Author's Notes: Here's a Kataang drabble that started simple, and then took a life of its own. Unbeta'd for your pleasure and amusement. I'll come back and fix this later. This baby kept me up tonight, and it stills owes me dinner and a movie.
Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender is not mine. It belongs to two awesome guys named Mike & Bryan from Burbank, CA.
The term happiness is universal. Sokka sees happiness as being able to knock some Fire Nation heads along the way of the journey, whereas Toph sees it by being around her new friends. She's always lived a sheltered life, and now that she has a new found freedom, along with her friends, it's enough to make her smile. A rare sight amongst the group, especially during these troubled times.
For Iroh, happiness takes the form of a life he could've had with his nephew. Their lives would've been peaceful and well spent in the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se. He didn't know just how much the words he told Zuko on their way to palace would prick and sting at him from the inside.
Katara sees happiness in being able to be there for her friends and family. She was always a believer in fighting for what's right, and for being able to protect the ones she loved. Ever since she's met Aang, her life has taken a rollercoaster ride with its many ups and downs. Never before had she felt such a great passion and desire, to protect Aang the most. There was a time not too long ago where she almost lost him, and refers to think of that time as a day she'd like to forget, but couldn't. So when she sees Aang sleep silently next to her, or when she sees him smiling, she knows it was because of her strength and will that he was able to climb back to the top.
Aang sees happiness in being able to fullfill his destiny. The one thing he never saw coming his way was how hard his duties pinned him down. He was the Avatar, and nobody knew that better than he did, but he never dreamed it would cost him what he cared for the most. He looks at Katara when she's asleep, or when he thinks she's not looking, and steals a few images for himself to keep locked away in his mind. Before he found happiness in just being able to sit by her, hold her hand, or be hugged by her whenever he needed the comfort. Now, he finds happiness in being able to daydream about her in his mind, and being content that the one thing he's ever wanted in his life, was taken away by what destiny has chosen for him.
Katara and Aang find happiness in each other, despite the obstacles their paths have thrown them. Sokka, Toph and Iroh know this very much. Even after traveling with the group for a week, Iroh was able to sense the tension between the young water bending master, and the young Avatar. It seemed like everybody knew, except for the two of them.
Aang tells himself that today will be the day he tells Katara he loves her, and that despite his destiny, he would try to find some other way to be with her. Katara tells herself that today will be the day she dismisses her feelings for Aang. As one of his guardians and protectors, she couldn't have her relationship with him any other way. To let it develop into something much more, would be throwing away all the work they've done.
It took her so much to realize just one thing, and Katara regrets having to realize it at such a short notice. She loves Aang dearly, deeply, more than she's ever felt for anyone before -- besides Sokka and the rest of her tribe. She wants to tell him, but knows that there's nothing they could do. Aang gave up the idea of a confession a long time ago, especially after they won the war. There were too many things going on at the same time, and even though Katara had her part to play, he didn't want to bring her into something else to stress her out. She already had her own stresses, and thought only what would be best for her.
Katara always made up excuses to be with Aang in one form or the other. Whether it was by taking a stroll with him, or watching the stars light up in the sky with him. Even the littlest affairs made a lot to Katara and Aang. When they weren't by each other's side and torn apart by their own agendas, they both found happiness in the fact that there were times they could spend together, even in secret if they had to.
Once upon a time there was a moment in when Aang wanted to kiss Katara. Throughout their years together, not one moment like this was shared. He wanted to finish what they had started back in The Cave of Two Lovers, but didn't want to trend into waters he wasn't sure he could swim. Katara on the otherhand, often wondered what it would've been like to kiss Aang. She spent nights thinking about him, dreaming of him in ways she shouldn't have. They were both older, and although that lessened the guilt, it still made her feel uneasy whenever she saw him. If Katara dreamed of Aang the previous night, then an occassional blush or two would creep up on her face whenever she saw him.
Sokka took notice of this, and knew that his baby sister had a thing for the bald headed monk they've travelled with for so long now. Both him and Toph had had it quite enough with the two of them, and decided to arrange a meeting so that they could "kiss and makeup".
