It had been a long day of flying, but Katara and Aang had cherished this last bit of uninterrupted time together. Then, the moment Appa touched down in the Southern Water Tribe, Katara felt her heart sinking, which was markedly not what she was used to feeling when she returned home after some time away.

It was jarring.

Her mind and heart were buzzing with confusion about where she belonged and what home meant. Traveling for the last couple weeks with Aang, unsupervised for once, had been an eye-opening experience in many ways. Katara knew now that home had become less of a place than a person for her, and that person was Aang, but actually making that change in her life was daunting. More than anything, she wished she could talk to her mom about these new feelings.

"Welcome back, Avatar! And my little waterbender!" Katara looked up from collecting her bags to see Gran Gran coming towards them from her hut. A small crowd was beginning to form in the center of the village where they had landed, eager to greet the two war heroes. Katara jumped down with her things and ran to give her grandmother a hug.

"Gran Gran!" she cried, as she dropped her bags and wrapped her arms around her. Aang appeared at their side with his own bag shortly after, and when Katara pulled back from her grandmother she could see children already sliding down Appa's tail while he munched on some hay they'd brought back with them from Cranefish Town. She chuckled as she picked up her bags, waving to friends and neighbors as they ducked into her family's hut.

"Where are Dad and Sokka?" she asked when they found the hut empty, save for themselves. She figured Pakku would be managing lessons, since it was not quite dinnertime yet, but normally her other male family members would have returned by now.

"There was some trouble on today's hunt; they went out to mediate. Some skirmishes between the Southerners and the Northern men who came to help rebuild."

Katara and Aang shared a knowing look. Peace was never as easy as they'd once hoped it would be. "Do you think it would help if I went out and joined them?" Aang asked. "Or would that just make things worse for Chief Hakoda?"

"No, I think that might be a good idea," Kanna replied. "When tensions run high like this it's good to have a neutral eye like yours." She gave Aang a warm smile, and he nodded. Katara glanced at him, knowing how uncomfortable he was with hunting, but his face was stoic, his mouth a firm line and his eyes hardened in determination to help her family and her tribe. She swelled with pride.

"Okay, I'll be back as soon as I can, then," Aang said. He gave Katara a tender kiss on the cheek and squeezed her hand, grabbed his glider, and headed out the door towards the hunting grounds.

Katara watched his form retreat for a moment before he snapped his glider open and took to the skies. Then she shut the door and turned back to her grandmother. "Would you like some tea?" she asked.

"Tea sounds lovely," Kanna said, settling into a chair by the fire while Katara got the supplies and started brewing. Before the war ended; before Katara and Sokka had left on their journey to help Aang, tea had always been their secret code for wanting to talk about something. When Katara's mom died, Kanna had often asked the kids if they wanted some tea, and told them stories to comfort their minds and hearts. Then soon after that, they would ask for tea whenever they were sad, or confused, or needed comfort.

There had been many tea-times when Hakoda left with the other warriors, and when Katara started helping Kanna with birthing mothers shortly after that, Gran had insisted on tea and explained the basics of how babies were made and birthed and everything that went along with that. It had been a long time since Katara had asked her grandmother to have tea with her, but she was the only person who could help her. The only person who would understand feeling like her home was smothering her in such a drastic way.

When she had handed Gran Gran her cup and sat down in her own chair, Katara took a deep breath, trying to ignore the knowing grin that Gran was hiding as she sipped her tea. This woman had taught her all about anatomy and every rudimentary thing she knew about intimacy, but Katara couldn't help but feel some awkwardness now. Now, it was personal.

Finally, when half of her cup was already drained of its contents, she worked up the courage to speak. What came out of her mouth, however, surprised even Katara. "I think I need to leave the South Pole," she said.

Kanna bit back a laugh, her old eyes crinkling even more than usual. "You just did," she said, matter-of-factly. "Or do you mean, something more permanent?"

Katara kept her face down, but glanced up at her Gran through her eyelashes. "Yeah…" she said.

Setting down her teacup, Gran Gran scooted closer to Katara, so that their knees were touching, and bent her head to look at her granddaughter's face.

