Chapter 19: Coffee Talk

It was early Sunday morning, the day before finals. Per Katara's request, the group had gathered for a last-minute study session at the student center café. However, since not all the friends could be bothered to get up on time, it ended up being more of a sibling double date, with Azula and Katara sitting across from Sokka and Zuko in one of the booths. Fortunately, Jet was scheduled to work that morning, which meant the siblings had a steady supply of free coffee while they studied.

Still, given the ambient noise of the café with all the students needing their morning caffeine fixes, it was not exactly the most conducive place for studying. Sokka seemed particularly distracted, occasionally pausing his studying to poke Zuko in the head with his pencil. While Azula found it quite amusing, this juvenile behavior appeared to annoy Katara even more than the recipient of the pencil pokes. It all came to a head when Katara kicked Sokka under the booth, who in turn kicked Azula, who kicked Zuko, until all of them were engaged in a four-player footsie brawl. But eventually, Sokka and Zuko had to get up to leave.

"Where do you two think you're going?" Katara questioned.

"We have a thing…" Zuko looked embarrassed.

"A tabletop roleplaying thing," Sokka explained.

Katara gave them a stern look. "The day before finals?!"

"Yes, Mom," Sokka said sardonically.

Zuko jumped to his friend's defense. "It's a short session."

"Yeah. Just wrapping up the campaign. Shouldn't be more than an hour or two."

"Okay," she sighed with disapproval. "Zuko, can I put you in charge of making sure Sokka gets back to studying at a reasonable time?"

"You can count on me," he chuckled. "I'll keep this one in line." He flicked Sokka on the back of his ear.

"Yeow!" Sokka cried, rubbing the sore spot.

The housemates took off and Katara shook her head. "Boys."

"Good for nothing," Azula snickered, closing her textbook.

"You're telling me. Wait… you're leaving too?"

"Yeah." It wasn't because Sokka had left – Azula simply saw this as a second chance to play matchmaker. Just because she had failed to set Jet up with Mai didn't mean that she couldn't set Jet up with someone else. And Katara was the perfect candidate. "I'm going to gym to get some firebending practice in. Gotta take advantage while everyone is busy studying."

"Guess that makes sense."

"But if you're feeling lonely, I'm sure Jet wouldn't mind some company…"

Katara looked over at the counter. "He seems pretty swamped…"

"Yeah. Poor guy has no help back there." Azula feigned a sympathetic look. "I bet he'd really appreciate some assistance. Oh well."

"Hm…"

Azula smirked as she left the café.

"Hey, Jet."

"Oh h-hey, Katara." He handed a coffee drink to a student at the pick-up counter. "Now's not really a good – "

"Looks like you could use some help."

"Oh, uhh, yeah actually that would be great," he said, eyeing the long queue. "B-but I can't pay you or anything, so – "

"Don't worry about it." She hopped the counter and threw on an apron. "I needed a study break anyway."

"Great, well thanks! Umm, do you know how to work the…"

"Not a clue," she laughed softly.

"That's okay. Why don't you take care of the regular coffees and I'll do the rest?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Unsurprisingly, the café was understaffed the day before finals. Other work-study students were conveniently "sick". But with Katara's help, they were able to get through the line at a good pace.

"Hey, thanks for your help," Jet exhaled, wiping sweat off his brow.

"Don't mention it," she smiled sweetly. "I owed you one."

He gave her a puzzled look. "For what?"

"Oh, for helping Sokka get through his… meltdown."

He shrugged. "That's what friends are for."

"Well I'm glad he has friends like you and Zuko."

"And Azula."

"Yeah." She shifted her eyes. "And Azula."

Jet couldn't help but notice her sudden change of demeaner but decided to let it go.

"Though, between you and me," she lowered her voice, "I'm a bit disappointed I didn't get to see my brother with blond hair."

"Don't worry," he smirked, "I got photos." He pulled out his phone and let her go through his gallery.

She lit up. "Amazing. Wow… he really can't pull this off."

"Not at all."

She snickered to herself before returning Jet's phone, suddenly looking melancholy. "I've been worried about him… he hasn't really been the same since our dad got injured…"

"Y-Yeah, what happened there exactly? I remember Sokka saying something about that on Ember Island, but I never got the full story."

