LOG ♥
Who: Katara & Zuko~
What: Finally running into each other here.
When: Sometime after this!
Where: The kitchen.
Rating: PG.
A small sigh had escaped from Katara's lips as she closed the notebook in her lap. Sometimes, the things that people said really .. really, bothered her. But she had every right to feel that way, didn't she? Especially when someone was trying to belittle others. She felt as though the guy apologized, only to get sarcastic again. He was being rude, but instead of replying, Katara decided to let it go. Getting up from her bed, she left the book on a dresser in her room, hands tightening a little over stomach.
...she was so annoyed by her forgetful brother and a stranger that she had been ignoring the fact that she was hungry. Making sure she had her key, the girl then made her way down into the huge kitchen and glanced around at it's contents, thinking about what she wanted.
"Maybe I should've walked with the journal down here.. I wonder if they are hungry," she thought aloud, pouring a glass of milk for herself. Even though things were a little off with their group, she wanted to make sure they stick together.
Zuko had been annoyed from the beginning, but the attitude of all the fools in this castle was becoming increasingly annoying. Sure, he was probably not the real successor to the Fire Nation, just because he had followed Azula did not mean he was stupid, afterall, but destroying half the castle was going too far. It was annoying, and then it seemed like every single person in this castle didn't like him, royalty or not.
Well, that was okay, he was used to it. Hell, his entire nation didn't like him, except for his uncle, and and Uncle didn't count, because Iroh was practically an exile as well. Regardless, as annoying as it was, he would live through it. He had eventually just shut his journal and resorted to pacing for a while, and then resorted to blowing some fireballs, and then he decided to drown his annoyance in tea.
He could blame his uncle for the addiction, but that would be just forcing his problems on his uncle, and he refused to do that anymore. No, it was his own fault, but he did appreciate tea more than ever... especially annoyed. With that, he left his room, and a few minutes later, he entered the kitchen.
It didn't take Katara long to decide that she wanted to invite everyone downstairs. Sokka loved to joke, but she had a feeling that he wasn't kidding when he said he didn't remember her. Even if he saw her, would that trigger any memories. And it worried her that Aang had no memory of being the Avatar. Taking a few long sips of milk so her stomach didn't feel so empty, she placed the glass in the sink and made a run for the exit.
No sooner did she realize it was a bad idea, though. She ran into someone.
"..Ah, sorry!" She quickly regained her balance before she completely stumbled back, looking up to see who she hit. Zuko.
"Since when have you been here?! Can't you watch where you are going? This isn't the Fire Nation, people aren't going to clear their way for you here you know," she started to ramble from her frustrations, pulling the small cork out from the water jug at her waist. She didn't want to waterbend inside the castle, but he was the enemy, after all.
Zuko blinked, and tipped his head at Katara, backing away from her frame slowly. He supposed he had been far too caught up in his reverie to really realize where he was going. He just blinked blankly at Katara however, a bit struck that he knew who she was. Afterall, how did he know her? Wasn't it through chasing the avatar? He couldn't remember, it was like a blank spot in his memory of where he should have met her.
"Weeks," he muttered slightly, shrugging off her obvious intent to attack, and instead continued his way towards the cupboards, rather interested in getting his tea. He didn't like dwelling on the spots missing from his memory. it made him uncomfortable. He didn't like realizing that he had an un-fixable weakness that he couldn't rectify this problem. It annoyed him beyond reason that not only did he remember who the avatar was, or why people thought he needed to follow him...but also why he knew people that he didn't remember encountering.
It was annoying. Beyond annoying. It made him want to set something on fire, but that just wasn't workable.
Katara also blinked, but out of surprise that he continued to walk past her and into the kitchen. She turned around slowly, watching him head towards the cupboards and gathering what he needed. Confused, she closed the jug tightly and took a few steps forward, still keeping a good distance between them.
"..What happened? You're.. not going to attack?" she questioned, knowing full well that Zuko could do hand-to-hand to combat if he didn't feel like setting the entire kitchen on fire. Just like with Sokka, Aang and Toph, something wasn't right there. Maybe it was coming to this world that changed people. But she was unaffected, wasn't she?
"You mean.. You've been here for weeks, and you haven't tried to capture Aang yet?" She was trying to understand. It was hard. But there was definitely something different about him.
Perhaps it was the complete lack of motivation, but even he didn't know what was wrong with him right now. All he knew was that things felt different, and he couldn't remember things, but that was all. Instead, he had spent alot of time drinking tea, trying to master that technique Uncle had taught him (which was difficult without lightning) and meditated and practiced his fire bending. He had pulled out his swords a few times, but they had resulted in some nasty cuts, so he decided to put them away. Something was wrong with his swords, they must have been unbalanced...but he needed to improve his bending anyways.
