A/N: Ok before you all go rubbing your eyes twice and wonder whether you're hallucinating, I can explain! I had a practical session at the hospital yesterday which means I was on a bus, which also means I had time to write the next chapter on my phone, hence why this is out this early. I'm legit the most random updater, it's unreal, in this case it's a good thing!
Also, I needed to fangirl with other ATLA fans – DID YOU ALL HEAR THE NEWS?! WE'RE GETTING AN AVATAR STUDIO! WITH THE ACTUAL CREATORS! You can tell how hyped I am about this, this is insane. I'm just praying that it won't be like LOK because that was a bust in my eyes. My hope is we get an older gaang!
Anyway, I really wanted to thank you all for your sweet words, I'm touched you're enjoying it and thank you for the time you spent on leaving a review. This chapter is finally in Aang's POV, but I still keep things mysterious, because that build up is just entertaining, but hey maybe you can glen something from it.
Aang's POV:
When I next come round I suddenly become aware of the soft, warm pillow-like object underneath my head. I frown, 'my pillow is never this soft.' I think to myself until the events of last night hit me and my eyes snap open. I inhale sharply when I find my head resting on Katara's lap and quickly I jump off the bed to land on the ground lightly.
My wide eyes gaze at the girl and to my relief I realise that she's asleep, her head resting against the wall behind her with her lips slightly parted as quiet breaths escape her. I release a small breath myself when I recall my rude behaviour from last night.
Raising a hand, I smack my forehead hard. 'Great going airhead. You had to shout at the kind first year student.' I berate silently as my eyes flicker back to the girl. 'I just don't want her to know. No one needs to know. It's not like they can change things, so why burden them?' I try to convince myself, but really it might be because I'm scared I'd unravel completely if anyone knows. 'I'm barely holding myself together as it is.'
I sigh and turn my back on the slumbering waterbender as guilt flashes through me. The desire to get to know her better is overwhelming. 'I've never met someone who was so interested to get to know me. To be my friend without knowing the rest. Usually they pity me or use me. Hence why I don't tell anyone anything. And...she's so nice. Kind. Warm-hearted.'
I shake my head hard, 'no, I shouldn't consider it. I should try to keep her at a distance in case she'll continue to pry.' As I release a sigh, a flickering light catches my attention. I glance down at the desk to find the screen of Katara's phone lit up. The word: Mum are in bold, followed by:
Hi sweetie! I hope you had a wonderful evening with your flatmates. Miss you.
Love you lots, Mum
My breathing catches at the message and I abruptly jerk my head away as waves of unwanted emotions rise through me. When my eyes start stinging, I force the base of my palms into my eye-sockets, trying to cut off my lacrimal glands. 'Stop it! You're over this. It happened ages ago.' I hiss to myself.
"Aang?" I quickly draw my hands away from my face to find Katara staring at me in concern. I gulp and go over to the door just as she shuffles off the bed to meet me half-way.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." I apologise with a guilty expression, but she simply shakes her head.
"No, no you didn't. The sun did. But...are you ok? You looked distraught." The waterbender queries softly as she bridges the gap between us, her hand outstretched slightly, as if ready to rest it on my arm. I pull back slightly and try hard not to let the fall in her expression hurt me.
"No yeah, I'm alright. I have to head out. Seminar in a few hours." I babble, but the girl quirks her eyebrow at me and crosses her arms.
"A seminar...on a Sunday?" She repeats in that tone you use if you don't believe someone. Fortunately, I'm not lying - this time.
"Child genius remember? I take extra classes." I say with mock enthusiasm, but if anything that just causes the girl to furrow her eyebrows more.
"What's wrong?" She asks bluntly. I shake my head.
"Nothing. I'll see you around." I deflect, already putting my hand on the handle, but I pause when gentle fingers grasp my wrist.
"Aang." The waterbender voices quietly and I hate how it makes me feel something. It makes me feel like I want to let her in. But I shake my head. 'She doesn't need to hear my burdens.'
"Honestly, I'm fine." I insist lightly. Katara gazes at me for the longest time before finally drawing her hand back, leaving me yearning for the warm contact, but I quickly stamp it down.
"Fine. I'll see you later?" The waterbender murmurs in disappointment and I absolutely hate that I'm the reason behind it. I swallow and nod. My mind races in an attempt to come up with something that will wipe away the dismay from her face.
"Yeah, maybe we could order a pizza or something later?" I suggest and when the girl's eyes light up I know I must've said something right.
"That's a great idea! Maybe I'll invite Sokka over, he loves mighty meaty pizza." Katara explains excitedly. My nose wrinkles slightly at the mention of meat. Unfortunately, it doesn't go unnoticed by the medical student as she pauses.
"Unless, you don't want him to come round?" She asks unsurely. My eyes widen and I quickly wave my hands in disagreement.
