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linnoya-writes · 2 years

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Zutara sleepover “borrowed friends/borrowed books” Modern AU

Zuko, Haru, Teo and Sokka met when they were 11-13 years old, on a summer camping trip with their local Boy Scout troupe.

Jet was the tall, charming, model scout leader on that two-week-long expedition in the Canadian Rockies, and Zuko and Sokka immediately bonded over their mutual dislike of the guy. After that trip -- before September officially drives his friends away to their respective schools -- Sokka invites the boys to his backyard for an impromptu camping trip.

11-year-old Katara had gone on a trip that summer as well, volunteering with Habitat for Humanity for two weeks. She had no problem making friends with her bunkmates: Suki and Yue and little tough-nut Toph after talking about the trip leader’s son, Aang. It was annoying but cute, seeing how this 9-year-old kid had been trying to charm his way into Katara’s heart while not doing squat on the actual trip. When Aang surprises her with a kiss one day on her morning walk, Katara is stunned. She immediately goes to tell Yue about this: her first kiss. How it felt kind of... wrong... and dry... desperate, and childish...and Yue comforts her, saying how it’s okay to feel this way, how Aang should’ve asked her if she wanted to be kissed, and how first kisses aren’t usually perfect, anyway. Suki steps into the conversation, agreeing, saying how she still gets nightmares about saliva after her own kiss last summer. And Toph chimes in, her 9-year-old mind grossed out at the thought of kissing anyone. The girls laugh, and Katara feels happy, like she’s made some life-long friends over a mediocre first-kiss experience.

She invites the girls to her house for a slumber party before summer ends.

And as it turns out... it’s the same weekend as her brother Sokka’s backyard camping trip.

Katara and Sokka protest this to their dad, and Hakoda says that it wouldn’t be fair to cancel someone’s plans over another’s.

“Fine,” Katara side-eyes her brother, “but leave me and my friends alone. No funny business!”

“Fine by me,” Sokka mutters. “We’ll just be in the backyard.”

When the boys arrive for the that sleepover, Haru is the first one to take a notice of the girls arriving in their cars one-by-one and greeting Katara at the porch.

“What’s going on?” Teo asks as he unloads his arm-crutches.

“My sister’s having a… slumber party.” Sokka crinkles his nose in disgust.

“We should invite them to camp with us!” Haru suggests, already waving to the girls, but Zuko -- who was too busy unloading the giant tent box from his uncle’s car to pay any mind to the girls -- frowns.

“My sister has slumber parties all the time,” he rasps cautiously. “We should stay away-- unless you want to wake up with a face full of makeup”

Sokka slaps Zuko on the back, glad that they see the same way.

It’s only when Yue shows up that Sokka suddenly forgets what they were talking about.

“Hey! What’s this I hear?” Toph’s squeaky voice perks up from the patio. “Are there boys in front of this house?”

Katara scoffs, “Yes… but don’t worry. They won’t be bothering us.”

She expects her brother to snap back at her, but to her surprise it’s the sullen boy with the scar who jumps in.

“Oh— we don’t plan to,” Zuko quips to her, easily. “Enjoy your fancy makeover, Princess.”

The last thing Katara expects is that unfamiliar, husky voice to come full swing at her, on her own patio, and Katara’s practically lost for words.

It’s Suki who chimes in. “Excuse me-- who’re you calling a princess, Prince Pouty?”

Zuko doesn’t back down, looking annoyed. “Isn’t that what slumber parties are for? For princesses?”

Yue stands next to Katara, almost protectively as she says “for your information, we’re doing a lot more than makeovers.”

Sokka still says nothing to ease the tension; he is practically drooling over Yue, to the point where Haru elbows him.

Teo attempts a smile, “um... well… if you guys want to roast marshmallows with us, I brought plenty!”

Toph raises her hand instantly. And that’s when Katara speaks.

“Toph— no! We had a whole night of activities planned.”

“So what?” Toph exclaims. “They seem fun!”

"And they brought a volleyball net,” Suki mutters. “I have an idea--”

Katara braces herself.

“Hey, Pouty!” Suki shouts, loud and proud to the boy with the scar. “How about some boy-girl three-on-three volleyball action?”

Zuko stares at the girl’s stance, incredulously.

“Forget it; this was meant to be a boys’ night.”

It’s when her friend gets thrown off by Zuko’s quip that Katara finally rolls up her emotional sleeves and throws back.

“Oh come on, Mister Stuck-up Snob.” Katara smirks. “Are you scared to play against some spoiled, dainty little princesses?”

Toph, Haru and Teo laugh. Sokka eventually does, too.

Zuko’s brow rises. He feels his heart racing, and immediately starts to wonder if being Sokka’s friend is worth having to deal with this annoying girl. Zuko can already see his sister becoming the bane of his existence.

