A/N: Thank you guys for always being so awesome and so sweet, I'm relieved you enjoyed the last chapter even though I felt it was a bit meh, but to make up for that, this chapter has your fill of fluff, jealousy and angst, so have fun hehe. I also need to apologise, I've been seriously super bad at replying to some of you lately and I'm exceedingly sorry for that, I've been having a bunch of on-calls and still trying to work out how to juggle work life with free time. I haven't forgotten to reply, it's on my mind (frequently), just please continue to be patient with me till I write back…honestly I'm surprised I'm updating as regularly as I am haha, some of you know that I don't usually have a track record with consistent updates, so at least that's going well haha.
Responses to guest reviews:
Haneypots: Lol dude that's hilarious, it's because you haven't been conditioned to get used to Aang with Jin yet haha. Very true, they gotta feel the ugly feelings of jealousy for them to admit to themselves that there's only one that's meant for them. Haha I wonder what you're gonna think about this chapter then hehe XD Exactly, everyone has their limits and those limits will certainly be tested. Aww that's a cute pick! Yatsu has certainly learnt the importance of having the people he cares about him close and can't imagine losing it. Very true, I did a little nod of that exact aspect in the previous chapter because when you're parents aren't together it can really hurt a kid. Lol Aang is veryyy oblivious sometimes XD Ofc! Sorry it's not a bit earlier, Friday wiped me out haha, but I hope the wait is worth it XD
Guest: Thank you so much!
A: That's dedication man XD oh my gosh same, the live action reminded me why I love the show so much! Haha fair point, well I respect that you're able to keep up with updates without using your accounts XD Very true and there's so many talented writers on fic sites, it just takes some patience trying to find them. Aww I'm really glad, I felt it was a bit lacking. Lol I'm certainly curious to hear your thoughts on this chapter then haha. I haven't heard of that saying before, but it sounds cool, maybe I'm biased with my Egyptian background haha. Haha plenty more of those gestures this chapter XD Honestly I think everyone is feeling so sorry for Yatsu, poor boy, he;s been wedged in between his parents' drama. I make no promises XD I've nearly finished writing chapter 30 and I'm starting to think it might go beyond 33…we'll see haha, but I'm glad you're looking forward for the ride! XD Haha good trick! ;) next chapter will hopefully be out sooner XD Have fun with this one!
Guest: Ooof you're super spot on, this is definitely mentioned in this chapter XD Haha everyone's been asking what would be the thing to bring back his memories and I cant wait for you all to see what it is. Oh gosh yeah, Katara is trying to show she can be independent without him XD Aww thank you so much! Hope you had a lovely week and hope you enjoy this chapter :)
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1 Week Later:
Aang's POV:
The past week has been interesting to say the least. Learning how to take care of a child on my own has been a lot more challenging than I envisioned. Tantrums, fussy eating, bedtimes, bath times etc etc. If Jin hadn't chipped in as much as she did, I think I would've fallen apart at the seams and I didn't even have many Avatar duties to attend to that week. It makes me feel even more guilty that Katara had to do raise Yatsu all by herself. The amount of stress and strain that must've taken on her is huge.
I glance up from my meal at Katara who's seated opposite me. She must've felt my eyes on her as her eyes flicker up from her plate to meet my eye. When her lips twitch upwards into a small smile, I find my heart racing as I return the smile. But I promptly return my gaze back to my food when I become acutely aware of Yun and Jin glancing at us both. 'It's funny, Katara and I have managed to get along really well over the past week. We've barely had any disagreements since that one conversation. Part of me wonders if we're getting a little too close though.'
"You two have been very quiet." Yun voices as he helps himself to more potato salad. Jin smirks.
"It's because Aang is exhausted from looking after his son for a few days." The woman jokes as she points her fork towards me which elicits a snort from Yun.
"After a few days? Imagine raising him for a few years." The earthbender retorts as Katara's face contorts in guilt.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have just dropped him on you like that." The waterbender apologises as she lowers her spoon to her plate. I widen my eyes and shake my head and hands.
"No, no it's fine! He's my son, I should know how to look after him. I...I'm sorry I'm not very good at it." I ramble profusely. Katara furrows her eyebrows at my words and straightens her back slightly.
