Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender. This story is strictly for your amusement—so I hope you're amused!
Chapter 9
He was on a rooftop somewhere in the middle of the night, but Zuko wasn't sure where. All he could see was the slightest sliver of moon above him, yet there wasn't enough light to illuminate his surroundings. The hilts of the two broadswords felt heavy in his hands, but he soon realized he could swing them easily. Parrying the weapons about, he found them surprisingly weightless.
The mask he wore trapped his exhausted pants of warm breath, causing his mouth to become increasingly hot. Suddenly, he realized that someone was with him, fighting back to back with him. For some reason, he knew it was Katara—the thick braid of her hair was pressing into his lower back as she shouted something to him. Zuko worried to himself as he fended off some attackers, why can't I hear what she's saying?
He quickly peeked over his shoulder to see how his partner was doing. Her sapphire eyes softened their steely gaze as she locked eyes with his golden orbs hidden deep within the thick mask and she momentarily diverted her attention from their adversaries. Somehow, he intrinsically knew that she trusted him with her safety—don't worry; I'll get us out of this alive… As she opened her mouth, he heard a voice that was not hers—it was muffled and sounded too deep for the petite girl…
"Zuko…Zuko, are you okay in there?"
Waking with a start, Zuko found one of his pillows covering his face. I guess that's why my face felt so warm, he thought as Iroh knocked on his bedroom door. With a groan, he realized that he'd had another Blue Spirit dream—only this time, Katara was in it helping him fight off some faceless assailants. Recalling the last moments of his dream, he thoughtfully memorized the tight, form-fitting blue dress she had been wearing and the trusting look on her face.
"I'm fine, Uncle—thanks!" he said with a tinge of annoyance while he kicked off the tangled sheets at his feet. He ran one hand through his hair as the other grabbed for the water glass on his nightstand. Taking a large gulp, he realized that he was coated in a thin layer of sweat. That was some dream…although I haven't dreamt I was the Blue Spirit for a while now…
Clearing his throat as he stood on the other side of the closed door to Zuko's room, Iroh continued, "Okay—I was just a little worried. Your breakfast is waiting for you in the kitchen." It sounds like he was having quite the "involved" dream, the old man thought with a roguish grin.
Throwing himself back onto his bed, Zuko reviewed the last moments of his dream. This is bordering on obsession…Why have you been dreaming about her for the past week? Shaking the images from his mind, he quickly got up and decided that meditation was exactly what he needed, especially after something like that…
----------------------------------------
Walking to class, Zuko still couldn't entirely remove the memories of the dream from his mind. You could practically feel her against you—it just seemed so real…Shaking his head as he entered class, he saw his "dream girl" already occupying her seat. With a slightly shaky voice, he mumbled "good morning" as he sat at his desk. Taking a deep breath, he pulled his notebook from his backpack and dug in a pocket looking for a pen.
"Good morning," Katara said brightly, not noticing his demeanor as she focused on her notes from the last class. Just look at these—they look like chicken-pig scrawl! I can't believe this is what I came up with after a near-hour of listening to Professor Wu's lecture…I need to get focused and quit getting distracted by the "scenery."
After sighing in quiet frustration, Katara put away her old notes as Professor Wu entered the classroom. Silently placing her briefcase on top of the large oak desk, the gray-haired woman turned to the class and instructed them to continue with their activity from last session, though they were to reverse their roles. As she finished, she turned around to continue some paperwork.
Turning her full attention to him, Katara readied her pencil and paper. After waiting a moment or so, she frowned slightly when she realized her partner wasn't going to readily share a story with her. Whispering to him in concern, she continued, "Well, don't you have a story, Zuko? I mean you knew you were going to have tell me something…"
Taking a slow deep breath, Zuko began hesitantly, somewhat refusing to make eye contact with his partner—partly because the mental image of her in his dream was still all too fresh in his mind and partly because he never really spoke about his childhood with anyone outside of his family. This isn't the happiest of memories, but it's kind of all I've got…
"Okay…um, I guess I'll share something about my younger sister, Azula. Well, when we were kids, there was a large pond near our house. Our mom would take us there from time to time and, once Azula and I were old enough, we went there on our own without our parents. We used to spend a lot of time feeding the turtle-ducks there, bringing day-old bread for them to eat."
As Zuko recalled the image of the tiny turtle-ducklings, Katara caught the small smile that escaped his lips before he forged ahead with his memory. Pausing to remember the small details, he eyed his partner for a brief moment before continuing.
"And, uh, one day, Azula showed me how she fed the turtle-ducks when no one else was around. She just threw a huge dinner roll at one of the turtle-ducks and started laughing hysterically…"
Noticing Katara's stern look of disapproval, he provided a small excuse, "I know, I know—not exactly a nice thing to do. But, I was ten at the time—I thought it was entertaining. Anyways, the next time I went to the pond with my mom, I showed her how Azula fed the turtle-ducks. So, I threw a roll at one of the babies. As soon as I did that, the mother turtle-duck came out and bit my hand—"
"Serves you right, throwing food at those helpless turtle-ducklings!" the brunette replied with no attempt to hide her disappointment.
Frustrated at her interruption, he continued, "Anyways—my mom agreed with you, of course—I learned my lesson that day. 'Never come between a mother and her baby.' So, that's my story."
