A/N. Well, that happened!
I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.
"When would be… acceptable?" His question hung in the air for a moment.
Katara, biting her lip slightly, didn't know what to answer. In the Water Tribes, a year was already the bare minimum, and often, it would last longer than that. But they didn't have a year. Or even a month. They had eight days. Seven actually, for it was probably past midnight now…
Who cared? Who cared what the Water Tribes traditionally did? She did not.
And they should be able to live now. In the present. Not in the future or the past. Just the present.
"Well… Maybe… tonight?" She whispered, looking up into the silver-grey eyes. For a moment, the waterbender only saw confusion, before being replaced with sudden realization.
"W-what? You mean…" He began to stutter, but Katara just smiled at him.
Yes… Why not? She wanted to marry him. The whole thing with waiting to be sure that the Fire Nation couldn't use their love as a weapon had been… Well, she could have known that their enemies were going to use it. And now that everyone in this country knew about it… It was really no use to hide it anymore. If she was captured… Well, a waterbender associated with the Avatar? Everyone would know now who she was.
And even unmarried, that meant that they would use that against Aang. So… They both wanted this. So, what was the harm?
"Yeah, I mean… Why should we wait?" She smiled hesitantly at him, seeing how in his eyes, a clear battle was taking place. On the one hand, she thought to see excitement. But on the other hand, it seemed that there was a slight apprehension.
"If you want to wait-" THe waterbender began to paddle back, only to be interrupted.
"No!" The force of the answer hung in the air, and the airbender coughed awkwardly, "No… I mean… You don't feel like… like I forced you into this?" The question came out as a shy squeak.
"What?" She scoffed, nearly laughing aloud, "Forced me into saying yes? Aang… I never wanted to say no. And I realized that waiting… Well, it's just not worth it. Who knows what will happen…" That idea filled her with dread, but she quickly pushed that feeling down, not wanting to think about it. No way.
"Sure?" The airbender asked once more, and Katara rolled her eyes, nodding. Yes, she was sure.
A silence settled between them, one that hung with awkwardness and hesitation. What now? The waterbender wasn't really sure. Thinking about it, she realized that much what was needed for a wedding in the Southern Water Tribe style wasn't present in the room… Not that that was something she regretted actually. At home, weddings had been a rare occasion due to the fact that there weren't many of them left, and also, since the warriors had left, there had not been a chance to actually do one.
Water Tribe weddings were… horrible. That was the word she would choose for it. Her grandmothers had told her once about the northern-style weddings, where the man and woman were supposed to hold hands while the shaman would tie them together with a silken band. That sounded nice, but the words that were supposed to be said were more of the same, with the woman swearing eternal servitude. Shuddering at the thought, Katara moved on.
The style of the Southern Water Tribe was slightly worse. She had honestly always thought that the South was supposed to be the slightly looser version of the North, but apparently, weddings were the exception. At home, the binding ceremony was done too, but there was the part that before that, the woman was supposed to wash the man's hands. And no, she had always swore not to do that the day she was supposed to be wed.
Wait… Aang had told her about Air Nomad weddings, long ago…
He had told her that those had been different. That both parties would make promises to each other, before saying the words that he had managed to utter to her when Azula had hit him with lightning…
Mero mana, timro ho, mero premokura.
My heart belongs to you, my eternal love, my everything.
Well… That sounded a lot more… like them, no?
Turning around, Katara walked to the window. They had opened it every evening, for Momo had taken up exploring the island, and he would only return deep into the night. Unlocking it, she opened it slightly to make sure the lemur could enter whenever he came back.
"Ehm… We could… maybe change into our normal clothes?" Aang spoke suddenly behind her. Turning back around, she saw him smile sheepishly at her, hesitantly. But she understood. The Fire Nation disguises they had worn to the theatre were just not… them.
"You know, the wedding night is supposed to be after." She teased. Seeing how he became totally red, matching the clothes she herself was wearing, Katara laughed softly.
"I… I didn't mean… I… monkeyfeathers…"
"Aang, I understood. I was just joking." She had understood what he meant. If they were going to do this… It would as Aang and Katara. Not as Kuzon and Sapphire. They would be like they always were. Themselves.
