Hey, everyone! Enjoy the fast update! (I do not own Avatar. Do I look like Bryan or Mike to you?)


Aang had been extremely busy lately. He had been attending meeting upon meeting every day for the last month, coming home often after being away for sixteen hours that day. He received no pay for his efforts, as the officials claimed it was the Avatar's duty, not his employment, to resolve the issues of the world. But to force all this work on a child of only thirteen without compensation? That was ridiculous!

So one morning, when Katara noticed Aang had overslept…she left him alone. Who would really care if the Avatar was out of commission for a single day, anyway?

As Sokka and Zuko were scrambling to get themselves ready for that day'a series of meetings, they noticed that Aang was nowhere to be found.

"Uh…Katara?" Sokka asked as he saw his sister pass by. "Have you seen Aang? The meeting starts in twenty minutes!"

Katara shrugged. "I let him sleep."

"You what?! Why?!" Sokka asked frantically. "He needs to be there!"

"How are we supposed to have a peace meeting without the Avatar to officiate it?" Zuko added.

"Figure it out," Katara replied. "Have you seen him lately? He's almost never home, and when he his, he's walking around like a zombie. He could use a day off."

"But he's the Avatar," Zuko said. "I don't think Avatars have days off."

"This one does," Katara said firmly. She crossed her arms.

It became apparent that Aang was not coming to the meeting, so Sokka and Zuko left without him.

Katara sighed, rubbing her temples. She decided to go back to bed, since no one else's was up yet and there was nothing better to do.

As she lay back down on her pillow, she smiled. She had done a good thing for Aang. He needed rest, and she was glad to let him have it.

She tried to fall back asleep, but the sun had fully risen, streaming golden morning sunlight through the window. She closed the curtain, but light still managed to get through, making it impossible to sleep. So she groaned and decided that she should just get up.

Waking back up the hallway, she passed by Aang's room and heard faint mumbling.

She smiled at this and peeked her head into his room.

There he was, sleeping soundly. He was curled up on his side, facing the door. His blanket had apparently been tossed into the floor in the middle of the night, jumbled up on the otherwise tidy floor of his room.

Naturally, Katara entered the room and quietly tiptoed to Aang's bed, sitting beside him as he began to stir.

She froze, not meaning to wake him. He rolled over, his eyes fluttering open as he caught a glimpse of morning sunshine. Quickly, he shut them, but then he opened them, seeing a blue nightdress.

"K-Katara?" he uttered, yawning. "What are you—" And then it hit him. "Wait, what time is it?!"

"It's seven o'clock," she answered softly. "Just go back to sleep; you need it."

"Sleep?!" Aang echoed frantically, sitting up. "I'm supposed to be at a meeting right now! Why did you let me sleep?!"

"Because you need it," Katara said, touching his cheek. "Look at you, you have bags under your eyes."

"I know, but—"

"Shh." She put a finger to his lips. "Just relax."

"Katara, I'm the Avatar," Aang explained. "I can't just take a day off whenever I feel like it."

"No, but you can when you need one," Katara replied. "You're exhausted. How would you even stay awake during that meeting, anyway? Even the Avatar needs a day off sometimes."

"I—"

Again, she cut him off by putting a finger to his lips. She gently pushed him down onto his pillow. "Aang, please just relax. For me?"

He sighed. "But—"

"No buts," Katara said, smirking. "Now you get your butt back to sleep."

They both laughed.

"Goodnight, Aang," Katara said, her smirk growing as she stood up.

"W-wait," he said pleadingly. "Stay with me?"

She turned back to him, frowning. "I can't. But I'll tell you what…" She bent down and kissed him briefly, his eyes widening in surprise.

"…I have to make breakfast," she continued. "You can get some more sleep, and I'll come in when it's ready and give it to you. Deal?"

Aang smiled and rolled back onto his side. "Deal."

"Sleep tight, Aang," Katara said, quietly exiting the room. "I love you."

The Avatar yawned and shut his eyes. "Love you too…"

Maybe Katara was right. Even Avatars need a day off sometimes.