Love and War
Yay! New Fanfic! Btw, I don't own anything regarding ATLA. I don't know why I would.
Zuko was cold. Of course being near the Southern Water Tribe would mean being cold, but he wasn't expecting this. He breathed fire through his nose in a snort of exasperation.
He was standing at the bow of his ship, looking into the thin fog that seemed to be levitating neatly above the chunks of ice floating on the surface of the water. It was definitely a different world down south.
After the War had ended, Team Avatar had found a nice moment of triumph and peace; Zuko gave his speeches, they hung around his Uncle's tea shop and for a good while everything was perfect. Then the hard times came.
Assassination attempts were made on him every other week from small gangs who still wore the emblem of the Pheonix King, the Earth Kingdom needed to be able to trust the Fire Nation once more, and the people were in a flurry of chaos. Not to mention the Avatar had found a hidden herd of Sky Bison that he had been shepherding, so the world was without him for a few weeks.
Zuko closed his eyes and took a deep breath and then exhaled.
Sokka and Suki had gone back to their homes to help fortify and rebuild what was necessary; Sokka training to be the new Chief, and Suki training more Kyoshi warriors. Toph and Katara were working in the Earth Kingdom. They were helping with negotiations (Toph probably scared most of the people into doing what she wanted) and more peacemaking.
It had been a long time since he had seen any of them. He had written all of them on many different occasions but only a few times have any of them responded.
He envisioned a picture of an Earth Kingdom nobleman being thrown out of the palace with rocks in his mouth, with Toph looking satisfied and Katara moaning into her hands. He chuckled.
This was more than exciting for him, however he had enough pride that he wasn't going to let anyone see that. In the past year and a half, Zuko had been strangely happy. But only had his Uncle noticed. Most of it was that a huge part of his time was now open to his job because Mai had sort of left him after an incident with some Nobleman's daughter. Which hadn't been his fault. At all. Zuko didn't really mourn that part of his life.
They were drifting apart anyway.
"Firelord Zuko, sir! We have spotted the Southern Water Tribe outpost, sir. We should be there soon," the captain announced. He had come onto the deck to tell him.
"Thank you, captain," Zuko replied without looking back at the older man.
Zuko's mind began to wander again.
What was he thinking about? Right. He and Mai. That reminded him of something.
Zuko blinked.
Were Aang and Katara still together? They probably haven't seen each other in ages. How old was the Avatar? Fifteen? Sixteen? Wow. That meant Toph was around that age as well.
He had to admit, he was pretty smitten with Katara for a while after the War had ended. He would be stupid to ignore her natural beauty. In fact, many guys have noticed her to the extent that she has grown bored of marriage proposals.
Zuko and Katara had become really close friends before they had parted ways for the time being. So much so, that her little anger issue with his "destiny" and "honor" and the whole "I must capture the Avatar" was just a joke.
Zuko smiled to himself as the crisp cool air blew his longish hair in front of his eyes.
Before they had left, the sparring matches between the Lady Katara and Firelord Zuko had been almost legendary. Two masters having it out on a wide open field that would be worn out by the time they finished; every time a draw.
Zuko stumbled a couple of steps forward as the boat lurched to a sudden stop.
The captain rushed out. "I'm sorry, sir! I couldn't see the ice!"
The old Zuko would've thrown the captain into the ice. However this one only stared calmly into the captain's eyes. "At least we're here," he replied.
The captain bowed, and Zuko stepped off of the ship wrapping his robes tighter around him. Curse his Uncle. Saying this was a beautiful time of year in the Southern Water Tribe. All he saw was white, white, and oh! Nope. More white. Then there was a flash of green.
"Oof!" Zuko grunted as a shortish, lean, green figure crashed into him. He stumbled back to gain his balance back, and looked down his chest. There was almost a familiarity to that black haired head….
"Toph?!" Zuko exclaimed almost happily.
She pulled back and Zuko noted that she had grown into quite an attractive young woman. However, he knew that if he told her that, she'd find a way to bury him six feet under. Or maybe ten times that deep.
"You've . . . grown," he finished lamely.
She socked him in the shoulder with a grin. "Not in spirit, I haven't! No room for improvement there! I'm so glad you're here, Sparks! Someone else needs to complain with me about how bland this place is."
They began walking towards the now tall wall protecting the city. Zuko looked up.
"The last time I was here -"
"You destroyed the wall looking for Aang," Toph finished for him.
"No!" he responded quickly and sharply. At Toph's raised eyebrow he slumped his shoulders a little. "Okay. Maybe. But the walls were at least a quarter of this size. Not to mention there weren't any actual ice buildings. Just little hut things. And -"
Toph mimicked a yawn. "As much as I love your trip down memory lane, let's put it on hold for a while, 'kay?"
A thought occurred to Zuko as they walked through the gate which was guarded by two stationary blue furred guards with spears. "Toph, how do you . . . see? There's no ground. Like earth ground."
Toph shrugged. "There's still minerals in the ice you know. And some of the foundations for the new buildings that Sokka has designed have metal in them, so I know where most of the large structures are. It's like traveling in the desert for the first time. Everything's fuzzy, but I can make do."
Zuko gaped at the new Southern Water Tribe. Now he knew why the Tribe was holding a festival in honor of this accomplishment. It was a really huge accomplishment. And even that description didn't do the place any justice.
There were still huts on the outskirts of the main town thingy in little clumps on the snowy hills farther upwards. The main civilization however had more to it than ever before.
Toph, seeming to sense what he was thinking, spoke aloud. "Yeah, Hakota got a bunch of water benders to help him and Sokka refurbish the place. Katara helped some as well."
