Yup! Another chapter!

Sorry, it took sooooo long. Again.

Who needs a proper sleeping schedule, anyway?

p.s. we're getting to the good part

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

Zuko was already having a horrible day. He was trapped in his study—not wanting to walk out into the hordes of women that arrived as soon as the palace staff had woken up enough to open the gates and lead them to guest rooms.

He had breakfast sent to his room (and also to Katara's, he didn't want her to see the insane mass) and he stealthily moved from his bedroom into his study.

He only came in contact with seven noblewomen claiming their love for him.

But now it was getting closer to lunch and he was getting a headache from being in the stuffy office without a break for so long.

At least he had made a dent into his mountains of paperwork.

He was debating whether he should risk coming in contact with more people if it meant he could go steal Katara to the palace garden when a soft knock from the door.

He had asked his guards to not let anyone in, under any circumstances.

"Who's there?" He raised his one good eyebrow.

One of his guards spoke up. "Your uncle wishes to speak with you."

Zuko smacked his forehead. With the crazy meeting yesterday and the surplus of others entering his palace without his 100% consent today, he had totally forgotten Uncle was visiting this month.

"Let him in, please."

The door had barely closed when Iroh got down to business.

"Congratulations, nephew! Bachelorhood is one of life's true gifts!"

Zuko groaned and smacked his forehead on the desk.

Zuko had had to sit his uncle down, order one of the palace staff to bring them tea, and explain to him, yes in fact being a bachelor was not his perfect lifestyle.

Not realizing how crazy his life was without his uncle, Zuko just started on a tangent of his crazy break up with Mai, his even crazier noblemen, and how he *really* didn't want noblewomen pushed at him every hour of every day.

"Well, then, do you not picture yourself being married or providing an heir for your country?" Iron had asked.

Zuko felt his face turn red. He had forgotten that marriage led to heirs. "Well, I—"

"Just with someone else?"

Zuko felt his face turn even redder as his uncle hit the nail on its head. And, to his chagrin, a certain water bender's face came to mind.

"And you already have someone in mind."

Zuko, one of the most powerful men in the world, great Fire Lord of the Fire Nation, one of the strongest firebenders probably ever, felt his face's shade match his scar.

How come Iroh seemed to know everything?

Someone—though she could guess who, perhaps a certain scarred fire bender?— had sent breakfast to her room today. At the time, she had wondered why it was there, but then brushed to off as him having an early meeting or was traveling, and couldn't make breakfast with her. But as soon as she opened her door, she just grew more perplexed by the circumstances.

Katara was hit with the wall of women as soon as she stepped outside of her room.

And she was very confused.

Obviously.

She was stopped in the hallways, complimented on her dress, told her hair was nice, pulled aside to ask for directions, and, in a weird occurrence, with a woman with a parrot-monkey on her head, asked where the closest animal cafeteria was.

She just pointed them to the kitchen.

Everywhere she turned, women were talking, whispering behind hands, exchanging greetings, lounging on some of the many, many fire nation palace couches, or walking amongst the halls, reading.

Where did they come from?

…And where was Zuko? Perhaps she should check his study… after all, he would probably be hiding from the mass of people that invaded his personal space.

After spending an hour walking around the palace, long forgotten what she was actually setting out to do that day, she bumped into a familiar old man.

"Iroh!" She smiled after apologizing profusely for not watching where she was going. "I didn't know you were in town!"

Iroh, ever the kind man, told her, "It seems like that's something you and my nephew have in common. I guess with all the crazy things going on, it's okay if you forget a thing or two, though it does sadden me that I am one of those things—"

"Things happening?" She asked. "What do you mean— Oh! All these women? I guess it's weird… really weird, actually. Where's Mai? Shouldn't she stop this? She's quite the jealous type—"

Iroh gave her a confused look. "Mai?"

Katara gave him an equally weird look. "Mai? Zuko's girlfriend? Iroh, how long have you been in the Earth Kingdom?"

He huffed. "Not that long. But it looks like you need to speak with Zuko— he's hiding in his study. I think he'll explain everything."

Now Katara was really confused. Iroh used his hand to guide her down the hall, ignoring the women who tried to stop them and have conversations. "What do you mean? Why would he be hiding? And explain— *Iroh, stop pushing me!*"

Iroh stopped.

Katara let out a breath. "*Thank* you. Now, can you please explain what the hell is going on?"

Iroh smiled. "Nope! But Zuko will do it for you!"

He pushed her through a set of doors.

Katara, who was focusing on trying not to fall over, didn't even notice Zuko's study's thick wood doors opening as she was pushed through. But she did notice Zuko catching her.

A/N : again. late update. sorry. I try to update more. I'm really trying to finish out this story so I can move onto some that I'm actually excited about.

Here are some autocorrect gems, though!

Zuko — Zoo

Iroh — Iron

Katara — Chatter

Mai — Am, Maxi

See you soon!

Queen Sunflower

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