Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Smile Because It Happened ❯ Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

It was well past midnight. Despite that, the sky was painted in a myriad of colors, ranging from the darkest orange on the horizon to velvet indigo high overhead, with every color in between.

 

A dark figure slipped between the silent lodges, a mere shadow in the unending twilight of the summer nights. A penguin-seal cried out and the figure paused, assessing their surrounds. Seeing no indication that they had been discovered, the shadow continued on its quest, running silently on the snow.

 

At one particular lodge, they paused once more, glancing around. When all appeared as normal, they lifted the fur hide covering the entrance and stole inside, carefully replacing the hide so it appeared undisturbed.

 

“Katara!”

 

The figure whirled around in surprise, blue eyes wide in shock. Hands lifted to pull down the black mask covering the lower part of their face.

 

“Suki?” Katara asked, her cheeks flushed as she realized she had been caught. “W-w-what are you doing here?”

 

The Kyoshi warrior raised an eyebrow at her sister-in-law. “Same thing you're doing here, I'd bet. You're hungry.”

 

Katara looked guiltily at the containers of smoked and jerked meat that filled over half the lodge, which was the second-biggest structure in the village. “Uh…”

 

“It's okay. I won't tell Aang.”

 

Giving into the gnawing of her belly, Katara smiled gratefully at her before pushing the black hood off her head and tossing her black gloves onto a nearby sealed barrel. She reached into an open one and pulled out a few pieces of meat, taking a bite out of one and sighing in bliss before slumping to the floor beside Suki.

 

“That good, huh?”

 

Katara sighed again. “You have no idea.” She took another bite, chewing almost reverently. “I know Aang doesn't eat meat, but you'd think he'd let me eat some once in a while.”

 

Suki lifted an eyebrow. “He won't let you eat meat?”

 

The waterbender frowned before swallowing. “He… I think he's trying to turn me into an Air Nomad.”

 

Muffled laughter indicated Suki's amusement. “You're not serious.”

 

Katara huffed. “I swear he is. He only buys me clothes in oranges and yellows, he won't let me eat meat- at all- and I think he's trying to teach me airbending.”

 

“Airbending?”

 

She nodded. “He's been telling me that it's a form of waterbending, but I know the difference. He's been trying to get me to make a water scooter ball-thing like the one he makes with air!”

 

Suki paused in devouring a chunk of dried deer-elk. “Why?”

 

“I have no idea!” Katara exploded, throwing her arms up in frustration. “I'm a Waterbender- no matter how much he wants me to be, I cannot, nor will I ever be an Airbender!”

 

“He is the last of his people,” Suki pointed out. “It's kinda up to him to revive the Air Nomads, if you catch my drift.”

 

Katara made a bizarre face. “Monks can't do that… can they?”

 

The Kyoshi warrior patted her rounded stomach, thoroughly hidden beneath layers of fur and coat. “Any man can. But I don't think monks were… allowed. Although, in this particular situation, with him being the last Airbender alive, it's kinda up to him to… uh… make more Airbenders.”

 

Blue eyes gazed at the young mother-to-be. “You haven't told my brother yet, have you,” she said, changing the awkward subject.

 

Suki blushed. “It… hasn't been the right time. He's been so busy with learning chieftain stuff with your father, helping to improve the village, helping Master Pakku with dealing with the Northern Water Tribe and helping Aang with… things, he comes home every night thoroughly exhausted and is snoring almost before his head hits the pillow.”

 

“He needs to know, Suki. He's going to be a father in, like, three months!”

 

“I know, I know.” She took a huge bite of deer-elk. “Tomorrow, okay? I'll make sure to tell him then.”

 

Katara nodded in approval, then broke into giggles. “You'd think he would've figured something was up, considering how much meat you've been eating for the last six months.”

 

Suki sighed, but a wide grin was on her lovely face. “Proof positive that this kid is entirely Sokka's.”

 

.o(O)o.

 

“Is everything ready for tomorrow?”

 

Sokka stifled a yawn as he nodded. “Katara's completely in the dark. Of course, it helped that the two of you were at the Western Air Temple for so long. What were you doing there, anyway?” he asked, giving Aang a look that screamed “overprotective brother.”

 

“Checking in with Teo and his dad to see how the repairs were coming along,” Aang replied, completely oblivious to Sokka's paranoia. “They think they'll be done in a few months, hopefully before winter.”

 

Hakoda looked up from the pile of scrolls littering his new desk. “The summer solstice was only a couple weeks ago. There's plenty of time before winter comes.” He eyed the bald-headed young man. “Have you finished the necklace yet?”

 

“Yes, sir.” He held up the item for his inspection: a wooden disk engraved with the three swirls of the Air Nomads was attached to a soft band of material which shifted colors as it caught the firelight, from orange to yellow and back again.

 

“Very nice,” Hakoda nodded. “Very unusual cloth you used for the band. I've never seen anything like it.”

