Longing looks? She could deal with those.

Swooning? Sometimes inconvenient, but not too much of an issue.

Lustful stares? Well, that could just get embarrassing for all involved. Especially if lip-licking were involved. But generally the person got the hint quickly and slunk off with their proverbial tail between their legs.

But this was new. This expression on this woman's face as she gazed at Aang was new.

And Katara didn't like it.

At all.

Aang's eyes suddenly swung toward her, making feel slightly put out to have been caught looking. But when he flashed her a big smile, Katara couldn't help but return it – albeit a much dimmer version. Her smile vanished completely, however, when Aang's companion gave a quick, shamefaced glance in Katara's direction before literally turning her back while Aang, seemingly oblivious, resumed their conversation.

Katara gritted her teeth. Guilt. That was the look on that woman's face whenever she looked at Aang. Not adoration, not hero-worship, not even desire. Guilt. And that the woman's air of contrition seemed to sharpen rather than lessen whenever she spotted Katara put her on edge. Why was this person looking so guilty? What is it she wanted with Aang? Or, more to the point, wanted to do with Aang?

"Having fun?"

Katara nearly jumped at the voice. The council chambers had emptied out so quickly after the Cranefish Town Business Council's monthly meeting that she thought she was the only person left in the building besides Aang … and her.

That was obviously not the case, and Katara found herself a little disoriented as she blinked down at Toph Beifong, earthbending and metalbending prodigy, and budding entrepreneur. Right now, Toph looked very little like any of those things – she was yawning and digging a fist into her eye like an overtired child.

"I didn't realize you were still here," said Katara, her voice a little sharp. "Didn't you say you were going to slip out before the debates started and get some sleep?"

"Eh, I wanted to check in with my dad about changes I want to make to the plant. This is the longest we've been in the same place together all week," Toph said, stifling another yawn. "Plus, I wanted to hear the debates about Air Temple Island. It's about time they've gotten off their asses about starting construction. What's Twinkletoes think about it all? He must be thrilled."

"I suppose so." Katara's jaw tightened. "We haven't had a chance to discuss it yet. He's been talking to Chae since the meeting ended."

Toph shrugged. "Guess that makes sense, since she's designing most of it. You and Twinkletoes got lucky that Kuei was willing to spare her. She's pretty hot stuff these days. My dad wanted her to design a pavilion for his new manor house and she said she'd put him on the waiting list … it's already five years long!"

Katara rolled her eyes. She didn't need to be reminded of how hot the woman at Aang's side was.

And to think – she'd initially been intrigued when she'd first heard the name Chae So and learned about the woman's background. A war orphan who grew up in the lower rung a Ba Sing Se, she'd kept herself occupied by drawing her visions of the buildings she'd hoped would be constructed in the wake of the Fire Nation's destruction. Chae had turned 17 the year of Aang's triumph and sent her "scribblings," as she called them, to the head of the architecture program at Ba Sing Se University, expecting nothing, but figuring it was worth a shot. She was admitted to the prestigious college with almost indecent haste. After a year of schooling, she was hailed as a prodigy.

That Chae was a Nonbender was not considered a handicap to her profession, though Toph had once mentioned most of the leading architects in the Earth Kingdom tended to be powerful Earthbenders. It hadn't mattered in this case. At only 28, Chae had built a name for herself as the Earth Kingdom's foremost architect, having been chosen by King Kuei himself to design the memorial shrine to his parents that now sat at the approach to the Royal Palace's main gates.

Katara had been thrilled that such a hard-luck story had a happy ending, and she was also very pleased that a woman had snagged the prestigious assignment to help create the Avatar's new home.

But then she'd actually met Chae.

Tall, extremely attractive, and with a winning smile, it was clear to see why so many in the Earth Kingdom sang Chae's praises beyond her architectural skills. Katara felt drawn to her, and was looking forward to getting to know her. Toph and Suki were wonderful, but Katara wanted to widen her circle of girl friends, especially as once Air Temple Island was complete, she'd be cut off from socializing on the mainland except tea breaks with other Healers that were working in the new clinic Katara had founded at the edge of town.

To Katara's chagrin, a friendship with Chae did not materialize. In fact, when Aang had introduced them, Chae had barely made eye contact with her, mumbling something indistinct before blushing as red as a dragonlily and turning almost her entire attention back to Aang. It had been the same deal every time she crossed paths with Chae thereafter: words spoken in an undertone, an averted gaze – or the moments there was brief eye contact, an expression that flashed on her face that Katara had not been able to place until now. But whenever Aang was in close proximity, Chae would look at him as if the sun shone out of his –

"– What's your problem? You're breathing really hard all of a sudden."

Katara made a shocked noise. She'd been so deep in thought that she'd all but forgotten Toph was still at her side. Toph and her bare feet and her monkeyfeathering inconvenient seismic sense.

"I'm all right." Katara rounded her shoulders in an almost-defensive gesture. "It's just that Aang and Chae have been talking a long time, and I'd hoped we'd be home by now. Neither of us has eaten, and I'm exhausted from my rotation today at the clinic."

