Toph went through the motions. She stripped, showered, got dressed, and was now lying in bed. Every time she closed her eyes, she pictured Haru, his long hair that would hit her in the face, his calloused hands as he led her places, and his height, she knew he was tall. It was times like these that she wished she had her eyesight so she could know what the guy who had been thrown in jail with her, joined a rebellion, trained, and saved her life more than once, looked like. After several attempts to get Haru out of her head, she decided maybe covering herself in some fresh dirt would help ease her mind.
As soon as her feet hit the ground she could feel the vibrations coming from outside her room. They were light, hardly noticeable, except that they were pacing in front of her door. Back and forth, back and forth. She grabbed her robe from the back of the chair she had thrown it on and opened her door, causing her guest to skyrocket into the air.
"Twinkletoes? Is there a reason you're pacing outside of my room?" She could feel the monk's heart rate speed up as he stammered out a reply.
"I-I-I was hoping we could try sliding down the mailshoots?" He wasn't lying but he wasn't telling the whole truth either. Toph knew she could get the information out of him, but right now, flying down those giant slides Haru told her about sounded like what they both needed. "I think Katara wanted to try too. Let's see if she wants to join us."
Aang and Toph walked down the hallway together and knocked on the door that was supposed to lead to Katara's room. "She's not in there," Toph said and turned her head towards the last room in the hallway. She could feel two hearts racing faintly like they were on top of something. Aang started to walk down the hallway when they both heard her. "Oh, I think she's having enough fun with Zuko…" Toph grabbed Aang's hand and pulled away, but Aang stopped her and looked back down the hallway.
"You don't think they're…. Ya know?" Toph couldn't stop the booming laugh that left her throat. She didn't know what exactly was going on in Zuko's room, but she knew enough. "Hey, don't laugh at me! I'm a monk! We don't… well we do but only to have kids, at least that's what I was taught. But-" Aang was rambling, and he was so glad she couldn't see just how red he had become because while he hadn't thought about doing that with her he had pictured them kissing and holding each other as Zuko and Katara did.
"Oh Aang, I've needed your innocence in my life." Toph looped her arm through his and dragged him down the hallway away from the two occupied royals. Aang decided to try being a little bolder and took his arm back, wrapping it around her waist instead. Now he watched the light dusting of pink cover her cheeks as they exited the palace and found their first ride.
Jun took a seat across from the former crown prince in his study. She watched as he read through letters that had arrived just before the contestants did. She watched as the flame from his candle cast shadows on his sculpted cheeks, defined his nose, and highlighted his eyes' golden color. She sighed loudly, trying to gain his attention, and leaned forward, taking the letter that he was currently reading. "So he did it. He reclaimed Ba Sing Se. Your father is brilliant."
Lu Ten raised an eyebrow and snatched the letter back from her perfectly manicured nails. She was trying to get him to close the space between them. It had been a month since they had last been together and he hated that she was stuck in the Capital with his uncle. He got up from his chair, placing the letter back on his desk, and stood in front of her leaning against the desk. "We both knew he would," Jun smirked and stood closing the space between them.
"Then we should celebrate his victory while the kids rest." She purred and placed a light peck on his lips. He curled his arms around her waist and pulled her close, kissing her slowly and deeply. He took one hand back and pushed everything off of his desk before spinning her around and laying her on top of it. "Why, Prince Lu Ten, when did you become so bold?" She teased as she started to work on the buttons of his jacket to slide it off his shoulders.
Lu Ten practically ripped the body hugging dress she was wearing off in an attempt to get them undressed as quickly as possible. He ignored the voices coming from the hallway outside of his office as his fiance made quick work of his own clothes.
Outside of the office Aang and Toph were coming back from their first ride down the mailshoots and getting ready for the next when she once again felt more vibrations and racing heartbeats. "Looks like Zuko and his cousin are far more alike than I thought." Aang groaned when he heard the muffled moans and quickly led Toph back outside. "Oh stop being such a prude Twinkletoes." She teased as the two found another mailshoot to slide down.
