Disclaimer: Neither Avatar: the Last Airbender nor its characters belong to me, nor will they ever

She hadn't cried. Despite the fact that her own husband had forgotten her eighteenth birthday, and that she hadn't received any letters from her family or other friends, and that the only people who did remember were technically her servants, she didn't cry. Instead, she had taken out her frustrations in the training room, soaking it to the point where Zuko wouldn't be able to use it until the water dried up or she changed her mind and got rid of it herself. Either option would take days. At least.

Near midnight, she had just gotten comfortable in the center of the large bed, enjoying having all the space to herself for once, when the pounding at the door resumed.

"Go. Away."

"Katara, I've only said 'I'm sorry' a thousand times."

"That's very nice, Zuko, but actions speak louder than words." She sat up in bed and yelled, "How could you forget my birthday?"

She could hear his groan through the thick door. "Will you at least open the door so we can talk?"

"I think we're having a wonderful discussion through the door, so no. It will remain closed. I don't even want to look at you till tomorrow, when you may resume your groveling."

"Agni, where the—where am I supposed to sleep, then?"

"There are one hundred nineteen empty rooms in the palace right now. Go find one of them. Or better yet, you could try the stables!"

She settled back down against the pillows, folding her arms across her chest, and stared up at the ceiling.

Zuko fell silent again and she was able to drift off to sleep.

The next morning, Katara's anger had given way to hurt and disappointment. With her blood no longer boiling, she rationalized that Zuko forgetting her birthday was not entirely his fault. In all their years of friendship, he had never been there for her birthday celebration. And it's not like they had talked about it; she had assumed he knew, or that someone would tell him, and she hadn't done it herself.

When she emerged from her bedroom, she tripped. She managed to regain her balance, but nearly lost it again when she saw the Fire Lord lying on the floor, dressed in muted-red plain clothes and his hair disheveled.

"Zuko, what are you doing here?" she whispered, very aware of the possibility of eavesdropping servants.

Her tripping over his thighs had roused him from sleep and he ran his hands down his face wearily. "You locked me out last night, remember?"

"Yes, but…you slept here?"

"I was counting on you changing your mind and letting me in."

She planted her hands on her hips. "Well, I hope you slept poorly. You deserved it. I'm still…really mad at you, Zuko."

He pushed himself up off the floor. "I know. And…I'm sorry. I should have known. I should have remembered. Let me make it up to you today. I've canceled all of my meetings. The day is yours, however you want to spend it."

She looked up at him, her eyes narrowed. "Fine." She turned on her heel and started for the dining room. "I'll think about your penance over breakfast."

"And…I have a present for you."

Intrigued, she glanced back at him.

He began leading her towards the throne room. "I—it wasn't supposed to be a birthday present. I started working on it a few weeks ago when I saw you in the courtyard with the nobles."

Biting her lower lip, she looked up at him. Had he heard what the women were saying?

He continued, "You looked very…bored. I thought…you might want to start attending council meetings with me, and that if you did, you'd need your own space to work."

They came to a stop one door past his office doors, and he motioned for her to enter. Cautiously, she stepped into the room. The room was sparsely decorated, with a large desk near the back wall with a few chairs in front of it and one behind it. Behind the desk, the floor-to-ceiling window was framed with cream-colored curtains, and there were empty shelves on one side of the room. On the wall in front of the desk, the fireplace had been ripped out and a small water fountain had taken its place in the alcove.

"It's not finished. I'm still waiting of a rug from the Earth Kingdom. And I'm having a meeting room prepared for you as well, across the hall. It's not ready yet, either. But I thought it might cheer you up—"

Katara interrupted by throwing her arms around his waist. "It's perfect. Thank you."

At first, he stiffened at her touch, but then, tentatively, his arms came around her and he nodded. "I'm sorry," he said again.

"You're on the right path to forgiveness, so far. So did you have anything in mind for today?"

"Well, it's up to you, but I was thinking, if you wanted, we could go into the city. Just you and me."

She stepped out of his embrace to look up at him. "You mean…go into town…unaccompanied?"

He nodded. "I'm sure you've been feeling a bit…cooped up—"

"Yes!" she nearly cried. "I mean…yes, I'd love that. Of course."

He almost smirked. "All right. Go get changed."

"Changed?" she asked, looking down at her dress.

"Wear something…more subtle."

She felt like she was going to burst from excitement, and she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she sped past Zuko. As she rushed to her room, she assured Jien everything was all right, and she began digging through her wardrobe for something more "subtle." Unfortunately, the palace seamstress did not think it appropriate for the Fire Lady to wear pants, so she only had a few pairs she had convinced Jien to smuggle in for her. She changed quickly, choosing a pair of light cotton cropped pants and a fitted top that covered her shoulders. She'd bring a cloak, but she did not want to pass out from heat exhaustion. She was just slipping on a pair of simple sandals when Zuko walked in.

