Surviving (Rejection)
[100 AG]
[The Fire Nation Royal Palace]
He sat at the edge of a small pond when she found him, a bare foot in the water, with Momo resting on his slumped shoulders and a turtle duck in his lap, and he didn't turn, didn't even lift his head, though he must've heard her, for he tensed when she came closer.
"Aang?"
His fingers ghosted over the turtle duck's head.
The animal pressed against his fingertips.
"Aang ... ?"
She stood behind him, unsure if she should sit down, if this was the right moment, if there would be one, and Momo looked up at her and Aang said: "What is it?"
His voice was flat.
Her heart hurt.
"I-"
She had planned a whole speech, in her head, over the past few days, when she lay awake at night, the moon too bright, her thoughts too loud, the palace too foreign, but now, when she looked at him, small and broken, the words refused to leave her mouth.
Wouldn't even form a sentence.
"I'm sorry."
"What for?", he mumbled.
"Not being honest sooner. 'cause I don't want to do this now, but now it can't wait anymore and I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I should've ... We should've had a talk about this sooner. A real talk, not me beating around the bush and you ... not getting it."
"Oh."
He was still petting the turtle duck, but he lifted his chin.
"So, you're not confused anymore?"
"No."
"Oh."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault. I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't've kissed you. On Ember Island. Or ever, I guess. I don't think I'd make a very good boyfriend right now, anyway. A good anything. So it's alright."
"You're a good friend", she said and finally sat.
Momo climbed from his shoulder onto her head.
"Promise we'll always be friends?", he asked quietly.
"Of course."