My own pitiful response to irrel's challenge
After reading everyone else's though...I hate mine. u_u But irrel wanted to read it so...this is for you amor♥.
Title: To Love, To Cherish, and To Hold
Author: kawaii_lyn
Prompt: Irrel's AU comic of awesome's challenge
Thanks little_fool for doing a quick read through for me. I'm sure it'd suck more without you♥. I think this proves your grammar does not in fact suck. ^-^
To Love, To Cherish, and To Hold
To love...
“Haha Katara! You look funny!” laughed a doubled over Zuko, pointing at Katara's unusually formal outfit and hair. “What did you do to your hair? Those hair loopie things are weird!” he teased, baiting her to retort.
“My Gran-gran did it; we have to go somewhere important today, so shut it, you mama's boy!” she quietly fumed while stomping her foot for emphasis.
“...you still look funny. You're like...girly now.” he chuckled.
“Would you like to join me? I'm sure I can fix that large face of yours to be even girlier than mine.,” she said through clenched teeth, a threatening face looking up at him with her nose in the air.
“...You know, I think my mom is calling me. We have to go somewhere. Bye.” He rushed off in the direction of his home as fast as he could.
Do I really look that bad?
**
“Zuko, sit still while I comb your hair. It won't be done any faster with you squirming around. Fix your bow tie while you're at it. It's crooke,” chided his mother while she slicked his hair into two halves. “Tie your shoe properly, otherwise the laces will untie themselves in an instant.”
“Haha, Zuzu you look positively adorable, don't you think so too mother?” said Azula.
“Of course dear.”
“Moooom! Azula's making fun of me!”
“Whatever do you mean dearest brother? I was giving you a compliment,” smiled Azula sweetly, batting her eyes in her mom's direction.
“Zuko, mind your sister.”
Zuko scowled at his sister, at his reflection, and for the rest of the day as they made their way to the wedding.
To cherish...
Katara sighed again. This wedding couldn't be any more boring. Apparently her Gran-Gran's old time friend's daughter was marrying some wealthy business executive. She didn't realize it'd take this much time. She didn't realize the priest would be so monotonous. She sighed once more.
She needed a break.
**
“Zuko, can't you hold it a little longer?” admonished his mother in a whisper. His knees were clenched together as he wriggled about in his seat at the pew. Their father's business partner was getting married to some model. In the early rush to arrive on time, Zuko hadn't used the bathroom.
“Yah Zuzu, learn to have some control once in a while,” muttered Azula from his right. She sat upright, perfect posture of course, with her hands delicately placed over one another on her lap as she did her best to feign a watchful eye on the procession; her sparkling light gold and red dress-added with her “interest” made her the image of the perfect and properly behaved child.
He needed a break.
**
“What's with your hands? Your nails have dirt in them. Your hands look so rough. Your dress is disgusting. How exactly did you get invited to such an exclusive wedding again?” a girl sneered, amidst a trio of others, to Katara. Looking down on her, she was correct to assume Katara wasn't rich like the rest of them.
Katara attempted to tame her self-control. She knew that if she beat the stick-of-a-girl up, she'd be in more than just trouble with Gran-gran. Her hand quivered as she poured herself some punch. The wedding continued on in the other room.
**
“Eek! You brat! You have no idea how expensive this dress was,” cried the girl, aghast at the bright red spot of dripping punch on her dress.
Zuko looked in the direction of the voice. He couldn't believe what he saw.
“At least I know how to carry a cup of punch, butterfingers.”
“Sorry about your dress,” smiled Katara. “If you like, I could clean it up for you,” she said, preparing to dump water on the girl.
Her hand wouldn't move; it was held back by Zuko.
“Sorry about your dress Mai, I'll pay you back for it later. Excuse us.” He dragged a shocked Katara away from the scene.
**
“Why did you stop me?” glared a furious Katara.
“You wouldn't have been able to control yourself if you kept going,” mumbled an uncomfortable Zuko, shuffling his feet.
She had forgotten how well Zuko knew her. He was right. She would've saw to it that the girl's face was in the punch bowl before she was through. She chuckled.
“What are you doing here anyways? -oh my gosh, your hair!” she laughed, pointing at his slicked back hair, making his forehead larger than what it was. He blushed.
“Is it really that bad?” he asked quietly, lips trembling a bit. She forgot how sensitive he could be at times.
“...Eh...it's alright. You're still Zuko,” she smiled. He chanced a look at her eyes: blue, clear blue.
