A/N:
Sorry but I just don't remember how I finished the ZukoXKatara story but I promise in the future, I'll eventually get it finished. This is my last short story before I go on hiatus with this and return to my series Drowning Lessons, Affair of the Sun and Moon, and Last Serenade (Sequel to Where We Stand and Second Chances).
Summary: What was supposed to be a marriage filled with love and happiness, becomes one of resentment and grief. After losing their son in an accident, Zuko and Katara's marriage is put on the rocks. However, Katara tries her best to rekindle their romance from youth but hears rumors about him having an affair while living at his family's estate. It is when she finds solid evidence of his infidelity that she screams to have a divorce but Zuko refuses to be like his parents and refuses to divorce her. As Katara becomes a miserable mess and tries to end her life, her father-in-law stops her, slapping some sense into her. This continues for a month until he gets fed up, telling her to kill herself or get even. Katara decides to end it all and lands herself in the hospital. After witnessing the woman actually try to end her life and see that his son took a vacation with his mistress, Ozai takes it upon himself to look after the poor idiot. Will Katara be able to move on past her husband's affair and forgive him or will she find comfort somewhere else?
Part 1:
"Thank you." Zuko said as his wife sat his coffee in front of him.
Katara smiled at him and pulled her hair behind her ear, hoping he'd notice the heart shaped cream she put in the coffee for him. It had been a cute gesture she did all the time when they had been dating before marriage. However, it seemed her husband was more concerned with the documents in his hand and drank from his mug before noticing the heart. But it was alright. She knew he was just overly busy with work. His job was around the clock and required his undivided attention sometimes, attention he was more than willing to give away. She didn't fault him. How could she? It was how they were coping.
After their infant son's passing, things had been difficult for them and they did what they could to get through it. Zuko took on a position at work that not only paid more but required him to work longer hours while Katara took on hobbies like crafts and knitting. A distance had formed between them and for months they barely spoke with one another. But after a few sessions with a therapist, Katara felt it was time for them to lessen the gap between them.
Setting his breakfast in front of him while he looked at his phone to text perhaps a coworker, Katara went back to the stove and started cleaning it up as she told her husband about this play she heard was in town. It was one they had said they wanted to see together for years but never made the time to travel to see it.
"I figured since you have this Friday off from work that we could go see it together, what do you think?" Katara asked him.
Zuko sighed and sipped the last of his coffee, "Actually, I have to work this weekend. Sorry but something's come up at the office."
Katara sighed and nodded her head, "Well, hopefully, it's nothing you can't handle." She tried to maintain an upbeat mood as he came over to kiss her forehead before going off to work.
While her husband went to work, Katara went out to the arts and crafts store to buy a new canvas for this week. Her therapist told her that staying busy could help with somber and negative thoughts. So through her love of the arts, she found a way to distract herself and dispel the unhappy thoughts.
Returning from the craft store with her art supplies, Katara bowed to her father-in-law as she passed by him and was greeted coldly as always. She really didn't know why hated her so much. Since marrying Zuko and moving into the family estate, he hadn't spoken more than five words at a time to her. That only ever occurred at Ryu's funeral. 'I'm sorry for your loss.' She figured he was just a man of few words as Zuko always said his father kept to himself after retiring and divorcing his mother, so she never held anything against him.
Making her way to the sunroom by the garden that she turned into her art studio, Katara smiled to herself as she set her white canvas on the easel and pictured what she wanted to paint.
Zuko had gotten back rather early from work and stopped by his father's side of the estate to see how he was doing. He found his father working out of his large sketchbook in his study and walked over to see what he was working on.
"Another landscape?" Zuko chuckled a little as he placed his hand on his father's shoulder.
Ozai continued focusing on the work he was doing, "I dreamed about the meadow from my childhood. Can't get it out of my head."
Tilting his head to the side, "You and Katara should work together. She's pretty good at painting."
Scoffing, "Son, you know I don't like that woman, right?"
Sighing as he removed his hand from his father and folded his arms, "Dad, Kat's harmless. She's a bit ditsy at times, yes, but she means well. You'd like her if you just gave her a chance."
Cutting his eyes at his son, "Son, if she's so damn likable, why the hell is this your first night home from the office before midnight in six months?" Ozai questioned.
Zuko averted his eyes and cleared his throat.
"Don't think I'm a fool, Zuko." Ozai returned his focus to his work. "Might want to wipe that lipstick print from your cheek."
Zuko quickly wiped his face as Ozai returned his gaze to him and narrowed his eyes.
"Spare that idiot wife of yours and divorce her." Ozai advised him.
Scoffing, "I'm not divorcing my wife."
"Then why are you cheating on her?" Ozai asked him.
Zuko sighed, "It's just temporary. I need a distraction after what happened with Ryu."
Ozai made a noise in the back of his throat and sucked his teeth, "Temporary with life changing consequences. Don't get caught because I'm not vouching for you."
Heading to his side of the estate, Zuko saw Katara wasn't in the bedroom, kitchen, or bathroom. He went to check her art studio and found her asleep on the daybed. Sighing to himself, Zuko found the paint stained blanket by her easel and grabbed it, but not before staring at her latest painting. It was a portrait of him. Sighing to himself in guilt, Zuko placed the blanket over her and kissed her forehead. She was so used to him not being home before midnight that she didn't even bother to fall asleep in their bed. Leaving her to sleep, Zuko went to their bedroom and dressed down from his work clothes to climb into bed.
A few hours later, Katara had gotten up from the daybed and decided to head to her room. There, she saw Zuko was already sound asleep to her surprise. It made her feel bad she wasn't here to greet him when he got home, it seemed like he got home early. As the young twenty-five year old woman was about to climb into bed beside her husband, she noticed his phone was in the bed and not on the charger. She figured he was tired and forgot. Taking the phone to place on the charger, Katara noticed there were several notification icons on his lock screen and she scoffed.
"They really should leave you alone after you leave the office." Katara snorted. As much as she knew Zuko liked his job and worked diligently, she wished his employers would give him breathing room. They were always messaging him, calling him in the middle of the night, and making him work so late. She thought it was ridiculous but Zuko's job was a good one. One that managed to keep his family estate flourishing after his father retired. Katara climbed back into bed and curled up to her husband, wrapping her arm around his middle as she spooned him.
When morning came, Zuko woke to see his wife in bed and her curled up to him. He sighed and stared at her as she laid asleep so close to him. She must have realized she fell asleep in the sunroom and found him here. He wanted to reach out to touch her but stopped himself, extracting his hand just as she began to stir. Sliding out of bed and into the bathroom before her eyes could open.
It was while fixing breakfast that Katara finally saw Zuko emerge from the bathroom and their bedroom, dressed for work. He normally didn't take so long getting ready but she heard him argue with someone on the phone. She figured it had to be work related and his boss was giving him a hard time. When he came out, he pecked her forehead and told her he didn't have time to eat which she expected so she packed it in with his lunch.
"Thank you, Kat." Zuko said as he smiled at her in a strange way.
Katara nodded her head as he took his bento and left. She wondered why his expression was so sad even though he was smiling.
About to go out in her beanie and scarf, bundled up real tight for the cold weather of the season in Republic City, Katara paused as she saw her father-in-law walking with his hands in the sleeves of his kimono. She stopped to observe him. He was an aloof figure that roamed about the estate wearing traditional clothes and his long hair completely down and off to one shoulder. She remembered the few times she saw him whenever she came over to visit Zuko here while they were in high school together. The man wore his hair in a topknot and business casual suit. He was always on the phone talking over work related things. But after she and Zuko got married, he retired and dressed more comfortably. However, she wondered how he was able to stand the cold in that light kimono?
