A/N: Ehhh I'm back earlyyyy! You can thank Pyrenees for that, she had me itching to get the next chapter out XD This chapter – you guys will hate me for the first section lol (what's new?) and then the next part you'll see a bit of your favourite Airhead XD
Quick response to haneypots since I can't reply to guest reviews – oh my gosh you found me on twitter?! Can't lie I feel chuffed to hear that XD I'd love to see the link for that haha. Thank you so much for your kind words, means so so much! I had a lot of fun reading your comment, so thank you a bunch :)
Now onto the chapter, hope you enjoy!
/
3 weeks later:
Katara's POV:
"Auntie Katara, where's my school shirt?" Fuki hollers from the other room. I turn from the sandwich I'm making.
"On the chair at your desk." I holler back with a chuckle as I cut the sandwich in half.
"Mummy, I can't find my other shoe!" Yatsu yells as he hops into the kitchen with one shoe on. I stifle a laugh from behind my hand and gesture to the living room.
"You left it under the table last night." I say with a smile and he dashes to the other room with a thumbs up.
"Katara, do you know where my ID badge is? I can't seem to find it." Yun asks as he pops his head around the kitchen door.
"Upstairs, on the edge of the bath tub." I direct with a knowing grin. He flashes me a smile back before hopping upstairs.
I laugh at everyone's antics as I finish making the last lunchbox. 'Life with Yun and his daughter has suddenly been a lot more fun and interesting than I thought it would be. I almost forgot what it felt like to live in a family of four. The last time was...back when my mother was still alive and that was nearly 15 years ago.' I reminisce with a sad pang.
I go to the sink to wash my hands and rinse the dishes quickly. 'Yun, Fuki, Yatsu and I have all got along strangely well. There have been a few awkward instances of opening bathroom doors accidentally or the occasional disagreement, but we've gelled together like a family surprisingly easily. Yatsu and Fuki have always got along and the more I see them interact, the more I notice how much they adore each other. They always get along and never fight, it's remarkable. Even Yun and I have got much...closer over the weeks. We abandoned a lot of the boundary rules after the first week when we found the kids were a lot more relaxed about us than I anticipated.' I think with a fond smile.
"Mummy, Mr Yun is taking us to school now." Yatsu announces as he jumps into the kitchen looking ready. I laugh at his crooked school tie and wipe my hands on a towel.
"One second, let me get your tie." I say, but Yun beats me to the punch as he pops back into the kitchen and bends down in front of the boy and straightens out the tie.
"There we go kiddo. Now, give your Mum a hug goodbye and we're off." Yun instructs and Yatsu runs to hug my legs. I bend down and hug him tightly back.
"Have a good day at school, sweetheart." I murmur and kiss the crown of his head.
"Will do Mama, love you!" The boy bids just as Fuki enters the room with her hair unkempt. I try not to laugh as I grab a brush and move towards the girl.
"Turn around." I say and the girl does so obediently as I brush the back of her hair before pulling it into a braid. "There you go, looking as beautiful as always." I compliment warmly, earning me a beam from the girl who gives me a tight hug before running after Yatsu.
"Bye Auntie Katara!" She yells as she leaves. Both Yun and I watch the kids with a smile.
"I'll drop the kids off at school and then make my way to work. You have the day off, right? Mind picking them up from school?" Yun asks as he turns around to face me.
"Of course. Thank you for taking them. Make sure to give them their lunch boxes. There's one for you too." I say as I walk towards him and hand him the bags. He takes them expertly in one hand before pulling me closer with his free hand.
"Yun...we said not near the kids." I protest weakly as he plants a kiss on my lips. He moves his head back with a mischievous smile.
"The kids are probably sitting in the car already now. Yatsu was keen to learn how to use the car keys." Yun voices with a laugh, but I give him a disapproving look.
"He's only five!" I argue.
"Don't worry, I've watched him do it plenty of times. He's a really smart lad. Honestly, he's better off skipping a few years." Yun utters honestly, but my features automatically change in displeasure.
"He doesn't need..." I start, only to be silenced with another kiss. This time deeper than the first and I find my eyes fluttering to a close as I melt into him. After a while, he pulls back.
"I know, I know you don't want him to stand out, but I'd say consider it at least. Colouring all day when he could be taking subjects he's already learning at home would be more fun for him, but! That's all I'll say on the matter." Yun advises quickly when he sees my mouth open again with an obvious protest. I suck in my lips and sigh.
