Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar
When she screamed, it was as though an invisible force had led him directly to his source. To the person he had allowed to be taken away because of his negligence. And if he saw just one scratch he would do more than just rough the people up. He would smash his fist into their face, land a blow to their belly and finally deliver a punch to their jaw with all his force.
She was trembling, she was crying. From the dried tear marks she had been crying before. For how long? How long had she been laying on the ground, freezing. He noticed a dirty cloth around her mouth and- there was only one left. The guy who stood closest to her who was dressed as some sort of freedom fighter.
Disgusting.
Before the guy could flinch, Zuko dashed and swung his plastic swords at his face. He sheathed his swords and went for a punch to his face, then another one, and a final one before swiping his leg beneath him. Zuko climbed on top of him and delivered the final blow that knocked the man out cold.
He could hear her scramble on the grass and he was by her side in an instant. He didn't know where to begin. Should he wipe away the tears that streamed like a waterfall? Should he carry her to safety in case they wake up? Though he wouldn't mind giving them a round two. Or should he- the cloth had come off her mouth.
"Zuko!" She cried.
"Katara." He helped her sit up and began to untie her wrists and before he knew it she threw herself at him bawling sorrowful cries in his ears.
"Zuko!" She cried again, this time with a sharp tone to her shaky voice.
His arms wrung around her waist and he held her close, tightly. He didn't trust the world to be gentle to her if he let go. "I'm so-"
"I'm so happy you came back for me."
Zuko's eyes widened. That wasn't what he had expected her to say. He had expected yelling, dismissal, a few curse words, he had expected her to hate him for what happened to her! Why wasn't she- he was going to ask her at a later point. Right now she was still trembling and freezing and all she needed was to rest.
"Let's get you home." He said, still not breaking their embrace.
In a rusty voice she said. "He… he knows which block I live in."
He nudged his face against her neck and could smell the alcohol all over her. How he hoped her being clothed meant that they hadn't done anything… far worse than he could imagine.
"Fuck." He breathed. There was only one place he could think of.
It was then he fought against his willpower to let go of her, with only his hands being on her shoulder. Her hands immediately found his. "Would you mind," he bit his lip, "would you mind coming to my place then?"
Her face paintings had been smeared from all the crying and all he wanted was for a way to re-paint them on. His staring had distracted him from her answer and he blinked when she spoke his name again.
"Huh?"
"What are we waiting for?" She said in a low voice.
He blinked again.
"I won't mind coming to your place."
His face moved slightly closer to hers. "Are you sure?"
He saw a slight blush on her cheeks and he didn't miss the uptick on the corner of her mouth before she nodded. He nodded in confirmation before slowly rising with her, his hand holding hers. His free arm guided her back, just in case.
They made it to the parking lot and Zuko brought out his car key remote to unlock the doors. He guided Katara to the passenger seat. "Are you okay with sitting in the passenger seat?"
Katara barely responded before he opened the door. When he could tell she was adjusted properly and comfortably he reached for the seatbelt and strapped it on. "I'm going to slam the door, okay?"
She gave him a small smile. He slammed the door and made his way to his car seat. Zuko looked at Katara with concern. With sluggish shoulders, interwoven fingers and dried tear marks Zuko's eyes looked away in defeat. There was nothing he could say or do to make the situation better. All he could do was start the engine and step on the pedal. Not without a last look to ensure that there weren't any tears he could wipe away.
There were none.
Once the car stopped, she heard his voice speaking to her. She nodded and exited the car, only to ignore whatever else words he said to her as she gripped the hem of his custom. Katara's eyes wandered around the 5 story penthouse apartment. She didn't get to see the details as her feet were dragged forward by Zuko who walked her over to the lift.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
And they were there. They walked straight past the long corridor consisting of 3 locked rooms and the kitchen. They stopped by a door at the end of the corridor, and Zuko opened it. She heard him say: "This is my room."
