News: I'm going to go through each chapter, and edit typos and stuff I don't like. Just a heads up, in case you guys go through it and see some stuff you don't remember, and end up thinking "WTF?"
You know what REALLY annoys me? Is when you don't go OCD with a specific character, like Sokka, and then people end up complaining about how that character views things. For instance: Let's say I wrote about how Toph thought King Bumi was creepy, and then a reviewer argues that King Bumi isn't creepy. Just because the CHARACTER said King Bumi was creepy DOES NOT MEAN that King Bumi is actually creepy. It's the character POV that matters.
Sorry about the rant. I just had to get my thoughts out there.
Anyways. I have to remind you, that in this fanfiction, I don't write each day at a time. There is some time-skipping.
But… I think you guys are really going to like this chapter. *evil grin*
Xxx
Love is brightest in the dark.
xxx
Open Doors
Chapter Thirteen: The Blackout
Katara rested her head on her hand, listening to Professor Jeong Jeong give his lecture of biological anatomy. She tried to stifle a yawn and pay attention to his lesson, as it was very important to their upcoming report card grades… but she couldn't help but daydream, for Jeong Jeong's droning, monotone voice wasn't helping her first thing on this winter morning.
Today was the twentieth of January. It was nearing the wedding.
Her aunt, Kira, was getting married on the twenty-sixth. She was supposed to go shopping for bridesmaid dresses with her mother's sister and Kohana after school, and wasn't looking forward to it. As much as she loved her aunt, spending three to four hours with Kohana trying on dresses wasn't exactly her idea of fun.
Suddenly, a folded piece of paper was flipped onto her desk. She looked at the boy beside her. Aang was pretending to listen to the teacher intently, but nevertheless, he had a small smile on his face.
Katara suppressed a giggle. Then she opened the note, careful not to be too noisy about it.
Want to come over after school to do homework?
Katara silently sighed in disappointment, and scrawled down her reply.
Sorry… I really wish I could, but I have to go shopping for bridesmaid dresses after school. My aunt's getting married.
She tossed it back. Aang quickly shoved it in his jacket pocket noiselessly when Jeong Jeong's eyes flickered over to their direction suspiciously, but was finally convinced nothing had occurred when he saw the two students' eyes focused directly on him. He turned to write on the green chalkboard.
Then the note was thrown back.
That's okay… is it Kohana's mom, or something? When's your aunt getting hitched?
Katara wrote down the answer.
Yeah, it's Kohana's mom. She's surprisingly nothing like her daughter. She's getting married on the 26th, to a guy named Ryuu. He seems really nice.
Would you like to come?
Katara bit her lip, and passed it back to him. She received another glare from Jeong, but when the old man saw nothing to get her in trouble for, he went back to teaching.
The piece of paper landed on her desk.
Go where? To the wedding?
Katara picked up her pen once again, and put it to the wrinkled sheet.
Yeah. If you want to, I'll send you the address over email.
Katara slipped the note to him. She watched as he jotted down a reply, and handed it back to her.
That'd be fun. Good luck finding a dress.
Katara smiled, and nodded to him in a silent "Thanks". He grinned back, his grey eyes sparkling with a goofy twinkle.
Katara returned her attention back to the lesson, but this time, she had an even harder time concentrating. She was too busy trying to sort out her feelings about the boy sitting in the aisle next to her.
Xxx
Katara sighed as she stepped into yet another dress. She was getting tired of this, especially with her cousin complaining about how all of the dresses just didn't suit her tastes. "Oh, I don't like that color," or "This just doesn't look right one me," was all that seemed to come from Kohana's mouth.
As she felt the employee button up the buttons on her back, Katara shook her head in disappointment. Kohana was so ungrateful—he mother was buying a bridesmaid dress for her, and the girl couldn't say so much as "thanks"?
The employee of David's Bridal—her name was Terra—grinned as the she adjusted the shoulders on her customer's current dress. "All done, miss. Should we go an' show the other ladies now, ma'am?"
Katara smiled back at her. "Yes, please." She looked down to see a knee-length dress that was meant to show off her legs; not one she preferred, but her aunt Kira picked it out.
Katara shoved aside the curtain, to see Kohana already ogling herself in the mirror with the same dress on, family members humming in approval.
