Smoke in My Eyes
Rating: M (for alcohol, language, mild violence and sexual situations)
Summary: In which the couple deal with being singular again.
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your intentions aren't to bother me, but honestly I'd rather be
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Clue number one was the place: a dim restaurant at night.
Clue number two was where they sat: in a booth in the back of said restaurant.
Clue number three was his attire: a long sleeved button-down dress shirt tucked into his black slacks, ending with polished matching dress shoes.
Despite all the clues, however, Katara was unware she was on a date until he flat out asked her out. Even then, she made him repeat himself.
"I would like to go out with you."
She looked at him from across the leftover pasta on her plate on the table.
"Is it really that surprising?"
"Honestly, yes, considering we just met not too long ago."
Haru sighed, a little unhappy that she was not taking him seriously.
"But isn't that the point of dating? To see where things might go?"
Katara picked up her fork and used it to push a meatball around. "I'm sorry, Haru, but I can't."
His green eyes flickered to her face for a moment before casting downward.
"I see."
She tucked some of her long hair behind her left ear as she glanced down at her plate. Katara did feel horrible for turning him down, but there were various reasons why she really should not jump from one guy to the other, especially in the span of twenty-four hours.
She thought back to their phone call the previous night that set it all in motion.
"Hey, Haru, what's up?" she asked, slightly hoping the conversation would go by quickly so that she could go to sleep soon and put the evening behind her.
"Not too much. I'm sorry for calling so late, but I was wondering if you could meet me tomorrow to go over some things concerning the group?"
"Sure, no problem," Katara readily agreed, her eyes darting over to the clock.
"Awesome. Let's shoot for seven at Hollins over on Ridge Rd?"
"Sounds good."
When Katara reached her destination the next day, they did in fact go over things for the group at first, which later turned into small talk. However, it dawned on her that it was just them. Alone. And all the clues started to stack up.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be, it's alright."
They both knew it was a lie, but it kept them going for the rest of the meal.
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Katara needed a listening ear more than anything else once she was back in dorm, but her roommate was nowhere in sight. Katara sat at her desk and called Suki. She picked on the second ring.
"Hey! It's been a while. How ya been?"
Katara briefly wondered if was fair of her to unleash her burdens on Suki since she was more Sokka's girlfriend than her friend, but she needed someone objective.
"I've been alright. Listen, I know this is kind of sudden, and please don't tell Sokka, but you remember that guy I was seeing over the summer?"
"You mean Zuko? Yeah," she voiced on the other end, a little confused but interested. "Is everything okay?"
"It was?" Katara started, uncertain. "Let me take it from the beginning."
Katara explained the situation while Suki listened, her homework left untouched.
When Katara was finished, Suki waited a beat before responding.
"It sounds to me that a break was necessary so that you can figure out what you really want out of the relationship," Suki stated. "I'm surprised, though, by his dad. Considering he's Asian, you would think he would be more understanding of the plights all minorities face."
"Racists come in all forms," Katara put in. "Thankfully, from the look of things, it's only him that has that mind set in the family."
"True. On both counts," Suki agreed. "I'm sorry things went the way they did, though."
Katara shrugged, fighting back a bout of tears that threaten to fall.
"Me too."
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Come Monday, Katara was seated in her Biology 101 class, but everything the professor was droning on about went in one ear and out the other. She absentmindedly doodled on her notebook, her focus almost non-existed until someone tapped her shoulder from behind.
Katara turned and was greeted with a flyer, the print on the paper in neon colors. Her eyes scanned the page, and it turned out it was a flyer for a party that upcoming Friday.
"Do you need me to pass this to someone?" Katara asked.
The woman arched a styled brow. "No. It's for you," she replied, tossing her long dark brown hair over a shoulder.
Katara looked down at the paper again. "It's on Cliff Ave. Isn't that street notorious for frat parties that usually have the cops called on them?"
The woman shrugged. "Sometimes, but that just means it was a wild party, which are the best. So you in?"
Katara frowned, confused. "Why me?"
"Because she likes to take freshmen under her wing, it's her thing," another voice chipped in on the other side of Katara.
She turned toward the voice and was greeted by a petite young lady with green eyes and long ebony hair pulled back into a bun, with a nose ring and five earring studs all on one ear. She had black leather wrist bands on and a cream colored tank top lying over torn up jeans, black combat boots completing the ensemble.
