Katara's POV:
I walked out of the bathroom and heard Azula talking with Zuko, telling him how the perfect guy I described reminded her of him, and she even told him about what I said about his scar.
I felt the red blood hit my cheeks as I ran for my room, I couldn't face him now! Not now, not ever.
He would think I was something to laugh over, someone to punish even more now that he knows. I can just die of all the embarrassment that I feel in this moment. I feel like I am going to be sick.
I didn't just feel like I was, I felt my sickness come up and before I knew it I was rushing out of my sanctuary and ran for the bathroom. As I ran I saw Azula coming my way and then when she was about to stop me I rushed past her only to bump into the reason I am sick in the first place.
Zuko.
I turned my head as I felt the vomit come into my mouth. I saw nothing but blackness after sending away my lunch and crying out an apology.
I came to when I felt someone lifting me gently and calling my name, trying to soothe me.
"Shh... it's okay. Katara, we are going to get the healer. Azula will get her as soon as possible. Stop crying please." I heard his velvety voice before meeting a soft platform and a cushion for my head. I felt his hand soothe over my cheeks and then through my hand, and then everything came to me. I felt the tears rolling down my cheeks, I heard the hitches in my breath each time I breathed in and when I tried to control it, it just got worse.
"Where is she?" I heard another woman shout then I felt air rushing around me before Zuko's hand left my face.
"What did she eat?" I heard Azula shout and then I heard a mumbled reply.
"Is she allergic to anything?" I heard the same older, stronger tone ask.
"No." Azula said automatically.
"Leave me." The healer said and I just barely heard her as the ruckus started forming. I then heard Zuko's outrageous stance saying how he wanted to stay, only to be told off my Azula and then doors closing.
"Hello My dear, it is nice to meet you, my name is Dama, and I am going to see what is wrong with you. Please try and relax." The healer instructed and I just tried my best, knowing my hyperventilation and tears would do nothing to help.
Zuko's POV:
"Dammit Azula, why couldn't you just leave me in there?" I shouted at her when I walked into Katara's room. She was in mine, lying on my bed and we were instructed to look around her room and look for anything in a powder form that she might have inhaled.
Dama said that her nose had residue from a substance that could have been deadly, and yet she didn't know what it was. We only knew because a lemur in Katara's room was found dead, with the same symptoms.
Katara and Sokka were in danger, and it was defiantly because we brought them here.
"Zuko, I know you have some feelings for her, but she is in no state to wake up and be submissive because you are there, she is going to have to talk to Dama and Sokka. Maybe if you weren't a jerk to her when we last saw her she wouldn't be scared to talk in your presence." Azula said hitting the back of my head as we stopped looking and sat on her bed.
"I don't know what to do, when we first got here, it was like me had a normal conversation, and now… now she almost died and I feel too protective of her." I said and ran a hand through my hair.
"Zuko, answer this for me." Azula said making me turn to face her. "Did you start feeling things for Katara when we were little, I mean when we first met her." Azula clarified and I just sat back and thought about it.
She was some sassy girl who just took what her mother said to heart, much like me. She didn't care about any harsh things I said to her and even when I got her name wrong the first time I came face to face with her, she didn't hold it against me the second meeting we had. She said that it was an understanding and that she 'didn't' remember what I was talking about.
"Zuko?" I heard Azula call and I looked at her again. "You have that smile you usually have when I ask you to talk about mom, that one that shows how happy you are, what were you thinking about?" Azula asked and I knew that I couldn't get out of it.
"Remember when we first met Katara and I called her Yue, she was pissed, and I don't know if you know, but the next time I saw her, she pretended that she didn't know what I was talking about. I was taken back at first but I realized she was giving me a second chance… and I want to make sure she has one with me, one that shows that I don't blame her for anything." I said and looked at Azula who had a confused face.
"How are you going to get her to do that, when she can't even look you in the eye because she is so overcome with guilt?" She asked and just like before, it was my turn to look at her with a smug smirk.
I walk out of Katara's room and heading for mine. I knocked and heard a weak voice tell me I could come in. I knew it was Katara's; she had a voice you couldn't forget. I opened the door but stopped myself from just walking in.
"How are you feeling?" I asked and she looked up from her water cup.
"Do you want to rest for the night? I will go to my own room." She rushed to get up and I had to walk in and raise my hands to stop her from talking, which she did.
"You are welcome to use this room; I would feel much better if you did. It is a lot safer at this moment than your own room is." I told her and yet again she stared at her cup like it was about to do a trick.
"Do you need your things; I can take a small stroll so you can get your things together." She said standing already.
"Not necessary. Seriously Katara, I just need to talk to you." I said and she looked towards me, but not at me.
"I have already told Sokka and Dama what happened. I think you would be more comfortable getting the story from them." She rushed out, going back into her cocoon.
"Please sit." I said getting tired of her trying to send me away, or rather herself away.
She sat obediently and stared at her shoes.
"Do you remember when we first met? I called you Princess Yue, and I swear I saw so much anger in your eyes I was readying myself to be punched in the face, but you didn't and the next day you wanted to start over, pretending that I didn't mess up our first meeting?" I asked and she just nodded keeping her eyes on the floor. "I can't hear or see it in your eyes that you really do remember." I said and she took a deep breath before her head started to shift upwards.
"I remember Prince Zuko." She nodded looking me in the eye with no wariness and in its usual place was amusement.
"I know you blame yourself for my scar, but you have the same ones." I said shifting my eyes to her feet that were bare, and showing off her scars, she quickly hid them from my sight.
"I can hide mine." She whispered dropping her head yet again.
"My point is that I do not blame you Katara. I do not blame myself. I do not blame anyone." I said not making a difference in her mind. "I want to do what you did with me. I want whatever you think you are supposed to be ashamed of with me to be gone. I want you and me to forget about our scars and how we got them." I said seeing her eyes slowly shift up almost hesitantly.
"Why?" She asked meeting my eyes with her curious ones.
"Because I don't blame you and I hate no eye contact." I said trying to make a light joke, she cracked a small smile and I had a full blown one on my own face.
"It might take some getting used to." She said looking back down.
"Just pretend I am just anyone else." I said not wanting to say 'Just pretend I am your brother.' It would feel very awkward.
I wanted her and me to be friends. This was the only way to fulfill our mothers wish. I just wanted to make my mother happy, and this was a way to show her that I listened and wanted her to be happy. I would marry Katara because she wanted it, like it or not.
AN: Just in case you were wondering, yes that meant that Zuko is only wanting to be friends with Katara (Then marry her) to please his mother and prove that he loved her.
PS I got a tattoo and throughout this entire chapter I was in pain since I got them on my fingers!
BYE! Until next chapter, that will hopefully be soon!
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