Staring at him for a moment, she replied earnestly, "To be honest Zuko, that wasn't really funny. Actually, it was kind of sad. And, well, your sister sounds like she was a brat."
"What would you know? Not everyone has this great relationship with their sibling," he replied, his voice raised in agitation, diverting his eyes from her and suddenly finding his desk increasingly fascinating. "Besides, Azula's not that bad…"
"Really, Zuko? So you tell me, what kind of little girl gets her kicks out of throwing food at defenseless baby animals?" the dark-skinned girl replied in jest, realizing that she'd hit a sore spot with her partner. We were getting along so well until you started talking about family…time to back pedal and get back on track—no point in messing with the rapport you've built with him over the past week. "Besides, she must've been a pain in the ass to go to the zoo with…" She joked, hoping for at least a brief respite from his current disquiet.
Realizing his overreaction and chuckling to himself, he verbally stepped back, "I guess that wasn't that great a story, huh? And, yeah, she can be a pain in the ass sometimes. So, I guess you're right…" he replied, feeling foolish.
"Did your mom ever talk to your sister about it?" Katara asked before stopping herself. Why would you ask him about his family again—obviously he's uncomfortable with the subject.
"Um, I don't know. I never had a chance to talk to her about it…" the young man trailed off before changing the subject. "So, uh, how's practice going? I was reading in the school paper that you guys just started not too long ago."
Surprised by his interest in her water polo team and smiling in happy acknowledgment of his curiosity, she responded, "Yeah, it's been tough getting back into the routine—we start practice at 6 a.m. But I love being back in the water and I'm really excited to see all my teammates again. I think we're going to have a really great season."
Before the brunette could continue, Professor Wu stood up in front of the class and cleared her throat, signaling for the attention of the class. "I believe you've had enough time to finish the exercise. Before I start the lecture, let's quickly discuss the behaviors you observed in your partner during this activity."
Pointing at Zuko and addressing him directly, the matronly woman called him out. "Mr. Sozin, what types of behavior did your partner display during your conversation?"
Looking at his notes from two days earlier, the young man replied, "She uses a lot of direct eye contact, tells stories with her hands and tends to make faces as she speaks." Satisfied with his response, the aged teacher turned to another student.
Listening to him speak, Katara was only slightly embarrassed at the last comment. What does he mean 'I make faces when I speak'? Soon enough, the embarrassment turned into chagrin as she considered his comments more. By the time Professor Wu had finished going around the classroom and started her lecture, the girl next to Zuko was festering with growing agitation at her partner. I 'make faces' he says…just because I try to not look all angsty whenever I talk to a person! I knew he was a jerk!
Looking over at his neighbor, Zuko wondered what was wrong with her. Geez, she looks like she's really focused on something—and for some reason, I don't think it has anything to do with the lecture. Shrugging his shoulders as he turned back to his notes, he decided to simply ignore the girl next to him.
By the time the professor concluded, Katara had calmed down, but she was still teetering near the brink of full-blown anger. If he says anything even remotely jerk-y, I swear I'll lose it…Just grab your stuff and get out of here, Katara!
"So, uh, Katara, interesting lecture, huh?" the young man to her left asked cautiously as he put away his notebook, not noticing that she was presently clenching her jaw muscles, gritting her teeth in frustration.
"Yeah, great. I've gotta go," Katara merely nodded at him with slit eyes as she stalked out of the room. Wouldn't want to start a scene in front of your class, now would you, Katara?
Wondering what he said wrong, Zuko watched her leave and carefully thought to himself, what is it with girls?
------------------------------------
It's been a long day, Katara realized as she sat at her desk, doing some reading for class. Practice at the crack of dawn, and your first test—not to mention what Zuko said this morning…Why are you still upset about that? It was kind of tactless…not to mention embarrassing. Ugh, just get your mind off of it!
Turning her head back to her textbook, she stared at the computer resting on the nightstand near her bed. I need a break… and this biology reading is SO boring…
Powering up her laptop, Katara signed into her IM account. Never hurts to see who's online, hm?
Seeing that bluspirit was online, she quickly messaged him:
h2opologurl: hey long time no speak
-----------------------------------
Zuko was lounging on his bed reading an old Blue Spirit comic book. He'd just finished chatting with an old friend about the newest graphic novel out with their favorite masked hero, and the discussion had sparked his interest to revisit a favorite issue. As he completed his perusal of the old booklet, he heard a familiar 'ding' from his laptop. I thought I signed out of IM before I started reading, he thought to himself. With a small shrug, he decided to see who it was. Glancing at the sender, his lips pursed as he decided to respond or ignore the note. This might be my chance to find out why she was acting so odd in class today…Typing back his response:
bluspirit: yeah how are you?
h2opologurl: ok had ruff day
bluspirit: me too.
Considering her options, Katara realized she needed to vent. She hadn't seen Suki since practice that morning and she couldn't get a hold of Toph, probably lost her phone privileges again when her parents found her sneaking out…Taking a deep breath, she responded:
h2opologurl: practice at 6, 1st test + had to deal w/ some jerk in class
Figuring he just may be the 'jerk' in question, the young man asked for her to continue. Scrunching up his forehead, Zuko tried recalling that morning's events. What could I have possibly done to be called a jerk? I don't recall doing anything particularly horrible—then again, I was kind of focused on my stupid story and not imagining her in that incredibly tight, curve-hugging dress…Damn it—there my mind goes again! Not that it's a particularly horrible image, he thought with a lascivious smile. Snapping himself out of it, he glanced at the screen awaiting her response.
