The Forest of Hidden Desire

by Astrolyte

This is a full story crammed into one chapter. Aang and Sokka like each other, but cannot figure out how to express themselves. They venture into a vast forest where they eventually get it on. Enjoy.

Aang shifted on his furry seat as wind blew across his scalp, tickling every nerve in his eager body. Aang stared with eyes of newborn stars at the magnificent landscape before him: a dense forest cut by a river of glass. Caves also appeared in the mountains nearby, looking irresistibly mystifying. They called his name, and he responded.

"Hey, how about we stop here for awhile? Looks like fun to me!" Aang called to his airsick companions. They had been flying for two days straight trying to reach Omashu as fast as possible.

"Sure, I'm sure we'll find something worthwhile to eat." agreed Katara shooting a teasing glance at Sokka.

"Hey, those nuts were all I could find before we flew off!" shouted Sokka.

"Right then, let's go!" Aang leaped off of Appa's head and grabbed his staff. Swiftly, he unfolded it and dove from the bison into the forest's canopy, disturbing many birds which nipped at him before he dropped to the mighty trees' branches.

"Why does he always have to do that?" Sokka mumbled under a smirk. He restored Aang's former seat, gathering up Appa's reins to guide him to the ground. Personally, he envied Aang for being able to glide effortlessly through the air as your cares slipped away like sand through fingers. Why do I have to be the normal one? Why can't I be as special has him? Sokka always questioned himself. Even deeper in his heart he longed to be with Aang, as if he hoped Aang's powers would rub off onto him. But, the boy's powers weren't the only thing that Sokka admired. His cute, round face always enlightened him, though he often covered this feeling with a scornful brow.

Sokka led Appa to the edge of the forest, hoping Aang was sharp enough to follow them there. He and Katara jumped from the blob of bison fluff to the rich, moist soil. Katara took off her shoes and planted her feet in it, savoring its tender caress. Sokka just trampled across the soil's abundance in his crude boots, surveying the land before him. Moss glossed the tall trees that ran on and on, seeming to shelter the path to oblivion. Droplets dangled from the leaves and radiated to form tiny lanterns. Together they stood between the mountains and forest, waiting for their little airbender to return as the sun walked through the sky, ever so slowly.

Aang sprung from limb to limb, sending damp wind and sometimes stray birds through his clothing. He laughed with glee, bending the air below him just enough to reach the next mossy limb. From the forest floor Aang seemed like a ball of flame dancing in a juggler's hands. But, in mid flight, a thought stopped him short. The others, they're waiting for me! Oops... He plummeted towards the ground, gracefully dodging each branch that barred his descent. Soon, he landed on the floor. Aang looked around. The only light that allowed him to do so was thin streams of light pouring from the canopy above. I should probably go back up and fly to them, wherever they are. Aang thought. He tensed, preparing to pounce, but as he did, a sleek spear whizzed past, slicing one of his protruding ears. Aang turned around, shocked to find a lean youth running towards him.

"Damn, I thought you were a deer, are you ok?" the boy called. He halted directly in front of the terrified airbender. To Aang, the boy must have been at least 17. He had long, baggy leggings and no shirt to expose his deeply tanned, muscular form. Sweat was glazed over his abs, Aang could smell it before the boy reached him.

"A deer!" Aang cried, "how could you mistake me for a deer!?"

"I was hiding behind a bush and I couldn't see that well, but now that I see you from here, you're pretty cute ya know?" the boy replied, smiling.

Aang's face flushed and felt as if his cheeks had been filled with boiling water. "Oh, umm...well...do you live here, in the forest?"

"Yeah, me and my tribe live in the trees. We got bored with city life, so we decided to move when I was young. Weird, huh?"

"Just like Jet and his friends..." Aang mumbled, cringing of the memories he obtained from Jet a while ago.

"Huh?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Well, since you must be sooo curious, I'll take you to my place to stay for the night. I'll have my mom take care of your ear. Plus, we have some good grub. Oh, and forgive me, the name's Jin, I'm 15." he grabbed Aang's arm and began to led him towards the way he came, but Aang protested.

"Wait, I need to find my friends."

"Alright, I'll go with, just in case you get lost."

The two set off for the edge of the woods, hoping to find Sokka and Katara somewhere on the border, since Appa didn't like enclosed spaces. On their way Jin told Aang about his people and asked Aang about some of his past as well. Usually, Aang didn't favor talking about his gloomy past, but something about this boy reassured him. He reminded Aang of Sokka, there was a glint in their eyes that made him feel at home.

Constantly throughout their journey through the never-ending forest, Aang found himself gazing up towards Jin, observing his hard stomach and his bulky pecs. Jin's arms also bulged with strength. Aang had always been impressed with handsome, strong bodies. He longed to have a body like so, which is why he admired Sokka for at least pretending to be strong.

They had been running through the trees for about an hour before they finally reached the border. Aang couldn't believe the journey took them so long, flying would have gotten them they're in a sixth of that time.

"Hey, I don't remember anything like that being there..." Jin said.

Aang followed Jin's gaze and saw Appa lying down next to a relaxed Katara and a pacing Sokka.

"That's them!" Aang said with a smile.

"What is that thing?" Jin asked with excitement.

"It's my flying bison."

"Flying?"

"Of course, come on!" Aang ran at full speed towards his companions, leaving Jin trying desperately to chase after him.

Where the hell is he, its been too long! I'll have to go and search for that idiot soon... Sokka tilted his head towards an unfamiliar noise, and to his surprise saw Aang kick up clouds of dirt as he darted to their site. Sokka's heart leaped, but he managed to mask his joy with a frown before Aang collided with him, knocking both of them into the ground. Katara raced towards them, her concern melting into laughter from their two buried heads. Sokka ripped his head out, stood up, and kicked Aang in the ass, causing him to spring upwards from the shock.

