Hi everyone! I hope you all had a merry Christmas or just a lovely time. I knew I said I would post this on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, but it's still Boxing Day in one part of the world, so... Yeah, well, I only finished this yesterday, and I didn't even edit it, so there might be some mistakes in here. I will edit it later and then update it. But for now, you can read it.
This Christmas story is based on the film Love Actually. It's a Christmas film about different people who all know each other over other people and different stories leading up to Christmas. It's a wonderful film and one of my favourite Christmas films. So, I took the love stories of two couples and merged them together to have some Zutara. And I didn't even pick the most obvious one. Because I didn't think about it. Maybe bext year.
Anyway, if you know the film, maybe you can guess which two love stories I chose for this Christmas story.
While you read this, you might want to listen to the soundtrack of the film. Especially towards the end of this story, the soundtrack would be nice. I would recommend Love Actually - Soundtrack Suite - Craig Armstrong on YouTube, from 5:11 min til the end. It's really wonderful music. For the last part of the story, you should listen to 'God only knows what I'd be without you' by the Beach Boys.
However, I am not as pleased with this as I was with the Zutara Christmas story I wrote last year. Maybe you will have different thoughts on it...
Enjoy! Please let me know what you think!
I do not own Avatar The Last Airbender.
Zutara, Actually
Just as last year, Zuko travelled alone to the Southern Water Tribe for Christmas. It had been supposed to be different this year, but his plan had changed last minute.
Well, last week, but it still felt as if it had been last minute.
Originally, the plan had been to travel to the South Pole with Mai, his now ex-girlfriend. But he had walked in on her cheating on him. With his sister.
Zuko already had enough issues with his family, because he was less like his father and more like his mother. He had fought with himself for almost all his life and fought to get the recognition of his father. It had taken a lot of time and a lot of effort (mental and physical) of Zuko to finally notice that he didn't want to be like his father or sister. He didn't care anymore that his father preferred his sister and tried to just be himself and live with it.
It hadn't been easy, and Zuko had even had help to overcome his family issues. Well, not all of them. He had learned to accept his uncle's love and even show his own love to him, too. With Uncle, Zuko didn't need his father.
He still met with Azula several times a year, to know what she was doing, but he didn't see any reason to see his father anymore.
Zuko had got four best friends while he'd gone to university. Aang, Toph, Sokka, and Katara. They had all helped him with changing his mind about his family and becoming a better person.
It had taken a few years for Zuko not to hold any resentment against his siter anymore and to act normally around her. They had only got into some sort of normal sibling relationship two years ago.
But that was over. Zuko didn't know what to think of Azula anymore. She had slept with his girlfriend, dammit!
Zuko loved snow, especially for Christmas, because it looked so nice. That was one of the reasons why he spent Christmas at the Southern Water Tribe. The other was that Sokka and Katara went there to see their family for Christmas and had invited Zuko to join them for the first time years ago.
Back then, Zuko hadn't been okay with Uncle yet and had rather spent the holidays with his friends. But Uncle visited for Boxing Day holiday for three years now, so it was okay.
Zuko's eyes felt dry and puffy from the horrible dry air in the airplane, as he stood on the escalator moving down to the entrance hall. The airport in the Southern Water Tribe was not as big as the one in the Fire Nation capital, but it was still a big one in the centre of the continent so that all the tribes had a relatively same long way. Unfortunately, Sokka's town was at the far end of the continent, directly at the ocean.
The ride was normally really nice, because they had time to catch each other up on their lives, but this year… Zuko dreaded the ride. He didn't want to talk to anyone, and definitely not to Sokka or about Mai and Azula.
When he spotted Sokka, Katara, and Hakoda in the entrance hall, he frowned at the large suitcase next to Sokka.
When Zuko stepped to them, Sokka clapped him on his back and gave him a manly hug. "Hey, buddy. Good to see you." He smiled, and Zuko felt himself bristle a little. Was he being pitied?
"Zuko!" Katara stepped in front of him and smiled widely at him. She hugged him, and he thought he would get one of the typical Katara-hugs, which had been the first he had accepted from anyone apart from Uncle, but no, this one was different. She didn't squeeze him at all, but just touched his back lightly.
He frowned in a confused way, when she retreated, but then Hakoda clapped him on the back and said, "Zuko, welcome!"
"Thanks," Zuko said. "And thank you for sharing your home and food with me." He bowed.
Hakoda grasped his forearm and shook it. "Stop thanking me, Zuko. You're almost family, anyway."
They had this dialogue every year, but Zuko would feel bad if he wouldn't thank Hakoda.
"I would ask how you are all doing, but Sokka, why do you have a suitcase here?" Zuko asked in bewilderment.
Hakoda grimaced in a hurt way, and Katara face palmed.
Sokka grinned widely. "I've got a plan, buddy. I'll spend the week before Christmas in the Earth Kingdom. The women there are not as stuck up as those here, and none of them wants to marry right away. The women here are so arrogant, they don't understand my charm or humour. But the Earth Kingdom women will totally fall for my charm and Southern Water Tribe manliness." His grin widened in an arrogant way.
Zuko blinked at his best friend. He had always thought that Sokka was intelligent…
"Tell him that this is stupid!" Katara demanded with a cutting hand motion. "He's being a total chauvinist ass, by the way!"
Zuko raised his eyebrows as he looked at Katara. Telling Sokka that he was being stupid didn't really make Sokka change his mind. Zuko knew that from experience.
