Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Katara, you don’t need a date to the wedding,” Suki reminded her gently, her voice ringing on the other end of the line. “Seriously, it’s not a big deal if you come solo.” 

“I know that, Suki, it’s just going to be super awkward, that’s all,” Katara replied, shifting her phone to her opposite hand so she could place it between her shoulder and ear. With her free hand, she shuffled around in her pocket, extracting her apartment keys with some difficulty due to the grocery bags slung on her arms. “I’m just… I don’t know, feeling nervous about how people will react.”

“I don’t think anyone will say anything,” Suki assured her. “Remember, this day is about me, so no one will care about you. No offense.”

Katara couldn’t help but laugh at that as she unlocked her apartment door and kicked it open. “None taken.”

“Not only that,” Suki continued as Katara made her way slowly into the apartment, “but if I remember correctly, you and Aang had an amicable break up. You both agreed long distance wasn’t working, that you were better off as friends, and no hard feelings.”

“I mean, all of that is correct, but it’s going to be really difficult seeing my ex-boyfriend at my brother’s wedding and not being his date,” Katara lamented, dropping her bags on the kitchen floor and nudging them with her foot so they weren’t in the way. “I don’t know, Suki, I’m just thinking having a date will make seeing Aang a lot easier. Plus, what if he brings a date?!”

“As far as I know, he doesn’t have anyone,” Suki confirmed, the rustling of paper heard on the line. “He has a plus one, but right now, it’s just him.” 

“Ugh.” Katara put her phone on speaker and placed it on the counter so she could focus on unpacking her groceries. “I know I’m making a big deal out of nothing, I just can’t help it.” 

“Katara, if you really think about it, you’re in the wedding. You’ll barely see him because you’ll be so busy getting ready and all that.” 

“I guess so,” Katara said, pouting to herself. “Know any single people attending the wedding? I’m open to anyone.”

Suki just laughed. “Only Toph, but we both know she’s going to be looking for some nice dick to take home that night.”

“Ugh!” Katara groaned again, hitting her forehead with her palm. 

“Katara, babe, it’s going to be fine, I promise,” Suki told her, her voice soothing. “The plus one is still available to you, the wedding is three months away. Just… just relax, okay? Don’t overthink it. For me?”

Katara sighed deeply, running a tired hand over her face. She had to admit, she was feeling a bit silly complaining to Suki about her lackluster love life. Of course, Suki knew all the details, she was her best friend, but Suki was also busy planning a wedding. A wedding to Katara’s brother. She sighed again, leaning her elbow on the counter next to her phone. 

“Okay, Suki, for you,” Katara promised, though she could still feel the emotions swirling inside her. 

“Not for Sokka, we don’t care about Sokka,” Suki added firmly, though Katara could hear the laughter in her voice. 

“How is Sokka, anyways?” Katara asked, pushing herself off the counter to continue with her task. 

“Dramatic as usual,” Suki answered with a sigh. “If the flower arrangements aren’t perfect, the whole wedding is ruined!”

All Katara could do was laugh as Suki continued with her story, about how Sokka was being a perfectionist, his paranoia spiking with each guest confirmation. She bustled around the kitchen, placing her frozen foods in the freezer and her snacks in the cabinet. Suki’s voice drowned out any other thoughts, giving Katara a much needed distraction. 

“And then, this bonehead sent us the wrong cake samples, so Sokka -” Suki’s story was unfortunately cut off by a sharp knocking coming from Katara’s door. 

Katara frowned, closing her cabinet door and turning towards the front hall. “Hang on, Suks!” Katara called towards her phone. “Someone is at the door.”

“Well hurry up, I’m just getting to the good part!” Suki urged, excitement bubbling in her voice. 

With a small roll of her eyes - even though Suki couldn’t see it - Katara made her way towards the front hallway, wondering who could be on the other side fiercely knocking. 

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” she murmured to herself, finally approaching the door and opening it without a second thought. “Can I help -”

But she’s cut off by the man standing on the other side, a purse in his hand and a firm look on his face. 

Zuko.

“Oh. Hello, Zuko,” Katara greeted, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning on the doorframe. “Can I help you?”

Zuko just held the purse up higher. “I believe I have something of yours?”

Her eyes caught on the purse, a light blue crossbody with a fringe along the zipper that looked oddly familiar…

“Hey, wait!” she exclaimed, reaching out and snatching the purse from Zuko’s hand. “That’s mine! Where did you get it?”

Zuko raised his eyebrow. “The parking garage. It was next to your car.”

“How did you know it was mine?” Katara couldn’t help but to challenge, slipping her arm through the strap and securing it on her shoulder.

“Because you’re the only one who has a Tui and La charm on the strap of your purse and a sticker of a penguin-otter on your car,” Zuko answered smoothly, the corner of his lip twitching with amusement. 

Katara just humphed, feeling oddly self-conscious with Zuko standing there before her, his amber eyes studying her carefully, looking right through her. 

“You need to be more careful with your belongings,” Zuko chastised with a click of his tongue. “Anyone could have stolen it.”

“Like you?” Katara snarled, furrowing her brows and tightening her arms around her chest. She’s not sure where this anger came from and she knew Zuko didn’t deserve it, but she got some strange satisfaction from watching his lip twitch again. 

“Sure,” Zuko agreed with a nod. “Like me. Though I brought it back, and a thank you would be nice.” 

“Fine. Thank you,” Katara told him bitterly, lifting her chin in defiance as Zuko just smirked. 

“You’re welcome,” he replied, giving her a mock bow, his hand over his heart. “After all, that’s what neighbors do, right? Help each other out?”

“I suppose so,” Katara reluctantly agreed, watching as Zuko took a step backwards further into the hall. 

“Well, I will let you get back to whatever it was you were doing,” he stated, giving her a sarcastic wave. “And remember, be careful.”

“I will be sure to remember that next time,” she replied, watching as Zuko made his way across the hall and unlocked the door to his own apartment. 

She waited until he was completely inside before closing her door, turning around and leaning against it with some sort of relief. 

“Hello?!” came a muffled voice from the kitchen. “Katara, are you back yet?”

With a resigned sigh, Katara headed back to the kitchen, placing her purse on the hook in her front hallway. 

“I’m coming, Suki!” she called back, her mind somewhat wandering. “Zuko was just giving me my purse back, that’s all.”

“Oh, Zuko,” Suki sang, her voice smug. “Your cute, broody neighbor?” 

“He’s not cute,” Katara replied, though she was sure that Suki could tell she was lying. “If anything, he’s rude and condescending. You should have heard him, Suki.” She adopted Zuko’s rasp, “Be careful next time, anyone could have stolen it! As if! It was in the parking garage next to my car.”

“Well… he is right, you know,” Suki commented, and Katara could practically see her grinning on the other end. “Anyone could have found your purse and just taken your money and credit cards. You’re lucky Zuko found it first.”

“Whatever,” Katara mumbled, picking her phone from off the counter and turning the speaker off. Placing the phone to her ear she said, “I have groceries I need to put away, I’ll talk to you later, Suki, okay?”

“Sure, babe. Your brother just got home anyways, and it looks like he has some wedding stuff he wants to discuss.” There’s some muffled shuffling and talking Katara was barely able to make out. “Anyways, don’t sweat the whole date thing, okay? If you get one, great! If not, that’s fine too! We both know you’ll have fun either way.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Katara sighed, listening to Sokka calling for Suki in the background. “I’ll let you go, my brother sounds needy tonight.”

“Isn’t he always?” Suki teased. “Okay, bye babe!”

“Bye.” Katara hung up the phone and placed it back on the counter, sighing to herself again as she tilted her head up towards the ceiling. 

She felt silly beyond belief over the fact that she was currently stuck in this particular dilemma. Sure, Suki was right, her breakup with Aang was quick and painless, one that both  Katara and Aang had mutually wanted, but just the fact that she was going to be single for her brother’s wedding? A wedding where their family and friends will be most likely ready with questions as to when Katara was going to settle down and start her own family.

