Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender purely begins to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.

Summary: Building a new world is never easy. Years after the end of the war, one night between Zuko and Katara leads to the reveal of hidden truths and disrupts their plans of the peaceful lives they thought they'd have. Even when everything spins wild, they will always find each other. They could fight the entire Fire Nation together, but what are they willing to sacrifice when the other is on the line?

Last Time…

"No matter what, Zuko, you're always going to be one of my best friends."

Zuko tucked her head under his chin, gently cradling the back of her head and resting his cheek on the crown of her head. "No matter what," he concurred.

Katara hummed happily, her cheeks warming, and she placed her hand on his chest, over his heart.

With the pads of his thumbs, he wiped the tears from Katara's cheeks. "Do me a favor? Keep it safe, would you? You may not have realized it, but you've been the one holding it for the last few years."

Nodding, Katara's hand tightened over his shirt.

Katara frowned in the darkness as they rode through the Earth Kingdom countryside. Zuko was sitting right behind her, his arms bracketing her as he held the eel hound's reins. But since their conversation, it was as if a door had shut between them. A veil of propriety. Even now, as his chest pressed against her back and she was cocooned in his arms, Katara knew that he was holding back. She imagined how he might have held onto her securely with a firm arm around her waist instead or how she might have leaned back and rested against him as they traveled in the night. But now, knowing what they knew, they were holding back. She pressed her lips together to fight the sigh that threatened to come out.

"Hey," Zuko gently nudged her. "You should get some sleep."

The eel hound's gait created a rhythmic tempo that might have been able to lull her to sleep on any other night. But Katara shook her head, feeling restless. "Full moon. Can't sleep." She didn't want to add that her brain simply refused to shut off, their earlier conversation replaying in her mind on a constant loop.

Zuko stole a glance at the sky and saw the astronomical body in question. Its silvery light shone through the few clouds in the sky and gently lit their path to Yu Dao. "I never knew," he murmured.

Katara couldn't help but smile. "Even after our fight at the Spirit Oasis? After all, Zuko, you said it yourself. If you rise with the sun, it only makes sense that I rise with the moon."

"I knew that you had the advantage over me at night. I didn't realize that it meant you have trouble sleeping during the full moon. I never noticed it."

"Its energy makes me restless. The only full moon we spent together that you would have noticed, we were in search for Yon Rha… You also told me to rest that night, but of course I couldn't," she remembered, laughing quietly. "It's why I was able to…"

Her smile fell and Zuko noticed she tensed as her voice quieted. Zuko prodded, "Hey, what's going on in that head of yours?"

"The full moon is when it's easiest for me to," Katara twisted her face, "Bloodbend."

"Bloodbending…" Zuko frowned in confusion as he mulled it over. "Is that what you call it?"

Katara shrugged and kept her eyes down, focusing on her hands and how they gripped the front of the saddle. "It's what Hama called it. She was a Waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe, captured during a raid and brought to a Fire Nation prison. She was probably my age when she was taken. Maybe even younger. They kept water away from her when she was imprisoned and she learned how to call on the water inside others instead. That's how she escaped. We ran into her right before the Day of Black Sun. I thought she was a friend… I had never met another Waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe and she said she would teach me the Southern style but she just wanted to make sure that someone else knew how to Bloodbend."

"The way you had controlled the commander of the Southern Raiders— I thought it was an expansion of your healing capabilities."

Katara's eyes widened and she turned in her seat to stare at Zuko incredulously. Her voice aghast, she asked, "You thought it was part of my healing abilities?"

Zuko lifted a shoulder and tilted his head in a small shrug. "How does healing work?" he asked.

Katara thought back to when she was at the North Pole, learning from Yugoda. "The body is largely made of water. We use water as a catalyst to redirect chi throughout the body, revitalize the body, and encourage the acceleration of its natural healing process," she recited. Her words brought to mind the image of the dummy Yugoda had used, and the many chi paths throughout the body. "I guess I could see how you could think it was a tangent of healing," she allowed.

