Aang
We've been at the North Pole for almost a month now. All this ice is getting to me. It's not that I don't like it but it's just so different from the temples. At least Poltuq finally found someone else to tell his war stories to. Iwas sort of sick of hearing his poignant hero depiction of himself. I guess spending that much time with the same two people was getting riveting. It was never like this with Sokka or Katara. I missed them. My heart ached for one of Sokka's jokes or Katara's touch.
„Are you ready to go?" Kyiosana appeared from behind. We were leaving and heading to Ba Sing Se. There was a meeting coming up and they needed me present.
„I'm ready." I stared, turning to face her. I passed her and made my way towards Appa. In the time I stayed here, I managed to calm all the chiefs and viziers on the situation between the North and the South. It wasn't easy at first but eventually they caved in and agreed to a universal solution. The North would help the South with the damage done and the South would accept Northern water tribe families to settle in their home. There had been a lot of people wanting to leave for the South but they hadn't been accepted due to the recent rivalry.
Kyiosana's bags were already in Appas saddle. I airbended some of the little things I had up. She was saying goodbye to some old friends in the distance. We had grown closer over the last few weeks. It still felt weird to do any romantic things with her. I don't know why. She was nice and I really did like her but it just felt wrong in a way.
„Let's go." She stood in front of me and notioned me to help her up. I chuckled and bended a gush of wind underneath her feet, so that she went flying up. Then I bended myself on top of Appa.
„Yip Yip." I whipped the rope and we took off. I leaned back and got lost in the sight in front of me. The clouds were bending around themselves and forming new clouds. It reminded me of how Katara and I changed the shape of clouds once. A smile crept up on my face at that reminded me of something else too in itself.
„Do you think there will be a messenger hawk in Redlow?" My head whipped back, waiting for an answer.
„Probably, why?" She questioned. I turned my head back to look at the clouds. Mesmerized by them and reminded of her I responded.
„I should write to Katara." I heard her shifting from her spot.
„You wrote her like a week ago. Why do you need to write again?" The frustration in her voice was undeniable. She was shuffling with something and crept closer.
„I just feel like something isn't right. She hasn't responded to any of my letters. She told me she'd write." I bit my lip.
„She's probably caught up with things. She's got that boy to keep her company so don't worry." My head clocked back at her answer. My forehead wrinkled at my eyebrows bending.
„What boy?" I asked, growing nervous. I must have sounded blunt but my heart was pounding so loud.
„Nohran. He seemed to really like her. They're probably running off together every chance they get. I saw them kiss the day we left." My eyes shot up. It shouldn't have upset me the way that it did.
„Are you sure?" She nodded confidently. I was finding it hard to believe that she would do that. I mean even if she got with somebody, she would tell me. She would still write. It didn't add up.
„Stop worrying so much about her. I don't understand why you're like this. Katara is miles away but I'm right here." She sat down next to me. I felt the heat of her body but it didn't warm me.
„You have me all to yourself. Forget about her." She placed a kiss on my cheek. But how could I forget Katara? How could anyone forget about her?
„I have to make sure she's okay. You need to understand that." She pulled away. It had been too long since Katara and I have been as close as we are now. I couldn't let anything destroy it.
„What are you saying?" Her arms seemed to cross on command. The annoyance in her voice grew and she scooted away from me.
„After Redlow, we're going to the Western Air emple." She scoffed and moved. My point was clear and nothing she said would change that.
„No, we're not. That would tak-„ I bluntly interrupted her.
„I was not asking you, Kyiosana. I was telling you that we are going." Her mouth shut and she moved back to where she used to sit. I did feel a little bad for being harsh bur she needed to know that I'm not messing around.
Meanwhile at the Western air temple
The past month at the Western air temple has been both challenging and peaceful. It had been really candid to see the temple filled with so many people who loved their life there and loved the ways of the nomads. Nohran was a prime example of it. He wore traditional air nomad clothing and used the same gliders that Theo used. He told me how they saved him, the nomads. Even though they left this world, they also left a legacy that he swore he had to continue. I felt bad for him in a way. He never could connect in his own element so he sought out another own. The polar opposite of his element. It did feel like he was running away from who he was and that was someone from the earth kingdom.
„So the element of air has always been freedom and accepting. But earth... earth is hard and just so tough. It's never felt like I belonged there. But here, I know it's where I was destined to be all my life, with you." Nohran looked up at me and broke my trance. I looked into his eyes and remembered what he just said .
„Nohran, I don't want to spend all my life here." With you. Is what I wanted to say but I just couldn't get the words out.
„Well, we can travel you know. It's part of the nomad culture." He tried to reason somehow. I shook my head and interrupted him. He had become attached to me in a way. I didn't have the heart to reject his affection. I was afraid of the outcome of rejecting another boy who was close to me.
