After they pulled away from each other, Katara couldn't help but giggle, elation coursing through her body. The boy she liked liked her back in the same manner. She hadn't been able to bring herself to hope that he would want to be with her, though that didn't mean being a friend wouldn't be terrible. But now that they had kissed, hearts beating against each other in a dance of romance, the light in her chest grew stronger until in her mind a radiance flowed.
Aang himself was chuckling a little bit himself. Looking extraordinarily happy, he held her body close, seeming to savor the moment too, the sun disappearing slowly into the horizon to let night take over. This moment, one they had dreamed of, had come to fruition. After everything Aang had been through, he wanted this chance with her. He was letting his demons go one by one, taking his life back and getting it on track.
The small bits of laughter progressed, growing louder until they were on the still warm sand, clutching their sides. Katara, honestly, knew why she was laughing. She felt so happy and the times she wished and despaired that Aang would never go for her seemed funny now. Their laughter slowed as they looked at one another, grinning. Her breath caught, seeing the pure joy in his gaze, hazel in the sun.
He looked magnificent.
There was a flush of red to his cheeks when he asked, "Why are you laughing?" Though his tone was fond, the grin bright and open.
Chuckles dying down, she met his grin. "I find it kind of ridiculous how scared I was. I didn't believe that you were interested in anyone, least of all me."
His smile gentled as his hand reached out to grab hers. "That's funny; I was thinking along similar lines." Smile vanishing, he added, "But I thought you wouldn't like me because of...you know." Aang stopped uncomfortably, and, after a few moments of thought, Katara's smile left her face. Of course; he had been in prostitution for two years before escaping, and the idea that any girl would want someone who was used physically...it broke her heart to think that Aang would go through that kind of thought process.
In this life, he had lost something precious. Not just his virginity at the hands of a madwoman, but the times he missed with his family. He missed his birthdays, Christmases, holidays that meant something to people. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Katara squeezed his hand in comfort, wishing she could take away the memory. But she knew she couldn't; this was something he had to think through, but that didn't mean he was going to alone. She would be there, as well as Sokka, Suki, even their father.
And now that he had his parents back, she believed they, along with the rest of them, could keep him safe, no matter what Azula might throw at them.
Still...a little nagging vice in the back of her mind said, "You can't protect him forever. Eventually he will have to face her."
Pushing the thought away to a shadowed corner, she said, "Aang, I don't care about that, not the way you think. The only thing that matters is that I care about how you go on with your life. You've been through so much. Despite how the pain, the anger, and fear, you're here, alive and well. You deserve to be free."
He frowned, sitting up with sand flowing off his back. "I know that, right now, I'm as free as I could be." When he looked down at her, Katara had to swallow a lump at the worry in his gaze. "But until she's caught, Azula will come after me."
Katara sat up, reaching for his cheek. "We'll be there when that happens. Azula has messed with you enough; when she tries to take you away, we'll be there in the fight." She kissed him again, feeling the power of her words as he relaxed into her embrace. They would fight, no matter the odds, because he was worth every effort.
They pulled away, smiling. Placing her forehead on his, wanting this night to end on a good note, she said, "Let's not think about it for now. We are here, together, and believe it or not, I wouldn't mind going out."
He snorted, tension leaving him at the thought of them going out. It made them giddy. Both of them needed this, something solid and growing steadily stronger with every moment. No matter who they were or what life circumstances threw at them, they knew as long as they had the strength, they would overcome obstacles that came in the way.
He said, "I guess you're right." Though there was just a bit of worry in his eyes that she wished could be erased, Aang stood up, pulling her along. "Let's dust each other off and go check on my parents."
(***)
When they were as cleaned off as could possibly be, the new couple walked back over to the house, the sun now just a smudge of light in the prevailing darkness. And what they heard was beyond embarrassing.
Aang wasn't sure what alerted him at first. Perhaps the breeze, though there wasn't much of one. His parents weren't on the porch, which he already knew, but there was something to be heard. The night was cooler, the stars just visible in the night sky, the air quiet as a soft breeze blew through. Still, something alerted his ears, making him perk a bit in confusion Katara seemed to take notice as well, for she asked, "Do you hear that?"
He nodded, looking around. "Maybe it's my parents. They could be talking inside."
She furrowed her brow, then shrugged. "Well, they haven't seen each other since you disappeared, so it would make sense. Should we check on them?"
"Yeah."
They wandered up to the house and entered it. Now inside the space, the sounds were louder, coming from his mother's room. However, when they were near it, Aang felt like he had hit a wall. Now he knew what those noises were, and they made him groan and blush. Why now? Do they have to be so...intimate right then?
Katara looked askance at him. "Are they...?" There was a blazing blush on her dark skin that confirmed what he knew was happening.
"Yep," he muttered. Oh, boy, this was awkward. The absolute last thing he wanted was to hear his parents have reunion sex. Especially since he got his first girlfriend. He turned to her, saying, "Maybe we should just go."
"Yes," she said eagerly, pulling him to the door and out to the car. The noises were much quieter out there, but he could feel the relief once they were ensconced inside the car. No sounds but their breathing, him in the driver's seat. They took one glance at each other before laughing. "Well," Katara began, catching her breath, "at least we don't have to worry about someone being murdered."
