"A Gift Unforeseen"
This story is just a special one-shot that I made quickly for a fan-fiction contest but seeing as how the moderator forgot to post it up on the polls, I simply decided to release it here. I hope you enjoy it.
There hadn't been so much as one wink of sleep from Avatar Aang that night. It wasn't from insomnia; no, it was anticipation. The cold air chilled him into a shivering state, but he didn't mind. As the rest of his comrades slept on, ignorant and unaware, the boy flashed a bright smile on his face. In the midst of the night, he wandered over to his pack, rummaging through its contents until a small, miniature box came within his grasp.
Opening the box hastily in a slightly frantic and joyful manner, the inside revealed a small parcel that seemed to be of no significance to anyone but him.
And attached to it was a delicately and carefully written card. It was a gift to be more precise – a very special one for an equally special person.
He read the card softly to himself and even softer, her name.
Aang's smile grew wider – Oh, how happy she would be when she got the present! He stole a glance toward the sleeping girl thinking up the wonderful gift he had planned for her.
It was perhaps the fifteenth time that he opened his pack to stare at his gracefully wrapped package. A surreal force constantly drew him to it like a moth to a flame even after the fifteenth glance. Still though, he proudly admired his own handiwork, undoubtedly satisfied in the present'.
It was her birthday tomorrow and for such an event would call for a due present – a special one that would show he cared; no that he loved. He had planned this day since a month ago, eagerly awaiting.
The clandestine arrangement for the preparation of her present all began under one delirious but monotonous flight across the heated plains of seemingly endless seas of sand and desert. The evidently covert information of her birthday concerned a question, a mere slip of tongue and several minutes of a little nudging and persuading.
Yet though the information was finally relieved of its secrecy, she regretted such decision especially since it was under the influence of ceaselessly persisted imploring. For an hour that day, she was utterly bombarded with suggestions, insisting on an appropriate celebration for the occasion. But she deemed the said party "unnecessary" and insisted over and over again that her birthday could be ignored without further mention and to instead, remain on their original journey before summer's end.
Whether her views were based on the simple courtesy of politeness or plainly what she expressed, it was no obstruction for Aang. For him, he was determined on delivering her birthday as it should have been the moment the previously secret date laid upon his ears. To that end, it was perfectly accurate to overlook such insistence on the matter for the big surprise. The big surprise that was due today.
Aang held the package, observing it once more under the gaze of the moonlight. He hugged it close to his heart as he took another glance toward the package's addressee. She slept soundly and to that, he smiled warmly. Looking down at the container holding his present, he knew he meant this from all his heart.
It wasn't simply just a birthday present. It was much, much more…
With one last admiring but brief stare at the package, the Avatar took his deserved rest, dreaming peacefully under the night sky. And it wasn't much of a guess to predict what his dreams concerned…
………………………………….
The sun had barely risen above the mountains when the air-bender had already awoken, mind still obsessing over the event that would come to pass today. Having the package already set within his hands, the Avatar readied himself for the presenting.
"I wonder… when is the fitting time to present the gift?" mused the air-bender to himself, heart filled with an overly sense of happiness. How he had been waiting for this day to arrive! Delivering his present was like opening another itself.
"Maybe I should give it to her as soon as she wakes up!" Then considering the idea and its downfalls, he reasoned, "But then she might not be a morning person! Well, if I give it to her in the afternoon…she might be busy…but then again, on the other hand, if I time it right…"
By the time the sun's rays dawned upon him, he had already been mentally rambling along, offering and positioning different situations in which his present was to be delivered. Aang negotiated each predicament with pinpoint detail, weighing the downfalls and the 'what ifs'.
He wanted everything to be absolutely perfect for today – absolutely perfect.
And with each and every obsessive pondering, more ideas came into place as if piecing together a very troublesome puzzle. Sighing, Aang decided to just present the gift altogether in its entirety as soon as he could. He had waited one tedious month of anticipation; he personally could wait no longer.
