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Smile Because It Happened	By : theamberdragonfly Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Het - Male/Female > Katara/Zuko Views: 7697 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Chapter 25

Aang bent twin spheres of air between his palms, making them chase each other like the koi fish in the Oasis and Rekka cooed in delight from where she lay bundled upon a nest of furs. “Katara, I’m getting worried.”

The Waterbender glanced up from her pacing. “You don’t think I’m worried?” she huffed, never pausing in her stride. “The Solstice is tomorrow! And Zuko still isn’t here!”

“He said in his last letter he’d be here,” Aang reminded her, “but he’s not who I’m worried about. I’m worried about you. You’re stressing out over this way too much. Have faith in Zuko.”

Blue eyes narrowed at him. “If he doesn’t show up, my dad will consider our marriage contract valid! Are you really okay with that?”

He lifted an eyebrow. “You’re talking to the guy who’s loved you since he first saw you.”

“Aang!”

The Airbender chuckled. “Relax, relax. I’m only teasing.” He stood up and walked over to her, forcing her to stop her agitated pacing. “You love Zuko. He loves you. Therefore, he will come. You’ll see.”

“Stupid bastard,” she grumbled under her breath. “Always making people wait around… Who does he think he is?”

“The Fire Lord,” Aang replied with a grin.

Katara let out a frustrated growl and stomped out of the lodge. Aang turned back to Rekka, who was watching the whole ordeal with wide blue eyes and her hand in her mouth. “Your aunt is losing it,” he observed.

The pelt-door flipped open and Suki entered, a pile of clothes in her arms. “Oh, thank you, Aang. Really, I don’t know how I’ll get along without you. Sokka’s still pretty useless around her, but at least Gran-gran’s around.” She set down the clothes before picking up her daughter. “When are you leaving?”

“Once Zuko arrives,” he said. “If Toph isn’t with him, I’m going after her myself.”

Suki appeared unsurprised. “You really love her, don’t you?”

“It’s amazing what we realize… when look past what was right in front of our eyes.” He blushed slightly. “We… did some things… we probably should’ve waited to do,” he confessed quietly. “And I don’t want her to feel like it was just a fling or that it didn’t mean anything to me.”

Suki patted him on the shoulder. “You’re a good man, Avatar,” she said. “You were willing to give up your first love so that she could marry the man she truly belonged with, and in the process found a stronger love for yourself. Not everyone is so fortunate.” She grinned. “And you and Toph… that’s a good match.”

He reddened further. “Toph’s been my best friend for years. How could I have been so blind?”

She laughed. “There are different types of blindness, I guess. Yours was just… more stubborn than others.”

A flurry of activity outside caught Aang’s ears and he hurried out of the lodge, Suki with Rekka in her arms right behind him. He stopped a young woman who was scurrying past. “Miss- what’s going on?”

“A Fire Nation ship has set anchor just offshore,” she explained breathlessly.

Aang’s face broke into a wide smile as he glanced at Suki. “It’s Zuko! He made it!”

“What? You weren’t worried, were you?” she teased.

Aang just waved at her, since he was already running across the snow toward the crowd gathering near the shore.

Suki snickered to herself. “He was worried,” she mused, rubbing noses with Rekka, who cooed back.

.o(O)o.

Hakoda stood firm before the small dinghy that landed on the snowy shoreline, his blue eyes hard as he gazed at the young Fire Lord who disembarked. At his side stood Katara, her heart pounding in her chest and relief in her eyes.

Zuko paused long enough to help his companion out of the boat- and Katara was delighted to see it was Toph. “Toph!” she called, making to run and greet her friend.

Hakoda’s hand on her shoulder stopped her. She turned back and met his steely gaze before returning to her place by his side. Cheeks flaming and irritation evident in her stance, she crossed her arms and scowled at her father. “Will you stop this?” she hissed. “I’m not some trinket to be bartered over!”

“It’s tradition, Katara,” he replied, but there was a hint of sadness in his tone. “In all actuality, you should be considered the Avatar’s wife now, but because of his plea I am allowing Lord Zuko a chance.” He frowned. “I don’t think I like the idea of you being a Firebender’s wife, let alone the Fire Lord’s. Think of how many of our people the Fire Nation has killed over the years- including your mother!”

