Chapter Text
Katara excitedly sets down her phone and springs up from bed.
Usually, she would have had to drag herself out of bed this early on a Saturday, but the text from Zuko telling her he’s on his way has her running around her apartment with enthusiasm.
The past week, he’s been busy moving in with his uncle, a change that Katara is so happy that he’s made. She hasn’t had a chance to see for herself yet, but Zuko has been keeping her updated with pictures of the view, his uncle’s two cats, and of course, a beautiful kitchen full of tea. Katara has only known him for a few weeks, but he seems so much more hopeful than he was before.
Besides, Suki had assured Katara that he’s a keeper with a wink after Zuko told her how welcome the cleanliness and peacefulness of the apartment is after all the months spent in that frat.
Now, he’s finally on his way to see her again.
Katara has been anxious to spend time with him in person again. She and Zuko have been texting near constantly, but it’s not the same as listening to his soft laugh and watching the way he blushes and smiles when she gives him a compliment he doesn’t know how to react to. She even offered to help him move, but—admittedly to Katara’s relief—Zuko had politely assured her that he and his uncle had it covered; he didn’t want her to have to go near that frat again. Zuko had promised her choice of date as soon as he was available, which Katara had easily agreed to. He’s even already threatening to treat her to another night at the Jasmine Dragon.
But, this morning, Katara has her way.
True to his word, Zuko had left their destination up to her. Katara decided on something more casual; a day at a beach dear to her childhood. It’s only a ten minute walk from her and Suki’s townhouse, and it’s been so long since Katara has set aside the time to go there. She’d felt almost foolish for wanting to take any previous boyfriends to her favorite tide pools to look at sea creatures, but somehow, asking Zuko felt perfectly natural.
Katara remembers the curious and interested sparkle his eyes had maintained during their entire first conversation, and she knows she has nothing to worry about. She hopes he’ll like it, and who knows, maybe he’ll take her to one of his favorite childhood places sometime, too.
However, when Katara finally hears the knock at the door, the anxiety comes crashing back.
Shit—is it 10:00 already? Flustered, Katara realizes she hasn’t had time to put on her makeup yet and rushes to finish brushing her hair. She’s about to ask Suki to stall Zuko again when she remembers that she’s already left for the gym.
Katara runs the brush through her hair one more time before all but throwing it back into its drawer. She’s nearly falling over herself in an effort to answer the door quickly. She throws it open—not wanting to keep Zuko waiting a second longer—and then the world comes to a screeching halt as she takes him in.
Zuko smiles as brightly as the morning sun shining down on him. It lights him up from the tips of his shaggy black hair to those honey-colored eyes Katara has learned to love so much.
“Hi,” she says breathlessly, smoothing one last strand of hair into place with her fingers.
“Hi,” Zuko responds. He scratches the nape of his neck as he glances down. “I uh…I brought you something. They’re espresso mochi—Uncle and I made them last night. I thought I’d bring some since I know how much you like coffee, and…”
“Zuko, that’s so sweet of you,” Katara breathes, right before mentally kicking herself for cutting him off. “Thank you—these look great! Here, I’ll put them in the freezer.”
His face lights up at her praise as she beckons him inside and she feels her cheeks flush as she hurries into the kitchen and carefully puts away the mochi. Katara knows their first sort-of-date was in a coffee shop, but the knowledge that Zuko had cared to remember her love of coffee still warms her heart as much as the image of him standing with his uncle and carefully wrapping each one by hand.
“Sorry, I’m running a little late,” Katara apologizes as she closes the fridge, eyes darting around in case there are any messes she missed earlier. “I didn’t even have time to do my makeup—”
“Don’t worry, Katara,” Zuko says, his soft voice filling her with warmth and stopping her in her tracks. “I’m just happy to see you.”
She pauses in front of him, and she can’t help but smile back at the warm look on his face. For some reason Katara had been stressing about this date, but now that he’s here, she feels it melt away. She finds herself standing right in front of Zuko, close enough to feel his breath.
The memory of the kiss she’d given him that night in his car suddenly comes to her, and Katara feels a blush color her cheeks.
Zuko must be thinking the same thing; he leans forward and there is just the faintest hint of hesitation, waiting for her permission, before he returns her gesture from their last meeting.
The kiss on her cheek is brief, but so beautifully soft and warm, before he pulls away. Katara can feel his smile against her skin.
