#zw2018

“Dear Zuko,

You mean Sokka wrote you before I did? What a terrible friend I must be if even my brother is more on point than I am… I heard about the engagement, but it slipped my mind to ask Aang for a detour, I shall do so soon. I hope I would get to see you before the wedding, it’s already been almost a year and I think I am actually missing you.

With love,

Katara”

“Dear Katara,

Sokka being the man that he is, he did not write me more than two letters, I think you don’t have to worry about him looking more devoted than you. I am sure Aang wouldn’t mind, you two are now free as the wind, right?

Last but not least, you are missing me? I never lived to think such a thing possible. Does this mean that I have earned your liking? It wasn’t that hard, a little lighting here and there did the trick.

With love,

Zuko”

“Dear Zuko,

I am not in the best mood to answer you, but I didn’t want to risk a greater delay due to my travels. Aang did mind, he planned some travels during this autumn and because of the celebrations that took place during this time, he wouldn’t hear anything. I don’t think that he realizes how childish he’s acting, you must know that past a certain date, the poles are unreachable, as the weather allies with the absent sun, to make any travel impossible. I feel exhausted after all the flying he did. Can you believe that I haven’t bended any water in days? I’m sorry for letting my emotions take control, I could use a vacation. How is the Fire nation at this time of the year?

Of course you earned my liking you Firefool, but when did I earn yours?

With love,

Katara”

“Dear Katara,

If you were suggesting a vacation in my humble country, I will be most happy to provide you living quarters, for as long as you wish. This applies to Aang as well. I can’t really comment on your couple issues, as you might have noticed, I am not the greatest expert in that field. But I do think that you should bend daily, it is not a luxury it is a necessity. Aang might not understand this, being surrounded by his element at all times, but water to a waterbender is as vital as sun to the firebender.

And if I can be blunt, I must confess that you earned my liking long ago, in a crystal-lighted cave, this was followed by one of the greatest mistakes that I ever made, as you know.

With love,

Zuko”

“Dear Zuko,

I was delighted during every second of my stay at the palace, I just regret having to leave so soon. I might ask Aang to leave me there alone for a little while, so he’ll be able to travel to his liking. Your palace seems well-managed. I don’t know what to say, I feel as if I only left you yesterday. I deeply missed the food, and the coast is so beautiful at sunset! You live in a haven that I envy. You know what? I will stay longer. Aang is facing dreadful meetings with the Earth ministers and I always hated this forsaken city that is Ba Sing Se. This letter should arrive a few days before me.

Perhaps I should also tell you that you don’t have to carry that cross no more, I have forgiven you a long time ago and you repaid me in more ways that I thought possible.

With love,

Katara”

“Katara.

I think there are some things we have to discuss. You know how happy I was to see you again a fortnight ago. And as much as I appreciate your presence, I believe you would agree that our last meeting did not end in the most fashionable way. What happened the night before was greatly influenced by the Fire whiskey as I am sure that you acknowledge. I am simply hurt by you sudden departure, in a boat of all things! I will have to face Aang and explain him why his girlfriend ran away. I do not like to lie to my friend, but I think I have no other choice for now. In order to protect your relationship and my crown.

I don’t know how to appropriately greet you anymore,

Zuko”

“Dear Zuko,

Do you think that your façade fools me? I see through your walls, you know as well as I do that the events previously discussed were displayed by two sober persons. And as much as I regret the pain that this will cause Aang, I can’t hide it either. I know you, I see what you try to hide behind your stiff words and outraged sentences. I am sorry, sorry that I didn’t realize sooner what I felt. I still don’t know. But I know that Aang did not so much as cross my mind during the two weeks that I spend with you. And I know what I felt when Mai appeared in front of you. I did not have my full senses that night, but if they were blurred by something, it was not Fire whiskey.

Katara”

“Katara,

You are so talented at piercing through my shields and even now I can’t be certain of what hides behind yours. In regard of this, you can see the following words as the desperate prayer of a long-lost man.

