Disclaimer: I wonder if anyone really does read this... Oly oly oxen free!
Author's Note: Poor Pakku, you think? The true angst is yet to come.
As it turned out, there wasn't enough to do, and Pakku was left feeling restless. He couldn't even use sleep as an escape. He cursed remembrance and the fact that he had nothing to do, as well as a few things in between. Shortly thereafter, he could be seen taking the timeless remedy for restlessness – a walk.
The freezing night air helped to clear his head some, and the walk tired him. He was almost ready to turn around and head back home when he saw two figures hurrying down the sidewalk. Curious, he made his way across a bridge to get to their side of the canal. They stopped almost below the bridge, and he recognized them now. It was the Avatar and Katara. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. What were they doing here at this time of night?
His question was soon answered as the Avatar drew some water up from the canal. "Master Pakku said this move is all about sinking and floating," the boy said, demonstrating the move, then passing the water to Katara. Immediately, he understood what was going on.
Pakku saw red. How dare they! How dare they! These children saw fit to go behind his back and break the traditions of his culture! They thought they could break the customs of the very tribe that was giving them hospitality! I cold rage overtook him. He vaguely heard the girl say, "I got it!" and he took control of the water, whipping it around her before drawing it to him.
"That was amazing!" the Avatar exclaimed.
"That wasn't me." They both seemed to realize something and looked up. Pakku separated the water into icicles and stabbed them into the bridge.
"I was just showing Katara a few moves," the boy stuttered.
Pakku cut him off. "You have disrespected me, my teachings, and my entire culture."
"I'm sorry, I…" Did he not understand the seriousness of what he had done?
"You are no longer welcome as my student." Then Pakku turned away in disgust.
Back at his home, he began pacing. Instead of calming him, his "walk" had only served to agitate him further. This, he decided, was the angriest he had ever been – perhaps not including the… incident between himself and Codan before his proposal to Kanna. He growled and rubbed his forehead. The last thing he needed, on top of all this, was to keep thinking about her.
"Well, don't we look bright and chipper today?" was Codan's first observation. "Did Master Lun give you a gold star?"
Right now, though, even his friend's normally irksome banter couldn't ruin Pakku's cheerful mood. "Even better." He clapped Codan on the shoulder and led him farther down the sidewalk. Reaching into his pouch, he pulled out a necklace – not just any necklace, but a painstakingly carved betrothal necklace. Holding it out for inspection, he asked, "What do you think?"
Codan put a hand over his heart. "Why, Pakku, I'm flattered!"
Pakku socked him in the arm. "For Kanna, you idiot!" He grinned. "It's all worked out. Our parents talked about it and decided that it was a good arrangement. All I have to do is announce it to her – tonight!"
Codan stopped. "You're proposing? Tonight?"
"I think that's what I said. Why?"
"I just… can't picture Kanna married."
Pakku chuckled. "Well, she'll never be your average housewife. But we'll be happy together; I'm sure of it."
"Why?"
Pakku was startled. "What?"
Codan shrugged. "It's nothing in particular. I just wondered why you're so sure."
"I love her. And you said so yourself: I'm handsome, rich, and due for a stable career as Water Bending Master. Any girl would be happy with that."
"But, like you said, Kanna isn't 'any girl.'"
Pakku frowned. "And that's why I love her. What are you getting at, Codan?"
Codan looked rather uncomfortable. "Well… just in case… what if Kanna doesn't like this idea? What if she refuses?"
His temper sparked. "She can't refuse; it's an arranged marriage. And I've already told you, she'll be happy. I'll make her happy if it's the last thing I do."
"I was just saying…"
"I don't really care what you were saying," Pakku interrupted him sharply. "Goodbye." With that, he left Codan at the corner, adrenaline carrying him far faster than Codan cared to go. He watched Pakku with a concerned expression until he was out of sight. Then, sighing, he ambled back up the street.
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The next day, by which time Pakku had calmed down most of the way, the girl, the Avatar, and Sokka tried to plead with the leaders of the tribe. Pakku sat, staring straight ahead, not looking at anyone. After they had given their story, the chief said wearily, "What do you want me to do, force Master Pakku to take Aang back as his student?"
