Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Avatar Aang, now that you’re 16, when will you begin working to bring back the airbenders?”

“Avatar Aang, who will you bring to the Earth King’s ball?”

“Happy birthday Avatar Aang! Why haven’t you brought a date to any of the King’s past events?”

“Avatar Aang, is there a special someone in your life?”

“Avatar Aang, there is a long list of eligible bachelorettes interested in helping you with ‘The Airbender Problem!’ Will you choose one? Or more?”

“Did Airbenders marry?”

“Avatar Aang, where do you think you will settle down to start a family?”

“Avatar!”

Aang sheepishly waved and bowed out of the way of the press, even as they all tried to press in on him from every direction. As they closed off his exit path, he snapped his glider open and jumped, calling behind him as he left, “No comments right now. Have a nice day everyone!”

He soared high into the sky, exhaling in relief as the Earth King’s palace sped out of sight. He went straight towards the home he and his friends were given the very first time they visited the city nearly four years ago, back during the war, and where they still stayed whenever they visited the city. An airborne escape from reporters and nobles who kept trying to worm their way into his personal life was becoming painfully common. He needed to find his best friend. 

If anyone could help him now, it was Katara.

Aang found her in her room. She was sitting at her desk, penning a letter. The late afternoon light filtered in through the window above her bed and made the entire room glow. She had never been fond of the green drapes and rugs that adorned the rest of the house, so a year or two ago she brought back some fabric from the South Pole to fashion her own blue ones for her room. 

Aang loved how the room felt so much like Katara; comfortable and inviting and full of the things she loved. There was a drawing of Team Avatar hung on the wall (courtesy of Sokka), and her favorite seaweed lotions sat atop her dresser along with extra beads for her hair. There was a small doll on her nightstand that had been given to her by a little girl she’d healed in the Lower Ring just last week when they first arrived in the city at the Earth King’s request. The room even smelled like Katara; like a unique mixture of ocean water and sweet fruits that Aang had never found anywhere else. 

He paused for a moment to admire the way she scrunched her nose in concentration as she wrote, then knocked twice on the open door before entering. Momo was curled up on her blankets, but flew off in a huff when Aang flopped exaggeratedly down on her bed. The scent of her poofed up from the blankets like pollen from a flower, and his cheeks flushed slightly before he instinctively schooled them back into submission, subtly bending a distracting chill against his face and neck. He was no stranger to her intoxicating effect at this point. 

Three years had passed since the war ended and though nothing had ever happened between them, something about Katara still made his heart flutter every time he was near her. He remembered how he had wanted to kiss her before The Invasion, but chickened out at the last second, offering a tight hug instead before flying off in search of Ozai. He remembered how he had ached over the Ember Island Players portrayal of her and Zuko, and how he had kept it to himself, stewing in silence behind them. He remembered all the moments since then where their hands had brushed or she had kissed his cheek and he had wanted more… but he had no reason to believe she felt anything more for him than she had all those years ago. 

They spent so much time together on and off duty, traveling the world as Team Avatar, helping people wherever they were, cooking together, or just sitting together and talking about everything and nothing, that this fluttery feeling was a regular occurrence for him. He could not bear the thought of risking their incredible friendship for his own unreciprocated desires, though, so he swallowed his feelings as best he could. 

She glanced over at him, sprawled out on her bed, and grinned widely. “Hey, happy birthday! I was wondering when you’d come by.”

Aang rolled to his side and propped himself up on an elbow. “Thanks, Katara. I would’ve been by sooner, but Kuei had all sorts of meetings planned, and apparently he’s throwing a ball in my honor this weekend, so he wanted to go over everything for that, too.”

“For your birthday?”

“Yeah…” Aang groaned, running a frustrated hand over his head. He never understood why the other nations treated birthdays with such pomp and circumstance. He would much rather just celebrate surviving another year—and he did understand that this was a feat worth celebrating—quietly, with his closest friends. Without having to discuss his relationship status (or lack thereof) with meddling nobles.

“That will be fun, though,” Katara offered, causing him to look up at her. “I mean, I know you don’t like being the center of attention for things like that, but… at least we’ll get to dance!” 

Was Katara blushing? She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and fiddled with it as she smiled at him expectantly. Aang narrowed his eyes at her, even as his heart began to race.

“Yeah,” he finally agreed, returning her smile. The fluttermoths danced a storm in his stomach as he thought about feeling her body against his own again. How the rest of the world melted away when they spun together. “We will get to dance.” 

“It’s always fun to dance with you,” Katara admitted. “Oh! That reminds me! I got you something.” She rummaged in one of her desk drawers for a moment before retrieving a package wrapped in brown parchment. Aang sat up, swinging his long legs over the side of her bed as she handed it to him and oh, she was definitely blushing. 

He took the parcel from her with a fumbled attempt at accidentally-on-purpose brushing his fingers against hers on the exchange. She reciprocated by placing her hand over his with a reassuring squeeze as he accepted the carefully wrapped gift. She looked at him nervously and his whole body warmed.

He smiled and slowly tore open the package, eyes going wide when he saw the bright, breezy fabrics of his home spilling out. A twinkle caught his attention and on further examination he noticed that the yellow of the robes was embroidered with an intricate, yet subtle gold swirl along the edges—the symbol of his lost people. It was just enough to set them apart from his normal everyday wear. He held them up to get a better look.

“I noticed your old formal robes were getting a little short,” she mumbled, staring blankly at the floor. He examined his new robes with awe. He would definitely wear these to the ball. “You’ve really grown a lot recently.”

“That would explain the aching legs,” Aang joked, but her eyes flicked back towards him in concern.

“Are your legs bothering you?” she asked quickly, reaching out to examine them. “I can help ease the pain if you…”

“It’s okay, Katara,” he laughed. He set the robes back in the brown paper with care and stretched his legs experimentally. “I mean, they are sore, but you really don’t need to…”

“Lay down,” she ordered, pulling out her water skin. He knew better than to argue.

Aang pulled off his socks, rolled his pants up to his knees and lay back as he was told. He propped himself up on her pillows, pulling one out to hug over his middle as she worked. The water on her hands glowed blue as she moved them soothingly up and down his long legs, and he sighed with relief as the pain melted away.

“You are so good at this,” he murmured, closing his eyes. 

“You should have come to me sooner!” Katara chastised, but continued her healing anyway. Eventually, after a few blissful minutes, she moved her way slowly up his leg, over his pants, past his knee, and Aang yelped and sat up.

“I’m okay there!” he tried to insist, flushing when his voice cracked. Katara gave him a suspicious look, then returned the blush.

“Hah,” she chuckled awkwardly, bending the water out of his pants and back into her water skin. “I guess I got carried away. Sorry if… if I made you uncomfortable... But you know I do this for people at the hospital all the time. You don’t have any reason to be embarrassed. It’s just me.”

Aang’s hand flew to the back of his head as he tried to force his grimace into a grin. “Yeah…” he said. “Just you.” His eyes shifted and found the package of new robes Katara had commissioned for him. 

“Thank you for this,” he said sincerely, grabbing the package and sitting up, keeping the pillow in his lap for now. “You know you didn’t have to get me anything! But I really, really appreciate it. The embroidery is amazing, and the fabric is just like the monks used to make. I can’t wait to wear them!”

Katara smiled and put her hand on his again, before her eyes went wide. She jumped up out of her seat with an “Oh no!” and ran out of the room.

Aang laughed and stood to follow her after a moment, pausing only for a moment to set the new robes in his room as he passed. 

When they’d first been given this house during the war, Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph had all opted to sleep together in the living space, still distrustful of the city and Joo Dee and distraught over Appa. They had dragged mattresses and cushions to the raised common room and Katara had slept beside him every night. He had often woken up to her hand in his, or resting softly on his back as though she had been rubbing it while he slept. The memory filled him with warm nostalgia.

After the war, whenever anyone in the group had to be in Ba Sing Se, they would still stay here, but at some point they had eventually gravitated to their own sleeping spaces. That didn’t stop Aang and Katara from their frequent late-night talks, though, sometimes in his room or hers, sometimes up on the roof or in the stable he had had specially built for Appa. 

As he closed the door to his room and walked out, he was hit first with the mouth-watering scent of egg custard tarts, then the sight of Katara bending over to pull them out of the oven. The way his teenage eyes briefly roved over her body of their own accord caused a wave of guilt to rise, hot in his chest.

Katara was his very best friend; he didn’t know how he would have gotten through some of his hardest moments since the iceberg without her. She had been by his side when he found out about his people, after the failed invasion, and as he struggled to master diplomacy and politics the way he’d mastered the four elements. They spent almost all of their free time together, or with the whole group when they could, and he couldn’t help but notice her beauty even in the most mundane moments, like this. The way her body had changed over the last three years—filling out in several places that always drew his eye while remaining incredibly strong and muscular—had sent a new heat through him as he’d grown. She had never expressed any interest in him, though, or in taking their relationship further, and he would never do anything to make her uncomfortable, happy to just bask in her presence as often as possible.

But he knew, deep down, that what he’d told Guru Pathik all those years ago was still true. He loved Katara. He was in love with her, however much he tried to hide it.

The singular, intense love and devotion he felt for her had made the Earth King’s more recent talking points at this week’s meetings even more uncomfortable. Apparently the sages of the Earth Kingdom, along with the Council of Five, had decided that since he was now of age, he should work to try and restore his lost culture… biologically. This was not something Aang had any interest in doing outside of a loving, mutual relationship, though, and he honestly couldn’t see himself with anyone other than Katara, as unrealistic as that was. He had never even felt attraction to anyone other than her. The Earth Sages had talked about the long list of women who were interested in helping this “very noble” cause, even bringing several of them in to speak at the meeting. He had tried to picture himself with these girls, but despite his age and their objective beauty, he felt absolutely no desire or interest at all. In fact, he felt dirty for even trying to think this way, when Katara unknowingly held his heart.

Aang tried to argue that it was none of the Earth Kingdom’s business when—or even if—he chose to have children, and definitely not with whom. But there was no convincing them. King Kuei had gone on and on about the fate of the world, about needing teachers for the next avatar should (Spirits forbid) anything happen to Aang, and declared that if he didn’t find himself in a relationship before the upcoming Avatar’s Birthday Ball, he would start setting Aang up with these eligible women himself. A terrible pit formed in Aang’s stomach at the thought, replacing the pleasant fluttermoths from earlier.

Katara set the tarts down on the counter and the clatter of the pans brought Aang out of his thoughts. He looked at her with a mixture of amazement and anticipation. He was sure she had made these special for his birthday. She knew they were his favorite.

He pointed at the tray of tarts and asked eagerly, “Is that… egg custard?”

Katara grinned widely, hands on her hips. “Of course it is! It’s your birthday, isn’t it?”

Aang did a little happy dance and Katara laughed, coming around the counter to join him before pulling him into one of her famous hugs. 

It seemed everyone in the world had been hugged by Katara at least once. Everyone she had met, anyway. Even Toph, who loathed physical affection for any reason, said that Katara’s hugs could melt away the hardest exteriors. When Katara hugged Aang, he felt like the luckiest man in the world, even though he knew she would offer this same hug to anyone, because that was the type of person she was; always caring and quick to give of herself. Her arms were warm around his back and her face was pressed into his shoulder now, the warm puffs of her breath on his skin sending his mind reeling.

She pulled back too soon, but placed her hands on his shoulders. He had surpassed her in height the previous year and she had to look up to catch the glint in his eyes as he darted them to the egg custard tarts and back to her, cocking a mischievous half smile. 

“You can’t eat them yet,” she scolded, seeing where this was going. “They just came out of the oven! Besides,” she added as she released him and moved to set the table, “we need to wait for the others to get home so we can celebrate you properly.”

“Where is everyone, anyway?” he asked, grabbing some chopsticks and teacups and helping her with the table as she put a pot of water on the stove. “Sokka left after the lunch meeting since Kuei and his advisors just wanted me for the afternoon sessions. And I haven’t seen Toph or Suki since breakfast.”

“Oh, they should be back soon,” Katara said distractedly as she pulled some food out of the ice chest. “Sokka wanted to go shopping after he got back. Suki was teaching a self-defense class to some kids in the lower ring and Toph had some business meetings to go to for her dad but they all got back after lunch and went to the market together.”

Aang made some rice and began to slice up some fruit and vegetables to go with dinner as Katara started frying up some dumplings she had wrapped earlier. They moved around the kitchen together fluidly in a well-practiced manner as they prepared the meal, almost a dance in its own right. 

There hadn’t been a kitchen in this house when the Earth Kingdom first gifted it to them; all their food had been delivered. But after the war (and as repairs to the house were being made), Katara had mentioned how nice it would be to have a real kitchen there for when they visited, and Aang made sure it happened. He spent as much time in there as she did, too, baking and trying his best to recreate Air Nomad dishes of old.

By the time the food was ready, the sun was starting to set, casting a pink glow on everything as a crisp, late-autumn breeze blew in through the windows. Sokka, Suki, and Toph walked in the door just as the final dishes reached the table.

“Hey! There’s the birthday boy!” Sokka exclaimed, engulfing Aang in a giant hug and draping his arm over his shoulder after. “You know, I thought they’d never let you out of those meetings. I’m glad you were able to escape eventually.”

Aang’s mind went uneasily back to the topic of the afternoon meetings, and he laughed awkwardly. “Ha… yeah, me too… You have no idea.”

Toph punched Aang in the opposite arm from where Sokka was still leaning on him and handed him a bottle of wine she had no doubt pilfered while they were out. “Happy birthday, Twinkletoes!” she said, taking her seat at the table and throwing her feet up before Katara angrily pushed them back down to the ground. She blew her bangs out of her face, annoyed. “Let’s eat!”

Everyone hurriedly took their own places around the table, and Aang lost himself in the joyful clatter of noise that was his friends. His family. They were all animatedly talking about their days, telling stories, laughing at Sokka’s jokes… He knew he would always miss the family he had grown up with at the Southern Air Temple, and his heart ached with the memory of the autumnal equinox festivals where they would celebrate everyone aging another year, but this new family was comfort and love reborn and re-shaped. He only hoped he was able to give them some of that back in return.

“So,” Sokka started after they’d finished dinner. Suki was passing around a plate of fruit, but Sokka leaned over the table conspiratorially, as if there were eavesdroppers sitting in their house with them. “Did Aang tell you the Earth King is setting him up?”

“What?!” Katara asked sharply, turning and narrowing her eyes at Aang. She had just brought out the egg custard tarts for dessert and stood rooted like a statue as she waited for Aang to respond.

“HA! I can’t wait to see how this pans out,” Toph laughed, banging the table in amusement.

“Wow, really?” Suki asked. “Are you okay with that, Aang?”

Aang was scrambling to figure out how Sokka could possibly know about this, when he hadn’t been in the meetings that afternoon. He held a mango slice an inch away from his mouth, his chopsticks comically frozen in space as his mind buzzed. Finally, he set the fruit back down on his plate and cleared his throat. 

“Uh, yeah,” he mumbled, frowning. “I mean, no , I’m not okay with it, but yeah, he said he was going to anyway if I didn’t ‘find myself in a relationship.’” Aang puffed himself up in his best imitation of Kuei at the end, and Sokka laughed as he exaggeratedly dried a fake tear.

“How can they do this?” Katara asked, enraged. “Don’t they understand that it’s your life, Aang?! They don’t have any say in when you get into a relationship. Why are they pushing this anyway? Why now?!”

“Oh, little sister.” Sokka scooted his chair closer to her, putting his arm on her shoulder now, somewhat patronizingly, while Suki shot him a confused glare. “The Earth King’s advisors were all a titter over this. I heard them on my way out of the lunch meeting when I snuck back to snag another pao bun. Our little Avatar is of age now! And that means he can start making all sorts of airbender babies so the world won’t be out of balance anymore or whatever.”

Aang didn’t think he could get any redder, but Sokka went on. “I’m sure by this time next year we’ll have an airbender baby boom! Aang will get to sleep with all the pretty ladies, and…”

“Enough! Sokka, you know that isn’t what I want.” Aang slammed his fist on the table. His voice was harder than he’d meant it to be, but this was ridiculous. His friends knew him better than that (although, he hoped they didn’t know what—or who, rather—he did want in this case. As he had gotten older it had been harder and harder to keep his feelings under the surface). “I don’t want to be paired off with someone I don’t even know, and I definitely will not be bringing airbenders back under those circumstances.”

“Wow… I can’t believe they just want to stud you out like that,” Toph said, clearly too shocked to even poke fun at her friend. 

“It’s like they don’t even see you as a person,” Suki added. “I’m so sorry, Aang.” She reached across the table to put a reassuring hand on his arm, and he smiled, unclenching his fist. Katara reached over to thread her fingers through his other hand under the table, too, sending pleasant shivers through him. He squeezed her hand back in thanks.

“We won’t let them do this, Aang,” she said earnestly. He knew she meant it by the way her hand didn’t stray far from his the rest of the night, even as the playful atmosphere returned and the wine was poured and drunk and the egg custard tarts were eaten. Gifts were brought out and they all stayed up late into the night just being together, enjoying this rare bit of peace. If only he knew how he could get out of the Earth King’s demands. But, he mused, he had once beaten a comet-powered Firelord by using a type of bending that until that morning he hadn’t even known existed. Anything was possible.

Chapter Text

The next morning, everyone woke up in the living room. Sprawled, as they once had, about the room on cushions and couches and touching at the limbs. Toph was on the floor, wrapped haphazardly in a blanket around the middle, with her arm reaching up to where Sokka’s hand draped off the couch. Suki was snuggled into Sokka’s side, wedged between him and the back of the couch. Toph’s feet were propped on top of Aang’s legs, and Katara was beside him, still holding his hand.

Katara wasn’t entirely sure why she kept holding his hand all night, but she knew she felt strongly against this plan of Kuei’s, and was half surprised she hadn't hauled herself up to the palace in the middle of the night to give him a piece of her mind. She knew that she couldn’t cause a scene or a political scandal. She needed something to do, though, and holding Aang’s hand gave her something she could do. He was her best friend. She could help him through this. She would do whatever it took.

She lay on her side, swaddled in cushions, for some time before Aang stirred. She watched as the rising sun gently lit his face and marveled at his tattoos for the millionth time since they’d met. The blue ink that covered his body had always drawn her attention, but the way his newer, teenage muscles stood out with the tattoos running down them sent her mind places it had no business going. She wanted to reach out and stroke her hand along the blue line adorning his forearm, but that seemed off limits for some reason. 

There were many, many touches that Katara offered to Aang which she wouldn’t offer to anyone else—the cheek kisses that had started during the war at the top of the list, but also the shoulder rubs, the hand-holding, the casual caresses of his face when he was upset—but they were just friends. She knew there were some lines she needed to keep from crossing, though it had become harder and harder to stop herself from crossing them as he’d grown up. Katara couldn’t deny that he was attractive, and that despite their friendship she often fell prey to his playful grin the same way all the Avatar Fangirls did. She didn’t want to put him in an uncomfortable situation, though, or make things awkward between them. So she always held back.

What she felt for Aang was so, so strong, but he was her family now, just like she’d told him almost four years ago at the Southern Air Temple, and just like Toph and Suki and Zuko and Mai and Ty Lee were, now. It was completely normal to feel strongly for those closest to you, and fiercely protective, and to want to spend all your time with them… Right?

Aang roused when the sunlight hit his eyelids, bringing his unheld hand up to rub at his face. He briefly tried to lift his other hand—the hand Katara was still holding—but when he felt her touch he set it back down again and rolled to face her, smiling that smile that always seemed to knock her off balance.

“Good morning,” he whispered. Behind him, Toph grunted and rolled over, pulling the blanket even further around her. He glanced behind him at their three friends all tangled together and chuckled. “Guess we all had a bit of a cuddle puddle last night, huh?” He glanced quickly at their intertwined hands, then back at her face.

“You could say that,” Katara said, grinning. She pointedly ignored his unasked question, squeezing his hand one last time before getting up and walking down the few steps towards the kitchen. “Come on,” she said quietly, gesturing with her arm behind her as he sat up groggily. “Help me with breakfast?”

Aang bent a cushion of air beneath him to get fully to his feet and followed her. 

As they worked together in the kitchen again, Katara couldn’t help but think about what would happen if Kuei set Aang up with someone and they really hit it off. Would he leave the group? Surely he wouldn’t have as much time to spend with her anymore, which was normal, she reminded herself. Her heart felt a little funny about the idea of him leaving, but they were just friends. Best friends. Nothing more. He didn't owe her anything.

Aang put a tray of fruit tarts in the oven and then called her name, startling her. She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes in question. 

“Did you want to sit outside for a few minutes while the tarts bake?” he asked, gesturing at their still-sleeping friends. She nodded and followed him out the front door, trying to mimic his silent footsteps. 

They sat on the steps of the porch and watched the pink and orange of the sunrise slowly fade to blue. Katara breathed in the comforting yet intoxicating scent of her best friend sitting beside her. Being around Aang always made her feel… she couldn’t quite define it, but it was extremely soothing. Like some combination of safe, supported, and loved. She leaned her shoulder into his and gazed up at him. He seemed to be lost in thought.

“Hey,” she said quietly. He visibly startled and looked down at her in question. “What are you thinking about?”

“Oh, uh…” Aang fumbled, running his hand along the back of his neck nervously. “I guess… I guess I was just trying to think of a way out of this mess.”

“Is there any way I can help?” Katara asked, resting her hand on his thigh and squeezing lightly. She had just healed him yesterday, but he wouldn’t let her work above his knee, and she was shocked to feel how much muscle there was there. 

Aang blushed and placed his hand over hers, threading their fingers together. “I mean… I was thinking of something, but it’s probably too crazy…” 

“How crazy?” she pressed. “You know I’d do anything for you.” Katara watched his throat bob as he swallowed roughly. She felt his thumb start to gently caress hers and fluttermoths erupted wildly in her stomach at his soft touch.

“‘I’d rather kiss you than die’ kind of crazy?” Aang looked bashfully at her face, then quickly looked away again, red rising vibrantly in his cheeks and neck. Katara laughed in surprise. As much as they talked, they had never brought up their one fleeting kiss in the Cave of Two Lovers since the day it had happened. 

She remembered the softness of his lips and the thundering of her heart and the glowing of the crystals, and couldn’t help glancing at those same—well, much older now—lips again. She had spent every night of the several months following that kiss dreaming about it. Wondering if he had felt the shock of electricity when their lips met, too. If maybe it had meant more than just survival to him the way it definitely did to her. But he had seemed so offended by the idea of kissing her… 

She had thought he was going to kiss her again on top of the submarines at the Invasion, but at the last second he had just pulled her in tightly for a hug before flying off. The pang of realizing that he definitely didn’t feel the same way about her had stung more than she had expected. 

But now he was bringing up their one kiss again… 

She looked curiously up at him again. He was looking away, but the blush was still there, all the way up to the tips of his ears. 

“Okay…” she started, nervously. Her toe began to bounce against the stone steps and she willed it to stop. “Tell me your plan.”

“I… it’s not so much of a plan just…” Aang stammered as he looked back at her, eyes wide. “Oh, monkeyfeathers!” he exclaimed suddenly, jumping up and tearing out of her grasp before running back into the house. Katara sat frozen in shock as she watched him disappear behind the door.

“What…” But just as she was about to stand, he appeared again, carrying a plate with two fruit tarts. Oh, she thought, remembering suddenly. Breakfast. 

“Sorry,” Aang said, sitting back down beside her. He placed the plate between them and Katara felt irrationally disappointed at the distance that now separated them.

“Hey, at least someone remembered so they didn’t burn!” she replied. Aang took a measured breath and blew on their tarts, cooling them instantly. She smiled in amazement.

They ate in silence, but the air around them felt… different. Katara was dying to know what he was thinking, especially since he had brought up their kiss. She remembered the disgusted way he had responded to her suggestion with “Us? Kissing?” and how it had caused her embarrassed anger to spike hard. But then the torch had gone out and his lips had been so soft and warm…

She cleared her throat, trying to clear her mind of these memories that she had been trying to forget for so long. The sound caused Aang to look over at her in concern. When he saw that she was okay, realization dawned on his face and he blushed again, sputtering.

“Oh…yeah…uh…” He reached his hand up and rubbed at the back of his neck, darting his eyes to the side and chuckling awkwardly. “I was just… What if…”

“Aang, spit it out already! I’m not going to be mad or anything. You know I want to help you.” The way he was acting so nervous made Katara feel equally unsure, but what the Earth King was planning wasn’t right. She would do anything to help Aang get out of that. She reached out and moved the now-empty plate from between them, scooting over and grabbing his hand. When he looked at her in surprise she simply smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring manner as her heart beat out a tattoo inside her chest. 

She squeezed his hand, and Aang took a deep breath. He smiled back at her, hesitating just a moment longer before continuing more confidently. “What if you… um… pretend to be my date for the Earth King’s ball?”

Katara felt her jaw drop. Her eyes went wide and her heart raced impossibly faster. She had to remind herself that he had said “pretend.” He didn’t actually want her to be his date, just help him ward off the Earth King and the fangirls and the nobles, but…

“That could really work,” she said, breathless. She was desperately trying to keep a calm, reasonable exterior, while inside her entire body seemed to be doing flips and her mind was fuzzy. 