Katara did a quick once over of her other classmate and was struck at how gorgeous she was; with her long hair, some of it acting as a bang over her right eye, the left one rimmed with black eyeliner, her full lips covered in a burgundy red, which matched the spiral snake tattoo high up on her left shoulder. She wore a black tank top, the neckline embroidered with tiny black beads, and a long black skirt, stopping short of her ankles, her feet encased in short, brown boots with two belt-like straps wrapped around them.
Katara wondered how they escaped her notice, but then again, she did have other things swirling around in her mind. Maybe a party was just what the doctor ordered in order to lose herself in mindless music and cheap beer.
"My name is Toph, by the way."
"Sounds tough," Katara pointed out without thinking. "Er, not that that's a bad thing," she piggybacked.
Toph waved a hand. "It's fine. Probably what my parents had in mind when they named me so that it would clash with my small, delicate frame."
"And I'm Jun," the other woman cut in before Toph could dredge up old wounds about her parents.
"Nice to meet you both," Katara stated politely.
"So you're coming to the party, right?" Toph asked.
Katara mulled it over. "I'll think about it."
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"You have to go, Katara!" Suki exclaimed later that day as she sat at her friend's desk, putting another coat of ruby red nail polish on her thumb nail.
Katara sat cross-legged on her bed, a textbook in her lap. "Why? It's just a frat party. Plus I wouldn't know anyone there."
"Because you were invited by Jun," Suki said matter of-factly.
Katara raised a brow. "And that's a big deal because…"
"Because she's one of the coolest juniors here and it's not often she befriends anyone, except first years for whatever reason."
"This isn't high school, Suki, it's college," Katara said, turning a page in her book. "And besides, she has a friend already and they seem pretty close."
Suki blew on her hand before answering. "Like she can't have more than one friend?"
Katara shrugged. "I guess so. Just weird she took an interest in me, that's all." She highlighted a passage, a thought occurring to her. "Wait, how do you know so much about her anyway?"
Suki looked her way, smiling slightly. "Because she invited me too." She dipped the brush in the bottle. "And I heard rumors, like how she usually befriends younger girls, acting as a big sister of sorts or something."
Katara frowned. "Kind of strange but okay. So it's safe to assume you're going to the party?"
"Of course," Suki said, waving her hands carefully, fingers spread. "And now you know someone that will be there. I mean really, what do you have to lose by going?"
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The rest of the week went by in a blur of classes, hanging out with Suki, homework, and no word from either Zuko or Haru, though it was more than understandable. Katara skipped the group on Wednesday, promising herself that she would go next time; and to somehow face Haru again soon because she did like him as a friend, he was like a kindred spirit.
Katara shot a quick text to Suki letting her know that she would be ready in twenty minutes before proceeding to gather her things for a shower.
As Katara walked into the co-ed bathroom, a concept she was still getting used to, she bumped into a hard chest once she hit the corner for the shower stalls.
"Excuse me," she quickly let out, looking at the person whose chest met her face. "Oh!" she gasped, turning red.
"Uh, it's alright," Haru uttered, wishing he brought more than toiletries and a towel, which was firmly wrapped around his waist, into the bathroom with him.
Katara averted her eyes away from his naked torso. "Listen, I just wanna say-"
"No need," Haru interrupted. "If you're going to give me the friend speech, please don't, my fragile heart wouldn't be able to take it," he quipped jokingly.
That made her smile, albeit small. "Fine, I won't. Just know that I would like to try again."
"That can be arranged."
Now her smile was broader. "Thanks," she said, then paused. "Um, well, I'll see you later?" she prompted, giving him a meaningful look.
He took the hint. "Of course. See you around, Katara." Haru left, letting her have some privacy.
Katara only had the room to herself until a couple decided to come in five minutes later and thought it was a smart idea to have sex in the stall next to hers.
She finished her shower quickly and dried off just as fast before securing her robe, then once all her things were packed in her small bag, she left the couple to enjoy themselves.
The stall they used was the same one her and Zuko occupied just last week and Katara wished her brain did not remember that fact.
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Thirty minutes passed by and Katara found herself in front of a big, bricked, three level house that took up a quarter of a the sidewalk, Suki at her side, who let out a low whistle.
"Quite the place," Suki remarked, watching the various people going about their business, some hanging outside the home, a few playing beer pong on the front lawn, red party cups in almost everyone's hands.
