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Deck the halls

With boughs of holly,

Fa la la la,

La, la, la.

Katara sang at the top of her lungs as she decorated the tree.

The fireplace was roaring, heating up the living room. Her hot chocolate was sitting on the mantle waiting to be finished. Snow was a falling gradually outside. An inch of the white powder had already covered the ground.

There was just three days till Christmas and Katara was decked out in the Christmas spirit. She had a snowman sweater on, complete with reindeer pajama bottoms. If she went outside her nose would be red just like Rudolph's.

"Is there a dying cat in here?" A person entered her house, taking off his coat as he went.

"Very funny Zuko. You don't see me criticizing your singing skills."

"Yeah, because you don't see me singing."

Katara turned to him, holding up her hot chocolate in question. He shook his head no deciding to drape himself over the couch. She took a sip, the still warm drink slid down her throat.

"You have a milk moustache, right here." Zuko came over and with his thumb, wiped the hot chocolate off her upper lip.

"I was saving that for later." Katara put down her drink and took the lights from the box.

Zuko came over to help her string them up. Katara was hoping one light bulb wasn't broken, she knew the saying 'if one goes out, they all go out'. It was great that she didn't have to ask Zuko to help anymore, he knew enough to help without being asked anymore. Jet on the other hand had not gotten the memo.

She felt a tap on her shoulder. "Are you okay? It looked like you were trying to kill the tree with your stear."

Katara noticed the multi colored lights were already lighting up the tree. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Katara..." Zuko started to follow her. She picked up a box of ornaments; he grabbed them out of her hands and set them down. "Tell me what's wrong."

Katara put her hands on her head, exasperated. "Nothing is wrong. I'm fine." She tried to take back the box of ornaments but Zuko held them over his head, a place she could not get to.

"Something is wrong. I know you to well." He changed tones to one more filled with concern.

Katara felt tears pooling up in her eyes. She walked over to Zuko and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his chest. She started to cry silently.

"Tell me what's wrong."

Katara stayed silent but at least she stopped crying. Zuko moved them over to the couch where at least they could sprawl out. Her face was still buried in his chest but Zuko kept talking.

"If it's about how I kissed you in the tea shop. I am so sorry. I lost control of myself and it won't happen again." Zuko stroked her hair.

"It's not that." Katara mumbled into his shirt. She lifted her head up so Zuko could hear her better. There were dried tear tracks adoring each cheek. "I don't care about that. I-" Katara's cheeks reddened. "It was actually nice but it's Jet."

Zuko tightened her hold on Katara, bring her face up to his. His golden eyes were searching hers. "Is he hurting you?"

"Yes."

"Let me help."

"There is nothing you can do. Like you said to me sometime ago, it will only make it worst."

The figure of Zuko seemed to blur. "There is something I can do."

Katara woke up. Cold sweat was running down her face, she was panting hard. Covers were strewn everywhere and her pillow was dangerously hanging off the edge. It wasn't even dawn yet, She just gone to bed two hours ago and it had taken her forever to fall asleep. She rubbed her eyes trying to get the sleepiness out of them.

Her dreams were becoming more and more realistic. It was almost to the point where she couldn't tell whether she was in real life or sleeping.

Except for the subtle differences, the differences that she wished were true and weren't. In real life Zuko had played off their kiss as the heat of the moment and didn't mean anything. Of course he said all of these things after they both stopped blushing profoundly and were evertiting their eyes from each other.

He did come over to help decorate the tree but the whole family was there.

Jet was always portrayed the same way he was in real life as in her dreams. Katara wished she could tell Zuko what was happening, he would understand. He goes through it when his farther comes home. She just wished she could tell someone, anyone.

But her dreams were just that, dreams.

But her dreams were still becoming more and more intense. Always featuring Zuko or Jet. Always being kissed or being hurt. Zuko was the dream, Jet was the nightmare.

Katara threw off her covers and swung her feet to the floor. Her wrist knocked into her bed side table. Pain shot up Katara's arm. She rubbed the red area where Zuko had gently tightened his hold on in the dream but where Jet had almost broken them the day before.