Not that she was ready for that yet, no, she was focused mainly on her career at this point, but still. It was the principle of the thing. 

And what if Aang ended up bringing a date? What if he’s in a new, happier relationship and Katara was bitter and single? Sure, it had only been six months since they broke up, and sure she and Aang were still friends, but it wouldn’t be fair! Would it? 

Katara shook her head, getting back to organizing her groceries, letting the menial task soothe her aching brain. 

Sugar went there, coffee went here, tea went in this little container. 

And try as she might, Katara somehow ended up thinking about the wedding. 

She was happy for Suki and Sokka, truly she was. Her brother and her best friend, her two favorite people in the whole world, getting married? And she got to be part of their special day?! She was excited, of course she was! But why was she stuck on having a stupid date?

“Get it together, Katara!” she insisted to herself, finally finishing the last of her unpacking and shoving the plastic bags under her kitchen sink. “You are a strong, independent woman who doesn’t need someone to shower her with love in order to be valid!”

It would be nice though. 

She wandered into her living room, collapsing onto the couch and burying her face in her hands. She needed a plan, that’s what she needed. A backup of sorts. She didn’t need anyone to fall in love with her, she just needed a date to this wedding so her family wouldn’t ask her awkward questions.

Now if only she had someone to ask…

She raised her head up with a snap of her neck, a sudden thought permeating her mind. 

There was someone she could ask… Granted, he might not be the best person, but he might be willing. At this point, Katara felt desperate for anyone. 

Deciding not to dwell on it further, she got up off the couch quickly and made her way back towards her front hall. She slammed the door open, accidentally letting the doorknob hit the wall, and stomped her way across the hall, lucky her apartment door squeaked shut behind her. 

With a deep breath, she knocked on the door, taking a step back and waiting for an answer. 

Of course, he just had to be punctual when answering the door. When he spotted her standing before him, Zuko smirked, leaning against the doorframe similar to the way she had done earlier. 

“And what can I do for you?” he rasped, raising his good eyebrow as he stared down at her. “Realize you were being unnecessarily rude when I returned your purse?”

She did her best to contain her eye roll when she replied, “No. Well, yes, I’m sorry I was being rude. Of course you were right, someone could have stolen it. So thank you.”

“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” He raised a hand up, a sort of peace offering. 

“No,” she grit out, already rethinking her decision. “But I do have a… request? Proposition?”

“Oh?” Zuko’s brow furrowed at this, his amber eyes darkening. “Do tell.”

“May I come in?”

With a shrug, Zuko stepped aside and opened the door wider for her to enter. He was sure to give her enough room to slip inside, his front hallway set up in a way similar to hers.

“Follow me,” he beckoned with a wave of his hand, leading her through the hall and towards his spotless living room. His cat, Druk, sat poised on the armchair, his yellow eyes trailing Katara warily. 

Zuko sat on the ;larger couch, patting the seat beside him. 

“No thanks,” Katara replied quickly, her eyes darting to Druk who now stood up and stretched his paws out in front of him, his back arching. 

“Suit yourself,” Zuko stated, leaning back and placing his hands on the back of his head. “So, what exactly are you requesting of me?”

“Well, you said earlier that neighbors help each other out, right?”

“I did say that, yes,” he confirmed with a small nod. 

“So… I have a favor to ask of you.”

“Please, Katara, I’m on the edge of my seat.”

“I need a date to my brother’s wedding,” Katara burst out, letting the words spill out of her so that she didn’t swallow them back up. “And I was wondering if you’d like to come with me?”

Zuko started at that, his hands falling from the back of his head and settling on his knees. He leaned forward, his eyes boring into Katara’s with so much intensity Katara could feel herself burning under his gaze. 

“I mean, you can say no,” Katara added just as Druk hopped off the armchair and made his way leisurely towards Katara. She felt him rubbing up against her thoughtfully, strands of his hair sticking to her leggings. 

As Katara crouched down to pat Druk on the head, Zuko’s eyes followed her, his thoughts well contained. 

“And why, exactly, do you need a date for your brother’s wedding?” Zuko asked, his eyes still trailing her as she stood  back up, wiping her hands on her shirt. 

“Because my ex and I broke up six months ago and even though it was a mutual breakup, it’s going to be awkward seeing him there,” she explained, choosing her words carefully.

“Ah, so you need me to make him jealous,” Zuko concluded, leaning back on the couch with another triumphant smirk. “Got it.”

“No! Aang and I are fine!” she insisted, shaking her head. “I need a date to avoid the awkward questions about my love life. You don’t even need to do anything, just hold my hand occasionally and tell my family how great you think I am.”

“Hmm,” Zuko mused, stroking his chin. “So you need a date to get your family off your back? That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“What’s in it for me?” Zuko questioned, raising his eyebrow. 

“Free food, open bar, I’ll pay for your ticket to Kyoshi Island. I’ll even pay for the hotel room! You don’t have to do any planning.”

“I guess,” Zuko shrugged, standing up off the couch and taking a step towards Katara. “But I do have one request.”

“Oh?” she asked, feeling her heart skip a beat. “I mean, sure, anything.”

“If I agree to do this, then I want to take you out on a few dates,” he exclaimed, looking down at her and crossing his arms over his chest. 

Katara blinked. “Why?”

“To get to know you better,” Zuko answered simply. “If I’m going to pretend to be your date, then shouldn’t I get to know you? What if someone asks me what you like to cook and I don’t know the answer? What if they ask about your job and I don’t know what you do for a living?” Zuko frowned at that. “Actually, I don’t know what you do for a living.”

“Huh,” Katara mused softly, biting her lip. “I guess you make a fair point.”

“That I do.” Zuko uncrossed his arms and held out his right hand. “So. Are we doing this?”

Katara took another breath, staring down at Zuko’s hand. It was now or never.

Taking his hand in hers - trying not to notice how warm it was and how the calluses on his palms glided against her own - she looked into his eyes and grinned. “We’re doing this.”

“Excellent.” And with that, Zuko smiled. And Katara can’t help but think she kind of liked his smile. “Give me your phone, I’ll put my number in.”

“I, uh, left it in my apartment,” Katara admitted sheepishly, dropping his hand. “I can give you my number?”

“Sure.” 

Zuko fished out his phone from his pocket, handing it to Katara so she could input her number. Once she was done, she handed it back to him, feeling the flush spreading even further along her cheeks.

“Thanks for this,” she told him as he led her back through the apartment. “I owe you.”

Zuko shrugged. “It’s fine.”

“Well, if you think of something, let me know,” she told him, walking back out into the hallway. “Seriously.”

“I’ll be sure to text you,” he replied, giving her a noncommittal wave of his hand. “Now, I need to go feed Druk, I can hear him howling next to his food bowl.”

“Oh, okay, bye.” 

And with that, Zuko shut his door, leaving Katara alone in the hallway. 

She only gave herself a minute to register what happened before rushing back into her apartment, running towards her kitchen and grabbing her phone off the counter to text Suki about her new development.

Was this idea absolutely crazy? Maybe. But she didn’t care. 

Her phone buzzed in her hand and Katara unlocked it with a new sense of urgency. There, on the screen, was a message from Zuko. All it had was his name, but still… this was getting real. 

She just hoped she and Zuko would be able to make it out of this in one piece.

Chapter Text

The next couple of days strung along rapidly for Katara, her work days blurring together so that she could barely remember what she ate only an hour beforehand. 

Luckily, despite the busyness in her life, she was able to reflect on her upcoming wedding date. 

It wasn’t that she didn’t like Zuko. No, it was that oftentimes she found him to be rude, abrupt in his manner of speaking. Not only that, but she occasionally found him to be arrogant, as if he were better than everyone around him. From the few times she interacted with him, his quick-temper rubbed off on her, causing her to be in a sour mood for the rest of the day. 

