#I just like drawing sokkas mortified face and then checked out

[bakedbeanchan]

Drawing from a mini comic where the timeline is reset but Zuko still has all his memories

Minicomic here

[gloves94]

Sunburn [Prince Zuko] 35

Warnings: Cursing Rating: PG-13   Pairings: Zuko/OC  

Sunburn Chapter M A S T E R L I S T

My fan fiction M A S T E R L I S T

Presently, Toph, Katara sat on the edge of the beach house’s inner courtyard watching the three firebenders practice their bending skills from the comfort of a refreshing shade.

Tsai had been complaining to everyone about how much she hated Ember Island but when asked why she would just grumble and seethe in her own anger and frankly it was getting on everybody’s nerves. It’s not something she liked to talk about in particular. Of course, this time things were a lot better than the last time she was here. Not wanting to spend another minute inside of the house that brought such terrible memories to her she spent the majority of the day meditating by the beach in an attempt to ease her terrible headache. She presently wore a set of maroon traditional Fire Nation clothes similar to the ones that Suki and Katara wore.

She was currently walking back to the courtyard to sit next to the girls that were watching the boys train.

She watched as the three benders moved in perfect synchronization in elaborate firebending movements. Blasting arcs of flames and fistfuls of fire. She really wished she could’ve been paying more attention to where she was going but was more distracted by a shirtless body. Her eyes were glued to the prince’s toned torso. She looked at the way his perspired body seemed to glisten with the light as he moved swiftly. Had he always been that well-built? She knew he was strong from holding onto his arms so many times before, but his abdominals- Her mind went to an erubescent compartment of her imagination. Why had she never stopped to appreciate the royal sight before?

The three benders straightened and turned towards each other relaxing in their stances letting out a deep breath slowly.

Then it hit her. Literally. She groaned slightly when she ran face-first into one of the courtyard’s pillars making Toph laugh loudly from where she was sitting. She stepped back and glared in embarrassment as she walked over to where Katara and Toph were sitting.

“You’ve got something on your face.” Toph continued laughing.

The girl rubbed the red line that had formed across the bridge of her nose and prayed that hopefully it wouldn’t bruise. “Yeah, I hope it doesn’t bruise.”

“I meant droll.” Toph dead panned. Tsai swore she could’ve strangled her in the spot. Mortified that she had been caught in the act of checking out the Fire Nation’s former prince in such an obvious matter.

"Doesn't it seem kinda weird that we're hiding from the Fire Lord in his own house?" Katara suddenly said absent mindedly. Thankfully Toph seemed to be the only one to have witnessed her embarrassing run in to the pole.

“Think of it as hiding in plain sight. Besides, you think the Fire Lord is going to come and hang out here?” The red head explained raising both of her arms up in a casual shrug.

"Yeah," Zuko agreed from where he was sitting at the foot of a concrete fountain, rubbing the sweat from his hair with a towel. He said something. Tsai was certain she saw his mouth move when he was speaking but she wasn’t listening. Her teenage hormones getting the best of her.

“You guys are not going to believe this!” Thankfully Sokka interrupted her daydream. She shook her head shoving those red thoughts into a cranny in the back of her brain.

Sokka and Suki stood at the entrance of the courtyard both with excited looks on their faces.

"We were just in town when we found this poster." Suki explained with both hands behind her back. She nudged Sokka, "Show them, Sokka."

“There’s a play about us!” Sokka announced unraveling a parchment scroll he had been holding behind his back. He snapped it opened revealing a traditional drawing of Aang and the Southern Water Tribe siblings in fighting stances. Zuko’s face in the background. An image of the Blue Spirit’s mask hovering in between the two parties.

Everybody came in closer to take a look at the poster.

"Listen to this," Sokka said as he turned the poster back around so he could read it capturing everybody’s attention as he began to read out loud. "The Boy in the Iceberg is a new production from acclaimed playwright Pu On Tim who scoured the globe gathering information on the Avatar from the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se. His sources include singing nomads, pirates, prisoners of war, and a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage."

Suki leaned over his shoulder and read the last line, "Brought to you by the critically acclaimed Ember Island Players."

"Ugh..." Zuko groaned and made a disgusted face his shoulder’s dropping, "My mother use to take us to see them. They butchered Love Amongst the Dragons every year."

Tsai couldn’t help but snort a small laugh. She knew that Zuko was a fan of theatre. Go figure. It definitely explained his fanfare for dramatic antics.

"Sokka," Katara sighed in exasperation, giving her brother a bland look as she asked, "Do you really think it's a good idea for us to attend a play about ourselves?"

“Yeah,” Added Tsai crossing her arms over her chest taking a seat next to Zuko at the foot of the fountain. “We shouldn’t be slacking off. We still have plenty of training to do.”

"C'mon!" Sokka whined before looking at the two girls persuasively as he unrolled the parchment again and showed it to the group. "This is the kind of wacky, time-wasting nonsense I've been missing!" He smiled at them with an eager expression on his face. “And it’s until night! So, we’ll have all day to train,” He shot at the red head.

Katara rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and looking away with a baffled expression.

“Yeah, why not?” Mecha asked as he sat next to his sister. He rested an elbow on top of her head with the intention to annoy her. She slouched forward under the weight of his arm. “I’d love to see what trouble ya’ll have gotten into.”

She glared at her brother and pushed his scarred arm off her head.

She let out an exhale in defeat. "Sure, why not? How bad could it be?"

xxx

The theatre house was grand. Composed of golden arches and red roofs and ceilings which were traditional to the area. The theatre was packed, and the group shuffled into the highest and cheapest seats they found at the very top in a small private box.

Toph sat on the edge, next to her Katara, Zuko and Aang.

"Hey, uh..." Aang faltered as he was forced to stand back up. He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to act casual as he said, "I wanted to sit there." He said motioning to the spot next to Katara.

Zuko then lowered his hood and glanced at Aang strangely, "Just sit next to me, what's the big deal?"

Behind sat Suki, Sokka, Tsai and her brother both of them sipping on some Ember Island iced teas.

“I really don’t want to be here. There’s literally 1001 more productive things that we could be doing.” She complained to her brother. “Am I the only one that is aware that Sozin’s Comet isn’t slowing down?”

“Simmer down. You’re acting as if you’rethe Avatar” Sokka said with ease as he slid an arm around Suki’s shoulders. “At least one of us is!” She spoke sharply bitterly the edge of her eye twitching in frustration as she glared at Aang who didn’t hear her snarky remark. “You’ll have tomorrow to train and do your sun greeting meditations or whatever it is you do.” Sokka waved his hand indifferent to her attitude.

“Relax,” Mecha said to her. “This is just what we need. It’ll be a good way to get our minds off things.”

She sighed deflating a little.

“Besides I’m excited to see all of our parts!”

Aang fidgeted a little in the seats at the front as he struggled to find a seat next to Katara. "I was... just, uh..." Aang stuttered and glanced over at the brunette, who was peering at him oddly before looking back at the stage. He looked back at Zuko and cleared his throat, "I wanted to..." He sighed in defeat sat next to Zuko in defeat “Okay…”

"Why are we sitting in the nosebleed section?" Toph demanded, crossing her arms and leaning back in her seat at the end. The theater lights dimmed signifying that the show was about to start. "My feet can't see a thing from up here."

"Don't worry," Katara stated in amusement, glancing at Toph from the corner of her eye before focusing on the stage once more, "I'll tell your feet what's happening."

Toph didn't bother to respond, as she heard the curtain being drawn up.

ACT I Scene 1

Sokka excitedly grabbed his sister's shoulder and pointed between them as their actor portrayals were revealed. The actress portraying Katara was an older woman wearing pounds of rogue cakey makeup on her face. "Sokka, my only brother!" She exclaimed dramatically with a loud sigh as she pretended to row a canoe through the moving cut-outs of blue waves.

"We constantly roam these icy South Pole seas, and yet never do we find anything fulfilling!"

Sokka’s actor had an overbite and his wig resembled more of a broomsticks’ end. He spoke next "All I want is a full feeling in my stomach, I'm starving!" He drawled out. The audience all laughed at the joke.

"Is food the only think on your mind?" Actress Katara asked in melodramatically.

"Well, I'm trying to get it out of my mind," Actor Sokka retorted and pointed to his mouth, "And into my mouth. I'm starving!"

The crowd of Fire Nationers once again roared with laughter.

"This is pathetic." Sokka complained, leaning over his sister's shoulder and waving his hand towards the stage, "My jokes are wayfunnier than this."

Tsai let out a humorous snort as she leaned back into her seat, arms crossed over her chest. Her brother’s body language mirroring her own.

"I think he's got you pegged." Toph quipped with a laugh, and Sokka glowered at her in reply then sat back with a huff to continue watching the play.

"Every day, the world awaits a beacon to guide us, yet none appears. Still we cannot give up hope!" Katara’s actress placed her hand to her chest and began to sniffle dramatically, "For hope is all we have," Her voice wavered with choked tears as she collapsed over the side of the canoe in an exaggerated manner. "And we must never relinquish it. Even...Even to our dying breath." She burst into fake tears lowering her head. Actor Sokka looked at her blankly and continued paddling.

Katara huffed and crossed her arms without amusement, "Well, that's just silly. I don't sound like that at all."

The row behind Katara all sniggered quietly behind praying Katara wouldn’t hear them. Toph however, felt no need to hide her laughter as she giggled maniacally. "Oh man, this writer's a genius!"

Katara scowled at her and stuck her nose in the air, closing her eyes in indignation.

It seemed like all Katara’s actress did was bawl dramatically, moan, sigh and cry about hope and feelings. Moments later the boy who was trapped in the iceberg came to the stage.

The actress portraying Katara stopped crying and sat up, turning to stare at the iceberg prop with wide eyes, "It appears to be someone frozen in ice. Perhaps for a hundred years!"

"But who?" Actor Sokka questioned loudly, "Who is the boy in the iceberg?"

Aang leaned forward on his seat in anticipation at his character’s introduction and great reveal. The eagerness on his face excited unmistakable as he learned even further to see the respectable actor that would portray the Avatar. Zuko glanced over at him, he then looked over his shoulder and saw that the Fire Nation siblings were watching the play attentively both of their attentions completely captivated. That’s right. They probably didn’t know that any of this had happened.

Actress Katara climbed onto the iceberg prop quickly, Actor Sokka climbing it at slower pace. She made a slashing motion with her arm and cried out, "Waterbend, hai-ya!"

The silhouette disappeared from view as the iceberg prop split in half. Smoke spilled out of it flooding the stage. It was time. The big reveal. The Avatar leapt out of the smoke and landed between Sokka and Katara’s actors. The actor struck a playful pose placing a hand on his- her hip and winking at the audience. The actress wore cake loads of rogue blush and a bald cap with a blue arrow as well as Aang’s traditional Air Nomad robes.

"Who are you, frozen boy?" Actress Katara asked in awe, reaching out as if to touch the other actress while theatrically clasping her other hand to her chest.

The petite actress portraying Aang laughed and spoke in a high-pitched voice, "I'm the Avatar, silly!" She balanced on the toes of one foot then twirled around, holding her arms out with another cheery giggle, "Here to spread joy and fun!"

Aang cringed and closed his eyes for a second before leaning forward becoming almost deflated, his eyes practically bugging out of his head. He made a choked noise, "Is that a woman playing me?"

Aang scowled and sat back in his seat with an irate huff, crossing his arms and glowering at the stage.

“Is it me? Or does that look like Ty Lee?” Tsai said more to herself than the others.

A replica of Appa made growling and roaring noises before leaping off the iceberg prop, revealing the three actors wearing furry pants to represent the sky bison's six legs. The replica landed to the right of the stage and ran across to the left side then disappeared behind the iceberg prop again.

"An Airbender!" The Katara actress gasped in awe, turning to look at the other actress after watching the Appa run around. She clasped her hands to her chest and dropped down to one knee as she exclaimed, "My heart is so full of hope, that it's making me tearbend!" She sobbed dramatically clinging onto theater Aang’s leg.

"My stomach is so empty that it's making me tearbend!" Actor Sokka wailed as he threw his arms up hopelessly then dropped to his knees, clutching onto Actress Aang's opposite leg and starting to cry just as dramatically as Actress Katara. "I need meat!"

Giggling cheerfully, Actress Aang ducked down, putting her arm around both of their shoulders after they had let go of her. She pointed upward with a cheeky smile, "But wait! Is that a platter of meaty dumplings?"

"Where?!" Actor Sokka asked excitedly, shielding his eyes and turning away from the actress in search of the alleged dumplings. "Where, where?"

Actress Aang laughed and shifted so she was sitting on the edge of the iceberg prop, playfully swinging her arm around as she chirped, "Did I mention that I'm an incurable prankster?" She crossed her legs and smiled cutely winking at the laughing audience.

"I don't do that!" Aang growled irritably as the audience continued to chortle, "That's not what I'm like! And-and I'm not a woman!" He threw his hands up in frustration as he slumped on his seat.

Toph cracked up and turned her head towards Aang, "Oh I think they nailed you, Twinkle Toes!" She continued laughing when Aang growled at her, lifting his head up to glare in her direction.

Scene 2 The scene changed, and a Fire Nation warship appeared on stage, the actor portraying Zuko poised near the front of the ship, looking through a telescope while a large man that was playing Iroh standing in the middle of the ship.

“Is this when you come out?” Mecha said to his sister in his classic style which never failed to show he could not whisper to save his life.

“You know when I come out!” She said to him roughly. “Not yet!”

"Prince Zuko," Actor Iroh called out as he held up a whole cake minus one slice towards the other actor, "You must try this cake."

"I don't have time to stuff my face!" Actor Zuko, dressed in armor and with a long ponytail, snapped as he turned towards Iroh’s actor, lowering the telescope as he did so. He turned towards the audience and clutched his fist in an assertive manner, "I must capture the Avatar and regain my honor!"

"Well, while you do that, maybe I'll capture another slice." Actor Iroh stated then held the cake up higher before bringing it towards his face and proceeding to gobble it down noisily.

"You sicken me!" Actor Zuko spat in disgust, turning away haughtily to look through his telescope again.

The Fire Nation crowd once again laughed loudly. Zuko scowled and gestured towards the stage with his free hand, "They make me look totally stiff and humorless."

"Actually," Katara commented in complacent amusement as she crossed her arms, "I think that actor's pretty spot on."

He heard laughing coming from behind and turned to glare at the two Fire Nation siblings who were miserably failing at controlling their loud laughter. “They totally nailed you!” She couldn’t help but laugh loudly.

Zuko swung his arm out and protested, "How can you say that?" He asked looking back at them.