But he looked back at Sokka and said "You're a chauvinist idiot." But more than that. Sokka was going on a fuck-vacation, right after Zuko had been cheated on, and Sokka didn't even think about turning this into a drink-vacation for the both of them!
"Zuko. I thought you would come here with your new girlfriend," Hakoda said and stretched his neck to look behind Zuko.
A scowl immediately showed on Zuko's face. "Nope. I have no girlfriend."
Hakoda and Katara looked at each other.
"Didn't you tell them?" Zuko asked Sokka.
"Er… I probably forgot."
Katara's eyes widened. "You knew that Zuko was single again and didn't tell me?" She took a deep breath and looked slowly back at Zuko, her cheeks pink. "Er… well, I meant that…"
"It's alright," Zuko tried not to let his hurt feelings show. Of course, his friends would want to gossip about his love life. "It's better this way. Mai cheated on me. With Azula," he said in a firm voice.
It was clear that Katara and Hakoda tried not to overreact, but it seemed difficult to them.
"Anyway, I have to get to my gate," Sokka said and gave his sister a hug. He clapped Hakoda and Zuko on the back before he walked away. "Earth Kingdom girls, beware! This Southern man is on his way to you! And he's gonna share himself, as is fair, so there's enough Sokka for all of you!" He cackled to himself and sighed in a high pitch. "Still got it."
Katara grimaced in disgust, and Hakoda looked as if he questioned his life.
"What have I done to raise someone like him?"
Katara rolled her eyes. "Nothing, Daddy. He's just bummed about Yue breaking up with him and getting engaged to Hahn. But I know quite a lot of Earth Kingdom women who would tell Sokka exactly what they think of his behaviour. With their fists."
Hakoda sighed. "Let's get home."
oOo
"Katara? Can I speak to you?"
She looked up from her spot on the chaiselongue, where she had been looking at Zuko practising his firebending. It was cold outside, snow falling slowly, but someone still had to keep an eye on a firebender in a courtyard surrounded by wood, right? She wasn't looking at him because his moves looked so fierce and enchantingly beautiful.
"Sure." She turned around to look at her father.
He took a deep breath. "See, I wish I didn't have to do this. I wish your mother could be here to do this, but as it is…" He sighed. "It is Christmas, and Zuko is single again. I hope you can finally tell him how you feel. It would simplify so many things here."
Katara felt her eyes widen and her cheeks reddening. "How I feel? What are you talking about?"
"Katara, I know that you're in love with Zuko."
She stood in panic. "Spirits, you know that?"
"Yes."
"Have you known all along?"
"Yes."
She groaned and sank her fingers into her hair to pull at her scalp. "Oh spirits, no! This is so… embarrassing."
Hakoda shrugged. "You act very much like your mother did, when I first met her, so it wasn't difficult for me to notice. I don't think that Zuko knows, though. Or Sokka."
Katara groaned again. "Oh, thank the spirits! But Dad! What can I do? His girlfriend just cheated on him! With his sister! How can I confess my feelings to him now?"
Her dad looked as if it was obvious. "You have to tell him now, because it might not take long until he's in another relationship again, and then you won't be able to tell him again!"
Katara sank her head on her knees. "Yes, but he's vulnerable now. Even if I told him, how could I know that his reaction would be genuine? He was in love with Mai!"
Hakoda sighed. "I don't know. But I know that the Christmas party would be a lot easier if the two of you were together. Until now, I always invited all the bachelors in town, but never any single women. Their families start to feel insulted."
Katara blinked. "Dad? Were you trying to play matchmaker?"
"You're my daughter. I want you to be happy."
"So, you would accept Zuko as my boyfriend?"
Hakoda rolls his eyes. "I would accept Zuko if he was the guy who impregnated you in high school, Katara. He's a good kid. Don't let him walk away. Tell him how you feel. And about all the grandchildren you want to give me."
"Spirits, you know that?"
Hakoda nodded. "Just think about it."
Katara sighed. "Okay. I will."
oOo
The first time that Zuko had slept at Hakoda's, he had managed to burn a hole through the ground just by breathing. He had accidentally warmed the air around him, every time he'd meditated, and after a few days, the ice on which he had sat was so thin that he'd fallen right through and into the kitchen.
But firebenders needed to meditate, so from then on Katara came to his room every morning and every evening to freeze the ice again and make it thick enough. Usually, she would stay longer with Zuko and talk to him, but not today.
So, Zuko wondered if Katara was alright. Or if he had accidentally offended her at some point. For some reason, he was really good at this. Since he knew her, he recalled times in which Katara hadn't spoken to him for no known reason. At least, no known reason to him.
Whenever that happened, Zuko had thought of something very nice to do for Katara to apologise. It had always worked, and after a while she had warmed up to him again and treated him just as she had before.
But this time was worse. First of all, Zuko was mostly alone with Katara. Hakoda went to work early in the morning, and since he was the chief of the Southern Water Tribe, he worked quite long. Sokka, who usually brought some bumper energy with him, wasn't here.
On the second day of his stay, Zuko tried to help Katara with breakfast, but she kept telling him that he didn't need to help her and that she made breakfast every day on her own, anyway.
"But I'm gooing to eat some of it, so I can just as well help you!" he tried to object.
"No!" squeaked Katara, when he took a step in her direction and reached for the plates in her hands. "No, you can't!" She ducked and walked around him to put the plates on the table.
