Too Close

strong willed

"So the Yue was telling me about her boyfriend how he just keeps going out with his friends, but he has to know where she is all the time," Katara held a smoothie as she and Zuko walked down the street and he listened to her rants.

"But she won't break up with him cause he works with her dad, but it's just a toxic relationship I hope she breaks up with him, I can't believe she even started to date him," she scoffed and sucked on the straw irritatedly.

"Maybe she'll break up with him after high school? It's pretty common," Zuko looked at her as he sipped his drink.

"Eh who knows, I hope so, we've been friends before when I was being home schooled, I know she can do so much better," Katara sighed softly but noticed kids pointing at them and talking to each other.

"Hey yo! Susano!" Someone called and Katara saw the three kids running after them.

"Shit, come on," Zuko grabbed her hand and pulled Katara with him as they sprinted down the block and the other kids raced after them.

"Keep running when I let go," he told her seriously and released her as he stopped to take a sharp turn.

"Zuko!" She gasped turning around.

Zuko ran down an alleyway as the students chased after him, he twisted to throw his drink at them and he jumped on a dumpster and took a leap to grab the fire escape that was a few feet above him, he grunted pulling himself up but gasped when someone grabbing his leg.

"He's fucking strong!" The boy growled and another boy grabbed on. Zuko yelled when they yanked him off and he fell on the ground with a grunt as he landed on his side.

"Stupid bitch, thought you could escape?" A boy laughed.

"I was close," Zuko sat up rubbing his arm he landed on. He suddenly felt a foot collide into his jaw and he fell again.

"You think your top shit Zuko? After what you did to my brother? After what you did to those kids?!" The boy yelled at him, Zuko was going to respond but he punched him across the face and the other boy start to kick and stomp on him and the third one grabbed his bag and started to empty everything out. Thank god he didn't bring the gun with him today.

"Hey get off him!" Katara shoved the boy that was kicking Zuko off. He pushed her back with a laugh.

"What, your his little skank now Katara?" The boys snorted shoving her again but she growled.

She slapped him across the face and the other boys laughed.

"Shit she's kind of fun," the boy dropped Zuko as he spit blood on the ground.

"Think your strong Katara? I know you think your tough cause your brother, your friends, Jet, but I doubt you can actually fight, your still the new naive freshmen," he grabbed her by her arm. Katara glared not showing it was hurting her as she tried to punch him but he yanked her arm to the side to stop her and she whimpered.

Zuko snapped his eyes at her as he saw her trying to pry the males hand off her as he squeezed tighter.

"Come on kat, show me how tough you are," the boy chuckled.

Zuko grabbed him by the back of the neck and threw him against the wall, he didn't hesitate to slam his fist against his cheek.

"You think it's funny? Wow it is fucking hilarious," Zuko scoffed as the brunette before tried to kick him in the side but he grabbed his scrawny leg and held it for a minute. They made eye contact as Zuko started to raise the leg high enough until he lost his footing.

"But since I'm just a dumb criminal, please explain it to me," Zuko asked as the boy landed on his head with a cry.

"Beating me, awesome, cool, but thinking your so funny cause you want to beat a girl, push her around, I just think I'm to dumb to understand it," he stomped on his chest and the boy cried with a wheeze.

"So please, explain," he snarled at the last teenager.

Zuko touched his lip feeling blood trickle down his face and shook his head. He looked at Katara calmly as she seemed afraid.

"You okay?" He asked quietly walking up to her.

"Your bleeding a lot," she whispered.

"Come on, we gotta go," Zuko put his arm around her shoulders to move her forward as they left the other teens in the alleyway.

Katara leaned against him a little as he kept his hand on the back of her head so she didn't lean back. She felt shocked by how Zuko was hunted and cornered like an animal but the way he fought back, he held back a lot. He wanted to make sure she was okay before he went to far.

"How often does this happen?" Katara whispered as they were far enough from the alley.

"Not as often," Zuko sighed and let go of her.

"Lemme see your arm," he motioned to where she was being grabbed.

She lifted her sleeve above her bicep and there was bruising already happening where his fingers grasped. Zuko gulped a little.

"You got one hell of a slap on you," he sighed a little and Katara looked at him unamused.

"So you can actually fight?" She went in her bag to grab her makeup wipes.

"Azula and I use to take classes together when we were little, kick boxing and self defense," Zuko shrugged as she took out a wipe and handed it to him.

"Why?" She asked confused.

"My mom was paranoid, especially for Azula but she wanted both of us to be able to protect ourselves..." Zuko explained.

"It's for make up..." he sniffed it. Katara grabbed his face and started to wipe the blood off his skin.

"It removes make up and the only thing that we got to get the blood off," she said flatly.

"You should've kept running," he whispered watching Kataras concentrated face as she used her thumb.

"I was but I heard you fall," she sighed but he flinched at the pressure. "Sorry,"

"...thanks for coming back then," Zuko gulped, Katara felt heat rise from her chest and her face flush a little.

"I won't turn my back on someone that needs me," she smiled.

"You don't think I went to far?" He asked worried.

"You literally might have a concussion, no you didn't," she giggled.

"You should teach me a little bit of that mojo moves you had, maybe then I'd actually be able to help you in a fight," Katara teased as she finished wiping the blood off his face.

"Next time someone grabs you," Zuko grabbed both her biceps to hold her in place and set an example.

"Use your head, and your legs, with your head aim for their teeth, use your knees for bottom half, use your foot for under the knee," he showed her and Katara felt her face get hotter as he was closer to her.

"Sounds like dirty fighting," she laughed awkward.

"Your a girl, you need to use dirty fighting, especially your size," Zuko let go and smiled at her.

"Saying I'm weak?!" Katara gasped putting her hands on her hips.

"For now, yea, but your strong willed at least," he chuckled walking away.

"Hey don't leave me!" She whined jogging to catch up with him.