A/N: Okay, So I found this one particular fanart, and it completely inspired me to write this chapter! AND that's not even the best part! It's a zutara fanart with Zuko's hair the way I imagine it to look like in a few episodes time! So, I decided that it's going to be like that for this fic!
GO HERE: (www. deviantart. com/view/ 31447615/) without the spaces of course, it will give you a visual for what he's going to look like. Of course if you don't like it… I guess you can just pretend his hair is like however you want it to be… even though I will give descriptions otherwise lol
One thing to say now: get ready for some zutara interaction! (everyone says: finally! lol)
Chapter 6
The air in between them was still and tense. Zuko didn't know what to say or do really. All he did was look at her, and Katara just looked back, unable to speak as well. The person in front of her seemed so far away and distant from her recollections and memories. His hair was so different and grown out. He had bangs, and they swept down to meet his cheeks. Zuko brushed his hair away slightly from his eyes, and then looked away to reveal his well-known scar. At least there was one thing that remained of his former looks. Katara observed him now, and she suddenly felt her head begin to spin, and her heart began to beat a bit faster. She snapped out of it shaking her head, and this caused Zuko to turn his attention back towards her.
"Well? Are you not going to speak? And wait a minute… what am I doing here?"
Zuko could tell she was panicked and the smallest hint of a smile formed on his lips. It infuriated Katara so much that she stood up quickly from the bed.
"What is so funny? Zuko, can you really not speak? I asked you a question! Or are you incapable of moving your mouth so that sound comes out of it?"
Her confidence was back and she felt like she had the upper hand, that is, until she felt faint, and she fell onto the bed again. Zuko leaned forwards to catch her, but she was already lying on the bed. In his mind, he couldn't help but worry about her. She seemed so vulnerable and he somewhat felt responsible for everything that had happened. As he hovered near her, she put a hand to her head and closed her eyes.
"My head hurts so much…"
She barely whispered and then she felt Zuko's fingers move her hand away. For a moment she let him, but then she snapped her eyes open when she realized he was touching her forehead.
"What are you doing? Don't touch me!"
Katara yelled out at him with the last bit of her strength, and then she allowed Zuko to push her head back down on the pillow.
"Wh…what are… you doing… to me?"
She couldn't take it anymore, his resilient silence. But she had just enough strength to keep her eyes open. Zuko brushed away her hair and Katara closed her eyes lightly each time she felt his cool fingers sweep at her forehead. She wondered how a fire bender could have a cool touch, but then again, he looked so wonderful hovering above her with that worried look on his face. Yes, she must have been delirious.
"I found you in the forest, and took you here. You have a fever."
She opened her eyes again and as she felt Zuko put a cool cloth on her forehead, Katara studied his expression. His words seemed emotionless, but in his eyes she could sense a miniscule amount of humanity. This comforted her, and so she breathed in a sigh of relief and closed her eyes again. He wasn't going to kill her; that was one thing she could count on.
"I'm not going to poison you or something, if that's what you were thinking."
She couldn't help but chuckle slightly, and when she did, the cloth fell off her head, and she began to cough. Zuko scowled and pushed her head back down. As he put the cloth back on her head, Katara opened her eyes and for a moment he stared into them. They were so blue and beautiful… and then the realization hit him. He had seen her before, and he had thought of her as the most beautiful girl in the world. Zuko's thoughts flashed back to the parade of women, and the one in particular that he had helped escape.
Katara saw him looking at her, and her thoughts ran crazily through her mind. It was hard to think, but she tried desperately to figure out what Zuko's intentions were. His face was scowling, and it seemed like he was angry with himself for even being in her presence. This disheartened Katara a bit, but suddenly she saw a faint blush spread across his cheeks. At that moment, he turned away and walked to the other side of the room, muttering something under his breath. Maybe it was her state of delirium, but she could have sworn that color in his cheek wasn't because of the heat in the hut.
"Zuko?"
He turned his head slightly towards her, but looked away again. His feelings were beginning to interfere with his thoughts and plans, and he wouldn't stand for it. Without turning around, he answered her.
"What?"
All of a sudden his words seemed cold and distant, like she remembered. It was a bit too early to be doing this, but she knew she had to ask.
"I was… wondering. Why… are you helping… me?"