She quickly retreated behind the screen in the room, where her water tribe dress hung over a chair. Although she and Aang had seen each other naked more than once, it was still slightly awkward to change in front of him. If she had her bindings on, it didn't bother her that much, but the Fire Nation top didn't allow for the linen bands. And she felt slightly awkward changing half naked, in front of the airbender.
Peeling off the top and the red skirt, Katara stood just in her lower bindings, as she heard some noises from the other side of the screen, suggesting that Aang was also changing.
"Ehm… Would you mind… if we didn't do the whole water tribe thing?" She asked quietly.
"Sure? I mean… It is your culture?" Aang's voice sounded muffled, as if he had his shirt around his head.
"Yeah, I know… But there are some parts of my culture I hate. This, in particular." She answered, taking up the dress, without bothering to put on upper bindings.
"Alright… How do you want to it in that case? The Earth Kingdom has…"
"The Air Nomad way sounded good… no?" She interrupted him. Why was he turning around that?
"Oh… yes, sure. I just thought… You always adapt to my culture, and I never do the same…" The airbender sounded slightly ashamed.
Katara nearly laughed aloud. Did he really think that? Aang had literally done everything required to ask a woman to marry him. Well, not everything, but she supposed he would not go to sacrifice his hunting trophies to the Spirits, like a man was supposed to do to get the favour of the Spirits.
He had gone to ask her father if it would be alright to "court" her, which, she still didn't find necessary. He had made a necklace… Would he have had the serving ceremony with her father? It was a tradition that before asking a woman to marry you, you would go to the parents and serve drinks to plead your case…
Maybe… She would have to ask him. The only moment that would have been possible was before the Invasion, and they had disappeared together for a good hour, so perhaps.
"Have you seen the way my culture treats women? Trust me… What you told me about relationships, it sounds like the Air Nomads were much better." Katara answered as she pulled the blue dress over her head. As she shrugged to put it on comfortably, it began to feel… real.
They were really going to do this, weren't they? Marrying… Spirits, when she had been younger, she had imagined this a whole lot differently than the actual reality. For starters, it had never been an Air Nomad she had imagined… Yet, now that she was thinking about it, she had never really imagined… the other person involved in the whole affair.
Poking her head around the screen, she saw that Aang had his back turned to her, while he was pulling his tunic over the one shoulder, leaving the other one bare. Smiling at the sight of his tattoos, once more on full display, she couldn't help but feel that this was right. They were both of marrying age, even if they were a bit on the young side… But that didn't matter, right? Not when you knew…
She could imagine her brother complaining about being too rash, too stupid, too… everything. But he didn't need to know, right? They could always tell them after the war, and maybe redo this, in a more… proper way? But this seemed more like them. Doing it just for them, not because people were expecting it. Just doing it… For them.
"Are there any… You know, things you remember from how it was done?" She remembered that they had talked about that under a clear night sky during the spring in Earth Kingdom… But to be honest, she would like to know what he wanted to do. Pulling the ribbon out of her hair that kept it in a neat bun at the back of her hair, Katara felt the weight loosen over her back.
The airbender turned around, and she saw the slight redness on his cheeks as his eyes racked over her dress. Katara knew he liked to see her like this… with her hair down. He had been teased by Toph when he had admitted to that before the invasion, but in his defence, he had been drunk when he had said that to the blind girl.
"Eh… Air… Yeah, Air Nomad rituals!" He seemed to try and shake his confusion away, and she smiled as she picked up the blue beads from the small table. Pulling some of her hair into a long strand, she fixed it at the back of her head, to create her hair loopies. Doing the same to the other side, she kept her eyes on Aang, who seemed lost in thought.
"I mean…" He began, before shaking his head, sitting down on the bed and beginning once more to speak, "I mean, I was at some weddings in the temples… Just, I don't seem to remember much about them. Just that you needed to make some promises and then say the words… You know… Those I told you about."
Yeah, she remembered.
Mero mana, timro ho, mero premokura.
"I don't seem to recall that there was something about it in your scrolls…" She nodded.
"Well… promises are good, no? I mean… That is what marriage is, no? To promise to each other what you intend to do during your life… together? No?" Aang sounded hesitantly, and Katara sat down next to him on the side of the bed.
