Protection

Summary: From now on.

Note: I feel like I missed out on a golden opportunity to make a drabble about a broken condom. ...

"Nice out tonight."

The sound of Katara's voice startled Aang from his trance.

She smiled apologetically as she took a seat beside him.

The little Airbender had been going off on his own lately. She'd usually leave him to it, but tonight was different.

Tonight she didn't want him to be alone with his thoughts.

Aang stared at her, causing her to blush, and once he noticed he looked back to the sky with a smile.

"Yeah. Pretty."

They sat on a cliffs edge, the cool breeze something Katara was barely getting used to. It'd only been two months since she and her brother decided on traveling with Aang. Everyday was an adventure, but sitting together calmly and being able to call another boy, a boy a hundred and twelve years her senior, her friend was still the biggest adventure yet in Katara's mind.

"Oh, look!" Aang pointed up at the sky excitedly, "There's the pigeon-toad!"

Katara smiled. For weeks Aang had been talking about his favorite constellations, and this "Pigeon-toad" seemed to be his personal favorite.

"You know, you never told me what's so special about this one."

Aang smile looked almost most whimsical though his figure visibly slouched. Katara bit her lip and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Aang?"

"Monk Gyatso, remember him?"

From the corner of his eye he could see she nodded.

"His favorite star pattern was the one that made up the Pigeon-Toad. He said even though they're not exactly the strongest or the coolest to look at, they fiercely protected what they owned."

Aang sighed, "Even though Air nomads are taught to live beyond a world of possession, he said 'Tiny creatures such as them are truly admirable.'" he chuckled, "He said I reminded him of them."

Katara squeezed his shoulder, to which Aang sighed deeply and leaned back on his hands, "Then I'd airbend his robes in his face, because I wanted to be likened to a cooler animal."

The water girl giggled as she decided for pressing their shoulders close together and craning her neck up at the stars.

Lifting her hand she began to trace out the animal, "I think I'd agree with him. I've never seen one, but I think you'd make a perfect Pigeon-Toad."

He stuck his tongue out, "Gee, thanks."

"I bet they were loyal, and kind, and playful, and sweet."

Aang blushed, "They'd eat out of your hand." He commented when nothing else would come out.

Katara nodded, "I bet. Monk Gyatso probably gave you the greatest compliment ever. He saw you as someone who could protect the world."

"Yeah… I don't think I've been doing a good job of that so far."

Katara leaned her head on his shoulder. His shoulder lifted up and down from a deeper, soul stretching sigh.

"I'm sorry, Katara."

They watched the sky longer. Longer and longer still, until they were both lying comfortably back in the breeze and grass.

"Let's make a pact." Aang whispered, "Let's protect each other."

Katara hummed, "We're already doing that, don't you think?"

"Well then… Let's protect each other forever?" Aang whispered lower, as if he was afraid he said something too childish.

As if he was just afraid in general.

Katara didn't speak, and Aang thought his fear had been confirmed until he felt her hand on his.

He snapped his gaze to hers, surprised she was watching him with such a nice smile on her face.

"Okay. Let's protect each other forever."

It took only a few seconds for Aang's hand to twine with hers and the most grateful smile she'd ever seen on his face began appearing.

The smile in her dream stayed on her face later into the night, growing when she felt the press of her new husband's bare chest against her own.

He kissed around her ears, her nose, and her eyelids until she finally relented and opened them.

His smile warm in the candle light, his hands squeezed her own, a smirk on his lips that'd previously healed her anxiousness about their first night completely together in every way, and his eyes dancing with so much happiness it radiated the room.

"I told you I'd protect you forever." He whispered.

She matched his expression and hugged his body closer, "I told you, my big, strong Pigeon-Toad."

A startled yelp was all Katara could manage before being engulfed in their marital sheets again.

A/N: Thank you.