Changes
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
The scarred boy is a stranger when she first arrives at the school. He seems to shine in this environment. He is surrounded by a group of people all like him; all having condescending sneers. The only thing that sets him apart from others is the angry blemish, the fateful mark on his eye. Oh how she hates their skin. The contrast between her chocolate skin and their pale, almost white skin shocks her. The enormous difference truly multiplies her fear of not fitting in to this puzzling place; the mere difference in appearances was enough proof.
They mock her for her skin, and her unwealthy status, and her culture. They call her a whore, a degenerate, a peasant, any colorful insult coming to their minds. She doesn't know why, and she doesn't care to know. They throw names at her, breaking down the steel emotional barrier she'd built around herself since that fateful day, when her life changed. Of course, she pushes away all of these memories, ignores these painful insults, and secretly wipes away the tears threatening to burst out of her big, cerulean eyes when no one is looking, because she has to be strong, for her friends, for her brother, and her father. For herself.
He is different though. Some days, he doesn't bother to jeer at her, or trip her in the hallway, and laugh when she comes tumbling down to the ground, all of her books spilling across the floor. Her eyes scrunch up in anger, and he simply watches, his expression blank, concealing any emotion. Sometimes she wonders if he is on her side, or if he truly believes that she is a whore, a peasant. She wonders why he isn't also ridiculed, for his scar, but soon realizes that he and Jet go way back, and their friendship can withstand any change.
She understands though, that he will never be on her side, one day, when he simply ignores her, walking by when she's sitting on the floor, scrambling to pick her books up before the bell rang and she was late again. She couldn't risk another detention. He doesn't even bother to glance at her, and she realizes that she isn't even worth that to him. She was less than nothing in his eyes.
Katara also realizes that she hates him.
There is a day when she simply can't contain her fury. She is still mortal, and no matter how many years she spends building up immunity to these comments, she has a breaking point.
The day they push her to her breaking point starts out crappier than usual. She scrambles out of bed at half an hour before the bus arrives. She bolts up the stairs to her claimed seat, ignoring the whispers. Her brother follows, sitting next to her and keeping up a steady chatter, but she doesn't pay attention. She's thinking about those comments, those names, those falsities, that she does not deserve whatsoever. The injustice of the past few months boils up inside her and her fist clench and unclench, her eyes storming with anger. Sokka notices, and stops chatting, looking curiously into her eyes. He has been subjected to this social exclusion also, but he is able to control his temper. His main priority is not his health; he tells Katara one day, but hers. Her anger slowly boils down to a simmer when strong, brotherly arms envelope her in a fierce hug, one remaining around her shoulder, the physical embrace calming her down.
Sometimes, Katara forgets that Sokka is there to support her.
When she arrives at school, her anger is dormant, quiet actually. She somehow manages to avoid being tripped, and ignores the insults, remaining calm throughout all of her morning classes. She cannot, however, control herself when lunch comes around, bringing with it, a whole new round of jeering and insults.
Her friends have gathered under their tree as usual. Their dining spot is secluded, guarded from everyone else. There are many cliques of all different sizes in the school. The jocks, the cheerleaders, the goths, the drama geeks, the nerds, the outcasts, the popular kids, and the rich kids. Katara and her friends don't fit into any of these groups.
Aang, her young bald friend should be with the popular kids, what with his charisma and friendliness, but he chose to be with Katara and her brother. He always said that they understood his culture – see, Aang's a monk, and the popular kids probably wouldn't respect him very much if his monk teachings caused him to invite a poor, lonely kid to have lunch with them, one of those kids that the popular people always teased. He usually sticks by Katara, and frowns when she is teased, but never says anything. He believes that everyone has some good in them, even the snobby rich kids; Katara doesn't share that particular belief.
Suki, her brother's girlfriend, should be with the cheerleaders. She's an amazing gymnast, and was the captain of the cheerleading squad at her old school. She and Sokka didn't hit it off right away. A lot happened to both of them before they were really 'together, together', such as Sokka's dress mishap.
They gather around, their personalities coming to life after being hidden in class. Katara grins as Aang balances an apple on his head, and Sokka tries to knock it off with a rock. After a countless number of tries, Sokka finally knocks it off, grinning triumphantly.
"See, sis? I told you I could do it!" Sokka gloats.
"And it only took you 32 tries." Katara says, laughing when Sokka visibly deflates. His grin flattens into a frown, and at her laughter, he childishly sticks his tongue out at her, his grin ruining the indignation of the action. That's when the insults start.
"Hey mud-girl!" One of the rich kids, Jet, yells, pointing at a small girl playing in the mud. The content grin on her face disappears, but she ignores them. Katara grabs the discarded apple, tossing it in the air and catching, trying to ignore the waves of anger rushing towards her.
Toss, catch.
Toss, catch.
Toss, catch.
"Hey! I'm talking to you, you little bitch! I know it was you who egged my car!" Jet continues, his sneer morphing into a scowl. His eyes narrow with anger as he stalks over to the girl. The girl stands up, and Katara has to admire her bravery as she swiftly knees Jet in the groin, making him curl over in pain, and smashes a handful of mud into his face. Katara has never heard such a girly, outraged shriek from a guy before. The girl dashes up the nearest tree, which happens to be Katara and her friends' tree. Jet and his friends rush to the tree and start throwing rocks at the girl, who seems to be panicking. Squinting, Katara recognizes the milky eyes, and realizes that the girl is blind, and stuck on the tree. Swiftly, Katara climbs the tree, and takes a seat next to the girl.
"Hey. You've got some impressive guts." Katara starts, ducking as a rock flies her way. The rich kids must've noticed her, and saw this as the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. "But, I think I'm gutsier."
All of the anger barely suppressed inside her boils over, until all she sees in red. Grabbing an apple, she quickly tosses it with all of her might at Jet's head. It hits her target square in the forehead, and Jet collapses soon after, his eyes rolling back to his head. The rest of the rich kids momentarily seize their assault and rush to Jet's aide, dashing to get a nurse.
Katara seizes the opportunity to escape with the blind girl, grabbing the kid's small hand. She looks to be about Aang's age. On her way to her friends, Katara swears that he sees a familiar pair of golden eyes, watching her curiously, a small frown on his face.