From where he was, Aang viewed her still sleeping, completely unaware of the present he had so long planned for her; that made Aang smile. And for several portions of what felt like a long time, the air-bender simply sat waiting in an ever-building eagerness and expectancy. With hawk eyes, he watched her, hands still grasping the little package of his.
"So peaceful…I can't wait till she awakes." He murmured to himself, eyes fixed on the girl.
"Um, Aang…?" Sokka lightly tapped him on the shoulder to gain his attention.
"Aah!" In surprise, the air-bender spun around jumping up in shock, losing grip of the package. He juggled the air-borne present and then retrieved it back to the shelter behind her back and away from Sokka's views. If his warrior friend found out…well…that might just ruin the surprise…he'd tell…Aang just knew he would.
Feeling red warmth coming onto his face, the air-bender swiftly masked it with quick conversation. Seeing Sokka's confused and slightly dumbstruck face caused the Avatar to blush even more, grinning innocently as he looked side to side for any more witnesses.
"Yes, Sokka? I didn't e-expect y-you to be up." Aang blinked, waiting for a response, as his eyes glanced up toward the sky, avoiding Sokka's eye contact.
"Well, I just thought I'd better get a head start at lunch," The warrior, turning back, pointed to a nearby river, evidently signifying the abundance of fish, "I thought maybe you could help me out. I swear, they're taunting me."
The air-bender stole a minute glimpse of her then bit his lip in a moment of hesitation that ensued. She had just risen from her sleep…
"I'm s-sorry, Sokka. I can't. Not now. Maybe later?"
"Why not? I have nothing else to do! Come on. It's not like you have anything else to do…"
"Actually, I-I do…" Stammering, his head shifted up towards the sky, once again. He paused, blinking.
"Like what?" Sokka crossed his arms, waiting for his response.
"U-Uh-Um"
"Come on, Aang. With you, it'll only take a second."
The Avatar thought to himself. He had waited a month; he could wait just a second longer…Besides, the most opportune time probably wasn't the morning anyways. He had the whole day to present the gift.
"I-I guess." Swallowing, he hid his package further behind him, backing a step from Sokka. After forcing a smile onto his face, he stole his last glance at her as Aang followed the warrior down to the river, listening intently to every word of the 'skilled fishing master'.
………………………………….
Unfortunately, Sokka's analysis of the amount of time the hunting would consume seemed entirely out of perspective. A 'second' as Sokka referred to was actually the length of a complete hour, in which Aang could only imagine how many times he could have given the present to by now. The air-bender replayed what could have been in his head over and over again.
Even with Aang's superb water-bending in parting the waters for fish, the fish seemed to have some kind of surreal powers to elude Sokka's clutches. And the ones that his warrior friend did catch were thrown back into the river under the lines of "It's too small". When a full hour passed, half of the intended amount was caught.
"Well…at least we won't be left starving for lunch…" The air-bender proposed his optimistic demeanor to his friend who sat upset at the poor outcome of the entire expedition.
"Always the optimist…" Then, in a completely change of subject, "You know…I really shouldn't have let those small ones go…"
"Yea…" simpered Aang, mind perusing what she was doing as of now. He sighed, taking a look at his parcel which hid promptly behind a large rock. It was left alone and undisturbed. By now…he could have...
………………………………….
By the time he arrived back at camp, Aang was already drenched and shivering but he made a careful effort to safeguard his parcel from even so much as a drip from his clothes. He trailed behind Sokka, making the poor excuse that he looked up to the warrior as a 'leader' which by the way, he still wasn't sure if Sokka believed or not. But that didn't matter; he just wanted to stay behind him enabling the warrior's entire ignorance of the package's existence.
The Avatar quickly searched for the addressee, now more than ever determined to present his anticipated gift. His eyes trailed along until he saw her, training and bending her element nearby. Aang beamed in happiness, rushing over toward her.
"Morning!" offered Aang, slightly panting from his sprint. He fingered the dry package behind his back. This was it…!
He wasn't sure what she said back as it was hastily interrupted much to Aang's disappointment. Sokka, apparently just unloading the fish, intercepted the two, effectively sounding her out.
