Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the last airbender. I idolize the people who do. I am not responsible for any trauma you may experience when reading this piece of purely fan-made fiction. I make no profit off of the characters or concepts of Avatar: the last Airbender.
A/N: okay, I wrote it! second chapter! This one was a bit harder. It was a lot more informative and plot progressing than anything else. not much emotional development here.
I went about writing this chapter in a very unorthodox way. two days ago, the only thing I had written for this chappie was the kataang fight. xD From there I wrote the beginning of the chapter, and the dialog for the dinner, and some random lines in between. I typed it up this morning. Realized it was half assed. Edited and revised like crazy. Added a lot. When I don't want to write something it takes a really long time. But really tried my hardest on this one. v.v;
I have most of the rest written already, I think. I may have to change some stuff for the last chapter, and this is a short fic, and you are going to need everthing after chapter three at the same time. trust me.
this chapter is not as exciting, but it is necessary. I tried to write in some jokes and emotions. I took a lot of inspiration from Fandomme 'cause I loved stormbenders so much ;-; I may have failed. And it took a while to come up with a title. I've decided on a theme/inspiration for the titles though xD PATD's when the day met the night
At a World's End,
Chapter two: some distant horizon
Katara's exhausted mind and body forced her to sleep in for the rest of that morning. Zuko waits for her to awaken to tell their friends. She would have to make it clear she was making the decision herself, he knows.
He does not hesitate, however, to relay his plans to his uncle, knowing the older man would understand all of this better than he did himself rather than jump to some hasty conclusion. Zuko spends his lunch break talking it over with Iroh, reminiscing and figuring out some obscure course of action.
"The last they'd heard of her was in the northeastern forests."
"She would have gone towards the coastline; she always loved the ocean."
That statement makes Zuko wonder (or fantasize) about just how close his mother and uncle really were. The idea gives him a strange kind of hope-his real mother, and his only father, together. Iroh had always known her better than his biological father did-but he has no time to dwell on it. By early afternoon, Katara is on her feet again, worn, but not the least bit fazed.
They tell everyone at dinner.
"EUUGH!?" Sokka yells in his usual way of making no intelligible speech.
Toph speaks up. "Yeah, why didn't you tell us? How long have you known about this trip?"
"I have been planning for weeks," Zuko states. "And I won't let it go, just to stay here with all of you."
"But-but…Kataraa?" Sokka whines.
Zuko sees the girl open and close her mouth, trying to come up with a response, and comes to her aid. "I believe that is Katara's decision, not yours, Sokka. After the incident with the southern raiders, we both feel that it is her journey too."
The thought of their mother shuts the other boy up up. Spoken like a true diplomat, Katara thinks.
"We leave tomorrow morning."
A more ignorant person would expect things to be peaceful after the conversation. Zuko and Katara are not that lucky, and they know it. Sure enough, there is yelling coming from the girl's bedroom long after most have gone to bed.
Zuko listens silently from the next room.
"Katara, why are you leaving right when everything is so perfect?"
"It doesn't feel like it's perfect to me Aang. You know I don't think like that."
"But I thought we were together now. We love each other. Why would you leave now?"
"Aang, I never told you that I was in love with you!" Her tone goes from defiant to desperate in the space of a second. "I still don't know, okay?"
"But I saved the world, Katara! The war is over! Why can't you decide? What's wrong?" The boy sounds heartbroken. Zuko knew he took their relationship seriously. He didn't think this trip would mess them up so badly. Like adding fuel to the fire.
She is practically screaming. "Love isn't a thing to be earned, Aang!"
Silence.
"Is that…is that how you saw it? This whole time?"
He stops listening after this, feeling like he had no right to eavesdrop on such personal matters. At least that's what he told himself. For some reason, he could barely bring himself to stop listening. He was…concerned.
Mai herself had cast glares his way all throughout dinner and their evening tea (because it's always tea). He had no doubt that she was silently demanding an explanation as to why Katara could be involved when he was casting her away. Because she understands this trip like I do…
He never does try to explain this to her. He knows she would never see the reasoning behind his excuses.
After all that tension, and one anxious night spent wondering where it will all take them, the morning arrives.
They all load onto the air bison to say their goodbyes outside of the city. Mai refuses to come along, not getting past her disgust over the animal.
After loading their scant bags onto the saddle, Zuko touches down onto the ground again. He turns around to face her, straightening.
The look she gives her is enough to wipe the smile off his face.
"I'm sorry, Mai."
"I'm sure you are." She sounded mad.
"I need to do this. She's my mother. I care about her."
"And I care about you, Zuko. Why are you trying to get rid of me?"
"I want you to find something better. Something you care about more. I don't want you to devote your whole life to me. I can't do that to you. There are other things in this world to care about." He already felt the futility of his words.
"I don't understand that." She looks up at him angrily and his eyes go cold.
"And I can't accept you until you do." She scowls, and sighs angrily (for the 14th time that day) before turning around and walking back into the estate.
He looks after her, feeling a little guilty. He forgets the whole thing when Toph yells, "Come on Hotman! Let's get this over with!"
Outside the city, goodbyes are said. It is a bit of an awkward moment for some ("I'm sure he can keep you company, Toph. Now will you please get off of me?"), and bitter for others (namely his exchange with Aang), but finally, he faces his uncle again.
Iroh has to tilt his head up to look him in the eye these days. "Make sure you say hello for me, Zuko."
"Of…of course, Uncle." It is one of the rare times he lets his uncertainty show. I don't like leaving you.
"And Zuko…We could never stop loving you. She could not get mad at you." A proud but sad gleam shows in his eyes.
Iroh grabs him into a hug, surprising him. "O-okay, Uncle…"
"Goodbye, Zuko. We will see each other again soon. I am sure of it." He draws away, and squints his eyes in a smile. Zuko still has a question for him.
"Uncle…were you and…" he starts to say, but his uncle has already turned towards Katara, and is hugging her around the shoulders. The girl in question is laughing awkwardly.
He smiles briefly. His uncle had the valuable skill of knowing how to avoid a subject.
Finally it is time to leave. Zuko sees Katara share a glance with the avatar as he sits on the head of his most beloved pet. He sees her expression fall.
"Goodbye, Aang."
The boy looks away. "Yip yip!"
As their friends wave from his back, Appa grunts once and takes off, blowing dust into their faces. They turn around and start walking in complete silence.
"Are you going to be alright?" he asks, keeping his eyes trained forward. She tries to wipe her tears when he is not looking.
"I think so." He hears it as a desperate question.
Zuko doesn't know whether to feel more sorry for the friends they just left behind, or the girl walking next to him.
A/N: okay. tell me what you think :3
Anyways, the thing about Iroh and Ursa, I believe is true. I think after Iroh's wife died he probably became close to Ursa. And after his son died...well. By the time he got home she was gone. This probably hit him hard. I didn't want to explore their relationship though. Sweet, but not the point of this fic. I may bring it up later. ugh. this is confusing.
I also tried to give a different perspective to Zuko and Katara's respective breakups xD people tend to get rid of the bad ships in a very ignorant way. I hope I pulled it off.
I hope you enjoyed this installment of 'Chicken Soup for the Momentarily Beaten Zutarian Soul' :D
Please review, and spread the word xD I like reviews. They are my crack.
-Fishy