Then again, the only time she actually remembered him being rude to her was when Druk had somehow escaped from his apartment and somehow found refuge under Katara’s couch. When he knocked on her door, Zuko was stressed beyond belief, his good eye wide with fear and anxiety as he shouldered his way  into the apartment and made a beeline straight for the living room where Druk was yowling under the couch. When they finally coaxed the stubborn cat from his sanctuary, Zuko left with Druk in his arms and not even a thank you. 

Okay, fine, she could excuse that - Zuko was stressed and worried about Druk, it was nothing towards her, just the situation. 

Subsequently, though, whenever she saw Zuko in the hallways or parking garage or even the mail room, he seemed to ignore her, avoiding her eye and just walking on ahead. 

So it wasn’t like she had a problem with Zuko. It was more like Zuko had a problem with her. At least, that’s what she assumed. 

And now, he’s stuck as her wedding date. 

At the end of a particularly long work day, Katara walked into her apartment and immediately went straight to her bedroom, collapsing face first onto her bed without even kicking her shoes off her feet. She loved her job, truly she did, but sometimes it sucked the life right out of her. 

Just as she was about to close her eyes for a well deserved nap, her phone buzzed in her pocket, causing her to groan and roll over so she could read the incoming message. 

Zuko (6:18pm): Would you like to have a small dinner with me tonight? 

Katara frowned, sitting up straight so she could squint down at the text. The terms of their agreement meant that Katara would go on a few dates with Zuko before the wedding, but after such a long day… still, how bad could it be? Free food and one date out of the way? What’s the harm in that? 

She texted back her confirmation and slid off the bed, finally kicking off her shoes so she could wander around her room to find the appropriate attire. Zuko didn’t say where they would be going, only to meet him in the hallway at 6:30 and together they would walk to dinner. 

Finally settling on a pair of ripped jeans and a tight knit crop top, Katara changed out of her work clothes, grabbed her purse, and made her way anxiously out into the hallway where Zuko was already waiting for her, his hand shoved into the pockets of his jeans.

“Ready to go?” he asked gruffly, cocking his head to the side as he considered Katara. “You look nice, by the way,” he added, as though it was an afterthought. 

“So do you,” she told him, somewhat admiring his easy look of a button up short sleeve shirt with t-shirt underneath. “And yeah, I’m ready.”

“Great, let’s get going,” he replied, leading the way down the hallway towards the stairs. 

They walked in silence out of the apartment, the tension growing palpable. Katara couldn’t stand it, couldn’t stand the awkwardness that stretched between them. 

“Where are we going?” she questioned finally, her voice unintentionally sharper than intended. “I mean, you haven’t told me where we’re eating, for all I know you could be taking me to an underground bunker to murder me.”

Zuko turned his head slightly to look at her, his good brow raised at her comment. “And if I was?”

“I could fight you off, I think,” Katara commented, giving Zuko a sly grin. 

He appraised her carefully, his eyes trailing along her arms, noting the definition in her biceps. “Yes, I think you could,” he agreed, focusing back on the sidewalk ahead of him. “Ever been to The Jasmine Dragon?”

Katara shook her head, her thoughts spinning with Zuko’s unintentional compliment. “I pass it on the way to work, but I’ve never been inside. Is it good?”

“I think so,” Zuko answered with a shrug. “Then again, I’m biased. My uncle owns it.”

For some reason, Katara found herself impressed with that little snippet. “Really? Do you help out?”

“I did more when I was a teenager, working the register and busing tables, and all that,” Zuko answered, shrugging again. “Now, I do the books and help out on weekends whenever my uncle needs me. It’s easy work, though, so I don’t ever expect him to pay me back.”

Katara blinked at that, not expecting Zuko’s answer. Zuko? Being helpful without wanting anything in return? 

“It’s pretty popular too,” Zuko continued, still walking on ahead, his long stride urging Katara to pick up the pace. “The Jasmine Dragon, that is. Uncle makes really great tea, especially since he only orders the best tea leaves he can find. He’s also a great cook, and I’ve been told his moon cakes are to die for.”

There’s a hint of pride in Zuko’s voice, so small that Katara just barely picked it out. She gave him a soft smile, placing her hand on his arm and saying, “That sounds great. I’m sure I will like it. Will your uncle be there?”

“Oh, most likely,” Zuko answered, glancing down at Katara’s hand, his arm flexing beneath her touch. “Uh, we’re almost there.”

He picked up his pace so that he walked ahead of her, Katara’s hand falling from his arm. She huffed, trailing behind him at his abruptness. 

When they finally reached The Jasmine Dragon, Zuko opened the door and let her in first. The overwhelming scent of jasmine and spices overtook Katara’s senses, causing her to breathe in deeply.

“Go ahead and find us a table,” Zuko urged, motioning around the busy cafe. “Mind if I order for you? Or is there something you’d prefer?”

“Surprise me,” she decided, looking around for an unoccupied booth. 

“Okay,” he answered, leaving her by the door and making his way towards the counter where a pretty girl with a high pony worked the register. 

Katara watched as Zuko greeted her warmly, leaning his elbow on the counter with ease. A quick pang of jealousy swept through Katara’s stomach before she buried it down and made her way towards the only empty booth off to the side. 

She slid into the seat, sliding the strap of her purse off her shoulder and pushing it towards the wall. There was no reason to be jealous, it’s not like she’s into Zuko or anything. 

Placing her chin in her hand, Katara couldn’t help but glance around the cafe, watching the different couples and families enjoy their meals, laughter permeating the room. Her heart ached, yearning to be in their positions. 

“Okay, food and drink orders have been placed,” Zuko claimed, sliding into the booth opposite Katara, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Should be out in ten or so minutes.”

“Great,” Katara replied, glancing behind Zuko at the perky cashier again, her eyes bright and cheeks red. “Who’s, uh, who’s the cashier? You seem to know her well.”

“Oh, that’s Jin,” Zuko answered, giving Katara a confused look. “She’s been here for as long as I can remember. Always been very sweet, so it’s hard not to like her.”

“Ah,” was all Katara could say, turning her attention back to Zuko. 

Zuko shrugged. “Yeah. Plus I dated her for, like, a month back in college. Broke up because we realized it was weird to date your coworker.”

“Fair enough,” Katara agreed, a small breath of relief escaping through her lips. “So, is this all you do? Help your uncle?”

“Part time. I work full time for Dragon House Publishing.”

Katara was startled at that. “Wait, really? For how long?”

“Let’s see,” Zuko replied, scratching along his scar, “since before I finished my Masters degree, since it was my internship, so… four years now?”

“Huh.”

“Why so surprised?” he asked, a small smirk on his lips. 

“Considering it’s a giant publishing company based out of the Fire Nation? You can’t blame me.”

“No, I guess not,” Zuko agreed. “I’m from the Fire Nation and one of my sister’s friends has connections there, so it wasn’t too hard for me to get an interview.”

“Ah,” Katara said again, her stomach suddenly twisting at his words. Of course his job was handed to him on a silver platter. 

“I know what you’re thinking,” he stated, shaking his head. “Ty Lee got me the interview, but I had to work my way to the top like everyone else. But I get it, I was lucky when others aren’t.”

“Yes, very lucky,” Katara said, regarding him coolly. 

Zuko just leaned back, regarding Katara with consideration. It was clear to her he wanted to say more about the situation, but instead he just shook his head again. “So,” he mused, shifting the topic to her, “what do you do for work?”

“I’m a social worker,” Katara replied. “I work with underprivileged families and kids.” 

“Very nice. What got you into that?”

Katara was relieved over the fact that he moved the conversation along, listening intently to her words. She explained how she wanted to be a pediatric nurse when she was younger, but changed her mind and studied social work when she finally reached Ba Sing Se University. 

He listened to her talk about Sokka and Suki, nodding along whenever she made a brief digression. And, if she was being honest, she liked that he listened to her. She liked that he leaned his chin on his hand, his eyes never leaving her face as he gave her his undivided attention. He asked questions when necessary, giving her a small hum when she answered. 

This was nothing like the Zuko she saw in the hall. 