"What the hell was that for and why are so late?" Sokka blurted.

"Uh, just happy to see you is all. I got sort of sidetracked...sorry."

Before Sokka could say any more he discovered a tall boy running towards them. As he got closer Sokka could make out his tan, muscular form.

"Hey, who's that?"

Aang spun around. "Oh, it's my new friend, Jin. I met him in the forest. He lives with his family there, just like Jet and he said he'll take us there to spend the night!"

"But, we don't know anything about him!"

"I do and I trust him."

"I think it's a good idea." said Katara ending the dispute. "That way we don't have to look for any food."

"Fine." Sokka sighed.

"Heya Aang! These your friends?" Jin shouted as he approached. He stopped in front of Sokka and held out his robust hand. "Hi, the name's Jin."

Sokka the hand in his own, finding himself staring at the boy's sweat glazed body. "Oh, uh...mine's Sokka." he gulped.

"Sokka. Hmm..." Jin said leaning towards him to make eye contact, "you look like you're from the water tribe."

Sokka nodded, and to his horror, he felt a bulge in his pants begin to form. He hurriedly skipped away, pretending to check on Appa as his erection subsided, even though the image of Jin's abs was still locked in his mind. That was close.

"Yes, we both are." Katara said, walking towards the boy. "I'm Katara."

"Nice to meet ya little lady." Jin replied, grinning. "Well, Aang, you'll have to take me on your bison here to get back to my place before it gets dark."

"Sure thing!" Aang jumped unto Appa's back, beckoning everyone else to follow.

Wow, this guy is really hot... Sokka thought, I guess he's trustworthy.

They had not been on Appa's back for less than five minutes when Jin pointed to a tin trail of smoke forming a rope to the heavens. "There it is!" he called. From above the village was almost perfectly hidden. Only when Aang strained his eyes he could see people walking across countless boards which wove intravenously through the trees. Aang maneuvered Appa straight through the branches, causing twigs to dig deep into the bison's massive coat. They hovered just above the ground while Appa protested against the wood's confinement.

"Sheesh Appa, it won't hurt or anything, just stay still!"

"I know what'll calm him down" Jin said as he leaped off of Appa's back, landing with the grace of a deer. He ran into a hut and produced a jar of what looked like purple honey. He threw the jar towards Aang. "Here, feed him this."

"What is it?" Aang asked as he opened the jar.

"It's the sap of some flower my mom uses to get to sleep, the name escapes me. She's a herbalist, I should really know what to call all the stuff."

Soon, After gulping down the jar whole, Appa dropped to the ground groggily, relieving Sokka and Katara of their bumpy ride. They stood beneath dozens of intricate buildings washed with beams of sunlight; most were suspended in the trees. People were scattered throughout the whole village holding baskets of fruit and other foods. They all seemed to be in a hurry and were ignoring their breathtaking surroundings. Sokka eyed the food with ample desire, saliva slid from the crack of his lips.

"Yup, this is it. Pretty cool huh? You'll have to ignore the running around, we're getting ready for a huge feast!" Jin's happiness suddenly died away. "Wait, I never got a chance to get some meat. Oh well, I'll have to do it after I take you to my mother. Your ear must be infected by..." He noticed Aang's wound had disappeared.

"Oh," Katara said shyly, "I healed it with water bending on the way over, I guess you didn't notice."

"Impressive, Katara." Jin smiled. "You'd be very useful around here. Usually my mom gets stuck with that job." He turned to Aang and Sokka. "Well, lets go explore. Shall we?" He took Aang's hand in his and guided them through the bustling woods.

After hours of visiting shops, homes and other places, the group (more like the boys) decided to drop Katara off at Jin's house so they can go hunt before nightfall, when the feast was to be eaten. They followed the river Aang had seen from above which cut through the forest. Jin claimed deer liked to drink by the river's edge. When they reached the glistening strip, Jin and Sokka concealed themselves in bushes while Aang skipped along the riverbed.

"Aang, you have to hide so the deer doesn't notice you." Sokka called to him.

"That can wait. Watch this!"

Aang spotted a school of fish wading in the clear water. He raised his hands in a menacing pose, then thrust them forward, driving thin needles of ice through each fish. Blood poured out of them and spread through the river. Aang quickly enclosed the fish in a sphere of ice, lifted it, and dissipated the sphere over the grass. Jin leaped from his hiding spot and examine the dead fish.

"Well that saved us quite a bit of time." he said as he thought of his endless hours of fishing in the same location.

"We should return with more than fish though." Sokka remarked.

"True." Jin agreed.

He recovered his former position and Aang knelt by Sokka, watching intently. Days seemed to pass and not a single animal worth eating strode forth to drink from the river. Each boy grew increasingly irritated until they finally gave up.

"Guess the least we could do know is to clean off." Jin sighed. "I know I could use a dip."

Sokka gulped. "A..a..ok..."

"Sounds like a great idea, I've been wanting to jump in for some time now." Aang said, glad to be relieved of his boredom."

Jin was the first to discard of his clothing. He shoved his pants down to reveal the rest of his smooth body. As his pants slid off, Sokka tried to keep a gasp from surfacing. Jin's dick hung at a surprising length and was as thick and tanned as the rest of his form. Aang ripped of his monk suit. His body was like cream, yet at the same time was obviously stiff with muscle from his constant activity. They both jumped into the lukewarm river, Sokka noticed Aang's dick flailing in midair. How can he run so fast with that thing in between his legs? Sokka finally worked up the courage to jump in after, he undid his clothing, hoping that his own length wouldn't harden. Fortunately, it didn't.

