Alright, so along with my other stories, I'm going to start a book of shorts

Alright, so along with my other stories, I'm going to start a book of shorts. Now… this will consist of many one shots, and even a few 2-3 chapter long stories. If anyone has any ideas for a story, I'd be glad to see if I could make it come to life .

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Moving On

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It had been nearly 3 months since the Gaang had won the war. Since then they had traveled the world, helping to restore peace, rebuild cities and alliances. But all the traveling had caused tension within the group.

It had been but 3 weeks Zuko's coronation that the already rocky relationship between Zuko and Mai became rockier. They'd try to hide it, but it was impossible. You could feel the tension in the air. And then came the night when Mai told Zuko she was leaving. That she was no long happy and that she thought it was best they just go their separate ways.

"It doesn't do well to dwell on a silly school girl crush from years ago Zuko.."

"Mai…this doesn't make sense. We can work through this. We can make it better.

"No Zuko." Her voice was stern. "I'm leaving. Good bye." With that and a kiss on his cheek, she walked out of his life.

The following couple of weeks Zuko was a mix of emotions. He'd snap from angry to sad in an instant. He refused to open up to anyone, and it was only after an offer of tea from his uncle did he break. The old man hugged his nephew tightly, telling him that heartbreak was fast and rare. His group of friends would admit that it was the quietest that Zuko had ever been-and that was saying something. It was upon the insistence of Iroh that Zuko go along with his friends on their travels, that some time away from the Fire Nation, from Mai, would be good for him. It was only after Katara had pleaded with him for the third time that day that he agreed to go.

-Two weeks post break-up-

The group had stopped in a pleasant little glen in the middle of some set of woods for a well-deserved rest. Everyone else had gone on about their business, Aang and Toph for some earthbending practice, Sokka and Suki to go off….wherever it was to do what whatever it was they did. Katara walked up behind Zuko, stopping a few feet away. He sat, looking at the small pond.

"Hey…" he didn't look to her, staring at the water.

"..hey…"

"How you doing?" Zuko only responded with a shrug

"Fine, I guess…" Katara sighed as she moved to crouch next to him, a light hand on his shoulder.

"Do you want to go for a walk? It's really nice and peaceful around here." Zuko stared at her for a moment before agreeing. He knew full well that if he were to reject he wouldn't hear the end of it from Katara.

The two walked in silence for quite some time before Katara broke the silence.

"Sooo… nice day."

"It's fine." To his response Katara sighed, rolling her eyes. Suddenly she got an idea. She smiled slyly, discreetly uncapping her water canteen. She slowed her walk to be slightly behind Zuko and bended out a small stream of water, with a quick snap of her wrists, it flew forward, snapping the back of his neck. Katara quickly bended it back into her water canteen, acting innocent. Zuko had spun around, just barely missing her bending the water back. He clamped his neck.

"What was that?!"

"Uhmm…really big bug?" She chuckled lightly. He looked at her suspiciously,

"Uh-huh.." he turned back around, walking. This time, he stayed on his guard. After what she thought to be a suitable enough amount of time, Katara attempted to get him again. The water was mid-air, floating slowly. Katara had but barely moved to whip him again when Zuko turned with a smirk, grabbing her wrists, not enough to hurt her, but enough to stop her movement.

"Gotchya!" Katara gasped in surprise and looked up to the stream of water floating above Zuko's head. She looked into his eyes for a moment, before turning her eyes up to the water and smirked, dropping her fingers. The water fell onto Zuko's head with a splash. His expression quickly changed from annoyance to a smile. He ran after her, giving a playful growl.

"Ill get you for that!" Katara gave a shriek of laughter, running from Zuko. She dodged behind a tree, running around it. The two continued their game of tag through the woods, running around to who knows where. Zuko tripped on a tree root that had risen from the ground and flew into Katara, knocking her down as well. They tumbled down a small hill and came to a stop, Katara ontop of Zuko. They panted from the lack of breath, looking to one another. After either a long minute, or a few short seconds, they couldn't tell, They snapped to their senses, jumping from one another.

"Sorry." Katara cleared her throat, brushing a few stray strands of hair behind her ear, hiding the light blush. Zuko himself was fighting the blush that had made it's way to his cheeks.

