Less than a month until The Last Airbender guys! Let's hope we get many Kataangy moments! 3
I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender or any of the characters, although I really wish I did (especially Aang). =)
Enjoy!
It wasn't until the Tuesday class before the dance that Katara noticed the tattoo.
She and Aang were on a group trail ride with the rest of their class. They lagged behind a little, talking. She chuckled at something he said and her eyes glanced down involuntarily when she laughed.
There, just under the short left sleeve of his orange t-shirt, was the bottom of a black swirl design.
'That's weird. I never noticed he had a tattoo. I didn't think he was old enough to get one,' she mused, staring blankly in thought at a space in front of her. 'How old do you have to be — '
"Katara, watch out!"
She blinked and came back to the present, only focusing in on the tree branch when it was a few inches from her face. She flinched and put her hands out to protect her face, but the branch never hit her. There was a small whoosh noise and her hair waved when a sudden wind blew over her. Her eyes fluttered open a few seconds later.
Maya had stopped and was pawing the ground nervously. Aang had brought Appa up short just ahead of her and was looking at her in concern.
"Katara? You okay?"
"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Just spaced a little. I tend to do that."
"I've noticed." He threw her a grin to show he was teasing. "So what were you thinking about?"
"My favorite song," she lied.
"Which would be?"
"It changes a lot," she admitted, bobbing her head in time to an imaginary beat.
"So what's your favorite today?" he asked. He glanced ahead. They were a little behind, but he knew Akash wouldn't be worried and he was happy that he got to spend time with Katara.
"'Broken Wings,'" she murmured, hoping that her face wasn't betraying the heat she was feeling in her cheeks.
"Flyleaf." Aang nodded. "Nice choice."
"Yeah." What she wasn't saying was that it was her favorite song currently because it made her think of him.
They shared a smile and Aang pulled Appa ahead a little. "Race you back?"
"I'm so gonna beat you."
They both took off down the trail to catch up to the group.
On Thursday, Suki came over and she and Katara went shopping. It had been a while since the two had hung out, so the girl's day out was fun for both of them — even if Suki kept gently teasing her about her "date" with Aang.
After a day of shopping, Katara had the perfect outfit for the dance. Suki promised she'd come over the next day to help with hair and get ready (Suki was attending a separate date with Sokka the same night.)
Aang rang the doorbell Friday at 5:30, just like he'd promised. Sokka opened the door to see the smiling but nervous boy and smirked as he let him in. "Katara!" Sokka called up the stairs. "Aang's here!"
"I'll be right down!" Katara's voice called down from the second floor.
There was an awkward silence that felt twice as long as it was while the two boys looked at each other, Sokka with a scrutinizing expression, Aang with a nervous one.
Footsteps approached and Aang prayed, 'Please don't let that be her dad. That would be unbearable.' He blinked when he saw who it was. "Suki?"
"Aang? What are you doing here?"
"I'm taking Katara to the dance. What are you doing here?"
"Going on a date with Sokka. What — "
"Wait a second, wait a second!" Sokka stepped between them, holding his hands up and shaking his head. "You two know each other?"
Aang and Suki exchanged a glance. "We've met a few times," Suki said.
"Where?" His voice changed to something like suspicion.
"Here and there." Suki shrugged, trying to look nonchalant.
Sokka obviously didn't buy it, but he turned and called irritatingly, "Katara! Your boyfriend is waiting!"
"I'm not her boyfriend," Aang corrected, a little uneasy.
"You're going on a date with her, aren't you?"
"Well, I guess, but we're just going as friends and — "
"Look, you'd better not mess with her. Because if you hurt her, I can hurt you. I've been taking fencing for four years now."
"Sokka, stop. You're scaring him." They all turned when Katara spoke. She was coming down the stairs and cast a smile at Aang as she descended. His eyes widened.
She was wearing a dark blue dress with diagonal teared layers at the bottom; it swirled when she took a step. Rhinestones were scattered all over the fabric, spreading all the way up the single, wide strap going over the left shoulder. She had on a choker and wristbands that matched the dress. Her hair was loose, a vast contrast to her normal ponytail. Deep brown locks waved around her shoulders and tumbled halfway down her back. But what really dazzled him was her face. Her eyes were the color of a lake on a clear summer day and her skin seemed to glow with a soft golden light. She looked unearthly, as if she were some graceful water sylph who had come to live among humans for a brief time.
It was enough to make him breathless.
She reached the first level and walked over to him, blushing slightly. "Hi," she said, smiling and a little shy.
