I Need To Find Myself
Song Inspired: Amerie: The Flowers
(Looks like I was able to finish by the end of the weekend after all *patting myself on the back* :] )
It's been three months since that day; three months to the day that Katara confessed her love to Aang, and three months to the day in which Aang refused to return it. It's been three months since Katara's heart was once again shattered by the same young man she once called her lover; three months to the day that Katara declared her everlasting hate for the young Avatar, and 3 months to the day in which Katara told Aang that she never wanted to see his face again. That day remains but a painful memory within Aang's mind because he knew well that he could've prevented it; he could've stopped it, but he didn't. He carried his guilt along with him when he returned, and what a heavy burden it was for him to bear, but he knew that this is what he deserved for acting on his carnal desires and accepted it. After that day, Aang knew that his intimate night with Katara would spell the end of his relationship with Onji, and found it best that he keep that sexual encounter a secret from the young Fire Nation woman and move on with his life. When Aang returned from Ba Sing Se, he knew that he had to make things right with Onji, while saving her from the pain of knowing that he lost his innocence to the water bender that was his ex-girlfriend. And since that day, Aang no longer sleeps in the guest room, but now shares Onji's bed; they have consummated their relationship.
After an exhaustive night with Onji, Aang awoke; his body in the raw as he struggled to open his eyes. Meanwhile, Onji slept peacefully next to the Avatar; her body completely naked as the thick, lavender sheets covered her nudity. His body was severely worn out from sexually pleasing Onji; she can be incredibly demanding of him when in the heat of the moment, and it always wipes him out. Even then, he has struggled to enjoy her in their intimacy; even during the gentlest moments, he has found himself unable to connect with her on a physical level, and lately, on an emotional level. As Aang used his elbow to elevate himself from the bed, he squint his eyes towards the calendar posted across the room; for today was an important day. Those same exact thoughts would plague him every day after he 'finished' his duty with Onji, but today is different; today, he has an important meeting to attend, and his mind is consumed with worry because today, he is going to meet with every important legislative member of every Nation to talk about the status of his 'mission'. The leaders, representatives and diplomats of the Water, Earth and Fire Nations want to keep tabs on the young Avatar and make sure he's keeping his end of the bargain when it came to his duty; and the fact that he has yet to produce offspring is only raising their suspicion and doubt as to whether or not the Avatar is at least attempting to fulfill his mission. Aang was feeling incredibly stressed out by their bombardment on his personal life, but their bother on him was soon overshadowed when he suddenly realized that this day was important for another reason. As he caught glimpse of what this day was, he realized what it marked: It has been 3 months to the day that he and Katara went all the way, the day he and the young Water Tribe woman made love. He had never forgotten that night, and when the monthly anniversary of that encounter comes along, he reminisces of her, and wonders how she's fairing along. He slowly turned his body away from Onji; hoping that he wouldn't stir the slumbering beauty as he attempted to get out of bed. Onji barely moved as Aang airbent himself out of bed; careful not to make a sound as he softly landed his feet onto the wooden floor and tip toed towards the undergarments and trousers he tossed onto the ground the night before.
As Aang weakly put on his pants and underwear, he followed his usual routine: Sit on the edge of the bed, and wonder about things. He has been sexually active with Onji for the past 3 months; yet every time they have intercourse seems staler than the last. He would then wonder about his own sexual potency, for after all of their 'attempts' to conceive, Onji has yet to become pregnant. Soon after, for a brief moment, Aang's mind would take him to the night he shared with Katara, and how he could have avoided all of this emotional mess if he had thought with his upper head instead of his lower. He would then succumb to his aggravation and think of how if he had only just left Katara to rest from her ordeal, if he could've just walked away when she offered to care for the wound that Azula had inflicted on his abdomen with her jagged blade; then he would've saved Katara from much heartache, and saved himself the guilt and agony that came with unintentionally hurting her. Nonetheless, Aang had moved on, and things quickly went back to the way they were. Aang continued his relationship with Onji, and soon after, he found out that Katara had indeed continued to see Lee; even after she asserted her love for the young Avatar, she chose to give herself a chance with a man that was willing to return her affection, and that man was Lee. But what continued to baffle Aang to this day is why, why did she go back to Lee after telling him that he loved him? After all, never once did she say 'I love you' when they were together; why would she say it that day? And then just run back to Lee's arms after professing such powerful words to him the morning after they made love? "It must've been because we…" Aang couldn't finish his mental sentence; for the mere thought of that reason sent a sinking feeling deep within his gut. But even then, he understood, and knew that it was for the best that she at least try to find someone that could return her love, It would just be selfish for him to wish otherwise, after all, this is what he desired, wasn't it? And yet, he has found himself wishing just that on occasion when he remembered the young water bender after being intimate with Onji, only to stop himself immediately afterwards from delving into those forbidden desires. After his wonders and ponders, he would just come to the conclusion that she just didn't mean it when she said that she loved him; that she was just caught up in the moment and wasn't thinking clearly when she said it. Even then, the memory of Katara still manages to creep up his mind; commanding him to picture her captivating eyes, her elegant face and her sweet smile. How he guiltily loved to picture her alluring beauty in his mind, and how me wrongfully yearned to see her again every night, even as he laid next to one of the most beautiful women in the Fire Nation he would catch him thoughts wandering back to the ebony beauty that hailed from the Southern Water Tribe. His thoughts would then begin to take him towards deviant territory, and he would begin to picture Katara lying erotically on top of her bed; a glimmer in her seductive, bewitching eyes as they gazed into his the same way they did the night he stepped out of his monogamy, ready for him to take her in all of her nude glory as the abrupt flash of lightning illuminated the side of her face and body. He has struggled with these thoughts every now and again during the infancy of his relationship with Onji, and although it was a bother to deal with, he was eventually able to restrain himself. But now, because of his idiocy and his inability to control himself, these 'intrusive thoughts have been converted into memories; memories that have continued to haunt him. Each day is now a constant battle for him as he fights to constrain these intrusive memories. And now as he sits there on the corner of the bed, he finds himself once again at war with himself, just like every other day.
Suddenly, he felt a soft touch on his shoulders; forcing him to come back down to reality and jolt from the sudden halt of his daydream.
"Aang?" said Onji seductively as she hovered over the young Avatar's neck.
Aang slowly turned his focus to the young Fire Nation woman's face; sighing in annoyance, "Yeah?" asked Aang as he clapped his hands together and turned his focus towards the wooded floor in front of him.
Onji softly lunged her head a little closer, "You just got up from the bed so unexpectedly; you have a habit of doing this now." said a concerned Onji as she attempted to get Aang's visual attention.
Aang then looked up towards the dresser in front of him, "I just have a lot of things on my mind." said Aang, his focus still on the dresser as if trying to evade from Onji's gaze.
