May 2nd, Sunday, Ba Sing Se

Wiping the sweat off his forehead, Aang stopped by the street, waiting for the traffic light to turn green.

"You know, the notion that pink is a color for girls and blue is for boys is outdated. I, for instance, happen to love pink, and you told me yourself that your favorite one is blue. Why couldn't we pick some random colors and call it a day?"

To say that it was a hot day in Ba Sing Se was a euphemism. That calm, Sunday morning was more of an inferno, it was as if he had been inside a volcano. It didn't help that it was crowded, too, the public masses starting to enjoy the late spring weather to go to parks or pools. In the span of a minute, two other pedestrians bumped violently into Aang's shoulders, making him frown. The sun almost blinded him, and he tried to make some shade over his eyes, while trying to juggle a bag full of pink and blue party hats and his phone, on his ear.

"I agree with you, but I think it's too late now. Gran-Gran already baked the cake, and it's looking really tasty." Katara's voice through the line sounded playful, and a ghost of a smile passed through his lips, which quickly vanished when a kid almost smacked into his bag.

When Kanna told them she was going to throw a gender reveal party for their baby, they had just let her do it.

Katara and Aang hadn't really planned on finding out the sex of their child since for them it wouldn't matter either way. He, particularly, seemed opposed to the idea at first, since it felt a little misogynistic to him. However, upon seeing the expectant look in the older woman's eyes, they couldn't say no. The next thing they knew, they were at her doctor's appointment, asking Dr. Song to write the gender on a piece of paper to give Kanna. When she had said envelope in her hands, her eyes gleamed, and she ran to the store, rushing to buy some baking supplies.

"Yeah... I guess you're right." He sighed. "I'll be there in a minute, okay? Don't eat the cake without me."

Katara laughed. "Fine... I won't, but Sokka just might. See you in a bit."

As the street light finally went green, Aang marched quickly towards the tea shop, where everyone else was at the moment, waiting for him to bring some more party hats. He sighed, longing for the air-conditioned room of the Jasmine Dragon.

When the familiar door frame finally came within eye range, a weight lifted off his shoulders. Aang heard the chatter coming from inside of the shop, his features softening and a smile being brought to his face. Glancing over the windows of the shop, he caught a glimpse of a table in the corner of the Jasmine Dragon, where Katara and her Grandmother sat together, talking. Through the glass, he could still see she had a fond smile over her face, just as happy as she seemed to be over the phone.

His friends from Caldera University leaned back against one of the booths, chatting with Suki and Sokka. They seemed to mingle well together, which is something Aang was really glad about. There were a few presents and packages over the table where they sat by, in wrapping paper. Right across the room, Hakoda and Pakku helped put up some alternated blue and pink flags on the walls. The old man seemed crabby, which wasn't a surprise.

Next to the main counter, at another table, they had arranged a beautiful cake, covered in white frosting, that Kanna had baked. Aang chuckled, remembering how many tries Gran-Gran had taken in making the perfect cake.

Walking into the shop from behind the counter, Uncle Iroh carried a tray with many cups of tea. Being the first to spot Aang, he smiled. "Hello, Aang! It's nice to see you!"

Following the dinner they'd had the previous week, the news of their upcoming baby had traveled fast. Shortly after finding out, Zuko was quick to tell uncle Iroh about the pregnancy, who then got excited, and joined Katara's grandmother with the preparations for the gender reveal. He suggested closing his tea shop for a day so that they could hold a celebration there, and Kanna didn't hesitate in accepting his proposition.

"Hey, Iroh! Nice to see you too." He turned around, facing the others in the room, greeting them as well. But when he turned to the booth, in the corner of the Jasmine Dragon, where he'd seen Katara and her grandmother sit together, he couldn't find her anymore.

Instead, he watched as she walked to the back of the shop, towards the restrooms, carrying a small object in her hands and wiping tears off her face.

Instinctively, Aang rested the bag with the party supplies over the counter and followed her. Just a few seconds before, she'd been smiling and talking to her Gran-Gran, so why, all of a sudden, was she running to the bathroom to cry?

Standing in front of the door of the Jasmine Dragon's ladies restroom, he saw that the light inside was turned on. Taking a deep breath, he lifted his hand to knock.

"Hey, Katara, are you there?" He asked, softly and hesitant. "I just wanted to check if you're okay."

A sniff followed his question, which was a further confirmation that it was not.

"Uh... Yeah, everything's fine. I'll be out in a minute." Her voice broke, sounding too quiet.

