The next day was a normal workday. Or it was supposed to be.

When Katara parked in the alley behind the shop, she stared at Zuko's car next to Sokka's. It wasn't a pickup day - which he would have brought the van for anyway - and Katara frowned as she looked at it.

Yesterday felt like a tying up of loose ends. Suki and Sokka were engaged, so their summertime story was over. Zuko had broken up with Mai and remarked on the ending of the season. Katara's own lease was coming to an end and she was going to have to move to the other side of the Middle Ring to be closer to the university.

The summer was in fact ending and a new chapter would begin.

Katara got out of her car, closed the door, and walked to the back of the shop.

She had dumped a lot on Zuko; her actions in the North Pole, her impending coronation, and even their previous disguised meeting. And he had seemed to take it in stride; he certainly never got emotional about it. Maybe because he didn't care enough about the implications. None of it was worth getting worked up over if this was just a crush.

And it was just a crush, wasn't it? They had only known each other, really known each other, for two and a half months. All of which, Katara reminded herself, saw Zuko in a relationship with someone else.

Still frowning, Katara opened the back door and walked into the workroom.

"Hey Kat." Sokka greeted. Zuko, leaning over the counter, stopped and stood to look at her.

"Good morning Katara." He said cheerfully.

"Hey." Katara replied, slipping as much of her hands into her pockets as they would go. "What are you doing here?"

"Zuko is my friend you know." Sokka remarked and went back to his workbench. "He's allowed to come visit."

"Sokka is already planning the wedding and I'm here to make sure he doesn't go overboard." Zuko added and Katara smiled.

"Okay, well I'm going to go open the shop." Katara said, walking to the front. She pushed open the door and flipped on the lights. The fluorescents above hummed and crackled as they flickered to life. Opening the till, Katara saw that Sokka had filled it already and she set about recounting the money. It was as she got to the change that the front door opened.

"Good morning, welcome to Ice Blossom." Katara said and shut the till. The person walking in had a youthful face but they were tall. Blue arrows were tattooed on their arms and the point of one reached down their forehead.

"Oh hi! You must be Katara." They said and rushed to the counter, sticking out their hand.

"Yeah." Katara replied slowly, giving them her hand and then making a noise of surprise as they shook it vigorously.

"My name is Rohan. I'm a courier in town and I do some delivery work for your brother from time to time." They said and released Katara, who staggered back. Rohan grinned and she couldn't help but smile.

"Is it an Airbender thing or just a coincidence?" Katara asked. Rohan paused before bursting into laughter. Once again, their mirth was contagious and Katara fought a losing battle against her own laughter.

"I only use my glider if I'm really behind." They said.

"That's a shame. I think it'd be nice to get flowers by air." Katara remarked.

"Fly-by flower bombing." Rohan said.

"Oh, like at a wedding!"

"Right as they kiss, woosh! Raining flower petals like a cheesy drama!"

They both started to laugh and the backroom door swung open. Katara turned and saw Sokka step out, looking concerned. When he found Rohan, he smiled.

"Hey Rohan, how's it going?" Sokka asked as he walked up to the counter. Zuko followed after, staying quiet.

"I'm good, I'm good. And Zuko! Did you get your invitation yet?" Rohan asked. Katara watched, seemingly just as perplexed as Zuko.

"Invitation for what?" He questioned.

"The new Avatar's debut. All the living children of the previous Avatars are going. My dad is about to blow a blood vessel over it." They replied.

"Ah, no." Zuko said and blinked. "But my uncle mentioned something about it I think."

"There's going to be people there?" Katara questioned.

"You really need to answer dad's messages." Sokka said witheringly. Rohan turned to her, smiling brightly.

"Ah, that's right, your dad is the chief of the South Pole." They asid, hitting their fist into their open palm. They then leaned in, performing a sort of stage whisper. "Good thing you got to meet me before I had to put on my robes."

"Are you going to shave your head?" Katara asked. Rohan blanched as he put both hands on his hair.

