((AN: Short one-shot is a bit short...but hey, some of them have to be that way from time to time I guess. x3

This piece happens in the small time span in Sozin's Comet Part 4, between Aang's defeat of the Fire Lord and Zuko's coronation; think of it as maybe going on at about the same time or a bit later than the scene where Mai helps Zuko get ready.

I do have to agree that something must have happened between here and the final kiss at Ba Sing Se, because even though it looked like a significant kiss (like Katara's way of saying "I'm -definitely- not confused anymore", as insinuated in Mike and Bryan's commentary), it still looked experienced. Aang didn't even look surprised when Katara leaned in. He puckered right up. x3 So, eh...just my little take. Plus you have to admit, the coronation scene would have felt a lot more complete with a reunited initial Gaang taking in the whole momentous occasion.

Enjoy!

I really shouldn't have to say who owns all these guys by now. But I certainly don't. And thanks to Faith Angel for the suggested idea on this one. :3))


Aang let out a nervous sigh as he looked over himself in the mirror, paused in the middle of putting on his new outfit; deep red sash in one hand, and heavy shawl in the other, while the edges of his tunic top trailed to his knees like a robe and his collar was left loose. It was the day of Zuko's coronation as the new Fire Lord, and the formal clothes had been made perfectly for the occasion: an almost-exact replica of the robes of the Elder Air Nomads.

The funny thing, the Avatar thought as the light of a bright new day of peace streamed in through his window and made the dawn-yellow fabric shine, was that he wondered if he really deserved to wear the style of his experienced forbears.

Gyatso might say so, the Airbender thought with an amount of sadness as he stole a quick glance to the wooden necklace that was to complete the ensemble…so like his mentor's, crafted not by Air Nomad hands, but artfully close by Fire Nation artisans. Maybe the other Elders would have, too. Still…I just feel too young for all this.

In truth, a myriad of different emotions swirled in Aang's head, all too quickly for him to sort out. It had already been a couple of days since he'd defeated Ozai…a couple of days for his friends to recuperate and recover from their wounds in the Fire Nation Royal Palace…and a couple of days to completely take in that it was over.

It was all over.

The war, which he'd accidentally allowed to rage on for 100 years…was over.

The fighting was over. And they'd all made it out alive.

He and his friends…they were heroes. Their names would be sung and praised through the ages. Their story would be told countless times, and perhaps someday it would be an epic tale with events long distorted from the reality.

All because of them. Of him.

And still he felt humbled, undeserving of all of the praise. Perhaps it was because of his own natural humility, combined with the underlying fear that his delayed return was still the root cause of the war, and that he wouldn't be forgiven by many.

He knew that in time he'd come to accept it…they all felt the same way. They would all move on with their lives. So would he…he had a duty to restore the world's balance. Almost thirteen, a Fully-Realized Avatar…if the Air Nomads had seen him today, they would be holding a year-long celebration for him.

And still he felt undeserving, weighted by unforeseen burdens, hardly wishing to be granted all of this honor to be bestowed on him alongside Zuko and his friends.

I guess I wasn't as ready as I thought to be a hero, the young monk thought with an ironic smile as he regarded his reflection again and tried to remember how the outfit went. It looked simple; but no matter what Nation one was from, all could agree that formal clothing was somewhat…ridiculously complex.

"You look a little lost, there," a voice suddenly joked from the entry to his room.

Aang smiled as he looked up to see Katara rapping her knuckles on the inside of the door, though she'd already made her presence known. "In a few more ways than one," he shrugged helplessly in reply, giving her a toothy grin nonetheless. It was a surprise, he always observed, how she'd brightened his mood by her presence alone. "It's been a while since I actually wore a shawl and stuff."

"I can imagine you forgetting how after a few months," the Waterbender chuckled and walked up, taking the articles he held and tugging at the back of his robe with an observant look on her face. "Lemme help."

"Thanks," he relayed with sincerity and stood straight like a dresser's mannequin, moving his arms every so often out of her way. "It's not so much me forgetting how, it's just that the Elders wore a different style. My shawl's not buttoned to the edge of my shirt this time. It feels cumbersome."

"You should try wearing ceremonial Water Tribe stuff sometime," Katara muttered as she took the sash and tightened it around his waist, lifting one side of the tunic to hold it in place and letting the other hang stylishly off his hip.

"Speaking of which," Aang turned and quirked an eyebrow (hoping that the pink on his face as a result of her adjustment of his clothes wasn't noticed), "Shouldn't you be wearing something all formal? Royal coronation and all."

