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Katara
Katara watched him from the doorway. He was so serene, so unassuming, arms resting on the stone terrace, bright, youthful eyes gazing out at the city below. He was finally at peace. And she had to shatter it.
Katara strode over to him with a shaky sigh. It wouldn’t be easy. Not in the slightest. But she had let it go on far longer than she should have, especially now she knew. It had to end.
“Hey Katara,” Aang said, turning to face her, an affectionate smile spreading across his round face. Her mouth returned it, but not her soul. “The war is over.”
She stood beside him, looking out over the same view, their life paths converged into one winding road. Possibly for the last time. They linked arms in silence, varying visions of the future swimming about their minds. “Yeah. It is.”
He turned to her. “Remember what you said at the play, about us. About how maybe when the war was over and the world was balanced… we could be together?”
She shifted awkwardly. She hadn’t said exactly that . “Aang…”
He blinked, something registering for real this time. “But you don’t want to be together, do you?”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. She made to hug him, but he tore away from her, a look of confusion and anguish on his face.
“Why? Am I not good enough? Did I do something wrong?”
“No, of course not. It’s not even you…”
“Then what is it? There’s someone else, isn’t there?” She didn’t give an answer.
“You’re so young, and brave, and caring, and wonderful. You have a whole life ahead of you, Aang. There will be someone else for you. She’ll be strong, and compassionate and beautiful. She’ll sweep you off your feet.”
A few confused tears sliding down his cheeks, Aang smiled sadly. “But she won’t be you…”
Katara pulled him into a hug. “I know,” she said simply.
Zuko
“Sokka, what even is that supposed to be?” Katara deadpanned.
Her brother squinted his eyes at the drawing. “Ya know, I can’t really remember. It’s a dragon, I think… or Tui and La?”
In another part of the room, Toph interrogated Mai. “Did you really give up Zuko for Ty Lee? Or is that a rumor and it was really the ceaseless angst that did you in?” Zuko rolled his eyes.
“Don’t start it,” his ex warned her.
Toph hopped up and skipped back over the others. “Whatever groany girl.”
Katara’s tinkling laugh lit up the room and Zuko’s eyes found her before he noticed they were moving. She looked up from Sokka’s drawing the others had long given up deciphering, flashing a warm smile his way. Heat rose in Zuko’s face as he looked away quickly. But she didn’t look away, just kept on smiling.
It was the same smile she had given him, soft, healing hands on his chest after he jumped in front of Azula’s lightning for her in the Agni Kai, then later that night when she consoled him, trying her hardest to heal his scars, physical and emotional alike. The same soft look she had on her face when they hugged for the first time after hunting down the man who killed her mother, then again at his coronation, and again and again, even softer every time she saw him. The look that had been floating around far too freely in his mind for far too long.
The sound of shattering porcelain thrust Zuko out of his memories before they could evolve into fantasies. “Oops, looks like I’ll be needing a new cup!” Katara exclaimed, a smirk on her face to match the mischievous glint in her eyes. An electric shiver spread through Zuko’s body. That smirk was far too dangerous.
Toph crossed her arms. “Hey, you dropped that on purpose, didn’t you. I felt it! Uncle Tea Man, Katara broke one of your cups!”
“Not my expensive, imported cups!” Uncle Iroh chimed from the kitchen. “Firelord Zuko, I’m sure Lady Katara would appreciate it if you got her more tea…”
Zuko’s heart skipped a beat. What did Uncle know? How did even a mention of her name always make him feel like this? He hid his butterflies behind his usual dry sarcasm. “Great, If you need me, I’ll be back in the kitchen, doing kitchen things.”
Katara shot up from her chair. “I’ll get it. You have so much on your plate as Firelord already, it’s the least I can do.”
He furrowed his remaining brow. “It’s just a cup of tea...”
Her ocean blue eyes locked with Zuko’s amber ones. An even stronger wave of electricity swept through the both of them. They stood stunned in silence for what could have been hours or seconds. Toph nudged Sokka, making kissing noises. He nudged her back, saying “Hey, stop teasing them,” but clearly suppressing laughter.
Zuko dipped his head slightly and went off to get Katara a new cup of tea. She sat back down in a meek motion, an odd mix of emotions etched on her face. “What was that about?” Aang asked Toph. “You’ll understand when you're older,” she said, stretching and reclining, then kicking her feet up onto the table. Zuko winced. Uncle better hope she’d washed her feet recently. If ever. “We’re the same age, Toph,” Aang groaned. Perhaps he already understood- after that he only frowned and stared at the wall, eyes empty.
Zuko + Katara
“I, um, need to use the restroom,” said Katara, again rising from her chair. She had try and catch Zuko before he got back. Sokka eyed her suspiciously. “Beaver- pig from lunch not agreeing with you?”
“...yes.” Katara answered, scampering off.
When she found Zuko, it was more him finding her. She was walking down the hall, paying less attention to the space in front of her than she should, when:
“Hey! Watch where you’re... Ka-Katara.” He stared, frozen. Greetings would have to wait; when she walked into him, she sent the tea he was carrying sploshing everywhere.
