Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“How could you think that ?!” Azula responded hotly.

They were currently standing outside of Katara’s home, after Azula stormed out. Occasionally, a car drives by, providing background noises in the usually quiet neighborhood Katara lived in.

They were arguing for a few minutes, their voices growing louder with every word, with every sentence they exchanged. She just couldn’t believe what Katara was accusing her of.

“Just admit it and don’t make things more complicated than they already are !” Katara shouted back.

“I won’t admit to a crime I didn’t commit. Why do you even believe I cheated on you ? I would never do such a thing and I thought you knew that ! I thought you trusted me.” Azula's voice was now trembling, herself on the brim of tears. She felt a lump in her throat and her voice breaking more and more.

“I don’t know if I can trust you when these rumours are flying around that you and Chan hooked up. The whole school is talking about it. Everyone looks at me in the hallways with pity. Do you know what that feels like ?! To try to hide away. To try to convince yourself that this is just a bad dream. To try to convince yourself that everyone else is lying. But you have been so distant lately, that it makes me believe these rumours more and more. I also know that you and Chan have been hanging out lately. I know you told me not to worry about it and you always said you two are just friends but I don’t believe it anymore. I can’t keep this up any longer. My heart breaks more with every passing second. It feels like, if I don’t cut you loose now, I will never get my heart back because it would go willingly with you. I’m sorry but I need to break up with you.” Katara pushed these last words out mechanically, turning off her emotions. This was the hardest decision she has ever made, but she knew it was the right one. For herself and her heart.

Azula looked at her in disbelief, hot tears running down her face, staining her shirt. Katara wanted nothing more than to wipe them away and tell her it will be okay.

“I guess that is it then. I just wished you would have heard me out. Just know that I love you. Always and forev-.”

“Please. Stop. I can’t take it. You tear me apart like no one else does and I know that I can’t keep this up or otherwise I will break.” Katara interrupted Azula.

“Okay I’m sorry then. I will leave now.” Azula said while turning around, her voice barely above a whisper. She kept her eyes on the ground, her vision blurred from the tears. She was crossing the street when suddenly Katara screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Watch out !”

Azula barely registered her scream, when suddenly she felt a sharp pain, her ears ringing. Azula felt as if the world was spinning and she wanted nothing more than to make it stop. She collapsed on the ground in a pool of her own blood, absorbing the warmth of it. Her vision went darker with every second that passed, the last image she registered, Katara hovering above her, tears and gore smeared across her face.

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Katara was crying her heart out, while the girl she used to be with layed there, not reacting to anything at all.

“Just call an ambulance !” She screamed at the driver. The woman who drove the car was almost as pale as Azula was. She fumbled to get her phone out of her pocket and called the ambulance right away. Katara didn’t listen to the words the woman said on the phone, solely focussing on Azula.

Katara was desperately clutching Azula’s open head wound, blood leaking out way too fast. She looked so fragile and small that it pained Katara to even look at her.

“Please don’t leave me. I need you.” Katara whispered, whimpering. She could barely breathe, her throat too tight.

In the distance she could hear the ambulance approaching. They were driving as fast as they could and when they finally arrived, two men jumped out of the car, with them a rescue sheet. At three, they heaved Azula onto the sheet and got her inside the ambulance car. Katara was still in shock, staring at the puddle of blood when one of the doctors approached her.

“Do you want to ride with us to the hospital ?” He hastingly asked. All she could do was nod and get into the car.

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Katara was currently sitting in the waiting room, the blood on her hands and face already dried up. She was staring at nothing in particular, looking like an empty shell. A ghost of what she used to look like a day ago.

When Sokka approached her, she got up and ran towards him. He opened his arms for her to embrace him and she did with so much force that it nearly knocked the wind out of him. They both held each other tight, Katara already starting to cry again. Sokka was trying to be strong like he was when their mom died, but he couldn’t hold back, especially when he heard Katara's broken cries.

“Shhh. It’s okay. I got you. Everything will be alright. I promise.” He cooed soothingly into her ear, trying to calm her and himself down. When he looks at Katara, he notices the blood and immediately fears that something happened to her as well.

“Is everything alright. Are you hurt ? You are covered in blood.” He worryingly checks her hands and face and when he notices there are no wounds there, he allows himself to calm down.

“It’s Azula’s. There was so much blood. So much. Sokka. I- I can’t. I can’t lose her. Not in the way we lost mom” She sobbed, the events hitting her again. Sokka just embraced his sister, hoping that everything will turn out okay.

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10 Years ago
At the Hospital

Katara was clutching onto her father Hakoda, her tears staining his shirt. Hakoda cried silently with Katara, Sokka was just standing dull beside them.

Katara's mother got into a car accident. Another driver crashed into her car, making hers spin and losing control. The vehicle crashed into a tree. She was immediately brought to the hospital, but there was only so much the doctors could do. They only could buy her time. Hours at maximum, to spend with her family.

Kya was laying on the hospital bed, her chest barely heaving. She was trying to take Katara's hand, but she was too far away. The little girl got up from her fathers lap and walked towards the bed, taking her mother’s hand.

“Come closer, my sweet water lily.” She whispered weakly. Katara obeyed, even though it was tugging at her heart.

“Just know that I will always love you and I will always be there for you, even when you do not see me. Always remember, some day, you will find someone, who loves you even more than I do. And if you share that special love with someone, you need to hold onto that. Don’t let them go, even if things get complicated. You only share this love once and it is the greatest gift a person can ever receive.” She fondly smiled at Hakoda, till she focused her eyes at Katara again. “Please also protect your brother Sokka. He may seem strong but he is a fragile boy who hides behind a mask in order to not weigh down anyone else. You need to teach him how to feel and that it is okay to cry.” The last minutes of her life were fastly approaching, life draining from her body.

“Sokka, please come to me.” Kya pleaded but was only met with resistance. Sokka left the room, unable to bear the hurt of losing her.

A single tear was falling down her cheek, when she closed her eyes, for her to never open them again.

Chapter Text

Slowly the waiting room was starting to fill up with people close to Azula. Her mother Ursa came in first with tears all over her face, followed by a horrified looking Zuko and a confused Kiyi. Katara informed Azula’s family about what happened because she knew how hard it was to lose someone, especially relatives. She felt the urge to give them at least one last moment together, even though she hated to see them this upset. But if Azula passed aways without them knowing it, because she was too afraid to tell them, she would never forgive herself.

After a while, Suki, Toph, Aang, Ty Lee, Mai and Yue joined them, talking rapidly with one another to find out what had occurred to their friend. Zuko probably called them to let them know that something has happened to Azula but he surely forgot to mention what exactly that was.

While everyone else was exchanging information, regarding Azula’s condition, the girl closest to the golden eyed girl was sitting in a corner alone, staring straight ahead. Katara didn’t speak much after her brother comforted her. She couldn’t. Only when she knew that really everything will turn out alright. But was that still even a possibility ? They were sitting in this room for Agni knows how long, without getting any news about Azula’s condition. And even if Azula was doing alright ? Would they be ? Probably not. Her first love will probably dislike her forever because of the way she acted. She is the one who brought Azula into this situation with her actions. If she would have just listened to her, trusted her, all of this could have been avoided. Lost in her thoughts, Katara failed to notice someone approaching.

“Hey love, you doing okay ?” She was met with the bluest eyes and a pained smile. Yue has crouched down on the cold floor, opposite of her friend. The white haired girl rested a comforting hand on Katara’s knee, trying to distract her from the current situation. Yue herself cried when she found out what happened to Azula but she couldn’t even start to imagine what Katara was feeling at that exact moment. If something happened to either Ty Lee or Mai, she wouldn’t be able to live on. She would lose herself on the way, not being able to care for herself anymore. But even if Azula wouldn’t make it, she would be there for Katara, taking care of her. Making sure, she would overcome this, even though it might take years.

Yue knew Katara for more than 10 years now, having met at the exact same hospital. Yue lost her father when Katara’s mother died in a car accident. They met on their way out and ever since then, they had a special connection and friendship. They bonded over their loss and trauma and their relationship grew stronger with every passing day. When they found out that they will attend the same highschool they were overcome with joy. They even have some classes together, always teaming up with each other when there was yet another group project.

Meeting Azula was less eventful. The white haired girl met Azula first in highschool, but she still cared deeply for her. Yue enjoyed her company and she was one of the few people who she could easily talk to. Them both growing up with no father also strengthened their friendship and they swore to always be there when the other needed one’s present. She didn’t want to imagine a life without Azula. She only knew her for three years now, but she considered her to be one of the closest friends she has.

“Sorry but I’m really not in the mood for talking right now. I just feel like I lost a part of myself. Do you even know what I did ? I did this to Azula.” Katara choked out the words, not being able to look her oldest friend in the eyes.