She snorted. "Sokka's idea…he says that we'd all look more 'heroic' in the clothes we battled in." Her voice lowered. "Between you and me though, it's because he can't easily change his pants with his broken leg. So he's being lazy."

Aang barked a loud snicker. "Yep, that's Sokka alright."

Her eyes rolled. She let go of his sash upon finishing it and proceeded to straighten out his shawl. "I don't mind not being dolled up and formal anyway. We're all washed and clean, so Zuko won't sic his guards on us for looking like filthy peasants," she mocked.

"Psh," the Avatar's head shook. "You hardly look like a peasant. You look like a proud warrior." He blushed. "You'd make anything look worthy of a royal gathering, really."

Caught off-guard by the compliment, she turned her head with a rosy tint on her own face. "Thanks."

He merely smiled back. "So where's Sokka, anyway?"

"He's somewhere with Toph," Katara hummed off-handedly. "He wanted to watch for Dad and everybody."

"The others were let out of prison yesterday, weren't they?"

"Hold still," she lightly ordered and placed the shawl over his head, smoothing it out over his shoulders and back. "And yeah, finally. It'll be good to see them all again. Just hope they treated them okay in those dungeons."

"I think they did," Aang said, giving her an optimistic grin. "Besides, they'll all be happy now, once they hear that the war's officially over."

The smile she gave him back was a warm one, relieved and grateful for that fact. "Absolutely." She stood up and turned him to face her again, smoothing the final wrinkles in his shawl and straightening his collar, as he only quietly observed her concentrated demeanor to make sure his outfit wouldn't fall apart anywhere.

And then finally, she reached for the wooden necklace and held it up, running her thumb curiously over the insignia on the pendant and brushing her fingers over the tassels on the end, before placing it over his head and neatly hanging it under the folds of his collar.

Her hands on his shoulders, she stepped back to look him over. "Well, look at you," she said in the tone of a proud appraiser. "Very noble if I do say so myself."

"You think so?" he hummed and turned briefly to face the mirror…only to be surprised at what he saw. Just like one of the Air Nomad Elders…peaceful and spiritual in appearance, not domineering or overbearing. And despite his size, the outfit looked like it matured him several years.

"I look like Gyatso," Aang muttered in slight reverence at himself. "I still wonder how worthy of it I am."

Katara smiled and took his shoulders again, turning him back to face her. "C'mon, Aang…you deserve to look like him. I'd say you're very worthy." She looked over him again, her face softening in admiration and pride. "So grown up. Ready to stand and face the world, at the right hand of the new Fire Lord today."

He could only blush and slightly avert his gaze at her words. As Katara kept her eyes on him, there was a welling in her heart and a tingling behind her eyelids. She could hardly believe the boy standing before her now, how he looked and sounded and felt. So different from when they first met. Still light-hearted, playful, caring…but his eyes were soulful and their depths deeper. It mirrored all that they'd been through…all of them, together.

To his brief surprise, she took him into a strong hug. He returned it just as fervently, holding her tightly and nestling his head against hers. Since he'd returned from the final battle…alive…she still hardly believed it to be true, and showed it by hugging him more often, with more emotion. He understood, and felt the same of her. She'd survived her own battle, her own ordeals…to his greatest relief.

"You don't know how proud I am of you," she whispered with a sniff and pulled away to look into his eyes. "You've come so far. I always knew, and hoped, that you'd make it. And now look where we are."

"I couldn't have done it without you guys," he answered sincerely. "We all made it together. And Katara…I'm proud of you, too. When we first met, you were only just learning what it meant to be a bender. You've let go of your fears and faced them. Now you're one of the world's greatest masters."

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, remembering fondly back on those first days meeting him and chuckling softly. "I couldn't have done it without you, either," she answered in kind and pulled him into another hug. And you have no idea how much that means to me…

They wanted to hold each other for the longest time…but after a moment, they heard heavy thumping in the hall and pulled away to notice Sokka approaching the door, limping as fast as he could with his crutches.

"Hey, Katara, Dad's in the courtyard. He's brought everyone back from prison. C'mon, they're gathering up, and the coronation's gonna start soon."

"I'll be right there," his sister admonished and gave him a grimace. "And didn't I say you should take it easy with that leg? I spent all day yesterday healing that up."

"Yeah, yeah, relax," the warrior hand-waved. "I'm watching it." It was then his eyes fell on Aang, and a warm smile crossed his face. "Man…you look so different. What'd you do with the goofy little kid we found in the iceberg?"

Aang giggled. "He's still around. Just…" he looked briefly at his hands and smiled. "Just a little…different."

