#but yeah. eyebags sokka. eyebags zuko. also

[comradekatara]

it’s very important to me that I always draw sokka with the biggest eyebags imaginable. just looking like every day for the past five years he’s done nothing except gotten the shit kicked out of him by all the forces of the universe. et cetera. so the fact that in “the chase” they all do have eyebags to signify their sleepiness just like. feels fake to me. not because I don’t think it’s cute when aang is all sleepy or whatever, but because I think if the animators truly weren’t playing, sokka would’ve had those eyebags in every single episode.

[kashimos-hajime]

boy next door

Summary: Katara moves into the same apartment building as Sokka and Zuko happens to be her next door neighbour. Or, Zuko and Katara know each other better than they think they do.

A/N: For @zutaraexchange​ and @cobraonthecob​ who deserved this way earlier but I was so busy this week! My prompts were Painted Lady and Blue Spirit, Modern, Superhero AU, Element Swap/Different Elements. I decided to challenge myself with a modern AU. 

I write and I do have a taglist so send an ask if ya want ;)

WARNINGS: MENTIONS OF DRUG ABUSE, VERY, VERY BRIEF. also, bro there’s like some swearing i think.

Wordcount: 5.1k Pairing: Zuko and Katara (Zutara)

Zuko mostly kept to himself. It wasn’t that he hated people — no, he was alright with Sokka in the apartment across the hall in 1C despite how loud he could be, and the guy who owned a grocery store upstairs in 2D wasn’t so bad. He mostly tended to the gardens and when the harvest was good, they’d hold a barbecue. Yue and Suki, two girls who lived diagonally across from him in 1A didn’t do much more than make polite conversation when they bumped into each other in the hallways and that guy Aang could hold his own in a game of Super Smash. He and some old guy, Bumi, lived upstairs in 2A along with Aang’s huge dog, Appa. In 2B was another set of girls, Mai and Ty Lee, both Zuko had known since childhood, but they were never close.

That left two more apartments. The one next to Zuko, and the one left upstairs.

No one talked about upstairs ever since the last tenant had been evicted for illegal activity, not that Zuko ever paid any mind to that, not that he cared, not that it was Azula who was forced to move out and away. Not that Zuko drove her to the hospital himself after he found her OD’ed on the floor. Not that anyone knew.

All anyone ever saw was his scar. He saw it in people’s eyes, the way they tried to focus on anything else on his face. His eyes, maybe. His mother used to say he had lovely eyes. But she was the only one. Everyone saw the scar.

So Zuko kept to himself, sue him.

He went out for his job, which was a fun time as the CEO of his dad’s company which  he managed to build back up after a scandal way back when, which meant he didn’t have spare time to go to barbecues, even if he wanted to. He knew they judged him, probably talked shit behind his back. But he couldn’t help it.

“Oh, crap.”

Zuko looked next to him as he was locking the door that morning. Fridays were the only days he got half-off and he intended to get as much work done as possible before relaxing. But, it appeared that wasn’t gonna happen today when he caught sight of one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen in his thirty-years of being alive. Standing there, surrounded by boxes and a rambling Sokka, was a woman with chestnut hair pulled into a messy bun, frustrated, blushing cheeks, and narrowed blue eyes.

“Sokka, if you touch anything else, I’ll literally kill you.”

“Sorry, Kat! That time, it really was an accident.”

‘Kat’ didn’t say anymore. She picked up a box and stormed into the apartment, revealing a tumbled box at Sokka’s feet. The man looked up and noticed Zuko standing there, immediately traversing the boxy hallway and saying his hellos.

“Who’s she?” Zuko asked, trying to sound as disinterested as possible as he slipped the key into his pocket.

“My sister. She’s moving in for her neuro fellowship at the hospital nearby.”

“Oh, cool.” Smart. Check. Pretty. Check. Zukos’ boxes were all getting ticked off as the woman re-emerged, thoroughly disappointed but unsurprised by what her brother was doing.