"Ahh, I see..." said Onji. She noticed Aang's uneasiness right away and considered leaving him be, but she disregarded it anyway as she nestled her grip on his shoulders and leaned her lips towards his ear, "Well I just want to make sure you were…." whispered Onji as she pressed her bare breasts on his hunched back; letting out a whispering moan as the contact of her pink nipples on his skin sent waves of pleasing sensations down between her thighs, "Alright…" finished Onji.
Aang refused to look at her. He knew what she was attempting to have him do, but he also knows that her feeble efforts to coax him into another 'round' has gotten old fast as of late, and he was in no mood to comply with her 'demands' today. Aang let out another sigh of agitation, "Not now Onji; I have a big day today and I'm just too stressed to have sex right now." said Aang indifferently as he turned his focus towards the door.
Onji halted her temptation and pulled back when Aang failed to comply with her advancements; she felt hurt that Aang was refusing to give in to her enticing invitation, "Huh? I'm basically throwing myself at you and you reject this?" said Onji as she trailed her hands over her nude figure, "You're kidding right? Seriously, you've got to be kidding me Aang." asked an annoyed Onji as she bent her eyebrows in fury.
Aang once again sighed as he bent his head down and shut his eyes, "Oh great; here we go again." whispered Aang as he rubbed the back of his neck; mentally preparing himself for the routine blowout that was about to occur in less than 2 seconds.
"Do you think this is easy for me? That I can just pop a kid out of me at willll?" hissed Onji maniacally as she placed her hand over her bare chest; her face then twisted in fury, "I GAVE MYSELF TO YOU AANG; I DIDN'T HAVE TO BUT I did I LENT YOU MY BODY AS A VESSEL TO BEAR YOU A CHILD, OUR CHILD!" yelled Onji hastily as she continuously slapped her upper chest. "I DIDN'T HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THIS STUPID MISSION; I COULD'VE EASILY TOLD YOU 'NO AANG, I'D RATHER WE WAIT UNTIL MARRIAGE BEFORE I SPAWNED AIR BENDERS OUT OF MY UTERUS', BUT I DIDN'T; YOU CAME FIRST AANG, YOU ALWAYS DO!" screamed Onji as she got up from the bed and stood fully in the nude in front of Aang with her fists on her waist.
"I GAVE MYSELF TO YOU AANG..." those familiar words sat uncomfortably with the young Avatar as he growled under his breath, "We've done it 7 times this week Onji, 7 times!" said Aang loudly as he stood up from his seat and pumped his chest, looking at her in disbelief over having disregarded his uncomfortable state, "This meeting's important, you know that!" whispered Aang in aggravation as he balled his fists and clenched his teeth, "This isn't just some cockamamie get-together that the Leaders have planned for me; they're not going to sit me down, serve me tea, pat me on the shoulder and say, 'Oh hey, it's alright; at least you TRIED!" said Aang mockingly; the last words that came out of his mouth were engulfed in fury as he lunged his neck towards the fuming Fire Nation woman. "These people have been on my case since last…year… and they refuse, RE-FUSE to cut me slack; you know this, you know that the entire world is depending on me to revive my race regardless of what I feel about it!" yelled Aang as he tossed his hand to the air I don't blame you for their insensitivity Onji," continued Aang as he nodded his head in disbelief, "but I do blame you for YOURS!" finished Aang as he intently stretched his arm out and pointed his index finger towards his attacker; infuriated that Onji continued to fail to acknowledge the pressure that's being put on him to accomplish this pivotal duty and how much of a toll it's been taking on him both emotionally and psychologically.
Onji was taken aback by her lover's bold accusation; she couldn't believe that he called her 'insensitive' and was unable to grasp why he would blame her for being coldhearted. SHE was the victim, SHE was the one that would be blamed for her inability to bear him a child, SHE would be the one that would be mocked and jeered not just by the Fire Nation, but by the ENTIRE WORLD for her inability to create an offspring that would carry on the legacy and abilities of a nearly extinct race. She nodded in shock as those last words that Aang yelled began to sink in, and humphed at Aang as she raised her nose up high to the air and turned away from him; folding her arms together as her bare backside faced the young Avatar as tears began to trail down her cheeks.
Aang however, chose to remain unaffected by Onji's immature actions; he really wanted to tell her off and boy did he want to, but he refused to let his boiling temperament get the best of him in this situation and decided to make peace with the woman that will hopefully soon bear his child. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he raised his arms over his chest, and then brought down his arms and exhaled all of his inner tension; displaying a calm and cool demeanor as he opened his eyes and looked towards Onji, "Look, you and I are under a lot of stress; we have yet to become pregnant and the test you took yesterday only added more fuel to it." explained Aang as he walked towards the bitter woman and placed his hand on her shoulder, "This is a lot of pressure for the both of us; we said some things that we didn't mean, so let's just disregard this whole spat and pretend it never happened" explained Aang as he leaned his face near hers and forced a smile.
Onji then turned to face the young Avatar; her agitation melting away as she wiped her tears with her index finger, "Well maybe that's why we haven't gotten pregnant." said Onji as sadness began to settle in her eyes.
Aang chuckled, "It'll happen; we just have to relax about it, that's all." continued Aang, "We've been so worked about fulfilling my commitment that we have stressed ourselves out in the process. Let's just allow it to happen the way it's supposed to happen, and we'll figure the rest out." finished Aang as he rubbed her arms up and down.
As Onji turned to face him, she wiped a loose tear as she sniffled and smiled at the young Avatar, "Yeah…I guess you're right" finished Onji as she nodded in compliance.
"Good" said Aang as he sternly gazed into the Fire Nation beauty's deep, brown eyes. "The meeting's in about half an hour and I can't afford to be late; I'm just going to use the restroom downstairs so I don't waste time going back and forth between rooms, then I'll just head out immediately afterward." explained Aang as he stroked his thumb over her blushed cheek.
Onji nodded in agreement, "Yeah, yeah that's…that's a good idea." said Onji quietly as she forced a smile.
"Alright then, I'll see you when I get back." said Aang as he parted from Onji's side, but just as he was turning the doorknob, he turned his head and gave a cheeky smile, "Oh, I almost forgot; don't forget that tomorrow we have a big day ahead of us; why don't you pick out something nice to wear for the occasion while I'm gone?" finished Aang as he opened the door.