“You have the most beautiful freckles,” Zuko says softly before kissing them again. “I never noticed them before.”
“Thank you,” Katara breathes, still lost in that little kiss, before she finally has the chance to get a closer look at his face.
Her eyes widen.
“Are those…bruises?” Katara asks worriedly as she cups his chin and tilts his face to the side.
Sure enough, she sees the faint yellowing of bruises along his jaw and eyebrow, and a small cut where his lip had been split. Injuries a few days old by the looks of them…but what happened?
“Don’t worry,” Zuko murmurs as he gently pulls her hand away from his face and gives it a kiss. “Things were a little…rough the night I got kicked out of the frat, but I’m okay. It’s over now.”
“They…hit you? In the face?” Katara asks, still focused on the fading bruises and feeling anger bubble up. Zuko had said Ruon-Jian had caused a bit of a scuffle when he returned home from their date, but had brushed it off as nothing.
“Don’t worry, I hit him back,” Zuko says with a rueful smile. “I’m fine, Katara, really. I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.”
He doesn’t elaborate, but Katara knows exactly what he’s talking about. She reaches forward and embraces him, planting a soft kiss along his jaw. “I’m so glad you’re away from them now.”
“So am I. And I’m glad you’re safe from them, too,” Zuko whispers with a kiss on her forehead. “So, did you want to show me that beach you were telling me about?”
Katara smiles and takes his hand. “Of course.”
—————
Katara breathes in the fresh air as she walks down towards the beach with Zuko, already feeling good about the day.
It’s not what most people would consider a nice day—the sky is gray and threatening to rain and a cold wind chills the air. But Katara has always loved days like this. The cool breeze feels soothing as it washes over her skin, and she looks forward to the warmth of a nice cup of coffee in her hands. It reminds her of the days she used to come here as a kid, with Mom and Sokka.
She rubs the blue stone of her necklace with her thumb on instinct, a tinge of sadness coming over her.
“Are you okay?” Zuko asks softly as he places a hand on her shoulder. “Are you cold?”
“No,” Katara answers honestly, but she doesn’t hesitate to lean into his touch with a smile. “Not when I’ve got the world’s most handsome space heater next to me.”
Katara feels herself cringe as soon as she says it—that was one of the cheesiest things she’s ever said—but Zuko doesn’t seem to mind.
He only laughs a little before kissing her hair. “Glad to be of service.”
“Sorry…that was terrible. I promise I’m not always this cringey.”
“Don’t worry,” Zuko says as he nuzzles into her cheek. “You’re so beautiful when you’re cringey.”
Katara rolls her eyes but keeps walking. Something about that comment manages to set her at ease. She’s used to being mocked, either for laughing too easily, not laughing enough, or for being unfunny, as Sokka put it.
But not Zuko. Zuko can’t tell a lie to save his life, and Katara knows he means it when he smiles warmly and tells her how he loves her company. Cringe and all.
“Do you want some coffee?” asks Zuko, gesturing to a little shack sitting at the edge of the beach.
Katara feels herself light up. The same place she used to go as a kid. It disappeared for a couple years and Katara thought it had gone out of business, but she’s delighted to see it back.
“Yes! This place used to be my favorite,” she tells Zuko. “Their sea prune syrup is amazing. I know most people don’t like it but…”
“It sounds great, Katara,” Zuko says as they step up to the window. “Two lattes, please. With extra sea prune syrup.”
Katara reaches for her wallet out of instinct, but Zuko’s hand stops her.
“My treat,” he promises as the cashier gives the pair of them a warm smile. “I owe you for showing me the beach.”
Katara rolls her eyes but accepts the coffee with a smile. She can’t help the way her heart flutters. She’s been in relationships that lasted months without this kind of casual intimacy. This is only her third real date with Zuko, and already he has a way of making her feel special with the smallest of gestures, of showing he cares for her while expecting nothing in return. Katara hopes she’s not getting ahead of herself…but the word that lingers on the tip of her tongue is love. A simple yet powerful thing, something nobody outside of family has made her feel before.
“We haven’t even looked at the beach yet,” Katara says sheepishly.
“I know I’ll love it,” Zuko assures her as he hands her the coffee. “I would love any place I get to be with you.”
“Now who’s being cringey,” she teases, but that little flutter in her chest is only getting stronger.
Zuko sticks out his tongue.
