This is a modern AU set in the Avatar world with no bending. Character ages are a bit different.
Character ages:
Aang – 16 (Junior)
Katara – 17 (Junior)
Toph – 16 (Junior)
Sokka – 17 (Senior)
Zuko – 18 (Senior)
Mai – 17 (Senior)
Suki – 18 (Senior)
It was a sunny but chilly day in the city of Ba Sing Se. A high school student named Aang Gurung walked towards his school: Mesa High School. He was 16 and it was near the end of his junior year.
Aang wore an orange hoodie under a grey coat. He wore black jeans and black and white shoes. He wore a beanie with a blue arrow pattern on it over his black hair. He usually wore it when it was a bit cold and took it off in school. It was currently the start of February.
He walked to his first class, which was Physics with Mr. Bato. He sat at his seat where he was greeted by his friend Toph. A boy named Satoru sat next to him.
"What's up, Twinkle Toes?" asked Toph.
"Hi Toph," said Aang.
Toph wore a black hoodie with black leggings. Her hair was in a bun and her eyes were pale. Although she was blind, she had a way of sensing vibrations and heartbeats.
The morning announcements came.
"Good morning students. These are your announcements," the voice said. "The first is that our annual Golden Dragon Dance will happen on the 12th. It's $5 if you're going alone and $18 if you're going in a group of four."
The announcements were over soon, but the mention of the dance piqued the interest of all the students. It was the biggest dance of the year and more hyped up than the Halloween and Christmas dances. It was the equivalent of a Valentine's Day dance, but without a ton of hearts and red and pink colors, and this was the dance where getting a date was a big deal. Aang went solo for the first two years. This time, he hoped that he could get a date and go with his friend group.
"You can talk about the dance later because we need to do some work," said Mr. Bato as he turned the projector on. He was a tall, skinny man with long black hair and tan skin. He wore a light blue polo shirt.
It was lunchtime and Aang was walking down the halls. He thought about his crush, who was his friend Katara Kuruk, who was also a junior. He pictured her long brown hair with two hair loops, her blue eyes and tan skin. He was going to ask her to the dance this year.
Aang's thoughts were interrupted when his best friend and Katara's brother Sokka came over and greeted him. Sokka was a senior who was tall, with tan skin and his hair was tied in a short ponytail. He wore a dark blue hoodie with grey jeans.
"Hey Sokka, you excited for the dance?" asked Aang.
"Oh, yeah!" said Sokka. "I'm planning to ask out Yue! I hope to get to her before someone else does. Chances are she likes someone else. Who are you gonna ask?"
"Katara."
"Good luck with that, man," Sokka clapped him on the shoulder. "You're finally making moves on her. I remember the day you told me you liked her."
"Well, I don't plan on being official with her right now. Anyways, let's say Yue has a date. Who are you gonna ask instead?"
"Suki. I hope she doesn't think she's just a Plan B girl. I'm friends with them both and I'm not sure who I'm crushing on."
"Would you jump into a relationship with either of them?"
"Yeah, but I'll take it slow. Go on a few dates first."
Aang's other friend Zuko walked in. He was also a senior. He had shaggy black hair, light skin and there was a burn scar over his left eye. He wore a dark red sweater with black jogging pants.
"Hey, Zuko," said Aang and Sokka.
"What's up?" asked Zuko. "You guys excited for the dance?"
"Yeah," said Aang.
"Well, I'm going with Mai this time, so I'm no longer alone," said Zuko. "Who are you guys gonna ask?"
"Katara," said Aang.
"Yue," said Sokka.
"Good luck with that, guys," said Zuko. "Those girls pull all the guys."
"Sokka pulls all the girls," said Aang. "I bet so many girls are crushing on him."
"I'm not too sure," said Sokka. "But I bet there are quite a few girls that like you, Aang."
"You know what? Let's make our moves," said Aang. He was nervous, but he told that to Sokka so that they can both be encouraged.
"Yeah, better ask Katara before Jet swoops in," said Sokka. "I wouldn't mind most other guys, though. Just if they aren't jerks or cheaters. Honestly Aang, I think you and her would be a good match."
"Let's meet up at the bench where we normally sit," said Aang.
Aang and Sokka went their separate ways. Zuko followed Aang as he looked for Katara. They spotted her sitting on the floor of a hallway with Toph and their friend Ty Lee.
"Good luck, bro," said Zuko, pushing Aang towards the girls and walking away.
Aang walked slowly and took a few deep breaths. He was getting more nervous now that he was developing a crush on Katara. He didn't want to lose her friendship, but he knew that if he took a risk, there could be a great reward. Once he started talking, there was no going back.
"Hey Katara, can I talk to you for a bit?" Aang asked. His pulse was getting faster, and he knew Toph could sense it.
"Sure," said Katara and she stood up to walk with Aang.
Toph and Ty Lee grinned and gave Aang a thumbs up.
Aang and Katara walked down the hallway together.
