Bwahaha! Yes, another one shot! This time it's a Serena and Zuko pairing from Avatar: The Last Air Bender! I love that show!...except for the ending; I'm a die-hard Katara/Zuko fan…ah well. That's what fanfictions are for, right?
Anyway, Serena doesn't belong to me, and neither does the cast of Avatar, they belong to their respective creators…I don't know Avatar by heart, and I'm too lazy to look it up, but Serena belongs to Naoko.
Without further ado!
A Lesson In Love
The door to the teashop slammed closed, shattering the silence of the early morning.
Serena looked up from what she was doing and watched as Zuko stomped through the shop, concerned about his strange behavior. "Zuko, are you ok?" She stood from the hearth with a teapot in hand, pouring him a cup before walking over to the table in the back kitchen.
"No," the prince growled out, "Uncle's set me up on a date."
The girl's ears pricked as she raised a fine eyebrow. "Oh he did, did he?"
Zuko sweat dropped, his uncle was in so much trouble. "Yeah, he thought it would be good for me to get out, so a girl that frequents the shop was roped into it."
Setting the teapot down, she sat across the table from Zuko. "So, where were you this morning?" Taking a sip of her own tea, she waited for Zuko's answer.
'Well, I certainly can't tell her the truth,' he thought. He flashed back to earlier that night; he'd been looking for the air bison, Appa, that belonged to the Avatar. If she knew he was out late last night wearing his famous blue mask, he knew his unofficial girlfriend would have a cow.
Not that she wasn't already over the date, but still. 'No need to make it worse.'
Serena was about to speak when Uncle Iroh stepped into the small kitchen in his work clothes. "So Serena, are you ready to make some tea today?" Iroh was surprised to see the girl stand and grab her cloak from the hook by the door, along with the basket from the counter. "We need some ingredients, Iroh, and I was going to do some shopping before I started work today." Saying so, she left with another slam to the door, although not as strong as the former Fire Prince's had been.
"What did I do?"
"Uncle, she knows about the date thing…you know how much I like her; I can't believe you did that!" Small flames shot from Zuko's hands to his mug, boiling the tea inside. Zuko sighed and let his breath wash over the liquid, trying to cool it down. As he looked into his cup, he smiled. Usually, he wasn't a big tea drinker, but Serena's special blend was an exception.
Iroh watched as his nephew gazed almost lovingly at the tea in his mug and grinned. 'I'm just trying to push you into action, that's all. It'll be good for the girl to feel a little jealousy first, I think.'
Serena sighed as she tied her cloak around her shoulders as she shoved her way into the market place of Ba Sing Sei. 'Ugh, Iroh, such a meddling man.' Taking a deep breath, she caught the different smells to the market place and felt herself relax. Now smiling, she headed through the market place buying supplies at a tea stand.
---
Half an hour later finds Serena walking back to the teahouse, basket laden with tealeaves and some food. Turning a corner, someone ran into her, knocking her off balance and sending her basket out of her hands. About to open her mouth and apologize, a man's gruff and agitated voice cut her off.
"Listen here missy, you need to watch where you're going!" The leader reached a hand out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her roughly to her feet.
Serena finally got a good look at the gang, and she was instantly frightened. Zuko had dealt with this gang before, she'd heard, and he said they fought particularly nasty and rough. Thankful she was a water-bending master, she found a huge barrel of water nearby, and, taking a stance, lashed a half-dozen water whips at the gang.
"She's a bender; let's get out of here!" An amused grin split her face as she watched them run. Maybe they hadn't been the same ones, after all, either that or Zuko hadn't used his bending skills...and now that she thought of it, using his bending wouldn't have been smart. Gathering her dropped supplies, she noticed she had a hand shaped bruise on her wrist. Pulling her Earth Kingdom garb over them, she only hoped the bruises would stay covered. Organized again, she continued on her way.
Gently closing the door behind her (poor door, it was abused enough), she headed behind the counter of the already busy teahouse to take care of blending tea. On the way, she passed a girl who was speaking to Zuko.
"I know," she heard Zuko say, "so when do you want me to come get you?" He looked away as he said this and met the slightly angered gaze of Serena, so he decided to look back at the girl.
