Title: The Color Brown

Author: AishiteSubete

Rating: T

Epilogue: Ai

It had been about six years since Katara had been captured by Earth Kingdom slave traders and sold to her mortal enemy, Zuko, the banished prince of the Fire Nation. It had been about six years since she realized that she was falling in love with said prince, and it had been about six years since she watched him kill a small boy, all to ensure her safety. Even after Zuko joined the Gaang, even after he had taken her to the man who killed her mother, even after he had taken a lightning bolt to the chest for her, Katara wasn't sure exactly how much she should trust the now Fire Ambassador.

As the Ambassador from the Southern Water Tribe, Katara lived in Republic City-a town set up between the Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, Southern Water Tribe, and the remnants of the Air Nomads. Also living with her was Toph, the Ambassador from the Earth Kingdom, Suki, the Ambassador from Kiyoshi Island, Sokka, the Ambassador from the Norther Water Tribe, and sometimes Aang-not only the Ambassador from the Air Nomads, but also the sole survivor of his race, charged with re-populating the airbenders.

But the most surprising of these was Zuko; after three years of being the Fire Lord, he gave the title up to his Uncle, Iroh, seeing that the older man would be a better fit for the nation than he. Zuko still kept his spot as Crown Prince, and also became the Ambassador from the Fire Nation. He lived peacefully with Katara, Suki, Sokka, and Toph in Republic City's Ambassador building. However, it wasn't as if things weren't awkward at moments. Whever Aang was around, there was some sort of tense air between he and Katara, the latter of whom he had broken up with to re-populate his nation.

It was right before dinner on a Thursday night when Zuko arrived into Katara's room entirely unannounced. She was putting her hair up in a traditional Water Tribe hairstyle, a brown tunic adorning her body. Her eyes widened when she saw Zuko step into her room from the reflection in the mirror. "And to what do I owe this unnanounced visit?" she asked somewhat icily.

Zuko continued to walk into her room and sat comfortably on her bed. "They found my mother," he said quietly, and Katara's face evolved into one of pure happiness. She jumped up from her seat and attacked Zuko in a hug. "I'm so happy for you Zuko," she said, a smile on your face.

"I brought her for dinner tonight," Zuko said quietly. "I also brought Mako." Katara's face morphed into a mask of pure shock, almost as if she didn't understand what Zuko was saying.

"Pardon?"

"Mako never died; I made it look as though he did so Hui would set you free. Mako-and Hui for that matter-are both here tonight," Zuko explained. "After you ran off, I spoke with Hui. He decided that he would take Mako in and raise him well-into an powerful earth bender. Mako is twelve now." Katara smiled joyously, and buried her face in Zuko's robes as a hug; he could feel the gratitude radiating off of her, and he willingly took her into his arms.

"Oh, and Katara?" She looked up at him curiously. The firebender brushed a stroke of loose brown hair out of her face, and leaned down to capture her lips in an emotional kiss. She responded in shock, but still put her arms around his slender neck. When they broke apart, she looked at him, then down to her brown dress.

"I remembered...you once told me that brown wasn't my color." She grinned, and he smiled back to his own embarrassment. "Step out of the room, and I'll change into somethig more fitting so we can go to dinner. Together." He smiled sheepishly and stepped out of her room.

Brown really wasn't her color, and he was glad that telling her that didn't come back to bite him in the rear.