"That's not true. Yatsu won't stop talking about you at home." The woman protests, but her gaze drops to her bowl as she stirs her spoon in the soup. "If anything, he probably prefers staying with you." She adds ruefully and I can't help but stare at her.
"Oh, really?" I breathe out in surprise as something akin to warmth runs through me that my son enjoys my presence so much, but... something stops me from saying that aloud. Perhaps, Katara's hurt expression is what has me stalling and feeling twisted. 'After all, she's the one who did all the effort in caring for him. She carried him for nine months, went through labour, fed him, changed him, nurtured him and I've done absolutely nothing. It doesn't feel right to take any of the praise away from her.'
"Oh yes really, you seem to be the only topic on his mind these days." Yun chips in as he points his half full spoon towards me before taking a bite from it. I throw him a sheepish look, but my eyes wonder back to Katara who's grip has tightened around the handle of her spoon.
A strong part of me wants to reach over the table and rest my hand over hers to reassure her, but I know it would hardly be appropriate with both Jin and Yun around. I bite my lip.
"Well, it's natural for any child to be excited with anything new. He'll get bored of me soon, I'm sure." I say awkwardly as I try to downplay their comments, but the waterbender's eyes snap up to meet mine as an inscrutable expression contorts her delicate features.
"He won't. He really loves you." Katara whispers quietly. My breathing catches and I find myself at a loss for words.
"Well of course, boys always get attached to their Dads." Jin voices, jumping in when she realises my tongue has gone numb. Katara gives her a weak smile.
"Yes of course." She murmurs despondently as she drops her eyes back to her bowl.
I desperately want to scream something like how 'Yatsu will always have a special place for you in his heart' or 'that you'll always be his number one,' but my tongue feels so twisted that I can't seem to say anything.
"Not necessarily, boys can bond more with their Mums just as much; it depends on a range of factors." Yun argues mildly and I sigh in relief at him speaking up when I couldn't.
"Well yes, but broadly speaking boys find it easier to get along with their Dad because they're more similar, just as girls find it easier to get along with their Mum. I was certainly more attached to my mum and I'm sure so are you Katara." Jin counters as her eyes turn to the waterbender. It's subtle, but I'm the only one to notice the slightest stiffening of her shoulders at the mention of her Mum and I become keenly aware of what she told me before. That her Mum had died a while ago. I swallow and turn my eyes to Yun.
"What's your relationship with your Dad like?" I ask randomly which earns me a confused glance from Jin and a surprised expression from Katara. Yun blinks at me before resting his elbow on the table.
"Rocky. We're both stubborn bulls, so my relationship with my Mum is much better than it is with my Dad. I suppose you don't remember your parents?" Yun queries lightly. Just as I'm about to shake my head in denial, I notice a slight movement at the corner of my eye and when I flicker my grey orbs to the waterbender, I notice her staring at her bowl and clutching her spoon so tightly that her knuckles have gone white. I frown, curious about her reaction and why she's seemingly affected by the mention of my parents.
"No, I don't remember my parents. I don't even know if they're still around, but to be honest most Air Nomads never know their parents, so it doesn't bother me." I say nonchalantly as I shrug my shoulders.
Both Jin's and Yun's eyes fall on Katara, as if she would have the answer about my parents. She notices the attention has shifted towards her, but she stubbornly remains silent. When the waterbender doesn't speak up, Jin opens her mouth.
"Hey Katara, what about you?" My partner queries. I watch as the waterbender inhales softly before flickering her ocean blue eyes up.
"I always got along with my Mum more. My Dad and I have a complex relationship." The woman replies as she picks at her food. Jin nods as a grin makes its way to her face.
"Knew it, you have such a maternal vibe that I knew you bonded more with your Mum. Maybe one day we'll take our Mum's out to coffee and..." Jin trails off when both Yun and I inhale sharply. The woman glances between the two of us in confusion before her eyes land on the waterbender to find the female doctor wearing a blank expression. After several moments of awkward silence, Katara speaks up.
"That would've been lovely. I'm afraid my Mum isn't around anymore." Katara whispers softly as her grip on her spoon loosens. Mortification spreads across Jin's face as she bows her head low.