Sweat from their eventful day was cleansed from their bodies as they swam through the mild current and through each other legs. Laughter burst from all of their lips, even Sokka's.

"Ahhh, this is too relaxing." Jin moaned, coming up from behind Sokka, grabbing his waist. "I feel like siting staying here all day."

Sokka tried not to yelp as Jin slowly pulled him towards his chest. Aang climbed on top of Jin's shoulders, letting his dick rest on Jin's head.

"Hey, get that thing out of my hair!" Jin teased. He let go of Sokka and chased after Aang who had jumped from his shoulders. Sokka caught up with Aang and tackled him. "Save some for me Sokka!"

After a series of wrestling matches they decided to rest by the shore before leaving. They each lay with their chests protruding from the grassy-sandy bank. Just before they were about to get dressed. A proud buck strode from the bushes. The trio froze.

"I'll get the spear and hurl it." Sokka said. "If I miss, Aang runs after it, ok?"

"Alright." the two responded.

Sokka crept towards the spears, his dick swaying from side to side. From the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Aang starring at it. Don't think about that now, just focus on your pray Sokka. He grabbed a spear and slowly aimed. He'd use his boomerang, but this deer was too big to be brought down with it. He waited until it submerged it's head in the water, then...BOOM. A gargantuan ball of fire roasted the buck alive. Damn, Firenation. Why do they have to come while we're all naked?

"Stay down!" Sokka whispered. Both obeyed him and Aang formed an air bubble deep underwater so both him and Jin could breath for a while.

Two armored men walked up to the deer. "This should last us the night." one said. "Yes, it should." the other replied. They picked up the deer and were walking back to their camp when one noticed the dead fish lying near the bushes Sokka was sheltered under. "Look. The fish over there. Someone's near." he sneered. The two clad men set down their dinner and began to search. "You look over there, I'll check behind these trees."

Great Sokka mentally sighed, they'll find us soon enough. Why is the Firenation even here anyway? He struggled to find a way to escape. He glanced at Aang and Jin under water. They won't last long either. Guess we'll just have to fight them. Sokka stood up and was immediately spotted, though the men were temporarily distracted by his nudity.

"Aang! Get out here and fight!" Sokka yelled.

Aang sprung from the water with Jin. "Alright, I'll take care of this!" He pushed a massive shockwave of air towards the startled firebenders, causing them to fall into the river. Aang then enclosed the men in ice coffins and let them wash away with the current. "Easy."

"YES! Some meat at last! Fresh from the fire!" Jin hugged Aang in his joy and ran to the deer, picking it up by himself. "Let's hurry back and show my mom."

Sokka and Aang gathered the fish and weapons and started after Jin. But, seconds after their departure, they realized they had forgotten something.

Katara looked up from the small house she was pacing in and saw Aang, Jin, and her brother. They looked tired, relieved, and most of all, clean. The setting sun cast hues of red and purple on their clothes and skin. Jin threw a pre-cooked deer onto the floor and laid down next to it. Aang and Sokka sat on a wooden ledge carved from the tree which suspended the whole house. The house itself was made from glossed, wooden boards. Herbs and other plants hung from the roof and wove a strong scent into the air.

"You three look like you ran to the north pole and back!" Katara greeted them.

"We're not tried, just a little...well...damp." Aang said.

"Know where my mom is? Did she say hi to ya?" Jin questioned.

"Yes, we met. She went to help with the decorations."

"Ok, I'm gonna go talk with her. Make yourselves comfortable!" Jin said as he strode out of the house.

"So, tell me all about your little trip." Katara turned towards Aang and Sokka. Both of them were asleep, with Aang resting his head in Sokka's lap. "Hmph. Not tired, eh?"

Aang woke up to a faint tapping next to him. He hauled his body upright and, as his vision cleared, noticed the lumpy bed he had slept in and Sokka, who was pacing beside a similar bed. The room they were in was a continuation of the one they dozed off in. It had a slightly gnarled floor and scattered furniture all made from wood.

"Hey, sorry I had to wake you, It's almost time to eat." Sokka said softly to him.

Aang groaned swung his legs over the bedside. "Already? I'm not exactly in the mood."

"I know, me neither."

Aang gazed directly into Sokka's eyes, and where he usually saw anger or irritation, he spotted something totally new. It almost looked like concern or maybe even curiosity. At that moment, Aang felt he could open up to him, push past his outward attitude and take a chance he had never even dreamt of taking. "Sokka...I've been wanting to tell you something. I...I sort of feel...well..."

Sokka sat down beside him on the bed. "Wait, don't say anything." He drew in a deep breath and stared out a window into countless leaves, bursting with life. "I was watching you sleep and I realized there was something inside me that flared whenever I looked at you. But, I'll be honest." Sokka turned his head and lost himself in Aang's longing pools of vibrance. "I've been jealous. Ever since I saw you airbend, I always wanted to have a power like that. I guess, because I wanted to be like you so much, my jealousy turned into-

Before Sokka could finish Aang threw his arms his chest, knocking the rest of his words out of his lungs. "Sokka, please don't feel jealous of me. I don't want to be like this. In fact, I want to be just like you in every way." Tears streamed from Aangs face now as Sokka returned his hug. "I never wanted to be the Avatar, it's just to hard. If I could, I'd give everything I had to you. But, I would never want you to bear my pain. You're just to beautiful for that."

Sokka pulled Aang into him as they fell into the depth of the bed. "How could you say that? How!?" He pressed his groin into Aang's, making him moan with pleasure. "You are the one who's beautiful, I'm nothing. You should feel proud of your title."

