0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The steamy affair
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
-?-
The following days all sort of blend together in one long string of healing and hanging out with Zuko. I ate well, thanks to Lenka's cooking. I still spent some time in the kitchen errr...advising Lenka anyway. She should want to improve as a cook, shouldn't she? I was only trying to help. Due to the frequency of my visits, Lenka became less nervous around me. Sometimes she'd even get a little huffy when I offered her some constructive (and very helpful) criticism. But mostly she acted on my suggestions without fuss.
After a while we even got a little friendly. One day while I was in the kitchen making the vile concoction and she was making lunch and we had a bit of a gossip. She even told me all about boy she fancied back at the palace – she hoped he'd come back from being banished soon. He had the cutest butt this side of Mount Warning apparently. Lenka hated to see him go, but she loved to watch him leave. We giggled about it like silly giggling girls who are giggly – and we were much better friends after that.
-?-
The other two serving maids – their names were Mina and Yomia- were also less shy around me after I had made proper friends with Lenka, but I still did not see them as much. But they would smile and bow when they saw me, rather than nervously bow and run away – which was an improvement. I knew they put fresh flowers in my room every day, which was something I could get used to. I knew they cleaned the house thoroughly and tended the garden and had very full days. I was grateful to them for all that. but the thing I was probably the most grateful for was the way they looked after the animals. They noticed and cared about Appa and Boris. Mina had, one day before breakfast, very shyly asked if I would look at Boris's leg – because she had noticed an unusual welt. It looked like the welts you get from a pentapus. But I had never seen a pentapus that big. Curious. I healed it for her and she and Yomia were both exceptionally fascinated by this.
They both patently adored Appa with unabashed delight. Appa is very loveable and sky bison are such a novelty to begin with. They were forever taking 'breaks' to go pat him, and sneaking him treats from the kitchen and arguing over which one of them he liked better, according to Lenka. Appa loved the attention and I was glad he was getting so much of it, because my hands were full at the moment. I quietly told Yomia one morning that to make Appa fly, all they had to say was Yip Yip. I was not surprise to see - very late that night, after all their chores had been done – Mina and Yomia flying around the still rather empty Caldera city on Appa. Appa was making his happy noise and they were holding on for dear life and occasionally whooping for joy.
I talked with Iroh, who was always there for dinner and stayed with Zuko through the night. Sometimes he was there in the mornings and had breakfast with us. He would tell us over dinner everything that he was doing. He had invited all the banished to return and they were pouring back in slowly. Some families were staying away, opting to 'see what happens' first before they returned. He had called a ceasefire with several of the key earth kingdom strongholds and made contact with their Generals and governors. He'd halted all firenation military activity. Dealing with the earthkingdom was especially difficult because there wasn't one clear leader at the moment. It was so fractured and the various states and principalities and kingdoms had all responded with differing enthusiasm to a proposed peace. He had also been in touch with Pakku, (who once again sent me his love) and Pakku had notified the Northern Water Tribe of these developments. Because my father would arrive soon, Iroh said he would talk about details of a peace with him, when he arrived. Currently there was a very uneasy ceasefire between the nations.
In the firenation he was speaking with all the nobles and generals he thought would be 'trouble' ( i.e most of them). He had halted armament production at most of the more polluting factories after I told him about the terrible state that the factory near than fishing village had left the river and was looking at decommissioning them. He was doing lots of important sounding, firenation-y political things. But he was never too busy to spend all evening monopolising, I mean, talking to Zuko.
I had many talks with Dr Yang. She always came in the mornings. She was always rather quietly impressed with how quickly Zuko was improving and even went as far as praising my healing/nursing skills on three separate occasions. This was remarkable coming from a woman who had used up all her praise sometime in her early twenties –according to Iroh. We discussed healing techniques versus firenation medicine several times. Firenation medicine was much more science based, so Dr Yang trusted it more. Healing seemed a bit too mystical for her, but she did acknowledge that it was very successful, especially in this case.
-?-
However, it is mostly my conversations with Zuko that I remember clearly from this period. He was slowly starting to feel better. He didn't drift in and out of sleep so much. He could stay awake for longer periods. I healed and soothed and bandaged and rebandaged. I squabbled with him about drinking the vile concoction. Less about the painkillers. He must have been hurt really badly because he didn't even make a big deal over asking for the painkiller frequently in those first few days. Normally Zuko is all about stoically bearing injuries. But with me he was pretty honest about when he was feeling pain.
He didn't even make a big deal about me fussing over him endlessly in those first few days either, aside from the occasional oh stop fussing will you. I could tell how much better he was feeling by how much trouble he gave me and how many times he told me to stop fussing. He always gave in and would let me fuss over him anyway, but his anti-fussing protests became stronger as he recovered.
