Chapter 3: A Not-Date
disclaimer: I don't own the Avatar, and if I did, I would make an episode to rub Kataang in Zuatarians faces. Kataang forever !!!!
Aang watched gloomily as Sokka wrestled his boomerang out of his bag. It had been a long time since the thing had seen the light of day.
"Do you think its weird that Toph shows no interest in boys at all?" Sokka asked Aang conversationally as he began polishing his old...friend.
"Not really." He yawned. "She's just immature, or hiding her feelings or something. Maybe she's a les-"
"Don't finish that sentence," Sokka grunted. Aang smiled, slightly mocking, before falling back on his bed and sighing. Sokka started laughing at the sight.
"What?" Aang asked, his voice slightly muffled by the blanket.
"You just reminded me of Katara when we were back at the Fire Nation, the night after you and Zuko killed Ozai... ha! She was all happy at first then goes 'oh woe is meee'..." Aang blinked a couple times before blushing. He remembered right before he'd left Katara in the safety of her brother and father's eyes, he'd kissed her, for about ten whole seconds, before taking off. They had never mentioned it again.
"Why was she sad?" Aang wondered out loud.
"She wouldn't tell me. I guess it was probably because we thought our dad was going to..." Sokka's voice drifted off, but Aang wasn't paying attention. Instead he slid under his covers and fell into deep slumber, dreaming of Katara and her many secrets...
XxX
Katara chewed on her mango. It was so juicy, and tasted so sweet. Like Aang's lips...
"Good morrrrrrning Sugar Queen," Toph yelled, running into the kitchen and grabbing an apple. Katara rolled her eyes.
"You act like such a kid," Katara laughed.
"Maybe that's because I am a kid." Toph muttered something under her breath before taking a huge bite out of her apple.
"What was that?" Katara asked absently, licking juice off her lips.
"Oh nothing." Toph stared at Katara's shoulder, not sure what she was looking at.
"How did you know where to find the food when you can't see?" Katara asked curiously.
"My sense of smell is pretty good," Toph responded, glad for the subject change. She tossed the apple core on the table and ran from the room. Unperturbed, Katara tossed the remaining food in the trash, and walked back to Sokka and Aang's room.
Sokka was snoring, as always, but Aang seemed to be talking... Katara pressed her hands on the door frame, unmoving.
"Katara...Katara..." He sounded content, and very far away. Katara bit her lip, wondering what he was dreaming about. "I l-"
"AHHHH!!" Sokka jumped up, his expression wild. "Evil monkeybear!!!!!!"
A sour expression crossed Katara's beautiful face. She glared icy daggers at Sokka, her eyes almost frosty. She moved her eyes to Aang. The ice in them melted, as she watched the boy stir and rub his eyes. Her expression became warm, and loving.
"What happened?" he groaned, his silver eyes mere slits as he looked from Katara to Sokka. Sokka looked terrified, Katara... in a trance. She snapped out of it quickly when Aang began to watch her.
"Oh, sorry boys, just came to see if you were awake..." Katara ran from the room, leaving Aang and Sokka to stare at each other. Sokka's eyes were wide and scared, Aang's confused and squinting.
"Fear the monkeybear..." Sokka moaned. He fell back onto his bed and began to snore. Sometimes, Sokka was a tad bit creepy.
Aang stood up and ran after Katara. He wore no shirt, so his very...chiseled chest was bare. Katara blushed when she spotted him, but thankfully Aang didn't notice.
"What was that about?" he asked, looking at Katara with a confused expression on his boyish face.
"Oh nothing..." Katara's eyes moved to Aang's chest for a few seconds before she looked away. "I'm going to go out, OK?"
"Out where?" Aang asked curiously. He stretched his arms, yawning.
"Maybe just to see Ba Sing Se a little more. Shopping, bending, maybe even hit the spa." They met eyes for a moment. Aang remembered the time Katara had come home with Toph, wearing a little too much make up. He had thought she looked rather adorable.
"Why don't you invite Toph? I don't like the idea of you going out alone, after that creep tried to-"
"I'll be fine, Aang." Katara walked to the door, sliding her boots on. "You can come if you want, but there's no way I'm going to try convincing Toph to come along. Her memory is quite vivid."
"I'm coming, let me grab my shirt first." Aang raced from the room. He grabbed his shirt off his bedroom floor.
"Help, help..." Sokka muttered in his sleep. Aang raised his eyebrows, before a crafty grin stretched on his face, and a glint came to his eyes. His tone became high-pitched and unconvincing.
"Sokka! Help! The monkeybear is going to eat me, oooh, help!!!" Aang tried imitating Suki as best as he could.
"Toph?" Sokka called, suddenly freezing up in his sleep. Katara peaked in from the doorway. Feeling confused, Aang continued his charade. Inside his mind he was thinking: Why would he think I'm Toph, what about Suki?
"Yes! Ooh help me Sokka, I'm going to die!" Katara started giggling. Aang winked at her, realizing too late what he had just done. Katara, however, blushed and grinned at him.
"I'm coming babe..." Sokka murmured in his sleep, turning over. Aang gave Katara a playful grin before trying, and failing to get his shirt on. His head seemed too big for the hole. Oh, smooth, he thought to himself.