"So, what's your name? I'm Katara." A small fist punches Katara's shoulder with surprising force, and Katara rubs the tender area gently, scowling at the little girl.
"Nice to meet you, Sugar Queen. I'm Toph."
Katara's first one-on-one encounter with him is very unpleasant. He isn't really the cause of unpleasantness- well, he is, but he doesn't make her feel unpleasant in this case. No, in this case, someone else makes her encounter unpleasant with an unsettling announcement and even more unsettling reactions from both parties.
When Katara arrives, she feels as if this day will be perfect. Her first class is her favorite, chemistry. She has many of her friends in this class, and only a few enemies. The unfortunate thing is that those enemies are Zuko and Jet, who still holds a grudge against Katara for the Apple Incident, as Sokka calls it. Zuko doesn't seem to be a problem, except for his judgmental sneering and insults.
Katara spots Aang sitting at the front of the class, talking to Toph, who listens serenely, and quickly rushes over, claiming the empty seat. She mentally cheers, as now she has two friends right near her, who can stop her from getting out of control. Two emotional crutches, two companions who'll stand by her, and endure the upcoming troubles. Also, she'll most likely be lab partners with one of her friends, as most teachers make people who sit together partners.
Grinning at Aang, she leans over and whispers, "I think we'll be lab partners." The young monk looks surprised for a moment, before realization dawns on him. He smiles sadly, and whispers back.
"No, we won't. Look at the number on your desk. My number is 101, but yours is 316. People who have the same number are going to be lab partners."
Katara freezes. A million scenarios run through her mind, worsening each time. She imagines being with Jet first, and prays that she would not be stuck with a Jet or Zuko. She wouldn't be able to handle the insults, the sneers, all year without exploding.
The graceful sound of a flute rings in the air and the chatter and chaos in the room dies down, everyone curious about the player of this beautiful melody. Katara closes her eyes and enjoys the singing tones, thankful for the distraction from her negative thoughts. The flute gets louder and louder, until the source walks in.
Mr. Iroh, her teacher, walks in, flute in hand, and dressed in khaki shorts, a Hawaiian t-shirt, and a big straw hat. He looks as if he just walked out of Hawaii, visited the music store, and then walked into class. His whimsical personality and appearance appealed to Katara, even though she was originally skeptical of his knowledge of biology. Katara took biology last year, and did so well, that Mr. Iroh recommended her for Chemistry, a class meant for juniors, not sophomores. In fact, she was already ahead of her class, since she took Biology, a sophomore class, in her freshman year. He had a unique style of teaching that somehow just clicked for Katara.
Many people didn't do well in his class last year, and Katara wasn't surprised when she came in the top two. She was, however, surprised that she lost to Zuko. She'd seen him take notes, and stay after school for extra help like she did. She thought he stayed after because he didn't understand the material. His work was never shown to the class as an example, like hers was, so Katara was extremely surprised when Iroh announced that the top student with nearly all perfect papers was Zuko. She still wonders why he didn't want anyone to know how excellent he was at biology. His success in biology earned him her grudging respect. He still has some of it, but has lost most of it because of his teasing.
The notes of the flute die down, and Katara snaps back to attention when Iroh begins to speak.
"As many of you have noticed, there are numbers on your desks. Find the person who has the same number as you." With that short, concise message, Iroh resumes his elegant flute playing, smiling at the uproar he causes. Katara stays seated, knowing that the person who also has 316 will come around to her eventually.
She amusedly watches Toph and Aang embrace, celebrating their partnership. Aang holds on for a little longer than necessary, but Toph doesn't seem to care very much. Katara always knew they'd be a perfect couple.
A tap on her shoulder draws her from her thoughts. She smiles, knowing that her partner is finally here. She's excited despite the voice inside her that discourages her from getting too excited. Smiling, she turns around, only to find herself looking at molten gold eyes, one of them scarred. Her smile falters, and she frowns.
"You have 316, right?" He asks, and Katara's surprised that he doesn't tack on peasant at the end. She's also surprised since he didn't ask anyone else, just skip through everyone and come right to her, as if he already knew. She nods, still shocked that she and Zuko are partners. He doesn't seem to mind very much. Casually, he takes his seat next to her, and she follows, taking her seat.
At first, she doesn't know what to think. Should she be angry? Surprised? Relieved? She settles on feeling confused. She thought Iroh knew that she and Zuko didn't get along well, and she wonders why he paired them up despite their differences. They sit in silence, Katara simply sifting through her thoughts, wondering what will happen next. Wondering what Zuko is thinking.
"I see that you've all find your partners. Excellent! Now, for the rest of class, I want you to get to know each other." Iroh walks out of class, presumably to get some tea and some of the newbies in class stare after him, wondering where their teacher is going.
There is a long, awkward pause.
"What's your favorite color, peasant?" The question surprises her more than the insult. Well, she is used to those insults, so the peasant doesn't come as a big surprise. She thought that she'd have to start, and wonders why he decided to start, and why he used that particular question.
"Blue. Yours?" She answers, judging him for his reaction. His eyes are calm, the golden lions dormant. He nods, but keeps his expression blank.
"Red." Katara fails to suppress the snort. Of course it is. He's decked out in red sneakers, black jeans, and a red shirt. Not to mention he has a red watch, and backpack. He isn't wearing designer brands like the other rich kids, strangely. She expects an insult for her snort, and is surprised to see the smallest of smiles on his face.
She wonders where his hate is.
They continue to talk, and Katara learns more about him. She learns that his favorite animal is a turtleduck, since he can't choose between a turtle and duck. She says her favorite animal is a polar-bear-dog, since she can't choose between a dog and a polar bear.
She learns that his parents are divorced, and he lived with his dad and sister. She reveals that her dad is a military man and that she lives with her grandparents, but can't bear to reveal the missing person's fate. He seems to understand though, and nods, effortlessly changing the subject.
Of course their conversation isn't always smooth. Their words are sometimes clipped, almost forced. He throws in a couple insults; she throws in a couple counter insults. At the end of class, he smiles at her, a real smile, not a sneer or a smirk, and walks away.