But just before she could say anything about his behavior, an older man with kind eyes and a wide smile came bustling over, two cups in his hands.

“Two matcha lattes!” he announced, placing a cup in front of the two. “And who is this lovely lady with you, my nephew?”

Katara giggled, surprised that this was Zuko’s uncle. 

“Uncle Iroh, this is my neighbor Katara. Katara, this is my uncle Iroh.”

Iroh raised his hand out in front of him, smiling warmly down at Katara. “Ah, it is nice to meet you, miss Katara! I’m so glad my nephew is finally bringing his friends around.”

Zuko groaned. “Uncle,” he hissed, “we’re just neighbors.”

Katara’s heart sank. Right. Neighbors. Zuko’s just doing her a favor.

“Well, your nephew is hard to make friends with,” Katara said anyways, taking Iroh’s hand in hers. “So grumpy!”

Iroh chuckled. “Isn’t he? I told him he would scare people away with a scowl like that!”

“He’s not getting rid of me,” Katara assured Iroh, releasing his hand. “In fact, I’m bringing him to my brother’s wedding.”

“Are you now!” Iroh beamed, turning his attention to Zuko whose face was steadily beginning to turn red. “Zuko, you didn’t tell me you were dating this lovely woman?”

“We’re not dating!” Zuko claimed, shaking his head vigorously. “I’m just… doing her a favor!”

Iroh raised a bushy eyebrow and turned to Katara, looking for an explanation. 

“He’s right,” Katara explained. “My brother’s wedding is in a couple of months, and I didn’t want to go alone. Zuko agreed to be my date so I could dodge any family questions about how I’m so utterly single.”

“Ahh,” Iroh mused, turning back to Zuko. “Well, I guess I understand that. Zuko, I will be back with the moon cakes in a bit.” 

With that, Iroh shuffled off, leaving behind an embarrassed Zuko and a somewhat confused Katara.

“He seems nice,” Katara commented, glancing down at her drink and admiring the leaf design in the froth. 

“Sorry for him being so… like that,” Zuko apologized, rolling his eyes. “He’s just very involved in my life.”

“Seems like he just wants the best for you.” 

“He does,” Zuko sighed, his shoulders drooping. “He pretty much raised me since I was a teenager, so I know he means well.”

Katara wanted to pry more, but instead she picked up her cup and took a sip of her latte. As soon as it hit her tongue, she let out a sigh of appreciation, her insides warming as it slid down her throat.

“This is amazing,” Katara exclaimed before taking another sip. “Thank you so much for getting this!”

“It’s one of his more popular flavors,” Zuko explained, looking down at his own cup. “To be honest, I think it tastes like wet grass.”

Katara almost spit her drink out at that, slapping her hand to her mouth as a way to keep it from escaping. She swallowed, the liquid burning her throat, before letting out a choked laugh. Zuko was just watching her from across the table, his eyebrow raised in confusion. 

“Are you okay?” he asked, grabbing a napkin from the napkin holder and handing it to Katara, which she took gratefully.

“I just - That was the funniest thing I’ve ever heard you say,” she admitted, wiping her mouth on the napkin.

“Oh, uh, thanks I guess?” Zuko replied, rubbing the back of his neck. 

Katara hummed in return, taking another sip of her drink so that she could avoid Zuko’s eyes. Maybe it wasn’t that funny, but the way he said it, so serious and his cheeks pink, made her laugh. She almost choked on her drink again, coughing to hide the sound. Zuko didn’t seem fazed, just picked up his cup and took a sip, pursing his lips at the flavor. 

Iroh came over and dropped off the moon cakes, though he didn’t stay as long this time. Just gave Katara a wink before heading back towards the kitchen, humming a tune that Katara didn’t quite catch.

Her mouth watered at the scent of blueberry and vanilla wafting towards her nose. Zuko smirked, picking up the fork that came with it and cutting through it smoothly. Copying Zuko, Katara picked up her own fork and basically shivered at the fork cutting through the cake. She popped it into her mouth, a mix between a moan and a hum escaping between her lips as the texture melted on her tongue.

“Fuck, this is delicious,” she moaned, her mouth still full, not even caring about what Zuko might think. 

“Told you they’re to die for,” Zuko replied, biting into his own moon cake. “They’re his specialty.”

They ate in silence after that, both focusing on their food and drink rather than making conversation. Katara knew this was a way for Zuko to get to know her better, but she was still enjoying herself. Not even Zuko’s usually grumpy, broody self could stop her from having fun. 

Even then, it seemed like Zuko was enjoying himself too.

Once they were both done, they pushed their plates and cups to the middle of the table, awkwardly staring at each other. Zuko cleared his throat, pushing his hair back with his hand and leaning back against the booth, clearly unsure of what to say. 

 “Can I ask you something?” she said, breaking the tension between them. 

“That’s why we’re here,” Zuko answered. “Go ahead.”

“Why do you ignore me? When I see you in the hall and such?” 

Zuko blinked. “Oh, uh…”

“And after I helped you save Druk, you were… kind of rude. Like ignoring me and such. I mean, yeah I guess there’s always been some animosity between us, but still. I helped save your cat, the least you could do is be nice, you know?”

“I mean, I guess after the whole Druk situation…” Zuko started, words trailing off. He cocked his head to the side, pinching the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes in thought. 

Katara just crossed her arms. “I don’t know, I do appreciate you helping me out, but I guess I just want to know what happened.” 

Zuko opened his eyes with a deep sigh. “Katara, I had a really… rough childhood growing up. When I was younger, I was told that asking for help was a sign of weakness and it’s something that I’ve had to unlearn going into adulthood. I’m not really sure how to explain it, and I know it’s not an excuse for how I treated you afterwards, but I guess I just… was nervous you would be mad at me for what happened.” 

Katara’s heart sank. “Oh…”

“I know it’s not rational, and I told myself it was stupid, but I guess I put these barriers up around me without meaning to. I don’t like to open up to people, so sometimes brushing people off is the only defense mechanism I have to make sure I don’t get too close to anyone.”

“I guess me being rude didn’t help either,” Katara added, her voice soft.

“No, you had every right to be upset with me,” Zuko answered, shaking his head. “I can’t blame you for being rude when I’m the one who started it.”

“Okay, well,” Katara stated, sitting up straight in her seat, “I declare that we start over. A new beginning. Especially since you will have to deal with me for five full days when the wedding finally gets here. I don’t need a socially awkward date at my brother’s wedding.”

Zuko grinned, the corner of his lip ticking upwards in an easygoing manner that Katara had never seen before. “Okay, I think I can work with a fresh start.”

Katara reached her hand across the table. “Hi, I’m Katara. I’m your neighbor from across the hall.”

Zuko took her hand in hers, once again his rough calluses sliding against her own in a way that causes Katara to shiver. “Hello, I’m Zuko. Very nice to meet you, Katara.”

“And you as well,” Katara replied, shaking his hand, a smile creeping on her face.  

But just as soon as it started, Zuko dropped her hand, pulling his hand back towards him as though he had been burned. Katara felt as though someone reached into her chest, squeezing her heart so that she couldn’t breath. Zuko just cleared his throat, scooting out of the booth and standing before the table. 

“Uh, want to head out?” he asked, motioning towards the door. “I have work early tomorrow and I know you’re busy too.”

“Oh, yeah, of course,” Katara replied, grabbing her purse and sliding out of the booth so she was standing directly in front of Zuko, her eyes just reaching his chin. 

She tilted her head upwards so she could look into his eyes, watching as they slowly began to dilate. Unable to help herself, she licked her lips, staring up at him with a new sense of understanding. 

“We should - we should go,” he said suddenly, stepping away from her and motioning towards the door. “After you.”

“Right,” Katara areed, turning so she could make her way across the cafe and towards the door. As Zuko followed after her she said, “You don’t want to say goodbye to your uncle?”

“I’ll call him later,” Zuko stated. “He’s busy.”