She had to do something soon but she didn't know what.

Katara finished wiping down the table. It had been a long and trying work day. Luckily her shift was almost over then she could go home and relax. The last few customers were leaving the restaurant, leaving behind them a mess and a bunch of tips.

Katara was at her last table, the biggest one. She had to get orders for a family of eight. Each of them having different orders of tea and dessert. Not one of them ordered the same thing as the other. Her hand had cramped after writing down all of their orders.

Katara looked at the table. Empty tea cups were scattered, some of the knives were on the chairs and one of the little kids had spilt jam on the floor. Katara looked under one of the tea cups. She picked up the money that was under it.

A dollar. One messily dollar for all the trouble they put her through. How was this going to help her buy a dress for the upcoming masquerade ball? Cheap stakes. She hoped their car would break down on the way home, costing them lots of money. Grumbling, Katara started her routine of cleaning the table.

Katara picked up one of the tea cups. The blue dragon curved its body to fit the cup. It's black eyes stared up at her. "What are you looking at?" Luckily the dragon didn't answer. Katara put the cup gently away in her wash bucket and moved on to the rest of the table.

When she was done with the table, she picked up the silverware bucket. It was heavier than expected. Her wrists were still sore from her date the other day, she just didn't realize how sore. The bucket was balanced on her wrists, but when she reached to pick up the last cup on the table, it all came crashing down.

But somehow Zuko was right there at that moment. He held the bucket up to her. "You dropped this."

Without looking at him, Katara said "Thank you." She picked up the cup and carried the bucket by the handles, not balancing it on her wrists. She brought the bucket back to the kitchen where the dish boy would wash the contents in it. Zuko followed her close behind.

"Don't you have tables to wipe down?"

"No, my sections done."

Katara turned back around to face him. "Then what are you still doing here? You usually like to leave this place as fast as possible."

Zuko rubbed the back of his neck. "Um... I... I was wondering if you wanted to go see a movie at my house?"

"With you?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Of course."

"Then I except." Katara turned around before he could see the giddy expression pop up on her face.

"These people are the stupidest assassins I have ever seen!" Katara was almost crying. It was just too damn funny. She didn't know Zuko had a good taste when it came to picking out movies.

"They can't even commit suicide right. Who jumps into a four inch river to drown himself?" The credits were rolling and Zuko had the biggest smile Katara had ever seen on his face.

"Ugg. You're watching that movie again?"

Zuko's smile melted right off his face and was replaced with a stone cold one.

Katara looked up from her position from the floor. The girl she had seen so many months ago hopping out of Zuko's car was staring right at her. It was Mai or as Toph calls her, Doom and Gloom. Mai had her phone out and she was tapping it against the palm of her hand.

Zuko stood up. "What are you doing here?"

"I actually get invited to people's houses unlike you." Mai had a bored expression on her face.

Katara could she Zuko clenching and unclenching a fist behind his back. "It's nice to see you to Mai."

Azula came into the room, she had a tub of ice cream with oreos to go along with it. Her fluffy red slippers were dragging on the floor. "Mai are you ready?"

Mai looked at Katara and then Zuko. "Yep. I think I'm done here." With one last look at Zuko, she ran to catch up with Azula. The two of them chatted their way up the stairs and into Azula's room.

Katara went to stand next to Zuko. "I thought you said you two ended on good terms."

Zuko turned to look at her. "I might have fibbed that part, just a little bit."

"Just a little bit huh?" Katara said sarcastically.

"I can understand. It's very hard to get over all of this." Zuko gestured to himself with his hands

Katara placed a hand on his shoulder. "Trust me. It's not that hard."

"For you maybe."

"You're full of yourself." Katara shoved him lightly in the shoulder but he was off balance and fell towards the couch.

Zuko's hand shot out to grab Katara, hoping to stable himself, but he only managed on bringing Katara down with him. Katara let out a surprised shriek. She put out her hands in front of her to brace herself, not that it did any good. Her elbows slammed into Zuko's chest. Her legs were straddling him. Katara fell so close to him that she could feel his breath on her face.

