No Time To...

Baggage

"Ty Lee I think if you go above to be the back up and see when the best time to strike, we need to make sure you are the one they don't notice, the Dai lee wont hesitate to focus on you," Zuko looked at the palaces blue prints the next morning as he was the first awake in the bar.

"I can't take a few agents out easily," Ty Lee looked over his shoulder.

"So can everyone else," he said flatly. "And more than likely You will but less is better,"

"Good morning," Katara yawned as she was braiding her hair back and walking into the room with Suki and Sokka.

"Mornin'," Zuko nodded as ty Lee waved with a smile.

"Aang and Toph are packing appa up and we should be above ba sing si by the afternoon, we send off at sunset," Zuko told them as mai came back inside.

"Can't believe we need eight people to bring down one person," he sighed shaking his head.

"It'll be okay, it's a step towards victory," Katara smiled gently at him. They both felt the warmth flooding their chests and squeezing their hearts as they were close to another again.

Zuko couldn't help but stand behind Katara and gently kissed her shoulder to the back of her neck as she was adjusting her top as multiple clothing items were on the ground still in the back room above the bar.

"Aw You stuck around," Katara smiled tuning to kiss his lips sweetly as he rubbed her waist gently. Her hands touching his bare chest feeling his warmth.

"I'm a gentleman like that," Zuko hummed as they deepened the kiss.

"Spirits it feels like we're teens again," she sighed wrapping her arms around his shoulders as they leaned into each other.

"Sneaking around and just using each other for sex?" He raised a brow with a grin.

"We agreed for it to be a stress relief and friends with benefits," she corrected.

"Being friends has so many perks then," Zuko leaned to kiss her again as they both smiled into the kiss. It felt so right like a part of them they've been missing for years. Like a wave of joy, love, completion crashed into each other when they kissed for the first time in four years.

"I still love you Zuko," Katara whispered as they pressed their foreheads together.

Zuko cradled the side of her face looking into her eyes.

"I still love you too," he kissed her head gently.

"We can't go back to how things were can we?" He gulped a little.

"You have the boys... I can't ruin their lives more, they'd be so confused and how we lied already," she leaned against his chest as they held each other.

"Let me take You home," he rasped but regretted saying it. He was being selfish.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, no that was wrong of me," Zuko looked down at her. She told him before she doesn't want to be just a mother, she did have more potential, but the boys weren't ready to travel yet.

"I don't know what I want yet, part of me wants to come home with you, see the boys grow, but I also want to keep helping the world after Ozai is gone... but I'm also not alone anymore," Katara rubbed his bare chest gently, tracing his scars.

"What if i thought about it?" She looked up at him.

"I won't hold you down kat, your free to make your decision, but you know aito and Ren will always come first," he brushed her hair off her shoulder and kissed the scar on her skin.

"I know my love," Katara smiled softly.

It was nice knowing he was wrapped around her finger. And she'd hate to say she was wrapped around his as well.

"Put your shirt back on," she teased pecking his lips again. They couldn't help but be so deeply in love with another it was exhilarating.

"Need a hand?" Katara offered to carry some of the bags of zukos.

"I got it," Zuko smiled back as they walked over to appa and Toph.

"Hey where did you guys go last night? Aang got more drunk it was great," Toph turned to them as she was left with appa.

"Yea sorry I took a walk, drunk mental break down and Zuko had to hunt me down," Katara groaned a little embarrassed as Zuko climbed up appa to put the bags on the saddle.

Toph paused as she slowly turned to Katara, her jaw dropped.

"Oh my spirits You two are dirty dirty people,"  Toph gasped and Katara squeaked covering her mouth.

"Shh shut up shut the fuck up," Katara hissed red in the face.

"You guys are unbelievable," Toph gagged as Zuko had his face covered embarrassed easily.

"It's adult consent activities, leave it alone," Katara whined waving her off quickly.

"Sorry to ask cause I probably know the answer, are You guys getting back together and hiding a relationship again or not?" Toph rubbed her face to drown out her disgust of knowing the truth.

"We're just friends," they both said.

"Right," she didn't believe them.

"Don't tell anyone it's just a little secret we like to keep to ourselves," Katara gulped awkwardly and Zuko crossed his arms pursing his lips.

"Don't worry no one's gonna find out, everyone is hella oblivious and focused on more important things," Toph shrugged a little.

"Ironic though after rejecting Aang you decide to go after an old flame," she winked a little.

"It's complicated," Katara sighed running a hand through her hair.

"Oh trust me I know all about your complications with each other, no judging from the spirit- mother," Toph smirked when their jaws dropped.

"I never agreed to that! You are not raising our boys as the spirit-mother," Zuko gasped horrified of what she could raise his boys as.

"Ugh fine! They're not infants so they're fun now and I can throw them," Toph groaned as Katara shook her head.

"Who would be the one to look after them? Hypothetically," Katara asked curiously.

"My uncle more than likely," he shrugged.

"What?! Not me?!" Toph cried out.

"No!" He yelled back wide eyes.

"Yea do not let her babysit them alone," Katara told him walking away.

"Yea no shit," Zuko agreed.