"Hi," he replied, still half in a daze.
"All right," said Sokka, breaking the spell. "Introductions have been made. Maybe I should go with you guys — "
"Sokka, what about our date?" Suki made a pleading face, the one she knew he could never resist.
He faltered, stuck. "Well, I … I guess we don't have to go along."
She hid a smile. "Great! We'll see you guys later!" Suki pulled Sokka out the door before another word could be spoken. This left Katara and Aang standing in the hallway.
Aang glanced at the door. "Um, Sabbi and her date are waiting. We should probably go."
"Yeah, I guess we should." She grabbed the keys from the table and they went out the door. "You look great," she told him as they headed to the car, glancing over his dress shirt and pants.
"Thanks. You look amazing, you know," he said.
"Thanks." She smiled sheepishly and slipped into the car.
On the way to the dance, Sabbi introduced her boyfriend to Katara. There was conversation the entire trip, right up until they pulled up to the center. Sabbi and her boyfriend were out of the car and heading up the walkway within a minute. Katara was about to follow, but Aang stopped her.
"I, uh, saw this and thought it was pretty, so I got it for you." He held up delicate white and black flower that resembled a lily.
"Aang." She took it from him, blushing lightly. "That's so sweet. Thank you." She slipped it into her hair and glanced at the walkway. "Guess we'd better get in there."
He nodded and took her hand, almost on reflex. He paused, glanced down, and then looked up to gauge her reaction. She smiled brightly and led him down the path.
The dance took place in an old-looking dance hall with a stage at the far end, where bands and singers usually stood. The DJ had set up his booth there. Tables for resting and talking were at one end, along with a long table of food and drinks. Strands of lights were hung all over the walls, glowing softly. The dance floor was strewn with yellow and white rose petals. The whole hall had western decorations in various places — the bouquets on the table even held small cacti and yellow roses.
Katara planned to ask Aang to dance the first chance she got, but Jenna zipped in front of her before she could reach him.
"C'mon Aang, I need a partner for this one!" She dragged him out to the dance floor.
Katara sat down in a chair with a huff. When Jenna was facing her, she glared at the red head. Jenna smirked.
'And of course Aang wouldn't object after they started dancing. He's too much of a gentleman.' And she liked that about him. Just not when it allowed Jenna to steal him away.
Steal him away? They weren't even together! She shook her head at the silly thought and swayed slightly to the beat of the song.
She danced with one or two guys, but only because she didn't have the heart to refuse. Luckily, the DJ played a lot of fast songs and she and Sabbi, along with a lot of other people, all ended up in rows, dancing to the Macarena. She grinned when Aang winked at her from across the row.
She was getting a glass of punch when the DJ announced that he was still taking requests. She headed back to her seat. After a minute, a new song began playing.
Katara glanced up, recognizing the first few notes of the song. She looked at Aang, who was walking back through the crowd, a smile directed at her. When he reached her, he held out his hand as an invitation.
"I dunno, Aang," she mumbled, fiddling with her hair. She was suddenly nervous at the thought of dancing with him. "I mean, I'm feeling a little tired and — "
"Take my hand." His smile was warm.
Less than a second passed. "Okay." She stood and let him lead her onto the dance floor. She nervously placed a hand on his shoulder and he took her hand gently. They began to revolve to the beat.
Thank you for being such a friend to me
Oh, I pray a friend for life
And have I ever told you how much you mean to me?
Oh, you're everything to me
She listened to the first verse of the song, smiling. "'Broken Wings'?"
He nodded. "I remembered you said it was your favorite."
"I also said that I change favorites a lot. How'd you know I still liked it?"
"I just knew."
I'm thinking all the time how to tell you what I feel, I'm contemplating phrases
I'm gazing at eternity
I am floating in serenity …
And I am so lost for words
And I am so overwhelmed
She looked up at Aang, hoping that her blush didn't show in the dim lighting. There couldn't have been a song that was more perfect.
Please don't go just yet
Can you stay a moment, please?
We can dance together,
We can dance forever
Under your stars tonight
We'll live and breathe this dream
Without realizing it, her fingers intertwined with his. His arm slid to encircle her waist, pulling her a little closer. She rested her head against his chest and smiled. They turned slowly, listening as the song progressed.
Close your eye but don't dream too deep
Please pass me some memories
When I fall you're underneath
A thousand broken hearts
Carried by a thousand broken wings
A thousand broken wings
She looked up at him and found that his stormy eyes were gazing back at her. His smile held something warm and welcoming. It was the same look he'd given her several times over the past weeks; only this time it was more visible. More intense.
