Soooo, this is me groveling for taking so long to post last time. :3
So, as a fun side note, anyone who's heard of Zutara week, it's on deviant art so I don't know if it's bled over here. I'll be participating this year. So every day, the last week of July I'll be giving an update to this story, based off the day's topic.
I'll be looking forward to it, keep up the wonderful support. It means a million to me. Without further adieu, enjoy chapter 7. (Disclaimer: I own nothing)
Chapter 7: Broken understanding
Zuko sat on a plush pillow around a table with his friends. Tonight, technically tomorrow, was the 5-year anniversary of the end of the war. At midnight there would be a toast, signaling the official 5 year mark. Tonight though was to celebrate peace and friendship and the unity of the nations.
To one of his sides sat Suki and Sokka, after years of being married they still hadn't lost the newly-wed charm. Directly across from him sat Aang and Tiel, laughing as Aang showed her his marble trick. Scattered around the table some visitors from the Water Tribes, and Air temple joined them in sharing stories from their home, updates on the status of each nation. Zuko on the other hand, wasn't even bothering to pay attention to the conversation. It had been hours since the festivities started and still he hadn't seen Katara for more than a passing moment. It was driving him insane, all he could think about was her. His stomach was torn in knots, his heart ripping at the seams. How could she do this to him? Especially after all the years they spent writing, he thought they were close.
They were close, weren't they? Zuko thought the group considered him a friend. Why hadn't any of them told him? If his friends were getting happily married shouldn't someone have told him? The more Zuko thought about it the more he felt hurt. Why wasn't anyone talking about it? They couldn't stop talking about Sokka and Suki's marriage and future baby. Was it because Aang and Katara didn't have a baby? Or maybe they assumed he knew and were upset that he hadn't said anything.
"Hey Aang, congratulations." Zuko tried to contribute to the conversation.
"Thank you! I've been working so hard on rebuilding the nation, now with there being three Air Benders—"
"What? No, I was talking about Katara."
"Thank you?" Clearly the two weren't on the same page.
"Didn't you two… get… married?" Aang, simply stared at him, "Apparently not."
"Where'd you hear that from?"
Zuko shrugged his shoulder casually while biting off a roll, "So, you're not?"
"No." it struck Zuko as odd that there was absolutely no emotion in the statement. No sorrow, no joy, nothing.
"Why not? You two have been together for over almost 5 years."
" I donno, guess we haven't really talked about it."
"Zuko, can I talk to you?" The fire bender looked up to meet the empty voice that called him. Mai's scowl met his eyes.
"I'm sorry, you'll have to excuse me for a minute." Scattered 'okays' and 'we'll be here' met his ears as his angered girlfriend stormed them away from the table a few feet.
"What did I do this time?" Zuko leaned casually against a pillar, waiting for his latest lecture.
Mai turned to him, her porcelain face flushed through with red hot anger. "We've been together for over five years!"
"Yes we have."
"Why haven't you married me then?"
"I never knew you as the sentimental type."
"Zuko, I've been waiting for you to ask for over four years. What's taking you so long?"
"I don't know, I've just been busy, haven't had much time to think about it." The excuse was weak and he knew it.
"That's bullshit Zuko. You won't marry me because of them.
She was right… "That's not true."
" Zuko, I can hardly get you to smile unless they're around."
"You used to love that about me."
"There comes a time Zuko where you have to grow out of it and actually enjoy something."
Zuko almost laughed out loud, "Are you honestly telling me this? What about you, what do you enjoy?"
"I'd enjoy it if you proposed to me, tonight."
Was she serious? His first instinct told Zuko that he couldn't, but it made no sense. Married meant forever and he couldn't do that. He couldn't imagine himself with Mai bitching at him for all of eternity. "Mai, I don't want to talk about this."
"Zuko, don't walk away from me" Mai stopped him, grabbing onto his upper arm. "Is there someone else?"
This time Zuko did laugh out loud, and quite obviously.
Elsewhere, Katara leaned her elbows against the rail of the heavy stone balcony. The sun had already set far in the distance and now the moon remained. Tonight she was full, smiling warmly at Katara.
Oh Yue, how she could use your guidance now. Katara closed her eyes, allowing the cool light to simply sit on her skin, her face, her hair. It was nice being out here. It was one thing she had missed about the Fire Nation was the constant warmth. During the day it could be unbearable but at night it was so soothing. Katara knew she should be inside. It had been years since she'd seen anyone here. But how could she resist being out in such a comforting environment, when her heart was at such rest.
"I knew I'd find you out here." Zuko's voice was quiet, barely floating on the wind.