"Oh, my little waterbender," she sighed. "The spirits have always had big things in store for you." Katara looked up from her tea, a swirl of emotion alight in her eyes. "Much bigger than this little village. I knew when you came back after the war that you wouldn't be able to stay for long."

"No, but Gran…" Katara felt a need to justify herself, despite her grandmother's obvious understanding. "I love it here. I love our home, our tribe! It's not about that at all. I will always be proud of this place, of these people. I just…"

"You just need to follow your heart," Kanna insisted, nodding her head towards the necklace Katara was unconsciously clutching. "You know, when Pakku first gave that necklace to me, I felt trapped. I could see my future laid out before me, as a wife, a mother, tending the healing huts and doing some of the most important work of the tribe with none of the respect. And I wanted some of those things–wanted love, and a family–but I knew I couldn't stay there. I needed to leave. Just like you do. The South Pole will always have a place for you, Katara," she said, reaching out and grabbing her granddaughter's hands, "but it isn't your home, anymore. Your home is out there, with the Avatar, soaring the skies and making the world better with every heart you touch. I am so proud of you."

Kanna squeezed Katara's hands, and Katara leaned forward to embrace her grandmother tightly. Tears leaked out of her eyes and onto the older woman's kuspuk, but neither of them cared. There was a shared understanding between them; they both knew what it was like to feel stifled and unappreciated in a place and by people that they loved, whether it was intentional or not.

"Thank you," Katara whispered, once she could find her voice again. She sniffled as she pulled back, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

Kanna held Katara's face in her hands and gently pressed their foreheads together. Then she reached into her pocket, procuring a bag of what looked like herbs. "Here," she said, placing the bag in Katara's hands. "You might need this. I can brew you some now if you'd like." Gran Gran had a mischievous twinkle in her eye the likes of which Katara couldn't remember ever seeing before.

"We just had tea," she said, confused. Her brow wrinkled as she examined the contents of the bag. When she brought it to her nose her whole face scrunched up immediately. "Oh, that smells terrible. What type of tea is this?"

"It is not meant to be as enjoyable as the act it is undoing," Kanna said, winking.

Katara blinked at her grandmother for a few moments before understanding dawned on her and she felt her eyes grow wide as her face grew hot with embarrassment. "Gran!" she cried. "We haven't… we wouldn't… I don't need this," she insisted, trying to push it back into her grandmother's hands, but Gran Gran persisted.

"Whether you need it now or later is none of my business," she said knowingly. "I just want you to be prepared. I've seen the way you two look at each other–you'll need it. Honestly, I'm surprised you don't need it now, after so much time alone together."

Katara felt like she could melt into the chair she was sitting in. She did not want to discuss the progression in her and Aang's physical relationship with her grandmother, but was eternally thankful that she seemed to be supportive.

"We… want to be respectful of the tribe, especially with Dad and Aang's positions," Katara said eventually. "We're not rushing into things. We have our whole lives now that the war is over."

Kanna's smile turned melancholy, and she sighed. She knew that despite the tenuous peace that had been achieved, the Avatar would always be in danger of attack. While she didn't want her granddaughter to worry more than she already did, or rush into something she wasn't ready for, she felt the need to remind her that the world was not always kind, even to its heroes.

"Oh, Katara," she said. "Our time on this earth is never guaranteed. You know this truth too well for your age; you and Aang have both lost so much. And he will never be safe from danger. You're right not to rush, but don't let the world pressure you into–or away from–anything either. Do what works for the two of you, regardless of what others think is appropriate."

Katara was looking at her Gran with a mixture of terror and awe, and mostly shock.

"Besides," Kanna continued, "the Avatar seems like he would be very generous in bed."

Katara couldn't take it anymore. She covered her ears, yelling, "Gran! Stop!"

When the sounds of Kanna's laughter died down and the crackling of the fire became audible again, Katara chanced a look over at her grandmother. She was still smiling smugly, but her eyes held empathy for the young couple.

"I'm sorry, dear," she said. "You two have so much pressure on your shoulders. You are lucky to have each other to help relieve some of that, in whatever way you choose."