“You think so?” Aang was looking at her eagerly. She had always admired his positive outlook and hopefulness. She meant what she had told him the day of that storm all those years ago—he gave people hope. He still gave her hope every single day. The way he was looking at her immediately calmed the stormy seas inside, and she smiled back easily.

“Absolutely.”

Aang breathed a sigh of relief. “Ok. Wow.” He then looked at her with so much awe that it almost knocked the wind out of her. “Thank you, Katara,” he said quietly. 

“Aang,” Katara whined, embarrassed by his attention. His sincerity startled her, though she wasn’t sure why. He was always honest and open with her. “You’re my best friend,” she said, shrugging. “And it’s a really good idea.”

Aang smiled at her once more before darting his eyes away. She cocked her head to look at him, noticing the way his once round face was becoming more angular, and the bits of stubble that adorned his head and chin since he hadn’t had a chance to shave yet today. 

Aang looked back at her and a smug smirk appeared on his face for just a moment before he wiped a hand over his head. Katara narrowed her eyes at him but he just said, “I guess we should set some ground rules?”

“Huh? Oh… yeah… the ball.”

“Yeah…” Aang sighed, looking defeated again. “Katara, are you sure you’re okay with this? There are going to be so many people, and so many questions, and the fangirls…” 

“Aang,” she said, squeezing his hand again. “How different will it really be? People already think we’re a couple all the time when we’re out together.”

“Yeah, but now you’ll get pressure from everyone, too.”

“Pretend pressure,” Katara corrected him. “If we’re not really together it doesn’t really matter what they think, does it? I mean, it wouldn’t matter even if we were really together, but…” she trailed off awkwardly and felt her cheeks heat up. Why had she said that?

“Okay, so, dancing right?”

“We always dance, Aang. We’ll have to be more obvious than that.”

“Holding hands?”

Katara raised their intertwined hands. “We do that, too.” She laughed lightly. They really did act like a couple already.

“Well then, how will we make it obvious?”

Katara grinned, then blushed. Suddenly she was fourteen years old again in a cave with no way out. “What if we… kissed?”

Aang’s face turned bright red for what seemed like the hundredth time that morning, and Katara’s stomach dropped. It seemed like he still didn’t like the idea of kissing her. Then Aang smirked and said, “Us? Kissing?”

“See, it was a crazy idea.” Katara was smiling so hard her cheeks hurt. She couldn’t believe she was replaying one of her most embarrassing moments with Aang.

“Us, kissing,” Aang said dreamily. Wait. He hadn’t said that in the cave, had he? That wasn’t how Katara remembered it. She looked at him curiously. “I think that would do it,” Aang added.

Oh yeah, the plan. The ball. Katara’s mind scrambled to come up with a response. “I’ll stay by your side this time, too. You won’t have to face all the nobles alone, and it will maybe make it more obvious if we face the fangirls together and show that you’re taken.”

“And I can…” Aang’s voice was quiet as he untangled their fingers and slipped his arm around her back, his fingers just brushing her waist. Everywhere he touched seemed to tingle with new energy. With his arm around her, they had effectively eliminated any remaining space between them, and she rested her head comfortably against his shoulder, smiling.

“Yeah, that’ll be good too,” she sighed. The heat that had started where his arm brushed her back and her side spread to a comfortable warmth throughout her body. She had always felt strongly for Aang from the day they’d met; she had declared herself his family, loved him as a best friend, and even harbored a crush during the war that she had spent every day since then trying to quash, knowing it was unrequited. She felt it slamming back into her chest full-force now, with his arm wrapped around her and her head so close to his.

The sound of the door opening had them both jumping apart and turning around to see Sokka rubbing his eyes as he joined them on the balcony. 

“There you two are,” he said, sounding exasperated. “I’ve been looking everywhere! Thanks for making breakfast. The girls are getting ready now—we thought we could visit Aang’s zoo today since everyone has the day off.”

“Oh, I have to go into the clinic later, but I can go for a bit now,” Katara said, standing up and brushing the crumbs off of her skirt. “I just need to get ready really quick. Be right back!”

“Me too,” Aang said, following her and Sokka inside. “That’s a great idea, Sokka.”

Katara closed the door to her room and leaned heavily against it. She could still feel where Aang’s arm had been wrapped around her just moments before. Pretending to be his girlfriend definitely would not be hard for her. Reminding herself that it was just pretend, though, was going to be another story.

Chapter Text

A couple of days went by, and Aang kept wondering if he had made a mistake. Asking Katara to be his pretend date had seemed like such a good idea in the moment, but since then they hadn’t had a chance to be alone to discuss anything further, and he felt more awkward around her than he ever had before. It was like every time they were in the same room his brain short-circuited and he didn’t know how to act with her anymore.

That very morning, with two days left to go before the Earth King’s Avatar’s Birthday Ball, he had tripped over his own growing feet at breakfast, trying to bring her a plate of fruit he had just cut up. She had smiled at him, surely out of pity, and bent to help him clean up the mango slices that had slid to the floor in the process, and any words that he should have said had died in his throat. He had then hit his head on the table upon standing, and laughed lowly at himself as he stumbled back to the counter with the plate, offering the fruit defeatedly to Momo instead. 

“What is wrong with me?” Aang groaned. Momo chirped and tittered back at him and Aang dropped his head into his hands.

A nudge to Aang’s ribs caused him to jump.

“Whoooaa,” Sokka exclaimed. “Sorry buddy, I didn’t mean to startle you. Just wanted to see if you were alright.”

Aang glanced back at the table where Katara and Suki were talking animatedly about their plans for shopping that morning before Katara needed to go into the clinic. They were each planning to buy new dresses for the ball, and were dragging Toph along with them, much to her dismay. 

“I’m fine, Sokka. Thanks for asking.”

“You don’t look fine, Aang,” Sokka insisted, leaning over the counter on his elbows next to his friend. He fixed Aang with a look of concern, and Aang sighed heavily. “Is it the whole ball thing? The Earth King’s plan and all that?”

Aang rubbed his face with his hands before shifting his weight to match Sokka’s stance. “Yes… no… I don’t know.”

“We’ll figure out something—we always do. We just need to…”

“Katara already agreed to be my date,” Aang interrupted.

“Took you long enough!” Sokka looked elated, and maybe even relieved? Aang eyed him suspiciously.

“Sorry. My pretend date,” Aang corrected himself. 

“Wait, what?” Sokka’s brow furrowed as he tilted his head in question. “What do you mean pretend?”

“I mean, she’s going to pretend to be my girlfriend in public to get the Earth King and the press off my back about bringing back the Airbenders.” Aang hoped he didn’t sound as dejected as he felt.

“I mean… that sounds like a great plan, but… Why just pretend?” Aang glanced up at Sokka, eyebrows knitted together. Why was Sokka so confused? 

“She doesn’t like me like that, Sokka.” Aang returned his gaze, unfocused, to the stone countertop. His thumbs twiddled against each other for a moment before he rubbed his face in frustration.

“Oh, okay,” Sokka said sarcastically. “And I’m a saber-tooth moose lion. What are you talking about?! Katara loves you!” He threw his hands up, exasperated.

“Yeah, like a best friend… or a brother… but not like a boyfriend.” Sokka was looking at Aang like he had three heads, and Aang shifted uncomfortably. What wasn’t getting through to Sokka? This all seemed so obvious to him. He was startled when he heard Sokka smacking his own forehead hard enough to leave a mark.

“Aang, I am her brother. She does not love us the same.” The two of them turned around when they heard chairs squeaking against the stone floor. The girls all got up from the table, Toph grumbling under her breath about ‘girl stuff’ as she walked towards the front door. Suki came over and gave Sokka a kiss on the cheek, whispering something in his ear that made him blush before she followed Toph out the door. Katara came up to Aang, bounced on the balls of her feet for a moment, then smiled and waved as she turned around to join the other girls. 

Aang waved back and watched her retreating form a moment longer before turning back to Sokka, who smirked. Aang felt his own cheeks redden.

“Well, I think you’re both fooling yourselves, but still, it’s a genius plan. I’m surprised I didn’t think of it myself!” 

Aang laughed. He was really starting to feel better about all of it, though he was still nervous about how it was all going to go off. And whether or not he could keep from falling on his face at the ball, being around Katara all night. 

“And just so you know,” Sokka went on, “I think the two of you are perfect for each other. There’s no one I would trust more with my sister.”

“You just practice saying that to the press,” Aang responded, shoving him playfully. 

“Oh, I will,” Sokka said. “I’m going to get a whole bunch of responses ready for when they ask what I think of the Avatar dating my sister.”

Aang rolled his eyes, already picturing the gleeful look on Sokka’s face when he would get to use his planned reactions. 

“You don’t think I’m asking too much of her, do you?” he asked. “I’m worried about the unwanted attention she’s going to get.”

“I think Katara is a big girl and can take care of herself. You know that better than anyone.” Sokka poked him in the chest and he grimaced. “She would never agree to something she wasn’t fully on board with.”

“Yeah… You’re right, Sokka. Thanks. I don’t know why I’ve been so nervous.” 

“It’s probably because it’s the first time you’re taking a date to a ball,” Sokka explained, as if the answer should have been obvious to him all along. “Oh! Do you know how you’re going to introduce her yet? We have so much to talk about…”

Sokka put his arm around Aang’s shoulders and walked him into the living room, going on and on about what he should and should not do when he has a date at these sorts of events, speaking from his own experience with Suki. 

Aang listened, but allowed his mind to wander. What if Sokka was right, and this didn’t have to all be pretend? He didn’t want to make Katara uncomfortable in any way, so he would wait for her to indicate that she wanted something more, even if that meant remaining best friends forever, but it wouldn’t stop him from fantasizing a bit in the meantime.

Katara kept stealing nervous glances at Aang all through breakfast, even while Suki talked animatedly about the different shops they were going to and Toph huffed loudly beside her. There had been something off about him since the morning he had asked her to be his pretend date to the ball, and she was beginning to worry he was regretting it. He had hardly said a word to her in the days since then, and while logically she knew it was probably because they hadn’t had a chance to discuss anything further, she still worried.

Suddenly there was a commotion and Katara was pulled from her thoughts by the other girls were standing, getting ready to leave. She looked up and saw Aang talking solemnly with her brother. What were they talking about? Had Aang told Sokka their plan? She saw Suki go up and give Sokka a kiss, and felt a burning desire to do the same with Aang. She quickly gathered the remaining dishes from the table and placed them in the sink. She found herself walking over to Aang after, gazing at him, longing to kiss his cheek. She had done that so many times, too… it wouldn’t seem that unusual. But for some reason she couldn’t bring herself to take the two steps towards him.

Instead she awkwardly rocked on the balls of her feet for a moment before offering a small smile and a wave and scurrying off, fully embarrassed. She would have crashed right into Toph when she walked out the front door, not looking where she was going, but Toph erected a small rock wall, which Katara crashed into instead. 

“Geez, watch where you’re going, Sugar Queen!” she exclaimed.

“Sorry, Toph,” Katara grumbled, brushing the dirt off of her dress as her friend returned the stone wall to the earth. She exhaled heavily through her nose as they began walking towards the first store on Suki’s list. She needed to get herself together.

“Is everything okay, Katara?” Suki asked, placing a hand reassuringly on her shoulder. Katara smiled at her friend. She found herself exceedingly grateful that her brother had fallen for someone she could easily see as her sister. 

“Yeah… I’m just worried about Aang,” Katara finally answered.

Toph scoffed. “Twinkletoes is a disaster,” she said. “His heart-rate was all over the place during breakfast. And you weren’t even touching him!”

Katara narrowed her eyes at Toph. “What are you talking about?” she asked accusingly.

“You know,” Toph said, waving her hand as if this was nothing new. “He always gets all dopey when you’re around, but he was all the way in the kitchen and you were all the way at the table and as far as I could tell you weren’t looking at each other, so I have no idea what’s going on with him. Did you two do something when we weren’t around?!”

“Toph! No! Well…” Katara wondered if this meant he really was second-guessing his decision to ask her to the ball as his fake-date. Her heart sank.

“Well what?!”

“He…” Katara wrung her hands. Why was she feeling so nervous all of a sudden? “He asked me to pretend to be his date, to get the Earth King off his back.”

“That’s a great idea!” Suki exclaimed.

“Brilliant,” chimed Toph, grinning devilishly. “Are you sure it’s just pretend, though? I always thought Twinkletoes had a thing for you.”

“Yeah well, you also thought I had a thing for Haru,” Katara laughed in disbelief. “And no. Aang most definitely does not have a thing for me.”

Toph shrugged, picking a booger out of her nose and flinging it. Katara cringed.

“So, if you’re going to pretend to be Aang’s date,” Suki started as they approached the dress shop, “are you going to want something with his colors?”

Katara hadn’t even thought of that. But if she was going to be on Aang’s arm, she should probably wear something that at least looked good with orange and yellow. As they walked in the store she instantly felt overwhelmed by the selection. Normally she would just walk over to the Water Tribe blues and find a fit she liked, but now she wasn’t so sure.

Toph tried to sit in a chair near the door but Suki immediately dragged her over to the greens and browns, saying “Oh, these would look so good on you!”

Katara found herself wandering the shop alone for a while, as her friends bickered over fabric textures and dress lengths with the shop owner. She ran her hands along so many soft, silky dresses, but she was unable to picture herself in any of them next to Aang.

Finally, her friends joined her, each carrying a garment over their arms. Toph’s face was decidedly less sour than it had been when they first walked in, so they must have found something that fit her standards of comfort. 

Katara’s eyes kept sizing up the racks of dresses, colors almost blurring together, until she remembered the robes she’d had made for Aang for his birthday. 

“Welcome back, Master Katara,” said Hana, the shop owner and seamstress who had embroidered the Air Nomad symbols along the borders of Aang’s new yellow robes. Katara felt her confidence returning, remembering how much Aang had liked them. “Are you shopping for yourself this time?”

“Yes, although, I was wondering if you could also make an obi that matches the yellow Air Nomad robes you made last week?” Everything was coming together in her mind, and she grabbed a beautiful blue dress off the rack. It was fashioned like a kimono, with a wrap front and long delicate sleeves, but with a full flowing skirt that would allow for more leg movement in dancing.

“The one with the swirls along the edges?” Hana asked, confirming. She raised an eyebrow in suspicion. 

“Yes,” Katara said, ignoring the implication in Hana’s look even as it made her heart pound rapidly. She held the kimono up to the light to inspect the intricate wave pattern in the silk, admiring how the lighter, almost silver blue shimmered against the dark ocean color of the background. “That would be perfect.”

“Of course, Master Katara. I’m assuming you need it in time for the ball?”

“If it isn’t too much trouble,” Katara said, realizing that the ball was only a couple days away. Her nerves threatened to rise up out of her stomach again. She looked desperately at her friends, and Suki breathed deeply and exaggeratedly behind the shopkeeper to remind Katara to do the same. 

“I’ll have it done by tomorrow evening. I can have the package delivered to your home before dinner.”

“Thank you so much, Hana,” Katara said with a relieved bow. The friends took their selections up to the counter and made their purchases.

They wandered through several other stores. Katara and Suki found beautiful shoes to match their new outfits: Katara’s were some understated blue flats that almost blended into her kimono, and Suki’s heels were a striking shade of brown that somehow matched her hair and offset the glittering green qipao she had bought perfectly. Toph complained loudly the entire time they were perusing the store about the impracticality of shoes and the way it prevented her from “seeing” properly.

“No one said you needed to buy shoes, Toph,” Katara reminded her as they dropped several heavy coins in this shopkeeper’s hand. “But Suki and I do.”

“Did,” corrected Suki. “Now that’s one more thing we can check off the list! What’s left? Oh! Accessories!”

Katara squealed in delight and Toph groaned even louder. 

“Don’t we have enough of those?” she asked, following them out the door and down the dusty street. “How many tiaras and necklaces and combs do we really need?”

“I’ve given most of mine away or left them in the South Pole,” Katara sighed in frustration and resignation. Her friend’s negativity, however expected, was beginning to get to her. “Toph, we're almost done. If you can manage to get through the rest of our shopping time without complaining, I promise I will spar with you tonight when I’m done at the hospital.”

Toph stopped walking, causing the other two to stop as well and turn around expectantly. “Hey, you’re bribing me!”

Suki and Katara exchanged a look, but before they could say anything, Toph shrugged and began walking again, quickly passing them by.

“Fine,” she said as the other two scrambled to rejoin her, “but don’t act all mopey when I beat you.” 

Toph was surprisingly cheerful as they picked up, examined, and put back accessory after accessory in the next shop. She even found a tiara with green emeralds and Suki found a deep bronze necklace that complemented her dress and hair nicely, but Katara wasn’t satisfied with any of the baubles she’d seen. 

She finally admitted defeat, approaching the counter so that her friends could make their purchases with her shoulders slumped, when a yellow flower comb arranged elegantly in a window display caught her eye. The shape and color immediately transported her back to the fields of the Patola Mountains, which she hadn’t visited with Aang since shortly after the war ended. She was sure this flower was modeled after the wildflowers that grew there in abundance. Aang had picked a bouquet of them for her in thanks for accompanying him on that solemn journey, and she would never forget their unique shape.

She smiled, picking it up to look closer. It was the exact color of Aang’s robes, and the obi Hana was embroidering for her. It was small and simple enough to be understated with all the other details in her outfit—thankfully lacking the thickly crusted jewels of other objects in the store—but would still tie everything together. 

“Katara! That’s perfect!” Suki exclaimed, looking over her shoulder while Toph paid for her tiara. “You’re really going to look like Aang’s girlfriend with all that yellow,” she whispered surreptitiously, a giddy smile covering her face. “Are you excited?”

Katara grinned bashfully. “A little,” she admitted. “Mostly nervous.” They paused their conversation so that they could pay, but Suki probed further as soon as they walked out the door and headed back towards their house.

“What makes you so nervous?” Suki asked. “You know Aang adores you, and whether it’s romantic or not, you’ll both have a great time together.”

“I know, I just don’t want to mess anything up for him,” Katara explained. “I want it to be perfect.”

“Sweetness, if he’s got you on his arm, Twinkletoes is going to be sky high all night.”

Katara wondered if this was really true, or if Toph was messing with her. Regardless, she let the comment build her confidence. With her bags in hand, she was ready to take on whatever came next. Especially with Aang.

Chapter Text

Aang found himself pacing his room anytime he was home and Katara wasn’t, trying to figure out what he should say to her. His nervous energy came out in shaking hands and flighty steps as he mulled over his words, but inevitably the words he thought of would die in his throat before he ever had the chance to say anything. The ball was one day away and he still hadn’t firmed anything up with her. He wasn’t sure if she was avoiding him, or if she had really been just that busy getting ready. She had worked a full shift in the clinic this morning and then spent the entire afternoon at the spa with Suki. They hadn’t gotten back until after dinner, and both girls had gone straight to Katara’s room. He wondered what they were talking about… 

His mind drifted back to the Cave of Two Lovers—where they had shared their one and only kiss—more and more frequently since he had brought up his romantic blunder in front of her. He had gotten distracted in more than one council meeting recently, thinking about how they hadn’t been holding hands when the torch went out, but had intertwined their fingers at some point during their brief kiss. How he had wanted to confess and apologize afterward, but she had run out of the tunnel so quickly he never had the chance. And how the more time that had elapsed the more awkward it had seemed to bring it up again. He had shocked himself by repeating his most embarrassing line at breakfast the morning he’d asked her to be his fake date. 

Fake.

The more he thought about his impulsive plan, the more he felt like his stomach was going to explode with nerves. It would be easy to play this off like he didn’t care… like they were just two best friends and she was doing him this huge favor because she cared about him… but Aang had known the second she agreed to this that his heart was in for it. He had been so careful about his feelings for so long, but if they were going to kiss in public… he wasn’t sure he would be able to differentiate between fantasy and reality anymore.

A knock on his door startled him. 

“Come in,” he said, still pacing, trying to shake the anxiousness out of his hands.

“Hey, Aang.”

Aang stopped walking and looked up at the sound of Katara’s voice. She was beautiful, as always, but she looked especially refreshed after her trip to the spa with Suki. Her sparkling blue eyes were trained on the floor, however, and she was twirling a strand of hair between her fingers absently. 

“Uhhh… hi! Hi Katara, um…” Aang openly cringed at his own awkwardness, especially when his voice cracked on the next word. “How… ahem . How’s it going?” 

“I’m… good,” she said. She was giving him that concerned look again, the one she had given him when he mentioned the growing pains in his legs. “Aang, are you okay?”

“Of course I’m okay!” Aang tried to laugh, throwing his hand behind his neck. “Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

Katara frowned. “Look, Aang…” She took a deep breath and exhaled—the way he had taught her shortly after the war—slowly through her nose. She was trying to calm herself down. Was she upset with him? Had she changed her mind? She sat down on his bed and he swallowed hard. 

“Aang, I… I want to do this to help you, but if you don’t want me to… I mean, if you’d rather go with someone else, or… Just… I want you to know you’re still my best friend, no matter what.”

Aang’s mind was spinning. Why on earth would she think he didn’t want to go with her anymore? “Katara,” he blurted, turning apple-beet red. “I…” He walked over and sat down next to her, taking her hand. Her touch always soothed him and helped him think more clearly. “I do want to go with you. Actually, I can’t think of anyone else in the world that I’d rather go with.”

Katara tilted her head and let out a shaky breath, nodding. “Okay… Okay. I… Sorry if that was weird just… You’ve been acting so strange recently and I was afraid you were regretting it and we haven’t had the chance to talk and…”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Aang said, grabbing her other hand. The action effectively turned her body towards his and his breath caught for a moment at their closeness. “I… I’m sorry for being weird. I guess I was worried that you were regretting it,” he laughed. “I mean, you could go with anyone… ”

“And I get to go with my best friend,” she said shyly, squeezing his hand. He noticed her eyes drifting lower on his face and his heart rate spiked. He released her hands and brought her in for a hug before he could be tempted for more. 

“Yeah,” he smiled. “Me too.”

He felt her squeeze him tighter, and nuzzled into her warmth. He never wanted her to leave.

Too soon, she pulled back, grabbing for his hands again. “Did Sokka go over his ‘plan’ with you, too?” she asked, amused.

Aang threw his head back and laughed. “Yes! Spirits, I thought we were planning another invasion. I have my copy around here somewhere.” He got up and went to his desk, rifling through several scrolls until he found the one color-coded in Sokka’s handwriting. He brought it back to his bed and spread it out behind them and Katara turned around on her knees so she could examine it better.

“Tui and La, yours is more complicated than mine is,” Katara groaned. Aang was shaking with laughter beside her. 

“Oh, yeah,” he said. “Red is for diplomatic greetings–you can see he’s listed who we should greet in what order and how. Orange is for eating time. Green is for the speech I have to give—he’s been helping me with that, too. Blue is for general mingling, but you can see he crossed that out and insists that we only dance during that time.” Aang flicked his eyes back up to hers again, grinning mischievously. “And only with each other. He was very clear on that.”

“Of course he was,” Katara said, grinning back. “We’ll be officially together, in the public’s eye. It would be very… unbecoming to dance with anyone else.”

Aang laughed but his cheeks betrayed him. They were both leaning over the scroll and she was so close he could feel her soft puffs of breath when she giggled. It made the hairs on his neck stand on end. 

“Then here,” he said, returning his attention to Sokka’s scroll, “in purple it’s marked that we should publicly leave the ball together and… um…” he faltered.

“Kiss in front of the press,” Katara finished for him. “Well, that’ll do it for sure.” He could tell she was nervous by the way she suddenly grabbed her arm and kept rubbing it like she was cold. 

“Katara.” Aang sat back up and grabbed her hands, pulling her with him. “We don’t have to if you’re not comfortable,” he insisted, looking her in the eyes again, and rubbing the backs of her hands with his thumbs. “I would never force you to do anything like that.”

Her mouth turned up at the corners in the most inviting way, and he felt the internal struggle of his body fighting against what his mouth was saying. She squeezed his hands again.

“Aang, I’m the one who suggested it, remember? And… It’s not like we’ve never kissed before… right?”

Her eyes darted down to his lips a second time. Every nerve-ending buzzed and Aang couldn’t think straight. 

“Right…” he responded absently. “Do you think we should… I mean, should we um… practice?” He hoped his voice remained as nonchalant as he tried to make it. All he could hear, though, was his heart thundering in his ears.

“Oh, um… I…” Aang willed himself not to lean in, but he swore she was getting closer, then… 

“Hey guys!” The door flung open, startling them, and Sokka flopped down on the bed beside them. Katara shot Aang a look before running her hands through her hair, quickly rearranging her face before her brother noticed anything.

“Hey, Sokka,” she said, as if nothing had been about to happen. Aang’s mind was still spinning. “We were just going over your plan. Any last minute additions?”

“Oh, great! I hoped you guys were working on this,” he said, picking the scroll up and reading over what he had written. “So, you know you’re going to start with the general mingling just inside. You’ll need to keep your arm around her, Aang. Look all possessive for once.”

“But I’m not…”

“It’s not about what you are or are not, this is about appearances .” Sokka spoke with authority while Aang scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. “This is about making grumpy old bureaucrats think you’re together, which means you need to speak their language. And their language is possession.”

“Sokka, that’s…” Katara started. Aang could see she was getting ready to go on a rant and he was prepared to back her.

