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ABCLAF Logo This Kataang one-shot takes place in The Tales of Ba Sing Se.



Chapter Sixty-Four: Multitasking[]

It's sort of difficult to multitask, especially when Katara's talking to me.

Then it's really difficult to multitask.

I always forget to talk.

"Yes?" she asks, and he realizes it has been several minutes. Shaking his head, he Airbends the pipa towards him and plucks the strings.

"Uh, I wrote this song—well, I was thinking about you. I want you to hear it," he stammers. The memory of Sokka barging in flits across his mind.

He'd thought it was her.

He'd sung his heart out, the words fluttering out of him and into the air.

And Sokka had laughed.

Now he stands there, holding the pipa awkwardly, aware that she is watching.

And waiting.

Hesitantly, he brings his hand over the pipa, and the strings twang. They sound angry. He shudders, but he opens his mouth, and the first line floats into the air.

"You just have to step into the room

"And life's like a fairy tale

"You are my light in the darkest gloom

"I can't help but walk your trail."

His voice is wildly off-key; he sounds awful. Really awful. He sounds like a half-murdered bearded cat, and he knows it. She does, too; he can tell from her barely suppressed laughter.

He presses forward.

"'Cause you just have to smile and wave

"And I can't stop—"

The door flies open, and he jerks back in surprise.

It's really difficult to multitask, especially when Sokka's interrupting a conversation.

Then it's extremely difficult to multitask.

I always forget to pretend it's okay.

"Not that again!" her brother crows, strutting in. Toph follows, smirking. "Say, did you eat an ostrich horse this morning? 'Cause your voice really sounded hoarse!" Sokka sniggers.

His cheeks flush red, and the pipa slips out of his hands and falls to the ground. He hears it twang pitifully—yet with an air of finality. In unison, she and he turn their heads to stare at the now mangled mess of wood and bearded cat gut collected in a miserable pile on the floor.

It's extremely difficult to multitask, especially when my pipa breaks.

Then it's excruciatingly difficult to multitask.

I always forget to smile.

Toph sucks in a breath. "Sorry, Twinkle Toes. Look what you did, Sokka."

"Me?" Sokka answers. "Fine. I'm sorry, Aang."

He continues to stare at it in disbelief.

"We'd better go, Sokka. I think he's going to start crying."

He hears the fading footsteps and the closing of the door.

She embraces him tightly, whispering into his ear. "Sorry about your pipa."

He lifts his head to gaze into her eyes, deep blue.

From my eyes gray to your eye blue, he sings in his mind, I love you.

"I'm sure the rest was beautiful, Aang," she murmurs. "What was it about?"

"You know. Birds. Fish."

"Sounds neat."

He smiles sheepishly and returns the embrace.

It's excruciatingly difficult to multitask, especially when Katara's hugging me.

Then it's impossible to multitask.

I always forget to breathe.

Notes[]

And this wraps up my little arc. Originally, I had Aang say the chorus without the pipa in the end, but Vulmen quietly nudged me and pointed how the canonness. Derp.

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