"Oy course, I can. Now, come on, we can make breakfast together." Zuko stepped in front of the rice pot to oversee it cooking.
"Stop that!" Katara snapped at him, after she turned away from the table. She put her hands on his arms and chest to shove him aside.
Zuko frowned and made himself heavier. He grabbed her wrists. "What's your problem?" he snarled. "I just want to help you!"
Katara took a deep breath and looked up. Only now did Zuko realise how close they stood. Her body almost touched his, and he could even small her perfume. The skin on her wrists was soft, her eyes were wide and her lips a little opened.
He felt himself flush and quickly let her go again.
Katara swallowed and put her hands in her pockets. "Okay, fine. You can check on the rice."
She walked to the fridge and bent over to pull vegetables and fish out, and Zuko quickly turned back to the rice. He hadn't really looked at her behind just now.
Urgh. Great. He really didn't need these feelings again.
A few months after Zuko had met Katara, he had fallen for her the first time. Since he knew her, he thought that she was amazing and wonderful. But she'd been with Aang back then, so Zuko hadn't ever tried to do anything. He'd tried to get rid of his feelings for her, so he'd started dating Jin. Then, Aang and Katara had broken up, but Zuko hadn't known what to do about it all. Approaching Katara in a romantic way had never seemed easy or even doable, and he'd also been too afraid of rejection until he had convinced himself that she would never even like him back. So, he had learned to live with that crush. He had managed to live so well with it that sometimes it felt like he wasn't in love with her at all.
He closed his eyes.
Okay, so Katara was mad at him for some reason, and he started feeling things for her again. And he had to stay with her til Christmas. Which was in two weeks. Yeah, that was very doable.
oOo
Katara wanted to punch herself.
How could she have said these horrible things to Zuko?
Sure, she had wanted to make him breakfast to surprise him and maybe start the conversation she needed to have with him this way, but then he came to help her and ruined it all. Still, he had only wanted to help. And he usually helped her with the food whenever he visited.
She had to get a grip and treat him in a normal way. Or he'd think she was totally crazy!
After breakfast, Katara went to the bathroom to take a shower, wondering how she could spend more time with Zuko without making it look like she liked him.
She didn't have to think about it too much, though. When Katara got out of the bathroom, Zuko was waiting for her.
"I thought of going into town. Do you wanna come with me?"
Katara blinked. Town. At Christmas. Christmas decorations, lights, music. Stalls with sweet cakes and hot drinks.
She'd been to town with Zuko before when it was decorated. But that had always been with Sokka. Never alone with him. Spirits, alone with him!
"I… er, well, so, erm… Yeah. I mean… I… have things to do there. In town. So, we can drive there together, but then I'll have to be somewhere."
"Oh." Zuko almost looked sad.
Dammit, Katara! "I mean, I should really get a start on buying Christmas presents, and you can't be with me then, because then you would know what I'm giving you. But maybe you can help me choose presents for my family, Toph, and Aang, if that's okay with you?"
Zuko brightened and Katara blushed.
"Sure! Sounds great!"
oOo
Maybe asking Katara to come to town with him hadn't been such a good idea.
Zuko had had fun. He had laughed, he had smiled, he had even tried to make a joke, and he hadn't thought about Mai at all.
But his feelings for Katara were back with even more force than ever before. Spending that day with her just showed him again how wonderful she was.
He tried to get this out of his head again but also thought that he'd done enough to apologise to Katara for whatever she had been offended with.
He spent the next few days practising his firebending, helping Katara to make their meals, and sometimes they sat together on the couch, watching TV. It always felt so comfortable and normal to sit there with Katara. Yesterday, she'd fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder, and he had feared that the beating of his heart would wake her up again or that Hakoda would walk in and make them get away from each other.
Today, Zuko had spent most of his time outside by the little pond. He'd meditated, drank tea, then used his cup to hold the firebending scroll down, since it was very windy today. At least, it didn't snow.
Zuko practised, and from time to time looked back at the scroll to see if his moves were all correct.
Around eleven o'clock, Katara came to him with a hot chocolate.
Zuko stopped moving and smiled at her, still panting, and feeling sweat on his forehead.
"I came to bring you this," Katara said, raising the cup in her hands. "And after you warmed yourself up, we can maybe spar a little?"
"Sure."
She smiled and moved to grab his teacup. "I'll bring that inside and…"
The wind picked up, and the firebending scroll flew away and into the pond.
"No!" Zuko screamed and started running towards it.
"Zuko, wait!" Katara shouted.
He didn't care. He knew she hadn't sone it on purpose, but Uncle had gifted him this scroll, and it was in his family already for generations. The firebending forms on it were almost as ancient as the original firebending itself.
Zuko skidded to a halt on the edge of the pond and quickly pulled off his sweater, shoes, socks, and jeans. He waded slowly into the ice cold water, and his teeth started to clatter immediately. He hugged himself tightly to stop the cold from climbing up his whole body.
"Zuko! Stop immediately!" he heard Katara shout again.
Zuko frowned and took a deep breath, before he threw himself into the waters of icy hell.
"Fuck!" he gasped, as he broke through the surface. "It's fucking cold!"
Suddenly, the water around him began to move and push him away. He began to struggle and tried to swim towards the scroll, but the water engulfed him, he swallowed some, and then he sat on the shore again. He spluttered. "Katara!" Angrily, he stood and turned around, just to stop in his tracks and stare at her.