The doors and panels were designed in a black wenge ravine. The master bedroom had an ensuite. The floor was carpet except for the area that beheld the black bathtub to the left with a golden mounted tub filler. The flooring was of a gray porcelain tile. Dark wood cabinets were built against the wall with 2 vessel sinks, with a wall mirror that reached the ceiling. Across a black furred sitting stool beside the tube was the entrance to a showerroom. A few steps next to the bathroom was a king-sized bed with two black bed stands, one with a flame-shaped lamp and the other with a picture. In front of the bed were two black leathered foot stools, one of them carried on a reed diffuser that must have been responsible for the overwhelming smell of sandalwood.
Zuko walked past her and she followed closely behind him. The pillows and bedsheets were painted in a dark red with dragon designs running along the duvet. Zuko patted the pillows and matted the duvets. He looked at her in pity. She hated it.
She hated how weak she was. How weak she had been out there. Her dad and brother taught her the basics of self defense and she had still let Jet take advantage of her. She was going to show them that she was more than that. She was more than that woman who cried herself unconscious and-
"I will be sleeping in the living room."
"Huh?"
Zuko looked at her in surprise. "You will sleep in my room while I take the living room. My sister doesn't allow visitors in her room."
She saw him make his way around his bed, past her and towards the door. He was going to leave. He was going to leave her alone. That was what she needed. Yes, she needed to be alone and recollect her-
Ever since I saw you in the library and saw how thick you've become I've been wanting fuck you
-her… thoughts. She-
Uuu, I can't wait to start with her mouth.
No.
Come on, you just want her pussy! I'll take dat ass for the night.
Zuko.
I will kill all of you!
"Zuko!" She cried. She ignored the flood of tears as she sprinted for Zuko who had no time to turn around before she caught him. She knew she was being a mess, right now. She knew she was being pathetic. She had constantly shown the world the strong and independent woman that she was- that she ought to be to get as far as she did. What would her mother say to see her in such a state that she couldn't face the problem on her own. That wasn't the woman her mother had raised! But now. Just for now all she wanted was- "Protect me, please."
She wanted him. She wanted him to protect her. "Zuko." She rubbed her head against his back, tightening her grip as she feared he would disappear into thin air and then Jet would- "Please, stay."
The trembling in her almost came to a stop when she felt his soft and warm hands on hers. He twisted in her hold, still having said nothing. What did he think of her? Did he think of her as nothing but a weakling who he had expected more from? She had dragged him away from the party, from his girlfriend. He must think of her as a burden and after saving her she was still asking for more. How could she be so-
"Are you-"
"You've never hurt me." She cried, her voice being steady and confident. His eyes widened a bit. And then a squeal sounded. And so she cried. Her head fell on his chest. "I feel safe with you, Zuko." She whispered.
"Katara." His hand softly caressed her hair.
The lump in her throat was so heavy that speaking hurt but she still fought through. "It was scary, Zuko. I thought I was going to be-"
"Katara," he gently guided her jaw to his face, "I won't let anything happen to you anymore."
Was all he needed to say. It was all she needed to hear. Because she knew it was all needed right now. Zuko, here. With her. "So, please stay with me. I'm going to apologise to Mai and anybody that I have to. I don't care if I have to get down on my knees. Just please," her hands made their ways to his, giving them a light squeeze, "stay."
He softly placed tender kisses on each finger tip without breaking eye contact from her. They made their way to the bed. He had gone out of his way to ensure that she was comfortable before laying next to her and holding her in an embrace. He held her so tight and close to him that breathing became difficult.
And she didn't mind it one bit.
The sun was starting to set and as such, the evening rays of orange and pink shone through the window. Zuko beheld the beauty that was Katara as rays from the sun coloured her skin in a golden brown and left her voluminous brown hair glinting. He gently moved a few strands from her face and tucked them behind her ear. As though they had their own mind, his fingers wandered down to her lips. With a careful press, he ravished in its soft and smooth feeling. He would take his sweet time planting kisses on each lip, from corner to corner.
