Steam: A Zutara Story
I watched as Zuko stormed off to the mountain side, his body slightly steaming. He always does this! Well I'm not letting him run away from his problems anymore! "Zuko! Get beck here!" I yelled, but he was already out of earshot. "Impossible!" I turned to the others in our group.
"Geez Katara, that was really harsh." "Sokka! How could you say that? After all the things he has put us through, I was harsh? All I said was that Zuko betrays everyone he even remotely feels for. He betrayed his country, Mai, his uncle. He betrayed ME! So excuse me for not trusting him so whole heartedly like the rest of you do!" "Katara, we have mixed feelings about Zuko still, just like you do, but we are trying to forgive him and move on, we have way more important things to worry about than our feelings about Zuko." Does Aang always have to be the peace maker? I know he's the Avatar and all, but sometimes its just irritating.
" Yeah Sugar Queen, Twinkle Toes is right you don't need to through his life mistakes in his face every chance you get." I hate how annoying the little earth bender can be. "We don't need Zuko as an enemy again Katara. Its much better for us if he is on our side." "Your right Sokka, maybe I should go after him." Yes I should go after him, Zuko is much more dangerous when he is alone and when he has free time to plot.
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"Who does that water bender think she is?" I yelled into the night. Nothing ever escapes her fury. So protective over her family. Does she not understand, if I had wanted the Avatar gone, I would have killed him by now? Even with the threat of my destiny being permanently ended hanging over my head.
I heard the water bender footsteps before she had reached me. "Did you come up here to blow more of my life's mistakes up in my face, or did you just come up here to annoy me?" Her sapphire eyes burned with hate and anger, but for a brief moment I saw hurt flash through her eyes. Great! I hurt her again! But what should I care? It's not like she spares my feelings.
"Actually Zuko" She said through gritted teeth, I hate the way she mangles my name in her mouth. "I came to apologize." I was turned away from her so she didn't see the shock on my face, and I'm glad she couldn't. She says I'm so cunning but she neglects to look at how cunning she is. She is deadly when she wants to be, she always strikes the heart. But due to her compassionate nature she strikes her own heart as well.
"Katara, I know you better than that, you would never apologize to me, I'm not worth it." "Your right, your not." She spit at me. Her normally beautiful voice is so bitter- What am I thinking! If she could read thoughts she would blast me off this cliff side!
That's why her words have been cutting through me like knives lately, even during her fits of rage she is beautiful. I could never tell her this of course, if I did those words would be my last. "So if I'm so imperfect Katara, why keep me around! Why don't you just end my horrible life now!" Her jaw dropped and a look of shock spread across her face, but her response was, "I would, but unfortunately Aang needs you, and the world needs Aang! Thanks to the Fire nation and all of its spoiled, power hungry, people!"
That was the last straw! I've been working so hard on controlling my anger but this beautiful yet infuriating water bender has pushed me to the edge! I turned toward the ocean, lifted my face to the moon and roared. The heat of the flames that came from my mouth warmed my skin. I heard Katara gasp but I didn't care, she was provoking the dragon within me and I had to let him out.
I would regret this later, but I couldn't care less. I watched as the last flames licked the sky, then I turned toward Katara. She had taken a step back and she wore a mask of fear. She hadn't been suspecting this much anger inside of me, I could tell she hadn't realized I had been holding back before. Boy was she wrong.
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I hate to admit it but I was actually terrified of Zuko, but at the same time I had never been more attracted to him. What am I thinking! I promised myself I wouldn't put myself through this anymore. No matter how hard I try I cant imagine his face as ugly anymore, on the contrary I think his face is beautiful. His golden eyes burn and smolder with emotions. His strong arms swell with anger. I cant get the countless images off him practicing his bending with Aang out of my mind, the way he controls his element.
The heat of the flames he breathed was strong compared to the crisp night air. I took a step back afraid he would turn on me. I looked at the moon and the way the flames ate at the sky, it looked like the moon was being devoured by Zuko's flames. This is what made me truly fearful, the image of the moon, the strongest symbol of my element, being devoured by flames. After the last flame went out Zuko turned to me. I couldn't believe it!
I honestly felt bad for him, I felt bad that I had caused this much hate to escape from his body. I must have looked as terrified as I felt because upon seeing me, instead of stepping toward me, which would have sent me running, he just sat down. After such a short amount of time he already knew what would make me feel threatened enough to flee. I didn't know how to feel about that.
