Just for them

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It was cold that day; miserable and wet. Rain poured down on the monk's face, the cold bitterness of it biting into his pale skin. He closed his eyes as it pounded against him.

He regretted what he did the day before. He made a move he shouldn't have, kissing her before he left for the invasion. He didn't know what else to do though. He truly felt that he might not come back, and if he never got the chance to show her how he felt, he didn't know what he'd do.

He sighed, lowering his head from his upward gaze. He opened his eyes to a lidded state, staring at the land before him. He was sitting in the flat land that was the roof of the Western Air Temple. Normally, he wouldn't be out in the rain; he would be with his friends, enjoying their presence as they laughed over cups of hot tea. He couldn't stand it, though.

He couldn't stand to face her, not after what he had done. He had avoided her since, feeling that she hated him for it. He looked down at his feet, crossed beneath him. He shifted his gaze to his hand, resting on his thigh, and tightened it in a fist. He gritted his teeth and his body shook with rage.

"Stupid!"

He pounded his fist into the ground, ingnoring the small jolt of pain that shot up his arm when his knuckle dug into a small rock. His eyebrows tightened as well. He pounded his fist into the ground once more, silently cursing himself.

"What is wrong with me!" He shouted, repeatedly pounding his fist into the muddy ground, "Why did I do that!"

He punched the ground once more, with even more force than the others, lingering there as the pain flooded to his hand. He jerked back and cradled his hurt hand in his other arm. He bit his lip and looked down at it, seeing small scarlet drops of blood forming from scrapes in his knuckles, only to be washed away from the rain running down his hand.

He sighed and held his hand to his stomach, digging it in his drenched clothes.

"Aang?"

He heard her voice from behind him, that beautiful angelic voice.

He slightly turned, looking over his shoulder, but not meeting her gaze. "Umm… Did you need something? Why are you out here in the rain…?" He asked, turning more to look into her eyes.

He heard her laugh. Man, he loved that sound. When she laughed, he felt his heart flutter, showing him that everything was okay.

"I could ask you the same question," She concluded her laugh with.

Aang hesitantly laughed as well, watching as she joined him, sitting on the wet ground next to him. She placed her hand on his shoulder, but he could feel her shaking. He knew she was nervous. Shaky about the events from the day before. It was extremely awkward for the both of them, and he felt as the blood rushed up to his cheeks.

"I don't know…" The boy said, looking up into the rain, immediately shutting his eyes as a particularly large drop landed in his eye. He jolted forward and grabbed his eye, trying to blink away the water. He shook it off and continued what he was saying, "I just needed to think,"

They shared an awkward silent moment, not being broken until the waterbender spoke, a few moments later.

"I'm not mad…" She stated, when she didn't get a response, she continued, "I'm not mad…for what you did yesterday…on the subs."

She looked at him, but only met the back of his head as she realized he turned his head away in shame. She sighed and continued again, "I understood why you…did…what you did."

She saw him turn his head more towards her.

"And it's okay, Aang, I-,"

"Katara," Aang interrupted, causing the girl to look at him, "I'm so sorry for what I did. I thought I wouldn't come back. I just wanted to show you how much I lo-," His eyes widened as he faded off at the end, he quickly added to the end though, "l-like you! Uh, as a friend!"

He swiftly spun around, looking away at the rainy sky in shame. He couldn't see her then, but somehow, he could feel her gentle knowing smile from behind him.

Suddenly, he felt her hands on his shoulders, turning him around to face her. The monk opened his mouth to speak again, but stopped as he felt a soft finger to his lips. He looked down at the dark-skinned finger on his mouth and followed it up her arm and up to her face. He met her gaze and saw as her eyes softened.

He couldn't breathe as he saw her leaning closer to him.

This is it! He thought, absentmindedly leaning in as well.

Katara stopped to speak and she whispered, only loud enough to be heard over the pouring rain, "I was going to say. I love you, Aang."

His breath hiked in his throat, gulping as he replayed what just happened in his head.

She just said it! She loves you!

Katara smiled and leaned closer. Aang smiled as well, meeting her lips in a gentle, yet firm kiss. He pulled back, only slightly, to mutter, "I love you too…So much," against her lips, but then the couple continued to kiss.

And he could've sworn the rain stopped…just for them.

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