You Don't Hate Me
by
Lucibell
Chapter Ten
This morning I was awakened by hot air on my neck. Or rather, hot breath on my neck. To be precise, it was Katara's breath on my neck. And to say that it sent pleasant shivers down my spine would not be an exaggeration. As a matter of fact, it sent several shivers down my spine that I delighted in, wrapping my arms more firmly around her small frame and pulling her closer, feeling her sigh in her sleep into the curve between my neck and shoulder. I breathed in the scent of her hair, burying my own face in her neck…
And was promptly interrupted by a sharp knock on my door.
I swore to myself that whoever it was, I'd kill them.
But as I soundlessly rolled out of bed, trudged across the room, and opened the door to come face to face with my uncle, I thought twice about my little oath.
I figured I'd just let it slide that time.
He announced in (thankfully) hushed tones that we had arrived at the North Pole and that the Avatar and Sokka were already awake. He asked me if I could wake Katara so that her and her brother could try and negotiate with the tribes-people, so that they could understand just what it was we were doing here. I agreed, and he left.
And now I'm sitting here, on the bed, not two minutes later, staring at her peaceful features and wishing I just hadn't opened the door.
But I have to wake her up, because if I don't, the Water Tribe people might start a riot. So reluctantly I reach over and shake her gently. "Katara…"
She murmurs something incoherent, and I can't help but smile. I lean closer to her, shaking her a little more. "Katara, wake up…"
She rolls over, grumbling and tells Sokka that he can go to the underworld (in the words, "Go to Hades, Sokka") and snores a little. Being the impassive person that I am, I stifle a laugh and lean completely over her, so that I'm upside-down to her. I bring my face close to her, touching my nose to hers. I wrap my arms around her and she snuggles somewhat, scooting closer to me. I smile. "Katara."
I say it just loud enough and her eyes flutter open in the cutest way. I stifle a grin and make my face impassive, just to see what she'll do. She stares at me for a minute, and when she's finally oriented enough, she focuses on me. Slowly, a smile slides into place on her features and she sighs. "Hey…" she whispers.
I blink.
She furrows her brow and crosses her arms over her chest. I lean back a little to give her room, but keep her wrapped up in my arms. My face remains emotionless—though it takes all I can do not to laugh—and she glares at me. I blink again.
Three… two… one…
Finally she gets impatient with me. "What?" she all but barks the word at me.
Now I allow myself to laugh, leaning over and burying my face into her neck where it should've been a while ago. I smile, breathing deep, and pull her closer, feeling her arms crawl around my shoulders. She snuggles into me, her mouth brushing my ear, and once again those pleasant little shivers have their little horse-race up and down my spine.
Then I remember that I didn't wake her up to snuggle, and I groan, pulling away.
She gives me a confused look, raising an eyebrow. "What is it?"
I sigh. "We're at the North Pole. Uncle needs you and Sokka to negotiate." I roll my eyes at 'negotiate'. She smiles. Then her face lights up with pure bliss.
"We're at the North Pole!" she cries.
Giving her a look, I nod slowly. "Yes…"
She squeals excitedly and I wince. I'm caught off guard as she jumps out of bed, checks her hair in the mirror and runs out of the room.
Without so much as a "Good morning" or "Goodbye" or "You're the greatest" or "I love you" or…
I'm getting carried away.
Scowling, I follow her, meeting her in her room where she's staring at a new fur parka that she knows isn't hers. I had hers discarded with the rest of her clothing after her… incident.
She looks up at me, misty eyed. I frown, crossing my arms. "Don't give me that look." I say quite firmly. She pouts.
"Zuko…"
I hold up a hand to shush her, walking towards her. I take the midnight blue parka from her hands and pull it over her head, with no real protest from here, as she helped me. When her head pops (quite cutely) from the top of the coat, her pout is still there.
I sigh, pulling her long brown waves from the inside of her hood to flow around her shoulders. I run my fingers through it a couple of times, avoiding that guilt-ridden gaze. Finally I peek back at her, hoping her expression has changed.
It hasn't.
I sigh again. She was like this with the other clothes, too… "Katara, you needed it. Your other one was ruined."
She goes to protest and I cut her off. "Don't argue, please." I meet her gaze squarely and she nods. I take her hand.
"Let's go." She stops abruptly and I turn to look at her. Concern is etched in her features.
"You'll freeze to death." I laugh.
"I'll be fine."
She shakes her head. "Okay… but when you get pneumonia, don't expect me to take care of you."
I laugh again, pulling her close to me. "I love you…" I whisper in her ear.
She sighs, punching me in the shoulder. "Move it, Buster, before you get all sweet like you did last night." Laughing, I lead her off the ship.