And Katara feeds that brewing, competitive fire. “Loser makes the winners s’mores?”

He clicks his jaw. “You’re on.”

Katara wasn’t expecting that determined look to show up on his face-- it catches her off-guard. She almost misses the high five Suki gives her. It’s then that she decides this new friend of Sokka’s will is the bane of her existence.

Of course, Katara, Suki and Yue easily crush the boys in volleyball. Zuko and Sokka argue like old ladies about who should’ve spiked the ball when. They’re both so red faced and Haru just tries to keep them together in his shy, awkward demeanor. Teo and Toph seem to hit it off easily on the sidelines, forgetting that they should be monitoring the game for points.

Zuko sneers at Katara’s winning smirk, but when she puts her hand out for “good game” he holds it firmly... but then, the hold goes soft. It just happens. Why, they’re not sure. But she notices his face, how close Zuko suddenly is to her. She sees the lining of his scar. He sees the tiny freckles on her nose.

It’s awkward. She hates that. He hates that, too.

Haru then says something to Katara, and her hand flinches out of Zuko’s. Toph then punches Zuko’s arm affectionately- “How does it feel to get your ass handed to you by some girls?”

He mutters “girls are crazy” and returns to setting up the tent.

When Hakoda pops out saying that he’s going to order pizza for the girls, it’s Sokka who looks at Yue and bravely says “how about we all just eat out here?”

Zuko and Katara whip their heads in unison to Sokka, with a resounding “what?!”

Suki joins in. “Yeah! It’s too nice of an afternoon to be cooped up inside a house all day.”

“But… what about the movie night?” Katara attempts meekly. “And manicures? And facials?”

Toph laughs. “Can’t we do that out here? Maybe give the guys a complimentary facial?”

Teo raises his hand instantly. “I volunteer!”

“And um…” Sokka looks at Yue as he speaks, “we have a projector we can set up to play the movie.”

“That would be nice!” Yue beams, but Katara frowns.

“Sokka— it’s a romcom. You hate romcoms”

“Whaaat?” His eyes bulge, nervously, playfully over to Yue. “That’s not true.”

“And if the movie gets too lame,” Teo turns to Toph, “I brought my guitar. We can sing in front of the campfire.”

Suki smiles, “You play guitar?”

But Toph punches her without warning. “Back off— I got dibs on him!”

Everyone seems to be laughing and enjoying the idea of a joint camping/slumber party. Everyone except Katara and Zuko. But being outnumbered, they swallow that bitterness and just roll with the night barely exchanging any words to each other.

On the cookout, Zuko handles the burger flipping, and gives Katara hers medium rare as she requested, doing all he can to avoid any more quippy things from her. She says nothing to him anyway. Not that he cares.

During the impromptu facials, Haru nervously tries and fails to secure a wet mask onto Katara’s face and she sneezes from the cloth... and when she turns her eyes to Zuko for a moment, she can see him glancing away.

It sounded like he had been laughing. Chuckling, really. But it must’ve been her imagination. This guy didn’t seem the type to smile... much less laugh.

By the time sun has disappeared and the projector has successfully beamed up for the movie, everyone is exhausted but still willing to payi attention to whatever is happening between these Lara Jean Covey and Peter Kavinsky characters.

“Booo!— he’s too preppy!” Sokka teases while he, Haru and Zuko finally complete their assembly line of s’more-making for everyone.

Katara takes a s’more without looking at Zuko, fully engaged with the movie. Sokka and Yue snuggle closely as they look at the projector screen. Haru is trying to keep his eyes open. Meanwhile, Teo and Suki are quietly teaching Toph how to play guitar with her nervous fingers.

As the movie continues, Katara can’t help but notice how Zuko stares at the screen sternly, and she finally grunts: “Okay. It’s stupid. I know.”

Zuko turns over to her, and just shrugs. “It’s not as bad as Twilight.”

And Katara perks up, not even missing a beat.

“Oh my god-- nothing is as bad as Twilight! That whole dynamic-- that complete and utter devotion to each other— is so toxic!”

“How that whole thing became the staple for teenage romance is beyond me.”

Katara laughs. “How do you even know about Twilight?”

“My sister read the books, and then my mom. I couldn’t get away from it.”

“Ugh-- I’m so sorry.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Zuko shifts his weight more comfortably on the ground. “This isn’t so bad. The Peter guy isn’t obsessive. And he has a life.”

“Yeah. And Lara Jean gets to be herself. She does things outside the relationship!”

Zuko raises his brow. “You mean, the fake-relationship?”

And Katara feels the grin on her face. “Oh. Right. You haven’t read the books—never mind.”

Zuko stares at her. “You’re telling me they actually become a thing?”

