three years too late

the moon festival

Katara:

The moon festival. Officially, it's a celebration of the moon spirit. Since princess Yue became the moon spirit it has been a celebration to her, it is her birthday after all. That year was the third moon festival since the war ended, the first time since the team had seen each other since the summer festival in the fire nation. Sokka and Suki were happily awaiting their wedding day, the day Sokka becomes chief if the southern water tribe. Toph was traveling the earth kingdom, helping the ones needing it and recruiting for her new metal bending school. Zuko was the fire lord now, and as such he was required to stay in the fire nation capital most of the time. As for Aang and Katara, they were traveling the world together, helping people with spirit problems and illnesses. Katara loved traveling the world and seeing new places, but she did not share Aang's feelings for her. In fact, she only thought of him as a younger brother while he thought of her as his one and only. She did not have the heart to tell him that being with him feels like being with family, which only made her miss her father and brother more. She was grateful that the moon festival happened when it did, she needed to see her family again. she needed to talk to someone about those feelings she has been having, feelings of regret and longing. The team was still in touch all those years, sending letters through messenger hawks. Katara loved two letters the most, one from suki and her brother about life as the future chief and his future wife, the other from Zuko about life in the boring fire nation capital. She looked forward to the letters from Zuko, he was her best friend, she could tell him everything but one.

With each letter of his she read her feelings toward him grew.

She knew he was with Mai still, though how he could love that bored lump of laziness she didn't know. she also knew she was with Aang, at least as far as Aang himself was concerned. If she and Zuko ever stood a chance it would have happened when they defeated Azula together, if something were to happen between them it would have when she healed him enough to sit up. if he felt the same way he would have kissed her there.

He didn't, and she knew she had to deal with it.

the moon festival was in the northern water tribe, the home of Princess Yue. Everything was decorated in blue, the water tribes color, and purple, the royal water family's color, Yue's color. Katara and Aang were among the first to arrive, along with Sokka and Suki. Toph and Zuko had arrived later the next day, a day before the festival itself. Katara stifled to urge to go to Zuko and hug him. she knew that if she did, she would have kissed him, expressing her feelings for him. she couldn't, he was with Mai and she knew how jealous this bored girl could get if someone tried anything with her man. The festival itself passed quickly, the night sky showed the beautiful and big moon, as Yue moved closer to her tribe. The balconies that held the celebrations were filled with people eating Yue's favorite foods and talking, it was something Katara hadn't experienced since the summer festival, she loved having everyone by her side again, but she was sad thinking about how it won't last. 

Zuko:

As the fire lord, Zuko was expected to marry a fire nation girl and produce the next fire lord, it was his duty to ensure the future of his nation. He did not like Mai that way, but she was the most suitable girl to be a fire lady, though how the ever-bored girl would behave with the already boring and confining ways of the fire lady he did not know. If he had had the choice, he would have chosen someone he knew could handle it, could make a name for herself as one of the best fire ladies in history. The problem was that she wasn't fire nation, and she was with another. He stared at her throughout the moon festival. This was her home, the place she belonged to, her family lived there. If she were to become the fire lady, she would have to stay in the fire nation capital almost all the time. Granted, her family could visit her, but she would miss the icy plains and the frozen sea that could go on forever here. He was grateful she did not try to hug him; he knew that if they touched, he would go in for a kiss, which would only complicate things for everyone. Mai could be a good fire lady, he tried to convince himself while looking at his girlfriend. But then why does he feel lost without Katara by his side? He looked at Katara for what he hoped would be the last time when she caught him, he looked away, blushing. How could he be so careless as to stare? What if Mai noticed? He turned to his girlfriend to see her boringly eating some fish stew. He knew she did not like fish, but the water tribe had only that to eat, she would have to deal with it.

"am I interrupting?" Katara asked, standing over Zuko and Mai, who were sitting down inside the water tribe palace.

"no, not at all" Zuko said and hurriedly got up. he knocked over his goblet and tried to collect the wine that spilled on the icy floor, dying it red. Katara laughed gently and bent the liquid back into the goblet Zuko was still holding.

"Can we talk?" she asked him. all he could do was nod his head in agreement, trying to hold his feelings inside. They left the table Mai sat by and went deeper into the palace, away from prying eyes.

"I saw you staring, is there something you wanted to say to me?" she asked, her sweet voice creating butterflies in his stomach.

"I was just wondering about you and Aang, you didn't seem to be very happy when the chief introduced you as the avatar's girlfriend and not as a master bender and healer," he said eventually, trying not to sound too desperate for the answer.

"oh," she said, surprised.

"well, I have been contemplating whether or not to tell him that all I feel towards him is a motherly bond, but he would not take it well..." she stopped, blushing and covering her mouth with her hand. He could tell she did not want to tell him that.

"Katara, you know you can tell me everything. I can help" he said, standing in front of her and holding her hand from her mouth. She sighed sadly.

"I don't love him, not the way he wants me to anyway. I can't tell him that though, it would break his heart" she said. Zuko understood, he was facing the same problem.

"duty versus love, I understand. I have the same dilemma with Mai" he said. she looked at him, he could almost see heartbreak and disappointment in her eyes.

katara & Zuko:

"you don't love Mai? You two seem so perfect for each other" she said, trying to hold back the tears. She could not believe he had someone else he thought of except for Mai, or, as she secretly hoped, her.

Her words stabbed at his heart, could she not know he could not stop thinking about her? All this time? How he had to stifle a kiss after they defeated Azula, how heartbroken he was when she chose Aang?

None of them could understand how the other could be so blind as to not notice how they feel, none willing to make the move to reveal this fact. They stood there, silent, each in their own thoughts when the moon shone brightly, lighting them both up and a third figure.

"Yue?" Katara asked. As happy as she was to see the princess, she was still painfully aware of Zuko and how he looked at her, as if wanting to hold her and not wanting to at the same time.

"Katara, Zuko, you have honored me today by dropping your lives and coming here, I would like to return the favor" she said, her angelic voice so gentle, as if smiling at them both. They looked at each other, seeing hope in each other's eyes. Could they really reveal what they feel towards each other? Could they follow their hearts' desires?

"when you wake up tomorrow you will have the opportunity to change what you have done, you'll be able to follow your hearts. I assure you there will be no consequences to this time. If you need my help in figuring things out just say my name at night, and I shall come to help" the princess said. she smiled one last time to Katara and Zuko before fading into the fog that now filled the castle. They both started to feel quite tired, numb. They collapsed next to each other and fell asleep.