Chapter one of my Zutara fic! Yes, this chapter isn't my strongest writing, but I decided that I would start the fanfic with a light fluffy chapter.
The title just came to my head, I haven't watched the actual movie, so I don't own that.
Don't own avatar either.
Chapter 1: The Battle of The Last Airbender and the Dragon of the West
"I'm rooting for Uncle of course. Who are you rooting for?" Zuko asked Katara. They were standing in the courtyard. It was a fine spring day, those days where one just has to go outside. The grass was gently swaying, and the wind was playing with everyone's faces. Except for Sokka though, his wolf tail was just bobbing up and down, in an awkward, but amusing fashion.
"Aang."
"Are you kidding? Uncle definitely has the edge."
"Katara likes to root for the underdog," Sokka explained, while trying to hold his wolf tail down, to no avail.
"Ah. Pity support," he stroked his care chin thoughtfully for a moment and said, "Well who cares for a bet then?"
"Zuko!" Katara protested.
"Oh, I'm in," Toph said at once. "How much?"
"Two gold pieces per bet," Zuko grinned. "To make it interesting. "
Katara's eyes bugged out of her head. Two gold pieces? Katara remembered the struggles for money they had to endure frequently during their journeys. She still wasn't used to having money, and she gave away as much as she could constantly.
"Easy money," Toph smirked.
"I'll bet!" Sokka was enthusiastic.
"Sokka," Katara gently chided. "Don't throw away your money like that."
"It's fine," he waved her away airily, and Katara put her hands on her hips, shaking her head disapprovingly.
"Do what you will," she said defeatedly.
"Come on Katara," Zuko grinned. "You know you want in, even though you'll lose. " he stared her down with a smirk painted on his face.
Katara took the bait and said haughtily, "Fine. I bet on Aang."
"I'm with Sugar Queen," Toph said.
"What? Are you blind?" Zuko asked her scoffing. Then came the awkward silence.
"Yes I am actually. Good of you to finally notice."
"Uh...sorry." To this day people were always forgetting she was blind. Except for her parents of course, who still insisted that her little girl was still weak. Never mind that she was a teenager now. Never mind that she had her own metalbending academy. Never mind all that. So she shrugged. Better treated as an equal than a pathetic creature.
"I'm with Katara and Toph. I vote for Aang."
"You called him the underdog two seconds ago," Katara narrowed her eyes at her brother.
"Well it seems like the least likely outcome might be the one that'll happen. Given with every situation we've gone through. So I vote Aang."
Zuko dropped his jaw. "Fine," he recomposed himself. "I'll just take your money away then." He sniffed haughtily
"And when we win you pay us each two gold pieces."
"Fine. You're on."
And they watched (save for Toph)
Toph would make such comments, as to draw the players attention every once in a while, just for the heck of it, she claimed.
"What are you doing! You're aiding the opposition!" Sokka had cried wringing his arms at her.
"The opposition?" both Katara and Zuko had snorted
"You make it sound like we're at war," Katara added.
"This is war," Sokka humphed.
"You're so stupid Sokka."
Tensely, they breathed, watching for any signs of a winner. Sometimes it leaned towards the Dragon, sometimes towards the great master of the four elements.
And then the last move was played.
"No!" Zuko clutched his head and fell on his knees.
"Aw, has Sparky lost his honor?"
They all regarded Toph with a reproachful look.
"Too soon? It's been four years already..."
"I don't understand," Iroh was stroking his beard thoughtfully. "I was playing such an old secret move."
"Well I am over a hundred years old," Aang boasted. "I probably knew what you were doing,"
"Bluff," toph said. "Pay up sparky,"
And the betters had extended their hands.
"Damn you," Zuko muttered, shoving his hand into his pocket and took out his money sack.
"Thank you," Sokka had snatched the sack.
Zuko glared at him and grabbed it back quickly doling out the pieces.
"Come uncle. Let us have tea," Zuko stomped off. His uncle still lost in thought pursued him quietly.
Katara went to face Toph at this opportunity but Toph jerked her head at Aang. Or vaguely in his direction, anyhow.
"Aang," katara said in a persuasive tone, "Maybe you should join Zuko? Didn't you want to discuss something about republic city?"
Aang knew her well enough to recognize the please leave now tone, and simply nodded at her and dashed off.
"What thing?" Sokka asked cluelessly. "Why wasn't I invited?"
Toph began laughing.
"Toph..." katara said in a somewhat stern voice and started giggling too.
"What is it?" Sokka asked.
"How'd you know sugar queen?"
"Oh, please, miss-I'm-the-queen-of-scams,"
Sokka seemed to piece it together at this point. "You mean this is dirty money?" Sokka asked in repulsion "Alright." He shrugged.
Katara rolled her eyes at her brother and Toph merely rolled her eyes and punched him affectionately.
"I knew it!"
They saw a certain fire lord come at them, pointing his finger accusingly.
"Cheaters! Determined to ruin me!"
"Zuko calm down..." Katara said warily. "Have you been doing those breathing exercises I told you to do?"
Zuko had been stressed lately and has been blowing up even more often than when he was hunting for Aang.
He sulked and turned away. Sokka snorted.
"Zuko! And look at me when I talk to you."
"Ok mother," Zuko snapped at her.
Toph snorted too and earned her own "affectionate punch". Toph muttered something about assaulting a disabled. Yeah right.
"Zuko!"
"It's stupid!" he protested.
"It'll help. Now. In. Out."
"No.
"I will hang you upside down and let the world see your undies. And they're not pretty."
"How is that supposed to help relieve my stress?"
At the same time Toph mumbled something that suspiciously sounded like "Betcha you're excited to see that". Katara blushed furiously. Zuko pointed to her and laughed.
"Oh like you're not dying to show them to her," Toph told him. That shut him up.
"Why are you do fixated on the idea of my... Garments worn under the clothes..."
"Garments worn under the clothes?" Toph scoffed. "And please. You're not doing anything for me. Not even if I could see."
"Ooh! Low blow. Classic Toph."
"Shut. Up. Of else I will burn your stupid ponytail off your head."
Sokka gasped at this offense, and clutched said ponytail. "It is a warrior's wolf tail. And you're one to talk, mr. stupid ponytail." "Excuse me for having most of my hair burned off," Zuko gritted his teeth.
"But how does the ponytail fit in?"
As the two argued, Toph and Katara quickly fled the scene, and giggled about the stupidity of boys.
"Wait Katara," Toph had asked as they were walking down the corridor. "How do you know how Sparky's undies look like."
"Trust me. You don't want to know," Katara muttered shuddering at the embarrassment of that memory.
