October Catch-All

[oceanblue]

Characters: Katara, Open
Date: October
Location: Wood Sector mostly
Situation: Katara's Balancing Act
Warnings/Rating:Lots and lots of hurt feels

Katara, as of late, is stuck in a very tentative balance between her own healing and doing her best to be the strength of those around her. She's starting to wear thin and is far too close to breaking, but she's determined not to let it interfere with her aiding the others.

Stresses/Situations include:

-Physically, Katara has yet to heal completely from Zuko's fire.
-The entire poisoned Zuko situation. Her efforts to heal him have been completely ineffective, for which she feels personally guilty. She's having to watch him fall apart and can do nothing to stop him. There's no way to help him carry his burden except to let him hurt her, which, unfortunately for her friends and brother, she's willing to do. She is also battling romantic feelings toward him as well: this level of dedication to someone's wellbeing definitely has an effect on the heart, and she is no exception. The fact that they arrived together out of a particularly desperate moment back home also doesn't help. (Or does it)
-Though her own turtle was spared, Katara is devastated over the murder of the babies, particularly Korra's.
-She's well aware that her bloodbending capability is emotionally scarring, and now she's having to watch over a hurt and very hesitant avatar. She's healing him in silence (after the Kedan's fail assassination attempt) when he allows her near enough, but the tension is wearing her down to the point of actual frustration, both toward him and herself.


She will, however, attempt to hide as many of these as she can from everyone including Aang, her brother, and Akito, lest she be even more of a burden on an already dark situation.

(( Threads are open to any situation you like :) ))

Comments

[lordhotman]

A... special case? Zuko rubbed at the back of his neck, wondering what that was supposed to mean. He might have asked, but then Katara said that she brought him something, and he looked at the container she took out. When she announced what it was, Zuko's eyes lit up a little bit. Oh thank the spirits, Zuko had been worried he'd have to eat vegetarian food the entire time he was with Aang. And that really wasn't all that appetizing, and yes he really did need to put on some weight.

"Thanks, you're the best Katara."

[oceanblue]

"I know," she grinned, opting for a bit of normalcy. The light in his eyes made her heart skip a beat; she had done something right! "And you're welcome. I can bring you more as long as you're here. Maybe not stew every time because that might get old..."

She drifted off, pulling her hand back to her lap and playing with her fingers. It would at least give her a good excuse to give the others who still insisted she shouldn't be left alone with him.

[lordhotman]

And he managed a small smile. Little kindnesses can go a long way, and he really appreciated her effort to make him feel more comfortable.

"I would like that."

[oceanblue]

She returned his smile, feeling lighter because of it. "Good. Just let me know if there's anything you want. I don't know what all I can find here, but I can try," she told him with a small shrug.

Her gaze again was drawn to his face, to his smile. "It's good to see you again, Zuko--like this, I mean. I miss getting to spend time with you."

[lordhotman]

For a moment he smiled back her, but then he looked down again.

"Me too. I want things to go back to normal, but I don't know when or if that will happen."

He sighed, his expression saddening. He knows that he'll be sort of like himself for a couple days, but then the anger will start to build again. He knows its difficult for his friends to deal with him, and that they're putting themselves in danger just by being around him. But deep down he's glad they haven't given up on him.

[oceanblue]

When he looked away, she tilted her head, her eyes still on his face. "It will," she told him gently but with firm confidence. One of her hands found his again and squeezed, while the other gently pressed to his scarred cheek in an attempt to have him look at her. "We just have to hang in there until then."

"Until then, is there anything you wanted to do? Just because things are bad right now doesn't mean we can't do something fun." She knew it was a long, long shot to get either of their minds off of it, but they could at least try. With an encouraging smile, she lifted her face to his again.

[lordhotman]

He wanted to believe that. He really did, but it was hard. Especially with everything that's happened. It only seemed to be getting worse. When she touched his cheek, he turned to look at her with his sad, confused eyes. Hanging in there was all he was doing. He was trying, he really was. Despite that, something in him stirred.

"I don't know. I'm not sure I should go anywhere. I don't want to hurt someone again."

Not to mention he wasn't sure if there were Kedan out there that still wanted to kill him.

[oceanblue]

The tug the look in his eyes gave her hurt, and not knowing why, she squeezed his hand again and brushed her thumb across his cheek.

"That's... fair..." She wasn't even sure if Aang would let them go anywhere, and the Kedan did pose a new threat she didn't want to think about. "That still doesn't mean you have to sit here alone and hurt like this..."

[lordhotman]

He squeezed her hand back, closing his eyes for a moment at her touch on his scar. He couldn't feel it very well, but he knew it was there.

"I don't know what else to do."

[oceanblue]

When he closed his eyes, she blinked, then continued to stroke his cheek. He didn't seem to mind it, but as he squeezed her hand, she imagined he might be relaxing a little.

After a few minutes of silent thinking, she lowered her hand from his face and took his hand in both of hers. "You know....I...really like koala otters," she finally told him, a small smile on her face.

[lordhotman]

Looking back up at her, Zuko blinked at the seemingly random statement. But then he remembered their conversation that felt like it had been forever ago. He had told her he liked turtle ducks.

"They're fluffy," he agrees.

"Why do you like them?"

[oceanblue]

She giggled softly and looked down at his hand at his confused blinking.

"They are fluffy. I guess how cute they are is one of the reasons I like them so much," she admitted, a twinkle in her eyes as she looked back up at him. "They're graceful in the water, and playful. They're also very clever."

She softened and looked away again, a little more bashful. "But my favorite part of koala otters is the way they stick together. They even hold hands when they sleep so that the other won't drift away and get lost..."

[lordhotman]

Zuko's fingers flexed a little as she held his hand. He listened quietly and attentively, a touch of curiosity in his eyes as she explained.

"Why is that your favorite part?"

He could make a few guesses, but he wanted to hear it from her.

[oceanblue]

"I don't know..." she relented, loosening her hold on his hand as he flexed his fingers and giving him every option to pull away. "I guess I just always wanted that for my own family, and it didn't happen. I mean... I had Sokka and gran gran, but dad went off to fight in the war, and mom was gone..."

A pause. "They do remind me of my tribe...and of our group."

[lordhotman]

"You still have a family that loves you," Zuko reminds her. Even without her mother, she still has her dad, grandmother, and Sokka. He then looks away again, but doesn't pull back his hand. He doesn't need to tell Katara about his family. After all, he has proof of his father's 'love' on his face.

"I've only ever felt close to my mother and my Uncle."

The first being gone, but... his Uncle. His Uncle who was more of a father to him than his actual father. He was lucky to have him on his side, and even in this place.

[oceanblue]

Her fingers tightened once more. "You do, too, you know," she reminded him quietly, her eyes searching his. "You're part of Team Avatar now. Even if it is a little different here, you're still part of our family. We love you."

When he brought up his uncle, she tilted her head. "Have you seen him much? Since you got here, I mean."

[lordhotman]

Zuko's eyes widen a little at Katara's words, but then he sighs. "Not all of you."

He shouldn't have to tell her what he means. Aang still doesn't trust him. Not really.

"Yeah. I was working in his tea shop until... everything happened. He's been trying to help in his own way, but... I don't like him seeing me this way."

[oceanblue]

She meets his eyes with a look of apology. "Well... I do at least," she sighs. She quickly realizes that she should add more. "A-And Sokka. And Aang will come around... he just needs time."

She listens as he explains about his uncle, and nods sadly. "I think he would want to see you even more because of this, though...But I understand."

She pauses and brushes her thumbs across his knuckles. "If there's anything I can do..."