Just like earlier, Zuko opened the door for Katara, letting her walk outside first. She breathed in the cool air, closing her eyes as the wind swept along her face. Zuko didn’t say anything, just stood by her and waited until she was ready to leave. 

When she was satisfied, she opened her eyes and nodded, leading Zuko down the sidewalk back towards their apartment building. 

“I had fun,” she told him as he fell into step beside her. “A successful ‘first date’.”

Zuko chuckled. “Yeah, me too. Hopefully we can get in a few more before the wedding.”

“That reminds me,” Katara stated, turning to look up at him. “Suki sent me a picture of my dress, so we should go shopping to get you a nice shirt and tie. We don’t have to match perfectly, I’m thinking of a nice complementary color, like a deep wine.”

“What color is your dress?”

“Forest green is how it’s been described to us,” Katara answered, rolling her eyes. “I’ll send you a picture just in case you want to go yourself.”

“I don’t mind shopping with you.” His voice was so quiet Katara had almost missed his comment.

“Oh, okay,” she replied, her face steadily turning red. “Then we can definitely find a day to go. Maybe when we both have work off.”

“Sure, sure.”

They walked in silence after that, not that Katara minded at least.

Maybe Zuko wasn’t so bad after all… 

Chapter Text

The weekend approached quickly, a welcome couple of days where Katara could just lounge around her apartment without changing out of her pajamas. So far, her plans included sitting her ass on the couch and watching trashy romance movies, an open bottle of wine clutched in her hand for easy access.

Come Saturday afternoon though, about halfway through her first movie, a sharp knock echoed through her apartment, snapping her out of her thoughts and urging her to get up off her ass. 

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” she murmured, making her way towards the front hall, her blanket still wrapped around her shoulders.

But when she opened the door, no one was there. Glancing around the hallway, Katara furrowed her brow, unsure of whether she actually heard someone knocking. Still, something nagged her at the back of her mind, causing her to look down at the floor where a piece of paper was sticking out of her welcome mat. Looking around once more, she bent over and picked it up, unfolding it to see a sprawl of messy handwriting.

Katara,

Come by my place around 5. Bring yourself and an appetite.

~Zuko

Unable to help herself, Katara chuckled, clutching the note in her hand and making her way back into the apartment. It was only noon, so Katara still had time to lounge around, but the thought of going to Zuko’s later had her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn’t help but wonder exactly what he had planned for her, especially considering their first date was only three days prior. 

Making her way back to the living room, Katara collapsed on the couch, grabbing her bottle of wine and the remote to start the movie back up. No matter how hard she tried though, she couldn’t get Zuko out of her mind. 

Their first date had been a success, and Katara had found that she actually enjoyed spending time with Zuko when he wasn’t being his usual grumpy self. She also felt touched that he seemed to open himself up to her, even if it was only a little bit. And though she wanted to pry him open with her fingers, she knew that she had to be patient. 

Besides, there was no reason to actually get attached, was there? Especially when he was only pretending to be her date for Sokka and Suki’s wedding. It’s not like there were any feelings involved between them, anyways. 

Right?

Katara did her best to focus on the movie, the male lead now taking the female lead by the hand and leading her onto the dance floor, her skirts swishing with each step. She watched as the two began their dance, the dancers in the background slowly beginning to diminish one by one as the two leads couldn’t take their eyes off each other. 

Suddenly, Katara turned the movie off, unable to focus any longer. 

Lazy day be damned. Instead, she got up off the couch, shoving her blanket off her shoulders so she could make her way to the kitchen and place the bottle of wine in the fridge. Making her way to her room, she decided the best course of action to keep her thoughts at bay was to go for a run. A long run at that.

She quickly changed out of her pajamas and into a pair of leggings and a sports bra, then grabbed her phone, headphones, and her spare key before making her way out of the apartment. 

Yes, a nice long run around Ba Sing Se will soothe her thoughts. That’s what she needed. 

She got back to her apartment around 1:45, sweat glistening on her skin, her hair sticking to her forehead, her legs wobbly. Panting, she made her way to the kitchen and ripped open the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water and chugging it quickly.

Katara glanced at the clock, realizing she still had three hours to go before having to be at Zuko’s apartment. With a groan, she decided she might as well just start getting ready now. Besides, she wanted to look her best, right?

Deciding on the way to the bathroom to take an extra long shower, Katara thought more about what Zuko could possibly be planning. 

He said to bring herself and an appetite? Was he cooking? And what was he cooking? Did she need to look nice? Casual? If she wanted to, could she show up in her pajamas? Would he care?

“Stop overthinking this, Katara!” she chided to herself, hopping into the warm shower, the water sliding along her skin. “Whatever he has planned, I’m sure it’s going to be all fine.”

With that, she got to work cleaning herself, grabbing her razor and being sure to shave everything. Not that she needed it, of course. It was just a precaution. 

When she was done, she wrapped herself up in her towel and made her way back to her bedroom, kicking the door closed behind her. Instead of making her way to the closet to choose an outfit, she instead went to her bed, sitting on the edge and staring at the wall.

How well did she really know Zuko, anyways? There were tidbits, but that was it really. 

Instinctively, she grabbed her phone and opened up to her social media apps, typing in Zuko’s name and hoping he had an account for her to snoop on. Luckily, there seemed to be only one Zuko in Ba Sing Se, and she clicked on his name eagerly.

There weren’t many pictures of himself, rather there were pictures of Druk, books, mugs of tea. There were Fire Nation sunsets, seemingly a reminder of a home he left behind. 

Katara frowned, scrolling further along his profile trying to discern who Zuko was with what little evidence she had. 

She came across a picture of him and three women, only one of whom was smiling at the camera. One of them had sharp features, her eyes narrowed in displeasure and her arms crossed. She seemed to be looking at Zuko, whose eyes were focused solely ahead of him. One of the women was wearing a bright pink crop top, her arm wrapped around the grumpy girl, her smile wide as she pulled her close. The last woman was on Zuko’s right, her eyebrow raised, an almost unimpressed look on her face. For some reason, Katara could just tell that was Zuko’s sister; they had the same amber eyes, the same jawline. The other two, though, Katara didn’t know, and for some reason, she got a sinking feeling in her gut. 

Locking her phone, Katara threw it on the bed and got up, bustling over to the closet so she could finally decide on an outfit. 

Once she was finally ready, she checked the time: still only a little under two hours to go. 

“Okay, Katara, you got this,” she assured herself, making her way back to the living room. “Just watch some television, it’ll get your mind off things.”

Mindless television was exactly what she needed. 

Finally, when 5:00 arrived, Katara turned the TV off and made her way towards Zuko’s apartment, her heart pounding in her ribcage when she knocked on the door.

“It’s open!” Zuko called out. 

Letting herself in, Katara was met with the smell of cooking in the air, savory and spicy all at once. It was somewhat overwhelming, wafting around Katara and pulling her in. 

“In the kitchen,” Zuko called out again, his voice barely heard over the sound of sizzling. 

Katara kicked off her shoes and followed the sound, her nose in the air as she relished in the scents.

“Everything smells… so good,” she stated once she finally walked into the kitchen where Zuko was standing in front of the stove, apron around his waist and spoon in hand. 

He turned to face her, his cheeks flushed red, but a smile on his face. “I sure hope so! I’ve been cooking for what feels like hours.”

“Why go all out?” Katara asked, pulling up a stool at the counter, propping her head on her fist so she could watch him better. 

“Is it wrong to want to impress you just a little bit?” he asked in return, focusing back on his task. 

Katara’s heart skipped a bit. “No, I guess not.”

“Well, good,” he answered, “because I made five-flavor soup, even though the ingredients were not easy to find.”

“You - you made five-flavor soup?” Katara asked, her eyes widening at his words. 

Zuko shrugged. “Yeah, my uncle said it was a traditional Southern Water Tribe dinner. Hopefully I got it right, though, I’m not as good of a cook as my uncle.”

Katara didn’t know what to say. She had missed her Gran Gran’s cooking, yearning for a little piece of home every once in a while so that her heart ached. And here was Zuko, trying to bring that piece of home to her.

