I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of its characters.

Shady Memories

Extra I

Rain poured from the night sky outside the cave of the gang's hiding place. The remaining fire danced vividly as a dark haired boy kneeled next to an occupied sleeping bag. He lightly shook the sleeping girl's shoulder. "Katara…" The girl murmured as her peaceful features turned to a frown. "Wake up."

The girl let out a moan and rubbed her eye as she slowly sat up. "What is it Zuko…?" She asked but when she looked up at the smiling prince she raised an eyebrow. "You're soaking wet."

"Oh…" His smiled faded as he looked upwards at the hair locks that fell before his eyes then let a hand through them shoving them back. "Yeah, but that doesn't matter…" He said then looked at her again. "I need to show you something."

She made a light frown with her still sleepy eyes. "Can't it wait till morning?"

Instead of answering he just shook his head and held her hand helping her stand up while she suppressed a yawn. "All right… I'm coming." She said as he pulled on her arm while looking at her with a smirk.

Neither of them realized as the avatar slowly opened his eyes…

When they were far enough from the cave he let go of her hand and waved. "All right, just stay there and watch this…"

Katara raised her eyebrow again. She could have sworn there was enthusiasm in his voice. Enthusiastic, Zuko? But in the next moment when he stood in his sister's usual stance she started to understand…

As the sparkles circled him in the way his arms moved her mouth opened. And as the darkness of the night broke by a lightning her eyes turned round. Because this thunder did not came from above.

The move that only a week before ended in huge explosions finally brought what he wanted… Zuko's lightning raced from his fingers towards the sky.

He took deep breaths as the rain slowly washed away the steam that left his fingertips and when he turned back to her the smile on her face meant almost more than the whole success.

He made a half smile. "No more turmoil…"

The young avatar stood behind a tree. He did it… His usual wide smile spread across his face as his firebending master made the lightning. Though why he showed it to her first he did not know… he knew that the prince and the waterbender were close since their union. They had a strong connection after what they went through together.

Aang made a step towards the two and was about to say something when something happened… something he did not quite expect.

Katara ran to the prince jumping in his neck almost making him fell and she laughed as he spun her around. Then when they stopped their eyes locked together and she caressed the firebender's cheek before placed a light kiss on his lips. "You've made it…"

When she hugged him Zuko lightly nuzzled his head to hers with a smile but it slowly faded as his eyes stopped on the third person near them.

The avatar stood slightly leaning on his staff as he watched them with a concerned face when the duo stopped. Katara and Zuko… together? When the prince's eyes opened he looked straight at him.

Since he let go of her in the caves… somehow he expected that once she'd truly find herself someone she'd accept. Someone she loved…

The prince's smile faded as he tensed in the hug.

Aang did not move. For a moment he only watched his scarred ex-enemy. So she chose him… But strangely above all things he thought he'd feel there was one thing that he could not deny. Her laugh… his smile… Aang finally let his lips curl into a half smile as he made a nod towards the prince. He had never seen them happier.

When Zuko tensed Katara pulled away looking at him. "Is something wrong?" She asked then turned where he looked before but the avatar was nowhere to be seen then.

"No…" He said as his smile slightly returned. "I'm just tired…"

"Then let's return." She made a smile and kissed him once more before they walked back hand in hand.

When they arrived back the fire already died out and the others were all in their places.

Zuko watched the back of the avatar's head for a while then brought his gaze back to the waterbender. And now he realized that even though they came from the rain she was completely dry. He made a frown at the girl. "How is that you look like you'd have stayed inside while I'm like… this?"

She cocked an eyebrow up. "A waterbender can make everything stay dry if she wants to…"

He raised up an eyebrow. "Then why didn't you do it for me too?"

She made a mischievous smile and stepped closer to him. "Because I like to see you in my own element…" She brought a finger to his chin stroking the side of his face. "It brings back some memories…" She whispered.