"Let's forget about the Avatar and get massages!" Iroh said.

"How can you say that?!"

Katara and the two siblings in the back smirked and looked at Zuko smugly. The backrow laughed even harder. Zuko grumbled and slumped down in his seat, frowning at the stage.

Several scenes passed by all of them portraying dramatically exaggerated personifications of Aang and his friends on their adventures as they traveled to the Eastern Air Temple and Ba Sing Se. Tsai and Mecha had been enjoying the play so far. They were learning so much about what the group had been through before they came into the story.

Scene 7

“Here’s where we come in!” Mecha nudged his younger sister’s arm excitedly as the last scene faded.

But- it didn’t happen. Yu Dao never came into scene. She looked at the stage before in disappointment their spirits faltering a little.

“Guess I’m not relevant enough to be in the play,” She sulked as she sunk into her seat.

Lights representing lightning flashed though the stage followed by fake sounding thunder as the Pohuai fortress came into view.

"The Avatar is mine!" Actor Zuko shouted triumphantly as he stood in front of a raised platform Actress Aang was tied to while several actors dressed as Fire Nation guards stood at the bottom. Actor Zuko looked to the left and pointed with a shout of surprise, "Wait, who's coming?"

A spotlight swung to the left, illuminating an actor wearing a massive Blue Spirit mask that covered his whole body. "I am the Blue Spirit!" The actor shouted as he clashed his dual dao blades together and tap danced in place, "The scourge of the Fire Nation here to save the Avatar!"

Waving his swords around, the Blue Spirit actor walked across the stage, the fake guards falling down as he past them. Actor Zuko ran around the platform and came up behind the Blue Spirit actor, throwing a red ribbon that was meant to be fire at the Blue Spirit actor's feet. The Blue Spirit actor jumped back to avoid the streamer then thrust his sword forward at Actor Zuko, who ran off stage.

"My hero!" Actress Aang cried out, pulling her hands from her restraints and leaping on top of the large Blue Spirit mask.

Zuko glanced over his shoulder Aang, the two giving each other embarrassed looks before quickly looking away.

The Blue Spirit actor continued to tap dance on stage before quickly spinning only to reveal an older actress with a tacky red wig standing on the other side of the mask.

“They’ll never suspect it’s me! The greatest traitor to the nation!” The actress who was wearing pounds of make-up and a promiscuous ochre colored kimono laughed loudly in a most irate laugh possible.

Tsai sprayed out her beverage like a whale and looked at the scene before in horror. She didn’t think she had ever heard her brother laugh so loud before. That’s right… The Fire Lord probably still thinks she’s the Blue Spirit. She facepalmed.

“This is such an inaccurate portrayal.”

Scene 8

A Fire Nation warship returned to the stage were Zuko’s Actor gazed out through a telescope once again and Iroh’s Actor played Pai Sho.

“Yoo-hoo! Boys!” Actor Tsai pulled out a hankerchief and waved at the warship with a sultry look on her eyes. “Wanna take me on a ride?” She giggled flirtatiously and winked at the audience.

“Hot Fire Pepper Flakes!” Actor Iroh gasped dramatically. “I guess we have to! What’s theworstthat could happen?” Iroh laughed heartily. As the actress with the red wig jumped on the ship gleefully.

“Uncle! This is not a cruise resort! I don’t want this colonial pest on my ship! Although… I can’t say no to such a vixen.”

“Is that really how it happened?” Aang quirked a confused eyebrow.

“It’s not!” Tsai cried out from the back with a red face leaning forward speaking between Aang and Zuko’s shoulders. “This play is so inaccurate! I mean- They paint me like some kind of whoozy!They totally missed the funeral. And my laugh does notsound like that!” “I think they got the annoying laugh juuust right.” Her brother sniggered earning himself a hard punch to the arm.

Zuko sat stiffly and brought a hand to his face to hide his embarrassment.

 Scene 9

The backdrop was changed to that of the Freedom Fighters former hide-out in the trees and Actress Katara along with an actor portraying Jet, stood on a small platform attached to a rope that was hanging a few feet above the stage.

“Wait is that…” Tsai narrowed her eyes. “Is that Jet?” Her eyes went slightly wide. “You know Jet?” She whispered to Katara leaning over. “You know him too?” Katara whispered back with an embarrassed expression on her face. “Yeah, we had a thing-“She was interrupted by Zuko who loudly shushed the both of them not wanting to remember the little rendezvous Tsai had had with him. He certainly didn’t want to remember the two of them canoodling back on the ferry to Ba Sing Se.

Actress Katara began to mock sob loudly and Actor Jet, with a rose in his mouth held her close, "Don't cry baby. Jet will wipe out that nasty town for you!"He pointed at the stage briefly then lifted Actress Katara's chin up while a stagehand dressed in black pulled a large, blue sheet that was supposed to represent water, across the stage beneath them.

"Oh Jet," Actress Katara cooed in a sultry voice as the platform was raised, "You're so bad."

Katara blushed brightly and ducked her head, bringing her hand up to hide her face in embarrassment while Toph giggled unabashedly.

“Why are all the women in this play over-sexualized?!” A female voice in the back row protested angrily.

Scene 11

“Quit playing Pai Sho with my uncle!”

“As a woman from the colonies I can tell you, it’s notthe only thing we’re playing.”

“Ohohoho!”Actor Iroh laughed loudly and lecherously.

The audience roared with wild laughter at the vulgar stereotype of women from the colonies.

The girl hid her face behind her hands shrinking lower into her seat.

“That did nothappen…” She grumbled completely mortified. Not even wanting to see the weirded outlooks that the group was giving her. Her and Iroh had been close, but not like that!

Scene 12

“I can’t fight your bewitching spell any longer temptress! Kiss me!”

Mecha had a horrified look on his face as he watched the scene before where Tsai and Zuko’s Actors kissed on the warship. The girl had completely slid down her seat with a red face of mortification.

“That didn’t happen either, eh?” Toph snorted flashing the girl a teasing look.

“Not like that at least!” She roared out jumping out of her seat making several heads turn back to look at her. Zuko was wearing his black hood over his head back again he pulled it down so it would hide his equally embarrassed expression. He could almost feel both Katara and Aang looking down at him with teasing grins.

“That’s it! I can’t watch this anymore!”

“But Tsai- there’s about to be an intermission!” Her brother said sipping on his tea, regardless she exited the room and threw her own beverage away.

Some moments later after the Act I intermission the rest of the group joined her outside in outdoor balcony that lead to their private viewing box.

“I see what you mean by ‘they butchered Love Amongst the Dragons every year.’" Tsai grumbled blowing a hair out of her face as he sat on the steps leaning against the railing.

"So far, this intermission is the best part of the play." Zuko grumbled taking a standing on the steps next to her leaning his weight on the railing as well.

"Apparently, the playwright thinks I'm an idiot." Sokka complained as he walked down the stairs with a bag of spicy fire jerky, taking a seat next to Suki a few steps from the bottom of the stairs. "Who tells bad jokes about meat all the time!"

"Yeah," Suki drawled in amusement and a hint of sarcasm, "You tell bad jokes about plenty of other topics too."

Sokka bit off a piece of jerky and exclaimed around it as he chewed, "I know!"

"At least this Sokka actor kind of looks like you." Aang retorted from his seat on the bottom steps, Toph standing in front of him with an amused look on her face, "That woman playing the Avatar doesn't resemble me at all."

"I don't know," Toph quipped with a sardonic grin, "You are more in touch with your feminine side than most guys."

“Simmer down Aang, it’s supposed to be a satire.” Tsai explained calmly. “One written specifically to appeal the humor of the Mainland,” she said angrily covering her face with her hands. Aang scowled at the ground his pose mirroring hers. “Can you believe how they portrayed me? Just because I’m from the colonies!” She fumed at the stereotypical portrayal.

“Hey at least you’re in it.” Her brother rolled his eyes somewhat bitter he wasn’t even written in.

"Relax, you guys." Katara chided lightly from the top of the stairs, smiling gently at Aang when he looked up at her with a frown. "They're not accurate portrayals. It's not like I'm a preachy crybaby who can't resist giving overemotional speeches hope all the time." She frowned when the others just looked at her skeptically, "What?"

"Yeah," Aang muttered, rolling his eyes slightly as he sat back down on the step, "That's not you at all."

“Am I a whoozy?” The red head asked dramatically her voice raised in a lighter pitch. As her shoulder’s dropped to the side.

“No.” Scattered voices reassured her.

“I’m going to murder whoever wrote this junk.” Zuko grumbled under his breath inaudible for the others to hear. What was the name of the playwright again Pu On Tim?

Toph shook her head, amused at how bent out of shape her friends were getting over the whole play. "Listen, friends. It's obvious that the playwright did his research. I know it must hurt but what you're seeing up there on that stage is the truth."

ACT II Scene 14

"Well here we are in the Earth Kingdom." Actress Katara said as she stood with Actor Sokka, and Actress Aang. In front of a background painted to look like Earth Kingdom buildings.

"I'd better have a look around to see if I can find an earthbending teacher." Actress Aang chirped happily, opening up her miniature air glider prop and jumping into the air while a cable lifted her up.

Toph leaned forward eagerly, "This is it! this must be where I come in!"

Actress Aang flew around the theater and over the audience before landing back on stage.

"I flew all over town, but I couldn't find a single earthbending master!"

"Here it comes..." Toph muttered, clenching her fists in anticipation.

The boulder next to where the trio were standing beside on stage was held up by a hulking muscular man wearing Toph's outfit as he rose out of a trap door the rock prop had been covering.

"You can't find an earthbending master in the sky, you have to look underground." The man rumbled in a super deep voice as he threw the rock prop over their heads.

Katara clapped her hands over her mouth to hide her laughter, Suki mimicking her while Aang, Sokka, and Tsai laughed freely and Zuko dropped the play parchment he was holding in shock.

"Who are you?" Actress Aang asked as she pointed at Actor Toph.

Actor Toph spat off the side and rumbled, "My name's Toph because it sounds like tough." He flexed his muscles, "And that's just what I am."

"Wait a minute." Toph frowned and turned her head to the side, straining to hear the words before using her finger to clear out her ear canal, "I sound like a..." She made a shocked noise, "A guy. A really, really buff guy."

"Well Toph, what you hear up there is the truth." Katara commented snidely, smirking smugly at the blind girl, "It hurts, doesn't it?"

"Are you kidding?" Toph exclaimed as she grinned from ear to ear, "I wouldn't have cast it any other way!

"So, you're blind?" Actress Aang asked curiously as she waved her hand in front of Actor Toph's eyes, which were covered by his overly long bangs.

"I can see you doing that." Actor Toph laughed then gestured with his burly arms, "I see everything that you see except that I don't see like you do. I release a sonic wave from my mouth." He turned towards the trio and opened his mouth and screamed loudly at them, causing the actors to lean back and their clothes to flutter from the strong vibrations of the shout.

The entire audience grimace at the loudness of the roar. The backrow gazed in terror while Toph held onto the railings with an excited expression.

"There." Actor Toph said contentedly after he finished screaming, "I got a pretty good look at you."

Actress Aang giggled and clapped, promoting the audience to do the same while the other actors stared at Actor Toph in awe.

Scene 17

"Zuko, it's time we had thetalk." Actor Iroh said slowly as he stood on a metal bridge with Actor Zuko, who was now wearing a long-haired wig.

“I’ve had thattalk already Uncle.”

The audience laughed loudly.

Actor Iroh pointed at him, "About your hair. It's gone too far." Tsai’s actress sat between the two actors looking between the two with mock gasping expressions.

"Maybe it's best if we..." Actor Zuko flicked his hair as he turned his head away, "Split up."

He turned and walked away, Actor Iroh heading in the opposite direction.

“Oh no!” She gaped dramatically. “Will you stay if we have some tea?” She drawled on the last word coyly. Before letting out a loud high-pitched irritating laughter.

Again, cue for the audience to laugh.

Scene 19

It was the scene of Lake Laogai, but know with Actress Aang, Actress Katara, Actor Toph, and Actor Sokka, Actor Jet flailed around between the group, slashing his hook sword arm props around, while wearing a pair of crazy eye glasses, the tiny beads the represented his pupils spinning around to show that he had lost his mind.

"No, Jet!" Actress Aang exclaimed as Actor Jet spun around the other actors looked on with horrified expression. Actress Aang placed her hands on her cheeks and gasped, "What did they do to you?"

"Must." Actor Jet swiped his hook sword arm towards Actress Aang unsteadily, "Serve. Earth King!" He spun in place and swiped at Actor Sokka, who ducked, "Must...Destroy!" He fell to his knees and started making various agonizing noises as a rock prop floated down from above, and he crawled underneath it. "Oh!" he gasped as he fell onto his stomach, the rock prop covering his upper body before he pulled his legs underneath it.

"Did...Did Jet just die?" Zuko asked in disbelief, Tsai’s expression mirrored his.

"You know, it was really unclear." Sokka replied with a small shrug before going back to watching the play as if nothing had happened.

Scene 20

Actress Katara came to scene with a backdrop of the Crystal Catacombs behind. She smiled in a sultry manner as she approached Actor Zuko, "I have to admit, Prince Zuko, I really find you attractive."

A shiver went up Katara’s spine when she sensed a deathly glare coming from behind her. Zuko felt it too. They both did. Behind them Tsai’s eyes had turned into slits. Her jealousy getting the best of her the girl almost seemed to be emitting a dark green aura.

“Hey, um? You okay?” Her brother asked eyeing his sister oddly.

"You don't have to make fun of me." Actor Zuko spat harshly as he sat on a crystal prop with his legs crossed one over the other. His harshness caused Actress Katara to cringe before she batted her lashes at him.

"But I mean it." She sat down beside him on the prop, "I had eyes for you since the day you first captured me."

"Wait," Actor Zuko jumped to his feet and moved away from Actress Katara, "I thought you were the Avatar's girl?"

"The Avatar?" Actress Katara laughed coyly as she stood up and approached Actor Zuko seductively, "Why, he's like a little brother to me. I certainly don't think of him in a romantic way. And besides," She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "How would he find out about this?"

"You're getting up?" Sokka whispered as Aang stood up and exited the theater. Tsai followed after him not particularly enjoying the present scene and not wanting to sit through what she already knew was going to happen next.

"Can you get me some fireflakes?" Sokka settled back in his seat and put his arm around Suki's shoulders before sitting up to loudly whisper again, "Ooh, and some fire gummies!"

“That didn’t happen right?” Mecha leaned his eyes bouncing between his sister and the actors. Sokka let out a raspberry laughing slightly at the absurd question.