Zuko didn't know how long they had been asleep for when he heard the knock at the door. "Your highness, dinner is being served." The quiet voice came from the other side of the door. He glanced down at Katara curled around him like ivy. He had felt her shake and mumble in her sleep. She was being plagued with nightmares. Every time he felt her start to stir his arms tightened around, trying to will the images to leave her mind.
"We'll be right out!" He called back and stroked the sleeping princess's cheek. She stirred in his arms and after a few more strokes opened her eyes to look into his. "Dinner is ready." He whispered to her and she blinked a few times before nodding her head and slowly rising from her place on the bed. He sat back in their bed and watched as she reached for her nightgown and wrapped her body into the satin blue robe he had brought back from her room.
"You need to get dressed too ya know," Katara told him as she flung his shirt at him. He chuckled and slipped out of bed coming up behind her and inspecting the lovebite that was clearly visible behind her ear.
"I was admiring the view." He whispered to her and she blushed a deep shade of red as he pressed his bare chest against her back. "Want me to ask them to bring our dinner in here instead?" She was tempted to say yes. It would've been nice to just stay tucked in their little corner of the palace unbothered by anyone else.
"No, we should make sure the others are all settling in okay and I want to make sure Kai has seen another healer. His burns looked awful this afternoon." He sighed, nodded, and slipped into his shirt before grabbing his shoes to head out in. Of course she would need to make sure everyone, Kai, was doing okay. She was slipping on her slippers as Zuko opened the door.
"Oh princess I didn't know you were in there as well." The maid bowed to them both, a blush covering her cheeks. Katara had to look away as the images from their afternoon flashed in her mind as if everyone in the palace knew what they had done. "I'll bring the rest of your things to this room while you eat." She motioned for them to follow her as she led them through the never ending expanse of hallways in the palace.
When they finally arrived they took note that everyone else was already there and the only seats open were next to Kai. Zuko inwardly groaned as Katara took the seat beside him and Zuko moved to take the seat on her opposite side. Kai watched as she moved her hair to her one side and gave her a small smile. He had wanted to run to her room after arriving but the healers surrounded him for another session. The burns no longer hurt but did scar his body. Most of the scars were hidden under his clothes and none of them looked like the scar that covered Zuko's face. They started as a faded, dull pink color that after several sessions started to match his skin tone again albeit still a shade or two lighter.
Kai reached out to touch her hand when he saw the purple mark behind her ear. His gaze fell to her hand and saw Zuko's hand already placed protectively on her thigh. Instead of trying to get her attention, his attention was drawn to the blatant mark the prince had left behind her ear. He hated how jealous he felt, because her happiness was the most important thing to him. It always had been and if the prince made her happy then he should be happy for her. It stung though. Some part of him knew that if they had never been forced into the games they would probably have started a relationship by now. His sigh caught her attention and her hand on his bicep made him blush like somehow she knew what he had been thinking about.
"Are you feeling okay? Do you need another healing session?" She asked him in a whisper as the servants started to bring everyone their food.
"Yeah, actually after dinner would you mind?" He asked her, it would be a chance to talk to her alone. Her answering smile eased his pain slightly before they both turned back to their food.
Aang and Toph started to share with the group about their evening sliding down the mailshoots that twisted through the city. Sokka had been talking to Teo in hushed tones, both men looking incredibly comfortable with each other. Her brother was so engrossed in his conversation that he didn't even glance to see what she was doing. She made a mental note to get to know Teo better tomorrow. Kai, Suki, and Ty Lee all talked about wanting to explore the city and the ancient caves just outside of them. The image of her friends, safe, relaxed, and making plans almost sent another wave of tears from her eyes. It was Zuko who brought her out of her reverie with a gentle squeeze of her thigh.
Without even thinking about the group around them she rested her head on his shoulder and leaned into his side. She thought after their activities from earlier she would feel more relaxed and in some ways she did, but wherever a male servant would get to close she would stiffen and lean closer to Zuko. Each time he whispered that she was safe, he was there, and no one was going to hurt her here. His words helped make the tension in her shoulders dissipate as she tried to calm her breathing.