As he felt better, he started to get more frustrated with bedrest and the complaining started. He was sick of this room. Sick of just lounging about doing nothing. He was sure he should be doing something. He was a bit sketchy on what this something should be, but he still wanted to do it. Inactivity was an unusual state of being for him.
Sometimes he had nightmares, or daymares I guess. I always woke him quickly. He never wanted to talk about them afterwards and would proudly rebuff my fussing in these instances. So I tried my best not to make a big deal about it. I'd sit close next to him and change the subject and act like everything was fine...until it was.
His appetite came back and with it - an increased desire for fireflakes. I ended up sometimes using the fireflakes as an incentive for concoction drinking.
I stayed with him practically all the time to help stave off boredom. I'd sit in various places on the bed, or we would lie next to each other and talk for ages. About anything and everything. Sometimes I'd read and he'd sleep. Sometimes we'd spice things up and lie with our heads and opposite ends and give each other foot rubs – both of us are still ticklish on our feet and sometimes foot rubs were called off early because it still hurt Zuko to laugh too much
So the days sort of blend together in one long Zuko filled blur. It was nice. It was more than nice actually.
-?-
That first day after I'd had my small cry, he seemed to be watching me with some concern all day. As if he was worried I was going to burst into tears again at any moment. I was watching him with concern -for all the obvious reasons. We were having some sort of ridiculous concerned-watching competition.
We strayed upon the topic of what was going on with Azula. I had asked Iroh and Dr Yang when they visited. She was apparently erratic and prone to violent mood swings and still talking to her mother. And she wasn't eating unless Dr Yang practically force-fed her. The guards were doing their best for her, but she was horrible to them. Apparently she was also pretending she couldn't firebend anymore. Zuko didn't think she was pretending. He thought what happened to him before he saw the dragons was happening to Azula. I said it was possible, but I don't really know.
Zuko was wondering if he should visit her. He wanted to just see that she was okay (or what would constitute okay for Azula). I thought this was a dreadful and terrible idea and I was very firm about this. Not for a week at least. He had to focus on getting better himself first. We had a small argument about this, which seemed to exhaust him. I can tell this because he fell asleep almost as soon as we made up sometime later.
-?-
The next day, I teased him and said his wish of getting one week to just nap during the day was coming true. The world is an ironic place after all. He made an exceptionally grumpy face at me. He reiterated that he hated being tired all the time, he hated being cooped up. He got so bored just having to laze about in bed all day. I told him he had me to keep him company and hopefully I could keep boredom at bay. He smiled and said he was never bored around me.
Aaawwww.
Then in true Zuko style, he blushed and made it awkward and started babbling. It is embarrassing how endearing I find it when he does this.
-?-
The next day I remember we talked about his Mum and her herb compendium. When she was younger, before she'd married his dad, she had wanted to be a doctor. Her name was written in the front of this book as well. Zuko spent a few minutes just tracing the small letters with his fingers. He confessed quietly that he wondered what his mum was saying to Azula.
I said it wasn't his mum, it was Azula's hallucination and there was a difference. He shrugged and agreed, but said it would still be a nice hallucination to have. It would be nice just to see her again. He confessed he was a little jealous, even though he knew that was all sorts of ridiculous, to be jealous of a crazy girl. But she got to see their mother and Zuko didn't. I understood completely. I ended up telling him about the swamp and how I had 'seen' my mother there. How joyous it was to see her again and how devastated I had been when I realised it was just a tree stump.
On the whole I didn't know if the initial joy was worth the devastation that came afterwards.
-?-
The next day Zuko made a big fuss about drinking the concoction. Zuko really hated the concoction. But it really was helping him and so I was very strict about him drinking it four times a day. Each day we had a great many squabbles about the concoction and Zuko's unwillingness to drink something that tasted so disgusting. Today he double dared me to drink it. I refused. I knew what went in that nasty concoction after all. He said if I didn't have to drink it, then neither should he. I explained that I didn't have to drink it because I had not being shot full lightning. Zuko had. And further more, Zuko was being impossible and idiot. Zuko said he preferred the lightning to the concoction. I gave him my fiercest look and said we don't ever joke about the lightning! Then I stared him down until he got a bit unnerved and drank the concoction meekly and apologised.
I win!
-?-
The next day I told him that I was thinking that all this herby-medicine-y and science-y stuff was really very interesting and useful. Because it was, really. Things I wouldn't even know how to begin treating with healing had easy, common cures. You just had to know what plants to boil and what plants to smush. I was wondering if Dr Yang had any more book recommendations like this. Zuko said she probably did. She had to study for years to become a qualified doctor and then a further however many years in all of her specialities. She knew heaps of interesting medicine-y and science-y stuff. She hadn't been chosen to be the royal physician for nothing.
I confessed quietly that the way she spoke about water healing, my powers, as she referred to them, kind of bothered me. She could be so dismissive of it sometimes, because it wasn't 'science' as she called it - even though she had seen the effects of healing with her own eyes. She talked like being a healer was some how less than being a physician. Zuko said that neither was inferior, they were just different things as far as he could tell. I agreed.