I can’t express my feelings very well. Karata, dearest Katara for dearest you’ll always be, I can’t feign my indifference any longer. Since a day that I can’t quite identify, you have held a particular spot in my heart. I never wished to act upon it, I did not wish for anything other than your happiness. And I was convinced that Aang was the best of the persons that could suit you. As I wrote to you, I started to feel guilty, wasn’t I betraying my friend? Not that I had any misplaced intentions, still, I couldn’t help but doubt my heart, too weak and too smitten maybe, to be reliable. I was confident in my own restrain though, during your stay here, I was convinced that nothing could go wrong. But you did not make things easier for me and I must now confess what I have dreaded for so long, how I am simply and desperately in love with you.

Zuko”

“Zuko,

I am sorry, so sorry, for putting you through all of this. I did not clearly see myself until the days that you know. I won’t lose myself in long declarations as you did. I could express my feeling with better accuracy, were they not so powerful. I shall see you soon, and then, I hope we will not have to part anymore.

With love,

Katara”

“Dear Katara,

As I am writing this letter, I know that you are sleeping in your room. You will probably receive this in the morning, I will be in my study. I should have chosen a more special way to do it, I know, but letters helped us get where we are now, which is why I ask you know, without further ado, will you, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, do me the honour of becoming my wife?

With love,

Zuko”

“You might think that such a trick you keep you from facing my father, if so, you are mistaken.

Expect some shouts from Sokka, but I think the rest will go just fine.

Surely you must know what my answer is, as you know that I could not stop loving you, should the world go up in flames.”

"Thanks Toph!" Zuko smiled for a few seconds the, his smile fell, "Oh, right"

"Yeah you'd think after twenty years you might get used to it eh?" Zuko didn't answer, he just smiled and looked back at his daughter. She was gently patting one of the turtleducks. She had her mother's long brown hair and tanned skin, she only got his amber eyes. Outside from that, she was her mother's spit image. A boy walked up to the girl, he was a few years older and he had a mischievous smile on his lips, when he was close enough, he created a small wind, enough to scare away the small animals.

"Tenzin!" Said Tenzin quickly ran away, only to be stopped by an earth wall.

"Mom, come on, that's not fair"

"Got to work on your reflexes kid, but if I were you, I'd get out of here" Toph lowered the wall that she created, sensing a furious waterbender walking towards her son.

"Come on Kya, it was a joke!"

"Tenzin are you bullying my daughter again?" The little airbender seemed to shrink on spot, the Fire Lord was a scary man, for a seven years-old at least. Luckily for the child, another man entered the already crowded garden.

"Zuko! Sokka! And Kya! It's so good to see you all! Where's Katara? And Suki?"

"Well hello to you too, dear" said Toph with a sarcastic smile.Aang smiled and walked towards the little group. He put his arms around Zuko's and Sokka's shoulders and teased them:

"So, guys, lost your wives again eh?"

"Really Aang," replied Sokka, "I think you're spending too much time around Toph, you even use her mimics! It's frightening."

"You can talk, mister 'I wear my wife's dresses' also, I do as I want, I'm the Avatar after all" joked Aang, sticking out his chest, but he quickly added "I'm serious though, I want to talk to them, where are they?"

"Suki was looking for something on the boat and I went ahead, she should be here any minute now… I don't know about Katara. And for the last time, they were fighting robes!" Both men turned to Zuko expectantly

."Katara's been away for a week, she is coming back today but I don't exactly know when"

"She's been away? Did you guys have a fight or something, because you know, if you hurt my sister…"

"It's nothing like that," interrupted Zuko "she wanted to go somewhere with Iroh, well, he nagged her to go on a field trip, you get the idea. Anyway, since Kya really misses her brother, I'm glad that Tenzin's here, it'll keep her distracted." Suki finally came in, and the group settled inside the palace for more space, as they did so, Zuko stayed behind with his daughter.

"So, Dad," started Kya, "Mom's coming back today right? With Iroh?"

"Yes sweetie, they'll be here before sunset, I promise you."