Onji looked on as Aang walked out her bedroom and closed the door behind him; wondering about the subtle, yet noticeable changes in the young Avatar's personality and how it's taken its toll on their relationship. Sure, he seemed to be content when he left the bedroom, but recently Aang has begun to show signs of distance. Sex seems almost like a chore to him; even during that first night they spent together his mind seemed to be somewhere else, and she knew it, she felt it in his touch, his kiss and caress. This complete turnaround was an alarming signal for Onji, for they began occurring from the very moment he returned home the day after he saved Katara. And how she despised the mere thought of that Southern Water Tribe trash having lived; after all of that planning, after the risk she took of even meeting that devilish woman back in the small town of Dacitan, she still lived. The thought of Aang coming to her aid at the drop of a hat was one that pierced through her like a rusty dagger; "Her life should have ended that day" hissed Onji quietly as the sickening thought of her maniacal plan having failed on her sent shockwaves of hatred. That day was reserved for her first physical encounter with Aang, but instead it was ill spent on saving that wretched woman's life. She gripped her arms in frustration, "He just haaaaad to have a vision. Just my luck…" said Onji disappointingly as she curled her nose to the thought of the water bender still walking amongst the living. It seemed also that lately he no longer tolerates any of her constant interrogations and questions as to what happened the night he took off when they were supposed to have been consummating their relationship. The answer is always the same; he always insists that nothing happened; that the storm was so strong that he couldn't leave the city until the following morning and eventually, arguments and accusations follow. He is no longer lenient on her; no longer has patience for her, and it kills her to know that Aang is showing signs of unhappiness alongside her. As she walked towards her restroom, she couldn't help but continue to loathe Katara, and how she truly wished that she were gone, for an inner suspicion dwelled within her that caused her dread and trepidation; a suspicion that has haunted her since the day she began her amorous romance with Aang, a suspicion that she averted from confessing aloud for fear that she may jinx herself and bring her most inner fears to life. But she knew that even will all of the fear and all of the anxiety that has plagued her since the very beginning; after all of the arguments and stumbles she has endured with Aang during the past couple of months, he has remained fervently loyal and devoted to her and their relationship, and joy aroused within the core of the nude Fire Nation woman's heart. "No matter; dead or alive, I have won…" whispered Onji as she grinned in self-satisfaction; knowing fully well that there was no longer anything to fear, for the day after Aang returned from Ba Sing Se, he took her to the bedroom and made her his. She and Aang have given each other their most precious purity, something that Katara and Aang have never shared, and never will. Onji chuckled at the delightful thought of having robbed Katara in less than a year something that she couldn't ever achieve in her 3 year relationship with the young Avatar, and basked in the glory of having broken Aang's, THE Avatar's celibacy. She smiled menacingly towards her queen sized bed, knowing not only that Aang is now eternally hers, but also knowing that soon, Aang will seal the deal and make his announcement to the world; the announcement that will declare his everlasting love and dedication to the young Fire Nation woman once and for all.
She felt broken that day, betrayed and let down; he knew that she was involved with someone else, as was he, but he chose to seduce her anyway. She thought there was a method to the madness that was that heated night, and that Aang made love to her because he truly loved her and wanted to show her his adoration through physical union. She thought this would mark the end of his relationship with Onji, and the beginning of their reconnection, but instead, it marked the beginning of much pain and anguish. She was left hung to dry; for Aang had decided that their intimate encounter was nothing more than a 'mistake', and he left her that day, left her with nothing more than a stretched tunnel between her thighs and a shattered heart. As the days turned to weeks, Katara still found herself struggling to get over Aang's deception; feeling almost incredulous that Aang did her so wrong. But reality would soon follow, as she is constantly reminded of the night she let her guard down when she washes up and feels that the thin piece of flesh that blanketed her vaginal opening was no longer there. The first month since she and Aang had their falling out, she has avoided anything and everything that was somewhat related to the young Avatar; she has even gone as far as evading him as a topic of idle conversation with random visitors and customers. Meanwhile; Iroh continued to witness Katara's hurt daily, and even thought Katara has yet to explain the full story, he knew very well that Aang played a major part in her recent depression. He has attempted on numerous occasions to bring him into their routine discussions and somehow hoped that his mention would force Katara to open up to him and tell him exactly what happened, but to no avail; she would simply say, "I don't want to talk about it.". He watched helplessly for the first month as Katara dolefully attended to her duties; sweeping, washing, tending to consumers, the usual things she would do with a cheerful smile on her face, but for that first month that smile was replaced with sorrow. He wanted to assist her in any and every way possible, but he knew that he couldn't help someone that didn't want to be helped, and Katara has made it clear on numerous occasions that she preferred to deal with her problems on her own. He could see how badly she tried to hide her pain, but her feeble attempt at putting on a facade wasn't fooling anyone; her bother was just to obvious to disguise not just from himself, but from his customers. The sweet, kind woman that Iroh's regular clients have grown fond of has become another person; they noticed her change in attitude and have asked Iroh out of concern as to what was happening to the young, vibrant Southern Water tribe woman. But Iroh would merely shrug his shoulders and insist that he had no idea what was going on with her and defended to the death that her recent change in attitude was something that was out of her control; heck, he even suggested that perhaps it was probably that time of the month; but as time went on, that time of the month seemed to stretch along as time continued to pass by. It's now been three months since Katara last saw Aang; three months since she told Aang that she never wanted to see his face again, and she has kept true to her word thus far. All in all, these three months have been incredibly difficult for Katara; the pain of having been rejected by the young Avatar was not one that dissipated quickly, and even now the small remains of that pain still linger when her mind occasionally wanders to him. This was an unsettling thought for her, but in the end, through all of the arduous effort to face the reality of her situation; she has managed to pull through and accept things as they were. Eventually, a smile returned to the young water bender's face; even the smallest amount of bitterness over Aang's deceit has given way to forgiveness, and she finally found the drive to move on with her life. After all, she couldn't let Aang win; she couldn't let him get the best of her, so she decided to give all of her endearment to the young man that hailed from the Fire Nation: Lee.
Katara knew how to hide her pain well; for the first couple of months that Lee occasionally visited, she inconspicuously hid her ail; careful to not give Lee even the smallest hint of distress for fear that he may figure her out. Katara has yet to tell Lee about her night with Aang, and has chosen to keep it that way. After all, Lee has been nothing but good to her from the very beginning of their relationship, and he didn't deserve to go through that kind of heartache; no, he deserved her unconditional affection and commitment for having endured their relationship and having stayed fully devoted to her. And 2 months ago, she returned his dedication with her loyalty, and her body; she has been making love to him every time he visited since.
Katara lay elegantly on the bed with nothing but a sheet covering her nudity; her back towards Lee while he buttoned up his traditional Fire Nation attire after having washed up from their lustful encounter.
After Lee finished dressing himself, he walked towards the bed that supported the beautiful water bender; a smirk in his smile as he gently sat next to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Hey..." whispered Lee as he lightly shook Katara; assuming that she was probably resting from their heated moment.
