Hi, guys. Enjoy this one…I sure enjoyed writing it! (PS: I'm sick of writing that stupid disclaimer. You guys know by now that I own nothing, don't you?)
Night had fallen on Ember Island, where the Avatar, Firelord, and their friends were staying for a much needed vacation. After a diplomatic meeting earlier in the day, the next six days were blissfully free for Team Avatar.
Unfortunately, Katara was having trouble sleeping. Though Aang was beside her tonight (an increasingly common occurrence), she just couldn't get comfortable. So, after a couple of hours of staring at the ceiling and failing to sleep, she decided to take a little walk.
She carefully rolled out of bed, but try as she might not to do so, she woke Aang by accident.
The young Avatar gave a soft groan as his eyes slowly opened. He blinked a few times before noticing a figure walking out of the doorway.
"Katara?" he called softly.
The girl cringed remorsefully as she turned to face him. "Sorry, Aang," she whispered, walking back to toward him. "I didn't mean to wake you."
He rubbed his eyes. "It's okay." He sat up.
"I was just going to take a walk," she told him, smiling. "Do you want to come with me?"
He agreed, and the pair crept down the hallway and out the front door. Easy enough, since Sokka and Zuko snored like badgermoles.
As the young couple walked along the beach, Katara occasionally twirled her hair with the hand that wasn't attached to Aang's. This worried him, as he knew that she usually twirled her hair when she was nervous or afraid.
"Katara, are you okay?" he asked, looking at her with a concerned expression. "You seem…tense."
She stopped walking and turned to look back at him. "I'm fine…why?"
"You're twirling your hair again," he pointed out. "You only do that when something's up. Now spill."
She turned away. "I-it's nothing, Aang. Don't worry about it."
He crossed his arms, dissatisfied. "Katara, come on. You know that won't work on me."
She sighed in defeat. He was right. "Look, I don't want to upset you or anything. I'm really okay, just…thinking."
He grabbed her shoulders and turned her around. "About what?"
"Well…you," she replied, twirling her hair again.
"What about me?" he inquired, his metallic eyes piercing a hole through her oceanic ones.
"Um…well, you know how you're the Avatar," Katara began.
Aang nodded. "Right…" he prompted.
"And when you get upset…you, um…" she trailed off.
His eyes widened in realization. "The Avatar State?" And then, he sighed, looking down at the sand. "You're scared of me."
"What? No!" she replied, shaking her head. "I…I just worry about you, and…it's been keeping me up at night."
"Really?" He'd had no idea the Avatar State worried her so much. "I…I didn't know. Are you…scared when I get like that?"
"A little," she admitted.
He sighed again, looking away. "Great, so you are afraid of me," he muttered.
"No, it isn't like that," she insisted. "Aang, I'm afraid of what you do to yourself sometimes."
"What do you mean?" he asked, looking back at her in confusion.
"Well, look at you," she replied. "You're always so happy, carefree, and sweet—but to see you so angry and sad…it scares me, because you aren't yourself. That…that monster…it isn't you."
Aang chewed his bottom lip. "And that keeps you up at night?"
Katara nodded, still playing with a lock of her hair. "Sometimes."
An uncomfortable silence fell upon the two. They both could feel the tension in the air as Katara continued to twirl her hair around her finger. Aang watched the waves creeping up the sand, wondering what he could do to put her more at ease.
He spoke after a few minutes. "Is there anything…I can do?"
"No…not really," she replied with another sigh. "Just…please, take care of yourself. I hate seeing you like that. For the people that love you, it's really scary."
He nodded, remembering that she had said those exact words to him at General Fong's base. He did not want to relive that memory. Heck, Katara had barely lived through it once!
"I…I know," he said. "And I'm sorry."
She touched his cheek. "Why are you apologizing? It isn't your fault."
"Yes, it is," he replied, looking down. "I—I didn't know I've been putting you through so much fear and pain. It isn't fair to you."
"Aang, it's okay," she said, smiling a little and giving him a hug. "You just need to control your emotions a little better."
He returned her embrace, smiling as well. "I will. I promise."
More silence fell, but this one a comfortable, peaceful silence. They continued to walk along the shoreline until the waves began lapping at their feet.
"I think the tide's coming in," Aang said. "We'd better get back." He squeezed Katara's hand.
She nodded. "You're right."
"So…you're okay?" he asked, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.
"I think so. You?" she replied.
She was mildly surprised when he leaned in and touched her lips briefly with his own.
After about two seconds, he pulled away, blushing a little.
"I'm just fine."
