There was a moment of absolute silence.
Toph was grinning broadly, and at her side Aang remained frozen, his eyes wide, his pupils minute. Sokka was even less composed. His eyes were starting out of his head, and his jaw had dropped so low that it was almost reaching his knees. Suki, although startled, was smiling encouragingly, a tiny gleam of uncertainty in her grey eyes.
"YOU'RE WHAT?!" Sokka screeched. Zuko and Katara winced slightly, glancing knowingly at each other.
"We're to-geth-er." Katara said slowly; somehow saying it that first time had made repeating it a whole lot easier. Sokka pointed from one to the other, gazing at each of them in turn with his popping eyes. He shook his head violently.
"No." He said, raising his hands. "No, no, no, no, no."
"Oh, come on, you guys!" Toph interrupted, her hands spread wide. "I thought I was supposed to be the blind one here!" Sokka, whose arms were now folded, shot Toph a suspicious glance through narrowed eyes. "I listen to things – remember?" Toph jabbed at her ears. "That's why I'm a master Earthbender. If you had heard the way their hearts were going every single time they saw each other, and if you had noticed the way they always pause near each other, you would be wondering why it took them so long to admit it to each other." Zuko and Katara blushed furiously.
"So…you're a couple then?" Asked Aang, softly. Katara nodded, eyes concernedly fixed on the Avatar. For all her reassurances to Zuko on the beach, she was still a little unsure about how Aang would react. She knew for sure that he was attached to Toph, and they definitely suited each other – for all that they were of opposing elements…but then, she thought with a little irony, it was just like her and Zuko. But for all that Aang possibly loved Toph, Katara knew that he might still feel some hurt inside his heart at her being with Zuko. Zuko too was having second thoughts about Katara's reassurances, and was gazing at Aang, worried. Then, Aang's pensive face cleared. He smiled a bright, unaffected grin. "I'm really happy for both of you; truly." He got up and came over, hugging Katara, and bowing formally to Zuko, who, after reciprocating the gesture, pulled him into a hug.
Sokka followed the exchange, stupefied. "AANG!" He exclaimed once the Avatar had reseated himself, grinning. Aang leapt into the air at the volume of Sokka's yell, remaining floating up near the ceiling, suspended by a ball of whirling air clasped in his arms. Slowly he descended back to the ground.
"What Sokka?!" He asked, yelling back with a grin, the force of the air he expelled through his shout blasting Sokka's hair back from his head, and leaving it remaining standing horizontally backwards. Sokka seemed to indulge in a minor fit.
"You can't congratulate them!" He exclaimed infuriated. "Zuko chased you around the world! You liked Katara!" Zuko winced, and Katara blushed, frowning at her brother.
"Don't bring up bad blood and the past, Sokka." She said, warningly. Sokka had the grace to look a little ashamed of himself, but refused to let go of the argument.
"You can't be…together." He stated, turning back to his sister and the Fire Lord. It seemed to cost him an effort to say it. Sokka turned to his sister. "Katara. This is Zuko!" Sokka gestured towards the Fire Lord emphatically. "No offense, Zuko." He added, almost as an after thought. Zuko, who had been gazing startled at Sokka did not relax his expression. Katara frowned, and nodded.
"Yeah, I'd figured that one out for myself, funnily enough." Sokka ignored the bite in her tone, turning to Zuko.
"But you're with Mai!" He said, almost pleadingly. Zuko shook his head. He had been wondering how long it would take for Sokka to get onto the subject of Mai.
"No. I'm not. She left me about three months ago." Zuko had no difficulty in keep his voice neutral.
"Why?" Asked Sokka, interrogatively, arms folded. Suki elbowed him sharply in the ribs. "Ow! Suki!"
"Shut up, Sokka!" She hissed, then turned to Zuko and Katara. "I'm glad for you." She said, grinning. Katara smiled back warmly; she knew she could count on Suki. Zuko grinned, a little self-consciously.
"You guys have to be joking." Sokka stated adamantly, arms folded once more.