A Brief Interlude
Katara was literally in heaven the minute she stepped off the ship. She took off running over the ice, with a stunned and somewhat frightened Zuko in tow, and took deep breaths of the icy air. It felt so good to be back in the arctic climate.
To be back home.
Well, not exactly home, but she was close enough to it.
Not in a geographical sense… A little voice in her head decided to speak up.
"Shut up," she muttered.
Lucky for her, Zuko had heard.
"Pardon me?" he asked, quirking his eyebrow.
She blushed. "Nothing."
Looking around her, she saw what she'd seen every night in her dreams since she left the South Pole. White, crystalline snow glittered in the early morning sunlight, reminding her of the elaborate chandeliers her mother had described in bedtime fairy tales when she was a child.
And in the glimmering snow, she saw her mother. The memories of her mother overwhelmed her, and she became totally unaware of her surroundings. She saw before her, instead of snow, her mother's smiling face, laughing as Sokka stood up, spluttering snow. He had fallen out of his father's watch tower and landed in a thick bank of snow.
She saw her mother's worried face as she tended to a bruised knee, Katara having fallen in the middle of the frozen lake while fishing with a ten-year-old Sokka.
She saw her mother, cuddled up in her father's arms just before he left. He was hugging her fiercely, and all of them were trying their hardest not to cry.
And finally she remembered the screams as firebenders tortured and murdered the chieftess before her very own children…
She whimpered, shutting her eyes tight to drown out the memory, to no avail. Sobbing, she fell to the ground, her hand slipping out of Zuko's grasp. She buried her face in her cold, bare hands and cried, trying her hardest not to, but unable to stifle the pain the memories wracked from her heart.
Finally the memories became too much for her, and Katara became disoriented and incoherent, muttering things about home and her mother…
Chapter Ten (Continued)
When she stopped, I stopped with her. When she stood there, I waited, watching out of the corner of my eye as Sokka stopped just outside the ice barrier barring the Water Village from sight. I clung to her hand, desperately wishing I had listened to her and dressed in warmer clothes.
It's just so darn cold!
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Arctic weather is abominable, and I don't know how Katara and Sokka can stand it.
But I suppose that's a typical firebender thing to say, isn't it?
My shivering stopped as a dead, numbing cold washed over me when Katara sobbed. I slowly slid my gaze over to her, to see her staring at the snow, tears streaming down her now rosy cheeks. I gripped her hand.
"Katara, what is it?" I asked.
She didn't respond.
Katara dropped to the ground, letting go of me in the process, and curled downward, her head buried in her hands, leaning onto her knees. She was sobbing so hard, muttering things I couldn't hear.
I blanched.
Now I'm kneeling in front of her, my hands on her shoulders, asking her gently what's wrong.
She just keeps murmuring things about her mother…
And that's when I remember.
Her mother's dead…
Her father's gone…
These people aren't as unfortunate as hers. They still have families… while hers was broken.
This place reminds her too much of her past…
"Oh my God…" I whisper.
Without hesitation, I pick her up. She turns her face into my chest and clings to my tunic. I feel tears prickle at the backs of my own eyes, seeing her so broken up like this. I stand up to face Sokka, his face etched with worry.
"What happened?"
I shake my head, swallowing the lump in my throat. "She can't do this, Sokka…"
He furrows his brow. "Why not?" he demands.
I shake my head again, closing my eyes, remembering my own mother's face. I don't have to answer him, though, because Katara mutters "mother" into my shirt. I look back at Sokka. His face is pale and his eyes are wide.
"She can't Sokka… Not yet…" He nods and steps aside, giving me a clear path back to the ship.
On my way back I hear his voice float to my ears. "I'll get Aang. We'll sort this out. Just take care of her…"
I will, Sokka. Trust me, I will…
I look back down at her and once again feel my heart shatter.
I didn't know I felt that strongly for her… I didn't know that I loved her this much…
I just thought it was something that would pass…
But this… This can't be a fleeting feeling.
Because I literally feel her pain.
Her pain causes me pain, and I'm willing to do anything to make it okay.
But I know that I can't fix this…
And that scares me…
Author's Note: WooT! New Chapter! And WooT! I have a JOB! YAY! I'm working in a Chinese restaurant, with a bunch of Hispanic people, which is ironic, but hey, Hispanic people can COOK! Major props for all the Hispanics!
I'm changing the seconday genre to Angst. Cuz in reality, there's more Angst than Action/Adventure. The sequel will be A/A, though. -smile- And I have an idea for a new fic. Wanna hint? Well you'll have to go to my deviantart profile and look for it there, cuz I'm not telling.
And don't ask Booter Freak cuz she's sworn to secrecy.