The water which she had bent back to her had splashed over her, too. Her blouse stuck to her torso, and her long hair hang in wet strands around her face. Zuko's eyes widened.
Katara stared back at him, then she shifted her stance and bent the scroll to her before she bent the water out of it. "See?" She smiled.
Zuko blinked. "Er…"
Katara looked a little flushed when she bent the water away from his body.
Zuko shivered. "Thanks," he said, but he was still freezing.
Katara walked towards him and gave him the scroll back.
Zuko stared intently at the scroll, because Katara's blouse was clinging very tightly to her, and she was obviously also cold. He swallowed, as he slowly took the scroll back. "Thanks," he rasped.
Katara smiled, before she stood and bent the water out of her clothes and hair. "So, I don't know about you, but I'm freezing." She hugged herself and stroked over her arms.
Zuko looked back at the cup of hot chocolate she had given him. In her haste to catch up to him, she had probably let the cup fall to the floor. His eyes darted to his dropped clothes, which were now soaked from Katara's wave.
"Er, yeah. I'm freezing, too. Could you, maybe…?" He pointed at his clothes, and couldn't dare to stand up, because the cold had made him tense a lot, and now he found himself in a physical predicament.
"Sure!" Katara smiled again and bent the water from his clothes and into the pond. "Sorry about that," she added with a sheepish grin.
Zuko shrugged. "It's alright." He stretched himself slowly, then bent his lower body away from Katara and crawled over to his jeans. It was hard and awkward how he put his trousers back on, but it worked. When he put his sweater back on, he took a deep breath, which he used to put more energy into his limbs, and then he let out a breath of fire. His body predicament went away.
He sighed. "Ah, already better."
Katara looked strangely at him, almost envious.
Zuko still pushed his body temperature up until he felt all hot and dry.
"Be careful not to put your sweater on fire," she said.
He would have liked to offer her a hug to warm her up, but he couldn't actually say that to her.
He snorted instead and walked up to her. "Come on, let's get you inside, before you freeze to death."
This time, Katara didn't object at all, when Zuko went into the kitchen to do something for her. She had curled up on the couch and put two furs around her shoulders, her teeth clattering.
Zuko put his own two cups into the sink, before he hurried to make another two cups of hot chocolate. In the end, he sprayed some whipped cream on top of Katara's, knowing she liked that. He himself only liked freshly whipped cream, and certainly not on top of hot cocoa, as he found it sweet and fat enough, but to each their own.
"Here." He smiled, as he handed Katara her cup.
"Thank you." She smiled back at him and took her cup from him.
He sat down next to her and wondered about what to say.
"Hah!" Katara swallowed her hot cocoa and raised her eyebrows at him. "Now, what about that scroll was so important that you forgot that I'm a waterbender?"
Zuko's cheeks flushed. "Er, well… It is important in itself, because it is very old, but it is also important to, you know. It's been given down in my family, and Uncle gave it to me when I… well, er, when I left my father. Those firebending forms are so ancient that not even my father knows them."
Katara's ocean blue eyes widened. "Wow."
"Yeah, they're from the Sun Warriors. It's the oldest known civilisation in the Fire Nation. They're extinct now, but they were the first firebenders to learn from the dragons!"
Katara beamed at him, and he realised too late that he was beaming himself. He had to look quite excited about what he was telling her.
"So that's why it is so important to you." Katara nodded. "You take firebending quite seriously, and you love your uncle so much. I understand now why this scroll means so much to you. Are the forms difficult?"
Zuko snorted. "Difficult? They are all based on completely different basics! It's like I'm learning firebending all over again."
"Is this how you managed to warm up earlier? I've never seen you do this before."
"Yeah. It's called the breath of fire. It's good for keeping warm. And I also learned to raise my body temperature."
Katara chuckled. "That might be practical here at the pole."
Zuko flushed. "I'm sorry, I would have… I mean, I could… Er…" Shit, now he started saying something.
"What is it?" she asked.
He took a deep breath. "I mean, because I can raise my body temperature… I can technically warm you, and I didn't want to be impolite by not offering it."
Katara looked as if she blushed, before she shook her head. "That's alright. I know you're not big on hugs."
"I don't mind them from you, though," he said and felt himself flushing immediately.
Katara smiled widely, though. She took the last sip of her drink and then scooted closer to him on the couch. "Then please warm me up, firebender."
Zuko's cheeks warmed even more, but he raised his arm to put it over Katara's shoulders and pulled the furs over her chest. "Okay," he said, as Katara snuggled closed.
"Oh, you're already warm," she sighed.
Zuko felt the butterflies in his stomach go wild. Shit, he didn't need this now. How could he ever win Katara's heart? It was useless, his feelings were so damn useless. They just made him miserable.
But at the same time he felt so happy, whenever Katara smiled at him, or was close to him, and the world seemed brighter. His heart beat faster, and he swallowed, as he tried to concentrate on raising his body temperature.
Katara made a humming sound that almost sounded like a purr. "Mhm, that's warm."
Zuko grinned.
oOo
"Katara?"
She sat up in her bed and pulled her furs closer. "Yes?"
Her dad entered her room and sat down next to her. "So, did you mange to tell Zuko about your feelings yet?"
Katara groaned and put her face in her hands. "No. I just can't. It's too difficult. If he doesn't like me, I would lose such a good friend!"
