Mabehx

It had been eight months since he had last returned.

Eight months had passed since the harbor had seen the familiar shape of Appa descending from the sky. The city carried on, but those who knew him felt his absence.

Katara found herself searching the skies every loose minute. She told herself it was a habit, that she preferred the open air to the confines of the city, but even she did not believe it entirely. She longed to see Aang, worried his adventures had gone askew. 

She understood the reason for his absence. The world demanded his presence in ways that could not be ignored, and she wouldn't ask him to turn away from that. Understanding, however, did little to ease the sense of distance that had settled over time.

For her, those expectations had taken on a shape she could no longer dismiss.

What they had shared in the past had never been defined, left suspended between their small moments or shared kisses, something that hadn't resurfaced since the end of the war. 

They had been younger then, shaped by the urgency of war and the closeness it forced upon them, but time had not erased what remained. It made it a lot heavier to hold, at least for her.

The time spent building and growing the now Republic City had kept them close yet far apart because of duty. But once it had been over and settled into this new world, Aang took to finding more of his heritage, travelling wherever Appa could reach.

Now, another anniversary of the Republic City had arrived, bringing her friends along with it. 

Sokka, her brother, arrived a few days ago from the Southern Water Tribe. And Toph arrived just yesterday from the Earth Kingdom with a few of her pupils in tow. 

And although the responsibilities of a Fire Lord were inexplicably heavy, Katara was sure Zuko would draw upon a visit as well. 

But the person she hoped to see the most had yet to show his face. She had hoped that his return would bring clarity, that distance would have resolved the unlabeled tension. 

That this time, he would stay long enough for something to begin.

No one ever receives an advance notice of his arrival. The Avatar came and went as needed, his presence guided more by circumstance than by schedule. Even so, there was always a shift in the air when he returned.

It was no different this time.

The anniversary celebrations had filled Republic City with life, the streets crowded with people, music threading through the air, and voices rising in easy celebration beneath the afternoon sun. 

The city center was alive, and it was difficult to notice anything beyond what was directly in front of you.

Until something passed overhead, casting a swift, giant shadow onto the people. It moved across the ground and over the buildings, drawing attention upward.

Heads tilted back, the crowd already bubbling with excitement. And then someone said it.

"Look! It's the Avatar—!"

High above, Appa descended through the open sky. The wind shifted with him, carrying the force of his arrival down into the streets below as the crowd instinctively moved back, clearing space without needing to be told.

On his head sat Aang. He was so easy to recognize, even from a distance.

Katara saw him first, as always. Her breath caught, her gaze fixed upward as the shape of him became clearer with every passing second.

Sokka followed her line of sight, squinting for half a moment before breaking into a grin.

"I told you," he said, nudging her lightly. "I told you he'd show up today."

Toph tilted her head toward the ground, arms still crossed, though her attention sharpened immediately. 

"Took him long enough."

Appa lowered, the air swirling around him as he descended into the open space ahead. The ground seemed to brace for it, and when he landed, the impact sent a gust of wind outward that forced the nearest onlookers to step back further.

The crowd erupted. Cheers broke through all at once, voices rising over one another.

"The Avatar!"

"He's back!"

Aang stepped down with ease, his movements light despite the height he had descended from. The moment his feet touched the ground was light and controlled, like he was the air itself.

He reached up briefly, unfastening the straps of the packs secured behind him before lowering them— setting four large bags (something he had not originally set out with) carefully onto the ground.

Above them, Momo settled with a contented chirp, curling into place as though the journey had not bothered him in the slightest.

Aang straightened as he looked out at the crowd, taking in the faces, the noise, the energy of the city that had continued in his absence. But he was hoping to catch a sight of his family above all.

His eyes skimmed across the crowds and he found them easily, smiling at the familiar faces. It was the same smile they remembered, remaining unchanged despite the months that had passed.

Sokka took a step forward immediately, already raising a hand.

"Aang—!"

But Aang did not move toward them.

Instead, he turned back to Appa once more. Before they could even take a step forward, he lifted himself lightly from the ground with a small current of air, rising just enough to reach the edge of Appa's saddle.

Then he held out his hand.

They were confused. Momo had claimed the travel bags without concern, already drifting toward sleep despite the noise that still lingered around them.

Aang didn't really have anyone else who had accompanied him when he left. The thought settled between them without needing to be spoken, drawing their attention back toward the saddle they had assumed was empty.