"Well," she sighed, shaking her head. "It was late on a Friday night. Dad was walking back from his girlfriend's house when he passed by a local bar and there was this loud guy trying to get this super drunk girl to come home with him, a girl who was way too drunk to make coherent decisions about who she was going home with. Long story short, Dad interfered, the guy threw a punch, Dad punched him back, they fought for a bit but then the guy pulled a knife on him and stabbed him in the chest."

"Holy shit," he recoiled. "That's… that's horrible. I'm so sorry. Your dad is very brave."

"Yeah. They caught the guy at least, and the girl was unharmed, but still. It was really scary. Especially after…"

"Your mom," he said quietly.

She nodded. "I know Sokka still feels guilty about going back to college when I chose to defer a semester to take care of him. But it just made sense! I'm studying to be a doctor, and I'm a healer. There was no need for both of us to stay home…"

"Well… I can see where you get your selflessness from."

She blushed. "Anyway… it was so nice finally getting to put faces to names."

"Huh?"

"Sokka talked about you guys all the time! Especially Zuko," she chuckled.

"Yeah," he laughed. "Sokka loves Zuko."

"I just couldn't wait to come here and meet everyone in person. I'm…" She gazed into his eyes. "…really glad I did."

"Me too," he smiled.

"So, umm…" She broke eye contact. "D-Do you have a date to the dance yet?"

"Oh, no." He shook his head. "With finals and everything, I haven't even thought about it."

"Ohh, I-I just figured you would have asked Azula…"

He raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"You spend a lot of time together," she said quickly. "I think you'd make a cute couple…"

A soft laugh escaped his lips. He knew exactly what Katara was doing. "We're just friends."

She looked noticeably relieved.

"Do you have a date?"

"No," she squeaked, "not yet…"

"Would you go even if you didn't have a date?"

"Yeah, of course! Nothing beats a night dancing with friends. I can't wait!"

He smiled. Katara was so cute when she was excited about something. He almost asked her to go with him right then and there, but… something was holding him back. With Sokka going to the dance with Suki, he really didn't want Azula to have to go dateless. She was there for him when Mai broke his heart, and now she was going through her own heartbreak… would he be a bad friend if he didn't ask her to the dance? He needed to think on it some more.

"I-I should probably get back to studying," she said, removing her apron.

"Yeah. Sure."

"Thanks for the study break! This was fun."

"Thanks again for all your help. I'll, uh, be sure to return the favor sometime." That came out way more suggestive than he intended.

Her cheeks reddened. "I really hope you do."

"Hey," Azula said as she walked into her dorm room.

"Hey." Mai was lying down on her bed, casually spinning a throwing knife around her finger. "Sorry I missed the study session… is anyone still there?"

"Just Katara. Oh, and Jet. But only because he's working."

"Hm. Maybe I'll head over in a bit." She ceased her fidgeting and sat up, stretching her arms above her head. "I could use some coffee."

"Rough night?"

"Eh." She shrugged. "I had some trouble falling asleep."

"Worried about finals?"

"Yeah… finals… oh! I almost forgot. A package came in for you."

"Oh?" She could tell Mai was just trying to change the subject, but considering she hadn't ordered anything, her curiosity was piqued. "From whom?"

"Go see for yourself." She pointed to Azula's desk.

Sure enough, there was a medium-sized brown box sitting on her desk with a large "FRAGILE" warning sign. She read the return address and reflexively scrunched her face. "It's from Ursa…"

"Well… what is it?"

Azula carefully opened the package. There was a short note lying on top, which she read out loud. "'Dear Azula, I hope this little gift brings you good luck on your final exams. Thinking of you. Love, Mom.'" She pursed her lips, unsure of what to make of it. Then she started sifting through the packing peanuts. "Whatever it is, it sure is heavy," she grunted as she lifted her gift out of the box. It was a blue glass dragon, masterfully crafted. "Oh… wow."

"It's beautiful," Mai said, eyeing the dragon with awe. "Thoughtful too."

"It's nice I guess," she muttered. Truth be told, she loved it. And for some reason, it was making her emotional. Not that she allowed Mai to see that.

"You should thank her."

"I thought you didn't want me reconnecting with Ursa," Azula scoffed as she set the dragon down on her dresser. She loved the way the light from the window made it sparkle.

"I just want you and Zuko to be happy. Obviously I think you need to be cautious with her, but I also think all this family drama is really getting to Zuko. He just wants everyone to get along."

