Stupid Toph and her stupid wagers, Katara thinks as she makes her way through the throng of masked people. One hand hovers near her face, ready to catch her mask, should it slip. Why did I let her talk me into this? she grumbles mentally.
Toph, in her characteristic mischievousness, had come up with a game of sorts for them to play during Ember Island's famous Solstice Festival. She had confiscated all their masks before they left and explained the rules - if they could get through the entire festival without anyone recognizing them, she would personally be their servant for the whole day tomorrow. She would referee, and let them out one at a time after they'd changed into their costume, so no one knew what anyone else looked like. Everyone had leapt at the chance to take the supremely confident earthbender down a notch and the game had begun.
That had been two hours ago. Now Katara is tired and hot from being on the move the whole time, and her nerves are screaming because she's been on constant lookout for the others, and she is becoming more and more amenable to the idea of ordering Toph around by the second.
She suddenly finds herself in an open square decked with lanterns, a fountain bubbling merrily in the center. The square is less crowded than the surrounding streets, and she gratefully sits down on the fountain's edge, glad for the reprieve for her poor, aching feet. The sound of the water, leaping joyfully from the top of the fountain, soothes her taut nerves.
After a couple minutes she spots a dark figure striding toward the edge of the square. The way he walks seems familiar, somehow, and her eyes narrow behind the half-mask as she wonders where she could have seen him before. She stands, aching feet forgotten, and begins to trail after the man in the grinning blue mask. She's not sure why she's doing it - curiosity? A habit of putting herself in needlessly dangerous situations? - but she has her water, cleverly concealed in its container that hangs at her side and blends in with her costume, and she has the knife that Zuko gave her and has taught her to use, and she is confident in her ability to keep herself out of trouble.
Then she notices the two swords strapped to his back. She checks her pace, even as her brain screams that she's seen those swords somewhere before, and falls further behind him. Better to keep a safe distance, she thinks. She is jostled by her fellow festival-goers, and quickly realizes that she's going to lose sight of her mark in the suddenly dense crowd. She reluctantly speeds up.
She's been following him for around half an hour now, and it is only in the last five minutes that he has seemed to realize he's picked up a tail. His head turns once to look over his shoulder, and she catches another glimpse of his mask's fanged grin before he abruptly slips between two women in dragon masks and disappears.
She stands stock-still, eyes darting around the narrow street. Where did he go - ?
There is a light tap on her shoulder and she whirls around, finding herself face-to-face with the man in the Blue Spirit mask.
The girl whips around to face him instantly. Zuko looks at her carefully - the way she stands tugs at his memory. Her red-and-gold feathered phoenix mask catches the flickering light of the lanterns that are strung across the street above them. Her costume leaves her midriff bare; it too is red, with golden feathers at the collar and gold embroidery on the edges. High-quality. There is another tug at his memory, like he's seen the costume before tonight - but he's seen so many wild outfits that he might be imagining things; it is the Solstice Festival, after all.
He tilts his head and keeps looking at her steadily. He's pretty sure she'll break down and explain why she was following him any moment now.
Phoenix-girl crosses her arms and stares back at him. One foot begins to tap impatiently. People flow around them like a river around a boulder, splitting into a neat 'v' before they quite reach the couple.
Zuko wonders, suddenly, if it's Katara that has been following him around for the last half-hour. Their face-off now reminds him of staring down the waterbender when he suggested coming to the Solstice Festival earlier in the week. It is twilight, and her mask shadows her eyes, covering any tell-tale blue, but he can't shake the feeling of familiarity.
Phoenix-girl is still staring at him. Neither of them have moved for at least a minute, but he is not going to be the first to speak. She was the one following him; she can explain herself.
Then she turns her back on him and starts walking away. She turns her back on him and starts walking away. Before he knows what he's doing, his hand shoots out and catches her shoulder again. He gestures angrily at her, asking Why? silently. If it is Katara, he doesn't want to give himself away by speaking; if it isn't, it's still a good idea to keep a low profile. Her mouth twists in annoyance just below her half-mask.
He repeats his gesture, stepping closer. He's a good deal taller than she is, he notices, and his hopes fade a little; surely Katara isn't that much shorter than him. He peers more closely at her face, hoping to see her eyes, but they are still shadowed by the mask.
She shrugs in response, as if saying, Why not? He gives her an incredulous look from underneath his mask; she seems to sense it and she looks irritated again.
Zuko sighs and starts to turn to go. She's not going to tell him anything, so what's the point in sticking around -
Phoenix-girl is gesturing at him - perhaps she thinks he only communicates by signs. She mimes taking her mask off and then motions for him to do it as well. He hesitates, biting his lip, and glances around the crowded, narrow street. What if one of the others spots him? He looks around again for Sokka's tell-tale wolf-tail sticking out from the back of his penguin mask; it's how Zuko found him the first time.