"Why would I want to attack?" he asked simply, filling his cup with water and the materials for tea before blowing a quick fireball into the cup, wait a few seconds, then another fireball. Aah, much better! He then blinked, and looked at her. "Why does everyone think I want to capture Aang?" he asked with a tip of his head. Sokka had said the same thing, and sure, he had been shocked to discover that Aang was the avatar, but he supposed it was the boy's problem, not his.
He really didn't care if Aang was the avatar or not, afterall.
"It must be nice to forget everything with a history like yours," she muttered under her breath, crossing her arms as she dared to move closer. Zuko wasn't a threat in this world anymore, it seemed. Resting her elbows on the opposite side of the counter from him, Katara stared at him in disbelief at his other question. Why did he want to capture Aang?! She bit down on her lower lip, shaking her head before she spoke up again.
".. Why? Because you are the Fire Nation Lord's son, Zuko. You chased us all over, attacked, and all for what? To capture Aang, the Avatar, for your personal benefits!" Katara had tried to remain calm why explaining, but failed miserably. She felt unfortunate enough to arrive here with all her memories in tact. She sighed a little, looking at his steaming cup of tea.
"So you can still firebend?" She was a little relieved at that, hoping it was the same for the rest of the group. If they were going to be stuck there, she could at least practice with Aang, so they didn't lose touch on their bending. Katara did wonder if the prince was trustworthy here, though. He could firebend, he could attack at anytime if this was all fake. A meeting was definitely needed after this.
"I did?" he asked, blinking and tipping his head. He honestly didn't remember, and had no real motivation to remember. He supposed he could dig it out, but it wasn't important to him. Why should chasing the Avatar be important. Wasn't it something about going home...? He didn't remember, as frustrating as it was! He sighed, and shook his head, giving Katara something of an apologetic glance. "I don't know why," he admitted, shrugging. "I don't even remember trying to capture anybody!" he admitted. He remembered traveling through exile with his uncle more than anything else.
He smirked to her, and nodded. "Obviously I can firebend," he admitted with a shrug. Thank goodness, with the way his swords were moving, he was frustrated that he couldn't use his swords. It was more frustrating that he couldn't do that, and the fact that he wasn't as good of a fire-bender as Uncle Iroh or Azula.
The look on Zuko's face made Katara feel sorry for him. He didn't remember, why was she giving him such a hard time? Her eyes softened a little towards him, and she nodded. "I know. It's just.. It's hard, because I do remember everything," she explained, her eyes lowering to the table as she tapped her fingers against the counter top.
"... I don't need that from you," she snapped back at him for his next remark though, standing straight, and she gave him a warning look.
"What exactly have you been doing here all this time?" she suddenly asked, curious as to what else he did when he wasn't chasing the Avatar.
He sighed, and shrugged. So she remembered everything...was he really that bad of a guy? Sure, he had betrayed his uncle...he wasn't quite sure why. He honestly didn't, he assumed itwould be the best path, but obviously not, and it left him worried. He would never know whether he had made the right decision or not, although something in his gut always told him that he hadn't made the right decision.
"A little of everything," he mentioned simply, shrugging. "Firebending, eating," he didn't want to go into detail. It was embarassing that he hadn't been able to use his swords, let alone figure out what else to do other than practice his bending. He was bored here, but there was little to do, other than explore, which was taken care of in a few short days.
Katara couldn't help but grin at his response. "Same here, really. There isn't much to do. Probably why there are so many fights going around." It was the same thing everyday, she realized. Wake up, hang out with your friends, eat, play, read, swim, you just did .. anything to keep from being bored. But.. who did Zuko hang around with it? And adventure with?
"Hey, um. Is your uncle here?" she asked, but immediately regretted it. He probably didn't like to be questioned. She wanted to try to be nice, though. Their actions here could possibly change everything for the better when they returned home.
He snorted. "Idiots fighting, completely disregarding the castle," he muttered, shaking his head. He didn't mind fighting, liked it, even...but when it interfered with his daily life and destroyed the building he was living in, it was more of an annoyance.
He perked up at the mention of his uncle, and shook his head. "No, he isn't," Zuko answered simply, not really quite ready to talk about that issue. It was for the better that Iroh wasn't here anyways. He didn't think that would go over well. His uncle would most likely kill him, or at the least, give him a stern lecture and then never speak with him again.
Did he make the right decision?
Idiots fighting... It reminded her of the war back home. She lost her mother towards a selfish cause, making her almost agree with Zuko. Meeting the Avatar gave her hope that it would all end soon. But she knew too well that to end an war, you'd still have to fight for peace. "Yeah, the castle always seem to fix itself though... It's weird," she said, wishing they had a better understanding of the place.
"Ah. Maybe he'll show up soon. You must be worried about him." Katara mentioned, noticing how his expression brightened a little. Without his memories, Zuko seemed.. a lot happier. And like a caring person. This was unexpected, but .. at least she didn't have to fight here.