"Have you considered using it with your healing?"

Shaking her head vehemently, Katara said, "The idea of exerting my own will over someone else like that seemed too dark. The power drove Hama insane. I only used it when I had to fight her, to break her control over Sokka and Aang before she had them hurt each other. And when the two of us were searching for Yon Rha. When my anger got the best of me."

Zuko considered this and spoke slowly, "Hama was lonely and vengeful, which twisted how she used her gift. You shouldn't fear the power, but be mindful of the intention behind it. It took a pair of dragons for me to understand that my Firebending wasn't just destruction, it was also energy and creation. Take, for example, a soldier whose wounds bled too quickly for traditional healing to help. If you could control his body that way, to staunch the bleeding and get enough time to heal adequately, how could that affect your outcome?"

Katara bowed her head and chewed on her lower lip thoughtfully.

"I'm not trying to tell you that you should practice it, especially if the skill makes you uncomfortable. I'm just thinking out loud."

"No, you've given me a new perspective to consider. I couldn't heal Jet because of how badly he was bleeding internally… but maybe if I knew how to Bloodbend… I might have been able to do more."

"At Lake Laogai? That was before you even knew of Bloodbending," he began, not wanting Katara to feel guilty.

"But now I've put a face to the cause."

Zuko peered down at her and saw the familiar look of determination. "It would be dangerous to teach," he admitted. "But with strict regulation and careful, selective sharing of the knowledge, it could be helpful among the healers of the world."

"Aang wouldn't like it," Katara muttered.

"Aang is a physical manifestation of our world. He doesn't rule the world," Zuko reminded her. "Like I said, regulation and caution with sharing the skill is important. Sometimes, Aang favors the ways of the Air Nomads too much. The irony is that it makes him stubborn to other points of view."

"Hearing that would make Toph's day," Katara grumbled, earning a small snort from the Fire Lord.

"That's our goody-goody guru. There's balance to everything, Katara. Light and dark exists in all of us," he said sagely, reminding her of Iroh. "There's even a dark side to the moon."

"I don't know if I could teach it. I haven't practiced it in years."

Their eel hound slowed and Katara turned again to stare at Zuko quizzically. He guided the creature toward the bank of a nearby river, allowing it to drink while he slid down from the saddle. He looked up at Katara with his arms held out. Katara raised an eyebrow at him but swung her leg over and slid down, letting Zuko grip her around the waist to soften her descent.

"What are you doing?"

"It's a full moon," he stated simply.

Katara's eyes widened. "You want me to Bloodbend you? No way!"

"Hey, it's either me or the eel hound and I'm the only one who can consent. Move an arm and wave it around. I'm not asking you to stop my heart." He glanced away and muttered, "Not that you need Bloodbending to do that, anyway."

Katara blushed. "Zuko, I'm serious! I could hurt you!" She motioned to climb back onto the eel hound. "This is crazy. We've got to get to Yu Dao."

"We're good on time. General Jee gave us the fastest eel hound." Zuko raised a hand to the animal's neck, affectionately patting the leathery surface. "He deserves a little rest." He turned to Katara, his amber eyes bright in the moonlight. He raised an eyebrow in question.

"Fine!" Katara huffed.

Zuko smirked, "Don't act like you're not a little excited to try it out."

Allowing a small smile, Katara took a deep breath and stepped closer to him. "Let me try it this way first. I want to start slow," she whispered, more to herself than to Zuko.

Zuko nodded and told her, "Whatever you need."

Katara placed a hand on his chest, sliding her palm across to his shoulder, following a path down to his fingertips. She hummed curiously to herself before furrowing her brow. She widened her awareness of her element and could almost see the paths of chi in Zuko's body, the way Yugoda had shown her so long ago in a hut in the North Pole. She called to the blood in his arm and stepping away from him, she took a deep breath and flattened one of her hands as if it were a blade and directed it as if she were holding the tip of a spear.

