Little Soldier Boy

Just a walk

"How have You been in the city?" Katara asked genuinely concerned for the fire bender as they walked side by side.

"Adapting, hai gave me an apartment yesterday so it's nice having a bed," Zuko nodded softly.

"Good, we didn't know how or if you'd stay long with the circumstances, plus we found Azula trying to drill through to the wall," she huffed a little playing with the end of her braid.

"You what?" Zuko asked wide eyes.

"We stopped her and destroyed the drill but yea.." she pursed her lips a little.

"She's trying to get in?" He whispered crossing his arms tight against his chest.

"She won't," Katara told him.

"It's Azula, she gets what she wants," he sighed a little.

Katara looked at him to see how stressed he immediately was over the princess. But she also noticed how different he looked already, how he looked clean with no dirt on his face or clothes, he looked tired still like always and the scowl doesn't help. But he looked younger like a teenager with the less tension of being somewhere safer.

"So how did you end up in the lower rink? You seemed surprised," Zuko changed the subject.

"Iiiiii was taking a walk," she squeaked a little embarrassed.

"Youre not convincing," he stated flatly.

"Ok, fine, I was getting some air after I was really upset, I walked it off mostly and happen to get down here," Katara huffed again.

"What happened?" Zuko asked.

Katara was surprised he was actually talking to her and asking questions. Did he actually care? Were they still enemys? He seemed different then before, his attitude, his appearance, he already looked like he changed for the better.

"Im just being dumb and over thinking, I feel like I'm always taking care of my brother and the others, I mean I mother them all the time, and some times I just get sick of it and wished they actually could do things for themselves, I mean my brother is older and I still have to sew his clothes," Katara ranted now being able to say her frustrations out loud.

"I love being able to take care of people I love and I know they're just kids but sometimes I'm tired, and they get mad at me for when I tell them to do something, and I know I nag and am bossy and a mother hen but I'm just trying to take care of them," Katara choked up a little in her anger but kept walking, a little faster now even but Zuko kept up.

"They appreciate it, they just don't know how much they do," Zuko sighed. He remembered how she took the lead to get everyone out of the desert even with just losing their pet and her brother being on some juice.

"Aang did apologize for how he's been after everything but he's just a kid too so I'm not even upset over that," Katara groaned a little.

"I just- they- I don't know-"

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, your a kid too," Zuko offered softly and she stopped in the street.

"I'm not though, I've been taking care of my brother since we were young, I've been helping women in my village and doing chores and taking responsibilities, this isn't new to me but I'm already so tired," she scoffed a little and Zuko stopped as well.

"I'll be turning 15 soon, I'm to old to be getting emotional like this, for being in a war I can't," she was irritated again but Zuko scowled this time.

"That's not fair to you," he made a face getting upset now.

Katara paused and took a deep breath.

"So what, fair or not it's how life is," she mumbled but zukos scowl turned more angry.