May 25, 2012

Katara walked briskly through the corridors of the Fire Lord's palace. It was surreal to believe that the war was over and Zuko was the Fire Lord. His hair was always in a topknot, never messy like it used to be. It made her think of the beginning back in the South Pole when his head was shaved with a ponytail.

Her heart started to thud again, Zuko really gave it his all in sparring today. Aang was still mastering fire bending but something in Zuko pushed him to the edge. She wondered if something was eating him and he was taking out his aggression through practice. Katara couldn't blame him. It was stressful coordinating the three nations back to what they once were. Displaced people and rebuilding, restructuring socities and communities to be focused on equality. It made Katara's head swim.

Katara weaved through the labrinth that brought her to a secret pool in one of the most inner courtyards. It was a natural hot spring, the steam misting over made it look inviting. It was well kept but something about it made the place feel comfortable. Ivy snaked down one wall and moss grew tidily on statues in patches. it was as if it were done on purpose.

Sliding in with her underclothes on, the warm engulfed her aching muscles. Katara sighed with satisfaction. It felt nice to relax after all the stress of rebuilding of the three nations. Meeting after meeting, planning and advising, Katara was ready to bang her head on the wall. But for this month, everyone was taking a hiatus. Less meetings, handpicked advisers taking the helm. It would be a nice mini vacation before slipping back into their old lives, helping to replace what was lost.

Even though Katara wasn't the avatar or the Fire Lord or anything special. She felt an enormous weight on her shoulders. Sokka was going to the South Pole with Dad and the others. But she was going to the North Pole alone trying to unite the Water Tribe again. She held her breath and sunk into the water. In an attempt to clear her mind she swam and practiced some water bending techniques. She wasn't actually lying when she told Toph she needed to practice. Katara just needed space.

Even though her brain was comatose with exhaustion, she needed to sort out her feelings. As the days went by, the spark she felt when Aang kissed her flickered more and more. It was dangerously close to extinguishing. It wasn't that she didn't love Aang, it was that she didn't love him like that. She always wished for a kind, compassionate man to marry. Aang was all that and more but he wasn't quite a man yet. Besides she was yearning for more. Katara found herself wondering if when people actually obtained what they wanted, did they begin to discard it since it was achieved? When we get what we want do we dismiss since there are no more challeges?

The more she thought of Aang, the more Zuko ran through her thoughts. His image huanted her throughout the day, the rare times he smiled. She thought about him constantly. He had nothing to offer her. Zuko had lightened up a great deal after being crowned but shut himself off again as stress set in. He was back to being aloof with undertones of condescension. She had forgiven him for all that he had done but it didn't mean that she had to forget.

"Katara. What are you doing here?" cutting through her thoughts, Zuko was at the entrance of the small courtyard. The water whip she had been practicing fell and she couldn't seem to find her voice. Looking at the sky instead of his face she could she see birds flying overhead.

"I was practicing. What are you doing here?" Smart move. Questioning the 'Fire Lord.' It was as if it weren't bad enough that she liked him, he had found her as well.

"This is my private courtyard since this is my palace." His voice monotone and eyes seared into hers. Her stomach felt like filled with bees than butterflies. The way he spoke was so aggravating. He was so rude.

"Well, your majesty excuse my ignorance," she spat in retaliatation. She ennunciated each word with exaggeration. "I was just leaving."

Katara gathered her clothes under arms, sopping wet. Zuko blocked the doorway. "Can you please move? Since this is your private courtyard I need to leave."

Zuko cocked an eyebrow and simply shrugged, "Make me."

"You're being ridiculous. Now move." Katara was seething. Zuko folded his arms. Clearly he had just finished with Aang since he was dripping with sweat but apparently his adrenaline was still in full swing. Katara gathered her energy, exhaling she sank into a fighting stance.

"You asked for it." She drew up a water whip with which he deflected making it steam. Zuko took the opportunity to advance forward as Katara took more fromthe spring. Hands illuminated with fire started to take quick punches. Katara dodged them best she could letting herself be pushed back toward she pool. She made a feeble defense. Near the water she focused slipped out from his attacks, and sneaked a rope of water around his ankle. That had been the plan when he leapt up to avoid being yanked into the water. As he came down hard, Katara channeled all her energy into creating water ropes on her arms. She caught Zuko on his way down. Katara's ropes dumped him into the pool.
Katara felt triumphant, another check for her. After she made one quick gloat. After all this time, he was still a brat who couldn't admit defeat easily. A little rubbing it in his face would hopefully tone down his ego.

Zuko hadn't emerged yet. He was probably playing a trick. Katara pushed the worry onto the edge of her thoughts. But he still wasn't coming up. She dropped her bundled clothes by her side, still in her underthings. She stepped up to the rim and peered in.

Zuko sprang up from the water and wrapped his arms around her legs, drawing her into the water with him. She aware that she was only in the lightest of clothing when he was still fully dressed. Katara struggled to hold her breath and wrestle out of his grip. He was too strong, she elbowed him in his stomach. Didn't do much, since it was muscle.

Finally breaking the surface, he let go. He actually had the nerve to laugh.

"You're an asshole." Katara waded over to the steps, Zuko's hand clasped her wrist.

"C'mon I was only kidding," Zuko rolled his eyes. "You wanted a challenge and I gave you one." There was that sly grin again and somehow in the misdt of that her stomach did a backflip.

All of a sudden Katara became angry, "No. You wanted a fight! I gave you one and you were a sore loser."

Katara pulled the water up and splashed it hard in his face. She started cracking up, now his bun was ruined. His hair was completely in his face. Before he could brush it back, she gave another blast. Giving him a minute to breath, "That was joing around. This however is not."

Katara splashed him again and then jumped on him putting his neck in the crook of her elbow. She attempted to drag him best she could. Zuko turned the tables, he gripped her arms firmly twisting in until Katara was facing him. Zuko put her up against the pool wall. They were both breathing hard he leaned his hands on the edges one either side of her.

"What was that?" Zuko finally exhaled. His eyes were angry but simultaneously intrigued.

"What was supposed to be payback," Katara was annoyed that her heart was beating like a timpani. She hoped it wasn't so loud he could hear it. Katara folded her arms, self concious. She stared back defiantly at Zuko. Beginning to feel uncomfortable standing so close to him. She tried to move his arm, "Now you really need to move."

"Or what?" Cocking his head to one side.

"You know what." Katara really needed to get out of there. It didn't feel right. It wasn't fair to Aang. She felt angry at herself for wanting to stay but she knew she couldn't.

"You're scared." Zuko leaned in close to her ear. "Admit it."

"Admit what?" Katara didn't know what to do, she didn't have enough room to bend. Zuko was so close she could feel his breath on her neck. He still radiated heat from their struggle.

"That you're afraid of me," he whispered as he pulled back to see her reaction.

"Ha! Yeah right." Katara was freaked out but she kept her thin composure.

"Then this won't be a problem." What wouldn't be a problem? He took her cheek in his hand and dove down smashing his mouth with hers. At first Katara leaned back but gave in, deepening the contact. She reached up and took his face in her hands. One of his hands rested on her lower back pushing her into him.

She pushed him back as hard as she could. She couldn't do this to Aang. She turned and lfited herself out of the pool. Katara ran through the halls, leaving her robes on the floor. She could still hear Zuko calling after her as her feet pounded the ground.