I don't own ATLA or any of the characters!
Katara's POV
Things have been weird with Zuko the past week and I don't know why. He's been acting all hot and cold, flirting with me one day and the next he completely ignores me. Now this isn't new for Zuko because he has always been like this from a young age. He always had a hard time expressing himself and when he was always awkward because when he was younger Ozai, his father, drank a lot and every time Zuko would try to speak and express himself he was quickly shut down by his dad and his mother tried to encourage him until he was 20ish he didn't really speak all that much. Finally Zuko's mother threatened divorce and when Zuko was 10, after so long of Ozai drinking and putting Zuko down, that Ozai quit and became a lot nicer and better father to Zuko.
"Mami?" I heard Ryan say and I looked over to him sitting on the recliner.
"¿Sí bebé a niño?" (Yes baby boy?) I said.
"Kylie estaba preguntando cuando podemos tener nuestra noche de la familia." (Kylie was asking when we can have our family night.) He said. I turned to Kylie who was looking at me expecting an answer.
"No sé de Kyl. Depende si le padre tiene planes para ustedes chicos." (I don't know Kyl. Depends on if you father has plans for you guys.) I explained.
"No va a suceder. Mai es venir sobre para la cena y todos tenemos que comer con ella como una 'familia'." (Won't happen. Mai is coming over for dinner and we all have to eat with her as a 'family'.) Bryan says and plops on the couch next to Ryan. Zuko walks in and we all stop talking in Spanish knowing it would look bad on us.
"This sucks Dad. Why can't Mai just stay at her spoiled families and stay away from us." Kylie as bold as ever. Zuko gives Kylie a warning glance before heading towards the kitchen.
"Get ready. She'll be here in twenty minutes." Was all he said. Bryan and Kylie groan while Ryan just frowns, but none of them get up.
"You heard your father get ready...We don't have much of a choice here…" I said.
"Fine. But I'm not going to change or get ready for that emotionless witch." Kylie huffed. Bryan and Ryan nodded in agreement and I just shrugged and waited for the end of all happiness to come.
Dinner is so awkward you couldn't even cut the tension with a super sharp knife. Mai was sitting next to Zuko who was head of the table and Kylie was sitting next her while I was across from Kylie and Ryan was to right sitting in front of Mai and Bryan sitting to my left.
"So Bryan when is your next Basketball game?" I asked. He looked up from his plate and smirked.
"Next week on Saturday. And we're doing so good that we're going to destroy them." Bryan said excitedly.
"Your father used to be in basketball and he led the team four times-" Mai got cut off by Kylie.
"Actually you're only counting his high school team record. Dad's actual record is actually seven. Mom had all of his national and state trophies until grandma got handed them. Plus dad was in college basketball too on a full ride scholarship while getting his degree." Kylie explained expertly.
"Oh don't forget mom worked just as hard with her being on the Academic Decathlon and was doing a medical Internship as soon as she hit freshman year in college. That and she was on a full ride academic scholarship." Ryan grinned proudly at me.
"We have pretty smart and talented parents and we know it." Bryan said confidently.
"We heard you were a cheerleader in high school though." Kylie said.
"Yeah I was. If I remember correctly you are too. I could show a few moves if you'd like." Mai offered in a suck up way. Kylie looked right through her facade.
"Oh. No thanks. Mom's best friend Suki, or uncle Haru's wife, was a cheerleader in high school, college and for a little while a professional one. Anyway she's teaching me everything she knows." Kylie said finishing her food.
"I'm done. Mom? Can we do that family night now?" Bryan complained.
"Bryan…" Zuko warned.
"What. I'm not going to pretend that I like Ms. Blah. I mean seriously dad? Kylie, Ryan and I hate her and everyone knows it. So why try to push something that won't happen! We're happy you stupid wife is not living here right now." Bryan yelled. Zuko mouth went into a narrow line. I knew that as a sign he was about to lose his temper.
"Bryan...Maybe you shouldn't…" Bryan cut me off.
"No! I'm sick of her being here. I'm sick of her always complaining and degrading dad! She's nothing but a-" Zuko slammed his hand on the table and stood up making the chair fall over.
"I've had enough of your attitude Bryan! I don't care if you like her or not! She's staying and that's final!" Zuko yelled at Bryan which in return Bryan got more furious.
"She wouldn't even be here if it hadn't been for you being a totally dead beat, cheating husband to mom! I'm surprised mom even forgave you because you don't even deserve it! You didn't and still don't deserve mom! One thing I know is that it's YOUR fault and MS. BLAHS. I'll NEVER forgive you for what you did to mom. Not even after I die of old age." Bryan stood up forcefully gesturing towards Mai. I had an enough by now and let out an ear piercing whistle. The two of them looked at me.
