Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender, but I do own my cats and my fishy!
A/N: Okay people, thank you for finally deciding to review. Although its only 11 reviews, it's better than before. So, this chapter will have some awesome angry-Sokka action, and someone asked if there will be any Taang, and I'm thinking about it. Possibly, but I'm not sure how far I'm gonna go with that. Who knows, I might ditch Taang altogether and just put in Tokka. So, keep reviewing, they make for a happy authoress and that makes for quick reviews. Also, don't be afraid to be critical. I take every suggestion into consideration, and constructive criticism helps make my stories better. So thanks again, everyone, and now on with the Zutara! Charge!!! (Points ahead and begins running toward story, only to hit computer which was feet away anyway.) Or not charge.
Zuko and Katara stopped a few feet outside the clearing, and he turned to her.
"You okay?" Zuko asked cautiously. He did not want to set Katara off again right before they confronted everyone. She must have realized this, for she nodded her head solidly and squeezed his hand tightly, trying to smile but coming out with more of a grimace. Neither of them wanted to do this, but they knew that they had to.
As Katara and Zuko stepped into the clearing, they noticed that everyone was sitting with their backs to them (everyone being Sokka, Toph, and Iroh), eating in front of the fire. They came around everyone, still holding hands, and sat down, Katara saying, "Umm… guys? We have something to tell you." As everyone looked up, Sokka was the first to notice Zuko and Katara holding hands, and he immediately pointed this out.
"Why are you touching her?" he asked Zuko bluntly. Both Katara and Zuko were ready for this, however, and Zuko answered, "That's what we wan to talk to you about. Katara and I… well, we… we love each other, and we just thought you should know." He said the last part quickly, almost hoping that Sokka would not understand, but his hopes were dashed as Sokka spit the water he was drinking all over them and screamed, "WHAT?!?"
"Sokka, please listen," Katara tried hopelessly, before being interrupted by Sokka jumping up with murder written across his face.
"What did you just say?" he yelled at Zuko. Zuko also stood up, which made him a lot more intimidating, considering he was about 4-6 inches taller than Sokka. Katara stood up as well, stepping between Sokka and Zuko in an effort to keep Sokka from hurting Zuko. She and Zuko had agreed that he would keep his temper as long as possible, and would not attack Sokka at any cost.
"He said that we love each other, and it's true. Zuko and I are together now, and we just thought it would be appropriate that we tell you," Katara explained slowly to Sokka. He looked down at her, as if suddenly realizing she was there, and started opening and closing his mouth, no sound coming out, his eyes wide in shock. Finally he was able to emit a strangled sound that was somewhere between a noise of disbelief and one of anger.
While all this was happening, Toph and Iroh just sat side-by-side on a log, watching and listening to the goings-on. Toph leaned over to Iroh as she felt Sokka and Zuko stand up and whispered, "This could be good." Iroh just chuckled softly in response.
As Sokka stood there gaping, Zuko turned to his uncle and asked, "Uncle, what do you have to say?"
"I am very happy for you and Katara, but I am wondering one thing: what will happen to Aang once he finds out?" Iroh said. Zuko and Katara had been prepared for this question as well.
"Actually, Aang already knows. He saw Zuko and I together and got rather… upset, so we thought we had better tell you all before he came back and told you for us," Katara explained, still holding Sokka back from Zuko.
Sokka suddenly found his voice, and stuttered out, "But… what about… how can you?… and him!… but… gah!" He then stomped off to the other side of the campsite to think, and came back in a few moments, looking like he had something to say.
"Okay, listen up. I don't want any mushy stuff between you two, definitely not around me," he started, before Katara said in disbelief, "What? Why not? In case you don't remember, you and Suki did enough of that in front of us to compensate for the rest of your lives!"
Sokka stuttered for a minute before saying matter-of-factly, "That was different. We were older than you, and way more responsible."
"Actually, Sokka, I'm a year older than you, and Katara's only two years younger. Plus, you shouldn't be talking about being responsible. We're both more responsible than you," Zuko said calmly.
At this, everyone could literally see steam coming from Sokka's ears, and his face was beet red. It actually looked quite comical, and Toph broke out laughing.
"Oh, come on, Snoozles. Let them have some fun. Stop being so 'big brother'." Toph choked out through her laughter. When he started to argue again, Iroh stepped in.
"I think that they should be allowed to decide by themselves what is appropriate, and that we, meaning you as well, Sokka, should leave them be. Now, I believe that the bigger issue is what to do about Aang," Iroh said, diverting their attentions from Katara and Zuko.
Sokka seemed to deflate before their eyes, and he sank down on a log in defeat. He looked up and said to Zuko, "If you hurt her, I WILL kill you. And I'm not just saying that."
Zuko nodded sincerely, before sitting down across the fire from Sokka, pulling Katara down with him. She put her head on his shoulder and gave a sigh of relief before saying, "I was going to go and try to find Aang if he isn't back by tomorrow morning, but now I'm thinking that it's not such a good idea. He won't want to talk to me, because I just broke his heart. Someone else has to." With this, she looked over at Toph, causing everyone else to see her point. Toph, however, had no idea why everyone had stopped talking.
"Why did everything get quiet? What are you all thinking?" she asked suspiciously.
"Toph, you and Aang are the same age. You seem to understand each other more than the rest of us. And I'm pretty sure a certain earthbender has a crush on the Avatar anyway, so you could really help him out," Katara explained. Toph blushed deep red, and mumbled something about going to find him if he wasn't back by morning, which was amazing for the usually sarcastic girl. She then proceeded to go to bed early, saying that she would need rest for tomorrow.
