The Plot Bunnies… they attacked me at 1 this morning…. shudders
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar the last Airbender :(
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What Love Is…
"Hey."
"Hey to you to."
The night was warm and peaceful. In the absence of the moon, the stars shone brightly. Katara took in the 15-year-old Avatar lying comfortably in the sea of soft grass, staring at the sky.
"What are you doing out here?" Katara asked softly. Aang smiled, never breaking his gaze at the stars.
"It's been a while since I had some time with my thoughts. It feels like I was in that Palace for too long – thanks for the prison break by the way," he replied quietly. "I've really missed all of this," he continued gesturing around him. Smiling, Katara walked over to him. After she had arranged herself laying head to head with him, she spoke again.
"Well, what thoughts are you trying to sort out?" Aang blushed, but he was sure Katara couldn't see it.
"Just… stuff…" he stuttered. After thinking for a moment, he figured maybe it would be a good idea to talk about his… problem… "Actually I was trying to decide… See there's this girl… I really like her, but after staying around a bunch of stuffy old men who see… younger relationships as crushes and fickle first loves… I have to be sure… I thought I was in love with her, but… maybe it's just a crush after all." Katara was quiet after that for a while.
Of course… of course this was going to happen! she told herself. I mean… he's growing up. It was only a matter of time before he started noticing girls. It must be On Ji (who coincidentally became his secretary last year) or Meng or Koko (who also coincidentally became his maids) or one of his other thousands of fan girls, Katara thought bitterly.
"Have you? Ever loved someone, who wasn't a family member, before?" Aang's words resurfaced Katara from the thoughts she was drowning in. Her response time was a little slow, but Aang didn't mind. Katara took a shuddery breath before she answered.
"Yes." Yes! she wanted to scream. Yes! Yes, Aang! I've loved someone! I've loved him for so long! And he's right here in front of me… Katara tried to keep her wild thoughts under control.
They lapsed back into a thoughtful silence. Katara, you shouldn't… love him like this, said her conscience. You both have responsibilities, Katara! He has his duty as Avatar to the world to restore peace and you have a duty to your family, your tribe… Katara sighed, knowing her conscience was right.
Aang's own thoughts had taken a turn against him. It must be Jet, or Haru, or Zuko… or just one of her many other adoring fans… he shuddered at the thought. How could she possibly love me? I mean, after all, I'm… me… she couldn't want silly, immature, goofball Aang.
"Why?" Aang's question cut through the silence once more.
"Why what?"
"I mean, why did you love him?" Katara sighed (it felt like the hundredth time tonight) and answered.
"Where to begin? He always seemed there for me. At the time in my life where… I had lost all hope, when I felt like the spirits had abandoned me, abandoned all of us, he showed up. When I first looked into his eyes, I couldn't help but feel hopeful again. And when he smiled at me (spirits, she could go on forever about his smile!) it was like… sunshine. I could be having a rotten day and he would smile that special smile just for me. Like the sun in his smile breaking through my own personal clouds." She was silent for a moment, gathering her words once more. "I also loved how he made me feel so young again during a time when I had never felt so… old. With him, it really felt like all of my dreams were possible. The sky was the limit (Literally, Katara thought, referencing to his airbender qualities). I was free with him. And I loved how he was so bold around me."
"Bold?" Katara chuckled.
"He normally was a very shy kind of guy, but he seemed to get over that around me. He did things that I would have never imagined him doing around me." Like how he swept me off of my feet during that secret dance, or how he risked his life to get my mother's necklace back, or how he kissed me right before the first invasion… she blushed and thought how the list seemed endless.
"Hm." The silence closed in on them again. Fearing her negative thoughts returning with the silence, Katara turned the attention to him.
"What about you? What makes you think you might… love (her heart shuddered at the word) this girl?" Aang sighed now.
"I guess for some of the same reasons as yours. She always is there for me. When my life becomes hectic, she's there to put it back together."
Definitely the secretary… Katara thought sadly.
"It's the way she looks at me too. She always believes in me, even if I don't believe in myself. She's beautiful also. And smart and loving and kind. Those are just the physical things too! The way she always seems to know something's wrong or how she always can brighten my day, those things go beyond. It feels like she has some unconscious control over me sometimes, too. She can make me feel so… spontaneous." The two friends laughed.