…
A few months passed and their third wedding anniversary was coming up. Katara had gone out to get Zuko's gift with the money she acquired from selling some of her artwork. It was a rather expensive watch that she felt he could wear in place of the watch she had gotten him years ago that was all worn and damaged from constant use. Plus, the watch she had gotten him then was not even close to being as nice as the one she just bought for him. All she had to do now was get a nice dress to wear to the dinner.
"Reservations for the Yongs." Katara said at the hostess desk.
As the hostess checked for the reservation, Katara texted Zuko to let her know she was already at the restaurant and that she couldn't wait to see him. Walking over to their table on the second floor, Katara settled into her seat with the gift bag she placed beside her. She was so happy that Zuko managed to get them the same table they sat at when he proposed to her. He was so thoughtful despite having to be so busy due to work. She truly loved her husband and hoped he got off work soon.
However, he seemed to be running behind a little more than she expected, so she went ahead and ordered both their meals along with a bottle of champagne. But as an entire hour went by and Zuko hadn't returned her message or showed up, Katara began eating anyway, having a glass of the champagne.
"That must be your wife." A woman chuckled. "Maybe you should see what she wants."
Zuko scoffed as he lit his cigar and smoked it with his feet kicked up on his desk while Mai got dressed. "It's probably just her asking me what I want for dinner or some shit. She's been up my ass lately about stupid shit. I just don't have time for it."
"Don't seem to have time for her at all lately." Mai smirked. "Have you thought about divorcing her?"
Narrowing his eyes at her, "You think I'm going to leave my wife for you?"
Mai rolled her eyes, "Like I'd leave my husband for you. This is just fun, Zuko. That's the arrangement we made, right? So don't go killing the fun."
Zuko snorted and averted his eyes from Mai as he picked up his phone to see what it was that Katara wanted. When he looked at their messages his eyes widened.
"Shit!"
"What?"
"It's our anniversary and I fucking forgot!" Zuko hissed.
Mai laughed, "what an asshole you are, Zuko. Your wife's been waiting for you all night while you've been screwing your secretary. Poor woman."
"Shut up!" Zuko growled as he grabbed his coat and headed out.
Rushing home, Zuko ran into his father who snickered and shook his head at him.
"So…this woman you're seeing, are you in love with her or something?" Ozai asked.
Zuko furrowed his brows at his father, "What are you talking about?"
Ozai scoffed and folded his arms, "Your wife went to bed. I had one of the maids check on her. She was drunk and fell into the koi pond. The damn woman killed one of my fish, Zuko."
Zuko sighed and apologized to his father, telling him he'd get him a new fish.
"It was a beautiful black koi with an orange spot and a white stripe down its back." Ozai told him. "I want one exactly like that."
"Yes, father." Zuko said as he went on his way to see Katara.
Finding her snoring in bed, curled up on his side of the bed, Zuko sighed to himself. What am I going to do?
The following morning, Katara woke to her head throbbing and groaned as she rolled about in bed.
"You're up, great." She heard Zuko's voice and opened her eyes to see him carrying a tray of breakfast in bed to her.
Katara beamed at him through her pained hangover, "Have I ever told you how much I hate your job?"
Zuko chuckled, "You've mentioned it a few times." He sat the tray over her lap as she sat up in bed.
"Your stupid boss is why we didn't get to enjoy our anniversary together last night." Katara scoffed in annoyance as she picked up the buttered toast and bit into it. "Like why can't he ask someone else to do it? Why does it always have to be you?"
Zuko sighed and sat on the bed beside his wife, "I'm the only one that can do what needs to be done, Kat."
"Can't you train someone else?"
"I can try." Zuko gave her a hopeful smile. "How's your headache?"
Katara sighed, "It'll get better. I think I tripped into some water or something and I think your father jerked me out of it. He was a bit rough with me and I heard him swear for the first time but I think I just might have caught him off guard."
Zuko averted his eyes as he rubbed his neck, "You kind of fell into his Koi fish pond and killed one of his Koi."
Katara's eyes widened. "What?! Really?! Oh shit! I bet he really hates me now!"
Chuckling awkwardly, "Yeah, he's not happy but let's just get him another fish, okay? I have the day off so we can go out together. Try to make up for last night."
Beaming at her husband, Katara nodded.
The two went out together and stopped at the exotic pet store to buy a new koi fish for his father. Got the exact fish that his father asked for and took it to him. Katara bowed humbly to her father-in-law and apologized to him for accidentally killing his fish. Zuko handed his father the bagged fish and smiled at him.
Ozai eyed the two of them and his eyes narrowed as he saw his son throw his arm around her middle, hugging her to him. He wanted to laugh and mock the idiot girl but felt it would be too cruel in the long run.
"This is the wrong fish." Ozai stated.
"Yes but it's close enough." Zuko told him.
Ozai scoffed and looked at his daughter-in-law, "Kill another fish of mine and I'll drown you in the pond."
Katara swallowed hard as she chuckled nervously, "I'll be sure not to hurt your fish, father."
"Hmm." Ozai scoffed and turned to leave the bagged fish to introduce him to the koi pond.
Letting out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding, Katara looked at her husband and sighed.
"He really hates me."
Zuko placed his hands on her shoulders, "Who could hate you, Kat?" He beamed at her. "You're the sweetest person I know. He's just a grumpy old man. Really, he just needs a woman in his life or something."
Katara smiled back at him and stood on her tippy toes to kiss his lips. As soon as she did, she felt him stiffen and it caught her off guard a little, making her pull back to look at him. He looked a little stunned at her, like he wasn't expecting her to do that. She'd admit it was a bit abrupt. They hadn't been affectionate with each other in over a year and there was a bit of awkwardness that settled in the distanced that seemed to continue to grow between them.
"I-I'm sor-"
"I'm going to go get us some take out from that restaurant I heard you gushing over on your blog." Zuko said as he awkwardly looked away from her, brushing her shoulder as he walked around her and headed out.
Katara stood there a bit speechless and hurt in his wake. Pulling her hair behind her ear, she looked around to see if any of the estate staff noticed and they all pretended to not notice. However, she caught her father-in-law laughing to himself as he shook his head in her direction. It made the hurt a little worse as she hung her head and made her way to her studio to distract herself.
When Zuko returned to the estate with takeout, he went to get Katara out of her studio but found her sitting on the daybed crying to herself. He sighed to himself and figured he needed to try to rectify the situation.
"Kat, about what happened earlier, I-"
Katara sniffled and shook her head, "No, it's fine. I get it. It's still too soon. I feel the same. I just…I don't know, I just felt like I wanted to…" She told him. "I miss you, Zuko."
Zuko averted his eyes, "We can soon, okay? I promise, just not now. I'm not ready."
Nodding her head as she wiped her tears, "Okay."
"I got some swordfish sushi with extra eel sauce." He told her.
Smiling through her tears, "Let's eat."
…
"Are you sure he's not cheating?" Suki asked her as her sister-in-law as the two of them had brunch together later that week.
Giggling as she shook her head, "No, Zuko's not like that. You know that." Katara said. "We've been together since we were in junior high and never has Zuko even looked at another woman. Plus, he's so awkward, I'd find it hard to believe he's going behind my back."
Suki nodded in agreement. She knew Zuko wouldn't cheat but it could never be completely ruled out. Katara had been telling her much about their relationship as of late and Suki just found it really hard to believe Zuko's employers were working him so hard. Sokka and Zuko worked at the same IT company and while Zuko's position was known to be very demanding, Sokka always bragged about how his company was not very harsh on them as far as the workload went. Suki felt a little suspicious of Zuko but didn't want to bring up her suspicions to Katara. Sokka had asked her not to since there was a lot going on that both of them were working through. They didn't know what it was like to lose a child. Hell, they didn't even have one yet but they knew it was tough and Suki wanted to be sensitive to them both. Plus, Sokka said if Zuko was cheating, he didn't want to know either since they had all been friends since junior high.