Aang lowered himself until his nose touched Sokka's. "You're wrong." At this, Sokka pressed his lips into his lover's. They released moments later and Aang rested his head on top of Sokka's abdomen. Together they thought about what they had said and done as they ran their hands underneath each other shirts and pants. It seemed like hours before Sokka finally released their bond.

"We should be heading down to the feast now." he whispered into Aang's ear.

The sensation from the breath on his skin made Aang snap out of the spell he and Sokka wove. "Ok. Let's go."

They got out of bed and readied themselves to leave. But before they walked into the main room, Aang whispered to Sokka, "I love you. Sooo much."

"Yeah, me to." He smiled at Aang. "Let's do some more after we eat, ok?"

The two boys were revitalized, clear of all burdens, and had never felt so happy in their entire lives. Nothing could ever break them now, they were one. After all of their time traveling they finally had released their feelings. Though they knew they'd have to keep it a secret from Katara, they knew there was now someone else that they could share their anguish with. However, as they entered the other room of the wooden house, this felicity was obliterated. All of this suddenly melted into fear and outrage as Aang let go of Sokka's hand and gasped in shock. Standing before them was a Firenation soldier, covered in blood red armor.

"Well, how does it look?" the soldier said somewhat merrily.

"Huh?" Aang and Sokka blurted in confusion. They had just tensed up for a fight.

"No need to get all worked up sleepyheads, it's just me!" the soldier removed his helmet, revealing the face of Jin.

"Jin!" Sokka shouted. "What the hell are you doing in there?"

At this Jin sighed. "It's a long story, but it needs ta be told." He motioned to the table in the center of the room, next to several drawers of spices and herbs. "Might as well sit down."

The three seated themselves on the hard wood. Great, Sokka thought, why do we always seem to walk from paradise into mounds of shit? Me and Aang just figured out that we love each other...and now...

"Where's Katara?" Aang asked, turning his head in all directions.

"She's with my mom...making battle preparations."

Sokka jumped up, possessed by anger. "What! Battle? What about the feast?"

"Hey, calm down, I'll explain everything. The feast has been canceled." Sokka sat down once again, very irked. "You remember those firebenders we saw at the river, right?" The bewildered boys nodded. "Once they came, I knew the only reason they would be in the middle of a forest is if they were planning to attack us."

Sokka was even more baffled, "But, why would they attack a little forest city that is doing absolutely nothing to them." Another question suddenly popped up in his mind as he realized he couldn't look at Jin's body anymore. "And, how come you have one of their uniforms?"

"The answer to both those questions is..." Jin frowned, "our people were once part of the Firenation. We decided to escape from that cruel lifestyle and come here. As soon as we left, they swore to destroy us, when they had the time. They really haven't found us...until now."

"So, how exactly are we going to fight them?" Aang asked. "When they come and try to burn the place down, they'll set the whole forest on fire."

"We sent out spies and found their campsite. So, a few of us, including me, will go and pretend to be part of their army, since we had some leftover uniforms with us. As soon as they decide to attack, we'll hop out of the trees and start marching with them. We wont do it like that, but you get what I mean. Mean while, you guys will go along as if you're still havin' the party, but really you'll be ready to fight back. When they get here, me and the others will try to nail them and keep their blasts from catching anything on fire. Sorry you had to run head first into the middle of a battle here, since you are our guests. But, since you're the Avatar, I'm counting on ya."

Aang and Sokka nearly gagged on Jin's appalling words.

"Wait," Sokka said, "if you can keep their fire from burning things, then that means..."

Jin held up a finger and on its crest, a lick of flame appeared. "I'll have to bend it into the ground."

"You're a firebender!?" Aang said in disbelief. "That means you can teach me!"

A pang of envy tore through Sokka. Even he's a bender. I'm...I'm just nothing.

"Hmm, I guess I could show you a few things later, but right now let's just focus on defeating those pesky pack of firenation penguins." Jin reached for his helmet and placed it on his head once again. "I'm sorry I have to make you guys do this. If I get hurt...well I'll just have to avoid that. I'm sure the Avatar and his friend will be fine." He stood up and started to walk towards the door. "Cant wait to see some wicked moves out there you two." In another second, he was gone.

Sokka could cage his fury any longer. "Can you believe this? Aang, we just got caught up another battle! I know it all comes with being who you are, but why so often?"

Aang didn't reply. His face openly showed the sorrow flowing through him. Is it all my fault? Am I the cause of all this fighting?

Sokka noticed Aang's expression. Damn, I shouldn't have said that. He cast an arm around the boy's shoulder, moving him closer. "Aang, I know what you're thinking. You're not the real problem. It's the firenation's ignorance; they are the ones to blame." When Sokka realized his words did little to ease the airbender's gloom, he grabbed Aang and pulled him onto his lap. He held Aang with one behind his back and the other supporting his gleaming head. "Please, forget about being the Avatar right now, this poor city needs our help. We're going to show them how powerful you are. This battle will be over in no time if you focus."

Aang reached behind Sokka's neck and clung to it. There was a long pause before Aang solemnly responded. "Tonight, I promise nothing will happen to this place. The firenation will face more than just an airbender, cause now, I have something totally new to fight for."