Both Zuko and Katara looked extremely uncomfortable and were avoiding all eye contact scooched away from each other awkwardly.

xxx

“Stupid play.” Tsai grumbled as she entered the small balcony area sulking. She was surprised when she found Aang there leanings on the balcony’s railing.

She blinked twice in surprise.

“Oh, I thought you went to get Sokka’s fireflakes.”

Aang remained quiet, his head bowed to the darkness before him.

“Hey,” She said approaching him. “If you want, I’ll go get them. The gummies too.” She said cluelessly.

“Is it true?” Aang said in a broody tone his eyes were lowered as he brooded. It was then that she realized he wasn’t emotionally well. “What?” She blinked twice in surprise now leaning next to him.

He remained quiet and she thought about the scene that had just happened.

“Katara and Zuko? What?” She couldn’t help but laugh a little despite her rash jealous reaction. “He wouldn’t have lived to tell the tale.” She laughed a little harder at the thought.

However, Aang did not find it the slightest bit humorous. He remained serious a sadness lingering to his usually bright eyes.

“Alright, what’s wrong?” She nudged him lightly. “I know this play sucks, but you have to remember it’s not true. I’m not a whoozy just like you’re not girly.” She shrugged her shoulders slightly. Aang still remained silent. Maybe she had said something wrong... “And even if you were considered to be girly- that would be okay. You know? Nothing wrong with that. Girls are awesome. I’m all for everybody embracing their- “she had begun to ramble awkwardly.

Aang exhaled a tiresome breath, “It’s Katara,” he suddenly admitted. She blinked twice in surprise. She did not see that coming.

“You see, I like her, and I thought she liked me too. I mean we did kiss once.” Aang admitted bashfully. She leaned on her fist and listened attentively. “But now I’m not so sure how she feels about me.” He trailed off.

“Aang,” she said softy and he turned to look at her. “We are in the middle of a war. You arethe Avatar. You should be more focused on thinking about howyou’re going to take down Fire Lord Ozai. Not how to woo a girl.” She explained reasonably both of her eyebrows knotted together.

“It’s not fair!” Aang busted uncharacteristically and straighten out his back. “I never wanted to be the Avatar! I never wanted this!” He snapped throwing his hands up in the air a rare frown on his face. “And Katara is notjust a girl!”

She looked at him with an unfazed expression. This childish tantrum was nothing compared to Zuko’s old outbursts. She was silent for a moment allowing his anger to simmer down a little.

“I-I’m sorry,” he apologized before once again hanging his head down. This time feeling even worse about himself after snapping at his friend. “I’m just worried that all this time when she looks at me, she all she sees is a little brother.” She hummed slightly before turning to look at him once again.

“You know, my grandfather was the wisest person I knew.” She began. “He had a lot of sayings, but I think one of the most obscure ones was about love. How’d it go again?‘One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love’”She quoted wisely. “He would also always say that ‘Our lives, too, are fleeting’, just like plum blossoms… If it really bothers, you that much you should just talk to her.” She advised. Aang quirked an eyebrow up and again turned to look at her as if saying easier said than done. “Katara obviously cares about you. Just tell her how you feel and ask her how she feels.”

He continued to look at her with that incredulous expression.

“You know, I’m actually going through something similar myself.”

She smiled at him faintly. Aang nodded a little in understanding. He was more than familiar about the amorous turmoil and ups and downs that she and the prince had had recently.

“I’ve messed up and - Spirits - You know Zuko’s messed up. I’m not expecting anything to happen, but I’m probably going to have to have this conversation with him soon.”

“What are you waiting for?” He asked.

“The right moment.”

Aang looked pensive for a moment before speaking. “I don’t think there’s a right moment.” He said wisely.

She sucked in her bottom lip and nodded while gazing out at the dark island before them. She hated to admit it but Aang was right. Didn’t have the time or means to set up some elaborate act to confess her feelings to him.

“You know, he really loves you.” She gave Aang a strange look. “I can see it. We can all see it.”

Xxx

"It seems like every time there's a big battle you guys barely make it out alive." Suki commented from her spot leaning cooly against the wall her arms crossed over her chest, "I mean, you guys lose a lot."

The group was currently on the intermission of Act II loitering around the corridor in between the balcony and the box seats dissecting their thoughts on the play.

"You're one to talk, Suki." Sokka retorted and he turned to look at her sarcastically, "Didn't Azula take you captive? That's right, she did."

Suki frowned at him and asked seriously, "Are you trying to get on my bad side?" She arched an eyebrow.

"I'm just saying." Sokka muttered in a smart-ass tone.

Katara walked into the corridor, looking around with a small frown.

"Does anyone know where Aang is?" Katara asked worriedly looking around the corridor for any sign of the young Avatar.

“Has anyone seen my sister?” Mecha asked as well as he finished his beverage.

"He left to get me fire gummies, like ten minutes ago." Sokka replied then pouted in irritation, "And I'm still waiting."

"I’m going to go check outside" Katara said walking away.

“If she comes back tell her I went to the restroom,” Mecha said over his shoulder as he left the group walking in an opposite direction.

Zuko remained sitting on the floor next to Toph. He looked up and observed as a boy dressed up as the Avatar came running out of a door down the hall, his arms spread out as he squealed happily pretending to fly.      

Sokka stared at the boy as he ran past him and Suki and shook his head before looking over at his girlfriend leaning against the wall in front of him. "Hey Suki, what are the chances that you can get me backstage? I got some jokes I want to give to the actor me."

Suki straightened and stared at him with a deathly serious expression, "I'm an elite warrior who's trained for many years in the art of stealth." She said darkly. Her expression changed instantly, and she smiled brightly at him, "I think I can you backstage." She said cheerily.

Sokka blinked at her for several seconds then swallowed thickly and smiled at her nervously, "Great, let's go." She nodded and followed him down the hall, leaving Zuko and Toph sitting in the hall.

"Jeez." Toph shook her head in exasperation as she leaned against the wall between Zuko and the entrance to their viewing box, "Everyone's getting so upset about their characters.” She turned towards Zuko and smirked, "And you, you seem even more down than usual and that's saying something."

"You don't get it." Zuko muttered and he looked up at Toph with a frown that she couldn't see, "It's different for you. You get a muscle-y version of yourself taking down ten bad guys at once and making sassy remarks."

"Yeah," Toph snickered, "That's pretty great."

Zuko huffed and looked away from her, folding his arms on his knees and staring at the wall across from with an expression full of regret, "But for me, it takes all the mistakes I've made in my life and shoves them back in my face. My uncle...He's always been on my side even when things were bad. He was there for me. He taught me so much and how do I repay him?" He lowered his head to his knees and closed his eyes in shame, "With a knife in his back. It's one of my greatest regrets now and I may never get to redeem myself in his eyes…"

“And Tsai…” He ran a hand through his hair frustrated brining his hood over his head. “Everything I’ve done to her… Seeing it replayed all over again. And don’t even get me started on that stupid stereotype on women from the colonies.”

"You have redeemed yourself to your uncle." Toph stated matter-of-factly as she crouched down beside the older teen, resting her arms on her thighs, "You don't realize it, but you already have."

"How do you know?"

"Because I once had a long conversation with the guy." Toph replied, smiling a she remembered meeting Iroh after storming off and leaving her friends while they were being chased by Azula and her two friends. "All he would talk about was you."

Zuko lifted his head and lowered his hood, smiling slightly as he asked "Really?"

Toph snickered, "Yeah, and it was kind of annoying."

"Oh," Zuko looked away, but couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Sorry."

"But it was also very sweet." Toph continued. "All your uncle wanted was for you to find your own path and see the light. Now you're here with us. He'd be proud of you." She smirked.

“And Chili Pepper. Water under the bridge. Just talk to her.” Toph said encouragingly. “If you two suck it up I’m sure you’ll work out things and go back to making me want to barf my guts out.”

“How are you so sure?”

He wasn’t expecting Toph to punch his arm that hard.

"Ow!" Zuko hissed, rubbing his shoulder and frowning over at her. "What was that for?"

Toph smiled, "That's how I show affection."

“What are you guys up to?” Tsai suddenly approached them. It seemed like she was coming back from the balcony’s direction. She walked casually with her hands stretched behind her head seemed way more at ease than when she exited the Second Act of the play.

“I need to go wash my eyes,” she said bluntly using the fake excuse to leave the hallway and leave the two alone. “Hey,” Zuko stood up. “You okay?” He asked her concerned running a hand through his hair nervously. “The play… You know you’re not a whoozy. I don’t think you are either and I know neither does Uncle.” He nodded and paused for a brief moment. “And I think we should go backstage and teach Pu On Tima lesson.” He said determinedly popping his knuckle’s joints menacingly an angry look on his face.

She couldn’t help but smile a little and lower his hands at the suggestion of beating the living daylights out of the clown who wrote this trash. However as tempting as that was it would most definitely give them away.

The little boy form earlier ran out of the same door as before and stopped in front of the two of them. He smiled at the two and commented, “Awesome Zutsai costumes, but everybody knows Zutara is the superior ship.” The little boy said.

‘What the fuck is a Zutara?’She looked at the boy a perplexed look on her face.

“Also, your scar's on the wrong side." He pointed at Zuko’s face bluntly.

"The scar's noton the wrong side!" Zuko shouted angrily as the boy ran off. He yanked the hood back over his face with a scowl. She couldn’t help but bent over in laughter.

He turned around after shouting at the boy and turned to face the teen that was trying to stop her fits of laughter.

“And I don’t think your laugh is annoying.” He muttered cynically. Turning away from her. He suddenly felt hyper self-conscious about the ugly mark that scarred his face.

“Zuko,” she approached him with a loop-sided smile an endearing look in her eyes. She reached for the edges of his hood and looked at him before lowering it slightly. Aang was right. There would never be a right thing and this- this felt right.

“I love you.”

She wanted to say.

There was no embarrassment no crippling anxiety. It was just the honest truth. She successfully got halfway through the statement before being interrupted.

“What are you two dorks up to?”

An imaginary needle zipped on a record making a loud scratching noise that only the of them seemed to hear as they were brought back to reality.

She had never wanted to murder her brother as much as much as she did right now.

“Come on guys! Show’s about to start.” Sokka said casually. It sounded like he was munching on something.

Neither turned around and both heard how the rest of their friends all walked inside of the viewing box. They stood frozen in place not moving a muscle. Awkwardly petrified. She hadn’t even been able to lower her hands from the sides of his hood as she looked at him with a horrified bashful expression the color of her face blending with the roots of her hair. Zuko looked as if the air had been punched out of his gut. His eyes were large.

“Uh-“ She stammered and jerked her arms back to her side. “Act III is starting.” She said quickly before rushing inside to the viewing box before he had a moment to react.

“There’s no right moment.”She cursed Aang. ‘Idiot!’that was most definitely the worst advice she had ever received from anyone. Wasn’t he the Avatar? Wasn’t he supposed to be wise and all knowing?

She reached the box and stood aghast when she saw that the back row was full as Aang had taken a seat next to her brother and leaned forward sulking. Under normal circumstances she would’ve been concerned for her friend and presumed that the talk with his love interest did not go well, but she presently couldn’t care less. This was an emergency. She couldn’t sit in the front row next to him. Not after that – whatever the hell that had been happened.

“Hey,” she said quickly. “Can I-Can I trade seats with you Aang? I want to sit next to my brother.” She lied through her teeth.

Aang was too busy wallowing in his misery to do anything about it. “Tsai! Shhh,” her brother shushed her rudely. “Sit down, Act III is about to start I want to see if I come out towards the end.”

Zuko walked in and she felt caught like a deer dog caught in headlights. Instantly plopping down on the seat next to Katara who looked oddly at the girl that sat stiffly with her back at a perfect 90-degree angle.

She felt like she was sweating bullets and now she was stuck in this painfully awkward situation sitting next to him after his silent rejection.

She could’ve sworn she was sweating bullets. Even facing the Fire Lord hadn’t been this nerve-wrecking.

“Hey? Could you scooch?” Toph complained from the end before roughly pushing Katara to the side which pushed the two Fire Nationers against each other. “Much better.” Toph smirked triumphantly and sniggered lightly at the feeling of the rabbit-paced heartbeats of the two painfully awkward teenagers through the floor’s vibrations.  

Tsai mumbled an apology before straightening out, he mumbled something similar.

Scene 22

Actress Katara stood on a fake submarine prop with Actress Aang, "I just want to let you know Aang, that I'll always love you." She placed her hands on her chest and sighed deeply with a wide smile, "Like a little brother."

"I wouldn't want it any other way!" Actress Aang chirped with enthusiasm taking Actress Katara's hand, both of them nodding at each other in a friendly gesture. Still beaming, Actress Aang snapped open her glider prop and raised it above her head as a rope pulled her up into the air while Actress Katara waved.

Aang gawked at the stage for a moment then flushed and yanked his hat down over his face, hiding behind his knees miserably. Katara glanced over her shoulder at him then looked away sadly.

‘What the hell was I thinking?’ Tsai’s mind was running a thousand miles an hour during her internal panic crisis. ‘He didn’t say anything. Why did he just stay quiet?’ She looked at him from the corner of her eyes his own golden orbs were attentively fixed on the play. A serious expression on his face. ‘He must think I’m crazy. Is it because I have a spirit in me? I’m so dumb. Why did I even listen to Aang? What the hell does he know about these things?’This was definitely the last time Tsai look love advice from a hundred and twelve-year-old.

She didn’t even notice that the scene was over.

"I guess that's it." Sokka commented as he stood up and stretched, "The play's caught up to the present now."

"Wait," Suki whispered, yanking Sokka back down and pointing towards the stage, "The play's not over."

"But it is over. Unless..." He trailed off and rubbed his chin thoughtfully before his eyes widened and he whispered in an overly dramatic and spooky voice, "This is the future!"

Scene 23

The stage was now pitch black. They all watched carefully as an actor portraying Fire Lord Ozai walked out from the darkness his sharp cheekbones and face being illuminated in a menacing lighting.

"With the energy harnessed from that comet, no one will be able to stop the Fire Nation!" Actor Ozai proclaimed evilly as an orange paper lantern was pulled across the now dimly light stage, the cut out comet passing over the throne.

"Father!" Actress Azula called out stiffly as she ran onto the stage and kneeled before oversized throne, "Zuko and the Avatar are at the palace! They are trying to stop you."

"You take care of Zuko." Actor Ozai pointed towards her and ordered harshly, before placing a hand on his chest melodramatically, "I shall face the Avatar myself!" He raised his hands and smoke filled the stage.

