EEEEEE I love all of my reviewers so much! Thanks, guys! =D All of your compliments meant a lot and gave me warm-fuzzies every time I read them! Heehee! Onwaarrrdd to chapter 3~
I said I don't own anything! D8 –cries-
Aang hardly got any sleep at all that night. He was far too interested in keeping his mind occupied with Katara to even think about rest. Her face appeared in his head and he would get butterflies in his stomach. Her laugh would ring in his ears and he would smile wide. Her lips were teasing and yet he had to keep putting the urge aside of kissing her—keep the thought out of his mind when he saw her. But he couldn't. She was drop-dead gorgeous and sweet. Perfect. No other words to describe how wonderful she was.
Although Aang only got maybe an hour or two in of sleep, the night seemed to fly by and day three had rolled around. He jumped out of bed and got ready, trying to look the best he could because his mind was set:
He was going to try something daring today.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Aang sat in the coffee shop later that day, waiting rather impatiently. He thought back to the day's earlier events and smiled.
In school, Aang had not forgotten that Katara was in two of his classes this time. He had sat at his desk practically the whole period, gazing longingly at her and watching as she scribbled down notes. Her long, wavy brown hair draped over her shoulders, her hair-loopies hanging down. She bit her lip in frustration every so often, constantly erasing and writing things, erasing and writing. Aang could sense her frustration and felt sorry. When the teacher said to find a partner to compare notes, Aang got up from his seat and quickly jogged to her before anyone else could snag her away. She looked up at him and smiled, and he returned it.
"Need help?" He had asked. She motioned for him to sit down next to her.
Then came lunch. Aang and Katara had been searching aimlessly for each other through the halls and the lunchroom, and when they found each other, they almost hugged but realized they had lunch in their hands and laughed at the awkwardness. They had sat down together and talked deep thoughts as if they were already in the coffee shop. It was just as thrilling and a joy to speak with Katara. He especially loved listening to her speak—she had a deep but such a beautiful voice. He loved it.
And then Spanish class in the afternoon. The assignment was to find anyone in the room and try having a basic conversation with them for as long as they could. Immediately, Aang and Katara found each other and embraced, laughing. The teacher and other students who were still scurrying around gave the two a quizzical eyebrow, but Aang and Katara had no reason to care. Although they didn't want to admit it out loud, they were in love.
"Aang?"
Aang jumped a little, surprised at the voice. He looked to see it was Katara, standing there with her schoolbag. She wore a white turtleneck and dark blue jeans today. The same scarf and hat as yesterday and before. He smiled, getting up from his chair in the corner and they hugged for the second or third time that day.
"So good to see you again, Katara." Aang said softly, still maintaining his warm smile.
"You, too." She smiled back in a soft voice as well.
"Well?" Aang nodded towards the counter. She giggled and nodded, and together they went to order their drinks. Both, this time, were peppermint hot chocolate. They sat back down and Aang watched as she took off the lid of her cup and sipped off all of the whipped cream until it was gone.
He laughed. "Enjoying that?"
She glanced up at him and blushed. "They have the best whipped cream here. It's not sickeningly sweet or too thick like the ones they have in grocery stores, it's just perfect." She smiled.
"Naw. I agree." He said, taking his lid off and sipping all the whipped cream as well. She laughed when he looked up, seeing as he had whipped cream all over his lips.
He laughed as well. "Shut up!" He said embarrassed, and looking away to lick it off.
"Aw, Aang, c'mon! It's not bad. It was cute." She said, still giggling.
He blushed and smiled, then quietly sipped his drink. "When you did it, it was cuter. I'm not cute."
Now it was her turn to blush. "Not entirely true. You can be pretty cute when you want to."
"But I don't want to be cute. I want to be… well, I don't know." He laughed.
"Let me tell you this then: you're just what every boy in school should be." She smiled.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Well," She blushed. "You're funny, sweet, cute—yeah, you heard me—handsome… must I go on?" She said, her blush darkening.
"Yes, go on." He smiled blissfully.
She sighed, looking away. "Nice, beautiful, loyal, trustworthy, amazing, perfect. I'm sure there's more ways to describe you, but I can't say off the top of my head."
Aang grinned, quite satisfied. "You know your all of those things, right? That's how I think of you," He reached over to touch her cheeks with his fingertips, making her look at him. "You're sweet, funny, cute, loyal, trustworthy, amazing, beautiful, and perfect. Must I go on?" He told her, as if he had recorded what she described him as and he repeated it back.
"No, you don't," She smiled. "What you've said gives me enough satisfaction."
He brought his hands back and lounged on his chair. Katara had been sitting in front of him this whole time, but she finally got up and sat in the chair next to him.
"However, I'm still not satisfied with one thing." He murmured, almost to himself, but she heard it clearly.
"With what?"
He glanced at her and blushed. "Nothing, nothing. Maybe I'll tell you later."
She rolled her eyes, drinking some of her cocoa. "Fine. You know, maybe I'll have to take back what I said about you being loyal and trustworthy."