"So, you know the dance is coming up, right?" asked Aang. He made sure not to talk too quietly.
"Yeah, I'm really excited," said Katara.
"Anyways, I was wondering if you wanted to go with me."
"I would love to go to the dance with you."
"Great! I'll go meet up with Sokka."
"I wonder if he got Yue. I'll go back to the girls."
Aang walked with his head held high and he felt like he was walking on air. He walked over to the bench in the middle of the hallway to meet up with Sokka and Zuko.
He noticed Sokka walking slowly with a blank expression on his face and Zuko was approaching.
"She said no guys," said Sokka. "She said that she and Hahn just got together."
"Oof," said Aang. He knew Sokka wasn't too hurt, so he said that jokingly and he knew Sokka would find it funny.
"That's rough, buddy," said Zuko. "But I don't know what she sees in that arrogant guy."
"I don't know," said Sokka. "He's like Jet, but Jet's a bigger jerk. I hope Katara's not going with him."
"Speaking of Katara, she said yes to me," said Aang.
"My man!" Sokka and Zuko gave him fist bumps.
"Well, I guess I'm gonna ask Suki," said Sokka.
"I hope she doesn't think she's just a backup plan," said Zuko.
"Nah, bro, I bet she wanted me to ask her out," said Sokka. "We've gone out alone together a few times, but they weren't official dates."
"Well, good luck, man," said Aang.
Aang arrived home after going to the gym and studying at the public library. He was feeling happy that he got a date to the dance. Sokka did end up getting Suki to be his date, so he was happy for his best friend.
"Hey Mom, hey Dad," Aang greeted his parents.
"Hey Aang," his parents said to him.
It was soon time for dinner. Aang was excited to talk about the upcoming dance.
"So, I'm going to the dance with Katara," he said.
"That's great," said his mom, Yangchen. "You could make a lot of memories."
"Good job, Aang," said his dad, Gyatso. "My boy is making some moves."
"Yeah, it doesn't mean we're going to be official," said Aang.
"It's too early anyway," said Gyatso. "I'm glad you understand."
"I don't think I can handle a relationship at this time," said Aang. "I might tell her I like her sooner or later, maybe even during the dance. It will be like Toph and Satoru. They like each other, but they want to be casual."
"Remember, when you get to university, you can do what you want," said Yangchen. "I'm sure you'll be responsible enough to try going on dates while you're at school."
"What about hanging out, but just us?" said Aang. "Katara and I have barely been alone together."
"Well, that's fine, but just don't do it too much or you might lead her on unless she understands," said Yangchen. "I hope your plan goes well at the dance."
"By the way, you need a new outfit, one that's gonna blow Katara away," said Gyatso.
"Let's go shopping on Friday," said Yangchen.
It was the day of the dance and Aang just arrived home from school. He bought a group ticket with Katara, Sokka and Suki, and they split the money. The dance was at 6pm, so Aang ate dinner a bit earlier than usual.
Aang wore a dark orange long-sleeved button-up shirt and a black tie. His hair was combed, and he wore khaki pants and black Vans shoes. He was so excited that time seemed to pass by so slowly.
It was dark by the time Aang was ready to go to the dance. He said goodbye to his parents before Sokka and Katara's dad picked him up.
"Hey guys," said Aang, stepping into the car.
Sokka rode shotgun while his dad Hakoda drove. Suki was in the left seat in the backseat while Katara sat in the middle.
"Hey Aang," his friends chimed in.
Aang took a good look at Katara's dress. They were cramped, but he could see that she wore a blue sleeveless dress. The dress stopped just below the knee. The collar was white.
Suki wore a forest green sleeveless dress. The skirt dropped down to her ankles. Aang couldn't really see what Sokka was wearing, but he knew he was wearing a dark blue long-sleeved shirt as he could barely see it.
"Wow Katara, you look amazing," said Aang.
"Thanks, you look great too," said Katara.
"Thanks."
They eventually reached the school.
"You guys have fun," said Hakoda.
"Bye," they all said.
"Thank you," said Aang.
It was dark and students were lined up inside in front of the ticket booth. They went inside and waited in line. They saw Toph and Satoru beside Zuko and Mai. They waved to each other. After they showed their tickets, they stood in the hall with at least a hundred other students.
The cafeteria was transformed into a dance floor. A poster of a golden dragon covered the windows at the back, though it was barely visible as it was dark. The dance floor was empty, and music was already playing. The students filled the halls and stood around talking. Some of them had their pictures taken in the photo booth. Aang and his whole group of friends went to get pictures taken. Some photos had all eight of them, while sometimes they split up.
Over time, the students moved toward the dance floor. Aang saw that the DJ was Mr. Piandao, his PE teacher. Aang wasn't much of a dancer. Whenever he was at dances, he would just come up with simple moves on the spot. It was dark anyway and most people weren't watching him. It was just his friends who saw his moves.