'Yeah, you'd better be afraid.' Letting out a huff as she remembered she was mad at Iroh, she nearly slammed the basket on the counter. "Here's the stuff, Iroh."
"Aren't you going to help me, Serena?" The old man smiled, noting the slight green tint covering her eyes. 'Ah, the little water bender is jealous, wonderful!' The old man was determined the water bender would win Zuko's heart, but he needed to see if she would fight for him; the Prince of the Fire Nation couldn't be given away!
Grabbing the tools needed to grind the tea, Iroh noted she was…being a little more forceful than usual. It was when she rolled up her sleeves that he discovered the bruises. "Serena, where did you get those?"
She shook her hands out of his, trying to get back to work. "It was nothing, Iroh." She tucked her hair behind her ear that had come lose from her ponytail and continued. "They were just some thugs that ran into me and wanted to cause some trouble, so I gave it to them."
Iroh laughed; this girl could surely stick up for herself! "Well, just grind those leaves over there, and that's all you really have to do for today."
Nodding, she went back to grinding the leaves when Zuko came in with an empty tray. "It's busy today."
Iroh handed Zuko some water before nodding. "Yes, the weather is getting colder. Speaking of, since it's going to be so cold, where will you be taking the young lady tonight on your outing?" Eyeing Serena as he spoke, he smiled as her knuckles grew white.
Zuko wondered if his uncle had a death wish. Seriously, brining up the date in front of the water bender was not a good idea. Zuko was about to scold his uncle when Serena stomped out the door for a second time that morning. "Uncle, why did you have to talk about that in front of her? I like her, you know!"
"And it's a surprise she doesn't know that yet!" shouted the former General. "I think she's the only who doesn't see it!" 'And perhaps you are the only one that doesn't see her love for you, my nephew.'
---
Serena sat on the roof of the small shack, looking out over the horizon and the city that was Ba Sing Sei. Lifting a hand, she enclosed her fist around the palace, giving the illusion she was holding it in her hand. Rumors had it that the Avatar was in town and he was staying over in that neck of the woods, so to speak. 'The Avatar.'
She knew Zuko had desperately wanted to capture the Avatar in the beginning, when she'd first joined the prince, but now it seemed like he was debating within himself about what to do. Surely, she thought as she stretched out, surely, Zuko knew that if the Avatar, Aang, was captured, then Ozai would be able to take over the rest of the world he hadn't already conquered.
Sometimes, though, the boy could be so hard headed. He wanted to so badly to be accepted by his father, that he wasn't always thinking things through. Pushing herself against the chimney to stand, she thought about maybe heading in the direction of the palace to see if she could talk to the Avatar. Zuko would be furious, but maybe she could formulate a plan with the small band that traveled with the Air monk to get them out of the city, and she vaguely wondered why they were there in the first place.
The Avatar needed to learn the elements, yes, and this was probably the best place to find an Earth Bender, but there was already one traveling with them, named Toph.
A particularly strong breeze sped by, making her sway and cling to the chimney. After the wind had slowed, she decided it was about time to get back to work, and hoped Iroh wouldn't be upset that she'd run off all of the sudden. Slipping through a window by performing an acrobatic move, she barely missed running into Zuko, who was carrying a full tray of tea. "Sorry."
"Just be careful," he said with a slight smile as he continued on his way, serving once again, the girl he was to have the date with later that night. 'Hm, I still don't know her name.'
Going back through the kitchen door, she saw Iroh mixing tea. "Ah, I was wondering where you'd gotten off to. Chimney, it seems like, hm?"
Serena followed his pointed fingers to the soot on her dress. Blushing, she mumbled out an apology as she sped off to change. It was handy to live in the back of your place of work, she supposed.
---
After the sun set, Zuko left to change into a cleaner outfit for taking out Gin. Serena sighed as she watched him leave and wished he wouldn't go, but who was she to tell him what he could and couldn't do? She decided she would just go out herself as well…not to spy or anything, but just to get out. 'Right.'
Clenching her fist, she left not long after the 'couple' did.
---
Amazing, absolutely amazing. She went in a different direction than they did, but they'd both ended up in the same place: a square courtyard with a good sized fountain in the center. Serena often came here to think, but considered changing that when she heard that was where the girl thought, too.
