Work Text:
Aang dropped quietly onto the balcony of his and Katara’s Republic City home, retracting the wings of his glider with a snap before leaning it against the railing. He sniffed the air as he walked into the kitchen, where she was stirring something amazing-smelling in a pot.
“I said I’d cook tonight,” he said, wrapping his arms around Katara’s waist and kissing the top of her head.
She relaxed against him for a moment, leaning into the embrace before shrugging him off as she reached for a jar of dried herbs. “Hey, Sweetie. You said you might be late, so I wanted to get it started. You can finish.”
He snorted, rolling his head on his neck. “You were not wrong.” He let out a sigh.
“You want to tell me about it?”
He shook his head. “Not right now.”
She made a face. “That bad, huh?”
Aang grunted as he sliced the tofu into thin planks and put it into a dish, covering it with ginger and soy sauce.
“Does it make you feel better if I had a good day?”
He grinned in spite of his dark mood. “It does. What happened?”
“I made the final approvals for the Waterbending School in the South.”
“Really? That’s great!” He actually was thrilled to know that. She’d been working so hard to piece together the broken bits of the Southern Style since the war ended and now, here she was, about to see the payoff.
“Should be ready by next year.” Katara lifted herself on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “I really am glad you’re home, though.” She glanced out the window. “Was worried you were gonna get caught in the rain.”
“It hasn’t even started thundering yet.”
“I could smell the rain all day,”
“Yeah, me too.” He sighed, knowing he should admit it before she asked. “Plus my scar has been… twingy all day.” That wasn’t unusual, and Katara typically would do a short healing session on it, just to relieve some of the pressure that weather changes usually brought to injuries.
“It usually does before a storm; I’m not surprised. I’ll take a look after dinner,” she said.
***
After dinner, Katara all but shoved Aang out onto the balcony, the rain just starting to patter against the roof.
“Shirt off,” she said, her voice going all no-nonsense.
“Aw, Baby, if I’d known this was what you wanted–ah!” He was cut off by Katara grabbing his shoulder and shoving him onto a stool.
“Don’t think you can get out of this by flirting, Mister.”
“It usually works so well,” he said, shrugging out of the shirt. He draped it over the railing, resting his head on his arms as Katara did her thing.
“So, what happened today?” she asked quietly and he waited a moment to answer, so he could pretend this was just a normal evening.
“Aang?” she prodded.
He inhaled sharply as she worked the water in a particular spot, both from the tension she was pulling out of him and the reminder of the utter bullshit of the meeting he’d been in today. He’d been putting it off all through dinner because he knew it would only upset her.
“There have been discussions about… an aspect of my Avatar duties that several of the smaller Earth Kingdoms and the Northern Water Tribe and the Air Acolytes believe I’m not giving the proper attention,” he said softly.
“And what aspect would that be?” Katara asked, and he could hear the bristling in her tone.
His heart swelled for a moment in the security that she always had his best interests at heart. “Producing a new generation of airbenders,” he answered.
“Oh.”
Her tone was flat and Aang closed his eyes, feeling the way her entire demeanor had shifted. The water at his back had gone still for a moment and he could hear her counting under her breath before resuming with the water.
“How–how did that come about?” Her motions were slower this time, more hesitant.
“I was sitting there, listening to the others talk about new Air Acolytes coming from their nations, deciding when they’d start arriving and then… one of the Air Acolytes just flat out asked if ‘Master Katara’ and I had started thinking about the future of Airbenders.” He rubbed his hands over themselves, fingers tracing his tattoos.
He’d thought about the future of the Airbenders a lot, though he tried not to let it show.
Katara made a noise, the water suddenly back in the bowl with a gentle splash. He looked up at her, her brow furrowed, cheeks pink.
“I know, I know, no kids ‘til after the wedding,” he said, watching lightning flash across the sky, far over the edge of the city lights. “And I explained that, but then the Acolyte said weddings went against Air Nomad principles, which, technically speaking, is correct, but not entirely, because while Nomads didn’t marry the way the other nations did, they did have the concept of commitment to a particular partner.”
“And that’s it?”
He shook his head. “They all suggested that I should uh… set you aside and instead of one partner, have an honest-to-goodness harem, made up mostly of Air Acolytes, of course.”
“Of course,” Katara echoed hollowly, crossing her arms.
He knew he should stop talking and hug her, but he couldn’t; he was too wound up and needed to get it out. “And then, the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom representatives suggested I should take some of their non-bending daughters. Because non-benders in general would probably ensure a greater chance of Airbending children, as opposed to any children produced from our union who might also be Waterbenders.”
“Why would they suggest their own daughters?” she asked, crossing her arms more tightly as she looked away from him.