“I don’t know what happened but I’m sure it wasn’t your fault. You didn’t run her over with a car now, did you ?” Yue cracked a little smile, despite the situation. She squeezed Katara’s knee and the other girl finally looked at her. Katara tried really hard not to be affected by this, but Yue’s grins were just too contagious.

“No I didn’t.” Katara mumbled.

“Then tell me what happened. Talking about it will certainly help.” Yue finally sat down on a chair beside the girl, leaning against her and taking Katara’s hand.

“Alright, so we had a huge fight and I was accusing her of cheating on me. Do you know Azula’s ex ?”

“Uhhhm. Chan right ? I really hate that guy, he is such a douche. Always makes me want to punch a wall when I see him.”

“Exactly. But sadly, he is also kind of attractive and nearly every straight girl in our school wants to be in a relationship with him. But that is not the point. They have been hanging out lately and even though Azula reassured me that there was nothing going on between them, I just couldn’t trust her. Looking back, I know I should have heard her out, but everything was making such perfect sense. All these rumours from school, about them dating and being a couple again. About Azula being so distant lately. I don’t know why, but as of late, she barely had any time for me. And I just got so terrified that I let her go. I know I took the easy way out and I detest myself for that, but I just love her so much, I didn’t know what to do. I’m a horrible person Yue.”

Katara cried in her hands, realization hitting her. Soon enough though, she felt a tight embrace around her, a soothing voice whispering words of love, while a soft hand was stroking her hair.

“It’s okay. We all make mistakes, love. We get so intimidated by endearment, by the thought of losing someone that we care so deeply about, that even the kindest and most forgiving souls break. Our mind is sometimes our greatest enemy but that is alright. We all have flaws, however what you did is in the past now. Unalterable. The only thing you can do at present time is to make it right. To love her, even though she might not want it anymore. To be there for her, reading every wish from her lips. If you can do that, then even the biggest wounds will heal with time and care. But you must know, it won’t ever be the same as it was. That is something you need to accept, even though that might be hard at first. Maybe even forever. But you can’t act selfish now, dear.”

“But what if she won’t make it. What if I never get the chance to tell her how much I adore her. You know, she got that sweet little pout when she sleeps, and I never told her how much I love this particular feature about her. How I armour every part of her. Even when she is a little hotheaded, my favorite thing to do is to cool her down. To see how slowly the tension and stress from the day, maybe even from our myriad gratuitous arguments, rinses away. What if I never get to do that again. What if -“ Katara’s voice cracked now. She silently cried into Yue’s shoulder, forming a big wet stain on Yue’s white flower dress. But the girl couldn’t care less, all she did was pet her closest friend and whisper sweet little nothings into her ear, holding her ever so delicately, scared of breaking her even further.

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After a few more agonizing hours, finally a doctor that looked like she had been in surgery for a while came into the waiting room. Immediately all eyes were on her and Katara stood up and strolled towards the woman.

“Do you have any news by now regarding Azula Nakayama’s condition ?” She asked with a pleading tone.

“Well, so far they are still doing surgery on her. We won’t know if she will make it, since she lost quite a lot of blood, but we will give it our best. There are a few fractures that should start to heal, once we know she is stable. However, we could only stop the hemorrhage up to this point and we repaired her hand as well. It was shattered and we had to put every piece back together. Nonetheless, the one who found her pressed on her head wound. If that person hadn't acted as smart as they did, the girl would be long gone by now. Sadly, I can’t give you any more information than that, but if I have any news, I will come straight to you.” With that being said, the doctor left the room to take a break after five hours of surgery.

Katara couldn’t believe it. There was a chance of Azula surviving and it was all she needed to hear. To feel hope again. Somehow, she maybe even saved Azula’s life because of what she did in sheer panic.

Immediately everyone rushed towards Katara hugging her as hard as possible and with endless love.

“Katara, you did that right ? You put pressure on her wound, didn’t you ?” Ursa asked, a small smile tugging at her lips after crying for so long. Hope was peaking through everyone's faces, little grins forming slowly.

Yue looked at her encouriginly from afar, telling her in secret to tell the truth.

“I need to tell you all something. You may have already wondered how Azula even got into that situation and I need to tell the truth about how this accident actually happened. Because I’m at fault here.” Katara looked down, gathering all her strength for the next part.

Ursa looked at her with pained eyes and everyone else was staring at her expectantly.

Katara took a deep breath and started to recount the story like she did with Yue to everyone.

“Azula and I had a serious argument and I didn’t hear her out. It led to us breaking up and me letting her go. When she turned away from me, she didn’t look on the road. I saw a car approaching rapidly and screamed at Azula, begging silently that she heard it, so she could move out of the way in time. But the driver was way too fast and when I finished screaming, she was already on the ground. I ran towards her and the ambulance was called immediately. I didn’t know what to do so I just pressed on her head, hoping the bleeding would slow down. She looked so frail and broken. I’m so sorry. I should have known better. I know I seriously messed up and you all must hate me now but I hope I can be forgiven. At least with some time.”

There were a few gasps here and there but they all let her speak freely, without disrupting anything. When she was done, all her friends looked at each other, a bit lost but nodded simultaneously. Katara started to get worried, since no one said anything after she told her side of the story but was met with an unexpected reaction.

They all walked towards her, giving her a big group hug. “It’s not your fault Katara, you couldn’t have known that a car was coming her way. It was just bad fortune.” Ursa hushed Katara who was in the middle of a breakdown, being taken by surprise by that kind of response. That Azula’s mother forgave her, provided her the aspiration she needed. It gave her hope that Azula would do the same. Of course she was also her father’s daughter, so she knew it would take more time than it took Ursa.

“T-th-thanks” Katara stammered. She could finally rest now. At least for a bit.

Chapter Text

After a lot of persuasion from her friends, brother and even Azula’s mom, she finally agreed to go home and get changed. They promised to call her immediately if they got any news regarding Azula’s condition. Until then, there was really nothing she could do.

Besides, they were right. Who knew how long the doctors would be doing surgery on Azula and when they would be able to see her? It could be a few days until they were allowed to visit her.

And even if Azula makes it, Katara certainly didn’t want to see her with blood all over herself. The blood that was also already dried up by now, stuck to her skin. It was a constant reminder of the terrible accident and how she wishes for nothing more than to go back in time and make everything right again. But that wasn’t a possibility anymore, so she needs to accept it, like Yue told her to.

Katara was at her doorstep, fishing for keys, when her father, Hakoda opened it up for her. He looked as exhausted as she felt and his expression was one of pain and sorrow. Katara knew he must have been tired but he wasn’t ready to go to bed when his daughter needed him the most.

“I heard what happened from Sokka. Come here.” He opened his arms for his daughter and her tears were already falling down her cheeks. She nearly jumped into his arms and he held her as tight as possible. His heartbeat made Katara feel at ease, knowing that he was still here, save in her arms.

“Dad, what if I lose her the way we lost mom?” Katara’s voice was breaking at this point. Hakoda kissed the crown of his daughter’s head and took a deep breath. He hated the pain she was currently in, and he hated himself even more for not being able to subdue it in any way.

“I won’t lie to you, I don’t know what’s going to happen to her. But I will be there throughout the whole thing. I promise. I promise you won’t hurt the way I did. I will do everything in my power to take the pain away. I swear.” He himself was crying at this point. Hakoda took a great liking to Azula and it delighted him to know what she meant for his daughter.

He remembers the day his wife passed as if it was just yesterday. When they were gathering around her for one last time, Kya talked to their daughter. She told her that once Katara found the love of her life, she needed to hold onto that, even if it might get hard.

Hakoda was sure that Katara found this in Azula. The way she looked at her, the way they both looked at each other. It reminded him of the way his wife and him used to do that. How they shared this special bond. It broke him even further to know that his sweet little daughter is currently going through the same feelings he did, not too long ago.

He remembers the depression that came after the loss. How he wasn’t able to eat, drink or sleep for a few months. He is ashamed that he couldn’t be strong and how he wasn’t able to be there for his kids. They actually had to help him overcome everything. They reminded him when to eat and when to go to bed. He was grateful that they were there for him.

This was his second chance though. He could finally be there for them and help them in any way he could. He wanted to make things right and he is sure that he is strong enough now.

When Katara finally let go of him, she wiped away her tears and looked him in the eyes. The sight shattered something inside of Hakoda that he couldn’t possibly explain. However, he knew that if Azula wouldn’t wake up, Katara would share the same fate he did when Kya died.

“Let’s get you cleaned up, okay? Everything will be alright my sweet little water lily.”

With that, they both went inside to make Katara feel rather normal again.

