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The war is over.
Katara has known for a while what will be expected of her. The world is free now, and it"s no secret who"s responsible. She was in the crowd at the coronation. She heard people whispering about her.
The Avatar"s girl.
Spirits help her.
It"s not like she hasn"t been called worse or anything, but she"s worth more to the world than just being the Avatar"s arm decoration.
But she"s given this a lot of thought.
Aang came back this time, but there should be someone to make sure he doesn"t run away again if violence breaks out. The war is over. She has a duty to herself and to others to make sure it stays that way.
Zuko hands her a cup of tea while Sokka talks, and she grins at him. He smiles back and turns away, walking over to Mai, who takes his arm.
Katara sighs quietly.
She wouldn"t be here without him. She owes him this, too, doesn"t she? Doesn"t he deserve to know there"s more than just one person looking out for him in the coming peace talks?
If she does what she"s planning to do, she can help influence Aang"s decisions. Surely, more people will listen to her then?
Spirits, she"s sick of politics. She does like making a difference, but. Not so soon after everything. She wants a moment to breathe. But she"s got responsibilities.
Katara excuses herself from the argument about Sokka"s painting.
Her eyes are trained on the monk staring out at the sunset, at peace, but alone. Almost expectant. Almost waiting for something, someone, to stand by him.
And, well.
...
Katara wants to be certain.
She wants to look at Aang, the Avatar, the most powerful bender in the world, their savior, her friend, and see someone she"d spend the rest of her life with.
And in a way, she does.
And maybe that"s enough.
Katara"s no fool. She knows how Aang feels about her. And she"s well aware of the fact that he needs someone with him now. He"s so young, and he leans on her so much. She can"t just abandon him now, can"t just leave him to carry it all alone.
She has a responsibility to the world, to make sure their peacekeeper is content.
But she hesitates.
At the doorway, she looks back. She looks at her friends, her family. They look so happy. It should strengthen her resolve.
It doesn"t.
Her eyes catch on gold. Zuko raises his good eyebrow at her and she looks out at Aang before looking back, trying to make her issue clear. His brow raises differently, silently asking if she wants to talk.
Her own eyes flick to the way Mai holds his hand.
He follows her stare and... she can"t read the look that passes over his face. He whispers something to the other girl, and her brow furrows before letting go.
And then they"re in the hallway, a ways away from the door, Zuko holding a cup of tea while Katara presses her back to the wall.
When he speaks his voice is low. "What"s wrong?"
"I- I don"t know if I can do it," she whispers.
"What are you talking about?"
"Be with Aang." It scares her to even say. "I don"t know if I can- I mean- it"s not like I don"t know what"s expected of me. I"m expected to just be enamored with him, be his healer, his confidant, his partner in everything. Everyone wants me to be the Avatar"s waterbending master turned girlfriend turned wife."
"Wife?" Zuko repeats, incredulous. "I think you may be getting ahead of yourself."
"Don"t pretend it"s not true," she mutters. "We defeated Ozai and Azula. We won the war. We may be kids, but, well. We"re already treated like adults."
Sorrow fills Zuko"s expression. "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean."
She looks up at him. "I know you have it worse than I do," she admits, and he blinks at her. "You always helped me with the rest of the gang, and yeah, maybe we were the only ones who could take that responsibility. But being in charge of an entire nation?"
She stops talking for a moment as it hits her. He stares, and she searches for the truth in his eyes, a skill she"s become ridiculously adpept at. "You don"t really want to be the Firelord."
He blinks again before turning away. "You can tell?"
"It"s only about as obvious as an elkbear in a petting zoo that you"re a bit sick of things moving so fast," she teases, then frowns. "That"s why you"re with Mai again, isn"t it?"
He looks terrified for a split second, turning away even more. "I-" he starts. "I didn"t-"
"Elkbear," she says again.
He straightens up. "Well what about you?" He accuses. "You don"t have any real duty to be with Aang. Yeah, the world expects it, but it"s not like it"s the only option that makes sense. Why do that to yourself voluntarily?"
"You think I really have a choice?" She asks. "Aang"s the Avatar. He saved us all. He- he loves me." She hugs herself. "The last time I tried to turn him down, he disappeared right before we needed him. If I do this, at least I know he"ll stay, right?"
"Katara-"
"Right?" She asks, desperate for the answer she knows is the right one. "I know him better than anyone. I need to do this."
Pain is all she sees in Zuko"s eyes. The boy, because that"s all he really is, a boy just as young as the rest of them, takes her hand and squeezes.
"Do you know why I took that lightning for you?" He asks, eyes on their hands.
She shakes her head. It"s only half a lie.
"I can"t stand the idea of your life being taken from you," he whispers. "Katara-" her name sounds so different when he says it, "- Don"t just give your life away. Please."
She"s always had horrible control over her tears. They sting at her now, but she won"t look away.
"What about you?" She breathes, shaky. "You"ve already signed yours away."
"Why does that matter?"
Tui and La, he can be such an idiot.
She brushes her lips over his, light and lingering. His breath hitches, and his pulse quickens under her palm.
