Few months after the new Fire Lord's coronation, leaders and representatives from the different nations have gathered in the Fire Nation for another round of peace negotiations. Things have been going better than expected thanks to the GAang's help and Iroh's smooth talking, but they would all agree that it was actually Zuko's hardwork and sincerity that let them have such good progress.
It was the last day. Formalities have been temporarily forgotten as food, drinks, and laughter were served on the table. It was a moment of merriment and strengthening ties on a personal level.
Katara was looking for her father, Hakoda, with the intuition that he might need her help. She found him drinking with King Kuei, General Iroh and some of the members of the White Lotus.
"What are you doing here, Katara?" Hakoda greeted.
"Just looking for you dad, still okay?" she asked, observing the slurs in his greeting and his wobbly walking as he approached her.
"Nah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. I can still manage," he replied, and took a swig. "This is what I get for belittling fire whiskey. I have to definitely bring some of this back home!" the lot laughed at Hakoda's statement.
"If there is someone you should be worried about, it should be Fire Lord Zuko," King Bumi muttered. "That poor boy, who knew he wouldn't manage the drink I gave him? Would that kid even reach his bedroom? He was almost crawling when he went out of here." the almost drunk men guffawed again.
If King Bumi's joke was about another person, Katara might find herself laughing too. But it was Zuko they were talking about. Ever since the Agni Kai with Azula, she can't help being overprotective of him. It wasn't simply out of guilt or gratefulness for saving her life. It wasn't also the same protectiveness as the one she has for Aang, who lost his people and has to carry the world's burden with him . She knew that Zuko could take care of himself, yet a selfish part of her craved for him, and wanted to be there for him.
"I'll just check up on Zuko," Katara left without noticing the knowing stares the drinking people exchanged.
Honestly, Katara was still daunted moving around the Fire Nation Palace, the fact that this was the fortress of their former enemy, the discerning stares she could feel, and the too grand architecture, didn't feel welcoming. Yet the optimist in her hoped that things would change for the better soon, that one day she'll be going around this place with ease.
As she saw the doors of the Fire Lord's quarters, she swallowed her discomposure and faced the guards with regality and confidence.
"Is Fire Lord Zuko, inside?"
"Ye… Yes milady. It appears that his majesty is intoxicated."
"I see." The other guard, opened the door for her to enter.
She saw Zuko lying upside down on his bed like log. He didn't even bother to remove his footwear nor his crown. With a sigh, Katara sat on the huge fluffy bed.
"Zuko…" Katara softly whispered. She put his crown on the bedside table, and freed his hair from its usual top knot. Unconsciously, she caressed his silky locks.
"Hhhhmmm…" Zuko turned to his side, and opened his eyes with a silly smile on his face. Yup, he's definitely drunk. "The.. They kept asking me about you earlier and now…" he sneered. "I'm hallucinating that you're with me."
Taking care of drunk men became Katara's expertise since they went back to the South Pole and officially declared that the war was finally over. Since then, her people had been celebrating whenever possible.
"It's really me, Katara." she gently Zuko sat up, and laughed like he went insane.
"They kept asking… King Bumi, and those other old men… Even Hakoda seems to be interested! 'Are you sure you don't have any special feelings for Master Katara? After all, you desperately tried to save her from your sister's lightning…'" Zuko mocked the way King Bumi said it. "I kept telling them that we're just friends. FRIENDS. But those stupid old geezers doesn't seem to believe me! What to they expect me to answer?!"
"Zuko, I think it's better if you get some rest…" Katara tried to console the drunk fire bender before things get more dramatic.
"No!" Zuko insisted. Shaking her head, Katara let him continue his monologue.
"How could they expect me to answer anything else when all day long the whole world could witness how Aang brags Katara like some sort of a prize he was awarded to for defeating the former Fire Lord?! Spirits! And Katara… what happened to that amazing girl who can stand for her own self? Where was the badass master waterbender I challenged back in the North Pole, the one who defeated my crazy genius sister? The Katara I see now, is nothing but a mother to her own boyfriend who seems like an infant who can't do anything on its own aside to cry for its mother."
Katara wanted to drown Zuko. Is that what he was really thinking about her and Aang all along? She was disappointed. But memories flashed showing her where her disappointment really lies, the disapproving looks she received from her family every time she and Aang makes their visit in the South Pole, her refusal to talk to Toph ever with since she made a comment about her coddling Aang too much and why not try to think of her own self first, her smiles getting emptier each time she Suki asks how was she with Aang, and everytime she looks at self in the mirror, she felt something being strapped off of who she really is and been replaced but something that would better suite the Avatar's needs and pleasure.
She was disappointed of what she had become and Zuko was just saying the truth she's been refusing to hear.
"But the thing is, even if she and Aang eat each other's face in front of me, even if she loathes me, I'll still save her every single time even of it kills me. And… if the world will allow me to be selfish for once… Just for once… I… I want to give Katara all the happiness I'll ever have. It's probably little compared to what she deserves but definitely she's worthy having all of it." Zuko poured his heart out.
Aang had told her thousands of times that he loves her, that she was his forever girl, yet none of the things he said made her feel like what she feels now. She was stupid for going along with Aang's whims thinking that it was the best for him, for her, and for the world when her heart was already beating for someone else. Zuko was an idiot for acting like they were only friends when they were already bonded to be beyond that.
"I'm tired of pretending" Zuko said as she cupped her face and kissed her lips.
"I'm tired pf pretending too…" Katara replied as she kissed him back.
They love each other and could no longer pretend they're not.
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