Hey everyone! Here's another chapter! I'm sorry I was gone for so long! I have prepared chapters and will be uploading them today. I will upload this one an then one for my other fic.
I downloaded this documents app that let me work like I'm using word so it was easy to write this chapter during my cruise!
Quick shout out to these lovely readers!:
PrincesaDeFuego- I'm so glad you enjoyed that last chapter! OH DEAR GOD NO I REFUSE TO MAKE KATARA A SLUT, it will be fluffy or slightly inciting actions that only they will notice. Trust me Katara would never let herself be shown that way and I wouldnt do it either. Its just something to keep Zuko on his toes heheheh.
xXAngelOscuroxX- I completely agree to there being more action during their dates and trust me there are some interesting ones to come! I just wanted the general idea out but thank you for the input! I hope I can fulfill your expectations!
Zutara Love Shipper- Thank you for loving it! I hope you will continue to!
Olympic Platinum- YES MORE COMPETITIVE FLUFF COMING UP SOON!~ *wiggles eyebrows* Some may be more hot than others!~
Now onto the chapter XD! It's a bit short but I couldn't really tell how many pages I was writing on the app! I have another chapter ready to upload but Ill give this one some time so I will post in about an hour again :D~ Thanks for being so patient with me!
Zuko's POV
I awoke at the same time every fucking morning. Never getting to sleep in due to my affinity to the sun. I always rose along with it. Even when I tried to stay up late past midnight to sleep later. I groaned at the rising sun and looked at my clock. Great, this morning it's 6 am. I fell back against my pillows. Mondays.
I fucking hated Mondays. I would have to sort all this crap out with my business partners before the week started. That meant I would be in meetings all day. I looked to the nightstand to see my phone. Unlocking it I noticed Toph had texted me. I prayed that it was good news.
Toph- Mornin' Sparky! I'm sure you're up by now. Katara messaged me not too long ago. She will be ready to come in at 8 like you were SUPPOSED to tell her. Guess your little date with Sugar Queen didn't have anything to do with work huh? Oh well, she will be in and I will show her around. She seems like the type to catch on quick.
Today you have those glorious meetings that you love oh so much. One at lunch too.
Here's your schedule. From tomorrow onwards Katara will text you the information
9:00- Mr. Arnook and his council
11:00- Meeting with the managers
12:30- Meeting with Mr. Bumi
2:00- Mr. Lou, says it's important
3:30- Republic bank
5:00- open (may I suggest you give Katara a tour of the company?)
6:30- Dinner with your parents. Says it's important also they want you to bring Katara. Azula will be there too.
That's it. I'll be in at 7:45 to do a sweep of the building.
I sighed. Most of my day would be uneventful and full of meetings like I had feared. Meeting with Mr. Arnook and Mr. Bumi was nothing. They were always business partners with my father but it was clear as day that they preferred , I wasn't happy about meeting with Mr. Lou. Anything to do with Mai's father was never good. I suddenly felt guilty. Here I was acting like a love sick teenager over Katara, the beautiful vixen that had entered my world, and yet I was practically in chains. I didn't love Mai but, my say might not even matter. My father wanted this relationship for more power. I sighed it was time to get up. I was reluctant to take Katara to a family dinner however, if they met her they might bring up Mai. The only fear was Katara would leave me before I had a chance to explain. I fried up some eggs and sausage over the stove and sent a text to my sister.
Zuko- Hey Azula you up?
Azula- Yeah regrettably, what do you need Zuzu? I would like to try and go back to bed. Zuko- I need a favor. Tonight we are having a family dinner and I would like to take Katara. Well mom and dad want her to come as well. Thing is I don't want anything about Mai to come up.
Azula- hmmm I can't say anything to father personally. But, if you get there and let Katara go home to change and I'll pick her up that should give you more than enough time to speak with father first. You owe me after this though!
Zuko- Yeah yeah okay whatever. Deal. I'll let her go at 5:30. I want to give her a tour of the building.
Azula- mmm maybe after that you can show her your house so she doesn't get lost. ;)
Zuko- Azula! Look I like her okay but I don't want to scare her off. Don't tease her or I'll fucking kill you myself. Don't ruin this for me.
