Work Text:
Aang and Katara had been together for a few months now, though carving out time together and alone was still tough. There were their friends who they enjoyed seeing, fans who stopped them in the street, and of course the required political appearances at dinners and balls and meetings that generally ranged from dull to mind-numbing. Today they thankfully had no obligations while the older members of their group were embroiled in one of the afore-mentioned meetings, likely of the mind-numbing variety. Toph was determined to thoroughly trounce Iroh, who had procured a stone game set, at Pai Sho. This left Aang and Katara with some time to enjoy one another. They chose to take a stroll through the gardens near the tea shop.
As they walked, Aang felt Katara wrap her little finger around his. He had noticed her doing that recently, but couldn't quite figure out why she wasn't just holding his hand fully. "Why do you just cross your pinky with mine sometimes lately?" he asked her, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Katara looked down at their joined fingers, a light blush dusting her cheeks. "I'm making a wish," was the quiet reply.
"A wish?" he repeated, wanting to make sure he had heard correctly.
She nodded, before continuing along the path with him. This answer of hers only left him with more questions tumbling through his mind. He couldn't stop the most pressing one from rolling out of his mouth. "What do you wish for, Katara?"
She stopped, gazing at him intently as she considered sharing. "You really want to know?"
"Well yeah I--" at this, her internal struggle was decided. She was going to make that wish come true.
She glanced around, spotted no one, but leaned in close to his ear anyway and whispered her answer. "I wish we were alone," she started as she grabbed him by the wrist and ducked both of them around a more secluded corner. "I wish my limbs were wrapped around you," she continued as she slowly snaked her arms around his neck. "And I wish your lips were on me," she finished as she wrapped her arms tighter, closing the difference between them until all parts of her wish had come true.
As they pulled flushed faces apart, Aang leaned his forehead to hers. "Well, glad to help fulfill your wish this time."
Katara smiled and shook her head. "No, that's my wish every time."
"Every time?" he asked, mentally recalling the times over the past few weeks that he had noticed her little finger twining with his.
"Every time you feel my pinky around yours, that is what I'm thinking of. Alone, wrapped up, kisses." She counted out the pieces of her wish as she reasserted them, before grinning at her boyfriend's blushing smile.
"Well who am I to not make your every wish come true," Aang teased back in response. They giggled and leaned in for another kiss before hearing Sokka calling for them.
Katara groaned. "And there's the one who continues to get in the way of the 'alone' part of my wish."
Aang smiled and set a quick peck on the tip of her nose. "Better see what he wants. You know he won't let us be until we do." With that, he bowed low before straightening and offering Katara his elbow. "Shall we?" he tossed out with a false pretentious air.
A giggle escaped her lips before she composed herself to play along with the airs he put on. "Lets." Katara wove her hand around his elbow and they set off in search of Sokka.
A few weeks later, Aang was sitting through a meeting on the topic of rebuilding. Everyone agreed it was important, but somehow everyone had differing opinions on how things should be rebuilt - the style, the order, etc. The representatives had been at it for a while and were no closer to a consensus. Aang had his head propped in his hand, listening to the debate on pressed clay vs stones for the walls when he felt a tanned, slender finger drape itself over his free pinky.
His eyes cut to the side. Katara was somehow still sitting and appearing to pay attention to those speaking, but when she noticed Aang's gaze switch to her she turned her head fractionally and winked at him before squeezing his pinky tighter. Aang sucked in a sharp breath, which resulted in a room full of eyes turning his way. He hopped to his feet.
He was frantically trying to think of something to explain himself, but there was only one thought that could be entertained in his mind right now - fulfilling that wish. "Uhhh... everyone seems a little testy," he managed to stammer out. "I think we'd, um, all get along better with something in our stomachs. I'll run down to the kitchen and fetch us snacks. C'mon Katara, help me carry the food back."
With that he grabbed her by the wrist and rushed her out the door, both barely suppressing giddy laughter.
It was a lazy afternoon for the Gaang as they flew along on Appa. Travel had been easy-going, and Aang was seated next to Katara in the saddle, chatting with the rest of his friends.
His eyes snapped to Katara for a split second, then he began frantically scanning the landscape below.
