Hiya! So here's the updated version of "The Melon", which I personally think is much better than the original. It's funny, because I really didn't like this story at all, but it's gotten the most love from you folks. Literally, out of all my stories, this one has way more views and comments and everything. So yay for that, I suppose.

Well, anyways, I really had to edit it because it was DRIVING ME INSANE when I reread it and there were so many typos and the story didn't flow and I was going crazy because I loved the idea so much, but the writing SUCKED. So here it is, new and improved. Enjoy!

Oh, by the way, this is set sometime before Toph joined the crew, so in the first season. Just so you know :)

Okay, that's all! Thanks for reading and leave comments!

Katie

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Avatar. This was all my original idea and writing.

The Melon

When Aang found her, she was sitting by the lake, gracefully playing with the water. He watched her for a little while, twisting and swirling the water into all kinds of different shapes. This was one of his favorite pastimes; He loved watching her waterbend. It always filled him with a sort of peace. She looked so comfortable, so happy, so... free of any sort of fear or anger. He would be content to just stand here and watch her for ages.

So he did.

He stood in the brush, watching her, his heart fluttering in his chest until he couldn't take it anymore. Stealthily, he snuck up behind her and sat down beside her. Startled, the water the girl had been bending splashed back into the lake.

"Aang!" Katara said, hand on her heart as it skipped in her chest. "How many times do I have to tell you? Don't sneak up on me like that!"

The Avatar smiled sheepishly at her. "Sorry. I forgot." He hadn't. He just loved watching her jump.

"Sure you did," she said, catching him in his lie and rolling her eyes. "What's up?"

"Oh, nothing. I'm supposed to be helping Sokka find food, but I figured I'd come find you instead."

Katara smiled. "Right. Well, I'll help you look for something to eat, if you want," she offered, getting to her feet as Aang following suit. "Don't tell Sokka, but I saw a little village while we were flying that I guess he didn't realize was there."

"Really?" Aang asked, eyebrows raised.

"Uh-huh," Katara confirmed with a nod. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Aang smirked. "I think so."

Half an hour later, Katara and Aang could hardly carry all their spoils; Papayas, mangos, plums, and one large, juicy melon overflowed from their arms. Snickering at their own trickery, they arrived back at camp and saw Sokka's mouth drop.

"How did you- Where did you- Melon?" Sokka stammered, angrily, dropping the handful of nuts and berries he'd managed to collect as he gawked at the two.

"Where'd we get this, you mean?" Katara asked, referring to the mountain of food they were carrying. "Oh, you know, just around. There's just so much food everywhere!" She took a bite of mango and smiled at the look of utter outrage on her brother's face.

"Yeah, Sokka, didn't you see all the fruit trees?" Aang asked, mock surprise lighting up his features. Sokka's face was a bright red and seemed to be having trouble forming words due to his pure rage.

After a moment, however, he managed to return to being nonchalant. Or acting like it, anyway. "Psh, fruit trees... papayas and mangos... Who needs 'em? Don't like the stupid things anyway," Sokka scoffed, waving a hand dismissively to indicate his complete indifference. "I'm more of a berry kind of guy." He stooped to pick up his fallen berries before straightening up and adding airly, "Much healthier, you know."

"Right," Katara snorted before her eyes focused on the berries in her brother's hands. "Uh, Sokka?"

"Katara, I don't want any! Really, I can gather my own food. My food recognition skills are extremely refined from years of-"

"Sokka," Katara interupted, amusement not entirely hidden under her cautious tone. "Are those Macahoni berries? You know they cause blindness, right?"

The teenage warrior stopped, looked at the berries in his hand, then immediately started to turn a deep scarlet. With an exasperated roar, he threw the berries to the ground and stalked off into the trees.

Exchanging a look of bewilderment, Aang and Katara gazed after him.

"Well, that didn't exactly go as we'd planned," Aang stated bluntly.

"Not at all," Katara exhaled. "Well, I guess we'd better go after him." The two started forward before Katara suddenly stuck out a hand in front of Aang. "On second thought, maybe it'd be better if I just went."

Aang's face held a bit of confused, but he nodded and Katara started the journey through after he brother, still holding the food they'd bought in the marketplace.

It wasn't much of a journey, though, ending beside a tall tree with a fairly defeated looking boy sitting up against it.

Katara looked down at her brother and quirked an eyebrow. "Sokka?" she inquired carefully. "You okay?"

