Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
XXX
Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Last Days
The next day Zuko woke up at sunrise, the Earth Kingdom ships had finally reached his own. The leader came down.
"Hakoda told me you were the ship leading this invasion?" The man said.
"Then Hakoda told you correct." Zuko said seriously.
"How are we entering the Fire Nation?" The man asked sternly; Zuko could tell he didn't trust him.
"We plan on meeting at the same place you all were last time." He said.
"Very well, we'll stay at your side." He said as he boarded his own ship.
"Like I need your assistance…" Zuko said under his breath.
"What was that?" The man looked over.
"My nephew said thank you, for your assistance." Iroh grinned, the man nodded and continued to his ship.
"They don't trust me and think I can't take care of myself?" Zuko said to his uncle.
"Nephew, they are just wary. Can you blame them? You brought down Ba Sing Se, their home." He placed a hand on the prince's shoulder.
"I know." He whispered.
"You know…there has been a lot of gossip going around…" Iroh gave a mischievous grin.
"What now?" Zuko asked impatiently.
"Well…lady troubles?" Iroh asked with his grin.
"Uncle, please." Zuko began to walk away.
"I'll take that as a yes…" Iroh sighed. "Why confront the problems when you can be like Zuko and avoid them altogether?" He rolled his eyes.
XXX
Zuko slowly made his way to Katara and Sokka's room. He quietly opened the door. Nobody slammed it in his face or began to yell, so he quickly opened it all the way. Nobody was there. He sighed. He walked to the deck that he had just left and saw Katara leaning against the railing of the ship. She was alone, thank god. He walked up to her.
"How could you?" She said without turning around.
"Katara, it's not what you think." He said.
"Oh, you mean you kissing your ex?" She yelled as she turned around and brought water up from the ocean. She water whipped him. Hard. He fell to the ground.
"Would you at least listen to me?" He yelled as he got to his feet. Toph and Aang stood a distance away and watched.
"Shouldn't we try to stop them?" Aang asked.
"No, I like where this is going." Toph smirked.
"Katara, please." Zuko pleaded.
"What happened with them anyway?" Aang asked.
"You don't listen to enough gossip, Twinkle Toes." Toph smirked.
"I was taught not to believe everything you hear."
"Well, you sure miss out on a lot." Toph rolled her eyes.
"Zuko, no!" She struck him with water again, he had it. He punched fireballs at her and they continued back and forth.
"Go Katara!" Toph yelled.
"What's going on?" Jet asked.
"Katara and Zuko fight."
"Good, I missed these."
"You want to jump in this time?" Toph offered.
"I can't take a master water bender and a hot-headed firebender alone." Jet sighed.
"Take Katara's side and beat the shit out of Zuko."
"Toph…" Aang said.
"I like that idea." Jet smirked.
"What's going on?" Sokka asked as he walked up to the three of them. "Hey! Break it up!" He yelled at Zuko and Katara as he approached the two benders.
"Oh, this will be good." Toph said.
"Yeah it will!" Jet yelled out of excitement.
"I really think we should help…" Aang mumbled.
"I said stop!" Sokka stepped between them and they bother gave him terrifying glares. "Or…continue." He took a step back.
"What now?" Mai asked Toph, Jet, and Aang.
"They are having the best fight yet, although, it's not as good as that time you attacked Katara, then Sokka and Zuko…" She started.
"Ok, ok, I get it." She said as she walked away.
"You're an asshole!" Katara yelled as she swung water at him.
"You're a bitch!" He shouted back as he dodged her move.
"And I am Sokka! Seriously guys, I do not want to die on a ship!" Sokka yelled over them. "And you cannot call Katara a bitch! Only I can get away with that!" He yelled and just as he finished, he ducked his head and avoided a fireball that was aimed at it.
"Sokka!" Katara yelled.
"Katara, Zuko, do you really want to hurt each other?" He asked calmly. Zuko dropped his fists to his sides.
"No…" He whispered.
