Like Lovers Do (A Zutara Fan Fic)

Spaces Between Us

"Aang, will you stop pacing! I can't focus," Katara said, her eyes not leaving the pot of noodles she had been making for dinner. Despite being a water bending master, Katara had yet to master cooking, especially for larger groups.

"I can't," Aang said, creating a ball fo air to ride around on. As if that would be less distracting. "I'm too excited."

Katara looked up at her friend who, despite hitting a massive growth spurt, losing the baby fat in his cheeks, and growing into a very attractive young man, was still the boy in the ice at heart. He'd—they'd—seen and experienced many horrors in their past, and Aang somehow managed to remain so optimistic about everything. Katara hadn't lost her spirit either, but she'd always been more level headed. She watched as Aang picked at his fingernails anxiously.

"I know, Aang. I'm excited, too, but they'll all get here when they get here, and if you keep distracting me, we'll have nothing to eat for dinner!"

"Sorry. It's just... we haven't all been together in, what? Two years? I've missed everyone."

Katara nodded and smiled lightly at Aang. She knew how much this week meant to Aang, what it meant to all of their friends. It had been almost six years since the war ended, and two years since they were all in the same place at the same time. It wasn't like they didn't see each other individually, but the older they got, the harder it got to coordinate everyone's schedules. They'd agreed to get together in smaller groups as much as possible but made major life events a priority for everyone.

After the war ended, they all promised to stay in touch, and they had kept that promise despite all assuming large responsibilities. Katara had searched for and began teaching female water benders and eventually recruited masters to continue to teach young girls the art of water bending—and not just for healing. Katara also served as a peace ambassador for the two joint water tribes in the new All People Peace Alliance (A.P.P.A. for short) led by Aang, who spearheaded A.P.P.A. while also fulfilling other Avatar duties. While Katara's real home was with her brother and father in the Southern Water Tribe, Katara spent much of her time traveling and had homes in all four nations.

Toph went home to the Earth Kingdom and opened a free school for the blind. Of course, she was also scamming scam artists on the side for money. The school was more of a passion project. Sokka began his grooming to assume leadership of the Southern Water Tribe while seriously studying swordsmanship. Suki began rebuilding the Kyoshi Warriors and trained a special unit to guard the Fire Lord against assassination attempts.

And then there was Zuko, who perhaps felt the burden of the war and responsibilities the most out of any of them. He became the Fire Lord at just 16, not an easy feat for anyone, and now, at 21, he was bogged down by even more responsibility. Katara was surprised he even found the time to write her. She wondered if he wrote everyone. A blush crept up her neck and onto her cheeks making her insides feel hot and funny. Katara shook her head at any thoughts of her and Zuko ever being... well, anything. They weren't exactly ships passing at night, but rather parallel ships on similar courses, never destined to overlapped, or at least that's what Katara told herself.

Katara shook her head again and tried to remind herself that the next few weeks were about Sokka and Suki, not her and what might have been with Zuko. Sokka had finally plucked up the courage to ask Suki to be his bride, and Katara couldn't be happier for them. From the beginning, Katara had seen Suki as a sister, and though she couldn't figure out why someone like Suki, so poised and strong and capable, would go for her goofy older brother, she had to admit that they complimented each other well. So many things about their impending marriage had to be ironed out such as living arrangements, Suki's responsibilities as the chief's wife, and how she could continue her work with the Kyoshi Warriors. Suki had been seriously considering stepping down from the Kyoshi Warriors for Sokka, but neither Sokka nor Katara would allow it.

Katara couldn't imagine giving up her passions for anyone. She liked being a teacher and ambassador. She liked helping others. Katara may be deemed the "mom friend," but she wasn't anywhere near ready to be a mother. Not that she didn't want kids eventually, but she had spent so much of her youth being a mother to a whole tribe of children, and then to Aang and their friends, that she was allowing herself to be selfish with her adulthood, much to her tribe's chagrin. As she neared 20, the Southern Water Tribes elders encouraged her to settle down. Her father, however, admired her free spirit.

