Summary: Bending. What's that? There was no such thing. Until now. Recently, Ozai, a scientist that researches supernatural controls of the elements, discovered four teenagers who were gifted with such powers. Zuko – a teen who discovers he can bend flames to his will. Katara – a teen that discovers her powers over the oceans, rivers and lakes a little too late. Aang – a teenage monk who discovers he has the ability to control air. Toph – a blind, yet powerful teenager who possesses the mastery to manipulate the earth as well as having the aptitude to sense even the slightest seismic activity.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

A/N: Heyy! As you know, I haven't updated in a while and that's because I have writer's block! Didn't know how to make this chapter interesting… so yeah. Hope you like what I've done to this chapter! I'd like to thank everyone who's reviewing and it'd be great if you could continue to do so. If you haven't realised so already, I am putting sneak peeks and updates on what I'm doing on my profile so make sure to check it out! Oh, and do you guys want this to be a Kataang with Zuko with another OC chic or Mai or a Zutara with Taang? Review ASAP to vote! Now…on with the story.

Bending Origin

Chapter 5 – Aftershock

By xAvatarLovex

Zuko grunted and woke. His dream remained vivid in his head all day. As much as he tried to ignore Sokka and not bump into Katara, it didn't work out. After school, they happened to have finished whatever they were doing in their respective rooms at exactly the same moment and it would, of course, be rude to walk past without saying 'hi'.

"Uh, hi Katara," Zuko greeted, pretending to be cheery.

"Heyy Zuko. Thanks, by the way."

"For what?"

"Last night at the headquarters."

"What headquarters?"

"Oh, you don't remember? Or weren't you there as well?"

Uh, you mean the dream? You had the same one?"

"Yeah. I thought it was real, but no. It was a dream. I've always wanted to be a spy like I was in that dream. The minute I found myself as one, I knew it was too good to be true."

"Mm… So do you think what happened was real? Or was it just because of our suspicions? Wait, hang on. I had suspicions something fishy was going on from the start, but you never said…"

"Oh. I've always had such suspicions as well. I just didn't want to voice them aloud as I… I dunno, didn't want to admit it, I guess."

"Is Sokka being your brother true? And about you and Aang?"

"Me and Aang, yes. Sokka being my brother, I don't know because I was never told I had a brother. In fact, since we have so much time, why don't I tell you about it. It feels funny when you tell someone something but you only tell them half of it."

"Sure. Let's go to my room. It's bigger. Which reminds me, I forgot to feed my bird…"

Just as Aang walked out of his room, he saw Zuko and Katara walk into Zuko's room. He balled his hands into fists and went back inside.

It wasn't like Aang to get jealous so easily, but it seemed like Katara just triggered anger.

Once in the room, Zuko put some more seeds into his budgie's now empty food bowl and sat on the bed while Katara just stood there, watching him. As he leaned against the pillow, he patted the spot next to him, gesturing for Katara to sit. She nodded and sat, leaning against the soft headboard.

"Okay…so you were gonna tell me about something?"

"Yeah. My story. Okay. Starting from when I was 4, my mum had an illness. No medicine of any sort could heal her. Then, a few days after my fifth birthday, she literally collapsed on the kitchen floor. Dad discovered her first. I was splashing water onto her face and a few seconds after she paled, the water moved of its own accord. I was scared at first, because water can't move by itself, but then I realised I could control it. If I moved this way, it would, if my hands moved that way, it would. Later, I coated my palms with water and pressed it to mum's face, hoping she'd wake up. At the time, I didn't know she was dead. My hands glowed and mum's face cleaned instantly. I thought she would be okay, but she wasn't. I put a finger against her nose but she wasn't breathing. I started crying, after that. I always thought it was my fault for not discovering my healing powers earlier, but dad didn't blame me. Aang came t-to live with us shortly a-afterwards and he became like a brother to me," Katara finished, tears welling in her eyes. Then she let it all go as Zuko wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer, turning her so she cried into his chest.

