Sigh, ya try and create a well balanced story with a little fluff and a little not… oh well… first off, lets get something clear people. NO FLAME PLEASE! Please don't tell me what I've done wrong in ways of characters and regarding the episodes. This is a fanfic, so don't take it seriously. And, if and when you have a REAL critique, I will be happy to read it. And by real critic I mean, on my writing skills.
What happened to all my lovely reviews?
Chapter six
The Nest
He looked up to see Katara, standing on a pillar of water making her a little bit taller the he. He vaguely noticed that her feet were translucent like water, or the ship that was now floating away. He reached out a hand and she took it as she stepped onto the railing then down three feet to him. Then he took her in his arms and held her for a moment before letting go to look at her. There were tears in her eyes and she smelt awful. But she was still beautiful. He let out big breath and called out.
"Hey Uncle Iroh. Come out here." But he never lifted his eyes from Katara.
The ceiling can be a very interesting thing when you're horny and determined to hold your promise and not touch the love of your life, who just happens to be lying in bed right next to you, because she asked you not to. At least, that's what Zuko was thinking right now.
He was lying on his back next to a slightly snoring Katara as she mumbled and turned over towards him. When she did her shirt shifted upwards and he could see the wrappings around her chest. Blushing furiously he leapt out of bed and walked outside into the cold morning. The nights had been getting harder and harder for him. He was sleeping less and spending more time keeping his hands to himself. He agreed that he loved Katara but now that he had settled that something else had awoken in him. While he still desired to be around her and just with her, he now also desired to touch her and be with her.
So far he had kept his urges under control, but it didn't mean he didn't have them. He smiled as he watched distant shorelines wink in and out of existence. They were drawing closer and closer to their destination everyday, in fact, if his calculations were correct they would arrive today. Suddenly he felt Katara's presence burning into all his senses. He turned to look over his shoulder and there she was, with the blankets all around her.
"What are you doing?" Katara asked as she rubbed her eyes. Zuko bit back laughter at the sight of her. In all honesty she looked like a child standing before him. Her hair was in utter disarray and she had a smudge on her cheek from Roku knows what. And sitting on her shoulder was a very sleepy looking Aria. She looked as innocent as a child and he felt like taking her into his arms from the biggest hug of her life. But decided not to.
Instead he maintained a stern face as he looked back out to the sea, "My sleep has been rather disturbed as of late." He said cryptically, hoping she would get the message. But apparently, she didn't. Because she too came to lean against the railing and then did something which made Zuko suspect that her judgment must still be heavily clouded with sleep. She snuggled up to him and then threw her blanket over him. Soon they were both wrapped, side-by-side, under the blankets staring at the rising sun. It seemed that time itself had stopped as they stood there. They didn't even talk, just enjoyed each other's company. Finally Zuko turned to her and said, "Come on, lets go back inside and get some actual clothes on." But when they turned around they found what seemed to be half the crew gazing down at them, their eyes glazed over. They seemed to be watching the two with adoring smiles. Zuko's temper flared, "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK THAT YOU ARE DOING! Get back to your posts!" men scrambled and laughed as they grabbed onto ropes and ran along catwalks back to their jobs.
Katara was now used to many things about life on the ship. The smelly men who had taken a sisterly liking to her, the random bursts of fire, and the smelly men. It was in the middle of the day. She was walking along a catwalk towards the galley to eat with Rueshi and Tatsuya when she heard the call from the watch tower, "LAND HO!" Land? What is this land they speak of? She teased in her mind. But she, like everyone else rushed to the railings to see what land they were approaching. But before she could even get to the end of the walk Zuko came rushing at her, swinging on a rope. He picked her up and they swung onto another walkway where he ran while trying to keep her eyes covered.
"Don't look yet!" he cried like an excited little boy as he pushed her back into their room and locked the door. Katara sat dazed on the bed for a moment and barely registered Aria coming over to lick her fingers.
"That was odd… to say the least…" she said quietly. She reached over and grabbed a book off of the stand next to the bed. It was some stupid little book that Zuko had been reading. She opened it up and lightly skimmed the page, then stopped. This book… she snickered, this was a book of poetry. She sat down on the bed and laughed as loud as she dared. This was way to great. Aria reached out and poked her with a paw.
"Odd it may be… but somehow… it's kind of cute too." She said with a whisper. She felt a blush creep into her cheeks as she opened it again and began to read. She read it for a while. When she came across a particularly nice poem she read it aloud and giggled silently to herself. Time seemed to slide away as it always did when she read until she came to a certain page. There were watermarks on the page, as though someone had cried while reading it. The page was dog-eared and everything. She sat up from her lying position and read it aloud:
"Tick tock
the pendulum swings
back and forth
on suspended wings.
The sunlight dims
and the moon comes out
and I wait patiently for you
patiently.
