A/N: Sorry for the wait but here's the next chapter!! This chapter has over 2,000 words! REVIEW so I can update :)

Previously...

"I take that back. You voice is squeaky even for a girl."

"Yeah well...Yeah well...You're really short for a teenager!" I retorted.

"Yeah well I hate to break it to you...but I'll do it anyways. I'm only 13."

"Really? Hmmm I thought you were 14 or 15."

"Um...Okay. You know you never told me your name." She pointed out sitting down on the ground.

"My name's Sokka." I sat down beside her.

""Like Sock-a?"

"No! Like S-o-k-k-a."

"That's what I said."

"No you said it totally different."

"Did you just say totally?"

..."No"...

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

"Sokka I'm blind not deaf."

"Riiiight."

Previously...

" Is that supposed to be a compliment?" She asked wryly going over and sitting on the bench.

I sat on the floor by the bench and smiled up at her.

"Maybe..."

She pouted. "That's not an answer."

"I know."

She narrowed her eyes but then smiled mischievously.

"What are you doing?" I asked warily.

"Nothing..." She said not looking me in the eye.

"That's not an answer."

"I know."

TOPH POV

"So your parents seriously make that guy follow you around everywhere?" He asked from where he sat next to me on the ground. We were still leaning against the wall. I was not going back there with my advisor still out there...

"Unfortunately yes."

"Why?"

" Because since I'm blind they think I'm a helpless little girl. That's how they treat me too. They don't treat me like their daughter, they treat me like I'm their pet or something. I can't go anywhere or do anything by myself." I said crossing my arms and glaring at the ground.

"They're probably just worried about you." He said putting his hand on my shoulder.

"No. It's more like I'm they're property so I have to do everything they say. Besides I can take care of myself. I don't need anyone."

"Right." He said sarcastically.

"I'm serious I'm perfectly fine by myself. I'm an Earthbender you know." I said shoving his hand off my shoulder.

"But how do you Earthbend when you can't..." He trailed off uncomfortably.

"See. When I can't see." I finished. "S' okay you can say it. I mean It's true. And I see with my feet."

"Huh? You...see with your...feet?" He asked confused.

"Yes that's what I said."

"But-I mean How?"

"I can sense things through my feet. It's kinda hard to explain. I can't actually see things but I can sense things. I know exactly where they are." I said trying to make him understand.

"Like a Badger-Mole?"

"What?" I asked stiffly.

"Well that sorta sounds like a...Badger Mole..." He said his face turning red in embarrassment.

"Yeah I guess It could be like that." I said quietly. How could he know? It's exactly like a badger-mole I mean that's how I learned to cope with my blindness. By learning from them.

"I'm sorry If I offended you. That's just what popped into my head. I do that sometimes. I just say what's on my mind without thinking. Katara always gets mad at me about that. She always like 'Sokka you could hurt someone's feelings! Think before you speak!' I mean I love Katara but sometimes..." He said rubbing the back of his neck.

"Who's Katara?"

"My sister."

"Oh..."

"What do ya mean Oh...?" He asked.

"I mean exactly what I said!" I said annoyed.

"Well did you mean it like 'Oh.' or 'Ooooh.' Cause they're completely different."

"I meant it like I said it!"

"Well how'd you say it?"

"I don't know!"

"Well then how do you know how you meant what you said when you can't remember it!" He yelled turning to stare at me.

He glared at each other for a second before we both started laughing.

"Suprisingly I understood what you asked." I said brushing my hair out of my useless eyes.

"Good cause I didn't." He admitted and I scoffed.

"Actually I know Katara." I said taking him by suprise.

"What the heck? How does my sister already know every friend I make? Jeez!"

"What'd you mean?"

"Oh well I met this girl earlier that Katara had met before me." He explained.

"Oh poor little Snoozles, can't make his own friends so he steals his sisters."

"I do not ste- Wait what did you call me?"

"Snoozles. It seemed appropriate." I said with a shrug.

ZUKO POV

"Where are you from?" I asked curiously.

"Guess." she said brushing one of my brown hair loops back.

"Well...I know your from the Water Tribes..." I stated obviously.

"Really? Wow your perceptive." she said sarcastically rolling her eyes at him.

"Wait, I wasn't finished!" I exclaimed.

"And I thought that since you were a Prince you would know all about the people of the other Nations." She teased smiling down at me.

"Shut up." I said bumping her leg with my shoulder from where I sat on the floor.

"Well are you going to answer the question?"

"Actually I did have lessons on the people of the other nations." I said seriously "And from what I can remember people of the Northern water tribe and the Southern water tribe have distinguishing features. Um...The Northern water tribe people are known to be strong, strict, and hard- working. They have curly brown hair, dark blue eyes, darker skin...and they tend to be taller so...that would be a no for you." I said grinning.

"Hey! I'm not that short!"

"I never said you were short I just said they were taller." I defended myself.

"That's the same thing! And-wait...what do you know about people from the Southern water tribe?"

