The snow started to fall just as Zuko stepped out of the taxi. He shut the door, pulling on his gloves and looking up at the slate sky as the taxi driver took out his luggage. As Zuko adjusted his muffler, the taxi driver stood next to him and also looked up, rubbing his eye from a fallen snowflake.
"They haven't cancelled your flight?" The man asked. Zuko sighed and looked at his smart watch.
"Not as of yet." He said. The taxi driver nodded and the two men shook hands.
"Have a safe flight your Highness." The driver said. Zuko shook his head but smiled.
"Thanks." He replied. Disowned and disgraced, Zuko hadn't been much of a prince since he was fourteen. That was, as the cliche went, a lifetime ago and Zuko was headed toward better things. Clicking the handlebar into place, Zuko turned and walked toward the automatic doors of the receiving terminal.
He had gotten through security and was heading toward the VIP lounge when he heard someone call his name. Turning, Zuko scanned the sparse crowd till he saw the figure rushing toward him.
"Kat?" He asked in shock. Katara came bustling up, dragging a tattered suitcase behind her, smiling broadly.
"What are you doing in Omashu?" She asked as she slowed, getting closer to him.
"I had business here. What are you doing here?" Zuko asked.
"My internship is here actually." Katara said, fidgeting now with her chunky knitted scarf. "Are you taking the two-thirty to Kyoshi?"
"I am." Zuko replied and they lapsed into an awkward silence. "Are you, uh, travelling alone?" Katara stared at him blankly for a minute, blinking rapidly. Then a thought dawned on her and she smiled again before laughing lightly.
"Oh right, yeah. I broke off the engagement months ago." She said.
"What?" He balked.
"Did Sokka not tell you?"
"No!"
"Weird, he told me about-" Katara stopped herself, rolling her lips inward and looking embarrassed. Zuko sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead.
"About Mai and me." He finished for her.
"Sorry." Katara murmured.
"No, no it's fine." Zuko turned and looked at the lounge. "Would you like to get a drink with me? I saw on the board that our flight is delayed."
"Am I allowed in there?" Katara asked.
"For how much I pay and how often I fly, the least they can do is let me bring a friend." Zuko replied, looking over his shoulder to smile at her. Katara softened and smiled back.
"Then sure. I hate flying so maybe this will help me sleep through it." She said. Zuko gestured for her to go ahead and the two of them walked to the small kiosk at the entrance of the lounge. A woman in a crisp blue suit and bold red lipstick greeted them. She took in the cut of Zuko's peacoat and Katara's large parka, but her expression never changed. Whether it was out of a lack of judgement or the ability to mask it, Zuko didn't know.
"Member card?" She asked and Zuko pulled out his wallet. He slid the heavy black card out and handed it to her, grinned reassuringly at Katara.
"She is here as my guest." Zuko said, turning back to the woman as she scanned his card.
"Welcome Mr. Nakamura." The woman greeted as she handed back his card. Her eyes slid over to Katara. "And guest." Zuko cleared his throat as he replaced the card and offered Katara his arm.
"Shall we?" He asked. Katara tossed her hair over her shoulder, ignoring the woman at the kiosk, and took his arm.
"Thank you."
For whatever reason, no matter the time, the VIP lounge was always dim. Perhaps it was to perpetuate a forever nightscape to keep travellers trapped in the liminal state. A man in a crumpled suit laid draped over a table with crumpled straw wrappers and a sweating tumbler of amber liquid. For him it was more like one in the morning than one in the afternoon. Zuko ushered Katara to the raised bar and they both took a moment to shed the outer layers of their winter wear.
"Have you eaten?" Zuko asked as they both hung coats and scarves over the back of their long legged chairs.
"Breakfast yeah, but not lunch yet." Katara replied as she stowed her luggage under the bar and perched on the table. As if summoned, another woman wearing a matching blue suit to the one at the kiosk, appeared and handed them navy blue folders. Zuko took his as he sat and watched her place a plank of a menu between them; the drink list.
"Water?" He asked.