The party was definitely in full swing.
"Yeah," Katara answered back, noticing a woman throwing up by the driveway into a bush, her friend holding her hair back. "Think it's too late to change my mind?"
Suki rolled her eyes. "Yes. We haven't even gone inside yet."
If it looks like this out here, do I really want to go inside? Katara thought, but kept it to herself as she followed Suki into the massive house.
When they entered, the bass from the stereo shot through their bodies it felt like their bones rattled. Then the smell hit their noses, which was a heady mix of various perfumes, colognes and just body odors with an overlay of alcohol. Combined with the sight of dancing bodies, couples making out in almost every corner of the home, groups of friends taking shots at a coffee table, and even another game of beer pong being played in the sitting area, it was an assault on almost all the senses.
"Still want to be here?" Katara shouted over the music.
"Yes!" Suki yelled back, walking over to the kitchen area through a long hallway to fill up a cup with beer from the keg sitting on the island counter.
Katara followed, casting a wary eye over the many party-goers.
The kitchen was thankfully a little quieter than the living room and gave their ears a nice respite from the noise.
"I'm surprise you wanted to come here, Suki," Katara admitted, pouring some beer into a cup for herself.
Suki took a sip before answering. "I mean, isn't this what college is all about? Getting free beer at parties and witnessing all the crazy things people do once they've had a few too many?"
"I guess so, but there's also that pesky thing called education too." Katara took a gulp of her beer, looking around the high-end kitchen, from its marble countertops to the slick silver appliances, topped off with nickel hardware on the cabinetry.
They stayed in the kitchen, making observations about this person or that until someone walked by that Katara recognized.
"I think I just saw-" but before she could finish, Katara was smacked lightly on the back by a firm hand from behind.
"Hey, hey! You made it!" Toph cried out, a cup of rum and Coke in her hand.
Katara coughed, surprised by her classmate's approach. "Hey. Wild party, huh?"
Toph shrugged. "Not really. It's actually kind of a letdown," she remarked, taking a swig of her beverage. "Hopefully it'll pick up soon."
Katara and Suki shared a look.
"Oh, Toph, this is my friend Suki. Suki, Toph," Katara introduced.
"Hi."
"Sup."
They went quiet again before Katara asked, "Where's Jun?"
Toph glanced upward. "Necking some guy, last I saw."
Katara was a little disappointed. She kind of wanted to see the older woman again outside a class setting. She had an aura about her that yelled cool, and would have been interesting to see if she lived up to the hype.
"So, Toph," Suki started. "What's your major?"
Toph took another gulp of her drink. "Undecided. I'm just taking random classes until something interested me, though I might want to get a move on."
Katara frowned slightly. "How come?"
"My parents aren't satisfied with me just doing whatever and seeing as how they're paying my way, they would really like a more definitive degree for me to focus on." Toph shrugged, trying to make light of the situation. "Honestly, if it weren't for people like Jun or the parties, I would blow this popsicle stand."
Suki looked at Katara before addressing Toph. "Aren't you a freshman? The school year has barely begun, you never know what might inspire you to stay here."
"Look, I just know that college isn't for me, okay?" Toph stated defensively. "I never cared for learning inside confined walls when the world is the real classroom."
Suki winced. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean any offense."
Toph waved it off. "No biggie. Sorry if I came of kind of bratty. Anyway, I'm gonna go mingle. Y'all should too. Not going to learn much standing in the kitchen all night." And with those parting words, Toph made her exit.
"Wow. I can't say I've ever met someone like her before," Suki pointed out.
"Me neither," Katara agreed, though inside she was in awe of her classmate. Her way of thinking was so freeing, yet Katara knew if she tried that her Gran-Gran would not let her hear the end of it. Katara's mom never went to college because at the time she was pregnant with Sokka and they did not have the funds to support a new family and university at the same time. Instead she was a stay at home mom and when baby Katara came along and eventually turned five years old, she made Katara promise to stay in school, no matter what.
Katara looked wistfully down into her cup, wondering briefly if her mom would be proud of her being at a party instead of studying.
Shaking her head, Katara looked out at the party and caught a glimpse of her roommate walking out a side door next to the living room.
"I think I just saw Ty Lee."
"Your roomie?" Suki asked, pouring another cup of beer.
"Yeah. Do you think I should talk to her?"
