The Five-Hundred Club II

Author Notes:

Disclaimer: ATLA is of course not mine. I'm just borrowing.

Season 3, Ember Island

A series of shorts (all 500 words or less) about how Zuko and Katara interact with each other after Katara forgives Zuko. Set between The Ember Island Players and Sozin's Comet.


#1 Aang - Balance

Aang was sure this had been a good idea. But that was before Katara and Zuko teamed up against Toph. Now Toph was iced in a glacier on the beach with a ring of flames fencing her off. Aang was on his own, Toph was yelling bloody murder, and Katara and Zuko were both smirking at him.

Aang dodged water whips and almost leaned back into an explosion of fire behind him.

"Come on, Aang," Katara taunted. Her arms were wrapped in water that snaked out in sharp bites. "You couldn't take on a sea slug this way."

"Sloppy, Aang," Zuko scolded. There was a tease in his voice too, though. "You're lucky this isn't a real fight."

"If this were a real fight, you two would be hog monkey hash!" Aang shouted.

Katara looked at Zuko and raised her eyebrow. He grinned smugly at her. They had been circling Aang for almost an hour, forcing him to fight while they coordinated efforts. Aang tried to decipher the silent conversation taking place between his firebending and waterbending masters. Couldn't be anything good. They both moved to strike again.

"Get me out of here, Aang!" Toph screamed, but he was too busy trying not to get sliced apart by the icy disks of water flying at his torso or scorched by the hot licks of flame circling his legs.

"This isn't fair!" Aang howled. "No one said you were allowed to team up!"

"You think my father's going to fight fair?" Zuko said, relentlessly keeping up the attack.

Aang started to deflect the fire back at Zuko, but a wave of water slapped him away.

"Thanks, Katara," Zuko said, like she'd just passed him the salt.

"No problem," she said, winking. Aang scowled and reflexively blasted a current of water at her. It was broken by a gush of fire.

"Thanks, Zuko," Katara said pleasantly.

"My pleasure," he said with a slight bow.

"This is making me sick!" Toph yelled. "Twinkletoes, I'm ordering you to destroy these good-for-nothing show-offs! Use your fancy Avatar powers! Take them out!"

"I can't!" Aang whined. "My chakra's blocked and they're working together!"

"Oh oh," Zuko said, crossing his arms. "Sounds like someone's tired."

"Awe," Katara said, narrowing her eyes. "Maybe it's time for a nap."

Aang turned red. "Don't mom and dad me!" he yelled.

Katara and Zuko looked at each other again, then shrugged in unison.

"Whatever, Aang," Katara said, waving the water she'd been bending out to the sea. "It's time for lunch anyway."

"Don't get your shorts in a twist," Zuko said, extinguishing the fire around him. He walked over to Katara and nodded at her. "Nice fighting. Think Sokka was able to manage sandwiches?"

"You too," she said, smiling. "And I hope so. I'm hungry."

"I liked them better when they weren't getting along," Toph grumbled from her iceberg as the pair walked back to the house. Aang didn't say what he thought.

Me too.


#2 Toph - Scar

Toph was ticked. Nothing stood in the way of a glorious scam and a perfect field trip.

Nothing, that is, except Sweetness.

"Zuko's not going to fake-turn-himself-in!" Sugar Queen said. "No matter how big the ransom!"

Sure. She'd already had her field trip.

"Do we need money?" Zuko asked.

"No," Katara said. "Toph cheated a bunch of con artists out of theirs. We have plenty."

"It was stolen money," Toph corrected. "I was just redistributing."

"Right," Katara said sarcastically.

Toph got smarter on her second try.

"Zuko and I need to borrow Appa," she told Aang at lunch.

"Why?" Aang said.

"What?" Zuko said.

"It's my bracelet," Toph said. "I left it at the Air Temple."

"Are you sure?" Aang asked.

"I'm sure!" Toph whined. She shifted toward Katara. "That bracelet was part of me. I need it."

"The space metal bracelet?" Katara asked.

Gotcha, Toph thought. "Yeah," she said. "It makes me think of you, Katara, because-"

"I found that this morning in the rice sack," Katara said. "Lucky. You'd have made a trip for nothing."

"Wow, I wonder how it got in there," Aang said.