“Not saying anything!”

By the end of the movie, Katara has already made the trip to her room and brought down her copies of the books for Zuko to read, in case he wanted to.

He says nothing, but takes the books with a small smile.

With Haru already passed out after the movie, it seems it’s time for the girls and boys to part ways. Zuko puts out the campfire to give Sokka and Yue some final time, and he sneers in disgust over at Katara’s direction while she and Suki clean up their facial/manicure things. Toph makes a fist-bump with Teo, promising more guitar lessons in the future before he goes to his tent, and she and Suki head inside to Katara’s room to hit their sleeping bags. Yue plants a kiss on Sokka’s cheek before leaving, and Sokka looks so smitten and blushed he escapes into his tent.

Zuko and Katara are the ones to stay behind and finish cleaning. It doesn’t take too long, and with the only light now coming from heated coals in the campfire, they can barely make out each other’s faces.

Still, they stay. Zuko squints as he flips through the first book Katara gave him, quoting parts of it with a weak attempt at a teenage girl voice. It makes Katara laugh and punch him, and he fakes a weep.

“Alright-- “ she starts. “What kind of books do you like to read, Mr. Stuck Up Snob?”

Zuko puts a blanket over his shoulders, looking up at the sky. “I just finished the last Percy Jackson book, about Greek demigods and monsters. Now, I’m trying to get through War and Peace, with my uncle.”

Katara blinks. She doesn’t laugh. After a moment, she speaks quietly.

“I’ve been trying to get through Pride and Prejudice for years.”

“Hmm. Never heard of it.”

“Shut up.”

He chuckles. Not only is this a revelation for her-- hearing the boy actually laugh, knowing she hadn’t imagined it earlier... but it’s also strange. It feels like she’s already gotten a grasp of his sarcasm.

They stay out there in the darkness, laying out on blankets… talking about their time at Scout Camp, at Habitat for Humanity… how annoying it is to have a perfect little sister, a know-it-all older brother… and, after a long quiet moment looking at the sky and hearing a chorus of distant crickets… they get to the other things.

How she lost her mother, how he got his scar.

How their families fell apart. How they’ve managed, since.

It’s too dark to notice, but their frames slowly shift towards each other at arm’s length as they talk. They fall asleep out there, under the stars and blankets in the backyard.

Then, at the crack of dawn, birds chirping, Katara opens her eyes to Zuko fast asleep, so peacefully next to her… and without moving, she studies him. His dark hair. His frown, softened. His nose twitching by a light breeze that passes by.

And then she realizes how this looks, a boy and a girl… the two of them sleeping like this, outside, together. She panics, heart drumming against her chest. Katara frantically heads inside the house… thanking the gods that Suki, Yue, and Toph are still fast asleep. Katara quietly sneaks under her own untouched bedcovers.

Zuko wakes up alone, to the ice cold rush of water thrown on him by Sokka and Haru.

“Enjoying the slumber, sleeping beauty?” Sokka quips. “It’s breakfast time!”

Zuko rubs his eyes; he had not had such a peaceful sleep in forever… and for a moment, he’s convinced that it was all a dream, being out there with a Sokka’s sister, talking through the dead of night. But when he looks up at Katara’s window— the girls are all gathering and gossiping as they awake up in sleepy faces. And Katara glances over to him through the window, just for a second as she makes her bed… and that’s how Zuko knows: it was not a dream.

He pinches his nose, wiping the cold water from under his eyes.

He wonders what the girls are talking about, what Katara is telling them; if she’s saying anything about staying out all night. With him. Probably not.

But Zuko doesn’t frown at that, exactly.

Hakoda makes enough scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon and toast for the eight kids… and while the boys and girls talk about volleyball and good songs for beginner’s guitar, Zuko and Katara only say a few words to the table; nothing directly to each other. They steal a few glances, though, and it’s Hakoda who notices. When Sokka hears that Zuko got on the waitlist for the newest Zelda game, he perks up and says “Hey, Dad!” with a mouthful of egg. “Can we do a video game night next month?”

“Heck yes!” Suki says happily. “I will most delightfully enjoy kicking all of your butts.”

Sokka gives Suki a puzzled look.

Hakoda laughs. “Alright— Katara, how would feel about that?”

She looks up, unprepared. “Oh… I mean, it’s not really my thing, but sure.”

Zuko looks over at Katara, and she grins, but they say nothing.

When they all pack up to go home, Zuko barely looks over Katara’s direction, and it’s only when he leaves that he manages to face her.

“Not the worst slumber party I’ve been to,” Zuko mumbles, hands in his pockets.

Katara tries not to laugh at that, holding her arms to her frame.

“Yeah. Um. Let me know what you think. About the books, I mean.”

“Sure. I might not even read them.”

