It's been so long since I've last updated! Within the next few weeks, I hope to update some more because of Christmas Break, and my school also transitioned into online learning for the next two weeks before the break because of COVID. Stay safe everyone and happy holidays if I don't get a chance to update until the new year!

For the first time, Katara attacked first.

It wasn't something she was used to; the ebb and flow of water between her fingers always worked as a soothing mechanism, preventing an offensive approach during a fight, as was expected with waterbenders. They were never the ones to make the first move. But today, she sent her water out in a quick strike, barely shaking the composure of her opponent. She was testing him, testing his skill. Katara wanted to see him work for it.

Water to fire. Fire to water. In a direct attack, who would win? Who would persevere until the final blow? Water doused fire, fire evaporated water. They had finally met their match in each other. It would boil down ultimately to the pure strength of the opponent. This time, it would be Katara. She could feel it in the way her water seemed to flow and combine into the flames, dwindling the heat little by little despite Zuko's efforts. But soon enough, she knew he would overtake her in combat one day. At the thought, her lips quirked into a self-satisfied smile. He was fast improving; the raw power had always been inside him, nestled deep under layers of self-hate and lack of self-worth. Things were quickly changing now. She had taught him well.

Shooting her right hand out in a fluid strike, rotating the left back for momentum, the water followed her command. She had the advantage, and they both knew it. The south was her domain and her element surrounded them. Katara could feel it pulsating in the air, curling into the crevices of her whale skin boots, and encompassing her with strength. The ice she wielded whipped towards him at the speed of light.

He dodged, just barely, the powerful shards grazing his right cheek. She froze slightly at the sight of blood trickling down her cheek, ready to apologize, but wasn't given the chance to. He retaliated with punches of fire, embers shooting from his fists, illuminating the dawn with bursts of orange and red-hued light.

Katara reared back from the heat, backing up in quick strides. She raised walls of water before her like a shield, blocking Zuko's attempts to break through the barrier. Despite this, he was steadily advancing. Determination etched his brow, and his lips were slowly beginning to quirk in a confident grin. He was so sure he was winning, wasn't he? She would turn the tides on him. Literally.

Zuko's eyes widened in anticipation for her next move. It seemed as though it were happening in slow motion. The readying of her stance, the way her palms pushed forward, in his direction. Their eyes met for a split second, blue melding with gold before a wave threw him back.

He yelped embarrassingly, flinging back from the force, his fire dousing. He jumped quickly into a crouched position, shaking off the pain in his shoulders, water flying from his hair in the process. "I was expecting that," he relented, nodding his head begrudgingly. "But you haven't won yet."

Powerful flames erupted from his closed fists, growing wilder and more ferocious in his resolve to best her. He had to keep reminding himself that they weren't enemies, that it was training practice. The tension of the spar felt electric, almost real. It was invigorating.

Before the fire reached her, Katara pushed back with another wave. Though this time, it was different. The water wrapped around him in a loving, suffocating embrace. Katara swayed her arms back and forth in rapid tempo, thickening the water into a ball of ice that encircled him like an igloo-shaped cage.

She was confident she had won. Their previous matches had ended similarly before. But just as she was letting her guard down, about to walk forward and unmelt the ice, he surprised her. Her heart raced as the ice started to glow white, before transforming into burning orange. In amazement, she watched an explosion of gleaming flames erupt, sending ice flying in all directions. From it, Zuko walked forward as fire reigned down around him.

Taking advantage of her gaping wonder, he shot bursts from his hands and feet, swinging from all directions rather than a direct-forward hit like he previously had. It swirled around her, close enough to singe her hair if he wanted to. He didn't. But he also knew she would berate him for going easy. It wasn't like she was doing the same. Besides, she could take care of herself.

Though her strength was waning physically, her mind was racing with energy. The past few weeks had been the most exciting and fun she'd had in a long time. No longer was her life so monotonous. Her days had purpose.

And it was to hand this preppy prince's ass to him on a plate.

As much as she wanted to let Zuko win, she knew it wouldn't be a true victory. She couldn't bear to see his shoulders slump in the realization that she had pulled back, hadn't given her all. So, she did.

In the final attack, she pulled water from the ground and the atmosphere, channelling it towards him. He flew backwards, the water wrapping around his legs and torso before it pinned him to the base of the cliffs behind him. It was easily ten feet back from where he had stood.

From her distance away, she could see Zuko sigh in defeat, raising his hands in surrender.

Panting, Katara broke into a wild grin, walking towards him while trying to fight off the dizziness she felt. "You're improving, you know. Don't let the fact that I keep beating you throw you off, okay?"

