For all the fans of Ho'Wan and Bent, I give you little post-Bent songfic drabble, based on the infamous ballroom scene from the movie Labyrinth. This takes place 14 hours after the events in Bent.

I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, or As the World Falls Down by David Bowie.


The giant flying bison set the trio down for the night. They had a huge lead on Prince Zuko's Fire Nation ship, and it was with great relief that they hadn't seen it since leaving the strange cursed island that morning. It meant they could rest for a while, and catch up on some much needed sleep.

Though she was exhausted, Katara tossed fitfully in her sleeping bag on the cold, hard ground. Nothing from the previous night's experience made sense, and Sokka's explanation was nowhere near satisfactory. Her head was full of strange images and snatches of conversations and sounds heard distantly through the haze of her altogether forgotten dreams. Her skin tingled, and she was keenly aware of her own body heat, as if it radiated from an entirely different being lingering by her side.

But her body's need for sleep eventually won the battle over her brain. As her heavy eyelids drooped, she found the images and whispers blending into a feathery dreamscape done up in watercolours, gauze and blown glass bubbles.


The Water Tribe girl drifted into a grand ballroom full of music and skirts and silk and sparkles. Lace and sequins floated on the necklines, wrists and up-dos of dozens of beautiful laughing women sweeping around the dance floor in the arms of gallant men. Their laughter and the music they danced to was subdued, as though her ears were stuffed with cotton. Her feet didn't touch the ground as she wandered about.

She felt lost. She knew she was looking for something, or someone, in this magnificent palace, but she felt so out of place. She was only a simple peasant in her simple blue robes, a shade moving about unseen through the crowds of swirling dancers. Then she noticed something about all the hazy people around her: they all wore beautiful, elaborate masks. The empty eyes passed over her, not even giving her a cursory glance. She was not much to look at, after all.

If I had a mask, I could join the party, her dream mind reasoned. And as if by magic, her wishes were heard, and a half mask appeared in her hand. The cat eyes sparkled with silver gems. It seemed to shift in her dream eye, like a forever waxing moon. It had no strap or handle. She just put it on and knew it would fit and stay. And it did.

And the clouded world before her suddenly opened, as though a heavy veil had been lifted off her head.

She was no longer a simple peasant girl. She looked down at herself and found she was wearing the most gorgeous silk gown, the shades of blues and silvers shifting as though she wore the moonlit ocean itself. Her chestnut tresses were loose and sparkled with more gems, stars on a wavy brown sky.

The music swooned. The guests all turned to the dais at the far end of the ballroom and she followed their gazes.

He appeared in regal gold and crimson splendor, his mask a delicate creation of fiery gold blazing in the candlelight. His poise was cool and intense as he scanned the room, searching. The Prince's eye fell on Katara and they locked gazes, gold eyes piercing blue ones.

Katara stood frozen, a breath caught in her throat as he slowly paced toward her from the other end of the room, his gaze unwavering. She was captivated by his eyes, the way the colour shifted behind the mask from amber to gold to shades of yellow she could only name in her dreams. It was like staring into the heat of a candle flame, flickering in a dark room, the only happy light in an otherwise gloomy house.

There's such a sad love
Deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel
Open and closed within your eyes
I'll place the sky within your eyes ...

The Prince stood before her, every stitch and detail of his handsome uniform clear in the water girl's dream eye, and he gently took her slack hand in his and led her to the dance floor. The water girl felt a flutter in her tummy that slowly spread to her toes. Her feet barely touched the ground as he slid his arm around her waist and placed her hand on his warm shoulder, drawing her close to his warm body.

There's such a fooled heart
Beating so fast in search of new dreams
A love that will last within your heart
I'll place the moon within your heart...

He whirled her gently around the floor, pressing lightly against her, her small, cool hand resting lightly in his warm one. This is so right, she sighed as she leaned into the prince. Katara knew her search was over. Whatever she had been looking for had found her instead.

Or had it? She wasn't even sure what it was she had been looking for.

She blinked in confusion. Something was wrong. A pang went through her chest as she instinctively drew away, leaving the warmth of his embrace. She turned her back on the Prince and drifted back into the crowd of full satin skirts, still searching for… whatever it was.