"Yes!" Katara said, then faltered. "Please."
"I suspect he might change his mind if you swallow your pride and apologize to him," the chief suggested. Pakku decided that that would be something to see, if she was anything like Kanna, and looked down at her.
After a moment of consideration, she reluctantly decided. "Fine."
Pakku smirked at her sullen expression. "I'm waiting, little girl," he said condescendingly.
He saw the warning signs seconds before she flew into a rage. "No. No way am I apologizing to a sour old man like you!" Large cracks appeared in the floor and the decorative vases nearby exploded.
"Katara…" The Avatar's warning went unheeded.
"I'll be outside if you're man enough to fight me," she declared, and marched out.
"I'm sure she didn't mean that," the Avatar said apologetically.
"Yeah, I think she did," her brother said, rolling his eyes.
Pakku's eyes narrowed as they followed Katara out the entrance. This was the second time that Katara had looked frighteningly like Kanna, and both times had been when she was angry – or, considering this time, furious. Mostly, Kanna had just been annoyed at him, maybe even really angry from time to time. There was only one time that he could recall in which Kanna had been really infuriated at him – the last time.
Pakku tried his best not to fidget as he stood in Kanna's home next to her father. Sodek smiled down at him warmly. Pakku attempted to smile back, but the results only made the man – his future father-in-law – chuckle. Kanna's mother was outside, watching for her. Sodek's deep voice interrupted the tense silence. "Relax. I was the same way when I proposed to Lida, but see how it turned out? You'll do fine." This time, Pakku's expression looked a good deal more like a smile. "You take care of my girl, understand?"
"Of course, sir. Always." Almost before he had gotten the words out, the sound of two women talking outside made him jump. Taking a deep breath, he tried to straighten his clothes out. He finished just in time for Kanna and Lida to walk in.
Upon spotting Pakku, Kanna looked confused. "Hey, Pakku. What are you doing here?"
Pakku tried to respond, but didn't seem to be able to say anything. He could only stare at her. "We have something wonderful to tell you, darling," Lida said, filling the silence. Still staring at Kanna, Pakku watched her form a suspicion.
Realizing that it was his cue, he groped around in his pouch and managed to withdraw the betrothal necklace. He took a deep breath and managed to speak. "Kanna," he said, holding out the necklace, "we're getting married."
He stayed like that for several seconds, heart pounding, watching a thousand emotions flash in her eyes. He hardly dared to move or breathe in wondering what her reaction was going to be. He was surprised.
"That's it?" He heard the question, but failed to listen to the danger in her tone.
"What?"
"No, 'will you marry me?' No, 'what do you think of becoming my betrothed?' Just, 'we're getting married.'" She got louder as she spoke.
Pakku was lost at this point and fumbled for a response. "Honey," Sodek said gently, "this is an arranged marriage…"
But Kanna's attention was still on Pakku, and now she had abandoned all pretense of being civil. "How dare you think you can just come here and tell me who I'm getting married to? How dare you assume that you can marry me?" She was advancing on him as she yelled, and he was backing up. "You never even asked, not once! You never even brought up the subject!" He opened his mouth to speak, but whatever he had to say was drowned out by her venting. "You don't even know or care what I think!" Just as Pakku's back connected solidly with a wall, Lida pulled her daughter away.
"Just a moment, now, Kanna," she said firmly, and dragged Kanna into a nearby room, where Sodek followed. Pakku could hear an argument taking place, but not what was being said. He just stood, staring at the door, and stoked the carving on the necklace still in his hand.
After what seemed like an eternity, all three of them emerged. Kanna walked right up to him without looking him in the eye. She snatched the necklace out of his hand, clasped it on her neck, and stormed off. Pakku watched her go, still frozen in place. "Oh, Pakku, she's just…" But Lida couldn't think of what Kanna was.
Pakku muttered a vague, "Thanks anyway," and trudged back home. On the way back, he saw Kanna standing on the defense wall, watching the ocean. He stood and looked at her for a long minute, then went on his way.
Yeah, this was the Big Scene. Codan turned out to be a more important character than I intended... but oh well. One last chapter, with only one short flashback (if I remember correctly...). Review!