ZW 2009 Day 2: Electrifying
Lightning Rod
Summary: Katara remembers everything. It was over as soon as it began, forgettable to anyone but her. The funny thing about realizing she could be more than friends with Zuko, though, is that sometimes it's hard to decide whether or not she wants him to realize it too.
It was just one of those things, a fleeting moment. You wouldn't remember. I walked into Bumi's ballroom with Aang, close enough to him that everybody would know I was with him; far enough that nobody would think we were together. That was before we all met at your uncle's tea shop, at the party Bumi threw for the end of the war.
You were with Mai. I remember she was dressed in black and red, and you were too. She was beautiful that night, with her shining hair down around her face, and you were looking pretty good yourself. I told you that much, though you likely don't remember any of that either. I remember the man standing next to you, though I haven't seen him since, because he complimented my hair, and I remember how you were fidgeting with the heavy robes that you weren't quite used to. I remember everything.
You had been sitting at a table near the entrance, and you stood when we came in. A rare smile spread across your face. It was one of those smiles you're always trying to hide, like you don't want anyone to think you less than perfectly stoic, fully controlled. Mai spared you a glance as you stood, but quickly returned her attention to Ty Lee, and you walked over to us, and you greeted Aang and then turned to me. You told me I looked nice, and that was the part when I said that you looked pretty good yourself, of course, and then you extended your arm, as if you were going to clasp mine in the traditional Water Tribe greeting. I was surprised since you so much prefer to bow, but I took your arm.
Time stopped.
One breath, and we were the only people in the room. Your hand was warm and you gripped my arm like you never wanted to let go, and for that breath I thought I saw your eyes sparkle. I couldn't move, and had you spoken I couldn't have replied. You felt like lightning. The next breath came and the moment was gone. We were two friends in a room full of acquaintances again, and I remember realizing we'd held on just a second too long with smiles just a bit too wide. I pulled my arm out of your grasp, and you seemed to come back to yourself. Moving to the side, you made a bad joke (or made a joke badly, I suppose) and I laughed, like always. Like always, you returned to Mai and I to Aang, and everything fell into place. Sometimes I'm tempted to dismiss this entirely, to ignore it, to think I'm reading too much into it. But that's not possible.
We haven't touched since. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but I like to think you must have felt it too or we wouldn't dance around each other like butterflies in the wind. You just look so awkward, waving goodbye to me when we're standing less than three feet from each other, so sometimes I wonder what would happen if I hugged you instead. It would be like lightning striking the lightning rod, I think, and that's why we'll never touch again. I might fall for you, and the only thing that comes from a falling lightning rod is a house fire.
Maybe, on second thought, you do remember. I wish you'd forget, that you'd let me keep this moment a secret close to my heart and nobody would ever have to know. But then I see you smile and I can't help wishing that a little less.
