The ABCs of Zutara: DISTRACTED

Written by Katie Jo aka AVidZktjo

It had been two weeks since Katara had confronted the leader of the Southern Raiders, but Zuko could still tell that she was torn up about it. She needed a distraction. And he knew just the thing. After consulting with the Avatar, the six of them hopped on Appa and flew to the Fire Nation city of Ji Lin. Once they landed, the excited group of teenagers made their way to the city while Appa and Momo stayed behind and hid among the mountainous terrain. Zuko had discovered that the Ember Island Players were in town that night, and the music, dancing, and partying was sure to take everyone's mind off the fast approaching comet. It was sure to be a night of entertainment and fun. Too bad Zuko wasn't that good of a dancer. But the look of awe in everyone's eyes as they entered the city and saw the lights and decorations was just enough to put a smile on his face and distract him from the thought.

Upon seeing the massive pile of food, Sokka immediately grabbed Suki by the hand and pulled her along toward the buffet line. If Zuko had been the laughing sort, he would have chuckled at the sight, but instead he just shook his head and then turned to watch as the Avatar got caught up in the music. He tried to pull Katara along with him, but she graciously declined and said that she was a little hungry and thought she'd check out the food first. Aang shrugged his shoulders in response and then grabbed Toph's hand. With a sigh, the earthbender followed him into the crowd and tried to keep up with his enthusiasm. At one point in the dance, Toph shot up some of the earth at Aang's feet, but he dodged it with ease and kept giggling and dancing about. Katara chuckled at Toph's lack of interest, but after a while, Aang's reluctant partner lightened up a bit and actually started to enjoy her dance with the bouncy airbender. And the sight brightened up Katara's day. But little did she know that her happiness tugged on Zuko's heart, making his lips curl up into a charming smile.

Zuko shook his head. He couldn't believe how much he'd changed around the waterbender. When she smiled, so did he. It had become his normal reaction. At first he had tried to fight it, but even her angry glares pulled up the corners of his lips. And sometimes, on those rare occasions, he even wanted to laugh, not that he ever did. Instead he would stifle it, stare into those captivating blue eyes of hers, and get lost amidst the waves. "Zuko? You coming?" Katara's sweet voice pulled him out of his quiet revere and he glanced over at her. She was beckoning for him to follow her to the buffet line, so without a second thought, he tagged along with her.

Aang and Toph soon joined the four of them and they laughed and joked while they ate. Even Zuko got in on the storytelling, to everyone's amazement. Their joyful banter had started to rub off on him, and his illusive smile was being permanently carved into his smug face. It was no use. They had changed him. But he certainly wasn't complaining. He loved his new family. As his lips curled higher at the thought, the waterbender's gaze suddenly caught his eye. How long had she been looking at him? Without warning, her cheeks turned pink and she looked away. Surely he hadn't just seen that. A blush? Really? No. Impossible. Dismissing the picture from his head, he looked down at his plate and continued eating while Aang and Sokka told jokes with their food.

After the four of them had eaten their fill and Sokka had finished off his mountain of meat, Suki jumped up and begged for Sokka to dance with her. He complained that he was too full, but she countered with "well, you shouldn't have eaten so much then" and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the crowd of twirling couples. The gang, including Zuko, chuckled at Sokka's miserable expression as he tried to keep up with her while fighting the urge to hurl. And then the chuckles turned into hysterical bouts of laughter as Toph knocked Sokka to the ground with one pound of her foot. He glared back at her, but that only made the foursome hold on to their stomachs as they tried to suppress the relentless pang in their chests. Suki even laughed. But then she knelt down before her humiliated dance partner and offered her hand. While she reigned in her giggles, she helped her clumsy boyfriend rise to his feet again and swiftly soothed his ego with a few kind words of encouragement.

Once the laughter had faded, Aang rose from his seat and asked Katara if she would dance with him. With the simple nod of her head, she put her hand in his and they made their way to the dance floor. Zuko looked over at Toph, knowing that the proper thing to do was to ask his worthy opponent for a dance but she beat him to it. "Don't even think about it, Sparky. The only dancing I'll ever do with you involves flames and dirt, so don't ask unless you want your face punched in."

