Katara was having a long day, a long week, a long month really. It just seemed like everything was going so completely and utterly wrong that it was unreal. First dad and Gran Gran both fell ill back home in their village. Luckily with the right medicine the illness was not serious and would pass but without it things would go really bad, really fast. And then she broke up with her ex shortly after that, and let's just say Ba Sing Se was off limits. To make a long story short, he was a felon even if wasn't on his record, and some brat nicknamed "Smellerbee" promised that she was in for a rotten time if she ever came back. On top of all of this, Katara also lost the second of her two jobs she had to make ends meet at just the dreamiest little bakery, and she couldn't even really be good and angry about it. Poor Mrs. Lokai was just so apologetic, but she had to let go of well, everyone, after her landlord raised the rent on her.
"I can't afford to stay here!" Mrs. Lokai cried out "You all are almost like family to me but I just can't do it. I am going to have to move the shop out of town and unless you want to come with me, I'm going to have to let you go." she finished sadly "Yuzi, Katara, Shen, everyone, I am so sorry. I really, really am."
And really who could be upset about that, Katara had seen this coming if she had to be honest with herself. Suddenly she was getting less hours, the café prices were going up, and Mrs. Lokai wasn't looking any of them in the eye like she used to; really it didn't take a genius to read the writing on the wall. She fought with her landlord hard, but without a lease she didn't have a leg to stand on with those vultures. Mrs. Lokai had to take her business to where she could afford and it wasn't this town, not any more. And while ideally she would have loved to have followed her, she knew it wasn't going to happen. Sweet Dreams was moving to… to Ba Sing Se of all places, the city she fled to get away from her ex and all those painful memories(and all those painful welts; that Smellerbee and what was it… Longshot? Were pretty mean with a BB gun). There was just no way Katara was going back there so soon, to walk those streets that used to every day with him at her side. So here she was half unemployed, getting ignored by every taxi in the city it seemed, and just when she thought her day couldn't get any worse a gust of wind howled into her face, ripping all of her carefully crafted curls apart. And after that it began to rain, and rain hard, with the clear blue sky abruptly changing into something feral and dark. With an angry growl Katara flung her arm out to the street one last time, half blind from the water streaming into her eyes.
"TAXI!" She roared. As the lighting flashed across the sky a little yellow cab finally decided to take mercy on her and darted to her side. Almost crying with joy she yanked the door open and vaulted inside. With a smile on her fast for the first time that day, she turned towards the driver and promptly ran headfirst into something in the back seat.
"Ow-"
"What the hell, my suit!"
Katara's head whipped up at the sound of a voice so close to her and came eye to eye, well eye to side of face really, with an extraordinarily handsome man. Dressed smartly in a well-tailored suit and a pretty embroidered umbrella in hand, he would have looked perfect if not for the large wet spot right in the center of his chest.
"I am so sorry!" Katara exclaimed, as the dark haired man dabbed at his suit "I totally did- wait a second!" she huffed "Why are you even in here! I grabbed this cab first, get your own!"
The man's head snapped up, his ocher eyes narrowing dangerously. Katara blinked at the large scar that was suddenly visible, taking up a good portion of his face.
"What? This cab clearly pulled over for me, I waved him to the other side of the street. If anyone is getting a new cab it's you." He scowled at her for an additional moment before turning away "And stop staring at my scar!"
"Whoa wait I wasn't- you look- no you are not distracting me," she curled her hands into claws around her purse "Get out." she hissed. There was a long silence that was broken by a single drawn out word.
"No." He leaned forward and trapped on the meter "Excuse me driver? Yes I would like to go to 8493 W-"
"I told you I wasn't getting out."
"I know, and I'm not leaving either." he retorted "So unless you want a man you don't know going with you to your destination, which I hope is nowhere but home looking as you do" he sneered after taking in her bedraggled state "we are going my stop and then this cab is yours to command." he finished with a smug look.
Katara angrily flushed and self-consciously touched the rats nest on her head. She didn't think she looked all THAT bad. Right? She took a glance towards the window searching for her reflection and grimaced. Okay maybe she did look that bad, but that jerk didn't have to say it. She crossed her arms, turning to sullenly stare out of the window as the man finished telling the driver where to go.
"As I was saying, I want to go to 8493 N. White Lotus Way"
"That's a decent distance and it'll take a while in this traffic. You okay with that?"
"Oh yeah, that's fine"
The cab driver then turned around and Katara was suddenly a little happy that she had company. With his shock of white hair, un-groomed beard, and most strikingly, those wild green eyes, she suddenly didn't mind not being left alone in a cab with him. He stared her down a moment before his old face broke into a gentle smile.
