A/N; well, this is an idea that I had bouncing in my head as a result of the last chapter I wrote for my other story Suki's Nightmare. This is my first pure Kataang fan-fic, so I hope it is to everyones liking. Please read and review!
Katara and Toph sat at a small table outside the tea shop the girls had chosen to visit. It was a cozy place in the southern section of the Fire Nation Capital. There was a small courtyard where the affluent and well to do gathered in the late afternoon. But right now, the only people that were enjoying the summer sun were the two friends.
Katara sat drumming her fingers on the edge of the table. She wore a long flowing blue dress with silver embroidery along the edges. It had a large water tribe insignia etched across the left breast.
Her hair was down across her shoulders, and fell to the middle of her back. She had retained her hair loopies. She rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair. She was now a trade ambassador for the water tribes.
Katara leaned forward and smiled at Toph, then rolled her eyes to herself when she realized what she was doing. Toph looked up at her and blew the stray hairs from her face. She was dressed almost the same as she had been when they had first met, except that her clothes were a little more richly than when we were kids.
But that was only to be expected of the fire lady. She rolled her eyes and shrugged out of her outer shirt. She fanned herself with a hand and glared up at the sun. "I hate this weather; its way to hot."
Katara smiled at her friend; "do you know what day it is?" Toph looked up at her and shrugged. "It's Aang's birthday. He'll be turning sixteen." Toph blinked in surprise; "wow, it's been that long since we all met." Her expression turned serious; "so, what are you guys going to do?"
Katara started to drum her fingers on the table again; "I don't know, we're going out for dinner tonight, but other than that…" she trailed off and stared at one of the cups that was sitting in front of her; "how did it happen between you and Zuko?"
"What do you mean, like how did we become engaged? Or how did we fall in love?"
"How did you become engaged?" katara leaned forward as she spoke, as did Toph. "I… you know, it just happened, it was my sixteenth birthday, we went out for the day, and Zuko asked me to marry him. That's all there is to it. Why, its not like you really have anything to worry about."
Katara blushed a little, and tried to keep herself calm so Toph couldn't read her heart beat. It didn't work. "Ohh my god, I know what your thinking about."
Before katara could respond she felt an arm wrap around her shoulders and looked over at Suki who had just arrived; "your hair is all messed up you know." Suki pulled a chair over to the table and sat in it, then ran a hand through her hair. "I guess your right, well, that will teach me to hang around your brother."
She grinned at the blush that rose in katara's cheeks and straightened her hair as best she could. "Don't tell me you and Aang never have this problem?" Toph snorted into her tea cup and katara tried to sink into her chair.
Suki turned to Toph; "what is wrong with her?"
"Aang is turning sixteen today. In the water tribe that is the marrying age." Suki sat back and nodded. "So, what are you going to do katara? Will you ask him, or will he ask you?"
"That's what she is getting all worked up about; she doesn't know what to do."
"You should just sit back and enjoy the ride, besides if you pressure him, he might start freaking out."
"That's just it though, I don't know if I want to marry him right now. There is still so much to do in the world. I really don't know if I want to settle down yet." Suki put an arm around her friend; "don't worry about katara, when the time is right, you won't even have to think about the choice, you'll know what you want. And you'll take it."
Katara looked at Toph and Suki; "you really think that it will be that simple?" Toph nodded. "I don't see why it wouldn't be." Katara smiled to herself; if it was that simple, then she could just drop the whole mess and enjoy the afternoon.
The three friends sat back and enjoyed the afternoon. As the sun began to set they bade each other goodbye and departed. Katara put on a happy face as she parted with her friends. However inside she was confused; she wanted… well that was the problem, she didn't know what she wanted.
Aang wanted to take her to one of the best restaurants in the in the upper ring of the city. Katara had a feeling that the main reason Aang wanted to go there was to give her a betrothal necklace, he wanted to marry her.
She was unsure of her own feelings about the subject, true that she would still be able to live her life as she wanted to, but it was a tie she didn't know if she wanted. Aang still had enemies, as did she. If they were married then they would have children, maybe not immediately, but it would have to happen. Did she want to risk their future children's safety?
But then on the other hand, they would always have enemies, and she would far rather have children with Aang, than with any other person.
She found herself outside the entrance to the restaurant Aang had chosen to have her meet him at. She approached the doors and was greeted by a waiter who offered to take her to the table that had been reserved for her and the Avatar. She saw that Aang had not yet come and so chose to wait outside.
