AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know I said I'd take a hiatus. But then I had a thought about Aang's preparation for battle. So be prepared for kataang.

The rain had ended a short time earlier and Katara smiled at the irony of a cooling rainstorm before their battle with fire. Sokka and Toph had joined her father and the rest of their band of rebels, helping the older watertribe men and collection of warriors from the earth kingdom in preparation for the invasion in the morning.

The waterbender didn't see Aang and had started to worry about where the young Avatar had gone. She hadn't seen him since the rain started and a twinge of dread pushed itself to the forefront of her mind.

Relief flooded through Katara when she finally found Aang in one of the tents; moonlight streaming in through the tent flaps illuminating his pale face. Her mouth fell open in shock at the sight before her. Around him sat small piles of dark brown hair, the shaving tool still gripped tightly in his hand. He was bald again; the tattoos once hidden by short, cropped hair now were displayed proudly once again. The fire nation garb he had been forced to hide himself with was discarded as well, leaving him naked, his body hidden from view by shadows.

She felt tears prick her eyes as the realization came over her. He was going to meet his destiny not as some scared child forced to hide his identity, but as Aang – last of the Airbenders and the Avatar.

And at that moment he suddenly became one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen.

Aang turned his head and looked at her, a smile brightening his gentle features.

"I know you liked the hair." He said teasingly.

Katara knelt down next to him and cupped his face in her hands. "I like the boy in front of me even more."

The fact that he was naked finally dawned on the airbender and Aang turned scarlet from the top of his head down to his neck. He grabbed the dark red tunic, hastily covering places still hidden by shadows.

"I…uh…" Aang laughed nervously, running his hand over his scalp.

"No…no…I shouldn't have just walked in. I was worried and trying to find you. I didn't think you might be washing up." She said, gesturing to a nearby bowl of water and damp cloth. "Do you want me to leave?"

"No." He said softly. "I don't want you to go."

The young Avatar suddenly took both of her hands in his trembling ones and looked at her, gray eyes focusing on blue.

"Katara, I…I have to tell you something…" Aang cleared his throat nervously. The girl was staring at him intently, smiling a little. "I…um…I…I love you. I just needed you to know before…"

He was cut off as Katara's lips came crashing down on his, her declaration of love for him being told through the heat of that first kiss. The boy sat there frozen, unsure of what to do at first. It was only when she gently parted his lips with her tongue that he suddenly realized that not all of him was frozen.

A soft whimper escaped from within Aang and he shivered. He had dreamt of this moment so many times, over and over again. But he had never dreamt it would have occurred while he was naked – okay, well maybe while he was naked – but certainly not while he was surrounded by piles of his own hair, in a tattered watertribe tent, only hours away from his own possible demise.

A stray tear suddenly rolled down Aang's cheek and she broke the kiss to brush it off with her fingertip.

"What's wrong?" She asked, watching as the boy lowered his head, avoiding her gaze.

"I…I guess I…I mean I never thought you'd feel the same about me." He whispered. "That you would choose me."

She cupped his face once again in her hands and leaned her forehead against his.

"Look at me." She commanded gently and when he raised his storm colored eyes, she smiled. "I will always choose you."

His lips met hers once again as the realization of her words washed over him, comforting, as if a giant weight had been lifted from his heart. Aang's mouth moved gently against hers, no longer shy and uncertain, her admission freeing him any inhibitions he once had.

They held each other there in the moonlight and the shadows, his barely covered form pressed against hers, neither wanting to let go, neither thinking ahead, both living for the moment. Both content to be in each other's arms and let their destinies be shaped with the sunrise.

NOTE: Aang. Yep. It just seemed more appropriate for him to be barely clothed. Kind of brought about the notion of his re-emergence as Aang, as the last airbender, as the Avatar.