Chapter 15
Katara ran out the door, her feet skipping two stairs at a time to reach the street. She didn’t pause to look around before smacking into the person who stood by the tree. Her arms circled Zuko’s neck and held tight. Katara couldn’t hold herself back, she was on her tiptoes squeezing the life out of him. The thought of not seeing him until she had the time to hunt him had taken deep roots in her. She had trouble accepting he was truly here. That he wasn’t a mirage. That he wouldn’t dissipate like a dream. She hugged him tighter, as if to reassure herself he was solid.
Then the memory of his disappearance and her anger resurfaced. She drew back and hit his shoulder. Then hit it again and again and she wasn’t nice about it.
“Katara.”
“Don’t Katara me. I’m too furious.”
Both her hands were in his tight grip on her next swing and Katara found herself flattened against the tree. He was so close she had no choice but to focus on his face. He looked terrible. He also smelled terrible. What was that sooty black stuff on his face? Did he sleep on coals? Had he eaten anything for the past few weeks? Spirits, what happened to him? He looked like a scarecrow with hay sticking out every which way.
The liquid golden eyes traced her face. “Missed me?”
“What were you thinking?!” The words tumbled out of her mouth as if they had been waiting all this time to be heard. Startled, he stepped back. Zuko scratched his neck, looking at her under the lashes. Katara stayed leaning against the tree, taking deep breaths to keep her emotions in check.
“You look different,” he said, eyeing her.
“You look terrible.”
“I need to wash.”
“For starters.”
They stared at each other for a few minutes before he tilted his way towards the house and spoke. “Thoughts on inviting me in?”
“Multiple.”
Zuko’s brow arched.
“What happened to...correct me if I remember it wrongly,”-- she coughed in her hand and continued, mimicking his voice--“‘one last favor, Katara’?”
“Things didn’t go as planned.”
“Nooo, there was a plan?”
“You weren’t coming back.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.
“If you had to choose, it wouldn’t be me. You told me to get out. It was then or never, Katara.”
She couldn’t stand the idea that he was right. Deep down she knew herself that day would end in the choice. And it wouldn’t be him. “Fine. But couldn’t you sneak out?”
He avoided her eyes, observing the surroundings. “I was following you to make sure you got back safely but a few guards saw me.”
“And you decided attacking the general was the answer?”
Whatever he was about to say was cut off by a loud wail. Katara spun around and ran back up the stairs with the same urgency. Tom-Tom was screaming his head off as she crossed the room and picked him up, which didn’t immediately calmed him.
“I’m here, baby,” she muttered to him. “I’m sorry I ran out like that and left you. Were you scared?”
Tom-Tom abruptly stopped crying, his eyes moving over her shoulder. She turned around, adjusting him on her hip so both were facing the door. The prince stood in the doorway. The house was an average size. It was large enough for a family. She hadn’t noticed how cramped it could be until he entered. Now even the breathing space was missing. He watched her. She shifted from foot to foot lost for words.
“How long was I gone?” He broke the silence.
She stared at him incredulously. “Really? That’s all you’ve got? Didn’t I say I’m furious with you?”
He nodded, lifting his arms up. “You are right, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Come in and close the door,” Katara told him. She smiled down at the baby, who was leaning towards Zuko, arms outstretched. When he turned around he actually took a step back as if he saw a monster. She rolled her eyes and introduced them. “This is Tom-Tom. Tom-Tom, that’s your prince but you can call him Uncle Z if you want.”
At first she thought he was freaked out by the idea of someone calling him uncle or maybe holding the baby because he looked like she slapped him. Then he repeated his name a few times as if trying to make sense of it.
“That’s Tom-Tom? Of course, it is. Why wouldn’t it be.” Zuko grabbing his hair, which looked like hedgehog spikes from lack of care. He appeared on the verge of losing all his wits. “How?”
“Why, do you know who he is?”
Zuko looked around as if grasping for ideas. When nothing jumped out at him, he looked back at her almost defeated. “Yes.”
“How?”
“I know his family.”
“We didn’t kidnap him,” Katara said defensively. “He kidnapped himself. We just haven’t returned him yet. It’s a long story. You need a haircut.”
“For starters,” he said. “Let me return him.”
“No, thank you. We already have plans to return him. I promise he has been well cared for.”
