Sublime

At six month pregnant, Katara was not the most reasonable person. The hormones, the discomfort of carrying an active (kicking) baby, and the weight gain had set Katara's temperament on edge.

The servants, not used to seeing this rather frightening side of their usually kind Fire Lady, would scurry away if they saw her coming. The nobles and courtiers, although used to Fire Lady Katara having a sharp tongue, were rather anxious and more careful of their words when she was around. Nowadays, anything, no matter how innocuous, was enough to set her off. The only one who remained afraid of the hormonal waterbender, was her husband.

Zuko did everything he could to make Katara's pregnancy more pleasant. Every morning, he set a hot bath so that she could relax her sore body. At midday, he would always order a picnic under the cool of the trees to help her unwind and rest. In the evenings, he would massage her feet with heated hands to loosen her rigid muscles. Nonetheless, in the moments where Katara would just begin to cry at a simple comment about her eating habits, Zuko was at a loss of what to do.

Finally, he asked Katara what was wrong.

"What's wrong?! What's WRONG!? I'll tell you what's wrong, the fact that I'm getting fatter and fatter. The stretch marks are getting bigger and bigger, and I'm still hungry all the time. The fact that I can't control my emotions anymore and I cry at the stupidest things, and I CAN'T help it. The fact that everyone hates me, and soon you'll hate me after I give birth to the baby, and I won't be the same after…and…and….," Katara began to sob again.

Zuko was a bit dumbstruck. Wait, did she say….

"Hate you? Katara, where are you getting such ideas?" He made his way towards her, and wrapped his arms around her. "Katara, what are you talking about?"

"You're going to replace me, aren't you?" Katara sobbed into his shirt, "Because now I'm fat, ugly and difficult, and all you wanted was an heir from me."

Zuko then realized the core of the problem.

"You think I don't love you anymore?" he asked incredulously. "Katara…Oh Agni, these hormones of yours are insane! Katara, are you listening to yourself? How can I not love you? What have I done to prove otherwise? Katara, I love you. I love you when you're complicated, when you're fat…",Katara sobbed a bit louder at this ,"…oh um…but you're not…fat to me….Katara listen! No matter if you're pregnant or not, angry or happy, you're still the Katara I love. You're still the Katara that makes my life feel….sublime."

Katara had calmed to sniffles, and looked up to Zuko with teary eyes. He smiled gently at her, and kissed her forehead.

"My silly waterbender, nothing will stop me from loving you."

Katara began to sob again, even harder than before.

Now Zuko was exasperated and more confused.

"What? What did I say? It was supposed to make you feel better!"

"It did, and it was so sweet!" Katara sobbed between words. " I love you so much Z-Zuko! I never want to leave you, and I-I-I am so happy that you still love meeeeeee…"

She couldn't talk anymore.