“That’s… very sweet of you,” was all she could say, her voice barely above a whisper. 

“Least I could do,” Zuko said, turning back to face her. “I also made komodo chicken and salted vegetables for a side.”

“And dessert?” Katara teased, sitting up straight. 

Zuko grinned. “Homemade seaweed cookies by yours truly, and then mochi cakes my uncle dropped off in case those were a bust.”

Katara laughed. “Zuko, you really didn’t need to do all this.”

“Maybe not,” Zuko replied, undoing his apron and hanging it on the knob of one of the cabinet doors. “But we decided to start over, so why not?”

Unsure of what to say, Katara just slid off her stool to help Zuko prepare the table. Nothing was said between them, though Katara could feel the electricity buzzing in the air as they worked, setting placemats and utensils, bringing over bowls and plates. 

Once they were finished, they sat across from each other at the table, the food a necessary barrier between them. 

“You first,” Zuko stated, motioning towards the big pot of soup. 

Katara obliged, grabbing the ladle and pouring it carefully into her bowl, the smell of home clearing her senses. 

“If it’s terrible, you can tell me,” Zuko exclaimed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ve really only ever cooked Fire Nation foods, so I’m not sure how this is supposed to be.”

“Zuko, I’m sure it’s fine,” Katara assured him, picking up her spoon.

Zuko watched her intently as she dipped her spoon into her soup and brought it to her lips. At the first taste of the soup on her tongue, Katara almost cried out in joy. No, it wasn’t like Gran Gran’s, but it was delicious nonetheless. It was the perfect combination of seaweed and sea prunes, the flavor subtle, not as alarming on her tongue as most places outside of the South.

“Well?” Zuko asked, biting his lip.

“This is really, really good!” Katara told him, already going for another bite.

“You don’t have to lie, Katara, you can tell me it’s bad.”

“Zuko. I’m serious. It’s great,” she assured him, reaching across the table to place her hand on his. “I can tell just how hard you tried to make it perfect, and I so, so appreciate that.”

Zuko let out a sigh of relief, sliding his hand out from under hers. “Okay, well, good. I’m glad.”

Helping himself to a bowl, Zuko fell silent, focusing more on Katara as she ate rather than admiring his own meal. 

And while she liked the attention, Katara felt a constriction in her chest as he watched her intently. 

“So,” she said, making conversation. “What else do you think we should talk about?”

Zuko blinked. “Uh, right, yeah. If someone at the wedding asks about you, I need to know my shit.”

“That you do,” Katara agreed. “I’m an open book, what do you want to know?”

Conversation flowed steadily then, the exchange of information that was agreed upon. Majors in school, favorite colors, favorite foods, simple tidbits that Katara was able to stand. 

“So, if I’m going to your brother’s wedding,” Zuko commented, scooping some rice into his bowl, “I should probably ask about him, huh?”

“That seems to be a wise choice,” Katara agreed, the corner of her lip ticking upward. “What do you want to know about him?”

“Well, I’ve only met him in passing when he visits you. But I don’t know him. What’s he like?”

“Sokka? He’s probably the smartest, yet most clueless person I know,” Katara answered with a fond laugh. 

Zuko cocked his head. “Please, explain.”

“He has a Masters in engineering, works at Ba Sing Se’s most proficient company where he is, like, their top engineer.”

“But?”

“But, he will leave the stove on when he leaves the house and almost burn the place down.” 

Zuko winced. “Okay, ouch.”

“Again, smartest guy I know,” Katara laughed, twirling a chopstick between her fingers as she focused on her bowl of rice. With a frown, she added, “He’s also super overprotective of those he loves. Especially me, not that I need protecting.” 

“No, I wouldn’t say you would,” Zuko agreed quietly, causing Katara to glance up at him again, catching… something in his eyes that caused her to shudder. 

“What about you?” she said quickly, changing the topic. “Do you have any siblings?”

“Two younger sisters,” Zuko sighed. “Azula and our half-sister Kiyi.” 

“How old?”

“Azula is two years younger than me, Kiyi just turned thirteen.”

“Wow! And do they live in Ba Sing Se?”

Zuko shook his head. “No, they both live in the Fire Nation. Azula works for our dad’s company, and Kiyi lives with our mom and her dad. I don’t see them too often.” 

“Oh.”

With a shrug, Zuko slid his phone out of his pocket, sliding along the screen and scrolling with his thumb until he found what he was looking for. When he presented it to Katara, she squinted at the screen, studying the picture of a much happier Zuko dancing with a younger girl whose cheeks were flushed pink and whose messy raven hair was sticking out haphazardly.

“Kiyi,” Zuko explained, smiling fondly. “This is an older picture, maybe from about two or so years ago. She loved to dance, still does actually.”

“She’s very cute,” Katara said. “I bet you’re a great older brother to her.”

Zuko shrugged, turning the screen back to face him so he could scroll through some more pictures. Once he found the one he wanted, he turned the phone back to her, and Katara noted it was the same picture she pulled up earlier. 

“The girl on my right -” Zuko pointed “-is Azula.” 

“You guys look alike,” Katara commented, causing Zuko to frown, bringing his phone towards his face to study the picture himself. 

“I guess…” 

“Who are the other two girls?” 

“Huh?” Zuko blinked. “Oh, Ty Lee and Mai. Azula’s friends from childhood, though I’ve always hung around with them when I’m home. I, uh, dated Mai on and off for years, actually.”

“Oh? And which one is she?”

Zuko presented the phone to Katara again. “Take a guess.”

Katara frowned, studying the picture again, her eyes sweeping along both girls. “Hmm,” she mused, tapping on the screen with her chopstick. “The gloomy girl?”

Zuko chuckled, pulling the phone away. “Yeah, that’s Mai.”

The way he said it, Katara couldn’t help but note a sense of adoration in his voice, tender, as if he still had some lingering feelings for the other girl. Katara’s heart ached in her chest, stupid and annoying. 

She cleared her throat, focusing back on her meal. “I dated Aang for three years. The last year was long distance while he was at the Southern Air Temple.”

“How did you two meet anyways?”

“Oh, when we were teenagers,” Katara explained with a wave of her chopsticks. “My dad’s job got him transferred to Ba Sing Se and Aang and his guardian were always traveling around the world.” 

“Seems like there’s more to both of your stories,” Zuko observed, his eyes never leaving Katara. 

With a sigh, Katara said, “Yeah, somewhat long and painful. I’ll spare you the details since this is only our second date.”

Zuko barked out a laugh, making Katara jump in her seat. His face was red, eyes crinkled in amusement as he stared down at her. 

“Sorry,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “That was just… it was funny.” 

Katara smiled. “I’m glad you think so.” 

Zuko grinned back, leaning back in his chair so he could have a better view of Katara. She could feel the flush spreading along her cheeks, down her neck at his intense stare, one that Katara had become quite acquainted with. 

“Uh, listen, maybe we don’t have to talk about exes and all that,” Katara suggested, dropping her eyes to her food. “You know, for the sake of keeping things… normal.”

“Sure,” Zuko replied casually, pushing his chair back and standing up. “If that’s what you want. If you’re done with your dinner, I’ll clean up while you head on over to the living room to relax.”

“Oh, let me help!” Katara stated, standing up as well and beginning to clear the bowls and utensils. 

“Katara, you’re my guest. Go relax.”

“Zuko, I’m going to help you whether you like it on,” Katara huffed, making her way towards the sink with her hands full. “Now, do you want to wash and I dry? Or would you prefer I wash and you dry?”

Zuko huffed out an amused laugh, standing beside Katara and placing his own dishes in the sink. “It’s my apartment, I’ll wash and you dry.”

“Deal.”

As they continued clearing off the table and washing the dishes, Katara standing beside Zuko with a rag in hand, they continued to make idle conversation. No more mentions of exes, just… simple conversation that flowed easily between friends. 

When they were done, Zuko motioned for Katara to head to the living room. “I’ll be over in a minute. We still have dessert and wine to get through.” 