"Katara, I can hear you're crying. Can I come in? I'm worried."

He stared at the door for a few seconds, sighing and ready to go back to the tables, but instead, there was a click from the lock and an arm swiftly pulled him inside.

The women's restroom was a small place, so the both of them stood closely. Wanting to get even closer, Katara pulled him in for a hug. Now, her face was buried on his shoulder, and her arms went over his chest. Aang stood, surprised for a moment, but then he rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. Her stomach, which was getting bigger every day, came in the way, and he felt the swell pressed against his own body.

Pulling away, he looked at the crying woman in front of him, Aang pouted as he held her chin in his hands. Although the yellowish light made Katara's skin glow just like gold, her cheeks were wet, and her mascara was slightly smudged. However, even when bawling her eyes out, she looked gorgeous to him. Her lip trembled slightly, so he ran his thumb across her face, wiping the tears. poorly lighted by just one faint light bulb.

"What's wrong, Katara?" He asked, whispering. "What happened?"

She took a long breath, and as she looked down, she handed him the thing she was carrying in her hands when she left the tea shop: a little pair of shoes, made of white yarn. Aang's eyes glowed as he picked them up, and he couldn't help but smile.

"Aw, are these for the baby? " They really were. Both the shoes could fit in the palm of his hand. "They're so tiny!"

Aang looked up to face Katara, whose lips trembled. Her eyes started filling up with tears again, and she nodded, sobbing a little.

"I know!"

A little weirded out, he took her in his arms again, letting her cry over his shoulder. He ran his fingers through her hair, resting his head on the crown of hers.

"You were upset because the shoes are cute?" Aang asked her, hesitantly. She nodded, still hugging him. As she spoke, her voice sounded muffled.

"I'm not really upset... Just touched, I guess. Gran-Gran made these last week. I told her she didn't have to, but she did anyway." She pulled away, wiping her face again and pulling her hair behind her ear, embarrassed. "It's stupid to be crying about a pair of shoes, I know."

He was quick to say. "Hey, it's not stupid. They're really, really cute. And it's the first pair of shoes our baby ever owned, right? So it's special."

Katara's lips curled up, into a smile, and she looked at the delicate knitted pieces. "Yeah, I guess it is..."

She rested her hands over the bump, running a thumb across it with fondness. Hesitantly, Aang raised his arm, motioning for her belly. Glancing at him with big, blue shining eyes, Katara grabbed his hand and directed it to the baby.

Then they felt something weird, and yet, strangely right, like a small, swift movement. Startled, they shared a look.

"Did you feel...?"

"I did, I think I did."

Katara's eyes widened and she gasped, trying to concentrate on whatever she was feeling in her belly. Aang placed both his hands around Katara's stomach, kneeling on the floor to press his ear to the bump.

"The baby kicked?" He asked. "Something sure moved in there."

"I don't know! It's the first time it's done that!"

He turned his head up to meet her eyes. "But you felt it from the inside, right? What does it feel like?"

"It... It kind of tickles? Sort of."

A bright smile appeared on both their faces. Katara's heart was pounding, echoing in her ears. Aang whispered to the bump, rubbing his thumb across it.

"Hey kid, do you mind kicking again, just for us to be sure you did?"

Almost as if their baby had heard him, they felt the small twitch again.

A kick.

The feeling of Katara's insides moving, this time, was not very hard to miss. She fondled her stomach, feeling the tears come to her eyes once again, only this time, Aang's gray and bright eyes were also watering.

Then, joyful laughter echoed through the restroom. He stood up, bringing her close, into a tight hug, burying his face down her neck. Katara holds him tight, too, feeling his warmth around her.

"It kicked, Katara! Our baby kicked!"

"It did!"

Their foreheads came together as she tried wiping some of his tears. Aang pressed his lips to her temple, and that made her body lit up. Their noses touched, and he felt his heart would explode.

Realizing that now, they were standing too close, separated only by a few inches, he stiffened. Her breath felt hot against his face, sending a shiver down his body. Aang was about to pull away from her when he felt her lips crashing against his.

He stood still for a moment, shocked, but when Katara's hands cupped his cheeks and pulled him closer, he closed his eyes and returned the kiss. Wrapping his arms against her waist, Aang leaned into her mouth, running his thumb through the small of her back. She sighed, melting as his lips brushed hers. Her arms rose, wrapping themselves over his neck, and her fingertips brushed the short hair at the back of his head.

It was as if time had stopped, and for a moment, there were only the two of them.