"Like one big, happy family." She rolled her eyes.

"Look. Things might not ever be perfect, but this is an opportunity for you to show that you're at least willing to put in some effort."

She sighed. "I hate it when you're right." Azula pulled out her phone to text Ursa. "Okay. Now… what should I say?"

"Hey Jet," Ty Lee greeted with a flirtatious smile.

"Oh, hey Ty Lee. If you're here to join the study session, you're a little late…"

"Aw." She looked over at the booth where Katara was sitting alone and then back at Jet. "Where did everyone go?"

"I dunno."

"Hm. Well, that's fine." She suggestively leaned over the counter, exposing her cleavage which was accentuated by her tight pink sweater. "I don't suppose you could make me a vanilla frappuccino…"

"Are you going to pay for it?" He already knew the answer.

She pouted.

"Coming right up," he acquiesced.

She grinned and straightened her posture. "Actually, go ahead and make that a vanilla latte. It's too chilly for fraps."

"Sure thing." He headed for the espresso machine.

"So…" she purred. "Just in case you were wondering, no, I don't have a date to the dance, and yes, I will go with you."

"Really," he said incredulously.

"Why not?"

"Isn't there someone else you'd rather go with? Someone with, oh, I don't know, boobs?"

"Yeah," she giggled, "I'm just teasing you." She paused. "So, who were you thinking of asking?"

"Well…" He nudged his head over in the direction of Katara.

Her brown-gray eyes lit up. "No way!"

"Yeah, but then she made some comment about how she thought Azula and I would make a cute couple…"

She scoffed. "She was probably just trying to see your reaction! I mean, that's such a ridiculous thought. You and Azula."

"Is it?"

"Are you serious?" she asked snidely. "Your relationship with Azula is really… unnatural."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, all this time, you've been taking care of her with no romantic intentions whatsoever, like you're her dad or something."

He wrinkled his nose. "So you're saying I'm like a father to her?"

"It makes sense, doesn't it? Her daddy went away to prison. It's reasonable she'd try to find a replacement, one who's caring, and well, nothing like her biological dad."

"I think you're reading way too far into this…"

"Maybe." She sighed. "Point is, you should ask Katara to the dance."

"I don't know… I just don't want Azula to go alone."

"See? You're trying to take care of her again. And besides, you won't have to worry about Azula going alone because I'm going to ask her!"

"Wait… you have a thing for Azula?!"

"No, silly," she giggled. "Well, not anymore anyway. I did sorta kinda have a crush on her. A while ago. But I'm over that now. She's a straight girl, and there's no point wasting my time on a straight girl. Been down that road too many times…"

"How are you so certain she's straight?" he questioned, smirking.

"Oh, you mean besides her obvious giant crush on Sokka?" she smirked right back.

His mouth fell open. "What? Y-You knew?!"

"Yep! About that and about your less obvious crush on Mai."

He stared at her in silence, completely lost for words.

"I'm very observant, you know," she said smugly.

"Guess so," he chuckled, feeling self-conscious. "W-Well, even if Azula had a crush on Sokka, that doesn't mean she's completely straight…"

"No," she agreed. "But my gaydar is seriously spot on. Well… 95% accurate. Okay, more like 88, but you get the point – "

"I'm not sure I do…"

" – And my gaydar says that Katara, Azula, and you, in that order, are straight."

"In that order?"

"With Katara being the straightest."

"Gotcha." He thought for a moment as he steamed some milk for the latte. "Well what about Mai and Zuko? What about Sokka?!"

She shrugged. "Verdict is still out on those three."

"You're way off base," he chuckled.

"88% accurate."

"Yeah, okay."

"Anyway," she smiled innocently, "bring me my drink when you're done with it, okay?" She started walking off.

"But, I don't – " he started, but it was no use. Ty Lee was a strange one, that was for sure. But strange as she was, she did raise some interesting points. Maybe his relationship with Azula was a bit unorthodox. Or maybe this is what a really good friendship looked like? But either way, Azula wasn't romantically interested in him while Katara clearly was.

Jet finished making the vanilla latte and went over to the booth to deliver it.

"Thanks, Jet," Ty Lee grinned.

"No problem." He cleared his throat, turning his attention to Katara.

She looked up at him.

"Hey Katara… would you like to go to the dance with me?"