Title: Spectrum

Summary: He just gave up on her and on their hundreds of what-could-have-been while she was ready to give them a chance, a future together.

Author's Notes:

Woohoo! First prompt I wrote for a reader! Warning: Angst-ahead~

Guest: I hope you liked it! Let me know how you find it~

Katara sat on a bench under the cherry tree. She tried to look fine like nothing unusual happened, but a sullen poker face was all she managed. She tried to act strong like how she perceived herself but most of the time she ended up replaying a certain moment inside her head.

"Katara… We better stop this."

"Stop what?" She managed to choke out, trying to pull off the oblivious act even though they both know what Zuko was talking about.

"This attraction… This relationship… This thing we are doing…" Sure they were friends on peaceful terms, they go out, make fun on each other, do things together. But they also had been romantically kissing, confessing to the other their deepest and most secretive reflections on life, and considered each other's opinions with high regard, something she doubt she'll ever do to someone who is only a friend, and the same goes with him.

"Why, Zuko?" She struggled to say as she held back different emotions from erupting – confusion, anger, sadness. She looked forward meeting him today in high hopes that they would be making things official between the two of them. She was even imagining what their first official date would be like, but sadly, they weren't envisioning the same ending.

She saw him look away wearing that hesitant expression, at least she wasn't the only one having a difficult time here. "We… We live in two different worlds… I… I can't drag you down to mine… you'd only suffer because of it, and because of me. I want you to be happy, that's why I'm ending this now before I make things gets worse. "

So that's it. He just gave up on her and on their hundreds of what-could-have-been while she was ready to give them a chance, a future together. She felt her walls crumbling down, letting her tears fall. There were things she wanted to say, wanted to rebut, yet no words came out only harder gush of tears. Ironic how speechless she was, when she always had something to say back at him when they were not yet friends on peaceful terms.

"I'm sorry. But please… don't ever think less of yourself. You're a great person Katara. Hate me if that would help you. After all I was foolish think that I can have a normal life without causing you such pain."

"Why are you wearing such a troubled expression, lovely lady?" a man greeted, interrupting the play inside Katara's head.

"Uncle Iroh…" Katara greeted back wistfully. She moved a bit to the side to let the old man seat beside her.

"How is he doing?" she ended up asking. She looked at Iroh with such hopeful eyes, that maybe what happened back then was only a dream. Yet the pain was too sore for it not to be real.

"Honestly if I didn't know the both of you, you would definitely pass as an old married couple," Iroh awkwardly joked, but a moment after his look changed to a more serious and kind one. "When I mentioned you this morning, he had the same mournful look like yours," he finally answered.

"Zuko... He ended up things between us. He… He told me that we live in different worlds, and that I'll only end up suffering because of him. He thinks that being with me would only bring trouble to my life…" Katara confessed. She wasn't the emotional type, but telling Iroh this just felt right.

"My nephew, he's been through a lot…" Katara nodded. Zuko told her about his fucked-up family was – their corrupt family business, his abusive sadistic father, his gone mother and his crazy sister. "He still thrives to do the right thing, despite his haunting dark history dragging him down. If there's a way, he wouldn't let others to experience the same pain and suffering, even if he'll also be hurt in the end. Maybe that's why he concluded that it's the best to end things with you before things gets worse," Iroh looked at the sky as if his proverbs were written there.

"Both of you have such kind passionate souls. It's just that you're blessed with a warm loving family and caring friends. It's like being on the same spectrum, but just in different ends." He gently placed a hand on hers. "Katara, I'll be honest. My nephew isn't one of the easiest people to be with. You might find yourself, crying more tears, than you ever shed in your whole life, feeling the pain you never imagined. But I believe in him, and to me every moment with him is worth it no matter how hard times get."

"Now it's your turn to make a choice. If you choose to be with my nephew, to be with Zuko, I'll help the two of you in every way I can. If you don't I'll still support you, after all, I already consider you as a daughter." The tea maker gently smiled at Katara, something that she really appreciated.

"Let me think about it Iroh. Thank you so much." Katara smiled at Iroh, before giving him a bear hug. He smelled nice like just the jasmine tea he makes.

Author's Notes:

I hope it wasn't too OOC~ Please review and feel free to give prompts here or on tumblr! =)