Archive of Our Own

Aang woke up that morning with a light headache he knew was induced by that glass of wine.

Of course he was not the kind of person who drinks until get drunk, but yesterday he felt like he could. He felt so happy that he thought a glass of wine wouldn’t make any difference.

His bachelor party was full of fun and companionship towards his friends, which included Zuko, Teo, Haru and his going-to-be brother-in-law, Sokka.

Other guys were with them too and they went out to a tea shop that wasn't as good as the Jasmine Dragon, but satisfying enough to have a decent party.

Aang didn't really care exactly where it was going to be; for him, the good company that really mattered.

When they arrived there, the owner immediately recognized Aang and promptly offered his best table, a private and comfortable one near a window.

“Yeah, it’s already good to be a friend of the Avatar, but it’s gonna be even better to be his brother-in-law” Sokka said when they all sat.

“You selfish” Zuko scolded but in a mock tone.

They all laughed, but Aang still didn’t know how to deal with Sokka’s jokes about him marrying his sister. Yes, he’d rather think it was okay of Sokka, but one thing was his relationship with Katara when they were teenagers, and another one - far different - was to have his best friend going to marry your younger sister.

After everything they passed through when they were younger, Aang strongly believed in his relationship with Katara. They witnessed a lot together and, if after all they were still gathered, he found it hard to believe something would put them apart. They fought, of course, like any other couple, but they always made up and improved their behavior in order to don’t hurt the other’s feelings. Besides, it was what he most liked in their relationship: the way they always grew up with each other, because of each other, as a lever that drove them to become better.

He proposed to her under the moonlight, because he knew she was a stronger bender at night and he wanted her to be sure about her decision. Aang tried to don’t talk about it, but he was afraid Katara would give up on him due to his duty as the Avatar. Sometimes he still felt like the twelve-year-old boy who awakened after a hundred years into that iceberg, with so much over him, a different world bathed in war, violence and blood. His first view was Katara. She was a constant even though water was the element of change. But not Katara. She was always there. Her loyalty touched him every time. And that’s why he wanted her to choose right. She deserved the chance of refusing and dedicating her time to finding someone with less baggage.

Instead, she cried when he asked.

“Katara, do you want to be my eternal moon, my north, my south, the one I would always choose over all the cosmic energy of the universe? Do you want to marry me, Katara?” he asked, kneeling in front of her.

She covered her mouth with her hands, tears dropping down her face, a squeaky laugh coming out of her throat. “I thought you’d never ask anymore! Of course I want to marry you, my love”, and then she threw herself into his arms and after that he put on the engagement necklace he made himself for her and then… Well, the afterward doesn't matter.

He asked Hakoda to teach him how to make that necklace. He could have asked Sokka, that was true, but he would feel a bit weird if he had asked that to him. So he’d rather face his going-to-be father-in-law.

At his party, they played Pai Sho and drank tea and only a bit of wine, since none of them were inclined to it.

They joked and talked about anything but his obligations as the Avatar. They talked about Zuko’s wedlock - as always, he was the perfect husband to an even more perfect wife, as he every time described Mai. They were married for only two years and were still enjoying their first years like teenagers in love. Aang wished that it was like this with him and Katara. -, about Sokka’s putting off his proposal to Suki - it wasn’t like he didn’t want to, but he was waiting for the right moment, that’s what he might have said - and finally about the wedding’s preparations.

Zuko and Mai had offered their palace in the Fire Nation to celebrate their wedding, but Aang didn’t find it appropriate. He did thank them for the offer, meanwhile he’d rather perform this moment in somewhere more like… himself.

The Southern Air Temple had been restored since the Air Acolytes emerged. It was hard work, but they were handling it very well. Little by little, Aang felt like his house was being rebuilt. He almost could call it “home” again.

Katara didn’t go against his idea of doing the ceremony there. He had been concerned about how she’d feel, with it happening so far from her home, if all of her relatives and friends from the Southern Water Tribe could come. However, she was very happy with his suggestion. He only did hope she was happy by the situation itself and not by him, by the meaning it had for him. Katara assured that not, she was relished anyway.

As a consequence, they dedicated themselves to the preparations in these past few months. Aang had help from many acolytes, he was excited in preparing every detail. Katara gave her opinion about everything - of course Aang wouldn’t dare to decide anything without asking her first -, but she stayed apart while he planned. Not as she wasn’t excited too, but she liked to see Aang lively as he was, in a way he wasn’t seen for so long.

Nevertheless, she made a point of choosing the dress she’d use. This wasn’t under discussion.

He was anxious now to see her in her dress. Of course Katara would be stunning even wearing rags, but he didn’t feel ready for the beauty she was destining for their wedding.

They’ve decided the dishes that would be served on the wedding party: many vegetarian recipes from the Air Nomads Culture preserved and recooked by the acolytes were in the menu, but the other guests weren’t vegetarians, so they arranged more dishes for them, including many fishing receipts - Sokka gonna love it - and buffalo meat plates. The last one Aang almost forbade because of Appa. But in the end he was okay, if Appa never knew about it.

The flowers, though, Aang made a point to have the prettiest ones. Winter-bearberries flowers and water-orchids, which he knew were Katara’s favorites, fire lilies and blue hydrangeas, red petunias from the Fire Nation - a gift from the Fire Lady herself - and his own favorite flowers - white middlemists.

The after party was they staggering back to the inn near the path that drove to the Air Temple. Zuko and Sokka joking about his infatuation for Katara when they were teens reminded himself about the old times, the three guys traveling in the middle of the war together. Aang missed his airbenders friends and he did not want to substitute them, nevertheless, now he had Zuko and Sokka, he couldn’t imagine a life without their friendship. If there was a kind of “soulmate” about it, he was sure the Fire Lord and his future brother-in-law were his.