I wanted to know what she knew though. I couldn't help it. I did respect her. She had been able to help Zuko wake up in a few days, where as Aang had been unconscious for five weeks. I liked the bits of praise she threw my way. I liked her sternness. It made her seem sturdier – more trustworthy- somehow. I liked how much she cared about all her patients, even Azula. I wanted to have her calm sense of purpose in a medical emergency.
If I knew firenation medicine and water tribe healing – there would be almost nothing I couldn't treat. Zuko joked about how 'my powers' combined with firenation healing would make me an unstoppable, bossy force of good health. Illnesses would quiver at the sound of my name. All sickness would flee in fear etc.
He got a light nudge with the compendium for cheekiness.
The compendium is standing in for the common sense stick right now.
-?-
Later he told me that he was really glad his Uncle had taken over Regent duties and would be the next Firelord. Zuko was feeling really relieved on this front, because he would not have been at all ready to be Firelord. They hadn't even needed to have an argument or a shenanigan or even a conversation about it. Uncle had just assumed the role. This pleased Zuko, because apparently his Uncle is too wily and can out-argue him very easily. He uses Uncle logic in arguments. Apparently you can't fight Uncle logic.
I told him I was happy for him. But for what it was worth, I thought he would have made a great Firelord. He thought I was teasing him, but I was serious. He gave a little pleased smile that was especially cute and endearing.
-?-
The next day I told him about the bloodbending. About his heart stopping. He hadn't known that. Or at least he hadn't remembered that. He understood, better than anyone, how big a deal the bloodbending was for me, but he said he couldn't ever be sorry that I had used it. He hugged me and I hugged him and we just held each other for a long time. I thought that if I was ever going to tell him again - now would be the time.
But I didn't.
I felt scared. I didn't want to be the one to say it first. What if he didn't say it back? I would never get over that. I didn't have the right words to express what I wanted to say anyway.
-?-
The next day he was feeling a bit better and exceptionally stir crazy. He was driving me plain old crazy so I relented on the bed rest thing. He seemed much better anyway. He'd be up for a bit of time outside at least. We had a small wander around the gardens to the turtle duck pond. Zuko loved being out and about and under the sun again.
What is it with firebenders and the sun?
We lay back on the grass together near the pond. I got some old bread from the kitchen and we sat and fed the turtleducks together. It was soothing actually. Sitting in the sun and just feeding the turtleducks together. Turtleduck needs are so simple, give them bread and they love you. Zuko asked if he could ask me something. I was about to say you already did ask me something with sarcasm, but I didn't. From his tone I could tell this was an important something so I turned to face him and abandoned my turtleduck feeding to give the question my full attention. I said he could ask me anything encouragingly.
He looked at me for a long moment and then blushed and turned away and said it was nothing and I shouldn't worry about it. I was most curious and prodded and poked and told him to just ask me, but he wouldn't. So I got stroppy with him instead, until he told me to stop fussing and just feed the ducks already. They had all clustered around me hopefully while my attention had been diverted elsewhere and my steady supply of bread had stopped being thrown their way. I complied and fed them. But still it is weird.
-?-
That afternoon we tried playing a game of Pai Sho to pass the time, but we were both pretty terrible at it. Zuko claimed it was lightning brain – which had become his standard excuse for all his more dopey moments. I let them all slide without comment and without making a big deal or teasing him about them. I could tease him about other things, but he got a bit embarrassed and frustrated by his dopey moments – so I let them alone.
Sometimes I had to repeat things for him a couple of times. Sometimes he forgot what we were talking about or doing. But not so much lately. He really was getting much better. Now his dopey moments consisted of just little slips of memory. Sometimes they were very convenient slips of memory. I'd ask have you taken your nasty vile concoction yet? He always said yes- even when I was pretty sure the answer was no and then he would claim it was lightning brain so I couldn't get too stroppy at him.
I normally let lightning brain pass without comment, but this time Zuko could not blame his terrible Pai Sho skills on that. I said his Uncle had told me that he was completely crap at this game even before he got struck by lightning, so I would not be accepting lightning brain as an excuse today, thank-you-very-much. Secretly I was glad it wasn't just me who got the rhododendron tiles and the lily tiles confused.
We played a modified game, which included flicking Pai sho tiles at each other- so this was perhaps not the most mature of game adaptions. It was into one of these games that Sokka's disgruntled messenger hawk saw fit to crash into. Pai Sho tiles went everywhere. I had, perhaps foolishly, (in hindsight) opened a window to let in some fresh air earlier.
The bird proffered the message, screeched at both of us and then flew over to land calmly on the window sill, awaiting a snack. Couldn't it have landed there first? Daft creature! I gave it some biscuits very begrudgingly. When I came back over, Zuko handed me the letter and I read it. It was a much longer scroll. Sokka must have found a town.
