Katara: The World's Lost Hope

Boiling Rock

A/N

Hey y'all! I just want to thank you again for reading! Please please PLEASE let me know if there's anything you think I should be doing better. Like if you think some relationships aren't developed enough or you want me to right more about a specific thing. I want to make this something enjoyable for you to read! Just tell me what you don't like, and I'll keep that in mind when moving forward.

Also, during the time they're all at the Western Air Temple, I want y'all to keep a few things in mind.

Toph and The Duke are total pranksters, always stealing other people's stuff and hiding it; they become fast friends.

Sokka and Teo are usually hanging out, trying to find new ways to pimp out Teo's wheelchair.

While Sokka and Zuko are at boiling rock, Teo and Amka spend a lot of time together just going around the temple and talking.

Katara is helping train Haru to better his earthbending, and they become better friends through this.

I don't really write much about this, but I want to let you know what's actually happening with these characters who aren't really a part of the gang. That's it!

Y'all are sweeties!

Zuko wakes up early the next morning from a restless sleep. His mind kept replaying the entire scene with Katara. Her hand gripping his. Her fingers tracing over his scar, how she didn't flinch or look away. Her tears. The fluttering in his stomach. His nervousness. The awkwardness... His mind loved to focus on his awkwardness. Remembering the night before, Zuko groans, and buries his face into his pillow. Hopefully he didn't ruin everything.

Katara wakes up, but doesn't want to get out of bed. She knows she should train, but the thought of seeing Zuko right now makes her toes curl. They were just starting to become friends, and now Katara made it weird between them. The entire thing just came out of nowhere. Katara never really thought about Zuko in that way (it was only ONE dream), but the moment felt... right.
She doesn't really have feelings for Zuko, does she? It was an accident. Just a moment, nothing more. It doesn't mean anything. It won't.

Determined for everything to be normal, Katara gets out of bed, but when she sees Zuko looking out over the canyon, her chest tightens, feels light. She clenches her jaw, slightly annoyed with herself, and clears her throat. Zuko turns around, but avoids looking directly at Katara.

"Hey," he mumbles.

"Look," Katara says, "about last night, that was weird. I don't want things to be weird. You don't want things to be weird. So let's just say it didn't happen."

"Yeah, okay," Zuko nods, although his heart sinks just a bit. It's probably for the best that they ignore it. It didn't mean anything, so it's fine. Yeah, it's fine.

***

Katara and Zuko train together for most of the day, beginning with breathing exercises and then learning new moves that build off of the techniques Katara is already familiar with. It's still a little awkward between them, but they eventually lose themselves in their bending. By the end of the day, they feel more comfortable with each other, although last night's events are far from forgotten.

That night, Sokka takes Zuko aside and asks him what happens to prisoners of war. Sokka says he just wants to know what he put his dad through, but Zuko sees right through him. Zuko catches Sokka trying to sneak away, and together, the two make their way to Boiling Rock.

The next morning, Katara finds the note left by the two boys. She's both relieved and disappointed; she needs some more time to sort out the feelings (if any) she has for Zuko, but she also enjoys his company, however awkward he may be.