Kohana smiled at her reflection. "I like this one." It was red and sleek, showing off her porcelain skin perfectly. Her legs looked even longer than they normally do, and it complimented her curves.
Katara bit her lip in jealousy. Despite Kohana's mean vibe, she looked good in pretty much anything.
Aunt Kira nodded in approval, a big smile on her face. "Only the best for you, dearest."
Kohana smirked, and turned to look at her butt in the mirror. "Yes, Mother. The color sets off my hair," she mentioned, flipping her almost black hair over her shoulder to prove her point.
Kira's eyes flicked over to Katara, who was half hidden behind the changing curtain. "Come on out, Katara! Let's see that on you."
Katara blinked, and stepped out into the open. She smoothed out the silk on her waist as her family studied her silently. "I… don't like this one… Kohana looks very good in it, but… I feel like it doesn't quite suit me…"
Kira nodded in agreement. "I think so, too. Red looks nice on you, but the style doesn't." The woman snapped her fingers, as if she had gotten a very good idea. "Terra! Get Katara in a paler color dress. That should be a nice contrast to her olive skin tone."
Terra nodded. "Yes, miss," she murmured, and took Katara by the hand. "Come, ma'am. I have one in mind for you."
Katara let Terra drag her back to the rows of dresses. "All… alright, Terra. I trust you."
The woman turned her head, and smiled at the girl. "You should. I've been doing this for five years." Then she went back to rummaging through the racks, humming quietly as she studied each dress.
Katara bit her lip. "I haven't exactly had the best experiences with…dressing up and stuff… something… happened, and…"
Terra snickered, and shook her head. "Don't you worry, doll. We'll find you something…" A wide smile creeped across her face, and she pulled out a dress of light blue silk, and turned to hold it out to her. "And I doubt anything really bad will happen at a wedding."
Katara looked down at the dress. It was pretty, no doubt. A simple, floor-length bridesmaid gown with a heart neckline and a slight ruffle in the skirt. "It's really nice, Terra…"
The woman shoved the garment toward Katara's chest. "Then let's try it on."
Xxx
Kohana tapped her high-heeled foot impatiently. She still had her beautiful red dress on, and was waiting for Katara to finally come out to show whatever gown Terra had picked out for her.
"Come along, Katara!" Kohana's mother called out.
Kohana rolled her eyes. Katara was taking so long, she would be eighty by the time her cousin hauled herself out here.
The curtain was shoved aside, and Katara's head popped through. She looked at the group with wide blue eyes. "Don't laugh," Katara insisted, her voice shaking.
Kohana scoffed. "Come on, Katara. It can't be that bad."
Katara nodded, her brows furrowed. "O…Okay," she said, and whipped the curtain aside.
As soon as Katara's dress was revealed, Kira practically squealed. "Oh, my—I should get all of my bridesmaids to wear that! It's absolutely stunning!" Kira hopped up and down in her chair giddily, like a little child who had just received a new toy. "Oh, Terra, you're a genius!"
Tera grinned. "Yes, ma'am. I know."
Katara laughed at the woman. "You remind me of my friend Toph. She would have said the exact same thing." Then the girl quirked her mouth. "Well, she wouldn't exactly be a genius in the category of wedding dresses, but still."
Kohana was speechless. It… it wasn't fair! Kohana was supposed to be the pretty one, not Katara! Why couldn't something go her way for once?
Kira grinned. "Well, dear, the dress looks good on you. Do you want it, love?"
Katara looked down at herself, and nodded. "Yeah. It seems like a good choice."
Kohana huffed through her nose, and folded her arms, looking away. Kohana was determined to make herself better than Katara, at any cost.
Xxx
It was storming violently outside. Rain pounded down on the town, thunder booming and lightning crackling furiously, like whips thrashing through the blackened sky. People were told to stay indoors, for their own safety.
Katara and Sokka were over at Aang's house for the afternoon, and because of the storm, were told to stay the night if it hadn't let up. Sokka was, once again, playing on the Wii, trying to beat Princess Peach at MarioKart, Appa snoozing beside him. Katara was up in Aang's room, just talking and laughing with each other.