Hakoda frowned. "Katara. He would make you happy, I can see that."
Katara bit down on her lip. "Yes, I would be happy. But would he?" She sighed. "Maybe he's too good for me."
"Ha! Too good?" Hakoda leaned forward and stroked over Katara's cheek. "Katara, you're the most wonderful girl on Earth!" He took a deep breath. "But you've become a woman and can start a life for yourself. You can start a family now if you want to."
Katara tugged on her hair. A family with Zuko! That was everything she'd dreamt about for the last years! Well, not only a family with him, but being with him, and living with him, being loved by him. That would be the absolute best thing ever!
Well, okay, Katara also dreamed about becoming a doctor one day, but still.
Hakoda took a deep breath. "Well, you know we will host a party for Christmas Eve again, right?"
Katara nodded. Every year, Hakoda had to host it and invite all important people from all over the Southern Water Tribe. Normally, Katara loved this party. There was a lot of dancing, Sokka always did something funny, and in the last few years, Aang, Toph, and Zuko had always made the party more fun for Katara.
But this year, all she could think about was what to wear, and if and how to dance with Zuko. Normally, she could ignore her feelings for him, but this year, Sokka wasn't here, and she was closer to Zuko than she'd ever been. Never before had they cuddled on the sofa!
"How about you get the most wonderful dress and ask Zuko to dance with you? Dancing always makes the young people fall in love."
Katara chuckled. "How do you know that? Teen films?"
Hakoda shrugged helplessly. "Well, I have to get information on my children's generation from somewhere, right? But I was more thinking about historical romance. Or fairy tales."
Katara sighed. "Alright. I'll try that."
oOo
Sokka had spent a lot of time in Gaoling, Gaipan, Yu Dao, Ba Sing Se, and was now on the way back to the Southern Water Tribe. He'd really had a lot of good times, but also a lot of bad times. Some Earth Kingdom girls liked his Southern Water Tribe charm, but he remembered well how he'd started talking to that beautiful auburn-haired girl in Yu Dao. He'd only seen her from behind, so he hadn't known.
Or he would have known that "Hello, lovely lady. Would you like to join me in my ice hut?" with a heavy Southern accent wouldn't work with Suki.
It had been six years that he'd seen Suki, but it had been still a shock to see her again. She was still beautiful, still funny, and still witty.
Sokka tried to get her out of his head. Their relationship back in high school had been great, but in the end, it hadn't lasted. Why should anything be different now?
He sighed and rubbed over his face, as he walked towards his last stop on this journey. He was on Kyoshi Island, and he would have a great night here. He wasn't even in Suki's home town, so no one would recognise him, hopefully.
Banning Suki from his mind, Sokka stepped into the bar and put on his most charming smile. He might have to work a little more on these women from Kyoshi. They were more used to Southern Water Tribe folk, but Sokka was determined to spend one last fun night.
He sat down at the bar and looked around to check out the women. He ordered a whisky to start the night, but he didn't want to get too drunk. Just when he decided between two women, he saw someone sit down next to him out of the corner of his eye.
"What are you doing here? Still thinking your accent might get you somewhere?"
Sokka wanted to groan in annoyance. But he felt a little giddy and excited, as he turned around to look into Suki's blue eyes.
In the end, his night was still fun.
oOo
It was Christmas Eve.
The party was going, everyone had their fun, and Katara had talked to a few of her kindergarten friends from here. She had danced a little with the girls, had talked to teachers and mayors, and architects, then to the city council, and had then gone to look for Zuko.
She hadn't seen him much at all this evening yet, trying to avoid him to muster up the courage to ask him to dance.
Okay, this now, was a good song! She had to take this chance!
Nodding to herself, Katara checked her hair, as she spotted Zuko leaning on the bar and sipping on a glass. He wore a tailored dress suit in black with a red button down shirt underneath.
Katara took a deep breath. She wore a light blue dress with long sleeves and glittering white snowflakes all over. She couldn't look any less similar to Zuko. Their outfits didn't match! What if they didn't match?! What if they wouldn't be good for each other?!
As panic rushed through her, she saw Zuko downing the rest of his drink, before his eyes focused on her and he came to her, straight through the whole room.
Katara swallowed.
"Do you want to dance?" he asked. "Who knows when we'll get another chance?"
Katara's eyes widened.
She had wanted to ask him! But this was even better.
You're in the mood for a dance / And when you get the chance
Katara smiled brightly. "Yes, yes, of course!"
Zuko smiled back, before he took her hand and led her onto the dance floor. They danced through the rest of Dancing Queen, wiggling their arms, turning from side to side, Katara swinging her hips a little… But then a slow song began.
Katara felt her heart start to beat faster, and she felt Zuko looming over her. His closeness seemed threatening but was also alluring.
He pressed his lips together, and his cheeks looked flushed, but he offered her his hand. Biting down on her lip, she took it and let herself be pulled forward, let herself fall into his smell and body. She laid her other hand on his shoulder, felt his in her back, a constant, heavy support, warm and tempting.
Katara looked at one of the buttons on Zuko's shirt, as she took a deep breath. She revelled in his closeness, in his embrace and wanted to notice as much as she could, so that she would remember it for all time.
His chin touched her forehead sometimes, and after a while she felt brace enough to look up. She found his eyes and saw how he tilted his head.
Her eyes widened a little at the look in his eyes. He almost looked… as if he wanted to kiss her. His eyes were intense, almost burning, solely focused on her, his face looked tense and serious.