How do I tell him what Zuko did without sounding like some whiny bitch? I don't want to come off as one of those girls that can't handle a negative comment from time to time…but I can't just brush it off like it was nothing…Deciding she didn't want to elaborate too much, the dark-haired girl made it as simple as possible.
h2opologurl: he said something embarrassing about me in front of our comm class
Approaching the topic cautiously—while trying to remember what he possibly could have said in class— he replayed the scene from that morning in his head. Said she made eye contact – that's fine, said she talked with her hands—plenty of people do!, said she… Oh, crap…At the realization, his palm automatically flew up to his forehead in a great smack as he recognized his own idiocy. Didn't you say she makes funny faces when she talks? I think it was just that she made faces…not necessarily funny ones…He knew he had to play it safe:
bluspirit: he probably didn't mean it the way you took it.
bluspirit: it really doesn't sound like big deal.
Katara pondered bluspirit's comment for a moment. Looking back at it, I guess it isn't too big of a deal. Why do I even care that he said it—besides it was 8 in the bloody morning, I bet no one even remembers it! But something still doesn't sit right about what he said…
h2opologurl: i suppose it shouldn't have been
Praying that she would take the advice of 'bluspirit,' Zuko continued:
bluspirit: you should give him another chance.
bluspirit: or at least tell him it bothered you. if he's a good guy he'll know to be more considerate next time.
h2opologurl: i should but
bluspirit: but what?
Considering her company, she figured she could say why it had bothered her so much. Why did it bother me so much, actually? She thought quizzically, eyebrows furrowed. Why should you care what he thinks of you? It's not like you like him or something…Katara's eyes widened as she carefully considered the thought. With a sudden burst of realization, her hand flew up to her mouth and her eyes widened as she finally admitted why it bothered her so much—it is because you like him! You think he's nice, not to mention smart, and, well, physically, he's well, um, for lack of a better word, HOT. But it's not like you have the time for a guy this semester, she told herself, considering her options. Not to mention the fact that the last time you dated anyone, he…
Hearing her laptop 'ding' again, Katara snapped out of the upsetting and altogether unpleasant memory and looked down:
bluspirit: hello?
h2opologurl: sorry…
bluspirit: about what?
h2opologurl: nothing…gotta go bye!
With that, the girl signed out as quickly as possible. No sense in sharing that feeling with another person, let alone 'bluspirit'. Besides, you've still got some reading to do! For the last time, you need to concentrate on school. Remember what Coach Pakku said…
Confounded by what had just transpired, Zuko simply turned off his computer when his classmate said 'bye.' That was weird…I wonder what scared her off? I thought we were getting along okay and then, bam, she signs off…Well, whatever the reason, here's hoping she doesn't hold a grudge…
-------------------------------------
As the highest-ranked 'sempai' present, his self-discipline refused to allow him loosen his immaculate gi. It was warm that Thursday afternoon and, even with the fans on, all he could feel was the hot air re-circulating its way through the room in the old hardwood-floored dojo. Behind him, Zuko could see the dozen or so students via their reflection in the mirror. He quickly turned and greeted the students, all BSSU students or local high schoolers, and began the class with warm-ups and endurance training—all the students quickly groaned in 'enthusiasm'. Upon hearing their displeasure, Zuko cheerfully offered to double it. Thankfully, the students smartened up and quit their complaining while they were ahead. That's more like it, Zuko noted. I hope they didn't get too soft with the summer break…
After going through some basic moves, he then led the intermediate Shotokan karate class through a series of katas. Closely observing their movements as he led them, he mentally corrected them and physically corrected himself, realizing that slight measures of his motions were off. Chastising himself, he wondered internally, why can't you focus today, Zuko?
After going through a half-dozen series, the class concluded and the students bowed and left. Lee, one of the high school boys that had joined the club the previous year, approached Zuko, eager to catch up with him and ask a burning question.
"Hey Zuko-sensei! How was your summer?" the adolescent asked animatedly. Zuko had realized early on in Lee's training that the young man looked up to him as a kind of mentor. For whatever reason, this kid likes you…Probably just wants to catch up…
"Good—nothing too exciting. How 'bout you Lee?" Zuko queried patiently as he sat down and slipped on his flip-flops, roughly toweling off the hair matted to his forehead with sweat.
"I had a blast—we went and visited my cousins in Omashu and then headed out to Kyoshi Island. They have the COOLEST beaches—real ones, too, on the ocean! Not like Lake Laogai…" the boy trailed off, considering where he should insert his real question.
"Sounds great, Lee. So, looks like you'll be joining us regularly on Thursdays then, huh?"