"I've had enough of this! Bryan, Ryan and Kylie go to the den. Mai leave. I have to have a word with Zuko." I silently glared at Zuko. Mai looked like she was about to protest. Zuko had the same thought though.
"Leave Mai. This is between Katara and me." Zuko all but snarled out. Bryan was led out by Kylie who was glaring at Zuko, even Ryan was glaring at him and he was usually the neutral zone. Before they left Ryan looked Zuko straight in the eyes and said the most heart wrenching.
"By the way dad, since you don't care about our feelings than don't bother talking to us. We don't want to bother you with our FEELINGS." And with that they walked and out. Mai then got up and I knew the kids were going to keep her from listening in on Zuko and I's talk.
"How dare you. Those are your CHILDREN. Bryan has always looked up to you as a child and for you to tell him you don't care about his feelings is like your father telling you that he doesn't care about when you were eight! Your lucky Damion wasn't here and at his friends because he would have probably tried taking you down to the floor for you speaking to Bryan like that. After what he heard you say to me that night I know he wouldn't ever let you speak to someone like that again. You better hope that they forgive you." I snarled at him and stormed out the door. I found the kids in the den with Mai forcing her to stay.
"Leave Mai. I want to talk to MY kids." She huffed and left to suck up to Zuko. I sigh and feel on the plush dark brown couch and left out a shaky laugh. I felt like I was back when Zuko and I had the argument after he cheated.
"You okay mom? You look really pale…" Kylie put her hand on mine.
"Fine sweetie. Can you call Damion home? I just need him right now." I felt claustrophobic and breathed a little heavier. Kylie nodded, taking out her phone and dialing Damion's number. He answered after two rings.
"Damion? Mom needs you home now."... "There was an argument between Bryan and Dad. Dad says he didn't care about our feelings for Mai and that she's staying. Mom had a word with Dad and now she looks really pale and like she's having a hard time breathing. Ryan is trying to calm her right now, but it's not working." … "Alright. Hurry please." She hung up and came over to me. "Damion is hurrying over." She smiled and grabbed my free hand.
About ten minutes later the front door open and close. I heard heavy footsteps running down the hall and the door swung open to reveal Damion.
"You okay mom? I have your medicine if you need it." Damion told me and kneeled down to my level. Seeing him reminded me of why was here and I started crying so hard that I had a hard time breathing. I felt my heart pounding and a light sweat building up.
"She's having a panic attack." Damion said.
"Wait she has panic attacks!" Bryan exclaimed.
"Yes she has since she was a little kid. No one knows what causes them. I've known for a couple of years because I caught her having one when I was fourteen and you guys were at school and I was sick at home." He pulled out my medication and had me take two pills. I slowly started relaxing and finally I was fine again.
"Is she going to be okay?" Kylie asked.
"Yeah she should be. Just keep her in a relaxing environment for a few days and she should be better in no time." Damion explained.
"Come on mom. I'll run a warm bath for you." Kylie helped me up and we walked out the door and towards my temporary room. We happened to see Mai and Zuko having a heated discussion, but they stopped when they saw Kylie and I. Damion was behind us talking to Bryan and Ryan. Damion saw Zuko and gestured that he was going to talk to Zuko and that Bryan and Ryan should keep Kylie and I company.
When we got up to my room Ryan and Bryan talked to me about random things like school, friends and sports while Kylie ran my bath. I smiled at my children who were always there for me when I needed them the most.
(Downstairs with Zuko, Mai and Damion)
Damion's POV
Mai and dad were both sitting on the couch looking at me and I just glared at them. I stood there with my arms crossed and stiff posture.
"So I heard about your yelling match with Bryan and then the conversation with mom. Care to explain to me why you would talk to Bryan that way. It doesn't help that mom is still supposed to be looked after because she has to take her medication for her nightmares and panic attacks that have increased since the incident. Yet when this happens and she gets angry which results in her yelling at you which again affects her negatively, raises her blood pressure and causes a panic attack that you don't seem to care about." I growled at him.
"Listen Damion, I didn't know she just had a panic attack. But we should talk about this an-"
"Nope we're talking about it now." I stood tall and menacing.
"Damion why don't you listen-" Again I cut off.
"Stay out of this Mai. You're not a part of this discussion." I growled at her.
"Don't talk to your mother like that!" Zuko told me sternly.
