Response to Reviews:
phieillydinyia: Aww, thanks, I'm glad you're liking the story and the choices with Azula. I definitely feel that if she had a different upbringing she would be not as cold. She clearly wants relationships with people but goes about it in the wrong way. I love writing for her!
basingsesocialite: I agree with you about Sokka. I think he would be somewhat overprotective because of the women he has lost in his life. I think it can be done right if it's addressed and resolved. I don't like the fics where he's trying to horn in on her dating life. Last chapter was more about him thinking Aang lied than anything, but it's all squashed now so they can move on lol
A/N: Whooo, another chapter! There is some lemon ahead, so treat lightly.
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender
The hot, sunny days began to fade as Aang increased his daily training. In addition to meditating twice a day and practicing tai chi once a day, he strengthened his bending in at least two elements per day. He felt stronger, more agile, and more confident. The aches and pains in his joints were now a distant memory. By the beginning of September, Aang was feeling more like himself than he ever has. He had more time to train when school started because Principal Joo Dee allowed him to attend virtual academic classes and be personally instructed by Pakku, Jeong Jeong, and Bumi at the mansion. Even though he didn't get to see most of his friends or Katara during the week, he did get to spend more time with Zuko who was now a high school graduate with plenty of time to push Aang on his hot squats.
There was a bitter, cold chill in the air as September waned. Aang's 18th birthday was two weeks away but he was more focused on Katara at the moment. Even though they had spent more time with each since his return, their meetings had been fairly tame. The couple were often in his bed, kissing and hands exploring between the two of them, but somehow, they would gradually stop and neither of them would initiate anything more. Everytime Aang got the nerve to tell Katara how he felt, he sensed some hesitation on her part, leaving him to wait for another time. They had exhausted their streaming services for movie nights, and began to grow bored of games to play together.
One school night, Katara came over so they could watch a new-ish scary movie that came out three months ago. Aang wrapped his arm around her shoulder to snuggle close to her as they sat on his bed and watched the movie on his tv. He was amazed how cute she was at every cheap jump scare in the film. During a boring info dump scene, he began to lightly kiss her lips. She returned the kiss with passion. Noting this signal, Aang broke away and started to kiss her jaw and trail kisses down her neck. When he reached her collarbone, he felt her pull away. He regarded her with a puzzled look on his face.
"Do you want me to stop?" Aang asked in a hushed tone. Katara shrank in on herself, feeling shy, "I don't know." This answer hurt him more than he thought it would. Questions ran through his mind, "Does she not find me attractive anymore? Why does she want to stop? Am I doing something wrong?" Aang shook these thoughts away to focus on one, simple question. "Katara," he sighed, "What's going on?" She looked at him quizzically, "What do you mean?" He sighed again, slightly annoyed, "You know what I mean. The past few weeks when I kiss you lower than your neck, you pull away. Am I doing something wrong?" Katara looked at him with wide eyes, "No! It's not you." Aang frowned, not wanting to ask but knew he had to, "So...what's changed?"
Katara gathered her strength and exhaled fully before responding, "Well, it's kind of hard to explain I guess. I do want to...do more with you, but whenever we get closer, an image of you in the hospital flashes in my mind. It's like, I see how you were and then I feel just like I did then, full of sadness. It's hard to get rid of that image when it comes up. I'm also unsure of how far you're able to go...physically. So I freeze, I guess. I don't really know if that makes any sense." Aang smiled and caressed her cheek with the palm of his hand, "That makes total sense, Katara. I went through something traumatic, but so did you. That doesn't just go away. We don't have to do anything, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. And as for physical stuff...I'm capable of doing everything we've done before."
Aang's lopsided grin made her blush, like he had done so many times before. This time, however, it felt unique and hopeful. She giggled before shaking her silly feeling away, "Well, that's good to know that you're feeling back to normal. I think this would be easier if Ozai was defeated and this was all behind us. But it's not, and I want to know for sure that when you fight him that this will all remain the same." Now it was Aang's turn to look sad. He knew the words she spoke were true and so painfully correct. There was no guarantee that he would defeat Ozai nor was there a way to predict Aang coming back in one piece. His eyes shiny with tears as he smiled weakly, "That's something I can't promise, Katara. But, I'm training harder than ever, and when the time comes, I will defeat him. I promise. I won't be distracted and I won't hesitate.."