As they approach the shore, Katara is glad to see it’s low tide. It’s always the best time to come, when more of the beach is exposed and the little creatures that always fascinated Katara could be found more easily.
Zuko remarks how different it is from the beaches he remembers in the Fire Nation—hot and sunny with white sand and a backdrop of lush jungle. The beaches in Republic City are gray, rocky, and the water is almost always too cold to swim in. But Katara has so many fond memories of them, even those memories of Sokka chasing her around with a giant head of slimy ocean-kumquats.
It’s all so familiar, and Katara feels her happy childhood memories returning.
She shows Zuko where to find the biggest urchin-crabs, and points out the tiny, colorful fish hiding in the corners of the pools. Zuko seems skeptical of the kelp-slugs, but rubs the slime on his hands after Katara explains how it was traditionally used as an ointment to treat sunburns and eel-jelly stings.
Zuko says his sister always told him to just pee on it, to which Katara rolls her eyes and tells him Sokka used to say the same thing—and probably still does. It makes her wonder how well Sokka and Azula would get along, for two people who seem like they couldn’t be more different.
Finally, they reach the end of the beach and settle down on a dried-out log, gazing out into the calm bay as they sip their coffee. It's just as good as Katara remembers, and she notes with pride that Zuko doesn’t seem to be pretending to like his as he sips it.
She’s surprised when he pulls out a sketchbook and begins gently tracing the outline of the rocky beach and rippling waves before them. He’s not very good, he says, but Katara finds herself mesmerized as she watches his fingers deftly move the charcoal across the page.
Zuko says he used to draw a lot as a kid, back when his life felt normal, as he put it. He doesn’t go into detail, but based on what Katara has pieced together from what he’s said about his abusive father and his mother’s disappearance, she has a pretty good idea of what he’s thinking. His face always softens when he speaks of his mother, and Katara can’t help but hug him around the waist when he says he used to draw with her. Somewhere there exist many pairs of paintings—an elegant one created by a talented artist and a crude one created by a curious child.
A few stray drops of water begin to leak from the sky, and Zuko finally closes his sketchbook, the scene almost complete. Katara realizes how late it’s getting—and how cold.
She instinctively shivers as she stands. The cold was alright while she was walking, but after sitting still on that log in this weather, she’s really regretting her choice of clothing. Normally, Katara would venture here in gray sweats and a bulky sweater, but today she just wanted to wear something pretty.
“Here,” Zuko says before she’s taken a step, already sliding off his jacket and offering it to her. “You look cold.”
“Are you sure?” Katara asks, seeing he’s only wearing a T-shirt underneath. “What about you?”
“I’ll be fine,” he promises as Katara allows him to slip it around her shoulders. “I run hot.”
“I’ve noticed,” Katara says with a smirk.
“Really? I mean, I don’t get cold easily, but I didn’t think other people could notic—oh,” Zuko cuts himself off as the realization sinks in, a blush forming on his cheeks.
Katara laughs and pushes him on the shoulder. “Oh, Zuko, you’re so easy.”
He groans, but Katara still sees the lingering blush. She’s on his non-scarred side, and she remembers what he said before, those subtle self-deprecating comments he made about himself.
Zuko had implied he’d been young when he’d gotten it. Katara can hardly imagine what he’d gone through in his childhood years, the cruel comments he’d endured in addition to the pain and trauma of the event that had left him maimed.
Yet, somehow, he made it through just like she did, and Katara is so glad to have him walking beside her on her favorite beach. Zuko feels so warm to her in every sense of the word, in such a magnetic way. The scent of him on his jacket surrounds her and she finds herself drawn into his side. Katara feels a touch of guilt as the freezing rain picks up, beginning to wet Zuko’s exposed hair and shirt.
The walk home always seems so much longer in the rain.
Katara hurries up the hill towards the townhouse, anxious to get a now-shivering Zuko out of the weather, and still cursing herself for not dressing warmly enough. Zuko only smirks and says the workout of trekking up the hill is keeping him warm enough.
But by the time they finally reach the front door, Zuko can’t hide the way his teeth are chattering with the cold. They’re both completely soaked, but Zuko’s hair and thin shirt stick to his skin in a way that would be flattering if he wasn’t shaking with shivers.
“Zuko, you’re freezing,” Katara says, taking his hand as they step inside.
She should give his jacket back, but it’s so soaked that it would probably only make him colder.
