Prompt: Dance
"The Trouble with Fan Girls"
After-war. Aang and Katara go to a ball in the Fire Nation to celebrate an anniversary of the end of the hundred-year war. The couple are having some relationship issues, will they be able to work through them?
It had been several years after the war, but the world was just now recovering from the shock of being at peace. After Avatar Aang dealt with several uprisings and created the United Republic of Nations the world was finally coming to the realization that the war really was over. Aang and the rest of the Gaang were very pleased with themselves because of all that they did, they (especially Sokka) enjoyed the recognition and happiness of from people who would throw them parties wherever they went, but the charade was starting to grow old.
"Zuko, not another party," Aang complained. Aang was lying on banister of one of the many staircases in the Fire Lord's palace.
"Aang," Katara called back placing her hands on her hips, "Zuko is just trying to be nice by throwing us a ball; you seemed to enjoy the last one just fine."
"You're welcome," Zuko added
"But all people want to do at these parties is talk about politics," Aang pouted, "They are never any fun." Aang let his arms drop with this last pronouncement, staring up at the ceiling.
"Not everything is about fun, Aang," Katara sighed, starting to walk away.
When Katara was out of earshot, Zuko spoke up, "did I miss something?"
"No Zuko, you didn't miss anything." Aang replied dryly.
"I don't know what you are so worked up about Aang, I thought you liked parties."
"I did…"
"Care to elaborate."
"No," Aang sighed.
"Alright, suit yourself, airboy, this ball was meant to honor your victory over my father, but if that isn't important enough for you to care, then keep mopping." Zuko fumed, giving Aang a glowering look before turning around and walking down the same hall that Katara had walked down moments before.
Zuko strode down the hallway quickly, rounding a corner he saw Katara seated on a bench. Zuko gave out a long sigh before sitting down next to her. They sat there for a few minutes, not speaking a word, just staring in front of them lost in their own minds. The silence was almost suffocating, like a preasure that was building up in your chest and you just wanted to burst. Zuko broke the silence, "What's his problem?"
Katara sighed, staring up at the ceiling. "What do you think, Zuko?"
"Heck, if I know, you're the one who has been by his side all these years; I've been stuck in this palace trying to hold together a nation my father tore apart."
"Ugh, what is it with boys being so self-absorbed in their responsibilities!" Katara cried, crossing her arms across her chest. "You can't see past your stupid throne and Aang is so caught up in being the Avatar it's like he doesn't see me," Katara felt her eyes prick with moisture with those words. Zuko looked at her, confused as she hid her face in her hands and doubled over.
Zuko was speechless, not sure what to make of her sudden outburst. Sure she had just insulted him for being a workaholic, but compared with the public scrutiny of the past few years, that was a compliment. 'Still, Katara and Aang… they've been tight like Momo and moon peaches or Sokka and meat,' Zuko thought to himself. His brow furrowed in confusion, "What happened?"
Katara regarded Zuko with a look that could kill, her eyes red and cheek still slick with tears, "He cheated."
"Cheated? Aang?"
"Yeah, I mean, no, I mean he might as well have," Katara explained lowering her gaze to a particularly interesting section of floor in front of her.
"It was a one of those crazy fan girls, wasn't it?"
"Yes. At the last ball we went to they kept crowding around him, whispering in his ear, I kept trying to get closer to him, but they kept splitting us a part. Finally I told him that if he wanted them, then he could just dance with all of them. I sat at our table for the rest of the night and ignored him. Eventually he relented and danced with a few of them," an angry blush appearing on her face.
"Have you talked to Aang about it. Uncle always said: if you lose another person than that person will lose you so you have to find them by finding yourself so that you don't lose you like they lost them; only then can you find them. Or something like that, I never really understood what it meant. "
Katara stared at Zuko for a second with wide eyes, "I need to find Aang." Katara got up quickly and made her way down the hallway.
"I can't believe that made sense," Zuko stated to himself, dumbfounded.
Katara returned to the banister only to find Aang no longer there. "Where could he be," Katara murmured to herself, "Aang! Aang, where are you?" No answer.
Katara walked up the stairs, thinking that Aang had chosen higher ground to think, he always seemed to do that whenever he got upset and this whole ball thing had Aang riled up more than usual. Compounding upon their fight at the previous ball was the anniversary of the ending of the war and naturally their own romantic anniversary. Katara walked up the staircase till she found a small roof access hatch. Silently thanking the spirits that there was roof access that didn't require airbending. Katara, taking a deep cleansing breath, opened the hatch and stepping out into the cold night air.
Aang was sitting on the roof alright, facing away from her. "Hello Katara," he spoke softly.
"How did you know it was me?"