"Aang! I just had a brilliant idea! We should go retrieve some firewood and other materials but while we're at it, we can go find some fruits and berries to eat! That'll compensate for the lackluster fish today. Is that a brilliant idea or what? Just not any cactus juice…" Sokka frowned and Aang wasn't sure whether it was due to a reminder of the cactus juice in the desert or the wimpy amount of fish that had come up.
"I guess so…" The air-bender's eyes trailed to the girl behind Sokka who seemed to have resumed her training. Well…there was always more time…it was still morning anyways. He could spare some to help Sokka out. Besides, it was partly his fault at the outcome of the fishing…but… "But –"
"Great! Let's go." It wasn't even a choice but Aang complied. After all, another hour wouldn't hurt right? It was barely noon. A month and an hour he had waited. He could afford another hour…
"I guess…" mumbled the air-bender, promptly following Sokka. He sighed to the ground. Taking a quick look back, he saw her still training, not even paying a remote attention.
………………………………….
"Alright, now, you go gather some fire-wood for tonight's camp and I'll go find us something to eat." After thinking of the cactus juice, Sokka paused and then continued, "Well, no, you go find us something to eat, and I'll find us some fire-wood."
"Okay." The air-bender sighed deeply but swiftly masked it by brightening his face. If he was going to do the job, he might as well carry it out with compliance and happiness.
"Great! So…I'll meet you back here then."
One hour later, the air-bender sat in the exact spot, holding his head up. He had just arrived and was now waiting for his friend Sokka to return. His eyes began to bore him under the mundane predicament of it all. He conjured up scenarios of his presenting to her which all ended the same way. When he mused about it that way, waiting for his friend wasn't so bad after all.
Another long two hours passed by as Aang in utmost boredom sat in the same spot he had been in for the past two hours…
What's taking Sokka so long? Maybe I should go find him; he might be in trouble. He wouldn't take this long…or would he…? Yea, I'd better go find him. Wait, but what if he is purposely taking this long and is almost finished but when he comes here, he can't find me…?
He had reached an impasse. To that, he resolved waiting just a little bit longer. Sighing as the time passed by slowly, he eyed the package still undelivered and alone.
When another hour had passed by, the warrior had finally made his return, carrying bundles and bundles of firewood, smiling in the process.
"Sokka, what took so long? That was four hours!" The Avatar, cracking just slightly, felt the need to yell at his friend but with effort, he restrained it. He calmed himself, reminding just how special the day was.
"Sorry, Aang, I guess I got carried away."
"Well, at least now I can rest for the day." Aang sighed in relief as he thought aloud, not noticing or not caring whether Sokka heard him.
"Not really, Aang." The Avatar blinked. What more could he possibly have to do? "You still have to scrub off Appa, remember? You promised that to him yourself." Sokka pointed a finger to the air-bender as if jabbing him in the memory. He did promise Appa…Looking downwards at the Earth, Aang frowned, holding the package tightly in his hands.
The two carried their findings and made their way back to camp. And by then, his clothes had already dried under the heat of the midday sun.
………………………………….
"Okay, Appa, I think you're done." It had been half an hour of a hasty bathing and Aang was determined to hurry the process much to the bison's discontent. An incoherent mumble made out from the bison, sullenly remaining in the water as Aang scrubbed him some more.
"Come on, buddy, I think we're finished." Another grumble from the bison was heard and Aang's body heaved with a sigh.
"Alright…" He made another run through the scrubbing as he normally would have, determined on finishing the job in its entirety as Appa had 'suggested'. Yet with each and every minute, the air-bender would glance across toward the small present waiting alongside the river.
With another hour gone, time seemed to be playing against the Avatar's favor. The day just hadn't gone how he hoped it had gone…
"Okay. All set, Appa!" A satisfied grunt came from the flying bison, promptly stepping out of the river shaking itself dry. Gasping at the parcel's vulnerability, Aang earth-bended the Earth around it to form a small protective shield that repelled the water. However, the Avatar himself received a splash or two which respectively received a groan at his previously dry clothes.