“It’s fine,” he says. “Maybe we could make some tea? Uncle always told me it was the best way to warm up.”
“I’ll get your tea,” Katara promises as she begins steering Zuko towards the bathroom. “But I want you to take a hot shower before you catch a cold.”
Zuko pouts a little at that. Katara wonders how he’d feel if she told him how adorable he is when he’s grumpy.
“Oh come on,” she says with a smile. “Your clothes are soaked anyways and there’s a spare towel in the bathroom. You’ll feel good. I can put our clothes in the dryer.”
“You’re sure?” Zuko asks. “I don’t really have a change of clothes…”
“That’s okay,” Katara says quickly—maybe a little too quickly. She feels her cheeks color. “I meant…I can put them in the dryer while you’re showering. That way you’ll have something dry to wear.”
“Oh…yeah, right,” Zuko says as he awkwardly clears his throat, and Katara wishes she could disappear into the ground. “I’ll get changed real quick.”
With that, he closes the bathroom door behind him. Katara hears the shuffling of clothes and tries not to think about the fact that Zuko is getting naked behind that door. She knows from the times they’ve touched how toned his muscles feel beneath his clothes, and she can’t help but wonder…
“Here,” Zuko says softly as his arm pops out from behind the door, holding his drenched clothes. “Thanks again, Katara.”
“No problem,” she says as she takes them, thankful that he can’t see her blushing through the door.
Katara tosses his wet clothes in the dryer in a hurry, hanging her own out to dry before finding something cozy to wear. She settles on a blue sweater and some leggings, but there is still a lingering chill on her damp skin and hair.
Blushing again as she passes the bathroom door—and the distinctive sounds of Zuko showering behind it—Katara searches around in the kitchen for some tea. Most of what she has isn’t anything fancy, but she digs for something special. She knows Zuko’s uncle is very invested and his tea and figures at least some of it rubbed off on Zuko.
Finally, she settles for a nice ginseng blend and sets her kettle boiling. What about food…
Crap.
Katara had been planning on suggesting a cafe along the beachwalk for lunch before they’d been caught out in the rain. Grocery day is tomorrow for her, so her fridge is barren aside from a couple of Suki’s protein shakes.
She has no idea how long she’s been digging around in the fridge before Zuko’s voice startles her.
“Do you need help with anything?”
Katara turns around quickly, and seeing Zuko standing in the doorway only makes her more flustered.
He’s standing there awkwardly, wearing nothing but the spare towel wrapped around his waist. The navy blue color contrasts his pale skin in the most flattering way. Katara’s eyes drift up to meet his and she sees his bare chest with droplets of water still glistening on it, dripping down from his damp hair.
Katara doesn’t have to find a mirror to know the heat in her cheeks is most definitely showing.
“I…uh…” she murmurs, before clearing her throat. “I was looking for something to eat.”
“Oh! Actually…I took care of that,” Zuko says with a smile. “I hope you don’t mind. I ordered us some takeout from Mura’s down the street while I was in the bathroom. You said you really like their yakisoba, right?”
Katara blinks. She does; it’s one of her go-to meals when she doesn’t feel like cooking, but she only remembers mentioning it to Zuko in passing. “Oh…that’s wonderful! Thank you.”
At that moment, the tea kettle begins screeching, and Katara hurries over to take it off the heat, thankful for the excuse to hide her burning cheeks from Zuko—even if just for a moment. It really wasn’t her intention to trick him into undressing in her house…even if she’s not exactly complaining.
“I have some tea, if you want it,” Katara says as she tries to focus on something other than Zuko standing half-naked a few feet away, still smiling to herself at his thoughtfulness. “It’s a ginseng blend. Oh and—how much do I owe you for the takeout?”
“Ginseng is one of my favorites,” Zuko says and fuck—he’s standing right behind her, close enough that she feels his warmth. “Don’t worry about the takeout. My gift to you for letting me use your shower…and making me tea.”
“Well, thank you, Zuko,” Katara says, still not quite over her nerves. She knows Suki would be laughing her ass off if she was here right now. “But I’m at least making you pick out the movie.”
“Movie?” Zuko asks as he takes his tea.
“Oh…well, your clothes are still drying,” Katara explains quickly. Luckily, Zuko seems to join her in her awkwardness at the reminder that he’s wearing nothing but a towel.
“Oh…right,” he says, his own cheeks coloring before he smiles meekly. Why does he have to be so cute? “We can browse for something while we wait for the food to get here.”