She was about to turn and leave when she heard Zuko tell the girl to close her eyes. 'No way, he's not thinking about using his bending, is he?' She saw him take a stance after he looked around, and she realized he was going to use his fire bending! 'Foolish Zuko, what are you doing?!'
After he lit all the candles surrounding the fountain, he told the girl to open her eyes again, and the gasp that left her mouth made Serena want to gag. She was sure she was about to turn green when the girl leaned in to kiss Zuko, and she suddenly didn't want to watch anymore.
But she couldn't turn away, and almost stomped out of her hiding place in anger. However, what Zuko did next shattered her already breaking heart. He kissed Gin back.
Turning from the scene, Serena berated herself, softly whispering as tears fell, "Well of course he's not going to want you, you're a water peasant after all…who knows, maybe she's a royal or something, you never know. Whatever she is, she's better than me."
Letting out a breath she didn't even know she was holding, she slid down against an alleyway wall and sat, staring blankly as rain began to fall, hiding her tears.
---
Zuko came home later that night to find Iroh pacing by the door. "What's wrong Uncle?" He took off his coat and prepared to listen to his Uncle.
"Well, Serena left not too long after you did, just to get out of the shop, she said, because she's been in here almost all day, but she hasn't come back and it's really starting to pour out there." Iroh took a deep breath after his long-winded explanation and smiled as Zuko's eyes widened. "She's out there in this mess?" Grabbing his coat, he was about to leave when the door came open, and in came Serena.
"Child, you're soaked!" Iroh ushered her over to the fire and set her down, "Are you alright? Well, besides being cold and wet, that is."
Shivering herself out of her stupor, she nodded at uncle Iroh as her body continued to shake. "Yeah, I'm fine, really, just was out thinking where I like to think and got caught in the rain."
Iroh wasn't sure he believed her, but let it go as he draped a blanket across her and handed her some of her favorite tea. A particularly large flash of light illuminated the shop before a huge clash of thunder made the building shake, making the girl's shivers increase.
Zuko sighed as he remembered the girl's fear of lightning storms and fire because that's how her parents died. The young man was thankful she hadn't met his younger sister Azula yet…or had not seen her bend lightening, anyway. Each time he and his uncle encountered the princess, Serena was with the enemy who captured her.
"Well, I'm turning in for the night," said Zuko as he stood and stretched from his sitting position. "I'll see you tomorrow Uncle, Serena."
Serena sadly watched him leave and shook her head. 'He'd never love you.' Standing as well, she bended the water out of her clothes and handed the blanket to Iroh. "I think that's a good idea. Good night Iroh."
'Hm, what's gotten into her, I wonder.' The girl was sadder than when she left; maybe it was the storm, she never did like them. The old man shrugged, this would be a mystery for tomorrow.
---
The next day was no better for Serena. Since last night, she'd gotten weak and her temper snapped at the slightest thing.
Like Uncle greeting her the next morning, for example.
Iroh stretched and put his apron on with a jaunty smile when he saw Serena out of the corner of his eye. "Oh, good morning Serena! The day may be a little gray, but other than that, the weather's fairly decent!"
The water bender merely glared as she bended her tea in little circles before placing it back in her cup and sipping at it.
Iroh blinked once or twice, but then was all smiles again. "Well Serena, it's the busy part of the day, so let's get some tea made!" The old man did a few stretches and jogged in place before he gathered the tea instruments.
Unknown to him and Serena, Zuko came down the stairs and put his apron on after slipping behind Serena, hoping she wouldn't see him. Almost out the door to begin preparing the shop for people, she turned and caught his gaze at the last second. He was surprised however, when her eyes dropped from his to the floor.
'That's usually a sign of submission,' thought Zuko as he closed the door from the kitchen to the café. 'She's never done that before…not met my eyes.' While Zuko pondered this, Gin walked in to the shop, a smile on her face.
"Hello Lee," she chirped pleasantly. She walked over to him, laced her arm through his, and began chattering away, not noticing Zuko's look of distress.
'Great, if Serena catches me like this, I'm dead meat!' He began praying to every god he knew for her not to see him like this, but Serena always carried out the sugar dishes from the kitchen, which was what she was doing when she saw Zuko arm in arm with Gin.