It took the combined efforts of not only Sokka and Toph, but of Iroh and Fire Lord Zuko, to get these two together alone. They devised a plan -- make Katara and Aang both enter the same room under the false pretense that they were going to discuss a new treaty with Zuko. When they arrived at the room, they didn't find Zuko there, but only the awkward space between them. Katara turned her head and noticed the doors being locked from the outside, and wondered if this wasn't in any way a setup. Aang was too oblivious to notice because he was now in a room alone with Katara.
Him. Katara. Alone.
Those three words alone were enough to make the great Avatar buckle his knees in anticipation. This was his chance, a chance to finally tell Katara how he's felt about her, and hopefully get a kiss or two out of it. When she approached him, he didn't really know why he did it, but he placed both of his hands on her cheeks, leaned in and kissed her.
It was soft and fluttery. The feel of his lips against hers sent a shiver down her spine, one she never knew could exist. When he finished, he looked at her and smiled with a blush on his cheeks. She didn't really know what to do, and just watched him try to form a few words here and there to explain his actions.
"Katara, I'm sorry I---"
Without notice she pulled on his collar and pressed her own lips against his. Her kiss was much more pressing than his, but he soon adapted to her style. Lost in the kiss, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her as possible. Aang wrapped his arms around her waist, deepening their kiss, feeling the curves and features of Katara's body against his own. Soon his hands began trailing up and down her tighs, stopping on a few occassions to touch and caress her hair in a fit to tug it out of its current style.
Everything was going so fast that Katara felt as if she was spinning. She moaned into his mouth whenever Aang hovered above her tighs, or stroked her legs, and groaned when his hands decided to station themselves on her hips. He didn't want to take things too fast, because in the heat of the moment, everything can be thrown away. He knew that as much as he loved her, he wanted things to go slow and easy. Feelings aside, he'd rather take his time than do something they might both regret.
Pulling away from the kiss, they both looked at each other and grinned. Aang leaned his forehead against hers, his fingers still delved deep into her hair, before whispering: "I love you, Katara."
"I love you too, Aang. I've always had and I always will."
He kissed her again, this time with chaste, before taking both of her hands into his and holding on to them gently but firmly. "I've always wanted to tell you, but before I couldn't. With the war and the Avatar State, I---"
"Shh," she whispered to him as she placed both of her palms on his cheeks. "It's okay, Aang. I understand. I know that your duties are much more important. I wanted to tell you just how much I liked you, but I didn't want you to stray from your destiny. I didn't want to become your distraction."
"You say that like it's a bad thing," he grinned before leaving a kiss on the back of her right hand.
"It's no joking matter," and for something reason she couldn't help but laugh a little. "Everything seems so perfect now. The nations are in harmony, yes, but what if that doesn't last? What if they'll need you in the future Aang? Where does that leave me?"
Massaging her hands, he looked back at her and smiled. "Fighting along side me, like always. I can't see it any other way."
"I don't mean that, Aang. I meant ---"
"I know what you mean, Katara. I know it'll be difficult if something like that does happen, but for now, let's just think about the 'right now' instead of 'tomorrow'."
"I guess you're right..." leaning into his chest, he wrapped both of his arms around her in a comforting embrace.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," he remarked. "Besides, as long as I have you by my side, that's all the happiness I need to keep me going."
"You're right," she nodded before wrapping her arms around him. "Happiness for me is being by your side no matter what."
They found peace and happiness in each other, even if their destinies were to grow apart someday, they promised the other that they'd always find a way to be by each other's side.
Both Zuko and Sokka were pressed up against the door, trying to hear any sounds of activity coming from the room. "Toph, have they started making out yet?" Sokka asked.
"Oh yeah, they're definately getting hot and heavy in there."
"That's my study! I won't allow the Avatar and his girlfriend to get all cozy in my study! Especially if they're going to --"
"You better go in and stop them now Queenie, before Aang makes it to third base."
Zuko looked at Toph, and then at Sokka. "You're both cleaning after them. I refuse to do it."
Toph and Sokka found happiness in being able to finally get their friends to tell each other how they've felt. While Zuko found happiness in thinking up of a master strategy to get the earthbender and Sokka back.
Because Zuko is the new Sokka, and you guys know it.