Chapter Fourteen: Pain
After the aerial attack, the gang resumed their journey on Appa, leaving the airship behind. With everyone sitting in the saddle, the tense mood instantly lightened as they began reminiscing about the past again.
Katara leaned back on the saddle's edge, gazing up at the sky. Her tunic was shredded where the creature's talons tore her, but she ignored that. After healing herself and bending the blood from her clothes, a little exposed skin seemed trivial.
Toph sat to Katara's left, one hand gripping the saddle tightly. Although she was used to flying on Appa, she still did not like being away from her element. A hand gently touched her shoulder and she glanced towards Katara.
"Thank you," the waterbender murmured. "For what you did."
"You would have done the same thing for me," Toph said, shrugging. She paused briefly before asking, "What happened?"
"It came out of nowhere. Maybe from another part of the pass, but none of us saw it approaching. It crested over the ridge and nearly grabbed you. Zuko tried to use his fire whips, but it only angered it. When it came back, I… I pushed Zuko aside."
"You shouldn't have done that," Zuko interjected.
Toph didn't need to see him to know his expression was just as dark as his tone.
"It would have killed you," Katara snapped. "I didn't have a lot of options. Besides, you helped Toph and now it's dead."
Toph reached over, feeling Katara's shirt between her fingers. The gaps between the talon marks were wide, and Toph swallowed at the thought of how large the creature must have been.
The earthbender's head tilted when she sensed how warm the waterbender was- more so than normal. "Do you feel okay, Sugar Queen?"
"Why do you ask?"
Zuko interrupted. "You had the option not to get in the way."
"Get in the way!" Katara exclaimed. "Fine, next time I'll let the monster kill you!"
Toph removed her hand from Katara's side, her brow lifting.
Suki, who was on Toph's other side, leaned over. "She's fine. She healed herself."
Toph leaned back, nearly grinning. "Yeah, she's just a little worked up right now."
Suki snickered under her breath.
Ooo0ooO
When the sun set, the gang set up camp in between two ridges, where a piece of the cliff had smoothed out over time.
Katara stood off alone, arms folded. They had already eaten and now the rest of them were settled around the fire, quietly talking amongst themselves.
Zuko, who was sitting next to Sokka, noticed her odd behavior. He was used to her doting on the others during their trips, and to see her standing alone with a distant look in her eyes made him frown.
Standing, he walked over to her. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I was… angry at you for putting yourself in danger."
Her gaze shifted to him, her eyes as dark as midnight. "I'm sorry for yelling at you."
Zuko cracked a smile. "I'm used to that."
"I just… didn't want to see you hurt," she admitted, after returning the smile. "Not...now." Her hand reached out, brushing his, but not taking it.
"I know," he murmured. He longed to pull her into his arms, but with the group right behind them and the mission before them…
Katara seemed to read his thoughts. She glanced at the others, before brushing his fingers with her own and quietly walking away.
He followed her, staying within the light of the campfire, but hidden behind a rocky outcrop. She was waiting for him, and opened her arms for him.
Zuko slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her close as her arms encircled his shoulders. Her cheek pressed against his ruined one, and her fingers brushed along the back of his neck. He shivered.
"I didn't want to see you hurt," she whispered again. "Not like the last time."
Zuko pulled away slightly. "The last time?"
"With Azula," she explained. "And the lightning." Her hand sought his chest, resting over the place where she knew his scar was.
Zuko's hand covered hers. "It's just a scar, Katara. You healed me, remember?"
Katara's eyes reflected the stars when she looked up at him. "What happens next time when I can't heal you?"
Something panged in Zuko's chest, and it felt akin to pain. "Katara…" he trailed off, lowering his forehead to hers.
Katara squeezed her eyes shut. She tilted her head back and kissed him, not caring if the others were only a few feet away, not caring if they were caught. She just wanted his body against hers, warm and solid and familiar.
Zuko pushed her back against the cliff side, his hands starting on her hips before sliding up and into her hair. He found himself thanking Agni that she wore it down so often now, allowing his fingers to tangle themselves in the dark tresses.
Neither wanted to think about Ozai or Azula or their mission, they didn't want to think about what may happen tomorrow or the day after; they only wanted to think of now, and each other, and how the feeling burning inside both of them both hurt and excited them.
Never let me go, a voice whispered between them.
Never leave my side, said another.
And when they pulled apart, both of them breathless, they stared at each other for a long moment, both not understanding what was happening between them, but neither able to let it go.
Ooo0ooO
He was alone on the shore with the sea stretching before him like a dark mirror, and its reflection held the moon and the stars.
The moon was full and blue and silent, the stars dancing and glittering. He watched them all, and his heart ached as he beheld his beloved.
So was their dance- he would soon rise to greet the sky and she would then fall, and he would watch her fade, until it was her turn to watch over the sky once more.
Zuko felt as though he was torn in two- he was aware of standing on a beach, watching the sea shift like broken black glass; but he was also in the sky, watching the moon glow, reflecting his light that reached her across a vast expanse of sky that was turning violet with dawn.
As the moon began to turn in the sky, as it began to fall away from his sight, he saw her standing on the edge of the world where the sea and the sky met. Her blue eyes held his and she smiled at him, and the moonlight slowly encased her until she was gone.
