storypaint (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
storypaint) wrote2012-01-17 02:46 pm
storypaint) wrote2012-01-17 02:46 pm
Entry tags:
[Avatar] where we love is home (Aang gen)
Title: where we love is home
Fandom: Avatar
Length: 996 words
Prompt: fic_promptly: A:TLA, Gaang reunion after ten (or twenty, or thirty) years
Pairing: mentioned Aang/Katara, Zuko/Mai; mostly Aang gen
Other: Minor Korra spoilers.
Excerpt: It made Aang's chest ache as well as his scar. He had to do something about it. They were once a family, and now they hadn't seen each other in more than 15 years.
They had all been extremely busy, but that was absolutely no excuse. Aang woke up one warm summer morning, wanting nothing more than an early bath in the waterfall, and when his back twinged, just a little, the scar reminded him of just how long it'd been since he'd seen his friends.
Initially, he thought that much time couldn't have passed. Surely it was just yesterday that he faced down the Firelord and freed the nations. It felt like yesterday in the nightmares he still occasionally had. But no.
First here had been two years of heavy work on recovery, where the gang rarely even made it to separate rooms to sleep. Usually Toph went first, not bothered by the late torchlight; she'd curl up in a corner and after lengthening yawns Suki would often join her, close enough to feel the warmth of Toph's body. (Toph allowed this because she knew Suki hated being alone, after the prison and days spent in solitary confinement. Anyone else would have been elbowed way, but Suki stayed, and Toph never said a word about it to anyone but Aang, when he asked.) And after debate wound down a little more, Sokka would go play the small spoon to Suki, and by that point it was pointless to go to their own rooms. Aang and Zuko often fell asleep upright in the soft couches that decorated the new Firelord's office, and Katara would make a pillow of Aang's lap, and there they all would steal a few hour's rest before the next day began.
But after the first few delicate years, they began to drift apart, little by little. Toph left to visit her family, and even stayed another couple years before striking out on her own. She told Aang that she wanted to walk the whole Earth Kingdom, and as far as he knew, she did before establishing her earthbending school. Sokka became the liason between the North and South Water Tribes. Aang couldn't always steal time to take Sokka back and forth on Appa, so Sokka often made the trip on Fire Nation freighters (and wasn't that something?) or even in a traditional Water Nation ship, although that sometimes took months. Hawky became their most common form of communication. And Zuko was busy running his nation, attempting reforms. Suki went back to her Warriors, mostly, and Aang had never been very close to Mai (not for lack of trying). Their yearly reunions in Ba Sing Se had ended abruptly with Iroh's death from old age.
And Aang didn't think he'd seen all of them together since, although they tried to keep up correspondence. Sure, Katara had never left his side, but he missed his other friends. It made his chest ache as well as his scar. He had to do something about it. They were once a family, and now they hadn't seen each other in more than 15 years.
*
It took almost six months to arrange a time and place where they could all get together. There were diplomatic considerations, and time to borrow from very important jobs, and deciding a venue that wouldn't manage to offend someone (politics had to be considered, as frustrating as it was). They ended up in Ba Sing Se again, despite strong memories, because the Earth King had been a staunch alley after the war. As Aang waited for everyone to arrive, a fluttering arose in his chest that he realized was nervousness. Nerves! These were the people who had fought with him, had almost died with him, and he was afraid somehow they wouldn't get along together anymore. Surely it had to be a ridiculous fear.
He felt it was, as soon as Toph walked into the room. She'd grown up tall and lean and cut her dark hair short, but she still refused to wear shoes most of the time. He almost ran to her, but then remembered she was Toph, after all, and let her grin and punch him hard on the arm.
"Great idea here, Twinkletoes!" she said as he rubbed his bicep. He would never be used to her affection. "It's about time I had another vacation, and it's been ages since I've seen everyone."
Katara had been in the bathroom with the littlest and she emerged with the child on her hip. Toph got a hug from her, whether she wanted it or not. She didn't protest too much.
Then it was Zuko and Mai, and their brood, who immediately took off to play with Aang's kids, easy friends like children often were. Sokka arrived, and then Suki not far behind, and Aang's nerves disappeared. He admired children and met spouses (it was hard to believe that Toph had gotten married, and Aang would have felt worse for not attending, except that the pair had eloped without telling anyone beforehand). The room became a rush of noise and it was all Aang could do not to gather them up in a gigantic hug, overcome with affection. He wished his arms were long enough. Instead Momo dashed between each person and chattered at them cheerfully. He could hear Appa in the garden, lowing at the children as they raced around underfoot.
They really ought to have a reunion every year, he decided. Avatar Day was a (positive) holiday in all of the countries now, and although he'd found it embarrassing at first, it could be a good excuse to get together. He'd make sure to mention it to everyone by the end of the day.