But she wasn't; as a matter of fact, Katara remained awake even after they finished having sex. She simply did what she would always do: Lay on the bed, stare at the wall, and give Lee the impression that the enjoyment they shared was so spectacular that she had to rest afterwards. She hated doing this to him; after all he was a good lover, but she couldn't evade the fact that there was just no spark between them in the bedroom, not an ounce of it. So she decided to play along as usual and make it seem as though he wore her out; all the while sparing him some hurt feelings.
Katara inhaled a small breath and turned to meet her lover; pretending that she had just woken up from a deep slumber, "H-huh?" said Katara as she rubbed her eyes; gripping the cotton sheet over her chest so as not to expose her breasts.
Lee smiled joyfully as he witnessed just how much he had worn Katara out after their steamy session, and how happy it made him that he sexually pleased her well, so well that she would end up falling asleep immediately afterwards. He loved spending every moment he could making love to her; the feel of her, the look of her in such an aroused state, and the taste of her lips as he thrust his length into her was enough to make Lee the happiest man on the planet. And how happy he was with Katara; she truly was a spectacular woman to him, and in his eyes she could do no wrong. Lee took a moment to stare into her deep, ocean blue eyes; he gazed into her jet black pupils as if he were somehow attempting to catch a glimpse into her soul while he softly passed the back of his hand over her flushed face, "Hey beautiful." said Lee quietly as he smiled lovingly to the seemingly exhausted water bender.
Katara couldn't help but smile at Lee's kind gesture; she placed her hand over his, "Hey." said Katara warmly.
Lee chuckled, "Did you sleep alright?" asked Lee.
Katara nodded compliantly, "Yeah, I did." said Katara.
As Katara gazed back into Lee's amber colored eyes, she couldn't help but feel thankful that he was in his life. He was too good to her, so good that he never even questioned Katara about her inability to bleed when they first became physically intimate. She remembered the exact words he said as if he had uttered them yesterday...
"Some women just naturally don't bleed at all, and as a matter of fact, some virgins don't even have a hymen. It's a delicate membrane, the hymen." explained Lee as he rubbed Katara's shoulder. "It's so thin that it can actually break on its own without even having intercourse. Riding a horse can break it, even doing simple acrobatics and stretches can cause it to tear." finished Lee as he gave Katara a kiss on her right temple, "It's nothing to feel bad about. I know that you gave me your virtue and that's all that matters; no need to believe in silly superstitions like how blood symbolizes eternal union and whatnot." said Lee as he scoffed at the thought while continuing to comfort Katara.
Katara smiled nervously as she nodded in agreement, "I-I didn't know that..." said Katara as she rubbed her thumbs together anxiously.
Lee chuckled at Katara's nervousness, "Honey, I think we're waaaay past all of those childish wives tales and mysticism." said Lee, "We're here, we're together and that's all that matters." finished Lee as he smiled warmly to the ebony beauty and delicately kissed her cheek.
"All that matters..."
Those words continued to echo through Katara's head; it gave her comfort to know that Lee was so supportive and so open-minded about the whole 'virginity' issue, which gave her even more encouragement to continue on with her relationship with the Fire Nation Native. After all, she knew that things couldn't get any better than this; she had the love and support of a man who truly cared and adored her in every way a woman should be, and she couldn't be any happier with the idea of not being alone.
Lee immediately interrupted her thoughts, "So, you ready for the big day tomorrow?" asked Lee as he clapped his hands and rubbed them together.
Katara knew well that she was far from ready; for tomorrow she would have to face the one person she swore she would refuse to see, but now, now she is being faced with a difficult situation. Yes, she hated him for what he did to her, and the fact that she will have to see him again the next day regardless of what she said is one that didn't sit well with her. She firmly believed that she reserved the right to bloodbend him over a steep cliff after what he did to her, but its been three months, and in that time she has learned to forgive him. She has come too far to regress back to her gloom, and decided that maybe it would be best if she did see him again and at least try to re-mend their friendship.
Katara nodded agreeably as she smiled ardently to the young Fire Nation man, "Yes, definitely." said Katara
Lee nodded compliantly, "Your brother's finally getting married Katara, you must be really happy for him." said Lee eagerly.
Katara rubbed her arm as she energetically answered back, "Yeah, oh yeah, I'm really excited for him." continued Katara, "But everyone knows that the wedding is all about the bride; All he has to do is show up." declared Katara as she let out a light chuckle.
Lee laughed at the thought of her lover's brother only obligation is attending his own wedding, "Heh, poor Sokka." chuckled Lee.
Both Lee and Katara shared a soft laughter as they thought of the hard time her brother is going to have the next day, especially is he has to deal with a potential monster bride whose whims and demands must be fulfilled the way she deemed worthy. Katara giggled at the thought of Suki bossing Sokka around; after all, he does kind of deserve it for all those years of referring women as the submissive type, and she definitely knows that Suki is NOT that kind of woman. "Boy is he in for the ride of his life" chuckled Katara, but she also knew that even if they were at odds with their point of views and perceptions on what the roles of a man and a woman should be, Katara couldn't think more innocently about the couple. She knew that they truly cared for one another and knew that regardless of their differences, they were going to spend a happy life together, unorthodox probably, but happy nonetheless.
Katara was so enthralled in her thoughts that she failed to recognize that Lee had stopped laughing, and his high spirits made a 180 as he solemnly turned his gaze away from Katara.
Katara raised her eyebrow in concern, "Weren't we just laughing together a couple of moments ago?" thought Katara to herself as he looked at her uncomfortable Fire Nation lover. She then leaned towards him and tenderly wrapped her arms around his neck as her bare breasts pressed onto his right arm, "Did I say something that might have offended him?" thought Katara to herself as she laid her head on his shoulder.
"Lee, what's wrong?" asked Katara as she stroked her fingers over his raven colored hair.
Lee let out a small sigh, "Nothing, it's nothing." said Lee; his expression saying otherwise.
Katara didn't believe him; she wanted to get to the bottom of Lee's stern attitude and decided to push the issue further, "Lee?" asked Katara innocently.
Lee slowly looked up to Katara; his mesmerizing ember colored eyes looking deeply into her own deep blues, "Katara, when do you think you'll be ready to tell your family?" asked a serious Lee.
At first Katara thought that he was referring to their relationship, but their coupling was one that his family has been aware of since they have began dating; she knew this. It didn't take long for Katara to realize exactly what Lee was referring to, and she felt her heart sink at the very thought of it.
Katara loosened her grip on Lee's neck as she cowered away from him. She then grabbed her sheets and covered her nudity, "Lee, they can't know; not yet." answered Katara; quietly fighting back the urge to let all of her emotions spill out of her.