Katara's heart began to hammer inside her chest, even though she wasn't aware why. She moved closer to him, not entirely sure about the impulse, but wanting it, just the same. Her eyes began to close.
Applause pulled her sharply out of her daze. Aang blinked at her and she realized the song was over. A new, faster song had come on, and they were still standing so close to each other that their faces were only a few inches away.
Katara's cheeks flooded with heat and she quickly but gently pulled away. "Thanks for the dance," she said, surprised at how dream-like her voice sounded.
"You're welcome." His voice sounded dreamy too, but had a hint of something — annoyance? — behind the serenity.
Her fingers clung to his for a second longer before she broke away and headed to grab a drink. Aang stared after her for a couple of seconds, smiled, and faded into the crowd to talk with another friend.
They danced together three more times before the dance was over. Each time was similar to the first — she was almost hypnotized by him and he couldn't look away from her. And every time they danced was nothing like when she'd danced with those other guys. It was special.
For Katara, the dance ended much too soon. Luckily, she and Aang managed to catch the last song.
Just like on the way to the dance, the ride back was comfortable and they all chatted about how much fun they'd had. They dropped off Sabbi's date first. Katara felt a little sad when Aang pulled up to her house. She opened the car door and looked back at her friends. "See you, Sabbi." The blond girl nodded and waved.
"I'll walk you to the door." Aang slid out of the car and walked with her to the front porch.
They stood together by the door and both were silent for a minute. Katara shifted from one foot to the other, feeling a bit awkward. "So, thanks for inviting me," she said to break the silence.
"No problem." And he meant it. "Did you have fun?"
"Tons," she responded honestly.
"I'm glad. It was fun dancing with you."
"Yeah. I mean, I had fun dancing with you, too." She noticed the way his eyes lingered on her; they had changed to brown, something they did frequently. He gazed at her with eyes the color of chocolate, eyes that were filled with some emotion Katara couldn't name. She suddenly felt very shy. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I don't know." His voice was quiet, but full of emotion. "There's just … something about you. Something different."
"Aang … " She blushed and looked down, embarrassed. She felt his right hand wrap around her left one. She laced her fingers with his and looked up a little, smiling. She didn't know what she intended to do, but she tugged gently at the sleeve of his coat, pulling him closer to her.
Before she could realize what was happening, his lips were pressed gently to hers. It took her a few moments for her to figure it out, but when she did, she leaned into the kiss, catching his bottom lip between her own.
It seemed like only a millisecond later that he pulled away. She leaned forward a bit, expecting more. A second later, her eyes blinked open. She could only stare at him, a dazed expression on her face.
"Goodnight, Katara," he murmured, smiling softly.
"Goodnight, Aang." Her voice sounded dazed as well. Before he could turn around, she pulled him into a hug, arms around his neck. He hugged her back, arms wrapping around her around her waist. They separated and smiled at each other.
"I'll see you on Tuesday, okay?" He sounded a little breathless.
"Sounds good. Goodnight."
"'Night." He didn't let go of her hand until he had taken a full step away.
She watched him walk down the path. He turned when he reached the car and waved. She half-raised her hand and moved her fingers up and down, feeling almost like she was melting. She watched silently as the car disappeared.
Letting herself into the house, she was surprised to find Sokka with Suki in the front hall. "Hi guys," she said, trying to keep calm.
"Hey, Katara," said Suki, smiling at her friend. "Good night?"
"Absolutely perfect!" She beamed and headed for her room, taking the stairs two at a time.
Sokka stared after his sister. "Someone's in a good mood. I wonder why … " He narrowed his eyes and stared up at where his sister had disappeared.
"What, it's a big deal that she had fun?"
"It is when I've never seen her like that before."
"Oh-kay." She drew out the second syllable. "C'mon. You promised to walk me to the car." She took his hand and almost dragged him out the door.
An idea popped into his head then. "Do you think they kissed?"
"Who?"
"Katara and Aang! Do you think he kissed her?"
"Is that really important?"
"Crucial," he replied, seriously.
"Weirdo," was the only answer he received from her.
A/N: Aang was annoyed because the dance ended before they could kiss. XD Poor him.
Overprotective/annoyed Sokka is fun to write ;p
Oh, and I based the dance hall off a real on that one of my cousins had her wedding reception at. It was really pretty.
Any thoughts or questions? I'd be happy to answer them =)
"Dance With Me" by Drew Seeley and Belinda
"Broken Wings" by Flyleaf