The group of teens were finishing their meals when Jun, Teo, and an older gentleman stood at the head of the table. "Luientent Jee?" Zuko sat up straighter as the older gentleman placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"Prince Zuko it's good to see you."
"I thought you were-"
"I had to make it look real to help your uncle, Zuko."
Zuko sat back in his seat looking around the room at the White Lotus soldiers, their Masters, Earth Kingdom soldiers, and various Fire Nation generals, luientents, and admirals that had "died in the line of duty." He was excited to know that all of the people he had been close to were alive, but he wished they would have included him in their plans. He would've kept it secret. He could be trusted. Now he was a part of this rebellion against his will.
"Zuko…" He heard Katara's pained voice and released his grip on her thigh.
"Sorry."
"It's alright." Her hand covered his as she moved closer to him once more and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. It amazed him how she could put everyone above herself. Here she was still terrified at the thought of being around strange men, and yet she could still check in on all of her friends and make sure they were doing alright. He intertwined their fingers together, sighing contently at the comfort she brought him.
Jun shouted above the chatter and every head at the table turned to face her. "While Prince Lu Ten and the White Lotus rebellion would like you all to get right back into training preparing for the next fight Teo and I have all talked them into letting you rest and recuperate for at least the next couple of weeks. You all have been through something that the two of us understand and know the trauma that's festering in all of you. Some of you may seem fine now but, speaking from experience, you won't stay fine. Take comfort in each other, open up about your feelings if and when you need to, and rest."
"If you need to or want to talk to any of us you can. We all went through our own shit during the games and it can eat at you. Just know you have people here who are willing and able to listen and offer advice on how to cope." Teo looked over at Sokka who glanced away from the group. Suki was on his opposite side and tenderly rubbed his back. "We just want you all to be safe. Lots of 'winners,' if you can call us that, have taken their lives after the games, because they couldn't understand or face the demons that like to take up residence in our heads. We can't offer you years but we are here for when you need us."
Katara gripped Zuko's hand and looked around the room at the group of adults. Some looked upon them sympathetically while others looked at them impatiently, eager to head into another fight. The group of teens shared anxious glances, and finally Sokka and Katara's matching blue eyes met in a silent agreement to speak later.
"Has Fire Lord Ozai said anything about what happened?" Ty Lee asked, narrowing her eyes at Lu Ten who had been quiet during the previous winners speech.
"Not yet, but we assume an announcement is coming soon."
Katara could see the defeat in the perky girl's gray eyes, one look at Toph and she knew that she was thinking about Haru. No, she was plotting a fruitless escape plan for him and Mai, doom and gloom, as Toph so lovingly called her. She sat up straighter and turned to the man she had to be introduced too. "While we want to thank all of you for helping us escape and for giving us time to rest, not all of us made it out. Haru and Mai are still back at the arena or have probably been taken back to the Fire Nation. We do need rest but we also need to start thinking about a way to get them back. Sooner, rather than later." Katara held the man's golden gaze before turning to the Lieutenant whose eyebrow was raised in appreciation and awe.
"The other generals and I will start to surmise a plan to rescue your missing friends. Haru and Mai are both strong and valuable to the White Lotus." Luientent Jee conveyed and bowed to the princess who nodded in response.
"We also know you may want to reach out to your families. We can't allow you to do that just yet. Out of fear that a message may get intercepted by the Empire. We have pushed the Empire soldiers out of Southern and Northern waters, we will be able to reach out to the poles." Lu Ten added and everyone except for Zuko and Toph looked down at their empty plates. "The Grandmaster will be returning with King Bumi in the next few days. For now please just rest. You've been put through enough and all you need a few nights of decent sleep." Zuko could see the exhaustion on his cousin's face. He hadn't gotten any sleep the night before either and must have spent the evening working once they made it to the palace.
