A/N: First and foremost thanks go to all those of you who read and reviewed the last chapter (or started the story and added it to your "Alert" list)! I am extremely grateful to those of you who voiced your opinions and thought the chapter was well done. You guys make an author's world go round!
On to the next chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar!
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Ch. 4- Belonging
Despite feeling incredibly comfortable and completely at ease, Zuko felt himself rising in tandem with the sun outside the tent.
Heaving a defiant sigh, he pulled himself deeper into the warm body in his arms, content to lie there for the rest of the day.
And then his eyes snapped open.
Chocolate brown locks engulfed his vision. Said locks led to soft, tan skin, a delicate nose, and luscious, full lips. And further down…
Zuko felt a blush creep up his face as he remembered exactly how he and Katara had gotten into this situation. But he didn't pull away, didn't try and hide his exposed body. They had already given themselves to each other, why should he be ashamed?
And yet, a small ripple of fear ran through him.
What if she regretted it? What if she said it was all just a mistake and that she hadn't meant anything she had said last night? What if she didn't love him?
Before he could delve any further into that fearful train of thought, a content sigh from the girl in question brought him back to reality.
Looking back at the waterbender's face, Zuko felt the familiar flutter of pleasure as he took in her features once more. She looked slightly perturbed at having been shaken from her slumber, though she hadn't completely regained consciousness.
As she snuggled deeper into his embrace, Zuko couldn't contain the contented laugh that escaped his lips. And it was enough to jar her completely from her sleep.
Eyes blinking slowly open, Katara found herself lost in the affectionate amber gaze of the Fire Prince. And suddenly, it was hard to breathe.
"Hi," Zuko ventured softly, his hand tentatively brushing the hair from her face.
"H-hi," Katara responded, the blush on her own face letting the prince know she was recalling last night in full detail as well.
When she didn't say anything else, Zuko felt the fear of rejection returning in full force. This was the part he was dreading; he was going to lose another loved one again, all thanks to his inability to think things through and not go rushing into them! He didn't think he could handle losing her—she was too special.
Katara could see the turmoil in his golden eyes and she had to admit that she could relate. But as she remembered everything from last night—the tender exchange of words and declarations of love, as well as how he'd entrusted her with his feelings not to mention the passion they'd shared—she knew she didn't regret a single thing.
She kissed him softly, lovingly.
When she pulled away she gently took his face into her hands and rested her forehead on his, "I love you Zuko."
He couldn't stop the ecstatic smile the broke out across his face, nor did he want to.
Pulling her closer still, Zuko gave her a kiss that left her flushed and breathless, "I love you too Katara." The two went into a fit of euphoric laughter, smiling widely at each other and smothering the other in short, sweet kisses.
They would have continued like that for the rest of the day if they hadn't heard the distinct sounds of the camp beginning to wake up around them.
Sighing, Zuko looked into Katara's azure eyes, regret obvious on his face, "I guess I'd better get dressed and out of your tent before anyone discovers us like this, huh?"
The waterbender giggled, stifling her laughter with her hand in an effort to keep quiet, "Yeah, I guess you'd better. Wouldn't it be something if Sokka caught you in here?" Another laugh escaped her as Zuko got up to dress himself.
Pulling on his pants, the prince could only shake his head in amusement, "Oh I can imagine. It'd all be my fault of course, taking advantage of the poor, innocent waterbender!"
He threw on his shirt and pulled on his boots before looking back at her, his face serious, "How do we explain…us?"
Katara, who had by now put her garments back on, placed a calming hand on his cheek, "Don't worry about that. If people don't like it, they can just get over it and used to it. I don't care what they think, do you?"
Looking fondly at the woman before him Zuko shook his head, "No."
With a swift kiss Zuko moved toward the entrance of the tent before looking back at his—yes his—girlfriend, "Agni I love you."
The smile that lit up her face would stay with him for the rest of his life.
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On exiting the tent Zuko saw that he had left just in time. Coming his way was the blind earthbender, Toph, and she was looking right at him.
'She can't see you idiot, she's not looking at you.'