“...Yah well,” he stumbled through his words, blushing as he looked away from her gaze, “your hair wasn't as bad as I made it out to be. The hair loopies kind of suit you actually.” He coughed and stuffed his hands in his pockets, suddenly fascinated with a tiny spot on the wall.
“Hey, did you bring your PSP?”
“Of course I did. I just couldn't play it in front of parents. Why?”
**
“I'll totally beat your high score. Look! I'm almost done killing the boss now!” she gloated in a whisper. Both were sitting on the floor behind the table of punch and cups. Heads stuck together as they fought for visual rights to the tiny PSP screen while Katara tapped at the controls rhythmically.
“You made a new high score?” he whispered in shock as he watched her enter her name into the high score board, her name snugly seating itself above his top scores. “Why is your name Watrbndr Kat?”
“Because in this Avatar game, Waterbenders rule.”
“No they don’t.”
“Yes they do.”
“Firebenders do.”
“Firebenders are losers.”
“Nuh-uh.”
“Why did I beat your high score then?”
“…it’s not like I’m the actual Firebender in the game! Gimme that. How did you beat those serpents? I've spent days trying to get by them.”
“Because you play like a girl, that's why,” smiled Katara as she handed back his PSP, relishing in his irritated demeanor. “I wonder if they're exchanging their vows yet,” she wondered, glancing above the table in the direction of the wedding.
Two heads peeping over the punch table listened in on the wedding.
“...to love, to cherish, and to hold...”
“This is boring.”
“Yah.”
“Want to play again?”
“You bet!”
Two heads disappeared behind a punch table, blissfully ignoring the exchanged vows and other nonsensical sounds of the wedding. Both were quite absorbed in their own world, with just the other.
And to hold...
“Why Katara, I didn't know you and your family would be here!” smiled a warm Ursa. “How have you been dear? I haven't seen you in a while.”
“Fine, thank you,” curtsied Katara, putting forth her best manners as her Gran-gran had earlier instructed. She made sure her smile was big enough to be sweet, but not so big as to show her missing tooth, an unsightly gap on her front teeth. “My Gran-gran's best friend is the mom of the bride. So...I'm here!” she concluded with a sheepish smile, hoping three syllables would explain the entire situation.
“Ah, I see. Well, I'm glad Zuko had someone to keep him company, even if he was absent most of the ceremony,” she said, sending him admonishing looks. Zuko coughed and looked away, a light blush on his cheeks.
**
“I got you punch,” said Zuko, handing her a cup while he sat next to her. “I didn't want you to have to throw it on someone at the punch bowl again,” he mocked. “Someone's dress might be in danger by the wrath of Katara, The Terrible.”
“Shut it,” she growled, taking the punch with a slight glint in the eye.
“How's the cake?”
“Good.”
The awkward silence and two-foot gap between the two seated made things unfamiliar.
“Hey you two! Let's get some pictures for the wedding album, eh? You took are adorable together!” smiled the photographer. “What are you- boyfriend and girlfriend?”
“Oh no! Not even!”
“We're too young!”
“He's just a friend!”
“We just play together and...stuff.”
“...Of course you do. Get a little closer would ya? I want a photo of you two as close as possible!”
Neither moved an inch.
FLASH!
Picture one: A blushing Zuko and Katara, both a good distance away from the other. One had his hands stuffed in his pockets, giving a slight and embarrassed smile. The other had her hands behind her back, consciously giving a very fake smile.
“Why don't you two lighten up a bit? I was only joking. Come on, smile big!” said the photographer.
FLASH!
Picture two: Katara had an idea. She quickly scooted over and tiptoed over to Zuko's ear, whispering something.
“That was cute. How 'bout another like that?”
FLASH!
Picture three: The two had mischievous grins while they stuck their tongues out at the camera.
“...Um, how bout one with another smile, eh?”
FLASH!
Picture four: Katara had Zuko in a gridlock while he was attempting to give her a noogie. Both were laughing while they tried to conquer the other in their mini-fight.
“...Please? Just one with a smile!” cried the desperate photographer.
FLASH!
Picture five: His hand was around her shoulder, hers around his waist-their free hands giving peace signs. One of Katara's teeth was missing in her smile. One of Zuko's shoelaces was undone. Both were smiling ear to ear.
**
He sighed as he glanced at the pictures, the memories flooding back as he missed his old home, his old friends-Katara. It was so lonely here. He didn't speak to anyone. No one spoke to him. One look at his scar and they were driven away. All he had were his videogames, his uncle, and his photos of a past that seemed so faraway.
He remembered he was too embarrassed to tell Katara she looked really cute that day. Later he forgot.
