Greatest Birthday Ever
Katara sat completely lost in thought at the breakfast table that morning. Toph and Aang were laughing over something or other that had happened in their first period the other day, but Katara could not follow the conversation. The only thing on her mind was the odd phone call she had gotten that morning.
"What's wrong, Sugar Queen?" Toph asked. "You're usually more, I dunno, 'here' in the morning."
"It's Zuko," Katara explained. Poorly.
"What about him?" Aang asked.
"He called me this morning. He was really excited about something, but he wouldn't tell me what. He said he has 'plans' for us today. We never make plans."
"Is it a special occasion?" Toph asked her.
"I don't think so."
"Wonder what's up."
"Why don't you guys just ask Zuko, Twinkle Toes? He's right over there."
Katara wheeled around in her seat to find her boyfriend standing at the entrance door with a single red rose in his hands. It felt as if the entire student body had stopped and was staring at him as he smiled across the cafeteria at her. Each step he took was one that carried some purpose that Katara could not quite make out, but she had an embarrassing suspicion that it had something to do with her. Upon reaching her, Zuko took Katara by the hand and pulled her from her seat. As she stood, he brushed back her hair and placed the rose in before placing a gentle kiss directly on her lips. She blushed as he pulled away from her and clasped her hands.
"Good morning, birthday girl," he whispered to her.
"What?"
"It's Katara's birthday?" Aang asked.
Toph tilted her head to the side and gave it some thought before nodding.
"Yup. Sugar Queen's eighteen today. Grats."
Katara fumbled and sifted through her brain. Her birthday! Today was her birthday! She had completely forgotten about her own birthday! And her eighteenth birthday at that! She fell back into her chair a placed a hand on her forehead to straighten out her thoughts.
"You forgot again, didn't you?" Zuko asked with a knowing smile. "I keep telling you that you work too hard. Don't worry about a thing. I've got everything all worked out for it. Just come over to my place after school today."
"But, I've got a test to study for tomorrow, and my science paper is still just-"
"You ace every test, your science paper isn't due for two months, and you can spare one afternoon for yourself," Zuko said. "And if not for yourself then do it for me."
Zuko had fairly trapped her with that one. He knew that if he asked her to do it for him that she would without hesitation. She caved to the statement with a smile.
"I'll be there."
Zuko paced back and forth between the kitchen and the living room in anticipation. Katara would be there any minute and preparations were not fully prepared yet. After explaining his plans to Uncle Iroh, Zuko was grateful that the old man had made himself scarce, but now he was wishing for an extra pair of hands. How could an empty apartment be so hard to breathe in?
"Why am I nervous?" Zuko growled at himself. "I've had this all worked out for days!"
A quiet knock sounded at the door.
"Crap!"
Zuko straighted out his clothes and stumbled his way to the door. When he pulled it open he was greeted by the lovely sight of Katara wearing a long sky blue skirt with an off the shoulder white top. She had let her hair lie loose around her shoulders (adding to the beauty of the image in Zuko's opinion), but the flower he had placed in it that morning was still there.
"Hey," she smiled.
"Hey," he smiled in return. "Come on in. I didn't get everything as clean as I wanted, but it's a lot better than usual."
"So, what are these 'plans' you've been teasing me about?" she asked, getting straight to the point.
"I figured we'd start off with a movie," Zuko grinned. "Uncle suggested one that he says you'll like."
After making sure that Katara was comfortable in the living room, Zuko began to search for the video his uncle had given him. Just as he found it, he heard the door to the apartment swing open with a soft "bang" as it hit the wall. He bowed an apology to Katara for the delay before going to take care of it.
"Must not have shut it all the way," he explained.
Much to Zuko's horror, it was not wind that he saw outside the now open door. It was Azula. She was sliding off her shoes when he dragged her back outside and shut the door behind them.
"What are you doing, Dumb-Dumb?" she asked.
"What are you doing? Shouldn't you be at your dorm?"
"I have a project to work on with my partner and I need a few things," she explained coldly. "Now get out of my way before your bad eye becomes your good eye." She pushed past her brother and back into the apartment where she was greeted by Katara.
"Oh hello, Azula," Katara smiled.
"Hot date?" Azula asked over her shoulder. "Or are you just trying to seduce her?"
"It's her birthday," Zuko growled.
"Many happy returns," Azula said with a smile that could freeze a river.
"We're going to watch a movie," Katara explained. "Would you care to join us?"
Zuko began to make a cutting motion across his throat behind Azula's back. He was begging for Katara not to invite his wicked sister, but it was already too late.
"I don't see why not."