"It's not mandatory anymore but," Rohan lowered his hands, pulling on his cheeks as he did. "I am Avatar Aang's grandkid."

"I don't think that'll be necessary Rohan." Zuko said, sounding tired.

"But it could be!" They retorted.

"Did you have an order?" Sokka asked, pushing his way in. Rohan brightened again and clapped their hands.

"Nope!" They said and Sokka slapped his hand to his face with a sigh.

"Ikki is getting married on Victory Day. Pop wanted me to ask about flowers since we're friends!" Rohan said. Katara laughed behind her hand and glanced over at her brother. Her eye caught Zuko's gaze and it stunned her, but he only looked away.

"Anyway, Katara, want to talk more about our flower bombing services?" Rohan asked, returning to their position of leaning casually against the counter.

"We have a business now?" Katara asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You brought it up, I'm just willing to see if it's a worthy partnership." They said.

"I brought it up?" She asked with a chuckle.

"Hey, you don't have to be so pushy. I'll give you all the intellectual rights." Rohan said and then pulled a disappointed face. "Since you only want me for my body."

"Spirits, you are too much!" Katara said, keeping her hands on the counter and pushing herself back.

"Let's go out for dinner." Rohan went on.

Pausing in her lean, Katara lowered her chin and looked at them.

"Pardon?" She asked.

"You've got a great sense of humor and you're prettier than your brother, so I'd like to get to know you better." Rohan said and stood. "Let's have dinner tonight. My treat."

The "my treat" made the request sound innocent, but the sudden serious tone made Katara hesitate.

"Sure. Why not?" She said, with growing boldness. Spirits knew she hadn't gone out with anyone since undergrad.

"Great. Are we talking flowers or are you just going to take up space?" Sokka asked dryly. Katara stepped away from the counter and faced her brother.

Zuko was watching her.

As Rohan and Sokka went into the back room, Katara turned away and opened the register back up. She could feel Zuko step closer to her but she didn't look up.

"So," She said, pushing the coins around with a finger. "Do you know Rohan well?"

"Not really, though not for lack of trying on their part. It's just that my family doesn't make them feel welcome."

"Them, huh?" Katara remarked, finishing her count and closing the till.

"That would be part of the reason." Zuko muttered. He was quiet and Katara picked under her nail as she looked out the large glass window.

"Do you think they're silly?" He asked suddenly. It was sudden enough that Katara turned and gawked at him.

"Silly?" She asked. As the words registered, and she knew what he was referencing, Katara felt her face warm slightly.

"Yeah. Do you think Rohan is silly?"

"They're a bit weird, sure."

They paused again and Katara looked down at her hands.

"Do you like-"

"Zuko I-"

They spoke over each other and stopped just as abruptly.

"Sorry, go ahead." Zuko murmured.

"I, uhm, overheard you and Mai. Talking."

Zuko furrowed his brow. "When?"

"At the beach house."

"Oh."

"Did you guys break up because of me?" Katara asked and then thought, or for me?

Zuko, looking concerned, shook his head. "Of course not."

"Ah."

"Mai and I had broken up while I was in the war because of everything that was going on and we only got back together because of politics. I was technically on the losing side after all." He said.

"I think the Fire Nation in general was on the losing side." Katara remarked. Zuko cleared his throat and tapped his lips with his fist.

"Yes, well." He said. "The point is, we just decided that we didn't want to be in a relationship because of politics."

"Right." Katara said. She wondered what kind of relationship was more political than a crown prince and a queen from another nation. It made her anxious and pensive.

"Hey, you trust me right?" Zuko said, putting his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him slowly, scanning his face but finding nothing in his small smile.

"It had nothing to do with you." He said softly.

Katara took in a breath and smiled weakly back. "Thanks Zuko."

Patting her shoulder, Zuko faced the window.

"You'll have fun with Rohan." He said.

"I'm sure that I will." She said, trying hard not to sound too disappointed.