Zuko blinked, and then simply shrugged at the water bender. "Maybe he will," he said softly, looking down into his teacup instead of at his company. He should be a better host, his uncle would say, but he was certain if his Uncle were here today, he would be more displeased with his previous decision than the awkward way he was conversing with the water bender.
"Yeah, though," he mentioned, waving a hand awkwardly. "This castle doesn't lose much, does it?" he asked.
Not wanting to press on the subject of his uncle any longer, Katara nodded slightly and took a seat on a nearby stool. His question made her frown, and her gaze fell down to her hands folded on the counter.
"Yeah, and the people here do.. I wish there was a way to get back what we've lost. I mean, my own brother doesn't even remember me. It's.. Well. It'd be good if everyone worked together so we can go back," she said quickly, realizing she shared perhaps.. a little too much with the fire nation prince. She looked back to him though, wondering how he'd feel about working with the others in the castle.
Zuko shrugged, and sighed. "I suppose that's the best idea," he grumbled, shaking his head, and hunching down into his seat. "Although I think you and your friends are better off without me," he admitted, just a bit too softly. He really was far inadequate to all of them, especially now that he couldn't seem to use his swords. They were just imbalanced...that was all...it had to be a weight problem. He wished he could figure out what was wrong!
Growling softly under his breath, he swallowed, and shook his head. "Afterall, your brother really hates me," he muttered.
Katara wished she knew why those words bothered her so much. They just did. It sounded like he was almost giving up, because he didn't get along with them. She stood up rather hastily from her seat then, speaking more loudly than she had intended. "H-Hey! I said it'd be good if everyone worked together. Including you.. I'm sure that Sokka can put those feelings aside if it means we can all go home." It earned her a few looks from people passing by the kitchen, causing her sit back down quietly.
She cleared her throat a little and sighed. "Sorry. It's.. upto you, of course."
Zuko blinked, and looked over to her with his mismatched gaze, swallowing slightly. "When you put it that way, it sounds more convincing..." he admitted, shrugging slightly."If you really think I won't be hurt the moment I walk into a room with him..." he mumbled...
"Then I guess I can give it a try," he admitted, shaking his head softly. He didn't know why, but she really did sound like she wanted him to help...as odd as it sounded to him.
Katara's eyes had widened in surprise. Was she really that convincing? She slowly met his gaze after a moment and shook her head. "I don't," she said simply, moving forward to the edge of her seat.
"I'll talk to Sokka, Aang and Toph. I really think this will be good for all of us." She couldn't help but offer an encouraging smile. As much trouble as Zuko caused them in the past, he didn't seem that bad here.. just like his uncle use to suggest. And if they were willing to help everyone else in the castle, then Katara decided that he was no different. She wanted to help him.
He smirked. "Okay then," he mumbled, and then looked back down to his tea. After all, what was the problem in trying to get help to get out of here? The sooner he could get out of here, the sooner he could return home, and maybe finally realize his destiny.
There was so much he didn't remember, but snippets returned, especially around Katara. He remembered fighting her, desperate clawing motivation that drove him, but he didn't remember why, and the moment the memory began to surface, it was quickly devoured, gone, and he shook his head at the onset of a headache.
"Well, I... guess I'll go find them." She stood up a bit hesistantly, eyes softened with concern. Soon, she'd run off to be with her friends.. But Zuko looked so lost in thought and .. lonely. Her want to help him was awkward enough though, and to suddenly invite him to hang out with the group? That was probably asking for trouble. Until she talked to them, at least.
"Are you okay?" Katara asked then, pushing the stool underneath the countertop.
Zuko blinked up to her, swallowing slightly. Was she...showing concern about him? He couldn't believe that she would be doing this, but here she was, asking him if he was okay, and that seemed to make him feel a bit better. Marginally so, but a bit better. "I-I don't know," he admitted honestly, clenching his fist tightly. He really didn't know what was wrong...but something was...
He felt like he was almost missing an entire part of himself.
"Oh.." Katara mumbled softly, taken back again by his response. Unsure of what else to do, she made her way around the counter to where he was... And she gently placed her hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Zuko. But, um.. If you ever feel like talking again, I'll be here." Comfort was the only reassurance she could give, while they searched. She felt bad she couldn't do more.
He blinked, and looked at her hand on his shoulder, and smiled. It felt...comforting...even when his uncle had tried to do this...he had always shouldered him off, to focused on... on...what? Something...that blinding motivation...the feeling that subsided as quickly as it had appeared.
"Thanks," he admitted shyly. He didn't know why...but he really appreciated the fact that she was offering help.
Everything that Katara expected to happen kept turning out to be opposite with Zuko.. And this moment was no exception. "It's no problem, really," she said, moving her hand from his shoulder. He didn't brush her away!
