A/N. I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.
Well, Aang's life had just got way worse. First, Sokka had found the book… And having seen the expression of pure horror on Katara's face, the airbender knew he was in for a rather awkward conversation with her. He had to explain why he had her book… And then he had made a remark about her hair! How bizarre it was looking! He had done that just to cheer up Sokka, because the water tribe boy loved teasing his sister! That was all he had tried to accomplish…
They had actually managed to make him feel a bit better. Aang could understand why Sokka was feeling down. It would indeed be rather… Bad for your self esteem if all your friends were able to do something that you weren't. And normally, it wasn't a problem, because they relied much on Sokka for things like hunting, planning their travels and things like that… But here in the Fire Nation, the water tribe boy didn't know the geography of the place and wasn't able to figure things out from a map without Aang's help… Hunting wasn't strictly necessary, because they tried to blend into the masses. And they may have stomped a bit on his feelings the last two weeks… Aang had not listened to him while in the Fire Nation School, and had actually made fun of him for his protective side… And then, there had been Katara who had refused to listen to her brother with Jang Hui...
Of course, Sokka would hate that everything he did was either ignored or otherwise not even considered. He had been used to help out everyone back home, day after day, for six years. And here, his help wasn't needed… And when it was freely offered, they had not accepted it, and had not even listened to it… That was something Aang regretted. It had never been his objective or even wish to make Sokka feel unwanted! He was his best friend… And Aang loved him in a brotherly way, like Sokka did with him. He had done that since the day the water tribe siblings had taken him in as their family… Well, kind of a weird family, but one that worked.
They had visited a weapon shop, for the water tribe boy couldn't use his own weapons here. The club and whale bone dagger were clearly Water tribe, and he had left them with his father… The only thing he had taken with him was his boomerang, and he had kept that with the baggage, like Katara did with her necklace… So, Aang could understand what was happening… Sokka had lost everything that made him useful. Or at least, that was what he thought. But that was not true! Sokka was so much more than that! He was the funny guy, who made a long, boring day fun with stories and jokes at the end! He made sure their morale was high after a bad day! He was the person who tried his best to make everyone happy! That was not his role or duty, but he still did it out of the kindness of his heart! That, that was why Aang admired the water tribe boy!
But Sokka had found something to do, and something that brought him joy and satisfaction! He had become a student of a certain Master Piandao, who apparently was the greatest swordsman in the Fire Nation. The man had said that his intensive training would take a week… And they had been here, in this abandoned canyon in the woods, for five days now…
Well, Toph, Katara and him that were. Sokka had got a bedchamber at the castle of this Piandao. The three of them had decided it would be a good time to actually begin to train again. So, his mornings had been spent earthbending, his afternoons waterbending, and in the evening, after eating, he would train airbending by himself.
And Katara had kind of been avoiding him. He could understand that, for Toph was always there, never missing a chance to tease them, and Aang wanted to talk about the fact that he had her book! Really, he did! But not with Toph around. So, they had settled into this rather awkward situation where he and Katara were polite toward each other, but also dancing around the subject… Aang supposed it was normal for these things to happen for beginning… relationships? That you discovered something about the other, and wouldn't know how to react… So, rather than tackling the problem together, they would ignore it until it became impossible to do so. The airbender had seen this kind of behaviour at the temple when girls from the Western or Eastern Temples visited their companions. It happened, mostly because of the distance and the time between each visit, that there would be awkward moments…
But he had never thought he would also be a victim to it. He had thought he would always be open to the person he loved. And he had been! Aang had just… Forgotten to return the book. But he had been planning on talking about it!
"Aang?"
Oh shit! Katara! Could he hide somewhere before she saw him? Well… Maybe he had also been avoiding her. The waterbending training had been pure torture… She turned the corner, and saw him. Well… Shit.
It was not their training yet! They still had to eat lunch!
"H-Hey!" He waved awkwardly.
"Hey… Toph is sleeping, apparently teaching you had been… exhausting…" Katara didn't look at him… or at least, not exactly. Her blue eyes were fixed on something just over his shoulder. Spirits… Six days of awkwardness… And it still felt wrong! He didn't want to be like this with her!
"Couldwetalkaboutit?" Yep. Way too fast, and Aang saw how Katara lifted an eyebrow, with a kind of amused smile.
"What?"
"Could we… talk about it? Now that Toph can't interrupt us?" Please let them talk about this! He wanted to end this!
"Oh… yeah, sure." Katara seemed to lose the amusement, to be replaced by a kind of embarrassment. She sat down on a fallen tree trunk and waved to the place beside her. Aang, however, felt that it would maybe be better to sit in front of her. If they were in contact, he knew that he would forget anything he wanted to say and would just become a blabbering mess.
