Zutara Part 9 Heart Aches

Zuko sat next to Katara opposite Toph. Simultaneously Aang stood up leaning over to kiss Katara on the cheek.

"Sokka told me to meet him after breakfast. So Katara we'll catch up on that waterbending later, right?"

"Hey. Don't forget to practice fire bending!" Zuko perking up.

"Oh yeah. We should work on that tomorrow. Alright bye." Aang walked out.

There was a good five minutes of silence between the Fire Lord, angry earthbender, and a girl with a bad migraine. Katara rubbed her temples. Toph rolled the fruit around on her plate. Zuko ate in silence.

"I'm going to go lay down. I don't feel so good," Katara placed her hands on the table pushing herself up. Toph and Zuko stood up at the same time. Zuko held her upper arm to help. Toph shot him a look.

"I got it, c'mon Katara," Toph insisted. Toph pulled Katara toward her.

"No." Zuko tightened his grip.

"Let go Princey Pants." Toph said.

"Guys! I'm fine. Both of you let go. I'm walking fine." Katara stalked out into the hall toward her room. She could hear them bickering.

"Whatever," Zuko called storming the other way.

"See you later, Princey Pants," Toph yelled back. She jogged lightly up to Katara falling in with her pace.

"What's up with you? And since when did you get headaches?"

"Toph."

"I didn't know Zuko knew how to help anyone but himself. Yeah, he helped with the invasion but that doesn't mean anything. Why are we still here?"

"Toph! Stop talking. I can barely think." Their steps made a muffled shuffling sound as they reached her room. Toph opened the door helping Katara in. Katara laid on the bed and Toph sat on the other side.

"Katara." Toph gently placed her hand on Katara's shoulder that faced away from her. "What's going on?

Katara breathed in deeply, "What do you mean?"

"You've been acting really weird." Toph ticked off reasons like reading a list, "You want to be by yourself a lot claiming to practice, you're not really eating, and you don't seem interested in anything. I don't get it. I know I'm blind but I'm not stupid."

"What?" Katara rolled over to look at Toph.

"Do you not want to be here anymore? I thought we were like a family." She pulled her knees to her chest. It was strange seeing Toph look vulnerable and like she could break. Katara forgot that Toph couldn't be tough all the time and that everyone had to let down their walls sometimes.

"Toph we are a family. I don't know why I've been acting this way. It's just. I don't know-" Katara said softly. She felt terrible that would make Toph feel that way like she didn't want them.

Toph sharply stated, "You do know. I just don't understand why you won't tell me."

Toph jumped up quickly, Katara said, "Toph. Stop. Just sit down, I'll tell you. "

"No. Tell me right now."

Katara bit her lip and mumbled, "I don't like Aang anymore."

Toph walked slowly over to the bed. "What do you mean?"

"I just don't like him like that. At first I did and it was nice. But now I don't. I don't know what happened." It almost felt good to tell someone, to rip open her heart and let Toph look inside.  "I didn't tell you because I'm still not sure. I don't know what to do."

"You're not sure of what?"

Katara wasn't sure of how to answer. She opened her mouth and then closed it. She had tangled herself in her own explanation. "I know I don't like Aang but I'm just confused."

"Of?"

Katara shrugged her shoulders, then she remembered Toph couldn't see the gesture. They didn't talk for a few minutes processing it.

"I've never had a boyfriend before so I don't know either. You just have to tell him," Toph concluded. "Yeah, you gotta tell him. Maybe Suki could help. Ya know she could tell you what to do."

"No! You can't tell anyone about this," Katara said too forcifully. A silence fell between them helping to rebuild the walls around their vulnerability. Katara couldn't break Aang's heart even if it meant smashing her own.

"Alright Katara," Toph replied.   "I'll be back later to get you for that stupid beach thing. I don't know why Mai would want us there. She never liked us or why she would think Princey Pants would like that. Zuko is never happy. Whatever it'll be fun. Bye."

"Thanks Toph," Katara called as the door clicked. She heard 'yup' from the other side of it.
Katara wanted to cry. She hadn't cried in a long time. Hot tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to blink them back. How was she supposed to break it off with Aang? Mai was back. It would have been nice to sort things out first but everything was happened so fast. it felt a little easier now that Toph knew but it was almost like lying. Telling Toph only half, Katara felt ashamed like she cheated.