Hi everyone!
This is set in the Dragon Catacombs, which Zuko visits in the episode in which he finds out about Roku being his grandfather. The Dragon Catacombs are also visited by Zuko, Aang, and Mai in the comic "Shadow and Smoke".
I hope you'll enjoy reading!
I don not own Avatar the Last Airbender.
Day 28: Ancient
"Why are we going down here again?" Katara asks, disgust obvious in her voice.
Zuko tries not to sigh too loudly. "It's a tradition."
"That doesn't mean you have to do it," Katara answers, sounding sassy like a child.
"You wouldn't say this if it was about a Southern Water Tribe tradition," Zuko mumbles, while stepping further down on the circular stairs.
Katara clings to Zuko's arm, because there are no torches, since only firebenders come down here. Zuko first walked ahead of her, but she said she couldn't see a thing. Then he tried to walk behind her, but his fire wasn't big enough to illuminate the way in front of her. So she tries to squish herself next to him on the small stairs.
"But in the Southern Water Tribe this crypt would have ice walls and only be made of ice. There wouldn't be this stench in the air and no little insects living in the walls." She sniffs, as she presses further against Zuko to get away from the wall.
"You can take a bath afterwards," Zuko says in a deadpan voice, not being able to resist the urge to roll his eyes. He really loves his wife, but lately she's driving him crazy, complaining about everything and everyone, trying to change everything and everyone around her, even him. Ursa said it is called nesting, and Katara would only try to make everything great for the baby's arrival, but Zuko doesn't see how changing ancient Fire Nation traditions would make the time after the birth safer for their child. And the dangerous and stupid and murderous traditions were all already forbidden by him ages ago. Like Agni Kais or killing dragons.
"Can you wash me?" Katara whines, pouting at him, making puppy eyes.
Zuko's mouth begins to form a smile.
"Because you'll need a bath, too. You reek of this stupid oil you poured on your hair earlier." She sniffs again and tugs at his hair, loosening his topknot.
"Katara, stop that!" he snarls and pushes her hands away. "That oil is important for contacting the spirits! I told you that!"
"It still reeks."
Zuko closes his eyes and counts down from ten. He should have given her a sleep potion, before bringing her along. This way, he wouldn't have to listen to her constant nagging. Maybe he'll do this tomorrow, when they have to visit the Dragon Temple.
Katara sighs dramatically. "I'm sorry for being so annoying. I don't even know why. Honouring and praying to our ancestors is something we do in the Water Tribes, too, after all."
"We don't pray to them," Zuko objects. His council would be horrified if they knew that their Fire Lady didn't even know this about the Fire Nation.
"Okay, and we don't put their bodies in dark and ugly caves. This place seriously gives me the creeps," she says lowly.
Zuko frowns, as they take the last step of the stairs, now heading for the Fire Lords' tombs. "I admit it's not a nice place, but we don't have to live here, Katara." He gives her the look he always gives her when she's exaggerating about the beauty or ugliness of something. She's not a very objective person. After all, she thinks he's handsome, because she's in love with him. If she weren't, she certainly wouldn't think that.
"I know that!" she snaps. "But…" Suddenly, she sounds very down.
He turns around to look at her more closely. She's staring at the ground, chewing on her lower lip.
"What if your ancestors give you a sign that they are not okay with me having your baby? I'm not from the Fire Nation, I'm a waterbender, and…" She trails off, squeezing his arm hurtfully in her worry.
Zuko's heart makes a few hurting beats, before he clasps her face in his hands to stare into her eyes. "Nothing what these old, dead monarchs could think would ever make me not be happy with you! Even if there were crystal clear signs I wouldn't care. This is mostly a formality. I'd like them to give their approval, but if they are not okay with this, screw them." He presses his forehead against hers. "You're driving me crazy lately, but I love you, Katara. I always will. And I don't care what element you bend, and I won't care what element our child will bend. I love the element you wield, simply because it's yours." A smug smile appears on his lips. "And since I rule this nation, you don't have to worry about anyone else's approval. I approve of you, regardless what anyone else might think. Ancestors or not."
He pulls her closer to press his lips against hers. He can feel her mouth smile and taste the salty water of tears. Katara is always emotional, but the pregnancy transformed her into a sobbing fountain.
But now, he doesn't care. Wrapping his arms around her and holding her close, he only feels glad to know that his words touched her so much. He is glad to know that he can make her so happy she has to cry with just a few words. It almost makes him cry, too.
She wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him closer to kiss him nearly aggressively. Zuko makes a surprised, but very pleased noise.
They probably offend his ancestors with what they do next, but none of them cares what these old, dead monarchs think.
Pooh, this is the second last story I'll write for Zutara Month 2020. I'm actually getting a bit nostalgic right now. I hope you all enjoyed my stories so far! Please let me know if you did or didn't!