“If you say so,” Katara sang, leaving the kitchen and heading towards Zuko’s tidy living room. 

Druk was sprawled out on the couch, his paws in the air as he slept on his back. When he heard Katara’s footsteps approaching, he opened one lazy eye and watched her navigate the room. With a small mmrp, he rolled over back onto his stomach, stretched his front legs out in front of him, and walked over to the arm of the couch, eyes trailing Katara carefully.

“Want some pets?” she offered, holding out her hand and letting Druk sniff her. 

With a soft purr, he rubbed his head along her hand, begging for more attention. Katara laughed, scratching behind Druk’s ears as he continued to purr.

“I’ve never seen a Druk act like that with anyone,” Zuko commented suddenly from behind Katara.

She turned to him, her finger still scratching at Druk’s ear. “Maybe I’m special.”

“Maybe,” Zuko mused, his tone pensive. “Even when Azula is in Ba Sing Se and has to crash on my couch, I have to lock him in my room or he'll be hissing at her.”

Katara just shrugged, sitting on the couch next to Druk so that he could crawl into her lap, his head now rubbing up against her chin. She gigged, using both hands to pet Druk, nuzzling her face to his. Zuko watched with a small frown on his face, but he didn’t say anything. 

“What?” Katara asked, glancing up at him.

“Nothing.” Zuko shook his head before holding up the plates in his hands. “I have seaweed cookies and mochi cakes.” He rotated his body slightly so that Katara could see the bottle of wine tucked under his arm. “And arctic berry wine. My uncle suggested it.”

“Oh, good choice!” Katara agreed as Zuko placed everything on the coffee table. “My dad makes a killer homemade arctic berry wine, but it’s super strong.”

“Homemade wine, huh?”

Before Katara could stop herself, she said, “Maybe you could try it someday?” 

Zuko raised an eyebrow, the corner of his lip twitching ever so slightly. “Yes. I think I would like that.”

“Okay.” Katara swallowed, her hands now stroking Druk’s body so that she could focus on anything but the way Zuko was not staring at her. “Next time he visits, I’ll have to tell him to bring some over so you can try it.”

“I’d like that,” Zuko agreed, his voice quiet. 

“Anyways, you made seaweed cookies?” Katara said quickly, scooting forward as carefully as she could with Druk on her lap. “I can’t wait to try them!”

Luckily, that got Zuko to smile, though by the way his cheeks turned steadily pink, she could tell he was embarrassed. “I’m not sure they’re that good…”

“I’ll try anything once,” Katara told him. “I got that from Sokka.”

“Seems like he’s a good influence on you,” Zuko stated, picking up a cookie and handing it to Katara. 

“Eh, he can be when he wants to be,” Katara shrugged. She held up her cookie towards Zuko, presenting to him with a mischievous smirk. “Well, cheers. I hope it’s not poisoned.”

“If it is, I think Druk would be very upset to lose his new friend,” Zuko teased.

Katara rolled her eyes affectionately before biting into the cookie. She chewed slowly; it wasn’t Gran Gran’s homemade seaweed cookies, but it was still pretty damn good. She took another bite, humming happily as she did so Zuko knew she was happy. Beside her, he let out a small sigh of relief, reaching over and grabbing the bottle of wine so he could open it.

“So. A successful second date?” he asked, presenting the bottle of wine to her. 

“Yes, I think so,” Katara agreed, grinning up at Zuko.

The relief was clear on his face, the tension melting from his shoulders as he settled closer to Katara on the couch, his hand reaching over to pet Druk. 

Instinctively, Katara leaned closer to Zuko, her shoulder brushing up against his. She could feel the heat radiating off of him, warm and inviting. She could smell the spices he used to cook with stuck on his clothes and the tiniest whiff of apple shampoo. 

No, this wasn’t so bad. The smell of homemade cooking and a cat cuddled in her lap and an attractive man sitting beside her now drinking arctic berry wine straight from the bottle. 

She could work with this. 

As long as this was all it was.

Chapter Text

“So, I don’t need to match you perfectly?” Zuko asked from somewhere behind Katara as she marched through racks of shirts, her hand gliding along the fabric of each one, a small frown on her face.

“No, no,” she explained patiently with a shake of her head. “I just want your outfit to complement my dress.”

“Well my outfit doesn’t speak, so I’m not sure how it’s supposed to compliment it,” Zuko replied gruffly, causing Katara to burst out laughing. 

“Wow,” she stated, turning to face Zuko so she could flash him a quick grin. “Who knew you would be such a dork?”

Zuko just shrugged, his cheeks turning steadily red. “I mean, it’s a hidden talent buried extremely deep. But I do get what you mean about the outfit. It would look nice.”

“That’s my thought process,” Katara agreed, turning back towards the rack and shuffling through the options. 

As she passed shirts to Zuko, he took them willingly, holding them to his chest so that Katara could study him. She let out a soft hum, focusing all of her energy into creating an outfit for Zuko rather than Zuko himself.

Since their dinner date, they had been on a few casual outings: a walk around the park, grabbing a coffee in the morning before work, and even a museum date that was recommended to Katara by Suki. 

And the more time she spent with Zuko, the more Katara realized she liked him. She liked his personality, even if he could be gruff at times. She liked the way he smiled, the uptick of the corner of his lip that showed that he was amused with her. The way he talked, his deep rasp that somehow made her insides melt. 

Katara tried to push these feelings aside, especially since she knew that Zuko was only doing this as a favor to her. For all she knew, he didn’t reciprocate her feelings. 

Feelings. She hated that word. It made her feel like a middle school girl with a silly crush on the cutest boy in class. 

“Katara?” Zuko’s voice snapped her back to reality. She looked down at her fist, the way she now clutched a tie in her palm, the silk material bunching up between her fingers. “Are you okay?” he asked, placing a free hand on her shoulder. “I lost you there for a moment.”

“Oh, I just got lost in thought I guess,” Katara answered, shaking her head, dissolving all thoughts of Zuko at that moment. She held up the tie in her hand, presenting it to him with a sense of satisfaction. “What do you think? If we do the maroon shirt, the black tie will look nice. Do you have black slacks to go with it?”

Zuko raised his eyebrow, but nodded. “Yes, I think it could work.” 

“Great. Do you want to try it all on?”

“Nah, let’s pay and head back to my place. I’d rather try on everything at home and just return it if it doesn’t work.”

So they made their way to the cash register so Zuko could pay for his new shirt and tie. When they were done, Zuko was quiet as they walked back to Katara’s car. Not that this was odd, per se, just… whenever he was with her, Zuko began to open up more. Conversation flowed easily between them, sharing stories and secrets and venting about work. 

But now, Zuko sat quietly in her passenger seat, his hands on his lap as he stared straight ahead, his brow furrowed in concentration. There were so many times Katara wished she could open up his brain and see what he was thinking about. 

Once they reached their apartment building, Katara parked in the parking garage and they continued their silent journey back to Zuko’s apartment. 

Druk, of course, welcomed them loudly as soon as they opened the door, rubbing up against their legs so that they almost tripped over him. 

“Druk, buddy, we talked about this,” Zuko huffed, stepping over Druk. “Let me walk into the apartment and close the door before you bombard me by begging for attention.”

Katara couldn’t help but to giggle as she scooped Druk into her arms, earning herself a soft mewl as he nudged the top of his head to her chin. “He just wants some loving,” she crooned as she scratched under Druk’s chin, puckering her lips so she could give the cat a kiss on his head. “Mean Zuko won’t give you loves, huh Druk?”

Zuko rolled his eyes affectionately at her, shaking his head when Katara pouted. 

“He’s so spoiled,” Zuko complained, leading Katara into the apartment towards the living room. “Well, while you smother my cat with affection, I’ll go try this all on.”

Katara settled on the couch, tucking on foot under her leg so Druk could get comfortable. Zuko rolled his eyes again before stalking off towards his bedroom muttering under his breath about “damn cat” and “spoiled brat”. 

