Chapter two, and we're in our favourite Avatar's point-of-view. Enjoy.

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Can't You See That I Still Love You? The Second Chapter.

Aang, upon hearing his name, turned just in time to catch Katara flinging herself into his arms. Befuddled, he had to step back quite quickly to support the sudden weight shift.

Sokka meanwhile, moved toward the pair at much more casual pace. He seemingly didn't feel the need to rush into Aang's embrace.

"Oh, thank the Spirits you're ok," Katara breathed, before quickly breaking apart and all but screaming, "Don't you ever do that to me again!"

Whoa.

The brunette, apparently innocent and sweet, suddenly looked very scary indeed. A little worried for his life, Aang took a step back. "I'm sorry I scared you Katara."

"So you wanna tell us what you were doing wandering off in the middle of the night?" Sokka asked.

Aang looked to him, and then Katara. Out of habit, his eyes lingered there - long enough to cause Sokka to look at him weirdly.

"Um - hello?"

Aang shook his head. "Oh ur, sorry - I just was, you know, getting all stuffy and I thought I'd go for a little walk. Get some fresh air, you know?"

He noticed Katara's eyes narrow slightly, and desperately hoped the fact that he had been crying not too long ago wasn't insanely obvious.

The Avatar wiped at his eyes self-consciously.

"So you just decided to come walking out on your own, when you know there's at least five different groups of people after you right now?" Sokka continued to press.

There was a definite air of scepticism in his voice.

"Ur…yeah?"

The boy's eyebrows rose. "Right - and you didn't think to maybe inform someone of your leaving?"

"Look I just wanted a walk, what's with the third degree?!"

Pushing past the pair in a sudden wave of anger, Aang stomped off back the way he'd come.

The Airbender heard Sokka's audible sigh of annoyance, but continued to walk despite it. He just wanted to be alone - couldn't his friends understand that?

Apparently they couldn't, as seconds later, Aang felt a hand grasp his shoulder, and gently ease him to a stop.

He turned to find Katara standing there.

"Aang please, come on - you know Sokka was only worried for you."

"Yeah, let's not go shouting at the good-hearted guy who's just looking out for you huh?" the sixteen year old added, walking up to the pair in his usual gentle lope.

The Avatar sighed, and he dropped his eyes in shame. "You're right, I'm sorry Sokka."

What was he doing? Aang never just exploded at people for no reason usually. In fact, scratch that, Aang never exploded at people period.

The pony-tailed boy looked to his friend in unusually sincere concern. "Something biting at you buddy?"

"Ur-"

What was Aang supposed to say? 'Oh yeah, actually Sokka, I seem to be completely crushing on your sister. She doesn't return my feelings though, and now I feel like my heart's been ripped out my chest, kicked around in a bit of Airball and flung into the bin. But other that that I'm peachy?'

Hmm - maybe not.

"I guess - you know, just regular stuff," he managed eventually.

"Avatar stuff?" Sokka asked knowingly. He smiled in a supportive kind of big brother way.

Well, not exactly…

Aang nodded anyway.

Risking a brief look at Katara, the Avatar was surprised at what he saw there. The Waterbender had the strangest of looks on her face…like maybe she didn't believe him?

Oh spirits, had she figured it out?

"Well we better get back to camp," Sokka announced, interrupting the Avatar's internal ponderings. "Some of us need out beauty sleep…Katara."

He smirked playfully at the brunette.

"Right, that's it - you're getting bended," Katara warned half-jokingly, though still reaching for her water-skin nonetheless.

Sensing that Sokka was running a high risk of getting very wet if he continued his jokes, Aang interjected with, "Don't worry Katara, I don't think you need any beauty sleep."

The Avatar grinned stupidity for a minute, until he noticed the wry smirk and raised eyebrows of Sokka.

"Oh really?" The teenager laughed, clearly amused by Aang's words.

Now, any normal person at this point would have been laughing too - making a nice, comfortable joke out of the situation. But oh no, not Aang. Despite knowing he really should just shut up, the Avatar seemed to have lost all control over his mouth.

"Yeah - I mean you don't have to be a beauty pageant judge to see that Katara's a very pretty girl."

Oh my God what? Why, why, why was he still saying things?

Shut up already!

Instantly, Aang turned a deep shade of red, matching the brunette perfectly, who was flushing quite considerably herself.

Sokka smiled in an annoyingly knowing way. "Ah, got yah," he teased, winking. "Should I just leave you two alone maybe?"

Aang stared at Sokka in horror. Surely this wasn't actually happening? This was worse than the campfire chat.

And yet, he was actually resisting the urge to say, 'yes, could you Sokka? That would be really helpful.'

Fortunately, Katara saved him from anymore embarrassment. "Oh Sokka, don't be ridiculous. Aang's just being a gentleman - unlike some of us," she remarked pointedly.

Sokka smirked. "Gentleman huh? Is that what they're calling it these days?"

Katara shot him a look that said 'this female's going to kick your butt in a minute if you don't shut up,' before leaning into Aang and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you Aang," she seemed to purr - though that might have been the Avatar's over-active imagination at work again. She had probably just said it normally, but whatever.

The Airbender felt his face glow red all over again - a fact that Sokka found quite amusing, but Aang was beyond caring. He was lost in heaven somewhere, for Katara had just kissed him. Sure, ok - it had only been on the cheek, and sure, ok, it had probably been nothing but a sweet gesture by the brunette, but still, Katara had made lip contact with his face.

That was good enough for Aang.

Hmm, if only he had thought about 'accidentally' moving his face to hers when Katara had kissed him.

Oh well, next time maybe.

Sokka rolled his eyes at the whole affair. "Alright, fun's over - now can we please go get some sleep now?"

Apparently, it wasn't really a question, because the teenager was already walking back to the forest.

"Come on Aang," Katara urged, all smiles.

Aang was smiling too - but in a more dreamy way. He heard Katara laugh, and then felt her grasp his hand. "You're so sweet," she said, quite randomly, before leading the Avatar toward the forest.

Of course, Aang followed willingly.

Perhaps, for the moment, he was happy just to follow.

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Awww - young love ;)

Hope you all enjoyed that, you slushy romantics you. Review if you wanna - but hey, no pressure J