"Katara?" Sokka yelled.
"Maybe…" She mumbled and wrapped her water around Zuko's left ankle. She pulled it toward her and Zuko fell on his ass.
"Katara!" Sokka yelled.
"Fine, no…" She said quietly. "I'm taking a nap." She walked away.
"Aang, did you see how I broke that up? I should be the Avatar!"
"Trust me, Snoozles, if you were Avatar, we would all be doomed." Toph said seriously.
The rest of the day was uneventful. Zuko sighed, that didn't exactly go as he wanted it to.
XXX
Katara woke up early the next day. Sokka was sprawled out on the floor, again. She never thought she would be happy he made her share a room with him. She got up and headed for the washroom. She began fixing her hair and washing up quick. When she turned around, she saw Mai standing in the doorway. She knew this wouldn't be good. Mai was leaning her back against the side of the doorway and Katara couldn't pass.
"Could you move?" She asked irritably.
"You need to listen to me." Mai said in her bored tone. "And you need to listen good. It takes a lot for me to say this and I don't plan on repeating myself. I love Zuko, but Zuko loves you. He gave me up for you…" She looked to the ground. Katara felt a little bad for her. "I kissed him, he pulled away. I wasn't trying to steal him, I was telling him after all this I never wanted to see him again, but it just happened. Trust me, don't let him go." She walked away. Katara stared at her and thought about how stupid the whole thing was. She wouldn't run to Zuko, but maybe she would listen to him next time he spoke with her.
XXX
Zuko was in the captain's quarters with Sokka, Jee, and this time, Iroh.
"So, if we go around, we should be unnoticed." Sokka said as he pointed to the map.
"Ozai will have double his regular army on the border, now, it doesn't matter where we go; we just need to keep a low profile." Zuko said.
"What is with the smiley face?" Iroh asked as he pointed to the drawing Sokka made.
"It's us." Sokka said.
"But we are not bringing them happiness. In fact, we are doing the complete opposite. We are bringing them terror and sorrow." Iroh said.
"Bad idea." Jee said through a bunch of fake coughs.
"We already went over this, Uncle, he's a moron." Zuko sighed.
"At least I can keep a girlfriend." Sokka muttered.
"Then why did Toph kick your ass?" He challenged.
"Let's not…get into this." Jee said.
"Look, last time we covered ourselves in water vapor thanks to the waterbenders." Sokka said.
"Wow, you do have a brain." Zuko said under his breath.
"Nephew…" Iroh glared at Zuko.
"We'll be in the Fire Nation any day, find a proper route and tell me when you find it." Zuko sighed as he walked out. He saw Katara walk by him; he gently placed his hand on her shoulder. She turned around to face him.
"I have a lot to think about." Katara said before he could speak. She took his hand off her shoulder and walked to her room. He sighed.
"Sparky, what's up?" Toph greeted him as though she hadn't seen him in years.
"Hi." He said as he walked to the deck.
"So, any news you want to tell me about?" She asked.
"You cant earthbend here, so you don't scare me." He said seriously.
"You were scared of me? How cute. I can metalbend." She smirked.
"What?" He looked down to her.
"Watch." She walked up to his door and put her hands on hit. She then bent her fingers and the metal bent. She pulled the door off the hinges and onto the floor in the hallway.
"What the fuck? My door!" He yelled.
"Hey, you challenged me." She smirked.
"No I didn't!" He yelled.
"Look, why don't you go talk to Sugar Queen." Toph smirked as she walked away. "If you're lucky, you'll get her permission to fight me." He groaned in frustration.
XXX
"Isamu?" Azula asked. The guards took their lunch break. They would be in the Fire Nation soon, she knew it.
"Yes, Princess?" He asked.
"How long until we dock?" She smirked.
"I think tomorrow night." He said and she nodded.
"Very well, dismissed." She treated him as though he were still her soldier. She knew he wasn't, but she also knew he was loyal to her, just the way she liked it.