Before any of them could voice it, they saw a hand appear first, fingers settling into Aang's before the rest of you followed, rising into view as you pulled yourself upright from where you had been seated along the saddle. 

Your hand remained in his as Aang's grip tightened enough to steady you, and in the same movement, he drew you closer, closing the space that existed between you. 

Your arms circled his shoulders as the two of you remained there, suspended in the air. Then, gently, he brought you down.

The air shifted around you as your feet met the ground beside him. His hold lingered to ensure your balance before easing. When you separated, it was only by a small measure that left the connection between you intact.

The crowd, once loud with excitement, had begun to thin as attention returned to the celebration, though a handful remained, watching with quiet curiosity, their earlier cheers settling into murmurs that carried more questions than answers.

No one reached for a conclusion just yet.

Katara, Sokka, and Toph moved forward almost at once, their attention pulled in two directions at once, drawn to Aang yet returning, again and again, to you.

You had already turned slightly, your hand lifting to rest against Appa's head, and your touch was seemingly familiar enough that the great sky bison leaned into it without resistance.

By the time they reached him, the distance had closed enough that the moment could no longer be delayed.

Katara moved first.

She closed the space quickly, and whatever restraint she had held dissolved the moment she reached him. She wrapped her arms around him without hesitation, the force of it enough to make him shift back a step before he steadied.

"Aang," she breathed, relief threading through her voice despite her effort to keep it composed. 

"It's so good to see you."

Sokka followed without pause, stepping in with a grin, his arm wrapping around them both and pulling them in.

"Yeah, pal, good to see you," he said.

Toph approached last, her head angled slightly as she reached out and pulled him into an embrace once the siblings had stepped back.

"Well, I can't see you," she said, her voice carrying its usual bluntness as she smirked, "but it's good to have you back, Twinkle Toes."

Aang laughed quietly, slipping easily into the space between them as though the months apart had been mere minutes.

"It's been one hell of an adventure," he said, his smile widening, his energy returning despite the changes that had settled into him. 

"But it's really good to see you guys."

He looked between them, taking in their presence fully now, before something shifted in his expression.

"Where is Zuko?" He noticed the absence quickly, as Katara stepped in.

"He'll be here tomorrow." She ensured. Aang nodded once in understanding before smiling back at them. 

"I'm really glad you're all here," he added, turning slightly.

"Because there's someone I want you to meet."

He called your name.

You turned at once, your attention shifting back to him, your hand lowering from Appa as you stepped forward when he beckoned you closer. When you reached him, he guided you gently to stand in front of him, your back pressing close to his chest.

His hands settled at your shoulders, as though presenting you to his friends (which he technically was).

The space around them seemed to narrow again, attention pulling inward and onto you.

And then, without hesitation, he spoke.

"Guys, this is my wife."

The space was quieter than the open streets of the city, removed from the curious eyes that had followed them from the city center. It was Katara's home, a short tower much like Aang's, warm and simple.

There was a low wooden table set at the center of the room and cushions arranged around it. The scent of food lingered in the air, a spread of dishes laid out with attention. They sat together on the floor, as they had many times before, yet it no longer felt as comforting with the addition of a new presence.

Aang settled easily, his posture relaxed as though the weight of his responsibilities had been set aside for the moment. You remained close beside him, your arm linked through his, your shoulder leaning lightly into his side.

The food was passed between them, and Sokka had already begun eating with little restraint, serving himself generously from the meat-filled dishes Katara had whipped up. Aang remained with the vegetarian plates set aside for him, thanking Katara quietly for the effort before beginning to eat.

You followed his lead, keeping to the same dishes, avoiding the drinks that Sokka and Toph had taken for themselves, your silence unbroken, your attention lowered more often than not.

The moment they had settled, the questions were poured over Aang all at once. Sokka and Toph tried to remain respectful to your presence while asking for your story, meanwhile Katara hadn't questioned the two of you at all, but evidently curious herself.

Aang had kept it brief, offering information sparingly about your history. He had said that the two of you had met while he was traveling, that things had moved quickly and you fell in love, that it had simply felt right. 

And being the Avatar meant having to oversee Republic City, he couldn't stay where he had met you, so the decision to get married had been made quickly, making you two return together, to build something here instead.

It was obvious they had many questions, but they sure as hell would not question their friend right in front of you.

Congratulations had followed, quiet and measured, and then the moment had passed, left to settle beneath everything that came after.

It was Sokka who filled the silence again, though this time not with questions, but with usual new ideas that spawn in his tinkering brain.