The letter said:
Dear Katara
It's Suki. Sokka's got a new giant cast on his leg and he can't get settled at the desk to write a reply. He had tried write back to you while sitting in his 'thinking chair' and leaning on a board – but there has been many ink spills and shenanigans. So he has now entrusted the job to me. First thing is that we are so glad everything is okay. Tell Zuko -when he wakes up that is- we all say hi and we hope he feels better soon.
Oh also tell Zuko I took over an entire airship on my own.
During the comet.
Using just pure stealth and badassery.
I think he'll appreciate that.
Anyway the airship was pretty damaged, but I managed to glide it to the nearest town. The whole town came out to celebrate us saving them and they have all been really helpful. We are staying at the local inn and have been give free food, free stuff and lots of kudos. I think all the attention is going to Aang's head a little bit- but he has done so well in fighting the firelord that I don't have the heart to rain on his parade now.
Ooh actually that is funny because there has actually been a parade for him. Geddit? The town is threw a parade for him yesterday and he was most excited. It will be their new public holiday and they are going to celebrate it every year. It will be Avatar Aang Day apparently.
Aang also wants to know if you are taking good care of Appa (you know how he frets about Appa).
Anyway, other than missing Appa, Aang is in good health and good spirits and he is feeling most relieved that the war is over. He really does deserve to relax and have fun. I know this. I just wish he had helped out a little more with the airship. His airbending skills would have been of some use to Hakoda – Hakoda didn't want to impose or order Aang about – but he'd ask if Aang would like to help- all the time- in that tone. Aang would say yes, but you know Aang; he gets distracted easily. And he has a fan club here which is most distracting to begin with. They rival those girls who followed Aang round Kyoshi in their enthusiasm for everything Aang does.
We are all still confused about his disappearing trick. He keeps talking about a turtle kidnapping him. Anyway I will let Aang explain that – and I don't quite understand. He wants to explain it to you in person. He says you will understand after he has explained it. We've had a few...err not arguments exactly, just tense moments re: the kidnapping turtle. Your dad got a bit unhappy with him the last time Aang tried to explain it.
The rest of us are okay. Your dad is fighting fit and has worked on the Airship around the clock so it would be ready for us to fly to you at the soonest possible moment. He still has Chit Sang, Haru, Teo and the Duke with him (they all say hi to you and Zuko). He has had some crazy adventures, which he will want to tell you about himself. He's a nice guy, your dad. I mean we had a really weird conversation earlier on, because he wanted to know my...errr intentions for Sokka. That was rather awkward. But we get along great now. Anyway he raced here as soon as he heard we had arrived. He and Sokka had a little bit of a manly crying moment when they first hugged. I am not supposed to talk about it – but I though you would want to know. It was very sweet.
Sokka has a broken leg, but is otherwise fine – so don't worry. It is a fairly clean break and he's trying to put on a cheerful face for everyone. The local doctor first put it in a small splint and gave him some painkillers for it. Your dad thinks he is "a quack" and has taken to bossing him around all the time – but I think the doctor is just doing his best. Since Hakoda's arrival there have been a few shenanigans over Sokka's leg. Sokka's leg has now been put in a huge cast as per Hakoda's directions. He has also been given a bell to ring if he needs anything because he is meant to stay off his feet while the cast is setting.
Sokka, like you, also has a great fondness for his bell. And a great fondness for driving me crazy. Hawky stays with him all the time and he is trying to train Hawky into fetching him little things. He is having mixed success. Ooh also Hawky is back – but I guess you gathered that. He and Momo frequently squabble, but they seem to be getting along better right now. I had to write to you with this grumpy bird, but I can't get Hawky away from Sokka at the moment.
Toph's parents have sent her a frantic message with Hawky. They had heard through "their contacts" (whatever that means) about Ozai's crazy plan. They have frantically been searching for her and trying to make contact with her. Anyway we only got the message one day too late. Her mum was freaking out about her safety and wanting her to come and join them somewhere. Seriously freaking out. Toph was a bit funny about writing back to them. So I didn't push it with her. But I sent them a quick letter back to say that she is okay. I couldn't just leave them hanging.
Toph's okay now...Lets just say she had a bit of a scare. Umm... I'll tell you about it when I see you. Sokka and I are taking good care of her. Aang is trying to cheer her up – but she is very stand-offish with him at the moment. The more he tries to get her attention – the crosser she gets at him. This is also not helped by the almost constant presence of his fan club. He wants her to forgive him, but he's just going about it the wrong way. She is actually avoiding him now.
She prefers to spend her time with Haru and your dad. She says Haru was less annoying when he was stalking her (a habit which he has resumed). She seems to like having Haru around and is distracting herself with trying to teach him mental bending and fixing the airship. Your dad thinks she's awesome and they have been hanging out a lot, fixing the airship and teasing Chit Sang.
