Too Close

protection

"Kat, I want to talk to you," Zuko walked over to Katara as everyone was eating lunch, she had a mouth full of pasta that she and Aang made and looked at the others confused.

"Now?" She asked with her mouth full.

He nodded.

"Hey can't You tell all of us? I thought we were friends," Sokka teased but Zuko rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"It-its personal," he mumbled rubbing the bruise on his face that he knew they all stared when they saw but no one said a thing:

"Sure, where you wanna go?" Katara drank some water to wash down the food and walked over.

"Just for a walk," he blushed softly and she smiled nodded.

He waited for her outside as she grabbed her shoes. Zuko looked around the nice neighborhood and saw a small field of tall grass pass the park on the end of the road, a forest a mile or so out after the open land of dried grass.

"Hey everything okay?" Katara closed the door behind her as her long hair was half up in a bun and the rest hung close to her waist.

"Yea I just wanted to talk," Zuko shrugged a little as they started walking.

"About what?" She smiled a little seeing he was pretty serious.

He handed her a small box, it was wrapped or fancy, it was just a small brown cardboard box but he kept walking after she grabbed it. Katara sped up a little as she held it to her chest carefully.

"You can open it, it's not fragile," Zuko didn't have to look at her to sense her nervousness.

Katara slowly opened the box as he slowed down enough for her to be able to multi task.

She reached in and grabbed the black metal zippo lighter that had japanese engravings on it. She's seen it every time he's lit a cigarette.

"What's this for? I'm not smoke with you Zuko," she put a hand on her hips when she stopped. Zuko stopped as well with a sigh and turned to her.

He rolled up his hoodie up as high as it went to the middle of his bicep and showed her a white patch that stuck to his skin.

"I'm quitting," he pursed his lips awkwardly and blushed a little when he said it outloud.

"What?" Kataras face lit up.

"I'm.. I'm going to quit smoking, so if I act like a dick and say really shitty things I don't want you to think it's something you did, it's hard for me to stop because it helps me a lot but I don't want to rely on something that.. that can make me bad and do bad things to me," Zuko gulped nervously as he couldn't really look her in the eyes.

"What about Parkinson's?" She teased a little and he let a smile slip past his lips.

"I guess I'm willing to risk it now," he nodded softly.

"So why are you giving me this? Or did you want it back-" "no it's yours now," Zuko closed her hand around the lighter so it stayed in her palm.

"I want you to have it, you... you make me want to be a little better, so think of it as a thank you, and to let you know I'm trying," he bit his lip but Katara smiled gently to assure him.

"I'm really trying kat," he whispered.

"I know," she hugged him around the chest as he inhaled a shaky breath.  "When You asked me for help was the first sign I knew you were trying,"

"Hey... can I ask if you and Jin are okay?" She asked quietly as Zuko rested his chin on top of her head.

"She doesn't really talk to me anymore," Zuko closed his eyes.

"I don't blame her," he mumbled a little.

Katara rested her head against his chest and hugged him tighter, she felt something against his waist band that felt like metal, she gulped a little assuming it was what she thought it was...

"Im proud of you," she looked up at him gently.

"I'm really proud and your amazing," Katara giggled a little squishing his cheeks but he rolled his eyes.

"You ruined it," he smacked her hands away and she burst out laughing.

"Come on," Zuko turned to keep walking towards the park and Katara groaned a little as she ran to catch up.

—

"I feel like your taking me this far to put me down like a dog," Katara wheezed as she stomped through the grass as Zuko seemed fine.

"It's little further," Zuko told her with a smirk and they were at the edge of the forest.

"Why are we this far?" Katara panted as she caught up with him.

"Just cause, wanted to show you something," Zuko pursed his lips a little and lifted his shirt the slightest to pull out his gun.

"What's that for?" Katara asked softer now as she looked at him then the weapon.

"I'm not always going to be there... I just-I just want to make sure you can protect yourself," Zuko gulped looking down at the gun.

"Are you okay with touching it?" He asked as she got a little closer looking at the black handgun.

"My dad never let me touch a gun, he only let Sokka for when they went hunting," Katara but her bottom lip a little.

"The safety is on, it won't shoot," Zuko flipped it around so he held the barrel.

Katara bit her lip a little harder and touched the handle of the gun and finally wrapped her hand around it but her finger never touched the trigger.

"It's heavy," she held it in both hands.

"You get use to it," Zuko nodded and stood behind her.

"Never put your finger on the trigger when your hesitant," he helped her extend her arms and held it at a tree. "When your scared is when more than likely you'll make a mistake,"

He moved her hands in the right position as both her small hands wrapped around the gun and he moved her back so she wasn't so hunched over.

"There's a kick back, you don't want to hurt your wrist and you want to have a strong back and shoulders," Zuko told her calmly as he was right next to her face. Katara blushed a little bit tried to get rid of those fluttery feelings to focus. This wasn't something cute and dainty, this was something Zuko actually cared about and wanted for her.

"Try hitting the tree," he told her in her ear. His bigger hands were wrapped around her wrist to show her how to aim. "Aim with this,"

His body heat was off her after turned the safety off, he cocked the gun for her and stood to the side with his arms crossed. Katara gulped a little as she put a finger over the trigger, she aimed for the tree.

Bang

Zuko raised a brow seeing she missed. Katara lowered the gun wide eyes not believing she actually shot the gun.

"Uh not bad, you'd just need practice?" Zuko shrugged as he took the gun back.

"Oh and you can hit that little tree?" She put her hands on her hips. He cocked the gun again and held it with both hands, not a second later he shot the gun and it hit the tree.

"Steady hand, practice," he turned the safety off and put it away.

"And you were taught young?" She asked remembering him with that zhao guy.

"Yep, shot one when I was nine," he nodded calmly.

"Is your dad like a gang leader or something cause that's just crazy," Katara scoffed but Zuko already was leaving her behind.

"Hey wait answer my question!" Katara gasped running back to him.

"Mm sorry I didn't hear it," he smirked a little.