Lee watched on as uneasiness settled in his lover, and he once again provoked her stress over the issue, "Katara, I'm so sorry I even brought it up." continued Lee as he moved closer to the young water bender, "It's just that, we're going to see them all tomorrow, and I really think you should talk to them about it, or maybe someone from your Tribe who c-"
Lee halted himself from going any further as he witnessed tears gently flow down her cheeks; a somber look in her eyes as she stared blankly towards the ground. He had nothing more to say; her expression said it all. All he could do was cradle her in his arms in a tender, loving embrace as her tears descended onto his shoulder.
Aang hovered on his glider over the Fire Nation Palace before he descended onto its main entrance. He was incredibly anxious about this particular meeting because he knew what to expect: An earful from every important person that hailed from every existing Nation, including his own friend and Fire Lord, for having yet to impregnate Onji. As he gracefully landed onto the pavement, he spun his glider with a quickness as its wings tucked themselves within its wooden restraints.
Aang let out a deep sigh, "Here we go." thought Aang unenthusiastically to himself as he proceeded to walk into the Fire Lord's palace.
"Man, I'm definitely not looking forward to this." said Aang to himself as he made his way down the spacious, crimson colored hall he was so familiar with; its walls heavily decorated with Fire Nation crests and symbols, while the hall itself was densely populated with guardsmen for what he assumed was for the safety of the many important people that would be attending this meeting. Aang found their presence insulting, "What, they don't think I'm protection enough? What is with these people!" thought Aang angrily to himself as he uneasily continued to walk down the hall and away from the cluster of guardsmen. He felt his blood begin to boil at the thought that even the Leaders of every Nation didn't trust him enough to keep order, and instead, confided on average guardsmen to keep control and order within the vicinity of the Round Table entrance. But, just like every other time they made a mockery of his position, he let it go and continued to make his way to the gathering. As he drew nearer towards the giant, metal doors that harbored within it the meeting he was dreading to attend, he fought the urge to just walk away; for fear that he'd flip his lid if he had to grin and bear another moment of their abuse.
When Aang finally reached those elegant doors, worry began to settle in the pit of his stomach, and he felt himself becoming restless; "Alright Aang, You know that it's nothing personal; you have to come to terms with this already." thought Aang to himself as he tensely rubbed the back of his neck, "They just want to make sure that you're doing your best to try and repopulate your race. That's all; no need to fly off the handle." thought Aang as he attempted to calm himself down before entering the room.
But as he turned the handles and opened the doors wide, he was immediately reminded as to why he was so worked up about the meeting in the first place. He looked on to see everyone, The Leaders, aristocrats and diplomats of every Nation sitting pompously in the Round Table with their noses in the air. Aang gulped in his throat as he entered the room and approached the council; the tension in the room was thick as everyone with the exception of Zuko and King Kuei stared daggers at him as he took his seat. Aang looked around and glared at all the familiar faces; he was used to them treating him as if her were some sort of leper, for all they want from him is to bring forth a child into the world that will carry on the lineage of the Avatar, they were interested in nothing else. Even if he was the Avatar, they still saw him as an irresponsible teenager who had to be under extreme supervision in order to fulfill his duty, and even thought it aggravated that they had such little faith in him, he tried his best to understand their position. But it severely agitated him that every monthly meeting he's attended has been routine; since he announced to the council that he has consummated his relationship, it's been nothing but a constant questionnaire for the young Avatar. Personal questions that shouldn't be asked due to their personal nature are bombarded on him on a usual basis; fully disrespecting his privacy as they force him to answer things that should be left in the bedroom.
The diplomat that represented the Earth Kingdom was the first to break the ice. "Ahh, young Avatar; you have been making well with your responsibility to attend every meeting you have been asked to attend." said the diplomat, "That is, even if you have yet to accomplish the most important, yet simple task we have yet to ask of you." finished the diplomat as he let out a sickening cackle.
The rest of the room followed suit with the exception of Zuko and King Kuei as a roar of laughter erupted and echoed through the room.
Aang couldn't help but feel embarrassed by their giggles and chuckles, and a blush overtook his cheeks as he bowed his head in humiliation.
"Now young Avatar, this is the end of the third month; has she taken the test?" asked the diplomat.
Aang forced himself to answer as he shut his eyes, "Yes." said Aang.
The diplomat raised his eyebrow, "Aaaaaand?" asked the diplomat, raising his eyebrow in annoyance while everyone else leaned closer to the table so as to get a better listen of the Avatar's answer.
Aang's face twisted in anger as he refused to answer his question; he remained silent.
"It's negative."
Aang's eyes shot open as he turned to see where the voice was coming from, and just as he suspected, it came from Chief Arnook; Leader of the Northern Water Tribe, and a pain to deal with in every meeting.
"The Avatar refuses to answer because he has yet to impregnate his mate." announced Arnook.
Aang glared at the Chief; feeling his core temperature rising as his anger began to bubble. But even then he chose to restrain himself, for what Chief Arnook just said was true; the test Onji took once again confirmed that she is not pregnant. Aang's expression turned somber as he once again bowed his head in shame.
"Oh what's wrong young Avatar," pouted the diplomat, "Shooting empty darts?" mocked the Earth Kingdom diplomat.
Aang's eyes widened in anger as he began to ball his fists; trying desperately to contain himself, but he was slowly losing this battle, and was finding it more and more difficult to hold himself back any longer.
Zuko and King Kuei looked on in horror as they witnessed the wall behind where Aang was sitting begin to crack; while everyone else was too busy being humored at the Avatar's expense to notice.
"We told you last time to try different positions; have you attempted to do so?" asked the nobleman that represented the Northern Water Tribe.
Aang chose not to answer, for he was putting all of his concentration in trying to contain his fury.
"And the herbs, young Avatar, the herbs that I have suggested you use to increase fertility and sexual drive. Have you at least given that a chance?" asked the diplomat that represented the Fire Nation.
Aang squint his eyes as he clenched his teeth; trying to bite the vulgar words that were trying to seep through his mouth.
"Pfft, of course" said Chief Arnook, "You have yet to remain true to your mission boy; your woman should have conceived child by now and bore a child by the end of this year, but you have both failed to deliver." continued Chief Arnook.
"Just like you have failed your duties as the Avatar." finished Chief Arnook.
Those words hit Aang in the very depths of his soul, "How dare he..." thought Aang as an expression of shock overtook his face.
He was furious, no, outraged that the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe was audacious enough to go as far as to call him a failure. Aang had about as much as he could take from these people; every meeting he has attended has been nothing but an insult to his pride and he would do nothing but grin and bear their constant interference in his life. But now, he wasn't going to stand for it any longer; he wasn't going to let them make a farce of his role in the world.