Her eyes widened as she saw them. She couldn't help but admit they did look handsome together. With an inaudible sigh, she began setting the sugar up as Gin watched her.
"Oh Lee, who's she? I've never seen her before."
Zuko shuffled nervously, finally prying his arm from hers as he set the chairs up. "She usually works in the back with Uncle and the tea." He decided to slip back into the kitchen, not thinking he was leaving the two girls alone.
As soon as he was out of sight, Gin marched up to Serena and grabbed a fistful of hair. "So, you're more help, hm? Don't even think about going near my Lee, got it?" Wrenching the hair when she got no response, her anger grew when the girl seemed to ignore her. "Don't ignore me girl!"
Serena's face flew to the side as Gin slapped her. Slamming the last of the sugar onto the table, Serena growled, "You better be happy I can see nothing of my element in plain sight."
"Oh, so you're a bender? Lee would never want a bender." Here, Serena rolled her eyes. If only the girl knew 'Lee' was really Prince Zuko, a fire bender. "Lemme guess, you're an Earth bender? Their bending is so barbaric," she huffed as she picked at her nails, glancing up after a bit.
Gin's eyes widened as a stream of water came from a nearby potted plant and slapped her on the tip of her nose.
"No, I'm not a barbaric bender," she replied coldly, "I bend water." After the stream of water had done its job, she returned it to the plant with a slight smile. The smile was soon wiped off her face, though, when Gin came back with a punch to her left eye. She barely caught it in time. "Jealous, Gin?"
The girl screeched and leapt at Serena, sending both of them tumbling into a table, knocking it over and slamming into the potted plant. Gin swiped Serena with her unusually long nails, four long bloody marks appearing on her face.
Serena came back with slightly kicking the girl in the stomach, glancing over to the water. After a slight moment of hesitation, she created a water whip and was about to lash out at the sash holding Gin's skirt up when Iroh and Zuko burst through the door.
"Serena, what are you doing?!" Uncle rushed over to Gin, who was now playing the simpering idiot. "Are you alright, Miss Gin?" He helped her off the floor as he glared at Serena. 'I never thought she would let her jealousy get out of hand like that.'
Zuko also glared at Serena. "How could you, Serena? What did she ever do to you?"
'I must be turned just the right way for them not to see the bloody gashes on my face,' she thought as she sighed. "Look, it's not all my fault, she started it!" She pointed an accusing finger to Gin, who cowered at the thought of getting more water in her face (or so she wanted them to believe, Serena thought). But she cowered when flames seemed to light the eyes of both men.
"I highly doubt that Serena, Gin's a sweet girl," said Iroh. Turning to the girl in question, he asked, "Is there anything I can do?"
Gin inwardly smirked, but frighteningly shrieked, "Please, just get her away from me!" Then, she started crying fake tears as Uncle nodded to Zuko. "Lee, take Serena in the back, and Serena?"
The two teens stopped as Serena was addressed. She slightly turned her head to show Iroh she was listening.
"You're taking the rest of the day off. Go upstairs. I want you to think about what you've done."
Iroh was speaking in such steely tones…Serena didn't think she'd ever heard him speak that way before. Head dropping in defeat, she followed Zuko into the kitchen and was about to head for her room when Zuko grabbed her wrist, squeezing.
"What was that for? You could've gotten in trouble, and if you were jealous, why did you attack her?" Zuko tapped his foot as he waited for an answer, but when none came, he used his other hand to grab her face and force her to look at him. "Tell me!"
Her head snapped around, painfully so, as Zuko yelled at her. Serena's eyes snapped open as she saw a sight she never wished to see: Zuko angry with her. Not just angry though; he was furious. "I told you," she barely got out around his hand, "she started it!"
"I don't believe it! Admit it Serena," he snarled, letting go of her. "You're jealous over that date I had with her last night." He finished his accusation with an evil smirk, and she was reminded of the Zuko she knew before he'd changed.
"I am not! She attacked me first because, well, I don't know why! But I will tell you now," she said, poking him in the chest, making him back into a chair, "She threw the first punch!"
"She's too nice Serena, I don't even picture her fighting back! How do I know that your wound wasn't self-inflicted?"
