Chapter Four: Something Blue
Three Years Ago
The wind was warm and filled with the smell of springtime, of rebirth and regrowth. Katara inhaled it deeply as she rode with Aang on Appa's back.
Aang looked at her, grinning, as if he knew what she was thinking.
"I'm so excited!" Katara exclaimed, beaming, her blue eyes bright.
"I know!" Aang laughed. "We're almost there."
The couple was on their way to Kyoshi Island, which was slowly coming into sight. Katara leaned against Appa's saddle, as if to make the air bison go faster. Her heart raced in her chest.
When they landed, Aang helped her down.
Katara smoothed her dress- which was sleeveless and dark blue. Her long hair was half back, swept away from her face by combs made from gold and ruby- a birthday gift from Iroh.
"La, I can't believe Sokka and Suki are getting married!" she said, grabbing Aang's hand as they walked quickly away from the beach towards the village.
Aang chuckled. "I still don't know how Sokka convinced her- ow!" He rubbed his ribs, where Katara had elbowed him. "I'm kidding, Katara."
Rolling her eyes, Katara all but dragged him along. She knew they would be holding the ceremony outside, in the square that hosted the large statue of Kyoshi.
Toph was the first person they spotted, who was wearing a dress like Katara's, except hers was green and fastened at the waist by a belt of gold. Her black hair was down for a change, and fell like a dark curtain down her narrow back.
"About time you guys showed up," she said in lieu of a greeting. "Even Lord Hotman got here before you two."
"Zuko is here?" Katara asked, looking around. "I thought he couldn't make it."
"Thought who couldn't make it?"
Katara turned and beamed. "Zuko!" she exclaimed, before embracing the Fire Lord. Aang moved forward to embrace his friend as well.
"We thought you had a meeting with the Earth King," Aang said, folding his hands into his yellow and orange robes.
"I postponed it," Zuko replied smoothly. "I told the King that I had a very important event to attend, and sent my apologies."
Katara laughed. "I'm going to find Suki. Toph, do you want to come with me?"
Toph nodded, before following Katara into the nearest building, where Suki and the other women were getting ready.
Suki stood in front of a long mirror and shouted when she spotted Katara and Toph. The three friends hugged, with Toph muttering the whole time.
"Suki, you look incredible!" Katara told her.
Suki was draped in a dress of the softest green- like moss. The dress was accented with beads of pearl, which swirled along the scooped neckline, long sleeves, and single slit along the leg, resembling leaves and flowers. Her hair was half back, like Katara's with combs, but hers were white with pearls, and lacy baby's breath was weaved along the combs. Her waist was cinched by a white silk belt, and next to her hips were her fans, gleaming in the sunlight.
Suki beamed as she slipped her feet into green slippers. "I'm so nervous and happy, I can barely breathe."
"Well don't pass out, because I have a bet going that Sokka will first. I don't need to see you to know," Toph said, smirking.
"A bet with who?" Katara and Suki asked together.
"Zuko," Toph answered. "Aang said it wasn't polite to make bets for someone's wedding."
The three of them laughed.
Ooo0ooO
The ceremony was full of love and laughter, and when the reception started, the group all sat together at one of the white-clothed tables.
Suki was beaming, her cheeks rosy, and Sokka could barely look away from her.
Katara leaned back in her chair, smiling warmly at Aang, who sat next to her with his arm slung over the back of the chair.
"I have a gift for you both," Zuko said, who was sitting on Katara's left.
Sokka's gaze snapped to him, bright with interest. "Please tell me you got us a pet dragon."
Zuko lifted a brow, while the others laughed or rolled their eyes. "No," he replied, amused. "I have a ship standing by, it will take you both wherever you want to go, along with some of my most trusted guards and servants."
Suki and Sokka exchanged a wide-eyed glance before the former spoke. "Thank you, Zuko."
"Thanks, Lord Hotman!" Sokka said. "I guess being friends with the Fire Lord does have its benefits."
Katara turned to eye Zuko. "Did you make sure that the ship was large enough to fit Sokka's fat head in it?"
Smoothly, Zuko replied, "Of course."
The group burst out laughing while Sokka shouted, "Hey!"
A little while later, when everyone started dancing, Katara found herself dancing with Aang. "What are you thinking about?" she asked, noticing how quiet her boyfriend had gotten.
Aang sighed. "I'm thinking about… how happy I feel. How three years ago, I never thought I'd be- we'd be- where we are today."