XXX
"Hey, Asshole." Jet walked up to Zuko.
"What now?" He barked.
"Sokka told me to tell you we found a route."
"Fine, take it." He sighed.
"Don't you want to look at it?" Jet asked.
"No."
"Well, how do you know I'm not going to say something stupid like it's up your ass?" Jet challenged.
"Are you saying you…want to get in my ass?" Zuko took a few steps back.
"It was an example, I'm not gay!" Jet yelled.
"Look, I don't even like, forget…" Zuko rubbed the nape of his neck.
"I'm not gay!" Jet yelled louder.
"What's going on?" Sokka asked as he came to the deck.
"He's gay." Zuko said as he pointed to Jet.
"Wow…um…yeah." Sokka put his hands up in a sign of defense. "He came out to you?"
"He said he wanted to get in my ass." Zuko mumbled.
"I knew you were bad for my sister. And him? If you had good taste, you would go for me." Sokka said proudly.
"But I am not gay; it was an example to bad leadership!" Jet shouted, but they ignored him.
"What are you saying?" Zuko asked Sokka.
"Honestly, I don't know what my sister sees in you. You just aren't much to look at." Sokka said casually.
"So you check me out now?" Zuko yelled.
"No, I'm just saying you have a…" Sokka stopped himself.
"I have a what?" Zuko said through his teeth.
"You…um…have messy hair!" He said quickly.
"I like his hair!" Jet shouted; they both stared at him. "I mean, mine is almost longer…" He muttered.
"No, you were going to say something else, spit it out!" Zuko demanded.
"That…you are hot tempered!"
"Katara is a feisty one. She's actually hotter when she's mad." Jet smirked at the thought.
"Um, hello? She's my sister!" Sokka yelled.
"Say it again and you go overboard!" Zuko shouted.
"How about this, we never had this conversation?" Sokka asked.
"Sounds like a plan." Zuko said.
"Amen." Jet agreed.
"Hey guys, what were you talking about?" Aang asked as he walked up to them.
"Uh…Jet's gay." Sokka said as he and Zuko walked away.
"Wow…I never thought you'd…" Aang nervously rubbed the back of his neck.
"I'm not." Jet said as he headed inward to the ship.
XXX
"Prince Zuko, we are having the last music night, why not join us?" Iroh asked.
"Uncle, why would I want to see a bunch of drunken idiots make asses of themselves?" Zuko asked seriously.
"You never know if you'll see them again." He stared.
"Fine, I'll go to the last music night, Uncle." Zuko sighed.
XXX
"So, tomorrow night?" Jee asked Zuko as they headed to the ship's deck. The last music night. Zuko always hated them, but now he knew he would miss them. He would miss his crew and the memories he had with them. Well…the good ones.
"Yup…tomorrow night." Zuko sighed.
"You were always a great leader on this ship; I know you'll make a good Fire Lord." Jee said as he nodded down.
"And you will make a great admiral." Zuko smirked.
"Are you promoting me?" Jee smirked.
"No yet. When I'm Fire Lord, you're admiral."
"Sounds like a plan."
"You came!" Iroh exclaimed as Zuko and Jee walked out. Everyone that was on the ship was on the deck. Singing, dancing, and to Zuko's disliking, drinking. He would let it slide tonight.
"Yes, Uncle." Zuko rolled his eyes.
"Play the Sungi Horn!" A man yelled in the crowd.
"Kiss my ass!" Zuko yelled to whoever it was.
"Jet would!" Sokka shouted as he pushed his way through.
"Hey!" Jet shouted.
The crew played music and danced all night. They had fun, but Zuko still found it to suck. Ty Lee was at Jet's hip, Toph hung out with Sokka and Aang, Katara was talking with Jin, and Iroh was singing as loud as he could, Jee was with a bunch of the crew. Zuko slipped into the hallway. He walked down the hallway and with a few sharp turns, he was at his destination. He was alone, just like he wanted to be, and he would get somewhere this time. He saw Azula with her back leaning against the wall.