The sun had vanished long ago, leaving darkness in its wake. Even its hues of color that glistened and danced in the clouds were now gone. The only thing that penetrated the night's shadow, alongside the lanterns and torches, was the faint luminescence of the moon, which was filled to the brim with silvery light. A full moon: Perfect night for waterbending. Katara thought. But, what's taking those two so long? She had seen Jin set off with the rest of the city's firebenders, but Aang and Sokka had not come with him. The battle was coming soon, and their most prized weapon hadn't even shown up. She looked around the crowd of people that had gathered in the center of town. Weapons were piled beneath the table and in crates and barrels left ajar: all was ready. Though they desperately tried to roleplay the joyous event scheduled that night, their faces had been drained of all joy whatsoever. Against the pale moonlight, Katara saw the fear that lurked within each of them, that ruined their act. The calm before the fight is always more painful. Suddenly, a man scurried over to the clog of people. Instead of shouting above them, he wandered through the crowd holding up three fingers. What did that mean again? Katara remembered the secret gestures of their city that Jin's mother briefed her on, along with battle procedure. Instead of combing her mind to find the answer, she looked at the actors' expressions. Once one saw the gesture, he/she stiffened. It must mean...they're close. Katara stared into the forest shrouding them. She tried to see through the darkness to see the eyes of fiery demons emerge from the forest's depths. They could jump out any time now. Katara felt her chest being weighed down by some unknown force and her legs become unsure of the ground beneath them. The suspense that now detained the forest was simply unbearable. Aang, Sokka...where are you?

"Hurry up Sokka, we don't have all night!" Aang called.

"Hey, I'm not as fast as you!" They were climbing up a ladder they found in Jin's kitchen which led to the roof. Sokka was oblivious as to why they were climbing on the roof at a time like this, but he trusted Aang's instinct. "So, what exactly are you planning on doing? Katara is waiting for us!"

Sokka finally hauled himself onto the thatched roof. They both could see that this roof was one of many which popped up beside, in, below and above the branches. They also saw a patch of torchlight filled with the city's able fighters. When Sokka turned his head to Aang however, he saw that the boy was...sniffing the air.

"Do you smell it?" Aang asked.

"No, what is it?"

"It's them. I can smell the smoke from their noses." he pointed towards the city's humble gate. "They're going to come through that way." Thank goodness they're all coming from the same direction. "Come on, there's not much time." Aang suddenly clutched Sokka's waist with one arm and squeezed it tight. A big, mischievous grin formed between his lips. At this, Sokka began to feel the least bit nervous.

"Aaaang? What do you think you're...WAAAHH!" without giving Sokka time to protest, he jumped off the roof. Wind rustled underneath them, pushing them further into the air. Almost instantly they landed on another house, and another until Aang was darting across them literally faster than the wind, Sokka under his arm flailing and pleading for his life to be spared. He hadn't felt this panicked since their ride on the Earth Kingdom's transportation system. Through his trauma, Sokka noticed how strong Aang was to be sailing across the forest with a burden like himself. He's...so amazing...and crazy.

As they neared the gate, Aang gathered a small vortex between them and the ground. Sokka gulped as he prepared for what whatever Aang had in store. Soon, all Sokka could feel was his stomach rising into his throat: he was falling. He dared look below him to see the ground become closer. But, right before they touched the soft dirt beneath them, the whirlpool of air encircling them became thicker and propelled them into the moonlit sky. They paused at the crest of their ascent. Sokka realized how high they had been spat into the air... and also that they'd have to fall that far in a moment. But before that, Sokka heard something that cleansed him of that fear, something he'd been wanting to ring in his ears all evening: Aang's laughter. Wind whipped across their bodies and rippled their clothes to the point where Sokka thought they were going to fly off. But, before they could, the two landed. Sokka had braced for a very painful impact, yet he discovered Aang managed to set themselves on top of a thick branch hanging over the pathway which led to the city gate with the grace of a hawk. After scanning the area around him, Aang let go of Sokka's disturbed stomach.

"Well, was that fun or what?" Aang whispered happily.

Sokka found it very hard to reply. "Ugh...I don't think 'fun' is a good way to describe it." He leaned over as his body decided wether or not to vomit.

Aang sighed. "Well, guess you're not in fighting condition. I'll have to leave you here."

Sokka grabbed Aang's hand. "No, I want to help." He reached for his machete which was strapped to his back.

"Come on, Sokka, don't be stupid... I'll be fine. You just rest here." Aang rejected.

Before Sokka could say any more, Aang leapt into the path, the path that would soon be stomped on by a whole firenation army. He stood there, listening to their approaching footsteps. Did...did Aang do this on purpose? Sokka wondered. Did he hurt me to save me? That idiot...

Aang continued to peer towards the distant army. I've never battled this many before. How am I going to defeat so many of them? Will Jin and the others be alright? Questions and possible scenarios ran through the little airbender's head as he waited. Why does waiting have to be so...difficult? Aang knew that disposing of this army would be the hardest thing he has done yet, and that he might even get captured or killed if the enemy was skilled enough. He thought back how his old master died in the invasion of the southern air temple. Will my body be left behind like his? No. It won't. He thought with confidence. I have to protect the city, Katara, and most of all...Sokka. He'll be waiting for me once I'm done. A brief flash of pure white light glazed his eyes as they met with the red ones now emerging from the darkness. I won't disappoint him. Bodies began to form around the glowing eyes of flame: the firenation was finally here.

In the city...

An explosion rocked the center of town, petrifying all of the people crowded there. Soon it was followed by even more blasts. Katara noticed eruptions of red light towards the city's gate and cursed. They're here. Jin and the others must've started the attack already, to keep them out of the city as long as possible. But...Aang and Sokka still haven't shown up yet. What is the problem with those idiots!

More explosions, more powerful than the last. The weary soldiers drew their weapons, gazing doubtfully into the fire as if their death was unavoidable. I should go and find them...why didn't I look for them before?!

