Stewed Sea Prunes

It has been eleven months, one month before Aang's 14th birthday, since the 100 Year War ended. He and his friends had been helping with the rebuilding. Sokka and Suki had decided to stay on Kyoshi Island. They travel the world sometimes if they were needed; but otherwise they stay where they, training new warriors in the ways of the fan and sword.

Toph had opened an Earthbending Academy. Her parents had finally accepted her for who she was, not what they wanted her to be. They gave the money to help Toph open her school, and the lessons have flourished.

Zuko and Mai had been in the Fire Nation, righting the wrongs that the country, or their previous rulers, had inflicted upon the world. The two teenagers were growing stronger, not only as a couple, but as the rulers of a powerful Nation.

As for Aang and Katara, they spent most of their time traveling around the world. That said world was still recovering from the war, and there have been urgent calls for the Avatar and his soul mate. But sometimes even the Avatar gets a break, and today was one of many. As a 'thank you', Aang's schedule has been cleared for the week, seven days of rest and relaxation. Despite his being the most powerful person in the world, Aang was still human, and so he still gets tired. At the moment, Aang and Katara were at Hakoda's home in the South Pole. The village was much more than that. It was more like a city, smaller than the North Pole but larger than it had been while Katara was growing up. The couple was seated at the table made of wood (kindly sent by Earth King Kuei. He gave some building supplies as a thank you for stopping the war.) Aang was eating a salad while Katara was eating stewed sea prunes. He never did understand how she could like that stuff. They looked like something an animal regurgitated in his opinion.

His face must have showed his disgust because Katara rolled her eyes and said, "Come on, Aang. They're not that bad. If you would just try them, you would probably like them."

Aang shook his head. "No thanks." His voice sounded a bit deeper and he was at least an inch taller than her. He really has grown into quite a good looking boy of almost fourteen. "The last we had them was when we saw Bato. I thought I was going be sick when I smelled the stuff. What's so good about them?"

"Well, for one thing, they're healthy. Second, they don't add so much water weight. And lastly, they have good flavoring."

Aang shook his head again. "Well, you stick with Water Tribe food. I'll stay with veggies." And he ate more of his salad.

Katara chuckled. "A monk through and through."

Aang grinned back. "You know it." And he got a little idea forming in his head and hid his smirk by pressing his lips together. Katara was starting to finish off the prunes and Aang knew her long enough to know that once they're gone, she'll drink the juice. So while her spoon went for the last prune, Aang gently flicked his hand in an almost casual way. The juice flew into Katara's face and she gasped, totally unsuspecting. Her mouth was open and the front of her parka was sodden.

It wasn't until Aang started laughing that she knew what had happened. She narrowed her blue eyes on him and started Bending the juice off herself. "That was so uncalled for! Just because you don't like them it doesn't mean you should be splashing other people with it!"

That only made him laugh harder. It took a while for him to calm down; when he did, Aang saw that Katara was holding a ball of juice. His eyes widened as she hurled the ball at him. Thanks to his reflexes from his various training sessions, he manage to take control of the ball and toss it to the ground. Katara stared in disbelief. She was so close! She almost nailed him right in the head.

She crossed her arms and muttered, "Stupid training."

Aang laughed lightly and stood up to go over to her on the other side of the long table. Placing his arm around her, he said, "Aww, come on. You know I was just playing around. All these meetings take a lot out of a guy. Those old men are too stiff." Katara chuckled, knowing this was true for she had been to those meetings and knew exactly what Aang was talking about. Aang continued. "And you know that life needs fun every once in a while. Besides, we're still kids in some ways. Sure we had to go through war, but at the same time, there is enough room to be just what we are: kids. Gyatso once told me: "Keep your child's heart aflame. Never let things get too serious. Find the time to let go." He meant to have fun, never let friendship or love go."

He blushed at that part. Katara looked a little red there too, but she was smiling a bit. Aang finished with, "The point is, you have to learn to just let go and be free. That's all there is to it."

Katara hugged him, and felt his arms wrap around her tightly. "When did you become so wise?" she murmured. "What happened to the little twelve year old boy I found in the iceberg?"

Aang chuckled a bit and replied, "Trust me, he's still there, probably jumping right now." Katara had to press her face to his chest to keep the laughs from bursting out. "As for the wise part, you'll have to thank my past lives for that one. I wouldn't be where I was now if it hadn't been for them." Then he turned serious and lifted her face so he could look into her eyes. "But if it wasn't for you, the war would still be happening, I would still be in that ice prison, and the world would have ended months ago. Thank you, Katara, for everything you've done. Your mom would be really proud of you."

Katara had started crying and she buried her face in his monk robes again. She felt him kiss the top of her head and pulled him closer. They stayed like for a while until the tears stopped flowing and her breathing became regular again. Only then did she raise her head and smile at her boyfriend; her hero. "Thank you Aang," she said. "That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."

She tried to kiss him but Aang held her back and shook his head with a look of disgust on his face. She was confused for a moment before Aang said, "I'm not kissing that mouth until it's clean. You just ate sea prunes!" He stuck his tongue out and Katara laughed.

"And the child is back," she said grinning.

Aang grinned back. "Yes he is. Now get to it. And then we can go penguin sledding!" Katara shook her head, amused, but got up to do what she was told to. She didn't know how he did it; first he was fun, then serious, then fun again. It was a cycle. But she supposed that was what she loved about him: he could balance everything out. But she still wished she could get him to eat stewed sea prunes; but she knew he wouldn't. And she wouldn't change him even if she wanted to.