"The squirrel is taunting me." Bewildered, Katara followed his gaze up to the tree, where a rather obese squirrel sat, stuffing a nut into its mouth. "It just sits there, eating nuts, watching me starve and wither away..."

"Right," the waterbender said abruptly. "Well, why don't we leave the squirrels alone and go back to camp before you wither away completely."

She offered her hand to her brother, who took it a little reluctantly, pulling himself to his feet. Dusting off his clothes, he caught sight of the melon in his sister's hands.

Seeing this, Katara held out the melon. "Want it?" she asked, to which Sokka merely snatched the fruit from her hands and bringing it to his nose. Giving it a quick whiff, his eyes glazed over and his mouth began to water. "You're welcome," Katara hinted, smiling a bit at the expression on her brother's face.

"Mmm," was all he replied.

They began the walk back, Sokka cradling the melon like a baby, yet with a hungry look in his eyes that made Katara extremely glad it wasn't really an infant. Once they'd reached the clearing once more, Sokka wasted no time grabbing hold of his machete and beginning circling it, contemplating battle tactics.

Watching him rather apprehensively, Aang turned to Katara. "Should we...?"

"Shh," she hushed him with a smile. "Let him figure it out." At that moment, her brother brought his blade up and, with a war cry, swung it through the air, slicing right through the melon. He looked up, obviously pleased with himself and seeking reassurance from the other two.

Both the air and waterbender both gave him a thumbs up. Satisfied with their reaction, he began cutting up the rest of the melon.

Once he was finished, he handed both the spectators slices of fruit, keeping one for himself. "To melon!" he shouted merrily, raising his slice of melon in a toast.

"To melon!" Aang and Katara both repeated, raising their slices before taking a bite.

As he chewed, an insane look of happiness fell over Sokka's face. The pair across from him knew he'd fallen into his happy place, as he always did when he ate.

"So, where exactly did you find this melon? I didn't think they grew around here." The question caught Aang and Katara off guard. Both rubbed their necks and looked away uncomfortably.

"Oh, just, uh-" Katara started, anxiously turning to Aang for help.

"It was, uh... tucked under a bush?" The Avatar's statement came out as more of a question than an answer.

"Yeah, under a bush. Back over, uh, there," offered the waterbender, gesturing vaguely back the way they came.

"That's weird..." Sokka commented thoughtfully, eyes narrowing in brief suspicion. Aang and Katara tensed up, waiting for him to discover their secret. Shrugging, he added, "Guess I missed it." The benders relaxed as the teen returned to his melon genially.

"Yeah, guess you just didn't see it." The relieved comment came from the tattooed boy who was still awkwardly rubbing his arm.

Laughing uneasily, Katara said, "Yeah. Well, Aang and I are gonna have a look around. You know, get a feel for the area." Aang looked up at the girl in surprise, but made no attempt to object.

"Okay," the older boy responded, uninterestedly. "Look for more melon!" he called after them as they headed back into the brush, back towards a certain body of water.

They walked slowly, munching absentmindedly on fruit and grinning at Sokka's willingness to believe they're unconvincing words. Not thinking about what he was doing, Aang brushed Katara's melon-free hand, instantly erasing any thoughts of Sokka from their minds. Blushing at the contact, Katara looked down at their hands, a sudden urge to link them overwhelmed her. Instinctually, she reached out and gently took his hand in hers. Looking up at him, she saw that a light blush and a smile crawl over his face, though his focus was on the view of the lake that was now visible in front of him.

Following his gaze as they came to a stop just out of the trees, Katara muttered, "Beautiful." It truly was. There were plants surrounding the little lake, encompassing the crystal clear water in a hug of flora. The sun set the water shimmering as it danced to and fro. It was like it was alive, as alive as the two people watching it, mesmerized.

"Yeah," Aang whispered in reply to the waterbender's comment. "You are." Katara glanced up at the boy in surprise, smiling as she saw his cheeks turn a bright scarlet. She wasn't supposed to have heard that. "I-I mean, it's beautiful," the Avatar hastily amended, looking at her in horror upon realizing what he'd said. "The lake. The lake is beautiful."

The waterbender giggled. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, whispering, "Thanks, Aang." And then she turned away and was gone, leaving the boy to stare out over the natural wonder in front of him. But he wasn't thinking about the lake's beauty. He was thinking of an entirely different beauty. The most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. He was thinking of Katara.