When You Live
Hello all. Yes, the songfic I've been promising for awhile, well by my speedy standards, awhile. Anyway, if you don't know, this is to "When You Live," by Damone. A very good band I've just gotten interested in, I highly recommend them. So yes, don't own the song. This fic you'll have to think way back to season one. It's set right after the Jet episode. So, a little Zutara songfic, enjoy. Oh and if you know this song and think I've messed up the lyrics in any way please let me know. I actually disagree with what the internet lyric sites have to say, but I trust my ears so much more than the internet. Anyway enjoy.
Katara watched the rain fall. It mirrored her tears. She trusted too much. That was it. She was too trusting. She got what she deserved for being so damn naïve. That's right, she deserved it. Jet had wronged her so horribly and it was her fault. She had been so desperate to believe him. It was what she deserved for being so naïve.
She had separated herself from the group as soon as they'd landed. She was alone, sitting on the branches of a low tree. Katara wiped away a tear for which she was furious at herself for having produced. She was unaware that she was being watched by an intrigued set of eyes. Another man, sitting in another tree. He was a man she knew. He was a man she had a healthy fear of. He was Zuko.
Zuko wondered why the waterbender was alone and weeping in the rain. A voice in his head nagged at him, saying that the Avatar was clearly nearby, but another part of him was curious and would not register these protests. He wanted answers.
All the lost kisses and runaway tears
Can't fix what your good mom and dad
Have been saving in pictures for all of these years
And it's sad
He debated with himself whether to talk to the waterbender. The nagging voice wanted to know what the hell he thinking but the strange part of him urged him to fulfill his curiosity. Zuko could easily overpower her should she prove confrontational. He made a decision.
Everything fades to black, yeah
"What's your problem?" he asked, leaning against the trunk of her tree.
She jumped. "You?"
"No need to get your skirts in a twist. I'm too tired to fight tonight. I just want to know why you're crying."
"I'm not telling you where Aang is."
"Did I ask?"
Katara shifted uncomfortably and he smirked. "Well… no. But… Why do you care?"
Zuko shrugged. "Remotely curious."
"If this is a trap-" she threatened.
"You have my word that all I want is simple conversation. Nothing concerning the Avatar."
All your cellophane friends play their monologue games
And mock everything that I am
"Ok. I had my heartbroken because I'm stupid and naïve. How's that?"
"I'm sorry."
"What? It's not like you broke my heart?"
"No need to be defensive. I'm sorry that you're in pain. Guys are assholes sometimes."
Katara snorted.
"Ok, I've hurt people, but not women specifically. I'd never betray a woman's trust on purpose."
But I don't let it faze me
'Cause they're all the same
Don't be one of them
"You don't even know what happened."
"Care to enlighten me?"
Katara wondered why she wasn't running away, but Zuko's curiosity had awakened her own. "There's a group of rebels in the woods called the Freedom Fighters."
'Cause the lights will go down on your show
And as the scenes roll by there's something I wanted to say to you
"I liked their leader, Jet. I thought he liked me, but he was just using me for my waterbending. The Fire Nation occupies a village on the other side of the valley. Jet wanted to get rid of the Fire Nation by flooding the reservoir and the village. He tricked me and Aang into filling the reservoir and he almost succeeded. Sokka evacuated the village in time. And as far as I know, Jet's still frozen to a tree."
When you live, live with your soul, not with your time
When you love, love with your heart, not with your mind
"Well," said Zuko, "you can see it as a drastic way of finding out it was never meant to be. I mean, you put a lot of value on human life and it clearly doesn't matter as much to this Jet guy."
Katara stared at him incredulously.
"What?" he asked, shrugging.
"Oddly, that makes sense."
When you wanna be something the world can define
Open up your eyes
Was that a smile? Had Zuko ever smiled? It was weird. "You seem like a different person."
"Honor is important in the Fire Nation. The only reason I hunt your friend it to restore my honor. My task doesn't keep be from also being a decent person inside."
"I wish you didn't have to restore your honor. That makes us enemies."
"We would still be enemies by Nation," Zuko insisted.
Accidents happen then confidence fails
But that's not what I'm trying to say
Zuko felt a mad urge to be closer to her. He climbed onto the branch with her. She didn't edge away like he expected.
"If we're still enemies, then why are we talking?" Katara questioned.
Zuko gazed at her delicate countenance. He thought a moment before he spoke. "I'm talking because I wanted to know why you were out here in the rain. But you? I don't know. I couldn't say." He raised his eyebrow and smirked a little. "Perhaps you like the danger of something forbidden?"
There's this look in your eye that's been killing me here
For days
Katara blushed a deep scarlet much to Zuko's delight. He turned serious again. "Don't let this one guy mess up your life."
So as the night drags on
There's this I've been meaning to say to you
"I know I shouldn't," Katara said softly.
"It's not enough to know. You must do."
When you live, live with your soul, not with your time
When you love, love with your heart, not with your mind
"It's hard," Katara said.
"Have faith to trust in your heart again."
When you wanna be something the world can define
Open up your eyes
"I know."
"Stop knowing," Zuko insisted. "You have to trust yourself. No thinking."
You can't fake it here
You can't fake it here
You can try all you want
But you'll break it here
"But I didn't think with Jet and…"
"That's what I mean. Don't let Jet do that to you."
You can laugh it off
Tell your friends I'm soft
You can cry
You can scream
But I'll brush it off
You're not listening
You're not listening
To anything I'm trying to say
"I think I understand," Katara said at last. She gazed at Zuko oddly.
"Good," he decided.
"I still don't get why you care so much," she said.
"I don't know."
When you live, live with your soul, not with your time
When you love, love with your heart, not with your mind
When you wanna be something the world can define
Open up your eyes
"Are you sure?"
Zuko's attention was caught by her pretty eyes. "Maybe I'm still figuring that one out."
"Need some help?"
What did she mean by that?
When you live, live with your soul, not with your time
When you love, love with your heart, not with your mind
When you wanna be something the world can define
Open up your eyes
Zuko saw her lean forward as if a bystander. He rushed back into his body as her lips met his. It was a soft kiss. Not demanding in any way. A gentle and chaste first kiss.
You can't fake it here
Open up your eyes
"Got any ideas?" she breathed.
"One."
Open up your eyes
Katara smiled and jumped down from her branch. "Thanks for the talk."
Zuko nodded.
"This doesn't change anything," she added.
"Of course not," he agreed.
"It's time for me to run away now," Katara said.
"I'll give you a head start," Zuko told her. "The crew's probably asleep anyway."
"Goodbye."
"Bye."
Their gazes lingered for a moment and then they parted ways as the rain stopped falling. Katara alerted the others and they flew away on Appa. Zuko went back to his cabin on his ship, wondering if it had all been a dream.
When you live, live with your soul, not with your time
When you love, love with your heart, not with your mind
When you wanna be something the world can define
Open up your eyes
And there you have it. The songfic. Check any mistakes? Call me on it, because bleah I hate typos and stuff like that. Let me know how you liked it, because eh, I'm a review-whore. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this little taste of Zutaraness and keep your eyes open for my next fic. It's called, "Because I Don't Make Mistakes" and it will be up next. I won't say soon, because who knows how hetic my life may get. Anyway, let tell me what you think because I want to know.