That accusation felt like a stab to her heart. "Look at my nails!" she finally shouted, "Is there blood under them? NO! And why would I slash at my own face?" She couldn't believe it; he was taking the other girl's word over hers!
"You're a water bender; you could have washed the blood out with your bending!" The fire bender stood up straight, his larger frame dwarfing her. Without even thinking, Zuko heated his hand and backhanded her across the left side of her face.
Serena winced as she felt the heat singe her skin, and let tears fall from her eyes as it burned. She was too in shock to notice Zuko snap from some sort of daze as he looked at his hand as if it wasn't his, as if he didn't just hurt her.
Zuko couldn't believe what he just did! 'I promised myself I would never hurt her again, and look what happened!' Swallowing, he tried to speak, "Serena? I'm so sorry-"
Wiping her tears, Serena shook her head. "No, Zuko. If that's how you really feel, maybe I should leave." Taking her cloak from the hook by the door, she looked back at him. When he made no move to go after her, she opened the door and left, a tear trailing down her face.
Zuko watched the door in shock, thinking she would open it and yell "Just kidding!", but seconds later, he was still alone in the kitchen. He decided to go after her, but his Uncle's voice stopped him.
"Zuko, where's Serena? I want her to apologize-"
"She's gone, Uncle."
"-to Gin, it wasn't her fault, you know-"
"She left, just…walked out the door."
"-I just never knew Serena could get like that."
"UNCLE!" shouted Zuko, spurts of flame escaping his hands. The old man looked at his nephew in shock, but Zuko had Iroh's full attention. "She's gone."
---
Serena walked out in to the rain and made a face. 'Raining again?' Usually, the water would calm her, but it just reminded her of that night…and the water was making the wound on her face sting.
She could easily just heal herself…but then the reason for receiving the burn would be lost. It meant that Zuko didn't trust her, meant he-
"NO!" Grabbing hear ears to stop her inner voice, she began to cry again as the rain came harder. 'It's like La is crying with me,' she thought as she wept, hot tears agitating her cheek worse than the cold rain.
Suddenly, realization slammed into her as thunder roared overhead. 'No one will ever love me; I'm not good enough for anyone.' The next breath she let out felt like all her strength bled out of her, leaving her a shell of the girl she once was. Stumbling to her feet, she decided she needed to leave Ba Sing Sei. There was nothing left for her here.
---
Zuko ran out of the teahouse like a monkey-bat out of a fire. He needed to find Serena and apologize to her, make her see he didn't mean to hit her…burn her. 'Like my Father did to me,' he thought, horror crashing into his heart. 'I vowed never to become my father, and here I am, taking the right steps to become him.'
With renewed determination, Zuko pushed himself to run faster. He had to find her. Question is: where would she go right now?
---
After what felt like ages to Serena, her legs finally gave out from beneath her. Looking where she was, she let out a cry of anguish as the small lanterns surrounding a small fountain glittered in the dark. 'How do I always end up here?'
She tried pushing herself up onto her feet again, but let out a yelp as she fell back on the ground in a mud puddle. Brown splashed her blue water tribe garb as she let out a small sob, her hair floating in the dirty water.
Another resounding crash of thunder shook the very ground she sat on, and she looked up to the sky, more lightening flashing before another crack of light split the air. 'I have to get out of here and find some shelter,' she thought as she stood, mud dripping from her hair as she glanced back in the direction of the teahouse. 'Should I go back?'
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, an image flashed through her mind of Zuko's face, rage and fire in his eyes.
---
Serena hugged herself tighter as more lightning flashed overhead, and she knew she had to find shelter, and fast, or lose her mind. She hadn't noticed in which direction she ran, but now that she had time to think about it, she should be where the Avatar was staying with his friends.
All the buildings looked the same though: large, ornate, and covered in gold…or at least gold paint. They were all one story tall and lavishly built, with small patches of grass and a tree at the front of each.
Feeling a pulling sensation to one, she walked carefully over to the door and looked in, seeing a small boy with arrows tattooed to his head, talking to a girl in water tribe clothes. 'Water tribe,' she thought with excitement. Titling her head to better hear their conversation, she noticed they were talking about the war.
"Katara, the Earth King doesn't know what's going on, I think. The bad thing about these walls is that it gives people a false sense of security, and it blocks out a lot of news, too."
