You Don't Hate Me

By

Lucibell

Chapter Seven

I stare at her in awe. She's apologizing. To me. For my loss. For a loss that she can relate to. I want to hug her, kiss her, hold her, tell her that it's okay, that she's here and nothing else matters…

But my pride gets the better of me. My pride and my unbridled, fiery fury. I feel my gaze harden involuntarily.

"You've nothing to be sorry for," I snap. I want to take it back. I want to tell her I'm sorry. But this is what I've become.

This is what my father made me.

She stares at me, fear creeping into the recesses of her features. "I don't want your pity."

She scowls at me, and I know that I've hit a weak spot. I'm so sorry, Katara…

She stands and plants her hands on the table, leaning forward. "No." she says. Her voice is coated with hidden anger and sarcasm. I'm so sorry… "No, of course not. Of course you wouldn't."

I stand also, meeting her gaze with my burning one. "What is that supposed to mean?"

She gives me a menacing glare. That glare could really rival my father's. "You know exactly what I mean, your Highness." She practically spits the title and I have to stifle the urge to hurt her in some way.

I cross my arms over my chest. "Oh, no, I don't. Please continue, Katara." I match her glare with one of my own. She takes a few steps around the table.

"You're much to prideful, aren't you? You think that you deserve this don't you? You think that this, all of this," she waves her hand around to prove her point, "is something you brought upon yourself, don't you?"

I feel the fire in my blood burning as my fury grows. She's hit that weak spot, and I'm not going to admit it. Not at all. "What would you know about it, peasant?" I mentally blanch. I hadn't meant to say that. I know it hurt her.

Her eyes fill with tears again and she can't control her anger any longer. "You are so insensitive, do you know that! I can't even believe the crap you put yourself through, not to mention what your crew has to put up with! And your uncle! You treat him like a slave! For God's sake, Zuko, he's your family! Don't you even care about him at all?" She looks at me pleadingly.

I won't give her what she wants.

Quietly, my voice laced with malice, I reply. "My family never cared about me." My eyes narrow further and hers widen. Suddenly, her glare becomes even more fierce.

"I can see why."

Ouch. That was below the belt.

"What does that mean, wench?" God, my pride must be extremely threatened for me to be talking to her like this. I don't even want to think about what her brother's going to do to me when he finds out…

She stares at me for what seems like an eternity. I just stare back. Finally she speaks.

"I hate you…" It's so quiet, barely audible. It cuts me so deep… I haven't cried since my mother died. Now I just feel like breaking down.

Before I know what's happening, I'm around the table and walking towards her. She takes several steps back and stumbles back into her chair. I pin her there, placing my hands on the chair's arms. I lean down, glaring at her.

My face is mere inches from hers, her eyes sparkling with fear into mine. I can almost see the questions and scenarios running through her head. She's scared of me, I know that. She shouldn't be. I'd never hurt her. I can feel her hot breath on my face as I search her eyes.

After some time, I speak to her, softly, gently. My gaze softens. "You don't hate me…" I whisper. My voice is an octave lower than usual and husky. She gulps visibly.

"Yes, I do. I have to." Calm. She's far too calm. She's lying. I smile, a real smile. My first real smile in so long. I reach up and touch her cheek, relishing in the softness of her skin.

"No… No you don't…" I tell her.

She stares at me, her eyes flickering back and forth between mine. "Why… why not?"

My eyes have been searching her face, tracing every outline. They move back up to hers and stay there. I feel like I'm drowning in that cerulean gaze. I lean forward a little more, feeling her breath quicken. My heart goes into overdrive, and for once I can say that I'm scared. "Because…" I whisper to her. I notice her slight shiver and smile.

"Because why?" she asks, equally quiet. I stare at her for a few seconds more, then let my eyes flutter closed. I lean forward, just a bit more. I can sense the skin of her lips beneath mine, not quite touching the skin there.

"Because I love you…" I whisper. I hear her gasp a little, but I don't give her a chance to reply.

Leaning forward that small distance, I catch her lips in mine, kissing her gently. I feel her pull back slightly in surprise. Not wanting her to go anywhere just yet, I softly put my hand at the nape of her neck, pulling her back.

I don't intensify the kiss, so as not to scare her, but I don't let her go either. I keep the tender contact, the barest brush. I caress her mouth lightly with mine, and after a few seconds, she responds, sending a shock throughout my entire body. I gasp lightly and pull back, staring at her wide-eyed.

I've never felt anything like that before. I search her eyes. Her expression is the same as mine. She felt the same thing. We stay there for the longest time, just staring. Finally I look away and step back, straightening. "Go." I say quietly.

She stands, not questioning me. We both need to figure out what just happened. We both need to think about how it's going to affect us and the rest of the group. We have to decide if this will change how the whole Avatar deal plays out.

We both need to be alone for awhile.

Not looking at her, I hear her leave. Quietly she shuts the door. I can't help but catch the flicker of the iridescent blue-red fire of my mother's dress as she exits. When she's gone, I sigh, running a hand over my face.

I sit back down and put my head in my hands.

A Brief Interlude

As she shut the door, she sighed, leaning against it for a moment, needing to feel the solid metal behind her. She ran a hand over her lips where he so tenderly kissed her.

She had never known he could be so gentle…

Knowing that she needed to talk to someone rather than just sit in solitude, she made her way to her brother's room, praying that he wouldn't kill her for what just happened.

Or rather, that he wouldn't kill Zuko.

When she reached his room, she discovered that the door was wide open. She tentatively took a step inside and found Sokka lying on his back on the bed, hands behind his head, staring at nothing above him.

She sat down beside him. He looked over at her from the corner of his eye. "Nice dress," he said, looking back up. She sighed.

