Sokka and Suki walked over to her car and drove out of the parking lot. They were now heading to Suki's apartment downtown, leaving the other two adults alone in the cold.
"So, you ready to go?" Zuko asked, finally able to speak by himself.
"Oh," Katara spoke, disrupted from her thoughts about the man no more than three feet away from her, "yeah I'm ready". She turned to Zuko and gave him a soft grin. They walked together to the other side of the parking lot to Zuko's car. He drove a red pickup truck that was actually neat inside, just more for Katara to add to the list of her possibility with Zuko, taken she was also an organized person.
So far so good, Katara thought to herself. Now, I just have to make it about 35 more minutes with him, and that can't be too hard can it?
They hopped inside and Zuko started the car as Katara buckled her seat belt. They drove out of the parking lot in awkward silence, radio not even on.
"You want music?" Zuko asked her.
"Um, yeah sure," Katara fumbled with her words.
Zuko turned on the radio and skipped between stations trying to find something they'd both like to hear. "Um what station?"
"Any is fine," Katara smiled, no doubt a little curious.
Zuko shrugged and turned on the hip hop station.
They sat, no words spoken, for a while longer, the sound of the radio filling the awkward space between them. Katara was still flustered inside, being in her date's car all alone, just her and Zuko, no Sokka and no Suki. She rested her face on her palm as her elbow reached the shelf in between the driver and passenger seat. She stared off into the road in front of the car as trees passed.
Zuko kept his hand on the wheel and his other arm on the car door. Wow, he thought, I have Katara in my car. It was a silly thought, but still calmed yet excited the man. Who knew Sokka could be right, this is just what he needed. He peered over, taking is eyes off the road for a few seconds to catch a glance at the young woman in the seat to his right. She was gorgeous and kind. How had he been so lucky?
Katara lost her dazed feeling as they car went over a speed bump. Abruptly startled, she flinched just a bit, causing a chuckle from Zuko, then laughing at herself. She hoped they could just enjoy each other's company like this for at least 10 more minutes, but she knew it was bound to happen.
As the laughter trailed off, they were once more silent. She repositioned her arm and leaned against it. As she watched the trees lining the road speed by, she began to feel dizzy. She then searched for something else to focus on.
At last, her eyes rested on Zuko's face, well scar to be exact. The scar tissue was as healed as could be, but not near enough to be erased completely.
Sensing someone was looking at him, Zuko peered our the corner of his eye, catching the girl next to him staring at the side of his face.
Katara had been caught.
He could feel the little balloon of happiness and joy at the bottom of his gut deflate. It wasn't the first time that night he had noticed her looking at him. He was not surprised, knowing the inevitability of a wondering curiosity. This happened all the time, in public, or anywhere he went. However he wasn't aggravated tonight, which would be better for Katara. He didn't want to hurt her or keep her from him in any way, to get rid of her could tear and tug a little father down his small, paper thin heart. He had always been told he had a cold heart, cold yet ablaze. Temperamental, reckless he had been called, not at all satisfying his yearning to be calm and compassionate and considerate. He did not want to ruin this night with bringing up his past and horrible, terrible, memories and stories. He finally took a deep breath and prepared to hold back tears to come as he was about to tell Katara the story of the scar.
Katara's diamond eyes hit his once more, but in less than two solid seconds, his eyes were back on the road. She heard him inhale and exhale slowly. She prepared for the worst as she tightened her grip on her seatbelt. After what felt like forever, Zuko started to speak, pouring ever ounce of strength into his words, not wanting to hit the breaking point, especially in front of a girl he had just met that night.
"I guess you know by now that I've noticed you sneaking glances at my...face," he started, causing Katara to wince in anticipation. "But...but it's okay, it happens all the time. It's been a regular occurrence for me since I was about 13. People staring and making comments behind my back...but I suppose I'm used to it-"
Before he could continue, Katara spoke up, unaware to what she was doing," Zuko, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to stare, and I don't think anything bad about it or you. You," she put her hand on his shoulder before opening her mouth once more. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
He flinched at her caring touch. No one besides his uncle, his dead son, and Zuko's long lost mother had shown quite as much compassion towards him. Her warm and electrifying touch replenished him, allowing him to finish the rest of his story.
As he pulled up into the parking lot of Katara's apartment building, he wrapped up his tragedy of a childhood.
"Oh, Zuko," Katara spoke tenderly,"I'm so sorry."
"Don't worry, it's all in the past now," the man replied. By now both had inched closer in their seats, only restricted by the pieces of plastic between them. Katara took his hand and twiddled with it until at last she worked up her nerve and turned toward the man, nearing his face.
Zuko took notice of how close she was getting and, of course ruining the moment, stuttered "K-Katara?"
"What is it Zuko? It's just a kiss," Katara giggled, moved her left hand over his scar and her other on his hand, and kissed her date. It filled both of them with such exhilaration, not wanting to stop, but forced to, not wanting to get carried away.
When the moment was over, they said their sweet goodbyes, and Katara hopped out of the car into the chilly night air. As she neared the door, she heard a raspy voice call out,
"See you next Thursday?" Zuko has called from his car, smirking.
"See you then, Zuko," Katara replied. She was now inside of her apartment, looking out the window, tracing his yellow rear lights as they left the parking lot.
She changed into her pajamas, gotten in bed, and turned off the lights. She couldn't fall asleep until her brain had failed to produce anymore fantasies about the black haired man with the saddest story she'd ever heard. She drifted into a deep sleep, after all she'd need the energy to tell Suki and Sokka, well maybe not Sokka, about her night.
Zuko thought about his night in his car until he arrived at his place and got ready for bed. Once settled he laid in bed and stared up at the ceiling.
"Just a kiss, huh?"
This is the last chapter of my first fanfic, I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Feel free to leave comments and suggestion for future fanfic here or @zukosfireflakes on instagram! (Haha sorry if Zuko was the wrong age when he got his scar, I couldn't remember)