"Please." Katara said primly as she opened her menu. As her face disappeared behind the blue screen, Zuko slid the woman his black card.
"Two waters to start please." He said. The woman whisked the card away and walked off as Zuko flipped his menu open on the bar.
"Sushi?" Katara asked idly.
"This place is good, but that would still be airport sushi." Zuko countered and Katara chuckled.
After they had ordered and the water had been delivered, Zuko and Katara sat still mostly isolated. The low tone of some smooth jazz album was barely audible and Zuko tuned it out. Katara slumped forward against the bar, casually using her bending to stir her straw through her glass of water.
"You know, I'm actually offended you didn't know I was in Omashu." She said suddenly. Zuko sat back in his seat, his arms crossed over his chest.
"Oh?" He replied, raising his brow in question.
"I told you that was why I couldn't make it to Sokka's bachelor party." Katara said. Zuko raised a finger as he pulled his cellphone out of his coat pocket.
"APPA, search Katara's emails for keyword 'Omashu' please." He said into the flat black screen. The rim of the screen glowed a blueish white line before it fully illuminated.
"Keyword not found." The artificial voice said. Katara sat up, ready to argue, but Zuko pushed out his hand toward her.
"APPA, please read the email tagged Katara's excuse." He said. The outline glowed again before the screen.
"There are sixteen emails tagged 'Katara's excuse.' Would you like me to read them all?" The phone said.
"Newest please." Zuko said.
"Okay, I get it." Katara said with a laugh and Zuko just set the phone down on the bar.
"Reading newest email tagged 'Katara's excuse,' received last month: 'Hey! Sorry I can't make it out there for the party, my internship is getting crazy. Hopefully we can meet up before the wedding!' End of email." The phone screen darkened and Zuko turned to Katara, who used her fingers to flick water into his face.
"I love that you named your phone assistant after Appa." She remarked.
"That's entirely Sokka's fault. Watch how you can open the GPS." Zuko said and leaned over his phone. "APPA, yip yip." The phone turned on and the GPS app opened.
"Where would you like to go?" The phone asked before Zuko reached down to turn it off. Katara covered her face as she laughed. She calmed as the attendant came with their plates.
"When do you release it?" Katara asked while Zuko unwrapped his chopsticks. He tapped them against the bar and then dipped them into the plate of noodles.
"We have a limited release in the next few months. I'm moving away from phones though, since we made the decision as a company to protest planned obsolescence." He said.
"What's next for Nakamura Telecommunications?" Katara questioned, cutting into her steak.
"Much of the same." Zuko picked up a thick noodle and dipped it into the small bowl of liquid in his plate. "I've created a non-profit to start manufacturing transportable medical equipment."
"That's different." Katara said.
"It is. But anyway, how did your last tournament go? Sokka told me you won but not much else." Zuko said. Katara snorted and paused to chew.
"Well, I didn't win because that's not how my school does things. It was an exhibition, and I kicked ass." She said.
Zuko's smart watch beeped and he tapped it to see the notification.
"Looks like we're delayed again." He said.
"Time for a beer?" Katara asked.
"Abso-fucking-lutely." Zuko replied.
After five drinks in, their flight was finally cancelled due to weather. Katara swore as Zuko signed the bill and replaced his wallet.
"They're gonna give me a voucher for a shitty motel." She muttered as she jammed her arm through her jacket sleeve.
"Come on, let's go check at the counter." Zuko said evenly as he folded his jacket over his arm and pulled up the handle for his suitcase. Katara just continued to mutter as she followed him out of the lounge. Zuko smiled pleasantly at the woman at the kiosk, though now he was unsure if she was the same woman from earlier. He wondered, briefly, if that was a statement about him or the company who hired these women.
They walked through the terminal to the ticket counter, where a young man stood behind a computer; the only person behind the long counter with empty terminals. It was oddly quiet and the large tinted windows of the airport had been further darkened by the winter sunset and constant snow.
"Hello, we were set to board the two-thirty to Kyoshi." Zuko said as they stepped up. "Do you know when the next flight will be?"
The young man, wearing a name tag with "HUA" typed in bronze letters, typed something into his computer.