Iroh got up next, making the excuse that he was also tired, and he almost dragged Sokka away from the fire in an effort to give Zuko and Katara a little time alone. As soon as they were sure they were alone, Katara and Zuko got up and walked into the forest, skirting the campsite and trying to stay out of earshot of Sokka, knowing that he would not rest until they came back.
"So… What do you think would be 'appropriate'?" Zuko asked Katara quietly, trying not to be heard by Sokka.
"Well… my getting pregnant definitely wouldn't be, not right now anyway. Plus, in the Water Tribes, a woman is not supposed to do that kind of thing with a man until they are married. With the war all around us and the comet getting closer every day, getting married will probably have to wait, too. What about you?" Katara asked.
"I think that even though the customs are different between the Tribes and the Fire Nation, you are right. There is just too much going on now, but after the war is over…" Zuko left the end dangling, so Katara could fill it in herself. She obviously did, because she blushed and looked away before Zuko turned her back towards him. He looked down at her until she finally met his eyes, and he saw pure happiness in them when he said, "Katara, I will never leave you. You know that, right?"
She responded by hugging him tightly before he lifted her head in his hands and kissed her slowly. As they broke apart, Katara gave Zuko a smile that he felt would melt his heart. He smiled back before leaning down to kiss her again. This time the kiss was more passionate, the couple ravaging each other's mouths before pulling away, gasping for air. Then Katara realized that sooner or later Sokka was going to come looking for them, and they did not want to be in this position when he did.
"Come on; we want to get back before Sokka gets ideas," she said, taking Zuko's hand. They walked back to the campsite, where he kissed her once more before they separated into their sleeping bags, which Sokka had remembered to pull to different sides of the clearing.
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The next morning, the group got up early to beat Azula and her cronies. If they didn't hurry, she would be on them again, and it was not something they needed. As the rest of the group packed their belongings onto Appa, Toph was out comforting Aang. She had gotten up the moment the sun broke the horizon, and had found Aang sitting in a tree relatively quickly.
"Come down from there, Twinkle Toes. We're leaving, and if you don't hurry, we're going to have to leave you here," she shouted up to Aang. He ignored her at first, before her persistence paid off and he jumped down from the tree and started slumping towards the camp.
"Look Twinkle Toes," Toph started unsteadily, trying to catch up with Aang, "I'm not really very good at this comforting thing, but I'm going to give it a shot, so try to help me out. I know how it feels to have someone that you like ignore you. And… I'm here for you if you need someone to talk to. Or to cry to. Either way."
Aang stopped walking and turned to Toph, causing her to overshoot and have to double back. "What do you mean, you know how it feels? No one could know how I feel right now!" he yelled, tears welling up in his eyes. Before he could shoot off, however, Toph caught his hand and held him back. His body was shaking as he tried to hold back the tears unsuccessfully.
"Aang, I know how it feels because… well… I like you, and you always liked Katara, so I always had to sit there and watch you stare at her all the time, and be ignored the whole time," she said softly. Toph had a blush on her cheeks, and now Aang wasn't the only one with tears in their eyes. He froze as he heard this, and turned to Toph.
"What did you say?" Aang asked quietly.
"I said, I like you," Toph said, even more quietly. She dropped his hand and started to walk away. Each step she took raised a small tremble from the earth beneath their feet. As Aang ran after her and caught her arm, spinning her around, he saw that her face was streaked with tears, and that her usually solid façade had been broken.
"Let me go," Toph said, dangerously quiet.
"No," was Aang's only response as he pulled her all the way around, so that he could see her whole face. He was sure that this would cause Toph to shoot him backwards, but instead, she just stood there, rigid as a board.
"Toph, I'm sorry. I guess I was just so obsessed with Katara I never realized… I'm sorry," Aang said again, letting Toph go and looking down. He jumped when he felt something relatively heavy hit him square on. When he looked up, he saw that Toph had collapsed against him, sobbing. He hugged her back, gingerly at first, afraid of being thrown backward, before settling in a bit.
They stood there and held each other, crying, until the tears subsided and Toph pulled back, wiping her face roughly with the back of her hand.
"We should get back, before they send out a search team for us," Toph said, her voice uneven from crying. Before she turned away, Aang reach up and wiped the last of the tears from her face and said, "Let's find those springs and clean up first."
Toph nodded dumbly as he took her hand and led the way to the springs. In a few moments, they were all clean and back outside the camp. Toph felt Aang's heartbeat speed up a bit, and she squeezed his hand comfortingly. When they walked into the camp, everyone was still loading the sleeping bags and tents. It seemed like they had taken their time on purpose, so that Aang and Toph would be able to take their time as well.
When Katara saw the two of them walking in holding hands, she nudged Zuko, who turned to look before nudging Iroh, who continued the chain and got Sokka's attention. Soon everyone was watching them, and both Toph and Aang were blushing and looking at their feet. Then they moved apart, helping to pack everything up.
Katara and Zuko stayed at a fair distance from Aang for the day, not wanting to start any fights or face him just yet. They wanted to get everything they were to say together before confronting him, and Aang also stayed away from them. They had a day off of training, a day for all of them to just relax and fly.
They landed at twilight, and had camp set up and dinner ready in another hour. The good thing was that Katara was not too preoccupied with Zuko to cook, and they ate well. After dinner, Aang and Toph walked away to be alone for a little while, and Katara and Zuko just sat in front of the fire in each other's arms. Sokka acted disgusted and went to bed early, while Iroh was trying to find his lucky pai-sho tile that he had lost again. He found it at some point and went to bed as well.
Katara and Zuko began talking about what they would say to Aang the next day, and separated to their sleeping bags just before Toph and Aang returned.