Actress Azula stood up as the smoke cleared, revealing that the Actor Ozai had disappeared. She turned just as Actor Zuko ran on stage from her left while Actress Aang was lowered to the stage floor.

"Aang, you fight the Fire Lord, I'll hold her off!" Actor Zuko instructed theatrically. Actress Aang nodded once and was pulled up by a rope out of the stage leaving Actor Zuko and Actress Azula alone on the stage.

Zuko’s eyes were fixed on the play but he wasn’t watching. Not really. His eyes bored straight ahead as he observed the stage confrontation between him and his sister. Something he knew was bound to happen sooner or later, but his mind was in a very distant place.

‘”I love-“ she had said. I love what? What was she going to say? Your face? Your costume? Wait- he wasn’t wearing a costume! Your jokes? Was it all a joke? Was she messing with his head?’ He looked at her from the corner of his eye. She sat stiffly her back completely straight. Her face twisted in an anxious expression as her eyes remained frozen starring at ahead at the play.

He would never know but internally she was having a meltdown. This had been a terrible. Terrible idea. Things had been fine! Well, not fine, but decent and now this happened?

His eyes lowered from her worried expression and he saw the way her hands were anxiously clutching and playing with the fabric of her clothes. He looked at them, the way her fingers squeezed her skirt and tugged at it.

"You are no longer my brother!" Actress Azula exclaimed, clenching her fists before flinging her arm out to the side. "You are an enemy!"

"No," Actor Zuko retorted and he pointed at Actress Azula, "I am the rightful heir to the throne!"

Actress Azula smirked slyly and narrowed her eyes, "We shall see."

He did it.

He placed his hand over hers. He eyed her expression from the corner of his eyes carefully looking for any micro emotion that might betray the mask she wore. Zuko felt as if it was the longest minute of his life when he felt her intertwining her fingers with his fitting perfectly. He saw the slightest of smiles bloom on her face. She turned to look at him from her peripheral vision and his expression mirrored hers. Both relaxed slightly at the gesture when their eyes met.

“HONOR!” Both of their attentions were once again captured by Zuko’s actor who raised his arms as if in pain after having been struck by one of Azula’s blue ribbons and wailed as he coiled into his destined fiery demise.

“And you!” He pointed at Tsai’s actress who had somehow entered the scene. “Scourge of the Fire Nation, the Greatest Traitor of them all! You will live the rest of your life in misery!”

Azula’s actress jumped and tossed the blue ribbons at her. “And you will neverhave tea again!”

Faux paper flames engulfed the actress as she also coiled in a fake fire wrap.

“Nooo! My tea!” She shouted reaching for the sky.

Actress Azula turned towards the audience and bowed along with Tsai and Zuko’s actors before being lowered through the stage’s trap door.

Tsai made a strangled noise as the audience began to cheer and applaud after Actor Zuko's apparent 'death'at the hands of Azula and the ‘imprisonment’ of the Fire Nation’s greatest traitor. Both starred in stunned disbelief at the stage.

This was their reality. Not hand holding in the comfortable darkness of a theatre.

Dread began to fill the group as they continued as the scene changed, the backdrop painted to resemble a red dragon's face.

Scene 25

The last and final scene of the play was the confrontation between the Avatar and Fire Lord Ozai. Like the rest of the play it had been depicted to appeal to audiences of the Fire Nation. In this version the Fire Nation triumphed over the resistance and defeated the Avatar. A terrible future which was not a distant reality.

"Nooooo..." Actress Aang wailed as she was circled with in a red cloth before the rope detached from her waist and she fell to the ground, the cloth spread out around her form symbolizing her consumption in flames. Ozai’s actor stood triumphantly above hovering from his throne with a cruel smirk plastered on his face. He then glanced over his shoulder as Actress Azula walked up behind him.

"It is over, Father." Actress Azula stated as she raised her arms triumphantly, "We've done it."

"Yes, we have done it!" Actor Ozai exclaimed and trusted a fist into the air dramatically before the space he was standing on began to rise up while papier mache and cut out flames surrounded him, "The dreams of my Father, and my Father's Father, have now been realized!" He threw his arms out and a massive Fire Nation banner unfurled behind him in a bold display of nationalism "The world is mine!"

The audience rose up with a vibrant cheer, loud applauding and deafening cheering as the audience clapped in a standing ovation over the triumph and victory of the Fire Nation over the world.

The group sat speechless in horrid disbelief at what they had witnessed. Aang swallowed the fearful knot that had formed in his throat and glanced away from the stage. Tsai felt her stomach churn uneasily as that haunting feeling of dread that kept her up at night returned to her. So much for getting their minds of things…

xxx

"That...wasn't a good play." Zuko muttered breaking the silence that had been lingering as the group walked down the worn path away from the theater.

"I'll say." Aang added flatly slouching as he dragged his feet away from the theater.

"No kidding." Katara muttered, crossing her arms and glaring at the ground. “Horrible,” Suki added from behind.

"You guys said it." Toph remarked with a scowl basically stomping her feet as she walked beside Katara. “I told you all it was a bad idea.” Tsai grumbled from the back. “But no- nobody everlistens to me.” She said dramatically. “I’ll give this one to you.” Her brother for once in his life agreed with her.

"But the effects," Sokka shrugged and waved his hand around matter-of-factly as he walked beside Suki, "Were decent."

xxx

Sunburn Chapter

M A S T E R L I S T

NEXT https://gloves94.tumblr.com/post/622943347798081536/sunburn-prince-zuko-36 PREV https://gloves94.tumblr.com/post/622676028408643584/sunburn-prince-zuko-34

[dhwty-writes]

Zutara Week Day 5: Hesitancy

Alright, so this got long. Like 7k words long. I have written 8.5k words today alone, the most I think I’ve ever written in one day in my life. This is pretty much unedited so I apologise for any mistakes.

Have fun and don’t forget to check out the other parts first!

Read on AO3

Morning came and Katara left and suddenly Zuko was feeling very unsure about this whole endeavour. It hadn't even crossed his mind to invite her back home with him. No, that wasn't quite right. It had crossed his mind. But he'd never expected to actually follow that thought up. He'd even less expected her to agree.

But the alcohol had probably loosened both of their tongues and now he was pacing his deck. Katara had left to gather her things and say her goodbyes to the townspeople. He was left to waiting alone. Well, not exactly alone. There were Toph and Aang joking on the quay and Sokka and Suki on the vessel next to his preparing to leave as well. They were due to leave in about five minutes if they wanted to catch the morning tide. Katara knew that. Katara had to know that. She was a waterbender for Agni's sake.

Still, she hadn't shown up.

Had she changed her mind? Zuko wasn't sure. What if she had? What if she didn't want to go to the capital with him after all? What if he had offended her somehow? Why was he even so nervous-?

"For fuck's sake, Sparky, will you please stop?" Toph cursed loudly. "I can hear your fucking heart beating in your fucking chest. She's not going to let your idiotic ass leave all on his own!"

"Thanks, Toph," he shouted back, "that's really uplifting."

Aang snorted and said something that made Toph roll her eyes but still he stopped pacing. Worrying his crew and upsetting his friends wasn't exactly helping.

"I'm here!" a breathless cry rang through the air and Katara sprinted onto the harbour. She had a bag slung over her shoulder and another one on her hip. Besides that, she was wearing the same clothes she had the first time they had seen each other again. "I'm sorry. I would have come sooner but there was a very teary goodbye."

Toph shrugged. "That's alright with me, that means we can at least cut this short. Though our dear Sifu Hotman nearly went into cardiac arrest."

Katara shot him a quick glance before hugging Toph and Aang. "Take care, both of you. Don't mess up what I did here. Toph, if I hear anything about illegal betting rings without me, I'll kick your butt."

"You don't get to make any demands," the earthbender countered, "you started a rebellion without even telling me!"

"Right," she grinned. "I'll come and get you next time."

"There won't be any rebellions," Zuko shouted just as Aang said: "No, you won't!"

The two women laughed and bumped fists, Katara winking even though Toph couldn't see it. Zuko sighed. Why was he even trying?

"Come to Caldera when you're done," Katara said at last and quickly crossed over to the ship.

Next to them Sokka and Suki were already casting off. "See you in a few months, sis," Sokka called and waved. "If you can be bothered to come home again sometime!"

Katara drenched him in water with a flick of your wrist. "Good luck, Suki," she called and the warrior just snickered and kissed the dripping Sokka on the cheek.

"Safe journey!" she called and then they were out of shouting range.

Beside Zuko his captain stepped up and coughed meekly. "Um... your majesty? We, uh- we might have missed the tide."

"Oh," Katara spun and he could see how a distracted look passed over her face when she felt for the water around her. "Right, sorry. Aang, a little help?"

The Avatar thrust his staff into Toph's hands and Katara let her bags drop on the floor dropping into a bending stance. They moved in perfect synchrony and the boat rocked unsteadily for a moment before they were gently pushed out of the harbour.

Katara dusted her hands of. "That should do it," she said and picked up her bags again. "Well, aren't you going to show me to my room, your majesty? Or do you just expect me to sleep on the floor?"

"Um-" he said, still stunned. "Sure. Come with me."

 ~*~

 The knock on his doorframe made him jump and earned him a quiet snicker of Katara. "I've been told we're arriving later today," she said and stepped into his room without waiting for an answer.

"So we are," he admitted and turned around to her. He was surprised to say the least to see her wearing the simple garb of one of his guards that hugged her figure tightly. "Um- I- What are you wearing?" he stammered.

"Oh, that?" She pulled at the seam of her tunic. "I had to get rid of most of my clothes after the fire. Ni gave me that and it fits, so-" She smirked. "Aren't you going to tell me that I look pretty?"

He still hadn't quite processed what was happening. "I- um- what?" He blinked confused.

"Where are your manners, Fire Lord? I was led to believe that nobles are supposed to compliment fair ladies when they are dressed in new robes. So?"

"You look pretty in red," he managed without stumbling over his words. That wasn't even a lie. Katara looked very pretty in red. One might even say beautiful, stunning, like watching the sun set-

"Why, thank you," she answered and winked. Now he could tell at least that she was teasing. "You look pretty in red, too. Especially when it's, you know-" She gesticulated in the general direction of his face, undoubtedly referencing the violent blush on his cheeks.

He cleared his throat and looked away as if that would hide the blush.

"So," she leant against the doorframe and crossed her arms and fuck, he had known that it hadn't been a good idea to invite her to his home. At this rate he was going to perish before even stepping into his palace again. "What should I expect when the Fire Lord returns triumphant from such a dangerous mission?"

He groaned and let his head fall back. "Who told you?"

She chuckled. "Everyone did. Your whole crew believes that the only reason why you stay holed up in caldera all the time is because you don't want to go through the mortifying ordeal of being paraded around the town when you return."

Well... they weren't wrong. However, there was no reason to point it out like that. "It's embarrassing," he grumbled.

"Hm," she hummed and stepped closer, sitting down next to him on the floor. "Well, I've got good news for you. This time, you don't have to go through it alone." She bumped her shoulder against his. "If the protocol allows, that is."

He looked at her incredulously. "You don't have to do that."

She smiled brightly. Bright as the sun, bright as the moon. "But I want to. That's what friends do, isn't it? Helping each other out? You helped me with my fight, now I help you with yours."

"Right," he whispered. Friends. And nothing more. He was glad that Katara couldn't feel his heartbeat like Toph. Or rather he hoped she couldn't. She was a bloodbender after all.

"So," she started again, "what do I have to do?"

"You don't happen to have brought any kind of official Water Tribe regalia?"

She laughed. "No, I don't. And even if I did, there's no way you'd get me to wear them here. I love, Zuko, but there are limits."

"Didn't think-" He faltered, taking in the mortified look on Katara's face as they both realised what she'd just said.

"Well, anyways!" she quickly continued. "Beside meeting an early grave because of this agonising heat, what can I do?"

"Put on your cleanest shirt and sit next to me?" he tried again.

Katara gasped. "How dare you assume any of my shirts are clean?" She put a hand on her chest dramatically. "I am a rebel, after all. I do have a rather unstained dress, though." She got to her feet. "See you when we get there."

Zuko sighed as the door fell shut behind her. He was in trouble.

Katara looked, simply put, stunning. Her hair was flowing freely down her back safe for the topknot that was adorned with a tiny flame. The tips of her curls were still damp with water and sweat alike but Zuko found he couldn't care less. No matter how sweaty Katara was, she would still be beautiful. The dress was surprisingly elegant, light blue silk with a moon embroidered on the back and the seams adorned with blue and violet beads.

"Where on earth did you hide that?" he murmured as he stepped up beside her.

She flashed him a bright smile. "Ni gave it to me as farewell gift. She and her sister have been working on it pretty much since I arrived." She twirled around. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

He nodded, not quite trusting his voice. Together they stood and waited for the ship to dock in the harbour where masses of people were waiting and cheering already.

"This isn't so bad," she whispered.

"They're not cheering for me," he answered. At Katara's surprised expression he added: "Word travels fast. You have quite the reputation here since you saved them from the fate of having Azula as Fire Lord." The pathway was lowered and he stepped forward. "And it seems like you are adamant to grow it." Stunned she stared at the cheering people. "Are you coming?" he asked and extended his hand.

It took a moment before she nodded and hastily stepped forward, accepting his hand when she stepped onto the quay. There was a palanquin waiting for them and she took his hand again when he helped her inside. When they were both kneeling as comfortable as they could the procession started.

"I'm sparing you the-" Zuko began but as he looked over to Katara he halted. While he had to resist the urge to hunch his shoulders and wanted to draw the curtains shut, she was smiling and waving and even catching a small bouquet and tucking a flower behind her ear. 'She's enjoying this,' he realised to his surprise.

She turned to him. "What did you say?"

"I-" he frowned. "I wanted to say that I'm sparing you the announcement. But now I fear you actually might have liked it."

Her face lit up. "What announcement?"

He winced. "Normally there is a big presentation of the Fire Lord where his glorious accomplishments are relayed to the people. It's a wartime tradition and I did my best to abolish it. But there are some things I still have to suffer through."

"Like your pointy collars and shoes?" she asked and tugged at his robes.

"Just like them." He quirked an eyebrow. "Did you know that it is a crime to touch the Fire Lord?"

She gasped in fake shock. "Oh no! Did I commit treason again? Are you going to throw me in jail?"

"I might just...," he grumbled.

She sighed and flicked her wrist to freeze the sweat on her brow. "Alas, woe is me. How may I ever atone for my crimes?"

"Freeze my sweat, too, and I'll issue a pardon."

Katara chuckled and flicked her wrist again. Soon after he felt the cool relief on his brow and sighed contently closing his eyes. When he opened them again, he saw Katara waving again.