Katara wonders why she doesn't dread the next class.
The first in-class project marks an important milestone. Zuko and Katara haven't exploded at each other yet, and are surprisingly good partners. Katara finds that Zuko is listens to her ideas, and makes compromises when he disagrees. She is surprised that he always pulls his weight, and divides up the work evenly, not giving himself less work, and her more. She never expected him to do so, as that was more of a Jet thing, but he was still one of those kids.
"Alright class! You've been doing excellent so far. I'm glad to see that the partnerships are working." Iroh announces, his jovial voice ending the chatter in the room. He smiles at every partnership, and Katara notices that his eyes linger on her and Zuko, who were comparing notes before Iroh spoke. "As those of you who've taken my Biology class know, after each major project, I post the rankings for the class. Now, don't be disappointed if you aren't first. Remember, there are many more projects to come. I've posted the rankings outside, on the door. In an orderly fashion, please go check your partnership's ranking."
As soon as Iroh finishes speaking, everyone jumps up from their seats, dashing to the door. In Iroh's classes, everyone was competing to be at the top, as the first place partnership at the end of year got a pizza party and a day off from school. Katara stands up, dashing outside, muttering apologies to the people she pushes. She checks over her shoulder and sees that Zuko is taking his time, calmly walking over. Slightly embarrassed at her eagerness, Katara reddens and slows her walk, matching Zuko.
"What do you think we got?" She asks, looking up at him. Boy, he's tall. He probably has three or four whole inches on her.
"First place." He answers curtly, smirking slightly. Her eyes widen slightly at his confidence- she's seen the other partnerships, and some of them were tough competition.
"How can you say that? Some of the other partnerships are really good." Zuko shrugs nonchalantly.
"We're better." Frowning slightly, Katara steps ahead, pushing through the crowd to see the rankings.
Katara reaches the door, and scans the sheet, raising her eyebrows slightly at the partnerships. Iroh had teamed up the girls with boys, and some of the partnerships were slightly controversial. For example, her and Zuko. Somehow, though they were getting along. Glancing at the first place partnership, Katara's heart freezes to see clearly written:
Zuko Ignifeu and Katara QuaMarine
A wide grin breaks out on her face, as she revels in her success. All of her hard work has paid off. All of her self-control has paid off. Glancing at her friends' partnership, she's pleased to find that Toph and Aang are second. Dashing through the crowd, she finds her friends, and hugs them tightly.
"Great job, guys!" She says, and Toph squirms away, despite the grin on her face.
"Looks like you and Sparky are better partners than everyone thought." Aang, however, is frowning slightly.
"He isn't making you do all the work, right?" He asks, his tone worried. Katara frowns, and shakes her head, understanding her friend's concern.
"No, Aang. He's a really great partner, surprisingly. Speaking of, where is he?" Toph shrugs and Aang scans the room. When he didn't see Zuko anywhere, he shrugs. Katara bids her friends farewell, and goes off to search for her partner.
She tours around the hallway, and having no success, decides to consult Iroh.
"Mr. Iroh!" Her teacher looks up, smiling when he notices her.
"Ah! Miss Katara, how are you? I trust you saw the rankings." Katara smiles widely and nods, still giddy from the shock of getting first place. "Congratulations honey. You deserve it."
"Thank you, Mr. Iroh. Do you happen to know where Zuko is?" Iroh smiles and nods.
"He's inside the classroom. I believed he checked the rankings." Katara thanks Iroh, before going into the classroom.
Sure enough, there is Zuko leaning against the back wall, staring out the window. He looks up when she enters, his expression blank, except for the slightest of smiles.
"Zuko!" Katara says, running to him. "We got first place!" With that, she leans in and hugs him, wrapping her arms around his middle. He stiffens slightly, but recovers quickly and hugs her back. Katara isn't surprised to feel his toned abs. Obviously, he works out to maintain his place on the track team. His arms are gentle around her. The hug actually feels kind of… nice.
Pulling away, Katara grins at Zuko, a blush creeping up her neck. He smiles back, and they took their seats as the rest of the class files in, some grinning, while others scowled. Katara smiles at her friends as they pass.
She couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day.
Their first at-home project is another important milestone. They agree to meet at the library, and work there, for convenience, as the library was very close to the school. Arranging to meet at one of their houses would be a hassle, and frankly, Katara doesn't want to be in Zuko's house or have Zuko in her house. She isn't friends with him, even if she doesn't completely hate him. More like strongly dislikes him. She doubts it was a strong dislike now.
She patiently waits at the little study corner she's set up for them. They have to make a poster of the periodic table, uniquely, Iroh says. He doesn't want it to be 'boring'. Katara's not sure how to make it more fun. As she ponders this, she doesn't notice her scarred partner walk in, and take a seat. She looks up at the sound of a chair being pulled back, and smiles slightly. He walks around the table towards her, and looks over her shoulder at the list she's working on. She's brainstorming ideas for what to do.
"Hey." He says, capturing her attention.
"Hmm?" She asks, busy in her own world.
"These are crappy ideas." Indignation flares inside her, and Katara looks up, meeting his gaze with her angry one.
"Excuse me? These are not crappy ideas." He smirks, and replies. She hates how he acts as if he's already won the argument. Conceited jerk.
"They are. You're supposed to think of fun ways, not boring ones."
"Well, if you're such a genius, why don't you tell me a fun way?" She smiles smugly at his frozen look, and he scowls, raising his voice.
"Hey, at least I know what's fun and what's not!" Immediately, people shush them loudly. Katara scowls slightly, and answers, raising her voice louder, ignoring the shushing around her.
"I do too know what's fun!" He scoffs disbelievingly, and Katara's scowl deepens. She grabs her pencil from the desk, and hurls it at him, disappointed when it harmlessly bounces off his arm. She meant for it to hit his eye.
He simply stares at her for a while, his eyes wide in disbelief. When he speaks, his tone is incredulous.
"Did you just throw a pencil at me?" She sneers at him, and picks up her eraser, hurling that at him too.