They went to bed a little late; he was sharing a bedroom with Zuko and Sokka - the girls were sharing their own bedroom upstairs.

After he woke up, he brushed his teeth and went down the stairs to join his friends in the foyer of the inn.

“Are you hearing this noise too?” Sokka asked, his hand rubbing his forehead, dark circles under his eyes.

“No, Sokka, I guess you drank a bit more than me” Aang laughed at Sokka’s hangover state.

“Impossible! I didn’t drink so much!”

“More than everyone else, I can say for sure.” Zuko said.

“Please, don’t y’all tell Suki.” he rubbed his eyes.

“You’re safe, buddy.” Zuko put his arm around Sokka’s shoulders.

“Thank you. Hey, but we have a groom to make ready! Why don’t we go up and start the preparations?”

"It 's too early. The wedding only starts an hour before sunset. It isn’t even midday.” Aang said.

“Yeah, and, besides, the girls are gonna take too long more than us.” Zuko expounded. “There is no sense in starting now.”

“Urgh, you’re right. And so what now? We stay here waiting for the right time?” Sokka moaned, impatient.

“Well, we could verify the preparations one last time. What do you think about it?” Aang proposed. “There is a list in the bedroom, I’m gonna take it.”

Aang went up the stairs to take his list. He had organized everything. He didn’t want anything to go wrong.

When he sat back among his friends again, they started checking what was already done while they had breakfast.

Sokka, always watchful to details, asked about everything and made a point of Aang being sure everything was okay. But, after all, he urged them to go to the Air Temple to check everything one last time by themselves just to be sure, which Aang agreed they could do after lunch.

After a while, Mai walked down the stairs. She seemed a little concerned as soon as she cast her eyes on them.

“Mai!” Zuko exclaimed, smirking from ear to ear, before seeing she was acting weird.

“Hi, guys.” she greeted.

“What’s up, Mai?” Sokka asked.

“What? Nothing. That’s nothing wrong, everything is okay.” her eyes passed through them nervously.

“And what about Katara?” Aang finally inquired.

She looked at him. “Katara? She 's fine. Perfect.” Before anyone could ask another question, she interrupted. “Hey, I’m here to know what time you are going to go up to the temple. Sokka, you, me and Azula have to finish repairing the last details.”

“Aang, Zuko and I were talking about this right now. I said we really need to do a last check up on everything.”

“Fine. But… what time?” she wrung her hands.

“A little after lunch, maybe?” Sokka rubbed his neck.

“Okay. Fine.” She looked at them again.

“Sweetheart, are you feeling well?” Zuko narrowed his eyes to his wife.

Mai blinked. “Of course.”

Zuko was still rigid in face of his wife’s mood, but then he relaxed. “On your way, my heart.” he smiled. She smiled back, but still in a nervous way.

“I’m coming back to the bride.” She indicated the stairs.

“Sure.” Zuko lifted to give her a hug. He tried to kiss her lips but she turned her face, which made him find her cheek. He frowned. “Why don’t you wanna kiss me, dear?” he asked, confused.

“What?” she fired, also confused. Or it was what she intended to. “Oh, of course not, you’re just imagining things.” She kissed his cheek and quickly withdrew from the room.

“What was that.” Aang expressed his confusion.

“She’s drunk.” Zuko concluded.

“Drunk? The Fire Lady is drunk?” Sokka laughed.

“Well, not drunk, exactly. But she must have drunk a lot last night to be acting like this.” Zuko said in a mock tone. “I know my wife. She must be suffering from a hangover harder than yours, Sokka.” Zuko guffawed.

“I find it hard to believe that Mai is the kind of one who gets drunk.” Sokka said. “She’s always so under control.”

“Trust me, she is. She avoids drinking most of the time, but when she drinks… I’m surprised she’s awake, actually.”

“Suki is like her, so. She never drinks. Though, the few times I witnessed her drunk was… a bit scary.”

“Scary? Why?” Zuko inquired, laughing. “Like, she’s much more… aggressive than the usual. She’s used to being polite and calm and then she is screaming and laughing out of control. She threats me more than normal too.”

“This is not unbelievable.”, Zuko joked.

“Haha, sifu Hotman. Very funny.” Sokka moaned.

“Hey, I’m the only one allowed to call him like this.” Aang complained.

“None of you are allowed to call me like this actually.” the Fire Lord said, bothered.

“Okay, sifu Hotman, now shut up.”

“I’m still the Fire Lord!” Zuko pointed.

“We’re not in the Fire Nation, buddy. Your laws don’t apply.” Sokka patted his friend’s shoulder.

“Y’all suck.” he cursed. The three laughed.

The lunch happened without hindrance after this.

Finally, they went up to catch their baggagges, but when they were going up, a dull thud sounded outside. They frowned at it.

“It must be a vase that fell.” Sokka guessed.

“Shouldn’t we see if anyone was hurt?” Aang suggested.

They stared at each other.

“Nah” they said in unison and continued their way.

They went up the mountain toward the Southern Air Temple and then they were welcomed by some Air Acolytes who were friends of Aang. They guided them back to their fourth. Aang, Sokka and Zuko had special rooms in consequence of their positions as Avatar, Southern Water Tribe Representative - along with Katara - and Fire Lord, so they could keep a fourth for each one. Which didn’t hinder his friends from settling into his room to prepare Aang.

Not like there was much to prepare. Aang took a bath into the simple bathtub the temple could offer, with soap smelling roses and bath salts. Soon after that, Zuko and Sokka helped him put on his air nomad tunic, in shades of orange, red and yellow, with a red mantle over his shoulders, and an air nomad collar in his neck.