Zuko put up his hands in surrender and shrugged his shoulders for his own benefit. "Don't worry. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Good." Toph leaned back in her chair and set her feet atop the table with a bang. "But I'm sure that sugar queen would love a dance." Toph snatched up an apple from her plate and took a huge bite. "You should ask her," she added amid her chewing.

Zuko turned in his chair and focused his gaze on the dance floor. The Avatar and his dance partner were laughing and having a great time. Aang twirled Katara about with ease and she gracefully followed him. They truly look great together, he thought. But then something struck him in the head and he looked back at Toph. She was wiping off her mouth with an air of elegance and an expression of innocence. But the half-eaten apple that had landed on his empty plate gave her away in an instant. He casually picked it up and asked her, "Is this yours, miss?"

"Who? Me?" Toph replied while pointing at herself. "A lady of such proper standing would never throw an apple at a gentleman such as you."

Zuko rolled his eyes and dropped the apple onto her messy plate. "We'll settle this when we get back."

"Yeah, yeah, sure we will. You're trailing me by twenty points. Good luck with that one, Sparky."

Sighing, Zuko turned his attention back on the dance. The boisterous song had come to an end and everyone on the dance floor was trying to catch their breath before the music shifted into a slow tune. The ground under Zuko's feet began to rumble, and before he knew it, he was tossed from his chair. He quickly regained his balance and righted himself. "Tooooph!" he drew out her name in irritation. That earthbender was giving him a headache.

But before he could reprimand her, she said, "What are you waiting for? Ask sweetness for a dance."

Zuko glanced over his shoulder at Aang and Katara. They were both gasping for air while trying to stop their giggling. He could intervene before the next song started. But before he took off towards Katara, he fixed his gaze back on the forceful matchmaker and challenged, "Alright. Fine. I'll ask her for a dance. But only if you ask Aang. He'll need another partner once I steal his."

Toph shrugged in response and then rose to her feet. "If it will get you to dance with the ice queen, then I'll do it."

Turning back to the dance, Zuko took a deep breath and walked into the crowd and right up to Aang. "May I cut in?" he asked, while trying desperately not to make a face at his own gentlemanlike manner.

Aang looked back at Katara with an expression that said "no," but to Zuko's surprise, the waterbender nodded her head at him in answer for her distraught partner as a lovely tune started to build around them. Zuko smiled at her response and she mimicked his grin. Aang was quickly pushed off to the side and forgotten as Zuko wrapped his arms around her waist and Katara interlaced her fingers behind his neck. Their eyes were locked on one another, and poor Aang was left to fester in a pool of jealous misery.

"Come on, twinkle toes, dance with me," Toph said as she grabbed Aang's hand and pulled him into an embrace.

The Avatar tried to keep his attention on Toph but his eyes kept traveling back to Zuko and Katara. What were they talking about? He could see their lips moving so they had to be saying something. But what? He tried to lead him and his partner towards them, but Toph resisted and pushed him in the opposite direction instead. He looked down at her in annoyance, but she only smiled up at him with a teasing glint in her eyes. She could be so frustrating at times. He shook his head at her, though she wasn't able to see it, and tried to focus on his partner. But no matter how hard he tried to fight it, the Avatar couldn't keep his eyes off of the beautiful Water Tribe girl. If only he could see how badly he was hurting the earthbender in his arms, maybe then he would have fixed his gaze on her instead.

But he didn't. Toph would have never allowed it. She kept up the façade because she had to. She'd been hurt before, not by boys, but by her parents and her so-called friends back home. She'd learned how to be tough. It came with the territory. But even though some would believe otherwise, she wasn't made of stone. She didn't have a rock for a heart. She had a real, beating, full-of-emotion heart just like everyone else. It wasn't made of the earth and it didn't always stand strong. She had her weak moments just like the others. Like that very night. She could feel it. Her heart was breaking, and if she wasn't careful, she knew it would crumble into pieces.

Stay strong, Toph, she told herself. But how could she when so much happiness was surrounding her. Sokka and Suki had each other, and even though Sokka was a clumsy dance partner, she adored him. Zuko and Katara, well, she was sure they'd see it in no time. After all, they had the makings of a great romance. Plus, their accelerated heartbeats didn't lie. And then there was Aang who had the dream of a love his childish heart couldn't quite let go of.