"Did Air Nomad marriages need someone… you know… To make it official?" She asked, feeling slightly awkward at the question. Katara saw how the airbender's face fell.
"Oh… yeah… Normally, the most senior monk or nun of the temple…" He sighed, "And you needed to be on the Elder Council…"
Ah… So, that removed Aang as a possibility… So, an Air Nomad ceremony was not an option. Well, they could have known, right? If they were to do this, it needed to be right, and legal… And if that was what needed…
Then, something flashed through her mind.
"Wait!" She stood up as fast as possible, marched to the corner of the room, where the Air Nomad chest stood. It had been nearly emptied of all Aang's memento's. The candles were gone and the blanket, he had given to the child Hope. The sewing kit, the flute and the scroll remained, but the empty space had been filled with other things. Her things, to be honest. The books she had kept were stored inside it now, such as their book. But also, the other books she had bought at the same time. The one about herbs… and The Life of Avatar Kyoshi.
Opening the lid, she quickly pulled out the green and golden volume, starting to sift through the pages.
"Eh… you want to read?" Aang's voice sounded a bit concerned, but she just ignored him for the moment. She knew she had read it around this part somewhere…
"Here!" She nearly put a hole through the page as her nail hit the passage. Turning back around, she showed the airbender the book, opened at the page she had been looking for.
"On that day, Kyoshi performed a wedding ceremony at the Eastern Air Temple. She blessed the couple as they made their vows, making the ritual official in eyes of Spirits, gods and men." Aang read aloud, and a soft twinkle appeared in his grey eyes. Grinning at him, Katara nodded.
"Apparently, all you need to make it legal and blessed… Is an Avatar." For once it would serve them for something good.
"And it just happens… We got one in the room." He murmured.
Katara could nearly kiss the book at that moment. Spirits, she knew that this book would have come in handy at one moment! She had bought it for the historical parts, as Kyoshi had lived… a freakishly long time. But this was a good use too!
"Exactly… So… We have everything necessary… To, you know…"
To marry.
It was crazy.
Was it really a good idea? The Fire Nation would love to know this, right? But how could they find out? No one knew! Well, perhaps Toph knew something, but she knew the blind girl. Beneath the hard exterior, there lay a heart of gold. And she would rather die than betray her friends. So, nothing to fear from there.
The Fire Nation wouldn't learn it. How could they? And if something was to happen these coming days… No. Aang would win. And they would grow old, together. But what if he, somehow, didn't stop Ozai before the comet? Well… At least there would be the knowledge that they had each other. Always.
"So… ehm… you want to… you know… Do this? Now?" The airbender asked as she put down the book on the bed. Looking at him, Katara saw he had his hands in his lap, wringing them together in a stressed manner, as if he apprehended the answer she was going to give. Smiling, she nodded.
"A-alright!" Aang stammered, standing up. She watched him as he walked to the middle of the room, seemingly unsure of what to do next. Taking the one step that separated them, she came to stand next to him, taking his hand.
"What now?" Katara whispered softly, squeezing the fingers of his hand.
"Eh… Well, I remember… I remember one. The couple was kneeling, f-facing each other." She smiled at the way he seemed so unsure when he spoke, but, looking in his eyes, she only saw determination and happiness in those silver-grey eyes. Katara knew what it was. He was always sure of himself, the airbender knew what he wanted… But when it came to speak those wishes, he felt as if it was selfish of him to want something, so he became shy when talking about what he wanted.
And she loved him for that.
Gently pulling his hand, Katara knelt down, followed by Aang. Facing each other, she couldn't help but feel as if this was the most natural thing to do.
"Like this?" The waterbender asked, releasing his hand.
"Yeah…"
The hardwood floor under her knees felt hard, but that didn't matter. Glancing down, she saw that their knees were touching ever so slightly, and, smiling at the contact, she wiggled a bit forward, pressing them together even more.
It was crazy. Crazier and madder than anything they had done. But who cared? Enough was enough. She had always put others and their duties before herself, or before Aang. But who said they shouldn't do this? Who said that it wasn't their right?
