Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Katara wrapped her arms around her knees and stared at the campfire in silence. To her left, the prince of the Fire Nation was leaning back on his elbows in the sand and looking up at the night sky.

He took a swig from the bottle of whiskey they’d discovered in the kitchens earlier and grimaced slightly. He then offered it to her, which she declined.

“I still can’t believe you drink,” she said.

Zuko shook his head. He was 19, well past the legal drinking age in the Fire Nation, but he still didn't indulge often.

“I don’t normally, but after seeing that horrible excuse of a play, I needed something a lot stronger than tea,” he said, taking another sip. "As long as you're responsible and don't abuse it, drinking can actually be pleasant."

Not that he would know. He’d first tried alcohol with the sailors shortly after his banishment, and he still remembered how sick a few sips had made him. Zuko built up more of a tolerance when he’d returned to the Fire Nation after his banishment ended, but those were hardly what he’d remembered as happy occasions.

He'd turned to sneaking the harder drinks during especially stressful times, which seemed to pile up right before he defected. Once he left, he'd sworn it off altogether.

However, desperate times call for desperate measures, and seeing a crowd of Fire Nation citizens cheer for his fictional death definitely called for some sort of distraction.

~*~*~

After they’d returned from the seeing the Ember Island Players’ interpretation of their lives, the group had mostly gone their separate ways. Aang went to bed early, still slightly shaken up at seeing his own fictional demise, and Toph soon followed after, still cackling at her portrayal.

For awhile Sokka and Suki hung around the campfire on the beach with Katara and Zuko. He'd offered the bottle to the others as well, but they declined - Sokka preferred the Southern Water Tribe's vodka, and Suki had an affinity for the sweeter alcohols instead.

Zuko provided the fire to light the embers, concentrating his bending to a small blast from his fingertips before it roared to life.

"You just need a single spark to light the fuse," he bragged, bowing as the others applauded and made sound effects of wonderment for good measure. "Sometimes it takes a while for it to catch, but when it does..."

He flourished his hand, and the flames rose even higher.

"Showoff," Katara teased, giving him a playful wink that he returned. 

They all laughed as the four of them reenacted and mocked certain scenes.

"You guys didn't actually flirt down in the catacombs, did you?" Sokka asked at one point, and the two in question cringed.

"Ugh. Absolutely not," Katara groaned, and Zuko nodded in agreement. "I was furious at him, because thought I was being used as bait and he was there to attack whenever you guys came to my rescue."

"And I was just hoping she'd wear herself out from yelling and be quiet," he added, earning him a lighthearted glare from Katara.

Then as he started to take another swallow, the whiskey floated up out of the bottle in front of his face.

"Watch yourself," she teased, and they all laughed.

She bended it back down into the bottle and gave him another wink, which didn't go unnoticed by the other two.

"So... absolutely nothing happened down there?" Suki asked with a knowing smile.

Katara and Zuko glanced at each other briefly.

"Well, after awhile I stopped yelling at him and got upset talking about Mom," she said softly. "Then he mentioned that he lost his mom too, and afterwards we just talked until Aang and Iroh showed up."

He nodded in agreement.

"She actually offered to heal my scar with that special healing water," Zuko said. "But we were interrupted before she could actually go through with it. Which turned out to be a good thing, since that's what saved Aang after my sister shot him in the back." 

Sokka glanced at Suki, and they exchanged an unspoken look.

"If we ever make it back up to the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole again, I'll see if I can get more and try again," Katara offered.

Zuko shook his head, though, and waved his hand.

"Nah, don't worry about it," he said. "There's a story behind it, but I'll tell you all later when the time is right."

The others nodded, and Katara exchanged a gentle smile with Zuko before he turned to look at Sokka.

"So... your first girlfriend really did turn into the moon, huh? I thought you were being metaphorical."

~*~*~

Eventually, Sokka and Suki also turned in for the night.

That left two former enemies turned friends sitting in a comfortable silence beside the fire. Normally Katara would have felt the need to keep a conversation going, but surprisingly she now felt at ease now around Zuko.

“So,” he said after a bit. “You were the Painted Lady who helped destroy that factory a few months ago. You know you caused some generals a major headache and set us back by a bit.”

She looked over at him and noticed he was grinning at her.

“And your point is?” she asked, quirking her eyebrow.

He shook his head.

“I’m just amazed that, even though you were in enemy territory at the time, you still took on the persona of a Fire Nation spirit and made it your mission to help them out,” he said. “Not many people would have shown that type of compassion.”

“Sokka and the others tried to talk me out of it,” she agreed, shrugging. “But despite how I feel about the Fire Nation as a whole, I couldn’t just stand by when someone needed help.”

Zuko mulled this over and spoke up after a minute.

“I know you don’t think much of us, and you have every right to,” he said. “But the majority of them are actually good people. They’ve just listened to the propaganda their whole lives and don’t know any better, but I do believe they’re capable of growth. They just need someone to show them the way.”

She nodded.

“I know they are,” she concurred. “At first I thought they were all the same but after my time here, I’ve realized that there are good and bad people on all sides.”

To his surprise she moved from the bench to sit in the sand beside him. Katara reached for the bottle of whiskey and braved a sip but immediately spat it back out into the fire, which blazed for just a second.

“Sorry, sorry,” he laughed as she scowled over at him and wiped her mouth. “Was that your first time?”

“Yeah,” she said, her face contorting in disgust. “That was awful, Zuko. I thought it would be bracing but if anything it was the opposite. I’m not going to get sick from that, am I?”

He shook his head and smiled.

“Since you didn’t even swallow, I highly doubt it.”

“Good. Yuck.”

After a minute she spoke softly.

“The play may have covered a lot of things, but it also left out a lot of stuff too. Like Hama, the waterbender we met from the Southern Water Tribe hiding out in the Fire Nation.”

She’d done her best to forget the bitter, hateful old woman who forced her to bloodbend. In fact, she thought she’d succeeded until she used it without hesitation on the Fire Nation soldier during the search for her mother’s killer.

Before she and Zuko rejoined the others after that trip, she asked him not to mention that particular incident but didn’t offer any further explanation. Well, if anyone knew about confronting the worst aspects of one’s character, it would be the prince. The others didn’t fully understand her dark side, but she knew he would.

She fidgeted slightly.

“Remember when we thought we’d found the soldier who killed my mom, and I made him stop right in his tracks by contorting his body?”

Zuko nodded. He’d been intrigued but sensed it was a touchy subject for her so he hadn’t pushed her for more details.

He listened as she recounted the story of how she’d been forced to discover a darkness down inside of her and how she had to resort to using it to save her friends. When she finished she looked over at him and as she’d expected, he didn’t seem to be judging her.

If anything, he looked fascinated.

“Remind me to never get on your bad side ever again,” was all he said, earning a light glare and a gentle swat from her.

She wrapped her arms around her knees again.

“I’m serious, Zuko.”

“I’m serious too. I’m not saying I generally condone controlling someone else’s body, but maybe it could be used for good.”

Katara scoffed, and he continued.

“Really, though. You’re a healer, so you know better than anyone how vital blood is to the human body. What if someone were seriously injured and you could stop them from bleeding out? Maybe even use it to save them if their heart stopped beating?”

After a moment he hesitantly put his hand on her upper back and patted delicately, and she looked at him in surprise. He withdrew it immediately.

“Sorry,” he mumbled. “I’m not really good at this whole comfort thing.”

She gave him a small smile.

“It’s okay. You can if you want to.”

He uncertainly returned his hand and left it between her shoulder blades, rubbing lightly. She noted how warm his hand was, which she had expected from the firebender. What surprised her, however, was how natural it felt being there. Huh.

“Katara… everyone has darkness inside of them on some level. Just because you have it doesn’t make you a monster. It’s what you choose to do with it is what’s important. I used to think firebending was only good for destruction, but now I realize it also brings life. You just have to understand it.”

She glanced back at him and smiled slightly.

“I guess that makes sense,” she whispered. “Thank you. I still don’t want to tell the others though, if you don’t mind.”

He nodded.

“Your secret is safe with me.”

To his surprise, she scooted closer and leaned her head on his shoulder. He wondered if she'd heard him gulp. Nervously, he wrapped his arm around her and hoped he wasn’t being too presumptuous.

She didn’t seem to mind, however, and wiggled a bit closer instead.

“So…” she said after a minute of enjoying his warmth. “Is there anything major the play left out about you?”

There were several things, actually, but there was one in particular he thought she'd find fascinating... although it might be sensitive subject.

“I knew Jet,” he said. “My uncle and I actually met him, Longshot and Smellerbee on the ferry to Ba Sing Se.”

She looked up at him in wonder.

“Wait, really?”

He nodded and told her about their first meeting and how he’d teamed up with them to sneak food from the captain’s quarters out to the rest of the passengers. He explained how Jet had offered him a place amongst his Freedom Fighters and how it all fell through after his uncle blew their cover by firebending his tea.

“I feel guilty that he got taken away by the Dai Li now, seeing what happened to him,” he said, sounding remorseful. “But I didn’t know what else to do. He was about to expose our cover and threatened my uncle. I couldn’t just let him go free.”

Katara nodded against his shoulder.

“Jet had a lot of good intentions but he was always blinded by his hatred of the Fire Nation,” she agreed. “He never could see the bigger picture.”

She glanced back up at Zuko.

“For the record, I was appalled when I found out he was planning on flooding that village. I certainly wasn’t lovestruck like they made me out to be.”

He considered asking a personal question and since he’d already had a few sips of alcohol, he figured he could blame any impropriety on that.

“So… you and him, huh?”

She nodded and looked like she was lost in thought.

“He was my first.”

Oh. Zuko hadn’t expected her to admit that. His cheeks flushed.

“Yeah, I shouldn’t have said anything,” he apologized, looking off. “I know that’s personal.”

She looked up, confused.

“I meant he was my first kiss. What did you think I meant?” she trailed off before realization sunk in and her face turned scarlet as well. “Oh, no! Not like that!”

She scooted out from under his arm and he fell backwards on the sand, covering his face with his hands. He groaned.

“Sorry, I totally misunderstood,” he mumbled, his face still hidden. “I didn’t mean to… Ugh. Sorry.”

Her face was still flushed, but she was grinning now.

“You just have no people skills, do you?” she asked dryly.

He shook his head, not removing his hands.

“I’m even more awkward than a baby turtleduck learning how to walk.”

She giggled and nudged him. He was pretty cute when he got all flustered, she realized.

“It’s okay, awkward turtleduck, you can’t help it,” she said as he finally uncovered his face.

Then her smile faded.

“No, if we’re being honest I still haven’t done… that. I mean I’ve kissed him and one other guy a couple of times, but I’ve never gone that far,” she said, recalling how Aang had secretly kissed her earlier that night during an intermission.

She was 17 and knew girls younger than herself had already gone much further than she had. She just hadn't found the right person yet, she supposed. That, and and she'd been busy trying to help Aang save the world. Not that she hadn't fantasized about it sometimes at night, whenever she found her perfect match...

“Who’s the other guy?” he asked, curious. “Any chance I might have met him, too?”

She frowned slightly and looked down.

“Maybe… I’d rather not talk about it. I mean he’s a much better guy than Jet, and I do like him a lot. But… I don’t know if I feel as strongly about him as he does for me.”

Zuko raised his eyebrow in surprise but didn’t voice his thoughts. He’d had a feeling Aang harbored a crush on Katara for some time now, even before he’d joined their side, but it didn’t seem appropriate to bring up, especially while trying to convince them all that he was good now.

That explained why he’d seemed so disappointed when Zuko sat beside Katara instead of him – which in hindsight, probably gave off the wrong impression. However, Zuko really did just like sitting beside her as a friend.

It’s not like he also had feelings for her, right? Right.

It also explained Aang’s reaction when he’d gotten up and left after the crystal catacombs scene. Zuko had noticed Katara was upset after she’d returned from looking for him, but he hadn’t asked.

Now, Katara was staring at him, and her eyes widened as it dawned on her that he’d figured it out. He held up both of his hands to placate her when she opened her mouth to speak.

“Hey, that’s your business. I have an idea of who it is, but if you don’t want to talk about him, we don’t have to.”

Ugh. It was times like this that Katara wished Zuko could be as dumb as he was awkward.

~*~*~

It had been her third kiss overall with the Avatar. The first was almost out of necessity when they were trapped in the Cave of Two Lovers, and it had been mutual. The second one had been a surprise right before the invasion on the Day of Black Sun. She hadn’t been opposed to it, but she also hadn’t enjoyed it, either.

Then there was the one from tonight, after he’d gotten angry and stormed out after seeing the actors portraying her and Zuko get a bit too cozy while acting out their encounter in the crystal catacombs. That had been awkward enough already, but then what happened after she went looking for him just made it worse.

Aang had finally confessed his feelings for her, and she’d tried to rebuff them as gently as possible. She certainly cared about him, and one point she might have even returned his sentiments.

But ever since their kiss before the invasion, she’d had her doubts. When she’d told him as much, he’d gone in and kissed her anyways, to her indignation. She’d stormed off immediately afterwards and they hadn’t spoken since.

She also hadn’t told anyone else about it, though she’d probably talk with Suki later and get her advice.

She was still mad at Aang but knew she ultimately wouldn’t find it in her heart to hold a grudge against him.

Everything was just so confusing right now, and the way her current companion was looking at her in deep contemplation wasn’t helping either.

Chapter Text

“Alright, it’s your turn,” she said, shaking them both from their thoughts. “I told you, now you have to tell me. Have you ever kissed anyone?”

She was just a bit surprised when he nodded. He was handsome, sure, but he was also just so awkward she was amazed he’d been able to pull it off at all.

“Yeah, my first was with this girl in Ba Sing Se my uncle set me up with, and I was even more socially challenged on that date than I am now, if you can believe it."

She could just picture the prince struggling through small talk at dinner.

"Tell me about her," she said, smiling.

He looked up at the sky wistfully.

"Her name was Jin, and she was a regular at the tea shop we worked at in the lower ring," he said. "You would have liked her, I think. She was nice to me, even though I was quiet and awkward, and she didn't laugh when I tried to juggle-"

"You did what now?" Katara giggled, and he blushed a bit.

"Um, yeah. I couldn't think of a good cover story for my uncle and I, so I told her we were in the circus and that I juggled. Then she wanted to see a demonstration, and well... I ended up with food all over me."

She giggled again, but he didn't look mad. He actually grinned along with her.

"Clearly, you would have laughed," he said dryly.

"I also would have come up with a better cover story," she retorted playfully. "So then what happened? Did you at least get a kiss then for embarrassing yourself?"

He shook his head and told her about the Firelight Fountain and how he'd used his firebending to light the lanterns for Jin.

Katara raised her eyebrows.

"Why Prince Zuko, you may act all tough, but you've got a romantic streak in you," she teased, poking his ribs as he blushed. "You risked getting caught, all so you could make a pretty girl smile. Is that when she kissed you?"

He smiled and nodded.

"Yeah... it was nice," he said softly. "She didn't say anything, but I'm pretty sure she figured out right then I was a firebender, and she still kissed me."

"And then what happened?" Katara asked, intrigued.

He frowned slightly.

"Don't laugh," he said quietly. "But I got nervous and immediately ran off."

Katara looked down at him sympathetically. The same prince who had chased them from one pole to the other and who never backed down from a fight got scared while kissing a girl.

”That’s kind of sweet,” she said softly before a thought occurred to her.

He saw the smile tugging at her lips.

"What?"

She shook her head.

"You're laughing at me."

"No I'm not. Forget it, Zuko."

"No, tell me."

She grinned. Well, since he asked...

"I was just thinking of all the ways we tried to shake you off our trail back in the day, apparently all I had to do was kiss you and that would have scared you away."

He gave her a wounded look, and she squeezed his hand.

"Lighten up, I'm just teasing," she said.

He still didn't look amused and turned his attention back up to the night sky. 

"Sounds to me like you're just sad your first kiss wasn't with a prince," he retorted. "Instead you kissed an angry guy with hook swords. Who, by the way, I could beat in a fair sword fight without firebending."

She swatted at him and rolled her eyes.

For a second she thought about pinning his arms down in the sand and kissing him right then and there, just to see how he'd react. Better not, she thought. She didn't want to ruin their newfound friendship.

But she did wonder if his lips were as warm as his hand had been...

"Then the second girl, I dated for a while when I returned home," he was saying, bringing her back to the present. "You’ve met her, actually. Remember Mai, my sister’s friend with the knives?”

Katara’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“Really? Her?”

He looked up at her from the sand and raised an eyebrow as well.

“Is something wrong?”

Katara shook her head. She didn't mention that based on what she'd heard, the two girls couldn't sound more different. Maybe he just needed to find someone who was the right blend of sweet and tough, she mused.

“No, sorry, I didn’t mean anything by that. I’m just surprised, that’s all. I didn’t think she cared about anyone.”

She then briefly explained their first encounter in Omashu and how Mai hadn’t hesitated when Azula called off the trade to get her baby brother back.

Zuko shrugged.

“I see your point, but Azula was also standing right there. At one time she and Ty Lee might have genuinely thought of my sister as a friend, but by the end they were staying with her out of fear. If she’d spoken out then against Azula’s plan she might have gotten fried.”

“I guess so,” Katara conceded, frowning. “It still didn’t sit right with me, not that it matters anyway.”

Zuko looked back up at the night sky. Mai hadn’t told him that particular story, but it didn’t surprise him.

“Not saying what she did was right, but… Mai had a complicated upbringing,” he explained. “I’ve known her since we were both little. Her parents were always worried about appearances and rising in society, so they brought her up to be this quiet, well-behaved lady and she wasn’t allowed to express herself. Not unlike Toph, I guess. Then by the time they had Tom-Tom, they’d risen in rank enough to relax their harsh rules, but Mai still held a grudge against them for having to be a silent, dutiful child all of her life.”

He looked over at Katara again.

“Like I said, she’s not perfect but she’s also not the cold, unfeeling statue some see her as.”

Katara shrugged.

“Fair enough. So why did you break up with her?” she asked. “If it’s not too personal, that is.”

He and Sokka told their group how Mai and Ty Lee finally stood up against Azula to help them escape from the Boiling Rock. Katara had also heard from her brother later that Zuko had been stunned speechless when it all happened.

He put his hands behind his neck and sighed into the night sky.

"Part of me didn’t want to,” he admitted as if to himself. “I cared about her, and on some level I still do. She was my first…” he stopped and looked up at Katara ruefully. “Sorry, that was probably more than you needed to hear.”

She just smiled and laid down in the sand near him.

“Don’t worry about it, now we’re even,” she said, turning her head to look at Zuko. “So, what happened?”

~*~*~

Mai hadn’t forced him into it, and he hadn’t hated the experience, if he was being completely honest with himself.

He’d genuinely enjoyed seeing her show a more passionate side than usual. Even though neither knew exactly what they were doing, it had gone as well as he could have hoped for.

But after she dozed off, a rare smile gracing her features, he found himself lying awake and staring at the ceiling for most of the night.

It had felt nice, sure, there were no complaints there... but when she gasped out that she loved him after, he found himself repeating the words back hollowly. It only took what was supposed to be the most intimate experience of his life for him to see that he didn’t love her anymore, if he even had to begin with.  

She may have loved him at one time but not as the person he was now, he realized. No matter how much he tried to show her that he wasn’t the same Zuko from their childhood she wanted him so desperately to be.

The next morning she’d tried to be affectionate and lift his spirits in her own way, but he’d just closed himself off from that point onwards. Then to add insult to injury, he dumped her soon after through a letter when he left the Fire Nation to help train the Avatar and became its number one traitor. 

His track record was so terrible both romantically and personally it was a miracle anyone still liked him at this point.  

~*~*~

Zuko didn't mention any of that to Katara, though. Instead, he just looked back up at the night sky full of stars.

“After I returned home, I realized I wasn’t the person I used to be anymore, and she was still the same,” he said softly. “Any time I tried to talk with her about everything I’d gone through, all of the people I’d met and how the world outside was so negatively affected by the Fire Nation’s campaign, she just brushed me off or shut me down completely. It was like she tried to pretend that the last several years hadn’t happened.”

He paused.

"She did that a lot actually. Whenever I tried to open up about anything, she'd shut it down instantly."

Katara frowned at this but didn't comment.

“I told her about all of the humiliating things I went through when I was a poor and even after I became a tea server in the lower ring of Ba Sing Se. She still thought it would be fun to order the servants around just to see them scrambling to meet her demands. She just couldn’t see things from a different point of view. When I decided to defect, I knew she wouldn’t understand, so I broke up with her in a letter.”

“I know, I know,” he said, holding up a hand in response to Katara’s indignation at the thought of being dumped that way. “If I could go back and redo that part, I would. But I had to sneak out and make a quick exit, so I didn’t really have a choice.”

Katara considered this for a few minutes. 

"You know..." she began softly before shaking her head. "No, never mind."

He turned his head in the sand to look at her.

"What? We're friends. You can tell me anything."

She bit her lip.

"This is going to sound harsh," she said, "but why would you want to be with someone who can't do the bare minimum to make you happy? I'm not saying she had to be your therapist, but at the very least Mai could have actually listened to you when you tried to open up."

He opened his mouth to speak, but she continued.

"I'm also not saying she has to change her personality either, but I think you need someone you can open up around without being afraid of rejection every time. It... it doesn't sound like you two were compatible at all, if I'm being completely honest."

She paused, and her next words were gentler.

"Look, I don't know her as well as you do, Zuko. But when you care about someone, you don't shut them down every time they try to talk. Life is hard enough as it is without being with someone who makes you feel like less than you deserve. I mean, we're not even in a relationship and it sounds like you've opened up to me tonight more than you were ever able to during those months you were with her."

Something seemed to click in his mind, and his eyes widened. 

"I guess you're right," he conceded after several minutes. "I don't exactly have the best experience when it comes to happy, healthy relationships in my family... except for my mom and my uncle."

She reached out and gave his hand a gentle squeeze of reassurance before letting go, and they looked up at the stars dancing in the sky in silence. There was still something she was curious about, though, and she might have had an ulterior motive for what she said next.

“So,” she asked as he turned his head to look at her. “If you could somehow get back together with Mai, would you?”

He looked back up at the stars for a while.

Katara had given him a lot to think about, including a few uncomfortable truths he'd been trying to avoid. In a matter of minutes, she'd seen right through him better than Mai ever had.

At last, he spoke.

“No… not unless she’d made the effort to move forward,” he said. “Before I left I felt like she was holding me back, and I was regressing to the person I used to be. I’m not that guy anymore.”

“That makes sense,” she agreed softly.

He looked back sideways at her.

“What about you and Jet? If you could somehow have a second chance with him, would you?”

She shook her head slightly.

“No, for me it’s something similar. When he died - when I saw him last, he seemed like he’d changed and he even helped us look for Appa,” she said, returning his gaze sadly. “But I think ultimately he wouldn’t have been able to move past his prejudice against the Fire Nation.”

She remembered something just then.

“Didn’t you find Appa under Lake Laogai and set him loose?” she asked, and he nodded.

“Truth be told, I originally wanted to hold him hostage to trap you guys so I could take Aang back to the Fire Nation,” he admitted, embarrassed. “But luckily my uncle found out and talked sense into me.”

He decided to skip the next part, where he’d literally fallen sick for days afterwards from finally doing the right thing.

“How did you manage to sneak in and find him, anyways?” she asked.

He suddenly grinned.

“That’s another thing the play got wrong - I was actually the Blue Spirit who rescued Aang from Zhao," he bragged. "You’d be surprised how easily I can sneak into places without using firebending. I'm actually really stealthy when I choose to be.”

Interesting, she thought. A firebender disguising himself in blue... not unlike how she'd disguised herself in red as the Painted Lady. There was something symbolic about that, but she decided to pursue that trail of thought some other time.

“Well, that explains how you managed to sneak into the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole,” she agreed. “By the way, what was that thing you said when you knocked me out and took Aang hostage?”

He grimaced slightly.

“Yeah, sorry about that, again. I think it was something about how I rose with the sun and you with the moon.”

She shrugged her shoulders in the sand.

“I don’t know, that was actually kind of poetic,” she said. “I was on the verge of unconsciousness so I couldn’t remember it exactly. It almost sounds like a pickup line.”

His cheeks flushed, and she decided to tease him a bit more. Flustered Zuko was quickly becoming her favorite Zuko.

“Then there was that time you tied me to a tree and whispered in my ear from behind while waving my mother’s necklace around,” she added in a completely somber tone. “By the way, did you know that’s a betrothal necklace, and by draping it around my neck you were essentially proposing to me?”

His entire face had turned red now, and he sat up in bewilderment.

“Wait, really? Oh no, Katara no, I didn’t… not saying that you’re not great and all… I just–”

He was interrupted by her bursting into laughter and rolling side to side in the sand.

“You… you… you should have seen your face,” she wheezed as tears started trickling from the corners of her eyes.

He looked decidedly less amused. She was afraid for a second that he’d get up and storm off, but he just grabbed the bottle of whiskey and gulped more down, rolling his eyes.

“I should tie you to a tree again just for that,” he muttered, shoving the bottle back into the sand. “That wasn’t funny. Next you’re going to tell me that wasn’t even an engagement necklace.”

She finally settled down and sat up, poking his ribs once more.

“Oh, lighten up Zuko,” Katara giggled. “It was funny. For the record, yes, it is an actual betrothal necklace. It originally belonged to my grandmother when she lived in the Northern Water Tribe.”

He huffed but looked much less put out than before.

"I don't know if I ever apologized, but I'm sorry for grabbing her arm and scaring her back when we first met," he said quietly after a minute.

She smiled at him.

"Thank you. If we survive this and you get to see her again, she'd appreciate hearing that, too."

He nodded.

“So how did she end up all the way down in the South?” he asked, intrigued.

Katara told him the story of how her grandmother had rebelled against the Northern Water Tribe’s outdated and rigid tradition forbidding female waterbenders from being anything more than healers.

He seemed impressed when she explained how she’d challenged those rules herself when she faced off against the man who could have been her grandfather in another lifetime.

“So the South doesn’t do the whole betrothal necklace thing?” he asked when she’d finished. “I’m just trying to wrap my head around how you didn’t know its significance before then.”

She shook her head.

“Not exactly,” she explained. “The North has arranged marriages, which are signified by the suitor carving a necklace for his intended bride. In the South, women are free to marry whomever they choose. The men also give the women something to signify their engagement, like a family blanket or pelt or some sort of trinket. I still think the men could carve necklaces if they wanted to, but we didn't have many resources like that in the South. When my dad proposed to my mom, he just used the necklace given to Gran Gran. In hindsight I always thought it was a family heirloom.”

He mused this over and decided to ask yet another question that was entirely too personal. Besides, it never hurt to have a random bit of information, right? Right.

“So – not that I’m ever going to propose to you, just so we’re clear – but do you ever think about stuff like that? If you’d want a betrothal necklace whenever some guy proposes to you?”

Where was he even going with this?

“You know your social skills are just hopeless, right?” she asked, feeling a slight blush on her cheeks.

He saw her expression and once again held his hands up.

“I like being direct. Awkward turtleduck, remember?” he said. “I shouldn’t say anything but I wanted to get your perspective. You’ve got to keep what I’m about to say just between us, okay?”

She nodded, intrigued.

“I think your brother might propose to Suki at some point – " he started before her face broke out into a wide grin and she shrieked.

Oh for Agni’s sake. Without thinking, he clapped his hand over her mouth.

Chapter Text

“Sh!" he hissed. "Do you want to wake everyone else up and explain to them why you’re out here screaming?”

She just giggled and removed his hand.

“One, I’ll just tell them I saw a huge bug or something, and my fierce, strong firebending friend was here to scare it off,” she said.

Technically she could handle even giant bugs by herself, but something inside her wanted to see him blush again - hence the roundabout compliment. 

She could always say he was making her scream in an entirely different way but resisted the urge to say so.

Too much, Katara. Where did that even come from?

“Two, what did you think was going to happen when you told me something like that? Did Sokka say anything to you specifically?”

He shook his head and realized she was still holding his hand from when she’d removed it. She noticed it as well and let go.

“Not specifically… just a feeling. That’s why I said to keep quiet about it either way,” he explained.

“Ohh…” she said, musing it over. “Well, I can see why you’d think that. They're both head over heels for each other, and I think she’d be a great addition to our family. I know Dad thinks highly of her too. So I’d be the first in line to help plan their wedding if he proposed.”

“That’s why I was asking about the betrothal necklaces,” Zuko said. “I was wondering if Sokka would actually try to carve one for her.”

He was also morbidly curious to see how well (or how terrible) it would turn out, considering his friend’s lack of artistic ability, but he chose not to say so.

Katara shrugged.

“Probably not, unless he was marrying a girl from the Northern Water Tribe. I don’t know what Kyoshi Island’s traditions are in that regard, but I guess Sokka would figure out something special to give her.”

He couldn’t help himself. 

”Let’s just hope it’s not a drawing,” he quipped. “Otherwise she’d turn him down.”

Katara opened her mouth to defend her brother but found herself cracking up along with Zuko.

He could be so hopelessly awkward at times, but then he could make her laugh out of nowhere. This new Zuko was just full of surprises, she thought. 

“You’re terrible,” she giggled, and he shrugged.

“So I’ve been told,” he said.

She leaned over and found herself resting her hand on his shoulder.

“I meant in a good way,” she said softly, noting the way his eyes widened slightly when she touched him.

She gave his shoulder a light squeeze and withdrew her hand. 

“Luckily for my brother, I think Suki loves him enough she’d say yes regardless,” Katara said, and her heart started to beat just a bit faster. 

She gestured to the pendant hanging from her neck. Once they'd gotten back from the play, she'd immediately put it back on. 

“Going back to your earlier question, I guess I’d like some sort of gift when I get engaged,” she added. “But probably not another necklace, since I'd still want to wear my mother's. Anyways I don’t see myself getting married any time soon, so it’s a moot point.”

“I see,” he said, nodding. “Well, whenever you do end up engaged, I’ll help Sokka scare the guy straight first so he knows not to break your heart.”

She looked thoroughly unimpressed.

“You realize I can take care of myself, right?”

"Unless it's a huge bug, apparently," he retorted.

She rolled her eyes.

“But anyways, let’s say the guy you end up with is some powerful bender or something," he continued. "Look, Sokka’s my friend and I think highly of him and his skills as a warrior, but if your waterbender fiancé comes after him with a tidal wave there’s not a lot he can do. That’s why I’ll be his backup.”

Her eyebrows raised slightly.

"What makes you so sure I'll marry a powerful bender?" she asked, recalling a fortune told to a young girl hopeful for the future.

He waved his hand absentmindedly.

'I don't know, I guess it doesn't matter if your husband can bend or not," he conceded. "For some reason though, I see you with someone you can go toe-to-toe against."

She nodded her head.

"For what it's worth, I feel like that's my destiny someday, too," she said quietly.

He glanced at her, intrigued.

"You know, my uncle used to talk to me all the time about destiny and how you can always reshape it like the clouds themselves. He was mainly trying to talk me out of hunting you guys down, in hindsight, but there was something he told me one time that I still think about."

He tried to do his best impression of Iroh, but he had a feeling he wasn't quite doing him justice. At least she seemed amused.

"Destiny is a funny thing, you never know how things are going to work out," he said, emulating his uncle's voice as best he could. "But if you keep an open mind and an open heart, you'll find your own destiny someday."

He looked over at her sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, I've never been that good at impersonations. You should hear me try to do Azula."

She giggled and leaned against his shoulder again. This time, there was less hesitation as his arm draped around her once more.

“So, why do you think I’ll marry a waterbender?” she asked, and he looked down at her in mild surprise.

“Really?” he said. “Well, I just always assumed…”

She shrugged.

“When we visited the Northern Water Tribe I was Master Pakku’s top pupil. None of his other students, at least the ones around my age, were anywhere near my level, and I'm the only one left from the South. Like you said, I want someone who can keep up with me. I want to end up with someone strong.”

He considered this for a moment.

“I guess I could see you marrying an earthbender like Haru. He's pretty tough and would treat you well. Plus, he's already a decent guy, so we wouldn't have to scare him beforehand.”

She shook her head.

“No, Haru is a dear friend and all, but I’ve never felt anything like that for him,” she said. “He’s going to make someone happy one day, but there just aren't any sparks there."

He grinned down at her.

"Sparks, huh?" he asked. "So no boring marriage of convenience for you then."

Katara shook her head.

"I think I also need someone who challenges me in a good way,” she admitted.

She looked up at Zuko and smirked. It had become a wicked game for her, seeing how much she could fluster him. She knew she should probably stop but she couldn’t help herself. 

“Who knows? I might even end up with a guy from the opposite element," she joked. "Know any single firebenders you could set me up with?”

She's on a roll tonight, he thought. He’d been a good sport so far as she teased him but decided it was high time to retaliate. There was also something he wanted to try out, just to see if it led anywhere.

He suddenly pulled her closer to his side and brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

“I can think of one,” he said huskily as possible, inwardly triumphing at the sudden look of astonishment in her eyes and the blush spreading across her face.

She started to squeak out a response, but after a beat he cracked up laughing and released her, falling back in the sand.

Katara huffed and swatted at him again.

“That wasn’t funny!” she hissed.

“I beg to disagree,” he said once he stopped laughing. “What was it you said earlier? Something about the look on my face?”

”Fine, you called my bluff,” she said, her cheeks hot.

She’d been just a bit disappointed it had all been an act. Leave it to Zuko to finally be smooth instead of awkward, when it didn’t actually mean anything.

”Okay then, what about you?” she asked once he’d quieted down. “What kind of woman entices the Fire Prince?”

He thought it was fairly obvious that he had been flirting with her just now - after all, he'd finally managed to be cool for once. The only reason he'd pulled back and tried to play it off as a joke was because he lost his nerve.

Zuko was just a bit surprised by it himself. Where did that even come from? Sure, she was attractive, but she was also his good friend.

But maybe this could lead to something more? Then again, she was so guarded at times that he opted to answer carefully. 

“I guess someone who’s kind, smart, and strong," he offered. "Someone who gets me but who's also not afraid to put me in my place when I need it."

She nodded along.

“And definitely someone who can handle a drink of whiskey like a grownup,” he added with a mischievous look in his eyes.

She huffed again and turned away from him.

“If you’re not going to be nice then I’m going to bed,” she threatened, crossing her arms.

He rolled his eyes even though she couldn’t see.

“I was being nice, Katara. You started it and I just finished it. You’ve been teasing me all night long and I finally decided to give you a taste of your own medicine.”

She looked back at him and quirked an eyebrow.

“You do realize there’s an entire ocean right there, so I could really give you a taste and punish you if you don’t behave,” she said with a gleam in her eyes.

Zuko didn’t know why that challenge or the look in her eyes suddenly turned him on like it did. He sat up quickly and made sure the front of his tunic hid any potential evidence.

In spite of his better judgment, he found himself leaning towards her until their faces were inches apart.

“Is that so?” he rasped, sounding once more like the prince who’d tied her to a tree and tried to tempt her with a necklace. “Because I can take you right here, right now.”

Her eyes glowed in the firelight.

“I’d love to see you try, Zuko. I’d have you begging for mercy in a heartbeat.”

Oh, he was in a completely different type of danger now. He just smirked and moved his face even closer to hers.

“Then do it, “ he said in a low, guttural voice she'd never heard him use before. “I want to see you make me beg.”

She smirked back at him for a minute and even moved a bit closer herself. He was about to lean in all the way when something clicked in her mind and she suddenly pulled back.

Zuko closed his eyes to hide his disappointment, although two small wisps of smoke escaped from his nose. When he opened his eyes again, he made sure his face was a mask of cool indifference.

“What, having second thoughts about taking me on?” he teased lightly.

She shook her head and stood up, stepping away to dust the sand off her clothes.

“You wish,” she smirked back down at him. “I just realized how late it is, and we both need to go to bed soon. I’ll have to take you on some other time.”

She held her hand out to him to help him up, and he stood, snuffing out the campfire. 

“Good,” he said, smiling down at her in the dim light. “I’ll hold you to that.”

“You better,” she teased, then started to walk back up to the beach house.

He took advantage of the darkness and her turned back to quickly adjust himself before grabbing the halfway empty whiskey bottle and falling in line beside her. Zuko was tempted to reach out and take her hand, but he stopped himself.

Better play it safe, he supposed, clenching his fist and releasing it.

~*~*~

Before they went inside, however, she stopped him.

"Can I see that?" she asked, gesturing to the bottle.

Curious, he handed it over.

Katara uncorked it and took a large swallow. She grimaced, but unlike before she kept it down this time.

"See?" she proclaimed even though her face contorted. "I can handle alcohol like a grownup."

Zuko realized what she was implying and moved closer to her, hardly daring to breathe.

"Apparently so," he said softly. "You didn't have to do that for my sake, though."

She shook her head.

"No, that was for mine, actually."

Katara finally regained her composure and looked up at Zuko to find him watching her with an almost tender look in his eyes.

They stood there for some minutes, neither moving or looking away from each other.

Finally, he swallowed and ducked his head.

"I guess we should go inside," he said regretfully, hating himself for backing out at the last moment.

He never ran away from a fight, and yet here he was, being a coward again when a pretty girl showed interest. What was wrong with him?

She nodded and looked just a bit disappointed as well.

Chapter Text

The house was completely silent as they crept back inside. When they reached the point where they’d have to split off to go to their separate rooms, they paused.

He was half tempted to ask her if she wanted to sleep in his bedroom that night but knew that was probably pushing things too far.

She pulled him in for a quick hug.

“Goodnight, Zuko,” Katara whispered near his ear, and then she was gone.

He found himself staring down the dark hallway she’d disappeared into and reached up to touch his face. He could have sworn he felt her soft lips brush against his cheek for just a moment.

What was he doing? He was an idiot.

Zuko quietly set the bottle down by his door and silently followed after her.

Her door was already closed when he got there, and as he reached for the handle, he heard it lock.

He stood frozen for a few seconds debating whether or not he should knock.

She had practically given him the go-ahead twice now, and he'd panicked instead. He finally turned and walked back to his room, defeated.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

He sprawled out on his bed but didn’t lock his door, just in case she decided to come back.

Some time later he realized it was futile. He sighed and decided to finish off the rest of the whiskey.

~*~*~

Katara leaned against her door after she locked it, wondering if she'd completely misunderstood everything about that night. 

Then she perked up when she thought she heard the faintest creak of a floorboard outside a few minutes later and remembered what Zuko said about being stealthy.

She silently unlocked the door and peeked out, half hoping and half terrified he'd be on the other side, but the hallway was empty.

Disappointing, but not unexpected.

She just hoped she hadn't made a complete fool of herself earlier with the whiskey. Remembering how she'd swallowed the disgusting stuff for liquid courage, as well as an attempt to impress him, now made her cringe.

Sighing, she crawled into bed and tried to sleep.

~*~*~

The next morning, both of them managed to act normal enough around each other. After all, nothing had actually happened the night before.

They were just two good friends who'd stayed up late, sharing stories, giving advice, and laughing around a campfire on the beach.

But Katara couldn't stop the pounding of her heart whenever he looked at her, even if it was just for a second. She wondered if he too was feeling nervous, but his exterior remained calm and cool.

The only person who could have told her if his heart was racing too didn't even act like she noticed anything was off.

Good. All she needed was for Toph to call her out on her little crush on the Fire Prince, especially after that awkward scene from the play.

She thought she caught that same tender look from last night in his eyes once or twice during breakfast, but whenever he realized she was looking at him, it quickly vanished to impassiveness.

~*~*~

Even though she had other responsibilities that morning, she found herself wandering outside to watch their firebending training. At least the others were out there too, so it wasn't obvious that she was secretly checking him out.

Zuko was pleasantly surprised when he saw her sit down on the steps to watch him practice. Maybe there was hope and he might redeem himself after all.

He and Aang trained for a few hours before Katara felt mild goosebumps prick her skin.

"I think it's about to rain," she announced with a slight thrill in her voice.

Sokka scoffed and shook his head. 

"Nice try, but it's still mostly sunny right above us, sis. The clouds overhead aren't even dark enough, and the ones that are won't be here for another several minutes."

Almost as if on cue, rain fell from the sky as the sun shone above, illuminating the droplets like gemstones. The six friends looked upwards in surprise.

Aang rushed off the courtyard, but Zuko remained rooted to the spot, closing his eyes and enjoying the sensation of the cool water trickling down his skin.

He heard light footsteps amidst the pattering of the rain. He opened his eyes and looked down to see Katara had walked out from under the covered walkway to stand beside him.

"What's happening?" she asked, looking around in amazement, holding out her palm to catch raindrops. "How can there be rain when the sun's still out?"

She was getting as soaked as he was, absorbing her element as it poured from the heavens, but she didn't seem to notice. He knew the others were standing nearby, able to see and hear everything.

Suddenly, he didn't care. Zuko smiled at her, and to his relief, Katara smiled back. 

"It's called a sun shower," he explained quietly. "You've never seen one before?"

She shook her head, watching in astonishment at the way the water sparkled in the sunlight around them. He continued.

"It's when the wind blows rain from a storm into a sunny place nearby, or when rain passes overhead and the sun is at the right angle to shine through the clouds."

Katara looked back at him and moved a bit closer.

"So, two elements that don't normally interact," she mused. "But combined, they’re breathtaking."

He found himself agreeing, suddenly aware of his heart pounding against his ribs.

You just need a single spark to light the fuse...

She gently waved her arms outward and stopped the rainfall in the courtyard, similar to how she'd done when they faced down Yon Rha. This time, though, she was smiling and giggling as the water pooled overhead and flowed down the sides of the pocket she'd created just for her and Zuko.

Glittery beads of rain hung in midair catching the sun's golden rays, illuminating them both with thousands of small sparkling droplets of light.

He looked up in amazement as sunlight pierced through and refracted on the water above, casting shimmering lights and a small rainbows around them as well.

"They don't happen very often," he found himself saying, his voice suddenly hoarse as he looked back down at her. "But when they do, it's like the sun and the rain fuse together perfectly to create something truly beautiful."

Her blue eyes sparkled amidst light and water as they met his, and he knew he was past the point of being in danger now. If the others weren't standing right there in full view, he would have taken her in his arms and kissed her.

She started to say something, but she was cut off by her brother calling to them from under the covered walkway.

"Hey you two! Stop playing in the rain and come dry off. It's lunchtime!"

She nodded absentmindedly in his direction.

"We're coming!" she chirped.

~*~*~

Her brother and Suki had watched their interaction from under the covered walkway. They exchanged knowing glances at each other, and after a moment, Sokka shrugged and draped his arm over Suki's shoulders. He turned his head back, calling out to get their attention as they walked away towards the kitchen. 

Aang made a beeline for cover once it started pouring and quickly bended the rainwater away from himself. When he realized Zuko hadn't followed he turned to see his firebending teacher standing out in the rain. He was smiling and talking with Katara, who shared his grin as she bended the water overhead.

He felt something sink in his stomach as everything clicked into place - the crystal catacombs scene from the play, the way Zuko slid into the spot next to Katara, the way she'd rebuffed him last night and said she was confused...

Aang was about to walk back out and interrupt them, but Toph grabbed his shoulder and guided him to the kitchen instead.

"Come on Twinkletoes, let's get some grub. They'll catch up."

~*~*~

Katara used one hand to continue holding the pocket of water overhead and extended her other out to Zuko.

"Let's go," she whispered, nodding her head towards the house and beaming up at him.

He smiled down at her and took her hand in his as they walked, and once again he didn't care if the others saw.

~*~*~

All morning long Toph had noticed the way both Zuko and Katara's heartbeats pounded like crazy. She had her suspicions but hadn't mentioned it, choosing to wait it out instead.

When the rain started falling and she sensed Katara walking out in it to join Zuko, she knew her instincts had been correct.

She'd almost laughed out loud but stopped herself just in time. Who'd have thought? Sugar Queen and Sifu Hotman liked each other.

It was almost as surprising as sunshine in a storm.

Chapter Text

Rays of the afternoon sun were starting to blind Zuko’s eyes. His student had kept up with his training for most of the day, and now seemed as good a time as any to stop.

“I think we’re done for the night,” the prince said. “Nice work, Aang.”

At that, the young Avatar bowed to his firebending teacher and dramatically sprawled out on the tiles of the courtyard that served as a training area. From the ground he waved his hand slightly, bringing the water fountain in its center bubbling back to life.

There was a polite round of applause from the remaining members of Team Avatar scattered across the steps. Toph lounged near the middle towards the bottom, one foot resting on the ground. Katara sat off to the side, cradling her chin in her hands with her elbows propped on her knees.

On the other side of the stairs was Suki, who was somewhat distracted from the firebenders’ practice below due to Sokka napping with his head in her lap. She tousled his hair gently to wake him up.

“Wahamiss?” Sokka mumbled as he came to.

“Seriously?” Katara asked, turning around to her brother. “How could you sleep through that? It was amazing!”

“You’re living up to your nickname, Snoozles,” Toph said dryly. “You only missed some impressive firebending from Sifu Hotman and Twinkletoes, who from what I’m sensing has improved a lot in the last few days.”

Zuko rolled his eyes as he gulped down water from the fountain. When this was all over, he was going to kill Aang for coming up with that ridiculous nickname, last hope of the world or not. It had taken Toph no time at all to adopt it and call him that every chance she got. He’d almost preferred it when she called him Sparky.

“Thanks, Toph,” Aang said, sitting up and bending more water from the fountain neatly into his mouth. “I gotta say, though, some of those moves reminded me of dancing. Especially that one that starts on the ground and you spin up.”

Zuko had used that move in his Agni Kai with Zhao, knocking his legs out from under him and quickly gaining the upper hand in their duel. He allowed himself a small, grim smile at the memory.

“Yeah, that one I came up with on my own,” Zuko said. “Since no one’s really danced in the Fire Nation for the last several decades, it’s a good move to catch another firebender off guard.”

It was a pity, really. He’d never formally danced before (learning the Dancing Dragon notwithstanding) and he always thought he might be decent at it. 

“At least Aang was able to teach some of the kids in his class how to let loose and have fun,” Katara said. “Remember when we hosted that dance party shortly after we arrived in the Fire Nation?”

“Oh, yeah!” Sokka exclaimed, fully awake now. “Remember too when we posed as Aang’s parents? I got to be Wang Fire and you were Sapphire Fire. Man, that was a fun disguise,” he said, stroking his bare chin sadly.

Zuko snorted.

“How did you manage to pull that off?” Zuko asked, amused. “You both are younger than me, there’s no way anyone would’ve believed you two were his parents.”

Sokka stood up indigently.

“For your information, I had a magnificent beard to help me play the part,” he insisted. “We made Katara up pretty good too, though I’m sure it confused those kids when they saw her and Aang dancing at the party.”

A small blush colored both Aang and Katara’s faces, which did not go unnoticed by the prince.

~*~*~

As the sun sank towards the horizon, the four original members recalled the tale of how they went undercover. Aang explained how he experienced firsthand the life of a Fire Nation student, and how he’d decided to host a party for his classmates and taught them classic dance moves.

Zuko listened to the story with a smile. It shouldn’t have surprised him that if anyone could get a bunch of rich private school kids to loosen up and have fun, it was the Avatar.

He was also just a bit curious to see how that noodle portrait of his father had turned out, if he was being totally honest.

He’d had his doubts, but assuming they lived through Sozin’s Comet he was sure that Aang’s spirited nature and kind heart would win over most of the Fire Nation and help bring about peace. Hopefully.

Zuko found himself glancing at Katara during the story to see her smile or laugh at certain memories. If he’d chosen differently in the crystal catacombs beneath Ba Sing Se, he could’ve been a part of them.

Not for the first time since his betrayal, he felt a slight pang of regret.

He thought back to that awful play Sokka dragged them to and recalled how much the Ember Island Players’ vision had differed from reality. While he’d always found Katara attractive, that had been the furthest thing from his mind when they were trapped together back then.

Now that he’d gotten to know her better, he sometimes had dreams about that encounter going much differently.

“Oh, and then towards the end Aang pulled Katara out to the middle of the dance floor and they got to show off some really spectacular dance moves,” Sokka said, snapping Zuko back to attention.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Toph briefly glance in his direction. He kept forgetting that she could sense people’s heartbeats and his had spiked for just a second.

Please don’t let her realize what it meant, he thought to himself.

That momentary distraction allowed Suki to beat him in asking a question he’d been wondering since the story started.

“What did you mean earlier when you said their dance would’ve been confusing to those kids?” she asked.

“Well, they were getting reeeally close together,” Sokka said a sing-song voice, elbowing a blushing Aang and ignoring Katara’s glare. “And since she was still technically posing as his mom, they might’ve had some concerned thoughts.”

Zuko laughed along with everyone else but kept his eyes on the two in question.

Aang’s blush was mostly hidden by the waning light, but Katara had just looked down and slightly frowned. She too had a blush, but it looked decidedly less like one borne from a crush revealed.

~*~*~

It had been obvious to Zuko even before he joined their group that Aang had feelings for Katara. He originally assumed she returned the Avatar’s sentiments and both were just too shy to do anything about it.

But then he'd spent time laughing and talking alone with Katara on the beach the night they returned home from the play, and while she hadn't named Aang directly, she'd as much admitted that his crush was mostly one-sided.

Then the morning after, as she stood laughing in the sun shower, drenched in water and surrounded by thousands of small, blinding lights, Zuko realized something that had been nagging him for some time.

He maybe, just maybe, had a bit of a crush or even something more on the blue-eyed waterbender who’d wiped the floor with him more times than he cared to admit.

Once he finally acknowledged it, she was often in the back of his mind. Whenever he trained with Aang and taught him firebending, he’d find himself being a bit more aggressive than usual to show off if Katara happened to be nearby.

Not that he was brutal, of course – that would’ve sent her flying to Aang’s defense and earned him a premature, icy death – but just enough that she could see his raw power on display.

But Zuko wasn’t dumb, despite Azula’s taunts while growing up (and many, many moments of impulsiveness and hot-headed decisions notwithstanding.) He knew he had almost no chance at winning her heart, especially given his abysmal track record.

He thought she'd even given him the briefest of chances when they split off for bed that night after the play, but he'd frozen up and let the moment slip away.

And since the Avatar harbored a not-so-secret crush on her too, Zuko knew that if he dared make any type of move now especially after the play, he’d be a dead man. Sorry, make that a dead Sifu Hotman.

Although, Zuko was sure his uncle would have some wise saying if he were here about destiny always being in motion. Probably something like, just because a fish has been hooked doesn't mean another predator can't catch it before the fisherman does, or something weird like that. 

Ugh. That was terrible, almost as bad as his silver sandwich speech that one time. He certainly wasn’t a predator, at least not anymore, and Katara wasn’t anyone’s to catch.

If anything it was the opposite. He had been drifting along in the ocean, unaware of the blue-eyed siren waiting just beneath the waves until the perfect opportunity to drag him under. Which, all in all, wasn't the worst fate, he supposed.

“Wow,” Suki said as the story came to its end, bringing him back to the present. “I really wish I could’ve been there! I haven’t danced in forever. We used to have parties all the time on Kyoshi Island, and those were always so fun.”

Katara looked his way and smiled.

“Can you dance, Zuko?” the waterbender asked. “I know it’s illegal in the Fire Nation, but I figured you being royalty and all…” she trailed off with a shrug.

Zuko shook his head.

“That would have been nice, but it’s not like we had many occasions for dances while I was growing up,” he said. “You know, too busy terrorizing the world and burning down anything that brought anyone else happiness.”

Toph, who had been mostly quiet during the story except for contributing to a few parts, suddenly chimed in.

“I’ve got an idea!” the blind earthbender exclaimed. “Let’s throw a party! I mean, I’m not much of a dancer, but you guys are, and you can teach Sifu Hotman here how to dance.”

Now it was Zuko’s turn to blush as their eyes turned his way, excited. For a split second he thought he saw a devious smirk grace Toph’s face, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

He tried to stammer out an excuse but that died before it reached his lips. It had been embarrassing enough when he’d lost his bending briefly after joining them. Learning to dance in front of his newfound friends and especially her was on a completely different level.

All he could do was shake his head, looking terrified.

“Oh come on, it’ll be fun!” Sokka exclaimed. “We can have another dance, and this time you and Suki can be part of it!”

The rest of the group chorused their agreement. Zuko opened his mouth again to protest but knew he was outnumbered.

“Tell you what,” Aang said. “Let’s do it tonight after we get cleaned up and eat dinner! I mean it won’t have music, but we can make it work somehow.”

With a gust of wind Aang hopped to his feet and dashed off towards the house for a bath, humming an upbeat song.

Zuko stifled a groan, stood up, and followed his direction, glancing back at the group still sitting in the courtyard. They were excitedly making plans, and Sokka was trying to figure out how to repurpose things from the beach house into decorations.

Maybe he could mysteriously fall sick in the next half hour? Yeah, that’d get him out of it. Maybe she could even step away from the festivities at some point and come check on him, alone in his room...

Wait, where did that come from? Zuko thought to himself. You already blew your chance. She’s not interested in you.

Then his eyes met Katara’s briefly as she glanced up from the group discussion. Her blue eyes were shining in the gleams of the sunlight, and she discreetly winked at him.

Oh, for Agni’s sake.

He felt something turn over in his stomach and he resolved that even if he looked like a complete fool, even if the Avatar himself in all of his wrath reduced him to nothingness, he would find some way to dance with her.

~*~*~

Katara had been aware of Aang’s crush on her for some time now, long before his forced confession during that horrible play’s intermission.

At one point she might have even reciprocated his feelings, but ever since their kiss on the Day of Black Sun, she’d just been confused.

Technically, the one he’d stolen from her the day of the invasion was her second one with him if you included their briefest of kisses in the Cave of Two Lovers. Their first one in the cave had seemed right at the time, and the glowing crystals afterwards also helped set the mood.

Even their dance surrounded by his classmates had felt natural. She’d been shy about being the center of attention, but Aang smoothly reassured her to forget everyone else in the room, that he only had his eyes on her. So she had and literally let herself get swept off her feet. That also felt right.

But then right before the invasion, as she was bidding Aang goodbye and good luck, he swooped in and kissed her. It wasn’t malicious, of course, and she hadn’t felt angry. But while watching him glide away, all she kept replaying in her head was, that didn’t feel right. I should have felt fluttering but instead, I felt nothing.

When Aang had kissed her again at the play, she’d been outraged. She’d just told him she was confused, and he couldn’t even give her space? But she couldn’t find it in her heart to hold a grudge against him, and neither had brought it up since then.

Then later that night, she'd been even more confused when she realized while sitting around a beachside campfire that there was someone else she wanted to kiss. Her little crush had completely snuck up on her – one day she wanted to freeze him solid, then seemingly the next she found herself snuggling up next to his warmth.

She remembered how, after the humiliating loss and trudging to the Western Air Temple on foot, he just had to show up, smiling and waving like it was no big deal. She’d been tempted to slap him at Hello, Zuko here and in fact did so a few minutes later, albeit with a water whip.

But since then, things gradually changed between her and the prince.

The night after she finally forgave Zuko for his transgressions, she laid awake in her new bedroom at the beach house for hours replaying their hug. She thought about how warm his body naturally was, and how it comfortable it felt being in his arms, even for the briefest of moments.

It felt right.

She recalled Aunt Wu’s prediction that she would marry a powerful bender, and after hearing Sokka’s admiration watching Aang stop the volcano from destroying the village, she used to wonder if the Avatar might be the one for her.

But it’s not like he was the only powerful bender, right? Though he would certainly be the most powerful once he was fully trained, it’s not like the prediction gave her an absolute definition. There’s a difference between powerful and the most powerful.

Up until recently she’d wondered in the back of her mind if that meant Aang. Now she wondered if it meant someone else.

And then, Zuko had confused her even more when he'd mentioned something about destiny being fluid and reshaping your future. Maybe she wouldn't even end up marrying a bender after all. Maybe she'd die alone as an old maid instead. Maybe she'd die long before then.

