How could I ever get used to you?

Chapter one: Tension

By adsalor

"Hello? Will you pass me the carrots already? It's the third time I've asked." Sokka was reaching with the end of his sword towards the vegetable, trying to get as close as he could with no luck.

"Huh? Oh, sorry." Katara gave a vague look to the things placed in front of her and passed her brother a cabbage. Sokka placed it down with a thud and gritted his teeth.

"Katara, is something wrong?" The water tribe boy said as passive aggressively as he could.

"No. Why?"

Sokka slammed his head against the stone table, defeated. Suddenly, he heard a loud stomp and as the table started shaking, two carrots landed on his head. "Thank you, Toph" The Bei Fong girl sat across them and shrugged. Sokka started mincing the carrots with his swords. He tried once again. "You seem distracted lately".

"Yeah, it's just…" The waterbender let out a sigh. She was almost afraid to say it. "You don't think he's going to… try anything, do you? In that little trip of theirs."

"Who, Zuko?" Sokka narrowed his eyes, "Come on, Katara, we've been over this. You have to give him a chance, even Aang trusts him now. Besides, his firebending's gone. Who knows if he'll even get it back?"

"You know I could tell if he was lying" Toph said.

Katara turned away. No, she thought. There was no way to tell if he was lying. She considered herself very good at sensing people. She could often tell when her friends were sad, angry or confused. She could tell when her brother missed his dad or his girlfriend and usually knew how to make him feel better. But with Zuko… Part of her still wondered if he had really been honest in Ba Sing Se, if she had somehow started to connect with him. Or if he had, in fact, only said all those things so she would feel sorry for him.

"I know you don't like him, Katara, but you're gonna have to get used to him being part of the group". Sokka said.

"You wouldn't understand". She honestly didn't think they would. Toph had never been victim of one of Zuko's attacks. The first time she ever saw him, they were all fighting side by side against that blue firebending girl. And Sokka… Well, her brother's nature was always siding with the odds, so for him there was no option.

"Did something happen between you two?" Toph asked.

"What?" Katara's blue eyes widened.

"Did…" Sokka started, trying very carefully to not to get on her sister's bad side. "Did something happen, though? You never really told me anything about that day in the caves."

"Nothing happened".

"I know you're lying." Toph said with half a wicked smile.

"It's not what you think". Katara stood up. If they had such a nerve, they could surely manage to make dinner on their own.

She wanted to be alone. None of them had really had any privacy since the invasion. Plus, she felt like she could use some practice. If anything, it would help her blow off some steam. As she walked away, she came across Haru and the other kids. They had been wandering around the temple a lot; surely they would know a place.

"Hey, guys!" She called after them and they stopped in mid run to meet her. "Have you seen any place in this temple where I could practice waterbending?"

"We passed a place that had two or three fountains that were connected near the next tower over there." Teo pointed towards the tower to the left. "It's not far"

"Thanks" Katara said with a friendly smile and the boys resumed their running around.

As Katara made her way to the next hanging tower, she couldn't help but feel sad about the air nomads who had formerly called this place home. The war had done so much harm to the world and it needed to stop right now.

She tried to imagine what this place would have looked like back then, but it was hard. It was all in ruins now. She brushed some leaves that were hanging down from a narrow entrance and finally saw the place. It was a big opening with three huge round shaped fountains, each connected to the next one with a small waterfall. Over the first one fell a stream of clear water that fed the rest of them. The vegetation had grown wild, and there were even some birds there. It was beautiful.

The waterbender smiled proudly as she started to take off her thick water tribe clothes, leaving on only her white bindings. She found it easier to practice and relax this way.

"Yes, this place will do."

Zuko smiled to himself. Things were finally looking up. He was finally in his place, and to top it all, his firebending was back and from the right source this time. If only his uncle could see him now… He flinched at the thought of Iroh. It made him sad to think about the old man, but he knew he would have to deal with him sooner or later. Later, he decided as he pushed the thought away.

Anyway, the Avatar fully trusted him now, it seemed, and so did the rest of his team. He wasn't 100% sure about the water tribe boy, but at least he didn't seem to complain, as long as the Avatar thought it was right, he just went along with him. The blind earthbender had been on his side since he first offered to join them, so, yeah, he guessed he won her over somehow. There was no question about the bison since he freed him back in Ba Sing Se.

That left only the waterbender. Her words echoed in the back of his head. "You make one step backwards, one slip up. Give me one reason to think you might hurt Aang and you won't have to worry about your destiny anymore. Because I will make sure your destiny ends right then and there, permanently."

