Swings

As Aang made the winning swing for this particular match he noticed out of the corner of his eye, Katara, her worried face turning to delight as he won the match, she looked so beautiful in her simple blue sundress.

As his opponent and close friend, Zuko, rose from the ground the referee announced that Aang had won this particular match. The crowd cheered as Aang and Zuko bowed to one another and the two walked off to the stands together.

"Good match," the seventeen-year-old boy said and shook Aang's hand. "You're getting much better."

"Yeah," Aang said absentmindly as he looked back at Katara.

"Aang," Zuko sang quietly, trying to get back his friend's attention. "Ask her out will yah."

"What?" Aang's voice raised a few octaves and Zuko chuckled.

"Ask her out all ready. If you don't hurry up and ask her out someone else will and she'll say yes," Zuko told Aang wisely and sat down on the benches. Grabbing his towel he patted the sweat of his face and neck.

"I don't think I could," Aang said sadly. "I mean, what if she said no. Where would that put our friendship? It will make everything more… awkward."

Zuko raised his eyebrows at his 14-year-old friend. "And you don't think I worried about that when I asked Mai out?"

"But… uggh!" Aang groaned and sink down on the bench. "This is so complicated."

Zuko didn't say anything. He tried to figure out something that might help. "Will advice from Iroh help?"

"Coming from you? No," Aang said bluntly and draped his own towel over his head. The mediators at the martial arts tournament finally finished the second to last battle. The winner from that one would have to face Aang and whoever won would get a trophy and gift card.

Zuko looked across the room to the girl in question. Katara was sitting with his own girlfriend, Mai, and their mutual friend Ty Lee and Katara's older brother girlfriend Suki who used to take classes with the boys before she graduated. He noticed Katara's eyes constantly drifted over to Aang and he knew she had a crush on him.

"Aang, trust me," Zuko stated. "She won't say no."

"Aang vs. Haru!!! Contestants please come down!" the announcer announced. Aang groaned and sat up.

"Your sure?" Aang asked as he got up. Zuko nodded his head and Aang left. He walked up the referee and the two waited for Haru to come down. A few seconds later the good-looking 18-year-old bowed to Aang as he did to him.

The two of them got into battle positions and started to circle waiting for the other to make the first move. As Aang looked at Haru he couldn't help but notice the older boy's good looks and what Zuko had been saying came back to him. If you don't hurry up and ask her out someone else will and she'll say yes. Haru made the first swing and Aang evaded it. But I don't want anyone else to take her, he thought as he battled Aang. I want her. After a few more attacks Aang called a time out. He couldn't properly battle when his burning question for Katara needed to be answered.

Aang rushed over to the visitor's section. Katara held a worried look in her eyes.

"Aang what's wrong? Why did you call a time out?" Katara asked.

"Katara I need to know," Aang started realizing that everyone was looking at him like he was a crazy person. Silently he wondered if he was crazy, crazy for her. "Will you go out on a date with me?"

"W… what?" Katara asked. Surprise shone in her eyes but a different emotion seemed to start to shine though.

"Will you go out with me?" Aang repeated. Slowly a smile crossed Katara's face.

"Yes! Yes!" Katara screamed and then hugged Aang fiercely.

"Will you continue on with the battle!" Some guy groaned at Aang. Aang rolled his eyes and separated from Katara and went back to fight Haru.

"Zuko stuttered over it when he asked me," Mai replied darkly.

"I bet you don't let him forget it do you?" Suki replied. A shadow of a smile flickered across Mai's face.

"Yep."

This time, Aang concentrated on the battle. Katara was his and he silently hope for forever. As he did his last winning swing the crowd yelled with excitement none more then Katara. The two caught each other's eyes and they smiled to each other. They were going to take a new swing at their relationship and Aang had a feeling that they would come out on top.

A/N Well I had done one when they were husband and wife, fiancées, senior sweethearts, kids, so I figured. Why not at the very start? And at a tournament no less.

What I don't know is if you can actually call a time out during a match. So now the story is finished. Thank you all for reading it! And please review one last time.