Author's Note: Another updaaate! I love y'alls opinions, so please review and tell me what y'all think! Good or bad. No flaming though...constructive criticism.
For anyone who hasn't seen my profile, I'm only 15...so that's why I'm not like THE greatest writer or anything. I do my best though.
Out of all the stories I've written I think I'm most proud of this one. Thank you for all support!!!
OH and so there's this amazing story I happened upon, called The Concubine Princess, it's by Turion. I highly suggest reading it, it is amazing! It IS Zutara too, and we all know how much we love some Zutara!
-starts chant- Down with Kataang! Down with Kataang!
Jkjk ;D To each his own.
Sorry again for long update time. Gah. Every time I went to update I'd end up busy!
I'll update at LEAST three times by Monday, I PROMISE.
Two weeks passed. Things were very stressed and awkward with Aang, as his silence and anger grew by the day. Dark circles were under his eyes, and he was eating very little but training- either on his own or with Toph- harder than ever. Every time he looked at Zuko he'd look as if he was about to puke. Aang was sickened with disgust and heartbeak. Every time Katara was asked what was wrong, she would tell them she had no idea.
Katara's arm healed- not 100%, but as close to that as it ever would. The scars were reddish pink, and looked an awful lot like the scars Zuko had over his eye, except they looked a bit less scary since they were on her arm. She could move her arm, though it still hurt occasionally. Katara had more or less regained complete control of her arm, and thanked the Gods constantly for it. Her leg healed cleanly, thanks to Nurse snapping it back into place and supplying them with teas, herbs, extra bandages and oil to help not only Katara, but other injuries and sicknesses as well. Though one thing that irked her was if it ever got rainy, her leg ached and she gained a fairly noticeable limp. But otherwise, all was quite well, so Katara thought.
"You should really talk to him, Katara. I dunno what's gotten into him!" Sokka insisted, pacing around the cave, flailing his arms. Katara was laying right outside the cave, staring through the trees at the sky and the puffy white and droopy gray clouds that floated by. The afternoon promised a rainshower, her aching leg was predicting. That was alright with her though, she could practice bending in the rain.
"I don't know, Sokka. He doesn't really want to talk to me." Katara said simply.
"Katara! He stares at you ALL the time, more than ever! And he's all mopey! And you two won't talk! What'd you do to the guy?!" Sokka cried, making rapid, over-the-top hand motions. He cried out loudly as a small rock bonked the side of his head, and he fell to the ground holding the spot on his head, crying, "AH. THE PAIN. OWOWOWOWOWWWW."
"Just drop it, Snoozles." Toph grunted, walking over and tossing another rock into the air, catching it, and tossing it again. Which never ceased to amaze Katara. "Leave 'em alone if they wanna be left alone. This isn't your concern at all."
"BUT IT'S YOUR CONCERN?" Sokka yelled.
"Don't make me throw this, Snoozles." Toph threatened.
"Yes Ma'am." Sokka whimpered, blue eyes bulging. Toph smirked and nodded.
"Good." She laughed.
Katara watching all of this with one eyebrow raised, holding back a laugh. Sokka was whipped. He and Toph weren't even together- age differences, Suki, and Sokka unwilling to admit that he really cared for the Earthbender in that way being key reasons as to why- but they acted like it. Katara thought it was kind of cute.
"Katara."
Katara jumped, and looked around. Zuko was standing by a tree a few feet away. "Yes?" She answered. Zuko put a finger to his lips and beckoned for her to come here. She stood, making a face as she put weight on her aching leg, and with a slight limp, walked over to Zuko. He grabbed her hands, put a finger to his lips again, and led her away from the cave. They walked for about 15 minutes at a relatively brisk pace, until they came to a clearing, with a ravine. Katara gasped.
"It's beautiful." She mumbled. The view of the sky was amazing. It was midday. Bright, puffy white clouds and dark, damp, gray clouds were floating through the sky, mixing in a weird pattern. She could see where it was raining in the distance. The sun peeked through small holes between clouds in a pale gold glow, giving everything a beautiful light.
"I know." Zuko said, turning to face Katara. She looked at him, and he pulled her closer, into a heavy kiss. Katara's arms snaked around Zuko's neck, and his hands held her hips tightly, pulling her as close to him as he could.
Katara pulled away, gasping, cerulean eyes wide and cheeks flaming. They had had very little contact in the way of romance since that awkward night, when Katara's arm was still healing and her leg made things slightly more painful and just a bit challenging...since Aang caught them.
"I'm sorry..." Zuko said, seeing her face. He closed his eyes. "I couldn't help it...you're just so..tempting..and beautiful, and amazing, and..." Katara placed a slender finger over his lips.
"Shut up, will you?" She growled, and Zuko fell silent. Katara traced her fingertips lightly over his face, His jawline, over his lips. His topaz eyes slipped closed, and Katara lightly brought her fingers to his scar, tracing the outline of it.
"Katara-" Zuko gasped, his voice strained.
"Shh." She commanded, studying the harsh scar. It gave Zuko's face such a cruel look. Beneath it, she knew he was handsome. Gorgeous, even. Even with it, he was, in his own way.
"Katara, please..." Zuko said, voice carrying a desperate note. "Don't."
"Why?" Katara asked.
"I hate it." Zuko hissed. "I hate this scar. I'm just the horrible, ugly scarred prince, one who was once banished, whose scar signifies what a fuck-up and a disgrace to his Nation and his Fire Lord of a father he is. My Father gave me this, you know."
Katara sighed, and stood on her tip-toes, pressing a chaste kiss to the edge of the scar. Zuko's eyes shot open and he grabbed her by the shoulders. "Why," He asked, "do you still insist?"
