Author's Note :: Chapter One of my first Zutara fanfic. Please read and review, thank you. I'm...not really sure if I like this chapter at all yet, but I'll decide later if I do like it...x3

Disclaimer :: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor any of the characters. I only own the stories I write. Thank you.

-- Chapter One --

Once inside the house, Katara and Zuko went their separate ways. Katara left for her room while Zuko left for his. On her way through her bedroom door, Toph came out from hers. Ah yes, Toph. The little frosted mint-eyed blind earth bender. She was rather short, of course, she was only thirteen. She wore her classic earth kingdom garbs, a very simple forest green tunic beneath a pale crème apron looking garment. Her feet were bare, save for the earth nation sandals that lacked bottoms to them. The blind girl and greatest earth bender in the world had to see somehow, right? She had black hair that fell down to her chin, a forest green headband separating bangs from the rest of her hair. She had that pale skin that was so common to the earth kingdom. Of course, she was Toph Bei Fong, also known as the Blind Bandit. She was an earth kingdom citizen. And she had a voice that just dripped of sarcasm every time she spoke.

"So SugarQueen, have fun with your little FlameBoy?" Toph taunted, a smile on the blind girl's face. Katara turned around and glared at her, still half way in her room.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about. You and that Zuko."

"But…but I don't like him."

"Sure you don't…you know, I would have figured that you wouldn't lie to me, least of all people."

"Toph…hush…or I'll tell Aang that you -"

"Just shut up right there, SugarQueen. Besides, I do not like TwinkleToes…"

"I'm sure you don't, Toph…hey, where is Suki?" Ah yes, the leader of the Kyoshi warriors had joined them after the war was over and done with, and, of course, when Sokka rescued her from her fire nation prison. And now, Suki was engaged to Katara's brother.

"She and Sokka went to another boring old meeting…along with Aang, of course."

"And why didn't you go, Toph?"

"I have to tell you that my solitude is what is keeping me sane right now? Gods. Besides, I wouldn't be able to stand another meeting with the crappy liars anyway." Toph stated, a frown on her pale skin. By crappy liars, she of course meant the generals and everyone else in a political office in Ba Sing Se. Katara smirked as she turned on her heels to enter the rest of her room. Toph had followed her, plopping down on the water bender's bed while she went to go open a window.

----

Zuko, on the other hand, had been busy cleaning his room. Again. That accursed flying lemur had gotten into his room yet again and screwed everything up. He cursed that damned creature as he picked clothes and the various items scattered around up from the wooden floors. He wondered where everyone else was when Momo popped out of his closet, where he was trying to hang his clothes back up. Zuko dropped his things with a very loud, angry yell, angered at the monkey and that he just dropped something very…heavy on his foot. He started yelling curses at the damned animal as Momo retreated back into the closet, only to jump back out once more and dash out the door towards Katara.

The two girls in the house had left the safety of the water bender's room when they heard Zuko's scream. Both of them ran towards the other side of the house where the boys' rooms were located. Momo dashed out of there just as soon as they got there, jumping into Katara's arms as she and Toph skidded to a halt in front of the prince's room. Zuko came out of his room moments later, hands flaming.

"Get out of my way, Katara! I'm going to burn that bastard animal to a crisp!" He stated, a threatening look upon his face. At this point, Momo climbed atop Katara's brown haired head and started chattering at Zuko angrily, probably saying something like 'you'll never get me fire boy!' But of course, no one can be for sure just what exactly it was that Momo was saying. Katara merely crossed her arms across her chest, getting in that classic pose that mostly only girls get in when they are pissed off.

"Zuko, calm the hell down, will you? Gods. What happened?" At her voice, Zuko allowed the flaming daggers he had formed a few seconds ago disappeared. Toph merely smirked and stood by two watch the two older teenagers 'battle' it out upon the matter if Momo got to keep his life or not.

"He scared the living shit out of me! He messed up my room, again! What else am I supposed to do? Gods Damnit!" He stated, golden eyes flaring.

"Well, it is Momo, we're talking about, aren't we? Haven't you kind of noticed that he's a little…out there? I mean, wait…why isn't he with Aang?" Katara's voice was calm, even with Momo chattering above her at Zuko. At her final statement, Toph poked her foot in between the two.

"Well, it probably has something to do with the fact that the uptight asses up at the palace don't like Momo there during their meetings. Remember last time when he tried sneaking the little fuzz ball in last week's meeting? We almost got kicked out…"

"…Right, well, that little 'fuzz ball' shouldn't be in my room! He should be in Aang's. So, why isn't he in there?"

"Zuko, this is Momo, we're talking about, you know…"

"Thanks, Katara…thank you for stealing away my win, there."

"Oh, no problem, Zuko. I enjoy it." Katara smiled, Toph turned around and went into the main room, opening the door for whoever was about to come in.

"Who is it, Toph?"

"Oh, just Aang, Suki, and Sokka. Hey guys. The love birds are home…" Toph stated smiling as she let their other three companions in. Suki snickered while Sokka and Aang scowled, he still couldn't get over the fact that Katara didn't like him any more than a brother. Both Katara and Zuko blushed, however, the water bender's was more apparent. They were also both glaring at the thirteen year old. And I'm not talking about those glares that you get when you're walking by someone who hates you. I'm talking about those glares that could kill if they had enough power to do so. Katara was the first to stalk off towards her room, Zuko watched her go before disappearing into his room. Both of their doors echoed throughout the house loudly before any of the others in the house moved. They were all looking at each other, then Toph, then were Zuko and Katara had disappeared off to.