Monk Gyatso would be proud, wouldn’t he?, Aang thought, suddenly remembering about his old fellowers. He felt a lump in his throat. He couldn’t cry right now, he had to marry. But it was hard to stop now that he had already started to think. His entire culture was gone. At least, the original ones. He was really the last airbender. After almost ten years of loneliness in this statement, it was to be expected he was used to the sensation of feeling alone. Of course he was glad about the Air Acolytes and all, but… the Last Airbender. He missed the traditions of his culture, his people. He wanted many of his friends to be present at his wedding.The fact that he had to rebuild a whole people from the ground and the future airbenders will all be his descendants made him feel like the day of the Sozin’s Comet. To face the most important duty of his life almost paralyzed him at the first time, but in the second time he felt ready. Now he was not sure if that was his most important duty when he realized about his people.

“Aang? Buddy? Are you okay?” Zuko asked him softly.

Aang turned his face from the mirror he was staring at himself. He still wasn’t able to speak anything because of the lump.

“Hey, buddy, everything's okay.”

“Yeah” Sokka said. “Unless if it means you’re going to make off and leave my sister at the altar, because if it is this I swear…” Sokka threatened.

“I’m not going anywhere.” Aang forced his voice to come out and laughed.

Zuko and Sokka smirked at him too.

“So what’s going on, buddy?” Sokka inquired and Zuko placed himself by Aang’s side.

“It’s just… Well, I was wondering that… I’m the last airbender. I’m a hundred years away from my people. Ten years passed by and I’m still thinking about this and that’s ridiculous, I should’ve overcome all this and… I’m nervous and afraid of being alone again, of feeling I don’t fit in anywhere.” he gabbled out of his control. His breath ragged and wheezed.

“Hey, Aang, calm down, relax.” Zuko comforted him. Sokka estayed silent.

“I’m sorry I didn’t want to throw it all on you. I’m just…” Aang faltered.

“Aang, calm down.” Sokka murmured to him firmly. “Listen to me, buddy. You’re going to marry my younger sister. You two have been together since your teenage years. You two saved each other more times than I gave myself the work of counting. I know that it doesn’t replace what you lost, but you have Katara now. And me and Zuko and all the team! We’re a family and we never, ever will give up on you, no matter what. We’re not airbenders, that’s true, and I really wished things weren’t this way, although, you’ll always have us. And, mainly, you have Katara.” he highlighted his sister’s name. “She, above all, will fight for you, every day, unstoppably. You know that, right?” Aang nodded. “Right. Remember that, okay?”

Aang did consent.

“And I know that it doesn’t make any difference now, but” Zuko said concerned. “I’m sorry for all, Aang. About everything. If I could undo all the pain my Nation did to you and everyone, I swear I would.” he was frowning at Aang.

Aang smiled at his friend. “This is past, Zuko. You’re doing your best, everyone knows.” Aang consoled his friend.

They smirked at each other until Sokka brought them back to reality. “Okay, guys, we have a wedding to go to. Let 's go!”

They got down to the temple’s balcony. Flowery arches and upholstered chairs were placed there; flower vases were arranged all over the aisle toward the altar. Guru Pathik, his old friend, was going to guide the ceremony.

Aang positioned himself in the altar while he saw Azula and Mai fixing things all over the place.

“Aang” Sokka called, approaching him.

“Hey, I really wanted to talk to you before, you know. The wedding.”

“Me too.” Sokka looked serious when saying this, which left Aang concerned.

He frowned. “I just wanna say, Sokka, that I don’t want things to get weird between us. I know this might be awkward and uncomfortable for you, like, I’m marrying your sister and you’re my best friend and all these things, but I need you to know that I value your friendship. More than many other things. I need you to know this.” he dumped on Sokka.

His friend kept listening until he finished. After that, he gave Aang a small smile. “You’re nervous,” he affirmed.

“A little.” Aang admitted. Sokka’s features were kind to him.

“I’m not going to scold you, you know, right?” he whispered. “I just want to say: I knew it was going to happen from the beginning.”

“What?”

“Yeah. You and Katara weren’t exactly unobtrusive” Sokka amused. “Like, it was obvious since she freed you from that iceberg you were going to end up together. Your connection was immediate and inescapable and honestly, I'm glad for it. You are the only guy I would have chosen for my sister. I couldn't have asked someone better for her. I know you are haunted by your people's ending and I understand it. But now you have a chance of living a new life and with Katara. She's yours as you are hers. She's is your destiny, buddy, since the beginning. Do it well. I trust you." He tapped Aang's shoulder, one of his hands placed in his neck.

Aang sniffed to avoid the tears he wanted to drop out.

He realized Sokka was right.

Katara truly was his destiny.

She was his family and his people. She was about to be his wife, perhaps mother of his children, which made her part of the whole thing. He could face anything if she was with him.

Yes. He could do it. He would do it. With her.

"Thank you, brother." Aang muttered. "Your approval means a lot to me."

"No problem." Then he started walking away. "But, anyway, it's better for you to make my sister the happiest woman ever alive or so I'll hit you 'til you're done."

Aang guffawed but he really intended to do it anyway.

After Sokka withdrew, he stayed at the altar, waiting.

Minutes passed by and the sun started to set. Aang started to get anxious, his foot rhythmically tapping the floor. As he snorted, he listened to Azula's voice. "The bride's coming! Get ready, the bride's coming!"

A commotion started from Sokka, Azula and Mai, the ones responsible to look after the details, especially on the wedding's day. They sussure sharply to some people be ready and positioned in their places.

Guru Pathik was behind him when smooth flutes and soft drums announced her arrival.

Her long dress was in the water tribe's style: blue and white. The fabric was not really heavy like you'd need in the south pole, but there was a fluffy white detail around the dress' collar that referred to the skins water tribe's people used to make their clothes. Her sleeves extended until her wrist softly and her hair was half-braided behind her, her two typical little braids swinging beside her face. Her shiny eyes were more lively than usual. Her haughty smile in front of the situation ahead of her gave him confidence. She always did that; made him feel fully and able.