………………………………….
Aang heaved a tired and heavy sigh as he reached camp with Appa alongside. Though, he quickly brightened as his eyes came upon her resting alongside the other girl comrade in the group and of course, Sokka.
He smiled realizing that this was the last time he would hold the package in his hands. By now though the package held slightly wrinkled but it didn't matter; it was the cover anyways. Slowly, he approached her, a little nervous of the situation.
"Morning!" repeated Aang pulling out the gift from behind his back.
"Um…it's afternoon," she replied with a slight confusion causing the air-bender to scratch his neck in slight embarrassment. Then, contrarily he masked it with a prepared face about to yell out "Happy Birthday!"
"Look out!" A rather largely sized boulder hurtled toward the two catching Aang completely off guard. As the due result, he was impacted, knocking him off his feet and from his present which landed feet away from him. Gasping at the drop of such a delicate present, the air-bender wasn't even thinking about his safety – he concerned himself with the safety of the present and the present only.
Two other rocks were earth-bended toward the Avatar but completely missing him. However, instead, its course came coincidentally into direct impact with the dropped parcel, smashing it into the Earth and utterly destroying it.
Another gasp originated from the air-bender. His eyes welled up in tears but were quickly pushed out as Aang's fists clenched as hard as they could, his teeth grating together in absolute anger.
Rage swelled up within him as he looked up at the perpetrator – Xin Fu and Master Yu. Several air-bending movements managed a whirlwind that directed toward the two earth-bending men who looked toward each other in utmost fear. They blinked in terror.
The two girl benders and Sokka immediately jumped out of the way as they saw Aang's state which wasn't quite the Avatar State but more simply one of extreme anger. Another devastating air-bending strike was dealt heaving the earth-benders back with such extreme force that even Xin Fu groaned in pain as his back met the hard Earth.
Gusts and gusts of whirlwind emanated from the air-bender under such anger. By that time, however, Xin Fu and Master Yu took a wise strategy and ran away fearful for their lives. Whether or not Aang knew that was trivial; air-bending blows came after another in subsequent fashion. Finally exhausting most of his energy, Aang panted heavily still in evident fury.
Ending his vicious assault, the Avatar broke down beside his destroyed package, smashed away. He dared not look into the contents for it pained him too much. Instead, he stowed it away, not daring to look at her either.
The group asked no questions as Aang stormed out away from camp; they simply stood in awe, dumbstruck at what had taken place.
………………………………….
A dark color was painted over the starless sky as night befell upon Aang. Things didn't go absolutely perfect…not one bit. He sighed as he glanced at the rumpled parcel of his. The day was supposed to be eventful, of happiness…
Some tears welled up in his eyes as he tossed the present a few feet in front of him. He had waited one month and nearly a day for this day…for her birthday. And now, it was ruined.
"Was this for me?" Her delicate voice pierced the veil of darkness as the Avatar made out her figure in front of the tossed gift.
"Yea…" was all the boy could muster. She had no idea…she had no idea… "I was going to give it to you but I never got around to it. First, I had to help Sokka with some fish then with the berries and firewood…and then I had to tend to Appa." Aang's shoulders slouched in a tired fashion.
"Don't bother picking it up – it's ruined."
But contrary to his words, the girl did pick it up, curiously observing the wrapped package in front of her. She was left speechless.
"It's ruined; I told you. Don't even bother to open it up," mumbled the air-bender whose back was turned to the girl. When no reply came, he naturally turned to see if she was absent or there.
She was there.
A swift kiss came unto his lips as he turned. It was unexpected – a surprise…
As their lips unlocked, he looked to see…
Aang beamed in delight, although minutely stunned that it could still retain such beauty under the circumstances that had transpired. Though slightly damaged, it was worth it: the present, the day he had been waiting for…the ending of the millions of scenarios that had rambled through his mind that day.
The girl took another look at it, smiling just how Aang imagined she would.
"Aang, it's…it's…"
Smiling, the air-bender leaned in for another kiss.
"Happy Birthday…"