"We need to find a bed or something; it'll help ease the tension on your back."
Katara fought a stutter as she said that, knowing it must've sounded so awkward as she brought a limping Zuko into the Fire Nation royal palace. All the boy could listen to were the ongoing, echoing wails of his sister behind them, still chained up like an animal who refused to be tamed. He couldn't understand it... after such an intention to kill him, why did she sound like a helpless little girl, all of a sudden?
It was like Zuko could feel the sheer hatred in Azula melting out into her loud cries, as he and Katara slowly walked to find a resting place for the night. His body felt numb, his fingers slightly tingling from the powerful energy that had coursed through him. He had a difficult time mustering the idea that he could walk... with each one of his steps feeling like they carried a full bucket of water.
But he looked over at his savior, the girl so determined to get him to a safe place, that her blue eyes were furrowing into thin slits. Funny... how one glance at Katara could suddenly bring feeling back into his joints, and he forced himself to take each step further with his own strength.
"Quick, tell me," Katara then asked as she kept holding onto Zuko's underarm. "Where's the nearest bedchamber?"
As they entered the compounds of the royal palace, the prince mentally tried to picture every single room in the palace from where they were. The servants' quarters were nearly a mile away, probably in lock and key... thanks to Azula's banishing them... and then something struck the boy's mind. His eyes widened just for a second, looking over to the left side of their corridor.
"Over there." Zuko pointed with his chin, at a pair of grand, cherry-wooden doors that stood a good twenty yards away from them. His voice almost softened into an embarrassed, and ironic tone. "It's my mother's room."
He could see Katara raising an eyebrow at him, then, but the boy didn't think an explanation was necessary.
But the girl still stared over at the door ahead of them, and the location of it that puzzled her. Having it be such a long way away from the royal quarters... it looked like his mother had preferred to be no different than a palace servant, to say nothing of being Fire Lady herself.
It seemed like years had passed before they finally made it to that room, Katara kicking the doors open with all of her might. By the solemn, dim light that welcomed them in, it seemed like decades had gone since that bedroom had last been occupied. The small space had been well-kept, nevertheless, as it seemed that the servants had dusted and changed the sheets often, remaining loyal to their Fire Lady... believing that someday she would return.
Zuko could barely take in the solitary quietness of that room, carefully letting himself out of Katara's grasp to sit at the foot of the bed. He was keeping a set of tears from forming in his eyes.
Yes... they had beaten Azula once and for all, and he could even sense that Aang was holding his own against the Fire Lord even then. But somehow, sitting in that room encrusted with memories of a woman he'd taken for granted so long ago... Zuko couldn't help but feel that he'd already lost.
And Katara watched him, quietly, as he took in those memories that rushed invisibly from the space between his toes. She wanted to say something to him... after the intensity of the fight he just lived through, placing her life before his in that act of impulse... but her mind was a maelstrom.
All she could think about was the time they'd seen eye-to-eye, back in the secret undergrounds of Ba Sing Se. She still remembered his voice as he poured his heart out to this stranger (and enemy?) in the memories of his mother, explaining what the Fire Nation had done to her. No matter how much Katara denied it, she'd felt a certain connection to him, then... and she remembered the sheer hatred that formed in her throat when Zuko broke that trust to join his sister.
That seemed like ages ago... and yet here they were, reunited after a matter of months... holding each other's presence in a small, uninhabited room like nobody else in the world existed.
It all made sense to her now, as she kept her gaze on Zuko's firm and withdrawn face.
He'd always been alone.
She saw the choice this boy had made since their encounter in Ba Sing Se... and Katara's eyes almost glimmered, seeing not just the result of a lightning bolt course through him... but months and months of inner turmoil. Things she couldn't even begin to understand.
And Katara felt her heart beating rapidly, realizing how much she longed to know what was going on in that boy's mind. So many feelings were filtering between them, and yet they could barely exchange a look.
Instead, Zuko pressed a hand over his newer scar. He grunted, trying to breathe easily, and Katara immediately moved to tend to him.
"Here, why don't you lie down?"
Katara touched his shoulder lightly, and Zuko flinched by the softness of her hand. It was like he'd practically forgotten about her healing ability... and felt his mind fall vulnerable to the pair of sapphire eyes that studied him. The boy could sense a trembling in the girl... and without saying a word, he slowly moved fully onto the bed.
For some reason, all he could think about were her eyes... those same eyes that had once fearlessly glared at him and a group of pirates... all her might reflecting through that icy blue labyrinth. And Zuko's heart almost sank, believing that in spite of all the lightning he'd swallowed for her.... nothing could ever make up for the suffering and pain he'd caused.
