Title: Red Letter

Author: xFairyTalesx

Summary: Post Series: The Gaang returns to the Fire Nation and Katara finds herself torn between an old friend and a new 'hero'

Rating: M

Disclaimer: Do I even really need to put one? Seriously Mike and Bryan probably have more important things to do than sue fanfic writers, but w.e. I DO NOT OWN AVATAR. Happy?

A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys! I'm gonna try and update as much as I can, but I don't have a ton of time, so I'll do my best!

Zuko sat at his desk and exhaled loudly. He literally hadn't left his desk in three days.

"And finally, Your Highness," one of his advisors began concluding, "there's been complaints, about you excusing Mio."

"He was corrupt, he was interested in making money for himself, not his people. How could there be complaints!" Zuko threw his arms up. He couldn't do anything right.

"Its just that, your highness, he was the last advisor that was also under your father's rule. Some of the nobles, well, they think this is too much of a change,"

"Well, what do you suggest I do! Its not like I can ask any of them back, they were excused for legitimate reasons,"

"Just that, sir, maybe hold off on the changes, or if you must, keep them more private."

"Thank you Koyo, that will be all," Zuko didn't need to hear anymore. He finally stood up and exited his office. He needed a new idea, and he certainly wasn't going to find it in that stale air.

He made his way to the antiquity room, maybe I'll be inspired by my family past. He walked along the hallway looking at objects that were hundreds of years old.

Finally, he saw it. The answer to his problems. Against the wall above one of his ancestors broad swords. It was a mask. A blue mask.

Katara huffed loudly as she landed on her bed. It had been a long eight months. Of course she missed home over the past year, she missed it more than anything. She was excited to see everyone, and to finally spend a night wrapped in her warm sleeping bagging surrounded by the snow.

Unfortunately life had different plans.

When she arrived she was welcomed not by her comforting tribal home, but rather, a new town. And sure, it wasn't especially large, or overrun, but it was still different. There was also a large increase in the population. Not only had the men returned from war, but many from the Northern Water Tribe had migrated south to help their sister tribe.

Katara had quickly fallen into routine: She would spend her mornings cooking with her grandmother and some of the other women, she would manage to get herself lost every afternoon to do some bending by herself, and she would spend her evenings with the gaang. But tonight, she wanted to be alone. Lying in her bed had reminded her of the times she spent with Zuko. It had been exactly eight months since they had last seen each other, and she wasn't the slightest bit less confused.

Aang knocked at her door then entered, before waiting for her answer. "You okay?" He asked noting her exhausted eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine," She quickly sat up and faced the boy.

"I was just wondering, if uh," The boy rubbed the back of his neck shyly avoiding her gaze. "a walk." Almost every night he proposed some sort of moonlit walk, or tea for just the two of them. And every night he proposed with the same uncertainty and awkwardness as he had since even before that night in Ba Sing Se.

She was unsure that night. She still didn't know if she had felt the way he had about her, but she decided life was about taking chances. That maybe she needed to jump off the edge before she could tell if she was falling. Unlucky for her, she was still unsure. Its not that she didn't like Aang, she cared about him, a lot, its just that she didn't like his hands. Yeah, it was the hands. She realized that nobody was perfect, and that no matter who she was with there would always be something that bothered her, she just never thought it would be his hands. They were always clammy, not cold like hers, but not warm either. And they were sticky, as if he was nervous to be holding her hand every time. They were also small. Not like he was too young small, she knew he was still growing, but they were the same size as hers. She had always thought that when she would hold hands with a boy that hers would look small within his.

But that wasn't the case, so she was just unsure. Just before Katara could answer Toph appeared at her door. "Move it Twinkle Toes, you're blocking me," she demanded, barging into the room.

"Sifu T, Katara and I were gonna go for a walk," He pointed out shyly.

"Well girl talk trumps that," She said, which made Katara curious. Since when did Toph ever initiate 'girl talk'?

"Aang, we'll go another time," Katara added, growing more and more curious about Toph's intentions.

