Hey guys, looks like I updated again. Hope you like this chapter. I can't wait for more, I think I finally cured my writers block, (at least for a while) Anyways, enjoy.
Disclaimer: Before you ask, no.
The morning daylight shone through the open curtains, blinding a young waterbending warrior into consciousness. Not wanting to wake up, she turned and cuddled into the warm chest that stayed with her the whole night. Only when she did turn, nothing was there, or, no one was there.
"Zuko?" Katara whispered, propping herself on one elbow. Maybe he's got some Fire Lord duties to do, She thought, her face falling a little. Or maybe he didn't want to stay with you like he promised. That made Katara even more upset and sad. She was about to lay her head back down, when the door opened and Zuko stumbled in, carrying a tray full of food for two.
He turned so his back was facing the door, an used his food to close it again. After sighing at the success, he looked up and smiled at the already amused waterbender.
"I, uh, had the cooks make us breakfast in bed, I wanted you to sleep in longer," He smiled sheepishly, setting the tray on Katara's lap, who sat up in order to eat right.
"Aw, thank you, that was very sweet of you," She leaned over and pulled him into a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her torso, and hers around his neck. The kiss would have lasted longer, if it weren't for the fact that Katara's stomach interrupted by growling at the waiting food.
Zuko chuckled as he pulled away, shaking his head in amusement. He divided the food between the two, and after some teasing, they started to eat in a comforting silence.
"So how did you get up so early this morning?" Katara asked, after setting her cup down on the tray.
"I'm a firebender, I rise with the sun," He smirked, remembering the time they battled in the Spirit Oasis. He had beat her, but it came with a price of knocking her out.
"Right," She rolled her eyes, blowing off the remark.
A knock at the door interrupted them.
"Katara?" Hakoda's voice echoed through the door.
"Crap!" Katara exclaimed, setting the tray aside and standing up. "He doesn't know you're here!" She whispered as Zuko, who looked around for a place to hide.
"I'll be in the bathroom," He turned and ducked into the small bathroom. Katara grabbed the tray and hid it under the bed, she then proceeded to make her bed, and fix her hair.
"Come in dad," She sighed, getting ready for the lecture about life.
Hakoda hesitantly stepped through, preparing himself for a depressed waterbender, but she looked quite the opposite when he walked in.
"Good morning dad, did you have a nice rest? Fire Nation beds can be a lot more comfortable than the sleeping bags back home." Katara sat before her vanity, brushing her hair for the day, still in her nightwear.
"Uh, yeah, um, Katara. . .?" Hakoda asked, rubbing the back of his neck. He had been thinking this talk over all night, and he's hoping nothing goes wrong and she's rational.
"Yes dad?" She didn't turn to look at him, but instead distracted herself by cleaning around her room.
"I wanted to talk to you about last night," He sat down at the chair she was just sitting at, looking at some of the things lying on the desk.
"It was fun, wasn't it? I heard Sokka had a fun time with Suki, and I heard they learned some things from Master Piandao." Katara rambled on, hoping to drive him away from the topic about the proposal.
"Katara-"
"Toph thought the food was amazing, and Aang got to talk with King Bumi again. I would have too, but I was so busy talking to-"
"Katara!" Hakoda raised his voice. Katara dropped the vase she was carrying and it shattered on the floor. She was shocked and surprised, her father never, and she means never raised his voice at her.
"I know you are upset, but you need to accept this marriage, Sakida and I, we're going to be a family now and-" Hakoda was trying to reassure Katara, but she just whirled on his with anger.
"No! We were a family with mom! She loved us, and cared for us, and never asked for anything in return. She didn't care of we were a bender or a non bender, she loved us both and never wanted anything to happen to us! Now that she's gone you think you can just replace her?! Like Sakida's going to make our family whole again! It's not dad! Sakida's not going to be the person that fixes our family! You didn't even ask us for permission! You didn't even ask Sokka and I for our opinion. You just went ahead and did whatever you wanted!" Katara shouted, letting out all her anger.
"Katara, please listen-"
"No, you listen dad, I'm tired of going along with everything you say! I'm not a child anymore! Get out!" Katara pointed to the door, tears trickling her eyes.
"Katara-"
"OUT!" She half sobbed, half screamed.
Hakoda looked at his daughter sadly, before turning around and retreating. After the door was shut, she fell to her knees and cried.