"You're welcome. So, I-" she paused in mid-sentence, leaning in a little closer to him. She sat so far away before that she didn't see the cuts on his hands.
"What happened there?" Katara asked curiously. She hoped they weren't from a fight.
Zuko blinked, and sighed, shaking his head. "N-nothing....my swords are imbalanced, that's all," he said, shaking his head. He was rather frustrated with the fact that he couldn't weild his blades, but an imbalance of weight had to be it!
"Erm," he mumbled, looking down. What else was he supposed to say to her?
"Oh, hmm..." While Katara didn't understand why his swords were imbalanced, she trusted his answer that it probably was nothing. He didn't attack her or Aang.. and she didn't see why he'd start fights with people he didn't know here. She simply nodded and took his hands to examine the cuts closely. He was lucky they weren't that deep!
Leaving him for a minute, she wandered over to the sink and retrieved a glass with fresh water before she returned. "...May I? I can heal your hands for you," she offered politely, setting the glass down.
Zuko blinked, and blushed slightly, before nodding mutely to Katara. That was...nice of her to offer...he couldn't believe that she had even made the offer. "Er, thank you," he said, as he eyed the glass of water with gratitude.
He felt a deep, sincere gratitude for her willingness to heal him. Not many would heal their sworn enemy out of the kindness of their heart.
Katara's face had flushed a little too, when she noticed Zuko blushing.. There was no need to thank her. She did it.. because she wanted to, nothing more, right? She didn't say anything but nod meekly, and with the slight wave of her hand, she bent the water to come out of the cup.
The liquid glowed and became warm over his hands as she concentrated on healing. It didn't take very long, and within the minute, she finished. She quickly rushed the water back into the cup, and looked down at his hands, now free of cuts. "There, "she smiled and took a step back. "You know what you said about your swords? With everything going on in the castle, just, um.. Be careful."
He smiled to her, and nodded his thanks. "Erm, yeah, it was just...a weird thing going on," he admitted, shaking his head. "I was trying to practice, and they were weighted differently," he explained. No, he wasn't going around starting fights. Even Zuko was beyond that.
It always seemed so silly to start fights. "But uh, thank you," he said honestly, giving her a bit of a smile. "I'll try and be careful," he mentioned.
"Really? For the weight to just change like that.. So weird! I guess it'll be a while before we know." Katara already had a lot on her mind; she realized that this was probably going to be on her mind for a while too. Among other things that concerned the prince.
"Ah, you're welcome.. You really don't have to thank me, though," she waved her hand, but couldn't help a small grin. "Hee. I'm glad. Oh! And you came here for tea, didn't you? Sorry, it looks like you didn't even get to drink it." It was mainly because of her, too, she recalled!
Zuko shook his head. "Its no problem," he mumbled, smiling at her softly. He really didn't mind...at least his hands weren't hurting now. "I mean, at least my hands are healed because of you," he mentioned, giving her a smirk.
He really didn't mind. He only drank tea because his uncle had all but ingrained the practice into him, it was more impulse than an actual like of tea.
Because of her, he said, his hands were healed... Katara thought that was a nice feeling. So, was this the real start of a friendship now?
She returned his smile with a sheepish one of her own. "Y-Yeah," she said softly, unsure of what else to say. She picked up the empty glass and decided to rinse it off in the sink.
Zuko blinked, and wondered if this was the start of a friendship, or would it end in disaster, just like everything else.
He supposed he shouldn't get such hopes up, he always seemed to ruin any positive relationship he had found, especially the one with his uncle. What had prompted him to make such a huge mistake?
Once she finished, Katara walked back around the counter, and yawned a little. "So, anyway.." she started, covering her hand over her mouth for a moment.
"I'll.. let you know how everything goes, okay? I'm sure it'll be fine. We'll be working together in no time," she said, sounding confident in the matter. Being optimistic was for the best, she found.
Zuko nodded, and smiled to her gratefully. If anyone was going to make things work, it would be her.
"Alright," he admitted, with a nod of his head. "I hope you'll keep me posted," he admitted with a bit of discomfort in his voice. He was certain that Katara's brother would be less than accomadating.
"Of course," she nodded, giving him some reassurance. Katara wouldn't dare admit she was anxious about the whole thing, though.
Sokka may not have remembered her, but he did know everything that happened with Zuko up until his arrival. She had a feeling Aang would welcome him. Toph, she wasn't sure about, until she actually met him.
"Well, good night, Zuko," she said softly, before she turned around and headed out of the kitchen.
Zuko watched her leave, and then looked down at his hands almost wistfully before he blew a fireball into his tea.
"Good night, Katara," he murmured, before he returned the steaming cup to his lips, enjoying the warmth, the solace, and even the lack of pain from his hands not having a single cut on them.
It amazed him that he could be healed like this...by a little bit of water...and a girl.