"Alright, I'll give it some more thought." I begrudgingly accept. The man does a fist pump in the air and this time I take him by surprise by pulling him down by the collar to give him a strong peck on the lips. "Now, go before the three of you are late." I order as I wave him away with a smirk. The man gazes at me dazed for a moment until I give him a light shove forward.
"Ok, ok I'm going. You seriously drive me crazy sometimes." Yun grumbles, but his eyes are shining as he dashes out of the room.
I wait until I hear the house door lock before tidying the kitchen with a relaxed smile. 'A few weeks ago, I never would've thought we'd get this far, but it's amazing what living together and managing two kids can do.' I think to myself as I recall our first kiss a couple of weeks ago.
Flashback:
I'm anxiously waiting by the door at midnight, wondering where on earth Yun is when he should've been back hours ago. When I hear the key in the lock, I jump to my feet, ready to give the man a right scolding at being so late home without telling me. However, I'm stopped short when the doctor limps into the dark house while holding his side. His shirt looking bloodied. I widen my eyes in shock and run to him.
"What happened?!" I demand, appalled as I take his arm to wrap it around my shoulders and wrap my arm around his waist as I guide him to the bathroom.
"Shhh not so loud. We don't want to wake up and worry the kids." He whispers with a strained voice. I bite my lip and settle him onto the closed lid of the toilet seat. I quickly close and lock the door behind us to avoid waking up the kids. I return back to the man and crouch in front of him.
"Tell me what happened." I repeat again as I give him a quick once over, looking for any sources of the bleeding.
"A drunk patient got a bit violent is all. I was being a bit dumb when I got in his way. There weren't any healers on site so thought I might as well come home instead of waiting to get bandaged up." Yun explains with a shrug, only to wince. I start undoing his shirt buttons as I give him a disapproving glare.
"That's really reckless for someone who's meant to be an ED consultant." I rebuke harshly as I pull off the shirt once the buttons are undone. I spot the small gash at his ribs and immediately bend some water from the sink and rest my hand at his side, watching as it glows white.
"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I was just tired and wanted to go home." Yun apologises, but I'm not listening as anger boils through my veins. A moment later, his hand lands on top of mine. "Katara, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." He whispers and it takes me a few moments to understand why he's looking so remorseful and concerned. My hands are shaking. I bite my lip hard and wait until the wound is closed up before slipping my hand out from under his.
"Let down your trousers, I want to see why you're limping." I order, pretending I didn't hear him. He sighs and hesitates for a moment, but with one hard stare from me, he removes them. Another gash at his calf. I immediately work on healing that too. I've barely finished when I feel his arms envelop me in a tight hug.
"Please don't be mad. I really am sorry." He pleads and finally the pent up worry I had spills over as tears roll down my cheeks.
"You're a fool. What would Fuki do if she lost you too?" I chide sharply, making the man flinch.
"I'm sorry." Is all he says as he rocks me back and forth.
When I feel my emotions start to become more stable, I become keenly aware of how undressed the man is and how close I am to him. I flush and start to pull away, but before I can, the man is holding my chin as he gazes deeply into my eyes.
"Can I?" He whispers. My lips part in surprise. I'm too frozen to say anything and he moves closer, but slowly enough to give me time to move or shove him back, but I find I don't do either. Instead, my eyes flutter to a close and his lips land on mine softly. I inhale deeply, unused to the sensation after so long.
We don't pull apart for a long time and when we do, it's not as awkward or as bad as I thought it would feel and yet...something gnaws deeply inside me. Something telling me this is wrong, that I shouldn't be doing this, that I only belong to one person. It took every fibre of my being not to run out that night.
After that, the kisses became more frequent and that deep twisting feeling inside me began to lessen, almost as if I was stifling it with every contact with the doctor, but it never quite goes away. It lurks in the background.
Present day:
I blink and shake my head. 'Enough daydreaming Katara. I need to run to the supermarket quickly to grab some items for dinner before meeting up with Toph for our annual get-together.' I tell myself as I grab my car keys.
I close the house door behind me and get into my car that I drove from my house. 'Having one car between two adults just felt too difficult.' I reverse out of the driveway and make my way to the nearby supermarket.
Fortunately, at this time of day it's quiet with plenty of spaces in the car park. I park in the first bay I see, switch off the car engine and jump out of the car, closing the door behind me as I rush towards the supermarket. I'm so busy thinking about the time, that I don't notice the person turning around the corner as he exits the supermarket. We end up colliding roughly and I find myself landing on the ground with a harsh thump.
