It was a crisp morning in late autumn. Aang sat on the roof in the orange morning glow, inhaling deeply and smelling the leaves of the trees. He was the only one up. He was always the first to rise. Ba Sing Se was quiet this early, the streets outside the Avatar's home were empty. It was his favorite season and favorite time of day. He could meditate in peace while being surrounded with the smell of frost that clung to the rooftops as it melted from the sun's rays. He was there for a long lime, longer than usual, deep in meditation. There was a lot weighing on his mind lately and it felt nice to just let his mind be free of thought, to just let himself exist and nothing more. The few months after the war ended had been hectic and he was happy for this much needed break, even if it was just for a few days.

Summer had been good to him. He had grown like a weed, gaining a couple inches almost overnight. His voice had started to crack every now and then, which was embarrassing to say the least, but his voice was slowly being replaced by a deeper yet still soft voice. All this changing made him put a lot of things in perspective. He wasn't a child anymore. He was in the process of becoming a young adult and with that came expectations and emotions running high.

"Good morning." Said a voice that was all too familiar to him. He separated his fists and looked down to her with a smile, resting his hands on his knees.

"Good morning. You're up early."

"Actually, I'm up at my normal time. Look at the sun. You've been up there for a long time." Katara said with a smile

He looked around himself and saw the sun was well above the trees.

"I guess I have been." He said and stood, jumping off the roof and landing casually, walking over to her.

"Do you need to talk about it?"

"About what?"

"About whatever is bothering you?"

"No-o." His voice squeaked and his heart raced, blushing from embarrassment of his own body and the fact that what was bothering him, he wasn't ready to talk about yet.

Katara didn't laugh at him but merely gave him a loving embrace, letting her lips press against his cheek. He smiled and held her close before letting her go, taking in how wonderful she always smelled.

"Happy birthday." She said.

"Ah! Shush!" He said and pressed a finger to her lips, looking around, making sure no one heard. "I don't want anyone to know. Wait, how did you know?"

She grasped his hand and pushed his finger away from her lips.

"I have my ways…. Why don't you want anyone to know? It's going to be hard to have a birthday party without telling anyone why we're partying." She said and raised her eyebrow.

He shook his head and put his hands to his side.

"I don't want a party…" He said softly but didn't look sad, just looking at her like she was missing something.

"I don't understand, why not? You're thirteen now. Today you are a teenager, just like me…" She said, longing in her voice. She was happy about today. He sighed and fiddled with his robes. He heard what she didn't say. That there wasn't such a gap between them today. That they were closer together today.

"Katara… when I lived with the rest of my people, we didn't really celebrate birthdays. To us… it's kind of an egotistical ritual which goes against the teachings to be humble and simple. We acknowledged age, just didn't have an entire day devoted to the one person… It's my personal view about myself and my people. No one else." He explained tenderly, trying not to offend her, knowing her birthday was in just a few months. She was saddened and looked down, folding her hands together. She had been looking forward to today. To be able to devote an entire day to just him. Just Aang. The boy she loved but had never told him. He took her hand in his and pleaded with her.

"Please don't be sad. Look, if this means a lot to you… there is one thing I want."

"What?" She asked, very eager to make him happy.

"I want to spend the whole day with you. Just the two of us. We'll go to the outer ring and just relax in the fields. Would that be okay?"

She smiled and squeezed his hand, happy to be able to spend time with him, alone.

"I'll pack brunch." She said simply and was quickly walking away from him, going inside.

He smiled to himself and followed her in, seeing that no one else was awake yet. He watched her rummage through the kitchenette, putting assorted fruit, vegetables, and dried meats for herself in a woven basket she usually used at markets. No sooner had he leaned against the door way was she ready to leave, grabbing his hand and leading him out.

"Let's go before someone asks what's we're doing." She said and he laughed a little, enjoying getting pulled out of the house by her.

They went around back and climbed on Appa, not bothering to put his saddle on as it was just the two of them. Once settled side by side, Aang said the words that sent them flying into the sky, watching the city below go beneath them in a blur. Katara held the basket tight to her chest, her left arm around Aang's. This sort of physical contact had become normal since that kiss. The kiss that said everything that they needed to say but couldn't, and still couldn't, even now. He smiled and looked to her as she held onto him, not really needing to see where he was going. She caught his glance and blushed, looking away. He wished she wouldn't. He so rarely got to just stare into her eyes it drove him crazy. After looking at the side of her dark face for most of the ride, he was convinced she wouldn't look back and frowned in disappointment, looking forward as they passed over the inner wall.

