So I realized that they aren't showing what I use for breaks in the story, so I hope you've all picked up on the changes. This section was odd to write because I was trying to use dialogue for explaining the city. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and thanks for the reviews! They really keep me going! =D So have fun!
Katara sat sipping tea while playing Pai Sho with Iroh. Their group had arrived this morning, a day after Toph had. Now, the boys and Suki were resting from their travel and Toph was visiting the tunnels under the city. She smiled as Iroh defeated her again.
She heard the door open and turned, ready to ask Toph to join then, when she froze, Zuko standing in the doorway. Time had been kind to him. His muscles became more pronounced and he grew another few inches. His fair was done in traditional style and he wore simple travel clothes that complemented his body. Katara felt her mouth grow dry as she stared at him.
"Zuko! Welcome!" The old man rose to hug his nephew, who had quickly crossed the room. "Why don't you join Katara and I at a game of Pai Sho? Take a seat while I get us all some more tea."
Zuko sat and Katara rose, offering to help Iroh with the tea. He smiled and graciously declined her offer, saying that he was plenty capable. Katara smiled and sat down, blushing when she noticed Zuko's face, which was eying her the way he had in the Cave of Two Lovers.
Zuko couldn't help but notice how nicely she had filled out. Her body was still toned with muscle but had become soft with the addition of her curves. She was wearing her emerald colored dress, which had fit her nicely three years ago, but now emphasized her large bust and curvy hips. The slit in the side which allowed her to move freely had revealed long tan, toned legs to Zuko.
"Hi, Zuko." Katara spoke, uncomfortable with the heavy silence that had fallen between them.
"Hello, Katara. How was your trip?" Zuko struggled to form words but tried his best to be courteous and not just kiss her.
"It was wonderful. We stopped to get Suki from Kyoshi Island and it was so nice to see everyone there again and I got to ride the giant Koi this time, it was a ton of fun. And we only got here this morning so the boys and Suki are resting, but Toph wanted to wander the tunnels, we all know how much she hates cities…" Katara realized she was rambling and blushed, closing her mouth and looking into her lap. Seriously? He must think I haven't grown up, the way I was running on. I just…he looks so good, and makes me feel all tingly. "How was your trip? And where is Mai?"
Zuko had smiled when she babbled but frowned slightly at her mention of Mai. "The trip was great, very freeing to be away from the palace. And Mai is probably with her mother. We broke up not long after we left Omashu." Zuko glanced down. He was less awkward now than he had been as a young teenager but he found himself questioning what he said with Katara.
"Hey, Zuko, buddy!" Sokka came over to the table to hug the firebender and sat down at the Pai Sho table. "How've you been, still jerkbending?"
Zuko smiled at the interruption, grateful he no longer needed to try to make conversation. "I am still firebending, although it is mostly in practice now. How was the South Pole?"
"Cold. I always enjoyed the visits to Kyoshi Island or to visit you." He smiled at Katara. "Poor Katara hadn't been able to leave until now, though. She was so excited to get away." Katara blushed.
Iroh returned with the tea and he and Sokka dominated the conversation, dissipating the awkwardness from the two ex-lovers. They played two rounds before Aang and Suki joined them and another round later Toph returned. The group chattered endlessly, sharing experiences and stories of the past few years.
The next morning, however, the group had business to attend to. They had taken one of the old colonies and since the people were fairly equally Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom, they relished the idea of an equal community. It was a coastal town and so it would be easy to move supplies in and create a center of commerce. The city was to be called Republic City and ruled by a council of the nations.
Aang was speaking rapidly, explaining what he and Zuko had thought of. "Toph, I would like you to find an adequate representative of the Earth Kingdom and, we would like if you could create a team of metalbenders. Do you think you could teach that?"
The blind girl nodded. "That'll be simple, Twinkle Toes. Leave to me."
"Zuko is going to pick a representative of the Fire Nation. We were thinking we might ask Mai, although we don't know if she will want to." Aang glanced at Zuko, and at his nod continued. "Sokka would the representative of the Southern Water Tribe and after we travel to the location of the city, we will travel to the North Pole to discover who the representative will be from there. I will not be on the council, even though I am an airbender and I will have a nonbender take my place, from any of the nations." They all nodded their consent to this, understanding why it would be important. "There would, um, be a provision that any, uh, airbending offspring will take the place as the Air Nomads."
Aang's face had flushed to a deep pink at that last sentence. He looked straight down, although many of the others looked at Katara, who uncomfortably looked away, not wanting to show her unease. Aang took a deep breath before continuing.
"There is a small island in the harbor of the city. I was thinking of making it an Air Temple, and train monks. That would be after I was married and all, so it is a long term idea but Sokka thinks he found a way to breed Appa with a non-flying bison-sheep and they might be able to inherit his ability to fly. This way we could try to continue to have a form of flying bison for years to come. We would want to start that soon, though, and on the island so that way we can have them familiar with the area."
The others agreed with this idea and began planning how they would expand the layout into a city style and getting people from each nation to come and live in the city. Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom were there already, so it was mostly to get people from the Water Tribes. When they went to the North Pole, they would ask for some people to travel there in addition to their counselman.
They spent from morning until evening working out the plans and deciding what to do. Since none of them felt like traveling during the next few days, they chose instead to relax and help Iroh in the shop, as well as make appearances at the palace of the Earth King and meeting people in each of the different rings of the city, aiding the ones who were the most poor and injured.
It was on one of these trips that Katara and Zuko found themselves alone together in the poorest district of the city, feeding the hungry and Katara healed the injured. They were local heroes and many wanted to come and thank them. They had brought a lot of food with them and made sure that the people were fed.
As they walked back after dark, they found themselves silent, unsure of what to say to each other. Katara decided to ask the question she had been pondering since Sokka had interrupted them two days before. She stared at her feet while the words fell from her lips in rapid succession. "Why did you and Mai break up?"
Zuko stopped walking, shocked at the question, although he knew she would ask eventually. "The entire ride back to the Fire Nation, I was sick. I would not eat or sleep. By the time we got to the palace, I had a fever. Mai asked Uncle to come and see me. While he was there, he discovered through my delirium that I had feelings for you. As my fever went down, I told him everything." Zuko paused, trying to decide where to go next.
"Everything?" Katara squeaked, unsure of what he meant.
"Everything between us, yes. Starting all the way back in Ba Sing Se those many years ago. After I told him, he reminded me that I am supposed to bring honor back to the nation, and I needed to return the honor to myself. I knew then I had to tell Mai about you and I. She hated me for it. It has only been a few months since she first spoke to me again." Zuko's face fell as he remembered this and started to walk again. "I hurt from that, because of how I care for her, but I also felt free, knowing I had been truthful and that I might be able to be back with you." The admittance had him embarrassed and ashamed.
"I wish I could have done that." He almost didn't hear her over their footsteps. He looked at her, surprised and she continued. "I was afraid, ashamed of what I had done. I couldn't tell Aang, not with how he looked at me like I was everything to him. But I also know I can't keep this up. Pretending to be in love with him, when I feel like he's my brother. I know I will not be able to marry him, but I am so afraid to break things off."
Tears rolled down her face and Zuko instinctively pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. He wanted to help her, but didn't know how. "Do you want me to talk to him for you? I… I will. I know it will not be a conversation any of us would like to have, but I'll do it."
Katara looked up at him. "No, I should. I just… I don't want to hurt him. But I know what I will say." She took a deep breath, her voice no longer shaking from crying. "Thank you, Zuko." He nodded at her and they walked the rest of the way to the tea shop in silence.