Chit Sang is also trying to help out, but he's not too clever and has broken a few things – which he then gives to Teo to fix. Sometimes I think he breaks things on purpose so Teo will have something to fix and can feel included. But I have since dismissed that idea. Chit Sang is not that smart. However he is a good firebender and can power the airship with Aang, as soon as we get it fixed. The Duke has also been rather taken with Chit Sang. Apparently he reminds the Duke of someone called Pipsqueak, if that name rings a bell. Anyway Chit Sang is a bit gruff when he thinks other people are watching, but otherwise he is very sweet with the kids, especially Teo and the Duke.
Um slight bad news. Don't be mad. Toph has also told your dad about how we all thought that Zuko was your boyfriend and that you two were having...errr... what she describes as a steamy affair. (Geddit? Because you're a waterbender and he's a firebender and together... err... Okay even I will admit that is a bad pun.) Anyway... Sorry about that. I couldn't stop her. I did try to stop her, but I was too late. I have since done some damage control. I have explained to Hakoda that Zuko's not your boyfriend, Toph just likes to tease you about it etc. I think Hakoda believes me. So that's not so bad. But I just thought you should know. But don't be mad at Toph – remember she's had a big fright.
Anyway, things for Iroh to know- if he is sorting out firenationy political stuff:
a) Aang is willing to do whatever Iroh tells him to do (as long as its not kill somebody)– for peace!
b) Ozai has completely lost his bending. Aang really did suck it all out of him. Weird. I didn't know the Avatar could do that. Kyoshi couldn't. Anyway according to Aang -this has something to do with cosmic energy and turtles. Anyway Ozai is not a firebender anymore. He's just a regular guy.
Well no, that's not right. He's not a normal guy. He's really sick in the head. He's a nutjob. He's ...oh I don't want to go into it too much, but you get the point. Anyway he is still alive, but he can't bend – Hakoda says bending is important in the firenation royal family and the fact that Ozai can't bend will be relevant for Iroh.
Also this is not relevant to firenationy politics – but your dad absolutely hates Ozai. He punched him in the gut last night –in front of me and Aang. I cheered, but Aang was upset. See Aang's being a bit weird about this. Well no, I can see where Aang is coming from, but it is still difficult for people to get used to. Aang wants us to treat everybody with dignity and respect and find non-violent solutions etc. The village did not agree and wanted to extract some retribution – But Aang didn't let them. He said that it would be a bad start to the peace. No killing etc. The village is grateful enough to Aang and so they dropped it.
Anyway, now Ozai is being kept chained and metal bended into the side of the cargohold of the airship. And Chit Sang, Hakoda, Haru and I have to take it in turns to watch him and make sure he doesn't escape –though this is unlikely, Toph was rather fierce and thorough with her metalbending, which is no surprise, after the incident. I will confess that I spend the whole time flicking small rocks at him and calling him a dickhead. Chit Sang has told me that he has kneed him in the gonads on his last shift (Ozai cast many aspersions on Chit Sang's intelligence and Chit Sang is a bit sensitive about that – so I don't blame him). Don't tell Aang. That'll stay between us.
c) Hakoda and I also have a request of Iroh. Both the Kyoshi warriors and the Southern Water Tribe warriors are being kept as prisoners of war at the prison nearest the capital. I think it is called Iron Cove. We would like them and the other people who were captured on the Day of Black Sun to be released as soon as possible.
d) Teo and Haru both want information on their fathers – who should also be at the prison.
The airship will up and running by tonight. After we have all packed – we have acquired much stuff from this village- we will head straight to the capital. But these airships move so slowly and so we wanted to send you a hawk first so you would know we were coming and to catch you up on everything that has been happening. But you will see us all very soon. Probably tomorrow afternoon, firenation time, if Sokka's maths is correct.
See you then.
Love Suki.
-?-
It was a lovely letter really. It gave me a good update on everyone. It really deserved a much better reaction than the one I gave it. I was really reacting to just one particular part of the letter. Suki's slight bad news. When I read that bit I swore. I don't often swear, but I felt this occasion warranted it. So I swore with gusto.
Oh I will kill Toph when I see her!
Big fright my arse! She will feel my wrath! Or if not my wrath, at least my profound displeasure! I could write to her father and say that she was having a torrid affair with...with...with someone equally as unsuitable as my father will no doubt feel Zuko is for me. Then she can see how it feels! Okay, no I would never do that.
But seriously!
Really now!
Oh this was bad! I love my dad, I really do. But he is super awkward around anything me and boy-related. He is a wonderful, clever and charismatic leader – but as soon as the subject of me and boy comes up – he is just a big giant embarrassing mess. He is just gets super weird about the thought of me being romantic with anyone. You cannot compact more awkwardness into one man that you can into my dad when that subject comes up. Oh tui and la! This was so bad.