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The first thing she did was to go to the bathroom and get undressed. She threw her bloody shirt and pants inside the washing machine and with the rest of the other dirty clothes, she put it on.

Next, she took a step inside the shower and turned it on. The cold water was like a punch in the face. It woke her up, yet she still switched to a warmer setting. When the temperature was finally to her liking, she immersed herself in the water.

She looked to the ground and all she could see was Azula’s blood rinsing off from her. The water turned to an orange shade and she couldn’t stand to look at it any longer. Katara got herself a cloth and used some body wash to get rid of everything that was stuck to her body. Especially the stench that came with it. When she smelled the shower gel, flashes of Azula appeared in front of her. Cherry blossom, Azula’s favorite.

She hated how everything reminded her of the raven haired girl. The love of her life. She couldn’t stand the fact that she might never get to see her again, because she didn’t listen. Katara made a mental note right there and then, to always hear someone out and let them explain themselves.

The blue eyed girl hated herself even more, for accepting these rumors so eagerly. She knew that Azula was far too good for her and she just wanted an excuse to let her go. Katara was scared that when Azula would break up with her in the future, she would lose herself entirely. Today, she had the choice of letting her go. It was easier to do it herself, than to let Azula take the initiative.

She knows that that was wrong, but she was afraid. Afraid of losing her. However, the universe has always had a funny way of messing with her. In the end, Katara might actually lose her. Not in the way Katara thought it would be, yet it was an even more painful way of taking Azula away from her.

Katara made a promise that if Azula woke up, she would never leave her side again. She knows that Azula might be angry with her, probably for a long time. But just like Yue said, she needed to be there for her.

When Katara finally got everything off from her body, she stepped outside and wrapped a towel around herself.

She made her way towards her room to pick up some new clothes.

Various pictures were framed of cute little moments Azula and her shared. She always loved looking at those, reminding her of an easier time. A time when one of them wasn’t on the brink of death, or when they weren’t broken up and just enjoyed each other’s company. Katara knew that once Azula woke up, she would declare her love for her, just like she did back then.

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1.5 years ago
At the park

They were currently sitting on a bench at their favorite local park.

Surrounding them, a few dozen sakura trees which were in mid-bloom. The air tasted sweet and it smelled like cherry all around them. They were enveloped by pink and Katara decided that there would be no better place to do this, than here.

She took a deep breath and gathered all her courage. Azula was looking at her questioningly but thought it would be best to let Katara speak freely.

“You know, we’ve already spent so much time here and each day we do, I enjoy it even more than I did the day before. Every day with you feels like a birthday all over again. There are surprises, excitement, joy and unforgettable memories. I think I found that in you.” Azula gave her a strange look so Katara decided to keep on talking, so as to not lose her courage midway.

“What I’m trying to say is, I love you. I think I’ve loved you for quite some time now and I’m sorry if this comes as a shock to you. I fully understand if you don’t feel the same way but I can’t keep quiet about these feelings anymore. I thought you should know.” With that, she smiled unsurely. Katara was relieved she was able to finally express her feelings towards the other girl. However, she was even more terrified of the reaction from the said girl sitting in front of her.

Azula was looking at her with an unreadable expression.

“Are you serious?” the girl asked in a flat tone. She seemed angry and Katara didn’t know why, so she started to get defensive.

“Yes, and? Hey, if you don’t feel the same way, that’s okay. You don’t have to be a dick about it though.” She crossed her arms and looked away, regretting opening up. Her heart was clutching painfully inside her chest. She knew she would cry herself to sleep on that day.

Surprisingly, she felt Azula’s hand touch her arm though, tugging her towards her, so she had to look at the other girl. She hated how even a simple touch like this could turn her whole world upside down.

“You know, I love you too. I just thought you didn’t feel the same way, so I kept quiet. Hearing you say the things I’ve longed for you to say for such a long time just surprised me a lot. I just didn’t believe it at first, that’s why I asked if you were serious.”

”You did?” Katara couldn’t believe this. It was a dream come true.

”Yes. Ever since we had that group project, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. It infuriated me at first, though I started to slowly accept it.”

This filled Katara with great joy, since that group project was her wake up call as well.

”Same. This group project changed my life forever. I never considered the possibility of liking girls but when you came into this equation, it all made sense.”

”I seem to have that effect on others.” Azula said with a smug grin. Katara only rolled her eyes at that. They laughed a little, happy about the outcome of their confessions.

When they stopped, they looked at each other. The world around them seemed to come to a halt. The petals from the cherry blossom trees didn’t fall anymore, the wind quieted down. It was only them at this moment.

Without realizing, they came closer and closer, like two magnets, not being able to uphold the attraction. They were staring at each other, waiting for consent. When they were only mere inches apart, they both closed their eyes and leaned in and slowly brushed their lips together.

Nothing ever felt as perfect as this kiss. Their lips were moving in perfect union as if they already did this a thousand times before. Katara felt a certain giddiness from the kiss but she couldn’t care less. Around them, petals from the sakura trees were falling down on them, which made this experience a magical one. It felt as if the world belonged to them and only them. Everything was a blur except for the sweet smell of the cherry trees and their lips being pressed against one another. When they were both out of breath, they finally parted, although only reluctantly.

“Wow.” Azula breathed. She summed up the feelings Katara was currently undergoing. She could only hum in agreement.

They stayed like this for quite some time until Katara told her that she had to go home. Azula brought her to her doorstep on that night and gave her a kiss with a promise of more memories to come.

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Katara finally picked out the outfit she wanted to wear to the hospital. It was comfortable, yet looked elegant enough to be worn outside.

Before she put it on though, she decided it would be time for a short nap. She was way too exhausted to go back to the hospital. Besides, she knew if something important happens, her friends would call her immediately. She turned on her notifications, in case somebody called her and laid down.

The moment her head immersed into the soft cushion, she started to drift off to sleep.

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Katara woke up as usual at around 7 a.m. and got dressed for her day at school. When she went downstairs, a scent of sweetness filled her nostrils that immediately brought her back to an easier time.

Her dad and mom were in the kitchen, preparing everything for breakfast. Unable to overhear Sokka, Katara only needed to turn around and see him bolting down the stairs.

“Smells delicious mom.” He said in a higher pitched voice than his older version would. It sounded so unfamiliar to hear him like that again.

She sat down on the chair she usually sits on and her brother plopped down beside her.

Her mother made her her favorite. Waffles with strawberries and chocolate. Her brother got the same thing but instead of strawberries, he got bananas. Her dad placed two hot chocolates in front of them and they started to dig in.

“Thank you.” They said in union, in between bites. Their parents just smiled at the cute scene in front of them and watched them finish their breakfast.

The siblings went to the dishwasher and put their plates and cups in, just like they were taught to do.

“I’m off to work now. Honey, should I bring the kids to school or are you doing that?”

“No, I've got it handled darling.” Kya gave him a big smile which Hakoda reciprocated. She kissed his cheeks and a small blush was already forming where she placed her lips, just seconds ago. With that, he went outside.

Katara loved watching her parents giving each other googly eyes that told their whole story with just one glance.

“Come on. We have to get going if you want to be in school on time.”

Katara and Sokka got their backpacks and went to the car, where their mother was already waiting.

She gave them an encouraging smile and they both got in.

“Are you guys wearing your seatbelts?”

“Yes of course.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

In the middle of the day, the headmaster was calling both of the siblings into her office.

Katara didn’t know what was going on. Her brother looked equally confused.

The minute they walked into the office, Katara asked in a small voice. “Are we in trouble?”

“No you aren’t.” She smiled at them sadly.

”Then why were we called in?” Her brother decided it would be a good time to say something too.

“Sit.” She gestured to the two chairs in front of her.

Once they were seated, the headmaster started talking again.

“This is not something that is going to be easy to hear.” She sighed but continued. “I’m so sorry to inform you but your mother was in a terrible car accident. Your father is on his way to pick up both of you and go to the hospital.”

Katara felt like she wasn’t able to breathe. A tight knot was forming where her throat was and she couldn’t get out any words.

Sokka, as the older sibling needed to be the strong one so he went ahead and asked. “Is she going to make it?” The shake in his voice was evident and with all his might, he tried to stop the tears that were already breaking free.

“I really don’t know. Let’s just hope for the best.” The reassuring but sad smile she gave them wasn’t helping in any way.

Katara was close to collapsing and the only reason she didn’t was because of Sokka.

Hakoda came in a few minutes later and went to the car, trying to drive as fast as possible to get to the hospital in time.

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When they arrived at the hospital, Sokka suddenly looked older and their dad disappeared the moment they went inside the room.

