The Fire Nation palace buzzes with wide smiles, festive lights, and loose laughter from the many rounds of drinks. The beats from the drumming lure people into dancing, and it's the most carefree anyone's felt in months. If there's anything the Fire Nation excelled at other than the wars, it was their parties. Former Fire Lord Ozai was not as easily impressed by the traditions of parties and if one were to look at Zuko's expression, the only difference between the two would be the scar.

"Hey, cheer up," Suki says, right beside him. Tonight, she had the role of playing security to the Fire Lord, an honorable title, which actually felt more like a babysitter. "This isn't so bad. Why not go out and find someone to dance with?"

"Not interested," he states, almost coldly.

"Where's Mai?"

Zuko exhales hard, and Suki regrets asking. "We broke up."

As expected, Mai didn't show up to the celebratory party they were having. There was no reason, not like there would have been much reason even if they were still together. She would have been extremely bored, and probably let other guys hit on her like on Ember Island, Zuko thinks. Just as quick, he shakes that thought from his head, knows he's just bitter because she was almost too calm about their breakup.

He must admit, this time was much more respectful as compared to locking her in a cell on the Boiling Rock or leaving a poorly written letter behind for her. She took it a little too well, face stoic, voice neutral. The last words she said to him before she left the room were, "I knew it was too good to be true."

Zuko guesses that maybe all those dates and then breaking things off may not have been good timing on his part.

"I'm sorry," Suki responds, for lack of better words. She wasn't too familiar with Mai and Zuko's relationship, saw them both wear similar expressions of boredom at events. Plus, Mai never shot her anything more than a glance either, no comment about the fact she and Azula stole her comrades' gear at one point. At least Zuko apologized about burning her village down. Couldn't quite figure their relationship out but assumed that was why they clicked.

Zuko feels bad about the breakup, actually. He knows he'll miss her, a routine he's become so fond of, but for someone he should have been more in love with, he feels fine. He wonders, briefly, if he's so down about it, he's become numb. Still thinks about it out when he flips over in bed at night, one side cold and empty. Though this breakup feels more like a formal resignation and he wonders why.

The uncomfortable silence grows. "I broke things off with her," he says, just because he's the one who brought it up. This is how conversations go, right? "I just thought maybe I needed a fresh start."

Suki nods, a little too enthusiastically for him. As much as she'd absolutely love to hear all about the Fire Lord's romantic affairs, it just didn't sound as appealing as what they had over by the tables of food. She suddenly felt thirsty. Says, completely off topic, "I think I'm going to grab myself a drink. Be right back!" With that, she slips away, not eager to be a babysitter AND a therapist.

Zuko sits on the throne, by himself, and wonders how his father and grandfather could do this. Some people even come up to him and bow, wish him a good, long life and success. It feels ridiculous to hear, especially since many knew him as the exiled prince. Even some courageous girls who have already heard the news, or haven't seen Mai anywhere, come up to ask him for a dance which he politely declines. They run away, giggling behind their hands, and he knows it was the alcohol speaking.

A few servants offer him drinks which he takes, because why not? Even Uncle Iroh is having a good time at the gambling table, pulling in all the chips. He can hear his boisterous laughter all the way from the corner. A couple hours in, and Zuko loses track of time and the amount of drinks he's had. With nothing else to do, he isn't ashamed to admit he's overdone it when he can't make out the faces of individuals. Suki's been missing for a long time, but it's fine, he thinks, doesn't want to ruin the mood with his woes.

A big commotion occurs at the entrance, one that Zuko was pretty sure he wasn't informed of. Lately, being Fire Lord feels more like a symbol.

The drums quicken their pace at the following announcement. "And welcoming back to the Fire Nation, the Avatar!"

The crowd splits respectfully, leaving a walkway in the middle of the room, and Aang trails in wearing festive Fire Nation clothing with Katara right beside him. People applaud as though they haven't been congratulating him since the downfall of Ozai. Zuko's mouth feels dry suddenly.

Everyone cheers and welcomes Aang back with a pat on the back and samples of food, but somehow Katara gets lost behind it all. Zuko doesn't understand why, thinks it's not fair. He always thought Fire Nation clothes looked best on her; it was one of the few times she ever let her hair down. They should be swarming the both of them, if not for Aang's return, then for Katara's beauty. And not only that, she was smart, and capable, and one of the biggest guides for Aang as the Avatar. She doesn't get enough credit. A swell of emotion rises in his chest and he doesn't know what to do with it.