Sure, she had said it herself that the timing wasn't right, that they should wait until the world was safe… But who said that that would even happen? They might win the fight against Ozai, but that didn't mean the world would miraculously be at peace. The Earth Kingdom would want revenge, the Water Tribes would scream for blood. The Fire Nation would perhaps even descend into chaos, with Iroh missing, Ozai and Azula dead and Zuko a disgraced disowned prince. Would that time be a good moment? No.
No… There would never be a good timing in the future. And she couldn't know what the future would bring. What she did know, however, was that at this moment, in this room, with only the two of them… it felt right.
"And now… Who… Who needs to begin?" Katara heard how her own voice didn't exceed a whisper, hoarse and shy.
"I… I don't know." Aang admitted, his eyes flickering between her and the ground. His hand searched her fingers once more, and Katara let it be taken. She smiled to herself, imagining how it would look to an outsider. The two of them, sitting on their knees, facing each other, holding hands. She could guess that it would look cute to some, and weird to others…
"I'll start… Promises, you said?" She suggested. Promises… In the Water Tribes, she knew what was expected to be promised by the woman. Servitude.
But she wasn't going to do that.
"I… Well, I promise to love you, and not until the day I die. I'll love you even after. I hope you know that." She smiled quickly, and let her eyes wander to the airbender. When she found his gaze, all silver and adoration, Katara felt her smile widen, "Finding you in that iceberg… You can't even imagine how much that meant. And even though our travels have been anything but smooth sailing… I wouldn't change a thing. Before, I never had someone to share my feelings with… But you always listen, and give you opinion if needed. You are always there when I need you. I promise to always do the same." She whispered, still fixing her own gaze in his beautiful eyes.
The whirlwind of emotions in his eyes was difficult to decipher, but she recognized some: Adoration, wonder… and love. So much love.
"I…" She heard his voice yelp softly. Aang scraped his throat, before taking up once more, "I could promise to always protect you… But I know you don't need anyone protecting you, you are more than capable of doing that yourself. However, I promise to always be at your side, and never put my duties before you. Never. I never… I never expected my life to go this way. But please, believe me… I will always, always, love you. This life, the next, the one after that… Always."
Katara smiled at the words. Only he would know how much it meant to her to be acknowledged for what she was. A fighter. Capable of making her own decisions.
"I-" They both spoke at the same time, and Katara couldn't help but chuckle. Only they would come to this unprepared.
"You first." Aang gestured the hand that she wasn't holding towards her, indicating that she should go ahead.
"I swear you this: Not a day will pass that I won't want you near me."
Even if you die, there won't be a day I won't miss you¸ she meant to say.
"I promise to never grow tired of hearing your voice, your jokes and your stories."
I want to listen to them for the rest of my life.
"And, finally… I love you. Just so much… I can't describe it." But he would know what she meant.
There was so much she wanted to promise… She wanted to promise to love their children, however many there would be. She wanted to swear on the Spirits that they would grow old together… But Katara knew she couldn't promise those things… Because they may not happen. They may never have children, they may not even see the end of the summer, in a week… So she didn't dare promise those things. But what she did know, was how much she loved him. So, that was her promise. To love him, every day.
"I love you too." His voice sounded much surer than it had before, "And this is my promise to you: I'll never tire of seeing you, of teasing you and to laugh with you. I swear to always be there for you, at any moment. And I make another vow. I will end this war, not for the world, but for you. So that you can live in a world with peace. So that you can taste the sweetness it can offer. That, I promise." The airbender in front of her looked her in the eyes, and she saw the determination now. Pure iron looked at her from those normally gentle silver eyes. And at that moment she knew.
He would win.
Smiling at him, she breathed in, and, exhaling, spoke the words that he had taught her in that bedroom in Ba Sing Se.
"Mero mana, timro ho, mero premokura."
My heart belongs to you, my eternal love, my everything.
And it was exactly that. The Air Nomads of old had captured the feeling perfectly. The one, the only one she would ever be able to love like this, was Aang.
"Mero mana, timro ho, mero premokura." He repeated in that soft voice of his…
Was… Was that it? Were they really… married?
Looking at him, she saw him glance quickly at a lower part of her face. Smiling, she cupped his face with her left hand.
