Seating Arrangements
Contrary to how everyone thought she'd react, Katara was overjoyed.
"Zuko, that's so… sweet!" Her eyes glistened with tears. "I always knew you and your father would reconcile one day. I'm so happy for you."
"Happy," Zuko smiled weakly. "Right."
"Now, the only question is, where should we put him?" Katara walked over the to miniature reception hall spread out before her. Hundreds of small wooden figurines with names flagged on each were strategically arranged all over the floor plan, 12 seated at each round table. Every time Zuko looked at this monstrosity, he wondered if Katara had invited every single person she had ever encountered on her journeys with the Avatar to their reception. He knew for certain that her entire village had been invited: judging by tables labeled "Zhang Tribe" and "Gan jin Tribe", there would probably be a few other entire villages attending as well.
She grabbed up a spare peg from a little box, wrote Ozai's name on the slip of paper tied to it, and appraised the floor plan. "Hmm…"
Zuko felt a sense of déjà vu as he stared at the map. It was like he was in the war room all over again.
"We can't put him at the head table, there just isn't enough space," Katara said definitively. "We've got room at tables 4, 7 and 8. That's pretty close to the family."
"Katara. He's my father."
She waved him off. "I know, I know, but he also tried to kill Aang and your uncle and everyone in the bridal party, not to mention you," she studied the pegs around table 8. "Do you think your father would get along with Master Jeong Jeong?"
Zuko gave his fiancée a deadpan stare.
"Oh, right, he led the rebellion against him. Sorry, forgot." She tapped the Ozai peg against her palm. "How about here?" She pointed at the table of his old crew members.
"Are you nuts?" Zuko said. "Do you know how much those guys drink?"
"Your dad's not off the wagon, is he?"
"You mean on the wagon. No, but dad's... well..." Zuko coughed. "He's a… happy drunk. A violently happy drunk."
Katara put a coloured pin on the table. "Okay, so that's a possibility we'll keep in mind. Where else can we put your father?" She scanned the miniature room.
Zuko did not remark on how his beloved had just overridden him. "How about here?"
"With King Bumi?" Katara asked incredulously.
"They're both Kings. They were both in the war since they were children. And they're both crazy. They'll have plenty to talk about," Zuko shrugged.
The Waterbender smiled. "Can't argue with that logic," she said putting another marking pin in. "Let's choose one more, and we'll pick the best out of three."
They stared and stared at the vast map for minutes. And then Katara began moving pegs.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm rearranging people to see if we can't sit your dad somewhere… more appropriate," she said without stopping.
"Don't do that! We won't know where they were if we have to put them back!"
"Relax, I had the royal cartographer come in and do a sketch."
The Fire Lord almost admonished his wife-to-be about using important palace personnel to help plan their wedding. Almost. But the scene he had made in the war room nearly four years ago kept playing through his mind as a warning reminder, like a blaring klaxon in the back of his skull. So he kept his mouth shut.
Katara moved hither and tither, her hands full of wooden pegs. When she had finally replaced them all, she stood back to scrutinize her work. Zuko squinted.
"Why does Momo have his own seat?"
"Why not?"
"You separated Haru him from his father."
"Oh, like he's not used to that."
"Wait a second, since when were the PIRATES invited?"
"Since you said it would be okay."
"I never said that!" Zuko cried. "They tried to kill me! When did I ever say they could come?"
"When you said, 'That's fine, my love, whatever you decide is wonderful.'" She smiled. "Besides, if it weren't for them, I would never have gotten to meet you," she wrapped a slender arm around his waist and traced a fingertip along his chest. "Remember?"
Zuko looked down at his lovely water nymph and whimpered. "Okay. Pirates. Right." He stared at the seating plan some more, but his mind soon became distracted by Katara's wandering hands and wanton purring.
He quickly lost sight of his father's peg.
...And then they had fiery smex.
