Pride Goeth [Milliways]

[princeinexile]

His place was still clean; mostly because he had barely been here since she had seen him last. The dogs followed thme up, happily padded over to the pile of blankets, and dropped down into them once Zuko had reached a kitchen chair and sat down

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[allican_do]

She feels as odd here as she did the last time. Out of place and unwelcome, even if he'd been the one to let her in. At least this time, the freedom of his apartment wasn't preceeded by false smiles.

Katara hesitates before the door, watching him carefully, thinking. How best to help him, what does he need right now? Only one glance told her that.

She moves toward the fridge - he needs food and drink first of all. She just hopes not all of his food is rotten.

[princeinexile]

This is The Magic Bar. Does anything really go bad here?

Don't answer that. Regardless, he has restocked. Isn't that nice. He doesn't seem, however, interested in what she's doing. She's just -- there, in his things.

Who cares, right?

[allican_do]

Zuko does, she's certain. And it doesn't make Katara any more comfortable about being in his home.

There is some quiet puttering at his fridge before Katara starts to join him at the table. Quiet, hesitant steps quicken and a bowl of rice is set on the table before Zuko, two glasses of water following.

She sinks into the seat beside him, pushes her braid over her shoulder and gesture, drawing the contents of one of the glasses between her hands.

"...Okay," is said quietly, her eyes on him, hands and water still and waiting. "Just-- start. I'll work while you eat."

[princeinexile]

He sits and stares at the bowl of white rice before him, and the glass of water. "I'm not starving," he says despite the hollows at his cheeks. "I can eat."

Sometime.

But it's useless to argue. This simple thing is a painful chore now. But with her there, he can try.

The pain slithers into his throat, waiting to choke that first bite-- but he stoics it as much as he can. Mustn't appear weak! Not with her, not ever.

[allican_do]

[princeinexile]

He works quickly-- the abatement is -- not total, but it's sort of like a drug haze. The pain is there, it simply doesn't bother him right this second. So the rice is cleared as efficiently as Zuko can manage.

Still a tidy eater, he dines quietly and drinks down water. Thankfully the food is simple enough that his often-hungry belly won't reject the sudden influx it's been missing.

"You can stop now," he says quietly.

[allican_do]

Katara isn't strong enough for this. While that's not surprising, not from that first touch with it weeks ago, it is frustrating. She makes a noise when he speaks, something upset but-- no, she can't fix this, she can barely abate it.

Her hands linger on his skin, fingertips brushing against his throat, but Katara leans back with a sigh. Without bothering to look at him first, she glances over at the bowl, then the clock.

That was awfully fast.

"I'll get you more," she says quietly, before standing and taking his bowl. He'll eat his fill tonight, and every other night he lets her help.

[princeinexile]

"No," he says with sudden vehemence. "You -- you don't feed the hungry to much, too quick. The stomach goes sour. They lose it all."

He doesn't want her mopping up his messes agian.

[allican_do]

"I barely gave you a cup of rice - I know you can take more than that." Her steps didn't even pause and she's already scooping more into the bowl, pushing the door to the fridge closed with her foot. "I'm already here and I'm not going to try and make you sick, so just-- don't fight me on this."

Not that fighting would stop her from trying anyway.

[princeinexile]

"Can we not push it?" Zuko says, too tired to make it forceful. "I don't want--" To be a filthy, weak mess covered in my own sick, dammit. "I don't want to test that limit, yet."

[allican_do]

Those quiet steps stop, but not because she's reached the table. Katara's still several feet away, but now she's staring at the back of Zuko's head, brows up.

Zuko's never been too tired to be forceful. Not with her.

"...all right," is little more than a quiet murmur and the bowl clatters as Katara sets it back in the fridge. "But-- a little more water, okay? And then I'll go, I promise."

[princeinexile]

Zuko -- relents, nodding quietly. Water good. Water simple.... Water might still make him puke, but maybe she'll go by then and he can just doze in the bathtub or something.

"Alright," He says quietly, and waits.

[allican_do]

She attends him with no thought of pride involved. The glass is filled and handed to him and Katara slips back into her chair and draws water between her hands again.

"Okay," Katara says quietly, lifting the water and letting it curl around his throat. Another soft sound is made, but she swallows most of it back, eyes closing as she feels a fraction of his pain for him.

[princeinexile]

It slithers around his body-- when it's there in his throat, it can stop him from drinking.But her hands on there, making it less potent, so it moves downward, settling in the stomach and threatening to sour his hard-won food.

Zuko twitches once, but takes slow swallows of water, and let's Katara do as she must.

[allican_do]

[princeinexile]

The glass is shortly empty, and it is on the table with a hollow clink a moment later.

"It's alright. I'm finished."

You can stop now, and let his pain be his again.