Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or anything associated with it. This is for amusement purposes only—so I hope you're amused!
Chapter 10
Suki and Katara waved as Sokka drove away from campus. Smiling, they giggled as they discussed the day's events. Remembering Sokka's flustered reaction to Aang's and Toph's 'interesting' sand sculptures, they broke into guffaws as they stood in the hallway unlocking the door to their room. As they entered, Suki calmed her shaking shoulders and took a deep breath as she finally decided to talk to Katara about what she had observed earlier that day. Time to get some serious dirt…
"So, Katara, what was going on with you and Zuko today?" she asked plainly, as they walked into their shared room.
Warily eying her roommate, Katara took a deep breath, "Um, nothing, why?"
"What I saw wasn't 'nothing,' Katara," the short-haired girl replied knowingly as she unpacked her beach bag. Examining her roommate for a reason as to why she would keep the truth to herself, she continued, "I noticed when you first saw him and Iroh—with a big smile on your face, no less. And something tells me you weren't smiling at the sight of Iroh in swim trunks," she exclaimed, one eyebrow raised.
Wearing a more serious face, she continued, "Not to mention I caught you when you were rubbing suntan lotion on his back. So are you going to tell me what's going on or not?" I just want to help, Katara…We're friends aren't we?
I guess I'd better fess up, but what if she tells Sokka? I don't want to have to deal with him and this…Sitting down cross-legged on the floor and looking Suki straight in the eye, "You have to promise not to tell Sokka…"
Oh, that's definitely a promising start if I ever did hear one, thought Suki, smirking internally. Laughing at the notion that she would share such obviously important information with her roommate's brother, she assured the other girl. "Katara, of course I won't tell him! I'm your roommate and teammate first and—well, whatever I have with your brother—comes second. Besides, who do you think distracted him when I saw you with Zuko?" she asked with a sly grin on her face. Granted, I did have fun 'distracting' Sokka…"And if your brother's past behavior is any indication, he would've already tried to break Zuko's face by lunchtime if he'd noticed you and him together at the beach! So now that this is out of the way, are you gonna dish or not?" she asked with a knowing smile on her face.
Giggling at the thought of Sokka trying to go after Zuko—that would make for an interesting match—the blue-eyed girl finally gave up on the idea of keeping her attraction to Zuko secret. With a nervous gulp, she began, "Well, since we've been partnered up in class, I've found out he isn't a jerk. In fact, you were right—he does have redeeming qualities."
Smiling widely in satisfaction at having her suspicions confirmed, Suki sat down across from the brunette and encouraged her to continue. "And?" she wheedled, relishing Katara's attempts to evade eye contact. Come on…if you can't share this with me, how are you ever going to deal with him?
Unknowingly allowing a small blush to creep across her cheeks as she glanced down, Katara finally gushed, "And…I like him. He's genuinely nice and, well, I appreciate it, I guess." Shrugging her shoulders, she continued, "And I think he might like me back…But I could be wrong."
"So, what's next?"
Flashing through Katara's mind, she rapidly contemplated several possibilities—one of which included a very naked version of Zuko—but she brought herself back to reality when it came to what she believed would actually happen.
"Nothing's 'next,' Suki. I may like him, but it's not like I've got an abundance of time to spend with someone else right now. And I really need to concentrate on school and water polo—pursuing a guy right now would be a big distraction from that," the Water Tribe girl honestly replied, her voice laced with a bittersweet tinge as she half-heartedly tried to convince herself of the same. If only things were different…
"I don't get it—you like him, you think he likes you and you're not going to do anything about it? Where's the logic in that, Katara?" Slightly dumbfounded, her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to empathize with her friend.
"I have responsibilities, Suki—to myself, my family and my team. I can't take the chance of falling apart over some guy again. I'm not willing to put myself—or the people that care about me—through that a second time."
"What do you mean 'again,' K?" she queried gently in false confusion. I know what you're talking about, Katara, but your brother swore me to secrecy. He wouldn't have told me if he wasn't worried about you…I swear!
"Well, you know Jet is my ex, right?" watching the girl across from her nod her head, she continued soberly. "Well, he, um, cheated on me last year, around mid-terms." She paused momentarily, her mind flashing back to what she had walked in on earlier that year. He thought I'd be in class…But class was cancelled…
Before she could re-immerse herself in the raw emotions she felt at that horrible, wish-I-could-forget-it moment, she continued, "I took it pretty badly—I was cramming for tests, competing and forgetting to do basic things like eating and sleeping. I was lucky that Sokka and Coach noticed and helped me pick up the pieces." I was lucky they were there watching out for me…I didn't want what happened to me—what he did to me—to get to me…but it did. He did.
Tearing her mind away from the memory, she then placed her thumb and forefinger an inch apart in order to emphasize her next point. Staring her roommate straight in the eyes, she continued, "I was this close to being put on academic probation, Suki. I was this close to losing my scholarship and screwing up everything I had worked for, not to mention disappointing my family."
