Zuko spent the rest of the night unpacking his things, what little he had with him, at least. Finally, he placed the portrait of his Uncle Iroh on the small table next to him. After Katara's outburst, the firebender was tired of everything. He ate lunch mechanically. It was an awkward lunch, and not much was said. Even though he was part of the group, he still wasn't part of it. They laughed, he didn't. They shared jokes he didn't know. He wasn't one of them. Dinner came and went, and soon, the light of the moon gave the temple an eerie glow.
Katara was bending, it always relaxed her. She needed to calm down. Aang needed a teacher, and as much as she hated to admit it, Zuko was a powerful bender. But she also needed to practice. She had been weak recently, and needed to draw her strength from the full moon. Katara stared at the moon, basking in its light. Suddenly, a dizzy spell hit her, and Katara saw black spots float in her vision. She stumbled and leaned heavily against the fountain, until Katara slipped completely and fell beside the fountain, the black spots completely taking over her vision.
Zuko couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned for hours before he just got up and left. Zuko walked around the temple, until he came to a fountain. The pool shined blue and the moon reflected on its surface, the light breaking into a million pieces. A shadow was near the fountain, and Zuko began to get worried. He rushed to the temple only to find Katara, unconscious.
"Katara?" Zuko became more worried. "Katara!" she groaned, and he breathed a sigh of relief. She sat up in Zuko's lap and clutched at her head.
"What the hell happened? This never happened before," she muttered. The full moon basked them in its light, and Zuko couldn't help but notice her smooth mocha skin, flawless and soft in the light. She smelled like panda lilies and jasmine, with the fading scent of the ocean. She really was beautiful; anybody had to be blind to see th-
He really should be more concerned about her health.
Katara was tired – so tired, even though it was a full moon. She was too tired to walk, much less bend. Katara didn't move from her place in the fountain, nor open her eyes. I can sleep near the fountain, she thought. Just for one night.
Zuko needed to take care of her. She needed a bed to stay in, not a mat on the floor. He would take her to his room, he decided. As a form of compensation, for all those years of being evil, he thought afterward, as if he needed an excuse to take care of her.
Katara was in the state between dreaming and being awake, that hazy state where she would drift in and out of consciousness. She was flying, and she wasn't sure it was in her dream state or reality, but nonetheless, she was flying.
"Yip yip, Appa," she mumbled quietly. When did Appa's saddle get so soft? It was like silk…
Zuko couldn't help but grin at the powerful waterbender in his arms as she mumbled incoherently. It was clear she needed a full day's rest. He laid her gently on his bed, covering her in his blankets. Zuko sat next to her, inhaling deeply before exhaling slowly, changing his temperature to be warmer. He placed a hand on her cheek and let his warmth course through her. He heard a contented sigh from Katara, and gave a soft smile. Laying himself down on the floor, Zuko curled up and soon fell asleep with a certain water tribe girl in his mind.