"Uh, yeah…Um, Zuko-sensei…I, uh, noticed you were kind of out of it today," said Lee in a rush, unsure of how his teacher would react. Zuko looked at the young man beside him curiously. "I mean, you weren't as, um, focused as usual. And you didn't correct us or anything—sometimes, you know, you scold us if we're not paying attention or following a kata correctly. Is something wrong? Is your old uncle okay? I hope he isn't sick or something. I was just a little, uh, worried…" Lee trailed off, not sure if he could continue, as his sensei's face betrayed no emotion at his rambling words.
Furrowing his brow, Zuko replied, "No, everything's fine—I've just been busy with school. And I was trying to take it a little easy on you guys since it's our first class back, but I guess I shouldn't have." With a small grin on his face, he continued, "Don't worry about me getting soft on you guys—I'll be sure to be twice as watchful next week!" His eyes held a glint of promised malice, and he almost laughed when Lee swallowed audibly.
"Uh, okay, Zuko-sensei! Sorry 'bout that—uh, no need to intensify things," Lee replied with a smile and hoping his sensei didn't get too brutal on them next week. "Alright then. Guess I'll see you next week, sensei." Turning to the scarred young man, Lee took a small bow and departed.
Obviously, I betray myself more than I think…He heard the door close after Lee, and the dojo was silent, apart from the hum of the fans circulating the air. He stared at his feet a moment, reviewing his actions and movements from that afternoon. He had been sloppy, he admitted internally—sloppy enough that his own students had noticed. It's just been hard focusing—my mind's just been wandering lately…
Since the room was now empty, Zuko let out a low growl as he kicked off his shoes and went through one last demanding kata, hoping to clear his mind. As he focused on his reflection, a thought rose from the depths of his subconscious, it's because of her…you can't stop thinking about her…in your dreams and waking thoughts…it's her…Before he could register what the small voice in his head had said, it slipped back under the submerged waters of his mind and he refused to pursue it.
Shouting through his kata, he focused his energy and mind to the task at hand.
------------------------------------
She struggled with it mightily that Saturday morning, pulling the brush through her hair with enough force to get through the tangles, but not so much that she actually pulled out her hair. Ugh, I hate dealing with this rat's nest every morning! Sometimes I just wish I could shave it all off. Upon picturing herself with a bald pate like Aang, she giggled uncontrollably. Okay, it's not that bad, she corrected as she pulled the mass of hair back into a ponytail, leaving her trademark long bangs framing her face.
"Well, I guess all there's left to do is wait for my brother," the brunette said to no one in particular.
"Actually, he just pulled up," Suki called out, poking her head momentarily through the doorway.
By the time they got into the car, the elder Kuruk had already made mental notes about why his sister could not go out to the beach dressed the way she was.
"Katara, you can't wear that to the beach. You should just go upstairs and change into something more…appropriate," he said, his voice taking that overprotective, always-knows-best, older brother tone.
"And into what, Sokka? We're going to the beach—I'll be wearing a swimsuit most of the time. Would you rather I not wear anything over my suit, instead?" she emphasized sarcastically.
"Uh no, but why do you have to wear those shorts? I mean they're really short, not to mention the BSSU logo on the back side just screams for guys to pay attention to your, uh, backside!"
"Give it a rest, Sokka. We're both wearing the same shorts—so if she changes, I change. And if we both have to change, who knows how long it'll take before we can leave," Suki said in defense of her roommate. "I would hate to get to the beach only to find all the good spots taken," her voice softening slightly. Upon hearing Suki's reasoning, Katara had to keep herself from laughing out loud as she saw her brother's protests dwindle beneath the sultry voice.
Realizing his defeat, he acquiesced. "Fine—but I don't have to like it. Let's get a move on!" Putting his foot to the gas pedal, they zoomed out of the parking lot and made their way towards Toph's house to pick the two teenagers up. In the backseat, Katara gave Suki a knowing wink. I see she's already learned how to deal with him…This could definitely come in handy!
---------------------------------
Meditating in his room, Zuko focused on the sound of his breath inhaling and exhaling. Unfortunately, his attempts at focusing and emptying his mind of thought were being sporadically interrupted by mental images from his dreams the past few nights. There'd be fleeting moments where he recalled being the Blue Spirit, odd snippets of a particularly embarrassing classroom incident and pictures of the more erotic dream he'd had the evening before. As he recalled the latest fantasy of his interaction with his blue-eyed classmate, the corner of his mouth curled up into a self-satisfied smirk. I wonder if that great tan of hers extends to…
Of course, the somewhat lewd moment was interrupted at a most inopportune time by the presence of his uncle in the doorway. Even with his eyes closed, the young man could still sense him.
"Uncle, I know you're there."
Opening his eyes, he looked at the old man and quickly realized he may have been better off keeping them closed, considering what the man in the doorway was wearing.
"Uncle, why are you dressed like that?" he queried cautiously, curiously eyeing the large straw hat, sunglasses, gaudy tropical-print shirt, swim trunks and sandals—not to mention the patch of zinc oxide protecting his nose—that his uncle was currently sporting.
"Don't you remember, Zuko?" the gray-haired man gently reminded. Recognizing that his nephew had no idea what he was talking about, he continued, "I'm taking today off and we're heading out to Lake Laogai. You promised me you'd go to the beach with me…Besides, it's an absolutely beautiful day outside and it would not do to spend it indoors."
Cringing as he remembered their conversation earlier that week, the young man quickly replied in an upbeat tone, "Alright, Uncle. Well, when do we leave?"