He didn't realise just how close he had held her until he woke up and had to separate himself from her. Something he had not wanted to do as that night had been one of his best sleeps yet. He had cupped her cheek and caressed it to feel for any cry marks. There were none. But even when he made that mental note, his hand stayed on her cheek and his eyes on her. Her fingers were gripping onto his shirt and it brought him back to the time he had kissed each one of them. How he wanted to do it again. No, he wanted to take it further and kiss her lips. Just once. If not twice. Thrice-
Zuko released a tiring sigh, knowing how unrealistic that dream was. He thought it best to clear his mind through a shower. Once stripped, he made his way to his shower. He knew he couldn't change the past but he should have never left her. Had he just been there none of this would have happened. The things they could have done to her. Just the thought scared him. And nothing usually scared Zuko. Well, except for the thought of Katara getting hurt from anything. What if she were to wake up and just leave because of how incompetent he had been?
No! He couldn't allow that to happen. He didn't want to lose her. He would do anything she wanted if it meant she would forgive him for what happened to her. He couldn't lose her. He couldn't lose such a beautiful, kind, loving, adorable, dorky and all out amazing person like that. Not her. Out of all people, not her. He didn't want to lose her to anybody. Especially not to any man.
Zuko slide open the door to the kitchen and-
"Where. Were. You?"
"Mai, what are you- how did you get in here?" He did not have time for this. Evening had already set and it was only a matter of time before Katara would wake up. Or, could wake up. He woke as early as 6AM, and despite the commute from the outside she still didn't wake up. He supposed she needed the extra rest to fully recover, and he was going to respect that.
"I could be asking the same thing for that girl."
Zuko took a deep breath from his anger at Mai's refusal to call Katara by her name. "Her name is Katara." He breathed in a low tone. For one to calm his anger. But also because he didn't want to be too loud.
"I don't care!" Mai said, taking a step forward.
"Mai, she's sleeping. Please, be quiet."
Mai audibly scoffed. "Or what?! Why do you care so much about that girl?!"
"I told you, she's my best friend-"
"That gives you no excuse to care for her as much as you are doing now! If you didn't know, I'm your girlfriend. Not her!" When his lips parted, she spoke again. This time even louder. "Tell me, Zuko. What has she done that has you on her leash?!"
Zuko narrowed his eyes. "She doesn't lie about my mother coming back like a certain person did."
Mai's eyes fell from his and she brought out her fan to hide behind it. Like she always did when he was pushing her into a corner. Next she would move closer to him, seductively, exposing either her leg or her shoulders in the process. However, it didn't work this time. For all he could see was Katara moving closer, swinging those round hips of her to accentuate her voluptuous figure. Oh, how he could imagine those round and perky breasts of her bouncing for each step and-
"Take me to your room." He heard her whisper. "Zuko."
Katara.
"Zuko?"
"Yes, Ka-"
Mai. It was Mai who had pressed herself against him. He stepped back, whilst his hands pushed her away by her shoulders. "No."
"What do you mean 'no'? You never say no to me."
Katara. "But this time I will."
"What?!"
You've never hurt me.
"Mai," he started, gesturing towards the door, "could you please leave so I can-"
Mai clapped her fan shut. "So you can what?! Huh?! Fuck her?!" She threw her fan onto the floor and it made a loud clunk noise, sliding across the floor and stopping by the foot of the couch.
I feel safe with you, Zuko.
"Mai! I said!-"
"No!"
"MAI!" In the blink of an eye, Zuko appeared before Mai. He lightly grabbed her by the elbow. "You need to leave, now-"
It felt like lightning in that moment and Zuko knew it would leave a mark. All he could hear was the sound of the slap echoing through the kitchen. Mai had never been violent in their relationship. Not even verbal. All she did was annoy him. She annoyed him to points where they would break up to then rekindle their relationship. But there was that part of him that wished he could have just walked away and never looked back. After the stunt she pulled at the party to get him back, he really wished he had gone back to end it. But what could he do when she would come back, express her love for him and then make it up by taking him to bed?
Ha, what a joke. What would his mother say?