She sighed, stirring the pot of soup which still had a few minutes left to go. It’s not like she had time to be figuring out who the love of her life was at this point, anyways, even if he showed up on her doorstep.

They still had an Avatar to finish training and a war to win, otherwise she wouldn’t have to worry about finding love because they’d all be dead... or worse.

A soft cough broke her from her thoughts, and she turned to see Zuko standing by the doorway, changed back into his regular clothes and hair still slightly damp from his post-firebending bath.

“Need any help?” he asked.

When she first met him a few years ago, she never would have pictured the high and mighty Fire Prince helping her, much less waiting tables in the lower ring of Ba Sing Se. He’d shared tales of working with his uncle in the tea shops, which always fascinated her.

How different would things have been if, instead of turning around and running straight to turn him in, she’d sat down and talked with Zuko instead. If she'd found out why he was there instead of landing them both imprisoned within the glowing catacombs.

“Katara? You still with me?” he asked, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Oh, right, sorry,” she chuckled. “I was just thinking about your tea shop stories, and how differently things would’ve turned out had I not tried to rat you out to the Earth King.”

Zuko, who had started preparing the tea, nodded his head.

“Back when I was Lee the tea server,” he said, quickly taking on a drawl not unlike that of Chong and his companions. “Or as those two drunk guys called me, ‘my boy Lee with the great cup of tea, man.’”

Katara laughed, noting how his eyes lit up again whenever she was happy.

That particular story was one of her favorites. Zuko and his uncle were in the process of opening the shop one morning when two men hungover from the previous night had been the first customers in line, desperate for anything to quell their pounding headaches.

They’d taken such a liking to Iroh and Zuko – make that Mushi and Lee – that by the time they’d left, they were literally singing their praises and kept calling Zuko “our boy, Lee.” 

“I just wonder how things could have been,” she said, getting bowls and spoons out and setting them on the countertop. “If I hadn’t been caught by your sister and her friends, neither of us would’ve wound up together in the catacombs.”

As she turned around, she just barely caught a flash of something in his facial expressions. Regret, maybe? Sadness?

“Yeah…” he said, shaking his head. “About that… I know I’ve apologized before, but I shouldn’t have listened to Azula and nearly gotten you and Aang killed. I still feel terrible-“

But she stepped forward and put her hand on his shoulder. Technically, Aang had died, but there was no point in correcting him on that particular detail right now.

“Zuko, hey. I forgive you,” she said softly. “I didn’t get it then, but I do now. She offered you a chance to go home. I would’ve been tempted too if it had been me.”

“Yeah, but-“

“Zuko, seriously. You may have been a royal jerkbender in the past, but I know you’ve changed. You’re actually not that bad. And I- I’m really glad you joined us.”

She hadn’t moved her hand from his shoulder yet, and he gave her a genuine smile, as warm as the afternoon sunshine.

The teapot whistled, but neither of them paid it any attention.

Golden eyes gazed down into blue ones. This was the closest they’d been since the night she'd snuggled up beside him at the campfire, if you didn't include the few hugs they'd shared as well.

Her stomach fluttered when she realized only a few inches separated them. It had been pure instinct, moving closer to him. Where did that come from?

Before she could speak, he surprised them both by pulling her in for a hug.

“I know,” he said in a low voice close to her ear, and she shivered slightly. “But I promise, I won’t ever make a mistake like that again.”

This feels nice, she thought, squeezing him gently. She pulled her head back to say something, but a knock on the door frame stopped her.

They whipped their heads around to find Suki, looking both surprised and pleased. They could also hear the sounds of the others not far behind her.

“Sorry to interrupt, just wanted to see if I could help set the table or speed things along,” she said in a tone of voice that sounded entirely too innocent.

Katara pulled away from Zuko quicker than he would have preferred.

“Oh sure, Suki!” she said, babbling away as she started handing her the bowls and everything else needed for dinner.

Zuko wordlessly picked up the tea pot and cups and walked into the dining room. He turned around for a second to see if Katara was also looking back. She was too busy chatting with Suki, who smiled and nodded at her friend’s fast-talking attempt to appear normal.

He sighed and walked out. Once he was gone, Suki elbowed her.

“So, what was that all about?” she whispered.

Katara’s face turned as red as her Fire Nation clothing.

“It… just… nothing, I don’t know!” she hissed. “We’re just friends, we had a friendship moment. Friends hug each other.”

Suki raised her eyebrow and shrugged.

“Okay, never mind,” she said, changing to more neutral topics like dancing and doing their makeup later that night.

~*~*~

After dinner, Suki pulled Toph aside.

“You were right, Toph, those two definitely have feelings for each other. You’re an evil genius for setting up this dance.”

The earthbender shrugged and grinned.

“What can I say? Their heartbeats go crazy whenever they’re around each other. It’s about time they admitted it. It’s driving my feet crazy.”

“But what are we going to do about Aang? I mean, he’s clearly got a crush on her too, and we don’t want him to blow up.”

“Leave Twinkletoes to me. I’ll keep him distracted.”

~*~*~

Katara was trying to stop her heart from pounding out of her chest.

She and Suki were applying makeup (they had already done Toph’s), and now her nerves were finally starting to get to her.

Of course, Toph noticed. Curse her superior earthbending senses.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. “It feels like you’re about to explode over there. What’s on your mind?”

Ugh. Katara did not want to get into it, so she just rolled her eyes.

“I’m perfectly fine, Toph,” she said with what she hoped was an air of indifference and resumed applying a rosy eyeshadow that contrasted nicely with her blue eyes.

Beside her, Suki rolled hers.

“Come on Katara, admit it,” she said. “We know you’re nervous about tonight. Is it about Aang?”

“Why would I be nervous about that?” Katara huffed.

She had already told Suki about their not-quite courtship and how everything had felt right up until Aang had kissed her the day of the invasion.

She’d even shared Aang’s confession and sudden kiss during the play’s intermission. When she explained how confused and upset she’d been, Suki had raised her eyebrows and looked like she wanted to say something but stopped herself at the last second.  

Finally, she'd told her friend about hanging out with Zuko by the campfire but excluded a few details - namely, their discussion about how and when Sokka might propose.

“Look, it doesn’t matter anyways, we’ve got more important things to worry about,” Katara said whilst applying mascara to her lashes.

That was a flimsy excuse considering their current activity, and the other two were nice enough not to call her out on it.

“Okay then,” Suki said, leaning closer. “Are you nervous about seeing Zuko?”

She didn’t even have time to come up with a lie because Toph whooped.

“I KNEW it!” the blind earthbender shouted.

All the blood seemed to rush to Katara’s face, and she heard a pounding in her ears. Too bad Toph couldn’t use those earthbending skills to sink herself down into the ground, Katara thought bitterly.

“Shh! Be quiet, they might hear you!” she hissed, frantically swatting at the younger girl’s shoulder.

Suki looked on, smirking.

“Notice she didn’t deny it.”

Katara scowled at both of them and put her hands on her hips.

“Okay, fine,” she said after a long pause. “Ever since he joined our side and helped me get closure on my mom’s death, I’ve realized we just seem to get each other perfectly. He understood what I was going through and didn’t judge me like Aang did. He accepts me for me, including all of the bad stuff.”

She took a deep breath.

“And he’s also a lot sweeter than he used to be, and yes, I admit I think he’s cute. So what? It’s not like anything is going to happen. We’re friends,” she finished, waving her hand at that last word. 

Suki gave her a sympathetic look.

“Oh, Katara,” Suki said, giving her a side hug. “It’s okay! We figured it out the day of the sun shower, and we think you two would be good together. You don’t need to be shy!”

Katara wanted to cover her face with her hands and cry, except that would smudge the makeup.

“Would it make you less embarrassed if I told you he feels the same way?” Toph asked in a softer tone than usual.

Her heart skipped a beat, which only proved Toph’s point. Ugh. She was going to kill them both if her heart didn’t give out first.

“Really?” she whispered hopefully.

Suki and Toph both nodded earnestly.

Katara forced herself to breathe through her nose and tried to make her heart to slow down.

“Why else do you think I wanted us to have this dance party?” Toph asked. "That way, everyone gets dressed up, has a fun time, and you two can dance and have a night of romance or whatever."

…Oh. That explained things. Katara nodded and pushed her palms towards the floor to calm herself.

“Okay,” she said, mostly to herself. “Let’s just finish getting ready, and we’ll see what happens.”

Suki pulled her in for another hug.

“He’s not going to know what hit him when you walk out tonight,” she said, giving Katara a squeeze. “Right Toph?”

Toph nodded.

“He's going to catch fire the moment he sees you,” she said cheekily.

Chapter Text

Zuko had to admit, the courtyard looked more amazing now than it had during the parties he remembered from his childhood.

Those had been stiff, formal affairs. Tonight, it looked happy and fun.

Sokka had gone all out, bringing down blankets, candles, and various other items for decor. Lanterns hung throughout and a few rested on the edge of the fountain, casting a soft shimmering glow.

Fireflies were emerging, twinkling off in the distance. A few even found their way over into the courtyard, softly blinking amongst the firelight. The stars too had finally come out, sparkling overhead like tiny rays of light across the deep, dark blue of the night sky.

It was without a doubt impressive in its own way… even if some of Sokka’s, erm, artwork, was a little questionable.

“So, what’s the theme supposed to be again?” Aang asked, pointing at what looked like a scribble of a cloud and people dancing on it.

“Yeah, I’m not sure what those drawings are supposed to be of,” Zuko agreed, absentmindedly reaching up to scratch Momo's ear as the lemur perched on his shoulder and chattered in confusion as well.

Sokka snorted.

“They’re supposed to be a bit abstract, duh," Sokka said with a flourish of his arms. "Tonight’s theme is heaven on earth!”

Zuko and Aang looked at each other and suppressed snickers. Sokka, meanwhile, continued explaining what each picture meant and how it represented his vision of an earthly paradise.

“Look, I know it’s not perfect, but I think the girls will really like it,” Sokka was saying. “I wanted it to look magical for Suki, and I’m sure Katara will be impressed, too. Toph won’t care, but I just wanted to do something nice, since we’ll have to buckle down in the next few weeks before Sozin’s Comet.”

Well, Zuko couldn’t exactly fault Sokka for that. His own drawing skills left a lot to be desired, and he did love seeing Katara smile.

He nervously smoothed down the front of his tunic and tried to pay attention to the current conversation between Sokka and Aang. They had discovered party clothes and dresses in storage earlier that week, and after dinner the girls immediately whisked themselves away to get ready, giggling all the while.

The three boys all wore dress tunics and pants, although none of their outfits fit exactly right. They’d managed to make it work, though, and all things considered, Zuko thought they looked fairly dashing.

He hadn’t gotten a good look at what Katara picked out, and he couldn’t wait to see what she would be wearing. At least his hair, while a bit on the shaggy side, looked infinitely better than that awful combover his uncle styled on him that one time.

The lantern’s light reflecting on the fountain water had reminded him of that date with Jin in Ba Sing Se, and he hoped she was okay. Even if he hadn’t reciprocated her feelings and run off immediately after their kiss, she’d been sweet to him and he had worried about her during the invasion.

So many past mistakes. He was trying his best to atone, but sometimes he thought he'd never catch up.

He was brought back to the present with a soft “ahem” and turned around with Aang and Sokka to see the girls make their debut.

~*~*~

The memory of Katara laughing and bending rain in the sun shower from several days ago was burned into his mind as one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen in his life.

Looking at her now, though, Zuko realized he might have been wrong before. His breath caught in his throat, and his heart pounded so loudly he heard it hammering in his ears as the world around them disappeared until it was just him and her.

He was vaguely aware that Momo got distracted by a nearby firefly and had leapt from his shoulder to pursue it. He was also vaguely aware that Suki and Toph were standing on the steps beside her, also dressed up in summertime Fire Nation splendor.

But he couldn’t take his eyes off of Katara.

She had rolled her long, brown hair into a bun at the nape of her neck, and a few loose curls draped delicately over her bare shoulders. Her cropped wine-colored top had intricate golden embroidery on the neckline, which was a bit more lowcut than what she normally wore, and the matching skirt skimmed a little past her knees. Short, gauzy sleeves also hung low on her shoulders, which highlighted her figure nicely, he thought.

Completing the look was a hint of makeup and her beloved blue betrothal necklace that had belonged to her mother. Without it, she could have passed for any random noblewoman, but with it, she was the Katara he knew and maybe even loved, just a bit.

The girls giggled amongst themselves, and as they made their way into the courtyard, her eyes met his. She was blushing, but it was while looking at him. Odd. He looked nicer than usual, sure, but he was nothing compared to her.

He was as insignificant as a tiny candle floating in the middle of an endless blue ocean. She could easily capsize and snuff out his flames with just a wave, and he would be content sinking into the sapphire depths.

He was pulled out of his silent reverie when he realized that she was standing in front of him.

“So… how do I look? Think I could pass for a proper Fire Nation lady?” she asked with a slight tease in her voice, spinning around to model her outfit.

Zuko noticed once she was up close that the golden embroidery pattern was of many small phoenixes and a few fire lilies were tucked back into her bun.

He suddenly found it hard to speak.

“You look beautiful,” he managed in a deeper, raspier voice than normal.

“And look at you! I love that tunic…” she exclaimed, oohing and ahhing over his outfit, which he barely heard due to suddenly feeling lightheaded. Well, he definitely felt like he was in heaven, or some variation of it. He quickly forced himself to come back down to earth, drinking in the sight of her once again.

As she talked over him, he decided that if they actually made it out of this summer alive, he was going to buy her the biggest house he could afford with a garden of blooming flowers somewhere near the ocean. He didn’t even have to be in the picture, he decided, as long as she was happy and comfortable. It was nothing less than she deserved, even if she decided that she preferred Aang and lived with him instead.

Aang. He’d completely forgotten the Avatar (along with everyone else, to be fair) when he first saw Katara emerge. He glanced over at his friend and pupil, who was doing his best to surreptitiously watch them with a slight frown on his face.

~*~*~

Toph, for some merciful reason, had waltzed directly up to Aang when the girls made their debut and kept him busy in conversation long enough for his interaction with Katara. For that, Zuko thanked all of the spirits and vowed that Toph could call him whatever ridiculous nickname she wanted to from now on.  

Zuko turned back to Katara, who had finally stopped talking and had settled for looking up at him with a grin that outshone the brightest flames. He smiled back down at her and delicately brought her hand up to kiss it.

“You do look amazing,” he said with a bit more confidence this time and squeezed her hand gently.

She blushed again and was about to respond when Aang finally slipped away from Toph and came crashing into their private heaven.

“Wow, Katara! You look stunning!” the young airbender said, wrapping her into a hug and frowning slightly at Zuko from over her shoulder.

“Aang! You look so great,” she responded, looking slightly disappointed but smiling back at Zuko as if to say sorry, we’ll catch up later.

As the two broke their embrace and talked excitedly, Zuko was suddenly reminded again of when his uncle and Aang came to their rescue in the crystal catacombs nearly a year ago. He especially remembered Aang’s glare to him back then as he hugged Katara, almost as if he were warning the older boy to back off.

At the time, Zuko had just been annoyed and returned his scowl. Now, he had to mentally talk himself down from self-immolation.

“Sifu Hotman! Looking good – or at least I assume,” Toph said loudly, pulling him away from the pair and snapping her fingers to get Suki's attention, who had been talking to Sokka. “Let’s go talk about dancing.”

Suki quickly excused herself and, to Zuko’s relief, directed Sokka towards his sister and Aang. Good, at least he won’t be able to try anything.

~*~*~

The two girls pulled him to a corner of the courtyard.

“What are you doing?” he asked, more than a little exasperated.

Suki rolled her eyes as she and Toph started speaking in hushed tones.

“Look, Zuko, we know about your crush on Katara…”

“And we totally approve! Especially since you’ve turned over a new leaf and become a good guy…”

“We just want what’s best for our friend, and we know that she likes you too…”

“So if you don’t tell her how you feel we’re going to lock you both up in a room the rest of the night or earthbend you both into a cave until you admit your feelings for each other.”

All of the blood coursing through his body had gone to his head now. He wanted to breathe flames and storm off, wanted to deny it, but he found he couldn’t speak. Again.

Though come to think of it, being locked up alone with Katara in a room or even a dark cave sounded incredibly tempting… Oh.

The two girls were waiting impatiently for an answer.

He nervously cleared his throat.

“You really mean it?” he croaked out. “She likes me?”

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

So much for being smooth. Of all the dopey and ridiculous lovestruck things he could have said. He wanted to slap his hand on his forehead, but apparently his words impressed Suki and Toph, who both smiled.

“Oh, come on, it’s obvious Zuko,” Suki said gently, patting his shoulder.

“Ever since you guys returned from your life-altering field trip and especially after the day of the sun shower, both of your heartbeats have been pounding whenever you’re around each other,” Toph added. “It’s getting obnoxious, really. I’m usually not one to play matchmaker, but if this keeps up I’m going to go crazy.”

He swallowed thickly. He was found out, and they could tell if he was lying. Might as well come clean.

“You’re right," he finally admitted aloud, albeit in barely a whisper. "I do care for her.”

The two smirked victoriously.

"Can I ask you something, though?" he said in a low voice. "It's pretty obvious Aang likes her too. Why are you helping me and not him?"

Suki glanced back at Katara standing and laughing with Sokka and Aang.

"Because I've talked with her about this," she explained. "At one point she had feelings for him as well, but she's realized she doesn't anymore. I don't know if it's because you joined us or something else, but the fact of the matter is this. When we were getting ready earlier, I asked if she was looking forward to seeing Aang tonight, and she was mostly indifferent. Then I asked her if she was excited about seeing you, and what did she do, Toph?"

"Her heart raced almost as fast as yours did a few minutes ago and that time when you stood with her out in the sun shower," she replied.

Suki nodded and turned back to Zuko, whose face had lit up after learning that bit of information.

"That's why we're helping you," she said. "If Katara reciprocated Aang's feelings, it would be one thing. But clearly, she likes you as much as you like her, so we're here to help you both out. Remember what you said the other night? You just need a single spark to light the fuse, and that's what we're doing. Sometimes it takes a while for it to catch, but when it does..."

His heart was still pounding, albeit a bit less harder now.

"Thanks, I guess?" he said, feeling a bit light-headed. “But what about Aang? I don’t want to destroy our friendship, especially when the literal fate of the world is riding on it.”

The girls nodded.

“It's okay, we’ve got a plan for that too.”

“Suki will distract Snoozles if need be, and I’ll keep Twinkletoes’ attention elsewhere.”

“All you have to do is dance with our friend and show her a fun time.”

“But most importantly…”

“Tell her how you feel!” they hissed in unison.

Right. Tilting his head back, Zuko breathed wisps of steam out into the night air to calm his nerves and noticed a halo had formed around the moon above.

Despite the turmoil he felt inside, its beauty caught his eye, and he tilted his head. He had seen rings of sunlight countless times before, but never had he ever seen their lunar counterpart. He hadn't even noticed the moon rise earlier, and he wondered if Katara had seen it yet.

Speaking of...

All he had to do tonight was figure out how to dance, admit his crush to the beautiful girl he’d fallen for and somehow avoid incurring the Avatar’s wrath. Doing just one of those things alone would most certainly be enough to kill him, and he somehow had to pull off all of them within the next few hours.

This was going to be easy.

Not.

~*~*~

Fortunately, the first item on his agenda turned out to be less difficult than he'd anticipated.

Learning the Fire Nation dances from Aang was nowhere near as bad as he expected it to be, despite no music to keep the beat. Zuko was pleased to discover that the movements almost came naturally and vaguely reminded him of firebending, even if he did mess up more often than not.

Thankfully, no one laughed whenever he tripped up, and Katara kept sending him smiles of reassurance, which calmed his nerves somewhat.

They eventually moved on to teaching him other dances from the rest of the nations and even freestyling, sometimes combining elements of all four into one.

Aang had insisted on dancing with Katara when they moved to the couples' dances, which Zuko supposed he had to allow, leaving him partnered up with Toph.

“Don’t worry, Lover Boy,” she whispered as he groaned and rolled his eyes at his new nickname. “I’ve let him have several dances with her to get it out of his system, but I’ll make sure you get the rest, especially the last one.”

A few minutes later, he accidentally stepped on Toph’s foot, which was odd considering her ability to sense movement. He also could’ve sworn that she deliberately moved it to be in exactly the wrong place at the right time.

“Oh, sorry,” Zuko mumbled sheepishly.

To his amazement, Toph winked.

“Follow my lead,” she whispered.

“Ouch!” she cried out, louder this time and drawing attention to the two of them. “You stepped on my foot!”

What was she playing at? Ugh. He bit back the urge to yell at her about how if she just used her earthbending skills like the master she claimed herself to be, it wouldn’t have happened.

“Twinkletoes! Let’s swap. Zuko’s too tall a partner for me anyways, and at least you won’t squash my feet,” she announced.

… Ohh. That little evil genius.

Aang tried to protest, but Katara nodded, her lips turning up with the faintest trace of a smile.

“You’re right, that might work better,” she said. “Want me to look at your foot. Toph?”

“Nah, I’ll be okay. Come here, Twinkletoes.”

Aang dejectedly moved into position with Toph for the next dance, although a few minutes later they were both laughing at some inside joke.

Good. That left Zuko free to focus his full attention on the girl in his arms.

Chapter Text

Katara had expected Zuko to be a decent dancer based on his firebending abilities, but she had to admit she was surprised by just how quickly he learned and how well he moved, all things considered.

He still seemed unsure and made mistakes, bumping into her from time to time, but those slip-ups were far less than she’d anticipated.

“You know what’s odd…” she said softly as Zuko finally nailed spinning her out and twirling her back to him. “I’m pretty sure I saw Toph move her foot to land under yours a few minutes ago.”

Zuko, who had been smiling ever since their dance started despite his inexperience, just shrugged as he caught her hand and resumed swaying them around.

“Weird, isn’t it?" he said nonchalantly. "Maybe if she was a better earthbender, she wouldn't have been so sloppy..."

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) for him, Toph heard that quip and bent a small part of a tile under his foot, nudging him forward and causing him to bump flush up against Katara.

She gasped softly as his hips connected with hers.

“S-Sorry,” he stammered, blushing furiously and resisting the urge to glare over at Toph, since it would be wasted.

Either he was going to kill that brat or name his firstborn daughter after her, once (Agni-willing) he married Katara and gave her a beachside house and had many, many beautiful children together.

But first things first.

He stepped back slightly, just enough to give Katara more space while still remaining closer to her than before.

She didn’t seem to mind, though, and instead pressed her body back up against his. 

~*~*~

Score one for the Water Tribe, she thought smugly to herself. It was faint, but she heard the firebender gulp when she sidled up next to him.

Katara glanced up at the moon, and Zuko's eyes lingered on the soft curve of her neck before they followed hers upward.

"It's beautiful, isn't it," she almost whispered. 

He nodded, feeling a small lump in his throat.

"I've never seen a halo around the moon before," he said, looking back down at her. "I've seen them around the sun all of my life, obviously, but not like this. Wonder what it means?"

She grinned at him. Not long ago he'd taught her about sun showers; now it was her turn.

"It has a few different names, but I've always liked calling them winter halos or moon rings," she explained. "It's when moonlight passes through water crystals in the sky to form a halo. I used to see them all of the time in the South where the air is colder, but I haven't seen one so far north before."

He tilted his head quizzically.

"But it doesn't look like there's much water up there, much less ice crystals," he said. "How can that happen?"

She shrugged.

"It makes as much sense as sunshine during the rain, doesn't it?" she smiled. "Even though the climate is warm here, there's still water everywhere - the ground, the plants, even in the cloudless skies. There's not as much as in a sun shower or a thunderstorm, obviously, but it's still there. You just have to look for it."

His eyes had crinkled up in a smile while she spoke, drinking in every word. He loved hearing her talk about her element, the way her features became animated and her eyes sparkled in happiness.

She caught him watching her, and her giddiness dulled for a moment.

"Sorry, I'm probably boring you."

"Oh, no, I liked it!" he insisted. "It's nice hearing you talk, especially when it's something you're passionate about. It's kind of cute."

She paused their dance and smirked up at him.

"You think I'm cute?" she teased, hoping for another appearance by Flustered Zuko.

She wasn't disappointed. His eyes widened and his cheeks burned.

"I.. um... I meant the way you talk is cute, that's all," he stammered.

She nudged him playfully.

"So you're saying I'm hideous?"

"No!" he said a bit more forcefully than he'd meant to, sighing and tilting his head back to focus on the lunar halo above them.

Anything to distract him from the beautiful girl currently pressed up against him, who he'd probably offended.

Oh, he’s so hopelessly awkward, she thought to herself, and that was proving to be dangerous for her.

To his surprise, she squeezed his arm and nudged them to resume dancing.

"You may be as awkward as a baby turtleduck trying to walk, Zuko," she said kindly after a moment, "but that's because turtleducks aren't meant to do that, at least not all of the time. They belong in the water and once they're swimming around, they're actually quite graceful. You just need to figure out where you feel most comfortable, and then you can swim happily."

"Spoken like a true waterbender," he said, grinning and bobbing his head. "But I guess you're right."

He didn't add that he'd felt more like himself since they'd started accepting him as one of their group, especially once she'd finally forgiven him.

They continued spinning and swaying in comfortable silence for a few minutes. Then, she decided to be brave and voice her thoughts.  

“For such a powerful bender, you also make a pretty good dancer,” she said softly. 

She didn’t see Aang whip his head around at her comment or the crestfallen expression on his face. She was too distracted by her partner leading her around on the tiles with steadily growing confidence.

Zuko smiled down at her, understanding what she was referencing, and shrugged.

“Azula may have gotten all of the firebending talent, but I was bound to be good at something,” he agreed.

He remembered his talk with Katara beside the campfire from several nights ago, when they’d spoken about betrothals and destinies and even love.

She didn’t seem opposed to marrying someone from outside of the Water Tribe. In fact, she'd even snuggled up against him and practically said outright she saw herself with a firebender.

That could bode well for him, he mused. Things finally looked like they were starting to go his way. All he had to do was not screw things up like he always did, somehow.

~*~*~

They continued dancing in almost-perfect harmony, as if they’d always been destined to move together.

He discovered he preferred the more spirited numbers, since it gave him the chance to spin her around so fast that she squealed. Each time he lifted her up, she saw both the stars overhead and some in front of her eyes.

Katara was just lightheaded enough to feel like she was floating on a cloud but grounded enough that she was still aware of everything going on.

She’d never been drunk before, but maybe this is what it felt like.

Maybe this is the heaven on earth that Sokka’s theme was going for, she thought breathlessly.

At one point she saw her brother glance towards her and Zuko with a raised eyebrow, but Suki managed to divert his attention almost immediately.

Aang also frowned back at them occasionally, until Toph thumped his shoulder each time, whispered something in his ear, and turned him around to face the opposite direction.

~*~*~

This night had not been going as Aang had planned. It had started off so well, with the dancing and laughter and Katara in his arms. It was almost as romantic as their duet in the cave, and while that night didn’t end in a kiss, he hoped this one would.

And it might have, except Zuko just had to stomp on Toph’s foot (was he so bad at dancing that even an earthbending master couldn’t dodge? Something seemed weird about that whole incident.)

Then he’d been paired off with Toph, which he wouldn’t have minded so much if it hadn’t taken Katara right out of his arms and straight into Zuko’s.

They’d had a rocky start, but Aang really did enjoy his friendship with the prince. Along with Sokka, it was almost like having a second older brother around, and the three  constantly found themselves having fun and behaving like siblings when they weren't busy training.

But he was no fool, and he’d seen Zuko’s furtive glances at Katara that no one else seemed to notice, especially since the day of the sun shower.

His Katara. The monks had warned him against jealousy, and he knew that letting the envy fester would only cause him to explode at some point.

Which at this rate would happen sooner rather than later.

Toph seemed determined to distract him from the pair, occasionally thumping his head and whispering jokes in his ear, but he couldn’t help noticing just how close those two danced together, how they laughed and just stared into the other’s eyes at times.

If his chakra hadn’t been blocked, he wondered if he would have gone full Avatar State by now.

At one point, Aang got Sokka’s attention and tilted his head towards the two. Sokka had been so distracted and caught up in dancing with Suki that he’d entirely missed the partner exchange.

Sokka raised his eyebrow at the pair, but Suki managed to pull his attention away as if on cue and whispered something to him. The next time he got Sokka’s attention, all Aang received was a shrug of indifference as if to say, eh, I’ll allow it.

Between Toph and Suki’s behavior, he was starting to wonder if the two had set this whole thing up. Then he saw Toph discreetly earthbend a tile, forcing Zuko to bump up into Katara, and all doubts vanished.

“What are you doing, Toph?” he hissed under his breath.

His partner maintained a look of innocence.

“I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about, Twinkletoes,” she said demurely.

He glared at her, slightly disappointed she couldn’t see, and turned his head a bit later just in time to hear Katara praise Zuko for being not only a good dancer, but also a powerful bender.

Oh, no. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

No one else knew that he’d snuck off during their visit to the fortuneteller and overheard Aunt Wu’s prediction that Katara would wed a powerful bender.

Well, since he was eventually going to be the most powerful bender of their time, being the Avatar and all, Aang gleefully assumed that all signs pointed to him.

Now he was starting to doubt himself, and it was like the daydreams he built up in his mind were crashing down.

Toph must have sensed his spirits drooping and surprised him by pulling into a hug.

“What’s that for? Who are you and what have you done with my earthbending teacher?” he asked, eyebrows raised.

She sighed.

“Oh, Twinkletoes. There’s something I need to talk to you about. Will you please come with me?”

He was taken aback. This wasn’t like Toph at all. It was enough to briefly distract him from the problem of Zuko dancing with his forever girl.

Well, if Toph had something on her mind, maybe trying to help her sort it out would help clear his own head, too. Then he could come back outside and steal another dance with Katara.

He looked back sadly at the pair before following Toph back to the beach house. 

~*~*~

Zuko hadn’t seen them leave. He was blind to everything except for Katara.

He didn’t care that Aang and her older brother were probably going to break every bone in his body as painfully as possible. 

It was hard to care about anything else except for the soft, warm girl in his arms, laughing and clinging to him as if he’d be swept away by the riptides if she let go.

Let them all come. Let heaven, hell, and the whole world try to tear them apart. He’d die before he’d let that happen. As long as he had Katara by his side, he was invincible.  

~*~*~

Eventually, Katara and Zuko found themselves in one of the darker corners of the courtyard. At one point, she dared to rest her head on his shoulder during a slower dance and left it there.

She didn’t care what anyone else thought. This felt like home.

He also seemed content, gently swaying her around and keeping one hand comfortably around her waist and the other cradling her own. His face was pressed up next to her hair, as if he were trying to breathe all of her in.

A few years ago, if you’d told Katara she’d be slow dancing with the Fire Nation prince, not to mention falling for him, she’d have frozen you solid in a block of ice and sent you to the bottom of the South Pole ocean.

That was a lifetime ago, before she and Sokka had even discovered Aang in the iceberg. Before the aforementioned temperamental, banished prince hellbent on redemption would come crashing into her village and she’d left the only home she’d ever known to help the Avatar save the world.

Before pirates and glowing green crystal catacombs and entirely too-short embraces on a boardwalk bathed in golden sunset.

And before the boy whose raging fires she once feared would burn her now warmed her skin like the rays of the afternoon sunshine instead.

Water is the element of change, and funny how things change, indeed. 

She glanced up and watched the stars glowing brilliantly in the blue-black night. Slow dancing with the Fire Prince in the courtyard of his family's beach house, under a luminous moon and its halo, and perhaps even falling in love.

It felt right. 

Maybe it was the moon or the sensation of melting into his warm arms, but she was suddenly emboldened.

“Zuko,” she whispered, and he turned his face towards hers.

Her eyes shimmered like the lanterns’ reflection in the nearby water fountain.

“Want to get out of here?”

~*~*~

Earlier in the night, he would have blushed furiously. She probably would have turned scarlet too.

But now, after dancing with the girl of his dreams in his arms for most of the evening, he felt especially brave.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked softly, feeling his heart fluttering.

Katara pondered this for a second. She was tempted to lead them towards her bedroom or even his, but then that would drastically increase the chances of them getting caught.

Suddenly, it came to her.

"The beach?" she asked, and her stomach flipped over when he grinned and nodded.

Zuko glanced up to take stock of their companions to see if an exit would cause a scene. He didn’t see Aang or Toph and briefly wondered when they had slipped away.

Suki and Sokka continued slow dancing together, mirroring their own closeness. Luckily Sokka’s back was turned to them, so that made things a bit easier. 

Then his eyes landed on a thin blanket nearby that Sokka had laid out for decoration. 

Perfect.

Zuko quietly grabbed it and took Katara’s hand in his.

“Let’s go,” he whispered, leading her away through the trees and down the pathway towards the beach.

~*~*~

Aang had been wrong earlier. Now he was definitely about to go into the Avatar State, blocked chakra or not.

He had followed Toph into the kitchen for a drink of water and sat down as she’d instructed. She’d made some small talk, which he found himself nodding along to impatiently. Was she stalling?

Finally, the girl paused for a minute as if to gather her thoughts, then spoke.

“Aang, listen. I’m aware of how you feel about Katara and your history together. We all are, actually. But just because you have feelings for her doesn’t mean she has to return them.”

He’d been too shocked at first by her using his actual name instead of a nickname. When he realized what she’d said, though, his eyes narrowed.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Where did all this come from?” he demanded, standing up angrily.

She sighed.

“Look, I get it. It’s not fun having unrequited feelings, but if the other party isn’t a hundred percent on board, you shouldn’t force it,” she said.

Aang fumed.

“Is that why you’ve been interfering with me tonight? Cutting me off after you guys made your big entrance and stopping me when I tried to go up to her?”

Toph held up her hands.

“I’m just saying…” she started.

“No,” he growled. “It was none of your business to begin with. You’ve ruined this evening. I had it all planned out. Now they’re out there together doing who-knows-what and I’m going to lose her.”

He knew he was being difficult, but Katara had been the one constant in his life since he’d been unfrozen.

He’d already lost his culture, his people, a century of his lifetime, and was shaping up to be the most useless Avatar ever. Was it so selfish of him to want to hold on to her?

She huffed and crossed her arms, blocking him from leaving.

“You’ve given me no choice, Twinkletoes,” she said. “I’m not one for mushy feelings, and I’m ready for this whole thing to get settled. So I’m going to tell you something that I haven’t told anyone else and don’t you dare repeat it.”

Toph sighed loudly.

“I… kind of have a crush on Sokka. I know he’s with Suki, and I really like her a lot. I’m also really glad that they’re together, because they’re good for each other. But that doesn’t mean I sometimes wish he could be with me instead.”

Aang raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“Wait, wha—” he started but Toph cut him off.

“Nuh-uh, let me finish. I know he’s happy and I was never even a consideration, and it’s not like I have a say in who he dates. But I’ll make you a deal, Twinkletoes.”

Toph held out her hand.

“I’ll help you cope if you help me cope. We can hold each other accountable. If I catch you slipping, I’ll bring you back, and I’ll let you do the same for me. Sound fair?”

Aang sighed. He didn’t want to go along with it, but she made a fair point. If she could put aside her feelings to be friends with her crush and his girlfriend, then maybe he could at least respect Katara dancing with Zuko, at least enough to not kill his firebending teacher.

He took her hand and shook it weakly. “Deal.”

“Good,” she said. “Just remember I can tell when you’re lying, so don’t try to pull anything over on me. Now, let’s go back out there and dance some more.”

He sighed.

“Thanks, Toph, but I’m not really feeling up to it anymore.”

Toph grabbed his hand, however, and pulled him towards the door.

“You can sulk in your room later tonight, Twinkletoes,” she said. “But now, we’re going to go back to that courtyard and dance with our friends and laugh like everything’s okay. This night hasn’t been easy for me either, but you and I are going to figure out how to work through it.”

~*~*~

Once they reached the edge of the sand, Zuko and Katara kicked off their shoes and ran towards the surf, stars twinkling overhead.

Zuko reached the waves first. He turned around to see what was keeping her and smirked.

Party dresses and pretty skirts are made for gliding across dance floors, not for traipsing through sand. Katara had hitched it up on both sides a bit and was now delicately walking towards him.

“Shut up,” she said, but she was laughing. “It would be so much easier if I wasn’t wearing this skirt.”

If only… he thought dreamily.

She finally caught up to him standing near the edge of the waves and smoothed down her skirt.

The lights from the beach house twinkled as far off in the distance as the stars themselves, and he felt brave again. He'd already blown several chances, and he wasn't about to let another slip away.

“Sorry for laughing,” Zuko said, dropping the blanket in the sand and moving closer to her. “But I meant what I said earlier, you look like a dream come to life.”

Oh, that was too much, and he half expected her to roll her eyes. That’s what Mai would’ve done and told him to stop being ridiculous.

Instead, Katara smiled and stood up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. He held his breath. 

She lowered herself back down and held his hands.

“You’re not that bad looking yourself,” she said, squeezing them. “You’re so dashing, Sifu Hotman.”

He threw his head back and groaned loudly, letting go of her hands.

“You’ve ruined the moment. I’m going back to the party.”

He turned dramatically as if to leave.

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his waist, gently squeezing him in a hug from behind.

“No, no,” she chuckled. “Please stay. You’re just so cute when you’re flustered. Stay with me, Zuko.”

Weeks from now, he’d hear those same words from her as she choked back tears, calling him away from the brink of death as lightning scalded his veins and burned him up from the inside. Stay with me, Zuko. Please stay…

But now, in the present, her pleading only strengthened his resolve.

He turned back around and wrapped his arms around her, returning the embrace. He breathed in the scent of her hair, which now smelled like fire lilies and salty oceans.

“I’ll stay as long as you want me to,” he whispered.

She grinned up at him, and he knew the time was right.

Here goes nothing, he thought.

He carefully traced the side of her face with his calloused fingers and tilted his head down, slowly enough to give her an out if she changed her mind, which would completely break him if she did.

Please, Katara, he thought suddenly and desperately. Please stay with me.

To his relief, she met him halfway and met his lips in a kiss.

Chapter Text

This kiss was different from her previous ones, she thought lazily as the prince held her in his arms and she inched herself just a bit closer.

She'd certainly felt fluttering when she kissed Jet, as well as that first time with Aang. The former had dominated and taken the lead every time, and she'd gasped in lovestruck admiration like the silly girl she'd been. The latter had been a soft, almost chaste kiss... and well, she preferred not to think of her last two with him.

Kissing Zuko, though, reminded her more of the rolling ocean than fire. The passion was there, but instead of consuming her like an inferno, he kissed her with the rhythm of the waves. Back and forth, pull and push, Yin and Yang. 

Great poets and published authors would probably describe it better than she ever could, but for now, it was more than enough just being pressed up against his warm body and his lips upon hers.

Her curls had long since tumbled out of the bun, knocking petals from the fire lilies loose into a broken halo around them. She didn’t notice, as she was too distracted by his hands tangled up in her hair. 

The stars seemed to dance overhead, and she felt like she was floating in the sky. What was it he said that one time about them rising with their respective celestial bodies? How she rose with the moon, and he with the sun?

Well, then. If she could be his moon, he would be her sun. The two may not have encountered each other often in the heavens, but those glorious times they did come together… oh.

Oh. That was new.

She found herself gasping his name as his lips moved down to her neck. He paused, looking as if he’d been caught doing something wrong. 

“Am I going too fast? I don’t want to push—” he stammered before she pressed her finger to his lips.

“No, you’re perfect,” she whispered, kissing him again. “It might be more comfortable if we were both lying down, though.”

He smiled softly at her, and she saw something flash in his eyes that sent the slightest shiver down her spine.

“I agree.”

~*~*~

Katara had completely lost track of time. Based on the position of the stars in the sky, it might even be early morning. It didn’t matter. All that she cared about was being held by Zuko and kissing him. 

After they'd smoothed out the blanket against the sand, she found herself being laid back on it. Zuko used his arm to cradle her head as he leaned over her, kissing her deeply and breaking away only to carefully plant soft kisses all over her neck every so often.

Sensing her nervousness and recalling their conversation from before about her general inexperience in this area, he only partially covered her body with his.

"You're in charge," he murmured between kisses, tracing the side of her face with his fingertips. "You set the pace, Katara. Whatever you want to do, I'll do."

She nodded in appreciation and wrapped her arms around his neck as his lips captured hers over and over.

His hair kept falling into his eyes, and she found herself brushing it back, relishing the way the soft black locks felt in between her fingers. She also discovered that the back of his head was particularly sensitive, and his eyes closed happily each time her hand tangled in the hair there.

Eventually he rolled onto his back and it was her turn to lean over him, running her fingers through his hair once more. She planted kisses on his chin and neck and noted with amusement each time she did, he closed his eyes and inhaled sharply as if to steady himself.

As she kissed him, she felt herself becoming bolder. Her hands roamed over his chest and shoulders, and she playfully pinned his wrists down beside his head at times, to which he just chuckled and looked up at her in amusement.

But it wasn't enough. She needed more.

Perhaps it was the moon’s influence overhead or some other force outside of her control, but she found herself straddling him. She should have been mortified, but oh, it just felt so right.

His hands roamed up and down her sides in adoration before he sat up and met her lips again in a kiss. His arms draped around her back, and despite the warmth radiating from him, she found herself shivering slightly as she found herself inching closer to him.

Her hands found their way back up to his hair as they kissed and grasped a handful of locks on the back of his head again, tugging slightly. He growled, and for a second she thought she'd crossed a line until he smiled up at her and kissed her a bit more feverishly.

This feels right, she thought, and she suddenly felt a desperate, overwhelming need to get even closer to him.

Katara held a finger to his lips to pause him, then sat back and slipped her skirt off. She was still wearing her top and the lower bindings she’d specifically dyed red for her Fire Nation clothes, so it’s not as if she were naked.

But the way his eyes widened and his jaw went slack, and how he gazed at her with complete reverence made her feel like she might as well have been.

He removed his tunic and undershirt, stripping down to just his pants to even things up, and she was grateful that it allowed them to be even closer.

This time, his breath hitched when she settled comfortably in his lap. Only a few thin layers of clothing separated them now, and he closed his eyes for a moment to steady himself.

She trailed kisses along his bare chest, lightly tracing circles on his shoulders and upper back with the tips of her nails.

Zuko hadn’t been stationary, either. With a nod of approval from her, his hands gently mapped out every inch of her exposed skin, kissing and nipping lightly on her neck and shoulders.

As his hands and mouth explored every curve of her delicate skin, she arched her back and looked up to the night sky full of stars, whimpering softly.

It was both too much for her and still not enough. She needed more, and she was scared of what would happen if she received it.

No one had ever looked at her that way. Not Jet, not even Aang. The former had eyed her as a hunter did when it was about to catch its prey. The latter looked at her as if she were a statue on a pedestal, not to be touched unless he chose to do so.

Zuko gazed up at her as if she were a goddess, worshiping her curves with his mouth and hands and moaning her name like a prayer over and over as she continued to rock her hips against his.

~*~*~

He had never been particularly religious, but Zuko could have spent the rest of his life content in praising her. She was absolutely stunning, bathed in the moonlight as the waves crashed nearby and stars danced overhead.

Together they had created their own private heaven on earth, and he wanted to stay here with her forever.

He leaned back against the blanket and pulled her down with him for another long kiss, feeling himself drowning beneath her body. She wiggled her hips slightly against a very sensitive part of him teasingly, and he tilted his head backwards to breathe steam into the night air.

She just giggled and continued teasing him, and he was absolutely enraptured by it.

Zuko had been in deep water before, and he’d known the brief panic of feeling completely weightless with nothing solid to stand on.

He knew of the burning in his lungs when the surface was too far away, of the lightheadedness and fleeting thought that maybe, staying underwater forever wouldn’t be such a bad fate, and finally, of that sweet, sweet gulp of air once he broke through the waves.

Kissing Katara was like that, he thought lazily as the ocean behind them beat harder against the shore. 

She's going to drown me, he managed to think between moans, and I'm going to enjoy every exhilarating second of it.

“Katara,” he finally said as her lips nipped lightly at his neck. “Do you want to go further?”

That seemed to snap her out of her trance, and she stopped. She sat back on his lap to look at him as the waves settled back to calmer swells.

For the first time since the evening had started, he saw a flash of fear in her eyes.

“Zuko, I…” she whispered uncertainly. 

Then she hung her head, suddenly shy.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he reassured her softly, sitting up.

He hugged her and delicately planted kisses along her collarbone.

“I love you, and I want you to be happy. We can stop whenever you feel uncomfortable.”

It didn’t dawn on him until a few seconds later why she looked at him the way she did.

“Wait, what?” she whispered, awed. “Did you just say you love me?”

She looked off to the side, suddenly unable to look him in the eyes.

"Um... no? I mean..." he stuttered.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

They hadn’t technically gotten that far yet; they’d been too busy creating their own little paradise. Now he had escalated things too fast and probably scared her off.

At least she was still settled comfortably in his lap, he realized.

He shook his head, feeling like he was about to ruin everything like he always seemed to do.

Zuko should have known it was just a matter of time before it all fell apart.

He could have lied again, blamed it on the moonlight or hormones, said he’d gotten carried away, but then he found he didn’t want to when she looked back at him.

Something in her eyes made him want to be honest, even if it hurt him.

His heart pounding, he instead decided to bare it all and dive headfirst into the deep waters.

“Katara,” he said breathlessly, “I do. I've cared about you for some time now... and I think I might just love you.”

~*~*~

She felt like a jolt of lightning had coursed through her veins. It was almost everything she hoped she would hear and everything she’d been afraid of.

But as she caught her breath, she didn’t take her eyes off his.

He looked as terrified as she felt, though he was better at disguising it. He swallowed, his white throat bobbing and gleaming in the moonlight.

Uncertain, she shifted as if to move away from him, and she saw a look of desperation flash in his eyes. 

“Katara,” he rasped out. “I’m so sorry. Forget it. I shouldn’t have said that and put you on the spot. It’s…”

"But you did say it," she said quietly. "I can't just forget something like that."

She could practically feel his heart beating out of his chest now, under the full moonlight. It pounded even more desperately than hers.

He paused, closing his eyes briefly as if to gather strength.

“It’s okay if you don’t feel the same or don’t want go any further. I just… I…” he trailed off softly.

She’d already been playing with fire and felt the flame’s warmth as it flickered against her skin. She was terrified, but when she looked into his golden eyes...

...it didn’t scare her anymore.

With that, she decided to plunge headfirst into the inferno, even if it would hurt them both in the end.

“You just what?” she whispered.

He breathed deeply before answering.

“I just never dreamed that I’d meet somebody like you,” he said, looking down. “And I know I don’t deserve you, and I’m scared that I’m going to lose you.”

She cupped his chin with both hands and nudged his face upwards so she could look directly into his eyes.

“You won’t,” she whispered, and her lips consumed his, gently pushing him back against the blanket.

~*~*~

Hours later, the stars seemed dimmer and the sky off to the east seemed to glow a bit lighter than it had a few minutes ago. Zuko's eyes fluttered open, and he smiled down at the sleeping girl in his arms.

Nerves had ultimately gotten the best of her, and they didn’t go as far as he’d secretly prayed they would. However, she discovered what they could still do while technically remaining clothed.

Afterwards, she found herself wrapped in his arms as he gazed up at her in complete adoration. She left a trail of kisses all over his neck, giggling as his eyes closed in utter contentment.

He was surprised but pleased when she asked if they could stay out there the rest of the night, and he'd agreed immediately.

They shook what sand they could out of their clothes and the blanket, and dressed again before they settled down against the base of the ledge overlooking the beach.

The blanket was just large enough to fit under and around them, although she was a bit worried they'd still be cold.

"In the middle of summer in the Fire Nation?" he'd asked, amused, and she'd rolled her eyes, pointing out that in the Southern Water Tribe that was a perfectly legitimate concern.

He assured her that she wouldn't get cold, pointing out that as a firebender, he could easily keep them both warm throughout the night.

Katara curled up on her side facing the ocean, and he settled in behind her, draping his arm over her and pressing her flush against him to keep her warm.

He caught his breath as she held his hand to her lips and planted sweet kisses on his rough palm and fingertips. She then intertwined her fingers with his and rested them against her stomach.

"Just think," she mumbled sleepily. "If we both hadn't been so scared the other night, we could've been doing this all along."

He chuckled and kissed the side of her face.

"You know, I did chase after you when we got back to the house but you'd already locked your door," he said softly.

"I thought I heard something," she murmured. "I wish you'd knocked. I was waiting for you."

She turned her head back and smiled up at him, and he leaned over to kiss her once more.

"I'm sorry," he whispered with an apologetic smile. "It took a while for that spark to catch, but I won't let it go out or leave you waiting ever again."

Katara pulled his face down for another kiss and settled comfortably against him. She found herself shivering a few times as they lay curled together, and it wasn’t because of the cool salty air on her skin.

He just held her a bit tighter and raised his body temperature slightly until she stilled, sighing contentedly. 

At some point after he dozed off, he woke up briefly and discovered she'd rolled over and was now clinging to him, fast asleep. He gently tugged the blanket up around her shoulders, and she hummed sleepily as she snuggled closer to him.

Smiling, he fell asleep again soon after as he drowsily watched her resting peacefully wrapped up in his arms, the ocean beating steadily against the shore behind her.

~*~*~

Zuko could have stayed there all morning with her as the sky grew lighter, and indeed it was tempting to watch the sunrise curled up with Katara.

However, they already faced a multitude of questions from the others, and he’d rather not have to answer for any more than he needed to. He kissed her cheek gently and nudged her awake.

“We should probably go back before the others wake up,” he murmured.

She nodded, yawning, and gave him a light, sweet kiss on the nose.

"G'morning," she murmured sleepily, quietly giggling when he kissed her throat. "Did you sleep okay?"

He delicately kissed all around her neck until his lips finally met hers.

"It was heavenly," he purred. "You?"

She hummed happily in agreement.

Together they gazed up at the fading stars in the sky for just a bit longer, content in each other's arms.

All too soon he helped her up, and they knocked off whatever sand they could from their clothes.

Salt water wasn’t the best for healing, so she’d have to wait until they got back to the beach house before she could heal where she practically rubbed her knees raw.

She paid no attention to the discomfort, though. Instead, she pulled Zuko close for another embrace and one final kiss before they had to float down from heaven and land back on earth. 

“Ready?” she asked, a nervous smile on her face.

Zuko looked back up at the ever-lightening sky and saw the last stars twinkling out to make way for the sun.

He squeezed her hand, bringing it up for a kiss.

“Ready.”

Chapter Text

Katara managed to get in another hour or so of sleep after she and Zuko returned from the beach.

He pulled her in for one last kiss before dropping her off at her door, and she stifled giggles so she wouldn’t disturb anyone.

Once she was back in her room she discovered light traces of sand still on her clothes and in her hair, which she supposed wouldn't go away until she washed them. But she opted to fall back asleep before then, wanting to keep the scent of him on her skin just a bit longer.

When she awoke later the sun had fully risen, and she smiled sleepily to herself. Then she slowly sat up as the weight of their actions from the night before came flooding back.

The prince had admitted his love for her, and while she hadn’t said it back, she’d reciprocated his affections. Then they had – well, they’d done a lot more than she’d originally planned to down by the shoreline, she thought while blushing furiously.

Was it because of the full moon? Maybe. At least Zuko hadn’t seemed offended by her, um, actions. She'd stopped them before they took things far enough to get dangerous, though, and thankfully he’d been understanding.

She took her time rinsing away the beach and all traces of him, and her fingers trembled slightly as she dressed and styled her hair.

He loved her. The prince of the Fire Nation who, up until a few months ago she’d considered her sworn enemy. Granted, he could have just gotten carried away by hormones or some other factors, but still.

He wasn't one to make baseless statements like that.

“Water is the element of change,” she told herself, taking a final look at her appearance in the mirror. 

Katara knew Aang wouldn’t be too happy regarding their disappearance last night, and she found herself stalling until she finally worked up the courage to leave her room.

Before she headed downstairs to set up for breakfast, she knew there was a conversation she needed to have with Zuko first.

~*~*~

She stopped by his bedroom and lightly rapped her knuckles against the wood. When he opened the door a few moments later, she saw he’d been meditating as he usually did in the mornings, judging by the row of lit candles.

His face split into a wide smile, and she felt something inside of her melt into a puddle. How had she never noticed before how gorgeous those golden eyes were?

He pulled her inside quickly and closed the door. Before she could say a word, he pushed her up against the wall and was kissing her feverishly. She had risen with the moon last night and had been the dominating one, and now that he'd risen with the sun, it was his turn to take charge.

Everything she’d been about to say died in her throat, and she found herself kissing him back as his hips ground slowly against hers. From the corner of her eye she noticed the candles burning a bit stronger than they had a few seconds ago.

It wasn’t until his hand slid down to bring her leg up around his waist that she remembered why she was there.

“Zuko, hey,” she whispered, carefully pushing it back. “Listen. Surely the others realized we were both gone last night, and we need to figure out what to tell them.”

He shrugged his shoulders as if that was the last thing on his mind.

“The truth?" he offered. "I mean, not the really, really good parts…”

The memory of how breathless he'd been after everything was still white-hot sensitive, and yet she pushed his ecstasy to a completely new level, was one he knew he’d re-visit for the rest of his life. 

He made a mental note to return the favor the first chance he got. He could just picture it now, her hands tangled in his hair… But she sadly interrupted his daydreams by moving away from him and sitting on the edge of his bed.

“I’m serious,” she said, frowning slightly and crossing her arms. “I just don’t want things to be awkward.”

Zuko had always charged headfirst into situations, even to his own detriment sometimes, and he figured he may as well do so now to get to the root of the problem.

“Why would it be awkward?” he asked, holding his arms out. “We danced together and went off by ourselves afterwards. If you’re embarrassed, we’ll just tell them we talked all night.”

She shook her head.

“I’m worried about how Aang’s going to react,” she said softly.

Of course she was. Zuko had worshipped the ground Katara walked on for some time now, but if there was one fault she possessed, it was her constant tiptoeing around the Avatar so he wouldn’t explode in a rage or fly off.

He knew he was being a bit hypocritical, since just the previous afternoon he'd been apprehensive of causing a disturbance in their group by acting on his crush. Before Zuko knew she reciprocated his feelings, he’d been content sitting back and not making any waves, especially if it meant coming between Aang and Katara.

But now that he knew for a fact she had feelings for him too, he didn’t want to hide it. It was just unfortunate that he happened to be his friend’s only source of firebending knowledge who could teach him in time before Sozin’s Comet arrived.

That meant he’d have to look Aang in the face later that day, who’d know that his friend had kissed and done not-so-innocent things with the girl he harbored feelings for. If the roles were reversed, Zuko knew he’d be furious.

But then a selfish part of him just didn’t care. He loved Katara, and she at least liked him enough to stay out all night and seduce him on the beach. Was it too much to ask for everyone else not to make a big deal out of it?

He ran a hand distractedly through his hair.

“Katara, you know you can’t baby him forever.”

She bristled slightly.

“I’m not babying him. I’m just trying to make sure no one’s feelings get hurt.”

Zuko couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes.

“So, you’re saying we pretend like nothing happened?” he asked. “Go back to acting like we’re just friends so Aang won’t get upset and fly off like he always does when things don’t go his way?”

Now she was starting to look mad. She stood up and put her hands on her hips. Was it wrong that he was starting to get turned on again, just a little? She's more like a firebender than she knows, he thought, suppressing a smirk.

“Zuko…” she started, then stopped. “I’m just trying to make sure things don’t fall apart. Can’t you please just work with me?”

He took a step towards her and took her hands in his.

“Look, I know he’ll be mad at me. He has every right to be upset. But it’s not your job to protect him from everything, Katara. Sooner or later he has to grow up.”