It took a while for Zuko to turn around and face her again. When he did, he saw that she was staring up at the roof of the hut, and not at him. Zuko took a few steps, and sat back down on a stool. He busied himself with another cloth and a bowl of water.
"Be quiet, and stay still."
Katara turned her head slightly towards him, and saw his hair fall in front of his face, covering his scar a bit. He almost looked like a decent human being. But as she watched him take care of her, she could tell that maybe he really was decent after all.
"I'm going to roll up your sleeves, and then I'm going to put the cloth on your arm."
He wasn't asking her if she would let him, he was going to do it whether she liked it or not. Katara sighed and tried to lift up her arm, but when she did, her vision became blurry and she had to close her eyes. Zuko began to roll up the sleeve of her right arm, and then he stopped. There were blue streaks spreading from her hand and up her arm. Katara sensed him stopping, so she tried to open her eyes again, and saw the color in her arm. Her eyes widened, and her thoughts flashed back to a similar image she had witnessed only a day or two ago.
It was poison. Both Katara and Zuko knew it. Katara knew she must have been infected when she healed the other Red Spirit, but Zuko was the one with the guilty conscience. It was because he was the only one of the two who knew the whole story. She had healed him, and because of it, she was now in danger of losing her own life. Without thinking, Zuko put a hand on her shoulder and he leaned his head towards her, so that she wouldn't have to use so much strength to look at him.
"You need to heal yourself."
Zuko would have to wait for another time to situate the Azure Jewel so that his plans could work. Now he had to think about making sure she would still live. Katara looked at him, and saw worry in his eyes, even though his face was still and contained no emotion at all.
"Okay… I'll try… wait… how did you know?"
Zuko didn't say anything and instead, he found another pillow and propped her up. He set aside the bowl next to her and waited for her to do something.
"Well, I thought someone as skilled as you would be able to heal herself, but then again, maybe I was wrong."
Every time Zuko would want to, he knew how to get her going. Katara did just that.
"I am skilled! And I can heal myself! You just watch!"
Her fiery energy had its roots in Zuko, and she felt herself feeling much better when she dipped her hand in the bowl of water. The coolness slithered up her arm, and as she closed her eyes, it began to glow. It all slipped away after a minute, and the blue color in her arm vanished. Zuko mentally thanked Agni, but on the outside he roughly took away the bowl and set it aside on a table on the other side of the room. Katara's eyes were drooping, and she was becoming drowsy.
"Zuko… you still haven't… answered… my…"
Katara yawned and Zuko took away the other pillow. He set her head down gently as she drifted off to sleep. She finally looked completely at peace, and free to sleep without experiencing any pain at all. Zuko now smiled to himself and brushed away his hair. The smile disappeared when he looked to the box in the corner of the room where the disguises were hidden. And then he walked over to where he was keeping the Azure Jewel. It wasn't too big, and it could be concealed easily. Now he had to figure out how he would position it.
From his knowledge, he knew that she wouldn't be able to water bend if she were anywhere near it in its exposed state. Then Zuko thought about her necklace. He slid it out from underneath his sleeve, and then tied it around her neck. Zuko examined her form, and when he added the necklace, she looked complete. It made him feel guilty about taking away her abilities, but he had to. So he tied it around his wrist, where her necklace used to be. If she were anywhere near him, she wouldn't be able to bend.
..:-:..
The streaks of morning light shone through the hut, and little droplets of remaining rain fell slowly down to the ground from the trees. Katara rustled in the bed, and when she felt the blanket around her, she clung it closer to her body, and smiled to herself, thinking she was in a dreamland filled with bliss where there was no pain. Her happiness ended when she head a bucket fall to the floor. She opened her eyes and when they adjusted to the light, she saw Zuko fussing over spilled fish. Somehow, it made her smile, and so she pulled back the blanket, and stood up. She felt much better that morning and she really wanted to bend.
"I'll get that for you."
Katara moved her arms up and down, but Zuko watched with a little sadness. Her eyebrow's furrowed when nothing happened.
"That's strange. What's going on?"
She tried again, and again, and after a while she got so frustrated that she kicked the bucket across the room.
"Hey! Are you mad or something?"
Katara turned towards Zuko crossly.
"Oh, I'm definitely mad! For some reason I can't bend! And I am almost positive it has something to do with you!"
Her accusation hit him hard, but he kept his game face on. He squinted his eyes to match hers and handed her the bucket.