Katara looked happy, proud and light. Her brightness couldn't be erased at that moment.

All the lights were turned at her.

Including Aang's eyes.

Last night was the craziest night of Katara’s life.

Girls really know best, she thought when her friends - Toph, Suki, Mai, Azula and Ty Lee - dragged her all the way to a taproom in the thorp near the Southern Air Temple’s mountain.

The few months that had passed were full of craziness for her. Wedding preparations were harder than she had thought and she didn't even do the whole job. It didn’t matter actually when the fiancè was Aang. He really embodied the role and he did it very well, Katara had to confess.

However, she had her own obligations as fianceè even though Aang did ask her opinion about everything. She got tired of choosing each detail - which smell the candles should have; which color of upholstered fits best with the flowers of the arches; the wedding cake had floors enough; the meat plates would be considered disrespectful to the Avatar, etc etc etc etc…

She definitely needed a rest.

Her friends, of course, noticed it.

Azula was the obvious one to plan something insane. That was exactly because of this Katara was surprised all of them agreed with that bachelorette events.

“You need to relax.” Azula said mischievously while they passed through the door.

Night had started with a Pai Sho game accompanied by tea and juice. They laughed at Azula’s denial every time she lost.

“You’re cheating, you bitches! I know! No way I’m losing to peasants like you.” She complained, angerly.

“You’re just a bad player, honey.” Ty Lee murmured to her. Azula rolled her eyes.

“Really, I never lose.”

“On your dreams, princess.” Suki mocked her.

“You should lose more, Azula, it clears your skin.” Toph did her role in the joke.

“Oh, thank- wait. Oh, you brat!”

They laughed again. Why did they all simply forget about Toph’s blindness?, Katara always asked herself. Maybe because she seemed evermore realized stuff the rest never would make any idea.

Soon after the tea-time had ended, girls furthered into things a bit… heavier.

Playing cards was more Azula’s kind. But it was Katara’s too.

They played in pairs: Azula and Suki and Mai and Katara. Ty Lee didn’t know how to play and Toph… well…

After some matches, things became a little… competitive.

Katara and Azula took turns until the scoreboard got tied, with their related pairs. None of them was able to accept defeat.

That’s when the shots started to be ordered.

“Be prepared to be defeated, you peasant.” Azula threatened, as if Katara would be impressed by her empty threats.

She rolled her eyes. “Let’s see it, Zula.” she poked and smiled.

Azula narrowed her eyes at Katara.

The match was really hard, after some plays, Mai was bored about Azula and Katara’s rivalry and Suki didn’t find fun anymore, so they got off the game.

The scoreboard restarted from the zero and they continued playing incessantly. Drinks coming and going, the others were now watching them play.

“Final blow, fianceè. Last chance to give up.” Azula offered what she thought would be fair play. But Katara wasn’t ready for it yet. Maybe she’d never be.

“Deal the cards, princess.” Katara faced her opponent bravely.

“You know? Before I finish you, let’s make a bet. Every move you win, I’ll drink a cup of the strongest drink of this place. Every move I win, your time to drink. In the end of all, whoever wins gets an amount of money. What do you say?”

Katara frowned at her. Bets weren’t her deal. Her family never felt comfortable with these things and she was sure Aang wouldn’t be too.

Nevertheless, that was Azula, smiling and challenging. She wouldn’t fall for her attempt to unsteady her. “Done.” Katara said.

“Katara” Suki muttered. “Are you sure about it?”

“Oh, please,” Azula moaned. “I won’t extort all her money. I’ll be sure it’s an amount you’re able to pay, dear Katara.”

“I’m done. Let’s do it.” Katara reinforced her decision. “Or are you afraid now?” she defied her.

“Me? About you? No way, peasant.” And she dealt the cards for them.

“Well, this is gonna be interesting.” Mai said, drinking another shot of whatever that was and sitting on a couch by Katara’s side to see her cards well.

Moves coming and going and time passing by, both Katara and Azula drinking whatever was the strongest drink the taproom could offer. Katara’s head was rounding already, but she struggled herself to keep it focused on the game.

She didn’t know how Azula kept herself so focused. Her moves were almost obscene. She risked important cards in hope Katara sacrificed her own. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes not.

After she didn’t know how much time anymore, finally, Katara used the joker she had kept all that time.

Azula’s eyes widened. “What? What is this?”

“It’s your fall, princess Azula of the Fire Nation.” Katara signaled to her to put down her cards.

Openmouthed, Azula did. “How did you do it?” She inquired, perplexed. “I was sure you were empty of jokers.”

Katara gathered the cards. “You’re not the only good strategist here. Now let’s decide my reward.”

Azula laughed and the other girls joined her, including Katara.

Wine at last had its time; they weren’t even okay after all shots to keep themselves drinking, but night was young, wasn’t it? What could happen anyway?

“What must boys be doing right now y’all think?” Mai asked, sipping her glass of wine.

“I have no idea.” Azula answered. “Maybe something boring.”

“Like playing Pai Sho. It’s the only game they like.” Suki completed.

“Pai Sho is boring.” Mai complained and Katara remembered when they met, years ago. The listless Mai seemed to be gone, but somethings never changed.

“Yeah, like, it’s a game for elderly.” Ty Lee said.

“Don’t let Uncle hear this.” Azula scolded.

“He’ll do an essay about the importance of Pai Sho for the intellectual and human formation of young people.” Mai said with a snort.

Toph laughed. “I bet Zuko would be the only one who’d care to listen.”

“He would.”