She lowered down, shifting her weight onto her back leg and simultaneously pulled her fingertips up, concentrating on Zuko's arm. It lifted into the air. She arced her other hand gracefully in a semi circle, Zuko disjointedly waving his arm as she did so. She saw how his eyes widened and he grit his teeth.

"Are you fighting it?"

"Trying to," he revealed, through a clenched jaw.

Katara could see droplets of perspiration on his forehead. With another breath, she threw her hands wide, watching as Zuko did the same, his arms splayed. For a moment, he hugged his arms to himself, resisting her Bloodbending, but Katara was able to overcome him so his arms stretched out again.

Then, she lifted her arms as if summoning a wave, and Zuko lifted into the air. Tensing one of her hands into a blade again, she stepped forward and pushed her right hand out and around in a clockwise motion. Zuko spun around as if dancing in midair. She continued to manipulate his limbs, pulling his arms and legs in different directions. With a final breath, Katara slowly brought her arms down and released her hold, letting him stumble lightly onto the grass, shaking out his arms as he did so.

"Katara, that was amazing!" he praised. He rushed towards her and grabbed her upper arms. "How do you feel?"

"I feel fine," she said. "It wasn't tiring at all. I'm surprised it came back to me so quickly, it's been so many years. It must be the full moon."

"You're incredible," Zuko complimented. "We call you Master Katara for a reason, you know," he teased.

"Oh hush," she swatted at his arm in embarrassment. "But thank you."

"If you'll humor me…" he began. Zuko reached behind him and unsheathed one of his dual dao swords. He held the blade over his palm and quickly cut across. He grunted and reflexively closed his fist as blood seeped out from between his fingers.

Katara quickly pulled water from the river and gloved her hands, the familiar blue glow already appearing. "Zuko, what the hell?"

"Wait, don't heal it yet," he grunted. "Try stopping the flow instead."

"You're insane," Katara snapped. Nevertheless, she relinquished the hold on the water over one of her hands and hovered the de-gloved hand over his injured one. "Open your hand," she ordered. She winced at the dark red liquid that stained his pale skin. "You didn't have to be quite so dramatic, you know."

Zuko gave her a lopsided grin. "You've met my family. It was bred into me."

She made a plucking motion with her fingers and Zuko stilled at the odd pull in his body, letting out a small gasp. "I'm fine," he assured her. "It's just a strange sensation. I've never felt that before."

"I don't think anyone has," Katara quipped.

The blood seeping out of the cut slowed before being held completely still. Then, she completely opened her hand, her fingers spread wide as if pushing against the blood's natural flow. She sandwiched her water-gloved hand between her Bloodbending one and Zuko's, concentrating on drawing chi to the injured skin while holding his blood at bay. Her brow knit together as she split her concentration to perform the two types of Waterbending. Katara brought both hands away once the skin sealed itself, as unblemished as before. She used the healing water to wash away the dried blood.

"Well?"

Katara considered his hand before looking at her own. "Obviously unnecessary for a cut that shallow, but I get your point. Let's hope I don't have to actually put it to practice any time soon. At least, not until I've mastered it fully," she said dryly before her lips slowly curved into a smile. "Your heart's beating so fast," she told him.

His gold eyes widened. "You can tell without touching me or actively bending?"

"It's like… it's like I've seen a map except, I only had to see it once and now I can't ever get lost. I wonder if this is how Toph feels all the time with her seismic sense. I'm very aware of your body." She caught herself and flushed. "I mean, more than usual." Her flush intensified. "I mean— I've healed you before, so it's a familiar landscape—"

"Than usual?" Zuko grinned.

"What I mean is, I just have more of an awareness of it and how it's operating. Because I've healed you multiple times, I'm just more attuned to you." She scowled, but her cheeks were still pink and Zuko could see the color, even in the darkness.

"I've told you that you're incredible, right?" he said, not wanting her to feel self-conscious.

"You could stand to tell me more often," she sniffed haughtily.