Getting up from the floor as if trying to physically distance herself from the unhappy memories, she spoke her concerns aloud, "And I'm not going to risk that for what—three months, if that, of satisfying an immature crush on him? It's just not practical…" she finished resolutely, but it could be different, her internal voice chided. He could be different. She ignored the voice. "Besides, he's my class project partner. What am I going to do if the shit hits the fan with him? In the end, it's better this way."
Or at least it's easier this way, her internal voice admonished…but not necessarily better.
"I see your point, but I don't totally agree with you," said Suki sympathetically. "But who am I to argue with the best outside scorer on our team!" she ended on a positive note. Smiling as she got up, she grabbed her plastic basket of shower supplies and a clean towel, and headed to the women's restrooms.
As she walked slowly down the hallway, she reflected on what her roommate had confided. She still has to work with him all semester—I mean, she's bound to break sooner or later…Thinking of the story she'd hear then, Suki grinned lasciviously. But she seems pretty determined. I guess only time will tell… Resigning herself to the fact that her roommate was just confused for the time being, she knew she'd hear more of "the crush" and hoped that, in the end, it would work out for the best. I'd hate to see her hurt again—no one deserves that twice in a lifetime…
Watching Suki silently leave their room, Katara decided to finish unpacking her sand-filled beach bag. As she emptied the tote of its contents, she realized that she had accidentally kept the towel Iroh had handed her earlier in the day. Throwing it into her laundry basket, she figured she'd wash it and return it to Zuko later that week. She didn't notice the large picture of the Blue Spirit on the towel.
Instead, she momentarily remembered the sight of her classmate in his red swim trunks. Her mind slowly went over their interactions that entire afternoon—from first seeing him and every little muscle on him to her final innocent kiss on his cheek at the end of the day which he seemed to like—and she couldn't help but smile. Shaking her head free of the runaway thoughts, she frowned and reminded herself of her responsibilities. There's no way it'll work—just get over it and move on…
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When Monday rolled around, Katara did her best to not stare at her classmate and mentally picture him in his beach attire. Instead, she decided to write Professor Wu's lectures down verbatim during the upcoming class sessions. It kept her mostly occupied, but she'd still snuck in glances at him, only to thoughtfully notice how nice his hands were and I wonder how they'd feel or how his hair flew into his eyes at the most inopportune moment. As soon as class ended, she flew out of the room as quickly as possible, feigning some pressing engagement that she absolutely had to get to on time.
Zuko, for his part, didn't know how to handle the burgeoning attraction going on between him and his classmate. He basically let it go, figuring that it was just a simple kiss and that she'd never meant more to it than the straightforward thanks she gave. By the time their first test was announced nearly a week after their beach run-in, he figured that it wouldn't be inappropriate to ask her to join him in a study session. She might appreciate someone to study with…and if she's not interested, she'll just say no, right? To his pleasant surprise, she accepted the offer and suggested they figure out the details the weekend before the test.
Meanwhile, Katara somehow found the time to chat with bluspirit, still in blissful ignorance of his real identity. Late at night, when she should have been studying or finishing homework, she'd message her online friend, relaying a story about her day or providing small details about herself. She enjoyed the easygoing 'give and take' rapport she shared with him. Why can't it be this easy to talk to boys all the time?, she often thought as she typed away on her keyboard.
For his part, Zuko (as bluspirit) carefully paid attention to what she told him, mentally filing away the information should it possibly become useful in the future. He knew something was different about their interaction, but he couldn't place his finger on it. What he didn't realize was the simple flirtation she had exchanged with him online in the past had now disappeared; Katara's thoughts instead focused on school—or so she told herself—and her classmate. Nonetheless, he still enjoyed talking to her, especially without the uncomfortable awkwardness that he so often displayed in person.
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The time flew by; nearly two weeks since Katara had agreed to a study session with Zuko. She knew that being alone with him wouldn't be the best idea—especially considering your incident at the library last year, but she couldn't help herself. One study session isn't going to screw things up, right?
With classes and her training schedule, Katara had been so busy that it was practically a surprise when the day for going over the exam finally rolled around. Shifting uncomfortably in her plastic seat, she waited for Professor Wu to finish lecturing.
Jumping into the test review, the gray-haired professor wordlessly passed around a review sheet. Acknowledging with a nod of her head that she would now take questions, Professor Wu spent the last 30 minutes of class answering queries made by students. When the class time ended, she reminded everyone to study well over the weekend and waved them off with a flourish.
As he packed up his things, Zuko turned to the brunette at his right, who was doing the same. "So, when did you want to meet up this weekend?"
Closing her eyes for a moment to remember her schedule over the coming days, Katara responded, "Well, I'm going to go to practice early on Saturday and volunteer that afternoon and then I'm heading out to the pool Sunday morning. So, it's either Saturday night or Sunday afternoon or evening. What'll work with your training and DragonsTea schedule?"
"Well, I'm opening on Saturday morning and working the mid-day shift on Sunday. So, if it's alright with you, we can meet up at the library on Saturday night. Maybe 7 p.m.? What do you think?"