Azula- Whoa Zuzu don't get so paranoid! Geeze mom will get a kick out of this. It's the first time you've gotten so riled up over a girl.
Zuko- I won't deny that I might like her a little more than I originally thought I did. It's not love but I might be close to falling.
Azula- Ew that is probably the sappiest thing I have ever heard you I have no problems with Katara becoming my future sister in law. Have fun convincing dad! Him and Mr. Lou are pretty set on you and Mai getting married.
Zuko- Over my dead body. Got to go. Laters
Azula- lol. Laters
I quickly ate my breakfast and got ready for a quick shower. After I was picking out my black work pants and a red button down with a black tie to add. I ran my fingers through my hair which were coated in gel. After that I brushed my teeth and proceeded to finish with my favorite cologne.
I grabbed my keys and headed off to work. I made decent time setting off at 7:20 but, it was a lot later than usual. I sighed turning on my phone and playing my favorite Pandora station. I wasn't going to deny the sudden change in my feelings towards Katara. At first it was just a simple curiosity. I was intrigued by the copper skinned woman at the party and now I find out that the feelings were directed towards the same girl that sauntered into my office just this last Friday. I sighed pulling into the employee parking lot.
Katara is the first woman to capture my attention. Sure I've had women throw themselves at me, although I couldn't help but think that those were meaningless encounters. Katara walks into my life an it's like my whole world changed. I laughed at my sudden epiphany. She had changed my world just by being in it. I greeted everyone on my way in suddenly feeling very cheerful and headed up to the top floor. I grabbed my phone sending Toph a quick text.
Zuko- I'm here.
Toph- Good. Sweetness beat you to it.
I cursed under my breath. I wasn't going to lie that my joyous mood was slightly ruined. I was disappointed. Disappointed in myself. I wanted to be in my chair waiting for her arrival. Ugh now I was going to look like an idiot. Late before two of my employees. Just wonderful. The elevator doors opened on the 40th floor and inside I saw the two women.
Toph had let her hair down and was curled much to my surprise. She tended to keep her hair up with a bun or pony tailed style. Something so feminine really made me turn twice. Not only was her hair down but she was wearing an emerald green blouse with a pitch black pencil skirt and her usual black flats. I smiled when she noticed me.
"Ah Sparky's here! " Her smile fell, "...I can tell what you're thinking. I look ridiculous" I shook my head.
"No Toph you look amazing!" She blushed and pushed a curled strand of hair to the back of her ear. I turned to Katara who was beaming.
I was too busy seeing the dramatic change of my childhood friend to notice the woman who stood before me. Once I looked at her I couldn't look away. Her hair was in a high ponytail much to my displeasure. Strands fell over the delicate features in her face and light make up on her eyes. The most striking would be the blood red color of her lips. I wanted to bite them between my teeth but, I knew better than to act on impulse. My eyes traveled to her blue blouse much similar to Toph's and a grey pencil skirt. I smirked at the way it hugged her delicious curves.
Unlike the people in my family and hometown with pale skin and slim figures. Katara was a goddess in disguise with her athletic build, strong demeanor and bronzed skin illuminated by the buildings light fixtures.
She had me completely memorized.
Katara's POV
"Zuko?" I looked into those golden spheres. He was staring at me. No, he was stripping me with them. I could feel the blush creep onto my face no one had looked at me like that before. Toph laughed,
"Don't worry Sugar Queen. Sparky here is just drawn to your beauty." That seemed to draw Zuko out from his little world as the gold orbs fixated on me. He smiled and I shook my head. How obvious could he be!? I looked at Toph who was snickering to the side.
"What did I do?" He finally spoke, I groaned as Toph burst into hysterical laughter which caused more blush to rush over my face.
"Oh Sugar Queen was just talking to you and you were too busy ogling at her to even register that she was speaking." I held a hand to my cheek. Ugh this was so embarrassing. What in the hell was I doing? Here we are boss and subordinate making silent passes at each other. I couldn't lie that during the time he was looking at me I snuck a glance or two at him.