"I wish I had that much control over my element." Zuko held his hands out and created twin flames, condensing the flames into tight fireballs, pulsing in his palms. "I still have trouble generating lightning," he confessed quietly, extinguishing the twin flames. He met her gaze and smiled. "And then here you are, casually mastering your element as well as all of its sub-skills. And it's as easy as breathing to you."

"Not quite. Or have you already forgotten my pathetic attempts to create a water whip when we first met?"

"All you needed was the chance to learn properly. A few weeks at the North Pole and you nearly had me beat."

Katara scoffed. "Nearly? I think we have very different recollections of our duel at the Spirit Oasis."

"Clearly," he arched a dark eyebrow at her.

She giggled and sighed, staring at her hands again. "This is a dangerous skill to teach others," she murmured.

"I'll help make sure that this knowledge doesn't fall into the wrong hands."

"You will?"

"All I do is write legislature," he prompted. "I can help."

"Thank you," she said earnestly.

"And feel free to use my body however you need," he added casually. "I'm happy to volunteer in the name of knowledge," he said with mock solemnity.

Katara blushed again and lightly shoved at him. "You've gotten so bold!" she laughed.

Zuko grinned back and was able to block the faux-blows she was inflicting on him. He grasped her wrists and held her close. "I've got nothing to hide. Nothing to lose," he reminded her. His eyes roved over her face, from her large, blue eyes to the delicate curve of her smiling lips as if memorizing it.

Katara tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at him playfully. "Are you courting me?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Courting you?" he echoed, his distaste for the word evident.

Her grin widened. "Wooing, then, if you prefer."

It was Zuko's turn to turn pink but he laughed off her teasing easily, leaning into her. "If that's what you want to call it," he said lowly, so close that his breath ghosted over Katara. She shivered and he smirked proudly.

"I meant it when I said that I don't want to rush you. It's not what I'm trying to do," he said sincerely. "But… now that the truth of my feelings is out, I'm not going to pretend that they don't exist. I still know that I'm not good enough for you, but I'm willing to spend as much time as I need to try and convince you and myself that maybe this could work. I'm done trying to sabotage my own happiness. I told you, Katara, I was always so scared because I knew that if I just had a taste, I wouldn't be able to let you go. I was right."

They were so close that his lips brushed against her cheek as he spoke and he nuzzled her face tenderly. Katara's eyes fluttered close and she sighed, "Spirits… you're so stubborn. Some might say relentless."

"Tell me…" he swallowed, "Tell me if you need me to stop and I will. Tell me if you don't want me to show you how I feel and I'll never do it again."

"Zuko, I'm still not... I don't want any kind of misunderstanding," she breathed, tilting her head back to allow him more access as he placed gentle kisses on her face, careful to avoid kissing her lips. "This isn't fair," she complained lightly, though her words held no heat.

"Who said life was fair?" he retorted, but he pulled back nonetheless, looking rather pleased with himself. His expression sobered slightly and he said quietly, "Katara, tell me if you want me to stop or if my actions aren't welcome. I mean it."

Katara smiled. "Zuko, you'd know." She focused her awareness into his body and for the briefest of moments, held him with Bloodbending. His body stiffened as everything stopped and his eyes widened as he felt her exert her control over him, though she immediately released him after a beat. "I've literally got you in the palm of my hand."

Zuko smirked at her with pride.

"Well look who finally decided to show up," Toph drawled. She smirked as she stood at the edge of the campsite created just outside of Yu Dao.

As General Jee had predicted, riding by eel hound had allowed them to reach the city quickly, the sun just beginning to crest over the horizon. The sky was a pale lavender as the night faded away. Zuko dismounted before helping Katara down. He briefly stretched, hearing Katara's joints crack with his as she did the same.

"It's good to see you, too, Toph," he retorted. "I'm surprised you're up this early."

"Since I knew you two were on your way, I volunteered for the early morning watch. Had to greet the Fire Lord and Sugar Queen myself."

Katara rolled her eyes at her old nickname. "How has it been?"