"Don't you have a project to be working on?" Zuko asked as he jabbed his sister in the back with his finger.
"It can wait. And do that a little higher next time. I've got a knot right around there that could use that kind of attention."
Zuko grumbled inaudibly to himself as he walked the girls back to the living room. Why, oh why, did Azula have to show up today? Why couldn't her little project have waited until tomorrow? Or never? It would have made life that much easier!
"So what are we watching?" Azula asked.
"It's an older movie that Mom used to watch," Zuko said. "Uncle suggested it."
"That doesn't tell me what it's called, now does it?"
Zuko glanced down at the case as he put the video in the player.
"'A Walk to Remember'," he read aloud.
He sat himself between the two girls and wrapped his arm around Katara. As he did so, she leaned up against him and snuggled herself comfortably into his chest. Not half way through the film Zuko had realized why his uncle had suggested the movie. Katara had been completely entranced by the bitter sweet story. Zuko also found himself relating to the tough kid who allowed himself to be healed by the young woman who was changing his life. By the end of the film, Zuko could not tell if Katara's tears were those of happiness or sadness. Perhaps they were a little bit of both. He began to stroke her hair as she smiled weakly at him from her place on his shoulder.
"I don't get it," Azula said, ruining the moment. "If he knew what was going to happen, why didn't he just cut himself off from her and save himself the pain?"
"It's not always that easy," Katara tried to explain. "Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just can't bring yourself to stop caring about someone. You can't help but love them."
"So you're telling me that everything that he went through was worth it?"
"To him it was."
"I think it was too," Zuko added.
"You can't be serious," Azula commented, nearly laughing.
"I can, and I am. Why is it so difficult for you to understand this kind of stuff?"
"It's not hard to understand," Azula defended herself. "It's just stupid. Everyone leaves eventually, whether it's because they die or for some other stupid reason."
Katara just stared at Zuko's younger sister. How could she say something so heartbreaking with a straight face?
"I'm gonna go make us some dinner," Zuko announced as he stood up.
"I still need to get my things," Azula said, rising as well. She stopped by Katara's side and whispered into her ear. "Run while you still can. Big brother's cooking is a test of mettle for your stomach."
"I'll keep that in mind," Katara smiled. "You will stay and eat with us, right?"
"I'm thinking about it."
Katara could not let go of the comment that Azula had made. It tore her up inside to know that she was carrying such a horribly lonely thought around with her. If nothing else, the young girl should have known that her brother and uncle were always going to be there for her.
"You know, not everyone leaves," Katara said. "Not everyone moves on. I'm sure your mother is still watching over you, even now."
"Do you realize that your trying to accomplish in a single afternoon what my therapist has been trying to do for the last two years?" Azula asked as she made her way down the hall.
Taking the hint that Azula did not want to talk about it, or even make an attempt at understanding, Katara tried to put it out of her mind for now. She walked about the living room as she listened to the cacophony of banging and clunking sounds that erupted in the kitchen. True, she had never eaten anything Zuko had made before, but it couldn't be that bad. Right?
After listening to the string of muffled curses that came from the kitchen for the next twenty minutes, Katara could not help but steal a glance into the kitchen. She immediately wished she hadn't. The place looked like it had been hit with a weapon of mass destruction. Food was splattered in places that seemed almost impossible for it to get to, and the smell was something to dread.
"I warned you," Azula's voice whispered in her ear. "Hey, dumb dumb, are you finished yet?"
Azula strolled her way into the kitchen right up to the pot of what Katara assumed was to be dinner and dipped a serving spoon in it. She took a short sip of the concoction and spat it out right into the sink.
"Are you trying to kill her?"
"Shut up! I'm doing the best I can!"
"She'll die if she tries to eat this bile," Azula said as she tossed the spoon down. "I am not going to be your murder accomplice."
Katara now entered the kitchen and put her hand on Zuko's back.
"Let me help," she said.
"No," Zuko said sternly. "I'm doing this for your birthday, you shouldn't have to help."
"But I want to help. I also want to live to make it to my next birthday," she grinned.
Agreeing that Katara's survival was more important than his own pride, Zuko relinquished control of the kitchen to her. Azula kept laughing at his extreme lacking in the culinary capacity. Katara only smiled to herself as she began to fix the dish that Zuko had nearly killed. He was trying so hard just for her. Taste testing the dish, she decided that no matter how hard he tried or how much the two of them cared for each other, she was never letting him in a kitchen again. As off track as Zuko's plans for the day had obviously gotten, Katara still felt like she was on cloud nine. In her opinion, this had been the best birthday ever.