After hearing the thump on the ground and the closing of the door, Zuko knew her father had left. He opened the door and the first thing he saw was the broken vase and the shattered flowers and water. He looked around and saw Katara sobbing to herself. He slowly approached her, careful not to upset her any more.
"Katara," He murmured, kneeling down and taking her into a hug. He sat down and leaned against the bed, her cradled in his arms.
She buried her face into Zuko's chest, he loved it when she did that.
They remained quiet as the young water tribe bending warrior released her feelings.
"Ah, Miss Katara," Iroh greeted her when they passed in the hall. A guard had been protecting her the entire time anyone else wasn't. It's been three hours later since her and her father had spoken to each other, and she's made it her duty to keep the distance. "care to join me for a cup of tea and a game of Pai Sho?"
Katara turned to the old man and smiled, nodding her head she followed the retired general to the royal tea room. Zuko had set it up for his uncle specifically, wanting him to enjoy himself to a room alone, or with company.
Zuko on the other hand, had important Fire Lord duties to fulfill, and he excused himself from Katara, with much apology. In fact, he didn't want to leave her, he wanted to stay with her all day and talk. But, after much teasing and horsing around, she finally shoved him out of her room so he could change and get ready for the day. He promised her they would spend the afternoon in the garden's, playing with the turtles-ducks.
After pouring some fresh Jasmine Tea, and setting up the game, Iroh had politely let Katara have the first move.
"I've noticed something is bothering you, young one." Iroh eyed the waterbender as he moved his tile. She studied his tactic, moved her piece, and gently took her cup. She's been quiet for a while now, keeping to her own thoughts.
"I-It's nothing, General Ir-" Iroh cut her off shaking his head and waving his hand.
"Please, just call me Uncle, we're practically family now." He smiled at her.
Katara's heart swelled when he said they were family. Does that mean he accepts of her and Zuko? Does he even know that his nephew has feelings for her?
"I can reassure you. . .Uncle, that it's nothing." Katara corrected, moving her piece and taking another sip.
"Please," Uncle Iroh scoffed. "if it was nothing, my nephew wouldn't be so worried about you!"
"He's worried about me?" Katara looked up from the game.
"Well, everyone is, but no one is more worried than Prince Zu-," Iroh corrected himself with a chuckle. "I mean, Fire Lord Zuko. Old habits die hard."
Of course everyone is concerned, she practically created a scene when she ran out of there, upset and angry. Guilt and embarrassment ate at her mind. She should gather everyone and apologize, but some of the guests had already left, and it would be pointless.
"Tell me about these old habits," Katara said suddenly, changing the subject off her.
Uncle Iroh smiled and went into an all out story of how one time on their travels, he had been captured by earthbenders. He went on and on about Zuko's complain for the lack of clothes, which made Katara giggle. He even mentioned that part where Zuko told his uncle, he chose him over the avatar. That made Katara smile, because even though capturing the avatar had been his priority, he had chosen his family instead. Katara almost shot tea out of her mouth when she heard what Zuko said at the end of that story; asking uncle to put some clothes back on.
"Even though we were in exile, and my nephew wasn't the happiest in the world, we still had some good times." Iroh sipped his tea wisely.
"May I ask you something Iroh?" Katara questioned, moving her tile piece, as the game continued.
"What is it my dear?" Iroh moved his piece.
"If you hadn't escaped on your own, and Zuko came to bust you out, would you have gone with him to the Western Air Temple?" The question took him off guard, and Iroh thought about it.
"I would travel with him to make sure he arrived safely, and then I would have helped him get his acceptance, then leave." Iroh answered truthfully, folding his hands in his lap.
"Leave? Why? I would have thought that you'd stay with Zuko," Katara said, setting down her own hands.
"Zuko has always needed to find his own path, and follow his own decisions. He can't do that if I'm there," Iroh smiled reassuringly. "Besides, how else would I gather members of the White Lotus?" He chuckled.
Katara laughed with him, feeling better just being in the wise man's presence.
"Did I miss something?" A voice interrupted from the doorway.
Zuko entered, a small smile on his face as he watched his lover laugh at something Iroh said.
"On the contrary Prince Zuko, we were just talking about the good times on our travels." Iroh poured all of them some more tea, while Zuko placed himself right next to Katara.