"Why isn't there an announcement today?" she asked when she leaned back again.

Zuko quickly averted his gaze and shuffled uncomfortably. "I might have lied a bit about your delicate condition and the heat," he admitted.

Her jaw dropped open. "You wouldn't."

He looked up and shot her a goofy smile. "I'm sorry?"

"Oh!" she exclaimed and now there was no mocking in her offence, "oh, you- You're lucky we're in public and want to spare your people the sight of their Fire Lord getting his butt kicked!"

He raised his hands. "Feel free to do so once we're behind the palace walls. I guess I deserve it."

"Delicate condition, hah! The joke of the century!" She scowled. "What do you even have against all of this?"

"It's embarrassing," he said.

"It's the best part of being a hero! The people love you! That's why you do good, don't you? For them!"

Zuko had to admit that she had a point but before he could think of an appropriate answer, the palace gates appeared and opened and closed for them.

As soon as the palanquin was lowered to the ground, Katara leaped out of it. "Oh, thank the spirits!" she sighed. "My legs were about to fall off."

Zuko was much slower in following her. He was quite used to the strenuous task of kneeling for hours on end so he didn't mind anymore.

Katara spun in a circle taking her surroundings in. "Not much has changed," she asserted and Zuko guessed that she had to be right. "What happens now?"

"I, um- I show you to your room," he answered hesitantly.

"Well? What are we waiting for?"

"I, er-" He scratched the back of his neck. "I haven't figured out what room to give you, yet."

"Oh." Her face fell. "Right."

During all of her previous visits she had been accompanied by Aang, so both of them had just stayed in the spacious suite that was reserved for the Avatar. Now, however, things became a bit more difficult. He couldn't very well put her with the Fire Nation nobles or the foreign dignitaries as she was neither. And unfortunately there was no I-brought-a-stunningly-beautiful-woman-who-is-my-long-time-friend-and-enemy-with-me-and-also-the-ex-girlfriend-of-the-avatar-and-my-best-friend's-sister-and-don't-know-what-to-do-about-it-wing. At least none that he was aware of.

"Why doesn't Lady Katara stay in the royal wing?" a familiar voice croaked. "There is room enough, nephew."

"Uncle Iroh!" Katara whirled around to hug the old man.

"It is good to see you. You have become quite the beautiful woman."

She blushed profoundly and Zuko stepped forward to spare her and answer: "I thought you were in Ba Sing Se, uncle."

"I was!" He beamed. "But then I heard what you two were doing and simply had to come here. You are doing good, Lady Katara. And you, too, Zuko."

"Thank you, uncle," she answered.

"Now, nephew, why don't you show the lady to her room? I'll take care of the rest."

 ~*~

 They had arrived not even a fortnight ago and there were rumours everywhere concerned with the exact nature of his relationship with the Avatar's former girlfriend. 'Listen to the palace gossip,' Katara had told him. He couldn't avoid it if he tried. And he tried.

And yet, every time he heard a new rumour he wondered if Katara was listening, too. Maybe she did.

Maybe that was why she was avoiding him.

No, avoiding wasn't really the right word. It wasn't like she outright hid from him, just- Zuko had been gone for a long time and now his calendar was stuffed. He rose and set with the summer sun, his days far longer than could be healthy and he was glad when he could squeeze in enough time to eat and sleep. And so, he didn't see Katara a lot.

So, he guessed, it had to seem more like he was avoiding her. Which he wasn't. There was just nothing he could do about it.

"There you are," Katara's voice sounded softly from behind him. "You are a difficult man to find, Fire Lord Zuko."

"There I am." She stepped beside him, resting her arms on the railing of the balcony he had found to enjoy some precious moments of peace. "Just ask my advisers. They know my current locations better than I do most of the time."

She sighed. "I tried. It's always the same answer: 'The Fire Lord's busy. He has no time for visitors.'" He frowned. He needed to have some words with them. "What are you so busy with all the time?"

"Dumb things, mostly," he answered exasperated.

"Anything I can do to help?" her voice sounded genuinely concerned and the sorrow in her eyes was plain.

"No, unfortunately not," he answered. 'Not like this,' his mind unhelpfully supplied, 'as Fire Lady however...' He quickly pushed the though to the back of his mind.

There were rumours everywhere concerned with the exact nature of his relationship with the Avatar's former girlfriend. And while they were certainly not true, they were not so far off when Zuko's feelings were concerned.

"I'm sorry," he said, "this was probably not how you imagined your stay here to go."

"It wasn't how I hoped my stay here to go," she corrected him, "it is, however, how I expected my stay here to go." She smiled. "This is not my first visit here. I know what it's like."

"Yeah, but the last time you were here with- you were not alone."

She huffed. "I know that Aang was with me the last time. Or Sokka. Or Toph. Or Suki. But it's alright, really Zuko. I quite like being able to relax for a bit. I get to train a lot and talk with Uncle Iroh and why haven't you told me there are waterbending scrolls from the south in your library?"

He blinked dumbstruck. "I didn't know."

"Well, anyway. There are a lot of things I can do here. And if I get really bored, I can always go look for a hospital and go heal."

'She could always leave,' he told himself. Quickly he pushed that unpleasant thought away, too and was simply glad that she hadn't said so himself.

"Of course, I'd like to spend more time with you. But I understand if you can't."

"No!" he said quickly. "We absolutely can! We-" He hesitated, searching for a quick solution.

"I could come here," Katara said. "At sundown. Then you'd know where to find me."

He breathed in relief and nodded. Yes, that was a good idea. "There's also... a garden," he said timidly. "You can access it from your room."

"I know," she answered with a bright smile. "It's beautiful. I love the turtleduck pond."

He nodded. "Meet me there?"

Katara smiled. "I will." She pressed his hand quickly. "Get some sleep, Zuko. You need it."

There was nothing he could say against that. So, he bid her goodnight and made his way back to his room. Only when the door shut behind him, he remembered that he hadn't asked her about the rumours.

 ~*~

 Katara had meant what she'd told Zuko. She was just fine with how things were since she had arrived in Caldera. And fine was alright. Fine was good.

She'd also be happy to spend more time with him. More than happy, really. She'd almost be inclined to use the word 'overjoyed'.

And it was getting better. They had met every night in the small private garden in the royal wing and talked and joked and just spent time together. That was the best part of her day.

It only fanned the rumours of course. She had expected that. And it was fine by her. She didn't mind what people said behind her back, no matter how untrue it was. She did mind, however, how it made her heart flutter every time with the prospect of it.

Katara sighed. In moments like these she really envied Zuko for his obliviousness and his outrageous talent to not hear a single whisper spoken in his palace. She had no idea how he did that. She had no interest on filling him in, either.

Regardless, she had learnt to look forward to their late-night meetings. It really was the best part of her day. And just now the best part of her day was threatened to be ruined.

The sun had set over an hour ago and there was still no sign of Zuko. That hadn't happened before and if she was honest, Katara was just a bit worried.

Luckily for Zuko, she was no-one to just sit idly by. So, she got up and went back inside, first to her own room that laid deserted, then to Zuko's.

"Has the Fire Lord turned in for the night?" she asked the guards in front of the doors.

They quietly shook their heads.

"And where would I go about finding him in such a case?"

"His office, milady," one of them offered. "You know the way?"

"I do, thank you very much." She waved and turned, setting out on the journey one had to brave to find the Fire Lord's office in the veritable maze of a palace.

In the beginning, when it had been just Zuko and her after Sozin's comet she had barricaded herself and Zuko into the kitchen for fear of getting lost in the palace - and for fear for his life when she left his side, threatened by a lightning wound and Ozai loyalists alike. The fortnight until Aang had arrived in the palace with backup had been the most gruelling two weeks of her life. She hoped she'd never have to go through something like that again.

With her repeated visits, however, she had slowly learned her way around the palace and now she had almost no difficulties navigating the hundreds of corridors anymore. Well, at least not for the most important ones.

"Zuko?" she asked tentatively and knocked on the door.

No answer.

"Zuko, are you in there?" she tried again.

She waited a few moments before deciding to just go inside. Quietly she pushed the door open and slipped inside. "Zuk- oh!" The Fire Lord was in fact in his office, sitting behind his desk. His head was cushioned on his arms and there was a fine thread of drool dropping from his mouth.

She tiptoed over to him, careful not to disturb his slumber. 'He looks so peaceful,' she realised with surprise, 'so relaxed.' She found herself wondering when she had last seen him this at ease. To her dismay she discovered that she knew no answer to that question.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," she murmured as she pushed a stray strand from his forehead. "Your back will thank you for not sleeping here..."

"Wha-" he jerked awake and quickly scanned his surroundings. It took a few moments for him to blink the sleep out of his eyes and focus his gaze on her. "Katara? What are you-?"

"Shhh...," she made and rubbed his back like she often did with her younger patients. "I was worried about you. So, I came looking for you." She took his hand and helped him to his feet. "Come on, I'll bring you to bed."

She slung his arm around her shoulders and half-lead, half-carried him back to his quarters while he sleepily stumbled along. His guards sprung into alert as soon as she came into view but she just raised a finger to her lips and hauled Zuko into his room, gently tucking him into bed.

She was just about to leave for her own bed, when he caught her at her wrist. "Thank you, Katara," he mumbled, "what would I be doing without you?"

"Sleep in your office, most likely." She smiled and tried to ignore the soft tug on her arm to pull her back down. "Sleep well, Zuko."

With that she peeled his fingers away from her wrist and slipped out of the room, trying to quiet the fluttering in her stomach and soothe the ache of her heart. Katara didn't sleep that night.

 ~*~

 The sun was setting and there was still a mountain of letters on Zuko's desk. He sighed contemplating his options. The sensible thing would be to leave the work for tomorrow and go to meet Katara in his mother's garden. The responsible thing would be to finish up so that it would be less tomorrow. The dumb thing would be to fall asleep in his office again and hope for Katara to come for him once more. As if that was going to happen. 'As if that isn't desperate and weird.'

He scrunched his nose. Who was he even kidding? It wouldn't be less tomorrow so it didn't matter how much he did today anyhow.

So, he started tidying up his desk so he might be able to find anything the next day and was just about to leave his office for good when he heard a knock on his door. "Yes?" he said and sat back down.

A servant slipped inside and bowed deeply. "A letter, your majesty." He pulled a scroll from his sleeve. "From the Avatar."

He sighed. He wasn't really in the mood for Aang's endless ramblings about his many adventures. "Put it with the rest of my correspondence."

"Forgive me, but I believe it is quite urgent."

He ground his teeth and simply extended his hand. "You may go," he said as soon as he'd been handed the letter.

The door shut behind the servant again and her unrolled the scroll, skimming the content. Looking back, he was glad that the servant had insisted on him reading it. It was important.

He stuffed the letter into his sleeve and practically ran to meet Katara.

"You're in a chipper mood," she remarked with a quirked eyebrow when he threw the door to the garden open. "What's the matter?"

"Aang's coming to the palace," he announced jubilantly.

She frowned. "Forgive me for not leaping with joy."

"You should," he insisted and sat down beside her. "He's bringing an economy plan. And a governor."

That got her attention. "Who?" she asked.

His grin grew even wider. "Oh, you know her well."

 ~*~

 Maybe Zuko was in love with Katara.

The realisation hit him like a fist in the gut when Appa landed and Katara raced past him, laughing freely to help Ni down the saddle and swing her in a circle.

She was just so- so- Katara.

"You're here!" Katara crowed. "I could scarcely believe it when Zuko told me!"

The woman laughed. "I can scarcely believe it myself."

"Thank you," she said elatedly as she hugged Aang tightly, "for making this possible."

He just shrugged. "She was the best suited for the job."

They trailed towards him and suddenly Zuko felt very out of place. "Aang," he said with a simple nod.

Before he could even turn to Ni, the woman had fallen to her knees. "Your majesty," she said quietly and bowed down, "it is an honour to be invited here."

"Please rise, Governor Ni. You do not kneel before me." He watched the horror in her eyes as he bowed instead. "You are a brave woman with many talents, as it seems. I am honoured to have you among my governors."

Just as an awkward silence threatened to fall across the conversation, Katara stepped in. "Now that that's all sorted out," she said quickly, "are you ready to hold your own in your very first council meeting?"

Ni laughed nervously. "I don't think I'll ever be."

Katara smiled brightly and placed Ni's hand in the crook of her elbow, gently petting it. "Then you're going to do just fine." She looked at Zuko. "Shall we?"

He made an inviting gesture. "Ladies first."

The walk to the council chamber was spent in companionable silence between him and Aang and conspiratorial whispering between the two women as Katara was filled in on the details of the economic plan.

Then they were there. The four of them stepped through the curtain and the room fell silent. It seemed as if they were the last to arrive, only three seats around the head of the table unoccupied as well as the place for the Fire Lord.

They crossed over to their places in silence and in silence they settled down. It seemed that only then his advisers found their voices again - and all of them in the same moment at that, shouting in confusion.

"Your majesty!" one of them cried. "What are these- these peasants doing here?"

Zuko was very unimpressed as he looked around. "Peasants? Forgive me, milord, but I don't see any." He fixed his stare on his poor minister. "Though I hope that you were not referring to Master Katara and Governor Ni. That would be very unfortunate."

The minister gaped at him, opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water.

"Was there anything else you wanted to say, milord?"

He shook his head quickly.

"I didn't think so. Now, Governor Ni. Would you do us the pleasure of presenting your plan to rekindle the economy on your island?"

She got up and bowed gracefully. "With pleasure, your majesty."

What followed was truly a sight to behold: Confidently Governor Ni presented her plea for the funds of former governor Yozin to be released and made available to her and her government with the reason that his fortune had never been his but rather the island's. With the vast financial resources, she proposed to tear down the old factory, replacing it with new smaller workshops specialised in handcrafted wares that would be sold as luxuries. Additionally, she appealed to the central government to expand the harbour in order to further trade with the earth kingdom as well as the right to raise taxes.

That caused a veritable uproar in the ranks of his ministers.

"Your majesty, that is unacceptable!" one of them shouted. "I don't even know where to begin-"

"How about you begin with shutting your mouth," Katara said calmly, "I believe the governor wasn't finished yet."

"I believe we have heard quite enough," he retorted. "Especially from the likes of you."

"Was that meant to insult me?" The waterbender appeared entirely unbothered. Somehow, that was worse. "I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch your name, Lord -"

"Shaizu," he answered, "though that is not-"

She didn't even let him finish: "Ah, Lord Shaizu, of course. I have heard of you. Though nothing good."

The poor man spluttered, trying to find some words.

"Yes, I am surprised, too," she carried on, "but don't think I haven't done my research in my time here at court. At first, I was appalled to hear the accusations that were laid at your feet - I could scarcely believe that Zuko's mercy would extend to the likes of you. I thought that it was only court gossip, that is so often scandalously wrong - I believe I should know that best of all. But then I dug a little deeper and... well, there is no denying the facts and bank receipts, is there? But let us not dwell on that topic, I do not want the Fire Lord to hear of corruption and partisanship among his most trusted advisers." She fixed Zuko with a pointed look. "Oops. Too late." She turned back to the assembled men. "Any other objections?"

After a moment of stunned silence one of the idiots actually dared to raise his hands.

"Yes?" Katara asked with a sweet smile. "Lord -?"

"Lord Taiso, milady, I-"

She held her hand up and dug into her sleeve. "One moment, please, milord. Spirits, this is terribly embarrassing." She dug through a pile of papers and Zuko had the feeling that the only people who were embarrassed in this meeting were his ministers. Zuko, for what it was worth, was enjoying himself immensely.

"Ah, yes!" She raised a sheet of paper triumphantly. "There it is! I am so sorry, though I hope you can forgive me. As foreigner it can be forgiven if I do not know the names of all the petty lords. Where was I? Right, Lord Taiso. Oh, that's a tricky one. Ozai-loyalist and reported connections to assassins and bounty hunters that have been retreating from the former colonies in the Earth Kingdom. Though I've also heard rumours of child trafficking, Zuko, can you believe that?"

In some incredible feat of willpower, he remained stone-faced. "I cannot. Though I will investigate the matter. Lord Taiso, Lord Shaizu, consider yourself relieved from your duties until further notice."

Lord Taiso hunched his shoulders and was about to get up, Lord Shaizu however did not seem so eager to accept defeat. "This is intolerable, your majesty," he shouted, "you can't let yourself be bossed around by a-"

"By a what?" A tiny shiver ran down Zuko's back as Katara rose to her feet. She barely raised her voice. She didn't need to. "A woman? A foreigner? A peasant? Whatever grievance you may have with me, rest assured that you can say it to my face, I will take no offence."

"You are a witch!" Lord Shaizu accused and that was the moment when he decided not to pity him anymore. "You are a witch who has poisoned the mind of the Fire Lord! And you must go down!" 'He must have taken leave of his senses,' Zuko thought.

"Is that a challenge?" Katara asked calmly.

"I-," he actually seemed to reconsider and for a moment Zuko thought he wasn't completely stupid. Then he said: "Yes! Yes, it is! I hereby challenge you to an Agni Kai!"

Zuko closed his eyes in exasperation. "Oh, for the spirits' sake," he murmured.

Aang simply beamed. "Oh, this is going to be good!"

Katara gave the noble a once over. "Pity," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But I fear I cannot accept. You see, to issue such a challenge one would require a semblance to honour."

That sent an uproar through the ranks of his advisers. Several jumped to their feet and most of them started shouting and it wasn't until Zuko rose too and roared "Enough!" that the clamour calmed down. "This meeting is over," he ordered. "Thank you all for your attendance, we will reconvene after I had some time to think about the proceedings." He fixed his nobles with a piercing glare. "Leave. Everyone."

They waited until the chamber was empty. Then, Katara turned and bowed gracefully. "You're welcome," she said. "Keep the notes. You will need them." She jerked her chin towards the exit. "Are you coming, Ni?"

Then Zuko and Aang were alone and it was all he could do not to stare after them slack jawed. The Avatar was silent for a bit before he turned to him frowning: "You know...," he began hesitantly, "if you're waiting because of me or something... you shouldn't."

It took a few moments for Zuko's mind to catch up with what he had said. "What?" he said eloquently.

"Katara," Aang clarified. "If you think that there's some kind of problem because we were... a thing, then don't. It's not."

He blinked dumbfounded. "Excuse me?"

"It's obvious that you're in love with her." He smiled brightly at him. "And she likes you, too. I can tell. So, go on. Make your move."

'Oh,' he thought. Of course, he'd noticed. "You sure?"

He clapped his hand on his shoulder. "Just give it a try. Before it's too late."

Zuko gulped. Aang was right. Maybe he was in love with Katara. And even if he wasn't, around her he was the happiest he had been in years. He really should thank her for it.

The only question was how.

 ~*~

 Alright, he was probably in love with Katara.

The realisation had come to him over the course of the past few days spent in a haze between going over the economy plans with Ni, going over the events after his departure with Aang, going over Katara's Notes and summoning Toph post-haste to Caldera for a new screening of his nobles. Somehow, he still managed to squeeze in regular dinners with Aang and Katara as well as their nightly conversations in his mother's garden.

And on top of all of that he somehow had to think of an opportunity to talk with Katara about his feelings and thank her for everything she'd done.

The idea came to him during one of their quiet conversations in the moonlight when Katara mentioned that she would like to meet up with him in the garden while she was still able to see the lights, at least once. A plan formed quickly enough and he went (not just once) over the details with Aang to make sure that everything would be just fine. Eventually, he was sure that Aang would've said yes to anything so long as he stopped pestering him about it.

Eventually, however, he was sure that it was perfect.

He looked at the preparations once more, then he went inside to library where Aang had promised him to keep Katara occupied all day. Finding them wasn't hard. He just had to follow the noise.

"Katara!" he called delightedly.

"Zuko!" a bright smile spread on her face, followed by confusion. "Is everything alright?"

"Of course." His face fell. "Why wouldn't it be?"

She looked out of the window. "It's early."

"Right." That was the whole point. "I got off early." He hadn't. He had cleared his schedule for the whole day. "I- um- I prepared dinner. Do you want to come?"

"Sure," she answered and glanced around. "Aang-" But the Avatar had vanished just on time. When she turned back to him, he just stood with a sheepish smile and his offered hand. For a moment Katara hesitated and he wasn't sure if she was going to decline the offer. But then she took his hand and together they walked back to the royal wing.

"Ready?" he asked when they reached the doors that lead to the garden.

She raised an eyebrow. "If you're asking like this..." He had to have made some kind of stupid laugh for he was rewarded with Katara's unabashed laughter. "Yes, Zuko. I am ready."

He opened the door and lead her out into the garden.

"Oh," she said quietly. "This is nice." Katara turned, taking in the colourful lampions he had lit as well as the lacquered boxes with delicacies the kitchens had brought them. His heart ached only a bit to see her so carefree, nimble fingers trailing over the stones freezing delicate decorations where the droplets from the watering still lingered. The serene picture was shattered when she turned abruptly. "What do you want?" she asked suspiciously.

"What?" he squeaked undignified. "Me? I want nothing!" Besides slapping himself, that was. 'Yeah, real cool, Zuko.'

"Then why are you so-" she gestured widely. "-nice?"

A blush crept up his cheeks. "I, uh- um-" Fuck, he hadn't planned for this. Why hadn't he planned for this?

"Zuko...," hesitantly Katara stepped closer and looked up at him through her lashes. "I this a date?"

He laughed nervously. "No, it isn't," he said maybe a tad too quickly. "It is just me saying thank you to my very best friend in the whole wide world."

She looked surprised. "Really? I don't see Sokka around here."

"My very best female friend in the whole wide world."

"Toph and Suki are coming?" She was smirking now. Oh, the audacity.

"You are a menace," he breathed.

"And you love me for it."

"Yeah, I do."

Then she smiled and it was like the moon had risen in her face. 'Fuck', he thought. He had passed the point of 'probably' a long time ago.

 ~*~

 He had fucked it up. Of course, he had. What had he expected, even? That he prepared some sickly-sweet surprise and they would live happily ever after? Yeah, he didn't think so either.

But he hadn't expected her to leave.

And yet, there they were, standing on the quay, Katara with her two bags and Zuko with- nothing.

"So, you really have to go?"

"Yes," she said and it made Zuko's heart ache. "Suki's pregnant. I should be there to deliver the baby."

They both knew that was a lie. The birth was still months again and Katara had trained dozens of other healers who were just as skilled as she was. They both chose to accept the lie.

"So," she said awkwardly. "This is goodbye, for now."

He nodded, not quite trusting his voice seeing the lump that had formed in his throat.

"What, no last words?" she teased and somehow, that was worse.

No last words? He had so many last words, he didn't even know where to begin. With 'stay', probably. And 'please'. Spirits, he would fall to his knees and beg if that made her stay. He would tell her how much his life had changed since she had marched into it again on that backwater island three months ago. He wanted to tell her how happy he was with her, how relaxed and confident. 'I love you,' he wanted to say. 'Don't leave me here.' He wanted to say it so badly. "I'll miss you," he heard himself say instead.

Katara nodded and he swore he could see some tears gleaming in her eyes. "I'll miss you, too, Zuko." Then he blinked and she was gone, the vessel floating towards the horizon and with it Zuko's chance to tell her the truth.

She went back to her family and Zuko was left with nothing. No, not nothing. He was left with a broken heart.

[miavortice]

QWE: The Man She Left Behind - 5

Title: The Man She Left Behind 

Summary: Eight years earlier, Ursa divorced and left a man she thought could not love her or their children and returned to the arms of her first love.  Unfortunately, things did not work and Ursa decided to leave Ikem.  When the jilted man comes back for her while she is staying with her friends, Ozai - the man she left eight years ago - reappears.

“What does my dad like to eat?” Zuko asked as he sat on a stool next to the counter, peeling some root vegetable with Katara for her dad.  

“Ozai pretty much eats anything,” Hakoda said from the stove.  “He like spicy things.”

“Like me!” Azula piped.  She was seated at the kitchen table, drawing.  

“I hope they pick up that sauce....” Hakoda stirred some meat around a large wok.  “It’s so hard to find.”

“You just have to know where to find it.”  Ursa walked in balancing a reusable shopping bag on her hip as she placed her keys on the counter.  “Here’s your hot sauce, Hakoda.”

She dug into the bag and out a large red bottle with visible chilis inside.  Azula gasped.  “What is that?”

“Black lava pepper sauce,” Hakoda said.  “Your father always had this at his place back in college.  He’d put it on everything back then.”

“Is it hot?”

“Your father is the only one we know who could eat it,” Ursa said.  She shook her head at the memory.  “I don’t know how he could stomach it.”  

“I want to try!” Azula said.  

“Later, at dinner,” Hakoda said.  “They should be getting here soon.” Just as he said it, the garage door sounded.

“Mom’s home!” Katara said.  A minute later, the garage door was closing and Sokka burst in, still wearing his soccer gear.  

“How’d the game go?” Zuko asked, turning around in his stool.  

“2-1, ended in a shootout,” Sokka said as he trudged past.  He grinned. “But we won!”

“Did you score any of the points?” Katara asked.  

“I did an assist, but Suki scored all the points this time...again....”  He headed to the stairs to get ready for dinner.  

“Who’s Suki?” Zuko asked.  

“The girl he has a crush on but won’t admit,” Katara said, proud that she had figured it out.  “She goes to our school and is a year above him.  She’s pretty and really nice, so she’s popular.”

“My boy has a good eye,” Hakoda puffed out his chest.  “Just like me.”

“I wish I had a good eye,” Kya said as she walked in.  

“Hey....”  She laughed as Hakoda looked mocked insulted.  He saw someone behind her.  “There you are!  I thought you’d be here by now.  The meeting ended an hour ago.”

“One of the sales people caught me before I left the office.  You know how they are,” Ozai said as he walked in.  

“Dad!”  

“Hi, Uncle Ozai!”

“Hi, kids.”  He placed his laptop bag by the coffee table and walked to the kitchen, shrugging off his suit jacket.  “I was going to to home and change first, but Kya waved me down on the street.”

“I’m hungry and didn’t want to wait for you to drag your butt here,” Kya said as she stopped in the kitchen, behind her husband.  She wrapped her arms around Hakoda’s waist and over his shoulder.  “Ooh...looks good.”

“Thank you, it’s a new recipe.”  

“Okay, kids, set the table,” Ursa said.  “I’ll put my bag upstairs.”  

“Same,” Kya said, tugging off her pony tail.

Hakoda began to place the food on dishes.  “Want a beer?”

“No,” Ozai said, taking the stool Zuko vacated as he, Azula, and Katara went to set the table.  “Is it spicy?”

“No, but I had Ursa pick this up while she was out apartment hunting.”  Hakoda motioned to the bottle on the table and Ozai sat up straight.

“I’ve been looking all over for that.  They don’t sell it at the supermarket.”  

“She said it’s not hard to find if you know where to look.”  Hakoda put the wok down.  “You should ask her.”

Ozai picked up the bottle and studied it.  “I just might....”  He screwed off the top and removed the seal before taking a whiff.  “It burns...just like I remember it.”

“There is something seriously wrong with you.” Hakoda shook his head.  He turned around and saw Ozai squeezing the bottle.  “You can’t wait?”

“Just a taste.  It’s been so long.”

“Well, be careful or you’ll-”  A squirting noise came from the bottle and the two men watched in silence as a dollop of dark, red sauce spurted from the nozzle and landed on Ozai’s shirt.  “I knew it.”

Ozai swore.  He put the bottle down.  “I need to soak this.  The sauce stains if it’s not soaked immediately.”

“Go to the laundry room.  I have some clean shirts on the rack.  Dunk that thing in the sink.”  

“Thanks.”  Ozai was already halfway done unbuttoning his shirt.  Hakoda sighed and eyed the bottle.

“I should just put it in a bowl....”

   She tossed her bag on to her bed and turned around, briefly catching her reflection in the full body mirror as she tugged off her beige blazer.  She stopped as she caught the white streak against her black blouse.

“Oh no....”  Ursa walked closer to the mirror and narrowed her eyes.  She lifted her arm and tugged on the shirt.  Deodorant on her blouse.  She turned around and checked her other side.  Another chalky white strip greeted her  Wonderful.  

She shook her head, relieved that she hadn’t taken her blazer off until she returned so no one saw the streak, but at the same time growing frustrated.  She was in a rush when she left to go apartment hunting and her impatience got the best of her.  She tugged at her collar, unbuttoning it as she opened her closet door.  

Nothing was left on the hangers and she cursed her earlier lethargy.  The clean laundry was still downstairs in the laundry room.  She removed the pins from her hair and ran her hand through.  She’d carry the laundry up later, but needed to change first.

Grumbling, she walked to the door and opened it just enough to peek outside.  The hall was empty and from where she was standing, the stairs were clear as well.  She kept her arms at her side, hoping they hid the white streaks as she tip toed across the hall, past the bathroom, and to the stairs.  

She heard Hakoda telling the children to make some space for the food on the table and she quickened her pace to change before dinner or before anyone could see her.  