Two hours passed. And Katara gave up on waiting for Aang. She had a coach called for her, and rode back to the house that had been set aside for her when she had moved to the city. When Katara arrived at her house she sat on the porch step.
She sat and watched the moon rise slowly in the dark sky. The lights of the city were bright enough to obscure the dimmer of the stars. She thought she saw something dart past the moon but decided it was just her imagination.
She began to get a little angry. Today was Aang's birthday; he was supposed to have met her at the restaurant before sunset to get her. She hoped that he hadn't gotten cold feet, as she herself was only just getting over her own.
She had been getting colder feet as the days passed, unsure of whether or not she really wanted to settle down just yet. A lot of the girls she knew at that were her age had already married, or were engaged. Suki had been proposed to by her brother almost a year ago, and they had yet to really get around to doing anything about it.
But now that she had been told to trust her judgment when the time came. and not just by her friends. She was ready for Aang to propose, it was something she wanted, if only she knew where Aang was.
And with that final thought she returned to fuming silently. She had been upset that he hadn't come to get her from the tea shop. Now she was upset that he was nowhere to be found. Not that she was going to wander the city alone at night looking for him.
As the moon rose higher and the lights of the city slowly dimmer and went out, leaving only the street lamps lit. Katara gazed up at the moon for a while, lost in her own thoughts.
So absorbed was she in her musings that she never noticed a silent figure sitting on the roof above her. Aang sat with his glider across his lap watching katara. He sighed to himself and carefully set it down on the rooftop.
Silently he slid down the tiles and landed next to katara. She jumped at the sudden presence behind her but calmed when she felt his arms around her. She immediately turned and pressed her lips to his.
Passion flowed between them as they kissed. It seemed to last forever until katara pulled back and slapped Aang across the cheek as hard as she could. He stepped back from her in surprise.
"What was that for?" katara stepped closer to him; "I was waiting for you, and you never came to take me out to our dinner."
"I… I know katara, and I'm sorry. I didn't come for you because I was busy with something, something just as important as you."
"What is there that is as important as I am to you? You said that I was worth the world to you once." Aang looked away from me for a moment, and a cloud passed over his features. "I know I did."
For a moment Katara thought she knew what he had done, had he found someone else, someone other than her to give his love to? Katara drew a sharp breath and choked back a response; her jaw moved up and down wordlessly for several seconds.
"Katara, I promise you, you'll understand everything. I want you to close your eyes." Praying to whatever spirits were listening, hoping that one of them would answer her as she closed her eyes.
She felt Aang's smooth hands close over hers and she let him pull her right hand up. He pressed a small package into her hand and closed her fingers over it. He released her hand and stepped back.
"You can open your eyes now Katara." She detected a plethora of emotions in his voice; hope, fear, urgency, and several emotions that were indistinguishable. Katara opened her eyes and looked down at the package in her hand.
It was small and made of blue and white paper, with the markings of the water tribe across it. She pulled the small string that held it closed away, and the cloth fell down around her fingers.
What sat in the center took her breath away; in her palm sat a small blue orb. It was a little more than an inch and a half across, a little larger than the carving on the necklace her mother had given her.
She picked it up and brought it to her eye and turned it around by the small gold chain that was attached to the top of it. Katara realized what it was that Aang had given her. It was a betrothal necklace, made in the traditional style of southern water tribe.
Carved across it were the outlines of all the islands and continents of the world. He had given her the world. "Ooh Aang, it's beautiful." She cooed, all of the conflicting thoughts having been swept away by the stunning necklace in her hands.
Aang gently took the necklace from her and swung it around and placed it around her neck. She placed a hand over the small carving of the world and turned around in a circle for Aang.
He put an arm around her shoulders and drew her towards him. For an instant their eyes met as they drew the other closer to their bodies. His hand went to her back and pressed her against the hardened muscles of his chest.
She drew a hand across his muscles; she had always enjoyed the feel of his muscles against her finger tips. The feel of his hand against her back sent little shivers up and down her spine. She put a hand on his cheek and drew his mouth to hers.
The kiss that followed was filled with emotions; Katara poured all of her passions into the kiss that she gave to Aang. This was nothing like the chaste kisses they had exchanged over the years; tonight they kissed each other passionately under the near full moon, both of them envisioning the wonders that the new day would bring to them.