"Ouch." I mutter as I rub the back of my elbow from where I landed.
"Oh gosh I'm so sorry! I was too caught up in my own head. Here, let me help you up." The stranger apologises profusely, but that isn't what has me speechless. No. It's the voice of the stranger that sounds so painfully familiar.
I stop rubbing my elbow to gaze up at the crouching man. His large blue arrow on his forehead is the first thing that greets me. The next, is those grey stormy eyes that are tinged with guilt as his eyebrows are pulled back in concern while he gazes at me worriedly.
"Oh no, you didn't hit your head when you fell, did you? I'm so so sorry!" The man babbles as he bows repeatedly in front of me and it starts to attract the attention of some passersby, so I quickly wave the apologises off and get to my feet without taking his hand.
"No...erm. I wasn't watching where I was going either." I mumble as I try to avoid my ex-husband's eyes.
"Still, this is all my fault. I'm so sorry." The Airbender babbles as he bows low again. I almost reach forward to pull him up by the shoulders, but I refrain on the last minute.
"Honestly it's fine. No harm done." I say as I show him my hands, scrap free. He inspects it for a moment before sighing in relief.
"Even so, I want to make it up to you. A free meal, whatever you want." The young Avatar offers, but I'm already shaking my head.
"That's...kind of you, but not necessary. Anyway, I should..." I say, but the Airbender is as stubborn as he's always been, memories or not.
"Please, this will be on my conscience otherwise." The man pleads and I don't know what crazy thing possesses me to nod my head and accept the offer. 'Maybe hearing that something this minor will haunt him has me remembering all the other things that have bothered him before and it has me in more knots than I'd care to admit.'
20 minutes later we're seated in front of the closest restaurant to the supermarket. I try to avoid the man's gaze completely as we wait for our food, but it's hard to do when I can just feel his eyes on me.
"What's your name?" He asks suddenly. I freeze briefly before glancing up at him briefly.
"Why?" I ask bluntly, perhaps a little too bluntly as he visibly cringes.
"S-Sorry. You just...look familiar is all. Did we meet before?" My ex-husband queries as he rests his elbows on the table. The irony of that question is almost too cruel for me to handle. I bite the inside of my cheek and stare at the table.
"No, we haven't." I utter firmly. He seems to deflate at that.
"I see. S-Sorry." He stutters for the second time in the last 2 minutes. I frown. 'He was never this self-conscious.' I half wonder, but immediately find myself shaking my head. 'Nope. Nothing to do with me now. As soon as we're done here, I'm going to sprint out.' I tell myself as I tap the table impatiently.
"I'm sorry, I'm wasting your time, aren't I?" The Airbender mumbles with a crestfallen expression. I glance up to find him staring at the table, looking so helplessly lost that it ends up tugging somewhere deep inside me. I slump my shoulders slightly.
"Sorry, I'm being rude. You're not wasting my time." I say, making sure to keep the edge out of my voice this time. The Avatar perks up at this as he glimpses up hopefully.
"Are you sure?" He asks, still looking unsure. I wave my hand.
"Honestly, it's fine." I insist, but just as I return my hand to my lap, the younger man reaches out to grasp my wrist. I inhale sharply and am just about to rip my arm from his grip until he speaks up.
"Why didn't you tell me you scrapped your elbow?" The Airbender asks openly with a serious expression. My lips part in shock.
"You...noticed?" I breathe back in disbelief just as the man rummages through his satchel and presses an orange handkerchief into my hand.
"I noticed when you fell, but you seemed keen not to mention it." My ex-husband admits. I purse my lips as I take the handkerchief and dab at the small dots of blood. My eyes instinctively look up, but the Airbender doesn't flinch in the slightest. 'Years ago, the sight of blood would've tipped him into a full-blown panic attack that only I could help him out of it. Now? Blood seems to be a very normal and non-terrifying thing for him. It's one of the few things which reassures me that I made the right decision to let him go.'
"I'm a healer, so some scrapes don't bother me." I say casually as I fold the handkerchief and pass it back to the man, but he pushes it back into my hand.
"Keep it." He utters insistently and begrudgingly I put it aside.
"Erm, thank you." I thank awkwardly.