As he spoke, she inadvertently remembered a similar evening study session last fall semester. Even if it was with Jet, I did have fun at the time—with the exception of getting caught by Mr. Zei. Mentally grimacing, she forced away the embarrassing incident. But this time, we'll really study. Katara smiled back. "Sure, sounds good. See you then!" As she walked away from him, a small voice crept out of her subconscious, if something happens this time around, you might have to consider getting help for this growing library addiction…
As she left the classroom, Katara quickly reviewed the situation. So, the hot classmate that you're attracted to is going to a late-night study session with you in the library…This could be very interesting…Who knew the library could be such an aphrodisiac? Joking to herself, she momentarily snickered, maybe I should consider being a librarian?
But before her imagination could jump into another Zuko-related fantasy, she whipped her mind out of it and straightened her shoulders in a physical reminder of how she needed to strengthen her resolve. As she strode quickly to her next class she emphasized the importance of ignoring her growing feelings for him. She tried hard to convince herself that what Sokka and Coach had told her was true, that she had to focus on getting an education. You can't pursue this—school comes first this time around! But, deep down, she knew it wouldn't be as easy as they had set out.
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Zuko nervously gripped the straps of his backpack at his shoulders. He'd unconsciously gotten to the library about 15 minutes early in his eagerness to meet with his partner. As he waited on a bench near the entrance, his mind began to wander to his classmate…along with the inevitable images that thinking of her brought.
As he remembered a recent dream—not to mention his more explicit fantasies of late—he didn't notice when she finally showed up right on time. His mind was instead occupied with the thought of her in his favorite Blue Spirit towel and not much else…
Somewhat surprised that he hadn't noticed her, Katara waved and interrupted his train of thought. Stopping right in front of him, she bent over in order to make eye contact with him, uttering, "Hey, Zuko. How're you doing?"
Focusing his eyes on the young woman before him, he smiled, holding in the dirty grin he internally wished he could show. I'm doing better than you should know. "I'm doing alright. Ready to head inside?"
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were having a pretty involved daydream there, Zuko," the young woman joked.
Uncomfortably laughing along, Zuko kept his mouth shut, afraid to reveal anything he shouldn't. Agni help me if she can read minds!
As they walked into the library, they glanced around. Even though it was a Saturday night, the library was still bustling with quiet activity. Illuminated by the stark fluorescent lighting, people were studying in the silent study room and computer stations were filled with students diligently typing or researching. Heading towards the reserve desk, Katara smiled as Mr. Zei's face came into view.
"Hey Mr. Zei, you think I can get a group study room?" she asked with a friendly smile. As the desk attendant shifted his eyes between Katara and her classmate, she couldn't help recognizing the similarities between the current situation and her last late-night rendezvous at the library.
Please don't mention anything embarrassing, Mr. Zei…and I really hope he doesn't think I'm some skank, bringing guys here to satisfy some creepy book fetish! If anything does happen—which it won't—maybe a quick visit to counseling and psych services would be in order…They seem to have counseling groups for everything, but something tells me they won't have one for that. Pulling her brain back to reality, she saw the look on the librarian's face and recognized it wasn't what she was hoping for.
Frowning as he examined the log book closely, he looked up with a small sigh on his lips. "Sorry Katara, but all the study rooms are taken for the time being. It looks like the earliest folks are planning on leaving is 9 p.m."
"Are you sure there isn't anything available?" the dark-skinned girl asked seriously. What are we going to do if we can't study here? I mean, it's the library for Gods' sake—and what the hell is everyone doing here on a Saturday night, anyways?!? Don't they have some stupid frat party to head out to?
The irritation must have shown plainly on her face as the librarian replied, "There isn't anything available. I guess everyone's studying for one thing or another and we just don't have the space with only the reserve room open this late at night. Sorry, but I just can't help you this time, Katara. Good luck with your studies!" he ended on a positive note, not to mention a sly grin he intentionally shot her way.
As they walked outside, Katara felt slightly embarrassed by the look Mr. Zei gave her. I hope Zuko didn't notice it—how the hell would I explain that…There really isn't any other way to explain it…not to mention how uncomfortable it would be to even mention what happened out loud…She still remembered how hard Toph had laughed when she'd relayed the story to her months ago.
When they finally made it back into the cool night air, she turned to Zuko, who had a somewhat worried look on his face. Unaware what to do next she simply asked, "So, what do you think we should do?"
Not wanting to miss the opportunity to study with her—I'm sure there are a few things I could help her with, he seriously convinced himself—he replied, "Is there anywhere else on campus that we can study? I don't know if the commons or the student union is open, but we could go there—"
Shaking her head, the brunette interrupted his train of thought, "They're both closed on weekends." Realizing they were out of options, she made the only suggestion she could, It's probably a bad idea, but I hope he won't be put off by this. There's really no where else to go…"Well, my roommate's out of town, so we can head over to my dorm room. We're allowed to have guests until about midnight—not that I think we'll be studying that late—but it'll be quiet and comfortable. What do you think?" she asked, studying his face for any signs of trepidation. But she silently hoped that he would go with her suggestion. Okay, no funny business, Katara. You're going to study with him and then send him off on his merry way…Besides, he could just say no, right?
