang stirred in his sleep and tossed and turned a little. Katara immediately sponged his forehead again and spoke soothing words to him until he went back to sleeping peacefully.
Toph listened carefully. Katara was speaking in a motherly tone that Toph rarely heard. When Katara came back to Toph, Toph said, "You really like him, don't you?"
"I—well—"
"Answer the question, Sugar Queen," said Toph with a slight edge to her voice.
"I—"
"I'll take that as a yes."
"All right, all right! I like Aang! But don't tell him, okay?" pleaded Katara.
"Don't tell me what?" asked Aang.
"Oh, nothing," said Katara quickly. A little too quickly, she scolded herself.
"Really?" asked Aang.
"Well…um…Appa and Momo were fighting," she lied.
"They were? I'd better help," said the young Avatar.
"No! I mean, Aang, it's already been taken care of."
"Oh, all right," said Aang. "Katara, I feel better. I'm not hot."
Katara felt his forehead. It was a little warm, but it seemed pretty normal. "That's great, Aang."
Toph smirked and walked out of the clearing, leaving "Twinkle Toes" and "Sugar Queen" alone.
"Thanks for taking care of me, Katara," said Aang.
Katara smiled. "Anytime, Aang. You're special to me."
Aang smiled too. "Thanks, Katara. You're special to me too."
Katara pulled Aang into a hug.
And before either of them knew what they were doing, they pulled into a kiss. A sweet, tender first kiss.
Sokka walked into the clearing and Aang and Katara broke apart. They both looked alarmed at what Sokka would think, but he just nodded and walked out.
And Aang pulled Katara in for another kiss.
A/N: Well, the end isn't the best, but I was running out of time. Reviews will be appreciated, and flames will be put out.