In a swift movement of her hands, she caught the tea with her bending before it could touch the ground, freezing the droplets midair. She gracefully streamed the beverage back into the cup, one drop at a time.
“Hey.”
“Impressive.” Any demonstration of her ability was to him, no matter how small or how powerful. Zuko ran his fingers through his hair, down from his top knot for the afternoon. “I don’t know if I’d drink it now though- I mean it’s probably cold but- I can...” The Firelord blinked and shook his head. “Fire...if you want...ugh, what am I saying?” He trailed off. Most people might find his awkwardness pitiful, but Katara found it absolutely endearing.
In a sudden burst of confidence, she held out her hand in the hopes he’d take it. “Over here,” she said, tipping her head towards a secluded corner under a window.
Zuko hesitated. Holding her hand could mean… not necessarily. Friends held hands all the time. Heck, even they had once before, and it wasn’t like he didn’t want to again. Annoyed with himself, he extended his arm until his rough fingers clasped on to her smooth palm.
With a tug from her hand on his, she led him to the corner. His breath caught; his heart rose to his throat. Katara caught the light filtering through the window at just the right angle, her eyes turning into sapphires, hair and skin taking on a golden hue. He melted like ice.
But Katara broke. Unexpected tears welled up in her sunlit eyes, and her glowing smile shattered. He reached out cautiously, beckoning her into a comforting embrace. She wrapped her arms around him, and instantly felt him tense up. Zuko still wasn’t fully used to her cool touch, the gentle smell of rain and sea spray mixing with cinnamon and charred wood, the warmth of his body against hers. To be honest, neither was Katara.
It was different than when she hugged Aang. Hugging him was like being wrapped in a fuzzy blanket, comforting and innocent. But hugging Zuko… hugging Zuko was spiritual, intense, more natural than breathing...like not even the spirits dared pull them apart.
“Are you alright?“
She sniffed, straightening in his arms, and her tears melted away into her skin. Get it together, Katara, she told herself. “Yeah. Sorry about whatever this is… I guess it hit me harder than I thought.” She shrugged.
“You’ve seen me worse…what happened?”
“I had to tell Aang we couldn’t happen. Out of every scenario I rehearsed in my head… it still came out more awful. I keep feeling like I could have said it better, or maybe that I should have given him a chance?”
“Oh. Is-is he-how did he…?” Katara wasn’t interested in Aang. Katara didn’t want Aang . Why was she telling him this? He wished he didn’t have a hunch. What would people think?
“He took it pretty bad but I think he’s going to be fine. If he ever talks to me again...” She groaned.
Zuko timidly placed his hand on the back of her head and held her tight. They’d only been more vulnerable with each other once before. The night after the Agni Kai. Only there had been a lot more crying. And it had been mostly him. He remembered being so ashamed to fall apart in front of her like that, but she told him it was nothing to be ashamed of. After that she had cupped the scarred side of his face in her hand like she did forever ago in the crystal catacombs. Then, she had leaned in, leaned in so close he could feel her breath...but he had buried his head in her shoulder instead. And their tears fell in unison.
“Katara?” Zuko said it delicately, questioningly. In a way he’d never said a name before. Not even Mai.
She pulled out of their embrace to stand a few feet away. “Hmm?”
“Oh...nothing.”
She cocked her head playfully. “Really? Nothing?”
Zuko took a deep breath. “Just… thank you. Thank you for everything. I don’t know where-who I’d be without you.”
Moments passed. They stood silently in the filtered sunlight, backs to the window, avoiding eye contact for fear of what could happen. The way he had said her name. Almost a whisper, gentle as waves lapping on a beach. An encompassing glow warmed Katara’s body. Not even Aang could say it quite that well.
She glanced up at Zuko, leaning against the window with his dark hair obscuring his eyes, a difficult decision finally made. It was a dangerous step, the one she was about to take. If she took that step, nothing would ever be the same. But she was ready. She wasn’t afraid anymore. She knew .
“Aang asked me why. Why things went the way they did for us. I didn’t answer him.” Katara turned and took the step. The step to him. Now, he was only a foot away… dangerously close. Heart beating fast, stomach twisting up in knots, she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I didn't tell him because... I couldn’t.”
The Firelord’s golden eyes grew wide. Oh. Oh. Oh no.
Trembling, Katara reached out and traced his scar with her fingers. Her other hand rose as if by magic, interlaced with one of his own, and found its place on his chest. Zuko wrapped his arm around her, closing the gap. She leaned in, and this time, he did too.
When their lips met, an icy draft swirled into the room, and the sun burst through the window full force. If one looked close enough, they might even say they saw steam.
“I love you, Zuko. I know now. I was so confused for so long, but now I’m certain. I haven’t been able to get you off my mind since that day in the crystal catacombs.”
“I love you too. So much I can't handle myself,” Zuko breathed. “I think I’ve known since the Agni Kai- I just- I just tried so hard to deny it.”
“I know.” She said, kissing his nose and then his scar and then his lips again.
The corners of his mouth lifted into the most vibrant smile she had ever seen him wear. This smile, Katara returned wholeheartedly.
And peering around a corner, a cup of hot tea in his long-wrinkled hands, an old man whispered:
“Oma and Shu. Reunited at last.”