The Way I Loved You

AN: Just giving myself a project on the side of 'Meaning'. And to give you guys something to read because I don't always have time to pump out 3,000 words a day.

This was (obviously) based on 'The Way I Loved You' by Taylor Swift. :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but an old laptop, a mouse and an overactive imagination.


He was perfect for her. Polite, kind, gentle, everyone loved him. Even Sokka didn't completely freak out when she explained that they were going out. It was much smoother than how things had been before. The relationship could not have been better.

The earthbender, Haru, was everything she ever needed. He was there when she needed him. All of the other girls were jealous of her for hooking up with such a kind, polite, handsome boy. He said everything she needed to hear. It was so perfect.

And yet, Katara couldn't help but remember back to a time when things had been different. When all she did was yell and scream and feel upset. When she actually had to fight for her man… not that other girls didn't want Haru, they just knew he was too sensible to sneak around behind her back or anything. Plus all the girls who wanted him were sweet and naïve. And Sokka was okay with Haru. Sokka hated Katara's ex.

She remembered back to a time when she yelled out his name in the middle of the night from frustration. He was everything Haru was not. Short-tempered, unpredictable, fickle. She didn't need that. She needed someone who could get along with her father and could make jokes with her brother. Someone who made her feel comfortable.

When they got together she smiles at him, and he smiles back, not realizing she's faking it. She doesn't mind being with him, sometimes it's even enjoyable… but there's no fire. No passion. There was nothing of the wild craziness from her previous boyfriend… and for some reason that killed her.

"How can you do this to me?"

"To you? What about me!"

"Why do you have to be so selfish?"

"I was just trying to do something nice for you!"

"It didn't look like that to me…! Oh no, Katara, I'm sorry… please don't cry…" She remembered how it felt to be in his arms. They were so very different from Haru's. His lips were soft and gentle against hers, kissing her almost timidly, asking to be forgiven. Her heart pounded a thousand miles an hour. They could go from arguing heatedly to making out in moments. She never knew what to expect.

Maybe Haru was everything she needed, but Zuko was everything she wanted.