Chapter 14
Fighting
Katara gave an enraged growl. How dare he? Who did he think he was yelling at her like that? She'd pulled him aside for the private conversation and he'd told her not to worry about it. She'd responded she wasn't worried she just didn't like to see it, so in the future please just tell them to kindly go away. He hadn't had a chance to respond since one of his fan club had popped up and to Katara's surprise began shamelessly flirting with him right in front of her. She'd given Zuko a look that told him to tell the girl to go away so that they could finish talking but he'd ignored her and responded to the girl's flirtations with polite conversation. While he wasn't flirting back, it did irritate Katara that they were in the middle of a conversation and now he was ignoring her. She'd made an irritated sound to get his attention and when he'd given her a 'why are you still here' look, she lost it.
"What is your problem Katara?" Zuko shouted.
"My problem! My problem is you letting those girls hang all over you. We may not want to be together but we are engaged so she me a little bit more respect than that. Plus Mai's sitting right there too, isn't this had enough for her?" Katara shouted back.
"This has nothing to do with Mai and I don't see how I'm disrespecting you. I'm not flirting back."
"But you're not sending them away either."
"I'm supposed to just ignore the fact that they're talking to me."
"No, you're supposed to say, sorry ladies I'm engaged."
"Katara, don't be so over dramatic or childish."
"I'm not being childish."
"This is all way above your head."
"Excuse me!"
"Their father's happen to be some of the most influential men in the fire nation court. Being rude to their daughters is not exactly the way to earn their loyalty."
"Oh, but flirting with them is?"
"I wasn't flirting with them."
"You might as well have been."
Their argument had raged on until Zuko noticed they were attracting attention so he grabbed her arm and hauled her further away from the party.
"Don't touch me." Katara snapped, smacking at his hand.
"Stop acting like a child."
"I'm not a child. Now, get away from me." She shouted pushing him away from her and running up into the palace. It didn't take long for him to catch up to her. He caught her by the arm again and yanked her around to face him.
"You won't behave like that again Katara." Zuko growled.
"Oh, you're giving me orders now. You must be out of your mind." Katara snapped, snatching her arm out of his grip.
"I'm in no mood to deal with your temper tantrums now."
"Don't yell at me like I'm some child."
"You are a child. You know nothing of being grown up, of how the real world works. You have no idea what I'm dealing with everyday trying to appease fickle courtiers while you play dress up."
"Play dress up! I'm not playing dress up, I'm doing what I was under the impression I had to, to learn how not to embarrass you. And I know plenty about the real world, I fought in the same war you did but if you think there's so much I don't understand, why don't you just tell me about it. Husbands and wives are supposed to communicate, aren't they? Or do you expect me to be silent and submissive all the time because I'll end that delusion right now."
"They are supposed to communicate but when your partner is acting like a petulant child…"
"Stop calling me a child. You are so infuriating. You're acting like an overgrown child yourself. You're being a selfish jerk actually. It's a small thing to ask you to show me a little respect as your fiancé in comparison to what I have to give up to be here with you. So don't even imagine for one second after everything I'm giving up that you can treat me like some child. I'm losing my home, my family, my friends, everything to be stuck here with YOU. You who loses nothing but his girlfriend. You must be kidding me."
"You won't speak to me that way, Katara!"
"I'll speak to you anyway I see fit."
"I'm not your friend right now, Katara. I'm not your companion, your buddy, or your chum. I'm you fiancé and fire lord and you will show me some respect." Zuko thundered, grabbing her wrist.
"Or what? You'll yell at me some more, hit me, burn me? What Zuko? I'd just love to hear more of how this contract that I still haven't seen is more in your favor than mine."
"Damn you. Damn you and your irritating temper. I'm sick of fighting with you."
"And I'm just sick of you in general."
They both aimed aggravated shouts of frustration at each other before storming off in different directions. Tired and in no mood to party any more Katara made her way to her new room. As the doors came towering into her vision something else did too, that made her pause and arch a questioning eyebrow. Right outside her door was Sokka setting up a tent. She hadn't even seen him leave the party.
"Sokka, what are you doing?" Katara asked her voice full of exasperation that had come from fighting with Zuko.
"What does it look like? I'm protecting my little sister."
"Sokka, I'm not quite sure what good your little stake out is going to do. If these rooms are built like the ones we stayed in, in the guest wing there's probably an adjoining door from his room to mine on the inside, which means he doesn't have to come out here, if he wants to see me." Katara sighed, placing her hands on her hips.
"WHAT? I hadn't even thought about that."
"I figured as much but you don't have to worry. The only thing that could possibly happen tonight would be me killing Zuko for being such a jerk."
Sokka drew back at the fire in his sister's eyes. "Um, did you two have a fight or something?"
"I've decided there's no one on the planet nearly as tiresome to deal with." Was all Katara said before she went into her room and slammed the door shut. Sokka cringed at the reverberating sound of the harsh slam in the lonely hallway. 'Somehow, I don't think Katara's the one I need to be worried about tonight. I wonder what Zuko did?' He paused for a moment to ponder the endless possibilities. 'Eh, no matter to me. Katara's room was next to Suki's perhaps I will have to investigate further into this adjoining door business.'