Phoenix-girl repeats the questioning gesture, a little more impatiently this time, and he nods. He wants to see her face. He's curious about this girl who's followed him all through the town. He's confident that the encroaching darkness, wavering light, and his own long hair will help cover his features- specifically the scar.
They both reach for their masks at the same time, slowly unfastening the backs. He keeps his eyes on her face. His heart is racing with adrenaline. The suspense is nearly unbearable.
They lower their masks simultaneously. There is a moment of stunned silence.
"You're joking!" Katara yells, furious, throwing the mask back up to her face. "No!"
"I knew it!" Zuko groans at the same time. "I knew it was you! Why did I take my mask off, I knew it - "
"Oh, shut up," Katara snaps. Her mask is back on her face and her mouth is an unhappy line.
"You ruined my chances of getting back at Toph!" he protests, lifting the Blue Spirit mask to his face once more. "Why were you following me, anyway?"
She shrugs - the same answer she'd given him earlier. "You looked suspicious. And I was bored."
"So you stalked me for half an hour?" Zuko says, a note of incredulity in his voice. "Because you were bored?" She shrugs again. He sighs and changes the subject. "Are you hungry?"
"Spirits, yes," she says, surprising him with her vehemence. He smiles behind his mask.
"I saw a fire-custard stand back there," he says. A man with a mask depicting the face of Agni jostles by them; Zuko steadies the waterbender as she is pushed back.
She brushes him off almost immediately, but nods. "Lead the way… Blue," she says, a small smile gracing her face. Then she laughs softly.
"What's so funny?" he asks, pushing his way through the crowd. Katara follows in his wake.
"You're wearing blue and white and I'm wearing red and gold. It's like we switched nationalities," she says. He glances back at her again. The gold feathers on her mask wink at him in the lantern-light. He wishes he could see her eyes; they are nothing but shadowed holes with the mask on and it's rather unnerving.
"Why'd you pick a phoenix?" he asks. He spots the striped awning of the fire-custard stand and angles toward it.
"I thought it would help me blend in," she says. "Why'd you pick the Blue Spirit? He's a wanted criminal, the Fire Nation's on the lookout for him."
Zuko snorts. "Not tonight. I've seen at least three other Blue Spirit masks. Not quite as good as the original, though," he adds thoughtfully. He stops quickly as a man with a cart shoves through the crowd ahead of him. Katara walks into his back; he turns and catches her arm before she can fall backward. He catches a glimpse of her blue eyes this time.
"Thanks," she says. He nods, not trusting his voice, and starts walking again.
She walks behind him; all she can see are the dual swords strapped to his back. She rubs her nose where she hit it on the scabbard and hopes she hasn't damaged her mask. She wonders if Zuko is annoyed with her. With the mask on, she can't see his face or read his expression, so she studies his back instead. His shoulders are relaxed under the black clothing, and he's walking at a normal pace - he's not trying to leave her behind, or anything. Maybe he isn't as annoyed as she is about losing the bet with such a stupid mistake.
Toph is going to laugh her head off, Katara thinks, smiling slightly. I wonder who's still in the game? She had spotted Sokka almost immediately - the penguin mask had put her on alert, and when he'd turned his back to her, she'd seen his wolf-tail poking out. She had also seen Toph at one point - the giveaway had been the dirty, bare feet sticking out from the green robe, coupled with the fact that the younger girl had chosen a badgermole mask.
Zuko stops in front of a booth with a red-and-black awning. She looks at the bowls laid out on the back counter. They are all filled with a thick, pale, creamy substance. She's never had fire-custard before, but Zuko seems to know what he's doing, and, though she'll never admit it to him, she trusts his judgment.
"Here," Zuko says, handing her one of the chilled bowls. A pair of chopsticks stick out at the edge. Katara eyes it warily - it doesn't look that appetizing - and her mouth turns down at the corners. Zuko must have caught her expression because he laughs and says, "It's not finished yet, hold on." He finishes paying for both custards, then leads her over to a less crowded spot. "Hold this," he orders, swapping bowls with her. Then he summons up a tiny flame to the top of his finger and lowers it to the custard. The top immediately turns a rich golden-brown. He holds the flame there until the top starts to bubble, then puts the little flame out. "There," he says, handing the bowl to her. "Try it."
She looks up at his grinning mask, trying to gauge his true expression and failing utterly. Slowly, she pulls out the chopsticks and takes a tiny bite of the fire-custard. Behind the mask, her eyes widen. It tastes amazing! She takes another, larger bite. Then another - it seems as though she suddenly can't get enough of the rich, sweet dessert. She can practically feel the smugness rolling of off Zuko in waves.
"You're welcome," he says as he fires his own custard. He pushes his mask up to take a bite. They amble down the street eating their fire-custard, and end up in the square with the fountain where this whole thing had started. Katara sits on the edge of the fountain and Zuko sits next to her on the ground with his back against the cool stones, both finishing off their dessert.