However, Katara quickly discovered that there was no time to search. Some of the soldiers were advancing into the city, burning all in their path. Damn, there's not enough time! Fine, if they don't want to help then I'll do it myself! Katara pushed herself past the first line of defense in frustration. Massive jugs of water were placed all about the city for Katara to bend with. Luckily, the troops had not noticed the containers, only the lives they were going to use to paint the poor city with blood. Three soldiers on foot were running towards Katara as she gathered her strength. The moonlight cleared her senses and relaxed her body, giving her a sensation of confidence. I can beat them, now's the time for my revenge. I'll show Aang that he's not the only worthy bender here. She held her arms in front of her and recoiled her legs. Let's dance.

In one fluid motion, Katara alined her arms with two vats and pulled a strand of water out of each. They both flew into her grip like magnets as she continued her swift assault. With one lash of a crystalline whip, all three soldiers which were coming at her fell. She looked down at them, cracking her whips in ferocity. If only the rest of these pests were as easy... she thought as hoards of them ran in her direction. As a few of them thrust fireballs at her, she let her weapons fall to the ground and turn into a puddle. Just before the fireballs reached her, the water below froze and catapulted her into the air by forming a tower. When she landed she pulled the ice pillar towards her and converted into water once again. Before the firebenders could bombard her again, she threw the water at some of them, froze it, and incased them. The men behind the frozen ones hurled themselves at Katara, planning to fight her at a closer range. She ran over the nearest vat, drawing forth all of the water from it. The container was placed in an alley, allowing Katara to create another cylinder of ice which she used to hurl a slice of it into the line of soldiers filing down the alley. Each piece hit its target in the torso, causing them to fall down in pain and clear a path for the next target. But, as the ammo ran low, Katara flattened the rest into a wall and used it to ram her way out of the alley. Though she had not left the main part of the battle for long, even more enemies had made their way into the city. Screams echoed through the city, chilling Katara's mind. To her horror, most of her own army's people were either burning or being chased by their opponents. Along with the people, many of the houses caught were collapsing in flames. Tears rushed to Katara's eyes as she saw streams of fire igniting the people that had welcomed her into their homes, gave them food and service without second thought. Above this, she noticed the soldiers she had taken care of were now beginning to recover. I didn't want to have to do this, but this time, I'm going to aim to kill!

Anger flowed through the young waterbender's veins as she gathered more water from another jug and ran at a clump of firebenders. She flung the water into the air before they had time to react and spilt it into individual spears of glass. Each shard met its prey's throat. As the whole group Katara attacked drowned in their own blood, she gathered the icy spears into a sphere again. Seeing the mass murder of their comrades, other soldiers turned away from their tasks and went for Katara. There's just to many! Why can't they just leave this place alone? No one did anything to harm them...those ignorant bastards. They're killing all of these innocent people...and they killed my mother! They should've never set foot on this soil...wait...the soil! Katara recalled how moist the ground felt when she had first set foot on it. She grinned as the soldiers circling around her prepared to vaporize her. Faster than any of them had seen a human move, Katara threw down the water she was holding and created a wave which knocked all of them backwards. In the time that it took for them to stand up again, Katara drew forth beads of moisture from the soil, glossing the ground beneath her and her boots as well. From a puddle made from the wave, she crafted two long, icy sickles. As she hefted them in her eager hands as a single sentence of bloodlust rang in her head I'll kill you..I'll kill you..I'll kill you..I'll kill you...I'LL KILL YOU ALL!

Outside the gate...

A burst of fire signaled the start of Aang's battle as Sokka tried desperately to climb down from the tree he'd been in. Though his stomach was weak, he was assured the worst possible thing to do was to sit there as Aang fought his ass off. I have to show him I'm worth something. He sighed to himselfIf only that wasn't so hard to do. The single blast turned into multiple and soon enough, the tree started to sway. Sokka stumbled constantly on the moss which coated every branch and his balance was just asking to be thrown askew. Stupid, stupid treeIn the path next him he could hear Aang slamming firebenders into trees with gusts of wind. He seems to be doing alright...WAAHH! A blur of red knocked into the tree's trunk, sending Sokka tumbling downwards. His back collided with the floor. In agony, he stood upright and looked at what had crashed into the tree. A standard firenation soldier. His helmet had flown off on impact and he was in much more pain than Sokka.Sokka grabbed the machete tied to his back (which caused him quite a bit of pain when he fell). Should I kill him? He isn't a threat now...but if he gets up, I'm probably done for. He knelt beside the injured man with his machete drawn. Why am I being so soft? Think of what they did to your parents Sokka! He held the blade against the soldier's neck. He was still partially unconsciousAs much as he wanted to rid of the firenation, he found himself unable to kill such a helpless person. They're still human...

"Do...it." the exhausted begged. "I have nothing...else to...ugh...live for."

Sokka was startled by the man's words. "But, If I spare your life, I could help you get better. You could leave the firenation and join these people!" Why am I doing this?

"No, I will...never join them. Dying here would...uagghh...be most honorable."

"All of you firenation scum are so damn brainless." Sokka swung the blade into the side of the man's head. Is honor really worth dying for?

Sokka pulled his weapon out of the dead man's head and started to walk into the main path, clearing the murder out of his mind.

In the city...

The rest of the city's army could only look in awe as the raging water bender slid with bewildering speed on the ground and slashed through the enemy forces with her keen blades. Every firebender that tried to blast her gained a gash in his throat, for all Katara did to avoid their flame was slip across the glossed soil to safety. One by one, each of them fell to Katara's wrath until the rest retreated, leaving a single man left: the general.