"The next flight is a ten forty-five tomorrow morning." Hua replied.
"Excellent. Do you have vouchers for accommodations for tonight?" Zuko asked.
"Unfortunately, the hotel we use is booked already." Hua answered. Katara stomped off, swearing loudly now, and Zuko sighed.
"I'm a VIP member, can you check to see if there's someplace I can use my points?" He asked as he slid his card over the counter. Hua took in and resumed typing.
"There's a suite at the Blue Oasis hotel. Would you like me to book it?" Hua inquired.
"Please. And call a car, if you wouldn't mind." Zuko said.
After everything had been booked and printed, Zuko went off and collected Katara.
"Come on, I got us a room." He said, craning over Katara's slumped form. Her head was buried in her crossed arms as she sat on the floor with her back against a pillar. Katara popped her head up and looked at him suspiciously.
"How?" She asked.
"I'm very wealthy Katara." He replied and Katara snorted.
"I guess it does help when you're the nephew of the Fire Lord." She said.
"It's more like I'm the head of a multi-billion company but sure, let's go with the easy one." Zuko quipped. He held out a hand and helped Katara to her feet. She tottered for a second, slightly off her step. Zuko continued to hold her hand as she leaned down to pick up the various cuts of cloth that had fallen off of her. He noted, for one odd moment, that he hadn't actually held hands with someone in a long time. Katara's hands were warm and she held him with the same indifference that she would hold onto a stair railing. But the touch of her skin made Zuko's heart flutter.
"Okay, let's go." She said, still holding his hand. Unsure of if it would be ruder to let go or continue holding on, Zuko panicked and just kept hold of her as he walked to the exit. Katara easily fell in step with him and they were quiet, so Zuko could only hear the rolling wheels of their luggage and that subdued smooth jazz that was piped through the whole airport.
Heat seemed to build between their hands and Zuko wondered if as a Firebender he could spontaneously combust. It wasn't something they had ever discussed in his lessons growing up.
The automatic doors opened and an air current blew warm air down on them. It wasn't until the doors shut that they were hit by the gust of cold air. Zuko immediately began to cycle his breath, sending warmth to his limbs and extremities, but Katara didn't seem fazed.
"You are so warm." She said before leaning into Zuko, turning her hand so that their fingers interlaced. Zuko, in spite of the warmth that now was searing inside of him, froze and his shoulders pulled up.
"Still a Firebender Katara." He said gently and she chuckled.
"Very useful." She said. Zuko let out a cloud of breath and looked up at the black sky. He couldn't see any stars, for all the lights of the airport or from high flying clouds, but the snow was still coming down in soft petals. It was only about five in the evening, but the sun set so quickly in the winter, and it felt so much later.
"Katara, are you drunk?" Zuko asked.
"A little." Katara answered in a small voice. Zuko lowered his head with a smile. His smart watch buzzed and he rolled his wrist over, as his hand was still tied up in Katara's fingers, and the screen illuminated.
"The car is here." He said just as a sleek black town car drove into the taxi lane. The driver popped out and held up an umbrella, but Katara shook Zuko loose and used a hand to pull together a shield of snowflakes over their heads. The driver tucked the umbrella under his arm and came around to open their doors and take their luggage.
"So useful." Zuko stated as Katara slid into the car, while he leaned against it, his arm on the roof. Katara paused and looked up at him, flicking her hands toward him. The cover of snowflakes dissipated and fell on Zuko's head. She was laughing as Zuko got in, shaking his head to spray her with water. Sitting back, he started steaming the rest of it away.
The driver didn't comment as he closed their door before getting into the front seat.
The hotel was close to the airport, but due to the weather the driver proceeded slowly over poorly salted roads. Zuko settled in and let Katara continue to rest against him.
"So I guess you're not still mad that I'm Sokka's best man?" He asked and Katara blew a raspberry.
"I mean, I get it. And I'm glad you guys are good friends, but it still stung." She admitted.
"If you get married, is he going to be your maid of honor?" Zuko inquired.