The adults had wandered off to discuss various plans while the teens all broke off into small groups. Ty lee helped Kai back to his room after Katara had assured him she would be there in a few minutes. Sokka and Suki wandered back to Kai's room as well. Aang and Toph hung back at the table whispering to each other about something Katra couldn't catch.
"Come on I want you to meet my cousin and Luientent Jee." Zuko tugged her along to meet the two men. She wished she had been wearing anything other than a thin nightgown and robe to meet such clearly, important people to him. "Lu Ten, Luientent Jee, this is Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. Katara, this is Lu Ten my cousin and Luientent Jee. He taught me everything I know about sailing and the navy." Zuko explained and Katara bowed to both in a show of respect.
"It's a pleasure to meet both of you." Zuko's arm was curled around her waist as the two men smiled down to her.
"The pleasure is all ours princess-"
"Oh you don't need to call me that. We don't actually have princesses in the South. I think people just called me because Yue is...was a princess." Katara stumbled over her words and Zuko pulled her tighter against him. "Katara is fine."
"Well Katara, the pleasure is all ours." Lu Ten looked between the two of them and his soft smile grew. "You put on quite the display of strength and bending ability while in the arena. You are incredibly impressive." Katara blushed under the heavy compliments and muttered a thank you.
"And you are important to Prince Zuko which means you are important to us as well. I'm sure once your uncle arrives he will want to meet her Zuko. Whatever you need prin-Katara, just ask." Luientent Jee bowed to her and Zuko before turning to join the other generals. Lu Ten glanced over to Jun who was waiting by the doorway for him.
"I will see you both tomorrow? We can get to know each other better than Katara." Lu Ten pulled her in for a quick hug which caught her off guard. "You may want to check a mirror. My cousin may have gotten too excited when you two were alone earlier." Lu Ten whispered to her and her eyebrows furrowed. What the hell does that mean?
As Lu Ten joined Jun, Katara turned to face Zuko. Her arms crossed under her bust and her hip cocked to the side. "What did you do to my neck?" She asked him and his eyes widened before a small, triumphant smile grace his face. He fixed her hair so that the purple mark was covered before pecking her lips.
"You enjoyed what I did to your neck." He whispered to her and she felt that fire in her belly as her skin grew hot. "I'll see you back in our room later. I'll wait up." She looked into his darkened golden gaze and felt another flush cover her cheeks.
"I won't be too long, promise."
Katara found Kai and Sokka both sitting in Kai's room as he took off the bandages from earlier that evening for fresh ones. "Hey guys." Katara adjusted her hair so that her brother and friend wouldn't see the purple mark Zuko left behind her ear. He must have known how she would react because he was long gone by the time she found a mirror to look into.
Sokka helped Kai remove the last of his bandages and pointed to the water basin for her to bring over to the bed. She did and gloved her hands in water, forcing them to glow as she worked her hands over his chest and torso. "Explain how this happened." She said and Kai sighed loudly.
"That lavabender and I got into it. I pulled all the water from the river to attack and he attacked with his lava at the same time. I don't know if the burns are from the steam or the actual lava but damn did it hurt." Kai explained and Katara winced as though she could feel the heat from the lava or steam hitting your skin.
"It's a miracle you're still alive Kai. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't around. I couldn't lose anyone else…"
Kai looked over at Sokka who was watching them both closely and nodded for him to leave. Sokka cleared his throat and told Katara to stop by his room next. She told him she would and watched him leave the room. Kai stopped her hands and watched the water fall from her hands. She looked up to meet his eyes and saw a million emotions swirling within his icey blue irises.
"How do you get this?" He pushed her hair away and touched the purple mark on behind her ear. She blushed, eye widening, and bit her lip.
"Uh-um…"
"Zuko?"
She nodded shyly and covered up the mark as soon as he let go of her hair.
"I have to know. Do you love him?"
