"The Gift Horse" Chapter 08: Kataang Ending part 01
Oops, posting this a bit late, but it's been a busy week! Here we go: after waiting about a week or so, I think the Kataang votes outnumbered the Zutara votes, so the Kataangers get their ending posted first!
The Gift Horse: Chapter 08: Kataang Ending Part 01, under the cut! Enjoy! (Also, apologies for the formatting not showing up with the appropriate bolding/italicizing, etc.)
“The Gift Horse”
AN: All materials are copyright their original creators.
The cast of Avatar receive gifts from their creators in recognition of all their hard work in Season 2. Toph is first in line.
Chapter 08 Summary: You asked for it! Here it comes. IF YOU DON’T WANT TO READ ANY KATAANG, WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER! I’LL TRY AND GET A HEADSTART ON THE ZUTARA CHAPTER NEXT SO WE’RE EVENLY PACED! I’m not entirely sure how much of these chapters will repeat themselves in each other, yet. I’ve had a lot of problems writing/etc, so I can’t make regular updates. Sorry sorry sorry!
Chapter 08: Kataang epilogue part 01!
*IN THE BATHROOM OF THE HOTEL SUITE*
Zuko had been healed first, as he had refused to share a bath with the others and risk being infected by the ‘peasant cooties’, as Sokka teasingly called them. The prince had even insisted Katara stay out of the water, leaving her to roll her eyes as she leaned uncomfortably over the side of the Jacuzzi to heal the temperamental firebender.
Asserting he had to go back to his uncle (who’d volunteered to look after Xiao Xiao during the bathing/healing), the prince left before he’d even dried off, quietly calling “Here, boy, here here…” and trying not to draw attention to his sudden warp in priorities.
Sokka was next, as his injuries were more extensive and he required quite a bit of attention. While working on a particularly nasty lump, Katara diligently pledged she’d definitely have to think twice before beating the living daylights out of her brother the next time he angered her, since she was sure it had cost her more pain and energy to wound and heal him than it had cost him in pain and suffering to be her victim. She darkly cursed her lack of forethought… and his insensitivity, just for good measure.
Giving him a final once-over, she pushed herself up and away from the cramped ledge, leaning backwards to stretch out her spine for a second. Patting him on the shoulders, she stepped back from the edge of the tub she still hadn’t set foot in. “Ok, looks good, Sokka. Are there any other sore spots I missed?” She gave him a hand as he stood up.
Testing his arms, legs, and neck in a series of comically macho poses (macho-ness which was rather challenged by the tufts of fluffy white foam that clung to him from the bubble bath), he replied, “Nope!” and gave her a grin. “Feels good, looks better! Thanks, Katara.”
Climbing clumsily out of the tub, he quickly toweled off the worst of the dampness, while Katara did a few more stretches.
“You almost ready, Aang?” Katara looked around for her third and final patient while Sokka stepped picked up his boomerang and proceeded towards the door of the bathroom.
Lost in thought, Aang was startled out of his reverie and quickly nodded.
Sokka rejoined the others in the living room, leaving Aang and Katara with a finger-wagging warning of “I’ll be Right. Through. Here-so don’t even THINK about it,” and an I’m-watching-you gesture, while the healer and the Avatar looked at each other and struggled not to roll their eyes.
“So… Do you need a break, or is it my turn-“ Aang began, but Sokka’s bubble-covered head materialized in the doorway to interrupt.
“Ah-ah-ah!” he said, repeating the I’m-watching-you gesture again.
“Argh, Sokka, we get it - get out before I lose my patience again!” growled Katara, pointing her brother to the door, holding her head in frustration with the other hand.
Glaring at each of them in turn, and repeating the big-brother look one last time, Sokka finally left them in a huff, muttering something about bloodsports and healthy caution. Looking at each other, Aang and Katara released a collective sigh of relief.
“Arg, sometimes…” she let her hands drop to her sides, and leaned against the hottub.
Aang smiled in return. “But he means well, Katara. He is your big brother.” He shrugged a bit, and his voice lowered almost imperceptibly. “His mission in life is to protect you. You’re important to him… I understand that.”
Katara looked over to her friend. Was it just her imagination, or was there… something else to his words? She eyed him carefully for a moment, trying to make up her mind.
Aang swallowed, blushed a bit, and averted his eyes, rubbing the back of his head. “Family, eh? Hahaha… That Sokka.”
Katara nodded, smiling. “Yeah, family. We look out for each other,” she sighed. “Even though the over-protective brother routine does get a little annoying at times, “ she chuckled, remembering her brother’s different outraged expressions over the course of the evening. “And, despite how he acts sometimes, he cares for you like family, too, Aang,” she added quickly. “Family sticks together, even if we do annoy each other sometimes.”
She reconsidered. “A lot.”