"Because I want more of you in mine." He looks at her, shocked. "You make me want to be better. That"s why I-"
She can"t finish her sentence.
Zuko stares at her, knocked open, and she feels almost silly for hoping . When he speaks again, it"s rushed. "We could run away."
Completely caught off-guard, she laughs, then she smothers it, but Zuko doesn"t let go of her hand. "I- What?"
"I mean it," he insists. "I could talk Uncle into at least acting as regent for a few years. If you leave with me, we could leave notes, and then we could travel. Together. We could help people, save towns, bring balance in areas that still need it."
"Have you thought about this before?" She whispers yells, startled out of her serious mood by the suddenness of this. When his ear flushes, she blinks, and oh. Oh.
He"s thought about this.
Suddenly, things don"t feel as set in stone as they had a minute ago.
His eyes are intense and she realizes he would have never told her any of how he felt for her if she had gone out to Aang. Just how self-sacrificial could this boy get?
"What about Aang?" She asks. Maybe she"s a bit hypocritical.
"Aang"s a kid, but he"s smart. I"m sure if he"s got Sokka and Toph around they can ground him. And uncle"s great with advice."
"Zuko, that"s- that-" That could work. Sokka did tell her to stop doing so much. She"s been Aang"s anchor. She can pass the torch onto a few others, even if it might be temporary.
She"s actually considering it now.
She has no doubt Iroh would give them a few years, at least. Her brother would understand. So would her father. Toph would be encouraging. Aang... might grow to accept it.
They could take eel hounds.
Once they get somewhere, it"s only a matter of deciding where they want to go, not where they need to. And after that, it"s just exploring, experiencing new things. Adventuring.
They could bring their masks so they could handle more... difficult places. They"d pack cooking supplies, obviously. They could bring a few games. But mostly, they"d travel lightly, staying place to place, town to town, helping those they found along their way.
They could be free, even just for a few years. They weren"t adults yet, after all.
She wouldn"t have to worry about expectations. Not so soon.
But...
"What about Mai?"
He winces. "I- I"ll tell her in person," he decides. "She deserves that. Besides, I don"t think she wants to be stuck in the same routine again anyway. I think she just wants some sense of normalcy now that Azula"s dealt with. She"s always hated being bored."
"Where would we go?"
"Anywhere you want. Everywhere, if we can."
She can"t help it. She kisses him again, and this time it"s more passionate, filled with surprise, gratitude, and the promise of no long term plans and duties clutching at them until they choose to come back to them.
The world needs more experienced leaders anyway.
When they part, Zuko"s eyes are glowing, and her insides melt.
"Agni, why didn"t I do this sooner," he asks, and she flushes.
"And you"re absolutely certain?" She double checks. "You won"t leave without me?"
"Katara, I think I should be the one worried about you leaving in this situation."
"Okay," she says, and then it doesn"t feel real. "Okay. So, I"ll need a week to get ready. You?"
"I could go right now, but yeah. A week is probably for the best."
Laughter rings out from down the hall, and they separate.
"Has anyone seen Katara?" Aang"s voice sounds.
"She went to check on Zuko"s injury. He said it was bugging him," Mai answers. Katara prays Toph doesn"t say anything to contradict this, and swears she"ll cherish the girl forever when the earthbender doesn"t speak.
She and Zuko share a look and then they"re giggling again.
"So. We should. Probably head back to them. The fireworks will be starting soon," she says, fiddling with her earring.
"Yeah, yeah," he nods, staring at his sleeves. "Celebrate the end of the war. With our friends."
She glances over, and he looks so beautiful. She really just can"t keep from pecking his cheek. "So, in a week? Where should we meet?"
He blinks rapidly before answering. "Uhh, I could meet you wherever you"re staying."
A smile plays on her lips, a million times lighter than before. "Are you gonna whisk me away on an adventure, fireboy?"
His little smirk has her soaring. "I could. Would you like that?"
"I might. But what if I want to snatch you away from the palace? Steal you from a life of courtrooms and politics for a who knows how long?"
"I"d like that," he says, so earnest she doesn"t know what to do with herself. "We should take turns kidnapping each other."
"I don"t think that"s how it works. But we"ll figure it out." And she believes it.
After a minute, they start heading back, and there"s a distinct lack of dread weighing on her shoulders when she walks in and sees everyone.
Zuko goes back over to Mai, but he doesn"t take her hand.
Aang"s eyes light up when he sees her, but he doesn"t approach her in front of everyone, and she stays next to Sokka.
Toph smirks at her and she shuffles her foot back intentionally, to which the blind girl sniggers.
And as they all start to board Appa for the fireworks show, and as Zuko sits next to her, fingers brushing hers, covered by billowing sleeves, she does feel certain. Certain that she doesn"t have to settle into a role made for her.
Aang whoops as he pulls Appa into a dive, and Katara sees Sokka grin with Suki"s arm around him. Toph reclines, holding onto the saddle, eyes narrowed, Momo"s tail around her. Zuko chuckles, and even Mai smiles from next to Ty-Lee.
She looks up at the sky, at the stars that led her this far. She hears cheers as the light show begins. She hears freedom.
And she can be free, too.
That"s her choice.