A/N. Well it took a few days more than absolutely necessary, but I had some work to do on the PhD application.
Finally, they are together.
Warning, M rating !
He was holding her… She was safe, and it was over… Spirits, it was finally done… Never again. Never again he wanted to feel the worry and the pain of the last weeks. And Katara was right, of course she was… Now, the future belonged to them… Sure, Azula was still at large, and the war was not yet done… But now, the most important part was done. She had no place to go, and they would find and capture her.
So… To be honest, the future looked… good. For the first time since waking up from the iceberg, he felt hopeful for the future. The century-old conflict was over, and he had done what the world and the Spirits had wanted him to do. And now… Now, he could finally just be himself, and do what he wanted.
As Katara's lips pressed against his own, he closed his eyes and answered the kiss more than readily. From his closed eyelids, Aang felt tears flow down his cheeks. But instead of the stress and pain leaving his body, those tears were just those of happiness. She was safe, and nothing had happened to her… The worst was over.
Slowly caressing her back with his hands, he still couldn't believe it. She was here…
"Sorry." He heard the waterbender whisper as their lips disconnected for an instance.
"What for?" Aang murmured back.
"I… I needed that. Tui and La, it has been so long…" He heard the hurt in her voice, and the airbender opened his eyes to be met by those beautiful ocean blue eyes looking at him with tears in her eyes. And in those eyes, he saw everything that he himself felt but didn't dare say. Longing and so… so much more.
"Tara… I…" He didn't know what to say to her. How to explain that ever since disappearing and waking up on the Lion Turtle, his life had been a living hell? How could he, in the spirits names, explain how he had felt? Aang knew that, deep down, he didn't need to explain it… For she had probably felt the same. She only had the rumours to know what was happening, and had been in the dark about her family… No one had been able to tell her that everyone was safe… Spirits, how much they had suffered for nothing…
Instead of talking, the airbender took her face between his hands and bent back to her lips, catching them and just savouring the fact that he was able to feel this again… He had learned that ever since waking from the iceberg… Katara's kisses had been the best medicine against his depressed moods. And this… This kiss was the best remedy there was.
He didn't know how long they stayed like this, but what Aang did know was that during that time, his mind was blissfully blank. No dark thoughts, no worry, nothing… Just… Blank happiness… As he pulled away from Katara, he felt the soft wind that came through the cracks in the walls of the hut caress his cheeks… And it felt wet. He lifted one of his hands to wipe his cheek, and realized that the tears had continued to flow… Looking at Katara, he saw that her own cheeks were wet too from tears.
Suddenly, he realized that the kneeling position in which they found each other was the exact same as depicted on the statues of Oma and Shu, those they had seen in the Cave of the Two Lovers… And Aang laughed.
"What is so funny?" As he looked at Katara, he saw the smile appear on her face.
"Nothing… Spirits, it isn't even funny. I… I just understood something. How heartbreaking the story of Oma and Shu is. They… Spirits, they must have felt like this every time in those caves. And they must have known that when morning came, they would have to start all of it anew… Spirits, the poor souls…" He finished his explanation in a whisper.
"Aang… We don't have to. Stop torturing yourself, and… Tui and La, we need to stop torturing ourselves." With that, he felt her hands on his shoulders drop slightly, to rest against his chest. As she flattened her palm just above his heart, Aang saw how the waterbender closed her eyes, with that smile widening.
"I… it was so weak when you got stabbed." She whispered, as he felt her fingers press deeper against his skin, as if she tried to reach into his chest.
"Katara…. I'm here." He whispered back, lifting his own hands to enclose the hand on his chest, "I never left… And I will never do so… Never."
Aang knew that that kind of promise was hard to keep. There was so much that could happen, so many dangers that lay in the future… But one thing was certain. Dead or alive, he would never willingly leave her.
"You… You know… We… ehm… We never had… You know." The voice of the waterbender was shy and quiet, and Aang didn't understand it. As he watched how she opened her eyes, he saw the big blue orbs look at him with a questioning gaze, but he didn't understand.
"Never had… what?" He managed to ask.
