Dedication: To every hopeful thinker in existence.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Chapter 1: Whispers
"It started with a whisper
And that was when I kissed her
And then she made my lips hurt"
-Everybody Talks: Neon Trees
"You might have everyone else here buying your ... transformation, but you and I both know you've struggled with doing the right thing in the past. So let me tell you something, right now. You make one step backward, one slip-up, give me one reason to think you might hurt Aang, and you won't have to worry about your destiny anymore. Because I'll make sure your destiny ends ... right then and there. Permanently." The words flew through the air and they lingered; reminding me of their permanence and my inability to take them back. Why would I want to, I had meant all of it, hadn't I? His face was hovering inches away from mine, and I noticed the closeness, but I didn't care. I was not going to back down. For a moment, we just stood there, my finger still pressed into his chest, and his golden eyes locked on my blue ones.
I was thoroughly freaked out. She was glaring daggers at me. If looks could kill, I should have died about five minutes ago. She was so close, too close if you ask me. Why couldn't she just leave and take her raging female hormones with her? I got it, don't mess with Aang blah blah blah. OK, if I wanted to kill him in his sleep I would have by now. Couldn't she see I was trying to be good? Well, she was doing a heck of a job of making it hard. She needed to back off, but she just stood there like the bumbling water tribe peasant she was. I was there to train Aang, not deal with some water tribe girl with a grudge.
How dare he try and stare me down? I was the angry one here, he was supposed to cower and politely agree to MY demands. I'm not the bad guy! He's the one who chased us halfway around the world! Well, what should I have expected from the Prince of the Firenation? Hmph, if he didn't understand me yelling, maybe he could comprehend a more gentle approach. I leaned up to his ear and in the most motherly voice I could muster whispered "Mess with Aang and you mess with me."
Whoa, whoa, whoa. First she was yelling at me, and now she was whispering in my ear? She's crazy, I don't know how the Avatar has put up with her for so long. How dare she whisper to me like I was a child, a child! I'M ZUKO, FOR AGNI'S SAKE. I'm no boy to coddled and mothered! Wow, now she's smirking at me. I'll show her! I leaned in and moved my face less than a centimeter away from hers. I heard her shocked gasp, which was just what I wanted. I remembered my uncle telling me, "Make your opponent uncomfortable, unsettle them, and you have already won." Based off her reaction, I had definitely won. But why wasn't she drawing away from me and leaving? I felt bile rise in my throat, so I started to inch away.
His lips were so close. Every hesitant breath drew me closer. As I moved forward, I noticed he was starting to back away. NO! Not now, not after all this. He couldn't just back away. I don't know what came over me, but before he could move any further, I stepped up and pressed my lips against his. They were so warm. My felt a shiver race down my body and I realized I wanted something more. I craved something more. I lifted my hand to touch his scar. I don't know what I was expecting or why I did it, but it just felt like the right thing to do. I wanted him to kiss me back; I needed him to kiss me back. But my thoughts drifted over to who I was kissing. I hated this guy, what was I doing? I opened my eyes to see him staring, and I noticed he hadn't moved an inch.
She kissed me, that was definitely not supposed to happen. For a moment I just stood there in shock of what was occurring. But while our lips were still entwined, she placed a hand on my scar. That just about did me in, I was melting. I mean you know guys don't melt, especially not firebenders, but I was uhh becoming more accepting of her advances? All of a sudden, I thought of Mai, the girl who gave up her freedom for me. I couldn't do this to her. I broke whatever it was, and I backed away. I couldn't meet her piercing eyes, so I didn't. I just stood there waiting for her to leave. My head was screaming LEAVE, but my body was saying something totally different. STUPID HORMONES. Zuko, you have a girlfriend, remember? And remember I did. I looked back up to see her staring at the floor. I sighed, "Katara, you need to leave."
When I heard those words, tears welled in my eyes, but I couldn't let him see me cry. I burst through the door and I ran. Away from him, away from feelings I didn't even know I had. Why did I do that. GAHH , I'm so stupid. Who kisses their sworn enemy? Certainly not Master Waterbender Katara of the Southern Watertribe. So I ran, I ran until I reached something comfortable, something I knew couldn't hurt me the way he had. When I made it to the fountain, the only audible word I could say was "Aang," before I burst into tears in his arms. He didn't know why. I wouldn't tell him. I wanted to gag, I had been so stupid. Why was I crying? I don't know. Even with Aang's arms wrapped around me, I felt so alone.
I got what I wanted. She'd gone. Then, why did I feel so empty?
Author's Note: Hey guys! Please Review! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter!
