A/N: This chapter has mentions of... activities. If you aren't comfortable reading what is implied, please wait for the next chapter.

Ride or Die

Chapter 7: One Love

Feet pounding against the payment as he ran, his lungs burned and muscles protested against him. It had been several weeks since his last run, with the intense schedule he kept for school and work, he rarely had time to himself, least of all to exercise. But something had driven him to action, to take the run and clear his mind. The previous night's party still filled his mind, making him uneasy and on edge.

He had laid himself bare to Katara and told her he wanted her back. Initially, he'd wanted to wait her out, to let her take the first step towards rekindling their relationship. But between all their endless texts and traded selfies, his desire to hold her in his arms had only grown, making it impossible for him to think of anything but her. She was all he thought about - even when they hadn't been together, thoughts of Katara wormed into his mind at the strangest time.

Like the present moment - running the perimeter of West Lake. When they had been together, the had run this path many times. Running was something they both loved, the high from the endorphins at the end of the workout, the privacy afforded to them by the deserted hiking trail. On more than one occasion they'd found themselves hidden within the cypress bushes, lips locked and unable to leave each other alone. The scenic trail was just one of many locations around the city that left him haunted with memories of her.

Running to a stop, Aang leaned down, resting his hands on his knees as he tried to regain his breath and steady his heartbeat. His muscles sang with painful him, a joyous feeling after being trapped inside for so long. He loved running and the high he felt during and after the activity. But no matter how hard he tried to free his mind of her image, she somehow still came to mind over and over.

Pulling the phone out of his pocket, Aang scrolled down the shortlist of notifications. Katara had sent him a few messages, asking him to meet her and talk. The messages had gone left unread. He was still reeling from the sting of rejection he'd felt at the party the previous night. The thought of responding to her wasn't easy for him. What could he say? The ball was in her court, and he was holding firm in what he'd told her. He would wait for her to make up her mind about the relationship, but he wouldn't wait around forever.

Scrolling through the playlist, he stopped at a particularly sappy song - 'U Got It Bad' by Usher. The song seemed to completely emulate his current emotional state. He was entirely in love with Katara, and there was nothing he could do to change that fact. The hold the young woman had on his heart was undeniable and unbreakable, no matter how much pain and strife she'd caused him. He wasn't sure what exactly made him feel that way. It was a combination of things that made up the entirety of her as a whole that he loved.

He loved her caring nature, her beautiful face, the gentle curves of her well-toned body. The way she said his name left tingles running over him, the way her kiss felt on his lips. Aang had never met someone on Earth who kept a hold on him as she did. It was almost cruel how much he loved her, the lengths he would go to be with her, or even just near her. To say he had it bad for her was an incredible understatement.

Picking back up into his run, Aang drew several deep breaths as he continued up the gravel hiking path. Hopefully, she would give him an answer soon. He wasn't sure if he could take any more yanking around. He needed to know so that he could properly process and potential heartbreak accordingly this time if it didn't work out. If that meant leaving Harbor City permanently, he would consider the option.

In the distance, a female form approached him. It wasn't strange for him to see other runners on the path, but he rarely crossed other people this late in the morning. Most runners and joggers usually haunted the path early in the morning before dawn. He figured he'd offer the other runner a friendly nod and be on his way.

As he watched the young woman approach, Aang pulled the AirPods out of his ears.

"Hi, Katara."

Trying to catch her breath, Katara slowed to a stop next to him, removing her headphones. It seemed as if they had the same idea on how to process their own emotions - running the same path, same old haunts.

"Aang, you never responded to my messages."

In truth, Aang hadn't opened the messages, to begin with. He'd let the messages collect in his inbox. He wasn't sure what to tell her.

For a few beats, the pair stood in silence, looking anywhere but at each other. Aang had left the party early, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She'd left not long after he had, the mood to celebrate with their friends ruined from their awkward interaction. Katara had also been unable to sleep that night, thoughts haunted by how they'd spoken to each other. Guilt had kept her up all night, plaguing her with embarrassment.

During her time away, Katara had closed off her heart to anyone in a bid to protect herself from getting hurt. It seemed as if she was going to have to make herself vulnerable again. She didn't want to hurt him, but it was hard for her.

"So..." He started, unsure of what to say.

"Fuck it, Aang. I want you back. I can't keep doing this, it's unfair. You were right last night. I just..."

"Just what?" He questioned, emotions racing and unsteady as he processed her words.

"Let's do this, Aang. I've been so wrapped up in other people's opinions about us, but I'm so over it. Fuck it, and fuck them. Will you... do you still want me?"

Did he want her? Was the even a question?

Pulling her close, Aang crushed his lips to hers, placing a sweet kiss on her lips. An indescribable joy welled within him as he replayed her words in his mind. He was still hurt, that he would admit to. But the fact that she had finally made up her mind left him feeling weightless and lifted.

It had been other people's words and opinions that had pushed them apart to begin with. She wasn't going to let other people's useless thoughts hold sway in her life anymore. None of them contributed anything but drama to her life anyway. The only person who seemed to care for her in a way that wasn't clouded by judgment was Aang. In addition to a handful of others, Aang was perhaps one of the few people who truly knew her. To let him slip away was foolish, and quite stupid, she reasoned.