"Well, tell Twinkletoes to wrap it up. You know how chatty he can get when he's talking about Air Nomad stuff –"

Toph suddenly paused, tilting her head. Katara suddenly felt cold sweat snaking down her back.

"No. That's not it." Toph looked up at her, one eyebrow high. "Now your heart rate's racing and you're still breathing like a stuck. You're pissed about something, and it's not that the tofu dumplings are getting cold. What is it? C'mon, Sweetness … give."

Katara knew it was pointless to deny that anything was wrong – not with Toph right there, ten toes down, able to catch her out in a lie.

Glancing over at where Aang was still deep in conversation, she grimaced when Chae looked over at the same time and then quickly turned her head, angling her body away again and laughing rather ostentatiously at something Aang had said.

"I just …" Katara lowered her voice and guided Toph over to a quiet corner. "Look, Chae's got a crush on Aang. It's pretty obvious, and it's a little annoying. That's all."

That's all? Why would that even bother you?" Toph's eyebrows drew down sharply. "Every time Aang steps out the door, he's surrounded by a bunch of people who'd kill for a chance to get their hands down his loincloth. It's been like that forever. What's the big deal about one person?"

Katara thought about the guilty flush that crept up Chae's face whenever she looked at her and sighed.

"It's not a big deal … really. It's just … she seems different from the others. I guess."

"Different how?"

Nibbling her bottom lip, Katara thought it over for a second.

"Well, women openly flirt with him whenever I'm around – that's extremely annoying, but I'm used to it." Her voice held a weary note. "Plus, Aang shuts it down every time. But Chae … it's like she's sorry. Like she feels bad that she's into him, but she can't help herself or something. She won't even look at me or talk to me at all – like she's afraid I'm going to … to …"

"Freeze her in a block of ice?"

"Or something," muttered Katara, banishing the thought from her mind. "Maybe I'm being ridiculous, but I feel less threatened when the people who are after Aang aren't hiding it. What they want is out there in the open – it's acknowledged and we can all move on. This sort of secret crush just makes me … uncomfortable."

"You can't think Twinkletoes is into it –"

"– Of course not!" Katara's eyes flashed and she resisted the urge to look over at where Aang and Chae were still talking. "But ever since she started working on the plans for Air Temple Island, she's meeting with Aang all the time now – even at the house. It's just irritating to constantly be around someone who is terrible at hiding how much she wants to poach my fiance!"

Toph rubbed her chin. "I've met Chae a few times at the meet-and-greets my dad insists we have with other Cranefish Town business owners. I never got any sort of sneaky vibe from her, and to be honest, I really wouldn't have thought Twinkletoes was her type. But I guess I can understand what you mean. My dad finally got Satoru some extra help, and one of the girls is always hanging around, laughing at his jokes. It's so obvious she wants to sit on his fa–"

"– Yes, thanks Toph, I get the picture."

Katara didn't want to hurt her friend's feelings, but she also knew that Toph could be a lot more open about her love life than was necessary, or advised – especially in public.

"Go over there and tell Twinkletoes that if he doesn't take you home right now, the only balls getting any attention tonight will be the ones covered in sesame seeds –"

"Toph!"

"Want me to tell him? You know I will."

"No!"

Katara flinched at how loud her voice sounded. "No," she repeated in a lower voice. "I'm going to say something, I just …"

Her voice trailed off and something in her stomach twisted. The collegial conversation Aang and Chae had been having seemed to have gone into deeper waters. Aang was now looking at Chae with an expression that blended concern with what Katara could only describe as … incredulity.

Chae was speaking rapidly, but her eyes were glued to the ground and there was a flaming blush on her cheeks that looked almost painful. Almost abruptly, Chae stopped finally talking, but she still didn't look up.

Katara's heart pounded painfully against her rib cage when she saw Aang rub the back of his neck, the way he often did when flustered or nervous about something, before starting to speak.

Was it her imagination, or had Chae moved closer to him? Katara couldn't quite make out what Aang was saying, but she could hear snips even from across the room. Chae didn't need to be that close!

"What's happening? Something's happening, I can tell!"

Toph was clearly making an effort to keep her voice down, but Katara feared that in another moment she would lose the battle. "C'mon Sugar Queen, take pity on a blind girl!"

"I - I don't know what's happening really," stammered Katara as she watched Chae, who was blushing even harder, respond to whatever Aang had said.

"… I think Chae may have actually propositioned Aang! He looks like he just swallowed a spiderfly. And Chae's bright-red and can barely look at him."

"Poor Twinkletoes. Can't be easy to go out every day and have a new person wanting to jump your bones just because you're the Avatar and you have cool tattoos. Is he letting her down gently?"

"He's saying something that it doesn't look like she wants to hear." Katara decided that it was probably for the best to ignore Toph's 'jump his bones' comment. "But I'm not sure –"

Katara broke off when she saw Aang look over at her, a slightly sheepish expression making him look a bit younger than his 20 years. Chae, too, looked up and over at her at that same moment. It was the first time Katara could recall the woman ever looking her full in the face for more than a quick second or two. Chae's eyes were suspiciously shiny and her chin was trembling, but she made an effort to smile, but .

