Zuko's POV
I was getting ready for my meetings, the ones I dreaded all day and my stupid hair isn't cooperating! I took my hair brush and chunked to the side punching fire from my fists. "Woah, you need to take it easy there hotman." Sokka said entering my room, "Sorry," I replied. "So what's wrong?" "Everything." I mumbled, "I just hate going to these meetings. It's just filled with negativity and decisions for me to mess up! The generals don't respect me like they did my father but at the same time I know that I have all the power. The anger I feel in these stupid meetings reminds me so much about my past, in fact the whole meeting reminds me of how I got my scar. Everyone expects me to have the perfect solution, yet regardless of what I do someone is going to get upset. How on earth can I lead my nation when no one in the higher positions respects me and I can't even do my own hair?!" Sokka moved closer to me and placed his hand on my back. "Yeah that rough buddy," I started smiling and Sokka began to chuckle. He then walked over to the hair brush, picked it up and walked back to me. "Don't move," He ordered. Sokka began to do my hair and I felt more at ease, I like feeling his fingers in my hair. He had a really focused face while combing my hair which made his eyes and jaw sharper. "Elastic," I handed him the elastic. He tied all my hair up into a top knot, one slightly bigger than the one I had during my coronation. "Crown," I handed him the crown and he gently added it into my top knot. "All done!" Sokka exclaimed. "Thank you Sokka." I said turning to face him. "No problem." I really, really don't want to go. "You are going to do great Zuko, and thankfully you guys aren't discussing anything major today." I smiled weakly at him. "Would it be at all possible for me to join you at the meeting, I wouldn't say anything of course but could that be a possibility?" "I guess if you got permission from the Fire Lord then you could I suppose, why do you ask?" "Well you seem really stressed out about this meeting and I don't know, I guess it's a bad idea but I thought that it might help if you had a friend there with you." "You would do that for me?" "Of course Zuko! It's not like I have anything planned for the rest of the day." I nodded at him. Sokka then grabbed my hand and together we walked out of my room to the meeting.
When we got there Sokka got a bunch of dirty looks from the generals. "Why is he here?" General Huang of Tyoto asked. "Because I want him here." "Why?" "Because I'm the Fire Lord and I don't need to explain myself to you!" I defensively shot back a little too loud. The room suddenly went quiet and everyone was now staring at Sokka and I. I started to sweat, which is stupid considering that I'm the Fire Lord therefore I should be able to do whatever I want without getting nervous. However with the stares across the room I felt like I was going to have to give an explanation, and lying is definitely not my strong suit. "I am most likely going to be the next Chief of the Southern Watertribe, so we thought that it would be beneficial that I see first hand how other nations respond to conflict." Sokka replied smoothly in a much calmer tone. The general huffed and went back to his seat. "Thank you," I mumbled, "No problem." We then took our seats and the meeting began. Majority of the meeting was pretty boring, it was just filled with update dates from each sector of the Fire Nation as well as updates from the former colonies about how Fire Nation descendants are responding to the Harmony Restoration Movement. Then we got to the Hirma-Tyoto conflict and that's where things got heated. "The village of Tyoto is ready to go to war with the town Hirma. Tyoto has already laid a minor siege on Hirma demanding the debt owed. They also banished every male with Hirmanese ties resulting in many families being separated." General Shi explained, "I advise that you Fire Lord Zuko override the Governor of Tyoto in this matter." "Absolutely not! Hirma has caused nothing but trouble for the people of Tyoto and the trading relations are always one sided. I say you get rid of the governor of Hirma and make them repay their debt!" General Huang said, "Are you crazy?!" General Shi responded. The generals all began to argue and I could feel my whole body becoming more tense. Sokka reached out and placed his hand on my thigh underneath the table. I relaxed a little and shot Sokka a small smile before turning to the argumentative generals. "Enough! Stop making decisions for me and provide me with some evidence of this civil conflict." I ordered the generals. They explained the conflict more which all started from a trading agreement. "Hirma Governor signed a huge trading contract with Tyoto to help them with a major construction project, however half way through the government of Hirma ran out of gold pieces and canceled the project. They needed the money