The girl with long brown hair nodded. "Yeah, I noticed that. It's against the law to talk about the war, so how do we even know the Earth King even has an inkling of what's going on?"
Another voice came inches from the door and made Serena sneak to the window. The voice was male from what Serena could tell, maybe a little younger than Zuko himself. "There's something fishy about the Dai Lee…and that Jun girl. She's not the same one from before. I don't trust the guy who's in charge of them, either."
"He was acting weird." A fourth voice came from directly below the window, but just as she was about to speak again, she hit something.
And suddenly, Serena found herself crushed in between two pieces of Earth. "There's someone at the window listening. I don't know why I didn't see her before."
The large door opened, and the small boy came out first. He carefully looked her up and down, but his guard seemed to drop when he saw the burn mark on her face. "Don't worry guys, I have a good feeling about her," he said before he made the earth prison fall from her body, gasping in shock as she fell to the ground, her strength finally giving out as she fainted.
---
Zuko sighed. The only place he hadn't looked in was the ritzier part of town that was within walking distance, and he wondered why she would go there. 'She couldn't have gotten much farther than that,' he thought as he entered the shop with a great slam to the door. It was a similar thing that he'd done at the start of the whole mess.
Iroh rushed at his nephew, giving him a cup of something warm and asking if Zuko had found her. "Of course I didn't find her. If I had, she'd be with me right now."
Uncle Iroh looked at the floor. 'This is my fault,' he thought. If he hadn't set up the date, Gin never would have really met Serena, and the fight never would have broken out; no matter which girl started it.
Gin rushed over to Zuko and hugged him tight. "Oh Lee, I was worried! It's raining awful hard, you know."
Zuko's eyes narrowed as Gin hung off his arm. There was a way to solve this yet, he thought as he gently took her arm from his. "Gin, how did this whole fiasco start?" If the girl even suggested a thing that was out of character of the water bender, he would know.
Gin lifted watery eyes as she began her telling. "Well, it was after you left. She started yelling at me: Why was I then one who got to date you even though she knew you longer, stuff like that." The girl internally smiled when the lies rolled easily off her tongue, but gasped when she was on the wrong end of Zuko's stare.
"I didn't hear any yelling." He turned to Iroh, lifting his good eyebrow, "Did you, Uncle?"
The old war general had quite the knack for listening in to things he wasn't supposed to, as well as naturally good ears. "No, I didn't hear any yelling, just the crash of the table."
Gin swallowed nervously, and Zuko saw her begin to sweat. "Seriously Gin, Serena is a good friend of mine…maybe more," he said, looking out to the storm as another roar of thunder rolled over the small shop. "She's also very afraid of storms, and I'm worried about her."
The girl sighed. "You won't be happy with me," she said quietly as she scuffed her toe into the dirt floor of the shop. "Yeah, I started the fight…and I honestly don't know what came over me…well," she rubbed the back of her neck, "yes, I do. She liked you, and so did I. Watching the two of you together suggested that each of you might have known that, and I got jealous. I'm sorry," she said, bowing extremely low.
Zuko nodded. "I just wish Serena was here to receive that apology," he sadly whispered, as the rain grew heavier than before.
---
Aang watched the girl as she fitfully slept, struggling against…something. "I wonder who she is?"
From over in his corner sharpening his boomerang, Sokka glared at the girl. "I bet she's a spy from the Fire Nation or something."
Katara sent a large splash of water at her brother. "You think everyone's a spy from the Fire Nation, Sokka. Her hair's not black, and Aang said her eyes are blue. That's a Fire Nation spy if I saw one," she said, sarcasm heavily lacing her voice.
The Avatar began to ponder. "You know, Air Nomad women had blonde hair…and it wasn't rare for them to have blue eyes, either. Maybe she's a descendent?"
"It's possible," replied Katara as she made a water glove around her hand and placed it on the girl's head. "This isn't good, she's got a really high fever, and there's no telling how long she was out in the rain."
Toph was about to say something when she felt the girl stir. "Hey, I think she's waking up finally."
