Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Avatar: The Wind on the Waves ❯ Chapter 6

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Step by very reluctant step, Aang trudged anxiously back to the campsite. Countless scenarios played out in his mind of his inevitable encounter with Sokka, and none of them were pleasant. Beatings, sword slashes and a lot of yelling were very real even if just in his imagination.

He tried to think of how he'd explain himself. Getting carried away? Not the wisest of answers, but to be fair, it wasn't a lie. He wanted to show his love for her? Kisses could've been more than enough, he knew Sokka would argue. Initially, Aang reasoned that Sokka probably would've frowned on the kissing too, but then again, Sokka probably would've preferred it to what had transpired.

The clearing of the campsite was coming up too fast for him. Previous walks to and from the pool seemed a lot longer when he didn't want them to be, but the more he dreaded this confrontation, the shorter the walk felt. The smell of meat cooking only reminded him of Toph's words, and he stopped short of the last tall brushes.

I could still turn back… go back to the training area and hope that Katara comes looking for me. Or I could go back to the pool…

Aang shook his head, desperate to clear it of the doubts and temptations clouding it. If he backed down now, it would only increase the trouble he'd eventually receive. After all, he was living with his friends, and they all had to work together to accomplish their goals against the fire nation. They couldn't do this if they couldn't resolve this.

He stepped into the clearing and looked ahead. Sokka was seated by the fire, prodding it idly with a stick. Across from him sat Katara.

Oh Katara…!

She sat by the fire across from Sokka, her brow creased and her expression deep and pensive. Her eyes were red as though she had shed tears and wiped them away. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him and looked up, a mellowed surprised look on her face. Noticing her movement, her brother looked where she was facing and spotted Aang.

Sokka stood up, his face deathly serious, darkened with anger and something else. He pointed directly at Aang, and the poor Avatar felt like the very gesture had shot him in the chest.

“You. Me. We need to talk.” Sokka said gravely.

Aang visibly breathed deeply, but he complied and followed Sokka to wherever he was being led for his telling off. As he passed by the campfire, he chanced a look at Katara. Her nervous eyes glanced up at him, and he turned away quickly not to lose courage. Sokka was leading him outside of the camp; Aang hoped they would go far off, so that it would take a long time to get there. But just out of hearing range seemed good enough for the water tribe boy, and he sat down on a boulder facing Aang.

“Sit.” Sokka ordered in the same tone as before.

Aang immediately complied. For the few tense seconds that felt like an hour, Sokka glared him down, practically freezing Aang where he was without even the power to waterbend. Cold as they were, strangely enough, Aang did not see the murder that Toph had said there would be. Nonetheless, he kept perfectly motionless.

“I trusted you.” Sokka hissed through clenched teeth.

Aang couldn't look Sokka directly in the eyes, but he didn't feel right staring at the ground. Sokka's chest was the best the poor Avatar could do; at least it kept his focus off of the sword and boomerang strapped securely to the other man's belt.

“I get it, you like my sister.” Sokka continued, low and serious. “That's fine. I got that impression a long time ago. It's not like you two were exactly keeping it a secret.”

Aang chanced eye contact. The other boy's face reflected his tone—controlled anger. There was another emotion in there too; was it sadness?

“You and her have shared kisses, plenty without me around, I'm sure.” Sokka continued, ever so slightly lightening his tone. Then he looked off to the side. “Spirits know I've had my share from Suki… Yue…”

The Avatar suddenly felt sorry for Sokka. Here he was, with Katara constantly by his side, while poor Sokka was left without the two he'd loved so deeply… quite possibly permanently in both cases. It made him realize just how incredibly fortunate he himself was.

“But there was no need for this.” Sokka's tone reverted back to anger. “You went behind my back, slept with my innocent sister, and possibly even got her with child! Do you realize what you've done!?”

Sokka stomped to his feet, glaring down at the still seated Aang. If the airbender had had any intention of jumping back or making a run for it, he failed. In conjunction with the earthbender mindset to face dilemmas head on was fear. Despite being the avatar, despite being able to thrash multiple opponents with all four elements at his disposal, and despite the fact that Sokka had no means by which to restrain him should he choose to, Aang did not dare move or make any sound of protest out of respect for the other boy.

“If she carries from this, it'll put a huge hole in our next invasion plan.” Sokka continued. “She won't go anywhere near the battlefield, let alone fight in it. But you know what? That's not what's got me so mad about this, but do you know what does?”

Aang dared to look Sokka in the eyes. The look on the other boy's face shocked him.

“It's the fact that you both went behind my back about it.” Sokka was visibly shaking in anger, but his eyes were hurt and welling with tears. “I'm responsible for Katara's safety. That is a promise I made to my Dad when he left to fight in the war, and by going behind my back, you made me break that promise! But what's worse is that you hurt my trust. I trusted you to protect my sister, to help me keep my promise, and you were doing that until NOW!”

“I'm sorry…” Aang finally spoke up, his voice low, scared, but serious. “I never meant any disrespect to you or your family. To be honest, I've wanted to ask you…if I could… propose to your sister, but I was scared you'd say no and try to keep Katara away from me. That would've just killed me…”

Sokka raised an eyebrow slightly, curious, but an indication to continue.

“I know we're busy trying to win this war right now,” Aang carried on. “But when it's over, and… if it's okay with you, I'd… I'd like to… I'd like to ask Katara to marry me.”

The other boy's expression seemed to soften, and he sat back down calmly and studied Aang carefully. The avatar's heart pounded against his ribs like a caged platypus bear. Sokka glanced down at the ground before staring Aang down again.

“After the war, and only then.” said Sokka. “I'm still mad at you both, but… I'll get over it in time. When it's all over, when we free all of our friends and families, you can ask my dad yourself. And… you technically didn't hurt her… it was stupid of me to think for even a moment you'd do anything against her will… I'm just… overprotective of my sister…”

Aang bowed his head respectively.

“But seriously,” Sokka added, the dry, witty humor creeping back into his voice. “No more sleeping with my sister until the war's over. As much as I don't mind being `Uncle Sokka,' I'd like that to wait until after the Fire Lord's defeated to hear it, ok?”

The tension drained from Aang's face and flooded with relief. He cracked a weak, but warm smile. Sokka seemed to reflect the same feeling as he rested his hand on Aang's shoulder.

“Come on, let's go eat.” said Sokka as his stomach rumbled. “I'm starving.”

Aang went on ahead of him, approaching Katara and relaying the outcome to her. From where he stood at still a distance, Sokka saw the emotions play on Katara's face—worry, defiance, surprise, and finally relief. She hugged Aang tightly, only relinquishing her grip when he voiced his need for air.