"Alright," He surrendered and backed away.

"Alright Sugar Queen, what gives? You've been moping around here for weeks and I want to know what the hell?" Katara rolled her eyes at the girl. Sure she looked sweet and innocent, but jeez that girl could make a sailor blush.

"What are you talking about? I'm fine," She took a chunk of her hair and began twisting.

"I can tell you're lying! Come on, you haven't smiled in like weeks. I thought you were supposed to be all in love, I mean Sokka and Suki are having the time of their life. What's up with you?" Damn her! Does she have to be so freaking…intuitive?

"I guess I'm just… Bored." She shrugged, because that's all she was feeling.

"What do you mean? You have something to do all the time! You cook, you bend, you spend time with your friends, what could be missing?" Aang demanded.

"My feet are seeing three people and four boobs, Aang. Girl talk time, so either you need to tell us something, that honestly wouldn't shock me, or get out," Toph spit out.

"Its not that I don't have anything to do," Katara answered Aang, ignoring Toph.

"GIRL TIME"

"I don't understand, you had no problem during the war and that basically what you did," Aang took a few more steps in and close the door.

"Oh that's fine just keeping ignoring me," Toph rolled her eyed and plopped onto the bed.

"This is different," she ran her whole hand through her hair.

"How?" Aang pleaded.

"It's just different okay!" She yelled. Aang took a step back looking attacked. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell. Its just, different." She offered.

"Well why don't we look at all the differences between now and then, and see what we can do?" He offered maturely. She hated the maturity. "Well, we were traveling back then, we were fighting-"

"Sparky was there," Toph suggested.

"We met a bunch of new people! Maybe you need some new people," Aang added. But Katara thought about Toph's suggestion. When she was with Zuko it was different. She didn't have to be a mom. She could relax and have nothing to do, and still not be bored. Toph must have noticed a change in Katara because she finally turned to Aang.

"Alright, OUT!" She grabbed Aang's shoulders and pushed him out of the room, closing the door behind him. "Okay Sugar Queen, spill."

"I guess I miss the way things used to be. I guess maybe I do miss Zuko," She shrugged and collapsed onto her bed and was quickly joined by the Earth bender.

"Well its about time you admitted it!" Toph punched her in the arm.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh please! I'm surprised I'm the only one who noticed it! You and Sparky have the hots for each other!"

"Toph that's crazy! I just said I miss him. I'd miss any of you!" Katara blushed trying to clarify, but it was pointless. The blind girl knew.

"Oh please, you forget the walls at the beach house were pretty thin, I would hear you guys talking at night."

"So maybe we talked a few nights…its not like anything happened."

"I never said anything did happen, but now that I can feel you lying…what the hell happened? Does Aang know about any of this?"

"Aang doesn't need to know about something that almost happened. There's a big difference between almost and did. Its not a big deal,"

"You wouldn't be happy if Aang had an almost with another girl," Toph pointed out.

"Not true, I wouldn't care."

"Holy shit! You're not lying!"

"Language!" Katara scolded. She wasn't perfect, she knew that, but she was always taught that a lady should hold her self with some respect, not spit out profanities.

"Katara, there's something wrong with that,"

"There's nothing wrong with good manners,"

"Not that, although there's something wrong with that too, but you wouldn't care if Aang was with another girl. Katara…Do you actually have feelings for him?"

"Of course I do! I mean, what are feelings anyways? If you ask me, its kinda just like friendship," She shrugged for the third time that night and began to grow tired of the gesture.

"No, its not. I mean, love is supposed to be different. You've seen your brother and Suki. Katara, you can't keeping going like this... you need to tell Aang." She looked up at the older girl with a sincerity in her eyes that only the blind could have.

"Look, Toph, its complicated, and if you don't mind, I really want to be alone right now," Katara got up and walked Toph over to the other side of the room and opened the door to find Aang standing there with a broken look in his eyes. He heard. Katara looked at him apologetically, but he just walked away.

It was going to be a long night. If only she had a certain fire bender to talk to.