A/N: Zutara fans, REJOICE! This will be a great chapter for you, and you better be happy since I'm a partial Kataang and I don't really like Zutara. Take this chapter as a present for July 4th and in return, I would really appreciate some reviews. Thanks for all the people reading this story.
And this will be the first time that I don't use a POV. I think you'll like it better. Enjoy! AND REVIEW!
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The harsh winds from last night in the Garden still remained. Arianna still hasn't spoken to Sokka since she stormed out and now it was the morning. She couldn't admit to herself that she really liked Sokka and the feeling she felt right now, in the bottom of her fragile heart, was love for the comic relief boy. But now, she felt betrayed and broken. Living alone hasn't really helped her with these "boy" problems. All her life, she's had to work hard to survive with the haunting images of her now dead parents and sweet brother.
The beautiful Fire Nation teenager walked outside. Zuko had kept a small outdoor living space just to admire the beautiful sunrise the Fire Nation boasts. Katara, at the time, was doing just that. Arianna sat in a nearby chair, picked up her own cup of tea, and admired the ball of fire as it soared up into the sky.
"I'm so glad I found Aang in that iceberg." Katara turned around and savored the warmth of the tea dripping down her throat. "If I hadn't, I would never have travelled and seen this beautiful sunrise." A small smile tugged at Arianna's lips as she thought of the few good things that the Fire Nation could share with the world.
"I bet the Southern Water Tribe has a few sites to see as well." Katara grinned as she was reminded of her home. "I've never seen snow before." Her smile went away as she stared at Arianna in utter shock.
"What? You've never seen snow?" The older teenager just nodded. "You're coming with me and Sokka next time we go down there!" Katara was enthusiastic, but Arianna's features hardened at the mention of Sokka.
"What's wrong?" Katara's motherly instincts were kicking in again and this time, poor Arianna was on the receiving end.
"It's nothing." She whispered and sipped at her tea. Katara noticed that the girl wasn't ready to talk about it just yet and backed off of the subject, which is something she rarely does. She's more of the kind that butts into your personal space.
"So, do you have anything special to do today?" Arianna asked in an attempt to start a conversation.
"Zuko wants to take me out tonight." She took another calm sip and shivered as the warm drink fell through her throat again. She seemed to enjoy her tea a lot. "I'm glad that I found someone."
Arianna clenched her teeth at this and went into her own anger again. Why does my life have to be so hard? She thought to herself. Katara noticed her friend's actions and grew worried.
"Arianna. You can tell me what's wrong." She put her hand on Arianna's shoulder. The older girl turned around and looked into Katara's eyes. The waterbender could see a mix of feelings in her friend's brown eyes: love, anger, and distress. What could've happened to her? Katara's motherly thoughts swarmed her with a few possibilities. Before she could comment on anything, the firebender pushed her consoling hand off of her shoulder and walked away leaving Katara completely confused.
*O*O*O*O*O*O*
"Zuko and Katara are going out tonight right?" Toph asked her fellow airbender as she picked at her toes. The airbender nodded. "Well, let's go out somewhere!" She seemed pretty excited that she was finally getting out of the boring Fire Palace.
"Where?" The Avatar perked up at the thought of finally doing something.
"I remember Sokka told me that there's some kind of festival going on tonight. Something called the Light Festival."
"Let's go! It could be fun." Aang, always the optimistic one, was obviously entertained with the idea.
"Anything's better than being cooped up in here." Toph agreed, "But, it's a masked event. You need to wear a mask and an itchy dress." She seemed down on the idea, but Aang was determined to go out.
"We'll buy some masks and you can get a dress from Katara!" Aang's mouth went dry at the thought of Toph in one of Katara's dresses.
Toph groaned, "Fine!" Aang hugged her quickly; he knew how hard it was for Toph to wear a dress and had his own way of thanking her.
"I'll ask Sokka if he wants to come too!" And he ran off (airbending-enhanced) leaving a small blush on Toph's cheeks.
*O*O*O*O*O*O*
"Where are you taking me?" Katara flirtatiously asked her Fire Lord boyfriend knowing that her touch was one of his weaknesses. (The need for honor comes to a close second)
"It's a surprise." A smug grin graced his face. Katara was one of the few people who could ever make this Fire Lord smile.
"Let's go!" He listened to his girl's order and took her to Appa's stable. Aang had let them use him for the night and this wouldn't be the first time Zuko and Katara went on Appa alone. (The Southern Raiders)
After an hour of flying and shameless flirting, the couple made it to their destination. Katara was left awestruck and Zuko was beaming with pride.
