When Zuko woke up the next morning, he found that his face was buried somebody's thick hair and his arm was slung over somebody's waist. A small hand was resting on his shoulder and a head was laying on his upper mid-back.

Careful not to disturb anybody, he unwound his arm from the person's (Katara's) waist and shuffled upwards. The hand on his shoulder tightened it's grip. "Stop moving Sparky," Toph muttered against his back.

"I need to get up and mediate." Zuko murmured back.

"We all have the day off, stop being lame."

So Zuko gave up and got comfortable again. Against his better judgement, he wrapped his arm around Katara's middle again and hoped Sokka wouldn't see.

He smiled when Katara sighed in her sleep and snuggled a little closer. He peeked over her shoulder, only to find that Katara was wrapped protectively around Aang. Zuko knew how much Aang liked Katara- it was obvious to everyone except her. That knowledge caused him to have an uneasy feeling in the pits of his stomach.

For a long time he knew that he lusted Katara. But recently, he was noticing that that wasn't all he noticed anymore.

He liked how caring she was, how thoughtful and selfless. She was strong and independent and loyal and he loved that.

But Aang was one of his best friends, and he couldn't betray him like that. So he would have to put his feelings aside.

For now he shuffled closer to her and closed his eyes, allowing himself a few moments of indulgence.

ATLA ATLA ATLA

"Hi."

A strong wind leftover from last night's storm blew past her silhouette, causing her lengthy black tresses to dance with the wind.

He watched as she lifted a hand and used her long, slender fingers to brush tendrils of hair out of her slanted amber eyes.

Her full, naturally pink lips lifted into a sly smile. "It's been a long time since I've seen you, Sokka."

She leaned against one of the stone pillars of the front porch, placing a hand on her hip.

"Yeah," Sokka agreed, playing with the hem of his shirt.

Azula pushed herself up from the pillar and crossed the porch to reach the doorway, where Sokka stood.

"I'd like to see my brother, if that's alright."

There it was again, that sly smile. She tilted her head to the side the tiniest bit, dark hair falling across her forehead and playing with the wind.

"Sure."

Sokka stepped aside and watched her carefully. She walked past him with flawless posture. Her chin was lifted high and her shoulders rested with natural confidence.

He closed the door and followed her in.

She kicked off her shoes and walked down the hallway, which lead to the living room.

Sokka walked in, standing beside her.

Zuko was sitting on the floor of the living room with a game controller in his hands. His eyes were narrowed at the television. Toph sat beside him, equally focused but also shouting insults at him from time to time or blowing green bubbles of gum.

"Well hello Zuzu! It took awhile for me to track you down."

Zuko paused the game (despite Toph's protests) and dropped the controller, looking up at her with surprised eyes.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

Azula crossed the threshold into the living room and stood right in front of him, so he was sitting at her feet.

"I came to visit my dear, dear brother and his roommates! Is Katara here?"

Zuko felt uncomfortable sitting at her feet, like he was inferior. He quickly stood up. Once he was standing, he towered over her.

"What do you want with Katara?" Zuko demanded.

She smiled cheekily and raised her arms. "Relax bro, I was hoping she would want to study with me."

Zuko ran his hand through his hair, annoyed. He had forgotten that his sister and Katara had a class together.

"She's around." He answered shortly.

Azula walked past him and took a seat on the couch. Toph looked up at her warily, scowling when Azula sent a smirk her way.

She crossed her legs and placed her hands on her knee. Zuko turned to face her.

"Katara is lovely, isn't she? I'm surprised that she would want to be friends with you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zuko questioned, fists clenching.

Azula was observant. She could see every single flinch, each wince and all the discomforts that she caused her older brother. It almost made her giddy from the power she had over him.

"Huh? Oh, nothing!" Azula answered, feigning innocence and holding in a laugh.

Zuko stared at her, then sighed and sat next to Toph on the ground again. He reached for the controller and the pair of them started playing again.

Azula watched them with narrowed eyes, before turning her gaze to Sokka.

He was standing awkwardly in the archway that lead to the living room, leaning against the wall and watching Azula cautiously.

Azula flashed him a slightly creepy looking grin. "Can you get Katara for me, please?" She said in a sweet voice.

Sokka nodded and hurried off to find his own sister.