For a second, he worries that she remembers him. But just as quickly, she catches his eye and offers up a sweet smile, as if they were the only two in the room.

She manages to escape the crowd, fluidly, and walks right up to him. "Hey."

"Uh, hey," Zuko stammers. Feels the heat rise to his cheeks much easier than if he was sober. Has it really only been two weeks since her trip with Aang? "How was the Air Temple?"

"Well," she says, a hand on her chin. "We did a whole lot of meditating and the Spirit Guru asked me questions, but nothing really changed."

Zuko's eyes trail over to Aang who was currently in the middle of performing air bending tricks. Back to his usual fun and games. "Nothing changed, huh?"

"No," she shakes her head. Then she leans in, like she's ready to tell a secret. Her eyes are really, really blue. "And, I think I'm supposed to like Aang."

He practically chokes on his drink, mid-sip. "W-What?"

"I mean, with Sokka's not so subtle hints and Aang's obvious admiration for me, especially with the way he was acting during the trip, I think before losing my memory, I was supposed to like him in a romantic way. Right?"

"Uh," Zuko says. This isn't exactly how he envisioned the two meeting up again.

"Hey!" Suki greets, showing up suddenly, saves Zuko from responding to that. Gives Katara a big hug. "Welcome back!"

Zuko looks away when he sees who's beside her. Sokka gives both his sister and girlfriend a bear hug, acknowledges Zuko with a quick nod. They're still not on very good terms.

"So," Sokka starts, grinning at his sister. "How was the trip? Are you back to the old, bossy you again?"

She shakes her head, and Sokka's face falls a little bit. They listen as Katara tells them how she struggled with opening the last chakra, explained how she was too attached to the people she cared about in her life. She couldn't let them go. Her hand touches the necklace her mother gave to her and Suki gives her a hug anyway, because at least she tried and that's all that matters.

When Katara announces that she's a little tired, Zuko and Sokka both stand up to escort her to her room. Sokka fixes Zuko with a stare that basically claims he has the right, because she's his sister. But Suki's a clever girl, puts the pieces together quick; the way Zuko's face lifted when Katara entered the room, and the breakup with Mai, and "needing a fresh start." Not to mention how his brows knit together in disappointment when Sokka glares at him.

"Hey, Sokka," Suki says, grabbing at his hand. "I'm not feeling too well, I think I drank a bit too much."

Sokka is confused. "I thought you couldn't drink because you were Zuko's security guard tonight."

"Well," she winks, "I just couldn't help myself, you know? Sorry, Zuko, I should have taken my job more seriously."

"Yeah, you should have," Sokka says, puts his hand against her forehead. "You do seem a little hot."

"Oh man, is it me or is this room spinning?" Zuko's in awe at Suki's acting, even more impressed when she somehow persuades Sokka to take her to her room, nearly "collapsing" in the process. He owes her one, even if he is a little embarrassed by how easy he is to read.

Turning to Katara, he asks, "Do you mind if I take you?" Not wanting to be a bother if she really is tired.

"I don't mind," she says, and he links his arm through hers when he steps down from his throne; barely anybody notices when their Fire Lord slips away for the night.

"You didn't look like you were enjoying your party very much."

Katara and Zuko sit on his balcony, the plan of escorting her to her room forgotten when she mentioned she was only tired of the atmosphere, and not actually tired.

With a nervous spark, he asked if she wanted to stay up and talk some more in his room and felt butterflies when she agreed. He's missed her company far more than he should.

"Yeah, well. There's not much to do."

"Not when you're sitting all by yourself on the throne," she says, looks at all the people spilling from the hall of the party. The faint music is carried to their balcony by the nighttime breeze. "You didn't want to go out there and dance like everybody else?"

"I'm not much of a dancer," he says. He's never had the chance to live a normal teenage life worrying about the next invite to lame parties. Spent most of it hunting down the Avatar instead or facing off against his deranged sister. "Do you?"

A sad smile in her voice. "I don't remember."

"Oh. Right."