"Well… On Ember Island, that night… We got interrupted when… you know! Sokka and Suki made all that noise!" As her words left her mouth, Aang understood what she had meant.
They never had their wedding night.
Spirits… Did… Did she want to? He had been more than willing ever since leaving the camp, but had pushed that feeling away, as he had thought that it didn't need to happen right now… And that all their worries had surely damaged their relationship. To be honest, he had thought that they would have to become reaccustomed at being together… He had never thought she would ask right now.
"Oh… ehm… yeah, right…" He didn't know what to say.
"I mean, we can wait! You're wounded! I'm a mess! We are both a mess! I didn't wash, and you stink of ash!" Katara's voice suddenly sounded very awkward and very, very embarrassed. From the moonlight entering through the cracks, he saw how the waterbender's face became flushed, and he felt that blood rushed to his own cheeks as he released her hand. She quickly withdrew it from his chest, and began to rub it against her elbow.
"Tara…" He began, but it came out as a squeak. Quickly clearing his throat, he began again.
"Tara, I… We can wait with that, you know that, right?" He didn't want to make her feel like she was pressured into anything she didn't feel comfortable with, "We can wait… As long as you need."
"As long as I need?" It nearly sounded insulted, "I meant it for you! I wan…" She didn't finish that part, but Aang saw how she bit her lip.
And suddenly, he realized. She had not said it for herself… But for him.
"Spirits! No!" The words left his mouth before he could stop himself. Katara wanted to… Spirits. The dull ache in his chest where he had been wounded was quickly replaced by adrenaline, as he realized exactly what might happen. As he felt his heart beat harder, he looked at the waterbender, who was still biting her lip with an anxious expression in her sapphire blue eyes.
"Yeah, I understand…" She sounded… disappointed? Why that?
"Wait… Do you… want to…" Aang heard his voice falter.
"I meant… if you are not too weak…" Katara's answer sounded shy, and he understood. She had thought his Spirits! No! had been meant as a rebuff…
"Tara… When I will say no to… well, that… please lock me up, because that means I've gone mad. I will… I will always want you." He answered, taking her fingers into his hand once more, "I have always wanted you… Now, more than ever."
It was the plain truth. How could anyone say no if Katara of the Southern Water Tribe would suggest doing that? Seriously, he had never been not in the mood for that… And to be honest, he knew that his physical wants and needs had gone far to the background these last few weeks… Spirits, he didn't remember the last time he had thought about that. Before the comet. Perhaps that night just before disappearing. Katara had gone to bed before him, as he had been meditating on what to do. He remembered how she had suggested they could do a thing or two before sleeping… Spirits, how had he managed to concentrate on meditating after that suggestion?
He heard the ruffle of fabric, and suddenly Katara had moved into his lap. Aang had been on his knees, but now, he felt the waterbender on him, knees on either side of him. She was taller than him like this, and he could feel the warm breath on the skin of his forehead.
"Really?" He heard the hesitation in her voice.
"Really." The airbender answered, and for the first time in weeks, he was certain of what he said. Snaking his arms around her, Aang felt how Katara pressed against him, and her lips on his forehead. He also felt something trickle onto his face and guessed that she was crying too.
They didn't speak, but the fact that they were so close, not an inch between their bodies… Spirits, Aang had missed that feeling. He had not realized how accustomed he had become of having Katara net to him as he slept… Only after the comet, when he had been searching for her had he begun to realize that…
They stayed like that such a long time that Aang lost any sense of time that passed. He only knew that whatever would happen, he knew that she was safe… He sensed that she moved her arms, pulling slightly away from him. Her hands glided over his shoulders, and for the first time he realized he had not put on a tunic since waking up… Spirits. He only had the bandages that Katara had put on him in the camp… And his smoke-smelling trousers.
"How is your wound?" Aang heard the waterbender whisper as her hands were close to the knot that held the bandages into place.
"Feels alright." He breathed softly as he felt her fingers begin to fumble with the knot. The linen bandages quickly fell away, and he grabbed them, throwing them into a corner of the hut. Or somewhere. He didn't care.
Her fingers slowly found the small wound, which had become nothing more than a pink scar thanks to her healing, and Aang heard the ragged breath as she touched the small scar.