"Graaaaan," Katara groaned, catching the innuendo. She stared at the fire flickering across from them. "He is generous. We haven't… done that," she added quickly, "but he loves me, and wants to make me happy. I feel the same way about him." She smiled besottedly, and Gran Gran nodded.

"Young love can be both beautiful and painful," she explained. "Are you prepared for your first time, whenever it comes?"

Katara felt like she had never blushed so much in her life. She had to force her shoulders to stop tensing. "I remember what you told me when you were teaching me about birth," she said. "I know I need to be relaxed, and… in the mood…" She cringed slightly. "And that some discomfort is normal at first but too much pain means something isn't right."

Kanna nodded sagely, glad that Katara had remembered those lessons from long ago. "Does Aang know? He was so young when he left the Temple–did anyone teach him?"

"I think he knows," Katara said, suddenly afraid Kanna would enlist Hakoda or Bato's help in educating her boyfriend. "And I'm not afraid to guide him… when the time comes. He respects me–he will listen."

"He would never force himself…"

"NO!" Katara interjected. "Never. Half the time he still asks permission before kissing me! I know he would never, ever attempt something I wasn't comfortable with, especially for his own pleasure." Gran looked relieved, but unsurprised. "Actually," Katara added, "we already agreed to talk about next steps before trying anything new, and making sure we're on the same page when it comes to what we want."

"That is very wise of you," Kanna said, pouring more tea into her cup from the pot that sat between them. "I imagine it won't be easy, but hopefully it will save you both from any embarrassment of overstepping boundaries."

"Neither of us want that, Gran. We love each other too much to make it just about ourselves."

"Good, good. He travels so much I know it must be difficult on you. Do you know that he's faithful while he's away?"

"Spirits, Gran. Yes! He is faithful. Not all Air Nomads were monogamous, but Aang is." Katara knew that her Gran had been around long enough to hear the old rumors about how free Aang's people had been with their love, despite being born after the genocide. And it was true that not everyone was as devoted as Aang, but many were, or decided not to be attached at all. It was a choice. "He… he once called me his 'Earthly tether,'" she added. "I know he has some faults–I do, too–but not there. We've been talking about settling down one day, when the world is more stable."

Gran Gran smiled. "I figured as much. Just from the way he looks at you, I can tell that boy adores you beyond measure, Katara." She poured some more tea into Katara's cup, and Katara warmed her hands in the steam. "I'm not trying to pry or be rude, dear. And I'm not making any assumptions about Aang when I ask. I just want to make sure you know. Sometimes when we are so deeply in love we can blind ourselves to what we don't want to see or admit. It took me far longer than I like to remember to realize I couldn't stay in the North Pole and marry Pakku back then. Your head is much clearer than mine was, my little waterbender." Kanna patted Katara gently on the cheek before taking another sip of tea.

Katara gazed at her grandmother. It must have been so difficult to love someone and still realize that he was not the right person, or in the right place for her at that time. Suddenly Katara's troubles seemed so much smaller in comparison. She didn't want to think about what would cause her to leave Aang's side, because, while she knew there were valid reasons, none of them seemed believable. Aang would never hurt her intentionally, or cheat on her, and their values were so aligned on all of the big things, including being equal partners in this life.

"You were so brave, Gran. I just wish I knew how to deal with Dad and Sokka," Katara sighed, finally. "I know they don't mean to, but when we're all here, I still feel like they see me as a kid. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but I can't take it anymore. Mai said I should build my own hut, but…"

"But then you'll want the Avatar to warm your bed, and you don't want gossip, either," Gran finished for her. Katara blushed again and ducked her head into her teacup.

"Is it really that obvious?" she asked.

Kanna laughed a big belly laugh that caused Katara to narrow her eyes at her. "Only to me, I think, because I've been there, and I've known your looks since before you were old enough to speak. I don't think the men are as observant."

Katara exhaled in relief, still unsure of what her next move should be, but grateful that her desires weren't all out in the open, either. She stared at the tea leaves shifting at the bottom of her cup.

