Dancing with Fire
This is my first fan fiction and published work. Please be nice. I really hope you enjoy it.
I don't own the characters in this story, I simply play with their lives for my own pleasure.
Chapter 1 - The beginning of the trouble
Katara waited patiently outside the change room of Kyoshi Dojo. Suki had finished her class which consisted of mostly fourteen year olds. Had it not been that they were going out this afternoon, Katara was sure Suki would not have made it. The fourteen year old students were by far Suki's least favourite 'little Kyoshi warriors'.
Katara banged on the door for Suki to hurry up. She emerged wearing a very flattering and short red-brown dress with a low neck line.
"Finally!" Katara exclaimed.
"Sorry for making you wait so long Katara. I went a little over time today. It's because we started late. The kids were unruly. I swear, if I got a penny for every time I wanted to hit those kids over the head, I wouldn't have to work ever again!" Suki proclaimed.
"Surely they weren't that bad."
"But they are! The boys especially, they're cocky and arrogant and think they're too cool to listen."
"Sounds a bit like Sokka." Katara joked, making Suki laugh.
"He's not that bad. But enough about me and my work. How was your day? I hope Pukku was in a good mood this morning."
Pakku was Katara's swimming trainer. He was an old man who clung to his old fashioned ways. Katara was a great swimmer, but when Katara and her family moved to the town a few years ago, he had been reluctant to teach her at first because she was a girl. It did take some convincing, but he finally agreed to train her.
"Pukku was in… an alright mood this morning, so we didn't have it too bad. He just worked us as hard as he usually does."
"Well, lucky for you. How about your nursing course? Did you go to class for that today?"
"No. But I do have a three week holiday from that coming up soon thankfully. And I'm nearly qualified, just one more term of practical work in the hospital after the holidays."
"Wow. Nurse Katara. It suits. And I bet you'll meet some hot doctor who likes to play doctors and nurses at home too."
"Suki!" exclaimed Katara, her cheeks turning red a little. Suki laughed at her reaction.
"Don't worry Katara. I was only joking. We're here any way." She said, stopping outside a quaint little tea shop.
The shop had two floors, with the owner living on the top floor. The theme inside seemed to be old styled with a slight modern twist. It smelled of different spices and had classical music playing in the background making the shop very homely and soothing.
The two girls were welcomed by an old gentleman.
"Welcome to the Dragon of the West Tea Shop. I am delighted to see two new faces, especially such as lovely as yours. Please, make yourselves comfortable at this table and my nephew should be here shortly to take your orders." Katara and Suki thanked the man who they agreed was genuinely very friendly.
Not long after, the old gentleman came back to take their orders himself because his nephew was on his break.
The tea and cakes were delicious. Katara and Suki sat and talked for a while, but Suki had to leave not long after to meet up with Sokka. After paying their bill, Suki left and Katara used the bathroom.
Before Katara could leave the tea shop, she spotted a familiar face. Jet, Katara's old boyfriend.
Jet was a good looking jerk face. He was very charming and a smooth talker, but trouble. Not feeling up to a confrontation, Katara looked around for a place to hide. The bathroom was occupied; there was nowhere else to hide but the stairs.
There were no lights on for it and there was a wall on each side. It turned a corner, and that's where Katara hid.
Peering around the corner, Katara watched Jet walk into the tea shop with two of his friends, a short girl and a burly guy whose names she couldn't remember. They were seated by the same old gentleman who was just as friendly. Jet and his friends talked loudly, and Katara knew she was trapped for a while, so she sat on the step at her feet.
A few minutes after Katara sat down, a gruff voice came from behind her.
"Customers aren't allowed upstairs." Katara turned around. A tallish young man about twenty years old towered above her. He had long, dark hair which fell in his face and a scar covering most of his left side.
Katara quickly stood up and faced him.
"I'm so sorry. It's just… I'm trying to avoid someone."
"And I should care because?" He asked, his voice sounding bored. Katara was a little surprised at his rudeness.
"Look, as soon as he's gone, I'll go, I promise, I just really don't want to have to talk to him." He looked unimpressed.
"Please," she implored. He was about to say no. She could see it in his eyes and the way he held himself.
"Nephew", the old gentleman called from behind Katara. She haddn't noticed him come up.
"I didn't realise you were having a visitor today, especially a lady visitor." Katara looked somewhat embarrassed.
"She's not a visitor, Uncle. She's a trespasser". They both looked at Katara expectantly.
"I'm avoiding someone downstairs". Katara admitted a little ashamed.
"You see Zuko, nothing to worry about. No doubt avoiding an old admirer, hmm? Well, in that case, you are welcome to wait here until they leave. My nephew, Zuko will stay here and look after you. But I must tend to the shop. Excuse me." He turned around and left leaving his nephew Zuko with a scowl on his face.
"So… Zuko… My name's Katara". He said nothing, merely turned around and walked up the rest of the stairs. Katara cautiously followed.
"Sit anywhere". Was all he said. Katara sat on a lovely green sofa while Zuko continued to sit on the window seat that looked out into the street below where people came in and out of the tea shop. An awkward silence arose.
"This is a lovely home and tea shop." Zuko didn't seem to hear.
"So… Um, how long has your uncle owned the tea shop?"
"Two years". He eventually answered.
"And do you live with your uncle?" Not even a nod.
"Who are you avoiding?"
"What? Oh. My old boyfriend."
"What's he look like?" Katara assumed that he was keeping an eye out for him, the sooner to get rid of her.
"Messy brown hair, bigish ears, crazy arched eye brows and an annoying, over-confident strut. He generally wears reds and browns. Likes to call himself a 'freedom fighter'".
"Mmm".
"So, do-" Zuko cut her off.
"Don't ask me questions. You don't have to pretend to be nice". Katara took up the defensive.
"I'm not pretending to be nice, I'm just trying to be pleasant. Make some conversation".
"Well you don't have to be. It's annoying". Katara scoffed at his rudeness. She was about to deliver a small verbal lashing, but he interrupted her again.
"There goes your boyfriend".
"What?" She hurried to the window. Jet was nowhere in sight.
"He just went out of sight. Brown messy hair, almost in dreads, a shirt that said freedom fighter. Very arrogant strut. Your description suits very well".
"Oh…"
"You can go now".
"Oh. Well, thank you, for letting me wait here. I, really appreciate it." With a quick smile, Katara walked down stairs.
Katara smiled at him and left. A feeling of guilt washed over him. She had only tried to be nice to him, and he had lied to her.
He looked out the window. The 'freedom fighter' had just came out of the building and was leaning against the shop wall. Katara would come out any second.
Author's notes
End of chapter 1. I finished it! And that you are actually reading it means I was brave enough to post it.
Well, I hope you liked it. It will get a whole lot better. Hopefully.
I have all these ideas for this story, they just have to come out on paper.
Please review cause I haven't completely convinced myself to share this story. Even if it is just pointing out spelling mistakes.