She paused.
“Daily.” Her face wrinkled a bit in thought… Come to think of it, her brother was a severe pain in the ass more often than not… Hmmm…
Aang nodded, some of his apprehension eased at her words, but replaced with a different anxiety. The butterflies-in-your-stomach variety anxiety.
Oh boy, he thought, turning back to her with the best friendly-class grin he could muster, should I really risk this? This family? This friendship? He wavered.
Katara sensed his insecurity, and quickly reassured him. (Though unfortunately, she misinterpreted his reasons for concern…)
“So don’t worry, Aang-we’ll always be together, ok? Sokka loves you like a little brother, really-apart from an occasional beating to remind you of his ‘superiority’,” she snorted in amusement at the latter notion. “He’ll never hurt you. I promise.” She smiled at him and reached out her hand. “So, you ready?” She asked him, indicating the tub with her head.
Letting out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, Aang let his shoulders relax, his heart reach out, and his hands join Katara’s.
“Yes,” he breathed, and the air shifted gently around them, embracing them and softly pushing the door closed to meet its frame. “I am.”
*IN THE LIVING ROOM*
“For the last time, peasant,” growled Zuko through grit teeth, patience barely holding out against the watertribesman. “Get that thing away from Xiao Xiao or I’ll be roasting you in it!” The puppy whimpered softly at the hungry gleam in Sokka’s eyes and cuddled closer to the young firebender for protection. The prince petted the terrified young animal absently, calming him.
Sokka nonchalantly tried to hide the jug of barbecue sauce back in his robe, while ‘accidentally’ taking notice of his great contraption which had somehow managed to find its way back into the suite and up onto the dining room table. With a full range of barbecue skewers and utensils laid out reverently beside it. “What are you-oh my, however did this get here?” he asked in overly-innocent tones. “Whatever could we do with it-oh, wait! Since it’s already out, and we have some live meat right here, why don’t we-“
Zuko’s fists clenched and he started towards Sokka, smoke rising from between his fingers. “Enough, you-“
Angry-Prince-Nephew-Sense tingling, Iroh called hastily from the next room, “Prince Zuko, could you come here a moment, please? I need your help with something.”
Glaring at Sokka before turning on his heels to attend to his uncle, the young firebender shot out a this-isn’t-over look at Sokka before stomping away, Xiao Xiao tucked preciously against him in the snuggly.
Sokka paused before giving a quick shrug. He returned to his great invention and checked the temperature gauge, mumbling something about the proper pre-heat settings.
*IN THE HALLWAY OF THE HOTEL*
“I didn’t mean to, Azula, it just sorta happened,” babbled the apologetic acrobat, walking on her hands down the hall. “But he had the most gorgeous blue eyes, and he was really tall and pretty, and he had a mouth that wouldn’t stop-“
“Enough, Ty Lee,” Azula commanded in clipped, patient tones. “Just point him out when we get there.”
“He’s really goofy and sweet, though! And those hands- warriors have the best hands! So strong, and…” she looked at Mei for support, but Mei rolled her eyes languidly and shook her head at Ty Lee as if to say, why are you wasting your time looking at me to back you up? “I bet you’d like him, too, Azula, if you got to know him…” she continued, trying hopefully to alleviate some of her awkward predicament.
Azula kept marching down the hall, paying no mind to the stares of the staff and servants that followed them. (She was used to it. And she’d just had her eyebrows waxed that afternoon, so she knew her eyes were probably even more devastating than usual.)
“If you think I’d lower myself to even acknowledge a peasant, warrior or no, you vastly underestimate me,” instructed the ruthless leader, her indulgent tone belying the threat held behind the words. “Now, this is it. Ready girls?” she paused outside the doorway to the suite.
Mei nodded vaguely, still wondering how she’d gotten dragged into the infernal affair of a stupid boy-hunt. “Uh huh, anytime,” she drawled. She wondered who else they were likely to meet in there. Would that person be there? If so, perhaps… She interrupted her own thoughts, attention returning swiftly to the present.
The two sober girls looked at Ty Lee for confirmation.
Ty Lee doubled back over to stand on her feet, quickly pirouetting to get the kinks out. “Ok!” she chirped. “Let’s go! Yay, boys for me!” She nearly clapped her hands in delight.
Azula smiled tranquilly and reached out a hand to knock on the door.
TBC
/end Kataang epilogue, Part 01.
/AN: Sorry, my muse escaped! Short and uninspired chapter was the result. I know, this chapter sucked hard. Do you guys have any suggestions? My ideas aren’t coming together right at the moment, and I’m more than willing to try and work in other things to help get me back on track again! What do you want to see? I can’t guarantee it’ll all happen, but some of them will, and I have part of the next bit written, I’m just not sure it feels right. (Would a lovey-dovey scene actually WORK at all? Erk. I’m still new to writing fic. I’ll see what you guys write before I post the next part.)
