So, this was not a planned drabble. Just came to mind as I watched Day of Black Sun earlier today. It was a quick write, so I'm neutral about how I feel about it. lol

I mentioned an Aang x Katara proposal fanfic at the end of the last drabble. It is still happening. I'll likely post it Friday or Saturday as a separate one-shot.

As always, enjoy and review if you would like. 😊 Happy (almost) New Year!

Disclaimer:

I do not own ATLA or any of its characters. If I did, this would not be a fanfiction, it would have been part of the show.

The sun was out, and their submarines were destroyed. She had just bid another farewell to her father and while she felt disappointed, she did not feel entirely sad. This could have been a lot worse.

Her attention turned to the boy -the Avatar- kneeling on Appa's head. She knelt beside him, wanting to be near him, to comfort him.

Katara did not know why, but she felt such an urge to kiss him in that moment. After the day they had had, she wanted to call him 'sweetie' and tell him everything would be fine.

Sweetie? Where did that even come from?

And that urge to kiss him, it didn't feel like a normal thing. It was different.

...Then again, hasn't it always been different with him?

The kiss she intended was not the kind her mother or Gran-gran had placed on her forehead after she had fallen or gotten hurt. It wasn't even the kind she had placed on his cheek countless times before.

Though I bet he's kept count.

No, Katara wanted to kiss Aang. Really kiss him.

She had her arm around his shoulder now. He looked so downtrodden and all she wanted to do was take her comforting gesture a step further. She was in the perfect position to do so. And his lips had been so soft in their kiss just hours ago… It was so very tempting to think about brushing against them again.

What if I just lean in? He did that, so why shouldn't I?

Katara squeezed his shoulders ever so slightly and smiled at him when he looked at her. Their eyes met briefly, and she saw something there that made her feel funny.

Now is probably not the time for a kiss. But when will it be? This war feels endless.

Tears were in his eyes. Yes, they had just failed quite miserably in their mission. No, he had not defeated the Fire Lord. She didn't think he was weak or a failure, though. No, not even for a second.

I know he must feel that way about himself now. But he's been so brave through all of this.

As Aang stood tall and addressed their comrades -my father- she considered him to be the strongest man she knew.

And that's when Katara realized something she had not allowed to permeate her thoughts before.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Maybe I should keep this to myself for a while.

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Haru sighed internally.

He watched Katara gaze at Aang in a way he wasn't sure even she realized.

He had not said anything about it to anyone yet, but he had caught the kiss earlier. Peering out from the submarine vessel hatch to watch as Sokka, Toph, and Katara bid their farewells to Aang, Haru had seen the quick kiss between the two benders.

At least it looked like they hadn't done that before.

Another sigh.

Aang had initiated the kiss of course, but Katara did not pull away. The blush on her face and obviously distracted gaze she held after him said it all.

And now, just hours later they were sitting on Appa waiting to take off. The mission had been a complete failure. Again, he would be apart from his father.

No, he felt stronger this time. He knew this would be temporary.

If I can just show her that I can be her strength too...

Haru had hoped to spend some time with the beautiful waterbender that had inspired him, his father, and his whole village all those months ago. Who wouldn't be captive to those eyes and that strength? Though he had not hoped for it to be under these circumstances.

And Haru had not anticipated that a small air nomad would have Katara's attention now. He had been so sure that there had been a mutual attraction back when they took back his village. He hadn't noticed anything between her and Aang then.

Something is obviously there now.

As they flew off, with Aang at the helm and Katara back in the saddle, Haru thought he would try to talk to her. He stroked his mustache, hoping he could draw her attention with his more mature appearance. Certainly, he was more appealing than a bald, short -albeit powerful and altruistic- air nomad.

"That was some battle, don't you think," he said out loud to no one really but hoped Katara would hear him.

Sokka responded instead.

"That's for sure. That timeframe was tight, but we did some damage and at least we came out safely. We'll just have to prepare more for next time and get Aang ready."

Katara looked up from her cloud-gazing.

"I'm just glad Aang came out of that battle alive this time. I don't know what we would have done then," she said as she glanced at the airbender that was concentrating on guiding the sky bison.

"Yeah, glad he's alright…"

It didn't look like Katara was hoping for alone time with Haru.

Great.

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Hakoda had noticed.

His daughter was certainly not the best at hiding her feelings. Not from her father at least.

She wore her heart on her sleeve, her emotions raw on most occasions. There for anyone to see. She was like her mother in that way.

Nevertheless, Katara seemed to want to hide these emotions. She had perhaps done a good job. Her brother and companions did not seem to realize what she was hiding.

But Hakoda had noticed.

Can't get anything by your old man.

It had been clear from the beginning that this boy, this young man was very important to his daughter. Not simply because he was the Avatar.

No, not even his daughter with the heart of solid gold would have acted this way toward just anyone. Hope of the world or not.

Hakoda could have counted all the overt indications of her feelings that he had witnessed.

The way she stayed by his bedside just about every waking moment -and nights, but Aang had been in a coma- and cared for him so tenderly. The absolute elation to see him awake and walking...and the devastation in her eyes at his disappearance.

It was in her need to care for and protect him. It was evident when she had bid him farewell -her own father after so long apart- because she had to follow this young man.

To the ends of the earth.

The list went on.

And it was clear as day right now that his daughter loved the Avatar.

Her arm around his shoulder, the reassuring smile on her face, and the look of adoration in her eyes as Aang spoke to the group said it all.

No, his daughter could not hide her feelings. It was a good thing that the Avatar could not hide his feelings either. He knew that young man loved Katara with his entire being and would never break his daughter's heart.

As they flew off on the flying bison, leaving the gathered battalion to wait for their impending capture, Hakoda felt a hand on his shoulder.

He looked back to see Bato grinning at him.

"It looks like your grandchildren will be airbenders," he said with a small laugh, trying to bring some light to this somber moment.

Hakoda felt a small pang in his chest. His little girl was growing up and falling in love.

I wish you were here, Kya.

He nodded slowly at Bato.

"Who better than the Avatar to trust with my little girl," he chuckled.

Right then, a battalion of Fire Nation soldiers surrounded them.

Welp. That's that. Be on the lookout for a separate one-shot for the proposal and some drabbles added to this series.

Leave a review if it so pleases you. Thanks for reading! 😊