Chapter Text
The subtle sound of her footsteps echoes in the corridors near their room. This is an area where the chaos could not reach her; she could relax here.
The stress from the heated discussions can be too much. All it leads to is endless stretches of conversation and ineffective statements. Katara is exhausted, but she understands that these issues cannot be dismissed.
She also understands that her husband has it worse than her; his role as the Avatar is undeniable. So, when the two of them have time alone like this, these moments are all she looks forward to.
Katara hesitates outside their private chambers; the faint sound of water trickling draws her in. She pushes the door open gently as a shroud of steam escapes.
All it takes is a moment for her to notice him, in a large wooden tub that overlooks the outside of the temple, his back to her. Aang's head rests against the curved edge with his eyes closed and a subtle frown on his face. His shoulders slump under an invisible load as the water splashes at his bare chest. Sometimes, she likes to watch him like this. The man who became her entire world carries such an unbearable burden but still can find the time to unwind.
It also causes an ache in her heart, not too obvious, but she notices it.
As she slips inside and closes the door, she shrugs off her outer robes, and the fabric pools at her feet. The warmth in the air is obvious, and she allows herself to become comfortable with no one else other than him in the room.
“Aang?” she expresses, her voice is softened, and she is unsure if he can hear her under the sounds of the water.
There is no immediate reaction from him, as if his concentration is not in the room, but elsewhere.
She strides closer on bare feet and kneels behind him. Katara’s hands hover for a moment before relaxing on his shoulders. The muscles there are taut, knotted with undeniable tension, and she starts kneading them with her hands.
A hushed whisper falls from her lips as she leans closer to his ear, “You cannot run from me. I will always find you.”
One second later, and he stirs, his gray eyes flutter open, reflecting the dim lantern light. A faint smile curves his lips when he notices her, but it does not reach his eyes.
“I knew you’d find me sooner or later.” his voice is soft and weary, laced with the exhaustion that had shadowed him all day. “Today was… stressful, so I’m sorry for earlier.”
She leans ever so close to him, her breath warm against the side of his neck as she decides to press a soft kiss there.
“You do not have to apologize, honey. I can see it on you, the way the day wore you down.” Her fingers work deeper, circling the base of his neck, easing the tightness. That raw emotion from before swells in her chest, and it tries to claw its way out, but she holds it in.
There was never a doubt in her mind that she was his anchor. She had been for an indescribable amount of time at this point. Aang has never confirmed it, but she knows.
As her hands slide down the blue tattoos on his skin to embrace him, she mumbles into his neck, “I’ll always be here for you.”
Aang sighs, a deep, releasing sound that vibrates through him, and his body leans back into her touch with no hesitation.
“I am so tired, Katara. I know that I should not feel like this, but I cannot control it.” vulnerability cracks his words, a rare glimpse beneath his usual calm facade. He reaches to cover one of her hands with his and squeezes lightly. “You... you make it bearable.”
Her heart swells at that, and a sense of love floods her like a warm tide. She kisses his neck again, slower this time, as her lips linger and her other hand trails down his arm, fingers intertwining with his underwater.
“You're not alone in this; you have us to lean on. You’ve given the world so much of your strength, your compassion.” her voice carries a subtle command, and he succumbs to it, not out of force, but trust. She wants to surround him in her care, to remind him that he is cherished, “I'm so proud of you, every single day.”
The air around them stiffens, as if they have become comfortable. Emboldened by his softening posture, she shifts closer, her breasts touch the skin on his back through the thin fabric of her shift.
A few minutes of comfortable silence pass, and she decides that she wants him, not later, but now.
Katara trails kisses down from his ear to his neck while she mutters, "A week. A whole week without this. We finally have time to ourselves, and I missed you so much.”
One of her hands continues to massage his shoulder, while the other dips lower to slide over the muscles of his chest beneath the water. His skin is unbelievably warm, nipples hardening under her palm as she circles one teasingly.
Aang's breath hitches as a soft groan escape once her fingers venture down further, “Uh, are you sure you want to do this here?”
There is a subtle twitch in his cock when she reaches for it, but she does not move her hand.
“Shush,” she responds with a subtle smile on her face, “I’m here, aren't I?”
Katara wraps her hand around his cock with a certain gentleness, forming a loose fist that slowly strokes upward from base to tip. She feels him thicken in her hold, pulsing with need.
“Shit… Katara.” he whines into the air, “Feels so good.”
Her strokes are deliberate and unhurried, thumb gliding over the sensitive head of his cock to coax out a bead of precum. She kisses his cheek, almost as a way to soothe him.
“It’s been a while since you’ve done this, hasn’t it?” she can tell that he is sensitive; each stroke causes him to shift around in the tub, “It’s ok, I’m here now.”
This is the man whom she adores, but she still tries to control herself around him.
Sometimes, she fails.
Katara presses her mouth to him in a deep, desperate kiss as her tongue slips past his lips in a silent tangle with his own.
Aang groans softly into her mouth as one of his hands comes up to cup her face, fingers threading through her dark hair.
“I love you so much.” his voice breaks a little, emotion evident in his tone as her hand pumps steadily along his length, twisting lightly at the crown.
The steam thickens around them, a reflection of the heat between their bodies. Katara's own arousal stirs, and a warmth pools deep in her core as she cares for him. She quickens her pace, her fist glides faster now, feeling every ridge and vein of his cock under her fingers. Water sloshes rhythmically with her movements, and she kisses his shoulder, then the nape of his neck.
“Close, aren't you? That’s okay, honey. You're doing so well,” she praises, her voice carries a soothing lilt even as her strokes grow firmer, urging him toward the edge. He moans, hips lifting subtly into her hand, his body arches as pleasure obviously coils tight in his belly.
She loves to watch him like this, so vulnerable and soft under her touch. The sweetest, most influential man in the entire world is all hers.
His words come in breathless bursts, each one a thread weaving their hearts closer, “Baby—don’t leave me like this.”
The vulnerability in his words fuels her, and she strokes him with renewed focus, her thumb pressing just under the head where she knows he is most sensitive. His cock throbs harder as she senses his release is near.
“I’m here don’t worry.” she encourages softly, her tone commanding yet wrapped in affection, kissing his temple as her hand works him relentlessly but tenderly. Aang shatters with a choked whine, his body shudders as cum spills into the water, pulse after pulse surging from his cock. She holds him through it, slowing her strokes to milk every drop, her lips pressing feather-light kisses on his skin.
Katara rinses her hand in the water near him while she notices the lull in the air. There is a comfortable silence once more, but it lasts for one mere moment.
In the quiet aftermath, Aang slumps fully, and a tear slips down his cheeks. “Thank you,” he whispers, turning to pull her into a deeper kiss.
Katara's eyes shimmer with unshed tears of her own; her heart aches with love for this man who has dealt with so much and still shares his heart with her.
She helps him stand, water cascading off his lean, toned body—muscles honed from years of bending and bending the world's will. She wraps a soft towel around his waist while she dries his chest and arms with soft swipes.
A shudder runs through her body as he leans down to kiss her forehead and embrace her, “I missed you too, you know. So, when do I get to return the favor?”
She giggles into his arms as she looks up at him, “Uh, preferably right now.”