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3274384/11/ <--ff.net link
The Gift Horse: Chapter 08: Kataang Ending Part 01, under the cut! Enjoy! (Also, apologies for the formatting not showing up with the appropriate bolding/italicizing, etc.)
“The Gift Horse”
AN: All materials are copyright their original creators.
The cast of Avatar receive gifts from their creators in recognition of all their hard work in Season 2. Toph is first in line.
Chapter 08 Summary: You asked for it! Here it comes. IF YOU DON’T WANT TO READ ANY KATAANG, WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER! I’LL TRY AND GET A HEADSTART ON THE ZUTARA CHAPTER NEXT SO WE’RE EVENLY PACED! I’m not entirely sure how much of these chapters will repeat themselves in each other, yet. I’ve had a lot of problems writing/etc, so I can’t make regular updates. Sorry sorry sorry!
Chapter 08: Kataang epilogue part 01!
*IN THE BATHROOM OF THE HOTEL SUITE*
Zuko had been healed first, as he had refused to share a bath with the others and risk being infected by the ‘peasant cooties’, as Sokka teasingly called them. The prince had even insisted Katara stay out of the water, leaving her to roll her eyes as she leaned uncomfortably over the side of the Jacuzzi to heal the temperamental firebender.
Asserting he had to go back to his uncle (who’d volunteered to look after Xiao Xiao during the bathing/healing), the prince left before he’d even dried off, quietly calling “Here, boy, here here…” and trying not to draw attention to his sudden warp in priorities.
Sokka was next, as his injuries were more extensive and he required quite a bit of attention. While working on a particularly nasty lump, Katara diligently pledged she’d definitely have to think twice before beating the living daylights out of her brother the next time he angered her, since she was sure it had cost her more pain and energy to wound and heal him than it had cost him in pain and suffering to be her victim. She darkly cursed her lack of forethought… and his insensitivity, just for good measure.
Giving him a final once-over, she pushed herself up and away from the cramped ledge, leaning backwards to stretch out her spine for a second. Patting him on the shoulders, she stepped back from the edge of the tub she still hadn’t set foot in. “Ok, looks good, Sokka. Are there any other sore spots I missed?” She gave him a hand as he stood up.
Testing his arms, legs, and neck in a series of comically macho poses (macho-ness which was rather challenged by the tufts of fluffy white foam that clung to him from the bubble bath), he replied, “Nope!” and gave her a grin. “Feels good, looks better! Thanks, Katara.”
Climbing clumsily out of the tub, he quickly toweled off the worst of the dampness, while Katara did a few more stretches.
“You almost ready, Aang?” Katara looked around for her third and final patient while Sokka stepped picked up his boomerang and proceeded towards the door of the bathroom.
Lost in thought, Aang was startled out of his reverie and quickly nodded.
Sokka rejoined the others in the living room, leaving Aang and Katara with a finger-wagging warning of “I’ll be Right. Through. Here-so don’t even THINK about it,” and an I’m-watching-you gesture, while the healer and the Avatar looked at each other and struggled not to roll their eyes.
“So… Do you need a break, or is it my turn-“ Aang began, but Sokka’s bubble-covered head materialized in the doorway to interrupt.
“Ah-ah-ah!” he said, repeating the I’m-watching-you gesture again.
“Argh, Sokka, we get it - get out before I lose my patience again!” growled Katara, pointing her brother to the door, holding her head in frustration with the other hand.
Glaring at each of them in turn, and repeating the big-brother look one last time, Sokka finally left them in a huff, muttering something about bloodsports and healthy caution. Looking at each other, Aang and Katara released a collective sigh of relief.
“Arg, sometimes…” she let her hands drop to her sides, and leaned against the hottub.
Aang smiled in return. “But he means well, Katara. He is your big brother.” He shrugged a bit, and his voice lowered almost imperceptibly. “His mission in life is to protect you. You’re important to him… I understand that.”
Katara looked over to her friend. Was it just her imagination, or was there… something else to his words? She eyed him carefully for a moment, trying to make up her mind.
Aang swallowed, blushed a bit, and averted his eyes, rubbing the back of his head. “Family, eh? Hahaha… That Sokka.”
Katara nodded, smiling. “Yeah, family. We look out for each other,” she sighed. “Even though the over-protective brother routine does get a little annoying at times, “ she chuckled, remembering her brother’s different outraged expressions over the course of the evening. “And, despite how he acts sometimes, he cares for you like family, too, Aang,” she added quickly. “Family sticks together, even if we do annoy each other sometimes.”
She reconsidered. “A lot.”
She paused.
