A/N: It's Spring Break! Whoot! I'm really sorry I haven't updated in ages. Not even ages, the ages inside of ages! But anyways, since I've got a whole week off and nowhere to go, I'm gonna try to update things as much as possible. I've got a bunch of little plot bunnies hopping around, so get ready for a LOAD of oneshots, too! Here is the first of many. ;D
Disclaimer: I'm so sleepy…
Sokka: Get over it and disclaim!
Me: -grumble- I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. -falls asleep-
Sokka: Uh… Tangy?
Me: -loud snoring-
Sokka: …well then… uh… anyways…
Insomniatic
Aang always felt… bad when he did this. Unclean. Dirty. Wrong. Sick. And yet, for whatever reason, he did it anyways.
There he sat, in Katara's room. Just sitting there, quietly, doing nothing wrong or obnoxious…
…but he was watching her sleep.
Yes, it was completely stalker-like and totally out of character, but… well, he had the opportunity. And hey, when life gives you cake, you take it.
Besides, it's not like he snuck into her house or anything. He never did that. That would be much too disturbing.
No, when Sokka and Aang had become best friends, it became tradition for them to spend every Friday night at the warrior's house (unless, of course, he had a date. In that case, Aang was not allowed within a half-mile radius of the building). It was a fun and highly anticipated tradition, even for Katara who technically wasn't allowed to join in on the parties according to Sokka. But she always managed to sneak in somehow, never hanging out for too long due to her dance lessons being early on Saturday mornings.
Even still, those few hours she spent with the boys were Aang's favorites.
Aang had had quite a large crush on the waterbender for some time. Sokka, the oblivious fellow that he was, had no idea of the young monk's affection for his sister, and often tried to persuade Aang to tell him who he liked. The airbender was smarter than that, though. He knew he was a dead man if he said anything of his feelings.
It was years after Friday Night Fever (as the friends liked to call it) began that Aang realized that Sokka fell asleep earlier than usual when the two watched gory movies. The logic of this was unfathomable, but it was what happened. And one night, when they had watched a particularly bloody flick in which the Water Triber fell asleep 12 minutes and 47 seconds into the movie, Aang made the mistake of trying to look for his zip-up jacket he had lent to Katara earlier that day. Creeping into her room, he scanned the area quickly, searching for his hoodie, before landing his eyes on... her.
It wasn't anything particularly amazing. There was nothing extraordinary about it. It was just his long-time love, asleep in her bed. But it was…
…beautiful.
Her eyes were closed, gently fluttering now and again, making her long lashes more noticeable than usual. Her pink lips were slightly parted, looking much more kissable than Aang had thought ever possible. Her cheeks were nice and crimson from the warmth of the covers pulled to her chest. Her chocolate hair was let loose, flowing in soft waves across the pillow. Aang felt the need to push a loose strand to the side but grudgingly resisted. Her tiny hand was laid delicately across her stomach, the other one settling next to her head. Her chest moved up and down in rhythm with her steady breathing, her somehow melodious breathing…
And ever since, Aang had an outrageous addiction to tip-toeing into the sleeping beauty's room every time a gore-filled movie was watched.
It was frightening. He frightened himself. It would frighten Katara if she knew. It would frighten Sokka if he ever found out. Aang had a frightening, frightening hobby.
But how could he stop? He had seen it once, and he wanted to see it again. And again. And again. And again…
So here he was now, sitting on her vanity stool across the small room, watching her breath in and out, in and out.
Aang bit his lip. There was that stray lock of hair again.
He needed to refrain from walking over there and wiping the hair from her face. It would do nothing but cause trouble. What if she woke up? What would she do? Katara would surely hate him, the wannabe stalker that he was.
Despite what his head was telling him to do, though, he crept silently next to her bed, kneeling on the ground. Lifting his hand slowly, he quickly pulled it back. He shouldn't be doing this. He knew better than this…
He gently brought his hand to her forehead, holding in his breath and softly brushed the strands of dark hair from her forehead. But something stopped him from pulling away, and he just lay his hand there on the side of Katara's face, feeling the warmth from her cheek slither up his arm.
And suddenly, Katara smiled. Aang gasped without noise. Katara's hand came up to her face and placed it on top of Aang's, letting out a content sigh as she did so.
Aang, in shock, widened his eyes. But after a split second, he found himself smiling.
This is what it was like to hold Katara's hand.
oOoOo
The next morning, Aang and Sokka found themselves eating waffles with banana slices on top, as per usual on the morning after Friday Night Fever, with a glass of apple juice and a crazy straw each.
Katara strolled through the kitchen door then, her dance ensemble on, a duffle bag in her hand, an apple in her other. Taking a bite, she suddenly seemed to notice the boys' presence.
"Hey, Aang," she said to him. Said boy blushed a little, remembering last night's occurrences. "It was the weirdest thing… I had this strange dream. And you were there."
Aang nearly choked on his fork. Coughing heavily, he heard Sokka answer, "And why did you think it was so important to tell us this?"
The girl glared at her brother. Turning around, but not before flashing Aang a grin, she flew out the front door as she stole another bite of her apple. The friends heard the door shut behind her and a car engine came to life in the background.
"What was that all about?" Sokka asked. "I swear, Katara can be such a little spaz."
As Aang stared at the door the girl had just made her exit through, a smile crawled onto his face. How could she…? Was it possible that…?
"I think I know."
A/N: Yeah… I really don't like this much. It's pretty boring. Uninteresting. Not attention-catching in the least. Bleh. Maybe it's cuz I wrote it when I was tired…?
Well, whatever. I posted it anyways. Mwahaha.
Like I said, it's spring break, I have nowhere to go, and I have a million plot bunnies. I'm gonna try and type up the next Sokka's Diary chapter, maybe another Separated We Are. Be prepared! You never know when I might strike! XD
Now… REVIEW! OR ELSE MY PLOT BUNNIES WILL HOP AROUND AND SNIFF YOU IN AN UNTERRIFYING MANNER!!
Beware…
Tangy