The impact left Zuko falling back and facing away from the direction in which the strike came from.
"Don't you touch me, again. I'm done with you!" She hissed. But as fast as Mai had slapped Zuko away from her and uttered those words, she was gone.
And something in Zuko ached. Was there anything he could do right?
By the time she woke up, the moon had risen from its sleep. She had hoped to wake up to a certain someone next to her, but she had already asked him for so much. And besides, what would Aang say- well, what would he say to yesterday? This was all her fault. Had she just been stronger or just… more useful! This wouldn't have happened. She wouldn't have burdened Zuko and he wouldn't be fighting with his girlfriend. She had to make up for it, somehow.
As Katara rolled over to the side, facing the window walls, she noticed the frame on the bed stand. She reached for it. It was a family portrait and she couldn't help but giggle to herself by the young boy that must have been Zuko. However, her eyes were quickly fixated on the woman sitting behind him. She was a beauty. It explained why her son grew up to be the sexy man that he was. When she put the frame down she heard yelling and the sound of something being thrown and then… things went quiet before she heard: "Don't you touch me, again. I'm done with you!". It followed by a loud slam from what she assumed was the front door.
As Katara set her foot down on the soft carpet, she stopped. She was still wearing her costume and for some reason, it was pulling on her. It was as though it was pulling her back from moving any further. Perhaps she could borrow one of Zuko's- No! She had gotten too comfortable around him, and she had done nothing but be a bother to him. Thankfully she wore a red tank top and mid-thigh tights set. She stripped down to it and went her hand through her hair. She walked to the mirror by the bathroom counter. She was showing cleavage. A part of her wanted to leave it. But another part knew that it would send mixed signals. Especially after his fight with Mai. So she brought her hair to cover for it.
She took a deep breath, pulled her shoulders back, chest forward and exhaled. She was going to make things better for Zuko. One way or another. She was going to be the one to make him happy from now on, she promised herself.
With that she stepped out of the room, the first thing she noticed was how spacious the combined living room and kitchen was. The kitchen, just like Zuko's room, was very modern based. The kitchen counter top was wide and made of granite. The kitchen was L-shaped, starting from modern dark wood kitchen cabinets with silver handles to a dishwasher a cupboard away from the double bowl steel stink. She marked the bowl of fruits as the turning point as she, two cupboards further in, saw the gas stove with a turned on fan above it. The large stainless steel fridge marked the end of the L-shape. From the fridge to the other side of the room was a window wall and Katara couldn't help but marvel at the view of the starry night sky with the moon on full display.
Her eyes fell on the gas stove where she heard the sound of sizzle. But more importantly, Zuko was standing there, with his back facing hers. The moon was their only source of light in the room. Even when she made her way in, gently sliding the kitchen door shut, he didn't turn around. She took a few steps with her mouth ready to spill her feelings out until she noticed an object by the corner of the couch. She narrowed her eyes and saw that it was a fan. A fan she had seen Mai use the time she dragged Zuko from the library on her first day.
Katara winced at the possible scenarios that could have gone down. She didn't want to think about it as Zuko had still not turned around. Her hand found her elbow and started rubbing it. She bit her lip, hesitating. She quickly reminded herself of the resolve she had made herself and swallowed the nervous lump in her throat. "Z-Zuko."
She hadn't meant to stutter, but it did make Zuko turn the fan off and remove whatever was on the pan and place it on the plate next to it. She walked a little closer, standing by the kitchen countertop, now. She saw round balls speared on 4 skewers.
She took a deep breath. "Zu-" And when he turned around with the plate she saw it. She saw the noticeable swelling on his left cheek, worse of all, the bruise was still there. At that moment she thought: If just I had the power, I would kill Mai.
Katara was fuming. She wanted to scream, she wanted to protest against Mai and remind Zuko of how he deserved better. She wanted to yell it from the rooftops. She wanted to make the world know that Zuko deserved better. She wanted to do all those things but in this moment all she could do was stare at the imprint on his left cheek. Her being the reason it was there in the first place. She was at fault and she didn't know how she could possibly apolosie now. He probably wanted her to leave and never talk to him again but she… didn't want to leave him. She wanted to make him happy. And happy she was going to make him!