"Put it this way— I'm glad you two are here to deal with the politics. I'm just the muscle. A few of the colonists leading the protests were calmed down when we told them the Fire Lord was coming to discuss other possibilities." The petite Earthbender created three stools out of rock and gestured for them to sit with her. "Tensions are high, but no one wants to start a fight. They're tired of the fighting and want it to be over with, preferably while getting their way."

"Haru will be on his way as well. This way, both the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom are represented during peace talks."

"And what about you, Sweetness?"

Katara scoffed. "Obviously, I'm mediating. Besides, it was my idea to even talk to the colonists. All of the men wanted to jump right into using force."

"Not quite," Zuko interjected.

"Please, Zuko, you know that those Earth Kingdom governors were itching for it," Katara snapped.

Zuko put his hands up in surrender and dropped the subject. He rose. "I'm going to make sure our tents are situated before we start peace talks."

Toph grinned, turning her face in his direction. "You don't want an earth tent made by the greatest Earthbender in the world?"

Zuko made a face. "No."

"Psh, sounds like someone's gotten spoiled in his fancy palace. Fine, go ahead and set up your cushy canopied tents. I've got Katara to keep me company."

"Oh gee, thanks Toph. It's so nice to know that I'm your second choice in company," Katara griped, as Zuko walked away. "Anyway, what have—"

"Alright, c'mon, spill!"

"Spill what?" Katara asked, taken aback.

"What's up with you two? Have either of you finally told the other about your massive crushes?" Toph demanded.

"What? What are you talking about?" Katara said too quickly, her voice slightly higher than usual.

Toph huffed and rolled her eyes. "You should know better by now that you can't lie to me. Even if I didn't have seismic sense, you're a terrible liar, Katara."

"You knew Zuko liked me?" Katara hissed with a hushed voice.

"Like you? Sweetness, if he just liked you, then he must loathe the rest of us based on how his heartbeat changes whenever you're around. I swear, that thing sounds like one of Ba Sing Se's trains whenever you get near him. Been that way for the last few years, but I kept quiet since you were with Aang and it was painfully obvious Zuko didn't even know what the hell he was feeling. But since you're single and I'm picking up on the same kind of vibrations from you... I thought that maybe you two knuckleheads would suck it up and finally admit how you feel."

"You've known about Zuko's feelings for years? And you didn't say anything?"

"Not my place to tell. I've known about your feelings for a while, too, Katara, and I didn't say anything." Toph waved her hand in front of her eyes and jeered, "Besides, I thought I was the blind one here. Katara, he nearly died for you. He trusted you to be the one to help him take down Azula. He helped you confront your mother's killer. You're the only one who really got him once you forgave him." Toph furrowed her brow at Katara's silence. "Katara?"

"It's not that simple," Katara said quietly.

"What do you mean? You like him back, don't you? I mean, I've felt that the two of you have always danced around each other, but with what I saw at Ba Sing Se a couple days ago, I was certain that you finally realized you liked him, too."

"It's not that simple," Katara repeated, her tone defensive. She sighed. "I thought it was, too… but it's not."

"Because of Aang," Toph guessed.

Katara winced. "No, not just Aang. But that's another bridge that I'll need to cross. It's me. I guess it's Zuko, too. But it's mostly me."

"You lost me."

"I'm not in the right place to be what Zuko wants. And Zuko thinks that I'm… also not ready to be with him. At least not in the way that he wants."

Toph pursed her lips. "And how does he want you?"

"Without half-measures," Katara said pensively. "And he's right. Our friendship is too important to the both of us to jump into something without certainty. We both deserve better than that."

"If the two of you just asked me, I'd let you both know that you're both crazy about each other." She narrowed her eyes at the Waterbender. "There's something you're not telling me. Something's different in your guys' body language."

Katara blushed. "I didn't agree to be anything with him... but now that he's confessed his feelings to me, Zuko may be trying to woo me in the meantime."

Toph made a face and mimed that she was throwing up. "Damn, Katara. The man's been through enough in his lifetime, you're putting him through that sappy crap, too?"