"Yes, I did. I also threw an eraser at you. Come on Zuko, I thought you were the top student in biology!" She says, yelling now. He scowls harder, and reaches for the paintbrush. Dipping it into the red paint, he holds it up threateningly.
"You wouldn't." She says, yelping when she feels the wet substance on her shirt. Her jaw drops, and her eyes widen in surprise, as she grabs the blue paint canister.
"It's on."
An hour later, the two are standing outside of the library, covered in paint from head to toe. Zuko's hair is blue, as a result of Katara attacking it with the blue paint. His whole shirt is blue, and his face is partly blue also. Katara has it much worse though. She's completely red, except for her face. The librarian had kicked them out once their little catfight resulted in paint on the table and carpet.
She sits down next to him, and tries to fix her hair, and make it look slightly presentable, despite how ridiculous it was, what with it being red, and all.
"This is all your fault, you know. But-" She says, her tone resigned. Zuko opens his mouth, and begins to retort.
'"Hey, you-"She cuts him off, continuing.
"But, I guess I'm sort of responsible." Zuko's eyes widen slightly, but he nods nevertheless, and when he speaks, his tone is sincere, despite being bitter.
"Fine. I guess, I did contribute to that mess." He says, gesturing to her paint-covered figure.
"I hope you know that I'm proud of the damage I did to you, too." Katara says, gesturing to his hair. He exhales shortly, and nods.
"The feeling's mutual."
There is an awkward pause where both parties don't know what to say.
"You know, the librarian shouldn't have kicked us out. The tables and carpet weren't exactly in pristine condition if you know what I mean." She says, barking out a short laugh. He snorts in agreement. Standing up, she fastidiously brushes her pants off, knowing that she seriously needs to do some laundry. And take a shower. Smiling slightly, she looks to him, and nods.
"I guess I'll see you later, Zuko. Maybe next time, we'll actually get some work done instead of snapping at each other." They both laugh, knowing that's impossible. She and he will always fight. He tilts his head towards her in acknowledgement.
"Later, Katara." She grins at him, and slings her bag over her shoulder, walking towards the school where her brother is waiting, preparing an excuse for her state.
It's only when she reaches home, after she bickers with her brother, and convinces him not to confront Zuko and beat him up (she knows Sokka will lose and get hurt), that she realizes that was the first time Zuko had ever said her name.
Somehow, that makes her feel warm. Too warm for her comfort.
The next day, they decide to work at her house. She's prepared cookies, but makes sure to have no messy substances around. She definitely doesn't want a repeat of the library. She's still not sure if the librarian will let her back in. She did give them a huge lecture, Katara thinks, wincing at the memory.
A loud knock comes from the front door, and Katara sets the cookie batter down, cursing under her breath.
"Sokka! Could you get the door?" At receiving no answer, she groans and takes off her apron, muttering names at her brother as she walks to the door. Smiling, she opens it, expecting Toph or Aang, as Zuko's supposed to come over much later. Her smile falters slightly, seeing that it is her scarred partner. He smiles at her, and seeing the smudges of batter on her face (she's never been the best at making cookies), he raises his eyebrow.
"Am I interrupting something?" Katara flushes, and opens the door wider, inviting him in. He steps inside, quietly surveying the living room.
"No, not at all. I just wasn't expecting you until much later. You should've called to let me know you were coming over earlier. I was trying to make cookies, hence the mess." She says, her tone becoming sheepish near the end.
"I don't have your phone number." He says curtly, and her sheepish smile grows.
"Oh. Here, let me write it down for you." She quickly scribbles down a number and hands it to him. He takes it, looking at it and flips his phone out to add it in. Katara grabs her phone from the bedside table. "What's your number again?"
"102, 316, 1621." He says, smirking slightly. Noting it quickly, Katara looks up and smiles.
"Why don't we work in my room instead?" He nods, following her up some creaky steps. Katara opens her bedroom door slightly, making sure that it was clean. She doesn't want him to think she is even more of a peasant.
Katara opens the door, and lets him in, gathering the supplies as he surveys the room. He sets his bag down, and takes a seat on the blue chair. Katara knows her room was small, but she loves it anyhow. Her mom and her had painted the walls an ocean blue when she was younger. Katara remembers watching her mom in awe as she painted darker blue swirls on the wall.
She has a small bed in the corner, a bookshelf and desk across from it, and a piano near her desk. She has posters all over one wall, displaying her various interests. Her bedside table houses her most important keepsakes; her mother's necklace, and a picture of her and her mother. She looks at it for a while, and Zuko looks over her shoulder.
"Is that your mom?" He asks, and she nods, sniffling slightly. She thinks back to that day. The fire, burning bright, consuming everything. Her mom had done nothing wrong, nothing-
No, positive thoughts, Katara reminds herself. Mom is watching me every day, she says to herself, hastily wiping away her tears.
Her mom is so happy in the picture. She's hoisting a baby Katara towards the camera, grinning brightly. Katara knows that she is a splitting image of her mother nowadays, and is slightly saddened by the fact. Every time her grandmother visits, she says, "Katara, you look just like Kaya." She knows it should make her happy- it's another thing of her mother's- but it's that much more painful to be reminded that the mom isn't there. Sometimes, she catches her father staring at her with a sad look. She knows it pains him to see her here, her mother's face, but not her mother.
A consoling hand rests on her shoulder, and Katara twists to see Zuko, empathy written on his face. He smiles sadly, and nods. She nods back, grateful for his support, even if he isn't the person she wants with her.
"Let's get to work."
A couple hours later, their poster was finished. Katara raises her hand for a high-five, and Zuko accepts, collapsing. He exhales in relief, sharing a tired smile with Katara, who watches him amusedly.
"Come on. I have cookies prepared." Zuko smiles slightly, and takes her outstretched hand, helping her to her feet. Katara's surprised at how warm his hand feels, and banishes the disappointment inside her when he lets go.
She leads his to the table, and takes out the dish of cookies. He looks at them skeptically, eying the plain covering distastefully. She knew that Zuko hated chocolate from their little sharing session at the beginning of the year.
"Come on, Zuko! Just try one! I promise there isn't any chocolate." He raises his eyebrow skeptically, but nods anyhow, picking up one of the cookies.