Instantly, the green rooftops and pale paved roads were replaced with beautiful fields of crops and meadows that stretched as far as the eye could see. They didn't have to go far before he spotted the perfect meadow. One with so many different colored wildflowers you couldn't count the colors on one hand. It was beautiful and breathtaking… just like she was to him. He steered Appa down and he landed with a soft groan, laying flat on his belly as they climbed off him. Aang offered his hand to her which she gladly took and he walked them a little ways away from Appa, Aang letting go when he truly felt alone with her. He sat down in the grass and flowers and she sat next to him, setting her basket to the side. The next thing she knew, his hand was on her arm, yanking her back into the grass on her back with an 'oof' from her and he laughed. Aang laced her fingers in hers and picked a bright yellow flower, pushing it into her hair. She wanted to be mad at him, but when he gave her that look… the one that just screamed how much he loved her… she just couldn't be mad. Instead she laughed about being pulled down into the grass, looking away from him and up to the sky, much to his disappointment once again.

A soft cool breeze made the flowers bend back and forth, tickling his and her arms as they watched the clouds, just holding hands in the warm sun. Soon they started to point and name cloud shapes. This one a sea lion turtle, that one a fox antelope. Then some were trees. One Katara pointed out one that reminded her of the arrows on him. It reminded him of how they bent the clouds together to save a whole village from volcanic destruction. Which led to Aunt Wu's prediction for him; that he had to take control of his own destiny. He looked to Katara and felt his pulse rush. They had been together for a little while, but there was no doubt in his mind that he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life. He didn't care that he was young, that she was young, that there may be a million other people out there for her to be with. He wanted to be with her now and forever. He loved her more than he loved breathing. Yet he couldn't actually form into words his need for her. He felt like a coward. He had tried many times, but each time he got in deep, he quickly changed the subject. She smiled and looked over to him, seeing a look of discomfort on his face.

"Aang what's wrong?"

He sighed and sat up, she coming up with him. At first he just sat there with his knees up and his arms resting atop them trying to breathe and stay calm. Then she put her hand on his back and he turned to her, seeing concern in those beautiful ocean blue eyes and that tore him to pieces. he turned his body to face her and took a deep breath.

"There has been something on my mind for a long time now." He began and felt like he couldn't breathe. She turned her body to mirror his and held his hands.

"Just let it out." She said softly.

He looked down and around and anywhere else but her face. He was going to change the subject or blame it on something else but a little voice inside him yelled that he had done enough hiding. It was time she knew. He needed to say it and say it clear so there was no confusion, consequences or no. It was the voice of his resolve. He let out a breath and looked her in the eyes for a few moments, making her look away. He raised a hand to cup her cheek and gained her attention once more, their eyes locking.

"Please pay attention." He asked of her. She nodded. He inhaled and began.

"Katara… you are the most amazing person I have ever met. You are everything to me. You are my best friend, and now we're finally together even after all the stupid things I did. I kept trying to push our relationship to work when you weren't ready and I am so sorry for that. But now we have each other, even though the road ahead look really rough. Do you remember when I couldn't enter the Avatar state because I locked it? Because I wouldn't let go of something?"

Katara nodded, afraid if she spoke he would stop talking.

"It was you. I couldn't let go of you. You are the only thing that holds me to this Earth. You always have been. You have saved me so many times, you don't even know. I couldn't let you go…"

He was blushing like a tomato, but didn't look away from her.

"Because I love you. I have loved you since the day I met you. Anything that I have, everything that I am, I'll give to you. I will love you like no one has ever loved anyone before. I just hope you can forgive me for being such a coward and waiting so long to tell you… I was just worried that-"

He was cut off. Her soft lips were on his and he felt hot tears streaming down her cheeks onto his. He kissed her back and was in bliss, holding her to him and wrapping his arms around her body. When her lips finally parted from him, she pulled back with tears still in her eyes, of which confused him. before he could ask, she spoke.

"Aang I love you too. I was scared that after all the times I had rejected you, you didn't feel the same way I felt."

He didn't hear anything after 'I love you too'. He pulled her close and shed a tear of joy. He wasn't sure what he had expected but this certainly wasn't it. After she was done speaking he cupped her face in his hands and gave her the longest and most loving kiss he had ever given her. When he started to feel his blood boil he broke their kiss, both of them deep crimson.

"I love you. I love you so much, I can't even tell you." He said and gave her another kiss on the lips, but a quick one, removing his hands from her face as he pulled back.

Katara smiled and grabbed the basket, putting it between them.

"Let's discuss this over brunch, shall we?" She said and gave him a look that said she was ready and open to tell him everything.

"Only if you say it again. Please." He begged.

She leaned forward and whispered into his ear. "Aang. I love you, and I always will."