Watching her sister-in-law drink her smoothie and kick her feet back and forth on the stool, "So, what are you going to do to rekindle the romance in your marriage? It can't just keep going like it is."
Slurping her smoothie, Katara nodded. Suki was right she needed to really figure out what to do about her marriage. Things couldn't continue like this.
As she made her way back home, swinging her purse back and forth as she slurped her third smoothie, Katara climbed the steps to the estate and entered. While making her way to the side of the estate that she and Zuko lived, she accidentally spilled her smoothie on her jacket. Taking it off, Katara head to the laundry area to drop off her jacket to be cleaned when she heard one of the staff members speak to another regarding her husband.
"Can you believe it?" The older woman said. "Almost every night, he just throws his suit in here to be cleaned of perfume and lipstick stains. It's a damn shame."
Scoffing, "No wonder his wife is so clueless. He covers it up so well. She probably really buys that 'late night at work crap'." The younger replied.
Snorting a laugh, "Poor girl. Lost her child and her husband. Wouldn't want to be her."
Stepping away from the laundry area, Katara turned around and was about to walk off until she bumped into her father-in-law. She quickly apologizes but the man just eyes her callously.
"I'm sorry, reall-"
"You are sorry. I never took you for an eavesdropper."
Katara chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of her neck, "You saw that, huh?"
Ozai folded his arms, "So what do you think about what they've said? They're calling your husband a liar and cheater."
Katara averted her eyes and shrugged, "I don't know. I don't think what they say is true. Zuko's just not that kind of person. They have to be mistaken."
Scoffing as he bit back a laugh, "I say you look into it, girl." Ozai turned to leave.
"But Zuko's been grieving. He said it himself that he's not ready for anything like that." Katara said defensively.
Ozai glanced over his shoulder at his son's wife, "Whatever helps you sleep at night."
It was damn near midnight and Katara was still awake searching on her laptop for ways to spot signs of cheating. She felt she was being ridiculous since she just knew Zuko would never. However, as it grew later and Zuko still wasn't home yet, she gave into the thought that it was possible. It made her panic as she was reading so many different scenarios of cheating and how many of them had been married for years when it happened. Katara broke into a cold sweat when she read that quite a few women had their husband's tell them they had to work late. It all sounded like her situation but no, Zuko would nev-
"Kat, why are you still up?"
Katara looked up and quickly shut her laptop as she sat in bed. "Zuko?!"
Eyeing her funny, "You okay? You act like I just caught you doing something."
Laughing awkwardly, "Sorry, I just got sucked into some adult content and couldn't bring myself to look away. I didn't realize it was so late."
Zuko nodded as he went to his side of the bed and took a seat on it, undoing his cuffs. "No need to apologize. I'm glad to see you up. Maybe we could watch a movie."
"Okay." Katara smiled at him.
Sitting in the living room watching a random movie, Katara snuggled against her husband and sighed to herself as she tried to clear her mind from the negative things she read on the web. How could she ever believe Zuko would be like those disgusting men? Their situation was different. They lost their son and drifted apart. Zuko just worked more to keep his mind off of things. There was no way he was cheating.
After the movie ended and they were off to bed, Zuko got curious about what Katara was looking at on her laptop and took a look while she was in the bathroom changing into her pjs. His eyes widened and he quickly closed the laptop back before getting back to his side of the bed. When she came out of the bathroom stretching, he eyed her as she walked to her side of the bed and climbed into bed. Climbing into bed with her, Zuko turned off the lap on his side of the bed and watched her reach for hers.
"I've missed you, Kat." Zuko said.
Katara paused from turning the light off.
"I-I don't want to go to sleep yet…"
Turning to look at her husband, Katara nodded her head and Zuko made his move on her. Capturing her lips and pushing her down into the bed, he pulled her pajama pants off.
The following morning, Katara laid in bed smiling at her husband as he laid kisses all over her body while cuddling her to him.
"Give me the word and I'll call out for the day." Zuko told her.
Katara cupped his face and kissed his nose, "It's fine, Zuko. You don't have to do that."
Zuko kissed her lips, "I'll try to get home early tonight."
"I'll cook something yummy." Katara giggled.
Driving to work, Zuko sighed and hoped last night changed Katara's suspicions. Though she was right in them, he didn't want her to doubt him, not when he planned for things to change eventually. Just not yet. His affair was keeping him going. The only real reason he bothered to go into work anymore. It kept him feeling fulfilled and while he adored his wife, Zuko needed the distance to remain. Just for now. They had been together all their dating life and never branched out beyond each other to see other people. He felt after Ryu died and while Katara continued to grieve, he'd explore other options until he was satisfied.
Entering the company building, Zuko had greeted some of his colleagues before retreating to his office where his secretary was setting some paperwork on his desk. He took a seat at his desk and Mai flashed a smirk at him.
"Good morning, Mr. Yong." Mai greeted him.
"Morning, Ms. Fang." Zuko replied as he barely looked at her.
Mai tilted her head, "What has you so flustered this morning?"
Zuko logged into his office computer and shook his head, "My wife is getting suspicious. I had to take her to bed last night in order to throw her off my trail."
"Ah, so you'll be sleeping with your wife again?"
"If that's what it takes to keep her from figuring me out." Zuko stated as he started roaming through his emails. "I love her, I do, and eventually I'll stop doing this but as for now, I-"
"You want to have your fun. Yes, I know." Mai smirked as she slithered into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. "Leave it to me, Zuko. I'll make sure you enjoy every minute of this."
Katara sighed to herself as she had to go across town in order to give Zuko his bento box he left this morning. She had been so good about making sure he had it before work ever since he started working at this company after he graduated college. She had only ever been to his job twice and both times was during a company Christmas Party. Many of his colleagues during the previous Christmas party were a bit standoffish to her even though she showed herself friendly and tried to speak with them. She figured maybe Zuko just didn't have many friends at work which was fine. She knew he was a bit socially awkward, more so than she was, but hopefully they'd be nice enough to her to help her get his bento to him.
"Mrs. Yong." The front desk lady seemed shocked to see her as she approached the front desk and made her way to the desk.
Placing the bento box on the counter, Katara smiled sweetly at the woman and told her she was just bringing her husband's lunch.
"Umm, sure, I'll let him know you're here."
"Thank you, I'll wait here."
As Katara waited a few minutes, she saw Zuko get off the elevator in a hurry and rush over to her. She grabbed the bento to hand to him when he grabbed her arm, pulling her aside with him to where he could speak with her privately.
"Kat, what are you doing here?" Zuko asked her.
Holding up his bento, "You forgot your lunch. It's my fault really. I'm normally on top of making sure you take it with you."
Zuko sighed as he pinched his brows, "Kat, I can always buy my own lunch. You don't have to make it everyday like you do."
"I know but I figured since you work so hard and I'm pretty much just a housewife, that this is the least I can do for you." Katara said cheerfully.
Furrowing his brows at her, Zuko snatched the bento box from her and gave her a hard look. "Don't come back here again, Kat. Not for something this stupid."
The smile on her face wiped away immediately as she watched pull away from her and skulk off. She looked after him as he went back to the elevator and noticed the front desk lady eyeing her with pity as if she heard their exchange.
The next few days were rough, Katara would say. Really rough and truthfully, she felt like she was losing her husband. Katara would try to stay up late to wait for her husband, hoping they would be able to spend some time together like the other night and perhaps make love again. But Zuko would get mad at her for being up when he got home. Telling her to go to bed or even taking his pillows to sleep out on the couch. He told her that it was just one night that he had wanted to be with her in that way but moving forward, he wanted some space. By the end of the week, Zuko told her he'd be sleeping in the guest rooms and he moved all his things there.
Katara decided that since Zuko wouldn't be returning to their bedroom anymore, that she'd just sleep in the studio on the daybed and try to keep a positive outlook on things. She figured Zuko was grieving more so than her it seemed and all she could do was give him room to mourn their son. She wasn't being fair to him. He gave her time and space, she needed to do the same for him.
