a/n: thanks for the follows and reviews y'all! I'm glad it's enjoyed so far. :3 I am so out of practice, so apologies for odd mistakes!

"Wait, where's Twinkle Toes?" Toph asked, as if only just remembering Aang even existed.

"He's... he stayed home. Enjoying some of his time off and all that stuff." Katara tucked a strand of hair behind one ear, looking around the cozy room. And out the window. The floor was quite nice, too. Everywhere that wasn't that damned Firebender was so nice right now. She cursed herself mentally. This was a terrible idea.

"How have you been, Katara?"

His gravelly voice made the Waterbender jump. Eyes the color of the ocean met eyes of molten gold, a harsh red scar marring an eye. Thick, dark hair hung shaggy, in his eyes and past his ears. Age had been kind to Zuko. Not that she was noticing, or anything.

"Er, Katara?" Sokka's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Oh. Oh! I've been... well. And yourself, Zuko?" She asked sheepishly, cheeks flushed. Saying she was well almost felt like a lie.

"Could definitely be worse." He said with a shrug. So casual, it was hard to believe he was a king. "Busy pretty often."

"How's, uh, Mei?"

An awkward silence fell, one of the loud and buzzing silences where your words seem to echo in your ears.

"She left me." His voice was guarded, eyes cast downwards. "For Ty Lee."

Katara almost wanted to laugh. Almost. Ty Lee was so hyper and Mei was so... not. At least, when she had met them last. That was years ago, though. Who knows what could change.

"How is Aang?"

Katara furrowed her brows. "He's... happy. Leaves pretty often for Avatar business, though. But he seems happy." She said, picking words carefully. Aang was happy. Katara wasn't so sure about herself though.

Aang was so sweet, so peaceful and so naïve. She should love him, she reminded herself. She was lucky to have him. Right?

The atmosphere soon softened up as Katara brought her things to the guest room and conversation began to flow.

"Sokka, why in the world do you have two beds in your guest bedroom?" She yelled.

"So we have room for more than one guest! Duh! Unless you want Zuko snuggling you all night!" He called back.

Of course she was sharing the damned room with Zuko. Of course Zuko would be here when she was. Of course this was all coincidence. A coincidence... or the work of a certain blind bandit.