kataang/atla one shots

that sweet tune of love

He stood over the barren lands of the Southern Air Temple, he couldn't believe it. It felt like a few days he had been gone, but no, it had been over a century in reality. He had remembered what felt like only a few weeks ago that he was laughing with Gyatso, staring at the other kids in longing, rolling his eyes at the Monks, though making sure they didn't see him do so.

This would be the last time he would see this place for a long time, for he knew his adventures with Sokka and Katara may be longer than expected.

He wanted to do so much when he was younger before he found out he was the Avatar. He wanted to travel, learn the cultures of the other Nations, maybe fall in love, make new friends, and after all of that, he would teach the Air Scooter to the new generations of Air Nomads, as he himself taught his own student. Maybe he would've even reached Enlightenment. Maybe he would've been chosen to be in the Council of Monks, too. Maybe he would've found out who his parents were.

Monks didn't do family like the rest of the Nations. They didn't necessarily stick together, since the mother is in either the Western or Eastern Temple while the father is in the Northern or Southern. Or traveling.

Often times, the kids' parents would visit them, talk to them and travel with them, and go to celebrations and festivals with them. The Air Nomads didn't really do earthly attachments but what parent wouldn't miss their children? Sure, they would only be there for a few days but it was enough. For them.

Aang didn't know who his parents were. They never visited him. He had assumed it was because they didn't want him, or that they didn't really care. But all thoughts of that were diminished when the Monks told him of his identity. They told him they had taken him away earlier than the other monks. The pieces seemed to click together after this.

It must've broken his mother's heart when he had to be taken away.

He knew Katara and Sokka had their mother taken away early too, perhaps they could tell him how it felt like to have one.

But what was the need to long for something you've never had?

•••

He had seen it in the market. An instrument he hadn't used in a while, one he adored back with Gyatso. He held it in his hand, eyes analyzing the delicate instrument. A kalimba, they called it. He strummed a few notes, noticing the way the notes graced his ears as he smiled softly as nostalgia washed over him.

"Aang, what are you-" Katara's hand on his shoulder, as she stared at the instrument in his hand. "What's that?" She asked softly, noticing the wistful look in his eyes. "A kalimba. I used to have one exactly like this."

"Do you want it?" She asked, "Nah. It's okay. We should use our money for something that we need." He slowly put the instrument back. Katara rolled her eyes, "You know what's something we don't need? Sokka's third hat!" Sokka pouted at his sister. "Hey! I happen to think that it's very stylish."

"It's very stylish!" Toph smiled at him, "Aww, thanks Toph, you're so——" Sokka's face fell in the midst of his sentence, "Why must you humor me like this?" Toph laughed at his face as he pouted excessively.

Aang and Katara laughed together at the pair's interaction, Katara looked back at Aang, "You should get this Aang. And...I need you to be happy." She finally stuttered out her thoughts, a little embarrassed at her cheesy lines. "Thanks." Aang gave her a smile, a little confused as to why she said she wanted to him be happy, but ecstatic to get his secret wish.