"As soon as you're ready to go! I've already packed the car," the old man excitedly responded. This should be a great day to run into some friends, too, perhaps.
------------------------------------
Arriving at the beach, the five-some dragged their gear from the car and staked out a spot on the warm, soft sand. Unpacking their towels and beach mats, Katara surveyed the area. As she looked to her left, her mouth went agape in surprise. Is that who I think it is? I forgot he was there when Suki mentioned going to the beach. I'm sure he planned to be here—although he is going to a lot of trouble just to see me…
Katara paused as she realized what she'd just been considering. She mentally shook herself in frustration. Just listen to yourself, Katara! This is Jet we're talking about here—you know, the guy who CHEATED on you last year! Her conscience warred with her memories, thoroughly disgusted she could find anything pleasant about the past that was now walking towards her
Locking eyes with the lanky young man, Katara couldn't help but smile in pure female appreciation. I forgot how good he looked without his shirt on…Now if only he could keep his mouth shut, he'd be picture perfect and I could walk away without beating the living daylights out of him…
He walked towards her purposefully, sly grin on his face. As one hand carried his skateboard, the other adjusted the backpack he was carrying. Just breathe buddy. It's not like this is the first time you've seen her in a bikini—although she's "filled out" in a few places since last year…
"Hey Katara—fancy seeing you here," he greeted smoothly as he walked up to the brunette.
"Hey Jet—long time no see," she replied with a small smile. "Nice day to head to the beach, huh? Are Smellerbee and Longshot with you?" she queried while looking behind him. What I wouldn't give to have Smellerbee interrupt with one of her boring-ass stories on the awesome new bassline she wrote…I'd even settle for a weird look from Longshot—anything could work as a distraction at this point!
"They're over at our spot near the pier…You wanna come check it out?" Taking a deep breath, he continued in an uncharacteristically hushed voice, not wanting to sound too desperate, "I'd really like to talk to you…about us…" His pulse quickened as he waited for her reply. Subconsciously, his fingernails began to dig into the palms of his hands as he clenched them into tight fists, waiting on her reply. I just want to talk…to apologize…to tell you I realized how good I had it when I was with you…
Considering the thought, Katara momentarily lost herself in the scenery surrounding her. Don't let him ruin this beautiful day at the beach…Looking around, she felt the warm breeze rush past her skin as the sun beat down on them. Taking a deep breath, she realized something important—I really don't want to spend my day at the beach talking to him about our past…not to mention that I just don't want to deal with it, period.
"Look, Jet, I just don't think this is the best time …I'm here with my brother and the gang," she responded, losing herself in his dark eyes and feeling herself getting pulled in by the serious look they held. What could you possibly have to say, anyways, Jet?
Realizing who it was that his sister was greeting a mere ten feet away from him, Sokka quickly became enraged and began to speak in rabid tones to no one in particular, "Is that Jet?!? What the FUCK is he doing here?!?" His eyes turning into slits, he continued "Don't fucking tell me she invited him…I swear to the Gods if he even so much as touches her, he won't have any damn fingers to put another shitty toothpick in his mouth!"
The tanned hockey player began walking aggressively towards his sister and the tall fellow at her side. Within moments, he reached the two. Giving Jet a serious—nay, deadly—look, he spoke to his sister, "Sorry to interrupt, but I need to talk to you right now."
"No worries, Sokka. I can catch up with Katara later," Jet said nonchalantly, recognizing the older Kuruk's livid tone and already knowing better than to get between the two siblings. I just hope we get a chance to talk later…It's time for me to apologize… "I'll try finding you later."
After Jet left, the blue-eyed girl stared daggers at her brother and strained to control the anger in her voice, "Sokka, what are you doing?" Through gritted teeth, she continued patiently, "I can handle him on my own."
Gesturing in Jet's departing direction, he exclaimed, "I'm getting you away from that fucking JERK—that's what!" The older brother continued in a quieter voice, a beseeching look in his eyes, "Look, I know he had something to do with what happened to you last semester…and I don't want to see you go through that again, okay?"
Sighing in comprehension of why her brother had overreacted, Katara took a deep breath to calm herself and smiled reassuringly at him. "I understand, Sokka. Thanks for watching out for me. Really…"
By the time the two had finished their conversation, Jet had disappeared. Well, that makes things a lot easier—I guess Sokka's good for something…like running ex-boyfriends off…Katara chuckled as she conjured up a mental image of Sokka racing his SUV down the road, chasing after a skateboarding Jet, hockey stick hanging out the window waiting to high stick him.But I wonder why Jet would wanna talk about "us"—I mean we're over, aren't we?
Shrugging her shoulders, she turned to her friends and shouted excitedly, "Well, who wants to go for a swim?" With that the group of friends jogged down to the water and joined the throngs of people enjoying the sparkling depths of the lake.
----------------------------------
How did I get dragged into carrying everything from the car?, Zuko grumbled to himself as he dragged a couple of chairs and the cooler through the parking lot to the beach. Trudging through the sand, he blindly followed the old man. "Uncle, hurry up and find a spot, already! This stuff isn't getting any lighter," he shouted in exasperation.
