"Hey this isn't technically breaking and entering if your uncle gave me a key right?" Katara walked up the stairs as she was greeted by the black cat.

"He literally told me to make sure you get out of bed, so I'm just following orders from your boss," she had two coffees in hand as Zuko stumbled out of his room.

"Your in my house?" He blinked confused, clearly just woken up.

"Your uncle called me," she smiled smugly at him as zukos hair was a mess and he only wore black sweat pants and no shirt.

"Mm?" He walked to the kitchen as she sat on the counter to pull up texts she had with the old man.

"You have uncles number?" He slurred scratching his chest and his eyes were barely open.

"I do, since you don't want to give me yours," she smiled.

Katara squeaked a little seeing her friend shirtless for the first time, his toned chest and defined abs made her feel like he came straight out of one of sokkas romance movies. She stared at his tattoo sleeve that covered his upper arm and barely passed his elbow and shoulder. Blush spread across her face as he leaned against the counter next to her tiredly.

"Get a shirt on," she huffed looking away but glanced at his body again making sure she saw it right.

"Mm, didn't expect company, my house," Zuko slurred as his head lolled to the side and landed on her shoulder.

"When did you go to bed?" Katara froze a little as he kept his head on her.

"Around 5 maybe?" He kept his eyes closed as she was warm against him.

"Zuko it's only 8," she looked at him in disbelief and he nodded.

"Well I got you a coffee since no offense you guys don't have lattes here and it's kind of upsetting-" Katara tried to walk away but felt arms hold her back.

She paused completely with wide eyes as Zuko buried his face in her shoulder as he held her around the waist and pressed his forehead against her neck as he stood behind her.

"Z-Zuko?" She gasped never seeing him so... touchy, he usually avoided aangs hugs at all costs and even her little touches as well.

Zuko didn't say anything as he just wanted to feel someone, a warm kind touch, he remembered the gun shots from the night before when his father picked him up out of the blue in the middle of the night and took him on a job. There was so much yelling and screaming over the gun fire of the gang they met up with.

"Would you be okay if I left?" He whispered as Katara touched his arm wrapped around her torso.

"No, I'd miss you a lot," Katara gulped not moving.

"If you get tired, annoyed or mad at me, please just let me know, don't go behind my back... just tell me and I'll understand, please," zukos voice was quiet as he held her tighter.

"I trust you kat, I care about you, just be honest, everyone always lies, and I can't keep getting over another lie to be lied to again," he breathed and she grasped his wrist and rubbed little circles with her thumb against his skin.

"Zuko what happened?" She felt tears weld up in her eyes.

"Nothing, just... Jet- I... nothing, I'm just a little home sick," Zuko inhaled deeply as he let go but Katara spun around and wrapped her arms around his chest.

"I care about you too, okay?" She hugged him tightly.

"A lot," Katara felt a tear run down her cheek.

Zuko pulled her off and saw she was crying a little, Katara was about to open her mouth but Zuko held her face and used his thumb to wipe her tears away.

"Can I go back to bed?" He whispered flatly as he held Kataras cheek gently.

"Fine, Get off jackass," she scoffed grabbing his wrists with a flat expression.

A smile flickered at the corner of his lips as he took his wrists back and went to his room, Katara wiped her face feeling it was still wet.

She couldn't believe she cried in front of him. It was upsetting but she just felt so overwhelmed. Maybe it was the fact Zuko hugged her for the first time, that he wanted to show physical affection for once, and that he admitted he cared about her, knowing the kind of person he is it meant a lot. Knowing his trust issues, it meant everything to her. He mentioned Jet, maybe from their past it made Zuko miss having a friend like the old days. Or maybe Jet talked to him...

She sighed but Zuko came back in the room, a hoodie over him so his figure was hidden again under the fabrics.

"The shop opened at 11, I have three more hours," Zuko walked past her as he pulled the hood over his head and laid on the couch with a thud.

She snorted sitting at his feet as he handed her the remote.

"Choose what you want, I don't care," he mumbled as Katara grabbed the blanket on the arm of the chair to throw over the both of them.

"You won't yell at me for putting on a chick flick?" She teased and he grunted in response. She laughed a little as he covered his face with the room and was sleeping almost immediately. He must've been tired..

Katara smiled a little as she heard him give the lightest snore, she almost missed it, she covered her mouth to hide her laugh.

She took a picture of his face hidden behind his sleeves that were under his chin and was shaded by his hood, she snorted as he snored a little louder. Katara smirked grabbing his phone next to him and saw it didn't have a code, she hummed a little sending her own number a text and her phone dinged with the new number.

"I gave you my number two months ago, you talk to me almost every day," she mocked as she took a selfie with herself and Zuko sleeping in the background to make it her contact picture on his phone.

Katara set the phone back down but it chimed a few times as she still had her hand on it before it hit the table. She curiously glanced over it and frowned seeing the text.

Ozai: I have your check waiting for you for last nights job

Ozai: you need to learn to keep your fucking mouth shut

Ozai: do that again and I'm cutting your paycheck in half

Ozai: answer me boy

Ozai: I'm still your damn father, answer me

Katara turned the phone on silent and quickly flipped it upside down so she couldn't see anymore. That couldn't have been...

Katara inhaled a shaky breath as she looked over at zuko again, she didn't know his father was still trying to talk to him..?

And what did he mean have his paycheck? Zuko wasn't stupid enough to be involved with his father, was he?