Red suited him. Very very well. Zuko blushed and looked to me after quickly regaining his composure. "Sorry, what did you say?" He asked, I smiled.
"I was saying I'm glad you appreciated the hard work I put into Toph. After we met yesterday Toph called asking to hang out and I did something about her. I'm glad to see that her new outfit proved to be worth it. Don't you think?" He nodded mutely before the phone in his office rang. I looked to Toph for instructions as he ran inside.
"Don't worry. People won't call you today. I already told you Sparky's schedule. After today I'll have you ready to take over. So for now let him answer all the phones. I'm going to go over all of your duties starting with the morning patrol. As his secretary and I as his co-director we have to visit the main floors where managers and the company teams operate. From there we can see if anything of importance needs doing. If it's something internal that I can sort out then it will be my business. If it's things like final documentation, project approvals, or any approvals of the sort you will see if they require one of the two options. A meeting with Zuko which you will organize for him daily. Or if it just needs to be signed. Most days Zuko will have time at lunch to get documents signed and pass them back to you to distribute. Do you follow so far?" I nodded. It was much like running errands for my mother and father back at the Shining South. If I wasn't waitressing I was organizing the accounting and also doing small secretarial jobs. Toph smiled and motioned me to follow her back into the elevator.
"Good. Now, the main floors we will need to visit on the routine are 10,20, and 30. It's really easy to understand after awhile. Floors 1-10 are for minor duties such as customer service. On the 10th floor is the Head of customer service. Then 11-20 is project planning, their head is on the 20th floor. Then on 21-30 is external business affairs, again the head is on the 30th floor. Floors 31-39 are internal affairs. They include security and board. The meeting rooms are floors 32-35. Zuko and us are obviously at the top." I nodded as we walked into the elevator and Toph pressed floor 10.
It was a lot to remember but I knew after running up and down every day it would become like the back of my hand. I watched as we descended down to the 10th floor. Curiosity pecked at the back of my head. Toph had been here for so long and had been Zuko's childhood friend. I could help but wonder when a good time would be to hear her story.
"Seems to be easy enough. I hope I catch on quickly to be of greater assistance to you both." She smiled and we reached the 10th floor.
"You will, don't worry we are just doing introductions everyone knows your new." I nodded as the nerves creeped under my skin. I had a couple of questions but they would have to wait. We spent about 30 minutes at the 10th floor as she introduced me to the main leading staff and then to their assistants. After we climbed back into the elevator. Papers in hand.
"So Toph, you said you and Zuko were childhood friends correct? What was it like. I mean your obviously younger than me. It's been bugging me since the night at the club and you said you would tell me." She laughed and leaned against the elevator wall.
"It's a long story I'm willing to share but let's make these rounds first and I'll tell you at lunch. Sound good?" I smiled back kindly at Toph as we reached the 20th floor.
"Sounds good."
We finally finished rounds around 12:40ish and proceeded back up to the top floor too hand the documents to Zuko. I was actually quite pleased with how much I remembered and retained for future reference. Everyone was really kind and helpful. Even though I had a harder time understanding the external affairs department they were kind enough to slowly teach me what I needed to know. Toph took me downstairs to the bottom floor and across the street to the diner. We left the documents on Zuko's desk since he was at a meeting and proceeded to lunch. I was itching to hear Toph's tale.
We sat down near a window and ordered a water each. Quickly making our order and Toph smiling outside watching people walk by. "So you're interested to hear my tale?" I nodded enthusiastically listening to her laugh as she took a deep breath and turned her emerald green eyes into mine. "Well. Did you know I was born blind as a child?"
"Blind? But how-" she smiled even wider.
"Let's start there then"
OKAY! Thats it for chapter 8! I know I know it was only like 4 pages in word so its really short I'm so sorry! Next chapter is Toph and Zuko's childhood!
I bet you are all itching to find out that development! Look out for the next chapter in an hour! Im off to go post my other fanfic chapter that I wrote on the cruise!
Thank you again for all the lovely reviews they really keep me going!
So please review, Review, REVIEW~
Until next chapter~
CIAO~
Rae