“But he’s already been through so much,” she protested. “In spite of everything that happened to me and my tribe, at least I still have my family and my people. Aang has no one.”

Of course. If it weren’t for his ancestors setting out to burn the world down, she would still have her mother and her home village would be flourishing with other waterbenders. The Fire Nation had seen fit to nearly wipe them out altogether, just like they’d decimated the Air Nomads.

He knew she didn’t blame him anymore, but he still felt guilty. Something clicked in his mind, and he was surprised he hadn’t realized it earlier. He looked down.

“Are you ashamed to be seen with me?” he asked quietly, dreading the answer. "The prince of the nation that singlehandedly destroyed your home?"

Her eyes widened and she shook her head.

“Zuko, no. That’s not it. It’s just…”

“Well, what is it, then?” he said with a bit more force than he’d meant to, and she let go of his hands. "I don't want to hide this, Katara. I care about you and I don't think it's asking too much for everyone else to be grown up about it."

By everyone else, though, they both knew he meant one person and one person only.

Zuko knew he was slipping up again, and it was only a matter of time before everything came crashing down like it always did.

She shook her head in exasperation.

“It just feels like I’m the only one around here trying to make sure we all get along and everyone’s taken care of. We don’t have much time before the comet comes, and all I’m asking for is a little help this one time. Please?”

She was right, and he was being an angry jerk like he always was. He also knew he acted a bit too possessive in relationships – after all, he’d once had a huge fight with Mai over that – and he really was trying to change.

He sighed and forced himself to settle down, letting out a small puff of smoke.

“You’re right, Katara,” he said nodding. “I’m sorry.”

He held his arms out, and she quickly filled them.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, hugging him. “But what are we going to tell the others?”

He squeezed her gently.

“I still say we tell them we just hung out and talked all night,” he offered. “I don’t think Toph will try to call us out, either. She knows about Aang’s crush on you too, and I don’t see her jeopardizing everything just for the sake of it.”

Katara rolled her eyes.

“Have you met Toph?” she asked, but she was grinning.

Then it turned into a slight frown, and she pulled back to look up at him.

"Zuko," she began, her heart suddenly pounding. "Last night... you told me that you loved me. I..."

"Want to know if I meant it?" he finished, his eyes not leaving hers.

She nodded, and he took a deep breath before he continued.

Unlike her, he'd been unable to fall asleep again after their return, so he spent the last few hours in meditation instead. It had given him ample time to reflect on his words by the shoreline and just how he would prove them to her.

"Well, that depends on how you define love," he said softly, using his thumbs to gently massage the palms of her hands. "I care about you and I want you to be happy even if it's with someone else - but obviously, I'd rather you be with me."

He held one of her hands to his lips.

"I love the way you care so deeply about others, even at your own expense, though I really wish you'd put yourself first more often," he murmured as his lips brushed sweet kisses all over her palm and fingertips. "I love the way you always stand up for what you think is right and how you seek to make the world a better place, even if it's the smallest change."

He moved to her other hand and kissed it as well.

"I love the way you see the good in people even when they can't see it themselves," he added. "Back in the catacombs, you were willing to help me even though I was still your enemy and didn't deserve it. Even after I returned home, I still thought about that and you all of the time. Then when I finally came to my senses, I knew I'd have to work to earn forgiveness from you and the others... but it was you I regretted hurting the most.”

He stopped kissing her hands then and looked into her eyes.

"But most of all, I love the way you're not afraid to call me out when I need it and put me in my place, which happens more often than I care to admit," he said quietly. "You make me want to be a better person, someone who's actually worthy of you."

She felt her cheeks flush and her pulse quicken. 

”What happened to the boy who got scared and ran away from pretty girls who kissed him?” was all she could say. 

He rested his forehead against hers, smiling. 

”Still right here,” Zuko whispered. “Still absolutely terrified, but I realized I was even more terrified of losing the chance to be with you.” 

Her stomach fluttered as he continued.

“I've never met anyone like you before, Katara. I just want you to feel as loved as you deserve to be."

Her breath caught in her throat, and she wanted to cry for some reason. He saw the look on her face and hurriedly wrapped his arms around her, resting his cheek against her hair.

"Thank you," she whispered after a minute or two, and he kissed the top of her head.

"I don't want you to feel obligated into saying or doing anything before you're ready," he said, still holding her. "I just want you to know how I feel."

She nodded lightly and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him.

"I care about you too, Zuko," she admitted, "more than I ever thought possible. But... I'm not ready to say it back."

Her stomach suddenly dropped.

"Are you upset?" she asked and was relieved when he shook his head and gave her a smile, although it was tinged with a hint of sadness.

He kissed her hand again.

"Of course not," he reassured her. "Like I said, I just want you to know who I am and where I stand regarding us. It doesn't matter if it takes years or if you never end up feeling the same way. Which, clearly, is not ideal, but if that's what you want... I just want you to be happy."

She pulled him in for another hug. If she said anything just now, she was afraid she'd start crying.

They stood in silence for a few minutes until she composed herself and decided to pivot to a safer subject. 

"So..." she began, grinning up at him. "Last night was pretty fantastic. You're actually a really good dancer."

His eyes crinkled up as he smiled.

"It's easy when you've got such a great partner," he said, feeling himself shiver slightly as she planted a kiss on his neck. "You're pretty good at other things, too."

Her cheeks blushed.

"I wasn't too... much last night, was I?" she asked, feeling slightly embarrassed.

He started kissing her again and his hands slid over her curves, giving her bottom a light squeeze.

"No complaints here," he breathed. "In fact, we have some time right now if you want to pick up where we left off... we can let the others figure out their own breakfast for once..."

But tragically for his fantasies, she smiled and kissed his cheek, shaking her head.

“Come on, Zuko," she said, taking his hand and leading him towards the door. "The sooner we get this over with and out in the open, the better.” 

Biting back a sigh, he waved his free hand and snuffed out the candles before they left.

~*~*~

That was the plan, anyways. Despite their heart-to-heart, they were still the first ones down in the kitchen that morning, so he helped her prepare breakfast and tea.

It took a bit longer than normal, though, because he kept stopping to kiss her, which she had to admit she didn’t really mind.

Toph and Suki were the first ones down and just barely avoided walking into yet another makeout session due to the earthbender stomping down the hallway as loudly as possible.

“Good morning, you two!” she chirped innocently. “How was your night? I had a great time. What about you?”

Suki just grinned and shook her head. Toph may have been blind to the lovebirds’ furiously blushing faces, but she certainly wasn’t. Also, was it her imagination, or did the kitchen fire just blaze a bit hotter for a second?

“I think everyone had fun last night, Toph,” Suki said, trying to guide the subject towards something a little less embarrassing for the two. “We should definitely do it again. I haven’t danced like that in years! What about you, Katara?”

The waterbender seemed to be in a daze and stammered for an answer. After that little hiccup, the four managed to hold something resembling a normal conversation until Sokka walked in, yawning.

Which was a bit odd, because normally he was the last one to wake up.

“Morning, babe,” Suki said, giving him a kiss on the cheek, winking at Katara as if to reassure her. “I can’t believe you woke up before Aang.”

Sokka squeezed her for a second before turning to his sister.

“Actually, Aang’s already up. I saw him hanging out in the courtyard on my way over here,” he said, his voice lowering. “He looked upset.”

A guilty look washed over Katara’s face.

“I’ll go talk to him,” she said softly, glancing at Zuko.

He wanted to tell her to stop worrying about Aang for once and focus on herself, but he knew she’d get offended again. So, he just nodded in agreement.

After she left, Sokka wheeled around and cornered Zuko, who realized Suki and Toph were paying close attention to him as well.

“Look, I’m just going to come out and say it,” Sokka said. “We all know you left with my sister last night, and while you’re my friend and I trust her judgment, I’m still her big brother. Care to tell us where you slipped off to?”

Suddenly, Zuko wished he were facing down an enraged Avatar instead.

~*~*~

After his talk with Toph the night before, Aang had been willing to at least accept the idea of Katara dancing with Zuko, as much as it pained him.

But that sense of magnanimity disappeared the moment he walked back outside and realized they were gone. The only reason he hadn’t flown out immediately searching for them was because Toph threatened to encase him in metal for the rest of the night.

Sokka and Suki hadn’t noticed when Zuko and Katara slipped away, and although her older brother wasn’t exactly happy, he wasn’t upset either.

If this had been the same Zuko from a few years ago, Sokka supposed he’d be more outraged, but after everything the prince had done so far to redeem himself, he thought his friend at least deserved the benefit of the doubt.

While the other three had tried to lift Aang’s spirits and keep him distracted, he found himself sinking deeper and deeper into a gloom. After another hour or so of miserably trying to feign interest in their conversations and dances, he’d finally gone to bed.

He spent a miserable night tossing and turning before he'd finally given up on sleep just before dawn and sat by the window, watching the sunrise.

~*~*~

“Aang?” Katara called out softly as she walked into the courtyard.

She found him sitting with his back against the fountain, distractedly spinning a pebble around in the air. When he saw her approach, he dropped it and hopped to his feet.

“Morning Katara!” he said cheerfully, as if nothing had happened the night before.

He knew he should address the problem or at least not run from it, but he slipped back into old habits at the last second.

“I was thinking I could take a break from firebending this morning, and we could practice waterbending again instead. How does that sound?”

She knew he was trying to sidestep the problem and avoid having to interact with Zuko. Normally she might have relented, except the fate of the world depended on them getting along, and they were quickly running out of time.

She sighed. 

“Aang, I need to talk to you about last night,” she said softly, but the Avatar acted like he hadn’t heard her.

“Actually, can it wait? I’m about to grab breakfast,” he said in a tone too cheerful to be sincere. “I’m starving! Let’s go.”

With that, he darted off towards the kitchen. Katara sighed again and followed. This was going to be a disaster.

~*~*~

Zuko perked up when he saw Aang walk in almost cheerily a few minutes later, but those hopes were quickly shattered when he saw Katara trailing behind him, shaking her head at him.

He’d barely managed to answer Sokka’s brief interrogation honestly enough without giving anything away that would have gotten him eviscerated or sent him to an early grave. He’d been almost happy to see Aang's arrival, but judging by the look on Katara’s face, she hadn’t been able to get through to him.

He looked down and exhaled. A few minutes later, he was relieved when Katara silently sat next to him and, after a moment of hesitancy, reached out and gave his hand a quick squeeze. Maybe there was hope after all?

But Aang wouldn’t look directly at him or even speak to him during breakfast, although he had no problem sweet-talking Katara and carrying on a conversation with the others, who had noticed but were pretending not to.

Toph looked agitated, though, and huffed each time Aang blatantly ignored Zuko (and he blatantly ignored those as well.)

After breakfast, she pulled Zuko aside and explained how she’d talked with him the night before.

“Give him a few days to cool down, then if he’s still mad I’ll sort it out,” she assured him.

He wished he could share her level of confidence.

~*~*~

This is a disaster, Zuko thought as he fought back the urge to burn something.  

Aang had convinced Katara to practice waterbending for an hour that morning, but Zuko finally insisted they move back to firebending.

At least he wasn’t ignoring him anymore, but his bending was atrocious. It seemed like he’d lost all of the progress he’d made since the day before and over the last few weeks, and Zuko knew he was partly to blame.

It was clear Aang was aware of how badly he was doing too, but he didn’t apologize. He just stomped his feet and huffed in exasperation.

After yet another failed attempt at creating an effective fire blast, Zuko finally called it a day. They hadn't been at it that long, but he just couldn’t deal with this anymore, at least without losing his temper.

Aang didn’t even bother to return his bow before he practically stormed off the courtyard.

Katara walked over to Zuko’s side, who had crossed his arms and was frowning after his pupil. She put her hand on his shoulder and rubbed it in encouragement. He looked down at her and sighed.

“This isn’t working.”

Chapter Text

That afternoon, Suki pulled Katara away to the top corner of the steps while Sokka and Zuko faced off for another "swordbending" match in the courtyard, as Sokka so eloquently called it.

Now that the lovebirds had successfully gotten together, Toph wanted nothing more to do with matchmaking and declined joining the other two girls, sprawling out on the bottom step instead.

Aang had gone off in almost a huff to meditate, and the Kyoshi warrior was almost bursting with impatience to talk to her friend.

“So…” she whispered once the two were sure the clanging of swords would drown them out. “I take it things went well last night?”

Katara’s face flushed but she found herself grinning with her friend.

“Yes,” she said breathlessly. “It was perfect. I think I owe you both a huge thank you.”

Suki just laughed and waved her hand as if it were nothing, and Toph did the same from the bottom step.

“Okay, but you’ve got to give me all of the details! I saw you two slip away, but of course I told the others I missed it. What happened?”

The two girls giggled as Katara explained in hushed tones how they’d wound up on the beach and kissed for the first time beneath the moonlight beside the shore. She even told her friend about how she eventually straddled him near the waves, earning her an impressed smirk and soft round of applause from Suki.

“Atta girl!” she grinned. “And then what happened after you teased him ruthlessly?”  

Katara looked down, suddenly feeling her cheeks burn all over again.

“Suki, can I ask you something? When did you and my brother first say you loved each other?”

“Well, it was shortly after we got back from the Boiling Rock…” she began before it dawned on her.

She gawked at Katara.

“Wait, did he… did you?”

Katara nodded, blushing furiously and realized her heart was pounding.

“He admitted he loved me last night, and when I asked him this morning if he meant it, he said yes,” she whispered.

Toph, who had been listening in despite herself, bolted upright in surprise.

"No... way..." she mumbled quietly enough to go unnoticed by Sokka and the Lover Boy in question.

Last night Toph felt Zuko's heart practically go into palpitations when he saw Katara make her debut all dressed up, just like they'd planned. She'd even managed to catch bits of their conversation as the two of them danced together, so she knew things had gone well before they made their escape. 

He's got it even worse than I thought, she mused, realizing suddenly Katara hadn't admitted yet if she returned those sentiments as well. Katara had feelings for the prince, sure, but love? Whoa. Aang is not going to react well to this, either, she thought.

Suki, however, was not so subtle. She had always prided herself on remaining calm and composed under pressure, but she couldn’t help the shriek she let out.

Toph clapped her hands over her ears, scowling. Suki immediately covered her mouth with her hands, and Katara looked mortified.

“Sorry!” she whispered apologetically to both of them from behind her palms.

Both glanced over towards the courtyard and saw Sokka and Zuko had stopped and were staring in their direction, confused.

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it!” Suki chirped innocently.

Then she and Katara burst into hysterics all over again.

“It’s just a giant bug!” Katara added, noting the blank look on her brother’s face and the slightly annoyed one on Zuko’s.

That just caused her to giggle even louder, and Suki immediately joined in. She took Katara's arm and led her away into the house as the two girls burst into laughter.

Toph considered tagging along, but decided to stretch back out on the steps instead. She didn't care for all of the gory details. That was Suki's department.

~*~*~

Sokka just shook his head and continued sparring against Zuko.

“Girls, man,” he said, shaking his head.

Zuko just nodded and blocked a strike with both of his broadswords. He knew the two were talking about what happened last night, which Sokka seemed to be aware of, but her brother thankfully didn't acknowledge that.

Based on Katara's furiously blushing face and Suki's shriek of surprise, he had a feeling he knew exactly what had been revealed.

He wanted to echo Sokka's statement but decided that agreeing how weird girls were would be in slightly bad form, considering one of them was his friend's sister - who he'd done not-so-innocent things with last night.

After a few minutes, Sokka spoke up again, almost as if reading his mind.

“Look buddy, I don't want to know the details," he said dramatically, flourishing his sword. "I just want you to know that you may be my friend, but if you break my little sister’s heart or if I catch you two doing anything less than virtuous, I’ll have to make you suffer."

Zuko couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes, but chose not to point out that technically, he could wipe the floor with Sokka with one hand tied behind his back.

Besides, he and Suki were constantly showering everyone else with their public displays of affection, but he opted not to point out the hypocrisy. He knew his friend just wanted to feel like he had done his due diligence as her older brother.

“You’re absolutely right,” Zuko deadpanned. “I’ll try to avoid incurring your almighty wrath.”

Sokka nodded in approval.

“Good answer,” he said, smirking.

“But just so you’re aware...” Zuko said, countering a swing and forcing the sword out of Sokka’s hands, sending it clattering to the ground. “At the end of the day I’m more scared of making her mad than I am of you.”

Her brother considered this and shrugged.

“That’s fair,” he agreed.

~*~*~

Much to Zuko's frustration, when the Avatar returned later that evening, he had gone back to ignoring him completely.

The only thing stopping him from getting in Aang's face and yelling at him to grow up already was a quick hand squeeze from Katara as she looked up at him nervously.

"I can't keep this up," he fumed later as they ended up sitting by themselves on the front patio that night after the others had gone to bed.

She sighed and nodded, leaning against his shoulder.

"I don't know what else to do," she admitted quietly. "We can't hide it, but we've got to find some way to get along. All I can say is please keep trying."

He nodded, frowning.

"Easier said than done," he mumbled, and she made a soft noise of agreement.

~*~*~

Zuko tolerated exactly two more wasted days of firebending practice and being ignored off the training court before he finally snapped. After yet another poor attempt at bending by Aang, the prince had had enough.

He knew Katara was going to kill him for this, but his patience could only stretch so thin. He threw all of his might into his next blast and aimed directly at Aang’s head.

That did the trick. The Avatar ducked and bended one of the tiles into a boulder towards Zuko, who dodged it just in time. The stone crashed against one of the courtyard pillars behind him.

Aang glared at his teacher.

“Are you crazy?!” he shouted. “What were you trying to do?!”

Sokka, who had been hanging around the courtyard that day sharpening his sword and watching their training, grimaced and stood up.

“Well, this is going to be bad,” he muttered to no one in particular.

He considered leaving his sword out but sheathed it after a moment. Katara had been practicing hand-to-hand combat with Suki nearby, and at the sound of the blast they both came running up.

“We heard a noise and yelling, what’s – “ Suki started to ask, but Zuko interrupted her.

“It’s him,” Zuko snapped. “He’s not even trying, and I’m sick of it. So let’s just get this over with, because I’m not going to dodge around the issue anymore.”

Katara looked at Suki and Sokka nervously, then began to speak.

“Are you sure that’s –“

Aang threw up his hands angrily.

“What’s there to talk about?” he hissed. “I’ve only got the fate of the entire world on my shoulders, and then the person I finally trusted and thought was my friend goes behind my back and betrays me. Of course I’m not okay. Of course my firebending has been terrible the last few days. You think I didn’t notice?”

“And then I’m stuck with the traitor,” he added, gesturing to Zuko, who’d crossed his arms, “who’s responsible for it all in the first place!”

Zuko wanted nothing more than to punch him in the jaw, but a look at Katara stopped him. His tone softened just enough to be noticeable, but he still kept an edge in his voice.

“Aang, I know you’re upset," he said. "If I were in your place, I’d be furious too. But I’m not going to apologize for how I feel.”

He paused.

“I am sorry that you got hurt in the process, though.”

Unfortunately, he noticed his friend wasn’t buying it.

“I should have known I couldn’t trust you,” Aang fumed. “I should have known that you were eventually going to ruin everything like you always do.”

Zuko’s eyes narrowed.

“And just what exactly is that supposed to mean?” he said in a low, dangerous voice.

Toph, who had been practicing earthbending a bit further away, finally arrived. She started to ask what was happening, but Suki shushed her.

“These two are fighting over you-know-what, and I think it’s best we let them dish it out,” she whispered. "If it gets violent, we'll step in."

The earthbender nodded.

~*~*~

Aang’s eyes were shooting daggers at Zuko, who glowered right back.

Katara had watched their argument with knots forming in the pit of her stomach. She held her hand out in an attempt to pacify Aang.

“You know that’s not true, he’s not like that anymore,” Katara said softly.

But he jerked away and looked at her, betrayed.

“How could you, Katara? I thought I made it obvious how I felt and what I wanted…” he trailed off sadly.

Katara stopped herself from rolling her eyes. Hadn’t she already gone over this with him the night of the play? That she’d been confused and wasn’t even sure if she saw a future with him?

"What about what I want, though?" she asked, unable to keep the anger out of her voice. "I tried talking with you about this before, but you wouldn't listen. You either ignored me or forced yourself on me like the night of the play-"

"Wait, what?!"

Her brother and Zuko exchanged a look at each other after their simultaneous outburst. Sokka folded his arms, but Zuko's had uncrossed as his fists started to smoke.

Katara realized what she'd said and hid her face behind her hands, mortified. She really hadn't meant to, but her frustration had been building up as well over the last few days, and her words just slipped out unbidden.

"I shouldn't have said anything, forget it," she mumbled as Suki walked over and patted her shoulder reassuringly. 

Aang's face had gone completely red and he looked just as agitated as she felt.

"No, maybe it's a good thing we're getting all of this out in the open," Sokka said harshly, looking over at Zuko. "You didn't know either?"

Zuko had been glaring at Aang and shook his head.

"She told me they'd kissed, without actually using names, but she didn't mention that particular detail," he fumed, looking over at Sokka.

Something inside Aang cracked just a bit.

"Look, was I wrong to force anything on her? Yes, I'm sorry and I shouldn't have done that. But how is what I did any worse than whatever you've done?" he snapped at Zuko. “All I did was kiss her, but you two stayed out all night on the beach. I saw you both walking up the morning after the party."

There was a sharp intake of breath from several of the present company as all of the blood drained from Zuko’s face.

Toph could have sworn his pulse stopped for just a moment. She'd heard of his infamous temper in the past, and now it looked like she was finally going to be around whenever it erupted.

Instead, he breathed heavily and narrowed his eyes at Aang, who was glowering at him again. Then he remembered he wasn't the only one the Avatar just dragged through the mud.

Zuko looked at Katara, and the expression on her face was enough to break his heart.

~*~*~

She wished she could sink into the ground and stay buried there for the rest of eternity. She wasn't ashamed of what they'd done, but she was embarrassed it was being thrown back in her face like this. 

Katara just stared at the tiles, feeling sick to her stomach as she sensed Toph walk up to stand beside her as well. She missed the look of concern Zuko sent her way, his facial features softening, but the others didn't.

"Did you know that?" Aang asked, turning to Sokka.

"I did, actually," he said sternly.

Aang was not expecting the coldness in his friend's voice and was taken aback.

"What, so you're okay with it?" he sputtered in bewilderment.

Sokka's blue eyes narrowed and suddenly reminded him of the South Pole's icy waters.

"What she wants to do is her business, but what I'm not okay with is you humiliating her like this."

He frowned and turned to Zuko.

"Did you force her to do anything she didn't want to or make her feel uncomfortable in any way?" he asked in a cold tone, unsurprised when he shook his head.

"No," he said earnestly, returning his friend's look. "I would never."

Toph chimed in before anyone could ask her.

"He's telling the truth," she said, finding herself patting Katara's shoulder as well.

She had known it was just a matter of time until Aang would blow up and she knew he wasn't going to react well at all, but this was way over the line. Once their argument was over, she was going to let him know just how far he'd crossed it.

~*~*~

Katara somehow found the courage to look up. Her eyes immediately met Zuko's, who looked like he was torn between wanting to comfort her and wanting to tear the Avatar to shreds with his bare hands.

She smiled slightly in reassurance at him, and something in his face relaxed a bit. She then turned to face Aang and let out a slow, icy breath. 

"I'm sorry your feelings got hurt, I really am," she said gently. "I'm not even mad about what happened the night of the play."

She held up her hand to silence Zuko and Sokka's protests.

"But the truth is, I know how you feel, and I care about you too... but I don't want the same thing you do. At one point I thought I did, but not anymore. Not for the last few months... not since the day of the invasion."

The Avatar looked as stricken as if she'd slapped him. That was when he'd kissed her and also the day Zuko finally joined their side. It all fit now.

“I... I'm sorry," he said quietly after a minute of silence. "I just felt like I lost my chance, and now it feels like I’m losing you, too."

Against his better judgement, Zuko spoke out. He was still furious at Aang for humiliating Katara earlier, and it had taken all of his self control to not beat him to a pulp. He chose not to pull any punches now.

“She’s not yours to lose. If she wanted to be with you, she would have done something about it, war or no war.”

A cold silence settled over the courtyard, as if all of the air had suddenly been sucked out of their lungs.

He continued, crossing his arms once more. A voice in his head told him should really, really tread lightly, but his temper quickly silenced it. He couldn't remember the last time he'd blown up, but it was long overdue.

"She's known about your feelings for some time now and she still hasn't acted on them. You can't lose your chance if she doesn't want you."

Zuko knew he was diving headfirst into a world of hurt whenever Aang finally exploded and attacked him with all four elements at his disposal.

But he was so tired of feeling guilty about everything that he just didn’t care anymore. He’d worked hard to atone for his actions, turned his back on his birthright, and given up any chance of ever inheriting the crown.

He'd risked being taken back as a traitor to help Sokka to bust Hakoda and Suki out of prison, and he’d helped Katara finally get closure for her mother’s death. He knew he still had a lot more to make up for, but he refused to feel guilty about his feelings for her.

Aang just glared at him, though, so Zuko decided since he was already a dead man, he may as well speak his peace.

“She’s free to make her own decisions, and the sooner you grow up and accept that, the better. All she does is worry about your feelings, and it's not fair to her. Then the rest of us all try not to upset you, because we know you’ll just fly away whenever you’re faced with something you don’t like. It’s not fair to us, either, that we have tiptoe around your feelings all of the time.”

Katara reached out to Aang yet again, but he evaded her touch.

“I’m sorry, I need to grow up?" he hissed. "Are you forgetting that I was told younger than any Avatar ever what my destiny was? That I was only 12 when I lost everyone I ever knew, my friends, my entire culture? That I'm well aware that everything bad that's happened in the last 100 years is directly my fault?” 

He paused to catch his breath, then he continued. 

“I’m the last hope for bringing everything back into balance, and I have less than a month to finish my training. I’m also the only living tie to the Air Nomads and if I fail, their memory will be gone forever, along with the rest of the world.”

No one met Aang’s gaze. Even Zuko looked down for a moment, cringing at his poor choice of words. He knew his friend was justified on some level, but he refused to budge on this particular issue.

“So, all of you feel the same way?” Aang asked after a minute, glaring at them.

Katara bit her lip and looked nervous.

“Aang, that’s not–“

But he cut her off again.

“Do you have any idea of the kind of pressure I’m under every single day, and now you’re all against me?” he shouted at Katara, causing her to flinch. "This is unbelievable! Of all people, you were the one who was supposed to have my back, but instead you side with the main person who betrayed me. How could you?!"

Katara was shaking now and looked visibly upset. Sokka started to defend his sister, but the prince beat him to it.

“Don’t yell at her.”

Zuko’s words were quiet, but they were full of venom.

For a moment Sokka was reminded of a few years ago, of the enraged prince who’d crashed through the Southern Water Tribe’s defenses and threatened to burn their village down.

But this time Zuko’s fury was different, almost deadly. Sokka raised an eyebrow and glanced at Suki, who returned his worried expression.

~*~*~

“I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything less from the son of the Fire Lord,” Aang fumed. “You’re just as bad as your father. You take what you want, and you don’t care who you have to hurt in the process.”

Zuko lowered his arms to his sides. Flames grew from his fists as he seethed, trying to hold himself back from attacking.

“You’re wrong. I’m nothing like my father.”

“Actually, you might be even worse than him,” Aang hissed. “Tell me something, Zuko, you were scarred shortly before you were banished, right?”

Zuko’s eyes narrowed.

“That’s right,” he said in an entirely too calm voice, although the flames surrounding his fists burned hotter.

Aang knew he was playing with a different type of fire now. It was like when he’d first tried firebending under Master Jeong Jeong, when he easily lost control. He decided he didn’t really care at the moment, though.

“See, once I was brought back from the dead after Ba Sing Se, Katara told me all about what you said down there and how you almost tricked her into giving up the Spirit Water,” he continued, crossing his arms. “Before you betrayed her trust, remember? You got me killed and she nearly died as well. I haven’t forgotten, even if she wants to.”

Katara exchanged a long, unspoken look with Zuko before turning back to Aang.

“I told you that in confidence,” she said in a low voice. “You know things are different now.”

But Aang shook his head and ignored her, still focused on Zuko.

“You really haven’t changed since then, have you?” he said coldly. “You’re no better than a snake in the grass. You wait until people let their guard down and then you strike when you know it will hurt them the most.”

Katara was shaking with outrage now, though Zuko remained deadly calm.

“Aang, stop!” she warned. “That’s enough!”

He ignored her once more and glared at Zuko, who indeed looked like he was ready to attack him, although his fists remained lowered. 

“You know, as horrible as you claim your father is, at least he’s upfront about his treachery, unlike you,” Aang snarled. “So tell us, Prince Zuko. What terrible thing could you have done that made someone as bad as him hate you and send you away like the monster you are?”

The words left his mouth before he realized what he was saying, and Aang immediately regretted them. His eyes widened and he took a step back as if he'd been struck, knowing he'd gone too far. Jealousy had finally gotten the best of him, just like the monks had warned him against.

Even if Zuko had still been his enemy, he never would have stooped to such a low blow.

There was a collective gasp of shock as Katara turned on him, looking more furious than he’d ever seen before.

“Aang!”

She started to walk towards Zuko, but Sokka grabbed her wrist, shaking his head and urging her to stay back.

~*~*~

Zuko stared at Aang with murder in his eyes and stood wreathed in flames, looking once again like the angry prince who’d tried to capture him on more than one occasion.

Aang felt all of the blood drain from his face, and he fell forward to his knees.

“I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have said–“ he stammered, but Zuko cut him off.

“No. You shouldn’t have.”

The familiarity of the scene suddenly clicked in Zuko’s mind, and the fire surrounding him died down. He had never shared the specifics with them of how he’d been scarred, and they’d never asked. He had come to terms with his father’s cruelty when he left home to join them, but that didn’t make revisiting that particular wound any easier.

He looked down and exhaled flames. The old Zuko wouldn’t have hesitated to attack the Avatar then, especially for that insult, but not the one who stood before them now.

Katara broke free from her brother’s grip and ran to Zuko’s side. When she reached out to him offering comfort, though, he avoided looking at her and shook his head. She withdrew her hand and stood hesitantly beside him.

Aang had regained his feet and looked absolutely sick.

“I’m sorry – “ he started to say again, but Zuko held up a hand to stop him.

“No.”

The prince took a minute to compose himself, then finally glared up at him.

"Fine," he said in a low, cold voice. "You want a monster? I'll give you one. Let me enlighten you, Avatar, with the story about how I received my scar, and then you can see who the true monster is.” 

Katara felt the knots forming in her stomach again, and the worried looks on the others’ faces proved she wasn’t the only one.

Zuko took in a deep breath to steady himself. Then he told them about how, when he was just a year older than Aang had been when he'd been unfrozen, he’d convinced his uncle to sneak him into a war meeting, so he could be a good little crown prince and learn more about their campaign.

He told them about the general’s plan to sacrifice an entire division of young, new recruits as nothing more than bait. How despite his uncle’s warning to remain silent, he’d spoken up in their defense, and that for his perceived act of disrespect, he was told he would be challenged to an Agni Kai.

Zuko couldn’t look at Katara for the next part. He knew if he saw her reaction it would break his heart even more and his exterior would crumble.

When he explained to them how his outburst was seen as defiance not against the general, but rather towards his father, a look of horrified understanding dawned on their faces as the missing piece clicked into place.

“You mean…” Toph whispered, dismayed.

He nodded.

As he told them in grisly detail how, after realizing his mistake, he’d begged in front of everyone for forgiveness for speaking out of turn and received only fire that would mark him the rest of his days, he noted the abject look of revulsion on their faces, especially Aang’s.

He still couldn't look directly at Katara, though.

~*~*~

When he finished speaking, there was a long, uncomfortable silence. Aang felt shame reverberate through his entire body. He knew it would be a miracle if Zuko ever forgave him.

“I… I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have…” he started to say once more, but Zuko just turned his back and stormed off.

He grabbed his shirt and slipped it back on. When he reached the edge of the courtyard, he paused and turned back around.

“That is the person you'll be facing in a few weeks," he hissed. "So now you see why I keep pushing you to get better, but if you're too busy nursing your hurt feelings, it's your funeral."

He looked away, feeling like his walls were about to crumble to dust at any moment. He swallowed and addressed Aang directly.

"Do you remember that day back when we first started training, when I taught you all of the defensive counters so you can block an attack directly to the face?" he asked sharply, crossing his arms.

Aang nodded apprehensively.

"Do you remember what that attack looked like?"

Aang swallowed and nodded again, looking down as the others stared at him. He'd had his suspicions when Zuko drilled him on mastering those particular defenses for nearly half a day, but he hadn't asked. Now, they'd been horribly confirmed in the worst way possible. 

"Show them, Avatar. Show them the attack to the face you'd be blocking in that scenario."

Aang shook his head shamefully, staring at the ground. Katara looked at the others, feeling sick to her stomach again, and hugged herself.

"Show them," Zuko snarled. "Show them the move I taught you how to block, the one I refused to let up on until you could dodge it instinctively."

The Avatar looked up pale-faced and shook his head once more, his voice thick when he finally spoke.

"No."

Zuko inhaled sharply and closed his eyes for a moment.

"So you understand, then, why I drilled you on that particular move. Now you know why I made sure if I taught you nothing else, you at least could counter my father's favorite attack."

Aang nodded slowly.

Zuko's eyes flew open, and he finally allowed himself to lose control of his anger. If they were going to see him as a monster or a freak, he may as well play the part.

"Good... because in case you still had any doubts, that is the difference between my father and I," the prince snarled, his voice rising until it was almost a yell. "I'm nothing like him, even if it’s easier for you to see me as a monster. I'm trying to save your life so the same thing doesn't happen to you. I've taught you how to defend yourself because it doesn't matter if you're an enemy or a terrified child. When the blow lands, he doesn't hold back or pull away until he's made sure you've suffered."

He then gestured to his scar.

"Believe me, I know." 

If he'd said the words any less viciously, they would have heard the shaking in his voice. He drew a ragged breath.

"I'm just his son, but you're the one person he might actually hate more," he said bitterly. "If he wouldn't hesitate to do this to me, what chance do you honestly think you have?"

The others only stared at the ground, looking nauseated.... except for her. She hadn’t looked away from him the entire time he unleashed his fury, and his eyes finally met Katara's for a moment.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, although he couldn’t tell if they were from sadness, horror, or maybe even fear. Instead of looking sick, she just looked like her entire world had been shattered - and of course, he had been the one who'd broken her.

He’d been bound to ruin a perfectly good thing, sooner or later. He always did.

Shame of a different type churned in his stomach, and he looked down. He exhaled, trying to steady himself for just a bit longer. He turned away from them once more.

“I’m not running away unlike some people, but I shouldn’t have to tolerate this from anyone, especially you."

Then he disappeared through the trees.

After a minute or two of silence, Katara followed him.  

Aang hung his head in disgrace. He could feel the others staring at him, and as much as he wanted to run away, he knew he couldn’t this time.

Chapter Text

Katara found Zuko down on the beach, screaming ferally and shooting flames against the waves. He’d managed to hold it together until he reached the water’s edge before his rage broke.

The water overpowered his fire, evaporating them into steam as sand flew when the blasts connected, but that didn’t stop him. If anything, it seemed to drive him on.

She stood back nervously, unsure if she should stop him or let him get it out of his system first.

When he noticed her presence, however, his flames immediately died out. His shoulders slumped, and he sank down to his knees, utterly defeated.

Katara raced to him and knelt with him in the sand, pulling him in for a tight hug. He buried his face against her neck and unsteadily slipped his arms around her back.

Neither said anything as she held him a long time, gripping him tighter and delicately kissing his scarred face each time she felt his shoulders shake.

~*~*~

The courtyard was silent for a long time after they left. At last, Sokka spoke up.

“Look,” he said to Aang. “We’ve been friends for some time now, and I’m not going to mince words. You know you shouldn’t have taken things that far, and neither should he, so I’m not going to lecture you about that. But there is something else we need to clear up right now regarding you and my sister.”

"One, I know she said she's not mad about you forcing yourself on her, but I am. Tell me exactly what happened."

Aang weakly explained his side of the story.

"When someone tells you they're confused about their feelings for you, that doesn't mean you get to force them into a kiss trying to change their mind," Sokka said coldly. "It means you give them space until they let you know what they want."

Aang looked down and nodded.

Sokka looked thoughtful for some time afterwards. When he spoke again, though, his tone was a bit less icy.

“Look, even if it hurts, at the end of the day, who she wants to be with has to be her decision. Katara can take care of herself better than I ever could. Believe me, I know what it’s like to have your heart broken and for things to turn out differently than you expected.”

Oh. Aang knew Yue’s memory still hurt his friend on some level, even if he was happy now with Suki. Sokka was so good at hiding his own pain behind jokes to cheer the others up that Aang sometimes forgot how much he'd been through.

Sokka continued.

"Here's another thing. If Zuko’s the one my sister chooses, I have to respect her decision as long as he treats her well and cares about her, which he does. After you aired out all of that earlier, I noticed him looking at her more than anything else, like he wanted to take care of her. A guy who's just after one thing isn't going to do that." 

He paused.

"Remember Sokka’s Instincts? I know we've all got some sort of history with Zuko, but I've got a good feeling about him now, and I’m not going to let my sister go down the wrong path. Since he’s joined us, he's become a much better person. You know this too, Aang. The old him might have attacked you just then, but he stood there and didn’t retaliate."

He put his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"If he’s the one my sister wants to be with, then I’m at peace with that choice, and you should be too.”

Aang’s head was throbbing. He had to get out of here, fast. He felt like he was suffocating. Deep down, he knew Sokka was right, but he didn’t want to admit it.

He pulled away and started to walk off the courtyard, but a stone wall suddenly blocked his path. He turned to see a livid earthbender.

“Not now, Toph,” he said weakly, bending it back down.

She ignored him and bended it up again, knocking him backwards.

“Yes now, Aang. Did you forget everything we talked about the night of the party? Clearly you did. So I’m going to make sure you work through your pain, and I won’t let you finish until you’ve learned your lesson.”

With that, she dragged him by the ear off towards the mountains to either practice earthbending or chuck boulders at him. She’d decide which one it would be when they got there.  

~*~*~

Once he had calmed down, Katara pulled back slightly to inspect the damage.

His eyes were bloodshot and his face was paler than normal, but she didn’t draw attention to that. Instead, she smoothed his hair back and lightly kissed his scarred cheek.

“I wish you’d told me sooner,” she murmured, “but I understand why you didn’t.”

He didn’t say anything, instead settling down in the sand and hugged his knees, staring at the crashing waves. She normally always sat on his right side, but this time she scooted over to be on his left.

She leaned against his shoulder, and he draped his arm around her, letting her snuggle up next to him. She wrapped her arm around his lower back and gave him a sideways hug.

“Whenever you’re ready to talk, I’ll listen,” she said. "And if you never want to talk about it, that’s fine too. I’m here for you either way… but in the meantime, there are some things I’d like to say, if that’s okay with you.”

He nodded, still silent, so she continued.

“The morning after the party, when you asked me if I was ashamed to be seen with you… I know what you weren’t saying,” she said softly, “and my answer is still the same either way. I’m not ashamed to be seen with you because of how you look or what title you hold. I care about you, Zuko, so much that it scares me because I’ve never cared about anyone else before this way before.”

He was suddenly aware that his heart started pounding, just a bit.

“But even if I didn’t care about you, even if we were still enemies… I’ve never once thought of you as a monster. You have your moments where you completely infuriate me,” she teased gently, taking his hand and kissing it, “but you have a good heart. You're brave but more than that, you love. What your father did to you… that proves it."

“You didn’t have to stand up for those soldiers, and you didn’t have to submit to him when you realized your mistake. You did those things out of love, because you care so deeply about others. You don’t show that side of yourself very often and now I think I understand a bit why you don’t.”

He interlaced their fingers together, sighing as he leaned his head against hers. Deep down, he knew she was right – he wasn’t ashamed of his scar anymore. He was still working on atoning for all of his past sins, and for the most part he’d made peace with them.

A part of him was just worried she would finally come to her senses and realize she could do far better than him.

After a few more minutes of silence, she kissed his cheek again.

“You are more than what hurts you,” she whispered, settling back against him. “Please remember that.”

He inhaled deeply, and at last he spoke.

“Thank you,” he said in a low voice barely above a whisper.  

She just kissed his hand, fingers still intertwined with hers. For a minute she considered telling him something else. But after everything that had happened today, she was worried it would sound cheap on her part.

So until the time was right, she’d make sure to show him instead.

They sat together in silence for some time, watching the waves crash along the shore. She lightly traced circles on his back with her fingertips, and every so often she kissed his face and his hand before intertwining it with hers.

At last he spoke his first full sentence since he’d left the courtyard, and his voice was hoarse.

“Katara... you don’t have to be down here.”

She looked at him, startled.

“You’ve just seen me... all of me, for what I really am,” he continued, not meeting her gaze. “I’m sorry. I lost control of my anger, and I scared you. I know what I said before the morning after the party, but you really do deserve someone better than me.”

“I was upset on your behalf, Zuko, but I wasn’t scared,” she said quietly, frowning.

”I broke your heart,” he said barely above a whisper. 

She shook her head. 

”No, you didn’t,” she insisted. “Hearing what all you’ve been through hurt me, not you.”

“Same difference.” 

He closed his eyes and drew a ragged breath.

“If you want to leave and forget everything that’s happened between us, I understand.”

He still couldn’t look at her, although he heard Katara inhale sharply.

“Are you saying you don’t want to be with me anymore?” she asked in a low voice.

If he’d been less selfish, he would have said yes and gone along with it, so she could storm off and move on with her life. But it turned out he was too weak, after all.

“No...” he said quietly, “I do. But I want you to be happy and I know I’m too much to handle at times, especially right now. You should be with someone who doesn’t make you cry.”

She breathed heavily for several minutes before she spoke.

“You’re right, I did just see you for what you really are,” she said. “You know what I saw? I saw someone who’s hurting, who’s gotten so used to bottling up how he feels that he thinks that the moment his walls crack, it’s weakness-”

“It’s not your job to try to fix me,” he interrupted.

She shook her head.

“No, it’s not,” she agreed.

She picked his hand up and kissed his knuckles delicately.

“But I care about you, and you can lean on me for support whenever you need it,” she said, opening his palm and planting a kiss there as well.

His eyes finally met hers, and she gently squeezed his hand.

“I’m not leaving,” she said softly. “Not unless you don’t want me to be here anymore. Do you want me to go, Zuko?”

Once again he should have been less selfish but found he couldn’t. He sighed and shook his head.

She gave him a small smile of relief and pulled him in for a hug, tears prickling the corners of her eyes when she felt his arms wrap around her.

“It’s okay,” she whispered, kissing his cheek. “I’m right here, and I’m not leaving your side unless you push me away.”

He just hugged her tighter.

“You’d probably just come back anyways, wouldn’t you?” he asked, closing his eyes and burying his face against the crook of her neck.

“You know me all too well,” she replied, pulling him closer as she felt his shoulders shake once more.

~*~*~

Sometime later, he finally looked at her with a ghost of a smile.

She gently kissed his lips before snuggling back up against him.

”Thank you,” he whispered, his voice steadier now. 

Once again she debated saying something else, but she just kissed him and held him even tighter instead.

~*~*~

After a while Zuko stretched out in the sand beside her and rested his head in her lap, his hands folded on his stomach.

She tenderly ran her fingers through his black locks and brushed them back from his face. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the gentle feeling of her fingers running through his hair.

This time when he spoke, his voice was calm but stern.

“I wish you’d told me before about Aang forcing himself on you. I'm not upset that you kissed, but I am upset that it was done against your will.”

Her fingers stopped for a moment.

“I know,” she sighed. “He kissed me right before the invasion when I wasn't expecting it. I'm not upset about that one, but I didn't feel anything when it happened. I wasn't mad or excited or anything. That was when I first started having my doubts."

Zuko opened his eyes to look up at her.

"You also mentioned something about the night of the play," he said, frowning. "He forced himself on you more than once?"

There was a pause.

"That was during the play's intermission, when I went off looking for him," she said. "He told me that he cared about me and saw us being together, and I tried to turn him down easy, saying that I was confused with everything going on. Then he kissed me. That’s all that happened.”

She hoped that would be the end of that, but if anything, his frown deepened.

Zuko knew something had been bothering her after she returned to her seat that night, and now he wanted to kick himself for not reaching out. He wasn't happy with Aang at the moment for many reasons, but he was glad that he wasn't around just then, because he would have actually punched him.

Instead, he just exhaled a few wisps of smoke from his nose and calmed himself down. He didn't want her getting more upset than she'd already been today.

“That doesn’t make it right, though," he finally said. "It doesn’t matter if he’s the Avatar or not, Katara.”

There was another pause.

“I know,” she said quietly. “But I can’t find it in my heart to hold it against him.”

He considered this for a few minutes.

“I know when I’ve said it before, it wasn’t in the most tactful way,” he began, “but I do think you let him get away with more than you should. I know he’s literally got the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he does need to be cut slack on some things. But if he ever makes you feel uncomfortable about something – and I don’t just mean what you said earlier about him forcing kisses – then you need to be able to draw a line, and he should respect it and you.”

She nodded and looked out at the surf.

“Thank goodness I don’t have to worry about you chewing him out for that,” she said. “I think Sokka’s got that covered.”

“That’s why I’m hiding out down here,” he said dryly. “Letting him be the protective big brother.”

She rolled her eyes but leaned down to kiss his forehead.

“Well, at least you’re cracking jokes now,” she said, tousling his hair again.

He shrugged.

“My sense of humor is the only thing worse than my social skills,” he deadpanned.

His heart fluttered a bit when she giggled. Funny how something so delicate could make him feel like there was hope again.

Together, they watched the sun sink lower in the sky, its golden rays illuminating the crashing waves below.  

~*~*~

A few hours later as the sun hung low on the horizon, Zuko and Katara looked over and saw Aang slowly walking down the beach towards them, followed by Toph.

He was covered in dirt, and he looked absolutely exhausted.

Zuko helped pull Katara to her feet and they brushed the sand off their clothes as Aang reached them. Toph stopped and stood several feet away, folding her arms. Zuko crossed his as well.

Avatar and prince regarded each other for a long time in silence before Aang bowed solemnly.

“I… I just wanted to apologize for everything earlier. I never should have said what I did... any of it,” he said quietly. “I don’t know what came over me. I know you’re nothing like your father and I shouldn’t blame you for things you had no control over. I understand if you don’t want to teach me anymore.”

He turned to Katara next.

“I’m sorry for what I said to you, too, and embarrassed you like that. From the very beginning you’ve been on my side cheering me on, and no matter how upset or stressed I get, I shouldn’t take it out on you, and... if this is your choice and what you truly want, I need to respect that.”

Katara nodded and gave her friend a long hug.

"Thanks, Aang," she whispered.

Zuko, however, stood back. When they ended their embrace, he cleared his throat and lowered his arms to his sides

“Aang,” he began. “Thank you for telling her that. I realize you’re under stress I can’t even begin to imagine, but she’s been pushing herself to the limit trying to keep us all together, and it’s not fair for her to carry that burden."

Toph raised an eyebrow. He just revealed his most painful secret earlier and he's still more worried about Katara, she thought. Huh.

"That being said," he continued, his voice suddenly turning dark. "You humiliated and yelled at her. Don't ever speak to her like that again. I'm not saying this on her behalf, because she can take care of herself... but consider this the only warning you'll get from me. I don't ever want to see that look on her face again, especially if it's caused by someone who's supposed to be her friend.”

Toph's face reflected her surprise at his threat, and Aang just looked down, ashamed.

Katara felt a chill run down her spine at his words and looked up at him, eyes widening. He glanced down at her for a moment, his piercing golden eyes softening a bit as they met her blue ones.

Then Zuko looked back at Aang and he sighed. His face lightened considerably as he bowed to his friend.

“I accept your apology, and I hope you can accept mine. I meant what I said earlier, I won’t apologize for my feelings but I’m sorry you got hurt during all of this. I know I’ve got a long way to go before I’ve fully redeemed myself, but I’m still trying. While I’ve come to terms with everything regarding my father, I’m still working on it and one day I’ll be able to talk about it without losing my temper. And… I hope we can be friends again.”

Aang nodded, and Toph finally spoke up.

“So that’s it then? Are you two going to behave from now on, or do I have to chuck rocks at both of your heads?” she asked. “Because I don’t care if one of you is a prince and the other is the Avatar, I’ll do it.”

That broke the tension, and they chuckled.

“Yeah, I think we’re good,” Aang said, looking at Zuko, who allowed himself a brief smile. "I'll also work extra hard to make up the last three days I've wasted too."

“Yeah, we’re good,” Zuko agreed. “But if it’s alright, I still want to talk one-on-one with you. There are some things we need to clear up first. You two go on ahead.”

Katara nodded and gave his hand a light squeeze before she followed Toph back to the beach house.

When they’d disappeared over the ridge, Zuko turned to Aang and crossed his arms again.

“Tell me how far back your feelings for Katara go.”

~*~*~

They sat by the shore and talked until stars started twinkling into existence against the evening sky. At last, Aang leaned back on his palms in the sand.

Zuko glanced over at his friend, a look of quiet understanding painted on his face.

“So this guru said that you had to give up all earthly attachments if you wanted to master the Avatar State, including Katara…” he trailed off. “But you couldn’t do it.”

Aang nodded.

“For what it’s worth, when your uncle and I were looking for you two under Ba Sing Se, he agreed with me, although I may have left a few details out.”

Of course he had. His uncle had always been a romantic at heart.

“So you were willing to risk all of that for her,” Zuko said softly, looking up at the stars. “Even if it meant you’d never fulfill your destiny as an Avatar.”

“At least until we faced off under Ba Sing Se, when I realized you and Azula were going to beat us,” Aang said. “But by that point it was too late.”

Zuko grimaced at the memory.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen with Katara,” Aang continued. “But I know she’s supposed to marry this powerful bender, and for the longest time I thought it was going to be me. I guess that’s why I always assumed we’d end up together.”

Zuko raised an eyebrow. There it was again. Now, both Katara and Aang had referenced her ending up with a strong bender.

“What makes you say that?”

Aang looked sheepish.

“There was this fortuneteller we met in the Earth Kingdom, and Katara wanted to get hers told. So I snuck out and overheard her predict that her husband would be this great and mighty bender, but she didn’t specify which element. Since I’m the Avatar who’s supposed to master all four…” he shrugged his shoulders. “By the way, I never told her I did that.”

Zuko remembered encountering that same fortuneteller briefly during a hunt for them on the back of a shirshu.

He also remembered his conversation with Katara about her unknown, future husband from several nights ago beside the campfire.

Huh. He couldn’t help but smile to himself a little. If they actually pulled this off and won the war, Zuko thought to himself, he might just have to do something about that one day. The house with the blooming garden he’d imagined living with her in was starting to seem more like a possibility.

It’s not like he was expecting to rule the Fire Nation, anyways. He was its number one traitor who’d made too many mistakes, and his uncle would be a much better Fire Lord than he ever could.

There was still something he needed to clear up, though.

“Aang,” he said. “About what I said earlier... I could have been much nicer but I still stand by it. Katara’s not either of ours to lose. It’s up to her who she chooses to be with, even if it’s neither of us. I've told her as much, too. I'm not forcing her to be with me if she doesn't want to."

He listened solemnly and after several minutes of contemplation, he nodded. 

"You really care about her, don't you," Aang said, more as a statement than a question.

Zuko nodded.

"I love her," he admitted quietly.

Aang winced slightly.

"That makes two of us," he said after a few minutes. "Does she know?"

"Yeah... but she hasn't said it back, though."

To his surprise, his friend gave him a sad smile.

"I didn't want to admit it before," he said, "but she cares about you a lot, too. Even more than she lets on. When she's ready, she'll let you know."

Zuko didn't know what to say, so he just ducked his head.

~*~*~

Several minutes later, Aang sat forward and looked over at him, carefully letting small flames dance over and around his fingertips.

“Can I ask you something?”

"Go for it."

“I was willing to give up mastering the Avatar State for Katara,” he said, glancing back out over the ocean. “It may have been the wrong decision, but I stand by it and I’d do it all over again. So my question for you is, what would you be willing to give up for her?”

Zuko didn’t hesitate for a second.

“I’d give my life for her.”

But Aang shook his head.

“It’s easy to say you’ll die for someone,” he said softly. “What I’m asking is, what are you willing to live without? If you could be Fire Lord and restore the Fire Nation back to its former glory, would you give all of it up if you had to choose between that and Katara?”

Before he could answer, Aang snuffed out the fire in his hands.

He stood and walked back to the beach house, leaving Zuko alone in the oncoming darkness with his thoughts while the waves crashed nearby.

Chapter Text

Katara found herself on the receiving end of a massive bear hug from her brother when she and Toph returned from the beach.

“You okay, sis?” he asked her quietly, and she nodded wordlessly.

Suki looked around.

“Where are Zuko and Aang? I thought they were with you two.”

“They were,” Toph replied. “But they’re down on the beach, talking things over one-on-one and finally getting it all out of their systems.”

“Good,” Sokka said, nodding. “Did they seem upset, like they were going to fight again?”

Toph shook her head.

“I doubt it. Aang knew how badly he messed up even before I dragged him off to the mountains and practically threw boulders his way,” she said. “After the first few, he stopped trying to counter them altogether and just slumped down. Then I just yelled at him for awhile and made him talk things out.”  

She sat down at the table.

“Zuko seemed at peace too, although he pretty much threatened Aang with death if he ever yelled at Katara or embarrassed her again like he did earlier.”

Sokka nodded his head and made a noise of approval. Suki walked over to Katara and gave her friend a hug.

“You both should get something to eat,” she said. “We went to the market earlier, and while our cooking is nowhere near Katara's level, we hope it will make you feel better.”

Katara suddenly realized how hungry she was, and she and Toph quickly wolfed down the food set before them. Then she smiled when she noticed what they'd made for dessert.

“Are those seaweed cookies?” she asked, and they grinned.

"Sokka tried to describe them to me, and I did the best I could," Suki said. "We thought something sweet might cheer you up."

The cookies didn’t really resemble the classic Southern Water Tribe treat, much less taste exactly like it should, but she ate them just as enthusiastically anyways.

“So…” Sokka said once she finished. “Did Zuko talk any when you were with him? Anything you feel comfortable telling us, that is.”

Katara sighed.

"Zuko's still upset, but he's better," Katara said softly. "He calmed down right after I got there."

She told them about their short conversation before the shore, about his scar and what he’d told her about Aang. Her brother sat beside her and patted her shoulder comfortingly.

“You’re being way nicer to me than usual, and it’s freaking me out,” she teased, lightly punching his shoulder.

Then she frowned.

“I’m not going to apologize for spending the night with him by the shore, Sokka.”

“I’m not asking you to,” he responded, and she raised an eyebrow in surprise. “I figured something was up that night, and while I didn’t know the specifics, I did notice both of your bedroom doors were still open when I woke up at one point later that night. I also interrogated him when you went to talk to Aang the morning after. As long as he didn’t force you into doing anything you didn’t want to, I’m okay with that.”

He hesitated for a moment.

“Also… she didn’t tell me any other details, but when we were headed back from the market this afternoon, Suki told me what he said that night.”

Katara’s cheeks flushed and she looked down as he continued.

“I figured out some time ago that he liked you a lot, but I didn’t realize how deep those feelings were,” he said gently. “But I want to know how you feel about him, sis. Do you love him back?”

She would be so relieved when everyone could stop talking about her love life, she thought with mild annoyance.

“I… well, I don’t know,” she confessed quietly. “I told him I cared about him too, but I wasn’t ready to say it back to him. He didn’t try to force me or anything, he just hugged me and told me he all he wanted was for me to be happy.”

Sokka raised an eyebrow and looked at Suki. Well, he had no complaints about that.  

Katara looked at them and sighed.

