Bad news. But trust me. It 'll be fine. Maybe. Romance

Avatar: So much mine that I also bought France so I could have bread

Cellular

Zuko and Katara

Rated:T


He couldn't help it.

This was too much.

He laughed in her face.

Katara had been nodding along with his uncle's enthusiastic tea brewing advice. All the while trying to swallow the tea that Iroh had insisted Zuko make.

The brewer aforementioned sat on one side of the square table watching the girl struggle with politeness and respect for his uncle and her urge to throw the teacup at Zuko's head.

The phone rang and his uncle happily ran for it, rattling on about tea and a pai sho tournament.

Katara promptly spit the tea in her mouth back into the cup and dumped it into a nearby bamboo plant.

Zuko smirked.

"You just killed that plant."

Katara glared at him, her finger raised to point like a dagger in his face.

"You mean you killed it."

He shook his head, taunting her.

Katara immediately flushed and opened her mouth.

It was so easy to rile her up.

Abruptly Zuko stood, shutting her up and then shocking her when he snatched her up and swung her over his shoulder.

"Let go! Barbarian!"

Laughing, Zuko stalked up the stairs, ignoring her protests and punches.

He slipped through the hall awkwardly carrying the protesting (yet giggling girl) and went to the door on the stair landing that led out.

He shoved the balcony door open and went outside.

The little porch was a blessing.

Hanging from the back of the house it was a solace from the nosy neighbors and the rest of the world. He usually swung up to the roof but he doubted Katara would take well to being treated like the girl in King Kong.

Zuko calmly placed her on the railing, a hand on either side.

She immediately grabbed the front of his shirt, compensating for the absence of support behind her back.

Katara huffed in his face.

"You're so childish."

He snorted.

"And you're tiny."

She stuck her tongue out at him.

"So why are we up here?"

Zuko smirked.

"I was saving you from uncle."

Katara scrunched up her nose.

"Your uncle is a good man. That's more than I can say for you."

"True."

Katara narrowed her eyes.

"Why are you agreeing with me?"

Zuko smiled predatorily. It was enough to make Katara lean back slightly.

"Uncle wouldn't keep a poor little girl from leaving."

Katara's mouth dropped open and she shoved hard at his chest.

"I'm not a little girl!"

Of course considering his arms were resting around her hips, his stumble backwards forced Katara into his chest.

Katara stared up at Zuko wide eyed, closer than she'd planned on being.

Zuko's voice was hushed.

"Then why does Sokka threaten me if I come within a mile radius of you?"

Katara stuck her tongue out at him.

"Sokka will never stop considering me a baby."

Zuko smirked, voice still low and unnerving for the poor girl trapped in his arms.

"He'd kill me if he were here."

Katara was seemed breathless. Perhaps it was from his words, or maybe it was the way his arms pulled her closer or he bent down to peer into her eyes.

"And why is that?"

Zuko wasn't expecting the question but he smiled softly. It was the gentlest he'd ever been near her.

"Because of what I'm about to do."

Katara's eyes grew wide and began to close slowly.

Zuko leaned in, more than willing to move their relationship onward.

"Zuko."

Zuko groaned and dropped his head against a now very red Katara's shoulder.

"What Uncle?"

When his uncle didn't respond Zuko turned around.

Iroh was still, tears leaking out of the corner of his eyes.

"Uncle?"

Iroh shook his head.

"We have an appointment to attend to nephew."


Zuko gripped the edge of the window sill in front of him.

They kept talking.

And the only thing he noticed was the absence of his uncle's chattering between the doctors.


Katara was swinging her legs over the edge of the dock, silent.

"So what does this mean?"

Zuko bowed his head.

"Could be nothing."

Katara turned to look at him. He could tell from the corner of his eyes.

"Or?" She was too intelligent and stubborn to not drag every detail from his unwilling lips.

Zuko sighed.

"Or I might not graduate."

Katara didn't say anything. But her head leaned on his shoulder and her hand slipped around his.

Zuko rested his head atop hers and slung his other arm around her shoulders.

This would have to be enough.


A.N: SAD. REVIEW