Sitting down on the ground in front of her, her crossed his leg, straightened his back, and looked her in the eyes. Inhale. Exhale. No need to worry. They would have a mature, normal conversation about how he had taken the book, and how they had nearly been discovered by Sokka because of his careless behaviour. Seriously, putting it in his chest, where everyone could see it? What an idiot he was.
"I'm sorry!" Katara spoke quickly, and he saw a blush appear on her face.
Wait, what?
"But… I'm sorry!" He protested.
They looked at each other, and Aang felt himself grow uncomfortable in this situation. Why was she sorry?
"What about we… speak, each in turn, and explain why we are sorry?" He suggested, waving at her, to show she could go first. Yeah… Real brave move there…
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about having that book… And that I kind of threw you under the tiger-seal all those days ago… I should have told Sokka it was mine." The waterbender spoke, still blushing.
"I'm sorry for having it in the first place! Toph gave in to me! I… I hope you don't mind…" He answered almost immediately, not wanting her to feel guilty for something that was clearly his fault.
"I wanted to return it, as soon as I had finished it!" He continued, but the airbender saw how the blue sapphire eyes suddenly fixed him.
"You mean… You read it?" Her blush nearly doubled, and Aang felt his own cheeks warm up at the unwanted confession.
"Y-Yeah… Some chapters at least…"
"Before… or after… you know…" She whispered.
"Before." That was the one thing that didn't bother him. He had done that for her! And doing something for her, that would never make him uncomfortable or ashamed.
"So… All those things… That we did... Your learnt it from this?" And from the large pocket of her skirt, Katara produced the yellow and orange book. Air People's Ideas of Lovemaking.
"Y-yes!"
Silence followed, and Aang gulped down the rather unwelcome lump in his throat. Had he crossed a line? Had he done something that he shouldn't have? Spirits, he didn't know! Aang didn't know how all this worked! Well, he knew how he wanted it to work! As the Air Nomads had thought… That a couple would just adhere to the rules they gave themselves! But maybe Katara had other ideas about a… relationship? That you weren't supposed to look through the other's stuff, for example? Or maybe there was some Water Tribe custom that said they shouldn't talk about those things? No, she wouldn't care that. She had proven again and again that customs and traditions were not for her.
"W-well… It was a good idea…" Katara muttered, and Aang looked up, his train of thought cut oof because of those words.
"Wait, really? You're… you're not angry?" He answered, feeling his heart beat a little faster at the idea that she wasn't upset with him.
"No, of course not! Why would I be? You are supposed to be!"
At that, the airbender couldn't help but chuckle. What? He was supposed the one to be angry with her? Sure!
"Why?"
"B-because! I kept this away, not saying a word about something that could have benefitted us both!" Katara held up the book.
"But it did! I'm just sorry that you knew it could have been better… That time in the barn…" He hung his head down. Yeah, that had weighed on him. Katara had known it could have been wonderful… And yet, he had just been… mediocre at best! Some thrusts, and done! Spirits, he was ashamed of that…
"But… it was good!" Katara objected.
"But it could have been so much better for you!" He protested. No. He wouldn't have her lie to protect his feelings!
"Aang… It was good… And we both didn't know any better… We just have to… do it more often to become really good…"
Wait… So… She had not known?
"Since when do you have this book?" It didn't make sense!
"Well… I bought it… When we entered the Eastern Lake near Ba Sing Se… When you were unconscious… I… I thought it could help us both… When you would wake up." Katara's voice was barely above a whisper, but Aang heard her, nonetheless. Spirits… She had gone to the trouble of trying to make it better for them…
"Oh… I thought you had it since… Well, since you asked about it in Gaoling. I thought I had disappointed you in Ba Sing Se… So, when Toph showed it to me, I wanted to improve. I believed that that was the reason she showed it to me. That you and she had talked about it, and that that was her way to be nice…" He had been afraid of that. That Toph knew more and had enough material about his… performance… to make his life miserable.
"Aang. I would never tell people about… That part of the thing we have going on…" Katara bend towards him and put a hand on his shoulder.
The thing we have going on.
What did they have, actually? They knew of each other that they loved the other… But they had never discussed what exactly they were to each other. Never. They had come close to discussing it at Roku's Island, and again after the party… But Aang wanted to make sure. To make it official. Of course, he still had that stone that he had put back in his chest, but that would be way too forwards, way too presuming that that was what Katara wanted… He had only taken it with him from the Eastern Air Temple in case of something. In case of her explicitly saying that that was what she wanted. Or if their relationship would get far enough to make him think it would be appropriate.