He made a half smile as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Are you trying to make me blush? You'd have to do more than this for that…" As she leaned her head to his chest hugging him back his smile slowly turned into a frown. Brings back some memories? "When did you…?" As the girl made a light giggle he frowned harder looking straight at her. "Katara, when we were back in Ba Sing Se… you waited in my room for me, right?" She turned her head even further away from him. "I… I mean you haven't actually see…?"

"I didn't see anything I haven't before." She said finally looking at him for a while then let her head lean back.

For a moment he relieved but then a thought came to his mind making him frown again. "You're a healer… that means you've seen quite enough…"

She smiled in his shoulder as she made another giggle. "If I were you I'd rather worry about what I've heard."

He raised up an eyebrow. "What?"

She looked at him with a grin and pulled away as she started crooning a tune. His eyes rounded. "No. Way…"

She giggled into it then started imitating his voice. "Cause I'm the man of the night, dream of the girls…"

He hid his face with a hand. "Gods no…"

"But beware of me because I might burn…" As his face turned into several shapes of red she laughed placing a kiss on his cheek. "Looks like somebody's going to sing in the next Music Night…"

He made a glare. "Hell, no."

She pouted looking at him with big puppy eyes. "Do it for me…"

He turned his head away with a scowl. "No."

She turned his head back placing a light kiss on his lips. "Do it for your waterbender…"

He couldn't help making a half smirk as his eyebrow rose up. "My waterbender… that's what you said?"

She smiled up at him. "Like to hear that?" It was enough for her to look at the smirk on his face to know the answer. "Well, well… how great is your pride…"

"Don't ruin it…" He murmured kissing her one last time.

The avatar sat on the ground turning a slightly curved metal rod in his hand. Yes, he tried to bend metal.

Since he got better Toph insisted on restarting his earthbending lessons: this time with metal. Because she also needed to figure it out.

She stood a few meters away from him and kept on punching a half metal – half rock boulder which changed its shape from her hits. She tried to do it with her legs but it did not bring the same reaction. Her features turned into a frown as sweat appeared on her forehead. She took several deep breaths and she changed back to her hands.

Aang leaned on his elbow as he airbended the piece of metal floating above his opened palm. While she kept on hitting an almost dreamy smile appeared on his face.

He remembered… he remembered when he first saw the girl in a vision created by a magical swamp. That tiny, almost fragile girl whose laugh tinkled through the distance… and now that he watched her… the girl used her will to bend the world's strongest element. Unknowing that she affected not only the metal, but the strongest bender on Earth too…

She groaned as her fist hit through the boulder that was larger than her and a smirk spread across her face. "Heh…" She turned her head towards the sitting boy. "Now who's the best?"

The avatar made a smile as he caught his metal piece. "Hmm… you are?" He said then clenched his hands upon the piece. He tried to make it change as the girl walked to him and sat down.

She held out her hand towards his. "Let's see where you've got."

He made a sheepish smile. "I've managed to curve it…" As it got to her hand she made a pout of disapproval so he added. "A little…"

She lifted it up before her face then brought her hand over it. The slight curve turned into a circle shape then straightened in her hand again as she dropped it back to him. "Even Sokka could have done better…" She made a half smirk looking away from his frown. "You don't even try."

"I tried! It just doesn't work the way I want it…" He said looking at it then after a while his eyes wandered back to her.

Her smirk widened and without turning back she raised one of her fists and knocked once on his forehead. "If you'd spent more time on bending and less on watching me it would work."

He scowled as he rubbed the spot she hit while lifting up the metal piece again. "I was not watching you…" He murmured closing his eyes and concentrating on the job before him without saying anything else.

Toph's sightless gaze remained on the distance as instead of smirking she made a real smile. Because she knew well… that he was lying.

A/N: Just for the fun of it and because I didn't want to leave opened questions behind, I've decided to write you an extra. Fluff for both Zutara and Taang fans out there! ;) I hope you'll have as much fun with it as I had while writing it!