“Isn’t that right, Katara?”

“What.”

“My little sister’s all grown up and moved across country all by herself.”

“Sokka!” Kat sighed in annoyance and Sokka quickly picked up a box with a wide smile, disappearing through the door as she finally noticed Zuko. “Hey, sorry about that.”

“No problem.” Their eyes met and she blinked once, then again. Zuko knew what she was looking at but her eyes stayed rather determinedly on his. Eyebrows elevating, he looked at all the boxes. “You need help moving in?”

“Oh, no, it’s fine.” She blinked again, and turned to look at the boxes. “Sokka’s supposed to be helping me and he’ll do fine once he focuses.” Stepping over the boxes, she extended a hand and offered a smile. “I’m Katara. I guess I’m your neighbour now.”

“Katara,” he repeated, knowing he’ll have no problem remembering it. “Zuko.”

“Nice to meet you, Zuko.” She was even prettier up close. Zuko swallowed hard, finding his mouth dry as he struggled to say more.

“Yeah, you too.” What a lame way to end the conversation. Katara smiled again and turned back to her boxes, and Zuko swore he didn’t look at her an extra second before he remembered he had work. Opening his mouth, he tried to say goodbye, but then shut it. She won’t notice, he thought as he turned and walked down the hall. She’d never notice someone like me.

.

Katara frowned, wondering if this was too much. Her first weekend at her new place had gone without a hitch and all the tenants had attended the BBQ the landlord hosted.

All except one.

She knew who he was — what reputation he had, and what he’d done to prevent his father’s company from going belly up. Still, she was determined to get him to notice her or at least be on amicable terms no matter how high up he held himself.

Katara had brought a specialty of hers — lychee ice cream — and stood outside her neighbour’s door. She knew he was at home due to the fact he’d slammed the door closed earlier that afternoon and that she could now hear him yell at Sokka.

Her brother had never mentioned the guy next door with the huge scar on his face. He was kinda good looking, in an unconventional kinda way. But Katara didn’t focus on that. Instead, she focused on his CEO status, how he lived in a second-rate apartment despite how loaded he must be, how she knocked on the door, and how she was gonna get through this.

So she knocked.

And the door opened.

Ask and you shall receive.

And what Katara received was a wonderfully puffy-haired neighbour, scratching his head and glaring at her though half his face was twisted in an eternal scowl. A far cry from the prim and proper, suited up man three days ago.

“Hi, Katara.’

“Hey, Zuko. I made lychee ice cream for you,” she said although words were running dry as Sokka popped out of nowhere and reached to grab it. “Not for you! It’s for Zuko.” Her brother pouted, complained about something, but Katara didn’t hear him. Zuko didn’t seem to hear him either.

The man looked at her for a moment, then took the carton with a soft ‘thanks’ and Katara found her cheeks warming under his stare. He was wearing nothing but a white tee and grey sweats but he still looked so good. Better than a suit and tie, that was for sure. His warm amber eyes scanned her up and down, and Katara noted the heavy eyebags and how pale he looked. That didn’t detract from how hot he was, though. Not that Katara really looked.

“You didn’t come to the barbecue,” Katara said, sidelining her concern for now, and Zuko nodded. “Why?”

“I don’t like crowds.”

“It wasn’t that crowded.”

“I don’t like people.”

“Oh.”

Color spread magnificently over Zuko’s cheeks as Katara looked to the ground. His voice rasped and scratched and sounded like music to her ears. Not that she noticed.

“I was at work,” he added. Katara noted he was a pitiful liar. Fridays were his half-off days, according to her brother. Not that she cared. “Along with the not-liking people.”

“You like Sokka, though,” she pointed out and Zuko suppressed a scowl as they heard Sokka yell there was no more orange juice. Forgetting herself, Katara withdrew from the doorway. “Anyway, I should head back. You’re probably busy doing… whatever it is you’re doing.”