 

“I found it at the Western Air Temple during our last visit. The original piece was somewhat ripped, but I thought I could still use part of it.” Aang paused and smiled nervously at the Water Tribe chieftain. “I'm grateful that you have allowed me to court your daughter, Chief Hakoda.”

 

The older man waved at him negligently. “Stop that. You're the Avatar.” He grinned. “It's not like she could do better than that. Not even a king would be better.”

 

“Thank you, sir.”

 

Hakoda laughed, standing up to clap the young man on the shoulder. “No, thank you. I get to have the Avatar Who Saved the World as a son-in-law!”

 

“Lose a daughter, gain an Avatar,” Sokka commented. “Sounds like a fair deal to me!”

 

.o(O)o.

 

Toph tossed open the door to Zuko's private chambers with absolutely no hesitation whatsoever. “Wake up, Fire Lord! We've got a boat to catch!”

 

Zuko, who had been trying to sleep after countless hours of tossing and turning for no reason he was willing to fathom, sat up fast when the door slammed open. He blinked at the Earthbender as if trying to figure out why she was in his bedroom. “How did you get in here?”

 

“It's called a door, Sparky.”

 

He scowled, not that she'd be able to see it. “I meant, how did you get past my guards?”

 

Toph plopped herself on the edge of his bed. “Is that what you call those two statues that were standing by your door?” She shrugged. “I gave them a break.”

 

Zuko dropped his forehead onto his hand. “Tell me they're still conscious.”

 

She laughed. “Of course they are. I just made some extra-comfy chairs for `em and told them to take a load off. That armor you make them wear must be heavy.”

 

“…Extra-comfy… chairs?”

 

“Yup. Made from the highest quality earth I could find beneath this god-forsaken rock.”

 

Zuko sighed. “Let them go, Toph.”

 

“But we have to get going- the ship sailing for the Southern Air Temple leaves within the hour. Those two wouldn't let me in to wake you up, so I dealt with them accordingly.”

 

Southern Air Temple. The surprise party. Katara… getting engaged. To Aang.

 

He remembered- again- why he hadn't been able to sleep.

 

He pulled the crimson coverlet over his head as he lay back down. “Mi'm moph moing.”

 

“Like hell you're not going,” Toph announced pulling the blanket off the bed.

 

Zuko let out a yelp and blushed furiously as he sought to cover himself- the young Fire Lord slept nude, apparently. “TOPH!”

 

“What? Are you afraid I might see your royal jewels?” She guffawed. “I think your modisty's safe with me, Sparky.”

 

He grabbed his pillow and covered his lower torso, glaring at her. “That's not the point.”

 

“Yeah, yeah. Heaven forbid the blind girl be caught in the same room as a naked man.” She frowned slightly. “How come Needles isn't here?”

 

“She has her own suite of chambers in another wing of the palace,” Zuko explained as he pulled on some clothes. “We aren't allowed to share a bed until we are married.”

 

“Sucks for you.”

 

He paused as he pulled a dark red long-sleeve tunic trimmed with gold over his head. “Even then… she'd probably still sleep in her own room. My mom… stayed in her own rooms despite being married to Ozai.”

 

Toph noted that he never referred to the former Fire Lord as his “father.” “Well, that's her choice, I suppose. I know I wouldn't want to share rooms with that cobra-jackal either.” She walked over and poked Zuko in the shoulder.

 

“So… you haven't needled Needles yet?”

 

Zuko choked and started coughing. “How the hell did we end up on this subject anyway?!”

 

“You were taking too dang long and we've got a boat to catch. Now hurry up!”

 

“Yes, ma'am.”

 

A knock sounded at the door. Zuko strode to the other side of the room and opened it, revealing a palace messenger. On either side of the doorway, he could see his two guards “sitting” in stone chairs- with a section of stone preventing them from moving more than their heads or their feet. Zuko mentally sighed. “What is it, Tai?”

 

The messenger fell to one knee. “There's been an attack in the south wing, sir.”

 

Zuko went on alert. That was where the nobles resided. “Why wasn't I notified? Was anyone injured?”

 

Tai bowed his head apologetically. “The attack was over and the perpetrators gone before anyone could sound an alarm. Several servants suffered from knife and sword wounds, but so far, nothing has been fatal. However…”

 

“However?”

 

“Lady Mai is missing. Her maids have searched everywhere and it doesn't appear as though there was a struggle inside her rooms.” He reached inside his vest and pulled out a small piece of parchment. “This was found partially hidden under the bed.”

 

Zuko took the paper and read it carefully. It was written in dark red ink… ink, Zuko worried, that might actually be blood. He turned to Toph, who shook her head slightly. Tai wasn't lying.

 

“What does it say, Zuko?”

 

He walked over to a nearby cushioned bench and sat down, his face serious. Tai waited, concerned, by the door as Toph moved closer to the young Firebender.

 

“You should have feared me more.”