A/N: This one is a favorite of mine. For some reason, I really like drunk!Aang... Haha! Also, I always forget that you can reply to comments now! I'm old-school; we definitely didn't have that way back when. So if you don't get a reply from me, I'm sorry. (My mind is slipping away...!)

Keepsies

When the three of them came tumbling into the house at who-knows-what time, Katara suspected both her brother and Toph to be wasted (it was their usual outing). What she didn't expect to see was Aang, cheeks tinted red, falling over right along with them. She put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. He should have known better.

"Heeeeey, Kat'ra!" Sokka chirped, giving her an enthusiastic wave. "We… we had a race. I 'on!"

Toph pushed the stumbling watertribe warrior away, snorting. "Ya, well, Twinkletoes here izza lightweight!" This elicited laughter from the two (save for a certain airbender, who was currently staring at the floor and swaying).

"I think you should all go to bed," Katara warned, stance still like that of a disapproving mother.

"Party pooper!"

"Y-yaa! Porty paaper!"

She groaned and began shooing the two down the hallway, watching them carefully. After drinking all night, they would oftentimes come home and decide to eat everything in the kitchen…. That wasn't exactly a part of her plans, seeing as she'd just gone shopping today. Once both doors had been shut, she let out a sigh. One more to go.

Hands suddenly snaked around her waist. She felt Aang's head nuzzle against her shoulder as he slid up behind her. "Katara," he breathed softly.

Face flushed, she couldn't help but chuckle. So he was an affectionate drunk, huh? "You," she whispered, "need to go to sleep."

"D'n wanna." He pulled her closer. She shivered as his fingers moved playfully over her stomach.

"It's better if you get some rest, Aang."

His hands roamed higher, and he placed a few kisses on her neck. "…'love you."

She smiled and murmured, "I love you, too." Slowly, she turned herself around, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"…'m so glad," he slurred. She could practically taste the liquor on his breath as she pressed her forehead to his. His grip on her tightened, and he met her gaze. "'m so glad I c'n keep you."

Eyes widening in surprise, she asked, "Why wouldn't you be able to keep me?"

"B'cause," he replied, "dumb Avatar stuff… s'not easy." Katara tilted her head in confusion, ignoring the heat spreading through her body as he traced her back.

Aang suddenly laughed, a dopy type of laugh that almost broke the intimate moment (well, as intimate as it could be when your significant other was drunk). "You c'n keep me, too. We're keepsies…."

The young woman rolled her eyes. "Come on. Let's get you to bed."

"…ah, sleep is g-good. S'long as you stay w'th me."

So she held him as he fell asleep, listening to the gentle breaths that she would be able to keep forever.

04-29-08