ZW 2011 Day 3: Social Networking

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Old Bones

Zuko and Katara are too old for politics.

Zuko is getting altogether too old for this. This idiot dignitary and that idiot dignitary keep asking him whether Izumi is really prepared to take the throne, whether the new Fire Lord is as committed to peace as her father; whether he thinks she'll get along with the new Avatar. The new Avatar doesn't get along with anyone, he doesn't say.

"Retired Fire Lord Zuko," comes a woman's voice. It's scratchy with age, like his, and he hasn't heard it in years, but he recognizes it immediately. He suppresses a grin.

"Master Katara," he says, turning and bowing as low as his stiff back allows. "It's been a long time."

"And," she replies, smiling, "whose fault is that?"

"Mine."

In Zuko's defense, he's been very busy making sure Izumi is settled on the throne and worrying about Iroh; he can't possibly be expected to keep up with everything (not everything, Katara pouts, just your oldest friends). They slip out of the room and into the garden just after dinner, Zuko hiding a few of the dinner rolls he'd swiped in his sleeve. Katara chuckles as he pulls them out and tears pieces for the turtleducks.

"If you paid half as much attention to the people in there as you do to the turtleducks, there would never be another war."

He scowls. "These are turtleducks. Those are ratvipers."

She rolls her eyes. "They aren't that bad."

Except that they are, and Zuko knows this because he's spent 70 years trying to make them happy (unsuccessfully, he might add). They're also deadly, but it occurs to him that he's done such a good job of keeping his friends from finding out about all of the assassination attempts throughout his career that further arguing the point will only make him look paranoid.

"You're a little paranoid, Zuko."

Case in point.

"I'm not paranoid!"

She tugs on his long, white beard playfully. "You're paranoid."

Zuko throws a small scrap of dinner roll into the pond a bit harder than is strictly necessary. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

Katara lifts one eyebrow. "Social networking."

Zuko sighs. "I know that, I mean what are you doing sitting in the dirt with me? Shouldn't you be off making introductions, or showing off the Avatar or something?"

She scoots closer to him and rests her head on her shoulder. "I spent my whole life doing that. Don't you think I deserve a break?"

He tentatively leans his head on top of hers. It would be comfortable if he weren't 87 years old with arthritis in his hips. "Yeah, I guess."

She reaches across his body in a half hug. "I've missed you, Zuko."

He presses a kiss to the top of her white head. "I've missed you too, Katara."

They sit there for a while, largely to avoid the crowds and enjoy the other's company, but a little bit of Zuko has to admit there's another, far more embarrassing reason. He's pretty sure neither of them can actually get up off the ground.

This could be an adventure.

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A/N: I like to think old Zuko and Katara would be a little romantically inclined, but I can never decide how much. I think they'd never go make out behind a pillar at the palace or something when they're close to 90, but they're both moderately unpredictable people so who knows. Coming soon?

Feel free to vote yes or no on that.

Hope you guys enjoyed this! Tried to go for something more lighthearted than the last one…lol.