to go to healthcare instead, because almost all of their healthcare workers were on strike and innocent civilians were dying as a result." General Shi explained. "However because Tyoto took this deal with Hirma, they canceled all other trading opportunities with other places. But since Hirma can no longer pay Tyoto now, Tyoto is going bankrupt." General Huang added. "I say that we force Tyoto lay down on the siege and we will pay for the rest of the project. This way Tyoto gets paid and Hirma can fix their helthcare situation at the same time," I said. "We can't do that. The Fire Nation government doesn't have enough money to provide for the costs that Tyoto wants due to the Harmony Restoration Movement construction project you signed off two weeks ago." General Shi remarked. "We just need Hirma to pay the fees they owe and then help them afterwards." General Huang said, "That won't work." The generals all began to start arguing again. I slammed my fist on the table hoping to get their attention. "Can you guys please stop arguing! I am the Fire Lord and I'm the one making the decisions, not you!" "You are too young and inexperienced to make these kinds of economic decisions," General Huang spat. "What did you just say to me?! I am your Fire Lord, you will respect me!" I tried yelling over them but it wasn't working. Sokka then moved his hand off of my thigh to hold my hand. "See what I mean," I mumbled to him. I honestly wanted to cry, nothing was working. "Zuko you are doing your best and that general needs to learn his place. Can I suggest something?" Sokka asked. I nodded tilting my head down. He then squeezed my hand before letting go and jumped up onto the table. "Everyone shut up! How dare you speak to your Fire Lord this way!" Sokka screamed and everyone went silent with shocked expressions worn across all of their faces. "Good you are all quiet." Sokka then stepped down off of the table and sat beside me grabbing my hand once again. "The problem with this conflict is that both towns are running out of money. I suggest that we pay the town of Tyoto with a new, more urgent construction project instead. The Harmony Restoration Movement is going smoothly throughout the colonies however the Fire Nation is still responsible for rebuilding parts of the Earth Kingdom that were destroyed during the war. How about we make Tyoto responsible for this field? This way Tyoto is getting their money back and Hirma doesn't go completely bankrupt and can use the money that they owe Tyoto into fixing their healthcare situation. However the government of Tyoto is going to have to abandon the siege with Hirma and will need to stop banishing people with Hirmanese ties, they cannot continue to separate families." The generals stayed quiet after Sokka suggested this. "That could actually work, Fire Lord Zuko what do you think of this plan?" General Shi asked. "I think it's brilliant! That is exactly what we are going to do." I responded, squeezing Sokka's hand a little harder. "Fire Lord you can't possibly be taking suggestions from a person younger than you who isn't even Fire Nation!" General Huang exclaimed, "I am. His plan is the most efficient one yet and I value this input more than anyone else's in this room." I responded coldly to the general. I then dismissed the meeting and everyone left the room except for Sokka and I.
Sokka's POV
"Sokka you are such a genius! Thank you so much!" Zuko said, turning around to face me. "No problem Zuko, just glad to help." "Sorry about General Huang, he shouldn't have spoken about you in that matter." "Zuko, it's fine." I said looking directly into Zuko's amber eyes. He looked so relieved and excited. "But seriously thank you so much, I honestly don't know what I would have done without your help." "I'm sure you would have managed, I only suggest one thing." "That one thing helped end the entire civil feud and is going to help the colonies as well! You also got all of the generals to listen to you, it was amazing!" Zuko exclaimed, "Thanks." I could feel myself blushing like crazy but honestly I couldn't care. I was just happy to see Zuko so excited and upbeat. Zuko reached out and hugged me. He then lifted his face up and our lips were only centimeters away, causing millions of knots in my stomach. Our foreheads were now touching and I could feel his breath on my skin! He then placed his hands on my face and I did the same back. We were slowly pulling in closer and I desperately wanted the space between our lips to disappear. However right before we kissed Zuko hesitated and dodged my lips instead, moving his face into my shoulder. Zuko almost kissed me, Zuko almost kissed me! Why did he stop? Was he scared? I internally screamed, also why did I want Zuko to kiss me so badly?! I wanted to say something, do something, but I couldn't. So instead I wrapped my arms around his body and held him wishing that we did more.