Toph's thoughts turned inward then and she told herself that she had the best deal of any of them. She had her earthbending, her metalbending, her snide remarks, her tough talk, and her downright awesomeness. But she couldn't fool herself for long. No lie could escape her notice. Not even her own. For she knew she would give all of that up in a heartbeat to have what she truly wanted. She may have been blind but even she could see the truth. She would never have any of that for the Avatar's gaze was still fixed on the lovely waterbender held in the prince's arms. Aang's heart beat for hers alone, and Toph doubted that he'd ever learn to let go.

"Ow!" Aang exclaimed after being hit in the arm by his dance partner. He looked down at Toph for a brief instant only to see her teasing smile again. He figured that she was just trying to get his mind off of Katara. But he didn't care. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her. He loved Katara and he would do anything for her. You must learn to let go. The guru's words intruded into his thoughts, but he quickly pushed them aside. He would do anything for her – except that! No matter what, he would never let go. He couldn't. He wouldn't. He simply didn't want to. And that was final! But as he watched the laughter spill out of her while she was wrapped in Zuko's arms, he couldn't keep from wondering if someday soon he would have to.

"When did you get to be so funny, Zuko?" Katara said to her newfound friend.

Zuko dropped his smile and took on that serious expression he'd always worn. "I'm never funny."

Katara couldn't stop laughing at his ridiculously smug face. It just wasn't him anymore. She was so used to seeing him with a smile those days that his serious expressions made her giggle. He seemed to enjoy the joke, too, for his smile came back in a flash and she was yet again captivated by his glowing amber eyes.

"So, are you pleasantly distracted?" he suddenly asked.

"Hm?" she mumbled. Had he read her thoughts or something? She tried not to blush.

"It's just that I could see you've been down the past few weeks, and I thought this party would do you some good," he said as his smile wavered a bit.

So this had been his idea? And all for her? She couldn't help but be surprised. "Uh…well…yeah, I guess so," she failed at her reply. She was distracted to be sure, but not in the way he thought.

His expression brightened up again and his eyes sparkled with mischief. "Good." He looked around before adding. "Would you mind taking a walk with me?"

"Why?" was her instinctive reply.

"There's just something I'd like to show you before we leave."

Katara perked up at the idea. "Really!? What is it!?"

"It's a surprise."

She sighed. "Ugh. A surprise? Why can't you just tell me?"

Zuko shook his head.

"Fine. I'll go with you, but it better not be a bad surprise or I'll whip your butt when we get back."

"Good luck with that." She was five points behind him, but she was quickly catching up. He didn't doubt that she could beat him. She'd done it fifty times before already. But a battle of the elements was the furthest thing from his mind at that moment. Dropping his arms from around her waist, he grabbed one of her hands that rested on his neck and pulled her along beside him as he led them away from the dance floor, past the buffet, and into an alleyway.

"Will you at least tell me where we're going?"

She wasn't very patient, he noticed. But then neither was he. His mouth curved higher at the thought. They shared many similarities. She got angry at the drop of a pin, and so did he. She was even arrogant at times, and everyone could clearly see that he was as well. But then, as he guided her through the crowded streets, his thoughts shifted to those qualities he admired the most about her. She was kind, gentle, caring, compassionate, and understanding. She would help anyone in need, even an enemy, and she loved with a deep compassion that brought out the best in everyone around her. And her smile…was distracting to say the least. Along with her eyes. And her lips.

Zuko stopped his train of thought right there. What was he thinking? She was the Avatar's girl. Not to mention they were from opposite parts of the world and had grown up in completely different cultures. It would never work. It could never work. For he wouldn't let it. No matter how much he wanted it. Then what in the world was he doing?

At Zuko's sudden halt, Katara asked, "Is this it? Some broken down building?"

"Uh…no." And he started walking again. This was ridiculous. What was he doing? He didn't even know. Things started to change the minute she'd forgiven him, and they were only getting weirder the more time passed. It was a phenomenon he couldn't quite understand, and he wasn't sure that he wanted to. As they turned the corner, he caught sight of the fountain and released her hand. "There," he said as he pointed to it.

"Wow. It's beautiful," she praised as she neared the elaborate fountain set in the middle of a charming parkway.

"It's over a hundred years old." Katara sat before the stone monument and dipped her hand in the water, enjoying the cool temperature of it, as she marveled at the craftsmanship. Even after so many years, the fountain looked as pristine as the day it'd been made. "It was sculpted by a firebender many years ago," Zuko added soon afterward.

