Let's Build on This

What up, what up! This week has been pretty hectic for me but I wanted to add a little something to Zutara week as well, so here I am with a small contribution with the next chapter of Let's Build on This.


Chapter 3: Scars and Healing pt1

It was a rainy night on Ember Island, the summer showers could get quite heavy, the downpour beating down on the roof while thunder exploded and lightning lit up the night sky. Thunderstorms didn't bother Katara at all but a particularly loud thunder crash had woken her up, her heart beating faster than normal from the alarming sound. She looked around the room and sighed, were thunderstorms always this intense in the Fire Nation? She wondered as she got out of bed, heading to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

The house was dead quiet apart from the storm outside, everyone was fast asleep. Katara wondered what time it was as she passed Zuko's room which was close to the stairs. Just as she was about to turn and walk down she heard a sound coming from his room. It immediately got her attention and she walked to his door and listened, she'd heard it again, it sounded like he was talking or rather yelling in his sleep. She knocked to check if he'd respond, maybe he was still up but, he hadn't acknowledged her so she went inside and saw him thrashing about in his bed. Zuko was clearly having a nightmare.

He was gripping the blankets tightly and moving around restlessly. Katara ran to the bedside and tried to wake him up. At first he didn't respond but after shaking him a few more times, his eyes shot open and he sat up, breathing erratically. She took in his appearance, his hands were shaking and he was drenched in sweat. She wondered if he'd gotten any sleep at all. Katara was still holding on to his shoulders as he calmed his breathing, his eyes darted around the room before finally settling on Katara's own blue eyes.

"Katara, what are you doing here?" he asked

"I was on my way to the kitchen when I heard you yelling in your sleep so I came to check on you. Were you having a nightmare?"

Zuko reached out to the side table and made a small flame to light the lamp. Now he could properly see how worried she looked. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. A seriousness took over his features.

"Yeah, I guess you could say I was." he answered vaguely. He looked away from her, he'd had a nightmare alright but it wasn't of some terrifying monster or unfathomable situation, it was a nightmare reliving the most traumatic day of his life. Without noticing, his hand traced over his scar. Katara could see there was something he wasn't telling her.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's kind of a long story." and if he was being completely honest with himself he was terrified of being this open especially about this particular topic. He'd never gone into the specific details of that day and even though his uncle had been present that day, there were still things Zuko had kept to himself.

"Or we could talk about something else if-

"It was about my scar." he took a deep breath, "My nightmare was about the day I got this scar." his hand traced over it again. A part of him felt nervous but a part of him also wanted her to know. They were close and they were only going to get closer, the lines between close friend and something more blurred from time to time with them but it was clear that they both cared very deeply about each other and Katara was never shy about showing him. It was one of the many things he really liked about her, she cared very deeply, she listened to him whenever he needed her to and even though part of him still battled with his mistakes and regrets, she had forgiven him.

And even right now, she should be in bed fast asleep but she was here making sure he was alright. He wanted to tell her.

"Are you sure you want to talk about it?" she didn't want him to feel like he had to tell her, it was a sensitive topic after all but when he put his hand over hers, she felt reassured. He wasn't doing this because he had to, now she knew he definitely wanted to tell her and she felt happy that he felt comfortable enough to tell her this. Her mood shifted and she'd listen with everything she had. She gently squeezed his hand and looked in his eyes.

"It's strange, I haven't had nightmares about it since time it happened and now suddenly that entire day is playing in my head like it happened yesterday. There was a war meeting happening that morning and I was really eager to go but my uncle tried to talk me out of it...


The young prince petulantly demanded to be let in but the guards in front of the War Room refused to move. Zuko felt a hand over his shoulder and saw his uncle as they walked off to the side. He explained wanting to join in but, General Iroh agreed with the guards and even insisted that he wasn't really missing anything in the boring meetings that occurred. However the eagerness shining in his nephew's eyes won him over and agreed to let Zuko come with as long as he promised to stay silent. The two of them walked in together.

Zuko had been in the large War Room before many times but this time was different, this time he was there as the crowned prince learning more about his country and the way the world worked according to how the Fire Nation dictated it. The general leading the meeting looked to be around his uncle's age if not older and every so often Zuko would look to the end of the room where his father sat surrounded by a wall of flames, his power and presence filled the room even though he hardly spoke up.

Zuko felt sickened when he'd heard the plan about sacrificing the forty-first division. Some of the soldiers there were only a few years older than him, they were proud members of the country and to suggest throwing their lives away for a measly distraction didn't sit right with him. He spoke up without hesitation, completely forgetting his promise to uncle, and as soon as his thoughts became known the room fell dead silent. He looked around the room to see all the older generals staring at him scornfully, a heaviness filled the room and Zuko found himself feeling dread wash over him.

"Prince or not, how dare you speak out of turn! Brats like you should know their place! If you wish to challenge me so badly, then are you brave enough to face me in an Agni Kai?" the general who'd suggested the awful plan spoke venomously at him.

Zuko stood his ground and glared back at the older man, boldly proclaiming that he was not afraid and accepted the challenge. The small amount of pride Zuko felt at the moment he saw the general scowl quickly faded away when he turned to see the wall of flames, that surrounded his father, rise even higher. He knew his father was not pleased.

The meeting was immediately ended to prepare for the Agni Kai, Zuko left the War Room to get changed. He was determined to prove that his words were right.

He removed his armor and the undershirt he wore underneath as well as his shoes. He secured the belt around his waist and finally slid on the arm rings before going to the mirror to see himself. Zuko took a deep breath before taking the shoulder garment and draping it over him and left the room to the Agni Kai Chamber.

Zuko cleared his head on the way to the chamber, he was still a ways off from his destination but he could hear the sound of the spectators, it seemed a lot of people would bear witness to his first Agni Kai. Including his father.

General Iroh made his way to his seat in the front row. Something didn't feel right, Agni Kai were a great spectator event but it was unusual for this many to show up, even if it was for the crowned prince. Next to him was his niece, Azula, who was two years younger than her brother and to him she looked a little too excited to see her Zuko in a duel. And not the type of excitement one feels when they're proud of someone but rather a more sinister type of excitement.

As Zuko turned the corner and drew closer to the chamber, the crowd got louder and his heart began racing. Why was he suddenly feeling afraid when less than twenty minutes ago he was more than ready to fight the general? Sure the man was older and more experienced in fighting than Zuko was but, the young prince believed that he could walk away victorious.

He took one final deep breath with his eyes closed and clenched his fist to calm his nerves. He could do this. He pulled back the curtain and ascended the steps, ready to face his opponent.


And that is part one done! *Sigh* we all know what's coming next and it ain't gonna be pretty, especially not writing it. I've always wanted to write about the day Zuko faced his father, just to add in some details, what was he thinking before, during and after everything and also have him finally tell one of the members of the team about that day since it's never really brought up by them. And of course I wanted it to be Katara, I wanted him to have that same vulnerability with her that she shared with him during the Southern Raiders, so once again they grown together. Lemme know what you think in a review.

Well that's it from me-

Until the next chapter:

Ketsui Tasogare :-)