Katara tried to ease her laughing, clutching her stomach. "Oh, that's hilarious!" she exclaimed, giggling. She held up the book in her hand; it was labeled Tall Tales and Short Stories. "Your dad was genius! Did he really write this book?"
Aang nodded, grinning. "Yeah. It's really good, isn't it?"
The girl nodded, her crystal eyes sparkling. "Oh, yes! I love it, it's definitely one of the best books I've read!"
The two had just got done reading an alternate version of Jack and the Beanstalk. Gyatso, the author, had twisted the story into a hilarious, odd tale about a loud boy and a smart-aleck giant, whom he had based off of Toph, the boy he had based off of Sokka. The combination created a humorous tale of bickering and making the world come to an end.
Katara leafed through the book, her eyes skimming the pages. "Let's find another one. Maybe he wrote a story of his own." It was hard for Aang to ignore the wide smile on her face, her cheeks flushed rose.
Aang's heart went ka-thump. Just the sight of Katara happy made him want to celebrate.
Katara's blue eyes lit up sapphire. "Oh! Here's one!" she exclaimed. "And it's supposed to be a romance."
Aang bit his lip. He knew this tale. It was one of his favorites as a child, when Gyatso used to read to him out of this book. He could remember sitting in the old man's lap, the smell of peppermint in his nose, and the strong arm of his father balancing the little boy on his knee.
Katara opened her mouth to read from the book, but the split second she did, everything went black. The lights flickered, and went off, sending them in complete and total darkness. A roll of thunder boomed outside, the rain thumping on the roof more than ever.
They heard a yell from downstairs. "NOOOO! I WAS JUST ABOUT TO BEAT PRINCESS PEACH!"
Katara gasped. "What just happened?" she exclaimed.
Aang slithered his hand through the blanket of black, searching for her hand. Once he found it, he grasped the softness firmly, her skin like satin gliding across his own. "Power outage," he answered. "Must be from the storm."
He felt the girl's fingers tighten around his own. "Do you have any flashlights?"
Aang shook his head, even though he knew she couldn't see. "No, but I have some candles in the bathroom." He stood up, his knees wobbly from lack of sight. "Let me go get them." He tried to let go of her hand, but she continued to clutch his palm, holding him in place.
Katara's voice quivered. "I… I can't see."
Aang understood. He felt a wave of compassion and protection for her crash over his heart, the feeling heavy in his chest. He gripped her silky, delicate hand, and led her to his bathroom. He clambered through the door, and with his free hand, opened the cabinets and began to search.
"Are… are you sure you have them?" Katara asked, stuttering.
Aang's fingers found a hunk of wax, his nails piercing the mass. "I'm sure," he announced triumphantly, and set it upon the counter. After feeling around for a box of matches, he lit the candle, setting the restroom ablaze in a dim light.
Katara sighed in relief. "As much as I like the night, I hate power outages," she explained, picking up the small, white square so she could find her way through the darkness.
Aang nodded. "I know the feeling," he replied.
Suddenly, both teenagers' eyes flickered down to their clasped hands. Once Aang realized they were still locked together, he quickly retreated his palm, stuffing it in his pocket. His face felt like fire, and he hoped Katara couldn't see it through the dimness of the room. His heart was beating a million miles a second.
Katara blinked. "Um…" she murmured, "I… I still want to read that… that short story."
Aang looked up at her, his face still heated. "The one about Oma and Shu?"
"Y-yeah."
Aang nodded. "O…Okay."
Once the two had made their way through Aang's dark bedroom and back to his bed, Katara set down the candle on his bedside table, and opened the book once again. "Here it is!" she exclaimed triumphantly, and began to read.
"Once, there were two people. A man, and a woman. They met on top of a mountain separating their two villages, and the two immediately feel in love…"
Aang settled into his pillows, listening to the softness of her voice; like chocolate icing.
"…but their villages were enemies, so they could not be together."
Thunder boomed. Lightning lit up the room.
"So they could see each other without anyone knowing, these two created elaborate tunnels through the mountain that only they could find their way through. They were taught to control earth by badgermoles, a creature that had the ability to manipulate rock and soil. These lovers became controllers of the earth, or earthbenders, as folk stories and legends say..."