Before the invasion on the Day of Black Sun, there had been a horrifying, ridiculously awkward little interlude. My dad had been hanging out with Haru's dad on the trip over. He had gotten Ideas. Ideas about me and Haru. Which he then wanted to talk to me about. He proceeded to give me a very awkwardly phrased talk. The talk my dad gave me was so bad! It made the way Sokka went on about penguin sledding and gardens needing big hoses to water them to Aang earlier in the summer look like the height of mature and suave conversation. In fact my dad is where Sokka got the phrase penguin sledding from in the first place! After making me die a little inside with this talk, my dad then wanted to go and 'have a chat – man to man' with Haru.
Oh why! Sweet spirits why!
I had to promise many things to prevent this horrible, terrible perfect storm of ridiculous awkward embarrassment from descending upon Haru -who was a blameless, innocent bystander. He did not deserve such a fate, simply for the crime of flirting with me and giving me a kiss on a prison barge. I promised that nothing would ever, ever happen between me and Haru. I wasn't thinking about boys like that yet. I really was, but my Dad liked to hear that I wasn't interested very much. I may have laid it on a bit thick when I realised this. I said eww, boys – who'd want to even kiss a boy etc. I nearly ended up promising that I would never marry and would stay a virgin forever and ever and ever - in exchange for my Dad just never bringing up this subject again.
Oh but he would want to now. He would walk to talk about it. It was inevitable. After Toph used my name and the phrase steamy affair in the same sentence – another talk was heading my way. No matter how much Suki thought she had convinced him, he was going to want to have another talk with me...and a man-to-man chat with Zuko.
Oh hell!
If there is one person in this world more awkward about this sort of thing than my Dad – it is Zuko! Why oh why? Why me! If my dad were ever to even attempt having this talk with Zuko -The universe simply would not be able to handle the combined power of their awkwardness – and would it implode in on itself with embarrassment. And we would all die an embarrassing awkward death, just a matter of days after escaping dying a nasty, fiery death. All because Toph opened her big mouth.
I was perhaps over-reacting. (I had sworn explosively a fair bit.) Zuko was most worried about my distress and was trying to comfort me/find out the source of the distress. He was quite baffled at this point. I thrust the letter at him and said read it – it's terrible. He did so – looking rather confused. I couldn't actually wait for him to read up to that point, so I ended up just blurting out impatiently Toph has told my dad all about our steamy affair! with a great deal of dismay. Zuko was exceptionally perplexed. He dropped the letter and looked up in astonishment and said we had a steamy affair? But we never even... I cut him off and said I knew that. But Toph didn't and she always assumed the worst about us. Now my dad thought we were going out and that was just the most horrible thing ever. That sentence hung in the air and Zuko's face went through a vast series of emotions. Confusion and disappointment – primarily. And then he sighed in a long-suffering fashion and said I understand.
Understand what? What it is like to have a ridiculously embarrassing father who turned into the world's biggest and most awkward idiot at the slightest hint of me having a boyfriend? Because that was what my dad did. He made things weird and awkward and Zuko didn't understand the sheer barrage of just awkward embarrassment that was heading his way. Zuko shrugged and said he got awkwardly embarrassed all the time and he was related to Uncle – so he was used to embarrassing relatives.
Uncle was much more embarrassing than Hakoda. No matter how embarrassing Hakoda was, he would never match Uncle for sheer ludicrousness. Uncle got drunk and sang songs about buggering hedgehogs. Uncle had threesomes with nuns. Uncle's other indulgences aside from drink, embarrassing singing and inappropriate sexual partners, was something that he referred to as Naked Iroh Time - it used to happen everyday on the ship at five o'clock. Iroh had given up this past-time when they became fugitives, but it was too late and Zuko was already scarred for life.
Furthermore, Uncle was obsessed with Zuko's love life and had practically stalked Jin, Zuko's girlfriendly person back in Bas Sing Se, after their date went badly – to try and convince her to go out with Zuko again. That had been embarrassing. And nothing Hakoda could say would ever be as embarrassing as that.
I raised an eyebrow. I asked if Zuko had ever wondered why Sokka called penguin sledding penguin sledding. Zuko said he had not ever thought too deeply about the mysteries of Sokka's penguin sledding obsession. I told him he was about to find out exactly why Sokka called it that. The next time he saw my dad, I would bet twenty silver pieces that my dad was going explain it to him, probably in detail, and then he was going to want to talk to him about how often he went penguin sledding etc. What my dad would really be asking, through thinly veiled penguin analogy was: how horny are you? How badly do you want to have sex with my daughter? And that would be ten times more embarrassing than all of Uncle's hijinks combined.