Katara practically growled. “That was the old Fire Nation! Zuko would never do anything like that. I know Mom would’ve approved of him- because Zuko is a great man and an outstanding leader. Everything that you are!”

Zuko had now reached them, the tribe having given them wide berth to the Chief and his daughter. He was dressed in a very simple yet well-made red tunic, secured with a black belt, with a darker red shirt underneath. His hair was down and hanging in his eyes, which were locked on Katara. Toph stood behind him, wearing a loose knee-length sleeveless shirt, with a green long-sleeve shirt and matching pants underneath it… and a pair of sturdy brown boots. It was clear she couldn’t see where she was going, so Zuko kept a light hand on her arm, as if escorting her.

Hakoda frowned. “What is the meaning of this? I graciously allow you time to make your offer for my daughter’s hand and instead you bring me a pregnant Earthbender?”

Katara gasped. Sure enough, a small tell-tale bulge was evident underneath her cream-colored shirt. And it wasn’t from too much good food in the Fire Palace. Hurt eyes lifted to Zuko. “Zuko?”

“Relax, Sugar Queen,” Toph announced for the entire assembly to hear. “It ain’t Sparky’s.”

A figure crashed through the crowd and everyone turned to see the Avatar lying in an ungraceful heap in the snow behind Toph and Zuko. He stared at her without blinking as he sat up.

“…Toph…?”

The blind woman moved in front of Hakoda, ignoring her lover sitting in the cold snow. “This is the reason Aang can’t marry your daughter,” she told him. “He’s already broken his vow to her. Let Sparky have her, and we can call it a day.”

Hakoda crossed his arms over his chest as he stared down at the dainty woman. “This isn’t your problem to argue over,” he told her quietly. “Whatever has happened between you and the Avatar is your own business. If Lord Zuko wants my daughter, he’ll have to prove it to me.”

Zuko pulled Toph away, aware that she was about to start spewing invective at the Water Tribe Chieftain any minute. “That’s enough, Champ. Don’t overdo it.” He nimbly moved her into Aang’s grasp, as he had regained his feet, and returned his attention to Hakoda. “I believe the Avatar built and gave you two fishing boats in exchange for Katara’s hand,” he said, using his “Fire Lord” voice.

“He did.”

“I’m also aware that I would need to offer something of equal value in order for you to change your mind and allow me to marry her instead.”

“This is also true.”

Zuko crossed his arms. “Your logic is flawed.”

The crowd began to murmur. Hakoda frowned. “Excuse me?”

“I should not be offering you something in exchange for Katara’s hand, but offering something to Katara herself. She’s the one who will be marrying me, not you.”

The Chieftain looked annoyed. “You mock our traditions?”

“No. But I feel they are outdated. You want an offering? I gladly give it- but not in exchange for Katara’s hand. Instead, view it as an offering of peace and goodwill, for both your tribe and my nation. There has been distrust on both sides for far too long.”

Hakoda’s eyebrows rose. “You offer me something not for my daughter but for an alliance?”

“More of tactical than political, but yes.” He turned and gestured to the ship behind him. “I offer you the command of my entire Navy.”

Sokka, who had been standing in the crowd with his wife and daughter, let out a rather high-pitched squeal. “Are you serious?”

“I believe your son is old enough to take over some duties as Chief until you feel he is ready to assume the role permanently,” Zuko explained, “and Water Tribe Warriors are the best sailors in the world. You are the best tactician I know and would be a great asset to our fleet. You would be able to travel freely and visit Katara and Sokka whenever you wished. And,” he added with a smile, “it would show the world that the highest trust the Fire Lord has is in a Water Tribe man.”

Without waiting for a reply, he moved over to stand in front of Katara. In front of the entire tribe, he fell to his knees before her. “Katara, I told you once that I already considered you my wife. But that was wrong of me. I should’ve asked you… if you wanted to be. So I am asking you- for your permission- to marry me.”

He held up his hand, which held a familiar blue necklace. “And I would never seek to replace your mother’s necklace. It should always be around your neck, until you decide to remove it.”