“I KNOW, KATARA!” Sokka exclaimed. “I know it’s sexist and barbaric and all sorts of other horrible things. I know women aren’t possessions, and Aang knows that, too. But this isn’t about your reality. It’s about theirs.”

“Well,” Katara huffed, “I still think we could lead by a better example but if you think it’s the best way to convince them…”

Sokka pinched the bridge of his nose before looking at his sister again, and his face softened. “Okay, what about this? What if, instead of having his arm around you ‘possessively,’ Aang has his arm around you like you’re his greatest treasure and he’s the luckiest man alive to be with you?”

Aang and Katara shared a look, and Aang’s insides lit on fire as Sokka described his unspoken truth. Katara was his greatest treasure, and she made him feel like the luckiest man alive just to be her best friend. He remembered being 12 years old and told that the only way through a dark, secret tunnel was to trust in love and felt that same confidence returning. He could do this. Katara nodded, and he cocked a half smile her way, winking. Katara hid a giggle behind her hand. 

Sokka cleared his throat and stood up. “Okay, show me what you got,” he said.

“What?” Katara asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Pretend I am Representative Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe,” he said, putting on an air of pretension. “Oh wait, I am! Anyway, show me how you will approach our fellow representatives and diplomats and generals.”

Aang tentatively stood up and held his hand out for Katara. She took it and with more strength than he meant to, he pulled her up and to him. She laughed and the musical sound calmed his nerves. He wrapped his arm around her the way he’d always wanted to, and led her to Sokka, bowing slightly while keeping his hand light on her side. He could feel Katara shaking, trying to hold in her giggles, and wondered if she thought it was really so laughable that they could be together like this.

“Good evening, Representative Sokka,” Aang said in his most distinguished Avatar voice. He noticed that Katara stopped shaking and felt her gaze on him as he spoke. “I’d like to introduce my girlfriend, Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Representative Sokka,” Katara chimed in, not missing a beat. She wrapped her arm around his back as well, and her touch tingled with electricity. He couldn’t help looking down at her and smiling proudly. 

“How was that?” he asked Sokka.

Sokka was scratching his chin, then he asked them to try again with Katara holding his arm. She kept stroking his bicep distractedly in this position so Sokka made them go back to arms around each other. They tried out several different introductions and counters to possible arguments before Sokka deemed them prepared and the siblings left to their own rooms to sleep.

Katara hesitated a moment before following her brother out the door. Aang noticed her wringing her hands and wondered what she was nervous about, but then she turned back towards him and reached up to peck him on the cheek quickly. 

“It’s going to work out perfectly,” she whispered. “Don’t worry.”

“Yeah, it is…” Aang whispered back, reaching up to touch his cheek as she walked out the door. 

“Goodnight, Aang.” She shut the door before he even had a chance to reply, and he could hear her hurried footsteps as she ran to her own room. His heart rate mirrored her racing steps as he walked back to his bed, falling back onto the pillows, the feel of her lips still soft on his face as he closed his eyes.

Aang woke up the next morning sweating, heart pounding, and gasping for breath, but for the first time in a very long time he knew he hadn’t been having a nightmare. His skin still burned from where dream-Katara had been clinging to him—and from where he had touched her —and he flushed with embarrassment. He groaned and hurried to the bathroom to shower and shave before the rest of the house woke up, grabbing the sheets to wash as well.

He privately berated himself for subconsciously taking so much pleasure in Katara’s body, even if it was a dream. He was preparing to take her on his arm for the evening and share a kiss publicly before they left; he needed to get himself and his reactions under control. He knew deep down that this was natural and nothing to be ashamed of, especially given his age and lack of experience, but he also felt guilty that Katara had been the subject of such a dream. 

The rest of the day passed in a blur and suddenly it was almost time to leave. He had already gotten dressed in the new robes from Katara and, while he didn’t normally admire his appearance in the mirror, what he saw today made him feel confident and attractive and ready to take on the diplomats who had been trying to run his life. More than that, he felt ready to dance with Katara. 

The fabric of his new robes swished lightly around his body as he moved, and he knew their dance would be spectacular. He couldn’t wait to see what she had chosen to wear tonight. 

It was no secret that he was often blown away by her wardrobe changes. He remembered Sokka’s hard flicks to the head when she had dressed for the Earth King’s ball with Toph in this same house all those years ago, in the middle of their journey to defeat Ozai. He remembered when she asked him how she looked in the necklace he’d made her, and again when they’d stolen Fire Nation clothes to blend in before the Invasion. He remembered how each time, his stomach had erupted with fluttermoths and he’d blushed mightily, struggling to form words to respond. 

He told himself that he wouldn’t be that way today. Aang had already gone to the market earlier and procured a small bouquet of flowers the color of her eyes (which had of course resulted in endless questioning by the merchant, and Aang all but throwing the gold coins at the woman as he flew off with his purchase). He’d told himself he was going to be suave and stay cool and collected. He’d even rehearsed what he was going to say to her, so he wouldn’t stumble over his words.

All the preparation in the world, though, would never make him ready for what he saw.

He was sitting on the steps up to the common room, watching her door, twiddling with the leaves on the bouquet he had bought her. He kept a calm exterior, even as his toes tapped out a nervous rhythm on the stone floor. Toph had dressed earlier and gone to meet up with her dad and his business partners. Sokka was tossing his boomerang absent-mindedly, waiting for the other girls to come out of Katara’s room so they could all go together. The click of a doorknob turning sent both boys to their feet.

Katara emerged, wearing the most beautiful combination of their nations’ colors he had ever seen. He immediately recognized the flower in her hair as one of the wildflowers native to the Patola Mountains, and was suddenly hit with a wave of bittersweet nostalgia. Aang could tell she put so much care into her outfit for tonight, and was overcome with a deep, undeniable appreciation and love for this woman who clearly thought so much of him, even if it wasn’t romantic. All of the things he’d planned to say flew out of his mind just as surely as if he’d bent them away, and he was speechless.

His eyes drifted to the subtle ocean waves in her kimono, and he could feel the effects of their years of training together flowing through him. He felt cleansed by her waters, ready for a fresh start. He had often admired the effect of their colors side by side when they would sit together, but seeing them both on Katara… 

Since words failed him (again), he ran towards her. She was twirling a freshly curled strand of hair nervously when he surprised her with a hug that lifted her feet off the ground. He twirled her once around before placing her back on her feet and offering her the bouquet as Suki came out of the room smirking. 

“Told you,” Suki whispered in Katara’s ear, just loud enough that Aang could hear her. Told her what?  

Katara smiled bashfully and swatted at her friend as she approached her own date, admiring the flowers.

“Thank you, Aang,” she said quietly. “These are gorgeous.”

“They’re nothing compared to you,” Aang said, regaining his confidence. He bowed and brought her hand up to his lips, kissing it like he’d seen so many nobles do at other fancy functions. He couldn’t help the wide grin that was plastered across his face. When he straightened again and looked into her eyes, they both broke out laughing—it felt so silly to be so formal together—but it didn’t escape him that her cheeks were much brighter than the light makeup Suki had applied. 

“Okay, lovebirds,” Sokka said, rubbing his hand along Aang’s head to ruffle his nonexistent hair. “Let’s go.”

Katara rolled her eyes at her brother’s comment but followed him towards the door. “Oh, wait!” she said suddenly, lifting her skirt with one hand and hurrying back to the kitchen. There hadn’t been a kitchen in the house originally as all their food had been delivered back then, but Katara had requested one on their first trip to Ba Sing Se after the war and Aang had supported her, insisting to the Earth King’s hospitality committee that it would make their stays more comfortable. Now, she filled a vase with water and set the flowers in it, moving the vase to a few different locations until she found one she liked, in the center of the dining table.

Aang watched her with wonder. Her movements in this dress accentuated her natural fluidity and grace. He was mesmerized by the way she whirled around the kitchen… until he felt a hard flick to the side of his head. 

“Smoochie, smoochie,” Sokka teased quietly. Suki chastised her boyfriend with a stern look, but when Sokka shrugged, Aang noticed her face turn more conspiratorial; almost smug. 

“Okay,” Katara said, breathless, as she returned to his side. “Now I’m ready.”

Aang offered his arm and she took it with a grin. He felt her squeeze his bicep and shot a questioning glance at her, but was surprised to find her attention entirely on his arm as they walked the few blocks to the Earth King’s Palace. With her attention entirely on his arm like that, it seemed like maybe she was nervous. He placed a hand over hers in what he hoped was a reassuring manner and smiled down at her. 

“Are you still sure you want to do this?” he asked quietly. “It’s okay if you don’t. I’ll be okay.” Would he, though?

Katara pulled her eyes away from his arm and blinked at him a few times, then smiled back. “I’m sure,” she said confidently. She slid her hand down his arm until she reached his hand, then gave it a squeeze. Soon she started swinging his hand until his whole arm was moving like a pendulum, this way and that, and they both laughed at the silliness. 

She leaned against him to catch her breath as they walked, still shaking with laughter. 

“You really do look beautiful tonight,” Aang said into her hair. “I mean… you always look beautiful, but…” 

Katara saved him from his stammering. “Thanks,” she said. “You look great, too—I’m so glad the new robes fit you so well! I tried to measure you discreetly so you wouldn’t know…” She blushed, and it felt like that same bloom covered Aang’s whole heart. 

“Wait, how…”

“Hey, uh… who are we supposed to greet first again?”

Aang looked at her suspiciously, but decided not to press the subject for now. The Earth King’s palace was quickly coming into view and they needed to be prepared. He cleared his throat.

“Right, um… first is the Council of Five—the Earth King’s top generals. General How will probably be first. Once we make it through them…”

“It’s onto the Earth King himself, right?” Katara asked hesitantly. “At least we know him well enough, but I can’t help but be a little upset with him about this.”

“It’ll be alright, Katara,” Aang said, running his thumb along hers as they approached the palace doors. She smiled back at him and it took all of his strength not to lean in and kiss her right there. 

Since Aang was the guest of honor, their group had arrived early enough to bypass the line they knew would be forming shortly. They walked in the giant green doors and milling about in the entryway were the Council of Five. Beyond them was the throne room on one side of a large, gilded staircase, and the ballroom on the other.

Katara and Aang made it through the generals and their wives with very little trouble using only the scripts they’d practiced with Sokka. Aang couldn’t help feeling like it was all too good to be true, as they smiled and schmoozed their way around the room. Katara was flawless, and he knew he was probably staring besottedly every time she opened her mouth to speak. Finally, they came to the last member of the Council.

“You’ve been friends for a long time, now,” General Sung said suddenly, sizing them up after their practiced introduction. “How convenient that you’re suddenly romantically involved, when the Earth King wants to ensure the continuation of the Airbenders.”

Aang shifted in his stance, feeling extremely exposed. He suddenly felt dirty for even pretending to use Katara in this way. 

“Oh, come now, dear,” Ning, the general’s wife, said admonishingly. She glanced apologetically at them. Her hair was done up in the intricate way of Earth Kingdom nobles and her dress was exquisite, but her eyes were kind behind all of that makeup. “You know how common it is for good friends to fall in love. And when you’re friends with the Avatar… well let’s just say I’m not surprised they’re together now.”

General Sung didn’t look convinced, and Aang tightened his hold on Katara’s waist. “So, do you intend on marrying the Avatar, then, and bearing his children?”

It was a bold question, but one they fully expected, given the circumstances. Katara looked up at Aang and blushed, but before she could speak Ning nudged her husband hard in the ribs.

“Sung! You should be ashamed of yourself,” she exclaimed. “They are young and in love, what they do is their business.”

“The continuation of airbending is everyone’s business, Ning,” General Sung said sternly. “If the Avatar doesn’t have airbending children, there will be no one to teach the next Avatar. This is a matter of world balance, and you should be worried about it, too.”

“It would be against the ways of my people to go about it in the way you have proposed, as I’ve said,” Aang spoke up, “but Katara and I are very happy together right now. We will consider children, but we aren’t rushing things.”

“I’ve been friends with Aang for a long time,” Katara spoke up, “and I know the pressures he has on him.” She looked up at Aang and he felt some of his discomfort melt away when she smiled. “I wouldn’t have even considered this relationship unless I was fully prepared to take them on as well. But we would like to enjoy the stage we’re in right now.”

Aang couldn’t help himself, he pressed a kiss into her gorgeously-styled hair. It smelled like water lilies, and he thought nothing had ever smelled so sweet and comforting all at once. She didn’t smell like the Southern Air Temple, but somehow, when he breathed in her scent, he felt home .

They bowed once more to Ning and General Sung, indicating that the conversation was over, before approaching the double doors to the throne room. King Kuei sat elegantly, draped in greens and golds, with his tiny spectacles sitting low on his nose as usual. 

“Ah, Avatar Aang! And Master Katara! So good to see you.”

Aang cleared his throat. “The honor is all ours, Earth King Kuei,” he said in his most formal Avatar voice. “I’d like to inform you that Master Katara is my… um… girlfriend, now.” Spirits, why was he blushing right now? “So there’s no need to go searching for other… um… suitors? We’re very happy together.” He smiled awkwardly down at Katara and then glanced nervously back up at Kuei for his response. 

“Is that so?” King Kuei asked, clapping his hands excitedly. “Oh, that’s wonderful. I was rooting for you two, you know. The Council of Five wanted to push the harem thing but I knew you wouldn’t want that.”

“You… you did?” Aang felt like the floor was falling out from underneath him. The Council wanted what ?! He felt Katara’s hold on him tighten as he faltered.

“I did,” Kuei went on. “I know the Council  wants to ensure an airbender in case anything… er… happens to you, but you’re still so young. It didn’t seem fair to push that on you, and it didn’t seem like something you would be okay with. So I found a middle ground. It’s been… difficult… to regain some of my power from those who wish I were still a puppet, but I’m working on it.”

Katara and Aang both breathed a sigh of relief. So Kuei was actually on Aang’s side with this! They would still need to keep up the pretense for the sake of the Council and so Aang didn’t get set up with other suitors, but this was welcome news.

“Thank you so much, King Kuei, for standing up for Aang,” Katara said solemnly, bowing in gratitude. Aang followed her lead.

“Oh it’s the least I can do after all the times you two have saved my tail. And Bosco’s!” Kuei laughed while his bear groaned by his side. “Happy birthday, Avatar. Enjoy your ball!”

“Thanks, your Earthiness; we will,” Aang assured him, feeling a thousand pounds lighter. He and Katara bowed one last time before exiting the throne room and walking to the ballroom, ready to take on the rest of the nobles together.

Chapter Text

By the time they entered the ballroom, many of the invited nobles and dignitaries were already arriving. The air was quickly filling with excitement and chatter and the sound of clacking shoes on marble floors. Katara wove her arm through Aang’s at some point as they made their way through, and she kept admiring the muscle there, stroking his bicep with her hand again. It was no mistake that the robes she’d commissioned resembled his postwar, one-shoulder style more than his official yellow monk’s robes. She purposely positioned herself on the arm that wasn’t draped in yellow and orange and almost melted into a puddle when she realized that the heat she kept feeling was radiating off of his bare chest.

They greeted many various officials and leaders as they wove their way through the growing crowd and towards their seats at the front of the room, Katara’s heart fluttering every time he called her his “girlfriend.” There was a long table set for the Avatar, his closest friends, and King Kuei (and Bosco, of course). Many of the people they greeted on their way did not seem surprised to see the two of them together, although they often looked disappointed. Several people even looked disgusted.

“Oh,” one Earth Kingdom noblewoman said when Aang introduced Katara as his girlfriend. “That’s…an interesting choice.” She looked Katara up and down with her nose pointed in the air and her face scrunched as if she had tasted something very bitter. “You had so many far prettier girls willing to convert to Air Acolytes, you know. Maybe you try one of them, next.”

She gestured at her own daughter—who looked absolutely mortified—before taking her leave. Katara was too shocked to even respond, but the daughter leaned over as she walked past them, the decorative tassels in her hair falling in her face as she whispered, “I am so sorry. If it’s any consolation, I’m very happy for the two of you—congratulations!”

Katara stared after the girl as she scurried away with her parents. She realized her mouth was still hanging open and quickly closed it. Despite the girl’s encouragement, and despite fully expecting this sort of criticism, she could feel her confidence waning. Aang really did deserve someone better, she thought. Someone who would be able to adopt his whole culture and be everything he needed. After all, he had lost everything. She was being selfish to think she could keep him to herself.

She realized she was still standing and staring off, unseeing, after the girl when Aang nudged her in the side.

“Hey,” he said, gently. His voice was so full of care that she almost wished she could bathe in it. Wrap it around her like a blanket. “Are you okay?”

Katara could only nod mutely. Aang looked at her in concern, but before he could say anything else she was saved by the dinner announcement.

Guests quickly took their seats, with King Kuei, Aang, Katara, Sokka, Suki, and Toph all sitting at a specially set table at the front of the room. There was a pleasant clatter of cutlery on porcelain as many dishes and drinks were brought out and refilled and taken away. As the din began to die down, Katara noticed Aang had stopped eating altogether and squeezed his hand under the table, offering a small smile of encouragement.

“You’re going to do great,” she whispered, leaning over so he could hear her over the echoing noise of the large room. She knew he was nervous about his speech, but she had seen him give countless speeches at this point; he could do this. 

He smiled appreciatively at her and stood, kissing her on the hair as he left. She caught his eye when he turned to approach the podium and they both blushed. Katara couldn’t believe how natural it felt to offer—and receive—these small but formerly-off-limits tokens of affection, while still feeling so new and exciting at the same time. She felt nearly giddy and had to wiggle her legs under the table to release some energy so she wouldn’t squeal.

As she had expected, Aang’s speech was flawless. What she hadn’t expected was for him to mention her in it, though, or to feel so affected by his words. After thanking everyone for their well-wishes and birthday greetings and doing the obligatory political nods and diplomacy, he had looked directly at her and her heart warmed in her chest at his sincerity. 

“I would not be the Avatar—or the man—I am today without the love and support of my talented and beautiful girlfriend, Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. I thank the Spirits every day for our friendship and for her constant understanding. She pulls me through when the demands of the world feel like too much for one person, and has saved my life more times than I can count. I wouldn’t have even made it to this birthday if it weren’t for her skill and mastery of her element, so please join me in giving her a great round of applause as well.”

The way he looked at her then sent her heart galloping. His eyes, as they always did, held so much meaning; so much intensity. Katara felt as though she would melt under his gaze. She couldn’t even hear the thunderous applause around her—it was just her and Aang right now.

When he came down from the podium, and while the Earth King invited everyone to join in dancing and other festivities, she couldn’t stop staring at him in awe. Aang was her best friend, and she always saw him for who he was, but still; he was the Avatar. And he was thanking her? In front of everyone? The fluttermoths that had erupted when he’d first called her his girlfriend were still hanging around. Her entire body tingled with excitement that she knew she would have to stamp down eventually, but for now, she was going to revel in it. 

“Just for the record, we’ve all saved your ass more than once, Twinkletoes,” she heard Toph say when the guests started moving towards the dance floor.

“Yeah, but have you ever brought him back to life once he was already dead, Toph?” Sokka asked. “I didn’t think so. Come on, let’s go join the party!”

Katara’s heart fell slightly; she didn’t like remembering that night above this very city when she’d held his lifeless body in her arms. How her pulse had pounded in her ears then, too, but for a very different reason. How terrified she had been that she might lose him forever.

Aang must have sensed her spiral, because suddenly one of his hands was on the small of her back and the other was threading through her fingers on the table. 

“I don’t like thinking about it, either,” he whispered, just loud enough for her to hear over the cacophony around them. His face was so close. Katara wanted to fall into him and forget all about the horror of that night.

“You did bring me back, though, Katara,” he reminded her. “I’m here because of you.” Aang started rubbing soothing circles on her back and pressed their foreheads together. “I’m here,” he said again, and her heartrate slowly eased back to normal as she breathed with him.

Several moments passed, and then Aang stood. Katara was just about to feel upset when he held his hand out, smirking just slightly, and she noticed the music had changed. There was a stronger drum beat and the other instruments played with a bit more energy. In that moment, with the way he was standing and smiling, she was transported back to a cave in the middle of the war not long after he’d woken up. She grinned back at him.

“Take my hand,” he said. He wasn’t forceful with his words, but his confidence was overwhelming. She tried to play it off like she had back then, when she’d been truly nervous to dance with him, but these shoes were right for dancing; she’d bought them with that exact purpose in mind. And she did know how to dance with him, now.

“Okay,” she finally said, face full of excitement. She placed her hand in his and the whole rest of the world dissolved into nothingness again. 

They bowed to each other at the center of the ballroom, and somewhere in the back of her mind she registered that all the other guests were moving to the outside of the dancefloor, clearing the way for them. She didn’t have time to think about it, though, because the music intensified again and Aang was all she could focus on.

They moved together in perfect sync, blending waterbending forms with other moves they had made up over the years. Aang flipped and she spun. Katara flipped and Aang bent a stream of air to raise her even higher before catching her flawlessly. He spun them both around before setting her back down and going right into the next move. The crowd oohed and aahed but she couldn’t hear them. 

They spun away from each other and when they spun back, faces close and breathing hard, she saw that intensity again in his eyes. Her feet almost faltered but he put his arm around her back and brought her even closer to him, leading her through the rest of the dance. She realized they always did that for each other in life, not just in dancing; when one of them felt overwhelmed, the other was there to take over for a bit until they could get back on their feet. She smiled besottedly at him, reaching a hand up to quickly caress his face, and it was Aang’s turn to falter.

Katara spun away from him one last time, feeling the swell of the music as the orchestra reached the end of this song. She saw Aang shake himself back into focus before executing an airbending flip even more impressive than he’d been able to do in the cave while hiding his abilities. She took a running start and then somersaulted into the air towards him, knowing he would catch her.

They finished just as they had during the war; Aang holding Katara in a dip and staring at each other, panting and sweating and giddy. As Aang helped her back upright, though, the music turned slow and sensual. She saw him gulp before bowing to her and offering his hand again, which she accepted happily. They’d danced a thousand dances before, but never like this.

Aang had never pulled her close and placed his strong hands on her hips before. He’d never looked down at her, still gasping for breath as they moved to the much slower music, faces so close, with a look like hunger in his eyes. Katara tried to remind herself that it was for show; that this was all an act, but it was futile. She was falling even harder.

She got lost in his silver eyes, dancing like starlight in the candlelit room. Language was all but forgotten, and they communicated solely through their bodies. She wrapped her arms around his neck and anchored herself to him as he moved gracefully over the dance floor, and their eyes remained on each other as if some outside force had tied them together.

When his hands flexed involuntarily, putting just the slightest bit more pressure on her hips, she felt heat rush through her in a way she’d never experienced before and she realized with a start that she wanted him. Her eyes widened in shock and she tried to subtly press just the slightest bit closer to his body to quell the ache that had settled in her core. She looked at him with new eyes and with new appreciation for his body all while scolding herself for thinking of her best friend this way. Her feelings confused, concerned, and mystified her.

The next song picked up the pace only slightly, and Aang wrapped one arm around her back and held her hand with the other and paraded them around the room, spinning more than once with an airbending boost that sent her into giggles. The intensity of the previous dance faded away and they resumed their easy, flirtatious demeanor. Maybe she’d been imagining it, anyway…

At the conclusion of that song, they took a well-deserved break for drinks. Katara stumbled happily alongside him as they grabbed some punch and wandered out onto the balcony, her legs shaking from both nerves and anticipation.

She leaned against the railing for stability, taking in a full breath of the fresh fall night air. She had certainly never grown up with an autumn like this, with its colors and crispness and Aang , but it was quickly becoming her favorite time of year. She loved celebrating Aang’s birthday, and hearing about the autumnal equinox festivals of his people, and soaring above vibrant golds and oranges and reds on Appa’s back with him, sometimes with a thick blanket wrapped around her for warmth. 

They stood in comfortable silence for a while, sipping on brightly colored punch from crystal glasses and calming down from all the activity of the evening. Katara knew they would have to go back in soon, but she wanted to take this moment with him. They weren’t alone, as several other couples had escaped to the balcony as well, but it was certainly more secluded than the crowded ballroom.

“Well, things seem to be going pretty well,” she said, finally.

“Yeah,” Aang said. His voice was full of surprise as he ran his hand awkwardly down the back of his head, as if he maybe hadn’t expected the evening to be quite so successful. Katara peered up at him suspiciously.

“Hey, um, thanks for everything you said about me in your speech. You really didn’t have to do that…”

“Of course I did! I meant every word of it, too,” Aang insisted. He set his empty glass down on the railing and reached for her hand, squeezing it to show just how sincere he was. “Spirits, you’re freezing! Come here.”

Katara’s eyes glinted up at him as he wrapped his arm around her again, using his bending to control the temperature of the air around them and warming her up substantially in more ways than one. Her whole body felt like it could just melt into his, and she pressed her back a little closer to his chest, leaning her head into his neck. It felt so natural to stand this way, curled into each other; like all the things that were still wrong with the world had just dissipated into nothingness and everything was just right . Aang started running his free hand up and down her arm and when she shivered it wasn’t from the cold.

“Speaking of thank yous,” Aang murmured, quietly enough that no one else around them could hear, “I wanted to thank you for agreeing to do this for me. With me.” The low rumble of his voice against her ear had her hiding a gasp in a deep inhale. “It really means so much that you would sacrifice your own chances of getting a date to something like this just so I don’t have to.”