„But I don't want to live here. I mean I like it but it's not where I want to spend my whole life." It was the first time in a month that I had said it out loud. I always told everyone how much I have loved being here and I truly did. I just missed everyone and I certainly didn't even think about spending the rest of my life here.
„But Katara you will come to love it more over time." I was about to answer him when someone jogged towards us. My body eased up as I didn't have to explain the situation more to him.
„You guys coming or what?" A young girl asked us while she was catching her breath.
„Oh right I forgot to tell you." He stood up and offered me his hand. I took it and we began to follow the girl.
„We sort of planned this small campfire evening. We used to do it more often at the beginning when new people used to always join to get to know them better." We kept walking. He was trying to change the recently discussed topic. I picked up on that.
„It's a little late now, don't you think?" He giggled and then cleared his throat.
„Well, it's a full moon tonight so Ren thought you would feel more comfortable and connected to your element tonight. Her words not mine." He smiled as we slowly reached the campfire with everyone huddled around it.
„That's very thoughtful of her." With that I sat down and warmed my hands in front of the small fire they had going.
„So Katara, what we usually do is take these cards-„ She pulled out some cards and started to mix them up. Everyone was already hudled close together.
„And whoever picks the highest card gets to ask a question to whoever picks the lowest card, got it?" She put the stack of cards in front of me.
„Yeah sure." I nodded and subconsciously picked a card. After everyone was done getting their cards, we flipped them over and showed them to the others. Kelsang had the highest one and I had the lowest one. I laughed at it.
„So uh, what's it like to be a waterbender?" Norou scoffed. To her defence, the question was pretty lame.
„Come on. That's the lamest question I've ever heard." She leaned into the small chair. Kelsang frowned and straightened his slouched body.
„Okay then, why are all alone? I mean, how did end up here anyway?" Everyone got quiet after that. It was more blunt than his first question I guess.
„What a way to start the game." Norou rolled her eyes. Silence was still lingering after her sentence.
„You told me to ask better questions!" He turned his body toward her. She was about to answer but I quickly interrupted then and spoke before she could.
„It's fine." I said to stop the dispute. It wasn't such a big secret anyway.
„That's a valid question. So I was- uhm I was with the group in the beginning for some time. Then everyone started going their own ways and eventually I did too. I was in the fire nation and in the earth kingdom for most of the time. I then spent a few weeks home and then I came here. That's basically it in a nutshell. Nothing crazy." I jokingly said. Everyone listend and didn't seem too impressed by my answer.
„If you say so." Sonan began taking the cards and we all picked again. I got the highest and Norou got the lowest.
„Well, ask away." I did have one question in mind.
„ You're from the earth kingdom too, right? Why do you act the way that you do? You're here where there are air nomads, so why?" She sat straight. I didn't really specify what I meant by it but she seemed to understand.
„I'm not an air nomad." She raised her eyebrows and scrunched her mouth.
„But you came here voluntarily. Everyone else has embraced the characteristics and lifestyle of the people that used to live here, everyone but you." I was genuinely curious. No harm was meant to be interpreted with the question but she took it the wrong way.
„It was anything but voluntary, okay? It was either fight to my death there or come here, so I made a decision." Nohran came closer to me. She lowered her hands and leaned back not making eye contact with anyone.
„She's had a rough upbringing." He whispered in my ear. I turned to look into his eyes.
„We all did." I turned back to the group and we all pulled another card. I picked the lowest card again and Sonan picked the highest.
„Okay, who was your first kiss?" She asked with a big smile looking over at Nohran. I blushed shyly and looked down. Everything about this place reminded me of Aang.
„Come on, you have to say." Sarryion said from the dim shadows. Everyone cheered which made me blush even harder.
„Well, it was..." I stuttered with my words. Before Shia name could escape my lips I was interrupted.
„We all know it's Nohran." Ren said teasingly while tugging at her brother. He laughed and confidently sat up.
„No, actually it was Aang." I quickly said. They stopped laughing. I said it so fast that it seemed my affection for him was still there.
„You're joking." I looked over at Kelsang. Everyone had quieted down and gazed towards Nohran. What was I missing? There had been rumors that we were together after all.
„I'm not." I defend myself from his accusation. I looked over at Nohran who seemed puzzled.
„You said you were just friends." He stated with big eyes. We weren't together, so why was he acting like this? It wasn't fair.
„We are. It was only a couple of times." He looked up at me. I didn't think about what I was saying but after seeing his expression I realized how that must've sounded.
„More than once?" Sonan asked. Why were they making it out to be such a bad thing? Nohran got up and walked away. It was passively aggressive but still quiet.
„I don't get it." I also stood up and looked into the direction he was walking in.
„He's just a bit insecure. And you did kiss the Avatar more than once. Just give him some time." Sarryion the said. I nodded and then excused myself. I was really tired. This day had been too confusing.
As I lay in bed, a thought plagues my mind.
Why hadn't Aang answered any of my letters?