Edited: This chapter has been edited. I think it's much better now.
ZutaraZutaraZutaraZutaraZutaraZutaraZutara
Katara was hesitant to break the peaceful silence that had settled between herself and the Firebender.
They had laid in the bed for some time now, her face tucked into his hard chest. After a few hesitant movements, Zuko had started stroking a hand gently through her thick hair, prompting her to remove the hair loopies so he could explore unfettered. Her scalp tingled almost painfully at the contact. Everything already feels so much stronger. She confessed to him across their link almost subconsciously.
His hand stilled for a moment in her hair before he spoke, voice rough. "Yeah, I know."
"How do you think it'll feel…" Katara swallowed hard, after?
Another pause. After...tonight?
She nodded, then nearly gasped as Zuko tugged lightly on her hair, prodding her to look him in the eyes.
"Do you really want to sleep with me?" He asked, curiously. He could hide nothing from her, and she easily saw the insecurities below the surface. She did her best to answer his question and reassure him at the same time.
Did she trust Zuko? Yes, she answered easily.
Did she believe he wouldn't try anything if she asked him not to? Yes, she answered again.
If things continue as they had been, was she ready for the intensity of their connection to go up another level?
Even her brain was silent. Clearly, she did not know the answer to that one.
Even knowing so little about the connection, the few weeks they had been on the boat showed how dependent they could be of each other now. If every aspect of their bond continued to intensify...Katara instinctively knew there must be a point of no return. There must be a point where the bond they shared would never be able to be denied, they would have to remain near each other forever.
She had already agreed to be his, sleeping next to him felt like it would cement her status in a way that was irreversible. Katara didn't necessarily mind being Zuko's (a thought she had never imagined would ever cross her mind), not really (though the possibility of living in the Fire Nation was a bit scaryーshe was getting ahead of herself). This bond just felt so precious, sacred and special that she was afraid of messing it up.
What if Zuko hated being tied to her and sensing her thoughts all the time?
Sensing her thoughts and mood shift, Zuko tentatively brushed the back of his hand against her cheek in comfort. Katara leaned into the comforting warmth and watched a hesitant smile bloom on the Prince's face.
"I don't know what will happen in the future either," he began, "and I can't guarantee that we will always feel the same way. And trust me, I'm just as scared as you are," he admitted. "But this bon….Katara I think we could be happy one day. One day after the war, I'd like to be happy with you." The last part was quiet enough she had to strain to hear him, even as close as they were.
This is just all so strange, you know? And right now...everything is moving so fast. What if one day, you wake up, and you...regret it?
Zuko looked at her in disbelief. She glared right back.
"You can't tell me you ever saw yourself with a peasant," she deadpanned. He rolled his eyes.
If that's really what's bothering you, remember you're the Chief's daughter. Katara tried to smile, but it didn't quite meet her eyes.
Tell me what's really bothering you, he commanded. She shivered, and tried not to think about how...sexy his voice was when he said that and stay on topic.
"In my culture," she began hesitantly. In my culture, a man and women should only lay next to each other if they are brother and sister or husband and wife.
"It is dishonorable to sleep with a man in the Northern Water Tribe especially, which is why I was so surprised Yue was the one to give met his advice."
Zuko laughed slightly nervously. Maybe we belong together or something, he said half-jokingly.
She looked at him critically. Every girl wants to believe they have a soul mate out there, someone who was made perfectly for them, their other half. It sounds like a fairytale for children that had no place in their war-torn world.
On the other hand, how else could they explain this bond, a bond that had seemingly spring up out of nothing at the absolute perfect time? How could she explain Yue's advice? Yue had been a stickler for tradition, ready to marry a man she didn't like just to obey her traditions, why would she throw that all away now just because she was the moon?
Katara shook her head. The questions she had been asking herself since she left the South Pole had just been getting stranger and stranger.
They weren't asking the important questions, Katara decided. They was in the middle of a war, and she was no longer an isolated child in the South Pole. She could not fight when she felt mentally and physically exhausted by not being able to touch Zuko, and she could not protect Aang if she couldn't fight.
They needed more information about this bond, they needed to test their capabilities so they were prepared and not caught out by the enemy. Katara imagined whether or not they were meant to be together didn't matter too much. If they were, then they would be together, and if not, then there must be something better.