It's quiet for a moment. They sit beside each other, shoulders almost touching, and Zuko can smell the salt and floral scent in her hair. Thinks of what he could say next, until she asks, quiet, "What was I like before the accident?"

He looks up at the clear night sky, wonders how he's going to answer.

He plays it safe. "You were a really good water bender."

To his surprise, she bumps his shoulder with her fist. "You know what I'm asking."

"Okay, okay," raises his arms in mock defense, smiles a little. "You were the most responsible of the group. You also didn't trust me very much. You actually uh, hated me. But it was fair because," he pauses, knows he has to commit. "Because I hated you too."

"You did?"

"Yeah, but we've moved on from that." At least, for now.

"Hmm," Katara leans over the balcony railing, deep in thought. Her legs dangle in between the columns, swing back and forth. Zuko watches her, is reminded of the times they snuck out to the beach to practice water bending. Her brown hair tumbles down her back in waves, and the red Fire Nation clothes somehow makes her look even warmer. She's always been really pretty, but he never said anything because he knew she'd give him crap for it.

A breeze blows a strand of hair from behind her ear and Zuko automatically reaches to tuck it back, feeling much bolder than he should. The drinks haven't entirely left his system.

When his hand lingers against her cheek, he's overcome by the sudden urge to kiss her.

"Why did you hate me?" she asks, pulling him from his own spell. But she doesn't move away, not even when he fumbles to shove his hand back to his side. The gap between them feels a lot smaller than before.

"Because, I guess I just thought you were getting in my way." When she raises a brow at him, he rushes to explain, "I couldn't capture the Avatar. Like I said before, you were a powerful water bender. And I needed the Avatar to return home, but you were always fighting beside him, preventing me from doing that."

"It sounds like it's a good thing we hated each other then," she says, aware of what could have happened if the Avatar was captured by the enemy. She pauses before saying, "I hated you because-"

"I know why you hated me." He was the face of the enemy.

She bites her lip. "And I don't feel that way, at all. Not even because you think you deserve it, or because Sokka hates you." At this, Zuko flinches. "I know who you are."

"But you don't." He turns away, so abruptly, she doesn't know what she said wrong. "You don't know the things I've done." To you, he wants to say. Because of his ego and pride and flaws.

When she grabs his arm, it's tender, and when she looks up into his gold eyes, she says, firm, "I know you feel bad about it, but I think that's an important step in the right direction."

And maybe it was the alcohol, or the sudden ache in his chest, or because for a long time he's yearned to do this, just to see what it was like; he kisses her.

It feels like fireworks.

Their lips linger for a second before pulling away, and she reaches a hand up to place on her own lips, shocked.

Zuko's face is as red as her outfit by this point, as he rushes to say, "I'm sorry, I don't know why I did that, I know you're the Avatar's girl-"

"The Avatar's girl?"

Uh-oh. He doesn't like the way she asked that. "Yeah, weren't you saying earlier you're supposed to be with Aang?"

"I mean," she looks baffled, kiss all but forgotten. "I said that, but I didn't mean it like that. I just wanted to confirm my suspicions with someone that I trusted."

Zuko blinks at her. She trusts him? "Mean it like what?"

"Like, like…" she runs a hand through her hair, a little perplexed. "I feel like I should be with Aang, like I'm obligated to, but I just don't feel that way. Nobody has said anything about it yet, so I thought I could ask you."

"So, you don't like Aang?" He's a little relieved to hear that.

Exasperated, she says, "No. But did I? Am I supposed to?"

Zuko thinks of all the times she's treated Aang's wounds, mothered him really. From scolding him like a parent to showing affection like he was her own son or something. He's seen the look in her eyes when all Aang wanted to do was mess around when he should be training, and it reminded Zuko of the way his mother looked at him sometimes when he didn't want to play with Azula. But Zuko tried not to think too much about it. Like he's always done when it comes to Katara and Aang's relationship.

"Honestly, I don't know."

Katara accepts what she can, as an answer. Maybe she was meant to be with Aang, but in this moment, Zuko was the only person she wanted to look at. Later, when she's in bed, the memory of the kiss replays. The softness, how gentle he cradled her face, the desire and confusion. It felt… right. There were a lot of things wrong, but that, at least, was the only thing that seemed to make sense.