Ello.

Maripaz6 and I wrote this together.. and let's just say it took longer than it should have. xD
Check her stuff out. I garantee you will not be disappointed.

Hope you like it!

. . .

"Aang, try some of this boarcupine!" Sokka waved the Fire Nation delicacy in front of his friend's face, but Aang couldn't help but grimace at the dripping slab of fat.

"No thanks," he replied, pushing Sokka away.

"But you've got to!" Sokka cried, thrusting the meat under Aang's nose. "It's meat! It's delicious! Its nutritious! Try it!"

"Sokka, I'm a vegetarian. I don't eat meat, remember?"

Sokka's face fell. "Right, right. I'd completely forgotten." The lanky water tribe boy threw an arm over Aang's shoulder. "Then you must try this absolutely fabulous punch. Take a sip!"

"I really shouldn't; I'm waiting for Katara." Aang nervously fingered the necklace in his pocket. Sokka knew he meant to ask Katara to be his official girlfriend tonight, and the boy was clearly terrified. "And anyways, I'm pretty sure—"

But Sokka had grown impatient with Aang's blathering, and so pushed a jar towards Aang. "Drink this."

Aang looked at Sokka, then got to his feet. "No," he answered firmly. "I won't."

Sokka opened his mouth, certainly about to say something ridiculous, but then Jun appeared and slipped into the seat next to him. While doing so, she also managed to tug down Aang, forcing the grumbling airbender back into his chair. "Hello, handsome," she purred, "And Avatar Aang."

"H-hi," Sokka stammered. "You know I have a girlfriend, right?"

"I know," she answered, reaching over Aang's glass. A few drops of a thick, gelatinous matter may have dribbled from a small vial in her hands into Aang's glass, but Sokka wasn't about to say anything. Not against a lady like Jun. God, she was gorgeous. But Suki!

Luckily, Sokka was spared further traitorous thoughts, because Jun gave each of them a sultry wink, then slowly rose. "Bye, boys. Have fun."

Sokka could've sworn he saw her smirk as she strutted away, but brushed the thought away, already too busy mooning after her. But then an unpleasant thought intruded his reverie: if Suki saw him staring after Jun, she would castrate him. His jaw snapped shut with a clack.

Sokka forced himself to look away, and hearing Aang breathing heavily behind him, whipped his head around. His friend was sweating from head to toe. Sokka shook his head. Grinning, he said, "Drink up, Aang! The punch will give you courage. After all, you've got something… special… to ask my sister!"

Whatever this feeling was, it sure felt good! Aang took another big gulp of the punch, then glanced to his side and sat bolt upright. Wait, was that Katara? Aang watched blankly as Katara looked at him weirdly, waving a hand in front of his face. Huh? What was going on?

"Katara?" he murmured, scooting closer to her on the bench. She scrunched her eyebrows. "Come here."

Before Katara could protest, Aang passionately kissed her, feeling her rough, chapped lips against his. He wrapped his arms around her back, letting a hand go up into her short hair. This was a peculiar style, Aang noted. It was as if someone had burned half of Katara's hair and left it that way. He ignored that thought, though, instead closing his eyes and deepening the kiss, but then—

"YUUUCKKKK!"

What the… His eyes snapped open to meet a pair of horrified blue eyes looking right back at him. It was Sokka. He'd been kissing Sokka. Before he could fully grasp the significance of that simple statement, Sokka shot out of his seat and began running wildly around the huge hall, his arms flailing behind him.

"No! No! No!" the Water Tribe boy cried as he raced about. "I've got Avatar cooties!"

The fact that he'd been two seconds away from making out with Sokka in a crowded hall filled with the various leaders of the four nations slowly dawned on Aang with a sensation akin to cold ice water trickling down his spine. He'd almost made out with Sokka.

Mortified, Aang glanced around the room. All eyes were glued onto him. All jaws had hit the floor. All reporters were running toward him, no doubt already smelling a juicy scandal that would rock their world.

Aang gulped. He glanced about for his friends' help, but there was none forthcoming: Katara was frowning, Suki was nowhere to be found, and Toph — Toph was crouched in the corner, clutching desperately at her stomach as her small frame shook with laughter. Even Zuko seemed repulsed.

Desperate now, Aang glanced to Iroh, but Iroh only lifted his steaming tea cup and murmured, "A toast to young love, for love is beautiful in all its forms."

Aang flushed a bright flaming scarlet. From her corner, Toph snorted and howled even more. "You two...are...so...cute!"

Aang scowled at her as he bolted after Sokka. He had to apologise to his friend.

On the other side of the room, Sokka was still running around madly, until—

"Sokka! Stop this minute!"

Sokka gulped and obeyed immediately, turning around to meet the eyes of his girlfriend. Suki did not look happy. "Is there something you're not telling me, Sokka?" she asked, crossing her arms and cocking her hip as she stared at her boyfriend with a cool gaze.

Sokka was about to reply meekly when Suki snarled, "All that time we spent together! And you never even thought to tell me you liked boys. I see how it is."

She regarded her boyfriend with a put-out gaze, her lips twitching as he shuffled his feet and stared, shamefaced, at the floor. Finally, Sokka seemed to gather his courage to stammer, "I'm— I'm not with Aang."

"Don't lie to me," Suki snapped, though Sokka thought he saw her lip curl into a teasing grin as she continued, "I saw you two. You're with the Avatar."

"Who's with the Avatar?" Aang, who had been following Sokka right until he ran into Suki, spun. Behind him stood the real Katara, who seemed less than pleased. "Who's with Aang?"

Oh no. Aang turned to glare at Suki, but the irritating Kyoshi Warrior only winked at him before walking away. "Aaaand that's my cue! Sorry, guys!"

Sokka and Aang exchanged horrified glances, then looked wide-eyed at Katara, who glared at them. She said slowly, "Now, what do you two have to say for yourselves?"

"I— uh— we— uh—"

"I thought Sokka was you!" Aang burst out.

Strangely, Katara laughed at that. "I think I should be insulted; I'm much prettier than him."

Aang stared at her, confused. How girls could manage such mood changes boggled his mind.

Katara rolled her eyes. "I know you're not interested in my brother, Aang. And speaking of brothers… go away, Sokka, I think Aang has something to tell to me privately. I was going to wait, but now it seems I have competition..."

Aang turned first pale, then red, then a disturbing green as he once again recollected the horrific act he had just participated in. Katara winked, evidently quite amused, and Aang made a silent vow to always stay a good twenty feet away from Jun to avoid any other.. unsettling occurances.

...

Epilogue

Of course, Aang did finally to muster up all of his courage to ask Katara out, and yes, they were a wonderful couple who got married many years later and had three children. Nevertheless, for years after the infamous kiss, Sokka and Aang had to put down rumors about the Avatar running around with Water tribe boys.

. . .

Authors' notes:

maripaz6- Finally finished this fic! Woot! Been writing it with Thefanster for almost a year… but it's done! Hope you enjoyed!

Yeah, we're both really skilled in the art of procrastination.
See ya~