Katara walked out of her bathroom after brushing her teeth and hair, braiding her hair down her back as she yawned walking over to her brothers room.

"Sokka, wake up," she opened the door as her brother was sprawled across his bed snoring.

Katara rubbed her face as she went down stairs to make herself breakfast but paused seeing a figure on her couch.

She narrowed her eyes to see who or what it was as she got closer but was surprised seeing Zuko curled up on the couch.

"Zuko?" She hurried down the stairs and went to him confused and a little worried now.

"Hey uh.. Zuko?" She poked his forehead a little but gulped seeing there was dried blood from his nose and down his neck as well as bruises across his face.

"Hey hey wake up," she knelt down to him brushing his hair out of his eyes.

Zuko was startled awake as his eyes snapped open but saw her concerned face. He groaned a little sitting up and flinched when he tried to rub his face.

"Zuko why are you on my couch?" Katara asked softly.

"I was worried," he cracked his neck to the side and she sat on the couch with him.

"Is that why your covered in blood?" She asked sarcastically.

"Yea kind of... I-I saw my dad last night," Zuko gulped a little.

Katara bit her lip trying to hide her mixture of emotions, anger, fear, sadness, he looked tired still. She grabbed his hand and gently pulled him up to his feet and lead him to the bathroom.

"You can shower if you want but first let's get you cleaned up and some food in ya," Katara told him with a smile as he sat on the closed toilet.

"I think I have a little concussion?" Zuko held his head as there was a bruise on the side.

"Your dad beat you up?" Katara asked with a sickening feeling in her stomach. "Why?"

"Because I was honest with him..." Zuko gulped but she touched his chin to make him look up at her.

"Kat..." he breathed looking up into her eyes.

"I'm out, he let me go," Zuko smiled gently and Kataras eyes widen. She hugged him tightly around the shoulders as Zuko smiled a little and hugged her back.

"So like a little beat up and he let you go? Out of the job?" She asked brightly.

"Yea, I just... I lost everything, I'm going to lose everything, he was going to pay for my college, I know that's not everything but that was my ticket out of here, and my uncle... he won't take me back probably," Zuko buried his face in her shoulder and her smile dropped.

"Hey, it's going to be okay, the whole college thing you'll be okay, and I know your uncle will forgive you," she adjusted herself but the height was awkward.

Zuko looked up at her, he pulled her on his lap and she gulped a little blushing, but she wrapped her legs around his waist and let him hide his face in her shoulder again, she pressed her nose into his hair and squeezed him, his hair smelt like smoke and the city.

"Why did you come here worried about me?" Katara asked quietly in his hair.

"He was threatening you," Zuko mumbled as his grip tightened. "Your door was unlocked and I thought I was to late,"

Katara looked down at him worried, she didn't know if she was worried about herself or Zuko, maybe both? He stayed the night making sure no one would come into her home, he was scared for her.

It made her remember when he told her he loves her in his sleep, maybe he was just touched starved like he was now. His eyes were red, was he crying? She's never seen him cry. Was he that afraid?

"I'm going to be okay, you don't have to worry about me," Katara pulled him off her shoulder and squeeze his cheeks together.

"You trust me right?" She smiled and he nodded, her fingers traced the bottom of his scar.

"I'm always right, nothing is going to happen to me, to you, we'll be okay," she told him quietly but she was determined. Zuko was shaking a little under her as their bodies where pressed against each other and zukos arms were loosely wrapped around her waist.

"You haven't met him, I don't want to take any chances," he whispered.

"I'll go tell him off now," she giggled but it wasn't funny. Zuko shook his head frantically as he grabbed her wrists.

"Please please don't, don't go, don't ever go to him, I'm begging you Katara, please don't," zukos voice shook.

"Okay, okay I'm sorry I won't, I was kidding," Katara pulled him back in an embrace.

"Im not going anywhere," she whispered and he nodded into her shirt.

——

"Thanks for letting Zuko barrow your clothes sokka," Katara beamed brightly as everyone was over and Zuko was in the shower when they came. No one warned him there would be three extra people when he got out.

"I didn't let him! You came in my room and took my best shirts!" Sokka cried out as Suki raised a brow at her boyfriend.

"Your only clean shirts Sokka," Katara told him flatly.

"So is he okay and all?" Aang asked shyly as he sat on the counter.

"He'll be okay, just having some personal problems, I'm not going into detail," Katara shrugged a little.

"So I'm glad Sokka isn't such an ass about the whole Zuko and Katara dating thing," Toph sat on the couch with her feet over the side.

"We're not dating!" Katara blushed brightly. Toph smirked a little.

"We're not," she groaned covering her face.

"So what's the next move? How long is he staying?" Suki asked changing the subject.

"It's the weekend so I'll talk to him later," Katara leaned against the table.

"So do you guys wanna stay here for the day then? I don't work," Sokka smiled as he was eating chips.

"Yea i wanna be lazy," Toph gave a thumbs up.

"I have to grocery shop so I'm borrowing your car Sokka," Katara rolled her eyes knowing it would never get done if she asked him.

"Fine," he pouted.

"Hey kat I was wondering if it wasn't to much to ask if you had a hoodie or something..." Zuko walked out of the bathroom with a towel in his hand to dry his hair and his black jeans around his waist and held his old shirt that had blood on it.

He paused seeing the others staring at him.

Suki and Katara blushed immediately seeing zukos body and tattoos, there was a small tattoo on his V line that looked like a stick and poke as well as the sleeve on his arm. He was much more build that Sokka with his abs and pecks as well as his arms were strong looking.

"Zuko your single right?" Suki bit her lip and Sokka let out a small shriek.

"We're working out together! Right now! Now now now!" Sokka whined as he crossed his arms pouting.

"Why?" Zuko tilted his head to the side innocently.

"Come on," Katara mumbled pulling him away. "I'm getting one of sokkas hoodies for you, fucking hell cover up,"

"You never gave me the shirt, just a towel," Zuko followed her up the stairs as she was blushing darkly.

"Yes I did!" She cried out walking into sokkas room but saw the shirt she was going to give Zuko on the bed.

"Oh,"

Zuko smiled a little as she went to the closet and threw a large hoodie, he smiled more putting the hoodie on feeling more comfortable under the clothes.