His hand traced her smiling outline in the photograph.
He wish he did, back when he had the chance.
Title: To Love, To Cherish, and To Hold
Author: kawaii_lyn
Prompt: Irrel's AU comic of awesome's challenge
Thanks little_fool for doing a quick read through for me. I'm sure it'd suck more without you♥. I think this proves your grammar does not in fact suck. ^-^
To Love, To Cherish, and To Hold
To love...
“Haha Katara! You look funny!” laughed a doubled over Zuko, pointing at Katara's unusually formal outfit and hair. “What did you do to your hair? Those hair loopie things are weird!” he teased, baiting her to retort.
“My Gran-gran did it; we have to go somewhere important today, so shut it, you mama's boy!” she quietly fumed while stomping her foot for emphasis.
“...you still look funny. You're like...girly now.” he chuckled.
“Would you like to join me? I'm sure I can fix that large face of yours to be even girlier than mine.,” she said through clenched teeth, a threatening face looking up at him with her nose in the air.
“...You know, I think my mom is calling me. We have to go somewhere. Bye.” He rushed off in the direction of his home as fast as he could.
Do I really look that bad?
**
“Zuko, sit still while I comb your hair. It won't be done any faster with you squirming around. Fix your bow tie while you're at it. It's crooke,” chided his mother while she slicked his hair into two halves. “Tie your shoe properly, otherwise the laces will untie themselves in an instant.”
“Haha, Zuzu you look positively adorable, don't you think so too mother?” said Azula.
“Of course dear.”
“Moooom! Azula's making fun of me!”
“Whatever do you mean dearest brother? I was giving you a compliment,” smiled Azula sweetly, batting her eyes in her mom's direction.
“Zuko, mind your sister.”
Zuko scowled at his sister, at his reflection, and for the rest of the day as they made their way to the wedding.
To cherish...
Katara sighed again. This wedding couldn't be any more boring. Apparently her Gran-Gran's old time friend's daughter was marrying some wealthy business executive. She didn't realize it'd take this much time. She didn't realize the priest would be so monotonous. She sighed once more.
She needed a break.
**
“Zuko, can't you hold it a little longer?” admonished his mother in a whisper. His knees were clenched together as he wriggled about in his seat at the pew. Their father's business partner was getting married to some model. In the early rush to arrive on time, Zuko hadn't used the bathroom.
“Yah Zuzu, learn to have some control once in a while,” muttered Azula from his right. She sat upright, perfect posture of course, with her hands delicately placed over one another on her lap as she did her best to feign a watchful eye on the procession; her sparkling light gold and red dress-added with her “interest” made her the image of the perfect and properly behaved child.
He needed a break.
**
“What's with your hands? Your nails have dirt in them. Your hands look so rough. Your dress is disgusting. How exactly did you get invited to such an exclusive wedding again?” a girl sneered, amidst a trio of others, to Katara. Looking down on her, she was correct to assume Katara wasn't rich like the rest of them.
Katara attempted to tame her self-control. She knew that if she beat the stick-of-a-girl up, she'd be in more than just trouble with Gran-gran. Her hand quivered as she poured herself some punch. The wedding continued on in the other room.
**
“Eek! You brat! You have no idea how expensive this dress was,” cried the girl, aghast at the bright red spot of dripping punch on her dress.
Zuko looked in the direction of the voice. He couldn't believe what he saw.
“At least I know how to carry a cup of punch, butterfingers.”
“Sorry about your dress,” smiled Katara. “If you like, I could clean it up for you,” she said, preparing to dump water on the girl.
Her hand wouldn't move; it was held back by Zuko.
“Sorry about your dress Mai, I'll pay you back for it later. Excuse us.” He dragged a shocked Katara away from the scene.
**
“Why did you stop me?” glared a furious Katara.
“You wouldn't have been able to control yourself if you kept going,” mumbled an uncomfortable Zuko, shuffling his feet.
She had forgotten how well Zuko knew her. He was right. She would've saw to it that the girl's face was in the punch bowl before she was through. She chuckled.
“What are you doing here anyways? -oh my gosh, your hair!” she laughed, pointing at his slicked back hair, making his forehead larger than what it was. He blushed.
“Is it really that bad?” he asked quietly, lips trembling a bit. She forgot how sensitive he could be at times.
“...Eh...it's alright. You're still Zuko,” she smiled. He chanced a look at her eyes: blue, clear blue.
“...Yah well,” he stumbled through his words, blushing as he looked away from her gaze, “your hair wasn't as bad as I made it out to be. The hair loopies kind of suit you actually.” He coughed and stuffed his hands in his pockets, suddenly fascinated with a tiny spot on the wall.