"Actually, Toph, I think you were right a little while ago," said Katara, trying not to frown. "It's time for me to help Aang call it a night. See you soon?"

"Sure. I'll be around. You need anybody to kick some ass, let me know."

Katara smiled in spite of herself.

"You're the best, Toph," she said, meaning it. "Thanks."

When Toph's footfalls faded and Katara was sure that only the three of them were left, she breathed deeply and walked unhurriedly – she hoped – to where Aang and Chae were standing together. Katara felt a bit uneasy – both Aang and Chae looked a bit out of sorts. It took a few seconds for Katara to push past her discomfort, and she stitched what she hoped was an unbothered smile on her face as she turned to Chae.

But the moment she got close, the woman stepped backward with a swift, indrawn breath and turned quickly toward Aang.

"Good night, Avatar Aang. Your input has been invaluable."

She glanced at Katara, seemed about to speak, but whatever she was going to say came out as a somewhat faint squeak. Sketching a hasty bow to them both, Chae hurried out of the council chamber without a backward glance.

Katara blinked rapidly, stunned by the rapid departure. She wasn't expecting a hearty welcome from Chae, but she also wasn't expecting Chae to actually bolt from the room as if the hem of her chima were on fire!

"Um … was it something I said?"

"No." Aang's voice held a note of wonder. "I think it was something I said."

"W-What do you mean?" Katara wasn't sure she liked the sound of that.

"Well … Chae told me she'd heard rumors going around that you and I had postponed our engagement so we could, quote 'experience other people' unquote." Aang was shaking his head. "Since we didn't have a chance to do that during the war and all."

Katara groaned. "Oh my god, those gossip scrolls that come out of Yu Dao?! She actually spends money on that trash?"

"Maybe not this time. She said she heard it from a friend of a friend. Anyway, she asked me if it were true, because if it was, she, uh, wanted to …"

Katara braced herself for the anger, the rush of jealousy, and then the relief she'd feel when Aang told her he'd declined whatever was on offer. As always.

"... see if you might want to have dinner with her sometime."

She let out a noisy breath. A nerve in her jaw twitched madly and she could feel the stirrings of a headache behind her eyes.

"Well, I can understand why –"

Then the meaning of Aang's words got through with the impact of a battle club smashing through the top of an iceberg.

Katara stood staring, her mouth open.

"Wait, what?"

"She told me she followed our adventures in the Avatar Chronicles," said Aang. "She thought you were amazing and brave and incredible … and that meeting you made her really, really nervous because in addition to being a Master Waterbender who helped save the world, you're the most beautiful woman she's ever seen."

She reeled, remembering Chae's avoidance of eye contact. The blushing. The guilty expression.

… All of that for her? Because of her?

"Katara?" Aang was studying her worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"I …" Katara swallowed hard. "I'm … surprised. I didn't think … I didn't realize … I mean, I thought she was interested in you!"

"Me? Why would you think that? All we ever talked about were her designs. She wasn't even really impressed by the marble trick," Aang said with a casual shrug. "Anyway, I told her the gossip scrolls were wrong and now that the building of Air Temple Island will begin soon, we're going to start planning our wedding. I didn't realize she had a crush on you … maybe if I had, I would have spoken up. I don't disagree with her about how amazing and beautiful you are. But, um, I told her that you were spoken for."

His dark-grey eyes held a slightly worried look. "You know I don't like to speak for you," he said hurriedly. "I just thought it was better for her to know the gossip was only gossip. It was, um, a little awkward for us both."

Katara chuckled softly before wrapping her arms around Aang's waist.

"It happens. But at least it's all out in the open now. How did she take it?"

"She wasn't too thrilled. Maybe a little hurt. I felt a little bad having to tell her," he said with a sigh. "And she thought she offended me by asking in the first place!"

Her eyes widened. "Really? It's not because she thought I wouldn't be interested in a woman, was it?"

"No, that wasn't it. I think Chae really believed the gossip was true, and was mortified that she basically told me she wanted to ask my betrothed out on a date." He half-smiled. "I told her I'm used to people wanting to get close to you, but I'm usually a little quicker on the uptake!"

Katara laughed. "True. I think that at least in this situation, that goes for both of us. Do you think she'll be okay? This isn't going to affect her wanting to work on Air Temple Island, will it?"

"Absolutely not. Chae's a total professional. She says she already has plans for where to install the airbending gates Teo helped me salvage from the Southern Air Temple. She's a little let down, but I know she'll get over it. Chae's a great person and she's becoming a good friend."

Katara nodded. Chae certainly was a very interesting person, and Katara hoped that once she was over her disappointment, that the two of them could become friends, too.

"Well, anyway, it's good that she knows for sure now that I'm off the market." She kissed his neck. "Forever."

Aang's face lit up and Katara couldn't resist giving him another kiss – a little higher up.

The sesame balls went ignored that night.