Chapter 8: Payback

Katara awoke the next morning later than she usually did. She slowly made her way down stairs to where Sokka was throwing his boomerang and letting Momo chase it around the room.

"Morning sleepyhead," Sokka said when he noticed her.

"You hungry Katara?" Aang asked from the kitchen.

"No, no thanks Aang, I'm going to go out to town today," she told him.

On her way out, Aang stopped her.

"Is there anything you're not telling us?" he asked. Katara looked into his eyes and just the mere sight of them alone made her want to tell him.

"No, I'm fine," she replied plastering a fake smile on her face.

"I'm here for you Katara. Anytime you need to talk or tell me anything, I'll always be here and I'll never judge you."

"No, it's alright Aang. I'm fine; I'm just a little tired."

"Alright, be safe in town."

"Oh, believe me I will be."

Zuko was tidying up the shop when he spotted someone all too familiar to him pass right by the tea shop's door. A smirk erupted across his face as he realized she had done that just for his attention.

"You can run, but you can't hide," he muttered continuing his sweeping. All it would take was a glimpse of him and she would come running back to him. The second time she passed the shop, they made eye contact. Her delicate blue eyes met his cold gray ones. Katara felt a shiver run up her back and Zuko and almost smiled in delight knowing what he had just done to her. But they continued to glare at each other. Zuko was confident that he had won this battle and was certain she would come into the tea shop. But instead, Katara turned her head from him and moved on. Zuko's insides burned in both anger and pain. Why did this meaningless water tribe filth have such an effect on him? It made no sense to him and yet it all did. She was the one thing that he would be forbidden by his people to touch and yet that was what made her so desirable to him.

Katara walked away from the tea shop and turned into an alley. She had to lean against the wall for support. She couldn't let him get to her like that. She held her head thinking. What was it about him that made her want him? Everything was the only response that came to mind. His coldness that seemed to push you away and pull you in at the same time, his split face one side representing the happy boy that had existed long ago and the other representing the defeat that had been put upon him, and his off limits touch. If Sokka or Aang knew about this, they would freak. They would probably not let her exit the house…ever! She simply would have to resist as best as she could.

Katara was on her way back to the house, when she heard a voice all too familiar for her taste.

"Looking for someone today?" Zuko said leaning against a tree.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I am," Katara replied fumbling with her water pouch behind her back.

"Well, I'm here."

"And I see that," she said shooting a spike of frozen water right to his throat. She held it right over his Adam's apple.

"Now, now, girls with tempers never get what they want," Zuko said calmly.

"Says who?"

"Just drive that threw my throat and let's just see if you don't regret it."

Katara glared at him and lowered the spike slowly. "Good girl."

"Tell me Zuko, was that anger or longing when I left you standing in your uncle's tea shop?" she asked smirking at him.

Zuko's face turned a brilliant shade of red and he raised his hand. Katara flinched.

"You're lucky I don't believe in hitting a less worthy opponent," he said lowering his hand.

"You vial piece of filth. How dare you say that about someone who has taken you on without anything but her instinct and adrenalin? How dare you talk to me like that after all I have told you?"

"Yes, then let me rephrase my reply with that in mind. A less than worthy opponent or a slut, I will not hit."

"You could die for all I care."

"Then why didn't you do the job yourself?"

"Because I would never want that on my conscience."

"What exactly wouldn't you want on your conscience?"

"Someone who has yet to settle an argument with both himself and the world he grew up in." Zuko stopped and looked at the Katara with confusion.

"Why say such a thing?"

"Because it's true. Look at yourself; you haven't forgiven yourself for losing your honor, for losing your mother. You won't rest till you avenge her death and your banishment."

"Pathetic girl, hold your tongue for you do not know what are talking about!"

"Every time I try to say something that digs deep, you push me away. Why is that Zuko? Is it because you hate it when someone knows too much? Is it because you're too afraid to trust? Or is it because you're the coward I know you've been all along."

Zuko could have hit her; instead he grabbed her arms in a bruising grip and turned her around so that she was slammed against the tree. He then crashed his lips into hers. Katara tried to fight for the upper hand, but her arms lay weak in Zuko's powerful grip. Zuko pressed her against the tree as much as physically possible so that they were closer than ever. He then slipped his lips from her lips to her neck. He sucked it gaining a jerk from the girl before him. She tilted her head back into the tree exposing her neck to him. Making it easier for him. She trying to fight it, but she wanted to be controlled by him.

"I hate you," she gasped.

"I loath you," he said. Katara realized it was all about competition with them. If one said one thing, the other would have to top it with something else. Zuko let one of her arms so he could grab her neck; this gave Katara the ability to entangle her hand in his hair. But when Zuko's hand traveled from behind her neck to her chest, she pushed him away.

"I can't, this is wrong," she said walking away. Zuko sank down the tree holding his head.

"Damn her," he muttered.