Time goes on
slowing each day
forcing me to wait again
I was stupid before
I am stupid now
But I wait for you
each day growing long
A silver string
around my finger
runs away into the darkness
but I know where it goes
for this string is also yours.
And I wait patiently for you
patiently"
"It's one of my favorites… if ya couldn't tell." Zuko's voice was coming from just above her head. She turned around and looked him straight in the face. She thought he would be mad, but there he was. Smiling at her, like always. And for the oddest reason she suddenly felt drawn to his lips. But her feet stayed firmly in their place as he held out his hand to her.
"I wanna show you something." He said quietly. She reached out and took his hand, "Close your eyes." He whispered near her ear. She could feel the heat of his breath on her skin as all sight was cut off. She didn't fear anything. Zuko was guiding her, leading her into the unknown. But it was their unknown, and they were going together.
A little while later Zuko was still leading Katara. He was amazed at how calm she was. And for some odd reason she was still clutching his book of poetry, his deepest and darkest secret, tightly to her chest. She seemed to be lost in thought and had forgotten about earlier. He was glad she didn't sneak any peeks. They were standing on the dock at the very edge where wood met sand. He had long ago excused his men and they had taken off into the giant fortress that was The Nest. Their home. Uncle Iroh was watching quietly from the shadows, underneath a large palm tree.
"Sit down right here." He said softly. When he began to remove her shoes she giggled.
"Zuko, what's going on? Ah… AH! Stop I'm ticklish there!" to her surprise he actually stopped. He took her hand again and helped her up. She could feel the tension in his hands mounting. What was wrong with him? And why were his hands so sweaty. Gran-Gran had always said that meant and guy liked you. Did Zuko like her? Well that was a stupid question. She knew he liked her. And she liked him. But what about the forbidden word? The emotion neither of them had mentioned in the now almost three weeks of truly knowing one another-
"Watch your step." Came Zuko's soft voice. How she loved that voice. It was deep and rough, but with an underlying softness that she never saw him use with anyone but her. Stop waxing poetic she scolded herself. Then her thoughts were interrupted by an odd sensation beneath her feet. The feeling of sand, warmed by the sun, running through her toes. Now she did open her eyes and before her saw the ocean. It was turquoise and shallow. Though a ways off she could see the deep blue of real ocean. The sky above was endless. There were thousands of stars that glistened overhead. She tilted her head back and turned and saw it. The island was medium sized with a good mile of beach stretching up to a forest of palm trees. Peeping out of this was a palace. A true palace. She had paced the halls of the building known as a palace for the Northern Water Tribe. Ridden in the mail system in the Kingdom of Omashu. Prayed at the fabled Air Temples, and glanced at pictures of the Fire Nation capital. But none compared to the beauty and ancientness of the palace. But it seemed to have frozen at just the right time.
It had begun to crumble, so that there was a fallen pillar here, a cracked wall there. Some rebellious moss over here. But then it seemed to have stopped in it's perfection, "This is my home… my base. The Nest. We found it here. Just as it is." Zuko stood next to her. He loved that look of amazement in her eyes, "The men are extra careful, though there have been some minor damages." He looked down at her and was alarmed. Her was flying out behind her slightly and her skin was tingeing water. Her eyes were glowing blue and he felt a sudden calling. Something was calling him. It wanted him to come closer and closer. He felt the fire inside of him burning to get out.
Let go, young prince. Let go and come home. He dug his nails into his skin and was jolted awake. Katara was still glowing with power. Her watery lips were moving, forming words he did recognize, but knew.
"Katara! Is not the island beautiful?" Iroh came trotting up. Zuko spun to look at him, then looked back at Katara. She had snapped back to normal and oddly enough, was crying.
"Katara?" Zuko asked softly he wrapped his arms around her. The absolute cold of her skin was shocking.
"I'm home." She said whispered.
Iroh had slowed to a stop before them and was watching peacefully. He had not seen was had happened, but he did know what was happening between his nephew and this odd girl from the southern water tribes. He knew what had caused Zuko's heart to soften and his true smile to come forth once more.
Life in the beautiful palace was natural. The rowdy men that had cursed and acted perverted were now quiet and at peace. They walked through the halls quietly and kept their voices down low.
A little to Katara's dismay, she had been given her own room. Though it was absolutely gorgeous. It was technically outside with the only solid wall being the one leading inside. The other three sides were balconies with four solid marble pillars supporting the marble ceiling. The floors were marble too. All cream marble shot through with what seemed to be gold. In the center of the room was a three-tiered platform with a huge pile of pillows on top. Hanging around that was blue gossamer that swirled in the breeze. Against one wall was a dresser and wardrobe where she put the many clothes she had made. The room was so big that soon Katara requested some more pillows be brought in and several bookcases. She set these up by a huge fireplace on a little wall on the east side of the room.