Katara knew there was going to be social blowback to them rekindling their relationship, but she didn't care. To let anyone dictate what she did was unreasonable and weak. She loved Aang, and she wasn't going to let anyone else keep them apart any longer.

Hand in hand, fingers twined together, they walked the rest of the path and back to her car. Without any hesitation, he joined her, going back to her apartment. He had her back, she was his. No confusion, no games, no more back and forth.

Her apartment was close to the park, not more than three or so miles away. The drive back to her place was short, leaving them in silence as they grinned at each other. Over the center console, he held her hand tightly, fingers weaved with hers. Pulling her hand up, Aang placed a kiss on her knuckles, too happy to speak.

Leaving the car, the pair ran up the cement stairway to her apartment. A smile plastered Katara's face as she unlocked the door, swinging it open as Aang's arms wrapped around her from behind. Moving into the apartment with her, he pushed the hair from her neck and placed a kiss onto her skin. The feel of his lips against her neck left her feeling warm with desire as she stumbled into the apartment with him.

Throwing her things to the ground, she turned in his arms, taking his face into her hands as she returned his kiss. Even in her sticky running clothes, she wanted to be near him, with him. Pulling back from the kiss, she looked up at him, blue eyes connecting with his grey ones. As if their minds linked, she could register the emotions in his eyes. The way he looked down at her, gaze filled with nothing but love and longing, sent tingles running over her body.

"I love you, Aang." Her voice was a low whisper as she placed another kiss on his lips.

Those words set his soul aflame. To hear her say them again, without pretense or fear, sent him just over the edge. It was as if the hole in his heart was suddenly filled by the void she'd left behind.

Slowly, he moved his hands over her body. Taking the hem of her running top, he peeled the damp clothing from her skin, tossing it to the floor. Pushing his fingers into the hem of her leggings, he inched the tight garment down her waist.

Kicking the leggings off, she returned the favor, peeling the clothing from his body. Both completely exposed, they made their way to her bathroom, turning the shower on, climbing into the shower stall together. Steaming water tumbled from the showerhead, fogging the small bathroom. Together in the small shower, hot water streaming over them, he claimed her, unable to get enough of her.

Running her hands over the well-defined planes of his stomach, Katara felt as if she might both melt, and explode. He'd always been fit, but to see how he'd changed during their time apart made her miss him even more. The pictures he'd sent her didn't do him justice. Between the neat facial hair accentuating his already handsome face and the changes in his physicality, she was sent over the edge as they connected. Sometimes change wasn't such a bad thing, she thought as he took hold of her waist, hoisting her small frame.

Resting her against the cold tiles of the shower, he held her in his strong arms, face buried in her neck. She wrapped her legs around his waist, face in his chest to muffle the sounds of her moans. They had only been together in this way one other time, the night of the New Year's Party. Memories of that night came back to her as he moved against her, held her firmly to him as he pushed against her.

The emotional intensity of their union was almost hard for her to process. The sheer love and connection she felt to him were almost too much, leaving her feeling as if her heart might burst in her chest. Throwing her head back, she closed her eyes, luxuriating in the feel of him. He knew exactly how to move, how to please her.

Even as inexperienced as they both were, it was as if their bodies retained memories of how they'd been together. The feel of him was almost too much. She was glad that she'd recently gotten her Nexplanon replaced, as the last thing she'd expected was to make love to him that very day.

As they reached the apex of pleasure, he looked down at her, eyes fogged with love and desire. He had her back, she was real, in his arms. There was no better feeling in the world, he thought, moving away from her, releasing his hold on her. In comfortable silence, they finished the shower, washing each other.

There was no way for him to verbalize how exactly he felt, alone with her in the apartment together. It felt as if his soul had been returned to him, completion falling over him as they toweled off. Towel wrapped around his waist, he sat on the bed. With their sudden reunion and rekindling of their relationship, he'd found himself with nothing to wear at the apartment other than his sweaty running clothes.

"Well, this kinda sucks. What am I going to wear?"

Offering him a smile, she flushed slightly as she found one of the moving boxes and pulled out a few items of clothing. Katara had kept a few of the things she'd accumulated during their relationship, including a few pairs of his sweats and oversized t-shirts.

With an awkward grin, she handed him the sweats and shirt. "I still have a few of your things. I... couldn't get rid of them."

Heat spread over her face as she watched him take hold of the clothing. Giving her a look of surprise, he found it sweet and unexpected that she'd held onto his things. He wondered what other things she still had.

"This is perfect, thanks." Aang grinned, slipping into the well-worn clothes.

Pulling on the sweats, he tied the drawstring, leaving the shirt on the bed. Somehow he felt more comfortable in just the pants, choosing to go shirtless. She appreciated the effortlessly casual look he had. Even in old sweats, he still looked way too good.

"When did you get tattoos?" She questioned, studying the well-defined planes of his body.

