AN: Thanks very much to my one reviewer, dandyparakeet. Reviews really do help, so readers don't be afraid to say anything negative, but constructive things about my story.

Disclaimer: I don't own A:TLA. Obviously, or else kataang would already be in plain and simple writing.

Introductions

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Aang repeats, a little more harshly than before, noticing the airbender necklace.

"Well as to who I am, than question can be easily answered, my name is Rukil. The second question I fear will take a bit longer to explain." The man, Rukil answers

"Well then you better get started." Aang responds still feeling as if this stranger is disrespecting all his people stood for by wearing a necklace of a people that he obviously didn't belong to. Although he does seem familiar somehow Aang thinks to himself.

"Come on Aang can't we talk to him back at the campsite?" Katara says, pleading him with her eyes

Oh why the eyes…she knows I can't say no to the eyes. "Fine." Aang replies "It's probably better that we get some rest too, we have a long day ahead of us."

"I'll be right along" Rukil says, "I just need to get some supplies I left back at my campfire."

I guess we can trust him until morning at least. Aang thinks to himself

Some how I doubt that it was his behavior that brought that about…I think you just want the chance to walk Katara, alone back to camp. A small voice says inside his head

So? Aang replies, suddenly with a grin on his face, as he takes Katara's hand and walks back to camp

----

By the time the pair reached the campsite, Katara was barely able to stand she was so tires, and as she started to fall over, Aang caught her, and carried her over to her sleeping bag.

"What are you doing with my sister?!" Sokka's voice says to Aang in a harsh whisper.

"Uh" Aang begins "we were…she was uh" unwilling to admit what she had overheard about his feelings toward her.

"Aang" Sokka started again, but this time much more coldly. "What were you doing?"

Uh oh Aang thinks. If I tell him what happened, will he think less of me? Well I suppose it's better than not saying anything, noticing the color Sokka's face had turned.

"Well Sokka, I just kinda had a little breakdown about-"

"Wait let me guess, either the battle where you almost died, or my sister." Sokka says with a somewhat resigned smile on his face. Chuckling at his friends shocked expression, he adds "I've been in love twice now, and remember both times about the fear of them not liking me back Aang, and-"

"But Sokka she overheard all that I said, and still didn't respond or say anything back" Aang says in a smaller voice than he would like Sokka to hear from his brother in law Whoa where did that come from? Although it would be nice…stop it!

Sokka considering this for a second or two thinks, I guess I have to have a little talk with my sister.

"Well Aang I don't know what to say, except, that when this relationship escalates, you had better do this mostly out of my sight, and nothing that would hurt her."

"Ok" Aang says rather easily, cheered by the word "when", and the fact that it was ok with his friend.

"Well 'night Aang." Sokka says, climbing back into Appa's saddle, deciding that since it was nearly dawn, it wouldn't be worth it to set up his tent.

"Goodnight" Aang replies, and upon noticing where Sokka was sleeping, he interprets it a bit differently "So" he calls after his friend "when you said 'two loves' you really meant three?"

But Sokka was already asleep, his arm again, around Toph.

Aang, smiling to himself, decides to wait up for the return of that strange man, Rukil. Why does he seem so familiar to me? He's not old enough to have known me at the air temple, and he wasn't at the South Pole, or for that matter anywhere they had stopped. So why is he familiar?

Aang was still pondering this question when Rukil himself walked into camp, carrying only what seemed to be a blanket, a small leather bag, and a small kettle of tea, still warm. Aang smiled at this, it reminded him of the kind old man, Iroh, and his excellent advice.

"So are you ready to answer that second question?" Aang asks

"Not quite, but I do have some questions about your companions, but those can wait until morning. You need your rest Avatar Aang", and upon seeing the slightly suspicious look Aang gave him added "You have nothing to fear from me Aang, now go to sleep."

Sleep came unbidden to him, and as his eyes slowly closed the last thing he saw was Rukil taking small sips of his tea.

----

As Aang woke up he realized that Rukil must have moved him inside the tent after he had gone to sleep. That means, eyes growing wide, I slept right next to Katara. After he had thought about this for a few seconds, only one thing that had crossed his mind seemed to stick Sokka is so gonna kill me! He pulled on his clothes quietly hoping not to wake either Sokka or Katara. She's so beautiful when she's sleeping. Shaking his head, trying to get that thought out of his head, he bumps right into Sokka who had been waiting outside with a very angry expression written on his face

"After we had our little talk about this, you went and slept with her?!" the outraged Sokka exclaimed. "I thought you would understand where I was coming from!"