Turning around, the old man beamed a wide smile at the young man. "I think this will suit us fine, Zuko." With that, Iroh set down the bag he was carrying and waved at his nephew to join him.
When he reached his uncle, Zuko set everything he had been carrying down. "Seriously, Uncle, what did you bring in this cooler—it weighs a ton!" The old man must think I'm some kind of ostrich-horse…
"Oh, just some drinks and some food to eat," Iroh grinned to himself, silently adding with plenty to share with any friends we might run into.
Hot from lugging the equipment, Zuko removed his shirt and got to the task of setting up the beach chairs, placing the cooler between the two seats.
As he straightened up, he saw her walking towards the beach, dripping with water as she emerged from the lake. The sun beating down on her seemed to make her skin glow and her hair… Am I dreaming, he thought to himself, rubbing his eyes a little to make sure. There's no way this is really happening! As he turned to his uncle, the look on his face turned from delighted shock to cloaked suspicion as the bearded gentleman waved at the young woman.
"Katara, is that you? Imagine seeing you here, especially as crowded as it is!"
Smiling as she walked up to the old man, she exclaimed, "Iroh! What a nice surprise!" Noticing Zuko standing nearby, she quickly took note—he looks even better without a shirt—of his defined muscles. "Excuse me for a sec, I need to grab a towel." Wow…
Handing her a towel, Iroh interrupted the blue-eyed girl's departure, "Actually, I brought an extra." Winking at Zuko, he continued, "Just in case…"
She took the Blue Spirit towel—it was Zuko's favorite when he was younger—from the older man, graciously smiling and uttering a quick "thanks" before drying herself off. As she finished, she wrapped the towel around her hips, tucking in the corner so it wouldn't fall off, dashing any hopes Zuko may have had otherwise before he even realized what he'd been hoping.
"So what brings you two to the lake today?" she asked the young man cheerfully.
Her mood seems to have improved since Wednesday… "Uncle wanted to come out and enjoy the nice day," he replied. I wonder if Uncle knew she was going to be here—not that it isn't a nice coincidence… "What about you?"
"Well, I'm here with my brother, my roommate and a couple of friends. We have a volleyball net up and we'll be playing later if you'd like to join us," she invited. Looking over her shoulder at where everyone was camped out, "I should get going before Sokka notices I'm gone." Waving at the two of them, she parted with, "I guess I'll see you later."
While she walked back, she snuck a quick glance back at Zuko, standing there in his red trunks. As her head turned, he quickly looked towards the water, pretending to admire the view. Catching his movement, she smiled to herself—maybe he likes me too?
-------------------------------------
After sitting out for about 30 minutes, Zuko decided it was time to go for a quick swim. Walking towards the water, he stretched his arms out, preparing to swim out farther than all of the beach-goers and tourists, in the hopes of finding some peace. He waded into the water gingerly, allowing himself to adjust to the cooler temperature of the lake. Soon enough, he was waist-deep and dove in headfirst.
As he padded along, he silently thanked his uncle for forcing him to come to the beach. If nothing else, you'll get some needed sun—'pale' is an understatement for the way your skin looks right now. 'Hello Day-Glo'… Not to mention that you saw your attractive classmate in a bikini…With an internal groan, he realized he was doing "it" again—admiring his partner in a more than "just friends" way. By the time he stopped swimming, he found himself further out than he'd realized and he treaded water for about ten minutes before heading back towards the shore, slightly clearer-headed.
Walking back towards where he and his uncle had laid claim to the beach, he heard a voice call out to him. "Zuko, hey Zuko!"
Turning his head towards the voice, he pasted on a grin as he saw its owner. "Uh, hey Katara. What's up?" Just another opportunity to admire you in that suit…
"I spotted you walking up here and thought I should tell you that you need to put some sunblock on. Your back's beginning to look a little red…" she said thoughtfully as she bit her lower lip.
"Uh, thanks, I'll ask Uncle to help me out…" As he looked around, he realized that Iroh was nowhere to be found. "Have you seen my Uncle—I mean Iroh— around? Where'd that old man go now?"
Knowing that he was going to be badly sunburned if he didn't put some protection on, Katara decided to take charge. Folding her arms in front of her, she stared him down. "Look Zuko—you really need to put something on your back or you're gonna end up looking like a lobster-fish."
With some irritation to his voice, he objected, "Well, if Uncle's not around, how am I supposed to put it on? It's not like I can reach around and rub it onto my own back, now can I?" He'd been considering offering her a drink from the cooler, but now he felt irritation prickle along his—so what if it was—sunburning back.
"If you would stop being an idiot for just a second, maybe I can do it for you," she snapped, grabbing his hand and forcing him to sit on the beach mat nearby. "Now where does Iroh keep the suntan lotion?"
"It's probably in his beach bag by the chair," he grumbled, relenting and pinching the bridge of his nose, resigning himself to her orders.