"I didn't tell him to!" Katara shot back. "I thought we were just going to pretend nothing happened, but then last night…" she trailed off as her voice took on a wistful tone.

"Last night? What did you two do last night?" Toph asked with interest.

"Nothing, but Zuko was very clear on where he stands." Katara raised a hand to her temple to rub away the oncoming headache. "Honestly, Toph, I didn't think you'd be interested in this kind of conversation. I pictured Suki to be the one grilling me for information."

"Oh, she'll get the full update in my next letter to her."

"Don't you dare!"

"Don't lose your panties, Katara, I know you're worried about Sokka finding out. I'm just kidding, jeez. But you and I both know that he wouldn't do shit. And in case you've forgotten, I still can't write letters."

The two women turned at the sound of approaching footsteps. Zuko announced, "We're meeting after lunch, which will allow enough time for Haru to arrive and rest a little bit."

Toph laughed. "Once Aang shows up, then it'll just be a council of Katara and her boyfriends."

"Toph!" Katara hissed.

Zuko raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak, but Toph held up a hand and grinned knowingly. "Don't even bother, Sparky. You should know by now that you can't hide anything from me."

Zuko glared at her but turned to Katara, "Haru?" he asked instead. His face was carefully impassive.

"Haru's just a friend," Katara maintained. "Toph's just instigating things again," she grumbled, leveling her own glare at the Earthbender.

"C'mon, Katara, I'm the blind one here. Zuko already knows."

"Knows what?" she snapped.

Zuko said exasperatedly, "It was pretty obvious Haru liked you with the way he looked at you when we were staying at the Western Air Temple."

"He didn't look at me."

Zuko turned to Toph as if she could see the expression on his face. He looked back at Katara and simply said, "Okay."

Katara scowled. "He didn't," she persisted. "He's just a friend."

Toph cackled and got to her feet, walking towards camp, waving a hand over her head. "Whatever you say, Katara."

Feeling Zuko's gaze on her, Katara repeated, "He's just a friend!"

Zuko pressed in closer. "The way we're friends?" he asked lowly.

Katara shivered and blinked under the scrutiny of his gaze. "No," she said her voice breathy.

With a smirk, Zuko whispered in her ear, "Good." Then, he walked past her to begin leading the eel hound towards the campsite area intended for mounts, where it could rest and graze.

Katara gaped at him. "You're jealous," she accused, trailing after him.

"You don't even know the half of it, Katara," he warned.

Katara bit her lip to try and fight her smile, both amused and flattered. "I knew it," she said dramatically. "That temper was always something to watch out for."

Zuko laughed. "You're one to talk! Don't act as if you don't get jealous, either. I saw how your facial expression soured whenever Aang had fangirls surrounding him," he said lightly.

He removed the saddle and bridle from the eel hound so it could roam and graze without restriction. Zuko hefted the leather and cords over a nearby fence and grabbed a bucket of what looked like meat scraps, dumping it into an empty trough, coaxing the eel hound to eat. He pat it once on its hind as if to thank the creature, before washing his hands in a separate trough of water and doing a walk around of the eel hound, checking its limbs to make sure it was unharmed from the long journey. Katara watched him with interest, trying to reconcile his actions of the every day man with the natural regality he exuded.

"What?" he asked, his discomfort evident. He had felt her gaze on him and was self-conscious as she watched him.

"Nothing," she said kindly. "It's just strange seeing the Fire Lord performing some mild farm labor."

Zuko shrugged. "Uncle and I had to hide in the Earth Kingdom as refugees," he reminded her, filling the water trough with another bucket he had lifted from a nearby well.

"It's not a bad thing, Zuko. It's just interesting to see. I think you're the first Fire Lord in a long time who can truly understand what life is like for citizens in every class." She smiled reassuringly. "It's actually quite good. It gives you perspective and empathy." She sped things along by bending the water from the well straight into the trough until it was full.

With a sigh, Zuko nodded. "Definitely missed those two qualities the last couple of generations."