"I'm the avatar I know all," Aang answered shortly.
"Aang…" Katara implored.
"Because you always know where to find me," Aang admitted
"Thank you for being honest, may I sit with you."
"Always."
The couple sat in silence as the night waned on. Katara giggled.
"huh," Aang questioned
"Oh, it's just that Zuko can't stand silence, but you don't seem to mind it at all," replied Katara still trying to stifle the giggle.
"Oh."
"Aang, I… want to talk to you about the last ball," Katara began. Aang visibly flinched when she said this; Katara gave him a weak smile, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Sweetie, I'm not mad anymore, I came here to apologize."
Aang's face lit up, "No sweetie, it's not your fault, I'm-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have ignored you like that."
"No Aang, I shouldn't have overreacted, I know some of those girls may have been air acolytes wannabes, I saw the other young men in the crowd."
"What, I thought those young men just wanted to get close to you!" cried a shocked Aang.
"Jealous much?" replied Katara battering her eyes seductively at him.
"What, Me jealous, I don't get jealous I'm the avatar."
"I know your lying," Katara replied in her sing-song voice.
"Yeah, I guess I don't like others crowding around you much either," admitted Aang, dropping his head.
"Aang... Aang look at me," Aang lifted his head, his starting to water. "Oh Sweetie," Katara sighed, throwing her arms around him. "its okay," she cooed, "I'm not mad."
The two of them held each other, whispering I love yous and sorrys. Telling each other that it was okay. They stayed like that for what seemed like hours, and they were both feeling very tired, as the adrenaline of their silent argument over the last week was finally gone and all they wanted was to be in each other's arms.
"Aang," Katara whispered breaking the silence.
"huh."
"Why were we even fighting? This was stupid."
Aang giggled slightly, "I guess even the best of us have off days, yeah, you're right we should have talked about this earlier..."
"Well I'm glad we talked about it now, I was tired of making you sleep on the floor."
"Me too, not that I would have made you sleep there instead."
"You spoil me, even when you're mad at me," Katara shot back with a grin.
"Nah, I wasn't mad, just scared you blow up at me again,"
"What!? I don't do that," Katara cried, "do I?"
"Yeah, you kind of do."
"Sorry, I'll work on that."
"No Katara that is just another thing I love about you, even when it is sometimes directed at me."
Katara couldn't help but offer him a small grin of thanks, even though she was still blushing.
"Aww, sweetie, don't be like that," Aang smiled, holding her tight against him and kissing her on the cheek.
"I thought that doing that was my job," Katara replied
"Nah, I was just shy before."
The two of them sat on the rooftop for a moment longer before making their way to bed. It had been a long day of traveling to the fire nation and the two of them were exhausted.
The days before the ball passed quickly. The palace was a flurry of activity with very little time to spare between meetings, firebending spars with Zuko, and 'girl time' with Mai and Katara (and later Toph and Suki when they arrived). Soon the whole Gang was there to celebrate the ending of the 100-year war.
Toph and Aang were alone in one of the many hallways of the palace, waiting for the rest of the Gaang to get ready for the ball today. "Aang, why are you so nervous, its just another boring ball. All you have to do is blah blah blah and everyone claps, easy." Toph exclaimed to a pacing avatar.
"Nervous, I'm not nervous; I'm the avatar, why would I be nervous." Aang claimed hysterically.
"I can tell you're lying," Toph replied in a sing-song voice.
"Can you keep a secret?" Aang asked her.
"Of course I can twinkle-toes, my lips are sealed." Aang leaned over and whispered into Toph's ear, Toph's face turned bright red, and she looked at Aang in amazement, "I didn't know you had it in you, congratulations" Toph punched Aang on the shoulder.
"But what if, what if-"
"But nothing, I'm sure Sugar Queen will be happy."
"I'll be happy about what, Toph," Katara asked when she walked out of her room into the hallway.
"Nothing, we weren't talking about anything," Aang exclaimed waving his hands in front of him
"It's nothing Sugar Queen; twinkletoes was just going to show you some new moves." Toph exclaimed with a cheeky smile on her face.
Aang blinked then replied, "Toph, I thought it was a secret?"
"Oh, sorry about that Twinkletoes, you know me." Toph kept that cheeky smile on her face.
"Well I think that it's sweet," Katara replied, walking over to hold her boyfriend and kiss him on the cheek.
The rest of the Gaang walked in and Zuko announced that it was time to enter the ball. The Gaang walked down the hall into the grand hall, but Aang and Toph lagged behind.
"Thanks for the save Toph, I owe you one." Aang whispered.