"Does it hurt?"
"Not much." He answered truthfully.
"You have plenty of new scars… Burn marks." As her left hand was on the scar, he felt her right hand move to the faint burns on his arms. They had been far worse after his fight with Ozai, and to be honest, Aang thought that in time, the marks would disappear completely… But she had still noticed them. A he heard the soft thuds on the roof of the hut, he realized it had begun to rain once more.
Aang let his hands, which were still on the waterbender's back, slide to her waist, pulling her closer once more. She still wore the clothes she had been in when they had been reunited at Orsu's home, and he hated it. She was supposed to wear beautiful blue dresses covered with Water Tribes symbols… Not those red drabs. Sure, he had loved the disguise she had worn in the Fire Nation during the summer… Loved it a lot. But this had not been a disguise to keep herself out of trouble. This had been a necessary because she had feared for her life.
"Your bags are with Appa." He whispered, not exactly knowing why.
"Later." She murmured back, as the rain began to pound hard on the roof above their heads, "Now… Perhaps a fire? And… Tui and La…" She didn't finish the thought, but Aang glanced at the small hearth close to the middle of the hut. It was nothing fancy, just several stones laid together to form a square. There was some wood inside the square, but it looked old. Waving his hand towards it, a small fire erupted inside the twigs and branches. Nothing fancy.
But he didn't need fancy.
Turning his attention back to Katara, he saw the big ocean blue eyes staring into the fire, and he saw the reflection of the flames inside the moist eyes.
"Everything alright?" He asked.
"Yeah…" She nodded, "I still can't believe it is done."
"Me neither." He sighed, letting his forehead sink against the shoulder of the waterbender. Aang let his hands slowly go up from her waist, but so slowly that she could tell him to stop at any moment. She did not.
His fingertips touched her sides, and as he moved up, he felt his thumbs graze just underneath her breasts. A soft intake of breath made him pause, and he looked at her.
"Alright." She whispered back, her own hands still on his shoulders. Aang smiled softly, retreating his fingers from where they had been. He was still not too sure of what to do, how far she wanted to go… But he could feel that there was a response from himself… Towards his groin.
Surely she had felt it too, sitting on him like she was… But if she did, Katara didn't show anything. And he let his hands fall towards the hem of the tunic, taking it into his grasp. Looking at her beautiful face, he saw her nod.
He lifted the tunic, and as he did so, she moved her arms up so that the piece of clothing fell to the floor with ease… And he stared at the expanse of skin that was just uncovered. Her brown skin contrasted starkly with the white linen of the binding around her chest, but his eyes were drawn to that place…
Spirits how he had missed this. Not only the physical touch… But the level of intimacy they were able to create, just the two of them. Aang knew he was friendly with everyone… But true intimacy, he only managed that with friends. And the intimacy he and Katara shared was far more than just that. He didn't know how to explain it… But every time they were alone together, he knew one thing for certain. That he was utterly at home.
"Aang…" Katara's voice was thick with an emotion he could not understand, but one that filled his heart too. He didn't know how to explain what it was… But it felt bittersweet.
"Tara…" He sighed as his hands moved up to the linen bindings. Would that be alright? If she needed any more time, that would be alright… But his hands were not removed in a gentle manner, as he would have expected if she didn't want him to start undoing them. As he fumbled to find the knot, the airbender sighed against her shoulder.
The bad memories faded, and a part of his brain he had closed off during all these weeks was opened. Memories of Katara's soft panting, cries and her shouts flooded his mind, and he smiled into the soft flesh of her shoulder. He remembered the feeling of her on him, slowly going up and down… And he also recalled his enthusiasm that first time, in the barn in Ba Sing Se. That had been slightly rushed and slightly awkward afterwards, but it had been sweet…
He remembered the book Katara had bought during his coma. How Toph had shoved it in his face, ordering him to read it… How Sokka had found it… How they had used it to become better, to learn what the other wanted… Spirits…
The knot fell away, and the bindings shagged slightly around the waterbender's body as they loosened. He heard the soft exhale coming from Katara's lips, and lifted his head to look at her as his hands began to pull away the linen. Keeping his eyes fixed onto the blue ones, Aang managed to pull them completely away.
