A/N: This past week was, uh, interesting I guess. Sorry this wasn't up sooner but I will let you know that getting the notification emails made me smile when I needed it.
I hope you like this and there's a note at the beginning of last chapter because I used Kimberly T's Fire Nation swear terms. And you should go read her fics.
Disclaimer: I don't own.
Sokka watched as the Southern Water Tribe slowly grew smaller. While Zuko had offered the Southern Water Tribe faster, more modern ships Hakoda had politely declined (coal was needed to fuel the ships and that cost more than the Tribe had) thus travel was a little slower than it could be but infinitely more reliable (if the wind cooperated, or waterbenders tagged along). Sometimes (like now) he did wish that they had those faster ships at their disposal (not to mention he wouldn't mind tinkering with them). He'd just have to deal with slow travel.
"Looks like it will be smooth sailing," Hakoda said as he came up behind his son.
"At least as far as we can see," Sokka muttered.
"You're looking the wrong way," his father corrected.
"I know," Sokka said.
"Something wrong?"
Sokka sighed. "It's silly but I'm older."
Hakoda eyed his son. "Ok."
"No, see, it's stupid. I'm older than Katara, I should get married before her and have everything figured out and make sure I can beat up her husband. I can't beat up Zuko, Suki would have to fight me off and I'd probably be arrested," Sokka paused. "It's not like this matters but, I don't know, it bugs me."
Hakoda stroked his beard. "You and your sister are both young but you might want to talk to Suki about the whole marriage thing."
"What marriage thing?" Suki asked as Sokka jumped.
"Oh, uh, nothing really," Sokka stumbled over his words.
"You sure? I heard my name too."
"I'll leave you two alone," Hakoda said. He silently wished Sokka luck because this wasn't going to be easy for his son.
"So are you going to tell me what you were saying or am I going to have to start telling everyone we meet the dress story again?"
Sokka's shoulders sagged in defeat. "You don't have to do that," he said. He started drumming his fingers on the railing and looked back out at sea. "It's just this whole thing with Katara got me thinking about marriage and stuff."
"Sokka," Suki said softly.
He turned to look at her. "Wait, I have to say this. When I was a kid I always thought I'd grow up and get married and have kids. Even with the war I thought this would happen. Then I met you, well, I guess remet you but we already talked about that and you're not at all what I expected." Suki glared at him. "But in a good way!"
"Good recovery."
He stopped drumming his fingers and took her hands in his. "I love you," he said, "but I'm not sure how you feel about all this stuff and I just want you to be happy. If that means never getting married that's fine."
Suki snorted. "Why would you even think that?"
"Well you're the leader of the Kyoshi warriors," he said simply.
"And a girl, I thought we went over this before. You're right though, I never did think about getting married or having kids before. I'm still not sure how I feel about that. But I know this: I love you too and if this is something you want or were even thinking about maybe we should talk about it." Sokka wrapped his arms around Suki and squeezed. "I said talk about it not yes and loosen up!"
"Sorry!" He said happily. "And I know that wasn't a yes. But I do want to hear everything you have to say and if we wait, we wait. Plus I kind of like it just being the two of us," he admitted.
She gave him a quick peak. "Good, I do too."
Katara's feet hurt. They'd walked around the entire market twice looking for something to get Toph and Aang as a wedding present and so far they'd found a bunch of 'maybe, if we don't find something better' gifts. The problem was what could be kept on the back of a bison and still be practical for a blind girl. Not to mention everyone was shoving things in their face and asking them to try this sample or that and congratulating the two of them.
That plus her feet made Katara finally say: "We haven't found anything and I'm done."
"I thought you'd like shopping," Zuko said.
"That's Sokka. Where's the stupid palanquin," she grumbled.
"Now you want to ride in it? What happened to 'I have two feet and can use them?'" Zuko joked.
"These new shoes that your mother insisted I buy and wear." She watched Zuko discreetly motion to the guards she knew were following them (though she hadn't really be able to pick them out from the crowd). The palanquin appeared so quickly that Katara felt her mouth open in shock. "Was that following us?"
Zuko rubbed the back of his neck which she knew meant he didn't want to answer her. "Uh, yes. I've tried to not use it but, well, this tradition isn't going away."
"Right now I'm very happy for it," she said as she climbed into the canopied box. As soon as she was settled she took her shoes off and wiggled her toes. "Much better," she said with a sigh.
"Are those blisters?" Zuko asked as he sat next to her.
"They were until they popped, now they're sores."
"I would have thought you'd be used to them."
Katara glared at him. "You say one thing about being a peasant and I will figure out how to chi block you and freeze you to a wall."
Zuko rolled his eyes. "You really need more creative insults. I meant from walking when you were traveling with Aang."