ATLA ATLA ATLA

"Sparky… we need to get your weirdo sister out of our house."

Azula was sitting at the dining table with Katara. She had made herself comfortable, leaning back in her chair and helping herself to refill her glass of grape juice.

"I know, she's awful." Zuko whispered back.

"Couldn't agree more."

Toph and Zuko sat at the island, spying on the two girls at the table.

"So Katara, are you and Jet going out?"

Katara started choking on her grape juice. Zuko looked at the empty glass in his hands, relieved that he hadn't gone for a refill. They didn't need more than one choking person.

"Whoa calm down there, Sugar Queen." Toph teased from the island.

Azula sat there with a satisfied smirk on her face, while Katara glared daggers at Toph.

"No, we're not. He's just a friend." Katara finally answered.

Azula looked amused. She leaned forward on her elbows, getting closer to Katara.

"But you want more than that, right?" Azula questioned eagerly.

Katara moved back subconsciously. Something about the way Azula asked the previous two Jet-related questions made her uncomfortable. Under the careful layer that rested on the surface of her voice was genuine amusement and a sort of.. Knowing?

"I.. I.. how do you even know Jet?" She quickly changed the subject.

Azula took a measured sip of her juice. "Who doesn't know Jet?"

"Good point." Katara muttered.

Zuko rolled his eyes, sitting up and walking over to the table where the two girls sat.

"Leave her alone Azula. She doesn't want to talk about it." Zuko said in a warning tone.

Azula grinned up at her older brother, eyes flashing to Katara, then back to him. "Are you sure it's not you who doesn't want to talk about it?"

Zuko's face flushed. "No! I- ugh, why are you still here?"

Azula looked positively delighted. "Are you blushing, big brother?"

Zuko clenched his hands into tight fists, refusing to look at Katara. "Get out Azula. Go home."

Azula pouted. "You don't want your own sister here Zuzu?"

"No." Zuko said between clenched teeth.

Azula sighed and tapped her pencil on the dining table. "Fine fine.. I guess I should go anyway. Mai and Ty Lee will be waiting for me. Should I send Mai your greetings?"

Zuko didn't answer.

Azula met his silence with a feral grin. "I'll take that as a yes!"

She got up and gathered her things, chugging down the rest of her juice. Then she met Katara's azure orbs with her own amber ones. "Goodbye Katara, we must do this again soon. See you in class!"

On her way out, she passed by the laundry room. Sokka came walking out with a basket. He stopped walking and turned to give her a small smile. "Bye Azula, er.. Thanks for coming." He spoke awkwardly.

Azula smiled sweetly at him and stepped closer. He shifted anxiously, uncomfortable with her proximity.

"Bye Sokka, it was great to see you again."

"Likewise." Sokka muttered.

He watched her turn and walk out, noticing the way her long black hair swung back and forth fluidly with each step she took.

It wasn't until she was out the door that he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

ATLA ATLA ATLA

Despite what she told her brother, Azula did not head home.

Instead she hopped into a taxi (she wouldn't be caught dead taking the Ba Sing Se city train… Ew) and travelled to the BU campus.

Walking tall and dignified in her four-inch-heeled boots, she entered the North UB dormitories, riding the elevator to the fifth floor.

The left end of the floor was for males. She sashayed down the hall, stopping many men in their tracks and earning herself multiple stares. Azula came to a stop in front of room 558. She knocked on the door- two swift, sharp knocks- and waited with her arms crossed over her chest.

For the most part, their relationship was platonic. They were a team. They didn't always agree, they argued and they both loved power. But they understood each other, and neither one could manipulate the other… so the only thing they could was be was allies.

The door opened just moments after she knocked. A smirking boy stood before her, looking slightly dishevelled but still ruggedly handsome.

Azula smirked back. "Hello Jet."

"Hey, come in."

He moved aside for her. She sauntered in with her signature confidence. She stood in the middle of the room, hands on her hips.

Jet closed the door and leaned against it, hands crossed over his strong, broad chest.

"It's great to see you, 'Zula. What can I do?"

She twirled a piece of her silky, dark hair around a slender finger, looking out the window with concentration.

"Remember what I talked to you about?"

Jet took a moment too long to respond, which told her that he was still hesitant. "Yes." He finally answered with a tone that revealed no emotion.