"Okay… I'll go look for Tenzin, you’ll tell me when they get here right? It's not fair, it's always Iroh that gets to go away on trips!" She muttered, walking away. It really was unfair! Just because he was older! She was already five, and what if he's a firebender? Everybody knows that waterbending's way cooler. Kya was kicking small rocks when she finally found her friend. They spent hours playing in the gardens, Tenzin had just got his glider and he was falling almost every time, but it was still funny. 

When they got back, the Fire Lord was no longer alone, Kya shushed her friend and watched her parents from behind the corner of the wall. The palace was quiet. The sun hid behind the mountains, but still the sky burned of the blazing colour that it left behind. The garden was perfect as always, even in the dark, a few lanterns lit up a path to the pond in the middle. 

There, was standing the reigning couple, both wearing red robes, both hugging the other as if they had been apart for years. 

Katara was a very beautiful woman, and through the eyes of her daughter, she was the most beautiful woman in the entire world. Kya always loved her mom's eyes, so blue, like the water they bended. If Kya hid, it was because of how sad her father had looked, this past week. She knew that her parents her in love, it showed in their voices and their eyes, sometimes she would see her father looking at her mother waterbending, with sheer admiration and love filling his eyes. She loved to see them together. They looked so happy.

She turned to Tenzin and slowly backed away, pointing her finger towards the room where the other adults were.

"We should tell them that mom's back right?"

"No, not yet, come on Kya, let's find your brother instead" The two kids slid away into the dark.

"I've missed you Katara"

"I've missed you too Zuko"

His friends had come, but they always left, and as the years passed, the visits became less and less frequent. The weeks turned into days, the young smiles turned into adult frowns, and the morose teenager turned into a nostalgic adult. They all had lives now, places to be, some had families.   He wishes that he could go back, back to the days of innocence, were they even real? No, there were no days of innocence, at least after his mother's departure. He wishes to go back to the days of friendship, of travelling the world, of laughing around a campfire. He wishes to go back, back to Ba Sing Se, in this crystal lighted cave, back to that choice, that last error.

If he could, he would now be back in the cave and he would see her in front of him, the young girl who shaped his future in so many ways, the one whose story is so similar to his own, the one who left, as well as everyone else. But if, only if, he was back there? The young prince would rise, amber staring into ocean, fire and water. He would talk to her, he would make her see, see him. He would make the right choice, he would stay.

And then what? What would happen? Everything ends the same, maybe he's already got the best ending. And maybe there was no happy one, not for him. But why?

He rises at last. If there is no other way, he must change things now, by himself. There is no destiny, no bigger plan, there are just thousands of people, trying their best. His uncle would always say: "You create your own destiny." and now, it's time.

Zuko goes to Sokka first, his best friend is in Republic City now. He talks about his problems, he drinks and ends up sobbing with a wasted Counselman by his side. He complains about his loneliness. He confesses everything that's been eating him alive, he whispers his last secret that he hid for so long. Sokka stays silent. After what seems like a half-hour, he opens as well, he talks about his fears, about his wife, about his worries, about their friends, about the sister that he hasn't seen in years, about the war that ended seven years ago, and the lives still waiting to restart.

When he finishes his sentence, he looks at Zuko and silently nods. Because he knows that some things can't stay hidden, some secrets are bound to be discovered, and if someone has a shot at happiness, they must take it. And because he misses his baby sister, her smile and her hopes, her eyes, filled with life and dreams.

After that, Zuko goes to Aang, he doesn't stay long, the northern Air temple is filled with air acolytes, the Avatar is a busy man, but he takes some time for his old friend. He shows him the new nation that he's rebuilding, he shows him hope, he gives him a direction, forgiveness, and Zuko flies to a far-away cave.

There, he finds someone with the same issues, at last. And Toph stays silent for once, while he tells her his struggles, and his previous travels. Finally, she talks, and for once, she seems so fragile, so tiny. She tells him how she went to master metalbending, she tells him how she lost herself in the way, she tells him about how lost she is, she tells him about how she needs hope, direction, someone to rebuild her, for a change. She tells him his last secret, and bursts into a fake laugh when Zuko confesses his:

"I'll tell him if you tell her"

They part lighter, she goes north, he goes south. They part with a new purpose, a bet. They now deep down that it's not the point, but they needed an excuse, a small push in the right direction. They will act out of hope, out of honor, out of spite.