“Daily.” Her face wrinkled a bit in thought… Come to think of it, her brother was a severe pain in the ass more often than not… Hmmm…
Aang nodded, some of his apprehension eased at her words, but replaced with a different anxiety. The butterflies-in-your-stomach variety anxiety.
Oh boy, he thought, turning back to her with the best friendly-class grin he could muster, should I really risk this? This family? This friendship? He wavered.
Katara sensed his insecurity, and quickly reassured him. (Though unfortunately, she misinterpreted his reasons for concern…)
“So don’t worry, Aang-we’ll always be together, ok? Sokka loves you like a little brother, really-apart from an occasional beating to remind you of his ‘superiority’,” she snorted in amusement at the latter notion. “He’ll never hurt you. I promise.” She smiled at him and reached out her hand. “So, you ready?” She asked him, indicating the tub with her head.
Letting out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, Aang let his shoulders relax, his heart reach out, and his hands join Katara’s.
“Yes,” he breathed, and the air shifted gently around them, embracing them and softly pushing the door closed to meet its frame. “I am.”
*IN THE LIVING ROOM*
“For the last time, peasant,” growled Zuko through grit teeth, patience barely holding out against the watertribesman. “Get that thing away from Xiao Xiao or I’ll be roasting you in it!” The puppy whimpered softly at the hungry gleam in Sokka’s eyes and cuddled closer to the young firebender for protection. The prince petted the terrified young animal absently, calming him.
Sokka nonchalantly tried to hide the jug of barbecue sauce back in his robe, while ‘accidentally’ taking notice of his great contraption which had somehow managed to find its way back into the suite and up onto the dining room table. With a full range of barbecue skewers and utensils laid out reverently beside it. “What are you-oh my, however did this get here?” he asked in overly-innocent tones. “Whatever could we do with it-oh, wait! Since it’s already out, and we have some live meat right here, why don’t we-“
Zuko’s fists clenched and he started towards Sokka, smoke rising from between his fingers. “Enough, you-“
Angry-Prince-Nephew-Sense tingling, Iroh called hastily from the next room, “Prince Zuko, could you come here a moment, please? I need your help with something.”
Glaring at Sokka before turning on his heels to attend to his uncle, the young firebender shot out a this-isn’t-over look at Sokka before stomping away, Xiao Xiao tucked preciously against him in the snuggly.
Sokka paused before giving a quick shrug. He returned to his great invention and checked the temperature gauge, mumbling something about the proper pre-heat settings.
*IN THE HALLWAY OF THE HOTEL*
“I didn’t mean to, Azula, it just sorta happened,” babbled the apologetic acrobat, walking on her hands down the hall. “But he had the most gorgeous blue eyes, and he was really tall and pretty, and he had a mouth that wouldn’t stop-“
“Enough, Ty Lee,” Azula commanded in clipped, patient tones. “Just point him out when we get there.”
“He’s really goofy and sweet, though! And those hands- warriors have the best hands! So strong, and…” she looked at Mei for support, but Mei rolled her eyes languidly and shook her head at Ty Lee as if to say, why are you wasting your time looking at me to back you up? “I bet you’d like him, too, Azula, if you got to know him…” she continued, trying hopefully to alleviate some of her awkward predicament.
Azula kept marching down the hall, paying no mind to the stares of the staff and servants that followed them. (She was used to it. And she’d just had her eyebrows waxed that afternoon, so she knew her eyes were probably even more devastating than usual.)
“If you think I’d lower myself to even acknowledge a peasant, warrior or no, you vastly underestimate me,” instructed the ruthless leader, her indulgent tone belying the threat held behind the words. “Now, this is it. Ready girls?” she paused outside the doorway to the suite.
Mei nodded vaguely, still wondering how she’d gotten dragged into the infernal affair of a stupid boy-hunt. “Uh huh, anytime,” she drawled. She wondered who else they were likely to meet in there. Would that person be there? If so, perhaps… She interrupted her own thoughts, attention returning swiftly to the present.
The two sober girls looked at Ty Lee for confirmation.
Ty Lee doubled back over to stand on her feet, quickly pirouetting to get the kinks out. “Ok!” she chirped. “Let’s go! Yay, boys for me!” She nearly clapped her hands in delight.
Azula smiled tranquilly and reached out a hand to knock on the door.
TBC
/end Kataang epilogue, Part 01.
/AN: Sorry, my muse escaped! Short and uninspired chapter was the result. I know, this chapter sucked hard. Do you guys have any suggestions? My ideas aren’t coming together right at the moment, and I’m more than willing to try and work in other things to help get me back on track again! What do you want to see? I can’t guarantee it’ll all happen, but some of them will, and I have part of the next bit written, I’m just not sure it feels right. (Would a lovey-dovey scene actually WORK at all? Erk. I’m still new to writing fic. I’ll see what you guys write before I post the next part.)
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3274384/11/ <--ff.net link