"Morning Sparky," she called, a grin on her face, "you wake Sugar Queen up yet?"
"Yeah," Zuko said, glad he had a reason to explain why he was leaving the waterbender's tent, "she wasn't very responsive, but she was coming to as I was leaving."
Toph let out a short laugh, "Yep, that sounds just like Sweetness alright. She always gets on our cases for being lazy and yet she can hardly pull her butt out of bed in the mornings. Hypocrite."
"What was that Toph?"
Zuko smirked as he saw Katara emerge from her tent, her hair brushed and clothes no longer rumpled, and glare at the pint-sized powerhouse.
Toph didn't even wince, having felt Katara in the first place, "You heard me Sweetness—hypocrite!" She walked off, laughing to herself on her way over to the campfire for breakfast.
Katara sighed and rolled her eyes before she turned to Zuko with a smile, "Hey there Sparky, long time no see."
Chuckling, the firebender walked over to her and gave her a peck on the lips, "Too long Sugar Queen, too long. Shall we get some breakfast?"
She seemed to be thinking it over seriously before her stomach answered for her. Sheepishly, she conceded, "We shall." Linking her hand with his, she led them towards the fire and to their first test as a couple.
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Despite thinking they were going to meet a massive resistance, Katara and Zuko's new relationship was met with relative indifference. It seemed that everyone had more important things to focus on than the coupling of the resident fire and waterbenders.
"Who do you think you are you backstabbing, traitorous, firebending scum?"
Well, everyone except Sokka of course.
His outburst earned him a sharp rap on the back of his head by Toph and a disapproving frown from his father.
"OW! Toph, what's your problem?" he asked, completely baffled as to why the small bender was siding with Zuko and his sister. He looked to his father, "You can't possibly approve of this dad! He's fire nation for La's sake!"
This time Toph kicked the warrior in the shin eliciting another pathetic whimper, "Snoozles, if you say one more bad thing about Sparky I'm gonna give you what for, you hear me?"
"What? You actually like this arrogant jerk? He's the reason everything has gone down hill in the first place! If he hadn't've been so hell bent on restoring his damned honor, we wouldn't have even been on the Fire Nation's hit list! If it wasn't for him, Aang might still be alive!"
The silence that met Sokka's angry rant was tense and volatile; no one said anything but everyone was seething, the raw wounds reopening.
The sound of the earth shifting beneath their feet was the only warning they had before a stone pillar shot out and caught Sokka on the chin, knocking the shocked teen on his rear.
Everyone looked at Toph, whose fists were clenched in suppressed rage, "I warned you Meathead. You don't get to trash Zuko like that, ever!" She walked over to the fallen fighter and looked him straight in the eye, her sightless milky green ones causing Sokka to shiver at the anger in their depths, "Got it?"
He nodded, his own eyes wide. Satisfied, Toph turned away from him before pausing, as if she had remembered something.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot."
And she punched him dead in the face, her speed and accuracy leaving those around marveling at their supposedly blind companion. Walking over to Katara and Zuko she spoke, "Come on Sweetness, Sparky. Let's go for a swim or something." Turning to Hakoda she nodded, "Catch you later Chiefy!"
Zuko was completely nonplussed as to what had just happened. "Toph," he asked once they were out of earshot of Hakoda and Sokka, the latter of whom was getting a thorough telling off, "Not that I'm complaining or anything but…why did you defend me like that?"
Sighing Toph took a seat on the sandy shore and pulled her knees up to her chest, "It's just…well, in these last few days you've really grown on me Sparky," she gave him a small smile, "You…you don't treat me any differently than you do anyone else. The only time you even really noticed or cared that I was blind was when you first met me! Do you know how awesome that is?"
She got up, walking frantically to and fro over the sand, hands clenching and releasing, "For so long people have always thought that just because I was blind I couldn't take care of myself. It was always "let me get that for you you poor thing" or "do you need any help sweetie" and I eventually had to stop myself from retaliating."
She scrunched up her nose in frustration, "That's why I ran away from my family in the first place. They refused to let me do anything by myself and then tried to pass it off as love! All I wanted was to be myself, to do things myself!"