Katara watches amusedly as he studies the cookie with a scrutinizing gaze, before slowly bringing it to his mouth. He takes a small, tentative bite, the expression on his face telling Katara that he isn't expecting much. She snorts in laughter as his eyes widen, and he gobbles the cookie up, somehow managing to remain neat. She rolls over in her laughter, clutching her stomach.
"You- you-" Katara starts, gasping for breath as she recovers from her laughing fit. Zuko watches with a scowl, his indignation ruined as he takes another bite of the cookie. "You looked like you tasted heaven!"
Zuko's scowl deepens as she sets off on another laughing fit, but he smiles after a while, joining in. Katara stops to listen to his laugh. She's amazed by how musical it is, how much happiness it has. She wishes he'd laugh more often, and realizes that Zuko is not a very happy person.
The thought saddens her, despite the fact that Zuko isn't even her friend.
As their partnership grows, Katara ponders whether or not she is really friends with Zuko. He does make her happy, and she isn't uncomfortable around him anymore. He makes her feel... safe, almost. She's not really sure about her feelings, and that scares her. She likes knowing exactly what's going on. She doesn't want to live in a world of uncertainty.
Uncertainty is what the doctors said to her. They were kind, alright, but they wouldn't be honest to her. After all, she was only eight years old. She didn't need to know whether her mom would die or not. All that mattered was that she remained calm, her father had said, hoisting her into his lap when she complained to him about it.
Shouting interrupts her thoughts, and Katara looks up from the street to see a group of boys yelling at someone. Her heart speeds up faster in terror as she recognizes Jet and his gang. She quickens her pace, panic setting in as she recognizes the lanky figure on the gravel.
Aang.
Jet kicks Aang repeatedly in the gut and Katara runs in, only to be stopped by a pair of arms grabbing her waist, blocking her from continuing forth. She struggles, and steps on the offender' s foot, but he still does not back down. He remains adamant, keeping her from going to save her friend. She looks back, and her heart stops at the scar.
Zuko. Zuko is keeping her from saving her friend. Zuko, who she thought was a decent guy. No, not just decent, excellent. Zuko, who she knew, and liked. Zuko, who she thought was her friend.
Her struggles increase and she bites down on his arm, not even feeling the slightest bit of guilt at his pained yelp. She rushes forward, and expertly kicks away Jet' s foot. She grabs Aang's arm, careful not to jostle it too much, as she helps him to his feet. Zuko steps forward, as if to stop her, but steps back at the venomous glare thrown towards him.
Tears streak down her face, and Aang smiles weakly at her, before losing consciousness.
"How could you do this?!" She yells, looking each of them in the eye. "He's just a kid! He did nothing wrong!"
"Shut up, bitch." Jet says, brushing off her words. Zuko, however, looks slightly guilty behind him. Not that Katara cares, though. She could give a rat's fart to what happens to him. She freezes though, and turns around very slowly, careful not to hurt Aang.
"Asshole." She says, venom spilling from her tone. "You're all assholes." She says, her gaze lingering on Zuko as she speaks. He winces slightly, and Katara nods in satisfaction. Jet laughs, and walks away, apparently deciding that she isn't worth his time.
"Let me help you." Zuko comes closer, but stops when she speaks.
"Go away." She says, not even looking down from the ground. She's picked Aang up now, and boy is he heavy, but she doesn't care. She'll rather die than accept his help.
He's either very brave, or very stupid, as he steps forward once again when she finishes speaking.
"Please! Let me help you!"
She stops, furious, now. Turning around, she looks him in the eye. Ignoring the guilt clearly swarming around in his golden gaze, Katara snaps.
"I said, go away! Don't you get it? I don't want your help!" He looks hurt for a second- he has no right to be hurt! He was part of the reason Aang got hurt. Then, he simply nods and steps back. Katara nods, and turns around, tears streaking down her face.
Slowly, she trudges on, until she reaches her home. Once the door opens and Sokka's shocked face greets her, Katara carefully deposits Aang on the couch and collapses on the arm chair, falling asleep in seconds, exhaustion paying its toll.
Aang is fine, the nurses say. Sokka sits by Katara and Toph, trying to calm the latter, and a wave of déjà vu hits Katara since this scene is so familiar. Sokka was much younger the first time, and he was comforting Katara, not Toph. They didn't even know Aang or Toph. Her dad was also there, except he was arguing with the doctor. Everything else is the same, even the chair where Sokka is currently sitting.
Katara remembers the doctor's diagnosis. Aang's ribs were fractured, not broken thankfully, but his body shut down when the damage became too much, causing him to enter a comatose state. The doctor said that Aang will probably wake up in at least three weeks. Toph almost launched herself at the doctor then -in anger or gratitude, Katara wasn't sure, but she was willing to bet money in the former- but Sokka stopped her in time. Be thanked the doctor, as Toph was still fuming, and Katara was in a state of total shock.
The doctor had said that if he was saved earlier, he might have survived without being in comatose. If only Katara had gotten to him earlier, he could be fine. He could be fine. At this announcement, Toph had stopped fuming, and very slowly turned to Katara.
"This is all your fault." Her voice was accusatory, and her words were... completely true.
Her best friend is in a coma, and it's all her fault.
Katara goes through the motions of the day without noticing anything around her. She puts herself on autopilot, all her thoughts focused on Aang, and Toph. She goes to chemistry class, and listens patiently, barely noticing that Zuko isn't in class.
She doesn't care.
She goes to visit Aang after school. Toph is ignoring her, and Katara can't blame her. It is all her fault. She passed inside the room just as Toph exits. Trying to ignore the venomous glare thrown towards her, Katara takes a seat next to Aang's bed and strokes shiny bald head sadly.
"I'm so sorry, Aang. I'm so sorry." She says, breaking into tears. After a minute of sobbing, she realizes that Aang wouldn't want her to cry, so, in honor of her friend, she wipes away her tears, and forces herself to smile, and chats idly to him.
"School was interesting, as usual. I have to admit though, I didn't really listen that much in class- I was worried about you. Don't worry though; I'll pay attention from now on."