“There’s no one I’d rather be here with, tonight,” Katara breathed back, and she meant it with every fiber of her being. She snuggled in closer to his warmth, hoping to show him, and felt his light chuckle into her hair before he pressed a kiss into it, being careful not to knock the yellow flower comb out. 

“This comb is new,” he said, as if trying to distract her from the fact he had just kissed her.hair for the third time that night. “I like it. It reminds me of…”

“The flowers that grow at the Southern Air Temple?” she interrupted him. She angled her head up to smirk at him and he blushed back at her. “That was on purpose. If I’m going to be ‘The Avatar’s Girl’ I have to look the part, right?” She wouldn’t admit it out loud just yet, but despite her fierce belief that she would never belong to anyone, being ‘The Avatar’s Girl’ wouldn’t be so bad, because Aang always respected her as her own person anyway. 

Aang playfully bumped her and she laughed, sighing, “We should probably go back in, huh?”

“Yeah,” he agreed. “It’s so peaceful out here, though.”

Katara hummed in agreement. They stayed a few moments longer despite knowing they needed to return to the festivities. When she finally took a long, defeated breath and turned towards the doors, Aang laughed at her petulance. 

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s dance.”

And they did, over and over and over again, to all styles and tempos of music, in every way possible. Katara tried to hide her eagerness when the slow, romantic songs would play, when Aang would slide his hands down her waist to grab at her hips again. It excited her beyond measure to be this close to him. She already hoped there would be more balls to attend as his fake date in the future.

Finally, the moment for them to depart had come. Though the fluttermoths had never really left Katara the entire evening, they were raging now. She knew they were going to exit the palace to the throngs of press waiting just outside and kiss for show, and now she was trying to discreetly bend the persistent beads of sweat off her hands as they bid their goodbyes. 

Sokka winked as they passed by, giving them a very obvious ‘thumbs up.’ Katara rolled her eyes, but she was thankful for his antics which brought a bit of normalcy to this very abnormal evening.

They walked out the palace doors, and the press immediately folded in on them from all sides.

“Avatar Aang, how was your birthday celebration?”

“Avatar Aang, who was the lucky lady?”

“Happy birthday Avatar Aang! When will you begin bringing back the airbenders?”

“Avatar Aang, do you plan on settling down soon?”

There were so many familiar questions; Katara knew Aang had heard many of them before, but this was her first experience being by his side during an event like this and it was overwhelming. She didn’t know how he did it. She took a deep, slow breath to calm down, and Aang must have felt her, because he gave her a comforting squeeze as he led them towards the press. She marveled at how he was able to remain so calm.

“Good evening, friends,” he said, putting on his loud and formal ‘Avatar voice.’ Katara secretly loved when he did that, and tilted her head up to watch him with sparkling eyes and a sly smile.

“I’m here today with my best friend, and now girlfriend, Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. The ball was very nice, and we danced so much our legs might fall off if we don’t head home. I won’t take any further questions at this time, but know that Katara and I are very happy together.”

Aang looked down at her on those last words; they were their previously-agreed-upon cue to kiss. Suddenly Katara felt frozen; what if he was disgusted by her? She hadn’t brought extra mint leaves in her purse; did her breath stink? But oh , those lips were slowly coming towards her, and they were so, so enticing… 

Katara finally smiled and leaned up towards him, the familiar motion of going in for a kiss on the cheek but aiming just slightly off from her normal target. She could feel his hot breath on her and it sent new shivers down her spine as her eyes slid closed. After what seemed like an eternity, she felt his mouth on hers, and the tiniest squeak of delight and surprise escaped her throat as her entire body tingled into new life. Fireworks exploded behind her eyelids and she smiled into his kiss. His lips were so soft and warm and inviting and she wanted to get lost in them, but this was just supposed to be short and sweet for the press, not something sensual or longing. She reluctantly pulled away just enough to look at him, wondering what he was thinking.

Aang’s eyes fluttered open slowly. The silver there was much darker than she was used to seeing; overflowing with that intensity she’d seen earlier. Her breath caught in her throat, but then he blinked again and his face softened, and he pecked a small kiss on the tip of her nose, making her laugh.

All at once, they both remembered they had an audience. Katara felt heat rush furiously to her cheeks as they turned back to the press, who were all scribbling away on their scrolls. What they were writing was the last thing on her mind right now, though. All she wanted was a glimpse into Aang’s thoughts—she knew (if this was anything like their kiss in the cave) that this wasn’t going to be a subject of conversation but she desperately wanted to know how he’d felt about their kiss. If he’d liked it. If he wanted more the way she did.

“Thank you, everyone! Have a great evening,” Aang said loudly, announcing their departure. He waved animatedly while pulling Katara closer and they wove through the many people clamoring for a story. Aang winked as they finally stepped into freedom and took a respectful step away from her, but she pulled his arm back around herself again.

“I’m cold,” she murmured as an excuse. “You’re so warm. Plus, they can still see us anyway.” She pressed her head into his shoulder and hoped he couldn’t feel her lie the way Toph would have if she were here. Despite the chilly night air, she felt anything but cold. Her whole body seemed to be on fire, and still she craved more of him.

Aang hummed in agreement as they walked a little further down the path from the palace. Before they turned the corner to head out of sight of the reporters, though, Aang stopped them again. He turned to her, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She leaned her cheek against his hand without realizing it, closing her eyes to the comfort of his touch.

She was just about to open her eyes again when Aang captured her lips with his own once more. It was so unexpected and yet she immediately melted into him. Her hands, which had remained at her side earlier, found their way up to his face and pulled him closer as he wrapped his arms around her back. They lost themselves in each other for a moment in this very unplanned kiss, and Katara felt her heart soaring into her throat as a tiny, happy sound escaped her.

Maybe the sound startled Aang, or maybe he just needed to breathe—she probably did, too—but he pulled back and stared at her. They were both panting and Katara wondered again what was going through his mind. She was about to ask when he spoke.

“I could sense them still looking at us,” he explained in a whisper. He turned them out of the palace walkway and they continued down the streets of the Inner Ring and out towards their home. “I’m sorry if that was too much, I just wanted…”

“No, it wasn’t too much at all,” she interrupted, trying desperately to quell… whatever it was that was making her body tingle and her heart race and her mind spin. She felt her heart dropping down to the soles of her feet at the realization that this was all for the press. You need to get your feelings back under control, she scolded herself. This was pretend and you know it. “I didn’t realize they were still watching us—good catch.”

“Earthbending,” he said simply and shrugged.

“I know,” she said, feeling incredibly awkward. How was she going to go back to being just his friend when they were alone, now? To go back to not expecting him to kiss her hair or wrap his arm around her or press his body so deliciously against hers… 

They finished their walk back to the house in silence. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was different. She wasn’t sure where they stood or what he was thinking, and she was afraid to ask. He walked her to her door, and things started to feel almost normal again when he leaned down for a hug. “Thanks again, Katara. For everything,” he murmured in her ear. She shivered.

“Anytime, Aang. Goodnight,” she said as she walked into her room and closed the door. She exhaled heavily and pressed her forehead against the ornate wood, not knowing that Aang was doing the exact same thing on the other side.

Chapter Text

Katara hardly slept that night. She kept tossing and turning in her sheets, watching the moonlight teasingly drift in through her open window. The autumn night was cool, and the breeze felt at alternating times refreshing or uncomfortably chilling as she tried to settle herself. She hugged her blankets around her for warmth, wishing she could snuggle with her best friend instead. 

All she could think of was how Aang had held her when they danced, and how he had kissed her again after their planned kiss when they left. How cherished she felt in his arms. How deeply she’d realized she wanted him when he gripped her hips in their slow dance and pulled her close. It had shocked her to her very core. Her head swirled in the most pleasant way, all while her stomach twisted in discouraged knots knowing that he had only done those things for appearances. For the press, and for all the people watching. 

She remembered the reporters furiously scribbling notes on their scrolls and wondered what their next headlines would be. Teo’s dad had recently invented a sort of printing press that could transcribe the same message over and over again, and some people recently began publishing small pamphlets for the public this way, instead of transcribing them by hand with ink and brush. They usually contained important news such as political changes, business updates, or new laws, but Katara was disappointed to find that more often than not, the majority of the print space was reserved for straight gossip. City of walls and secrets, indeed, she often thought. The gaang had been the subject of this gossip several times already, with journalists seemingly racing each other to catch the young war heroes in their first scandal.

Normally when she couldn’t sleep she wrapped herself in a blanket and knocked on Aang’s door to talk about whatever was bothering her. She imagined how that would go—lying with her head in his lap and telling him about her feelings the same way she often told him about drama between workers at the clinic or a new food she’d tried at the market. She imagined how heavy the air would feel when Aang realized she was talking about him, and how he would try to gently reject her. Her heart dropped at the thought of never having that simple comfort with him again because she risked their friendship over this. No, she resolved. She wouldn’t do that.

It was nearly dawn by the time she finally settled her heart and mind enough to sleep. It seemed like her eyes had just finally fluttered shut when her bedroom door flung open.

“You did it! This is so great, Katara, you need to read this,” Sokka exclaimed as he thrust a bundle of folded parchment her way, flopping on the bed beside her.

“Ugh, why are you just barging in, Sokka?” she grumbled. “I could have been changing. What time is it?” She rolled over and rubbed her eyes with the back of her fists.

“Six o’candle,” he said impatiently, as if everyone was awake by this time. “Come on, Aang already saw it before he went out for his morning meditations.”

“Can’t you read it to me? I don’t think my eyes can focus this early in the morning.” Katara made half an attempt to sit up before falling back against her pillows, cursing the sun.

“Fine. Here goes: Avatar Aang’s Arm Candy…”

“Ugh, ‘arm candy?!’” she whined in protest.

“Hey, don’t shoot the messenger. I didn’t write it.”

Katara opened her eyes just enough to shoot him a glare before gesturing for him to continue. Sokka flourished the parchment in front of him, smirking and reading through his nose to make himself sound like a prissy noble.

“Okay. ‘Avatar Aang’s Arm Candy.’ That’s the title of this one from Ba Sing Se Today. ‘Avatar Aang appeared at the Earth King’s palace for his Birthday Ball with none other than his long-time friend and waterbending master, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe on his arm. She looked resplendent in a gown of both their nation’s colors, which was on full display during the couple’s many dances that evening…

“The Avatar and Master Katara dancing together is nothing new, as anyone who has followed our war heroes’ journey would know, but what was new was that he referred to her throughout the night as his ‘girlfriend,’ and that she never left his side, even during the many political meet and greets he made. The couple even shared several romantic kisses as they left…’” 

Sokka dropped his arms to look at Katara over the paper, eyebrow raised. “Several, Katara? I thought you were only going to kiss once for the press!” he teased. Katara kicked at him from under the covers and pulled the blanket further over her face.

“That was all Aang’s idea, not mine,” she said in a huff, voice muffled by the blankets. “He said they were still watching us as we walked down the path and didn’t want to give them the wrong impression.”

“Uh huh. I’m sure that’s all it was,” he responded sarcastically. “Anyway, they go on: ‘The pair certainly make an interesting couple, and many fans are already jealous of Master Katara’s ability to snag the most powerful man on the planet. It was thought that the Avatar would choose a partner from the Air Acolytes, now that he is of marrying age, so this comes as a surprise. One acolyte, who requested not to be named, even said that this choice endangers the future of airbending…’”

Sokka kept reading but Katara curled in on herself under the blanket, feeling that pit in her stomach return. Was that true? Well, of course it wasn’t true because they weren’t really together, but… she wanted to be. Was it selfish to want him? To want a relationship and a family with her best friend, who also happened to be the last airbender? She clutched at her chest, as if she could physically pull the guilt that lay heavily there away, but she couldn’t. It sank like a stone, and she started spiraling.

“‘...Whether or not the relationship lasts remains to be seen, but the pair are certainly the talk of everyone here at Ba Sing Se Today!’ That’s it from this one; what do you think?”

Katara slowly poked her head out of the covers, sighing loudly.

“Oh, hey,” Sokka said suddenly, voice full of concern. “What’s wrong?” Katara realized her worry must have been written all over her face, and quickly rubbed at her eyes again, trying to correct her expression.

“Nothing, I’m just tired,” she lied. “I think that sounds exactly like what we thought they’d say, so… that’s good, right?”

“It’s great! The other papers mostly say the same things, some a little more judgmentally than others. This’ll be international news before you know it. I bet Zuko’s going to flip!” Sokka rubbed his hands together with glee, clearly moving onto the next phase of his plan in his mind, and Katara rolled her eyes.

“Do you think we should tell him? We could send Hawky…”

“No,” Sokka said quickly. “It’s too risky if he gets intercepted. There are still too many rebels out there who want Aang and Zuko gone, and Ozai restored to power.”

Katara sighed again. “You’re right. Well, that will be an awkward conversation next time we visit.”

“We’ll get there when we get there,” Sokka shrugged. “Anyway, you should come out for breakfast. Suki was making sweet buns. Plus I bet your boyfriend will want to talk to you about all this.” 

Katara bristled; she knew Sokka was teasing her, and she narrowed her eyes at him as he stood up and moved towards the door. He paused to stretch so she chucked her pillow at his side. Sokka just laughed and tossed her pillow back on the bed. “See ya later, little sister,” he called as he shut the door behind him.

She quickly dressed and went to the bathroom to freshen up before joining the others at breakfast. Toph looked like she had just rolled out of bed—her hair was sticking up in every direction and she was still wearing her pajamas as she took a giant bite of sweet bun. 

The treat always reminded Katara of their first visit to Kyoshi Island. That morning, with all of the delicious foods laid out on the table, she had felt so overwhelmed by the choices. She remembered Aang taking a bite of namagashi and telling her she had to try it, too, passing her the half-eaten sweet. The simple intimacy of sharing food had come so naturally between them. She also remembered being overcome with jealousy not long after when the first of the fangirls seized his attention, and being shocked at the intensity of the feeling. 

“So…how was it?” Suki asked quietly, sidling up to Katara as she filled her plate. Katara smelled jasmine soap and was surprised that her friend had already found time to bathe and make breakfast at this hour—had anyone slept that night? The energy in the room (save for Toph’s) was palpable.

Katara glanced across the kitchen at the others. Aang was sitting with Sokka and Toph at the table, idly picking at some fruit while Sokka went on excitedly about something. He picked his head up for a moment and their eyes met, causing a red blush to spread across his cheeks and down his neck, disappearing beneath his robes. Katara felt her own face heat up before quickly turning back to Suki, trying to contain her smile.

“Ohhhh, it was that good, huh?” Suki teased. Katara felt a sudden urge to elbow her friend in the ribs, but settled for an icy stare instead. Suki laughed. “Okay, you can tell me all about it later. I’m going into the lower ring this morning to teach some self-defense classes. Are you working at the clinic today?”

“Not until the afternoon,” she said, moving to join their friends at the table now that she had filled her plate. 

“Well, we’ll talk tonight, then,” Suki whispered before taking a seat next to Sokka. 

Aang looked up at Katara again when she sat down next to him; had she even said ‘good morning’ to him, yet? They both blushed on eye contact and looked away. What had she gotten herself into?

Aang tried to return his attention to his breakfast. He hadn’t been able to sleep the night before, either, and had gone out to meditate an hour earlier than usual in search of at least some mental rest. But then Sokka had found him with the newspapers and he hadn’t been able to meditate properly.

He was worried he had overstepped with that final kiss, but he hadn’t been able to resist, and the press were still watching them. And what about all of the touches they’d shared during the dance? Katara hadn’t seemed to mind—in fact, he could have sworn she leaned further into him every time—but that easily could have been for show. Or she didn’t want to cause a public scene. She would have told him on the walk home though if she’d been uncomfortable, wouldn’t she?

He also couldn’t deny that, while he had loved her for as long as he could remember, he felt like he was falling even harder, now. He hadn’t had to “pretend” to hold Katara as if she was his greatest treasure, because she absolutely was. And when they danced to the slow, romantic songs last night his heart had raced with new energy and his body threatened to react in dangerous ways. They’d touched and been close a thousand times before, but never like that, and it led his mind to places he knew he shouldn’t follow. 

He craved her touch more than ever, after all that. He didn’t know how he was going to survive without just casually kissing her head the way he had last night, or keeping his arm wrapped around her as much as possible, or tilting her chin up for a slow, sensual kiss when they were standing close. Suddenly, a loud crash pulled him out of his thoughts.

Sokka was the first to stand, clutching his boomerang. Everyone else quickly followed, rushing off to find the source of the crash. Momo swooped in and stole a few remaining pieces of food as the friends abandoned the table. 

They found broken glass covering the floor of the living room, and a giant, jagged hole in the window. Aang felt nauseous as he surveyed the damage, trying to figure out why this had happened.

Suki bent to pick up a large rock from the shards of broken glass, finding a rolled up parchment tied to it. When she unfurled the paper, it was a copy of Ba Sing Se Today. 

“Why would someone throw this through our window?” Aang asked, tilting his head in confusion.

“Is anyone going to tell me what’s going on?” 

“Hang on, Toph,” Katara soothed. Toph’s arms were crossed and she was tapping her foot impatiently, blowing her bangs out of her face while the Sokka flipped through the few pages of the paper. When he got to the article about the Birthday Ball, Katara gasped.

In bright red ink, someone had crossed out Katara’s name and written the single word, “WHORE.” Below the article was a message. “You’ll never be good enough for the Avatar. Go back to the South Pole where you belong.”

Aang suddenly felt like ice was running through his veins. 

Then, white hot fury. He hadn’t reacted so strongly to emotion since the sandbenders had stolen Appa, and now it took all of his strength to keep his tattoos from flickering. He was so engrossed in trying to preserve his tenuous control over the Avatar State, he didn’t even notice that his friends were all still standing silently in shock.

“Seriously! Someone tell me what’s happening! Why did you all lose your voices all of a sudden?”

Four sets of eyes shifted to Toph, while four mouths gaped, trying to figure out what to say.

Aang looked at Katara. Her face looked uncharacteristically pale. Her blue eyes were wide which was in stark contrast with her lips, now pressed in a firm line. She looked… afraid. And that made Aang feel terrified for her in a way he hadn’t felt since the war. 

“Um…” Sokka started. He cleared his throat to start again. “Someone just threatened Katara, I think.” 

“They what?! Who? I’ll crush their ass…”

“We don’t know, Toph,” Suki said calmly. “They threw a rock through the window with this paper—a copy of Ba Sing Se Today with the article about Aang and Katara in it. They crossed out Katara’s name and wrote ‘whore,’ then underneath told her to ‘go back to the South Pole.’ I… I’m so sorry Katara.” She turned to Katara and placed a hand on her shoulder. Katara turned to face Suki, but her expression was blank.

“No,” Aang said firmly. “I’m sorry. If I hadn’t asked you to go with me last night, none of this would have happened. I put you in danger. We’re not going to do this anymore.”

Katara turned to Aang, now, with a startled look. Aang wasn’t going to move on this, though. He wouldn’t let any harm come to Katara because of him. Even if it meant stopping their indulgent pretense before it really got going.

“Let’s all have some tea and calm down,” Sokka said, walking back to the kitchen and pouring everyone another cup from the still-warm teapot. The friends followed and slumped back into their seats, defeated, while Momo scurried away with whatever scraps he could carry.

“Wow,” Toph said. “I knew the fangirls would be pissed but I didn’t think they’d be so… racist about it.”

“Seriously,” said Sokka darkly. “Or so threatening.”

“How many more days are you supposed to work at the clinic, Katara?” Suki asked. “I think maybe we should cut our visit short.”

“Yeah… um… I’m really just helping so I can leave whenever.” Katara was twiddling with her hair in that way she always did when she was nervous, and Aang’s heart sank even lower. 

How could I have done this to her?  

“I think leaving early is a good idea," Suki said. "Where are we going next?”

“Aang and I are supposed to stay a few more days for some meetings, but I don’t think any of them are more important than your safety, Katara,” Sokka explained. “I say we leave tonight and head to Zuko’s. At least there we’ll have a little more… trusted protection.” He looked at Suki who nodded. Many of the Kyoshi warriors were still helping with palace safety, though they’d trained enough of the newer guards that they didn’t need to be there all the time anymore. 

“Absolutely. I’ll just call it an Avatar emergency,” Aang agreed. It really was one, anyway, he thought. 

Everyone agreed and went off to pack their things and set affairs in order. Suki left not long after to teach her self-defense classes, and Sokka went up to the Earth King’s palace to deliver the news that he and Aang would be departing earlier than expected. Toph’s father was leaving that morning to return to Cranefish Town, and she went to see him off. She would be returning to the former colony as well when her friends left for the Fire Nation—she couldn’t stay away from her metalbending students much longer.

Aang cleaned up the broken glass, and then paced the living room. He felt testy. He hated that he wasn’t doing anything when Katara was in danger. He’d wanted to go with Sokka at first, just to give himself something to do, but then decided he needed to stay with Katara so she wouldn’t be alone.

He knew Katara was more than capable of protecting herself—she was still a better waterbender and healer than he was. An extra set of eyes and ears couldn’t hurt though, right? After hurriedly packing up the things he needed from his room for their trip, Aang walked over to Katara’s door, knocking hesitantly.

“Come in,” she said. Her voice was quieter than he had heard her in a while. Smaller. She sounded so much younger than her eighteen years right now, and his heart squeezed in his chest.

Katara was sitting on her bed, surrounded by piles of clothes and an empty bag. It had been over an hour since they’d all split up to pack, but it didn’t look like she had made much headway in the matter. 

“Want some help?” Aang offered. He tried to give her that signature half-smile that always made her blush, but his face was heavy. Just like his heart.

Katara turned around and looked at him. She had a sad smile on her face, and pushed some of the clothes over to make room for him. “Sit with me instead?”

“Of course,” he breathed, all but floating around her bed to sit beside her. He didn’t even think before he wrapped an arm around Katara’s body, pulling her to him, unsure whether it was more for her comfort or for his own. He felt her melt into him, and squeezed her tighter.

“Thank you,” she said wetly. She tried to laugh, but it came out as a sort of half-sob. “I’m sorry. I wanted last night to go perfectly for you, and—”

“It did,” Aang said earnestly. “None of this is your fault, Katara. Do you hear me? None of it. I never should have asked you—”

“NO! Aang.” Katara grabbed his free hand in both of hers and pulled away enough to look at his face. His heart shattered for what seemed like the millionth time that day when he saw her tears. He wanted to lean over and kiss them away, but found himself lurching back. He steeled his resolve—he wouldn’t let her become a target because of how much he loved her, and even though the public act was pretend, he did love her. Too much to let this happen.

“Aang,” she started again. “I… this is scary, but it’s still worth it, to me,” she said. Her thumbs gently massaged the arrow on the back of his hand and he exhaled heavily through his nose. “I don’t want you to feel pressured into any relationship, especially one you don’t want… I’ll stay by your side as long as you want me.” She blushed, then hastily added. “Until you find someone you do want to be with.” 

“I don’t want you in danger, Katara,” Aang said firmly. He took his arm off of her back and used his hand to brush away a strand of her hair that had stuck to the tears on her face. “You’re my best friend and I couldn’t stand it if you were hurt because of me.”

“It’s my choice, too, though,” Katara said, gaining more of her signature confidence, turning to fully face him and grabbing his now-free hand. 

“Of course, but…” Aang felt himself faltering. Sitting here with her, it was like nothing could get them. He knew there were dangers outside her door, but he also knew deep down that she was right.

“Don’t try to Pakku me,” she teased, bumping his shoulder with hers. “I know it’s scary when someone you love is in danger. I feel that way about you all the time.”

Was she purposely avoiding his eyes, or… wait, did she just say ‘love?’ Aang looked at her curiously. 

“But I trust you,” she went on. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course,” Aang said instantly. “With my life.”

“Then it’s settled,” she said, turning so she could lean her head back on his shoulder and move back into his warmth. Aang happily wrapped his arm around her again. “We’re not breaking up over this.”

Breaking up. He mulled over her words for a moment, marveling over how easily she had convinced him not to end their charade. 

“Wait, breaking up? We’re not technically together, Katara,” he teased.

“Yeah, I know.” Did she sound disappointed?? Aang felt his heart speed up again. “But in the eyes of the public we are, now. How bad would the gossip be if we broke up this fast? How many fangirls would come after me then for breaking your heart?” She jabbed him playfully in the chest.

“Ow!” Aang whined.

“Exactly.”

“I’m going to send a strongly worded letter to the Ba Sing Se chapter of the Air Acolytes, too,” he said, after a comfortable silence. “I can’t believe someone told a reporter that our being together ‘endangers the future of airbending.’ That’s the most blatant lie…”

Katara pulled away a little again, looking up into his face curiously. “Doesn’t it, though? I mean… theoretically… wouldn’t you have a better chance of having airbender kids with someone else? Someone who isn’t a bender at all, maybe?”

Aang looked at her in shock. Did she really not know? “Were your parents benders, Katara?” he asked.

“Well, no, but…”

“Bending has more to do with spirit and chi and a million things I can’t begin to put into words—or even fully understand—than genetics,” he explained. “If we had a family together, they could take on either of our bending, or none at all, but honestly I’m not even worried about having airbender children.” He leaned back into her, hoping to hide the scarlet that had covered his face at the thought of having children with her. He was going to need to change the subject, soon.

“You’re not? But who would teach the next Avatar?”

