Summary: Zuko and Katara have a hushed conversation around the fire one night. You've gotta love these two; they're just perfect for each other.
A/N: After being away from the Avatar fandom for some time, I was suddenly inspired to write this piece. It evolved from the simple idea of Zutara while the gang is still training to an introspection from both Zuko and Katara about Aang and their respect for him but also their concerns about Aang not being able to live up to the world's expectations.
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He was warm. He was sun.
She was cool. She was moon.
He melted her ice and she quenched his flame.
She was yin and he was yang.
Apart, they were strong. Together, they were stronger.
Together, they could shape the Avatar.
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The cool lake water brushed against Katara's toes as it rose and fell with the wind. She swung her feet back and forth absently and stared out into the darkening horizon, wondering when this would all stop. Her childhood was gone, her family separated, and her mission seemed impossible.
Well, she corrected herself, Aang's mission seemed impossible. Her part was to teach and encourage. That was doable. It was the success of the whole thing that worried her. And kept her seeking solitude. How else could she calm the storm inside her that begged to be let out every time Aang took the peaceful way out. Peace was all well and good; ultimately, that's what everyone hoped he would bring, but first he had to fight. They were expecting that first, and she wasn't sure if he could rise to their expectations.
Just once, she wanted to rave at him, reminding him of everything Ozai had done, of the fire nation soldiers who killed her mother, of all the hurt they had seen on their travels. There was a time for peace. But there was also a time for war. Right now was the latter.
When Zuko had joined them, she couldn't imagine their luck. Surely Zuko would help Aang realize the importance of fighting - his element was fire for La's sake! Fire was consuming and dangerous; she had assumed that Zuko would instill a part of these traits in Aang to prepare him for fighting Ozai.
So far, all she had seen was that fire was about being calm and controlled. There was no more fight in Aang now then there had been when she broke him out of his ice-induced slumber.
There was another reason Zuko's presence had initially made her hopeful. The fire nation prince standing against his own family? That had to make a statement. But she realized too soon that whatever political power Zuko once held was all but gone. It made her wonder about the fate of the fire nation if Aang managed to defeat Ozai. Would Zuko take his place on the throne? Would he be able to?
The water continued to lap against her dangling feet, comforting her in the way only her element could. She raised her hands and thoughtlessly, methodically, created the water whip she had learned at the beginning of their journey. It rose out of the water in perfect form, an image of how much she had grown, and a mockery of how much she still had to learn. Slowly, gently, she released the water back into itself, hardly making a disturbance in the lake.
Picking herself up, she slipped her shoes back on and headed back through the camouflaging trees and hard, rocky soil to their temporary camp.
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Zuko eyed the fire as the rest of the group slept. It was comforting, having this blaze before him when the sun was gone and the moon high. He stretched his legs out and played with a flame in his palm, letting it grow and shrink at will. The trust instilled in him by Aang's little group of followers still surprised him.
He couldn't wait for it all to be over though. For this war to be over. He was sick of being hunted like a rabid dog, something to be shot at first and asked questions later. He was tired of his family's hatred, and of his nation's frustrating compliance with their wishes.
He looked over at Aang, sprawled out on the ground in an undignified heap like the child he was. Could he do it? Zuko though so. He hoped so.
There were times he saw greatness in Aang. He saw the type of leadership he had been trained to spot since birth. But these times were few and far between, found somewhere after chasing animals on a whim and before the Avatar state. Could Aang be counted on when it mattered most? He wasn't sure.
In the end though, it didn't matter who struck the final blow. His mouth formed a wry smirk at thinking of his father that way. But it was true. It didn't matter who deposed Ozai, much to the Avatar's - and the world's - disbelief. What mattered was what happened after.
Those surrounding Ozai were desperate and power-hungry, and ready to take charge themselves after living under Ozai's iron rule for so long, watching and waiting for the chance to promote their own agendas. If both Ozai and Azula were out of the picture, Zuko didn't want to think about how chaotic the fire nation government would become as each of these nobles vied for leadership. As a cast-aside heir, banished and hunted, he had no more right to the throne than they did. His uncle would be immediately overlooked as well. Their absence in recent years left them out of the running for the throne.