"Miss me, Brother?" She smirked. He folded his legs underneath himself and sat in front of her.
"I got a letter from a messenger hawk yesterday." He said seriously.
"And?" She huffed.
"It's your ship; who else would the letter be for?" He still had a serious face.
"Let me see it." She barked. She expected him to yell or laugh at her. To say she couldn't move, but instead, he did the last thing she expected. He pulled a key from his sleeve and unlocked her shackles. She stared at him wide-eyed as he did so. She could just strike him now, but she wouldn't. Only because if she did, she would have to face everyone else alone, of course, she didn't care about him or anything. He handed her the letter and she snatched it out of his hands.
Princess Azula,
\
Your one week is almost up. We will be securing the border in two nights, be home by then or you will not be allowed to pass. I need a heir to the throne, but I could easily have one if you failed me. If your life is valuable to you, hurry up. I am growing very impatient. You are slowly becoming a failure.
Fire Lord Ozai
"I know you have some twisted plot to help him." Zuko whispered.
"Help who?" She snapped.
"Ozai."
"Who told you that?"
"Isamu."
"Funny, I never said anything close like that to him." She laughed a little. "You never were a good liar, Zuzu."
"I guess I haven't had as much practice as you." He looked to the ground. "I'm taking you there."
"What?"
"When we dock tomorrow night, I'll take you there. You can fight alongside Ozai, but you will lose. You will be bringing your country down; you will lose your own honor."
"Are you that stupid?" She challenged.
"It will be better if I don't need to worry about you escaping or overhearing plans, trust me." He looked up to her. "Just don't get in my way." And with that he stood up and walked to the door. She watched as he did so, her hands and feet were free, but there was no point in escaping now.
XXX
To Zuko's surprise, when he got on deck, everyone was calmly standing around Iroh as he sand a slower song. He knew it well, Iroh learned it from waterbenders.
With the clothes you wear
And the way you part your hair
No wonder I can't help but to stare.
When I look into your eyes I have to gaze
Because they are a sapphire maze
Where I could get lost for days.
I don't care whether or not they're ocean blue
I love them so much I swear it's true
And I often wonder how heaven copes without you.
With you I get hypnotized
I love your shape especially your thighs
When I try to speak I become paralyzed
All I know is that hanging with you is better than hanging with the guys.
It's hard to express exactly how I feel
But just know that every word I say is for real.
And if this doesn't tell how I feel inside
Then at least I tried
To say what I love about you without a lie
Zuko glanced at Katara as the song finished and he met her gaze. He walked up to her and from behind, wrapped his arms around her waist.
"I love you." He whispered.
"We still need to talk." She whispered back. Everyone watched them.
"When?" He asked as he rested his head on her shoulder.
"Tomorrow." She smiled at his unscarred face and kissed his cheek.
"Whew!" A drunken man yelled. "Kiss her!"
"Yeah, give her a kiss!" Another man yelled. Zuko glared at each member that stood around him.
"Don't be so modest, Prince Zuko, everyone is aware as to what goes on between you and Miss Katara." Iroh grinned.
"Uncle!" Zuko snapped and Katara blushed. He pecked her on the cheek and headed to his room. He figured he would worry about his lecture tomorrow, for now, he would be happy she would even talk to him at all.
XXX
Sorry it's a tad bit late.
Ok, I do not hate Mai and do not intend to bash her character. I do respect her and hope this chappie showed it a little. I don't mind Maiko, it will never beat Zutara, but it isn't really that bad.
The song was written by Aussiereader, it's called What I Love About You (Without a Lie) He sent it to me and it was originally a poem, but it was so perfect for Zutara I had to use it! With his permission of course. It is freaking awesome and I give him props!
I plan on updating ALL my stories today, so be patient. I might start a new fic after I finish this one, too. I am debating between Jinko and Sonko. (Song/ Zuko) Blah, blah, blah, please review! XD