After what he had done to her back in Ba Sing Se, who could blame her? He would have to find a way to maker know for sure this time that he wasn't going to betray them.

"We're nearly there". The Avatar's voice cut through his thoughts.

The fire nation prince lifted his head and saw the great crack on the ground where the western Air Temple hung from. The other kids greeted them with all sorts of questions about the trip, which the Avatar was more than happy to answer.

They announced dinner would take a little while longer, so Zuko decided to stray for a while. He needed some alone time. He hadn't had much since he joined the Avatar and his group, and now that he thought about it, a bath was well needed too. He still felt sticky from that gooey whatever the hell that was they got stuck in at the fire temple. Come to think of it, how long had it been since any of them took a bath?

He started walking around the ruins, admiring the scenery and remembering once again the last time he was here. The old man had been right, as usual. The place was breathtaking. As a prince, he had been taught to appreciate art and architecture and he considered himself lucky. Not many people nowadays got to see an air temple.

Things really have changed is this is what I consider myself lucky for, he thought. Though only a few weeks ago he considered having a tea shop and living as a peasant was somehow lucky. But tea shop lead back to Uncle Iroh, so no, not now.

His thoughts led him to a certain opening he hadn't noticed before. As he brushed the leaves away, he found three water fountains connected by two cascades. It was beautiful. Did the others know about this place?

Suddenly, his eyes caught on something moving. It was the waterbender. Her eyes were closed and she was fully engaged in some sort of waterbending… dance? Practice? He wasn't sure if this could be considered training, relaxing or what. She was standing under a stream that fell from the hill, but it wasn't hiting her. She was bending the water, so that it went down spiraling around her body.

She wasn't the helpless child he had first seen at the southern water tribe. At first fighting against her had been a joke, but as she grew older and stronger, she had proved herself a worthy opponent at some occasions. He remembered how fun it had been for him to fight with her at the beginning. She always seemed to be giving 110%, when he usually gave half an effort. At least she put up a better fight than the boomerang guy. He really needed to memorize the names.

The waterbender finally opened her eyes and immediately focused on him. Her whole body tensed as the streams of water turned towards him.

"Oh. You're back." She said. The expression on her face softened a bit, but not her posture, Zuko noticed. Nor did she put the water down. Suddenly, she realized something and Zuko heard the stream of water starting to freeze. "Where's Aang?"

"He's with the others". He couldn't help but feel offended. He knew she wasn't completely on board with him being part of the team yet, but would she go so far as to attack him?

"Oh. I guess I lost track of time." She finally lowered the stream of water she had been holding up and it merged into the fountain. He noticed she also lowered her eyes and gazed at something on the floor. Her clothes. She held one arm with the opposite hand across her chest and looked down.

Zukko suddenly realized he had been standing there staring for quite a long time now. Wait, was she suddenly uncomfortable? She didn't think he was staring at her, did she?

"So how did it go?"

"What?" Ok, he needed to stop being so consumed by his own thoughts.

"The trip?" She raised an eyebrow. "Are we going to have to find a new teacher for Aang?" She half smiled with this one.

"No." This was awkward. He decided he liked her more when they were fighting instead of talking. He rubbed the back of his head. "I got my firebending back".

"That's good".

Was it always going to be like this? Zuko was desperately trying to find a way, anything they could do together so she would at least start bonding or something. But it all kept leading back to the usual thing.

"If you want we could train together some time". The words came out of his mind faster than he expected. Come to think of it, that wasn't a bad idea.

"What?" The waterbender gave him a look.

"I was thinking we could fight each other." Zuko took a step forward. She clutched her arm tighter. "You know, for practice".

"I gotta go". The waterbender climbed out of the fountain, quickly gathered her clothes and ran away towards the other tower.

Zuko was left standing there, alone.

Things could not get any weirder. As if it wasn't enough that she now had to go to sleep every night knowing that honor obsessed, avatar capturing, psychotic sister having heir to the nation that was destroying the world was right next door. But now he wanted to spend time with her?

Training. She had plenty of friends who she could train with. Though, come to think of it… She started looking around at every one of her friends, all eating dinner together.

What she did with Aang wasn't exactly training, more of her teaching him and observing his progress. There was no way she could really train with Sokka. In fact, she didn't think there was somebody she could actually train with. No one would unleash their full power on someone else of the group. Neither would her. What if she hurt one of her friends?