"I get what you mean," Katara said, looking at Sokka and Suki, who were wrapped up in each other, at Toph and Zuko, who were talking and drinking, and nearly touched her throat before remembering her mother's necklace now was Suki's. "After everything we went through… It's nice, if not amazing, to be here on the other side. To be at my brother's wedding-," Katara's voice and expression flooded with warmth and love, "and to not be at war."
"I wonder…" Aang trailed off. "Do you think we can…?"
Katara met his gaze, waiting for him to continue.
"Never mind. Let's enjoy the wedding."
At some point, Aang managed to get Toph out on the dance floor, even though the earthbender had grumbled and made some vague threats about stomping on his toes.
Katara laughed, moving to take a seat, but a hand took hers.
Zuko smiled. "Do you want to dance?"
Katara moved into his arms, grinning. "Who knew that the Fire Lord likes to dance?"
"Only a spare few," Zuko told her. "And there's only a handful I'd actually dance with- and Toph is not one of them. She's going to-,"
There was a high-pitched yelp, followed by Toph's snorting laughter.
Katara and Zuko glanced over, before looking at each other and smothering their own laughter. "She did warn him," Katara said.
Chuckling, Zuko spinned Katara as the band changed from a slow song into something more lively. The other guests danced in a variety of ways- and the most noticeable was Ty Lee, who was spinning and giggling like a true acrobat.
Zuko and Katara danced to their own rhythm, hand in hand, bodies pressed close. Katara wanted to smile, to tell him about the way her and Aang had taught Fire Nation kids to dance, which had been like bending without moving any elements.
But she met his gaze, which was intense and held hers, and the words died in her mouth. Together they swept across the floor, their eyes never leaving each other, and the rest of the world faded and grew quiet.
The pair didn't notice how some of the guests watched them. It was only the two of them- Katara in blue, Zuko in red, and they only slowed when they realized that the song had changed again.
The sun had long since set, and the moon was rising. Zuko swore he could see its reflection in her eyes, but he tore his gaze away when the others came up to them both.
And for a moment, Katara looked back at Zuko as her, Suki, and Toph made their way inside, and a memory came back to her.
She saw a younger Zuko, not looking at her as she walked away from out of the catacombs below Ba Sing Se.
Her heart skipped a beat, and then she too looked away.
Ooo0ooO
The day after the wedding, the gang was gathered on the docks to see Sokka and Suki off. The couple had decided to go to a few different places- taking full advantage of Zuko's gift.
Katara gave Suki a gift as well, a bracelet to go with her mother's necklace. It was hammered silver with the same blue stone molded into the surface, depicting the phases of the moon.
"Something blue," Katara told her. "And something to show that you're a part of the Southern Water Tribe now."
Suki slipped it on before hugging Katara tight. "I'll write you."
Katara hugged her friend- her sister. "Have fun," she whispered into Suki's ear.
Ooo0ooO
Present Day
Blinking away those memories, Katara watched as the moon began to rise in the sky. It wasn't full night yet- twilight was still lingering, keeping the sky a deep indigo striped with blue and oranges from the sunset.
With a sigh, she began walking back to the village. Once she entered her family's home, she slipped quietly down the halls.
Their home was no longer an iceberg- but a structure made of ice and snow- and even though it was still simple in its construction, it was now large enough to house their growing family.
When she entered her room, Katara made her way to her desk. Without knowing why, without questioning why, she picked up a piece of parchment and her ink, and began drafting two letters.
One was for Iroh, updating him that she was now home, since the older man had insisted on her keeping correspondence with him.
The second she only briefly hesitated over. When she began writing, she allowed herself to express all of her thoughts, knowing its recipient would understand.
I was thinking about the day Sokka and Suki got married, she wrote. And how that day I was so happy- we all were. It seems like a distant memory, a dream. Everything is different now. I'm different now.
Katara paused, swallowing as a lump formed in her throat. I can't remember the last time I laughed like I did then. I wish I was still that girl- the one who was full of hope and optimism.
Whens she continued writing, she ignored the sting of tears in her eyes.
A week later, a messenger hawk arrived with a reply.
That was a good day.
We are all different now- the war changed and shaped our lives into what they are now, and we all had to change.
I will still remember you as that girl- but I will also remember you as you are now.
Katara stared at the brief letter- and the last line, reading it over and over.
Then she closed her blue eyes, and tried to remember another good day.
Ooo0ooO
Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA or any of its characters.
Author's Note: Please review!