𝑯𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆

𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒆 𝒈𝒐 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏

              Chapter six
Four years later
Aang

I sat cross-legged on the floor of Zuko's office, staring at the scroll in my hands. The words I'd scribbled earlier seemed to mock me now. I cleared my throat and read the last line aloud, my voice dripping with self-disgust.

"And in closing, congratulations on finding someone who you think you can put up with for the rest of your life."

Zuko, who was lounging against his desk, dressed in his regal Fire Lord attire, cut an imposing yet familiar figure. The years had added a maturity to his features, but the warmth in his eyes was unchanged as he snickered, "That's going to be the worst Man of Honor speech in the history of the written word."

I let out a groan and rolled up the scroll in defeat. "I know, It's supposed to be heartfelt, not... whatever that was."

Zuko shook his head, still grinning like he had the best joke in the world. Up until two days ago, it felt like ages since I had last been in the Fire Nation or seen him. The weight of my responsibilities had kept me away, and seeing him now, I realized just how much I had missed my old friend.

Rebuilding the Air Nation had consumed my life. From restoring the ancient Air Temples to their former glory, to teaching the Air Acolytes the rich tapestry of my culture, my days had been full. The planning and founding of Republic City added another layer of complexity to my duties. It was a monumental task, bridging the gap between nations and fostering unity in a world still healing from war.

"You're overthinking it," Zuko said, his grin softening into something more sincere. "Just speak from the heart, and you'll be fine. You've seen them together longer than anyone else."

I sighed, leaning back on my hands. "Yeah, but it's different when you have to put it into words. I'm not exactly a writer." My eyes drifted to the stack of invitations left on the desk for Zuko and his family. "At least the invites are done. Sokka would have my head if I messed that up."

My friend was a nice and friendly person, don't get me wrong, but if you rounded up every person in the South Pole, they'd tell you he was a strict, methodical leader who wanted—no, needed—things to go exactly as he planned and strategized them. But when my sister was around, he was a puppy wagging his tail for her attention, which is how I got away with most of the things I've put him through.

Zuko's expression shifted slightly, and he nodded. "Well, almost done. There's still Inara."

I rolled my eyes at the mention of Inara. I hadn't seen her in over a year. Not only did I have my own responsibilities, but she did too. As the Fire Lord's consigliere, his right hand, you'd think I'd see her more often at meetings and events. But she seemed to be everywhere except there, always taking on tasks that didn't involve meeting with the Southern Water Tribe's next-in-line chief, the Avatar, or Republic City's chief of police.

Even though both Elora and Sokka were quite fond of her—Elora would even go out of her way to visit Inara every once in a while—I wasn't sure why she did it. But it seemed quite important to Elora, so I never questioned it.

"Where is she anyway?" I asked, trying not to seem too interested in Inara's whereabouts.

Zuko smirked, clearly not fooled. "She's been away on some mission. I'll make sure she gets the invitation when she returns."

I nodded, affecting a casual tone. "Good, thanks for handling it. I've got enough on my plate with this speech. Plus, I promised Appa some fresh Fire Nation berries—might head to the market later."

Zuko's smirk grew as he watched me stand, feigning interest in re-reading my disastrous speech. "Just don't stress too much, Aang. The wedding will be great, even if your speech is a disaster."