"And through the rise and falling apart"

[markofthebrave]

Who: Aang and Katara
What: A much needed conversation
When: April 16th
Where: House 56 -> THE OCEAN
Summary: ...soooo there are some things they need to straighten out
Rating: G for 'this should be good?'

[Time is the sweetest balm. It's been... nearly a week now, and Katara's starting to feel much more like herself. And as such... she really wants to not have to talk to Aang about That Night, or about what he called her when he first arrived, or about any sort of heart-manipulating experiments and their results, or about Masaomi...

She really doesn't want to have to talk to him about that. She just wants things to stay as they are, while he's here - happy and content, as best as possible. But... he remembers things differently. Or - he remembers things that haven't happened yet. And if she doesn't share of some things that have happened to her, and if she attempts to brush over the things he's told her, and what she's learned, then... then they're living a lie just as foul as one of the experiments. And she refuses to do that.

So after dinner, and after an abbreviated time of practice, Katara knocks on Aang's bedroom door.]

Aang?

Comments

[savedtheworld]

[He soon cools down and steps over to Katara.]

This is a really nice beach, Katara. Thanks for bringing me here.

[markofthebrave]

You're welcome! I spent a lot of time here last summer.

[She starts to walk away from the teleporter, inclining her head in an invitation for Aang to join her.]

It only showed up here a little bit before then - my first year here, there wasn't an ocean at all.

[savedtheworld]

[He falls into step alongside her and looks curiously towards her as she speaks.]

No... ocean? This place can change just like that? And I thought I heard everything.

[markofthebrave]

Yeah - before that, this whole place used to be a desert. I know, it's hard to believe.

[...]

There are a lot of strange things that happen here.

[savedtheworld]

I can see. I think that more and more every week. [Pause] At least the beach is an improvement. We've had enough deserts already.

[markofthebrave]

That's true. [Not a big fan of the desert here.]

But... you know the last thing any of us would want you to feel is left out. And two years is a long time... [for you... and for me.] I want you to know that you can ask me anything, and I'll tell you about it.

[savedtheworld]

Thanks. I don't really know what to ask about, since most of these things come from nowhere. Some of the others told me more about the... the experiments. And that not all of them are... that bad. Zuko... became a frog once? [He gave a slight smirk at that.] It is hard sometimes to think about how long you've been here. I'm proud that you and Sokka have built your own lives here, but... you must gone through a lot.

1/2

[markofthebrave]

[LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT THE TIME ZUKO BECAME A FROG, HOW DID YOU EVEN LEARN ABOUT THAT, OH MY GOD.]

[markofthebrave]

...some of them are worse than others, that's true. [Here's a nice, round about way of getting at things, let's take that--] Did anyone tell you about the "love" experiments?

[savedtheworld]

No one mentioned those. What are they?

[markofthebrave]

They... usually happen in February, because of some Earth holiday. It happens a different way every year, but it has happened every year. They make you think you're in love with someone.

[savedtheworld]

[He can start to see what's happening.]

Think you're in... love? Has it... ever happened to you?

[markofthebrave]

[As gently as she can--]

It's happened to all of us, Aang. [Except... this Zuko. But that's not the point.] Just like with this last experiment, it feels so real when you're involved in it... and then it goes away.

[savedtheworld]

That sounds scary. They can even change our emotions?

[markofthebrave]

It never lasts long. They can't stop us from being ourselves forever. [This is really important. Key, really.] But... yes, they can.

[savedtheworld]

[He's relaxed a bit by this.]

We're ourselves now. That's good.

[markofthebrave]

Yeah, it is.

[Okay, so... dead end. Now how was she going to bring up what she needed to bring up?]

[savedtheworld]

[The thoughts of what gone on so far swirled through Aang's mind. This wasn't some sort of ordinary walk. The most recent experiment was like a buried topic, and he had no idea if she remembered anything. Was this a date? Was she independently going for what he had gone through pains to try back during the war? For now, he smiled fondly towards her.]

I missed hanging out like this. Just me and you.

[markofthebrave]

[Aaaaaaaaaaaand there's the perfect lead-in!

Aaaaaaaaand, she chickens out.]

We've had plenty of time together since you've shown up.

[You know. With everyone.]

Although I was thinking of cutting back on some of my clinic hours...

[Yes, let's make this about how busy she is.]

[savedtheworld]

You're right. We've just mostly been around other people. Not that there's anything wrong with that! I'm glad to see everyone here. And... cutting down? Are you sure you'd be okay with that? I understand how busy you are here.

[markofthebrave]

[MAYDAY, MAYDAY.

Okay, be brave, Katara. Isn't this what you needed to talk to him about? Try and find a way.]

...actually, one of the things that being 'her' showed me was that maybe Sokka and Masaomi were right and my schedule might be a little too packed. I've made a lot of progress in my medical studies already, so I might be able to ease back a little.

[savedtheworld]

[There it was. The mention of 'her'. Aang froze up a bit inside - from the trauma of that night combined with the relatively benign nervousness from the implication of her remembering things.]

That's... if you think that's best. [He struggled to try to get the next words out.] Do you... do you... remember things? From being... the other you?

[markofthebrave]

[She stops walking and looks at him and swallows down her nerves.]

...I remember a lot of things. Don't you? Things that actually happened last week more than her other world, but... I remember.

[I remember, Aang.]

[savedtheworld]

[He stopped too, and he forced himself to look into her eyes. He had no idea what how to respond to this... but he could see what she was implying. He felt stupid for assuming she wouldn't remember; after all, Katara's face was the clearest thing he remembered from that week.]

You know what I said.

1/3

[markofthebrave]

[Oh man. This was a terrible idea. She has no idea how to deal with this. Her heart sinks like a stone.]

I... I know what you said.