Unfaithful

(NOTE) I really have no idea what inspired me to write this, since I hate Kataang. But, in a way, this is both Kataang and Zutara, and it's kind of moody...I think. Just a little one-shot I wanted to throw up in the air along with the return of Book Three: Fire Rekindled. Enjoy. And by the way, if you don't dislike the Avatar, don't read this. If you do read, don't send me any angry reviews, because I warned you.

(UPDATE) Let me clear one thing up: This is listed under the tags of Aang/Katara because they are the only characters. Zuko is mentioned, but is not actually present, and therefore is not a character. Kataangers beware. This is not Aang friendly.

((UPDATE))

Story was changed to Zuko/Katara for simplicity. This is still 'Unfaithful', which landed me a number of unhappy reviewers.

Adversus solem ne loquitor

The war was over, things were peaceful, and as far as the world was concerned, the good guy got the girl.

In the public eye, Avatar Aang and Katara were the embodiment of love and happiness, and many even compared their own love to theirs. And true, when viewed abrstractly, it was an endearing tale.

A hero returns after a hundred years of war and sorrow. He saves the world, and falls in loove with a common peasant girl. It would have been a great tale, if it were true.

Very few outside of a small triangle knew that the Avatar lived with a terrible pain. He had been blissfully unaware for almost seven years, until one night he came home late.

It had been a long day that became a long night, and Aang was glad to leave the palace. Not even Zuko's newly found dry humor had made the towers of paperwork more than barely tolerable. Aang stopped and spent a few moments with Appa, the Bison grunting as he rolled onto his back so Aang could pat his stomach.

"There you go buddy. We'll go flying tomorrow, okay?"Appa grunted his acceptance, and Aang left the stable.

Aang walked up to the small home he and Katara shared, and quietly closed the door, fully aware that Katara was probably asleep.

Aang yawned, scratching Momo's ears as he passed the sleeping lemur, and walked up the stair to the bedroom. He smiled at how the moonlight bathed Katara's sleeping form in a soft light, and slipped into bed beside her, closing his eyes to sleep.

Katara rolled over in her sleep, arms wrapping around him, and Aang opened his eyes, his heart wrenching when she muttered a name.

"Zuko."

The Avatar did not sleep that night, or many nights after.

And of course, the Avatar didn't want to see the truth. He tried to ignore what others were notricing, but were too polite to mention. He looked away from the secretive smiles, how Katara and the Fire Lord brushed against each other perhaps too often, or how Katara never wanted to travel with him, preferring their small apartment in the Fire Nation's capitol city.

But ignorance became impossible the first night Aang came back sooner than he had expected, and she was gone.

Aang scratched Appa's ear once more, and the bison grunted in his sleep, nose wrinkling as Momo settled there, joining his bigger friend in slumber.

Aang laughed, and left the stable, moving up the short path to his darkened home. Aang opened the door. "Katara?"

There was no answer, and Aang flushed, realizing she must have been asleep. He lit a small lamp with a wave of his hand, and scooted up the steps, smiling. He opened the door to their bedroom, and entered. "Katara?"

She wasn't there. Aang frowned, and walked back down the stairs, wondering where his girlfriend was.

Aang sat despondently on a chair, and waited. Several hours later, Katara returned, dressed up like she used to for their dates. She closed the door, softly singing something about seasons and loves, when she noticed Aang.

"Aang!" She greeted him with a big smile, a hug, and a brief chaste kiss. "I didn't realize you would be back today."

"I didn't think so either." Aang mumbled tiredly. "Where were you?"

"I met some new friends while you were gone." Katara replied quickly. "We went out for a night on the town."

"Oh, okay." Aang yawned. "I'm tired."

Katara took his hand. "Let's go to bed and sleep, then."

The Avatar waited for her many nights after that.

It hurt so badly that he could scarcely bear to hide it. The Avatar wished it would stop, that whatever caused it would go away. The Fire Lord had a small family to take care of, and the Avatar wanted one with Katara...even though she hurt him so badly.

It was terrible, but the Avatar knew that she would go again. And again. And again, and that one day, he would lose her all together.

And it felt like a knife twisting in his back.

Katara studied herself briefly in the mirror, smiling softly as she wore an elegantly shimmering silk dress, one dyed in her native blue and white rather than the grteen and gold she had been wearing.

"You look good in that dress." Aang told her, smiling softly. But, like so often anymore, it couldn't reach his eyes. His smiles never reached his eyes anymore, or any other emotion.

Katara laughed. "I'm glad you think so." She didn't even turn around as she checked her appearence in the mirror. "Are you sure you don't want to come?"

Aang shook his head. "No. I have to leave tomorrow and help Bumi with a project. I need to pack."

"You didn't tell me you were leaving." Katara replied calmly, undoing the braids in her hair.

Aang ruffled Momo's fur. "Would you even care?" He spoke softly enough Katara wouldn't hear. As he watched her comb out her hair, the Avatar spoke louder. "I'm sorry. It slipped my mind until today."

Katara nodded, finished with her quick hairstyling. Her hair was done up in the style she had used back before the war ended, when they had infilitrated the Fire Nation. "I'll be back tonight, Aang." She promised with a brief kiss, and was out the door.

Aang bowed his head, staring at the wooden floor. "I love you Katara. Can't you see you're killing me?"

Aang's tears disturbed Momo, who chattered mournfully. Aang wiped his eyes. "Can't I make her happy?"

Aang had thought loving Katara was enough. He certainly thought that he more than loved her, and that Katara had felt the same. Aang had heard her prophecy. He was the most powerful bender in the world...who else could she have ended up with? Aang was enough for her...wasn't he?

The Avatar was beginning to think he was wrong, and it hurt terribly.