"But I am! I said maybe I'll tell you later!" He argued, flailing his arms a bit and she wanted to laugh at his panicked expression but held it in.
"I'm just kidding, chill out." She grinned.
He reached over and playfully slapped her and she let her laugh out and slapped his arm back. Her hand lingered there, though, and Aang got the message. He reached up with the arm she was touching and he held her hand, intertwining her fingers with his. They both blushed at this contact, but she did not pull away. They looked over at each other, and Aang smiled wistfully.
"You've got some cocoa on your lips." He said.
"I do, huh?" She said, but not getting it off. She only kept staring into his grey orbs as both felt themselves leaning toward each other. Their hearts were pounding fast like a drum in their chests as Aang started to tilt his head as he drew closer. Their lips almost made contact until—
"Well, well, well, if it isn't my best friend and my sister."
The couple jumped back, nearly spilling their cocoa and they both groaned.
"Sokka!" Katara yelled angrily at him.
"Hey, Sokka. Toph." Aang said calmly, nodding towards his other friend who was standing next to Sokka with her arms crossed.
"Hey, Twinkletoes. Sugarqueen." She nodded back to both of them.
While Sokka and Katara were arguing with each other, Toph pulled up a wooden chair in front of Aang.
"Alright, so tell me what's with you and Sugarqueen over there for the past couple of days. First you're swooning over her to me at school, then you're hanging out with her constantly in the classes you guys are in together and at lunch, then you meet her here at the coffee shop every day for, like, three hours. And from what I hear, you guys almost kissed just now."
"I'm in love." Aang replied bashfully.
"But does she love you?" Toph asked, putting her hands on her hips.
"I don't know. We haven't confessed or anything. But I think she does, she didn't back away when we… you know, almost…"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it. I was just wondering."
He raised an eyebrow. "Since when have you cared about my love-life?"
"Twinkletoes, you're one of my best friends. I just want to make sure you know what you're doing or what you might be getting yourself into. She could break up with you an hour after you kiss."
"Oh," Aang was surprised. Usually Toph hardly cared about what girls Aang decided he wanted to date, but not this time. Probably because Katara was also Toph's friend.
"—But I doubt it. She's one of my best friends, too, and I know she wouldn't do that, especially to you. She's been swooning about you as well to me. It's getting pretty annoying, you know."
"S-she is?"
"Duh."
"O-oh… well…"
"So you better make a move sometime soon and then tell her to get off my back." Toph grinned.
Aang rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."
"Good. Come on, Snoozles." Toph got up from her chair, roughly shoving it back in place under the nearest small table.
Sokka and Katara were still doing some brother-sister arguing until Toph grabbed the back of Sokka's sweater and dragged him out of the café.
"We'll continue this when you get home!" He yelled at Katara, pointing an accusing figure.
Katara smiled sweetly as she waved her brother out.
"What were you and Toph talking about?"
Aang blushed. "Nothing."
Katara sipped her drink with her eyebrows raised as she glanced at him expectantly. "Didn't seem like nothing."
"What were you and Sokka arguing about?" Aang asked her suspiciously.
Now she blushed and turned away. "Nothing." She repeated.
Aang burst out laughing. "Didn't seem like nothing!"
"Shut up!" She smiled, shoving her hand on his cheek and playfully pushing it away.
"Aw, c'mon. What were you guys arguing about?"
"I'm surprised you didn't hear us. Must have been so lost in your conversation with Toph. What did you guys talk about?" She frowned.
"What did you and Sokka argue about?" Aang urged, frowning back. "Tell me!"
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"Not until you tell me what you and Toph were talking about!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"No!"
Katara started smiling. "Yes!"
Aang smiled back. "No!"
Now she was giggling. "Yes!"
Aang grinned. "No!"
And now they stopped arguing and both were laughing so hard they were crying.
"ALRIGHT, alright! I'll tell you. Toph and I were talking about… you and I being… you know, a couple. And she told me to…" he blushed, stopping.
"She told you to what?"
He shook his head. "That you'll find out soon."
She blushed, looking away. "Sokka and I were arguing about… you and I being a couple. He said he saw us almost… you know, and he was worried about me getting 'hurt' supposedly," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "Older brothers and their worries."
Aang frowned. "Even as friends, I would never ever in my life have any intentions of hurting you, Katara."
"I know." Katara grinned and kissed his cheek, making his face heat up. "Well, I should probably go and receive Sokka's lecture back at home." She laughed nervously.
"You'll be alright," Aang smiled. "Come on. I need some fresh air anyway. I'll see you off."
They both stood and he intertwined their fingers as they exited the coffee shop.
The weather was chilly as the winds picked up again behind them and leaves spun in the streets.
"I always wait for the bus." Katara said as they neared the bus stop in front of the café.
"I walk home, it's not that far," Aang said. "So I guess this means good-bye until tomorrow."
She nodded. "Yeah… until tomorrow."
And then, Aang wrapped his arms around her waist, leaned down, and kissed her passionately—seconds before the bus arrived.