Looking up at the lovely maiden who had water flowing from her outstretched hands, Katara asked, "But then why does she look like she's bending water?"

Zuko sat down next to Katara and waited until their eyes met before answering. "Because the firebender was in love with a Water Tribe girl." Katara blinked and her eyes slowly widened as the words sunk in. "It was carved in her honor," he explained upon seeing her shocked expression.

He knew then that he'd made a mistake. He shouldn't have brought her to the fountain. The implications of his simple gesture were enough to send both their hearts racing off into dangerous territory. But though his heart beat wildly, his eyes were suddenly opened and he noticed something new. Her eyes weren't looking away from his. Instead they held on for what seemed like an eternity. And mirrored within them he saw the same feelings that had unexpectedly overtaken him.

Why had he brought her here? Katara thought she knew the answer to that, but she didn't want to hope for it. Surely he wasn't thinking of her in that way. But his eyes…they told a different story. When she felt her cheeks getting warm, Katara was quick to break away, and she immediately turned her attention back to the stone monument. If she wasn't careful, she would blush just like she'd done at dinner. And she couldn't let him see that again.

While looking up at the beautiful waterbending maiden, Katara couldn't help but question if what Zuko had told her was true. A firebender and a waterbender. It was romantic to be sure, but what exactly was he trying to say with this? Again she thought she knew the answer and the prospect made her heart skip a beat. Maybe I should just ask him, she eventually thought. But she didn't get a chance for he abruptly stood up and offered her his hand. "We should get back. You don't want to miss the party."

Graciously, she took it and then followed him back, only this time he didn't hold on to her hand as he lead them through the alleyways. Instead they returned to the party in silence. The walk was peaceful and quiet, but inside, her mind was screaming at her and running a mile a minute. She couldn't stop thinking about that fountain. Why had he wanted to show her that? He didn't have to. So why did he then? Was he trying to say that — but she couldn't finish the thought. She didn't want to and yet at the same time she did. She couldn't decide.

Immediately upon returning to the party, Aang grabbed her hand for the next slow dance, but her mind remained unfocused the whole time. Because the firebender was in love with a Water Tribe girl. What could he possibly mean by that? Her gaze found his in a heartbeat and his previous inquiry suddenly replayed in her mind. So, are you pleasantly distracted? Even though he was sitting at a table twenty feet away, she could see the fire in his eyes and her mouth automatically mimicked the beautiful smile displayed upon his lips. Throughout the entire night, his gaze held hers in an unbreakable vice and his smile wreaked havoc on her heart. Katara's dance partner might as well have been invisible for she had never been more pleasantly distracted in her life.

Awww…that was so cute and sad and horrible and good all at the same time. And, yes, this is sort of an unofficial sequel to BATTLE. It helps if you read that one first. =D

D was a little bit harder to come up with for some reason. I started with DARK and then went to DARE and then back to DARK and then to DANCE and finally to DISTRACTION which I later changed to DISTRACTED. Good word. I like it.

But as for the story…well, it started out good but I felt like it ended off key. It has its moments. But I'm not so sure I like the fountain. I mean, I do and I don't. Too fast? I dunno. It was cute either way.

And what did ya think about the Taang plug? I don't know why I keep doing that. It just seems to fit. Besides, getting inside Toph's head is fun. She's a complicated matchmaker. But not so complicated when it comes to Zuko. You gotta admit! That bit was adorably hilarious. So like Toph!

And then there is Sokka and Suki. Was there ever a cuter couple? Well…yeah…Zutara! LOL.

Oh, and the Ember Island Players – they're a band. And that's the story I'm sticking to. So think of this one-shot as the episode that should have happened. Because I'll never accept the real episode as anything more than a ridiculous (but funny) filler that could have been so much more. But even this one-shot is not the real episode I had in mind. Maybe I'll write about it later and let you know. You'll just have to wait and see.

And for those of you who've read my version of THE BOILING ROCK, you should recognize the name of the city. Sadly, no Maliya in this story though. Oh well.

So...are you pleasantly distracted? Let me know through REVIEWS!!! Please & Thank You!!! =D

AVidZktjo

The letter E is gonna make you laugh your socks off! And that's all the spoilers I'm gonna give you.