“The Spirits won’t keep the world out of balance. That much I know,” Aang shrugged. His voice was hushed and gentle as he went on. “When… if I have a family, I want it to be for love, you know? Not for checking some box on a cosmic to-do list. I want it to be… because I love someone so much that I want to see more of them in the world.” He hid his face in her hair, trying desperately to keep from kissing her, but feeling very open and vulnerable in that moment. He had never shared that with anyone.

He couldn’t see Katara smiling and blushing back at the idea, but he thought he heard her smile when she replied, “That’s beautiful, Aang. I hope you find that, one day.” He thought she sounded… relieved? But he couldn’t understand why.

“I hope you do, too,” he said. With so much sincerity he had to blink away tears. Aang took a moment to steady his heart and his breath. “Well, in the meantime, let’s get you packed up, hm?” Katara laughed at his eagerness to change the subject.

“Yeah, okay,” she said, standing up and stretching. Aang mourned the loss of her body beside him while simultaneously admiring her gorgeous curves on display in front of him. She cracked her spine, then opened her eyes and smiled at him before starting to fold the clothes that were still strewn around the bed. Aang took the folded clothes and arranged them in her pack, distracting his mind. “And then do you want to walk down to the market to get some treats for the trip?” she asked.

“It sounds like a date,” Aang winked at her. She bit her lip.

“Perfect,” she said.

Chapter Text

They made it to the Fire Nation in record time. Aang and Katara had returned from their trip to the market to several more threatening letters left on their doorstep, and even endured a couple angry fangirls while they shopped. Mostly it was just glares or bumps when Aang wasn’t looking, but one older woman actually tried to berate them for being “so irresponsible with the fate of the world.” Katara wasn’t afraid, though, especially after talking with Aang. She was confident in the knowledge that they could both take care of themselves, and when they were together? No pairing on earth was more formidable.

Aang, however, seemed to be even more on edge. Once everyone had returned he had personally helped Katara go through her medical pack, making sure she had not only her bandages and splints, ginger root for upset stomachs, dong quai for menstrual and menopause symptoms in older patients, and other herbal remedies, but also her trusted Fu Zi root in case of something more drastic. She had to get this through trusted herbalists and be sure to administer the proper dosage because too much at the wrong time could be fatal, but it had strong healing properties when used correctly on anything from the common cold to rheumatism to heart disease to the effects of certain poisonings. Some healers even claimed it could bring people back from the dead.

When her bag was fully stocked and they were all ready to go, Aang mounted Appa’s head as usual, but leaned over to speak to him quietly enough that the others wouldn’t hear. Katara noticed from the saddle, while Suki watched Sokka rummaging through the bag of snacks and Toph settled into her spot. He didn’t come back and join them at all during the trip to Cranefish Town, nor after Toph bid them all goodbye with a punch to the arm. 

“Well, see ya! Be safe, you guys,” Toph gritted  gruffly as she jumped down, eager to be on solid earth again. “And Sugarqueen, don’t let these dunderheads get to you. They’re just jealous and you could take all of ‘em at once. I’m not worried for you.”

“Thanks, Toph,” Katara said. Her heart warmed at Toph’s display. She may have had a really hard time getting along with Toph in the beginning, but they’d forged an understanding and a rock-solid friendship since then. She appreciated the times like these when her friend would admit that she cared about her. “You take care, too, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” she waved off, turning to head inside her little home on the school grounds. “See you guys later!”

Everyone bid their goodbyes, and then Appa was flying faster than Katara ever remembered him going. The wind whipped her hair around her face and Sokka gripped the edges of the saddle as if they were trying to outrun enemies and hide from the Fire Nation army. In the years since the war, their flights had always been much more leisurely, but tonight she could see Aang’s knuckles turning white from holding the reins so tightly, and how his jaw clenched in determination as Appa flew steadily faster away from the Earth Kingdom. Katara felt like they were dodging fireballs on the Day of Black Sun all over again, and her stomach filled with nervous energy. 

They landed in the courtyard of the Fire Palace at dawn. 

Zuko, always up with the sun, could be seen sparring with several trusted soldiers. The early morning light glistened off the palace in the background, creating an almost blinding effect from the air. Zuko froze when Appa’s shadow drifted over the courtyard, catching the tail end of a fireblast from one of his opponents and falling backwards. Katara snickered from her place in the saddle, then waved at him as he looked up at the new arrivals. 

“Always falling down on the job, Zuko,” Sokka joked as they climbed down from the saddle. 

“Ha ha, very funny,” Zuko deadpanned. “What brings you guys here? I wasn’t expecting you.”

“Yeah, about that,” Aang said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “I hope it’s okay if we stay here a little while. We have… kind of a… situation.”

Zuko squinted at Aang, wrinkling his nose in confusion. “Explain.”

“Uh, well…” 

“Kuei’s council and the Earth Sages tried to force Aang into a relationship now that he’s an adult,” Sokka interrupted like a burping bison before taking a deep breath. “They want Aang to have lots of airbender babies and ‘bring the world back into balance’ or some spirit nonsense so Katara pretended to be his girlfriend to keep the fangirls at bay and things went really well and they danced a lot and kissed after the ball so the press wrote up a big article on them and now people are… well…” He leaned over to catch his breath, trying to think of how to say it.

“Threatening her,” Suki finished. Sokka nodded in agreement.

“Agni,” Zuko sighed, rubbing his face. “Of course you guys can stay here. Does anyone else know you’re in the Fire Nation?”

“Not yet… although I’m sure someone saw Appa flying overhead this morning,” Sokka said.

“That’s ok,” Zuko said. “They might think it’s just Aang visiting or coming for official business. Let’s get you guys some breakfast—you can all stay in the private wing for a couple days and you won’t have to see any of the other politicians who are always milling about.”

“Yes! Breakfast,” Sokka sighed, nearly drooling already.

Katara rolled her eyes, but breathed deeply in relief. They would have some time to work this out. Everything was going to be okay.

Two days went by without event, then three, and then they finally felt comfortable enough to venture out of the palace. Scraps of gossip from abroad inevitably trickled into the Fire Nation about Aang and Katara being a couple, but it seemed to have been received well thus far. 

Aang left the palace with Zuko a few times with no repercussions or altercations, unlike when he and Katara had gone out in Ba Sing Se the day after the ball. He finally started to breathe a sigh of relief, hoping that maybe it had just been short-lived, immediate reactions to seeing the two of them together, and that the big feelings about him and Katara as a couple had died down a bit. 

He even went to restaurants with Sokka and Suki a few times without anyone approaching him about Katara. That is, until about a week into their visit when a girl—probably his age—walked up to his table with her friends.

“Excuse me, I’m so sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt,” she started, bowing deeply to the three of them.

Aang was used to people coming up to him in public spaces, even if they hadn’t since their arrival in the Fire Nation. “Hi,” he said jovially. “I’m Aang. You don’t need to bow.”

“Of course, Avatar,” she responded, still in a bow. When she stood, she had a very obvious blush high on her pale face. “It’s an honor to meet you.” Her friends all bowed out of respect as well, before nudging her in the side. “I was wondering… wouldyouliketogotodinnerwithme?” 

She said those last words so fast it took Aang a moment to process. Was she… asking him out on a date?

“He has a girlfriend,” Sokka interjected. Aang was thankful for Sokka’s ability to form words. Though it was far from the first time someone had tried to ask him out, he hadn’t previously had Katara as an actual excuse, and his go-to responses would no longer work. 

“That’s right,” he finally said. “We’re very happy…”

“Oh, well, where is she? I’m sorry, I just assumed since I saw you alone with the two of them, that…”

“We don’t always travel together,” Aang explained. He was gentle, but could feel his impatience growing. “We each have our own obligations and responsibilities, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love each other or anything.” It was true. They were their own people, and even if they were truly together he wouldn’t expect—or want—to change any of that. Part of the reason he loved her so much was for her passions, which were uniquely hers. “She’s actually going to be arriving in the Fire Nation soon, though,” he added quickly.

“My apologies,” the girl said, bowing again. She and her friends turned to leave.

“I’m sure you’ll find someone who makes you very happy, too,” Aang said. She turned her head back to him and nodded once in thanks before scurrying out of the restaurant and out of sight.

“‘She’s going to be arriving in the Fire Nation soon,’ really, Aang?” Sokka hissed as soon as the bell on the door clanged behind the fleeing girls. “Do you think it’s safe?”

Aang slunk into his seat. After so long without incident, was he just being lulled into a false sense of security? Or was it really going to be okay if he and Katara made more appearances together?

“I don’t know, Sokka,” he admitted. “I mean, nothing has happened, yet, but that girl was right. The more we appear without each other—or I appear without her, the more people are going to ask. Or just assume we’re not together anymore. Maybe I can ask Zuko if Katara and I can use his Royal box at the theater or something. Go somewhere public, but protected.”

“That’s a great idea, Aang,” Suki chimed in. “I think Katara is getting tired of being cooped up, too. And I can make sure only Kyoshi warriors are on guard for you at the theater, just to be safe.”

“Thanks, Suki,” Aang said, before turning his attention to Sokka. He seemed to be thinking it over, weighing all the options in his head. Aang could almost see the gears turning as Sokka scratched his chin in thought.

“Okay, I think it could work,” he said after a few long, painful moments. “Here’s what I’m thinking…”

Aang knocked on Katara’s door, feeling more nervous than he had in a long time. His feelings were all over the place, lately. He felt guilty that a girl had asked him out, even though he hadn’t done anything in particular to solicit her attention. He felt worried for Katara, and afraid to put her back in danger, but also knew that he couldn’t keep her locked in the Fire Palace. Well, that part hadn’t been his idea, but still… Katara deserves to live a free and happy life without constraint, he thought glumly.

“Katara, are you ready?” he asked quietly. He was not prepared for what he would see when she opened the door.

She stood, draped in the blues of her people but styled with the lighter fabrics of the Fire Nation. The fit of the ensemble reminded Aang of the disguise she had worn in the Fire Nation during the war, with her stomach and shoulder exposed, and the top accentuated her more adult curves in ways that nearly made his pants too tight. He could feel sweat dripping down the back of his neck already that had nothing to do with the Fire Nation heat and gulped. 

The evening sun streamed through her window and created a halo around her. “Wow,” was all Aang could manage for a moment, as Katara held her hands together in front of her with a small smile on her face. He didn’t need to point out her mother’s necklace this time, because it matched her outfit perfectly, and because they weren’t in hiding anymore. 

“You like it?” Katara asked shyly. 

“You’re beautiful, Katara,” he breathed. He wanted to kiss her so badly that he physically ached. Soon, he thought. You’ll be in public again soon and you can act like a couple then.

“You look pretty great yourself,” she said playfully, but the way she looked him up and down had his heart racing. 

Aang tried desperately to keep his hormones under control. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“Of course,” Katara responded. “Things have been pretty calm, and after that girl approached you yesterday we definitely need to make more public appearances to keep up the act.” She threaded her arm through his and they began walking down the hallway.

“And the… kissing? And all that? You’re still okay with that, too?”

“Aaaaaang,” she whined, but she was smiling. Was she blushing, too? “I’m okay with anything you think will help—I told you that already. If that’s kissing, or touching, or dancing… You’re my best friend, Aang. I’d tell you if something was too much. You know that.”

“Yeah,” he admitted, using his free hand to rub the back of his neck and discretely bend away the sweat that was still there. “I guess… I guess I just wasn’t sure if you would when we’re trying to make an impression, but I want you to still feel comfortable enough to tell me so… please tell me if anything is ever too much, ok?”

They walked past the first round of guards as they exited the private wing and entered the main area of the palace. Katara leaned up on her tiptoes and gave Aang a longer-than-usual kiss on the cheek, making him blush vibrantly again as she held his face gently with her free hand. “You’re so sweet, you know that?”

Aang didn’t think he could blush any harder, but somehow his cheeks and neck felt hot enough to cook on. Combined with his nervous sweat he had to check to make sure he wasn’t literally steaming. He smiled bashfully at Katara, trying—and failing—to come up with a compliment for her in response. Instead he eventually just pressed a kiss into her hair as they continued walking towards the front doors. He realized this act was becoming his automatic response when he felt overwhelmed by his love for her, but she didn’t seem to mind. In fact… she seemed to be blushing, too?

The theater was across the caldera from the palace, and to get there, they took an ostrich-horse carriage rather than one of Zuko’s private palanquins he had insisted they use. Aang had spoken with Suki and she agreed that these would be just as safe provided the driver was trusted, and she had personally checked this driver. It sat easier on Aang’s conscious, too. The team of Kyoshi warriors that were to serve as their guard for the evening, including Suki herself, followed closely in another carriage.

The whole ride there, even though they were mostly hidden from public view, Katara all but clung to Aang. He could tell she was still feeling a little nervous, even though she told him she was excited to get out of the private wing of the palace. He wrapped an arm around her and rubbed her back soothingly.

“It’s not too late to turn back, if you want,” he said quietly. The carriage’s wheels on the stone streets jostled them, but he was steady. “I don’t blame you for being nervous.”

Katara took a sudden breath, then looked up at him and smiled. “I’m not nervous when I’m with you,” she said. Her face was so close. The carriage hit a bump in the road and their noses touched briefly, the small puffs of her breath that Aang could feel on his face driving him crazy. He desperately wanted to close that miniscule space and kiss her. But that would have to wait. 

They arrived at the theater extremely early for the play, so that there wouldn’t be as many people lined up outside yet. Suki and her team escorted them up to Zuko’s private balcony, which was pre-set with a lavish spread of food and wine in front of their seats. Suki winked at them when she stepped back out, and Aang wondered absently just how much she knew about his true feelings for Katara. 

They ate and drank, and talked and laughed, easily falling back into old, friendly-bordering-on-flirtatious habits, while watching the audience slowly trickle in below them to the main auditorium. Occasionally people would look up at them and Aang would wave jovially and Katara would smile. It was certainly not the life Aang wanted, being in the limelight all the time, but it felt so much more bearable with Katara by his side like this. It felt like he finally had space to breathe.

“You’re amazing, Katara,” he blurted, suddenly. His eyes went wide and he tried to justify the seemingly random compliment. “I just… You’re so brave and kind, and I feel so… happy, having you here with me. You didn’t have to do this after everything that’s happened since the ball, but you’re still here. With me. Thank you.”

He didn’t think he had ever seen Katara’s cheeks this shade of crimson. Was that a good thing? he thought. Spirits I hope so.

Then, without warning, Katara surged up to kiss him, full on the mouth. It took Aang a second to register what was happening, and just as he closed his eyes and started to really respond, moving his mouth brazenly against hers, she pulled back. Somewhere far away was the sound of applause and cat-calls, but all he could hear was the thundering of his own heart in his ears. 

Katara put her hand on his and squeezed, the familiarity of the act bringing him somewhat back to earth. She smiled sheepishly and took another long gulp of her wine, looking anywhere but at him. Aang couldn’t help but notice the rapid rise and fall of her chest in that outfit, and had to force himself to look away, focusing instead on the audience below. 

Many of them were staring up at their balcony, and Aang realized with a start that they must have watched them kiss. Maybe that was why Katara kissed him in the first place. His heart dropped a little. After all, wasn’t that the excuse he’d used when he kissed her a second time on the walk from the Earth King’s Palace? 

He could never admit that the real reason he’d kissed her was that he was overcome with love and appreciation for her, that she was so beautiful and enticing and that he’d yearned for her lips for years . Or that one taste of her hadn’t been enough to sate him. That he wasn’t sure he could ever be, now that he’d kissed her properly. Kissing Katara was a bit like drinking sea water—every taste of her only served to make him more and more thirsty. He had felt a gaping need open up within him that night that he knew nobody but Katara could ever hope to fill. 

Aang was in way over his head, and he knew there was no going back, now. 

He caught her eye, suddenly hyper-aware of all the other eyes on them, down below, and leaned back towards her again. Two could play at this game. And it was just for appearances, right? She would tell him if it was too much? 

“They’re still watching,” he whispered, placing a hand on her face, his pinky resting over the pulse point of her neck. He felt her tremble, then saw her darkened eyes slide closed. Katara ran her hands over his broad shoulders and it was his turn to shiver when she clutched at his back, using his body as leverage to tug him urgently into another kiss.

If their previous kisses had been waves on a windy day, this was a typhoon. They rose and fell and crashed together, opening up their mouths to further exploration, and it was nothing short of exhilarating in every sense of the word. Aang’s entire mind went blank and he completely gave himself over to the physical sensation of Katara everywhere around him. Her nails biting into his back, the scent of her hair that was falling into his face, the softness of her lips and the sweetness of her taste… he wanted more. So much more.

He felt electricity shooting through his body, from every point she touched him straight to his heart—and to his groin. He hoped the folds of his one-shoulder sash that fell below his waist were enough to hide his desire. He had never felt this way about anyone other than Katara, even when fangirls had occasionally approached (or cornered) him, wearing the most revealing outfits and trying to touch him. In those moments he mostly felt embarrassed; like he wished he could disappear and people would just stop wanting him. They didn’t even know him. But with Katara… With Katara he could never get enough. These dangerous moments where she broke down his carefully constructed walls and made his desire apparent were becoming more and more frequent, and still he craved more. 

So. Much. More.

The lights dimmed. Aang absently recognized that the play was going to start, but Katara suddenly dragged her nails down the side of his back that was free of robes and he couldn’t register anything else. He was a puddle of want. 

He made a noise somewhere in between a whine and a grunt and tried in vain to pull her closer. The armrest between their seats was suddenly intolerable. He wanted to burn it away. He probably would have if a spotlight hadn’t suddenly shone on them.

Katara pulled away, shocked, panting, with some other look in her eyes that he couldn’t define. He wanted to ask her if she was okay—if he’d gotten out of hand, but he realized that the spotlight was probably because the host had announced their presence. He made to stand up and wave, as he usually did in these moments, but remembered his… predicament… and awkwardly smiled and waved from his seat instead. Katara recovered quickly and followed suit, giving him a sideways look once the applause died down and the spotlight returned to the stage.

Aang was not about to tell her why he hadn’t stood, so he tried to change the subject. 

“Zuko said this play is really good,” he said, with an embarrassing crack of his voice as he tried to discreetly adjust his pants. 

Katara chuckled. “I don’t know if anyone’s going to be paying attention after the impression we just made,” she whispered. It was dark, and Aang couldn’t make out her expression, but he thought he heard playfulness in her voice. 

“Heh, yeah,” he replied, rubbing at the back of his neck. He could still feel where Katara had been clutching him, and it burned in the most pleasant way. “I don’t think there will be any doubt in the Fire Nation that we’re still together after tonight.”

Aang could feel Katara’s eyes boring into him, but in the darkness he wasn’t sure what they were saying. If it wasn’t so dark, maybe he would have seen the way desire swirled in blue as much as grey. Maybe he would have seen the longing there.

Instead, he smiled and tried to pretend everything was still normal. That his world hadn’t just exploded with that kiss; in the shockingly sensual glide of her tongue against his. He tried desperately to quell the raging seas of need that still crashed about within him. He threaded his fingers through hers on that spirits-forsaken armrest, seeking her grounding comfort. He felt it almost immediately.

Katara grinned up at him, and offered a familiar kiss on the cheek before resting her head on his shoulder for the duration of the play. Aang felt warmth bloom in his chest, and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. He leaned down to kiss her hair, breathing in her scent. He realized with a start that this closeness between them felt like home. A feeling he hadn’t even remembered until now, so caught up he had been in restoring the world and not in his own healing. 

He closed his eyes to savor this. A tear escaped, trickling down his cheek and into her hair, but he wasn’t sad. He was so, so content. He just wished Katara felt the same way.

Katara was overcome with emotion as the play ended. Maybe she had had too much wine, because she felt extremely weepy when the heroine of the play lost her love interest before she could confess her feelings. Zuko had told her the play was a tragedy, but Katara wasn’t prepared for how intensely it would affect her when she saw the actress clutching her dead friend, sobbing as the curtain came down.

Aang held Katara and comforted her, combing his fingers through her hair and pressing soft kisses to her cheeks where her tears fell. Why can’t it always be like this? she thought. Aang was so tender with her it almost broke her heart more.

Eventually she pulled herself back together. She smiled wetly at Aang before she pushed the table away from them and stood, pulling him along with her. He pulled her into a hug and she felt overwhelmed by how right this all felt. Being his best friend, but also being able to kiss and touch and comfort each other physically in ways that were off limits before this pretend relationship… she wanted that. And the way they’d kissed before the play… she wanted that, too, and more. So much more. 

Suki gave them a look when they exited the private balcony and Katara wondered how much she knew. Aang greeted the press and they walked back to the carriage hand in hand, beaming. The night went better than either of them imagined. There were no threats aimed at Katara, no rude comments to contend with, and they’d kissed with more passion than they could have even imagined, beforehand. Katara tried to remind herself that it was for show only, that Aang loved her, but just as a friend. But the lines between fantasy and reality felt even more blurred than before.

They arrived back at the palace and waited for Suki and her team before exiting the carriage and walking back to the private wing. Suki said goodbye to the other warriors and followed Aang and Katara to where they found Sokka and Zuko, in the sitting room playing Pai Sho. Mai sat off to the side, quietly observing as they bantered about strategies and next moves, occasionally interjecting with her own suggestions.

“Hey, you’re back!” Sokka exclaimed, once he’d noticed their presence. He jumped up to give Suki a kiss. “How’d it go?”

Suki looked at Aang and Katara, raising an eyebrow expectantly. Katara only realized she was still holding Aang’s hand when he suddenly removed it to rub the back of his neck, blushing. When he glanced at her, she felt her own face flame as well. She looked at Sokka and noticed he was crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently.

“It went well,” Katara said quickly, before Sokka had a chance to lose it. She looked back up at Aang through her eyelashes and smiled. “Really well.” It took all of her strength to pull her eyes away from his magnetic ones. “No threats or insults, the play was good, and the food was fantastic—thanks again, Zuko, for letting us use your seats.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourselves,” Zuko said. 

“We did,” Katara affirmed, again. She yawned and stretched. “But, I’m exhausted. I think I’m going to go get ready for bed. Goodnight, everyone.” 

There was a chorus of “goodnight” from their friends, and without even thinking about it Katara leaned up and kissed Aang goodnight. On the lips. 

It was just a short, sweet peck, but… they weren’t in public. They were in the private sitting-room of the Fire Lord, with all of their friends watching. Their friends who knew the relationship was fake, and yet she had just kissed him! Katara’s eyes went wide as soon as she realized what she had done, and Aang’s eyes were even wider. Her heart started to race, but instead of that pleasant feeling she’d had about kissing Aang earlier, she felt panicked. Like she had just ruined everything. 

The entire room was silent.

Before anyone could say anything, she found her legs moving, carrying her as quickly as possible to her room. What have I done?

Chapter Text

The next day was awkward, to say the least. Suki had tried talking to Katara after she’d run away the night before, but Katara pretended to be asleep. She didn’t come out of her room until well past breakfast, when she knew Aang would be helping Zuko with meetings and diplomacy and she would be less likely to run into him.

It didn’t stop her from bumping into Sokka in the hallway, though.

He eyed her suspiciously, and opened his mouth a few times before shutting it again, maybe deciding it would be unwise to speak. Katara couldn’t blame him; she probably looked a mess. She certainly felt messy. Had she even brushed her hair yet, today? Everything seemed muddled. Blurry. Finally, he settled for offering her a hug, and something broke inside of her.

She had been trying to keep up this façade for so long, to lie to herself and say everything was fine when everything was not fine. To lie to everyone else and say she didn’t have these feelings for Aang, because if she admitted it then she would have to do something about it, and she couldn’t risk ruining their friendship like that. But she could feel Sokka’s understanding in his firm embrace, and the wall crumbled.

Katara sobbed into him in the hallway, unable to put into words any of the complicated emotions warring inside her. It took a long time to reach any sort of catharsis, but she realized she needed this. She needed to be honest with someone. And she was safe with her brother.

“Can we go talk in my room?” she asked, meekly, feeling more than a little embarrassed and keeping her face hidden in his shoulder.

“Of course,” he said gently. They walked to her room and sat down on the edge of her unmade bed. 

Once they were there, though, she didn’t know what to say. Or how to say it. She stared at her fingers in her lap until they blurred together, kicking her feet idly like a small child. 

“I messed up,” she said, finally. She felt the tears start to prick at her eyes again, and blinked furiously to try to keep them at bay. “I… I don’t know if I can do this anymore.”

Sokka placed a warm hand on her shoulder, and she fell back into him, tears flowing freely once more. “Hey,” he soothed. “It’s okay. It’s all going to be alright, I promise.”

“How can you say that,” she asked wetly, “when I just… ruined everything?!” Her voice broke on the last word. She had been holding everything in for so long.

“You didn’t ruin anything,” Sokka said, confused. He tilted his head and took hold of her shoulders to look into her face. “What on earth do you think you ruined, and how? Is this all just because you kissed Aang last night?”

“Yes!” she yelled. “It… Aang just wanted this to be pretend and I… I kissed him! Here !”

“You really fell hard, huh,” he cooed, rubbing her shoulder. His voice was much deeper, but his tone sounded exactly like their mother in that instant. Her heart broke even more that she wasn’t there to ask for help.