“Katara, he needs to be with his family,” he pressed on while moving away from the baby.
Uneasiness trickled inside her mind. “How do you know his family?”
He was silent for a moment. “Friends.”
“Is that all?” She wasn’t sure why she insisted on such personal questions but something told her to push. The way he looked at anything but at her made her think she needed to hear the answer. “Why does it sound like there is more?”
He seemed to be contemplating something and it took a several minutes before he sighed in resignation. “His sister is my girlfriend.”
The world tilted sideways. She almost dropped the baby from the shock. It never occurred to her that he would be dating someone. Why was the idea so forign? Impossible? She tried to imagine Zuko’s girlfriend and as much as she tried to, nothing came to her mind. It made no sense to her. Somehow along the way she had started to think of him as something that belonged to her. Of course, he didn’t. Of course he had people that loved him. Why was it so strange?
“Your girlfriend,” she echoed, hoping it would make it easier to digest what he was saying. Why was the thought causing a stabbing pain in her chest?
“It’s not what you think.”
“Doesn’t leave much space for thinking,” she said before she could stop herself. “Still can’t let you have him.”
He swiped a hand down his face. “It’s not how it sounds.”
She nodded. “Whatever you say.”
“Katara…”
“I’ll show you where you can wash. I’ll see if I can find any clothes that will fit you in the meantime.”
“I’m just protecting her, nothing more.”
“Protect her from what?” Spirits, she needed to stop asking questions.
“My sister.”
Katara’s brows rose, unable to decide what to do with the information. “Why?”
“Not my story to tell. But there is nothing between me and Mai.”
She had a name. Of course she did.
“Why are you telling me this?” She shouldn’t have asked that question. She didn’t want to hear the answer.
“I want you to know.”
Without another word she put Tom-Tom back into his ice castle despite the protests. Adding a few ice sculptures around to draw his attention, she managed to calm him down. Katara walked to the bedroom and got a towel. The owner had shown her where everything was in case she needed it. Not in a million years would she think this would be why she would need it. She silently pointed out everything for him and left. He didn’t try to speak either.
Katara took out her frustration on vegetables, chopping them like she wanted to chop her feelings. A fake girlfriend. Really? She hated how much she cared about it. Why couldn’t there be something that made utter sense in her life? Why was everything so bizarre? The problem wasn’t that she didn’t believe him, but that they still used the titles. Didn’t matter how fake it was as long as they used the titles. What did this Mai need protection from his sister for? Katara had to admit she didn’t know much about the Fire Princess. How many more times she needed to be surprised until it registered that she knew little to nothing about Zuko?
Tom-Tom became restless. With two people in the house, things were more interesting outside of the ice castle. She picked him up and dissolved the castle. Katara managed to cut everything but she couldn’t keep him still long enough to start cooking. The bathroom was his new target and if Zuko hadn’t appeared in the kitchen when he did, Tom-Tom would have brought the house down. She wasn’t even sure how it was possible the child switched from wailing to giggling in a second. She was jealous of his emotional range and how little it took to make him happy.
Zuko was frozen in his spot, staring at them. After the layer of grime was gone he appeared even thinner. His scar seemed faded or maybe his skin was rather tanned. He must have dug in the owner’s things because his face was clean-shaven. The facial hair had been an interesting sight but she preferred it this way. He looked more like himself. The clothes she found for him were too big. The sleeves of the shirt and trousers needed to be folded a few times but it was still better than what he wore. Katara hadn’t even thought about washing it, no amount of washing could clean it. She threw it straight in the garbage.
Zuko tried to run his hands through his hair, the tangled up mess wouldn’t allow his fingers to pass. He gave up with a frustrated huff.
“Why didn’t you cut your hair?” she asked.
He sat on the chair opposite of her before answering, “Couldn’t trust anyone to get that close.”
It was a good thing she already sat. The words made her insides sink. She didn’t think about it that way. She had been so busy being angry at him, she hadn’t considered he might be in trouble. That he might not have anyone. Why had she assumed he was alright and just choosing to say away? Did she have a high opinion of him or was she too self-centered?
Tom-Tom wiggled out of her lap and got on the table. He crawled towards the prince. The prince and the chair moved back.
“It’s not a monster, Zuko.”
“Exactly.”
