Chapter Text
I’ve been spending the last eight months
Thinking all love ever does
Is break and burn and end
Katara cooed at the baby in her arms. The baby was freshly born into the world only a month prior, but the little one was strong. Katara looked at the mother of the baby. “She’s beautiful, Riza.”
The young mother smiled at her. “Thank you, m’lady. I just wish she would sleep through the night. I’ve tried everything. I don’t know why she’s always so upset.”
Katara handed the baby to her. “How many times do I have to tell you to just call me Katara? And the baby is fine. It’s just a little colic. It’s normal for babies around her age. It’ll take some time, but you’ll find the right way to comfort her.” Riza was young, having married her childhood sweetheart a year prior before almost immediately falling with child.
Katara at the time, had been traveling to the different nations. After her break up with Aang and a year of re-discovery in the Southern Water Tribe, she was out on her own seeing the world and helping everyone in her path. It was during those travels that she somehow found herself in the little Fire Nation fishing village she and the gang had helped all those years ago. The village didn’t forget her either. Children who she once helped heal had grown into teenagers and young adults. Riza’s husband being one of those children who remembered her well.
She made a point to not stay too long in any one village, but these people had a hold on her heart. They had asked for her help in healing the sick, birthing the babies, and teaching others how to do the same. Katara even taught them the non-bending self-defense moves Sokka had taught her so that they could always defend themselves against outsiders. Riza’s baby was one of the more recent ones she had helped bring into this world. And it seems that every time she tried to leave and continue her journey, the people just couldn’t seem to let her go.
It was at this point that Riza’s husband ran into the tiny home breathless. “M’lady, there’s a man here for you. He says he’s an old friend of yours.”
Katara’s eyes widened in surprise. While her friends and family knew she was traveling, no one knew where she was. Who could’ve possibly found her? Her heart clenched and secretly hoped it wasn’t Aang. Even though they had broken up almost 2 years ago, she still wasn’t sure she was ready to face him knowing she was the one to break his heart.
Katara stepped out of the house and saw a man in common Fire Nation clothes whose head was covered by a hood and his arms clasped behind his back. Even though the man’s back was to her, she somehow knew in her soul who he was. “Zuko?”
He turned around and pulled the hood from his head. “It’s good to see you again, Katara,” he said with a smile. Zuko looked so different now. His hair was longer and he wore it down today, most likely to conceal his identity. No ornate piece to show he was royalty. No fancy Fire Lord robes. This was just Zuko being Zuko, an older version of the boy she once traveled and saved the world with.
And because she knew in her heart that he was still just Zuko, she ran into his arms for a hug which he reciprocated quickly. For fear of seeing Aang, Katara had made it a point to not stop by and visit any of her friends during her travels. So Zuko had been the first one of them she had seen since leaving the South Pole.
He squeezed her tight one last time before pulling away. “How did you know I was here?” Katara had asked in shock.
Zuko just chuckled. “I’m the Fire Lord. I know what happens in my own country. And when I started hearing stories about an outlying village venerating a woman as ‘The Painted Lady’s Apprentice,’ who healed the sick and took care of them…I knew I needed to see for myself.”
The Painted Lady’s Apprentice was a nickname given to her by the village. They had remembered her taking the look of their matron spirit all those years ago and believed that the Painted Lady must have brought her to them the first time and for her to return a second time, the Painted Lady must’ve wanted her there. Katara thought nothing of the title, thinking it was a sweet honor bestowed upon her. She hadn’t realized that stories about her were starting to travel, let alone all the way to the capitol.
“I both suspected and hoped it was you,” Zuko said with a smile. “Can I take you out for some tea while you tell me your stories?”
Katara just smiled. “I’d love that.”
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
At the only tea shop in that entire village, Katara had told Zuko everything that had happened. From her deciding to leave Aang, to her year at home, and finally to her adventures leading her to his nation’s village. Zuko was attentive the entire time, never interrupting her, and asking questions when appropriate.
Katara tried to reciprocate the attentiveness. She asked him about his life since the end of the war, his duties as the Fire Lord, and his relationship with Mai. He answered all her questions, though he felt his answers were not nearly as interesting as hers. Being the Fire Lord was difficult but also fulfilling. He had some arguments with other nations and even the Avatar, but it was things that all came to pass. Katara had found out that he and Mai had split up around the time she and Aang did. But while her break up was loud, as news pertaining to the Avatar usually was, Zuko’s was quiet; the quiet dissolving of a relationship between 2 people who didn’t know how to give the other what they needed. Katara reached across the table and squeezed his hand to which Zuko returned a squeeze and a smile.
They didn’t know how long they spent in that tea shop exchanging stories. They were having too good of a time. Sure, there was sadness in some of the stories, but there was laughter too. Katara didn’t remember the last time she had this good of a time with anyone.
But all too soon, the sun had turned into the moon and the tea shop was ready to close. A little boy who worked there, as his family owned the shop, came by to let them know. “I’m sorry m’lady, but we’re closing up shop soon.”
Katara smiled at the boy who had blushed in return. “It’s alright, Ezra. Thank you for letting us know.” Katara gestured to Zuko. “Have you met my friend, Zuko?”
The little boy turned to him with his eyes wide. “You’re the Fire Lord?!” He bowed quickly, trying hard to not forget his manners.
Zuko just laughed. “Yes I am, but I’m also just your lady’s friend.”
Without missing a beat, the boy leaned back up, looked Zuko in the eyes and said quite seriously “You should make her your Fire Lady, m’lord.”
Katara’s eyes widened as she choked on the last of her tea. But Zuko was unfazed as he answered. “Oh? And what makes you say that?”
Ezra just shrugged as though it was obvious. “Well, you’re the Fire Lord, which makes you the father of our nation. Master Katara is the Painted Lady’s Apprentice, which makes her our mother.”
Katara could only blush harder as the little boy walked away. She looked away from Zuko, not having it in her to look him in the eye. “I’m sorry…I don’t know where that came from…you shouldn’t…just don’t listen to him.”
“Why not? As the Fire Lord, it’s my duty to listen to the ideas of my citizens. Besides, he’s got a pretty good point,” he said as he looked at her seriously. Katara’s eyes widened more and her face blushed harder.
Zuko just laughed at her embarrassment, not able to hold the joke any longer, to which Katara crumpled a tissue and threw it at him. “It’s not funny!
Zuko finally calmed down. “It’s a little funny,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “Anyway,” he said as he stood up, “it is late so we should probably get going.”
The smiles left both of their faces. Somehow, neither were ready to separate just yet. “Actually, if it’s alright with you,” Zuko started nervously, “would you like to stay with me at the palace for a little bit?”
Katara looked up at him both nervously and curiously. “What?”
”You’ve spent all this time helping all these other people. Maybe you could help me at the palace too.” Zuko looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. “And I’ve missed you.” He said it quietly with a blush of his own before extending his hand out to her. “What do you say?”
Katara looked at the hand he held out for her. Her first instinct was to say yes. She had missed him too. But there was a war going on in her head and her heart. She knew in her heart that something was starting, she just couldn’t put her finger on it. But looking at Zuko and speaking with him after all this time…something in her heart was coming alive again. Her head wasn’t allowing that. Her head kept reminding her of Aang and how she still couldn’t face him.
But as she looked at Zuko’s extended hand, she felt her heart win out as she slid her own into his.
But on a Wednesday in a cafe
I watched it begin again