"Spirits I'm so sorry, that was very insensitive of me." The woman apologises profusely, but Katara is quick to wave it off.
"Don't worry about it, you didn't know. It was many years ago anyway." The waterbender voices offhandedly, but I can tell from the sadness in her eyes that it still very much affects her.
"Gosh that's terrible, she must've died so young." Jin murmurs as concern envelopes her features. Katara's eyes drops to the table.
"I prefer not to talk about it, if it's alright with you." The waterbender utters as she picks up the spoon that must've slipped out of her hand at some point to take a sip from her soup.
"Yes of course, I'm sorry to be such a party pooper." Jin voices regretfully.
"Hey you didn't know." I say to reassure her and reach over to give her shoulder a light squeeze. Katara notices the gesture, but says nothing. Yun on the other hand has an amused expression on his face.
"So, Katara told me you've been together for a couple of years now, right?" The man voices and I shoot a glance at the waterbender, surprised that she told him such a random piece of information about Jin and I. Katara however refuses to meet my gaze and instead focuses on her fiancé.
"Yeah, we have." I confirm after a beat as Jin and I share a warm smile.
"You going to put a ring on it?" Yun teases which immediately earns him a hard elbow in the ribs from Katara who's also sporting a glare.
"That's between them." She hisses just as Jin laughs.
"We have been thinking about it actually. Aang's just waiting for things to settle down at work before making it official." Jin answers as she leans against my shoulder. I grin at her and wrap an arm around her.
"Yep, should be soon." I agree as Yun's smile broadens. Katara on the other hand gazes at us with an expression I can't quite read while chewing her lower lip before finally tearing her eyes away to stare at her plate.
"What about you two? You're engaged, so when's the wedding?" Jin queries from her position against my shoulder. I watch as the couple exchange a silent conversation with their eyes before Katara finally settles a hand on top of Yun's. The action sends a sharp twinge in my chest for some reason.
"We haven't set any dates yet. We're still getting used to living together and with Yatsu having his dad around, I didn't want to rush into anything." The waterbender explains as she glances at Yun again who's giving her a gentle smile and before I know it, he's leaning forward to peck her on the forehead. My stomach twists at the sight as an irrational surge of jealousy runs through me.
"Aang?" Jin probes and I blink twice to find everyone's eyes on me. It's only then do I realise that I haven't said anything.
"That sounds reasonable. Weddings take a lot of preparation, so it makes sense you'd wait for things to settle first." I say, my voice sounding detached, almost as if it doesn't belong to me.
Yun and Jin are nodding along in agreement and are soon swept up in a conversation about weddings, but Katara is eyeing my carefully. When I return the gaze, she purses her lips for a moment before looking away. I furrow my eyebrows, wondering what's going through her mind.
Yun bumps his shoulder with the waterbender and whispers something on her ear which elicits a soft chuckle from the woman as she bumps his shoulder back before offering more food to Jin. I swallow at how easily they get along with each other. 'Heck, I don't think I've ever seen her let down her guard that much around anyone who isn't her son.'
I stare at my plate while racking my brain on why does this bother me that much. 'She's engaged. Of course, she would get along with her fiancé. So why do I feel so weird about it? Is it because I know we were together before? Are these weird feelings from the old me? That has to be it. There's no way that these feelings are how I currently feel.' I convince myself just as I feel someone giving my arm a gentle squeeze.
"Honey, are you ok? You're drifting out." Jin points out as she looks up at me concern, which pulls the attention from the other two who gazes at us curiously. I force a smile to my face and nod.
"Of course, just feeling a little light headed. I'm going to nip to the loo very quickly." I reassure as I push back my chair.
"Do you know where it is?" Katara queries in concern as she half rises from her seat. I swallow and nod in response as the ability to speak has suddenly left me. I exit the dining room and make a dash for the bathroom as soon as I'm out of sight. I lock the door behind me and slid down against the wall as I bury my face in my hands.
"Aurgh, what's wrong with me?" I mutter aloud as I stare at the tiled floor. 'Why does them being so close bother me this much? I have Jin. I shouldn't be thinking like...like...what am I thinking like?' I scratch my head hard as the word pops into mind.