Serena cracked her blue eyes open, and was thankful they didn't have any strong light in the room. She saw Katara first and thanked her. "I'm a Master water bender, but I'm a little weak to be healing myself right now." Katara helped her sit up. "A Master water bender? That's amazing! How long have you been bending?"
Smiling at the conversation, she replied, "Since I was little…maybe five or so, and I've been a Master for about six years."
"Cool!" Aang hovered over to her on his air top. "Hi, my name's Aang; I'm the Avatar! I have a question: are you related to Air Nomads?"
Serena blinked; this boy sure was hyper! "Yes, on my father's side. My Great-Grandfather was killed by Fire Nation soldiers in the Northern Air Temple. He managed to get my Grandmother out of there before they attacked. And before you ask, no, no air bending has appeared in my line…though," she looked to Aang, "I've never tried."
---
It was amazing! Aang had showed the girl, Serena, some air bending moves and she was able to Air bend! "This is so cool!" Sitting on the top of his air…top, Aang watched her perform some basic moves. "So, you're half water bender, and have some Air nomad blood in you so you can bend both elements! This is too cool!"
Serena smiled as she created an air top and mirrored Aang, trying to sit on top of it. It took a few minutes, but she finally mastered the trick as was soon joining Aang in annoying Sokka.
"Ugh, now there are two of them!" The water tribe boy huffed in annoyance and started to shine his sword and sharpen his boomerang, trying to ignore the two air benders.
Katara smiled; she was happy for Aang. He had someone to air bend with now and didn't feel so alone. She laughed when the two played another trick on her brother, who finally gave up and wandered back into the house.
There was one thing that was slightly bothering Katara, however, about Serena. She had a large mark on her left cheek, a burn she guessed. "Hey Serena, do you want me to heal that burn on your cheek?"
The top of air disappeared as Serena lost her concentration, and she slammed into Toph. She stood, apologizing to the earth bender as she helped Toph to her feet. Turning to Katara, she wondered if she should tell them anything, and after remembering how Toph 'heard' her, she thought the girl could probably catch a lie a mile away.
"No, not really. I mean," she looked at the surprised glance Katara sent her, "It was given to me for a reason, and it reminds me of that reason, whether I want it to or not."
'That sounds like Zuko,' thought Katara. "Why don't you want me to heal it though? If it scars over, it'll never go away." She watched the girl sadly caress her cheek, frowning when her hand came in contact with the burn. It covered her left eye in a flame shape, but didn't cause her eyes to swell shut, and there was still some unburned skin around it. Katara thought the girl was slapped instead of having a fireball come at her.
Sokka hopped up. It was getting too depressing, so he thought he'd do something to make all the sad go away. 'Weird,' thought the water tribe boy, 'usually Aang's doing that.' He glanced over at the Avatar to find him practicing Earth stances with Toph. "Hey, what do you all say we play a game?"
Katara agreed, "But nothing too strenuous. Serena still has her fever, and I didn't exactly like the fact that she was air bending a while ago." Here, she sent the girl a soft glare. "You need to get better, you know."
Serena nodded, but turned back to Sokka. "I can't stay; I really need to get back home."
"Speaking of your home, where is it?"
Regarding Sokka carefully, she wondered where she should say she was from. 'I can't exactly tell them I live with a banished fire prince and his uncle.' Taking a huge breath and sighing, she answered, "In the restaurant district."
"Cool!" Aang was suddenly at her side, "Maybe we can go see you where you work then!"
Serena was about to protest, but Sokka did it for her. "No Aang. We need to find you an Earth bending master and then get all this stuff cleared up with the King, remember? And we don't have much time to do it in. Not to mention we need to find Appa."
Aang deflated, and Serena tried to make him happy again. It was strange seeing him depressed, anyway. "Maybe when you guys have time, but until then, just concentrate on learning Earth bending, ok?"
Standing after sitting for so long almost sent her to the floor, but Sokka easily caught her. "Don't get up too fast," said Katara from behind her brother. "Do you need one of us to help you home?"
'That would be a disaster waiting to happen.' Shaking her head quickly yet carefully, "No, that's ok. I can get back alright; I'm a Master, remember?"
Katara nodded. "Alright." The group walked her to the door and Katara placed a hand on her shoulder. "If you ever need help, we'll be there for you, ok?"
"Thank you," replied Serena. As she stepped out into the rain, she waved, and was off.