Over an uncountable amount of dead bodies he snarled at Katara with the rage of a dragon who had just lost its treasure. "You, little girl, have caused us way to much trouble." He was by far the tallest man she had ever seen in her life. Malice seemed to steam from his sweaty face, making his appearance an excellent excuse for retreat. "You deserve a much more painful death than the one I'm about to give you."

Before Katara could even reply, he struck the ground with his boot, sending a shockwave of thin flames in all directions. The moisture more the ground immediately vaporized, leaving Katara with just ice in her hands. Dammit! Now I can't dodge him! As if he responded to her thought, he began to fire rounds of thick streams of fire at her. The only way to defend herself was to form a wall of ice with her cleavers, which evaporated instantly.

"You have nothing left now you filth. Consider yourself dead!" He wasted no time in flattening his hands and pushing a tsunami of fire towards her.

No...this is it...isn't it? Death...I wonder what it'll be like.

The flames enveloped her body in a cocoon of demise but she didn't feel any anguish, only the heat that flowed from them. Why am I not dead yet? A moment later, the raging light before her disappeared.

"That was close! Lucky I saw this brat trying to beat you up in time!"

"Jin!" Katara nearly got up and hugged him, but every drop of her energy was consumed by the heat she had just endured. Even the full moon could not replace the water that had left her exhausted body.

"Katara, just rest for now. I'll take care of this."

As Katara meekly crawled to safety, Jin and the general dueled showing more skill and power than even the late Zhou or Zuko. Being reminded of them was like smelling burnt rubber, the smell never became any more tolerable. But, Katara realized that what she had done to the firenation tonight was no different than what they had done to her. She had always thought revenge would bring her solace...but now...as she drifted into unconsciousness, seeping with her enemy's blood, she only felt regret.

Outside the gate...

Aang pelted his own enemies with gusts fit to move mountains. He and the disguised firebenders had managed to stop at least half of the army from entering the city. Aang had hoped to prevent their entree completely, but their forces sheer size shattered that goal. Also, Jin's men were starting to die off, leaving Aang with sorrow and even more work to do. Jin himself had ran off into the city saying he had to help someone. Aang instantly knew who that someone was...he felt guilty for leaving her behind without notice.

Aang swept through the soldiers, knocking them into trees or the sky. A group of them had tried to form a devastating fireball by using at least ten men to bend it together. But, once they fired it at Aang, being prepared for the blow beforehand, created a tornado with his staff, caught the fireball in its vortex, and flung it back at them. Aang had never been in a fight this long, energy poured from his fingertips and swirled into every blast of air he created. Above the fighting, Aang suddenly noticed that Sokka had climbed down the tree and was bound for the fray. Hmm, guess I didn't hurt him enough. He's so brave...I don't think I'd ever be as determined as him. But, after seeing his mother die, no one can blame him. As Sokka neared the battlefield, Aang leapt in front of him.

"Sokka! Get on my back!" Aang yelled to him between breaths of exhaustion.

"And exactly why am I going to do that?" Sokka questioned. I am not going for another ride again.

"Please, just do it. I won't make you sick again." Aang said as he ducked underneath an oncoming ball of fire.

"Fine, I trust you." Sokka crawled awkwardly onto Aang's back. Once he did, Aang felt whole again, like the way he did when Sokka first kissed him. Energy sprang back into his body as he rejoiced in their bond.

"Alrighty, hold on tight! Get ready to swing that knife of yours!"

As more attacks from the enemy firebenders came shot their way, Aang formed his classic air bubble beneath him and zipped out of the way. Sokka drew his machete and hacked and felt Aangs enthusiasm flow into him. No more feeling guilty about these idiots, time for some serious firenation mauling!

Aang and Sokka wove in and out of the soldiers making them extremely dizzy trying to follow their movement. Sokka hacked his way through them leaving at least a missing hand if they were lucky. He never expected riding on this air scooter thing could be so fun! His thoughts of happiness and revenge were interrupted by a teasing call from Aang.

"Hey, you should really have better control of that thing. It's distracting."

Sokka felt his pants with his free hand. "Sorry, I cant help it. Guess you look especially cute when you fight."

Vengeance flowed thickly through the battlefield's veins as the young couple, along with the remainder of the city's forces, demolished the firenation's hopes of victory. Together the slices of the blade and the dices of air drove the onslaught to an end. After the rest of the soldiers either died or fled, Aang let the air bubble beneath him disperse and landed softly on the ground, allowing Sokka to slide off his weary back. They took a quick glance at their surroundings and simultaneously sighed. Bodies lay everywhere, it reminded them of the last battle they fought in the North Pole, though it wasn't as hard considering Aang had the assistance of a few spirits.

"Man, we left a mess." Sokka said. "I'm pooped."

"Yeah, but I don't think we could've done anything about that." Aang managed to grin through the thoughts of cleaning this mess up later, for it would be disgraceful to leave such a magnificent forest in such a condition. "You did really well Sokka...I think I might've actually had fun."

"Nah," Sokka placed a hand on Aang's smooth head. "You were knocking those assholes out of their skin!" Silence gripped them as they stood admiring at the stars above them which shed arrows of light through the trees. "I guess...we should go see what Jin and Katara are up to."

Aang nodded and noticed that the buildings which caught fire were being extinguished by water or firebending. "I hope they're both ok..."

Aang and Sokka rushed into the city, ignorant of the dazed civilians and dead soldiers they passed. Jin and Katara have to be around here somewhere. They thought. They looked through all of the alleyways and paths and asked around for them. The people who could respond through their tears told them nothing of interest, so they agreed on heading for Jin's house. As they walked, Aang noticed that he wasn't sad or worried at all even though he'd just witnessed a bloodbath.

