Freedom [ATLA Katara x Male Reader]

Chapter 11: [Bato of the Water Tribe]

Happy new year guys! 

I feel like this chapter is going to be a bit controversial but still... enjoy

. . .

You stood on a cliff side overlooking a body of water, silently watching the waves crash against the rocks below. You heard footsteps approaching, and out of the corner of your eye, you saw Katara wordlessly stand beside you. 

You suppressed a smile, still looking ahead. Katara always stood on your right. She knew you hated it when people walked up to you on your left. It panicked you since your eyepatch gave you a blind spot of sorts. You liked how she noticed the little things like that. 

"Enjoying the view?" she asked after several minutes of silence other than the sound of the waves sloshing. 

"And the peace," you said somewhat jokingly. Katara laughed, and you finally turned to look at her, just to see the smile plastered across her face. 

"Can't say I blame you," she said, still smiling. You felt your own lips quirk upwards slightly. "Mind if I join you?"

"'Course not. I like your company."

"Is that so?" Katara arched an eyebrow at you. "That's high praise coming from you."

You shrugged, glancing away again bashfully. "It's true."

Facing away from her, you didn't see the way Katara's eyes softened as she looked at you. "I like your company too."

Ordinarily, you wouldn't believe her. But you really, really wanted to. So you just smiled, and she returned it. Then you looked away again, gazing out at the vast body of water before you.

The wind around the cliff blew your hair and clothes around. Katara watched as your shirt shifted slightly, revealing the edge of the bandages that wrapped around your chest and shoulder. Katara frowned as she noticed them.

"How's your shoulder?" she asked. You frowned at the question, rolling your shoulder a little.

It had been over a week since the storm, and your arm had actually started to feel a lot better. It really only hurt if you moved it too much or too fast. 

"Getting better," you answered simply, adjusting your sleeve.

"Have you changed the bandages recently?" she inquired. Your face fell. "Hey, don't give me that look. You've got to change them regularly, or you could get an infection. You don't want that, do you?"

"No..." you replied with a sigh, shoulders slumping as you trudged over to your supplies to grab the bandages. You plopped down on a tree stump and started to unbutton your shirt. Katara walked over to you again. 

"I could change them for you, if you want," she offered, catching you slightly off guard. 

"Oh no, it's fine," you dismissed. "You don't have to do that, I can do it myse-"

"But it would be easier if I did it, wouldn't it?" Katara cut off your protests, crossing her arms. "Don't be stubborn, Y/n. What have I told you about accepting people's help?"

"I don't know. I might have missed it the first twenty-seven times you said it," you responded sarcastically. 

Katara's eyebrow rose. "Clearly I need to say it twenty-seven more times to drill it into your head then."

"Please don't," you mumbled. 

"Pass me the bandages and I won't have to."

Reluctantly, you handed the roll over. It really was pointless trying to argue with this girl. Katara began to gently unwrap your old bandages and replace them with new ones, admittedly much faster than you could have done it yourself.