"Sorry. Sorry..it's..it's okay." They continued their walk, staying silent. The same question continued through both their minds. "Had that really just happened?"

The next few weeks had continued on about the same. Katara and Zuko had grown ever closer.

Around the same time Zuko and Mai had ended their relationship, the same had gone for Aang and Katara. They had been happy the first few weeks. But not long after that did the two find themselves feeling awkward around one another, finding themselves quickly growing short with one another. Aang had also somehow grown suspiciously closer to Toph. They had ended their relationship on good terms, much better than Zuko and Mai. But as of late Katara and Zuko found themselves growing strangely…closer to one another.

-A few weeks later-

It had been another night, much like one from weeks prior, where the group had stopped for another camp out for the night. This time Zuko and Katara had walked a bit to far into the woods, getting themselves…lost.

"Katara we've been walking around for hours now. It's getting too dark to even see."

"Well Mr."I-Know-Where-I'm-Going" flame head, maybe you should light us a little torch and help us see our way!" Zuko sighed annoyed, snapping his fingers and creating a small flame in his right hand.

"There, better little "Miss Scared-Of-The-Dark"?" Katara huffed

"I am not afraid of the dark." From somewhere in the woods came a large shriek of some sort of animal. Katara jumped and instinctively grabbed onto Zuko's left arm. He smirked, looking to her; the look on his face was enough that he didn't need any words.

"What? I'm not. I just…don't want to get separated in the dark." Zuko chuckled; lightly squeezing the arm she had a hold of against him.

"Riiiight."

It wasn't long until they got back to the camp, their friends running up to them. Sokka was the first to speak.

"Hey! Where'd you guys go? You were gone a long time." Katara instantly detached herself from Zuko, who moved to rub the back of his neck, almost embarrassed.

"Well…we kind of got lost in the woods…"

"We were about to come looking for you guys." Toph smirked, crossing her arms.

After everyone else had gone to bed, Zuko and Katara had stayed up, sitting near the fire.

"Well tonight was…fun" Katara broke the silence. Zuko chuckled.

"Yea…fun. Ya know, I never knew the great and mighty Waterbending Master was afraid of the dark." Katara chuckled, nudging him.

"Shut up."

"What?" he chuckled, looking to Katara incredulously,

"I am not."

"Hah…sure you're not." She nudged him playfully again

"I'm not." Zuko nudged her back and the two laughed, before sharing a glance.

"Katara? Thanks for everything lately…I mean, It's been fun, ya know? You really helped me…thanks." She smiled to him.

"Hey…you've really helped me before...several times. It was the least I could do for a friend…"They stayed silent, staring at one another a moment. Then, slowly, they began to move in closer and closer, their eyes drawing shut, they were mere inches apart when they pulled apart, shocked and embarrassed. Katara stood up, her face flushing.

"OH! I should…really be going to bed…it's late and it's been a long day and…good night!" she quickly hurried to her tent, rushing in. Zuko smiled, watching her rush off. He focused on the fire for a few more moments, thinking of what had happened…what had almost happened…before rising and going off to bed.

Katara had not been alone for long when Toph walked right in, arms crossed, and that "I-know-everything"smirk on her face.

"Alright Sugar Queen, spill."

"What?"

"Don't play dumb with me. There's something going on with you and Sparky. And you can't hide it from me." Katara broke in to retort but Toph cut her off. "Ever since you two came back from that final battle, your heart has done this funny little skip every time Zuko looks at you. And lately it's just been a bit too jumpy to just be nothing. And tonight! What was that about Sugar Queen?"

"Toph!"

"I knew it…you've got a thing for Zuko!"

"Toph! BE QUIET! Someone might hear you!"

"So?"

"So maybe I'm not ready to let him know it. Maybe I'm not ready to admit it to myself yet."

"Whatever you say Katara. I know all I need to know." She walked out. Katara sat there in the silence, thinking to herself.

"Do I really have something for Zuko? I mean sure he's nice enough…" She thought back to when he had saved her life. Risked his life for hers by jumping out in front of Azula's attack. There hadn't been any hesitation. He had just acted.