Something, maybe it was the wine from before, or just the general atmosphere, or because it was Christmas Eve, and Christmas Eve was a magical time, but something made Katara braved than she'd ever felt. She leaned forward until their chests touched.
Zuko's eyes widened. But he didn't step back. He kept looking at her, almost in a searching, hopeful way.
"You dance well," said Katara.
"You, too," he answered.
"You taught it to me," she replied. That he had done. Katara had wanted how to dance so badly, and Sokka had told her that Zuko knew all formal dances, so she had asked him if he could teach her. Her father was right. Katara had fallen for Zuko during these dance lessons. "But you never liked dancing," Katara added. "You always thought it was annoying."
His hand on her back felt as if it would stroke her in a reassuring way. "I always liked dancing with you, though," he answered in a raspy voice.
Katara took a deep breath, but then a new song started, and this time, it was a fast one.
She swallowed as she took a step back. She didn't want this moment to end. "You still don't like parties much, though, do you?"
His eyes seemed to blaze. "No. I despise them."
Katara nodded. "Good. Then we should leave."
She turned around to walk towards the exit, not looking if Zuko was following her. Urgh, how stupid! What if he wasn't following her?
But after a quick glance over her shoulder, she saw him following her, his eyes still so fiery. They left the community hall, which was only down the street from Katara's home.
Wrapped in parkas again, Katara thought that parkas were probably the unsexist clothes on Earth. They'd just taken all the tension from the air.
Zuko walked close enough to her, so that they could hold each other's hands, but they didn't do it. They entered Hakoda's house, and Katara already climbed the stairs to the first floor. She couldn't slow down, or she wouldn't find her courage again.
Zuko stopped in the middle of the hallway, looking at the door to his room, then to Katara, his eyebrow rose until he took s few steps in her direction.
Katara's back was pressed to the door. He came closer and closer, but not close enough.
"So, good night then," he rasped.
Aw, shit. "G-good night." Katara tried to smile, but it probably looked like a grimace, and then Zuko was suddenly closer, and she saw his face up close, and then it descended, and oh spirits, she felt his lips on hers!
He was kissing her! She couldn't believe it! He was kissing her!
He tasted a bit of whisky, but Katara probably tasted of wine and cheap beer, and she knew that Zuko hated cheap alcohol.
Zuko leaned away.
Katara panicked. "Maybe, maybe, you don't have to go, and you could…"
"Yeah. I could just…" he rasped before he engulfed her lips with his again.
He leaned in closer, and Katara wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. His hands went to her hips, and then she felt his stomach against her suddenly, and she took a step in his direction to press against his wonderful body.
He groaned and pushed her against her door.
Katara extracted one hand from his hair to open her door and pulled him into her room.
His lips felt so good. They were nicely soft, but the moved in a slightly rough way, which she had almost expected from Zuko. But she was the one who opened her mouth first. Katara wanted to have a real, a deep kiss from him, and she coaxed his mouth to open, as she let herself sink onto her bed.
Zuko followed her immediately, and then he lied on top of her, and his tongue circled hers, his hands stroked her hips.
Katara felt completely light headed and dizzy.
Zuko broke their kiss to trail his lips along her jaw and down her throat. He leaned back a little and gazed down at her. "You're so beautiful."
Katara's heart seemed to hump out of her chest, and the butterflies in her stomach were making back flips. She raised her hand to his scar and stroked over his cheekbone. "So are you," she whispered.
Something in his gaze shifted, and when he kissed her again it felt a lot more sensual than before. It felt real, like this wasn't just a make out session, but the first kiss of two people who'd been destined to meet and fall in love.
Katara's eyes closed. Oh, this felt like true love's first kiss.
And her phone rang.
Irritated, she wanted to ignore it, but Zuko had already leaned back. Katara tugged her phone out of the pockets of her dress. "It's Sokka," she said, looking at Zuko.
He panted but nodded. "You should better answer. You know how he can get."
Katara offered him a small smile, before answering the phone. "Hello?"
"Katara? Honestly? I hurry my ass off to be here for you, and now Dad tells me you're already gone?" Sokka asked.
"Wait. You're at the party right now?"
"Yes! Come back here! Aang and Toph just arrived. Wait, here."
"Hi, Katara!"
"What's up, Sugar Queen?"
"Bring Zuko with you, will you?" Sokka shouted. "The night's still young, we're all here, and I need my men to party!"
"Your men?"
"Aang and Zuko. Come on, Katara, please come back!"
Katara gnawed on her lip, as she looked at Zuko, who had sat next to her, his hair dishevelled and his dress suit a little wrinkled. His eyes were wide and he stared at his hands. Oh spirits, what was he thinking? Was he wondering how he could have kissed Sokka's little sister? Or was he even thinking about that horrible Mai?
"O-okay. Give me some time. I still need to find Zuko." She ended the phone call and turned to the broody firebender in her bed.
"We should get back. Sokka, Aang, and Toph are all there."
Zuko looked like he wanted to argue and Katara's heart soared for a moment, but then he nodded.
"Yeah, sure."
They didn't talk about what this now meant for them, and if this was enough in order to tell the others. Until they were back at the community hall, they didn't speak at all.
oOo
Now that Sokka was back, he demanded attention, and Katara didn't get one moment alone with Zuko. Aang and Toph were distracting, too, and Katara wondered if this one moment was all she would ever get from Zuko. Was this already the end of it all?
