*disclaimer: I do NOT own ATLA... and if you make me say it again, I will cry pathetically*
Aang turned on his heel, strong arms easily carrying Katara to the palace double doors. The rest of the gang watched as he stopped at Azula. They saw him stare down at Azula and of them flinched when they saw his eyes burn with hatred. He has never looked at anyone that way before. Katara's tanned hand rose up and lay against his jaw. His eyes snapped to hers and abruptly softened and he hung his head down so that the tattoo of the arrow on his forehead connected with her own. Azula must've said something else, because Aang's head snapped back to hers and his tattoos flashed once, fierce and dangerous, his nose slightly scrunching. It looked like he was about ready to murder her; but instead, he turned on his heel and strode into the castle.
The gang looked at Toph questionably as she flicked her wrist, covering Azula's mouth with stone. "I know that you are all looking at me." Toph sighed.
"Well?" Suki pressed.
"Well what?" Toph replied blankly.
"Well, what did she say?" Sokka finished. "We know that you heard what she said, or you wouldn't have covered her mouth, and Aang has never looked at anyone like that. I mean that look even scared me," he said.
"It doesn't take that much to scare you, Snoozles." Toph muttered, crossing her pale legs, resting her chin in her hand and blowing at her bangs that hung in front of her unseeing eyes.
Zuko turned around and failed to stifle a laugh.
Sokka turned on him. "What the hell are you laughing at?" Sokka shot at the 'coughing' prince.
Zuko turned back around. "What? It's true! Aang told me how to use a stick to get you to wake up!" he replied, crossing his arms over his robe and smirking at the younger Watertribe warrior.
Sokka's mouth opened and snapped shut about three times until he groaned and turned his head.
"What happened to wanting to know what Azula said?" Suki asked, wondering how on the most triumphant moment of their life, they could still get so off topic.
"Oh, she just said that Katara was lucky that she hadn't finished her off. Aang seemed about ready to kill her. I almost did." Toph said.
"WHAT?!" bellowed Sokka, jumping up from his seat on the stone steps before forgetting about this leg and began hopping on his good leg. His eyes locked on Azula's from, barely visible through the earth about three-fourths of the way down in the burnt ground. He reached for his sword at his back only to find it missing. He growled and grabbed Toph's wrist. "Yeah! Let's go kick some Fire-Princess butt!" she exclaimed, supporting the still-hobbling Sokka over to Azula's concealed form until Suki ran up and caught his arm. He spun on his heel, dragging Toph with him. "Hey! Watch it Sokka!" she shrieked in surprise.
Suki backpedaled, surprised at his abrupt stop. She then reached out and layed a hand on his shoulder. "Katara is okay now. Aang is taking care of her, if you'd like, I can make sure that she is resting. You know Aang would never approve of that kind of violence." Suki locked eyes with Sokka until he blinked and looked down.
"You're right." He said, releasing Toph's hand and yanking Suki into a hug. Toph was once again, unprepared for this, fell to the scarred ground.
"SOKKA!" she cried out to no avail when he showed her no attention. Zuko helped her up.
"Thanks, Zuko. At least SOMEONE IS PAYING ATTENTION!" she yelled at Sokka. When he didn't reply, she groaned and stomped back over to her original position on her step. Head in hand, legs crossed, back turned to them and blowing at her unruly long bangs.
Suki helped Sokka lean onto the steps and he pulled her close, intertwining his fingers in hers and laying them on his chest as Suki laid her head on his shoulder.
Everything was silent for a few moments until Zuko spoke up. "So… what just happened?" he asked.
The rest of the gang looked around at each other, even Toph turned around to face everyone else. "Aang took Ozai's bending away." Toph said simply.
Zuko's mouth dropped "what? How-?"
Sokka attempted to retell the story once again, but failed once again as Toph clamped one of her hands over his mouth without turning towards him. Sokka yelped in surprise and tried to remove her hand from his face.
"Maybe Aang should explain." Suki murmured, staring at her friend and boyfriend. "Just know that he is not dead, but very weak and that as of right now, and that he will never be able to bend again." She said, locking eyes with Zuko. He paced as she said that and nodded thoughtfully.
"Is he tied up?" Zuko stopped his pacing abruptly to ask.
"Tied up?" Toph snorted as Sokka attempted to remove her hand. "On, no, he's wrapped up in a sheet of metal!" she exclaimed, punching her free arm up into the air.
Zuko nodded thoughtfully once again and restarted his pacing, crossing one arm over his ribcage, resting his other elbow on his arm, chin in hand.
"Are you done now?" Toph asked, finally turning to the flailing Sokka. Sokka nodded vigorously, and Toph released his mouth.
"GUYS, WHY ARE WE SO SERIOUS! WE WON!" Sokka screeched instantly. Everyone froze, and locked eyes until large, goofy smiles broke on everyone's face. They began laughing out loud and hugged one another, even Zuko.
