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We're Not Taking No For An Answer: Chapter 11

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Chapter 11

The greatest thing about being friends with Jet was being friends with Jet. After re-establishing their friendship at Ursa’s funeral, Zuko and Jet became inseparable once more, as they had been years before. A week had passed since the funeral and it was as if the boys had never had their falling out, as if nothing had changed but their age.

However, this rekindled friendship didn’t jeopardise his friendship with Sokka, Aang and Toph. As for Katara, they’d tried to talk to each other in private the past week, to shed some light on their current situation, because neither of them knew where they were at or what they were. Zuko knew he wanted them to be together, he felt like he could be honest with Katara and at the same time, he felt good when she confided him. But more than that, he was attracted to her and he could see a future with her, something he’d never felt with anyone else before.

Every time Zuko thought back to their kiss, he always recalled how right it felt, how exhilarating it had been. But every time he and Katara had tried to discuss anything, Aang, Sokka or Toph would obliviously approach them and pop in, leaving Zuko more frustrated than ever.

Funnily enough, girls were what Zuko and Jet ended up discussing one early Saturday morning at what used to be a golf course. The cool, early morning air surrounded both boys as they stood across from each other on endless green hills.
“Toss another one,” Zuko ordered, bending his knees and securing his grip determinedly on his baseball bat.
“You asked for it,” Jet smirked.

They were playing a game they used to play when they were younger, a game involving a baseball and many cartons of eggs. The rules were simple: hit or be hit.

Holding an egg in his hand, Jet held it back behind his head, Zuko’s eyes narrowed as the other boy sneered and before he could react, Jet threw yet another egg with exceptional speed, successfully egging Zuko’s neck.
“Ow!” Zuko exclaimed, causing Jet to laugh.
“Another victory for the Freedom Fighter!” Jet announced, using his familiar childhood title. “You’re losing your touch, Blue Spirit.” He added.
“I’m out of practice,” Zuko protested. In the last few years, Jet had continued playing sports, whilst Zuko had become a social pariah. “Give me the eggs. Your turn to bat, Freedom Fighter.” He tossed the bat to Jet, who caught it easily as the boys switched positions.

“So,” Zuko began, as he bent to pick up an egg, “Are you still that vile heartbreaker I remember from all those years ago.” Jet laughed at Zuko’s sarcasm, spinning the bat experimentally in his hands. He’d been quite cruel to girls when they were eight, and until they were eleven he’d claim noisily that they all had cooties whenever they touched him, whether it was accidental or not.
“Believe it or not, I had a girlfriend last year.” Jet informed him. “That blonde perky girl in the year below us.” Zuko snorted, unable to picture Jet with someone so… peppy.
“What happened?” He asked curiously. Jet wrinkled his noise.
“She was way too cheery, not to mention clingy. I’m looking for some who can hold their own, someone independent.” He hit an oncoming egg with precision, making Zuko scowl in defeat.
“Someone like Azula?” Zuko tested. Despite his fear of girls when they were younger, Zuko had always been aware of Jet’s crush on his sister. Jet grinned at him now, unashamed, as he’d always been.
“Someone exactly like Azula.” He agreed. Apparently the crush was still there.

“How about you?” Jet countered. “Anyone you’re interested in?” Zuko looked at him warily, unsure whether to confide in him of his feelings for him. Would Jet actually be helpful, or would he laugh and tease Zuko, because for Zuko, his feelings for Katara were more than a crush.
“Yeah actually,” He started, trying his best to sound casual. “Katara.” As expected, Jet laughed.
“You want to hook up with Sokka’s little sister? Good luck telling him that, he can be intimidating when he’s angry.” Zuko looked at him, shocked and surprised.
“I don’t want to hook up with her.” He objected, disgusted. Jet’s grin widened.
“What, so you actually want a proper relationship?” he jested, laughing now. Zuko’s face remained stoic, defensive, which was all the answer Jet needed. His grin died on his lips.
“Oh,” he said quietly, and Zuko saw guilt grace his features.
“Well, it’s not going to work out, man.” Jet said quietly, and Zuko opened his mouth to argue, but Jet continued. “She’s in love with me.” Zuko snorted again and Jet laughed, the joke lightening the mood.  Zuko, seeing the distraction, threw an egg at Jet, fisting the air in triumph as it hit him on the head.
“Best shot of the day!” Zuko declared “Proudly brought to you by the Blue Spirit.” Jet grimaced, attempting to get yolk out of his hair.