Katara's POV
It was pretty late out and I finally made my way back to the Palace. I had a great time hanging out with Zayla and Tia. I first sparred with Zayla and won every single time, but towards the end it was a lot closer. Afterwards we all went to Tia's house and she did all of our makeup and we talked. They mostly asked me questions about how I helped end the 100 year war, how I started dating Aang, what the South Pole was like, and about my travels. Zayla was most impressed by how I fought for women's rights to learn water bending in the Northern Watertribe and Tia was mostly interested in learning about the Kyoshi Warriors. She was so shocked that Sokka dated their leader Suki, and made some comment about how only an idiot would ever leave a woman like that for a guy which made Zayla laugh. During our conversation I learned that Tia's great grandmother was actually from the Northern Watertribe just like my Gran-Gran! After Tia completed our makeup we walked around the city a bit and watched a romance play, which was really good, however it made me miss Aang a lot. But overall the night was amazing, and I had a lot of fun. Once I got back to the Palace Sokka was the first person to greet me. He looked so excited and anxious at the same time. "Katara, where have you been? You've been out for hours!" "I was just hanging out with Zayla and Tia." "That explains why you look like a clown." "I do not! It's traditional Fire Nation makeup which holds a lot of sacred meaning!" "I do not care, something way more important than makeup occurred recently. I need to talk to you now! I'm losing my mind!" 'What happened?" Sokka grabbed my wrist and pulled me into my room. He was walking so fast which made me have to jog in order to keep up. Once we got to my room he slammed the door shut locking it. "Zuko almost kissed me!" "What???!!!!" Sokka explained what happened at the meeting and was speaking so fast. "Slow down Sokka, are you sure you almost kissed?" "Yes! Our lips were only inches apart! He placed his hands on my face and I did the same back after he pulled me into his face! He had one hand on each side, you don't hold your friends like that, right? Anyways our foreheads were touching! But then Zuko hesitated and instead of kissing me he dodged my lips and moved into my shoulder instead. We're so close to kissing Katara! I'm freaking out!" Sokka began to start pacing around my room. I reached up and grabbed both his hands forcing him to sit onto the bed with me. "Sokka this is great news, it means Zuko likes you more than as a friend," "Are you sure? If he wanted to be more than just friends he would have kissed me." "Sokka stop being so oblivious, he tried to kiss you first right?" "Yeah," "And for most of the meeting you were either holding his hand or you had your hand placed on his thigh." "Yes," "Then he clearly likes you but just got scared. You are his best friend and he doesn't want to risk losing you, he is nervous about the possibility that you don't like him back and you are just being a great friend." "But I am being a great friend! This whole thing is so confusing." I looked into my brother's ocean blue eyes, the eyes identical to mine. "Other than Zayla and Tia none of us apart from Aang have met a couple who were both the same gender. This whole thing is new to all of us and you both probably have no idea how to react to this. But the important thing is that Zuko tried to kiss you first, so clearly he was thinking about it but possum-chickened out." Sokka still looked unsure, "Sokka did you want to kiss Zuko?" Sokka hesitated, "I think I want to be with him Katara. I'm just scared that this isn't normal or what might happen." I pulled my older brother into a hug, "It's going to be scary but if you love him then nothing else matters. I will always love you regardless." "Thank you Katara, I love you too even though you can be so annoying at times." I laughed a little and I felt Sokka's grip around my body become tighter. "You're just jealous that I was right about you and Zuko," I teased him. We then both heard a muffled scream, "Get away from me hel-" Sokka instantly pulled away from me after hearing this scream. "Was that Zuko?" I asked my older brother but he was already running out of the room.
I sprinted after Sokka down the halls watching him kick down Zuko's door. Once he did we entered the room ready for battle. I saw Xuza and the male earth bender on one side of the room and Zuko on the other side, pinned down to the ground by the earth. I open my water pouch and begin attacking them along with Sokka. I grabbed a hold of the earth bender, almost defeating him until he crushes the rocks on Zuko a little tighter forcing me to stop. "Think about the offer Fire Lord, and make the right choice." With that they both disappeared beneath the ground and were out of reach.
Sokka's POV
Zuko managed to break free from the rocks and he looked like he had just witnessed a murder. "Zuko what happened?" Katara asked him, "N-nothing," "Zuko you are a terrible liar, what offer were they talking about?" I asked my 'friend?' "It doesn't... I can't tell you guys." He stumbled out. I glanced over at Katara and she looked angry. "Why can you tell us?! Is it because you don't trust us enough?!" She yelled at him, "Katara!" I yelled back. "No that's not why, it's just..." "It's just what Zuko?" Katara calm down please! Zuko's eyes began to water and his body began to shake. "Knowing will only endanger you both. This is something I need to decide on my own and I... and I can't let anyone get hurt because of me." With that Zuko walked right out of his room shaking. "Zuko, come back now! This is serious, have you ever considered that maybe we don't want to be responsible for you getting hurt?!" Katara called out to him but he did not come back. "Zuko!" I placed my hand on her shoulder pulling her back. "We need to go after him Sokka!" She cried out. "I will just give him a moment to process this first." She sighed and walked out the room going the opposite direction of Zuko.
It's been a few minutes so I decide to go check on Zuko just to make sure that he hasn't done anything stupid yet. I walked all around the palace and couldn't find him. I then started to freak out, what if Zuko already did something stupid? What on earth did those anti-government thugs want from him?! I continued searching the Palace going to the edge of the property. I then saw many flames from the corner of my left eye, that has to be Zuko right? Please let it be Zuko. I ran past the royal garden and saw Zuko blasting so much fire. I cautiously approached him slowly to make sure I didn't get burned because I am really not in the mood to become toasted Sokka. Zuko then collapsed onto the ground and let out a gut wrenching scream that shattered my heart.