"I see so much of your mother in you, Katara," Hakoda said last time they saw each other. "You're selfless, fearless, and kind. You're special. Not everyone who pursues you will deserve you. You've seen the throws of war and created miracles with your bare hands. You're a force to be reckoned with. Do not give yourself to someone who cannot cope with your fierceness or will not encourage your will."

Still, the elders persisted that she marry. Sometimes she wished it had worked with Aang. Things would be easier, but she didn't think she'd be happier. The two tried to date for a while after the war ended, but they were so young and everything lacked... a spark. Aang wanted something traditional and lovely and sweet, and Katara wanted that for him, but not with her. Katara wanted something... electrifying. She was glad they'd remained friends, even if tensions were high for a few months. Aang always encouraged Katara to—

"Hey, Sugar Queen!" A voice so distinctive pulled her from her thoughts. "Have you gone deaf in the 6 months we've been apart or are you ignoring me?"

"Toph!" Katara cried out, turning around to join her and Aang in a pile of limbs on the floor. "I've missed you." Toph, like Aang, had grown so much over the 6 years though not physically. At 17 she stood only at around 5 feet tall.

"Yeah, yeah. I've missed you too, Sweetness. And you too, Twinkletoes." Katara beamed at her two friends and she could see Aang physically relax in Toph's presence. The poor boy had the weight of the world on his shoulders, and the only thing that truly helped him was his friends. "Um, is something supposed to be burning?" Toph asked as she sniffed the air. Katara's eyes were blown wide.

"The noodles!" Katara scrambled off the floor and immediately attempted to cool the water in the boiling pot by creating ice cubes. As the Water began to simmer down, Katara could hear Toph and Aang in hysterics. "I'm sure they'll still taste good?" Katara questioned hopefully.

"Sure, Katara," Toph said between giggles and Aang howled. Katara brought a slender palm to her forehead.

"Classic Katara," Another voice spoke from the door. "Who put you in charge of cooking?"

"Suki!" a unanimous cry rang out, and suddenly everyone was on the floor again. Suki giggled as she said hello to everyone.

"Where's Sokka?"

"He should be here in a few days! He said he had to "pick something up at the North Pole.'" Suki gave Katara a look which Katara knew to mean "we need to talk about this later." Katara slyly nodded at Suki and fixed her attention on the engagement necklace she now wore.

"Congratulations on your engagement, Suki! Even if it is to my dopey brother." Suki blushed and subconsciously brought her hand to meet the dark blue cloth around her neck.

"Wow, Sokka's art skills have definitely improved. It's beautiful," Aang commented.

Suki leaned down to whisper, "How much do you want to bet he paid someone to make it." The group laughed, and Suki turned her attention to Katara. "I guess each sibling has their own strengths. Seriously, Katara, what are we going to do with you? " Suki asked, but there was no malice behind her words. "Why didn't you cook fish? Your Salmontrout is amazing."

"I just wanted it to be something special!"

"Yeah, she wanted it to be something special for Zuko!" Toph sing-sang. Katara's heart stopped for a second, and she could feel a blush creeping up again, but before she could give herself away she spoke.

"For all of us! It's been too long." If anyone had noticed her falter, they hadn't said anything. She could sense Toph's attention on her, though Toph wasn't exactly looking at her. She was thankful Toph only smirked and kept what she must have sensed in Katara's heartbeat to herself. Outside a foghorn blew. Speaking of Zuko....

The four made their way outside and down to the dock. In the distance, they could see the Fire Lord's Naval ship attempting to anchor, but Katara's attention wasn't on the impressively massive anchor being lowered, but on the man standing at the helm. She could barely see him enough to make out district features, but she knew it was Zuko. He was poised and confident, everything a fire lord should be, and suddenly Katara's legs felt like Jelly.