"Are you forgetting I'm the one that helped you? I took you here and helped you heal yourself! Why would I be the one to blame for the effects poison has on someone? Did you ever think that maybe it was the poison that disabled your bending?"
She was utterly shocked and her mouth was hanging open, her eyes were wide-awake, and her hands fell limply to her sides. It was the most she had ever heard him speak, and it actually made some sense. Katara took the bucket without saying anything, and then he piled the fish into it. Zuko took it from her and walked outside. She followed him wordlessly, and saw that he had started a small fire, over which he was cooking the fish. Katara looked around and then decided to sit down on a rock across from Zuko.
Her eyes would wander over the fire and to his face. His eyes looked tired and worn out, and his movements weren't as quick and decisive as she remembered. When she would look away towards the forest, Zuko took the chance and then looked at her. She seemed much livelier than before and it made him glad. The girl, woman rather as he now observed her, had something in her that compelled him, but he was never too good with words.
After a while, Katara zoned out and was put to peace with the tranquility of the forest. Suddenly she was taken out of that state of mind, when Zuko pushed a plate of crisp fish towards her.
"Eat it."
The gesture surprised her, and then she observed that he gave her the bigger fish. Out of nowhere, she began to think as she watched him eat quietly to himself. Why was she still here? Why wasn't she running away back to her hut, after all she had a mission to help Aang. But Zuko wasn't harming her in any way, and it was nice to have some company. Finally, after a lot of thinking, Katara decided she would stay and get to the bottom of the situation. She began to nibble at the fish, and then she squirmed when she bit into it. It was salty and it tasted horrible. Zuko looked up and scowled to himself.
"Sorry it doesn't suit your taste buds. But that's all you're getting."
He said it in a bitter tone, and Katara felt guilty. She took another bite, and munched it down, pretending to look like it was the best thing she had ever eaten. Zuko caught her making over exaggerated gestures of enjoyment of her meal.
"You can quit acting. I know you don't like it."
She stopped chewing and looked at him. Her plate fell down to her lap, and then she looked down at it. It was unbearable, but she swallowed her food, and managed a small smile. Then the plate of half eaten fish was put to the side, and Zuko was already up and gone into the hut. She waited for him to come back outside. When he did, he was shocked that she was still out there. Inside he knew his plan was working.
"Zuko… can I ask you something?"
He looked at her through the corner of his eye and nodded ever so slightly.
"Well… I've heard rumors of a red spirit… do you know anything about it?"
Zuko had to look away to contain his stiffness and anxiety. The first thing she asked about was the Red Spirit and it gave him a sudden chill down his spine. What if she knew and was just playing along? Or what if she was just genuinely asking? Katara was now looking at the hut and it felt so familiar, almost exactly like the one she was in when she healed the other Red Spirit.
"No… I don't know about that. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, I was just curious. I heard he steals a lot."
Zuko smiled to himself but recomposed himself. He turned to her and gave her a blank expression.
"Well, I don't think he knows where we are, so you can stop worrying."
Katara became infuriated once again. Who did this Prince think he was?
"I'm not worrying, and I'm not scared! Just because you're a prince and I'm beneath you, doesn't mean that I'm stiff with fright, and that I don't know how to take care of myself!"
Something in his eyes changed, and he looked down at the ground, his hair sweeping to the front of his face again. Katara bit her tongue, wondering what it was that she had said to make his golden eyes soften. She stood up and walked over to him slowly. When she placed a hand on his shoulder, he didn't say anything, nor did he shove her away.
"Do you really think I'm still like that?"
Katara was confused and then she thought about how long it had really been since she last saw him. He must have changed a lot if in fact he wasn't attacking her, or asking for the Avatar's whereabouts. Then again, she studied his face, his head of hair, and it gave her a physical sense of how much time had elapsed.
"I don't know what to think anymore…"
She sat down beside him, and they both stared into the fire. In a moment's notice, Zuko took some dirt and kicked it over the fire. The warmth was gone, but the sun was still there shinning down on them. Zuko kept his gaze on the cinders of ash, while Katara turned to look at his scar. She knew he wouldn't talk to her; she would have to be crazy to think it.
"Did you see that? The fire was extinguished, gotten rid of. It was a small fire, it didn't stand a chance. But it were a huge raging fire, it wouldn't let itself die out by some dirt."
