A/N: Back again, this time with some Kataang instead of Tokka. I know it's short, but I was lucky to get it past a page long.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Happy Reading!
Wait
He found her down by the river, where she had been getting some food while they camped out. Well, actually, he had been looking for her and she had appeared to him when she –
"Ow!" Aang wheeled around to face his attacker, his body poised for any Airbending that he might have to do, and saw nobody.
Confused, he looked left and right, then spun around in a vain attempt at catching the person who had surprised him. Unfortunately, his stupid-looking spin only succeeded in making him dizzy. Aang then looked down and saw, lying innocently on the grass, a red apple. Though a frown didn't come to his face, his brows furrowed in puzzlement. Had that apple been what had struck him in the head? He rubbed the top of his head and, when he crouched down to pick up the fruit, another apple hit him in the head.
"Hey!" Aang gave a shout of surprise, straightened up, looked around. Still nothing. The apple fell from his now limp hand and hit the ground with a dull thud. "Who did that?"
Now he looked up and saw, sitting on the lowest branch a few feet above his head, Katara. Precariously balanced beside her on the branch was a basket of apples. She grinned down at him.
The reaction that took place was instant; Aang's bemused expression died and his face broke out into a wide grin. That familiar sensation boiled in the pit of his stomach like a storm – a welcome feeling. In fact, that particular sensation had been the catalyst for his going to look for her in the first place.
He exclaimed her name, then Airbended himself up into the tree. With the grace that only an Airbender could possess, he gently plunked down beside her on the thick tree branch.
"Hi Katara," he said, his voice full of chipper enthusiasm. "How'd you get up here?"
Katara's smile made his insides melt. "Climbed," she answered. Then she gave her full basket an affectionate pat. "I've been up here for a little while."
"Oh… I've been looking for you," he breathed. A blush crept onto his face like it always did. Aang had figured that, since he had tried to tell her about his feelings and failed multiple times, that he needed to be in an area where no distractions could take place. What better a place to confess his love than in a blossoming apple tree? Talk about romantic.
"Well I've been waiting for you," she answered, still smiling.
Surprised, he gaped. "You were?"
"Yes."
Katara, with a small grunt, picked up the basket and balanced it on her knee. Aang watched as she plucked up one of the fruits, rubbed it on her clean shirt, and placed it to her lips. It amazed him that she could make even that ripe, shining apple seem a dull brown. She inhaled a deep breath as if savoring the moment, and he felt an involuntary shiver course through him as she bit into the apple and grinned.
"I love apples," sighed Katara, swinging her dangling legs in a lazy rhythm. "The first bite is always the best."
Aang only nodded. What else could he say? He hated apples. Then again, if he told her how he felt right then and she kissed him with the taste of the fruit still on her lips, apples might just become his favorite food.
Hands clenched at his sides, Aang took a deep breath and prepared to spill his feelings, to finally tell Katara exactly how he felt about her.
"Anyway, I've been waiting for somebody strong to come along and help me carry these back to the camp," Katara said with an air of casualness that Aang could never have achieved right then. "Wanna help?"
He opened his mouth to claim that he had to tell her something, but she had already heaved the basket onto his lap. "Great!" she exclaimed, leaning over and placing a sweet kiss on his cheek. "Thanks Aang, you're the greatest."
Katara had a way with getting what she wanted; how could he say no to her? Aang's expression of hesitant protest quickly melted into a content smile, accompanied by a light blush and a happy sigh. Once again, the confession would have to wait.
-
Fin.
A/N: He's such a pushover. The mental picture of Aang being intimidated and enticed by Katara eating an apple makes me laugh. I hope you liked reading this as much as I liked writing it!