Zuko reached out, wanting to call her name, to call her back to him, but the beach gave way and he slowly fell into nothing, and was swallowed up by the night.
Zuko turned over in his sleep and murmured her name.
She was alone in the forest that was dense and green, full of birds singing and animals moving through the underbrush. She moved through the trees, watching the sunlight dapple the forest floor, turning it gold and green.
Then she emerged from between two large trees and found herself on the edge of a cliff that overlooked the ocean. The call of her element was strong, with the smell of the salty air and the waves crashing far below.
The sun was high in the sky, yellow and bright, and its light danced along the surface of the sea. Katara watched the sun and the way it reflected against the deep blue water.
He was always so far, and could only touch her so briefly. There would be a day soon that they would both share the sky, but for now, their love was expressed only in whispers through the shadow of the night and coming day.
So Katara leapt from the cliff, diving into the sun's reflection. It scattered like golden coins when she broke the surface, and the gold sank below with her. She danced with the sun in the water, before rising for air.
Katara sighed in her sleep, her hand reaching out blindly, and found his.
Ooo0ooO
In the moments before dawn, Suki woke up and looked around. It wasn't unusual for her to rise early, she was used to it from her training on Kyoshi island. There were a few mornings that she woke up at the same time as Zuko, and they passed the time in companionable silence until the others woke up.
With that in mind, Suki glanced over at Zuko's bedroll. Her eyes widened when she saw that his hand was firmly clasped with Katara's, who was stretched out next to him.
Looking around, she figured that the others would not wake up until Katara did. Suko glanced at Toph's earth tent, wondering how moody the earthbender would be if she woke her up. Shaking her head, Suki decided to tell her later, and save herself from potentially getting thrown by a moving piece of earth.
Suki looked back to Zuko and Katara, her expression softening. She knew that something was going on between them, but with everything else going on, she was too busy and distracted to focus on what.
Suki had been there for Katara for a long time now, and she still ached at the memory of Katara disappearing after losing Kanna. When they had searched for her, Suki had often prayed to Kyoshi for her friend's safe return, and for her pain to be healed.
As the weeks progressed after Katara's return, the two friends had spent more time together, as if no time had passed between them. Suki understood, in her own way, why Katara had left and did not question nor judge her choices.
But she had also noticed the distant look in Katara's eyes. It had faded some recently, what with Katara learning a new skill and with the new mission, but in the quieter moments, it was there.
Suki sighed. She knew that Katara and Zuko had grown close over the years, and perhaps more so recently, so she figured this was inevitable. She thought about the way Katara had pushed Zuko aside the other day, and how angry Zuko had been. She remembered how Katara sought Zuko out at the five year anniversary of the war ending. Maybe it had always been there, and now it was slowly unfolding in front of them.
That thought made her smile. She knew what it was like to live in a dark and uncertain world, and to still find love in it. She could only hope that the future held something better for both of her friends.
Her attention was broken when she saw that Zuko was waking up. When he sat up and yawned, he looked over at her and smiled.
Suki smiled back warmly, before turning to retrieve something from her pack, quietly noting how even after he woke up, Zuko still held onto Katara's hand.
Ooo0ooO
When they finally reached the lone, seaside Earth village, the group moved together as a unit, each on guard for whatever might be waiting for them.
Katara and Sokka walked next to each other while he withdrew his sword, and she kept a hand over her waterskin if she needed it.
Zuko and Aang lead them through the village cautiously. There was even less people here than the last place, and most of them were already indoors since it was past dusk.
There was a rustle, and a flash of light before the screaming started.
Katara shot three ice spears towards the noise without thinking, while Aang created a large gust of wind that revealed two figures from their hiding places.
The lightning was as blue and as dangerous as Katara remembered, and it streaked from Azula's fingers straight into Zuko, who was on the ground screaming and screaming. Ozai lunged for Aang, a large sword aimed for his chest.
She might have screamed, she wasn't sure. Before anyone else could move, she recalled her ice back into her skin, before her senses reached out for something else.
The lightning ceased and Azula and Ozai fell to the ground, both grunting as they realized their limbs were locked and would not move as much as they tried. Their own blood was not under their command, but under the sway of a furious waterbender.
Katara looked over at Zuko, who was still on the ground, panting heavily. Her attention was broken for an instant, and Azula leapt to her feet and lunged, drawing a sword of her own.
The pain was white and blinding, but at the same time distant and numb. Blood began to spill, warm and wet, and Katara only blinked.
Aang turned towards Azula and Katara and yelled, his anger causing another gust of wind that allowed Ozai to roll away and over the cliff they were next to. Azula met the Avatar's gaze and smirked, before running at him. At the last possible moment, she flipped over him, joining her father in the descent over the cliffs.
It was later they would figure out that a stolen airship was waiting for them before they hit the rocks below.
Zuko watched Katara lift a hand to her side, and how it came away red. Her gaze turned slowly to him, her brow furrowed in confusion.
The last thing he remembered was choking out her name as she collapsed, before his own injuries and pain pulled him under too.
Ooo0ooO
Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA or any of its characters.
Author's Note: What songs make you think of Zuko and Katara? I need inspirational music to keep writing!
Please review!