Author's Note: Well, it's not "sad," so I count it as "happy." It's a week overdue, and I apologize for that; also, this felt a little rushed and pressed. I just thought I ought to let you know. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
llllllll
Oneshot 51: Reasons
llllllll
"Why?"
The single word needed no introduction; the earthbender knew precisely what the waterbender was asking. They were alone again, and when such circumstances occurred, the waterbender often took advantage of the private time in order to engage in feminine conversation with her companion. The earthbender was not as thrilled about this "privacy" because she always felt like she was prey being backed into a corner. It was a wholly discomforting idea, to think of the situation in such a way, but it did offer a little insight into her predominantly apprehensive attitude during these sorts of things.
In simply asking Why, the waterbender meant Why do you like my brother? It was a fact that her younger companion had revealed to her recently and, while she'd always had her suspicions, the idea did take some getting used to. Since the earthbender had confessed to her, she'd given the whole ordeal a good bit of thought but for the life of her couldn't completely grasp the why.
She didn't seem to be the sort of person to like someone as inept as her brother; he wasn't a bender. He was funny, granted, and most girls thought he looked good, but humor alone shouldn't have been enough to evoke feelings, and what did she care for looks, anyway?
The earthbender thought about the question, but she could think of no honest answer. There were tons of things she could say, but nothing would be the reason, because there was no particular reason. It's just… how it happened. Of course, his ridiculous eccentricities, innovative ideas, and bountiful sarcasm weren't exactly ignored; she liked those things, truly, but they just weren't why.
She liked the warrior because he was simple. She liked him because he could appreciate her – she liked him because her blindness was nothing but a mindless characteristic to him, like her hair color or her arm length. It was nothing else – not a handicap, not a barrier, not an obstacle. She liked him because he saw her as a friend, as an equal, and treated her like one. She liked him because… well, because he was strong. Because he was brave. Because he took on obstacles as new opportunities and overcame the discouragement that accompanied challenges.
She liked him because he was different, because she'd never seen or heard anything like him before – he didn't go around acting like something he wasn't. He was as genuine as it got.
How could she say all of that?
How could she understand - she, the one who couldn't draw her own conclusions as to her companion's reasoning?
How could she admit all of this to his sister – how could she reveal all of these personal, deeper reasons that she didn't even know quite how to put into words without sounding ridiculous… how could she? How was it possible?
She decided that she couldn't. She could try to word her feelings, but she would fall short and fail because words couldn't do them justice – especially not when she was answering a specific question. It wouldn't feel right – wouldn't be right.
She shrugged, because making futile attempts at trying to explain would have been stupid. It was the safest way out of the situation in which she'd been placed, and she took it.
"You've got to have a reason," she pressed, her voice brimming with certainty.
"Well, I don't."
"Why do you like him?" she tried again.
The earthbender shrugged again. "I just do," she said simply, and the waterbender could tell from the way the words were said that the topic was meant to be dropped. She knew that she could try as long as she pleased, but she would receive no results. It was a simple sort of thing, an easy idea to grasp and understand.
Katara nodded slowly. Perhaps she would try to pry the answer out of her another time…