Zuko

Later that night, Sokka buys tickets for us and we all sneak into the theater balcony to get our seats. Toph complains about not being able to "see" as well, and I stifle a laugh as Katara makes a joke about it. I sit next to her, not as close as I'd like, already wanting to go home.

"Oh, I wanted to sit there." Aang says, pointing at my seat. A slight bit of irritation builds in me, and jealously, as much as I try to suppress it. Katara said she wants to be with me, that she can't even bring herself to think of Aang like that. And yeah he's a kid right now, but he's a kid who also happens to be the Avatar. What happens a couple years from now, when he's older and taller and has hopefully saved the world single handedly? I push the thought out of my mind.

"What's the big deal? Just sit next to me." He begrudgingly sits on the other side of me.
The play is as awful as I thought it would be. No one is happy with the portrayal of themselves, and even though I know she's only teasing me It hurts when Katara says the actor playing me is spot on. It makes me relive everything over the last year, which is when most of the big mistakes I've made happened. It even makes a nod ot Katara and I being together, but not like we actually want ot be together now. It makes me feel stiff and awkward sitting next to her, and by the way Aang reacts next to me I can tell we're making the right choice by waiting to be together until after the comet.

When I betray Uncle in the play, the shame hits me all over again like a fire punch to the gut. Then the intermission hits, and I can't get out of the theater fast enough. Toph makes me feel a little better, saying Uncle would be proud of me, but the only person I really want to be around right now is Katara.

I see her going on the balcony and start to follow her, wanting to hold her, even if it's just for a minute.. But just before I step out on the Balcony, I see she followed Aang outside. Jealousy shoots up in me, but I shove it down. She wants me. She told me she wants me. She said she could never feel that way about Aang. So why does it make me so mad?

"Overreacting?!" Aang yells. "If I hadn't gotten my chakra blocked, I'd probably be in the Avatar State right now!"

"Aang-"
"We kissed at the Invasion. And I thought we were going to be together. But we're not." What? They Kissed?! Internally, I feel jealous rage building up. Katara said she couldn't feel that way about Aang, but She's Kissed Him!

"Aang, Please. When you kissed me at the invasion-" She trails off. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. The way she says the words, I can tell the kiss was a surprise, and not reciprocated. "-When you kissed me…I don't know. All I know is now isn't the right time."
"Why Not?!" Aang yells at her. Anger shoots through me again, but not the jealous kind now. Now I'm mad at him acting like this to Katara. But she can handle him without me having to step in.

"Aang, we're in the middle of a war. We have a lot else going on right now. Like I said, it isn't the right time." She tells him patiently. I wish she would just be honest with him and tell him it's never going to be the right time, but I know why we can't tell him that yet.

"When is the right time?" Aang presses.
"I-I don't know. I'm sorry, Aang. Right now, I'm just confused." Katara says, closing her eyes and looking down. Aang is quiet for a second, then Katara jumps back as he presses his mouth against hers. A fierce, hot rage boils through me and I almost jump out to give Aang an impromptu firebending lesson, but Katara's shouting stops me.

"What are you doing?! I just said I was confused!" She yells at Aang.

"Katara, I-"
"You need to leave. Sit on a different row, I'll be back after the intermission and Zuko won't be enough of a barrier."

"Katara-" He steps towards her again, and she cocks her arm back and punches him straight in the nose.
"Go!" She says sternly. Aang holds his face, but quickly walks off. I press myself into the shadows as he passes, hearing him mutter Stupid, Stupid, Stupid! To himself as he pinches his bloody nose with one hand, and hits himself in his forehead with the other. I take a deep breath and step out on the balcony, coughing to let Katara know I'm behind her. She whirls around, and her face drops when she sees me, her hand guiltily covering her mouth.

"Zuko! How long have you been standing there? Aang kissed me. I swear I didn't-" She starts, I hold up my hand to cut her off.

"I know. And I've got to say, I think I enjoyed seeing you punch him a little more than I should have." I say. She sighs.

"Yeah, I wasn't planning on doing that. I'll have to make nice with him later."
"You didn't do anything wrong." I say, slipping my arm around her shoulders, loving the feeling of her against me but having to make it look just friendly in case anyone from the Gaang comes out. She's leaning into me, though, making me inwardly groan. Why can't the end of the world come faster? Katara sighs.