"Your scar is harsh...it's a burn so of course it's harsh. But it doesn't change you as a person. You shouldn't be so ashamed. You're...amazing, Zuko. Scar or no scar, I'd still care for you. Because a marking on the skin changes nothing." Katara answered strongly, eyes narrowed.
Zuko closed his eyes again, sighing heavily. "You're a mystery, Waterbender." He whispered, pulling Katara close again. She shut her eyes and leaned against the taller man, with her head on his shoulder. He was warm...he was always warm. "You're a stubborn, loud, commanding, opinionated girl." Zuko murmured. "But you're strong...smart...cunning, loyal...and you're beautiful."
"So what do we have here? Sparky and Sweetness, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. Or, wait, better! Sparky and Sweetness laying in a cave, S-E-"
Katara nearly jumped out of her skin. "TOPH!" She screeched. Zuko pulled away from Katara, his heart pounding.
"What, you didn't think I knew?" Toph laughed. "C'mon. I could feel how fast your hearts were going. How close you were. It was so obvious."
Katara's face was red with embarrassment, and she could see pink tinging Zuko's pale cheeks.
"Don't be so embarrassed. It's obvious there's really something there for the two of you, you know. Twinkletoes will get over it eventually, Sugar Queen. He shoulda seen it coming anyway. And jeeez Sparky, nice choice of words when telling him off." Toph stood there, a huge grin on her face, looking straight at Katara and Zuko with her unseeing eyes. Katara thought that, as much as she loved Toph like a sister, it was slightly creepy. "Now, the only problem would be if Snoozles over there found out- he'd FREAK." She giggled.
"If Sokka found out, Toph, then I'd find a way to make sure he knows how much you love him." Zuko stated calmly, a smirk on his face.
Color drained from Toph's face. "Hey, Sparky, th-that's cheating!" Toph yelled.
"Aww." Zuko teased. "Does Toph have an itsy-bitsy crush on Sokka?"
"Shut it." Toph growled, eyes narrowed and her grin gone. She stamped her foot and a small- but still good-sized- rock raised from the ground. Zuko's eyes widened.
"Alright, alright." She said, raising his hands up. "I don't feel like fighting or sparring right now. I'll keep my mouth shut if you do."
"Fine." Toph answered. "But eventually, Sugar Queen, you're gonna have to have a serious talk with Aang. If you ever want him to understand."
Katara sighed and dropped her head. "Yeah. I know."
"Soon." Toph added. Katara nodded and grumbled yes.
"Good. Now...should I leave the lovebirds to it, then?" She teased, and Zuko ran after her. Toph squealed and bolted into the forest, Zuko on her trail and laughing.
Katara plopped down and stared up at the sky. "My family is so dysfunctional..." She murmured. "The Avatar is like my son, and yet he's in love with me. I have a blind, Earthbending master as a sister who probably knows more about sex than me even though she's years younger than me. My brother is just stupid and is probably being attacked by some random animal or Momo right now. And I was the Fire Nation Prince's concubine and somehow fell for him in the process of that. Maybe I'm just dreaming." She sighed, eyes fluttering closed as the rain started to fall, a soft pattering on the grassy ground.
"Katara!" A young voice filtered through her deep sleep, and Katara opened her eyes. "Hnuh?"
"Oh, okay, you're awake! I was worried! You were just laying here and-"
"Aang, we need to talk." Katara said.
Aang slumped. "I know." He mumbled. "I know..."
"Aang..." Katara started, but stopped, taking a deep breath. "Aang, I do love you...like a brother. I always want to look out for you, always. But I don't love you in the way that you want me to. I thought I did but I met...I...figured out that I don't. You're an amazing boy, and you're strong, but you still have a lot of growing up to do. And I just...don't see you like that." She bit her lip slightly and looked at Aang. His grey eyes were cast downward as he took in her words.
"Because of Zuko." He said, finally.
"No!" Katara burst out, frustration lacing her words. "Not because of Zuko! It's been something going on in my mind for a long time! Yes, Zuko helped me realize it, but only because he was there. In a different way. And he helped me through a lot. Even when faced with the ability to have me at his mercy, doing anything he wanted, he never took advantage of me and looked out for me and he and I learned a lot about each other. A LOT. And yeah, maybe I fell for Zuko. But that doesn't make it HIS fault."
Aang looked hurt. His lower lip was trembling, but he managed a shaky, "O-okay..." Before standing swiftly, and darting off. Katara growled in frustration and sighed, falling backwards onto the rain-soaked grass, letting the rain pound into her body, the cool water on her skin.
Finally, she stood. Rubbing the water out of her eyes, Katara made her way back towards camp, soaked to the bone. It was an amazing feeling. Until she got to camp.
"Where is he?!" Sokka yelled.
"I don't know!" Zuko answered.
"GO LOOK FOR HIM!" Toph bellowed.
"Wh-what happened?" Katara asked, fearing the worst.
"Wouldn't you know!" Sokka snapped. "Aang came from that direction, got on Appa and took off as fast as Appa could go! And now look!" Sokka pointed in the distance, where the rain was building, and violent, purple and blue lightning lashed out of the sky every few moments. Katara could hear and feel the distant, strong rumbles of thunder.
"Avatar or not, Aang can't manuever through this..." Zuko hissed.
Katara's lower lip trembled, and she felt a tear fall down her cheek, unnoticeable to anyone for the rain. "Damnit..." She whispered. "Let's go, then..."
"But we can't." Toph said. "Do you see that storm? We can't go out in it! I can feel the thunder in the GROUND it's so strong!"
"I don't care, this is my fault, so I'm going."
"Don't be stupid, Katara!" Zuko hissed, and he and Sokka lunged out, grabbed one of Katara's arms each. "He may be back tonight, if not, when the storm ends, we'll go looking."
It was a long night.