I realize, my dear readers, that I should really be finishing Shaping the World before I post a new fic. I also realize that posting this chapter at all makes me something of a tease, since I have yet to finish chapter two and don't really have plans to work on it until school slows down a little. But… yeah, I wanted to give you guys something new. I had to wait until after the finale to even figure out exactly where this one was going, and then I had to tweak and play with it. Chapter One, is really more of a prologue to the rest of the story, but you guys can live with that, right? Love you all, and enjoy!
I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
One of Those Things
--Chapter One: I Don't Wanna Be In Love--
-The Fire Nation Palace on the day of Sozin's Comet-
After Azula was properly imprisoned, Zuko and Katara had gone inside the palace to rest until the others arrived. Katara helped Zuko to the room he indicated, and then he lit the wood in the fireplace while she looked around for something for them to eat.
"How's your wound?"
Zuko shifted in his chair to look at Katara, who had returned with a bowl of cherries. "It still burns a little," he told her.
She smirked. "You've got a sense of humor. Azula's lightning must have affected your brain somehow." She sat down in the chair next to his. "So this… what room is this?"
"My mother's. At least, it used to be." He stared at the broken mirror to their left. "I think Azula took it over recently."
Katara looked at the mirror also. "You still don't know what happened to your mother, do you?"
"My father told me she was banished for treason the night my grandfather died. I don't know where she is, but there's a chance she's alive."
Katara smiled. "That's great, Zuko."
Zuko glanced at her. "When I go to look for her, will you come with me?"
She stood up. "You know I can't, Zuko."
"Why not?"
"Because of Aang. You should take Mai with you."
He looked down. "You're right. Once everyone comes back, things are going to go back to normal." He took a deep breath. "Katara?"
"Yeah?"
"Would you get mad at me if I kissed you right now?"
She didn't say yes or no. Instead she leaned down and put her lips to his. It was strange for both of them, kissing someone when they knew they could only have this moment. It was the moment they'd missed out on in Ba Sing Se, the moment they'd been building and moving toward ever since then. But that was all it was: a moment.
Katara turned away, trying to hide the tears forming in her eyes. "Thank you for saving my life. You mean so much to me, and you always will, but…"
"I know." Zuko sighed. "I feel the same way."
"I wish..." Katara left the thought unfinished. They could both hear people in the hallways. But she didn't need to say what she wished. He felt the same way.
--
-Ba Sing Se, two months later-
Zuko should have felt happy for them. He knew that. Aang finally had what he wanted, and as the Avatar sat with his arm around his new girlfriend, the two of them chatting with the rest of the group, Zuko should have been happy for them. Everyone else seemed to be. But Zuko wasn't.
He had everything. He had a wonderful girlfriend who loved him, great friends, and he was the Fire Lord! And yet a very small, very foolish part of his mind whispered that he would give up all of it to be the one with his arm around Katara. Never mind being the Avatar; he didn't want any of that. He didn't need the glory and the fame. He didn't really want the glory and fame he already had. He just wanted her.
He dove in front of a lightning bolt for Katara. While Zuko was sure he was willing to do that for any of the people here, being willing and actually doing it were two different things. He was hesitant to call what he felt love. It was the same thing he felt when they were alone after defeating Azula. It was just something more than friendship, something strong enough to make him annoyed with one of his best friends, even though said friend had done absolutely nothing wrong. Zuko wasn't sure he liked this feeling, and he hoped it would fade with more time. For everyone's sake. "Excuse me," he murmured after a while. He went out onto the balcony, thankful no one followed him right away.
--
Katara didn't like Zuko's outfit. It was the silliest complaint she'd ever had, really, which was why she didn't express it out loud. She didn't like it because it reminded her too much of what he'd worn the last time they were in Ba Sing Se- when they were imprisoned beneath it together. Despite the play on Ember Island's obvious misrepresentation of what had occurred between the two of them at that time, Katara and Zuko still hadn't discussed it with anyone. Well, Katara hadn't said anything beyond briefly mentioning it. She didn't know if Zuko had told anyone details. Especially about the spirit water…
And of course she hadn't said anything to anyone about their kiss in the Fire Nation Palace. No one would have understood, and it was easier to not say anything than to try to explain her feelings where Zuko was concerned.
Eventually the group's high-spirited conversation ended up with Toph challenging Aang to an earthbending match. Sokka insisted they have the match immediately and began to push everyone toward the door amid laughing protests from Aang. Katara managed to disentangle herself from the group and went to the balcony, only to find Zuko already there. She'd forgotten when he'd left the room. Katara joined him at the railing but said nothing, not wanting to disturb his apparent reverie as he looked out over the roofs of Ba Sing Se.
"Congratulations," Zuko said after a moment. "For… you and Aang. I didn't say anything before…"
She blinked, his words not registering right away. "Oh. Thanks." They could hear Toph's insults and Sokka's shouts of glee down below. Katara smiled. "It's not quite like old times, is it?"
Zuko looked down at his outfit and then at her green dress. "Not exactly."
She realized what he was looking at. "That's not what I meant."
"I know."
They were quiet again for a moment. A loud crash, most likely caused by Toph or Aang, was followed by an exclamation of "MY CABBAGES!"
"Have you ever… have you told anyone about the caverns? About our time down there, I mean." Have you told anyone what happened the day of Sozin's Comet?
"Not really." No.
"So no one knows that I offered to heal your scar?" No one knows we kissed?
