CHAPTER 30: Just right

"I am allowing me to be me. I am allowing me to be free. I am allowing my power. I am allowing wellbeing. I am allowing my path to light up before me."

Aang and Katara… together?

The realization hit Nii with a gust of wind, knocking the breath out of her.

How could she have missed something so significant?

Images of Aang and Katara laughing together, sharing intimate moments, hugging and kissing, flooded her mind, each one piercing her heart like a dagger.

She remembered how Katara had acted the first time she came to the temple.

How protective she had been around him, and how she had looked at her when Nii had taken hold of his hand.

She also recalled the times Aang had spoken fondly of her, the warmth in his voice betraying the depth of their connection. Nii had assumed it was mere friendship, but now it seemed there was more to it.

Feelings of jealousy and inadequacy surged within her.

How could she ever be able to compare with the memories they shared, the bond they once had?

How could she ever compare to Katara?

A woman so beautiful, so strong and powerful. So wise.

"Nii, please," Katara said almost in a whisper.

Nii struggled to breathe as her eyes returned from her inward introspection and to Katara again.

Katara's usually confident and compassionate blue eyes now betrayed a hint of worry, mingled with a touch of apprehension. As she looked at Nii, her brows furrowed ever so slightly, and a faint crease formed between them, portraying the weight of her concern.

Nii could tell that she feared the repercussions of the words she had shared with her, worried about how they might affect her and Aang's relationship.

"I, uh," Nii tried in a small voice. "I didn't know."

Nii looked at the ginger on the table in front of her that separated her and Katara.

She picked it up and started cleaning it again.

She did not want Katara to know how inadequate and small she was feeling.

She closed her eyes shut when Katara dropped the chayote in her hand and made her way around the table to stand next to her.

Nii felt her hand on her shoulder.

"It's such a long time ago," she said, before Nii turned her gaze to meet with hers. "It's been years since we…"

Katara's eyes shone with sincerity.

"Besides," she continued with a softer voice. "I'm with Zuko now. Aang and I, we… We shared incredible memories and went through so much together. But… that chapter of our lives, it's in the past."

She paused as if recalling distant images of the past they had shared.

"I guess you can say that we sort of just realized that… I mean. We weren't even really in a relationship. Like a real one. We were children, and then we grew up. We lost the spark, you know?"

Nii looked at Katara with wide eyes.

How could anyone lose the spark with Aang?

He was just so…

Katara sighed out before she turned to lean her body against the table with vegetables, her hands resting lightly on its wooden edge. Nii could tell from the crease of her brow that she was still worried.

Nii inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself a bit.

She tried to remind herself that the past is the past.

We only have the present.

Katara was not the reason for her feelings of uncertainty and inadequacy. That was on herself entirely.

"So, uh… You and Zuko, huh?" Nii tried, as she strained a smile at the Waterbender to break the tension.

Katara turned her eyes back at Nii with a raised eyebrow.

It was like her gaze sharpened, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she were about to retort with a sharp comeback. The air between them still seemed to crackle with tension, the atmosphere in the kitchen charged with the weight of unspoken words.

But before Nii could even think about saying something else, Katara's lips melted into a playful smirk, and then, as if on cue, they both burst into laughter, the sound ringing out like tinkling bells in the temple kitchen.

Nii felt some of the anxiety in her stomach melt away with their laughter.

She had seen Katara with Zuko.

No one could deny the love that flowed between the two of them. Which was probably also why it had come as such a surprise to her that Aang and Katara once had a thing. Zuko and her just seemed so… together.

Nii's heart felt light again, buoyed by the warmth of Katara's presence and the genuine connection they had come to share ever since they worked together in the village.

And suddenly, as if called to the scene, Aang promptly stepped into the room.

"What's so funny?" he asked with a smile on his lips.

Nii and Katara looked at Aang with big eyes in a fleeting moment of silence.

The girls turned their gaze to look at each other for a short moment, before another wave of roaring laughter overtook them both and filled the room again.

The absurdity of the situation suddenly just seemed so funny.

Aang raised an eyebrow at them.

As their laughter subsided, Nii exchanged a knowing glance with Katara, a silent acknowledgement of the moment they had shared with each other.

In that brief moment, her worries and uncertainty faded into the background, replaced by the simple pleasure of a girls' talk.

"What was that about?" Aang asked, as Nii and him were walking together through the hallway leading them closer to the dormitories.

He had asked her if they could talk.

"Oh, nothing," Nii smiled at him before she took his hand into hers. "Just girls' talk."

He seemed confused, but luckily, he let it go as they came around a corner.

"There's something I wanna show you," he said as he gestured her onwards. "Close your eyes for me?"

Caught off guard by his request, Nii hesitated for a moment, her curiosity piqued.

She shot him a quizzical look, her gaze lingering on his face as if searching for clues for his intentions.

Aang could not help but grin in response.

"Don't worry," he smiled with a playful and mischievous spark in his eyes. "I won't be inappropriate."

Nii widened her eyes and poked her elbow playfully at him, causing him to laugh.

