Just Because

Katara had just finished making the stew and was sitting at the fire; she watched as the flames lapped at the black pot and the thick liquid bubbled and popped. Today had been fairly taxing in their travel and she couldn't help the yawn that stretched her face as a result of it.

"Hi Katara," Aang said as he appeared and sat down next to her, grinning widely as usual.

"Hey Aang," she said while easily returned his grin back with a smaller smile.

He explained that Toph was done training him for today and that she'd gone off with Sokka to go find some food and Katara nodded. The stew was vegetarian at the moment and, knowing those two, they would try and convert it (not that the waterbender as going to let them; this was Aang's dinner, too). Oddly enough, Katara found she had slowly begun to eat less and less meat. Maybe it was because Toph had recently joined and always seemed to eat her share without asking; it was probably because of Sokka's horrible cooking.

The two sat in silence for a little, just listening to the slight breeze and crash of the waves below, before the airbender seemed to begin to fidget; Katara raised an eyebrow.

"Something you want to talk about?" she asked as she turned away from the fire to face him.

Aang seemed to stare at her for a long moment before he looked away and his cheeks slightly colored. He rubbed at the back of his short-haired head before he asked, "Can I see your hands?"

Although the request was a little unorthodox, Katara complied and uncrossed her arms to show him her hands.

Aang seemed to be fascinated with them for a while and Katara thought he was only going to look at them, which seemed a little pointless and idiotic, but then he slowly raised his own. He glanced around him in a paranoid fashion before he gently grasped her hands in his.

Katara was surprised by the roughness of his hands, at the calluses that were being formed from earth bending. She was also intrigued at how nice it felt against her own soft ones, especially when he began rubbing small circles around her palms with his thumbs. Their colors contrasted; his paler, tanned skin and his sky blue arrow against her darker, bronze skin. She smiled at their juxtaposed attributes, but, just like his gentle fingers, she found odd comfort in it.

"Why do you want to see my hands Aang?" Katara finally asked after about a minute of them just sitting there, her hands enveloped in his own.

His face seemed to flush more and he tried to mutter something out, but it was just filler and useless words. As his thumb moved over her palm again, she thought she might understand.

"You want some of my special seaweed lotion?"

This had Aang's expression flattening before he grinned widely, asking, "Why the heck would I want some of that stuff?"

Now Katara was confused again; "Well, you must want hands like mine, you sure seem intent on the smoothness and feeling them."

The red cheeks were back as he slowly retracted his hands from hers before reiterating, "Ah, ur...no. I don't want your lotion. Thanks, though."

Katara sat there, just breathing and staring at Aang for a few moments, before asking, "Then why did you want to hold my hands?"

Aang's face seemed to split into a wide grin before he sat up with a flurry of wind. As he stood and looked down at her, that grin still in place, he answered "I don't know. I just wanted to for some reason; thanks."

The waterbender watched him begin to set up the tent before turning back to her hands he'd just held. She flexed and stretched her fingers a few times and looked her palms over; it didn't seem like anything had changed from Aang holding them.

Then why did they felt a little warmer than usual?

AN: I don't particularly like how this idea came out, but ooh wells. I want to thank everyone for the support so far! I hope you'll keep reading because I'll keep writing (I have loooots of ideas, trust me). So...please review now? I adore your feedback!