Glowing
The flames leapt back and forth between Zuko and Aang, looking like the hottest game of hot potato. Katara sat back in the shade, silently following the flame with her eyes. They were in the courtyard of the Ember Island Estate. The area was surrounded on all sides by different wings of the Fire Lord's beach house with a large open space free of burnable debris that was perfect for firebending training. It had been used by different members for that purpose going back generations, now the Avatar was making use of it as well.
"This is an important training exercise for every firebender," Zuko explained putting on his best "Sifu" voice. "One of the first big hurdles most firebenders run up against is staying calm while fire is flying towards them."
"Right, but you've been throwing fire at me for almost a year now," Aang pointed out.
"Oh yeah, I guess I have," Zuko said, a crack appearing in his Sifu persona. That certainly explained why Aang was doing surprisingly well, but Zuko did see some room for improvement. As they spoke the fire continued to bounce back and forth between them. It flew straight as an arrow to Aang, but it arced around Aang swinging wide and forcing Zuko to pull the flame in to redirect.
"You're not controlling your flame properly," Zuko told him, "You need to be able to put it exactly on your target."
"But you're the target?" Aang said uncertainly.
"Exactly, you need to send it straight at me," Zuko certified.
"But... I don't want to hurt anyone," Aang said.
That was fair, caution was often a central part of firebending training. Fire was wild and dangerous, it had a life of its own, spreading and feeding like all living things. All the elements were powerful but in this fire was unique. That's why most firebending students started with smoldering paper and lighting match heads, but Aang's training had been fast tracked as a result of necessity. There just wasn't time for the slow and steady approach. If Aang was going to be ready come Sozin's Comet then he would have to jump into the deep end.
"It's good to be cautious and respect the risk that comes with firebending, over confidence is dangerous. That said you can't be afraid of using it either, if you're too hesitant then you're still not in control. If all you want to do is deflect flames coming at you then you might as well stick with airbending," Zuko explained it patiently.
"But what if one of us gets hurt?" Aang asked his brows furrowed with worry.
"When you were learning waterbending did you get wet?" Zuko asked.
"Of course! That's..." Aang began before Zuko cut him off.
"And when you were learning earthbending did you ever get smacked with rocks or bruised?" Zuko continued.
"Well, yes..." Aang replied.
"In firebending it's the same. You will get hit, you will get burned, and so will I. It's the risk we take when we learn to bend, no matter what you're bending. But we have to accept that and accept that we'll heal," Zuko explained. It was true, Zuko had experienced lot's of burns in the course of his training. Blisters and red patches where the mark of student firebenders one and all.
"But with fire it can go really badly," Aang said.
"I've seen water cut through steel and seen rocks crush houses. They can all hurt you really badly," Zuko said beginning to feel his patience begin to slip.
"But..." Aang said before Zuko interrupted him again.
"No buts, I want you to throw fire at me. Straight on."
All the while the flames kept jumping back and forth, straight and strong from Zuko but weaker and less precise from Aang. "Zuko, maybe you should take it easy," Katara called out from where she sat.
"Zuko I don't..." Aang tried again, but now Zuko was annoyed by his hesitance. Sozin's Comet was getting closer each day and there wasn't time for this.
"Just do it!" Zuko shouted. His voice and the flames he threw were stronger than intended. Aang reversed them flawlessly, sending the gout of fire straight back at Zuko exactly as he'd been instructed.
The sudden tempo change caught Zuko off guard. He missed the catch, instead blocking the blow with his forearms. The blow hit him with enough force to throw him off his feet.
"Zuko!" Aang shouted as his Sifu landed flat on his back.
"I'm ok," Zuko gasped out. "Good job Aang."
"Are you hurt?" Aang asked, his voice full of worry as he ran to where Zuko had landed.
"Mostly my pride, but I'm used to that," Zuko had to force the words out through the tightness in his chest. In truth the blow had knocked the wind out of him and his forearms throbbed where the fire had licked them. He looked to see the angry red burns. His skin was still there, no blisters, it was a light burn that would heal quickly. There wouldn't even be a scar.