This last journey is longer, colder, Zuko reaches into his pocket to hold the small crystal from times to times, but he keeps going. When he reaches his destination, the cold wind is cutting his cheeks, the snow is tangled in his coat and the darkness makes it difficult to see, he needs light, he needs drive, but over all things, he needs a hand to hold.

Finally, he reaches the icy town, it is night, but the houses are filled with voices, he looks inside, opening a bit the thick animal fur that's keeping the warm inside. There are unknown faces and some familiar. But not the one that he's looking for. He keeps walking silently.

Finally, he reaches the right house, there is only one woman, she is humming an old tribe song. She turns back when she feels the cold wind.

She doesn't recognize the man wrapped in layers of thick clothing at first. But the shade of theses eyes seems so familiar. She holds still. Zuko holds out his hand, the small crystal warmed by his body heat is lying in his palm. He puts the crystal on a table and starts taking of his heavy coats. When he is more comfortable, he looks at Katara, whose eyes are widened with surprise and he starts talking: "I missed you."

Upon hearing this, Katara seems to come back to life and she begins questioning him: "You missed me? What do you mean you missed me? What are you doing here Zuko? You came all this way on your own? What's going on? Are you okay? Tell me!"

"I've missed you, I have for a long time, we don't see each other anymore, and I saw this, " he pointed at the green crystal, "and I couldn't stand it anymore, I thought about Ba Sing Se, how leaving you had been a huge mistake, how I didn't want to do it again, ever. I was so alone Katara. I went to see Sokka, he misses you so much as well. I saw Aang, I found Toph next and I made her a promise and I'm here to keep it."

"What do you mean Zuko? What promise?"

"I agreed with Toph, we had to tell the whole Gaang our biggest secret, we've hid the same thing for a long time, that's one of the reasons I went to Sokka and Aang, I needed them to forgive me. And I'm here to tell you the same thing."

"But what is it Zuko, it is bad?"

"No, no, it's not like that, it's… I've been in love with someone for the past eight years, and I had never told anyone, until I left the Fire nation two months ago. "

"Oh. I had no idea, and Toph as well? That's… I don't know what to say, I'm… I'm sorry Zuko, I don't know if I can hear this right know. Tell Toph I'm happy for you two."

"What? Oh no, that's not it. Toph isn't in love with me Katara, she loves Aang. And I don't love her, Katara."

"Then who Zuko? Who is it? You owe me that. Tell me."

"You, it's you, it's always been you. It's been you since the day you touched my scar, it's been you when I saw rocks tumbling towards you and ran over to protect you, it's been you when I was falling and you reached out to me, it's been you when I saw that lightning bolt rushing towards you and suddenly nothing mattered anymore. I'm done being quiet and respectful. I have never been as miserable as I have been these last years when I didn't see you. I don't want to have to go through this, ever again. I don't want to be alone anymore."

"Okay"

"What? Really?"

"Zuko, you're not the only one who felt awful these last few years, I didn't want to face Aang, I didn't know where Toph was, and I thought, I thought Sokka didn't want to see me. But I missed you so much. I'm not as confident as you are, I don't know what I feel for you, but it's there and I can finally be honest about it. So yes, I will stay with you. But I think we have a few stops to do along the way.

Two years later, Zuko's life feels like a dream. His friends are still away, but they visit, with their families. And, above everything else, he isn't alone anymore.

Zuko smiles, holding in his arms a small child. Katara is asleep beside him, her hand still mindlessly holding his. The room is dark and Katara seems to glow in her white robes. He has a family.

Zuko has everything that he needed, right beside him, he isn't alone anymore.

I hope you enjoyed this, and also, there was a little bit of advice in this, because some might need it: You don’t have to stay in a situation that’s uncomfortable for you, you don’t need to wait for some sign to take action, and i know it’s hard, but maybe you searching so hard, is in fact the sign that you’re looking for. You are the master of your own destiny. 