She mumbled a quick "thanks" as she dug through the bag. Finding the bottle, she quickly squirted some lotion onto her hands and rubbed it between her palms before slathering it on his back. What just happened? Did you just force him to have you put sunblock on him? Well, it's not like he didn't need it—he's going to get sunburned without it. And who would want to ruin all these nice, taut muscles with red and eventually peeling skin? Smiling to herself, she relished the movement of her hands against his back. Ok, maybe it wasn't entirely out of his best interests that I took this on…
When she began rubbing his back, Zuko was surprised at the cool feeling of the lotion. Her small hands made circles across his shoulder blades, quickly moving up his neck to make sure the sunblock made it to his hairline. In moments, he lost himself in her movements as she rubbed his shoulders. He sat up straight as she moved down towards his lower back. For the love Agni, this is some kind of sweet torture…he thought dreamily as the girl continued her work. I'm going to sleep well tonight…
With a start, he was brought back to reality by her voice. "Okay, all done—now you should be just fine for the rest of the afternoon! And, sorry about bossing you around there a moment ago…I guess the "mother arctic hen" came out of me again," she admitted sheepishly.
Confused by her statement, he queried, "What do you mean by 'mother arctic hen'?"
Chuckling at herself, she explained, "Well, I kind of have the reputation of taking care of everyone in our little group. I yell at Toph when she sneaks out, feed Sokka when he's hungry and take care of Aang when he needs it…It's just this annoying habit I have of wanting to take care of people and make them feel better. I guess that's why I'm a physical therapy major—I just want to help folks out."
"That's not a bad thing—it's pretty admirable, actually," he responded genuinely. The two just stared at each other for a moment before Katara's eyes broke away.
"Anyways, I gotta go—I'm pretty hungry and Sokka's got the grill going. Bye," she called before heading about ten yards down the beach to where everyone was seated and laughing at some story Sokka was telling.
As Zuko turned towards the ice chest next to him, he noticed a tall figure approaching him. This definitely confirms it isn't a dream, he thought to himself ironically. He nodded in the man's direction upon realizing it was the lead singer of The Freedom Fighters,. "Hey Jet. Enjoying the beach, too, I see."
"Yeah, but not nearly as much as you seem to be…I saw you talking to Katara a minute ago," Jet replied without emotion in an attempt to hide his jealousy. Not to mention the fact that she was rubbing her hands all over your back…
"Well, we ran into each other…So, yeah, we were chatting," Zuko replied neutrally as he pulled a bottle of water out of the cooler. For some reason, he didn't quite trust the vibe coming off the so-called 'rebel.'
Jet looked him over critically, forcing himself to remain relaxed. He nodded a bit to himself before he spoke again. "Look, I don't know what you want with her, but back off, okay? She and I have some unfinished business…"
"I think Katara can talk to whomever she pleases," the paler young man responded as he stood up to face Jet at eye level, his tone becoming more serious. He hadn't realized he'd automatically taken on a relaxed fighting stance, physically intimidating the other man.
"First of all, it's none of your fucking business, okay? And, second of all, it isn't very nice to get between a man and his woman. She's with me, so just stay out of it," said Jet simply, chewing on his toothpick and refusing to be put off. "And, not that you could, but I sure as hell don't want you fucking up my little plan. So just stay out of my way and you won't get hurt…"
So this is the guy that hurt her…Makes sense—he seems like the type—I should have figured it out sooner. "Yeah, whatever. Like I said, I think Katara can talk to whomever she wants…"
Before Jet could continue the conversation, Iroh showed up with a beaming smile. "Nephew, you won't believe the shops they have down the street from here—I practically got lost on my way back!" Upon spying Jet, the old man apologized, "I'm sorry—did I interrupt something. And who is this?" Iroh smiled at the lanky boy before him and extended his hand in recognition, "Ah—Jet is it? Nice to see you again. I trust you're enjoying a beautiful day at the beach!"
"Yeah, beautiful. Unfortunately, I've got to get going. Excuse me," he said shaking the older man's hand. With that, he ended the conversation, disdainfully eyeing Zuko as he walked away.
------------------------------------
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm stuffed," the dark-skinned boy stated, his stomach pooching out a bit as he sat back on his towel. "Nothing like barbecuing at the beach, huh guys?" he said aloud, as he fell back, feeling groggy from his impending food coma.
"That was great—thanks for making a veggie burger for me, too, Sokka!" Aang replied with a pleased smile on his face. The beach had started emptying out as the day had worn on and the majority of the families had already left, leaving mostly older youths and adults on the sandy shores. Looking at his partner in crime, the tattooed boy exclaimed, "Hey Toph, wanna go build sandcastles? Looks like most of the little kids have headed home…"
"Sure, why not Twinkle Toes? Race you down to the water?" the green-eyed girl queried with a goofy grin.
"You're on!" In moments, the two teenagers were splashing around in the water before they began their serious sandcastle-building competition. They tended to get 'creative' when it came to the task.
Watching them from their spot on the sand, Katara turned to her brother, who was already in the midst of a mid-afternoon nap. Suki was laid out beside him, enjoying the stillness.
"Hey Suki, wanna join me for a short walk along the water?"
"Nah—I think I'll take your brother's lead and take a short nap instead. Have fun…" she trailed off drowsily.
"Suit yourself…" she said, getting up and walking towards the water. Surprisingly enough, today actually turned out to be pretty relaxing. I'll have to thank Suki for suggesting this. Maybe we can all come out here again before autumn hits? As she lost herself in thought, the blue-eyed girl was soon approached by a familiar tall figure.