Katara rolls her eyes. “You want to. Just admit it.”

He frowns dismissively, watching the car pull up. “Whatever.”

“Fine. Just bring them back to me, okay?”

Zuko scoffs. “I promise I won’t use them as doormats, Princess.”

She jabs him, and Zuko ignores it.

He heads straight to his uncle’s car, waving to Hakoda. “Thanks for having us over, Mr. Kuruk.”

“It’s Hakoda, son.”

“Okay. Bye Sokka.”

“See you soon, buddy!”

In the car Zuko is quiet while his uncle pulls out of the driveway.

“Did you have fun?” his uncle asks.

Zuko just nods, sternly, looking down at the stack of books on his lap.

Iroh notices those books as well, wondering what’s inspired Zuko to suddenly read the things Azula likes… but not questioning it.

Instead he says “I’m glad that you’re finally making friends.”

Zuko just shrugs, and carefully opens the first borrowed book to begin reading.

When the car rolls out, Hakoda notices Katara, looking out to the car almost as if she were in deep thought.

“He’s cool, right?” Sokka says to their dad.

“Yeah.” Hakoda agrees. “He seems like a good kid.”

Katara shakes her head, arms folded in. “He’s weird.”

Sokka and Hakoda turn to her direction, oddly, and all Katara does is go straight to her room and falls asleep as her head sinks into the pillow.

Her brows furrow as she sleeps… trying to think of anything other than a certain boy’s raspy voice, stern face, warm hands.

And that’s how it starts.

A month later, during the big video game night, only Zuko, Teo and Suki show up… but Katara and Yue are knee-deep in a science project for Mr. Pakku that they only run downstairs to grab a quick snack from the pantry. As they does so, Sokka greets Yue sweetly asking about the project.

“Who’s winning?” Yue asks.

“I am,” Suki chimes in proudly.

“But not by much,” Zuko mutters, and Suki laughs which makes Katara turn to see them playing together. Suki is edging her shoulder teasing against Sokka’s, rather than Zuko’s, and something about that eases a knot in Katara’s stomach.

It’s only then that she notices all of her three borrowed books returned, as promised... stacked neatly on top of each other at the kitchen table.

Zuko glances over Katara’s direction and acknowledges her with a nod.

It’s not enough to say whether or not he indeed read all the books… and Katara decides she doesn’t want to know. At least, not then.

Before a blush crosses her cheeks, she grabs a bag of chips and apple with one hand and quickly waves a hello to Zuko as she heads back up the stairs.

His heart skips a beat. He wasn’t ready for it. Her smile.

At the end of that night, when Sokka says they should play video games again, Zuko nods in agreement. But in his mind, only the face of a certain girl passes by. He sees her competitive smirk, her kind eyes, her soft hands. It’s not much, really… but it’s enough for Zuko to wonder just how much of him was excited to go back to Sokka’s house to actually play video games.

The next time he comes over, Katara isn’t studying.

She has managed to join in on Super Smash Bros brawl, patient with Sokka’s instructions on how to play, despite how much she says the activity seems “mindless… just a bunch of digital characters throwing punches at each other.”

Zuko fights back a chuckle from that, and his jaw clenches when she throws him a competitive stare… but he stays focused on the game. He wins, and the look on Katara’s face says she’ll look forward to playing him again. He doesn’t mind.

It’s not until the third time he comes over for video games that he and Katara go to the kitchen to grab water together... and they finally, finally talk about the books.

And school.

And other things besides the fact that they’d once stayed out all night, talking in the backyard.

A year later, when Sokka gets a smartphone, Zuko happily accepts his Instagram invitation and “Boy Scout” group chat invitations… and he chuckles whenever Katara steals her brother’s phone to text Zuko a quick greeting from cyberspace.

Another year later, when Katara finally gets her own smartphone... the girl doesn’t wait a minute before accepting her best friend’s Instagram invitation and they text each other at their respective schools throughout the day, almost every day.

Another year later, and they call each other... almost every night.

Another year later, and it’s on exceptionally rough days that Zuko finds himself showing up to the house. It’s alright. Hakoda has already welcomed him. It starts with watching some after-school SciFi thing with Sokka, happily eating a snack that Hakoda may offer him, and then... it’s her.

Katara feels the smile form on her face when she sees him.

The rough day may be about her, or him (they tend to be interchangeable, at that age), but in any case, the day always ends with them together. Doing homework quietly on the kitchen table... sitting on the patio chairs, talking about things... laying out in the backyard just to look up at the evening sky.

And it’s on one of these days when, without words, Zuko bravely asks his best friend if he can kiss her. Without words... she says yes.

And that’s how it starts.

#zutara #zutara fanfiction #zutara fanfic #zutara modern au #zuko #katara

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