Mask
One sentence summary: When he tried to talk to her, he felt as though he was talking to a mask, and what he wanted most was to find out what was behind it.
Notes: More somewhat-one-sided-potential-friendship than romance.
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"Why won't you give me a straight answer, Katara?" the boy asked angrily.
"Zuko, why should I trust you, of all people?" the girl replied.
His anger faded. He had to good response. She shouldn't trust him. "I'm trying to be nice and talk to you, but I feel like I'm not talking to you."
Katara threw up her hands. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I feel like I'm talking to part of you, but not the real you."
"That doesn't help."
"It's like you're wearing a mask. Trying to hide something from me, from everyone."
"Maybe I am," she shot back, defensive.
"Well, I don't know why. What do you think I'm going to do with your secrets?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe use them to blackmail me!" She knew that would hurt him, because he had done that in the past.
And it did hurt him. He dropped his gaze to the ground. "I thought we were past that. I thought we trusted each other. I thought we were friends."
"We are not friends! I barely consider you an ally!" That was when she started to walk away. After a few steps, she paused, turned back to him and said angrily, "And Zuko, I will never trust you. So you might as well just give up now. Leave me alone and go bother someone else."
Zuko was left standing there, watching her leave. If there was one thing he didn't do, it was give up. Especially now that she had told him to, he would not. Zuko made a promise to himself that he would earn her trust. One day she would take off the mask, and let him see her true self.