Secretly Katara flinched, his voice managed to slice right through her, "Where else would I be?"
"I don't know, inside, maybe? With everyone else." He leaned backwards on the railing, his eyes facing her.
"I could be." Her voice was quiet, empty and it frightened him how much was inside her that he couldn't see. The wind picked up for a second, blowing her hair back and away from her face and neck. Zuko was left breathless for a second, tonight she had worn a long, midnight, sky kimono, embroidered to look as the late night. The top hung loosely around her shoulders, allowing the glisten of the ribbon off her blue necklace to shine. The bottom hung above her knees, then gradually got longer until it drug the floor in the back, trailing behind her with every step. Zuko's attention was drawn up again, to her shoulders, neck, then face. His admiring was stopped dead in its tracks upon seeing the cold, emotionless expression on her face. Her eyes were completely empty.
"Katara, what's wrong? You've been so distant since you've got here."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Katara didn't even bother to look at him, instead she gazed out aimlessly above the landscape.
"You can't lie to me. I know you better than that."
"Do you?" Zuko was relieved when she finally directed her crystal blue eyes at him, though it almost hurt how distant and defiant they were. Like she felt she had a point to prove against him. Like she really was angry.
Zuko stuttered for a minute, thrown off by the intensity of her stare, "I—I thought I did."
"You should think a little harder then, next time." Without another word she turned and stormed inside with a whole raincloud above her head. Though the signs were all there Zuko was having a distinct problem deciphering the look in her eyes, what her words meant.
Zuko was left completely speechless. Part of him stunned, he hadn't expected his reunion to be so… cold. It had been years since he'd witnessed this sort distress written on her face, her beautiful face. That is where the other half of his mind sat, with her slender bare shoulders exposed to the wind. Her graciously sloped neck, the way she perched gracefully on her bare toes. Living in the air temple she had definitely earned some airy grace.
Mai was right, there was someone else... but not in the way Mai thought. There was someone else, which is why he couldn't bring himself to marry her.
There was someone else…
There was someone else!
Zuko's heart stopped at the realization, a chill traveled down his spine as the reality of the situation sunk through his bones. In a matter of seconds two very big discoveries hit him that could change his life.
Katara paced the empty halls, her temper rising, her blood boiling. Why was she being so stupid? She knew she was over reacting, punishing him for no real reason. She had chosen not to ask, she had chosen not to bring up the topic at all, so why was she still so angry at him? Katara just wanted to scream, as loud as she could.
Back and forth she paced down the hall, every moment, every detail angering her a little more. Stupid Zuko, stupid war, stupid anniversary, stupid warm air, stupid over stuffy dress. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Today was supposed to be perfect, and here she was, completely miserable.
Katara started to notice a pair of quiet foot falls approaching her, causing her to stop in her tracks, looking to the sound. Gradually, Mai emerged from the shadows. Her face was emotionless, pale and glassy, like a perfect doll. For a minute Katara was completely envious. Mai was obviously perfect, flawless. Her golden eyes were fixed on the brown water warrior. Her rosy lips were pursed, set perfectly on her narrow chin.
"Can I help you?" Katara was the first to speak, trying desperately to keep the venom out of her voice. It wasn't Mai's fault that she was angry at Zuko.
"Stay away from him." Mai's words slid through her lips in a deep, husky threat.
"What?" Katara stepped backward, taken off guard.
"Stay away from Zuko, he's my husband."
Katara scoffed and turned to walk away, she didn't have the energy for this.
"Good," Mai brushed a baby-thin strand of black hair away from her porcelain face, "It's not like you really valued your friendship anyway."
That was it, Mai officially made it her fault that she was angry, "Look, I'm glad you're happy," Katara turned back around, stepping towards Mai, "but don't you dare pretend to know what I value."
"It's clear you didn't care when you went and married the avatar."
"What?" Katara shook her head, taken off guard a second time.
"Do you know how much it hurt him? Do you know how long he's hated you?"
Katara cringed, stepping backwards again. Her eyes had gone wide and shocked, Zuko—hated her? The words tore through her like a hot iron, ripping apart pieces inside of her she didn't know existed. Without another word Katara turned and ran, tears threatening to spill over her cheeks. Zuko hated her…
Mai's golden eyes smiled, "That's what I thought."
Katara ran and ran, until she literally ran into her brother.
"God Sokka, what's—" Katara tried to sound cool and collected. Above everything she tried not to sniffle.
"Katara, Suki, now. We need, now!" Katara saw panic, or excitement. Whatever it was, the emotion was overriding his ability to form comprehensible phrases.
"Sokka, slow down. What's wrong with Suki?"
