I think I will need a break when this arc is done. I've really really enjoyed working on this consistently and I really appreciate all the kind words and comments. They make my day! Shoutout to you people that have kept up with the story and open all the updates and keep the comments coming. You guys are seriously the best. If I do take a break, I promise to still post at least once a week.
Writing is what I use to keep myself perked up mentally. I've seen some friends struggle lately and it reminded me of the time I struggled with depression and mental health for years. Just a random side note for anyone that needs to hear...Don't assume someone is ok because they're smiling. Remember anyone can struggle with mental health. It doesn't matter if you have the best family and friends, whatever the situation is, depression can happen. Check up on your loved ones and be that person that someone can talk to if they need it. My biggest regret is not opening up. It could've made all those years so much easier if I had.
K, side talk over. Enjoy the first part of the Ember Island Players! First chapter is a little short and primarily full of little character moments. The characters needed it, and honestly, I did too. Work has got me a bit burnt out.
Toph couldn't figure Zuko and Katara out. One morning she woke up and they both were acting jumpier than a pair of badger-frogs. Katara was making breakfast per usual, and when Zuko and Aang walked in she just got all...ditzy? Katara? Ditzy? As for Zuko, his blood pressure was through the roof. Being blind, Toph completely missed the small glances and tiny smiles they threw at each other, but Suki did not.
"You know something" Toph told Suki in an accusatory tone when breakfast was over.
"Know what?" Suki asked, feigning ignorance. She was trying to get Aang to play Pai Sho with her.
"About Sparky and Sugar Queen" Toph hissed.
"I don't know anyone by those names" Suki said, successfully getting a rise out of Toph. Toph scowled and Suki relented. "I actually don't known know anything, for sure. Besides, if Zuko or Katara talked to me in confidence then my lips would be sealed anyway." Toph huffed and headed outside to work on sandbending on her own. She relaxed on the porch for a moment before heading down to the beach. Her senses came alive as the warm sea air brushed over her skin and ruffled her bangs. She breathed deep and smiled. Sometimes it was good just to have a moment to herself.
Her sharp ears picked up a murmur of voices around the corner of the house. Curious, Toph walked around the house. The voices grew louder and she recognized them as Zuko and Katara. They were sitting on one of the upstairs porches. She couldn't make out all the words, but she did catch a name. "Aang." After straining to hear more, and not really picked up anything since Zuko and Katara seemed to be whispering now, Toph gave up and headed towards the beach.
Later that day, as the rain drizzled down and everyone was relaxing or napping, Sokka and Zuko were sharpening their swords together on the back porch. Sokka kept stealing glances at Zuko. The prince was a bit moodier than usual. It honestly was hard to tell. Zuko was not an easy read.
"What?" Zuko asked sharply as he caught Sokka staring at him for the tenth time.
"Nothing, it's just..." Sokka sighed. He was never any good at this. "Are you ok, buddy? You seem off...everything good?"
No. I'm just falling for your sister and can't do anything about it right now...but other than that, no, I'm just fine.
"Yeah, I'm good. A lot on my mind, I guess" Zuko finally answered. Sokka nodded. That he understood. "Mind if I ask you something?" Zuko asked. Sokka looked up in surprise. He wasn't expecting Zuko to talk anymore.
"Sure, anything" Sokka answered enthusiastically.
"When you first met Suki, there was no way you'd know that you'd see her again" Zuko began.
"Yeah" Sokka agreed, not knowing where this was heading.
"And when you met her again near Ba Sing Se and had to separate again, how could you know that you would find her again?" Zuko asked.
"I didn't know" Sokka answered honestly.
"So you let yourself get invested without knowing for sure if it could end up anywhere" Zuko deducted. Sokka stared at him strangely and nodded.
"Um, I guess."
"Isn't that...you know...scary?" Zuko stammered out. Sokka grinned suddenly. He knew what this was about.
"Sure it was! But, I had to have faith that if it was meant to be then it would work itself out. And look! It totally did! When it's meant to be, it'll be. When you get back to the Fire Nation, you've got to believe that Mai will be waiting for you. And if she's not, then that's ok. But you've got to let yourself hope!" Sokka told Zuko. Girl troubles. That's why Zuko was so moody.
