Hello all. Thanks in advance for checking out my story. This plot bunny has been in my head for a bit now and is completely inspired by post/104332829126/elefaint-id-like-to-think-that-for-the-time. So thanks for the inspiration there.
Admittedly, I am a huge Zutara shipper but this story is just fine if you're not. I did write it with more friendship in mind than romance.
That being said, enjoy!
It was late and, as usual, she was having trouble sleeping. Sure enough, when she walked down to the beach, Zuko was already there, wandering the shoreline. They greeted each other and she fell into step beside him, striding slowly along the water's edge.
They didn't say much to each other but just enjoyed the company. It was a strange practice the two had gotten into, walking around together at night. She had a lot on her mind lately and during those times, she enjoyed having Zuko by her side.
Katara had once heard that the island had a magic to it: that it was able to give you a clean slate. He had told her that on their first night when silence filled the air. With that in mind, her head drifted back to a few nights ago when they had first run into each other, late at night on Ember Island.
Katara wasn't quite sure what woke her up. All she knew was that it was late. Or early, depending on your viewpoint, and she was wide awake.
She lied back down, thinking that it was momentary and that sleep would overwhelm her again but it didn't. Instead, she stared at the ceiling, becoming increasingly more restless as her mind started running. She finally gave in and, instead of pacing around the house and waking anyone, made her way down to the beach.
The rocks poked at her bare feet but she didn't notice as her senses took note of the scenery. She couldn't help but marvel at Ember Island's beauty, especially at night. The quarter moon shone down on her and lit up the gentle waves as they rolled to the shore.
As she got closer to the water, she could feel the waves pull away her unease. She closed her eyes, breathed deep, and suddenly realized that she had begun bending. Nothing big. Just gentle waves against the current to keep her doing something. And the last thing she expected was company.
"Shouldn't you be sleeping?"
Katara gasped, turning her bending around to the unknown assailant but dropped the water when she saw Zuko standing there.
"You…you startled me," she explained, seeing the surprised look on his face.
"Sorry," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.
A long moment of silence passed between them before Katara finally spoke up.
"I could ask the same about you."
"What?" Zuko asked.
"About sleeping. Why aren't you asleep?"
"It's not exactly comforting sleeping in a place that's so haunted with memories."
Katara's eyes widened. "But…it was your idea to stay here."
"Because it would be safe. My comfort isn't exactly the most important thing in the bigger picture. Besides, I think I spent enough time recently being selfish."
"Oh," she commented and another moment of silence passed. "Do you miss him?" But as soon as she asked it, she realized how stupid it sounded.
If Zuko thought it was, he never told her. Instead, he walked to a nearby log and sat down. "You know, when I was banished, my uncle jumped in to accompany me. So many people told him not to, that it would ruin any chance he had to redeem himself after leaving Ba Sing Se. I was one of those people who told him not to come. But not because of his ruined reputation. I didn't want any reminders of what I had lost and he was the symbol of that: a man who lost favour with the Fire Lord and seen as a disgrace." He looked down at his clasped hands, as if praying for forgiveness. Katara was pulled towards him at the gesture and sat down next to him. "But I think I can finally see where he was coming from. Because he went through that, he really was the only person who could understand what I was going through. Without him these last few years, I don't know where I might have ended up. Would you miss someone like that?"
"I could say the same about you," she said. Zuko looked up from his reverie. "After I lost my mother, I didn't know how to deal with it. Dad had gone off and while I had Gran gran and Sokka, I don't think they ever helped me like I needed. Gran gran would always tell me that things would be okay one day. Sokka just tried to make me laugh, thinking it would make me feel better. But that wasn't what I needed." Katara tucked up her knees before continuing. "Somewhere along the line, I told myself that I should be okay with it and move on like they seemed to so I just buried my grief so I wouldn't have to deal with it anymore. Then you came." She smiled at the thought. "When I found out I could find the man who took my mother away, that grief came back. It never went away like I thought it would. It just multiplied. You were there and you just…understood. You never ignored what I was feeling or tried to make me feel better. You were just there with me and helped me to work through it."
Zuko was taken aback at her sudden confession and felt himself getting uncomfortable again. While they were on much better terms since their incident with Yon Rha, he still had some difficulties expressing himself around her. "I guess that's the thing about emotions," he finally said. "They're easier dealt with when you have more people on your side. I…I think my uncle said that once. I never really understood that before. He has a way of talking in riddles."
Katara smiled and nudged him affectionately with her shoulder. "Thanks Zuko."
Zuko returned the smile, happy that they were finding more common ground.
They stayed that way for a while, letting each other's company slowly ebb away the burdens of their past. Eventually, they looked up at each other.
"It's still a while until morning," Katara said, breaking the silence. "Will you try and get some sleep at all?"
"No. There's been a lot on my mind since leaving the Fire Nation and my mind works better when I'm moving."
"Well, would you care to work out those muscles with me? I'm wide awake and I think I might take a walk around the island. I could use the company."
Zuko smiled in response and the two set off at a slow pace, side by side.
"You know, I heard that Ember Island has some kind of magic that gives you a clean slate," he said, filling the silence with the first thing that came to his mind. "Do you think it works?"
"I think there might be some truth to that," she smiled.
They didn't say much the rest of the night or the consecutive ones. Just walked together, losing themselves in their thoughts and enjoying the company that came with it.