“We’re playing Assassin’s Creed, if you want to join,” Zuko offered and Katara shook her head. Not that she’d basically grown up with those games. Not that she played with Sokka before he moved away.

Not that she wanted to.

“Which one?” She found the question slipping past her lips before she could reel it back in.

“Origins. Just got around to playing it.”

The offer was enticing, but Katara wasn’t in the mood. “I thought you didn’t like people,” she said, because inviting strangers didn’t sound anti-friendly.

“I can make an exception.” He crossed his arms and Katara ignored the way his muscles bunched and how his shirt seemed too small for his frame. It was tight across his shoulders and when Katara caught his gaze, she shook her head.

“You should go put that in the freezer before it melts ‘cause it’s hot out.” Katara nodded to the carton of ice cream and excused herself quickly after that, going down the hall as quick as she could and entering her apartment.

Slamming the door behind her, she pressed her back against it and sighed. That was a such stupid thing to say before she left, and she couldn’t take it back now. What happened to a good-old fashioned ‘goodbye’? A regular old ‘see you later’?

Apparently, no longer options for Katara when she spoke to Zuko.

.

“Dude, stop checking your phone.”

“Just hurry up. I want to actually play for once,” Zuko growled back as Sokka saved his game on the PS4. Zuko already had Witcher 3 with Sokka’s game savefiles in the right folder and the two had planned to switch thirty minutes ago before Sokka decided to screw around and get two more viewpoints than said thirty minutes ago.

BlueSpirit94: would you believe it if i said my best friend is a complete waste of time

PaintedLadyXO: yes

BlueSpirit94: this is why we keep in touch

The chat bubble popped up again and disappeared, causing Zuko to turn off the screen and yell at Sokka again to hurry up. Then, a ding.

PaintedLadyXO: please

PaintedLadyXO: you need me more than i need you

Smirking at the reply, he couldn’t resist typing out one of his own. Ever since meeting on Discord with their apparent mutual online friends nearly three years ago, Zuko had hit it off with this other gamer despite having never heard their voice. What with Painted Lady’s crazy hours doing whatever they did and Zuko’s extreme reluctance to gather up courage to even talk to anyone outside of his friends, they still remained on close terms.

And they were right, as they often were. Zuko probably did need them more than they needed him.

Bluespirit94: that’s rude

Bluespirit94: but true

PaintedLadyXO: i didn’t mean it

Bluespirit94: whatever

Bluespirit94: how was your move btw? Read 2:49 PM

“Alright, get off. Time to cut off some heads.” Sokka shoved Zuko off the chair and the messy-haired man sat down on the couch instead, waiting for the reply. His thumbs hovered over the keyboard.  “Who are you even talking to?”

“It’s none of your business!”

Sokka’s grabby fingers scrambled to grab his phone but Zuko threw it underneath his legs to sit on, grabbing the controller and glaring at Sokka.

“Fuck off,” he hissed. “Some dick at work is slacking ‘cause he’s probably too busy being high.” Zuko grimaced, and slid the analog stick until Assassin’s Creed Origins was selected. “Not my problem.”

“You’re the CEO.”

“Hey, I came back from work and I’m looking forward to this afternoon off. If he wants to keep his job, he’ll show up tomorrow.” Zuko watched the screen blankly. Everything he said wasn’t a total lie. That dude, Jet, had come in earlier, asking if he could take a medical leave while stinking of weed. Zuko had given him the foulest glare he could muster, declined his request, and left it with a threat of ‘See you tomorrow morning.’

Sokka didn’t say anything much after that. They’d known each other long enough that when Zuko needed his silence, Sokka knew better than to argue with it. Sometimes, he could cure it with jokes. It was more often than not that he couldn’t, so he slapped on Zuko’s expensive headphones and loaded up his save file.