Shrugging his shoulders, the young man reluctantly agreed. Not only is her roommate out of town, but it'll be quiet and comfortable…Convincing himself that they would simply have an innocent night of studying, he replied "If you're okay with it, sure. I mean, it's not like we have anywhere else to go, right?"
Beaming a wide smile at the response that she'd received, she began to walk purposefully towards her hall. "Right. Well, I guess I'll lead the way."
After a moment, Zuko looked over at her and asked, "Are we in a rush? You're walking pretty fast."
Katara swallowed her nervous laugh. "Oh no, um, sorry. I'm, uh, just keen to start studying. I mean, we only have so much time, right?" she lied, cursing her eager feet and the mental image of Zuko in his swim trunks again that had spurred her on to begin with. Just admit it—you're screwed, Katara! Admitting it is the first step, right? coaxed her internal voice. Bite me—we're gonna study if I have to wrap him in my damn parka! she seethed back.
She seems…tense, part of him remarked. As they walked away from the library, he noticed the slight apprehension he felt at going to her dorm room. You're going to be in her room, alone, no supervision or interruptions…Don't do anything embarrassing, Zuko—remember she's your classmate! Relaxing slightly, he reminded himself, you're a sensei—you've just got to stay focused on what's important here—you're just there to study with her. Nothing more, nothing less.
But what kind of girl brings guys up to her room? a hungry voice reminded him.
As if reading his mind, Katara interrupted the growing silence between them and mindlessly blurted out, "Just so you know, I don't really bring guys up to my room…So, uh, don't get any ideas," she joked half-heartedly. But if you just can't control yourself…
"Right, no ideas," he muttered back. Of course, as soon as he said this, his mind did flood with what could possibly happen… actually, flooded systematically with everything that could possibly happen.
Nervously continuing, "Yeah, if Sokka even knew you were coming over, he'd probably lose it. He kind of has a problem with me and guys."
"Yeah, I, uh, kind of noticed that. He seems very…protective…" he trailed off and, once again, they were enveloped in quiet. Every footfall, every breath they took, seemed magnified as the noise echoed off the nearby buildings. Every now and then, someone would walk by, and then disappear into the darkness. Not considering how chilly it would be on the walk back to her dorm—I'm from the South Pole, how could I possibly forget my jacket?—Katara secretly wished she had the nerve or the invitation to slip her arm into his, if for no other reason but to be a little warmer.
Coming up to her residence hall, she pointed at the building, "Well, here's my res hall. We'll just get you checked in really quickly, then we can head up and get our study on!" she said as cheerfully as she could, masking her discomfort at the idea of having him in her room alone.
While they walked up to the front desk, Joo Dee sat there reading through some trashy celeb magazine. As soon as she eyed them, though, her trademark fake smile flashed on. "Hello—it's Katara, right? How can I help you?"
"Hey Joo Dee, I just need to check in a guest. He'll be here until about 11 p.m."
Scanning the young man at Katara's side, "Well, then, I'll need to see your ID card, sir." Pulling the wallet out of his back pocket and grabbing his student identification card, Zuko obliged. As she scanned the card, she wrote down his ID number in a small log book. "Thank you. Please note that you'll need to leave no later than midnight—there are no overnight guests in our hall." With an overly cheery smile that bordered on maniacal, she handed Zuko his card back. "Have a nice evening!" she called after them as they headed towards the elevator.
As they stepped into the elevator, Katara whispered in a conspiratorial manner, "I swear Joo Dee's on uppers or something because her cheery attitude has to be chemically induced. I mean, who smiles like that all the time? I'd go crazy if I were her…"
Chuckling at the idea of Katara wearing the same creepy smile, Zuko quieted as the elevator went up. As they slowly moved along, he became aware of how small the room was and how close his partner was. It suddenly seemed a little too warm in there and as the doors opened, Zuko let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. It was just warm in there—it didn't have anything to do with being in a confined space with her. Besides, if this is how you act now, what exactly do you plan on doing when you're actually in her room?
Walking him down the hallway towards Katara's room, they could hear the noise of music or a TV murmuring through the walls. After unlocking it quickly, Katara led him inside. With a simple announcement and a weak smile, she welcomed him with a comic flourish of her hands, "And here we are."
Looking around the room in curiosity, Zuko instantly recognized which side belonged to her. On her bed was a powder blue polka dot comforter with a stuffed koala-otter sitting on her pillow; above her desk was a corkboard covered in a dozen photos of her with her family, her team and a couple of shots of her with Toph and Aang; finally, sitting on her desk was a framed photo of what Zuko presumed was her family, including both her parents. She looks a lot like her mom…he thought to himself before turning his attention back to her.
Kicking off her shoes near the door, she closed the space between them and put her book bag down by her desk, motioning for him to take a seat on the bed. "Why don't you sit down?"
Noticing her movement, he took off his shoes in kind and gingerly sat down on the edge of the bed. Placing his own backpack nearby, he hesitated a moment—I suppose I should focus on studying, as opposed to other 'activities'—and queried, "I guess we should get started, huh?"
Smiling brightly, Katara responded, "Yeah, let me dig out the flashcards I made for some of the key terms and concepts." With a shrug of her shoulders, she continued, "I find it's easier to memorize things this way. I'll go through them with you and then we can review some of the theories from the past few chapters. Okay?"
