First Love I did fall in love with Katara, and I'll probably always love her…
Zuko thought tenderly of Katara, as he did every time this time of year.
It was six years since the war had ended, and the three remaining nations had made the day of its end an official celebration. Each year, one of the three nations held an annual ball in honour of Katara, Aang, Sokka, Toph, Suki, Zuko and every single man, woman and child that had helped end the war. The rest of the world satisfied itself by having their own gatherings, releasing an endless array of fireworks into the night and toasting the very people who ended one hundred years of suffering.
This year, the ball was being held in the Northern Water Tribe. The walls and ceiling of the enormous hall, where the ball was taking place, had been especially bended to show intricate detail for the special event. Whilst everyone had being oohing and aahing at its magnificence, Zuko's eyes anxiously sought out the one person he wanted to see: Katara.
Upon her arrival with Aang, he waited nervously for her to address him, as he stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. He remained there as Katara enthusiastically greeted her family and the rest of their friends until she finally laid eyes on him. Zuko's breath had caught in his throat as she eagerly approached him with the warm smile on her face that they all knew so well.
In a second, Katara's arms were wrapped tightly around his neck, his around her waist. Zuko felt her hair tickle his face as she burrowed her face into his shoulder and his heart jumped violently in his chest. This was why he came, unconditionally, to the annual yearly ball: For these few precious seconds with Katara. He was instantly reminded of the first hug they shared, of the sincerity, and dare he say it, love, that had come along with it.
"I've missed you," Katara said quietly, but the lack of volume of her voice didn't change the genuine honesty in it, nor did it change the impact the words had on Zuko. He closed his eyes painfully.
"I've missed you too. A lot." He returned. He heard his voice break as he said it, heard the clear translation of his true emotions. "But believe me Katara, you'd change your mind if you were around my moodiness for more than a day." He said, trying to ease the intensity of the moment with a joke.
Katara laughed as they drew apart. Aang emerged. Six years had given him time to mature and grow. He was slightly taller now than Zuko and was wiser than ever, but time hadn't taken away his humour and his generosity of spirit.
"Zuko!" He called joyfully. "It's great to see you!" He wrapped his arms roughly around Zuko, squeezing him with a huge smile on his face as Katara laughed.
"Aang stop, before you kill him." She commented humorously. Zuko chuckled in agreement as Aang pulled away and braced his hands comradely onto the Airbender's shoulders.
"It's great to see you too, Aang," He said with truth "and congratulations to both of you on the engagement, I'll be at the wedding, I promise."
Aang had proposed to Katara a few months ago, and when Zuko had received the news from Sokka in a letter, he'd shut himself up in his room for the entire day, refusing to see anyone much to everyone's confusion, and to Mai's dismay. But he learned to accept what was to happen, he understood that Aang loved Katara just as much as he did and that both of them, being kind, generous and wonderful people, truly deserved each other. He was happy for them.
Aang looped his arm around Katara's waist, smiling softly.
"Thanks a lot, Zuko, "Katara replied, a smile forming at the corner of her lips "that means a lot, coming from you."
"Yeah, thanks." Aang agreed. "We're really glad you can make it. We were prepared to change the date if you couldn't. Who knew being Fire Lord was so time consuming?" Katara rolled her eyes at that and Zuko sniggered.
"What're we talking about here?" Came a voice from behind them. Zuko, Katara and Aang swivelled around to find Toph grinning at them. No longer was she short as she once was. Six years had made her a tall and mature young woman who possessed even more attitude than when she was twelve.
"Toph!" Zuko, Katara and Aang cried out in unison and the three of them had their arms around her in the next moment. She laughed.
"You know Katara, Sokka's right behind me." Toph informed. Katara squealed as her brother approached them and barrelled right into him. The rest of them heard him grunt with her impact. After a couple minutes of word vomit, Katara detached herself from Sokka and warmly addressed Suki. Sokka sauntered over to Zuko and Aang, holding out his arms with a massive grin plastered onto his face.
"Don't even deny you've missed me." He said loudly, embracing them heartily. Aang laughed whilst Zuko groaned. Sokka swung an arm over Zuko as Katara and Suki returned.
"I bet you've been bored out of your mind without my jokes to keep you going, Lordy Boy." Sokka bragged. Zuko shook his head in wonder as Toph snorted with amusement.
"Sokka," Suki said exasperatedly.
"You're right about that, Sokka," Zuko agreed, playfully shoving the Water Tribe warrior, "But I certainly didn't miss your ego."
"Hey!" Sokka reprimanded, feigning hurt as the rest of the gAang snickered and giggled.
Zuko smiled. This was what he missed, he was always grateful for the annual ball, for the chance to hold Katara in his arms and to feel like things were as they once were with the people he cared most about. He spent the rest of the night with them, reminiscing the memories they shared on their legendary journey, cracking more jokes and discussing plans they intended to carry out in the future. They met up with the members of the White Lotus, with Sokka and Katara's family, with Toph's parents, with Teo and his father, with Haru and The Duke, with Pipsqueak, Longshot and Smellerbee, with Ty Lee and everyone else who they knew had a hand in ending the war, one way or another.
Finally it became late and everyone decided to depart and head home. Everyone except Zuko. Many people had insisted that Zuko head home but he'd but just assured them he was fine and they went along on their merry way.
So there sat Zuko alone a couch thinking about Katara. He'd fallen in love with her soon after joining the gAang. He fell in love with her compassion and her courage, he fell in love with the fact that she had possessed the strength to become an adult at fourteen years old, he fell in love with how he could relate with her so much and he loved how she was mature and responsible and yet, it had never tainted her kindness and light-heartedness.
Of course, he'd never said anything. The fear of rejection had always kept him from doing that, the fear that she didn't feel the same way and he'd ruin the strong bond they had built with just a few words. But on the day he took the bolt of lightning intended for her, he swore she felt the same way. After she'd healed him, tears came to her eyes. It had been the second time he'd seen her cry, the first was because of her deceased mother and the second time were tears of joy, tears for him. But that wasn't what convinced him. It was the look in her eyes when she realised he was still alive, her face lit up and he witnessed such powerful emotion swirling in her irises. He'd been sure it was love.
It was at that moment that he was about to admit his feelings for her until two images came into his mind. The first was Aang, Aang with his adoring eyes for Katara and how he'd loved her for so long, how it was obvious to anyone who was with him long enough. The second image was of Mai. Mai had sacrificed herself to save Zuko's life; she'd surrendered herself, putting her own life at Azula's mercy, because she had loved him that much. Remembering these two thoughts, Zuko realised that he couldn't be selfish.
Zuko thought of Mai then. She was sick with a flu and had stayed home in the Fire Nation. Zuko had offered to stay with her, but she'd known how much he'd wanted to go to the annual ball and insisted that he'd go. Zuko smiled. He loved Mai, he truly did. She was brave and loyal to what she believed in and had stuck by him despite the messy six years they had. He planned to propose to her eventually and when the time came to produce heirs, he would love his children no less than if Katara had given birth to them. He knew he would never compare Mai to Katara or resent her during their life together.
He just held a special in his heart for Katara, for his first love.