Armphid
Crowned Sun
- Joined
- May 18, 2003
- Posts
- 9,831
The sun kissed him as he dropped through the cerulean sky, the crisp, cold polar wind filling his nose and sharply caressing his skin. There was no sound but the wind in his ears and the ripping rustle of the fabric of his robes. As he plummeted freely through the sky, new sounds started to reach his ears. The sound of children yelling and shouting as they played, the muted bellow of a sky bison as a mound of hay was fed to it, the ringing of chimes and bells powered by the wind. New smells intruded as well, of fresh flowering gardens and plants, baking bread, and burning incense. For a moment, as the world rushed up toward him, he was twelve again, home, the sounds and smells of the Temple familiar and comforting.
Aang's blue eyes, far wiser but less innocent than in those days, opened and he looked down at the splendor of the Southern Air Temple. He lifted his arms high over his head, then brought them down in a sweeping motion, a mighty spinning column of air rushing forth beneath him, slowing his descent. The Temple was home, in so many more ways than it had been then, but it was different too. There were families here now. Not just monks but husbands, wives, and children. He loved the presence of the children the most. Watching them take simple joy in life was a soothing balm to the Avatar's often troubled and burdened heart. Especially his children.
He came down lightly on one of the airy balconies of the main temple building, looking out over all that was going on. His face was older, he was a man in his 40's now, lined with wrinkles brought on by many trials and cares, yet still boyish. His head was freshly shaved, the bright blue arrow marking him as a master Airbender still as vibrant as it had ever been. He was taller, but still on the short side, his build lean and graceful. He was dressed in the pale robes of a monk, and he smiled as he surveyed it all. "I guess...all in all, I haven't done too bad." Much like his face, his voice had become more adult, but still held traces of his boyish heart.
There was a patient sigh behind him, "This again?" Strong but delicate brown-skinned hands encircled his waist, and he felt his wife's body pressing against him. "Aang, you've done so much for us, for everyone, for the whole world. Can't you just accept it for once?"
He smiled, "If you say so, Katara."
"Well, I do." She kissed his cheek, eliciting a blush from the Bridge Between Worlds. It was so cute that he did that, even after all all these years of marriage, and the many, many passionate nights. And a few days. She was silent a moment, her eyes narrowing, her voice a bit more frank, "You're still thinking about it, aren't you?"
He nodded, "Yes, I am. I know you don't like to, and neither do I, but...it's something that we can't ignore." He turned to take her into his arms, dreading the thought of being apart from her. "Someday, it will happen, and when it does, the world needs to be ready."
"It's just that...taking this step means..."
"Acknowledging something we always knew, Katara, and that's true for everyone." He cupped her chin, looking into those sweet blue eyes that never failed to make his heart swell. "And you know as well as I do, how very little it actually means."
She sighed, "I kind of miss the days when I was the one giving you advice and comforting you."
"Like yesterday? Or this morning?" Aang grinned, hugging her, and then stepping back, preparing to vault over the railing. "You've never stopped doing either, Katara. I'm going to see Appa, and make sure he'd ready. Then we'll call in the girls, okay?"
"Okay, Aang." Katara smiled as her husband, leaped over the railing without a moment's hesitation. Then she sighed, the fingers of one hand reaching up to touch the necklace she'd worn for so many years now. "I guess there's no putting it off any longer."
Aang's blue eyes, far wiser but less innocent than in those days, opened and he looked down at the splendor of the Southern Air Temple. He lifted his arms high over his head, then brought them down in a sweeping motion, a mighty spinning column of air rushing forth beneath him, slowing his descent. The Temple was home, in so many more ways than it had been then, but it was different too. There were families here now. Not just monks but husbands, wives, and children. He loved the presence of the children the most. Watching them take simple joy in life was a soothing balm to the Avatar's often troubled and burdened heart. Especially his children.
He came down lightly on one of the airy balconies of the main temple building, looking out over all that was going on. His face was older, he was a man in his 40's now, lined with wrinkles brought on by many trials and cares, yet still boyish. His head was freshly shaved, the bright blue arrow marking him as a master Airbender still as vibrant as it had ever been. He was taller, but still on the short side, his build lean and graceful. He was dressed in the pale robes of a monk, and he smiled as he surveyed it all. "I guess...all in all, I haven't done too bad." Much like his face, his voice had become more adult, but still held traces of his boyish heart.
There was a patient sigh behind him, "This again?" Strong but delicate brown-skinned hands encircled his waist, and he felt his wife's body pressing against him. "Aang, you've done so much for us, for everyone, for the whole world. Can't you just accept it for once?"
He smiled, "If you say so, Katara."
"Well, I do." She kissed his cheek, eliciting a blush from the Bridge Between Worlds. It was so cute that he did that, even after all all these years of marriage, and the many, many passionate nights. And a few days. She was silent a moment, her eyes narrowing, her voice a bit more frank, "You're still thinking about it, aren't you?"
He nodded, "Yes, I am. I know you don't like to, and neither do I, but...it's something that we can't ignore." He turned to take her into his arms, dreading the thought of being apart from her. "Someday, it will happen, and when it does, the world needs to be ready."
"It's just that...taking this step means..."
"Acknowledging something we always knew, Katara, and that's true for everyone." He cupped her chin, looking into those sweet blue eyes that never failed to make his heart swell. "And you know as well as I do, how very little it actually means."
She sighed, "I kind of miss the days when I was the one giving you advice and comforting you."
"Like yesterday? Or this morning?" Aang grinned, hugging her, and then stepping back, preparing to vault over the railing. "You've never stopped doing either, Katara. I'm going to see Appa, and make sure he'd ready. Then we'll call in the girls, okay?"
"Okay, Aang." Katara smiled as her husband, leaped over the railing without a moment's hesitation. Then she sighed, the fingers of one hand reaching up to touch the necklace she'd worn for so many years now. "I guess there's no putting it off any longer."