“So that they can claim their grandchildren carry the Avatar’s bloodline, obviously,” Aang said, rolling his eyes in disgust. “And they just kept going on and on about how it’s my duty to the world to ensure the future of the Airbenders. Like I didn’t save the whole fucking world at thirteen,” he growled, slumping back down to rest his chin on the railing. Thunder rumbled distantly.
Katara giggled at that and Aang found himself relaxing.
“Glad you think this is funny,” he said, cutting a glance at her. The glow of the city gilded the edges of her skin, the cool wind of the rain catching the loose strands of hair that had escaped her braid. Ethereal, always ethereal.
She shrugged. “I think it’s funny you’re still using that accomplishment almost ten years later to end any argument.”
“It’s a good argument-ender,” he protested with a chuckle.
She leaned back against the railing and he slid an arm around her waist, resting his head against her hip. Her fingers traced lightly over his scalp, and he sighed. Why would he ever want anyone else when Katara could soothe him with just a touch? He carried the weight of the world on his shoulders and she was the only one who never failed to bring him back from the edge of despair. Their bond was deep.
“Sounds like it’s heavy on your mind,” she said softly and he could hear how she was trying to keep the hurt out of her voice.
He closed his eyes, tightening his hold on her waist as his knee started jiggling. “The only thing heavy about it is how much I hate it. It feels gross. It’s dehumanizing. To me, to you, to their own daughters. They don’t actually care about the world or me, they just want more power and they see this as an easy way to grab it. If one of their daughters was in the Avatar’s harem–” he shuddered at that phrase “–and had an Airbending kid, they’d probably try to butt their way into whatever” he trailed off, letting out a slow breath as he felt the wind pick up, knowing it wasn’t from the storm. “‘Air Nation politics’ isn’t even the right word, but it could provide them a certain amount of influence on world matters.” He sighed. “It’s pointless anyway, in this hypothetical, all these kids would be half siblings, and that isn’t a feasible population to rebuild anything.”
“You’ve put a lot of thought into this.” Her voice was still soft, unsure.
He made a face. “Only ‘cause they put the thoughts there,” he said, unable to keep the sullen tone out of his voice. His eyes burned. “They laid it out so logically, like I should just see the common sense about it and roll over and accept their argument. I don’t want it. I–” He shook his head, his stomach roiling, his breath short. The familiar tingling in his fingertips as his blood rushed through his body like a distress signal.
Katara’s hands cupped his face. “Hey.” The combination of her voice and touch was gentle, calming.The thing that kept him grounded more than almost anything else. He looked up at her.
Her blue eyes shined with loving concern. “Aang, you’re spiraling.”
He sighed, shoulders relaxing. “I know, I just–the thought of sleeping with someone who’s not you–” He shook his head. “Air Nomads weren’t necessarily monogamous, but they always preached the importance of a spiritual connection. The fact they think it should be so easy for me to just dismiss that aspect of my culture under the guise that it would help me rebuild that culture–”
She laughed. “I suppose I should be happy that you’re getting this upset about it.”
He relaxed again, properly this time. “You should be happy. You should be happy all the time.” He stood, stretching his arms, and looked out over the city.
She wrapped her arms around him from behind, her face pressed into his back, her fingers tracing the muscles of his stomach, and he felt his body tighten, but this time, in a way that promised pleasure.
“What if… what if we don’t have an Airbending child?” she asked quietly.
He slid his hands over hers. “We will. Even if it’s only one, that’s enough. The world will find balance again, I know it. It might not be through me, and that’s okay.”
She whined softly, pressing her lips to his spine and he felt his cock twitch. “There’s that Avatar wisdom I love.”
He grinned, feeling her hands trail lower. “I can share something else you love,” he said, feeling like he could finally leave behind the earlier conversation and flirt with his fiancee.
She snorted and he turned in her arms, cupping her ass in his hands. It was odd to think there’d been a time when she’d been the taller between the two of them. He bent, pressing a kiss to her mouth and she hummed happily.
Before he knew it, she’d thrown her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her. He readjusted his grip to hold her waist, picking her up. Her legs circled his hips, her tongue delving into his mouth.
Aang groaned, losing his balance for a moment before readjusting yet again, carrying her into the bedroom. He dropped her softly to her feet, reaching for the tie on her shirt. Pushing the fabric down her shoulders, he was rewarded with a shuddering sigh as his hand traced down her bared arm.
Her fingers ran over the ridges of his stomach muscles, eliciting a gasp from him and she grinned. “I love how completely jacked you are these days.”
He snorted, grabbing her wrist as she traced the line of his waistband. “I’m sure there’s a joke to be made about how shallow you are for a Waterbender.” He reached for her waistband, pulling it loose before pushing her down on the edge of the bed.
Katara’s breathing went thready with anticipation, even before he lowered himself to his knees in front of her.
He ran his fingers over her thigh, baring the warm brown of her skin inch by inch as he pulled her pants down before tossing them in a corner.
