Wind desires Water's Affection
Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA.
(Sometime after Zuko Alone. Yes I know we haven't even seen it yet! LOL)
It had not been long till Sokka found Aang sitting by a rock outcrop, gazing out at the sea.
"Hey you didn't tell us where you were. Katara is upset. She is convinced some one had stolen you," Not getting a reply from Aang. Momo even landed on Aang's shoulder, but Aang still didn't react.
"Hey I'm talking to you. Okay don't answer, just come with me back to camp so Katara will stop worrying about us."
Aang turned to him, "Is he still there?"
Sokka placed a reassuring hand on his friends shoulder, "Don't worry Aang, we aren't going to let him pull anything on you."
Turning his gaze back to the sea, "Sokka, that's not what I'm worried about."
Sokka took a seat on a nearby rock, "I'm no good at this, Aang. You should talk to Katara about your problems," Raising his hands up in the air.
"Sokka, I saw the way he was looking at her." Sighing a heavy sigh, "I saw how she looked back at him," Aang turned to Sokka.
Sokka wasn't sure what to do, "Listen Aang. We need to get back to camp." Suddenly he was worried for his sister because he left her alone with the Fire Prince. "Nothings going to happen between them, Aang. Now come on lets go back to camp, before it does."
Sokka stood up and started to walk hoping Aang would fallow him. Looking back, Sokka saw that Aang was right behind him. "Then what is bothering you? They were just talking about his horrible life. I was listening the whole time," Sokka had made sure he was within reach, just in case his sister did need him to come to the rescue.
"Well I was watching them. I saw how they looked at each other."
Sokka stopped in mid-step, causing Aang to walk right into him. "Sorry, Aang." Turning to look at the young Avatar, "You have a crush on my sister?"
Aang thought Sokka knew he had feelings for Katara, "Sokka don't you remember when we were at Aunt Wu's? I asked you what to do to get a girls attention? I was talking about Katara."
Aang felt like slapping himself like he had seen Sokka do so many times before.
"I thought you were talking about Meng," Sokka slapped his forehead. Aang held back a chuckle. "How long have you had a crush on my sister?"
Now that Sokka thought about it he remembered times where Aang would act goofy around Katara. Well at least that explains it. Aang had a crush on Katara, Sokka wondered if Katara knew.
"Listen Aang, does Katara know about this?" Aang was certain she did.
"Well she was the one who wanted to kiss me in the cave to Omashu." Aang exclaimed, "She said maybe we should trust in love."
Sokka's ears were ringing, "So you kissed my sister?" Grabbing Aang by the shirt he shook him, "Well?"
"Sokka, don't you remember we both told you we had decided to trust in love?" Aang was really confused. "Sokka, Calm down I didn't do anything wrong." Trying to shake Sokka's hold of him, Aang managed to get loss.
"Aang, Katara is my sister I have to protect her. Even from you." Sokka was not pleased with his answer, "You didn't answer my question." Sokka crossed his arms, waiting for an answer.
Sokka had to strain to hear Aang's reply, "No."
Sokka felt like he could relax. "Good." Walking back to camp urgently, Sokka forgot about Aang.
Feeling embarrassed and defeated, Aang followed any way.
Entering camp, Sokka quickly scanned for Zuko. Finding him leaning against a tree, Sokka relaxed. Walking up to Katara who was adding more branches to the camp fire, "Are you okay? Zuko behave himself?"
Katara looked up at her great protector, "Oh, you should have been here, but I took care of him."
Sokka's face turned red. "What happened?"
Katara laughed at her brother, "Nothing, he's been leaning up against that tree since you left." Kissing her brother on the cheek, "You are such a good brother." Pinching his cheeks, "And you are so cute, too."
Shacking her hold of him. "Really funny, Katara. He could have you tied to one of these trees again, ya know."
Zuko couldn't help but feel a little put down. Was a prince not good enough for a water tribe maiden? Who could offer her more in life? As for the water tribe warrior's comment about how he tied her to a tree once, set his blood to boil.
Zuko tried his best to just relax and take in a deep breath, trying to push these feelings farthest away from him. He sighed realizing the tree incident would be his hardest challenge to overcome.
Tomorrow Zuko would have words with her brother, he would make sure of that. Right now he was just glad that they all seemed t think he was asleep. Being asleep meant he didn't have to answer for anything.
Pulling out his sleeping bag, Sokka mumbled to himself, "Great know I have to keep my eyes on both of them."
Katara could tell Sokka was upset. Whispering to Sokka, "Sokka, if it's Zuko that you are so mad about forget it. He has no where to go."
Sokka rolled his eyes, how would he get through this? Katara didn't know about Aang's feelings for her, and now was not the time to bring it up. "Lets all just get some sleep and we'll worry about it in the morning," Sokka laid on his sleeping bag and tried his best not to think of the Fire Princes presence.