"Pathetic." Ozai scoffed as he saw his daughter-in-law struggle to carry yet another large canvas into the estate.
"Dad, stop that." Zuko confronted him as he saw his father eyeing his wife with disdain.
Snorting as he forced himself to look away, "What? You don't like her either."
"I love her." Zuko said defensively. "I'm just taking a break from her. She's become overbearing and I just can't deal with that right now."
Ozai shook his head as walked back into his room from the patio they had been standing on, "I don't know what whore you're fucking around with but she's clearly got you by the balls. You can't even stomach your wife. It's pitiful."
"So what is it? You hate my wife for being pathetic but she's done nothing wrong and now you say she's pitiful. Why do you hate her so much?"
Ozai took a seat at his desk and pulled open his drawer, "I don't hate that girl. I just pity her."
"Why?"
"Because she's pitiful. Aside from her brother, what family does she have? Not you, of course, you barely want to be her husband. Mother's dead. Father's been absent all the time you've known her. Comes from a shithole part of the city and sure, she's a nice girl with a good heart but that's about it. Not to mention, it's her fault Ry-"
"Stop it! It's not her fault!" Zuko shouted. "It was an accident!"
"An accident that she caused!" Ozai spat at him. "You know it as much as I do, Zuko! It's why you can't even bear to look at her! She should have been paying closer attention! How could she not see that truck coming?!"
"The truck ran the light, dad! How could she have anticipated it to run the red light?! It wasn't her fault!"
"Then why do you treat her like it is?" Ozai cut his eyes at his son and shook his head. "I know it was an accident but I also know you subconsciously blame her nonetheless and I also know she probably feels the exact same way. Only difference is she's not out here fucking some other person because she can't face her husband."
Zuko averted his eyes from his father.
"Your mother cheated on me a lot after your sister killed herself." Ozai said in a more somber tone. "Now, you're doing the same thing to her that your mother did to me. Blaming her, cheating on her, making her feel like this is isolated and alone. I can't stand your wife because it's like looking into a damn mirror. Poor idiot just keeps looking for ways to cope with her dead son and her husband that won't even touch her."
Feeling like his father was criticizing him, Zuko scoffed and folded his arms. "Then why not befriend her since you understand her so well?! You both have more in common than you want to acknowledge."
Sucking his teeth, "I don't have time for a pity party, Zuko. She's on her own."
….
A month of living in separate rooms, Katara finally got fed up and decided to confront Zuko about it on his day off. But this didn't go well. It started out as her pleading with him to try to work things out by going to counseling or even just forcing the gap to close. However, it turned into an argument about her not respecting his mourning process and eventually, he got carried away, saying something he shouldn't have.
"How can I look at you and he died on your watch?!" Zuko shouted at her. "You want me to touch you and be like I was before but you got my son killed!"
Zuko only relieved what he said when he saw the devastation form on her face as her eyes gaped in utter horror at what he said.
"Kat, I didn't mean-"
"I-I I…need to lay down." Katara looked away from him, her face still overcome with distress.
Another month went by and not a single word was exchanged between them as Katara was afraid to even go near him now that she knew how he really felt. She was scared of him. Of what he'd say to her. Of how'd look at her with disdain and loath. He had been her best friend and her love for so many years and one accident, one tragic mistake, tore them apart. But nothing would come close to what she discovered after leaving her favorite crafts store.
Across the street in front of a grand hotel, Katara saw her husband entering with some woman she recognized from his place of work on his arm. Her brows furrowed at the sight and she looked both ways before crossing the street. Entering the hotel behind them, Katara walked up behind her husband and the woman as they were seemingly checking into the place.
"Zuko?" Katara said in a frightened voice.
Turning around, Zuko's eyes widened as he saw his wife staring at him with wide eyes and then looked to Mai, who was on his arm.
"What is this? What's going on?" Her lips trembled.
"Kat, it's not wh-"
Mai giggled as she looked Katara up and down, "Looks like we've been caught, Zuko."
Katara's furrowed in sorrow, "Caught? Wh-What is-"
Zuko sighed and looked away from her, "You shouldn't be here, Kat."
"Why not?! What's going on?!"
Swallowing hard as he looked back at her with a hard look on his face, "Go home, Kat."
"But what are you doing at this hotel with another woman, Zuko?! I don't understand!" Katara grabbed onto him. "Tell me what's going on!"
Mai held up a key card and waved it about, "Come on, Zuko. Our room's ready."
Zuko shook his head as he looked at her and removed her hands from him, "I'm sorry, Kat. Just go home. Don't make a scene."
"Zuko, no!" Katara tried to reach for him.
Zuko turned his back to her and went to Mai, heading off with her to their room while his wife stood in the hotel lobby crying.
…
Ozai was drawing his Koi fish when he saw his daughter-in-law had returned from her outing to the craft store. However, she didn't look all jolly like she tried to present herself to be. Instead she was crying and hyperventilating, stumbling into the wall of the outdoor walkway. He sighed to himself and shook his head. He didn't know what her problem was but her loud whining was disturbing him from being able to draw, so he got up from his spot to head back inside.
Not too much later, he went back out to his koi pond to feed his babies when he heard Zuko's shouting and Katara's screaming. Ozai sighed as he could deduce that Katara must have found out about Zuko's infidelity. He decided it best to make sure things didn't escalate since he didn't want it to become a situation of domestic violence on either of their parts.
"I can't do this, Zuko! I can't!" Katara cried. "I want a divorce!"
"Like hell we're getting divorced!" Zuko shouted at her. "You weren't supposed to find out! This was just supposed to be temporary until we worked past our problems! It's not like I'm trying to leave you! I still love you, Kat. I just ne-"
"How could you do this to me?!" Katara fell on her knees and shook her head. "I've been faithful through all of this! I've trusted you when even Suki said you could be cheating! Or when the staff in the laundry room said you would have perfume and lipstick stains on your work shirts! Hell, even your father tried to warn me! And I still believed…I wanted to believe that everyone was mistaken!"
Zuko groaned in annoyance of this whole situation, "Listen, we're not getting a divorce. We'll work past this, okay? Just give me time."
"What?! So you can continue fucking that homewrecker?!" Katara screamed.
Zuko rubbed his brows, "I need this, Kat. I really do. Just bear with this. I won't last forever."
Katara had heard enough and snapped. About to run at him, she was caught around the waist and yanked back by Zuko's father, who heard the whole conversation.
"Okay, that's enough." Ozai said.
"Dad."
Ozai narrowed his eyes at Zuko, "How about you give her some space, Zuko? I'll deal with her."
Zuko nodded and left but not before glancing at his wife, who was kicking and screaming in his father's hold.
Bear hugging the girl, Ozai kept her feet off the ground as she exhausted herself in her struggle to break free from him. When she calmed down, shattering into a teary mess, Ozai finally put her down and she slumped to the ground, crying into her hands. He sighed and pulled out a handkerchief for her.
"Here, wipe your face. We need to talk." Ozai told her.
Katara reluctantly took the handkerchief and wiped her face with it before looking up at him. He offered her his hand and she took it, rising to her feet. He had her follow him to the Koi fish pond and they sat on the bench together.
"I don't know when exactly it started but I can tell you it's been going on for a while and I've known." Ozai told her. "As you know, his mother did the same to me when his sister passed away, so 'no', I don't condone his behavior."
Sniffling as she shook her head, "Wh-Why would he do this?"
Ozai shrugged, "All I know is that he's told me he wanted to take a break from the marriage. Temporarily since he loves you."
"How do you do this to someone you love?" Katara asked.
Ozai scoffed and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, "I've been asking that same question but if you ask me, how do you stay with someone that wronged you in this way?"