But Katara's hand lingered on his shoulder as he laid down, comforting the person who'd saved her life as a matter of choice. She sat herself on the bed next to him, unafraid to show the gratitude once again with a smile. She could feel her heart beating rapidly, sensing the goosebumps in Zuko's skin from the sudden awkwardness this position was giving them.
It was Zuko who smiled then, warmly bringing a few fingertips to meet ones of the girl who'd shown so much kindness to him. Kindness he didn't deserve. And it was why his eyes widened... when by impulse, Katara wrapped her fingers around his hand, holding him tightly.
They still said nothing. Strangely, they didn't have to.
It was all being told within the soft exchange of their eyes and the tiniest of smiles as they gazed at one another. The way Katara brushed her other hand along his burned cheek was enough to bring Zuko's eyes to tears.
She couldn't remember anything else, outside of that moment... desiring to heal this boy from all the lightning that painfully still coursed through his body. She didn't want him to feel any more pain. At least, if she could help it.
Without even hesitating, Katara carefully undid Zuko's robe, bringing her trembling arms over to the injury while her fingers summoned the water from her pack once again.
But it was Zuko who kept moving along the bed, as if inviting Katara to bring herself closer to him. And she did just that, putting a leg around to sit over Zuko's waist in such a professional manner... but feeling her cheeks flush with inevitable color as she did so.
Her hands then held the water over his chest, again. It was like a soft, vibrant glow.
And the healing session commenced with the lightest touch of flesh and water passing onto Zuko's bare torso. He closed his eyes, sensing the injury acknowledging itself somewhere beneath his ribs. Strangely, he welcomed it... feeling a girl's delicate hands course the water within his body... and the boy had never felt more protected. More at peace.
He then watched how Katara was sitting over him, healing with her eyes closed. Zuko grinned, intrigued, but more than anything he longed to see her eyes again. He slowly placed a hand over Katara's healing fingers, and let the water sooth his dry palm.
Her glimmering blue eyes appeared, but with a firm, teasing smile that said 'you're breaking my concentration, stupid.' As he held his soft, rigid hand in place for what seemed forever, Katara was the one who moved this time... her face so close that Zuko felt the lightness of her nose brush against his own as he laid flat on the bed.
"K...Katara?" He whispered, curious and almost frightened by this contact. Was it possible? Could she be feeling the same way? The traces of sweat on her skin was what surprised him, but Zuko refused to let himself tremble even more with the nervousness trailing along his heart.
His nose slowly responded to her touch, nuzzling along her face... tracing the alignment of the girl's nose and her cheeks with his small trembling lips. Zuko closed his eyes, taking in Katara's genuine scent of waterlilies for the time, and he slowly moved them both further towards the front of the bed to be in a slight sitting position with her.
And the girl sighed, albeit nervously, feeling almost every inch of her tremble like an earthquake as she continued to heal the boy's wound. Katara was questioning something in her mind... a prophecy that had been brought to her by a clever fortuneteller almost a year ago at the start of this intensifying journey. She remembered how that old, wise woman had promised that someday, this waterbender would marry a very powerful bender... and Katara blinked.
But it's... it's Aang! Right? she thought to herself. Wasn't it always supposed to be Aang?
Katara froze, then, feeling the warmth of Zuko's nose brush carefully along her cheek as she tried to gather her thoughts. She remembered his daring determination to kill the Avatar, and how much she said she'd never forgive him, thinking he would never change. But then, the ferocity of that recent Agni Kai crossed her mind, again, seeing him fight his own ruthless sister with all the incredible energy and guilt built up inside.
She couldn't believe how courageous, how unconditionally strong this boy had become. And here he was, now... comforting her cheek with the softness of his ivory skin.
Katara laughed quietly, letting these young feelings sink further into her very self. The old Fortuneteller's voice passed serenely along her ears, echoing as if she'd been holding those words forever.
I see a great romance for you, my dear. Someday... you will marry a very powerful bender.
The girl's eyes glimmered to the dark-haired boy as he nuzzled her, embracing the warmth and the irony of it all.
Slowly, she moved her trembling lips closer to Zuko's welcoming face... and finding his lips... Katara accepted her destiny.
A/N - This isn't a Kataang-bashing fic. I love both ships equally for many reasons, and I wanted to give the possibility of Zutara justice. Seriously... didn't the fact that she healed his fatal lightning wound without Spirit Water bring anyone else to tears? *sigh* I'll add a couple more chapters when I have the time. --MM