wow, people actually reading this! coolie :] so then here is chapter 2 (i sometimes tend to be captain obvious srry) It is a little longer, but people appreciate that right?

*Disclaimer* so i don't own Avatar+characters mainly because my name is neither Mike or Bryan. I'm more of a Kanna myself.

On with the story. Huzzah!

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Firelord Zuko was awoken at an ungodly hour to pick out a color for the lap-napkins of all things for his Coronation Ball. So no one could blame him if he was a little grouchy that morning. At breakfast where he was joined by his friends; he had been awake for two hours before they finally awoke as well; he sat at the head of the table, his head resting in his hand while everyone else chattered animatedly. Even Katara, who Zuko noticed had not been showing the same cheerfulness the others did, was happily talking to Toph and Suki about what to wear to the Ball that night.

As tired as he was Zuko was slightly also afflicted from worry over the coming festivities. It was not so much the planning or the party itself, but what would take place once it ended. He knew everyone that sat among him at the moment had other duties to fulfill, himself included, but that ultimately meant unbearable loneliness.

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Katara sat down at breakfast that morning with nothing in mind but the Ball. As a girl she knew this meant hours of fun even before the party started, getting ready with her two best girl friends.

She made her way with Suki and Toph to the Royal Tailors. They had thought that it was too short notice to have special dresses made, but Zuko had been right, the countless tailors were eager to help them design their own specific gowns.

Toph, being the only one out of the three who was trained in the art of being a lady, knew what was expected in a dress for such an occasion. The fabric she chose was dark red with dark emeralds embroidered along the front parallel to her legs and waist and around the long overly wide sleeves.

Suki decided on a less traditional style with a layered V neck dress that fell to the floor. It was the palest lime green with blue topaz swirling around the bottom hem and around the neckline of the bodice.

Katara picked out a dark navy blue fabric with dark red rubies woven together to make a dragon design. It would be like a traditional kimono except without sleeves.

Once their dresses were planned out and in the making, the three girls worked on their hair, at first it started out serious, but then ended up with them trying crazy new things which ended in Toph looking like a porcudillo. After their hair was suitable, they worked on make up, each of them specifically adhering to the color scheme of their dresses. Both Suki and Katara worked on Toph after she decided it could be potentially hazardous if she did it herself.

This was the most fun Katara had in such a long time, being able to busy herself with such things as hair and make-up, at some points it really felt surreal. Finally it was about fifteen minutes before they were expected to congregate in the Ballroom. Katara, Suki, and Toph were hurriedly making their way to put on their dresses when they found Aang and Sokka sitting at a Pai Sho table in one of the many rooms.

"Aren't you going to get ready?" asked Suki. The two boys were still in their everyday clothes and did not look in any way prepared for the party.

"Yeah, yeah, right after I beat Sokka." Aang made his move on the board.

Sokka scoffed, "You mean, when I win," and made his move. The three girls did not even bother trying to explain they only had a little more than ten minutes and instead quickly went to finish getting ready themselves. Sokka and Aang both stayed bent over the Pai Sho board concentrating hard.

The Ballroom was decorated beautifully with banners, lanterns, and flowers that represented each of the four nations rather than just the Fire Nation. Katara was sure Zuko had some say in this. The ground floor had room for the dance floor and a forty piece band and there was a second level that ran the perimeter of the room. A grand staircase connected the two floors and was also where the grand entrance was.

Katara, Suki, and Toph all looked stunning as they walked through the growing crowd towards their friends. Some how Aang and Sokka had arrived ready and prim before they did. "Wow, Snoozles and Twinkletoes clean up fast," said Toph when she realized they were already there.

"Suki," Sokka said taking her hand, "You look amazing!" He kissed her lightly on the cheek and spun her around.

"Gag, cheesy, gag!" exclaimed Toph reacting to Sokka's lovesick actions.

"Don't be so uptight Toph, you and Katara look beautiful too," smiled Aang. This made the earthbender blush furiously. Katara just thanked Aang for his compliment and took time to look around the room. Most of the other guests were adults. She could see members of the White Lotus scattered around the room, she even saw the Earth King who was talking to King Boomi. She laughed lightly at the amusing sight.

Just as she was going to point this out to Aang, a series of drums and tsungi horns started playing signaling that it was time for the guest of honor to arrive. The entire room's attention turned towards the entrance of the Ballroom up on the second floor. Zuko's newly appointed Head Attendant stood at the top of the stairs waiting for everyone to be quiet. Once all attention was on him he announced to the crowd, "Please warmly welcome the Fire Nation's new leader, Firelord Zuko!" The applause and cheer that followed was glass-shatteringly loud as Zuko came through the doors standing high and proud. He was in traditional robes, red and flowing, his hair done in up in a topknot and he was wearing the royal headpiece.

Katara could not take her eyes off of the Firelord as he made his way through the crowd towards her and the rest of the group. He made sure to greet people along the way, shaking hands and saying hellos. The stunned waterbender did not know why she felt so taken aback when she saw him, it was the same Zuko she knew before, but when he came through those doors he had suddenly become so different in her mind, someone so beautiful. He finally reached them and they all bowed as he said hello. He scoffed, "I do not expect that from any of you," he stated smiling. Then he looked at Katara and she knew it was her who was now furiously blushing. "Can I talk to you?" Zuko leaned closer to her ear and said. She nodded and allowed him to lead her away from the other four. He stopped near the edge of the dance floor. "I have to ask you a favor. As the Firelord I have to participate in the first dance and usually I would dance with either my mother or some sort of significant other, but seeing as neither are available—."

