Set My Heart On Fire (UPDATED AND CONTINUING!)

16. Sounds A Lot Like Him

Aang flung his arm forward with brute strength, throwing the squishy red ball across the yard. An eagerly waiting Appa finally charged in the direction of the ball. Aang grinned as he watched the ball shrink, getting smaller and smaller until it went over their backyard fence. Appa ran for the ball until the fence got in his way.

“Well, looks like game’s over, Appa.” Aang commented mockingly. Suddenly, Appa jumped up from the ground and began to fly. Aang’s eyes went wide then he wore a look of self-disappointment.

“FLYING bison, Aang..” Aang said, shaking his head with a silly grin. Appa moaned in triumph as he glided over the fence and out of sight, pursuing his target. Aang let Appa continue his trivial pursuit and sat down on his creme yellow wooden porch. His fingers, by habit, grasped his favorite necklace, his fingers tracing the arrow charm over and over again.

His gleaming gray irises stared down at the necklace, contemplating his decision.

“Should I really do it..?” Aang asked himself. He felt the heat rising to his cheeks again. “God I can’t even say it out loud to myself, how am I supposed to say it to Katara?” Aang exclaimed aloud.

Aang could feel the pressure build up inside him. But honestly, at this point, nothing held him back from finally asking Katara to be his girlfriend. She’s finally done stressing about school, her music was phenomenal, and best of all there was no other guy in the picture.

“Well it was always like that..” Aang thought to himself. Katara was single ever since he met her. But there was always this heated presence at the back of Aang’s mind, something that kept standing in his way. The sight of an unsettling smirk and empty amber eyes pestered his consciousness.

“Zuko..” Aang said dismissively. Aang was constantly worried about Katara and Zuko’s friendship, what it could become. But when Katara revealed the two were no longer close, he couldn’t help but feel relieved. Although, he found her tone and expression strange, too stringent. All he wanted was for Katara to be happy, no matter what it took.  Maybe he could be the one to do that, to be with her and give her the happiness she so deserved.

Suddenly, a groan resounded through the yard. Aang looked up to see a happy Appa flying towards him, squishy ball nuzzled in his mouth. He landed at Aang’s feet and dropped the ball, eager for another game. Aang was a little surprised to see Appa come back so soon, but smiled at his excitement. He bent over and grasped the ball in his large palm. Then he stood up, newly determined.

“I just gotta go for it. I have to tell Katara how I feel. After the concert, I’ll see Katara and I’ll tell her I like her, no matter what!” Aang declared, his eyes fiery as his fist tightly squeezed the ball. Then he smiled down at Appa, who groaned in support. At last, Aang swung his arm back once more and sent the ball flying.

____________________

Katara’s unease was inescapable. As she made her way home from school slowly, her once happy lips began to wilt like dying flower. Her feet ceased their stroll as she was left at the end of a sidewalk. Her eyes were crinkled in distress and her hands were balled into fists.

She closed her eyes trying to shut out her thoughts. Unsuccessfully, Katara could only see Zuko and everything she felt unfold.

In her mind, Katara saw Zuko, and how he played their song, his eyes closing blissfully. She saw the corners of his mouth lift up in serene joy as he strummed his guitar. Katara saw the way he looked at her, like how he watched the night sky, his amber eyes lively. She could feel all the times they “slipped up”, the times they got unspeakably close. She could feel the warmth of his touch and sensation of his smell, the familiarity yet mysteriousness of their embraces.