Aang's final words hung in the air, filled with several interpretations. Katara looked at him with a frown and a hint of fear in her eyes. He knew what he meant, but she was unsure what to think of his statement. She didn't want to ask more about this and so, she laid her face in his chest, squeezing her arm around his shoulder. He stroked her hair, his breathing slow and steady. Katara remained worried, the pounding of her heart against her chest keeping her mind from quieting. They lay this way, breathing out of sync, until Katara said goodbye. He slept long, but tossed and turned throughout the night, fixating on how to make things right.
The following week after his final lesson, Aang walked upstairs to get a shower. After drying off, he went back to his room and put on fresh clothes. He wondered what he could do to make Katara feel more secure about him fighting Ozai. He knew Ozai would not stop, which caused many disruptions in the lives of himself and everyone he knows. Aang was furious that Ozai made him have to hide like this. He wanted to be a normal teenager again, even though as the Avatar he would never be normal. He wanted to see a movie with his friends in a theater, he wanted to take his girlfriend out in public and for their love to be known, but unfortunately he still had a target on his back.
Still feeling agitated, Aang left his room to look for Zuko. His friend spent most of his time in the basement because his uncle and mom were usually there. Aang knew this was because it made Zuko feel like they were the average family, talking and eating together in the same room. As he entered the basement, he noticed Zuko and Iroh alone, talking quietly. This raised the airbender's eyebrow.
"What's going on?" Aang asked sternly. Zuko and Iroh turned to him and motioned for him to have a seat. Iroh did not smile, but had a warm expression on his face, "We were just talking about Zhao. Our people had been tracing burner phones within a 100 mile radius. They've found a pattern the past few months of calls going to known members of Ozai's group. The phone number is believed to be Zhao's. We believe he's in an underground lair near Ba Sing Se called Lake Laogai." Aang beamed, "That's great! So, when are we going?"
Zuko and Iroh both exchanged looks with one another before looking at Aang. Iroh spoke softly, "Well, we need to find a way in. Our sources tell us it's a completely metal bunker and bulletproof, so impenetrable and unbendable. We're still gathering intel but when we find a way to get in, we'll let you know. We've already spoken to Hakoda who is developing a team for the eventual break in. So for now, just stay up on your training." Aang nodded with a furrowed brow. This was great news, except for the bunker part. To his knowledge, no one in the history of the world had been able to bend metal. He decided he would ask his past lives later for any ideas.
Aang thanked Zuko and Iroh before walking upstairs. On his way into the kitchen, he saw Ursa preparing dinner. "Oh, hi, Ursa, I'm just grabbing soda, I'll be out of your way in a minute." The woman smiled warmly as she chopped vegetables on the counter. "You're not a bother and I sure wouldn't have even known that you were here if you hadn't announced it!" The two shared a quick laugh before an idea came to the front of Aang's mind.
"Can I ask you something?" Ursa nodded with a smile, "Of course, Aang. What's on your mind?" Aang leaned his back against the fridge as he took a sip of his soda, "Well, you know how I'm dating Katara?" She nodded and he continued. "So, I've been feeling that I want to do something special for her, but there's not much I can do in hiding. She could have a normal life but she can't because I'm stuck in here. I don't know what to do." Ursa hummed to think for a few moments before saying, "That's definitely a tough situation. I know for me, I have to disguise myself whenever I go out to the store. It's kind of a pain, but it's usually worth it just to be in the outside world once in a while. Maybe a disguise would allow you to be a normal person." Aang smiled and excitedly waved at her before leaving, "Thanks, Ursa! I know what to do."
Over the next few days, Aang refrained from shaving his face and instead let his beard grow out. Zuko graciously loaned him a nice, red button down shirt, black pants, and black shoes. The airbender was busy texting Sokka, Toph, and Suki letting them know of what he wanted to do for his birthday and to not tell Katara anything. Aang grinned to himself when he talked to Katara on the phone Friday, the day before his birthday.
"Wait, why do you want me to get dressed up?" Katara asked. Aang chuckled, "I told you already, it's a surprise! Don't worry, you're going to love it." She laughed, "Aang, you're the only person I know that's trying to surprise someone else on their birthday." His tone became deep and smooth, "I tell you every day you're the only thing that matters to me. The greatest gift for my birthday is seeing you happy." Katara stammered for a bit before forming words, "Ohhh, Aang. If you really want to, I guess I have no choice, do I?" Aang agreed, "Mmmhmm, that's right! Bow down to the birthday boy." He moaned a little at hearing her musical laugh over the phone.
