"One thing you can always count on is that hearts change."
-Howl's Moving Castle
"Hooray! A letter from Iroh!"
Katara rolled over, burying her head deep under the warm pelts she slept in. She was not a morning person. "Can't it wait until I'm awake?" she moaned, squeezing her eyes shut.
"But you are awake!" the teenage Avatar cried. "You're talking, aren't you?"
Not anymore, she thought. "One more hour." Full moons always kept her up late, as her blood was dancing in her veins all through the night. She relaxed her body, confident that it would obey her.
Cold sprang at her exposed skin like a sabre-tooth moose lion. "AANG!" she screeched, her fingers floundering around for her only source of warmth. "How many times have I told you-"
"Iroh sent us an invitation."
Her eyes flew open as her breathing stopped. "An invitation?" she squeaked. "To what?"
"The anniversary, of course!"
She sighed with relief. "Which anniversary?" Certainly not an engagement anniversary? Although, they had been putting off the wedding for some time now...
"I don't know. Probably the two year anniversary of the end of the war. We're all invited to the Jasmine Dragon again. It says that he's added a 'large, luxurious inn' to the shop so everyone can stay."
"How soon should we leave?" She rolled over, pulling her mass of dark hair away from her face. "Does he say when he wants us all there?"
As his gray storm eyes scanned the scroll, Aang's face fell. "Oh no," he muttered, his arms going limp as the invite rolled onto the bed.
"What is it?" Katara hurriedly grabbed the parchment, searching for the date's kanji. "It says the summer solstice. That's more than a month away still. What's-"
"I promised I would be at the Northern Air Temple for the summer solstice this year." His eyes were unfocused, head turned towards the flap that covered the tent entrance. "I'm sorry."
Katara wrapped her arms around his shoulders, her cheek touching his. "It's alright. Iroh will understand."
"I was apologizing to you," he corrected. "I'm sorry I can't give you a ride on Appa..."
"Don't worry about it-"
"And I'm also sorry that... I just... there's something I need to say."
He faced her, his gaze calm and regretful. "Just tell me," she coaxed. "What's bothering you?"
"I think... I just... I want... I need..." He stumbled over his words, unable to finish his sentence.
She tilted her head. "That's not very straightforward."
"I think we should stop seeing each other."
Ocean eyes blinked three times as her jaw worked noiselessly. "Are you sure?"
The young Avatar nodded. "I've felt this way for a few weeks now. I mean, I still love you, but I just-"
"Don't." He watched her worriedly, but she smiled. A genuine, unforced smile. "I understand. I've been feeling the same lately." Much longer than 'lately.' "This is as good a time as any to come out with it."
He gave her the same grin that had kept her going for those unbelievable months they had spent traveling the world on the back of a flying bison. "That was was easier than I thought it was going to be," he said. Speading his arms, they shared a brief hug before he bounced up. "I'll go let Sokka know! You'll probably leave tomorrow," he added, disappearing through the thick flap.
As his presence faded, so did her smile. A reunion, huh? Leave it to Iroh to find a reason to get them all together.
But will it be everyone?
"Of course," she whispered. Of course it would be everyone. It wasn't like he could ignore the old man. An invitation from him was seen as a summons, and only the Avatar would really be forgiven for missing out.
Rolling out of the plush furs, she began yanking on her oldest work clothes. It was time to start packing.
"Ba Sing Se, huh?"
Mai loomed over the Fire Lord's desk, reading the letter from his uncle upside-down. "What does the old coot want now?"
Because he knew it was actually a term of endearment for her, Lord Zuko let the insult slide. "He's inviting us to a reunion party at his tea shop," he explained, turning the parchment because he knew she would still read it for herself. She was still suspicious of him, he knew. If only she knew how un-secret her activities had become in the past year.
"Why did he add me to the list?" she rasped. Her tone still tended to rub him the wrong way, but he was learning to look past that to see what she really meant. "I didn't help take down your family."
"You were at the tea shop before we all split, weren't you?" He smiled. "And you did help take down my family. Remember? At the Boiling Rock?"
She rolled her eyes. "Sometimes, I still can't believe that I did that." A hacking cough overcame her suddenly, and she doubled over while clutching her chest.