Suki finished, swirling her cup a couple of times. "About what?"
"Well, she's friends with Zuko and I could ask how he's doing, I guess."
Suki frowned. "Are you sure that's a good idea? You dumped him, remember? I dunno if she'd want to see you right now."
Katara placed her cup on the counter. "I should still try to make amends," she declared, determined to fix things. Somehow.
"Alright…"
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Katara followed Ty Lee's trail, weaving through the bodies of people standing around doing a whole lot of nothing.
When Katara entered the room, a den attached to the living area, her mind was trying to make sense of what was happening before her eyes.
There he was, sitting on the couch, looking happy, with a tall, thin woman with sleek brown hair running down her tan shoulders, sitting snuggly next to him, her hand on his knee as she laughed quietly at something he said. Ty Lee was on his other side, one leg under the other as she faced him, laughing as well, though more openly.
Katara wanted to run away, yell at him, smack the woman that held no name and cry all at once. However, a decision was made for her when Ty Lee said her name, surprised evident all of her face.
And that was when he looked at her and Katara was frozen to the spot. She remembered those eyes, a time where she was reflected in them on numerous occasions.
Zuko called out her name tentatively, like he could not believe she was in front of him.
"Um, hey…" Katara said, glancing at Ty Lee's worried face to the unknown woman on Zuko's left who had an impassive expression.
"Hey," Zuko answered back, not knowing what else to say.
Sensing they needed some privacy, Ty Lee stood up, addressing her friend. "Say, Song, let's see if Hope is here yet."
Song cocked an eyebrow slightly and then shrugged. "Why not."
They left the den and Katara felt both relieved and annoyed at being left alone with Zuko.
She fidgeted with the hem of her mini skirt, looking down.
Zuko watched her for a moment. "I didn't expect you to be here tonight."
"Me neither. Suki kind of pushed me to go," Katara admitted, looking up.
Zuko smiled but it did not quite reach his eyes. "Never figured you to give into peer pressure."
She shrugged. "Normally, no, but I wanted to get out of the dorm for a while."
"How come?" Zuko asked.
Katara blushed, glancing away. "No reason."
Zuko stood up, walking toward her. "Katara…" he started, uncertain on how to finish.
"Listen, about what I said before-"
Zuko grasped her hand gently, stopping her in mid-sentence. "Let's not."
Katara looked at him.
"I have to get this out," she began. "I'm sorry I left you like that, I just needed time to deal with everything. I know it wasn't fair to you, but it's how I've always been. Ever since my mom died, I've always had a hard time opening up to people because I was afraid they would die on me and I figured what's the point of them getting to know me and me them? I just…I don't know if I'm capable of really being close to someone again, so maybe your father was right anyway, I should stay away from you, but I don't want to, Zuko…" Katara stopped because her vision became blurry and her throat was closing up, cutting off her words.
Zuko pulled her into his arms, embracing her as one of his hands rubbed her back.
He said nothing for he simply held her for a long moment, letting her tears seep into his graphic t-shirt.
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Toph crossed her arms over her chest.
"You heard me, asshole. Back off."
"Oh come on, you don't have to be that way, baby," drawled a tall guy who was roughly five drinks in and had lost all of his common sense.
"Ugh," Toph groaned, walking away. She left him where he stood to try to find Jun and leave this so-called party.
As she rounded the corner leading into the living room, she saw two big guys shoving at a smaller one who had his arms up defensively. The surrounding crowd looked on like it was entertainment, some even hooting.
"Hey, leave the kid alone," Toph yelled, marching over.
One of the guys looked her way, then turned back to his victim, which only enraged her more.
Toph grabbed his forearm, yanking it away before the fist could connect again.
"I said, leave the kid alone."
In that moment, there was a two second delay in between songs and a lot of onlookers taking solace in the small amount of silence provided.
Then, as the bass dropped on the next song all hell broke loose.
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Katara was seated on the couch inside the den with Zuko, her hand in one of his when Suki burst into the room.
"Katara!" she yelled, a little out of breath.
Startled, Katara stood up, rushing over to her friend. "What's wrong?"
"Your classmate is fighting two guys!"
Katara's eyes widen. "Say what?"
Suki grabbed Katara's hand. "Come on!"
Together, with Zuko following, they made a beeline to the living room and Katara could not believe her eyes.