On Boxing Day, Uncle Iroh arrived and everyone gathered around him. Katara liked the old man, but right now she just wanted to have a few minutes with Zuko to herself. However, she knew how important Iroh was to Zuko, so she busied herself with other stuff. She didn't want to bother them.
Like every year, Zuko left on the 27th December. Katara cried that night, when he was gone.
oOo
When Zuko was back in the Fire Nation, he first wrote an e-mail to his Uncle. Uncle had known about Zuko's original crush on Katara, and maybe he even knew that Zuko had never really got over it.
Other than that, life was pretty normal again. Zuko practised firebending in the morning, went to work, ignored Azula's calls, and even went into a bar with some work colleagues.
Well, he wanted to. But he couldn't forget Katara and this moment they'd shared.
What had it meant to her? Anything? Anything at all? Surely not as much as it had meant to him. After all, he had wondered how to talk to her about it later on, but she had seemed completely unbothered. When he had been so close to confessing to her.
Zuko had kissed Katara. He couldn't deny it. No, he just couldn't. He loved her. He loved Katara, and he didn't want anyone else.
"The girl with the braid there in the corner looks hot. And she's kept looking at you, Zuko," his colleague Chan said with a grin.
Zuko hadn't even sat down yet, nor ordered anything.
"Are you alright?" Ruon Jian asked.
Zuko frowned, then looked at the table. "No, I'm not. Or yes, I am." He grinned. "I hate this bar, by the way. I'm only coming, because I force myself to be more social with people." He took a deep breath. "And I won't talk to the woman over there, nor to any other woman, because I'm already in love." He shrugged. "I'm in love with Katara Qinu, the most wonderful person on Earth, and…" His eyes widened. "… and I'm gonna tell her now. Yes, of course."
He walked out of the bar and took the next taxi to the airport. While he waited at his gate, and also during the flight, he practised what he would tell Katara, once he was there.
He felt a little crazy right now. Drunk, insane and invincible. As if he could only win. And Zuko had never felt like this ever before.
He arrived at the Southern Water Tribe, where Sokka waited for him, just as asked. Zuko had texted him from the airport in the Fire Nation.
"So why are you back so suddenly?" he asked and eyed Zuko, as he climbed into the car.
"I have to do something."
Sokka started the engine and left the parking place. "What's that?"
"Sokka, I need to tell you something, and it might be weird for you, but I love Katara."
Sokka gasped. "Don't tell me something like this while I'm driving, man!"
"Sorry."
"So… you're back, because you love Katara?"
"I need to tell her." He waited with bated breath.
Sokka sighed. "Okay. Well, I can't say that I knew, because it definitely is a surprise, but you know…" He patted Zuko's arm. "You're already part of our family. You're one of my best friends, and I know you will be good to her."
Zuko's heart felt lighter. "Thanks, man."
"No problem."
But there was a problem. When Sokka and Zuko arrived, Hakoda told them that Katara had just left for work.
She worked a server in a local restaurant from time to time.
"Why?" Hakoda asked.
"I want to ask Katara if she would marry me," Zuko blurted.
"What?" cried Sokka.
Hakoda laughed and put one of his large hands on Zuko's shoulder. "That's wonderful news!"
Zuko felt like he was going to be sick. He'd only wanted to tell Katara that he loved her, but… Well, marrying her was part of that future, in which she had feelings for him, too, soo…
Why not?
"Mother!" Hakoda shouted into the house. "Pakku! Come all, we're going into town to see Katara! Zuko's going to ask for her hand in marriage!"
It took a while until Kanna and Pakku were downstairs with them and dressed so that they could start the way to where Katara worked. The streets were so icy that no sato mobile could drive, so they all had to work.
Zuko didn't feel too well under the stares of Kanna and Pakku.
"Where are you going, Chief?" one of the small kids, playing outside, making a snowman, said.
"This young man will ask my daughter for her hand in marriage."
"But he's a firebender!"
Zuko winced.
"He's a good man," Hakoda objected.
The children weren't the only people outside, and everyone knew Hakoda, and everyone wanted to know what was happening, and suddenly, it wasn't only Katara's family following Zuko anymore.
At some point, he saw Toph bending earth from under the ice and attacking Aang. Aang stopped and called out "Hey! Where are you going?"
A small child shouted "This firebender wants to kill Katara!"
Aang and Toph raced towards them.
"No, he will marry her, you idiot!" a little girl replied and slapped the little boy on his arm.
"Marry?" Aang asked, aghast. "And I'm not invited?"
"I won't marry her, Aang," Zuko said.
"Zuko! I thought you had already left? Now you're back here?"
"You're here to get Sweetness? Sweet." Toph grinned.
Aang's eyes widened. "You and Katara? Oh, that makes so much sense! But I want to be invited to your wedding!"
Zuko's cheeks flushed even more. "I won't marry her now!"
"He's just gonna ask," Sokka said, slinging an arm around Zuko's shoulders.
Zuko groaned, before he shook the arm away and started to walk faster. He wanted to get to Katara, and not have any more strangers ask why there was such a large group walking through the streets!
And at last, they arrived at the small restaurant.
Zuko took a deep breath. He had to do this alone. No one would help him.
It was loud in the restaurant. So, Zuko filled his lungs and started shouting.
"KAAAA-TAAAA-RAAAAAA!"