"I'm ready," she said.

Grabbing a plain black cloak from his wardrobe, he flung it over his shoulder. "You should take your crown off," he suggested.

Her hands went to her hair. "Oh, I forgot," she said, pulling it out of her topknot and placing it in its box on her vanity. "Better?"

He looked at her for a moment before crossing the small space between them. Slowly, as if apprehensive of the possibility of her withdrawing, he reached and pulled the hair sticks out of her up-do, causing her hair to cascade loose down her back. "Common women don't really wear their hair up," he explained. "And I thought we might try to…not look like nobles."

She pulled her hair over her shoulder, twisting it nervously. There was something about the way he was looking down at her that made her stomach clench strangely. "Better?"

He nodded. "Better." Then without another word, he stepped back and proceeded to lead her to one of the stables, where he showed her one of the servants' entrances near the east side of the palace. There, he nodded subtly to the guards on duty and put on the cloak, pulling the hood up over his head. Following his lead, she slipped into hers, clasping it at her neck, but she didn't feel the same need to wear her hood. After walking through a series of entrances and checkpoints, they were in the outer reaches of the city, where modest houses lined the quiet streets. Zuko explained that a lot of servants who did not reside in the palace lived in these homes because of their proximity to the servants' entrance. As they headed for the heart of the city, Katara could tell Zuko was avoiding the areas where nobles lived, and she was surprised to see how easily he navigated through the streets, knowing exactly where to go. It was a big city, and he had spent the majority of his life outside it, either sheltered behind the palace walls or banished from it, but he clearly knew this city like the back of his hand. But as they neared the marketplace, he led her toward one of the quieter shopping streets.

"There's too many people there," he explained. "I'd rather not get recognized."

She sighed. "Oh, come on, Zuko. No one's going to recognize us, especially if you insist on wearing that silly hood."

He scowled. "It's not…silly," he insisted.

"We'll just stroll down the streets like any other common Fire Nation couple," she said.

He just looked down at her skeptically.

"Please, Zuko. I'd really like to walk through the market. We can just do a block or two. Please?" she pleaded, holding out her hand to him.

His jaw clenched, relaying his frustration, but he relented. Instead of taking her hand, he put his hand on the small of her back, leading her into the market. "Two blocks. That's it. And then we'll find a quieter street."

Katara had to bite her tongue. She wanted to argue that he had said this was her day, that he had said they could do whatever she wanted, but she knew he was just being cautious. Besides, two blocks in the market were better than a whole day in the palace. She also had to fight the hurt she felt when he didn't take her hand.

There were so many people making their way through the street that is was difficult for them to stay together. Zuko found it even more difficult when Katara would dart off to a vendor's table to eye some trinket without waiting for Zuko to follow. The second time that occurred, while Katara was running her fingers over some gold combs, Zuko grabbed her free hand tightly in his. Startled, she looked up at him, and the hurt she had felt at his rejection earlier was replaced with confusion.

"Let's not get separated," he suggested casually.

She nodded, but that funny feeling returned to her stomach.

If she browsed at a table or shop for too long, Zuko would pull her away, making comments along the lines of "you don't need it" and "looks cheap," but Katara yanked him to a stop at a pen full of animals in the middle of the marketplace.

Zuko tugged on her hand. "Come on, Katara."

"No, wait…what kind of animal is that?"

He made a face that relayed his exasperation, but he looked anyway. "It's a tigerillo."

"He's beautiful."

"Katara…."

"Why is he all chained up?"

"He's being sold."

"Oh. Why?"

He stepped closer to the pen. "You can't really keep tigerillos as pets. They're cute when they're cubs, and a lot of noble families buy them for their children, but then they get too big to keep in the house. So they sell them."

The animal paced the length of the pen and Katara reached to stroke his soft fur as he passed. "But…he's in the pen for livestock."

Zuko was quiet before he said, "Yeah."

Katara looked up at him, her eyes wide. "You…you mean—"

"Katara, let's go."

"He's being sold to be…eaten?" she cried, outraged.

Zuko pulled her out of the market and into an alley. "You can't do that, Katara. Not here."

She pulled her hand free. "Do what, exactly? That is a beautiful creature, he shouldn't be—"

"You're right. But your righteous indignation won't get you anywhere. It's horrible to do to a pet, but it's become a norm in this city. And if you want to be able to make trips like this, you cannot bring attention to yourself. You cannot cause a scene—"

"Fine! Fine, I'm sorry, okay? It's just, I can't believe—"

"I know. Come on, let's…get out of the heat." He wrapped his long fingers around her forearm and pulled her into a quiet, barely occupied tearoom, picking a table in the back. After he pulled out a chair for her, he sat across from her so that his left side was against the wall, hidden in the shadows. A server came, and he hastily ordered tea and sweet rolls without looking at the woman.

When she left, he leaned forward across the table. "Katara, I'm sorry."

Her elbows on the table, she rested her head in her hands. "I know. And I'm sorry for my…reaction. But I just…." Her voice faded. She really didn't know how she felt or what she was trying to say.

"You're still mad at me," he offered after a long moment of silence had settled.

She bit her lip, but she was saved from responding immediately when the server brought out their tea and a plate of pastries. Zuko lowered his head until she was gone, but then he looked back up at her expectantly.

"Yes," she admitted, "but not just for forgetting my birthday." She sighed. "Zuko, I feel like I never see you. And we never talk. No wonder you didn't know when my birthday was. We had more conversations over the last three years apart than we've had over the last three months living together. I just…I don't know how you expect this…marriage to work if we barely speak. And I know you're busy, but…I feel like I barely know you anymore. We've both changed over the years and unless we get to know each other again…."

"I thought you needed space."

She looked up at him, her eyes wide. "Space? You thought I needed…space? Why?"

Shrugging, he replied, "To get settled. To get used to the Fire Nation and the palace. I thought you would need time adjusting to your new life before you could start adjusting to…me."

"But Zuko, that's crazy. You're a big part of my new life." She paused, taking a deep breath. "You asked me if I could be happy with you, and I believe I can be. Although, I guess I never asked you if you could be happy with me…."

Swiftly, he reached across the table and grabbed both her hands. "You…you think I'm not happy?" he asked, incredulous.

She pulled her hands away, throwing them up. "I don't know! That's the problem, Zuko: I don't know how you feel, what you think, anything."

He leaned back in his chair, studying her face.

Long after the tea had gone cold, she pushed the plate of untouched pastries away. "You know what, I'm tired. I think I'd like to head back to the palace now."

Zuko made a face, and she thought it probably had something to do with the fact that he had slept on the floor last night, but he merely left some money on the table and followed her back onto the street.

When they reached the palace, a servant was waiting for Zuko with an urgent message from his council. After reading it, he looked up at Katara, as if awaiting permission, and said apologetically, "I have to handle this. But I'll see you at dinner tonight. I promise."

Katara didn't reply as she headed for the library, deciding she'd find some scrolls for the empty bookshelves in her new library, believing Zuko hadn't heard a word she'd said.

She couldn't believe it. Zuko was late. Tears began to sting the back of her eyes but she blinked furiously, preventing their escape. She could not believe he was late to dinner. He had promised. And after today, she had thought he would at least try to make an effort.

When he strode into the dining room nearly half an hour late, she stood, her fists balled at her sides. "You—"

"I know, I'm late, I'm sorry!" he said, holding his hands up defensively. "But I think I have a really good excuse."

"You better!" she said, wagging her finger in his face.

Looking down at her, he nearly smirked. "Agni, you make a fierce Fire Lady."

"I—what?" His words had thrown her. It almost sounded like he was admiring her, but that couldn't be, could it?

He grabbed her hand and led her out of the dining room.

"Zuko, where are we going?"

"Just follow me. It's a surprise."

She didn't know if she liked the sound of this or not, but she followed wordlessly anyway, ignoring the knot in her stomach that had formed when he'd grabbed her hand. Again.

Finally, he led her into the stables, bringing her to a stop in front of one of the stalls.

"What is this?" she asked, staring wide-eyed at the tigerillo pacing in the stall. It looked just like the one she'd seen earlier in the market.

"I know how upset you were today, in the market. I went back. I bought him. For you."

"For me?"

"Yes. To ride. I was thinking…I know you hate being…trapped here, and you hate the idea of having to be accompanied when you leave the palace, but the palace grounds are immense—over a thousand square acres." He petted the beast gently. "If you learned to ride, you would be free to explore the palace grounds on your own. I think…you would enjoy it."

She stepped forward, eyeing the beast warily. He seemed bigger now than he had before. "I don't know how to ride."

"I know, but it's easy to learn. You'll pick it up quickly. And he seems to like you—it won't be to hard to establish a bond."

"You mean…he's really mine?"

"Of course."

When she reached for the tigerillo, the animal leaned into her hand and purred. She smiled. "I…I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. I still have a lot of making up to do. But I want you to know that…I am trying."

She looked back at him, at the determination in his gold eyes, and she believed him. "I…thank you, Zuko. That…that's all I'm asking for." For now.