Aang slammed his hands onto the table so quick and powerfully that everyone in the room jumped from their seats; he then shot up from his seat and pointed his index finger towards every single person in attendance,"YOU PEOPLE THINK THAT I'VE JUST BEEN LOUNGING AROUND AND STARING AT MY FEET ALL DAY EVERY DAY? BECAUSE I FAILED TO ATTEND YOUR POINTLESS MEETINGS IN THE PAST!" yelled Aang as he lunged at the Earth Kingdom diplomat and directed his index finger towards his nose, "Let me tell you something" whispered Aang menacingly as the Earth Kingdom diplomat's legs began to quiver. He then move away from the frightened diplomat; his eyes heavy with fury as he stood straight and focused on the entire room, "Let me tell you ALL something." yelled Aang as his fingertips began to emanate fire, "I have been working MY BUTT OFF SINCE THE WAR ENDED. YES, THERE WERE SOME MINUSCULE, INSIGNIFICANT REBUILDINGS AND GET-TOGETHERS THAT I FAILED TO ATTEND; WANT TO KNOW WHY? BECAUSE I HAD A LIFE!" screamed Aang as he pierced through everyone's alarmed gaze, and soon after, he turned his attention towards the terrified Chief of the Northern Water Tribe.
Aang then began to walk towards him as his fury was only amplified by the mere sight of him, "BUT EVEN THEN I STILL MANAGED TO APPEAR IN EVERY SINGLE IMPORTANT ASSEMBLY; RELIEF EFFORTS, I WAS THERE, RESCUES, I WAS THERE, REBELLIONS, I WAS THERE! EVERY CALLING THAT WAS CRUCIAL THAT MY PRESENCE BE THERE, I MADE SURE I ARRIVED, I SHOWED UP AND DID MY JOB! AND WHAT'S SAD ABOUT THIS WHOLE SITUATION IS IT ALL OF YOU KNOW THIS; YOU ALL KNOW THAT I REMAINED TRUE TO MY RESPONSIBILITY AS THE AVATAR, BUT NO, THE AVATAR ISN'T FULFILLING HIS DUTY BECAUSE HE FAILED-TO WATCH- THE CHIEF- OF THE NORTHERN WATER TRIBE- SLAM-A BOTTLE-ON THE EDGE-OF A NEWLY...CONSTRUCTED...BUILDING!" bellowed Aang as he lunged his face menacingly towards Chief Arnook; while the ground below everyone's feet began to tremble at the presence of the Avatar's raw power.
Aang then closed his eyes as his anger began to dissipate,"And you people want to know the worst part?" asked Aang as he slowly opened his eyes and gazed at the decorative carpet below his feet, "Even though I'm here, even though I'm complying with every single demand you throw at me, it's still not enough, and I don't think it'll ever will be." finished Aang as he looked up at everyone's petrified gaze.
Zuko looked on in amazement as Aang stood boldly by his decision, and secretly delighted by the sight of Chief Arnook nearly peeing his pants when Aang screamed at him. He has seen him in action before, but never of this caliber. Aang wasn't succumbing to their beck and call anymore; this time he meant business, and he proved it. Zuko couldn't be more proud.
Aang took a deep breath, "I'm going to continue on with this mission because the cycle of the Avatar relies on the revival of my people, but in terms of having it fulfilled in your time? heh, sit TIGHT." hissed Aang; the final word that came out of his mouth echoed through the room as the crack on the wall behind him reached the ceiling.
Everyone in the room remained in shock; unable to move as cracks of dry wall and dust seeped from the ceiling. King Kuei was the first to get up from his seat; nervously waving his hands as he attempted to make peace with the Avatar, "Yes yes Aang; however you may wish to fulfill this mission will be entirely up to you and only you." declared Kuei as he chuckled nervously; while everyone in the room, including the stubborn Leader of the Northern Water Tribe, nodded in agreement.
Aang stood gallantly in his place; his expression unchangeable as he continued to stare down every single person in the room, "Very well then; I declare this meeting officially over." announced Aang before he air bent the doors wide open. Everyone in the room lightly gasped as the doors slammed onto the thick, metal walls that made up the main hall, and the Avatar stormed out of the room without even a passing glance.
As Aang began to disappear from sight, Zuko got up from his chair and bolted out of the room as he attempted to catch up to the distraught Avatar, "Aang? Aang!" cried Zuko as he continued to run towards Aang's direction.
Aang stopped himself from going any further when he heard the sound of his old friend's voice; slowly turning his head as he looked at Zuko in the eye, "What." said Aang sharply.
Zuko was a bit taken back by Aang's boldness; after all, he had every right to be after what he's endured from these people. But the Aang that he knew wasn't the person he just approached; he could see his distraught and inner conflict and he knew that Aang wasn't himself at the moment He tried his best not to further agitate him, "Come on; you need to relax." said Zuko as he gestured the young Avatar to follow his lead. Aang nodded compliantly as they both walked down the hall.
There was silence between the two friends as they made their way past the hall and down a narrow corridor, until Zuko decided to speak, "So, they really got under your skin huh?" asked Zuko.
Aang nodded, "Obviously." said Aang apathetically.
Zuko let out a small sigh, "You'd think they'd know by now not to get on your nerves." said Zuko as he nodded his head in disbelief and annoyance.
Aang shrugged his shoulders, "I personally think they get a kick out of seeing me this way, but that's just me." answered Aang; the reality of his blowout just beginning to hit him as he slowly came down from his rage.
Zuko then led Aang to a small door all the way at the end of the corridor, "We're here." said Zuko.
Aang raised his eyebrow suspiciously, "Here?" asked Aang.
Zuko nodded, "Yeah, here." said Zuko as he pointed his thumb towards the small, metal door.
Aang watched on curiously as Zuko opened the door, the first thing Aang saw in the cramped room was a device that somewhat resembled a lamp, sitting on a small, round surfaced accent table; only this lamp had two tubes sticking out of its circular middle and what looked to be mouth pieced on it's ends.
"Tubes...It's a Feng" said Aang as he then turned his attention over to Zuko.
Zuko chuckled, "Yeah, it is." said Zuko as he lightly smirked at the young Avatar. "I suspected this meeting would stress you out, so I prepared a space for us to hit this." said Zuko as he took out a small bag that contained the same strange, green plant that he immediately knew was Dama, the same plant he smoked with his friends the day of the Fire Nation Event. He could smell it's potency as Zuko took the plant out and walked towards the Feng.
Aang just stood there as he analyzed the Feng's slim appearance. It was very different from the enormous jar-type Feng that he and his friends smoked from in the Fire Nation Event; compact in size with a glossy surface and elaborately decorated with flames and the Fire Nation insignia smack in the middle of the its round center.
"What's he expecting me to do, smoke my problems away?" thought Aang sarcastically to himself as he watched Zuko prepare the Feng for them.