"He doesn't want a divorce." Katara sighed. "And I don't think I can go through with it even if he did."
Sucking his teeth, "Then you'll have to live with the fact there is another woman and you get no sympathy from me letting yourself be cucked."
Katara sniffled and wiped her tear away, "With all due respect, father, I never thought you liked me anyway. So I don't really need your sympathy." She said as she stood up from the bench and bowed to him. "Thank you for trying to talk to me. A shame the only time you do talk to me is over misfortune. Maybe one day I'll grow on you, if the day ever comes."
And with that, Ozai watched his daughter-in-law skulk off in the direction of her studio. He'd give it to the girl, she wasn't as ditsy as he took her for. Maybe there was more to her than he believed.
Things quieted down as Zuko decided that now that his affair was out in the open, he'd stay out the entire night. Not bothering to come home at all. Katara focused all her emotions into painting and Ozai would catch the girl bringing in many canvases every day. She was routine about it. Went out to get supplies and stayed in the estate for two days before going back out again for more supplies. But one day he noticed she hadn't gone out for supplies and the next day she didn't go either. Eventually, Ozai got a painful thought in his head of when his daughter had spiraled down the road leading to her death and went to check on the pitiful girl. He found her sitting on her daybed in the sunroom studio, crying under her blanket and sighed to himself.
Entering the sunroom, Ozai walked up to where the covers were thrown over the girl and yanked it off her head to tell her to stop her crying. However, as he did, he saw her look up at him while holding a knife to her middle. His eyes widened as he acted on impulse, snatching the knife from her and throwing it across the room before slapping her dead across her face.
His eyes were wide as he panted from the adrenaline he felt course through him at that quick interaction. She held her cheek and hung her head, crying quietly to herself as he stared at her.
"You pathetic moron! What were you trying to do just now?!" Ozai demanded to know.
Katara cried and looked up at him, "I can't do this anymore. I can't-"
Ozai slapped her again on impulse.
Crying out even louder, Katara curled up into herself and shook.
"You think killing yourself is the answer?! What the hell is wrong with you?! So what your husband is cheating on you?! You gonna just roll over and let that whore he's fucking win?! Come on! I know you're just some meek and timid little thing that can't handle any little misfortune but woman up some! Killing yourself isn't going to save you from your despair! It'll just create more for everyone!"
Katara cried even louder.
Glaring at her as she wept, "Let me catch you doing something stupid like this again and it'll be hell to pay." Ozai warned her.
But she didn't care. Katara made several attempts over the span of a month and every time she did, her father-in-law would show up and stop her. Didn't matter what time of the day it was or what it was she tried to do, he always showed up in time. It was like he was always watching. She didn't know why but a part of her began to take her time in order to see if he'd come and sure enough he did. Slapping her repeatedly and shaking her, calling her names as if any of it would save her or stop her from doing it again.
However, the day came where he could do it no more and he broke down in front of her.
"I'm tired of this! Just do it already!" Ozai went off on her. "I've dealt with this enough! If you think killing yourself is going to solve anything, then just do it. I'm tired…I've already dealt with this once before and I can't keep doing this with you."
Katara sighed and stared at him tearfully, "I'm sorry."
"You should be!" Ozai furrowed his sad eyes at her. "I've lost my daughter already, girl…I literally can't do this with you. It's killing me."
Nodding her head, Katara sighed and pulled the knife away from herself. She needed to stop playing this game. This wasn't a joking matter. Not that she thought any of this was funny. She just hoped maybe…it would get Zuko's attention but she failed. He hadn't come home since she first attempted. He probably didn't even know. How could he? He was with that woman doing gods know what.
Sighing as he saw her pull the knife away from herself, Ozai was about to tell her to come with him so he could keep an eye on her but before he could, she took the knife and plunged it into her middle.
"KATARA!"
Hours later, Ozai sat in the waiting room trying to get in touch with Zuko but he wasn't answering the phone. This was all that damned idiot's fault. Who gets caught cheating and doesn't return home for a month? It was absolutely ridiculous. While his son had been living it up like he was some sort of bachelor, Ozai had been stuck trying to keep his son's moronic wife alive and watching her like a hawk. It had been a miserable experience for them both and now they were in the hospital. Ozai didn't even know if she was going to pull through but honestly this was going to be yet another tragedy he's had to endure recently. He'd have to take therapy all over again and he didn't know how he was going to tell Zuko. While that bastard was being unbelievably selfish right now, he knew his son would be devastated if something happened to Katara and he'd have no one but himself to blame for pushing her over the edge.
"Mr. Yong?" a doctor exited the ICU and approached him.
Standing to his feet, Ozai greeted the doctor and asked how his daughter-in-law was doing.
"She's stable but-"
"But what?" Ozai wanted to know whatever it was immediately.
The doctor sighed, "Not only had she stabbed herself but we found she had also taken a bunch of over the counter medicine. Whatever she was planning, it's clear what her endgame was. She's going to have to be admitted into a psychiatric ward and from there, be placed as an out-patient until a specialist can clear her for a full discharge."
Ozai sighed, "How long will that be for?"
"A few weeks, perhaps. Just depends on how responsive she is to treatment." the doctor explained.
Nodding his head, "Can she have visitors? I just need to let my son know she's alright."
The doctor told him to follow him.
Arriving to the room they placed Katara in, Ozai entered and saw Katara hooked up to the machines wearing an oxygen mask over her face. The doctor explained that she messed herself up pretty bad, losing a lot of blood, and damaging some vital organs. The surgery fortunately corrected the damage done but she would need to heal some before they could move her to the psych-ward.
"Visiting hours will be over in thirty-minutes unless you were planning to accompany her through the night."
Ozai figured he'd stay overnight until his son answered his phone. The doctor let him know a nurse would bring him a blanket and pillow. As he took a seat by the hospital bed, Ozai sighed and shook his head.
"You idiot, girl." He whispered. "All this over my stupid son. He's not even worth this suffering you're putting yourself through. No one is."
The girl stirred a little and slowly opened her eyes to him. He saw her blue eyes settle on him and he looked at her with his gold ones, shaking his head some more.
"You're pitiful, girl."
Breathing through her oxygen mask, Katara's eyes watered as she looked at him and whimpered. "I-I'm sorry."
"Shut up." Ozai hissed quietly at her. "You've really done it now. Just wait till Zu-"
"Don't tell him…please." Katara begged. "Don't tell him."
Ozai furrowed his brows at her.
Breathing heavily through her mask as she winced from her injury and set off the alarms of the machine she was connected to. "Don-" Katara's eyes rolled to the back of her head as she began foaming from the mouth while convulsing.
Ozai's eyes widened as he stood and shouted for the nurses.
Kicked out of the room so the medical professionals could operate on her, Ozai stood outside the door and sighed to himself. It was the night he lost his daughter all over again. Only this time he had watched it all unfold. Maybe if he paid more attention to his daughter rather than working so much, he might have been able to save her like he was doing with his stupid daughter-in-law.
Ozai went to the vending machine to try and get something on his stupid since he missed dinner. As he bought a bag of chips, his phone rang and he saw it was Zuko.
"You jackass! Why haven't you been answering your phone?! Where the hell have you been?!" Ozai snapped over the phone.
Sighing as he was having his back rubbed by Mai, "Sorry, dad, I was just trying to give Kat space and I was busy. I didn't hear the phone go off."
"Of course not! You were busy being laid up with the whore! So busy that you can't be concerned with your own wife!" Ozai shouted, not caring that the medical staff were all looking at him.
"Well, Kat's fine. Upset, I know, but she'll be fine." Zuko assured his father.
Ozai lost his cool, "You leave that homewrecking whore now and you come down to the general hospital and you tell me she's fine!"