Zuko’s phone pinged. Amber eyes darted from the screen to Sokka, who was beautifully immersed in Witcher 3, and he deemed it safe enough to check.

PaintedLadyXO: great! the tenants are friendly and the guy next door is kinda hot ;)

Zuko’s eyebrows rose. His thumbs paused.

BlueSpirit94: didn’t know you swung that way

PaintedLadyXO: and.

PaintedLadyXO: jk who said i was a man lmao

BlueSpirit94: i can now add that to things I know about you

There was no response for a few more minutes, so he decided that maybe they — she — decided to continue the move-in. Zuko shook it from his mind. So what if Painted Lady was a girl? They were always close friends. This didn’t change that.

PaintedLadyXO: and what do you know about me mister

BlueSpirit94: probably more than you'd like to admit Read 2:59 PM.

.

Katara’s first few months at the hospital went by with ease, especially since fellowships were a breeze compared to residency. With two more aneurysms clipped, a few more brainbleeds fixed, and one more neuroblastoma diagnosed than the night before, Katara reached her apartment as the sun began to set. She fiddled with her keys, almost too tired to see straight. Finally slotting the right one in, she twisted with an irritated huff and threw all her crap down on the couch. Despite having moved in three months ago, there were still a few boxes left to open. She plugged her phone to charge.

Heading to the bathroom, she began a shower and shed all her clothes from the day before. She needed this break before her pager would inevitably go off and she’d be back in the hospital.

Luckily, she managed to snag her shower and came out ten minutes later, feeling more awake than she had before as her phone pinged. Suki, the girl in 1A who’d been the subject of her brother’s affections and vice versa, was one of the first who welcomed her. They’d become quick friends at the barbecue and Katara wasn’t surprised to see texts from her. She was more often than not the one Katara turned to with her problems.

Suki: hey!!

Suki: was just wondering if you're interested in having dinner or anything

Suki: we NEED to catch up on gossip

Katara: yeah sure

Katara: technically off shift but you know how it goes

The response was instantaneous.

Suki: totally. i’ll be there in a bit w sushi

Satisfied that she had dinner plans, she turned to texting her other favourite. BlueSpirit94 had been silent for the past few days but Katara had a feeling it wouldn’t be long before their next conversation.

PaintedLadyXO: how come i never hear anything about your lovelife? Delivered

It was a bold thing to ask but Katara felt comfortable with texting anything to her faceless friend, considering that they’d been friends for well over three years now. It was funny. She barely went on Discord anymore (that was back in the day with Sokka) but she kept the app around on her phone, both of them too cowardly to move. This little bubble they lived in was comfortable. Katara didn’t want to pop it.

BlueSpirit94: because i don't have one

PaintedLadyXO: complete bs

BlueSpirit94: no really. hbu? hows the guy next door situation?

Katara thought on that.

How was the situation?

Well, it wasn’t like Zuko and her often had time to chat. She spent most of her time in the hospital, and on the off-chance she was here, he was either at work or out. She never wanted to bother him to talk, and it wasn’t like he was inclined to talk to her either. She hoped he liked her ice cream and got some sleep. The man looked one night away from passing out.

PaintedLadyXO: gone radio silent

PaintedLadyXO: our times don't match so i don't see him that much

BlueSpirt94: that sucks

BlueSpirit94: hey do you ever think it's crazy were literally in the same city now

PaintedLadyXO: on my mind all the time. we could literally pass each other and never know

Katara’s fingers paused. The next question on her mind was one she had never proposed before, but she had imagined a hundred different faces and a hundred different lives behind BlueSpirt94 that she couldn’t help it.

Knock, knock, knock.

Katara looked at the little arrow that meant send and then to the door.

She threw her phone onto the opposite end of the couch and went to the door.

Later that night, when Katara was in her own bed for the first time in five days, she looked at the unsent text. Exhaustion weighed at her eyelids and she sent it before she could feel the wave of regret waiting to drown her.