Within ten minutes a clearing was spotted. "Guys, I think we better call it for the day. Something tells me Appa wants to land," Aang tossed out. Katara ducked her face to hide her smirk as she released Aang's pinky to let him slip over the saddle's edge and onto the bison's head. Appa gave a grumble that was thankfully interpreted by most as an assent, and down they went.
Once at their camp, Katara offered to get water while Aang said he'd gather wood. They set off in different directions. Katara soon felt a gust of wind pass her by moments before she found herself caught up with her back pressed against a tree, knees weak from the practiced lips of her boyfriend on hers.
Once they announced their betrothal to family in the Southern Water Tribe, a dinner was held in their honor. They were surrounded by people eager to celebrate their news. The children of the tribe tugged on their sleeves and drafted them into a game of snowball fighting while they waited for the food to finish being prepared. There was much cheering when the game ended up having two giant snow monsters - controlled by Aang and Katara's bending - combating one another.
Men who had been on the undercover boat with the young heroes spread around the story of how dedicated Katara was to taking care of Aang during his recovery. Their wives fired back with tales of how the two had stood up for one another immediately upon meeting.
At last food was complete and they all gathered around the table. Gran Gran nodded sagely at the two of them as she passed, a smile on her face. Pakku even managed to compliment their bond, even if he did throw in a teasing dig to Aang. "I hope you intend to work harder at this than you did in my lessons, young man." The couple both chuckled.
As everyone sat with their plates of food, conversations began anew. Aang was leaning in, having a conversation with Hakoda when his pinky was suddenly linked with another. His eyes widened and he coughed on his food as he thought, Now?
Katara smiled innocently and asked, "Are you okay, sweetie?"
Aang considered skipping wish-fulfillment this time. She has it coming. That was just unfair to do while I was talking with her father, he thought to himself. In the end, he knew it would be as much punishment to himself.
In the end, he ended up excusing himself after a few minutes "to take some food to Appa." Katara, knowing the bison had already been fed, smirked to herself. She let an additional few minutes pass before excusing herself. Her brother tried to question why, Katara made a grimace and said in a low voice, "You know.. woman things." Sokka blanched and didn't press further.
No sooner had she set foot out the door than she was swept up to the roof where none would see as their limbs entangled and Aang's lips pressed hot kisses to his young fiance's neck.
Aang was... well-recognized.. the world over. Particularly by his female peers as he gained the height and physique to hint at his power. Katara could handle it just fine, for the most part. But never were their any fans so persistent as the girls in Ba Sing Se.
King Kuei had insisted they all return for Bosco's birthday yet again. "How old do you think he is?" Toph had asked.
Sokka had responded with a question of his own. "How long do you think a just-a-bear even lives? Will we be coming to these parties when we're old and grey?"
Aang and Katara had left them both at the tea shop, opting to stroll hand in hand through the market. They didn't even make it halfway down the main thoroughfare before a gaggle of fangirls came up, firing questions at Aang. He was trying to answer them as politely as he could, and Katara was letting him just "do his Avatar thing"... right up until one of them decided to try and extend their friendly touches on his arm to include the arm she was holding, attempting to edge her out entirely. Sweeping them all away in a torrent of water was a lovely visual, but sweeping him away from them would work just as well. Katara looped her little finger through Aang's.
The crowd of fangirls watched as Aang's eyes switched from tolerant and kind to almost.. hungry? He settled a grin on Katara and flashed her an expression that clearly read Challenge accepted. He tossed out a brief "Excuse me, ladies" to the group, and Katara yelped as she felt herself be tugged down the nearest alley.
The moment they were out of sight, he had her pressed against the wall in a heated kiss. Upon hearing a wolf whistle from further down the alley, Katara pulled back and giggled. "Looks like we're not quite as alone as believed," she teased. Aang cocked an eyebrow, earthbent walls on either side of them, and dove back in amidst her amused squeals.
Aang thought he had been past the furiously blushing stage, but there was not a thing that could stop the rising redness in his cheeks.
He and Katara stood before a collection of their friends and family - but also heads of state, a gathering of correspondents, and a few highly esteemed artists. After all, the wedding of the Avatar was quite an event. And still, in front of all these people, years after he had first heard of her wish... he felt Katara's pinky slide around his and his mind could think of little else.
He fairly flew through his rehearsed declarations, and swooped her up at the end of the ceremony. A giggling Katara called over his shoulder as they rushed out, "See you at the dinner, guys!"