"No I'd love for him to come over! I was just thinking about the meat comment." I clarify sheepishly. The girl tilts her head to one side in confusion.
"Oh?" She voices in interest. I shrug.
"I'm a vegetarian." I elaborate and I can see the way her eyes widen a fraction, as if pleased that I've finally shared something about myself with her, no matter how trivial. The way she looks at me, makes me wonder if she's going to start cataloguing every detail she uncovers on me. I gulp. "I should really get going." I excuse, breaking the bender out of her thoughts. She smiles warmly.
"Of course. Have fun." Katara voices softly. Again, a rise of emotions crawls up my throat, but I swiftly shove it down and flash her a grin.
Opening the door, I step out of the room into the corridor and make my way to my room to fetch my shoulder bag. Similar to a few days ago, I can't help but sense a pair of eyes on me and when I glance back I find Katara still watching me. She must've not expected me to glance back as she flushes and ducks back into her room with a mumbled bye. I chuckle when I hear the click of the door closing. 'Maybe this year won't be a total bust.' I think as I grab my bag and skate out of the accommodation to my seminar room.
But I nearly trip up when I spot Zuko leaning against the wall outside of the room I'm in. I pin my wide eyes on him just as he looks up. He scowls at the sight of me and I have to force myself not to visibly gulp. Instead, I pick up my skateboard and walk past, deciding to just ignore him. That is, until I notice the black and blue bruise that he's sporting on his neck. I pause in mid-stride and open my dumb mouth.
"Are you alright?" I fire out before my brain can catch up with my mouth. The man jerks his head sharply and glowers at me.
"Keep moving airbender." He hisses with glinting eyes. I purse my lips, not really expecting anything more from the firebender and yet I can't help but be curious.
"Fair enough. What are you doing on campus anyway? I thought you lived at home." I query offhandedly, but if anything his scowl deepens.
"I said move it." Zuko growls and I raise my hands to try to placate him.
"Alright." I mumble, but just as I take one step away from him, my lips decides to part open once more. "Hope you have a nice day." I say and quickly jerk open the door to my seminar room before he can shoot out another retort.
Just before I close the door behind me, my eyes flicker to Zuko to find him frowning. When he notices my gaze, he abruptly turns his head away from me. I sigh and go to take a seat at the back, waiting until the lecturer arrives.
A few more grumbling students trudge in followed by the professor who quickly launches into the laws of quantum physics. I diligently take notes despite knowing all of this already, probably more to keep my mind busy. Half way through, the professor must've remembered that seminars are meant to be interactive as he starts firing a load of questions.
I watch as all the students struggle to answer them or give only partially correct answers and with a sigh I rest my cheek onto my palm, already knowing what the professor will say next. After several minutes my prediction comes true.
"Mr Southern! Can you please answer my question?" I exhale through my nostrils and recite the answer with ease, cringing at the way that some of the students stare at me in amazement. "Correct. Mind if you come up the board and explain how you reached that hypothesis?" The man asks. 'It's funny he asks because it's not like I can really say no, right?'
I nod politely and get to my feet to reach the whiteboard where I start explaining to my fellow students the different potential hypotheses and why only one of them are correct. And when we've finished, I make another predication. One that never gets old or really maybe I shouldn't call it a prediction because it's so obvious that a couple of students from the session will race up to me, asking for help in their assignment. And like the diligent student I am, I help them. I never give them the answers of course, but it seems tutoring other students has become just as common as hearing people gasp when they found out how old I am.
I sigh and flicker my eyes to the already darkening sky. A few grey clouds in the sky. I jerk my eyes immediately downwards. It haunts me how Gyatso's words never fail to crop up when I see them.
"I fear that storm clouds are brewing."
I shiver and skate that much faster back to my room.
A/N: Southern…as in from the southern air temples XD I thought that would make a fitting surname…and also because my brain wouldn't come up with anything else.
Also I have not the faintest clue what Aang would be taught in his course, I assume some quantum physics, but that's just an assumption; you're guess is as good as mine.
Hope you enjoyed this, was relatively short, but still trying to build on all the layers and character dynamics – jeez I didn't realise how much work went into creating AUs, I suddenly have a newfound respect for all those that I've read.
Med knowledge:
-Lacrimal glands are the glands that produce your tears. Funny enough they're located on the lateral part of your eyes rather than the medial part and so the secretions have to move across your eyes to get to the corner of your eyes from where your tears usually fall from.
-Lateral is the medic term that refers to any structure of the body that is located away from the midline or in relation to your midline, i.e. your arms are lateral to your chest – so your arms are further away from your midline compared to your chest.
Aang is a child genius, while his course is engineering, he's well versed in many subjects. Hence the reason why he knew this.
Next chapter prob next month, but who knows! Let me know your thoughts and see you guys next time.
26/2/21