Katara knew where he was going with this, "Sure, I will be your dance partner," she said happily, and she could see relief fall over the Firelord. "But, what happened to Mai?"

Zuko was just about to answer when the Head Attendant announced the first dance and the band started playing. "I'll tell you while we dance," he said leading her gracefully towards the empty dance floor. He had one hand on her waist while the other held her hand aloft. She placed her unoccupied hand on his shoulder and they went off, twirling and circling to the music. Zuko continued their earlier conversation, "Mai is with her parents, but I don't know where. Her parents were loyal to my father and do not approve of me being Firelord now."

"So what is going to happen with you two?" Katara asked reproachfully.

For a moment Zuko did not say anything, but after twirling her he continued, "We can't keep in touch at all, her parents are making sure of that and so we decided it would be better if we just broke up."

"I'm so sorry," said Katara, her voice sounding sincere.

"It's alright, it's already been a while and so I have had time to move on for the most part." This brought a smile to the waterbender's lips, and the firebender surprisingly followed suit. The two of them did not notice that others were also dancing around them now, in fact the whole dance floor was littered with swirling couples and also gone above their heads was that about half of the other dancers were staring at the two of them as if they were a painting. They obviously did not notice as they continued to sway and move to a rhythm all their own. Suki and Sokka also became aware of the closeness of the two. Aang was too busy teaching Toph to dance to the slower song, so most of their concentration was on their own slow movements.

When the song ended everyone clapped which brought Zuko and Katara back from their own world and they both chuckled. Zuko thanked Katara for the dance, "You look incredible by the way," and he kissed her softly on the lips, but it ended as soon as he had done it and before he walked away he whispered, "Find me after the party," Katara was left there some what melting from his voice, but quickly snapped herself out of it when she remembered the people around her. Some of them were whispering as they looked at her; others looked angry for some reason, including her big brother.

"Firelord or not, did he just kiss you!?" fumed Sokka when he found her off the dance floor.

"Baby, you're overreacting," Suki said trying to calm him down, but of course he was too stubborn.

"Stop it Sokka," Katara said looking at him somewhat icily, she still had not forgiven him for not even trying to help her before, "he was just being polite and thanking me for the dance."

"Fine, but he didn't have to kiss you!"

Katara stood up angrily, "Did it ever occur to you that they might do things differently here in the Fire Nation?" she said and stormed off to the second floor. Suki chided Sokka before following her friend.

"Hey, Katara, what's wrong?" Suki asked gently sitting down next to her.

Katara turned her head away and said, "What makes you think something is wrong?" in a false cheery voice that would not fool anyone. Truth is, she did want to talk to someone about everything, she just wasn't sure she wanted to drag Suki into it.

"Well for one you look like you're on the verge of tears, and you have been acting really down lately."

"I just have something on my mind and I kind of can't push it to the back of my head," Katara admitted vaguely.

"I think I could help you," said Suki smiling.

"Yeah? How?"

"Well, you know, I think Zuko likes you." That did it.

"What!" Katara turned to Suki with an expression of pure delight and surprise. "What makes you think that!?"

"Oh, I don't know, I guess it's just the way he looks at you." She let Katara absorb this before going on, "And the way you two were dancing just now, like you were the only two in the entire room."

"We were just talking—"

"And he just kissed you!" This was totally the cherry on top. "No matter what your excuse is for Sokka, he did kiss you, in front of everybody! Don't you think that means something?" Suki could see her friend thinking all this over as a smile grew rapidly on her face.

"Wow Suki, I think you're right." Katara was lying, but she knew this is what Suki wanted to hear. "Maybe he does like me."

Suki laughed, "Ha! Imagine, the Firelord liking you!" Katara laughed along with her, and it was actually genuine. What a funny thought especially since they had been working for a whole year to bring down a Firelord.

So despite her head full of looming thoughts, Suki was successful in pushing all that aside long enough for Katara to have fun with her friends at this Ball. "What would the point have been for dressing up?" Suki had reasoned as they danced. They finally met up with Toph and Aang while dinner was being served.

"Where have you two been?" asked Sokka after swallowing a rather large bite of Komodo Chicken.

"On the roof," said Toph like it was the most ordinary thing in the world.

"What?

"Why were you--?"

"Don't ask, it's really a long story," said Aang, but the other three wouldn't have it. So Aang told them, and he was not lying, it was pretty long, he eventually finished a little after everyone had been done with dinner.

Suki and Katara were laughing while Sokka looked speechless until he said, "Wow, I'm sorry I asked."

"We're not!" laughed the two girls.

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A/N: I am really sorry for the random ending, but I didn't know where to break this chapter off, so I tried to choose the most logical place, unfortunately that was it. But that is WHY I am posting the next chapter three minutes after this one ;D.

Hope you liked it more this time (can u imagine the girls' dresses!! *Sqeee*, Girly Moment Over) BTW thank you so much for reviewing it really made my day (that's saying something because my day was Horrid!) so thanks *heart*