Aang feel onto Appa's tail with a "hump." He felt like he might cry himself to sleep. Katara didn't even notice him come back to camp. All she was interested in now was Zuko.
Aang rolled over to his back and gazed up to the starry night sky. Seeing a star shoot across the sky he quickly made a wish.
Katara unrolled her sleeping bag on the ground. But before she laid down she went to check on Zuko.
Aang saw Katara going over to Zuko and strained to hear what she was saying. "Zuko? I just wanted to make sure your okay." Zuko did not stir so Katara assumed he was asleep and made her way back to her sleeping bag.
Seeing Aang was back, she went to him, "Aang." Katara whispered, "I'm so glad your back, I was so worried about you." Katara sat against Appa. "Where did you go?"
Aang wondered if he should tell her now. "Katara, do you like Zuko?"
Katara wanted to put her friend at ease, "It will be hard for a while but I'm sure we'll all get along."
Sokka rolled over to face them, "Katara that is not what Aang means." Not bothering to whisper, "Aang wants to know if you like Zuko?"
Zuko's ears perked up at this comment. He found himself waiting for the water tribe girl to answer.
"Sokka, your going to wake him," Katara whispered to her brother.
"He's not asleep," Sokka stated.
"Yes he is," Katara retorted.
Zuko was finding the pair quit amusing.
Everyone was on edge waiting for Katara to answer. But she just sat there for what seemed like an eternity. "Like him, like him?" Katara pondered.
After a while she shrugged her shoulders, "That'd be funny."
Aang relaxed when he heard her say that. "Yeah, the Prince of Fire and a water tribe peasant," Aang snickered.
Sokka laughed, "Yeah, almost as funny as her marrying the Avatar." Sokka rolled over trying to get some sleep.
Katara felt embarrassed, "Shut up." She screamed, "Everyone get to sleep." Stomping over to her sleeping bag she hoped Zuko was asleep.
Which of course he was not, but he did his best not give any reaction. Inside he felt a little upset, with Katara. Was he not good enough for her? He would show her who is better, then he will toss her aside for not caring enough. Zuko's mind made up on the matter he let sleep overcome him.
Katara's sleep was restless, tossing and turning all night. She had a dream that she had three arms, and everyone was pulling her in a different direction. Sokka wanted her to stay with him. Aang wanted Katara to play with him. Katara wasn't quite sure what Zuko wanted but she woke felling unnerved about the look he had in his eyes.
Obviously everyone woke felling as if they had no rest at all. Katara went to a near by stream to wash her face and get a drink. She filled her canteen as Zuko had depleted it's contents the night before.
Sokka scoured the forest, searching for some fruits for breakfast. Aang foraged for nuts, while Momo did his best to help.
Katara made her way back to camp, passing Zuko on her way. "Good morning, Zuko." He didn't stir, she poked him on his arm. Kneeling by his side, "Wake up." Nothing, Katara tried to be more forceful. Resorting to shaking him, "Zuko, you need to get up. We aren't going to be here for much longer. We need to move on." Sighing, she admitted defeat.
Stowing away the sleeping bags, Katara saw Sokka come back to camp, "Is he going to sleep all day?"
Katara cast a sideways glance toward Zuko, "I already tried to wake him."
Sokka walked over to him, stooping down to his level. Shouting at the Fire Prince, "Run Zuko, Admiral Zhao is here to get you."
Zuko was up in a start, looking here and there his eyes coming to rest on Sokka.
Sokka noticed the anger in his eyes quickly ran to hide behind Katara.
Zuko purposefully walked towards them, "You will pay for waking me like that," Fire forming in his palms.
Sokka using Katara as a shield hoping Zuko would not hurt her cause she had helped him, "I only woke you like that cause Katara told me to."
Katara rolled her eyes was her brother really that stupid.
Zuko was on fire, "I should have guessed you would stoop to hiding behind a woman." Zuko tried to reach around Katara but Sokka was faster than he remembered.
"Woman? I don't see no woman." Sokka tried to joke but Katara had enough.
"Stop." She yelled at both of them, "Zuko you sleep to late. We have to get out of here. We are always being followed by someone." Pointing a finger at Sokka, "How dare you use me as a shield."
Katara grabbed what few things remained, stowing them away in Appa's saddle.
Both young men just looked at her, "She's meaner than she looks, but she she keeps us in line." Sokka tried to joke with the Fire Prince.
Aang returned to camp with some nuts, try as he might he couldn't figure out why Katara was in such a bad mood.
It had taken a lot to convince Zuko that it was safe to ride on Appa. Once everyone was on board Appa, Aang called for the gentle beast to take flight, "Yipp, yipp."
Katara handed out of of the fruits Sokka had gathered. Aang sat on Appa's head enjoying a peach he shared with Momo.