Katara nearly choked as she saw the person lying on the bed. It wasn’t their mother, Kya, as she would have expected, but rather her girlfriend that was sort of her ex-girlfriend now. Azula was laying down, nearly as white as the sheets that were tightly wrapped around her fragile body.

The blue eyed girl stepped closer to the bed and held the other girl’s hand. Azula slowly turned her head towards the direction of Katara. All Katara could see was blood and bruises covering the beautiful face that she loved. She didn’t look like she used to anymore and her head twisted in a weird, inhumane way.

When she spoke, it shook Katara deeply to the core.

“This is all your fault. I’m going to die because of you. Because you wouldn’t listen.” Azula’s voice seethed with hatred and disgust.

”That’s right Katara, your girlfriend will die because of you.” Sokka spoke up as well, using a similar kind of tone on her. Hearing him say these things about her was like a punch to the gut. She felt like she wasn’t able to breathe.

“I know, I know. I’m so so sorry. Please, how can I ever make things right?” Tears were falling from eyes, making little stains on her shirt. She was choking out the words, forcing her voice to somewhat steady itself.

“That’s the best part. You can’t. This burden will forever weigh down on your shoulder.” Azula made a villainous laugh and Sokka joined her mere seconds later. The world started spinning and came crashing down on her.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Katara woke up with an agonizing scream that filled the whole house. Her father immediately came rushing in, panic stricken.

“What’s going on? What happened?” He was clearly out of breath from both the shock as well as the running.

“Nothing. Just a nightmare.”

”Mom again?”

“Yes but also Azula. I don’t know if I’m ready to face her. What if she hates me now?”

”She might at first, but I promise you, it won’t be like that forever.”

Katara only sighed at the honest answer but decided she was ready to return to the hospital.

Chapter Text

Despite taking a three-hour nap, Katara felt even more drained afterwards. However, her mind was filled with thoughts of Azula and everything that had happened, which made her return to the hospital, despite her fathers insistence to try and rest some more.

She looked like she hadn’t slept in days, her dark circles and messy ponytail proving that. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to care. Even though she didn’t love the idea of Azula seeing her in such a state, it was better than not seeing her at all.

Katara was on her way to the floor where Azula had been stationed, but somehow, she ended up in front of the room where her mother had spent her final hours. She was so lost in thought that her body had naturally led her to the room that would forever haunt her nightmares.

When she realized where she was, she froze. First her nightmare, and now this. It was as if the universe, or her body, was trying to tell her something. Which of the two, she wasn’t sure. But she hoped, in Tui and La’s name, that it wouldn’t come true, if her suspicion turned out to be right.

She sat down on a brown wooden chair, the exact one she had sat on after her mother died. Back then, her father had to speak with the doctors, leaving Sokka and Katara to rest on the stool. Katara felt like a child all over again, the helplessness washing over her. The same feeling of not knowing what to do or how things would progress from that moment on. But she had to be hopeful. Because if all hope was lost, what was left to hold on to?

Katara decided to stay here just a little longer. She wasn’t ready to be back with everyone else. The girl knew that her friends didn’t mean to look at her that way, but she couldn’t stand their pitying gazes. She wanted to be left alone for a bit, to sort through her thoughts and finally enjoy some quiet.

Her momentary peace was interrupted by the buzz of her phone. She immediately rushed to grab it only to see that Sokka was calling. Shakingly, she answered the call.

“Sokka, what’s up? Any news?”

“We’ve spoken to a doctor.”

”And? Spit it out Sokka, I’m already anxious enough as it is.” Katara barked back. She didn’t mean to, but she was too antsy to wait any second longer.

”You might want to hear this for yourself.” He didn’t sound too happy, which churned a pool of dread in her stomach.

“Sokka, please. I don’t think I can handle any bad news. If there are some, I want to hear them from you.” She nearly begged for her brother to just spit it out.

“Just get here, I promise it’s not too bad.” That was all she needed to hear. She hung up and began to sprint to where Azula was stationed.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Breathlessly, Katara was finally reunited with her friends. Sokka was the first person to come and greet her.

“How are you doing?”

“Not great. I’ve had a nightmare, the whole situation is haunting me, I’m exhausted and hungry and if I don’t know any news soon, I might actually lose my mind. So spit it out. What did the doctors say?”

Sokka took a deep breath. “You might want to sit for this.”

Katara only glared at her brother. Didn’t he say that it wasn’t too bad, mere seconds ago.

“Spit. It. Out.”

“Okay, okay. So, they informed us that Azula is out of surgery. They won’t know for sure if she is going to make it. So far, she is stable. But that can change at any given moment, given the internal bleeding and everything. They said they stopped that, but you never know if and when it’s going to start again.”

Katara took a few moments to process the given information. All in all, she was happy with the outcome. Azula was stable so far and that is all she could ask for. Of course she could literally die at any given moment, but for now, she was okay.

Katara breathed out and it felt as if a little weight was lifted off her shoulders. She trembled, exhaustion and relief finally taking over. Her body screamed for rest and food, but she ignored it. She hugged Sokka and for a moment, everything felt alright.

——————————————————————————————————————————

After a while, the doctors informed them that visiting Azula was not an option, not even for her family. That could change once they were certain she was completely stable. For now, she had been placed into an artificial coma, allowing her body to focus entirely on healing.

Katara wasn’t too happy about that, but it gave her a reason to go home and take care of her body as well. Of course she was frustrated, but she understood that Azula getting better was the number one priority. That didn’t make it easier to leave though. Katara wanted to be there for her, in any way possible. The guilt was catching up with her and it was hard to go back to her life, while Azula was in there barely getting by. It just didn’t seem fair to her.

After the news that there wasn’t much to do now, but wait, the friends each parted from one another and went their separate ways. But not before telling Katara that if she needed anything, she could always call them. Katara was on the verge of crying, but to put it bluntly, she just didn’t have the energy anymore. They each hugged one another and left the hospital.

Sokka and Katara were mostly silent on the way home, clearly not in the mood to talk and too tired to function properly.

When they were in front of the door step, Hakoda greeted them with open arms.

”Come here and let it all out. I’m here if you need to talk. But you guys should rest first. I made you something to eat, I bet you guys are starving.” Hakoda tried his best at a reassuring smile, but felt like he failed completely when he saw their crushed faces.

“Thanks dad, you’re the best.” Sokka was appreciating his efforts and didn’t want them to go to waste.

They both sat down, and poked around their waffles. Just the way they used to eat them back then. Katara felt sick to her stomach at the memory, but shoved them down her throat. Mainly because she didn’t want to hurt her father’s feelings, who was trying his best at the moment and because she really needed to eat something. They were delicious, but she just couldn’t appreciate them at the moment. They took her straight back to a time when everything was so simple. Each bite was a road down memory lane.

After finishing up, their dad sent them to bed, making sure they were tugged in nicely and could go to sleep without being awake for too long. Luckily, that wasn’t a problem. The moment Katara’s body touched her mattress, sleep consumed her like a tidal wave, pulling her under before she could even think to resist.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Images of Azula and the accident flashed through her mind in chaotic bursts. She couldn’t quite make them out, but she heard the screams though and all she could see was red. Azula’s blood. She can’t remember much, only that she desperately wanted to wake up the whole time. When she finally did, her blanket was soaked and her breath was caught in her lungs.

Apparently she hadn’t screamed, otherwise, her brother or father would have come bursting in. At least that was some sort of an improvement from before. She couldn’t go back to sleep now though, her mind overflowing with thousands of thoughts regarding her and Azula. Their relationship, their breaking point and the aftermath.

She knew that what she had done wasn’t right. She regretted their interaction, but she was just so sick of everyone’s pitying looks, making school feel less and less of a safe space. Usually, she loved going to school. All her friends were there, her workload was manageable and the teachers liked her. But after rumors have spread about Chan and Azula's affair, it all became too much.

She loved Azula, she really did. However, she never felt like she was enough for her. Not because Azula made her feel that way, but because Katara had her own insecurities.

Azula was wealthy, she was not. Azula was, in Katara’s eyes, literally a goddess walking the earth. Katara didn’t think of herself as ugly, but Azula was in a league of her own. She was incredibly smart, always at the top of their class, and everything she did, she executed flawlessly. It was a standard Katara felt she could never live up to. She feared holding Azula back, and she dreaded the day that fiery girl realized that Katara wasn’t good enough for her. She knew she had to fight those insecurities, because she loved Azula, but some days, it was just so damn hard.

At first, Katara didn’t care about the rumors. She trusted Azula and she knew their love was real and that the feeling was mutual. But the longer the whispers continued the more the facade cracked. It didn’t help that Azula had grown increasingly distant, spending more and more time with Chan again. That was likely what started the rumors in the first place.

