The Gaang was in Uncle Iroh's tea shop in Ba Sing Se. It was a calm and peaceful moment, a far cry from their usual action-packed adventures. Uncle Iroh was playing the tsungi horn. The girls were chatting. Zuko was serving tea. Sokka was 'capturing the moment', but ended up being laughed at after they saw how much of an epic fail his painting was.
Aang stepped out of the tea shop, taking a moment for himself. The sunset reflected the same hues as the one during the comet. It could have been a pleasant scenery to remember if they were simply kids enjoying the moment, no war, and no responsibilities, only themselves to think of. Unfortunately, they were no simple kids, the hope of ending the war and finally bring peace to the world lies in them.
Even though he was the most volatile in the group, literally and figuratively, recently Aang found himself reflecting. Like on these blank moments when he was free to think of anything, his mind unconsciously ponders about what transpired in the war and what would he do next as the Avatar.
Considering the other worse things that could have happened; he was a lucky kid. He was lucky that a lion-turtle showed him a way how to defeat Fire Lord Ozai without actually killing him – take away his bending, instead. He was lucky that a rock hit him at his chi trigger point that allowed him to go Avatar State, instead of letting a timid clueless kid fight a psychotic power-driven adult.
He knew that he won't always be lucky, and he has to fully face his destiny: to be a fully-realized Avatar. Every time he tried to run away, people precious to him paid the price. This time he'll face the problem head on like what Toph had always said.
Katara, the only earthly attachment he can't let go of, his forever girl. She was the person who woke him up from his century of slumber. She was the mother who took care of him and whom he nourished from. She was the teacher who taught him and guided him in his journey as a waterbender. She was the sister whom he swore loyalty to. She was the best friend he relied on. She gave him a family to belong to. How could he let her go? How could he live without her?
But then, he had a life before her, before his slumber, his life as an airbender. It was his heritage and it will be his legacy. If he didn't run away a hundred years ago, could the war have been prevented? Could his people still be alive?
Him being the last air nomad, it was something he could hardly believe, not because he was still in denial, but they weren't called nomads for empty titles. Among the four nations, they were the most adaptable and most likely to blend in the crowd. He had memories of encountering his own people posing as nonbendering citizens of the other nations and managed to fool everyone except their own kind.
No air nomad might be occupying any of the air temples for the past years but it doesn't mean that they were extinct. They might be living in the other nations feigning as part of their nonbending residents for self-preservation.
That has to be it. He left them before, now he's going to find them.
Aang didn't know how long he was standing outside but a presence next to him, retrieved him from his thoughts, Katara. She simply stood there, saying nothing. He could feel her gaze on him then on the beautiful sunset.
"After this… You're going back to the Southern Water Tribe, right?" Aang said, putting words on Katara's thoughts.
"Yeah…" Katara hated her maternal instinct sometimes. Going back to her tribe meant that she'll be leaving Aang on his own, and it made her feel guilty. Yet, it was her deepest desire to rebuild her tribe now that their people were back. They were open to venture the seas, and keep in touch with the other water tribes. "How about you?"
"I know this sounds crazy, but I'm going to look for my own people, the air nomads. They are alive somewhere out there Katara… I could feel it." Aang said with conviction.
"That's great Aang!" A small supportive smile crossed Katara's face. But as much as she wanted to stay happy and hopeful, reality likes to go against her. "I guess, after this, each of us is going our own separate ways… Are you sure you can manage on your own?"
"I have to Katara." Aang whispered in hard certainty. It was like he was telling it more to himself than to Katara.
"It's not like I'll ever be alone anyway. The world needs me, and it better be there for me too," Aang joked, shifting his heavy tone to a lighter one. "We could always visit each other, including the Gaang. If everyone is up to it, we can camp again somewhere like the good-old-days, but this time it's not the Fire Nation we're hiding from, but from our responsibilities!"
The two chuckled like the kids they actually were. Finishing his heartily laugh, Aang spoke again. "Katara?"
"What is it Aang?"
"Uhm… Regarding what I did to you during the Ember Island Players… I… ah… I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I understand that the play upset everyone… well, maybe except for Toph." As much as Toph was amused with how her character was portrayed, Katara won't ever live down how spot on Zuko's actor was.
"No. It's not. Forcefully kissing you like that wasn't the right thing to do whether I'm upset or not." When Aang heard what happened to Zuko and Azula's Agni Kai, at first he felt relieved that all of them managed to win their own battles. Yet when the details with how the fight started to sink down in him, Zuko desperately cried as he attempted to redirect the lightning that Azula shot at Katara and how frantic Katara was every time Zuko was in pain, he felt his internal organs plummet in shame.
His friend Zuko, who wanted to regain his honor more than anything else, was willing to throw it away and possibly his own life just to save Katara. Yet he, as the person who proclaims to love her, what could he do for her? What was he doing to her? Fly away and let her deal with the crucial matters on her own? Not considering how his actions would affect her?
It was a hard fact to accept, but maybe that's the reason why he needs to let go of her. He might be the Avatar and the direly world needs him, but not everything in the world is about him. He needs to stop being self-centered and learn how to empathic.