But sadly, time started rolling again, when they were both startled by a loud sound.

"Hey, Katara! Are you there? Gran-Gran wants to find out the gender of her great-grandbaby! " Toph's strident voice was muffled by the closed bathroom door.

Slowly stepping back, Katara gulped, struggling to leave his arms, keeping her blue eyes fixed on him. "I'll be out in a second, Toph!"

"Fine, hurry up. I want to eat some cake, Sugar Queen." They heard the Beifong's steps fading with the distance, so it was most likely she had returned to the tables.

Aang brushed her hair behind her ears, a blush covering his entire face as they shared a panicked look. Taking a glance in the mirror, however, Katara gasped.

"Oh, Spirits! The lipstick!" She covered her mouth, staring at his own, smudged with the red pigment. His eyes widened, his blush darkening.

Aang grabbed some paper towels, damped them in the tap, and motioned for her face. "Wait, let me just..."

He whispered, wiping the smudges, trying to leave no evidence of the kiss. Katara couldn't help but giggle, motioning to his face, doing the same.

"Remind me to never wear red lipstick again, please." She scoffed. Chuckling, he damped the paper over the sink once again.

"But you look so pretty with it. It really suits you."

Her cheeks got almost as red as her make-up. Looking over the little mirror in the restroom, she smiled at him. Then, her hand rested on the doorknob. "I guess we should get going, then."

Aang nodded, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. "Yeah, the cake looked delicious."

Katara slowly opened the door, sneaking back into the shop. She walked towards her Gran-Gran, looking back at Aang before turning to the older woman. He watched from afar as the grandmother hugged her, patting her head fondly.

The rest of the group already stood by the main counter, where the cake had been set. Ty Lee held her phone up, trying to find the best angle for a picture of the cake, as Suki set up her camera as well. Sokka tried to take a bit of cake frosting on his finger but was stopped when Zuko slapped his hand.

He had doubted the gender-reveal idea, at first, but now, it seemed to be worth it. Their friends were finally mingling... It made it seem like they were all a big family.

"Beautiful party, isn't it?"

Hakoda's voice interrupted him from his thoughts. Aang was startled, turning back to face the man behind him. Katara's father stood stoic, with a faint smile on his face. Although he seemed like a terrifying man at first, kindness gleamed in his eyes. "Oh, hey, Hakoda. It sure is."

Narrowing his eyes and pressing his lips as he suppressed a smile, Hakoda nodded. "You have something on your face."

Aang's heart almost stopped beating, but he tried to hide his embarrassment by chuckling. He brought his hand to his mouth as an instinct and tried wiping his lips again, the sleeve of his sweater reddening as he did so.

Laughter echoed in his ears, and Hakoda patted Aang's back.

"Don't worry, Aang. I assure you, I remember what it's like. Sokka and Katara's mother, Kya, used to get like that when she was pregnant too." That comment made his face go even paler.

Like that?

"Uh... Yeah. Pregnant women, am I right?" The younger man muttered.

"Yes, always eager." Hakoda shook his shoulder, motioning for the salon. "Hey, son, let's go find the gender of my first grandkid."

Walking into the full room of the tea shop, Aang tried to forget the conversation he'd just had. He tried to focus on the chatter in the room, laughing as Kanna excitedly distributed some of the party hats he had bought on his way to the party. Toph had grabbed two of them, wearing them as if they were horns, and Pakku looked rather displeased by the festive hat on his head.

Strolling behind the counter, he checked out the beautiful cake Kanna had baked for the occasion. It had been decorated with white frosting and a few swirling patterns circled the top of the dessert.

He looked up to see Katara, now wearing a pink party hat, putting another one over Suki's. Noticing the way she walked, the way her grin settled over her lips, and the way her laughter sounded, he felt inebriated. When she glanced back, catching his eyes and smiling fondly to him, however, he was startled by his friend Zuko, who seemed passionate and assured, in his discussion with his sister.

"Azula, it's a girl." He pondered for a second, then turned to her again. " I am sure it's a girl. I'll even bet on it."

"Oh, I assume you must want to retrieve your money from our last bet." She stared at Zuko, her golden eyes gleaming in delight. "Alright, then. Fifty bucks say it's a boy."

"Deal." The siblings shook hands in agreement, while Mai, who stood behind them, simply rolled her eyes. Aang chuckled, shaking his head.

Behind them, Iroh took his mobile in his hands. Calling Gyatso, since his friend couldn't come to the city, the owner of the shop struggled to explain to his friend how the technology of video-chatting worked.