"Of course. But could you imagine if we got married?" Katara said and Zuko choked.
"What?"
"He couldn't be in both of our parties." Katara explained. Zuko slowed his breathing.
"Good thing we're not getting married then." He said evenly.
"You'd have to buy me a drink first." Katara joked and Zuko laughed.
"I did that already." He pointed out.
"Well are you proposing then?" Katara asked.
"I think there's supposed to be a few more steps before that." Zuko countered. He was warm, so warm, but he was suddenly trembling. He fought against the spasms of his muscles, trying to hide his obvious anxiety from Katara. She sat up and looked at him.
"Alright Mister Businessman, what are the steps to get to marriage?" She asked.
Gods above, Zuko didn't know if she was flirting. He looked at her, unable to swallow or breathe, and tried to figure it out in the split second before he could respond. They hadn't drunk much, she was just as touchy as her brother, they hadn't seen each other in months. Was she just being overly friendly, or was she flirting?
He needed to know because he knew how he wanted to answer. He knew exactly how he wanted to answer.
"It's like the old song, first comes love?" He said and Katara just looked at him for a moment. Either disappointed or unimpressed, she just leaned against him again.
"I tried that. It didn't work out." She muttered and Zuko sighed.
"Same. But I'll let you know if I figure anything out." He replied.
"Thanks Zuko."
When they pulled up to hotel, they found the drive up blocked by two large industrial vans. One was an HVAC and the other was a local plumbing service.
They should have been as obvious as corvids, as they were a pair of ill omens.
The driver pulled up as far under the covered drive as he could and opened their doors before unloading their things from the trunk. Zuko took a few bills from his wallet and handed them to the driver as Katara took her suitcase and started for the front of the hotel. This level of expectation in regards to his wallet was fascinating to see. Where Mai had always been obvious about it, his friends had moved into a blithe acceptance; only Toph had funds that rivalled his and no one else could afford to move in this manner. Mai presumed, while Katara knew that any protest or offer would be feeble. She, much like her brother, just kept moving.
Katara waited for him in the lobby, and was patient as he took the time to remove his gloves and stick them in his coat pocket. Then they wordlessly walked to the check in desk.
"Good evening, my name is Zuko Nakamura and I have a room reserved." Zuko said, producing a different but equally heavy onyx card. The concierge paled.
"Ah, forgive me Mr. Nakamura, but there is an issue with your room." He said.
"What do you mean?" Zuko asked.
"We've been doing renovations, and a pipe burst on the eleventh floor. All of the rooms have been moved." The concierge explained.
"Where is my new room?"
"We've placed you in room 618, but it isn't a suite."
"And that means?"
"There's only one bed."
Zuko and Katara stood at the foot of the bed and they both sighed.
"It's really not a problem." Katara stated.
"It's inappropriate." Zuko said.
"Why? Do you think we'll be sleeping in the nude or something?"
"What? No, I-"
"Zuko, we can just sleep in the bed together."
"But you're…"
"What? A girl? Because I know you've bunked with Sokka before."
"It's not that."
"So you're worried for my dignity or something? I didn't think you were a chauvinist Zuko."
"I am very much not! Katara, please, it's-"
"You're worried Sokka will be upset? It's one night."
"Katara will you please let me finish a thought!"
Katara snapped her mouth shut and looked at him as Zuko ran his hands through his hair. He sat down hard on the edge of the bed, keeping his head cradled in his hands.
"I don't want to share the bed because I very much would like to touch you and it will be very difficult for me to sleep next to you." He said.
"Touch me how?" She asked.
Touch me, how? Would be simple confusion. Touch me? How? Would be incomprehension.
Touch me how? Is asking for examples.
Zuko looked up and found Katara standing directly in front of him. Was she flirting or angry? The clarity and intensity of her gaze didn't give him an answer but thrilled him all the same.
At this point, he could only give her honesty. Being coy would gain him nothing.
"I don't know. It's not like I have any sort of tangible thought in my head. I saw you and for the first time we're both single and I just want to touch you." He answered.
