"Sokka I'll be fine, I'm just stopping by, I'll be home for dinner," Katara walked down the street on the phone with her brother as she saw the cafe shop in view now. But jet wasn't outside. 

"I just got here, I'll see you in a few hours, bye bye," she smiled as she ended the call and waited outside for a few minutes to see if Jet was around. She sent him a text to let him know she was there but he left her on read. 

Dick," she scoffed walking inside hoping to see if jet was there or not. 

He was not. 

"Hello," a old man smiled sweetly at her as Katara walked up to the front for a drink, might as well while she was there. 

"Hi, do you guys sell coffee?" Katara asked looking around curiously of the coffee shop, it was very cultural and seemed homie. 

"Few and it's only simple coffee unfortunately with few creamer options, I have many teas and a few other refreshing drinks," the man pointed at the menu above him as she nodded looking at her options. 

"I'll just have a green tea please," she smiled and the old man nodded. She saw the logo on some napkins and looked around seeing more, she recognized it from zukos cup he brings in every day. 

She paid and sat at a table, he told her he'd bring her the drink when it would be finished. She thanked him and went to a table against the wall but heard a door slam open. 

"Durk I swear to god get back here!" A boy yelled chasing a black cat and grabbed it by the scruff of its neck. 

"Zuko I told you to keep your cat upstairs," iroh frowned a little as Zuko hugged the cat to his chest as he looked at the cat disapprovingly. 

"Sorry uncle, he found a way to get in again," Zuko looked back at him concerned as the cat meowed dramatically. 

"Zuko?" Katara looked at him surprised as he paused hearing his name. 

"No no no no... Shit.." he groaned seeing who it was. 

"Why you?" He looked at her unamused as Katara stiffened a little. 

"Uh.. what are you doing here?" Katara stood up as he struggled to hold the cat in his arms. 

"I live here," he said flatly and adjusted the wiggly feline. 

"Who's the cutie?" She giggled at his cat. 

"Durk, he's a little monster," Zuko frowned at it as durk laid in his arms more comfortable now. 

"Zuko, you can bring her upstairs I don't care, but no fur in the tea shop!" Iroh called back to him making Zuko jump a little. 

"I'm going I'm going! Sorry uncle," Zuko huffed back.

"I gotta go," he told Katara before leaving her. 

"Zuko don't be rude," iroh looked at him with his arms crossed.

"I told you, you can bring friends around, I won't bother you," 

"Ha, you said that back home and what did you do?" Zuko looked back at him frowning and irohs eyes widen and he giggled a little. 

"Your friends kept coming over to have tea with me, such nice people," iroh cooed and Zuko nodded sternly. 

"I'd love to come upstairs, buddy," Katara smirked at him as zukos eyes widen in horror. 

"No-" "Zuko Lee Susano," iroh cut him off.  Zuko growled to himself holding his cat knowing he lost the battle against his uncle. 

"Fine," he bit out. 

Katara waved at iroh smiling handing her the green tea she ordered with a devious grin. She laughed a little following Zuko up the stairs to the second door, he let Durk go through the door first before holding it open for her. 

"Why are you here? I told you to leave me alone," Zuko asked annoyed a little as he had his homework out sprawled on the table with his laptop open. 

"I was suppose to meet my friend but I think he ditched me, again," Katara sighed a little with the truth. But knowing jet this was on purpose. 

"You got shitty friends," Zuko told her. 

"At least I have friends," she teased. 

Zuko quirked his brow at her and shook his head with a sigh. 

"So what are you working on?" Katara looked over at the homework as Zuko went to get back to it, sitting on the couch and taking out his phone. He pulled his legs up to cris cross them with his elbows on his knees. 

"I have a test tomorrow for anatomy, plus I'm catching up in physics," Zuko explain and he felt Durk jump on the couch and forced himself in his lap. 

"You have a nice helper," Katara giggled but stayed standing, she didn't want to push her boundaries. 

"Again, hes a monster, he'll start eating at the paper soon," Zuko told her flatly as durk purred. 

"You don't have to stay, my uncles just excited when he see people know me outside of school," he waved her off as they both felt awkward now. 