Everyone was quiet, at once.
Then, a middle aged, round man came shuffling towards him. "What's this? What business do you have with one of my servers, huh?"
Zuko swallowed. "I am here, because I have to tell her, no, I have to ask her if… she will marry me."
"What?"
He felt his face flush, as he turned around and saw Katara stand on the other side of the room. "Er, hey… Katara."
She looked at him in a disbelieving way but took a few steps in his direction. "Hey, Zuko."
"Katara. I just wanted to… I mean, I've had feelings for you for a long time. Years, actually. Most of the time, I tried to ignore them, and I was somewhat successful. But I always knew that you are strong, and brave, and kind, and intelligent, and stubborn, and protective, and that you're the most amazing person I've ever met." He took a deep breath. "When we kissed last week, that was… a kiss like I've never had one before. It felt like the only kiss that would ever be important. It was the kind of kiss that is life changing, and I…" He swallowed. "I love you. And I just couldn't stay at home, knowing this with all my heart and not telling you." He began to walk towards her, because the look on her face did look more inviting than repulsing.
She sniffed, and there were tears in her eyes, but she also seemed to smile.
"And I've loved you for years. I loved you, although I thought I could never had a chance. And so I know that I will always love you. I could never stop, even if I wanted to. And I don't want to stop. I want to love you every day, and I want to be with you every day." He couldn't stop himself from smiling suddenly. "I know this will sound crazy, and you will probably say no, because I know that you're not as crazy as I am. As you've been telling me."
She smiled, letting out a short and soft chuckle, before she pressed her lips together.
"But I can't keep quiet, and I just wanted to try, and…" He took a deep breath. "would you grant me the honour of giving me your hand in marriage?"
The tears started to fall down Katara's cheeks, and she laughed again.
"I love you, too," she said and laughed or cried again.
Zuko's jaw went slack, and his eyes widened. "Y-you do?"
She laughed. "Yes. Yes, I do love you, and I loved you for years, and I wanted to tell you this Christmas, but I didn't find the right time, and…" Suddenly, she jumped forward, and Zuko's arms went around her immediately, as she started kissing him.
The whole restaurant broke out in loud cheers.
Katara kissed his lips, then his cheeks and his nose. He grinned.
"Zuko, I love you," she said lowly, only for his ears. "I want to be with you, but you're right. I'm not crazy. I want to marry you someday, but I don't want to get betrothed now."
He chuckled. "I know. You like to make plans."
"And you're reckless and live in the moment."
He kissed her again. Because she looked lovely, because he loved her, because she loved him, and simply because he could kiss her now and wanted to make up for all this lost time.
"I love you," he murmured.
"I love you, too," she answered against his lips.
oOo
Two months later
Zuko arrived at the airport of the Southern Water Tribe once again.
But this time, he was way happier to be here.
He had a girlfriend, and she was the most wonderful woman out there. He couldn't wait to see her again.
Katara almost made him lose his stand, as she hug-tackled him from the front.
Zuko grunted but managed to grasp her thighs. "Hey," he said.
She beamed at him before she gave him a kiss.
Oh spirits, how much he'd missed her!
She pulled him along with her. "Come on, everyone else is waiting!"
"Everyone else?"
Katara's father had accompanied her, but also her brother, grandmother, and step-grandfather. There was a girl next to Sokka, who seemed vaguely familiar.
"Suki?" Zuko blinked. He remembered her from high school. She had been Sokka's girlfriend for a few years back then.
"Hey Zuko." Suki smiled, leaning closed to Sokka, who had one arm around her shoulders, grinning like an idiot.
"You're together again?" Zuko asked.
"Yep!" Sokka beamed. "We met again coincidentally, and it felt like destiny!"
Suki chuckled, but only kissed Sokka's hand instead of objecting him.
"Well, I'm happy for you," Zuko said and clapped Sokka on the shoulder.
"Look!" Katara shouted. "There's Aang and Toph!"
The two had come with a plane from Gaoling, where Aang's flight from Yu Dao had made s stop, and where Toph had visited her parents.
Aang and Toph were holding hands.
Everyone gasped, and Katara's grip on Zuko's arm tightened.
Toph rolled her eyes, when they were close enough. "Yes, Twinkletoes and I are together. Now stop making these stupid faces and get over it!"
Aang was just a beaming, grinning ball of happiness, who looked as if he couldn't understand his luck.
Zuko let his gaze wander over the airport and noticed that everyone who arrived here to meet someone seemed so happy to finally see the person again.
He saw a little girl and a man, daughter and father, hugging each other, and then a middle-aged man with a middle-aged mother, maybe a couple, who kissed.
Never before had Zuko felt so receptive for shows of affection from strangers, but today he felt as if it warmed even him, to see others happy.
He wrapped an arm around Katara's shoulder who looked up at him in a questioning way. But Zuko just pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
Being in a happy relationship had already changed him a little. But he wasn't afraid of any more change. Not when Katara was at his side. He knew that he would be able to face any change with her. Because Katara made him whole.
So, this was it! I hope you liked it and that there aren't too many typos in here... Let me know what you think! :D
(I don't think that Mai would cheat on Zuko with Azula, but that was taken from the film.)
(I also don't think that Sokka is such an idiot, but I thought it was funny to insert this little Sukka in here, and I also took this from the film.)
I don't know if I like Taang, actually, but I wanted a similar ending in here as to the film.