After Katara reached out with shaking hands to take her mother’s necklace back from him (how did he get it anyway?), he reached into his pocket and pulled out something shiny. With both hands, he offered it to her as if in supplication. It was a gold flame hair decoration, similar to his Fire Lord crown, but smaller. The Fire Lady’s. “This is the only jewelry I would ever ask you to wear,” he whispered.

“Oh, lord,” she breathed.

“I’d prefer if you called me Zuko, but whatever works best for you,” he grinned.

Toph snickered. Aang couldn’t seem to take his eyes off his little Earthbender. Sokka smacked himself in the forehead as Suki sighed dreamily. “How romantic.”

Gran-gran stepped forward, clapping heartily. “Now that’s an offer!” she declared. “You don’t need no permission from us,” she told Zuko. “It’s all up to Katara what she wants to do.” She winked at her granddaughter. “And we’ll support you, whatever you decide, honey.”

“Come on, Twinkletoes,” Toph said, pushing the young man away from the scene. “This is private. We should all let them have their moment.”

Murmuring, the crowd got the hint and rapidly began to disburse. Sokka had to be led away by the ear, and Gran-gran managed to nudge Hakoda back to his lodge. Soon, Katara and Zuko were alone.

“Can I get up now? My knees are numb from the snow.”

“I don’t know. I kinda like you on your knees like this. Submissive. Begging.” She smirked. “It’s really sexy.”

“It’s cold as hell and making me reconsider my proposal. Now, will you marry me or not?”

.o(O)o.

Aang sat down hard on the floor of the guest lodge he had been using since he had come to stay in the village over four months ago. His grey eyes stared unblinking at Toph, who nestled herself into a pile of blankets from the corner. “Been a while, Twinkletoes,” she quipped.

“Toph…” he started, then couldn’t get the words out. Finally, he threw up his hands in shock. “Why didn’t you tell me?!”

She shrugged. “Didn’t want you feeling obligated or anything,” she replied stoically. “They’re mine and that’s all there is to it. So if you ended up having to marry Sweetness, I wasn’t going to whine and cry about it. At least I had them.”

He paused. “…’Them’?”

“Yeah. Them. Two of ‘em.” She yawned.

“…We… We’re having twins?”

“I’m having twins, Twinkletoes. You aren’t doing anything.”

He stood up, bent some air and lifted her off her comfy nest. “Hey!” she hollered as he bent her into his arms so he could embrace her. “Stop that- I was comfortable!”

“Oh, spirits, Toph. I love you so much,” he breathed, hugging her close to his chest. “I’m so sorry I didn’t come for you sooner, but I thought you were mad at me. If you hadn’t come with Zuko just now, I was going to the Fire Nation to get you.”

“Whyf?” she mumbled against his chest, not bothering to struggle or move away.

“So I could ask you to marry me, of course. I told you that all I wanted was you. Well, you and our children,” he amended, glancing down at her little pot-belly. “By the winds,” he whispered against her hair. “I had no idea.”

“Neither did I, until I was Earthbending one day and realized I had two tiny passengers. I could sense their heartbeats through my bending.”

He carefully set her down on her feet, pressing a hand gently against her stomach. “Can you see them?”

“Sort of. More like… feel them. Especially now that they’re kicking. They’re going to be great Earthbenders.”

“Airbenders.”

“Airbenders don’t kick. They just… move out of the way.” She snorted. “No child of mine is going to be a wuss.”

“Fine, fine. They can be Earthbenders if you want,” he said, kissing her sweetly on the top of her head. “I won’t argue with you.”

“See? Wusses. The lot of you.”

“Which only applies to me and a four-year-old girl,” he replied with a grin.

“Oh, there’s more of you out there. Plenty of wusses in the world. Most of them will probably turn out to be Airbenders.”

“You never answered me, Sifu Toph,” he purred, dropping his voice to a husky level she hadn’t heard in months. It sent shivers up her spine. “Will you marry me and let me be a proper father to my children?”

“Well, if you don’t, Sparky said he’ll have to. So to spare him and Sweetness the awkwardness of that fate, I suppose I will.”

He picked her up and spun her around- carefully, of course. She laughed, her heart finally lightened. Dual whoops of joy echoed throughout the small frozen camp as Zuko and Aang both announced their happiness to the world.
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Smile Because It Happened