Title: Running
By: musicxxangel/ misswildfire
Rated: G
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Pairing: Katara/Zuko
Word Count: 1,594
Disclaimer: I don't own TLA
Notes: I'm not really good at writing angst but I tried! I hope you enjoy!
Story Summary: Katara remembers how she got to where she is now
For some people, the only way to escape their past is to run from it. Other people chose to confront it and deal with it. For Katara, she chose to run from it and run she did. Some days it felt as if she had been running forever. She travelled from village to village, town to town, never staying in one place longer than six months. She kept to herself, making a small living using her bending abilities to heal and comfort the sick and injured in every place she went. When asked her name, she gave a false one, not wanting to be connected to her past. It was too painful for her, to many memories.
Sometimes she wondered if they missed her, or tried to look for her. She had disappeared in the middle of the night with no word after all. She would sometimes tell herself that they hadn't come looking for her on those longer cold nights when she couldn't sleep and thought about her past. If she told herself enough times that they didn't care, they hadn't looked for her, that HE didn't care, then maybe, one day she would believe it and it would be easier for her to move on. She wrapped the blanket tighter around her, trying to find a comfortable position on her sleeping mat. Maybe tonight she wouldn't dream about her past, she wouldn't dream about him….
The Fire Lords Palace was beautifully decorated. Zuko had invited everyone to his palace to celebrate an important festival to the Fire Nation. For the first time in many years, the Fire Nation had opened their borders to the other nations, inviting anyone who wished to attend to come and participate. Other nations in response had opened their doors for upcoming celebrations in their lands. Slowly, the world that she and Aang and the rest of their friends had fought for was slowly forming. Hopefully there would be more harmony between all the nations and she was proud of Zuko for taking the first steps towards that harmony.
Katara was in her room, slowly brushing her hair and getting ready for the party. Humming to herself, she regarded her image in the mirror. If she was truthful with herself, she was taking extra care with her appearance, wanting to impress a certain someone. Things had been going well, they had been regularly writing to each other. Each letter was filled with various details of their lives, no matter how mundane it felt to the person writing. Katara felt special that the fire lord would share so much of his life with her, tell her things that she thought, or at least hoped, he didn't share with others. She nearly jumped, so lost in her thoughts and dreams when she heard a knock on her door.
"May I come in?" a familiar voice asked. Putting a hand over her racing heart, she nodded, watching him as he strolled into her room, taking sight of his surroundings before his eyes finally landed on her. She felt as if her heart had stopped beating in her chest. Every time his eyes landed on her, it felt like she was pinned beneath his intense gaze, she could barely breathe, barely move.
"How are the preparations going?" Katara asked, clearing her throat slightly, as she turned back towards the mirror, attempting to hide the blush she knew was staining her cheeks. Sometimes she was grateful for her darker complexion…. Hopefully if she distracted him enough he wouldn't notice. It was a long shot, as his intelligent, piercing gaze rarely missed anything, but it was worth a try. Sometimes she felt as though his gaze was devouring her, setting every inch of her body on fire, it made her want to squirm in pleasurable agony. Sometimes if she looked just right, it felt as though the Fire Lord returned her feelings. She quickly pushed those thoughts out of her mind, not wanting to build her hopes up only to have them crushed. Why would the noble Fire Lord go for a simple water bender healer like her when he had so many noble women vying for his attention?
"It's going well enough; I was able to escape for a little while. I'm amazed no one has attempted to track me down demanding my attention as to what decorations I would prefer in the hall," he said, scowling slightly. Katara grinned, trying not to giggle at the look on his face.
"You're more than welcome to hide out here if you wish," she said, trying to not sound hopeful. He smiled in response and took a seat in one of the plush chairs in the room.
"Is that the outfit you'll be wearing?" he asked, gesturing to a traditional Fire Nation outfit laying on her bed.
"Is it not appropriate?" she asked, hoping that she hadn't picked an outfit that would offend in anyway.
"No, it's lovely," Zuko said, blushing slightly. The water bender smiled shyly, pleased that he liked her section. "Katara, I…" the Fire Lord started, trailing off suddenly.
"Yes?" she prompted, as she watched him look away from her for a moment, a scowl gracing his lovely features.
"I need to ask you something, I mean tell you something, I mean," he stuttered, blushing slightly, his left hand coming up to rub the back of his head in embarrassment. "I-"
"Lord Zuko, I apologize for interrupting, but your attention is needed in the banquet room," a servant said, interrupting the two, causing them both to jump, blushes staining their cheeks.
"I'll see you later then?" Katara asked as Zuko got up to leave. He looked at her for a moment before nodding and smiling. He turned on his heel and quickly left the room, gently closing the door behind him. Katara frowned slightly, wondering what Zuko had been trying to tell her, it had seemed important. Maybe he had been trying to ask her to accompany him to the celebration! She smiled at the idea, allowing herself a bit of hope as she hummed to herself, continuing wither preparations for the celebration. She wanted to look her best for him.
Sometime later found Katara walking down the hall, trying to locate the banquet hall. Dammit! Why was this place so big? It felt like a maze and she almost always got lost trying to find her way around. She scowled slightly, hoping she would find someone soon to ask for directions. She didn't want to be wandering around all night. Her friends were waiting for her and she hadn't seen her brother, Aang or Toph for a while and had been looking forward to catching up with them. A sound in the hall made her pause. She listened, trying to identify the sound. There, voices. They sounded like they were discussing something serious. She quietly walked forward, pausing at the corner of the hall, listening. It was Zuko and Ty Lee. She didn't want to interrupt but at the same time she felt uncomfortable eavesdropping. Making up her mind to make her presence known, she rounded the corner, her voice stopping dead in her throat. She blinked, not believing the scene before. Ty Lee had her arms wrapped around Zuko, kissing him passionately. No, no, it couldn't be. She shook her head in disbelief, forcing her body to turn around and run, a small sob escaping her as she ran back the way she came, blindly looking for her room.
She heard Zuko call her name, but she ignored him, feeling her heart break. How could she have been so stupid? That's what Zuko had been trying to tell her earlier, not trying to ask her to the ball. She picked up her pace, not wanting to hear his excuses- it's not what it looks like. I can explain Katara. Please don't tell anyone, we haven't announced it yet! She couldn't hear his excuses. She randomly ran down hallways, not caring where she ended up. Eventually after some time, she found her way back to her room. Quickly glancing inside, glad that no one, especially Zuko was there; she grabbed her bag, and threw a few things she would need in it, leaving the rest. She would leave, disappear. She couldn't face him, not anymore. Her heart was too broken. She needed time to herself to heal. Decision firmly made, she opened the balcony door, looking back one more time before climbing down.
Katara woke, feeing tears streaming down her face. It had been two years since she had run. Her heart had slowly begun to heal after many months. She had heard rumours in her travels of her friends looking for her, but she had managed to stay ahead of them, never letting them catch her. There was no way she could face them now, not after being gone for two years. They would think her a coward, and maybe she was. No matter how much she yearned to see her friends again, the thought of Zuko still brought her to tears. No, it was best if she just forgot about them, especially him and start a new life. Besides, who would want a peasant water bender? She sighed to herself, getting out of bed. She began to pack up her meager belongings. It was time to change villages again, to disappear. Maybe one day she could stop running…maybe one day.