"I'll go talk to Katara…" Suki piped up after an awkward silence and something that sounded like someone breaking something coming from Zuko's room. 'Gods that boy has issues to work out…' She told herself as she began making her way to where Katara's room was. She rapped upon the door with her green armor covered knuckles. Ah yes, this warrior 'princess', some would call her, was the leader of the Kyoshi warriors. Powdered up in extravagant makeup and dressed up like something out of a fairy tale, she carried herself with pride and great respect. She had short, brown hair, that was kept in a bun at the base of her head. On this day, however, she was not wearing her headdress. Merely the outfit itself. Suki was just a year younger than Sokka, a fresh sixteen and getting married in a few months to him.

Katara mumbled something at the door through the comfort of her pillows, which Suki took as an invitation to enter. However, it was not such and was instead a threat to go away or the older girl would get frozen to a wall for the remainder of the day. Katara looked up and glared at the girl who had just entered.

"Didn't I just tell you to leave me alone?"

"Well, I can't understand you when you're talking through a pillow. I'm sorry, but I'm not Toph. I can't tell what people are saying or if they're lying or whatever the hell she does."

"I heard that, Suki!" Ah yes, dearest Toph piping in at the best of moments. Suki merely rolled her eyes as she went to join Katara at the edge of the bed.

"Embarrassed?"

"Me? Embarrassed? No. Not at all. Not one single gods damned bit!"

"You like him, don't you?" Suki asked, watching a blush slowly creep it's way across the other girl's cheeks. Silence for a couple of seconds and they could hear more sounds that sounded like something was being broken.

"…Yes."

"It's not a bad thing to like someone, Katara…"

"I know…but I…he…I don't know…it's just so complicated…" Katara stated quietly, hanging her head and falling back to her side on her bed. Suki merely smirked and nodded.

"Yeah, I know how that is. Well…judging by his reaction to all this, I would say that he likes you too."

"Really? Humph…well, that doesn't really make anything better now, does it?"

"Maybe it can."

"What are you saying, Suki?"

"I'm saying that you and Zuko are going to…well, you'll find out." A sly smile was placed upon the girl's face as she stood from the edge of the bed. Katara recognized that smile and quickly jumped up to grab Suki's arm.

"Suki! Don't! Please!"

"Well, I won't if you do…"

"But…I…"

"Exactly. Now, if you will excuse me, I'm going to make things right and make sure that Zuko isn't destroying things that are actually worth something. That boy needs something in his life to keep him balanced…"

"Just…just don't tell Sokka, alright? Or Aang. Just…don't…"

"Fine, fine. I'll refrain from letting your secret slip to anyone but Zuko. Happy?"

"Yes, actually…"

"Good." Katara's blue eyes watched as the other, earth kingdom girl walked out of her room, shutting the door after her. She sighed and lay back, staring up at the ceiling ahead. She sighed, wondering what the hell Suki was going to say to Zuko. She also wondered how the hell that girl was so good with talking to people about their 'emotions' and their 'feelings.' She now saw why Toph called her a psychologist all the time.

----

Now, on the other side of the house, things weren't going so well. No, not at all. Zuko had stomped off to his room and slammed his door, eyes and temper flaring as he went after that stupid, idiotic tea kettle that his uncle had given him for his birthday and packed in his bags just to be extra annoying. 'Gods, I'm going to shoot that girl…I swear! Agni curse her blind soul…' He stated to himself as he lit up a fire upon his hand and placed the porcelain kettle above the flame. In what seemed like no time, but was really a minute or two, the porcelain began cracking and eventually shattered. The prince shielded his eyes from any shards coming at him as he looked around for something else to break. Either that or that damned flying lemur to crisp up.

He had just broken another something doing with tea when he figured that he should probably not be breaking his uncle's things. Yeah, that was probably a bad thing to do at this point in time…considering the fact that Iroh had become more of a father to Zuko than his actual father ever was. He grumbled something about hating it here and wanting to return to the fire nation when he noticed there was that Suki girl standing in his doorway, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the frame.

"What do you want?"

"Well, I thought we could talk."

"I'm not ready to go in and talk to a psychologist, thank you."

"Zuko…"

"What?"

"Gods, you really need to chill the hell out before I tell you something…"

"What could you possibly tell me that I don't already know?"

"I don't know…why don't you sit down and chill out before I talk more."

"Then close the door."

"Fine. Whatever his Royal Highness wants." Suki smirked, stepping into the room farther and closing the door after her. Sokka had been standing just a few feet to the side of her, and had been ready to join her in Zuko's room, when the door got shut into his face. He cursed that girl silently as he pressed his ear up against the door, trying to listen in to whatever his fiancé had to say to that fire bender. Sokka then thought back to the shattering noises. Alright, correction on his previous statement. He was trying to listen in on whatever his Suki had to say that dangerous fire bender. He chewed on his lower lip as he began getting pulled away by Toph.

"Chill out, Boomerang. I'm sure our resident psychologist will talk to you about it later." Sokka merely glared and sat down.

"So. I'm sitting down and I'm waiting. What is it that you have to tell me?"

"Well, if you haven't noticed already, I don't know why you shouldn't just figure it out for yourself…"

"Stop being like Azula, or I'll finish you off like I did her."

"Oo…never compare me with that low-life, self-centered, sad excuse for a princess, daughter of a mother -"

"Alright, alright! I get it! Sorry! Just…just tell me whatever it was you want to…" Zuko said, raising his hands in defense towards the girl as she began fuming and he cut her off.

"Well, Katara likes you." Suki smirked as she lifted her rump to sit on the top of his short dresser, her legs crossed in front of her as she watched Zuko's expression go from that stony look he always held to a look of hope, then back to the stony face.