"Who else have you seen?" asks Katara.
"Just Sokka," he replies. The only thing she can see of his face is his mouth and the edge of his scar.
Katara laughs. "The penguin mask was a dead giveaway, wasn't it?" Zuko nods. The corners of his mouth turn up in the smallest of smiles.
"I've seen Toph," Katara continues. "She has a badgermole mask."
"Of course she does," Zuko says, taking another bite of his fire-custard.
"So, no sign of Aang or Suki," Katara concludes, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
"This is a decent stakeout spot," Zuko says, pulling his mask back down over his face, finished with his dessert. "We could stay here and keep a lookout for the others."
Katara shrugs. "I don't mind." She looks around, then points to a bench at the edge of the square. "Let's move there though - it's more out of the way." Zuko nods and they move over to the bench. Katara sits primly, legs crossed politely. Zuko sprawls with his legs out in front of him and his arms behind his head. Katara eyes him and raises an eyebrow, though she knows he can't see it. "Comfortable?" she asks in a pointed sort of way. He shrugs, and she's sure he's smirking behind that irritating mask of his. She whacks him in the arm, but she's smiling. He laughs.
They sit in companionable silence, watching the ebb and flow of the people through the square. They spot Sokka again, this time accompanied by a girl in a dragon mask. Suki, Katara mouths, and the firebender nods.
Toph comes by a little later, and Katara can imagine her smirk when she senses the two of them together. The little earthbender doesn't acknowledge them, but something tells Katara that she hasn't missed a thing.
Zuko lazily stretches an arm over the back of the bench, behind Katara's shoulders. She gives him a sharp look, but he's looking the other way. Satisfied that he's not trying to make a move on her - and squishing down the little part of her that's disappointed about that - she relaxes and leans back against the bench again.
Across the square, Sokka looks over at the boy with the Blue Spirit mask and his phoenix girlfriend. He tugs on Suki's arm, and she turns to look at him.
"Do they look familiar?" he asks, pointing to the couple. Suki studies them for a moment.
"They were sitting in that spot when we came through the last time," she replies. "But they've moved a little closer together. Looks like he worked up enough courage to put his arm around her," she adds with a snicker.
"Huh," Sokka says. There is a moment of silence where they both watch the couple. "I can't believe we haven't found anyone else," he comments.
"They probably saw you coming," Suki says dryly. "That mask practically screams 'Water Tribe' to anyone who's looking for it."
Sokka sputters, but he really can't argue with her; instead he focuses on the couple across the square once more. The girl in the phoenix costume leans over and says something to the boy. He nods. She smiles. Sokka narrows his eyes. Something about those two seems very familiar…
The phoenix girl yawns, and slowly, inch by inch, her head falls to rest on the Blue Spirit's shoulder. He curls an arm around her.
"Okay, moving on," Suki says, sounding slightly embarrassed and pulling on Sokka's arm.
"Are you sure we haven't seen them before?" Sokka demands.
Suki is giving him an annoyed look from under her mask, he's sure, but he can't get over the way that couple tugs at something in his memory.
"Sokka, don't be weird," she sighs. Then she says the magic words. "Let's go find something to eat. I think I saw a booth back there that was selling pepper jerky…" She trails off enticingly.
Sokka instantly starts salivating at the thought of the only decent food in the Fire Nation (in his opinion), and lets Suki pull him away from the mysterious couple.
From the rooftops above the square, a figure robed in white watches.
Zuko is surprised when Katara puts her head on his shoulder, and looks over at her quickly. He is almost afraid to move. She is breathing softly, her mouth slightly open, and he realizes that she's fallen asleep, lulled by the white noise of the crowds, the light music playing from the band at the other end of the square, the bubbling of the fountain, and the dull roar of the ocean underlying it all. His mouth quirks up in a smile. She must have been up early this morning, he thinks. It is fully dark now, so he guesses it's about midnight. The crowds have thinned somewhat, but not much, and Zuko is content to sit with his arm around the waterbender a while longer. He'll wake her up when more people have left.
A small girl in a badgermole mask stops in front of him. He lays a finger to his lips, warning the little earthbender to speak softly.
"I can't believe you're getting away with that," Toph says, folding her arms over her chest. Zuko grins behind his mask.
"Me neither," he says.
"I mean, she doesn't even let Aang get that close," the blind girl continues.
"I get it," Zuko growls. The image of Aang and Katara like this is irritating, for some odd reason.
Toph snorts. "Still haven't changed, huh, Sparky?" she says, and he can hear her smirk behind her full-face mask. "Still lying to yourself." Zuko sighs.
"How much longer is this game going to go?"
"Until I say it's over, Hot Pants!" Toph says gleefully.