Aang paused for a moment before continuing, "I also wanted to let you know that The White Lotus found Zhao's location. They're working the kinks out but they're confident we can attack so I'll have plenty of backup when the time comes." Katara sighed in relief, "Aang, that's so great to hear," she paused to yell indistinctly into the phone, "Hey, I gotta go eat dinner. I'll talk to you later, I love you." Aang smiled wide, "I love you, too, Katara." He hesitantly ended the call as he plopped down on the bed with a big grin on his face. He thought about everything he wanted to do with Katara when this is all over. He couldn't take her on a fancy dinner or on a getaway vacation right now, but he could dream about it, and dreaming is free.
Saturday night arrived along with a bitter, October wind that whipped the colorful leaves above the ground. Aang was smiling from ear to ear after Gyatso and Katara came over to have a small dinner and fruit tarts with Iroh, Ursa, Zuko, Mai, and Azula. Katara was wearing a shimmering, blue gown with rhinestones along the bodice. Aang's eyes could hardly be taken away from the sight of his beautiful girlfriend for the whole dinner. He wondered where the dress came from, but thought not to ask as he figured it might have been one of her mother's. The dinner came to a close and without much fanfare, Aang, Katara, Mai, and Zuko headed towards Zuko's car.
Katara felt like she was the only person out of the loop. "Why is no one asking where we're going and why does Aang have a beard and wearing Fire Nation colors?" she asked herself. She had tried very hard to get these questions from the three of them all night, but was met with her friends evading her probing. One the one hand, she knew it was a surprise, but on the other hand, she wanted to be prepared for all possible scenarios. Katara knew Aang sensed this tension building up in her as evidenced by him gently rubbing her arm. He tilted his head to the side, "It's going to be fine, I wouldn't take you anywhere you didn't like. Remember, I love you." She unclenched her jaw as she sighed, "You're right. I love you too."
In a matter of twenty minutes, Zuko parked the car in a parking lot behind a big, brown building in the heart of Republic City. Katara didn't recognize where she was but decided to trust Aang and loosen up. They exited the car and walked for a few minutes before encountering what looked like a tall, muscular bouncer with a headset and a clipboard. "Password?" the towering man asked. Aang responded, "Momo". The bouncer nodded and opened the door for the group, "Welcome to The Phoenix Flight, have fun." The group walked huddled together through a long, winding hallway until they came upon a door with loud music reverberating in their ears. Aang opened the door and Katara's eyes widened in surprise.
Katara gasped as she stepped inside. An enormous dark room with flashing red and white lights pulsing throughout every inch of the club. The room was crowded and people were dancing furiously on the floor to the heavy bass and addicting beats. The group pushed past people quickly with Katara trailing behind, mouth agape. Finally, they reached a bar with black and red colors that illuminated the bottles on the wall. She loudly asked over the music, "How did you get us in?" He smirked as three cocktails and one mocktail slid over to the group from the bartender. "I know a guy. Don't worry about it, let's go dance," he loudly answered.
The friends grabbed their drinks as they shoved their way onto the dance floor. As they were finally wading out of the crowd, a flurry of familiar faces attacked the group. "Happy birthday!" was yelled in unison by Sokka, Toph, and Suki. Aang beamed at the arrival of his friends and hugged them close to his chest. Katara smiled seeing how happy Aang was, even though he had to wear a disguise. She often forgot how much weight is on his shoulders and vowed to encourage him to do more fun things in the future.
After chatting for a few minutes, Aang whipped around to face Katara. He bowed and extended his hand to her. "May I have this dance, Miss?" She couldn't help to blush at this question. Even though they have danced together several times, they have never danced together in public. She suddenly became aware of all of the people and the eyes in the room. Katara began to look away nervously before Aang held her hand firmly. "I've got you, don't worry," he said with a wink. She cursed under her breath about how charming her boyfriend was. Flushed completely in the face, she smiled and followed him into the center of the dance floor.
Aang's hands were on her hips as she slung her arms around his neck. They moved together completely in sync. Their intense and fluid movements began to draw the attention of multiple people in the crowd. Shortly after they began to dance, whoops and claps could be heard through the sea of people. Katara didn't think about where they were or what they should be doing. Instead, she only focused on Aang, it was just him and her at this moment. Her thoughts were fixated on how their sweaty bodies danced together like it was second nature.