“So does she know how you feel?” He asked curiously. Zuko felt heat crawl up his neck and to his face as he muttered his next words.
“We kissed before the funeral. Now it’s really awkward. I don’t know what we are and everyone else keeps getting in the way.”
“Where’d you try to talk to her?” Jet inquired.
“A few times at school.” Jet was next to Zuko in an instant and he thwacked him at the back of the head with his slimy hand.
“Ow!”
“Well there’s the problem, you dolt.” Jet reprimanded. “You’ve been trying to talk to her at school, a social place. Go over to her house you doof. Man, I have so much to teach you.”
“Go to her house? You mean now?” Zuko asked. Jet exhaled dramatically, and then looped an arm over Zuko’s shoulders.
“Five years without me as your best friend has clearly done its damage.” He said exasperatedly, before grinning. “It’s good to have you back, ZuZu.” Zuko shoved the other boy, making him yell and stumble to the ground. Zuko smirked above him.
“You too Jet.”
X X X

Katara looked down sadly at the photo in her hands, a family photo that was taken when she was three and Sokka was four. Their father was holding her and Kya, their mother was holding a missing toothed Sokka.

She never could let go of her mother. She knew it was useless, lingering on her, thinking of every single moment that occurred in her life, and wondering if they would be different if her mother had been in them.

The lunatic who’d killed Kya was in jail, and although it comforted Katara to know that he was paying for his actions, it didn’t change what happened, it didn’t bring back her mother, it didn’t undo Katara’s fear of Mr Stein for all those years, it didn’t stop Katara’s continuing nightmares and certainly didn’t lessen any of the grief she felt.

Every day she wondered, every day she thought and she considered. What if they’d lived somewhere else? What if Sokka and Hakoda had been home that day? What if it had been someone else who lived in Mr Stein’s house? What if they’d managed to contact the police earlier? Would any of it have prevented Kya’s death? Or was it fate that had decided Kya’s demise.

It didn’t help that these thoughts made it so much harder for Katara to deal with what happened, to move on and heal. But she couldn’t do it. Because she felt like if she didn’t feel this pain, if she didn’t maintain it, she’d feel numb instead, she wouldn’t feel anything at all. She was worried that one day she’d wake up, think of her mother’s face, and feel emotionless.  Besides Mr. Stein, it was her greatest fear.

And the worst thing? She couldn’t talk to anyone about it. She couldn’t talk to Sokka and her father, who she knew were both healing and felt better every day, she couldn’t do that to them, make them feel the hurt she felt. She couldn’t talk to Aang and Toph because she always, always, felt like she had to be strong for them. Both of them confided in her about the things they didn’t want anyone else to know about, Aang about how is hippy parents went away all the time to “find themselves’ and Toph confided in her for the exact opposite reason: Her parents treated her as if her blindness made her useless and pathetic. So Katara couldn’t confide in them, how could they rely on her if they knew she was a mess, if they knew she couldn’t even handle her own problems?

And Zuko? Well she didn’t even know what they were. She liked.. a lot, more than liked him, which was stupid because she was fourteen. But Katara didn’t get crushes, she thought they were juvenile and useless, but what she felt for Zuko wasn’t a crush. She felt emotionally connected to him and thinking of the kiss they’d shared still brought a tingle to her lips. She truly believed that she would love him one day, and that that day wasn’t far off. But the last thing she wanted to do was jeopardise anything they could potentially have with her problems. And what of he didn’t want a real relationship like she wanted? She knew she was only fourteen, almost fifteen, but she was a realist, she didn’t put effort and time and most importantly, feelings, in things she didn’t believe would work out, things that were important, and if Zuko felt the same way she did, she knew that they would be great together.

Katara looked down at the photo, her resolve finally crumbling as tears started to run down her face. She’d never felt so alone, so isolated and separated from everyone she loved, and it was worse because she felt like she couldn’t do anything about it. It was bad enough that Sokka had treated her like glass when she’d told him about what had happened to their mother, when she’d broken down in front of him, in front of everyone, he’d been great, but he hadn’t known how to act around her because it wasn’t like her to act the way she had. Her shoulders shook as the simple tears turned into heaving, unstoppable sobs. She covered her mouth to stifle the sounds, because she didn’t want Sokka and her father to hear her. She felt so powerless, so helpless.

