Straightening my posture after an uncomfortable bus ride, I walked with the tour group toward the ticket counter of the Ahiti Koalaotter Orphanage on the outskirts of Danu. Shu handled the process of ticketing and gave an introduction speech, filled with a short snippet of pride since our country—an insignificant speck compared to the towering lands of North and South Aquam—had been the first in the world to establish an orphanage for koalaotters endangered by the fishing industry.
Shu continued to explain, "This orphanage stimulates the wild. Instead of being contained, the animals can roam more than 10 acres of grassland and water reservoirs freely. Koalaotters typically adhere to a herd structure and are well-fed. Every day in the morning, the baby koalaotters are bottle-fed with a special milk formula."
Shu droned on as the group followed in tow. I stopped behind to jot down a few notes about how it was important to consider visiting the island's eco-friendly and humanitarian aids, to get a better glimpse into what a place suffers from and the actions taken against it. I believed from a tourist's point of view that learning these things is quite empowering and allows a tourist to keep in touch with reality even if they are on vacation.
After a couple of minutes, I could feel somebody step into place beside me. When I glanced up, I nearly stumbled. My Ignisian. No, wait, I should call him Zuko. He wasn't mine, for crying out loud! At a loss for words, I waited for him to start the conversation, and it seemed to take him forever.
"What do you keep writing down?"
Horror flushed my face, but I stopped myself from being caught off guard.
"Just notes in my travel diary. You take pictures, I write instead," I tried to say nonchalantly.
"Interesting. What did the koalaotter orphanage inspire you to write?"
I sighed internally. Why is he being a goddamn detective?! I composed myself and decided to give him a vague description of what I wrote.
"I was just noting that seeing the islands rescue efforts is empowering for locals and tourists. It allows you to keep in touch with reality, while also seeing the good being done in a world filled with let downs."
"I never thought about it like that. I…err…think it's pretty amazing you noticed that. People, tourists especially, are too self-absorbed in their own getaway plans to notice the reality of the place they're in. I don't know what it is…but you just keep on surprising me," Zuko said bashfully, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck.
Was he hell-bent on making me glow with pride? And why was I wanting to draw more out of him instead of accepting his compliment graciously?
"Thanks. It's interesting you think so. To be honest, though, when we set out on today's expedition all I was only thinking about was petting the koalaotters."
"Ha! Well, they are cute as hell, but I just don't mean that you astonished me today, I was talking about all the spicy facts you spewed yesterday, as well."
"Oh."
I risked a glance to see that Zuko was staring at me, as if he was checking me out, keen on my reactions, eager to know more. It unsettled and thrilled me at the same time. An hour ago, on the bus, I had been observing how calm and detached he seemed, and now he was making conversation—not with the others of the group, but with measly me.
I remembered I was expected to answer, so I scrambled for a half coherent reply.
"I read a lot and it doesn't help that my gran-gran is always throwing lessons and wisdom at me. I just absorb it all like a sponge, blame it on my interest in facts and opinions."
There was a certain intensity to his words when he spoke again.
"So, you're interested in history and facts? I wouldn't have expected that. Most people don't pay attention to details or are only interested in happenings of the world momentarily until they are diverted by their own lives."
I nodded. "Yeah, exactly. Nobody gets why I'm so fixated on it."
Glancing up at him again, and then back to make sure we were still within the range of the group, I asked, "Did you read a bit about the Isle's history before coming here?"
"I'm afraid not. To be honest, this trip was just sprung unto me by my uncle."
His face looked sheepish with a boyish grin, and there was a different light in his gold eyes and it had nothing to do with the harsh sunlight burning down on them.
"I did, however, look up scenic sites I wanted to visit. I'm a photographer and I can't help but to always capture things that catch my eye."
Oh, add artistic to the things I liked about him.
"I had a feeling you were. When you take pictures, you have this kind of…intensity that's different than just a tourist photographing everything they set their eyes on," I said blushing at what was coming out my mouth, so I cleared my throat and continued, "Has the Isle caught your eye?"
Before I knew it, he smiled and had launched into an animated monologue about how he sees the island as of yet, about differences in demographic, culture, relations with the North and South Aquam, and the ever-present mythical aura that he's noticed.
As he spoke, I had the nagging thought at the back of my mind that I needed to focus on my article. But alas that was far from possible, I had stopped to stare and listen, entranced by the way his expressions mimicked what he said, by his beautiful voice, and by the way he was deeply lost in the topic. Zuko talked about his art as if he were telling a fairy tale—or reading a love story out loud. It caused my stomach to knot with an uneasy mix of fascination and forbidden attraction. It made me wish I had somebody like him close to share an enthusiasm for everything beautiful and adventurous.
All too soon, a call from Toph to come over to feed the koalaotters with her interrupted us and I had to apologize as I cut Zuko short. The group neared a lake where the koalaotters were in sight. It was truly stunning, where the water glistened with the little creatures living about peacefully. With some last instructions from Shu, the group wandered around and tried to get as close as they dared to the animals swimming about and soaking in the water. As I stood by Toph and Aang, I was gazing at the koalotters, when a hand touched my arm, making me jump.
It was odd that Zuko hadn't walked away and followed to be near me. Why? I didn't know, I only knew that I would have done the same, because I hated to admit it but I already was too attracted to him. He was staring at the splashes the koalaotters were making and the mothers with their adorable cubs with fascination. Butterflies danced in my stomach at his closeness, our arms almost touching. I wanted to treasure this rare moment of privacy. Searching for a topic, I settled on his profession, hoping I'd find out more about him.
"What kind of photography do you do?"
Zuko moved his attention from the koalaotters to me, once again penetrating me with his piercing gaze as if he wanted to read me and know me inside-out.