.

Zuko stared at the notification. For a Monday night turned Tuesday morning, he felt relatively good. It was nearing 1 AM and he was working on the newest wave on hopeful employees and interns after a day at work. But he was still getting a bit tired. Hiring season always meant overtime for him.

PaintedLadyXO: so why don’t we meet up?? it’s rly been three years

He stalled. The thought had his heart hammering in his throat as he picked up his phone. Could he say yes? Then again, she was the only one who he ever told about his sister. He trusted her with a lot, but she could just be some faceless troll.

Something about that notion struck him false. She’d never do that to him.

BlueSpirit94: uh ok i guess Delivered

A wave of nausea rolled over him. It wasn’t a gut feeling per se, or regret, but he suddenly felt like he was placed outside his comfort zone. He trusted Painted Lady, but to finally put a face to the name…

What a crazy idea.

For so long, she was what he came to from work as they talked and pieced together parts of each other’s lives. They were each other’s confidant, their safe of secrets. Where would they even go? What would they say?

Zuko shook his head. The text had rattled him so far as to say he couldn’t exactly focus on the resumés. So he picked up his phone again, and texted all that nervous energy out.

BlueSpirit94: how about coffee? Delivered

Just as the text sent, he heard a high-pitched beeping and a thump on the other side of his wall. Looking up, he debated getting up to check the sound out as the beeping stopped.

Next thing he knew, there was the sound of the next-door neighbour opening their door. Katara. He hadn’t seen her much since she moved in, so Zuko got up against his better judgement and crossed the living room floor, hand stalling on the knob. Squinting through one eye, he peeked through the hole and spotted a brown head of hair dash by his door.

Zuko blinked. He opened the door and saw her running around the corner in slip on shoes and her still trying to poke her arm through a hoodie. Words failed. Her hair was flying everywhere and it was like a whole different person from that composed woman three months ago. No doubt she’d return in a few days, as was her custom. He’d probably be still awake by then, so he made a game plan to finish through the rest of the resumés, finish his coffee, and get ready for work because the giant pile on his desk did not scream sleep.

He closed his door and returned to his desk. He took another sip of coffee.

He sat down.

PaintedLadyXO: that sounds good

BlueSpirit94: friday work for you?

PaintedLadyXO: depends on work but friday seems perfect

.

Katara was brimming with energy. Ever since making plans with BlueSpirit94 Tuesday morning, she had been full of some nervous squirming feeling in her stomach that added a bounce to her step. Thursday morning meant the end of her week and she walked the halls of the hospital, wanting to head to the cafe for lunch.

Instead, there was a beep of her pager.

Checking it, she clicked it to turn off that piercing noise and blinked. E.R. She was just there. Katara spun around, pulling her hair up into a ponytail as she walked into the pit, shrugging off her lab coat and heading to the nurse’s station where the screen behind it was constantly getting updated with the new intake of patients.

“I was paged?” she asked the nurse who helpfully pointed her in the direction of bed three. Nodding, she turned to it and picked up the chart, reading it over quickly. The symptoms — dehydration, overexhaustion, swollen ankle after collapsing down the stairs. Waiting for a CT to rule out any brain damage and internal damage. Cool. They just needed her to do a neural exam.

Pulling the curtain around, she slapped on a pair of gloves.

“Alright,” she announced with a smile. “Let’s look at that—”

“Hi, Katara.”

“Zuko?” Gawking, she raked her eyes up and down his body. He was in his suit, so he must’ve been at work, and his eyebags had gotten worse, if that was possible. There was blood dripping down the side of his head but he looked wide awake otherwise. Oh, man. Rolling up his pant sleeve, she saw that his sprained ankle was already treated and thanked god. All they were waiting for was her sign off.  “Hey! How’d this happen?”

“Was late for a meeting,” Zuko hissed as she flashed a lightbulb in his eyes. Pupils responsive. Good. “Took the stairs, didn’t make it. Everything got dizzy.”