"We're not!" Exclaimed Katara. "Honestly we're not. Why would we joke about something like this, anyway?" Sokka's eyebrows raised and he snorted.
"I'm not convinced. It's impossible." Katara rolled her eyes and glanced at Zuko her eyebrows raised, who smiled and winked. There was a moment where they simply stared at one another, lost in each other's eyes. Then Katara made a dive for Zuko's lap. He caught her speeding body easily, leaning back slightly with a grin, their lips locked.
Sokka's jaw dropped as he watched his sister kiss the Fire Lord. A deep flush rose in his cheeks as well as Aang's, and even Suki was a little pink. Toph merely grinned.
"Told you, Sokka." She said, punching him.
"OK…I believe you." Sokka admitted, somewhat grudgingly, scratching the back of his head awkwardly, looking away. When Zuko and Katara continued, their kiss deepening, ignoring the rest of the world, Sokka turned back to face them, saying; "Hey! I said, I believe you; you can stop now," earning himself another sharp elbow from Suki, and a thump from Toph.
As Sokka rubbed his bruises, his expression hurt, Zuko and Katara drew apart, blushing a little. Katara leant back into the curve of Zuko's shoulder. He was lovely and warm, and apart from the unusual heat, it was pleasant being surrounded in the faint fragrance of heat and incense that always seemed to come off his skin. Toph laughed loudly, and even Suki and Aang joined in with slightly embarrassed giggles. Sokka still looked as if he had just laid a platypus bear egg.
"Soo…" said Suki, her eyes moving around the room. "What activity are we going to do?" Toph and Aang shrugged, Aang glancing at Toph quickly.
"I don't kn–" Aang began, but was cut off by Sokka, whose eyes had narrowed shrewdly once more.
"Hang on!" He was point an accusatory finger at Zuko. "Was it Katara that you asked me advice about?" He questioned suspiciously. Zuko flushed a little, and rolled his eyes, glancing briefly at Katara who was grinning up at him.
"Yes." Zuko conceded, then smiled down at Katara as he continued speaking, "and as you can see – it worked." Aang, Suki and Toph all laughed, as Sokka, whose face had been half way to forming a triumphant grin, froze as he realised that he had helped a guy he objected to courting his sister, be successful.
The rest of their stay at Ember Island passed in a peaceful bliss. Toph and Aang – perhaps spurred into action by Zuko and Katara – soon announced the obvious that they were in a relationship as well, and the three couples found the Island to be even more enjoyable when shared between two rather than a group. Zuko and Katara revelled in their new relationship, although Sokka occasionally made the odd interruption, most usually in the form of loud and disgusted exclamations if he walked in on them kissing…or holding hands…or just being together, which the pair quickly learnt to ignore. Everyone settled into their pairs comfortably, and the days would generally be spent doing their own thing in their couples, coming back together for the evening and dinner.
Zuko took Katara exploring over the island, showing her all the little nooks and crannies that he had discovered as a child, chasing each other along the cliffs and rolling down the grassy slopes, the most memorable foray being when they had become a little too immersed in each other in a cave and not noticed that the tide was coming in until it was up to their waists.
News of their relationship had hit the gossip pools in all the fashionable houses on the Island, for it was difficult to keep it a secret when they went to see the Ember Island players (although neither actually remembered a single word of the plays they went to, having been much more enjoyably occupied snuggled up together) or went about the shops holding hands (Zuko actually submitting himself to the trials of shopping). Soon enough the summer palace was being flooded with invitations to various parties and functions held by dignitaries and the social elite, all of which were diplomatically refused.
Zuko had even received letters of enquiry and congratulation from the Palace, and Katara from Hakoda; both marvelling at the speed with which the news travelled. Zuko eventually received the reply he had been most anxious to hear, which was a response from Iroh, full of congratulations and pleasure for both of them with enquiries after the others, as well as what both Zuko and Katara thought to be an embarrassingly unsubtle hint about royal marriages and grandchildren (something that Toph had found intensely amusing, and Sokka cause for what could only be called a fit of hysterics).