"We did it!" Suki cried out. "Take that, Faux King!" she yelled.
Everyone went silent and stopped jumping around. "What?" Zuko asked, blinking at her.
"You know," Suki urged. "Faux means fake, and…uh."
Sokka pinched the bridge of his nose, balancing on Suki. "Suki, please…no." he sighed.
"Ak-ward!" Toph muttered as Suki glared daggers at her boyfriend.
"So, anyway…" Zuko attempted to try to break the silence.
"What do you think Aang and Katara are up to?" Suki wondered out loud.
"What do you mean?" Sokka asked as he and Suki resumed their position on the steps and Zuko sat down.
"Are you really that oblivious?" Toph cried out, looking in his possible direction and throwing up her hands.
Sokka opened his mouth to reply, a confused expression on his face, but Toph cut him off, holding her hand in his face and turning her head. "Don't answer that." She said.
Zuko face palmed himself. "Wow, Sokka." He muttered.
"WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT?!" Sokka screeched.
"What, the racing heartbeats each time that they look at each other? The blush when they touch or that Aang just totally showed he loved her when he nearly passed out healing her? Didn't him kissing her wrist and face give it away?" Toph said to him.
"WHAT? I thought those were just friendly kisses!" Sokka cried, sitting up and beginning to panic. "Katara's not old enough for that! I don't care if Aang saved the world. She will not have a boyfriend!" Suki pulled him back down.
"You know that Aang wouldn't do anything to hurt her. Sokka he loves her so much and he doesn't need to say it, it's written all over his face. And she loves him. Katara has been hurt so much, she deserves this. She deserves to be happy. Let her and Aang be happy." She demanded, each word getting a little louder until she was practically screaming it, pounding he fist against Sokka's chest. When she looked up at him, his eyes were wide, mouth gaping open.
"Suki…" he whispered.
Suki realized the way she had just acted and sat back on her knees. "Give her a chance, Sokka. Please." She begged her eyes teary. "You can't hold onto her forever."
Sokka sighed. Suki was heartbroken that Katara wouldn't be happy unless with Aang. People would think that he was a monster. He didn't want his sister to be miserable and hate him. "Okay…for Katara." He decided. Suki beamed at him through her tears and kissed Sokka.
"You are such a good older brother." She whispered. Sokka smiled back at her.
"Way to go, Snoozles'" murmured Toph, a gentle smile on her face.
"I have a feeling that you made a good choice." Zuko said with a smile. Crossing his arms and leaning back on the stones.
"I hope so." Sokka sighed again, resting his cheek on Suki's head. Everyone was in silence, but now it was peaceful, full of love and relief. Sokka broke the happy silence. "Suki?" he asked.
"Mmmh?" Suki replied.
"Can you check up on Katara for me?" he asked her.
A small smile painted on her lips. She knew that he would ask. It would be a while for Sokka to get used to the idea of his little sister dating his best friend. (And hers, not to mention.) "I knew that you'd ask." She smirked, getting up off of the steps and striding across the barren courtyard.
Aang continued onto the winding staircase up to the second story of the east wing, and walked into a room that was secluded at the end of a long hallway. He kicked the door closed with his foot and scanned the room. Ashy-colored marble flooring and wine red walls outlined the large room which was lavishly furnished with black and red couches and chairs. A large bed stood proud off the right next to the large window facing the east in which the sun would come up in a few countless hours. Aang strode over to the bed and laid her down against the red sheets and the dark pillows. Aang gently perched himself next to her, gently pulled her up into a sitting position and leaned her against him as he pulled of her blood-stained dress to reveal her white wrappings underneath. Dried blood coated her shoulder and Aang walked over to the washroom, a filled tub at the back of the room. Aang looked through the wooden cabinets until he found a towel, dipped it into the filled tub, and walked back over to the bed, carefully mopping up the blood that had smeared against her shoulder and chest.
Suki entered the long hallway. Knowing Aang, he would probably want the quietest room possible. She walked down the hall until she heard a soft sound coming from the room. It was Aang… was he humming? She listened for a bit longer. The humming was so pretty, she didn't want to interrupt him, but she knew that she had to check in for Sokka.
There was a gentle tap at the door and Aang sighed in irritation. He told Zuko not to send anyone up.
He strode over to the door, but just blinked in surprise when he saw not a maid, but Suki in the doorway. "Suki." Aang greeted in surprise.
"Hey, Aang." She greeted back. "I was wondering if you needed any help, you know with Katara?" She asked.
"Um, sure Suki. Come on in." Aang stepped off to the side and allowed Suki to step past him. He closed the door with a click behind him. Suki walked over and finished mopping up the blood with the dark towel. Aang tore his pants and made makeshift bandages to hold and block anymore blood from flowing. "We can get her to a real healer tomorrow." He murmured.
"You did an amazing job, Aang. You saved her life." Aang met her eyes. "Seriously."
"Thank you Suki." Aang murmured back. They spent the next few minutes dresing Katara's wound in silence.