"Sure you did."
"Hey when I complained about getting blisters when Uncle and I were on the run from Azula he told me he had worse during his military campaigns."
"You said something about how princes don't get them, didn't you?"
Zuko's cheeks reddened. "I might have."
They sat quietly for a few minutes as the palanquin made it's way back to the palace. "I think I'm going to soak my feet when we get back," Katara finally said. "You know, take this whole being royalty thing seriously for once."
"So when you barged your way into the council meeting this morning that wasn't taking this seriously?" Zuko asked lightly.
"Are you teasing me?"
"No, why would I do that?"
Katara narrowed her eyes at him. "You are and for that I'm going to have a tub of water brought to your office when we get back and we're going to go over the military, hospital, and orphanage budgets."
"We're going to do that today?"
"Yes, we are but I can read over them if you have other things that need your attention."
"That's very generous of you. Put your shoes back on we're here."
Katara grimaced as she put her shoes back on. "How do you even know?"
"Listen," Zuko said. She did and heard a creak of doors opening.
"Gates, right."
Hours later Katara kicked water out of the tub she was soaking her feet in as she huffed at yet another ridiculous proposed budget for the military. "Honestly," she said as she threw the scroll at Zuko, "you need to get this whole thing under control. You don't have colonies anymore and you really don't need that big of an army."
Zuko rubbed his forehead as he looked over the budget himself. "What should I do then? They don't really have any other skills and I don't want them roaming the Fire Nation with nothing to do."
Katara tapped her finger on her lips as she thought. "What about a police force?"
"Like the Dai Li?"
"But without the brainwashing and actually answering to possibly you or at least the local governors."
"That...could work actually."
She smirked at him. "Of course it would. Plus you wouldn't have to spend so much money on ship maintenance or even housing the soldiers because they would live in their own houses and have their families with them."
"That's very optimistic of you but this might work. We'd have to come up with a way to transition them and convince everyone that this is a good idea," he trailed off as he looked over the budget again. "We wouldn't have to have all the food set aside for them either."
"I expect to be given credit for this even after I'm not married to you anymore."
"I'll make sure everyone knows. Do you want to try another one?"
"Hospitals please!"
Zuko held it out to her. "Come get it."
"Mean, you should bring it to me, my feet hurt," she pouted.
"You healed them the second you put them in the water."
She stood and waterwhipped the back of his head. To annoy him she perched herself on the side of his desk and took the scroll out of his hand and began reading. To her annoyance he kept going over the budget she'd thrown at him.
"What happened to your flame?" Zuko asked after a few minutes.
"Huh? Oh you mean the hair thing? I could feel it falling out as we were shopping so I took it off after the fifth stall." She pulled it out from her chest wrap. "See, all safe."
"It should stay in," Zuko said.
She held the gold ornament out to him. "You want to try putting it in then?" Zuko didn't say a word but stood and took the piece from her. He gently ran his fingers through her hair after taking out of top knot. As his fingers brushed through her hair Katara became increasingly aware of how close he was. While they'd been in each other's company for most of the last few weeks this was the first time she was aware of it. Which was silly since they'd been sharing a bed and she'd held him while he was sleeping for Yue's sake!
"There," he said as he placed the flame in her new top knot, "perfect." He was looking right into her eyes and Katara really wanted him to kiss her. She wasn't sure where that thought came from but she wanted it and maybe if she moved a little closer they could-
"Zuko Mommy sent me to get you for dinner," Kiyi said as she burst into the room. "Oh hi Katara!"
"Hey there," she said as the moment died.
"Kiyi why didn't Mom send someone to get me?"
"Because she said you would just dismiss them if you had too much work to do and she said she didn't think you would do that to me."
Katara laughed as she hopped off Zuko's desk. "Ursa knows you really well," she told Zuko.
"I'm leaving soon," Ursa said as she set down her tea cup.
"How soon?" Iroh asked. They were enjoying their nightly tea as Ikem put Kiyi to bed.
"Three days at the most. I miss home," she admitted.
"I should get back to Ba Sing Se," Iroh said.
"We'll need someone here to update us on their progress," Ursa said.
"Are you suggesting a spy to make sure Zuko and Katara keep getting closer?"
"It's the best way for us to meddle while we're away," Ursa said.
Iroh stroked his beard. "That might not be a bad idea. Did you have someone in mind?"
Ursa smiled. "Actually yes, she can even help Katara navigate Fire Nation politics."
A/N: I'm pretty sure that was terrible of me to do.
Additionally I think I read a fic like this where Sokka did complain about Katara being younger and getting married before him and for some reason I wanted to do that too. Plus I'm not sure how Suki would feel about all this, in fact the more I thought about it the more I kept thinking she might not have ever thought about it.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and alerted!