a/n: hello all! this is my first venture into avatar fandom! yay me! have fun with Zutara Week everyone!
2 Months After the Fall of the Fire Lord
"That Water Tribe girl, your girlfriend, she's seems very nice. You couldn't have done better."
Zuko spit out his wine. "Mother! Katara's not my girlfriend! I was introducing Mai to you! She's my girlfriend."
"Who, dear?"
"Mai, remember, she and Azula used to be friends." Ursa made a disapproving noise in the back of her throat. "Dreadfully boring girl. You really could've done better." She looked back down to the scroll she was reading. "Perhaps you would consider breaking things off with Mai and dating, Katara, did you say her name was?"
"Ugh!" Zuko rubbed at his temples in frustration.
2 years later
"Katara, I love you, I really do, but-" Aang trailed off as if unsure where he wanted to take his statement.
"You're not in love with me right? You love me like a sister and not a girlfriend?" Katara smiled down at the monk, who, at fourteen was still shorter than she was.
"Yeah... So... Um... No- No hard feelings right?" Aang looked at her hopefully.
Katara laughed. "Aang I think you and I both realize that this has been a long time in coming. I love you too. Just not like I used to."
Aang let out a sigh of relief and his shoulders slumped down in obvious relief. Seeing Katara relax slightly he decided that perhaps they could work on just being friends again at that moment.
"So... Katara... I heard Zuko's single."
Katara turned to him and turned bright red.
"AANG!"
A Month Later
"She's a very nice girl Zuko. Very Pretty. Her tea leaves something to be desired but-"
"I don't want to meet another girl Uncle. I'm fine. And for the last time I'm not moping!" Zuko yelled turning red at his Uncle's knowing look.
"Oh really, Zuko, then please tell me why we are at a bar instead of in my lovely tea shop. The tea at this place is simply repulsive." Iroh made a face at his teacup. "Stop moping over Mai, Zuko. She dumped you. If she can't see how great you are then she doesn't deserve you."
"Now since you aren't interested in dating Amara, perhaps Katara would be more to your liking? She's a very nice girl, she makes the best tea, and she is quite the beauty."
Zuko hit his head against the bar.
Forcefully.
Several times.
2 Weeks Later
"I hate you."
"No you don't, now go get prepared for the Fire Lord's arrival." Her father told her, shooing her towards her room in their new house that had been constructed when the Northern Water Tribe had come down to help rebuild their sister tribe.
"It's just Zuko, father. Just because he's the Fire Lord now doesn't mean that he isn't Zuko." She sighed in obvious annoyance.
"How are you supposed to get him to propose to you if you aren't there looking the part of water tribe royalty you are?" Her father asked her before attempting to shoo her up the stairs.
Ice formed around the waterbender's feet, prohibiting any movement. "Get him to what?"
"Propose, Katara, surely you don't need me to explain to you what that means?" Her father looked down at her like he was talking to a particularly ignorant child.
"No, I do not need you to explain to me what it means father. What I need you to explain is where in the name of Yue you got the idea that Zuko wants to propose to me. Zuko and I are just friends. Just. Friends." She bit out.
"Oh really? Your exhausted messenger hawk tells me otherwise. You and your so called 'friend' send each other one or two letters a months. We live half a world away from him, now go and prepare for his arrival." Hakoda pushed her again.
"Ugh! Fine!" Katara stomped off with all the teenage indignation she could muster.
1 Week Later
"Hey Sparky, what are ya doin on my side of the globe." Ah, Toph, two years and some months later she was still pretty much the same, running from her parents strict rules and just generally acting like one of the guys.
"I'm escorting Katara to the Peace Summit. Her father didn't think it safe for her to go alone. Despite the fact that you and I both know that she could take down anyone who tries to harm her." Zuko shrugged.
"How about this. Wait here for a while and I'll go change into something less conspicuous." He motioned to his formal gear.
He turned to leave and was almost gone before she yelled to catch his attention. "Escorting huh? Is that the new term for dating?"
Zuko choked on air.
"Katara and I are not dating!" He stomped off.
"Keep telling yourself that Sparky. That's not gonna make it true." Toph muttered.
2 Days Later
"Sokka! It's so good to see you!" Katara hugged her brother and his fiancé. Sokka had opted to stay on Kiyoshi with Suki so she hadn't seen him for months.
He'd gotten taller in the months since she'd seen him last, he was almost two heads taller than she was. "How are you doing little sis?" He asked her.
"Fine. You?" They made their way to Sokka's quarters in the Earth King's palace. "Never been better. A little nervous. The weddings only three months away." Sokka ran his fingers through his hair.
"It'll be lovely." She assured him when they arrived at his room.
"I hear the Fire Lord himself made sure you got here safe and soundly. Is there something you need to tell me sis?" Sokka asked.
"W-what? N-no! For the last time Zuko and I aren't dating!" She swatted at his head but he just ducked.
"Of course you aren't. Katara, just because you don't want me to kill him doesn't mean you have to lie to me. I always knew you and Zuko would get together. Ever since he saved you from the pirates." Sokka had to duck again as Katara tried to hit him with her water whip.
Katara eventually gave up and let herself fall onto Sokka's bed with a small 'oomph'. "Ugh, don't remind me. You wouldn't let me forget that for months. I swear, it was always. 'Katara call your boyfriend off!' or 'Katara, here comes your boyfriend.' You just love the idea of me and Zuko together don't you?" She asked, resigned.
"Katara, I don't love the idea of anyone 'with' you. But if it's going to be anyone, I trust Zuko the most with my little sister." Sokka joined her laying back and they spent the rest of the night reminiscing on the adventure that seemed like just yesterday even though it had been two years and some months.
Day of the Peace Summit
"Hey, Katara," Zuko moved to stand next to her.
She nodded in acknowledgement. "Zuko." There was silence between the two friends for a long, awkward moment.
"So... um-" Zuko started.
"So... er-" Katara started.
"You first," He told her.
"No, you."
"You."
"You."
"Fine," Zuko muttered, rolling his eyes at their childishness. "My mother, Uncle, and Toph seem to have this crazy idea that I should date you, despite the fact that I keep telling them that we're just friends."
Katara blinked owlishly. "You too? Aang, my father, and Sokka all seem to think that we're dating too. Weird!"
He glared at her for interrupting him. Katara quickly covered her mouth. "Sorry."
"As I was saying, they have to get their idea from somewhere. So maybe we could you know, try it out." Zuko looked away, blushing.
Katara burst out laughing "You, me, dating! Ha! Good one Zuko!"
Zuko stomped out to the courtyard. Katara, realizing that he was serious ran after him. She reached out and grabbed his hand. "You were serious, weren't you?"
He nodded, still blushing angrily. Katara was silent for a moment. "Look at me Zuko. Do you really think this could work?"
He nodded again. "Yeah."
Katara moved to stand closer until he was right in front of her.
"So, you're my boyfriend now?" She asked mischievously.
"Yeah, and you're my girlfriend." He smiled down at her.
"Does that mean I can do this?" She stood on her toes, her lips gently moving against his and his arms coming to wrap around her waist.
review please.