"Your own hut might not be the worst idea, Katara." When Katara's face crinkled in confusion, Kanna went on. "It would give you your own space to breathe when you are still here, in the South Pole. And once you and Aang are married you'll want your own hut, anyway. He can continue sleeping outside with Appa however long he wants, but I also know he wakes up before anyone else in the tribe. If he… happened to sneak into your hut after everyone was asleep, it's not unreasonable to think he could sneak out before the town wakes, and no one would be any the wiser. That boy can move without a sound, anyway."

"I can't believe you're encouraging this, Gran!"

"Well, if you're happy, I'm happy," Gran said, winking again. "It's a wonderful thing to love your culture, Katara, but remember that the Water Tribes have always been adaptive. Water is the element of change. You can and should make some waves. Keep the traditions you love, and respectfully discard the ones that don't suit your life anymore. Life is too short to deny yourself just for the sake of tradition. But drink that tea!" she added, aggressively pointing her finger at the package she had given Katara earlier. "You don't want a scandal, and I don't need to be a great-Gran yet. We've had enough post-war babies to take care of already, don't you think?"

Katara groaned. In truth she and Gran had both been happy to see and tend to the post-war baby boom in the village, even if it kept them on their toes, and out all night when mothers were in labor or in need of help nursing. She knew Gran was right, though, that she wasn't ready for that right now. One day they would be, and she would be honored and excited to give her body over in this way, especially with Aang, but not just yet.

She was just about to open her mouth to agree when the door burst open and Hakoda, Sokka, and Aang returned, looking exhausted and chilled, but all in one piece. Pakku followed close behind, and all four of them greeted Kanna and Katara amicably before flopping down on cushions around the fire.

Katara stood to clear their teacups and make a fresh pot, while Kanna started preparing five flavored soup for dinner. She saw Aang rise to help Katara with the tea, wrapping her in a warm hug as soon as she'd set the dishes down on the counter. Katara tucked her face into his neck, breathing deeply, and Kanna smiled, taking the ingredients and soup pot with her over by the fire to give them what little privacy she could.

"I missed you," Katara whispered. "Gran gave me… tea. For later. When we're ready." She watched as Aang's eyes went wide and his hand went to the back of his neck as it always did, and she held back a giggle as she bent fresh snow from outside and melted it into water as she moved it into the teapot. Aang held his hand out, palm up, and bent a small flame to heat the pot while she added the tea leaves. "She thinks I could get away with my own hut, too, sometime soon anyway, and that you could just sneak in at night and out again before anyone wakes up." She laughed. "How did everything go with the hunters?"

Aang looked like he was having difficulty processing the rather big news she had just dropped on him. Of course they had wanted this; wanted to live together and become closer, physically, but had been so sure that they couldn't have that without offending anyone. He blinked blankly for a few moments before he realized she had asked him another question.

"Oh, the hunters were… well, it was a good thing I showed up," he said as she removed the teapot from his flame and set it down to gather more teacups. "Your dad and Sokka were doing a good job trying to mediate, but of course the Northerners saw anything they said as self-serving. They didn't like that I took Chief Hakoda's side, and tried to blame it on me 'having loyalties to the Southern Tribe' since we're together," he pointed his index finger back and forth between the two of them, "but eventually they listened to reason."

"I can only hope my dad and Sokka will listen to reason when I eventually move out…"

"Hey. You won't have to tell them alone," Aang said, reaching up to caress her face. She leaned into his hand, and turned to kiss his palm softly.

"Oogies," Sokka called out from over by the fire. "Can't you two keep your hands off each other for even five minutes? We just got back."

"Oh hush, Sokka," scolded Gran. She handed him some vegetables from her tray. "Here, help me peel these for the soup. Keep your hands busy and your nose out of their business."

Katara couldn't help dissolving into giggles at her Gran's forcefulness. With both Aang and Kanna in her corner, she had no doubt she'd be able to get through this next transition in her life. Making her brother uncomfortable was just the icing on the cake.


Author's Note: Endless thanks to CoyoteLemon for beta-reading and making sure I was treating this content with the care and respect it deserved!