Logically, Katara knew there was a reason for it. They had a school project to work on together, and they both attended football practice. They weren’t on the same team, but since the school believed training the girls alongside the boys was beneficial, they often ended up on the field at the same time.

However, she couldn’t think of a single reason why Azula had grown so distant. Katara replayed every conversation, every moment, searching for something she might have said or done to unknowingly hurt her. But no matter how hard she tried, she came up empty. Azula never seemed off when they spent time together, yet Katara knew something had changed. Something had happened.

It couldn’t be that Azula had stopped loving her. That wasn’t a possibility. She had confessed her feelings all over again, right before the accident. So what was it? What was she missing?

The longer she dwelled on it, the more her head ached. There was no use in overthinking, she would have to ask Azula herself. If, no, when she woke up. She just hoped it would be soon. The uncertainty was unbearable. Not knowing what had happened, not knowing what would happen next, it was eating her alive.

Since there was nothing she could do at the moment, not even sleep, she decided to listen to some music. Her favourite playlist, the one Azula had made for her.

——————————————————————————————————————————

1 year ago
At a random party

“Can we finally leave now? This is hell!” Azula exclaimed. She tried her best at the puppy dog eyes, but knew she could never match Katara’s perfectly executed doughy-eyed look.

“Can we stay for at least half an hour more?” Katara pleaded, knowing full well that Azula couldn’t resist.

Azula huffed, but couldn’t help the small smile forming on her lips. “Fine.”

”Can I at least stay outside for a bit? I think I need some fresh air, it smells weird in there.”

“Okay, but come find me afterward.” With that, Katara leaned in, pressing a soft kiss on Azula’s lips, before heading inside to be with her friends.

Azula just stood there for a moment, brushing over her lips. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to Katara’s kisses. After some time, she sat down in the grass, pulling out her headphones and started to listen to some music. As she scrolled through her music, an idea sparked.

Immediately, she started to craft a playlist. Every song that reminded her of Katara went into it. Some were tied to special memories, playing softly in the background of moments they had shared. Others carried words Azula struggled to say out loud. She spent at least half an hour perfecting it.

When she noticed Katara stepping outside, she quickly hid her phone.

“What are you doing?” Katara asked, her suspicion piqued by Azula’s unusual reaction.

Azula lifted her headphones slightly. “Just listening to some music.”

”Okay. We can go now if you want to, I promised you, only half an hour more.”

Azula hestited. “Well… are you having fun?”

Katara raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, kind of, but I told you, we can leave now.”

”Stay.” Azula said. “I don’t mind waiting a bit longer if you’re having fun. I’ll just sit here and if I have recharged my social battery, I’ll come find you.”

Katara smiled, warmth filling her expression. “Are you sure? I swear I won’t be mad if we leave now. I know you hate these kinds of parties.”

“I promise, I don’t mind. I’m happy when you’re happy, and I know you skip these things a lot because of me. Now it’s my turn.” Azula said sheepishly. Her voice was soft but firm, making sure Katara understood she meant it.

”You’re the best.” Katara practically launched herself at Azula, knocking the wind out of Azula’s lungs. Katara was hugging her as tightly as possible. She pressed a soft kiss to her lips, before rushing back inside.

Azula let out a breathless chuckle, shaking her head. Now she could finish making her playlist for Katara. She was nearly done anyway, and after that, she’d join Katara at the party.

Once satisfied with the final song selection, she put her phone and headphones away. Taking a deep breath, she braced herself before stepping inside.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Present Time
At Katara’s house

She slipped her headphones on and curled up in bed. Once they connected to her phone, she pressed play, and the first song came to life, while filling the silence.

A million memories of her and Azula flickered to life. Fragments of laughter, whispered words, stolen kisses. Depsite the emptiness pressing in on her chest, a small, fleeting smile touched her lips.

Then, the first tear fell.

And then another.

With her favourite playlist playing, the quiet sobs came, the weight of everything finally breaking through. She wasn’t sure how long she lay there, lost in the sound of Azula’s unspoken words.

Eventually, exhaustion pulled her under, and sleep finally took hold.

Chapter Text

The day of the accident
At Katara’s house

Azula was in front of Katara’s doorstep, already eager to see her girlfriend again. Lately, they had barely spent any time together. It saddened her, but there was just too much going on. With football practice, her school project with Chan, and her mother finally returning to law.

Ursa loved working in Uncle Iroh’s tea shop, but her real passion had always been defending those in need. Back when she was still married to Ozai, they had run a law firm together. But after the divorce, after everything Ozai had done, she never wanted to return to that life or everything that reminded her of it.

Azula clenched her fists at the memory.

The day her mother finally left, Zuko had been lying in a hospital bed, half of his face wrapped in bandages. Ozai had burned him for what he called “disrespect”, but in reality, it had been about control, about power. Their mother had been away on a work trip, and when she returned, she knew something had to change.

What Ozai had done to her, though, only a handful of people knew. The manipulation, the punishments, the way he struck her when her grades weren’t perfect or when she lost a football match. He had controlled every aspect of her life, dictating what she could wear, who she could see, and what she could do.

Ursa had been too afraid to leave at first, terrified that she’d lose custody. But after seeing Zuko’s ruined face, she found the strength to finally take them away.

Azula had testified against her father in court, not just for herself, but for Zuko too. Ozai, once one of the most respected lawyers in the country, had lost everything. His reputation crumbled, and no one dared to hire him again. Eventually, he was forced to sell the firm. What happened to him after that, no one knew. No one cared.

For years, Ursa had dedicated herself fully to her children, making up for the time she had lost. But money had been tight, so she had asked Uncle Iroh if she could work at his tea shop. He had welcomed her with open arms, and for a while, things had stayed the same.

Azula, however, had always known that the law still called to her mother. Ursa had never been one to sit still, and it was only a matter of time before she returned to her old profession. Now, that time had come.

She had just taken on her first case at a small firm, and when she spoke about it, her eyes sparkled with a kind of excitement Azula hadn’t seen in years. It made her happy, truly, but it also meant that she and Zuko had to step up more at home. Ursa now worked a nine-to-five job, which meant all the chores she had once handled were now their responsibility.

They didn’t mind, they wanted to support her. But it took up time. Time that Azula wished she could be spending with Katara.

She hadn’t told her girlfriend anything about it. She didn’t want Katara to worry or, worse, to see her as overwhelmed. Azula knew Katara tended to be over-caring, and while she usually loved that about her, right now, she just wanted to seem perfect in Katara’s eyes.

Katara more or less had the same responsibilities, didn’t she? Well, except for football practice. And yet, she seemed to handle everything so effortlessly. Azula, on the other hand, was barely managing to keep up. She refused to let Katara see her struggle. She refused to be anything less than perfect.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door. It swung open within seconds, revealing Katara standing in the doorway.

Azula’s face lit up at the sight of her. The same couldn’t be said for Katara.

Something was wrong.

A cold feeling crawled up Azula’s spine, her mind racing with questions. Did she do something wrong? Or was today just not a good day for Katara? How can she cheer her up?

”Are you okay?”, she asked carefully. “You seem out of it today. Did something happen?” Azula wanted to comfort her girlfriend, she just didn’t know the roots of the problem.

Katara averted her gaze, looking at the ground. “Come inside. We need to talk.”

Azula stepped inside, and for the first time in years, a familiar feeling gripped her chest. Fear.

——————————————————————————————————————————

“Go ahead Katara. What’s going on?” Azula tried to keep her voice steady, but the tremor was undeniable.

Katara sighed, as if fighting an internal battle. Every fiber in her being told her to stop, but she pushed forward. “What’s going on with you and Chan?”

Azula blinked. She almost laughed in relief. That’s what this was about?

“With me and Chan?”, she echoed, letting out a breath. “Love, we’ve talked about this before. He’s my ex, and we ended things for a reason. We both play football, sometimes we have practice together, and we were paired for a project in English. That’s it. I promise.”

She stepped closer, reaching for Katara’s hands, but Katara pulled away.

Katara has always been a bit of the jealous type. Usually, Azula didn’t mind, always loving to set Katara’s mind at ease afterward. Azula had to admit, she was also sometimes jealous of girls getting a little too comfortable with her girlfriend. But so far, it has never degenerated this hard.

“What about the rumours then?” Katara’s voice sharpened. “They've been following me for over a month now.”

Azula frowned. “What rumours?”

Wrong answer.

Katara’s expression hardened, her frustration growing. ”You know exactly what rumours I’m talking about. But if you can’t seem to remember, let me help refresh your memory.”

Azula looked around nervously. She seriously had no idea what Katara was talking about. She never cared for some weird rumours being spread across school. They almost never had any truth to them.

Azula stood frozen as Katara’s voice cracked with emotion. ”People are saying you and Chan are back together. That you’ve hooked up. That people saw you. That you’re planning to dump me.”

