This drabble is for MissStormer! I hope you like it! Congrats on being my 80th reviewer!
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar.
OoOoOoO
Author: Random.Gal930 (aka: Harmony930 on my other account)
Date: June 13, 2007 (Yesterday was Independence Day here in the Philippines! Mabuhay kayo!)
Summary: She was just going on a harmless walk around Ba Sing Se. Nothing out of the ordinary, right? Then how did she go from taking a harmless walk, to entering a newly opened tea shop, to getting attacked by the Dai Li, to sharing her first kiss with Zuko, of all people?
Written for: MissStormer and for curing writer's block.
Katara was walking along the fine brick roads of the Upper Rings of Ba Sing Se. She was amazed at how beautiful everything inside the walls were, even if there was a war raging outside. Ba Sing Se truly was, an Unpenetratable City. She vaguely wondered how the Earth King never knew about the war. Must have something to do with the Dai Li conspiracy, she guessed. She entered a quaint little teashop that she didn't notice on her other walks. It was obviously new. She entered the tea shop and thought she heard a familiar voice. Turning her head in the direction of the sound, she saw nobody there, just a curtain leading to the back room.
Probably just my imagination. she thought. One of the ladies working at the teashop kindly seated her and left right after Katara gave her thanks. Katara watched her walk away and saw her speak to another guy who had his back turned to her. She quickly turned her head away when she noticed that he was about to turn around and head towards her direction.
"What can I get you?" he asked her. There was something familiar about that voice...
I'll save you from the pirates.
She whipped her head around and her suspicions were confirmed. There, standing in all his Apron Glory, is the Banished Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. He looked just as surprised to see her as well.
"Y-you-you're tha-that girl. The one travelling wi-with the Av-Avatar." he stuttered. He quickly shook it off and said in a firmer tone "What are you doing here?"
"I-I came here fo-for t-t-tea." She said trembling, afraid that he might burn her once she answers.
His face relaxes and he asks her "Then what will you be having?"
"Um.. well. I guess I can go for some Jasmine tea, and maybe a few cakes." she says uncertainly. "Okay then." he replies before going over to the back room to get her order. While he's gone Katara uses this time to think.
Why did my heart start beating faster when he was there and suddenly stop right after his face softens? It's as if I... No, it can't be, could it? It can't be that I actually li-
"Here's your order." he says, interrupting her thoughts and placing a cup of tea and a small platter filled with small cakes and pastries in front of her. "Thank you," she says, her voice barely above a whisper.
He was just about to leave and cater to another group who enterd when the Dai Li blew a hole through the wall of the Jasmine Dragon. They walk around until one of them points to Katara and shouts "Look! It's the waterbender that travels with the Avatar! Sir, here she is!"
Long Feng then walks up to her and motions to two of the Dai Li to arrest her. They take her by the arms, one Dai Li agent holding up each arm, forcing her to face down. Long Feng moves closer towards her and slaps her cheek with the back of his hand. "You are the cause of all of this. You and that stupid monk. Now, you will pay." He straightens his back and looks at everyone at the shop.
"Katara of the Water Tribe is to be arrested by orders of Princess Azula of the Fire Nation! Anyone who stands in-"
"AZULA!" everyone in the shop turns to look at Zuko. "What's Azula doing here!?"
"Ah, the young prince. Pleasure you could join us today. Guards! Seize him!" Long Feng shouted. Two guards went to either side of Zuko and did the same to Katara. He struggled more than Katara did and even managed to kick one of the Dai Li agent's shin before he was hit on the back of the head, knocking him out cold.
Katara looked down at the body sprawled on the ground. "ZUKO!!"
She looked at Long Feng with hatred filled eyes. "What are you doing, arresting the Avatar's waterbending teacher? And why are you taking orders from Azula? She's Fire Nation! Where are the Kyoshi warriors!? What have you done with Suki!?" She was slapped again, this time the Dai Li let go of her, noticing that she seemed to have passed out as well.