"So I've been working on this new design," he began, already gesturing with his hands despite the food still in them, his voice picking up pace as his excitement took over. 

"It's basically a reinforced mechanism—stronger joints, better rotation, and if I get it right, it could handle way more pressure than anything we've built before."

Aang leaned forward slightly, interest immediate. 

"Wait, so for like quicker transportation?"

"Exactly!" Sokka said, pointing at him with a quick nod. "I'm thinking something that could carry more weight, maybe even support multiple functions depending on how it's built."

Toph snorted softly. "So... you're just upgrading what already exists?"

"That's not—it is to improve efficiency." Sokka replied quickly. 

"Sounds the same to me."

"It's not the same," Sokka insisted, already leaning further into it. 

"Efficiency is important. You can't just throw things together and hope it works."

"You literally do that all the time."

"That's different," he said, without missing a beat. "That's instinct."

Aang laughed, slipping into place as though nothing had changed between them, his attention fully caught now.

"No, wait, that actually sounds really interesting," he said, his tone brightening. "If it can handle more pressure, you could use it not only for transportation, but construction too!"

"Exactly," Sokka said, pleased, already building on the idea. "See, this is why you get it."

Toph tilted her head slightly. "Yeah, because he's the only one listening."

The conversation carried on like that, Sokka speaking the most, his words running ahead of themselves as Aang kept up easily, asking questions, offering ideas, while Toph cut in whenever she pleased, her remarks sharp and comical each time.

You remained quiet beside Aang, your hand still resting around his arm, your gaze lowered more often than not, contributing nothing to the conversation yet not removed from it either.

Katara was quieter still, her attempts to keep up with the conversation falling short no matter how carefully she held her smile in place.

She spoke when needed, but for the most part, she said nothing at all, her attention shifting, her gaze returning to you more often than she would have liked before pulling away again.

Time passed quickly as it does when you're enjoying yourself, until the light outside began to soften, the sun lowering, shifting the room into a quieter shade.

Eventually, Aang took note of the time and your tired figure, his attention drifting from the conversation as he set his cup down.

"I think we should head home," he said, his tone gentle, though final. 

"It's been a long journey, and I want to get her settled in."

No one protested, agreeing quietly with a few nods as the evening drew to a close without resistance.

You both rose slowly and Aang moved toward the open balcony, the evening air slipping in as he stepped outside, a soft note leaving his whistle.

It did not take long for Appa to respond.

He floated close to the railing as Aang secured the travel bags onto the saddle before turning back to you, offering his hand as he helped you up first. Only once you were settled did he follow, stepping lightly onto Appa's head as he glanced back one last time.

"See you guys soon."

And then Appa rose, the wind lifting around him as you both left the balcony behind.

Once you had both left, a quiet settled over the three of them. The room, which had only moments ago carried conversation and liveliness, now held something far more glum.

Katara no longer held onto her smile. It faded slowly, the effort behind it slipping away until her lips formed a frown. She remained seated for a moment longer, her hands resting in her lap. The situation pressed in around her, suffocating her.

Sokka noticed it immediately. He had been watching her since Aang stood to leave.

"Katara..." he started, softer now, the edge gone from his voice.

She blinked, as though being snapped out of a dream. When she looked up, the smile she gave him was small and practiced, held together with effort.

"I'm just going to get some air," she said, not waiting for him to respond.

She stood up, her hands smoothing briefly over her clothes, an unnecessary gesture meant to steady herself, and then she turned toward the door.

Sokka pushed himself up immediately. 

"Katara, wait—"

She didn't.

She stepped out before he could reach her, the door sliding shut behind her with a soft finality. And whatever she had been holding in place gave way, unseen.

Sokka stopped short, the words he had meant to say left unfinished, his hand lowering slowly back to his side. He remained standing for a moment, staring at the door, as if expecting it to open again.

He exhaled sharply, the tension in him settling into something heavier as he dragged a hand through his hair before dropping back down onto the cushion, leaning back on his hands.

For a long time, he had not been entirely thrilled when he first noticed what had been forming between Aang and Katara. It had been uncomfortable at first, something he had watched with suspicion, protective instinct getting the better of him. 

But time had softened that resistance and he came to to accept it once he noticed how much his sister really adorded Aang. And Aang, was his best friend. Of all the people, he could trust him with Katara.

He had come to see it as inevitable, something that was bound to happen, and had secretly been expecting to take place already.