“But you’re picking,” Katara tells him as she picks up the two cups of tea and moves towards the living room.
It’s almost nice having an excuse; she never knows what to watch and doesn’t want to subject Zuko to her usual diet of trashy reality TV shows.
Zuko mockingly pouts as Katara hands him the remote, but doesn’t protest.
“Here,” Katara says, grabbing a blanket without thinking about it and tossing it towards Zuko. “Wearing a blanket and a towel is a little better than wearing just a towel.”
There is a strange look on Zuko’s face, and for a moment, Katara fears she might have overstepped in her teasing. But then she notices what he’s looking at.
The blanket she’d tossed him—it’s his blanket. The one from that night, red with the golden dragon. Katara had kept forgetting to give it back to him after he’d carried her to the hospital in it.
“Oh…right,” she says awkwardly after it becomes clear Zuko doesn’t know what to say. “I’ve been meaning to give that back to you.”
“Katara, I’m so sorry,” he says quietly, still staring at the blanket in his hands. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I can’t believe I even associated with those guys.”
“Zuko, don’t be so hard on yourself,” Katara tells him as she takes a seat next to him.
He finally looks up at her, pain still raw in his golden eyes.
“I’m right here, okay? Can you imagine what would have happened if you didn’t step in?” Katara takes his hand and squeezes it, the gesture somehow feeling natural now. “You went against your frat brothers—you’d be surprised how many men wouldn’t have. You’re kind, Zuko. And strong. You shouldn’t feel sorry about that.”
“You mean that?” he says quietly, his expression brightening in a way that makes Katara’s heart melt.
“Of course,” she says before deciding it’s time for a more playful mood. With a smirk, she tosses the blanket around Zuko’s head and shoulders, framing his confused face. “And cute.”
Zuko rolls his eyes. “You had to ruin it.”
“Of course I did,” Katara laughs, but she can’t get over the rosy hue of his cheeks, despite his protest. “Now pick out the movie…cutie.”
Zuko sticks out his tongue at her and Katara can’t repress her giggle as he picks up the remote and begins scrolling through movies. She’s curious what he’ll pick; he’d mentioned liking martial arts movies before but not much else.
To her surprise, he stops on an animated film that Katara vaguely remembers watching as a kid: Love Amongst The Dragons.
She raises an eyebrow.
Zuko shrugs. “You said I could pick.”
“No! No…I like that movie. I’m just surprised it’s your top pick is all,” Katara replies.
“It’s my favorite movie,” Zuko explains. “I used to watch it with my mom and sister as a kid. My mom loved it. It…brings back good memories.”
Katara suddenly feels guilty for her skepticism, but completely understands. “That’s very sweet. I’d love to watch it with you.”
“It’s based on an old Fire Nation legend, you know,” Zuko explains as the loading dots flicker on the screen. “My mom was a huge mythology nerd.”
“Your mom sounds wonderful,” Katara says, feeling his loss as well as her own. Zuko talks about her with a fondness that warms Katara’s heart, making her feel almost as if she too knew his mother.
“She was,” Zuko says sadly. “She even got Azula and me theater masks based on Love Amongst The Dragons. We used to recreate the fight scenes. Azula always made me be the dark water spirit. Sometimes I think it was just an excuse for her to hit me with a stick.”
Katara can’t help but laugh at that, thinking of all those times she chased Sokka with a jellyfish on a stick at the beach as a kid. “Who doesn’t want to hit their big brother with a stick sometimes?”
“Fair enough,” Zuko says with a shrug. “It was still a fun game though, I admit.”
The movie starts, and Katara feels the conversation fade between them as the opening music starts. It really was a good pick; Katara instantly is reminded of being a kid again, sitting with Sokka and a bowl of popcorn on the couch as they watched this same movie.
Obviously she’s known Zuko for a much shorter time, but somehow she feels the comfort in his presence too. Even though they didn’t know each other at the time, they still share this part of their childhood, in a sense.
Zuko watches with a fondness in his eyes. Katara loves to see it from him. She knows his childhood was difficult and that caused him to lash out in the past as he’d admitted to her, but he seems at peace now. Katara likes that she can bring that out in him; it only adds to the connection she feels. The security.
