Zuko was walking down the hall but heard footsteps behind him, they were light so he expected it to be a servant, he read the letter from Yue as he minded his business.

Suddenly a hand touched his shoulder and he immediately spun around with his fist clenched only to see Katara.

"Hey I think someone's watching me," Katara whispered softly and Zuko glanced behind her.

"No ones there," he sighed relaxing and turned back around with her at his side.

"Shh I'm not crazy, don't leave me alone," she elbowed him and Zuko raised a brow.

"Ty Lee stop spying," Zuko sighed turning back around and saw the pink girl peak from the banister.

"Aw your no fun," she whined as Katara huffed crossing her arms.

"Did Azula send you?" He asked flatly as the girl skipped up to them.

"Actually Mai too, she's been ruder than usual lately," ty Lee wrapped her arms around his with a smirk but he pushed her off.

"I know you guys fight all the time but cut her some slack," she smiled gently and Katara frowned a little.

"Your kidding right?" Zuko chuckled and ty Lee backed away never hearing him laugh like that.

"Your absolutely joking, I've been civil with her but Mai has been spoiled her whole life and never been told no until I broke up with her, she can fucking deal with it at this point," he looked at the gymnast flatly as Katara pursed her lips a little.

"Spirits, I feel like all three of you have been breathing down my neck ever since we got back," he threw his hands up in the air annoyed.

"Coming kat?" Zuko stopped noticing Katara stayed where she was.

"Yea I'm coming," she smirked to follow him.

-

Zuko sat on his bed with a book as Katara was in the bathroom on the side. There was a knock at the door but no time to answer before the three fire nation girls busted in.

"You think I'm spoiled?!"

"Fuck," Zuko covered his face with a groan.

"You think I'm spoiled and that's why I'm upset we broke up?!" She yelled at him as Zuko flipped the page in his book.

"I should've broken up with you sooner at this point," he didn't bother looking up at them.

"Mai it's been two months, get over it," Zuko shrugged.

"You call me heartless but it's like you never even cared about me," her face scrunched up.

"I did, you know this, but your starting to sound insane," he sighed.

"I'm insane?!"

"Will you please leave?" Zuko finally looked up at them, Azula watched interested to see how it went as ty Lee looked guilty.

"No we're talking," Mai snapped.

"Because I should be cutting you slack?" He set the book down.

"You've been condescending and cold for two months," she spat as he stood up and crossed his arms.

"You won't leave me alone and keep harassing me!" He barked.

"Because you won't talk to me!" She sneered up at him.

"Mai you've slapped me and have been vulgar, even if I wasn't engaged I would never get back together with you," Zuko sighed as Katara came back in.

"Nothing that your dad hasn't done," she scoffed crossing her arms and Katara frowned.

"And you think that justifies your actions?" He shook his head disappointed.

"I meant what I said earlier, your a spoiled child that doesn't know how to act when told no, so you pick and pick until you get what you want," Zuko looked her in the eyes and mais face scrunched up in rage.

"Fuck you!" She yelled.

"Your embarrassing yourself, go home," he rolled his eyes.

"No," Mai stated at him.

"Hey Katara, Azula, let's-uh let's go outside," ty Lee motioned to the exit.

"Yea good idea," Katara said awkwardly trying to sneak away.

"You can shut up princess, stay," Mai grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Don't touch her," Zuko grabbed mais wrist to yank her off.

Slap

"Don't ever fucking touch me!" Mai snarled as ty Lee gasped and Katara backed away shocked.

"You both can go to hell," she glared back at Katara.

Katara walked up to her and shoved Mai back with a sneer, Mai gasped stumbling back, Katara pushed her again until she was outside the room, grabbing ty Lee to shove her outside as well as Azula was already out looking impressed.

"Stay the fuck out and never hit him again," Katara looked at Mai darkly and slammed the door loudly.

She turned around wide eyes as there was a hand print on zukos face as he didn't bother touching it, he didn't seem to be phased by it.

"Shes hit you before?" Katara whispered.

"Once or twice," he shrugged.

"Zuko!" She gasped.

"I don't want to hear it," he waved her off.

Katara ran up to him and he flinched back before she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Zuko was stiff as she buried her face in his shoulder and held him close despite the height.

"You don't deserve that, to ever be hit like that, I'm so sorry Zuko," she whispered in his ear. His breath hitched a little but didn't return the embrace. He bowed his head down and accepted her hug.

"I thought you hate me," he teased a little.

"I don't hate you," she didnt lift her face from his shirt.

"Is this how it's been?" Katara asked. She waited and he said nothing. Finally he gave a small nod and she inhaled sharply.

"We always argued and fought but she's never been like this," he sighed.

"I'm sorry, I won't ever hit you, I promise, because I know you'll never hit me," Katara mumbled and he gently wrapped his arms around her waist and stood there.

"I know being married like this isn't how either of us thought our future would be but we can make the best out of it, seems like we have more in common than either of us thought," she smiled up at him holding his shoulders as Zuko blushed gently looking down at her.

"Like allies?" He asked quietly.

"Like friends dumb ass," she giggled.

She watched his eyes light up in surprise and a smile crawled on his pale lips as he stared at her. She gently hugged him again and he hugged back this time faster than the last, maybe everyone wasn't exaggerating on zukos past like Iroh and Yue tried to tell her, maybe it really has been more miserable seeing the way everyone shows their true colors around her now.