"It's nothing. So, you're a waterbender? That's really cool." The Airbender compliments warmly, akin to his reaction when he first heard I was a waterbender back at uni. I swallow at the sense of nostalgia and give him a half smile.
"Thank you." I reply politely. 'How long does it take to bring a bowl of noodles?!' I curse silently.
"So, what do you do for work?" The Avatar queries politely, but I can tell he's finding it very awkward to start up a conversation, likely from my off-putting behaviour.
"I work at a hospital." I answer vaguely and I'm relieved when I finally see the two bowls of noodles appearing at our table.
"Wow that's amazing!" The Airbender gushes with awe. I choke on my first bite at the unexpected praise and my ex-husband is quick to pass me a glass of water which I chug down in one gulp. 'Oh spirits, I didn't realise how much this new version of him would remind me of how he was like at uni.' I think with a pained pang.
"Are you ok?" He asks with concern. I bite my lip before giving him a strained smile.
"Yes sorry, just on a tight schedule is all." I reply, hoping that will dissuade him from asking any more questions. It seems it does because the rest of the meal passes by in silence and just as I grab my bag to leave, the Airbender speaks up.
"Random question, but before you go, you...wouldn't happen to be the same woman that I met in a hotel about 6 years ago, would you?" Yatsu's father asks with an awkward smile. I was meant to deny it on the spot, but my lips works faster than my brain.
"You recognised me?" I ask with wide eyes. He gives me a small smile and nods.
"You're a hard one to forget. Way too beautiful." The Avatar replies honestly. Too honestly. My grip around my bag handle loosens until it drops to the floor.
"I...see. Well, it was nice to see you again, but I'm in a bit of a hurry." I mumble as I reach down to pick up my bag, but to my surprise I can't find it. I frown.
"Here." I look up at the man's voice and find the bag in his hand, outstretched towards me for me to take. I stare at him.
"How...oh, airbending." I voice, answering my own question. He smiles at me and I take the bag without meeting his eyes.
"Did you ever find your husband?" The Airbender asks as he leans one elbow on the table so that he can rest his cheek against his open palm. I purse my lips.
"No." I answer shortly as I slip on the bag strap over my shoulder. "But it's fine, I've moved on." I add after a beat when I sense waves of sympathy rolling off of him. He smiles again, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes this time.
"I see. I remember you were quite distressed that day." The Avatar notes as his eyes start scanning me. A little too much for my comfort. I swallow and give him a half smile.
"I suppose anyone would be. Anyway, I really must go." I excuse as I push myself off the bench.
"Aang." The Airbender murmurs, making me stop suddenly. I turn to face him with wide eyes. "My name. Although, for some reason you knew it back then so I suppose you probably haven't forgotten it." My ex-husband says airily, but there's something about the way he says it that has my insides crawling. I dip my head in acknowledgement.
"No, I haven't forgotten." I reply with a strained smile just as the younger man moves to stand as well. I take a step back, ready to dash at any moment, but his next words have me freezing once more.
"It was nice to meet you again Katara." The Airbender states politely. I stare at him for the longest time, even after he drops the money for the meal on the table and starts walking towards the exit. My feet seem to have a mind of their own as I follow him out of the restaurant.
"So, you do remember my name." I point out dubiously. The Airbender glances behind him in surprise, not expecting me to follow him.
"I'm not very good at forgetting things." The Avatar answers sheepishly. I go still at that statement. 'He's not good at...forgetting things...is that why he was never able to get over what happened in the past. Was his heightened intellect more of a double-edged sword than I realised?' I wonder in sudden realisation.
"Ah." I hum back just as the taller man turns to face me. He scrutinises me for the longest moment before glimpsing to either side of him and then finally returning his gaze on me once more.
"It's why it's so odd that I can't remember anything from before that day in the hotel." The Airbender utters in a hushed whisper. I freeze at his words and stare at him.
"Why...why are you telling me this? We barely know each other." I ask, trying to hide my question behind a lie, but the Avatar seems to see right through me.
"That's the thing. I think we know each other quite well." My ex-husband points out as he reaches forward to hold my wrist and gently drags me around a corner and into a quiet side street. I'm so dazed that I don't respond, but as soon as we stop moving, I snatch my hand back.
"What would make you think that? This is only our second meeting." I state firmly, but inside me something wavers.
"I think you're lying." The Airbender retorts lightly.
The words are something I used to tell the younger man so often that I visibly cringe at hearing them said back to me. However, I stubbornly remain silent and when he realises I don't intend to respond, he carries on.