"The hospital?! Wait! What are you-"
"You've been gone a month, Zuko! You don't even know what's been going on! I've looked out for her as much as I could but she's not been fine! Not by a long shot!"
Panic settled into Zuko as he pushed Mai off of him, "Dad, tell me, what happened?"
Ozai opened his mouth to tell him but shut it as soon as he remembered Katara begging him not to tell Zuko. Sighing, "She had an accident. A bad one. I don't want to go into it over the phone but I think you should just get down here and speak with the doctor."
"I can't. I'm not even in the city." Zuko sighed. "I'm in the Fire Nation but I'll try to get the-"
Ozai hung up as he couldn't believe his son. That damn brat!
Allowed back in Katara's room, Ozai saw she was resting again but she was awake, just in a more relaxed state. The doctor must have given her a sedative.
"Please…tell me you didn't….tell Zuko." Katara breathed out from her mask.
"I just told him to come to the hospital. That there had been an accident. That's all." Ozai told her.
Lolling her head to the side as she watched her father-in-law take a seat beside her bed, "Is he coming?"
Ozai shook his head.
Katara teared up again but this time she shut her eyes to try and hold it all in.
"Don't worry about him. Just try to get yourself together." Ozai told her.
Shaking her head as she laid there with her eyes shut, Katara fogged up her mask and looked to her father-in-law. "I've loved Zuko since we were kids…I can't not worry about him…he's my husband and I love him. I just want my husband back."
"So killing yourself was how you planned to get him back?" Ozai questioned.
Averting her eyes as she lolled her head to look up at the ceiling, "No…I just think I felt like I was drowning and I wanted it to stop. Now…I see you're right about me…I'm an idiot."
"Finally something we can agree on." Ozai snorted.
"He's with that woman of his…his mistress…isn't he?" She asked.
Ozai nodded.
"Somewhere far, I suppose." Katara smiled sadly to herself. "He might be having an affair but I know him…he wouldn't not show up unless he was held up somewhere far."
Ozai scoffed, "Doesn't matter. He shouldn't be there. He shouldn't have left you for a month to spend his time with some whore. I don't care what he's going through."
Katara nodded. "Yes, well…I'll see him eventually…I suppose. This is just temporary, isn't it?"
Furrowing his brows at the woman, "So you're accepting this?"
Katara nodded her head again, "What choice do I have? I don't want to leave my husband. I know in time when he returns home…I'll forgive him."
Ozai sucked his teeth, "Pathetic. After all this, you'll forgive him?"
Forcing a weak smile, "I will."
"I stand by my statement, girl. You're an idiot."
"I know."
…..
After Katara was in walking condition, the doctors moved her to the psychiatric ward to receive treatment for her recent suicidal tendency. She was placed in white scrubs and moved to the new ward but before she went, she thanked her father-in-law for staying by her side the entire time. He was brutally honest every step of the way and he let her have it for not think enough about herself but there was kindness in the way he went about it. She could see her father-in-law did not hate her or at least, he didn't hate her anymore.
Sighing as he looked down at the petite woman with big blue eyes, "I'll visit." He said it was nothing big or special. "Make sure you're doing alright and let you know how things are going. Did you want Zuko to see you?"
Katara nodded her head.
"I'll let him know to come see you but you know he's going to find out.""
Katara nodded, "Better to find out in person."
"Agreed." Ozai nodded. "Well, get better. You'll probably see me again tonight."
As Katara was taken by the nurses to the ward she'd be receive treatment, Ozai sighed and pulled his phone out his pocket to see he had a message from Zuko. Apparently, his son was home and wanted to speak.
Arriving home from the hospital, Ozai looked around for his son and found him in the studio gaping at the blood on the daybed and the floor.
"Wh-what happened?!" Zuko's voice trembled.
Ozai sighed, "She didn't want me to tell you, Zuko…but…-"
"But what?!" Zuko turned to him with wide eyes. "What happened here?!"
Ozai rubbed his neck, "Your affair and being gone for a month did a number on her. She kept making attempts."
"Attempts?! What kind of attempts?!"
"The kind that if I hadn't been watching her would have ended her life." Ozai told him very seriously. "I tried my best to stop her. I never took my eyes off of her but this time…she was quicker than me and well…she's walking now but they're keeping her in the psychiatric ward of the hospital until a specialist clears her to come home."
Zuko teared up and shook his head, "Kat, sh-she hates me, doesn't she?"
"No," Ozai sighed. "That idiot still loves you. Told me so. I called her a moron and she just took it."
Sniffling, Zuko wiped his tears.
"You should go visit her during visitation hours."
Zuko shook his head, "I don't think it'll be good if she sees me."
"Zu-"
"I need to go…I'll be back tonight, try to clear my head." Zuko said.
"Your wife is in the hospital and you'd rather go see that whore?!"
"I need to clear my head!" Zuko said defensively. "And I can't deal with this! I can't see her like this! Just keep looking after her, okay? Just until she's better and I'll try to work things out with her when she's better, okay?"
Ozai couldn't believe the selfishness of his son. Just like your mother! You don't care! Just say that and be done with it!
Katara was not surprised to see her father-in-law. Not at all. Maybe a little over month ago it would have shocked her but he had been by her side through all of this and she was grateful. Very much so. As they sat by the window, Katara picked up the pack of cards she saw sitting by her and toyed with it a little.
"Zuko back from his vacation?" Katara asked.
Ozai decided to lie, "No but I'm sure if he knew the situation, he'd rush here."
Katara nodded, "I guess you're right but I rather him not know for now. He might look down on me. Think I'm losing it or something. Maybe he won't be able to deal with it and run off to be with whoever the skank that he's been sleeping with."
Ozai hated that she was spot on about that but didn't tell her she was right. Figuring he needed to get his mind off his son as he was incredibly disappointed with him, Ozai took the deck of cards from his daughter-in-law and told her to play a game with him. She smiled that stupid smile of hers as he distributed the cards to play.
"You're pretty good at this?" Ozai commented as he set his card down.
Grinning to herself, "I used to play a lot in college."
"College?" Ozai eyed her funny. "I didn't know you attended."
Katara giggled at this, "I did but I went for something that's not marketable." She explained. "Art. Helped me hone my talent and skills but that's about it."
Ozai tilted his head as he looked over his cards, drawing another from the stack, "I've seen some of your work. You definitely are gifted. Nothing college can teach you either. When you get out of here, I have a friend that runs a gallery for new and upcoming artists. Maybe you'll get some of your work displayed."
Shaking her head, "I couldn't possibly do that…my work is all so…melancholy."
"All the best works of art are." He told her. "I'm sure you'd be able to move someone with your work. You should do it."
Sighing, Katara nodded. "I'll give it a try."
"Great, now you have something to look forward to when you leave here." Ozai told her as they continued to play their card game. "Let that be a motivation."
Katara looked at her father-in-law and smiled.
When the visitation time was up, Ozai was caught off guard when his son's wife hugged him around his middle. Her small form could barely wrap around him and he was frozen stiff as he didn't know how to respond to her gesture. He hadn't had someone hug him in years and to be honest, it felt very uncomfortable to him coming from his son's wife.
"K-"
Pulling back from him, Katara pulled her hair behind her ear and sniffled a little. "Sorry, I-I…I'm just grateful that you came. That you've been with me through this. I thought I'd have to do this alone like I've had to do a lot of other things and it's just a good feeling to have someone that's there." She wiped her teary eyes.
Ozai looked at her with an unreadable expression. He didn't know what to say to that. It kind of made him even angrier with his son. This idiot girl had been with his son since they were kids, yet, this was the first time that someone had been there for her. Even more, he felt sort of guilty for not hugging her back and for being so harsh towards her most of the time he knew her. He always saw her as a leech that got stuck to his son. A ditzy girl with a low upbringing that had attached herself to his son so that she could 'rise' above her circumstances. However, these last few weeks, he realized that wasn't the case at all. She was just an idiot girl that fell in love with his good for nothing son, married him and had a child that she lost not long after. Now here she was, falling apart at the seams as his son's infidelity had unraveled the tethers that she used to hold herself together. She was a pitiful mess. A sad pitiful mess but…he could accept that about her. He could work with a pitiful mess. He would.