Well, he had another thing coming. Katara picked up Tom-Tom and moved towards him. She placed the baby in Zuko’s lap before he had a chance to react. Once he got the chance to react, his facial expression turned to one of ineffable horror.
“What are you doing?” Zuko’s voice sounded strangled when he spoke.
“Entertain him while I cook.”
“How?”
“I don’t know. How do you entertain toddlers in Fire Nation? By singing? Dancing? That would totally entertain me,” she said and turned around with a grin, taking pleasure in his torment. Tom-Tom was climbing on him, grasping his ears for balance.
“This isn’t funny, Katara,” he said, trying to shift away from Tom-Tom while still being careful so he wouldn’t fall.
Katara nodded. “You are right. It’s not funny, it’s hilarious.”
“Katara!”
“I’m hungry. Tom-Tom is hungry and I’m sure you are hungry. You can either continue cooking or look after the baby. And, no, there is no third option.”
She closed the windows to keep prying eyes away. She was sure it would be still hours before the boys reached her but wasn’t it better than sorry? She didn’t want to think about hours from now. She hadn’t expected to see him and still pinched herself to make sure it wasn’t a dream. For now, she wanted to enjoy it and not question it. A small stolen moment.
Katara looked over her shoulder to make sure he hadn’t accidentally killed the baby and found herself immobilized. Tom-Tom stood on Zuko’s thighs, examining his scar with his fingers while the prince looked at him with a mix of fear and surprise. She stared at them for a moment before she could force herself to turn back. Katara took a few deep breaths, hoping to keep her head clear. How did she find herself here?
Katara focused on the dinner, every so often looking over her shoulder to check on them. Not that it was necessary. Tom-Tom’s squeals spoke volumes.
Once the pot was on fire, she turned around and observed them. Zuko placed Tom-Tom at the end of the table, as far away from himself as he could reach. This, for some reason, delighted Tom-Tom to no end. He crawled back towards the prince with a happy shriek. Zuko didn’t allow the baby to grasp him before returning him to the starting point. She was sure it wasn’t how they entertained babies in the Fire Nation but she couldn’t fault him, the baby was clearly entertained.
“Katara,” Zuko said, his eyes begging her to take the baby. “Is now the choice between staring and entertaining the baby? I’m good with staring.”
“Do you trust me enough to let me cut your hair?” she asked quietly.
He blinked a few times, opening and closing his mouth. “You don’t mind?”
“I can do it while we wait for dinner. But probably you will have to wash again.”
His mouth fought a smile. “I wouldn’t mind actually.”
“And you have to keep entertaining Tom-Tom.”
Panic returned to his eyes. She was sure he was reconsidering his response. She laughed at his ridiculousness and put Tom-Tom on the ground before she grabbed one of the chairs. Tom-Tom rushed to climb on Zuko, who lifted him up with the back of his shirt and placed him away from himself.
“Why does he keep climbing on me?” Zuko asked in bewilderment as Tom-Tom charged towards him undeterred.
“He seems to like you. Is this the first time you’ve seen him?”
“It’s the first time I heard he exists. What do I have to do to make him unlike me?”
She shook her head as she moved towards the living room with the chair. Zuko chased after her with alarm, Tom-Tom chasing after him with glee. She placed the chair at the nearest window and went in search of scissors and a hair brush. They followed her. Like a train they moved from one room to the next.
“You can start by removing sharp objects from his reach so we can let him roam freely,” she told Zuko.
“Katara! With you please get him away from me?”
She sighed. He didn’t get it, so a demonstration was in order. She turned around and picked Tom-Tom up. Immediately, he leaned towards the prince. She waved him off. “Fine. Go.”
Zuko hesitated. He stared at her with unsure eyes but in the end he turned and left the room. Katara had just enough time to cover her ears. Tom-Tom let out a shriek. He bounced in her arms with distress, hands outstretched towards the door. He didn’t stop until the prince returned.
“At the moment you are his favorite person. Pray he forgets about you before he goes to sleep or you may have to spend the night here,” she said jokingly but once she got a good look at the prince, Katara sucked in a breath. He had already planned to spend the night.
Zuko looked at her nervously. “There are lots of empty houses I can spend the night at.”
“No.”
Spirits, did a zoo move in her stomach?!