The candle flickered. The warmth lit up her eyes a brilliant sapphire blue, sending Aang sailing into those endless oceans of depth. Her skin glowed, the golden caramel beautifully stunning, making Aang wonder what it would feel like to stroke the softness of her cheek.
Aang's heart thumped.
Katara's lips parted. "They met one another every day after that. But one day, the man didn't come."
He saw her eyes widen in disbelief. She was undeniably cute, to get so enthralled in a children's tale.
"He died in the war between their two villages."
Aang leaned his head on one hand, the weight of his elbow supported by his mattress. He wasn't paying any mind to the story. He was busy staring at a certain someone, his grey eyes fixed on her blue ones.
"The woman was devastated. In her rage she showed a terrible display of her earthbending power. She could have destroyed them all!"
Aang felt a smile creep upon his face.
"But instead she declared the war over. The two villages helped her create a new town, where the people could live in peace."
Aang made a decision. The time was now. He was sure of it. Positive, even.
Katara's face lit up with a grin. "The woman's name was Oma, and the man's name was Shu. The town was named Omashu, as a monument to their love."
Aang leaned forward, catching her hand in his. His heart thumped uncontrollably, his knees shook, and his breathing was rapid. This was it. If he fumbled or messed up, it was down the crapper for him.
Katara looked up at him in alarm, but he could tell she tried to act natural, nonetheless. She continued to read from the book. "People… people still say, that… that somewhere, up in heaven…."
Katara felt her heart jump as Aang leaned in. Was he going to…?
"…that the… the two lovers…"
Aang forced himself to tilt his head towards hers. I need to do this. I need to.
"…they… they still… rejoice…"
Katara could feel his warm breath on her cheeks. It smelled of rain, and autumn breezes…
"… and celebrate…"
Aang heaved his free hand gently upward to stroke her cheek. It was even softer than he had imagined.
"…the… united bond…of their villages…"
Katara felt her eyes widen as her gaze met his stormy grey orbs. She felt his hand gingerly run through a strand of her hair.
"…and…"
Aang was so nervous. His face flushed fifty shades of red, and sweat poured down his temples. He wouldn't mess this up. He couldn't.
"…their…"
Their heads neared. Katara's heartbeat accelerated.
"…undying…"
Her lips were mere centimeters away. Aang grew even more hopeful.
"…love…"
Katara managed out the last word, her voice shaking uncontrollably. She waited, as he leaned in just a bit more.
Aang felt the barest brush of soft lips on his.
He did it.
He… he did it.
There was no contemplating on how completely happy he felt at that moment. He didn't care how long the kiss lasted. He didn't care about anything. All he could think of… his reason for living… was Katara. He knew that this wasn't just some childish teenage crush. This was for real.
All he could hope for was that she loved him back.
Xxx
The split second Katara felt their mouths touch, she felt as if she could sprout wings and fly.
But she was confused.
Did… did she love him?
She didn't know.
But she didn't want to let go of him. She wanted to stay like this forever.
She was sure that her heart was about to explode.
Was that love?
Maybe.
One part of her said yes. The other half was cautious. What if this was a replay of Jet? She didn't want that to happen.
All she could do was wait, and see where fate led her.
Xxx
Then the lights flickered back on.
The moment, once again, broke.
Everything happened in a blur.
They flew apart. Katara insisted she was tired, and rushed downstairs, tears edging her eyes and face set ablaze. Aang nodded, speechless at his current wave of boldness.
Both lovers barely got any sleep.
Katara cried.
Aang curled up in a ball, shivering, scared of what would happen.
But there was one thing both teenagers were sure of.
They would never feel the same way again.
Xxx
I bet you guys were squealing by the end of this chapter. MUAH HA HA.
I just want to say, sorry for the late chapter. Lots of personal problems… that, and it's tornado season over where I live. Lots of storms. .
But, yes. They kissed. For a brief second, but still, it was a kiss.
I wanted to keep it vague at the end of this chapter, for suspense. :D So, yeah.
Sorry this one was so short. Maybe THE KISS will make up for it's shortness. -^_^-
Thanks for everything, and I hoped you liked the chapter! Love you all!
Oh, yeah, And out of curiosity, how many dudes are reading this? Just wondering. .