"Yeah," Toph muttered, "I wonder."

The third time, Toph waited until Zuko was alone before cornering him in the courtyard.

"Hey Zuko," she said. "Could you take me into town? I want to do something for Katara. She does so much for us, you know?"

"Uh," Zuko said.

"She likes girly things," Toph continued. "I want to get her a hair comb, but I need someone to help me pick one that's pretty."

"Um," Zuko answered.

"Please?" Toph begged. "For Katara?"

"I'd like to," he said finally. "But I can't."

"Why?" Toph cried.

"What's going on?" Sokka asked, joining with the rest of the group. Toph scowled.

"I'm trying to get Zuko out," she sulked. "But he won't even take me into town."

"He can't," Sokka said. "Not in daylight anyway."

"Why not?" Toph yelped. "Can't we go in disguise?"

Silence filled the courtyard. Zuko turned to leave. Sickness crept through Toph.

Katara stopped Zuko.

"She doesn't know," Katara said. "She can't see."

"See what?" Toph asked.

"Zuko's scar," Katara said. "It covers the left side of his face."

Toph stood still, the sickness overwhelming her. Suddenly, field trips didn't seem important. "Why didn't anyone tell me?" she asked angrily. "I would have understood!"

"It's too ugly to talk about," Zuko said harshly.

"That's not true," Katara said.

"Yes it is," Zuko said.

"No, it's not," she said. "We don't talk about it because when we look at you we don't see it. We see you, someone who was our enemy and isn't anymore."

The next day, Zuko cornered Toph. He handed her something small.

"For Katara," he said. "It's pretty. I think she'll like it. I found it in the house, in the room Uncle's wife used to stay in. I'm sorry I couldn't go into town."

Toph gave it to Katara. She didn't feel so ticked off anymore.


#3 Suki - Secret

Sokka had an endearing way of humming whenever Suki nipped his ear. It made her giggle.

"What?" he teased in a low, husky voice, sliding his hands up her back under her shirt.

"Nothing," Suki said playfully, squeezing his biceps. "Glad we found this place, though."

"Yeah," Sokka said between kisses. "Great attic."

Their mouths were engaged in a joust when the door to their hideout opened. They both froze.

"This is it," they heard Zuko say.

"It's dark," they heard Katara say. Fire wove through the abandoned space, lighting torches on the walls. Suki was sitting in Sokka's lap, her legs wrapped around his waist. Sokka pulled her close as the fire flashed by. Fortuitously, the alcove they sat in was hidden from view by a dusty dressing screen.

"Much better. Thanks Zuko!" Katara said brightly. Suki could almost hear Zuko's face light up with that almost-but-not-quite-smiling expression he made whenever Katara was pleased with him these days. Sokka rolled his eyes. Suki rolled hers back. He leaned in to suck quietly on her neck.

"Let's see…you need cooking supplies, right?" Zuko asked Katara.

"Pots and pans," Katara answered. Suki could hear them walking deeper into the attic. They stopped somewhere and began rummaging through boxes. Sokka lapped at Suki with his tongue and she stifled a moan. There was something appealing about the possibility of getting caught that made her body tingle. She stretched, arching her chest as Sokka's hands glided mischievously down her bottom.

"Are you sure no one will mind if we use these things?" Katara was asking.

"Who would care? My father?" Zuko scoffed.

"I don't know. Maybe your mother would be upset."

Zuko mumbled something. Suki missed it. Sokka was doing things that made her wiggle in his lap. She started to hiss "stop" but he covered her mouth and shook his head. Her hands traveled, seeking revenge. Sokka groaned silently, dropping his head into her shoulder.

"What did you say?" Katara asked.

Zuko hesitated before answering. "Sorry," he said. "Just my mom would have wanted me to help someone like you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing bad!" Zuko stumbled. "Only you're so good at everything but you're also a really good person. She would have liked you."

Suki was distracted enough to stop the heavy petting. Sokka was not. He started tickling her and she bucked convulsively. The bench creaked. Oh no.

Everything went silent. Then Suki heard Katara laugh. She breathed out in relief.

"Do you want me to stay up here with you?" Zuko teased. Suki could picture the way they must have both stopped.

"Thanks," Katara said, continuing to laugh. "But I have enough company already, don't you think?"