As soon as she reached the foyer, she bolted to the laundry room around the corner, hoping that no one saw her.  

She nearly threw open the laundry room door as she stormed in, walking straight to the back where her and her children’s laundry was folded in a plastic laundry basket near the ironing table.  As the door creaked closed behind her, she tugged off her blouse, tossing it into a nearby empty basket and began to pick through her clothes for a replacement.

“Ursa?”

She jumped and let out a gasp before she whirled around and dropped whatever pair of clothing she had her hand.  Across the room, a man in a white sleeveless undershirt had his hands in a sink.  He looked equally surprised to see her.  

“Ozai!?” Her hands flew to her chest.  Thank the gods she hadn’t removed her bra yet.  “What are you doing here?”

He turned his head away and shook his hands over the sink to get rid of water before facing the opposite wall in a clear action to give her privacy.  The sink was behind the door and he had jumped when it flew open, but didn’t see who came in until it closed.

“I got some sauce on my shirt,” he said.  “I needed to soak it before it stained and Hakoda said to just use a shirt from here.”

Her chest was rising and fall with heavy breaths as her heart beat almost painfully in her chest.  He saw her.  He saw her in her bra.  Logically, she knew he’d already seen it all, but it had been near a decade and she wasn’t even wearing a nice bra.  

“I didn’t see you.”  

“Sorry, I didn’t know it was you, either,” he said.  He hesitated, but remained looking at the wall, his back to her.  “Are you changed?”

Right!  She was there to change.  Ursa turned back around.  Her trembling hands went through the basket of clothes until she found a regular red t-shirt from a volunteer event she once did.  

“Almost!  Don’t turn around, yet,” she said as she pulled it over her head.  She tugged it past her stomach and waist before turning around.  “Done!  All done!”

“Once again, I’m sorry.  I had no idea you’d come down here,” Ozai said.  He waited a second or two longer before carefully looking over his shoulder.  Once he saw she was fully dressed, he turned around and went back to the sink.  

“No, it was an accident.  I didn’t know you’d be here either.”  Did that sound like she was trying to avoid him?  

He nodded, paying more attention to the splashing in the sink.  “Can you go out and ask Hakoda if he has anything to pretreat it?”

It struck her then that he was doing his laundry.  She remembered him usually taking care of his laundry, either at home or to the dry cleaner’s.  When she was pregnant, she never did it.  Ozai took care of it and when he was away, had a maid come.  

Why was she remembering that now?  

Ursa looked towards the shelf beside the washing machine.  She walked over and grabbed a bottle.  “Use this.”  

He lifted his head and she stopped beside him, extending the bottle.  He looked from her face and down to the bottle in her hand before slowly reaching up to take it.  

“Thank you.”  He tried to twist the top open and frowned.  His hands were too wet.

“I’ve got it.” She moved closer, standing beside him as she took the bottle from his hand and opened it.  She squeezed the middle and a clear liquid gathered at the top.  She reached into the sink and began to smear the liquid across the a discolored stain she recognized.  She sighed.  “You got the hot sauce on you.”

“I did.”

“You couldn’t wait?”

“It’s been a while.  It was just a taste.”  

“Honestly, Ozai....”  

“If you’re going to lecture me, I can do it myself.”

“I’m almost done....there.”  She looked pleased as she pushed the shirt back into the sink half filled with water.  She lifted her hand and wiped her brow, looking satisfied.  She turned around and realized just how small that corner of the laundry room was.  

Ozai jerked his head back to make some distance as she practically pinned him to a table.  The bottle dropped from her hand as she felt both mortified and hot.  It was one thing to have him catch her yesterday and be touching him.  

It was another to be touching him and looking him right in the eyes.  It was her fault and they both knew it.

Ursa didn’t know what to do.  Her mind went blank and all she could do was remain standing in front of him, his hips and stomach pressed against hers as she struggled to find an apology and strength to move away.

Nothing was coming and Ursa wasn’t sure if she should cry out in frustration or not.  

Ozai didn’t say a word, but as moments passed and she remained as frozen as a horrifed mannequin in front of him, he spoke.

“Why do you look so scared?” She watched the lines across his face deepen as he frowned.  His eyes searched hers and she felt her heart race when she couldn’t look away.  “I’m not going to hurt you.”  

She knew that.  Ozai never intentionally hurt her.  It was his own negligence, but it was never intentional.  He was strict and firm.  He was serious and restrained.  But he wouldn’t go out of his way to hurt her.  No biting criticism about how she raised her children or kept up her appearance.  No insults made to impress his friends.  No withholding attention when he was displeased for the slightest infraction.  

She felt her eyes water and choked back a muffled, pained cry.  At the very least, Ozai didn’t want her to suffer.  

Ursa spoke before she could stop herself.   “Why didn’t I fall in love with you ten years ago?”  

His eyes widened as she whispered and Ozai’s expression saddened.  A warm hand cupped her face and stroked her cheek.  “Ursa....”  

Her trembling hands clung on to his thin shirt and she tilted her head up to meet his.

HIs arms went around her and pulled her closer, tighter against him as she opened her mouth across his.  She could smell his cologne and the faint shampoo in his hair as his hot breath whispered her name against her neck.  

She tilted her head back as his mouth moved against her flushed skin and sucked at the base of her neck.  

He remembered, a small voice in the back of her head said.  She let out a gasp and squirmed against him as he nipped at her neck.  Did he remember all her erogenous zones?  

His hands pressed against her rib cage and she let out a pathetic whimper, nearly melting against him as he stroked skin beneath the shirt she had just put on.  He did remember.  

Her head felt light and she wasn’t sure if she was standing on her own power or being held up by Ozai.  It didn’t matter as long as she was against him and could flood her senses with him.  

As his lips caught hers once more, she felt his hands swept past the swell of her butt and down to her thighs.  Strong hands gripped her and suddenly, she was pulled up, her legs on either side of him as she pressed against his hips.  

His skin was so hot against her and she only wanted to get closer.

“Ozai,” Hakoda’s voice came from the hall.  “Dinner’s almost ready!”

Panting, Ozai broke his connection to her and fixed his eyes on hers as he answered.  “I’m almost done.”  His voice was low and steady, not showing any sign of embarrassment or urgency.  “Just soaking the shirt.”

Ursa felt her heart still pumping hard against her as she loosened her hold on his shirt and pulled away.  Ozai’s carefully lowered her back and moved his arms away once she was standing on her own.  

He looked away as she squeezed past, her own eyes diverted.    

“I’ll...um....”  She cringed at her shaken voice.  She could feel her hands trembling at her sides as she tried to comprehend what had just happened - what she had initiated.   “I’ll see you at dinner.”  

“Ursa.”  She stood up straight, but couldn’t bring herself to turn around.  

She tried to use the normal voice she could muster.  “Yes?”  

“Perhaps I should go out first,” Ozai said.  She heard cloth shifting behind her and glanced over her shoulder.  He was tugging on a navy polo that seemed a size too big for him.  “They can’t see you coming out from here from the dining room.  Just give me a minute to get there first.”

She felt a small pain in her heart as he spoke.  She wasn’t sure if she was sad and disappointed because he knew she her discomfort or because he, who had kissed her so fervently moments early, didn’t have much more of a reaction.  

“Good idea,” she said, shoving down her disappointment.  She stood across the room, arms crossed over her chest as she leaned back against the washing machine.  

Ozai wiped his hands on a spare towel and spared her a small glance, pausing by the door.

He lowered his eyes.  “I’m sorry about that.  I was carried away.  My apologies for making you uncomfortable.”

Her eyes crinkled up as he turned around and walked out.  As the door closed part way behind him, Ursa lifted her hand to her mouth and felt as if she had done something terrible.

She kissed him.  He kissed her back, didn’t he?  Did he regret it?  He must’ve.  But what was worse...she all be declared that she wanted to love him.  That she regretted her decision and wished she had stayed with him.  

Her face felt hot.  What was she thinking?

What was Ozai thinking?  

Her eyes went back to the door, staring at it with disbelief as if Ozai would return and state his thoughts on her sudden and confusing confession.  She almost willed him to return.  She didn’t want his apology.  If anyone crossed a line, it was her.

“Ursa!” she heard Kya’s voice call from the foyer.  “C’mon!  Dinner’s going to get devoured if you don’t get down here!”

Careful to stay out of view, Ursa looked out the gap between the door and frame just enough so she could see the top of Kya’s head bob out of sight as she returned to the dining room.  

She took a deep breath.  No need to cause a scene.  Even less need to let everyone know she was making out with her ex-husband like a couple of teenagers.  She just needed to act normal.

Ursa perked up.  Why would this even be a struggle for her to hide?  She studied theater for years and was surrounded by actors the last several year so of her life.  Her last few years with Ikem had been a complete act she had simply fallen into.

She forced her discomfort down, determined to make it through dinner without uncomfortable shifting and wary glances at Ozai.  She could speak to him later about what happened, if he brought it up again.

“Sorry about that,” she said as she walked into the dining room. Everyone had already taken their seats and she took hers next to Zuko and Kya.  

“Okay,” Kya said.  “Now you can start.”

Several hands began to go around the table, lifting dishes and scooping food into plates.  Ozai was putting a small dollop of his sauce on to Azula’s plate.  

“Try it with the potato first to see if it’s too much.  We can always dilute it if it’s too strong,” he told her.  

Azula had a look of determination on her small face.  She eyed the small dollop of dark red sauce as if it were an obstacle to be conquered.

“Can I try some, too?” Zuko asked from across the table.  

“Oh, but Zuko, it’s very spicy and you’re usually not too fond of spicy,” Ursa said.  Her son’s face fell and Ozai reached across the table with a spoonful.

“He won’t know until he tries.  Besides, it’s not exactly the same kind of spicy we’re used to,” Ozai said.  

“Yeah, you’ve tasted it,” Hakoda said with a smirk.  “There is spicy for normal people and then spicy for monsters.”

Ozai shot him a glare.  

“Okay, here I go!” Azula announced with pride as she brought a small piece of potato half covered in sauce to her mouth.  Everyone seemed to pause and watch, awaiting her reaction.  Her face began to turn red and her eyes crinkled up, tears appearing in the corners of her eyes.

“Azula!” Ursa gasped.

“I’ll get her some milk,” Kya said, shooting of her chair.  

“No....”  Azula kept her mouth shut tight, refusing to spit out the burning vegetable, but at the same time, not chewing it.  “I can....”  She managed to say behind gritted teeth.  

“Azula, it’s too hot for you.  Spit it out,” Ursa said with a frown, about to stand and round the table to get to her daughter.  She could see sweat collecting on Azula’s forehead.  “Azula-”

“Azula,” Ozai sounded stern.  “Spit it out.  If you don’t chew it and swallow, it’ll start to burn your sinuses-”

“Your nose is running!” Katara gasped.  She reached for a napkin and shoved it in her friend’s face.  “Azula, spit it out!”  

“There’s no shame in spitting it out.  We can dilute the flavor and work you up to the concentrated one,” Ozai said.

Finally, Azula grabbed the napkin Katara held up to her and spit out the vegetable.  She made a face, both disgusted and frustrated as she looked at the piece of potato coated in sauce and saliva.

“Here, drink this,” Kya said as she placed a small cup of milk by Azula.  The child seemed to guzzle it down, her face returning to normal.  

“I couldn’t do it,” she said, sounding angry.  She glared at the remaining dollop of sauce.  “Yet.”  

“You’re crazy,” Sokka said from across the table.

“Sokka....” Hakoda gave him a look.

Sokka smiled sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders.  He turned to Zuko.  “So are you going to try - huh?”

The red dollop on Zuko’s plate was smeared off, the last remaining bit of it on a piece of potato he brought to his mouth and began chewing at once.   He was a little flushed, but didn’t look as irritated by the heat as his sister.  

The table seemed to stare at him, both in amazement that he tried and confusion, as normally he wouldn’t have after seeing what it did to his sister.  

He swallowed and nodded with satisfaction.  “If you chew it, the potato mixes with the hot sauce and it doesn’t spread and and linger on your tongue.  As long as you don’t breath while it’s in your mouth, you don’t smell that burning spice.  It’s pretty good; the aftertaste is nice.”

“Well...,” Hakoda said.  “You’re braver than me, Zuko.”  

“There was only one other person I knew who could take it undiluted,” Ozai said.  “My late mother, Ilah.”  

Zuko nodded.  He seemed to understand that Azula was frustrated and seemed content with his father’s words without pressing for further compliments.

“Dad, I’ll be able to eat it, too,” Azula insisted.

“Of course you will,” Ozai said.  “But little by little.  Go about this strategically, Azula.”  

She seemed to understand and nod.  She looked at her mother.  “Mom, do you like the sauce.”

“It’s a bit too spicy for me, sweetheart.”

“Oh...well, you should work at it, too.”

Ursa took a deep breath.  Her daughter didn’t know half of what she had to work at in regards to Ozai.  

The rest of the dinner seemed to pass without incident, save Sokka trying some sauce on a dare and ended up choking.  Ursa kept a placid smile on her face, speaking only when spoken to or occasionally to her children and Kya.  The children were ushered to the kitchen for dessert to leave Ursa and Ozai some time to find a suitable date for a visit.

It seemed very professional: Ozai had his tablet out and was skimming through his calendar, reading out prospective dates and across from him, Ursa was going through her phone.

There really wasn’t a need for her to.  Aside from meetings with lawyers and realtors, she didn’t have much planned.  

“Azula brought up visiting nearly half a dozen times,” Ozai noted as he kept his eyes on the screen.  “Is it possible to simply bring them over tomorrow to look at the house?”

Tomorrow?  That was a little soon wasn’t it?  Her thoughts must’ve been written all over her face as Ozai glanced up and then back down.

“I can get dinner and finally pay back Hakoda and Kya for always having me over,” he said.  “Azula and Zuko can pick a room.  I’m sure Katara and Sokka might have opinions they want to voice.  We can schedule another time to go look at furniture.”

“You don’t need to order new furniture for them,” Ursa said.  “I’m sure whatever’s there is fine.”

He scrolled through his tablet.  “There isn’t any furniture in the rooms.”  

Ursa looked up from her phone.  “I thought you kept the house.”

“I did.”  

“What happened to the furniture?”

Ozai seemed to release a heavy breath and turned to look at her.  “One room used to be a nursery, the other was just transitioning to a toddler’s room.  There were cribs and diaper changing stations and mobiles, but not children.  What use did I have for that furniture?”

She could hear some bitterness in his voice and tore her eyes away.  “Well, what about the other rooms?”

“I gave the spare bedroom set to Lu Ten when he moved out of the dorms since it was new and never used,” Ozai said.  “We never did much with the last room.”