“You guys have been so nice, you really have,” she said softly. “But can we talk about something else now, please?”

They chorused their agreement, and they moved to the next room, settling down on the couches and talking around the fireplace. Katara was only half listening, instead watching the crackling flames with heavy-lidded eyes.

She was on the verge of dozing off when Aang returned from the beach after dark, alone. The other three paused their conversation as he walked in.

“Everything okay, Twinkletoes?” Toph asked, and he nodded.

Katara’s tired eyes scanned the room.

“Where’s Zuko?” she asked sleepily.  

Aang folded his arms and looked down.

“He’s still on the beach. Don’t worry, we didn’t have another fight. We just had a long, drawn-out, honest conversation about everything, and we gave each other a lot to think about. He’s still down there mulling some things over.”

He looked up and his eyes met hers.

“Katara… I really am sorry for everything. I should never have forced myself on you, and I shouldn’t have thrown what happened the night of the party in your face like that. I also shouldn’t have yelled at you like I did earlier. It was wrong of me to do any of that.”

She smiled wearily up at him from the couch.

“Thank you,” she said. “You’re one of the best people I’ve ever met, Aang. I’m sorry that your feelings got hurt-”

But he held up a hand to stop her.

“It’s okay, Katara, really. I’ve been absolutely awful towards you, but I’d like to start over and be your friend again, if that’s okay,” he said with a sad smile.

He held out his hand to her, and she took it.

“Hi, I’m Aang, I like penguin sledding and impressing people with spinning marble tricks,” he said, shaking her hand as if in a greeting. “I’ve also got some amazing friends who I’d do anything for. There's one in particular who's always had my back, even when I’m being a jerk, and I don't tell her nearly enough how much I respect her.”  

She grinned and continued shaking his hand.

“Hi, I’m Katara. I also like penguin sledding but what I like even more is giving preachy speeches of inspiration like a big crybaby sometimes. My hobbies include bossing people around and waterbending. I too have some amazing friends, and one of them is already on his way to being the greatest Avatar ever. I just hope he knows that no matter what happens, I'll always be his friend.”

She let his hand go.

"Thanks, Katara."

“Thank you, Aang,” she said quietly. settling back on the couch.

She listened as the four of them talked for a bit longer as the flames burned lower. At one point, Suki looked over at her.

“You look exhausted,” she said kindly. “I think you should go to bed.”

Katara shook her head.

“Thanks, but I'm waiting for Zuko,” she murmured, pulling a blanket around her shoulders in spite of the warm summer night.

Suki nodded, and eventually Katara dozed off against the plush cushions. They moved their conversation outside on the porch so as not to disturb her. Later, they trudged off to bed one by one, until only Sokka remained.

“Go on ahead,” he whispered to Suki before she went upstairs. “I’ll stay down here with her, at least until Zuko gets back.”

~*~*~

It was close to midnight when the prince returned, rinsing the sand off his feet in the small tub by the doorway. He was about to trudge inside when he heard Sokka’s voice from the dark end of the porch.

“Hey.”

Zuko started and looked over to see his friend reclining on a chair, waving him over with a bottle of whiskey.

“Oh. Hey.”

He was drained and wanted nothing more than to go to bed, but instead he sat in a chair beside Sokka, reclining as well. They sat in silence for a bit, staring at the rafters overhead. Finally, Sokka spoke.

"You okay? Want to talk about anything from earlier, or do you just want to leave it alone?"

Zuko sighed.

"Leave it. I’m fine, I just don't want to talk about it anymore, at least not right now."

Sokka nodded thoughtfully and patted his friend's shoulder.

"We're here for you if you need us," he said kindly. "Just wanted to let you know."

“Thank you,” he said so quietly that Sokka just barely heard him.

Sokka took a sip and offered him the bottle, which he accepted.

"You know, there's nothing like the icy taste of Southern Water Tribe vodka, but this Fire Nation whiskey is growing on me," he said, tilting his head. “It’s not bad.”

Zuko's mouth tugged upwards in a smile.

"Not according to your sister. After you guys went to bed the night of the play, she tried a sip and spit it right back out into the fire."

Her brother snorted.

"Classic Katara."

Zuko chose not to mention the second time she'd tried the whiskey, successfully keeping it down in order to impress him.

They sat in silence for a while longer before Sokka spoke again.

“So… you love my sister, huh.”

It wasn't a question, more of a general statement. He didn't sound upset or happy or angry.

Zuko nodded.

“Yeah… I do,” he said quietly, looking over at her brother. “How do you feel about that?”

Sokka shrugged.

“If you were the same angry jerkbender from a few years ago, I would have put my foot down immediately. But you’re actually a decent guy, and after everything that’s happened with us all, I don’t really have any complaints. I’m still going to give you a rough time about it, but that’s my job as her big brother.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything else, buddy,” Zuko said, allowing himself a small grin, which quickly faded. “She hasn’t said it back, though.”

“So she told me," Sokka said, reaching for the bottle and taking another sip. "She also said you didn’t pressure her into saying something she wasn’t ready to, and that you told her you wanted her to be happy above all else.”

“Yeah.”

There was a pause.

“For what it’s worth Zuko, I really appreciate that. I don’t want my sister to ever be forced into anything, and hearing earlier this afternoon what happened the night of the play made my blood boil. So you telling her that makes me feel a lot better.”

Zuko lightly shrugged his shoulders.

"Like I said, I just want her to be happy, even if it's not with me," he said softly. “I don’t know what she sees in me sometimes, and I know she could do a lot better... but I do care about her, more than anything.”

He missed the small smile on his friend's face when he spoke.

"Well, for the record, when Aang came back tonight after talking with you, he pretty much threw himself before her feet and apologized for everything."

Zuko made a hmphing sound.

"He's not a bad kid, he just hasn't been taught any better," he said.

Sokka nodded.

"Yup. To be honest, I would've expected that same behavior from you back when we first met you."

Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Sadly, you'd probably have been right," he said. "I was a little too sidetracked by other things to go chasing after girls back then."

Sokka then stood up and stretched, yawning.

“Well, today has been fun and all, but now I’m going to bed,” he said. “By the way, we've got leftovers in the kitchen if you're hungry. Also, Katara’s in the other room asleep on the couch. She wanted to wait up for you but dozed off.”

Zuko nodded, and a few minutes after his friend left, he quietly walked inside.

~*~*~

Katara woke up to find the flames in the firepit had died down to glowing embers. Zuko was kneeling on the floor beside the couch in front of her, delicately running his fingers through her hair.

“You’re back,” she murmured unnecessarily.

He leaned over and kissed the top of her head.

“I’m back,” he echoed, smiling. “You’ve had a rough day, you should’ve gone to bed hours ago.”

She shook her head.

“So did you,” she whispered, reaching out and holding his hand. “I'm okay, but I was worried about you. Have you eaten anything yet?”

He nodded. It hadn't been much, but then again he wasn't really hungry.

“I’m fine, Katara. I’ve just had a lot to think about tonight.”

She propped herself up on her elbow.

“Everything okay?”

He leaned over again and his lips met hers in a deep, tender kiss.

“Couldn’t be better,” he said, smiling. “Let’s get you to bed.”

She found herself carefully scooped up and cradled in his arms, resting her head against his warm shoulder. She’d nearly dozed off again when she felt herself being lowered onto the mattress.

“Will you stay with me tonight?” she whispered as he turned down the covers around her.

Zuko tucked her under the blankets and nodded, smiling down at her. He locked her door and stripped his shirt off before he settled down beside her. She curled up against him and he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her forehead.

“Good night,” he whispered, but she was already asleep again.

He soon followed, holding her safe and sound.

~*~*~

The next couple of weeks thankfully went by a lot smoother. Zuko and Katara maintained an acceptable distance in front of the others so no one would feel awkward, although they still gravitated together by instinct.

But at night, after everyone else had turned in for the evening, he would stealthily make his way through the dark corridors to her room. They curled up on her bed and kissed, slowly rocking their hips together almost lazily before they eventually fell asleep in each other's arms.

He'd always be gone by the next morning, so their friends would be none the wiser. She'd wake up, pull the still- warm sheets to her face and inhale the remnants of his scent before she got ready for the day.

Katara had finally started to believe that everything was going to work out, at least until their last day at the beach house, when Sokka called a training exercise for all of them to go over. Her brother laid out a battle plan of attack against Ozai, dividing them into teams.

She was pleased that she’d been partnered with Zuko for “liquidy hot offense,” as Sokka called it, and indeed they moved flawlessly together as a pair, wiping out Toph’s stone soldiers. Yang and Yin, fire and water, together in perfect harmony, ready to defeat anyone who dared cross their path.

We might actually pull this off and win, she thought.

But then, Aang had hesitated when it came time to strike the killing blow to the dummy that stood in for the Fire Lord. Despite their urging, he just couldn’t do it.

As they all walked back to the beach house afterwards, she fell in line beside Zuko.

“You did great out there today,” he said, and she smiled.

“So did you,” she replied. “But I’m worried that Aang is going to freeze up like he just did and get killed instantly.”

His hand found hers and squeezed it in reassurance. 

~*~*~

Later that night, she let out a squeal when, after rummaging through the attic, she found a scroll with a picture of cute little baby Zuko. If they ever had children together, she thought, they would be absolutely precious.

Then the implication of that statement dawned on her, and she shook her heard. Where did that come from? she found herself wondering. First things first, Katara.

She hurried outside to show the others her discovery, who joined in her laughter when she unrolled it. Zuko, however, was unamused.

To her embarrassment, it was actually a portrait of his father as a baby instead. That instantly put a damper on everyone else’s glee.

Then he and Aang had gotten into an argument about whether Ozai deserved to live or not, and Katara wanted to slam her head against the wall. She understood where Aang was coming from, she really did, but they couldn’t afford to let the current Fire Lord live. Not if they wanted this war to end.

She knew she was coddling him yet again, but she tried to calm Aang down when he snapped that none of them understood what he was going through.

“Aang, we do understand, we’re just trying to help!” she shouted, exasperated.

He just turned and walked away. Like he always does, she heard in her mind, echoing Zuko's words from weeks ago.

She started after him but felt a familiar warm hand on her shoulder, pulling her back.

“Let him go,” Zuko said softly. “He needs time to sort it out by himself.”

~*~*~

Katara had changed into her nightclothes and was brushing the day’s tangles out of her hair when she heard a familiar signal coming from her door. She opened it to find Zuko leaning against the frame, smiling down at her.

She just barely waited until the locks clicked into place before she threw herself into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. She couldn’t help it.

They’d kissed many times, always out of sight of the others, but with everything going on they hadn’t had the opportunity to do much more than that. His nighttime visits had helped satisfy her craving somewhat, but now she needed more.

He was caught off guard at first but quickly adjusted his hold and pulled her closer. He’s so warm, she thought hazily. Her body craved his like it needed water to live.

As much as it scared her to admit it, she felt like she would die without him.

Then she realized she’d been so distracted kissing him that she hadn’t noticed he’d backed her up against the wall. He ground his hips against hers deliberately, drawing a gasp from her.

After a few minutes of rocking, she couldn’t take it anymore.

“Bed," she ordered. "Now.”

He winked at her and fell back on it, taking her down with him.

~*~*~

Once again she hesitated against going all the way, but they figured out a workaround.

They laid on her mattress staring at the ceiling for some time afterwards, waiting for their breathing to slow down and the room to quit spinning.

“You’re going to be the death of me,” he whispered with a grin once they could talk again, pulling her to his side with trembling arms.

Katara just giggled and bended water from a nearby pitcher to clean them both and heal the small, dark marks that now decorated both of their necks.

She secretly wanted to keep them all as reminders of how she’d made him gasp with light nips of her teeth and vice versa, but she knew the others wouldn’t be so understanding.  

~*~*~

When she finished, she rested her head on his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat near her ear. She hesitated for a minute, thinking over what she wanted to say, and finally spoke.

“Where do you see us after the war ends? Do you think we’ll still be together?”

He put his free hand behind his head and looked down at her.

“That’s what I was planning on, yeah.”

She sat up beside him.

“I’m serious, Zuko. If we actually pull this off and your father is overthrown and you return to the Fire Nation, what kind of future do you see for us?”

A few minutes passed before he spoke.

“If my father is defeated, I don’t know if I’d be ready to take the throne. I think my uncle would be a much better option to bring my country back into balance,” he said softly, running his fingers up and down her bare back.

“As for you and me… ever since the night we danced together, I don’t know why, but I’ve been picturing you living in a house near the ocean. I can’t grow anything to save my life, but I thought I could hire someone to plant you a garden full of your favorite flowers. You could be or do anything you want, and I’ll support it. Whether you wanted to be an ambassador or healer or something else entirely.”

She mulled this over for a minute, smiling before it faded into a light frown.  

“What about you, though? What if you somehow became Fire Lord? Zuko, I don’t think I fit the criteria to be a proper lady of the Fire Nation, and I don’t think they’ll accept me anyways. I’m just not one of them.”

He sat up beside her.

“Even if by some miracle I was crowned Fire Lord, I’d still want you by my side,” he said quietly, stroking her hair. “That is, if you’ll have me. You’d be a brilliant Fire Lady. Everyone who met you would fall in love with you like I have, and they’d be foolish not to.”

Time suddenly seemed to freeze, and she heard a ringing in her ears. Katara found herself struggling to speak.

“Wait, are you saying you want to marry me?” she whispered.

His face flushed scarlet and he started stammering.

“Oh no, of course not! I mean, it’s not like that, I just meant I wanted you there but not that way, and I figured, there’s just so much at stake so there’s no point right now, at least until the war is over.”

Stupid, stupid, stupid, he thought to himself, praying she wouldn’t be offended. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to be upset.

When he first laid eyes on her at the dance and thought up that idea of buying her a garden and a beachside house, he’d initially chalked it up afterwards as typical teenage hormones. But then, after his conversation with Aang on the beach, he realized something in the darkness after his friend had posed that final question.

It didn’t matter what any of his people thought or that it went against both his culture and hers.

He wanted her by his side, even if he was shunned by the rest of the world and never inherited his birthright as Fire Lord.

He didn’t need a title or a crown. He just needed her – that is, if she’d have him. But first things first. 

She settled back down on the bed and pulled the blankets up around her shoulders. He laid down as well and held her close as she rested her head above his heart, breathing in the sweet smell of her hair.

At last she spoke.

“Zuko… I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next few days, but I’ve got this terrible feeling like I’m going to lose you,” she said softly.

He hugged her even tighter.

“You won’t,” he said, hoping he sounded confident. “Let’s just rest, and when the sun rises tomorrow it’ll be a new day. We’ll see where it takes us.”

~*~*~

The next morning, they awoke to discover Aang and Momo had vanished, with just his footprints leading into the ocean as their only clue.

~*~*~

Katara trusted Zuko’s judgement completely, but even she had her doubts when he landed Appa outside of a seedy-looking Earth Kingdom tavern.

When they walked inside and saw an all-too familiar face, though, everything clicked. June. Of course. The bounty hunter and her shirshu had been able to track them before with just her necklace, so if anyone could help them, it would be her.

But that didn’t mean Katara had to like it. She noticed Zuko didn’t look pleased to be there either, but time was running out.

The bounty hunter looked up as they approached, and judging by the scowl on her face, she wasn’t exactly thrilled about their reunion.

“Oh, great,” she said in that husky voice. “It’s Prince Pouty. Where’s your creepy grandpa?”

Despite her apprehension, Katara bit back a smirk. She’d have to remember that nickname whenever Zuko got into one of his grumpier moods.

Zuko however looked entirely unamused.

“He’s my uncle, and he’s not here.”

The older woman considered this for a second, then glanced back up at them.

“I see you worked things out with your girlfriend.”

Katara felt all of the blood rush to her face. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Zuko had also turned scarlet. Technically it was true, but they’d never bothered to define it before now.

They started to stammer out a denial, but June just leaned back and shrugged.

“Okay, okay! Sheesh, I was only teasing. So what do you want?”

~*~*~

June and her shirshu Nyla led them on a hunt that lasted the rest of the night and all of the next day. Nyla had been unable to locate Aang, but he did pick up a trail leading to Iroh.

They took turns guiding Appa, but Zuko could still feel exhaustion creeping in his bones when they finally landed later that night outside the destroyed outer wall of Ba Sing Se. June wished them good luck, then she was gone.

He looked at the others and suggested they camp for the night, which earned him no complaints. Zuko stretched out on one of Appa’s fluffy legs, struggling to keep his eyes open. Then, he realized Katara had laid down beside him.

She started to scoot up against him but was stopped by her brother pointedly clearing his throat from nearby. She rolled her eyes but was too tired to point out the hypocrisy, since Sokka was curled up next to Suki.

Instead, she just reached out and held Zuko’s hand as they looked up together into the night sky. He’d almost dozed off when he heard her speak.

“Zuko,” she whispered softly enough so only he could hear. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but whatever comes, promise you'll stay with me.”

He just nodded and lazily brought her hand to his lips for a brief kiss. A few minutes later, she turned away from him and he heard her breathing slow down as she fell asleep.

To ward off the temptation to curl up against her and incur Sokka's wrath, he turned the opposite way and soon dozed off as well.

~*~*~

The next morning, after a night of many joyful reunions and surprises, Zuko listened in shock as his uncle offered him the chance to ascend the throne and take his birthright as Fire Lord at last.

He’d been reluctant at first, citing all of his past sins, but his uncle’s calm words reassured him that he could do it – just not alone. This time, there was no hesitancy in his voice when he spoke again.

“Katara... wow would you like to help me put Azula in her place?” he asked.

Her eyes shone as she replied, reassuring him that no matter what happened next, she'd be there beside him.

“It would be my pleasure.”

Chapter Text

What happens to a phoenix at the end of its life, Zuko?

How can it rise again after burning to nothingness?

~*~*~

“No lightning today? What’s the matter, afraid I’ll redirect it?” the prince called out to his sister.

The odds, which had been stacked against him all of his life, were finally in his favor.

Zuko hadn’t just kept up with Azula’s bending, he’d surpassed it. For once, he was actually winning. He knew he shouldn’t let this go to his head, but it was hard not to, especially with the comet’s influence.

He wouldn’t admit it out loud, especially not to the waterbender who watched their duel from a safe distance away, but he finally understood the ferocity his ancestors must have felt a hundred years ago.

Raw, visceral power coursed through his entire body and he felt like he could incinerate the whole world with just a finger. Sparks seemed to crackle around him whenever he exhaled, and the temptation to burn everything in sight pulsed through his veins.

The old Zuko would have listened and done just that. But not the Zuko who now stood on the battlefield, just minutes away from winning the throne against his sister.

Sensing the end of the fight was finally near, his companion quietly moved closer.

Azula, disheveled and losing for perhaps the first time in her life, panted and roared back, “I’ll show you lightning!”

Zuko moved his arms into a defensive position and collected his breath while she prepared to attack. He’d successfully countered the deadly flames once before against his father, and he was confident he could do so again.

He just had to wait for her to strike.

But then, the princess’ eyes darted off over his shoulder. She smirked viciously before releasing a sizzling wave of blue lightning at full blast off to his side.

What was she doing? he wondered in bewilderment. How could she miss him by that much? Unless…

Time seemed to slow as his head swiveled to follow the lightning’s path, and he finally understood the gravity of his mistake.

The lightning he’d taunted her to release wasn’t meant for him at all.

It was aimed directly at Katara, who was frozen in place with fear in her eyes.

~*~*~

Before they’d even arrived in the capital, he had warned her that Azula would exploit any weakness, which Katara knew all too well after Ba Sing Se.

They agreed not to show any trace of affection once her coronation party came into view, even though he wanted nothing more than to hold her hand for reassurance. 

Zuko wasn’t sure where they had slipped up, but if he had to guess, it probably would have been when he’d accepted Azula’s invitation to an Agni Kai. His eyes must have reflected tenderness for the briefest moment when he vowed to Katara that no one else would get hurt. 

Her eyes had also shown concern when he’d accepted the challenge, but deep down he knew Azula had only focused on his reaction. 

He knew Katara would be safe sheltered away from their inferno, but at some point she must have escaped. Zuko didn’t blame her - if the roles had been reversed, he wouldn’t have lasted nearly as long standing on the sidelines. 

She should have been safe even then on the edge of the battlefield, since attacking a non-combatant during an Agni Kai was an automatic forfeit. Azula realized she would lose regardless, and she decided that nothing else mattered in the end except breaking his heart. 

If she couldn’t be Fire Lord, she would ensure his victory would be a hollow one and hurt him in the cruelest way possible.

~*~*~

His feet pounded against the tiles, sending shockwaves through his legs and up into his body as he raced towards her.

He didn’t care that he was being foolish, that he was practically throwing away the fate of his entire nation for her sake.

Zuko was not going to let his miscalculation cost him Katara’s life, but his heart sank when he saw there was no possible way to reach her before the lightning. He wouldn’t be able to redirect it away; there was no possible way to save her.

She was going to die suffering the worst pain imaginable, and it was all his fault. Once again he'd ruined everything, just like he always did. But this time, he knew losing her would be enough to destroy him.

No, he screamed in his mind, or maybe it was out loud. 

Suddenly, he realized how he could still protect her, even though it would most likely kill him in the process.

Zuko didn't hesitate for a second.

He leapt in front of her just in time, catching the full force of the lightning as it snarled and sank into his chest like a thousand sharp teeth.

~*~*~

His uncle had warned him about how dire the consequences would be if he let lightning pass through his heart, but Zuko never anticipated this level of agony.

He had endured more burns and injuries in his life than he could count - it came with the territory of being a firebender, after all. Before now, two of those instances stood out in his mind as the most painful experiences, at least the ones that involved fire.

But the excruciating pain he now felt throbbing through his bloodstream and nerves was far worse than anything he'd ever been through, bringing a new wave of torment with each heartbeat.

This hurt more than the explosion he’d survived prior to the Siege of the North, which he'd just barely survived with a black eye and bruises all over his face and body.

It somehow hurt even more than when his father had scarred him - as agonizing as that was, at least it had been contained to a single area.

Zuko now burned alive from the inside out as white hot pain seared throughout his entire body, and his veins were scorched to ash as the deadly blue flames scalded the blood within to nothingness.

... the damage could be deadly, he heard his uncle say from lifetimes ago, and indeed that seemed inevitable now.

When he’d redirected the lightning from his father on the Day of Black Sun, it had been exhilarating. Yet as the flames consumed him now, he felt a different type of intoxication.

He would most certainly die from this, Zuko thought, but he somehow never felt so alive.

~*~*~

An eternity later, he realized he was finally falling.

He just managed to throw his arm upwards in time to release the lightning into the sky and slammed hard against the tiles with a sickening thud before he skidded to a stop.

His right shoulder had dislocated when he landed, he realized through a haze of pain, but that was the least of his worries. He curled his body inwards in a desperate, futile attempt for relief and saw the heavens above splinter into a million streaks.

Zuko heard Katara scream out his name and her footsteps pounding against the tiles as she raced to his side, but his sister’s remorseless blue flames intercepted and nearly burned her before she could reach him.

He blacked out and came to a few minutes later, rolling onto his stomach and stretching his good arm out desperately towards her.

I can't even crawl, he realized as dread settled in his stomach. He tried calling out but he found he couldn't even speak now, either. He was completely useless.

He still had to reach Katara, though, somehow. He had to do anything to draw Azula’s attention away to save her, but they were too far away.

~*~*~

What happens to a phoenix at the end of its life, Zuko?

He remembered how his mother used to tell him stories of the mythical creatures to cheer him up, especially whenever his father or Azula or someone else scorned him for failing miserably at firebending.

It catches fire and burns to ashes, falling in the process, and then it resurrects itself and flies away, completely reborn, he would respond dejectedly, and she’d give him a gentle hug of encouragement.

See? Even if you make mistakes at first, you still have another chance, she would assure him. It doesn't matter how many times you fall, you will always rise again and come back stronger and burning brighter, just like the phoenix.

He'd always found that analogy comforting in its own way, but there was still one detail about it that confused him, even now.

How does it come back to life, Mom? How can it rise again after burning to nothingness?

At that, Ursa would shake her head with a gentle smile.

No one knows, Zuko. Its tears can heal a person and even bring them back from the brink of death... but how it resurrects itself each time is one of life’s greatest mysteries.

~*~*~

He had burned and fallen just like the phoenixes of legend from his mother's stories. His bones were most likely charred to a crisp, and his insides indeed felt like ashes.

But unlike the phoenix, he knew he had no chance of rising again. Zuko tried to push himself up but immediately collapsed. His body was so broken and weak that one more hit and he would shatter completely.

He tried calling out again to distract Azula somehow, anything to give Katara an opportunity to defend herself, but then he realized his lungs were all but incinerated as well. 

His whole world was on fire, and no one could save him but her. Zuko started to black out once more, vaguely aware that Katara was desperately fighting for her life and wouldn’t reach him in time.

He had faith she would survive this and win, somehow, but absolutely none in himself. His heartbeat weakened, soon crawling to an irregular thud.

So this is how it ends, he thought as his breathing also slowed down. This is how I die.

~*~*~

Katara still hadn't said the words to him, but he knew in his heart, somehow, that she loved him, maybe as he much as he loved her.

He’d first felt it in the way she held him when he'd broken down and cried in her arms by the shoreline after he bared his soul to the others.

Zuko also noticed how she always tried to make his portion of food spicier when she cooked because that's how he liked it, how she always knew when to hold his hand if he needed reassurance, and how she wasn't afraid to call him out whenever his temper went too far.

He heard it in her laugh when he said something dumb or ridiculous, and how she always encouraged him to open up whenever something bothered him. 

And Zuko saw how her eyes always shone when she looked up at him and felt it in the way she kissed him goodnight before they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

She saw everything ugly and damaged about him and still accepted him exactly as he was, even though she truly deserved much better.

He knew he'd dived headfirst into loving her, but then again, when had he ever played it safe?

That last night at the beach house, he'd almost tipped his hand by admitting he could see himself marrying her at some point off in the future.

Now, he regretted that he'd never get to ask her properly one day.

~*~*~

A lifetime with Katara flashed before his eyes, of everything that could have been, but would never exist now.

Zuko saw her hand in his as they looked out across at the sunset over the ocean from the balcony of their house, a garden of blooming fire lilies below.

He saw the tired euphoria on her face that mirrored his own as they held their firstborn together for the very first time, of him stroking his wife's hair and kissing her as he murmured how well she'd done and how proud he was.

Zuko saw all of their laughing children playing in the fields on Ember Island, excitedly calling out to their father when they saw him instead of cowering away as he'd done with his own.

He saw his wife curled up against him long after their sons and daughters had been tucked in for the evening, and her falling asleep and breathing peacefully in the moonlight as he held her close.

His entire future with her, everything he wanted to do and show her, all of the kisses and nights of passion and her brilliant blue eyes shining up at him, were fading away to nothingness.

Before everything went dark, he remembered standing in the downpour of the sun shower with her from a lifetime ago, when her eyes sparkled as fire and water fused together around them for the briefest moment to create something truly beautiful.

He just hoped Katara would somehow be able to forgive him.

~*~*~

Stay with me, Zuko, he thought he heard her sob from somewhere in the blackness. Please stay.

~*~*~

He'd never really given much thought to what would happen after he died, but Zuko always assumed being in the Spirit World, or whatever afterlife he was destined to end up in, would be much less painful, not to mention a lot less stiflingly hot.

He felt himself languidly drift in and out of consciousness, like waves beating against the shore as the world slowly came back into focus.

Gradually, he realized Katara had called forth her healing water and was desperately fighting against death for him to survive.

I'm alive, he thought weakly. Against all odds, she brought me back. That explained why every inch of him hurt so much and why his skin still felt so feverish. He'd also been rolled over at some point, and the tiles were hard against his back.

Zuko was still too exhausted to open his eyes just yet, but he could sense flames burned around them like an inferno, although the ones within him were finally cooling down. 

“Please, Zuko, stay with me. Please stay,” he heard her pleading as she choked the words out.

He finally found enough strength to groan and slowly forced his eyes open a crack, watching her through his lashes. She gasped at the sound and her eyes met his, tears streaming down her face.

Tears of a phoenix, he thought, hazily remembering the golden embroidery from her party dress. She saved me when I couldn’t save myself.

He wanted to reach out, stroke her face or comfort her in some small way, but he still couldn’t move.

“Thank you, Katara,” he mumbled weakly.

He hoped she’d heard it, but it was so faint she probably hadn't.

She softly wiped her tears away, although more still flowed down her face.

“I think I’m the one who should be thanking you,” she whispered in relief and he managed to smile, somehow.

~*~*~

She continued to heal him for what seemed like hours, and at last he felt like he was at least strong enough again to sit up. Katara pressed her palm gently against his back, slowly helping him rise from the ground, and then she gasped.

“Zuko, your shoulder! I’m so sorry, I didn’t even notice.” 

She literally just saved him from death and she was still concerned it hadn’t been enough, he thought with some amusement. 

Katara scooted behind him and delicately moved her hands into position.

”I think I’ll have to do this the hard way,” she said hesitantly. “I’m so sorry, this is going to hurt a lot.”

He smiled despite the pain. 

“It’s okay,” he assured her. “I’ve survived worse. At least it’s not lightning.” 

She shook her head. “That’s not funny.”

He wanted to retort that he was the one who nearly died, therefore he had the final say in what constituted humor. But then he sighed softly as he felt her draw more water to her hands as it soaked through his sleeve, lessening the pain just a bit. 

“On three,” he rasped. “One-”

Then he growled despite himself as she prematurely forced his shoulder back into place.

”Sorry!” she cried out, her gloved hands glowing blue as she hurriedly tried to heal the hurt away. 

He hissed slightly, fists clenching. After a minute, though, the pain in his shoulder subsided into the dullest of aches. The rest of his body still hurt, albeit much less than before.

"I'm okay," he rasped out, realizing she was trembling as she continued to heal him.

His eyes met hers, and to her surprise he winked in tired reassurance. 

”Katara, it’s okay,” he said again in a softer tone than before. "Come here."

~*~*~

Katara carefully settled down to sit beside him, letting him lean his good shoulder against her for support. He was still too weak to stand, so he sat there for a while, and she slipped her arm around his lower back to keep him up.

Her eyes met his, and he could see she was tearing up once again.

He smiled weakly and brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face, silently thanking the spirits for allowing him a second chance at life with her.

"It's okay," he whispered, but she shook her head.

"No, it's not," she choked out. "I almost lost you, Zuko. I thought I did for the longest time."

"But you didn't," he assured her, leaning his head on her shoulder. "Against all odds, you brought me back and saved me."

He felt tears fall from her eyes above, dripping on him. He sat up again and took her free hand in his, kissing her palm gently and letting his lips linger over her fingertips.

"It's okay," he murmured once more.

Again she shook her head.

"Zuko," she said softly. "There's something you need to know, something I should have told you a long time ago before now, but I was too scared... but then I realized I was more scared that you'd die without ever knowing how I felt about you."

Time seemed to slow again for him and his still-weak heart pounded in his chest.

Katara bit her lip and finally let herself fall. She knew what she was about to tell him meant things would change forever between them.

All it took was Zuko nearly dying for her to finally realize that she couldn’t go another minute without saying she loved him, too.

As she whispered the words she'd been too afraid to say before, she noted how his breath caught in his throat and how his eyes crinkled up in a smile of relief. She was about to say something else, but suddenly Zuko found the strength to sit up and lean forward on his own.

He kissed her, not caring who saw, and at first her eyes widened in surprise as he cradled her face in his hands.

Then she moved herself closer and returned the kiss, lifting her free hand to cup his cheek as tears streamed down her face again.

~*~*~

Maybe that’s how the phoenix resurrects itself and rises from the ashes every time, Zuko thought as they held each other in silence a long time afterwards, his head resting on her shoulder as her hand glowed blue once more against his chest. Maybe it’s love. 

~*~*~

Fnally, he was strong enough to stand, and she helped him up. His legs were unsteady and he stumbled at first, but as long as she was by his side, her hand pressed against his back to give him strength, he could manage.

He tilted his head upwards and carefully exhaled a few wisps of smoke, noticing with mild amusement that they resembled a dragon's breath as they escaped from his nose. 

Zuko looked downwards and held his hands out to inspect at them. Fire flickered to life in his palms and steadily grew until it seemed to dance between his fingers. Encouraged, he turned his head towards Katara and saw her beam up at him in pride. 

“Step back, sweetheart,” he said softly. “I don’t want to burn you.” 

She raised an eyebrow at the new nickname but did as he asked, removing her hand from his back in the process. 

He breathed in deeply, gathering what strength he still possessed. Then he exhaled all of the fire within him skywards with as much ferocity as he could muster.

Just like a dragon, Katara thought to herself as she stood shivering in awe, watching his golden flames roar up into the crimson sky.

Then his fire died out, and she saw him sway. Immediately she ducked under his left shoulder and helped hold him up. Zuko turned his head back down to look at her and winked. 

”Showoff,” she whispered, but she couldn’t hide her radiant smile, which he returned.

Against all odds, he had risen from the ashes with the help of a blue phoenix.

He was reborn.

~*~*~

Azula was bound to the grates some distance away, watching everything.

Once she saw her brother finally rise and stand with that Water Tribe peasant, she started screaming and crying again.

They just looked at her with pity and horror.

~*~*~

From across the courtyard they heard a noise and looked over to see the Fire Sages emerge from their shelter.

The Sages picked their way delicately across the battlefield and bowed deeply before Zuko and Katara.

“Princess Azula has forfeited her claim to the throne by violating the ancient laws of Agni Kai,” one said.

“All hail Prince Zuko, the next Fire Lord!” another called out, and more seemed to appear from nowhere, echoing the chant.

Katara’s blue eyes shone with tears as she looked up at him in elation.

He allowed himself a tired smile, pulled her in for a tight embrace, and rested his cheek against her hair.

Chapter Text

After ensuring Appa was settled in safely at a nearby stable and scarfing down a quick dinner hastily prepared by one of the royal chefs, Katara and Zuko finally made it back to his old room to rest until the next day. 

The royal physician visited as well and was astonished that Zuko was even still alive. He watched in surprise as Katara demonstrated her healing abilities and conceded that perhaps her treatment might be best, at least for now.

He did advise Zuko rest for the remainder of the day and avoid excessive firebending or anything physical for at least the next month or so.

Once the doors to his bedroom were finally closed, Katara pulled the security latches down into place to lock them.

“Sorry, but I’m not trusting anyone just yet,” she explained almost apologetically.

All they needed was a surprise assassination attempt or something when they were both past the point of exhaustion.

Zuko stripped off his lightning-damaged tunic and sprawled out shirtless on the bed. She quickly followed his example and fell back into the cushions. After a minute she rolled over on her side to face him.

“How do you feel?” she asked softly.

His eyes were closed, and his breathing had slowed down. If she didn’t know any better, she would’ve thought he’d dozed off.

“Like I’m on top of the world,” he mumbled, not opening his eyes.

She smoothed a strand of hair away from his face and softly kissed his cheek.

“I’m going to get a bath,” she said after a few minutes. “You should join me, and I can work on healing your chest a bit more afterwards.”

His lashes fluttered open, and he turned his head towards her with a spark in his golden eyes.

“And here I thought you were just trying to seduce me,” he rasped.

She rolled her eyes but kissed him again.

“As tempting as it sounds,” she said cupping his face, “I don’t think you’re in any condition to stand, much less do anything that strenuous.”

He propped himself up on his elbows.

“Sweetheart, after everything we’ve survived today, I could ravish you well into the night.”

A smirk tugged at the corners of her lips.

“Since when do you call me ‘sweetheart?’” she said raising an eyebrow, recalling how he first used the term of affection just a few hours earlier, after she finally admitted that she loved him.

He suddenly rolled her over onto her back, covering her body with his. Despite the heat radiating from him, she found herself shivering as he slowly rocked his hips against hers.

“Since now,” he said huskily, running his fingers through her hair and pulling her closer for another kiss.

“Zuko, I’m sweaty and I probably stink,” she protested.

He shook his head and kissed the base of her neck.

“I almost died today, Katara, and you saved me,” he mumbled, squeezing her bottom. “You saved me, and you smell like heaven and salvation.”

“You’re delirious,” she pointed out.

Maybe the lightning had also scrambled his brain, she thought, but she found herself kissing him back and wrapping a leg around his waist. Eventually she rolled out from under him and stood, eliciting a grunt of displeasure from the prince.

“Come on, Zuko. Bath first and healing session, then you can seduce me all you like,” she bargained.

He finally got to his feet with a soft groan.

“Is that a promise?” he asked, pulling her to him again. “Because if you want to, we can...”

He trailed off, finally looking and sounding serious as he gazed down at her. She knew what he was implying and as much as she was finally ready, her conscience directed her towards the massive tub in the adjoining room instead.

The physician strictly told him no bending, and if he’d known what they were about to do he’d undoubtedly advise against that too. So if they were going to flagrantly break the rules, she reasoned, the least she could do was work on healing him some more. 

“I do,” she said softly, squeezing his hand with hers. “But only if you’re strong enough afterwards.”

His golden eyes shone, and he raised her hand to kiss it gently.

~*~*~

She couldn’t stop the blush from spreading across her face as they stripped down and climbed into the heated water together.

Katara had seen him shirtless many times as he trained, and she’d certainly felt a very distinct part of his anatomy on more than one occasion now, but suddenly seeing all of him made her want to hide her face.

She thought back to that night when they first danced and ended up on the beach, and her face grew even hotter at a few certain memories.

But now, as the reality of the situation sank in, she felt seriously outclassed. He’d done this before at least once or twice; it would be her first. She tried not to think of him with Mai, and she just hoped he wouldn’t be disappointed by the end.

It comforted her a bit to see his cheeks were also scarlet, though his eyes were also full of unmistakable lust. She also prayed she didn’t look too embarrassed.

He kept his word, though, and didn’t try anything as they bathed, except to reach over and stroke her face from time to time, looking at her like he still couldn’t believe she was real.

Once they finished she climbed out and dried off, wrapping a large fluffy towel around her body. Zuko raised an eyebrow as she looked at everything except for him as the tub filled with fresh water.

“Didn’t we just see all of each other?” he smirked, amused by her quickly flushing cheeks.

She huffed and directed him to lean back against the edge of the tub. Katara slid her hands just beneath the surface to rest on his scarred chest, and the water around him glowed blue.

“Yes, but I can’t afford to have any big distractions come up — oh, stop it!” she admonished as he burst into laughter, and her cheeks burned all over again. “That’s not what I meant.”

"Wonder what inspired that comment?" he asked a bit too innocently.

Katara huffed again.

"Shut up."

He shrugged and closed his eyes as he relaxed into a comfortable position. To her mild annoyance, though, he wore the biggest, smuggest grin the entire time she healed him.

“I brought you back from the dead, your highness, and if you don’t wipe that dumb look off your face I'll send you right back,” she said, but it was obvious she was teasing.

He just opened his eyes and winked up at her.

~*~*~

When she was satisfied with her work, she drained the water and guided him back to the bed wrapped in an equally large and fluffy towel.

He leaned against the pillows as she found and applied a light-scented lotion to her skin. She glanced towards the window and saw the sky was still crimson from the comet.

“How do you feel?” she asked again, both hopeful and terrified.

He sat up and gingerly pressed down on his scarred chest.

“It doesn’t hurt that much,” he said a bit too enthusiastically to be convincing.

She sighed.

“You're lying,” she said kissing his cheek. “Please be honest, Zuko. I just need to know how badly you’re injured.”

He looked sheepish for a moment, then his face sobered.

“I’m definitely sore,” he admitted, stretching his arms backwards and stifling a groan. “It feels a hundred times better than earlier, but the pain is there. If it wasn’t for Sozin’s Comet still giving me strength, I’d be a lot weaker and a lot sorer.”

Katara looked down, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes.

“It’ll probably be a month or more before you’re completely healed,” she sighed. “Zuko, it’s all my fault. I’m so sorry. If I hadn’t run out there, if I’d just stayed put, she wouldn’t have targeted me and you wouldn’t—”

He cut her off with a kiss.

“Hey,” he said softly, weaving his hands through her hair and leaning his forehead against hers. “It’s not your fault. I’m just thankful you weren’t hurt.”

She shook her head.

“You almost died today, Zuko. You took lightning directly to the heart and you almost lost your life… for me.”

She didn't mention that he'd also risked the birthright he'd so desperately sought for the last several years as well, all for her sake.

“And I’d do it again if I had to,” he declared, with that stubborn look in his eyes she knew all too well.

Despite her best efforts, the tears started falling anyways. Stupid, she thought to herself. You’re not the one who nearly died, although you should have been.

Then he just had to look at her like that, as if the sight of her crying was the most heartbreaking thing he’d ever seen. It’s not like his own had actually broken earlier and nearly stopped beating before she could reach him.

He wiped her face and held her for a several minutes, murmuring words of encouragement. When her tears finally dried and her shoulders stopped shaking, he kissed her again.

“Katara, look at me,” he said. “I love you. I love you so much that I would do it all again without a second thought. Did you get hurt?”

She shook her head.

“Then it was worth it,” he assured her, kissing all around her neck. 

~*~*~

Forget the lightning he’d taken to the heart for her earlier.

This would be the death of him, and he was enjoying every blissful minute of it.

~*~*~

As she tried to catch her breath, sprawled out across his chest wrapped up in his trembling arms, she kissed him and once again spoke the words she’d finally been brave enough to say earlier after bringing him back to life.

"I love you, Zuko."

She'd realized while watching him burning from the inside out that she was about to lose him forever. Since they'd been given a second chance, she silently vowed to speak those words as often as possible to him every day for the rest of her life.

He just squeezed her tighter and smiled sleepily at her.

“Love you too, Katara.”

~*~*~

She awoke at some point hours later, drowsily aware of the pale blue moonlight illuminating the dark room. Zuko was sound asleep, his body wrapped around hers, looking more peaceful and content than she’d ever seen him.

Katara gently rolled him over onto his back and called forth water from a nearby pitcher. It was a full moon tonight, she noticed gratefully, and with her bolstered strength she set about working on Zuko’s chest again.

He didn’t stir the entire time she healed him, and once she had done all she could for the night, Katara planted a light kiss on his forehead before drifting back off to sleep.

~*~*~

She awoke again the next morning while it was still dark outside, the sun still hidden just over the horizon. This time she was aware of a dull ache between her legs and lazy kisses bestowed upon on her neck by her lover.

“You’re up early,” she mumbled sleepily.

“I rise with the sun, remember?” he said with an all-too-familiar gleam in his eyes as he kissed down towards her stomach.

“And clearly, that’s not the only thing that’s risen,” she teased, brushing hair back from his face with her hands.

Then she frowned.

“Zuko, I’ve been making a lot of progress healing you, but you still need to take it slow. The comet’s not giving you strength anymore, and if you push yourself too much I won’t be able to do enough.”

He tried to protest, insisted that he would happily take on anything for her, but then she had an idea. She rolled him over on his back instead and kissed him, her blue eyes sparkling in the dim light.

“Just lie back and relax,” she whispered, kissing her way down his chest.

~*~*~

When she caught her breath again, she planted a lazy trail of kisses across his chest and neck before her lips finally met his.

She bended water over to clean them both off and discarded it before settling back down beside him.

He gave her body a gentle squeeze and brushed a strand of hair back from her face.

“You should get some more rest,” he whispered. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”

She nodded and snuggled up against him, resting her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

Katara dozed off soon after, and the last thing she remembered was him stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head.  

Chapter Text

When Katara woke again, sunlight was shining through the windows and the bed was empty. She sat up and glanced around in confusion before her eyes settled on the note resting on the nightstand.

True to his nature, Zuko had risen with the sun. In his letter he wrote that he’d already checked on Appa and ensured he was eating his weight in hay. He’d also checked in on Azula and made sure she was being cared for as well, under heavy supervision.

He wrote that in a few hours, he would call together a meeting with the royal advisors to decide their next course of action while they waited for news of Avatar Aang and Ozai.

I’m sorry for not waking you, but you looked so beautiful and peaceful, he’d written. Once you’re up, come join me for breakfast. There’s something I’d like you to see. Love, Zuko.

She knew she was being incredibly juvenile and stupid, but she let out a tiny squeal and hugged the note to her chest after reading the last two words. She quickly regained her composure, thankful no one else had witnessed her outburst. Then she saw there was another line.

P.S. Unfortunately no one could find any blue clothing anywhere in the palace this morning, but I hope this will suffice for now.

Her Water Tribe clothes were still dirty, she realized, and she initially planned to wear her red Fire Nation outfit. Then she saw Zuko had left her a reddish violet-colored top and matching skirt not unlike her own.

This outfit was decidedly nicer than hers, with gold accents and matching intricate embroidery, though it still paled in comparison to her dress from the Ba Sing Se ball. That seemed like a lifetime ago, when she’d been a completely different person.

She styled her hair with trembling fingers and took a final look in the mirror.

“Water is the element of change,” she whispered softly as she tied on her mother’s necklace.

If both she and Zuko could change so much since they first met, surely the world could, too. But she made sure her waterskin was completely full before she left the room, just in case.

Katara opened the door and discovered a matronly-looking lady-in-waiting standing patiently outside, who bowed immediately.

“Good morning, my Lady,” she said in light, airy voice that reminded Katara of windchimes. “My name is Rei and I am here to escort you. I trust you slept well?”

Katara suddenly became aware of how unladylike she actually was and blushed. She’d picked up some manners during her travels but compared to the regality here, she felt as uncouth as a member of the Foggy Swamp Tribe.

“Oh! Yes I did, thank you,” she replied, remembering Toph’s lessons on etiquette from Ba Sing Se in time to return the bow. “And please, just Katara is fine.”

Rei didn’t seem to notice and was already starting to usher her down the hallway.

“Prince Zuko is expecting you. Come this way, please.”

~*~*~

As Rei led her through the palace, Katara found herself gaping at the sheer size of it. No wonder Zuko had been so snooty when they’d first met, she thought to herself. It was magnificent, not to mention huge. She was thankful for Rei’s guidance, because otherwise she would have wandered around all day long, completely lost.

The curtains and windows in the outer corridors were open, letting in so much light it almost made her eyes hurt. Apparently that had been one of Zuko’s first unofficial acts as Fire Lord that morning, Rei was saying, and it was a good thing too since otherwise the palace would have looked rather gloomy.

Rei explained that the sunlight was brighter in the palace than the rest of the Fire Nation, due to the high elevation in the dormant volcano. That also explained why Katara unexpectedly had a bit more trouble breathing than usual, she thought, although her guide assured that her lungs would soon get used to the higher altitude.

While they walked Katara noticed royal staff and servants hurrying about, although all of them stopped and bowed solemnly as she passed. Rei was moving too quickly for her to return their bows, so she just nodded as politely as possible, hoping they wouldn’t be offended.

After what seemed like an eternity later, they finally reached the door leading to the outside. The sun was even brighter out here than before, and she instinctively held her arm up to shield her eyes from the blinding light.

A second later her guide, with a knowing smile, gave her a paper umbrella from a nearby stand to block out the suns’ harsher rays. She gestured to a small pond in the middle of the garden, where Katara now saw Zuko sat with his back against a tree, drinking tea.

Katara noticed then that his hair had been pulled back into a topknot, and the robes he wore were more formal than anything she'd ever seen him in. She wasn't wearing rags by any means, but she was still acutely aware of their difference in class.

Swallowing, she looked around and realized where they were. She had never seen it before, but she recognized it immediately after hearing Zuko’s stories.

“Was this Lady Ursa’s private garden?” she asked, and Rei suddenly smiled widely.

“It is,” she replied. “It was my honor to serve under her ladyship all those years ago, and it brings great joy to my heart to serve her son now.”

She bowed and started to leave Katara, but then she stopped as if she’d thought of something else she wanted to say.

“Thank you, my Lady, for saving his life,” she said in that jingling voice of hers. Then she was gone.

~*~*~

Zuko tossed bits of bread into the pond, where the turtleducks were swimming and quacking happily at his return. He looked up and saw Katara walking delicately towards him, carrying an umbrella to protect her eyes.

He stood with a little difficulty, grinning, and bowed deeply to her, recalling his lessons of proper etiquette. She paused when she reached him and nodded her head. Before he could say anything, though, she dropped the umbrella and pulled him in for a tight embrace, suddenly choking back tears of relief and happiness.

She immediately felt foolish and wondered if she’d overstepped her boundaries, but he wrapped his arms around her just as tightly, holding her in silence for a long time, resting his cheek against her hair.

“Good morning,” he eventually said in that low voice beside her ear that always made her melt inside.

“Morning,” she replied shyly, soaking in the heat of his embrace. He pulled away slightly and took her hands in his with a brilliant smile.

He truly looks like royalty, she thought to herself. He doesn’t even look like the Zuko I know. But those golden eyes that shone in the sunlight most definitely belonged to the man she loved.

He seemed to be lost in a daydream, and Katara found herself speaking up after a few moments.

“So this is your mother’s garden,” she said softly, looking around again. “It’s beautiful.”

He still hadn’t spoken, nor had he let go of her hands or taken his eyes off of her. She looked back at him and quirked an eyebrow in amusement.

“Zuko? You still with me?”

His body twitched slightly, bringing him back to the present. He nodded and remembered his manners, offering her a seat next to him beside the pond.

~*~*~

Katara talked constantly as they ate breakfast, and he just listened with a dreamlike smile on his face.

He’d noticed back when he first joined their side that she tended to babble on whenever she was nervous, and he found it incredibly endearing.

He wasn’t sure if her nerves were from being in the palace itself, the adrenaline finally wearing off after yesterday, or the knowledge that after their actions last night, everything had changed forever between them.

Zuko reached out and took her hand, and at last she stopped talking. He didn’t say anything, but she brought his hand to her lips for a quick, delicate kiss. She smiled and blushed, and they enjoyed a comfortable silence for the remainder of breakfast.

She was worth going through hell for, he thought to himself as he realized he was gazing at her yet again.

After she'd dozed off again for the last time that morning, he watched her sleeping peacefully in the growing rosy light. As stunning as she'd been the night of the dance party or standing in the light of the sun shower, he found she was even more beautiful curled up asleep in his bed.

Once the sun's golden rays finally breached the horizon, he'd reluctantly extracted himself from her arms so he could finally step up as the future Fire Lord to address the day's looming responsibilities.

Servants brought him the same set of armor he'd worn after he first returned from his banishment, but he declined. His chest was still sore and if it wasn't so bulky he might have worn it. Instead, he'd settled for his robes, which were still heavy but much more comfortable.

He'd been pleased to hear that Rei was still employed by the palace, since he never did get around to finding her after he returned from his banishment. Zuko thought one of the few kind faces from his childhood should be the first one to greet Katara after she awoke, since he wouldn't be able to.

Then his heart skipped a beat or two, completely unrelated to yesterday’s lightning, when she’d walked out into his mother’s garden that morning, looking like his dreams come to life.  

He may have first spoken the words before a lifetime ago as he held her close on a moonlit beach, but he was reminded of them again as she stood almost shyly before him.

As Zuko followed his advisors and escorts into the throne room a short time later, he pulled a messenger aside for two important errands. The latter was to be completed in absolute secrecy, but only if and when they received word that his father had been defeated and there was hope for the future.

~*~*~

She spent the day after the comet encountering various people during her exploration of the palace with Rei as her guide once more. While all had been friendly enough to her, she secretly wondered if a few of them were saving face lest she tattle to their new leader.

At one point, Rei led her down a hallway filled ceiling to floor with massive portraits of all the previous Fire Lords. Katara found herself drawn to a certain painting in the gallery and stood observing it for many minutes.

Rei had been rushing her through, sensing its contents would be a sensitive subject, but she paused when she noticed her ward had stopped in front of the most ornate one. She stood beside Katara and hid her hands in her robes.

"Fire Lord Ozai," she said unnecessarily. "I'm sure you know all too well of his history, my Lady."

Katara nodded, not taking her eyes off of the painting.

"May I ask you a question, Rei? It might be seen as impertinent, but there's something I'd like to know."

"Of course, Lady Katara."

She took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Zu- sorry, Prince Zuko told me what happened that day... the day he was banished. I know the basic rules of an Agni Kai, but did no one seriously try to stop his father? How could they all sit there and watch it happen?"

Rei sighed and look down. 

”I was not there my Lady, but I’ve been told that no one said a word when it happened. I don’t believe anyone realized exactly what the Fire Lord planned to do until it was too late.” 

Katara frowned deeply and crossed her arms, practically glaring at the portrait. There were many things she wanted to say but opted not to, at least in polite company.

”I believe you met his uncle, the Dragon of the West, during your travels?” Rei continued, and Katara nodded. “I was not present at the Agni Kai, but he was, right there in the front row. Believe me, my Lady, if anyone could have been able to stop it from happening, he would have.”

Katara looked down and bit her lip. 

”What happened immediately after, before he was sent away?” she asked. “Did anyone care? Did he receive any type of treatment?”  

Rei looked at her sadly. 

”Only two people visited him while he was in the infirmary, General Iroh and myself,” she said softly. “I've heard that many people in the audience were horrified, but after hearing that he would be banished, they chose not to reach out.”

"Cowards," Katara muttered before she could stop herself. 

Rei pretended not to hear it, though, and refrained from nodding her head in agreement.

"General Iroh told me that his sister, Princess Azula, and Zhao were in the audience as well," her guide continued. "He told me afterwards while we sat by the prince's bed that they and few certain other witnesses actually seemed pleased by what happened."

Rei shook her head in disgust, and Katara felt her heartbeat quickening. With everything that had already happened between her and Azula, she didn't think her opinion of the princess couldn't sink any lower. Apparently, she'd been wrong.

She took a deep breath to calm herself down. That also explained why Zuko had chosen Rei to be her guide, Katara realized.

”Thank you for being kind to him,” she whispered, and her guide nodded in understanding.

Rei reached out to lead her away from the portraits. 

“If nothing else, I owed it to Lady Ursa,” she said sadly as they walked. “It truly is a shame you weren’t able to meet her.”

Katara nodded. 

“I’ve heard many of Z- Prince Zuko’s stories and she sounds like she was an amazing woman.”

Rei’s face lit up in a smile. 

”She was one of the best women I’ve ever known,” she said wistfully. “She was kind but fiercely protective of those she loved.” 

She paused, looking up and down at Katara, and nodded. 

”If I may be so bold, Lady Katara, from what I’ve heard and in the short time I've spent with you, I dare say you remind me a lot of her.”

Katara didn’t know how to respond, so she just ducked her head. 

”I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but there is a play chronicling your adventures with the Avatar,” Rei said lightly, deciding it was time to change the subject. “Have you heard of it, by the Ember Island Players?” 

Katara couldn’t stop herself from groaning.

”I saw it,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Unfortunately.”

She wasn’t acting very ladylike, but Rei only chuckled. 

"So did I, unfortunately," she said, winking. "Is it true you dressed up as the Painted Lady to help out that one village?"

Katara smiled and nodded.

"I did, but they got the scene from the crystal catacombs all wrong," she said. "If anything, he and I were angry at each other up until the very end when we were down there."

"Oh my. Is that so?"

"It's true. I thought he was just an angry jerk and I was being used as bait to capture Aang," Katara recalled. "But then Zuko mentioned his mom, and I realized there was more to him than I initially thought."

Rei smiled brightly, deciding not to point out that she'd forgotten to use his title. She could see now why the prince was drawn to her and why he'd taken lightning to save her life.

If he proposes and she accepts, she'll make a fine Fire Lady, Rei thought to herself. His mother would approve.

“Come,” she said, leading Katara to yet another massive section of the palace. “You can tell me what all the play got right and got wrong, and I’ll tell you more about Lady Ursa.” 

Later that evening, when Rei reported to Prince Zuko before he reunited with Katara, the lady-in-waiting made sure to tell him all about their conversations. 

~*~*~

Katara was surprised later that same day by a visit from the royal seamstress Nijiko to get her measurements. She explained how the prince instructed her to fashion together clothing appropriate for the Fire Nation's climate in Water Tribe colors.