"Oh um. I forgot." I mumbled.

"No you didn't you just don't want to tell me." She accused pursing her lips.

"So maybe I just don't feel like telling you."

"...Please?"

"Uggh...Fine!" I said annoyed.

She smiled brightly. "Thank you."

"The Southern water tribe people are kind, respectful, strong-willed, and Intelligent. They have dark, wavy brown hair, Light blue eyes, Tan skin, and tend to be medium height." I finished staring out over the pond.

"Hmmm..." She mused.

"What are you thinking?"

"Right now? That Fire Nation schools are really tough." She said honestly.

I scoffed. That's an understatement.

"Tell me about the Fire Nation." She said suddenly.

"What do you want to know?" I asked warily.

She shrugged. "Anything."

"Hmmm...Were a proud nation. Though we have reason to be." I said smirking and looking around the Palace garden.

"Okay point taken." She said dryly.

"It's very...strict, and precise. There's an order to everything." I said matter of factly.

"What do you mean?"

"Like...Every day I do the exact same thing. I get up, meditate, go to breakfast, go to lessons, have tea with Uncle, Train, have more lessons, dinner, Train some more, then I go meet with my advisors to...talk about things..." I cut off abruptly.

"Talk about what?"

"Nothing."

"Come on Zuko just tell me."

"No."

"It can't be that bad." She insisted.

"Believe me it is."

"Please?"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "That's not going to work again."

"It was worth a try." She said smirking. "But seriously what could you guys be talking about that's so bad it would make the Fire Prince cringe?" She mused leaning forward her elbows resting on her legs.

"My future."

"That's not so bad." She said.

"Marriage."

"Huh?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose. " Candidates for who's going to be my future Fire Lady. That's what were discussing."

"..."

I looked up to see her biting her lip her body shaking slightly holding back laughter.

"You wouldn't think It was so funny If you had to have an arranged marriage." I said scowling at her.

"Your right. I"m sorry. But even thought It's not now...eventually I'll have to choose someone too." She said quietly but I could hear the frustration in her voice.

"Why? I thought only royal families- Oh." I said suddenly feeling completely stupid.

She smiled at my ignorance. "Seems like I'm not the only one who was unaware who the other was." She said lightly.

"Oh."

"You're still in shock."

"No, you just caught me by suprise." I said running a hand through my hair.

"Why do I not look like a princess?" She asked crossing her arms.

"No it's not that. Evidently not that." I said looking at her.

"So...Princess...wait I don't know your name." I said suddenly. What am I stupid? Maybe she's right my mom probably did drop me on the head a couple of times when I was younger...

"Katara." She said holding out her hand.

"Well Princess Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, It is a pleasure to meet you." I said taking her small, cool hand in mine.

"The pleasure is all mine Prince Zuko." She smiled then shook her head giggling slightly.

"Shouldn't that have come first?"

"Probably." I admitted unable to completely keep the grin off my face.

"Er...you can let go of my hand now." She said and I yanked my hand away swiftly.

"S-sorry."

"It's okay. So have any ideas on who the lucky girl is gonna be?" She asked changing the subject.

"Lucky. Right." I said.

"Well yeah, I mean this is a really beautiful nation. And the Palace is amazing too. And I imagine that having servants serve your every whim can't be that bad either."

"Actually having servants gets annoying. And that's it? So you're saying those girls would be lucky to marry me for the perks of being royalty?" I asked shocked. "Wow I didn't take you for the materialistic type."

"Well of course that's not it!" She snapped. "You would make a good husband too!" Then she gasped snapping her mouth shut.

"What do you mean?" I asked quietly stealing her line from earlier.

"Nothing."

"Then why'd you say it?"

"I don't know! I just did! It doesn't mean anything!" She hissed.

Of course It didn't. What was I thinking? She probably just said it because she felt bad for me. Everyone does. Nothing is worse or more humiliating that living in your younger sister's shadow.

Then I felt a presence next to me but I ignored it.

"Your nice, determined, strong, smart, hard-working, handsome, a talented firebender, strong-willed, and...I'm sorry. I have no idea what your life is like and I shouldn't have made assumptions. Besides...what I said was a lie. What I said doesn't mean nothing, I completely meant what I said." She said putting her hand on my shoulder.

I looked into her blue eyes in shock. "Thanks."

"It's the truth."

I shook my head at her.

"Really. Any girl would be lucky to be with you." She said tightening her grip for a second.

'Any girl...' I thought glancing at her. Wait. What? No I couldn't think like that. She was from the Water Tribes. I was to be engaged to a noble girl from the Fire Nation. That's the way It should be. The way It would be. Besides we were only just becoming friends. It's not like I could see her often anyways. She lived halfway across the world. Might as well end it before it started.

A/N: Okay before you guys say anything I know Zuko is out of character...and Toph kinda is too but I had to change them for it to fit my story...Should this story be Sokka/Toph or Sokka/Suki? Let me know.