HOVERING ON APPA, surrounded by a sea of clouds, I find myself lost in thought, pondering the almost... intimate moment I had with Katara.
What was happening between us?
I used to read stories about... romance, but my past under the Fire Nation's control left little room for "personal emotions" or "romantic understanding."
They molded me to be Prince Zuko and Princess Azula's shadow and under the Fire Lord, devoid of true feelings, understanding only combat and obedience.
Emotions, especially those involving... intimacy, are like foreign landscapes to me, never navigated nor understood. My life has been about survival and strategy, not the gentle touch or shared glances of... affection.
The closeness with Katara, that near moment of connection, feels like a puzzle I can't solve.
As we sail through the airy expanse, Katara's voice, light and dreamy, breaks through my internal struggle, not with words directed toward me but with a simple observation:
"These clouds look so soft," Katara says dreamily, pulling me out of my daze and back to the reality of our journey together. Her ability to find beauty in the simple things starkly differs from my learned indifference.
Aang sprawls lazily atop Appa's head, casually chewing on a twig. My eyes move to reveal Sokka, his face etched with boredom, engrossed in his carving. I'm seated across from him, leaning against Appa's side by the piled-up luggage, one knee bent, the other leg stretched out, with Momo hiding quietly behind me. Katara lies on her stomach, propped up on her elbows, gazing dreamily over the edge of Appa's saddle, lost in her thoughts, while Momo snoozes on the luggage beside her.
My eyes drift to Katara, noting her distant stare. I ponder what might be stirring in her serene yet faraway mind.
Her contemplative silence draws me in, making me wonder about the depth of her thoughts and whether they mirror the chaos and confusion in my own heart.
Katara looks back at me, her big blue eyes gleaming with the playfulness of her thoughts. "Don't they? Like you could just jump down, and you'd land in a big, soft, cottony heap?"
Y/N: "I-I... Uh..." I redden, stutter, and avoid eye contact all at once, scratching my cheek with my pointer finger.
Sokka: "Maybe you should give it a try." He smirks at Katara, teasing her with a playful grin.
Katara: "You're hilarious." She gives Sokka an annoyed look accompanied by an eye roll and dismissively turns away.
Aang: "I'll try it!" He announces excitedly, then jumps off Appa, waving and grinning as he falls, embodying the thrill of adventure.
As Aang disappears into the clouds, Katara, Sokka, and I lean over the rim of Appa's saddle, our expressions a mix of worry and astonishment.
Aang, soaked but joyful, reemerges, exclaiming, "Turns out clouds are made of water." He uses airbending to dry himself off, causing Momo's fur to puff out amusingly.
Still keeping his critical gaze, Sokka mutters about the impracticality of Aang's actions while Katara and I share a concerned yet captivated look, drawn to the unfolding scenery before us;
Y/N: "What's going on?" Curiosity and concern mix in my voice as I follow Katara's gaze.
Katara: "I dunno... It's just, what is that?" She stands and walks to the front of Appa's saddle, her eyes fixed on the horizon.
Sokka and I lean forward to look, too. The landscape before us reveals a large, dark patch of burned land against the forest's lush green.
Sokka: "It's like a scar..." His voice trails off as he squints, taking in the devastation.
YOU ARE READING
Avatar: The Last Air Bender x Male Reader
FanfictionThe causes of death are many and varied. Old age, suicide, illness... But the cause of death that scares people the most in this day and age is... Death by fire. Fire is a burning reminder of our own will and creative power, so, why would someone f...