What: Finally running into each other here.
When: Sometime after this!
Where: The kitchen.
Rating: PG.
A small sigh had escaped from Katara's lips as she closed the notebook in her lap. Sometimes, the things that people said really .. really, bothered her. But she had every right to feel that way, didn't she? Especially when someone was trying to belittle others. She felt as though the guy apologized, only to get sarcastic again. He was being rude, but instead of replying, Katara decided to let it go. Getting up from her bed, she left the book on a dresser in her room, hands tightening a little over stomach.
...she was so annoyed by her forgetful brother and a stranger that she had been ignoring the fact that she was hungry. Making sure she had her key, the girl then made her way down into the huge kitchen and glanced around at it's contents, thinking about what she wanted.
"Maybe I should've walked with the journal down here.. I wonder if they are hungry," she thought aloud, pouring a glass of milk for herself. Even though things were a little off with their group, she wanted to make sure they stick together.
Zuko had been annoyed from the beginning, but the attitude of all the fools in this castle was becoming increasingly annoying. Sure, he was probably not the real successor to the Fire Nation, just because he had followed Azula did not mean he was stupid, afterall, but destroying half the castle was going too far. It was annoying, and then it seemed like every single person in this castle didn't like him, royalty or not.
Well, that was okay, he was used to it. Hell, his entire nation didn't like him, except for his uncle, and and Uncle didn't count, because Iroh was practically an exile as well. Regardless, as annoying as it was, he would live through it. He had eventually just shut his journal and resorted to pacing for a while, and then resorted to blowing some fireballs, and then he decided to drown his annoyance in tea.
He could blame his uncle for the addiction, but that would be just forcing his problems on his uncle, and he refused to do that anymore. No, it was his own fault, but he did appreciate tea more than ever... especially annoyed. With that, he left his room, and a few minutes later, he entered the kitchen.
It didn't take Katara long to decide that she wanted to invite everyone downstairs. Sokka loved to joke, but she had a feeling that he wasn't kidding when he said he didn't remember her. Even if he saw her, would that trigger any memories. And it worried her that Aang had no memory of being the Avatar. Taking a few long sips of milk so her stomach didn't feel so empty, she placed the glass in the sink and made a run for the exit.
No sooner did she realize it was a bad idea, though. She ran into someone.
"..Ah, sorry!" She quickly regained her balance before she completely stumbled back, looking up to see who she hit. Zuko.
"Since when have you been here?! Can't you watch where you are going? This isn't the Fire Nation, people aren't going to clear their way for you here you know," she started to ramble from her frustrations, pulling the small cork out from the water jug at her waist. She didn't want to waterbend inside the castle, but he was the enemy, after all.
Zuko blinked, and tipped his head at Katara, backing away from her frame slowly. He supposed he had been far too caught up in his reverie to really realize where he was going. He just blinked blankly at Katara however, a bit struck that he knew who she was. Afterall, how did he know her? Wasn't it through chasing the avatar? He couldn't remember, it was like a blank spot in his memory of where he should have met her.
"Weeks," he muttered slightly, shrugging off her obvious intent to attack, and instead continued his way towards the cupboards, rather interested in getting his tea. He didn't like dwelling on the spots missing from his memory. it made him uncomfortable. He didn't like realizing that he had an un-fixable weakness that he couldn't rectify this problem. It annoyed him beyond reason that not only did he remember who the avatar was, or why people thought he needed to follow him...but also why he knew people that he didn't remember encountering.
It was annoying. Beyond annoying. It made him want to set something on fire, but that just wasn't workable.
Katara also blinked, but out of surprise that he continued to walk past her and into the kitchen. She turned around slowly, watching him head towards the cupboards and gathering what he needed. Confused, she closed the jug tightly and took a few steps forward, still keeping a good distance between them.
"..What happened? You're.. not going to attack?" she questioned, knowing full well that Zuko could do hand-to-hand to combat if he didn't feel like setting the entire kitchen on fire. Just like with Sokka, Aang and Toph, something wasn't right there. Maybe it was coming to this world that changed people. But she was unaffected, wasn't she?
"You mean.. You've been here for weeks, and you haven't tried to capture Aang yet?" She was trying to understand. It was hard. But there was definitely something different about him.
Perhaps it was the complete lack of motivation, but even he didn't know what was wrong with him right now. All he knew was that things felt different, and he couldn't remember things, but that was all. Instead, he had spent alot of time drinking tea, trying to master that technique Uncle had taught him (which was difficult without lightning) and meditated and practiced his fire bending. He had pulled out his swords a few times, but they had resulted in some nasty cuts, so he decided to put them away. Something was wrong with his swords, they must have been unbalanced...but he needed to improve his bending anyways.
