Path Ahead

The Phoenix King

Katara's chance came a few days later. As everyone was deciding what they were going to do for the day, she spoke up.

"I want Aang to help me get water from the stream," she announced, looking around and daring anyone to contradict her. Not surprisingly, her brother took the bait.

"I think Aang has more important things to do," he objected. "Like master all of the elements?"

"That includes water," Katara pointed out. She smiled sweetly at Sokka, having expected this argument. "It's been a long time since he's practiced waterbending, and I wouldn't want him to forget it."

"The young lady has a valid point," Iroh broke in. "Even though Aang has had more time to learn waterbending, he shouldn't neglect it completely." Ignoring him, Sokka kept his focus on Katara, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. She met his gaze calmly and innocently, and if he suspected her of ulterior motives, he couldn't find any evidence. He also couldn't come up with a good reason to prevent her from taking Aang away with her. Sokka wasn't the only one in the family who was good at planning.

"Okay, fine," Sokka gave in. "You shouldn't need a whole day, so be back by midday."

That was actually more time than Katara had expected, so now she just had to hope that Suki would do her part by keeping Sokka occupied so that he wouldn't spy on them. She exchanged a quick glance with the older girl and got the complicit nod in response. Burdened with all of the canteens and barrels their group had amassed, she and Aang went down to the stream.

Katara felt unaccountably shy as she undressed. She realized that they hadn't done this since admitting that they loved each other, which was probably the reason for her feeling differently about it now.

As usual, Aang left his pants on when he waded into the fast-moving water. This had always confused Katara because he showed no reluctance to strip down to almost nothing in other situations. As his eyes traveled over her body before quickly looking away, however, she thought she had an idea. Her face heated up, and she felt the urge to smack her forehead, Sokka style, for not figuring it out sooner. While she slipped into the water to join him, she felt that Aang must sometimes think her a complete fool for missing things like that.

"So, what do you want to do?" Aang asked, and she couldn't help smiling at him, all thoughts of her chronic obtuseness pushed out of her mind by how he looked. Deciding that turnabout was fair play, she allowed herself a moment to take in the features she hadn't seen in too long. All the training from the past few months was clearly agreeing with him. His arms and shoulders were showing greater definition than before, and he moved with more confidence. In addition, after the initial burning and peeling that had plagued him after the summer solstice, his skin had now taken on a golden tone from sun exposure that complemented his tattoos nicely.

"Actually, I'm doing it," she told him, giggling when he looked at her in bewilderment.

"I don't understand," he said.

"I have a confession to make," she admitted. "I really made the suggestion so I'd get some uninterrupted time alone with you." Aang blinked at her a few times, then a slow smile spread across his face, and something about it made Katara's heart beat faster.

"That's the best thing I've heard in weeks," he informed her happily. "I never would have thought of that."

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to do some waterbending while we're here," Katara remarked. "I mean, we're all ready and everything."