For the first time in their entire relationship, Azula saw something in Katara’s eyes that terrified her.

Doubt.

Azula’s stomach twisted. ”Have I ever done anything to make you doubt me?”, she demanded, voice rising. “Come on Katara! You know me! I would never cheat on you. I love you. I thought you trusted me.”

Katara flinched. For a split second, she looked uncertain.

Then her anger flared again. ”How can I not doubt you when these rumours have been following me for months? If they weren’t true, wouldn’t they have died out by now?”

That was it.

Azula saw red.

Her whole body trembled as she turned on her heel, storming out of the house.

“How could you think that?!” Azula responded hotly.

Azula’s mind was clouded with fury. She could only see red. She loved Katara, of course. But her not trusting her enough and believing some stupid rumours over her, was hurtful.

She could understand why Katara was jealous of her hanging out with her ex. But she didn’t necessarily want to spend time with him. They were kind of becoming friends at the moment, but there was just too much that happened in the past that could never allow for them to actually call themselves friends. They just had to work on a project and she wouldn’t get a bad grade on it, just because of her personal feelings getting in the way. And practice with football was just something she couldn’t give up. She was playing for such a long time, getting her through the time of her parents divorce and all the things that were making her stressed out. It was like her personal therapy.

They were arguing back and forth.

“Just admit it and don’t make things more complicated than they already are!” Katara shouted back.

“I won’t admit to a crime I didn’t commit. Why do you even believe I cheated on you? I would never do such a thing and I thought you knew that! I thought you trusted me.” Azula's voice was now trembling, herself on the brim of tears. She felt a lump in her throat and her voice breaking more and more.

“I don’t know if I can trust you when these rumours are flying around that you and Chan hooked up. The whole school is talking about it. Everyone looks at me in the hallways with pity. Do you know what that feels like?! To try to hide away. To try to convince yourself that this is just a bad dream. To try to convince yourself that everyone else is lying. But you have been so distant lately, that it makes me believe these rumours more and more. I also know that you and Chan have been hanging out lately. I know you told me not to worry about it and you always said you two are just friends but I don’t believe it anymore. I can’t keep this up any longer. My heart breaks more with every passing second. It feels like, if I don’t cut you loose now, I will never get my heart back because it would go willingly with you. I’m sorry but I need to break up with you.”

In just a moment, Azula’s whole life shattered into pieces. What did she just say? The words “I’m sorry but I need to break up with you”, echoing in her mind. She was dumbstruck. She couldn’t get anything out. It was as if she got hit square in the face. The words hit like a knife to the gut.

Azula couldn’t breathe.

She didn’t realize it, but hot tears were falling down from her eyes, staining her shirt. Azula didn’t bother to wipe them away, too struck to do anything than open her mouth, to at least try to comfort Katara. She loved her so much that even when she felt like her whole world had stopped spinning, she needed to make sure Katara was okay.

“I guess that is it then. I just wished you would have heard me out. Just know that I love you. Always and forev-.”

“Please. Stop. I can’t take it. You tear me apart like no one else does and I know that I can’t keep this up or otherwise I will break.” Katara interrupted Azula.

“Okay I’m sorry then. I will leave now.” Azula said while turning around, her voice barely above a whisper. She kept her eyes on the ground, her vision blurred from the tears. She was crossing the street when suddenly Katara screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Watch out !”

Azula barely registered her scream, when suddenly she felt a sharp pain, her ears ringing. Azula felt as if the world was spinning and she wanted nothing more than to make it stop. She collapsed on the ground in a pool of her own blood, absorbing the warmth of it. Her vision went darker with every second that passed, the last image she registered, Katara hovering above her, tears and gore smeared across her face. Her last thought being, if they were going to be okay. After that, there was only silence and darkness.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Present time
At the hospital

Azula lay motionless in the hospital bed, her body connected to a dozen machines monitoring her vitals. The steady rhythm of beeping filled the room, a cold reminder that she was still alive, but just barely.

She looked so small, so fragile.

The once fearsome, confident Azula was reduced to nothing but bandages, casts, and bruises. Her right hand was encased in a thick cast, shattered from the impact. Her left leg had suffered the same fate, immobilized to heal properly. Her head was wrapped in bandages, eerily similar to Zuko’s all those years ago.

But unlike Zuko, her bandages didn’t cover an eye. Instead, they concealed the deep wound where Katara had pressed down, desperately trying to slow down the bleeding. The once white fabric was spotted with a few red dots.

A breathing tube was inserted into her mouth, ensuring her lungs continued to function. She had lost so much blood, and her lungs had partially filled with it after the accident. The doctors had managed to clear it during surgery, but they weren’t taking any chances.

Bruises littered her body, deep purples and sickly yellows painting her usually flawless porcelain skin. They would fade away in a few days.

That, however, was the least of anyone’s worries.

Right now, Azula was in an artificial coma, allowing her body to focus entirely on healing. She would wake up when she was ready. If she was ready.

No one knew for sure.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Present time
At the house of the Nakayamas

Zuko barely slept that night. Neither did his mother.

When he woke up in the middle of the night, sleep was a lost cause. He padded downstairs, intending to get a glass of warm milk, only to find his mother already there, pouring one for herself.

”You too?” Ursa’s voice was soft, barely above a whisper.

He just nodded and sat down at the kitchen table, rubbing his tired eyes.

Ursa set a second glass in front of him before sitting down beside him. They drank in silence, neither willing to say the words hovering between them.

But Zuko had to ask.

”What if-“ His voice cracked.

Before he could finish, Ursa was at his side, holding his hand tightly. “Don’t,” she whispered. ”Don’t think about it. You know your sister. I don’t think anything can stop this girl. Not even a car.”

They both let out a small, broken laugh, their eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“You’re right.” Zuko sighed, staring into his half-empty glass. “Thanks mom.” Ursa squeezed his hand.

“Does Uncle know?”

”Yeah. I told him about it as soon as I heard. He was still at the tea shop, so he couldn’t leave. But he asked me to give him updates as soon as we knew any kind of news. He’ll come visit us tomorrow, to help out at the house.”

Zuko hesitated before asking the next question. ”What about your job mom? You just got your first case a week ago. I know how hard you’ve worked for this. You should focus on that. Uncle and I will handle everything here.”

Ursa smiled sadly but nodded after a moment. “Alright. But only if you promise to take care of yourself too.”

”I will”, he said, though he wasn’t sure if it was a lie.

Ursa sighed. “You know, you don’t have to go to school tomorrow, if you don’t want to. I think a distraction might help, but if you can’t handle it, I’ll understand.”

Zuko thought about it for a moment before shaking his head. ”No, I think I need to go. I want to check in on everyone… see how they’re holding up.”

His mother stroked his hair, a gesture she hadn’t done since he was a child. “Whatever you feel most comfortable with, sweetheart. Just know, I’ll support you and love you no matter what.” With that, she kissed the crown of his head.

They sat in silence after that, finishing their drinks before quietly heading back to bed.

Zuko lay awake for a long time, tossing and turning.

Eventually, he reached for his phone and opened their group chat. His fingers hovered over the keyboard before he finally typed.

Are you guys coming to school tomorrow?

Then, he hit send.

Chapter Text

When Katara woke up, she was greeted with a flood of messages from their group chat. Groggy and exhausted, she fumbled around her nightstand until her fingers finally wrapped around her phone.

Opening the chat, she saw her friends discussing whether they should go to school or meet up beforehand or even hang out afterward. Toph, of course, had thrown out the idea of skipping altogether, which some seemed genuinely tempted by.

Katara hesitated. School would be a distraction from yesterday’s events, sure. But it didn’t feel like a safe place anymore. The whispers had been the beginning of her downfall, and she wasn’t sure she could stomach walking past Chan with his smug, infuriating grin.

With a deep breath, she typed out a reply.

I’ll skip with you, Toph.

That was certainly a first.

The chat blew up in shock, but one by one, everyone else followed suit. If Katara wasn’t going, then neither were they.

Decision made, she pushed herself out of bed and started her morning routine. She got dressed, straightened her sheets, and gave herself a once-over in the mirror. When she was finally satisfied with her outfit, she headed downstairs, expecting to help with breakfast like usual.

What she didn’t expect was to find her father already in the kitchen, nearly finished preparing everything.

“Hey, sweetie. I already started without you, I hope that’s okay. I just wanted to let you sleep and recover from yesterday. How are you doing?”

”It’s fine. Thanks, Dad.” Katara pulled out a chair, sitting down with a sigh. “And to be honest, not great. The whole situation follows me into my nightmares. I can’t think of anything else.”