"You knew my name, even though I have no recollection that we met previously before that day. You know I'm an Airbender despite never telling you that. When I explained my job to you, I always found it odd that you never asked what I did, almost as if you knew. Lastly, you knew I had a locket, even before I realised I had one." My ex-husband lists off smoothly before landing his expectant eyes on me. I part my lips as I stare at him for several moments.
"You found the locket?" I say before I can stop myself. I watch as the man digs underneath his clothes to pull out a strikingly familiar locket. I inhale deeply at seeing it again. 'That night we spent together...he showed it to me for the first time.' My hand strays towards the piece of jewellery, but I stop when he releases a loud sigh.
"Unfortunately, it's empty." The Avatar reveals and whatever hope I had inside me, immediately extinguishes.
"Oh." The disappointment in my voice is clear as crystal as I drop my hand back to my side.
"But I'm guessing you know exactly what photos were in here. I mean, it's strange that you also have a locket around your neck too." The Airbender points out and immediately my hand flies to my sternum to feel for the locket underneath my clothing. My jaw drops slightly.
"How did you notice that?" I ask with wide eyes. He shoots me an embarrassed smile.
"When you bent down to grab your bag, I saw a flash of it." He admits sheepishly and I find myself flushing that he was watching me that intently. I clear my throat.
"Lots of people have lockets, it doesn't mean anything." I stress, especially since that's mostly true. 'He did buy me a locket. And the locket he got years later was given to him by some random official. The two lockets were never connected. However, my locket was a gift from him. My first gift from him. But it's not like he will ever remember that.'
"That's true, but at the very least you know what photos were in here. I've examined it and there was a photo in each slot and there's 4 slots in here. Can you tell me please?" The Airbender requests softly, but I find myself taking a step away from him as anxiety spikes through me. 'Oh spirits no. Telling him would be like shoving all his painful memories back at him. I accepted him losing his memories because it meant he would be happy.' I bite my lip hard.
"Hey, are you happy?" My question is sudden and random to the point that the Airbender's eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. He blinks twice before tilting his head to one side.
"Why..." He stops, thinks better of it and instead chooses to answer my question. "...I suppose I am. What I do is hard work, but it's rewarding. I don't think I'd want to do anything else. The people I meet and help are nice and it feels exactly like what I should be doing." My ex-husband replies with steady eyes, but I notice his prior happiness from that first day in the hotel isn't quite as poignant as it used to be, whether it's from how draining the work of being the Avatar is or whether it's more to do with having no memories or attachments, I don't know.
"I'm glad you're happy." I reply briefly and move to turn away from him.
"But it's lonely." He whispers softly. My feet come to an abrupt halt. I glance over my shoulder at him to find that he's kicking the ground lightly.
"Oh." Is the only thing that comes out of my mouth as he continues to stare at the ground.
"I don't know anything about where I came from or who I am. All I know is that I'm the..." He stops himself abruptly, as if only remembering now that he isn't supposed to tell anyone that he's the Avatar.
I hold back a sigh at the action. 'Doesn't matter though, because I've known for a long time. I was there when he started his Avatar duties after all. But I'll refrain from telling him that of course.' I think to myself. The Airbender looks up when he sees that I don't question him further and sometimes I wish I was a better actor. I watch as he rolls his bottom lip along his teeth in thought.
"You definitely know." My ex-husband mutters to himself as he takes a step towards me. In response I take a step back. He pauses as a pained expression flashes across his eyes. "Why won't you tell me?" The Avatar whispers, the hurt in his voice is so obvious that I suddenly feel nauseous. 'His vulnerable side was always something I found so hard to resist.' I realise with a sinking feeling.
"You're better off not knowing. Just...stay the way you are. That bright-eyed, happy Air Nomad." I voice softly as I take another step backwards. His lips part as he stretches out a hand.
"Wait, I still want to talk." The Airbender pleads as he moves towards me and when I take a step back, I find myself hitting a wall. 'Shoot, I wasn't paying attention to the direction I was moving.' I curse silently.
"I think we've talked enough." I shoot him down sharply and he visibly deflates.
"It's agonising not knowing anything about myself though. You're...you're the only one who seems to actually know me, before I lost my memories." The Avatar mumbles while biting his lip. 'Oh shoot.' I think to myself as I look to the side, wondering how on earth I'll get out of this situation.