This—

This had not been part of that expectation.

"...Okay, what just happened?" he said after a moment, his voice sharp.

Toph did not answer immediately. Her head tilted slightly, getting more comfortable on the floor as she stretched out her limbs.

"That was bad," she said finally.

Sokka let out a short breath, sitting up straighter. 

"Bad? Toph, that was really bad." He ran a hand through his hair again, frustration settling in now that the moment had passed.

"He just—what, disappears for ten months, comes back, and suddenly he's married?" His voice lifted slightly, disbelief breaking through. 

"Since when does Aang do something like that without telling anyone?"

Toph leaned back slightly, her arms crossing, her expression unchanged. 

"Since apparently eight months ago."

"That's not funny."

"I'm not joking."

Sokka pushed himself to his feet again, pacing once across room before turning back toward her.

"She was waiting for him," he said, quieter now, though the weight behind it remained. 

"You know that, right? She didn't say it, but she—she was waiting."

Toph didn't interrupt.

"She thought..." he started, then stopped, exhaling through his nose as the frustration tightened again. 

"I thought—We all thought—!"

He didn't finish that either. The pieces didn't fit together cleanly anymore.

"He didn't even say anything! I am sure one letter wouldn't have hurt! I mean, what the hell was that story? I don't buy it for a second." Sokka continued, his voice lower now, though the edge hadn't left. 

Toph shifted slightly, her tone still calm, though less dismissive now.

"Yeah. He was lying." She says casually, as if it hadn't been the confirmation Sokka was looking for this entire time.

"What?! What do you mean?"

"What you said, Snoozles. Their story. Aang was lying. He probably didn't say much because he knew I would catch his lies."

"Wait...does that mean Aang is in trouble?" 

"Don't think so. From what I sensed, she didn't seem like much of a threat, and Twinkle toes did seem to care for her, there was no lie there." She explained her observations.

"Then I don't get it, Toph. What did Aang lie about?" Sokka questions, keeping his motive straightforward.

"None of what he said was a lie, but it wasn't the entire story. All I'm saying is, he said just enough of the truth to not make me suspect anything."

Sokka was livid.

"Why do you look so relaxed?! Aren't you mad at him? This doesn't seem like the Aang we know!"

"Chill out. I'm sure he's okay. Although...he's not one to think things through. Not when it comes to helping people anyway."

Sokka perks up at Toph's insinuation. "You think he's helping her?"

"My best guess."

"Well, that's no excuse," Sokka shot back immediately. 

"He knows better than that. He should know better than that. We are always here to help, he  knows that!"

"Maybe he just didn't need our help for this. From what I felt, he seemed happier, at least since I last met him.

Sokka's shoulders remained tense, his jaw tightening as his gaze stayed fixed on the door, though there was nothing left there to see. The space Katara had occupied was empty, her absence settling heavily into the room as Sokka grew worried for her.

"...I should go after her," he said, already half-turning.

"Give her a minute," Toph replied, her tone steady. "She won't want an audience right now."

Sokka stopped, even though the tension in him remained coiled tight, he did not argue. Instead, he hesitated in his step for half a second before lowering himself back onto the cushion.

"...He really messed this up," he muttered, the frustration slipping through despite the effort to contain it.

Toph tilted her head slightly at that, her expression unchanged.

"Did he?"

Sokka looked up at her, frowning. "What do you mean did he? You saw her."

"Yeah, I did," she said calmly. "I'm not saying she's fine. I'm asking how exactly this is all on him."

Sokka let out a short, disbelieving breath, the sound sharp against the quiet. "Toph—"

"No, think about it," she cut in, forcing him to listen whether he wanted to or not. 

"It was obvious Katara liked him. I'm not arguing that. But we also thought it was obvious Aang liked her too."

Sokka opened his mouth to respond, but the words stalled, choosing to let her finish.

"And maybe he did," she continued. "Maybe he still does. But technically, they were never official on any grounds. "

"That doesn't mean—" he started, but she did not let him finish.

"It means nothing was decided," she said. "If somehow Aang's feelings changed, we can't blame him for it. "

Sokka's expression tightened, then softened enough to show that he understood Toph's argument.

"That doesn't make this okay," he said after a moment.

"I didn't say it did," Toph replied. "I'm saying we can't act like he broke some rule or something."

Sokka leaned back slightly, dragging a hand over his face as he let that sit, the frustration in him shifting.

"It's just—ughh! Married? Aang won't do something like that on a whim!"

"But he did it already."

"I know. Did you see Katara's face? Even Aang must have noticed it, it was that obvious, fuck!"

"He didn't do it to hurt her."

Sokka didn't respond immediately.

"No," he admitted after a pause. "Of course not."

Aang was not careless, and he was not cruel. He did not make choices like that without reason, which meant there had to be one.

If Toph was vouching for the authenticity of Aang's marriage to you, then—

"...He really meant it," Sokka said, the realization settling in slower this time, heavier.

Toph nodded once. "Yeah."

Sokka exhaled, some of the tension leaving him, though it did not ease what remained.

After a pause, Sokka spoke again.

"What you said earlier... about him not telling the whole truth." His gaze flicked toward her. "Do you think we should tell Katara?"

Toph didn't answer right away. She leaned back slightly, considering the situation. Katara was a fierce woman, and although Toph was sure she won't do anything drastic, even she couldn't trust to stop things from going downhill.

"Not yet," she said after a moment. "She's already dealing with enough. Telling her that now isn't going to help."

Sokka frowned, though he didn't argue.

"So we just... don't say anything?"

"For now," Toph replied. "We wait. Maybe once Zuko gets here. We'll have a good old Team Avatar huddle! Uhh...without the Avatar, of course."

The answer did not satisfy him completely, but it settled enough for him to let it go, at least for the moment.

Toph shifted slightly, adjusting her posture before speaking again.

"When is Zuko getting here anyway?"

Sokka glanced at her, the shift in topic catching him slightly off guard before he answered.

"He should arrive by tomorrow afternoon."

Night settled over the city without resistance, the last of the noise fading. By the time you got settled in your new home, the world outside had quieted, leaving only the soft hush of the empty streets.

Inside your home, you lay beside Aang, the distance between you nonexistent, skin against skin beneath the covers, the warmth of him melting into your flesh. Your head rested against his chest, eyes fluttering to a close to the steady rhythm beneath your cheek.

Each breath of his matched your own without effort, his arm lay beneath you, holding you in place, while his other hand moved slowly through your hair.

Your fingers shifted lightly against him before your voice broke through the stillness.

“It seems your friends do not like me.”

Aang’s hand stilled for a brief moment before continuing its slow movement, his touch no different than it was before.

“They just met you,” he said. “It was unexpected.”

“That is one way to describe it.”

“They’ll come around,” he said after a moment. “It just takes time.”

There was no bitterness in your voice, only an acknowledgment that did not seek to challenge him. You shifted slightly, lifting your head to look at him.

“That water tribe girl,” you said. 

His hand slowed, and you felt the shift immediately. You held his gaze for a second longer before letting it fall, settling back against him, your cheek returning to its place over his chest, though now, the rhythm behind his chest had upped its tempo.

“That was her,” you continued, lifting your head again, your eyes finding his. “Was it not?”

He did not answer immediately. To be honest, he did not need to. You had understood plenty.

“Yes.”

The word settled between you, and you smiled.

“I see.”

You heaved a sigh, feeling your own heartbeat speed up.

“I am sorry,” you said after a moment.

Aang's reaction was immediate as he frowned faintly

“There’s no need for that.”

"I feel as though there is." His hand stilled again, resting lightly against your back now, no longer moving.

“I made my feelings very clear to you, you didn’t do anything wrong,” he said.

“Perhaps not,” you answered. “But that does not mean no one was hurt.”

The honesty in your voice did not leave room for dismissal. Something in his expression shifted then, softening.

“She’ll be alright,” he said after a moment, though the words carried less certainty than he might have intended.

You did not respond to that directly.

“Your friends are important to you.”

“Yes.”

There was no hesitation.

You nodded faintly, your breath evening out again against him.

“Then I hope they will come to accept me.”

“They will,” Aang replied, more certain this time, his hand resuming its slow movement through your hair, steady, grounding. “It just might take some time.”

The tension eased slightly, but Aang didn't need to see your face to know what you were feeling at the moment.

Then, almost as an afterthought, his tone shifted.

“And you haven’t even met my closest friend yet.”

You tilted your head slightly, just enough to look up at him again.

“Oh?”

Aang smiled faintly.

“Zuko,” he said. “The Fire Lord. He’ll be visiting soon.”

He leaned forward to press a kiss to your forehead, urging you to sleep, before settling his head back onto the pillow.

“I think you’ll like him.”

chapter two coming soon...

a/n: i feel like this story has potential.

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