Heart Broken

Chapter 41

At the end of the hundred-years war, when it was all said and done Katara found herself and the others back in Ba Sing Se. They all congregated at the Jasmine Dragon, spending their free time with one another. Iroh blowing into his horn for Appa near the entrance. Zuko passing tea around for everyone. He passed the final two cups to Suki and Mai while they played through an intense Pai Sho game.

Sokka cried out to Zuko to stop moving around so much as he tried to capture the scene before him. He wanted to capture the memory of all of them together. Initially Katara thought it was sweet of him until she saw his so-called art.

"Why did you give me big ears like Momo?" Katara inquired.

"Those are your hair loopies!" Sokka answered defensively.

Then Zuko came up and saw Sokka's depiction of him, "At least you don't look like a porcupine. My hair is not that spiky!"

They all gathered around and began to process what exactly they were looking at.

"I look like a man," Mai remarked.

"Hey," Iroh began, "my belly isn't that big anymore. I've slimmed down a lot."

Momo had his own thoughts. They all had their own comments to make over Sokka's attempt at drawing. Aang smiled at the scene until he decided to step outside for some air. He petted Appa's nose as he stepped out the entrance and walked out to the balcony view of Ba Sing Se. The air was cool and refreshing as the sun set over the earth kingdom. He took in the sight and let out a content sigh. It wouldn't be long until someone followed him out.

She walked up from behind and stood next to him. Her eyes staying on him as he turned to her with a smile. Katara put her hand on his shoulder, turning and pulling him into her arms for a tight embrace. A feeling of contentment going through them until they pulled back and glanced back at the view of the sunset.

They had done it. They had freed the world of what looked to be an unending war.

Wordlessly, they turned back at one another. Without thinking, they slowly inched closer until their lips connected. Katara held Aang's cheeks within the palm of her hand for a moment and then let go to wrap her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Aang wrapped his arms around Katara's waist as they held on to each other. They tilted their heads and kissed passionately, not daring to let go.

Then Katara opened her eyes.

She shook her head as she pushed herself to a sitting position on her bed. Reality set on her as she remembered where she was. That she had only just been dreaming.

'Ugh! Why did it have to feel so real?' She wondered to herself, throwing off her blanket as she shifted to the edge of the bed with a groggy sigh. Slowly, she rose, stretching her arms above her head. Her mind continued to wander as she walked to the bathroom to freshen up. A year passed since that quiet moment with Aang.

She wondered now, as she often did, what Aang was thinking. He had always been open, so full of hope and kindness, but when it came to the topic of their relationship, he held himself back, unsure.

The memory of that day still weighed on her. The tension between her and Kano, a competition she never should have agreed to. Aang had been upset and rightfully so. Both she and Kano realized how their actions hurt him. But when Aang asked for time-time to understand what he truly wanted-Katara agreed, knowing how much pressure he was under. The weight of the world had always rested on his shoulders, and even after the war ended, that burden remained. The last thing he needed was to worry about her and Kano.

But now, a year later, the uncertainty gnawed at her more than ever.

She glanced at the mirror in the bathroom, watching her reflection. Katara had always been someone who could take action, someone who stepped forward when others would hesitate. Yet here she was stuck in limbo, waiting for Aang to decided what he wanted-whether he wanted her.