She turned around and set her cold, amber eyes on him, drifting closer. "Will you help me?"

He turned away from her, offering her his profile.

Azula ran her eyes along his strong jaw line, up the side of his straight nose and to his right eye. Messy brown hair was flopped on his forehead, hovering over his eye.

He was attractive, very attractive. She knew that there wasn't one girl that didn't think that true.

She moved even closer, placing one hand on his shoulder. "Please?"

He turned his head to look at her once again, searching her eyes with his own. He brought one hand to the back of her neck, playing with the dark hairs there.

"Why do you want this so badly?"

Azula's eyes suddenly flashed with anger. "You don't know what he did, Jet. He doesn't deserve happiness."

Jet accepted her cryptic answer and nodded with a small smile. "Okay, I'll do it."

The livid flame in her golden orbs quickly extinguished. "Really?"

His warm eyes looked deep into her own. "Yup. I'll do it for you, 'Zula."

Then he pulled her closer, using the hand on the back of her neck. She gripped his shoulder tighter and leaned upwards.

Their lips touched briefly, molding together and exchanging heat.

Azula pulled away slowly and brushed his cheek with her hand, before stepping away from him.

"Good. It's time for me to leave now, but we start tomorrow. They won't know what hit them."

She left him them, evil thoughts floating in her brain.

ATLA ATLA ATLA

Cant eat lunch with you today, I'm going off campus with Jet. Sorry!

Zuko stared at his phone, resisting the urge to hurl it over the bridge he was crossing.

He had been on the way to the Courtyard, ready to wait for Katara so they could eat lunch.

It was tradition. They always did it. Him, her, their table by Jin's Juice. Zuko loved having lunch with Katara. Playful banter was exchanged between the two of them, as well meaningful conversations. He would give her half of whatever he was eating that way and in return, she would give him half of her own food. But she had ruined it! Instead of meeting him like always, she's was choosing to spend lunch with that stupid, arrogant, infuriating Jet.

Huffing angrily, he spun on his heel and started walking towards where he came from. There wasn't anybody else to eat with. Toph and Aang's lunch break was during his next class, Sokka's was during his previous one and Suki didn't have one.

I need more friends. He thought sourly.

So he had two choices- go back to the house, get something to eat then rush back- or pick up something from the small food stall near his next class and wait for it to start somewhere around there.

Grumbling profusely, he went with the latter.

ATLA ATLA ATLA

"See that place hidden by all those trees, over there?"

Katara held on tightly to the railing of the Kuei bridge, one of the biggest pedestrian bridge that crossed the river than ran through the city of Ba Sing Se and followed Jet's gaze.

"Yes," she answered quickly.

Jet shuffled closer to her, so their shoulders brushed. "Guess what that is?"

Katara furrowed her eyebrows in concentration, trying to think. "Uh.. I don't know! Tell me!" She grinned at him, overjoyed at how perfect there time together was going.

He grinned back, equally enthusiastic. "That, my lovely Katara, is where I plan to take you Friday night."

She felt like her heart would burst from happiness. Jet, the very boy that she was currently infatuated with, had just asked her out.

Katara raised an eyebrow and leaned back against the railing of the bridge, twirling a brown curl around her finger coquettishly.

"Are you asking me out Jet?" Her voice was low and controlled, hiding her complete delight.

Jet leaned closer to her, smirking. "I don't know, you tell me."

Katara blushed from his proximity. "I think.. It's a date?"

Jet tucked a curl behind her ear, letting his fingers linger. His hands ran down her neck to her shoulder and he moved closer so his lips were by her ear.

Katara felt her eyes flutter closed as his hot breath hit her ear.

He whispered, the weight of his words shaking her bones.

"I think you're right."

ATLA ATLA ATLA

It was a girl's night.

Katara, Suki and Toph were on the floor in Katara and Toph's room, eating sweet snacks, painting each others nails and listening to music.

"So what's going on with you and my brother Suki? And don't lie!"

Suki blushed, refusing to look up and concentrating on picking the colour she wanted on her toes.

"Nothing.."

"Cut the crap Suki." Toph said bluntly, chewing on the M&M cookie Aang bought her for being late again.

"Fine!" Suki sat up and crossed her legs, facing her two eager friends. "We're not really dating or anything but we've been spending a lot of time together and stuff!"