“Hey, did you bring your PSP?”
“Of course I did. I just couldn't play it in front of parents. Why?”
**
“I'll totally beat your high score. Look! I'm almost done killing the boss now!” she gloated in a whisper. Both were sitting on the floor behind the table of punch and cups. Heads stuck together as they fought for visual rights to the tiny PSP screen while Katara tapped at the controls rhythmically.
“You made a new high score?” he whispered in shock as he watched her enter her name into the high score board, her name snugly seating itself above his top scores. “Why is your name Watrbndr Kat?”
“Because in this Avatar game, Waterbenders rule.”
“No they don’t.”
“Yes they do.”
“Firebenders do.”
“Firebenders are losers.”
“Nuh-uh.”
“Why did I beat your high score then?”
“…it’s not like I’m the actual Firebender in the game! Gimme that. How did you beat those serpents? I've spent days trying to get by them.”
“Because you play like a girl, that's why,” smiled Katara as she handed back his PSP, relishing in his irritated demeanor. “I wonder if they're exchanging their vows yet,” she wondered, glancing above the table in the direction of the wedding.
Two heads peeping over the punch table listened in on the wedding.
“...to love, to cherish, and to hold...”
“This is boring.”
“Yah.”
“Want to play again?”
“You bet!”
Two heads disappeared behind a punch table, blissfully ignoring the exchanged vows and other nonsensical sounds of the wedding. Both were quite absorbed in their own world, with just the other.
And to hold...
“Why Katara, I didn't know you and your family would be here!” smiled a warm Ursa. “How have you been dear? I haven't seen you in a while.”
“Fine, thank you,” curtsied Katara, putting forth her best manners as her Gran-gran had earlier instructed. She made sure her smile was big enough to be sweet, but not so big as to show her missing tooth, an unsightly gap on her front teeth. “My Gran-gran's best friend is the mom of the bride. So...I'm here!” she concluded with a sheepish smile, hoping three syllables would explain the entire situation.
“Ah, I see. Well, I'm glad Zuko had someone to keep him company, even if he was absent most of the ceremony,” she said, sending him admonishing looks. Zuko coughed and looked away, a light blush on his cheeks.
**
“I got you punch,” said Zuko, handing her a cup while he sat next to her. “I didn't want you to have to throw it on someone at the punch bowl again,” he mocked. “Someone's dress might be in danger by the wrath of Katara, The Terrible.”
“Shut it,” she growled, taking the punch with a slight glint in the eye.
“How's the cake?”
“Good.”
The awkward silence and two-foot gap between the two seated made things unfamiliar.
“Hey you two! Let's get some pictures for the wedding album, eh? You took are adorable together!” smiled the photographer. “What are you- boyfriend and girlfriend?”
“Oh no! Not even!”
“We're too young!”
“He's just a friend!”
“We just play together and...stuff.”
“...Of course you do. Get a little closer would ya? I want a photo of you two as close as possible!”
Neither moved an inch.
FLASH!
Picture one: A blushing Zuko and Katara, both a good distance away from the other. One had his hands stuffed in his pockets, giving a slight and embarrassed smile. The other had her hands behind her back, consciously giving a very fake smile.
“Why don't you two lighten up a bit? I was only joking. Come on, smile big!” said the photographer.
FLASH!
Picture two: Katara had an idea. She quickly scooted over and tiptoed over to Zuko's ear, whispering something.
“That was cute. How 'bout another like that?”
FLASH!
Picture three: The two had mischievous grins while they stuck their tongues out at the camera.
“...Um, how bout one with another smile, eh?”
FLASH!
Picture four: Katara had Zuko in a gridlock while he was attempting to give her a noogie. Both were laughing while they tried to conquer the other in their mini-fight.
“...Please? Just one with a smile!” cried the desperate photographer.
FLASH!
Picture five: His hand was around her shoulder, hers around his waist-their free hands giving peace signs. One of Katara's teeth was missing in her smile. One of Zuko's shoelaces was undone. Both were smiling ear to ear.
**
He sighed as he glanced at the pictures, the memories flooding back as he missed his old home, his old friends-Katara. It was so lonely here. He didn't speak to anyone. No one spoke to him. One look at his scar and they were driven away. All he had were his videogames, his uncle, and his photos of a past that seemed so faraway.
He remembered he was too embarrassed to tell Katara she looked really cute that day. Later he forgot.
His hand traced her smiling outline in the photograph.
He wish he did, back when he had the chance.