“Aang would listen too maybe, I guess.” Katara said. “Anything which can improve him as Avatar interests him.”

“And you’re going to marry him tomorrow, lady.” Toph made a point of remembering.

Katara suddenly thought about it. She smiled, dreamly. “Yeah, I’m going to.”

“Oh, Agni, she is in love.” Azula said in a mock tone.

“That’s why people marry each other, Azula.” Katara bothered.

“Taking advantage of the subject,” Suki said, putting her glass at the table with a thud. “Katara,” She turned herself to her. “Your brother is annoying me. I’ll kill him anytime.”

Katara burst out laughing. "Really, Suki. What’s going on now?”

“He doesn’t want to marry me.” Suki seemed insulted.

“What could I do about that?”

“I don’t know, maybe talk to him and fathom if he intends to propose to me someday.” Suki gestured with her hands widenly, alcohol taking over her system.

“Are you really in despair to marry this man? Oh, please.” Azula moaned, rolling her eyes.

“I’m not in despair. It’s just… Sokka and I are together basically at the same time as Katara and Aang. Or Mai and Zuko. And you are already married!”

“Oh, wait. I have to disagree.” Mai interrupted, uncrossing her legs above the couch and leaning ahead. “Zuko and I have known each other since our childhood.” Mai sniffed, drunk.

“It doesn’t matter.” Suki dismissed it with a wave of her hand. “The fact is. I think he is stalling me. Oh, Kyoshi, what must I do?” Suki covered her face with her hands.

“Aren’t you crying, are you?” Toph asked after a while. “Because if you are really crying because of that jerk of Sokka I swear…”

“Of course not!” Suki lifted her head from hands it was just covered in. “I’m just being dramatic, bitches, please.”

“Oh, okay.” Toph amused and everyone chuckled.

“It sounds like something Zuko would do, Suki, watch out!” Mai secreted a whisper in Suki's ear loud enough for them to hear.

The group guffawed hard, serving themselves with another glass of wine each one.

There was a band playing lewd songs since they arrived at the taproom, but, at some moment of the night they started to sing with them. They didn’t exactly know their lyrics, anyway, it didn’t preclude them to yell among the singers and ride up the tables, holding up their skirts, taking off their shoes, raising the glasses and making a toast in honor of the bride and Katara’s wedding.

Katara had put her arm around Mai’s shoulders, who put hers around her waist, over a table, staggering and drunk. Ty Lee was sitting in Azula’s lap, who laced her with her arms, singing and smiling; Toph and Suki knew that song and they were competing to see who screamed it louder.

Thereafter, at some point, they got out of there, stumbled through the village, laughing loud and making jokes. They walked through until a small fair, with some stalls here and there.

Toph, in consequence more of drunkness than her blindness, tripped and bumped into a cabbage stall, taking many cabbages down. The guy at the stall started screaming at them. Katara, in her turn, dragged Toph up. “Time to run, girls, c’mon!” She yelled.

“I swear to y’all.” Azula moaned, angry. “Why are you so clumsy?” She asked furiously to no one.

“I’m sorry, I’m blind!” Toph screamed at her while they ran.

“I don’t think it was because you’re blind!” Ty Lee retorted.

“Can you just run?” Katara demanded in her preservation tone.

They ran away from the cabbage’s guy through a path that drove them directly to the beach.

So, they stopped to take a breath. Panting, with hands on their knees, girls looked at each other.

“You all are crazy, really.” Mai said.

“I’m sorry, Fire Lady Mai, we didn’t want to bore you.” Suki mocked, wheezed.

“You say it as you weren’t liking it all, Mai.” Ty Lee accused.

Mai rolled her eyes and laughed. “Maybe I am. Things in Fire Nation are not this busy. Well, not this kind of busy, at least.”

“You should take my place by Aang’s side. Our routine is always this kind of busy and other things like that.” Katara joked.

Mai smiled and pretended to think about her suggestion. “Hum, thinking better, I guess I’m okay with Fire Nation’s monotony.”

Azula smirked and sat on the beach’s sand. “Hey, Mai, Ty Lee, did you remember when we traveled to the Ember Islands?”

“Oh, that trip was so…” Mai thought to herself.

“Inspiring.” Ty Lee suggested.

“Weird.” Mai corrected.

“Distressing.” Azula muttered.

All the eyes turned at her. “I’m sorry. It wasn’t my wish to turn things depressing.”

"That 's okay.” Katara whispered, kindly. "Friends are for this kind of thing.” She sat by Azula’s side, Ty Lee sitting in the other one.

They were seated in a circle, relaxing their bodies, the smell of the sea and the sound of waves taking their senses. By consensus, they knew that it was time to hear and share feelings most of them were hiding for so long.

“Like, I guess I was just envious and bothered in not being the center of everybody’s attention. Well, y’all know, I’m not pretty good at acting like normal people even nowadays. And, after all, there was Ty Lee with all those guys that were into her.” Azula grimaced at the memory.

“Oh sweetie,” Ty Lee leaned her forehead to Azula’s shoulder. “You know I always had only eyes for you, didn’t you?”

“How could I know? I didn’t even know how to read my own feelings.” She snorted. “Everything was so messy.”

“I understand perfectly.” Mai murmured.

“Oh, yeah, you and Zuko fought this time, right?” Ty Lee remembered.

“Yes.”

“I remember something like that, but I don’t remember why.”Azula made a comment.

“Because of Zuko’s anger outbursts and my apparently listlessness.” Mai said without blinking. “I remember as if it had happened yesterday.” Her mood looked sad and thoughtly.

“It was a tough time.” Ty Lee sussured.

“For all of us.” Toph completely.

“Yes.”

The silence took place among them. It wasn’t uncomfortable, it was more like if they were making out the mixed feelings that ran through their weird group.

