Disclaimer: AtLA belongs not to me, or else Zutara would have been canon by now.
A/N: So, this is my first fanfic after years YEARS of lurking around and producing nothing. Actually this is an embarrassing attempt at a story-writing competition (the prompt was the initial phrase you shall see later) in my high school when I was 17 and I thought it would never get through the first round but it won! While all my better stories from previous years were never winners despite having better morals/emotional feels and getting through to the second round of selection. But I digress. This is a terrible story that should never see the light of day, and is here only because I am having a literary immersion moment. Enjoy.
PS: I never titled the story, and frankly this title sucks, so feel free to suggest a better title by reviewing!
I could not believe what I was seeing, my baby sister was standing in the rain, hugging! And kissing! Zuko of all people!
"Katara!" I called her. She stopped, and even in the darkness I could see her back cringe in fear. She turned around slowly, as if afraid to face me. She was under the rain but I could tell that she was crying. And it looked like she had been crying for a long time before I came.
She ran towards me, and then past me, and without a backwards glance ran back up to her room. I was furious, and as much as I wanted to make Zuko cry as hard as Katara had, I had to comfort her. Zuko could wait.
Katara stood on her balcony, eyes wet and empty; the sight hurt me. I could not stand seeing her like that. But I waited. I waited for her to come running into my arms and pour her heart out and cry like she always does.
But one hour, two hours, three hours passed, every second taking longer to get by. I could not take it any longer. She was like an empty shell, staring off and letting off occasional sobs, and I had to help her. She's all I have left after our parents died.
"Katara, what happened? Why are you crying? Did Zuko do this to you? Did he force you to kiss him? Tell me what happened so I can go punch him in the face!" I was begging her, to stop crying, to tell me. She was hurt, and it hurt me to see her like that.
"It's not his fault!" a sudden flare of energy in defence of Zuko. And then weakly, "Nothing's wrong…" she croaked.
"How can you say that? How can you say nothing's wrong when you've been sitting out here in the rain and staring and crying for three hours straight? What did Zuko do to you?"
"Nothing! It's not his fault…" she did not finish that sentence before her voice broke out into sobs again.
"Then what's wrong? Tell me! Why are you crying?"
"He's going away..."
"I know that. The orphanage is going under new ownership. His dad's selling this place and they're moving away. What's that got to do with you?"
She was hesitant. She was afraid to tell me, I could tell. She bit her lower lip, a habit she did whenever she was nervous or upset. She looked away to avoid my gaze. Slowly, her lips moved, trembling, her voice coming out barely above a whisper.
"I love him."
I fell to my knees. Nothing in this world could prepare me for this. My mind went blank and I joined her in the rain, devoid of thought. She kept on sobbing through the night, while I stared on, unable to take in her words, unable to provide her any comfort or reassurances that everything will be alright or swear I'll protect her because she let the pain in herself and I can't do anything.
I did not know when the rain stopped. I did not know when the sun had risen. I did not know how long we were there. All I remembered was a knock on the door and gasps as we were hurried off to get cleaned.
Katara did not eat breakfast that morning. She refused to set foot outside her room after returning from the showers. I did not eat breakfast either. I could not. I took to myself for avoiding my sister, which was easy considering she would not meet anyone.
I went in search of Zuko in his room. He was not there. I went about the building, went to the boys shower (though he had his own), went to his friends' rooms, he was not there. Then I passed the main office.
"What do you mean you want to stay?"
"Exactly that! I. Want. To. Stay. Here." Two voices were arguing, and by the sound it was Zuko and Ozai.
"We're moving from this dump and you want to stay here?" A few gasps escaped the small crowd now gathered.
"I don't care! I love Katara and she needs me and I'm not leaving here!" More gasps, including my own.
"What are you saying? Do you hear yourself? You, the son of Ozai, House of Fire that was of once Royal Blood, want to stay behind for some orphan girl in the name of love? I will not allow it!"
"Again, I don't care! Mother died in the crash with her parents and it's your fault for drunk driving. And that gold-digger you took as a sorry excuse for a girlfriend walked out on you with half your fortune, that's also your fault. I love her and if you can't take it then, by all means, disown me and I'll be an orphan and stay here!"
I cried.