It's been a year since Fire Lord Zuko's coronation. He and Avatar Aang have since organized an assembly of world leaders to help guide international relations towards peace. Although each nation came to their own separate agreements on when the representatives would meet with their ambassador, the assembly had agreed on a yearly conference, unless otherwise specified in emergency circumstances. Shortly after the coronation banquet, Aang had found a proper Earth Kingdom ambassador: Kuei, ruler of the Earth Kingdom. Aang had assisted Kuei in re-establishing his kingship after the attempted coup led out by Princess Azula, and Kuei had since declared the Earth Kingdom's loyalty to the Avatar in perpetuity. It was no question that he would be the right person for the job.
Although the ambassadors had been corresponding to each other through written updates, Katara hasn't been able to get in touch with Zuko. Each response she received was not addressed as being from Zuko, but rather his personal secretary. They claimed the Fire Lord was too preoccupied with other matters to write a letter personally, but Katara knows the truth. For the first few months of correspondence, she didn't mind not having to see his name or recognize his handwriting. But after some time, she began to miss it. Zuko had been a friend, after all, and whether or not she has feelings for him there's still a void in the space he had claimed in her heart.
At first Katara felt guilty. What if she had just accepted the truth and admitted feeling something between them? She could still have been with Aang, but maybe Zuko wouldn't have lashed out the way he did. Or perhaps if she had let him down gentler? She could have spared them both this hurt if she had just been more sensitive, less hot-headed.
No. That's absurd. She doesn't owe Zuko her affections, and he isn't entitled to act this way. Especially considering that he's in a relationship, or at least as of the last time she checked. He's being a boy, and she pities him. She made the right choice in picking Aang.
The longer she thinks about it, though, she realizes that Aang is also a boy. He's significantly younger than both her and Zuko and, although his spirituality guides him toward morally just decisions, he still doesn't have the emotional capacity to be truly mature. His jokes often make her laugh, but other times they're senseless boy humor that don't appeal to Katara. Sokka has been more than happy with the arrangement, excited to finally have a brother with whom he got along, just as Katara is excited to have a sister in Suki. Katara can't help but wonder if there's a way to speed up time and fast forward to a point where Aang can be the man she expects from him. She just has to be patient.
Katara sits in the living room of their temporary home in Ba Sing Se. She and Aang have practically been nomads, traveling around the world for one reason or another and never finding a place to settle down. Although it doesn't make Katara happy, Aang feels connected with his airbender roots and keeps convincing Katara that this is a wise lifestyle choice. Katara doesn't want to interfere, as most of their traveling has to do with fulfilling Avatar-related duties.
Aang walks in to the living room as well, carrying a scroll in his hand. He sits down next to Katara and kisses her cheek.
"Hi, sweetie," he smiles at Katara.
"Hey," she says in response. "Any word on where we're all meeting for the assembly conference?"
"Yeah, actually," Aang gestures to the scroll in his hand. "I have a letter from Zuko right here. He's offered to let us all stay at his estate on Ember Island. Doesn't that sound fun?"
Katara feigns a smile. "That does sound fun. But why Ember Island?"
"Zuko thought it would be nice if we could all treat this conference as a bit of a vacation. We won't be in meetings the whole time we're there, so why not enjoy the trip?"
"I guess you're right," Katara says. She's glad she won't have to spend all of her time looking at Zuko. An ocean is much a prettier view.
"And," Aang slides closer to Katara on the couch, "we could have some romantic beach time, just the two of us." He raises an eyebrow and smirks.
Katara never knows what to do in these situations. In the past year, Katara has learned that Aang likes to express his love through physical affection, and it's quite frequent. But she has trouble imagining herself doing anything past kissing with Aang. After all, he's only 14, and despite having grown taller in the past year Katara still has a good 4 inches on him. It feels wrong for her to engage in anything immodest with him. The Southern Water Tribe boys tended to hit puberty early, already towering over her and sprouting facial hair by the time they're Aang's age. Katara guesses that the Air Nomads were of a more delicate physique.
Katara just smiles back at him. "Yeah, there's a lot of beach, isn't there…"
She trails off and Aang kisses her. He puts his hands on her waist and pulls her in, but Katara puts her hands on his collarbones and gently pushes him away.
"Sweetie, I'm not feeling so good. Another time?"
"What, you're sick? Do you need something?" Aang feels her forehead. "You do look a little flushed. I know!" he says as he stands, "I'll go down to the market and get you some beetle-worm soup! It's the best for when you need to get better in a jiffy."
Aang leans down and kisses her forehead, then heads to the front door. He turns to Katara.
"I hope this passes quickly, we leave for Ember Island tomorrow. Do you want me to postpone the meeting? I am the Avatar, after all, I can do that," he wags finger guns at Katara and winks. Katara giggles.
"No thank you, sweetie, I'm sure I'll feel better by the morning."
"Alright," says Aang, "I'll be back later. Grandma Lokai makes it fresh, so it may take a while."