"Are you feeling well?" Zuko demanded, rising from his chair, reflexively reaching across his large desk.
"What the hell do you expect to do from there?" Mai demanded, wheezing. Another racking cough overcame her as the Fire Lord reached her side. "I'm fine, I'm fine!" she protested, shoving him away with one hand. "I just need some water!" He poured her a cup while she settled into one of his comfortable chairs. He took the one across from her as she sipped slowly. Relaxing into the cushions, he let him mind wander as he gazed out the open window. Summer was in full bloom, and the soothing songs of the birds drifted in from the garden.
"I don't think we should get married."
"Mhmm," he replied automatically. His fiance waited a few moments more as the realization of what she had said hit him. His head turned slowly, his eyes wide and questioning. "Why?"
She rolled her eyes again. "Come on, Zuko," she said, exasperated. "We both know this will never work. I think we haven't been in love since before you were banished. Actually, I don't even think we were in love then. It was just a childhood crush." She took another small sip, swirling the water in the goblet. "Hearts change, you know," she continued. "I'm just sorry that it took mine so long to realize it."
She rose gracefully, her slim form almost gliding to the large doors that shut him off from the rest of the world. "So I take it you will not be coming to the Earth Kingdom with me?" he said as she yanked the door open.
Mai turned one last time, her eyes blank. "No. I will not be going to the Earth Kingdom." Their locked gazed held for another moment, and then she was gone, leaving only an open door and a cup of water behind.
Heaving a sigh, Zuko rose from his seat to stand in front of the window. As he gazed at the family of turtle ducks swimming in the pond outside, he thought back on the days when he had lived in Ba Sing Se with his uncle. When he had been free of his duty and honor and responsibility as a member of the Fire Nation's royal house.
"Che!" he called, still watching the scene outside. As the feet pattered into his room, he leaned heavily on the wooden sill. "I need to get to the Earth capital. Arrange transportation and have a light wardrobe packed as soon as possible. I wish to leave tomorrow."
In the end, only four of the original eight were in attendance. Sokka was busy with training to become the next chief of the Southern Water Tribe on the night of the winter solstice, Suki was expecting in another two months and was not able to travel, Mai had vanished, and Aang was on his way north.
Soon after returning home, Toph Be Fong had run away to the safety of Iroh's beloved tea shop. After enjoying her freedom for so long, the strong-willed earth bender was unable to cope with her father's stifling, overprotective ways any longer. He had promised that he would allow her to stay with the old general so long as she wrote to him every week. She usually dictated a sentence once every two months.
Zuko arrived ahead of his convoy, having managed to slip away some two hundred miles outside of the city's great wall. Iroh scolded him profusely when he arrived, reminding him that it was not safe for the new leader of a once-conquering nation to be traveling without protection and that he had nearly killed his poor ostrich-horse and that what he really needed was a hug and some warm jasmine tea and to seat here and leave his dirty clothes outside because he would not have his spotless floors ruined by his unwashed nephew.
Katara had somehow managed to find and seduce the young Major Haru into providing her with an escort into the city from the coastal town her ship had been storm-blown into. She had arrived, blue eyes sparkling, silky hair gleaming, and ruby lips curved, with the poor earth bender following her like a love-sick child. It had taken days to finally convince Haru that she was not, in fact, madly in love with him, and he would have persisted if not for a few well-aimed flames from the Lord of the Fire Nation and a harrowing display of the master water bender's blood-bending abilities. Since then, she and Zuko had begun to bicker daily, every little thing causing a day-long battle of strength and wits.
Iroh watched all of this, armed with smiling eyes and soothing tea. "It is good to see them together again," he remarked quietly as he and his young friend listened to the latest argument between the two teens. The topic they had chosen today was whether water bending was more powerful with the moon, or fire bending with the sun. It had begun early that morning, when they had seen the moon and the sun sharing the same sky, and was reaching the boiling point as they sat around the dining table enjoying some after-dinner tea.
"They're giving me a massive headache," Toph complained, sipping her tea with a slurp. "I wish they would start fighting by giving each other the silent treatment." She glanced pointedly in their direction, which was right next to her, but they were too involved in besting each other to notice anything being said or done around them.