Hakoda’s expression softened. ”I know the feeling.” He looked down, his fingers tightening around his coffee mug.

Katara swallowed hard, her chest tightening. She thought she understood his grief before, but now, now she felt it. That ache. That helplessness.

Hakoda exhaled slowly, breaking her away from her thoughts. ”But it will get better with time, I promise. Azula is stable, and she’s in good hands. If there is anything I can do to make it better, just say the word, okay?”

Katara nodded, blinking rapidly. She bit the inside of her cheek, willing the tears to stay put. ”Thank you, I will.” She forced a small smile, but it wavered at the edges.

Katara cleared her throat, eager to change the subject.

”By the way Dad, I know it’s not something we usually do, but, can Sokka and I miss school today? My friends and I decided to spend the day together. You know, to talk about everything. Distract ourselves.” She hesitated shortly. “I hope that’s okay.”

Hakoda smiled gently at her honesty. She didn’t need his permission, she was seventeen, but he appreciated that she asked anyway.

“Of course, take the day off. Anything that helps you feel better.” His voice was warm, understanding. “You can skip the rest of the week if you need to. I know how important it is to take time for yourself. Just…” He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Please don’t let the thoughts consume you too much. I remember what it was like, when you and Sokka had to take care of me. And while I love taking care of you, Katara, I just don’t want you to feel the same way I did.” He met her gaze, his expression gentle but firm. “So do what feels right for you, okay?”

The dam finally broke.

Katara’s vision blurred, tears pooling at the edges of her eyes before spilling down her cheeks. She clenched her jaw, trying to stop the sob that threatened to escape. “Okay, Dad, I won’t.” Her voice wavered, thick with emotion, nearly breaking. She tried to keep her composure, but it cost her almost all her strength.

——————————————————————————————————————————

The group decided to meet up at their favourite spot in town, a small restaurant, that had become woven into their memories. It felt like an unspoken member of their group, always present in their stories, always a part of them.

Katara remembered the first time she had taken Azula there, the night she broke the news of their relationship to their friends.

——————————————————————————————————————————

1.5 years ago
At the restaurant

“Do you think they’ll be okay with us being a couple?” Azula asked with an uncharacteristic uncertainty in her voice.

Katara found it adorable. Azula was usually so headstrong, so sure of herself, never backing down from anything. Seeing her nervous like this was rare.

Katara reached for Azula’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

”I promise it’ll be fine. They already know how much I liked you. Who do you think had to sit through my endless rants? How much I liked you, how much you irritated me when we worked on that project?” She smiled fondly at the memory.

Azula murmured. “Well, if you say so...” Her fingers fidgeting, betraying her nerves.

But Katara knew her too well. Sensing her unease, she squeezed her hand again.

”I’ll be with you the whole time. And if they say something, which I don’t think they will, I’ll handle it.”

That seemed to do the trick. Azula let out a slow, shaky breath and squeezed Katara’s hand in return.

“Thank you.” She said softly, so sincerely that it made Katara’s heart flutter. A small blush tinged her face as she smiled shyly.

“No problem.” Katara leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to Azula’s cheek. Now it was Azula’s turn to blush. With that, they stepped inside. No more stalling. Their friends were waiting.

When they spotted their friends, their smiles lit up the whole room. They waved at them and strolled towards their table.

“Hey guys.” Katara cheered.

Katara sat down next to Yue and Azula followed her action. She was seated next to Toph. Great, Azula thought. She liked Toph, but they were very different. Toph was way too rough and ungraceful for Azula and her choice of words often left her shocked. They did have a few things in common, but that didn’t make it any easier to actually be friends with her.

When Azula sat down, Toph greeted her with a punch. “Ouch. Do you always have to do that whenever we see each other?” Azula huffed, sending a glare towards that girl. It didn’t intimidate Toph though, since she was blind. “It’s how I show affection. Get used to it Zappy.” Azula huffed again, already annoyed by the other girl.

“Play nice now, love.” Katara hushed.

“Yes Katara.” Azula was quick to shut up. She had to make a good impression, after all.

”God you’re so whipped. It’s embarrassing for you.” Toph teased, but only for her to hear.

”Shut up.” Azula hissed.

”Sugarqueen, your girlfriend is being mean again.” Toph snitched, now for everyone to hear.

Katara and Azula just stared at each other. They haven’t shared the news so far. The rest of the group, having witnessed most of Azula’s and Toph’s banter, have noticed the sudden quiet. Usually, Azula or Katara would deny them being girlfriends immediately, but that didn’t seem to be the case today. They both felt as if they were being watched carefully by everyone.

”Sooo… anything you two wanna tell the rest of us?” Suki asked delicately, with a hint of amusement.

Katara and Azula exchanged a glance and nodded.

The blue eyed girl took hold of Azula’s hands and started to announce the reason as to why they were here in the first place.

”Well, yes. Azula and I met up at the park a week ago. And well, we kinda confessed our feelings there. So now we’re sort of a couple.”

”Sort of?” Azula voiced out skeptically, raising her eyebrow at her girlfriend.

Katara rushed to clarify it.

”We’re a couple actually.”

A beat of silence passed before Toph spoke first.

”Finally.” She threw her hands in the air. “Katara made me sick. I had to listen to her ramble on about you everyday of the week. How you dress, or what you do. She once even described a look you gave her for a full ten minutes. I hope this finally stops now. Geez.”

At that, the group broke into laughter.

“I can’t promise you that to be honest. I’m still going to rant sometime, but only if she drives me crazy.” Katara gleefully responded, a big smile evident on her face.

Azula was quiet the whole time, watching everything unfold. A blush crept up her face at the confession, but she felt more relieved than anything. She let out a shaky breath, content at being accepted into their little group.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Present time
At the restaurant

Sokka and Katara both went to meet up with their friends. When Sokka saw his girlfriend, Suki, he rushed to hug her. They shared a sweet but short kiss and returned their attention to everyone else.

Suki, Sokka, Mai, Ty Lee, Yue and Aang were already there. Only Toph and Zuko were missing.

They quickly caught up, when a short figure approached. Next to Toph, Zuko was strolling towards them. They waved at the group and they waved back.

Katara greeted them both and went to talk to Zuko.

”Hey you.” She nudged the older boy.

“Hey you.” He sheepishly responded. He looked just as miserable as she did.

“How are you holding up?”

”Not great to be honest. But Uncle is going to stay with us for a few days, so that helps a little. And meeting up with you guys is a nice distraction as well.”

”Well, I hope that Iroh can make some calming tea, to make everything better, at least for a short while.”

”Yeah, me too.” Zuko looked away, not being able to look at her.

”I’m sorry.” She said, the action hurting her more than she wanted to admit.

”It’s fine, the whole situation is just a mess. But I’m not mad at you, if you’re wondering about that. I mean, yeah, I’m angry at everything. But not at you. I know it wasn’t your fault. You had a fight, a car came Azula’s way and well, the rest is history. Don’t beat yourself up too much about it.”

Katara sighed with relief. Still, she felt the need to comfort him as well. She tried to swallow, her throat suddenly very dry and her chest tightening up.

“She’ll be okay. I just know it.”

Zuko looked at her, with so much pain in his eyes, that she had to restrain herself from crying, understanding him completely. She invited him into a hug, which he happily accepted. They stayed like that for a while. When they finally pulled away, they rejoined the group.

Yue slung her arm around Katara, squeezing her shoulder lightly. They shared eye contact for a short period and continued to stroll.

“So, what do you guys wanna do?” Aang asked. He was also never one to skip school and he wasn’t completely comfortable with it, but he knew he had to support Katara and Zuko. This was more important than any subject in school and he’d just ask somebody else to send him the material they’ve covered.

They all looked at each other a bit lost. No one had a plan. It was too early to enter the restaurant, which wasn’t even open yet.

“Well, is anyone down for a road trip?” Katara asked, eager to leave this town that held too many memories.

“Sure, but where would we go though?” Toph answered lost in thought. She was always down with these kinds of things.

”Hmm, we could go to the beach.” The weather outside was nice, it was hot and there was no cloud in sight. The sun was beating down on them and would get even warmer in the evening, when the sun was at its peak.

Everyone agreed to the plan. They decided to get everything for the beach and that Zuko, Sokka, and Yue would pick them up with their cars in an hour.

Yue would drive with Mai, Ty Lee and Katara. Zuko picked up Aang and Toph, since they lived close by and Sokka drove with Suki.

When Katara had collected everything she needed, she went downstairs to wait for her friends. When Yue was in front of her door, she honked and Katara stepped inside the car. She was allowed to sit with Yue at the front, while Yue’s girlfriends were sitting in the back.

The drive to the beach was mostly silent. But when Yue knew there were only ten minutes left, till they got to their destination, she cut through the silence.