At that moment, the door opened, and Katara looked up quickly, fearing that her brother or father had finally seen her like this. To her surprise, it was Zuko. She hastily shoved the family photo under the bed and stood up.
“Hey!” She said, her voice far too chirpy and her smile far too forced. Zuko looked at her wide eyed, then his expression morphed into genuine concern making Katara feel more vulnerable than ever.
“Katara, what’s wrong?” He asked, his voice soft.
“Wrong?” Katara feigned, acting stupidly oblivious to her puffy eyes, thick voice and red face. “Nothing’s wrong.” Zuko gave her his best patronising look.
“Don’t do that.” He said. “You were crying when I came in, I could hear you from the hall. Tell me, what’s wrong?”
“Fine.” She said. “It’s just, I’m stressed out about school, I have so many assignments and I haven’t started any of them.” But it was a weak excuse, both her and Zuko knew that if she had a lot of assignments, she wouldn’t cry about it, she’d do them.

Zuko dropped to the floor, beside her bed, reaching underneath it until he pulled out the picture she’d been looking at, the one of her family. He looked at it, then at her, waiting for her next move. Katara held his gaze steadily for a few seconds before she finally crumpled, the sobs returning, her body dropping back onto the ground. She covered her face with her hands, unable to look at Zuko, unable to bring herself to see any of the things she didn’t want to see on his face: Pity, disgust, or worst of all, embarrassment.

Instead she felt his arms come around her as she was pressed into his body. Her hands clutched desperately at his shirt as she buried her face in his shoulders. He pulled back gently to look at her face.
“Don’t lie to me.” He said. “What’s wrong Katara?” She looked up at him then, at his comforting, soft amber eyes, and looking into them, she suddenly felt so safe, like she had many times before with him.
“I feel so alone.” She whispered honestly. Zuko looked at her, bewildered.
“What are you talking about?” He demanded. “You’re not alone at all, you have your father, you have Sokka Toph and Aang, and you have me.” Katara gave him a sad smile.
“No, I don’t.” She said quietly. “Toph and Aang depend on me, Sokka and my father are getting better now that Stein is in jail now, and you, I don’t want to ruin any chance I have with you with my problems.”

Zuko tugged her closer to him and Katara’s heart lifted slightly at his next words.
“What’re you talking about?” He began, “I can see why you’d feel that way with Toph and Aang but why would you confiding in them change anything? It would probably make them feel better, they’d feel like you’d trust them enough to confide in them, and with Sokka and your father, they’re your family, and they’re pretty great, as opposed to a certain member in mine. They’d want to know you’re feeling this way. Believe me Katara, you would be surprised how much it would help you to talk to them.

“And with me? Katara, don’t ever feel like you can’t talk to me. You were there for me when my mother died.” His voice shook. “So let me be there for you. And no, you wouldn’t be a burden, you wouldn’t be a nuisance, you’d just need your boyfriend.” Katara looked him at his last words, surprised and as Zuko’s face twisted into a hopeful smile, she smiled lovingly at him, feeling, for a second, unbelievingly lucky. Zuko’s arms tightened around her, drawing Katara closer to him, much to her satisfaction.

“You told me,” Zuko started “That the worst thing you can do when you’re feeling down, is shut out the people who care most about you.” He tucked a stray hair behind her ear then said quietly. “I think you need to take your own advice.”

Katara looked at Zuko and in that second, it felt as though her entire universe snapped back into focus, as if, in that one second, the world made perfect sense, and just like that, Zuko made her realise what she should have seen all along. She didn’t need to be scared; she didn’t need to feel like a burden.

She didn’t need to be alone.

Brimming with happiness, love and gratitude, Katara wrapped her arms loosely around Zuko, tears in her eyes and a smile upon her lips as she leaned in to kiss him. One of Zuko’s hands held her forearm as he returned her kiss. Like their first kiss, Katara felt a thrill go through her, felt that sense of perfection, but she sensed the difference in this kiss.

Their first one had been desperate and urgent, almost like a question frantically waiting for an answer. But this kiss, it was sweet, unhurried and sure. Finally they pulled apart, small, identical grins on their faces.

And for the first time in a while, Katara felt like she’d be okay in the long run.
X X X
Zuko went home in high spirits that day. He felt joyous that him and Katara were together, and he felt even better knowing that their relationship had depth. He felt better knowing that he felt confident in their relationship.

Uncle sensed his happiness as soon as Zuko walked through the door.
“Nephew, you’re glowing.” He observed. “What is the cause of such happiness.”
“Katara and I are together.”
“That’s great. Did anyone else walk in on your kisses?”
“Uncle, please!”
“I’m just kidding, Zuko. You need to lighten up, which reminds me, I’ve mastered yet another of my tea recipes. I think you’ll like this one.”