“I love him,” she said weakly, lip trembling. “I mean, I guess I’ve always loved him, but… I’m in love with him, Sokka. I…” 

“Katara,” he started hesitantly. He pressed his lips together for a moment and breathed through his nose, as if he was trying to think of how to speak to her so she wouldn’t be offended. She knit her eyebrows in annoyance. She wasn’t delicate. “Katara,” he said again, “are you sure Aang wouldn’t be okay… happy even… if this wasn’t pretend?”

“I know he loves me, but just as a friend.” Katara hugged her own arms, feeling incredibly insecure, but doing her best not to close herself off from her brother again. 

Sokka opened his mouth and closed it again, rubbing his chin for a moment. “How do you know it’s just as a friend? Doesn’t Aang share and do things with you that he doesn’t do with anyone else, the same way you do with him?”

“That’s just because we’re best friends,” she insisted. “Look, he… Back during the war, when we went into the Cave of Two Lovers, do you remember how we got separated?”

“How could I ever forget?” Sokka said, rolling his eyes. 

“Well, he… we got trapped in this… room. It was the tomb of Oma and Shu, the first earthbenders, and the two lovers that the legend was about. It had a picture of them kissing, and I remembered how the legend said that ‘love is brightest in the dark,’ so I… I suggested we kiss. And, well, Aang actually laughed at the idea. I think his exact words were ‘I’d rather kiss you than die.’”

Sokka puzzled over this new information for a moment, rubbing at his chin again as if willing his Wang Fire beard to appear. “I knew something happened in that cave!” he said, finally. “You two were acting so weird when we all came out. So when Aang said you ‘let love lead the way…’”

“We… kissed. Yeah.” Katara could feel her cheeks flaming as she relived—for a second time in recent weeks—her most embarrassing memory. She cringed and kept her eyes glued to a random spot on the floor.

“You guys kissed… and that led you out of the tunnels somehow… and—”

“The crystals on the ceiling of the cave lit up,” she blurted.

Sokka looked like he was about to explode. “You KISSED, and made magic crystals light up, leading you out of a secret death tunnel, and you STILL don’t think that maybe this is more than just friendship?!” he exclaimed.

“Not to Aang, it isn’t,” she said glumly. 

Sokka’s palm found his forehead with a resounding slap. 

“Katara, I don’t know how else to explain this to you,” he said slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose, “but I’m pretty sure Aang is in love with you, too. He just doesn’t think you love him as more than a brother. And, you know I don’t believe in spirit nonsense but I’ve seen some pretty amazing things happen with you two. You brought him back to life, Katara. If you kissed three years ago and it lit up a cave… that has to mean something.”

“I…” Katara didn’t know what to say. Did he really not think that she loved him, too? Well, that is how she’d wanted it to be, isn’t it? Of course he would think that. But, she reasoned, Aang was always truthful with her. “He would have told me if he felt something more than friendship,” she said, confidently.

“Have you told him?” Sokka asked, raising his eyebrow critically.

Katara faltered. Her mind raced—and failed—to form any coherent thought.

“Just… think about it,” Sokka said gently, standing up. “I’m meeting Suki for lunch—do you want to join us?”

“Is Aang going to be there?” she asked meekly.

“Oh, come on, Katara,” Sokka groaned. “You need to get out of this room.”

“Fine,” she said. She wiped away the remaining tears and salt from her face and chin with the back of her hand, still feeling a bit childish. “Just give me a couple minutes to get dressed and grab my bag.”

Aang was confused. Beyond confused, even. He was positively baffled. 

It had taken all of his mental energy to stay focused in the trade meeting Zuko had dragged him to that morning. His mind kept flitting back to the night before; to their heated kisses at the theater, and then Katara’s sweet and unexpected kiss goodnight back at the palace. 

He assumed she was just having a hard time separating their little charade from reality, the same way he was. And they had just walked inside—maybe her brain hadn’t switched over, yet.  It’s probably just as difficult for her even without feelings involved, he thought. 

Something inside him kept pushing back, though, saying, OR, maybe she loves you, too, you idiot.

The night before, when she had kissed him, it had felt so right. Like they had done this every day of their entire lives. He hadn’t even realized he was still staring longingly after her until Sokka had cleared his throat uncomfortably and asked if anyone wanted tea, thankfully taking the attention off of him.

When the meetings finally broke for lunch, Aang followed Zuko to a new noodle shop near the palace. Usually Zuko was hesitant to try new places, with the still-prevalent attempts on his life, but it had come highly recommended from Yaeko, one of his young, new advisors, who claimed to know the owner, and Aang was always happy to tag along.

“So… Katara…” Zuko started awkwardly. 

“Yeah,” Aang sighed despondently. “Katara.”

“I… kind of thought you two were already together during the war,” Zuko admitted. “It wasn’t until after that I realized… Well, actually I asked Toph. You can imagine how that went.”

Aang chuckled, but his mouth remained a firm line. 

“So… what’s going on, now?” Zuko probed. “Is it still pretend? Or…”

“It’s still pretend,” Aang said firmly. “I don’t know why she… I mean, it’s been hard,” he admitted, “separating fantasy from reality…”

“Oh, Agni,” Zuko groaned. “ Fantasy?!”

“I… that’s just a phrase! I didn’t know how else to put it,” Aang retorted frantically.

“Sure,” Zuko said, rolling his eyes. 

Aang breathed out heavily through his nose, but he didn’t have time to come up with anything else to say, because they’d arrived at the noodle shop. He inhaled the delicious aroma of spices and soup broths before jolting to find, sitting at a round table waiting for them, Sokka, Suki… and Katara. 

Aang noticed that she couldn’t quite meet his eyes when he sat down next to her. He reached for her hand instinctively under the table and squeezed. She closed her fingers around his but noticeably didn’t squeeze back. His stomach lurched. 

The table was silent for a minute or two, save for the customary greetings as everyone surveyed the menu and tried to ignore the camelephant in the room.

Eventually the waitress came and they all placed their orders. Things already felt off amongst the group, but Aang still struggled to shake off the foreboding air that stagnated in the tiny restaurant. He chewed his lip and stole a glance around, wondering if the other (admittedly few) patrons could sense the tension.

Aang kept half-listening to his friends’ conversation, but mostly he was worried about Katara. He wanted to talk to her, alone. He ran his thumb soothingly over her hand, trying to reassure her that everything was okay between them. She had been so shaken last week from the attacks in Ba Sing Se, the last thing he wanted was for her to feel uncomfortable now because of him.

She looked up at him through her lashes, smiling sadly, and his heart floated into his throat. He swallowed hard.

Just then, the waitress brought the food. This new noodle shop supposedly specialized in noodles from all over the world. Katara and Sokka had ordered seaweed noodles somewhat apprehensively. It seemed like more and more places were trying to capitalize on post-war multiculturalism without actually doing the research or having visited the Water Tribes or even eaten Water Tribe food before, and they had often been disappointed in the results. 

It seemed that Katara was at least mildly impressed, however, because she glanced at Sokka with excitement and eagerly slurped down another bite. Sokka had been absorbed in a heated conversation with Zuko and Suki about organized crime in the city and shockingly hadn’t even acknowledged the food’s arrival. Aang hesitantly took a bite of his curried noodles, still feeling uneasy as his friends chatted animatedly across from him. 

Suddenly, Katara’s grip on his hand tightened. He looked over to see her gasping, pale in the face. Her eyes were wide with fear and he could see sweat forming on her brow. Aang felt cold sweat begin to prick on his own neck in response. Something terrible was happening to Katara.

“My bag,” she managed to force out. “The Fu Zi root.” She started coughing and that finally drew the attention of their companions, who looked startled at her appearance. 

“What happened?!” Sokka demanded, almost upending the table as he stood to run over to her. She started to shake, whether from cold or muscle spasms, Aang wasn’t sure, and collapsed into Sokka’s arms. Aang finally snapped into action and grabbed the root she had demanded from her bag. 

“I… I don’t know,” he said as he fumbled with it. “I don’t know what to do with this! Katara…?” Aang had never felt so helpless.

“Use… your bending,” she said weakly. “Extract some of the liquid from the root. Just a few drops…” another big, labored breath, “and mix with some ginger and water.”

Aang tried his best, knowing how the root could prove deadly in the wrong dose. Suki ran for help, while Sokka dipped a napkin in ice water and held it on her forehead. 

“She’s burning up,” he said, before checking her pulse. “Shit, her heart is beating so fast—Aang, do something!” Aang glanced at Katara once he had extracted the Fu Zi liquid and noticed with horror that her lips were turning blue. Her breathing was ragged as he held the liquid aloft in the air with shaking hands. He had to act fast.

He looked around frantically for some ginger, but there wasn’t any on the table. Then he remembered that Katara usually kept some in her medical bag. He silently thanked every spirit he could think of that she had brought this bag with her to the restaurant. 

In the short time it took for Aang to find the ginger in her bag, Katara had lost consciousness. Sokka looked up at Aang, pleading in his eyes. Her jaw was slack and she was completely limp in his arms, yet her heart continued to race. 

He felt himself dissolving into a panic. If he got this wrong, she would die. If he didn’t do anything, she would die anyway. He began to feel his tattoos flickering again, and this time, he gave himself over, knowing that there had to be a past life who knew about healing and could help him.

Suddenly there was a flash of blinding light and Avatar Kuruk was standing where Aang had been a moment before. He still held the Fu Zi extract through waterbending, careful not to touch the potent liquid. Without saying a word to Sokka or Zuko, who both gaped at his sudden appearance, he quickly began to prepare the mixture Katara had described.

Once he had it ready, he sat down beside Sokka. Gently, with utmost care, the former Avatar took Katara’s head into his lap. “You may wish to avert your eyes,” he told the other men at the table as he quickly and expertly bent the recently ingested food out of Katara’s stomach through her slack mouth. Then, just as quickly, he bent the Fu Zi solution down her throat.

After several agonizing seconds, her pulse began to slow. She was still sweating and unconscious, but she was stabilizing. Kuruk took some water from her bending pouch and coated his hands, lighting them up with healing powers as he did and running them soothingly over her stomach, chest, neck, and head. 

“I thought Northern men weren’t allowed to learn healing,” Sokka blurted as Katara’s breathing returned to normal.

“The Avatar can be permitted special privileges,” Kuruk explained, as he finished up his healing and examination. His voice seemed so big for such a cramped space. “I wasn’t able to prevent my Ummi from being stolen by Koh, so I tried to learn healing just in case I could ever save her. I couldn’t, but I can still use that knowledge to save the Avatar’s Love in this lifetime.”

And with those words, he vanished.

When Aang returned to himself, he clutched Katara more fully to him in his lap, then looked anxiously at Sokka and Zuko.

“Katara was poisoned,” Aang said, grimly, stroking his fingers up and down her arm as he spoke and breathing a sigh of relief. He could feel that she was stable again; she looked so relaxed, but she still wasn’t waking up. That alone caused the pit in his stomach to remain, even though he was confident in his past life’s actions. “I wouldn’t eat your noodles either, Sokka. They might be poisoned, too.”

Sokka glared at his noodles as if they had poisoned themselves. “Who do we think did this?” he demanded, looking around. “And where did everybody go?!”

Aang looked up. The shop was conspicuously empty of everyone except them. The bad feeling in his stomach intensified. He brushed a sweaty strand of Katara’s hair away from her face tenderly. He had almost lost her.

“Zuko!” Suki yelled as she ran back in, with a team of Kyoshi Warriors. Suddenly there was a flurry of action. Several of the warriors searched the premises while the others interviewed Sokka, Suki, Aang, and Zuko. They offered a stretcher to carry Katara back to the palace, but Aang refused to let her go. 

“I got her,” he said. Sokka had the presence of mind to grab the soup as evidence as Aang scooped up Katara in his arms and all but raced on an airball back to the palace hospital wing. 

Aang couldn’t think straight the whole way there. He knew he needed to stay alert and on guard, and he needed to be present, but he had almost lost Katara. It was only a few minutes of peril thanks to Katara’s forethought and planning and Avatar Kuruk’s intervention, but he never wanted to feel that helpless again. 

When they finally arrived, and he handed Katara over to the staff in the hospital wing, he kept fidgeting with the fringe on her medical bag, just to keep his hands busy. It seemed like it took an eternity for them to finish checking her over.

“She was definitely poisoned,” the physician said after examining her. She was a kind, older woman, but very proper. She looked as though she was struggling to remain patient with Aang’s panicked energy as he paced like a caged animal around the small hospital room. 

“You can see that metal inserted into this soup turns black,” she explained, demonstrating with a metal scalpel. “That is a telltale sign of this type of poison. You were wise to remove the contents of her stomach, as they could have caused further damage. The Fu Zi root that she had you administer is not an antidote, per se, but treated the symptoms she was experiencing: rapid heart rate, increased temperature, and so on.”

“Thank you for your care, Doctor Li,” Aang said, bowing deeply to the woman. She frowned. “How long do you think until she… I mean… will Katara be okay?” Sokka approached Aang and put a firm hand on his shoulder, eyeing the doctor expectantly.

“Without Master Katara’s ability to see the internal damage with waterbending, it is difficult to say,” she admitted. “But I think she will make a full recovery, thanks to your quick actions.” 

Aang released a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. It seemed like Sokka was doing the same thing beside him. 

“We will just have to watch her for any more signs of distress. There may still be traces of poison in her body. We will keep her under constant supervision…”

“I’d like to stay here as well,” Aang interjected. “Me or Representative Sokka, or Kyoshi Warrior Suki. The noodle shop came under recommendation from someone in the Palace, and it’s possible that they had ulterior motives.”

“Yes…” Doctor Li replied hesitantly. “Yes, Firelord Zuko is looking into that already.” Aang only then realized that Zuko was no longer with them. “Alright, one of you may stay with the patient at all times but only one! I do not want this wing to become a center of political activity,” she said sternly.

Aang and Sokka both bowed in thanks. Then, Doctor Li left the room to continue her work, taking the poisoned soup with her. They moved to the curtained doorway to discuss who would take the first shift, while still being able to keep an eye on Katara. 

“Monkeyfeathers,” Aang swore, feeling weak as the adrenaline finally seemed to be draining from his body. He could feel his hands shaking and his knees were wobbling dangerously.

“Yeah, no kidding,” Sokka agreed. He ran his fingers through his wolftail. “Listen, Aang. You take the first shift, okay? I want to follow up with Zuko and Suki and see what they found. Katara needs you.”

Aang looked at Sokka, whose young face was already beginning to show worry lines. The war was long over but it felt like they were still always fighting something. And Aang knew that Sokka wouldn’t be able to rest until he’d figured out who’d done this to Katara and why. He nodded solemnly. 

“And Aang… Thank you.” Sokka’s voice was wet and thick with emotion. “Thank you for saving Katara. I don’t know what I would’ve done if we’d lost her, I…” Aang reached out, embracing Sokka tightly. 

“She’s going to be okay,” Aang said, willing them both to believe it. He looked over Sokka’s shoulder at her still form in the hospital bed, longing to see the love and life in her blue eyes again. 

Sokka pulled away, patting Aang on the back as he wiped at his face with his sleeve, then he walked out into the hallway, leaving Aang alone with Katara and his thoughts. He collapsed into a chair beside her bed, clutching her hand and resting his head on his arm.

“Please be okay, Katara,” he pleaded to the empty room. He thought darkly of when Azula had shot him with lighting; how Katara had brought him back, and how their roles were reversed, now. He knew how hard his time in a coma had been on Katara during the war. He only hoped he could be as strong as she was.

Chapter Text

Even though Aang and Sokka had agreed to take turns at Katara’s side, Aang found that he spent almost the entirety of the next days in that hospital room somehow. Sokka kept finding things that Zuko or Suki needed his help with, or said he was too tired… Aang would have thought he was up to something if he hadn’t been so exhausted with worry himself. As it was, he only left the room for necessary bathroom breaks or when Zuko would drag him away to eat.

Katara remained stable, but asleep. His anxiety increased with every hour that passed without her waking up, though. He wondered if there was some remaining poison in her body, or if he or Kuruk had messed something up somehow, and continued to watch her carefully during the day for any signs of distress. 

“She’s fine,” Dr. Li insisted every time he explained his fears. “Her body just needs time to reset after that. It shouldn’t be long, now.”

At night he often pushed the chair up right next to her and curled up in it with his head resting next to her arm on the bed and his hand threaded through hers. He had even practiced some rudimentary healing on her, when Dr. Li wasn’t looking. Katara had taught him the basics once, when she’d had a small cut from climbing on some sharp rocks and Aang asked to learn. Fluttermoths still danced in his stomach when he remembered the feeling of her soft hands encased in healing waters over his, how his hands had tingled with their combined chi before she pulled her hands away and let him heal her leg. 

He tried running healing waters over her stomach, chest, and head periodically, but everything was fuzzy. She had taught him to repair skin in order to heal the small cut, but he didn’t know enough about what things were supposed to look like inside the body to be of much use. 

Dr. Li was definitely getting annoyed with his constant presence. He could tell by her exasperated sighs whenever he asked another question or how she continued to give him looks when he refused to leave her side during her examinations, only turning around to maintain Katara’s modesty when necessary.

He often thought about how it must have been for Katara when he was the one in a coma. She had been the only one on that ship with any healing ability, though surely some of the warriors had some medical knowledge gained by lived experience or passed down through generations. Katara had never wanted to talk about those terrible, frightening weeks, but he wondered now how she had handled bathing or changing him. He realized with a start that she had surely seen all of him years ago and never mentioned anything. Was that to preserve his pride? Was she embarrassed by what she saw? Then again they had both been so young and already so traumatized… 

“Hey.” Sokka’s voice, however quiet and gentle, startled him. “How’s she doing?”

Sokka stood by the curtained entryway to her room, looking as though he’d aged several years in the last few days. His face was scruffy and Aang wasn’t sure if he’d even changed clothes since the incident. Come to think of it, Aang hadn’t, either. He ran his hand along his face and head to find both prickling with multiple days of stubble.

“She’s okay,” Aang replied. “Stable, but still not waking up. I… I don’t know what else to do, Sokka.” He felt tears welling up in his eyes and he turned back to Katara. He lifted her hand off the bed and brought it to his lips, releasing a shaky breath. Sokka gripped Aang’s shoulder, offering his support and understanding. Aang was grateful for his friend, but it didn’t take away the brokenness he felt inside without Katara.

“We think we cracked the case, if it makes you feel better,” Sokka said glumly after a moment, pulling another chair over to Katara’s bedside and plopping down in it. “Although, I’m not sure it will.”

“Who did it, then?” Aang asked. “Was it Yaeko—that new advisor who recommended the noodle shop?”

“Yes… and no,” Sokka said. “She was definitely involved, and is in custody in a Fire Nation prison right now while we gather more evidence, but she wasn’t in charge.” 

Aang hung his head, softly resting it against Katara’s unmoving hand that he was still holding. 

“Actually…”

“Hey! I said one visitor at a time!” Dr. Li pulled back the curtain at the sound of their hushed voices and started shooing at the two men. Aang stood defeatedly.

“You want a turn?” he asked Sokka. “I could probably use a bath and a shave, and you haven’t gotten much time with Katara.”

“Yeah, why don’t you go freshen up before she wakes and smells you,” Sokka teased. Aang stuck his tongue out at him, feeling the slightest bit of relief at his friend’s humor. “I’ll tell you the rest later, or Zuko or Suki can if you run into them.”

“OUT!” Dr. Li said again, pushing the Avatar out of the tiny hospital space.

“Thanks, Sokka,” Aang called back through the curtain.

Aang took a much longer bath than normal, but he found his joints aching from spending so much time in that chair and the warm water was soothing. He kept reheating it with firebending until his hands and feet were wrinkly, indicating that it was probably time to get out. He had just pulled on his pants and gotten his razor out to shave when there was a loud rap at his door.

“Aang, she’s awake! Hurry!” Suki’s voice called through the door. 

The razor hit the counter with a loud clang and Aang all but flew to the door, grabbing his sash and pulling it over his head on the way. When he opened the door, he found not just Suki, but Ty Lee as well, waiting for him in the hallway and dressed in full Kyoshi Warrior armor, fans and all.

Aang didn’t have time to question why he had guards in the Fire Palace. He sprinted down the hall and back to the hospital wing at a speed only an airbender could achieve, ignoring Suki’s calls for him to wait for them. Katara was awake and he wasn’t there. He could’ve kicked himself for leaving her side.

He burst back into the room. He was sure he looked disheveled despite his recent bath, but he didn’t care what he looked like. All he cared about was Katara, and being there for her right now. 

Sokka stood and moved to the curtain, grinning at his friend as he did. Aang realized abruptly that Sokka had been talking to Katara and he probably interrupted their conversation.

“Uh… sorry…” he started, unsure what to do with himself now that he was here. His eyes darted back and forth between his two best friends. Should he hug her? He wanted so badly to kiss her casually on the hair or the hand but—given her reaction when she had kissed him the other night—he didn’t think that would go over well. “I can go wait outside… I just…”

“Nah, you spent every minute by her side until an hour ago when I told you to go take a bath,” Sokka reasoned with a smirk. “I already told her that she’s never allowed to get herself poisoned again. I think Katara would probably prefer your company to mine now, anyway, right sis?”

Aang couldn’t read the look Katara was giving her brother at that moment. She almost looked… angry? Her eyes were wide but her brow was knitted together and she was definitely avoiding looking at Aang. He felt his heart sink.

“No, really, it’s okay,” he said. “I…”

“You can stay,” Katara said, finally meeting his eyes. “Please.”

They heard the clatter of more feet in the hallway outside the curtain and the sound of Dr. Li’s stern voice scolding Suki and Ty Lee. Sokka looked at Aang one last time. Aang nodded, and then Sokka slipped out of the curtain to join them. 

Once Sokka left, Katara began focusing on some indiscriminate point on the stone floor. Dr. Li bustled in and began her examination, blessedly interrupting the awkwardness that hung in the air between them. 

“We are all so glad to see you awake, Master Katara,” she said as she checked her pupils and lymph nodes. “Your brother and the Avatar were especially worried about you.”

“Yes, well,” Katara cleared her throat. “I’m glad to be awake, too, though I can’t say I remember what happened.”

Aang opened his mouth to explain when Dr. Li simply said, “You were poisoned.” Katara’s eyes went wide and she finally, finally looked to Aang for an explanation. He took her hand as Dr. Li continued her examination, reassuring her without words that he would tell her everything soon. When she squeezed his hand in return his entire body warmed with relief. Even if things were a little weird between them right now, she still trusted him.

The doctor asked Katara a myriad of questions regarding her pain levels and discomforts—all of which were thankfully nonexistent or minimal—before finally feeling satisfied that her patient was alright and leaving the two of them alone.

“I like your hair,” Katara said shyly. She reached up and ran her fingers through the short stubble on his head and he grinned, feeling his cheeks heat up tremendously.

“So, poison?!” she asked. “Was I the only one? Or…”

“Just you,” Aang said quickly. “Although I don’t think anyone else had started eating yet other than me. It was such a blur, I…”

“How did I… well… survive?”

“You told me to use the FuZi root in your bag, but I had no idea what I was doing, and then you passed out.” Aang took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, but his voice still broke on his next sentence. “Katara, I thought I was going to lose you. I can’t lose you. You’re my best friend.” He thought he saw her face drop when he said “friend,” before she smiled sadly up at him. “So I… I went into the Avatar State and channeled Avatar Kuruk. He had some healing training and he emptied your stomach and gave you the FuZi extract and then we brought you back here.” 

Aang was a little worried he had rambled, or said too much at once, but he knew Katara was a medical expert and she would want to know everything. She nodded mutely, and Aang started caressing the back of her hand with his thumb. He wanted to climb into that bed with her and hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay. He didn’t know why he was holding back anymore.

When she had passed out from the poison, he had obviously panicked and gone into the Avatar State, but while Kuruk was possessing his body he had come to the realization that he couldn’t keep pretending his feelings for her didn’t exist. When Kuruk called Katara “the Avatar’s love,” he knew it was the absolute truth. And yet he still worried about putting Katara in an awkward position. 

“Katara, I…”

“Thank you, Aang,” she said quietly. Katara reached out with her other hand and held his cheek. Why did her smile look so sad? He felt an overwhelming urge to lean forward and kiss her, but he knew this wasn’t the time or the place. 

“You don’t have to thank me, Katara,” Aang said. “I will always be there when you need me. I know you’d do the same for me. You have, in fact. Multiple times.”

Katara chuckled darkly. “I don’t like remembering that.”

“Yeah, well,” Aang leaned into her touch. “Now we’re… well, we’re not even but we’re…”

“Let’s hope we don’t have to save each other ever again,” Katara said with finality. Aang nodded. He understood now—better than he had before, anyway—how terrifying it was to be in that position. He also understood that unfortunately, his position as Avatar came with many risks, and his life was likely going to be threatened again and again. He chewed the inside of his lip. He was still debating whether he should bring that up when Katara spoke again.

“I… I know that you’re the Avatar, and that we probably will have to save each other again. Or, at least I’ll need to save you. I’m sorry. I know that,” she said, twiddling with the thin hospital blanket in her lap. She rolled to her side to face him better. “I’m just a little shaken right now, I guess. I’m not used to being the one that needs saving.” Katara’s cheeks bloomed scarlet and the sight brought unexpected joy to Aang’s heart. He had spent days staring at her uncharacteristically pale face and seeing the color and emotion return brought him to the verge of relieved tears.