Mr. Piandao was playing fast music with a beat. Aang was moving his arms while his legs weren't moving as much. He saw Katara and Suki's smooth moves. Sokka also had moves of his own. Sokka was more of a dancer than Aang was.
Aang looked over with his other friends. Toph was moving quickly, though with her seismic sense, she could detect nearby people. Mai was also dancing, though a bit more slowly. She barely showed emotion and on the outside was visibly bored with almost everything. Aang wondered if there was a fun personality under the emotionless exterior.
Occasionally, Aang took a glance at the digital clock nearby. He felt like time was going by too fast. He was feeling a bit warmer, though. He wanted to enjoy the dance as much as he wanted.
A song ended and Mr. Piandao spoke on the microphone. "Ok, guys, it's time for a slow song!"
The song started playing and Aang was going to ask Katara to dance. He didn't need to take any deep breaths or wait a bit. He was just going to jump in.
"Katara, wanna dance with me?" he asked.
"I'd love to!" she replied.
Katara placed her hands on his shoulders while Aang put his on her waist. They moved back and forth to the music. Aang was making eye contact but looked away for a bit a few times. He wasn't very comfortable with looking into Katara's eyes the whole time. Slowly, Katara was moving towards Aang until their bodies were almost pressed together. Aang took a good whiff of Katara's hair and he liked the smell.
The two of them moved a bit around the dance floor. Aang took a few glances, seeing his friends with their dates. A few single people stood on the outside. Some of them moved back and forth with balloons in their hands. Aang remembered he was like that when he went to dances alone.
Aang chose not to talk and instead appreciate the lyrics and the dance with Katara. If there was a chance to tell her, he would take it, though not in the middle of the dance. If there was a window of time after the dance when he was alone with her, maybe.
The slow song ended, and they were back to dancing quickly. Katara was still near Aang. Katara leaned in to talk.
"I wanna get some soda," said Katara. "Wanna come?"
"Yeah," said Aang. "I need to drink something."
Aang and Katara walked over to the snack bar. There were bags of chips, bars of chocolate and candy, and cans of soda. There were also pitches of water and juice.
Aang grabbed a bag of Lay's chips and looked through the cans of soda. He noticed that there was Orange Crush and gears started turning in his head. He now had a funny way of confessing. Katara grabbed a Mountain Dew.
It was now or never as there were few students at the snack bar.
"Hey Katara, can I tell you something?" Aang asked.
"Of course," said Katara. "You can tell me anything."
Aang took a sip of his Orange Crush. He then held it over Katara's head. Katara looked confused.
"It's Orange Crush," said Aang. "I have a crush on you. I've liked you for a while now."
Katara smiled. "Wow. That's smooth. You know, I like you too. I understand if you don't want to be together just yet."
Aang was doing a victory dance in his head.
The two of them leaned in. Aang touched Katara's jaw. Closing the distance between them, their lips met and Katara wrapped her arms around his neck, while he grabbed the back of her head. It was only short as there were people nearby, but it was long enough for Aang. It was good enough for his first kiss.
"Let's go! Twinkle Toes finally kissed Sugar Queen!" Toph came from behind Aang. "What? I sensed the whole thing, and I knew it was gonna go well."
"Are you two official or what?" asked Satoru.
"No, I respect Aang's rules about dating," said Katara. "I don't plan on having a serious relationship anytime soon."
"Well, we can go out alone together sometimes," said Aang. "By the way, do you wanna go see a movie? Maybe Godzilla vs. Kong?"
"That would be great," said Katara.
"So, you're in the place between friendship and mutual relationship just like Satoru and I," said Toph.
"Yeah, I guess it's called mutual crush," said Katara.
Sokka and Suki walked in holding hands.
"Do we have a new couple in the group?" Aang asked.
"Yeah, Suki and I are official now," said Sokka. "Are you with Katara?"
"We both like each other, but we're not planning to get into a serious relationship anytime soon," said Katara.
"Besides, I might not be able to handle it at this point in my life," said Aang. "And if I mess it up, I'm dead."
The friends laughed. "You got that right," said Sokka.
"Let's go back to the dance," said Suki. "It ends in 30 minutes."
They went back to the dance floor for the last few songs.
"Alright, the dance is over. I hope you had fun!" Mr. Piandao announced. He began putting away his DJ equipment.
Aang walked with his group of friends to the hallway. He texted his dad to come pick him up.
"How was the dance?" Aang asked.
"It was pretty good," said Mai. Her tone had a bit more emotion than her usual monotone voice.
Aang was surprised, as Mai always looked bored with everything.
"Yeah, it was fun," said Zuko.
His other friends agreed. They stood right in front of the door leading to the outside for a few minutes.
"My uncle's here," said Zuko. "I'll see you guys on Monday."
They said goodbye to him. Slowly, Aang's friends were getting picked up by their parents. Aang was the last one there. When his dad came, he walked over there. He replayed the events of the dance in his mind while he felt like he was walking on air. He felt good about everything and he walked confidently to his dad's car. This was surely a night to remember.