"Just like… Just like the first time." She whispered, and Aang understood. Their first time, in Ba Sing Se, had been filled with awkward moments. He had not looked at her chest, however much he had wanted, for he had feared she would find it weird if he did so…
"But now…" He didn't finish the sentence but pulled her closed so that the naked skin was flush against him. Aang felt the swell of Katara's breasts against his own chest and sighed. So long… It had been so long since he had felt that. And he had intimate knowledge about their shape, weight, the fact her nipples were sensitive… And he was feeling them once more….
"Tui… I missed you so much." He heard Katara say in a thick voice.
"Me too… I love you. I love you…" He whispered over and over, not able to stop saying it. Was it the first time he said that since finding her? Probably? Perhaps. But he didn't care. His rambling was cut short when he felt her lips press against his own mouth, and he answered eagerly. As he pushed himself against her, Aang felt his member stiffen eve further than it already had, and now, he also sensed Katara grinding against that part of him with her own centre… And he grinned into the kiss. Spirits. How long had it been that he had actually grinned?
"I love you too… So, so much." Katara spoke as her lips disconnected from his own. She seemed to realize what she had been doing, because the grinding stopped and she looked embarrassed.
"Sorry." She whispered, but Aang didn't mind. As there was a small space between them now, he looked down, and sighed from the pure pleasure that shot through him as he saw Katara's chest. Nothing… Nothing was sweeter than finally being able to be with her once more. Bending his head down, he pressed a kiss against her collarbone. He didn't dare going further down without her explicit consent, but the sigh coming from her lips seemed to be consent enough.
Wrapping his arms around her middle, he lifted her slightly up so that her chest was on eye level, and bend his head to kiss between them. Letting his forehead rest for a few instances just underneath her throat, Aang couldn't help but feel tears find their way back to his eyes.
The sigh from Katara's throat pulled him back to reality, and Aang let his lips find their way to waterbender's left breast. As his lips kissed the smooth skin, he felt the hard thuds of her heartbeat through the darker skin, and as his mouth closed around her nipple, he heard a harp intake of breath.
Releasing it, he looked up only to see pure happiness on her face. So, he went back to his task. Alternating between her breasts, the airbender couldn't help but lift his own centre from time to time to meet Katara's, who slowly began to grind once more. As she did, he let out a soft grunt, biting her nipple accidentally. He wanted to remove his lips and apologize, but as soon as his lips disconnected from her skin, Aang heard a soft moan of disappointment.
"You… you liked that?" He asked, surprised. Sure, they had experimented with some light… Well, spanking and so on, but he had never bitten her… And apparently, she didn't hate it.
"Spirits, yes." She whispered back, still grinding.
"Tara… You will have to stop." He managed to voice, "I… I… hm… I have not… You know. Since Ember Island." He felt foolish admitting that. During the days leading up to the comet, he had not been able to do anything because he had constantly been training or around people… Then, after the comet, his body and mind were clearly not in the mood to… Rub one out, as Sokka might have said.
"Me neither." She spoke shyly, and Aang felt warmth rush to his face… And his member became even stiffer. Spirits, did that excite him? However, Katara stopped the movement, and stayed still on his lap. Looking at her, Aang couldn't help but feel horribly relieved. This was what he was supposed to do, love her, make her happy… Who cared about the world? The world was going to be fine. But this… This was something he had actual influence on.
His hands slowly went from her waist, travelling down towards the hem of the red skirt. As he took it between his fingers, he realized that in their position, it would be next to impossible to pull it down… So, instead, he pulled it up, making it pool around Katara's waist. As he did so, his hands felt the naked skin of her legs, and then the linen bindings around her centre.
Looking into her eyes, he saw the look he had never realized he would miss. That look she had given him in Ba Sing Se. That gaze from the party in the cave, miles away. The look she always had when they were doing something… Lust.
"Is this… Is this alright?" He whispered, to which she simply nodded, the corners of her lips curling slightly upwards. He let his hands glide over the swell of her rear and just shuddered. It had been… been so long. And he didn't dare stop, in fear that this would all to be revealed a dream, a horrible nightmare conjured by that fog in the Spirit World.