Unconsciously at first—then maybe a little bit on purpose—Katara finds herself shifting closer to Zuko on the couch. The chill from the rainy beach hasn’t quite left her and Zuko is radiating heat. It feels so good that Katara can even get over the awkwardness of how…undressed he is under that blanket and towel.
Katara has just about managed to sneakily position herself at his side when the doorbell rings, startling her. Dammit!
“Oh, that must be the food,” Zuko says as he moves to stand.
“It’s okay, I’ve got it!” Katara says as she hurries over, hoping once again that he doesn’t catch the blush.
As soon as the door opens and the savory scent of freshly cooked yakisoba hits her nose, she feels even more gratitude for Zuko.
“This smells amazing,” she says as she sets the bag down on the table and begins unpacking the two containers. “Thanks again; it’s the perfect thing to beat this chill.”
Zuko raises his eyebrow. “Are you still cold?”
“A little,” Katara shrugs. “It’s fine.”
She’s barely sat back down before Zuko is draping the blanket around her shoulders and offering her one of the yakisoba containers.
“Here,” he says before quickly looking away. “For…warmth.”
Katara nearly giggles at him; doing something so simple seems like it’s about to make him explode from anxiety. Although it’s not too different from how she’s been acting…and it’s all pretty ridiculous. Why be nervous? She and Zuko both clearly can sense how much closer they’re becoming, and it doesn’t bother either of them one bit.
“What about you?” Katara says with more confidence this time. “Won’t you get cold without the blanket?”
She knows full well there is more than one blanket in this house, but hopes Zuko doesn’t think to ask about it.
“Oh, well…no? I mean I’m fine,” he says sheepishly.
“We could share it,” Katara suggests with a smile.
“Oh, don’t worry; I’m fine, you can—”
“Zuko,” she says flatly. “I’m asking you to cuddle with me under that blanket.”
He blinks at her, before he finally stops fumbling his words and smiles instead. “That sounds like a good way to warm up to me.”
So there Katara finds herself, snuggled into Zuko’s side as they eat their yakisoba and watch Love Amongst The Dragons play on the living room TV. Katara wishes she can stay in this moment forever, and she has the beautiful thought that even though she’ll eventually get up from this couch, there could be so many more moments like this in her future. Maybe one day, every evening could be spent this way with Zuko.
Katara imagines how that would be, always having this feeling of comfort—this home—to return to. It feels safe. It feels free. Even the feeling of Zuko’s chest rising and falling under her cheek is soothing. His warm breath dances across her skin, and she really does begin to feel that lingering chill disappear as she sinks further into him.
She’s usually not one to fall asleep during movies, but even Katara feels her eyes slip closed as she’s lulled into a peaceful sleep by the comforting environment surrounding her
—————
Unfortunately, Katara doesn’t wake up nearly as peacefully as she’d fallen asleep.
“I’m home!” Suki announces as the front door slams open, causing Katara and Zuko to jump in sync. A mischievous look crosses her face as soon as she locks eyes with Katara. “Oh…I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”
Katara knows how weird this must look. Zuko must have fallen asleep too, because the movie is over and the screen is frozen on the end credits. They’re lying right up against each other on the couch in the dark, and Zuko is wearing nothing but a towel. Oh, Suki will never let her hear the end of this. Neither will Sokka, when he inevitably finds out.
For a long moment, nobody speaks. Suki looks amused yet proud—and definitely still looking to tease. Zuko looks stunned, unsure of what to say.
Well, if she’s going to get shit anyway…
“Oh, don’t worry, there’s nothing to see here,” Katara says as she turns around and kisses Zuko’s cheek. “We’re all finished.”
Suki raises an eyebrow, smirk deepening.
Katara laughs and nods towards the screen. “With the movie. Zuko wanted to watch Love Amongst The Dragons.”
“Ah,” Suki says, still with that knowing look in her eyes. “Nice pick. Well…I’ll leave you to it, then. In case you want to…watch it again.”
Zuko bursts out laughing as soon as she leaves the room. “And I thought Azula was the queen of messing with people.”
Katara shrugs. “I have my moments.”
Zuko kisses her back, his arms wrapping around her waist as he does.
“Many moments,” he agrees.
Katara sighs as she sinks back into him. Many moments, she thinks as she thinks about how much she would like to watch that movie again—or any movie for that matter, as long as it was here with Zuko. Just like this.
From the way he’s holding her and falling asleep against her shoulder, Katara knows that there will indeed be so many more moments spent together in their future.