Nijiko was apologetic, saying that the closest fabric colors they had to blue in the Fire Nation capital were that same red-violet hue and a few shades of purple. However, the seamstress assured her they’d have blues from the nearest colony within a week.

Katara had been touched by the gesture nonetheless, and after he returned to their bedroom later that night she accidentally hugged him a bit too hard, causing him to yelp. She hurriedly apologized but he just brushed it off, smiling at her joyfulness.

"With everything else you have to worry about, you didn't have to do that," she said while healing him a short time later.

He shrugged and settled against the edge of the tub, sighing as the water around him glowed.

"Of course I did," he insisted. "I think you look beautiful no matter what colors you're wearing, but I do love seeing you in blue."

He especially liked it when she wore Fire Nation red, but he decided not to bring that up. She leaned over and kissed him gently. They enjoyed a comfortable silence before he spoke again.

"I heard Rei took you on an extensive tour of the palace today," he said. "She also told me that she really likes you."

Katara smiled, looking away.

"She also told me about your conversation in front of my father's portrait," he added, looking up at her. "Apparently you called everyone who was there the day I was scarred a coward."

She frowned and adjusted her hands.

"I just think it's shameful that out of the entire palace, only two people actually gave a damn about their prince on the worst day of his life," she said, unable to keep the edge out of her voice. "I'm not going to apologize for what I said, either. If I could tell them all to their faces, I would."

Zuko sighed and reached up to stroke her face. She almost never swore, so he knew she was holding back her anger.

"Remember that morning after the party when I told you all of the ways I love you?" he asked. "That's just one of many. You're so passionate and care so deeply about others, even if it's in the past. I agree, it would have been kind for others to show they cared, but at the time I barely tolerated my uncle and Rei being there, much less anyone else's pity." 

She breathed through her nose and shook her head.

"Look at me, Katara," he said softly. "My father ruled with an iron fist, and even the smallest perceived slight against him was punishable. I don't hold a grudge against them, at least not anymore. Most of them were scared of facing the repercussions and ending up with an even worse fate."

Something else occurred to her just then. 

”Did Mai at least try to visit you?” she asked quietly. 

He frowned slightly at the mention of his ex. 

”You may not think much of her, but yes, she did stop by the evening it happened,” he recalled. “Her parents forbade her from visiting, so she was forced to sneak in for just a few minutes.”

Katara sighed. At least she’d made an effort, she mused. It wasn’t enough to endear Mai to her, but her opinion did soften somewhat.

"I just wish I could have been there, even if we'd been strangers at the time,” Katara said quietly. “Even if I'd just been a common Fire Nation citizen and you were my prince, even if I didn't have healing abilities.” 

He smiled tiredly.

"I know," he said, "and that's why you're the best person I've ever met."

She leaned over and their lips met for an all-too-brief kiss as she continued her work.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Even though she’d been given her own private room, she’d opted to stay with him at nights so she could heal him submerged in water by moonlight. It may not have been entirely appropriate, but his progress was evident and his body was starting to recover its full strength, so no one tried to stop her.

Katara joined Zuko for breakfast every morning in the garden before he was whisked away for the day to address his responsibilities.

In her time traveling through the Fire Nation undercover with the Avatar and her friends, Katara realized she’d come to genuinely care about its citizens - the nicer ones, at least, and one in particular who she cared about more than anyone else.

She soon struck up a friendly acquaintance with a few of the servants and invited them to have tea with her and Rei. They asked her about her travels and how much the play actually got right, and they all giggled whenever Katara laughed and rolled her eyes debunking the sappier parts.

They also told her all about the final days before the comet, how something seemed to snap in Azula. When she heard that several of them sustained burn marks from the princess, Katara quickly offered to heal them.

On days Zuko was completely preoccupied with meetings from dawn until dusk, she visited some of the nearby hospitals, and word quickly spread of her healing abilities that brought their new leader back from the brink of death. They bowed their heads at her, impressed, and watched in amazement as even their worst wounds were seemingly washed away.

The younger children oohed and ahhed in admiration whenever she conjured up spheres of water, and most of the people she encountered now smiled when they saw her instead of frowning.

They'd asked what title they should use when referring to her, and she'd shrugged. 

"I'm just Katara, a master waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe and daughter of Chief Hakoda," she replied. "All I want to do is help in any way I can."

~*~*~

She also practiced her waterbending forms on the training court with the rest of the firebenders in the palace, which raised a few eyebrows at first, but they quickly grew used to her presence.

Zuko made a point of stopping by whenever she bended, watching her proudly surrounded by her element as she stood out amidst the flames.

One day, a soldier asked if he could spar against her, just for practice and not to harm her, and the future Fire Lord shrugged. 

“If she’s up for it and you think you can take her, be my guest.”

A short time later, the soldier found his lower half completely frozen solid to the ground. He huffed in disappointment as his friends laughed, until one of his comrades also attempted to take her on and met a similar fate. 

After that, it became a friendly competition of sorts between Katara and the soldiers to see if any of them could beat her in a fair bending fight. All of them fell short, but she was so nice afterwards and immediately unfroze them that most actually grew somewhat fond of her in their own way. 

When asked, she proudly explained to them how she’d given the Northern Water Tribe’s waterbending master a run for his money and how she’d quickly established herself as one of his top pupils.

Some of them even nodded in approval when she added how she’d challenged her sister tribe’s outdated ideals and proclaimed herself a warrior as well as a healer.

She thought that even if the Fire Nation’s citizens didn’t trust her completely, she’d at least earned their begrudging respect on some level.

But in her heart, she knew she still wasn’t one of them.

~*~*~

Early one morning about a week after the comet, she awoke to Zuko kissing her neck.

He’d gotten a lot stronger over the last several days, and she drowsily asked him if he was sure he could do this. He just smirked and drank from her lips like he was dying of thirst.

She realized he'd been bluffing a few moments later when his heartbeat slowed instantly and his eyes started to roll back in his head. Katara quickly climbed off of him and called over water to his chest.

He came to a few minutes later and grinned sheepishly up at her scowl.

"I love you, Zuko, but you can be a real idiot sometimes," she huffed. "It's not as stupid as the time you challenged me at the North Pole under the full moonlight surrounded by snow, but this comes pretty close."

He rolled his eyes at the memory. That definitely wasn't his proudest moment and this wasn’t shaping up to be, either.

"I'm not going to apologize," he said obstinately after a minute. 

A tendril of water flicked his forehead, and he raised his eyebrow at her.

"Did you just flick me?" he asked in amusement. "You know, hitting royalty is generally frowned upon."

She just smiled at him demurely.

"Too bad," she retorted. "I'm not going to apologize either, your worshipfulness."

Well, he certainly had that coming. He closed his eyes and relaxed again as the healing waters worked on the damaged tissue and nerves beneath his skin.

When he spoke again, his voice was softer. 

“I was just worried you’d been disappointed after that first time, and I wanted to make it up to you.” 

She looked down at him incredulously.

”Are you serious? You nearly died a few hours prior and yet you still ravished me not once but twice. You’re too hard on yourself sometimes, Zuko.” 

He considered that for a moment and brought his hand up to stroke her face before letting it fall to his side. Then he spoke. 

“I know I shouldn’t have pushed myself so much just now. I'm sorry."

She shook her head.

"I’m not entirely upset, but don’t let that encourage you,” she scolded lightly. “Don't even think of trying that again until your body is completely healed.”

He rolled his eyes, but he didn't bother trying to hide the smirk on his face.

After several minutes of silence, Zuko spoke again, this time his voice hoarse.

"Katara... I meant what I said that last night at the beach house. If you'll have me, I want you to always be by my side - but only if you truly want to.”

She brushed a lock of his hair back from his face and looked into his eyes for a long time. When she spoke, her words were tender.

"I’ll stay with you, Zuko, as long as you’ll have me,” she whispered, leaning over to give him a brief kiss.

He didn't say anything else for a long time, but his face broke out into a radiant smile after her affirmation of love.

~*~*~

Nearly two weeks after the Agni Kai with Azula, a messenger hawk arrived at the palace bearing a scroll signed by General Iroh, addressed to his nephew.

The prince called together a meeting with all of the military officials and advisors, and once again he invited Katara to be there.

She'd always declined his previous invitations to their meetings, pointing out her presence as an outsider might offend them. He'd just frowned but didn't push her again, although he made sure she knew the offer still stood every time.

Now, Katara found herself hanging back against the walls near the curtain at the entrance instead of joining the officials around the map on the floor. She'd never been in the throne room before, and she realized just how intimidating it truly was.

She also knew it was in this very room that Zuko first stood up against his father and was punished for it.

The prince had made a few slight adjustments to the room to make it less imposing, but she still was just a bit scared as she stood amidst all of the torches, her eyes fixed on the wall of flames roaring behind the throne.

Water can't survive around this much fire, she thought, hugging herself.

Zuko turned his head towards her as he was ushered through the curtains towards the throne, beckoning her to join him up front, but she shook her head.

If the worst was revealed, if Aang and her brother and friends had been killed, she preferred to be near the exit so she could make a quick escape.

~*~*~

There had also been rumors, of course, since the moment she’d emerged from Zuko’s bedroom the day after the comet, which she tried to ignore. He’d simply introduced her as his most trusted confidante and ally, and that’s all anyone else needed to know for now.

She was to be treated with the utmost respect and honor, and anyone caught speaking down to or harassing her would find themselves at his mercy.

While his tone had been calm enough and he’d spoken politely, all had seen the way his eyes blazed with a fire inside, and they immediately acquiesced to their leader’s demands.

But Katara still heard various whispers from certain nobles whenever she went into the communities. Some wondered if she was his concubine or worst of all, they gossiped, perhaps even their future Fire Lady.

So when their quorum convened in the throne room to hear news from the Dragon of the West, that was yet another reason she preferred to stay in the shadows.

From his seat on the throne, illuminated by golden flames dancing around him, the Fire Prince skimmed over the message silently before clearing his throat and reading it aloud.

“Avatar Aang defeated my father Ozai on the day of Sozin’s Comet,” his voice rang out, and he allowed himself a smile. “My uncle and the Order of the White Lotus have also liberated Ba Sing Se. With that, I now declare the war of the last hundred years has finally ended.”

~*~*~

As the officials broke out into murmurs from the table, his eyes met Katara’s from across the dimly lit room. Happy tears flowed down her face, and she smiled proudly up at him with both hands pressed over her heart.

He nodded absentmindedly in response to the advisors who convened in front of the throne to suggest the next course of action, never taking his eyes off the only person in blue amidst a sea of crimson.

Sensing that he would be preoccupied for the rest of the day, she wiped her face and quietly turned to leave. When she opened the curtain, however, she heard a mild commotion from the front of the throne room.

Katara looked back and saw Zuko had bypassed the steps altogether and jumped down from the throne to the floor. He was now rushing towards her, and the advisors parted like a wave for him.

Stunned, she waited as he slowed down to a walk when he reached her, grimacing lightly. He had made considerable progress due to her ongoing healing sessions, but it would be a while before he would be able move completely free of pain.

An advisor called out, “My Lord?” but Zuko just held his index finger up as he walked, letting them know he needed a minute first.

He led her through the curtain, away from their prying eyes into the empty corridor and beckoned to the guards to leave them.

She distractedly noticed the gleam of gold accents on his armor highlighted by the natural light. She also saw that a strand of hair had fallen loose from his topknot and stopped herself from brushing it back.

“Zuko, what—” she started to ask, but she was cut off by a deep, tender kiss from the future Fire Lord, who had taken her in his arms and didn’t give a damn that the guards nearby were still watching from across the hallway.

He blocked out the murmurs of speculation from inside the throne room on the other side of the curtain, wondering just what he was doing out there. He didn’t care that he wasn’t even officially crowned yet and already his decorum left much to be desired, which undoubtedly would earn him their ire and opposition.

Let them all come. Let heaven, hell, and the whole world try to tear them apart. He’d die before he’d let that happen. As long as he had Katara by his side, he was invincible.

When he finally pulled away, they were both breathless. He then took both of her hands in his.

“I’m sorry, I realize this isn’t exactly appropriate, putting you on the spot like this,” he said, his voice suddenly hoarse. “But Katara… I love you, and you are the most important person to me. I don’t ever want you to forget it.”

His rough thumbs massaged her smooth palms gently, and he was suddenly aware of the pounding of his heartbeat. He swallowed and composed himself.

“This isn’t how I’d planned to do it,” he said softly after several long moments. “I actually had something far more private in mind with just us two in the garden, one night at some point in the future. I... I don’t even have anything official to give you yet. But when I saw you leaving just now, I realized I couldn’t wait a minute longer and I couldn’t stop myself.”

“Now that the war is finally over, I just have one question I need you to answer, and I’ll respect your decision no matter what you say.”

The guards standing nearby couldn’t quite make out what he asked her, as he spoke the next words so quietly that only she could hear. Her eyes widened, and at first she appeared to be stunned. Then, her look of astonishment transformed into a small smile.

“You don’t have to answer now," they just barely heard him say. "I know this is all very sudden. You can take as much time as you need to decide, and if you say no, even if it’s right this second, I promise I won’t get mad. I-“

But then he trailed off as she nodded and whispered something they couldn’t quite catch as happy tears flooded her eyes once more. His face lit up like a sunrise at dawn, and he swept her up in his arms again as he gave her a relieved kiss.

~*~*~

A few minutes later the Fire Prince re-entered the throne room, this time alone, but he was now beaming.

He thanked all of the advisors and officials for their patience and promised he would explain everything once he was able.

Soon after, whispers and gossip permeated throughout the palace, wondering just what had occurred outside of the throne room that day.

The guards who had been present when it happened still didn’t know exactly what he’d asked her, although they had their suspicions, but it was all too obvious to them that she’d affirmed it.

Chapter Text

When their friends arrived in the Fire Nation a few weeks later, Katara thought her brother would hug the life out of her.

She and Zuko, dressed in navy blue and crimson respectively, traveled down to the docks that morning along with a small entourage to greet them when their ship arrived.

Avatar and Fire Prince bowed to each other politely before Sokka pushed through the crowd and nearly knocked the wind out of his sister, drawing a few understanding laughs.

General Iroh had also pulled his nephew in for a long hug, and they held a brief, hushed conversation as Katara found herself embraced by Suki, Aang, and Toph as well.

When Iroh stepped back he was beaming, and Katara beckoned Zuko forward to join them in the group hug. It probably wasn’t the most proper behavior for a royal, she thought, but he didn’t look like he cared either way.

“Excuse me, your highness,” said a messenger who had just arrived, pulling the six friends back to attention. “We’ve just received word that the Water Tribe ships will be here in a few hours.”

Zuko suddenly felt his stomach drop when Katara looked up at him with a wide grin. He’d been through hell and back for her, but it was the thought of the upcoming meeting he’d be having with her father soon that actually terrified him the most.

As they started to leave for the palace, Iroh pulled Katara aside for a quick hug.

“Thank you, my dear, for bringing my nephew back,” he murmured, choking up. Then he smiled and added quietly, “I know it’s not official yet, but I’m so happy you’ll be joining my family.”

She grinned back at the general.

“The honor is all mine,” she said softly. “Besides, how could I pass up a chance to drink your famous tea all of the time?”

He chortled loudly, causing the rest of their group to stop and look back in confusion. She just shook her head and as they walked towards the palace, Toph elbowed her, albeit more gently than usual.

“I heard that,” she whispered, grinning. “Congrats, Sugar Queen. Aren’t you glad now Suki and I set up that dance party?”

~*~*~

Shortly after his arrival, Chief Hakoda found himself whisked away to a private meeting between his daughter and the Fire Prince.

Zuko, who had seemed confident enough at the beginning, was now visibly shaking and taking deep breaths. Katara, on the other hand, was smiling as brightly as he’d ever seen and almost bursting with happiness.

Hakoda had received a personal letter from General Iroh prior to his arrival, describing Zuko’s sacrifice to save Katara during the Agni Kai. He’d also heard rumors that the prince held his daughter’s face and kissed her after he was brought back from the precipice of death.

Finally, he also noticed the gentle looks the two shared with each other ever since he set foot in the Fire Nation capital. And so, Hakoda already had an idea of what they wanted to discuss with him when they met in the Fire Lord's personal office.

As the two finished speaking, the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe lowered his head and hid a smile.

Had someone told him a few years ago that the crown prince of the Fire Nation would propose to his daughter and ask for his blessing, Hakoda would have just scoffed. But now, after everything that had happened since then – it made as much sense as anything else in this crazy world.

He looked up at his daughter and the prince solemnly, who awaited his reaction with bated breath.

“Your highness, I’d like to speak with my daughter alone first, if you please.”

~*~*~

Zuko nodded and bowed, giving Katara an encouraging smile one last time as he left the room and shut the door behind him. The second she disappeared from his sight, though, he dropped the facade.

It wasn’t very prince-like behavior, but he pressed his ear against the door, straining to hear even the faintest whisper. Unfortunately, it was completely soundproof, so he had no choice but to sink onto a bench nearby and wait.

He took his topknot down and nervously ran his hands through his hair repeatedly, undoubtedly messing it up. He was just a bit too anxious to care, though.

He knew he’d earned Hakoda’s respect helping him escape from the Boiling Rock. He knew the older man trusted him completely and already considered him an honorary member of the family already due to his friendship with Sokka.

But it was completely different asking to wed the man’s daughter. He knew the chief didn’t blame him for the sins of his father or his nation’s history, but he still worried those factors would cause Hakoda to deny his blessing.

As desperately as Zuko wanted to marry Katara, he also didn’t want to tear her from her family and force her to pick between them. His people’s actions had already ruined their lives enough, and he refused to be the cause of any more heartbreak.

He leaned over in his seat, grasping his disheveled hair in his hands in a silent prayer.

Please let her stay with me. Please let her father say yes.

~*~*~

Aang, Toph, Suki and Sokka found him still slumped over several few minutes later.

“You okay?” Sokka asked, looking worried, sitting beside his friend. “What’s going on?”

Zuko took a deep breath. He hadn’t looked up, and as silly as it sounded, he was a little nervous to face her brother at the moment.

“I asked Katara to marry me right after I ended the war, and she accepted,” he said softly. “Now she’s talking with your father and he’s deciding if he’ll give us his blessing.”

He was thankful the doors were indeed soundproof, as Suki shrieked and Sokka gave his best friend a hug. A very manly hug, mind you. The Southern Water Tribe warrior definitely wasn’t blinking back tears, either.

Toph punched his arm to show her affection, and Aang smiled, albeit a little sadly. The rest quickly joined the hug, and Zuko once again found himself surrounded and smothered by his friends.

“Congrats, buddy!” Sokka exclaimed. “I knew something was up when we heard about how you saved my sister. Which, by the way, lightning?! Wow, you've got to tell us everything. Your uncle told us about what happened when we got the message from the Fire Sages but we need to hear all of the details!”

Zuko’s face reddened in embarrassment.

“He told you about the part where we made out afterwards?”

Sokka’s grin slid off his face immediately.

“No, he definitely didn't mention that,” he said in a low, threatening voice, reaching for his sword.

Suki and Toph started cracking up, and the latter elbowed Sokka.

“Oh, give it a rest,” Suki said. “Weren’t you the one singing his praises awhile back and saying how you’d be thrilled if they ended up together?”

Sokka released the hilt of his sword and shrugged. Friend or not, he still had to give his sister's fiance a hard time. It was his job after all as her older brother.

Zuko raised his eyebrow.

“When did you say that?”

Aang spoke up for the first time since they’d found him in the hallway.

“That was when we had our huge fight, after you stormed off to the beach,” he said softly, “and he’s right. Katara’s fortunate to have you, and I couldn’t be happier for you both.”

Zuko frowned slightly. He realized his friend still wasn’t completely over his feelings for Katara, and he knew Aang was struggling to be the bigger person.

“Thank you,” he said quietly.

Aang just nodded solemnly and looked away.

~*~*~

Hakoda listened to his daughter explain her version of the events that led to her falling in love with the prince. She recalled everything from their fateful meeting in the crystal catacombs to confronting Kya’s murderer to his ultimate sacrifice for her during the final Agni Kai.

(Well, everything except for the more intimate details. Her father may have been understanding, but she knew even he had his limits.)

“It’s just a bit strange to me,” he said after a minute of silence. “The last time I saw you two together was at the Western Air Temple. You still hated him and would barely even acknowledge his existence. Now, you tell me you’re in love and wish to marry him, and you’d like for my blessing.”

He cupped his daughter’s cheek tenderly and sighed.

“I just want to make sure you’re doing this for the right reasons. Would you still love him even if he hadn’t saved your life? Are you going along with this out of a sense of debt or gratitude? Are you absolutely certain about your decision, Katara?”

She nodded, her blues eyes brimming with happy tears.

“I am, Dad,” she reassured him. “He’s made so many mistakes, but then again I have, too. I… I was wrong about him back then, and I know I misjudged him, probably more than anyone else in our group.”

He smiled down at his daughter, wondering when his little girl had grown up.

“You really do love him, don’t you?” he asked gently.

She nodded again, wiping tears away.

“Very much, Dad,” she affirmed. “I knew I loved him long before he took the lightning for me. I was just too scared to admit it.”

Hakoda smiled sadly, and suddenly he felt much older than he had a few minutes ago. Well, it’s not like he was losing a daughter, he reasoned. He was just gaining another son.

He pulled his daughter in for a long hug.

“I’m so happy for you, Katara,” he said. “I think you’ve made a wise decision. I agree he’s more than proved that he’s worthy of you, and I would be honored for him to join our family.”

She giggled and hugged her father back. She went to open the door, but he stopped her with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Let’s let him sweat it out a bit longer, shall we?”

She put her hands on her hips, exasperated.

“Dad!” she scolded, and he chuckled. 

Then his face took on a somber appearance. 

”Before I can officially give my blessing, however, there’s still something important I need to ask him."

~*~*~

“So...” Sokka said after a long silence.

He'd wanted to hold off just a bit on sharing this bit of news in light of everything else going on, but Zuko clearly needed a distraction at the moment.

“We were going to wait until sometime after your coronation to make the big announcement, but since you’re about to become family, I wanted to let you know that you and I totally had the same idea.”

Zuko looked up from running his fingers through his hair.

“That’s only if your dad says yes,” he mumbled.

Then it dawned on him when he saw Suki take his friend’s hand, and his face broke out into a wide grin.

“Wait, you proposed too?!”

Sokka and Suki grinned at each other, nodding.

“That’s wonderful!” he said, pulling them both in for a hug. “I’m so happy for you both!”

He pulled back, forgetting his own nerves for a minute. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Toph looking downwards, her face reminding him of Aang’s earlier when he found out about their engagement. His eyes widened in realization, but he’d have to follow that trail of thought later.

“When was it?” he asked, then a thought occurred to him. “Wait. You didn’t give her one of your terrible drawings as your engagement token, did you?”

Sokka scowled and lightly punched his friend’s arm as the others suppressed snickers. Zuko fought the urge to laugh himself and instead took on his most serious tone.

“You know, you’re not supposed to hit royalty,” he scolded, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Sokka just punched his other arm.

“I think there’s an exception for future brothers-in-law,” he retorted.

Then they both cracked up and hugged as the others joined their laughter.

“He proposed right after we got the message from the Sages that you’d won the Agni Kai,” Suki chimed in after they settled down.

Sokka nodded.

“With everything going on, I haven’t had time to make her anything, but it’s going to be a new set of fans that are both decorative and practical,” he explained.

Then he looked puzzled.

“Wait, how do you know about the Southern Water Tribe’s tradition of giving a token to signify an engagement?”

Zuko’s cheeks blushed for a split second. Then he explained his conversation with Katara the night they got back from the play and how he’d voiced his prediction that her brother would propose at some point in the near future.

(Toph thought she had heard a shriek down from the beach that night, and this finally proved it.)

“Alright,” Sokka said, nodding when he finished. “What did you give Katara?”

Zuko glanced down.

“I haven’t technically started making it yet, but I’ve got the drawing for it finished,” he said.

He described what he planned to give her and the symbolism behind its design, and he noted proudly that his friends seemed impressed.

“But if your father denies giving us his blessing, it won’t matter,” he said, sitting back down and running his hand through his decidedly unruly hair again.

His friends exchanged looks with each other.

“But she’s already said yes,” Aang said quietly. “Isn’t that enough?”

Zuko looked up.

“If I wasn’t who I am and there wasn’t the bitter history between the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes, it would be,” he stated matter-of-factly, feeling knots forming in his stomach. “But after everything the Fire Nation has done to the world, no matter how badly as I want this, I’m not going to cause any more heartbreak or misery for anyone. If he says no... I’m not going to be the bad guy. I’ll respect his decision.”

They all frowned.

"But what about what Katara wants?" Toph asked.

Zuko sighed.

"That's what I'm worried about. I won't challenge the decision, but she will. I don't want her to have to choose between her people and me."

The others nodded and sat beside him on the bench.

“If I know my dad, though,” Sokka said, “he’ll be more worried about what Katara wants.”

Zuko nodded and started to run his hand through his hair again but Sokka stopped him.

“Seriously buddy, keep that up and you won’t have any hair left by the time of the coronation,” he deadpanned. “Your crown will go sliding off your head right to the ground.”

”Yeah,” Aang added, smiling almost like his old self again. “People might get confused if there are two bald guys up there.”

Zuko laughed with the others but settled for bowing his forehead against his clasped palms instead, breathing unsteadily.

 ~*~*~

When Hakoda opened the door, he wasn't surprised to see the future Fire Lord looking slightly disheveled and more than a bit nervous. He was surprised, however, to see that Zuko been joined by Sokka and the rest of their friends.

The chief just raised an eyebrow and beckoned to the prince, who hurriedly tried to smooth his hair back up into a topknot and looked for all the world like the terrified young man he was.

Once he was back inside the room, Zuko searched Katara’s impassive face for any trace of a hint but found nothing. His heart was pounding again, and his clenched fists started to smoke ever so slightly.

“Lord Zuko,” Hakoda began solemnly. “I have spoken with my daughter, and now I have just one question for you. What would you do if I denied your blessing? Would you still attempt to marry my daughter?”

~*~*~

Once the door closed behind Zuko, the others slumped back down on the bench.

“Toph, can you pick up on anything from out here?” Aang asked.

She tilted her head.

“They’re just standing and talking,” she said. “His heartbeat is going crazy, and hers is fluttering a bit too, but I can’t tell what’s going on. I can’t hear anything, either.”

The others made a noise of disappointment and settled in. A few minutes later, Toph perked up.

“Someone’s coming,” she said. “Two actually, and this might cause a scene if the timing is off.”

Before they could ask, Zuko’s childhood friend and ex rounded the corner, and Ty Lee and Mai looked down at them in mild surprise.

“Oh,” the black-haired girl said boredly. “Apparently there’s a line to see the soon-to-be Fire Lord.”

Her companion was much more enthusiastic.

“It’s so good to see you all!” she chirped, pulling them in for a hug. “Did Suki tell you all that I’m joining the Kyoshi Warriors?”

Aang looked at his friends nervously, then back at the pair.

“She did actually, and that’s great!” he said trying to sound cheerful.

He noticed Mai stood off to the side with her arms crossed, abstaining from the group hug. He knew Zuko had ended his relationship with her long before he’d started seeing Katara, but he didn’t want his friend’s ex to find out that things were definitively over in this way.

As difficult as this was for him, at least he wasn't completely blindsided, and he didn't want her to be, either.

“Listen, we’re happy for you and all, but we’ll need to congratulate you properly later,” he said. "Let's all catch up at dinner tonight, okay?"

Ty Lee frowned slightly but nodded, and then he addressed Mai directly.

“You may not want to be here when that door opens,” he said as kindly as possible.

She narrowed her eyes and frowned at him.

“And just why is that?” she asked coldly. “I don’t see how it’s any of your business. I’m here to see Zuko, not you.”

Ty Lee tilted her head, confused.

“What’s going on?” she asked. “Why don’t we want to be here when he comes out? Who’s in there with him?”

Suddenly Mai realized the group was missing someone else besides Zuko. Those whispers she’d heard couldn’t possibly have any merit. Could they? She suddenly felt sick with dread.

Sokka looked at Suki and Aang before realizing he would have to be the one to break the news.

“Zuko’s in there with my father and my sister,” he said simply, looking down.

Mai felt her heart beating just a bit quicker, but she maintained her cool exterior.

“Discussing what?” she asked calmly, although she couldn’t completely keep the edge out of her voice.

Sokka couldn’t look at her when he spoke again.

“Are you sure you want to know the answer to that question?” he asked quietly.

Toph could have sworn Mai’s heart stopped for a second before it started palpitating. Ty Lee's eyes widened and she clasped her hands over her mouth.

“Wait, so the rumors are true?” she asked in spite of herself. “We heard that Azula attacked your sister during the Agni Kai and Zuko took lightning to the heart for her. But that’s not possible, because he’d be dead, wouldn’t he -”

“What are they discussing in there?” Mai hissed, tempted to reach for her blades.

The Avatar and his friends looked at each other and frowned. Once again, Sokka spoke up.

“Mai… I don’t know you very well, but I know how close you were to Zuko at one point, and I know he does care about you,” he said quietly. “I don’t think he’d want you to be here when that door opens, either.”

Her normally cool exterior finally cracked just for a split second as she made a soft gasping sound. Then she immediately resumed her composure.

“I see,” she said coldly after a few moments.

She was tempted to pound her fist against the door, interrupt whatever was going on in there and stop him from making the biggest mistake of his life. How could he do this to her? How dare he? Especially with that Water Tribe peasant, of all people?

But the Avatar and his friends now stood on their guard between her and the doorway. Ty Lee was looking at her, horrified on her friend’s behalf.

Mai fumed inwardly for a few moments before she turned on her heel and started to walk away. She held up a hand when she heard her start to follow her.

“Ty Lee, no,” she said, forcing herself to sound as uninterested as possible. “I want to be alone for a while.”

Then after she rounded the corner safely out of their sight, Toph sensed her feet pounding against the floors as she ran off.

Ty Lee looked at the group, torn between concern and happiness.

“I should still go after her,” she said, and they nodded somberly. “But I’ll tell Zuko later how happy I am for them. I haven’t spent much time around Katara, but I sincerely do wish them all of the best.”  

Then she too disappeared around the corner.

Chapter Text

When Zuko raised his head again, he looked directly at the chief. Hakoda could see the young man’s nervousness, but also something else. Almost as if a spark had caught fire inside his soul, and he was now looking directly into the eyes of a dragon.

“Chief Hakoda,” he began. “I love your daughter more than my own life, as I've demonstrated by risking the crown and my nation's future to save her. But more than that, from the very beginning, once we realized and admitted our feelings towards each other, I have followed her decisions wholeheartedly. If at any point she had told me that she did not want to be with me, I would have respected her decision. Therefore, it is only right that I leave that choice up to her.”

“I could not bear to cause her any more heartbreak than what she’s already endured. If you denied us your blessing, I would still wish to marry her, but only if she chose willingly to be with me. I will not come between Katara and her family or her people, nor will I urge her to choose either way. I want what’s best for her, I want her to be happy, and even if that future is not with me, I’ll accept her decision.”

The chief mulled this over for a long time in silence.

Katara had looked up during Zuko’s speech and graced him with a small smile, which soothed his nerves somewhat. Her eyes shone with tears, and it was all he could do to stop himself from reaching out to comfort her.

If her father didn’t say something soon, though, he was going to self-immolate.

At long last, Hakoda spoke.

“Welcome to our family, Lord Zuko. I give you my full blessing, and I would be both honored and elated for you to wed my daughter.”

His words had barely registered in Zuko’s head before he found himself nearly knocked over by Katara, who had swept him up in a full embrace. He was unable to speak, but he compensated for that by wrapping his arms around Katara and hugging her tight. He also had to remind himself to breathe.

When he remembered how to form words, he bowed deeply to his future father-in-law.

“Thank you, Chief Hakoda. Your blessing—” but then he was cut off by a bear hug from the man, who pulled Katara in as well.

“Please,” he laughed. “Call me Dad.”

~*~*~

When Hakoda pulled open the door a few minutes later, their four friends leaning up against it on the outside tumbled rather ungracefully inside.

They took one look at the future Fire Lord and his Lady standing together, and suddenly the couple found themselves in yet another group hug and were deafened by shouts of congratulations.

If they kept this up, Zuko thought he’d be suffocated to death and lose all of his hearing in the process, but there were definitely worse ways to go.

Finally, Sokka spoke.

“Mind if I help out with planning the wedding?”

The couple grinned at each other.

“We’d be honored, Sokka,” his sister said.

“Ooh, ooh!" he added. "I just thought of some great pictures to draw for decorations, too!”

Zuko looked over at Katara, and they rolled their eyes simultaneously as they responded with a loud “No.”

”Save them for your own wedding in a few months,” Zuko added, grinning.

Katara was about to agree with him when it dawned on her.

”Wait, you too?” she gasped, and she shrieked when her brother and Suki nodded happily.

Toph grimaced and clapped her hands over her ears.

”Seriously people, I’m going to be blind and deaf if you keep this up!” she snapped, but then she found herself smiling, albeit a bit sadly.

Hakoda just stood back, chuckling and shaking his head as his children and their companions began laughing and talking over each other. Sokka had already told him the news in a letter, and the chief was elated that their little family was going to grow not just by one, but now two.

It was about to be a very busy year, indeed.

~*~*~

“Need any help with that?”

Zuko looked up from adjusting his formal robes to see Katara standing in the doorway. He called her name joyfully and hugged her.

They’d decided to wait until sometime after his coronation to announce their engagement, but the secrecy had started to grate on his nerves.

Even if the royal court didn’t officially know about their betrothal, it seemed like they had already accepted on some level they were a couple. He also could have sworn he’d heard a few whispers wondering just when and if she’d be presented as their future Fire Lady.

Not soon enough, he thought.

Katara gave him a kiss on the cheek and smoothed out some of the finer wrinkles in his robe.

“You look spectacular, Sifu Hotman,” she teased him, drawling out the title with a purr.

He rolled his eyes and caught her hands in his, rubbing her smooth palms with his rough fingers.

“You should be up there with me,” he said wistfully, but she shook her head.

“It’s not about me today, this day is about you and Aang bringing the world back into balance,” she reassured. “They’ll find out when the time is right.”

~*~*~

Later, while he knelt before the same courtyard where he’d claimed his birthright, his eyes found Katara's amidst the sea of blues and reds and greens, standing with the rest of the Water Tribe.

He listened with a swell of pride as the sages presented him as Fire Lord Zuko for the first time.

Her radiant smile outshone everything else when the assembly burst into wild applause as he stood solemnly but determined, his golden crown reflecting like fire in the sunlight.

Avatar and Fire Lord grinned at each other and looked back out at the cheering crowd.

Together, they would make things right.

~*~*~

One provision Fire Lord Zuko had insisted on before his coronation was holding a formal ball afterwards, much to the confusion of his citizens, who’d never danced before.

They were also surprised that a class of Fire Nation students personally invited by the Avatar himself already knew how to dance, although they couldn’t figure out why they kept referring to him as "Kuzon."

Aang’s former classmates were awestruck when he introduced them to his good friend, the Fire Lord. They were also impressed that their friend had been the one who taught their new leader how to dance.

Zuko grinned as they excitedly introduced themselves one by one, although he cringed inwardly each time they exchanged a “Flameo, hotman!” with the Avatar.

Ugh. Maybe he should pass a law against it, or something.

”Fire Lord Zuko, are you going to dance tonight?” one of Aang’s classmates asked.

"Yeah, show us your moves!" another chirped, and the rest chorused their agreement.

But he just shook his head and held his hand up. 

”I’ll leave all of the fancy footwork to Aang, since I'd only embarrass myself, but I will make an appearance before the night is over,” he said. 

The Avatar nodded and grinned at his friend. 

”If I had to guess, it will be during one of the couples’ dances, right Sifu Hotman?”

The classmates talked excitedly amongst themselves and looked around the room, picking out all of the single women who seemed to be around the right age.

Zuko shared a brief sympathetic look with Aang, who he knew had been putting on a brave face ever since he found out about their engagement. At least tonight's dancing had lifted the Avatar's spirits somewhat.

”Ooh, who’s it going to be?” asked a girl named On Ji, who’d danced with Aang several times already that night. "Is she going to be our new Fire Lady?"

The Fire Lord only shrugged as nonchalantly as possible. 

”You’ll just have to wait and see,” he said, unable to hide the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. 

~*~*~

Before the ball started, Zuko had warned Katara that he’d be preoccupied for most of the evening, but he’d still make time to dance with her before it was over. She leaned against a pillar and lightly picked at the beading of her blue Water Tribe ceremonial dress.

Katara smiled to herself as she watched Zuko, looking every bit the leader he’d grown into, greet and speak with various dignitaries in attendance.

“Hey.”

Katara started and looked beside her to see Mai, standing with her arms tucked in her robes. She felt herself blush.

“Oh. Hi.”

The two women stood in silence for a few minutes, and Katara felt herself start to fidget. Finally, the other woman spoke.

“I just wanted to let you know that I’m aware of your relationship with Zuko. I know you haven’t announced it publicly yet, but Ty Lee and I found out from your brother and your friends while they were waiting for you two in the hallway a few days ago.”

Katara felt her stomach drop in guilt. Zuko might have ended things with Mai before they’d gotten together, but she couldn't imagine how hard all of this must be for her, much less finding out in that way.

She also remembered seeing Ty Lee at dinner briefly the night her father gave them his blessing. The newest Kyoshi Warrior had given both her and Zuko massive hugs and told them how happy she was for them, but she hadn't mentioned anything about Mai finding out as well.

Ty Lee just said Mai was staying with her family until the day of the coronation.

Katara remembered now how Toph had tilted her head like she always did when someone was lying, and the rest of their friends looked down briefly. But then Ty Lee distracted them both by talking about how their auras glowed or something, and they'd promptly gotten sidetracked.

Katara started to speak, but Mai held up her hand.

“Let me finish. I’m not going to lie and say I’m excited for you, because I do admit I wish it were me instead. In fact, it’ll probably take me a while to get over him.”

“But…” she said, looking evenly at Katara. “I’ve been watching you both since the ball started, and I've never seen Zuko look as happy as he is when he’s looking at you. I certainly never saw him look at me that way. I just wanted to let you know that I don’t harbor any ill will. Take care of him for me, and if you break his heart, just know that I can carve yours out effortlessly.”

Well. That could have been a lot more awkward, she thought. She wasn’t sure what to say, so she just bowed her head towards Mai.

“Thank you,” she said sincerely.

Mai nodded and resumed her gaze towards Zuko, allowing herself a small, sad smile.

~*~*~

Zuko looked over just in time to see his ex-girlfriend standing and talking with his fiancee. He’d received a letter that Mai would be at his coronation but hadn’t seen her until now.

She made her way through the crowd and stopped when she reached him. Zuko could tell that despite her calm exterior, Mai had tears hiding behind her eyes.

“Congratulations, Lord Zuko,” she said coolly, bowing to him like the good, proper Fire Nation girl she’d been raised as.

Never let it be said the noblewoman lacked manners. He smiled softly at her when she stood back up and nodded his head.

“Thank you, Mai. I’m so glad you’re here,” he said softly.

After getting dumped via a letter with little to no explanation, and especially being locked up following their encounter at the Boiling Rock, she had to hate him on some level. He almost hoped she did, because he knew that would make it easier for her to move on.

The fact that she’d turned on Azula and was standing before him now made him realize that she still cared. While he looked forward to spending his future with Katara, he still felt a pang of sadness for the first girl he fell in love with, even though she no longer held his heart.

Mai just waved her hand as if it were nothing.

“I wanted to let you know how proud I am of you,” she was saying before lowering her voice. “As I told Katara, I’m aware of your relationship with her."

His eyes widened as she explained in quiet tones how she'd learned that particular bit of news.

"Mai... I'm so sorry," he said quietly when she finished.

She tilted her head.

"Sorry that you chose her over me, or sorry that I found out the way I did?" she asked evenly. "It was bad enough when you ended things through a letter, but at least that time I got to hear it from you in your own words."

He frowned.

"Mai, I truly am sorry for everything I've put you through," he said firmly. "But as much as this will hurt, I do want you to hear it from me. I love her with all of my heart, so much that I was willing to give everything up for her."

She closed her eyes and sighed. Mai briefly considered telling him about her visit to see Azula the other day to hear her former friend’s explanation of what happened but chose not to.

"I can see that," she said calmly, looking at him again. "Well, then. There's not much left for us to say then, so I'll end with this. I told her it would be some time before I’m fine with it, and in fact I might never be, but…”

She trailed off, brushing a strand of hair away from his face that had fallen loose from his topknot and cupped his cheek, knowing Katara was staring from across the room.

For the briefest of moments she was tempted to kiss him one last time, but knew it was far too late for that. Mai sighed once more, and her eyes watered just a bit.

“Your girl is lovely, Zuko,” she said softly, pulling him in for one long, final hug.

Then she pushed herself away and walked off before he could see the tears fall from her eyes. He didn’t see her again the rest of the night.

A few years would pass before their next encounter with Mai, this time happily working at her aunt’s flower shop and dating a boy named Kei Lo.

~*~*~

An hour or so later, Zuko finally managed to pull Katara aside like he’d promised earlier. As he led her to the center of the room where the other couples danced slowly, they noticed almost everyone was staring.

Representatives from the Water Tribes were stunned at first, at least until they found Chief Hakoda and asked him if he saw who his daughter was dancing with. He just raised an eyebrow and smiled when he looked out at Katara with the Fire Lord.

"I wasn't aware that Fire Lord Zuko could dance," he said as casually as if they were discussing the weather. "He's actually not that bad, wouldn't you agree?"

They exchanged confused looks with each other, but Hakoda just brushed their questions aside. "All in due time," was the only explanation he gave them.

That quieted them, but the rest of the crowd still murmured amongst themselves.

Katara realized many of the the palace staff in attendance had already become accustomed to her closeness with Zuko, so they were unfazed that she was dancing with their leader. The ones standing near Iroh gave them grins of encouragement, and she thought she saw Rei's smiling face somewhere in the crowd.

She did catch several eyerolls from many of the nobles, though it was clear some hadn’t meant for her to see. They were used to her presence but much less accommodating of outsiders. Some had even heard rumors that she'd saved him from death and they'd kissed immediately afterwards, shamelessly in front of the Sages.

Then there were the various dignitaries and guests from the Earth Kingdom, who looked outright astonished. Whispers grew louder, and a few even narrowed their eyes in disdain. They’d accepted Zuko as a suitable enough leader, especially compared to Ozai and Azula, but they still didn’t fully trust him.

Despite the speeches earlier proclaiming unity between the nations, seeing a waterbender acting so intimately with the Fire Lord was almost unacceptable.

One by one the other couples slowly danced their way to the edge of the ring, until only the two of them remained, slowly swaying together in the middle.

Katara hadn’t accepted his proposal blindly. She knew they faced a lifetime of prejudices to overcome, and they had a long, exhausting road ahead of them. Zuko was all-too-aware that by asking for her hand, he was also asking for even more headaches and difficulties than he already faced. 

Even so, they exchanged an unspoken look as they danced, and both stood just as committed to their decision now more than ever.

But the stares and gossip will still take some getting used to, she thought sadly, glancing downwards. Zuko sighed, sounding just as tired as she suddenly was by all of the looks of disdain.

”Katara... if you don’t feel comfortable dancing with me in front of all these people, you don’t have to,” he said quietly, looking down at her in concern.

But she shook her head and looked up at him with a sad smile. 

”I’m not leaving your side,” she said. “Not unless you push me away or don’t want me to be here anymore.” 

”You know that will never happen,” he said softly. “Just ignore everyone else.”

Katara nodded and looked back down.

~*~*~

The Fire Nation citizens were mildly surprised but not shocked when Fire Lord Zuko led the waterbender out to the middle of the dance floor.

“I told you,” one whispered amongst his friends, “I saw the Ember Island Players’ show a few months ago, and those two were a couple in that. I knew it was only a matter of time before it all came out in the open.”

A representative from the Earth Kingdom frowned as she overheard.

“What’s this?” she asked as they turned to face her and a few more dignitaries who’d also been listening in.

“It’s just the worst kept secret in the whole country,” the Fire Nation noble muttered. "A peasant of all people."

“I’ve heard rumors that she’s his concubine,” whispered another noble. “Did you know that after the Agni Kai, they disappeared into his bedroom together and didn’t leave until the next day?”

“Apparently the two of them have been together ever since he took lightning in the back to save her,” the first one sniffed.

“Actually, he took lightning to the heart for her. I’m the one who was shot in the back by Azula.”

They’d been so caught up in their conversation that none of them noticed the Avatar and a short Earth Kingdom girl now stood nearby. Judging by the frowns on their faces, they’d just heard every word, too.

The guests blushed and bowed immediately, hurriedly showering him with praises and thanking him for his presence. Aang bowed his head at them politely, although Toph crossed her arms and scowled in their general direction.

“You know, bringing the nations together is my ultimate goal but not if it involves gossip about two of my closest friends,” he said sternly. "There's not a problem here, is there?"

He bit back a smirk at the scandalized looks on their faces.

“We meant no disrespect, Avatar Aang,” one of them said nervously.

Toph scoffed loudly but he just smiled innocently at them.

"I'm sure you didn't," he said serenely. "Katara is one of my oldest friends, and is one of the best people I've ever known. I've only been friends with the Fire Lord for a short time, but I believe he'll make a fine leader. He genuinely cares about the Fire Nation, and I look forward to seeing his reign. Don't you agree, Toph?"

She resisted the urge to say that technically she couldn't look forward to anything, but she opted to save the quip for another time. She had bigger fish to fry.

"I absolutely do," she said demurely. "I'm Toph by the way, of the Beifong family, and the world's greatest earthbender, as well as the only known metalbender. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

It actually wasn't, but she had a point to make. Those from the Earth Kingdom gaped.

"Miss Beifong!" they stammered, bowing profusely. "We had no idea... the honor is all ours..."

But she dismissed them with a wave of her hand and took on the air of what she called Classic Beifong Snobbery.

"Surely you weren't talking about my best friend out there, either," she said haughtily. "You know, during our travels, she and I received a personal invitation to one of King Keui's parties in Ba Sing Se. Hardly what I'd call a peasant, wouldn't you say, Aang?"

The Avatar smiled politely and bowed his head.

"Certainly not, Miss Beifong," he agreed, flagging down a nearby representative from the Northern Water Tribe. "Excuse me, good sir. Wouldn't you say that as the daughter of Chief Hakoda, that makes Katara as much royalty as the Fire Lord?"

The tribesman warily eyed the other guests from the other nations and turned back to face Aang.

"Absolutely," he said. "Technically, one might consider her a princess and her brother a prince."

Aang thanked him and sent him on his way before facing the others again.

"Besides," he said with a deceptively calm smile, "even if she wasn't royalty herself, that's not important, right Toph?"

Miss Beifong nodded and turned her nose up.

"If there's one thing I've learned as a member of one of the richest families in the entire Earth Kingdom, it's that money can't buy class or manners," she sniffed. "Clearly."

The Avatar nodded and decided it was time to wrap this up.

"It would be certainly be a shame if others were to disrespect our very dear friends, wouldn't it?"

"Quite tragic, indeed," Toph agreed. 

"Besides," he continued, enjoying the horrified looks on the others' faces a bit too much, "I can't say I recommend getting on either of their bad sides. After all, he is one of the most powerful firebenders I've ever met, and that includes Ozai. From what I hear, our good friend Katara also handily defeated Azula when the princess attacked her."

Toph nodded.

"I pity whoever is foolish enough to cross them," she said pointedly, dropping her rich girl act just enough so the group could hear the warning in her voice.

"Now then!" the Avatar said, grinning and taking Toph's arm. "If you'll excuse us, Miss Beifong and I are going to go join two of our closest friends on the dance floor. Shall we go, Toph?"

"By all means, please lead the way."

He turned back to the group and smiled once more at the slightly sour looks on their faces. The bewildered guests just nodded.

They also thought they heard Miss Beifong mutter something rather profane and most unladylike in their general direction, but they couldn’t quite make it out.

From across the room, Sokka and Suki also overheard heated gossip and whispers of speculation.

He was about to snap at the people nearby and cause a scene when the murmurs ceased altogether as the Avatar and his earthbending teacher joined the waterbender and Fire Lord on the dance floor.

Sokka and Suki nodded at each other, and he extended his hand to his fiancée, which she immediately accepted.

“Come my dear, let’s go dance with my sister and our friends,” he announced.

Sokka noted smugly how the gossipers around them turned pale when they realized her brother had heard every word they’d just said.

~*~*~

Zuko and Katara exchanged a look of surprise as four figures joined them from opposite sides of the dance floor.

“What are you guys doing?” he whispered as his friends moved into place beside them.

Suki and Sokka exchanged a smile with Aang as the four also began spinning and dancing together.

“We figured if these snooty, pompous jerks were going to gossip, we should give them something worth talking about,” Toph explained, thankfully keeping her voice down for once.

“You should have heard what Toph just called them under her breath,” Aang said with a grin. “Her parents would have passed out. I shouldn't condone it, being the Avatar, but I'll let it slide.”

From their other side, Suki chimed in as well.

“If they mess with one of us, they mess with all of us. That’s our motto as Kyoshi Warriors and it applies to friends, too. We’ve got your backs.”

“The six of us stick together no matter what,” Sokka added. “If they think they can get away with giving you two a hard time, well, they’ll have to answer to the rest of Team Avatar.”

Katara blinked back tears as she smiled at her brother and friends.

“Thank you,” she said softly, and they nodded in understanding.

Aang then whispered something in Toph’s ear, and she nodded, grinning.

“Fire Lord Zuko,” he said politely, turning to his friend, who had gotten a little choked up as well. “Would you be opposed to Miss Beifong and I showing your subjects how to really dance?”

Zuko smiled down at Katara, who was now grinning up at him. He bowed his head to his friend and swept his arm out with a flourish.

“We’d be honored, Avatar Aang. Please be my guest.”

~*~*~

The crowd then had something entirely new to gossip about as they watched the Avatar show off his impressive dance skills with his Earth Kingdom partner. Eventually his classmates joined them and showed off their dance moves as well, and then the audience really had new topics to discuss amongst themselves.

The Fire Lord didn’t seem bothered by being upstaged, however. If anything, he was quite at ease now as he watched and smiled, sitting off in a corner beside his Water Tribe companion.

The crowd was so engrossed by the dancing in front of them that none noticed when Zuko took Katara’s hand in his and held it for the rest of the night. A few noticed when she leaned her head against his shoulder and he draped his arm around her, but then they were quickly distracted by the Avatar and Miss Beifong's duet on the dance floor.

After awhile, Katara turned her head to whisper in Zuko's ear.

“Have you figured out which day you're going to make the announcement?” she asked.

He pondered this for a moment, then he grinned at her and tilted his head towards the middle of the room. Her eyes widened.

“Are you serious?”

“No, it was just a crazy idea," he whispered. "If you'd rather wait a bit longer, we can. Is there another time you’d prefer?"

Katara’s heart started pounding, and she had a feeling Zuko’s was, too. She took a deep breath to steady herself and to his surprise, she nodded towards the middle of the dance floor as well.

“No time like the present, right?” she whispered with a smile as he now looked surprised. “It’s not like they don’t know something’s up at this point, anyways.”

Encouraged, he kissed her hand and helped her to her feet.

“Ready?” he asked, feeling a bit lightheaded.

She stood beside him and held his hand a bit tighter than normal.

“Ready,” she whispered, and with nervous smiles on both of their faces, he led them towards the middle of the room.

~*~*~

The next morning, word spread quickly throughout the rest of the Fire Nation, and messenger hawks were sent out to all corners of the world with the following announcement:

In a year's time, Fire Lord Zuko shall wed Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, uniting both nations in a new era of rebirth, peace, and love.

Chapter Text

Avatar and Fire Lord stood in the same palace courtyard where the latter had been crowned and they'd vowed to usher in a new era of peace, intently staring each other down.

"You can always surrender," Aang called out, twisting his torso side to side in a stretch. "I've clearly got the advantage. No shame in acknowledging that."

Zuko just rolled his head around, relishing the soft cracking noises from his neck and stretched his arms above his head, thankful the pain in his chest was finally gone.

"Not a chance," he boasted as his friend grinned back at him.

It was half a year since Sozin's Comet when he'd taken the lightning for Katara. After the first few months, he'd made enough progress that the royal physicians had finally agreed he was ready to firebend again at full strength.

He'd been practicing in private every day since then, and now the Fire Lord was finally confident enough to bend in front of a crowd without fear of humiliating himself.

When his good friend the Avatar had written him some months ago proposing a visit, bringing Toph and Katara with him, Zuko had been overjoyed. He immediately wrote back, asking Aang if he'd want to practice firebending against him, and his friend had been all too eager for the opportunity.

Zuko also wanted the chance to show off in front of his betrothed, if he was being completely honest. He also had a sneaking suspicion that Aang would want to show off for someone else present, too, but decided to wait and see before he said anything.

He missed this, seeing his friends and especially Katara, even more than he'd missed firebending. Now that they were reunited, his heart felt lighter than it had in many months.

"Besides, you may have three other elements on your side but I can beat you any day in firebending," Zuko added as he moved into a defensive position.

Aang returned his smirk, and flames grew from both of their palms.

"Doubt it."

Then he sent an enormous fire blast towards Zuko, who blocked it effortlessly and retaliated with one of his own.

~*~*~

From the sidelines safely out of reach, Katara sat with Toph, Iroh, and Rei, sipping her jasmine tea and watching the two practice firebending just like they had at the beach house all those months ago. 

A month after the coronation, she felt comfortable enough leaving Zuko in the care of the royal physicians and finally returned home for the first time since she'd left it. Her brother, father, and Master Pakku arrived weeks before she did and had already delivered the news of her engagement to Gran Gran and the rest of the village, who'd been just as stunned as one could expect.

Thankfully, the majority of the tribe seemed to accept their engagement once they heard how he'd taken lightning for her, as well as everything he'd done to atone for his actions.

Katara had heard in spite of that, there still had been unrest among some members. However, with Chief Hakoda's full blessing, as well as Master Pakku and her brother vouching on Zuko's behalf, there wasn't much the dissenters could do except politely wish her congratulations through slightly gritted teeth when she returned home.

Her grandmother simply hugged her when she arrived and told Katara how proud she was of her and Sokka.

If the same prince who'd once grabbed her arm had proven himself enough that her son, her grandchildren, and her husband had forgiven him and already accepted him as an honorary member of their family before he'd even proposed, then perhaps she could, too.

Additionally, Katara assured her that he genuinely was remorseful for his actions and wanted to apologize in person the first chance he got. Kanna decided she'd accept it wholeheartedly, although she reserved the right to give him a hard time about it if needed.

Katara spent the last few months with Pakku and other waterbenders immigrating from the North, working to rebuild the Southern Water Tribe. They still had a long ways to go, but the South was finally starting to resemble some of its former glory.

She and Zuko had written to each other every day, excitedly describing everything they'd been working on. When she finally arrived with Aang and Toph earlier that morning, it had taken all of her willpower not to bowl Zuko over in a hug, and he'd struggled a bit holding back as well.

When her fiance mentioned a firebending match with Aang, she'd been surprised. He'd written in his letters that he had made a lot of progress, but she wasn't expecting him to be anywhere near his former caliber. After a few minutes of observing them go back and forth, she realized she'd been mistaken, which she wasn't too upset about. 

Katara turned and addressed her future in-law, who had been engaged in a friendly conversation with Ursa's former lady-in-waiting. Zuko's uncle was staying with him for the first year into his reign as an advisor, but after the wedding he would return to Ba Sing Se and reopen The Jasmine Dragon. 

"What's your verdict?" she asked him, smiling in pride as she watched Zuko's body twist and turn almost as flawlessly as it had before the lightning. She knew he would still be rusty at first, but based on what she'd seen so far, he was quickly recovering his old strength.

She couldn't stop herself from grinning wildly each time he unleashed flames, even if she knew he was probably showing off a little just for her.

Iroh nodded towards the combatants and smiled.

"He's doing very well, but he still has some ways to go," the old general said, noting his nephew was now incorporating a few defensive moves vaguely reminiscent of waterbending. "I see he's picked up a few new maneuvers, too."

Katara nodded and beamed as Zuko gained the upper hand a few moments later and knocked Aang backwards. She was about to cheer when the Avatar spun up from the ground and knocked his legs out from under him.

Zuko quickly regained control and landed on his feet, albeit a bit shakily.

Beside her, Toph whooped.

"Nice one, Aang!" she called out.

Katara glanced over at her friend and raised an eyebrow. Since when did she call him by his name and not Twinkletoes? She wondered...

"Remember your root, Zuko!" Iroh called out, and his nephew nodded without turning to look at them.

~*~*~

Zuko moved again into a defensive position and blocked another blast from Aang.

"Didn't I teach you that move about spinning up, back at the beach house?" he asked, grinning when Aang nodded triumphantly.

"You sure did, Sifu Hotman!"

Then he dodged a massive wall of fire from his friend, who rolled his eyes and sighed.

"I still can't believe you brought 'flameo' and 'hotman' back into everyday vocabulary," Zuko bemoaned as he intercepted a fire blast. "That is singlehandedly the worst thing you've done so far as the Avatar. I'm this close to passing a law against it."

Aang just grinned cheekily, and Zuko knew exactly what would wipe the smirk off his friend's face.

"I also can't believe Toph just called you by your real name," he added, a bit too innocently. "In fact, I noticed you two have been spending a lot of time together lately, and you bring her up in all of your letters. Something you're not telling the rest of us?"

The Avatar's face flushed and he was too busy trying to stammer out a denial to notice Zuko's next attack sweeping his legs out from underneath. He landed on his back and found the Fire Lord aiming a fist just inches from his face.

"Do you yield?" he asked, panting and smirking.

The Avatar huffed and nodded, and the Fire Lord helped pull him to a standing position. Aang technically could have countered and continued their duel, but he could tell the last several months of recovery were starting to catch up with Zuko.

A small crowd had gathered on the outskirts of the courtyard to see the Fire Lord in action for the first time since his coronation. Aang knew how important this was to Zuko, and he wanted his friend to save face, even if he had to take a loss in the process.

"You okay?" he asked in a quiet voice only he could hear.

Zuko nodded and closed his eyes, breathing a bit heavier than usual.

"Yeah. Still a little out of shape, but I'll get there."

Aang nodded sympathetically.

"Let's take a break, then we can pick up later if you want," he said, and Zuko nodded.

The two bowed before each other again as their audience clapped politely.

~*~*~

Katara met Zuko at the edge of the courtyard and gave him a brief kiss.

"I'd hug you but I'm all sweaty," he murmured, smiling down at her. "I don't want to get your clothes dirty."

"Yes you are," she replied with a grin of her own. "You're absolutely filthy."

She glanced around to make sure Iroh and the others were far enough out of earshot before whispering in his ear, "and I've never been so turned on. I could take you right now in front of everyone."

His cheeks flushed for reasons unrelated to the physical nature of firebending as he grinned and kissed her again. The last time they'd been together was that early morning when his heart had nearly given out afterwards, a few days before he'd even proposed.

She insisted they wait until he was fully healed before their next "reunion," although they still found ways to treat each other prior to her leaving. Six months later, and the separation was now driving them both crazy.

Toph had been chatting with Aang not far away and nonchalantly kept finding excuses to rest her hand on his shoulder, which he didn't seem to mind. The earthbender grimaced and made a noise of disgust.

"I heard that. Get a room, you two."

Zuko and Katara exchanged a smirk and looked back at Toph, who was still standing closer than usual to Aang.

"I could say the same thing," Zuko said dryly, grinning when he saw the two blush. He lowered his voice. "I'm sure you have a nice, private one at the new air temple you two have been building."

Katara chimed in as well.

"I wouldn't know, I haven't visited there yet, but I heard Toph is there all of the time," she chirped innocently. "By the way, how long has it been since you called him Twinkletoes?"

She turned back to look at Zuko in mock surprise.

"Why darling, what ever do you suppose that means?"

He smirked and played right along.

"If I didn't know any better, sweetheart, I'd say they like each-"

"Shut up!" hissed the earthbender and the Avatar simultaneously, looking embarrassed.

Toph grabbed Aang's arm and turned her nose up.

"Come on Twinkletoes, let's get out of here," she sniffed, taking on the Beifong air of pure haughtiness. "Ugh, some people are so rude and uncouth!"

Aang nodded and led her back into the palace to rinse off, while the Fire Lord and Katara just cracked up laughing.

~*~*~

Someone brought out a towel for Zuko, who relaxed on the steps near Iroh and gulped down water.

Katara sat behind him on the steps chatting with Rei, absentmindedly running her healing water over the sore muscles in his shoulders while the two firebenders discussed the finer points he still needed to improve on.

She was incredibly proud of Zuko, but she knew he was bothered by how much ground he still had to make up. He was entirely too hard on himself, she thought, but she did admire his drive and his passion.

After awhile, one of the soldiers she'd practiced waterbending against the last time she was at the palace walked up and bowed to them.

They paused their conversations, nodding their heads to acknowledge him.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, my Lord. Some of us were wondering if Lady Katara would be practicing this afternoon as well."

Katara grinned. She'd have to change first, but she'd been itching for a good spar lately. 

"I'd love to," she said, and Zuko leaned his head backwards to look up at her. "Do we have time before the dinner tonight?"

It was getting close to sunset and allowing this would certainly postpone their meal, but he had a feeling the others wouldn't mind too much. He shrugged.

"We'll make time."

~*~*~

Toph and a freshly-showered Aang joined Zuko and Iroh as they watched Katara freeze yet another soldier in ice. While all of the opponents she faced had indeed posed a challenge, she always managed to get the upper hand. 

In the days after the comet, before she'd left to return home, Katara had trained and sparred with both male and female soldiers to keep her bending sharp, which gave them practice against waterbending as well.

She held back so as not to offend them, but those sparring matches always ended with a frozen firebender and a victorious waterbender biting back a smirk.

Katara unfroze her most recent opponent and returned his respectful yet annoyed bow after he thawed out enough to move again. A larger crowd had gathered by this point to see their future Fire Lady practice, most watching in amazement, a few in mild disdain.

She brushed a loose strand of hair from her face and realized she'd need another bath before dinner tonight. Oh, well. At least none of them had been too difficult to defeat.

"Anyone else want to try?" she called out a bit smugly in spite of herself.

A few soldiers shuffled their feet. Iroh gave her a wink of encouragement, while Aang and Toph looked amused.

Katara spun in a circle slowly and felt a rush of satisfaction when she saw several of them look down and shake their heads.

She'd slowly won them over with her kind nature, and now it seemed like she was winning their respect as a warrior as well.

"I'll take that challenge."

She whipped her head back around to see Zuko stand up and shake off the towel, letting it fall to the tiles below.

Murmurs of surprise and anticipation echoed throughout the courtyard. The Fire Lord facing off against his waterbender fiancée?

This they had to see. One or two ran off to get others from within the palace so they could come watch as well.

Katara stared at him as he practically strutted down onto the courtyard with a swagger and stood before her with a downright devilish grin.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

He breathed in deeply and exhaled flames skyward like a dragon and moved into position, drawing applause and sounds of admiration from the crowd.

Showoff, she thought to herself, even though she grinned and wanted to leap into his arms right there.

"I seem to recall once, you said something about how you could beat me easily in a bending match and have me begging for mercy," he taunted as flames grew around him. "I want to see if you still talk a big game without the entire ocean as backup."

She remembered that incident. That had been when the two of them hung out around the campfire in front of his family's Ember Island beach house the night of the play. They'd gotten so close they would have kissed for the first time if she hadn't lost her nerve.

This time, though, she had no intention of backing down. She returned his smirk with one of her own.

"Well, then, your highness," she purred, drawing water from the nearby canals to surround her arms. "I hope you’re ready to start begging."

His eyes gleamed, and an unspoken look passed between them before he attacked.

Chapter Text

The match wasn't as physical as either of them would have preferred, but both knew it would be a few more months before Zuko was completely healed enough for that.

Nonetheless, nearly everyone in the palace had gathered to watch their duel and stood awestruck as water and fire clashed spectacularly on the courtyard.

They gasped every time it seemed like she'd finally gotten the upper hand, only for the Fire Lord to escape at the last second and put her back on the defensive.

To their surprise, despite the intensity of the duel, the Fire Lord and his betrothed seemed to be having fun, even as she barely dodged his flames and he ducked just in time to avoid her blades of ice.

Whenever it seemed like they finally reached a draw, they'd just smirk and compliment the other before attacking again.

At one point she caught him in a water whip, bringing him right up to her, and he retaliated by catching both of her wrists in his hands. Some spectators thought they heard him taunt her with something about pirates, but they weren't sure if they heard correctly. She just giggled and broke loose once more.

It hadn't gone unnoticed by the crowd either that he moved at times like a waterbender and she like a firebender. He used her offensive moves against her, and she relied on her breath to power her attacks.

Several onlookers had been skeptical when they'd learned their Fire Lord had chosen to marry a Southern Water Tribe girl, but after seeing the way they bended and moved like each other's perfect counterpart, all doubts faded away.

The soldiers who'd faced off against her before watched dumbstruck at one point, as the two created twin whips of water and fire that tangled around the other's overhead, sending sparks and hot droplets of water floating downwards.

"She's been toying with us the whole time!" one gaped as they watched her effortlessly handle her element. "She could have killed us easily if she wanted to."

From nearby, Iroh chuckled and made a noise of agreement.

"Miss Katara has steadily proved herself to be one of the more lethal waterbenders I've ever encountered in all of my years," he said with a smile. "Fortunately for us, she's also one of the kindest."

Aang nodded from his seat on the steps. He remembered her duel against Master Pakku a few years ago and how fiercely she'd defended her right to be a warrior. If he could see her bending now, Aang knew her step-grandfather would be pleased by her progress.

"Not to mention, the two of them have faced off against each other more times than I can count," Aang added. "They know exactly how far they can push the other before they reach their breaking point."

Not unlike the earthbender sitting beside him, he thought. He casually slid his hand into Toph's, who he noticed wore the faintest hint of a blush. He squeezed it and broke out into a grin when she squeezed back.

They watched in silence for a few minutes more before Iroh spoke again.

"Notice too how the Fire Lord is letting her set the pace of the match. It's a wise decision, holding back so he doesn't accidentally hurt her, which would not bode well for him," he chuckled.

Onlookers around him gaped at the general and back at the match.

"He's holding back?" they asked, stunned.

Iroh nodded.

"Actually, I think she is holding back a bit as well."

~*~*~

Down on the courtyard, Katara knew Zuko's strength was on the verge of running low. He'd put on a stunning display, surprising even her, but she knew he was reaching his limit and that he'd rather pass out than quit.

It was time to end things before it got that far, so he could still save face in front of his subjects.

She allowed him to move closer and closer to her until she suddenly called forth all of the water in the area, freezing them both solid, much like she had during the fight against his sister.

His eyes blinked at her in surprise as he realized his mistake, trying to move but now unable to do so. From outside the wall of ice, she heard faint exclamations of shock and muffled applause.

At least this way, Zuko could accept defeat gracefully. After all, no one could possibly expect him to escape the same move that so handily defeated Azula, right?

Just as she had back then, Katara used her breath to unfreeze herself until she was floating in her own pocket of water.

Then to her shock, he closed his eyes and mirrored her, breathing out through his nose and melting the ice around him.

Firebending comes from the breath, she remembered, suddenly feeling foolish. Of course he knew that and would use it to his advantage. That was stupid, Katara.

Her eyes widened a second later when she saw he'd melted enough ice to draw his arms back for a blast.

Katara escaped from their frozen world just in time, splashing through the crystal clear barrier and dodging the flames that melted and shattered the remaining ice into shards that skittered across the tiles.

She rolled a few times on the ground and soon came to a stop on her knees, just out of his reach.

~*~*~

Katara gasped for breath and looked over at Zuko, who was also panting nearby down on one knee and shivering slightly. 

She noted with annoyance that even though he'd been frozen and submerged longer than she had, he still caught his breath much quicker and regained his footing first.

He then wreathed himself in flames, instantly drying the icy waters that still clung to his skin.

"So, is that how you beat my sister?" he taunted loud enough for everyone to hear, moving his arms to an offensive position. "Sorry, sweetheart, that same trick won't work on me."

Oh, she looked absolutely furious now, Zuko noted with smug satisfaction.

He too had heard the crowd's reaction when she froze them both, and he wanted everyone watching to see just how powerful his future bride had been during the battle against Azula. Plus, Zuko reasoned it looked better for him that he'd been able to escape the same trap that had defeated his prodigy of a sister.

He also couldn't resist the urge to rile Katara up just a bit. Maybe she'd be so angry that she'd sneak into his room later that night and teach him a lesson, the kind where he'd have to beg for a different kind of forgiveness...

But first things first.

"I'm surprised you even recognized it," she retorted, melting the nearby shattered ice into water and drawing it around her once more. "I seem to recall you being unconscious at the time."

Spectators in the crowd flinched and murmured amongst themselves, but Zuko just smirked. He did love it when she put him in his place. It was just one of the many things he loved about Katara.

His body was quickly giving out, though, and he could tell she was wearing thin, too. Suddenly, he figured out how he wanted to end their duel so both could walk away victorious.

"Tell you what," he called out. "The next one to make the other lose their footing and fall or land on both knees automatically wins. Deal?"

She nodded and took several more deep breaths, exhaling frost on the ground before her. Then she gathered every drop of the water in the area to her again and coated her arms.

The crowd whispered in amazement as the water above her grew until it vaguely looked like an enormous bird.  

“It’s a blue phoenix!” he heard a few exclaim, and Zuko watched proudly as Katara bended the water until it truly did resemble the legendary creature.

By now the story of how she’d revived him from near-death was well-known throughout the Fire Nation, with the Sages even likening her to a phoenix and him to a dragon. It sounded lovely, sure, but it was a bit too melodramatic for his taste.

He suddenly remembered himself when she created a wave underneath her feet and glided towards him, holding her blue phoenix of water overhead.

Katara was truly spectacular to behold, and he knew everyone watching them now wouldn’t be able to deny her pure talent - which was the main reason he wanted to duel her before the entire palace.

She’d been impressive enough while dueling with the soldiers, but none of them knew how to push her into using her potential like he could. She was magnificent, and now everyone who saw her knew it as well as he did. It also made him regret just a bit what he was about to do next.

Still wreathed in fire, Zuko unleashed massive waves of flames like dragon's breath against her, which she dodged until she was upon him, suddenly using a water whip to force him down to one knee. He heard gasps of shock from the crowd but blocked them out.

Zuko immediately let the fire surrounding him die down so as not to burn her as she stood before him, close enough for him to touch now.

Even though water coated her arms and flowed like a stream beneath them, he saw she hadn’t frozen herself to the ground. Perfect. Just like he'd anticipated and hoped for.

 She hadn’t completely knocked him off his feet, giving him one final chance to win and save face - which he fully intended to take advantage of.

“Do you yield?” she called out loudly, smirking.

Even though he was kneeling in submission, the Fire Lord looked up with pride at the woman who'd captured his heart and saved him in more ways than one. His eyes crinkled in a tender smile for just a moment.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said softly, noting the surprise and happiness in her eyes at his unexpected admission.

Then he continued.

"And I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”

Her eyes widened when his smile abruptly transformed into the wicked smirk she recognized all too well. Before she could say anything, though, Katara suddenly realized she was falling sideways as her feet were forced out from underneath her.

She’d been too distracted to notice he’d spun his legs around, knocking her off balance in a move similar to the one he and Aang used on each other earlier.

Instinctively she reached out for him as he skidded on his knees across the tiles to catch her, and her arms wrapped around his neck.

The phoenix made of water she’d been holding up overhead immediately splashed to the ground below like an unexpected, intense rainstorm not uncommon during the Fire Nation's summer months, briefly blocking them both from view of the crowd.

Once the wall of water had fallen, they saw the Fire Lord on his knees carefully cradling Katara in his arms. She held her hand upwards, bending an arc overhead and shielding them from the full force of the water.

The crowd broke into wild applause for both of them, although there was some confusion over who technically won.

Iroh stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"It looked like Miss Katara lost her footing before he did, but when my nephew caught her he landed on his knees first," he mused. "It was hard to see with the wall of water. I believe it may be a draw."

"That's what I think, too," Aang agreed. "Since fire and water cancel each other out, I don't think we were going to have a clear winner in this particular match anyways."

Toph nodded and to her own surprise, she squeezed Aang's hand.

"If I didn't know any better, I don't think he ever planned on winning," she said loudly, in case anyone listening thought her friend had shown weakness. "I think he just wanted to let her show off."

~*~*~

Down on the courtyard, Katara scowled up at Zuko.

"You tricked me," she huffed.

To her annoyance, he just shrugged while holding her and maintained a look of innocence.

“Actually sweetheart," he purred. "I think I just swept you off your feet.”

As smooth as that was, she still had a reputation to uphold in front of everyone watching. She huffed in defeat, but she couldn’t stop the smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"I guess neither of us won, then," she said, but he shook his head.

"I don't think so," he said gently. "You got to show everyone how spectacular you truly are, and I got to hold you afterwards. I think we both won."

She grinned up at him.

"Is that why you challenged me?" she asked, and her smile grew as he nodded.

"You've been impressive every time you've faced off against your opponents, but we both know you've been playing nice and holding back so their pride wouldn't get wounded," he said with a grin. "I thought it was long overdue for them to see how breathtaking you truly are."

"You know, they may call you a dragon but really you're as soft as a baby turtleduck," she giggled, brushing a strand of hair back from his face.

Encouraged, he gave her a tender, sweet kiss as he held her in his arms.

"Only for you, Katara," he said, giving her a light squeeze.

He set her down, and together they stood at the same time.

“Besides,” he added softly as she bended the cold water away from them, “it’s not like I’m ever going to use my full strength against you."

She looked up at him, stunned.

"You were holding back?" she gasped, and he nodded.

How? she wondered to herself. Just when she thought she'd figured him out, he found more ways to surprise her.

"You’re more than capable of taking care of yourself but I don’t ever want to hurt you,” he murmured, resting his forehead against hers.

Well, she couldn’t argue with that. She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him again, and as they were both in desperate need of shower, this time he immediately wrapped his arms around her.

Then she took his hand as they walked off of the courtyard, and the audience cheered again.

~*~*~

They were deafened by congratulations and shouts of admiration when they rejoined the crowd. 

Iroh clapped Zuko on the shoulder and the two talked excitedly, while Rei attended to Katara, beaming all the while.

Aang and Toph were engaged in a hushed conversation, though, and soon they turned to face them.

"We have a proposition for you two," Aang said, smirking. "It was pretty obvious from the start you both would hold back and no one would technically win. So how about you really show everyone what you've got."

Zuko and Katara exchanged glances.

"What-"

Toph chimed in.

"You two versus Aang and I. Fire and Water versus Air and Earth."

Katara and Zuko grinned at each other and looked back at their friends.

"You're on," they said at the same time. 

Iroh interjected and raised a hand.

"Can it wait until after dinner first, though?"

They laughed and nodded in agreement.

"Absolutely," Katara said. "I'm famished."

"I'll be busy in meetings for the next few days or so, but let's do it when Sokka and Suki get in from Kyoshi Island later this week," Zuko agreed.

This appeased the Avatar and his earthbending teacher, who nodded in agreement. 

As they walked back to the palace to clean up for dinner, the Fire Lord draped his arm over his betrothed's shoulders, and she slipped her own around his lower back, leaning her head against him. She giggled as he planted a light kiss on the top of her head.

"Love you," she whispered.

"Love you too," he whispered back.

Chapter Text

Dinner that evening was much later than normal, on account of the impromptu duel between fire and water.

No one really complained after seeing that spectacular performance, though, except for the cooks who were upset at having to miss the whole thing. However, they were mollified when they found out about the upcoming match involving all four elements.

After they finished eating, the Fire Lord spoke at length with the Avatar and his companions about news from outside of the Fire Nation.

Starting tomorrow, he'd host various dignitaries and would be embroiled in meetings all week long from dawn until dusk about everything from progress to reparations to the upcoming summit between all of the world's leaders in the next several months. 

But for tonight, the four gathered in the Fire Lord's private study to laugh and catch up on everything from the last six months.

~*~*~

"So when are you planning on visiting the Southern Water Tribe again?" Aang asked, sipping his tea.

Zuko looked at Katara and grinned

"Actually, I'll be dropping you off myself whenever you go back," he said, appreciating her astonished reaction. "My uncle will take over for the month or so I'm away."

She squealed and hugged him, almost splashing the tea in his cup all over them both.

"Will the court approve of that?" she asked when she pulled back.

He shrugged.

"Everyone is bound to complain at some point or another, Katara. I'll only be gone for a short while, visiting my betrothed's family and proposing all over again in the snows of her homeland. They'll get over it."

She looked simultaneously confused and ecstatic.

"But... you already proposed?" Katara asked.

He tilted his head and gave her a lopsided smile.

"It wasn't much of a proposal, though," Zuko said. "I talked with your father before he left, and one thing he wanted me to do, if I was able to work it out, was present your engagement gift to you before the tribe. This second proposal will be more for show than anything, but it'll also give me a chance to give you one that you deserve."

She shook her head lightly.

"What was wrong with the first one?" she asked. "I said yes, didn't I?"

He sighed and smiled at her.

"It was rushed and done at the last minute on a whim," he explained. "I mean, I'd been planning to anyways, but right after I ended the war I suddenly got up the courage to ask you right then and there. I was worried that if I waited, I wouldn't have the nerve to ask again."

"Awwww," chorused Aang and Toph at the same time.

"Shut up," replied Katara and Zuko without even looking their way.

They snickered amongst themselves as Zuko ignored them and continued.

"Besides, I still have to present you with your gift at some point before the wedding, and I figured that was as good a time as any, at your home surrounded by your element."

Aang and Toph suddenly nodded.

"Ohhh... I remember you talking about that now," Toph said. "Need any help working on that project, by the way?"

Zuko shook his head.

"Thanks, but I've about got it finished. Besides, I wanted to make it myself."

Katara looked at her friends and then back at Zuko.

"Wait, how do you already know what I'm getting and I don't?" she asked them.

Aang gave her a genuinely happy smile, which she returned.

"He told us all about it while you were talking with your father in private," he explained. "I haven't seen a drawing or anything yet, but I think you'll love it, Katara. We've been writing back and forth a lot, and he's worked really hard on it and burned his fingers in the process."

Zuko shrugged.

"Burnt fingers come with the territory of being a firebender," he said nonchalantly. "It should turn out really pretty, though." 

His stomach fluttered when he saw Katara's joyful expression.

"Can I get a hint?" she asked, unsurprised when he shook his head firmly.

"Nope. You'll just have to wait and see at the second proposal."

She sat on the edge of the desk beside him and stroked the side of his face.

"That's sweet, it really, is, but I don't need a big, epic proposal," she said softly. "I just need you, Zuko."

"Aw-"

"Keep that up and you're both getting splashed with hot tea," she warned them, not taking her eyes off of him.

His eyes crinkled as he smiled up at her, and he winked.

"Okay then," he said, taking her hand and bringing to his lips for a kiss. "I can't promise anything, but I will take that into account whenever I make my decision."

She rolled her eyes but grinned.

"Spoken like a true politician," she teased, kissing his forehead.

They glanced over at their companions, who had both propped their chins up on their fists and looked as if their conversation was the most entertaining thing they'd ever heard.

"You two done already?" Toph asked. "Don't let us interrupt you."

They looked back at each other and rolled their eyes.

"Anyways," Zuko continued as Katara settled back into her seat. "It's going to be a busy trip, but I wanted to visit the Southern Water Tribe again before the wedding and make amends, considering my last visit..." 

He trailed off and glanced down for a moment, frowning.

"What did your grandmother say when you saw her?" he asked, looking back up at Katara. "Did she and the others seem upset? I know your dad, Pakku, and Sokka went before your return and tried to talk me up, but I'm still expecting most, if not all of them, to hold a grudge."

"Remind me again, what did you do back then?" Toph asked. "Didn't you threaten her grandmother and almost burned the village down?"

Zuko grimaced.

"Not exactly... I didn't threaten her directly, but I did grab her by the arm and yelled at everyone, and I threatened to burn down everything if they didn't hand Aang over," he said, looking down again.

"He certainly made an impression," Katara said dryly. "Look, it wasn't the best introduction by any means, but that's why I made sure Dad and the others went first to break the news. They now know the full story, everything from why you were banished, to you helping Sokka at the Boiling Rock, you helping me find my mom's killer, and most importantly, you taking lightning to the heart for me. After they learned all of that, pretty much everyone was on board, including Gran Gran."

"And the ones that aren't?" he asked, looking up and frowning.

She shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, my father - you know, the chief - already gave us his full blessing, my brother is one of your best friends, and then you've also got two master waterbenders on your side too," she said. "Like you said, people are bound to complain regardless, but give them time. They'll come around."

He gave her a small smile.

"And if they don't?"

She couldn't resist smirking just a bit.

"Then I'll have to freeze them solid or something."

He shook his head, grinning.

"You know, once we're married you can't go around freezing people. You'll have to learn to be diplomatic and control your temper."

She raised an eyebrow and looked over at her friends for support, but they were both grinning and refusing to acknowledge her.

"Unbelievable," she muttered. "I do not have a temper. You do though, your highness." 

Zuko just shrugged.

"Yes, I do but so do you, Katara, and that's why I like you. I didn't want a prim, proper lady who doesn't speak her mind."

"Yeah, those are overrated," Toph agreed and Aang found himself nodded at her with a grin on his face.

The Fire Lord winked at his betrothed, then addressed his other friends.

"Anyways, how's the work going on building the new air temples?"

~*~*~

As the night drifted on, Zuko and Katara exchanged knowing glances when they saw Aang looking at Toph dreamily during certain stories and how she seemed to find any excuse to touch his arms.

Sokka and Suki had been busy ironing out the details for their own wedding set a month before theirs, and it looked like there might be yet another on the horizon.

At one point during the night, Katara and Toph ended up in a private conversation on one side of the study while Zuko and Aang were busy talking about something else on the other side.

Then Toph elbowed her lightly and beckoned her to lean in.

“Aang’s heartbeat is going crazy over there,” she whispered to Katara. “What’s he doing?”

Katara looked over and smiled when she realized it.

“He’s looking right at you,” she whispered.

Her friend tried to hide the massive grin that split her face, to no avail. She knew Katara was telling the truth.

"I've noticed his heartbeat doing that more and more lately," she whispered back to her friend, whose smile just grew wider.

Then Toph nodded her head in their direction.

"Lover Boy's heart is going pretty wild over there, too," she whispered.

Katara glanced back and saw Zuko watching her with a dreamlike smile on his face. When he realized she'd seen it, he just winked at her. She returned it and faced Toph again.

"You know, you could always come up with a new nickname for him, now that he's the Fire Lord," she whispered, knowing Zuko wouldn't share her amusement.

Toph shrugged and grinned.

"Let me think on that one, Sugar Queen."

~*~*~

The four talked until late into the night, when Aang looked up at the clock and realized it was past everyone's bedtime.

"See you guys tomorrow!" he called out, escorting Toph back to her room.

Once they'd gone, Katara turned to Zuko and mirrored his devilish smirk from earlier.

"So, your highness, what would you like to do now?" she teased.

He just grinned as he swept her up in a deep kiss.

Chapter Text

The following year of courtship seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye, and their visit to the Southern Water Tribe went better than they'd expected.

Aang, Toph, Sokka, and Suki accompanied them, both to visit the snowy tundra with their friends and to give the Fire Lord moral support as he confronted his past sins.

On the trip down, nestled away from the others towards the back of Appa's saddle, Zuko once more asked Katara if he could propose to her all over again whenever he presented his gift at the South Pole, and once more she turned him down at first.

"I'm serious, I loved my proposal," she insisted. "Why do you keep bringing this up?"

He looked down.

"Katara, the first time we met was when I terrorized you and your village," he said quietly. "The first memory I have of your home, the first time I ever saw you, was when you were looking at me in horror. Then the second time I saw you surrounded by your element was at the North Pole, when you rightly put me in my place. I've never seen you smiling in the snow before, and I want that to be the memory I have of you in your homeland."

She was touched, and immediately she kissed him.

"Well then," she murmured. "You better make it a good one."

~*~*~

Zuko blinked in surprise as they finally started to descend from the clouds to the icy white tundra below.

Instead of several solitary huts like the last time when he'd visited a few years ago, there now were numerous houses and buildings spread out below.

He heard they’d even built a cafeteria or two featuring traditional Southern Water Tribe cuisine, and he thought he also saw a few snowy parks as well.

He knew they'd made a lot of progress since then, but he was surprised by how much it had grown.

It was futile, but his eyes also scanned for a particular house that he knew everything about but had never seen before. 

“That’s the South Pole?” he asked, impressed. “Wow... I never would have recognized it.”

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Toph asked, and he found himself agreeing before he realized the trap.

He scowled at her as the others laughed. Then he suddenly felt sick as they flew lower and he could make out the shapes of people now as well.

Katara saw the look on his face and reached out to hold his hand, giving it a light squeeze.

“Are you okay?” she asked, and he shook his head. "We've still got a few minutes. Want to talk?"

Again he shook his head.

They’d already discussed what would happen if no one accepted his apology for his behavior from years ago, so there was no point bringing it up now. Instead, he just sighed and looked down.

She scooted up beside him and gave his shoulder a quick kiss.

“Whatever happens, I’m with you,” she said softly. “We all are. Right guys?”

The others echoed their agreement, but it did nothing to quell his pounding heart.

He forced himself to breathe in deeply, exhaling a few small flames. He may have earned her father’s respect and approval, and even though his had been the most important, that was still just one person.

Zuko now had to figure out how he was going to win over the rest of the tribe as well.

~*~*~

Kanna stood beside Pakku at the front of the crowd gathered by the docks to greet her grandchildren.

Her face brightened when she saw the outline of the Avatar’s sky bison come into focus high up above, descending from the clouds.

This would certainly be an interesting visit, indeed. A week or so prior they’d received a message letting them know that the Avatar, his earthbending teacher, and both of her grandchildren's future spouses would be joining them as well.

She was pleased to hear that the Fire Lord would make his return to the Southern Water Tribe in a better fashion this time around. Instead of a massive, imposing ship like before, he’d opted to fly in with his friends.

Kanna had already forgiven him in her heart after hearing of everything he’d done for Katara and her family, but she still wanted to see for herself how much he’d allegedly changed in the last few years.

She looked over at Hakoda and smiled when the bison landed, and all of the tribe's children rushed forward to greet them.

The Avatar was the first to hop down, his lemur perched on his shoulder, along with the Earth Kingdom girl who accompanied him when he picked up Katara over a month ago. 

Then Sokka was next, leading Suki, who’d been here once before when they all vouched for the new Fire Lord.

"Dad! Gran Gran! Gran-Pakku!" he called out joyfully.

Kanna noticed her husband's eye twitch at the nickname and allowed herself a light chuckle. The pair rushed forward to meet them in an embrace.

That just left two more, and she glanced over at her son and husband as she hugged Suki, raising an eyebrow.

The rest of the tribe had already been made aware (or rather, warned) who their final visitor was, so at least it wouldn’t come as a total shock.

Then her granddaughter’s grinning face appeared over the side of the saddle, along with a dark-haired young man who looked more terrified than anything.

A hush fell over the crowd when they saw them, but Katara paid them no mind, turning to her companion and whispering something before they descended.

Well, Kanna thought as she inspected the new Fire Lord, at least his hair looked much better. It was longer and a bit shaggy, but it suited him well, much better than that shaved look.

He had grown taller just like her grandchildren and the Avatar had over the years, and instead of an angry scowl, he now looked thoughtful and a bit nervous. So far, so good.

She also noticed that instead of armor, he wore a thick coat appropriate for the colder climate. She wasn’t sure of the current fashion in the Fire Nation, but he looked less like a Fire Lord and more like an average citizen, albeit one from a richer family.

His clothing was crimson with intricate golden accents, so he wasn’t trying to hide who he was or where he came from. His crown was also nowhere in sight, so he wasn’t shoving his elevated status in their faces, either. Also a good sign, she thought.

His eyes met hers instantly as the pair walked to greet them, and she thought she saw him swallow in trepidation.

Even better.

He waited until Katara had given out her hugs before he bowed politely to Hakoda and Pakku, respectfully addressing them by title.

Then the chief surprised the crowd by pulling him forward into an embrace, drawing murmurs and whispers.

“It’s good to see you again, son,” Hakoda said warmly as he released him, and something told Kanna that he wasn't used to hugs.

He nodded and exchanged a few pleasantries with his future father-in-law, and then at last, the Fire Lord turned to face her directly, somehow looking more scared than before.

Kanna didn’t turn around but she knew many in the crowd had been here for his last visit and were surely eyeing him with contempt. To her surprise, he bowed deepest of all to her.

“Lady Kanna,” he said in that raspy voice she remembered all too well, which had also grown deeper over the years. “I wanted to apologize for my behavior at our last meeting. It was most dishonorable and I hope you can find it in your heart to one day forgive me.”

Well then, she thought. He seems alright. She reached out and took his hands in hers, much to his and the crowd’s astonishment.

“It’s good to see you again, Lord Zuko,” she said solemnly, although she allowed the faintest trace of a smile to wash over her face. “Thank you for taking care of my family, especially my granddaughter.”

His face lit up at the mention of Katara, and if nothing else he seemed to genuinely care about her. Time would tell, but she thought this might work out after all. 

Besides, she thought, he's rather handsome when he smiles.

~*~*~

Zuko was the first one up the next morning when the sun crested the horizon. He didn’t feel its rays as strongly here as he did back home, but they still brought him some peace of mind.

He remembered his first dance with Katara, the night a halo formed around the moon, and she’d explained how water was everywhere, even when you couldn’t see it.

Sunlight here in the South Pole was similar - its warmth was fainter, but it was still there.

Aang had been given his own house as the Avatar, and to no one's surprise, Toph opted to stay in it with him. That left Suki and himself occupying the guest rooms at Hakoda's newer home with the rest of his family.

After a quick bath he dressed and waited until he heard someone else move around in the common area before he left his room, coming face to face with her grandmother.

“Oh,” she said quietly. “No one else is usually up this early.”

He shrugged.

“I’ve always risen with the sun,” he said softly. “No matter where I’m at in the world.”

She nodded and inquired how he’d slept, and he told her that he’d never slept better. It was a lie - he rarely slept well the first night in a new place, but he didn't want to be rude.

“Good,” she said. “Are you hungry? I can start breakfast now, or wait until others are up…”

“Oh, um, I can wait, or I can help you.”

Kanna raised an eyebrow.

“Do you cook?”

He held up a hand and twisted his wrist noncommittally.

“I can make tea and bake tarts and cakes, but the actual cooking was Katara’s forte when we were all traveling together before the comet. If nothing else, I can get the campfire started.”

He’d hoped that little joke might at least make her smile, but she just hmphed and walked towards the kitchen. Zuko bit back a groan and resisted the urge to slap his forehead. Fire Lord or not, he was still an awkward turtleduck, apparently.

Then Kanna turned back to look at him expectantly.

“Well? Are you going to light that fire and make tea, or not?”

~*~*~

Before the others woke up and joined them, he somehow managed to keep a conversation going with the older woman, who once upon a time he’d grabbed by the arm.

She inquired how a Fire Lord knew how to bake and prepare tea, and he told her stories of his time working with his uncle at the tea shop in Ba Sing Se.

He’d also finally figured out the set-up to his uncle’s favorite joke and shared it as well, but once again she just hmphed. 

“Your uncle is a member of the same order Pakku is, correct?” she asked, and he nodded.

“He also makes the best tea, and I say that as someone who's not overly fond of it. I actually brought several containers of his own personal stock, if you’d like to try any of them out.”

After she took one sip of Iroh’s jasmine blend specially brewed by the Fire Lord himself, she found herself agreeing.

“I look forward to meeting this uncle of yours someday,” she said, taking another sip. “Was he with you during your last visit?”

At that, Zuko looked down and swallowed a bit louder than he’d meant to. She sized him up and noted that he looked rightfully ashamed.

She’d already forgiven him on a superficial level, but now she wanted to know how sincere his apology yesterday had been.

“You didn’t think I wasn’t ever going to bring that up again, did you?” she asked, and he shook his head.

“No… I was waiting for it,” he said softly. “I’ve been debating on what to say, and I still don’t have the words. All I can say is that I’m truly, deeply sorry for who I used to be. I regret everything I did during my last visit. There was simply no excuse.”

She nodded.

“Apology accepted, Fire Lord Zuko,” she said with a hint of a smile.

He just looked at her, confused.

“That’s it?” he asked. “I mean, I grabbed your arm and scared you-”

“Yes, you did,” she nodded. “You also kept your word and didn’t attack anyone or burn down the village, even though it would have been very easy for you to do so.”

She took another sip of tea.

“You also eventually saw the error of your ways and did a number of great things for my family, like saving my son from prison and reuniting him with my grandchildren, and you helped my granddaughter receive closure regarding her mother’s death.”

Kanna surprised him further by lightly patting his shoulder.

“Not to mention, you eventually put your own life on the line to save her,” she said solemnly. “If nothing else, that convinced me that you were not the same man you were before. I’m happy that you’ll be joining our family.”

He felt himself get a little choked up.

“Thank you,” he whispered, and she nodded in understanding.

She poured them both another cup of tea, and he felt himself slowly feeling more at ease around her.

“Katara told me the story of how you used to live in the Northern Water Tribe,” he said, taking a sip. “She also told me why you left, how you wanted your own daughter or granddaughter to have the freedom to become a waterbending master, not just a healer.”

Kanna nodded.

“You should be proud of her,” he said softly, his features softening. “She's a gifted healer as well, but she really is one of the most magnificent waterbenders I’ve ever known. Her mastery over the water is just... it's breathtaking. Before we left the Fire Nation to come here, she showed everyone in the palace just how spectacular she really is.”

She glanced down in silence before looking over at him.

“Do they like my granddaughter?” she asked simply. “Will they accept her?”

He frowned slightly.

“The palace staff absolutely adores her,” he said. “So do many of the common citizens. Most of the nobles still aren’t convinced, but then again they don’t like me that much, either. However, that was the one thing I put my foot down on when I stepped up as Fire Lord. I’ll allow criticism of myself, but I will not tolerate anyone disrespecting her, even if it’s the most minute slight.”

Kanna nodded.

“Sounds like she’s in good hands,” was all she said, and Zuko truly hoped she meant it.

~*~*~

Eventually, Pakku and the others joined them as well, until only Katara was absent.

At long last, the pelt hanging in the doorway of her room opened up, and it was as welcome to him as the brightest sunrise. He learned later that she’d actually been up for a while but wanted to give him the chance to interact on his own with his future in-laws.

“Good morning!” Katara chirped as she walked in, positively glowing, and his heart practically sang at the sight of her.

She gave Zuko a quick peck on the cheek before she sat down next to him in front of the fire pit. He couldn’t stop the dreamlike smile on his face, which didn’t go unnoticed by the others. 

“Have you been up long?” she asked him, and he nodded. 

“Since sunrise. Your grandmother and I enjoyed a nice, long overdue conversation.” 

Katara raised an eyebrow at glanced over at Kanna as she leaned forward and started filling up her plate. 

“Oh? How did that go, Gran Gran?” she asked, suddenly a bit nervous.

Kanna also raised an eyebrow, and Zuko decided it must be a family trait. 

“Well, I learned he can make a decent cup of tea but he couldn’t tell a joke if his life depended on it,” she declared.

It was that moment he discovered where the sarcasm originated from in their family as well. He blushed as the others chuckled, and Katara gave him a playful wink. 

“Which one was it?” Katara asked. “It wasn’t that ‘leaf me alone’ one, was it?” 

He nodded, embarrassed, and she cracked up, shaking her head as his friends groaned. 

“Oh, that one is terrible,” Sokka bemoaned. 

"You're one to talk," Zuko retorted, but he grinned all the same. “Your jokes aren’t any better.”

"Maybe so, but come on, buddy. Even I know that one is lame."

Zuko shrugged again as his face turned completely scarlet. 

“You certainly inherited your uncle’s sense of humor,” Pakku said dryly, although there was a hint of a smile in his eyes. “Not even Iroh can pull that one off.”

~*~*~

Together, they carried on a pleasant conversation throughout breakfast, although Zuko didn’t contribute to it much. Instead, he found himself listening to the others, especially Katara, discuss life in the village and the daily challenges they faced.

His eyes crinkled up slightly as he listened to her talk completely in her own element. He loved how she became more animated on certain projects that were near to her heart, like the waterbending school she started with Pakku and the healing classes she taught. 

It was just one of the many things he loved about her, and for the millionth time he thought to himself that once she'd settled in, she'd make a perfect Fire Lady.

A small part of him wished he wasn’t who he was, though, and that he’d been born a member of the Water Tribes. In another lifetime he could have met her and lived with her in her homeland. Then again, would she have even fallen for him in that case?

He knew that he’d still love her whether he’d been born an Earth Kingdom citizen or from the Water Tribes, but she also once said she preferred a relationship with sparks.

It would have made their courtship much easier if he’d been from one of the tribes, he mused, but she probably wouldn’t have fallen for him in the first place.

“Zuko? Did you hear that?”

He was suddenly brought back to the present when he realized the others were now looking at him. He shook his head and apologized, saying something about being lost in thought, but he knew it was obvious to them that he’d been watching Katara the entire time. 

Zuko blushed slightly as her father gave him a knowing look and repeated the question.

“I said, what are your plans for today?” the chief asked, sipping his tea.

Hakoda made a mental note that perhaps they should start a trade involving Iroh’s tea. He could get used to drinking this every day.

“Oh… well, I was leaving everything open-ended,” Zuko replied. “I do want to meet with the villagers one-on-one at some point to see what they need the most right now, but mainly I was going to follow your lead.”

“We’ve been in correspondence about reparations,” Hakoda said lightly. “You don’t trust me?”

Zuko shook his head.

“I do, but I also want your people to know, like I’ve done with my own, that I care on a personal level about what they want and need. I listen to advisors and leaders, but above all else it’s my responsibility to serve the people directly.”

Hakoda nodded at this and smiled.

“Agreed. What else do you plan to do during your visit?”

 Zuko paused, thinking.

“I’d like to experience everything I can about the culture, mainly. Then at some point I also want to practice sword fighting against Sokka, since I’ve gotten a bit rusty-”

‘Swordbending rematch, yeah!” Sokka interjected, punching his arm enthusiastically.

The chief smiled as Zuko rolled his eyes and muttered how there was no such thing as swordbending.  

“I know some of my warriors want to spar with you one-on-one at some point as well,” he said. “They’ve heard about your skills with the broadswords, and they want to see if you can still hold your own without using bending.”

Zuko wore the faintest hint of a smirk.

“They might be surprised,” he said casually, taking another sip of his tea. “I look forward to sparring with them.”

“Anything else?”

Zuko hesitated for a second.

“I may be overstepping boundaries here, but I’ve heard Katara talk about the ice dodging challenge and how that’s a rite of passage,” he said calmly, although his heart started pounding. “I also know it can be an initiation to become an honorary member of the tribe.”

The others nodded as he continued.

“I know outsiders normally don’t get to decide whether or not they participate in the challenge… but I’d like to try, if you think that’s appropriate.”

“I’d like to try as well,” Suki chimed in. “I know I don’t have to, but it would mean a lot to both of us since we’re marrying into the tribe.”

The members of the Water Tribe exchanged solemn glances with each other. Finally, Hakoda spoke.

“It’s unusual but not unheard of for outsiders to request initiation into the tribe, especially by completing the ice dodging challenge,” he said. “Then again, we’ve never had a Kyoshi Warrior, much less a Fire Lord, ask to take it.”

He looked at Pakku and his mother, and the three elders nodded.

“I think that can be arranged,” he said after a pause. “You both will have to stand before the tribe and announce your intentions, and I’ll have to meet with others to decide who will take you both out and when… but I think that would be the best way to win them over.”

Katara and Sokka immediately volunteered to be on their team, but Hakoda shook his head.

“I’m afraid that you two will have to sit this one out, as will I,” he explained. “Due to the unorthodox nature of this particular attempt, I don’t want there to be any perceived nepotism. Suki and Zuko will be on their own with whoever chooses to take them.”

They all nodded, and Zuko spoke once more.

“Finally…” he said, his heart pounding again. “Once I’ve earned the tribe’s respect, I want to give Katara my engagement present, and I’d like to propose again.”

Kanna raised an eyebrow.

“Again?” she asked, and Zuko nodded.

He explained how he’d done the first proposal and how this time, he wanted her to be surrounded by friends and family in the snow. 

“It’s unusual to ask twice, I know…” he said, shrugging.

“But then again, we’ve never had a Fire Lord propose to a master waterbender before,” Pakku said, stroking his chin. “Everything about this engagement is unorthodox, but water is the element of change, after all.”

~*~*~

The first night after dinner, six friends settled beside a campfire outside, passing around bottles of Fire Nation whiskey and Southern Water Tribe vodka while sharing stories about their day.

To Zuko’s surprise, Katara downed a shot of the latter with ease, although she still turned her nose up at the whiskey.

“Really?” he asked incredulously, smiling.

She scoffed and took another shot.

“I never said I didn’t like alcohol,” she sniffed. “Here, you try it. I promise it’s better than yours.”

He took a shot and grimaced at first, but after several minutes he took another sip.

“It’s alright,” he said shrugging, and she giggled, poking his ribs.

Katara had opted to help Pakku out at his waterbending school, while Toph and Suki spent the better part of the day exploring the newly renovated Southern Water Tribe. After that, they planned to train with Hakoda's warriors alongside Sokka or visit the waterbending school.

They were along for the ride, Suki said, so they were up for anything the South Pole had to offer.

Aang would alternate between helping out at the school, meeting with the villagers alongside Zuko and Hakoda, and meditating.

One of his goals during this visit was to start bridging the void between the Southern Water Tribe and the Spirit World, since decades of attacks and raids had all but eradicated the balance.

It became part of their routine, meeting by the campfire after dinner to discuss everything they'd accomplished that day.

Every night they met, Katara would lean against his shoulder and he'd drape his arm around her, and they laughed and talked with their friends long into the night.

~*~*~

Zuko’s first four days consisted of meeting with nearly all of the villagers in the great hall alongside Hakoda, nodding and taking notes as he listened to them speak.

He ate lunch with Hakoda at the cafeterias in the village, and while their food wasn't nearly spicy enough for his taste, it was still hearty and filling.

After the first day or so, Zuko thought that some of tribe was finally warming up to his presence somewhat, although they all still seemed on edge.

He knew this must be how Katara had felt when she first arrived in the palace.

He also knew no matter how much progress he made during this trip, he still had a few lifetimes of sins to overcome before they’d fully trust him, if ever.

No one referred to him by name or his proper title outside of his circle, though, instead calling him "Fire Lord."

He was as polite and charming as he could be, and he eventually received a smile or two instead of frowns.

But he knew in his heart they would probably never see him as one of them.

~*~*~

The third night, he found himself standing with several others in the tribe outside in the bitter cold as snow fell, looking up at the full moon in awe.

"Do you know what that is, Fire Lord?" asked one of the elders, and he nodded.

"It's a winter halo," he said, not taking his eyes off of the ring circling the celestial body above. "It's when moonlight shines through water crystals in the sky."

Katara grinned as she stood beside him, slipping her arms around his waist, and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders to keep her warm.

Both remembered that special night half a year ago back at his family's beach house, when against all odds one formed as they danced together for the first time.

Several of the others looked at each other in mild surprise. They wondered how a Fire Lord of all people knew about a phenomena that only occurred in cold climates, but they assumed Katara must have told him.

They all stood watching the moon for a few hours in reverent silence. Then one by one, they went back inside until only the two of them remained.

The last person to leave before them paused.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked, and they shook their heads.

When she was gone, Katara stood on her tiptoes and kissed him for a long time.

"Love you," she whispered, shivering in spite of herself and holding him tighter to absorb some of his warmth.

His golden eyes shone almost silver in the moonlight, and he pulled her in for another deep kiss.

"Love you too," he whispered back.

~*~*~

The next day, Aang interrupted their daily forum to announce that he'd successfully made contact with Southern Water Tribe spirits from long ago.

"That's wonderful!" Zuko said with a wide smile, giving his friend a clap on the back. "I'm so proud of you. I knew you could do it."

Several villagers who'd been present for his first visit exchanged looks with each other. They'd heard the Avatar and the Fire Lord had become friends over the years, but it was still strange to see their camaraderie.

"Avatar Aang, does this mean what I think it means?" asked one of the elders, and he nodded excitedly.

"I think so... I'm not completely positive, but I'm taking a small party out tonight to see."

The villagers murmured amongst themselves, but Zuko was confused.

"Wait... what does it mean?" he asked, feeling stupid.

They all quieted down and looked expectantly at the Avatar, who turned to him.

"I don't want to say yet, just in case it doesn't work," he said. "But I think all of us should go, because if it does, it'll be unlike anything you've ever seen before. I know Sokka and Katara will definitely want you and Suki to be there."

~*~*~

That evening, five of the friends along with a small group from the tribe ventured out into the dark. Like the previous night, Toph opted out since the trip would be wasted on her and decided to stay in the warm buildings instead.

No one would explain to Zuko or Suki what to expect, and both looked at each other in confusion when their group finally stopped beside a solitary fire pit in the snow.

The stars sparkled in the black sky and the moon was absolutely luminous, but they'd already seen that countless times before - just not at the South Pole.

Sokka asked him to light the fire, and he demonstrated his bending in front of the villagers for the first time since his arrival. Immediately they huddled around it, some even giving him grateful nods.

They sat around the campfire for some time, talking and sharing stories, until finally Aang pointed to somewhere behind him.

"There it is!" he exclaimed, and Zuko whipped his head around.

Then he gasped, along with the others as the Southern Lights danced to life overhead for the first time in decades.

He tried to find the words to speak, but found he couldn't. They stood, watching in amazement as the green and purple waves swirled amongst the moon and stars.

"It's the spirits dancing across the sky," Aang explained to their group. "They've finally returned to the Southern Water Tribe after too many years. I've still got a lot of work left to do, but-"

"You did this?" Zuko interrupted in spite of himself, his voice thick. "It's beautiful."

For some reason, he wanted to cry.

Sokka noticed and elbowed his arm. Suki stood on his other side, her gloved hands clasped over her mouth as she too was overwhelmed by the sight.

"You okay there, buddy?" he asked with a grin, although he was also a little choked up.

Zuko nodded, not looking away. He felt Katara embrace him and once again he wrapped his arms around her, still watching the lights overhead. She smiled up at him and kissed his cheek.

"Have you ever seen anything so beautiful before?" she whispered, giving him a squeeze.

He finally glanced down just for a moment and smiled at her, noting how her eyes were filled with happy tears.

"Besides you?" he replied softly, earning him a tender kiss.

Sokka took Suki in his arms as well, keeping her warm as they all gazed at the heavens in awe.

"Great job, Aang," he said, and the others nodded.

The Avatar smiled, but after a few minutes they heard him sigh.

"I just wish Toph could see this," he murmured.

~*~*~

After a long silence, one of the villagers spoke.

"Many lifetimes have passed since we've had Southern Lights. They disappeared once the tribe's spiritual connections were broken and the world was thrown out of balance. But this is a sign that the world is finally starting to heal, thanks to the Avatar."

A tear actually did slip from the corner of Zuko's eye then as he looked skywards, which did not go unnoticed by the villagers, who exchanged tiny smiles with each other.

Together they stayed out for a long time, admiring the dancing lights, until the campfire finally died down.

Afterwards they trudged back through the snow huddled together, with Zuko and Aang holding flames in the palms of their hands to illuminate the way.

Word quickly spread throughout the village the next morning of the reappearance of the spirits.

Many were also impressed and pleasantly surprised to hear that a Fire Lord had been moved to tears by the beauty of the Southern Lights.

Chapter Text

Zuko’s fifth day began with a practice match against Sokka on the training grounds while the chief and his warriors watched.

Katara took a break from teaching at Pakku’s that morning and stopped by to watch, bringing Suki in tow so they could cheer on their respective fiancés.

Toph decided to hang out with Aang at the school instead, away from the cold.

She insisted she was enjoying herself, but having to keep her feet covered at all times to protect from the snow and ice threw her earthbending senses off-balance.

At least inside she could have some semblance of normalcy - plus she secretly sought out any excuse to spend more time with Aang, even though both of them would vehemently deny it if you asked.

They were just friends. The thought of them liking each other in that way was utterly, utterly preposterous.

~*~*~

Even though Sokka kept up with Zuko, it was apparent to everyone watching that he was clearly outmatched, although the two friends were still clearly having fun.

Zuko left his armor back at the palace, but they found a spare set for him to practice in.

It was a bit more comfortable, he noted, and it kept him much warmer than his own had during his last visit. He still wasn't sold on the wolf helmets, though, and opted to go without.

I could get used to fighting in this, he thought.

Katara also seemed to like whenever he wore blue, and seeing that certain suggestive smile on her face was always worth it.

After a while, the warrior known as Bato leaned over and whispered something to Hakoda, who raised an eyebrow but nodded. Then Bato moved amongst the warriors, speaking in hushed tones, and they too all nodded when they heard what he had to say.

Sokka sighed loudly when he found himself disarmed and facing the pointy end of a broadsword yet again.

“You’re doing great buddy, but you keep looking at where your next strike will land, giving me a heads up each time,” Zuko advised before handing his friend his sword again.

Then they heard a throat clearing.

They turned to see Bato stood nearby, holding an axe expectantly.

“I’d like to face off against the Fire Lord, if he’s interested,” he said politely, bowing his head slightly.

Zuko grinned and bowed his head as well.

“I’d be honored,” he said.

Sokka gave Suki a quick kiss when he joined the others on the sidelines, settling in to watch the duel.

"You were great," she whispered, grinning as he slipped his arm around her shoulders. "You're really coming along."

They then turned their attention to the match on the field nearby.

~*~*~

The two men circled each other, weapons drawn as they sized up their opponent.

“So you’re Bato,” Zuko said. “I’ve heard a lot of stories about you.”

“Unfortunately, most of them are true,” he chuckled. “I’ve heard you’re pretty skilled with broadswords, although you're not nearly as good as when you're bending.”

Zuko tilted his head, frowning.  

“I can manage pretty well,” he replied. “Enough so that I don’t even need to use firebending sometimes.”

“But what threat is a dragon without fire?” Bato taunted, enjoying himself far too much.

“A dragon without fire still has teeth and claws,” Zuko retorted, biting back a smirk. “You’re about to find out just how sharp mine are.”

~*~*~

They were both closely matched, although it was clear the older warrior was holding back somewhat.

Katara kept cheering for Zuko from the sideline, and he noticed her brother had gone all in on "Team Water Tribe."

At least it was better than the nickname Sokka used for their team during the match involving all four elements back in the Fire Nation. Zuko still wanted to roll his eyes as he remembered his friend cheering for “Team Steam,” complete with sizzling sound effects.

He was brought back to the present as he dodged and countered a blow that would have been deadly had it not been a practice match.

Then he realized the older warrior had stopped and was panting slightly.

“Is that it?” Zuko taunted, a little out of breath himself.

“It is for me,” Bato replied. “But you’re just getting started. Twenty more of my fellow warriors all want a turn against you, Lord Zuko. I’m letting you reserve some of your strength.”

From the sideline, Katara’s eyes widened in realization. 