Before she could turn to leave the visitation room, Ozai grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him. Wrapping his arms around her and forcing himself to bear through the hug that felt like a thousand needles piercing him.
"I'll be here for you, okay?" Ozai began. "You don't have to deal with this alone. Got it?"
Katara nodded her head as she hugged him back.
Pulling apart, "Get it together, sweetheart."
Katara giggled and nodded.
"See you tomorrow."
"Okay." Katara said happily.
…..
Zuko was a bit caught off guard when Sokka suddenly approached him at work. They worked in two separate departments and almost never saw each other. He hoped he wasn't here to confront him about the affair he had been having behind Katara's back. However, it seemed his brother-in-law was completely oblivious.
"Hey, my sis hasn't been answering any of my messages lately." Sokka told him. "Is she doing alright? It's not like her to ignore me unless we have a fight and everything was good last time I spoke to her."
Zuko sighed, "Kat, had an accident, Sokka." he told him. "She's been in the hospital and they admitted her into the psych-ward."
Sokka furrowed his brows at him, "Since when?"
"A few weeks ago."
"And you didn't think that was something I'd like to know?" Sokka raised a brow as he tried to keep his composure.
Zuko dropped his head into his hands and shook his head, "Sokka, I really can't deal with this right n-"
"What kind of accident gets someone admitted into the psych-ward?" Sokka narrowed his eyes. "Did she-"
"Kat and I are having issues, Sokka. Okay? We're not doing alright and she's been having it rough because of Ryu. I don't know how to help her. I don't know what to do. She just plays it off like everythings fine and then when my back is turned, she goes and-..." Zuko stopped himself and sighs, "Sokka, just go see her. See if she 's okay. I haven't been able to bring myself to see her since."
Sokka furrowed his brows at his brother-in-law. He felt like there was something Zuko was trying to say without saying it but it didn't matter, he was sure Katara would tell him enough for him to get the bigger picture. He knew his sister was hurt over Ryu but she had gotten better. He and Suki saw her getting better. There was no reason she should be in the psych-ward right now unless something else happened.
Sucking his teeth as he walked out of Zuko's office, "I don't know what exactly is happening to the two of you but if I find out you've been mistreating my sister-"
"Sokka, I would never."
"Okay but if I do, I won't forgive you for it."
Katara smirked as she knocked over the black chess piece and watched as her father-in-law scrunched up his face in annoyance as she was beating him again at yet another game. Everyday for four weeks, he'd come during the visitation period, stay the whole two hours and play whatever game she decided with her. They'd talk most of the time about whatever it was that came to mind, getting to know each other better and finally being on good terms after twelve years.
At the moment, Ozai was asking her about her family as he never really met anyone but her brother. She told him about when her mother passed away from illness and how her father left her and her brother with her grandmother. It was her grandmother that had raised them for the most part and helped them through school.
"My grandmother always taught us to not fault our father for leaving. She wanted us to feel sorry for him, I guess, but I couldn't help but hate him a little for abandoning us." Katara sighed as she moved her rook to take out his pond. "I think I met Zuko around that time. We had just moved in with my grandmother and started at the school in her area."
Ozai moved his knight forward and ended his turn, "Is your grandmother still around?"
Katara nodded, "I was planning to go see her but I don't know how I can. She had dementia really bad and keeps thinking it's around the time my father left. My brother says the last time he saw her, she was promising him that our father would come back. We used to wait by the window after school hoping he'd show back up but he never did…so it upsets my brother hearing her say that whenever he visits."
"You should still go see her. Maybe not right now but you should see her before…you know."
"You're right. I should." Katara looked up at him and smiled. "I get discharged tomorrow. Think you can take me by my craft shop? I've been working on this picture in my therapy session and I want to bring it to life on my canvas when I get home."
Ozai nodded, "We can do that. Maybe one of these days you and I could work on something together."
Beaming at this, "Really?!"
Ozai nodded. "But it won't be for the art gallery. We'll just hang it up around the house."
"Okay! Can't wait!"
The following day, Ozai got up and made his way to the wing of the estate where his daughter-in-law and son lived. He was going to gather some clothes for Katara so she wouldn't have to wear those white scrubs into the store while they went shopping. However, when he got there to gather her things, he found his son snoring in bed, naked with the silk sheets hanging off his bare ass. Annoyed that the man was sleeping like a damn baby while his wife had been in the hospital, Ozai snatched the sheets off of him and yelled for him to wake the hell up. Zuko groaned and rolled over to see his father standing over his bed.
"What?" He said as he didn't seem to care about his nudity in front of his father.
Ozai glared at him, "Katara's getting discharged today. I need you to get your ass up and act like you haven't been home this whole time."
"Why?" Zuko asked in a tired voice.
"Because I told her you were still gone. That you hadn't come back home. Get your shit and leave." Ozai told him in a stern voice.
Zuko yawned and got up out of bed, "Why didn't you just tell her the truth?"
Ozai went to the dresser and looked through it for some clothes. "I'm trying to keep that girl sane. If I told her that with you not coming to visit her, it would destroy her. I'm not going to tear that girl apart. I'm trying to put her back together."
Zuko rustled his hair, "Put her together, you say? Katara's fine. She's just being dramatic."
Ozai paused what he was doing, "Dramatic? Is that what you think?"
Zuko went into the bathroom and shut the door behind him, "Yeah but I'll get my stuff and leave. I'll come back later and pretend I'm just getting home."
Ozai shook his head and gathered a sweater, jeans, and some socks for Katara. Only thing he didn't get was her underwear as he refused to go through that drawer. He was not interested in finding out if she wore thongs or briefs.
Showing up at the hospital with a bag, Ozai handed the nurse the bag of clothes for Katara to change into while he signed himself off as her supervisor for the next six weeks as were the conditions of her discharge. When she came out, Ozai saw her smile and she pranced up to him. Patting her head was the way he decided he'd show affection since he told her hugs were gut wrenching for him.
"I'm so glad to be out of there. Felt I was going insane." Katara told him.
"I can imagine. I'm glad you're out too. Now, we can try getting you to focus on better things." Ozai told her as he walked in front of her and pressed the button for the elevator.
Katara nodded, "Can we also stop for something to eat? The hospital food wasn't exactly tasty."
Entering the elevator with her, "We can go wherever you want to go." He told her. "I'm retired so I have all the time in the world right now. Lucky me."
Katara nodded, "And I'm just a lonely housewife. Guess we make a good duo, huh?"
Ozai snickered at this as he folded his arms while the elevator descended, "A duo? What, are we a team or something?"
"More like a father daughter duo. Since you're kind of the only father figure I've had since my dad left me." Katara told him with an awkward chuckle.
Ozai sighed at this as he faced forward and tilted his head, "I guess that works."
"Yay!" Katara cheered to herself.
Smirking as he shook his head, "I always thought you were ditzy but I see you're just cute. Can't even help yourself, can you?"
Katara grinned wide, "Nope, not at all."
Getting into the passenger seat of her father-in-law's car and noticed he had a speeding problem. What should have taken twenty minutes, became a ten minute trip to the craft store and she felt a little sick from his driving.
Ozai got out of the car and opened her door for her, offering his hand to her. She almost reached for it but retracted her hand as she figured she should try getting out the car on her own. When out of the car, Katara led her father-in-law into the store and he let her know he'd pay for whatever she got out of here. She made sure to get exactly what she wanted along with a few extra things and when they went to check out.
"I've been wondering where you've been." The old cashier woman said. "I was beginning to worry. You've been coming here twice a week for over two years."