It's only been two weeks… She thought to herself. It was the answer she kept telling herself too when she thought about her feelings for Zuko. She didn't know or maybe she did? Everything happened so fast and they were all in this bubble together at the contestant center. She didn't imagine they would escape when the prince had peaked her interest. She didn't imagine she would be curling up to him at night. She had always imagined those things with the boy in front of her because their relationship was easy, effortless, and fun. She always figured when she decided to get married it would be Kai who proposed with a necklace made just for her. They would have little waterbending babies that may grow up to lead the tribe one day. She loved Kai, but her feelings weren't as intense as they were for Zuko.
All of the doubts that her budding relationship with Zuko would come to an abrupt end started to fill her head and she wished she could push them away. She hated those thoughts. The idea of him not being in her life now seemed impossible, but things could still happen. What if they discovered just how different they were and ended up hating each other? Spirits I hate this.
"Kitkat?"
"I don't know. I know I feel very strongly for him but it's only been two weeks. We still need to get to know each other."
"Do you love me?"
"Of course I do, but I don't think it's in the way you want me to." A mixture of emotions flashed in his eyes. Hope? Anger? Fear?
"I love you Katara. I always have and you know your happiness is the most important thing in the world to me." She swallowed trying to figure out where he was going with this. "But if you're not sure that you love him then I'm not giving up on this. You and I have been a team since we were kids and we work. We're solid Kat." This isn't happening… "And I know I could make you happy."
There was the proposal she had always imagined would happen just minus the necklace. She was pissed. She was upset. She was feeling everything all at once. She ripped her hands from his and scooted away from him.
"You're telling me this now? You've had years! Years, Kai! Spirits the women in our tribe get married at 16! You could've said all of this before the games. You could've told me how you felt! Now that I found someone else and I'm trying to figure out my feelings for him you've decided to drop your feelings on me too! WHAT THE FUCK!" She screamed and jumped off the bed pacing back and forth with her hands on her hips.
"I did say something! The night of the interviews. I told the entire world!" He yelled back at her and tried to get up but his right leg was still badly damaged.
"I thought you were playing it up for the cameras! You never told me any of that was real! Kai, damnit this isn't fair. What if this never happens? I'll lose my best friend because you decided to wait to tell me how you felt about me! I can't lose you! I can't lose anyone else! I'm barely keeping it together as it is now and if I didn't have you, even as just my friend, I-" Katara stopped mid sentence and looked over at him with a terrified look in her eye. "What happens now? Are we not friends? Am I just a girl you're trying to… Marry? Date?"
Kai watched her explode, pace, and begin to fall apart. He hated himself for putting this on her but he needed her to know. He almost lost her. He knew it was selfish but he couldn't keep up their friendship without her knowing. "We're still friends Katara. Before everything else I'm still here for you. Whatever you need. You need to complain about Pakku or Sokka, I'm here. You need to vent about Toph being unreasonable, because we both know that's coming, I'm here. You just need to talk in general or need one of my really bad, corny jokes. I'm here. I'm sorry for springing this on you but near death experiences have a way of putting your life in perspective." He wanted all of what he was saying to be true and he would continue to try and be there for her, but it was hard knowing that Zuko was there for her too. And that he was there for her in all the ways he wanted to be. "Ca-can you stay tonight?"
Her frightened glare subsided and cerulean eyes filled with tears. She shook her head and rubbed her temples. "I need to think. I need some air." She walked over to him and kissed his cheek, giving him a side hug. "I'll call for a healer to come and finish with you." He watched her leave and crumbled on his bed. His body ached, his heart felt like it was slowly being ripped in half, and he hated that there was nothing he could do about it.
Katara was supposed to go see Sokka. She was supposed to go back to bed with Zuko. She was supposed to be the one person in the group who had their shit together. But she didn't. She was trying to act like she did in front of everyone else but Jun was right and she was quickly falling apart. She sat by a small pond near one of the more secluded gardens. It was a beautiful, peaceful, quiet space and she could picture herself sleeping there under the stars, away from all the troubles currently in her life.