They were enemies ten years ago. How things changed, they all were thinking.

Katara, nevertheless, felt something more.

Water was the element of change. But not only for water tribes' people or waterbenders. Anyone could change. Mai wasn’t listless and annoyed anymore; Ty Lee wasn’t all pink; Suki learned how to show her insecurities; Azula healed herself from her father’s abuses and her mother's neglect; Toph let people take care of her without reminding her protective parents; and Katara… Katara was still a protector. But she was also a fighter. Sometimes she made mistakes and bad decisions. She learned she didn’t need to be always responsible and careful. Shit, she had the right of being reckless and crazy at some moments.

This is something she learned from Aang.

Not as he was reckless or crazy, but he definitely wasn’t careful. He had fun and enjoyed every moment.

She felt he enjoyed it more when he was with her. Since they met, Aang was her light. She realized she enjoyed herself more when they were together because she felt… slight and relaxed. Everything was easier with him.

That’s when she realized something really obvious, something asleep underneath many layers of adventures, worries, fun, kisses, deadly experiences and all: she loved Aang. More than everything. If she denied it she could very well stop breathing.

Katara reminded her life since she knew Aang. How she had changed; how he had changed, because of each other. The waterbender discovered things about herself that went beyond the limits of her tribe, where she was born, where she thought her destiny was layed down. And then Aang suddenly appeared, surrounded by his different culture, his hard duty and a deep need to prove himself to the world, decided to self punish himself for something he was not guilty of. For some reason she didn’t know at that time, she left everything she had, everything she believed and everything she was sure she was to follow him.

However, now she knew.

Loving Aang is part of Katara’s own destiny. Katara wanted to help people, to make the world a better place. Isn’t it the Avatar’s duty? Aang was the Avatar and she was with him all these times. And if Katara and Aang were actually tied by destiny because they had the same duty? Because they were similar? Once they matched perfectly they were always together since the war ended and solving people’s problems, fighting against the ones who tried to damage the careful balance they struggled tirelessly to build.

Katara wanted a lot to make a difference in the world. That’s why she left everything for Aang. He was the difference. He was the purpose of all that. To help him, to support him, to be by his side could be the best chance she had to do her duty and, somewhere deep in her soul, she knew it when she was fourteen.

He is the difference. She thought to herself.

The way she dropped everything behind without flinching at first always made her wonder. She loved the Southern Water Tribe, she loved her family, she loved living in community and all it brought with. But she played everything aside and rode Appa and left.

To realize her life’s purpose made her think.

Zuko once said to teach the firebending to Aang was his destiny. Aang was his destiny; to recover his honor back he had to help the Avatar to defeat his father.

This made her wonder… and if Aang was her destiny too?

They two were an unmatched team, they had harmony among themselves and… they loved each other. What could be more real than that? More tangible?

She felt the pieces falling into places in her brain. Her heart raced with the insight.

If there was a way for her to love Aang more, then it finally happened.

“And now we’re here.” She recovered from her daydreams. She eyed Azula. “And you are about to attend the wedding of people you hunted, of someone you killed.”

Katara could feel Azula swallowing dry, waiting for the worst, staring at her with expectation.

But Katara didn’t feel as if she was the right one to judge anyone. “And now we’re friends.” She finally said.

Azula sighed with clear relief. “Yeah. Now we’re friends.”

“This has turned into such a depressing event. We have someone who’s gonna marry tomorrow, please!” Toph moaned. “Let’s raise the spirits of it here!”

They laughed.

“Hey, Toph is right!” Katara concluded, lifting and walking toward the waves. “Let’s have fun!” She bended sea water and threw it up on her friends. They screamed and scattered.

“You’re gonna see it, peasant!” Azula ran into the waves and splashed water on her.

“I’m the bride, you bitch!” Katara remembered.

Soon after, they were playing and running in the water, wetting one another and laughing crazily.

Next it, girls arrived at the thorp, giggling and trying to be stealthy as they crossed the foyer. The attempt was to not break anything, but Ty Lee bumped against a chair anyway, which made them hurry more and go up the stairs toward their bedroom upstairs.

Katara woke up with her head heavy because of drunkenness last night.

She was worried about the time, left kicking her friends, some asleep in the bed which they were sharing and others in mattresses on the floor.

“Katara, relax. It’s not time already.” Mai said, rubbing her forehead, dizzy.

“Oh, spirits, Aang cannot see me in this state. What am I going to do?” Katara moaned.

“Okay, wait, let me see.” Mai sat by her side in the bed. “I’ll go down the stairs and fathom if Aang, Zuko and Sokka are still here or if they went up to the temple. If they didn’t, we… we think about something.”

“Fine.”

“Okay.”

Later, Mai came back nervously. “They are still here. We have to leave now!”

“Wait, please, I’m seeking my shoes. I guess I lost them yesterday night.” Ty Lee complained rummaging between pillows and blankets.

“Oh, c’mon.” Azula sighed. “I’ll buy another one for you when we’re back to Fire Nation.”

“Better than these ones?”

“Much better than these ones. Now, let’s go.”

Suki opened the window and down a plumbing pipe, followed by Ty Lee. They had no difficulty with the task, although they were a little drunk, but a bit less than the rest of the group.

Mai was the next. The Fire Lady got down with care and was catched by Suki and Ty Lee - “We didn’t want the great Fire Lady hurt, did we? I don’t want to go back to prison for hurting a member of the royal family.” Suki mocked. - and after her was Azula. In her turn, she swinged and her foot slipped, causing her fall with a dull thud.

Holding back a laugh, the girls from the floor helped her to stand up.

“Did anyone hear?” Azula asked.

“It doesn’t matter.” Katara complained while she went down the pipe also without effort. “We just have to get out of here fastly.”