“When’s the last time you slept?” she asked, rotating his head gently. “Any pain here?”

“Two nights ago, maybe? It was my one meeting for the day. I swear I was going to go home after.” Feeling around his head as he talked, Katara felt her fingers brush against something. “Ow!”

“Yeah, and you ended up in the hospital instead.” Katara arched an eyebrow at him, unimpressed and Zuko shrugged. “If you don’t like people, you must hate it here,” she continued, eager to keep the conversation going. “Hold still. You’ve got a minor cut here where you must’ve hit your head.”

“Place isn’t so bad with the present company,” Zuko mumbled. Heat immediately rushed to her cheeks and Katara kept her eyes on the suture needle as she tilted his head to the light. It wasn’t too deep, and she wiped away the excess blood, putting pressure on the wound.

“How do you feel? It says you fell down the stairs.”

“Just a bit battered,” he admitted and Katara’s lips pulled into a smile against her wishes. When blood stopped flowing freely, she began to stitch. “Any idea when I’ll get to go home?”

“As soon as your CT comes back clear. Are you sure you’ll be able to get back home by yourself?” she asked, frowning. “You can’t drive in your condition.”

“I can call a taxi,” Zuko said with a shrug and Katara paused.

“Don’t move, please.” And she dug the needle in again. “Don’t be silly. I was supposed to be off shift after lunch anyway. I can drive you back.”

“Wait, really?”

Katara’s eyebrows rose at his surprised tone. When she looked at him again, he had a pleased blush across his cheeks and a boyish smile upon his lips. He looked quite cute in that light. Finding one of her own smiles, Katara nodded and added butterfly strips to keep the cut closed.

“Of course. As soon as your CT comes back clear, I’ll get you discharged.”

“Thanks, Katara.”

“Yeah, ‘course.” She tore off her gloves, signing that she was the last one to check on him and patted his shoulder with a final ‘see you later’ grin. He was incredibly warm under his suit, and her hand burned at his touch.

She’d not taken two steps, when: “Katara?”

“Mhm?”

Zuko’s eyes lit up. “The ice cream was really good.”

.

PaintedLadyXO: u kno what's crazy??

BlueSpirit94: what

PaintedLadyXO: boy next door is where i'm working

BlueSpirit94: what? did you talk to him?

PaintedLadyXO: yep and he’s really nice

PaintedLadyXO: we still on for tmr? Starbucks on 49th, right?

BlueSpirit94: about that…

PaintedLadyXO: what?

BlueSpirit94: i might be in the hospital.

PaintedLadyXO: WHAT?

PaintedLadyXO: are you okay???

BlueSpirit94: i’m fine

BlueSpirit94: just minor injuries

PaintedLadyXO: are you sure???

BlueSpirit94: yeah

BlueSpirit94: sorry about tomorrow guess we’ll have to cancel

PaintedLadyXO: np!! Especially if you’re hurt

.

Holding up the CT to the light, Katara squinted in front of Zuko for extra effect. The man was getting a bit antsy with how long she was staring at the thing and Zuko didn’t know what else to say other than: “I’m fine, aren’t I?”

It was like a shift immediately. Katara put down the CT and painted on a smile. “Yep! Now I can sign off and we can go home!”

Home. Zuko tried to ignore the implications that they lived together and nodded, accepting her aid into the wheelchair.

Katara’s car was a nice minivan that was full of boxes that needed to be recycled, but Zuko didn’t mind that the busy woman next to him was still mid-move despite three months living in town. It smelt like warm chicken and food, and he spotted a salad with butter chicken in the front chair that Katara hastily shoved under the chair.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had someone other than me in this car,” Katara muttered, helping him into shotgun and buckling in.

“Thanks, Kat, but I’ve got it,” Zuko said with a gentle smile. The woman was so keen on making sure he was comfortable, she didn’t quite remember her own tasks. The nickname caught her attention though, and ocean blue met volcanic amber. They both cleared their throats when they realized their faces were almost touching.