"I guess not, but I still shouldn't have punched him." I chuckle.

"Maybe not. But he survived a hundred years in ice, multiple encounters with yours truly, My Sister, training with Toph, and a lot else. He can take a punch. You two will be fine."
"I guess. Why can't we just be together now?"

"You know why. Aang needs to save the world, and we can't be a distraction in the way of that."

"I know, I just wish it wasn't going to take forever. Maybe he'll get over it in time." She says. In Three Days? Not likely. I chuckle in her ear.

"It could take a lifetime to get over you, Katara. But Aang will be fine, he'll just need a little more time than we have to give him right now." I whisper. "It won't be too long now, Water Princess." As the words leave my mouth the bell tower chimes, signaling the second act of the play is about to start. Katara sighs again.

"Alright. Lets get through this second half." She says, and squeezes my arm before walking inside. We get back into the theater, and I see Aang is sulking in the row behind where we were sitting. His nose is all cleaned up, so I guess Katara didn't hit him that hard.

It's weird, I have this mix of feeling jealous and feeling sorry for the Kid. On one hand, he's the Avatar, and he's more powerful than I'll ever be, so I have this picture in my head of Katara leaving me for him when he's a little older and a little taller and in general, just better than me. At the same time, right now he is just a kid, and Katara's promised me that won't ever happen. I have to trust her. I just watched her punch him in the face for getting too close to her, so there's no reason for me to doubt her. And knowing how I'd feel if Katara did that to me, I can't help but just feel bad for him. I shake my head and push the thoughts out, sitting in my seat next to Katara as the second act starts.

By the end of the night, all of us are in a pretty sour mood. It was awful, just like I told everyone it would be. The ending sucked, making it look like my Father will win at the end. What else could you expect from Fire Nation propaganda, though?

Once we're back inside the beach house, I strip down to some shorts and crawl in bed when I hear a soft knock on the door and Katara sticks her head in.

"Zuko?" She asks, looking over at me. She looks upset. I weigh the risks of getting caught in my head and decide they're low, so I scoot over and make room for her next to me.
"C'mer." I say, trying to blink the oncoming sleep out of my eyes. She walks in and closes the door behind her, and I see she's in red silk shorts that come down just enough to cover her ass and a matching top with straps so thin they leave her shoulders completely exposed. She looks so beautiful with the red on her skin and her hair falling down to her waist I have to lay on my stomach with my head facing her to the side so she doesn't get too close and feel how stiff I'm about to be. I think about Aang. I think about Azula. I think about Ty Lee, who I may not be related to but I've always seen as a little sister. I think about anything that isn't arousing as she crawls into bed next to me. I'm okay again after a minute and flip on my side so I'm facing her.

"What's wrong?"
"I'm not sure. I couldn't sleep, though. I just want to be with you. And…I'm scared, Zuko." She confesses, her eyes beginning to well up with tears.

"Shhh. It's okay." I say and cup her face with my thumb, wiping away the gentle tears as they fall. "Why are you scared, Katara?"

"Because of how the play ended. I know they can't actually know what's going to happen, it's the Fire Nation putting on a show exalting their King. But what if we lose? What if that's really what happens?"
"Come here." I tell her, my heart aching at her tears. I roll on my back and she scoots into my side, tangling her legs with mine and resting her head in the crook of my shoulder. My right arm is under her head and my left arm is holding her hand. "Everything will be over soon. We've got this." I promise her. "Go to sleep. I'll carry you to your bed when you're out." I whisper, holding her a little closer."
"Why do we have to keep waiting? I'm ready now." She mutters against my shoulder.

"Not much longer now." I say and kiss her forehead. "Goodnight, Katara." I say, wanting to finish it with I Love You so bad I bite my tongue to keep from talking. She nuzzles a little closer and is asleep within minutes. I take a deep breath, smelling her hair and loving it as the scent of Jasmine fills me up. I wait for a minute, just enjoying her next to me, then sigh and get up, scooping her in my arms and walking her next door.

"I Love You, Water Princess." I whisper and kiss her on the forehead, then walk back to my own room and go to sleep.

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