There was broken glass on the floor from the smashed coffee table. A few chairs were upturned, their respective decorative pillows scattered about the place. In the middle of the fray was Toph, kneeing a guy roughly three times her size in the gut and within the next second had that same leg swing around to roundhouse kick another big guy of almost equal statue in the temple, who went down, clutching his head.
Then Katara noticed a smaller guy who could not be older than seventeen in a torn shirt, his face and arms covered in bruises, cowering by the fireplace which was thankfully not in use.
Katara pushed through a few people, most rooting for Toph while a few called the two guys punks for getting beaten up by a girl.
"Toph! What's going on here?" Katara asked when she reached her classmate, paying mind to the glass on the floor considering she was wearing open-toe sandals.
Toph merely shrugged. "These two bozos were wailing on that guy over there so I put a stop to it."
Katara regarded the two guys, one knocked out cold, the other groaning from the pain radiating in his torso. Then she noticed most of the people that were enjoying the fight had since moved on, some going back to their conversations, some leaving to other parts of the house.
"You know how dangerous that was," Katara remarked disapprovingly.
Toph rolled her eyes. "For them, yeah. I'm just peachy." She glanced at the guy by the fireplace. "Hey, you. You might want to leave now, I don't know how long those two will be out and if they're stupid, they might try for you again when they come to. So scram."
The young teen gulped, nodding his head before groping the wall for support in order to stand up. He took off soon after.
Katara frowned. "Well that was mean."
"Look, I handled the situation just fine, so cool it, you're not my mom."
"I…I know that," Katara hesitated, taken aback.
"In any case, I need to find Jun and get the hell out of here, it's gotten boring," and with those parting words, Toph left, easily bypassing all the debris on the floor.
Suki, Katara and Zuko looked on, each feeling a mix of surprise and confusion.
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An hour later after the party became a hodgepodge of strip poker and spin the bottle, Zuko and Katara walked Suki back to her dorm, Katara wishing her a good night while they hugged; Suki in turn whispering to be cautious before letting go and walking through the front door. Katara watched her retreating form, a little confused at first, though when she turned back to Zuko, the message was no longer lost on her.
Oh.
While Katara was able to pour her worries and concerns to him earlier during the party, they never actually said anything about getting back together. Yet, her fingers itched to touch his bare skin and her lips wanted nothing more than to kiss his soundly. It was only a week since she declared she needed a break, but oh how she missed him. However, his father's words continued to haunt her.
As Katara looked at him, she had a feeling he felt the same way, but for the life of her she did not know how to proceed.
"So…"
"Did you-"
They both stopped talking, a pause taking place for a few seconds before they both started to laugh, which help ease the awkwardness.
Zuko stepped closer, grasping her elbow gently, looking into her eyes.
"May I come back with you? I'd like to talk, really talk, and get things sorted out."
Katara swallowed, fearing that would not be all they would do, but she did not want the opportunity to slip by, so she said it was fine and together, they walked the ten minutes back to her dorm in a different building.
Once there, the door firmly shut and locked, no words were exchanged however, just hands pulling and pushing articles of clothing out of the way to make paths for lips, tongues and others to follow each inch of exposed areas of skin.
Katara began unzipping his dark blue jeans as he scrunched up her mini skirt to her waist. After which he did not bother taking off her panties, just simply moving them to the side as he hoisted her legs up onto his hips, sliding in with ease.
Katara let out a gasp, locking her limbs around his form as they had sex against the door, which lasted for a moment before Zuko carried her over to the bed, still joined in the most intimate of ways, and took on a more hurried pace as he fucked her against the mattress.
She clutched at his bare back, her moans ringing out throughout the modest size room; and just when she was on the precipice of an orgasm, her underwear started to dig into her skin uncomfortably.
"Zuko…" she breathed. "My panties…"
He slowed, glancing down at her. "What?"
"They're in the way!"
Zuko looked at offending garment and put two and two together. He moved back and pulled it down her legs, tossing them aside, and then wasted no time in guiding his cock back in.
"Better?"
"Much," she answered, gripping his hips, trying to go back to the pace from before, and Zuko, not missing the blatant signal, redouble his efforts and pretty soon, they both found release.
When she came down from her high, she realized with a start just how weak her resolve was and it scared the shit out of her.
This was bad. This was very bad indeed.
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A/N: Chapter title credits goes to Alessia Cara's "Here."
