[fic] Always There
Title: Always There
Author:
angelchan_2004
Rating: PG
Prompt: #082 Heal
Warning(s): Semi-sequel to my (Don't) Let Go entry. Much fluffier. <3
Word Count: 859
Summary: Do hearts simply... break?
Author's Notes: I'm not sure how much I like this one.... It started out pretty good; but once I hit the end, I realized that I kind of didn't like it. OH WELL? Epic moments during an epic battle can lead to epic discoveries?
Pain.
He was swimming in darkness, lost. His voice had deserted him; his head was spinning wildly. With all the strength he could muster, he forced his eyes open.
“Ka… tara…?”
Concentration broken, the waterbender smiled weakly down at him. Aang tried to move, but his body felt heavy. “Stay still,” she whispered. “You’re a little banged up.”
A nod was all he could offer, watching as she quietly went back to work. Her hands trailed over a burn on his arm, and relief spread throughout his body as the water worked into his skin. In a matter of minutes, the throbbing aches faded to the back of his mind, allowing memories from earlier to resurface: of scorching flames high above his head and--
“Ozai!” he shouted suddenly, sitting up in a rush.
“Calm down, Aang!” Katara leaned over him, hands firmly placed on his shoulders, pushing him back down. “It’s okay right now.”
“But… but what about--”
She tried to collect herself, a smile on her face. As calm as she seemed, he knew she was really nervous… and afraid. A deep breath. “Zuko took over once you were unconscious. I’ve been treating you for a while now….”
Reality sunk in, a weight settling in the pit of his stomach. He propped himself up on his elbows. “I… how bad was I?”
“It was scary,” she murmured, voice shaking. “Watching you fall-- I just couldn’t….” Her mouth curved downward; and she looked away. “You were… pretty bad. I thought I was going to lose you.”
Ignoring the lump in his throat, he mused, “You always seem to save me.”
Blue eyes turned to him, smoldering. A wave of something washed over him. After everything, even rejection, he couldn’t help but love her. Heat rose to his face as he slid his gaze to the ground.
The silence lasted a few more seconds, until Katara changed the subject: “Well, I think I’ve healed everything.” She gave him a once-over, tapping her chin thoughtfully (though there was an urgency in her tone). “Head, legs, chest, arms… what else? Oh, that’s right….”
Before he could so much as blink, she leaned down and placed a kiss upon his lips. He barely had time to register the action, let alone respond, when she pulled back. Although her cheeks were painted pink, the girl kept her stare even. “I believe I broke your heart,” she informed him.
And all of a sudden, everything-- the explosions and the shaking and the war-- melted away. It was just the two of them. He reached out and cupped her cheek, slowly pulling her to him. Her breathing was choppy, and her eyes fluttered shut. “My heart was never broken,” he muttered, nose brushing against hers. “It’s been with you the whole time.”
Aang closed the distance between them, desperate for the contact. It was awkward and shy, but it felt perfect. Her hands moved to rest on his chest, fingers trembling as she leaned in closer. At some point, he had wrapped his arms around her waist in an attempt to deepen the kiss. All he could think about was her mouth moving against his and the thrill it gave him.
She pulled away (so soon?), which left him wanting more. He let out a long sigh.
“A-Aang? You’re… glowing.”
Eyes snapping open, the airbender raised a brow in question. The light that had apparently been coming from him disappeared. “What do you mean?”
Katara traced the tattoo on his head delicately. “It… it was like you were in the Avatar State.”
“But… that can’t be,” he insisted, sitting up. It made no sense to him… but the moment he checked the chakras, he knew: they were clear. “I didn’t let you go!”
She sat thoughtfully for a moment. Taking his hand, she weaved their fingers together. “I don’t really know much more than you told me, but maybe it has something to do with… love?”
“I don’t really see how love helps in the whole ‘letting go of attachments’ rule.”
Shaking her head, she continued: “Maybe… maybe it deals with reciprocation. Knowing how I feel must have taken a load off your shoulders, Aang. It’s kind of hard to explain.”
The young Avatar let out a laugh, breathy and a little delirious. “Are you saying that love was the key all along?”
“Perhaps.” A chuckle blossomed from her.
So that was it, then? Was it really that simple? Aang laughed again as he stood, brushing off his pants. Determination filled his expression as he began walking away from the barricade (a large stone wall that Toph had probably made). There was a light rustle of clothing and pounding of feet. Then:
“Wait!” She was standing behind him now, clutching her chest tightly. “I…,” she said, “I love you. …you know that, right?”
A smile formed on his lips, one saved especially for her. She was always there, wasn’t she? Like a part of him, something that he needed in order to survive. He took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
“Let’s go together.”
They did, and they won.