Zuko groaned when one of her sharp elbows hit his rib cage where an old bruise that wasn't quite healed yet, sat.

"Quiet down you two. Agni! It sounds like you're having sex. We're trying to watch a movie!" Azula screamed from the top of the stairs.

"Shut up Azula!" Zuko yelled back to her. Nothing else came from upstairs besides the sounds of a movie which to Katara sounded specifically like Mean Girls.

Katara tried to move her legs but then noticed that they were straddling Zuko's waist. Katara's face lit up in a bright red. She blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. "I have a boyfriend." But hopefully not for long, Katara didn't say that part out loud.

Zuko raised an eyebrow. He was enjoying Katara's discomfort and the position they had so happened to fallen in. He was not moving anytime soon. "Gosh! I had no idea. You only remained me about that fact ten times a day."

"Well I wouldn't have to keep reminding you, if you didn't keep kissing me!"

"Me kissing you? I think it is the other way around."

"You were the one who kissed me in the tea shop." Katara propped herself up on her elbows, making sure she could see Zuko clearly in the eyes.

"I strictly remember your lips touching mine first."

"Wow it seems like you have the details memorized. I didn't think the kiss meant that much to you. But I guess it did, since you were the one who started it."

Their voices had started to steadily raise in volume and drift upstairs finding their way to Azula's bedroom. There was a pounding of feet from the upstairs. Katara saw Azula rounding the banister with Mai close behind.

Azula came to stand right above Zuko's face which was hanging off the back of the couch. "I know, how 'bout you kissed each other at the same. Then you can stop this arguing and get married."

"Stay out of this Azula." came Zuko's response.

"Maybe if you stopped arguing I would." Azula folded her arms across her chest.

Katara was becoming increasingly self aware of what position her and Zuko were in and that fact that Mai was watching them closely. Katara swallowed another blush that would soon spread on her cheeks.

"I don't get involved with your love life so stop interfering with mine."

Azula laughed as Zuko sent her a dark glare. "You call this a love life Zuzu?"

"No... Maybe.. Just go away Azula."

"How about you walk your blushing bride home so me and Mai can get on with our movie marathon."

"Fine."

"Fine."

Before Azula could add anything else to infuriate her brother, Mai grabbed hold of her hand and dragged her up the stairs out of sight.

Zuko sat up a little as Katara stealthily swung her leg over so she could stop straddling him. "I think it is time I went home." Katara tugged up the sleeve of her shirt.

Zuko had a worried look in his eye but it passed quickly. "I'll walk you home."

Katara grabbed her coat off the ground where she had thrown it hours before. "You don't have to do that."

"Yes I do."

He guided her to the front entrance. Zuko stopped walking as they reached the doorway, he looked up quickly and then back down to Katara. "Are you going to break up with Jet any time soon?"

Katara looked at him in the eyes, a confused look was present on her face. Did he know what Jet was doing to her? "Why are you asking me that?"

"So I can do this." Zuko leaned in and brought her lips to her.

Katara froze but the kissed him back with more vigor. His lips tasted of cinnamon and peppermint. The taste of Christmas. She felt his hand tighten on her back, dragging her closer to him. Realizing what she was doing, Katara stopped. She backed away from him.

Katara couldn't meet Zuko's eyes. No matter how much she hated Jet, she didn't want to cheat on him. "Why did you kiss me?"

Zuko's smile turned into a smirk. "Haven't you noticed? We're under a mistletoe."

So filler chapter. Sorry about that. The next one will be filler too but after that the story will pick up speed. First update of 2015! And hopefully many more to come. I found out today that Zuko's hair is dark brown. I always thought it was black but I still think it changes every episode. In this story Zuko's hair is black, I'm not going to change it.

My favorite character is either Zuko, Katara or Toph. They're very badass and I love that. But my favorite bad guy character has to be Azula, no contest there.

Question:

What is your favorite line/quote from ATLA?

Please Review/Favorite/Follow:)