"Why would I want to attack?" he asked simply, filling his cup with water and the materials for tea before blowing a quick fireball into the cup, wait a few seconds, then another fireball. Aah, much better! He then blinked, and looked at her. "Why does everyone think I want to capture Aang?" he asked with a tip of his head. Sokka had said the same thing, and sure, he had been shocked to discover that Aang was the avatar, but he supposed it was the boy's problem, not his.
He really didn't care if Aang was the avatar or not, afterall.
"It must be nice to forget everything with a history like yours," she muttered under her breath, crossing her arms as she dared to move closer. Zuko wasn't a threat in this world anymore, it seemed. Resting her elbows on the opposite side of the counter from him, Katara stared at him in disbelief at his other question. Why did he want to capture Aang?! She bit down on her lower lip, shaking her head before she spoke up again.
".. Why? Because you are the Fire Nation Lord's son, Zuko. You chased us all over, attacked, and all for what? To capture Aang, the Avatar, for your personal benefits!" Katara had tried to remain calm why explaining, but failed miserably. She felt unfortunate enough to arrive here with all her memories in tact. She sighed a little, looking at his steaming cup of tea.
"So you can still firebend?" She was a little relieved at that, hoping it was the same for the rest of the group. If they were going to be stuck there, she could at least practice with Aang, so they didn't lose touch on their bending. Katara did wonder if the prince was trustworthy here, though. He could firebend, he could attack at anytime if this was all fake. A meeting was definitely needed after this.
"I did?" he asked, blinking and tipping his head. He honestly didn't remember, and had no real motivation to remember. He supposed he could dig it out, but it wasn't important to him. Why should chasing the Avatar be important. Wasn't it something about going home...? He didn't remember, as frustrating as it was! He sighed, and shook his head, giving Katara something of an apologetic glance. "I don't know why," he admitted, shrugging. "I don't even remember trying to capture anybody!" he admitted. He remembered traveling through exile with his uncle more than anything else.
He smirked to her, and nodded. "Obviously I can firebend," he admitted with a shrug. Thank goodness, with the way his swords were moving, he was frustrated that he couldn't use his swords. It was more frustrating that he couldn't do that, and the fact that he wasn't as good of a fire-bender as Uncle Iroh or Azula.
The look on Zuko's face made Katara feel sorry for him. He didn't remember, why was she giving him such a hard time? Her eyes softened a little towards him, and she nodded. "I know. It's just.. It's hard, because I do remember everything," she explained, her eyes lowering to the table as she tapped her fingers against the counter top.
"... I don't need that from you," she snapped back at him for his next remark though, standing straight, and she gave him a warning look.
"What exactly have you been doing here all this time?" she suddenly asked, curious as to what else he did when he wasn't chasing the Avatar.
He sighed, and shrugged. So she remembered everything...was he really that bad of a guy? Sure, he had betrayed his uncle...he wasn't quite sure why. He honestly didn't, he assumed itwould be the best path, but obviously not, and it left him worried. He would never know whether he had made the right decision or not, although something in his gut always told him that he hadn't made the right decision.
"A little of everything," he mentioned simply, shrugging. "Firebending, eating," he didn't want to go into detail. It was embarassing that he hadn't been able to use his swords, let alone figure out what else to do other than practice his bending. He was bored here, but there was little to do, other than explore, which was taken care of in a few short days.
Katara couldn't help but grin at his response. "Same here, really. There isn't much to do. Probably why there are so many fights going around." It was the same thing everyday, she realized. Wake up, hang out with your friends, eat, play, read, swim, you just did .. anything to keep from being bored. But.. who did Zuko hang around with it? And adventure with?
"Hey, um. Is your uncle here?" she asked, but immediately regretted it. He probably didn't like to be questioned. She wanted to try to be nice, though. Their actions here could possibly change everything for the better when they returned home.
He snorted. "Idiots fighting, completely disregarding the castle," he muttered, shaking his head. He didn't mind fighting, liked it, even...but when it interfered with his daily life and destroyed the building he was living in, it was more of an annoyance.
He perked up at the mention of his uncle, and shook his head. "No, he isn't," Zuko answered simply, not really quite ready to talk about that issue. It was for the better that Iroh wasn't here anyways. He didn't think that would go over well. His uncle would most likely kill him, or at the least, give him a stern lecture and then never speak with him again.
Did he make the right decision?
Idiots fighting... It reminded her of the war back home. She lost her mother towards a selfish cause, making her almost agree with Zuko. Meeting the Avatar gave her hope that it would all end soon. But she knew too well that to end an war, you'd still have to fight for peace. "Yeah, the castle always seem to fix itself though... It's weird," she said, wishing they had a better understanding of the place.
"Ah. Maybe he'll show up soon. You must be worried about him." Katara mentioned, noticing how his expression brightened a little. Without his memories, Zuko seemed.. a lot happier. And like a caring person. This was unexpected, but .. at least she didn't have to fight here.
