Katara was the first one to wake up in the morning. When she noticed the only other person awake was the airbender she froze.
His cloak was blowing in the wind revealing his muscled back for a moment, and Katara's eyes were glued to it, imagining running her hands over it.
She looked away, when she realized she was staring and blushed at her thoughts.
Katara felt her heart pound in her chest and cursed under her breath.
The waterbender hated that he had this effect on her. She had always found the airbender cute, but now that they were both older her feelings for him felt a lot more intense.
Not to mention, his crazy growth spurt. It really did feel like she was seeing a whole different person.
She hated it! She should have zero feelings for the airbender. He left him, he broke her heart.
The fact that he had the power to do it again terrified her.
Aang suddenly stood up, making her freeze. She thought about pretending to be asleep when the airbender turned around, meeting her eyes.
Too late.
"Hey." Aang spoke up, tentatively.
Katara looked away from him without saying anything and moved all the way to the back of the saddle, as far away from him as possible, her lips pulled into a firm line.
Aang swallowed a lump in his throat. He walked a little closer to her so he didn't have to raise his voice too much and wake everyone up.
"We should talk, Katara."
"We have nothing to talk about." Katara retorted, still not making eye contact with him.
At least she didn't ignore him this time, Aang laughed humorlessly.
"Yes, we do. You're clearly mad at me."
"I'm not mad at you, I just don't wanna talk to you."
"And why is that?"
She said nothing, only glared at him for a moment, before looking away again.
"Look, I'm sorry for everything, okay?"
Silence.
Aang sighed. It was no use.
"Fine."
Katara felt slight regret when she saw him go back to sit on Appa's head, shoulders slouching slightly, but she quickly shook it away. It was better this way, the airbender was going to leave her again anyway, he didn't care about her.
And this time she wouldn't care either.
About an hour later the rest started slowly waking up. Suki and Zuko were conversing quietly, Sokka and Katara were eating breakfast and Toph was laying down on the saddle with her feet kicked up, close to Aang.
"Aang." Toph spoke, breaking the silence and grabbing everyone's attention.
Aang looked at the blind girl, eyebrow raised in surprise. "Yes?"
"Where are we heading?"
"Right now, I was thinking we land on the nearest village really quickly and resupply. We're running low on food." He explained. "Then I'll drop everyone off where ever they want to be dropped off and we go our separate ways."
Sokka saw Katara's head drop slightly and frowned.
"And where will you go Aang?" Suki asked, concerned.
Aang shrugged. "Back to where I was before, I guess."
"Where else?" he thought to himself bitterly.
"You should come with us to the Southern water tribe." Suki offered, shocking everyone, including Aang.
Aang was about to politely decline when he was interrupted by an angry Sokka.
"Absolutely not, he's not coming." He claimed, voice hard.
"Sokka!"
"It's fine, Suki." Aang cut in, looking like he didn't care, which angered Sokka further.
Suki saw right through the airbender's act though, but said nothing.
Five minutes of awkward silence later, Aang landed the bison into a relatively small town and walked onto the saddle, addressing everyone.
"We're here. Let's get whatever we need and get out of here." He closed the front of his cloak, hiding his entire upper body and made sure his hair covered his arrow.
He didn't feel like getting recognized today.
"Who made you the leader?" Sokka mumbled, hugging his space sword to his chest.
Aang looked at him, frowning. "What was that, Sokka?"
"I said, who made you the leader? Ordering us around." He repeated, irritated.
Aang got annoyed at his attitude. "I'm not. But someone has to make plans, and you seem to be more interested in sulking."
"Well, I'm not listening to a single word you say, Avatar." He drawled out his title mockingly.
Aang rolled his eyes. "Whatever, do what you want. I don't care."
"I'm gonna go now."
He jumped down and started walking away, when Zuko's voice stopped him.
"Wait, Aang!"
"We should go in groups, just in case something happens."
Suki was quick to agree.
Katara looked at him in shock as they all got off Appa. "You think that's a good idea?"
"Yes. That way none of us will get lost or do anything rash."
"I'm going with Zuko." Toph yelled, not even looking in their direction.