He snorted out the last of his laughter. "Yeah, I guess so." Nodded toward the house, he added, "I don't think they're going to emerge any time soon. How about we have a little celebration of our own?"
She looked at him, laughter fading. "You mean...?"
Aang blushed again, looking down. "Yeah, you know, a date." Oh man, someone pinch him. He asked his new girlfriend out. It left a nervous yet giddy feeling in his stomach. It felt...good. No, it felt wonderful to finally have a girlfriend, one he could feel love for, someone who understood him in a way that no one else could. It was liberating.
Katara smiled bashfully, clasping her hands. "Aang, I would like that very much."
Grinning, he started the car and drove away, heart beating faster than before. "Would you like to go home first? I don't know about you, but I could use a shower."
Giggling, she said, "I agree with you there. We still have sand on our persons."
So, happy as they have ever been, the new couple drove home, both unaware of the shadow lurking behind. The car was average, a gray SUV, but inside was another spy with the latest gadgetry that would have made MI6 jealous. Behind the wheel at a distance from the car in front was a man simply code-named Viper. Quiet, deadly, and stealthy, he was asked to watch these two love birds until the time came where he could strike.
The Mistress wanted to do this herself, of course, but since it was too dangerous for her to be out and about, she resorted to the only one she believed capable of doing this job. They were going to give the couple a month to live, believing they were happy. Once their allotment of time ran out, the Viper will strike.
His thin lips gave the barest smile, little more than ends lifting up, with dull anticipation warming his blood. There was nothing like a good hunt, and this one was going to be delicious.
(***)
Once they were clean, the new couple met in the living room before heading out. Since it was a little past 7:30 that evening, the two decided on Perkins. Hakoda was to be home at around eight and the older couple were in Sokka's room; they didn't bother them since the noises could be heard (deja vu). Once inside the restaurant, the couple seated at a booth, they looked over the menu. Katara decided the shrimp looked great, but since Aang was insistent on paying the bill, she looked for a less expensive option. The last thing she wanted was to rob Aang of his well-earned money.
"What are you going to get, Aang?"
"I'm leaning towards the cheese tortellini," he replied, looking up. "What about you?"
She blushed, thinking of the shrimp. "What I want is too expensive."
Lowering the menu, Aang reached over and grasp her hand, making her nerves tingle in awareness. "Come on, sweetie," he said sincerely, making her heart soar with happiness, "just tell me, please."
"Well, I wouldn't mind shrimp," she mumbled. "But like I said, I'll look for something else."
Aang chuckled, causing her to look up. "Katara, you don't have to worry about that. If that's what you want, I'll get it."
"But it's too much," she protested, wishing he would let her pay her half of the meal. It didn't seem fair that he should pay for all of it.
Smiling gently at her, squeezing her hand, he replied, "Okay, how about this? I pay for this meal, then on our next date, you pay. Does that seem fair?"
Katara chewed on this suggestion. On the one hand, it still bothered her that he would pay for this meal, but on the other, if she paid for the next one, that would make them even. Sighing in resignation, she rolled her eyes. "Fine."
Grinning, he looked at the waiter who came over while they were talking, and ordered their food and drinks. Afterwards, they talked about everything and nothing. What they wanted from their lives, where they want to go and why, things that made them individuals.
Then Katara asked curious, "Have you ever had a girlfriend before?"
Aang stopped sipping his Sprite, frowning in thought. "Not really, no."
Tilting her head in confusion, she narrowed her eyes. "Why not?" she asked gently, worried she had crossed some sort of line.
Clearing his throat, he looked down. "I, uh, I've never felt this way about any girl." He shrugged bashfully. "I mean, there have been crushes, but nothing even came close to what I feel for you."
Heart beating fast at the words coming out of his mouth, she leaned forward. What could she say but the truth? "I've had one boyfriend before," she said quietly.
Aang looked up, face slightly dark. "This Jet guy?"
She nodded, hoping the mood wasn't ruined by her mentioning Jet. "He was sixteen, I was fourteen. We went out for about three months." Taking a shaky breath, her hand subconsciously went to her bracelet, one she always wore. One that hid her shame. Clearing her throat, she tried to perk up, demanding herself to be happy. "But as you might imagine, it didn't work out." Katara reached out and grabbed his hand, skin tingling. "What I felt for him is nothing in comparison to how I feel about you." That was the truth; no one ever made her feel like she was grounded yet free. With Aang, she could be herself, someone who loved to play in the water and sand, not a mother hen she had forced herself to become.
Aang was frowning, gazing at her bracelet, obviously thinking hard. "Katara, if something ever happened to you, I will listen if you want to talk about it."
A bit shaken by his words, she smiled, nodding, before their food arrived and the conversation moved on to less stressful topics. Hoping he never had to know about how hurt she had been before. That was the past; it won't impact her life negatively forever. Now that she had the one she really loved and cared about, Katara felt like she could move on from what Jet had done.
After all, Aang wasn't the only one who had been used.