(What is power without love?)
Author:
angelchan_2004
Rating: PG
Prompt: #082 Heal
Warning(s): Semi-sequel to my (Don't) Let Go entry. Much fluffier. <3
Word Count: 859
Summary: Do hearts simply... break?
Author's Notes: I'm not sure how much I like this one.... It started out pretty good; but once I hit the end, I realized that I kind of didn't like it. OH WELL? Epic moments during an epic battle can lead to epic discoveries?
Pain.
He was swimming in darkness, lost. His voice had deserted him; his head was spinning wildly. With all the strength he could muster, he forced his eyes open.
“Ka… tara…?”
Concentration broken, the waterbender smiled weakly down at him. Aang tried to move, but his body felt heavy. “Stay still,” she whispered. “You’re a little banged up.”
A nod was all he could offer, watching as she quietly went back to work. Her hands trailed over a burn on his arm, and relief spread throughout his body as the water worked into his skin. In a matter of minutes, the throbbing aches faded to the back of his mind, allowing memories from earlier to resurface: of scorching flames high above his head and--
“Ozai!” he shouted suddenly, sitting up in a rush.
“Calm down, Aang!” Katara leaned over him, hands firmly placed on his shoulders, pushing him back down. “It’s okay right now.”
“But… but what about--”
She tried to collect herself, a smile on her face. As calm as she seemed, he knew she was really nervous… and afraid. A deep breath. “Zuko took over once you were unconscious. I’ve been treating you for a while now….”
Reality sunk in, a weight settling in the pit of his stomach. He propped himself up on his elbows. “I… how bad was I?”
“It was scary,” she murmured, voice shaking. “Watching you fall-- I just couldn’t….” Her mouth curved downward; and she looked away. “You were… pretty bad. I thought I was going to lose you.”
Ignoring the lump in his throat, he mused, “You always seem to save me.”
Blue eyes turned to him, smoldering. A wave of something washed over him. After everything, even rejection, he couldn’t help but love her. Heat rose to his face as he slid his gaze to the ground.
The silence lasted a few more seconds, until Katara changed the subject: “Well, I think I’ve healed everything.” She gave him a once-over, tapping her chin thoughtfully (though there was an urgency in her tone). “Head, legs, chest, arms… what else? Oh, that’s right….”
Before he could so much as blink, she leaned down and placed a kiss upon his lips. He barely had time to register the action, let alone respond, when she pulled back. Although her cheeks were painted pink, the girl kept her stare even. “I believe I broke your heart,” she informed him.
And all of a sudden, everything-- the explosions and the shaking and the war-- melted away. It was just the two of them. He reached out and cupped her cheek, slowly pulling her to him. Her breathing was choppy, and her eyes fluttered shut. “My heart was never broken,” he muttered, nose brushing against hers. “It’s been with you the whole time.”
Aang closed the distance between them, desperate for the contact. It was awkward and shy, but it felt perfect. Her hands moved to rest on his chest, fingers trembling as she leaned in closer. At some point, he had wrapped his arms around her waist in an attempt to deepen the kiss. All he could think about was her mouth moving against his and the thrill it gave him.
She pulled away (so soon?), which left him wanting more. He let out a long sigh.
“A-Aang? You’re… glowing.”
Eyes snapping open, the airbender raised a brow in question. The light that had apparently been coming from him disappeared. “What do you mean?”
Katara traced the tattoo on his head delicately. “It… it was like you were in the Avatar State.”
“But… that can’t be,” he insisted, sitting up. It made no sense to him… but the moment he checked the chakras, he knew: they were clear. “I didn’t let you go!”
She sat thoughtfully for a moment. Taking his hand, she weaved their fingers together. “I don’t really know much more than you told me, but maybe it has something to do with… love?”
“I don’t really see how love helps in the whole ‘letting go of attachments’ rule.”
Shaking her head, she continued: “Maybe… maybe it deals with reciprocation. Knowing how I feel must have taken a load off your shoulders, Aang. It’s kind of hard to explain.”
The young Avatar let out a laugh, breathy and a little delirious. “Are you saying that love was the key all along?”
“Perhaps.” A chuckle blossomed from her.
So that was it, then? Was it really that simple? Aang laughed again as he stood, brushing off his pants. Determination filled his expression as he began walking away from the barricade (a large stone wall that Toph had probably made). There was a light rustle of clothing and pounding of feet. Then:
“Wait!” She was standing behind him now, clutching her chest tightly. “I…,” she said, “I love you. …you know that, right?”
A smile formed on his lips, one saved especially for her. She was always there, wasn’t she? Like a part of him, something that he needed in order to survive. He took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
“Let’s go together.”
They did, and they won.
(What is power without love?)