Suki's stomach turned.

"Probably," Zuko said flippantly.

"Hey!" Sokka yelled. "How did you know?"

"Please, Sokka," Katara called. "You breathe heavier than a hippo horse."

"Not to mention we saw you go up the stairs," Zuko added.

Suki groaned. So much for a secret hideout.


#4 Sokka - Prank

"Oh, man, Katara's gonna kill us," Sokka said gleefully.

"Maybe you," Toph said. "She'll never catch me."

"Aang, hurry up! We need you to carry the fire frogs."

"Hold your ostrich horses, Sokka," Aang said. "Zuko's still coming. And why do I have to carry the frogs?"

Sokka tapped his foot. "You're the one with frog-carrying experience, Aang," he explained as they waited. Sokka was pissed. Zuko was holding up the mission.

"Sorry," Zuko said when he caught up. "Katara needed help putting away the dishes."

Sokka shared a look with Aang before they all started laughing. Toph clutched her tummy.

"What?" Zuko asked.

"Oh nothing," Sokka answered. "Just my baby sister has you wrapped around her little finger."

Zuko blushed but didn't blink. "I like helping Katara," he said.

"Sure you do, pal," Sokka said, pounding his newest buddy on the back. "And that's exactly what she wants." He pointed down the path to the beach. "Come on. Suki can only distract her for so long. We have to hurry."

"What are we doing again?" Zuko asked as they went.

"A prank," Sokka explained. "You know, a time-honored tradition between older brothers and younger sisters, in which the brother does something hilarious at the expense of the sister."

"You're trying to annoy Katara on purpose?" Zuko asked incredulously.

"Yep," Sokka said.

"And we're going to do it with fire frogs!" Aang said enthusiastically. "In her bed!"

Zuko stopped in his tracks. "What?"

"You're a slow learner, aren't you?" Toph asked.

Zuko did not continue. "I'm not that slow," he said. "And I value my life. You three are on your own. I'm going back."

"You can't!" Sokka yelped as Zuko turned around. "You're sworn to secrecy!"

Zuko trudged away anyway.

"Are we still getting the frogs?" Aang asked.

"Oh yeah," Sokka said, rubbing his hands together evilly. "We're getting them, and we're making this prank epic!"

The next morning, Sokka woke up early, anticipating the fruits of his labor about to ripen. Aang was already awake, but not a single shriek greeted them. They crept out of their room to see what was up. Not one frog hopped down the hallway. They went to the girls' room. Only Toph and Suki were inside.

"Where is she?" Sokka asked.

"No idea," Suki said. "Where are the frogs?"

"No idea," Sokka said.

They went back into the hall. Zuko's room was empty too: of frogs and fire princes. Sokka scratched his head. The kids went down to the kitchen.

Zuko and Katara were eating breakfast.

"Good morning," Katara said pleasantly, pushing four covered bowls of porridge toward them.

"Hey guys," Zuko said, lifting a spoon to them.

Sokka took his bowl. Nice of Katara to keep the porridge warm. He lifted the cover off…

…and Katara's nose twitched…

…and a fire frog hopped at Sokka's face.

He screamed.

"Wow Sokka," Zuko said when all the frogs were out of the covered porridge bowls. "You were right. Pranks are hilarious."


#5 Katara - Trade

Katara stretched and heard her joints pop. She'd worked hard. Practicing with Aang was never like this. Every muscle in her body ached.

She drew water from the fountain and pressed a healing hand to her shoulder. She sighed heavily in relief.

"Not fair," a tired voice said.

Zuko. He was flopped down on the ground. It thoroughly satisfied Katara to know he'd finished their sparring session as drained as she.

She laughed and continued healing herself. Zuko watched, the expression on his face transforming from jealousy to longing to puppy dog eyes.

The Prince was giving her puppy dog eyes.

She ignored him. He scowled, sat up straight, narrowed his eyes and began to rub his own neck. She watched as a faint red glow appeared under his hand. Of course. He was a firebender.

She began imagining hot springs, hot saunas and hot stone massages. The spot between her shoulder blades throbbed. She tried futilely to reach it. He caught her eye and smirked.

"Care to negotiate a trade?" he asked. A memory of Zuko and a band of pirates surfaced in Katara's mind. She stood up…

…and sat down behind him.