"Sounds good. Let's get started," he responded, impressed she had planned everything out. Not that it would be entirely horrible to have some time to kill doing something else…Leaning back on the bed so that his back was to the wall, he pulled out his books. Katara joined him, hopping onto the opposite end from him with her flashcards in one hand and her notebook open across her lap.
Soon enough, she was barking terms and concepts at him, eagerly awaiting his response. At times, she laughed at his definitions, either because they were absolutely wrong or because he had an odd way of explaining something. Her eyes memorized his movements, including his self-assured smile when he got something right and how his hands run through his hair when he realized he was incorrect. It took quite a bit of willpower for her to keep her focus on their studies.
As the night wore on, they went back on forth, clarifying the myriad theories that they had been presented thus far in the semester. At times, Zuko would groan in frustration as he feverishly looked for the answer in their book, triumphantly pointing out when he was right and sheepishly apologizing when he was wrong. Katara had similar reactions, though hers came out less politely on certain points of contention. Eventually, they conceded it was time for a break, especially as both had been stifling yawns over the past half-hour.
"Alright, I don't know about you, but I definitely need a stretch to wake me up," admitted Katara, grimacing at her stiff muscles and how her butt had fallen asleep from sitting so long. Standing up to pace a bit and roll her shoulders, "Hmm, you up for a quick snack?" she queried politely.
When he looked up from his notes, she was already on her hands and knees, pulling out a plastic tote from under her bed. Rummaging through it, she poked her head out and asked, "You like fire flakes, right?"
"Yes, thanks," he replied, surprised she had remembered. As he gratefully accepted, a bag of fire flakes came flying from over the side of the bed. He caught it easily, but yawned wide enough to crack his jaw and rubbed his face to 'wake up' a bit. Definitely a good idea, he agreed; I hadn't realized how dozy I was getting.
"There you go. I think I'll munch on the mango," she said as she hopped back onto the bed, refreshed from the mild activity. "So, I think we've finished everything on the review sheet. Did you need to go over anything else?"
I could think of a few things to 'review' but none of them will be on the test…Hoping to extend his time with her for just a few more minutes, he suggested, "I think it might be good to go through the textbook one more time—you know make sure we aren't missing anything important."
Considering the thought as she tore into another piece of dried fruit, it would be a shame to miss anything important…anything important, her mind emphasizedShe pursed her lips as she replied, "Alright. But we better be sure to get you out of here soon—we wouldn't want to upset Joo Dee," she joked with a remarkably accurate parody of the dorm manager's artificial smile. It caused them both to chuckle a bit as they settled back in to their studying.
Katara skimmed the pages, looking at all the text she had thoughtfully highlighted in bright blue earlier in the semester. After about 30 minutes of staring at the pages, though, she began to feel drowsy. Her eyes fluttered in a feeble attempt to keep her alert. Stay awake…gotta stay awake…need to study…she chanted in her mind. Alas, she gave in and her head drooped as her body relaxed, giving in to the slumber that she so sorely needed.
Zuko, of course, was so intent on his studying and avoiding the piercing blue eyes of his classmate—every time you look at her, some silly thought crosses your mind—that he didn't notice her nodding off. Unfortunately for him, he, too, began to drift off. He tried shaking off the feeling—this isn't the library, you can't fall asleep here! Just imagine the look on her face when you wake up…However, internally he reveled at the potential of waking up next to her and, eventually, his body won out in the end. In moments, Zuko was asleep, too, slumped against the wall, blissfully unaware of what would soon transpire.
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He thought he was dreaming—he honestly believed that everything he was feeling couldn't be real. But deep down inside, he knew, it's all too real…He could smell her hair, could feel her warm back against him—he could practically feel her in his arms.
Coming out of his nap, he was vaguely aware of the wall at his back and something lumpy under his head. Adjusting himself, he accidentally banged his head against the wall. As he opened his eyes, he noted in his haze that he was lying on his side with a stuffed koala-otter directly in front of him. What the hell is a stuffed koala-otter doing on my bed? he wondered in confusion. And then it dawned on him—he wasn't in his bed. Realizing that his arm was wrapped around someone's waist, he delicately removed it and then moved the stuffed animal out of the way, his eyes widening in shock as Katara's wavy brown hair revealed itself.
Oh shit, I must've fallen asleep! What's going on? I don't remember falling asleep next to her…Not knowing if he should move or not—what if she wakes up? He lay there, still for a moment, trying to find a way to carefully extricate himself from the situation. He began to move his right arm in hopes of pushing himself up from the bed, but he stopped as soon as he felt Katara stir.
"Mmm…" she grunted in her sleep, impeding his actions.
Inching nearer to him, her bottom rubbed against his groin as she snuggled herself ever closer. He lay motionless, back against the wall, as he bit back a small moan—is she trying to seduce me in her sleep or something?!? Reaching for his arm, she entwined her fingers with his as she pulled him around her waist. In moments, Zuko's fingertips were brushing against the smooth skin of his classmate's stomach.
