One
{mistletoe}
Dear Zuko,
Are you enjoying your eternal summer in the Fire Nation? I bet it beats snowstorms in the South Pole. I wish I could have sent some snow along with this letter but we both know that's impossible. So instead, I've attached some mistletoe in the other scroll. It's a plant Toph introduced to our village when she came to visit. Apparently there's some tradition that when two people stand under the mistletoe, they have to kiss.
Makes me wish you were here.
Suki also came to visit us and she brought me some lipstick as a gift, so I thought I'd try it out. Now you can kiss the paper whenever you miss me! But don't do it when people are watching otherwise you'll look like a weirdo!
Well, with all that aside, tell me how you've been doing. Oh, Zuko. It's not fair. Suki's here with Sokka, Toph and Aang have been spending more time with each other since I've been helping out and tending to the village… and you're halfway across the world. We both knew what we were getting into with this relationship, but it doesn't change the fact that I long to see you. Come and visit soon, okay? I miss you. Oh and keep the mistletoe away from Iroh. Don't want him to accidentally come across it and turn it into tea.
Take care always.
Love,
Katara
Fire Lord Zuko released a warm smile as he reread the last words from his girlfriend. He eagerly unrolled the other delivered scroll and was delighted when his eyes rested upon the snipping of a leafy green mistletoe, decorated by tiny red berries. His cheeks blushed pink when he saw the deep red lipstick colour stained on the beige scroll.
Those were her lips.
Katara's.
Her lips had touched the paper.
For him, the gift was proof that she was alive and that they were both existing in the same world. After being apart from each other for nearly a year, nothing else could have been more reassuring. He indulged himself with the heartwarming thoughts as the crackling from his bedroom fireplace lulled him to a peaceful mindset.
In the dim lighting, Zuko gingerly lifted the mistletoe off of the second scroll. He noted the herb's simplistic beauty and his eyes lit up with the thought that Katara had also touched the same plant he was holding.
A moment later, he returned his attention to the lipstick marks. His fingers lightly traced the outline of her lips, being ever so careful not to smear the artwork. And then, in the warmth of his summer (the frost of her winter), his eyes fluttered shut as he gently pressed his lips over Katara's lipstick marks.
It was the closest he felt to her in months.
I had planned to write a chapter a day for the Zutara Month prompts and had even thought of a plot but unfortunately became stuck after writing the first one. So this will probably be my only entry unless I can miraculously come up with something for the following days. Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!
~Roze