A/N: Hey! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Sorry for the delay in updating. I didn't get as much free time to write as I had originally hoped...


Moonlit Talks

Aang awoke to sound of singing.

No… Not awoke. Technically, you have to first be asleep to be awoken by something. And Aang had done nothing of the sort since lying down on his make-shift pallet over two hours ago. Sokka's loud grumbling and awkward snoring made sure of that.

Not to mention the fact that he couldn't get a certain blue-eyed Waterbending Master's smile out of his head no matter how hard he tried. It hadn't taken long for him to resign to his daydreams and give up on falling asleep anytime soon…

But when his reveries were broken by the sound of singing in the next room, he had jolted from his thoughts and had somehow gotten lost in the beautiful melody. He knew, without truly knowing, that it was Katara's sweet voice that was moving through him. If it had been any other time, he'd have thought the singing to be eerie and out of place. But though he could hear no words, the sigh in her song was enough to make him smile, and he somehow found himself climbing from his pallet and tiptoeing down the hall towards it.

When the form of her body nestled into the pillows beside the fireplace came into view, he stopped, fingers clinging loosely to the wall for support. The small flames in the nearby hearth filled the room with a soft warm glow and the light flickering across her tanned face enhanced her already stunning features, bathing her in an angelic radiance. Her eyes were closely solemnly as she hummed her sweet lullaby softly. Her dark azure robe cascaded around her in an ocean of blue and her coffee colored hair was loose from its traditional braid, framing her face perfectly.

Aang couldn't help it when he uttered breathlessly, "Beautiful…"

Katara gasped lightly, her eyes fluttering open and her humming ceasing abruptly.

He found it didn't take more than a second for him to already miss her voice. "I'm sorry," he apologized quickly, fully aware of the butterflies that had somehow found their way into his stomach. "I didn't mean to disturb you. You're singing was just so beautiful and… I mean you were so…" he trailed off unknowingly as she smiled at him, feeling his apprehension unfold beneath him.

"I'm sorry if I woke you," she said softly, rubbing at the sleep in her eyes.

"No, no…" Aang shook his head, his eyes adjusting to the dim light, "I was actually already awake." He rubbed at his bare chest, feeling the chill in the air as he diverted his attention around the room. "So… You couldn't sleep?"

Katara shook her head, moving her eyes to the window across the room. Snow and ice still swirled outside in the wind, "It's nearing the full moon. For some reason, it seems to affect me more than it used to."

Aang nodded thoughtfully, Katara's eyes meeting his briefly before she found something else in the dimly lit room to stare at. He shifted his bare feet uncomfortably, trying to decide his next move as Katara made no effort to break the sudden silence that had found its way into the room.

Just as he was about to excuse his intrusion and retreat back to his uncomfortable pallet in the adjoining room, he was startled at the sound of metal against stone as Katara stoked the fire, trying to bring life back to the smoldering coals.

"Do you need some help with that?" he offered as he crossed the room, his feet barely making a sound against the cold floorboards.

She looked up at him as he kneeled down beside her, "I guess I'm just trying to be stubborn and not go outside for more firewood."

He smiled at her affectionately, "No need to," he reasoned softly as he gently took the metal stoker from her hand. She returned his smile, feeling the spark in his touch as he turned his attention back to the smoldering ashes.

Taking a deep breath, he released his energy in a small fireball through his palm, engulfing the glowing embers and awakening the fire once more. The newly lit flames burned brightly and illuminated the room beautifully.

He turned back to her grinning, the light of the flames dancing in his eyes. She chuckled softly as she soothed her hair, pulling it in a bundle behind one of her shoulders, "I keep forgetting that you can do that now."

Aang shrugged, "It takes some getting used to."

She smiled, her eyes flickering back to the fire as Aang made himself busy poking at the firewood with the metal stoker.

Several quiet moments passed and Katara found herself thinking about their lunch earlier with Kya and Tantu. She had only been teasing playfully when she had embarrassed Aang by commenting on how muscular his Avatar training had made him… but as he kneeled beside her, donning only a pair of dark grey trousers, she realized that he had indeed gotten muscular in their six years apart.

His arms were strong and sturdy, and she found herself smiling when she thought about what they had felt like when he had hugged her earlier that day. His broad shoulders seemed to carry the weight of the world and the firelight beside him only served to highlight the well-built muscles in his chest and stomach.

She blushed when she realized she'd been staring and quickly diverted her attention to her hands, a quiet sigh of reassurance escaping her lips.

The sound of his voice startled her.

"It's kind of weird… huh?" he asked suddenly, setting the stoker against the hearth, his eyes flickering back to her.

She looked up from her lap, meeting his gaze and desperately hoping he hadn't caught her staring, "What do you mean?"

He chuckled as he sat down beside her, moving a few pillows around to make room. "It's just… We haven't seen each other in six years," he paused, meeting her gaze surely, "but I suddenly feel like it was just yesterday that we were dancing at Zuko's commencement ceremony."

Katara nodded, smiling reminiscently, "I know what you mean…"

Aang moved his eyes back to the fire, a sad smile setting in his jaw-line, "But when I think about everything that's happened in the past six years, it seems like ages ago."

Katara nodded again, this time in silence. It was true… it did seem like the past six years didn't exist when she looked into his storm grey eyes, as if they had never really been separated at all. But then, when she saw the age in his countenance and the maturity in his smile, she realized that in reality… the past six years had been perhaps the longest in her life.

Aang turned to her, interrupting her thoughts, "You've changed a lot Katara…" he said softly, a familiar boyhood gleam in his eyes,"But I'm glad that you're still you."