The first day it rained Katara was alarmed that her room would be soaked. But somehow, there was some magic the blocked the rain from coming in. Katara had stuck her hand out in the rain and pulled it back wet. Zuko had laughed when he saw her later, her whole right sleeve soaked through. A week passed and Katara was completely at home. She knew this place for some reason. She never hesitated in her turns or gave wrong directions to a wondering soldier. Zuko's room was a little ways down the hall from hers and she spent much time there with him. Sometimes they talked and played with Aria. Sometimes they simply sat in each other's presence or even read out loud. It was simply that they were together that made Katara begin to realize the emotion that was stirring in her heart.
And it was a dark and rainy day that she confirmed that that emotion was indeed love.
"Zuko, I'm bored." Katara called. They were in her room today, sitting by the fireplace reading. Zuko had a particularly large book in his hands and was seemingly engrossed. But after a moment he peered over the top.
"What do you want me to do about it?" he wasn't being mean; she could tell by the tilt of his chin. She then thought of what he wanted him to do about it.
"Play with me!" she declared. This really did get Zuko's attention. He dropped the heavy text in his hands and looked at her, dumbstruck, "Get yer mind out of the gutter!" Katara said playfully. Using the rainwater outside Katara created a ball of water and set it spinning in her hand.
Zuko watched her for a few seconds before it sunk in, "No!" he cried getting up, "You'll get hurt." This, however, was the wrong thing to say. Katara threw the water ball at him.
"Don't be so pompous! Fight me! We both need the exercise. Please?" Zuko looked up at her, then sighed.
"Come with me." He said a little annoyed. They walked out to a terrace where it was still raining. She stood at one end and he at the other.
He took up his usual fighting position and she stood with her hands out at her sides, her arms outstretched. Feeling the rain as it poured over her. It didn't take long for a crowd to form. Katara breathed in then lashed out with the water whip, taking it from a puddle on the ground. Zuko performed a back flip then shot a wave of fire at her. Katara nimbly avoided it and did a low sweeping kick and gathered water. Then she raised herself onto her hands and turned the water to ice as she kicked the icicles at him. Zuko dodged all but the last one; which tore at his left shoulder.
"Damn!" he muttered and sent a fireball at her. She blocked it only just in time, he wondered if she was angry. But nonetheless and faced off and sent out another attack to counter the one she had just thrown at him.
The fight lasted for a while. At one point that began to exchange fist blows and began to grapple. However they had ended up in a compromising position that had caused Zuko to loose his nerve and he let Katara wiggle her away from underneath him. She swung a wall of water at him and he saw an opening. He broke through and sent an extra large fireball at her. She leapt into the air, but landed hard.
"KyaaaaaAAAAAA!" her whole left leg from the knee down was badly burned. Soldiers rushed forward to help her but she leapt up and ran towards the end of the terrace and jumped/fell into the thick foliage. Zuko waved the others off before following. He found her sitting at the very edge of a pool of freshwater. She was grasping her leg tightly as tears pooled over her eyes. She looked up at Zuko and smiled a little. Through her pain she whispered, "Wanna see something amazing?"
She slid her leg into the water as Zuko stood there in shock. Her leg glowed a bright blue and she pulled it back out. It was completely healed. He sat down at the edge of the pool and looked at her.
"I can even heal old wounds. I healed a man with burn scars all over him. Much worse that y-… you." She turned to look at him. And realized why his jaw had seemingly come unhinged.
"Do- do you think you could?" he asked cautiously, lifting his fingers to his left eye. Feeling the warped skin there, "I mean what all could you do."
Katara looked at him sheepishly, "I could make everything new. Make your hair grow, fix your ear; make you as you were…" Zuko was looking at her desperately, "But just so ya know. I don't really care one way or another. I like you like this."
Zuko took her hands in his, "Please rid me of this… this atrocity. It reminds me everyday of my father's cruelty. Please, I beg you!"
So Katara dipped her hands into the water. Soon they were glowing a healing blue, she reached out and touched his face softly. First she outlined the scar, softening the edges. Zuko groaned. Not in pleasure, in pain, "This will be painful." She said softly.
"Go on." He said with certainty. She rubbed his ear till it was whole, smoothed his skin and reawakened his hair. He was sweating by now, tears coming from his eyes. But it was a good pain. Katara sat back before putting her hand over his eye to get a good look at him. Then she had an idea. She got on her knees and bent forward to softly press her lips against his. Zuko groaned again as the healing power covered his eyes. He wrapped his arms around Katara and pulled her close and kissed her back as softly as he could. They seemed to fade into the stairs that were now overhead. The healing was complete. She could feel his now full head of shoulder length hair and smooth skin. But the kiss did not stop. She shifted her hands to the back of his head as he moved to cradle her neck in his own hands. Tears started to pour over her own face. Tears because she was so happy. Happy to be with Zuko. Happy to be kissing him.
Finally eh? How did ya like it? I nearly got grounded because I've been hissing at everyone who came in to talk to me.