Despite her efforts, Toph could feel the tears start to fall and she brushed at them furiously, "But then I met all of you guys. And despite the rocky start Sweetness, I finally found out what love was supposed to be like and feel like.
"Katara," said waterbender started at hearing her actual name leave Toph's lips, "you're like…like the mother I always wanted. Annoying as hell, bossy, overbearing, and spoiled but loving, accepting, encouraging, and always there for me at the same time."
Katara, who had been scowling when the earthbender had begun, now had a watery smile on her face, a pleased flush lighting her cheeks.
"And Zuko," Toph started, "I know you haven't been with us for too long, but…you actually listen to me! You're always there when I need someone to talk to and you don't judge me. I really can't tell you how much that means to me, especially with the way I grew up. You're the older brother that I never knew I needed but can't live without!"
Zuko was smiling again. That was one of the greatest compliments that he had ever received and he couldn't have been more pleased that Toph considered him her brother.
"But when people start trash talking my family or hurting them, I refuse to stand by and listen! That's why I got so mad when Sokka started going after you Sparky. I won't let anyone bad mouth my family especially now that I actually have a real one! And Aang…part of me feels like I failed him…failed my family—because I wasn't there to protect him. And now…h-he's—"
The small bender was shaking again, but this time with unhindered tears running down her face.
Instinctively, Zuko moved to engulf the small girl, his arms wrapping around her tiny frame as he knelt in front of her. Toph responded immediately, grabbing hold of Zuko's shirt and burying her face in his chest desperately as she sobbed uncontrollably.
Zuko frowned, looking to Katara with concern etched on his face. Moving to her worried boyfriend, Katara got on her knees as well, joining in on the hug.
They stayed there like that, Toph sniffling and shaking, and Katara and Zuko comforting her as best they could, until the earthbender's tears faded.
Finally, Toph pulled her head out of Zuko's chest and looked up at the couple, "Thanks you guys; I really needed that. Though now that you two are together I might have to start calling you Ma and Pa, huh?"
She smirked as Katara scowled, though it was rendered useless by the fact that the corners of her mouth were curving upward, but was laughing soon after as Zuko gave her a noogie, rubbing the top of her head roughly.
"You better learn to mind your elders Short Round," Zuko smirked, winking at Katara who didn't bother to hide her laughter at his nickname.
"What did you call me Princess?" Despite the nickname, Toph couldn't help but smile at the exchange. It felt good to finally escape the darkness of the last few days, if only for a little bit.
"You heard me Small Fry," the firebender laughed, falling back onto the sand and bringing Toph and Katara with him, eliciting shrieks from both girls that quickly dissolved into giggles.
"I don't say this enough," Zuko said as they calmed down, his arm around Katara and hers around him and Toph nestled in between both of them, "but I love you guys. I really do."
Katara smiled and turned to face him over Toph's head, "We know Zuko. We see it every time you offer to make tea for us after a hard day, or when you do all of the chores because you think you still need to prove yourself to us."
Toph picked up here, not even missing a beat, "Heck Sparky, I'm blind and even I can see that you really do mean well. You love us we love you—end of story. No need to get all emotional! Agni knows I've done enough for all of us today."
And Zuko smiled, content to lie there on the beach with the love of his life and the girl he saw as a little sister, and not worry about anything else for this one moment in time.
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A/N: Well there you go, a nice Zuko/Toph "sibling bonding" moment, which is a weakness of mine, coupled with some Katara/Toph "understanding where the other is coming from" sprinkles on the side! I had a lot of fun writing this because I think Toph deserves an older brother like Zuko and I know Toph would beat the living hell out of anyone who tried to mess with those she cares about. In essence...Toph rocks. And I think Zuko deserves a sane sister as well.
As always I love hearing from you guys and I want to know what you thought of the chapter. There's only one way for a writer to get better and that's through the use of the criticisms (both good and bad) they receive from their audience. Not to mention you guys are nothing if not honest! Until next time!
-HakushoRurouni