Oh no, she thought. Please don’t...

“So, who else wants to take me on?” Zuko’s voice rang out smugly. “I accept that challenge, if you think you can beat me.”

Katara slapped her palm to her forehead. Of course he’d never turn down a chance to prove himself, especially if he got to show off for her in the process.

Her father wore the faintest trace of a smile as he addressed Zuko directly.

"Before you completely commit to this, you should know exactly what you're getting into," he explained. "My warriors and I have an initiation amongst ourselves whenever a new member joins our ranks. He must first go through what we call a gauntlet challenge, facing off against twenty-one warriors, each right after another. The goal is not necessarily to beat every one that faces you, but to last as long as you can." 

Zuko finally allowed himself to smirk for the first time since his visit, the one he wore whenever he was about to fight and knew Katara secretly loved. 

"Has anyone ever made it all the way to the end?" he asked.

"Only a handful," the chief answered. "Myself, Bato, and several others. The furthest most get is the seventeenth or eighteenth opponent." 

"I like those odds," Zuko said, rolling his neck around, enjoying the crackling sounds.

He looked over at Katara, and she looked absolutely exasperated.

"What’s the matter?” he called out. “You don't think I can do this?" 

"No, I know you'll end up pushing yourself too far to prove a point."

"You know me too well," he shrugged.

She just huffed and crossed her arms, scowling at them all. Hakoda patted his daughter on the shoulder.

"You've never complained about it before," he said.

"I've never had a personal investment in it before, either," she retorted.

Sokka looked offended.

"What about when I underwent the challenge?" he asked. "So it's okay when your brother gets pulverized and taken out at number eighteen, but not your lover boy-"

He was cut off by a water whip smack to the back of the head.

"Shut up," she muttered, cheeks flushing.

Zuko grinned and tied all of his hair back away from his face.

"Look," he said, hoping he could convince her to see this as a good thing. "I get to prove myself as a warrior, and you get to see how good I really am with broadswords. It's a win-win, Katara."

Suki couldn't help herself.

"Come on, I’ve seen the way you’ve been checking him out," she whispered in her ear. “You know you actually want to see this.”

Katara’s face turned red.

"Whose side are you on?" she hissed.

Sokka groaned in disgust. He'd unfortunately heard that.

Meanwhile, Zuko decided to try another approach.

“Remember when I challenged you before the entire palace so you could show everyone how spectacular you truly are?” he asked, and her demeanor softened slightly.

She even had a trace of a smirk. This could work... he thought.

“Same principle, sweetheart,” he said with what he hoped was his most disarming smile.

She immediately scowled again and he knew he’d overplayed his hand.

“Don’t sweetheart me,” she retorted. “That was completely different. You’re being ridiculous."

Several warriors standing around them snickered, Sokka and Suki included, as Zuko raised his eyebrow in amusement.

"Not really," he replied lightly. "You know I'm doing this regardless of what you say, right?"

She huffed again and threw her hands in the air.

"Fine... I hope you know that that I’m not healing you when you get hurt,” she threatened.

Zuko just grinned and turned to face his next opponent.

~*~*~

Katara disapproved of her fiancé facing off against her tribe’s warriors one after another, at least in theory.

But she couldn’t stop the smirk of pride tugging at the corner of her lips. She’d only seen him practice against Sokka before; she’d never seen his true potential when it came to the broadswords.

She also knew he'd adopted the persona of the Blue Spirit whenever he used to go undercover, and he'd never used his firebending once when the mask was on. She knew he could handle himself, but she also knew her father's warriors wouldn't go easy on him either.

Still, Katara had to admit she was impressed as she watched him fight, and she knew everyone watching was, too.

In fact, she’d already decided she’d sneak over to Zuko’s bedroom tonight to reward him, if he didn’t pass out into a dead sleep first.

He’d at least earned the warriors’ respect on some level, even if he didn’t defeat all of them. They appreciated the fact that he kept getting back up after they knocked him to the ground and continued fighting long after most would have quit.

A crowd of spectators had gathered by this point, and some of the villagers started taking bets on when he'd give up. To their surprise, he regained his footing every single time and taunted his opponent for more.

One by one he faced them, some he defeated and some completely brutalized him - but the majority of the fights ended in a draw.

He had a few reasons for accepting this challenge. Mainly, he wanted everyone to see that he was fully capable of defending Katara, even though she could take care of herself.

Hakoda had asked him in private before if Katara’s life would be in danger in the Fire Nation, and he’d assured him he would die before he let any harm befall her.

He wanted her father and his warriors to see just how lethal he could be, even without fire, hopefully proving himself worthy of her in the process.

~*~*~

Finally the twenty-first stood before him, and of course they’d saved the biggest, burliest one for last.

Zuko held his broadswords in a defensive pose, breathing heavily as the warrior known as Ashok circled him like wolf stalking its dying prey.

“You’ve fought valiantly, Fire Lord,” Ashok taunted. “You have indeed proven that a dragon is just as deadly with only teeth and claws. But without your fire, you’ll freeze to death in the unforgiving snow.”

To Zuko’s astonishment, the warrior stripped his armor and shirt off and stood before him bare-chested, twirling and brandishing his spear as snow fell around them.

“You see, wolves aren’t so vulnerable to the cold,” Ashok bragged. “We withstand the ice that kills weaker men. Tell me, what’s the coldest experience you’ve ever lived through?”

Zuko realized Katara had been right earlier. This whole thing was absolutely ridiculous, and he was about to make it even more so.

He spun his broadswords in each hand before standing them upright in the snow.

Then everyone watching murmured in surprise as he too removed his armor and the black shirt underneath that he'd worn under the guise of the Blue Spirit. He fought back the urge to shiver as flurries fell on his bare shoulders, and he picked up his swords again.

“There have been three times in my life that I’ve truly felt cold,” he said calmly. “Twice in the North Pole, and the third was when I was incarcerated at the Boiling Rock to help break out Chief Hakoda."

He paused, shivering despite his best efforts.

"Honorable mention goes to this moment,” he added dryly.

That drew a few chuckles from the spectators, although they quickly silenced themselves.

“He’s told us about the Coolers,” Ashok said. “After just one day inside, a firebender is unable to produce fire for at least a week.”

Zuko didn’t try to hide his smirk now.

“That’s right, and I still had full mastery of mine the moment I was released,” he bragged, soaking in the whispers of amazement from the crowd.

“Impressive,” Ashok agreed, nodding his head. “What about the other two times, up at the North Pole?”

Zuko’s lip twitched.

“Before I continue, you’re all aware that I had nothing to do with Zhao’s plan to kill the moon spirit and was only there to capture the Avatar on my own, correct?”

They nodded, and he was relieved that he could continue without worrying about offending them. He explained how Zhao had tried to have him killed, and how he’d just barely survived the explosion meant to assassinate him.

Then he explained how he’d nearly drowned and frozen to death infiltrating the Northern Water Tribe, submerged in its frigid water for almost half an hour, and how he’d still faced off against Katara before eventually escaping with Aang into the frozen tundra.

As expected, they all gaped at him, stunned.

“You’re lying,” Ashok sputtered. “No one can survive that long in freezing waters, much less someone who’d barely survived an explosion not long before.”

Zuko just smirked, and his golden eyes glittered.

“I did. It takes far more than fire or ice to kill me.”

His opponent eyed him warily.

“Are you boasting, Fire Lord?" he asked coolly.

“It’s not boasting if it’s the truth,” Zuko retorted, his smirk growing.

He heard more whispers of disbelief from the crowd, and out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw Katara smirking a bit as well.

“Yeah, that actually happened,” Sokka called out from the sidelines. “Right after the siege, we found where he’d snuck in.”

Zuko nodded to his friend before facing the warrior in front of him once more.

“You see, Ashok,” he said, “Long before I fell in love with a master waterbender, I learned to respect the sea and the cold. Water is everywhere and completely surrounds us all, even when you can’t see it. Water gives life, but it also drowns and freezes it to death just as easily. I respect the water in all of its forms, but I don’t fear it.”

He could tell he’d impressed them with his words, which was good because he wanted to wrap this up soon. It’s true he didn’t fear water or even the cold, but he was absolutely freezing now.

He'd made a point of not using any firebending during the challenge, not even to warm himself, and he’d probably end up sick once this was all over. 

“Tell us then, what do you fear?” Hakoda called from the sidelines, and several of his warriors, as well as some members of the crowed, chorused in agreement.

Zuko smiled tiredly, turning to face Katara and her father directly.

“There’s only one thing I fear now,” he said, his voice ringing out as he gestured to the scar on his chest that he’d carry for the rest of his life. “This is proof of how far I’m willing to go and what I’m willing to sacrifice to prevent that from happening.”

He winked at Katara, who’d clasped her hands over her heart and looked stunned, and he turned around to face Ashok once more. The warrior finally gave him a sincere nod of respect.

“One last question,” he said, gesturing to the lightning scar. “Just how painful was it?”

Zuko smiled grimly.

“As you’re all aware, waterbenders can still drown, earthbenders can still be suffocated, and firebenders can still get burned,” he said. “When I took the lightning for her, I burned alive from the inside out… and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.”

He saw the astonishment on Ashok’s face and heard the gasps of shock from the spectators, and he knew he’d finally earned their respect as a warrior completely.

“Now, are you actually going to fight me, or are you just going to stand around talking all day in the snow?” he taunted, whirling both broadswords in each hand and moving once again to a defensive position.

~*~*~

Just as he’d expected, Zuko got beaten to a pulp shortly thereafter, but he did at least land several good hits on Ashok before it was all over.

It truly would have been a miracle if he’d been able to pull off a victory, but after fighting twenty of Hakoda’s warriors beforehand, it just wasn’t possible.

He'd been hit, bruised, and sliced all over, and the cold just made his injuries hurt worse. But still he fought on, until the warrior finally decided to put a stop to things before Zuko killed himself in the process.

At the end he found himself kicked backwards into the snow, wiping blood away from his busted lip, broadswords knocked clean from his hands several feet away.

He winced, wrapping an arm over his ribs from where his opponent’s boot had kicked them, and he knew if this had been a real fight they’d be broken.

Ashok stood over him, holding his spear an inch from his chest, right above his heart.

“Do you yield, Lord Zuko?” he asked, finally using his title without a trace of disdain.

The Fire Lord just smirked and leaned closer, letting the blade prick his skin enough to draw a single drop of blood.

“Never,” he panted, noting the bewilderment on the warrior’s face, who then looked over to the sidelines for guidance.

Zuko’s eyes followed and saw Katara was being held back by Sokka and Suki, and he knew she would absolutely kill him when this was all over. But he’d finally proven himself to the men of her tribe, and so he thought it was all worth it.

Hakoda looked at them both solemnly, then nodded.

"End it."

Ashok threw his spear aside, and before he could attack, Zuko knocked his legs out from underneath him, sending him crashing into the snow.

Of course his opponent immediately regained his footing at the same time he did, although he wasn’t swaying like him. Also, since when were there two more of him?

Then he felt Ashok’s fist connect with the underside of his jaw, and he blacked out, collapsing into the snow.

~*~*~

When he came to, he was lying on his back with his coat under him to protect his bare skin from frostbite. His head rested in Katara’s lap as she healed his numerous cuts and bruises, despite her earlier threats not to.

His friends, the chief, and all of the Water Tribe warriors knelt in a circle around them, watching to see if he’d wake up. Once he was conscious again, they started cheering and congratulating him.  

“Are you okay?” he heard Katara ask nervously from above, and he nodded.

Then he cringed as she finally unleashed her fury, quickly silencing the rest.  

“You idiot!” she shouted, swatting at his shoulder, and he hissed at the pain. “Oh, that hurts? I bet it does. This is the third dumbest thing you’ve ever done since I’ve known you. I’m so mad that I could freeze you solid and send you to the bottom of the ocean!”

He just smiled and closed his eyes as she continued her rant, listening to the others badly suppressing their laughter around them. It wasn’t the first time she’d been furious with him and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.

“This is only the third?” Hakoda asked, chuckling. “What were the other two?”  

Katara huffed as she explained how back at the North Pole, he’d had the gall to take her on under the light of the full moon completely surrounded by snow.

“And the second?” he heard someone ask from the crowd.

Zuko’s eyes flew open in time to see the faint blush on her cheeks. He bit back a smirk as he listened to her mutter about how he’d pushed himself too much too soon about a week after the lightning, and how his heart nearly gave out.

She left out just what he’d done to push himself too far, he noted with amusement, which was a good thing since her father and brother probably would pummel him to death right then and there.

Then to his horror, her father made the connection anyway when he saw her blush and the looks on both of their faces, and he narrowed his eyes.

~*~*~

Zuko felt all of the blood rush to his face and realized he was finally about to die, and it would be a very painful death, indeed.

However, the chief just pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed instead, closing his eyes.

Sokka looked at his father in confusion, then back at Zuko’s scarlet face, and he looked like he was about to figure it out as well.

Luckily Suki whispered something in his ear to distract him. Of course Katara had told her all of the glorious details, and she preferred for her future brother-in-law not to die right then and there.

But a few other warriors standing nearby also put two and two together, judging by their badly concealed grins. One even had the audacity to wink at him.

Unfortunately Hakoda saw that as well, and the warrior gulped before nodding his head back in Zuko’s direction.

It was almost as if he was saying at least he wasn’t the one who’d slept with the chief’s daughter.

Hakoda resumed glaring down at Zuko, who suddenly wished he’d receive an uppercut to the jaw again and get knocked out cold. That seemed like the less painful outcome.

The chief had had his suspicions long before now, back when he’d given his blessing, actually – but he couldn’t resist the urge to make his future son-in-law sweat just a little. It was part of his job as her father, obviously.

Also, it's not every day one had the opportunity to intimidate the Fire Lord, right?

Katara noticed her father’s scowl and her face turned completely crimson as well.

“I’m so mad at all of you,” she huffed again loudly to create a distraction. “Honestly, I don’t understand you men sometimes.”

That lightened the mood, at least enough so the chief didn’t look like he wanted to beat him within an inch of his life anymore.

Hakoda shook his head and chuckled.

“For what it’s worth, I think it’s safe to say he passed the test and earned the respect of every Southern Water Tribe warrior. I believe that makes him an honorary member of our Wolf Pack. What do you say, men?”

Their cheers deafened him, and Zuko noticed the faintest smile of pride flash across Katara’s face. That made it all worth it, he thought, even though he winced as he slid his shirt back on. 

She slipped her shoulder under his arm when he finally stood, scowling up at him as she helped keep him upright.

“I still can’t believe you did that,” she huffed, but he just winked down at her.

“You’re telling me you weren’t the least bit impressed?” he asked, smirking.

She rolled her eyes but grinned for a second.

“Okay fine, you were indeed very ferocious,” she admitted, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. “But you’re still an idiot.”

“What can I say, sweetheart? I’m your idiot.”

She helped him limp along for a few minutes before she spoke again, this time in a whisper.

“By the way, I think my dad-”

“Oh, he definitely knows. I think my uncle’s going to inherit the throne after all.”

~*~*~

Their group arrived back at the waterbending school with Bato, Ashok, and a few other warriors in tow.

When they walked in, Pakku and Aang stopped the class entirely to stare at their motley crew, especially the very disheveled Fire Lord still leaning on Katara’s shoulder.

“What happened to you?” Toph asked.

“You look like you got ripped to shreds by a pack of polar bear dogs,” Aang added.

Katara rolled her eyes.

“More like a pack of wolves,” she said, frowning up at her fiancé. “This idiot decided to prove himself as a man by facing off against twenty-one of my dad's best warriors in a gauntlet challenge.”

Ashok laughed and clapped his hand against Zuko’s free shoulder, who grimaced in spite of himself before he quickly regained his composure.

“I’d say it worked, though, right men?” Bato asked his fellow warriors, who promptly agreed. “He made it all the way to the end. The dragon proved his teeth and claws are just as deadly as his fire.”

The students gossiped amongst themselves, clearly impressed. Even Pakku nodded his head in appreciation.

Katara slid out from under Zuko’s shoulder.

“I need to get back to teaching, but I'll see you later tonight at dinner,” she said. “In the meantime, you should get cleaned up and rest first.”

He frowned down at her.

“Are you mad?” he asked her quietly, relieved when she shook her head.

“I just don’t like seeing you get hurt,” she said softly. “But… you really were amazing out there, Zuko. I’m proud of you.”

His face lit up, even though she immediately jabbed her finger in his sore ribs, causing him to hiss.

“But don’t pull anything like that ever again,” she threatened.

He just gave her a tired grin and leaned down to kiss her.

~*~*~

Katara gently shook him awake several hours later, warning him he was about to sleep through dinner entirely.

Groaning, he rolled out of his bed and dressed, limping into the main room where the others had already started eating.

"How are you feeling?" Hakoda asked, clapping him on the shoulder.

"Never better," he said, sitting down in front of the fire pit with a grunt.

He half-listened to their conversation as he ate, fighting to stay awake, and at more than one point he felt her nudge him to keep him upright.

~*~*~

Once they finally turned in for the evening, he fell into a deep sleep.

At some point in the night he woke up and discovered Katara had crept into his room. She sat on the edge of his bed, delicately brushing his hair away from his face.

"Hi," she whispered. "Feeling any better?" 

He winced as he sat up.

"I've survived worse," he said softly, kissing her. "What are you doing here?"

"Just checking on you and seeing if you wanted company tonight."

Oh, he thought. Well in that case...

"What did you have in mind?" he breathed.

Her eyes gleamed in the dark, and she stood up beside his bed. 

"I’m cold,” was all she whispered, untying her robe and letting it slip to the floor. 

She stifled a giggle at his reaction as the rest of her nightclothes soon followed until she stood bare before him, faintly illuminated by the moonlight streaming in through the curtains. 

"I’m cold,” she whispered again with a smirk. “Aren’t you?” 

On the contrary, he felt like he could burst into flames. 

~*~*~

They held each other afterwards, and he had nearly dozed off when he felt her delicately scoot away. Instinctively he reached out and pulled her closer.

“Zuko,” she whispered in amusement. “I’ve got to go back to my bed.”

"Not 'til sunrise,” he mumbled, and she decided that indeed made more sense, settling back under the covers.

He curled up against her, resting his head on her shoulder, and he was vaguely aware of her running her fingers through his hair. 

Once the sky started growing lighter, she gave him a sleepy kiss on the cheek before she sat up.

He was tempted to whine at her absence from his arms, but that wouldn’t be very becoming of a Fire Lord. Instead he sighed, pulling her down for one last embrace and a deep kiss.

Then her side of the bed was suddenly empty as she gathered up her clothes and hastily dressed again.  

“Sweet dreams,” she whispered from somewhere in the darkness above him, and he felt her lips brush against his.

And then she was gone, and all was still and quiet once more, and he finally drifted back off to sleep.

Chapter Text

The next day he was utterly exhausted and sore in more ways than one, and it was noon when he woke up to an empty house.

Zuko swore when he realized how late it was and hurriedly dressed before he noticed a note from Katara waiting for him.

He skimmed through its contents, which explained how they'd decided to let him rest after facing off against twenty-one warriors the day before.

Once he was up, it read, her father would be waiting for him in the great hall.

He skidded across the icy walkways most ungracefully as he rushed towards the building, throwing open the doors a bit harder than he meant to.

"S-sorry I'm so late," he wheezed, doubling over and wincing slightly as he realized his ribs were still sore, though thankfully not broken.

Katara may have healed the superficial wounds but she had kept part of her word, leaving the aches and soreness to heal on their own. It also looked better for him if he toughed it out, she'd said while rolling her eyes before muttering something about men and their pride.

Fortunately, everyone had heard by now how he'd managed to hold his own against many of the tribe's best warriors without resorting to bending, so they were willing to cut him some slack for sleeping in.

The rest of the day Zuko met with more of the villagers and talked to them not as a Fire Lord or even as their chief’s soon-to-be son-in-law, but as just another person who wanted to understand their world better.

He listened intently and took notes as they described more about their daily life and their traditions. He explained he’d already asked Katara about most of them, but he wanted to know everything they had to teach him.

That seemed to please them, and as the day’s work drew to a close the chief gave him a clap on the back.

“You did well this afternoon,” Hakoda said, smiling as they left the building and started walking back home.

“Thank you,” Zuko replied earnestly, bowing his head.

"How are you feeling?"

"Still sore, but I've definitely survived worse."

"Good," Hakoda said with a glint in his eyes.

He guided him away from the path to his house, instead pointing him in the direction of the training grounds again.

“So… I figured as much when I gave you both my blessing half a year ago, but I still think you and I need to have a nice, long chat concerning my daughter,” he said sternly, noting smugly how the Fire Lord suddenly looked terrified and swallowed loudly.

The chief trusted Zuko completely, of course, and he had no complaints so far with their relationship, truth be told. But he would be remiss if he didn’t perform his due diligence by giving him the patented Father-to-Daughter’s-Suitor-Talk.

Hakoda would leave him alone after this – he just wanted to put the fear of Tui and La and maybe even Agni into him first.

~*~*~

After surviving the most awkward conversation Zuko had ever experienced in his entire life, he joined Katara and the rest of the village in the great hall later that night to share stories.

It was a custom they'd recently started up again, and he enjoyed listening to Southern Water Tribe legends told of long ago. He especially liked hearing all of the bedtime stories that Katara had grown up on, and he thought he'd like to pass those down to their own children one day.

He sat with his arm draped around Katara, hugging her closer as she snuggled up next to him, feeling completely at ease. 

Eventually, there was a pause, and all was quiet for a few minutes. Then an elder turned to look directly at him.

"Lord Zuko, you have heard many of our stories and myths, but now we wish to hear one of yours."

His eyes widened slightly as all sitting near them were now watching him expectantly. He felt his face flush as Katara too looked up at him. 

"I... well, I've never been that good at telling stories," he said nervously. "I don't know of any good ones and the ones I do know are from the Fire Nation."

They pointed out so was he, and again they urged him to share. 

“Listen, buddy,” Sokka said from nearby. “No one is going to judge you if your story is terrible. We will judge you, however, if you don’t tell one at all.”

The others chorused their agreement, and Zuko racked his brain trying to come up with something.

There were his adventures while searching for the Avatar, which probably wouldn’t be received well. Then there were the stories of after he’d defected and joined their side, which he knew they’d already heard.

He could always talk about the many customers he'd served tea to in Ba Sing Se, but none of those felt grand enough for this crowd.

All of the stories he knew from his childhood were highly-embellished tales of his ancestors conquering the world, which he now tried to eradicate and replace with truer accounts. Those definitely wouldn't go over well.

Suddenly Katara sat up.

“I know of one you could tell,” she said. “Remember what you told me went through your mind when you almost died, right before I healed you?”

He grimaced.

“That’s pretty morbid, I don’t think they or especially the kids will enjoy hearing the thoughts of a dying man.”

She shook her head and whispered the idea in his ear.

Huh. That could work, he thought. It made sense to tell it, too, especially in light of his upcoming engagement gift to her.  

He nodded and took a minute to compose it all in his head before he spoke.

~*~*~

“The myth I’m about to tell you is one my mom used to tell me long ago, before she went missing,” he said, noticing everyone was listening to him now. “It used to be my favorite bedtime story as a kid.”

Hearing that the tale was meant for their age group, many of the children moved up closer to listen to him speak. He glanced over at Katara for help, but she gave him a smile and nod of encouragement.

He swallowed a little and continued, doing his best to sound like his uncle used to whenever he shared stories with him and Azula back when they were still young enough.  

“Do any of you know what a phoenix is?” he asked the children, unsurprised when they shook their heads.

He allowed himself a gentle smile, and he told them how the mythical bird was sometimes red and gold but could also be blue and purple, just like the Water Tribes’ sails.

“One thing you should know about the phoenix is that even though many relate it to fire, it’s actually associated more with the moon,” he explained, noting that seemed to impress his audience like he thought it might.

A child up front raised her hand and asked why it was related to the moon and fire since those were opposites.

He shared a brief smile with Katara.

"In the Water Tribe, you have Tui and La, the moon and ocean spirits, but where I come from we have a dragon spirit and a phoenix spirit instead. To us, the dragon represents Yang and the sun, and the phoenix represents Yin and the moon."

They nodded in understanding, and he continued.

“You see, the remarkable thing about the phoenix is what happens to it when it dies. It can live to be almost a thousand years old, some say, but like everything else it too grows old and weary.”

With that, he held out his palm and cautioned them to stay back. It was the first time during his return that he'd firebended in front of the tribe, not including the visit to see the Southern Lights, and he wanted to be as delicate about it as possible.

“When that happens, the phoenix catches fire and burns to ashes,” he said as a tiny flame flickered to life and carefully grew in his hand.

Several villagers raised their eyebrows but didn't say anything.

The children oohed and ahhed at the golden fire that now reflected in their eyes. He gently snuffed it out, leading to sounds of disappointment from them.

“While it’s on fire, you see, it falls to the ground,” he said, curling his hand into a fist and gently thumping it against the floor, splaying his fingers out on the wood. “Sometimes it builds a nest first before it catches fire, but more often than not it just crashes down.”

His young audience was completely enthralled now.

“You’d think that would be the end of the phoenix, wouldn’t you?” he asked the wide-eyed children. “But that’s the amazing thing about it. Do you want to know what happens next?”

They eagerly nodded. He slowly lifted his hand off the ground and turned his palm upward once more.

“You see, after the phoenix has burned away to nothingness, something miraculous happens. Out the ashes emerges the same phoenix reborn into a brand new body, completely resurrected."

He let another spark grow carefully within the palm of his hand until it was golden flame.

“Once it’s strong enough, it flies away and begins the cycle anew.”

Zuko carefully let it float up on its own into the air for a few feet before he safely snuffed it out.

“So you see, the phoenix can never truly die. It burns and crashes, but it rises every time, shining brighter than ever before.”

The children now gaped at him, mouths wide open.

“But that’s not all,” he added, smiling back at Katara once more. “Because the phoenix has the ability to revive itself, it also has the power to save others who are near death. Do you know how it does that?”

A few asked if it set the dying person on fire, to which he shook his head.

“No… a phoenix brings someone back to life not with fire, but with water – more specifically, with its tears.”

He heard oohs and various sounds of wonderment coming from other parts of the crowd now, not just from the younger ones down in front. He was pretty sure he heard Sokka’s voice among them, too.

Another child raised their hand and asked the same question he’d wondered all of his life up until he took lightning to the heart.

“Mr. Fire Lord sir, what makes it come back to life?”

At that, he looked over at Katara and held her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“No one really knows,” he said solemnly. “Everyone has their own idea, but I don’t know if we’ll ever find out the answer.”

The same child looked unsatisfied by that non-answer.

“But what do you think?” the boy insisted.

Zuko felt his face flush ever so slightly. He really wasn’t used to being mushy in front of others, but he hoped the tribe at least would appreciate him baring his soul.

If nothing else, Katara would think it was sweet, and in the end, that's all that mattered to him.

“Honestly?" he replied. "I think it might be love."

Several of the children made faces and sounds of disgust, drawing chuckles from the adults. The first girl raised her hand again.

"My daddy says you died protecting Miss Katara," she said. "How did you come back to life?"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"I came very, very close, but she brought me back," he said softly. "Remember what I said about how a phoenix saves someone? That's exactly what she did."

The children whispered amongst themselves before another girl spoke up.

“Do you love her?” she asked, pointed to Katara.

He smiled and looked back at her, heart pounding ever so slightly.

“With my whole heart,” he said softly, golden eyes meeting blue ones.

Unfortunately, the moment was ruined by several of the kids making sounds of disgust all over again. The rest of the adults laughed, and he joined them.

“You’ll change your mind one day,” he assured them.

The others applauded, and he looked down and blushed. But then he felt Katara squeeze his hand, and he felt brave enough to look up again, noting how almost all of them seemed to enjoy his story.

He felt her give him a quick kiss on the cheek and heard her whisper in his ear again.

“That was perfect,” she breathed.

He turned his head and gave her a quick, gentle kiss before she settled back beside him and he wrapped his arm around her once more.  

~*~*~

On the seventh day, two warriors who had not fought against Zuko were selected at random, and they accompanied him and Suki out to complete the ice dodging challenge.

Katara had decided to spar against her step-grandfather and former master to keep herself busy while they were gone and her nerves from frazzling, but it didn’t help as much as she’d hoped it would.

She grimaced as an ice spear just barely missed slicing her face open. 

“You’re distracted,” barked Pakku, as unrelenting and cold as the icebergs that Zuko and Suki were now facing somewhere in the South Pole's ocean. “Focus!” 

She pulled her hair back and tied it back up. 

“Can you blame me?” she retorted. 

If they failed or were denied the marks for some reason her father could always overturn the decision, but Hakoda highly doubted it would come to that.

Katara had faith that he - and by extension Suki - could pull it off, but she worried it still wouldn’t be enough for the tribe to fully accept Zuko as one of them.

They'd accepted their engagement, at least, even if some saw it as a political move, and he’d earned the warriors’ respect, but she wanted them to accept him completely as well.

But she had no time to dwell on that, as Pakku sent another ice spear her way, which she countered with several of her own.

~*~*~

It was afternoon when they returned. Zuko and Suki looked exhausted but pleased, the boat was still in one piece, and the tribesmen seemed unharmed, so it was obvious they'd both passed.

Katara managed to give him a quick hug and kiss before the ceremony in the great hall where they would receive their marks.

"How was it?" she whispered, smoothing back his hair, and he smiled tiredly down at her.

"It got rough at times, but we pulled it off," he said quietly. "I think I'll get it, Katara."

"Of course you will. You passed the course; they have to give you the mark."

Before he could reply, though, he was whisked away and she was forced to sit down in the front row of the crowd.

Once everyone had settled in, Chief Hakoda explained the history behind the rite of passage and what the three marks represented.

The Mark of the Brave symbolized inspirational displays of courage while the Mark of the Wise was bestowed upon those who demonstrated the ability to make decisions and showed true leadership under pressure.

He explained how he had received the Mark of the Wise when he was younger, as did his son during his own challenge, and how Katara received the Mark of the Brave.

Both of those marks were reserved solely for members of the tribe, he said. No outsider would receive either of them.

The third was the Mark of the Trusted, which he explained Aang received when he participated in Sokka's challenge years ago. It was given to outsiders who proved themselves to be worthy of the Water Tribe's trust.

He said it was this mark that both Zuko and Suki had striven for.

With that, he nodded to the two tribesmen who'd taken them out and sat down between Katara and Sokka, with Toph and Aang seated nearby.

Suki was called first and, as expected, received the Mark of the Trusted while they explained how she had shown a steady hand during the roughest waters.

Sokka led the cheers when she turned to face the crowd, blushing slightly but beaming.

Then a silence fell when they called Zuko next. Katara suddenly felt queasy even as he gave her a quick wink, looking far more composed and a bit more confident than she felt. 

He looked down and allowed himself a humble smile as they recalled how he'd fearlessly led them through the course, making quick decisions that guided them to safety unharmed.

When it came time for them to give him the mark, however, they stopped.

“Fire Lord Zuko,” said one. “You have passed the challenge set before you with flying colors... but we do not grant you the Mark of the Trusted.”

~*~*~

There was a collective gasp and murmuring throughout the room. No one had ever been denied a mark after passing the challenge. 

He snapped his head upwards, looking first at them, then at Katara, then at Hakoda, then back at them in confusion.

"I... I don't understand," he said after a moment.

He tried to sound authoritative but it probably came out pathetic and weak.

He knew Katara was seething from her seat, but suddenly he couldn't look at her. Even though he'd done his best and passed, it somehow still hadn't been enough.

The first man started to speak again but was interrupted by her father, echoing the question on everyone’s mind.

“May we ask why he was denied?” Hakoda asked, sounding far calmer than Katara could have managed at the moment.

The two men looked at each other and nodded. 

“With all due respect, Chief Hakoda, we realized during the course that while he did indeed complete it satisfactorily, that title did not suit him.” 

The only thing stopping Katara from yelling out or storming towards them was her father’s hand gripping her shoulder, holding her back.

Zuko’s face crumpled but he instantly recovered, nodding solemnly. 

“I see,” he said a quiet voice, lowering his head and closing his eyes.

Of course. They may have accepted their engagement, and he’d fought hard to earn the warriors’ respect, but he'd been foolish to even hope they'd ever accept him as one of their own.

“We recognize our decision is unusual but then again, we’ve never had a Fire Lord offer to participate in this rite of passage before, which in itself is unorthodox. Do you accept our judgement, Lord Zuko?” 

He nodded, forcing himself to look up and face them directly, steeling his expression to be neutral. If nothing else, he would accept defeat with some manner of dignity.

“Will you not attempt to challenge it?” asked the second man, frowning.

Zuko shook his head.

“If that is your decision... then I accept it,” he said hollowly, feeling shame coil inside his belly. "I'm an outsider, and it's not my place to challenge your decision, at least regarding this matter or any of your customs. I do thank you for your consideration, though."

Katara exchanged looks with her brother, Aang, and Suki, noting they looked just as outraged as she felt. She barely contained herself from shaking in righteous indignation as the warrior spoke once more, addressing Zuko directly.

"Before this meeting, my comrade and I came to a mutual decision regarding whether or not to grant you the mark, but first there was one final test that you were unaware of."

The crowd murmured amongst themselves as Zuko looked up at the two, confused. The other tribesman spoke before he could question what they'd tested him on. 

“A good leader knows when to fight and when to back down, when to challenge and when to accept things that are beyond their control, which the Fire Lord has just demonstrated.” 

The other man continued.

"Most importantly, given our nations' history, we wanted to see how he would react to being denied what he thought he'd rightfully earned. Would he react in violence? Would he demand recognition? Would he insult us or our customs? Instead, he did none of those things. He was respectful and accepted our judgement."

Both men nodded at each other before addressing her father directly.

“We combined those factors with what we've learned of his character today while facing the unforgiving icy waters, as well as what we've learned from him this past week. We also considered what we've been told by you, Master Pakku, and your children of how he's proven loyalty to you and your family time and time again at great personal risk. That led to our decision."

"With your blessing, Chief Hakoda, we wish to grant him the Mark of the Wise instead.” 

~*~*~

Zuko's jaw dropped and at the moment it didn't matter to him how undignified he must look. He blocked out the gasps of shock from the crowd. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Katara's hands clasped over her mouth, her eyes flooding with happy tears.

"I... I don't understand," he managed to say once again, his voice hoarse. "I thought that wasn't given to outsiders?"

Finally, they allowed themselves to smile.

"Well," one said. "Consider this your official welcome to the Southern Water Tribe, Lord Zuko."

He just stood there, dumbfounded as they drew the mark on his forehead. Once they finished, he surprised them both by pulling them in for a hug, which they reciprocated with a laugh.

"You could have been a little less dramatic," he said grinning, chuckling as well.

Zuko thanked them once more as the tribe applauded, with a few loud whoops from his friends. 

Then out of the corner of his eye he saw a familiar flash of blue rushing towards him, and he let go of them just in time to turn around before Katara nearly bowled him over.

His ribs were still a bit sore from fighting the best warriors the tribe had to offer just two days prior and from the toll of the challenge just a few hours ago. He didn’t care about any of that, though.

She wrapped him up in a tight embrace which he returned, resting his cheek against her hair.

"I'm so proud of you," she whispered, and his heart swelled.

He couldn't find the words to speak, so he just kissed her gently as the crowd continued cheering.

Chapter Text

A few days before he was scheduled to present Katara with her engagement present, Zuko pulled Sokka aside for a few minutes.

“Did Suki find out anything?” he whispered.

Sokka nodded. She’d been tasked with a secret mission to find out as much about Katara’s wedding gown and robes as she could once they’d returned to the South Pole.

“But you know, I don’t think the groom is supposed to know what the dress looks like beforehand,” he said, raising his eyebrow.

The groom in question shook his head.

“I don’t need to know all of the specifics. I just want to know if they’re going to let her wear any blue or if it’s going to be all Fire Nation colors.”

Sokka frowned slightly.

“Katara can still keep her necklace, but they told her any colors she does wear besides white will be reds or golds. She’s been debating with the stylists about keeping her hair loops too, but if they let her they’ll probably be pinned back with something other than the blue beads.”

At that, Zuko groaned and pressed his palm to his forehead. He’d really hoped the royal stylists would have given her a little leeway or least let her acknowledge some of her Southern Water Tribe heritage, but that was looking unlikely.

Even though he was Fire Lord, he still had no say over what she would wear during the ceremony – he’d already tried talking with Nijiko and the other seamstresses about it beforehand to no avail.

“I just hate the thought of her not having anything blue for her wedding,” Zuko said quietly.

“Yeah, me too,” Sokka agreed with a frown.

Zuko looked around to make sure no one was close enough to eavesdrop.

“Listen, do you think you can pull your dad aside at some point, so the three of us can talk in private? I’ve got an idea, but I want to run it by both of you first to get your thoughts.”

~*~*~

Later that day, Hakoda found himself whisked away to a corner of the training grounds by his son and future son-in-law.

“What’s this about?” he asked once they were safely out of earshot from any curious minds. “Not having seconds thoughts, are you?”

Zuko shook his head a bit nervously. 

“No sir… I had an idea and I wanted to run it by you and Sokka first to get your input to make sure it’s not inappropriate or overstepping any boundaries.”

Hakoda resisted the urge to quip he’d already had a conversation with him just a few days ago about boundaries concerning his daughter, instead waiting patiently for him to continue.

“You see, I’ve learned from Suki, who’s talked to Katara, that she may not be able to wear anything Water Tribe-related the day of the wedding, besides her necklace."

The chief frowned as he continued.

"Believe me, I really, really hate that. Apparently I can’t force the stylists’ hand on this, so I wanted to make sure there was something there representing her homeland.”

Hakoda and Sokka looked at each other.

“What did you have in mind?” her father asked.

Zuko took a deep breath before he continued.

“You’re going to think I’m crazy, but…” and their eyes widened in shock when he told them.

“Will they even let you do that?” Sokka asked, gaping.

“They’ll definitely have their objections, but apparently, my robes are one thing I can have a say in when it comes to my own wedding," he explained. "If worst comes to worst, I can conveniently leave out what color they'll be until right before."

He was expected to wear his traditional formal robes anyway, so it’s not like they were making him anything new for the ceremony.

Her father and brother looked at each other for a long time before smiling back at him.

“I think that can be arranged,” Hakoda said, and Sokka nodded. “We’ll probably have to get my mother’s help to pull it off, but she can keep a secret.”

“We’ll make sure it gets to you in plenty of time before the wedding, too,” Sokka added. “I’ll personally guarantee it.”

Zuko smiled at them in relief and pulled them both in for a hug.

“Thank you both so much,” he whispered. “I just want her to be happy.”

They nodded, each clapping him on the back. He hesitated for a moment before he decided to run headfirst into yet another insane idea.

“There’s something else I've recently thought of that I'd like to do, if it can be arranged,” he said, his heart pounding. “And you’re really going to think this one is crazy...”

~*~*~

The next day, Zuko pulled Katara aside for a private conversation outside of her family's house.

“So,” he began while holding her hands in his, thumbs massaging her palms through the gloves. “When you were a little girl, did you ever picture what your wedding would be like?”

She grinned.

“Not really,” she admitted. “There were a few small things I wanted, but overall I just wanted to marry the man of my dreams… which I’m going to do in less than a year.”

She stood on her toes to kiss his cheek.

“Why do you ask?”

His heart started pounding once more and he hoped he sounded calm.

“I’m curious. I like to know things, remember?”

“Is that all?” she asked, raising her eyebrow.

“That’s all,” he lied, thankful Toph wasn’t around to call him out. “When I was little, I didn’t really think about weddings, but the few times I pictured my own, I would ride in on a dragon and fight off some would-be suitors with swords who wanted to steal my bride away right before I walked down the aisle.”

She stared at him for a beat before cracking up.

“Don’t laugh,” he chided playfully. “I was maybe five or six at the time.”

Katara continued giggling in spite of herself.

“That’s not going to happen at our wedding, is it?” she asked, more than a little relieved when he shook his head.

“Of course not. But that was what I pictured in my head when I was young. I just want to know what you wanted as a kid.”

She smiled and looked off to the side for a minute, recalling her childhood memories.

“Just the basics, I guess… I wanted my dad to walk me down an aisle, and I wanted all of the tribe to be there, too. I wanted to wear the prettiest blue and white dress, and I wanted to get married outside in the snow under the moonlight. Then I wanted to dance with my new husband all night long until my feet hurt so much that he had to carry me away.”

She stopped, noting the way his eyes had crinkled up in happiness as he listened to her talk.  

“It’s a lot less dramatic than yours,” she said, laughing again. “But I think it’ll be easier to pull off. My dad’s giving me away, my dress is mostly white, and we’ll get to dance afterwards.”

He glanced down and sighed.

"Katara... are you sure you're happy with a traditional Fire Nation wedding? I don't want you to feel like your heritage is being erased."

She frowned slightly.

"I mean, it would be nice if they let me include more blues at least, but I understand their reasoning. I'm supposed to celebrate my new home, so I'll be wearing reds and golds."

"But what about your home? Where you come from?"

She squeezed his hands.

"I knew what I was getting into when I said yes," was all she said, and he frowned at that. “Zuko, it’s okay. I can’t wait to get married to you. Besides, you’re really going to love the dress as much as I do. I promise that you’re going to lose your breath when you see me.”

He looked up at her and gave her a lopsided smile. It wasn't okay, they both knew that, but he knew a way to make it up to her.

“I just want you to have the wedding you always wanted,” he said softly, squeezing her hands. “You’re absolutely sure, too? You can always back out or change your mind-”

But she held her finger up to his lips.

“Yes, Zuko… as long as I have you there, that’s all I need,” she assured him, giving him a long, tender kiss.

~*~*~

When Fire Lord Zuko proposed to Master Katara for the second time, it was a couple of weeks after they arrived at the Southern Water Tribe, once he'd done his best to make amends with her grandmother and her people.

Instead of a hushed, private conversation in the hallway outside of the Fire Nation's throne room, they were now surrounded by her family, their friends, and the rest of her tribe as icy flurries danced in the air around them.

He fought back a shiver as he knelt in the snow and repeated the words he'd said before, although he phrased them much more eloquently this time. She of course nodded and said yes before he even finished speaking, grinning all the while.

His fingers trembled slightly from the cold and perhaps even nerves as he reached into his coat pocket and unwrapped her present before giving it to her.

Remembering their conversation from ages ago, he opted not to carve her a necklace since she still wore her mother’s. Instead, he worked under the guidance of Toph and local craftsmen to forge her a light, silver crown shaped like a phoenix, with sapphires for the eyes.

He couldn't stop himself from grinning as she clasped her hands over her mouth when she saw it.

"You made this?" she gasped, and he nodded triumphantly, explaining to their audience the significance of his blue phoenix, who brought him back from the brink of death and completely captivated his heart. 

Now, her crown would forever serve as a symbol of their love for each other on the day the world nearly burned to ashes.

When he stood again, his legs were damp from kneeling the snow, and he was well and truly chilled to the bone. But he paid no attention to that, instead focusing on the sparkle in her eyes as he carefully tucked the crown into her topknot as snowflakes swirled around them.

Then she pulled him in for a kiss and embraced him as their friends cheered and their audience applauded, and suddenly he no longer felt cold.

~*~*~

A few days after he proposed for the second time and presented his engagement gift, Zuko surprised her one morning by telling her they were going on a date that night.

“Oh really?” she asked with a grin. “Can I ask where?”

He shook his head mysteriously.

“Nope. Just be ready at sundown. I’m taking you out to dinner in the village, so you don’t have to worry about eating beforehand.”

She was properly intrigued now.

“What about my clothes? How dressed up do I have to get?”

“Just wear your favorite blue dress and even your crown if you’d like,” he replied with a wink. “Whatever you feel prettiest in.”

~*~*~

Katara had just finished getting ready and touching up her makeup when she heard a knock coming from the main door.

She looked over at Suki and Toph, who’d insisted on helping her get ready for her date, but they just shrugged.

“Better go see who it is,” Toph said nonchalantly, as if she couldn’t already tell with her earthbending senses.

Katara’s lip twitched in realization, and as she walked out into the main room, she saw her family putting on their best surprised faces. Sokka had disappeared somewhere earlier to work on some project with Aang, and she knew if he'd been there he would have been even more over-the-top.

“Wonder who it could be at this hour?” her father asked with a grin, and she rolled her eyes.

“You’re all terrible actors,” she announced, straightening her phoenix crown as she walked to the door.

She also couldn't believe Zuko had actually gotten ready and snuck outside just to make an entrance.

When she opened the door, she wasn’t surprised to find one suavely dressed Fire Lord leaning against the frame. He’d clearly been aiming for a smooth greeting, but he stood straight up when he saw her, his eyes widening.

“Wow,” he whispered, his voice suddenly hoarse. “You look absolutely beautiful.”

“You’re not so bad looking yourself, Sifu Hotman,” she replied, looking him up and down.

Zuko had broken out the nicest crimson and gold tunic and pants he’d packed, and it was the first time he’d worn them all trip long. He hadn't wanted to look like he was rubbing his nobility in their faces, but now he truly did look like royalty, Katara thought to herself.

He was too distracted admiring the way her blue dress fit her in all of the right places, how brightly she was smiling, and how overall stunning she looked to notice what she’d called him.

He was happy to see that she'd worn her hair like she had back when he joined their side and tucked the phoenix crown into the bun. His heart pounded in his chest, and he knew it would be only the first of many times that evening.

“Ready to go?” he asked, suddenly terrified when she nodded.

She turned back to her family and friends and said her goodbyes, telling them she’d see them later tonight.

“Have her back at a decent time!” Hakoda called out, playing his role of her protective father perfectly.

Before Zuko completely closed the door, he exchanged a smile with all of them and gave a quick nod of his head, which went unnoticed by Katara.

~*~*~  

“So, where exactly are you taking me?” she asked for what felt like the millionth time as he led her through the village, their hands clasped together. 

“Just hold on, we're almost there,” he assured her. “You’re not so hungry you’re going to pass out, are you? Because there’s something I want to show you first.”

“I’m fine, but my curiosity is killing me! Can I get a hint?”

Once again he shook his head and answered her questions as coyly as possible.

"Can't I walk around with my beautiful fiancee on my arm in her hometown?" he asked, winking.

At last he stopped when they reached a newly-constructed house near the center of the village that was a bit larger than her family's home.

“Do you know what this?” he asked softly, stopping and taking both of her hands in his.

She glanced at it and shook her head. She’d seen it being built over the last few months but she hadn't thought anything of it.

He suddenly looked nervous.

“Whenever we visit the tribe after we’re married… this is going to be ours,” he said, feeling a swell of pride as she gasped. “It’s still close enough to your family’s house, but this way we have more room for ourselves and for guests…”

“And for our kids too,” she whispered.

His eyes widened, and when she saw his facial expression she giggled.

“Oh, no, no, no, we’re not expecting or anything right now. I'm just saying eventually.”

He nodded and exhaled slowly. 

"Scared me for a second there."

"Sorry," she laughed. "But for what it's worth, I think you'll be an amazing dad some day."

He smiled and gave her a long hug, resting his cheek against her hair.

"I'll try," he whispered, and she kissed his cheek.

"You will be," she assured him. "No matter how many we end up having." 

He was feeling much more confident now after seeing her reaction to the house and hearing her talk about their future.

“Want to see the inside?” he asked, and she nodded, grinning.

She was amazed to discover it was somewhat decorated already, with traditional Southern Water Tribe artifacts in most of the rooms. 

He lit the fire pit in the center of the house to warm them up, and she immediately felt at home as she explored.

Katara raised her eyebrow at him when she noticed the bed had already been set up and covered with blankets and pelts. Zuko saw her face and smirked.

“Want to break it in?” he asked, receiving a playful nudge.

“Maybe after dinner,” she teased. “I just got all dressed up, and you should at least show me off first before you ravish me.”

He just grinned, pulling her in for a kiss.

~*~*~

To her surprise, when they left the house he led away from all of the places to eat, instead guiding her in the direction of one of the village's new parks.

It wasn't grand or flashy, but it did have a decent-sized area for people to gather and a few frozen stone fountains, constructed as presents courtesy of Aang and Toph in the last week.

There were also lanterns and torches throughout the park, which she assumed Zuko would light once they arrived since it looked completely dark. At least the full moon was out tonight, although it was currently hidden by a large cloud.

“Are we going to eat out here?” she asked, thoroughly confused when he shook his head.

He paused, holding her hands in his once more.

“I just want to be absolutely sure,” he said anxiously. “Are you positive you want to marry me? Because as much as I want this, I also want you to be happy and not feel pressured-”

“Zuko, yes,” she insisted, rolling her eyes in mild exasperation. “I love you, and I’m not going to change my mind. Why do you keep asking?”

He suddenly looked terrified and ecstatic all at once.

“Because there’s something else I wanted to do before dinner,” he whispered. "Have you figured it out yet?"

She shook her head, completely confused. He exhaled the way he did when he was nervous, and he gently squeezed her hands.

"I can't give you a moonlit wedding in the snow when we're back in the Fire Nation," he said softly. "But I can do that here."

~*~*~

Time seemed to slow for her as her mouth opened in realization. He smiled and nodded at her reaction.

"Wait... are you saying-"

"I want you to have the wedding you've always dreamed about, Katara."

Her hand flew to her mouth. 

"Are you serious?"

He nodded.

"As serious as I've ever been."

She couldn't speak, so she just pulled him in for a tight embrace.

"We'll still have the big, elaborate ceremony in the Fire Nation," he explained, hugging her. "Because of my title and all of the legalities that come with it, the Fire Sages won't consider this a binding contract."

She nodded.

"So I still won't be Fire Lady?" she asked, and he shook his head with a smile.

"Not yet, but tonight is about you and me, not a Fire Lord or a master waterbender. It's about Zuko and Katara, and letting you have the wedding you've always wanted in the snow with the entire village as witness."

He looked down at her.

"Do you want to?"

"Of course! But did you say tonight? As in, tonight." 

"No time like the present."

He couldn't stop the grin spreading on his face as her jaw dropped again.

"But how?"

"I've got that all arranged. If you want to get married tonight, sweetheart, just say yes and I’ll make it happen."

She immediately nodded her head and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him.

"I do," she breathed, and his heart stopped for just a moment before pounding once more.

He kissed her again, holding her in a close embrace. Then he pulled away and turned towards the park.

Zuko took a deep breath and concentrated his bending to light all of the torches and lanterns in the area until the snowy park was bathed in a warm glow.

"Let's do this, then," he said a bit breathlessly as he turned back to her. "Let's get married."

~*~*~

From somewhere in the darkness behind them she heard her brother's voice.

"So we're on? The Team Steam Wedding is good to go?"

Zuko rolled his eyes at the name but grinned.

"It's on!" he called out in his direction.

Immediately the cloud overhead dissipated, letting the moonlight shine down upon the park, and Katara realized they weren’t alone. Their friends emerged from their hiding places in the dark, beaming at her shocked reaction.

Sokka was the first to reach them and pulled them both into a massive bear hug. The rest of their friends immediately followed, and the six huddled together, laughing and talking excitedly.

"Okay! We've still got a lot to do," her brother announced after a minute, taking charge. "We've already given the village a heads up, but we need to let them know it's definitely happening tonight."

Katara looked at them in astonishment.

"Wait, so everyone knew about this except for me?"

"Something like that," Zuko said with a wink. "We told them there was a big surprise for you tonight so they'd be ready, but we didn't specify what."

Her brain was still struggling to comprehend everything.

”What if I’d said I wanted to wait?” 

"Dance party, part two!” Toph exclaimed.

Katara felt a little light-headed.

"We need an elder to officiate... did you ask one of them?"

"Not yet," Aang explained. "But I thought an Avatar might work better. Besides, I’m 115, so technically I’m the eldest person here.”

Her jaw dropped and she felt tears form in the corners of her eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered, and he nodded happily.

Her brother snapped his fingers.

"We're losing time here, people," he said, bringing them to attention. "Everyone except for the bride and groom, spread out!"

Then it was just the two of them, standing in the snow beneath the golden lights overhead as flurries swirled around them.

"You okay?” he asked her, chuckling. 

She just shook her head. 

“This doesn’t seem real...” she whispered. “Are you sure this isn’t a dream?” 

He pulled her in for a kiss, and she giggled.

“What do you think?” he said in that husky voice she loved next to her ear.

“It’s even better,” she declared, closing her eyes as his warm arms embraced her. 

~*~*~

If you asked Katara what she remembered most about her Water Tribe wedding afterwards, she would say it was all a happy blur.

She couldn't recall the specific words they said, and all of the smiling faces in the crowd blended together.

But she did remember how her father gave her arm a gentle squeeze right before he walked her down the aisle, where her brother and friends waited for her, along with Zuko.

Katara remembered the way his crimson and gold stood out in stark contrast to all of her blues and silvers, and how their opposing colors somehow fit together perfectly. 

She also remembered the way he smiled down at her as the moonlight shone overhead and snowflakes fell around them as they exchanged their vows.

Finally, she remembered how her husband held her gently in his arms afterwards for a long, tender kiss as their witnesses cheered.

He rested his forehead against hers, his eyes half closed in happiness.

"Will our future dates always be this surprising?" she teased, and he grinned.

"Not quite, but I'll still try to take your breath away every time," he whispered. "Ready for that dinner now?"

She giggled.

"I'm starving. Let's go."

~*~*~

Their first meal together as husband and wife was nowhere near as refined as what they'd enjoy later at their Fire Nation ceremony, but both would say it was still just as delicious. 

Together with their friends and family, they dined on traditional Southern Water Tribe cuisine at her favorite cafeteria, and the drinks flowed freely.

Some of the warriors even took a liking to the Fire Nation whiskey he brought, and he enjoyed their ice cold vodka as well.

"You know, the first time I ever tried their whiskey I spat it back out," Katara said, laughing along with the others.

Then to Zuko's surprise, she took a sip of it and actually smiled instead of grimacing. 

"But then it grew on me," she said, winking at his reaction. "Much like other people."

Nearly the entire village turned out to celebrate with them, and the cafeterias were forced to turn many away to prevent overcrowding.

But after dinner, they gathered again in the park to dance the rest of the night away. She learned later that he'd enlisted the help of local musicians as well, so they would have songs to dance to. 

Zuko still was uncertain as he did his best to keep up with the Southern Water Tribe dances, but they all chuckled in understanding and Katara gave him smiles of encouragement, so he thought he'd at least made her proud.

Then he got to show off what dances he could do, spinning and dipping her as she squealed in happiness. He also requested some slower music as well, and eventually she rested her head against his shoulder, just like the night of the beach party.

He later exchanged a knowing smile with his wife and his brother-in-law when they noticed that Aang and Toph had danced together for nearly every song. 

"I think we'll get to do this all over again in the future," he murmured when Sokka and Suki danced near them, and the three nodded happily.

~*~*~

At one point during the evening, Katara found herself pulled into a dance with her father.

"I heard you saw the house," he said after a minute. "Do you like it?"

She beamed up at him. "Dad, I love it. Did you have anything to do with it?"

"Of course! What else do you think Zuko and I correspond about?"

They laughed and he paused to give her a warm hug.

"Granted, I wasn't expecting you to move into it so soon, and I don't think he was, either. This wedding was a last-minute idea from him, but I'm pleased with how it turned out."

"Me too, Dad. I'm so happy."

He smiled down at his daughter, albeit a little sadly.

"That's all I wanted to hear," he said softly.

Katara was also surprised to learn that all of their things had already been packed up and transported to the new house.

"It's all taken care of," Suki assured her. "When you leave tonight, just go and enjoy yourselves, and we'll see you two in the morning."

She pulled her future sister-in-law in for a big hug, and the two friends shared a giggle.

"I couldn't have asked for a better sister or a better friend," Katara said. "I can't wait for your wedding in a few months. It's going to be beautiful."

Suki just giggled again and gave her soon-to-be sister another hug.