"Here, I'll help." Katara took the shirt and slowly began pulling it down past his head, her hands lightly brushing Aang's torso.
They both blushed. "Let's go," Aang suggested, looking pleased and embarrassed.
"Good idea." They both exited Sokka's room, leaving him to rescue Toph in his wild dream.
XxX
The market was less packed, since most inhabitants of Ba Sing Se were at home asleep. Katara and Aang didn't look at the food, like they usually would have done with Toph and Sokka, but at the more interesting stalls.
"This dress is so pretty," Katara stroked the fabric of the deep blue dress. The sleeves were ruffled, and the dress itself silky. It was a v neck that seemed not low enough to show too much cleavage, but just enough to taunt any boy who saw her in the dress. Aang thought it complimented her eyes, and he could easily picture her wearing it.
"Yeah, it would look great on you," Aang murmured, for once not blushing at his words. Katara beamed at him.
"Maybe I'll get it... but it's expensive. I don't think they're going to give me a free dress like they do with the food..." Katara looked at the price with worried eyes. Fifty gold pieces for a dress! Imagine. "I'll put it back."
Aang noticed the longing look Katara was giving the dress.
"I'll pay for it," he said, pulling out a small bag of gold from the inside of his shirt.
"No, Aang, it's way to expensive."
"We get our food free, Katara, this money needs to be spent somehow." Aang took the dress and walked up to a merchant. They haggled for a bit before Aang settled for thirty-two gold pieces.
Minutes later, they were back to browsing.
"Thanks, Aang." Katara pecked him on the cheek, while he colored with embarrassment.
"No problem." Katara walked around each stall, carefully taking in the displays, while Aang lounged around, looking anything but bored. The only thing he wanted to examine was Katara herself. Eventually Katara got bored, and walked over to where Aang stood.
"Want to get some tea?" Katara asked casually. Aang blinked and took her hand.
"Sure, let's go."
They both made their way out of the nearly empty marketplace, hand in hand. Neither of them seemed to think this physical contact was weird at all. On the contrary, they were very use to this. Aang and Katara had always been best friends, and weren't about to stop what they were doing just because it might give people the wrong impression.
They walked into Aunt Tai's Tea, bells announcing their arrival. This place was full of couples... something neither of them had anticipated.
A huge lump seemed stuck in Aang's throat. He became more conscious of Katara's hand in his. What was he doing? It was almost like a... a...
Katara released his hand and settled at one of the tables. Aang took a deep breath. It was like she hadn't even noticed... maybe it was all in his head. Maybe.
A kind faced woman with a plump stomach came to their table to greet them.
"What would you like, dear?" Aunt Mai asked Katara.
"Some Jasmine tea, please." Aang twined and entwined his fingers together, nervous.
"And you, Mister Avatar?" Aang bit his lip.
"I'll have what she's having please." He stared at the table, trying to admire the face that it was blue. It's all in your head, this isn't a date, we're JUST HAVING TEA.
"Oooh aren't you a lucky girl," Aunt Mai said to Katara, her voice using that innocent I'm-as-sweet-as-honey old lady voice. "To be going on a date with the Avatar. He's very cute." She left the table before Katara even had the chance to open her mouth. Aang ran a hand through his hair.
Ok. Maybe it's not just me.
"Wow." Katara took a deep breath. "That's strange. Everyone seems to think we're dating."
"Yeah, it is." Aang's and Katara's eyes met and locked. "Maybe we do act like a couple sometimes."
"We aren't, though, so it's not important." Katara shrugged. "I mean, I don't like you that way, and you don't like me that way, right?"
It was almost like a slap in Aang's face. He wanted to kiss her and tell her 'of course I like you that way, where have you been?' But he couldn't. His breath shortened.
"Right." It's not like I kissed you or something. What was that to you, Katara, a brotherly peck? I'm sorry I can't be like Haru or Jet.
"Here's your tea dears." Aunt Mai settled the tea in front of them both. "Ahh, young love, what a beautiful thing."
Again, she left before Katara or Aang could comment. They both looked at each other again, at loss for words.
Katara took a sip of tea, but burned her lips and quickly put the cup down.
"Too hot?" Aang made a quick movement with his hand. A miniature tornado spun and blew all the steam from Katara's tea. She smiled at him warmly, but her lips still stung.
"Ow, my lips.." She blushed for a moment before sipping her cooled tea. Aang began examining advertisements on the walls. 'Ba Sing Se Annual Dance, Friday Night! Come to the castle and dance with your Special Someone.' What was Aang suppose to do? He could defeat an evil fire master, save lives daily, but when it came to Katara, he was just another child.
XxX
I liked this chapter. I'm taking your advice, reviewers, and trying not to rush the Kataang. I've added some Tokka in, I guess.
I sort of thought of Harry Potter when I thought of Aang and Katara having tea. Couples everywhere, Aang a nervous wreck, and Katara at ease. Cho Chang from Harry Potter started crying though... and Harry kept saying all the wrong things... so maybe only part of the idea came from Harry Potter.
I really liked this though. Flame me if you want, I won't get mad at you. But if you only flame me because you like Zutara, I'll get very mad.
Review please! I really like to hear my reader's opinions.
Lady Wolfy