- -
The next morning Katara, discovered much to her annoyance that no one had gotten up for breakfast except Zuko. She debated turning around and heading back to her room when she saw him sitting there but in a way that felt like running away to her so instead she held her head high and stormed in making it clear she wanted to ignore him.
Zuko watched her a half smirk on his face. At least she hadn't lost her defiant nature. He felt guilty for losing his temper with her last night. It wasn't such a big deal and he realized it was rude to have kept calling her a child when he w as three years older. Somehow, she just had the special ability to really get under his skin. It was like a super power and he definitely didn't like it. Despite this, he wanted to make things right. He tried to offer her different platters of things but she wouldn't take anything he set near her. She glared at him whenever he opened his mouth to speak and he was debating giving up when he realized what he needed to do. Attempting to explain the situation wouldn't work, so he'd have to suck it up and apologize. Ignoring the hateful look she cast his way, Zuko finally broke the silence.
"I'm sorry about last night. I was rude to you and I know you're not a child."
Katara sent him scornful looks as she debated her response but then stopped at the genuine look on his face. It was angering but he looked so sincere that she backed down some. He had apologized hadn't he, and if she had learned nothing else from Mai it was that, the royals did not apologize. In fact, the more times she'd been told that the more she realized how much Zuko must have struggled in the past years during his banishment. He'd done a lot of apologizing then and it must have been difficult for him each time.
Katara wasn't completely ready to allow him back into her good graces but she did give him a curt nod to let him know she had heard him.
"Did you sleep well?" Zuko tried to make conversation. Katara didn't reply, she'd let him apologize but she wasn't going to free him from his guilty conscience just yet. He'd have to try a little harder to get her talking again. She gave him a pointed look as she stabbed viciously into the butter.
"Katara, what do I have to do?" Zuko asked.
"Perhaps try not to be an inconsiderate jerk again. That might help, just for starters." She growled.
"Right...I deserve that."
"You do."
"Katara I'm sorry."
"You already said that."
"Look, you're right. You deserve far more respect that I've shown you and much more appreciation for what you've given up for this. I know this has to be a total culture shock for you and we'll have to work these things out together. I don't expect you to be submissive or have to give up your family and all that. You can be as defiant and spirited as you want. In fact, it's up to you to put me in my place whenever I'm out of line. And whenever you get home sick or want to visit your friends just let me know and we'll figure something out. I don't want you to feel like a prisoner here." Zuko said.
Katara was silent. She wanted to believe what he said and she saw the open honesty in his face. She was still upset about last night but if he was really willing to make an effort. She glared at him, scrutinizing his face. Maybe they could work things out. Maybe if they both made an effort then she wouldn't be a prisoner here. Maybe she could learn to like him more. She couldn't say anything about love but at the very least with some work they could come to a mutual respect.
"I thought we could go into the city today. I cleared my schedule so I could give you a proper tour myself and so we could spend some time together." Zuko tried again.
Katara glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Despite having previously being angry with him, she felt a stupid grin appear on her face and a blush beginning to rise in her cheeks. He'd cleared his schedule for her. She didn't know why but in some wacky twisted way that came off as really sweet. It was a small thing but it showed her that he was in fact willing to make an effort to make things right.
"I'd like that." She said shyly and mentally beat herself up for letting him off the hook so easy and what was up with this sudden fluttering in her stomach. She'd gone off alone with Zuko before, this wasn't anything special, they were just touring the city. She needed to get a grip. The heat of the fire nation was definitely starting to get to her and affect her brain or something.
- -
(A/N: So once again you will find Suki in another OOC moment, I'm sorry but the creators didn't really provide Katara with anyone else to talk to and Suki's the closest things she's got to an older sister, so I apologize in advance.)
- -
Katara was like a crazy person flying about her room. What should she wear for a trip into the city? Was her current outfit fine? What about her hair? Should she change her hair? More make up or no make up? Katara had long since abandoned fighting the idea that she was getting dressed up for Zuko. On some level she did care what he thought of her and so she wanted to look good on his arm today. He cared enough about her happiness to not only apologize but to clear his schedule to spend the day with her trying to make it right. She couldn't explain the joy it brought her to know that she had some small power in this relationship. He was too much of a gentleman to just leave her miserable, so she was going to make an effort back to get along with him. Akira, Natsumi, and Nodoka were flying around trying to keep up with all the different things she kept asking and with the numerous times she kept changing her mind about how she looked they were nearly exhausted from the effort to redress her. The sudden knock on the door startled all of them.
'Zuko can't be here to get me can he?' Katara panicked a Mother Matron went to answer the door.
"No, don't…I'm not ready." Katara called out, as the door swung open. An incredible sigh of relief whooshed from her lungs as she saw Suki standing in the doorway.
