A/N: I came up with yet another crazy idea! Haha. I like this one a lot though, I really hope you guys do too. So yea, enjoy!
Prologue
A mix changed when they were sixteen and a half years old exactly. Which meant that Zuko's ears and tail appeared to replace his human ears a few days after they opened the Jasmine Dragon in Ba Sing Se. He remembered waking up in the middle of the night, feeling for his ears, only to find fuzzy pointed ones instead if human ones.
Zuko had rushed to the mirror, staring at the black "ears" tipped with white now attached to the sides of his head. He then noticed a slight feeling of movement behind his legs, and turned to investigate. A fuzzy midnight black tail had swayed back and forth behind him.
"What is this?!" Zuko had whispered. He remembered wanting to scream, but decided against it, because he didn't want to wake his uncle. He had sat there in front of the mirror for the rest of the night, pondering what the new objects were, and what to do about them. He had decided that it would be best to pretend everything was normal, which meant he would have to hide the tail in his pant leg or something. Which wouldn't be too hard, but what about the strange ears?
Zuko remembered sneaking out before dawn to see what the vendors might have to help him. He had scuffed up his hair and figured out how to press the ears against his head, so he at least appeared slightly normal. He bought two little clips that he saw girls use to hold their hair back. After claiming that they were for his 'sister', Zuko had rushed back to the Tea shop and slipped the clips in to hold down the ears based on how he had seen Earth Kingdom girls use them. He had to show the new features to his uncle in explanation of why he suddenly had hair accessories in his possession. He remembered hiding them that way until now, when he lost the stupid little clips in his bag somewhere. So that was how he got here. Hiding in his room in the Air temple, ears and tail out, and desperately digging through his bag.
I really hope no one comes by. Zuko thought as he dumped the bag out angrily. Of course, the universe just loved using him as a chew toy, because right then Aang turned around the corner.
"Hey Zuko, the Sun Warrior temple yesterday DID help you with your bending, right? Cause I wanted to try the move you- What are those?" Aang stopped talking and asked as soon has he saw Zuko's cat features.
"Aang, I can explain!" Zuko exclaimed hurriedly.
"Okay then, explain." Aang said. The monk sat down on Zuko's cot, staring at him expectantly.
"Well, I, uh... Was cursed?" Zuko stammered as he rubbed the back of his neck. Aang looked skeptical.
"Lying's not going to help you. Everyone will figure it out eventually." The airbender in front of him said. The sudden solemn advice from the normally cheerful monk was welcome, although unexpected.
Zuko danced around the actual answer to the question, instead saying softly, "In the Fire Nation I'd either be killed or sold off to some noble as a plaything." He shuddered. The rumors he'd heard about those 'pets' were definitely not pleasant-especially when he was afraid of becoming one of those pets himself.
Aang frowned then exclaimed, "We should show Katara! I bet she'll know what to do!" Zuko found himself being dragged along by the arm to the main clearing.
"Wait Aang, please don't. I- she already hates me, she'll think I'm trying to deceive you or something!" Zuko pleaded.
"You're not trying to trick us, right?" Aang asked. Zuko quickly shook his head. "Then you're fine!" Aang then continued to drag Zuko along behind him.
"What's with the commotion?" Sokka interrupted Zuko protesting as soon as the rounded the corner. The warrior balked as soon as he saw Zuko's ears and tail. Especially the tail.
"What is that?!" Sokka said, pointing at Zuko.
"I have a name." Zuko grumbled. Sokka glared at him, and Zuko guessed that if looks could kill Sokka would have just joined Katara in the mission to end him.
Aang completely ignored the comment, instead asking Sokka hurriedly, "Can you help us find Katara?" Sokka didn't answer, so Aang added in, "Pleeaase?"
While Aang was occupied, Zuko took the chance to tug his arm away and make a run for it... Straight into a certain waterbender who was rounding the corner. Katara, of course, only was pushed against the wall, but Zuko somehow ended up sprawled at her feet.
While he was in this vulnerable position Katara saw his ears and tail.
Just great. I accidentally slammed her against the wall, and then she discovers my biggest secret that I've been hiding from them, all in one minute. How could this get any worse? Zuko thought as he scrambled up from the floor.
Katara's expression of shock changed to one of anger and contempt. The two continued to stare at each other. One pair of golden orbs that showed defeat, and a set of blue eyes that were full of the fury that had caused the fear in the other's eyes. She aproached him slowly, and every step foreword she took Zuko took a step back. That was how Aang and Sokka found them, with Zuko pressed against the wall and Katara glaring at him an inch away from his face.
"Uh, sorry to interrupt, but we sorta have things to do." Sokka said.
"Did you know about this?" Katara asked, taking a step back and turning to face her brother. Zuko remained pressed against the wall, with his tail fluffed up and his ears drooping.
"Neither of us knew until a few minutes ago." Aang answered quickly, as if it would make the situation better.
Katara whipped around to glare at Zuko. "So you've been lying to all of us!" Zuko looked away, willing her to stop staring at him.
"What if he didn't want you to know because he thought you would hate him for it? Right now you're just proving that thought." Sokka said.
Katara laughed. A short, spiteful laugh that reminded Zuko of Azula. "What's the point of that? I wouldn't have hated him for it if he hadn't kept it from us." Then she turned to face Zuko, "But you did lie, and it only proves that you cannot be trusted."
"You want to know why I lied to you? Do you really want to know that bad?" Zuko said. Katara's only answer was a death glare.
"Zuko-" Aang protested. Zuko cut him off when he began to yell at Katara.
"You want to know?! I'LL TELL YOU WHY! I didn't want all of you looking at me like I'm a FREAK just like EVERYONE ELSE, and they just see the scar! Do you know what would happen to me in the FIRE NATION if they saw this?! They'd sell me off as a PET to SOME NOBLE, no matter WHO I am! Do you hate me SO MUCH that you WANT that to happen?"
He stared at Katara, waiting for her to say something, anything, but she only shook her head and sneered at him. The ex-prince balked and shook his head in disbelief. Zuko then collapsed on the ground, shaking as he attempted to keep from sobbing.
Aang and Sokka shared a bewildered look behind him. Neither of them expected Zuko to just outright scream at Katara, much less to start crying. They approached him slowly, Aang whispering soft reassurances while Sokka eyed both Zuko and Katara wearily.
Aang kneeled down and placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder, waiting to see if he would be shrugged off. The firebender made no move to pish him away, so the avatar took his chance to wrap Zuko in a comforting hug. Zuko tensed for a moment, and Aang worried that he would be pushed off, but then the prince loosened up and all but melted into Aang's embrace.
It was then that Toph rounded the corner. She looked down at Aang and Zuko then back up at Katara.
"You all better have a good explanation of how you broke Sparky." She said. Katara seethed in anger and stalked away to brood deeper into the Temple. Aang decided he'd find her later. After he calmed Zuko down. As soon as he figured out what in the name of all the spirits was attached to Zuko's head instead of ears.
To Be Continued (?)
A/N: Just clearing this up now, no Katara didn't turn him in or something, but by shaking her head and sneering at Zuko she is co firming that she does hate him that much. Just so that is clear.