Unspoken

Obligatory Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA. It belongs to Bryke and Nickelodeon.

A/N: Set towards the end of the series, after the Agni Kai. This is a long long overdue giftfic for fadedelegance. Hope you like it, dear! :)

When Katara found him, he was propped on his elbows in his sickbed, gazing longingly out the window. He was restless, she knew, for he was a man that had never been one to sit idle for long.

Biting her lip nervously as she gripped the fresh white bandages in one hand, she knocked carefully on the edge of the doorway.

He turned his head sharply to look at her, as if startled by the interruption. He felt his heartbeat begin to quicken at the sight of her, the young Water Tribe woman that had proven to be his savior just a week ago.

"Hi," she said softly in greeting.

"Hey," he replied.

"I'm here to check on how your wound's healing. And change your dressings." She held up the white gauze in one hand.

"Oh. Okay." He said as he sat up, wincing a bit.

She was immediately at his side, aiding in propping him up further. "Easy does it there," she admonished gently.

Normally he would have hated being fussed over like this, but he remembered the icy glare and the stern lecture he'd gotten when he'd tried to get out of bed just three days ago. "I just wanted to walk around and get some air," he'd argued, but she would have none of it. That was when he'd gotten hit with the full force of Katara's infamous motherly streak.

He knew that she only fussed so much because she cared, and part of him found that endearing.

She'll make a great mother someday...

He paused.

Where had that come from?

Must be the painkillers talking, he told himself.

He was jarred from his internal musings when Katara began slowly unraveling the soiled bandages from around his torso, taking great care to cause as little pain to him as possible. Even so, he inhaled sharply a time or two as the bindings were stripped away from his raw flesh, but he did his best to remain stoic and not flinch. The young waterbender did her best to be gentle, but she knew that he was trying to put on a brave front.

"It's okay. I know you're in pain. You don't have to hide it." She offered him a reassuring smile and touched his bare shoulder briefly before pulling away the last of the bandages to reveal the wound caused by Azula's lightning strike.

The wound was steadily healing, but she still felt a rush of emotions as she remembered how he'd gotten it, the events of the Agni Kai still fresh in her mind. She coaxed forth the water from her canteen with a delicate flick of her wrist and coated her hand with a translucent blue glove and placed it against his chest. She frowned a bit in concentration and with her chi, prodded the edges of the wound gingerly. Good. He was healing well. She then dug deeper into herself and began to pour healing energy into his chest, feeling the muscles re-knitting and mending themselves together. Since it had gone through his heart, it was a delicate process.

She knew that in spite of her work, he'd still have a significant scar for the rest of his life. But what mattered was that he was here and alive. He would be able to rule his country with the justice, compassion, and wisdom she knew that resided within him. He'd be able to marry, have children, and have his legacy carried on.

She had never been so grateful to be blessed with the ability to heal.

Zuko watched her silently, feeling the pain easing further with each pass of her hand over his injury; he found that his lungs could expand better and he could breathe a little easier without the white hot knives of agony piercing his chest.

When she was done, he reached and placed one of his large hands over her own small one.

"Thank you," he said softly, his gaze meeting her deep blue eyes.

"I...it's nothing, really. I feel that I owe you for what you did. It's the least I can do," a part of her felt that she wasn't entirely deserving of his thanks or his gratitude, but here he was looking at her with raw, stark sincerity.

She then applied a special salve to his lesion and then wrapped it back up with slow, deliberate care, making sure that they were bound tight, but loose enough to where his breathing wouldn't be restricted too much.

"You should be up and around in another month or so. In a few days, you'll be able to spend short periods out of bed, with assistance. I know that you probably don't feel like you're healing fast enough for your liking, but your wound was is a really deep one and these things take time."

"It's okay, Katara. I understand. I also know that you'll tear me a new one if I try to strain myself too much." He chuckled a bit.

She felt herself flush at that. "Well, I guess I'll be going now. I need to go check on Sokka's leg. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." Gathering up the old soiled bandages, she turned to leave. She knew that when he was better, stronger, and he'd recovered enough to be coronated as the new Fire Lord, she'd have to leave with Aang, and she felt a pang of regret in her heart at the thought of not being able to see him every day.

"Wait," Zuko called to her.

She turned to look at him.

"I would like to extend the same offer to you. If there's anything that you need that I can provide for you, consider it done. No matter what it is. That goes for everyone else, too."

"That's very kind of you," she answered.

"Also, if you wouldn't mind, I'd be honored if you stayed here with awhile longer. I might need some help with things. Political things."

"Of course."

"And one last thing. I just want you to know, Katara, that my doors will always be open to you, no matter what."

This time, her smile was warm and genuine, and it reached her eyes. Plucking up her courage, she walked back across the room and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you," was all she said before she turned to leave.

Zuko was too stunned to speak as his hand went too his cheek, scarcely believing what had just happened. He wondered if he was dreaming. He hoped he wasn't.

FIN

A/N: So, this piece was a little harder to write than I anticipated. I hope the Zutara wasn't TOO subtle. I tried to strike a balance. Anyways, hope you liked! I personally thought my ending was cute. :3

And yeah, I know, certain parts felt stilted and awkward, but I'm not very good with dialogue. It's one of my weaknesses, and something I really need to practice at.