It had taken some time to figure out what Katara wanted to do once she settled into their new home on Ember Island. Sitting around doing nothing was not an option so she enrolled in nursing school but quickly discovered that while it was just "okay" it wasn't what she wanted to do after all. Then seeing the help wanted ad at a local exercise studio piqued her interest and it was love at first day of work. According to Katara the owner was a lovely young woman about their age and they got along splendidly and was enthusiastic at Katara's suggestion to teach waterbending style routines. It combined her love of her culture with her love of teaching. Apparently in their little corner of the Fire Nation, the bending forms of her people seemed so exotic that the locals flocked to try it for themselves. It had taken barely three months for them to have to create a waiting list. She offered different classes from beginners that focused on the slow movements to advanced techniques that blended waterbending with firebending. Of course Zuko was her guinea pig whenever she had to come up with a new routine and new routines turned into other things that left them sweaty, naked heaps on the floor. "I think we'll keep that routine to ourselves," Katara would pant, glazed eyes staring at the ceiling with an equally exhausted Zuko by her side.
"Good idea."
Then she got requests from the parents to teach the kids and naturally she couldn't say no to the kids. Eventually the owner grew bored of being "the boss" and signed everything over to Katara with the stipulation that she could continue teaching. Katara had been tickled pink to become the proud owner of the fitness studio. Of course, the books had been a mess but Katara had a good head for budgets and such and managed to put the company in the black.
As for Zuko, more and more he found himself growing further away from his career with his father's company and with his commute to the city bordering over two hours round trip he found it especially appealing when he didn't have to go in to that staunchy office building in Capital City. At least once or twice a week though he did have to go in and today was one of those days and it had been hell. There had been a major snafu with one of their clients and if it hadn't been for his "never give up" attitude it would have been beyond disastrous for the company. Then he missed his train, having to wait another hour and half before the next one. By the time he made it to the station, walked the mile or so to her shop, he was done for the day. He wanted to rip off the suit, grab a cold one (and a beer), plop down on the couch, and enjoy some mindless television or maybe destroy some alien horde on the PS3. Through the front glass window he could see that she was nearly done with the last class of the day. Hooking a finger through the collar of his jacket, he slung it over his shoulder and watched with a certain sense of pride and admiration at how successful her venture had been as she closed the stance, led the class through the final cleansing breaths, and then thanked everyone for coming. He smiled and nodded as the class exited the small studio and made his way inside to find Katara packing away the mats.
"Good class?" he inquired, waiting until the one-room space was emptied before coming in and kissing her.
"Yes," she replied tightly, "And you missed it. I was really counting on you being here tonight. You could have at least let me know." He was supposed to have helped out for tonight's class and he hated having to miss it.
"I sent you a text and left three messages," he answered, thumbing through the receipts and bills from the day making a mental note of each one then headed to the little back room that made up the office and supply closet.
"No, you didn't," she countered, yanking her phone from her purse, pressing a few buttons, and frowning. "Okay, fine. You're off the hook this time. What happened?"
Zuko sighed and rolled his eyes, his cue that it had been utter chaos. Katara patted him on the chest and gave him a sympathetic look, "You can tell me all about it when you take me to dinner. I'm starving and I'm really craving barbeque."