"Thank you."

"Did Zuko give it to you?"

She nodded, knowing that he knew the answer anyway. Silence ensued for a few seconds. He was the one to break it.

"I heard shouting."

She didn't doubt it. She wouldn't have been surprised if the whole crew heard. She sighed again, nodding.

"What happened?" She shrugged.

"Some things got said that didn't need to."

He sat up and looked at her, crossing his legs into a pretzel and leaning forward on his elbows. "What things?"

"I asked him about the dress…" He looked at her patiently, knowing that that wasn't what the argument was about, but that it led up to it.

"It was his mother's. He told me that she was dead." She was looking down at her hands now, tears pricking the backs of her eyes. "I told him that I was sorry. He got mad and said that I didn't have anything to be sorry about. He told me he didn't want my pity…" She took a deep breath, calming herself before she began to sob. Sokka spoke.

"Of course he wouldn't."

She laughed bitterly. "That's what I said."

He tilted his head slightly. "And?"

"And he asked me to explain myself."

"What did you tell him?"

"That he was too prideful and that I knew that he thought he deserved to be banished. To be motherless."

He winced. "Ouch, Katara. That must've cut deep…"

She nodded. "It did."

"What happened then?"

"I berated him for being insensitive and not caring for his crew and his uncle."

Sokka sighed, looking down. "Great job, Katara. Go for the soft spot." He looked back up at her. "Then what?"

"He told me that his family never cared for him."

Sokka took a deep breath, not liking where this was going. "And then?"

She looked up at him, her eyes glassed over with tears. Finally they spilled over to wet her cheeks. "I told him that I could see why." Her voice cracked. Sokka's heart broke.

"Oh, Katara…"

"I told him that I hated him…" she whispered, regret lining her features. Being the loving and protective big brother that Sokka was, he took her in his arms and let her sob.

"I didn't mean it…" she mumbled into his shoulder.

"Does he know that?"

She nodded. He sighed with relief. She pulled back and looked at him.

"He kissed me, Sokka."

He stared at her, flabbergasted. "He what?" He said dully.

"He kissed me."

He sighed. "Anything else?" She nodded. His eyes narrowed. "What?"

"He told me he loved me…"

Sokka would've hit the floor, had he been standing. As it was, he just sat there. That had not been what he'd expected to hear. Finally he proverbially picked himself back up and replied. "So… what now?"

She shook her head looking down. "I don't know…" He could hear the pain in her voice. She didn't know what to do. He sighed, nodding, not thinking that she couldn't see him.

Silently he pulled her to him, letting his sister cry herself to sleep on his shoulder.

Author's Note: WOOT! A longer chapter! And this one has to be my favorite! The teaser's there, just more descriptive and WAY more awesome! SHH! Don't tell prospective readers, though! It's a SURPRISE! LoL. I really love this chapter, so if any of you don't, then be gone, I want nothing to do with you. Just kidding, all readers are welcome.

By the way, y'all really slacked up on the reviewing this time, didn't you? Oh well, it's just less for me to reply to this time, and more for me to look forward to! YAY!

Now to reply:

Zukos Girl: Sorry it was so confuzzling! No more cliffie! Hope you like it!

AwakenDreams: Thank you! I've not really thought of my writing as art until now. Thank you! -bows-

LilAngel123: Just a cute couple? Not an awesome story? -cries- Thanks for your review!

Outsane: Here's a little fluff for you! I like your name, too, don't worry.

Arwey: I'm debating, should I just change the Genre to Romance/Angst? I mean, there's WAY more Angst than Action in this story, in my opinion... Anyway, here's the ZK angstyness you asked for!

jerseygirl246: Well now Zuko admits that he loves Katara. OUT LOUD! TO HER! Yippee! (I'm so happy about having gotten this far! My other fics aren't at any major points just yet... So this little confession means a lot to me!)

Lady Meko: More Iroh fun soon, I promise, promise! Review, review! (Think Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Trivusky IV)

1KENSHINLOVER: I'm loving my story too, and that's saying someting! Ha ha!

.CrimsonMysteryOfARose.: Was this too fast for you:( If it is, I'm soooo sorry! I still love you!

psycogirl234: Welcome, new one! Thank you for your review!

Saucy Noodles: Yay for MORE lovin' between Zuko and Katara!

LoneWolfLink: Loving cookies... Mmmm... Yes, everyone loves cookies, Zuko, and Zelda. And if they don't, they're stupid. Sorry stupid people! I still love you!

inu romance FREAK: Whoo, thank you! (Even though you reviewed to chapter one, not chapter six, but I figure you'll get here eventually!)

Monito: Muchas, muchas, gracias, senorita.

sweetpea333: Arigatou, sweet-chan.

MysticAnime: I totally agree. After reading Zuko's actual character profile, which is like two sentences long, I've discovered that his character is completely open to manipulation. It's not set in stone like Aang's or Katara's. I feel that this is because the writers know there will be some sort of change with him throughout the course of the series. And because of this, they don't give away too much about him.

Veronica: 'Hook up'... I've never liked that term. Because in a teenage, hentai sense, they will not 'hook up'. Unless they get married. And even then I will not write about it. But I think you get my point. Otherwise, thank you for your review! (I know what you meant, so it's okay. You didn't know that I loathe that choice of words. It 'twas not a fault. Just a little pet peeve of mine I thought you should all know about. ;))

Sealeena: You're one of the few people I've met that actually spell Ciao the right way. You get three props for that.

chickygurl: Thank you!

taybay500: Thank you! I'm glad I could appeal to a romance-hater. It makes me feel accomplished.

Much love to you all! Make sure to review!

God Bless,

Luci