Well, I guess this isn't the worst position to be put in, he thought gamely, as he found himself nose deep in the mass of chestnut curls atop the sleeping girl's head. I suppose I could try sleeping again—I mean, I can't get in trouble if I'm asleep, too, right? Stopping short of nodding to himself in agreement, he suddenly heard a shrill alarm sound from the other side of the door. What the hell is that?!?
Within moments of the siren going off, the girl at his side stirred. Waking from her nap and squinting at the sudden brightness, Katara wasn't sure what was going on. Closing her eyes to more fully consider the situation, she thought Is that the fire alarm? Ugh, this better not be another stupid fire drill! Figures—I spend the whole damn night studying and, of course, some idiot has to do something stupid to get the alarm going. Please just be a practice drill I can ignore, it's the middle of the night and my bed is so warm and comfy right now.
…Really warm, she realized, and she should've smartened up by that alone, but she instead wallowed in her pleasant ignorance another moment longer. Not to mention the well-muscled arm around my waist…Arm around my waist? What in the world…As she became more conscious of her surroundings, it dawned on her…there was somebody with her in bed. Her bed.
What in the world is going on? she thought to herself starkly, confronting her growing anxiety. Her eyes widened as she stared across the room, forcing her breathing to stay level. She had never walked Zuko out that night, and she didn't remember him leaving. Uh oh…
She looked down, following the line of his upper arm, down to his elbow, to his well-toned forearm, hoping that his appendage would magically disappear, only to be somewhat shocked to feel his warm hand on her tummy. Fortunately for Zuko, she found she really didn't mind it. Great, not only do you have a guest in your room after hours—and a very handsome male guest at that—but you didn't get anything out of it, either! Not even a kiss! So now you're going to be in trouble with Joo Dee and you'll have to move in with Sokka and never see another guy again—for what? What was supposed to be a simple night of studying!
After taking a deep breath and mentally berating herself further, she cautiously rolled over—he might still be asleep for all I know—and turned to face the man who lay only inches from her.
Upon feeling her turning towards him, Zuko panicked and froze up, unsure if he should move his hand, jump out of bed or simply take whatever was coming to him. Is she going to freak out? It isn't what it looks like, Katara—I mean, it's not like I took advantage of you or something.
Gazing at him for a moment, she appraised the situation and admired his slightly scruffy appearance, not to mention the fact that he looks fantastic laid out on my bed like that. Not sure what to say, she quietly asked, "This isn't studying, is it?" Looking down at both of them, she silently thought, at least I have my clothes on—that's a good sign…And falling asleep next to him explains the dream I had, doesn't it?
Zuko's cheeks tinted, revealing his embarrassment. "I fell asleep and woke up next to you." Finally realizing that he still had his hand around her waist, he removed it quickly and pointed at the textbooks that were carelessly tossed on the floor, emphasizing, "We must've fallen asleep while we were reading. I woke up when I heard the alarm." He looked pensive a moment before continuing. "Honestly, Katara, I didn't mean for this to happen. And I certainly don't want to get you in trouble with your res hall advisor."
Breaking what could have been a tender moment, Katara shook herself out of the grogginess that still lingered and paid attention to the fact that the fire alarm was still blaring in the background. "Okay, uh, with the whole fire alarm thing, I think we both need to get out of here right now."
He nodded as she got herself out of bed and glanced at her alarm clock, groaning, "Fuck, it's 1:30 a.m.! I really hope Joo Dee doesn't notice you when we evacuate—I don't want to get a notice. Anyways, let's high-tail it out of here. You ready?"
Zuko's mind raced as he rushed to gather his things, his good intentions warring with his more honest desires. All I have to do is grab my stuff and get out. Hopefully, she'll just shrug it off and forget about it. Yeah, right, how could anybody forget about waking up next to their classmate in bed? Whatever—just grab your stuff and go!
As he hopped on one foot to pull on his sneaker, they heard some muffled shouting. Turning towards the banging on the door, they both froze. "If anybody's in there, please evacuate quickly," a frazzled, albeit still saccharine voice called out. "This is NOT a drill—I repeat, this is not a drill!" the manager called, becoming more distant as the person ran down the hall.
Stupid Joo Dee—I'm trying to get out of here as quick as I can! "You heard her, we've gotta go!" she said glaring at Zuko, thoughtfully grabbing a jacket before dashing out the door.
Not knowing his way around, he simply ran after the girl who was furtively moving down the hallway. Listening for the sounds of anyone who may catch her sneaking out her late-night guest, she darted into the women's restroom. He followed her inside, not knowing what was going on. Katara poked her head out the door to check for any oncoming bodies, briefly explaining the situation. "If someone finds you here, I'll be in BIG trouble. I'm not supposed to have anyone here after midnight, okay? So, I'm just gonna sneak you out as best I can."
Nodding in understanding, he let her lead the way. As they raced between hiding places, she peeked around the corner one last time before they finally made it to the stairwell. As they raced down—as nonchalantly as possible—they heard the footsteps of other people above and below them. Even though it felt like a serious situation, they could still hear people laughing above the din of the alarm. At least no one's hurt…or at least it doesn't sound like that big a deal, Katara thought breathlessly as she headed through the exit door and, finally, into the cool night air.