Zuko then voice the next question he'd been dying to ask. "Who else is here?"
Toph led Zuko into a large, beautiful, but strong, capital looking thing and he followed her through the halls, not really paying attention to where she was leading him.
"Well, out of Team Avatar, besides Snoozles, you and me, only Kata -"
Toph was interrupted by a yell of excitement and for the second time, Zuko was tackled into a hug. However this time ice creeped halfway up his calves to keep him from falling backwards.
"Ow."
"Speak of the devil."
"Firelord Zuko!" Katara stepped back, beaming. Her blue eyes were bright with happiness.
Katara, too, had blossomed even more; the tales of all of her suiters finally making a little more sense to the Firelord. Her hair was longer, she had gotten a little taller, and her eyes were more mature; telling him that she understood more than she let on.
"Hi. Katara," he mumbled, rubbing his side. Katara still was stronger than she realized.
"Zuko." Katara looked him up and down and the ice holding him dissipated into the floor. "You've gotten . . . taller. You're hair's grown out too."
Zuko crossed his eyes and looked up, seeing his hair hanging halfway down his eyes. "Well . . . I can cut it if you like."
"No!" Katara said hastily. "It's gor - fine. It's just . . . different."
Toph coughed into her hand and it sounded strangely like the words 'Nice" and "Save."
"You . . . look nice . . . too?" Zuko tried. He'd never really been that good at socializing. Or explaining himself. That was made apparent when he had first tried to offer himself up as the Avatar's master.
Katara smiled softly, then she perked up. "Hey! Sokka will want to say hi to you! You might want to be careful. He got a new boomerang and he's really not that . . . practiced with it as his old one."
Toph snorted as they began walking to who knew where. "What Sugar Queen over here means is that you should watch out or your eyes will get pricked out."
They entered a large room floored with carpets and lined with shelves. There were two fur seats in front of a large desk with a large fur seat behind it. In the seat, studying what looked like blueprints, was a vaguely familiar looking young man with a steadily growing beard and a ver familiar warrior's wolf tail.
"S-o-k-k-a!" Katara called out softly. Sokka didn't look up.
"Hold on Katara!" Zuko noticed his voice had gotten deeper. "I'm almost done with this really cool design that will definitely help penguin traffic."
"Oh, come on! Zuko's here!"
That made Sokka leap out of his chair and almost give Zuko a hug, before he decided against it when Zuko sort of glared down into his soul. Sokka gave a nervous chuckle before he awkwardly stuck out his hand for a handshake.
Zuko felt a moment of satisfaction when he realized he was still a couple of inches taller than Sokka.
"When is your girlfriend going to be here?" Zuko asked Sokka.
"Who, Suki?" Toph turned around to laugh. The Water Tribe Warrior hadn't changed. "Oh, she's coming any day now. The festival does start two days from now. Did you know the people are going to elect people for the council! It's amazing how much this place has grown."
Sokka looked up into space and sighed in content. "Is Aang back yet?" he asked Katara.
Katara shook her head. "I have no idea when he's supposed to be back. He hasn't told me what he's doing or where he is in a while."
Toph, who had found the fur covered chairs, sat up in interest. "Katara, when was the last time you did talk to Aang? I mean, you guys are still together, right?"
Zuko and Sokka were now listening with great interest now. The Master Waterbender blushed. "Ish. Maybe. We haven't really talked about it!" she added defensively.
Toph raised an eyebrow. "By 'haven't really' you mean a year and a half, almost three quarters."
Katara sighed. "I guess so."
Sokka patted his sister sympathetically on her shoulder. "C'mon, Katara! Let's go find Dad! He'll love to see Zuko again! He still can't thank you enough for that whole Boiling Rock scenario."
Zuko scratched behind his left ear. "It wasn't a big deal."
"Pshaw!" Sokka scoffed. "You're his biggest hero. Anything you ask from him, he probably won't hesitate to try and make it happen. Probably. The only thing I could think of that'd he'd really have to think about would be Katara."
Zuko and Katara looked at each other in shock, both of their cheeks flushed, then looked at Sokka.
"We've never been together!" they both said at the same time.
The talkative Water Tribe Warrior put both hands up in surrender. "I learn from what I hear."
Zuko and Katara exchanged glances as Toph and Sokka left the room ahead of them. It hadn't been the first time by a long shot that someone had asked them if the rumors that June had spread for fun were true. Seems like they haven't fully died down.
"I guess it's time to say hello to your father," Zuko said. Katara nodded. He stepped aside to let her pass first.
"Ever the Royal Gentleman," Katara said as she walked past him.
When Katara walked in front of him, her right hand brushed his as she turned the corner to go down the hall; the small touch making both of them pause with their hearts beating in the silence.
"Uh . . . sorry," Zuko said awkwardly.
"It's not a problem. It's okay," Katara said to the handsome Firelord. As she turned away, Katara mentally slapped herself.
Since when have I become skiddish around Zuko?
Since you noticed how much he's grown. Not only physically, which is quite nice to look at, but his character. Just look into those golden eyes and you'll see how much he's grown, she answered herself.
Stop it! Katara commanded herself. She glanced to her left when Zuko came up next to her, matching her stride with his. She saw Sokka and Toph not that far away from them.
She hasn't even talked with him for a full hour yet, and already she's impressed. But there was one thing that had not changed about this Master Firebender: she still didn't know what to fully think about him and she didn't think she ever would.
-Belgaria
PS: Review! Follow! Favorite! Do something! Make me happy! Depending on the reviews, I will make the next chapters longer. Maybe like twice as long as this one. I have plans for this story. Developed it more than my other story….which I'm still working on.
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