"Sokka, I think there's something wrong with me. I...I don't feel any guilt or anything. Actually...I feel happy." He said.

"Me too." Sokka confessed. They neared Jin's home and stood at the base of the ladder which spiraled up to the door of the tree house. "But, it's not like we should purposely feel sad, we just won a great battle! Plus," he nudged Aang, "I'm happy that you're here with me. All we need are my sis and Jin and we'll be back to normal."

"Yeah, you're right." he shot up to the top of Jin's ladder with a puff of air.

Sokka quickly climbed it and entered the dimly lit home with him. At first they thought no one was there, but they heard a faint whimper in Jin's bedroom. Aang and Sokka burst into the room and found Katara lying on a bed with wet cloths draped over her charred limbs. Jin and his mother were sitting beside her.

"So, you two finally came back. You're friend here just saved our city." Jin informed them. "Along with Aang of course."

"Huh?" Katara sat up, throwing some the herbal drenched pads aside. "You were fighting too? Where? Why didn't you come and help me!" Jin's mother came to her side and calmed her.

"I'm really sorry, I went over the gate to block them from coming in, but there were too many and a lot got through. Sokka helped too!" he explained. "I didn't mean to leave you."

Katara trembled with regret. "Aang...I didn't know. I just feel... like I'm a murder. I killed so many people tonight, I can't even count them!"

"So did everyone here...except for the old lady over there..." Sokka pointed out. "We have to fight to survive."

Katara laid herself down on the bed again. "Yeah, I know. I'll be fine. All I need to do is rest I guess."

"You said it!" Jin said replacing the cloth that dropped off of her skin.

Aang scratched his round head and looked at Sokka for awhile. With them busy with Katara...

"Hey Jin, do you mind if Sokka and I go out for a walk, just to relax a bit?" Aang asked.

Sokka flung his head to look at Aang. Is he doing what I think he's doing?

Jin raised an eyebrow. He paused for a moment then smirked. "Sure. We're fine here."

The two boys skipped out of the house and into the woods, holding each others hands.

"Jin?" Katara asked groggily, "What happened to the general?"

Jin lowered his head. "He escaped once he realized I was too much for him. Bastard. He'll probably never show his face again cause of his loss to a 15 year old."

Katara closed her eyes. "Thank you. For everything."

Aang pulled Sokka by his arm as they dashed through the pitch black forest. He lifted the struggling warrior over thorns and logs and called to him, telling him they were almost there. Soon enough, they reached their destination. Glittering in contrast with the night's forlorn darkness was a clear pond lined with glowing crystals and tree buds. Aang carried Sokka over to the edge of the water and sat down next to him. The sparkling rocks on the bottom of the pond emitted light into the air and tipped the tree's swaying leaves brilliance. Aang plucked a round fruit from a low hanging tree beside them and took a bite.

"I found this place when we were hunting, out of the corner of my eye." he said while he chewed, "Pretty cool, huh?"

Sokka's eyes bulged with amazement. "It's sooo beautiful."

Aang handed the fruit to Sokka who devoured the rest of it. He laughed as Sokka stuffed his mouth. He sighed and gazed at the moon. "I know I'm young, but I've never felt so close to someone before. Love may seem like a new thing for me, but this isn't a crush or anything like that. I need you."

Sokka spread himself on the forest floor and Aang laid on top of his chest, kissing his eager lips. "I think you kiss to well to be twelve."

Sokka reached his hands underneath Aang's shirt and lifted it off. "You're so smooth..." he said as he pressed Aang's body into his. "As sleek as the air..."

"Oh... Sokka." Aang groaned as he pulled Sokka's pants down. The rest of their clothes were thrown into the bushes and they dipped themselves into the water, clutching each others waists and kissing even more passionately than before. Sokka stuck his leg between Aang's and stroked the boy's hard shaft. Aang's legs quivered in the clear water as he felt the warmth of Sokka's body ooze into him while the water tickled him with coldness. Aang turned around and pushed Sokka to the edge of the pond and trailed his tongue along his lover's tan chest.

"You're really good at this, have you ever done it before?" Sokka asked, engulfed in delight.

"No, I just dream about it a lot." Aang happily replied as he gently slid Sokka's dick into his mouth. And now, it's finally happening.

Suddenly Sokka felt something slip into his ass. It's heat spread through every nerve in his body and he collapsed onto the pond's shore. He realized Aang was using waterbending to insert hot water in his hole. He whimpered in ecstasy and felt his dick pulse. Aang stopped sucking him and lowered his hole onto Sokka's large penis, keeping the spout of water in the warrior's ass flowing. Sokka used all of the strength left in him to thrust into Aang. When he did, he lifted the boy off of the ground, causing him to scream in pain. Then, simultaneously, they felt the rush of their orgasm envelop them. Wind began to swirl around them and fountains erupted from the pond's surface. Then, Aang's eyes flashed a blinding white as his dick pumped his semen into the air. Sokka, seeing this, exploded in Aang's butt. Their love sauce decorated the pond's clean water with white gunk. Sokka licked his fingers and flopped onto the ground. Aang curled up next to him and looked into the black forest around them.

"I hope..." Aang whispered to Sokka, "I hope I can keep this from Katara. I don't think I can stand not sleeping next to you."

"I'll just tell her you want some manly company. She won't find out." he assured him. "We'll tell her when it's time."

"Alrighty." Aang squeezed Sokka's chest. "You know, it's sort of like this forest brought us together. We had to go to a place where we'd find out about how much we wanted to be like each other."

Sokka licked Aang's bare head. "Hmm, that's deep."