Sketches

Day 2

Electrifying

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"Don't you just love a good storm?" Katara crooned as Toph rolled her eyes, "It's simply electrifying."

"Great use of words Sugar Queen," Toph grinned and did her best Katara voice, "It's simply electrifying!' You make my day Sugar Queen." As thunder rumbled through the sky Toph turned to look at her boyfriend who was sprawled on the couch, sleeping.

"INCOMING!" She yelled and jumped on his. He jerked awake to find Toph grinning at him. "Oh, sorry did I wake you Snoozles?"

"Whut?" He groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Is it morning?"

"Nope."

"Okay, I'm going back to bed then." Sokka leaned his head back, but in the same second wrapped an arm around Toph.

"Hey! Let me go!" She squirmed but couldn't keep a huge smile off her face.

"I'm sorry, I can't do that Toph…" Sokka mumbled, feigning sleep. Toph resigned and snuggled close to her boyfriend.

Katara made a face. Sure, she really couldn't talk about showing public affection (Aang and herself were always kissing, hugging etcetera), but couldn't Toph and Sokka show a little more restraint?

Maybe she was jealous. Aang had dumped her brutally for a circus girl. She sighed, took one last glance at the sleeping couple before sneaking out of the apartment. She slowly climbed the stairs, each door she passed giving her something new to listen to. In one room she heard 'American Idol' blaring. Another had a mother trying to convince her little girl to eat her carrots.

As she reached the second-to-last floor she heard yelling. Her natural curiosity piqued as she stopped to listen. From the first bit, she could tell it was a man and a woman arguing.

"Where are you going?"

"Out."

"You're always going out."

"It's something I do."

"Why can't I come."

"Because Mai...I need time alone."

"Time alone? Alone?! Fine! I'll give you time alone!" Katara had to jump back as the door crashed open and a pale girl stomped from the room, swiftly followed by a tall man.

She went downstairs while the man yelled over the railing, "Yeah! That's right leave!" Katara stared at him, he had come very close to knocking her over the railing. Slamming the door as he stalked by he climbed the remaining stairs, opened the door leading to the roof and closed it.

Katara was torn between her natural urge to help, to get involved and her instinct telling her to leave the angry man far behind.

Finally a decision was made. Katara didn't know this man, Sokka would probably kill her for talking to strangers (He still thought she was five-years-old) but she wanted to help. It was her duty as a good Samaritan. Toph, Sokka, Aang, Haru, Jet and a whole assortment of people could've told Katara that she sometimes got too involved.

As she opened the door to the roof thunder rumbles and blue lightning danced across the skyline. There, silouetted against the billboards, shining office buildings and ambient light was the man. He was tall, his long hair and clothes were already soaking from the downpour. As the shaft of light from the inside appeared on the ground he turned around.

Lightning flashed and Katara put a hand to her mouth in surprise. A scar had marred the right side of his face. The dips and broken skin casted shadows as lightning flashed.

For once, and most likely the only time, in her life, Katara Kirima couldn't think of anything to say. Her brain had stopped working and words seemed nothing more than meaningless noise now.

She did not know how long they stared at each other. It might've been a minute, an hour, a day, a month or a lifetime. Okay, maybe not a lifetime, but you get the general picture. Suddenly as an especially loud thunderclap pierced the rain she noticed a large antenna standing a few feet from the man.

"You better watch out or else you'll get hit by lightning." Was the first thing she said to he man.

Not, "How can I help?"

Not, "What's your name?"

Not, "You've obviously broken up with your girlfriend and at this critical point in your Post-Breakup Phase you're going to need a steady friend and that steady friend is me."

No, nothing like that.

The man glared. "And you are?"

"Katara." Just as she said her name a particularly loud rumble follow. A few second after, blue sky-fire flew from the clouds and struck the antenna. The two jumped and once they looked up the metal rob was nothing more than a deformed rod.

"Told you." She said, stifling a giggle while, Zuko (as she later found out) cracked a smile.

Author's Note

I just realized something...

I was talking to someone (I don't remember who) and I actually said this: I rememeber back in the day there were only 9,000 stories in the Avatar section. Not all this new fangled 14,000!

I feel old...D: XD

Anyway, this one sucked to...I just can't find the Zutara groove!