Chapter Four

Good Morning

A/N: Edit 30/12/17 Previously Chapter Six.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters featured in my story and I will never be able to learn water bending with Katara no matter how much I wish I could.

Katara awoke early despite her late night, she walked to her washroom and splashed cold water onto her face, she knew she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep so she decided she may as well get ready for the day. She tied her long brown hair back into a simple braid and got dressed deciding to go search for somewhere to practice her bending. Katara knew the importance of practicing each day if you wanted to be a master able of training others, plus bending always helped to calm her nerves.

As she walked out of the building she tried to be as silent as possible not wanting to wake Aang, Appa was asleep near the entrance of the building in the courtyard, as she passed he cracked open an eye curiously at her "It's okay Appa I'm just going for a walk" The bison closed his eye in response slipping quickly back into his slumber.

Katara was quite unfamiliar with the palace grounds, she looked around and saw a tree lined path, that looked a good place to start, she walked for ten minutes before she heard someone muttering and the whoosh of flames, she rounded the corner to see Zuko practicing his fire bending, he flowed from each stance effortlessly. The rushed aggression that usually powered his moves was gone and now Katara could see a gracefulness in the flames akin to the water she bended herself, she slowed her pace and watched Zuko admiring his skill.

Zuko sensed eyes on him and he span around in a spiral of red hot flames "Katara?"

"H-hello, I was just hunting for an area suitable to practice bending, I didn't intend on disturbing you" Katara rushed feeling slightly embarrassed for getting caught observing Zuko.

"It is okay Katara, I can show you to the garden pools if you like"

"Yes, that would be lovely thank you"

"Where's Aang?"

"He's still asleep, I woke up early, so I have just left him to rest"

"I see" Zuko didn't know what else to say, he and Katara had not been alone since they had defeated Azula, that day they had saved each other so why was there this strange tension between them. She did want me to travel with her though, so I must just be imagining it he concluded. "Thank you for asking me to come with you, I finally feel like I will be doing something important again, I believe I can make more of a difference travelling around mending relationships and helping the Fire Nation to form bonds with others, rather than just announcing changes here"

Katara felt a deep pit form in her stomach "That's okay Zuko I'm really glad you accepted the offer" She felt guilty lying but he seemed genuinely enthusiastic to travel with her, she did not understand, that day when they fought Azula he had saved her life but after that he didn't try to see her, they had made a great team, but it was like any friendship they had formed disappeared after the war.

The silence remained until they arrived at the pools "Here we are" Zuko stated, he quickly spun around to leave.

"Would you like to stay?" Katara asked.

Zuko froze "Sure"

Katara brought water out of the pool and swirled it down around her creating a spiral column, before making it rise into evenly sized balls which she reformed in front of her "So how is Mai?"

"She is doing well; I am meeting her for dinner later" Zuko replied as he created a ball of fire.

"That sounds nice" Katara created multiple whips, making them snap outwards consecutively.

Zuko felt slightly awkward, he had not already mentioned his and Mai's break up it wasn't exactly a big deal, so it may seem weird to just come out with it now "Would you like a light sparring match?"

"Sure, if you think you could take me?" Katara taunted with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Zuko was slightly intimidated she was powerful bender, his brief lapse in concentration earned him a sharp whip to the arm "Are we sparring Zuko or day dreaming?" It was certainly on now!

They sparred for the next twenty minutes and were both quite out of breath and ready for breakfast by the time they had finished. Their morning together seemed to have dispelled some of the tension between them which was relieving for them both, as they reached the courtyard Aang was exiting the guest quarters looking bright eyed and ready for the day, his smile grew even further when he spotted Katara.

"Good morning!" Aang beamed as he rushed over to her.

"Good mor" Katara was cut off as Aang placed a light kiss to her lips. Katara blushed very aware of Zuko stood next to her.

Aang pulled back quickly turning his attention to Zuko "Good morning"

"Indeed" was Zuko's response.

"Where have you two been?"

"We were just sparring Aang" Katara answered.

"Aww and I missed it" Aang huffed. "I would love to see you two together?"

Katara's cheeks blushed again, however neither boy noticed "What?"

"I would love to see you two fight; you are both such good benders"

"It wasn't anything special" Zuko replied. Katara frowned.

"Yeah it was a basic training session nothing more" Katara agreed coldly.

Aang oblivious to the shift in Katara's mood smiled asking "When is breakfast? I'm so hungry"

"We can go now" Zuko made to head off towards the main buildings which housed the dining hall.

"I'll catch you up I just need to go back to my room"

"You sure Katara?" Aang asked "I can wait"

"No go on, I'll be over in a minute I'll just ask a guard to direct me"

Katara stalked off towards the guest building and didn't look back or stop, sitting down on her bed with a bump. "I can't believe him" She growled aloud "It wasn't anything special" she imitated, he acts like we aren't even friends, it's not like this morning was exactly special to her, but she wouldn't have said it like that. What is it? Now that he's the Fire Lord he's too good to be her friend? She huffed and stood up to go the dining hall, she hadn't even needed to come back here, she was just infuriated at his attitude.

Zuko sat at the table with Aang waiting for the food to be served, he had a feeling Katara wasn't happy with him, but he couldn't figure out why, they had seemed to have been getting on great again this morning as they trained together? Why was she such a confusing woman?