Now for Review Replies:
iloveprincezuko: Me too! LoL He IS the greatest! The most wonderful, the most--okay, I'll stop NOW so I don't get carried away. And surprisingly, I like fluff, too, even though I'm not much of a mushy-gushy person. (Can you guys even tell or am I doing THAT good of a job?)
Boylessgirl52941: -sniffle- It made me all misty eyed, too. Thanks.
Lady Meko: Pun pardoned. Thank you!
Monito: I had to read your review like three times before I understood it. LoL. Punctuation helps, but I shouldn't have to tell you that, that's kindergarten stuff. -wink- Anyway, thanks for your review, and I know I was a little slow this chapter, but I hope it makes up for the wait! If not, bash me, I don't care.
jerseygrl246: Nope, didn't know it was a song. I know 'Hello Darlin'. But I just say that to everyone that wakes up and I though it would be (gag on the word, but I'm using it for want of a better one) cute. -gag gag- I'm glad you like it, and yes, everyone needs a cry every now and then.
raven the black bender: Sequel pending... it'll actually probably be a series, because my ideas can't just be wrapped up into one story. Though the stories will be short, fifteen chapters at the most, I'm thinking. But thank you for your approval!
silverhairedinugirl360: LoL. I'll be sure to look for your fic! Thank you! I didn't know I'd outdone myself! YAY! I'm improving. (GREATLY, I looked at my first Zelda fic and shivered. I'm revising it...) And I always like it when people thank me, too. That's why I do this.
Dine Bilagaana: -nod nod- I will keep that in mind. But there will also be a genre change. I'm going to have a more action-packed sequel, though, so be looking for that. Thanks for being loyal!
LoneWolfLink: HP 6 was great. It was sad, though. I'm really curious as to how HP 7 will turn out. Thank you for thinking my story's that good. It means a lot!
sanriochica333: The complete opposite of Dine Bilagaana, I see. I will also keep your suggestion in mind, and try to balance out the two. And thank you!
Katuko: Really? Was he too OoC? I'll have to keep that in check. -grimaces- Was it bad? Thanks for your review.
Suave Boogie: Awesome new chapter. Way cool. Anyway, thanks for your review! And I'm debating on writing something in second person. Whaddy'all think?
LoyalFan: Thank you!
Tears Washed Away: Thank you, but one thing, why would I review? -wink- I think you meant 'update'...
Veronica: Thank you. Rocking is awesome. Never had anyone tell me that.
starlightz1112: Thanks! Your reviews are getting shorter...
Saucy Noodles: Yay for more lovin' between Zuko/Katara. LoL. Thanks.
Davylyn: Cool name. Thanks.
logalogaloooog: Do you like for your names to be difficult? -laughs- Okay, I'm done. Thanks!
.CrimsonMysteryOfARose.: I didn't go anywhere. -waggles finger- Now, now, no lemon! LoL. Leather thongs were used instead of elastic bands. It irritates me when people don't note that in the ir own writing. I mean, it seriously irks me. NO ELASTIC BANDS BACK IN THE DAY! Done. Anyway, Aang chooses Sokka and Katara because 1) they volunteered themselves (see episodes one and two) and 2) just because he loves all things the same, he doesn't know all things the same. He's more acquainted with Katara and Sokka, they're his friends. He just doesn't love them anymore than anything else.
swimchick1614: Yeah, Hermione was a little snippy, but it was a good book. I think the problem was that there wasn't as much Ron/Harry and Hermione/Harry friend interaction as there has been. Anyway, thanks for your review!
Capria: -wags finger- Now, now, no telling secrets! Thou shalt just have to waiteth. LoL. Thanks for your review, it meant a lot.
Spleef: I simply thank you. -smile-
xx Painful Bliss xx: Really... Haven't seen Napoleon Dynamite before, but I can quote it. "Whatever I want... GOSH!" LoL. Thanks a million!
BlackIcyRoses: -pats back- Maa, maa. Daijoubu ka? (Is that right? I'm working on my foreign languages...)
kayko15: LoL. I think my girly instinct came late, too. I can't shop to save my life. Anyway, thank you!
Masako Moonshade: -stands speechless- One of the greatest Avatar writers has graced me with her presence... Let us all bow before her... -everyone bows- -Moonshade sweatdrops and scratches head, laughing nervously and looking around- "Y-you guys can stop now..." -No one moves- -Moonshade's face flushes and a vein pulses in her forehead- "Okay, now honestly!" -Lucibell laughs hysterically-
Outsane: Thanks!
Arwey: WooTness! LoL. I like kicking massive bummage, it's fun. -wink-
Zukos Girl: Thank you! And welcome back!
Wish me luck on my job! I start training tomorrow! -sweatdrops-
Luci