Coming Together

Preparations

It was going to be the most thrown together catastrophe of the century. At least that's how Katara felt. She, like her fiancé, was a hopeless romantic. Unlike her soon to be husband however, she was obsessed with details. Formal invitations, dress shopping, renting a venue, getting a proper countdown calendar. These were things she had always been looking forward to stressing over, and now she was stressed about not having them. It was unconventional, spontaneous, and just a tiny bit exciting.

Aang had always been a little unpredictable and that was something she was growing used to. It was a trait that was missing in her life and although things didn't quite go according to her thorough plans, the end result was always something she was happy with. But a wedding was not a first date. A wedding was not a trip. A wedding was something sacred and important and this is where her anxieties drew the line.

A knock came at her door and she let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. She was already awake. She wasn't even sure when she had woken or if she had simply lay there all night in her thoughts. The door slid open and she heard it close quickly. Aang knelt down at her bedside and kissed her cheek. She smiled and opened her eyes, happy to see him despite her ever spiraling anxiety.

"Good morning, Aang."

"Morning Katara. Last day."

She nodded. "Last day." She paused and turned her back to him. "Check my arrow?"

"Sure."

He lifted the covers and blushed, seeing her bare body. He tried to focus on the arrow and nothing else. After a few seconds he let the covers fall back to her body.

"Dark blue. Just like I said."

"Good. And it's not messed up or anything?"

"No. Why aren't you wearing anything?"

"I didn't want to smear the design in my sleep."

"Katara, it's been on your skin for days now. It's stained. It's not going anywhere until we want it gone. Or it will fade over time. The paste is already gone. What I'm seeing is the mark left behind."

She wrinkled her nose.

"I'm just being extra careful okay?"

He smiled and rolled his eyes, standing up straight and picking some bindings out of her drawers. She sat up, holding the covers to her chest and watched him grab some simple clothes for her. He rested everything on the end of her bed.

"Please get dressed."

"I know, we have a lot to do."

"I have a lot to do. You have a visitor."

She raised an eyebrow and he winked at her, leaving without another word.

X

She walked through the halls towards the main temple, her combed hair swaying with her gait. She made her way up the stairs to Aang's office and hesitated on the handle. She heard nothing; no taking and no shuffling. She wondered who could possibly come to visit her today. She pushed the door open and her eyes scanned the room, flooded with early morning light. Standing in front of the window was a man she would have known anywhere, dressed rather casual for a Firelord.