"Hey Katara, how're you doing?" Jet called after her, jogging for a moment to catch up. He slowed to walk beside her when he reached her, and faced her when she stopped at the water's edge.
"Good—just finished eating a late lunch." Uh oh, didn't he say earlier that he wanted to talk about "us"…Problem is, there is no "us"—as far as I'm concerned, anyways… "So, you guys been having fun?" she queried innocently.
"Yeah…Uh, do you think I could walk with you for a minute? I really want to talk to you…" he trailed off, staring out at the water. Slightly annoyed, he thought to himself, why can't this be easier?
Katara's breathing slowed for a second while she carefully considered her words. "Um, I'm really not ready to talk to you about, um, 'us,' Jet. I mean, there really isn't anything to talk about, if I remember correctly," the girl noted with a certain amount of firmness to her voice. If I remember correctly, you had your shirt off and some girl was straddling you in your room…Hence the lack of "us"…She recognized the irritation and humiliation building inside her, and she slowly started to walk away from him.
"Look I just need a minute—" he said with seriousness in his eyes as he darted around her, grabbing her wrist.
She tried pulling her arm away from him, but he just held onto her tighter. "Look Jet—I already told you, we have nothing to talk about, okay?" Katara responded through gritted teeth, remembering every controlling little thing he'd done to her as he held onto her with his viselike grip. "Now let me go…"
Unfortunately for him, whatever Jet was about to say was interrupted by a most unwelcome intruder.
"Hey Katara—everything alright?" Zuko questioned as he approached the two, worried about why Jet was holding onto her so possessively – and bruisingly, going by the discoloration in her hand. Surveying the situation, he realized that Jet was working on whatever "plan" he had mentioned earlier. I don't know what he's scheming, but I'm pretty sure the way he's treating her right now will produce the opposite effect of what he's hoping for…
"We're fine—okay, Zuko…Why don't you run back to your grandpa over there and enjoy the sunshine?" Jet replied, barely masking the venom in his voice as his eyes widened and his eyebrows arched in anger. His look clearly stating, this is none of your business, just walk away.
"Well, it doesn't look like you're fine. Is he bothering you, Katara?" Zuko asked seriously, looking Katara in the eyes for any sign of distress.
Realizing that he was overreacting and holding Katara against her will, Jet released the dark-skinned girl's wrist and she took a step back into the water. "I'm sorry, I guess I better get going," he muttered, before recognizing it would have been best to part under better terms than that. "Uh, sorry Katara, I guess we can talk another time," he apologized walking away as fast as he could. What was wrong with you there? You could've hurt her! Clenching his hands into small fists at his sides, Jet thought angrily to himself, Great way to show her you've changed—now she thinks you're some kind of psycho…
Subconsciously rubbing her wrist, she belatedly responded to Zuko's question, "I'm fine now. Thanks for, uh, interrupting that. I don't know what got into him—he doesn't usually act that way…" she said pensively. Feeling the rhythmic sloshing of the water at her feet, she felt slightly calmer, especially since Jet was gone. Whether indoors or out, the water always had a soothing effect on her psyche. She hadn't noticed the trance the water had put her under until Zuko's concerned voice brought her back to reality.
"Looks like he was pretty desperate to talk to you," he replied honestly. But I guess I can't blame him for not being over you and wanting to "win" you back…He probably didn't realize how lucky he was to have you in the first place…
"Well, I guess that's his problem." Maybe he shouldn't have cheated on me…At least Zuko was nice enough to get in the middle of that "situation"…He's just a really good guy at heart after all…Smiling at Zuko, she noted, "You have pretty good timing, you know that?"
"What can I say—I just happened to be walking by and noticed you looked somewhat, um, uncomfortable," he tried to reply as coolly as possible, running his hand through his hair so not to show how embarrassed he was to serve as her "hero" yet again. Unfortunately, his blushing cheeks gave him away.
Taking advantage of the situation—I wonder…— she grabbed his free hand and quickly squeezed it. Since he didn't pull away, she got up on her tiptoes and deposited a small, innocent peck on his unscarred cheek. "Well, you've saved me once again, Zuko. One of these days I'll have to return the favor." Noticing he was a little uneasy at her action, she let go of his hand, "I guess I'll see you on Monday…"
As she walked away confidently, she knew it. He does like me…And he doesn't seem like the type to go around breaking girls' hearts…Shaking her head, she headed towards Toph and Aang, admiring their sandcastles in the setting sun.
Standing there dumbfounded, Zuko restrained himself from raising his hand up to where she had kissed him…It was just an innocent peck on the cheek—nothing more, nothing less. She just wanted to thank you…As he took a deep breath and headed back to where Iroh was beginning to pack up their belongings, he thought seriously to himself, I really hope this doesn't fuel yet another weird dream…Then again, it could make things more interesting…
--------------------------------
Author's Note: So, this one ended on a super fluffy hopeful moment! Katara admits she likes Zuko, Zuko's still coming around to the realization and Jet doesn't like any of it one bit…even though Iroh's obviously plotting otherwise.
And in case you were wondering, a gi is what the training uniforms are called in most schools of martial arts.
Lastly, I probably won't be able to update until next weekend—I'm working all of this coming-up weekend.
As always, huge thanks to Moor for helping me clean up this chapter!