Archive of Our Own

The GAang spends the day getting the house on Ember Island ready to celebrate Christmas. Sokka is the most excited to share the holiday traditions he and Katara do back home at the Southern Water Tribe. “We decorate everything, sing songs and my favorite part, a huge tribal dinner!” Sokka drools remembering those delicious dishes of food.

Zuko, Toph and Suki have similar celebrations plus others, for example, after the family dinner the children would go to sleep and a spirit comes and leaves presents for them under the Christmas tree. Aang never had the opportunity to celebrate the holiday but Kuzon, his Fire Nation friend, told him all about it.

Sokka finds a small tree to cut down and places it by the window before he starts assigning the tasks. “Aang, Suki, you two start decorating the tree with the popcorn, ribbons and ornaments we found in the storage closet. I’ll help after I hang our socks by the fireplace. Toph, hang these pictures on the wall. Katara and Zuko, you two have an important task. Go to the market and get everything on the list for dinner. Don’t forget anything!”

Sokka’s excitement spreads to the everyone as they start working on their tasks. A short while later Toph enthusiastically yells out, “done!” Sokka pauses what he is doing to check out the pictures she hung up, some backwards, some upside down, none straight. His gaze finally lands on Toph waving her hand in front of her face. “Not bad for a blind girl, right?”

“Sure, Toph.” Sokka sighs embarrassed that once again he forgot Toph was blind. Suki giggles, kisses his cheek and whispers that they can fix the pictures together. Once the tree is decorated and pictures hung correctly on the walls, Sokka starts clapping his hands excitedly. “Now, for the most important item on the list, after the food of course, hanging the mistletoe!”

“What is mistletoe?” Suki questions as Sokka picks up a branch with some leaves and white berries on it.

Sokka pulls a chair into the doorway to the kitchen before standing on it to secure the plant above him. “We hang the mistletoe here and whenever two people stand under it, they have to kiss.”

“Kiss?” Aang blushes.

Toph being blunt as always asks, “have to? But what if they don’t want to?”

Shocked that anyone would not follow the rules of mistletoe he explains as he steps down from the chair. “They HAVE to kiss. That’s how it works. Mistletoe, it’s the law!” Sokka demonstrates by grabbing Suki’s hand, pulling her towards him before dipping her to give her a kiss.

Suki can’t help but giggle. “That’s a good law.”

The house is fully decorated by the time Zuko and Katara have returned with the dinner supplies. After putting down all of the bags of their purchases on the kitchen counter, Zuko heads to his room promising Katara that he will return in a little while and help prepare dinner.

Aang hovers by the doorway looking nervous waiting for Katara to come out of the kitchen. He keeps looking up making sure he is standing under the mistletoe. What he didn’t notice was Sokka coming from the other side of the room. “Aang, buddy! You are under the mistletoe. You know what that means.” Aang tries to get away but Sokka, insisting that mistletoe is the law, grabs Aang’s face and gives him a big smack on the cheek. Aang grumbles as he wipes the kiss away but doesn’t leave the doorway.

Finally, Katara makes her way through the doorway. As she was about to pass him, Aang brightens and points above his head. “Katara, look! It’s mistletoe. There’s a law that says you have to kiss.”

Katara stops next to him, looks up and notices the mistletoe hanging above Aang’s head, “A…law?”

“Yes, Sokka explained it to us.”

She laughs since that is how Sokka would describe their tradition. “Ah, I understand. Of course, well, since it is the law…” Katara gently kisses him on the cheek before walking away.

Aang was hoping for more than just a peck on the cheek but before he can think of how to get Katara to come back over for a second chance, Toph walks up. “Hey Twinkle Toes, what’s wrong?”

With a sigh he replies, “Oh, nothing. I was just standing here under the mistletoe…”

Toph interrupts “We’re under the mistletoe?”

“Yeah and…” before he can finish the statement, Toph interrupts. “I guess we need to pucker up then.” Toph grabs Aang’s face and kisses him on the mouth. When they part, they are both blushing. Toph says “Sorry, I mean, um. You know, mistletoe, it’s the law and all.”

“Right, right, yeah.” Aang and Toph move away from the doorway and each other embarrassed.

Later in the day, Katara was back in the kitchen making dinner while Sokka, Suki, Aang and Toph were in the living room singing Christmas songs. Zuko finally comes out of his room, shaking his head when Sokka tried to get him to join in. He makes his way to the kitchen to help Katara prepare dinner when Toph suddenly yells out “Everybody freeze!” They all froze not moving a muscle except to look at Toph wondering what is wrong. However, she doesn’t explain just yet. “Hey Sugar Queen, come here a minute!”

“What is it Toph?” Katara asks stopping when she sees everyone frozen in odd positions when she gets to the doorway. “What’s going on?”

“Well, would you look at that. Sparky and Sugar Queen under the mistletoe. Okay you two, kiss!” An evil laugh comes from deep inside of Toph. That is when everyone realized that Zuko and Katara are now in fact standing under the mistletoe.

Aang starts to pout at that. “What? Noooo.”

“Like Sokka said, ‘Mistletoe, it’s the law’.” Toph reminded everyone. Sokka nodding in agreement.

“Mistletoe? Law?” Zuko is the only one confused about what Toph was talking about since he missed the earlier explanation.

Katara puts her hand on Zuko’s shoulder in order to lean up and kiss his unscarred cheek. Zuko turned his head at her touch causing her to miss his cheek and instead kiss him on the mouth. They freeze for a moment staring into each other’s eyes before Katara closes her eyes, leaning into the kiss.

Once the shock wears off, Zuko can’t help but to return the kiss. He notes the softness of her lips and commits it to memory. The rest of the world around them falls away. They are only aware of each other. They don’t hear the groans from Sokka and Aang, the sighs from Suki and the cheers from Toph.

Zuko wasn’t aware of his hand grabbing Katara’s waist, only felt her body move closer to his. Her other hand comes to rest on his chest, feeling his heart beating fast and strong. She gasps allowing Zuko to slip in his tongue seeking hers. She tastes like strawberries. She must have eaten one or two of the red fruit they bought at the market as part of the dessert. He now knows that every time he tastes a strawberry, he will think of kissing Katara.

It takes too long for Zuko to remember they are not alone. As much as he doesn’t want to, he breaks the kiss. Her eyes slowly blink open, a blush staining her cheeks. Zuko’s eyes glance to her lips as she licks them.

Once she recovers Katara whispers as she slowly pulls away, “Merry Christmas, Zuko.”

Zuko holds her gaze, finding it interesting that there is no regret in her expression. He smiles softly at her whispering back, “Merry Christmas, Katara.”