She tried to understand what he was talking about, but it made no sense to her. And all of a sudden, he smiled. Katara was taken by surprise into a trance. His face lit up with life and he looked dazzling in the sunlight. But all of a sudden, his face was covered in shadows, his smile was gone, and in its place was a frown filled with sadness.
"I guess I'm sounding a lot like my uncle now, aren't I? But then again, you would have no idea."
His expression was grim and tight. Zuko stood up and was about to turn away, when someone held him back. Katara pulled on his sleeve and he turned around towards her.
"You could try telling me about it. I'm not as dumb as I might seem, Zuko."
He didn't say anything, but he sat down slowly. She waited patiently for him to speak. Katara was now fully intrigued to see the new Zuko. He wasn't wearing his fire nation clothes, but why not? And why was he living in a hut? Katara was shocked to find those thoughts in her mind for the first time since she had discovered herself looking at him last night. Zuko cleared his throat and then took a deep breath of morning air.
"I don't know why I'm going to tell you this, but I guess I have no one else to tell it to, so I might as well."
"Wait, what do you mean you have no one else to talk to?"
"…So I'm assuming that you haven't heard the wonderful news?"
"Uh… no, I guess I haven't."
He sighed and then continued.
"After the battle in the North Pole…"
Zuko paused and decided whether he should mention their fight, and ask why she and the Avatar had taken him back to the oasis. He made a mental note to ask later.
"After that, my uncle and I were cast out of the fire nation. My own father…"
He heard Katara inhale sharply, but he just closed his eyes and continued.
"He discarded me… he asked my sister to catch me and make me prisoner."
Zuko opened his eyes when he saw that Katara was growling in anger.
"Oh, you feel so bad for me?"
"No! It's her! I hate Azula! Every time she tried to capture us, it was even worse than with you! There was one time when we almost flew into a mountain because of that witch! And she's your sister? No wonder."
Zuko cocked his eyebrow at her, and then she chuckled shyly.
"Uh, sorry. I guess you don't like her that much either?"
"Not liking her is such a simple way to put it. But yes, I don't."
"So then, what happened?"
There was a sudden breeze and the forest fell silent. The birds stopped chirping and the trees started to rustle their branches against one another.
"She captured my uncle. He's gone…"
Katara clasped her hands to her mouth and then Zuko turned towards her, his eyes staring into hers with defiance and overwhelming emotion. Katara found herself turning weak because of his strong gaze on her. His voice was only a whisper but it sent her hair on its end.
"You don't have to say anything… I'm done grieving."
At that moment, Katara realized this person she was conversing with had changed completely. Her heart was pouring out towards him. His own family had cast him away, and his uncle was gone forever. Zuko was strong enough to go on living in hiding; just hoping he wouldn't get caught. This needed strength that she didn't think she even had. Truth though was that she had someone out there thinking about her, Sokka, Aang, master Pakku, her grandmother, but Zuko had no one.
"… I'm sorry…"
"Don't be."
He stood up again, and this time he walked towards the hut before Katara stood and spoke up.
"I just don't know what to say."
"Maybe you just don't realize that not everyone has to follow a certain path in life."
Zuko went into the hut, and brought out canteens for water.
"Come on. We have to go fill these up."
He walked right by her, not even giving her a small smile. But Katara let it slide, after all he had just told her something that was extremely personal. She began to wonder why he decided to tell her everything, and why he was helping her anyways. The answer came to her from what Zuko had said. He was all alone, and he had no one to talk to. Katara smiled to herself, and followed without speaking to him.
"Here… take one and fill it up."
She took a canteen and studied it sadly. Usually she would fill it up using her bending, but she didn't even want to try because it would make her even more miserable. The river was clean and when she knelt down, her hand felt the cool water flow by her. It gave her sense of fulfillment like bending had never given her before. She never really felt water before, she just bended it. Now as the canteen filled itself, a smile spread across her lips. An idea popped into her head. She looked over at Zuko, who had filled up four canteens already. He was so glum and miserable looking. Katara knew that her objective would be to turn that frown upside down.