She had bet him again like she expected she would, but it was like he was unaware of the incredible power he truly possessed. Katara suspected that the only reason her scoreboard was increasing was due to the fact that they stood on her turf. In any other setting, the Earth Kingdom or god forbid, the Fire Nation, she knew the playing field would be equal. The scales would tip. There, he would have won the spar. Almost definitely.

She stood before him now, hands on her hips, and leaned in so their faces were a hair width apart. "Besides, you didn't think it would be that easy to beat me, did you?" she joked playfully. She went to unfreeze the ice holding him in place but before she could, he beat her to it.

Surprising her for the second time that day, he reversed the roles. Without her notice, he had steamed himself free from the hold. In a flash, Katara found herself pressed against the cold cliff walls, where Zuko had been mere seconds before, her wrists pinned under his firm grip.

She squeaked in protest, cheeks inflamed from the injustice of it all (and the heat of his hands on hers, but nevermind that…). "That's not fair; I obviously won. You forfeited," she furrowed her brows in mock anger, looking up at him with narrowed eyes and a downturned mouth.

He tilted his head, studying her. He had the nerve to smile, laugh even. "When did I ever say I would fight fair?" he breathed.

Katara gulped, unsure of where he was headed. It seemed as though her wrists were his captives, and he wasn't about to let them go anytime soon. Instead, they continued to look at each other. His gaze pierced her, bold and ablaze, though slightly puzzled. As if he were attempting to figure something out. What, she didn't know.

When footsteps sounded behind them, they sprang apart.

Sokka cleared his throat in a theatrical manner, stomping his boots loudly as if to signify his approaching presence. Iroh trailed behind the young man with a white porcelain pot filled with hot tea, looking as content as ever. Katara focused on her brother with a raised brow, a silent question as to why he was here. Not that she was ungrateful of his interruption; the air… the atmosphere had suddenly changed, and she needed time to dissect it in detail that night. For now, she was clear to keep her eyes on the upcoming visitors.

"Good day, fair sister!" he yelled across the clearing, startling the penguins on a nearby ridge. They squawked and teetered away at his arrival, which resembled a pomp king serenading his peasants. Katara gritted her teeth in annoyance, which Sokka took obvious pleasure in. "I was interested in what you two have been up to these past few weeks. Such secrecy. Iroh here and I decided to watch what all the fuss was about."

Iroh grinned, his eyes closing in delight, as he held the teapot high in the air. "I brought refreshments," he declared.

Instead of acknowledging her brother with a response, she gladly took the pot from Iroh, letting the heat warm her frigid hands. "Thank you," she said sincerely, nodding her head in a brief bow, "I'm parched." With his help, she managed to pour tea into two cups: one for her, and one for Zuko, which she handed to him briskly, jolting when their hands made contact for the briefest of moments. What was wrong with her?

"You know," Iroh began, kneeling down onto the cold earth as if it were a fur rug. The rest of the young adults followed suit. "I studied water bending techniques for a period of time."

Katara was surprised by this, eyebrows raising. Her curiosity was expressed without words.

"The elements are greatly connected," Iroh explained, pulling a chopstick from his robe to draw in the snow. Swirls, straight angles, spiralling circles, until an image of the four elements were visible before the four of them. Water, earth, fire, air. The foundation of their whole society. Of peace. Of beauty.

Of destruction.

"Though the avatar is the only individual powerful enough to channel the four spirits of the elements, like a conduit, it does not mean we are simply separate from one another." He drew a circle around the four symbols, placing them together on the inside. "We are cut from different sides of the same cloth. Techniques from one bending can be applied to another with the right alterations."

Katara gaped in awe. In all her years of studying bending, of trying to succeed, she had never seen it in quite a way. "Of course!" she expressed, staring intently from Iroh to Sokka to Zuko, then back at the image displayed before her. "All bending originates from the world, from us. It's similar but different. To learn one opens the possibility to learn from them all!"

"Great," Zuko muttered, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "now you're speaking in riddles too."

Katara observed that her brother was just as lost. She shook her head to try to rid her excitement. Only Iroh had a twinkle in his eye. She understood him completely. It was as if she had unlocked a secret of the universe, and she would attempt to use this to her advantage in the future. There was so much to learn from airbending, earthbending… even firebending.

"I admit, I didn't make my way down here just because I was curious." Iroh set his empty cup onto the ground and stood, making his way into the clearing as the others watched. He spread his arms wide when he reached his destination ten feet away. "I came to spar."

From beside her, Zuko inhaled and exhaled a deep, shaky breath, before standing to face his uncle. He bowed to his elder. "I accept," he said, his voice strong. Though it was clear he was nervous, he didn't waver once.

Though Iroh smiled, he shook his head. "You misunderstood me, nephew." He gestured towards Katara, who still sat with her tea by Zuko's feet.

"I came to battle her," he clarified.

Zuko wasn't a dishonest person. So when his uncle rejected him to spar with Katara instead, he had to admit that it stung. He had been working for the past several weeks in the chance to improve. He thought that today had been the day he would finally impress Uncle with his newfound skill. It would have to wait a little longer, he supposed.

He slumped back down into his previous seating position, trying to hide his mixed emotions as Katara gave him an apologetic look. She made her way towards his uncle.

It was incredible to watch. Zuko knew that Katara was an amazing bender, no doubt about it, but it wasn't until he saw her fight against a master like herself that he started to see the full extent of her capability. It was astonishing to him. A girl who grew up with little resource or professional training, able to compete toe-to-toe with masters like his uncle, who served years in the army and had every firebending secret at his disposal. He felt inspired. To try harder. So that one day, he could stand side by side with them both. By her side. As equals.

"I always knew that Katara was strong," Sokka divulged, watching every movement of the fight before them as if it were a dance. He dodged and ducked along with his sister, echoing her motions with his own, silently cheering her on. Usually, during their sword fighting lessons, he was always yelling and screaming his support. But today, the water tribe man watched in concentration. "She took care of me and our family after our mother passed. But I had no idea she was this amazing. I… I guess I shouldn't have underestimated her, huh?"

They watched as she parried a strike, counterattacking with the redistribution of fire. A whip of icy air pushed the flames away from her. Towards Iroh.

Too slow to respond, the flames and shards of ice engulfed him. With a startled yelp, he fell onto his behind, his arms reflexively blocking his face. The ice was sharp enough to cut ribbons into his skin.

In a flash, Zuko had sped to his uncle's side in a panic, frantically checking the wounds in his arms and assessing the damage. He shouldn't have let this happen. Looking down at the burns and cuts covering his uncle's face and arms, he felt so incredibly guilty. It was as though he was the one experiencing the pain. As if he had been the one to inflict it.

Stupid old man, Zuko scolded in his head, Uncle wasn't as spry as he remembered himself to be.

"I'm so sorry!" Katara cried out in alarm.

Though his back was turned away from her, he could hear the remorse in her voice. The way the ends of her sentences quivered. He knew it had been an accident. But as she drew closer, his features grew colder and colder.

"Let me help," she pleaded, "please, I can heal him…"

Zuko turned to face her rapidly. "Don't touch him!" he shouted, shooting his hand towards the ground in a sweeping motion. Fire spewed from his fingertips, melting the snow in a wide diameter around him and his uncle. Katara quickly halted in her strides and instead, backstepped to escape the flames. The last tinges of the embers kissed the sky above before vanishing. The heat scorched the ice below, revealing wisps of straw-coloured hair grass below, black from burn.

Time halted. Shock and betrayal and pain, so much pain, created a chasm between them. They were frozen in their positions, not daring to move. Katara stood, mouth agape, with hurt and fear in her eyes. No one had ever looked at him in that way before. Not before he had come to the south and met her. He never wanted to see that same look directed at him again.

"Look who doesn't trust who now," she commented, her voice void of emotion. Monotoned.

Zuko's heart sped up rapidly. The truth was revealed about him. He was impulsive, hotheaded. He was stubborn. Which was why he couldn't back down. So, his eyes stayed narrowed upon hers, too prideful to apologize. His uncle was still hurt before him. It hadn't been because of him. It had been because of her.

His message was perfectly clear. Katara clenched her jaw.

"Whoa," Sokka warned, stepping between the two with arms outstretched in each direction. He frowned as he looked down at Zuko, who was helping his uncle regain his balance as he was pulled from laying to sitting, then standing. "Why don't you go back to your ship? Let Iroh get some rest."

"Yeah, we will," Zuko muttered, keeping an arm firmly around the older man's shoulders. Iroh was quiet. He was never usually quiet. Something was wrong.

Katara tried to meet his eyes. He could see that from the corner of his vision. But selfishly, childishly, he didn't return them. He didn't know if he could emotionally bear it, even if he physically did. It didn't mean that his heart didn't ache as he saw her eyes well up.

He turned away from the siblings, back in the direction of his ship. His physician would know what to do. He heard the heavy pounding of angry footsteps behind him as they stormed off in the opposite direction: a waterbender with fire boiling in her blood.

Katara's boots squelched into slushing ice and snow as she moved farther away from the scene, her brother's footsteps running hurriedly behind her in a chance to catch up. Her breath came from her nostrils in angry, white puffs. The tears in her eyes froze over.

"I'm so… angry, right now, Sokka!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air in frustration. "Did you see what just happened?"

"At who, though?"

"Zuko," she responded immediately, but she hesitated afterward, knowing it wasn't entirely true. "Myself? I don't know!"

She stomped a foot on the ground like a petulant child, breaking free chunks of ice satisfying under her heel. Arms crossed, she looked at her brother expectantly for input. She was surprised he hadn't said anything witty yet.

"What Zuko did wasn't cool, but don't you think you're both overreacting?"

Katara glared at her brother. "How am I overreacting? I hurt that sweet old man and when I offered to heal him, His Royal Highness kept me contained with his fire," she sneered.

"Okay…" Sokka consented, elongating the word as if mulling over what she had said. "But why do you think he acted that way?"

She huffed in annoyance. Did her brother want her to relieve the betrayal? "Because he obviously doesn't trust me, even after I put my trust blindly in him."

Sokka came towards her before she could stop him, placing both hands on her upper arms to shake her. She struggled to free herself, but he held her firmly. He was staring at her intently as if she was meant to understand something simply from the vigorous shake he had bestowed upon her. When it was clear she was lost, he said, "no, but that's not it, Katara. You didn't see him react, but I did. He was scared."

"Scared?" Katara said incredulously, finally shaking her brother's grip off. She felt an ache deep in her chest at the words. "Of me?"

Sokka's shoulders slumped as he ran a hand over his face as if frustrated by her stupidity. Katara was too confused to take offence. "He was scared that his uncle was hurt, Katara. It's clear that they love each other very much. Iroh might be the only relative who truly cares for him since it doesn't seem like the others do."

Finally, understanding dawned on her. She inhaled deeply, her breath coming in uneven and wheezing. "He was scared that his uncle was hurt," she repeated in a whisper. "Of course. I'm such an idiot."

"Yes," Sokka said simply, to which she returned a glare at him with hands on her hips.

"Everything happened so fast," she muttered, "I missed that completely."

Sokka patted her on the back, a quick one-two. "Yeah, me too."

She linked her arm into his and began to drag themselves towards the village entrance, which was only several paces away. Their father most likely had tasks for them to complete. Meaningless motion might be good to clear her head, and maybe let the air cool between her and the prince.

"When did you become so insightful?" Katara wondered in bewilderment, looking at her older brother with new eyes. He was still a goofy kid to her, but he had grown into himself. She had always known he would become the future Chief, after her father, but now, she could distinctly picture it.

He grinned in self-satisfaction. "Maturity must come with age," he speculated smugly. "I have been on this earth for two decades, you know."

"No, that's not it…" Katara grimaced jokingly. "I think that you're actually smart sometimes when you want to be."

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "I can't tell if this was meant to be a compliment or an insult… but I'll take it."

Zuko sat at the edge of his uncle's mattress, his head held firmly between his two palms, as the older man slept soundly.

When they had first arrived back at the ship, he'd risen a panic out of everyone, shouting and worrying and calling for the doctor to meet him. The staff thought Iroh had been gravely injured. It wasn't until they saw the man wave off his nephew's stubborn grip that they knew the prince was overreacting on his part, though he begged to differ.

The doctor blended an herbal medicinal tea for Iroh, who delightedly drank it, and applied salves to the burns to improve healing and stave off infection. The potent smell of the salve brought flashbacks to when Zuko had first been scarred (had it only been a year ago?), the heavy, chilled mixture coating his face in thick layers, soothing the constant heat of the marred skin. He had turned his head away as the doctor used it.

Now, his uncle was asleep, not before laughing at his frowning expression with an amused look. The silence from earlier had worn off quickly after the shock had ebbed. He could tell his uncle was just fine if he still found the chance to tease him…

"I love you, my nephew, and I appreciate your protectiveness. But it was not intentional, was it?" he had reasoned, laying a hand on the young man's shoulder. The doctor bowed to them both, giving some last words of advice, before making his exit.

When they were alone again, Zuko begrudgingly responded, "no, I know that…"

"And I am fine. See?" the former general gestured to himself and his bandaged forearms with a cheeky grin. "This old man cannot be taken down so easily."

"I know that well enough, Uncle." Zuko rolled his eyes dramatically, trying to contain a grin of his own that was creeping up. Though he would never admit it to anyone -anyone- his kind-hearted relative's happiness was contagious. He really did seem fine; nothing more than minor scrapes at best. Zuko suddenly felt his reactions towards Katara earlier had been quite foolish, even if his uncle had been hurt.

"Then you shouldn't be so angry, Prince Zuko." The older man's face changed into a solemnly serious expression. "Let accidents be forgiven, yes?"

"I was harsh earlier," Zuko confided, cringing at the unpleasant memory from earlier. "I don't know if she'd be willing to talk to me so soon again."

Iroh sighed, lifting his cup to take another sip of medicinal tea… and realizing there was none left. Disgruntled, he huffed his disapproval and set it back onto the table beside the bed. "My Zuko, from what I've observed since we've arrived, Katara is stubborn, much like you."

Zuko's eyes narrowed at the quip. But he knew it was true.

"I also know that it's in Katara's nature to forgive. After she has calmed down, she will understand your reasoning. Being fiercely protective of family is something she understands."

The young prince of fire left his uncle to rest in the bed chambers, slowly making his way above deck to the fresh, icy air above. He was startled to find the water tribe girl waiting for him. She stood against the rails, twiddling her thumbs together nervously, as she stared off towards the water. The rest of the crew were eyeing her with curiosity. Though they had seen her around plenty of times throughout the past couple of months, today was the first day she had ever ventured aboard. She seemed entirely unaware of the ship's interest in her. Even his at this very moment.

He cleared his throat, signalling his presence to her. Her mind had seemed to be elsewhere.

She spun towards him, clearly caught off guard. Katara's lips began to tilt up into a smile, but it slowly fell in remembrance. She eyed him warily, eyes glossy and expression faltering. "Is he… is Iroh alright? Is he hurt?"

Slowly, Zuko came to stand by the railing as well, though there were several feet of distance between them. He nodded, "yes, he's fine. A few cuts, nothing that won't heal within a week or so."

Katara's face filled with relief. She inhaled and exhaled deeply as if beginning to breathe again after so long without. "I felt so guilty," she stammered, clasping her hands together so tight it looked painful. "I really didn't mean to. I forgot that he hadn't been training with us every day since he was so skilled. I should have gone easier on him."

"No," Zuko shook his head. "My uncle would have hated that. I should be the one to apologize. I shouldn't have had an outburst like that, I overreacted."

"No!" Katara hushed him adamantly. "You were only protecting your family; I shouldn't have gotten upset over that."

"I shot fire at you to keep you back. It wasn't in control. It could have burned you," he said ashamedly, looking down at his hands, which were gloved in red fabric. "Fire is the element of destruction. Nothing good comes from such violence."

Katara now stood before him and took his gloved hands into hers. This caused him to look up from his hands and into her eyes, which were earnest and full of understanding. He was so unused to this that it made his breath stop in his throat.

"I thought about fire in that perspective for a long time. So much pain and suffering from war, leaving nothing but ash in its wake. But I realized that all the elements are connected and necessary for life," she said, squeezing his hands as she became more enthused. "Couldn't you argue that this applies to fire too? Without it, there is no warmth, no sun, no determination, or passion." She cleared her throat, dropping her gaze to their interconnected hands. "There's good in everything, there has to be," she whispered.

She dropped their joined hands awkwardly, looking behind his shoulder towards the descending staircase. "Is Iroh awake?" Katara asked, the subject changing abruptly. "I'd like to apologize to him as well, see how he's doing."

"He's not," Zuko told her, "but you're welcome to wait for him here."

A frosty stream of air blew tendrils of hair from his face, causing him to shiver involuntarily. He pulled his red cloak tighter around him, though it still seemed as if to have no effect. It felt so thin in comparison to the water tribe ones, lined with fur and equipped for endless winter and night. The Fire Nation really didn't understand how the poles lived at all.

"You know," he began hesitantly, unsure of how she'd respond. "I think there is so much miscommunication between us because there are things about one another that we don't know. We may understand each other, but not necessarily how we grew up and the experiences that came with them, our culture, our countries, the shared history between them. I know nothing of the Southern Water Tribe, and you the Fire Nation. But these are key parts of ourselves, don't you think?"

Katara nodded in agreement, listening to him attentively. "It's true," she confirmed. "A lot of my misgivings about the Fire Nation stem from my lack of understanding about how the country works. It seems like nothing more than a myth to me." She tilted her head in thought. "How do you propose we change that?"

Zuko allowed himself to smile. "I think I have an idea," he said.

Writing this hurt me a little bit because I love Iroh! I wanted to replicate the scene from avatar into my story because I feel as though it was a pivotal moment in zutara's relationship throughout the show. The next chapter will have some revelations...