He waves as he closes the door behind him. Katara slouches down into the couch.
Tomorrow.
Appa lands on the gray sand of the Ember Island beach closest to Zuko's estate. Katara and Aang dismount and make their way up the path towards the beach house. The last time they had visited this place, they were preparing to take out Fire Lord Ozai, and now they were here on business of peace. It was a strange feeling, but Katara reminds herself to try to have a fun time while they're here.
They are greeted by workers at the front door of the house. Zuko brought some servants from The Capital, along with his usual Red Guards, to serve them while they were visiting. In contrast to the previous Fire Lord, Zuko treats his servants with respect and allows them complete autonomy outside of their immediate responsibilities. His generosity shows through his servants enthusiasm for the job.
Two men greet Katara and Aang and escort them to the dining area, informing them that Kuei and Zuko should be joining them shortly. The dining room is grandiose, with a large square bloodwood table adorned with gold leaf accents sitting in the center. Tall maroon columns scale the each corner of the room, and the room is lit by the sun via the ceiling-high windows on the wall facing the ocean. There are 4 chairs set at the table, one on each side, and Katara and Aang sit diagonally to one another.
Zuko and Kuei walk in moments later. Aang stands to greet them, hugging Zuko and shaking hands with Kuei. Katara stands as well, acknowledging them from her side of the table. Kuei immediately takes the seat across from Aang, leaving Zuko to sit directly across from Katara.
Ugh, Katara thinks, now I have to look at him the entire time?
She looks at Zuko, taking him in. She might as well since it's going to be a long meeting. It's been a year since she last saw him and she notices that his physique has changed tremendously. Somehow, he has grown taller and leaner, and his neck has thickened. His jaw is speckled with an even coating of facial hair, manicured with what Katara could tell was some sort of oil. His dark hair is slicked back into a high bun and ornamented with his royal Fire Nation gold flame protruding from the top. He is wearing his traditional Fire Lord uniform, but it fits him more snugly now and is tight around his chest, outlining the shape of his pecs.
Shit.
Zuko places his hands on the table and smiles to everyone. "Thank you all for making it. I'm glad to be able to host this historic occasion, the first official meeting of the Avatar Assembly. It's nice to see you all again."
Katara thinks that, somehow, she is excluded from that last sentence.
"We have a lot of business to discuss, so please, give your orders to Bin, our waiter for the evening, and he will bring out our dinner at some point during the meeting." Zuko gestures to a lanky boy standing in the archway of the room. Bin bows before walking up to Aang with a piece of parchment in hand.
They all place their orders and begin their meeting.
Aang was pleased at the productivity of the meeting and the plans set in place for the future. Zuko and Kuei had agreed to a joint effort of constructing a new capital of the world, one where people of all nations could live harmoniously. The proposed name was Republic City, and Zuko had offered a portion of unoccupied fire nation land to this project.
It all seemed to be working out perfectly. The world was moving past the hundred year war seamlessly, with only minor scuffles along nation borders. New law enforcement policies were put in place in all nations decreeing an intolerance for hates crimes, reducing the number significantly in the following months following the conclusion of the war. There was still progress to be made, but Aang could see a bright future in store for the world.
"I want you, Katara."
Katara turns around. There before her is Zuko, shirtless and hair down from his usual bun and fluttering in the breeze. His scar from Azula trails down his torso. They are in the coronation plaza of the Fire Nation Capital with the stars shining above them.
Katara stammers. "You-you want what?"
"You." Zuko strides toward her, Katara frozen in place. He slides his hands down her sides, settling them at her waist and yanking her towards him. Katara's hips bump into his, and she can feel something firm hit her pelvis. She blushes.
Zuko reaches one hand to her chin and pulls her face up to meet his gaze. His golden eyes are glazed with desire, and Katara feels hypnotized. He leans down and kisses her deeply. Katara's body melts into him as she kisses him back, running her hands up his perfectly chiseled chest to grab a handful of his tousled mane.
Zuko reaches down to Katara's ass and gives it a rough squeeze. A noise escapes her. She arches into him, her chest pushing firmly against his. Zuko slides his hands down to the back of her thighs and promptly lifts her up. Katara's legs wrap around his waist as she throws her arms around his neck.
Zuko backs her up to a column and secures his grip on her legs. Their kissing is like wildfire, only intensifying as they fall deeper into each other. His mouth moves to Katara's neck, causing a moan to fall off her lips. She entangles her fingers in his hair as Zuko moves his kisses further down to her chest. In one swift motion, he moves her to a banister and sets her down so she's sitting on the handrail, legs taut around him. His hands reach for her top, frantically untying it to expose her breasts. Katara's nipples harden from exposure to the cold, open air. He dives in and begins passionately kissing her chest as Katara throws her head up in pleasure.
This is unbelievable, she thinks. Never in her life has she experienced something so heated and erotic. She wanted more.
Katara pulls her head back down and opens her eyes. She catches a glimpse of something-or someone-in the background. Her vision focuses and she gasps; it's Aang, standing around 30 feet behind Zuko, giving off the most hostile look she's ever seen from him. His eyes and tattoos begin to glow a fluorescent aquamarine.