Laughing, Katara stroked down Druk’s back, listening as he purred happily in her lap. 

“Zuko sure can be grumpy,” she told him, shaking her head. “He was so quiet on the car ride home. I wonder what he was thinking about.”

Druk just replied with a quiet meow. 

“I know, I know,” Katara agreed, leaning back against the cushions. “I can’t push him. Can I tell you a secret?”

Druk looked up at her, his green eyes wide. 

“I think I might actually like him,” she admitted quietly, watching as Druk put his head back down on her leg. 

It felt good to say the words out loud. In a way, the energy was out there for the universe to do with it as it sees fit. 

Closing her eyes, Katara continued to pet Druk, his soft chirps drowning out the sound of her thoughts. 

She did like Zuko. A lot actually. But maybe it was because she was just getting to know him, not because she was actually attracted to him. 

“Hey, do you know how to tie a tie?” 

Opening her eyes, Katara spotted Zuko standing at the entrance of the living room, a slight frown on his face as he held the tie in his hand. He was already wearing the new maroon shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a watch on his wrist. It was tight over his chest, snug in just the right way. 

Katara swallowed, her eyes roaming over his figure as she carefully pushed Druk off her lap. “Yeah, of course.”

She made her way to him slowly, her breath catching in her throat as Zuko handed her the tie and lifted his chin so that she could get to work. She hoped Zuko couldn’t see the way her hands shook as her deft fingers began knotting the tie around his neck, smoothing it down his chest so it wouldn’t wrinkle. 

The energy in the room felt charged, thick with tension as Katara placed her hands on Zuko’s firm chest, biting her lip as she studied her work. 

It wasn’t until Zuko cleared her throat that Katara finally let her hands fall from his chest and took a step back so she could admire the man in front of her. 

“Well?” Zuko asked, raising his arms up and lifting his brow at Katara. “Do you think it works?”

“Yes,” was all Katara could say as her eyes continued to roam Zuko’s body, admiring his bare forearms and the way his shirt hugged his biceps. 

Zuko visibly sighed, his shoulders slackening. “Okay, great. Looks like we’re all set here, then.”

“Hold on!” Katara exclaimed, digging her phone out of her pocket. “I need to get a picture for Suki! I need her to see how attractive my date is!”

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself, causing Zuko’s mouth to fall open. 

“I mean… you know, I just want her to approve of your outfit, that’s all,” Katara said quickly, her cheeks burning.

“You think I’m attractive?” Zuko asked, his voice quiet. 

“I mean, yeah?” Katara admitted shyly, biting her lip. “You’re a handsome guy, Zuko.”

Zuko rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess… I guess I never really thought about it.” Katara watched as his hand made his way towards the left side of his face, his finger tracing along the scar that covered his eye, the corner of his lip curved down in a thoughtful manner. “I just never gave it any consideration.”

Katara’s heart ached at that, and she was tempted to reach out and place her hand on his cheek, to let her own finger trace along his scar. Instead, she grinned and said, “Well, in that outfit, you look super hot. I’m sure everyone will be fawning over you at the wedding.”

Zuko’s hand fell to his side as he let out a deep chuckle. “Well, thanks for the confidence boost, Katara, I appreciate it. Now hurry up and take your picture for Suki so I can get out of these slacks and into a pair of sweatpants.”

Katara laughed but quickly took the picture and sent it along to Suki. As she slid her phone back into her pocket, Zuko proceeded to loosen the tie and unbutton the shirt without any regard to Katara still standing before him. 

Unable to help herself, Katara watched as more of his pale skin was exposed to her. Once he was completely unbuttoned, Katara caught a glimpse of red starting just along his chest. 

“What’s that?” she asked, walking closer to him and pressing a finger to his bare skin. 

With a grin, Zuko pulled the shirt aside to expose more ink along his chest, the head of a dragon starting on his left pec, just above his heart, and running up towards his shoulder. 

“I got it when I turned eighteen,” he explained as Katara admired the tattoo. “Eighteen year old Zuko was… well, he was troubled, I guess. So in an act of defiance, he got this tattoo thinking it would make him more of a badass than he really was.”

“I think that’s pretty badass,” Katara told him, her finger now tracing along the dragon, her touch featherlight against his skin.

His breath caught in his throat, but Zuko stood still as Katara’s finger inched closer to his shoulder, her hand pushing the shirt further off his body.

She wanted to see more of him, wanted to admire his body fully but she knew she couldn’t, knew she would be getting herself in trouble if she took that extra step. With some effort, she let her hand fall to her side, lifting her chin so she could look Zuko in the eye.

His pupils were dilated, his amber eyes glowing as he stared down at her. There, beneath the surface, Katara could see his own need beginning to form.

Taking a step back, Katara shook her head, trying to banish her salacious thoughts. “I, uh, I should get going,” she told him, wrapping her arms around her middle. “I have some paperwork to get to and, um, you know, work.”

“Right, right,” Zuko nodded, his eyes dropping away from hers. “Totally get it.”

“I’ll just…let myself out then?”

“Sure, just make sure Druk doesn’t follow you home. We both know how much he likes being under your couch.”

Katara laughed, feeling the tension leave her body. “Sorry Druk likes me better than you.”

“I feed him and clean his shit,” Zuko shot back, his voice teasing. 

“Yes, but I give him cuddles,” Katara retorted, happy to be back on an even playing field. “So, ergo, he likes me better.”

Zuko snorted. “Keep telling yourself that, Katara.”

“I will.”

And with a small wave, she made her way back towards Zuko’s front door, giving Druk a pat on the head before making her way into the hallway and to her own apartment.

Once inside, she leaned towards the door, exhaling a deep breath out as her insides churned. 

That was too close.

But she wasn’t lying about paperwork; Katara did still have some work she needed to get done before she went back to work on Monday, especially with the wedding being only a week away. 

She worked for the rest of the day, thankful for the distraction the boring paperwork provided to her. 

It wasn’t until she crawled into bed later that night that all thoughts of Zuko came rushing back to her, pushing any other thought out of her mind. 

A low ache began between her legs, especially when she remembered the way he was looking at her earlier, his eyes wide and full of want. She groaned, rubbing her thighs together, her own need growing in her belly. 

“Fuck,” she moaned, her fingers trailing down her stomach and dipping below the elastic of her shorts.

Once her fingers reached her soft curls, she groaned, easing her fingers closer to her core. She needed this, wanted this. 

Her thumb found her clit, circling it slowly, her thighs already wet with her arousal. Biting her lip, she eased a finger inside herself, releasing a low hiss as she did. Her back arched off the bed, finger working her pussy carefully.

Still, it wasn’t enough, and his golden eyes burned in her mind, the ache between her legs urging her on even further. 

She slid her finger out and reached towards her nightstand, ripping open the drawer and shuffling through the contents before pulling out her vibrator. Praying it was fully charged, she turned it on, gasping when it came to life in her hand. 

Eagerly, she pulled her shorts down her legs, kicking them off so that they landed somewhere on her floor. Biting her lip again, she prodded at her entrance, groaning at the way the vibrator felt against her. 

Planting her feet on the mattress, she focused on her clit, clenching her teeth as she pretended it was his mouth on her. 

“Fuck, Zuko!” she cried, her back arching further off the bed, her free hand flying to her breast so she could pinch and tug at her sensitive nipple. 

She imagined it was his warm hand on her breast, pinching and tugging and kneading at her soft flesh. She screwed her eyes shut, her thighs trembling as her orgasm snuck up on her, a wave of relief washing over her as she cried out in ecstasy. 

Coming down from her orgasm, Katara let her legs collapse bonelessly against the mattress, pulling the vibrator away from her sensitive folds and turning it off reluctantly. 

“Fuck,” she muttered, placing her hand over her eyes as spots danced in her vision, his face fading in and out of her thoughts. 

With a sigh, she cleaned herself up, her thoughts all muddled and confused.

If Katara was sure about one thing, it was that she was in deep shit.