After Toph joined them, they ran toward the path that led to the Air Temple, stumbling and joking.

Katara felt happier now that she had true friends. She loved her old team, of course, but she couldn’t avoid thinking about the upgrade they had when adding Mai, Azula and Ty Lee in the group.

Azula was tough, Mai was sharp and Ty Lee was too much sometimes, that’s true, but they gave a new perspective for them too and Katara liked it.

Back at the temple, they locked themselves into the bedroom and started to work.

The next few hours passed in a blur for Katara. She was torn between taking a shower, washing her hair, doing her nails, taking care of her skin, doing her makeup and doing her hair.

Happily, the other girls were there to help. They took turns to doll Katara; while one took a bath, the other did her nails, and so on.

At last, the dress’ time arrived.

“You look so beautiful.” Ty Lee sighed at her look at Katara.

“It’s amazing.” Suki agreed.

All the girls eyed Katara with daze.

“Well,” Azula recovered first. “It’s your time, peasant.” She looked at her and smiled a little bit. “Let’s go to deliver you to your groom.” She signaled with her head.

The path to the balcony where it was going to be the wedding in some way made her nervous. She looked at her dress.

She made herself that dress. Gran-gran aided her a bit, but she made a point of working in it by herself at least for the most part. Of course she would never admit it, but she started at her eighteen’s. Obviously she didn’t expect Aang to propose to her so early; in spite of this, she dreamed about her wedding a lot, when she’d finally call Aang hers. In her dreams, everything was perfect and, she promised to herself, nothing would embarrass it.

Now, she looked at the Southern Air Temple, at those arches and vases with her favorite flowers, the guests seated waiting for her, waiting to witness the most important moment of her life.

She wondered if she was beautiful enough, if her hair was arranged, if the flowers of her bouquet weren’t withered.

After her quick check up, she straightened her posture and walked down the aisle.

Aang was there - of course - and he looked beautiful in his air monk attire. He cast her a lovely look and took her hand when she reached him.

Guru Pathik, an old friend who supported Aang in his spiritual journey to take over Avatar State many years ago conducted the ceremony in a true and ancient air nomad style. They said their votes and, at that point, Katara was holding tears - because of her makeup - but Aang didn’t have this hindrance. Tears dropped down his face, no restrictions or contentions. His smile was pure and happy and was for her.

“Now,” Guru Pathik announced. “The groom might kiss the bride.”

“A bride should have her moment.” Katara whispered.

Aang looked confused. “Excuse me, dear?”

Katara smiled, amused, before taking the lapels of his costume and pulling him in for a passionate kiss, which he eagerly reciprocated.

“I love you.” He murmured against her lips.

“I love you more.” Katara replied.

And so, their foreheads and noses touched and she felt like heaven.

“Hey, you’re already married, you’ll have all the time of your lives now, let’s speed this up!” Suki yelled.

Katara rolled her eyes. “Okay, okay, I’m gonna toss the bouquet right now!” She fired, turning herself at the guests.

Single men and women crowded together in front of the altar, anxiously waiting for her to, as they used to say, foresee who’s gonna be the next to engage.

“Are y’all ready?” Katara asked the crowd.

“Let’s go, peasant.” Azula answered.

“C’mon!” Toph, surprisingly, hurried her up.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Katara nodded imperceptibly to Aang and Sokka, who were settled apart.

“One, two… three!” She threw up the bouquet and Aang did his duty in this scheme. A light air breeze charged the bouquet to land well in Suki’s hands.

Her eyes wided at the bouquet. “Oh, spirits! Oh, spirits! Sokka! Now you can’t run away…” She turned to Sokka, but he was already there, kneeled in front of her. All the guests stared at them with expectation.

“What is that…?” Suki said, confused.

“Well,” Sokka gave her a bright wide smile. “I guess you’re intelligent enough. Someone wished me to propose to an amazing girl in marriage.”

Suki covered her mouth with her hand. Sokka’s grin wided and he got an engagement necklace from his pocket. He cleared his throat.

“Then, Suki, from Kyoshi Island, leader of Kyoshi Warriors, master of the art of stealth, do you want to marry this boomerang captain who's been in love with you since our teen ages?”

To Suki’s credit, she didn’t cry, but she shook her hands frantically. “Oh, oh, oh, yes, yes, yes!” Flailing and overemotional, Suki received Sokka to put the necklace on her.

After that, they kissed passionately.

“They are kissing?” Toph murmured. “Oh, no. Hey, now we finally finished our roles, can we go back to the party?” She complained.

“Toph!” Katara rebuked.

“What?” She shrugged.

“Oh, wait.” Suki glanced at them. “You all knew about that?”

Katara cast a withering look at Toph.

Toph sighed. “It was not personal, dollie doll, but you might understand, Sokka was very nervous, he needed help.”

“No, I needed Katara and Aang’s help. The rest of you discovered I don’t know how.” Sokka explained.

“As if you don’t have any idea of who gossiped to us, captain.” Toph gestured in Aang’s direction.

In his turn, he eyed her, injured. “Hey, I didn’t gossip to you!”

“Which makes me very upset. But, yeah, you gossiped to Zuko, who gossiped to Mai, who gossiped to Azula and Ty Lee, who gossiped to me.” Toph pointed to each one while she spoke their names.

“Oh, no.” Katara rubbed her face. “

‘Even Azula?” Suki seemed dissatisfied.

“Hey!” Azula moaned.

“And you, Katara? You were supposed to be my best friend.” Suki put her hands on her hips.

“She was just trying to help, Suki, calm down.” Aang defended his wife.

"Sweetie, it’s okay, you don’t need to play the pacifist now.” Katara said, placing her hand on Aang’s chest. “Suki, you told me a thousand times you wanted Sokka to propose to you, and here it is.”