"That doesn't answer my question." She said, crossing her arms over her chest. Zuko stood in a fluid movement, standing easily a head taller than her. His intensity covered the return of his trembling and now Katara wavered in her stance. Looking up at him, her lips slightly parted, and Zuko cupped her face with one hand. He ran his thumb over her bottom lip and he watched the movement, before flicking his eyes back up to hers.
"I just want to feel you Katara. You can tell me how you want to be touched." He said. Her eyes widened in shock and it broke a bit of the mood. He wondered how others had gone about laying hands on her and Zuko bristled.
"I would like you to kiss me." She said. Zuko hesitated. It wasn't Sokka that he worried about. It was that in three days, they would all be back in Kyoshi. The wedding would bring romance and alcohol, and Aang. Tonight was just one night.
He dipped toward her, moving his hand to the back of her head as he kissed her. Gently, softly. She was smiling before they parted.
"Buy me dinner?" She asked, now so obviously coy and flirtatious.
"To spend the night together? How textbook." He retorted. Katara laughed and Zuko grinned at her amusement.
"If we order room service we can kill two birds with one stone."
"Do you know how expensive room service is?"
"Oh is Mister Multi-Billion Conglomerate not liquid?"
"I seem to be for how easily you're manipulating me."
Katara burst into raucous laughter and Zuko couldn't help but join in.
"That was an awful pun." She said.
"You seemed to enjoy it."
"I always enjoy you Zuko."
Zuko had channeled lightning that left him less charged.
Katara playfully shoved him over as she leapt onto the bed and crawled over to the head. She clicked on the lampp on the nightstand and propped herself up against the headboard as she examined the menu.
"The prices are ludicrous." She conceded. Zuko took off his outerwear and started picking Katara's clothes off the floor.
"Since you challenged my financial security, feel free to order to your heart's content." He remarked as he set about hanging things up.
"Would you have sex with me?" Katara asked suddenly.
"What?" Zuko exclaimed and whirled to look at her. Katara idly looked up from the menu, blinked at him, then looked back down.
"Would you?" She repeated.
"No." He said firmly.
"Why?" She asked.
"Because I'm not ready for that." Zuko blurted quickly. Katara nodded and flipped through the heavy laminated pages.
"That's why I like you Zuko. It's not you hedging your bets and making it seem like it'd be up to me, or because you're worried about Sokka." She said.
"That's. Katara that is really disturbing when you think about the implications." Zuko replied. He paused and then shut the closet door.
"Have you been testing me?" He asked suddenly, keeping his focus on the closet door.
"No." Katara answered and Zuko relaxed under the wave of relief. "I mean, not until that last question anyway."
Zuko went back to the bed and sat at the foot while he removed his shoes. He turned and began prying off Katara's boots while she held up her leg, still looking for food. Again, this servitude was more akin to comfort than the prostate nature he had taken with Mai. There had been days after training where he had fallen at Katara's feet and whined piteously until she started to massage his aching muscles. It was simply what they did for each other.
He wondered why this fearful reaction to his attraction had even occured really as he tossed her boots to the floor and pulled on her legs. Katara shrieked in glee as he pulled her down the bed and moved over her, watching as she slid the menu down her face to peek at him.
"You're mean." He said. Katara tilted her head back and lowered the menu a bit more so the rest of her face was exposed.
"You encourage it." She countered.
"You should be nicer to me. I took a lightning bolt to the chest for you." He said.
"Sure, but what have you done for me lately?" Katara quipped. Zuko snatched the menu away and flung it to the side. Katara laughed again and covered her face with her hands.
"You are a ridiculous creature." He said. Katara opened her hands to make blinders on the sides of her face.
"But you love me." She said jovilly. A joke.
"I do." He replied softly. Seriously. Her hands, slightly shaking, reached up. He lowered himself as her arms went around his neck. He gently pressed his weight against her as they kissed again. He kept his eyes closed, unable to look at her face.
"A drink and love." Katara whispered in his ear. "Are you proposing Zuko?"
Zuko kissed the soft, warm skin of her neck.
"Not yet." He murmured. "Not tonight."