Or was she running away out of habit?

As the pain sweeps through
Makes no sense for you
Every thrill has gone
Wasn't too much fun at all…

She had to find… that thing… that person…?

But I'll be there for you...

The Prince appeared before her once more, watching her impassively, his heavy-lidded amber eyes gazing at her expectantly. The smallest of smiles graced his lips.

As the world falls down...

And when Katara looked into those eyes, she felt herself melt like snow in the sun. She was drawn to him, a moth to the flame, inextricably caught in the current, being pulled into the whirlpool of his being...

Falling…

He took her in his arms again and held her more closely, stroking her hair. She did not resist his burning touch and leaned into him with another sigh, smiling.

Falling in love…

The gold-eyed Prince's soft lips brushed her cheekbone as he whispered hotly in her ear:

I'll paint you mornings of gold,
I'll spin you Valentine evenings ,
Though we're strangers till now
We're choosing the path between the stars…
I'll leave my love between the stars…

But it still wasn't right. She suddenly felt cold. Katara pushed him away. No! This wasn't what she had been looking for! She spun and ran through the ballroom, her heart beating loudly in her ears. She choked back a sob.

As the pain sweeps through
Makes no sense for you
Every thrill has gone
Wasn't too much fun at all...

She ran up against the curved wall, finding no exits. She was trapped in this bauble, this little fake world…

But I'll be there for you...

The Prince reappeared at her side, still passively watching her. He looked on as though resigned, waiting for his other half to concede to her fate. He would chase her forever across the dancefloor in this little world of theirs. Sun to her moon, they would forever be at odds.

But Katara would fight Fate. And she'd go down fighting.

As the world falls down...

She reached up and ripped the Prince's brilliant mask off his face.

Falling...

He pulled away briefly, but slowly turned to look at her again.

Falling...

Kimji stared back at her, looking hurt.

As the world falls down...

No.

She grabbed at his face again and tore.

Falling...

Zuko.

She gasped, staring at the bright flame-shaped scar on the side of his face where the Prince's gold mask had resided. And yet, this was not right either. She reached up again.

Grab. Tear.

Falling...

She didn't know who the next layer was, but she didn't like the shadowy figure resting in the aura of fire. He smply radiated malevolence and hatred.

Grab. Tear.

Falling...

And it was The Prince once more, still wearing the gold half mask. Katara inhaled sharply as he grabbed her wrists and stopped her from peeling any more layers away.

He pulled her to him, one hand tangling into her bejeweled hair, and tilted her face up to his. His lips danced against hers, his hot breath brushing her chin and cheeks. Katara couldn't fight the heat. She relented and their lips met in an electric sizzle that melted all her resistance, her very being consumed by his intensity.

Falling in love...

It was a literal earth-shattering moment as the ballroom disappeared in a flurry of bubbles and confetti and the water girl floated in a never-ending tumble through the soft void, clinging to the Prince with life, limbs, and lips.

As the world falls down...
Falling...
Falling...
Falling in love...
As the world falls down...
Falling...
Falling...
Falling...

Katara vaguely heard a voice in the back of her mind sing to her:

Makes no sense at all...
Makes no sense to fall...

But as the Prince deepened the kiss, the only sensation she could feel was his warmth, his touch. There was nothing beyond that.

Falling...
As the world falls down...
Falling...
Falling...
Falling in love...

Air. She desperately needed air. She needed to release. Katara suddenly broke the kiss, panting, and the Prince slid out of her embrace like a bolt of silk, tumbling away from her into the darkness. The water girl cried out, reaching for him.

As the world falls down...

Down and down she plummeted through the dark, the cold...

Falling...

Falling...


She woke with a start, sitting up in her sleeping bag, shouting. Aang and Sokka both snapped awake at her cry.

"Katara, what's wrong?" Sokka asked in panic, reaching for his club.

The water girl panted, wiping sweat from her brow. Her heart pounded in her chest. She could still hear the ballroom music echoing in her ears.

Falling in love...

"Nothing," she murmured. "Nothing... it was just a dream."

Falling in love...


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