Katara woke up after hitting the his head on the cold stone floor. Opening his eyes, she realized he was in some sort of Crystal Catacombs. Looking around, she saw Zuko's unconcious body on the floor beside her. Putting her ear near his mouth, she checked if he was breathing. Good. He's still alive. she thought. She moved over to the other side of the cave and brought her knees up to her chest, placing her arms on top and covering them with her head.
Sob.
Sob.
Sniffle.
Sob.
These were the sounds that Zuko heard as he woke up from his slumber. Okay, more like unconciousness. Looking for the source of the noise, he spotted the waterbender on the other side of their crystal prison. He crawls closer to her, noticing that the girl didn't flinch. Maybe she didn't know that he was awake?
"I know you're awake. If you're gonna come closer, just walk." she said, her voice slightly muffled by her arms and sleeves. He did as he was told and walks up to her, sitting beside her when he finally reached her spot. She looks up at him and he gently wipes away her tears with his thump. She breaks down and hugs Zuko, sobbing silently into his earthbender tunic. He pats her back gently and whispers soothing words into her ear. Words like "They don't know what they're doing. They probably want the end of the world." or "Don't cry, it makes you look ugly." . He even manages to joke around, "Don't worry. My sister's a spoiled psychobitch. She nearly burned mom's dress when she suggested Azula needs to see the Royal therapist and psychologist." . Either way, he tried his best to comfort her.
One particular sentence though, struck a nerve. "The Fire Nation doesn't mean for other people to get hurt. If everyone just surrendered, everything would be fine." he knew it was a lie, but he had to get her to stop crying somehow. At these words, she roughly pushed him away and scooted away from him. Standing up, she yelled "How dare you! You have no idea what this war has put me through. Me personally! The Fire Nation took my mother away from me."
"That's something we have in common." They stayed there, an awkward silence between the two before Katara walked closer, wiped away her tears and moved over to Zuko. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I truly am." She sits down beside Zuko and wraps her arms around his body, sobbing into his shoulder.
"It's alright." He placed his hand underneath her chin and brought her head up to face him. Slowly, he tilted his head down and used his hand to move her face upwards. And suddenly, everything only revolved around them. There was no war, no Azula, no Dai Li and no Aang. Just the two of them, his lips on top of hers in an intimate liplock. There was nothing but them and their feelings toward one another.
He broke the kiss, keeping his eyes closed. He slowly opened his eyes and stood, helping her up as well. He shifted slightly so that he was facing her. He snaked his hands around her waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck. They were about to kiss again, when a loud boom sounded. Jumping back, they both let go of each other and stared at the hole in the wall as the dust cleared. Squinting her eyes, Katara saw the unmistakable figure of...
"AANG!" She ran towards the monk and hugged him tight, her back towards Zuko. Aang sent him a glare which he returned. Iroh then suddenly walked up to Zuko and gave him his own hug, neither Zuko nor Aang breaking eye contact.
"You two, go on ahead. I'll just have a talk with my nephew." Iroh said, before the Katara and Aang left the cave.
An hour after the little incident saw Appa carrying 6 people on his back, one on his head. The six people on his back were situated in different areas on the saddle. Toph was sitting cross legged beside Iroh, discussing the different effects that Ginseng tea can have on somebody while Aang was on Appa's head, wiping away the tears of hurt that he felt forming in his grey eyes. Sokka was in one corner of the saddle, sharpening his boomerang while sending a hateful glare towards the last two people on Appa. Zuko was kneeling down in one area of the massive saddle, stroking Katara's hair as she rested her head on his lap, eyes closed in peaceful slumber.
Zuko couldn't help but wonder 'How could I have gone 17 years without Katara in my life?'
THE END
Ha, sorry about leaving out the other details. I'm not really good at those types of scenes. Yes, I know. Zuko is a bit OOC. I'm bad like that.
If anyone out there is still reading my other story, I'll try and get a new chapter up today, but the next one will have to wait until next week. Curse School! I'm going back to school tomorrow so updates on my story will go slower.
Review!