While Aang moved swiftly, his grey eyes watched her intently. She loved the feeling of Aang's stare and she felt his hunger. For the first time since before his fall, she welcomed his desire for her. Feeling heat pooling in her lower abdomen, she knew the fire had returned to her. Giving Aang a half-lidded stare, he returned in kind. There faces inches away from one another, matching beads of sweat on their brows. Aang held strong, wanting Katara to make the first move. He wanted her to tell him what she wanted. She groaned before passionately kissing him on the lips. He moaned as his hands cupped her round cheek. She broke away from the kiss and whispered in his ear, "I'm ready". Katara smiled with her eyes still half-lidded at the surprise on Aang's face. They both knew nothing could be done about it in that moment but they still smiled, silently acknowledging that they would become intimate as soon as possible.
For now, they returned to their group of friends. Sweaty and breathing heavy, whoops of encouragement welcomed the couple back to the booth their friends were sitting at. "You both caused quite a stir out there! I bet that was the best thing to happen to those yahoos in a while," Toph grinned as she gulped the rest of her martini. Katara saw Aang's blush and squeezed his hand gently, "Agreed, you're always bringing joy wherever you go. This was a great idea," Katara said as she kissed Aang on the cheek. Sokka began to slowly clap, "Flameo, sir. Flameo!" Aang blushed harder as he announced to the group, "Thanks, but I couldn't have done it with Katara. She's a great dancer." She felt herself melt again at his words and the squeeze he returned to her hand. Zuko chuckled, "Yeah, you were both great out there. And it's even more amazing that you did it all in a Fire Nation club. These are really difficult to get into, even if you're of age." Mai chimed in, "Yeah, how did you get us all in?"
Aang gave a crooked smile as he looked around the table, "Well, after I spoke with your mom, Zuko, I had an idea for dancing. I know Katara loves to dance and if I got a disguise, a club would be perfect because it's crowded and noisy. So, I spoke with Iroh and he knows the owner here who agreed to let us in for the night. And now, ladies and gentlemen, I think we should get back out there and show them our skills!" As they filtered out of the booth, Suki and Sokka ran to the middle of the floor. Katara laughed at Suki forcing Sokka to dance, as evidenced by the frown on Sokka's face. Toph sidled up to Katara with a grin, "Who knew Sokka could dance?" The waterbender replied with a chuckle, "He doesn't like to but it seems Sokka finally lost that battle" The two friends cheered them on amidst giggles and laughter. Suki smiled as she gyrated her hips in Sokka's crotch. Sokka's frown became unsurprisingly replaced with a wide grin. Mai and Zuko swayed in each other's arms, almost like they deliberately wanted to remain unnoticed.
The group of friends danced until 10:30pm. Katara, Sokka, Mai, and Suki still had midnight curfews so they all agreed to leave. After making their way out of the long, winding hallway, Toph, Suki, and Sokka said goodbye, wishing Aang a happy birthday once more. The ride back for Aang, Katara, Zuko, and Mai was filled with airy chatter and laughter. As Zuko pulled into the driveway of the mansion, Aang tried to keep his tipsy friends from making too much noise fumbling through the home. Aang beamed at Katara as he excitedly opened his bedroom door.
A frenzy of kisses and tugging at clothing filled the space of Aang's bedroom. The couple quickly made their way to his bed, falling ungracefully upon the covers. He paused briefly to revere her naked body in the moonlight as she straddled his lap. She would normally feel shy but the alcohol dampened this feeling. He leaned up to kiss her roughly as he rubbed her wet, heat with his fingers. He moaned at the feeling of her soft folds against his hand. She whimpered as he circled her between her legs, not having this feeling for so long. Katara gasped as she lowered herself onto Aang. He thrusted to deepen the amazing sensation. Quickly picking up speed, their need to savor this moment was thrown to the wayside. They needed each other now and didn't want to wait.
Aang bunched Katara's hair in his hand as they reached their peaks simultaneously. She collapsed onto the bed, laying her head onto his chest. Lightly kissing up his chest and onto his neck while he lightly ran his fingers along the curves of her body. "Happy birthday, Aang. I love you," she uttered between quick pecks on his shoulder. He moaned happily, "I love you, too, Katara. You're all I will ever want for my birthday." The couple dozed off until it was time for Katara to head home. That night, everyone in Team Avatar slept soundly without nightmares of what had occurred or of what could come. The stress of the past year that had haunted the group of friends fell away on this night. They knew their responsibilities would return in the morning, but for tonight, they could just be normal teens.