Katara giggled nervously, "Yeah, I've just been busy." She said.
Ozai was about to pay for the items they were checking out when the cashier looked him over.
"Your husband is quite handsome, dear. You two make a very cute couple." The cashier said.
Both Ozai and Katara looked wide-eyed at the woman.
"Oh no! This is my father-in-law!" Katara quickly said.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" The cashier said.
When they left with their things and arrived back home, Ozai helped Katara carry her things to her studio. They were talking about where to grab a bite to eat at since they were planning to head back out when they ran into Zuko, who was on the phone walking around the outdoor walkway.
Ozai observed how his son looked at Katara with some relief but noticed she looked a little uneasy. This seemed to make his son a bit uneasy as he rubbed the back of his neck and averted his gaze after he hung up the phone.
"H-How have you been, Kat?" He asked awkwardly.
Katara dropped her gaze, "I've been better."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
Furrowing his brows as his son, "We've got things to, Zuko. If you could excuse us." Ozai said as he pushed Katara along with him.
Zuko stepped out of their way and turned to watch his father pat Katara's head as they headed for her studio.
Later that day, Zuko watched the two return from wherever they had gone out to and it looked to be some fast food place from the cups they were holding. They didn't even notice him having a cigarette on the patio of the courtyard, they just spoke amongst themselves about some idea they had for a collaborative project they planned to do. He had planned to have a word with Katara and try to discuss something in order to keep her from doing what she had again but it seemed like his father had warmed up to her. This was great. Now, he didn't have to feel so guilty. Eventually, he would have a word with her but until then, he'd just go about what he was already doing. It was clear Katara wasn't yet ready to discuss things either.
…..
Katara was painting on her canvas the picture that she had been working on in the hospital. It was a meaningful portrait, one displaying the sorrow of a woman that had lost everything and her will to live on. There were icy blues and heavy reds. She used water color to better depict the isolation she wanted to portray. The emptiness of her darling woman of sorrow. It was hard working on the color scheme of this piece of work but she continued to paint through her tears as the emotion she felt broke her heart all over again.
While she was clearing up her studio after completing her work, she got a knock on her studio door and turned to see her brother. She wiped her fear and put on a smile for him.
"I wasn't expecting you to get here so early." Katara said as she sniffled.
Sokka looked his sister over and said nothing as he moved across the room to hug her. He held her tight and sighed as he squeezed her. "Katara, I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were still in so much pain."
Katara relaxed into her brother's embrace and returned the gesture. "I'm fine now, Sokka. Just trying to take it day by day."
Pulling apart to look his sister over, Sokka furrowed his brows. "You know you can always talk to me and Suki. You don't have to work through this alone."
"I'm not alone, Sokka." Katara told him as she returned to cleaning up.
Sokka scoffed, "Zuko is my friend and all but he's been off lately. I know he's not been much support to you. You don't have to pretend things are good between the two of you. He told me things were rocky. Not to mention, Suki said you told her he's been working late hours. You don't have to tell me, I've already figured it out. People in his department were talking about him and his secretary. Said it's been going on for months. Likely a little while after the accident."
Katara sighed as she cleaned up her station, "Seems you know more than me. I only knew he was having an affair. I didn't know she was someone he worked with nor did I know the duration." She said in a stoney voice. "But I'm fine nonetheless, my father-in-law has been a tremendous help through this. He's been my support since I found out."
"Yes, I figured he must have been. Every time I tried to see you while you were in the hospital the front desk wouldn't let me in because you already had a visitor and he'd stay the entire time." Sokka said with a bit of annoyance. "I'd see him leave when visitation ended. I admit I was surprised, I always thought you said he hated you."
Katara sighed and shrugged, "It definitely felt that way up until now but he's proven to be very caring, Sokka. I don't think I'd be here without him."
"Yeah, well, he's probably just doing what he felt he should have done for Azula." Sokka told her.
Nodding, "I figured as much but I appreciate him even so."
Sokka sighed as he took a seat on Katara's daybed, "So, are you and Zuko getting a divorce?"
Katara sat beside her brother and shook her head, "Zuko and I have been together for a long time. I can't just throw that away. He and I haven't really talked since I got back home because we just want to give each other space but he did let me know it's just temporary."
"Temporary?! What kind of bullshit is that?!" Sokka hissed in anger. "I'll have a word with that piece of shit, man to man! This is no way to treat the woman you claim to love!"
Katara agreed but she wasn't giving up her husband. As soon as they got the time to discuss their situation, she'd let him know she would stick by his side even though he was hurting her like this. She wanted him to know she would forgive him and move past this once he was ready to return to being a husband to her. They had a rocky start to their marriage as they lost their son just a year into it but it was for all the years before that she was choosing to stay by his side and remain faithful to him, even when he could not do the same for her.
Sokka listened to his sister explain how she made the vows to be Zuko's wife through thick and thin till death. He understood his sister took those vows very seriously but she needed to understand that Zuko had a very different interpretation of those vows. He did not respect the vows he made to her and she should free herself of those binding words as they meant nothing to her husband with what he was doing. However, Sokka could say this to his sister. Not when she was trying to remain optimistic about the future for them.
As her brother left, telling her to come for dinner at his place some time, Katara decided to look over her recent work and place a sheet over it to protect it from damage before storing it away. She left her studio and went to wash up before fixing dinner. Wrapping her wet hair in a towel, Katara made herself some instant noodles that she added some cooking beef to and a hard boiled egg to.
Sitting down in front of the TV, Katara cracked open a beer and ate her noodles while watching a random show that was on.
"Don't tell me you've been eating like this since you got home?"
Katara looked up to see her father-in-law looking at her in disappointment at the noodles she was slurping. Grinning with food in her mouth, "So what if I have been?"
Ozai folded his arms, "Come, I fixed something more nutritional."
Katara set her bowl down and went to follow her father-in-law out of her living room to his wing of the estate. There, she entered his chambers for the first time since living here and noticed he had a thing for the traditional aesthetic. Coming up to his kitchen where there was an island counter in the middle, Katara took a seat on one of the bar stools as her father-in-law fixed her a plate and set it in front of her.
"Wow!" Katara was surprised. "I didn't know you cooked."
Ozai fixed his own plate, "My wife left me ten years ago and during our twenty years of marriage, she never cooked. I actually won her over by cooking for her. Apparently, some women think its attractive to have a man in the kitchen."
Katara took her chopsticks and dug in, swooning in bliss at how delicious it was. "Oh my la! This is amazing, father. You've got to teach me."
Taking a seat beside her, "I will but first you've got to tell me something."
"Tell you what?" Katara asked as she picked up the fish from her plate.
Ozai glanced at her, "If you feel like doing what you did again, can you come to me first?"
Katara looked up at him, "You mean, if I felt like dying?"
Ozai nodded.
Katara nodded back, "I can do that."
"Good." Ozai patted her head. "Now eat up. You're far too skinny to miss a meal."
After having seconds, Katara was walked back to her wing of the estate by her father-in-law. He told her to have dinner with him in the evenings so she didn't have to eat alone and she agreed to start dining with him in the evenings. The two were discussing cooking together when they saw Zuko about to head out for the night. He didn't even say a word as he passed them by and left. Ozai glanced down at Katara to see her reaction. Her expression had become somber and she looked like she wanted to cry.
Patting her head to comfort her, Ozai asked her if she wanted to watch a movie together and have a beer. The petite woman nodded.
Ozai sighed as Katara fell asleep against his arm while watching the movie. He got up and carried her to her bed, tucking her in. Before he left, Ozai looked the woman over and sighed as he shook his head.
"Why my son would bother with another woman is beyond me." He said as he went to turn out the lights. "The idiot just doesn't know what he's got right here at home. Poor bastard."
…
A/N:
Tell me what you all think!