Smiling, Katara kisses his head sisterly, and stands up, throwing one last glance at him before walking out of the hospital and to her house.
Katara doesn't see Zuko for a whole week. She's a bit disappointed though, that he came back. She'd been hoping that he'd gotten hit by a bus, or something equally lucky.
Taking her seat, Katara doesn't bother to suppress her groan when Zuko walks in. He frowns slightly, but says nothing. He silently takes his stuff out and prepares a sheet for notes. Katara watches him, and all she can think is that it's his fault that Toph hates her. It's his fault that Aang is in a coma. It's his fault that she didn't get to him in time.
"I hope you're happy. Aang is in a coma." She whispers ferociously, smiling cruelly at the shocked look on his face. His expression transitions from shocked, to guilty.
"So, where were you anyways? Kicking puppies? Or stealing candy from babies?" She asks her tone dry. She doesn't know why she asks, probably curiosity. He winces and shakes his head, and then answers.
"I was with my father." She nods slightly, and speaks, keeping the dry tone.
"I was with my comatose friend. He should be awake, but I guess I can thank you for that can't I?" She asks, smiling wryly. Anger storms in his gaze as he slams his hands down on the desk, standing up now.
"Why do you have to keep making me feel guilty?! I'm sorry alright! I didn't think that Aang would get so hurt! I'm sorry!" He yells, drawing the attention of everyone else. Iroh stares at them calmly, and Katara grabs Zuko's wrist, jerking it down so he would sit.
"Miss Katara, Mister Zuko, maybe you would like to continue this argument outside, where you have more privacy?" Katara nods, understanding the hidden meaning; you're disturbing my class, get out.
She and Zuko leave, quietly shuffling outside.
"Sorry isn't enough! Sorry won't bring Aang out of a coma! Sorry won't bring anyone back!" She yells, not caring that everyone inside can probably still hear her. Zuko, however, has a different idea. He grabs her hand, and forcibly drags her outside into the sweltering heat. She struggles of course, but Zuko has a firm grip. Once they're outside, Zuko releases her hand and sighs.
"What do I have to do for you to forgive me?"
She narrowed her eyes, and answers, her gaze burning his eyes.
"Nothing. You can't do anything." She stalks away from him, and sits down on the steps, resting her chin on her hand as she sulks. He will never gain her forgiveness. He is nothing in her eyes. Nothing.
A minute later, Zuko is sitting next to her. He's taken off his jacket, and Katara glances at him, surprised to see purple bruises on his arms. She narrows her eyes, and turns to him, but he's looking elsewhere, dejection clear on his face.
"What happened to your arms?" She demands, wondering why she's so angry. She must still be cooling down from their shouting match earlier. He exhaled shortly, and shakes his head.
"Nothing. I... fell." His explanation is extremely unbelievable. She grabs his arm and repeats herself, loosening her grip when he winces.
"Zuko, if you want me to forgive you, tell me what happened. Before I can trust you, you have to trust me."
He sighs and looks her in the eye.
"I trust you won't tell anyone else." She nods, pleased with his confidence in her. "My father... hit me."
This shocks Katara. She'd always thought that he came from a happy-go-lucky family, where everyone loves each other and his dad spoils him, and his mom is always there for him. She never expected that Zuko, of all people, is abused. Still, she can't resist but take a jibe at him.
"What did you do? Daddy not happy with poor little Zuzu?" She asks, mockingly. He stands up fast, and looks at her, his gaze so furious that Katara looks away, ashamed of herself.
"Yes. He wasn't happy. He's always wanted me to be friends with Jet, and I told him that I stopped being friends with him. "Zuko says his tone sad.
Katara doesn't know what to think. She's slightly confused though. She saw Jet and Zuko hanging out earlier that day, and the two looked just fine. She also doesn't understand why his father wants him to be friends with Jet. He's an asshole.
"Wait. Slow down. Your father wants you to be friends with Jet? Why?" Zuko sighs and breathes deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. Katara realizes that he does that a lot.
"He doesn't care about Jet; he cares about Jet's power. My father... he's never really cared about me. I'm just a pawn, someone he can use to get more power. His true pride and joy is my sister, who's at some boarding school."
Katara raises her eyebrow, believing Zuko. He seems so normal... but he really isn't.
"Wow. You're dad's an asshole. Has he been hitting you for a while now?" She asks, curious. Maybe his dad gave him that scar.
"I don't live with him anymore. He kicked me out when I was thirteen. I've been living with Mr. Iroh, my uncle, since then."
Whoa. Zuko's related to Mr. Iroh. Katara would have never guessed that. They are two polar opposites, personality wise. Iroh's kind and understanding. He would never hurt a child, or indirectly cause a child to be hurt. Zuko's just... Well, what is he really? He's not a jerk- well, he is, but he has a reason for that, as he obviously didn't have the best upbringing. She'd be bitter and angry too, if her dad hit her then kicked her out. He's just reserved.
"Why did he kick you out?" She asks, and Zuko stiffens.
"I'd rather not say, but since I trust you, I'll tell you. My mom disappeared when I was ten. I looked for her for three years, and one day, when my dad was cooking; I accused him of killing her. He got this uneasy look in his eye- like someone who just got caught- and then he got angry. Really angry. He shoved my face onto the gas hob. The next day, he sent me off to my uncle's."
For the third time that hour, Katara is shocked. This was severe child abuse. She'd thought that Zuko had a perfect life. She'd thought that he'd never had to face hardships before, but this was just... appalling. She is amazed at his strength, and feels some of her anger slip away.
"You stopped being friends with Jet? Why?" She asks the last question on her mind. She honestly thinks that he and Jet were good friends, even though his father made him be friends with Jet. They were partners in crime; Jet the villain, Zuko the sidekick. There were rumors earlier on that the two were related by blood.
She doesn't catch his answer, since he mutters it so quietly, and asks him to repeat it. He sighs once again, and speaks, this time a little louder.
"He hurt you." His cheeks are flaming, but Katara doesn't notice. She's incredulous. He stopped being friends with Jet because he hurt Katara?
"What?! That's... ridiculous."
"Ridiculous?! Are you-"
Katara interrupts his tirade by pecking his cheek, blushing.
