"Here is your chai tea, and your muffin," Katara set a mug and a plate on the table as the two girls nodded their heads and thanked her.

"You holding up okay?" Zuko passed her as he had his hair in a low stub of a pony tail.

"I'm fine, I told you it's not a big deal for me to help," she snorted and let Zuko take a customers order.

"And I told you I'd be okay on my own," he sighed a little and started to make the tea orders.

"Hey I got nothing else to do, and it's getting busy," Katara waved him off and poured the tea into the cups it belonged to for the customers.

"Besides you close in a half hour anyways, I'll help you clean up and I'll head home," she smiled as Zuko gave her a soft look.

"I appreciate it kat," he nodded.

—

Zuko ran upstairs to get the keys as there was closing time and Katara stayed down to make sure the customers leave and no one else comes in once the clock hit 8.

Katara went to pick up some dishes left at the tables as she heard the bell behind her, a man came in as he wore a grey button up dress shirt and dress pants. He had a smile on his face as he had his hair in a too knot and large sideburns.

"Oh sorry sir we just closed, we're not making drink right now," Katara picked up the mugs and cups as she went to the side with the sink.

"I'm not here for tea, where's your manager?" The man asked calmly as he followed Katara to the counter where the register was.

"Um, the manager? Um I guess he's upstairs, he'll be back in a minute though, is there anything I can help you with?" Katara walked over to him.

"Is it the boy or the man?" He smirked at her.

"The owners nephew, what's the issue?" She asked getting nervous.

"Good, hes who I want to talk too," the man set a gun on the counter and Katara paled wide eyes.

"Z-Zuko?" Katara backed away.

"Don't worry I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to talk darling," he smiled smugly as Katara backed against the wall.

"You that brats girlfriend or something?" He asked.

"N-no I'm just his friend, please put.. put the gun away," Katara whimpered a little. He picked it up but didn't put it away.

There was a gun click and Katara froze.

"Get the fuck out zhao," Zuko stood in the door.

He held a gun in his hands, his right hand holding it sternly as his left hand supported under, Zuko didn't look pleased seeing the man as he walked out holding the gun without fear.

"You know your not welcomed here," he snarled.

"Long time no see kid, you might actually be taller than me one day," zhao smiled at him as he kept the gun in hand but pointed at the ground.

"What the fuck are you doing here? I know your afraid of iroh so what's so important your in my home?" Zuko clicked the safety off of the gun.

Zhao did the same and held up straight up back at Zuko. Katara watched Zuko wide eyes, he didn't flinch at the sight of a gun pointed at him. Zhao frowned at not getting a reaction from the boy, so he pointed his gun to the side at Katara.

Zuko stiffened and immediately shot a bullet.

Zhao dropped the gun with a gasp as there was a hole through his hand where Zuko shot. Kataras mouth fell open as she meant to scream but nothing came out as she covered her ears.

"I said get out," Zuko hissed as he didn't lower the gun.

"Just because uncles not here doesn't mean you can come in and threaten me or my friend," he said calmly as zhao growled holding his hand in pain.

"Get out," Zuko whispered in a dark tone.

"I'll be back boy, your still that worthless child you were before you ran away like a coward," zhao snarled as he spat on the ground before he slammed the door shut behind him.

Zuko stormed over and locked the door with a growl, he sighed turning the guns safety off of the gun. He covered his face with his hands shaking, he heard shaken breathing behind him.

He turned seeing Katara covering her mouth as she was trying to control her breathing, he dropped the gun and ran over to her.

"Did he hurt you?" Zuko asked worried and she shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry kat," Zuko whispered as Katara watched his hands tremble at his sides, she pulled him in an embrace.

"You shot him..." she whispered in shock.

Zuko pulled her off him and shook his head disappointed. He couldn't believe he shot someone in front of her, she was the last person he wanted to hear a gun shot from him. He was so disappointed in himself for letting her see.

"I'm sorry," he whispered again.

"But when I saw zhao switched the gun at you, I didn't think I just did it, I didn't.. I didn't know what he was going to do, I'm so sorry," Zuko covered his face shaking his head.

"I didn't want him pulling that trigger first," he gulped.

Katara was speechless but watched Zuko sigh and turned off the lights in the shop.

"Feel free to call an Uber, stay home, stay safe Katara," he looked at her tiredly and went upstairs.

"Zuko wait!" She gasped running after him.

"How did you know him?!" She called up the stairs.

"What?" Zuko raised a brow looking down at her from the middle of the stairs.

"You knew his name and he knows your uncle, how do you know him?" Katara glared a little.

"My dads his boss," he said quietly.

"Wh-why did he come in with a gun then?!" She cried out.

"I honestly didn't want to find out," Zuko shrugged a little and went to his apartment at the top. Katara huffed a little and chased after him.

"Did your dad send him?" She asked glaring angrily as Zuko took his shoes off.

"Probably," he shrugged again.

"Whatever your dads paying you isn't worth to have a gun pointed at you!" She walked up to him and zukos eyes widen.

"My dad? They told you?" Zuko breathed.

"Who?" Katara tilted her head to the side.

"I-I ugh nothing, I'm to tired for this," he sighed getting the cat food out.

"Your hiding something from me," Katara stopped him from turning around to fill durks bowl.

"No im not," he scoffed a little.

"I saw your dads texts Zuko, why are you lying to me?" She asked harshly.

"It's none of your business!" He snapped back.

"I thought we were friends! Does Jin know?" Katara cried out in disbelief.

"Just leave me alone!" Zuko raised his voice.

"Then tell me what the fuck was that?!" Katara yelled slamming her hand on the counter next to him, Zuko flinched away automatically and she paused.

"Sorry," she backed away from him.

"I just.. I hate to have you think that your alone if somethings happening, you could've gotten hurt before, and just with what you've gone through..." Katara trailed off as Zuko crossed his arms a little.

"You really want to know?" He raised a brow.

"Yes," she pleaded.

"I'm working for my dad, yes, it's a family business and wants Azula and I to take over, I do that I can go to any college I want, and I'm getting paid, I needed the money and it's a win win, I asked him for the job," he huffed and Katara frowned.

"You've told me-" "I didn't mean it then, i still have issues with him but he's my father, I only got one so it's hard for me to let go, he's changed," Zuko lied with ease like it was his first language.

"Those texts-" "was after an all nighter, I was giving him attitude and he didn't like it, it was my fault," he nodded leaning back.

"And zhao is probably going to get fired for trying to attack me, my fathers fired other people for much less," he quirked his brow as Katara frowned.

"What you said earlier in the morning doesn't add up Zuko," she sighed.

"What I said this morning was bullshit, I was tired," he narrowed his eyes.

"Then how long..?" She whispered.

"How long have you been able to shoot a gun like that? How old were you when you first held one? When one was first pointed at you?!" She snarled not believing a word he's said.

"Because normal people usually are afraid when a guns pointed at them and they don't shoot like that!" Katara inhaled a shaky breath seeing the coldness fading back into his eyes.

"I don't know, maybe just as long as I can remember," he shrugged it off.

"And I was ten when I first had one pointed at me," Zuko looked her in the eyes.

The two stared at each other as Katara felt like she was falling back in time, like all the progress to make Zuko open up just closed again, and all it took was one man. She couldn't imagine how bad it would be if he knew the truth.

"Here," Zuko put a fifty on the table.

"Get yourself and Uber, and don't tell anyone," he said sternly.