Zuko had been with the gang for vacation almost a week and Katara was making him reach the breaking point. She was the only one that didn't trust him fully it had been three years since the war had ended. He really liked Katara, sometimes more than a friend, but he found her actually very amusing. But when he felt this way he also felt like an ass because he knew Aang liked her as well. And he was two years older so he knew she wouldn't go for him. It was morning now and there was a knock on his bedroom door. They were now on Ember Island, and Zuko was thankful that they were now sleeping indoors.
"It's me can I come in Hotpants?" Toph, he thought.
"Yeah the doors open." He said. Toph walked in. Him and Toph were on ok grounds as far as friendship goes. But it was odd that she was here this early in the morning.
"Ok we need to talk," Zuko sat up in bed, "it's about Katara." Zuko's heart began to pick up pace instantly. Toph smirked because she could feel it in the floor.
"So let's get one thing straight I know you like Katara." Zuko sat there ready to explode. Did she tell anyone?
"But I think that you should know that she likes you back." Toph smirked and left the room, leaving Zuko in a stunned silence. How was he supposed to deal with her now if she liked him back?
"Ugh, I hate this." Zuko said rolling over and falling back asleep. No more than twenty minutes later he awoke to Katara slapping him in the face.
"Wake up!" She was yelling. He just smiled and sat up. That was different than what Katara expected. Usually if she did that he would wake up screaming at her like always.
"Thanks for that." Zuko said smiling at her. Katara watched him get out of bed and go to the dresser and strip off his shirt. She couldn't help but watch all the muscles on his upper body. Katara blushed and walked out of the room despite the fact that she wanted to stay and watch. She marched downstairs to see that Sokka, Toph and Suki were awake.
"What no shouting match this morning?" said Sokka. Katara ignored him and went straight outside. Toph knew what was going on.
"She looked kinda embarrassed don't you think?" Suki whispered. Sokka nodded in agreement.Toph began to laugh uncontrollably.
"What's so funny?" Zuko said coming down the stairs. Toph grinned at him, and he blushed.
"Oh you know Sugar Queen is upset about something." said Toph trying to be casual about it.
"Should I talk to her?" Zuko asked. Everyone stared at him stunned.
"Go for it, if you want your head taken off." Sokka said nodding outside. Zuko ignored his comment and walked outside. It was only seven in the morning, but the sun cast beautiful shadows on everything. And it was surprisingly warm. Zuko kept walking until he hit the sand. He checked to make sure no one was watching he then broke into a run. He rounded a corner and saw Katara watching the waves sitting cross legged. She looked up to see him smiling.
"Can I join you?" he asked. She just nodded so he sat down in the same position, only his chin rested on his thumbs. His fists were pressed against his lips. He wasn't going to ask what was wrong, he would sit there until she was ready to talk. Katara looked at him puzzled.
"Did you just come out here to annoy me?" she said becoming serious.
"Well I was wondering why you were upset. Toph said that you looked upset, no one else was gonna come out here so I decided to." Zuko said still starring at the waves.
"You didn't have to come out here you know." She said almost in a whisper.
"But what if I wanted to?" Zuko said making her blush a lot worse than before.
"Zuko…" she said after about a minute.
"Yeah?"
"I'm very sorry I've been really mean to you lately, and I know you don't deserve it." Katara said now looking into his deep amber eyes.
"You don't need to apologize because sometimes I do deserve it. I have changed since we first met and I'm sorry if it takes you longer to accept that." Zuko finished. Their faces were only inches apart.
"I understand that you're different," they were moving closer, "and I like that you've changed." At that moment their lips met. It was a very passionate kiss, each was trying to dominate the other. Katara's finger intertwined into Zuko's hair. Zuko's hands were sliding up and down the sides of her stomach. She pulled him closer, he leaned into it a little too much causing them to fall. Zuko was now on top of her, they both broke apart laughing and out of breath from the kiss.
They both stared at each other laughing. Zuko sat up sliding onto his knees. Katara sat up putting all her weight on her right hand. Suddenly they heard shouting.
"Your so on Toph!" it was Aang's voice. And from the sound of it they were close. Zuko slid a foot away from Katara. Katara thought he was right to move but at the same time she wanted to continue what they had been doing, without the fear of their friends freaking out. Zuko felt the same, he really didn't want to upset Aang.
As if on cue Aang and Toph both appeared ready to spar. Toph glanced at the two. She could feel there heart rate's through the sand. When Aang wasn't looking she winked at the two. Zuko glanced at Katara's worried expression and smiled. She smiled back feeling better instantly.