"But it's also very, very sweet."
Aang recovers from his coma, and he eventually forgives Zuko. Aang forgives everyone though. The rest of the group is a little tougher on Zuko. Sokka eventually forgives Zuko when he invites him to see the baseball game. He ends up giving him both tickets so Sokka can fake Suki. Let's just say, that particular date didn't turn out very nice. Toph, however, is hardest in Zuko. She pranks him consistently for weeks before she finally forgives him when he listens to her cry and promises not to tell anyone. He tells Katara, anyway, because he knows that Toph trusts Katara, and he trusts Katara the most of everyone in the group. Katara remembers her cheeks flaming at that compliment. After a while, Zuko is completely integrated into their group.
Katara walks home with Zuko, smiling at him as he rants about an annoying girl in his Calculus class.
"She's always staring at me. It gives me the heebie jeebies!" He exclaims. Katara snorts with laughter, and raises her eyebrow.
"Heebie jeebies?" She asks skeptically, grinning. He scowls at her, but Katara can see that his eyes are smiling.
"Hey! Don't laugh! She stalks me! I'm serious, Katara. She's everywhere!" He says, looking around frantically.
"Zuko! Behind you!" She yells, and Zuko turns around fast, only to see a deserted street. Katara doubles over in laughter, clutching her stomach. She points at him, tears springing out of her eyes.
"I-I can't believe you actually fell for it!" She says through laughs. He stands there with his arms crossed, a scowl planted on his face. As he watches her laugh though, hid scowl melts away and becomes a smirk. He dashes towards her, and before she has time to react, starts tickling her.
She explodes into laughter, cracking up. Dashing away from him, she runs up the stairs to her house, sticks her tongue out at Zuko rather childishly, and slams the door shut, leaving a goofily grinning Zuko behind.
The next minute, there is a loud knock on the door, and Katara peeks through the hole. When she sees Zuko's scowl, she giggles. She decides to have some fun with Zuko.
"Password, please." She says, looking at him through the window. His scowl deepens.
"Let me in Katara!" He yells, annoyed now. She smiles, and replies, wondering why she liked to see Zuko annoyed so much. His face gets all scrunched up, his eyes are storming, and his tone is angry when he gets annoyed.
"Say the magic words." Zuko sighs, and rubs the bridge of his nose.
"Katara, open the door, or I will knock it down myself." Katara's eyes widen, and she opens the door grinning at him. He scowls at her, and invites himself to sit on the couch, and turn the TV on. He puts his feet on the table, knowing that Katara doesn't mind. She sits next to him, copying his position and smiling.
He tries to turn the channel to soccer, but Katara wrestles the remote from him and switches it to the Big Bang Theory. He tries to grab the remote, but Katara has a firm hold. Sighing, he relaxes, and concedes.
"So, where's the rest of our lot?" He asks, and Katara looks up smiling at him.
"Hmm... Let's see. Toph and Aang are going off shopping for the dance. And-" She starts, only to be interrupted by his incredulous voice.
"Wait. Toph, our Toph, is going to the dance? And shopping? What did Aang do?" He asks, grinning at her. She smiles back, remembering wondering that when she first heard. Toph is such a tomboy, that no one would ever expect her to go shopping, or go to the dance, much less get a date. Still, Katara always knew that Aang had a crush on Toph, and is glad to know that the feelings are returned.
"I was surprised, too." She admits. "But, they both really like each other." He nods solemnly, and gestures for her to continue.
"And Sokka and Suki are also shopping for the dance."
Zuko smiles at her, and replies after a moment, taking in everything she said.
"Wow. Looks like we're the only ones not going to the dance." He says, smile widening. Katara smiles back, dreading her next words.
"Actually, Zuko, Haru asked me out to the dance." She says, smiling sheepishly.
"And you said no, right?" He asks, and Katara knows that he's just denying the truth. He knows that she's way too nice to say no to someone, especially a nice guy like Haru. She shakes her head, and looks away as Zuko deflates. His smile turns into a scowl and his golden eyes storm violently.
"Why?"
"I wanted to go to the dance, and he asked me."
"What's so great about Haru?!" He asks, yelling at her. She turns to face him, anger surging through her veins.
"He's very nice, and not bad looking. Why are you acting like this, Zuko? He's not your date!" She yells back, confused as to her best friend's strange behavior. He groans in frustration, and stands up, stalking towards the door.
"You know, Katara, for someone so smart, you can be pretty damn stupid." He says, shaking his head before storming outside. Katara stands, up confused as to what happened.
At the dance, Katara walks in, arm in arm with Haru, and almost stops walking when she sees Zuko with Mai- the girl who gives him heebie jeebies- on his arm. He smiles at her, and she scowls back. She thought that he hated Mai. That's what he'd told her. He looked pretty comfortable, though, with her on his arm, and she looked even more comfortable.
"Hey, Haru. I'm going to get us some punch, alright?" She says, ripping her eyes away from Zuko to look at her date. He nods, and sends her off.
As she makes her way to the punch table, she 'accidentally' bushes Zuko's shoulder, capturing his attention.
A minute later, the two are ladling punch into cups for their dates.
"What are you doing here? I thought you weren't going to the dance!" She exclaims after a moment of uncomfortable silence. She's hurt that her best friend didn't tell her that he was going to the dance and with Mai nevertheless.
"I asked Mai." He says flippantly, like it's no big deal that he didn't tell her, like it doesn't matter that he's at the dance with the girl he absolutely despises.
"Why? I thought you hated her. You said she annoys you!"
She asks, incredulous. He looks up for a moment, and shrugs, although Katara can see that his eyes are stirring with an intense emotion, one that she's only seen a couple times. She takes a step back, surprised by the intensity of his eyes.
"I do hate her, Katara. I didn't want to stay at home with my uncle, and the girl I was going to ask was going with someone else." Katara saddens, ashamed of herself. She didn't even think what would happen to Zuko. He was the only one who didn't have a date to the dance, before he asked Mai. She frowned, and replied.
"Who's the girl you wanted to ask?" She asks, confused. He looks back up and meets her eyes. His eyes are storming with that emotion that unknown emotion and Katara once again finds herself feeling dizzy from the intensity of his eyes. He shakes his head frustrated, and pinches the bridge of his nose. Again.
