The two old masters of their elements gazed together out at the sun as it set to the west of the caldera that the Fire Nation capitol sat in. Master Katara had come to visit with the former Fire Lord, Zuko. They tried to see as much of each other as they could in their venerable years, especially considering their losses over the years- Suki, Sokka, Aang, and countless other friends. Zuko had maintained a fitness and dietary regimen far into his later years allowing him to stay in good health, and Katara had her waterbending healing to hold off sickness and the effects of aging on the body. They were nearly all that was left of their entire generation. They had the feeling Toph was still alive since she had gotten involved in the Earth Empire uprising, but she returned to where ever she had been for a very long time, unknown to the world.
The two had a very non political visit. They reminisced about their adventuring years and the people they met, but actively ignored their involvements in the government structures of the nations and Republic City. There were so many great times which had the small taint of loss as even the youngest of the people they knew were mostly gone to time.
"Thank you for the lovely getaway, Zuko. I would never leave the Southern Water Tribe forever, but it does me good to get out of the cold. With you being all that's left to talk to, I really value our time together."
"The pleasure was all mine, Katara. I would visit more than I do, but we both know it is easier for your bones to visit the fire nation than for mine to go into the cold."
The Water Tribe woman giggled but agreed that if it weren't for her self healing through bending she wouldn't have done well in the harsh polar climate either.
The two sat in silence for a while, each subtly glancing at the other without the other's notice, as if there were something they both wanted to say but couldn't find the words or allow them out into the open.
"Zuko," Katara broke their silence, "has it been lonely since Mai passed?"
"I don't know. Sad to say it hasn't felt too different. I was so caught up in being Fire Lord and helping to heal the world that I never did give my marriage the time it deserved. At least I was able to be involved in my children's lives, but you can tell from their demeanors that they inherited their mother's stoic tone over my awkward lack of words. I unfortunately only notice when I go to bed here in the capitol. And without the attachment like you and Aang had, I'm afraid I just don't miss her as much as I should." Zuko had a look of more self disappointment than sadness.
"Honestly, I don't miss Aang that much either. At least not as my husband. I miss him as my best friend. As the man I spent almost every day with. I miss the company, his laughter. But I don't miss my husband. I..." Katara took the time to find the words, this was a delicate issue she never told anyone before. "I don't think I ever really saw him that way. I loved him but not the way my parents loved each other, or even Sokka and Suki. I was always connected as more than just my best friend, but I still don't believe I can fairly call it romance even if it was a kind of love. I've never told anyone about this feeling. Especially not him, it would have crushed him."
"So you married him, had children, and you don't think you even loved him as a husband?" Zuko was very confused but interested.
"I did. I never knew a way to express things that wouldn't hurt him, and I never regretted marriage or the intimacy. It took a very long time before I was ready for that with him, but he understood and never pressured me for children. I think he knew that things were never quite the same as he was feeling for me. But as long as I was there with him I don't think he cared. We were happy, we cared for each other, and we both loved our children. I wouldn't change a moment of our time together. What about you?"
"I think I have to say I felt the same way. I only ever had one date in my life who wasn't Mai, back when I was living as an Earth Kingdom refugee. But I couldn't let myself get involved because everything she knew about me was a lie. It would have been far too much to tell her who I really was. Then my early time with Mai was so chaotic, I never seemed to know when we were going to be together or apart. Frankly I'm amazed she tolerated my absences for so many years and never left me. She was always more dedicated to us than I was. I suppose I never learned how to love someone as a romance. I felt more loss for my mother, uncle, even Azula even though we could never reconcile. I just miss the woman who was so constant in my home life."
The two resumed silence and the flitting glances, still not getting out what either wanted to say. This time it was Zuko to muster the courage to speak.
"I...I need to ask about something important. And I hope you don't misunderstand or get upset."
Katara looked at him with curiosity. "What is it? Neither of us over react the way we did when we were kids."
Zuko hesitated, "About when we were kids. Was there- did you feel anything-"
"Yes. I thought about it." Katara trailed off no longer looking at her life long friend.
"And did you ever-"
"No. I couldn't. I made my choice and I stuck to it. For almost 70 years I stayed with Aang because it was my choice to do so. I let it all go so that I could be happy with my life as it was. I don't think all of our friendships would have endured me making any other choice. Aang may have matured but he was always delicate and afraid to lose me. I don't want to think what that would have done between all of us."
"I understand. It is the same reason I never made an advance. You were my best friend's girlfriend and then his wife. There are some lines a man should not cross. I suppose it is all better the way things went."
Another silence, but this time they didn't look away. Their bodies had changed much over the years but their eyes had not.
"Katara. We're...we're both no longer married. I-"
"No, Zuko. Its not that I don't care for you, but whatever spark was there is gone. 70 years is too long for me to hold on to what could have been. I'm no longer someone to be swept off of her feet in new love. For years I thought about what might have been if you hadn't made your choice in the caves of Ba Sing Se, but it is just too late for me now."
Zuko looked away feeling foolish for his insinuation. Katara gently pulled his face back to her.
"Don't be like that, please. I'm not saying I don't still hold feelings for you, I'm saying that I don't want to start a new love life as an old woman. Losing each other will be hard enough without losing each other as a new love as well. I don't desire touch like I did as a younger woman, nor romance. I only want your companionship when we can, no different than we have been. Please don't be upset with me."
"I just can't feel anything but a lost opportunity. What we could have been. I see everything that started between us that one year, and we both chose to go apart. And I guess there really never was a time we could have explored a chance."
"Zuko, our destinies were always intertwined, but never together. I do want to spend more time with you, but I don't think it could be any different than my time with Aang or yours with Mai. But there are certain parts which I am just not willing to get involved with anymore. And neither of us want to leave our homelands for good. What we are is all I ask for. And maybe one more thing."
"What is it?" the former monarch asked.
She moved closer to him, pulled his arms around her waist with her in front of him, both facing the nearly set sun, and placed her arms over his. She instantly felt warmer in the fire master's embrace as he nuzzled his face into her hair, closing his eyes and losing himself in the moment.
In their minds, they both asked Aang to forgive them, but 70 years was a long time to put off things they denied themselves for his sake.