But his body's reactions were far from a dream. At the same time, he felt cold and hot. Shivering, the airbender could feel his heart beat like a maniac, pumping blood in a record pace through his body… His fingertips grazed a knot in the linen bindings around Katara's hips, and he saw how she too shivered.
"Can…"
"Yes."
He found the knot once more, slowly pulling it apart. It had been so long… His actions were hidden by the fact that the skirt was still around Katara's waist, but he didn't need to see what he did. Spirits, if that knot would not disentangle itself, he would just burn it through.
It came apart, and Aang quickly began pulling at the bindings, hearing a soft ripping sound. Glancing at Katara, he felt guilty. That had not been his goal, and he swallowed thickly.
"Doesn't matter. Others in my bag." She whispered quickly, "They were old anyway." And with that, he continued his pulling, managing to remove the bindings. He quickly threw them towards the corner where the upper bindings were lying too, and he felt the warmth of Katara's and centre against his groin as she quickly began to grind once more. But now, the grinding was accompanied by a soft panting sound coming from the waterbender's mouth, and he pressed his own lips against hers. As they sat like that, Aang felt his thoughts beginning to unravel, and he wasn't thinking clearly anymore.
Sliding his hands from her rear, he managed to hook his thumbs into the waistband of his black trousers. As Katara was still kneeling on his lap, he didn't manage to do anything more than pull the trousers a few inches over his hips.
"Tara… Can you stand up for just a moment?" He managed to ask, and with a soft groan, Katara disentangled herself from him and stood up. In the light of the fire, he managed to see a flash of her legs as she took a step backwards, before the skirt fell back to its original place, hiding her naked centre and her legs. Her chest however was still bare, and he couldn't help but see how her breasts move as she stood… And he nearly drooled.
Aang quickly stood up too, kicking off the boots he had been wearing and pulling down his trousers as fast as possible. A few months ago, or even a year ago, he would have been embarrassed to remove as many clothing as he did… As certainly when h was this excited. But that had never really been a problem with Katara.
"Do you… Spirits, do you want t-" He began.
"Yes!" She cut him off, "Yes! Isn't that clear?" He heard the longing in her voice, and he shared it. Only wearing his underwear, he looked at her. Her eyes were fixed on him, but Aang saw that that look went from his face to his chest and settled on the visible bulge. And she bit her lower lip…
Encouraged by that, he pulled the underwear down, being completely naked. As soon as the last piece of clothing hit the earthen floor, he stepped towards Katara, capturing her lips with his own, and pulled her closer to him. The warmth from her body spread into his heart, and Aang wasn't sure whatever he should cry or shout for joy…
He felt Katara's mouth open slightly, pressing her tongue against his own lips, and he opened his mouth eagerly. Relief flooded through him as that happened. No imaginary spirit world mumbo-jumbo could recreate this feeling, he was sure of that… Hungrily, he pulled her closer.
The kiss deepened, and he felt how Katara's weight went down in his arms. Catching her goal, he let his knees buckle, and they slowly went down on the floor. As his knees touched the ground, they broke the kiss… Only for Katara, who had finished by sitting on her rear, to grab the tunic and throwing it down on the earthen floor. Aang saw her shuffle to the piece of fabric on the ground, and lying down on it.
She opened her legs and he finally saw what he had been dying to see… He didn't understand it, but the shiver that ran down his spine was far more pressing than it had ever been… He quickly glanced to her sex, but his gaze moved up to see the bashful look on Katara's face.
"Ehm… So…" She hesitated, but for once, Aang knew what to say.
"Spirits, you're just as beautiful as ever." He whispered, shuffling between her legs and bending down to kiss her. Finally…
Answers:
Jjsmith103 : Exactly! I think that everything that happened would take weeks to understand for both. They needed to explain what happened, but details could come late. That was precisely what I had wanted to make the reader think when I wrote that chapter in FoS! For the necklace, don't forget that they were both a little awkward at being alone once more, and when you're shy, you don't always make the right decision! But it will be addressed, no worry
Handler: I missed the smut chapters so much lol! They write themselves, and I always enjoy the kataang chapters!