"Fire Lord Zuko!" A Fire Nation soldier hurried to them, quickly bowing. "A messenger hawk has arrived for you. The seal indicates that it's from the Avatar." He handed him the scroll before bowing and rushing off again.

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Aang?"

"It's probably in response to King Kuei sending word of what's happening here." Zuko unfurled the parchment paper and nodded to himself. "He's confirming that he's on his way on Appa." His golden eyes met hers cautiously.

"Honestly, Zuko, you don't have to look at me like I'm going to become a nervous wreck. We're adults and Aang should know that I'm not going to get back together with him."

Zuko blinked and couldn't help but feel immense relief at her words, his shoulders dropping and losing their tension immediately. He offered a crooked smile and quickly ducked down to kiss the crown of her head. Katara preened at the affection, causing Zuko's smile to grow.

"And what about Haru?" he asked with exaggerated seriousness.

Rolling her blue eyes at him, she swatted at him. "You're ridiculous."

"Territorial," he corrected.

"I'm not yours to be territorial over," she pointed out. Zuko's gold eyes glinted with something that Katara couldn't name, but she shivered at the knowing smirk he gave her. It was as if he knew something she didn't but whatever it was, it made her knees weak. She gulped nervously. "You should respond to Aang's letter."

"I should," he agreed casually. "I'll also make sure to have things set up for his and Appa's arrival. Set aside a lot of hay."

"Okay."

"Okay."

They both stared into the others' eyes, entranced in their own little world. Finally, Zuko broke away and cleared his throat. "You should also rest since you were up all night. I have a feeling that we won't get much while we're here."

Just then, Katara's jaw split open in a wide yawn. "I thought I was the Bloodbender here," she mumbled afterwards.

"Believe me, you are," he said pointedly.

Katara's cheeks pinked, but she smirked at him as she walked away, towards her tent. And maybe Zuko's eyes were deceiving him but he was certain she swayed her hips just a little more for him.

Katara threw herself onto her futon, ignoring the clamor of the men outside as they trained and sparred in the empty field. She rolled onto her back and stared up at the canvas above her. They had been in negotiations with the former colonists for close to a week now and finally ironing out the finishing touches of the agreement they had settled upon. Their progress was stilted, as they had to constantly send word back to Ba Sing Se for King Kuei's input and final approval. Their messenger hawks were probably exhausted.

Even with Haru acting in his stead, they all agreed that King Kuei's official involvement was imperative to ensuring that this new plan would be effective and carried out the way they intended. It would also lend additional legitimacy and prevent the threat of future altercations between the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom. She laughed quietly to herself. As soon as the shy Earthbender arrived, Zuko immediately took to spending time with him, taking everyone by surprise with his sudden interest in sparring with Haru and discussing the possibility of opening new trade routes between the Fire Nation and western Earth Kingdom, where Haru was from.

Katara had confronted him about it, but the Firebender smiled humorlessly and told her that he had learned to keep his eye on the competition. That had earned him a light water whip to the butt and Katara insisting that she had never been involved with the innocent Earthbender, causing them both to dissolve into a fit of laughter. Afterwards, Zuko admitted that while he was a little jealous, he genuinely wanted to get to know the Earth Kingdom man better.

When Aang had arrived with his sky bison, the atmosphere had changed significantly and outside of the meetings with the colonists and mealtimes, Katara had been avoiding the last Airbender, which of course, Toph called her out on. Zuko hadn't said anything, but she saw the look on his face when Katara skirted around the subject when he tried to broach it.

A silhouette appeared at the front of her tent and Katara frowned in confusion. She rose from her futon and ducked outside, thinking it was Zuko coming to bring her to dinner, surprised to see the Avatar in question hovering uncertainly. "Aang?"

He smiled sheepishly at her and asked timidly, "Can we talk?"

Katara stared at him for a moment before agreeing, gesturing for him to walk with her to the edges of the campsite so they could have some privacy. They ended up close to the tree line that protected their makeshift base and settled in the shelter of the trees, the glow from the various campfires offering minimal light in the waning light of dusk.