"Aang can you go into that wardrobe over there and pull out a nightgown for her? They should all look similar, but find a size that would fit her." Aang nodded and walked over to the large doors. He scanned through the red clothing until he found a dark red night gown. It was the only thing that Aang would think would fit her, but it was unfortunate because it was short and it looked like it would only reach the halfway to her knees. A slit ran up one thigh and the sleeves were quarter length. Black lace ran across the chest of the dress. Aang made a face at it. Suki looked up at him "Yeah, that will work." Katara's back was facing him as Suki slipped off her bloody wrappings and motioned Aang to help dress Katara. Aang walked up behind her and pulled the red silk over her head. Suki pulled her right arm through while Aang focused on getting her left arm through, still standing behind her. He gently pulled the silk down Katara's back and turned with his back to hers as Suki finished and laid her back down.
"Okay, Aang. You can turn around now." Suki whispered. "I think that she's asleep." Aang turned back around to face Katara and Suki. Katara was already lying back on the bed. "We shouldn't move her too much for a time or the burn will reopen. Aang nodded to show that he understood. Suki smiled back at him. "I see the way she looks at you, Aang. She loves you so much."
Surprise flashed across Aang's face before he was able to conceal it, but when he didn't say anything, Suki continued. "I think that, the reason why she tried to conceal her feelings is because she didn't want to be a distraction to you saving the world. She thought that if you both were together, then you would get hurt."
Aang finally spoke up. "She told me that she was confused because of the war that was going on. I thought that she just didn't return my feelings."
Poor Aang, She sighed. "She said that so both of you wouldn't have your heart shattered in a million pieces, but by the way you talk about it, it just hurt more, huh?" Suki asked.
Now Aang sighed and placed his palm against her temple, fingers tangling in her hair. "I love her." Aang replied, "And if being with me doesn't make her happy, who am I to stand in her way? I would go to the end of the world and back to know that Katara was safe and happy. Being with me… it is dangerous." Aang said.
Suki smiled, "she loves you to, and it doesn't take an inventor to figure it out."
"You really think so?" Aang shot a questioning gaze at Sokka's girlfriend.
"I know so," the Kioshi Warrior replied. Katara's head turned toward Aang's hand as he began running his thumb across a small expanse of her forehead. "And to be honest, I think she does too." Suki began walking back towards the door, and Aang detached himself from the Watertribe girl to open the door. After all, it was the polite thing to do. Suki stepped past him and entered the wide, dimly lit hallway, but paused and turned back around, suddenly her brown eyes seemed large and understanding. She directed them onto Aang's. "Don't let her slip away from you, Aang, you'll only regret it as soon as it's too late." Those big eyes became serious. "And don't you dare even think about breaking her heart. She already suffered with her mom's death and practically raising a village on her own. She deserves to be happy." Suki said.
"I agree. I would never even dream of hurting her like that." Aang replied back, voice cracking with emotion.
Suki shot him a big grin. "I know you won't, but what kind of friend would I be if I didn't throw that out there?" She laughed and Aang joined in. "good work today, Aang." She said with a friendly wink, and then turned back and strode down the hall and into another room.
"Thank you, Suki." Aang whispered back to her, and then shut the door.
Suki smiled softly as she left the smiling Aang in the proceeded down the corridor until she saw a door wide open and Toph helping Sokka onto the bed. "Hey, Fangirl." Toph called, straitening up after helping Sokka sit down. "I'm going to get some shut-eye. Sleep well, you two." She called, walking out the door, and holding up the back of her pale hand over her head in a goodbye wave.
"Hey, Sokka. How are you feeling?" Suki asked, sitting down next to her boyfriend on the large, silk-covered bed. The room looked like a smaller version of Aang and Katara's, with dark crimson walls and smoky flooring.
"Well, my leg hurts like hell, and I'm worried sick about Katara." He paused and caught Suki's wide-set hazel eyes. "Is she doing okay." He asked quietly.
Suki smiled at the worried warrior, and gave him a lingering kiss on his lips. "Yeah, Aang's taking good care of her. I think that he's going to spend the night with her in case something else happened. He's just as protective as you are."
"That great." Sokka sighed, visibly relieved. "I guess that I can't be mad with Aang staying in the same room if he's taking care of her. That kid needs to take a break." Sokka murmured, closing his eyes and shaking his head with a small smile.
"And I think that he's going to get one soon…" Suki murmured under her breath.
"What did you just say?" Sokka asked eyes snapping open to meet the Kyoshi Warrior's once again.
Suki just grinned at him, lying back and blowing out a candle by the ebony bedstand on her side. "Oh, nothing Sokka," She said in her most innocent voice. "Goodnight" she whispered, leaving a very surprised Sokka sitting at the foot of his bed.
"Wait...WHAT?!" He cried out, realizing what Suki meant.
Ah, I needed some humor after the last chapter. Fluff coming soon ;)