Aang felt her heartbeat skyrocket and smirked. He wanted to tease her but didn't feel like getting earth bended to the next life.
He was smart enough to say nothing.
"Why?" Sokka chimed in.
"I just don't wanna deal with your stupidness, meathead." She huffed. "He's the only normal one out of you people."
"Hey!"
"Okay then Zuko and Toph will go by themselves. Me, Sokka, Aang and Katara will go as a group." Suki decided.
Aang's eyes widened. "What?!"
"Suki, are you crazy?!" Sokka yelled, his jaw clenching.
"That's asking for trouble." Katara said, frowning as she glanced at Sokka and Aang.
Zuko clapped his hands. "Well, we'll be going now." He grabbed Toph's hand and hurriedly left, dragging the blushing girl with him, leaving an awkward silence behind him.
Aang narrowed his eyes. He didn't miss the way Suki and Zuko exchanged looks.
They definitely planned this.
"Suki, I'm not-" She clapped a hand over Sokka's mouth, silencing him. "I don't wanna hear it! We'll just buy some supplies, I'm not asking you to be buddy-buddies with each other."
Katara sighed. "She's right, let's just get this over with."
They were walking around the small town when Aang suddenly stopped. "I think that's a clothing store." He pointed at a wooden cabin that was decorated with bright lights.
Suki nodded. "You want us to come with you?" Aang looked at the two siblings and shook his head.
"No, I'll be quick."
Aang went past the colorful clothes that were set up in the front for marketing and walked inside.
He began looking around. It was a very colorful and cozy cabin, most likely made to make people feel welcome.
"Hello!" he raised an eyebrow when a bubbly girl around his age came out of the changing rooms.
"Welcome to my store! Do you need help with anything?"
"Hey." Aang smiled politely. "I'm just looking to buy some new clothes."
The girl beamed at him. "Men's clothes are over there!" She pointed at the corner of the store. "Take your time!"
Aang nodded.
Five minutes later he walked out of the cabin, wearing a dark blue sweater and pants with black shoes, he still had the cloak on over his clothes but he left the front open.
Katara took a quick look at him and looked away before he noticed.
"Took you long enough." Sokka grumbled, hugging his space sword to his chest.
"Barely five minutes." Aang shot back, then shook his head, not wanting to start an argument again.
He spotted a food market close to them. "That's a food place, let's go in there." he announced, partly because he wanted to change the subject and partly because they needed food.
Sokka scoffed. "I thought I told you, I'm not listening to anything you say, airhead."
"What's your problem, Sokka!" Aang finally lost it. Suki and Katara stared at him in shock when he raised his voice.
"If you hate me so much and don't like how things are done here then LEAVE!"
He heard Suki gasp behind him but he didn't stop. "Go to your tribe on a ship or something."
"I'm not leaving Katara and Suki with you! You egotistical bastard."
Aang's face flashed with hurt but it was quickly gone.
"Then shut up until we get there." He growled, turning his back on them.
"Or what? you'll run away, like you always do." Sokka spat, rubbing salt into the wound and pissing the airbender off even further.
"Sokka, that's enough!" Katara whispered, her voice breaking.
Aang stopped, barely controlling his rage. "Like I said, you can always leave. I'm not forcing any of you to stay with me." He balled his fists. "Now, this conversation is over and I don't wanna hear a single word out of you for the rest of the trip." and with that the airbender finally walked out of their sight to get the supplies by himself.
Sokka walked after him, not done yet, but didn't get far because an ice wall blocked his way. "I said that's enough, Sokka!" she yelled, making everyone around them look at them warily.
He glared at his sister. "How can you be so cool with that jerk after everything he's done to you?"
"I'm not cool with him, you're just being so damn stubborn, he's not gonna be with us for long, just let him drop us all off and then we'll forget about him." She hissed coldly, ignoring the sharp pain in her chest.
Suki looked at her in shock.
"I'm going back to Appa."
She stormed off, ignoring all the looks from the bystanders.
Tears were rolling down her face. Deep down in her heart she knew she could never forget Aang.