I know I've read similar stories, but for some reason this one keeps coming back to me. I finally gave in and wrote one of my own. It's just a little something that's been sitting far too long on the computer and needs to be let go. Hope you enjoy.

Going Without

It's funny. At first I thought she was just like her brother. Maybe it was from being peasants and having so little manners. Maybe it was just a Water Tribe thing. Either way, I thought she was a pig.

I was wrong.

I had just been accepted into their little group and while Toph and Aang practiced bending, Sokka was off hunting (why I couldn't go with him I'll never know), Katara demanded I come with her. She won't let me out of her sight it seems. Ever determined that I'm bound to screw up sometime and she'd be right there when it happened. We left the Air Temple for the forest to pick berries, nuts, or whatever other bits of food we could find for the group's meals. For every one she put in the basket, three went in her mouth. As the fruits would go into her mouth, her eyes would slide closed, and you could almost see the rapture come over her as she slowly chewed the morsels as if lost in the ecstasy brought on by a lover. I'd never seen anyone look as enraptured with something as simple as a berry or a nut. Not even Uncle's obsession with tea matched this. When she caught me staring at her, she'd quickly blush (from anger or embarrassment, I'm not quite sure), turn away, and make some malicious comment. I tried to shrug it off but more and more I found myself watching her.

When she served the meals, I noticed her serve the younger ones first, Aang, then her brother, then me, and finally herself. I observed her bring empty chopsticks to her lips then within moments she'd be the first one done, despite her brother's ravenous appetite and how quickly he always seemed to eat, and taking the bowls that were emptied to clean them for the next meal.

Night after night watching her, I offered to help clean the bowls. She quickly drew away and told me to leave, don't I have "something else to do, firebender" or "oh, the prince is lowering himself to doing dishes, how kind of him". Whatever. I just shrug. Then after my third attempt, I grab her bowl and notice that it is spotless and she hasn't even cleaned it yet.

Her sharp eyes glare at me, daring me to give her away. I only huff and pass the bowl back to her.

"You need to eat Katara," I whisper to her, hoping that the others are far enough away not to hear.

"There's not enough and it's more important that everyone else gets some, especially Aang, and Sokka, and it's no big deal. It's not the first time," she quickly explains, dismissing me. But it doesn't explain away anything.

I've had the luxury of tray after tray of food before me; so much in fact, that there is no way even that Water Tribe boy could eat half of it. I've also known hunger, not knowing when or where my next meal will be. I've had to fight and pillage for scraps. So yes, I understand. But it's no excuse.

"You are just as important as the rest of them," I announce to her. "Perhaps more so. You keep all them together." It didn't take a genius to see that she was the glue to keep them together. She would do anything for all of them, even at her own expense. It reminded me of someone very dear to me.

The look I get is so odd. She's angry that I can suggest such a thing, sad that she knows I'm right, and helpless because there's nothing she can do. I make up my mind. "If there's not enough for all of us, halve my portion for yourself."

She snorts away the suggestion. I hold my hand up to stop her inevitable protest. "But," I jab my finger at her, "you will not go without from now on. Understood?"

I can tell she's about to cry but is too proud to do so. I can tell she wants to hug me in appreciation (she is quite the hugger from what I've seen) but still doesn't trust me. I let her instead nod, whisper a "thank you", and shove a dirty bowl in my direction. "That better be spotless by the time you're done, firebender."

"As you wish."