Hello everyone! I just want to say thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed my previous chapter. It really means a lot! The second chapter came out faster than I thought it would, so don't expect chapters to come out this fast usually. There was originally another part to this but I decided to save it for the next chapter so I could add more details. That's why this one is kind of short. Thanks Again! Rate and Review!
People that know, where the wind goes, have a mind so soothing. -The Paper Kites
Air. It was his element. He had mastered it before he was even twelve years old. He used it to defeat the firelord and save the world from a hundred year war. Yet for some reason he could not summon it at that moment.
Suki knew that she was intruding something so she left without another word. Leaving them alone in the room.
She was standing in front of him. It was almost like some sort of dream. But he knew it wasn't because his mind could not possibly fathom those mesmerizing blue eyes. Nothing he could think of could do them justice. And she had changed from how he remembered her. She was no longer a little girl, but a young woman. A stunning young woman. She was more curved than last time he saw her, and her hair also seemed longer. She was wearing a simple blue dress, but she made it look like it was made of jewels. She was… Perfect.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, the young woman across the room said something.
"Aang, what are you doing here-" before she could finish, Aang had crossed the room and enveloped her in a tight embrace.
When he wrapped his arms around her, he felt all his insecurities drop like a weight that he had no idea he was carrying. As he held her and she held him, he inhaled her scent through his nose. She smelled the same after all these years, ocean salt and flowers just before they bloom. He could feel her taking him in, too, as they hugged, and with every breath she took, her chest moved and filled the gap between them. They fit like two pieces of a puzzle.
Aang could have held her for lifetimes, just feeling the ebb and flow of her life pulsing around him. And for the first time in two long years, Aang wasn't drained. He was full of life. Her life.
When they finally separated, it was too soon. Any time was too soon. But at least he could finally look into those beautiful eyes again. He stared at her face, trying to memorize everything. Her chilling blue eyes, which could change with her every thought. Her cheekbones which defined her luminous smile. Her nose curved at a perfect angle. And her mouth which was open slightly so she could breathe. He yearned most for her lips. To touch them against his.
And before he knew it, his face was closing what little distance was between them. Her warmth was becoming more intense as his face drifted closer.
Her. That's all he wanted. To be closer to her.
His lips were just about to graze hers when they heard a voice at the door. And just like that their closeness was gone, and all of Katara's warmth left with it. Leaving Aang standing there, cold and alone.
When Aang finally looked up to see who had arrived at the door, he was brutally shocked. In front of him stood a man who wore what appeared to be water tribe clothing. His hair was tied back in a ponytail, much like Sokka's, but he wasn't Sokka. Instead of a humorous smile he wore a grin that exuded confidence and pride. Aang just wanted to tell him to leave so he could be alone with Katara again but he knew it would be too rude.
So instead he waved a little awkwardly and said, "Um hello. Can I help you?" As he said this he took his hand that had been holding Katara and nervously grabbed his neck.
Katara then took another step away from him, and towards this other man. It hurt Aang to have Katara move away from him after feeling her so close. Close enough that they had almost kissed. But now she stood beside this new stranger, and Aang couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.
But then the stranger spoke.
"The name is Kantu. I'm from the Northern Water Tribe." Even when he was talking, Aang felt like he thought he was above everyone. Almost condescending.
"And who are you?" the man directed to Aang.
"I'm Aang. I used to travel with Katara when I was twelve years old. She helped me defeat the fire lord. We were…" He paused. What were they? He looked to Katara's eyes for help, but only found the side of her face as she looked away, avoiding him. "We were friends" Aang breathed.
But even as he said it, he knew it wasn't true. Aang had loved Katara. Aang wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. It was because he loved her, that he left in the first place.
And now she wouldn't even look at him. She almost looked like she was ashamed.
Finally Kantu broke the awkward silence.
"You defeated the fire lord…?Wait you're the Avatar aren't you?! Katara never mentioned knowing the Avatar…"
That stung. She might as well have walked over and slapped him in the face. But he did deserve it.
Kantu looked back and forth between the two and exclaimed, "...Wait…Did you two have a thing?"
They both blushed simultaneously and Aang started babbling like a mad man.
"Well.. um.. we...well you see… she saved me… and I was… we were younger…"
But Katara stopped his rant with a few simple words. "We were never a thing"
She said it like she was trying to convince herself and even though she convinced Kantu, Aang was not so easily fooled. She had felt something, and the way they hugged had shown she still felt something.
But even though he knew she didn't feel that way, it still gave Aang a sick feeling to his stomach. Why couldn't she tell this man that they were once in love?
Kantu looked a little relieved "Well good. Because dating the Avatar is one of those things that your fiance should know.."
Aang stopped. His light-hearted mood melted away at the sound of that word.
Fiance.
This wasn't right. This wasn't happening. Aang looked up at Katara hoping she would deny it. And this time Katara was looking right at him. But she didn't show any emotion. But as he looked at her he noticed that her necklace was not the same. It was a lighter blue and it had a new carving on it. And Aang knew at that moment it was true. Because it had been made by the man standing in front of him.
Then he moved his eyes up her neck to her eyes again. Now there was something there. She looked like she wanted to come hold him and tell him it was okay. But she just stood there. And watched him die.
Or what seemed like dying. His breathing was shallow and he felt like he was choking. Drowning. He felt water collecting on the brim of his eyelid, like a wave about to break. He needed to be alone. Now.
He was trying to hold himself together, but he could feel himself breaking at the seams.
And Katara could tell. She knew him like the back of her hand. But the only thing she could do was leave him to take it in.
"Well Kantu and I are going to go talk to the others.." Katara said as she walked away. On the last word Katara's voice broke just barely and Kantu didn't notice. But Aang did.
As they walked away, Aang saw Kantu put his arm around her waist. He knew it was to comfort her, but it had the opposite effect on him.
And as the door was swinging shut, Aang saw Katara turn her head and look at him for a fraction of a second. Just before the door shut her out.
All Aang could think was: that should be him comforting her.
But he had given that up when he chose to leave and protect her. He had given her up. The only woman he would ever love.
After the door shut, Aang just collapsed right where he stood. What was happening? Why was he showing so much weakness? He just couldn't hold his emotions at bay any longer.
And so they overflowed.
And he cried.
Ever since he left, he had bottled up all of his emotions. And now he finally let everything he felt overtake him. It felt good to release but at the same time, it hurt sooo bad.
Everything was resurfacing.
His abandonment.
His cruelty.
His selfishness.
His loneliness.
His sadness.
His guilt.
Every emotion was a stab to his heart, and he was left to just bleed out on the floor. And as he laid there, dying, he realized that this is what he really deserved.
To be abandoned. It was what he had done to her.
But that realization didn't curve his stabbing anguish. It only sharpened it. Making his sorrow so deep and he doubted he could ever relinquish it.
So there he sat. Broken by the healer who he loved, despite the fact that she would never return his feelings.
And he slowly drifted into the darkness. Alone.