Zuko looked back, waiting impatiently for the Avatar to join him as he sat on one of the small stools he reserved for them, "Well, aren't you going to join me?" asked Zuko as he picked up the tube in front of him.
Aang was hesitant; especially since he knew that Onji was waiting for him, but how many chances does he get to spend time with any of his old friends. After all, they have grown up; each and every one of them have established their own lives, especially Zuko, who's practically unavailable most of the time because he's always tending to his duties as Fire Lord. He made up his mind and nodded agreeably, "Sure, what the heck?" said Aang as he merrily walked towards the vacant stool by Zuko and a smile emerging from his flat expression.
Zuko chuckled, "Heh, you seem to be in a good mood now." analyzed Zuko.
Aang rolled his eyes as he chuckled at Zuko's remark, "Come on, I'm always in a good mood." said Aang with a cheesy smile as he picked up the tube in front of him, "That is, if you don't count what happened in the meeting earlier" snickered Aang before he placed the tube over his mouth.
Zuko couldn't contain his laughter, "Yeah, that-wasn't a happy Aang." said Zuko sarcastically, "But soon you will be." finished Zuko as he tucked the Dama into the small compartment on the Feng's lower side and firebent the plant before hastily closing the compartment's small cover on top of it.
Soon after the Feng's inner chamber was filled to very top with the Dama's potent smoke, and the two friends inhaled in unison. They both held in their smoke; giving each other ok gestures as they held continued to hold their breath, Aang was the first to exhale; after all, he wasn't fully used to holding smoke in his lungs for an extended period of time, let alone smoking a plant that's considered to be forbidden. Nonetheless; he blew his smoke out like a pro, and soon after, Zuko followed suit, and as they felt their high beginning to settle in, Zuko established the conversation.
"So, ready for Sokka and Suki's wedding?" asked Zuko.
Aang nodded coolly, "Yeah, I guess." said Aang.
Zuko nodded agreeably as he once again lit the Dama and gestured for Aang to take the next hit with him; Aang complied as he picked up the tube and inhaled alongside Zuko. The hit he took this time was much stronger than the first; he could feel the hot smoke flowing in his esophagus as its effects began to become more apparent in his expression. The whites in their eyes began to obtain a light tinge of pink, and their eyelids began to get heavy; Little by little the two friends felt themselves immersing into their high, and the deeper they went, the deeper their conversation became.
Zuko rubbed the bit of sweat that accumulated on his forehead, "Man, I wish-I wish my mother were here to see me." said Zuko drolly.
Aang nodded dumbly, "I hear ya; I wish Monk Gyatso were here to give me advice." said Aang as he let out a big sigh, "He was always good at giving advice..." said Aang as he lazily blinked his eyes.
"Yeah, I bet he was." said Zuko as he fidgeted with the mouth piece of his tube, "But...see I wish that she were here so...so she could hear the announcement that I was going to make in the wedding tomorrow." said a completely relaxed Zuko. Aang looked on casually as he continued to attentively listen to Zuko's confession,"I looked...everywhere for her; I've been searching for her for years, but still no sign of her...anywhere." said Zuko lazily, "Maybe...maybe she doesn't love me anymore." said Zuko as he frustratingly punched his thigh.
Aang sluggishly gazed at Zuko; dumbfounded that he would make such a stupid remark, "No, no Zuko don't...*sigh* don't say that. Your mother loves you; she wouldn't have done what she did if...whatever, you know what I mean." said Aang lethargically as he flung his hand at the Fire Lord in annoyance, "I know that you'll find her eventually...you-just...can't stop you have to keep-going." finished Aang with a sound of sincerity in his voice.
Zuko scoffed, "Yeah; that's...that's deep coming from you." said Zuko dumbly as he lazily pointed his finger towards the young Avatar, "But-enough-about-me-let's...talk about you" said Zuko rapidly as he weakly slammed his hand on his thigh, and he found himself overcoming his high as he began to express his concern, "Aang, I'm getting the feeling that your blowout wasn't just fueled by this meeting." said a suspicious Zuko as he rested his arms on his knees.
Aang suddenly felt his high melt away as he was plunged back to earth by Zuko's worded doubts. He had a gut feeling that Zuko would probably bring the conversation to this; he knew now that he couldn't hide his burden any longer and had to talk to someone about it.
"I have…everything that I could ever want and need Zuko;" continued Aang as he relaxed his jaw on the palm of his hand and rested his elbow on his thigh, "I have a roof over my head, the Nations provide me with money and anything else I want if I ask for it; even though Momo's no longer with us, I still have Appa, and to top it all off, I have a beautiful woman who really cares about me and bends her back to please me." said Aang gullibly as he looked up needfully towards Zuko.
Zuko couldn't help but cackle at what Aang just said, "She bends her back huh? Pffffttt!" laughter escaped from Zuko as he slapped his hand on his knee, only to turn and see that Aang wasn't so amused.
Zuko quickly tried to remedy the situation, "Sorry." said Zuko as he waved his hands apologetically as he struggled to contain his chuckle; and his high wasn't helping him much in doing so either.
Aang rolled his eyes as he focused on the complexly designed carpet below their feet, "I thought I would be happy, but I'm not." continued Aang, "I'm miserable." finished Aang as he then rested his arms onto the side of the accent table.
Zuko quickly gathered his composure as he began to realize that Aang was being sincere, and he was genuinely in a serious dilemma. He answered back, "Do you know why you're so miserable?" asked Zuko.
Aang nodded, "No, I don't." said Aang, sounding unsure of himself.
Zuko raised his eyebrow knowing fully well that Aang wasn't telling him the whole truth; He suggested with his gaze for the young Avatar to come clean.
Aang caught glimpse of Zuko's suggestive gaze; he knew there was more, and he knew that Aang was holding back. Aang had to confess, "When Katara and I broke up, I assumed that with time I would grow to love Onji." said Aang guiltily. Zuko's raised his eyebrows curiously as he continued to listen to Aang speak, "We began dating and things were fine between us, we were happy, we got along, and we had a good time. But even then, I didn't fall in love with her; and then I thought 'maybe if I sex with her, I would fall in love with her', but it hasn't happened yet. I mean, we still get along great; a few occasional arguments here and there but for the most part we're golden, and I like her, but-"
"You don't love her." said Zuko as he finished Aang's sentence.
Aang bowed his head in shame, for he knew that what Zuko finished professing for him was in fact the truth. He has yet to fall in love with Onji.
Zuko bent his head and raised his brow "Does this have anything to do with Katara?" asked Zuko.
Aang shot his head up by the very mention of the ebony beauty, "N-no, no this has nothing to do with her, why would you say that?" said Aang nervously.