Mai. Zuko stopped short when he heard her name. A pang of guilt hit him when he realized he hadn't thought about her in weeks. The realization of the difference in the relationship he had with her verses the relationship he was growing with Katara was mind boggling. His mind registered one thing that Sokka said.
If it's meant to be, it'll be.
"Thanks, Sokka. I needed to hear that" Zuko said. Sokka clapped Zuko on the shoulder and grinned broadly.
"Not a problem. Come to me if you have any other girl-related issues. I'm your man!" Sokka said enthusiastically. Zuko just shook his head. If the future happened exactly how he'd hoped, then Sokka would be the last person he would want advice from on the issue.
Later that evening, Zuko headed to the kitchen to help Katara cook supper. Her back was turned to him as she hummed softly to herself.
"Hey" he began awkwardly. Katara immediately turned around and a wide smile broke out on her face. "So, is it still ok for me to help with supper?" Zuko asked hesitantly. Maybe Katara wanted distance. He didn't want to risk being too pushy.
"What? Why would it be?" Katara asked, sincerely confused.
"Because...I thought maybe...I mean" Zuko stammered out. Katara rolled her eyes and laughed.
"You goof. Of course I'd still like the help. I've been having trouble with the stove ever since Sokka burned it up. It's not venting properly" she explained. Zuko breathed out a sigh of relief and took his place by the stove. He quickly got the fire blazing brightly and adjusted the chimney top on it. The awkwardness disappeared as he fell into the familiar routine of making supper.
Aang passed by the kitchen once and saw the two cooking together again. He sighed, not loving the new dynamic of the team. He missed all the extra time he used to have with Katara. She was a calming presence for him and always knew what to say to keep his mind off things. Without it, he started to gravitate back towards Sokka and Toph. The latter of whom tapped him on the shoulder while he stared into the kitchen.
"Hey, snoopy, whatchya doin?" Toph asked. Aang turned and sighed.
"I just...miss all the time I used to have with Katara. She's gotten a lot closer with Zuko since their trip and I just don't..."
"Have her all to yourself anymore?" Toph finished for him. Aang paused but then slowly nodded. "Look, Twinkletoes. One thing you've got to remember is that Katara has always tried to be the grown up around us. What with all the mothering and how quick she had to grow up. Now Zuko is here and he's also got that grumpy, snooty grown-up attitude and she just relates to him easily. She doesn't feel like the only grown-up around here anymore."
Aang thought about what Toph said. It was true, Katara always posed as the most responsible one out of the group.
"But she could have Suki..." Aang began. Toph frowned and shook her head.
"Suki and Sokka have been separated for so long and now they have a chance to catch up together. I don't blame her for wanting to spend her time with him instead of Katara" Toph said. She initially had felt jealous when the Kyoshi warrior had joined their ranks. She remembered the first week that Suki had spent with them. While Katara and Zuko were on their little field trip, Toph and Aang had spent the majority of time earthbending.
They had been climbing over the rocks and making slides down the steepest portions of the cliffs when Toph had slid down next to a hollowed out crevice...to hear and feel the vibrations of what seemed to be a pretty intense make-out session between Sokka and Suki. She had stayed, rooted to the spot. Stuck between disgust and a stab of pain when she realized they didn't even know she was there.
Aang had spotted her then, and quickly figured out what was taking place. Though she would never admit it out loud, it hurt. Aang didn't need to be told, and he quietly led her away back to the campsite. They never spoke about it, but Toph still vividly remembered the comforting hand on her back as Aang waited with her for the others to...finish and come back. She had determined right then and there to always dislike the new addition. However, Suki had proved to be tough-as-nails and quick and witty, and Toph found that she couldn't hate the girl. As her friendship with Suki grew, her crush on Sokka started to melt away.
It was hard at first, but Toph figured Aang would have to do the same thing. And when or if he went through it, she would be there to silently distract him away. It was the least she could do.
"Thanks, Toph. That...helps" Aang said. Toph reflexively punched him the arm just as Katara called them for supper.
The evening passed quickly and before long everyone was retiring to bed. Katara was the last one up the stairs. She paused at the door of her room and looked down the hall at Zuko's closed bedroom door. The temptation to walk down the short distance and tell him she had changed her mind fluttered for a moment in her heart. It would be so easy. Her mind raced to think of a question that would warrant a surprise evening conversation.