Kai's declaration was more than she expected and caused her head to throb as she tried to figure out what to do with that information. She loved him. He loved her. But it wasn't that easy. She felt so strongly for Zuko but hearing Kai declare his feelings for her made her wish she had never met him. They needed to talk about what they were. They needed to figure out where it was going. If it could even go anywhere! The insecurities about their relationship crept to the forefront of her mind as she again went over all the reasons they would never work. The world would never allow it, the Fire Nation would never allow it, her father may never allow it.
Her head dropped into her hands and she screamed into them. She cursed and flung water around her like a child throwing a tantrum. She was supposed to be strong. She was supposed to be put together. She hugged her knees to her chest and watched the moon rise over the palace.
"You were supposed to come to my room after you were done with Kai."
One look at his sister and his problems seemed unimportant. He had lost the love of his life, but his sister had done everything in her power to protect and save her. His sister had gone through more in the last two weeks than anyone should have too. He sank into the grass beside her and bumped her side with his.
"So what happened now?"
"Kai told me he loves me and that since I don't know if I love Zuko he's not going to give up on us."
"Good for him. He's better for you. Less complicated. Safer. Dad loves him."
"But I don't love Kai like that. I had always thought that we would eventually end up together but I was never over the moon excited about it."
"Would picking the safe option be so wrong?"
"Yue picked the safe option instead of fighting for you. Do you think she was right?"
Sokka looked up at the moon and knew she wasn't trying to hurt his feelings but still it stung. She was right. Yue picked Hahn over him because that was what her father wanted. He remembers their letters, sent over oceans and continents. Empty promises of forever together and then one last week of bliss in the contestant center.
"No, she wasn't. We could've been happy together. We would've been happy together."
"I know it's complicated with Zuko and there are more reasons to not be with him than there to be with him. But I-"
"You sound like you love him." Katara bit her bottom lip and looked over at her brother. "He's not horrible. He's someone I would trust with my life...and yours. But that's not the only thing that's bothering you is it?"
"No, it's only been a day though. I'm still processing everything that happened. Kai's admission just made all of this harder to process. I'm trying to work through not escaping the first time, being dragged back home by Empire soldiers, what happened with Jet, killing four people, and watching two very innocent people die. Two people I loved are dead because I couldn't save them in time…"
Sokka wrapped his arm around his sister and the two siblings hugged each other like they did when they were little. "And I'm talking all about me, but you lost Yue and I don't even know what happened with Hahn. I know you're hurting too. Spirits I'm the worst." Sokka laughed loudly, pulling her closer to him.
"I lost a girl who was never going to marry me or really give me the chance unless you definitely married Kai. We got one week together and it was more than I could ask for. I miss her and I'll always love her but I know in the long term nothing was ever going to happen. I'm taking over for dad when he feels I'm ready and that's that." Sokka sighed and held his sister, rubbing her back. He was hurting, he was upset, and he missed Yue more and more as the days passed, but she was never truly his and somehow he knew she was okay. "When you've processed things more. Come and talk to me please." Katara nodded and let her brother hold her.
"When you miss Yue come and talk to me." Sokka kissed the top of her head and agreed. They held each other until eventually they started to drift to sleep. Sokka helped her stand and they walked back to their rooms. He snorted when she led him to Zuko's room. He knocked and watched as a worried Zuko answered the door. Sokka walked her over to the bed and set her down.
"She's okay. Just tired. Don't wake her up early tomorrow. She's survived without breakfast in the past." Sokka clapped his friend on the shoulder and looked back at his sister who was watching both of them warily.
"I'll take care of her." Sokka smirked and thanked Zuko before leaving the room.
Zuko climbed into the bed and Katara shrugged off her robe and slippers before climbing into the safety of his arms. "You're really okay?"
"I'm still working on that answer. I'll get back to you." Zuko felt her head fall to his chest and her arm drape over his waist as she settled in for the night.
"What did Kai want?"
"To tell me he loves me and that he's going to pursue me."
"Do you want that?"
"I want this Zuko. Whatever this is." He could hear that she was telling the truth and cradled her tighter against his chest. He sank into the mattress with her and let her deep breaths lull him into the first deep sleep he's had since before his father sent him into the games.