Chapter 5: Lies and Truths

"Katara? Is that you?" Katara's mother stepped forward.

"Yeah, Mom," Katara's brow furrowed.

"Why are you bending? Why does that boy call you Avatar? What's going on?" her mother's tone became very maternal.

"Go inside, Mom. I'll explain it all later," Katara never took her gaze from Zuko.

"I won't go anywhere until you tell me what's going on, young lady!" her mother decreed.

"I've known I was a bender for quite some time," Katara lied. "And this is just a whack job from school who thinks I'm the Avatar. So he keeps stalking and attacking me.

An explosion of heat, flames, water, steam, and ice ended the lying.

"Come on Avatar! Fight me!" Zuko punched fireballs at Katara.

"Mom, run!" Katara yelled as she threw up a shield of ice. After she heard the door close, Katara began to speak. "How dare you!" She advance toward Zuko and a wave began to form behind her. "You could've killed my mom!"

"So?" his nonchalant stare angered Katara.

"So?! She's the only mother I've ever known!" she shouted.

"Yeah, most people I know only have one mother," Zuko replied sarcastically.

"Why you conceited bigot!" Katara grabbed Zuko and hauled him close. "Just because you're a Firebender you think you're better than me? Or is it because you've always had a mother? Well, guess what? She's not my real mom! I never knew my real mom! My earliest memories are from an orphanage!"

"What makes you think you're the only one who's had a tough life?" Zuko asked, slapping her hands away. "Maybe you're lucky not to have known your real parents! Because you don't have to deal with any painful memories!"

"Wh-what do you mean?" Katara asked, stumbling away. The tsunami behind her melted away.

"My mom's dead too," Zuko admitted.

All Katara could hear was the drip of the rain. Zuko was like her? Motherless, alone. Did he feel all alone sometimes? Bereft? Empty? Did he ever feel like he was a loner despite the people around him? Did he envy those who knew their real mothers, who still had their mothers to hold?

Zuko saw Katara shivering. Was she cold? Was she scared? Was she hurt? A thread of fear wound its way into his chest. Would she be okay? Involuntarily, he took a step towards Katara.

Katara felt the cold winter rain slap her face. She realized something hot, wet, and abrasive was steaming down her cheeks. It mixed with the rain and she realized they were tears.

Zuko saw those blue eyes fill with tears and watched them spill down her cheeks. Before he realized what he was doing, he had taken Katara I his arms and pressed her close to him. He heard her quiet sobs. He hesitantly breathed in her scent. She smelled like jasmine. His hands moved down her arms and back. She felt cool after the heat of his anger.

Zuko was nice and warm. He was tender and yet still rough and inexperienced. He smelled of sweat, smoke, and something she couldn't name. Katara clutched his black T-shirt. She heard her sobs. Katara let go of his shirt and Zuko pressed her head against his chest. She stayed still and she heard his heartbeat, strong, steady, and reassuring. She listened wordlessly. Her eyelids veiled her eyes. Were all boys like this? So kind? Or was it just Zuko? Were all boys this warm? Or just Firebenders?

Firebenders. Katara's eyes snapped open and her blood froze. Zuko was a Firebender. He wanted her to kill for him. He didn't care about her. He had probably lied to her just so he could get this close to her. So he could capture her with the least amount of energy exerted. She had fallen for it. Katara stiffened.

Zuko felt the change in Katara. One second she was relaxed; the next she was tensed. Vaguely, Zuko had a feeling this was very bad. Katara, though, was intoxicating him. He couldn't think straight. All he could think about was all those days of watching her. All those glimpses of her beauty. Oh, spirits help him, he was in love with Katara. He had fallen in love with her.

"Zuko?" Katara found her voice finally. "Get off me."

"What?" Zuko asked, stirring.

"Get your filthy hands off me!" Katara broke out of his embrace. "I know what you're up to."

"What?" his entire vocabulary seemed to have become this word.

"You're just trying to seduce me so I won't be able to fight back!" Katara moved away and turned her back on Zuko. "You're just like him." She walked away, leaving Zuko out in the frigid rain feeling very confused and empty.

Oh, poor Zuko TT Katara turned him down. I hope you all enjoyed the warm fuzzy part of this chapter. Please read and review.