*All important disclaimer! I don't own anything! This was made for fun! Anything from the show or the real world not mine! Any reviews or helpful suggestions are accepted. Anything rude will be ignored. Characters a mostly OC, a bit of my alter ego's might slip in here and flames on the pairings or how Emotional Aang might be will be totally ignored. This is a Zutara story, I never cared for KatAang even when the show was going on. Aang will grow up I promise so please bare with me. Any helpful suggestions are appreciated. All haters and flamers please take your mean reviews and use them to thaw your cold hearts.*
The next morning the family said their goodbyes at the airport again. Sokka made sure he had Suki's cell, email and the apartment address. As the two boarded the plane Katara giggled at her friend, "I think he likes you!" About an hour into the flight Katara took the time to learn about Mai from Suki. "She isn't very nice first of all. She has this goth, emo thing going on. Piercings all up and down her ears, eyebrow, lip, that bullring one in her nose. Trust me Tara you wanna stay out of her way, she is like a professional knife thrower. Also she is majorly jealous, I had to fake date Jet to get her to get off Zuko's case. Their relationship is mostly on, off." She bit her lip for a moment, Suki hesitated before continuing. "And when she breaks it off with him... and Tara you have to swear you'll never tell Zuko. Ever. If he found out I think it would kill him..." Katara nodded vigorously. Suki continued. " She hooks up with his dad." Katara stared wide eyed at Suki who nodded in a silent agreement. 'EW!'
Toph tackled Katara in the airport. Katara hugged her friend. Zuko hung back with a dark haired girl, dressed in a short leather skirt and red corset top. Her eyes were cold, they almost seemed to match her stainless steel piercings all over her face just as Suki had said. Toph hung onto Katara as she and Suki walked up to them. "You're looking better." Katara quipped. Zuko chuckled while Mai's eyes went even more steely. Zuko coughed, " Katara this is Mai. Mai this is Katara." "Nice to meet you," Katara greeted. "Yea sure," was all Mai replied. The drive back to campus was quiet and uncomfortable. Toph and Suki dished about the going's on at Katara's while Mai sat there like a statue. When they arrived at the apartment there was a jeep parked in the driveway. Zuko stepped out of his car, "looks like Uncle is still here."
Katara almost squeaked excitedly. The famous Uncle Iroh. She had yet to get to meet him. The group came into the doorway of the apartment. It was an open floor plan with on bedroom adjacent to the kitchen with it's own bathroom. Three more bedrooms up stairs, one with it's own bathroom while the other two had a connecting bathroom. Marble floors on the first floor, wooden floors upstairs. In the kitchen area stood a portly older man. He wore a red shirt with casual slacks. His white beard was trimmed and neat. His face was kindly as he stood before the stove with a steaming kettle. "Uncle we're back!" Zuko called as everyone removed their shoes. Molten honey eyes beamed.
"Aw welcome home my nephew. I've made some fresh tea if anyone would like to partake." Toph and Suki burst forward to the large round oak table for prime serving seats. Mai sighed and took the seat next to Zuko. Which left three seats. "Ah and you must be Katara, my nephew has told me a lot about you." said Iroh, his honey colored eyes staring at her. Katara smiled, "Yes, you must be Iroh, Zuko has told me a lot about you too." The older man offered Katara his arm and lead her to a seat. "All good I hope." He even pulled it out and seated her. "Lu Ten! Come down here and greet your cousins friends!" Iroh called up the stairs before taking a seat beside Katara.
"Oh whats the hurry old man I already know them!" called a younger version of Iroh's honeyed voice. A young man a few years older than Zuko appeared. Almost his mirror image. Only his hair was military styled and his skin didn't even have a zit let alone a scar. "Forgive him, he seems to forget the manners I taught him," Iroh chuckled as he poured Katara a steaming cup of tea. Katara felt Lu Ten's gaze fall on her. Quick as a flash he was in the left over seat beside her. "Why hello." he said smoothly ignoring his fathers quip. Katara giggled, "Hello." "Now I know all of little Zuzu's friends, but I've never met you before." Lu Ten purred. Katara laughed, "ZUZU! Your nickname is a musical instrument!" Zuko glared at his cousin angrily. "Oh yes, you should hear my nephew play the sungi horn! Beautiful!" Iroh exclaimed! Everyone but Mai laughed as Zuko's ears burned from mortification.
It was decided that Toph take the downstairs bedroom {its was the only place is the apartment she could see}. Zuko had the room facing the east which was one of the rooms with a conjoining bathroom. Suki refused to share a bathroom with Zuko, "Just a summer camp memory, I can't relive it again!" Was all Suki would say, so Katara and Zuko had the connecting rooms. Suki and Katara lugged their suit cases up while Lu Ten and Zuko assisted with some of the boxes delivered from their old dorm rooms. Katara entered her room. It was spacious and already had a dresser and full sized bed. The walls were a light blue. Zuko came in and placed the box he was carrying. "I think your rooms bigger," he said as he glanced around. Katara giggled and shrugged. "So I guess we share a bathroom... ugh any strange stuff I should know about?" Zuko chuckled as he flopped onto her mattress.
Katara stuck her tongue out and before she could respond someone cleared their throat at her door. Both turned to see Mai standing there, "I'm hungry." Was all she said. Zuko begrudgingly stood and walked towards her, not before asking, "You hungry too Tara?" Katara declined and set to work arranging her room. She enlisted Lu Ten to help her move her bed so it was kiddy corner from the window facing the hallway door and bathroom door. The oak dress with vanity mirror was put on the wall closest to the bathroom. Lu Ten was as funny as he was handsome. Katara had a hard time concentrating with his jokes. 'Sokka could learn a thing from him.'
Suki called from downstairs that a pizza had arrived. Katara shoved Lu Ten on her mattress and dashed out. He was hot on her heels when they reached the landing, but no one had told them the coach was now closer to the landing. Lu Ten caught Katara's shoulder's and they toppled over the back. She landed on him and was hysterical. Their laughter echoed off the walls. Toph shouted from the table, "SAFE!"