She scrunches her eyes up in confusion, trying to decipher his actions. Zuko' mysterious tendencies and his inability to just spit it out always annoyed her. She wished he was a little less introverted, at least around her.
"Never mind." He says, shrugging it off. Katara sends him a look that says this won't be the end of this particular conversation. He smiles at her, and returns to his date, leaving a dumbfounded Katara.
What just happened?
"Katara?" The girl in question looks to her date, and smiles, trying to ignore the hairy mustache on his face when he smiles back. Haru is nice and all … just not the date she's looking for. He's not her type. Katara wonders what her type even is.
"Would you like to dance?" He asks, in an adorably polite way. That's why she likes him, she realizes, he's always been polite to her. She nods, and only when she's already out to the floor, her long aquamarine dress trailing after, does she realize that the music is slow, romantic, setting the scene for a kiss.
Haru smiles at her once again, showing his pearly whites. Katara can't help but think about Zuko, and his cute little sheepish smile- the one where his eyes light up, even as he is looking down at his feet- or his grin, the one he always flashes at her, the one that never fails to make her heart beat a little faster. Katara pushes away thoughts of her best friend, determined to enjoy her night. Haru was a really nice guy, and as she'd told Zuko, he wasn't bad looking. Except for that damned mustache.
His arms snake around her, and she automatically reaches up and grabs his shoulder, leaning into his touch. She rests her head on his chest, his strong, muscular chest, and looks up, searching for that fateful scar, or the molten gold eyes, or the pearly white grin. Closing her eyes, she reaches up, lips almost touching. As soon as his lips touch, Katara pulls back, surprised.
Wait. Did she just mistake Haru for Zuko?
And then Katara does something her friends do, something she always tells them not to do.
She runs away.
She sits on her roof, wondering what the hell just happened. One minute, she was dancing with Haru, enjoying herself, and the next; she's kissing him, and imagining that it's her best friend she's kissing. Actually, she realizes that she was wishing it was Zuko she was dancing with, not Haru.
She frowns harder, and remembers the anger surging through her veins, firing up her blue eyes when she saw Mai hanging on to Zuko' arm, and he looked like he didn't mind. His easy-going smile, which always caused this strange, tingling sensation in her stomach, directed towards Mai, when she wished more than anything that it was directed towards her.
Oh crap, she thinks, I'm in love with my best friend.
She's in love with Zuko.
Her object of affection soon climbs out on to the roof, swearing under his breath when his head hits the window. She turns around and smiles at him, her heart hammering away when he smiles back, that easy-going smile returning to his face. He climbs over to her, and invites himself to sit down, leaning back to watch the moon.
"Hey." He says, eyes softening as he smiles at her.
"Hey." She replies, looking away, not wanting to get trapped in his smoldering gaze. Even if she does love him, her feelings are probably not mutual. He doesn't love Mai, but there's that girl he wanted to ask out… Once again, Katara wonders who she is. She sure is lucky though, to have Zuko's affections.
"Why aren't you with Mai?" She asks, pushing away the saddening thoughts in her brain.
"I needed some air." He says, smiling at her. She hates the speeding up of her heart, and knows now why this reaction occurs in the first place. She's in luurrve with Zuko, as Sokka would say. Or at least he would if he didn't gag first.
"Why aren't you with Haru?" He asks, looking at her curiously.
"Iwasn'tenjoyingmyself." She says quickly, looking away. Zuko however, has superhuman hearing, and understood her perfectly.
"What? Did he do something?" Zuko asks, his eyes blazing as his ton becomes angrier and angrier. She quickly raises her hands, gesturing for him to calm down, her eyes widening as she persistently denies the accusation. She doesn't want Haru to be beat up by Zuko, who's always been protective of Katara. She wonders why he cares so much about her welfare, and brushes it off as their strong friendship.
"No, I just wanted to be dancing with this other guy. He's really nice, and funny, especially when he gets annoyed. But he likes another girl."
Zuko moves closer to her, until he is sitting next to her. She sighs, and smiles at him, resting her head on his muscular shoulder. He doesn't seem to mind though, as he doesn't pull away, or gently push her away from him. He seems to he tense though, and Katara looks into his eyes wondering what is wrong. She opens her mouth to speak, but is surprised by the sheer amount of intensity in his eyes
"He doesn't deserve you, Katara, if he can't see that you love him." He says, voice gentle, although his tone is angry. She shakes her head, denying that statement also.
Zuko definitely deserves her, even though he can't see that she loves him. She didn't even know until earlier today!
"What?" Zuko asks, and Katara's hand flies to her mouth. She's horrified. She hadn't meant to speak aloud. Zuko looks incredulous, shocked at the revelation. He's probably disgusted that someone like me likes him, she thinks, looking away dejectedly when he doesn't say anything for a while.
"You love me?" Zuko asks, his expression changing from shock to giddy joy when Katara begins rambling.
"Well, yes, but I understand if you don't love me back! i mean, there's that girl who you wanted to go out with, and Mai, who I thought you ha-" Katara's nervous rant is cutoff when Zuko swoops in to silence er, his lips smashing against her. At first, she's surprised by the intensity with which he kisses her, but as she begins to kiss him back, he loosens up, and Katara realizes that he was simply nervous. When they finally pull away, Katara has a silly grin on her face, and Zuko is staring at her like she's the most wonderful thing on the planet.
"I love you."
"I love you too, Zuko."
A/N: Hi everyone! I really hope you enjoyed the drabbular (drabble-like) one-shot, Changes. I honestly did not expect this to be 10,327 words long.I was actually expecting it to be a little over 3,000 words. I hope you laughed, and cried, and screamed at Katara to look in front of her. I know I wanted to while I wrote this.
I know the style of writing is very different from my normal one, but I wanted to try this out. This story was meant to go through Katara and Zuko' relationship through the show, and a littlebit into what I'd think will happen in the future, in a modern setting.
REMEMBER, REVIEWS ARE LIKE COOKIES! I'm the Fem-Cookie-Monster, so you know what that means ;D