The warrior's smile grew warm. He and his sister stood side-by-side, regarding him. Their eyes, full of adoration and newfound respect, and relief, locked onto his. It made Aang feel complete, seeing his two best friends…his family, after all was said and done…telling him without words that his earlier concerns were nothing but illusions. He'd done his job as the Avatar, and was ready to face the world with them always by his side and in his heart.

The three of them huddled together in a group hug, something that even Sokka could never complain about anymore even in jest. He knew the importance of the events that day.

"We did it, Team Avatar," he said, disbelieving. "We really did it."

"It's not over yet, boys," Katara smiled. "But, I think we can take whatever the future decides to throw at us."

"Watch out, Future," Aang joked, and the original trio shared a laugh.

After a moment, Sokka cleared his throat and broke the hug, discreetly wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "Alright, c'mon, enough sap for today…we'll see you on stage, Aang. C'mon, Katara…I'll bet Suki's with Dad too!"

"Go ahead, Sokka, I'll be right behind you," she assured.

The Water Tribe heir nodded and quickly turned on the heels of his crutches, practically running for the door and threatening to bang his bad foot on anything he rushed into.

"And don't do that on that leg!" Katara yelled after her brother, but in vain, as his ears were deafened by the excitement of meeting everyone again. She groaned in exasperation and rubbed her forehead.

Aang shook his head along with her. "He'll never change."

"If he ever does, the world will really end," she agreed with a sigh and turned back to the Airbender, meeting his eyes. Together they took on another silent stare, the air thick with unsaid emotion between them.

It was then, seeing him standing there with that gentle smile, it hit Katara full-force in the heart. He kept his promise. He came back alive. He won't leave me…I hope. I don't want him to…and I don't want to leave him either.

There was so much she wanted to say to him…so much to say, but so little time. She was frozen on the spot, fingers playing with the ends of her hair, her eyes darting away from him and her cheeks putting on a shade of red…so bright even on her dark skin, Aang couldn't help but notice.

His head tilted, expression softening in question. But he also knew what little time there was left before the coronation's start. "I guess…you should be getting back to Sokka, huh?"

She bit her lip. "Yeah…but there's…one more thing before I do."

"What is it?" he gently inquired.

Taking a deep breath, Katara stepped up close, her eyes closing as if deciding something right then.

He watched as she cupped his face in her hands and leaned toward him. His eyes closed, briefly taking in the soft touch of her palms.

And they shot open again when he felt her lips touching on his.

She pressed her kiss there, tentative and quivering and shy, but with certainty in the action. At first for a split second, he wondered if it was merely a congratulatory gesture…a 'thanks for saving us' thing, or a 'grateful we're alive' thing.

But when she briefly came closer and deepened the kiss by opening her lips just ever so slightly upon his own, releasing a quiet hum, his cheeks flushed a deep crimson. This wasn't just a reward kiss. This held something more. Something that spoke of deeper feelings.

Do I dare hope…?

And just as quickly as it had started, she broke away and released her hold, her smile ever so soft and her face still holding that shade of red. She looked less like a warrior right then, and more like the uncertain young girl he'd first met. The Water Tribe girl he knew first and foremost, and indeed fell in love with.

He blinked rapidly a few times, his entire body tingling from the contact. "…Katara…?" Aang questioned with wide eyes and a smile tugging at the side of his lip.

The Waterbender straightened up and looked as if to speak…only to be promptly interrupted.

"Katara, what's taking you? Come on!" Sokka yelled from the hallway.

She whirled around angrily. "Will you hold your ostrich-horses?"

Hearing Aang's snicker, she sighed frustratedly, stealing a glance toward him. "I…I-I'll just see you later, after the ceremony," she said, resigning herself to the fact that their time was up for the moment. "Look for me in the crowd? I'll be right in the front." Though she couldn't say it, he somehow knew from the look in her eyes that his questions would be answered later. That kiss was proof of it, and he trusted in it, as much as in her.

"Sure thing," he replied with an understanding grin. "Seeya later."

She grinned back and gave him a parting nod, rushing to catch up to her brother.

As he watched her leave, Aang took a few deep breaths and looked in the mirror again.

The Avatar looked different, alright. He was happier, and full of true, honest hope…nothing false, nothing worrisome, nothing bigger to face.

Steeling his resolve, he tugged once more at the edge of his shawl and turned to step out of the room with the intent of going to wait for Zuko, and walk out with him onto the stage…to be honored, congratulated, and to finally declare the century-long war over.

The world would be watching. But so would his best friends…and so would Katara.

Just that comforting notion told him that, yes indeed, he did earn his happy ending.