"No problem Twinkletoes, I'm looking forward to your show," Toph replied, punching in on the shoulder, causing Aang to sway slightly with the blow, she was defiantly getting stronger as she aged.
The group walked into the grand hall and was greeted by applause by the many hundred that were in attendance. Everyone they had met along their travels were present from the firenation school children to the swamp waterbenders. They all sat around circular tables, with a large area in the middle left open for dancing. Dinner had just been set and the Gaang made their way to the head table.
[[Many speeches were said, which nobody cares about because this is a kataang fic and the author was lazy, can't you tell?]]
When the diner was complete, Aang nudged Katara, "you want to dance, Sweetie?"
"Yeah," Katara replied, blushing when she remembered what Toph had said about him 'trying out some new moves.'
Aang looked more nervous than her though, Katara was curious about what Aang was planning; he was probably going to do some airbending to impress her. Was he worried that she would get mad again, like last time, yeah, that was probably it. "it's okay, sweetie," Katara whispered, I won't get mad."
The words did little to calm the young airbender, but Aang did grant her a small smile.
The two of them stopped walked among the dancers who were swaying to the slow music until they found an empty spot near the middle, Katara could feel a tingle of anticipation as Aang grabbed her hand. He never failed to sweep her off her feet in these dances.
Aang and Katara waltzed to the rest of the slow piece holding each other close, circling around and around, and making sure not to bump into Firelord Zuko and Mai who were dancing not too far away. At the end of the song, Aang gave Zuko a nod, who nodded back and whispered into Mai's ear. Katara noticed Mai's smile though, and grew suspicious.
'This must be it,' she smiled as Zuko disappeared into the crowd striding toward the musicians. Katara looked back at Aang, who was starting to shake, "Oh sweetie, you are such a great dancer, we'll be fine," Katara cooed.
The music stopped and Zuko cleared his throat. "Thank you all for coming, it means so much to me and everyone else who fought bravely to end the hundred-year war. But tonight I have a special treat, the Avatar and Master Katara would like to put on a show to close this celebration."
"Just follow my lead sweetie," Aang whispered as the crowd of dancers formed a circle around us, watching expectantly. The music began and Aang and Katara bowed to each other.
They began circling eachother, wrists touching, much like first dance they shared in that firenation cave, actually, exactly like that, Katara began to notice that this was the very same song that was played before. This time however, Aang was not in hiding and started doing subtle airbending with his movements; Katara grabbed some water out of the air and started allowing it to circle them. The beat of the music increased and Aang started doing gravety defying jumps with airbending, Katara smirked as she used her water to shoot her up in the air colliding with Aang, he just smiled and grabbed hold of her, spinning them around and around 10 feet above the ground until at the end of the song the gently let the two of them float down to the ground.
Katara breathed hard with Aang, both from the workout of the dance, but also reliving those memories of the cave where they let actions speak louder than words before they really knew what the other thought of them.
Thankfully, Aang no longer looked nervous Katara smiled at him warmly, happy that he was happy. Katara hugged her airbender, then grabbed his hand to walk him back to the main table, but he didn't move.
"Aang?" Katara questioned.
Aang grabbed Katara's other hand as the crowd began to come closer, the Gaang clearly visible in the front row, "Katara, I love you so much and you've always been there for me to encourage me, guide me, and care for me." Aang begain, staring deep into her eyes
Katara's mind went blank, 'what is going on, what is Aang doing, could he be, no, Aang wouldn't want to do THAT, he was probably still mad at her for last time.' Katara met his gaze, trying not to get her hopes up too much.
"Katara, I know that I won't be easiest man, I know that my duty as the Avatar will always have to come between us, but I can't live without you."
'oh my goodness, he's really going to ask me, oh spirits!' Katara thought, excitement coursing through her veins.
"Katara, sweetie, will you make me the happiest man in the world by doing me the honor of becoming my wife."
Katara lost it, starting crying openly as she bright Aang into a hard, rough kiss. "Yes, yes, I would love to be your wife, nothing would make me happier!" Katara exclaimed
Aang's face turned into a smile as he airbended himself in the air, pumping a fist into the air. The grand hall erupted into applause.
Katara giggled at his childish behavior, she always did love that about him, when he landed she brought him into a big hug, "I'm so glad you did that, Aang, you've made me so happy." Katara whispered.
"I'm just glad you said yes, I was nervous about this all day," Aang whispered back.
"What, why would I say no, I've been waiting for you to do this since I was 15." Katara blushed mentioning how long she had wanted to marry him.
"Really?" Aang asked.
"Yeah, remember when we were at Hira'a, when Noriko talked to us about marriage."
"Wow, that's amazing sweetie." The two embraced again before turning to face the many congratulations of their friends and family.