Looking down at his arms, he'd forgotten about the tattoos. While not full sleeves, he'd gotten a few of the symbols of his heritage on his arms. The dull blue symbols curled and twisted down his arms, ending at his hands. The tattoos had been traditionally done by his uncle, hand-tapped into his skin. The process had spanned many days and had been slightly arduous. The tattoos normally didn't get applied until decided by the elders, but as he and his uncle were the only ones around, they had both decided he was ready.

The tattoos signified manhood in his culture, and to have them applied to his skin by his uncle was more meaningful than he could ever explain.

"Gyatso finally felt I earned them." He grinned, standing from the bed.

"They look good on you." Katara offered, standing on her toes to kiss him.

To hear her compliment his culture and tattoos sent his soul soaring. There weren't many people around who understood his family and their way, to have someone accept and understand him meant more than he could ever explain. He wore them with honor and distinction.

"Will you ever get the full setup? On your back and everything?"

"Maybe when I'm married. Those aren't usually given until the elders consider us fully... adult?" He tried to find the words to explain the decision process in approving the tattoos.

In his culture, only those deemed to be worthy received the full gamut of tattoos that spanned the entirety of their backs and down their legs. He'd receive the full span, eventually. Once Gyatso felt it was the right time. He wasn't sure exactly what made some deemed worth of the full set but figured he'd find out in due time.

His mention at marriage sent her into a strange mindset. He'd offered her the promise ring months ago, not an official engagement ring, but rather the stated promise of his intentions for the future. When it came to his future, he couldn't imagine being with anyone else. When he thought of days and years to come, he only imagined with Katara at his side. Aang had no immediate desire for marriage, maybe after graduation, or a few years later. But his plans formed around her, it was hard for him to think of her not at his side.

Pulling back from him, Katara felt her stomach rumble with hunger. "Do you want to order something, or maybe go out for lunch?"

"It's up to you, but I'd rather just hang out here with you."

With a grin, she pulled out her phone and opened a food delivery app. Maybe they should try something other than Szechuan this time, she thought as she scrolled through the long list of options. She had a strange craving for her food, she hadn't had Southern cuisine in a long time.

"How about Taiga?"

"Isn't that a lot of meat dishes?" He questioned, unsure if the restaurant even had any options for him.

"I could always ask for the rice with no meat, just vegetables. And five flavor soup has a vegetable stock, no meat. That sound okay?"

Nodding his head, he appreciated the fact that she looked out for his eating habits. He'd been vegan his entire life, and most people found it annoying when he told them he couldn't eat meat. Katara was the opposite, ever happy to eat within the boundaries of his diet and enjoy vegan food with him. She never complained.

After placing the order, she sank onto the sofa with him, relaxing next to him. They sat in a comfortable silence as she turned the TV on, scrolling through the menus to find her favorite streaming service. Once again, she selected Workplace, the series picking up right where they had left off the previous week.

"Still watching this?" He asked with amusement, leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead.

"I know we've seen it a million times, it's just one of my favorites. Even with all the drama, Yui and Masaki end up together. Is it lame to admit that's my favorite part?"

It wasn't lame at all, he thought, a lopsided grin on his face as he pulled her into his lap. Moving to position her underneath him, Aang angled himself so he laid above her, again leaning down to place a deep kiss on his lips. It was like she was slowly reverting to her old self, the old Katara he'd once known. She was a romantic idealist, adoring romantic comedies and really anything that ended with the couple together and happy. Normally romantic movies weren't his first choice, but he enjoyed watching anything with her.

Aang enjoyed just being near her, no matter what they did. The thought of when her car had once gotten a flat tire came to mind. They had been left stranded on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere and had to figure out how to change the tire by themselves. The attempt had been annoying and left them sweaty and dirty, but they'd done nothing but laughed and teased each other the entire time. It was mundane things such as that made him love her. Even in the most unfortunate of times, she always made him laugh and smile

It seemed she was finally going back to normal, fragments of her old self slowly revealing itself to him.

Resting his forehead against hers, his heart swelled with unspeakable emotion. "I love you, Katara. You mean everything to me."

His words were a low whisper as he bent down, placing a deep kiss on her lips. Closing her eyes, Katara melted into the kiss, returning it with equal passion. She felt tingles run up her spine as he gently bit her bottom lip. Parting her lips, she deepened the kiss, unwilling to let him go.

Next to her, the phone buzzed on the coffee table. As she pulled back from the kiss, she heard Aang grown slightly as she reached for the phone.

"Sorry, the food is here. Should be at the door."

Standing from the sofa, he went to the door, pulling to open to reveal the delivery person. Katara's heart sank as she saw who delivered the food.

"Thanks, man." Aang offered the delivery driver as he took the food, quickly closing the door behind him.

"Jai deliveries for Taiga?" He asked, confusion on his face.

Fear and dread coursed over her, sending her into an internal panic as she stood from the sofa. "This isn't good, Aang. I moved for a reason, and that was to avoid Jai."

Opening the bag, Aang frowned at her words. "I'll be staying with you here for a while, don't even argue with me. If we have too, we'll go to the court and file for a protection order. I'm not playing around this time."