Crowded 50 feet away from the building, the residents of the dorm were milling about. As they had practiced in an evacuation drill not too long ago, Katara knew to check in with the safety coordinator. Of course, the safety coordinator was whoever was manning the front desk at that time—which meant Joo Dee would be frantically running around, trying to check everyone in. Pushing Zuko into the anonymity-granting crowd—Joo Dee cannot find out that he never made it out tonight—she scanned the herd for the cheerful face she'd become accustomed to encountering on weekend evenings.
After a few minutes of waiting, Joo Dee burst out of the building, wearing a hard hat and a bright yellow vest. Shouting to the crowd with a frustrated smile, she tried her best to command their attention, but saw her attempts fall flat. "I need everyone to check in with me and let me know they've made it out of the building safely! Please check in immediately!"
The Water Tribe girl calmly approached the woman, "Hey, Joo Dee—guess I need to check in, huh?"
"Name?" Joo Dee asked automatically, eying the clipboard before her. Consumed with her current status as safety coordinator, Joo Dee didn't bother to look at the person addressing her.
Rolling her eyes, she obviously knows my name, the brunette responded, "Kuruk, Katara Kuruk. So, what happened if this isn't a drill?"
Realizing who she was speaking with, the girl's cheerful demeanor cracked for a moment. Showing a fraction of the weariness she had been masking, she confessed. "I guess some idiots were throwing a ball around on the fifth floor and hit one of the sprinklers…so the alarm went off and the fire department was called." At that, Joo Dee rushed off again, intent on checking in all the displaced residents.
Shaking her head and walking away herself, Katara was kind of surprised to find Zuko waiting for her a few feet away. What is he still doing here? If I was him, I would've just gone home…
Not knowing what to do, Zuko had decided against skulking off into the night. It wouldn't be right to just sneak off—I better apologize for what happened. I mean, with the exception of falling asleep in my arms, the night went pretty well. Then again, I didn't mind her sleeping in my arms…
As she approached him, eyes shining brightly in the moonlight, he quickly apologized, "I'm sorry—I didn't mean to fall asleep. I guess I was tired. Nothing happened, okay?"
Pointing her index finger into his chest to emphasize her point, she glared at him, "That's right, nothing happened, Zuko. I don't know what you think you were doing in there, but it's not happening again, alright?" I hope this sounds as serious as I'm trying to make it sound. I think it would've been nice to wake up next to him if it wasn't for the damn fire alarm…
Stepping back from the fierceness she was projecting, he put his hands up as a small sign of concession, "No, of course, not. Won't happen again. I'm sorry, okay? Can we just forget this ever happened?" As he spoke, though, he knew he was lying—honestly, he didn't want to forget about it. How often do I have the opportunity to wake up next to a beautiful girl? As he had the revelation, he straightened up a little bit, hoping that his posture would emphasize the forthrightness of his words.
Realizing he understood, she relaxed her stance a bit. "Fine. I guess I was just tired out from swimming and volunteering today…so it isn't entirely your fault." Eyes downcast, she quietly apologized, "I'm sorry, too."
Surprised by her admission, he offered an understanding smile and his hand as a sign of truce, "Forgiven. And with that, I think I'll be going."
She shook his hand, momentarily lost in her thoughts, not realizing that she hadn't let go of him. Damn, he is a good guy…this would be so much easier if he was some pervy jerk…Biting her lip, knowing that she would regret her next move, she pulled him in for a hug nonetheless.
His arms slightly stiff at his side, he quickly gave in to the welcoming and forgiving gesture and returned her embrace. Okay, at least she's not mad at you, he thought, mildly surprised at her physical attempt to smooth things over between them. And you didn't screw things up between you too horribly…
In an automatic gesture, she moved in to give him a short peck on the cheek, as was often the custom in her tribe. As she did so, Zuko's face moved towards her, ostensibly so that he would be able to look her in the eye when she released him.
Looking back, she should have caught the sound—she'd heard it so many times before—but she didn't notice the faint noise of a skateboard coming down the sidewalk.
But before she knew it, Zuko had his lips on hers and the Water Tribe girl found herself in an uncomfortable kiss. But as she thought to pull away, she felt something inside her break; her willpower, her determination, the wavering responsibility she had stubbornly put on herself—it all disappeared as she renewed the kiss, pressing her lips onto his. Gods, forgive me…but I can't fight this…not now…
As she did so, Zuko realized that she was responding to their closeness, in fact, she wants it. He suddenly felt something in his gut tighten, urging him to rise to the opportunity laid out before him. He wrapped his arms around her anew, more tightly and confidently, placing one hand on the small of her back and the other cupping her face. He wanted this; I need this…and he kissed her tenderly, not wanting the moment to end.
While they explored each other's lips a moment longer, they ignored the crowd that was still nearby.
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As he had made his way back home from rehearsal at a friend's house, Jet absentmindedly went "kick, push, coast" across campus on his skateboard. He heard the sirens in the distance and his curiosity got the best of him. Flipping up the board as he came closer, his heart jumped into his throat as he realized the ambulance and fire truck were parked at one of the residence halls.