"So…" Aang began hesitantly. "I wanted to apologize, firstly, for the way I spoke to you in Ba Sing Se. At Iroh's tea shop."

"Aang, you don't have to—"

"No, really. I was out of line. I would've sent a letter, and you were probably expecting one after Zuko filled you in, but I wanted to talk to you in person and apologize in person."

Katara felt a pang of pity at the sadness in the young man's face. Sometimes, she forgot that for all of his youthful exuberance, Aang had lived a thousand lives and it was during moments like these when she saw the toll it took reflected in his round, grey eyes. "I accept your apology. I'm sorry, too, Aang."

"For what?" he muttered, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"For breaking your heart," she said simply. "I care about you. So much. And I never want to cause you pain. But neither of us were happy." Aang looked as if he wanted to argue but was clamping down on his words. Katara sighed and reached out to take his hand and squeeze it encouragingly. "It's okay. Say what you need to say."

"I was happy," he said finally. "I thought we were."

"I'm sorry," Katara said again. "I shouldn't speak for the both of us."

Aang sighed and raised his eyes up to stare at the night sky through the trees. "Don't be. I shouldn't be speaking for the both of us, either" he told her. "It is what it is. I have a hard time letting go of the past, you and I both know this."

"Your heart is so big and you love so hard. It's difficult to let go. I want you to know that you are a fantastic guy and that when the time comes, you're going to find someone who loves you so much, it'll be like you're seeing everything clearly for the first time. They'll change your life completely. But that person? It's not me."

Aang smiled sadly as he stared at her and Katara knew he was thinking of when he first saw her after a century trapped in an iceberg. His eyes held a trace of skepticism. "Is that what happened for you?"

"Me?" Katara's face fell into a pout. "No, I think I just realized that what I wanted for myself and what you planned for us… they didn't align and my heart wasn't in it the way it should be. A relationship is an opportunity for two people to grow together and I felt like you were growing and finding your footing in your destiny, but I wasn't doing that with you. But I know that there's no way the spirits didn't intend for you to meet someone who will." She considered him, her head tilted in thought. "Why?"

"I don't know… I guess it was seeing Haru here."

"Haru?"

"C'mon, Katara, have you seen the way he looked at you during the war?" There was amusement in his eyes and his lips quirked in a minute smile, teasing her.

Katara laughed hard. "I must be blind then," she joked. "Or you, Toph, and Zuko are in on something that I'm not. I've always seen Haru as a friend, nothing more. He needed a friend and support at a time when he had none."

"You're pretty good at being that," Aang told her sincerely.

"So are you," Katara returned.

"Just so you know, all the guys knew that Haru liked you, but that he was also terrified of how Sokka might react if he tried to ask you out."

"Poor Haru," she said, feeling pity for the kind Earthbender. She reiterated, "Nothing happened between us. I think of him as a good friend. Besides, I think that was just a childhood infatuation. It's been years."

"Don't write him off too quickly," Aang joked. "He's also a pretty powerful bender. Remember what Aunt Wu said."

Katara burst into another round of laughter. "You were eavesdropping on my readings?"

Aang blushed. "I was more than a little invested," he explained.

"I ought to pay her another visit, for old time's sake."

This made Aang grin. "The poor woman will be driven to run right into the mouth of Makapu Village's volcano."

He held his arms out and Katara welcomed the friendly hug, embracing him warmly before pulling back. "I'm glad we were able to talk this through," she confessed. "It really sucked not being able to talk to you the way we used to."

"I agree."

"Come on, they'll probably be serving dinner soon."

"You go ahead."

Katara nodded, understanding that the Avatar might want time to himself. She squeezed his shoulder reassuringly and disappeared from the shadows of the trees and back into the clamor of the campsite. Aang's eyes were trained on her, watching thoughtfully as Katara approached Zuko, who was waiting outside of her tent with a tiny, but warm smile, her hand briefly grazing Zuko's before he placed his hand on the small on her back as they walked to a campfire together.