Back in his own tent Zuko was thinking precisely the same thing. He remembered the fear he felt when he saw his sister's evil eyes turn their gaze to Katara, her hands throw forth that deadly ball of lightning. And the whole time, all he could think was "Not her…please not Her. Not Katara."

The weeks that had followed their near kiss had been filled with the same joking around, the same long walks and discussions that they had been having lately. When the group was in a town of course, it was all professional, but still friendly. And once they got back to camp, it was right back to the jokes and flirting. On one particular night, as the group sat around the fire for dinner, Katara had bended a stream of water and froze it right behind Zuko, unnoticed, before bending the ice down the back of his shirt. He yelped and jumped up.

"Katara!" He grabbed a towel and smiled fiendishly. He dunked into the bucket of water that stood nearby before chasing her around, snapping it at her. This of course got a shriek of laughter and delight from Katara, and an annoyed sigh from her brother and Aang. Toph nudged Aang lightly.

"What's the matter Twinkle Toes?"

"This is all just getting really annoying. If they're going to run around and flirt all the time they might as well just do something about it." He sighed, taking another large bite of mango. At that same time Suki had given Sokka's hand a soft squeeze.

"They are kind of cute."

"She's still my sister…I don't need to approve of it." She giggled, nuzzling her cheek on his shoulder.

"Aww come on now. Don't you want Katara to be as happy as us?" Sokka only shrugged, moping sulkily. The chase between Zuko and Katara had turned to a sort of dance as Katara had turned the tables on Zuko, fighting to get the towel from his hands.

The next week had led to only a slight tension between the two. Both were obviously confused about their sudden closeness, about the feelings they felt for one another. As of late, Katara had been, for some reason, going out of her way with kindness toward Zuko. More than ever, in fact. She'd always be sure that he got seconds at dinner, the largest amount of tea in the morning. And as much as he liked the attention, for some reason, something was always holding Zuko back. So many people had left him or hurt him in the past. His mother, his father, his sister…even Mai. And he had even hurt others. His uncle most importantly. And now, as he grew ever closer to Katara, he was so afraid to have either of the two occur. And he had, in return, become quiet around Katara.

The group had stopped in Kyoshi Island so as Suki could visit her fellow warriors and friends. It was near sunset when Zuko had asked Katara to go for a walk. He had, honestly, felt bad about the way he had been acting towards her lately. But was not sure of how to apologize, of how to even bring up the subject for that matter. And so the two succumbed to polite small talk. The weather, the next place they would travel. And finally, Katara broke.

The two had stopped at the shore, the sky orangy pink with the sunset.

"Pretty sunset…" Zuko nodded in response.

"Yea…it's nice." "You're prettier." He thought. "Just…say SOMETHING." instead, he stayed silent.

"Alright! That's it!" Katara's sudden outburst shocked Zuko as he jumped back, looking to her with wide eyes. "I have been trying my hardest to be nice to you to…show you some friendship. And lately you've just been so quiet…so RUDE. You've changed and I just can't understand it! You've been so nice…so sweet…and all of a sudden you've just changed!" Zuko couldn't even get a word in edgewise. He finally took the moment when she stopped to catch her breath to jump in. His voice quiet.

"Katara…I'm sorry. I'm just confused. This is kinda hard for me…I don't think you understand." There were tears in Katara's eyes now. Her hands flailing.

"No I don't think you understand! I love you! Have loved you for quite some time now! I think I first noticed I my feelings for you when you risked your life for mine. You cared enough to jump out and block me from that attack! And now…and you…and us….and I've been trying to find out exactly how you feel about me but I think I'd end up going crazy before I even know. I don't know what it is about you. I try my hardest to show you how I feel and I just… I…and now I'm babbling and you probably just think I'm completely stupid and just want me to shut up and-" she was cut off as Zuko pulled her in, his lips crashing into hers. He smirked at her,

"You…really need to learn to shut up…" he paused, sensing that she was either going to cry or slap him, but for some reason his smile had paused her. He looked deep into her eyes, squeezing her hands. "So I can tell you that I love you too." The two moved back in for another deep kiss, despite the large smiles plastered across their faces, the tears running down their cheeks. They held one another tightly, fingers entwined in hair, gripping the other body closer to themselves. And so they stood there, a new love realized, while the evening sun set over the sea.