Zuko wondered if Aang had thought that far ahead. He doubted it. But this type of planning was more important than trying to depose his father. What was the point if another simply took his place?
A rustle of feet caught his attention as Katara made her way back to their campsite.
She took in her sleeping friends and the awake Zuko. "You're up late," she greeted.
"So are you," he replied.
Katara sank down next to him, warming her hands by the fire in silent contemplation. "I was by the lake, thinking," she stated seriously, staring into the flames.
Zuko noted her tone and reciprocated. "I've been thinking as well." He shifted, leaning back on his hands and watching her out of the corner of his eye, wondering how much she would open up tonight.
Katara noted the melancholy also present in his voice. "It's been a long week," she broke their silence, "I'm sure it's just the stress catching up with us."
Zuko smirked wryly. "Whatever makes you feel better."
"You're such a pessimist."
"Better than being unrealistically optimistic."
She snorted. "I am not unrealistically optimistic." At his glance she amended, "Not all the time, anyway, and definitely not tonight."
"If you say so."
She gave him a half-hearted glare. "I do."
Katara went back to staring at the fire, trying to identify the tiny pops and crackles it made in the still night. Beside her, Zuko did the same, and she watched as he played with a smoldering stick to the side, raising and lowering the temperature at will. At times like this, when he wasn't fighting or angry or trying to prove something, it was hard to remember how powerful he really was. He made fire seem both peaceful and wild. She didn't know which one she liked better. Although she did know which one she wished Aang would learn more of.
"Do you think he can do it?" she asked in a hushed voice, looking to make sure their companions were still asleep. "Aang, I mean."
"Do what?" he questioned, still playing with the fire. "Kill my father? Overthrow the fire nation's power? Bring peace and unite the world?"
It was hard to tell if he was being sarcastic or serious. "All of the above, I guess."
Zuko didn't reply for a moment. He turned to look back at Aang's sleeping form, and Katara could only see his scarred eye. Zuko contemplated Aang once again, reflecting on his thoughts earlier that night and weighing how much he could tell Katara.
"I think Aang has the ability to unite people," he finally said, opting for the truth and turning to look at her.
She contemplated his words. "Is that all?" she asked.
"He's just a kid; he's not a killer." Zuko's voice rose slightly in frustration. Catching himself, he lowered it, realizing that there was no way Toph was sleeping through this but unwilling to wake anyone else up. "I mean, he grew up in an air temple. How much more peaceful can you get?"
"But if he can't do the rest, what's the point?" Katara thought of all their long hours of training and the endless days of escaping from everyone and anyone. Was it all in vain?
"Maybe his role is to bring others together to do the rest." His eyes locked with hers meaningfully.
Katara's eyes widened. "You think we are going to kill Ozai?" she asked incredulously.
Zuko gave a humorless smirk. "Not necessarily, although if I'm given the chance, I will do it." He continued his explanation in an effort to ignore her softening eyes and concerned brow. "You've seen how Aang gathers followers in almost every town he goes to. If that could be turned into a war effort, Aang would only have to unite people; the rest would fall into place."
Katara mulled over what he said, gaining excitement as she processed this potential change in plans. "So maybe the Avatar's destiny is not to fight, but to unite. To be a symbol of peace. A symbol for people to fight for."
Zuko looked at her in surprise that she had taken to his view so quickly. "In essence, yes."
"That makes so much more sense than what we've been thinking this whole time!" Her expressive eyes turned to his. "With Aang's character and age, it never felt right that he would need to be the one to kill to achieve peace."
Zuko nodded in assent and was surprised at Katara's white smile flashing towards him. She released a long breath. "I feel so much better. I probably would have been up all night thinking about this." Her ice blue eyes met his molten gold. "Thank you."
He smirked in return, relaxing back to watch the fire again.
She yawned and he watched her eye her bedroll. "You should try to get some sleep," he said.
"You too," she whispered as she stood, sending him one last smile before slipping under her covers. She was asleep within minutes.
Zuko stayed up the remainder of the night, listening for trackers, keeping the fire high, and watching over his new family. He would kill to protect this. Even if Aang couldn't.
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