(i know this has been discussed on the show as well, but that’s something i needed to hear long ago, and maybe it’ll reach someone that needs to hear it as well)

Katara know she is being stupid, she should not be here, she should be in their house, telling everyone about how she encountered the Fire Nation prince here, in Ba Sing Se. But instead, she is hidden in the storage room of the shop, eavesdropping the two firebender's conversation. They must know that someone is listening, that must be it. Otherwise, why would Zuko say such things? Is he really considering the fact that his father might be in the wrong? No. This can't be.

This can't be. Katara thinks and thinks about it. What if? What if Zuko wasn't their foe? What if they were friends? What if it was all alright? But it's not, and he's one of the persons to blame. She must stay focused. He is the enemy, i doesn't matter how faithful he sounds, how lost he looks, it doesn't matter. But as much as Katara tries to see him as the enemy, she isn't able to crush this little spark of hope that crawled into his heart, this little "what if", because after all, Katara can't possibly turn her back on someone that needs her help.

Days pass. Katara watches from afar and Zuko works. Sometimes there is an incident, some fight in the street, some girl that flirts with Zuko, but the rest of the time, it's calm. Although, this was entertaining to watch, a helpless Zuko in front of a bold Earth Kingdom girl. She almost burst into laughter at how oblivious he was. But at the same time, this felt weird. She was used to seeing his human side, but this was new, this was unexpected. This was hope.

The sun has set, and the shop is closed when Zuko firebends for the first time since Katara identified him. A small flame raises from his long finger, that he gently uses to warm the cold cup of tea in front of him. He lights a small lantern and sits behind the bar.

It's weird, how the yellow light dances on his face. It's weird how fragile he looks, he isn't, she knows better than anyone that he isn't. But in this instant, he simply looks sad. The terrible scar that throws his face out of balance seems almost faded. He looks like a child. His eyes are starring into the depths of his teacup. And Katara thinks that maybe he isn't the monster that he seems to be.

After this peaceful night, things start changing and soon, she is thrown in the catacombs, alongside with the person that she does not know how to describe anymore. The spark of hope turns into a fire when she slowly lowers her defenses. But then all is crushed, all hope shatters. Katara is filled with anger, hatred, just as it was before, but she isn't able to ignore the sadness that takes over. Maybe it's her fault, she could've helped him. But no, things took another turn and the waterbender decisively walks away, she won't make the same error twice.

When Katara sees him making a cup of tea in the dark of the night, she smiles. The rest of the Gaang is asleep, but there he is, making tea. Her smile is small, almost invisible, but seeing him like that reminds her of the gentle and quiet waiter in a crowded teashop that she stumbled upon all these weeks ago. Thinking of Ba Sing Se brings back painful memories and it's with a heavier heart that Katara closes the curtain hiding the firebender.

Zuko raises his head, he could've sworn that he felt a glare. That happened often in Ba Sing Se, as if someone was watching him from afar. Well, it's not like there are many people here, he is probably tired.

He's sure of it now, someone is staring. Luckily for him, he know the palace like the back of his hand. He slowly gets up and sneaks up outside in the corridor. A quiet shadow is walking away. Zuko shoots a small fireball, not as an attack, just enough to light up the corridor enough to identify the intrus. He did not expect the guilty face of his waterbending friend.

Katara swears, this is going to be awkward. She smiles uncomfortably. He surprises her with a single word:

"Tea?"

Katara's mouth fells open, she nods, Zuko smiles.

Zuko's eyes cross her own as he asks her if she wants a cup. She nods. When she thinks of him, it's no longer hatred and resent that come to her mind first, it's tea. Although she never shared a cup with him, she knows his habits by heart now. She looks at him, he's smiling. That's unusual, he always keeps a straight face when drinking tea. She smiles too. The palace is quiet, he is always drinking tea once the sun is set after all. It's not just the palace, the world is quiet, the war is over, the minds are light, new hopes flourish.

As the Firelord traces strokes on his cup, his mind lost far away, she wonders when her fastening heartbeat near Zuko, stopped being caused by fright.

And thank you for reading, i hope this made you smile, at least a bit, it’s not explicitly romance but i like to leave some things to the imagination