"It's already tomorrow," Zuko points out. "Your term as 'servant for the day' should be starting now, since you said yesterday that you would be the servant for the day today."
There is a pause while Toph puzzles this statement out. Zuko thinks he may be slightly more tired than he thought. "You could have just said you think the game should have ended already," Toph says finally. "But I can't find Twinkletoes."
"Nobody's seen him," Zuko says.
"You guys can head back if you want," Toph says. "Since we have our winner. I'll find Sokka and Suki and pass the message on, but I think I'll stay and try to find Twinkletoes by myself."
"Fine by me," Zuko says, leaning back on the bench. "I think we'll wait for a little while."
"Whatever you say, Sparky," Toph says with a wave, and moves on.
Zuko waits until the stream of people flowing through the square has slowed to a trickle, then gently shakes Katara awake. "Hey," he says. "It's past midnight. We should head back."
She yawns and blinks at him and then he sees her turn bright red. "O-okay," she stammers, standing quickly and straightening her costume. Zuko smirks underneath his mask as they head back to the Fire Lord's beach house. He tries to project an air of total nonchalance as Katara marches ahead of him. Her cheeks are still pink, and she is clearly flustered. He hopes she isn't angry with him. Again.
Katara is horribly embarrassed. She can't believe she fell asleep, first of all, and she can't believe she fell asleep on Zuko, of all people! She's not sure what to do - what, apologize? - but Zuko is acting like nothing happened, so she decides to follow his lead.
When they get back she goes straight to her room and shuts the door, then collapses on her bed. Then she pops straight back up, because she forgot that she was still wearing her costume and she's probably crushed it.
Once she's changed into her pjs, she collapses back onto the bed and is asleep in ten seconds flat.
They all get up later than usual the next morning except Zuko, who is always up with the sunrise no matter what. Katara is the next one up, and she stays in the kitchen 'preparing breakfast' until she's sure there's someone else in the courtyard besides the firebender. She isn't quite prepared to face him yet. When she finally comes out, bearing a tray full of porridge, the rest of the gang is up and chatting.
"Katara, finally!" Sokka says, reaching for a bowl of porridge and passing it to Suki, then getting one for himself.
"Aang, Toph, come get breakfast," she says. "You too, Zuko."
Once everyone has their breakfast, she sits down and begins to eat.
"So where were you last night, Katara?" Sokka asks. "Zuko wouldn't tell us anything, just that you caught him." Katara smiles.
"Yes, but then he caught me later," she says. "I was just roaming most of the time. I saw you and Suki both - in fact, the only person I didn't ever see was you, Aang," she says, turning to the airbender. He rubs the back of his neck and grins.
"I was up on the rooftops for most of the time. I didn't want to run the risk of any of you recognizing me."
"That would have been a good idea," Zuko grumbles, just low enough that Katara is the only one to hear him. She flashes a grin at him, which he returns briefly.
"Hey, I have an idea," Toph says. "Why don't you guys all put your costumes on one more time, so people can see what they missed?"
Katara blinks, then narrows her eyes at the younger girl, searching for some ulterior motive. The earthbender's face is guileless, and Katara is not convinced, but she shrugs. "Why not?" she says.
Now she is regretting agreeing to this. Toph is making them change one at a time and then go out to show everyone. Sokka is first; the penguin mask back on his face, he struts out into the courtyard.
"And that's how we all spotted you, Sokka," Katara says. Zuko smirks and Aang snickers.
Suki and her dragon outfit are next. They all applaud when she comes out, because the costume is really stunning in the daylight - her robes are covered in an intricate scale pattern that you couldn't see in the rather uncertain light the night before.
Then it's Zuko's turn, and he stalks into the courtyard with both his swords drawn, mask grinning at them all. Aang sucks in a breath. Sokka, who has taken his mask off at this point, gives Zuko an odd look.
"Your turn, Twinkletoes," Toph says, pointing at the door. He goes, and returns in a long, white robe and a blank, expressionless mask. For a moment, he is terrifying, and then he smiles behind his mask, and Katara sees his eyes light up, and he is back to the normal Aang that she knows and takes care of.
"Come on, Sugar Queen," says Toph. "You're up." Katara goes and changes into her phoenix costume as quickly as possible, then heads back to the group.
When she steps out, Sokka gapes at her for a minute, then whirls on Suki. "DIDN'T I TELL YOU THEY LOOKED FAMILIAR?" he screams.
Suki and Aang can do nothing but stammer while Toph just laughs.
Katara and Zuko exchange a very confused look.
A/N: I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I know I should be working on School Daze but then I was viciously attacked by this plot bunny and I couldn't stop writing so don't be irritated (*gasps for breath*)
Ack, present tense. I don't know why I did this in present tense. Experimentation?
Anyway, enjoy this tedious brief bit of tragical mirth and dramatic irony, ha ha.