"She's not my mother and never will be. That woman upstairs being taken care of by Bryan, Ryan and Kylie is my mother. The woman that went through that non-medicated, painful birth. She is my one and ONLY mother. Mai is just an annoying, fake pest that lives here and is married to an asshole like you. You two really are a perfect couple. You both are just cold hearted people. We're done here. Like Ryan says, don't bother talking to us." I walked up the stairs and left them to keep arguing.
Zuko's POV
"Why don't you just give the kids to your parents and Katara to whoever? I mean we could go on a vacation, I've always wanted to go to the Caribbean." Mai put her hand on my bicep and fluttered her eyes in a flirty way. THAT made me angry. My kids hated me, my ex-wife had a panic attack because of me, and all Mai could think of is getting rid of them and going on a vacation that only SHE wanted to go on. She always complains about boring everything is when we go on vacation like when the kids, Mai and I all went to Greece or when we went Hawaii, or when she was at her worst, Japan.
"Is that all you care about?! My kids hate me and Katara had a panic attack! Yet all you can think about is getting rid of them and going on a vacation! It's like you only with me for my money!" I snarled at her. Mai just rolled her eyes at me.
"You really are pathetic Zuko. I mean really are you that stupid to think that. No wonder your kids are upset with you. They have a dumb father." Mai scowled and walked towards the door and slammed it on her way out. I winced and ran my hands through my messily styled black hair. I held my head in my hands and cried for the first time in a long time. 'Why am I so messed up?' I thought. 'She's right no wonder my kids hate me. I'm nothing, but a pathetic excuse of a father.'
I walked into the kitchen and went straight for the whiskey bottle. I popped the cap and started drinking it like water. Within two hours I was gone and so was the bottle and another bottle as well. My head was hanging between my bent knees and my arms hanging off my knees with the bottles at my feet. I had my eyes closed when I felt a soft small hand on my shoulder. I looked up and saw Katara, but she could easily be a figment of my imagination. Like she would even look at me after what I caused.
"Zuko...Let's get you to bed before the kids wake up and find you here in the morning…" I shook my head. I heard her sigh and grab my arms and put it over her shoulder.
"Come on Zuko. You can't wallow in pity. That was always your father thing. Never your thing, but hey it could be genetic thing when you guys decide that you want to be big babies." Katara said while carrying my drunk ass upstairs with me trying to walk half assed. We finally got upstairs and we walked into Mai and I's bedroom, but honestly now that I looked at it, it looked like more of Mai's room than mine. Katara laid me on the black and gray bed covers. I reached up and touched her wild and soft like silk hair that was hanging over me.
"You always had such beautiful hair. So soft…" I mumbled. I then grabbed her and pulled her onto the bed with me.
"Z-Zuko. You're drunk and not thinking clearly." I shook my head shushed her. I kissed her forehead, nose, cheek, the corner of her mouth and then finally her full lips.
"Zuko! Please don't make this hard on me. Your drunk and I don't want to be that woman that ruins a marriage." She pulled away. I sighed and let her go.
"I'm sorry Katara…It's just no matter what I feel for Mai or how much I try to push it away. I love you Katara. I never stopped." I confessed. Katara shook her head and sat on the edge of my bed.
"Zuko…Your drunk and not thinking straight and most of this stuff you're saying isn't true and will regret it in the morning." Katara tried to reason with me, but I was having none of it.
"No! I'm telling you the truth! I'm sober enough to know what I'm saying! I'm in love with you!" I almost wanted to yank my hair out in desperation, begging her to believe me. I grabbed her face and kissed her full on the lips as hard as I could to make her understand what I felt for her. I tried to show that I needed her. Again though she pushed me away and just glared at me with her eyes cold as the Antarctic ice.
"Zuko stop this. You love Mai otherwise you wouldn't be with her! You don't love me! You just think you do because Mai is being a bitch." Katara scolded me.
"I do love you! Please Katara you have to understand! I don't love her and I know I just realized that, but I never loved her. Please I want you back into my life again. Just let me show you!" I went to grab her hand, but she got up and walked towards my door.
"Listen Zuko if you're unhappy in your marriage that's fine, divorce her. But do not make me the reason for your divorce." Katara scowled at me and closed my door making me realize I had a big decision to make. Was getting rid of Mai worth it, just to realize that Katara would never take me back? Would it be worth the heartache to keep Mai around lose Katara and my children? I don't know honestly. You'd think I'd choose my kids and Katara, but Mai has always been a easy person to understand. She familiar to me and I depended on her to keep me grounded when I really needed it. She was always there when I needed her while Katara was always gone or too busy. How the hell am I supposed to choose…
Thanks for reading! Please review, they keep me writing!(: Have a great day beautiful people!((: