3. Hear
Alright, we're gonna cut the crap and go straight to the obvious. Because I don't do breaking things gently or being tactful or anything like that and neither am I a complete moron. So I know things that some of my dear 'family' does not know or pretends not to know. Katara and Zuko? Yeah, they're in love with each other. Point blank. Hello, anybody can see that. Except, it seems, those who are closest to the two of them.
It's actually seriously annoying as well as seriously stupid. I mean, every time you so much as hint they like each other it's all fluster and 'What? Oh no I don't! She's just a friend. He's not my type. Mai this. Aang that.'. And on, and on it goes. You'd have thought that by now somebody would have gotten a clue. But no. The end of the war did not change the mentality of the people I associate with.
Okay, so I have a heightened sense of… well, I suppose it's hearing. I can hear emotions better than most people can see them on faces and in eyes. I can hear, through my Earthbending, how Sweetness' heartbeat picks up when she's around him. I can hear how they easily fall into a balanced rhythm after just hours of being with each other. I can hear how her voice is just that much softer, how he tries just that much harder, how their arguments are underlined by something strong that ensures they'll never become enemies again. I 'wait and listen before striking', as that old bat Bumi put it. So I suppose I can't be too annoyed that I seem to be the only one to notice the type of relationship between the Waterbender and the Firelord. But I mean surely there must be some signs that those seeing people can pick up on too? Surely they must look at each other differently or smile differently or walk differently or something? I refuse to believe that it's only because of my super hearing that I can pick it up.
And even if it is just because of my hearing then only three of them get an excuse. Twinkles is an Airbender. He can manipulate the air so he can hear the softest of sounds. And I blooming well taught him how to Earthbend, too. So if it was only because of heightened hearing ability than he should have noticed too. He should have been able to hear the words they whisper to each other when they think nobody is looking. I can only tell they're doing it because their hearts race with adrenalin and a twinge of guilt. If I had Aang's ability I would have eavesdropped the spirit out of those two, and used everything I heard to blackmail and tease them until one of us died.
But… maybe his stupidity is chosen. Maybe Aang does know, but he chooses to remain oblivious. The guy's a bundle of hope and all that crap but I don't know if that would cover something like this. Not that he should have to cover something like this. I know he likes her and all but honestly this is all just pathetic. He can't ignorance her into loving him back. And I'm not naïve enough to believe that this whole under-the-blanket thing can carry on happening forever. One day somebody else is going to stop and find out. Someday somebody else is going to really hear them.
And then I'll be hearing the hearts break.