ZUTARA WEEK 2009 Day 3: JEALOUSY
An Inexplicable Charm
Disclaimer: Avatar: the Last Airbender belongs to Bryke, but Zutara week belongs to all Zutarians.
NOTE: A lighthearted little entry, hope it isn't boring. I am running out of ideas but this was fun to work with.
To all those who have been reading and reviewing my Zutara week pieces (as well as "By Tempests Never Shaken"), thank you so much. There are still some technical problems in this site and I can't seem to reply to any of your reviews. I will as soon as I get the chance. But for now, thank you for your support. As soon as the technical glitches are fixed, I will reply to all your reviews.
At least I can still post new stories and updates.
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--
She couldn't stand it, she just couldn't.
The others steered clear of Katara as she marched through the Western Air Temple in another one of her unpredictable rages.
Some of them shook their heads at this outburst. Katara's little fits had been occurring more frequently ever since Zuko had joined their group. And while most of them understood her anger, they were also growing a bit tired of her attitude.
Being aware of this, she kept to herself more often and would seek refuge in one area of the temple where she knew she wouldn't be disturbed.
Here, she would release all her emotions through intense waterbending training, focusing her energies on improving her skills.
The latest grudge she had been harboring against the young firebender was that of becoming popular within the group.
Katara frowned as she remembered how easily he had been accepted and forgiven by everyone else.
Aang's kindness was expected but even Sokka had been won over by the firebender. Even her father had come to like him, in spite of whose son he was.
No one even suspected Zuko of any ulterior motives anymore.
Except her, of course.
But what irked her more was the prince's growing popularity in their closely-knit group/family.
Everyone wanted to hang out Zuko now. The others were eager to go on "life-changing" journeys with him like what Aang and Sokka had done.
Almost every day he was the center of attention. All her companions could not stop talking about how great he was, and it irked her to no end.
"I'm so glad we added you to the group, Zuko," Sokka would say when Zuko would once again perform a good deed for them all.
Katara frowned at this memory and clenched a fist.
The prince had been with them for only a short time and yet they were all treating him like family, as if all his crimes against them in the past were completely forgotten.
She couldn't stand it.
The constant praise and acknowledgment he received, the special treatment, the absolute acceptance.
It was unfair.
And here she was, ignored and avoided by them all.
But she had never betrayed any of them. She had helped keep them together through difficult trials.
And now, it seemed that they had set her aside, replaced her with him.
Unbelievably unfair, she thought angrily.
But even if she argued to defend herself at this point, they would only shoot her down, saying that she was too paranoid and mistrustful.
She had heard their lectures time and again and it vexed her even more to know that they would always side with Zuko.
"Zuko, Zuko, Zuko," she repeated with disgust, "why is that all anyone can say now?"
And with a cry of frustration, the master waterbender raised an orb of water and splashed it against the nearest stone wall.
She took a deep breath and sat down on a nearby rock, trying to calm herself.
After a few more drills, she rose and walked back to the main hall.
As she neared the training area, she heard some laughter coming from the others.
She was about to join them when she heard Zuko's voice. Katara stopped in her tracks and leaned against a nearby pillar, unwilling to be in the firebender's company.
Nevertheless, she was curious to hear what they were talking about and listened as carefully as she could.
--
Toph, sensing Katara's presence, suddenly came up with a cunning plan.
She knew how Katara felt about Zuko's being widely accepted by them and so the earthbender decided to initiate an indirect reconciliation between the two.
"You know what, Sparky," Toph told Zuko with a wide grin, "I think Sugar Queen is jealous of you."
"What?" Zuko asked incredulously.
And somewhere behind one of the pillars, another muffled sound of incredulity was expressed.
"What are you talking about, Toph?" the Avatar asked good-naturedly.
"Well," the earthbender explained, "we've been spending so much time around Zuko lately that I think Katara's feeling more than a little bit left out."
"Well, we'd hang out around her more if she wasn't such a kill joy," Sokka added, his comment eliciting a frown from his hidden sister.
"I can understand how she feels though," Zuko said gravely, "after all I did to you guys before.."
"Now, don't start that," Sokka interrupted him.
"We've put it behind us already," Aang added sympathetically, "don't worry about it."
"Besides, Katara's just being her stubborn self," Toph commented, "she just resents the fact that we like you a little more now."
"I'm so grateful for your acceptance of me," Zuko said in earnest, "I never expected to be treated this well, considering everything we've been through."
The others smiled at him and said some words of encouragement.
"But Katara should not feel the least bit threatened by me," the firebender continued, "at least when it comes to your friendship."
"As if I was," the waterbender muttered to herself.
"I know that I cannot hope to be valued by you as much as she is," the firebender said.
Now, the others listened intently, a little more serious.
"To tell you the truth, I used to be so jealous of all of you," Zuko confided, "I could see that you all supported and loved each other like true family, even if you weren't related by blood."
Aang smiled at this and looked around at his friends. Katara was listening intently now.
"I never had that even in my own family," Zuko continued, "except with Uncle Iroh, of course. And with my mother when she was still with us."
Katara's sternness diminished when she heard him mention his mother.
"So I am so honored and grateful," the firebender continued, "that you have accepted me into your group, even if I may never win back Katara's trust. Your treatment of me now is already so much better than I ever imagined and so much more than I deserve. So, thank you. I guess that's all I can really say."
"Aww, Zuko," Aang said with a smile. Sokka gave the firebender a friendly slap on the back while Haru, Teo, and the Duke cheered him on.
Sensing the shift in Katara's emotions, Toph smiled with satisfaction. The plan had worked wonders as usual.
"Don't worry about Katara, Zuko," Toph reassured the firebender, "she'll come around."
And from behind one of the stone pillars of the temple, the waterbender sighed in concession. It was just no use denying it to herself.
She finally admitted to herself that she had been jealous of Zuko's inexplicable charm and effective ability of gaining people's trust.
Now, more so than ever, because unknowingly, the firebender had just won her over.