"Hey, Katara, want to go to the beach?" Suki grinned.
"Er, I really can't right now. I'm going out with Zuko in a few minutes."
"Really?" Suki smiled coyly entering the room. "Where's he taking you?"
"Oh, no, no it's not like that. It's not a date-date, it's a he's showing me the city type of thing."
"Just you two? Alone?"
"I think so. I mean I'm sure he'll have some guards with us."
"That's cute."
"What? No, it's not. It's not a date, Suki."
"How do you know?"
"Because it's Zuko."
"And he's about to become your husband. Perhaps, he's trying to woo you." Suki laughed.
"He's just trying to get out of trouble for the fight we had last night."
"Mmhmm, I'm sure." Suki smirked. "Are you going to wear your hair like that?"
"I don't know. What do you think?"
"I think you should wear it the way you used to wear it and just be you for today, no make up, and wear that dress that looks like your old fire nation clothes."
"Good idea, Suki."
Akira, Natsumi, and Nodoka gave Suki appreciative looks as her decisiveness freed them of their mad dash to dress Katara.
Suki sat on Katara's bed watching as a girl brushed Katara's hair and another helped her slip into the dress Suki had suggested. She was trying to wait for good time to ask her question but curiosity got the better of her and her question just kind of popped out.
"So have you kissed him yet?"
"WHAT? Who, kissed who? Zuko? Ew, no, why would I do that?" Katara exclaimed. Suki was rolling with laughter at the younger girls reaction.
"Katara, he's going to be your husband. You're going to have to kiss him at some point."
"I…Well…Argh." Katara's face had rapidly flushed through ten shades of red. Her dresses were trying to keep at straight face at her flustered behavior, but Katara hardly noticed as she tried to calm her racing pulse. 'Why did she have to bring kissing into this?'
"Maybe you should kiss him." Suki suggested.
"Why would I do that?"
"To try it out, get used to it." Suki shrugged.
"I, uh…" Katara just blushed. Sensing Katara's discomfort Suki motioned the servants away and took the younger girl's hands leading her to sit beside her on the bed.
"Katara, you have kissed someone before, right?" Suki asked.
"Yes! I've kissed Aang…twice!" Katara pronounced, and then blushed. That probably sounded rather pathetic and childish in comparison to how many times Suki had probably been kissed.
"Well, I think, it might be best that you and Zuko work on more than just your friendship. You'll need to get to know each other on a more intimate level before your wedding night or it's going to be extremely awkward."
"I know, and I've thought about that. Maybe we could wait. I mean I have a year to have the baby, so we potentially have three more months to get to know each other before we have to…go all the way."
"You could…but it'd be risky."
"What do you mean?"
Suki sighed. "I mean it's all a lot more complicated than it really needs to be but that politics for you. Him waiting could get him accused of not wanting you which would be an insult to the water tribe and could be used as a reason to go to war, to recover the insulted person, being you. Now I know Hakoda and Pakku wouldn't fall for that but the Earth Kingdom might try to weasel Arnook into action. In contrast, if you wait and then perchance don't end up pregnant then the fire nation will be insulted thinking the water tribe gave them a barren girl and they will probably revolt if Zuko doesn't act upon this injustice. It's a big ridiculous political mess, really."
"Everything is a big political mess these days, isn't it?" Katara replied gloomily.
Suki nodded. "But you don't have to let it be. Zuko's not bad looking."
"I know, it's just weird to think about and I'm sure it'll be embarrassing because I doubt my two kisses can even compare to all his experience in the relationship field."
"I'm sure that's true but I'm sure if you work on it together, he will be patient with you."
"So what should I do first? Hold his hand or something?"
Suki stifled another laugh. "Um, no, Katara. Somehow he doesn't strike me as the hand holding type unless he initiates it. Like I said before, kiss him."
"I can't just kiss him."
"Yes, you can. Just grab his face and plant one on him."
Katara gave Suki a look that caused her to laugh again.
"Alright, alright. I'll be serious now. All you have to do is wait for the right moment, you'll know it when it comes to you and then, just do it. Don't think or you'll talk yourself out of it."
"And after that?" Katara asked.
"Come back and tell me how the kiss goes and then I'll let you know, okay."
"Alright." Katara nodded. "Thanks Suki."
"It's no problem Katara." Suki smiled as she followed Katara out of the door.
A/N: I know, Katara forgave him way too easily, I'm sorry, that was incredibly lazy of me not to draw it out. I hope you can find it within yourselves to forgive me. I did a bad thing in writing this chapter just to get to the next one so it didn't receive the attention and detail it deserved and it was kind of rushed.
Also, thank you all for your suggestions, please keep them coming. I'm working on organizing them into chapters. With that said, I'd like to apologize because it is going to slow my ability to produce chapters. I probably won't be able to post one everyday any more but I will put a lot of effort into keeping them coming on the regular. I've started the next chapter but I'm not three ahead like I used to be so it'll be slower from now on.
Thanks again for reading and reviewing, you guys have been great.