The Thief And The Healer

Episode 3: Not Enough Tea in the World

Katara was buzzing with excitement on Monday morning, her steps light and quick as she made her way into her first class of the morning. Sure, she'd had to work double shifts on Saturday so that Ty Lee could meet up with an old friend. Maybe her feet and back ached from not sitting down for twenty-four hours straight, but that didn't matter. Today she would be getting her first chance to decipher the waterbending scroll.
Thousands of years of history had wiped the world almost clean of any sources of bending. There were very few artifacts left that even mentioned the talents of the ancients' discovered way to manipulate the elements. And she had one.
Thanks to the Blue Spirit, she amended in her mind. She should probably apologize to him. She'd never had to rely on anyone before in her life, she was always the one holding others up and keeping teams together. It had felt almost treasonous to admit she would have failed without him. And she would have failed without him.
Katara shook her head as she stepped into the classroom. Nothing could dampen her mood today.
Her eyes caught a pair of gold ones. Maybe one thing.
Frowning, and with a marginally absent spring in her step, Katara mounted the steps to her seat and sat down.
Zuko seemed to wait a moment before inclining his head in a nod. "Good morning."
She hmphed a reply to which he only pursed his lips and folded his hands in front of him.
"I have a question," he started."Well you certainly don't have answers in this class." She wanted to count it as a point for herself but she really just felt dirty, like she'd just showered in garbage. She sighed. "I'm sorry. What is your question?"
Zuko's raised eyebrows were his only comment on her apology. "Do your patients like you?"
Garbage be darned. "Excuse me?" From this angle she could only see the scarred half of his face which didn't allow for much expression.
"Let me rephrase." He cleared his throat. "Why do your patients like you?"
"Because I'm a good doctor," she insisted. "I help them. I'm personable. I listen to what they say knowing that any little detail could be important. I never miss my rounds, I double-check all orders, I've even been described as motherly. Does that answer your question?" She spat the final word.
"Do any of them work for Phoenix Industries?"
The question caught her off guard. "Of course," she said, "factory injuries, healthcare check-ups…most of our patients are from the working class."
"And you treat them."
Not a question, but she answered it. "I treat anyone in need of care, I took an oath."
"Well, then." He settled back against his seat, his eyes steadfastly forward and tone nonchalant. "Why am I any different?"
Her mouth dropped open. "I don't-…You-…"
"I'm in need of help, that's a kind of care." He marked off one finger. "I have details to add but as far as you know, my file is empty." A second finger came up. "Have you double-checked our work for today?"
"Our work?" she asked.
"Classic freshman mistake. The masters usually send out a weekend email with a mini assignment during the first week to see who's actively checking their inbox. Lucky for you-" he slid a file across the desk to her using his three reason fingers "-you're partnered with a senior."
Katara rapidly opened the file and flipped through the work, skimming his two pages briefly summarizing the 'why's and 'how's of molecular biology.
"It's a rite of passage," he continued in the same blasé tone. "Probably won't even be graded, but I knew you would care so I read the textbook and threw that together."
Threw it together? His business world background and years at the university set him head and shoulders above the factual first-years in the room. Herself included, Katara begrudgingly admitted. His diction was smooth and precise, using persuasive terminology amidst the medical facts helping the summary to sound more like a conversational recap rather than the conclusion to a textbook chapter that most med-students would likely produce.
"It doesn't seem like you need me, after all," she said, closing the file.
"Don't get me wrong, I can B.S. a good paper in an hour, but when it comes to this-" He waved his hand at the giant textbook laying between them with a look of distaste. "I'd prefer to consult an expert. Which is why I ask again, why am I any different?"
Katara thought about it, her eyes drifting to the front of the room where she noticed Dr. Pakku watching them. "I suppose you're not."
Zuko nodded as if that settled the argument. "We can meet tonight so you can answer my questions on chapter 1 and we can make a plan for how to get through this semester together."
She bristled at the turn the morning had taken, the waterbending scroll all but forgotten. Ambition, negotiation, persuasion. She had her work cut out for her with this one. "And why would I do that?"
"Firstly, because my grade isn't the only one on the line." He snatched back his work. "The second reason? You owe me."
"For what? This?" She motioned towards the file.
"No." He finally turned to look at her. "Do the words 'business world scum' mean anything to you?"
Katara opened her mouth to retort but no sound came out.
Point: Zuko. He smirked. "Yeah, that's what I thought. I'll see you at the Jasmine dragon at 8."
Frowning yet again, Katara crossed her arms and slouched down in her seat just as class was started. Looked like the waterbending scroll would have to wait.