lucetilogs | "And through the rise and falling apart"

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?

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[He allows himself to smile again, but some concern still remains.]

Thanks, Katara. You always know the right things to say. I know there's still time to help Zuko. He isn't like Ozai yet, but... he's been more distant and demanding. It feels like he's forgotten what we were all fighting for. That's why... I think it's better if he doesn't know this. Now, he's where we were when we were friends. I don't... want to give him any ideas that could change him.

[She drops her hand.]

I understand that. He'd just worry, the same as you are right now. But Aang, even though Zuko really... struggles in finding the right path, as long as he's still looking for it...

[They've been through a lot here.]

There's cause for hope. If you ever feel like you need to talk with him about this, I don't think you should be afraid to.

[Her fleeting touch felt weirder than usual when compared to the memories he was revisiting. But his yearnings weren't important now. Instead, he silently considered her words.]

...You're right. I'll... see what happens. It feels pretty weird... to finally be talking about all of this stuff.

I'm sorry that you've had to be carrying this by yourself so long. I should have asked you sooner.

It's okay. I... I would have been fine with pretending all that Yu Dao stuff never happened. But I can't lie to you, Katara.

...you shouldn't have to pretend anything didn't happen, Aang. We're your friends. No matter what happens, we can work it out together.

[Even if, somehow, she's going to have to deal with the fact that he's got... feelings and she's got... two years of difference. How could she even begin to return them when he's already so invested? He's Aang, but... despite all this, she wonders if he'd still even feel the same if he knew everything that had happened here.]

[He smiles. Even if she's not exactly the same as the Katara who was still back home on Appa's back, he still couldn't help but have her spirits lifted by everything she said, even with the return of the friendship terminology.]

I know that now. We've already gotten through so much together back home. ...These are just really different problems than the ones I'm used to taking on with all of you. But I still do have faith in us, too.

Good.

[She smiled a little and glanced up at the now-dark sky.]

Are you about ready to go back?

[He was curious about the water, but that could wait for another time.]

Yeah, it is getting late.

[He started to get up, while taking another look at his sand Appa.]

[She follows his gaze.]

You miss him, don't you.

[This manages to bite him almost as badly as the evening's other harsh truths. He speaks in a low voice.]

We've never been apart this long. Not even at the Earth Kingdom.

[...

She sets her hand on his shoulder.]

If it makes you feel any better, it won't seem that long to him.

[He looks at her with the hint of a smile.]

...Yeah. At lest this time, I know he's alright. He was left in good hands.

He's not 'with' you?

[Again the time tenses were throwing him off - but at least his flusteredness was temporarily distracting him from his sorrow.]

Oh no, he's with me back home. I meant, figuratively since I'm here now... even if no one one will notice my absence like I keep hearing, most of us are still there with him.

Oh, I'm pretty sure no one notices. After all, it's not like you knew I was missing, right?

[Because she's pretty sure she would have heard it by now if you had.]

You're right. None of you had any weird disappearances. So Appa won't miss me at all. [He says sincerely] That's a relief.

Good.

[She smiled at him.]

And you never know - maybe he'll show up here. Momo and Hawky did, after all.

I'd love that. [His smile becomes strained after a pause.] Maybe. Do... do they experiment on the animals, too?

Not that I've seen.

If he'll be okay... then I hope he does come here.

Me too.

[What else was there to say? "Sorry your life-long companion isn't here, and that I'm not in love with you like you remember?"]

Let's head back. Okay?

[He nodded and got to his feet, ready to walk in step with Katara.]

Right.

"And through the rise and falling apart"

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