I was probably getting a bit hysterical and catastrophising, but just the idea of my dad wanting to have a man-to-man talk with Zuko... oh bollocks...it would be the most ridiculous thing ever. I'd have to take up living under ground like a badgermole – I would never be able to show my face in public again – that is how embarrassed I would be. It sounded like Dad had already tried having a man-to-badass-kyoshi-warrior talk with Suki and freaked her out a little, and Suki is much cooler about this sort of thing that Zuko.
My dad would talk to Zuko about penguin sledding and penguins going in and out of igloos and how the penguin had to be very nice to the igloo in question – lest the penguin suffer the wrath of the igloo's father and end up a squashed penguin. The best case scenario would be that Zuko wouldn't understand what my dad was banging on about. That was very unlikely because even the penguins, no even seaprunes that never left their little rock pool, knew what my dad was banging on about. Zuko would see through the thinly veiled penguin analogy, be both horrified and perplexed and would generally just be a huge lump of social ineptitude. And my dad would just be such an awkward dad at him.
And I would move in with bagermoles.
Zuko's face looked just plain mortified as he contemplated the prospect of what was coming his way. He blushed so red -he almost matched the sheets. Then very abruptly, he turned and rolled away from me and said somewhat grumpily that he was tired now and he was going to sleep.
But he wasn't really asleep.
I have been hanging out with him and watching him sleep for practically a whole week now, I know when he's really asleep. I kept trying to talk to him again and 'wake him up' – this was pointless because he was already awake. He steadily ignored me and pretended to be asleep. I said I knew he was awake and he said of course he was. I had been bothering him non-stop and it was impossible to go to sleep with me constantly poking him. He wanted me to leave him alone.
Hmph.
I gave him one last poke and took out the compendium. Fine, if he was going to ignore me, I'd ignore him right back.
-?-
Lovely readers!
Enormous huge thanks to my reviewers! Your comments give me endless smiles and so much to think about and ideas for the future. So thanks for reviewing! Every review is read and appreciated! And giant thanks to the delightful mymockingjaypatronus over at tumblr, who bravely volunteered to beta my wacky fic. This could be an end to the typos my lovelies!
So in this chapter, we get to see how Zuko and Katara are together and how they interact without a big war to worry about – and for those of you who were wondering what I was going to do about *those* scenes (the Maiko and Kataang scene from the finale) will have a better idea of where I am going with this. Don't be cross, I can explain!
But naturally YMMV
Things to note in this chapter. Iroh very naturally falls into the role of Regent and he's very good at it too. I think he wasn't known as the dragon of the west, brilliant general and tactical mastermind for nothing. All of that initial armistice stuff would be very messy and complex. It would be hard to sort out. And as lovely as I think Zuko is, he doesn't have the age, experience, diplomatic skills or gravitas to sort that yet. I was honestly surprised that Bryke would have Iroh live in Ba Sing Se at the end. It is probably my main quibble aside from pairings. Because I just think that Zuko would need someone by his side in the firenation who knows how to drive the thing! So in my fic, Iroh sticks by Zuko. Anyway, while Zuko recovers, Iroh has stepped up and is getting an armistice agreement in place. An actual armistice will take time to work out, but there is currently a ceasefire thanks to Iroh's hard work and his order of the white lotus contacts. Zuko's relief this chapter, about not being stuck in the hotseat, is going to be short lived. Alas.
Zuko lost his bending in "the firebending masters" when he lost a clear goal and the thing that drove him for so long. Azula is equally as driven as her brother. But now she would have no clear goals, no drive and no plan. She has had a mental breakdown and has been cut adrift from all that. So I hypothesize that Azula would also loose her bending. I would be surprised if she could summon a spark after the events of comet. I think after the comet disappeared and the reality of her situation set in, I think he bending would have gone. I did not have her firebend when Katara untied her for this reason (she just hollered and struggled). This will come up again later.
But mostly this chapter is about Zuko and Katara having some time together without a war hanging over their heads. I think they would be very domestic and cosy together and would still have lots to talk about. They are very comfortable with each other at this stage. Zuko will tell Katara straight up when he's feeling pain – much like how Katara was able to be more honest with Zuko about her pain after she got bitten by the scorpidillo.
Anyway I think that they have become such good friends at this stage that neither of them would want to jeopardise that friendship. However they are both very much wanting more from the relationship, but both are a bit too scared to put themselves out there first. And so they both chicken out of saying something at the crucial moment here.
I think Katara would be nervous of ruining the friendship, but I think Zuko would be plain old terrified. I think his self image isn't great to begin with. He's much more shy and a bit socially awkward. And that's even before we begin to unpack all his baggage! I think his fear of rejection would be very potent. He doesn't expect Katara will fancy him back and he's gotten used to what he thinks is one-sided love. But over this last little while, he's started to think maybe...maybe she does fancy me. I think girls confuse Zuko and he would be very prone to misreading the signs he's been given. Katara will have to draw him a map and palm cards before he finds his way on his own. But she has pretty much being doing that. She has very clearly been showing how much she cares and this would make Zuko very optimistic. He was trying to work up the courage to ask her if she wants to do an activity together.
