ATLA owned by MDD and BK

Epilogue: Months Later

The sun's first rays peeked over the treetops, and Aang was already awake, meditating on a stone near their campsite. Katara bustled quietly around, preparing breakfast and packing her things to leave, while Sokka still lay burrowed in his bedroll, snoring lightly as he dozed for a few more minutes.

They were on their way to Kyoshi Island to visit with Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors. The girls had been in high demand after their involvement in the war, and opportunities to visit with them were rather thin on the ground. Aang, Sokka, and Katara had received a message a few days before that told them the Kyoshi Warriors had returned to their native island for a well-deserved leave of absence. With their increase in post-war employment opportunities, along with the demand for the Avatar to travel village to village and city to city to settle this score or sit on that council, Sokka had practically begged them to make a quick detour on their way to Omashu so he could see Suki. Aang had happily obliged. Who was he to stand in the way of love?

A light tap on his shoulder roused him from his musing. Katara handed him a plate of cut-up apples, a light smile on her lips. "Good morning, Aang," she said softly, bending down to kiss him. "How'd you sleep?"

He took the plate from her, and leaned into her kiss, letting it linger for a moment. "Good, but I'm happy to be awake," he answered as they pulled apart.

"Oh, yea?" she asked. "Why is that?"

"Do you know what today is?"

"… Laundry day?" she guessed, shrugging.

Aang set his plate down on a nearby rock, and tugged on her hand, pulling her down next to him. She let out a silvery laugh before tucking under the arm he threw comfortably around her shoulders. He pulled her in close, breathing in her soft scent, slightly floral mixed with spices.

"One year ago today, you pulled me out of an iceberg," he said softly.

She raised her eyebrows. "Wow. That's today?" She let out a low whistle. "One year… so much has changed."

"That's true," Aang answered, nodding seriously. "I grew a bunch of hair and then shaved it all off."

Katara made a face at him. "You changed outfits, too. Don't forget that."

"Oh, yea. How could I forget the outfits?"

"I think you might have picked up a few new tricks for your bending, as well," she added, holding up a finger to mark the addition. "Did we miss anything else?"

"Nah," Aang said. "I think we got everything."

They held each other's gaze for a moment before bursting into peals of laughter.

Aang tugged her closer to him when their laughter died down. Their time together following the war had been happier than he had ever dared to imagine. It was exactly what he had always dreamed of; traveling the world with his closest friends and the girl he loved, doing good where they could, helping people where they were needed. Every day, he woke up in a brighter place. While his attention was being pulled every which way, he found that he didn't mind so much, because they were all there, working together. Because she was there, by his side, and he loved her more and more with each passing day.

Cradling her face in his hands, he kissed her softly, deeply. Pouring his love for her into the way their lips moved as one, and reveling in the sensation as she kissed him back.

"I love you," she sighed, eyes still closed, as he pulled away.

He grinned at her, one of those crooked grins he knew set her heart racing (thanks, Earthbending), and leaned forward again to kiss the tip of her nose. "I love you, more."

"Can you guys please stop? It's barely sunrise," Sokka grumbled from his blankets. "I prefer to be up and about before the nausea sets in and completely incapacitates me."

"Don't even pretend like you're not going to be doing the exact same thing once we get to Kyoshi," Katara snapped. "Do I get to make a comment every time you and Suki make tiger-doe eyes at each other?"

Picking up his plate, Aang slowly ate his breakfast to the sound of Katara and Sokka's bickering, marveling at the start of this beautiful day and knowing in his heart there is nowhere else in the world he would rather be.

End.

Author's Note: I hope the conclusion was satisfying! I could have done the balcony kiss in Ba Sing Se, but I just think that scene is perfect the way it is and doesn't need a moment by moment breakdown. I'd rather see a moment of domestic bliss between Katara and Aang, post-war happy and enjoying loving each other.

A big thank you to everyone who read this, and an especially huge thank you to the reviewers, guest reviewer Ashley Barbosa in particular; You took the time to review every chapter, that's so kind, i really appreciated your (and everyone's) input. As I stated ad nauseum, this was my first ever fic, and I really felt validated to keep going. Stay tuned for the next project!