『𝑻𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒆』

Chapter 5

After dinner, Iroh took the children back to their rooms and Azula went to who knows where. Zuko offered Katara a stilted invitation for tea in his study and she'd accepted, not able to think of a good enough reason to refuse him.

Zuko's study was a lot less stuffy than Katara expected. It was still austere and very male, but there were enough signs of a life there to make her wonder yet again just who exactly he was. There was the stack of childish drawings on his desk right next to the maps and documents that came with his station. There was the empty milk bottle that he'd shoved into a drawer when he thought she wasn't looking. Then, there were also the gifts from the other nations: a rock sculpture from the Bei Fong family, a beautiful glass carving from her own brother, and in a glass case, there was some kind of toy she couldn't recognize.

This was clearly a place where he could rest and be himself, perhaps put aside the mantle of the Fire Lord for a few moments to get lost in his memories or play with his children. Katara was finding it more and more difficult to wed the image of the spoiled, obsessed Prince with this man who had walked right past his son without a second glance, but had a bottle in his study next to his swords. She found herself wanting to figure out just what kind of man he was and hated herself for it.

She sat by the fire, across from a reticent Zuko, not sure why he'd asked her to come into his study. Judging from his fidgeting, he didn't seem so sure himself.

"Look, I know we didn't get off on the right foot," he began.

"Now or then?" she interrupted before she could think better of it.

That gave him pause.

"Both."

"Fine."

She saw the muscle in his jaw clench and forced herself to unclench her fists and lower her hackles. The man was trying to make peace and she was making it difficult for him on purpose. It was just that there was a little voice in her head that was telling her he deserved everything she could throw at him because of all that he'd done to her and her friends over the years. He may have changed and he may be some sort of noble leader now, but that doesn't mean he'd atoned for all his past sins. If that were the case, he'd be sitting in a cell somewhere and not on a fiery dais.

"I didn't say it properly earlier but I do appreciate your coming here and agreeing to this," Zuko said with what Katara was sure was as much empathy he could muster. "I should have gone to the South Pole to speak to you myself but it's difficult for me to leave the city. I'm sure my uncle's told you everything that's happening."

"Yes. You're surrounded on all sides by people who don't like where you're sitting and you need me to keep them away."

At that, smoke began to swirl up from the grip he had on his armchair and she was sure he was going to leave some nice Fire Lord hand-shaped burn marks.

"Why are you being difficult, Katara?" he demanded. "I'm trying to make this as comfortable for you as I can but you still insist on throwing these barbs at me. What do you want?"

"Do you really want to ask that question?" she exclaimed, leaning forward in her seat.

"Yes, I really do," he snarled. "If only to stop you trying to cut me down at every possible opportunity. I have enough to think about without wondering if you're going to join in with them and drown me in my sleep."