"Zuko, I-" He shook his head.
"I know what you are going to say and it's okay. I'm used to it."
U-Used to it? "Used to it? You mean to tell me that she has hit you before?" This time Katara had closed the distance between them, glaring him straight in the eye with fury painted all over them. Zuko looked dumbfounded by her sudden tone and that worried her even more. Zuko looked down on the plate and shrugged.
She couldn't control the heavy lump in her throat and the trembling of her shoulders because she was at loss for words. She- Zuko- Just… how much more was he going to suffer because of her?! She knew that the tears would concern Zuko but she let them fall as she was sad. She was sad for him and how he, instead of telling her to get out, spoke in the softest voice.
"How can you be so…" She trailed off, her eyes darting everywhere but at Zuko, trying to find the answer.
"I'm sorry." He whispered in a raspy voice. His bangs covering for his eyes as his face was glued to the plate.
"Sorry?-"
"I'm sorry for not being good enough!" He roared. And the kitchen spiralled into a silence.
After, what had felt like ages, Katara breathed in a broken tone. "Not good enough?"
Katara gently placed her hand on top of his. With her other hand she carefully directed his face to hers to see his eyes that were filled with nothingness. The words she wanted to say were lost when she got sucked into his eyes..
"I can't do anything right, can I? I failed as Mai's boyfriend. I failed as a son. I failed as a brother! I failed," he stared at her and in a low, broken voice, "I failed you."
Zuko took the hand that was on the left side of his face and gave it a squeeze. "I couldn't protect you." He couldn't protect the one person that had come to mean the world to him in a matter of a month, is what he wanted to say. It's what he chose to say next.
"I couldn't protect the one person that never hesitated to show me love I didn't think i deserve." Zuko wasn't a man to cry, but recounting the memory of Katara tied on the ground, crying and shaking. He was afraid. He was afraid that she would hate him forever. That she would never want him by her side because he had failed at the one thing he had sworn he would do: Protect her. "I couldn't protect the one person I had sworn I would be there for when needed. I-"
"Stop!" Her voice shattered into the room, echoing into his ears. The tears that streamed down her eyes were proof enough that he had indeed- "Not failed!"
"Huh?"
"You have not failed me." She cried. "How can you say that?! Who was it that beat down all those guys?!" This time her other hand that had previously been on his hand was on the other side of his face. "Who was it that went out of their way to make me happy since day 1?! Who was the one who saved me from another traumatizing moment?!"
Another? He didn't have time to think that one through as her hand shook his head from every word that escaped her mouth.
"It was you, Zuko! You did. You saved me. You were there for me when I needed you the most! You were never, and will never, be a failure to me. Not now. Not ever.."
A new set of tears made their way down his cheek. "Really?" Was the only thing he could say.
She exaggerated her nod.
"Do you really mean that?"
She gave him a wide nod, again. "Yes, Zuko!" He saw her open her mouth again and could only read the first letter: 'I'
He whispered again, this time more to himself. "Really?"
Katara had closed the distance between their bodies. She had lowered his head so his forehead leaned against hers. And with her eyes glued to his, she said. "Yes, Zuko."
For the first time, Zuko allowed himself to feel… emotional. He allowed his body to tremble, whimper, break down. He let it out. His own weeping sounded foreign to him but he didn't care anymore. If there was one person he would allow himself to cry in front of. If there was one person he would ever show this side to, it was her. Katara, his best friend. But also, Katara, the woman he loved. The woman who he wished was his. The woman who he could no longer deny had swept him off his feet over the course of their friendship.
"Thank you, Katara."
"I'm the one who should be thanking you."
Hmm, I wonder where i have heard that line before ;) But on a serious note, this chapter was quite anticipated so I hope the wait was worth :) This was my first time describing the designs of rooms and stuff so I hope it was easy to visualize.
Thank you for reading.
See you later!