Iroh chuckled. "If they stopped talking, I would be worried," the older man replied. "This is what they both need."
Toph huffed, one stand of her bangs flipping away from her cheek. "Well, I'll tell you what they don't need. Us."
"Good point," he whispered, rising silently with the earth bender hot on his heels. He slid the screen shut between the formal dining room they had been using and the kitchen Toph was now rummaging through. Not one to be left out of the loop, Iroh's ear hovered over the thin rice-paper screen, straining to make out their now-softer conversation.
"You know, it's not very polite to eaves drop." Toph was munching on a large piece of char-broiled meat. "I thought we left so they could be alone."
"Are you kidding? We left so that we could hear what they really want to say to each other." He shook his head. "Do you really think I would leave him alone with that crazy water bender and be content not knowing what was happening?"
The girl shrugged, coming to sit across from him. "I see your point." She held her ear up to the screen as well, her more sensitive ear catching every word.
"What happened to your ring?" Katara asked.
"What? Oh," said Zuko. Toph heard, and felt, him shift uncomfortably. "My engagement ring. Well, I... I took it off."
"Why would you do that?" Could Sugar Queen be any slower! she thought, mouthing her comment to Iroh a moment later. He held up a hand to shush her, leaning in even closer.
"Because... because we called it off before I came here."
A sharp intake of breath from the water bender. "Oh, Zuko. I am so sorry."
"Don't worry about it." He was lying; Toph could almost taste it. "It happens. People change. Hearts change. I know that better than most," he added, his tone bitter and coated in sarcasm.
"Yes," Katara mumbled. "Hearts can change." Toph could tell that she was thinking, and thinking hard. "You know, Aang and I broke up a little while ago," she suddenly said. The blind girl had not seen that sentence coming. At least, not yet.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Liar, Toph thought. "What happened?"
"We both decided that it was time to move on. Our hearts had changed, and we both need somebody else in our lives."
"Oh," was all that he said. Silence fell for a few tense moments. Toph and Iroh waited for one of them to begin their chat again. "Katara, would you like to come back to the palace with me when I leave? It's stunning at this time of year, and Fire Lord business is a little slower than usual."
This was it! This was exactly what the two masterminds had wanted. "That sounds lovely," Katara replied. Toph could only imagine the suggestive looks she was giving the poor, defenseless ruler. "Do you remember the last time we were here? After your coronation?"
"Of course I do. I served you all tea." Toph smiled. It had felt good, making the ruler of the most powerful nation bring drinks for their small party. And he hadn't minded in the slightest.
"Well, you see, there was something I meant to do before we all separated, but I never got around to it." Toph wanted to gag herself, listening to the sultry tone of the water tribe teen.
"Oh?" His voice was quivering with excitement and fear. "And what was that?"
In the following silence, the movements that Toph felt through the floor turned her face as red as a sunburn. Iroh grinned, watching her innocence. "What do you say to that?" he crowed quietly, unable to wipe the smug grin from his face.
"I say that the bet was less than a week against four days. As this is the fourth day, I have won the wager."
"Ah, yes, but as I said less then a week, and it has not been more than seven days, I believe that I have actually won."
"I had it on the exact day. Pay up."
With a sigh, Iroh pulled ten gold pieces from his robe. "I don't like that new paper money the Earth Nation is using, so all I have is change."
Toph grinned as her prize was dropped into her outstretched palm. As she jingled the coins in her hands, she thought of the young couple locked in a passionate kiss. She decided that she could really get used to change.
A/N: Hooray for Day 2! Hope you liked it!
So, for some reason, I originally thought that Harmony was day 2... I have no idea why... but now I have more time to make the day 5 submission incredible!
This is kinda creepy, but I was flipping through the channels when I got home, and Howl's Moving Castle was on. I was always planning on using that quote at the beginning of this prompt, and the fact that the movie it was from was on today is just waaayyy too weird for me.
Oh, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith was on yesterday. I swear, the universe it helping us celebrate.
Stay tuned for day 3!
EDIT: Fixed some spelling and grammar and other stuff.