I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

~.~.~.~.~

Aang looked longingly at Katara. Her eyes were shining brightly as she smiled, seeing Zuko walk by. He gave her a friendly wave and kept walking. She stared until he disappeared around the corner. Looking down, disappointed, she noticed Aang out of the corner of her eye.

"Hey, Aang! I was just about to head down to the gardens. Do you wanna come?"

Trying to mask the pain in his voice, Aang shook his head. "No, Katara. I've got… Stuff. To do. Avatar stuff. Cya around."

Katara shrugged and headed off down the hallway.

As soon as she was out of sight, Aang let the tears fall. How could she not see how much he wanted her? He thought it was obvious. Yet she was oblivious.

Zuko didn't know her like he did. He loved her beyond humanly comprehendible. If only she could see what they could be. A beautiful miracle! Unbelievable!

Instead, he just felt invisible.
~~~~

Bending practice. Aang loved watching the way Katara so gracefully made the water flow with her movements. She made it look effortless. When she was waterbending, she looked so calm and peaceful. But Aang knew Katara harbored a very fiery temper. When sparked, she could turn those peaceful movements into deadly ones. She fought with a passion that was hard to match.

He watched her slowly go through her routine movements. Zuko arrived, slightly late. As he was warming up with some stretches, Aang noted the way Katara started doing more elaborate and complicated postures. Aang also noted her crestfallen face when Zuko didn't even seem to notice.

Aang decided to join them.

"Hey, mind if I join you?"

Katara looked his way, smiling. "Not at all, Aang! You're welcome anytime."

Aang took up his own stretches. He tried to think of ways to get Katara's attention, anything, but came up blank. She had seen it all before. It seemed like nothing he did got the message across to her that he considered her more than just a good friend.

He couldn't think of anything besides trying to make Katara his. He loved her so much, but couldn't tell her. Not when he knew she didn't feel the same.

He thought again about how Zuko didn't know her like he did. He willed the tears to go back to where they came from, but they spilled over. How could she not know?

"Aang? You okay?"

Katara had noticed the tears running down his face.

Wiping his eyes, Aang spoke quickly while stumbling away, "Yeah… Just tired."
~~~~

Aang knew he shouldn't be there. But he couldn't help it. In the faded light, he watched Katara from the shadows. She was standing by the turtle-duck pond, tears streaming down her face.

"How do you not know? I've done everything. Everything!" She nearly screamed the last word, throwing a rock into the shallow water. Kneeling in the grass, she held her head in her hands.

"I love you, Zuko. Why don't you see that? I want to kiss you every time I see you. Let me love you. Zuko. Zuko…"

Head on her knees, she wept. Aang was tortured seeing her so broken, but there was nothing he could do. He would only cause her more pain.

"You just see right through me! But I know we could be beautiful. A miracle. Unbelievable. Instead, I'm just invisible to you."

She turned her head slightly his way, and he could see her puffy eyes. Her deep blue irises held so much pain, he had to look away. He desperately wanted to comfort her, but didn't move.

"Mai doesn't know. She can't see the way your eyes light up when you smile. But I do! I love you! Zuko…"

After a long time, she just stared blankly at the turtle-ducks. Her tears had seemed to run out.

Aang slipped away, his own tears silently falling on his face. Katara's cries haunted his dreams that night.