“Right, right. Sorry.” She waved her hand everywhere and closed the door, making sure none of his bags were in the car door before running around and driving. “Do you mind if I play music?” she asked once she revved up the car and Zuko shook his head.

“How long have you been at work?”

“Since Tuesday morning,” Katara responded, adjusting her rearview mirror. “Patient had a rebleed and I had a shift on Wednesday so I ended up staying overnight.”

“Oh. You’re busy, then.” Pulling out his phone, he checked for any missed emails or calls. Nothing of import. Perfect. 

“Yeah, but I love doing it. Busy is good.” Hozier’s newest album came on and Zuko adjusted his chair, leaning back and looking at his phone as they began to pull out of the hospital. Opening his chat with Painted Lady, he felt a flicker of guilt.

She had sounded so excited, and now that their plans were cancelled…

Zuko should make it up to her. After all, he had been gaining nerves akin to what one would get on a date, and he’d even thought about his outfit. A nice dark red sweater, khakis... 

He had been excited. Looking out the window, he watched glumly as the trees passed by.

“Do you need anything to eat? It’ll be hard to get around with your ankle,” Katara piped up and Zuko glanced to her. She was worrying her bottom lip but her eyes were earnest.

“Thanks, but it’s fine.”

“Okay, but remember I’m next door. I’ll give you my number when we get back.”

She was very kind, a lot like how Painted Lady was. Not that Zuko would know. This was the most he’d ever talked to Katara ever.

Keeping his screen on, he looked down at her last text.

BlueSpirit94: we can reschedule if you’re down??

It took a moment, and then it delivered.

The music paused to allow a ear-deafening ring to bounce off the car walls. Zuko looked to the phone on reflex, then to Katara. She ignored the notification, keeping her eyes on the road and a clammy feeling snuck into Zuko’s palms as she crossed an intersection and turned right onto the road their apartment building was on. Her phone screen had lit up momentarily but Zuko couldn’t manage the sneak he wanted to get besides the Discord icon.

It could be coincedence, he told himself with closed eyes. Stomach in knots, he forced himself to look at the woman beside him. Then to her phone, and then to his own phone.

Only one way to find out.

BlueSpirit94: hi katara

Another resounding ding.

Zuko felt like he was going to be sick. A cold sweat settled over him as he stared at the gorgeous woman beside him. She was exhausted, with messy hair and two day-old clothes but still—

Katara swerved into the parking lot, parking into her usual spot (the space next to his car which was still at the office) and picked up her phone, turning off the ignition. Taking out her keys, she got out of the car and took out the wheelchair from the trunk. Unfolding it for him, she was about to help him into his seat when she remembered her phone in hand. The screen lit up as she rotated it towards her to briefly check who had messaged her and their notification previews.

Zuko watched her every movement.

Which meant he caught when she read the message and when she froze. Her eyes, wide as saucers, went from him, to the phone he still held and Zuko’s own gaze only stared at her, waiting. If he moved, he was afraid he was going to actually hurl. Whether from the pain of his ankle was starting to get to him or the fact that Painted Lady, one of his best friends, was his other best friend’s beautiful sister.

And his neighbour. And his absolute-certain crush (do adults even still get those?). And Sokka’s sister. Crap.

“Hi, Katara,” he whispered because it didn’t matter. This was his best friend right in front of him, with Katara’s smile and eyes, and the Painted Lady’s humour and wit. A myriad of emotions flickered across her face, and then she let out a relieved laugh and half a smile. He extended a hand because being half-in and half-out a car was extremely tiring, especially with a sprained ankle, and her smile grew to fit her whole face. A sun on the face of a woman just as radiant, Katara saw past his scar just as she did the first time they met.

“Hey, Zuko,” she whispered as she took his hand.