But Zuko was different. Not that she wanted to hurt him intentionally, but at least he would be able to keep up, if anything. And it's not like they hadn't done it before. There was no reason why he wouldn't use all his strength on her.

Plus, everything that had happened after the invasion had been frustrating. Discussing plans, coming up with places to hide, worrying about their missing friends and family, having no option but to accept Zuko into their party.

She turned to look at the fire nation prince, eating a bit further away from the rest of the group. For a split second she felt a little sad for him. He really was alone in many ways. But then that second passed. She walked towards where he was sitting.

"Okay, I'll train with you". She said. The fire bender looked up to her and blinked. Katara sighed. "You said we could fight each other. For training?"

"Right". Zuko answered, unsure if he was actually hearing these words.

"I wanna do it". She said. "Tomorrow, at the fountains?"

"Don't you think it's a little unfair if we choose a place that is 60% water?"

"I don't need a fountain to get water". There was water everywhere, she knew that now. "It's just… I'd rather not do it in front of everyone. Or outside the temple where your lunatic sister could find us. But if you're scared…"

"Fine, tomorrow at the fountains". Zuko turned around and resumed his eating.

This is a bad idea.

When she arrived, Katara found Zuko was there already. He was sitting in the border of one of the huge fountains, splashing some water with his hand. Did water feel different to a fire bender's touch? She wondered.

He stood up as soon as he saw her, and they stared at each other numbly for a while. Without a word, Zuko was the first to change his posture into a defensive one. He want's me to attack first.

She lifted her hands and felt a stream of water rise from the fountain. It was the same feeling, the same energy. She pointed the stream at him. Then she pushed ahead and the water hit Zuko, but barely moved him. The young man brushed his damp hair away from his yellow eyes.

"What was that?" He asked, a bit annoyed and all wet.

"What do you mean?"

"Okay. If we're going to do this, you have to come at me as certain as if I were an enemy, not with an awkward splash."

Katara frowned. He was right; she had barely put any strength in that attack.

"I'm just warming up". She started bending water towards him, harder this time. He kept deflecting it either with fire or his bare arms. Then he started throwing fire punches at her, which she started freezing with water.

She was starting to get confident enough to put some more force into it. And also, there was something about him that sparked an angry reaction on her. Oh his eyes, on his scar. She started using the water of the fountains in all sorts of ways. Ice spikes, large masses, whip, anything she could remember. The more energy she used, the more she started panting and her hair was falling out of place.

It was actually not bad. This could be helpful for both of them. But then she stopped, and when she did, Zuko didn't attack or tried to advance on her. She noticed he had only been defending himself for a while now. She felt terribly annoyed.

"What are you doing?" Katara asked, frustrated.

"I'm fighting", He said casually. He had started to step back while she attacked him so they were now closer to the edge of the temple. His back to the abyss.

"Don't play dumb with me. I've fought you plenty of times; I know how it feels like. You're holding back. Why?"

Pause.

"I don't draw my fire bending from anger anymore, maybe that's…"

"Don't lie to me." Katara cut him, defiant. "Why are you holding back?" Her blue eyes were like swords.

Pause

"I don't wanna hurt you".

So after all this time. After all this battles he still didn't think she was strong enough. She wasn't an opponent in his eyes.

I'll show you.

Katara raised her hands and started throwing blow after blow to the firebender. With each one came a memory of all the times he had hurt her and her friends. Each blow grew stronger than the last, but Zuko merely stopped them and stepped back. He didn't even try to attack once. This made Katara feel even angrier.

When he threatened Gran Gran and captured Aang in the south pole. When he took her mother's necklace and tied her to a tree. When he burned the Kyoshi Island. They were very close to the edge now. There was nowhere else for Zuko to go.

"Katara…"

Ba Sing Se.

She put all her fury into this last attack. It was a punch. No water, no ice. Just a bare punch, aiming directly at his face. Zuko moved to the side and she missed. She lost her balance and saw the abyss over the edge. She was going to fall.

Zuko caught her arm and pulled her forward with such strength that her weight pulled him down and they both ended up on the floor.

"What's going on?" Neither bender had noticed that the rest of the group had come to see what was happening. Aang was pointing his staff at both of them.

"Nothing". Katara stood up, straightened her clothes and walked away. She didn't look back at Zuko.

"What did you do to my sister?" Zuko looked up and found the water tribe boy pointing his boomerang at his face.

"Nothing". He said.