Katara beamed and grabbed one of Suki's hands. "Ooh keep going!"

Suki laughed and reminded Katara to be careful because her nails weren't dry yet.

"Well I don't know! He keeps dropping all of these… hints."

Toph raised a dark eyebrow. "Hints?"

Suki nodded, tossing the bottle of violet nail polish from one hand to the other. "Yeah. Like playing with my hair, grabbing my hand randomly, being all touch-feely and stuff like that!"

Katara released a stream of giddy, girlish noises while Toph just grinned.

"Have you guys kissed yet?" Toph asked.

Suki's smile fell when her bottom lip fell to a pout. "No, we've gotten close though. But now it's your turn! What's going on with you and Teo?"

Toph rolled her jade eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you crazies? Four-Eyes is just my friend. That's all!"

Suki and Katara exchanged knowing smiles. "Whatever you say Toph…"

"Besides, there's someone else." Toph said quietly.

"What?" Suki and Katara asked simultaneously, leaning closer.

Their petite friend blew her black bangs out of her eyes and slowly raised her eyes to match their gaze.

"I mean, I like a different boy."

"Who?" The two older girls spoke together again.

Toph's narrowed her eyes, looking from one girl to the other. "You two need to stop doing that. It's weird."

"Okay whatever, just tell us already!" Suki exclaimed, reaching for her friend's hands.

Toph quickly moved her hands away. "Alright! It's Aang." She blurted it out, figuring it would be less painful if she just got it out of the way.

"Really?" Katara and Suki exclaimed.

"I said stop! And yes!"

They looked at each other and screamed excitedly.

"Stop yelling and calm down, gosh." Toph was blushing.

"You guys would be so cute together!"

Toph let her bangs hang over her face. "I mean it, both of you calm down. There's no need to get all excited. Besides, this is real life. My life. This isn't some movie or book or tv show where the boy falls for the girl who wants him. There is not going to be a magical kiss in the rain, and definitely not a 'happy ever after'. Because that just isn't how life is."

Katara and Suki quickly sobered, as their parade had been rained on.

"Don't be cynical, Toph." Katara said quietly.

Toph tightened her jaw, looking away. "I'm not being cynical, I'm being realistic. You know I'm right Suki."

Suki didn't say anything, even though she knew Toph was right. Aang loved Katara.. That was understood.

Instead, she reached over and squeezed Toph's hand. "Still, it could work in the end."

Toph shrugged. "I doubt it."

An uncomfortable silence settled in the room. Toph refused to look at anyone while Katara and Suki exchanged awkward looks.

"Well.. I have a date with Jet on Friday."

Toph responded with a half-hearted 'Cool' while Suki hugged Katara excitedly.

For the rest of the night, Suki and Katara would try to coax Toph out of her sulky state and search for an outfit for Katara's date.

ATLA ATLA ATLA

"Hey Twinkles."

It was late at night. The rest of the house had it's eyes shut closed, but Aang was still at the table doing homework.

She sauntered over to the table and sat across from him, offering him a rare, sweet smile.

"Hey Toph." He said softly, looking at her and smiling back.

She traced patterns on the wooden table for a few long moments, before looking at him again and speaking. "It's late, you should sleep."

"I know," Aang agreed. "I'll come once I'm done."

She looked down at her lap with a shyness that Aang never saw her shrouded with. He liked the way her long hair looked down. It hung past her small shoulders and framed her pale, heart-shaped face perfectly, like a halo.

She looked much younger with hair and timidity around her shoulders, he decided.

"I can stay with you, if you want." She offered quietly.

If she had looked up, she would have seen the grateful smile on his face. It was a warm smile, the kind that was small but had a bigger impact that a large one. The kind of smile that came from deep down, so it was is if she was seeing the very emotions that were printed on his heart.

"I'd like that."

ATLA ATLA ATLA

A/N: This wasn't wear I was going to end it but.. I was listening to the song 'Angel' by Jack Johnson when I wrote that last bit and I just loved the way it ended, so I stopped it there!

Holy you guys, I have 47 REVIEWS! Thank you so so so much everyone, I'm extremely grateful! What should we aim for next time? I'll make it easy since I'm super happy right now.. 16!

And don't forget- ideas, suggestions and critique are welcomed with open arms!

Till next time,

-Tk ;)