Zuko just sat there holding her as she sobbed into his chest, creating a growing wet patch. He glanced at the clock to find that it was dinner time. They had missed training and would miss dinner if they didn't go down soon. As he turned his head to Katara, he found that she was asleep, using his chest as a pillow.

He slowly lifted her head and placed it onto one of his pillows and covered her with his blanket. He got up slowly and quickly fed his pets before they made noise and woke Katara then headed out for dinner and to alert the others that Katara was asleep. Conveniently, he decided to leave out the bit where she was sleeping.

Aang, however, asked. Zuko thought for a moment, then decided to answer, "I don't know…in her room, maybe?"

Aang, who just happened to be stalking Katara and Zuko since he saw them enter Zuko's room together, questioned it further. "Okay. I think I'll go visit her, make sure she's okay, you know?"

"Uh, sure. Can't stop you. Now, may I be excused? I'm not particularly hungry today."

Sokka nodded into his chicken as Zuko left.

He raced up the stairs and charged into his room to find Katara had just woken up, most likely due to the loud noise of the door banging.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Aang found Zuko's actions suspicious. How often do you see him take a girl into his room and lie and say she was in her own? And I thought he was good man, Aang thought.

"May I be excused?" Aang asked, earning another nod from Sokka. Toph frowned. It wasn't often that Aang wouldn't stay till the end of dinner. Something must be up, she thought but stayed where she was. After all, seismic sense always worked!

Upstairs, Zuko quickly told Katara what was going on but he got a glare in return.

"Oh, Aang would understand. It doesn't matter, just tell him I'm in here, he can come in, right?"

"Oh, of course! I'll go do that now…" Zuko mumbled before retreating from his room in a way a servant would retreat from the room of a princess. After all, Katara was a princess to him.

"Ah, Aang, just the man I was looking for!" Zuko began cheerily, "I told a lie earlier. Katara is in my bedroom, not hers. She says you can visit her in there."

"Uh, your bedroom, Zuko?" he hesitates then heads towards the direction Zuko just came from.

Aang walked up to the door and wrenched the knob open, finding Katara laying her head on the soft headboard and reading.

"Heyy Katara," Aang began.

"Hi Aang. If you were wondering, I'm not feeling particularly hungry right now."

"So you chose to sit in a man's room, on his bed and read?" Aang asked with mild, okay severe, shock.

"Aang, I thought you would understand! I was actually having a friendly conversation with Zuko before I grew so tired as to fall asleep! He, being very gentlemanly, let me reside here until I woke and the only thing I could think of to occupy myself with was to read until he came back as I wanted to thank him for his kindness and generosity. You, however, have decided to worry about me because I am in the bed of another man. If you haven't noticed, I'm fully dressed!"

"Oh, I'm sorry Katara. That's not what I meant. You see, I was worried about you, since you didn't turn up to training or dinner. I thought you were ill or something," Aang said then glanced at Zuko and shot daggers at him. If looks could kill, Zuko would be long gone. Luckily though, they can't.

"Come on Katara, let's go."

"Okay. Thanks Zuko! Bye!" Katara said, then let herself get dragged out by Aang with a sad look in her eyes and a fake smile plastered on her lips.

Zuko could easily tell that she liked his presence over Aang's dominant one.

I have to get her back!

A/N: HAHAHA! Zutara! My current fav pairing in A:TLA! All the main character's are sounding OC but that's okay because since I'm obsessed with Harry Potter, I've decided to mix the personalities a little. However, they are more Dramione (Draco/Hermione then the Canon because that is my fav couple. They are as follows:
Aang – Ron
Katara – Hermione
Zuko – Draco
Toph – Ginny? Toph doesn't really have one.
Sokka – Blaise Zabini? Or Harry? But with an excessive eating disorder?

Anyways, so I am writing a Harry Potter fic called 'Partners to Lovers' so go check that out if you have time and like to read HP!

Please review as it brings me great happiness and motivates me to write more! Oh, and I forgot to mention this is a filler chapter, so it is shorter than normal. Normal chapters I try to write at least 2000 words but in fillers, I obviously write less.

Okay enough nonsense and blabbering, it's time for you to click that button down there and review! =)

-xAvatarLovex