"I'm a photographer in the fashion and modelling industry," he stated in what I noticed a disdainful manner.
"Ah. I didn't peg you as one."
He looked at me curiously and asked, "What do you mean?"
"Err…it's just that you have an eye for things people usually don't really care to notice…you know, not blatant beauty…no offense to you or the industry…", I trailed off, stammering over my words.
Zuko gave a mirthless chuckle, "None taken. You're right though. I never enjoyed it at all…that field…it was kind of just pushed onto me."
I gave him a quizzical uplift of my brow, hoping he would elaborate. He seemed to notice and proceeded to explain himself after a breath.
"I always wanted to be a free-lance photographer, travelling and capture unique pictures to share with people. But, my father…he convinced me otherwise. Free-lancing wasn't a stable job, whereas in the fashion industry I was making bank, so it just made sense."
My admiration for him grew, at the same time my heart saddened for him. Why would he just let go of something he was passionate about just like that?
"But you don't love what you do?"
He looked taken aback my question and I realized I overstepped and mumbled, "Sorry…I shouldn't have…".
"No, it's fine. I never felt like the shots I took spoke to me. People would tell me they were perfect but I never knew what they meant to me. Uncle has always told me to just follow what felt right, but I couldn't just let the stability go to pursue something so risky, as my father would put it."
"Well…I know my opinion doesn't count for much, but I think your Uncle's right. You have a great talent, Zuko, and to just waste it on something so meaningless to you would only end up making you hate the thing that you loved."
I smiled up at him, only to see he was giving me a shy smile back, which made me quickly avert my eyes and caused cheeks to heat up even more.
"What about you?", he asked.
I glanced into his face and couldn't look away again because he was so goddamn handsome, and focused on me that it made me feel special. That's what so different about him. Nobody had ever cared enough to know (even Sokka got bored of my newspaper antics!).
"Oh, I'm just a writer," I shrugged, trying to play off my lies, "Although, at the moment, it's only a hobby for me, not a profession. I like writing about human stories or happenings that are usually missed by the world, whether it be happy or sorrowful. I like giving my opinion on what the busy world misses."
I bit my lip, afraid I was talking too much, but Zuko was hanging on to my every word.
"What an unusual choice. You picked a really specific niche for writing."
Do I detect admiration in his cultured voice? La, he made me feel so giddy, like idiotic schoolgirl.
Before I had the chance to respond, maybe shoot another question at him, a gust of wind stirred up the landscape. The surprisingly strong breeze whipped my wide sun hat from my head. It floated away with the breeze for several feet before plopping to the ground unceremoniously when the wind settled as fast as it had risen.
"Let me get that."
Zuko stalked off on his long legs while I stared at him in surprise. Within seconds, he picked up the hat, shook some non-existent dust off, and returned. I half reached out for the hat, but my arm dropped to my side lifelessly when the power of Zuko's gaze hit me.
He was drinking in my face, free from the overcast shade that the hat provided before. La, was he really scanning every single detail, the way a man would hungrily let his gaze wander over the face of a woman he found attractive? I don't remember the last time somebody had reacted like that towards me.
My throat went dry, and I was frozen in place. Zuko took a few steps closer, until he wasn't standing more than a foot or two away, and I had to tilt up my head to look into his eyes, wanting to drown in their warm golden depths.
We stared at each other, and I wondered why a small frown was forming a vertical line between his eyebrows. In slow motion, he lifted his arms and gently placed the hat on my hair, pushing it down until my eyes were in the shade again. His hands never touched me directly, but the deliberate slowness and strange intimacy of the gesture had made my pulse fluttering in my throat. His gaze strayed to its frantic movement beneath my caramel-colored skin.
"There you go," he said softly.
The air between us was strangely charged. I half expected him to touch me at any moment or make some move. I actually wanted him to do so.
"Tell me your name again."
His voice was husky and barely more than a whisper.
Right then and there, I didn't know where my voice was. Swallowing and resisting the urge to wet my lips with my tongue, I said, "Katara."
His gaze traveled to my mouth and back up to my wide eyes.
"Right. Katara."
It was interesting how strange and lovely my name sounded in his rough tone of voice. I wanted to hear him say it again and again, to whisper it into my ear, to shout it out in ecstasy, to…
Tearing my gaze off his face, I fought to get a hold of my wits. The alarm bells inside my head were ringing so loudly I was sure he could hear them too. What on earth was happening here?
I was a local, let alone a liar, and he was a tourist. End of story. Something as foolish as attraction had no right to step over that border. Besides, I had more to lose than a job. I had no damn right to fall in love—if this was love and not complete infatuation.
After a moment of collecting myself, I took a few steps away.
"Aren't you going to check out the koalaotters up close and get some pictures?" I asked, happy with myself that I sounded normal and collected.
When I peeked at him from the corner of my eye, I saw his features harden as if he was closing himself off and building up a defense again, just as I was.
"Yeah, I am," he said and sauntered off to join the rest of group who were petting some of the animals, leaving me feeling empty and confused.
I shouldn't be feeling this way. I was the one who pushed him away. The one thing I was sure of was that I needed to get a grip on myself.
A little tidbit: A lot of the excursions and attractions Zuko and Katara will be seeing are from my own experiences of touring my country a few years ago. I added little twists to it by incorporating the details of the Avatar world. Also, as the story progresses you will start to notice that the Isle where Katara lives has a lot of aspects of South Asian culture (ex. the mythology, food, weather, etc.). I decided to do this because, it would be a great contrast in sister nations between the Isle and cold continents of North and South Aquam, almost like how Katara fared in the foggy swamp, and I wanted to explore Katara figuring out what home means to her.