At least, Aang had Hakoda's blessing… Would it extent to that? Did his permission include permission to ask her to marry him?
Whow, calm down Air Head.
The voice in his head sounded a lot like Sokka.
"What… What do we have going on Katara?" He asked softly, putting his hand on the tanned one on his shoulder.
"Ehm… What do you want it to be?" Came the hesitant answer. Yeah, he deserved that. He had always danced around the subject, trying to make Katara the first to talk about things, and never be the first to admit what he wanted. Just like a few minutes ago, when he asked her to go first with what was bothering them…
He inhaled and exhaled slowly. No need to be ashamed of his feelings, it had never been about that. And they loved each other! But why was he still feeling queasy about saying what he wanted out loud?
"I… I want us to be together. And not sneak around, or have to hide what we are feeling in front of Sokka or Toph… I want them, and the whole world, to know what I feel for you. I want to tell my friends that I love you." That was actually… Good? Finally! Something left his mouth that wasn't too vague.
"Really?"
Wait, what?
"Yes, really!" He answered, looking in her eyes. In those blue eyes… He saw everything Aang had wanted to see since he had woken up. Love and happiness. That was the only thing he wanted to see from her.
"I would like that!" Katara whispered.
Yes! Yes! The others knew what they felt for each other, but to tell them directly, without the secrecy? That was good! And… Had she also agreed… To be together?
"So… Would you like to… to let me be your companion?" Aang asked, looking in her eyes. Other people would have asked her to be their girlfriend, but not him. The Air Nomads had always believed in the one love deal, and so did he. Aang didn't want to be just her boyfriend, he wanted to be the one she wanted to spend her life with. And he himself considered her his companion. He had given her his heart, and Air Nomads didn't, nor wanted, to take back something that was freely given.
"Aang… I would love to. As long as I am also your companion." Katara grinned at him. She knew what the Air Nomads thought about this… She had taken to time and the effort to learn about them… For him! Aang knew that she had done it for him, and that she knew what companion meant to him!
Relief flooded his heart. Yes, they had been in something of a relationship for a long time… They had interacted as a couple for a long time… Maybe ever since that kiss in the Cave of the Two Lovers… But now, it was out in the open! They could tell people!
He moved towards her, cupping her face in one hand. Looking in her eyes, he waited to see something like objection or hear something like no. When it didn't come, he kissed her lips softly. It felt so good to feel those warm lips against his… He moved slowly, gently, and felt her press herself against him. Aang couldn't resist and put his hands around the bare waist of the waterbender. Spirits… It felt so good.
He heard a soft chuckle, and the air hit his lips. Creating some distance between them, he looked in her eyes yet again.
"So… when do we tell them?" Katara smiled and stood up. Aang still holding her waist, followed the movement. He didn't want to release her just yet… It felt good to finally shake of the awkwardness they had been feeling!
"A day or so after Sokka comes back from training? I think he will be over the moon, knowing him, about everything that happened… And we should not take the spotlight, we have done that enough when it concerns him… So, maybe a few days after?" Aang suggested. He didn't want to dump this information on the group, while Sokka was still happy about his own accomplishments. That would be cruel and unkind.
"Yes, you're right!" Katara pulled herself closer to him, and quickly, Aang felt her hair against his shoulder. Spirits, this felt so go-
"Hey! Instead of foreplay, heads up! Sokka is coming!" A shout came from the place where Toph had been sleeping.
Why? Every time they had a good moment, someone had to interrupt them! Every monkeyfeather time! But he had to admit, it was better for Sokka not to see him and Katara like this… yet.
Quickly releasing Katara's waist, Aang saw the water tribe boy approach from the forest. Had he seen them? Well… Even if he had… They had been doing nothing wrong! So no worry… right? Toph joined them, with a small smile on her face. Was that because of the blind girls had been fed up with spending time with them in their awkward setting?
"Hey guys! What are you doing?" Sokka waved. He was wearing something akin to what Aang knew from a hundred years ago… Actually… It was exactly like that that the Fire Nation elites used to walk around… Where had he got that?
No idea, but Aang quickly ran to the water tribe boy, trowing his arms around him. He had to make sure Sokka didn't suspect a thing! From his right, he felt how Katara also hugged her brother, and Toph stood on the sideline, shaking her head.
"What's their deal?" Sokka asked the blind girl when Aang released him. He heard some mumbling come from Toph, but he didn't understand a thing.