"Let me see," Katara said having rushed over from where she had been sitting. Zuko raised his arms to show her.
"It's nothing serious," Zuko explained preemptively before turning to Aang. "Like I said, when you firebend you'll get burned. I've been through this a hundred times. You did good Aang."
Aang didn't look very sure so Zuko continued, "Really, that was very good. I think we can end the lesson for today."
"Thank you Sifu Zuko," he said with a respectful bow, before wandering back towards the house, likely to contemplate today's lessons. Zuko watched him go, marveling at Aang the serious minded Avatar, so different from Aang the laid back carefree child.
Katara brought him back to himself with a probing thumb brushing against his fresh burns.
"Ow! Watch it," he said jerking away.
"Sorry," she said, "I was just trying to gauge how serious they are."
"It's fine, this kind of thing really is common in training," he said.
"Come on, I'll have these healed right up," she said.
For a moment Zuko's heart leapt into his throat. Katara had only ever offered to heal him once before, in the caves beneath Ba Sing Se. It was still a bitter memory for Zuko. He didn't deserve her kindness, not after that.
"It'll be fine, really," he said.
"What? Zuko I know that hurts. It'll only take a second," she said ignoring his efforts to brush her off.
"Really, this is nothing," he said trying again.
"Come on, what are you afraid of. Do you think I can't do it, is that it?" she said shooting him a sharp look.
"I'm sure you can do it and I'm not afraid. I..." Zuko began to explain before Katara cut him off.
"Good. Then come on," she said, leaving no room for argument.
Hesitantly Zuko followed her to the edge of the courtyard where she seated him on the steps leading into the house. There Katara bent a stream of water from the bota she always wore on her hip. With a graceful move she enveloped her hand in a gravity defying bubble of water. "Now let me see," she said once she was ready to begin.
He obliged, holding out his arms for her. Then the water around her hands began to glow with a pale light. As the glow illuminated him he felt the power of the watertribe wash over him with startling force. She ran her hands down one arm, then up the other. She was finished in an instant, pulling her hands back. Where his skin had been throbbing and painful before now they were cool to the touch, where there had been angry red patches now there was only soft unmarred pale skin.
"See, that wasn't so bad," Katara said.
"Does it always feel like that?" Zuko asked, still a little shaken.
"What do you mean?" Katara asked.
"Like THAT," Zuko repeated with emphasis. "Even before you touched me, just from the glow my heart was racing. The water was cool but when I felt your hands it was like electricity shooting through me. I still feel it tingling under my skin. It's like nothing I've ever felt before."
Katara gave him a confused stare.
"Zuko, that's not what being healed feels like. I should know I've healed plenty of people. I've even healed myself from burns, it's nothing like that," she said.
"It's not?" Zuko said sounding confused.
"No. It's more like... stepping into a cool pond. Shocking at first, but you quickly ease into it, and as you relax the pain fades away. It's more calming, nothing like what you're describing," she explained.
"But.." Zuko began confusedly, "then what am I feeling? I mean my heart is still pounding in my chest."
"I'm not sure," Katara said hesitantly, looking thoughtful.
Zuko ran his fingers over his freshly healed skin thoughtfully. The spot sill tingled where Katara had touched him moments before.
Then a possibility struck him. Half a heartbeat later the same possibility struck Katara. They looked up at each other with wide eyes. Zuko wondered if his face was as red as Katara's or even redder.
Both of them shot up to their feet.
"Well, my work's done here... so... I'm gonna go... start work on dinner," Katara stammered out an excuse to leave.
"Yup... sounds good... I'm just gonna go... dust... old house so... dusty," Zuko stammered out a worse excuse.
"Right... dusting... sounds good," said Katara not listening. She turned to head into the house. Her heart was racing now too. She wasn't ready to face this yet.
"Katara," Zuko's voice stopped her in her tracks. It was clear, his awkward stammer already gone. Katara turned to face him. "Thank you. For healing me."
"You're welcome," she said regaining her composure despite her flushed cheeks. Then she added, "anytime you need me I'll be here for you," before going inside.
For a moment Zuko considered letting Aang hit him with more fireballs during their training sessions.