“All those Air Acolyte women would be so jealous to know I’ve got the almighty Avatar on his knees for my pleasure,” she said, running her fingers along the edge of his tattoo.
He rolled his eyes. “You should stop talking.”
“Make your mouth busy and maybe I will.”
He tried not to light up at the challenge in her voice but couldn’t stop from grinning. He loved when she was vocal about what she wanted from him. He pushed her legs apart, pressing his mouth to the inside of her thigh before stroking his tongue against her center.
She gasped and he felt her back arch. He put a hand on her hip for support, used his fingers to stroke into her wet heat, and sucked her clit.
She yelled his name and he grinned against her cunt, working his fingers and mouth on her in tandem. He kept going. She fell back onto the mattress, her muscled thighs had his head in a vise grip that would have had him worried for his life if he wasn’t an Airbender who could hold his breath for far longer than other people.
“Augh, Spirits,” she choked out.
He curled his fingers in her; he was hard, almost to the point of pain, but kept going, intent on her pleasure. A few moments later, she cried out, the hot clench of her body squeezing his fingers. He pulled back, satisfied with his efforts, and let out a ragged breath.
She heaved a sigh, legs going limp over his shoulders.
“Was my mouth busy enough?” he asked.
She snorted, reaching down to hook her hand under his armpit and yank him up to her. She caught him by the chin, brushing away some of the wetness that had caught on his lower lip and he felt the way her whole body softened against his as she gazed up at him adoringly, knowing his expression matched her own.
He lifted his hips from hers, letting his pants drop to the floor before he slid an arm under her waist, moving her away from the edge of the bed. His cock brushed against her wet heat and he closed his eyes, steadying his breath.
He brushed a tendril of hair away from her face and kissed her temple. “I don’t care what any of them say, Katara. You’re the only one I want, the only one I’ll have. There will never be anyone else.”
She nodded, pulling him down to her mouth and he felt her grin into the kiss. He lost himself in the embrace, the way she consumed all his thoughts, all his senses. Warm skin, soft hair, sea salt and sage scent. The strength of her body as she held him.
He shifted his weight, lifting himself from her grasp before sinking his length into her. They both gasped, transfixed on each other. He felt her rock against him and he closed his eyes, counting his breaths.
“Are you trying to build a moment of spiritual connection, Aang?” she asked softly.
He opened his eyes, trying to keep from smiling. “Hopefully it’ll be longer than a moment, Katara,” he said wryly. He cupped her face, kissing her, before moving against her.
She whined, legs locking around his hips as she moved to meet his thrusts.
He buried his face in her neck, licking the skin, nipped at her earlobe.
Katara gasped, back arching off the bed and Aang had to catch himself.
“Let me on top,” she pleaded as she rolled her hips against his. “Please, Aang. I wanna ride your cock.”
“Well, when you ask so nice,” he rasped, pulling himself out of her arms to settle back on the bed. He put his arms behind his head, stretching out as Katara hovered over him, pulling the rest of her braid loose.
She sunk down onto his length, head falling back with a blissful sigh. She ground her hips into his and Aang felt his body tense under her. She ripped off the tight-fitting undershirt, bearing her breasts and rocked against him again. He thrusted up, trying to match her rhythm. She was beautiful like this, perfect. It probably went against some ancient Air Nomad teaching, the wonder and reverence he held for her in moments like this.
“Aang,” she whined, pulling him back from his thoughts. “You’re supposed to touch me.”
He grinned, reaching up to cup a breast, rubbing his thumb over her nipple. Her back arched and she let out a choked breath, grabbing onto his shoulder. She called out his name, and he felt her pulsing around him.
She leaned down, capturing his lips and he slid a hand into her hair. The moment he felt her relax against him, he wrapped an arm around her waist and flipped their positions, pulling her under him once more and buried his cock in her again.
“Fucking–Aang,” she cried out, clutching at his shoulders. She had dissolved into obscenities, mewling in his ear, the pulse of her cunt around him almost too much to bear. This was sacred, sharing the pleasure between their bodies. He wouldn’t let anyone take this from him, ever. Katara was his, and he was hers. His vision went white as he continued thrusting, finally collapsing into her at his release.
When he eventually managed to lift his head from her sweat-slicked shoulder, he sighed.
“So?” she asked, gently, running her hand over the back of his head. “All better?”
He chuckled. “For now.”
“Sweetie, I honestly don’t know if I have another one in me after that. That last one was intense.”
He traced his fingers down the bridge of her nose before kissing it. “You’re welcome.”
“How the fuck do you manage to be this smug every time?”
“It’s an Avatar thing,” he said, grinning cheekily.
“Shut up and start a bath. I intend to go with you to tomorrow’s meeting so those fuckers can get put in their place, so I need to smell fresh.”
He leaned over, kissing her mouth. “I’ll be honored by your company.”