Zuko looked on doubtfully at the young Avatar as his suspicious behavior led him to ask more questions, "I dunno; just trying to drag the conversation. How is she doing by the way?" asked Zuko as he squint his eyes.
There was silence for a moment between the two friends; Aang now wished that he wasn't so obvious when the Fire Lord asked him if his inner conflict had anything to do with his ex-girlfriend, and pretended that he didn't even hear his questions as his eyes wandered aimlessly around the room.
But Zuko wasn't falling for it, "I know you heard me Aang" said Zuko as he looked dumbly at the young Avatar, "Aren't you going to answer my question?" demanded The Fire Lord.
Aang knew by Zuko's forceful command that trying to evade the topic of the water bender he once called his lover was futile. He let out a sigh, "I don't know." said Aang.
Zuko jerked his head back in disbelief, "What, you don't keep tabs on the people you save? Because last time I checked it was your duty as the Avatar to make sure that everyone you assist is faring along well; and that includes ex girlfriends." exclaimed Zuko.
Aang glared at Zuko annoyingly, "Yes, and I do keep tabs on everyone I save, but not her." said Aang unhappily, "I can't see her again" finished Aang as he dismally gazed at the bong in front of him; his thoughts now running amok within the confinement of his brain.
Zuko chuckled at the thought, "Why not? Sure you guys broke up, but you both seemed peachy as pie with it in my Event. Not to mention that you're going to have to see her tomorrow when we attend Sokka and Suki's wedding." said Zuko; finding Aang's childish remarks amusing. Soon after, Zuko made a remark that the young Avatar didn't expect him to say.
Zuko chuckled, "I mean, it's not like you slept with her." said Zuko.
Aang shot his head up by what Zuko just finished uttering; fervently hoping that Zuko didn't catch on to his uneasiness. As Zuko was about finished with his chuckle, Aang tried to go along with it and tried put on a façade, "Heh heh, yeah, it's, it's not like I slept with her…" said Aang as he dragged his last few words and restlessly rubbed the back of his head; pleading to the Spirits of the Next World that Zuko wouldn't catch on to his phony act.
But as Zuko finished his chuckle, he took one glimpse of the Avatar's melancholy, and stopped laughing. He had now realized that what he had said as a joke was not a joke, but a fact. He gasped as his eyes widened in shock, "Wait a minute, wait j- ju- a-are you, are you telling me that you slept with Katara?" asked Zuko as he hissed his question.
Aang looked away from the Fire Lord who anxiously awaited for his answer, but he didn't have to say it; for his silence said it all. Aang knew that the jig was up; Zuko now knew that he stepped out of his union and had sexual relations with Katara.
"Are you CRAZY! yelled Zuko. "What are you, stupid! Did you even consider in that FEEBLE-MIND of yours how not just Katara, but Onji and Lee would be affected by this after wards?" continued Zuko as he swung his fists by his sides, "No wonder you don't want to face her; having to see the woman that you fornicated with while your girlfriend's by your side would really make the party awkward!" yelled Zuko sarcastically.
Aang has yet to respond to Zuko's reaction, he couldn't even look at him; he just simply stared at the small accent table as if he were trying to mentally escape from this whole predicament.
But Zuko wasn't done with him yet, "Did you think that you would get away with this? Did you really THINK that you would get away with your infidelity?-" exclaimed Zuko, "Ans-"
Before Zuko could finish his sentence, Aang violently punched the small table that held the bong in fury; smashing it into small fragments as he got up from his seat and interrupted the Fire Lord from his rant, "Yeah, I was crazy! Yeah, I was STUPID, Is that what you want to hear me say!" yelled Aang as he continuously slammed his hand over his chest. "You think I don't know this? I was crazy because I slept with Katara while still with Onji. Yeah I was crazy, and I feel like the the planet's biggest jerk for it, so do me a favor and don't give me a hard time about it" begged Aang; anguish reflecting in his storm gray eyes.
Zuko looked bitterly towards the young Avatar as he straightened the bong on the soft carpet and brushed the bits and pieces of wood that happened to get on his royal robes, but he also noticed that Aang was honestly hurting because of his foolishness and decided to back off; however, he was still very disappointed in him. "Does Onji know?" asked Zuko sternly.
Aang nodded as he slowly blinked, "No, she doesn't know." said a remorseful Aang.
Zuko took a deep breath, "Good." said Zuko as his eyes darted aimlessly around the cramped room, "What's done is done and you can't do anything about it, just leave it in the past where it belongs." suggested Zuko as he crossed his hands.
Aang took his seat and intertwined his fingers as he turned his focus towards Zuko, "Have you ever made a mistake like this?" asked Aang, hoping that he could somehow find some common ground with the Fire Lord over this whole mess.
Zuko jerked his head and twisted his face in disgust,"Pfft, no." scoffed Zuko, "I love Mai, and I'd never do that to her." finished Zuko.
Aang raised his eyebrow at Zuko's insinuation, "What are you trying to say?" asked Aang.
Zuko rolled his eyes and nodded his head, "You said it yourself Aang, YOU said that you didn't love Onji. so I don't feel the need to repeat myself." said Zuko.
Zuko watched on as his remark caused his conscience-stricken friend to act restlessly; constantly shifting his position and rubbing his limbs as if he were possessed to do so, and a disturbing look in his eyes that only exacerbated his worry over his old friend's well-being, "Aang," said Zuko as he placed his hand on the young Avatar's shoulder, "Are you sure you want to make this announcement so soon? You still have time to figure things out; maybe you should wait." suggested Zuko.
Aang stopped his erratic behavior as soon as he processed what his friend just asked of him, knowing fully well that that wasn't an option. He relaxed himself and a serious tone escaped the young Avatar's mouth, "No, I already made the promise to Onji; Every member of the council including her are expecting me to do this, and I can't let them down." continued Aang as he hunched his back and shrugged his shoulders, "Who knows? Maybe this is what Onji and I need, and with time I'll grow to love her in return." explained Aang.
Zuko looked on painfully as he let go of his grip on the young Avatar's shoulder and accepted his reasoning, "Whatever you say..." said Zuko sarcastically as he let out a sigh; "Do you at least regret it?" asked Zuko.
Aang merely looked at him; for he was unable to answer his question.
Here are the links to the sketches I made for this chapter:
http :/ img641. imageshack. us/img641/3225/aangandonji. jpg
http :/ img821. imageshack. us/img821/2526/kataraandlee. jpg
http :/ img703. imageshack. us/img703/7545/aangandzukotoke. jpg
*I repeated the songs Cutty Ranks- Limb by Limb and Collie Buddz-Come around when I sketched Aang and Zuko's pic; a very fitting song if I do say so myself*
Alright guys; prepare yourselves because some serious stuff is about to go down in the next chapter so stay tuned!