Katara offered Zuko some red berries, there hands brushed together. Katara blushed, wondering if Zuko really was asleep last night. The thought of Zuko over hearing Sokka upset her.
Zuko took the berries, offering her a quite thank you. Reaching into the bag to find some thing for herself, she was rewarded with a peach.
Katara tossed the bag to Sokka, knowing he would finish it off any way.
Their journey was rather quite, even though Katara would try to make conversation.
Sokka had also informed Zuko about their plans. It was all in all a rather boring, uneventful trip.
Later in the day they landed, made camp by a placid river. Sokka was looking forward to some fishing and he had mentioned to Zuko he would be willing to teach him, if he want to learn to fend for himself.
Katara was glad to see Sokka was trying to get along with Zuko. Zuko was rather well behaved as well. Aang had been behaving very resigned for most of the trip.
It disturbed Katara, he was usually so cheerful. She knew her decision to invite Zuko with them was the cause, but it could not be helped. Zuko needed her help, the Avatar of all people should understand that.
Katara went to set up camp, as Sokka took Zuko with him to teach him to fish. Really Sokka just wanted to keep an eye on him, food was just a benefit.
Gathering the gear, Sokka called to Zuko. "Hey, Zuko, did you want to come fishing?"
Zuko really didn't want to go fishing with the water tribe warrior, but he had to do something to get his mind off the events that had made up his life thus far. "I guess I will come with you," Sulking towards Sokka, Zuko wondered if Katara would be fishing with them today.
Sokka handed him a stick with what looked like it had a string attached to the end. Zuko had never thought of that before. He just used a sharpened stick as a make shift spear. The problem with that is you have to be in the right place at the right time, as well as you must be very fast.
Sokka lead the way, soon finding a spot that his instincts told him was a good place to fish. Finding a comfortable location, Sokka sat down and cast his line out into the river.
Zuko just watched him, trying to figure out if there was more to it. "Is that all there is to it? Your just going to sit there?"
Sokka looked annoyed, "Shhhh. Not so loud. You'll scare the fish." Sokka thought Zuko should have picked up that. Speaking just above a whisper, "Look, Zuko, fishing is really quite simple. All you do is find a place where you feel comfortable. Toss the line as far out in the water. Making sure to hold onto the shaft, mind you."
Sokka waited till Zuko found a spot, "Now toss your line." Zuko had to try a couple of times till Sokka was satisfied with the distance. "Good, now your fishing." Sokka returned his attention to his own pole.
After a few minutes Zuko was altogether annoyed with fishing. "Peasant, are you sure there isn't more to fishing than this?" Zuko knew this would upset the water tribe warrior but he didn't care. He didn't want to fish any more, Zuko found it the dullest thing next to Pai Sho.
When Sokka didn't answer him, Zuko was just about to toss the stick into the river when he felt a tug.
"Zuko, you've caught something." Sokka placed his stick in between a crack in the rock he was siting on and went to help Zuko.
Zuko was at a loss as what to do.
"Zuko you have to tier it out." Sokka grabbed the poll to demonstrate to Zuko what to do. "See, you have to weave it back and forth to make the fish do all the work."
Handing it back to Zuko he watched for a little while then returned to his own poll. 'Your doing just fine, keep it up."
Zuko did as Sokka showed him, soon he was rewarded as the fish was coming closer to the bank or the river. Not only was the fish tiering, but so was Zuko.
He would not give up, Zuko was determined to eat that fish for his dinner. Just when he though he had won the war, the fish got his seconded wind.
The poll was being jerked back and forth so fast Zuko could barely keep up. Soon the poll was still, Zuko had lost the fish. Zuko fell backwards, hitting his head on a rock. He put his hand to the spot on instinct to check for blood.
Opening his eyes to look at his hand he saw Katara standing over him. Her arms were extended, Zuko noticed she had the cutest smile he had ever seen.
Next thing he saw was Katara moving her arms back and forth. Then his blood began to boil as it dawned on him. It was not the fish fighting back. It was Katara playing with him.
Zuko had had enough, "Give me my fish. I intend on eating that for my dinner." Zuko demanded as he stood up.
Katara laughed, "Zuko it may have been your fish, but it's my dinner now," as she brought the fish closer to her.
Zuko was not pleased with her to say the least, "It is my fish." Sokka held back a laugh as Zuko pouted.
Katara reached out for the fish and Zuko lunged at her. She quickly tossed the fish to Sokka, who screamed when it hit him in the face.
Turning to make a run for it, Katara narrowly missed Zuko's grasp. Katara ran as fast as she could, which slowed considerably when she started to laugh.
Zuko only found her laughter all the more reason to teach her a lesson. Catching up to her, he reached to grab hold of her. Feeling something in his hand he pulled back on it.
"Ouch. Zuko, Thats my hair," Katara screamed, but it was to late.
Zuko had her, "Think you are so funny, now?" Zuko whispered into her ear.