“Oh, Katara,” he said wetly. He leaned over the bed to embrace her as best he could in their positions. Katara clutched at his back and he could feel her trembling in his arms. It seemed like she was trying to pull him closer, so he hesitantly scooted so that he was sitting beside her in the bed, glancing over his shoulder at the curtained doorway to watch for Dr. Li. 

The moment he was fully on the bed Katara practically climbed into his lap, resting her head on his shoulder. He held her while she processed everything that had happened, stroking her back and whispering encouragement and understanding in her ear. 

“You are so, so strong, Katara,” he murmured, carefully brushing strands of hair out of her face. “You’ve always been the strongest one out of all of us. But you deserve to be taken care of, too. Let us do that for you.”

Katara took a shaky breath and nuzzled closer to him. He could feel her hot breath on his chest becoming slower and more even. At first he worried she was slipping back into a coma.

“Katara? Katara, are you okay?” he asked, shaking her arm gently.

“Mmmmm,” she sighed. “Just sleepy. Stay?”

Aang lay back on the bed and let her curl into him, wrapping his arm around her to hold her tight. He knew he would have to sneak out before Dr. Li returned for her next examination, but he couldn’t say no to Katara right now. As she dozed, he couldn’t help but feel again, for the millionth time since they’d started their charade, that this closeness felt so right. It felt like home. He pressed a kiss into her hair, now that she was asleep, and thanked the Spirits again that she was okay. 

When Katara awoke, Aang was back in the chair beside her bed, dozing. She felt a pang of disappointment, but she couldn’t hold it against him. He had done so much for her. Judging by the sun in the sky it was somewhere around midday. She went to stretch her arms above her head and found that Aang was still clinging to one of her hands. The sight brought a smile to her face.

When Dr. Li had asked her how she was feeling earlier, she had been truthful that there was no pain or discomfort anywhere. But what she did feel was incredibly sluggish. Her mind and her body felt like they were trying to walk through sludge, uphill and upstream. She wondered if that was a side-effect of the poison, or if it was just from lying in bed for so long.

She squeezed Aang’s hand and watched his face stir to life.

“Hi,” she said, grinning softly. 

“Katara,” he said, with all the tenderness in the world. The mere sound of his voice made her feel so cherished and sent a warm, cozy feeling throughout her body. “How are you feeling?”

“I feel great,” she said honestly. “Kind of fatigued, but nothing else is bothering me. Maybe I can break out of the hospital room today,” she said with a smirk.

“I’m so glad,” Aang replied. “That would be amazing. Can I get you something to eat? You must be starving.”

“Actually, yeah, I am pretty hungry.” 

“Hungry, hmmm? That’s a good sign,” Dr. Li pulled the curtain aside and set her clipboard down on the counter to begin her examination. “Let’s see how your legs are after this—maybe the Avatar can walk you down to lunch in the Firelord’s dining room. I bet your friends would be excited to see you.”

“I’d love that,” Katara said excitedly. When Dr. Li finished the physical examination and went through her questions, she had Aang hold one of Katara’s elbows gently while she supported the other. Katara flung her legs over the side of the bed and, with their help, stood on shaky legs. 

“How does this feel?” the doctor asked her.

“I feel… out of practice,” she admitted. “I think I can get it if I keep trying.” 

They walked together out of the small room and into the wider hallway and waiting space of the hospital wing. After a few slow laps around, Dr. Li had her try with just Aang holding her arm.

“You’re doing great, Master Katara,” she commended. “I think some lunch is in order. And, with your healer’s expertise, you can probably be released from my constant supervision at this time, however I expect you to return at the slightest sign of regression.”

“Yes, of course. Thank you so much, Doctor Li.” Katara did her best to bow in thanks to the older woman, before turning to Aang with a giddy smile. He returned it warmly.

“Yes, thank you, Doctor Li,” he added, bowing deeply. The doctor’s eyes crinkled with her returning grin. 

“Do not push it, though,” she called after them as they moved slowly out of the hospital wing and into the private area of the palace. “I still expect you to be resting. Avatar, make sure she doesn’t stress too much!”

“I will,” he said solemnly. Katara looked up at him. She knew he would take care of her, just as she had taken care of him, and it gave her a feeling of tranquility and contentment. She was surprised by how much her illness had affected him. She really didn’t want to give that closeness up, once she was better.

They took their time walking to the dining room, and by the time they arrived many of their friends had already finished their meals, but they were still there. When they walked in there was a bustle and Sokka and Suki and Ty Lee rushed over to her, whisking her away from Aang and helping her into a seat. Zuko called for a waiter to bring more food and drink out for them. 

Katara looked longingly at Aang from the crowd as he stood just behind them. Sokka must have noticed, because suddenly he was standing by Aang and telling him to have a seat and pulling out the chair beside Katara. She smiled at her brother in thanks. As happy as she was to be with her friends again, it felt slightly overwhelming all of a sudden. The noise and the questions and the attention… She needed Aang to steady her.

He must have read her mind because seconds later his hand was on hers under the table. It was such a familiar action that it immediately calmed her. She squeezed his hand in thanks. When he squeezed back she took a deep, steadying breath, finally ready to face the loving commotion in front of her, when someone appeared at the door.

“Kyoko,” Mai called to Zuko’s assistant who had just come to take him to his next meeting. “Please postpone the Firelord’s afternoon meeting by one hour. We have some personal business to attend to.”

“Yes, of course my lady,” she said, bowing and then disappearing behind the door again. 

“Thank you, Mai,” Zuko said, smiling softly at his fiancee. He then turned his attention across the table, glancing between Aang and Katara with concern. “It’s good to see you up and about, Katara. How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling pretty well, considering,” Katara said. She took a sip of the hot miso soup that had just been brought out, letting it fill her with warmth. “I’m still tired, and my body feels slow, but I’m glad they let me out of the hospital wing.”

“Did Sokka tell you what happened?” Zuko asked. Katara saw Aang shoot Zuko a glare, but the Firelord seemed oblivious.

“Aang filled me in a little,” she responded, “but just with what happened at the restaurant.”

“I’m so glad you brought your medical bag, Katara,” Aang said, turning to her with eyes full of relief and care. Katara felt her cheeks heating up and took another sip of her soup to try and hide her blush.

“Yeah, no kidding. None of us might be here—well, except for you, Aang—if she hadn’t,” Sokka said, snagging another mochi off the plate.

“Wait, what?!” Aang exclaimed. His eyes seemed to bulge for a moment before he closed them and pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head. “Hold on, we’re not supposed to be stressing Katara out. The doctor said…”

“It’s okay, Aang,” Katara said quietly. “I want to know. I’ll be okay.” She squeezed his hand again under the table and watched his face soften in response. Then, she looked back at her brother. Mai quietly got up and locked all the doors, ensuring their privacy.

“Okay, so,” he started, after quickly chewing and swallowing his mochi. “Aang, you were right that my noodles were also poisoned, but so were Suki’s and Zuko’s. Dr. Li found traces of the poison in every bowl of noodles except for yours.”

“But… why? Usually it’s the other way around,” Aang asked, confused.

“I know, that’s what was so weird,” Sokka agreed. He took a sip of his tea. 

“The Kyoshi Warriors did some digging, and you know the organized crime rings we were talking about at lunch that day?” Suki asked. Katara looked at Aang, who seemed as lost as she was. Neither of them had been paying much attention to that conversation before lunch, as they had been much more focused on the awkwardness between them after Katara kissed him in front of their friends.

“Uh… sure?” he said. Katara grinned knowingly into her soup bowl. 

“Well, a lot of them are Ozai sympathizers, who obviously dislike both the Firelord and the Avatar, but there is a small faction that still wants to keep the Avatar alive,” Suki explained. “They actually… kind of worship you, Aang. This smaller group is almost exclusively women, and we found a significant overlap between them and the Avatar Aang fan clubs in the Fire Nation. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. We can’t trace anything back to Ba Sing Se yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if whoever threatened Katara there was also a part of this group, although they could just be a crazy fangirl.”

“And Yaeko…” Aang started, trying to put the pieces together.

“Yaeko was part of the group,” Zuko interjected darkly. “She was sent to apply for the position of advisor when it opened up, giving them an “in” at the palace. They waited for the right moment to strike, when all of us were here and together but out of the palace, so it wouldn’t seem like an inside job. She suggested the restaurant. All the workers and customers that day were members of this group, and they did the rest.”

“Wow…” Katara said, sinking back into her chair. She couldn’t help but feel relieved that she hadn’t been exclusively targeted, but still it was unnerving that there were people out there that didn’t just dislike her and her friends; they wanted them dead.

“We are in the process of placing all known members of the group in custody,” Mai said dryly, inspecting her fingernails. “But it’s been… difficult to track them all down. Like when Azula formed the Kemurikage and afterwards they all just… disappeared.”

The room remained silent, the weight of the situation choking out any possible words from forming. 

“I suggest we all remain in the palace for a little while longer,” Zuko said. “No more trips out into the caldera, and keep to the private wing as much as possible. The only issue will be with the trade conference next week, but I’m making arrangements for extra security.”

“I think it’s best if we stay here a little longer for Katara’s healing, anyway,” Aang said. Katara smiled at him, touched by how much he was thinking of her. He grinned back at her and the air in the room seemed to change again. 

“Then it’s settled,” Sokka said, clearing his throat. Katara noticed Aang look away from her and back into his soup bowl, blushing. “We’ll all stay put—at least through next week’s conference—and then re-evaluate the situation.”

Katara didn’t know what the future held, but she knew how she’d felt when Aang held her and caressed her when she’d first woken up. She felt safe with him by her side. She knew she still needed to apologize for kissing him in front of their friends, but she hoped he would always be there, at least as her best friend. She didn’t want to admit it, but she needed him. She had a feeling he needed her, too, even if it wasn’t the same.

Chapter Text

Katara healed quickly with Aang’s help. She taught him how to help her stretch and gave him some physical exercises he could help her with. Within a day or two she was back to walking on her own, and though she still felt tired and muddled, she was glad for more independence. 

Aang had all but refused to leave her side. He stopped going to meetings with Zuko in the leadup to the conference, devoting time to Katara’s healing. He even tried to get Katara to sleep on the couch in the private sitting room they all shared so he could watch over her at night, clearly still worried about the after-effects of the poison. On impulse, she told him, “I’m not going to sleep on the couch, but if you want to come watch over me in my bed you’re more than welcome,” to which they had both blushed furiously. Tellingly, though, Aang had sat on a chair in her room and watched over her while she slept the last couple nights. 

On the third day after her awakening, she rose to find Aang dozing once again in the chair beside her bed, his forehead crinkled adorably in the middle of his arrow. She reached out to smooth the wrinkles, wanting to soothe whatever was worrying him in his sleep. At the touch of her hand, his eyelids fluttered open. 

“Hi,” he whispered, voice still gravelly with sleep, but the joy on his face was clear and bright. He cleared his throat. 

“Hi,” she said back, a smile leaking from her, pulled like the tide by the power of the moon. Katara liked waking up to him. She liked it a lot. She almost didn’t want to be completely healed, because then he would stop sleeping in her room with her. She took a sharp breath and chided herself for thinking this way, quickly turning her attention back to Aang. “You looked so worried in your sleep—were you having a bad dream?”

Aang frowned, looking off to the side as if trying to recall the fragments of dream that were slipping into the mist. “I think…” His words were interrupted by a big yawn, and Katara watched every muscle dance as he stretched. “I think I was dreaming that you hadn’t woken up yet. I can’t remember everything, but I remember being worried you would never wake up.”

Katara caressed his face gently and he looked up at her with big, sad eyes. “I know the feeling,” she said. She had nearly drowned in that fear more than once on that Fire Nation ship during the war. “But we’re both okay, now. We’re both here and awake and alive and together, and that’s what matters.”

“Katara, I…” 

“Come on,” she said. “Let’s get breakfast.” She slowly pulled the covers back and moved her legs to the side of the bed so she could get up, grabbing clothes and going into the attached bathroom before Aang could respond. 

Something like nerves had begun to curl in her chest when she said “together.” It wasn’t the first time, either, but the thought of their carefully built facade shattering around her brought a visceral reaction that threatened to take hold of her entire body. Her palms were clammy as she pulled on fresh clothes, and her mind was racing; her nerves tightening on her heart like a vice. 

She was afraid Aang was going to remind her, again, that they weren’t actually together. Or that he was going to break off their fake relationship. That he was going to say they should end this now before anything else happened to either of them. Or worse, that they should end it because he didn’t enjoy their time together, or found her repulsive, or…

Stop it, Katara. You know that’s not true, she scolded herself as she brushed her teeth. She looked in the mirror as she combed and braided her hair, trying to think of which style Aang liked best, fluttermoths dancing at the thought of his reaction. Now you’re just being ridiculous, she told herself. She thought of the way he’d said, “Katara’s hair? What’s up with that?” in that Fire Nation village and how insecure she’d felt. 

But she also remembered all the times he’d looked at her with something like adoration in his eyes: when she’d changed into her more revealing Fire Nation outfit for the first time, any time she’d gotten all dressed up for a ball, and most recently, when he’d taken her to the theater, right before she accidentally kissed him in front of their friends. Maybe he did find her attractive? 

She felt so confused.

When she came out of the bathroom, Aang was gone, but her bed was made. She smiled at the sweet gesture and went to find him. She was just about to knock on the door to his room when the door opened and Aang nearly walked right into her, seemingly preoccupied with his own thoughts. 

Katara stared at him for a moment, frozen but smiling. Aang didn’t move for a breath either, and then he slid past her, shutting his door and reaching his hand behind his neck that way he always did. 

“Uh… um… Sorry,” he sputtered. 

“It’s okay, Aang,” she said bashfully. “Breakfast?” She held out her arm out of habit, even though she didn’t need his help to walk anymore.

Aang looped his strong arm through hers anyway. “Breakfast,” he agreed, as they started walking towards the private dining room. She leaned her head against his shoulder absent-mindedly, and she could have sworn she felt Aang nuzzle her hair. When she looked up at him, though, he was staring straight ahead, stone-faced. She must have imagined it. 

When they got to breakfast, their friends were already in a heated discussion. Katara caught the words “ball” and “not safe” and “are you out of your Koh-damned mind?!” as Zuko and Sokka shouted at each other from across the table. Aang quickly walked her to her seat and then stood between the two friends. 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” he said loudly. He was using his Avatar Voice; the one that always made whoever was around him stop in their tracks. Katara swooned a little inside. “What’s going on, here?!”

“This idiot is letting his advisors talk him into a ball to end the trade conference next week!” Sokka shouted, gesticulating wildly. “Can you believe it?! After everything that just happened?!”

“It will be good for palace morale,” Zuko justified. “Everyone has been on edge since the investigations, and there will be a lot of people from different nations, not just Fire Nation nobles and politicians. Your dad will be here, as well as representatives from the North and from the Earth Kingdom. It’s a chance to mingle and maybe even eliminate—or at least challenge—some of the hurtful wartime stereotypes.”

“And for someone to sneak in and poison everybody…” Sokka muttered under his breath.

“We can’t hide under a rock forever,” Suki soothed, placing a hand on her boyfriend’s arm. “We will all be on high alert. The palace security team already has a plan in place.”

Katara didn’t know what to think. On one hand, they had literally just escaped a near-deadly experience. On the other, she knew Suki was right. They couldn’t hide forever, and she did love going to balls with Aang…

“I still think it’s a bad idea,” Sokka said, folding his arms and leaning back in his chair. “We haven’t even tracked down all the people who were involved in the last assassination attempt. We know there are still plenty of Ozai loyalists out there. I don’t see how this doesn’t end in disaster. What do you think, Aang?”

Aang chewed the inside of his lip. He took his time answering—Katara could tell he was thinking everything over very carefully. His forehead was crinkled in the same way it had been when she woke up that morning.

“I trust Zuko and Suki to come up with a plan to keep everyone safe,” he said, finally. When Sokka opened his mouth to contest, Aang held up his hand, wordlessly asking his friend to wait. “I know it’s scary right now, and the last thing I want is Katara or anyone else getting hurt again. I want to be involved in the security plans, though. I think you should be, too, Sokka. Katara, you can if you want, but…”

“No, that’s okay,” Katara said quickly. She could tell he was deferring to her out of respect for her independence, but she knew she needed to take care of herself first. Especially right now. The last thing she needed was more stress. “I know I need the rest and planning is way more up Sokka’s alley than mine.” 

Everyone turned to Sokka. He was scratching the scruff on his chin and looking off into space. “I still don’t like it,” he admitted. “But if I can help with the security plans, maybe we can at least minimize the risks. Okay, fine, we’ll have a ball. Just don’t expect me to be happy about it. I’m going to be so on edge the whole time.”

“I think we all are,” Katara agreed. “But it could be fun, too.” She glanced at Aang, mouth quirking up into a small smile. A wave of heat went through her when he returned it. “We have a whole week to prepare. And we’ll have Dad and everyone else. We made it through the war together, you guys. We can make it through one ball—I know we can.”

The week passed in a blur, with the conference beginning and taking most of everyone’s time, and security planning taking up most of the evenings. Katara hardly saw Aang or her friends during that time, outside of the few meetings she attended as a Water Tribe representative, but she finally felt completely like herself again. 

Her favorite times of day were the late evenings spent all together in the private sitting room, going over everything that had happened, personal notes on various officials, and generally decompressing from the stresses of being so formal during the day. Aang would sit on the floor, legs crossed and head leaning back into her lap as she relaxed on the couch, and she passed cool water over his temples to lighten his headaches. Katara couldn’t help but wonder if these simple touches meant as much to Aang as they did to her. She was careful to keep everything in check, now, but still couldn’t help but feel that something had shifted between them. She just couldn’t put her finger on what or how, and it only added to her confusion about where they stood.

Hakoda often brought her food during the day, since he knew she was avoiding the large, crowded conference meals, and he was keen to catch up with his daughter after a few months away. “Sokka told me about how you’re helping Aang deal with the… pressures… being put upon him by various leaders,” he said awkwardly one afternoon. It was the middle of the week, and he had just brought a steaming bowl of stew and some rice to share with her in her room. They were sitting at a small table near her window, which overlooked one of the private palace gardens. Hakoda pointedly kept looking out at the sparrowkeets that kept loudly twittering in one of the trees there. “That’s very kind of you, Katara.”

“It’s not fair, what they’re trying to do to him,” Katara grimaced. She took another bite of her stew and followed her father’s eyes out to the garden.

“I don’t want you to, erm, feel pressured either, though,” Hakoda said. “You’re both young and have the right to live your lives as kids for a while, despite what others might say or think. You had that unfairly taken from you by war.”

Katara knew her father meant well, but she wasn’t a kid anymore and hadn’t been. She was eighteen and well past marrying age, but what’s more, she had been acting like an adult in their village and in the world for more than half her life now. Her mother had been gone for a full decade. Her heart squeezed in her chest to remember how long she’d had to live without Kya already. How many more milestones she would have to go through without her still.

She thought about how distraught Aang had been when she was poisoned. How she had acted when Aang was in a coma after Ba Sing Se. Suddenly, her father’s sullenness and withdrawal after Kya’s death made much more sense, and his eventual need to go fight the war that had stolen his wife. She reached out and put her hand on his.

Hakoda looked at her. He was smiling, but she could see sadness in his crystal blue eyes, and she took in the crow’s feet and the deep wrinkles that lined his face, now. The war had stolen more than his wife from him.

“Thanks, Dad,” she said earnestly. “I don’t feel pressured, and I won’t do anything I don’t agree with one hundred percent—you know that. I’m just helping Aang right now.”

Hakoda looked like he wanted to say more, but held back. She thought about asking if Sokka had told him about how she really felt, but then Hakoda squeezed her hand and nodded, and swiftly changed the subject to her thoughts on the proposed Southern trade routes and the tariffs the other countries wanted to impose. That conversation would have to wait, she supposed. 

The next days flew by, and suddenly it was the last day of the conference. There were final meetings all morning, followed by a large formal luncheon and then everyone had the afternoon free to get dressed and prepared for the closing ball. Katara opted to attend the luncheon, as all the security plans were already in place for the evening. 

Sokka and Suki were nowhere to be seen, probably caught up in making sure it all went according to plan. Katara even caught a glimpse of the everpresent knives up Mai’s sleeves as she entered the grand dining room with the bustling crowd. Mai had the slightest smirk on her face that made Katara believe the show was intentional—a subtle warning to all those that entered.

Katara was thankful for the opportunity to sit by Aang’s side at lunch. She had been separated from him for seemingly the entire week, other than those brief moments in the evenings, and though she had been just fine on her own, it didn’t stop her from missing the calming presence of her best friend. When she finally found her seat, he shot her a winning smile of joy and relief that told her he probably felt the same way.

He embraced her warmly, loudly (proudly?) exclaiming how glad he was that she was here. “I missed you so much, Sweetie,” he said, and both their cheeks heated up. Had he just said that out loud? In front of all these people? Did… did he just call her “Sweetie?” Katara’s heart melted a little, even while knowing he was probably trying to sell their relationship and maybe stave off a few overzealous nobles. 

She recovered quickly, reaching up to caress his face. “I missed you, too,” she said honestly, going up on her toes for a quick kiss. She really had missed the open physicality that had begun to feel normal and expected in public. They hadn’t appeared together outside of the private wing of the palace since their visit to the theater two weeks ago. 

Aang held her to him for probably longer than necessary, but she didn’t mind. In fact, she celebrated it. Especially when he dipped his head and she could feel his hot breath against her ear. Nope, definitely do not mind this closeness, she thought as pleasant shivers ran down her spine. 

Eventually they had to pull away and take their seats, and Aang had to continue greeting everyone else who came up to the table to shake his hand. He seemed so excited to introduce Katara to each of them, though. They would come with the intention of speaking only with the Avatar and wouldn’t get to leave until he had told them of all her accolades. How she had been single-handedly bringing waterbending back to the South Pole. All her advances in healing and medical research. How kind and generous and beautiful she was. His face lit up the entire time he was speaking of her, and Katara had never felt so cherished or appreciated.

The meal itself was happily uneventful, even though Aang kept stubbornly insisting on testing her food. He kept finding reasons to hold her hand, and he scooted his chair closer to her between lunch and dessert so that he could wrap his arm around her, pressing his lips to her hair more than once while they waited and made smalltalk with those around them. She so terribly wanted to just fall into him like they had before the play, but she knew this wasn’t the time or the place.

Aang walked her back to the private wing after lunch. Zuko and Mai and Hakoda all accompanied them. Katara knew she needed to let go of Aang’s arm once they passed the guards that stood sentry outside the doors to their wing, but the emptiness that followed sank deep into her bones. 

They separated into their own spaces to get ready, then. Palace seamstresses had visited everyone earlier in the week to take measurements and present options, so that no one would need to leave the palace to find suitable clothing. When Katara closed the door, she found a beautiful blue two piece lehenga choli hanging by the window. The short top had cap sleeves and was a shimmering satin blue, and the full, flowing skirt was covered with elaborately embroidered yellow suns and silver moons. There was also a bright yellow dupatta with matching royal blue accents, which was styled to be worn the same way Aang wore his traditional sash. 

Katara took her time getting ready, examining every detail in the mirror over and over again and changing her hair at least four times. She finally settled on the half-up style she typically opted for in the Fire Nation, knowing that the humidity wouldn’t cooperate with her thick, wavy locks. She carefully pinned her hair loops back into the bun behind her head. Once satisfied, she pulled out her makeup case and began to distractedly apply bits of paint and blush, but her mind was on one thing and one thing only: how Aang would react when he saw her.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Her heart started to pound and she internally derided herself for being so nervous, even as she tripped over her water pouch on her way to answer the door. “Who is it?” she called, just to be safe.

“It’s me,” Aang said from the other side of the door, and the comfortable, casual baritone of his voice coated her like molasses. She opened the door and stood before him with a shy smile, feeling her face heat up when his eyes raked up and down her frame and his mouth dropped open slightly. 

Katara giggled as Aang shook his head a little, and a beautiful blush covered his face and neck. She took the opportunity to trail her eyes along his body, then, noticing that he was wearing the same robes she had bought him for his birthday. His birthday seemed like an eternity ago, now, when in reality it had only been about a month since they’d begun their charade. Time was moving in disorienting ways.

“You look amazing, Katara,” Aang breathed, reaching out to thumb at the fabric of her dupatta. “I love these colors on you.”

“Blue and yellow go great together, don’t they?” Katara asked, grinning. “You look great, too, by the way. I’m so glad you like these robes.”

“They’re so comfortable,” Aang admitted.

“You’re probably going to need new ones before your next birthday, though, the way you’ve been growing recently.”

Aang perked up proudly. “I’m gonna be tall,” he exclaimed. Katara laughed at his antics, but she felt a pull in her stomach as she thought about an even taller Aang. She bit her lip. 

Aang withdrew his hand abruptly, eyes wide when he realized he was still toying with the fabric at her shoulder. He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Um… are you ready?”

He held out his arm for her to take, and she gladly accepted. “Let’s do this,” she said.

Everything ran smoothly, and thanks to Sokka and Suki and Zuko’s planning, there wasn’t even the slightest hint of a threat anywhere. Aang and Katara ate and danced and laughed, and even chatted up various diplomats and nobles throughout the evening. They had just finished yet another energetic dance, stunning the other partygoers, when Katara decided to go get them something cool to drink. They were both covered with a sheen of sweat.