---
Sloshing through mud wasn't exactly fun, but it had to be done. Serena looked down at her clothes and frowned when the mud stains had crawled up to her knees already. 'This'll be fun to wash,' she thought.
The notion faded from her mind when she came to stand in front of the teahouse doors. Looking up, she saw the small closed sign slinging back and forth from the rain.
Another clap of thunder sounded from farther off, and Serena hugged herself tighter. 'Well,' she thought, 'here goes nothing.'
The small bell clanged, announcing her entrance.
---
Why did you hurt me, Zuko?
The fire prince thrashed in his sleep as a phantom Serena plagued him.
Don't you love me?
'Yes,' he wanted to say, 'Yes I do!' But his voice wouldn't work. He opened his mouth and tried and tried, but all that came out was air. 'Why can't I say I'm sorry?!'
Because you cannot undo what you have done.
Suddenly on her white skin, a blood red flame shaped mark appeared over her left eye, a striking resemblance to his on his own visage.
'No Serena! I'm sorry!'
It's too late, Zuko…
Her voice faded away, as did her figure, and off in the distance, a small ringing could be heard.
Snapping up from his dream, Zuko shivered when the cool sweat on his body hit the humid night air. Shaking his head to clear it, he thought he heard the shop door close. The first thought that came to his mind was of the girl he'd been dreaming of only moments before. Dashing downstairs, even if he was only wearing night garments, Zuko sighed in relief when he saw it was Serena.
'Why does he look so surprised? And relieved? I thought he would be angry with me.' Blinking in surprise, she was about to apologize when Zuko placed his hand over her mouth.
"No, don't say anything." He slightly smiled as her expression formed around his hand, and his smile brightened as she cocked her head to the side, waiting for his explanation.
"I just wanted to say that…I'm sorry. I'm sorry for judging you unfairly, for not thinking things through, and most of all, for this." His hand slid from her mouth up to touch the burn on her cheek, and she winced slightly. "I would heal it if I could."
Smiling, she replied, "But you already have, Zuko."
'I'm confused,' he thought. Looking at her face once again revealed the burned tissue still covered where he'd slapped her, but he smiled when he heard her laugh again. How he loved the sound of her happiness!
"You've forgiven me Zuko, that's all you need to do."
His gold eyes snapped open, "You don't need forgiveness, you need an apology! It was me who slapped you, even when I vowed I would ever hurt you!"
Serena glared, "Well you were mad at me for something, or else you wouldn't have slapped me, would you?"
Zuko sighed. He'd tried explaining to her before that sometimes he lost his temper, it was as natural for him as it was for her to be so caring. "I wasn't thinking, and my temper got the best of me. I wasn't mad at you, I was…mad at myself."
Serena was rather befuddled by that admission. "Why were you mad at yourself?" Her voice was soft as she led him over to the stairs and sat down, motioning him to sit with her.
Zuko paused for a moment and seriously began to think. 'If I tell her what I meant, it means no going back.' Preparing himself for the consequences, he began his explanation with hope in his heart. Hope that she would feel the same. "Well, the reason why I was mad at Uncle for setting up the date was because…well, it was because I liked you…a lot." He turned to her and leaned against the stairs for support. "I was mad that Uncle was interfering like that, and at myself for not having the courage to tell you sooner that I liked you."
Her blue eyes met his and twinkled. "Is that all Zuko? Because…well, I like you too, you know."
Zuko smiled, and pressed further. "Well, I don't think I just like you…I think I love you. Ever since the first day we ran into each other, there's been something. And only now am I able to identify it. Living with you and Uncle has changed me, opened my eyes. And for that, I'm glad."
"Me too."
Whether her soft admission was agreeing about his changes or telling him that she loved him meant no difference. She leaned forward, and he met her lips half way.
---
Tada! Another oneshot under my belt!
Anyway, with Serena being able to bend two elements…it always made me wonder what would happen if two benders were married…I think the child would inherit the ability to bend both elements. I don't know if there's an official "this is what it is" deal, but I've seen people say a cross marriage is impossible and that the two beders wouldn't be able to have a child and the way I've written it here, so (shrug).
Anyway, thanks for reading, please review!
-MoonFace01