With a dramatic sigh, and a playful shake of her head, she closed her eyes, indulging Aang's whimsical request.

Nii kept her eyes obediently closed and followed Aang's guidance, a sense of excitement bubbling within her. She enjoyed the sensation of one of his hands in hers, while the other nudged her gently forward.

His touch was featherlight as always.

With each step they took together, she felt like a kid again, anticipation tingling in every nerve of her body.

As they navigated through the corridor, the sound of their footsteps seemed to echo around them, heightening the suspense. With each passing moment, Nii's anticipation grew, a restless energy thrumming beneath her skin.

She could hear his breathing, and she squeezed his hand a bit tighter.

Finally, she sensed Aang pausing.

They had reached their destination.

The air around them seemed to crackle with tension.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now," Aang's voice broke through the stillness, sending a shiver of excitement down her spine.

With a mixture of nerves and excitement, Nii slowly opened her eyes, allowing the world to flood back into focus. And as the room in front of her came into view, she felt a gasp of awe escape her lips.

She took a small step forward, entering.

Aang had led her to the room in which she had been sleeping since coming to the temple.

But instead of looking at the empty room that once only held a lonely sleeping pad and the few items she had brought with her scattered on the floor, her eyes wandered over a room that had been fully decorated.

"You did this?" she gasped as she took a look around.

The walls of the room still held the traditional delicate tapestries depicting air currents and serene landscapes, yet it was as if new life had been breathed into the space, infusing it with warmth and tranquility.

Her gaze wandered to the walls opposite from the windows, where a series of shelves adorned the space. Each shelf was meticulously arranged, showcasing an array of carefully chosen trinkets.

On one shelf, a row of colorful crystals shimmered, their vibrant hues catching her eyes and drawing her closer.

Beside them, a delicate ceramic figurine stood proudly and she quickly realized that it was a holder for incense, as a thin wisp of smoke curled up from it, dancing lazily in the air of the room.

Another shelf held a collection of small potted plants, their verdant leaves reaching toward the sunlight streaming in through the window.

"I had help," Aang smiled modestly next to her, as she turned around.

Nii was completely taken aback.

She did not know what to say.

By the windows, a low table had been set up, a delicate set of a teapot and cups arranged with care. As her eyes followed the light of the windows, she also noticed a bed sheeted with what seemed to be a soft fabric.

A soft sigh escaped her lips, as she sat down on the bed and closed her eyes.

The plushness beneath her enveloped her like a warm embrace. With a gentle lean backwards, she allowed herself to surrender to the softness of the bed, feeling its contours cradle her body.

It was as if the bed itself had been molded to fit her body.

"This is your room, Nii," Aang said. "If you'll have it. I know it's not a lot, but…"

She threw her eyes open, as a whirlwind of emotions swirled within her when realization hit.

This was for her.

He had done this for her.

First and foremost she felt a wave of profound sense of gratitude, completely overwhelming her in its intensity. To think that Aang had gone through such lengths to create such a beautiful space for her…

But gratitude was only the beginning. Beneath the surface, she felt a warmth exploding through her entire being, a sense of intense happiness and joy that bubbled up from deep within her heart.

Mixed in with the gratitude and joy was a tinge of disbelief, a sense of wonder at the sheer magnitude of Aang's gesture. It was hard to fathom that he had spent his day doing this.

For her.

In a quick movement she sat up in the bed and looked at him.

And when she looked at him standing there, she felt a flutter of something else - something deeper, something that she had been afraid to acknowledge until now. It was a feeling that had been shimmering beneath the surface for so long, waiting for the right moment to reveal itself.

It was love.

She was in love.

Without hesitation, Nii rose to her feet and ran over only to throw herself into his arms, enveloping and hugging him in a tight embrace.

"Thank you, Aang," she whispered with tears in her eyes, her voice choking with emotion. "This is…"

His arms wrapped around her in return, holding her close as if he never wanted to let her go.

"Just right," he murmured through their embrace as if finishing her sentence.

She felt him hugging her tighter, and another rush of emotions flooded her senses, leaving her breathless and exhilarated.

She felt safe, cherished, loved.

As if their souls reached each other, drawn together by an invisible force that neither of them could resist.

As Nii nestled into his embrace, she could not help but to inhale deeply, the scent of his skin and clothes swirling through her nostrils and filling her heart, causing it to dance happily in her chest.

She allowed herself to bask in the comfort of his protective arms around her, and right there, she felt like everything was going to be okay.

Only then did she realize that this was the first time that they actually hugged.

Like a real hug.

She smiled to herself as she felt his body wrapping around her, the sensation of his skin on hers, her face gently resting on his chest that rose and fell with each breath he took.

She felt him resting his cheek on her hair, and he murmured softly, causing gentle vibrations to travel from his chest and over her skin like a playful summer's breeze.

She could stay there forever.

However, when she felt Aang let go of her, his arms slowly releasing their embrace, she was about to take a small step away from him, when she felt his hand on her chin, gently urging her to tilt her head up to look at him.

His eyes were full of warmth and affection.

She could not help but to let a sigh escape her lips.

And that is when he kissed her.