Zuko rolled his eyes underneath his hair. He was in casual wear, the same shirt, pants, and tunic he wore while he was traveling with the gaang. His hair our of the top knot and crown.
Katara had crawled into his lap and rested her back against his chest.
"Playing the sungi horn can't be that hard, can it Zuko?" She teased, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"Please, Uncle couldn't get be to play music night for three years," Zuko huffed, blowing hair out of the way.
"A man can try, can he not? I'm sure you've tried to gain the lovely ladies heart right here at some point." Iroh smirked as the two young benders blushed and stuttered over their words.
"Uncle I-i mean, maybe-wait, urgh!" Zuko slapped his forehead before sighing in defeat.
"I do hope my nephew is treating you well," Iroh raised an eyebrow at the younger firebender.
"Uncle!" Zuko cried in embarrassment, making Katara giggle.
"Yes, he's been treating me very nice." Katara looked up and smiled at her lover. He smiled back, leaning down to press his lips against hers.
"Well, Katara, I never would have thought you'd be into firebenders." An old feminine voice called out for her granddaughter.
All three looked up at Kana, who was standing there with her husband, Master Pakku. They had closed the door behind them for privacy.
"Gran-gran!" Katara exclaimed, jumping out of Zuko's lap and trying to explain everything.
"Calm down Katara," Pakku reassured her as they all sat down around the Pai Sho table. "It's nothing to fuss about."
"We just saw the door open and wanted to see if Iroh was willing to play a round," Kana pointed to the board game.
"The door was open huh?" Katara turned her head to glare at the young lord. Zuko looked away guilty of all charges, but Katara wasn't angry at all. She instead jumped back onto her spot on his lap, and rested against his chest.
"The guest makes the first move," Iroh spoke to Pakku as he poured even more tea.
While Pakku and Iroh played, Kana spoke to Katara.
"So how long?" She asked, wanting to know all about the secret relationship.
Katara pondered for a moment, trying to figure out a date. It was around the time they had found out Hakoda's plan to propose, it was that night they first kissed, and that night he told her he was starting to feel more than just a friendship.
"Two weeks, but we've been close before then." Katara smiled at Zuko, who returned it.
"And you love each other?" Kana asked, despite anyone else listening.
"Yeah," Zuko and Katara said in union, making the three old folk smile.
"Then I approve, although you might want to let Sokka know before he finds out on his own." Her grandmother smiled.
"Oh he already knows, when he walked into us sleeping in my room," Zuko spoke without realizing what he said.
All three old folk turned to stare at the young couple wide eyed. Katara elbowed Zuko in the ribs, knocking the breath from his lungs.
"Ow! What was that for?" He glared at the woman he loved.
"You slept together?" Iroh asked, disbelieving expression on his face. He thought he taught his nephew better, he thought he had more honor than that.
"No! Not in the way you think!" Katara quickly said.
"Yeah, y-you see w-we were j-just, it was storming outside, and. . ." Zuko fell over his own words, trying to tell the truth.
Luckily, Katara pitched in to help.
"There was a storm, none of us could sleep, so we slept in Zuko's room. Nothing happened." Katara said smoothly.
Kana still eyed her granddaughter doubtfully.
"Katara, you're not even marrying age, you mother didn't even date anyone until she was sixteen, and even then the only man that wanted to court her, was your father." Kana explained.
"Yeah, I know the story." Katara frowned, looking down at the floor.
Her mother used to tell stories about how she wasn't very popular, or particularly pretty, but even then her father still took her into his arms.
"It's nothing to get upset about Katara, I'm sure on your birthday, lots of young warriors will be waiting to ask you for your hand in marriage." Pakku reassured her, knowing the water tribe ways.
"I don't want a water tribe warrior, I love Zuko," Katara frowned even deeper.
Zuko's heart swelled upon hearing those words coming from those lips. He so much wanted to tackle her in hugs and kisses, but they had company, such things could wait for later when they were alone.
"Of course, we know that, and water tribes do approve of marrying someone of another nation," Pakku explained.
"But we're not sure if Fire Nation traditions approve," Kana finished for him.
Zuko looked down Katara, who looked up at him with the same look. Katara slowly closed her eyes and rested her head on Zuko's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head.
"I'll ask the sages," Iroh promised the young couple, giving them their silence to collect their thoughts.
When Katara becomes marrying age, will they be able to be together forever? Will the Fire Nation accept a waterbender as their Fire Lady?