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“So, Uncle, how has business been?” Zuko asked, watching as his Uncle poured them both tea. He had been in the Earth Kingdom for diplomatic reasons and couldn’t resist paying his Uncle a visit at his tea house. He hadn’t seen his uncle in a year, as his first year as the Firelord had been quite chaotic. Uncle Iroh had helped him where he could, but he had returned to the Earth Kingdom almost immediately after Ozai had been defeated.
“Wonderful,” Iroh answered, a wistful smile on his face. “The Jasmine Dragon has been very successful, and I think once things settle down here, I hope to open another tea house.”
“The Fire Nation is very eager to have one of your tea houses,” Zuko told him, grinning. “I get quite the amount of requests, surprisingly. “
Iroh looked pleased at Zuko’s words. “Well, I am hoping to open a tea house in each of the four nations, but my dear boy, I know that’s ambitious.” He paused. “I already have names picked out, of course.”
“Let’s hear them, then,” Zuko said, taking a sip of his tea. He sighed in relief as the refreshing liquid went down. He had missed his Uncle’s tea.
“Sticking with the dragon theme, my Fire Nation location would be the Blazing Dragon, the Air Nomad location would be the Soaring Dragon, and for the Water Tribes location, the Verglas Dragon.”
“Verglas?” Zuko inquired.
“It means a thin coating of ice,” Iroh explained. “Like a dragon frozen in the ice, Katara actually helped me with that one.”
Zuko nearly dropped his teacup. “Katara?” he asked, his heart hammering in his chest. “Have you heard from her?” he inquired, hoping that he didn’t sound too eager.
He had been writing back and forth with her over the past year, but truthfully, he wanted more. He missed the waterbender, and after growing close to her, he had found himself wanting to see her in person, but he wasn’t sure how to ask her to come to visit without sounding desperate.
“Oh, yes, quite frequently too,” Iroh said, trying to hide his smile behind his own teacup. He saw something over Zuko’s shoulder and stood. “Oh, excuse me a moment,” Iroh said, turning and heading to the back end of the tea shop.
The small bell at the front chimed, alerting Zuko to the fact that someone just entered. Out of curiosity, he turned to see who it was and nearly fell out of his chair.
It was Katara.
She looked more beautiful than he remembered. Her dark tresses were pulled back and she was dressed in an Earth Kingdom outfit. She walked about the tea shop confidently, as if she visited frequently.
“Zuko?” she asked, her gaze landing on him. Her expression turned to one of joy and she hurried over to him.
Zuko stood, quickly catching her in his arms. He hugged her tightly, still not believing that she was actually in front of him. He felt like a lovesick teen, looking at her in his arms. She smiled up at him warmly before a light blush began to dust her cheeks. He realised that he was still holding her tightly and quickly let her go.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I’ve been working here,” she answered. “Not the tea shop, but the Earth Kingdom,” she clarified. “I’ve been studying their healing methods.”
“Wow, that’s great,” Zuko said, smiling at her. “Do you come here often?”
“Almost daily,” she admitted, blushing. “Iroh is good company, and he truly does make the best tea around.”
“Ah, Katara,” Iroh said, coming back out front with another cup. “Would you indulge an old man and sit with my nephew and myself?”
“Nothing would make me happier,” Katara said, glancing at Zuko from the corner of her eye.
The three of them sat down at the table and enjoyed their tea. Iroh sat quietly, enjoying the flow of the conversation between Zuko and Katara. He hadn’t realised that the two had been writing back and forth, and he could feel something more than friendship blossoming between the two.
“Excuse me,” Iroh said, quietly excusing himself from the table.
“How long are you in the Earth Kingdom for?” Katara asked.
“A few days,” Zuko told her. He reached across the table, taking her hand, silently relieved when she didn’t pull away. “I’ve been meaning to ask you to come to visit the Fire Nation… Or if I could come to visit you.”
“And why would the Fire Lord want to visit me?” she teased, smiling at him.
Zuko resisted scowling. “You know why.”
“I want to hear you say it,” she said quietly.
“Because I’ve missed you,” Zuko admitted. “I’ve longed for your presence.” He stroked her hand. “And I wanted to see if you felt the same way.”
Katara smiled. “I have three more weeks scheduled here,” she told him. “I was thinking that the Fire Nation would be the next place to go on my journey studying healing techniques.”
“I think that’s a great idea,” Zuko said, grinning.
Leaning across the table, Katara boldly pressed a brief kiss to his lips. “I’m glad you’re here, Zuko,” she said quietly. “Can I show you around?”
“I’d love that,” Zuko said, standing. “Uncle?” he called out.
“I’ll host dinner at my place tonight,” he said, smiling at the two of them.
“Thank you, Iroh,” Katara said graciously before taking Zuko’s hand and pulling him towards the door.
As Zuko followed Katara out, he silently thanked the ancients for bringing Katara back into his life.