Aang noticed. He glared at the two, as rocks flew by his head. Katara was his, and no one else's. For Zuko's sake he hoped he knew that. Zuko stood and walked back to the house. He could feel Katara behind him, and that's what he was hoping for. As they were walking up the path Suki and Sokka passed them with beach towels and watermelon.
"Looks like a beach day." Zuko said knowing that Katara could hear him. They entered the house, Zuko immediately went to the fridge feeling his stomach growl.
"I'll make breakfast if you want." Katara said. Zuko looked up from the fridge, surprised. She smiled at him.
"I think I can handle it myself, um…..so where do we go from here?" Zuko asked. Katara looked a little sad at the question.
"What's Aang gonna do?" Katara asked him. Zuko didn't want to answer because he knew it wasn't good. He glared at the floor, steam was coming from his palms. He hated that he had to be nice, and not show off Katara as his girlfriend.
"Katara I think you should tell him, because if I say it he'll think that's the only reason I came here." Zuko stared at her wanting to make her feel better. She looked on the verge of tears. He closed the distance between them wrapping his arms around her waist, then crouching slightly he rested his head on her shoulder. Katara leaned into the hug as much as possible, letting the tears fall onto his grey T-shirt.
They stood there for what seemed to be hours, Katara's sobs were quiet, and the tears flowed constantly. She finally stopped and looked up into his amber eyes.
"You don't….still…have feelings for him do you?" Zuko asked. Katara now felt angry.
"I never had feelings for him, I always thought of him as a little brother. That's why this hurts because he always wanted it to be more than what it was. I'm crying because your right and I have to tell him, but at the same time I just want him to not have feelings for me at all." She felt all the color go to her cheeks. Her voice rose a few pitches while saying that. Zuko started to laugh making her madder.
"It just always seemed like it would be the two of you together, that's why I asked sorry to piss you off." Zuko cracked a smile. He had never smiled so much in one day.
"I'll tell him tonight. It will be easier than hiding it." Katara said smiling back.
"Actually I think we did a bad job already. Toph seemed to have known right from the start." They both laughed.
That night during dinner Zuko turned in early, not wanting to be there when she told Aang. It seemed wrong but they both agreed it was for the best. Zuko lie in bed wanting to sleep but he knew that he couldn't. Because he was expecting his door to break down from Aang and Sokka beating on it. He laid on his back starring at the ceiling. He was counting the cracks in the hard wood surface. Suddenly a knock was at the door.
Zuko ran to the door hoping it was Katara, but he got a better shock. It was Suki.
"Do you mind if I come in?" she said whispering.
"I guess so." Zuko said turning and sitting down on the edge of his bed. Suki followed.
"I know what's going on Toph told me everything, and Katara just went outside with Sokka and Aang." She said as if he had no idea.
"Um….I know she told me she was gonna talk to them." Zuko said trying to make her get it.
"Well I don't think she should do it alone. What if Aang goes into the Avatar state and…something bad happens?" Zuko went rigged at her words. That hadn't even crossed his mind. He stood up and looked out the window. Both of the men were shouting at her. He ran out of the room and down the stairs. When he entered the living room Toph said,
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." She said smirking.
"But what if Aang loses control and she gets hurt, I would never forgive myself." Zuko said starring at the floor.
"Look Zuko, I think Aang would say the same thing if anything happened. He would probably kill himself. Just let it happen, its better this way." For once she was right. Zuko sat down on the couch next to her. His head was in his hands. They waited for ten minutes. You could hear their voices, shouting at her. He couldn't make out what they were saying but he knew it couldn't be good. Until,
"ZUKO COME OUT HERE IF YOUR MAN ENOUGH!" it was Aangs voice. He stood and walked out the front door. There he saw two red faced men, and one beautiful girl with tears streaking down her face. Her face broke his heart.
"Aang please don't do this," Zuko said loud enough for him to hear, "I am not gonna fight you. I won't."
"Get out of here Zuko. No one wants you here, just go." Said Sokka. Zuko stared at the sand.
"Fine, but just so you know, I don't see the point. If she doesn't love you then why make me leave when it's not my fault?" Zuko said watching Aangs face get redder and redder. Zuko walked past them, not daring to look at Katara.
"Zuko no! Aang why? Why would you hurt me like this?" Katara was screaming but he wasn't going to turn around.
Zuko walked to the spot he had found Katara this morning. He sat there and started to cry. He hoped that he would die here. Right where the best moment of his life had happened. He had a small amount of hope that Katara would run away to try to find him. But he knew that because of Sokka she wouldn't. It had been a while since he cried. It felt strange. He knew one thing though. No matter how long it took, Katara would be his. But for now he sat there, the tears rolling down his cheeks. Watching the waves, waiting.