"Did the Air Nomad do kissing after the rituals?" That was the case in the Water Tribes, to sort of "seal" the deal. Normally, it was supposed to be the first kiss, even tough many people didn't keep to that rule. She had heard, in the North, that it was supposed to be the first kiss of the woman. For the man, however, it wasn't a rule.
How was that even possible? If you weren't supposed to kiss unmarried people?
"Eh… no…" But she could hear the longing in his voice. Smiling, she bent slightly towards the airbender, and as she found his lips with her own. Moving them gently, Katara could feel the pressure coming from the airbender. As if he was trying, with all his might, not to kiss her back as much as he wanted too. But still, she could feel his knees shuffling to get closer to her.
She opened her mouth slightly, feeling his tongue touch her bottom lip, stroking against her teeth. Katara felt the desire behind the kiss, and could feel a burning build up in the lower part of her stomach. Spirits… They were really married! This… This was crazy. But it felt so… so right.
"Aang…" She pulled back a bit, but her lips were captured once more by the airbender, as he flushed his body against her. Grinning into the kiss, she pulled her arms around his neck. Tui and La, this was what she had wanted, from day one. Ever since knowing that her feelings were reciprocated. Since then, she knew it would happen. Of course she had known that one day, they would marry.
Had it happened sooner than she had planned. Yes. Had it happened on the most dangerous moment. Yes. Did she regret it. Spirits no.
"Aang, we…" She disconnected her lips, only to feel his on her cheek and throat, "We still need… That… Spirits… blessing." She managed to say, as he mouth touched that spot she liked so much, just at the base of her throat, near her collarbone.
"I…" He managed to say, as his warm breath hit her skin, "I… Avatar… Aang… bless… this… union."
She was actually surprised he managed to say it, as she felt hands on her side, where the clasps of the dress were. Katara lifted her hand and grabbed his tunic by the front, letting one hand travel towards his shoulder. Spirits, she loved his clothes. They were so… So easy to remove.
"Be… bed?" The waterbender managed to croak, as his lips once more attacked her skin.
"Bed." He sounded very determined now.
Quickly standing up, Katara pulled Aang up by his tunic, and to his credit, he kept his mouth to her throat and his hands were still fumbling with her dress. Spirits, he needed to get that off, so that he would kiss her… well, elsewhere.
Shuffling backwards, the waterbender felt her knees hit the softness of the mattress. Letting herself fall down on her back, she pulled the airbender with her. He, luckily, caught himself on one hand. Looking into his eyes, she knew what would happen now.
A very interesting wedding night…
"OH SOKKA!"
Widening her eyes in horror, Katara felt her face drain of all blood possible. Looking into Aang's eyes, she saw only utter confusion, followed by realization, and then, disgust.
"No… No… Not now!" He groaned, "The idiot doesn't do anything in two weeks, but no, now! Now he has to do this!" The airbender rolled away from her, lying down on his back next to her.
The sounds coming from the room next to theirs were… Spirits, they didn't sound like that, right? At the same moment, Katara heard some noise close to the window. Turning her head towards it, she saw Momo sitting next to the open window, munching happily on whatever insect he had managed to catch…
"Well… That kills the mood." Aang muttered darkly.
"What? Momo eating his dinner while staring at us, or… The oogies?" She asked, groaning. She would have liked to do it… But yeah, the airbender was right. It had killed the mood.
"Oh, the OOGIES!" Katara laughed as Aang shouted that word, trying to make himself heard above the rather unceremonious sounds from their neighbours.
Putting a hand against his chest, she smiled at him, trying to ignore… whatever was happening in the other room.
"But hey… What about this. Tomorrow… we sneak off at night, and find a place… To do that." She pointed a thumb to the wall, shuddering at the thought of her brother doing… that.
"Yeah!" Aang sounded quite enthustiac now.
"And you know, married people don't really need to hide…" She added.
Spirits… they were really married. Laughing aloud, Katara could help it. It didn't make any sense! But Tui and La, it felt good!
Answers:
Jjsmith103: Of course, I couldn't ignore the fact that Toph would feel the stone, so would piece it all together! But yeah, I hope you liked this!