Aang, desperately trying to think of an excuse, stumbled for words "uh…umm"

"You sleep with my sister and all you can say is um?!" Sokka says disbelievingly, growing even angrier. Picking Aang up, Sokka pushes him against a nearby tree. "Explain. Now."

"The fault, I fear, was mine. I laid the lad in there after he had fallen asleep. I didn't want him to sleep so uncomfortably." Rukil says as he walks into the campsite with a bucket of water to put out the still smoldering remains of the fire.

"And just who are you?" Sokka says, more confused than angry now, letting go of Aang.

"My name is Rukil, and I stumbled across your camp during the night and asked Aang if I could warm myself by the fire, and have some tea. He allowed it, but the smell of the tea, along with his wound put him to sleep rather quickly.

"Oh" was all Sokka could say, realizing his mistake. Trying to make some conversation he asks "So where are you from Rukil?"

"Now that is a somewhat difficult question to answer, as I hardly know myself, as I was raised an orphan. But I'd imagine one of the poles, most likely north, as I do not recognize you." answered Rukil.

"Why would you say that?" Aang wondered aloud "Are you a waterbender?"

"Yes Aang, I am, but enough about me, tell me about yourselves." replied Rukil

"We would love to but we are on a tight enough schedule as it is" says Sokka, somewhat disappointedly.

"Then why don't I tag along? I won't be in the way, and plus I could so you some of the specialty waterbending moves I've both made and found during my many travels." Rukil asked

"Sounds ok with me, but I suppose we should ask the girls too, huh Sokka?" Aang says

"Yeah I suppose so." Sokka says. Even though it's kinda pointless, as nowadays Katara agrees with everything Aang says without even thinking about it, he thinks dejectedly.

She loves him, you know. The voice says to him. Yeah, I know, it's just hard to let her go…

----

"Who's the new guy?" Toph asks, stretching, as she gets up for the day.

"Oh, his name is Rukil; he found our camp last night." Aang replies. Realizing that Toph can tell that he was lying, he walks up to her and mutters "I'll tell you more later."

"He also wants to travel with us for a little while." Sokka adds, not noticing the little exchange Aang just had.

"Hey, Twinkle Toes, I think I found your match for a light step." Toph says with a grin as Rukil approaches.

"Ahh, you must be Aang's earthbending teacher, very nice to meet you." Rukil says, with a smile that showed that he heard the little comment about his light steps. "I do know a little about stepping hard though…" he adds with a smile, stepping into a strange stance, that although Aang and Sokka didn't recognize, it was slightly familiar to Toph. I just can't place it though… She thinks, frustrated, unable to think of how it was familiar.

"So, you gonna let me stay, at least for a little while, Toph?" asked Rukil.

"That was already decided before I got here." replies Toph, who already figured out the same basic idea as Sokka.

"So what did I miss?" Katara says with a yawn. Then, when nobody answered right away, Rukil decided to answer.

"Well we were just deciding whether or not I would be allowed to travel with you, teaching some…different waterbending moves. I believe that Aang however still wanted your approval" Why not, he thought to himself, the vibes those two are putting off towards each other even a blind person could pickup. When he remembered Toph, added, especially a blind person. I'll just help it along a little. "So Katara, will you allow me to travel with you and your companions?"

"Why not I suppose, Aang's going to need all the tricks he can learn in order to beat the Fire Lord."

"So it's decided then, welcome aboard Rukil." Sokka adds I need to keep an eye on this guy; he seems to approve of Aang's little relationship with Katara.

"Welcome aboard" Aang echoes I wonder if this guy could give me some advice about Katara.

"I guess you're part of the team now." Katara adds hmm, I wonder what those waterbending moves are.

"Are you guys just gonna stand there welcoming this guy, or are we gonna keep moving? Plus Aang you need to work a little more on your earthbending as well." Toph says, adding a somewhat fiendish grin at the end. "A lot more work."

Sighing, Aang just thinks it's gonna be a really long day tomorrow.