Katara and Zuko sat on the beach for the rest of the day. Every so often Zuko would stand rather abruptly and run off into the woods to vomit again. He did this to save the girl the displeasure of seeing him and as an attempt to keep some dignity. But Katara followed anyway with a wet cloth to wipe his mouth and a cup of water. She always rubbed his back, comforting him as if she had always been there to do so. The exiled price wished he could just crawl under a rock. He'd just turned seventeen! He was capable of taking care of himself!
Katara didn't seem to think so.
When he was done, they'd go back onto the beach and Katara would make him a new cup of tea, saying the last one didn't stay down long enough. After the third time, Zuko was beginning to think the little brat was poisoning the tea too.
"So do you want some lunch?" she asked cheerfully, pulling a loose thread from the hem of her skirt. She looked up with a cute smile spread across her face and sunlight reflecting off of her eyes. Zuko sniffed and looked away without replying. His caretaker took this response as a "yes."
"I'll go find something for us. I'll be back." She stood and dusted grains of sand from her backside. Until she walked past, Zuko didn't look up. She had almost reached the forest when he called her back.
"I still have those berries." Zuko called out. But I can't firebend. I'm too weak. He thought, mentally cursing himself. How in the hell were they supposed to start a frickin' fire?
"Alright. I'll just grab some firewood." Katara sauntered off into the brush before the firebender had gathered the courage to tell her he was in no state to bend. He sighed.
You need a little girl to take care of you. He said to himself. Are you really that weak? Another sorrowful sigh. He didn't argue back.
And something hit him like a ton of bricks. Where are her friends?
Where were they? They hadn't showed up at camp all morning. Then again, Katara didn't really have a camp set up. All she seemed to have was the cup he'd been using, the water pouch she carried, and a small bag- its contents a mystery. There was no fire ring, no logs, no sleeping sacks, and other than hers and his, no footprints. Where were the others? Had they abandoned her? Had she abandoned them? Were they captured? Or were they only visiting a nearby town? And leave Katara defenseless? Yeah right.
Zuko snapped out of his trance when he heard a twig snap in the woods behind him. He turned to see Katara walking forward with a monstrous load of logs and short tree branches in her arms. He stood to help her.
"I've got it." she said.
"Those are a lot of logs." Zuko pointed out.
"I'm fine."
"Are you--"
"Sit down, barf boy!"
Zuko's mouth snapped shut. He had offered help and she'd refused. If she fell and hurt herself it was her own fault. He sat down to watch his caretaker walk down the beach with strong, confident steps. Not once did she stumble or trip. Zuko was amazed at her strength. He had always thought the waterbender to be small and rather fragile, despite her bending abilities. As soon as she'd come, she'd gone back off into the shadowy woods, out of sight.
Katara returned moments later with an armful of rocks for a fire pit. Again, she returned to the woods without another word. Zuko shook his head at her confidence and started arranging the rocks for the pit. As long as he was sitting there, he might as well make himself useful. Just as he placed the last rock—
"Thanks for the help, but you need your rest." Katara took a seat next to him and emptied the contents of her skirt onto the palm leaf. A few fruits and nuts rolled onto it. Zuko gave her a curious look. "I found them near the edge of the woods." Her shoulders shrugged.
Abandoning the food, she started to set up the wood for the fire. Dried grass and leaves in the center followed by small twigs and sticks. She tore a bit of fabric from her skirt and put it in the very center for a fire starter. Zuko watched her and tried to mask his interest and slight admiration. He had never met a girl that was willing to setup and start a fire. But the hard part was yet to come. Katara looked over her shoulder at him.
"You can eat the nuts if you want. It'll be a little while." Zuko gave a nod but didn't take any. He was starving (literally) but he didn't want to seem so desperate. After a short internal battle, he took a handful of them and started to shell them. He saw Katara get something from her bag. From the angle he was sitting he couldn't tell what she was doing.
But then he heard the sound of scraping metal and Katara jerked. And jerked again. A small sizzling noise ensued and it clicked. She had a knife. Katara had scraped a rock with a knife to create sparks for a fire. A hint of a prideful smile spread across Zuko's face. He had to admit the waterbender was smart. She bent over the pit, blowing on it. The leaves crackled and an orange flame grew. It caught the twigs surprisingly quickly and the fire was started. Katara turned to Zuko and smiled before casually beginning to cut the fruit and shell the remaining nuts.
The firebender couldn't stand the next few silent minutes. Why were their silences so awkward? Maybe because she never shut up all morning. Zuko thought. All the girl had done was try to strike up a conversation about something stupid like bending or who she'd run into. By the time the sun had reached its peak in the sky, Zuko had a very good idea on her life story. And now he had to think of something to say.
"So…" Katara looked up to meet his gaze, still shelling a nut.