Zuko remembered the feel of her cool hand against his skin and his silent acceptance of her offer, just before Aang and Iroh burst in. He remembered the firelight, sitting in his mother's old room with Katara's lips pressed against his. "No. I haven't told anyone about that."
They heard the girls' laughter and Aang's rushed apology to the poor, poor cabbage merchant.
His golden eyes met her blue ones. "I won't, if that's what you want."
"I don't know." Katara rested her arms on the top of the railing. "It shouldn't really matter, now. You still have your scar, and I used the water from the Spirit Oasis to save Aang. We're all still alive and well." She smiled again. "We survived the war."
"There's still a lot to do, though. A lot of rebuilding, and the Avatar will be needed everywhere."
"Yeah. We'll probably go back to the South Pole for a while first, and then travel where ever Aang's needed. Suki will go back to Kyoshi, and eventually Sokka will end up there with her, though he'll most likely stay with Dad for some of the bonding time they missed during the war. Toph's pretty much guaranteed to go with me and Aang. She doesn't like staying in one place for very long."
"And Mai and I will go back to the Fire Nation to undo as much of my father's work as possible." Zuko sighed. He didn't mention his mother. He wasn't about to tell Katara about the small grave in an Earth Kingdom fishing village or the box filled with Ursa's few belongings salvaged from her burned down house. That was his secret, another addition to the small collection of things he kept from everyone.
Katara smirked, unaware of the turn his thoughts had taken. "I promise to write you, if that'll help."
Zuko smiled back. "I'll hold you to that."
"Zuko, Katara, come on!" Sokka shouted from below. "Toph just bought all these cabbages! We're gonna go throw them off the outer wall!"
Katara tried not to sigh. Zuko shook his head. Sokka was so immature.
"I call those big ones!"
And Aang was no better.
--
"A letter from Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, Fire Lord Zuko."
Zuko took the scroll from the messenger, thanking and dismissing the man as he unrolled the first of Katara's promised letters.
Dear Zuko-
It's great to be home. You know it's been almost a year since I've seen the Southern Lights? And it's wonderful to see everyone again. Gran-Gran and Pakku seem really happy… when Sokka isn't trying to come up with a silly name for Pakku, that is. Dad's glad to be home too. Since he and Bato are sharing a tent- he says they got used to it during the war and it makes sense for two bachelors to share, especially when there are so many more people and only a few more tents- and Gran-Gran and Pakku have their own tent, I get to share with Toph while Sokka and Aang share our old one. I don't envy Aang at all: Sokka snores horribly.
Toph has decided she doesn't like snow. She claims it's boring. Sokka has to carry her around on his back since we made her wear boots.
How are things in the Fire Nation? I'm sure autumn's pretty there… Maybe I'll see it someday, huh?
We probably won't be here too much longer, since most of the foods available involve meat of some sort. Poor Aang hasn't been eating much, so hopefully we'll be somewhere else by the time you read this. If we don't leave soon, it'll be too cold to go anywhere and we'll be stuck in the South Pole all winter. I expect you to tell me how warm it is where you are… Aang and Toph will be jealous.
I don't know where we'll be headed, but I'll write you again when we get there. I'd love for you to respond to this letter anyway, since we'll be returning home every now and then to check on things. And I'll have something to look forward to, besides traveling around the world.
Waiting until your letter comes,
Katara
Zuko had already snatched a piece of paper from his desk and was mentally composing his reply before he paused and thought about exactly what he was doing. What would he say to her, really? She was Aang's girlfriend, and she'd barely mentioned him in the letter. Of course, the entire letter had been chatty and only vaguely personal. Maybe Katara didn't like to discuss private things in letters. Maybe she'd be herself again when they saw each other in person, whenever that might be. Or maybe he was already losing her. Not that he'd ever had her. Maybe it was his mind he was losing. Yes, that made more sense. He began to write.
Dear Katara-
Things are going well here. There isn't actually much to rebuild in the capital, so I've been overseeing some of the construction elsewhere. I'm on Ember Island at the moment, but ask Aang how he feels about having the Western Air Temple rebuilt. It won't be an easy project, but it might be a fulfilling one. As for the sleeping arrangements where you are… While I didn't need the details of who sleeps with whom, I don't envy Aang either.
Tell Toph I agree with her. Snow is boring.
I'm sending some dried fruit along with this letter. If you do have to stay in the South Pole all winter, at least Aang will have something edible around. It's not warm here; it's hot. The workers all have their shirts off and it's only to preserve my dignity as Fire Lord (and because Mai claims she doesn't want me showing off) that mine remains on. Aang, Sokka, and Toph should be jealous. Especially Sokka.
Clearly I am responding, even if you don't read this until after you read the response to your next letter. I'm glad to give you something to look forward to.
Sitting in the sun,
Zuko
--
Dear Zuko-
My dad sent along your previous letter (and the fruit- Aang says thank you). I'm not so jealous of your weather now that we're in Kyoshi. It's still cold, but it's warmer than home. As to your shirt being off, Sokka is terribly jealous. Mai's right, though. You shouldn't be showing off.
Aang says he's not sure about the Western Air Temple. We're going to see what kind of condition the Eastern one is in before he makes a definite decision. I've borrowed Hawky to send this, so that way you won't have to worry about your letter reaching me before we move on. Just don't send five barrels of fruit along with your response this time, okay?
And snow is not boring. It's beautiful.
Love,
Katara
Zuko stared at the closing. Yes, it was definitely his mind he was losing.
--End Chapter One--
Yeah… I don't have anything else to say. Just review, please!