The fact was, the only advice they had received so far had been from Yue. It really wouldn't make any sense not to take it.
Zuko nodded, seemingly following along with her thoughts alongside her.
"Well," he started awkwardly, "if we're in agreement then we kind of should..." he gestured awkwardly to the bed.
Katara blushed. It was getting late, she had spent a long time doing laundry and thinking before she had come to Zuko's room. She looked warily at his bed. It was unquestionably nicer and larger than hers. We are in the Royal Chambers, I suppose, she snickered to herself.
She suddenly became of Zuko shifting next to her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her down to his side. She had expected it to be awkward, but she was surprised by how warm, comfortable and content she felt in Zuko's arms. With the bond buzzing pleasantly between them and his strong arm wrapped around her waist, Katara easily fell asleep.
ZutaraZutaraZutaraZutaraZutaraZutara
Katara woke up some time later in an empty bed. Frowning, she looked at the light streaming through the window, then jumped out of bed with a gasp.
It was nearly noon! Her fellow Water Tribe warriors must be angry and hungry, and that was never a good combination. She usually was done with Aang's first healing session and starting on lunch by this time!
She frowned. Where was Zuko, and why hadn't he woken her up? Frowning even harder, she realized she was not feeling the usual coldness she felt when he wasn't around.
Could something have happened to their bond?
Katara fell to her knees in panic, and that was when she noticed the thickness of the rug she was kneeling on. It was a rich, deep red, but she could have sworn Zuko's room only had a small meditation rug. Katara looked a little closer at the room, and realized belatedly that it was much, much larger than Zuko's room on their stolen ship. The window she had looked to earlier was a true window, not a porthole. The walls were covered in extravagant red and gold wallpaper, the complete opposite of the ships dark grey metal walls.
Katara gasped in fear as a knock came at the door she had failed to notice before. She looked around for somewhere to hide, but it was to no avail as the person on the other side opened the door quite quickly. A small, thin figure ran into the room. Katara tensed, but she was just a child with inky black hair. Katara started to speak, wanting to explain herself and ask where she was, but the child didn't even look in her direction, too busy pouting in disappointment.
Through the open door, a child with a familiar set of bangs and piercing golden eyes walked in leisurely behind the thin girl. Azula, Katara thought to herself in fear, but the girl didn't look in her direction either.
They can't see me, she realized. She looked down at herself and saw that her tan skin was dull, and hazy. Her clothes seemed wispy and intangible, blowing in a nonexistent wind.
I'm not real, she understood, is this a memory of some sort?!
Her thoughts were cut off when Azula began speaking. Katara paid close attention, hoping the pint-sized (and hopefully slightly less dangerous) princess would reveal the reason she was here.
"I told you he wouldn't be here Mai," Azula said, her tone even and backed by power even now. The other girl, the crazy knife-wielding Mai from childhood she supposed, blushed.
"Well I just figured I'd check!" she defended, her tone starting out bland but quickly rising in her ire. Azula feigned a yawn.
"Yes, well I'd check the practice lawn if I were you." Somehow, Katara understood the unsaid good thing I'm not you behind Azula's statement.
It was clear Mai understood it as well, as she flushed further, looking down.
"It wasn't important anyway," she mumbled, "I just wanted to wish him luck on his Agni Kai tomorrow."
Unseen, Katara's eyes widened.
Azula tittered condescendingly, "I don't think any amount of luck could help dear Zuzu now," she laughed.
"You don't know that!" Mai leapt to his defense, then seemed to calm herself inwardly, probably aware of how childish she looked.
"Oh please, Mai," Azula said not even looking in her direction, "I know everything."
Mai tried to hide her shudder. "The General is old, maybe he'll slip up and Zuko will defeat him."
Thinking about what Zuko told her earlier those words sounded hollow to Katara, but she tried not to dwell on those thoughts, Maybe she should leave, these girls were just children anyway.
She started to turn, but stopped as Azula said something that made Katara's blood run cold.
"Trust me, I don't think his opponent will make any mistakes."
Both girls turned then to leave the room, closing the door on their way out while Katara fell back on the bed in disbelief.
She knew, Katara thought to herself angrily, Azula knew what Ozai planned and did nothing.
