A/N: Hello lovelies! Please accept this most humble offering to the ZK fanworks week. I'm not going to lie, I caught a little of the imposter syndrome that's been going around looking at all the amazing art and reading the most incredible works to come out of only two days so far. But then I remembered that's what makes this ship so beautiful, is we have TONS of AMAZING content that shows our love for these two, and adding to that can only be a good thing.

Anyways, if you haven't checked out pineapple-frenzy on tumblr, you should. Their art is AMAZING and I'm slightly obsessed, especially with their short hair Katara art. This fic is less of "Let me put into words this art" and more of "I was so inspired by this short hair Katara that I need to write a short hair Katara fic". So it might be a tiny stretch for the prompt, but oh well. This post specifically post/629504282195017728/please-consider-short-hair-katara-and-long-hair is what inspired me to write this little fic.

Also thank you again to hereforthezutarastuff for beta reading! 3

"I'm doing it. I can't take it anymore."

"Are you sure? This is a pretty big decision."

Katara rolled her eyes and turned to face her husband. "No, the women's rights law you passed last week was a big decision. This is trivial in comparison."

Zuko sighed, letting one of his hands come up to run through her hair. "I just… maybe I'm a little attached to it."

Katara pursed her lips and crossed her arms. "You have to understand where I'm coming from."

He nodded, biting his lip. "I do, but it's still not very…. Traditional."

She laughed openly at that, throwing her head back. "Zuko, what part of our relationship could really be considered traditional?"

He gave her a small smile. "I guess that's a fair point."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. "I know what I'm doing, and I think it'll be good. Besides, if I don't like it, it'll always grow back, right? I mean, your hair certainly came in well after that awful ponytail thing you had."

He groaned, but she saw the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "Don't remind me. Your brother already uses every opportunity he has to remind me how egglike my head looked."

Katara stifled a giggle as best she could, letting her hands fall to Zuko's chest. She couldn't believe how worked up he was getting over her decision to chop off her hair. Sure, she understood it was traditional in the Fire Nation to grow one's hair out. However, not everyone in the Fire Nation had twins pulling at their hair every time they fed. She couldn't take it anymore.

Katara stood on her tip toes to plant a quick kiss on Zuko's lips before turning to head to the Royal Spa where she would have her haircut. "You know," she teased over her shoulder, "Sokka's right. You did look like an egg."

She heard him mumble, "Not you too," but she just laughs in response as she closes the door and heads away from their chambers.

By the time the last lock falls, Katara's head feels lighter and cooler than she has since she moved to the humid Fire Nation. She runs her hands through her hair, instinctively pulling harder than she needs to for her now short locks. She loves the slightly angled bob the attendant had suggested since it left just enough length to pull her bangs out of her face while working. As she heads out of the salon she keeps shaking her head back and forth, testing the weight of her new cut.

Katara heads to a meeting on the continuing education reform, and Zuko ends up stuck dealing with a petition through dinner. The meal isn't without its own adventures though, as Izumi squeals at her new hair and spends as much time trying to touch it as she does eating her dinner.

In fact, it's much later into the night until Katara has the chance to show off her new locks to Zuko. She's feeding the twins before bed in the rocking chair in the nursery, trying to coax Kya to have just a little more while Lu Ten waits, when Zuko walks in.

He must have forgotten about her haircut, because he immediately strides over to pick up Lu Ten, carefully cradling him as he paces the room, venting about the land dispute that kept him from dinner. Katara clears her throat when Kya's finished, and Zuko still doesn't notice as he swaps Lu Ten for Kya, still rambling about councilwoman Ta Min's inability to "make a final decision, for Agni's sake". He bounces Kya gently, trying to get her to burp.

Katara wonders how much longer it's going to take for him to notice when he suddenly stops his pacing and slowly turns to face her. She bites her lip, feeling him study her, taking in her look. She feels the urge to finger the strands hanging in her face, but Lu Ten's weight keeps her arms glued down.

All her fears are assuaged when a smile breaks across his face. "Wow, Katara, you look amazing!" he exclaims. His eyes are bright with excitement, and she can feel herself blush a little. Even after all these years, after having three kids, Zuko somehow managed to make her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.

"You like it? You don't think it's too choppy or frames my face weird?" she hesitantly asks. He's shaking his head "no" as he steps to her, reaching out a hand to run through her short locks.

"I know I was really hesitant on the idea, but I love it. You look incredible," he whispers, careful of Kya now sleeping in his arms. Katara smiles and leans into his embrace.

"Thank you. It feels a lot better as well. I think I might finally be able to enjoy the summer now."

He let out a low laugh, crossing the room to place Kya in her crib. Zuko kissed her forehead gently before laying her down and coming back to pull Lu Ten from Katara's arms.

"Maybe I should cut my hair again. You know, to survive the summer," he teased as he began pacing with Lu Ten. Katara was worried though.

"Don't you dare! You know how much I love your hair."

She doesn't miss the pouty look flash across his eyes before he responds. "That's a bit hypocritical, don't you think love?"

She rolled her eyes and stood up to pick up the various toys and books that always worked their way across the floor. "I think at least one of us should keep a traditional image. Since you're from here, that should be you."

It's his turn to roll his eyes as he kisses Lu Ten and sets him in his crib. They stand together for a moment, watching their babies as they sleep, before Zuko uses his bending to put out the lights. Moving in unison, they head to the chamber next door to put Izumi to bed.

After gushing over Katara's hair again, an exciting retelling of Zuko meeting the firebending masters, and one Water Tribe lullaby, the rambunctious Izumi finally drifts off to sleep. They pick up their conversation from earlier as they head into their chambers to dress for bed.

"Weren't you the one who reminded me just today that our relationship is anything but traditional?" Zuko asked as he removed his crown and let his own long locks down from the traditional top knot. Katara itched to run her fingers through his black hair, to massage his scalp and help him unwind from the day.

"Just because WE aren't traditional doesn't mean YOU shouldn't be," Katara said airily. She avoided eye contact, determined to not let him win her over with puppy dog looks in their silly game of who was in the right. "You know, in trivial things like keeping your hair long, not things like generations of war or such."

They finished changing into nightclothes and got into bed together. Sometimes they might keep working for a little, reviewing meeting notes or preparing speeches, but tonight Zuko reaches for her, pulling her flush against his chest.

"I think it's funny that you decided I should be traditional after you already cut your hair," he teases, placing a light kiss on her head. She smiles up at him.

"You aren't the one that practically melts in the summer heat," she teases back, but she feels Zuko tense up. They lay quietly for a few moments, just holding each other, when Zuko speaks up again.

"You know I would never ask you to do something you don't want to-" he begins, but Katara cuts him off with a kiss. It's an old fight, an old insecurity he has about their relationship, and she's long learned the best way to convince Zuko that, yes, she does want to be in the Fire Nation with him, is to show him.

After a very persuasive showing of her love, if she did say so herself, Katara catches her breath while Zuko fetches a towel to clean them up. He finds his discarded sleepwear at their feet and redresses before checking on the twins one final time. He returns to their bed, to her arms, and he holds her for as long as he can. They know they've only got a few more hours before one (or both) of their infants will be awake, so they cuddle up to drift off to sleep. As she drifts off, Katara can hear Zuko whispering to her, affirming that he loves her new haircut, that she's so beautiful, that he loves her.

She feels herself smile as she slips into sleep, exhaustion and happiness creating sweet dreams.

Let me know what you think! And go shower pineapple-frenzy with some love on tumblr! And while you're there say hi gemgirl28