"Am I... jealous?" I whisper to myself.
I bite my lip so hard that I can feel it splitting underneath my teeth. 'Shoot. If that's true, then that will be a serious problem.' I shake my head hard. 'No! I'm not jealous. Why would I be? I'm happy for them. Happy that Katara has someone she can lean on...that isn't me...'
My shoulders slump as I lean my head against the wall. 'I really wish that I never knew about her past...relationship. It's been mucking with my head ever since I found out. I'm happy with Jin and she's all I need. I don't...I don't need to think about Katara or anyone else.' I silently voice stubbornly, but my heart can't stop clenching every time I think of Katara's playful exchange with Yun.
I groan loudly as I bang the back of my head against the wall. 'I'm such a fool.' I curse as I massage my forehead. Thoughts of every conversation I've had with the waterbender fills my mind and with each memory comes an undeniable spike in my heart rate. 'Shoot, shoot, shoot! I...I think I...I think I actually...like her. Or I feel something for her.'
I bite my lip again which causes a drop of blood to fall onto the white tile. I quickly move to clean it up and opt to remain on all-fours position as I continue to stare at the ground. 'Fine. This is fine. It doesn't have to be more than a passing thought. I'm with Jin and I'm sticking with her. These feelings will pass.' I repeat in a mantra until the tension in my body starts to ease. A sudden knock on the other side of the door has me jumping backwards, causing me to hit my head.
"Ouch." I curse under my breath as I rub the back of my scalp.
"Hey, are you ok? You've been in there for quite a while." Katara's concerned voice floats from underneath the crack of the door. I swallow as my heart rate picks up and I force myself up to my feet.
"Y-yeah! Just finishing up." I stutter back as I move towards the sink and pretend to wash my hands. I count backwards in my head, waiting for another five minutes before finally opening the door. I freeze when I notice the waterbender leaning her back against the wall adjacent to the bathroom door. Her arms are crossed over her chest and one knee is bent as her right foot rests against the wall behind her. Her blue orbs flicker to the side towards me as she quirks an eyebrow at me.
"Y-you're still here?" I fumble with wide eyes. 'I was hoping she would've returned back to the dining room by the time I exited the bathroom.'
"Well yeah. You've been acting kind of odd during dinner. Are you alright?" Katara queries as she shifts to face me while still leaning against the wall with her shoulder.
"Yes of course, I just needed the loo." I lie with an awkward smile, but the woman sees right through me as she leans forward to scrutinise my face.
"Your lip is bleeding." She notes casually and I freeze momentarily before lifting a hand to dab a finger against my lip. When I pull my hand away, I notice a drop of bright red blood on my forefinger. I chuckle awkwardly and rub the back of my head while a flash of surprise crosses her features, but it's gone before I can dwell on it.
"Guess my lips are dry, I'll go grab some water." I excuse as I move to go around her, but her hand snaps out to grasp my wrist, stopping me from escaping.
"You bit your lip." Katara states a matter-of-factly and I stare at her in disbelief.
"How did you know that?" I breathe out with wide eyes just as the woman releases her hold on my appendage to fold her arms over her chest once more.
"You used to do it a lot back when..." The waterbender trails off with a shake of her head before pinning her gaze back on me. "Doesn't matter. What's up? You wouldn't be biting your lip so hard to split it unless something was bothering you." Katara voices with furrowed eyebrows as her eyes scan me closely.
My lips part as I stare at her. 'She...really knows me. It might've been 6 years since we last saw each other, but she can read me so easily as if no time had passed at all.' I realise in disbelief. I press my lips together when the woman tilts her head to the side, waiting for my response. 'What do I tell her? I hate lying, but it's not like I can tell her what I was actually thinking.' I roll my lip between my teeth in thought.
"I guess the thought of weddings got me anxious." I admit, which is definitely not a lie. The waterbender blinks twice in surprise as a soft 'Oh' escapes her lips. Her arms drop to her sides as she stares off to her right.
"I...see. Don't worry weddings aren't that stressful." Katara mumbles as she reaches over to grasp her elbow. I purse my lips as I contemplate my next words.
"Would...would it bother you?" I whisper quietly. Her oceanic orbs snap back to my face as she gauges my expression.
