Bloodbending Prodigy

2

"Wake up, Katara." I heard someone say. It was Hama. She opened the curtains to let in the light. Ugh. A little too much light. I squinted my eyes and pulled the covers back over my head.

"Come Katara. We need to get to the market before all the good food is taken. Do you mind calling your friends as well?" I got dressed and went to Toph's room.

"Toph." I said knocking on the door. "Toph get up." I said starting to bang on the door. I got impatient and walked right in, opening her curtains, waking her with the light.

"What was that for Sugar Queen?" She said shielding her eyes.

"Time to get up. Hama's orders." I walked out but I caught her mocking me. I shrugged it off. I knocked on Suki's door but soon remembered she was with my brother, so I moved to Zuko's room.

"Zuko come on time to get up." I opened the door and saw him lying in the bed. I walked over to the bed, where his body slightly drooped off the side. I noticed his shirt was off but I tried to ignore it. Yeah, like that was possible. I bent down, now face to face and smirked. He smiled and blew his bangs up. I chuckled.

"You caught me." He said.

"Yeah. What happened to I rise with the sun." I laughed.

"So you remember that." I promised myself I wouldn't get lost in his eyes but they pulled me in. He slowly brought his hand up to mine, brushing it lightly before taking it. I played along and tangled my fingers with his. His expression changed. He looked surprised and happy all at the same time. He propped himself with his other arm and started getting closer. I wanted to, I really wanted to but I was afraid he would reject me again. I lightly put a hand on his chest. His eyes opened.

"What?"

"Don't bother." It was more like a whisper but he still caught it.

"Why not?" He asked shocked.

"I know this isn't want you want Zuko."

"Yes. Yes it." He began to lean again but I stopped him.

"Then why didn't you want to kiss me before?" This I whispered into his ear. He knew what I meant.

"I-I don't know I-

"That's what I thought." I got up and he followed grabbing my wrist.

"Katara you can't keep running from me like this." I turned to him, now facing his bare chest I tried to ignore. Great.

"Katara please don't run from me." He took hold me and wrapped his arms around my back. I felt a tear run down my check. Tears? Really Katara, man up, it's just a guy. You can't cry over a guy, especially not this one. I sighed and pulled away trying to hide the tears from him and walked out. I leaned against the wall closing the door. Why Zuko why do you have to make things so complicated for me?

I bounced of the wall and headed down stairs with the rest of the gang. We walked through the market place with Hama helping her with groceries. I tried to avoid Zuko by helping out Hama.

"That Mister Yhao seems to have a thing for you." I told the old women. "Maybe we should go back and see if he'll give us some free komodo sausages."

"You would have me use my feminine charms to take advantage of that poor man? I think you and I are going to get along swimmingly." She clasped her hands together excited to make a new friend.

We passed by one station where a man told someone about the full moon and how he couldn't afford loosing another delivery boy. Sokka, of course thought it sounded suspicious and thought it had to do with 'spirit world shenanigans'. Sokka and Aang already thought up a plan on how they would ask around town about the spirit and have Aang confront it and save the day yet again.

"Helping people. That's what I do." Aang said. I smiled and rolled my eyes at what my friend said.

"Why don't you all take those things back to the inn? I just have to run a couple more errands. I'll be back in a little while.

"This is a mysterious little town you have here." Sokka told Hama, already following through with his little 'plan'.

"Mysterious town for mysterious children." Suddenly we all look at Sokka who seems dumbfounded.

X-X-X

We headed back to the inn and started to put the groceries away. Sokka wasn't giving up on his plan and told us he thought Hama was strange. Of course we all thought this way but never were so serious about it like he was. I had to take Hama's side of course. She took us in and helped us when we needed it. She reminded me of something gran gran would do.

"I'm going to take a look around." Sokka was just not listening today. He headed for the stairs and we followed quickly behind him.

"Sokka! Sokka what are you doing? You can't just snoop around someone's house!"

"Sokka, Katara's right. Maybe you shouldn't do this." Zuko said.

"It'll be fine." The snoop assured us.

"She'll be home any minute." Aang whispered to him.

"Sokka don't do this. It's not right." Suki took his arm but he kept on walking. He went through empty rooms and closets.

"Sokka you're going to get us all in trouble!" Toph told him.

"This is just plain rude!" Nothing any of us said stopped him. He reached a small door that he pulled open, revealing a bunch of dolls that fell out, scaring him and causing him to draw his sword.

"Okay. That's pretty creepy." Aang admitted. Yeah, it was. But I had to defend this woman. Sokka still, did not stop and walked on to the attic. He looked through the key hole.

"There's a little chest in there." Toph was suddenly excited.

"Maybe it's treasure!" We looked at her like it was unbelievable. She was probably just being funny. Sokka opened the attic door with the tip of his sword and walked right in picking up the box. Toph took it from his hands, making a key from her bracelet, and trying to bust into the box.

"This is crazy." I told him. "I'm leaving."

"Suit yourself." I looked back when I heard the chest click. I ran to huddle around it, as did Zuko, Suki, and Aang.

"I'll tell you what's in the box." Hama surprised us all making us scream. We looked ashamed and handed her the chest. She opened it and pulled out a blue comb.

"It's the last thing I own from growing up in the southern water tribe." Hama surprised us yet again causing Sokka and me to look totally amazed. Everyone looked as us in shock.

X-X-X

Later that day we all came down for our evening meal with lots of questions. When I sat down I noticed the sea prunes waiting to be eaten. She explained everything to us. She once lived peacefully in our tribe but the fire nation took her along with many other water benders. She eventually escaped from the prison but never got back home. I has amazed at her story and very honored that she wanted to teach me everything she knew. I knew I felt a bond with her.

"I would be honored to learn from you Hama." I smiled at her and she nodded.

X-X-X

After dinner we headed back to our rooms.

"Can you believe that Hama knew gran, Sokka?"

"Yeah, but I still thinks she creepy." I smacked his arm.

"Be respectful." He mimicked me in a high pitched voice but I shrugged it off and continued to my room. I tried getting there without having to deal with Zuko. I wasn't in the mood to talk about our 'relationship'. I said goodnight to Suki and hurried into my room and closed the door but it stopped. Someone's foot was wedged in the door. Gee I wonder who that is.

"What Zuko?"

"Well you don't seem happy I'm here."

"I really don't want to talk about…us ok."

"Well I wasn't planning on talking about us I just wanted to talk. But if we happened to wonder off into our relationship then…that's ok too." He looked up with a funny grin on his face. I sighed.

"Zuko there is no us ok. There will never be an us. I thought we had a …connection before but I was wrong. I was wrong about you. Us is just not-

I was suddenly silenced by is lips on mine. My eyes widened in shock. I didn't pull him away just yet. I waited. I watched him the entire time. I watched how concentrated he was. How much he wanted this kiss to mean something. A part of me wished the same. Would I let the past get in the way of a real relationship with Zuko? I was being stubborn about it. Maybe I could give him a chance …maybe.

He opened his eyes, never moving his lips from mine, and starred back into my eyes. It seemed like in eternity getting lots in his golden eye with his lips touching mine. It was awkward but it didn't pull us away. I finally pulled away and moved my lips to his scar and kissed it gently. He wound his arms around me but I took them off.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." I covered my mouth with my hand. Did I just want to see what I missed that day at our camp? Probably.

"Goodnight." I just nodded and closed the door behind him sobbing as well. Katara don't. You have a big day ahead of you. A day with a water bending master.