A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews, alerts, and faves! This next drabble finally introduces the Zuko/Katara arc.
And don't forget, if there's anything lulzy you as a reader would want to see, don't hesitate to let me know. You might see it show up in future drabbles! :3
title ; Complex Mathematics
characters ; Katara, Zuko, Jet, Suki, Azula
rating ; K+
word count ; 784
Trigonometry was easily Katara's favorite subject.
Never mind that she was mercilessly teased as being a complete nerd for taking the course in her freshman year. Never mind that the teacher smelled like stale coffee and dusty books. Never mind that they had at least three pages of homework a day and pop quizzes every other.
In trigonometry, he sat next to her.
Alright, she sat next to him. She'd been so ridiculously (secretly) excited that there was an empty seat next to the cutest boy in class. …But it was only that one time. She still held out hope. After all, they'd actually had a conversation that first day, which was more than she could say for most of her classmates.
Of course, by conversation, it really went something like this:
"Hi," from her, with a blush, after she'd taken at least two minutes to get up the nerve.
"Hey," cut in from behind her.
Unfortunately, that wasn't part of her script. For a moment she floundered, before stuttering a slightly flustered, "H-hi," for the benefit of the saboteur.
"You really don't need to take notes in here. Teach just reads from the book."
"Oh. Uh, I like taking notes. I'm much more of a visual person, see, and so writing everything down helps me, you know…"
"Look smart?"
"Yeah. I mean, no, of course not. …what?"
Then the boy who'd interrupted smirked, and when she started to think maybe falling in a hole would be nice, he stepped in to save her.
"Give her a break, Jet," he said, and she had to fight the rising urge to hug him—or give him the silliest, stupidest grin ever.
But in the end all she could do was stare, and after pointedly clearing his throat, Jet's snicker from behind her made her realize her savior had already turned back to his notebook without a second thought for her.
He didn't look at her again.
Maybe it wasn't the best impression. But she was sure if she could just see him again, then she'd be able to form coherent sentences and show him how nice she was. (And sure, she thought she was smart, but so what?)
Three days later she hadn't seen him again but in passing and her hopes were flagging. It was time for some advice.
"Suki, there's this guy…"
She was sweaty and gross and feeling more angsty than usual. Suki, on the other hand, had barely worked up a sweat after beating every single girl in their PE class at tennis.
"Really? Where'd you meet him?"
"Um, well, it's kind of an interesting story. I sat next to him in trig the first day—"
"Ooh, and let me guess, he asked to borrow a pencil or something, right?"
"No, better. He defended me." Kinda.
"Really? Details. Now."
She hadn't just giggled. Had she? "Well, Jet—"
Her friend lifted up a hand to stop her, while pulling a face. "Oh god, Jet. Don't tell me it's him."
Katara just gave her a look.
"Okay, okay, forget about that. Is your guy cute?"
It was time for her to blush again. "I think so. Even his scar—"
Suki almost choked on the water she was chugging. "Are you kidding? Scar on the left side of his face?"
"Yeah."
"Black hair? Tall? Smells like smoke?"
Cue a dreamy sigh. "Yeah."
But instead of fawning with her, Suki laughed. And laughed. And laughed.
Katara knew she had to be tomato red by that point. Clearly she'd missed something. She never would have said anything if she'd known it was hopeless, and was already kicking herself for choosing Suki of all people to confide in. She'd tell Sokka and then—
"Katara, let me give you a heads-up. If you're serious about getting to know that guy, you'll make yourself a lot of enemies. And I do mean a lot. He's got fangirls. Heaps of them." At the dejected look on her friend's face, however, Suki couldn't help but take pity. "But check out the parking lot behind the gym during third period. Odds are you'll see him there. Most days, Zuko uses his study hall to smoke."
# # #
Azula hated Suki with a burning passion.
But the auburn-haired girl was a killer athlete, and even Azula had to admit such a strong adversary would make a strong ally. She was fully prepared to offer the girl a place in her scheme for total school domination.
That was, until she heard her giving some insignificant peon advice about dating her brother.
At least Suki was right about one thing: Katara would have plenty of enemies. Unbeknownst to them, she'd just made her first.