"Why would it?" She throws back flatly and I flinch in disappointment. Her forehead creases with a frown as she watches me carefully.
"I guess I thought...because of our history." I mumble as I kick at the ground. Her eyebrows shoot up to her hairline in surprise.
"For it to bother me, I would have to have feelings for you and we both know that's a ridiculous thought." Katara utters seriously with no traces of hesitation.
The rejection stings a whole lot worse than I thought it would. I bite the inside of my cheek as my gaze drops to the floor. A sudden sharp intake of breath has me flickering my eyes up.
"Wait, do you...do you have..." The waterbender trails off when we hear faint voices coming from the dining room. Katara turns towards the voices, forgetting what we were talking about and I exhale in relief.
"So, how long have you known Katara for?" I hear Jin ask, presumably to Yun. I glance at the waterbender, wondering if she had heard the non-bender's question and from the way she's pursuing her lips, I presume she has.
"Gosh a long time now. I'd say 8 years now?" Yun muses.
"Wow that is a long time! You must've got far in your relationship with her then." Jin notes cheekily and when I sense Katara stiffening up, I draw my eyes towards her as the waterbender throws me a disdainful expression.
"Your partner is a bit too blunt for her own good sometimes." Katara mutters and I laugh awkwardly as I scratch the back of my head.
"Sorry, Jin always speaks her mind." I apologise as I feel my face heating up in embarrassment. The doctor rolls her eyes as she shakes her head.
"Reminds me of a friend I know." Katara mumbles. I raise an eyebrow in confusion, but before I can question her, I realise that during our conversation, I missed Yun's reply and I kick myself in frustration.
"What about you? You both look awfully close. Crossed all the lines I presume?" I choke at hearing Yun's question and beside me Katara inhales sharply. Before I know it, she's marching back into the dining room with absolutely no hesitation.
"It's getting late. I'm sure our guests need to leave soon." I hear the waterbender suggest stiffly and I push myself to walk until I've reappeared into the dining room.
"Hey are you alright honey? You're looking pale still." Jin murmurs as she crosses the distance between us. I smile and nod.
"I am, I guess the sea prunes didn't agree with me." I joke which elicits an amused expression on both women's faces.
"You never did like that dish for some reason." Katara muses as she hides a laugh behind her hand.
"You mean you served him a dish you knew he didn't like?" Yun echoes back as he tries to hold in a laugh himself. Even Jin is trying not to laugh.
"Well, I thought since he doesn't remember the dish that maybe his taste buds changed." The waterbender replies with a shrug, but the smirk on her face says it all.
"Kataraaa." I whine in realisation and everyone bursts out in laughter.
"Sweetie, that was cruel." Yun reprimands between laughter as he reaches out to pull Katara into his chest. I watch as she leans her head against the earthbender's shoulder and rests her hand against his chest while she laughs.
The sight is more than I can handle as my chest squeezes in discomfort. I force my eyes away when I see Katara reaching up to peck him on the lips. My stomach twists so tightly that a bout of dizziness hits me and I black out a moment later.
When I come to, I find myself lying on a soft mattress with Jin seated in a chair beside me while Katara is setting a glass of water on the bedside table. She's the first to notice that I'm awake and moves to pat Jin, who looks up and sags when she sees my eyes open.
"Spirits Aang, you scared me. How are you feeling?" Jin murmurs as she moves to rest a hand on my forehead to feel my temperature. I flush when I realise I must've passed out.
"I'm completely fine, sorry that I worried you." I reassure as I move to give her hand a squeeze.
"I told you he'll be fine. Just a simple faint." The waterbender utters as she moves to hover over me for a quick once over. My partner gives Katara a wry smile.
"Being a doctor certainly has it's perks." Jin voices ruefully before she glances back at me. "I don't recall you ever fainting before. Are you starting to come down with something?" Jin adds as she starts frowning, but I wave my hands in front of me in denial as I shake my head.
"No, no I feel fit as a fiddle! I must've just felt a bit too hot is all." I downplay as I push myself up into a sitting position to show her that I'm fine, but if anything her frown deepens.
"I took his temperature and it's normal, so no need to worry." Katara voices lightly as she moves towards the exit. "You can rest as long as you need to." The waterbender adds as she finally locks eyes with me.
"W-wait!" I call out, making the woman stop in her tracks as she looks over her shoulder at me in surprise. "Thank you." I murmur gratefully which elicits a smile from the waterbender.
"No worries." Katara utters back before leaving the room. I stare after her for the longest while until Jin slaps my arm. I blink and turn my surprised eyes towards her.
"Ow, what was that for?" I complain as I rub my bicep while she crosses her arms.
"You like her." Jin voices a matter-of-factly. My jaw slackens and I shake my head quickly. 'How did she figure it out so easily?!' I wonder in disbelief.
"What?! No!" I deny vehemently, but Jin simply quirks an eyebrow.
"I've been watching you all evening. You couldn't stop looking at her and you flinch every time her fiancé touches her." Jin lists off seriously and I cringe, not realising how obvious I was being about it. I bite the inside of my cheek as I drop my eyes to the bedsheets.
"It must be a resurgence of some old feelings. I'll just stamp down on them until it passes." I argue weakly. The woman sags against her chair as she releases a loud sigh.
"When did you start feeling like this?" Jin asks quietly as I chew my lip in thought.
"This past week." I mumble and I watch as my partner massages her temples.
"Are you sure you want to ignore those feelings? Maybe this is a sign that you should get back together with her." Jin whispers tightly and I shake my head immediately at the prospect.
"No." I utter firmly as I reach over to take her hand. "It's nothing more than a silly feeling of attachment. It will pass. Besides, I'm happy with you and she's happy with Yun. There's no need to muck up a good thing." I argue seriously, but Jin throws me a dubious expression.
"Aang, I want you to be honest with yourself. If you like her, you should tell her." Jin protests quietly, but I stubbornly shake my head.
"She's happy with Yun. Not to mention our history together is too traumatic for her. She still hasn't even let down her guard fully around me. Us being together again is never going to happen." I insist seriously.
"What if...what if she falls for you again?" Jin points out with a frown and my lips part at the unexpected question.
"I...that wouldn't change anything." I mutter, but the protest is weaker than it was before and Jin must've realised that as she slips her hand out from mine.
"I'm not sure I like being second best." The woman mumbles as she runs a hand through her hair. I chew my lip.
"You aren't second best. You're the best. It's just a silly feeling, I promise." I plead while the woman rolls her lip between her teeth.
"If it was a silly feeling, you wouldn't be that jealous of her fiancé." Jin murmurs with a sigh. I open my mouth to argue, but she shoots me down with a look. "And don't say you're not, because I know the look of jealousy well." I hear her exhale heavily as she looks off to the side for a moment. "Alright, if you insist. I'll let it alone. But if they become more than a passing feeling, then tell me." Jin echoes quietly and I nod my head vigorously.
"Of course, but you honestly don't need to worry." I reassure, but the woman doesn't look anywhere near convinced, but she chooses not to say anything.
"Come on, we shouldn't impose on them any longer. I'm sure they need to sleep and they can't do that when we're taking up one of the beds." Jin prompts and I blink before scanning the room I'm in.
My heart sinks when I realise I'm in Katara's and Yun's shared bedroom. I jerk off the bed at the thought, but I halt for a moment. 'Wait. There are two separate beds here. Does that mean...they aren't intimate? Are they waiting until they get married?' I wonder with furrowed eyebrows, but I don't get any further in my thinking when I feel someone pinching my ear.
"Ow, ow, ow!" I yelp as Jin drags me out of the bedroom.
"I don't even want to ask what you're thinking about right now." Jin grumbles as we reach the staircase.
"You asked Yun how far they went." I state suddenly and Jin automatically lets go of my ear as she narrows her eyes.
"I told you, I didn't want to hear what thoughts you had running in your mind." She groans as I shoot her a sheepish glance.
"Sorry. I'm just curious because I didn't catch what he said." I mumble awkwardly. Jin gazes at me for a moment crossing her arms and leaning against the wall.
"What would you do if I told you they went all the way?" Jin utters neutrally.
My heart seizes up at hearing that and I subconsciously clench my hands. I only unclench them when I follow Jin's eyes trailing down to my trembling fists.
"Jeez, you have it bad. Real bad." Jin mutters with a shake of her head. "He only said that they've crossed some lines, but didn't go into the details because he wanted to be respectful towards Katara. I presume they haven't gone all the way yet." Jin reveals and I blink twice at her. 'What does that mean? What lines have they crossed?' I think anxiously, but then I feel my ear being pinched again.
"Ow!" I yelp again.
"Your face is like an open book sometimes and other times it's impossible to read you. If I didn't love you this much, I would've broken up with you over this." Jin mutters as she lets go of my ear.
"Jin..." I start guiltily, but she's already making her way down the stairs.
"Come on, we should go." I hear her mumble. I breathe out through my nostrils and follow her down.
The sight that greets me however, is definitely not a sight I ever wanted to see. Yun and Katara locking lips in the lounge. I can't deny the hot angry flare of jealousy that bursts through me, but I'm too numb to say anything about it. I trip up over one step and start tumbling down. I try to catch myself on the banister, but I'm too frozen from what I just witnessed for my brain to compute doing anything else.
"Aang!" I hear Jin yell as she tries to stop my tumble. I feel something wet encircle my ankle and tug me before I hit smack into the wall at the bottom of the staircase. "Thank the spirits." I hear Jin mutter in relief just as Katara and Yun appears beside her.
The waterbender moves her arms to the side and I find myself being set carefully on the last step before her water whip releases its hold on me and returns back into a nearby jug. Jin kneels in front of me with wide eyes as her hand goes to touch my cheek. I flinch at the sudden sting and she immediately withdraws her hand.
"Shoot." I her her curse, just as Katara moves to crouch beside her.
"It's ok, I can just heal that up." The waterbender murmurs as she bends back the water from the jug to engulf her hand. "Hold still." Katara urges as she moves towards me to rest a hand against my cheek. I inhale sharply at the touch. "Sorry." She quickly apologises as her hand glows bright white.
However, she doesn't realise that it wasn't from the pain that I inhaled deeply, it was simply because of her touch. 'Shoot! Jin's right, I do have it bad.' I think with a silent groan. I watch as she moves her hand to my other cheek and Katara is so focussed on her work, that she doesn't realise how intently I'm staring at her. She only realises when she flickers her blue orbs to meet my eyes and she abruptly pulls back from me, as if burnt from whatever she saw in my eyes. Katara bites her lip for a moment as she sits back on her heels.
"Thank you." I mumble, to break the awkward silence. I hear her sigh as she moves to tap my ankle.
"Let me have a look at your ankle. I yanked you pretty hard with the water whip to stop you from falling." The waterbender murmurs quietly.
I drop my gaze to my foot before lifting up the end of my trousers and pulling down my sock to expose the joint. It's tinged bright red and in the shape of a circle from where the water gripped me. I hear her breathing catch as she covers the sore with her hand.
"Sorry." She mumbles as her hand glows once more. I stare at her. 'Is she... guilty over a silly little mark?' I wonder in disbelief as she finally pulls away her hand.
"T-Thank you." I stutter as I pull up my sock and drop the end of my trouser again.
"No worries. Does anything else hurt?" Katara queries as she eyes me from top to bottom and I squirm at the attention.
"No!" I deny as I shoot back up to my feet, but I move in such a rush that I slip and fall forward. Fortunately, Katara is right in front of me and she catches me by the biceps and steadies me.
"Are you alright? You're not usually this clumsy." Katara asks in concern, but my heart is pounding so loudly from how close we are that her words get drowned out. "Hey?" Her voice sounds again, but there's so much blood rushing to my ears that it gets lost again. "Aang!" Hearing her say my name is what snaps me out of it. She's been careful not to say my name since that first time, so I'm surprised that she's using it now. I blink.
"Yes sorry. I guess the sea prunes really didn't agree with me." I joke weakly, but it doesn't elicit a laugh like last time. Instead, her eyebrows bunch tightly together as she leans in to catch my darting eyes.
"What's wrong?" Her whisper is so soft that only I can hear her. My tongue becomes tied and I promptly shake my head.
"N-Nothing." I mutter and pull away so that her hands are forced to let go of my arms. "Jin and I need to go." I mumble as I squeeze past her. I move towards Jin who's just staring at us with her mouth slightly agape. I grab her hand and tug her towards the house door, but not before I quickly flicker my eyes to Yun who's gazing at me with an unreadable expression. When our eyes meet, he gives me a small smile and a wave.
"See you next time Aang." Yun bids good naturedly and my heart sinks when I realise that he knows something is up. I clench my jaws and nod my head at him as I continue to drag Jin behind me.
"Try to rest when you're back home." Katara's words ring out from behind me and my grip on Jin's wrist ever so slightly tightens.
"I will, thank you both for dinner." I voice statically. I hear Jin bid the two goodbye and soon we're outside in the fresh night air. As soon as the house door closes shut behind us, I release my hold on Jin.
"Aang." Her tone is enough for me to know that I screwed up. I slowly turn around to face her, but her features are completely neutral.
"Yes?" I prompt hesitantly.
"Forget like. You love her." Jin's words makes my whole body go rigid. I open my mouth to argue, but no words come out. My knees buckle underneath me and I press my palms against the grainy gravel of the driveway.
"Shoot what's wrong with me?" I whine as I stare blankly at the ground. My partner's eyes widen as she drops beside me.
"Hey, hey, it's...ok." The woman utters, but I can see she's struggling. I screw my eyes tightly shut.
"It's not ok! I don't want these feelings! Make them go away. P-please, please make them go away." I croak back as tears leak past my eyelids and run down my cheeks as I bend forward until my forehead is almost touching the ground. Arms go around my back and shoulders in a semi-embrace.
"Hey we'll figure it out together. D-don't worry." Jin stutters as emotion lodges into her throat and I just feel worse for putting her through this. "Let's go home." She whispers by my ear as she helps me up to my feet.
The drive back home is silent and we don't say another word to each other until we're both in bed staring at the ceiling. Jin sighs loudly before rolling onto her side towards me and is the one to break the silence.
"Are...are you sure you don't want these feelings for Katara?" The woman whispers tightly. I nod my head vigorously as I close my eyes in frustration.
"I don't. I definitely, definitely don't." I utter tightly as my throat closes up.
"Then maybe it's time we crossed a line together." My eyes fly open at Jin's suggestion and I immediately shake my head hard.
"No way! We're waiting until we're married." I force back heavily, but Jin is pushing herself up into a sitting position.
"Aang, we're on the verge of our relationship falling apart. If you really want to marry me, then show me." Jin's whisper is taunt with emotion and fear and I find myself trembling. 'Spirits no. If I deny her then this could really be the end of us. If I give in...Katara would never take me back.' My eyes widen at that unbidden thought. 'Why am I even thinking that?' I rebuke violently as I clutch my head. My fingers dig into my scalp as the decision becomes too heavy.
"Jin..." I start, but I trail off, too conflicted on what to say.
"Aang. If you want to be with her then tell me. If you don't, then I need some reassurance that you mean it." My partner utters as her eyes drop to the mattress. My bottom lip wobbles as the weight of the decision crushes me like a heavy axe.
"Ok. Let's...let's do it." I whisper numbly.
A/N: Well…I'll just leave that there lol. I actually NEVER intended to go down this route, but it just came out when I was writing. I intended to take it out after writing it, but…it just stuck? At least you can call this one of my famous Brisalad twists? I think? Lol did anyone guess this? Anywho, it does add to the angst nicely and you guys know I'm a sucker for it haha. The angst is on a one way road up the hill from here on out hehe.
Favourite lines are becoming harder to find, but I'll pick this one:
"It's not ok! I don't want these feelings! Make them go away. P-please, please make them go away."
Next chapter…so you guys will have mixed feelings for this. I'm working next weekend, so I'll likely be updating sometime during this week which just means the wait between the following chapter will feel a bit longer, but at least for the next chapter the wait is under a week! Well, hopefully…my days off during the week is packed with stuff, but I'll try to squeeze in some time to edit and post the next chapter for you guys. If I'm not able, it will be an update in two weeks, but fingers crossed that won't be the case. Till then, take care guys!
14/9/24