He jumped up on his air scooter to show off for Toph's daughter, and when the scar on his back stretched and twinged again, he barely noticed. After all, there were much more important things on his mind.
Fandom: Avatar
Length: 996 words
Prompt: fic_promptly: A:TLA, Gaang reunion after ten (or twenty, or thirty) years
Pairing: mentioned Aang/Katara, Zuko/Mai; mostly Aang gen
Other: Minor Korra spoilers.
Excerpt: It made Aang's chest ache as well as his scar. He had to do something about it. They were once a family, and now they hadn't seen each other in more than 15 years.
They had all been extremely busy, but that was absolutely no excuse. Aang woke up one warm summer morning, wanting nothing more than an early bath in the waterfall, and when his back twinged, just a little, the scar reminded him of just how long it'd been since he'd seen his friends.
Initially, he thought that much time couldn't have passed. Surely it was just yesterday that he faced down the Firelord and freed the nations. It felt like yesterday in the nightmares he still occasionally had. But no.
First here had been two years of heavy work on recovery, where the gang rarely even made it to separate rooms to sleep. Usually Toph went first, not bothered by the late torchlight; she'd curl up in a corner and after lengthening yawns Suki would often join her, close enough to feel the warmth of Toph's body. (Toph allowed this because she knew Suki hated being alone, after the prison and days spent in solitary confinement. Anyone else would have been elbowed way, but Suki stayed, and Toph never said a word about it to anyone but Aang, when he asked.) And after debate wound down a little more, Sokka would go play the small spoon to Suki, and by that point it was pointless to go to their own rooms. Aang and Zuko often fell asleep upright in the soft couches that decorated the new Firelord's office, and Katara would make a pillow of Aang's lap, and there they all would steal a few hour's rest before the next day began.
But after the first few delicate years, they began to drift apart, little by little. Toph left to visit her family, and even stayed another couple years before striking out on her own. She told Aang that she wanted to walk the whole Earth Kingdom, and as far as he knew, she did before establishing her earthbending school. Sokka became the liason between the North and South Water Tribes. Aang couldn't always steal time to take Sokka back and forth on Appa, so Sokka often made the trip on Fire Nation freighters (and wasn't that something?) or even in a traditional Water Nation ship, although that sometimes took months. Hawky became their most common form of communication. And Zuko was busy running his nation, attempting reforms. Suki went back to her Warriors, mostly, and Aang had never been very close to Mai (not for lack of trying). Their yearly reunions in Ba Sing Se had ended abruptly with Iroh's death from old age.
And Aang didn't think he'd seen all of them together since, although they tried to keep up correspondence. Sure, Katara had never left his side, but he missed his other friends. It made his chest ache as well as his scar. He had to do something about it. They were once a family, and now they hadn't seen each other in more than 15 years.
*
It took almost six months to arrange a time and place where they could all get together. There were diplomatic considerations, and time to borrow from very important jobs, and deciding a venue that wouldn't manage to offend someone (politics had to be considered, as frustrating as it was). They ended up in Ba Sing Se again, despite strong memories, because the Earth King had been a staunch alley after the war. As Aang waited for everyone to arrive, a fluttering arose in his chest that he realized was nervousness. Nerves! These were the people who had fought with him, had almost died with him, and he was afraid somehow they wouldn't get along together anymore. Surely it had to be a ridiculous fear.
He felt it was, as soon as Toph walked into the room. She'd grown up tall and lean and cut her dark hair short, but she still refused to wear shoes most of the time. He almost ran to her, but then remembered she was Toph, after all, and let her grin and punch him hard on the arm.
"Great idea here, Twinkletoes!" she said as he rubbed his bicep. He would never be used to her affection. "It's about time I had another vacation, and it's been ages since I've seen everyone."
Katara had been in the bathroom with the littlest and she emerged with the child on her hip. Toph got a hug from her, whether she wanted it or not. She didn't protest too much.
Then it was Zuko and Mai, and their brood, who immediately took off to play with Aang's kids, easy friends like children often were. Sokka arrived, and then Suki not far behind, and Aang's nerves disappeared. He admired children and met spouses (it was hard to believe that Toph had gotten married, and Aang would have felt worse for not attending, except that the pair had eloped without telling anyone beforehand). The room became a rush of noise and it was all Aang could do not to gather them up in a gigantic hug, overcome with affection. He wished his arms were long enough. Instead Momo dashed between each person and chattered at them cheerfully. He could hear Appa in the garden, lowing at the children as they raced around underfoot.
They really ought to have a reunion every year, he decided. Avatar Day was a (positive) holiday in all of the countries now, and although he'd found it embarrassing at first, it could be a good excuse to get together. He'd make sure to mention it to everyone by the end of the day.
He jumped up on his air scooter to show off for Toph's daughter, and when the scar on his back stretched and twinged again, he barely noticed. After all, there were much more important things on his mind.