"Spontaneous how?" Katara asked raising her eyebrow although Aang couldn't see it.
"I've done things for her before that I would have never thought of doing. She just really brings out the good qualities in me." Like how I asked her to dance with me in that cave or how I tried to get in a peck on the cheek whenever I could or how I kissed her before the first invasion… Their thoughts had taken similar courses yet both were so oblivious to the other. Silence once more. The thoughts in Katara's mind couldn't be silenced and soon she found herself fighting tears. Aang continued soon in a quiet voice. "She really seems to understand me too, though. She treats me like 'Aang' and not 'Avatar'. I can talk to her about anything and she'll be there to help me through whatever struggles I might have. When I learned that my entire race was dead… well I haven't ever really recovered. But she's lost some too, although not as many as I have. Yet I know she must understand what I'm feeling because… well one life is worth a million."
So true except for the one case in front of me, they both managed to think simultaneously for they thought that the life in front of them was worth so much more than that.
"When I'm away from her, it's like I'm missing a half of myself," Aang continued. Katara chuckled nervously. The Avatar raised his brow to her.
"Sorry, I was just thinking about my dad… and what he would say if you were telling him this. Probably something corny along the lines of 'it sounds like she's the Yang to your Yin.' Seems pretty appropriate for this though, don't you think?" she answered. Aang chuckled once himself at the cliché words that were so true.
"Yah." A short silence followed.
"But there's one thing, that I don't understand," Aang said after a moment.
"What's that?"
"It's how I'm aware of her. Unconsciously even. I could be meditating or my eyes could be closed or I could be miles away even… and I can feel her. I can really tell when it's her right behind me. I can tell when something is bothering her when everyone else thinks she's ok. Even when I'm ASLEEP I can feel her. She could walk into my room and it's like I was struck by lightening. My skin tingles, my heart goes really fast, and my stomach seems to fly away. Then there's the gravity I feel, like she's a magnet to me. I have to go to her, just touch her, even if that's just holding her hand. I don't think any words can describe the feeling. It's… magic… wonderful… amazing…"
The tears that threatened to spill pushed to make themselves known. A rebellious tear trickled down her cheek as Katara fought for composure.
"That doesn't sound like just some crush, Aang…" Katara choked out. Aang could tell something was wrong (had he not just confessed that part of his new nature?) and he flipped over on his stomach, resting on his elbows, to get a better view of the waterbender.
"What's wrong, Katara?" he asked, his voice dripping with concern. Katara shook her head as more tears fell. Having a sudden epiphany his face grew softer. "Hey, Katara? You know how I talked about how she makes me feel? My skin, my stomach, my heart?" he asked quietly, his face getting closer to hers. She nodded as she stopped breathing. "I can feel it right now…"
The next thing she felt were his warm and soft lips on her own. Right when she started to realize – and enjoy – what was happening, he abruptly pulled away, jumping to his feet. His blush was visible in the light that the stars cast as he mumbled furiously to himself. He was about to leave when Katara grabbed his tattooed hand in hers. He turned to look at her, the expression on his face a mixture of anger, fear, embarrassment, and happiness. Silently, she sat up on her knees and pulled him back down to his own. With one hand, she pulled his own to her face as she wrapped her other around his neck, pulling them together once more. There it was again! How she reveled in the feeling of his warm lips on hers, like two pieces to a puzzle. The waterbender found herself taking in everything about the Avatar at that moment. How his smell was unidentifiable, like the trees and grass after it rained, the sweet and salty smell of the ocean, warm spices and dying embers, mixed with a fresh and clean smell like a summer breeze. She couldn't believe how soon he tasted just like he smelled only ten times better. The kiss was short and sweet. They pulled away panting. It felt like hours had gone by – hours in heaven – when really it was only seconds.
"Hey, Aang?" Katara breathed after a moment of silence.
"Yes, Katara?"
"You know how you also talked about that special gravity?"
"Yes."
"… I feel it too…"
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… daaaawwwwww… w
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