Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or anything associated with it except my fanfiction.
A cute little one-shot.
Aang was good at finding flaws.
It was a side effect of being the Avatar all the time. Having to mediate between people, drawing up treaties, and fighting people that wanted to hurt him or destroy the world made spotting flaws and weaknesses an invaluable tool in the field of Avatar affairs.
Unfortunately, such incessant necessity for constant analysis of every small little detail more often than not trickled into Aang's and his friend's everyday lives. Sometimes, it was harmless, such as a small whisper to Katara about how Sokka's shirt wasn't tucked in (her brother had gotten better and taking care of himself and presenting himself as a total slob of a meathead... but he was still unkempt and hungry and annoying. All. The. Time.) Other times, however, Aang would accidentally let slip a scathing criticism of someone or something, and much time and effort had to be spent apologizing to the offended and trying to appease them.
It had been horrible at first; Aang's tendency to say whatever was on his mind, coupled with his youth, inexperience, and energy, no matter how good or noble his intentions usually were, Katara found herself having to "mother" more than just the immature members of their little Avatar group. As time passed on, Aang became more and more reserved and aloof from the public, and as a result was able to keep his thoughts to himself, but the moments, fraught of danger, of Aang saying something out of turn never truly left Katara's mind.
And sometimes, even when no one else could see them, Katara saw in Aang's eyes what he no longer communicated with his mouth. A brief sparkle in the eyes during happiness and excitement, a fiery glint during grim determination, and a dull gaze whenever he contemplated any faults that might disservice him. Aang had become too good at keeping his thoughts to himself, and whenever Katara saw that blank gaze, she knew that she would never be privy to whatever thoughts materialized in Aang's mind.
Still, they lived happily, life one smiling, laughing day after another, no matter the place, no matter the time, no matter the plight, Katara never regretted a minute spent with the Avatar. He was the sky to her ocean, an endless bundle of freedom and fun and joy, and deeper, more intimate things. She wouldn't have left him for the world if she could help it.
In light of all the things she saw within him, however, Katara felt a pressure on her bosom that she wanted to relieve, but daren't lest it raze the foundations of their relationship to the ground. She had one question poised on the tip of her tongue whenever she was with Aang, but could never find a time - or a place - or a situation - where she could finally let it out. The question invaded her conscience, pestering her relentlessly. It was an unnecessary torment that kept her up all night, and yet couldn't be alleviated unless brought to light. Katara kept it stuffed deep within herself, carrying the doubt and fear and anger bottled up, and trying her best to enjoy everything life had to offer.
But one day, Katara's curiosity got the better of her. They were strolling down a street - it was always a favorite pasttime of theirs. Aang had nuzzled her neck and proudly proclaimed that he loved her beyond all measure. This caused Katara to instantly remember The Question burning at the back of her mind, and immediately whatever contentment she possessed at the moment was disposed with by a fleeting sense of melancholy. It passed, obviously, but it persisted for just long enough that Aang stopped smiling and studied her face.
"Sweetie... what's wrong?" he asked, concerned grey eyes staring into hers. She blinked and turned her face away, trying not to let him see into her, but this gesture only served to invigorate Aang. "Katara, you know you can't hide much from me. I know you from the inside out, as you do me! I can tell when something is bothering you." He hugged her briefly. "What's the matter?"
Katara blushed. She had been caught. Her secret's existence was now revealed. But she didn't want to confess. She turned her head slowly from side to side. "No, Aang, nothing's wrong."
Aang frowned. "I can see right through that, you know?" he pecked her on the forehead, and Katara squirmed, trying both to get out of Aang's inquisitive embrace but also to hopefully distract Aang from his objective of knowing Katara's mind. In bed, where secrets were shared and love created, it wasn't an issue. Out in public, when trying to enjoy a simple walk? Not so much. Katara tried to make this painfully clear with the meaningly glare she angled at him.
Aang, however, was not so easily deterred. "Please, Sweetie. You don't have to hide anything from me. What's bothering you. Is it... me?"
"In a way... it kinda is." Katara admitted, refusing to look at Aang.
"Oh," Aang said, dropping his arms and taking a step back. "S-sorry," he stammered, cheeks flushed red. "I-I'll stop now -"
Katara rushed forward and buried herself in Aang's arms, sniffing in his scent. Aang stiffened with surprise, then relaxed as he melted into her. Spirits, he felt so good. Katara sighed as she clung to Aang, not-so-subtly suggesting him not to let her go.
He acquiesced. He hugged her tightly, as though they would never part again. Katara felt suffocated, trapped, and imprisoned.
She loved it.
But all of the love she felt for Aang, all the want and need he engendered in her, only served as a reminder of The Question. Involuntarily, she tightly clenched Aang's arms and quickly pulled herself off.
"It's not you. Well, it's not *your* fault, but... but... I've been bothered by something lately." Deep breath. In. Out. She had confessed. A weight had been lifted off her chest, but at the same time, another one had been added to her conscience as she worried how Aang would react.
"Well? Spill. You can always trust me, Katara. Remember that," Aang said reassuringly. Her spirits bolstered, Katara took a shaky breath, and let it all out. "You know how you're always judging things and trying to find any weaknesses or flaws in them?"
Aang raised an eyebrow. "I might have been acquainted with the idea once or twice. Or a couple hundred times."
Katara shook her head, hiding her half-smile of exasperated amusement. "I was wondering... have you ever done that with me?" Her hair drifted to her loops and began playing with them absentmindedly.
Aang blinked. "Wait. What? I don't think I'm following you here. What are you talking about?" But at the moment he said that, he looked her up and down, furrowing his brow, frowning. "I really don't understand what you're asking. What have I done to you? Besides make you fall in love with me?" He added cheekily. Katara playfully tried to slap him, but he skipped out of reach. "Seriously, though. I don't understand. You're asking me if I've ever done something to you. I don't know what 'something' you're talking about."
"It's when you look at something and find their flaws." Katara said loudly. She whipped her arms over her mouth, eyes frantically scouring their vicinity, but fortunately, no one was within sight - let alone within earshot - to eavesdrop on their conversation. Katara let her hands drop to her dress, closing her eyes. Deep breath in. Open eyes. Out. "I was wondering... have you done that with me?"
Aang squinted in effort. "You're asking... if I ever tried looking at you to find your flaws? Maybe I had once, a long time ago, but I don't really remember."
"You just looked me over now," accused Katara, and Aang didn't attempt to deny it. Her pulse quickened. This was the moment of truth. "What flaws do you find on me?"
"What?"
"I said, what flaws do you see? What flaws do I have? Answer me, Aang. You said there's nothing to hide. I just... I just want to know. What are my flaws?"
Aang blankly stared at her. He looked up at the sky, then at the ground, then side to side. Eyes narrowed in what Katara identified as confusion, he set his eyes on her. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again.
He asked seriously, "What flaws?"
"Aang, did you mean what you said, that you don't see anything wrong with me?" Katara had asked later that day, gratified by his response but still confused. After all, no one was perfect, especially not her, no matter how much Aang tried to sugarcoat it. His compliments made Katara love him all the more, but there was a fine line between love and reality.
Aang sighed. He turned over in bed, and frankly stared at Katara. "If you want a flaw, maybe stop being so insecure about yourself." He tenderly kissed her on the cheek. "You're perfect just the way you are."
Review maybe? Just kidding, I hope you liked it!