"I'm sorry, but I can't help." I insist stubbornly while biting the inside of my cheek, trying hard not to give into the sad, open expression on his face.
"Oh." He breathes back, sounding so obviously disappointed as his shoulders slump forward. I turn to give him my side.
"Ok, I'm going now." I mutter without looking at him as I pivot towards the exit.
"Can I see you again?" His question pierces through the otherwise silent air. I stop as my heart thumps painfully against my chest.
"Why?" I say instead of saying the obvious no. The Air Nomad shifts from one foot to the other.
"We obviously knew each other back then. If...if you don't want to tell me anything then it would at least be nice to have a connection with someone from my past." My ex-husband clarifies as he looks up from the ground. I feel the blood in my veins go cold at the suggestion.
"Best not." I answer curtly while clenching my right hand. The Airbender follows the movements with his eyes before flickering his gaze back to me.
"Oh...we...we didn't get along, did we?" His whisper is quiet, subdued even. My breathing catches at his avid assessment.
"No, it's not that!" I blurt out before I can stop myself. His stormy eyes observe me gently, waiting patiently for me to continue. I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. "I just think it's best we kept our lives separate as we have been doing." I mumble, not sounding the least bit convincing to anyone, least of all to the man in front of me.
"What if, I wanted to see you? I'm in and out of the city a lot because of what I do, but this has become the main place I work in. Every now and then we could have a coffee and..." I interrupt him before he can finish.
"No." I utter firmly, looking him right in the eyes with a hard glare. "Continue your life without me and I'll do the same." I order bitingly and the man visibly flinches at the hard tone.
"Oh...ok." His mumble is barely above a whisper and I quickly turn my back on him. "I wonder what I did to make you hate me so much." The Airbender adds under his breath. I bite my lip hard, wishing I didn't hear that. With a heavy sigh, I turn back to face him again.
"I don't hate you. I'm just happy with my life as it is at the moment. I don't want it to become complicated." I explain vaguely even though I have no need to tell him anything. His eyebrows bundle together in clear confusion.
"How will an occasional coffee make your life complicated?" The Air Nomad asks, sounding clearly perplexed. I click my tongue against the roof of my mouth and tap my foot.
"It just will." I vocalise bluntly. I thought he'd drop it there, but suddenly he's crossing the distance between us in two long strides and holds me by the shoulders. My eyes widen a fraction. "Don't touch me." I order, but my voice wavers slightly at him being so close to me. He deliberates on my words before dropping his hands from my shoulders.
"Please, Katara. I don't know anyone else. I won't interfere in your life, I promise. Just a coffee in a cafe every once in a while. Please." The Avatar begs as his eyes become glassy with unshed tears and it's enough to make me unravel slightly.
I bite the inside of my cheek so hard that I feel a rush of metallic on my tongue as I lean back to rest the crown of my head against the brick wall behind me. I release a loud exhale which causes the man's collar to flutter and I immediately suck my breath back in at the sight.
"Fine. A 5-minute coffee on a rare occasion. Not sure how that will help you in anyway." I relent at last. The man's eyes brighten with visible joy as he jumps 2 metres in the air before landing with a soft tap. I blink in surprise, not expecting him to be so over the moon with a simple coffee arrangement.
"Thank you so much Katara!" The Airbender gushes as he takes my hands to shake them enthusiastically. Hearing him say my name so candidly feels jarring to say the least, but I force a tight smile to my face.
"It's fine. Now, I really must go." I excuse as I slip my hands from his.
"Wait, how will I find you again?" His question has me cringing. 'I was hoping he wouldn't ask.' I groan internally as I puff out my cheeks.
"I'm local, we'll probably bump into each other." I answer airily, but his frown returns.
"I haven't bumped into you for years." The Avatar points out, making a valid point. "Can I have your num-" He starts before I cut him off with a glower.
"Absolutely not." I hiss and the man's happiness saps away like a withered plant.
"Oh ok." His mumble is withdrawn and the glow his eyes had previously has vanished into a dull empty grey. I sigh.
"I work in the emergency department at the hospital. You can ask for me there if you really feel like you want to get in touch." I mutter, reluctant to give away personal information, but leaving him feeling so downtrodden didn't sit right with me either. The Air Nomad gives me a restrained smile, as if sensing I only told him out of pity.
"Thank you, but best I don't bother you while you're at work. I guess...I'll hope we bump into each other." The Avatar utters with a nod of his head as he moves past me. I part my lips as I watch him leave. "Bye Katara." The Air Nomad bids as he pulls out a staff.