"Neck and shoulders only," she said sternly.

Zuko nodded and relaxed as she placed her hands tentatively on his warm skin and focused the cool water on his muscles.

"Should have thought of this before," he murmured while she worked.

"That good, huh?" she grinned.

"That good," he agreed. She rewarded the complement by moving in smooth strokes down his spine. If he noticed her breaking her own rules, he didn't say anything. But after a while, he swiveled to face her. "Your turn," he said mildly.

A pinch of anxiety in her stomach made her hesitate, but she pushed it away like she'd pushed away the bad memory of him, rotating her body and sweeping her hair out of the way. She waited for his hands to make contact.

"Tell me if it gets too hot," he said. The heat seeped into her twisted muscles. She hummed softly.

"Too much?" he asked, his voice gravely in her ear.

She shook her head no, savoring the warmth.

He began kneading the muscles, finding knots and working them out with his thumbs.

"You don't have to…ahh…ahhhhh," she said as he found the twisted spot between her shoulder blades.

She almost heard him grin. She didn't protest further. When he was done, he patted her shoulders lightly and she turned to face him. They were sitting close. Her head felt dizzy.

He smiled shyly. It had never occurred to her before, but Zuko was sort of cute when he smiled.

"We should do this every time we spar," he said.

"We should spar just so we can do this," she said. His smile spread to his eyes.

"Sure," he said. "Let's keep it a secret, though."

"Why?" she asked.

He shrugged sheepishly. "Not sure I want to rub Toph's feet."

She laughed. "Deal, Zuko."


#6 Zuko - Destiny

Zuko lay on his back, staring up at suncatchers hanging from the canopy. They reminded him of the Sun Warriors. Maybe Uncle had brought them back as souvenirs from his visit.

"I wondered where you'd gone," a gentle voice said from the doorway.

Katara.

When Zuko didn't answer, she came into the room.

"Was this your uncle's?" she asked.

"Yeah," Zuko sighed. "Back when my family still came here together."

"Want company?" she asked.

Only because it's you, he thought, scooting to make room on the bed. She'd gotten under his skin. Somehow she knew things he didn't tell her. Somehow it didn't feel intrusive for her to lie next to him, put her hands behind her head, and look up at the suncatchers with him.

Somehow it was okay for him to say: "Uncle loved Ember Island. We always came in the summers, even after his son died."

"I didn't know he had a son," Katara said.

"Yeah," Zuko said. "If the world worked like it was supposed to, Uncle would be Fire Lord instead of my father, and his son would be next in line for the throne. Not Azula."

"I thought you were next," Katara said.

"Not anymore," Zuko said.

Silence stretched out between them.

"This game never works," Katara said after a while.

"What game?" Zuko asked.

"The 'if' game," Katara said. "Like what if Aang hadn't been trapped in an iceberg for a hundred years?"

"Then things wouldn't have gotten so out of hand," Zuko said.

"Or he would have been killed with the other air nomads," Katara countered.

"Well, you have to go back further," Zuko said. "Like what if my great grandfather Sozin hadn't let Avatar Roku die?"

"Then we wouldn't have met Aang," Katara said.

"No," Zuko said. "We'd have met him. He would just have been older than us. And the Southern Water Tribe would have thrived."

"I guess I'd be the Southern Water Princess, then," Katara said thoughtfully. She laughed. "I'd live like Princess Yue in the North. With fancy dresses and guards and big parties to celebrate my birthdays."

Zuko snorted. "And probably an arranged marriage to a bona fide prince for the sake of a political alliance," he said.

Katara stilled next to him.

"What?" Zuko asked, looking sideways at her.

She smiled crookedly. "Well there you go," she said, sitting up briskly and hopping off the bed. "Things always happen for a reason."

"I don't think arranged marriage would be so bad," Zuko said, sitting up too and watching her go. "If you'd grown up thinking it was your duty."

Katara stopped and looked back at the doorway. "But think, Zuko," she grinned. "What bona fide prince do you suppose I'd be engaged to right now?"

Zuko blinked.

"See," she said. "I told you this game never works. Destiny knows what it's doing."

And with that she flitted out the room.

"It wouldn't have been that bad!" Zuko yelled after her.

"Speak for yourself!" she called back.