“A thousand?” Sokka mocked, looking at Suki.

“Shut up.” Suki whispered.

“You don’t need to look so dissatisfied, we know you’re liking it.” Katara winked at her friend.

Suki narrowed her eyes at Katara before guffawing hard. “Lucky you I’m not truly offended by you all holding secrets from me when it’s this secret. And thank you, Katara, Aang.” She did a courtesy to them. “And thanks to the rest of you for being so supportive.” Suki cast a glance at the other guests who were involved.

“Fine. Now, let’s dance, guys!” Aang finished the discussion and took Katara’s hand, leading her to the dance floor.

In the meantime, the band started to play a melody she knew very well. “Aang!” She scolded him.

“The bride and the groom must have the first dance, my dear. C’mon, that’s only you and me now.” He glanced at her with a look that made her heart race. She smiled and followed his steps into the music, recreating the dance they shared in the Fire Nation years ago, during the war.

At her fourteen, she loved to dance with him, especially at that time. They were so stressed and rigid by their roles that it was weird to relax after so much time and enjoy a true party for once. It was pure and innocent and she felt like floating.

However, now it was still pure, but definitely not innocent. Katara could feel Aang’s breath every time he was close to her, near her lips, in her ear, rubbing her neck and shoulders. She knew he was holding himself back in reason of the party’s guests because she also was.

Their bodies danced and ensnared and moved in the rhythm of the song and she felt like she might never get enough of this moment. Suddenly, everything was perfect, the apex of the divine. She smiled and laughed to her husband. Husband.

When their dance finished, they were both panting and happy. “Ready for more one?” Aang asked.

“No way!” Katara said, amused. “Be merciful to me, oh, great Avatar, I can’t even breathe well yet.”

Aang chuckled. “On your way, dear. Let’s leave the floor for the other couples.”

Katara and Aang proved the many plates he had mostly decided - she couldn’t tell him she could not be so active in the wedding’s preparations because she was sewing her own dress, she wanted it to be a surprise. - to the celebration. They also received people’s congratulations for the wedding, the party, and all. Sokka and Suki made fun of their own proposal and desired all the happiness in the world for them. Zuko and Mai hugged each of them tight and Mai told her one of Fire Lady’s sour jokes about dumb husbands. Ty Lee and Azula were an enigma; Ty Lee only got to say they were cute together while Azula made ribald comments about their honeymoon. Nothing new under the sun, Katara thought, coming from Azula.

Despite that, they danced a few more times, and Aang was always murmuring compliments in her ear.

Her father and Bato talked to them for a few minutes, in which Aang’s hands fluttered nervously. He never lost his fear of her father even though he had been the first one - actually the second one, the first one was Sokka - to support their engagement. To be honest, she found it cute.

Aang was looking at his wedding party from afar.

Not as if he wasn’t adoring his own wedding party, but sometime he felt smothered. There was too much noise and movements and he started overthinking again.

All those people were there, celebrating his wedding with an amazing woman, who he didn’t find he deserved, not even that party, not even his friends… None of these were for him. He had failed with the world a hundred years ago and now the world was celebrating him? He found it hard to believe.

Everybody was enjoying it, having fun. Being so happy.

“You know, like, none of this would be possible if it weren’t you, don’t you?” Katara’s voice sounded from somewhere behind him.

He was taken by surprise and turned himself in her voice’s direction. He chuckled a bit. “Well, maybe. But how many people didn’t have the chance to witness any party at all because of me?” He whispered.

“Oh, Aang…” Katara made a move to hug him but she held herself back. Then, she sighed heavily. Her features looked concerned, which made Aang deeply regret his angst.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t intend to spoil the mood.” Aang frowned at her.

She simply nodded and reached out. “C’mon. Let’s get out of here.”

“But it’s our wedding party.” Aang reminded her.

“That’s exactly why we should be allowed to leave at any moment.” She grinned.

He held her hand and so Katara dragged him out of there.

They took off their shoes in the meantime until they reached the beach near the Air Temple. Aang and Katara had their special place near there, somewhere only a few people could find, and she noticed that Aang needed some privacy now. Air nomads and their spiritual moods, who understands?

Well, she could perceive it, but it wasn’t the same as feeling it, of course.

Walking through the beach, Katara headed in front of him, dragging him by his hand, and he, in his turn, stepped in her footprints in the sand, as a joke, once he felt like he was following her for most part of life and he didn’t mind it.

Sometimes, she looked above her shoulders at him and smiled graciously, breathtaking.

In the middle of the walk, Katara threw up her shoes in the sand and turned to him. “Now, I’m gonna teach you something really important to your Avatar repertory.” She announced.

He raised an eyebrow at her tone. “Really? And what’s gonna be, sifu Katara?”

“There is this dance in the Water Tribe, in which the bride and the groom must dance to praise the spirits of the poles. This rite brings joy and fortune to a couple, mainly when they balance each other, when they really love each other.” Her features then burst with some unconditional and glorious feeling too big for this world. “And I love you, Aang, I always have.”

Aang swallowed, trying to keep his own feelings under control. However, how could he? The woman he loved was standing in front of him, saying these amazing words to him, opening her heart and giving her heart to him… He couldn’t help but give up and giggle softly. “You never stop surprising me, don’t you, my dear Katara?”

She smiled, like the one who knows best. “Of course not. You have seen nothing yet.”

His smirk at her blowed love. “I love you too, my moon. Since the very beginning.” He said with daze.

Satisfied, she positioned herself to start their dance. “Great! Now, let’s start.”

Aang copied her position and they danced and danced and danced into the night.

They could feel the spirits whispering to them.

“Like Tui and La, always circling each other in an eternal dance, balancing each other, pushing and pulling. Life and Death. Good and Evil. Yin and Yang.”