"No, no, my friend. It's a video call, you don't have to put up the phone to your ear." Beyond hearing that, the younger people in the room started laughing. "You must look at the screen, Gyatso."

Kanna then appeared from the kitchen of the Jasmine Dragon, carrying a tray with plates and a knife, to cut the cake. The older woman beamed, with a grin on her face, being the only one who already knew the gender of the baby.

"Let's cut the cake, everyone! Come, come, honey." Gran-Gran said, pushing the new parents closer to the counter. "You two cut it together."

Ty Lee excitedly pulled out her phone and started recording. Everyone had expectant looks in their eyes, leaning over the counter to get a better look, and Aang's heart started beating fast. Katara grabbed the cutter, leaning into his side and feeling his warm hand settle over hers.

They struggled a little finding a good angle to cut the first slice, but soon, they were able to dig the knife into the cake, hand in hand. With the first piece they put on a plate, the colored stuffing stood out, making their friends and family cheer.

It was blue.

Aang and Katara's eyes started to water again, and they quickly tangled themselves into a tight hug. She buried her face down his neck, pulling him close, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

They were having a son!

"Hey, guys, can someone tell me what is the color?" Toph asked, with an excited voice.

Suki ran to her side, pulling the Beifong into a tight hug. "It's blue, a boy!"

"Twinkletoes junior!" Toph joked, grinning.

"I know!" Sokka yelled, pulling his wife closer. "I'm having a nephew! Oh, Spirits, this is so exciting!"

Azula laughed, punching her fists up in the air. "I called it! You owe me another fifty bucks, brother!"

Zuko looked at his sister, phased. But then, walking up to Aang, he laughed and gave him a big hug. Mai did the same, hugging her long-time friend with an unusual smile. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you, guys. It means a lot." Aang replied, looking at everyone around them.

Turning to Katara, he ran a thumb across her cheeks to dry her tears. Then, letting his hands fall to her belly, he crunched over, pressing a kiss to the bump. It didn't move this time like it just had in the restroom, but he still held just as much appreciation for the act.

So quietly he doubted anyone else could hear him, he whispered. "Hey, son. I love you so much already. Looking forward to meeting you."

Settling her hands over his, and tangling their fingers together, Katara laughed, blushing. Aang looked up to the woman in front of him and it made his heart flutter. Standing, he picked her up and held her in his arms again, kissing her temple.

He buried his face in her head, feeling her scent and the warmth of her hug, with the small bump in between them, and his smile only grew wider. As their friends and family celebrated, the atmosphere in the Jasmine Dragon seemed to be filled with joy.

And Aang was as happy as he'd ever been.

The party wore on for the rest of the morning, and into the afternoon. But as the sun started setting, and the guests started to leave, Aang and Katara still had to help Iroh clean up the Jasmine Dragon. Kanna, who had organized the party, had to leave early, since she needed to pack for her return to the South Pole and ended up escaping the less fun part.

The old man swept the floor, whistling, leaving to him the task of washing the dishes, but, even though Aang usually found it boring, he had been too happy, and that insane amount of joy- of feeling the first kick and finding out he's having a son, all in one day- would last him for an entire month. A year, even.

It didn't make it worse, either, that Katara endured the task right next to him.

Wiping the dishes with sponges and sharing the space of one sink, the side of her arm, eventually touching his, was giving him chills. A constant curve in her lips seemed to indicate she was happy, just as much as him.

Once they finished wiping the wet dishes, however, he remembered the short and embarrassing conversation he'd had with Hakoda earlier. The smile fell from his lips for a split moment.

Had the kiss meant anything to her?

Sure, pregnant women were hormonal, and he couldn't judge her for following an impulse. It was a natural thing, but it didn't mean they were irrational. If she really didn't want to kiss him, she wouldn't have. But she also hadn't mentioned it since they'd left the restroom together.

Aang was taken back from his thoughts when her voice echoed in the room.

"Hey, do you want a ride home?" Katara asked, putting a hesitant hand on his shoulder. "I came here by car."

He looked back at her face, her blue eyes gleaming.

"Oh, sure, thanks." Aang managed to reply.

"I'll go start the car, okay?" He nodded.

Katara said goodbye to Iroh, who waved his hand with a bright grin on his face and made her way out of the shop, to where her car was parked. Before letting the door close behind her, she looked back at Aang and smiled again.

The thoughts started racing in his head again. What was their relationship going to be like? Is there a relationship?

Spirits, he wished he knew.