"He seemed nice, does Azula help with the shop too?" Katara asked finally sitting on the couch with him. 

"It'll be years before she even gets a job like this," Zuko scoffed rolling his eyes. 

"Then where is she and your..." Katara trailed off as Zuko went on his laptop, not looking at her. 

"It's just my uncle and I here, she lives with her father," Zuko said flatly as he focused on his work. 

"Oh your half siblings?" She asked surprised. 

"Nope," he made a face.  

"I.. what?" Katara wasn't catching on. 

"My father and I aren't close," he sighed annoyed. 

"Oh.. so your uncle lets you live with him here?" She smiled kindly as she was now curious. 

"He has full custody of me since I moved to japan, hes not close to his brother either," Zuko explained in a monotone voice as she listened. 

"Can I ask why?" Katara asked. 

"Why do you care?" He glared at her. 

"I'm just curious, I like listening to people," she rubbed her arm awkwardly as he gave her a look. 

"My uncle was a general in the military but retired, he was happy to hear id go live with him in Japan to give me a new start," Zuko closed the laptop with a sharp snap and looked at her. 

"Again, not prison, I was going through a dark time back then," he gulped a little looking down. 

"I know I've only known you for a week but that's not an excuse to hurt so many people, we've all gone through our dark times," Katara told him softly as Zuko frowned a little. 

"Did you break a nail or something?" He asked sarcastically. 

"My mom was killed when I was little," she said quietly and Zuko looked at her surprised a little guilty. 

"I'm sorry, That's something we have in common," he nodded and Katara seemed just as surprised now. 

"I was eight," she told him. 

"Ten," he nodded keeping his eyes down. 

"Didn't think we'd have anything in common," Katara smiled at him as Zuko kept his face emotionless. 

"That's probably it, dont get to excited," he said petting his cat. 

"What's your favorite color then?" She asked. 

"Green," he sighed feeling trapped. 

"Like a tree?" Katara looked at him almost impressed. 

"Like a sage, but sure a tree too?" He shrugged a little. 

".. can I ask you something?" Katara asked with a small gulp after a few minutes of silence. 

"Your gonna ask anyways," Zuko sighed leaning back but nodded. 

"Why did you move to America if you were happy in Japan?" She asked again.  

".. I didn't really get a choice, it was my father who forced me, like how I didn't get a choice on coming back to this school," he bit his lip with a small shrug like it wasn't a big deal. 

"Why?" 

Zuko gulped a little as he clenched his fists. 

It was either be forced to live with uncle but go back to that school or be forced to go to the military and live with my father until then...  

"Personal reasons, it's complicated," he whispered shaking his head. 

"Do you miss anyone from japan?" She asked softly with a small smile. 

"Her names Jin," Zuko smiled a little. 

"Sorry you had to leave her behind," Katara put her hand on his shoulder but Zuko immediately took her hand off him as he tensed up. 

"We had a weird friendship, we're exes," he blushed a little. 

"Like dated then became friends?" Katara cocked her head to the side. 

"Yea, she was kind to me and-" he cut himself off turning redder as he was embarrassed a little. She wasn't afraid of him... 

"She was my first kiss and just dated for a few months, after five months we just rather be friends," he sighed blushing darker. 

"That's so cute," she cooed as Zuko huffed embarrassed a little as he put his hands in his face. 

Zukos phone rang and he saw it wasn't apart of his contact list. 

"You can go home, i gotta take the call," zuko set the cat next to him as he got up to answer the phone. 

Katara blushed a little with a smile seeing she made progress today with getting him to open up to her. He wasn't so scary after all. He just had a hard time with people maybe. But for now she'd give him space and leave for the rest of the day. She glanced out the hall way and waved as he looked over at her about to answer the call. He nodded back as she left. 

"Hello?" He answered seeing Katara leaving and closed the door behind her. 

"Nice of you to pick up the phone," a gruff voice answered as Zuko felt all the blood in his face leave and couldn't breathe. 

"W-why are you calling me? What do you want?" Zuko whispered as he forced himself to speak. 

"I just wanted to talk, son," 

Zuko covered his face with one hand as he leaned against the wall trying not to throw up. 

"What do you want?" He breathed.