"Anyway! I may need some help!" The water tribe boy grinned, and the airbender was happy to see Sokka so… content? Yes, that was the right word. As Aang listened to the explanation Sokka gave them, he knew it had been a good plan to let Sokka have this. Apparently, this Piandao was indeed a great swordsman, and also very nice. He had trained Sokka not only on how to use a sword, but also how to use his intelligence while using a sword. Sokka repeated several times that surprise, and quickness were key in any fight. Well, that sounded a lot like… How airbenders thought. Surprise the opponent, if you had to fight, and turn their own force against them… Huh. Who would have thought the Fire Nation had taken some ideals from his people. Huh.
"And you remember that meteorite thing? I'm going to use it to make a sword!" Ah, so that was why he needed their help. Of course, no one could do that alone. As they made their way towards it, Aang tried to listen carefully to what Sokka was saying. Piandao had been explaining to Sokka that in a fight, there was always need to improvise and adapt. That didn't sound like the Fire Nation way of fighting… No, that was Water Tribe, clear as day. Had this man used every idea from all the nations, and made it into his own fighting style? That was very interesting! It sounded a lot like how he, the Avatar, was supposed to fight… And it sounded fascinating. To combine several types of styles… Could he do that with his bending? Like using his water and earth bending to move mud? Or could he maybe use the airbending to amplify the firebending he didn't want to learn? Theoretically, it should be possible… Maybe he should ask Sokka, later, to teach him these ways of thinking? Sokka would like that… Being the one to teach Aang, like his sister did, and Toph… Yeah, he was going to do that!
As they arrived next to the crater, the airbender sighed. The rock was too big to move, and he knew who would have to do it. Or at least, until they were in sight of the castle. He and Toph moved up, and began to bend the rock. As Aang stomped his foot down, he realized something. There wasn't any rock to begin with… It was just pure metal… Well, that made his life a bit easier…
Toph made the meteorite go up the hill, and when they arrived in the bend of the road, he, Katara and Sokka began to do as if they were pushing it up the hill, but in reality, it was all Toph. As they arrived in front of the gate, the water tribe boy began to bang on the door, as Aang cast a look towards Katara.
He had to look away… She was just too lovely. The waterbender had her eyes closed, wiping the sweat of her brow, and then, she put her hands on her hips… The expression on her face, that one, he knew. Happy.
Happy to be done with push pretend a rock? No… This was another kind of happiness, the one he was feeling in his heart. Ecstasy about the conversation they just had… Joy that she wanted him, and that the world could know… Bliss. That was the emotion they were feeling… And it was good to see it on her face.
The gates opened, and a man, around fifty years old, stepped outside, looking at them with some amusement, but at the same time, some apprehension.
"Who are these people, Sokka?" The man smiled at Toph, then to Katara, until his eyes rested on Aang. The airbender didn't know exactly why, but it felt like this man could pierce his very soul with just one gaze.
"Oh, these are my friends! Just good Fire Nation folk!" The water tribe boy next to him answered, with an uneasy smile. Yeah… really smooth Sokka. "Do you think we can make a sword out of a meteorite?"
"We'll make a sword like non other." Piandao bowed and called another man to help Sokka bring the meteorite inside.
"This will take some time, a day and night. If you wish, you can stay here at my castle." He bowed towards them. As much as Aang would have liked to have a bed for once… And maybe share a bed with Katara, away from the prying eyes or feet of the others… They couldn't. Momo and Appa were still in the forest, and they could very well leave them alone a whole night.
"It is alright, we will come back tomorrow!" Katara bowed in the Fire Nation way that Aang had taught the others. Toph and Katara turned around, and began to walk down the path, but the airbender tried to look inside the courtyard, to see what Sokka was doing.
Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking to the side, he saw that the man, who he presumed was Piandao, smiled at him with something akin to relief and hope in his eyes.
"It is good to see the reports are false. Come collect your friend tomorrow morning, Avatar Aang."
Answers :
CoyoteLemon : Yeah, that was some redemption! I have another smut chapter planned, and it will only become more interesting. But first, I have to progress a bit with the story, because I don't want it to take the spotlight! I have real cool story line planned for after the invasion!
Kalaong : Ahah, I have bad news for you, the next time moonlight will be mentioned in the story is going to be during a visit with an old woman from the south…
Gabriela N. Gonzalez : I wanted Sokka to know about before knowing Aang and Katara were together, so to give him some time to calm down before the next awkward conversation! Pleased you liked the chapter!
Rak : Thank you very much! I have to admit, the episodes between The Headband and The puppetmaster don't inspire me very much, but I'll do my best! I have a really good plan for the Kataang for after, but that will have to wait!
Jjsmith103 : After reading your review, I decided to include it, because it is the perfect setting for the talk Katara and Aang want to have with the others, so that is going to happen! And thank you very much for the nice review, it warmed my heart!