Zuko blinked, and then simply shrugged at the water bender. "Maybe he will," he said softly, looking down into his teacup instead of at his company. He should be a better host, his uncle would say, but he was certain if his Uncle were here today, he would be more displeased with his previous decision than the awkward way he was conversing with the water bender.
"Yeah, though," he mentioned, waving a hand awkwardly. "This castle doesn't lose much, does it?" he asked.
Not wanting to press on the subject of his uncle any longer, Katara nodded slightly and took a seat on a nearby stool. His question made her frown, and her gaze fell down to her hands folded on the counter.
"Yeah, and the people here do.. I wish there was a way to get back what we've lost. I mean, my own brother doesn't even remember me. It's.. Well. It'd be good if everyone worked together so we can go back," she said quickly, realizing she shared perhaps.. a little too much with the fire nation prince. She looked back to him though, wondering how he'd feel about working with the others in the castle.
Zuko shrugged, and sighed. "I suppose that's the best idea," he grumbled, shaking his head, and hunching down into his seat. "Although I think you and your friends are better off without me," he admitted, just a bit too softly. He really was far inadequate to all of them, especially now that he couldn't seem to use his swords. They were just imbalanced...that was all...it had to be a weight problem. He wished he could figure out what was wrong!
Growling softly under his breath, he swallowed, and shook his head. "Afterall, your brother really hates me," he muttered.
Katara wished she knew why those words bothered her so much. They just did. It sounded like he was almost giving up, because he didn't get along with them. She stood up rather hastily from her seat then, speaking more loudly than she had intended. "H-Hey! I said it'd be good if everyone worked together. Including you.. I'm sure that Sokka can put those feelings aside if it means we can all go home." It earned her a few looks from people passing by the kitchen, causing her sit back down quietly.
She cleared her throat a little and sighed. "Sorry. It's.. upto you, of course."
Zuko blinked, and looked over to her with his mismatched gaze, swallowing slightly. "When you put it that way, it sounds more convincing..." he admitted, shrugging slightly."If you really think I won't be hurt the moment I walk into a room with him..." he mumbled...
"Then I guess I can give it a try," he admitted, shaking his head softly. He didn't know why, but she really did sound like she wanted him to help...as odd as it sounded to him.
Katara's eyes had widened in surprise. Was she really that convincing? She slowly met his gaze after a moment and shook her head. "I don't," she said simply, moving forward to the edge of her seat.
"I'll talk to Sokka, Aang and Toph. I really think this will be good for all of us." She couldn't help but offer an encouraging smile. As much trouble as Zuko caused them in the past, he didn't seem that bad here.. just like his uncle use to suggest. And if they were willing to help everyone else in the castle, then Katara decided that he was no different. She wanted to help him.
He smirked. "Okay then," he mumbled, and then looked back down to his tea. After all, what was the problem in trying to get help to get out of here? The sooner he could get out of here, the sooner he could return home, and maybe finally realize his destiny.
There was so much he didn't remember, but snippets returned, especially around Katara. He remembered fighting her, desperate clawing motivation that drove him, but he didn't remember why, and the moment the memory began to surface, it was quickly devoured, gone, and he shook his head at the onset of a headache.
"Well, I... guess I'll go find them." She stood up a bit hesistantly, eyes softened with concern. Soon, she'd run off to be with her friends.. But Zuko looked so lost in thought and .. lonely. Her want to help him was awkward enough though, and to suddenly invite him to hang out with the group? That was probably asking for trouble. Until she talked to them, at least.
"Are you okay?" Katara asked then, pushing the stool underneath the countertop.
Zuko blinked up to her, swallowing slightly. Was she...showing concern about him? He couldn't believe that she would be doing this, but here she was, asking him if he was okay, and that seemed to make him feel a bit better. Marginally so, but a bit better. "I-I don't know," he admitted honestly, clenching his fist tightly. He really didn't know what was wrong...but something was...
He felt like he was almost missing an entire part of himself.
"Oh.." Katara mumbled softly, taken back again by his response. Unsure of what else to do, she made her way around the counter to where he was... And she gently placed her hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Zuko. But, um.. If you ever feel like talking again, I'll be here." Comfort was the only reassurance she could give, while they searched. She felt bad she couldn't do more.
He blinked, and looked at her hand on his shoulder, and smiled. It felt...comforting...even when his uncle had tried to do this...he had always shouldered him off, to focused on... on...what? Something...that blinding motivation...the feeling that subsided as quickly as it had appeared.
"Thanks," he admitted shyly. He didn't know why...but he really appreciated the fact that she was offering help.
Everything that Katara expected to happen kept turning out to be opposite with Zuko.. And this moment was no exception. "It's no problem, really," she said, moving her hand from his shoulder. He didn't brush her away!