Something clicked and she made her way over to the door. She knocked softly and heard stirring from the inside.
"Come in."
Katara opened the door as softly as she could, cringing as the hinges squeaked slightly. "Hey, it's me" she whispered, shutting the door behind her. Zuko was still sitting in bed and quickly straightened up when he saw Katara. He was shirtless and Katara's cheeks turned pink and she averted her eyes.
"So...uh, silly question" she began, suddenly nervous. "Would you, do you still want to spar with me? I mean, last time we almost blew our cover and I know I said that we shouldn't..." she trailed off, momentarily forgetting everything she had said earlier.
"You're scared of being seen again?" Zuko asked, hoping that the fear was the only thing holding her back and that she didn't have other reasons for wanting to stop their morning sessions. Katara nodded, staying glued by the door, suddenly feeling silly for barging in like she did. Zuko must think she was such a child. The thought made her cheeks burned.
Zuko saw the blush and noticed Katara fidgeting. He hated seeing her scared or uncomfortable.
"We can stop the spars, if you want" he began. Katara's eyes grew wider and she quickly locked onto his gaze. "Or if you want to keep doing it...we could just move to the courtyard" Zuko added quickly.
Katara breathed a sigh of relief. "I'd like that. We'd have to...uh, be less extravagant with the fights" she said softly. Zuko nodded. There was a moment of awkward silence.
"If that's what it takes to be safer, then sure" he said finally. Katara nodded. Zuko was having an internal struggle. Most of him wanted to jump from his bed, wrap his arms around Katara and assure her that the house was still the safest place for them, and he wouldn't let anything happen to the team. Not if he could help it. But the boundaries of their new relationship were still untested and new, and Zuko was terrified of stepping over that undefined line. He misinterpreted her nerves for fear.
But sometimes we don't always get what we want. Her words echoed in his head and stung like a thousand needles. Katara meanwhile, wanted nothing more than to tap into one of those "special occasions" and run over to his bedside. But she was already being hard enough on him as it was. She didn't want to make it harder for him.
"Goodnight then" she said finally. Her whole body was rooted to the spot, unwilling to move.
"Goodnight" Zuko said back. The moment dangled, then disappeared and Katara left the room. She sighed and walked back down the hall to crash down into her own bed. The end of this war couldn't come soon enough.
~0~0~0~
The next few days were a blur of uneventful relaxation. The daily duels had dwindled down until they stopped all together. The first few mornings of sparring in the courtyard had been quite enjoyable for both Zuko and Katara. Though they missed the extra room that the beach afforded, it was nice to not worry about discovery and just focus on the art. The fighting started to morph into a dance of their elements.
On one particular morning, Aang woke up early and wandered onto the back porch to see Zuko and Katara practicing. They were spinning their elements together, trying to get as close as possible without turning to steam. Neither of them spotted Aang and he sat down to watch.
The early morning match was invaluable to Zuko. It was when he forgot about his duty, Aang, his father and sister, and focused on turning the bending to art. Few words were spoken between himself and Katara, but the small smiles and little glances were enough.
On impulse, he cut through the distance and grabbed Katara's hand. She met his eyes and seemed to understand as he lifted his hand and spun her around in a quick dance. The water whipped around them as she brought it with her into the spin. Zuko shot three different strings of fire from the fingertips on his left hand. They encircled Katara's waist without touching her bare skin.
The sun peaked over the rocks and as soon as Zuko felt its rays on his back he knew the morning spar was over. He sent the fire upward and Katara copied him immediately, uniting the elements into a hiss of steam. It was how they ended it every time now. Zuko wiped the perspiration off his forehead and gave Katara a large grin.
"And good morning to you too" he said, speaking for the first time since the start of the match. Katara smiled back and released her tied back hair.
"We're getting better at that." She said happily.
"That was amazing, guys!" Aang called from the porch. Katara spun around quickly in surprise and her eyes darted to the side of the old fountain where her other clothes were draped.
"Good morning, Aang!" She called, suddenly antsy. She quickly walked over and pulled her shirt back over her head as Aang jumped down from the porch.