There were a million reasons it tactically made sense for Azula to do such a thing. Getting rid of Zuko would put her directly in line for the throne. It would cement her status as the most valuable Fire Nation Heir. And, it would hurt Zuko.
Katara frowned, thinking about her predicament. This couldn't be Zuko's memory, she deduced. He wasn't here…
Or was he? She looked around the room, unless a spirit had sent her this vision...he must be here somewhere. Then she heard a nearly inaudible sniffle.
She looked around again, listening hard. Not hearing anything more, she tried to reach out with her senses. She clearly did not have the bond with Zuko in this memory, but she thought she might be able to feel his chi still if he were close by.
Katara grasped the invisible rope in her mind with both hands and allowed it to pull her to a large closet resting against the wall. She opened the door to find a younger, shorter Zuko, with his Phoenix Tail disheveled and tears rolling down his cheeks.
It was his face she was most surprised to see. He was unscarred, and she had never seen him this way before. The paleness of his usually marred skin jarred her so much she almost didn't notice him hastily hiding the book in his hands.
"Azula?" Zuko called cautiously. His voice was higher, she noticed.
Well, he's still a kid, Katara thought to herself angrily.
Zuko had seemingly come to the decision that Azula was not there, but he decided it wise to leave the safety of the closet anyway. After he unfolded his legs and stretched, he reached into the closet and patted something, whispering to it softly.
"I should go train," he said regretfully, "Azula's right, but I'll make you proud. I promise." He gently closed the wardrobe door and left the room, never sparing Katara a glance.
After she was sure Zuko had gone, Katara once again reached for the wardrobe door, opening it and feeling around inside for whatever Zuko had been holding. Her hand closed around a thin book and, as she picked it up, a small piece of paper tucked in the pages fell out.
She reached down and picked the paper up. It was a portrait, she saw almost immediately. Katara thought it was Azula for a moment, then realized the woman was far too old. She looked at the book it had fallen out of.
"Love Amongst the Dragons," Katara read aloud. She shrugged to herself, opening the cover to the first page.
The book was signed. She squinted slightly in the dim light of the closet, trying to read the cramped, squiggly handwriting.
Dearest Zuko, it read, even the dragons could not love each other as much as I love you, my son. Happy birthday! From your loving Mother, Princess Ursa.
Ursa must be the woman in the picture! Katara thought as she connected the dots. She hurriedly picked up the picture again.
Zuko said he had lost his mother to the Fire Nation, so Katara guessed she was probably dead. She realized Zuko must hide in the closet to talk to and take comfort in the only thing he had from his mother, a lot like she did with her own necklace.
He's scared, she realized. There's no way Zuko had understood Azula's words, he would still think he would be fighting the aged General. And by the time he woke up, scarred and abandoned on his ship, the conversation accidentally overheard between Azula and Mai would have been far from his mind. He would miss his sister as children usually did, never knowing she had been part and parcel to this chapter of his life.
Despite this lizard-snake's nest of a palace he had grown up in and the challenging Pai Sho titles he had been dealt, Zuko was human, just a boy, and boys were often scared.
Most scared boys wanted nothing more than their mother.
With that thought, Katara returned the book and picture to the wardrobe gently and went back to sit on the bed. She had a feeling she had seen what she was meant to.
Idly, Katara looked out the window again and blinked.
When she opened her eyes again she instantly felt the constant swaying of the ship. She looked over in the dim light of dawn at Zuko's scarred face.
She tried to cry silently.
ZutaraZutaraZutaraZutaraZutara
ZutaraZutaraZutaraZutaraZutara
ZutaraZutaraZutaraZutaraZutara
Author's Note: I like Zutara action as much as the next person (obviously), so of course I've been angling this to get the happy couple in bed together. I have no godly idea where the sharing dream thing came from. It feels like it fell out of my subconscious and on to the page, but I like it. I like an unredeemable Azula, because I think she represents the other side of Zuko's destiny. She was everything he could have been if he embraced the darkness within him and truly became his Father's son. Besides, I think anyone who would attack their own Uncle with lightning really is unredeemable. Death is not reversible, so why should her personality be? Plus, I think the parallels often drawn between Azula and Katara are really interesting, so hopefully we shall explore Azula.