Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or the song "Twin Soliloquies" from South Pacific, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.

Author's Note: I'm sorry about any confusion there might have been with the last chapter. I forgot to revise the summary BEFORE I uploaded the new chapter. Anyway, I realized I hadn't done a Kataang for this collection in a while, so here's one.

Twin Soliloquies

Wonder how I'd feel,
Living on a hillside,
Looking on an ocean,
Beautiful and still.

Katara was sitting on a platform of the Northern Air Temple, looking to the north. Soon, they would be heading off for the final leg of their journey to the North Pole, and while she was excited, part of her just wanted to stay here. She wasn't exactly sure why, but she felt strangely connected to both the place and the people. Maybe it had something to do with the part she had played, along with Sokka and Aang, in repelling the recent Fire Nation attack.

As she watched the gliders circling, Katara found herself thinking back to their visit to the Southern Air Temple. Although it had been completely deserted, she thought she could imagine what it must have been like when Aang had lived there, now that she'd seen something similar with life thriving in it. It must have been beautiful once, well-kept and peaceful, with a glimpse of the placid ocean through its persistent veil of clouds. She wondered if Aang would wish to go back there someday.

This is what I need,
This is what I've longed for,
Someone young and smiling
Climbing up my hill.

Although Katara had no way of knowing it, Aang's thoughts were following a similar direction. He was perched on a sloping roof some distance above her. He really was glad to see this place full of activity, even if it wasn't quite as he remembered. It never would be again, so it might as well be used by people who were in need.

Aang sighed sadly as he thought about the desolation that marked his childhood home. He looked down at Katara and thought that, if she came with him, he might be able to face it. He probably should go back again, at least once, although there wasn't really anything there for him anymore. He'd laid Monk Gyatso's body to rest during their last visit, and he thought it might be nice to pay his respects once more, after he'd completed all the tasks he was supposed to do.

We are not alike.
Probably I bore him.
He's a cultured Frenchman;
I'm a little hick.

The past several weeks had shown Katara just how sheltered her life had been. She'd seen more in that time than she'd ever dreamed, and even that only encompassed a small part of the Earth Kingdom and two air temples. She didn't really count the shrine they'd gone to within the Fire Nation.

It was almost dizzying to realize how much Aang must have already seen, since most of the places they'd visited were ones where he'd already been. It made Katara recognize what a backwater simpleton he must have seen her as when they'd first met. Even now, how could she possibly compare her limited experience to his worldliness?

Younger men than I,
Officers and doctors,
Probably pursue her -
She could take her pick.

Aang knew that he didn't have much to offer Katara; he didn't even have a real home. As much as he loved her, she deserved something better and more solid. She should have someone who didn't have to divide his attention between her and the rest of the world and who wouldn't be always hurting her. He hadn't forgotten the recent incident with careless firebending, though none of them had mentioned it since their escape from Zhao.

Aang had watched helplessly while Katara had spent time with boys like Haru and Jet. There might even be something between her and Teo, for all he knew. She was so desirable that she could choose anyone, and Aang had never interfered. He was not an idiot; he had noticed that there were no boys of her age in her village, and he recognized that it would be selfish and unfair to try to prevent her from knowing anyone but him. He loved her too much to limit her. Besides, he maintained the hope at the back of his mind that she would choose him after knowing what her options were, which would make her decision more meaningful. That didn't make the process any easier to watch, though.

On the other hand, Aang recognized that he would eventually have to let her know how he felt about her so that she would realize that he was an option. He wondered if this would be a good time to do that. Still debating, he glided down from his spot to join her.

Wonder why I feel jittery and jumpy?
I am like a schoolgirl waiting for a dance.

When Katara noticed Aang coming toward her, she felt a strange, fluttery feeling inside. This had been happening to her pretty regularly for about the last week, and it seemed to be connected with Aang getting near her. Maybe she was just looking forward to finding a waterbending master, now that they were so close.

"Hey, Katara," Aang greeted her.

"Is it almost time to go?" she asked him. She and Sokka had let Aang be the one to decide this, deferring to his connection to the place.

"Yeah, I think so. Are you excited about finding a waterbender to teach you?" It was odd that he almost seemed to be reading her mind on this.

"To teach us," Katara corrected, privately admitting that she was actually even more excited to think that she and Aang would be able to train side by side than about the fact that she would finally be getting formal instruction. They already spent a lot of time together, of course, but it somehow just felt…different.

Can I ask her now?
I am like a schoolboy!
What will be her answer?
Do I have a chance?

Aang nodded and looked around, taking in the last sights of the refurbished temple before returning his attention to Katara.

"Do you…want to come back here some time?" Aang kicked himself mentally for not being able to complete his original question. If Katara noticed his hesitation, she gave no sign. Instead, she gave him that smile that always made him feel like his insides had completely melted.

"Yes, I think that would be nice," she replied, and as she extended a hand to allow Aang to help her up, something in her expression and tone led him to consider the possibility that she had answered his unasked question after all.

Suddenly, she leaned close to him, and he felt her lips press against his cheek. A second later, though, she was off to tell Sokka they were ready to pack, leaving Aang to wonder if he'd imagined the whole thing. He reached up to touch the spot on his cheek, certain he could still feel the impression her mouth had made.

When Katara gave Aang a mischievous glance over her shoulder, he knew the moment had been real. It was only the second time she had kissed him, and that had been for returning her mother's necklace. He couldn't see any obvious reason for this one. A slow smile creeping across his face, Aang expected it might be fun figuring it out.

--

Author's Note: You can decide for yourself what Aang stopped himself from asking. I'm not too sure about the ending (I re-wrote it many times), but I like the rest. I thought the "younger men than I" line was particularly funny. Although Aang probably wouldn't think of it in those terms, he's 112 years old, which means that anyone else Katara is likely to meet will be technically younger. Even King Bumi is younger, I'm guessing, since he still had a couple of teeth missing in the flashback.

Review responses:

Sakae Kashiwagi: I've always believed that humor is funniest when there's truth in it. If you listen to comedians carefully, they're often the best commentators on modern life, and their message is more palatable because it's funny.

LadyBastet92: Well, good luck. Majoring in arts wasn't something I ever had the courage to do, although what I did study didn't do me much good anyway, with the result that I recently completed a science degree in addition.

Aangs fangirl1214: Thanks, my husband thought using Mai & Ty Lee was good, too. While he suggested the song, he didn't really tell me what to do with it.