Doesn't Katara live there? he thought as he ran up to the scene. He stood on a bench, looking at the throng of people from above and trying to make out her face. He searched the group for her, I'll just confirm that she's alright and head out of here. Our last meeting certainly didn't go as planned and there's no sense in making things worse between us.
He remarked on a long- and dark-haired woman who was embracing a man nearby about a dozen feet away, but figured it can't possibly be her…But when he couldn't find her in the crowd, he more closely scrutinized the couple one last time. It was then he recognized her—she's kissing HIM! He thought with renewed fury, gripping his board tightly with white knuckles, I thought I told him to stay out of my way!
His chest puffed in anger as he took deep breaths, desperately fighting to stay in control of his emotions, and his eyes went wide as it dawned on him—what is she doing on a Saturday night with him? As his epiphany occurred, he recognized the situation for what it was—she had found somebody else. Remember what she said at the beach? There really wasn't anything to talk about when it came to 'us.'
While he considered what had transpired between them over the past year, including his infidelity, he still felt the jealousy rise in his throat like bile. We haven't spoken in months…But the last thing I expected was to be envious of him, he thought, with his eyes wide and eyebrows sharpening into points on his forehead.He momentarily considered whether she had felt the same way when she walked in on him not so long ago. But the thought quickly slipped back into his subconscious as he planned his next move regarding his ex. Stopping himself from confronting the couple, he silently got back on his skateboard and made his way home, the machination of a new approach quickly forming in his mind.
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I need to breath, now, she concluded disappointedly. Pulling herself gently away from him, she placed her hands on his chest, absentmindedly licking her lips and realizing he still tastes like fire flakes…Looking into his eyes, she remembered that she had initiated their contact. I wonder what he's thinking right now…Well, he seemed to enjoy it…But was it too forward? Or unexpected?
Embarrassed enough to blush and not knowing what to say, she looked towards her building—oh thank you Gods, a way out of this awkward situation!—and simply garbled out, "Sorry, but I've got to go back inside now." Pushing herself away from him, she quickly turned around—not even giving him a chance to say goodbye—and quickly walked back to her hall, which was now allowing people back inside. When she was sure that he could no longer see her, she broke into a nervous run in an attempt at escaping the people eying her after her 'encounter.'
Standing there staring at her as she left, Zuko didn't know what to make of what had just happened. What was that? Did she just kiss me? Why'd she run off? She apologized, so there's no way she meant for that to happen, or at least I don't think she planned it that way. But she certainly didn't act like she didn't want it…
Shaking his head in confusion—what is it with girls?—he began to walk through the eerily quiet campus as he made his way home. As he silently trudged on, he occasionally looked up at the full moon, quietly wondering what it was that was going on between him and the girl from the South Pole.
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Katara practically ran all the way up to her room after their awkward encounter. When she entered, she had to stop herself from slamming the door behind her in frustration. Noticing her book still on the floor, she picked it up and carefully placed it on her desk. As she looked at her desk, she attentively adjusted the framed photo of her with her parents—before Mom died. And what would Mom think about what's going on? I wish she was around to give me advice on things like this…With a tinge of guilt, she realized that she had already broken the stubborn vow she'd made to herself only a few weeks prior. One kiss and you forget everything you've worked for! Another voice purred inside of her, but it was a kiss worth waiting for!
She thoughtfully licked her lips in consideration of what had just happened and, tasting the lingering flavor of him, she found herself wondering what would've happened if she hadn't left so abruptly. Groaning, she realized that she had only put more fuel on the fire, so to speak, that was her attraction to him. What is it with you and studying with boys? Why can't you just keep an appropriate distance from him? For the last time, you don't have time for this—whatever this is! Deep down inside, she knew she was being stubborn, but she still continued her internal argument. Maybe you should give him a chance? There's no doubt now that he likes you back, she thought as she remembered his tender kisses.
Throwing herself on her bed, she was surprised to find that it was still a little warm. She clutched the stuffed koala-otter that Zuko had tossed aside earlier and turned over onto her back, staring at the ceiling, willing herself not to think about him. But she found her mind drifting to the feeling of waking in his arms. It wasn't so bad. In fact, it was nice, she thought, eyes closed, smiling at the pleasant memoryReluctantly, she realized that she wouldn't mind experiencing it again—maybe under different, less study-related, circumstances.
She felt her heart twist a little sickly inside her chest, though, at everything she stood to lose if she made another wrong decision. This is a slippery slope you're on…Jumping out of bed, she grabbed her bath items and made her way to the restroom. Water always helps…In fact, a cold shower just might be in order…
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Author's Note: I hope that this chapter was worth the wait! The fire alarm idea came from Moor, so I hope I convincingly put it together. And, in case anyone was wondering, the "kick, push, coast" phrase came from an awesome video I saw by Lupe Fiasco. He's a hip-hop artist out of Chicago and the whole video is of skateboarding—it made me nostalgic for the days of being a skate betty.
Anyways, please read and review with any criticism you have. And a BIG thanks to Moor for beta-ing!
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