Katara felt a pang of pride upon hearing Aang's words. She was proud that the boy she found in the iceberg has been growing up.
"I accept the apology." She awkwardly smiled at him. "So this means… we're… friends?"
"Friends." Aang agreed and gave back Katara's motherly hug.
Zuko didn't mean to pry, but he had been watching Katara and Aang outside of the teashop. He can't help wondering, what they could be talking about. He saw Aang flash a goofy smile at him, catching him staring at them. He immediately set his eyes elsewhere, with pink tint on his cheeks. Aang broke the hug with Katara and started walking towards the teashop.
"It's your turn buddy Go talk to her." Aang discreetly whispered at him, letting Zuko have a private moment with Katara away from the Gaang's meddling, particularly Sokka's.
"And Zuko…" Aang had a mature and kind expression across his face, which made Zuko swallow an imaginary lump along his throat. "Take care of her, okay?"
"O… Of course!" Zuko awkwardly replied. What was Aang hinting at?
Zuko walked towards Katara while rubbing the back of his neck. He didn't exactly know how to start a conversation with her. Ever since his Agni Kai with Azula, things were either intense or awkward with her.
"Hi, Katara… Are you okay?" he managed to say in his best cheery voice he could manage.
Katara raised a brow at him as if telling: "Seriously Zuko? That's the best you can manage?" Then she laughed lightly at him. She let out a light laugh before answering him seriously.
"I'm fine. Just kinda feeling weird after Aang and I… Uhm… I really don't know how to call it… Technically, broke up?" Katara shrugged.
"Oh.. I didn't mean to…" Zuko didn't really know what to say. Should he apologize for being nosy or because he might be the reason why it happened?
"There's nothing really to apologize for," Katara replied in a neutral tone that put Zuko to ease. "Our break up is a mutual one. I just find it weird that we 'broke up' when we're not officially together and I was sort of expecting that things are going to be a bit more dramatic… You know how Aang could be at times. But really, I'm thankful with how we neatly concluded things."
"I see." There was a long silence between them after that.
"Katara…" "Zuko…" they called the same time resulting to some amusing gestures.
"You go ahead," Zuko gave way to Katara. He might be great at delivering political speeches, but can be a total dimwit in personal conversations.
Katara took a deep breath before saying anything. "About what happened during the Agni Kai with Azula…" They never had the chance to talk about it. After the Agni Kai, they were either wrapped in their own busy schedules or accompanied each other in serene silence, afraid to break the thin ice that is protecting the rapport they established from their own chaotic thoughts and feelings.
Though, sometimes at night, her own thoughts haunted her, making her restless as she lay on her bed. "Did he do that because he has feelings for me?"
And then, there were her feelings. "What do I feel about him?"
She could still remember how he cried for her as he ran towards the lightning's path. That, together with the last moments with her mom, they were her most tragic memories she won't ever forget in her life.
One thing is for sure, things between them are no longer the same like it was before.
"I'm sorry." Zuko immediately replied. He already knows where she could possibly drag him with this conversation and he also recognizes how much this girl could affect him, even stronger than what Sozin's Comet could do to him. His last Agni Kai, didn't only pave way for him to rightfully earn the throne, but it also awakened the potential feelings he harbors towards the master waterbender. Whatever he felt for Katara, it's something he cannot hide from himself any longer.
But he was no longer the prince who can be in romance with anyone he pleases. He is now the leader of a nation which owes the world a hundred years' worth of recuperation for the war his ancestors instigated. Pursuing romance at this crucial political phase would be like a juggling his mother's precious china and failing to catch either one or all of them.
So before she could make him falter with his decision, he firmed himself.
"I'm sorry."Did he just say that? Did he understand that she was referring to their standing as friends and not what had literally happened? He must have. For a moment Katara's body felt numb. A bit later, hurt started to gush like water from the dam. Was he rejecting her?! Was he betraying her again? She didn't even let her finish what she was about to say! She can't help flashing him a painful look that emphasized her glassy blue eyes.
Zuko felt something in him crash. "I didn't mean it that way..." Yet, she looked away.
"Katara, I'm not denying what we could possibly feel towards each other. It's just that, I don't want for either of us to hold on to something that would hardly work given our current predicament. I'll be in the Fire Nation trying to win the trust of my people and reform our ways. You'll be in the South Pole, helping to rebuild your tribe. Between us is a lot of work so we can truly live in peace and harmony." He looked at her, looking for any sign of understanding. He was relieved to see that her expression has softened.
She discerned what he was trying to imply and she felt stupid for all sorts of things, for overreacting, for overthinking, for thinking badly of him, for being immature, for hoping too much, and so on. Seriously, he is too dangerous for her. How could he trigger emotions and actions far from her usual parameters?
"If we still feel the same way by the time we can have some time to ourselves, we'll talk about it, okay?" she heard him say. His golden orbs sincerely and intently gazed on her blue ones and his large hands enclosed her smaller ones.
"Okay," she managed to voice out. "But promise me that after this, we'll keep writing to each other, and you'll also write to Sokka, Suki, Aang and even Toph."
"I promise."
Hands intertwined together, and her head on his shoulder, they watched the sunset.
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