”Love, you’ve been very quiet so far. I want to give you your space, but just know, you can always come to me if you need someone to talk to.”

Katara squeezed Yue’s hand, the words sitting heavy in her throat. ”Thank you Yue. Just, maybe not today. Today is all about avoiding thinking about it.” Yue smiled at that, even though it was a sad one. She hated to see her best friend in such a state, without being able to do something.

——————————————————————————————————————————

When they arrived at the beach, they unpacked their stuff and settled down to spend the whole day there.

No matter where Katara looked, Azula’s face filled her thoughts. She still remembers her and Azula’s first day at the beach, which was their first trip together as a couple. It was as romantic as a short trip could get.

——————————————————————————————————————————

1 year ago
At the beach

Azula drove them there. She borrowed the car from her mother, who happily lent it to her, knowing she could spend the day with Katara. Ursa loved Katara and was happy about Azula’s relationship choices. Her mother hated her ex-boyfriend Chan, but never said anything about it. Looking back, Azula finally understood why her mother detested him.

Katara and Azula chatted the whole drive up to the beach, laughing over nothing in particular. Music played softly in the background, filling the space between their words. Even when they weren’t talking, the silence between them was easy, the kind that didn’t need to be filled. When there was a red light, they shared loving stares and as they got closer to the beach, the open window made it possible for them to already smell the ocean before they arrived at their destination. The sun was at its peak, bathing them in golden light. Azula’s golden eyes mirrored the sun, while Katara’s shimmered like the ocean, twinkling as the sunlight danced across them.

Azula didn’t dare to look at Katara. One glance and she’d probably crash the car. Her beauty was just that breathtaking.

When they finally arrived, the salty ocean air filled their lungs. They breathed it in deeply, savoring the promise of a perfect day.

Azula led them to a secluded spot she used to visit as a child, back when her family would spend their days at the beach.

As they settled down, Katara gasped in awe. The cove was tucked away from the crowds, a quiet haven just for them. The ocean stretched before them, its waters impossibly clear, shimmering under the sun. The sand was scattered with seashells, tiny treasures she would definitely collect later, hand in hand with her girlfriend.

“Do you like it?” Azula asked, a rare hint of shyness in her voice.

“I love it.” Katara murmured, her gaze still fixed on the breathtaking view. Azula felt warmth bloom in her chest. A soft smile tugged at her lips, relief and happiness intertwining. She had wanted this moment to be perfect, and from the look in Katara’s eyes, she knew it was.

Katara turned toward her, stepping in close before pressing a soft, lingering kiss to Azula’s lips.

”Thank you, love,” she whispered. “I really appreciate this. You did an amazing job, planning this trip.”

She kissed her again, deeper this time. Azula could taste the smile on Katara’s lips and matched it with one of her own, melting into the warmth of her touch.

“Maybe I should start planning more of these trips.” Azula murmured, a smug edge to her voice.

Katara chuckled, their foreheads resting together as their smiles lingered. For a moment, they stayed like that, basking in the sunlight, the salty breeze, and each other.

Later on, they decided to go for a swim. They were already in their bikinis, so all they had to do was strip off their outer layers and head into the water.

The first wave hit them hard, the salty sea water was cold at first, sending a jolt through their bodies, but with the sun beating down on them, it quickly turned into something refreshing, even exhilarating.

They played in the water, splashing each other and laughing with reckless joy. At one point, they even crashed into each other, arms flailing as they fell back into the waves, breathless from giggles. Their laughter echoed across the beach, carried by the wind like music. Smiles were etched into their faces, unshakable, as if the moment itself had carved them there.

A few hours later, they were exhausted but still smiling. Katara bribed Azula into collecting seashells with her with just a few kisses and Azula caved with minimal resistance.

They strolled barefoot through the warm sand, occasionally bending down to pick up a particularly pretty shell. Their hands often brushed, fingers lingering, and their conversation was light, easy and effortless, like the day itself.

Once Katara decided she had collected enough shells, they made their way back to the little spot they had set up earlier. The sun had begun to dip slightly, casting a golden glow across the sand.

They laid down on their beach towels, curling up together with nothing but the sound of the waves and the warmth of each other’s presence. For the first time in what felt like forever, they were both truly at peace. No words were needed, just soft touches, shared glances, and the steady rhythm of the ocean mingling with the quiet thrum of their hearts.

“I love you.” Katara whispered, the words gentle but certain. She had said it before, what felt like a lifetime ago, in the quiet bloom of the sakura park, but somehow, it felt just as raw, just as real as now. In that moment, she was so grateful she’d found the courage to speak her heart back then.

“I love you too.” Azula replied tenderly. Her voice was steady, but full of quiet emotion. It sounded less like a response and more like a vow, a promise she would repeat a thousand times if Katara ever needed to hear it again. The truth in her words made Katara’s heart ache in the best way.

They sealed their confession with a soft, lingering kiss, then curled back into each other, letting the silence say everything else for them.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Present time
At the beach

Katara sighed at the memory, her heart heavy with longing. But she quickly scolded herself. Today is supposed to be about not thinking about Azula, she reminded herself. Just for a little while.

But it was easier said than done. Everywhere she looked, Azula’s face seemed to appear. In the glint of the sun on the waves, in the way someone tossed their hair, in the sound of distant laughter. It was like the world kept echoing her, refusing to let Katara forget.

“You okay?” Aang asked, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

His voice pulled her from her thoughts and memories, and for that, she was grateful.

“Yeah.” she said, though her voice trailed off, eyes still distant.

Aang wasn’t convinced, but he decided not to push too hard. “Well, we set everything up. Toph, Ty Lee, Sokka and Suki are already itching to go for a swim. Mai and Yue are probably going to read the whole afternoon. Zuko and I were gonna grab some ice cream, wanna come?”

”Yeah, sounds good. Just let me get my things.”

She headed toward the spot they’d set up, relieved it wasn’t the same place she and Azula had once claimed as their own.

When she returned, she joined Zuko and Aang, grateful for something as simple as ice cream to distract her, even just for a little while.

They were heading toward the ice cream parlor, a few minutes away from where they’d set up. The silence was deafening, and Katara could tell that Aang was eager to say something. She decided to take the lead.

”What kind of ice cream flavors do you guys wanna get?”

“Ouhhh, I think chocolate and strawberry.” Aang said with such enthusiasm, it could rival a child’s. Katara loved that about him. He was always so cheerful and easy to talk to.

“I think I’ll get the cherry and lemon one. You?”

”Maybe blueberry and cookies and cream.”

”Sounds good.” Aang cheered.

Katara could tell they were all trying hard not to address the elephant in the room, which she appreciated. However, it also made her feel uneasy. She wanted to get her feelings out, hoping it might make everything feel a little lighter. Still, she decided to let the conversation take its natural flow.

When they got their ice cream, everything felt a little easier. They each tasted each other’s choices, laughing and trading bites. But then Katara froze. Zuko’s ice cream was exactly the same as Azula’s favorite.

The memory struck her like a wave. She quickly pushed it down, forcing herself back into the moment. If the guys noticed, they didn’t say anything.

Once they returned to where the rest of the group was, Yue came up and took a bite of Katara’s ice cream.

“You got my favorite!” Yue cheered. Katara rolled her eyes but handed over the rest of the sweet treat.

“Why do you think I chose those flavors?” she asked, raising a brow at her best friend's antics.

Yue gasped dramatically. “Because you love me, obviously.”

Katara snorted. “Please. I just didn’t want to hear you whine for the rest of the day.”

Yue’s smile only widened, as she launched into a bone-crushing hug. “Admit it, you adore me.”

Katara let out a surprised squeak, half-laughing as she squirmed in Yue’s grasp. “Okay, okay! I adore you, now let me breathe, you menace.”

The rest of the group looked over, amused but unsurprised. They’d seen this routine before. Yue’s dramatic flair and Katara’s fake annoyance that never quite masked her fondness.

Still, as the laughter faded, a quieter look crossed Katara’s face, one Yue didn’t catch. She hugged her back, but her thoughts were already drifting elsewhere.

——————————————————————————————————————————

The group spent the rest of the day, laughing, swimming, and soaking up the sun. Just enjoying each other’s company like they used to. For a little while, it felt like everything was okay again.

By the time the sun began to set, casting golden light over the ocean, they were all worn out. The day had been long and draining in the best possible way.

As they packed up and made their way back to town, someone suggested one last stop. No one could say no to visiting their favorite restaurant as a perfect ending to an almost perfect day.

Katara smiled and nodded along with the others, but deep down, her heart ached. She only wished Azula was there to enjoy it with them, with her. To see her smile in that way, that made Katara feel like the sun was shining just for her.