Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender; Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko have me beat in that area. Those crazy geniuses.
Author's Note: Just so you know, I'm not jumping around–I have three of the prompts up as art on DeviantART (the link is in my profile), so check that out if you have a chance and show love.
Please, review when you're done and tell me what you think! That new 'reader traffic' feature is interesting, but shows a lot of people read, but... you get the idea. Enjoy!
Oxygen
Rating: PG
Kataang Week, Day Six: Gravity
August 24, 2008
"I've never liked being on the ground too much, even though it's necessary," he said softly, his arm secure around her waist as she snuggled into his side. "Even since I was small, I hated being firmly planted for too long–I was always buzzing around."
It was a warm, breezy day in the late summer months, and the young couple felt like doing nothing more that afternoon than lying against the grassy hill. They watched the clouds, spoke about everything and nothing under the sun, and just reveled in being with one another–something that didn't happen all that often, especially so peacefully.
"I can imagine," she chuckled, content with lying there with her eyes closed, being lulled by the wind and his gentle heartbeat. "From the day we first met, you've barely been able to keep still for so long. I'm amazed that you're staying still right now, even."
"Well, I've grown out of the fidgety stage of my life, I think." His eyes traced over the sunlight that hit her hair, admiring the golden hue. "I'm more of the kind of guy who's into relaxing with the woman of my dreams," he said, smiling warmly down at her. "I like this version of myself a bit better, even if it comes with some downfalls."
"What downfalls does this have?" she asked in disbelief, looking up at him.
"No, not this right now," he managed to say before her look changed to a more unhappy one, "just... being older. Responsibility breathing down your neck, waiting for you to take one wrong step or make one wrong move. That sort of thing." He shrugged, "I don't know. Even though it's great to experience new things..." he coughed, blushing despite his better interests, "...part of me misses being a kid, you know?"
"Well..." she said softly, smirking at him. She highly doubted he wished he was waiting for Sozin's Comet to come all over again.
"It makes me feel like, for example," he paused, trying to collect what he was striving to articulate, "I'm an object, and gravity's holding me down more and more as I grow older... and, as a child, you have the least amount of gravity on you, weight on your shoulders, and you can float and fly as high up as you want to. Do you get what I'm saying?"
"Of course," she smiled. "Though... think of it this way," Katara began, looking up into his grey eyes. "Wouldn't you want to have a little of that weight of responsibility on your shoulders if that meant giving a whole new life the opportunity to float the way you love to?"
"You mean like a child's life?"
"Yeah," she agreed, chuckling. "Seeing my smile, hearing your laughter as our child has the time of his or her life zooming around on a little air scooter."
"Me giving life to a... oh. Are you trying to tell me something?" he asked, eyes slightly wide as he automatically assumed what he was thinking to be true.
Katara laughed again, shaking her head, "No. At least... not yet. I'm just saying, wouldn't it be nice to have a child, or children, that you can give the gift of being free to–whether or not they're Airbenders, Waterbenders, or non-benders?"
"Of course." Adding as an afterthought, he said, "Especially with you."
She leaned up to kiss him softly. "Only with you."
"Exactly."
"And look at it this way: Sokka is a father–even though the thought still scares me–but he hasn't changed much because of it. Sure, he's more paternal, more devoted and almost obsessive with how he protects them, but he's still the same goofy brother I've known and loved for all my life. You're not going to change, Aang, and the gravity that's keeping you down on this earth will be for me, wanting you to stay with me on common ground, especially if the waves try and entice me."
"You make a great point," he replied thoughtfully. "When it comes to you, I always feel like I'm soaring, though, so gravity doesn't apply when it comes to love, does it?"
"Not at all," she smiled, accepting the kiss he bestowed on her lips.
