When Zuko heard-from a nonchalant Toph-that Katara and the Avatar broke up, he wasn't surprised. Sure, he also felt some sympathy for them, since they were still friends (breakups weren't easy after all), but he wasn't surprised.

Not since Katara started spending her winters in the Fire Nation ("I love my home, but I also like being comfortable," she explained the first time). Not since Aang's visits grew less frequent with each passing year (three in total). And definitely not after the dozens of arguments Zuko accidentally walked in on (he had long stopped pretending it was an accident-to himself, at least. Katara needed comforting and he made a point to be there when she did need it).

He had been surprised, however, when Katara had showed up at the palace after he and Mai broke up a year earlier.

"I thought you needed a friend," she had explained as she wrapped him up in a tight embrace.

A friend was nice. Growing up, he had been short on those. And now as Fire Lord, there were too many politics involved with making new ones.

He was more surprised, though, when Katara showed up again, a week after her own break up.

"It's not winter," he said when she strolled into the turtle-duck garden, looking forlorn and deflated. It wasn't a good look for her, he decided. Like a washed up otter-seal.

Katara had the good grace to let his obvious statement slide. She cast him the smallest of smiles instead and knelt to the edge of the pond, lifting some water into the air. "I needed a friend."

"What about Sokka? Or Toph?" It wasn't said with bitterness, only a disbelief that she would chose him. Don't get him wrong, he was pleased she chose him but he sort of considered himself the last person one would go to for relationship advice. Mai told him it was because he was clueless. He had to agree with her.

Katara shook her head, her lush hair brushing against the bare skin of her arms. "I just thought…"

Zuko stared at her, waiting for her to finish her sentence, but when it was apparent she wasn't going to, he sank to the ground beside her. He didn't say anything or move for a few moments; he watched the water droplets dart through the air by her silent command. He flicked a wrist, sending little sparks to intertwine with them.

It was peaceful, or at least Zuko thought it was. He felt comfortable with Katara in a way he wasn't with Mai or even his uncle. Katara was soothing, her presence as calm as her element when it pleased her.

So, while enjoying the slight summer breeze, and thinking that maybe he should order some mango juice from the kitchens for them, he was mortified when Katara sniffled.

The water she bent fell back into the pond, hissing as it extinguished his sparks. He gave her a sideways glance, finally seeing the redness of her eyes as she stared with a trembling lip at the pond.

Katara looked up and read something in his expression that made her cheeks flush redder than they already were. She hastily scrubbed at the tears on her cheeks and rallied a smile that did not reach her eyes.

"Sorry," she said, turning to look back at the pond or the palace or whatever was in the direction ahead. Not him, though. She didn't want to look at him. "I'm being stupid."

Zuko snorted and shook his head. How could she ever think anything she did was stupid? "Remember tear bending? That was stupid, not this."

That caused more tears to spill out, which alarmed him at first but then she laughed through them and shook her head. "It's weird how you're good at this now."

It took practice. He had been told many times (mostly by Mai, and then Katara) that he was clueless when it came to girls but after the fifth or sixth argument overheard with Aang, Zuko found himself learning the correct things to say (which usually meant agreeing with her or offering some scrap of validation).

"I'm glad you picked me," he told her, and he was. Her smile fell and he knew that more tears were coming.

Seeing her cry silently felt wrong. Seeing her hug herself, sitting alone, felt worse. So Zuko reached out and carefully slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. She complied instantly and let her head fall on his shoulder. Even in the stifling summer air, she somehow felt cool.

Her other hand sought his and he gave it to her, letting her thread her fingers through his. He stared at their joined hands, listened to her sniffling, and tightened his grip around her shoulders.

"Sokka is too brotherly for this sort of stuff," she said after a few minutes. "And Suki would just run to him. Ty Lee is too cheerful and Mai is too depressing."

He couldn't help but chuckle; he felt her own tiny smile through the layers of his robes. "And Toph?"

Katara merely scooted closer to him, her head going into the crook of his neck, and her other arm circling around his back.

"Toph wouldn't let me do this," Katara sighed, her warm breath brushing against his neck.

Any of the others probably would, Zuko thought, but he kept it to himself. Although, now that he thought about it, Sokka would probably complain about her hair getting in his face. Mai would sooner gut Katara than allow her to cuddle her (same with Toph, probably), Ty Lee would probably gab about how blue auras were bad for digestion or something, and Suki...well, Suki would probably still be the best choice for this...

...Zuko glanced down at their entwined hands...he was glad she chose him.

Raise your hand if you're still not over this dream pair *raises both hands*

I'm rewatching Avatar, as is my annual tradition, and my hand slipped, creating this story. Whoops, not sorry. I hoped you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.