But suddenly, she gets that letter and freaks out and he would see it as confirmation that she doesn't fancy him and he is a mad, sad fantasist who does not understand girls. When Katara is flipping out over Hakoda 'finding out' – He will think you stupid idiot. It was all in your head. Of course she doesn't fancy you that way etc. Katara says Hakoda thinking they were going out was the worst thing ever - Zuko would interpret that as "going out with him would be the worst thing ever". He's a bit hurt and confused and disappointed – but also very glad that he didn't say anything by the turtle duck pond, if she so obviously wants to be just friends. Zuko thinks he got totally the wrong end of the stick and Katara really does just want to be his friend. She is a very affectionate girl anyway and he will convince himself that the affection she has shown him is comparable to what she would show her other friends and not indicative of romantic attachment. He thought they were heading romance-wards and now he will be exceptionally confused on that front.
Katara's reaction is partly in fear of Hakoda's reaction. Partly because Hakoda is just an awkward sandwich with embarrassing sauce over this sort of thing. And partly because she's a teenage girl and anything to do with her dad wanting to talk to her about sex is going to freak her out. Katara does not want! Embarrassing dads ...who's got one? Does anyone want their delightfully embarrassing dad talking to the boy they fancy about penguins, eg if your penguin comes near my darling baby girl's igloo there are going to be issues. Nobody wants that! That is what Katara is imagining and reacting too. It is Hakoda's potential reaction that will be the worst thing ever, not a hypothetical relationship with Zuko. But Katara does not make that fine distinction when she is having her freak out. And so there is a whole big misunderstanding that takes place here.
I think one of the primary reasons that Zuko would entertain the thought of getting back with Mai would be if he thought Katara was unavailable to him/ not open to having a relationship with him. Zuko has heard and more importantly has listened to Katara's various rants about boundaries and respect. He's not going to force his affections on her (ie just kiss her randomly) or confess his love if he thinks such a confession would be unwelcome because he wouldn't want to make everything awkward between them and he respects what he sees as her wishes. He thinks now that she does not wish to pursue a relationship with him and so he is going to respect that.
The bit where Katara starts going on about how horny are you? How badly to you want to have sex etc is where it all officially too much and too frustrating for Zuko. He has suffered so much teasing and being struck by lightning for this relationship and he isn't even getting any play. He very much wants to do the squelchy when he's recovered- but he thinks that option just got taken off the table. When Katara starts going on about sex – he thinks bollocks- she's on to me! He's in no fit state to run/storm away from this dreadful conversation and have a mope – because he's not moving as quickly as he used to and Katara would catch him easily. So he does the next best thing and feigns sleep and sulks.
Anyway I just wanted to give you guys a heads up with all this. This was done partly to explain why I think Zuko would contemplate getting back with Mai after the festival of dysfunction that was their relationship.
I am going to include those canon (Maiko and Kataang) scenes – but I will put a decidedly Zutaran slant on them – so now you guys can watch the whole show, even the last ten minutes of Sozin's comet and feel satisfied. We are still heading to Zutara smoochies- So don't panic. We just have to get over some bumps along the way and I wanted to offer some explanation/plothole filling for those shippy scenes. Because both those scenes are literally surrounded by plotholes and plotholes need to be filled.
Don't even get me started on the Maiko scene – because it resembles plot swiss cheese – that's how many holes I see. Zuko forgot she was in prison and she had to have her uncle let her out. But Mai's cool with that. She hasn't come to yell at him about forgetting her in prison. She wants to get back together despite the fact that she is obviously not important enough for Zuko to remember that she was stuck in prison.
I don't even know lovelies.
Also Naked Iroh Time is blatantly and shamelessly borrowed from Avatar Abridged! Because it made me die laughing when I saw it and I just want to believe that Iroh did stuff like this. Mostly because he really does like a nice naked time in a hot tub, and partly because season 1 Iroh did like to poke/upset Zuko – ostensibly to teach him say it with me: what's the one rule of naked Iroh time? Don't interrupt naked Iroh time! Iroh and Hakoda are both all kinds of awesome – and they each have their own unique way of embarrassing their children. Who's father/father figure will be more embarrassing/prone to giving inappropriate advice when our Dynamic Duo finally get together? Only time will tell.
Next Chapter: Hakoda, Sokka, Suki, Toph and Aang, along with Chit Sang, Haru and Teo (and unfortunately Ozai) arrive in the firenation capital. The whole Gaang will reunite. There will be shenanigans. We will find out about Toph's big fright and more about what the Gaang has been getting up to. Also Iroh and Hakoda will meet (the universe will be in danger of imploding from the combined power of their awesomeness).
Til then my lovely readers...