Katara chuckled lightly, nervously running her fingers through her hair again, "Who'd you think I'd be Aang?"

He grinned, stretching back over his elbows and crossing his legs as he looked up at her, "I don't know... I'm just glad you're still the Katara I remember."

Katara smiled at him, trying desperately to subdue the growing excitement fluttering to life in her chest. She said the only thing that came to mind, "I'm really glad that you were able to come, Aang. I know it means a lot to Sokka." She turned her attention to her hands, "It means a lot to me too."

Aang felt his heart flutter in his chest. "I'm really glad I came too," he said softly, his eyes moving towards hers.

Katara paused, meeting his gaze softly and smiling. The intense affection shining from his eyes suddenly made her nervous for some strange reason that she couldn't explain. She coughed, clearing her throat and diverting her eyes back to the fire with a friendly smile, "And thanks for offering to take Sokka to meet the Bei Fong's next week. I know he's really nervous about them coming here, and maybe having you and Appa there with him will help calm him down."

Aang chuckled a little, the tension in the room softening dramatically, "Sokka? On edge about something? Maybe he hasn't changed as much as I accuse him…"

Katara laughed lightheartedly, the firelight flickering in her eyes meeting the light in her smile, "No, he's really still Sokka, 'The meat and sarcasm guy'." She smiled lovingly as she mentioned her brother's name, "But it really is very thoughtful of you to take him…"

Aang waved his hand dismissively, "It's nothing. He'd do the same for me…" he paused, grinning, "Well… If he had a ten ton flying bison, that is…"

Katara chuckled lightly, feeling more and more at ease every second, "If you say so… So, what are your plans for tomorrow?"

Aang paused, tilting his head thoughtfully and turning his attention to the fire, "Well… I don't know. I haven't really thought about it." He turned back to her pensively, "Why do you ask?"

Katara shrugged, "I was thinking that maybe… I mean, if you're not busy… Maybe you could come to my class with me." Aang's eyes lit up excitedly as she continued, smiling teasingly, "It's not every day I can get the Avatar to come do a demonstration."

Aang grinned, rubbing his neck, "Sure, Katara, I'd love to come to your class with you tomorrow!"

"That'd be great, Aang," she replied enthusiastically, "I know the kids would enjoy it and I would really appreciate it."

"Of course Katara, anything for you…" he said softly.

Katara blushed slightly as Aang's eyes met hers, holding her gaze with a longing she couldn't ever remember seeing in his eyes before. Without meaning to, she broke eye contact suddenly as an intrusive yawn interrupted her thoughts.

Aang chuckled, diverting his attention to the window, "Looks like the moon's affect might be wearing off on you."

Katara nodded as she moved to stand up, tightening her robe around her waist in the process. "I guess I should attempt to get at least some sleep tonight," she said before yawning again. "If you want… you'd probably be more comfortable sleeping in here, and I know you'd get more peace and quite," she offered, throwing a soft glare at the hallway as Sokka grumbled something loudly in his sleep.

Aang nodded, chuckling, "Yeah. I guess you're right."

Katara grabbed a wool blanket from a nearby chest. "Thanks for um… everything," she smiled as he stood up beside her. "G'night Aang, I'll uh… I'll see you in the morning."

Aang returned her smile as he accepted the blanket, the brush of her fingers against his sending a jolt of energy down his spine "G'night Katara."


The late night storm that had raged through the Southern Water Tribe had left a peaceful blanket of pristine white snow in its wake and it glittered serenely in the morning sun as Katara and Aang made their way across town towards the Academy. The small market was already bustling with shoppers and traders as the merchants loaded their shops with fish and goods. The sky was clear and blue, stretching seamlessly from horizon to horizon as the village greeted the dawning of a new day.

The walk to the Academy was short and mostly silent as Aang smiled excitedly, suddenly feeling like a schoolboy on the first day of classes. "So how many kids are in your class today?"

Katara jumped, her thoughts interrupted, "Oh… Well, the morning advanced class has six and my afternoon beginners class has ten."

"Advanced class?" Aang asked thoughtfully, "So we'll be blessed with Kya and Tantu's presence again this morning I presume?"

Katara laughed lightly as they entered the large building that housed the offices and classrooms of the Academy, "Yes. As a matter of fact we will."

Aang followed Katara down the wide main hallway with wide eyes, taking in every aspect of the tribal designs and decorative heritage weaved into the ancient artifacts that filled the display cases on either side of the hallway. Katara made a sharp left and entered a small office that, in one word, was… dull.

A small wooden desk was pushed up against the far wall, littered with bending scrolls and beside it sat an equally small set of shelves with only a few water canteens and what looked like a whistle on it. "Is this… your office?" Aang asked doubtfully, scanning the bare walls and lifeless aspect of the small space.

Katara smiled shyly, collecting some of the scrolls hastily and setting them on the shelves gently, "Well… it's a… uh, work in progress," she explained, brushing a loose strand of hair out of her eyes. "I've only had it a few weeks and I haven't really had anytime to make it my own yet."

Aang nodded understandingly, taking note of the large vase in the corner that he presumed was meant to hold an arrangement of moon lillies in the window that sat over the shelves. Katara quickly wrapped the whistle around her neck and grabbed a few scrolls off the desk. "Are you ready for your first day?" she asked suddenly, smiling brightly.

Aang grinned, bowing respectively, "Ready when you are Sifu Katara!"


A/N: So, I know it's a little short... Like I said, I didn't get a whole lot of free time to write... Hope you enjoyed it none-the-less:)