"No!" Katara yells.
She bolts upright and suddenly she's awake in her guest chambers, Aang sleeping soundly at her side.
What… was that?
Katara lifts the sheets and slips out of the bed. Feeling lightheaded, she puts on a pair of sandals and steps out of the room, walking towards the front entrance of the beach house.
I'll just get some air. A walk on the beach sounds nice right about now.
She travels down the stone pathway and stops at the border between stone and sand. She removes her shoes and carries them as she continues toward the water. Placing her sandals at her side, she walks into the tide, inhaling deeply. Being one with the water puts her mind at ease, and she falls into a zen-like state as she closes her eyes and begins meditating. Her worries fall out of her head and her spirit floats in the empty space left behind.
Katara finally opens her eyes again. Relaxed, she turns to find a place to sit, only to see a figure seated on a boulder to her left. Squinting in the faint moonlight, she identifies the figure as none other than Zuko himself. He is sitting cross-legged wearing loose fitting black pants, a red tunic shirt with a v-neck that dips down to his naval, and no shoes. His sleek hair has been let out of the bun and is covering most of his face. It has grown considerably since last year, reaching down to his shoulders. Katara places her hands on her hips.
"And when were you going to announce yourself?" Katara says sassily.
"I wasn't." Zuko continues to look out at the ocean.
"Well, I was having a moment over here, and now that I know you were sitting there the whole time watching me I feel weird."
"Oh, you feel weird?"
"Yes, weird."
Zuko steps down from the boulder and slowly approaches Katara, his expression stern but not aggressive. "And you don't think this is weird for me? This whole situation?"
"Why should it be? I made my intentions very clear."
"I know."
"And yet you still acted like a child and threw a temper tantrum when you didn't get your way!"
"I know."
"And you-" Katara stops mid sentence. "What?"
"I said I know." Zuko sighs. "And I'm sorry."
Zuko begins to walk away before Katara grabs his arm. "That's it? You're sorry? You really have nothing else to say?"
Zuko's eyes narrow. "What else were you expecting?"
"I don't know, something more genuine!"
"Well I'm being a whole lot more genuine that you are."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you lied to me!" Zuko yells. Katara jumps back a bit, startled. Zuko marches toward her and grabs her shoulders, putting his face only inches away from hers.
"And what on earth did I lie about, exactly?" Katara struggles, trying to get him to release her.
"You already know."
"No, I don't!" Katara tries to yank herself out of his grip and they both lose their balance, falling to the ground. Before Katara can stand up, Zuko climbs on top of her and pins her wrists down with his hands. "Get off of me!" She yells.
"I saw the way you were looking at me during the conference today. I know that you weren't just looking at me as a fellow ambassador. You couldn't keep your eyes off of me."
Katara fights under his weight to no avail. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes, you do," Zuko says firmly. "Go ahead, try telling me again that you don't feel anything between us."
"I don't!"
"You're lying."
Katara finally manages to free one of her hands and in one flick of her wrist an ocean wave comes crashing over them, throwing Zuko's body off of hers. Katara scrambles to her feet and puts herself in a fighting stance, preparing for Zuko to fight back. Instead, he just stays where he landed on the sand, clothes sopping wet. He's staring up at the sky, a resigned look in his eyes. Katara stares at him, ready for anything.
"You really despise me that much."
She wasn't ready for that. Zuko's voice is so full of desolation that it catches Katara off guard. She stands there, frozen, as Zuko continues to lay on the ground. Eventually, Katara slowly walks up to him. She pauses before extending out her hand, and Zuko takes it and stands up.
"No. I don't," Katara says delicately.
Her hand is still holding Zuko's. There's a long silence before she speaks again.
"You're right. There is something here. Me denying it was a lie." Katara sighs, retracting her hand. "But you know just as well as I do that this can't happen. It wouldn't be fair to Aang and Mai."
When Zuko looks away from her gaze, she raises an eyebrow. "Right?"
"Yeah, about that…" Zuko mumbles awkwardly, "There is no me and Mai, not anymore. I guess you wouldn't really know that, though."
"Oh," Katara nearly whispers, "Can I ask why?"
"She… she left."
Katara stares down at her feet. Hidden behind Zuko's anger and frustration is almost always some sort of hurt, and now she knows what's causing it this time. Before, it had just been her rejection, now it's paired with another heartbreak. She doesn't want to feel bad for him since he's been such an ass, but she does nonetheless.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't. It was going to happen eventually."
"Even so… I'm still with Aang."
Zuko reaches up to Katara's face and brushes away a wet strand of hair clinging to her cheek.
"I know."
"So we're in agreement. This isn't happening."
Zuko smiles sadly and nods.
"Okay… good."
They stand there for what feels like an eternity before heading back to the beach house in silence. They each go to their respective chambers and Katara quietly changes into a dry set of pajamas before crawling back into bed.