"Just don't make me an aunt yet before the other ceremony," she teased. "You've still got another dress to fit into."

Katara rolled her eyes but laughed with her.

~*~*~

Katara danced all night long with her husband, just like she'd always wanted as a little girl, until her feet were sore. Not that she cared about the discomfort, mind you.

When it was all over, she was walking more daintily than usual as they bid their goodbyes and good nights to their family and friends, which Zuko instantly noticed. 

"So, you danced on your wedding night until your feet hurt, just like you always wanted," he said, beaming. "I think that's my cue."

He scooped her up in his arms and she laughed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

She laughed again as he actually carried her all the way back to their new home.

"I can't believe you seriously did all that just for me," she said, kissing his cheek.

He gave her a playful smirk. 

"You should see what else I'll do just for you later tonight," he promised, and she giggled.

He carefully carried her over the threshold once they arrived, pausing after they were inside to kiss her.

"Welcome home," he whispered, grinning at her.

He set her down gently on a soft pelt and lit the fire pit again.

"Are you cold?" he asked, and she shook her head.

"Never been warmer," she said.

He winked at her. "I doubt that," he replied.

Zuko rummaged around in the cupboards, eventually pulling out presents he'd packed from his uncle.

"There's no food yet if you get hungry later, but we do have tea," he said, holding up a teapot and cups courtesy of Iroh himself.

Katara just smiled and walked over to her husband's side.

"That's all we need," she whispered, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him before leading him towards their bedroom.

~*~*~

True to his nature, Zuko awoke the next morning as the sun crested over the horizon and smiled down at his sleeping wife in his arms.

He gave her a gentle kiss as she hummed sleepily against him.

"G'morning," she whispered, not opening her eyes.

"Morning, sweetheart," he whispered back, settling back under the covers and closing his eyes again, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her in closer.

They had less than two weeks before he was scheduled to leave for the Fire Nation without her, and he didn't want to waste a single moment.

But first, he would enjoy resting in her arms for a bit longer.

Chapter Text

Over the next several days, Fire Lord Zuko learned even more about how the Southern Water Tribe had fun.

His wife took him penguin sledding, which he enjoyed immensely even though he expected to hate it.

By the end of that day his hair was practically slicked back from the snow and the wind, and even though Katara teased him a little, it was worth it to hear her laugh.

Then his friends introduced him to snowball fights, which he excelled at.

He and Katara made a formidable team, quickly taking down others with her waterbending and his tactician skills.

She "accidentally" hit him a few times, though, bursting into laughter at his reaction as he rolled his eyes and brushed snow out of his hair.

The tribe also held a few more parties as well, and although he never could get the hang of their dances, he still gave it his best effort, which was enough for them.

And at night, after he and Katara had completely exhausted themselves, he curled up beside his wife and held her close, listening to her breathing slow down as she fell asleep in the moonlight.

~*~*~

The days flew by all too soon, and before they knew it, the time had come for him to depart along with Aang and Toph. They'd drop him off at the Fire Nation before returning to the new Air Temple.

Sokka and Suki would stay in the Southern Water Tribe with Katara for another couple of months before they too would leave, departing for Kyoshi Island.

The six friends would reunite at her brother’s wedding, and afterwards Katara would return to the Fire Nation with Zuko for their own ceremony. 

Once he'd said his goodbyes to everyone else, Zuko stood holding her in his arms on the docks beside Appa, neither wanting to be the first to let go.

He held her closer when he felt her shiver and raised his body temperature slightly.

"Cold?" he whispered, and she shook her head.

"Trying not to cry," she whispered as he hugged her even tighter.

"Me too."

Both knew they would only be apart for a few months, but still they held each other, whispering affirmations of love only they could hear.

They'd taken their time getting ready that morning, finding excuses to stop and hold each other a bit longer before they finally left for the docks.

He had been worried about her staying alone, but luckily Suki and Sokka volunteered to be their first house guests to keep her company.

She sighed and gave him a squeeze.

"As much as I hate myself for saying this... you really do need to leave soon. We're wasting daylight."

He shook his head and kissed her hair.

"I can't let you go," he whispered.

"Me either... but we have to."

He finally pulled his head back and gave her a sad smile.

"I'll write to you every day," he vowed. "Maybe even more than that."

"Already beat you to it," she said, forcing herself to smile.

She pulled a sealed letter from her coat pocket and gave it to him.

"But don't open it until you really, really miss me, so badly that it hurts," she said.

He nodded, tucking it into his pocket and kissed her tenderly for a long time, not caring that everyone was watching them now.

Finally, he somehow found the strength to pull away from her, although it nearly killed him to do so. But still he held her hands, rubbing her palms with his thumbs.

"I love you," he said quietly.

“Love you too,” she whispered back, and a few tears finally spilled from her eyes.

Immediately he wrapped his arms around her once again, murmuring assurances in her ear and kissing all over her face until she composed herself.

"You know my dad and everyone is watching, right?" she teased even though her heart ached.

"I don't care," he said, smiling hollowly back. "Let them."

~*~*~

At long last, Aang gave the command and Appa ascended, carrying the Avatar, the world's greatest earthbender, a lemur, and the Fire Lord away from the South Pole.

Zuko's eyes never left Katara's, and he kept them focused in her direction even after she and the Southern Water Tribe faded away into a small blue blur on the sunlit snowy tundra.

Once they’d risen above the clouds and he could no longer see the earth below, he pulled her letter from his coat pocket.

"That was quick," Toph said when she heard the rustling paper, although her tone was more gentle than teasing.

He just smiled sadly and read its contents over and over, until he could have recited them by memory as his two companions talked amongst themselves.

At one point Aang glanced back and saw him discreetly wiping his eye but didn't say anything.

Katara had written him pages upon pages affirming her love for him, and the last two were sketches she’d commissioned a local artist to draw. 

The first one he knew about - it was a drawing of the six friends, laughing and posing in the park just a few days ago.

The second was a surprise - the same artist had been there the night of the wedding and sketched a portrait of the two of them holding hands as they recited their vows. 

He knew he would treasure them forever, especially the latter. 

~*~*~

Zuko finally folded the letter and drawings up and tucked them back into his coat, right over his heart.

He scooted up to the front of the saddle to join Aang and Toph’s conversation.

"Need a break?" he asked. "I know it hasn't been that long, but I could use a distraction."

"Sure thing, Sifu Hotman!" Aang said as cheerily as possible, and for once Zuko actually smiled at that ridiculous nickname.

The Avatar stopped Appa long enough for them to swap out, and once Aang was settled beside Toph in the saddle, they took off again.

He glanced back and gave his friend a conspiratorial wink, grinning in approval when he saw Aang ever-so-casually slip his arm around Toph’s shoulders.

Zuko turned around to face the journey ahead and breathed deeply. Only a few more months, he thought to himself. Then they’d never have to be apart ever again.

He rested his hand over his heart for a moment, hearing the crinkling paper even through the thick layers of his coat and the rushing of the wind.

His strength resolved, the Fire Lord continued guiding their group back towards his home and the future as the winter sunlight shone down on them.

Chapter Text

The day of the royal wedding in the Fire Nation, Katara touched her mother’s necklace for perhaps the hundredth time as she waited for her cue to walk through the palace courtyard with her father and down the aisle, where Zuko waited for her.

She nervously smoothed down the front of her wedding gown and took a deep breath to steady herself.

Nijiko and other seamstresses had used the most delicate materials for her dress and outer robe, which shimmered white and gold in the glow from the lanterns and flowed behind her like a stream when she walked.

She wore fine jewelry of rubies and diamonds, and her hair was styled into a bun complete with fire lilies, not unlike how she’d worn it that fateful night she first danced with her future husband.

Katara had insisted on wearing her hair loops, though, which were pinned back with the traditional blue beads.

She knew that as the soon-to-be wife of the Fire Lord, she would be expected to give up some of her Water Tribe customs for the ceremony. She was relieved when the wedding stylists had agreed to let her keep them.

They told her she could incorporate more blues into her everyday and formal wardrobe after, which gave her a peace of mind.

But for the ceremony itself, they suggested she should celebrate her new home.

~*~*~

When Gran Gran saw her beforehand, dressed in all of her splendor, she had to wipe tears away.

“You’re so beautiful,” she said and delicately hugged her so as not to muss up the dress. “Your mother would be so proud.”

Katara hadn’t seen Zuko since dinner the night before, and although she was exhilarated, she was also nervous. They’d stayed up late hosting guests from the other nations, including some Air Acolytes from the new temple Aang and Toph had built in the past year.

She was pulled back to the present when she heard her cue. As confident as she’d felt minutes ago, she suddenly felt sick. She swallowed nervously and looked at her father, who gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

Then when the doors swung open and she saw Zuko waiting for her across the courtyard, she gasped and her hands flew to cover her mouth, drawing more than a few understanding smiles.

She'd heard light whispers of surprise from the crowd earlier, and now she knew why.

The gold from his crown was the only color he wore that symbolized his ties to the Fire Nation. Instead of crimson, his robes were a deep blue, like those of a Water Tribe groom.

Katara wanted to cry, but that would have ruined her makeup.

She looked up at her father, who just nodded down at her and smiled knowingly, to her astonishment. She would learn later that during their trip to the South, Zuko had spoken at length with her father and Sokka, and together the three managed to pull it off with a little help from Gran Gran.

She somehow kept her emotions in check until the end of the ceremony, when a few happy tears slipped out. Zuko chuckled softly and wiped them away, pulling her in for a deep kiss.

Taking her hand in his, they turned to the cheering crowd as the Fire Sages introduced them for the first time as husband and wife, Fire Lord Zuko and Lady Katara.

He held her hand up to his lips and kissed it gently.

“Ready?” he said with a smile.

She responded by squeezing his hand and grinning wildly.

“Ready.”

~*~*~

As he swayed with his wife in his arms at the reception afterwards listening to fireworks in the distance, Zuko thought back to that time he first danced with her.

“Do you remember what the theme was supposed to be from that party at the beach house?” he asked her after few minutes of blissful silence.

Katara smiled at the memory, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"I think it was heaven on earth, or something like that,” she whispered.

He nodded.

“That’s what this feels like,” he said softly, squeezing her. “I’m so happy, Katara.”

She raised her head up and kissed him.

"I am too," she said softly, repeating the vows they'd made earlier. “I am yours, and you are mine.”

He murmured the words back to her and rested his chin against her hair.

After a minute, she spoke again.

“Do you also remember that conversation on the beach when you said were never going to propose to me?” she asked cheekily. "So much for that, huh."

He just shrugged his shoulders and smiled down at her.

”I might have lied, sweetheart.”

~*~*~

Across the room, the Avatar found himself more than a bit nervous as he asked his earthbending teacher to dance. He’d had a lot of time to think everything over in the past year, and he’d realized something that had been staring him in the face.

They’d spent all of their time together in the months leading up to the wedding, and he discovered that he looked forward to seeing her whenever she visited him at the new air temple.

Although he knew she would never admit it, he noticed she smiled at him more often and actually started calling him by his name instead of Twinkletoes (but not too often, of course. She still had her tough reputation to uphold, after all.)

Toph didn’t comment on his pounding heartbeat, but just laughed as he spun her around on the dance floor and held her close.

“So…” he said, hoping he sounded smooth. “How would you feel about traveling the world with me, just the two of us?”

~*~*~

Katara soon became a beloved Fire Lady known for her kindness and strength, as well as her constant work in the poorer communities.

As the official representative for the Water Tribes, she and her husband worked tirelessly with their ambassadors to unite the two nations in harmony.

Some had taken to calling them the Dragon Reborn and his Blue Phoenix, after hearing the tale of how she’d brought him back to life with her tears. It was sweet and poetic and all, but just a bit much, they thought. Sokka, however, loved it and wrote many, many haikus about it, which they admitted were actually quite good.

They also secretly pitied the poor Fire Nation students from now on, who would probably be confused as to why their history books mentioned two sequential leaders who both bore the title of “phoenix,” albeit in very different contexts.

Although several nobles still eyed her with contempt, none dare to insult her lest they find themselves facing a wall of fire or blades of ice to the throat. Eventually, she won them over, too, at least enough to the point they started praising her with a bit more sincerity.

That was enough for her, though.

~*~*~

To their great astonishment, a few years into their marriage they discovered his mother was still very much alive and well. When Katara properly met her mother-in-law for the first time, Zuko noted with a smile how much they had in common.

To his consternation, however, his wife especially enjoyed hearing all of Ursa’s embarrassing stories of his younger years.

After they’d found Lady Ursa, Zuko stopped visiting his father’s prison cell altogether, much to Katara’s relief. She’d been down there once before with him for support during the search, but after Ozai hurled insults and slurs her way, Zuko had forbidden her from returning.

Before he’d ushered her out, though, he had the satisfaction of seeing the look of terror on his father’s face when she used her bloodbending to freeze his muscles for a few moments, showing she was not someone to be trifled with.

Now with his wife by his side and his mother returned home with her new family, Fire Lord Zuko could finally look towards the future.

~*~*~

Fire Lady Katara delighted in being married to her husband, although they still had their fair share of disagreements. Those always ended with them sparring in the training courtyard during the day and making up in each other’s arms at night.

After, as they held each other, they'd snuggle and murmur whispers of love in the other's ear.

Then early one morning, some months after they reunited with Ursa, she awoke before her husband and suddenly became violently ill. Zuko held her hair and rubbed her back as she emptied the contents of her stomach from the day before.

Soon after, the royal doctors whisked her away, and he grudgingly went about his duties as Fire Lord that day with a sinking feeling in his gut.

When they finally reunited privately in their bedroom later that night, he had to hold himself back from bowling her over in a hug.

“What’s wrong?” he whispered, finally allowing fear to show in his eyes.

To his surprise, she just smiled and brushed her fingers through his hair before she spoke the second set of words that he would never forget. He stood as still as if she’d frozen him to the spot, eyes wide with shock.

Then he blinked a few times. It was pretty obvious in hindsight, he thought. A few moments later he lifted his wife up and spun her around as she squealed, much like he had during their first dance together.

When she returned to her feet Zuko breathlessly pulled Katara to him in a tight embrace, and both shed happy tears as they kissed.

Several months later, they named their newborn daughter in memory of the lantern-lit fountain on Ember Island where they first danced together.

Chapter Text

The Fire Lord examined the unopened letter from the Avatar, turning it over repeatedly in his hands.

It had arrived along with several other scrolls and letters earlier that day, but Zuko knew his friend only sent messages like this if they were of utmost importance.

The outer envelope was plain, except for a hidden symbol in the bottom corner drawn with special ink that appeared if one held a tiny flame nearby, but only for a specific amount of time. Any shorter or longer, and the ink wouldn't show at all. 

Shortly after he was crowned, the two friends had developed their own secret code for addressing letters to the other that should only be opened in private. So far, their system hadn’t been cracked nearly five years into his reign.

Zuko had waited until later that evening before he broke the seal and opened it. Katara dozed beside him in bed, and even though he trusted her with his life, he still wanted to keep its contents private, just in case.

He skimmed the letter and was intrigued when he saw it contained a summons to a vague third party.

It was funny, he mused briefly. As Fire Lord he was usually the one doing the summoning, not the other way around.

Had this letter fallen into the wrong hands, however, he doubted they would have deciphered what on earth the Avatar was talking about using extremely vague terms, but Zuko understood the hidden message immediately.

The Sun Warriors, and by extension Ran and Shaw, requested the presence of the Avatar and the Fire Lord as soon as possible and in absolute secrecy.

Zuko absentmindedly ran his fingers through his hair as he reread the letter a few more times. He didn’t have the slightest idea why they wanted to see them after all this time, but he knew he couldn’t skip the meeting.

Fortunately, the assassination attempts on his life and his family's had decreased significantly in recent years, and he finally felt safe leaving his wife and daughter behind, especially since Toph would stay here while they were gone.

Katara was more than capable of defending herself and their daughter if worst came to worst, but it comforted him to know they’d have another friendly face around - especially one who was the world's greatest earthbender, the only known metalbender, and a living lie detector, to boot.

~*~*~

It still felt strange sometimes to say he had a daughter. Izumi was some months shy of two years old now, toddling along and babbling away in that adorable baby gibberish that he found absolutely endearing.

Before her birth, he couldn’t imagine what being a father, much less a caring one, would even be like. But the moment he held her in his arms for the first time and saw her round golden eyes staring up at him in wonder, he couldn’t envision life without her anymore.

When her first words had been "dada," the Fire Lord wasn't ashamed to say he cried a few happy tears, hugging both his daughter and Katara to him. He learned later that his wife had been teaching her in private, while at the same time he'd been trying to teach Izumi how to say "mama."

"If we have another, you get to be their first word," he'd said, giving her a kiss, which she'd wholeheartedly endorsed. 

He'd had his doubts of course from the moment he learned Katara was pregnant with her, but he quickly discovered that fatherhood suited him. He absolutely adored his daughter and doted on her every chance he got, spoiling her as rotten as his wife would let him.

Katara would tease him constantly that Izumi had him completely wrapped around her little finger.

"I bet if she called you Sifu Hotman you'd eat it up," she said one afternoon when they'd managed to step away for a brief nap, and he'd just grinned.

"Maybe so," he'd conceded. "But can you blame me?"

"I suppose not," she said with a smile as she curled up next to him on their bed. "We did make a very cute baby."

Izumi dozed off on his chest and her mother followed soon after, her head resting on his shoulder.

But he stayed awake, one arm wrapped around his wife and the other hand resting on his daughter's back to keep her in place, and Fire Lord Zuko had never felt so peaceful and content before in his life.

~*~*~

In the present, he glanced down at his sleeping wife curled up next to him and smiled, lightly brushing a strand of hair away from her face. Despite his careful attempts, she stirred and her eyes fluttered open anyways.

“Sorry," he whispered, his mouth twitching. "Didn’t mean to wake you."

She just smiled and brought his hand to her lips for a quick kiss.

“S’kay,” she mumbled sleepily, vaguely gesturing to the letter in his other hand. “What’s that?”

He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

“It’s from Aang,” he said softly. “Some very old friends of ours have summoned him and I to visit.”

He stood up and locked the letter in their safe before crawling back into bed with her, pulling the sheets up around their shoulders.

She frowned slightly as he settled in beside her.

“Which friends?”

“Remember the ones we met on our field trip when we learned about firebending?”

He and Aang had kept their word to the Sun Warriors and still hadn't revealed to anyone what they saw the day they learned about the true source of firebending. All they told the others was that they met a pair of firebending masters but declined to explain just who or what they were.

“Hmmm,” she nodded, closing her eyes and snuggling up against him. “How long will you be gone?”  

“The letter says probably a month or so, whenever Aang gets here.”

Her eyes fluttered open again and she looked sad.

“I know, I know,” he said apologetically. “I’ve never been away from either of you that long since before Izumi was born. I don't know what it's about, but I can’t miss this.”

She nodded and pulled him closer.

"I guess I'll let you go," she teased, yawning. "But only because this is really, really important."

 She fell asleep again soon after and he followed, his arms wrapped around her, keeping her warm and protected.

~*~*~

At some point in the night Izumi woke them up crying from the next room over, and he rolled out of bed before his wife.

"I've got her," he mumbled as she fell back against the mattress. "Get some rest, sweetheart."

Zuko trudged down the hidden passage that connected the two rooms and carefully scooped their daughter up.

While she didn't stop crying completely, she settled down a little once she felt his warm arms around her.

He raised his body temperature just enough, and she snuggled up against him contentedly, her cries fading away to babbling.

"That's my girl," he murmured encouragingly. "My brave little princess."

He carried her over to the window, and she quieted completely when she saw the blue moonlight shining down around them.

"You're so much like your mom," he whispered, kissing her forehead as he cradled her. "Love you, Izumi."

She just blinked up at him before she eventually dozed off, a lock of his long black hair tangled up in her tiny fist, but he didn't return her to her crib just yet.

Instead he held her for a while longer, smiling down at his daughter as she slept safe and sound in his arms.

~*~*~

Five years and several months ago, a young, unsure Avatar and a self-exiled Fire Prince bickered as they waited to meet the Firebending Masters, with the younger of the two quickly losing his flame and accidentally snuffing out the other's.

In the present, however, Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko both confidently held remnants from the first fire in the palms of their hands as Ran and Shaw circled around them.

The two friends exchanged a nod before they performed a familiar series of moves while maintaining careful control over the flames they carried.

Then as the two colossal dragons came to a stop on either side of them, they bowed before the masters in reverence. 

The first time they faced their judgement, they had been terrified teens with wide eyes and racing heartbeats. Now they stood calmly, locking eyes with Ran and Shaw as they awaited their sentence.

Just as before, Aang and Zuko watched in awe as the multicolored fire completely surrounded them as it swirled skywards. After they were deemed worthy once more, they descended the stairs again.

"I'm surprised you still know how to perform the Dancing Dragon," Aang said, elbowing his friend with a grin. "I noticed you added a little flair to some of the moves, too!"

Zuko rolled his eyes but grinned as well.

"I'm just glad we didn't get trapped by that slime again when we arrived," he said. "And at least you could carry your own flame this time." 

They both shared a chuckle.

Once they reached the bottom, they bowed again to the chief, who unnecessarily announced that the masters had judged their hearts and their actions over the last five years and were pleased by what they saw.

The friends smiled at each other before looking back at the Sun Warriors.

"There is another reason you both were called here," the chief explained, gesturing to a group standing nearby.

Avatar and Fire Lord exchanged slightly confused glances when the warriors presented them with the golden sunstone. They noticed Ham Ghao still eyed them warily but seemed slightly less put out than last time.

Zuko was surprised when they handed it directly to him.

"Do you remember this, Lord Zuko?" the chief asked him, and he nodded his head. "When you both visited before, you were the first to pick up the sunstone. At the time, did you notice anything unusual about it?"

Zuko mused over this for a moment.

"It was almost like it called to me," he said while carefully shifting it around in his grip. "Also I thought it almost felt alive, but now it feels even more so. Why is that?"

Then both his and the Avatar's eyes widened when they learned exactly what was inside of the sunstone, and fortunately he didn't drop it in surprise.

~*~*~

Two months later, they departed from the ancient city with one more traveler in tow.

They'd sent messages back to the palace to assure Katara and Toph that all was well, they had just been detained but everything would make sense upon their return.

Aang glanced back from guiding Appa and grinned as Zuko sat nearby in the saddle, carefully feeding chunks of meat to the small red dragon now draped across his shoulders.

"Have you thought of a name yet?" he called out, and his friend shook his head.

"I have a few options in mind, but I'm still deciding," he replied, smiling as his cat-sized companion exhaled a few small flames, searing the food before he gobbled it down.

Once he had eaten his fill, he curled up in Zuko's lap and dozed off.

When he picked up the sunstone all those years ago, the infant dragon within immediately imprinted on him, and the two had been inseparable from the moment he hatched a little over a month ago.

"No one's going to believe this," Zuko said softly, scratching the scales behind the horns, which he seemed to enjoy based on the happy dragon-y sounds he made.

He especially couldn't wait to see the look on Katara's face when she met the newest member of their family.

~*~*~

When they landed in the palace courtyard, Zuko's eyes scanned the crowd for a trace of blue but saw none. He did however see Toph standing at the front to greet them, balancing Izumi on her hip and Momo perched on her shoulder.

They didn’t look somber or distraught, so at least nothing bad had happened to his wife. Still, he frowned lightly as he descended from Appa.

It wasn't like her to not greet him after he'd been away, and vice versa.

“Where’s Katara?” he asked Toph quietly as he took Izumi into his arms.

His daughter's face lit up when she recognized him, and he hugged her tightly as she called out "dada" over and over.

Toph, however, was too busy embracing her fiancé to answer him right away. When she did so, she was nonchalant, waving her hand in his general direction.

“She’s fine, Father Lord. Give me a minute.”

Fortunately Zuko was distracted by Izumi tugging at his hair and babbling away happily at seeing her father again. He smiled at her and kissed her round cheeks, and his heart melted as she cooed.

An advisor sidled up and filled him in on all that they'd missed over the last couple of months, which fortunately wasn't anything consequential. Besides the usual squabbles amongst the nobles, all had remained relatively peaceful in his absence.

Once Toph had reunited with Aang to her heart’s content, she turned to face Zuko.

“Sugar Queen’s been a little under the weather lately, so she wanted to reunite with you in private the moment you got back. She’s waiting for you in the gardens.”

The Fire Lord nodded and exchanged a look with Aang. He understood immediately and took charge of Izumi while Zuko climbed back in the saddle.

Aang had been trying hard to teach her how to say "flameo," much to her father's displeasure, and he tried again a few times for good measure but to no avail. Then he leaned over to Toph and asked in a low voice what was wrong with the Fire Lady.

Zuko was too distracted trying to coax his newest companion to wake up from a pile of blankets to hear that exchange. He also missed the furtive conspiratorial smirks from the crowd, as well as Aang’s wide-eyed reaction when Toph whispered in his ear just why Katara was absent from this reunion.

Finally his head popped up over the side of the saddle and called everyone to attention.

“Before I go see my wife, there’s someone I’d like for you all to meet... but please don’t yell or make loud noises, because you might scare him.”

Toph tilted her head in confusion when she heard gasps from the crowd a few moments later. Then Zuko carefully descended from Appa once more, and at last she understood what all the commotion was about once his feet touched the tiles.

Her jaw dropped.

“Is that a-?” she asked, then she heard the tiny growl and knew her feet weren’t playing tricks on her.

“Everyone,” he said with a wide grin as the dragon perched on the crook of his outstretched arm, spreading his wings proudly, “I’d like for you all to meet Druk.”

~*~*~

Druk seemed far less impressed with his audience than they were of him. He blinked his red eyes and yawned, exhaling small wisps of smoke in the process.

Everyone present in the crowd made sounds of wonderment and all began whispering in astonishment amongst themselves. No dragons had been seen since the days of Fire Lord Sozin - where did their leader and the Avatar even find one?

Zuko cautiously approached Izumi, who had squirmed out of Aang’s arms down to the tiles below and was gazing up at them curiously.

The firebending masters had assured him that Druk could sense who his family and friends were and wouldn’t harm them, but he still worried that his daughter would be scared.

It never hurt to be too careful, either, especially where his baby girl was concerned. He knelt down in front of her.

The dragon remained on his arm staring down at her, as she stared back up with those round eyes so much like her mother's but golden like her father's.

“Izumi, say hi to Druk,” Zuko said softly. “It's okay, he won't hurt you. He’s part of our family now.”

She considered them both in silence before fearlessly stretching out her little hand to pet him.

"That’s my girl," he whispered with a swell of pride.

Druk nuzzled against her palm and licked it, and Zuko could have sworn the dragon even purred.

“Druhh?” she asked, and he grinned down at his daughter.

“That’s right,” he said with utmost seriousness even though he was beaming, and he scooped her up. “Let’s go see your mommy.”

Someone in the crowd spoke out as he started to walk away.

"Excuse me, Lord Zuko, will you tell us where you found this magnificent creature?"

The Fire Lord grinned and tilted his head in Aang's direction.

"I believe the Avatar should be able to answer your questions," he said cheerfully, winking at his friend's mildly annoyed look in response. "I'll be back shortly. I have to introduce Druk to the rest of the family."

With his daughter in his arms babbling away and petting at the dragon now draped across his shoulders, the Fire Lord set off for the gardens to reunite with his wife.

Once he was gone, Aang was inundated with questions, but he was grinning, too.

After hearing the news from Toph, he had a feeling Zuko wouldn't be making a speedy return when he saw Katara's current state.

~*~*~

Much to Zuko's amusement, various members of the palace stopped dead in their tracks when they saw what accompanied him and his daughter.

Their eyes grew as round as saucer plates, and he could have sworn he heard something break after it was dropped in shock. Not that he cared too much, mind you.

He was too busy nodding along seriously as she chattered on in baby-talk.

"Is that so, Izumi? Oh wow, you don't say... ow, please don't pull on my hair..." he said softly, wincing as she continued to tug.

She was in the hair-pulling phase that Katara was adamantly trying to curb, which was hindered somewhat by her father's coddling.

When they reached the doorway to the garden, he spotted his wife reading near the pond with her back to them, and he smiled.

He had wanted to surprise her earlier, and this would be even better than his original plan. He waited until they were closer before he spoke, using the husky voice he knew she loved.

“Hi, sweetheart.”

She whipped her head around, her face glowing in happiness. Then she saw Druk perched on her husband’s shoulder and nuzzling up with Izumi, and her jaw dropped.

“Is that a dragon?" she sputtered.

His smirk was short-lived though, as his jaw also dropped when she stood up and turned to face him.

He understood immediately why she'd opted for a private reunion when he saw her hands resting on her slightly rounded stomach.

“Are you pregnant?!”

~*~*~

Zuko hugged his wife as he kissed all over her face, which was no easy feat considering he still held Izumi balanced on his hip and Druk on his shoulder, who was now sniffing Katara curiously.

“When did you find out?” he whispered when he could talk again without tearing up.

Her eyes shone up at him happily, and she took their daughter in her arms.

“Right after you and Aang left,” she said softly. “Toph was actually the one who figured it out before I even started having morning sickness.”

He knelt down, gently hugging around her waist and kissing her stomach before resting his cheek against it. He knew it was far too early for kicking, but a proud father could dream, right?

“So that puts you at...?”

“Just shy of four months. Want to know what we’re having?”

He looked up at her in astonishment as Druk sniffed and nuzzled against her stomach, sensing his master's offspring within.

“Toph can tell already?”

“Well she is the world’s greatest earthbender.”

He made a sound of agreement and stood up again.

“Boy or girl?” he asked.

Zuko would have been content with either, to be honest, although he suddenly realized he was hoping for a son this time. Katara seemed a little nervous to answer, and he tilted his head at her quizzically.

“Actually, she thinks we’re having both.”

His eyes widened and his jaw dropped for the second time that day.

“Twins?!"

She nodded, grinning.

“Twins. As in, twins.”

Katara giggled.

“Yes, twins. A boy and a girl, according to her.”

She set Izumi down, and Druk hopped down from his shoulders as well to investigate the gardens.

The turtleducks quacked in fear at the sudden appearance of the dragon and scampered away to the far side of the yard. Fortunately he'd been fed not long before, and Druk just ignored them for the time being.

Zuko sank down in the grass beside the pond, stunned. His wife giggled again and settled down beside him, leaning her head against his shoulder.

“You okay?” she asked, grinning up at him.

He nodded and returned her smile.

“I just need a minute,” he breathed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in for a tender kiss. “I love you, Katara.”

“Love you too, Zuko,” she whispered, snuggling up against him.

They enjoyed a comfortable silence, watching as Izumi sat down in the yard nearby and plucked up fistfuls of grass.

Druk curled beside her, keeping one eye open as she reached out to pat his head and babbled away. Then he sat up and licked her face, and the crown princess giggled as she gave the dragon's neck a hug.

“Sooo...” Katara said after that exchange. “We have a dragon now.”

"Um, surprise?" he said while shrugging, and she grinned.

~*~*~

Druk eventually crawled over to them and stretched out across their laps, and Zuko knew from the look on his wife’s face that she was already smitten.

“What’s his name again, Druk?” she asked. "And seriously, how in the name of Tui, La, and Agni do you have a dragon?"

He smirked and gave her a gentle sideways hug.

It looked like the secret of Ran and Shaw would be revealed with Druk's appearance, but that was Aang's problem now, he mused.

He'd completely forgotten about returning to the courtyard, but he thought his friend and the crowd might forgive him.

It's not every day you introduce your family's new dragon to your wife and find out you're expecting twins, after all.

Katara stroked Druk’s head and neck, and her face lit up when he nuzzled her hand and licked it.

“Is he purring?” she whispered, trying not to squeal in adoration. “Aww, he’s so precious!”

Her husband smiled.

“You know he’s not going to stay this little for long. He’ll be big enough to ride in a few years and in a few decades he’ll be fully grown and enormous.”

She was too busy cooing over him and scratching his scaly belly to pay attention. Then he raised his eyebrow in amusement and mild exasperation as she continued to fawn over Druk for a while longer.

“He’s not a baby, Katara,” he said while trying to sound serious. “He’s a dragon and he’s going to be ferocious and feared by all one day.”

“Of course he will,” she replied in a slightly singsong voice. “He’s our fearsome dragon-baby and he’s such a good boy, yes he is!”

After her first pregnancy he knew better than to suggest his wife’s hormones might be the cause of this sudden sappiness.

Instead, he gave her another kiss as they watched Izumi toddle over to sit beside them, making up gibberish songs about her newest playmate.

~*~*~

Unfortunately the sweet experience was somewhat ruined when Druk decided to chase and chow down on a poor turtleduck about ten minutes later.

Fortunately, though, Izumi's parents realized what was about to happen and they were able to shield her eyes and cover her ears just in time.

"I promise I fed him just before we arrived," he said apologetically in response to his wife's slightly disapproving look.

She shook her head and scooped up their daughter to head back indoors while shielding her from the carnage.

Once Druk had finished, he smugly licked his claws and allowed himself to be picked up and perched on Zuko's shoulder.

The Fire Lord gestured to a few nearby servants to clean up the mess, and they nodded, looking more than a bit queasy.

He also discovered his wife and daughter waiting for them just around the corner, just out of eyesight of the garden.

"I'll figure something out so he doesn't traumatize our daughter or anyone else with his eating habits," he promised as they walked through the corridors to reunite with Aang and Toph.

"You better," she scolded lightly, although she was hiding a smirk. "I rather liked that poor turtleduck."

"I think Druk did, too," he said before he could help himself, earning him a groan and a playful nudge from his wife as she tried not to give him the satisfaction of laughing.

She sighed and shook her head.

"We have a dragon now, Zuko."

“And a toddler, plus twins on the way," he added, suddenly feeling tired, albeit in a good way. "Not saying things were quiet before, but we're really about to have our hands full.”

"This should be interesting, to say the least," she said, smiling over at her husband, "and there's no one else I'd rather have by my side for it all, either."

He paused and carefully pulled her in for a kiss, somehow maneuvering around their toddler in her arms, the light swell of her stomach, and the dragon fidgeting on his shoulders.

"Same here," he whispered, giving her a wink before their little family set off down the hallways again.

Chapter Text

Fifteen years after a Fire Lord wed a master waterbender, the royal siblings were engaged in an important discussion on one side of their family’s beach house courtyard.

“Come on, we can take them!” Princess Kya whispered to her older sister and twin brother, looking across at their cousins, who were also deep in discussion.

Crown Princess Izumi rolled her eyes.

“I can’t believe I let you two drag me into this game,” she bemoaned.

Prince Hanzo elbowed his big sister.

“We need your brains for this operation if we’re going to beat them!” he insisted. “If we were using our bending, I could beat them and so could Kya, but even so, we’d still need a leader.”

Kya had inherited her mother’s ability to waterbend and Hanzo was already proving to be a gifted firebender.

Izumi had not acquired either of her parents’ bending capabilities, but she had already developed quite the authoritative demeanor, proving she was capable of leading her siblings in both games and getting into constant trouble with their parents.

She’d also inherited her father’s swordsmanship skills and was coming along nicely with her training. Normally she’d be practicing with her broadswords right now if it weren’t for the big summer beach house reunion with their Uncle Sokka and Aunt Suki.

At any minute, Avatar Aang and his wife Toph Beifong would also fly in to visit, along with their children Bumi, Lin, Tenzin, and Suyin.

Izumi caught sight of the adults watching from the steps, looking entertained. Her youngest brother Shunsui was dozing off, resting his head in their mother’s lap. She sighed and put her hands on her hips.

“Okay, here’s what we do…” she started.

~*~*~

Meanwhile, the Fire Lord and the Southern Water Tribe’s most formidable warrior were also engaged in an equally important discussion.

“You’re crazy!” Zuko said in a low voice to his brother-in-law. “Even if my kids don’t use their bending, they could still beat their cousins.”

Sokka lightly punched his friend’s arm. Hitting a member of royalty even in jest was normally frowned upon, but Zuko didn’t care.

“Not a chance,” he chuckled. “Kyoshi and Kuruk have two of the deadliest warriors in the world as their parents. Your kids are going down!”

The Fire Lady and leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, who were sitting on the steps in front of their respective spouses, looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

“I can't believe our husbands are actually pitting our children against each other,” Katara groaned as she stroked her youngest son’s hair.

Suki turned and gently swatted at her husband’s arm, causing him to yelp in surprise.

“Sokka, quit trying to bet on our children against your nephews and nieces,” she scolded.

He wore a wounded look and gestured to Zuko, saying he wasn't the only guilty party, and the Fire Lord promptly received a raised eyebrow from his wife.

Both men had the grace to blush, but that soon turned to a victory whoop from Sokka as Kuruk made the first goal against his cousins.

“Score one for the Water Tribe!” Sokka smirked, earning a lighthearted glare from his brother-in-law. He elbowed Zuko and said cheekily, “Oh, that’s rough, buddy.”

Katara also cheered softly, receiving a look of mock betrayal from her husband.

“What can I say?” she giggled, high fiving her brother.

The siblings fanned their arms out in complete seriousness.

“Water Tribe,” they whispered simultaneously.

Zuko pretended to be annoyed but couldn’t stop his smile. Katara leaned back in her husband’s arms, enjoying the warmth of his embrace, and he kissed the top of her head.

Despite his silent vow all those years ago on that very courtyard during his first dance with Katara, Zuko hadn’t even suggested naming their first daughter in Toph’s honor.

He had, however, taken to calling the loudest, most obnoxious turtleduck in their garden back home after her, which gave Katara a giggle every time she sat by the pond.

Toph still didn’t know she had a namesake, much less one that quacked entirely too loudly early in the morning. If she had, though, Zuko thought she still might be pleased.

~*~*~

“Can you believe it’s been 16 years since that summer we first stayed here?” Suki asked, who’d also settled back contentedly into her husband’s arms.

Katara nodded and smiled.

“I’m just glad you and Toph decided to be sneaky and set up that dance party,” she said with a mischievous wink up at her husband.

“Don’t forget who was in charge of decorating!” Sokka pointed out. “If it wasn’t for my artistic vision, you two might have never gotten together.”

Zuko exchanged a glance with his wife, and the two smirked.

“Honestly, it’s a miracle we did," he deadpanned. "That artwork was horrible enough to scare anyone away from falling in love."

Katara and Suki snickered as Sokka indigently waved his finger around and defended his so-called masterpieces. Zuko just drowned him out and smiled down once again at his wife nestled in his arms. She sensed his gaze and tilted her head back, winking at him again.

Later that night they were scheduled to meet up with Lady Ursa, along with her husband Noren and Zuko’s half-sister Kiyi at the newest production by the Ember Island Players called “The Dragon Lord and Phoenix Lady: How Love Conquered All,” or something equally as ridiculous.

(None of them could actually remember the title correctly, not like it mattered.)

Ursa had already seen it once and warned them that the Players’ re-enactment of Zuko taking the lightning strike for Katara, as well as their declaration of love afterwards, included some of the sappiest acting and monologues she’d ever seen.

Neither the Fire Lord or Lady were particularly looking forward to watching it, but their children had pleaded up at them with big shiny eyes, and they’d finally relented.

Even if they’d said no, they knew Sokka would somehow push them all into going, so Zuko made sure they were stocked up on whiskey beforehand to help him forget the horrors of what he'd soon witness.

~*~*~

Suddenly, Kya stopped playing and looked up at the skies overhead.

"Mom, I think it's about to rain," she called out.

Shunsui had woken up from his nap and looked skyward with his mother, who grinned. He wasn't quite old enough yet to bend, but both his parents thought he'd be a waterbender as well.

"I think you're right, sweetie," Katara replied with a thrill in her voice.

Sokka shrugged his shoulders.

"It might, but there aren't that many clouds-"

Before he could finish speaking, the heavens opened up while the sun shone between. Sokka just rolled his eyes and didn't even try to finish that thought.

The kids immediately forgot their game and instead started splashing each other in the sparkling rain.

Kya managed to bend a small arc of water above her head proudly. She still had a long way to go before she was anywhere near her mother’s level, but she was slowly making progress.

"Hey Aunt Katara, please make the rainbows!" Kyoshi pleaded as her brother and cousins quickly chorused in agreement.

Katara smiled and passed Shunsui off to her husband with a kiss. She walked out into the rain and her blue dress quickly became soaked, but she paid it no attention, gracefully waving her arms outward.

Overhead, the water formed a pocket around them and flowed like a waterfall down the sides. The kids oohed and ahhed as the sunlight cast shimmering rainbows from the water above and sparkling in midair around them.

Zuko stood up and carried Shunsui out into the courtyard with the others and pointed to the thousands of raindrops illuminated by sunlight.

"See how beautiful that is?" he asked his son softly. "The first time I saw your mom do that was when I realized I was in love with her."

Hanzo, who was standing close enough to hear, rolled his eyes. He still had a few more years to go before he'd stop thinking girls were weird.

"Gross," he muttered, carefully holding up a tiny flame under a water droplet and creating even more rainbows.

Katara had heard as well, and she beamed over towards her smiling husband.

~*~*~

Soon after the rain ended, they heard the unmistakable sound of Appa flying overhead and saw him landing nearby, his passengers waving at them excitedly.

Shunsui wiggled out of his father’s arms and toddled after the rest of the children as they ran out of the courtyard to greet the Avatar and his family. Sokka and Suki followed right behind, wondering aloud if the airbender's arrival had something to do with the sun shower earlier.

"I'm just saying," Sokka pondered, "it usually takes wind to bring the two elements together, and he could have easily sent a huge gust of air to blow the rain over here into the sunlight."

Before they left the courtyard, however, Katara held her husband back for just a moment to kiss his cheek.

“Later tonight when everyone is asleep, want to get out of here and go spend a few hours down by the shore?” she whispered in his ear with a hint of a smirk. "Make sure you bring the blanket."

He just chuckled and pulled her into a tight embrace, kissing her deeply.

~*~*~

After they landed, Toph looked outright astonished when she hugged Katara, but the Fire Lady whispered in her ear to keep quiet for now.

The earthbending master nodded and gave the Fire Lord an extra affectionate punch in the arm a few minutes later.

“You two have been busy since the last time we visited, haven’t you?” she teased under her breath.

Zuko just grinned and shrugged his shoulders.

“What can I say, Toph?” he chuckled. “Give my wife a full moon, and she’s insatiable.”

Toph grimaced.

“Too much information,” she announced and moved on to greet Sokka and Suki.

Aang looked after his wife in confusion, then at Zuko, who just shook his head with a smile.

“Tell you later,” he said, and the Avatar nodded, no less confused.

~*~*~

The next morning, after sitting through the sappiest production any of them had ever seen the night before, Kiyi and Izumi kept an eye on the kids playing in the courtyard while the adults met inside.

Katara grinned at her husband, who looked just as excited as she was.

“Okay, everyone, we’ve got some wonderful news to share, but we’d rather wait a few more months before we tell the kids and announce it to the rest of the world,” he said a bit breathlessly, squeezing his wife’s hand. “Katara and I are excited to-”

“I’m pregnant!” she squealed, unable to hold it in any longer.

Zuko just grinned at the interruption though, and the royal couple immediately found themselves surrounded by family and friends, who hugged them and shouted their congratulations. Toph, however, hung back with a devious smirk.

“I’m so happy for you both!” Ursa laughed, pulling her son and daughter-in-law in for a long hug. “How far along are you?”

“Only a couple of months,” Katara said. “But this time has definitely been a bit rougher.”

She’d also had a rough first trimester when she’d been pregnant with the twins, but she didn’t say so out loud. She didn’t want to get Zuko’s hopes up in case she was wrong. Katara nodded to her husband, who turned to Toph.

“Can you tell yet if it’s a boy or a girl?” he asked, suddenly nervous.

He would have been happy with either, truth be told, although he was hoping for a daughter and Katara for a son. The earthbender shooed everyone away from Katara and rested her hand on her belly for several minutes.

“Well?” Zuko said somewhat impatiently after a long silence. “What is it? What's your answer?”

Toph just smirked.

“Have you picked out any names yet?” she asked, and the rest of them looked slightly confused.

Aang rolled his eyes.

“Come on sweetie, just tell us,” he urged, but she shook her head.

Pregnancy hormones made Katara almost as impatient as her husband, and she huffed.

“I’ll tell you in a minute, Sugar Queen,” Toph said. “But first, run some names by me and I’ll tell you if they’ll fit.”

Both the Fire Lord and Lady also rolled their eyes but complied.

“If it’s a boy, we were thinking either Lu Ten, Seisui, or Mihiro…” Katara said.

“And if it’s a girl either Ayuko, Hinami, or Amaha,” Zuko finished, frowning slightly.  

Toph just moved her hand on Katara’s stomach to another position.

“I just wanted to be sure,” she said slowly, “and I think I’ve figured it out. You may want to sit down for this.”

Katara took a seat, but Zuko stood behind her.

“I’m fine,” he said stubbornly. “Well?”

Toph raised her eyebrow.

"You sure about that?"

"Toph," he said, sounding almost as impatient as he'd been in his youth. "Just tell us."

The earthbender shrugged. Well, if he insisted...

“I like all of those names,” she said, beaming in her friends' general direction. “Luckily, you get to use a few of them - three, to be more specific. Congratulations, you’re having trip-”

But then she had to direct Sokka, Aang, and Noren to catch the Fire Lord just in time, who had passed out most ungracefully.

~*~*~

When Zuko came to a few minutes later, he found himself sitting on the couch, with his best friend on one side bending streams of air to his face and his brother-in-law propping him up on the other, while his stepfather patted his shoulder reassuringly.

His wife had pulled up a chair and was sitting in front of him, calling his name in mild concern, while his mother and Suki stood on either side of her, looking slightly worried. But Toph was cackling away wildly in the corner.

“I am never letting you live this down!” she gasped out once she realized he was awake again. “I told you that you probably wanted to sit-”

“Shut up,” he growled.

He still felt a bit lightheaded as he stood up cautiously, running his hand through his hair.

“Do you remember what happened?” Katara asked softly as she stood with him, looking somewhat nervous.   

Then it all came back to him, and his face broke out into a radiant smile.

“We’re having triplets?” he asked, and his heart nearly burst when his wife returned his smile and nodded.

He swept her up in a hug and gave her a quick kiss when she squealed in surprise. They turned to Toph, who had finally settled down and was smiling in happiness for her friends.

“So, are you ready to find out what you’re having, or are you going to fall out again, Father Lord Zuko?” she asked.

He groaned as the others laughed.

“I almost preferred Sifu Hotman,” he grumbled, although he couldn’t stop the smile tugging at his lips. “Alright, tell us.”

~*~*~

Several months later, the Fire Lord and his Lady happily welcomed the newest additions to their family, Prince Lu Ten, Princess Ayuko, and Prince Mihiro. After the birth of their seventh child, the royal couple decided they were officially finished.

Izumi grew into a wise and benevolent leader under her parents’ guidance, and along with her youngest brother Mihiro, the two nonbenders also became known for their aptitude with broadswords, much like their father.

Hanzo also inherited his father and uncle's talent with blades, although he preferred firebending along with Lu Ten and Ayuko.

Kya and Shunsui, the only waterbenders amongst their siblings, were also beloved by the Fire Nation, and once they were old enough became the official ambassadors for the Southern Water Tribe.

Under their rule, the Fire Nation gradually started to heal along with the rest of the world as they ushered in a new era of peace and love.

Chapter Text

EPILOGUE

~*~*~

The Fire Lord sat back on a slightly tattered, familiar blanket on the Ember Island beach, watching as flames from the nearby campfire flickered upwards into the night sky.

His wife sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulder, and he draped an arm around her back as he'd done countless times before.

Many, many years had passed since the first night they spent together laughing and talking around a campfire not that different from this one. Their hair was decidedly grayer now, their faces carried far more wrinkles, and their joints ached much more frequently.

Zuko hugged his wife closer to him and kissed the top of her head.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" he asked, unsurprised when she looked up at him with a hint of tears in her eyes.

Katara nodded and sighed.

"I'm fine," she said sadly. "As fine as can be expected, anyways. We both knew this would happen ever since the day we met him, and I thought I came to terms with it four years ago. It's just hitting me all at once now."

He kissed the top of her head again and wrapped both arms around her, and she slipped both of hers around him.

"Aang was one of your best friends," he murmured. "Of course it's going to be tough, and no one will blame you if you decide you don't want to go through with it."

"He was one of your best friends, too," she insisted. "Yet you didn't hesitate when you heard the news. You immediately volunteered to be her first firebending teacher."

Zuko smiled. He and his wife had enjoyed a long, successful reign, but he knew it was nearly time to bow out. Crown Princess Izumi was already shaping up to be a capable ruler and successor, and the Fire Lord and Lady couldn't be prouder of their eldest daughter.

He and Katara agreed that this trip would give their daughter the opportunity to prove herself, and with most of her siblings still residing in the capital, she'd have plenty of support during the few months they'd be gone.

Besides, they hadn't seen Shunsui or Kya and their families in a while, and several years had passed since their last visit to the Southern Water Tribe. 

"I just thought it was long overdue for Sifu Hotman to make a reappearance," Zuko said lightly.

As he expected, his wife giggled, forgetting her heartache for just a moment, and his heart fluttered as it did every time she laughed.

"If nothing else," he continued, kissing her cheek, "I didn't want a toddler to lose control and burn down the South Pole by accident."

"That would be most unfortunate," she agreed. "But Zuko, you know she's not Aang. She's her own person, and I've heard she's a handful already."

He just shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not expecting her to be just like him," he said. "Besides, we survived raising seven beautiful but rambunctious children, and we've helped out with a few grandchildren as well. How difficult can training one more child be?"

She looked up at him and raised her eyebrows.

"You heard what happened when the Order of the White Lotus met her, right?" Katara asked. "Apparently she knocked down a wall, bended three elements, and proclaimed that she was the Avatar and they had to deal with it."

"So she sounds like the triplets back when they were her age. I don't think she'll be that much of a headache."

His wife was much less optimistic.

"I may quote you on that," she said grinning up at him. "We're not as young as we once were."

"You probably will," he chuckled. "We're in our seventies, Katara, but we're not that ancient."

"Speak for yourself, old man," she teased.

Then she squealed when he reached down and squeezed her bottom.

"Sounds like this old man can still make you scream," he retorted smugly, stretching back out on the blanket, and she laughed, nodding.

Katara leaned over and gave her husband a long kiss, brushing a stray lock of gray hair back from his face.

"Love you," she whispered.

"Love you too, sweetheart," he replied, winking up at her.

She curled up next to him, resting her head against his shoulder once more, and they enjoyed a comfortable silence for some time before she spoke again.

"I think I should be her very first waterbending teacher after all," she murmured. "It seems wrong for me not to be involved in some way."

He looked down at his wife sympathetically.

"I think he'd be happy, sweetheart, but you don't have to do anything you don't want to."

She shook her head.

"No, I want to... I owe it to him as a friend, at least."

Zuko gave his wife another hug and a kiss, squeezing her a bit tighter when he felt his shoulder become damp. He murmured words of encouragement and kissed her forehead until the tears dried.

~*~*~

Once she'd composed herself again, Katara wondered aloud who might serve as the new Avatar's earthbending teacher.

"I can't see Toph wanting to train her," he said. "I know she'll want to meet her at some point, but that might still be too painful. Have you heard from her or their kids lately?"

"I have, I've been in contact with Lin," she replied. "They're doing as well as can be expected, and I heard Tenzin will teach her airbending. Perhaps either she or Suyin might want to be her earthbending teacher."

She paused.

"I know Toph has had a difficult time these last four years, and I do want to visit her again before we go, Zuko."

He nodded in agreement.

They stayed out there just a bit longer, watching the stars dance across the night sky as waves crashed in the distance. After they stood up, Katara led Zuko out to the shoreline some distance from the beach house.

"I think this was the spot," she said, "or maybe it was a little more to the left..."

But her husband just smiled and took her in his arms.

"Right here is perfect," he whispered as he kissed her beside the ocean under the moonlight, just like he had for the first time many, many nights ago.

~*~*~

Several months later, Avatar Korra tilted her head in fascination as she looked up at the older-looking man and woman standing before her in red and blue.

Her parents explained that they had been best friends with her in her past life, which she still had a little trouble wrapping her head around. They seemed nice enough, as long as they didn't call her "Twinkletoes" like that other old lady had when she visited.

Apparently, that had been Aang's wife, and even though she'd been gruff and told Korra to always keep her knees high, she thought the woman in green and yellow seemed pleased but sad when she met her, just like these two were.

"This is who we told you all about," Senna explained to her daughter. "This is Fire Lord Zuko and his wife, Lady Katara."

Both of them knelt to be on her level.

"It's so good to finally meet you," he said, and his wife nodded.

Korra found herself fascinated by the shining crowns in their topknots. His looked like a golden flame, but hers was silver and looked like a bird with blue gems.

She knew it was rude to point, but she did so anyways and asked why their crowns were different. They smiled at each other.

"That's because I was born here, just like you," Katara explained. "When I grew up, I moved away and fell in love with a dragon."

Zuko nodded happily.

"You see, she's not just my wife," he added. "She also saved me and brought me back from death once, just like a phoenix. That's why her crown looks like one."

Korra gaped at him.

"You died?" she asked, and he chuckled.

"Something like that... when you're older, we'll tell you the full story," he said, and his wife nodded. 

She then gestured for Korra to come closer, like she had a secret to tell her.

"Remember how I said I was born here?" she said mysteriously. "I've got something very important to ask you." 

Korra nodded and leaned forward, intrigued.

"Have you ever been penguin sledding before?" Katara asked, and a few happy tears escaped the corners of her eyes when she recognized the look of excitement on the girl's face.

"I love penguin sledding!" she shouted. "Mom, Dad, can we go right now?"

But her parents shushed her and told her that would have to wait until tomorrow.

"You know, that's the first thing Aang ever said to me," Katara said with a wistful smile. "Right after we met, he took me penguin sledding. I think that's the best way to meet new friends, don't you?"

Korra nodded happily. She liked them, she decided.

"So you two were his best friends?" she asked.

They both nodded, smiling wistfully.

Korra considered this for a few moments.

"I guess that makes us best friends, too!" she declared with an all-too-familiar lopsided grin.

The adults chuckled, and then Korra saw one of her new friends was now crying. Her husband wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a light squeeze and a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked her in concern, reaching out to pat her arm.

Katara nodded and smiled through her tears.

"I am," she said softly. "I'm just so happy to see you again."

Then she giggled slightly.

"By the way, whenever my husband here starts teaching you the basics of firebending, you should call him Sifu Hotman," she said with wink.

Korra was unimpressed.

"That's a dumb name," she announced, and he nodded.

"You know, I completely agree," Zuko said with utmost seriousness.

~*~*~

Later that night, she listened in on them talking with her parents, even though she was supposed to be asleep.

They discussed things she didn't quite understand, something about an Avatar State and how she had to learn all of the elements in order. Which was dumb, Korra thought, because she already knew most of them.

Apparently they were going to teach her a little bit of bending basics over the next few months so she could control it better. After they left, their son and daughter, who lived nearby with their own families, would take over and teach her everything they could about waterbending.

Once she'd completely mastered her first element, she would wait a few more years to grow up before she learned earthbending, firebending, and finally airbending.

Her new friends were pleasantly surprised when they heard about the visit from the other lady, who'd announced that once Korra was old enough, she looked forward to being her earthbending teacher.

At times, Korra heard them get choked up while sharing stories of her past life and all of the amazing things he'd accomplished. Then they both talked about how proud they were of her already in the short time they'd known her, and how much she reminded them of Aang.

They said she had the exact same smile as him, which Korra found fascinating.

Finally, they left when it was long past her bedtime, and her parents turned in for the evening as well.

But the Avatar laid awake for a long time afterwards before she eventually crawled out of bed and looked out her window, grinning up into the night sky. She knew it would be awhile before she fell asleep tonight.

She was too excited about meeting and learning more from her past life’s best friends, who were now hers, the ones called the Phoenix and the Dragon.