"I take it that you like it." He smooth talked. Katara glanced at his figure behind her and smirked. She quickly pulled her "Fire Lord" in for a passionate kiss as a thank you.
He took her to one of the beaches off the coast of a small deserted Fire Nation island. It was a beautiful scene. It was around lunch, so the sun's rays were shining all over the sparkling sand. The sand was, surprisingly, very soft. Of course, due to the weather, the water was pretty cool, but it felt pretty soothing from the harsh sunshine. It was the classic beach and Zuko brought a picnic basket, beach chairs, and an umbrella.
"I love it." She whispered after their kiss. He smiled and layed out the blanket and started taking the food items out of the basket.
"What are you doing?" She asked with her hands on her hips as she watched Zuko.
"Setting the food up," he explained, "Why?"
"I'm not hungry! Let's go swim!" She laughed and ripped all of her clothes of leaving only her undergarments. Zuko smiled mischieviously, took off his shirt, and ran after his waterbender.
*O*O*O*O*O*O*
*that night; back in the Palace City*
The Avatar patiently waited outside his sifu's room as she was getting ready. Katara had made sure that some workers would help Toph into her dress; she secretly told them to put some make up on her, but knowing Toph, it's not going to happen.
Aang was wearing a Fire Nation suit. After all, it is a Fire Nation festival, so he felt it was only appropriate to wear the specific item. His short black hair wasn't in a topknot, but he still looked as Fire Nation as he could be.
The bored-out-of-his-wits Avatar entertained himself with a small ball of water. The water fell out of the bender's grasp as the door opened and the beauty inside walked out.
"I wish I could see you face right now, Twinkle Toes." Toph smirked as she could feel Aang's gaze on her petite body.
"You look beautiful, Toph." He was at a loss for words. Toph was wearing a red, Fire Nation dress for the same reason Aang was a Fire Nation suit: it only seemed appropriate. The dress reached her toes. Her shoes were missing their soles for her sight. The dress, anyone could tell, was tailored to her exact measurements to compliment every curve that the Spirits had graced the young girl with. Her hair was down and her green, cloudy eyes stared into the space.
"Enough drooling. Let's go!" She pulled him by the wrist as the Avatar thought how lucky he was to meet Toph.
The Light Festival was exactly that; there were lights everywhere that glowed against the dark sky. All the streets of the Fire Nation Palace City were filled with joyful citizens enjoying the beautiful fire bending displays. It reminded Aang of the glory days in the Fire Nation before Sozin and his crazed descendants.
"We need to buy a mask. I think it's over there." Aang noticed the rack of masks near the food carts.
Aang had picked black one with slits for the eye while Toph got one that only covered the eye area. It was the classic red Fire Nation lace mask with a red rose and feathers on one side, but Aang just thought Toph looked more attractive with it.
"You hungry?" Aang asked.
"Actually, I am." She rubbed her growling stomach, "Let's get something."
The two walked to the food carts nearby and Aang ordered, "I'll have one fire flakes, please." The man didn't notice that he was talking with the Avatar. The mask and his hair blocked his arrow.
"Yes, sir. And what would your girlfriend want?" The man asked politely. Aang's eyes widened.
"I'm not his girlfriend, but I'll have the Spicy Noodles." "Yes, no problem. Sorry about that." The man apologized and started getting the food.
Toph seemed so calm but inside, her heart was exploding. Little did she know that the same thing was happening inside the Avatar's heart.
*O*O*O*O*O*O*
After a long day of fooling around in the water and making a bunch of stupid sand castles only to be swallowed by the waves again, the couple finally went onto one of the cliffs above and just enjoyed their time together. Katara's head fit perfectly into Zuko's neck.
"I love you, Zuko." She whispered as she stared into his amber eyes. He smiled and pulled her up to stand.
"What?" She asked. He knelt on one knee and amused himself with Katara's reaction.
"I love you too, Katara, and I want to love you forever, but as my wife. We've been through so much together and there's just one thing I want to ask now. Will you marry me?" He brought out a ring (A Fire Nation tradition) and smiled.
"Yes!" She screamed and kissed him. After a few moments of pure love and joy between the engaged couple, Katara brought up something, "We need to go to my father and ask for permission. I doubt that you already asked him for permission."
"Yes, we will." Zuko smiled.
"Zuko, I need to tell you something." Katara started slowly, "I'm pregnant."
A/N: I based the Light Festival of the Fire Nation on the Hindu festival, Diwali; also known as the "festival of lights". The mask that Toph wore is a kind of Spanish Mardi Gras mask with those feathers on the side.
And remember in the first chapter? Zuko and Katara had a "moment" and that's why this happened.