Zuko took the last canteen and filled it up. When he closed it, and put it down, he jerked as he felt cold water fall down his head. His hair was sleek, wet, and it stuck closely to his head. Katara couldn't contain her laughter and so she let it out without hesitation. Zuko turned around towards her and saw the empty canteen dripping its last few drops of water onto the ground. He growled in anger, but his expression eased as he saw how happy she was. A thought occurred to him; she had done it as a mild childish act, she didn't do it with her bending. All Katara had done was spill water from a canteen onto his head. It wasn't any kind of act showing power; instead it was just for fun and laughter.
Katara was too busy laughing to notice what Zuko was doing. He took a canteen and quickly dumped the water all over Katara's head. Her eyes went wide and she put her hands to her head.
"You are so going to regret doing that!"
Zuko laughed for what seemed the first time in a very long time. She smiled when she saw his radiant side again. Katara ran over to the pile of canteens and then opened one up. Zuko saw this, and he started to run away from her. Katara chased him through the trees until she finally was able to get him doused with water again. The process repeated itself until the canteens were all empty.
"Looks like we need to refill the canteens."
She smiled at Zuko and he smiled back.
"Looks like it, doesn't it?"
In no time, the canteens were filled up again, and this time they remained that way. Zuko stored them in the hut, but when he walked out again and saw Katara he smirked to himself.
"Now you will finally see what's it's like to dry your clothes like a normal person."
"Oh? And how would a normal person such as yourself do that?"
Zuko shrugged his shoulders and then disappeared into the forest. Katara smiled and began to follow him once again.
..:-:..
A group of men were making their way into the forest. These men weren't just any men. All of these men were pirates, and leading the way was the Captain of the ship. His face displayed an air of annoyance and anger.
"We are going to find the dirty thieves, and then we are going to kill them, understood?"
Everyone agreed with their captain and soon they all disappeared into the forest.
..:-:..
"Zuko? Where are you?"
The light was beginning to grow brighter in the part of the forest where Katara was. She still hadn't found Zuko, and she was beginning to wonder if she had lost his track, but right then she found him sitting in an open field, located right in the middle of nowhere. Katara sat down next to him and observed the beauty of the surrounding nature.
"How long have you been living here Zuko?"
"Long enough. This place is really the only retreat I have. No one else knows about it. At least I hope no one else does."
She eyed him curiously, and she couldn't help but ask.
"So if someone found you… what would happen?"
"I'd be taken away to the fire nation and locked up. My father thinks of me as a disgrace."
"Zuko… you're not a disgrace."
He suddenly turned his head towards her violently.
"Oh yeah? And how would you know?"
Katara's voice was carried softly to his ears by the breeze in between them.
"I've seen you fight… I've fought you myself, and if your father doesn't think anything of it, then he is crazy."
"Yeah right, didn't you see Azula fight? She's a prodigy! I'm nothing…"
"That's not true Zuko… you are something. You've worked hard at bending and that's not considered as nothing in my mind."
Zuko shook his head and looked off into the forest.
"Well thanks a lot… but you're not my father."
She was hurt and she looked away sadly. Zuko realized what he had said and wanted to take it back immediately.
"I'm sorry… I didn't mean it like that… I mean… thanks… it's just that no one really has ever cared."
Katara turned towards him again and decided to forgive him.
"Well get used to it…"
They looked at each other for a second, and then Katara looked away, blushing.
"…since we are both in hiding and all… I guess we can keep each other company?"
Zuko made a mental check mark in his mind. His plan had worked. She was on his side now.
"Sure, why not?"
She looked at Zuko, and he smiled genuinely and from the heart. Katara couldn't help but have her heart melt on the spot. However there was one thing was still making her have doubts.
"Zuko? When you found me…"
"I just found you in the forest like you were when you woke up. You didn't have anything with you, if that's what you think, that I stole it from you."
Katara was relieved.
"Oh no no! It's not that… it's just well… I don't remember how I got there in the first place is all… Thank you Zuko."
She smiled and he rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever," and he shrugged his shoulders again.
Everything was turning out to be a perfect day. They stayed there for a good portion of the day, laughing, drying out in the sun, and enjoying each other's company. Zuko had found a patch of flowers and he decided to take some and give them to Katara. She was shocked by the display of affection and caring, but she accepted the gift and decided then that she could now trust Zuko. After all, he hadn't mentioned one word about Aang.
The happiness came to an abrupt end when arrows flew to the ground by their feet. They both became alert, and Zuko shielded Katara with his body.
"Whoever you are, show yourselves!"