"Mmm-hmm?"
"Where'd you learn to make a fire like that?"
"Oh. From Aang, the Avatar. Sokka always rubs two sticks together to make a fire, but it never works." So Sokka was the water tribe boy?
"Oh." Another silence began.
"You do like peaches, don't you?" Katara questioned. Zuko gave a nod. "Try these, they're really juicy." She pointed to the sliced peaches on the leaf. Zuko picked one up and tried it, nodding. Best damn peach I've ever had. He said to himself. He tried not to seem too enthused, but his expression said it all.
Katara beamed.
Lunch ended up being a sort of cooked fruit salad with peaches and berries, sprinkled with nuts. The juice from the fruit had turned into syrup. Much to Katara's liking, the used-to-be Prince Zuko went back for thirds.
o0oOo0o
"Zuko." Zuko looked up to see Katara standing to his side with a bowl in hand.
"Thanks." he said quietly, taking the bowl of fish soup. Katara sat beside him by the fire, their thighs brushing. The waterbender didn't seem to mind (much less notice) but Zuko found it…strange. He didn't know what to think. Instead, he busied himself with eating his meal. Katara was a pretty good cook-- and he didn't just think that because he was (literally) starving.
Once they'd both finished eating, they sat on their logs and stared at the dancing fire. All was quiet. Zuko knew it wouldn't last long; the girl was a blabbermouth. He was sure she'd come up with some stupid question or another to ask.
"So where have you been lately?" Katara inquired. Bingo. Right on time. Her cheerful face seemed even more cheerful in the glowing firelight. The sun had set and it was getting chilly, even by the firebender's standards.
"No place important." For the first time in the entire day, his voice was bitter. He didn't want to tell anyone what he'd been through-- especially if it was the Avatar's little friend. And to make matters worse, the boy's words were coming back to him…
"Oh." A silence filled the void and tension built in the air. Katara shifted her position on her log. Zuko stared into the flames of the fire, trying desperately not to notice the tense quiet roaring in his ears.
"Why are you by yourself?" Katara said slowly. The firebender looked over to her, making her look away. He could tell she had second thoughts about asking such a question.
"My crew and ship were taken from me." Zuko paused. Why was he answering her? "And my uncle and I went our separate ways."
"Oh." Another silence crept over them, tenser than before.
"Where'd you get the ostrich-horse?" the waterbender asked, pointing to the creature. It had been sleeping in the sand all day and still was. The thing had to be utterly and completely exhausted.
"Someone let me take it." the ex-prince lied. After all, how would the girl react to him confessing he had stolen something? She'd probably pick a fight and demand he return it.
"Oh." And for the third time, a silence ensued. They both sat there for a minute, eyes wandering to anything but each other. The two started talking at the same time.
"I'm going to go--"
"How did you manage--" Both stopped simultaneously.
"What were you going--"
"Sorry. What did you--" Again they stopped, eyes locked, blushes creeping onto their faces.
"I'm going to go to bed." Katara replied softly. She set her empty bowl on her log with a small clank and hurried away to her spot. She lay on her small blanket, curling into a ball. Zuko stared after her. He shook his head, snapping out of the trance. What was going on with him?
The teenage firebender had no idea how long he sat there, but it had to be hours. The fire had burned into glowing embers, barely burning. Katara's breaths were long and even. She was out like a light (not like they were invented or anything). Zuko stood and made his way over to a patch of the sand. He pulled his own blanket over him as he watched his waterbending savior pull hers around her in her sleep. Her small body shivered. Zuko rolled over and shut his eyes, controversial thoughts running through his head.
She's a waterbending wench.
Then why did she save you?
She's a stupid waterbending wench.
Have you ever thought she actually has feelings?
It's not like I'm being mean so lay off.
Then why are you letting her lay there shivering all night?
Because…
Exactly! Now get your ass over there and give her your blanket!
I'll freeze to death!
Katara fed you four times today. I think you can at least adjust your body temperature with firebending.
NOW!
As if he'd been jabbed with a pin, Zuko jumped up. He took his blanket and draped it over Katara's sleeping form. As soon as it settled, her muscles eased from her shivering and her face seemed to ease into a small contented smile. Something stirred in the firebenders stomach, but he ignored it. He trudged back to his spot, the cold biting into him. His eyes narrowed to slits in spite of himself.
Suddenly, he realized what he'd done. I lost an argument against myself!
Got that right!
I need therapy. Zuko thought. He wasn't expecting an answer but got one anyway.
Yes we do.
The exiled prince squeezed his eyes tighter. Agni!
o0oOo0o
A/N: So how's it coming along? Too uneventful? Let me know what you think! Promise you'll get an answer on why Katara's alone in the next chappie!
TTFN!