"And how about you young lady, is that okay?" he asked kindly
Katara flushed a little in embarrassment at his kindness after her mean spirited thoughts. Way to judge a book by its cover.
"Ah y-yeah that's fine!" she stammered out with a nervous smile. Truth be told it was actually better than fine it was great. She lived just a few blocks from there; she was going to get over half her ride on this guy's dime. It was the first thing to go right all day. She squirmed in seat, trying to get her wet clothes to, well, not feel quite so wet and cold as the cab lapsed into a mildly uncomfortable silence. After about 5 minutes, the peace was broken by a sharp sigh. Katara tipped her head towards the origin of the sound and glared at him.
"Something wrong?" she sniffed. He cringed at her tone before awkwardly pulling at his tie and taking a deep breath.
"Listen… I-I'm sorry for my behavior earlier, I'm not usually like that. It's just you wouldn't believe the month I've had, it has been the absolute worst and just so damn stre-"He broke off as Katara interrupted with a brash laugh.
"Stressful?" She scoffed "You don't know the meaning of stressful."
"Oh" he said incredulously "I don't? How's that?!"
She took in his polished leather shoes, custom tailored suit, and his engraved suitcase with a hypercritical eye.
"I've dated one of you cooperate types before and no, you don't know stress. You complain about how hard things are in your little padded office and never seem to get that no matter how much stress you're under, the people under youare feeling about three times whatever you are!"
"So the fact I got passed over for a position I've literally been working my whole life for doesn't mean jack?"
"Compared to others? No."
"What about my screw up that cost my family millions?"
"At least your family has millions to loose!"
"I walked in on my ex-girlfriend and my sister's assistant, who she left me for, today, together, on my desk."
"That uh-"Katara twitched trying to put herself in his shoes "Uh yeah that's pretty bad, but not the worst!"
The tall dark man leaned back against his window, looking her up and down.
"Uh huh. So what's your sob story then, the one that makes you objective expert on the world's misery?"
She bristled at his wandering eye and briefly considered the wisdom of telling this man her earthly woes. After a moment's deliberation she threw all caution to the wind. If he wanted to be all ears she would let him.
"Well where do I start!" she spat "We can look a few months back at when my asshole of an ex practically ran me out of Ba Sing Se. I refused to go along with his super illegal plan to help him embezzle money from the city council and after he dumped me, he got all his goons to harass me until the day I let town. I don't have proof but I know it was him!" Katara looked at the stranger's dark hair and lean build for a moment. "In fact you kind of remind me of him." She blandly commented which resulted in a deep frown in response. "Then I found a job at this little bakery and it was the best, I loved it there, but then the landlord drove up the rent price. Now the owner can't afford it, and guess where Sweet Dreams is moving? To Ba Sing Se! I can't go back there, and this was the only job that worked with my second job I have so I have enough money to some home to my Gran Gran and dad, who are ill. Now how will I pay for their treatment?! Even with my brother we are barely making the payments!" At some point during her rant the man's face changed from arrogantly detached to somewhat guilty.
"Ah, did you say the bakery was Sweet Dreams?" He began.
"Yes, why?"
He rubbed the back of his neck, briefly peering out of the window on his side before confessing "Because… my family owns that building, and to recoup the loss of my million dollar mix up they hiked the rent of every tenant who didn't have a lease."
"Which included Sweet Dreams."
"Which did include Sweet Dreams and a lot of other small shops." He hesitantly affirmed "It was my sister's idea! She's ruthless, I swear I had nothing to do with this!" he held his hands out in a panic as Katara predatorily advanced on him in the back seat.
"Nothing to do with this? Besides being the reason behind the rent hike then? Do you know how many businesses are moving because of you?" she asked silkily.
"Uh, well, kinda, I mean I didn't think about it- wait wait wait!" Katara seemed to fill the whole cabin and she painted an intimidating picture. Her hair hovered around her face in a bronze halo as the lighting outside made her blue eyes flash with every streak of light. "You're right, I wasn't thinking about what was going on with others, I'm sorry!" Katara paused momentarily distracted.
"I don't think you're sorry!" she barked "You just don't like getting called on your crap!"
"Well no," he blurted out "Who enjoys that? But I really am sorry, I wasn't thinking about the consequences beyond me, but!" he went on "That still doesn't give you the right to act like I can't have any problems just because mine are different." As Katara swelled, ready to burst in anger he cut her off. "I know I would trade places with you in an instant if it meant I had anyone worth looking out for. My finances are stellar, but my family?" he laughed without mirth. "I'd throw it all away for a family who actually cared about me. They're sick miss and not physically, they really are. Do you know my father tried to dump me on the street? If my mother hadn't gotten there in time she would have her only son disappear. And after she rescued me she vanished instead, I haven't seen her in over 18 years, no one has. And let's not start on my sister."
Katara could only look at him speechless. As tight as money has always been for her, she couldn't actually imagine life without her family for all the cash in the world. To be honest she always felt like a life without the support and love from her dad, Gran Gran, Sokka and everyone else from her old village wasn't a life worth living. Life was short, and it was hard, but she always had felt like if it was filled with love, then she could get through it. Feeling guilty for the second time that day she looked up and made eye contact through the rear view mirror with the driver who just raised his busy eyebrows as if saying 'Well, what do you have to say now?' Turning back to the man Katara gulped.
"I want to apologize as well. I've had a rough go of it, but that didn't give me the right to make all those assumptions about you. It can be easy to forget that not every problem begins and ends with money. I was out of line." She finished sincerely. "Since we've gone and bared out souls to each other, I guess now would be a good time to get each other's name." She stuck out her hand "I'm Katara."
The tall pale man glanced down at her hand, leading Katara to do the same. She winced as she took in the state of her nails. Like everything else about her appearance today, her normally immaculate manicure had been ruined. Her nails were ripped and ragged from her chewing on them nervously for the past week. She had totally forgotten. What had she been thinking, offering her hand to this elegant man looking like this? Embarrassed she tried to retract her hand only to have it gently captured by two larger ones. Her head jerked up and the man gave her a warm smile.
"Zuko. Pleased to meet you Katara."
After a gentle shake he held her hand for a moment longer than what was generally considered acceptable before slowly letting go.
"You know I don't meet many like you." He said.
"Oh? Rude and quick to judge?" she joked back, trying to keep things light.
"Well that's not what I was going to say," he smirked "But you said it, not me. But I mean most of the time when I meet women they either see the suit, my name and they try to dig in. Or they see this," he raised a hand and brushed it along the scar Katara had forgotten was even there "and they either want to baby me or run away. It's been a while since I have had someone be so honest." he admitted. "Not a whole lot of people have the guts to disagree with me." Katara started at him puzzled for a moment. People didn't have the guts? Who was he? Discreetly she peeked over at his suitcase and tried to read the engraving she had seen 'Zuko… Em..Ember…Island.. Ember Island Inc.!' She stared at him as her mind finally made the connection with her mouth agape.
"You're Ozai's son!" she declared
Zuko grimaced "Don't remind me. Wait, you mean you didn't know?"
"No! I had no idea. You guys practically run the city. No wonder most people don't have the guts to stand up to you." She grew quiet and muttered to herself "I wonder if that makes me brave or stupid? Did I just get myself run out of here too?" Zuko stared at her in astonishment before giving a deep laugh that Katara couldn't help but be drawn to.
"I think it makes you outspoken!" he assured her "But no I will not run you out. In fact… Let me see if I can help you get a job. I can't get my sister to reverse her decision, but I can see about getting you a job that pays enough so you only need to work one."
Katara looked at him astonished for the second time that day as she heard the driver exclaim "We're here!" in the background. A good job, a really good job could mean everything to her. But her pride deadened her tongue. As desperate as she was, a small part of her felt like she would be his charity case. As if sensing her thoughts Zuko perked up, giving her a devilish grin.
"And if I am to help you get this job in return I want your number, this isn't going to be free. Maybe we could discuss this and other things over dinner and a drink some time?"
Speechless Katara just woodenly nodded her head. She couldn't believe it. Not only did she try to run him out of the cab and chewed his head off, she looked like she just came crawling out of a nail biting hurricane and the heir to Ember Island Inc. still wanted her phone number. Hardly believing what was happening she slowly withdrew a pen and some paper from her purse and scribbled down her number. After Zuko plucked her pen from her hand to do the same Katara almost laughed at the absurdity of it all. When she first got into the cab, hissing and spitting like an owl-cat, this is not how she thought this ride was going to end. After he tucked her number into his suitcase like it was something special he put his hand on the door. Looking back at her, she saw some of his confidence slip as the awkward man who stumbled over how to apologize to her earlier reemerged.
"So, I'll see you later right?" he asked with a touch of anxiety "You aren't going to melt away in the rain on me will you?"
"I'd need to be made of sugar for that to happen," Katara retorted with a soft smile "And as you saw from earlier that's not the case."
"But you are a little wicked" he grinned back "And I heard the principal is the same,"
"Hey!"
"So just in case take this."
He lobbed something at her and on reflex she caught it. It was his heavy embroidered umbrella she had been admiring earlier.
"Wait I can't take this, you don't even have a coat!" she protested.
"Neither do you, no one does, who was expecting this weather?"
"Yeah but," Katara picked at her own clothes "I'm already a sopping wet mess. You still have a shot at looking presentable when you get home. I can't let you do this."
In response he opened the door and gave her a boyish smirk that almost took her breath away.
"I guess it's a good thing I have never been good with directions. Sir," he looked at the older man who gave him a knowing smile "Put both our fares on the Ember Island tab please." And with a final wave and a gesture to call him,
"Wait!"
He was off, with only his briefcase to protect him the deluge. Katara sat there staring after his retreating form in shock only to be shaken out of it when the driver piped up from the front.
"Where to miss?"
Katara turned her head to face him and ignored his question.
"Did that really just happen? Did I really just spill my guts to him like that?" she frowned briefly for a moment before looking at the driver even closer "And you too actually now that I think about it; how much did you hear?" He gave her a cheerful smile and a wink.
"I heard enough. But don't worry your secret is safe with me, believe me when I say I know more secrets than any man has a right to know. Now where to miss?"
Feeling a little stunned about how candidly she had spoken that night, and not perfectly comforted by his words, she gave him her address and settled in for the short ride. She stared at Zuko's number in a daze, only putting it away when they arrived at her house. When she moved to withdraw payment the driver caught sight of what she was doing and protested.
"Wait you don't need to pay me! It's on his tab remember?"
"I know" she grumbled "But it still just doesn't feel right" the driver just chuckled.
"Believe me when I say it's no big deal. And if it makes you feel better it's going on his corporate tab, not his personal one. All Ember Island employees share one."
"That actually does make me feel a little better" Katara giggled "Thank you so much for putting up with our squabbling and not just throwing the both of out. But between you and me… who did you really stop for?" she inquired, the curiosity heavy in her voice. The driver gave her an indulgent look that made her heart pang for a grandfather she never knew.
"Would you believe me if I said I stopped for you both?"
"No sir I wouldn't" Katara said with a laugh "I'm not sure I could buy that timing. But thanks again and have a nice night!" After looking at pouring rain that awaited her as soon as she left the cab she hastily tacked on another sentence to her farewell. "And drive safely!" With thoughts of seeing Zuko with his honey eyes and ink black hair again in the front of her mind, she opened her borrowed umbrella with a pop. And much like Zuko, within moments her figure disappeared into the rain as she ran for her building, hopping over puddles and ducking tree branches like she was kid again. The taxi cab driver watched her leave with a soft smile before shrugging off his tattered coat, revealing a moss green sweater that reeked of money and high class. He pulled a new coat out of the seat next to him and threw it on, the polished gold cuff links glinting in the dull light of the car. In one fluid motion he withdrew a phone and dialed in a number.
"Good evening master Bumi. I trust that your drive was pleasant?"
"Oh yes it was Pao, it was brilliant, nothing relaxes me more"
There was a long suffering sigh on the end and the other voice chided "So you always say, but Master Bumi must you always drive a cab? It's dangerous and I don't feel like merely following you is enough security. Couldn't you-"
"Now Pao" he said sternly "We have been over this before. Please bring my car around, and after that call that doll Lokai and tell her that I won the bet."
There was a long pause on the other end before Pao sputtered "But sir, you just took that bet three days ago. How could you have possibly found someone for that Katara girl already?"
Bumi gave a wild look that no one was there to see and proudly crowed "Because I am just that good. It took some arrangements, I even had to pay off every cab in the area to ignore the both of them, but it worked out."
"The both of them?"
"Katara and Ozai's son."
"Zuko? You got her the heir to the company?! But- but"
"Now now," Bumi waved him off "You can ask about it later. Bring me my car and call Lokai, and let her know that now that I won the bet, she is going to accept my help. She's a dear old friend and as long as Omashu Movers stands, I will not let anyone push her or Sweet Dreams around."
"I- Yes Sir"
"And call Ozai too, we need to talk about that rent increase and what that terror Azula has been up to behind his back anyways."
"Yes Sir"
"And… actually that's it. Did I mention that I'm good at this?"
"…Yes sir…"
A/N: Hello! It's been a while and to get back in the swing of writing I actually pulled up a big list of prompts and I have been writing stories from them the best I can and this one actually turned into something. The prompt was two characters get into the cab at the same time and this story was how I decided to cross the bridge from getting in together to swapping numbers! I hope that reveal at the end wasn't too out there, I was trying to hint at who the driver could be throughout. Again any constructive critique, suggestions, and requests are always welcomed!