Zuko rolled his eyes, it was another day in the life of Iroh and Zuko, and Zuko never felt more grateful. His parents may have left, but he still had Iroh, who was all the family he needed. Suddenly, the conversation he’d overheard between his parents popped into his head. Ever since he’d told his friends about it, it had been haunting him, lingering in his mind. He wanted to know what it meant.
“Uncle” He started casually, “Do you know why my mother left exactly?”

Iroh looked up at him.
“You haven’t asked since you first came to live with me nephew.” He answered, “What’s wrong?” Zuko looked at the floor, deep in thought.
“You’ve always told me that she left to get away from my father, which makes a lot of sense, but I remember a conversation I overheard when I was seven. Ozai wanted to do something; I don’t know what it was, but my mother forbade it, and then my father said there was “another way”, which I heard mum agree too.”
Zuko met his Uncle’s gaze, which was blank, emotionless.
“I think,” Zuko said “that my mother leaving had something to with that conversation; that it was deeper than just getting away from her husband.”

Iroh looked at him for a few more seconds before turning away and sighing as he looked at the floor.
“I was hoping I’d never have to tell you this.” He said resignedly. Zuko’s back straightened.
“Tell me what?” He implored.
“You’ve just dealt with so much, and I didn’t want to add to that.”
“Tell me what, Uncle?”
“Promise me you’ll control your temper while I’m telling you.”
“Uncle-!”
“Promise!”
“Okay, I promise! What is it?” Iroh ran a hand over his head, as if he were uncertain on how to began.

“You know your father had a former position at the company before he owned it. And the owner of the company was his father, our father, Azulon. You also know that at that time, I used to work at the same company. Azulon had written in his will that if he were to die, the company would go to Ozai, because I was too grief stricken over Lu Ten to run it. But one day, he called us both in and said that he was reconsidering, that he may change the will to give me the company. Your father was furious and asked why he would do such a thing and Azulon answered: “You have two young children, Ozai. You already have an obligation that isn’t the company.” As you could very well imagine, this made your father very angry and he made an extremely stupid decision on that day. He wanted to have you and Azula put into foster care.”

Zuko looked blankly at his Uncle, he found that he couldn’t make sense of this new information, couldn’t process it.
“What?”
“He was convinced it would be easy, since you both lived in an abusive home. Your mother was furious, and despite the heavy hand your father had always laid on her, she was determined by any means to make sure that your father didn’t carry out this plan. This other way Ozai was talking about on that day you overheard him was to have your mother kill Azulon, so that the will would remain intact and unchanged and everything would go to Ozai, and so your mother killed Azulon to save both of you.” Iroh looked shamefully at the floor.

“I’m partly to blame for her choice. She told me everything and rather than stop her, rather than convince her otherwise or find an alternative decision, I gave her the keys to the company. I gave her the tools she needed to kill him.

“After the deed had been done, Ozai demanded that she leave forever, he said he couldn’t risk being associated with her in any way. But to be honest, Zuko, once Ozai knew that Ursa was capable of murder, he feared for his own life.

“I understand that you may resent your mother now, for what she did. But Zuko, you have to understand the position she was in, and know that she did what she did out of love and protection for you and Azula.”

Zuko couldn’t answer, he couldn’t think straight, couldn’t believe what he was hearing, all he knew that despite the complete ridiculousness of this conversation, it perfectly explained everything Ozai has said in the conversation he’d overheard:

“They’re in the way.”

Him and Azula.

"I think, I'll go ahead with my earlier suggestion."

Foster Care.

"There is another way, if you're willing."

Murder.

Rage filled Zuko, he’d always known his father was an awful man, a man of cruelty, insensitivity and dishonor but he hadn’t realized he’d been a murderer. Because even though it had been his poor mother who had to do the deed, it was his father, his sick father who supplied all the intent and motive. His mother had just been the disposable assassin.

“Zuko?” His Uncle questioned.

Zuko looked at his Uncle, his eyes blazing, his jaw tensed and his fist clenched. When he spoke, his voice was terrifyingly controlled, but Iroh didn’t miss the danger in his tone:

“I’m going over there, I’m going to tell Azula the truth and I’m bringing her here to live with us. Tonight, all Ozai is going to have is his stupid company, just like he always wanted.”
Rightio, so that was chapter 11 sorry it took fifty years to write it. Ha. But the good thing is that it’s 3600 words, unless you sound it really boring than that’s not a good thing. Chapter 12 soon, I think I’ll have 13 chapters in total and the next chapter will be up soon because I’m on school holidays! Please comment your opinion.

Chapter 12: [link]
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sophia242t's avatar
I love how you brought in the freedom fighter and blue spirit into the story