“I’ll be right back,” she said, reaching up to kiss him on the cheek. His cheeks bloomed scarlett again; it made her heart sing every time she managed to do that to him. He waved at her as she walked away, and she giggled to herself, almost skipping to the refreshment table.

She was just about to grab two glasses of iced wine when Mai caught her attention.

“Enjoying yourself?” she asked, grinning. Katara cringed internally when she remembered that Mai had been present when she kissed Aang in the palace that night, but quickly recovered. 

“I am,” she said confidently. “It’s been really nice to get out again, actually. And the food was delicious.”

“Every ingredient was tested before the chefs could even cook with it,” Mai explained. “And we had metal chopsticks to check for poison before any dish made it out of the kitchen. You wouldn’t believe how many people were working back there tonight.”

“Well, I’m glad it all turned out so well,” Katara said.

“The recent investigations mean there aren’t so many Avatar fangirls here, either,” Mai said, taking a glass of iced wine for herself and sipping slowly on it. “ That’s got to be a plus.”

Katara smiled in agreement. Mai was right—there hadn’t been a single interruption yet from a jealous fangirl, and Aang and Katara had been having much more fun as a result. They’d been able to dance without anyone else cutting in, and have conversations with various nobles without anyone drooling over him. Just then, though, Katara looked up to find a gaggle of girls approaching Aang across the room, whispering to each other behind ornate fans.

“Oh, Tui and La,” Katara swore. “Well, there aren’t as many, but here they come, now. Sorry, Mai. I gotta go.”

“Go save your man,” Mai cheered her on, lifting her glass in Katara’s direction. Katara turned back and smiled at her, before rushing off to Aang.

She was too late. The girls had already swarmed around him, and she saw one actually reach out to caress his bicep as she complimented him on how strong he was. Aang was trying to back away, stammering about having a girlfriend, when another girl walked behind him and tried to hug him as he crashed into her. He mumbled an apology, trying to find an escape, when his eyes finally found Katara’s just out of reach and he jumped up with a blast of air.

“Sorry girls, gotta run!” he called, as he whisked Katara away.

“They’re following us,” Katara whispered, turning around to see the group walking briskly behind them, calling out more questions for Aang. “What do we do?”

Aang looked ahead of them, taking in the situation and their surroundings. Katara guessed he was probably looking for an escape route. Suddenly his footsteps held more purpose and he was pulling her in one direction, towards a small door near the back entrance to the ballroom.

“In here,” he whispered, opening the door and then quickly shutting it.

It was… dark. Very dark. Aang lit a flame in his hand to get a glimpse of the space, and it appeared to be a closet of some kind. There was very little room to stand between the walls, which were lined with shelves of tablecloths and centerpieces. Suddenly, Katara realized just how tight of a space it was. She was practically pressed against Aang from knee to chest. She tried to take a respectable step back, and bumped her head on a shelf.

“Avatar Aang, we know you’re in there! Come out!” came the girls’ voices from the other side of the door.

“Sorry, I’m… uh… a little busy here,” Aang called back, looking at Katara mischievously. “We should pretend to make out,” he whispered in her ear, extinguishing the flame in his hand and threading an arm around her back, flattening his hand against the bare skin under her dupatta, pulling her back into him. “That should scare them away.”

Katara couldn’t see his face, but she could feel his hot breath coming out in puffs from his nose. She may not have seismic sense like Toph, but she understood now how everything else could be heightened in the absence of sight. Every nerve ending seemed to be buzzing. Every inch of skin he touched felt like it was on fire. She was sure Aang could hear her heart’s loud drum beat against her chest.

“We should actually kiss,” Katara breathed in return. So that our lips are red and swollen when we get out was what she planned to say to justify her thinly veiled desperation to Aang. It wasn’t necessary—his lips were already on hers and their mouths parted with such ease it drew from her a throaty gasp instead.

“Good idea, they should probably hear some noise,” he groaned against her cheek. Katara’s knees buckled, and she felt his arms tighten around her in response. She leaned back with another needy whine, letting him turn them and pin her against the door with a deep thud. Their kiss became messy, deep, frenetic. It was mindless bliss for both teenagers, heaving on a hormonal precipice with no return.

“And if we were making out,” she whispered breathlessly, “you would tangle your hands in my hair and ruffle it up a bit.” Aang complied immediately. He made a sound somewhere between a moan and a whimper into her mouth as he fisted some of her hair to tug her neck open to him, and a jolt of electricity shot straight to her core.

“I would probably mark you,” he said against the shell of her ear.

“Aang—YES,” she moaned, drawing him against her hastening pulse, going so weak against the sting of his bite that he needed to scoop her up by her trembling thighs. His hands squeezed and quivered, and he moaned loudly into her neck.

“I would need to push my dress up so you could hold me like this,” she murmured, eyes shut in rapture as she shimmied her skirt up to her waist and hooked her legs behind his back. Suddenly they were rocking against each other as she breathed his exhale, and he hers; their beings fusing under the heat of this kiss.

She realized with a gasp that their centers were lined up perfectly beneath her skirt, and that she could feel a distinct bulge against her core. Her eyes flew open and she tried in vain to look at Aang, to see what his face was saying. She knew they were putting on a show for the girls outside, but those girls couldn’t see him, now. They couldn’t feel his need grinding against hers. Katara’s heart was beating so fast she thought it might fly out of her chest. Was this… did he actually want her? The same way she so badly wanted him?

His desire in full alignment with her beating center, their noise was raucous, their self-control forgotten. Aang went sloppy against her throat again, hands creeping upwards. Katara arched in search of friction, dizzied by the pleasure she felt when she rolled her hips against his hardness.

“Maybe I would—” he paused just as his hand cupped a breast, his thumb hovering over her eager, aching nipple. “What are we DOING?!”

Chapter Text

“What are we DOING?!” Aang nearly yelled, so shocked with his own actions that he almost dropped her, and Katara had to cling to his shoulders to keep from falling. She gripped his hips harder with her legs, which definitely did not help.

“Spirits, Katara, I’m so, so sorry,” Aang whispered, leaning his forehead into her shoulder and trying desperately to quell the throbbing he knew she could feel. The only thing that separated them was his light flaxen pants and her lower wraps. Oh, this is so embarrassing. “I don’t know what came over me. I was not trying to take advantage of you or anything, I…”

“Aang, it’s okay,” Katara soothed. He could still feel her chest heaving for breath against his own. Also not helping… “I got carried away, too, I guess…” 

Aang tried again to set her down—gently this time—to get her off of his straining arousal. He wasn’t going to be able to think like this. He wanted to tell her how he really felt, but not through a fog of hormones. He wanted her to understand that his love for her wasn’t just physical.

“Can we… can we go back to your room and talk?” he asked, quietly. Aang caressed the side of her face as she smoothed her skirt back down. His hand was shaking. He couldn’t seem to get any part of his body under control, and it was becoming incredibly frustrating. 

“Of course,” she replied immediately. She sounded… nervous? Why did she sound nervous?

He felt her reach for the handle of the door and quickly stilled her hand with his. “Um, give me a minute? I… um, I can’t go out yet.” He felt his cheeks bloom scarlett and was thankful it was too dark in the closet for her to see him. Any of him.

“Oh! Oh. Right. Sorry.”

They stood in awkward silence for a moment, rocking on the balls of their feet, as Aang tried to think of something—anything—other than what had just transpired between them, so that he could will his arousal away. He tried to think of the trade meetings, or cleaning the bison stables at the Southern Air Temple, or the old wrinkly men who had invited him to the sauna with them earlier, or… 

“Hey, Aang,” Katara’s voice pulled him out of his frenzied thoughts. “It’s… it’s okay, you know. It’s normal for people our age, and… and I understand if it’s just a physical reaction—we were getting pretty into it…”

“Do you want it to be just a physical reaction?” he asked bluntly, against his better judgment. This was not how he wanted to tell her. How he wanted to find out.

It was so quiet he could hear her swallow, and her tense breaths as she gathered her courage. 

“No,” she whispered.

Aang thought his heart might explode out of his chest. All this time… All this time he had been trying not to overstep her boundaries, but he had never actually asked her what her boundaries were. How she felt. And now… Now she was saying she wanted him the same way he wanted—no, loved—her?

He couldn’t help it, then. He leaned down and kissed her so tenderly, with so much adoration, that he felt her knees buckle again. He wrapped his arms around her for stability, and felt her lips open easily to him as she sighed into his mouth. 

No! Aang’s thoughts tried to scream through the haze of emotion. You are not going to get carried away again! Or admit your love for her in a closet!  

“Let’s go back to your room,” he said when he finally found the strength to pull away, grinning so widely his cheeks hurt. 

“Are you… ready?” she asked, and he could feel her own smile against his lips. He laughed—how did she make an embarrassing situation so… easy? So carefree?

Aang adjusted his pants and the flap of his belt to hide any remaining evidence of his desire, knowing that it would probably return at some point. “I’m ready,” he grinned back, pecking her nose for good measure. 

Her giggle was like music. He had heard it so many times before but it sounded different now—lighter, maybe, and more carefree. Aang felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest… maybe Katara felt the same way. He had to make a conscious effort to keep his feet on the ground.

“We should let someone know we’re leaving, though,” he said as she finally opened the door. They both had to squint to take in the light, and when Aang looked over at Katara and saw how disheveled she looked he had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. “Maybe I should do that,” he said, gesturing to her hair.

Katara reached up and, when she felt how out of place it was, frantically began trying to smooth her hair down. The fangirls that had followed them to the closet were thankfully nowhere to be seen—their plan appeared to have worked. But as they moved towards the ballroom exit they found Suki and Sokka standing in front of a crowd, choreographing the security team.

“Alright, guys—and gals, distinguished warriors, the night’s almost over,” Sokka was saying to the palace guards and Kyoshi Warriors that were gathered there. “You’ve all done great so far. Here’s the plan for when guests exit the palace.” He gestured to a board which had a map and several swords and fans placed all over it. “Guards, you’ll be at the sword stations, Warriors, you’ll be at the fans. Two to a station, with at least one firebending guard per sword to send up flares in case of emergency. Got it?”

At some point during Sokka’s speech, many of those in the audience had spotted Aang and Katara standing nearby. When Sokka looked up and saw them all staring behind him, he turned around, startled. 

“Oh, it’s you,” he breathed in relief. “What happened to your hair, Katara? You know what, nevermind. I don’t wanna know. Did you two need something? We’re kinda busy here.”

“Uh, yeah, Sokka, we’re, um…” Aang started, rubbing the back of his neck.

“We’re going to go back to the private wing,” Katara said confidently, grabbing Aang’s arm. Aang immediately felt grounded by her touch, and exhaled happily. “We have some… things… to discuss. We’ll probably be in my room. Don’t send anyone looking for us.”

Aang saw the fire from the hallway sconces reflected in Katara’s eyes, and his heart skipped a beat. Sokka smiled at her and nodded. “About time,” he said, sounding relieved. “Alright, you two go. Suki, we’ll need to change a couple stations on the board…”

They didn’t stick around to hear what needed to be changed or why. Aang and Katara skipped through the halls arm in arm, giddy with the absolute truth that had finally been revealed between them. They found ways to steal kisses in the corners, giggling their way through the guards stationed at every post. Aang’s entire body tingled with excitement and new energy as they prepared to finally, finally admit their feelings out loud.

When they reached her door, Aang thought his heart might actually explode from how hard it was pounding. It felt like they were on the edge of something huge. Like what they said in that room might change their future forever. Maybe they had already reached the point of no-return inside the closet. 

Aang reached out and turned the knob, then held the door open for Katara. 

She leaned up on her toes again and gave him a sweet kiss on the lips. When Aang opened his eyes and looked down at her, she was blushing, and quickly averted her eyes. 

“Sorry,” she said. “I just… I like that I can do that now.”

Aang reached one arm around her back as he closed the door and pulled her back into him for another short kiss. He cupped her cheek tenderly with his other hand once the door was taken care of, equally elated to be able to offer these little touches even when they were alone, now. “I do, too,” he whispered when he pulled away. He leaned his forehead against hers for a moment.

Everything seemed to be spinning around him. Moving both too fast and not fast enough. Suddenly her bed—where they had spent hours before, on this trip and on trips past, lounging and talking together with no expectation or insinuation of anything more—seemed almost threatening. As though sitting on it might cause him to lose control. He took her hand and led her over to the edge of the bed, then pulled up the plush chair he had spent all those recent nights sleeping in.

Katara was beaming at him in a way he didn’t think he’d ever seen before. She looked… mischievous and proud, excited and nervous all at once. And so, so beautiful. Aang couldn’t help but smile back.

“So,” he started. Words weren’t forming properly in his brain. He needed them to, but luckily Katara seemed to be having less trouble. 

“Yeah…” she sighed happily. “You really… feel that way about me? All this time I thought…”

“I love you, Katara.” He said those words with his whole heart. Tears actually pricked the backs of his eyes, he was so overwhelmed. He didn’t even know how long he had waited for his truth to be spoken out loud to her, but now it was out. He blinked rapidly and looked to Katara for her response.

Katara’s eyes were wet as well when she responded, “I love you, too, Aang. So much. I think I’ve always loved you.” 

“Oh, Katara,” he sniffed. “I’ve always loved you. Didn’t you know? From the moment I opened my eyes and saw you looking back at me. It’s always been you.”

“NO, I didn’t know,” Katara returned, suddenly sounding irritated. “How was I supposed to know? Do I look like I read minds? Does ‘I definitely wouldn’t want to kiss you’ sound like a declaration of love to you?!”

Aang tried to bite back his laugh. “I know, I’m sorry. I was not so great with words when I was twelve.”

“You were pretty great with words when it came to the Zhangs and the Gan Jins,” she retorted, folding her arms over her chest. “And all those speeches?”

Aang reached out and touched her arm and watched her face soften slightly. “I was never great with words when it came to you, though,” he admitted. “I was always so nervous, and then as time went on… I didn’t want to ruin our friendship.” Katara uncrossed her arms and took his hand in hers. “You mean so much to me, Katara. I almost didn’t even want to ask you to be my fake date to that ball because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to hide my feelings anymore.”

“We’re both idiots,” Katara laughed. 

“Yeah,” Aang agreed, “we are.” Then he leaned over to kiss her on the cheek, where a tear had escaped earlier and was leaving salty tracks down her face. 

Katara turned her head after his lips made contact, kissing him back and grinning widely. 

“I’m glad you asked me to pretend to be your girlfriend,” she admitted, nuzzling his nose with her own. “And I’m glad I can kiss you for real now, without worrying about where we are or who we’re with. I thought I ruined everything—that night after the play.”

“You didn’t ruin anything,” Aang said firmly. “That kiss felt so natural. Like we should kiss like that every time we part. I mean, we had a lot of kisses that night,” he waggled his eyebrows at her and she fell back in a fit of giggles before sitting back up, “and they were all enjoyable in different ways. The first ones were…” Aang blushed, “hot. Really hot. I was glad it was dark and we weren’t pressed against each other like in the closet, otherwise…”

“Otherwise we might have saved ourselves a lot of trouble and had this conversation about two weeks sooner?”

Aang cocked his head to look at her, realization dawning on him. “Is that… is that really why… but…” he spluttered. 

Katara leaned over and placed her hand on his thigh to brace herself, causing Aang to flush even redder and gulp, his feelings from earlier threatening to return. “All this time, I thought my feelings were one-sided,” she said. “But feeling you against me earlier… Knowing you wanted me like that… I knew it could just be a physical reaction to what we were doing but… I don’t know. It gave me validation that you at least find me attractive,” she laughed nervously.

“Katara,” Aang groaned. He reached up and threaded his fingers through her hair, pulling her face down for a searing kiss. She immediately opened her mouth to him, and Aang’s mind went blank for what seemed like the hundredth time that night when he felt the sensual glide of her tongue against his. He didn’t ever want this to stop. He wanted to kiss her like this for the rest of their lives.

He didn’t know how long they kissed like that, expressing years of pent-up longing and desire, but eventually his neck started to hurt from the awkward position they were in and he pulled back sheepishly. He tried to discreetly adjust his pants before she opened her eyes.

“If you only knew all the times you inadvertently turned me on,” he laughed. “I’ve found you attractive since the moment I laid eyes on you, but recently… Why do you think I wouldn’t let you heal higher than my knees when I had growing pains? Or that I always held a pillow in my lap when we were lying in your bed together? Sometimes it feels like when I’m around you, my body is being hijacked and I can’t control it. If I didn’t know any better I’d think you were bloodbending me.”

Katara grimaced for a second at the mention of her least-desired power, but then she grinned. And her grin turned into a giggle. And that giggle turned into a full belly laugh that had her falling back onto her bed and holding her sides. Aang’s mouth quirked up as well, but he wasn’t sure what he had said was that funny. 

“Tui and La,” she exclaimed when she finally regained her composure. “Well, that’s quite the ego-boost, Avatar.” She had such a playful glint in her eye, like she always did whenever she referred to him by his official title. He remembered how often he’d had to remind her to have fun during the war; that she was still a kid. It made his heart happy to know that even though they were both technically adults now, Katara had finally learned to let go and have fun , too. 

“Wait, what do you mean?” he asked, once he grasped what she had said. “Why is that an ego-boost?”

“It’s just… You’re the Avatar, Aang! And… you want me? You love me?!”

“Of course I love you! I’ve loved you since I was twelve!” Aang was baffled by her reaction.

Katara shook her head. “No, Aang, I understand that, but… You could have anyone you wanted. All those fan-girls fawning all over you, all of them heartbreakingly gorgeous. And still you choose me. That’s… wow.”

“None of them hold a candle to you, Katara,” Aang said, taking her hands again. “Not in looks, or anything else. And you’re my best friend. You’ve been my biggest supporter since you broke me out of the iceberg. I can’t do any of this without you. And you ! You’re so amazing on your own and so smart and kind and beautiful. I tried to tell you so many times, but I lost my courage or got interrupted…”

“You did?” she asked. She looked so bashful and surprised. “When?!”

Aang rolled his eyes and smiled, remembering all the times he had almost admitted his love for her. “I mean, even during the war! I tried to tell you in the fortuneteller’s village, and before I left Ba Sing Se to visit the Guru, and I almost kissed you on the submarine…”

“I knew it! I thought you were going to, and then I was so disappointed when you just gave me a hug instead.”

“You were?!”

“I mean, I love your hugs, but… after we kissed in the cave… Aang, I spent months dreaming about that kiss,” she admitted.

“We should go back there,” Aang said with a smirk. “See if we can still make the crystals light up.”

Katara laughed. “Oh, I bet we could,” she said. Suddenly she blushed and leaned towards him, causing Aang to heat up himself. “It would be fun to take a trip like that, just the two of us… now that we’re together for real.”

Aang coughed nervously. The thought of taking a trip alone with Katara sent pleasant chills down his spine and treacherous thoughts in his brain. He shook his head to regain focus. “Yeah,” he agreed, running a hand down the back of his neck. “Yeah, it would be fun.”

Katara seemed to remember where their conversation had been going before they got sidetracked and fixed him with a determined look. “Wait, you said you’d tried to tell me before… have you tried to tell me recently? Like, since the war ended?”

Aang laughed again. “I’ve tried to tell you a few times just this week!”

“What?!”

“After you woke up from the coma,” Aang started, “and that morning before breakfast when Sokka and Zuko were fighting…”

Katara’s eyes widened almost comically. “I can’t believe…” she breathed. “We wasted so much time!”

“No,” Aang said firmly, grasping her hands and dipping so that she had to look at his face. “We didn’t waste this time—we were still together. We still talked, still laughed, still got into trouble. We built our relationship to what it is today.” He let go of one of her hands and threaded into her hair, kissing her lightly. “I wouldn’t trade a minute of the time I’ve had with you.”

Katara made a squeaking sound, like she was trying to keep herself from crying, and all but pounced on him, kissing him fiercely. Aang smiled and pulled her closer, still awkwardly sitting on the plush armchair while she perched on the edge of her bed. He was glad for the distance between them, though, when Katara opened her mouth to him again and sighed into the kiss.

Aang pulled back before things could get out of hand; there was still more he wanted to say, and he wanted to say it with a clear head. 

“I was ready to live my whole life as just your best friend,” he declared, still trying to calm his racing heart. Katara leaned her forehead against his, and he immediately felt bolstered. “I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. It would have hurt if you found someone else to love, but I was just happy to be part of your life, as much as you wanted me to be.”

“I felt the exact same way,” Katara agreed. “But now we don’t need to just be friends anymore, and I… I’m so happy, Aang. Being with you always makes me happy, but this takes it to another level.”

Aang beamed. It seemed like maybe they were on the same page, then. “You make me happier than I even imagined possible, Katara. And I…” He rubbed his hands on the sides of his pants. “I don’t want to miss out on a minute of that happiness for the rest of our lives. I know we’re still young, but I’ve never been able to picture myself with anyone else.”

Katara clutched him to her suddenly so hard that he was pulled off the chair. He laughed, catching himself on a cushion of air. “Yes, Aang,” she squealed into his ear.

“Yes, what?” he asked nervously as he stood up and sat—carefully, a foot or so away—next to her on the bed. He hadn’t even finished asking her.

“I don’t ever plan on leaving your side, Aang. And… when the time is right, in a few years, maybe,” she blushed. “I’d like to have a family with you, to… how did you put it? I love you, Aang, and I want to see more of you in the world.”

Aang’s heart squeezed. “I can’t believe you remembered that,” he gasped. “I love you, too, Katara.” He knew they’d already said it so many times that night, but he wanted to say it again, and again, and again. He wanted to fly to the highest point of the caldera and shout it out for everyone to hear. 

“I don’t know if Air Nomads married or not…” Katara started, wringing her hands.

“They did, sometimes,” Aang smirked knowingly. “Not everyone did, but it wasn’t uncommon, either.” Katara’s relieved smile could have lit up the entire palace. 

“You’re right that we’re young, but I’m also past marriageable age in my tribe, and… I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life, Aang. You’re it for me.”

Aang closed the respectable distance he’d left between them on the bed and kissed her hard. He had been worried Katara would think he was getting carried away, or that it would be too much at once, but if they were finally admitting their unspoken, undeniable truths to each other, he wasn’t going to leave any out.

“You’re it for me, too,” he murmured before going back for more. He could feel things heating up again in this kiss, between their encounter in the closet and their heartfelt confessions. Katara gripped his arm hard enough that he was sure there were going to be marks later, and he wrapped his hand around her back, delighting in the warm, smooth skin between her skirt and top.

Katara was just threading her tongue between his lips, wordlessly asking permission which he was absolutely going to grant, when there was a frenzied knock at her door. Katara’s entire body slumped when she pulled away, groaning. Aang couldn’t help but agree.

“Who is it?” Katara asked, nearly stomping to the door. “I thought I told Sokka not to bother us,” she muttered under her breath.

“It’s me,” Hakoda’s voice called. “Mai told me there were some fangirls and I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Katara opened the door, laughing. “I almost forgot about them—remind me to thank them later.”

Aang chuckled. She was right; if those girls hadn’t chased them into a closet, who knows how long it would have been before they finally admitted their feelings. 

Hakoda looked between the two of them, a bemused but concerned smile on his face. “Thank them for what?”

Katara glanced at Aang and he nodded. He knew she wanted to make sure it was okay with him before she told her dad, but she could tell everyone in the world for all he cared. He wanted everyone to know they were together now. Officially, happily, forever together.

“Aang and I are together now, for real,” she said confidently, walking over to Aang and taking his hand. Aang stood up proudly next to her. “Not just pretend, anymore.”

Hakoda grinned. “I’m glad you two finally figured it out.”

Katara pulled Aang along and went in for a hug. Hakoda eagerly embraced both of them. “I’ve always considered you part of our family, Aang, but I’ll be happy to officially welcome you when the time comes,” he winked knowingly as they separated again. “About those pressures the other world leaders are putting on you, though…”

“Don’t worry, Head Chieftain Hakoda, sir,” Aang interrupted. “I don’t plan on having a family for a while, and not for their reasons, either. If or when that happens, it will be because we want to. I know the Spirits won’t keep the world out of balance forever. Whether it’s through me or some other cosmic interference, there will be airbenders again. I’m not going to worry about that, and I don’t want Katara to, either.”

He looked down to see Katara’s blushing but delighted face, and warmed. He wrapped his arm around her and she immediately did the same.

“Good, I’m glad to hear it,” Hakoda responded. “Not that I would have expected anything else from you, but a father does worry.”

“I know, Dad,” Katara said, reaching out to put her hand on his arm. 

“Well, I’ll let you two get back to… whatever you were doing,” Hakoda said, clearing his throat. “Everyone is on their way back now. I think the younger folks are planning some sort of after party celebration in the private sitting room if you’re interested. This old man needs to get to bed.”

Aang and Katara laughed. “That sounds like fun,” Katara said. “Goodnight, Dad.”

“Goodnight,” he said, walking out the door and down the hall to his own room.

“Should we go and tell the others?” Katara asked, turning to Aang again. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

Aang laughed. “I’m pretty sure they already suspect, but yeah. Let’s go make it official.” He took her hand and led her out the door. There of course would be battles and troubles ahead—they weren’t naive enough to think otherwise—but Aang knew that the future was looking very bright, now that they were together.