"That's like the bending we saw at the North Pole! Only with fire" Aang said in admiration. "How long have you been practicing that?" Katara's eyes darted over to Zuko briefly. She had always been afraid of Aang finding out that she sparred with Zuko every morning and rarely did it with him.
"Um, past week or so" she said hesitantly. She looked at Aang, expecting to see a face of hurt on the sensitive boy's face, but there was none. To her surprise, Aang's smile never left his face. The small conversation he had with Toph had encouraged Aang to be as understanding and supportive as he could, so when he felt the urge to run in between Zuko and Katara the second he saw them that close, he refrained. The demonstration was beautiful and the jealousy disappeared along with the steam that shot up in the air.
Aang was genuinely impressed. Zuko showed tremendous control with the display, and it made Aang want to work harder on firebending so he could do the same one day."
"Aang. Let's get started. We've been slacking and we're running out of time. I need to give you a rush course on lower body bending in conjunction with upper body. Here's the first set" Zuko began. Aang sighed as Zuko started going through the forms. He gave Katara one last smile before taking a deep breath and following Zuko's steps. Katara watched them for a moment before heading back inside.
After breakfast, Suki and Sokka set off to the market for more supplies. Katara and Toph started to relax on the back porch while Zuko and Aang continued their progress from that morning. They were combining upper and lower body forms and Katara studied Aang's movements in admiration. Aang was a stark contrast from Zuko. His muscles were not as well defined as the older boy, but he had gained quite a bit a weight and grown taller over the course of the past year.
Zuko watched Aang out of the corner his eye, impressed at how quick the boy had picked up the new forms. They went through them again and again until Aang was perfectly in sync with his own steps, correcting him several times at the knees and elbows.
"He needs a positive teaching experience!" Toph hollered to Zuko when he corrected Aang for the sixth time. She elbowed Katara and laughed. Katara rolled her eyes.
"I AM being positive!" Zuko shot back crossly. Aang shrugged his shoulders when Zuko turned and glared at him. Zuko knew he wasn't the best teacher, but he was trying his hardest. Toph laughed again, marveling at how easily she could get under Zuko's skin. She leaned back and relaxed against the floor of the back porch. She turned her attention to Katara.
"Penny for your thoughts, Sugar Queen?" Toph asked. Katara was completely zoned out, her eyes glued to Zuko as he went through his fire bending forms. "I saaaiiid, hello? Anyone home?" Toph called to Katara. Katara's eyes snapped away and over to Toph.
"Huh?" she asked. Toph shook her head and reached up to pick at one of her toes.
"Whatchya thinkin' about?" Toph asked. Katara blushed and Toph immediately picked up on the change in heartbeat as Katara shuffled on the stone steps.
"Um...I've got to wonder about my dad. He's hiding who-knows-where while we are living the lap of luxury" Katara finally said. Toph grinned, sensing the lie, but running with it anyway.
"Yeah, it is pretty great" she agreed. "I've got a whole room to myself, you and Sparky over there wait on me hand and foot. It's like being back with my parents, only I get to do what I want! It's fantastic!"
"I can't get over the irony of this whole situation" Katara said, ignoring the smirks coming from Toph. The attitude and eyebrow raises were coming off of Toph in waves.
"How's that?" Toph asked.
"Doesn't it seem kind of weird that we're hiding from the Fire Lord in his own house?"Katara finally said as she tilted her head back to look at the ceiling of the porch. The blasting of the fire stopped and Zuko turned away from Aang and grabbed a towel hanging on the old fountain.
"I told you, my father hasn't come here since our family was actually happy." Zuko said as he rubbed the towel over the back of his head. His mind flitted back to the night where Katara had seemed so fearful of putting the team at risk of discovery. He wanted to reassure her that they were safe anytime that he could. "And that was a long time ago. It's the last place anyone would think to look for us" he finished. His eyes darted over to Katara, hoping that his words calmed her fears from the night before.
Katara just nodded and her eyes moved to the entrance of the courtyard. Suki and Sokka were returning from town. Sokka was holding a rolled up piece of paper and was grinning like an idiot.
"You guys are not gonna believe this!" Sokka proclaimed proudly. "There's a play about us."