"Bye..." I voice, but he's up in the air on a staff moments later, leaving me feel twisted and unsatisfied inside. I lean against the wall and chew my lip. 'Why do I feel I left our conversation unfinished?' I think as a wave of unease seizes me. I hit the wall with a light thump before twisting on my heels.
Instead of making my way back to the supermarket, I go straight to my meeting place with Toph. When I spot her, I can tell she's been waiting for a while as she taps her foot impatiently.
"Toph! Sorry, I got caught up with something." I voice breathlessly as I run towards her. She clicks her tongue before shaking her head.
"You know I have to go back on shift in an hour, right?" The blind woman utters bluntly and I cringe at the reminder.
"I'm so sorry." I apologise profusely with a bow, but the chief police officer just waves her hand.
"What were you up to anyway?" She asks as she turns her head towards me. My jaws clench and I shrug.
"Just ran into someone." Is the only thing I offer her, but if anything she looks more curious as she tilts her head.
"Who? Your heart beat is off the charts." She notes with a slight smirk. I punch her in the bicep and guide her towards one of the clothes shops.
"No one worth mentioning." I mumble as I pick out a nice blouse from the rack.
"Liar, liar." Toph jeers as her eyes light up with interest. I glare at her.
"Really." I stress, but she simply quirks an eyebrow.
"You owe me a little more than that for being an hour late on me." The earthbender reminds cruelly. I bite my lip and turn my head to the side as guilt forces me to reply.
"I bumped into my ex-husband." I mutter stiffly as I put back the blouse on the rack. Toph's eyes widen comically as she stares at me for a moment before glee enters her face once more.
"You bumped into Aang? Oh, now that explains the fast heart beat." The earthbender teases as she picks up the blouse I just put away. I shoot her a glare.
"It's not like that. I ran all the way here because I knew I was late for our appointment." I emphasize clearly, but the smirk doesn't leave her face.
"So, what was it like talking to Aang again? I've talked to him a few times over the years, crazy that he really forgot everything." The earthbender whines. I glance at her before moving over to the next rack of clothing.
"Awkward and unwanted." I mutter as I pick up a nice dress. Toph's eyebrows shoot up to her hairline as she looks over the hangers at me.
"Seriously? Didn't you love the guy?" The reminder is blunt and crude. I narrow my eyes at her.
"I haven't loved him for a long time." I fire back as I lower the dress in my hands. Toph gazes at me blankly.
"You're really in a lying mood today." The earthbender tuts as she finally puts the blouse back. I clench my jaw.
"Could you stop using that ability of yours on me?" I hiss as I drop the dress back on its hanger. Toph quirks her eyebrow.
"Because the truth hurts?" She shoots back and I find myself clenching my hands.
"Because it's untrue." I retort harshly and stalk to the other side of the store.
"What would you do if he regained his memories?" Her question floats to my ears and I find myself going cold at the thought.
"He won't. He hasn't for over 6 years." I mumble as I leaf through some more tops.
"But if he did? Would you drop Yun and jump back into his arms?" My arms go still at her words.
"So, Sokka told you." I say after several beats of silence.
"He did. I don't think engagement to an earthbender suits you." Toph throws out causally. I click my tongue.
"So, being married to an airbender was better, then?" I counter defensively. The police officer purses her lips.
"I liked you better with Aang, yes. Whenever I meet with him to discuss something, it feels so hard not to tell him that we were friends for years or tell him that he has a wife and a kid just waiting for him to snap out of it." Toph confesses and I go rigid.
"You wouldn't." I challenge with narrowed eyes. Toph flicks her head up at my tone.
"I wouldn't, but the temptation is certainly there. You have a husband and his kid; it makes more sense for you to be with him than for you to marry someone else and look after their kid." The earthbender reasons, but I whip my head so fast with a fiery glower directed at her.
"First of all, he isn't my husband. We've been divorced for years. Second of all, you're talking about my fiancé and future step-daughter, I would appreciate if you weren't so rude about them." I demand angrily, but the woman pays me no heed.
"You really want Yatsu to have a step-father instead of his own Dad who's actually related to him?" Toph fires back as she stalks towards me with a finger in my face. "It's selfish of you to try to hide his dad from him and even more selfish of you to never tell Aang that he has had a son for 5 years. You're going to let him go through life never knowing he has a child?" The earthbender scolds with a fiery look in her eyes. I slap her finger away from my face.