"You're welcome. So, I-" she paused in mid-sentence, leaning in a little closer to him. She sat so far away before that she didn't see the cuts on his hands.
"What happened there?" Katara asked curiously. She hoped they weren't from a fight.
Zuko blinked, and sighed, shaking his head. "N-nothing....my swords are imbalanced, that's all," he said, shaking his head. He was rather frustrated with the fact that he couldn't weild his blades, but an imbalance of weight had to be it!
"Erm," he mumbled, looking down. What else was he supposed to say to her?
"Oh, hmm..." While Katara didn't understand why his swords were imbalanced, she trusted his answer that it probably was nothing. He didn't attack her or Aang.. and she didn't see why he'd start fights with people he didn't know here. She simply nodded and took his hands to examine the cuts closely. He was lucky they weren't that deep!
Leaving him for a minute, she wandered over to the sink and retrieved a glass with fresh water before she returned. "...May I? I can heal your hands for you," she offered politely, setting the glass down.
Zuko blinked, and blushed slightly, before nodding mutely to Katara. That was...nice of her to offer...he couldn't believe that she had even made the offer. "Er, thank you," he said, as he eyed the glass of water with gratitude.
He felt a deep, sincere gratitude for her willingness to heal him. Not many would heal their sworn enemy out of the kindness of their heart.
Katara's face had flushed a little too, when she noticed Zuko blushing.. There was no need to thank her. She did it.. because she wanted to, nothing more, right? She didn't say anything but nod meekly, and with the slight wave of her hand, she bent the water to come out of the cup.
The liquid glowed and became warm over his hands as she concentrated on healing. It didn't take very long, and within the minute, she finished. She quickly rushed the water back into the cup, and looked down at his hands, now free of cuts. "There, "she smiled and took a step back. "You know what you said about your swords? With everything going on in the castle, just, um.. Be careful."
He smiled to her, and nodded his thanks. "Erm, yeah, it was just...a weird thing going on," he admitted, shaking his head. "I was trying to practice, and they were weighted differently," he explained. No, he wasn't going around starting fights. Even Zuko was beyond that.
It always seemed so silly to start fights. "But uh, thank you," he said honestly, giving her a bit of a smile. "I'll try and be careful," he mentioned.
"Really? For the weight to just change like that.. So weird! I guess it'll be a while before we know." Katara already had a lot on her mind; she realized that this was probably going to be on her mind for a while too. Among other things that concerned the prince.
"Ah, you're welcome.. You really don't have to thank me, though," she waved her hand, but couldn't help a small grin. "Hee. I'm glad. Oh! And you came here for tea, didn't you? Sorry, it looks like you didn't even get to drink it." It was mainly because of her, too, she recalled!
Zuko shook his head. "Its no problem," he mumbled, smiling at her softly. He really didn't mind...at least his hands weren't hurting now. "I mean, at least my hands are healed because of you," he mentioned, giving her a smirk.
He really didn't mind. He only drank tea because his uncle had all but ingrained the practice into him, it was more impulse than an actual like of tea.
Because of her, he said, his hands were healed... Katara thought that was a nice feeling. So, was this the real start of a friendship now?
She returned his smile with a sheepish one of her own. "Y-Yeah," she said softly, unsure of what else to say. She picked up the empty glass and decided to rinse it off in the sink.
Zuko blinked, and wondered if this was the start of a friendship, or would it end in disaster, just like everything else.
He supposed he shouldn't get such hopes up, he always seemed to ruin any positive relationship he had found, especially the one with his uncle. What had prompted him to make such a huge mistake?
Once she finished, Katara walked back around the counter, and yawned a little. "So, anyway.." she started, covering her hand over her mouth for a moment.
"I'll.. let you know how everything goes, okay? I'm sure it'll be fine. We'll be working together in no time," she said, sounding confident in the matter. Being optimistic was for the best, she found.
Zuko nodded, and smiled to her gratefully. If anyone was going to make things work, it would be her.
"Alright," he admitted, with a nod of his head. "I hope you'll keep me posted," he admitted with a bit of discomfort in his voice. He was certain that Katara's brother would be less than accomadating.
"Of course," she nodded, giving him some reassurance. Katara wouldn't dare admit she was anxious about the whole thing, though.
Sokka may not have remembered her, but he did know everything that happened with Zuko up until his arrival. She had a feeling Aang would welcome him. Toph, she wasn't sure about, until she actually met him.
"Well, good night, Zuko," she said softly, before she turned around and headed out of the kitchen.
Zuko watched her leave, and then looked down at his hands almost wistfully before he blew a fireball into his tea.
"Good night, Katara," he murmured, before he returned the steaming cup to his lips, enjoying the warmth, the solace, and even the lack of pain from his hands not having a single cut on them.
It amazed him that he could be healed like this...by a little bit of water...and a girl.