After a few minutes of calming himself and breathing, I had sat down near him. Now that I knew he wasn't going to hurt me I was ready to really apologize, I owed it to him. "Zuko-" "No, Katara," He took a deep calming breath, "I'm sorry I did that, I'm trying really hard to control my anger, but I just…" He turned his face away from me.
"But I just make it very difficult for you." I corrected. "Impossible." He actually half smiled! Well maybe it was a smirk, either way it made his face even more beautiful. "Zuko", I tried again. "I'm sorry I push you to these extremes. I can tell you are trying really hard to fit in here and I'm just getting in the way of that, and that is terribly wrong of me."
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Was the water bender actually apologizing? Even after my childish fit? I was sure that would bring even more fighting words from her. Instead she sat down near me and waited for me to calm myself. Will I ever figure out the complex puzzle that is Katara? I don't even know how to respond to this! But I need to think of something fast. "Katara-" "Zuko, you don't have to say anything. I was the one out of line, and I'll just take you not hitting me with those flames as your apology. I feel terrible for making you feel that much hate."
Katara looked down at the unlit woodpile that was left over from years of bonfires. I wanted to clearly see her face so I lit the wood. Against her best efforts a single tear had managed to escape from her sapphire eyes. Before I had time to think about the consequences, I saw my hand reach and wipe the tear from her face. She looked at me, slightly shocked, but I could sense no hostility. She looked at my hand. I wanted to make her laugh so I warmed my hand and the tear evaporated.
"Hmhmhm." She chuckled as the steam from her tear floated into the night. But then it was my turn to laugh because the oh-so-clever water bender froze the steam into a little ice ball and hit me in the head. "Ow!" I managed to get out while I was laughing. Wait! I was actually laughing? Katara was a better healer than I thought. "Sorry." She giggled. Was that a blush I saw beneath her mocha skin? It couldn't have been, could it? But as soon as the laughter began it died out again.
"Katara, whats wrong?" She was staring at the fire I had created. "Zuko," She started hesitantly, "What's it like being a fire bender?" This reply threw me off guard. I never thought I would hear "fire bender" come out of her mouth in such a calm manner. "Well, its like having a raging fire inside yourself. Its like part of you is constantly burning, but the burn isn't always painful." Did she just blush again? "I'm sorry for making your inner fire burn so violently." "You make my inner fire burn in more ways than one Katara."
You make my inner fire burn in more ways than one? WHAT WAS I THINKING! So to cover that little blimp I continued explaining what its like to be a fire bender. "It's a constant inner struggle, always battling within yourself. Fire isn't just destructive, it also provides life. Like the sun. I am constantly at war with my destructive side. Always trying to push myself forward to my peaceful side, destruction always trying to pull me back."
I looked at Katara. She was studying me very closely, no move of mine escaped her burning eyes. I wanted her to say something, anything that would break this gaze. "I never thought of it that way." She finally said. "I've only focused on the negative aspects of fire and fire benders." "And that's why your image of me is so mangled, because you see me as something negative. But fire isn't always a bad thing, it can be used for good."
"I try not to see you as a negative image but I let my feelings in the way of that. How can fire be anything but destructive?" I thought about it. "Well," I thought about life and all the good things fire can bring. "Fire brings light, and it helps cook food, and heat tea." She laughed. I wondered what had amused her. "What?" "Nothing, its just when you said that fire can be used to heat tea I thought of your uncle." I smiled.
"Fire also brings warmth." I warmed my body temperature and touched her face. She looked up at me and held my golden eyes with her sapphire ones. She blushed, this time I was sure, and turned away slightly. The tips of my fingers still barley touching her skin. I curled my fingers slowly and pulled my hand away.
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The way Zuko talked about fire bending made me question my whole perspective on it. I had never thought about the good things fire brought. And I had no way of preparing for Zuko's unexpected touch. His hand was so warm it felt nice against my cold skin. And of all things I blushed! Three times!
I wasn't sure if he had noticed the first two, but I knew he had noticed that last one. I turned away from him, not out of hate or anger, but because I liked his touch to much. I left the tips of his fingers on my face though, giving him the chance to pull away. I was slightly disappointed when he gently curled his fingers and took his hand away.
After an awkward silence Zuko began to speak but stopped himself. "What is it Zuko?" I turned to him trying to catch his eyes. "Well I was wondering…" He hesitated, calculating how I would react to his question. I smiled "Zuko, go ahead," I touched his hand. "Ask me." He finally looked at me. "I was wondering what it was like being a water bender." I chuckled, why was this a difficult question for him to ask? He looked down embarrassed, I hadn't meant to embarrass him.