"He's the one who got me pregnant and then conveniently forgot all about me. I had to go through that pregnancy alone and went into labour alone! Do you have any idea how traumatic that was?! And then I had to raise Yatsu all by myself. All the late-night crying and nappies and feeding without any support except the occasional visit from my brother when he could because my dad and I weren't on speaking terms for the first two years. This has been hard enough on me as it is." My shouting fades half way through my rant and I end up choking the last few sentences out. "I needed him and he wasn't there for any of it. None of the hard bits. Now, you just want him to come in when it's easier?" I whisper as my throat closes up.
The fire in Toph's eyes disappear and instead her face softens as she reaches out to sling an arm around my shoulders.
"Trust me, I know how hard this has been on you, but it wasn't his fault he lost his memories. He's as much of a victim as you are." Toph reminds gently as she squeezes my shoulder and I know on some deep level that she's right, but it's so hard for me to accept it.
"Toph, I'm finally happy with my life right now. I have a wonderful fiancé that treats me well. We barely have any disagreements, his daughter loves me like I'm her mum already and she treats Yatsu like his little brother. It's all so easy and simple." I explain with a plea, trying to make her understand. She sighs loudly.
"Katara, when have you ever liked easy?" Toph asks quietly and the question winds me more than I ever thought possible. 'Because she's right, I've never chosen the easy way out. If I had I wouldn't have stuck with Aang when I knew a gang was after him, I wouldn't have chosen to protect him when the building fell on us after Roku died, I wouldn't have endured the torture of being whipped or accepted his marriage proposal. I wouldn't have chosen a challenging career like emergency medicine and I wouldn't have chosen to keep Yatsu when I found out I was pregnant with him. I've never chosen the easy path.' I break eye contact with the woman.
"Toph, we always argued. His trauma held him down and he couldn't get past it." I whisper, but the woman shakes her head.
"But he lost his memories. If anything this is a good opportunity for you both to start over. Fresh, even." The earthbender points out logically, but I find myself hesitating.
"He wants to know his past, who he was, where he came from. If we were together, he'd end up reliving all those horrible things." I croak back, but the police officer just folds her arms over her chest.
"Simple, don't tell him. Anyway, even if he did know, it's not like he actually remembers it. All you'd been telling him is facts, but there wouldn't be any emotion attached to them." Toph reasons, but I find myself biting my lip.
"I can't not tell him if we were together. Honesty is the basis of a relationship; it's why ours fractured as much as it did. And even if I did tell him and he doesn't remember it, it wouldn't matter. The knowledge is painful enough as it is." I insist, only for the woman to exhale through her nostrils.
"I think you're finding excuses for yourself Katara. Yatsu would want to know his Dad and Aang would want to know he has a son and be in his life. If he ever got his memories back and found out you didn't tell him, how do you think he'll react?" Toph states bluntly and my heart drops at the thought.
"I...never thought about that." I admit in shame. The woman snorts.
"Yeah, I didn't think you did. Listen Katara, I think..." Toph's words are cut off by a shrill from her walkie talkie.
I hear her curse under her breath before snatching up the device and placing it to her ear. After a few moments she releases a heavy sigh and pockets the device.
"Unfortunately, they need me back in the office. Sorry, we couldn't do much with our outing." The earthbender apologises with a half-smile, but I shake my head.
"I'm the one that was late, I'm so sorry. We'll have to arrange again soon." I murmur as I lean forward to give her a hug.
"Please think about what I said." Toph whispers by my ear as she wraps her arms briefly around my back before pushing herself back. "Alright I'm off." She states with a wave goodbye and disappears out of sight within moments. I exhale heavily. 'The world really feels like it's trying to push us back together.' I think ruefully as I find my eyes flickering to the sky subconsciously.
A/N: Yayyy we finally see a bit of Aang XD Don't worry we're going to get more and more of him as the story progresses. Currently writing chapter 19, I'm impressed I've managed to elongate this out as much as I have haha. I missed writing the other characters like Toph, I've become so hyper-focussed on Aang & Katara that the other characters have taken a serious background role in this story, but Toph is always a favourite of mine to write, so enjoy this little scene of her while you can XD
Next chapter…I'd like to say next week, but my official graduation is next week so I'll likely be busy with that. I'll try my best ofc, but if not, it will be sometime the following week.
Medical abbreviation:
ED = emergency department
4/7/24