He once asked her if she wanted a home office, but pregnancy side tracked her plans to put one together.  Still, she had picked the room she thought would’ve been most convenient.  Ursa could only imagine that the others were just as vacant as it had been when she left.

“It worked out then,” she said, almost forcing herself to speak.  “Azula and Zuko can pick out what they like.”

“You might as well pick something you like for the third spare.  If they’re staying over and I’m not there, they should have a guardian with them,” Ozai said.  It was practical.  They did need to get another bed for her for such a reason.

It wasn’t like she could stay in their old bedroom.  

She fidgeted in her seat.  Did he keep their master bedroom the same?  That massive four poster bed with the matching bedside tables and dresser, and vanity table in her little well lit corner.  Ursa couldn’t bring herself to ask about what happened to it.

“Good point.  What about the kitchen?  If we need to cook.  I doubt it was efficient for you to cook with your schedule,” Ursa said.  

“The cooking sets and what not are in storage.  I’ll get them out,” Ozai said.  “This coming weekend, I’m free to go look at furniture with the children.  I should bring Hakoda...he’ll take measurements of everything.”

“That’s a good idea,” Ursa said.  “It’ll be good to know how much space we’re working with.”  And it was good that she wouldn’t be spending an entire day with him.  They’d look too much like a family and she didn’t want to have to correct people’s assumptions.  

How would that look?  Ozai probably wouldn’t care and ignore it, but it would bother her.  She also didn’t want the children to think there was something going on between them, which there wasn’t.  

She felt her face warm up and she fought it.  There wasn’t anything, regardless of what happened in the laundry room.

“Excellent.  I’ll book that day,” Ozai said.  “By the way, Hakoda said you went apartment hunting today.  How did it go?  Did you find anything?”

“I got to see some places, but nothing definite.  I’d like their school to be close, so that they could walk home.”

Ozai cocked his head.  “Are you taking them out of boarding school?”

Ursa shifted in her seat once more and diverted her eyes.  “There’s no reason for them to continue there.  I want them closer to home, where I can spend more time with them.”

Ozai took a deep breath and leaned back against his chair.  “I’m glad to hear it.  I was concerned that I’d only see them during school breaks and with my schedule, that could’ve caused issues.”  

She looked surprised to hear that, but nodded.  “Yes, well...Kya suggested enrolling them at Yang Chen Primary Academy, but...”

Ozai raised a brow.  “Is it the cost?”  He sat up straight and met her eyes.  “Ursa, you know I will spare no expense for my children’s sake.  Yang Chen is an excellent school and is a feeder into their preparatory secondary academy.  The children can even secure their spots early.  Both Sokka and Katara are on track to move on to secondary and have spots waiting for them.  It’s a good school”

“I know,” Ursa said.  “And it’s convenient.  The kids can carpool and if they need to walk home, they can do so together, especially in an off sporting season.”

“Yes, I would feel more comfortable with that.  Katara has to wait for Sokka in the hall and he has to wait for her in the spring, after their respective practices because Kya and Hakoda don’t want them walking home alone.”  Ozai rubbed his chin thoughtfully.  “Have Azula and Zuko tested in?”

Ursa shook her head.  “Kya helped me to arrange transfer papers and get acceptance spots based on their grades, behavior, and recommendations from their previous school.  She said she wanted to keep the option open.”

“And what about the children?  Would they consider it?”  

“Zuko hinted at it and Azula doesn’t seem to care.”  She smiled.  “If it’s by your house, I’m sure she’ll be all for it.”

She saw the corners of his lips move up in a small smile.  “Then it sounds like it’s the best course of action.  You can use my address if you wish, in case you move apartments if you find one better.”  

“Thank you.”

He dismissed the thought with a wave of his hand.  “Now, regarding the apartment.  I spoke to Lu Ten.”

“Ozai, no,” Ursa sat up straight and frowned.  “I can’t trouble him.”

“Let me finish.  He said he’s willing to rent it out on one condition,” Ozai said.  Ursa narrowed her eyes.  “He’d like to meet his cousins.  He hasn’t seen them since they were babies and said he wanted to see them again.”

“Oh...well, of course he can see them,” Ursa said.  “Even if he doesn’t want to rent.  I’d like the children to meet other family....”  She looked towards the kitchen. “Zuko!  Azula!  Can you come in for a moment.”

There was a small grumble about finishing their dessert, but the two walked in.  Azula still held on to her bowl of half finished ice cream.

“Yes, Mom?”

“Your father and I have made a schedule-”

“When are we going?” Azula’s face lit up.  

“We’ll be having dinner tomorrow at my house,” Ozai said.  “Hakoda, Kya!” he shouted over their heads.  “Did you hear that?”

“Free dinner at Uncle Ozai’s, kids!” Hakoda said loudly.  “Bring your appetites!”  

They heard Katara and Sokka, as well as Kya, let out a gleeful ‘yay’.  Ozai nodded in his head, satisfied.

“Tomorrow, while we’re waiting for dinner, you two can look at the rooms and pick the ones you want.  We’ll go look for furniture this weekend,” Ozai said.

“Yes!” Azula beamed.  

“I can’t wait to get my own bunk bed,” Zuko added.

“We also need to schedule one more date,” Ursa said in a calm voice.  “We’d like to schedule some time to meet with Lu Ten.  Do you know who that is?”

“Lu Ten!?” Katara came skidding out of the kitchen, a hopeful, eager look in her eyes.  “Is he coming?”

“Who’s Lu Ten?” Zuko asked.

“He’s Uncle Ozai’s nephew,” Katara said, her chubby brown cheeks heating up.  “He’s really nice and tall and can throw you in the air really high-”

“Wait, wait,” Zuko said.  He looked back at his parents.  “We have a cousin?”

“Yes,” Ozai said.  “Lu Ten is my older brother’s son.  He’s your cousin and would like to see you again.”

“We’ve met him before?” Azula asked, finishing off her ice cream.  “I don’t remember him.”

“You were a baby when he last saw you,” Ursa said.  “So, would that be okay?  I think it would be nice for you to meet your cousin.”

Zuko agreed, but Azula hesitated.  She looked at Katara, who urged her to agree, and finally nodded her head.  

“Then I’ll ask him when he’s free,” Ozai said.  He made a show of glancing at his watch.  “It seems it’s getting late and I have an early video conference tomorrow.  I should get going.”  

“Already?” Azula pouted.

“I’m afraid so.  We’ll see each other tomorrow,” he said.  He pushed his chair back and stood up.  

As he put his tablet into his bag, Kya came out of the kitchen with Hakoda.  “You wantus to bring your shirt tomorrow?” she asked.

“Yes, I’d appreciate it.”  He slung his bag over his shoulder and headed to the door.  The children bid him good-bye, with Azula reaching up for another hug.  

“You still need to work on it,” Hakoda said as he held the door open.  Ozai gave him another glare.  He walked to his car parked in the driveway.  

Azula and Zuko lingered by the door, waving, not willing to leave until his car backed out of the driveway.  Hakoda then herded the children back to finish their desserts and put their dishes away.  

Kya closed the door and looked towards Ursa.  She stood alone in the living room, looking out the window.  

“Are you okay?” Kya asked.  Ursa turned her head towards the doorway and nodded.  

“It was a very business like conversation.  And you were right; he’s all for Yang Chen.”  

“The kids will be excited to know Azula and Zuko will be going to the same school,” Kya said.  She reached her friend’s side and hooked her arm around Ursa’s.  “You did great, you know.  It was a normal conversation.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re still a great actress.”  

Ursa stiffened and turned sharply towards Kya.  “What are you talking about?” Her friend leaned forward and smirked.  “You know how your hand lotion smells like citrus?”  Ursa reddened.  She knew where this was going.  “Well right now, it smells like mens’ cologne.”  

Giggling to herself, Kya slipped away.  Ursa, flustered, reached out to her.  “Kya, wait!  It wasn’t anything serious!”

All her friend did was turn around and seemed to smile with sadistic pleasure.  “Remember what I said all those years ago, back when we were in college and I had just introduced you to Ozai?”

How could Ursa forget?  Kya’s quiet comment to her after she met Ozai for the first time made her hyper aware of him.  

Back then, Kya gave her knowing smile and winked.  “He’s single,” she whispered.  “Get it.”  

  “Is this it?” Azula sounded confused.  She stood in the half circle driveway of a large, brick house, and looked down the street.  “I can see your house from here.” The slate gray, white bordered house was clearly visible from the brick one.  Katara nodded, holding a tray of brownies she and Zuko made that day.  “Yeah...I don’t know why Uncle Ozai keeps driving.”

“Your Uncle Ozai’s weird, that’s why,” Hakoda said, passing the two girls to get to the front steps.  They all just walked, figuring that the weather was good and that the walk back at night would be refreshing.  

Ursa was bringing up the rear of the little group, with Kya at her side.  Zuko and Sokka were examining the front of the house, trying to figure out which window had the better bedroom.  

“Does my dad have a lot of cars?” Azula asked, noticing the black luxury sub SUV parked at the edge of the drive.  “University of The Republic...” She read the license plate frame.  “Law.  A...lu...m-nee?”

“Alumni,” Kya said.  “It means that the owner of the car graduated from that university’s law school.”

“Dad’s a lawyer?” Zuko asked, looking back at his mother.

“No,” Hakoda said as he waited for someone to respond to the doorbell.  “But Lu-”

“Uncle Hakoda!” The door was thrown open and a handsome, tall young man in a stylish gray sweater and dark jeans appeared.  “Good to see you again!”

“I thought that was your car,” Kya chuckled beside her husband.  

“Auntie Kya and...Katara!”  

A plate of brownies were shoved into Zuko’s hands as Katara darted forward and threw herself at him.  He caught her easily and picked her up, tossing her into the air just outside the door.  

“Hi, Lu Ten!”  

“That’s your cousin,” Sokka said, stating the obvious to Zuko.  “He’s great with video games, too.  He’ll play if you ask.”

Katara was placed back on the ground as he gave Hakoda a hug and ushered them in.  As each person passed the threshold, Lu Ten greeted them.  Sokka got a fist bump, making him feel somehow cooler.  Kya got a hug and a kiss on each cheek.  

Behind her, Azula and Zuko stopped and looked up at their new cousin.

Lu Ten’s gold eyes softened.  “Oh man...” he said as he looked at them.  “Look have big you guys have gotten.  Last time I saw you....”  He trailed off and bit his lip.  “Azi’s eyes were barely opening.  And Zuzu....”

“He calls you that, too,” Azula whispered, smug.

“Whatever, AZI,” Zuko said with a snort.  

Lu Ten chuckled.  “Well, let me introduce myself,” he said as he stood to the side and waved them in.  Ursa gave him a small nod as she walked through the door.  “My name is Lu Ten, son of Iroh.  He’s your dad’s older brother and current head of Souzin Enterprises.  I work in the legal department at one of its subsidiaries here.  I’m also your first cousin.”

“My name is Zuko-”

“He knows that already, dum-dum-”

“Azula...,” Ursa frowned.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Azula said, doing a little bow.

“Aw, a bow?  That’s it?” Lu Ten laughed.  “Can I get a hug?” He looked at Ursa, as if to ask if it was all right.  Ursa nodded.

Zuko stepped up as Lu Ten knelt down.  “Do you like brownies?  I made some with Katara.”

“I love brownies, cousin,” he said with a grin.  He leaned closer.  “And Uncle Ozai likes them, too, but he pretends he doesn’t.  He has a reputation to maintain.”  He winked.

“My turn!” Azula said.  She stepped back.  

“Azula?” Ursa asked.  Her daughter shot forward, raising her arms.  “Azula!”

“I got her, Auntie!” Lu Ten assured her as he caught his cousin and threw her in the air, just as he did Katara.  Azula yelled with delight.  

“Thank gods the foyer has a vaulted ceiling,” Ursa muttered to herself.  Azula seemed pleased with her cousin’s greeting and gave him a hug as he put her back down.  

“Your dad’s in the kitchen.  We were just working on an old family recipe he wanted to make for you guys,” Lu Ten said.  “Go on and greet him.”

Azula and Zuko followed Katara and her family down the hall.  Lu Ten watched as they disappeared into the kitchen, yelling at Ozai about something.  He turned around and gave Ursa a wry smile.

“Aunt Ursa,” he said, giving her a small bow of his head.  “It’s good to see you again.”

“You, too, Lu Ten,” Ursa said.  “You were just starting college the last time I saw you.”

“Yeah,” Lu Ten said.  He seemed cautious, as if unsure what to say.  “Aunt Ursa...I’m glad that Azula and Zuko are able to see their father again.  Thank you for that.”

“No.”  Ursa shook her head.  “It was a long time coming.  I should’ve brought them to him sooner.  He is their father and I made a mistake.”

Lu Ten didn’t voice his agreement, but she knew he did.  “Aunt Ursa, it isn’t any of my business - what happened between you and Uncle Ozai, but I just want you to know that it really hurt him when you left.  He had the house remodeled...he nearly sold it.  I know you probably don’t believe it considering your grounds for divorce, but he was devastated.”

Ursa wasn’t sure how to take the news.  “Lu Ten-”

He held up his hands.  “All I’m asking is that you don’t hurt my uncle again,” he said in a serious voice.  “Everyone knows how much he loved you.”  

She drew her head back.  Did Lu Ten even understand what he was saying?

“Lu Ten!” Ozai was calling for him.  They heard his footsteps against the tile floor approaching.  They looked towards the hall as Ozai, wearing casual clothing and a maroon apron.  “Can you set up your video game system for Zuko and Sokka?”  

“Sure, Uncle,” Lu Ten said.  He had a smile on his face once more and walked past, patting his uncle on the shoulder as he did.

Ursa watched the young man leave, his words still resonating in her head.   

Ozai loved her.  

It just didn’t sound...plausible?

“Ursa.”  She snapped back to attention as Ozai said her name.  “Are you coming?” he asked, heading towards the back of the house.  

She blinked and nodded slowly.  “I’m coming.” She wanted to ask him and spoke before she could stop herself. “Ozai.”  

“What?”

“Can I talk to you later?”

“Sure-”

“Alone.”  He paused just before stepping out into the large, open kitchen.  He looked over his shoulder, a frown on his face.

Ozai seemed to think it over for a moment longer before giving her a small nod.  “All right.”

Notes:

I thought I’d get this up early since I’ll be at a convention all weekend.  I’m enjoying my little story and hope you are, too.  I’m just rolling along, trying to build up their lingering attraction so I could get to some more drama.  Thoughts are always welcomed!  Thanks again for reading!