"What is it like being a water bender?" I said aloud, pondering over that question. I had never really thought about it. This is how he must have felt when I put him on the spot, asking what it was like being a fire bender. "Actually, its similar to being a fire bender. I have a lot of struggle within myself."
"Why would you have inner struggle? Water is so pure and beautiful, and peaceful and helpful! It's nothing like fire!" "Zuko, have you not seen the waves of the ocean? The ships lost to the sea? The ocean is unforgiving and merciless. But then there's the lakes and ponds and streams, so peaceful and calm."
He sat in silence. "When you get angry its like a volcano inside of you ready to erupt, right?" He nodded his head, still trying to grasp what I was saying. "Well for me its like the whole ocean, with all of its unforgiving fury, is swelling up inside of me. It's very hard to contain." I looked to the fire and watched the flames lick at the wood. The fire was beautiful, I had to admit it.
Zuko was looking out at the ocean. "What are you thinking about?" I asked him. I wasn't worried he was plotting something I just honestly wanted to know what was on his mind. "I'm thinking of the time I spent on the sea, and you are right, the ocean is unforgiving!" He picked up a rock and threw it off the cliff side. It clattered down and I heard a faint splash, indicating it had reached the bottom. I tried not to let his reply get to me, it wasn't like he was trying to make me angry.
"But water also brings good things. It helps things grow, it heals…" I don't even know what was going through my brain, but I reached my hand out and gently placed my fingers on his scar. "It soothes." I breathed. I thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head. I stifled the giggle I could feel coming. I had never seen him wear a more adorable expression.
I let my body temperature cool and held my hand there, acting like an ice compress. Instead of pulling away like I did, he closed his eyes and leaned into my hand. This surprised me, I was expecting him to be furious with me. His scar being such an awful thing for him and all. Although I had offered to heal him from his scar all those months ago in Ba Sing Se, I had never thought him ugly. In fact I would miss his scar if it was gone.
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Had Katara lost her mind! This was not the same girl who yelled at me earlier at camp. I couldn't pull away from her touch. Her cool skin felt so nice and soothing against my mauled flesh. How could she touch something so hideous?
I leaned into her hand craving her soothing touch. I haven't felt this at peace since long ago when I would stroll through palace gardens with my mother to feed the turtle ducks. I reached for her hand, the one rested in her lap. I flipped it so her palm faced the moon. I traced the lines in her skin slowly. I eventually had worked up to stroking her arm. I silently laughed as I watched the chill bumps rise on her skin.
She had begun to stroke my face, the mangled skin of my scar. I shuttered at the way her cold fingers brought fire to my skin. I closed my eyes, I let the feeling sink in not knowing when she would snap to her senses and pull away from me. That's when I realized it. I didn't want her to pull away. I wanted her to stay here with me. For her to sit her and treat me with this unexpected kindness, instead of her usual hostility.
So when she started to pull away, I panicked. I covered the hand that was touching my face. I turned my head so that my lips were touching her palm. "Katara." I whispered into her hand. She let her hand linger for a second longer, then she moved it to the one in her lap, which I still held.
She rested her hand on top of mine and squeezed it slightly. "Zuko, I think its time we get back to the others, I'm sure there getting worried." I sighed but she was right. We both got up at the same time, but she had never let go of my hand and I was in no rush to have her let go. She looked down at our hands and then looked up at me and smiled.
I gazed into those sapphire pools. I squeezed her hand. "Come on Katara, we should go." I warmed my body temperature a couple of degrees and I could tell she had cooled hers. So we walked hand in hand back to camp, our hands steaming the whole way.
The whole gang welcomed us back with hugs and laughter. I'm still getting used to the group's constant need for group hugs. I felt like I truly belonged here for the first time, like I finally followed the right path. The blind earth bender walked up to me. "Yes Toph." I asked politely. She smiled, well smirked actually. "Good luck with Sugar Queen Sparky, you'll need it." I chuckled, said my goodnights, and went to my tent. I went to sleep with the beautiful image of fire dancing on the water, with steam floating to the moon, playing through my mind.
Just a little something I wrote. This is the first fan-fic, let alone short story I've written, and I'm very proud of myself.
Please no bashing, constructive criticism only.
I know I have some grammer errors and I may have some spelling errors as well, but I'm just to lazy to fix them ;)
Enjoy!
And of course I do not own Avatar, because if I did, Zutara would be cannon.